Vote for October POTM

As the Maui Adult Baseball League’s Summer 2022 regular season winds to a close, the playoff picture is coming into focus. The Makena Royals have secured the top seed and a first round bye, while the Kihei Centipedes control their fate and will look to lock up the other bye with a win this Sunday. The West Maui Brewers are in control of the final playoff spot which they can secure with a win in the final weekend of the regular season, or, working down to the 5th tie-breaker, if they can maintain their advantage in runs allowed over the Kaanapali Coast Monarchs.

Many players have played big roles down the stretch for their respective teams, and some of the biggest performances are recognized with Player of the Month nominees. The candidates listed below were selected based on their performances during October games, with no more than one candidate per team. Voting is open to players, fans, and family, and is limited to 1 vote per individual. This month’s award is brought to you by Down the Hatch (dthmaui.com, @dthmaui), a place to eat fish. Down the Hatch was voted the best bar on Maui in 2022, and they have been a generous supporter of Maui Adult Baseball for many seasons. In addition to some fresh swag from the MABL Shop, the winner of the month’s POTM poll will receive a gift card good for some Southern Aloha at DTH!

One of the carry-overs from the Hurricanes, catcher Brooks Faria has continued to play a leading role for the new-look Monarchs this season. In addition to having what is likely the MABL’s best team-colored catchers gear, Faria put together a strong month of October, batting .400 (6 for 15) with 4 stolen bases over 5 games.

After quickly bouncing back from off-season should surgery, LHP Mike Gilligan has resumed his workhorse role for the Lahaina Warriors. Over four October appearances, Gilligan went 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA and 18 Ks while throwing 20.0 innings. On Oct 23 against the Monarchs, Gilligan logged his 12th career complete game, picking up the win while striking out 9.

With all due respect to the other candidates, there is a correct answer to this poll, and it is Frank Lettieri (joking, but not really…). The Upcountry Dirtbags‘ rookie shortstop got out a few times in October, but most of the time he just hit. Over 4 games, Lettieri hit .833 (15 for 18) with 8 runs scored, 10 RBIs, 5 stolen bases, 20 total bases, and a whopping 1.929 OPS, all tops in the league. Against the Warriors on Oct 9, Lettieri went 7 for 7 with a double, triple, and 5 RBIs, matching the previous MABL record for hits in a single game.

The La Perouse Pirates‘ Elias Steadman has stormed back after a sluggish start to the season, posting a .600 average (6 for 10) with 4 runs scored and 5 RBIs last month. The former MABL MVP’s October performance helped his team secure another trip to postseason play in 2022.

After a couple seasons of finishing second in MVP voting, the Centipedes’ Ryan Swindle is making a strong push towards capturing that honor, and leading his team to an impressive season in the process. During the month of October Swindle hit .692 (9 for 13) with 3 doubles, 7 RBIs, and 5 stolen bases. Swindle’s 1.656 October OPS was the second highest mark in the league over that span.

In his 4th season in the league, Jacob Tiu has put together another dominant season on the mound for the Royals. Over a pair of October starts, Tiu went 1-0 with 16 Ks in 15.0 innings. His .211 opponents’ average, 1.27 WHIP, and 9.6 K/9 were tops in the league among qualified pitchers.

The Brewers’ Jeff Tucker is enjoying a tremendous season in his return to MABL action. Last month Tucker hit .400 (8 for 20), while his 10 RBIs were tied for tops in the league. Against the Dirtbags on Oct 16, Tucker went 4 for 5 with a career-best 6 RBI game.

Check out the stats page for complete hitting and pitching stats for every player in the league, and cast your vote below for the MABL Player of the Month for October 2022. The poll will remain open through November 8.

Vote for the MABL Player of the Month

• Frank Lettieri (47%, 93 Votes)
• Ryan Swindle (38%, 75 Votes)
• Jacob Tiu (6%, 12 Votes)
• Brooks Faria (3%, 5 Votes)
• Mike Gilligan (3%, 5 Votes)
• Jeff Tucker (3%, 5 Votes)
• Elias Steadman (2%, 4 Votes)

Total Voters: 199

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