Through the grueling 11 game schedule of a SASL softball season, teams cannot rely on just a handful of players if they want to raise the SASL trophy. Unheralded players and veterans on their last legs must produce to keep a season alive.
Along the way, these uncelebrated players have been critical pieces for their teams and due to the teams other stars, they were never given the credit they rightfully deserved.
We will go around the league weekly to find these “Unsung Heroes” who are rated 3 and below and shout them out. For this week we will look at the first three weeks combined.
Dynasty (6-0)
Kunal Oak (rating 3)
.688avg/1.757ops/2HR/8r/12rbis
Kunal was an under the radar move add by Dynasty this offseason. He has paid big dividends by driving in runs in the bottom of the lineup at an All Star pace. He has put in a lot of work and the fruits of that labor are clearly showing.
The North (6-0)
Papu Allen (rating 3)
.667avg/1.972ops/1HR/17r/9rbis
Pops has been leading off for The North this season and he leads the League in runs. He is doing his job far better than expected when North signed him. If he can continue to leadoff for North, we expect him to continue to create havoc on the base-paths.
Hit Squad (4-2)
Ali Najimi (rating 3)
.667avg/1.578ops/6r/3rbis
Ali has been with the League for 15 years and he continues to do his thing year in and year out. This season he has an unbelievable .800 OBP by leading the League in walks. His versatility to play any position in the infield also is a big help to Hit Squad that shouldn’t be overlooked.
MonStars (4-2)
Salman Quader (rating 3)
.789avg/1.657ops/10r/7rbis
Not only is he taking care of business at the dish, he is also the Captain of the team. A big resurgence season for Salman this year after a few years where he batted below his capabilities. Can he continue to shoot those singles up the middle?
The Ones (4-2)
Asad Haque (rating 3)
.450avg/1.129ops/1H/8r/6rbis
The versatile Asad has been doing everything asked of him so far this season. His batting average should climb a few points as he warms up but he has played various positions on defense for The Ones thus far including 2b and RCF.
Troopers (3-3)
Nicholas Jairam (rating 3)
.667avg/1.477ops/6r/4rbis
Nick is one of the many young pieces in the Troopers roster and one of the big reasons Troopers have taken a big step forward this year. Along with his solid offense, he has played a very good outfield to solidify the defense as well. It will be exciting to see the team really grow in the future and come into their own.
Black Mambas (2-4)
Zeshan Hamdani (rating 2)
.533avg/1.478ops/3r/7rbis
Zeshan’s dramatic weight loss has been an inspiration around the community and he is having a career season this far. He also plays the 1B position pretty well and has been a huge bargain for Mambas this year.
TSFE (1-5)
Prince Panicker (rating 3)
.750avg/1.603ops/3r/1rbi
Captain Prince is having a great season for himself but we are sure he would trade that in for a couple more wins. His 3 runs and 1 RBI point to a very anemic TSFE offense thus far, so he will need to continue to lead the way if they are to have any chance.
Backdoor Sliders (0-6)
Sami Hossain (rating 3)
.643avg/1.700ops/9r/5rbis
Sami’s start has been a revelation for the Sliders so far. However, Sami still has room to grow on the defensive side of things. Despite his teams record, Sliders are in the middle of the pack on Offense and Sami is a big reason why.
DadBods (0-6)
Amar Aujla (rating 3)
.647avg/1.843ops/1HR/9r/3rbis
Amar has been named “Player Of The Week” twice already out of 3 weeks for DadBods. In his breakout campaign, he continues to mash the ball. Unfortunately in the DadBods anemic offense, his counting stats will suffer. He also provides weekly spectacular plays in the outfield for DadBods.
Shooter McGavins (0-6)
Joel Enai (rating 3)
.667avg/1.400ops/5r/4rbis
Joel has been a hitter with a lot of promise for the last 2-3 years and he is finally putting together a banner season. While the power numbers aren’t there yet, we expect that to grow as the season progresses. Shooters have had a bottom 3 offense thus far, but Joel is one of the few shining bright.
