[StLee]

Analysis

Nordhagen Beach made the leap in the Power Rankings to #1 this week after an impressive record against tough competition. By splitting with Fort Hagen and sweeping The Slog, the Boys' 4-1 week makes them the kings of the North Charles Association. Not only do the Party Boys move into first in the Power Rankings, but they do not seem to have much competition in the Brotherhood League, which could be key in securing them Home Field Advantage. There is still plenty of season left, but the Boys are partying like it's 2299.

The rest of the Top 5 is a Who's Who of 2298 playoff teams: Diamond City, Goodneighbor, Abernathy, and Fort Hagen. The Adamantium also made a big move by sweeping the Silver Shroud this week pushing them just two games back of the 2298 battle that could be another down-to-wire affair in 2299. Starlight at #8 is on those two teams' heels, acting as the best 3rd-place team in the CBO.

No team has been super hot in the South Charles Association like the Boys and Adamantium are in the NCA. Not surprisingly, the Hancocks and Oberland T-51s (#6) are currently riding the best 10-game stretch at 7-3.

Weekly Team Power Rankings

Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (136.0, +3)
2) Diamond City Swatters (133.5, -1)
3) Goodneighbor Hancocks (132.0, -1)
4) Abernathy Adamantium (118.0, +3)
5) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (111.0, -2)
6) Oberland T-51s (108.5, +2)
7) Quincy Gunners (107.0, -1)
8) Starlight Lady Killers (102.0, +2)
9) University Point Deathclaws (92.5, o)
10) The Slog Ghouls (92.5, -5)
11) Egret Ninjas (89.5, +6)
12) Lexington Synths (88.5, +3)
13) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (86.5, o)
14) Salem Witch Hats (79.5, +5)
15) FHE Yao Guai (75.5, +6)
16) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (75.5, +6)
17) Vault 81 Dwellers (75.5, -3)
18) Finch Farm Four Leafs (73.5, -7)
19) County Crossing Bloodbugs (71.0, -3)
20) Warwick Mirelurks (69.0, o)
21) Roxbury Knuckle Punchers (68.5, -9)
22) Concord Radstags (67.0, -4)
23) Easy Town Assaultrons (64.5, o)
24) Atom Cats (42.0, o)

Prospects/Rookies to Watch

In this feature, we're going to look at a few of the prospects and rookies out there and how they are doing so far in 2299, as well as what might be happening for them in their CBO futures. Ten featured players are listed alphabetically. [StLee's note: I know who my active readers* are based on comments in the dynasty, but I think I have 'derived' names of other dynasty writers* whom I read. If you read this and want to know if/when you're in, let me know!]

Pockets Aintfull* - #41, CF, The Slog
Aintfull has played sparingly as the Ghouls' backup outfielder. Still, he has been taking advantage of his chances. In 11 games played, with four starts, Aintfull is batting .364/.391/.500 on 8 for 22 batting. He has three doubles, walked once, scored four times, knocked in two runs, and stole three bases.

Harry Byrd - #33, 2B, Vault 81
Byrd is not likely to displace one of the CBO's best 2Bers in Bubb Islander. Still, he is immensely talented and would be better served playing in the BMU than sitting the bench at Vault 81. He could be trade bait or Islander could be.

Ugio Church* - #26, SP, Breakheart Banks (Salem)
Church has pitched in seven games, starting six for Breakheart Banks. He is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA, so he is not getting a lot of run support though he is pitching well, allowing nine earned runs in 41.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 37 and walked 20, so he needs to improve those numbers before he is CBO-ready. If he can work on and improve his fourth pitch, a change up, he will be ready.

Oren Gep* - #47, 1B, Diamond City
Gep is warming up and in great contention for the SCA's Red Rocket Rookie Award. He is batting .240/.310/.455 on 37 for 154 batting with seven doubles, a triple, weigh home runs, 18 runs, 26 RBI, 13 walks, and 54 strikeouts. He most certainly needs to work on striking out less, averaging more than one per game. He'll be a star once he turns strikeouts into contacts.

Tommy Hein - #55, SP, Outpost Zimonja (The Slog)
Hein started seven games for the Ghouls, going 4-1 with a 4.00 ERA. However, The Slog has recently moved him to Outpost Zimonja where he has not responded well to the demotion. In two starts there, he is 0-1 with a 14.21 ERA, having allowed 10 earned runs in 6.1 innings pitched.

Ayag Mour* - #17, C, Jamaica Plain
Mour has been an everyday starter for the Red Rockets, but he is having some rookie struggles at a tough position. He is batting .235/.296/.369 (35 for 149) with eight doubles, four home runs, 14 runs, 17 RBI, nine walks, and 54 strikeouts in 40 games started.

Lannie Tykeson* - #17, 1B/SP, Taffington Boathouse (Easy Town)
Tykeson is doing OK at pitcher, which is what is holding him back. With the Assaultrons struggling, though, he could see players ahead of him get dealt and get his own callup. With six starts, Tykeson is 2-3 with a 4.65 ERA in 31.0 innings pitched. He has shown improvement with only one bad start out of the six. He also has walked 17 and struck out 41. With 20 starts at 1B, Tykeson is a great hitter, though he has been surprisingly missing the long ball all season, having hit none on the season. He is projected to be a power hitter, so that is a strange stat. Still, he is 26 of 74 (.351/.400/.419) on the season, with his Slugging Percentage being of concern due to only having five extra-base hits (five doubles).

Racky Westheim* - #20, C, Fiddler's Green (Oberland)
Westheim has yet to find his footing with the bat, going 22 for 96 (.229/.267/.260) with three doubles, nine runs, nine RBI, three walks, and 34 strikeouts in 24 games started. He has been excellent behind the plate, though, throwing out 2 of 8 with very few teams attempting steals against him.

Any Why* - #23, CF, Eastlake Aquaboys (FHE)
Why ask why? The Eastlake catcher is showing good progress in his second season in the FHE franchise. He is 24 for 85 (.282/.358/.565) with eight doubles, five triples, two home runs, 15 runs, and 12 RBI. He is also a beast of range in the OF, though he needs to keep his concentration on routine fly balls.