During a surprisingly uneventful drive home just now I remembered my comment last night and it actually made me think of something productive to say. Your play-in games being a series of 3 rather than just the one-off wild card game that RL MLB has is a big improvement. I feel like with playoff structure, there's "several right answers", but a single wild card game/play in game instead of at least a series of 3 is something I'm prepared to call decidedly lame. Ramping up from 3 to 5 then 7 is definitely a big improvement. Don't think I said that previously when you announced the new format.

Radstags had their fair shot.

2300 - CBO Playoffs - SCA: Vault 81 vs Jamaica Plain
 

#1 Vault 81 Dwellers (68-40) vs #4 Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (59-49)

Season Series: Jamaica Plain 5, Vault 81 3
May 1-2 @JP: V81 3-2, JP 7-3
May 8-9 @V81: V81 4-2, JP 3-2
May 29-30 @V81: JP 8-1, JP 8-1
June 5-6 @JP: V81 1-0, JP 5-4

Vault 81 Home Page

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1638760829

Jamaica Plain Home Page

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1637941586

Game 1 Matchup

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1638760829

Analysis

While Jamaica Plain made their playoff debut this season, last year the Vault 81 Dwellers made their first showing. It happened to be a nod and go as the #1-seed Goodneighbor Hancocks swept them, 3 games to 0. This season, the Dwellers are now the #1 seed as they take on the Red Rockets in their maiden journey. The big difference is that Jamaica Plain had a chance for a play-in series against another newcomer, University Point, taking that series 2 games to 1.

The Dwellers look to have a tough time winning in the playoffs. There were only three teams they did not have winning records against, and all three remain in the playoffs. Against Jamaica Plain and Goodneighbor, the Dwellers were 3-5 to each. They went 6-6 against Diamond City. Still, Vault 81 was the most consistent team throughout the season, with their worst month coming in June when they went 11-11 before going 13-7 and a hot streak of 18-6 in August/September, including winning 10 of their last 11. That's the bright side. On the negative side, only the Deathclaws were hotter entering the playoffs, and Jamaica Plain disposed of them.

Vault 81 is a good all around team, finishing 4th in runs scored (565) and 2nd in runs allowed (459) for the top run differential in the SCA. On offense, they have seven guys who can hit the long ball, led by the four 20+ homer hitters: 1B Jason Robinson (.260/32/99), RF Deer Quickwalker (.267/31/84), SS Knud Bather (.260/28/66), and CF Aesed Hayjen (.341/21/76). Pitching featured the top Starters ERA (3.77) with Edwin Mass (15-9, 3.24), Vince McCort (16-4, 3.55), and Josh Mustang (12-5, 4.53) all winning a double-digit number of games. The Bullpen had the 5th-best ERA (4.39) with CL Fillmore Hofmann (14 SV, 1.53) performing better than expected. MR Tennessee Tailor (1-0, 0.93) was dominant in his 14 appearances.

Prediction
Vault 81 has been sneaky good all season. Though we are tempted to predict an upset, every sign but the season series points to it being a Dwellers series, 3 to 1.

Unfortunately for Concord, they peaked in July.

2300 - CBO Playoffs - SCA: Goodneighbor vs Diamond City
 

#2 Goodneighbor Hancocks (66-42) vs #3 Diamond City Swatters (61-47)

Season Series: Diamond City 6, Goodneighbor 2
Apr 5-6 @DC: Good 10-3, DC 6-5
Apr 24-25 @Good: DC 6-1, DC 13-9
July 10-11 @Good: DC 4-0, DC 4-2
Aug 28-29 @DC: DC 6-0, Good 4-2

Goodneighbor Home Page

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1638841985

Diamond City Home Page

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1638841985

Game 1 Matchup

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1638841985

Analysis

This is quickly becoming a playoff rivalry with the past two Sole Survivor Series Champions knocking each other out in the playoffs. Two seasons ago, it was Goodneighbor getting the best of the Swatters, 3 games to 2, on their way to the championship. Last season, the teams met in the SCA Final where Diamond City claimed the series, 4 games to 2, on their way to raising the championship banner.

This season, the Hancocks recovered enough to earn their fourth straight Minutemen League title. The Swatters did not follow up their championship season with a repeat Railroad League title, but they are still a serious contender for another Sole Survivor Series title. Especially, Diamond City dominated the season series against the Hancocks, including winning all four in Goodneighbor.

For Goodneighbor, they are again a formidable team all around. Finishing 2nd in the SCA in run scored (592) and 4th in runs against (489), Manager Jeremy Whitelplate again has his team in position to play deep into the playoffs. The hears of the team is still 1B Bryan Assman (.352/22/69) who had a "down" year after his back-to-back MVP seasons. He has a bevy of support around him, including 2B Jumper Hayes (.326/20/82), SS Burtie Cuttooth (.279/21/83), and RF Good Don Duck (.330/13/71). Pitching is led by ace Matt Pageturner (15-5, 3.27), along with two other good pitchers in Quincy Eloquent (13-10, 3.85) and Josh Dude (10-4, 3.69). CL Tiny Green (26 SV, 2.23) is among the best as a closer, and Justin Wilkerson (3-0, 3.33) earned quality innings throughout the season.

The Swatters are hoping to find playoff magic again. First, they will need to find more success from their offense, which finished 8th in scoring offense (532 runs). They do dominate on the mound, though, finishing best in runs allowed (449), 3rd in Starters ERA (4.06), and 2nd in Bullpen ERA (3.57). On offense, 1B Oren Gep (.333/37/87) has become a star. He is supported by another star in SS Wally Warwick (.335/26/81) and LF Waze Waiting (.293/21/40). RF Wayne Lacy (.281/11/47) has seen his home run production drop drastically from an SCA-best 37 two years ago. Diamond City also has an incredible 1-2 punch on the mound in X10-44 Mannson (15-5, 2.74) and Tyler Powers (15-4, 3.09). There is a debate of who should be the 3rd starter, Tim Fusion (8-16, 4.82) or City Moore (16-9, 3.88), though MGR Bucky Bachelor seems to favor the Vim! Pitcher Award winner from two years ago in Fusion. The closer Josh Samm (28 SV, 3.17) is unquestionably one of the best, and Mike Pond (3-0, 1.38) is an inning eater.

Prediction
This one is our top series for the elite eight of the CBO playoffs. Based on their ability to shut down the Goodneighbor offense, we have Diamond City winning this one in a thriller, 3 games to 2.

Given "historical" reasons, the Swatters and Goodneighbor have a lot of reasons to be rivals as well. On the playing field is a lot more healthy venue for their grievances than how things used to be, though. I fully endorse making this one of the CBO's great rivalries.

That is very much true. And though my universe is one of peace and love, I am sure Hancock loves nothing more than beating the pants off Diamond City teams.

2300 - CBO Playoffs - NCA: Nordhagen Beach vs The Slog
 

2300 - CBO Playoffs - NCA: Fort Hagen vs Easy Town
 

2300 - CBO Playoffs - SCA: Vault 81 vs Jamaica Plain
 

2300 - CBO Playoffs - SCA: Goodneighbor vs Diamond City
 

And that first game of the Swatters-Hancocks series reminds me of a good thread I saw awhile back, "What is the largest margin an extra-innings game has ever been won by?" Unfortunately I don't remember the answer.

That was a crazy game for sure! A seven run inning after just four runs all game is crazy and it built a lot of momentum for the Swatters

The MLB record is held by the 1983 Texas Rangers, who put up 12 unanswered runs in the top of the 15th inning to defeat the Oakland Athletics by a score of 16–4 on July 3.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extra_innings

It's a shame they still haven't fixed the "like" functionality of the forum or I'd +rep this for doing the work when I'm being lazy :laugh:

2300 - CBO Playoffs - NCA: Nordhagen Beach vs The Slog
 

2300 - CBO Playoffs - NCA: Fort Hagen vs Easy Town
 

B]#3 Easy Town Assaultrons (67-41) vs #2 Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (66-42)

Game 3 - Fort Hagen 3 at Easy Town 1

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1639010893

Game 4 - Fort Hagen 6 at Easy Town 4

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1639010893

[/B]

2300 - BMU Playoffs - Association Championships
 

CA: #2 College Square Nerd Ragers (Concord, 44-32) vs #1 Outpost Zimonja Strongbacks (The Slog, 48-28)

Game 1: College Square 4 at Outpost Zimonja 2

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1639312528

Game 2: College Square 4 at Outpost Zimonja 3

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1639312528

MA: #2 Haymarket Mall Commandos (Jamaica Plain, 45-31) vs #1 Fiddler's Green T-60s (Oberland, 46-31)

Game 1: Haymarket Mall 6 at Fiddler's Green 2

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1639312528

Game 2: Haymarket Mall 5 at Fiddler's Green 4

https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...1&d=1639312542

2300 - CBO Playoffs - SCA: Vault 81 vs Jamaica Plain
 

2300 - CBO Playoffs - SCA: Goodneighbor vs Diamond City
 

Eh, at least Goodneighbor put up a fight, but that was basically all Swatters.