Now that Spring Training is complete, teams can turn their attention to the regular season, a 98-game affair from April through early-September.
For the 2298 season, P.A.M., or the Predictive Analytic Machine, has returned to offer her deep dive into the world of Commonwealth baseball.
P.A.M. is a master of predictive analysis. Running the numbers, here is what P.A.M. had to say about the 2298 season.
"I was, am, and will most likely be P.A.M. Predictive Analytic Machine. All systems fully functional. Baseball token recognized. I provide first order approximations of the behaviors of all residents of the region designated Commonwealth. Rephrasing. I predict the future.
Rephrasing. I also provide first order approximations of the results of baseball of the league designated CBO. Commonwealth Baseball Organization. Nate Howard has reprogrammed this unit's new primary goal. He calls it the B.P.M. Baseball Prediction Model.
Processes reaching maximum capacity. Output only. User must fill in own conclusions. Data sustained. Accuracy is expected to reach better than 80%. Results printed. Recharge in progress. End transmission."
Predictions
Analysis
The North Charles Association is expected to be tight with PAM placing defending NCA champion Easy Town, Abernathy, and Starlight at the same 64-44 prediction, with 2298 BL champions, the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys, picked to finish one game back. PAM has three of the same four teams in the playoffs with the Lady Killers replacing Fort Hagen as the IL wildcard and the BL champions and wildcard swapping spots. County Crossing and Finch Farm are tied for the prediction for the CBO's worst record.
Despite his team not expected to make the playoffs, Concord's Dan Erb is PAM's pick for the top hitter in the league, with six outfielders expected to battle for the award. Last year's winner, Jarrett Metalbox of Easy Town, is expected to finish sixth with a better than 40-point difference in his batting average last season. Metalbox's teammate, CF Sean Samuels, is expected to earn the top average. The Party Boys' 1B Dustin Mart is expected to win the home run crown.
At pitcher, Abernathy's Brad Westing is predicted to win a whopping 22 games and win the ERA crown. Nordhagen Beach's Tommy Beach is predicted to finish second, as well as strike out more batters than anyone else in the NCA.
In the SCA, the defending CBO champions Goodneighbor Hancocks look to repeat as the best team in the CBO. Like the NCA, PAM predicts three of the same teams to be in the playoffs in 2299 with Jamaica Plain replacing Warwick as the ML wildcard and a surprise prediction of Diamond City to win the RL over Oberland. The Red Rockets would show the biggest improvement to earn the CBO's second-best record after their league rivals. Like last season, Atom and Roxbury are expected to be in the running for the CBO's top draft pick.
One reason why the Rockets are expected to rise has to do with PAM's prediction that RF David Seaweed will win the top hitter award, including the expectation that he will have the top average in the SCA. The Swatters' RF Wayne Lacy is expected to win the home run crown. Last year's top hitter, the Hancocks' Bryan Assman, is picked to finish third. The 2296 CBO MVP, Egret RF Paladin Danse, is picked to finish second behind Seaweed.
PAM picks Jamaica Plain to make the MVP sweep with pitcher Chris Teddybear chosen as the preseason favorite to win the pitcher award. Teddybear and Diamond City's X10-44 Mannson each expected to tie with 20 wins. Teddybear is expected to have the most strikeouts, while Mannson is expected to have the SCA's best ERA. Last year's winner, the Swatters' Tim Fusion, is not predicted in PAM's top ten.
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
North Charles Association
#4 Nordhagen Beach vs #1 Abernathy - W
#3 Starlight vs #2 Easy Town - W
South Charles Association
#4 Oberland vs #1 Goodneighbor - W
#3 Jamaica Plain vs #2 Diamond City - W
Sole Survivor Series
Goodneighbor continues their dominance over Easy Town to make it two straight.