The Maui Adult Baseball League Spring 2023 Playoffs get underway Sunday, May 14 at Eddie Tam Park in Makawao. The Makena Royals (#3 seed, 8-6) will host the La Perouse Pirates (#6 seed, 6-8) at 10am, with the Lahaina Warriors (#4 seed, 7-7) and the Upcountry Dirtbags (#5 seed, 6-7-1) to follow at 1:15pm. Winners of the do-or-die, single-game elimination round will advance to face either the Kihei Centipedes (#1 seed, 11-3) or the West Maui Brewers (#2 seed, 10-3-1) the following weekend.
The MABL has assembled a panel of anonymous experts* to predict the outcomes of each playoff series this season, and the experts have picked the Royals as favorites (3-0) in the morning tilt. The 3-time defending champs are given a 63.9% chance of winning based on each team’s regular season winning percentage, as given by sabr.org. In terms of regular season OPS and runs scored, the Pirates have a slight offensive edge, while the Royals pitching (based on ERA and WHIP) was tops in the league this season. The teams split the season series with the Royals winning their February 5 matchup, 9-1, and the Pirates taking the April 9 game by a final of 5-3.
The afternoon game features the 4 and 5 seeds in a game that notoriously difficult to predict. Our panel of experts give a 2-1 edge to the Dirtbags, while based on regular season winning percentage, the Warriors are given a slim edge, with a 53.8% chance of advancing. Led by shortstop Frank Lettieri, who just won his second batting title in his second season, the Dirtbags’ featured the league’s top offense this season. The Warriors offense ranks lowest among playoff teams, however their pitching was significantly better than that of the Dirtbags. In a game that’s expected to feature two former professionals starting for their respective teams, this one might be decided by how well the Warriors’ defense plays behind reigning MABL Cy Young award winner John Lamb.
If you’re lucky enough to get in-person seats for these games, you’re in for a treat! And if you can’t make it up to Makawao, there are rumors that Chip Swinger may be reprising his role in the booth for some playoff games in the coming weeks; be sure to check the MABL Instagram for live broadcasts when they happen. You can view the full playoff game schedule here, and as always, be sure to check back for scores, stats, and photos each week following the games.
*The expert picks are meant as a fun addition to the playoff game write-ups, and should be taken as such. The author of this article is not one of the individuals providing picks. And as any seasoned Maui Adult Baseball League player knows, there’s a reason you play the games!
Great article! Appreciate the insights. I still like to check in on the league and former teammates and friends from Texas now. Keep up the good work.
This was an extra enjoyable read! I think the expert picks added human temperature to the data and made a good balanced analysis. Especially for emotional people like me… And I know emotional humans play the game so anything can happen. I’m excited for the playoffs. Thank you!