Westchester Rockland Wood Bat League

As the Tigers turn a page on another off season they look to remain as the top team in the WRWBL for the 2022 season.  The Tigers return as back-to-back champions having achieved the league's top honor during the 2019 and 2021 seasons respectively. In 2021, the Tigers saw 7 players selected to the All-WRWBL 1st Team and set franchise records scoring 237 runs, pounding out 276 hits, and notching 402 total bases.  

Most importantly, the team set out to win a championship in the memory of longtime General Manager, Joe Mandile Sr. and local baseball icon Coach Fred Gallo and in the end the team achieved that goal.  

On the mound, the Tigers return back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Joe Mandile, who will be at the top of the rotation and a top the league's best pitcher ranking. Joining him will be veteran Pat O’Connell who is coming off another solid season campaign. Anthony Gigante also emerged as a dominant arm in 2021, pitching to a sub 2 era in nearly 20 innings of work which continued into the postseason. 

The Tigers retain the league’s most prolific player in Nate Estes.  Estes is in search for a professional contract and has garnered the interest from several organizations at the next level.  If he remains in Tiger uniform, he will look to repeat his 2021 performance as league MVP en route to a potential 3rd MVP trophy.  Paul Blejec also raised the bar for his performance in 2021. Blejec, entrenched as one of the league’s top handful of consistent performers, broke the league Batting Average record for a single season which stood for decades. Bobby Garbuio, the league's best catcher in 2021, is set to return as he is coming off a monster year during his final collegiate campaign. He is going to be generating some pro interest post collegiate season but if he returns to the Tigers lineup, he will be a two force to be reckoned with. The Tigers will also look to lean on former MVP Anthony Gigante to produce both defensively and at the plate.

One of the league's all-time greats, Chris Nardozzi, is making his return to the WRWBL and should certainly help improve upon an already lethal offense. Newcomer V.J.Collins will also slot in at the top of the Tigers rotation. Collins was among the league’s best arms as a member of the Patriots for several years. He is a welcomed addition to the staff.

The Tigers are striving to become the most dominant team in WRWBL history, and they have the firepower to do so. If Estes and Garbuio return, there's no questioning the Tigers as the frontrunner to win it all.