2006 All Star Voting

Timmy Davis 2006 All Star MVP

Davis Turns Up The Heat

Fishkill - Teams have been riding Timmy Davis' arm to victory for over three years now. In the regular season since his rookie days in 2003, Davis has pitched in 29 games. His career record stands at 11-2, with 4 saves. His career pitching strikeouts total 257, in just 129 actual innings pitched (193 adjusted).

But although he has led the league in IRA the last two years (1.42 and 0.98), and is considered the best wiffle ball hurler in the entire Hudson Valley region, he has never led the Wombat Wiffleball League in victories or strikeouts. This simply because his American Legion schedule has limited him to part-time play each year. It has been left to the imagination to comprehend what he might have accomplished in a full season - in any of the years he's played. Many feel that he would have already shattered the single-season strikeout (152) and victory (11) marks and been well on his way to the top of the All Time lists. The name Davis propped up alongside names like Chapin; Lewis; Lyon and Coddington. And that might still happen ... in time.

But perhaps the single most frustrating aspect about his missed playing time is that - although selected to the All Star Game by his peers every year - he's never been able to play. Until this year. A last minute scheduling change allowed Davis his first chance in three years to participate in the league's mid-summer classic. And he made the most of his opportunity.

The opposing All Stars, led by Funk Cats' Captain Mike Lewis, and Blueballers co-Captain Dan Petkanas were as well suited as any to combat Davis' skills on the mound. Lewis - a contact hitter - had the best lifetime OBP against Davis at a reasonable .530. although it was over 200 points below his lifetime mark. And Petkanas was viewed by many as the 'other Timmy Davis' in that he hit for average and power, pitched with success and fielded in almost flawless fashion. Add players like Joe Cassitto (the ace of Moorehead Park); Rob Kootz (who was on pace to be just the third player to hit 100 homers in a season) and Phil Casey, who was the only active local player to make it to the Nationals in the 90's, and it was felt that Timmy could be contained.

It wasn't about to happen.

And as Petkanas would say after the game was over: "The All-Star Game (victory) just wasn't meant to be, I was particularly off, Timmy was particularly on, and that's just how it was. It's hard to make fair teams with a monster like Timmy who everyone knows can be unstoppable if it's that kind of day for him."

One of the most amazing things about Davis is his versatility. He doesn't have to lead in home runs, or get the victory or make the spectacular play in the field to be able to control the game, simply because he does everything so well. And God forbid his teammates get hot. Then he becomes an unstoppable force. Which is exactly what happened in the 2006 All Star Game.

All Star starter Matt VanWagenen - with his perfect 3-0 record - got so hot on the mound, posting a 2.26 IRA and throwing a goose egg in his last inning of work, that by the time that Davis took the mound (to throw his 11 pitch, 2 strikeout, four-minute inning) his team was already up by a score of 37-17.

Davis didn't need need any help at the plate either ... but he got it. VanWagenen and perennial HR King Chris DiCesare combined for 34 hits (13 for extra bases) and 33 RBI. And Reece Aronow hit for the cycle. But just in case, Timmy decided to go yard 10 times himself and drove home a staggering 32 runners. You know ... just in case.

And with some of the best fielders in the game - DiCesare leads the league in fielding plays, and VWags has possibly the best range in the game - Davis still took control. He crashed through the righfield fence (a la' RT Barber) taking a metal pole to the groin and held on to take a homer away from Rob Kootz in the ninth inning.

No one knows if it will be another three years before Davis can play in an All Star Game again - if ever. But on this hot July day in 2006, Davis added his name to a select group: those who owned the game - the game with only the best of the best in it.

2006 All Star Game Leaders:

Most At Bats: Timmy Davis - 28

Most Hits: Timmy Davis - 24

Most Singles: Chris DiCesare - 14

Most Doubles: Reece Aronow - 3

Most Triples: Reece Aronow - 2

Most Homers: Timmy Davis - 10

Most RBI: Timmy Davis - 32

Most Walks: Chris DiCesare - 8

Most Innings Pitched: Matt VanWagenen - 5

Victory: Matt VanWagenen (3)

Loss: Dan Petkanas (1)

Hold: Timmy Davis (1)

Save: Chris DiCesare (6)

Most Strikeouts: Dan Petkanas - 6

Most Walks Allowed: Joe Cassitto - 8

Shutout Innings: Timmy Davis - 1

Rob Kootz - 1

Matt VanWagenen - 1

Click read about the 2005 All Star Game and a listing of All Star Event Winners