All in the Family: Breaking Down the Brotherhood League
With Nordhagen Beach pushing its Magic# to 23 with just 35 games remaining, the league race is just one of the wildcards. Salem (#10) trails by 13 games, but leads The Slog (#13) by three games. Finch Farm (#17), the Bloodbugs, and the Assaultrons are all pretty much out of it, though a big run with the Witch Hats going cold could change that.
The Party Boys are the leaders in the NCA in both runs scored (398) and runs allowed (268), meaning they are dominant and the overwhelming favorites to win the NCA in 2299. While they do not seem to have a pitcher competing for the Vim! Pitcher Award, they do indeed have a top competitor for the Nuka-Hitter Award. CF Ryan Combs (.392/.476/.612) is having an outstanding season, currently leading the CBO in WAR (5.0) at a full 0.7 points better than the next best, Goodneighbor's Bryan Assman. Combs is tops in the CBO in batting average, WAR, OBP (.476), and WPA (4.71). Looking at the NCA, he is also first in Slugging % (.626), OPS (1.088), runs (68), OPS+ (177), and WOBA (.461). He is considered to be the favorite to win the Nuka-Hitter Award, even though he is currently taking a short rest while injured (the Party Boys elected not to use a stimpack on his injury).
Salem should have a chance to increase its lead on the rest of the BL this week with a homestand versus Sunshine Tidings and Easy Town. They have not been a productive hitting team overall, though they are scoring more than their production seems to indicate as the 6th best in runs scored (347). Their pitching is the big difference in their success, though they probably wish they had held on to Mike Cartrette for this playoff run. Still Tony Bertha (8-3, 3.41) was a big get from Sunshine Tidings via Egret. He finally seems to have put it all together this season, despite his slow start (1-1, 7.56) with the Hats.
The Slog is now a game below .500, with its pitching to blame, namely Tyler Storts (1-12, 7.69) and Micah Ballard (4-6, 8.46). The Ghouls sport a good hitting team, though they are only 5th in runs scored (352). There are talented players throughout the team, but some definite gaps that makes it look like they will be short yet again in 2299, meaning they will miss their second straight playoffs after winning it all in 2296 and winning the BL in 2297.
