Superpesis Roundup Dream Team 2020

KPL have several players on the 2020 dream team

As we finally say goodbye to 2020 I have put together my dream team for the year. Last year saw a very challenging and different season unfold; with relegation off the table, it allowed teams to play with a little more freedom. In addition to this, the crowded schedule of games saw greater opportunities for young players to find a spot in the lineup in a similar way to that seen in Major League Baseball. The teams highlighted are the teams the players played for in 2020 and are not necessarily their current club and the statistics quoted are from the regular season only.

The dream team has been chosen after carefully looking at the players statistics, how they performed in their team’s lineup and their fielding positions. The 2019 lineup is:

Batting order

1. Tommi Mäentausta (KPL)
2. Joni Rytkönen (Sotkamon Jymy)
3. Niko Korhonen (Sotkamon Jymy)
4. Matti Latvala (KPL)
5. Konsta Piironen (Joensuun Maila)
6. Juuso Myllyniemi (Manse PP)
7. Matias Rinta-aho (Vimpelin Veto)
8. Sami Partanen (IPV)
9. Janne Kivipelto (KPL)

Jokers

10. Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää (Seinäjoen JymyJussit)
11. Patrik Wahlsten (Koskenkorvan Urheilijat)
12. Perttu Ruuska (Vimpelin Veto)

Batting 1st - Outfielder

Tommi Mäentausta (Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat)

For the second year running, Mäentausta topped the league for successful hits to 1st base, with 132 from 23 games and a success rate of 73.93%, which was up on his 2019 rate of 69.64%). Despite some games not going to plan Mäentausta remained a constant threat in KPL’s game plan and crossed home plate for 39 runs, the 3rd best in the league.

Games: 23 RBI: 0+1 Runs: 39 Hits: 139

1st B: 132 2nd B: 4 3rd B: 2 Success %: 73.93%

Batting 2nd - Shortstop

Joni Rytkönen (Sotkamon Jymy)

Like Mäentausta, 2020 was another great year, although the second half was a little disappointing, especially defensively. Nevertheless there is no doubt that any team would jump at the have Rytkönen batting number 2. Rytkönen led the league for runs scored (52) by some margin once again and his 4 kunniajuoksu showed how versatile and dangerous a hitter he is.

Games: 24 RBI: 4+2 Runs: 52 Hits: 136

1st B: 33 2nd B: 92 3rd B: 5 Success %: 70.10%

Batting 3rd - Shortstop

Niko Korhonen (Sotkamon Jymy)

Niko was not necessarily a standout player when you look at his statistics, but what the statistics don’t say is how fundamental he was in Sotkamo’s championship year. Niko was the Superpesis Roundup Podcast’s player of the year and it is obvious that he should slot into the 2020 Dream Team lineup.

Games: 24 RBI: 0+2 Runs: 37 Hits: 146

1st B: 8 2nd B: 53 3rd B: 83 Success %: 73.36%

Batting 4th - 2nd Baseman

Matti Latvala (Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat)

Latvala had a solid season and was crucial to KPL’s success and drive both on and off the pitch.  Latvala had great numbers at moving runners to 3rd base and bringing runners home, with an impressive 60.89% success rate. Latvala’s RBI total was the best on KPL’s lineup for a position player (although half the amount of Joker Jere Dahlström’s).

Games: 24 RBI: 2+34 Runs: 20 Hits: 109

1st B: 15 2nd B: 14 3rd B: 44 Success %: 60.89%

Batting 5th - Outfielder

Konsta Piironen (Joensuun Maila)

Konsta was a solid choice at reaching 1st base and racked up 33 runs in the season, but his place on the Dream Team lineup is assured by his defensive abilities. Joensuu had the fewest runs scored against them in the regular season (131) and a solid outfield - Konsta finds a welcome place on the lineup to take some pressure off the hard hitters and save some runs in the outfield.

Games: 24 RBI: 0+0 Runs: 33 Hits: 86

1st B: 78 2nd B: 2 3rd B: 6 Success %: 58.90%

Batting 6th - 3rd Baseman/Shortstop

Juuso Myllyniemi (Manse PP, Tampere)

Myllyniemi had an explosive year with Manse ad was a key reason why they were able to break away from the bottom of the table in their debut year in Superpesis. For most of the season, Myllyniemi was top of the table for successful hits and ended the season with 149 successful hits (6.77per game) and was 3rd overall. With this kind of explosive offence, he easily finds a spot on the Dream Team lineup.

Games: 22 RBI: 2+3 Runs: 29 Hits: 149

1st B: 32 2nd B: 97 3rd B: 15 Success %: 75.63%

Batting 7th - Catcher

Matias Rinta-aho (Vimpelin Veto)

Perttu Ruuska was a powerhouse at the plate once again for Vimpeli, but Matias Rinta-aho and Janne Mäkelä were close behind. Vimpeli didn’t have high expectations before the start of the season, yet at the end of the playoffs they were truly unstoppable, defeating the then reigning champions Joensuu for bronze medals. Rinta-aho’s defensive capabilities coupled well with Ruuska’s pitching and by the end of the season, the team were working in harmony. 

Games: 24 RBI: 3+38 Runs: 7 Hits: 87

1st B: 4 2nd B: 9 3rd B: 33 Success %: 49.43%

Batting 8th - 1st Baseman

Sami Partanen (Imatran Pallo-Veikot)

2020 saw Partanen reach a career milestone with THING and despite IPV missing out on the postseason once more, he was a constant threat at the plate. Partanen remains one of the trickiest batters to pitch to (as JoMa showed in the 2020 season opener, where Partanen’s short hit caught Joensuu off guard and cost them the game), it is for this reason that Partanen gains a spot on the lineup - when you need him, he really can make the difference.

Games: 24 RBI: 1+28 Runs: 16 Hits: 146

1st B: 4 2nd B: 31 3rd B: 82 Success %: 68.22%

Batting 9th - Pitcher

Janne Kivipelto (Kouvolan Pallonlyöjat)

There were some great pitching performances in 2020, including the rise of Aapo Komulainen with Sotkamo and Juha Puhtimäki’s outstanding winning run with Joensuu, but overall there was really only one player who came to mind for the Lukkari role - Janne Kivipelto. Kivipelto pitched phenomenally in 2020 and could have been player of the year if KPL had won the championship. Without a doubt, he deserves the pitcher spot on the Dream Team.

Games: 22 RBI: 1+11 Runs: 4 Hits: 39

1st B: 4 2nd B: 8 3rd B: 15 Success %: 45.88%

Joker

Jukka-Pekka Vainionpää (Seinäjoen JymyJussit)

Jukka-Pekka was the league leader for runs batted in with 80 RBI for another year. With 132 successful hits, he had the 11th highest number of hits in the league. Much like Wahlsten, Vainionpää was a standout player for his team - the big difference was that JymyJussit did enough to reach the playoffs, despite a poor second half of the season. Whilst others on the team started to fade, Vainionpää remained solid and earns his spot on the Dream Team lineup.

Games: 24 RBI: 0+80 Runs: 4 Hits: 132

1st B: 0 2nd B: 10 3rd B: 42 Success %: 53.87%

Joker

Patrik Wahlsten (Koskenkorvan Urheilijat)

Patrik Wahlsten had an incredible season last year, but was limited only by the poor performances of players on his team. If Wahlsten was on any other team (especially an all star lineup like this Dream Team) then he would have been unstoppable.

Games: 24 RBI: 3+69 Runs: 10 Hits: 107

1st B: 2 2nd B: 12 3rd B: 21 Success %: 51.19%

Joker

Perttu Ruuska (Vimpelin Veto)

First of all I want to say how impressed I was with Perttu’s growth in the role of Lukkari, but for this dream team lineup, I decided that Janne Kivipelto was the one who gets the job. I definitely want Perttu in the lineup and he would be great backup for Kivipelto if needed. Perttu’s explosive offence means he fits the joker role still perfectly well - despite having to focus on his new role as pitcher, he still was 7th highest in the league in terms of RBIs and 1st in terms of successful hits.

Games: 24 RBI: 5+51 Runs: 23 Hits: 177

1st B: 9 2nd B: 31 3rd B: 81 Success %: 67.04%