[StLee]

Analysis

Despite losing their weekend series, the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys have claimed the #2 spot over Goodneighbor who is in the middle of a four-game losing streak. The Party Boys suffered a rare series loss to County Crossing, which has been the Beach Boys' tonic through troubled times in the first three seasons of the CBO. Still, Nordhagen Beach is tied with Abernathy for the CBO-best record in their last ten games with an 8-2 mark.

Abernathy has rejoined the top four after they got a series sweep of Lexington and saw league rivals Fort Hagen and Starlight drop their weekend series. The Adamantium can now claim a two-game lead over the Silver Shroud and three games over the Lady Killers. There is still a lot of season left, but Abernathy has been a pesky bloatfly in this bloated Institute League.

University Point was the biggest riser in this week's power poll after they got a much-needed sweep of first-place Goodneighbor. With the series win, the Deathclaws were able to gain a game on Warwick in the battle for the Minutemen League wildcard slot. The Mirelurks now lead the wildcard spot by two games after beating Jamaica Plain two out of three.

To round out our trip around the league bases, Diamond City also had a huge week, going 4-1, including winning two out of three pitchers' duels over the CBO-best Oberland T-51s. Their successful week showed that they can play with the best, making them a dangerous team in the playoffs, should they earn the wildcard spot in the Railroad League. It also helped them jump one more game up on FHE for a four-game lead after the Yao Guai dropped two of three against Vault 81.

Power Rankings

Weekly Team Power Rankings: Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Oberland T-51s (132.5, o)
2) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (120.4, +1)
3) Goodneighbor Hancocks (118.3, -1)
4) Abernathy Adamantium (112.8, +1)
5) The Slog Ghouls (107.5, ++3)
6) Warwick Mirelurks (107.5, -2)
7) University Point Deathclaws (101.9, ++5)
8) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (100.2, -2)
9) Diamond City Swatters (97.9, +2)
10) Easy Town Assaultrons (97.9, -1)
11) Starlight Lady Killers (97.9, --4)
12) Quincy Gunners (97.6, -2)
13) FHE Yao Guai (87.7, o)
14) Vault 81 Dwellers (80.2, ++3)
15) Concord Radstags (78.1, -1)
16) Salem Witch Hats (77.5, -1)
17) Egret Ninjas (75.5, ++4)
18) County Crossing Bloodbugs (75.2, ++4)
19) Finch Farm Four Leafs (72.8, --3)
20) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (72.5, o)
21) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (70.2, -2)
22) Atom Cats (64.2, +1)
23) Lexington Synths (63.2, --5)
24) Roxbury Knuckle Punchers (45.5, o)

Trades Analysis - A Few Winners and Losers So Far

Let us take this time to look at three moves that have been paying off so far and three that have not been doing as well. These three below are one-sided as three NCA teams improved, while three SCA teams still seek the right fit.

Winner

Nordhagen Beach: Acquired 3B Jon Hitman from FHE - The Hitman was already having a good season when he joined the Party Boys, batting .317 in 164 at bats with 11 doubles, a triple, and a home run. Since joining Nordhagen Beach, he has been a lot more efficient, probably because there are good hitters hitting before him and pitchers are just exhausted by the time they face Hitman in the lineup. In just 18 games and 73 at bats, Hitman has 26 hits, nine of them doubles and two of them home runs, for a .356 average. In 91 fewer at bats with the Boys, he has hit just two fewer extra-base hits, an impressive increase and a great boon to Nordhagen Beach becoming the top offense in the North Charles Association.

Loser

FHE: Acquired 3B Tommy Talkington from Nordhagen Beach - Talkington looked to be on a downward and unexplained spiral since his impressive 2296 season where he hit .352 with 16 home runs and drove in 51 runs in 60 games. He struggled a lot in 2297 and got even worse in 2298. batting below .200 in both season, including leading the BL in strikeouts in 2297 with 79 compared to just 49 hits. He also saw his homers drop down to a total of 17 in those two seasons combined. With the Yao Guai, he has not earned opportunities despite seeming to replace Hitman. In seven at bats, he doubled once for a .143 average there. He struck out in four of his seven at bats. He is a liability at the plate despite his power.

Winner

Abernathy: Acquired RP Bob Parkman from Atom - Parkman has not had a lot of opportunities so far with the Adamantium in just three weeks, but he fills a hole for the Adamantium. In his two games appeared, he has pitched five scoreless innings, with four hits allowed and four strikeouts. Abernathy is not using him as their closer--that role is for --but he can fill in the role if needed with his two-pitch arsenal of fastball with a good change up.

Loser

Quincy: Acquired CF Steve Gunkill from Jamaica Plain - Gunkill was supposed to help a struggling position for the Gunners who are hoping to make a playoff run. Based on this move, they are still in the trade game to find that outfielder they need to be consistent. Since joining the Gunners, Gunkill has only managed four starts, and those have not been good. He is 4 of 27 (.148) with Quincy with a home run, four runs scored, and two RBI. His OBP in 2297 was .356 with Vault 81. So far with Quincy, it is .207. There must be some reason Gunkill is with his fourth teams in just three seasons. At this rate, he may end up with his fifth.

Winner

Fort Hagen: Acquired CL Radscorpion Johnson from Vault 81 - Like Abernathy above, league rival the Silver Shroud helped their bullpen tremendously by acquiring Johnson from the Dwellers. Changing his role from closer to reliever in Fort Hagen, Johnson has pitched 6.1 innings in four appearances so far. Those innings have yielded no runs, three hits, three walks, and seven strikeouts. When Johnson gets right-handed batters to two strikes, his slider has been deadly against NCA batters, just like he showed with 31 strikeouts in just 28.2 innings with the Dwellers before.

Loser

Goodneighbor: Acquired 3B Jason Juras from Egret - Like Nordhagen Beach, the Hancocks wanted to improve their 3B position, but Juras is not looking to be the right fit in just over two weeks with the team. In nine starts, Juras has seeon his batting average at .167 (6 for 36) with a double, a home run, and 14 strikeouts. He is a strikeout machine, but he was hitting .277 with the Ninjas with nine doubles, five triples, and 13 home runs. The Hancocks may need to consider making another move before the trade deadline to get production at that position. They are still the best offense, but dead weight can cost them in key playoff moments.