Today in the CBO
News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
1 September 2299
BMU: Commonwealth Association Cambridge League Champions Crowned
The excitement in the room was obvious as the Mystic Pines Raybathers players and coaches alike celebrated their Commonwealth Association Cambridge League championship.
"A lot of our guys have never been in this spot before," said reliever Enrique Rodriguez. "Our team has never won a Boston Minor Series, but that's something we want to change this year."
With a record of 50-22, the club has wrapped up the division for the 1st time.
It will be a "sweet moment for our settlement and our fans" if the team can bring home a championship, said Irish Cait, team owner of the Mystic Pines Raybathers.
The other three leagues will be settled in the final week of the season with Breakheart Banks of the Dark Hollow Pond League having a Magic Number of 1 and have clinched at least a tie for the league title during the regular season. Should they lose four at Taffington Boathouse and the Greentop Nursery Night People sweep the Galleria Robotics Experts, then there would be a play-in game for the right to meet the Raybathers in the Commonwealth Association finals.
Nuka Crowned Batter of the Month in August
In August, Fort Hagen Silver Shroud left fielder Andrew Nuka claimed the North Charles Association Batter of the Month award.
The 27-year-old swung with confidence, hitting .435 with 6 home runs, 27 RBIs and 23 runs scored.
This season Nuka has hit at a .331 clip with 96 RBIs, 25 home runs, and 82 runs scored.
SCA's #1 Batter Announced
When Bryan Assman stepped up to the plate in August he did it with confidence, and today he was honored with the South Charles Association Batter of the Month award.
The young Goodneighbor first baseman posted a .358 batting average with 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and scored 17 runs. Assman also worked pitchers for 13 walks to post a .449 on-base percentage.
Assman currently has a .368 batting average with 145 hits, 38 homers, 124 RBIs, 102 runs scored and a .469 OBP.
Waterdrink Nabs NCA #1 Pitcher Award
The North Charles Association named the winner of the Pitcher of the Month Award. It went to Angel Waterdrink of Easy Town Assaultrons, who impressed the voters with a glittering 5-0 record in August.
The Easy Town star hurler made 5 starts, allowed 37 hits in 38.1 innings, struck out 26 and had a 1.88 ERA.
Thus far this season Waterdrink has posted a 8-16 record, started 27 games, struck out 109 batters in 179.1 innings and compiled a 4.97 ERA.
August's Top Starter is Teddybear
In August, Chris Teddybear tore through the South Charles Association like a seasoned veteran -- quite impressive for a player only 23 years old.
The young Jamaica Plain starter posted a 5-1 mark and an ERA of 2.85 to earn the Pitcher of the Month award. In 47.1 innings he collected 53 strikeouts while limiting the opposition to a .196 average.
This year Teddybear has compiled a 15-4 mark with a 3.34 ERA.
Sensational Month for NCA Rookie
For an old man, in baseball terms, 32-year-old Matt Suds has been mighty fortunate to get to the big leagues and have the opportunity to show what he can do. In August the battle-weary newcomer finally made a splash as he won the North Charles Association Rookie of the Month Award today.
He posted a 1-1 record with 8 strikeouts and an ERA of 4.09 in 11 innings.
Baseball writers for whom he was an afterthought earlier are now scrambling to put out stories about The Slog's Ye Olde Rookie.
For the year Suds has earned 9 saves, made 30 relief appearances, fanned 30 hitters in 34 innings and posted an ERA of 3.44 and a 3-4 record.
South Charles Association Names Rookie of Month
Youngster Oren Gep emerged as the latest South Charles Association Rookie of the Month today. The young man from Diamond City deserved the honor, batting .416 with 5 home runs and 22 RBI. Is the month of August a harbinger of things to come or just a fluke? We'll find out someday, but for now, we'll just let Gep enjoy the limelight.
In the current season, Gep has put up a .291 batting average with 119 hits, 23 home runs, 96 runs batted in and scored 58 runs.
BMU: Burp Garners CA Batter of the Month Award
The vote is in and John Burp, the 28-year-old first baseman for Bunker Hill, is the winner. Today he was honored with the Commonwealth Association Batter of the Month award.
In August, Burp wowed voters with a .344 average while posting up 10 home runs, 25 RBIs, 15 runs scored and a .459 on-base percentage.
In this current campaign Burp is hitting at a .354 clip with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs.
BMU: Boston Common's Brownell Collects August Batting Honor
At only 20 years of age, Dusty Brownell could very well be having many more months like the last this in his career.
That would be great news for fans of the Boston Common Lead Bellies, as August was one to remember for the first baseman and he has captured the Massachusetts Association Batter of the Month award.
On the month he hit .333 with 5 home runs, 21 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
Looking at his season stats, Brownell has compiled a .305 batting average and a .448 on-base percentage, while hitting 18 home runs and driving in 51 runs.
BMU: Brenner Best CA Starter
Jamie Brenner of the Breakheart Banks Behemoths has made fans throughout Boston Minor Union take notice over the past month with an exceptional 4-0 record. No pitcher in the Commonwealth Association threw better in August, garnering him the Pitcher of the Month award today.
In 5 starts Brenner compiled a 2.05 ERA, putting up a 4-0 record, striking out 40 and tossing 30.2 innings.
For this year Brenner has chalked up 7 wins and 3 losses in 14 starts with 128 strikeouts in 97.1 innings and a 2.03 ERA.
BMU: Taylor Chosen August's Best MA Hurler
Burp Taylor took a much-deserved turn in the spotlight earlier today as he accepted the Massachusetts Association Pitcher of the Month award for August.
The 22-year-old Natick Banks Big Leaguers starter is a relative newcomer to the league, but nonetheless racked up an impressive 4-0 won-lost record in 4 starts. This month he fanned 35 batters in 32.1 innings and compiled a 1.67 ERA.
This year Taylor has fashioned a 7-2 mark, 3.91 ERA and pitched 76 innings. Opposing clubs are batting .280 against him and he has logged 81 strikeouts.
Stabb Goes Deep 3 Times
Atom Cats third baseman Shane Stabb left the University Point pitching staff in ruins at Coolest Field in Town today, beating the Deathclaws 11-3 with a prodigious three-home run performance.
"The last one was totally unexpected," Stabb told reporters at the press conference following his big game. "I just wanted to make good contact, never thinking I would get a home run, and bang, I got number three."
For the game, the Atom third baseman had 3 hits in 4 at-bats, drove in 7 and scored 3 runs.
Shane Stabb hit a two-run home run off Adam Froggatt in the 1st, hit a two-run home run off Adam Froggatt in the 2nd, hit a three-run home run off Ronnie Messenger in the 3rd, grounded out in the 5th and walked in the 8th.
This season Stabb is batting .311 with 9 home runs. He has scored 47 runs and driven in 51.
Powers Spectacular in 4-0 Win
Tyler Powers of the Diamond City Swatters worked his mound magic on the Roxbury Knuckle Punchers. He blanked them 4-0 on 3 hits, registering 9 strikeouts and no walks.
"Making good pitches is the name of the game and I made some good ones in this one," said Powers after the game.
So far this year Powers has compiled a 15-4 record with a 3.53 ERA.
Chemists Sneak By Silver Shroud, 12-11, in 12 Innings
The Sunshine Tidings Chemists withstood an impressive performance by Fort Hagen first baseman Jim Tiller to defeat the Silver Shroud, 12-11, in 12 innings at ArcJet Systems Stadium. Tiller went 3 for 6 with a home run and a double. He scored 3 runs and drove in 6. Sunshine Tidings is now 47-59, Fort Hagen 67-39.
The Chemists relied on left fielder Amari Nukes for the game-winning hit. And, in the bottom of the 12th, he delivered, hitting a run-scoring single to seal the deal.
In postgame remarks, Nukes simply said: "Here's to a great win!"
With 6-4 Win, Party Boys Go to 68-38
Led by Jon Hitman, the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys downed the Easy Town Assaultrons, 6-4. Hitman went 1 for 3 with a home run, while adding 4 RBI and scoring once for the Party Boys. Chet Arthur was the winning pitcher. Over 6 innings, he allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Tom Mannequin converted his 17th save in 18 tries.
Hitman had a timely hit for Nordhagen Beach in the bottom of the sixth. With Easy Town trailing 3-2, he turned a first pitch fastball into a grand slam home run. It was his 7th home run of the season, making it 6-3, Nordhagen Beach.
"Getting the win feels nice," said Hitman. "More importantly, I had a good game."
With the win, the Party Boys have a record of 68-38. They now lead Fort Hagen by a game for the battle for the #1 seed.
Hancocks Deal Gunners 5-2 Defeat
Behind an impressive start by Quincy Eloquent, Goodneighbor beat Quincy, 5-2. Bus Paula earned his 30th save in 34 chances. The second-place Gunners have lost 4 straight games.
With Goodneighbor leading 1-0 in the top of the second, Eloquent hit a fastball from Manny McDuff for a 2-run double. It was his 3rd double of the season and put the Hancocks ahead, 3-0.
"A great team win and something real positive we can build on," said Eloquent after the game.
Goodneighbor stays on pace with Diamon City for the #1 seed in the SCA, but they will need to finish with a better record due to the Swatters winning the season series, 5-3.
Ghouls Roll Over Four Leafs, 10-4, Clinch WC
Shawn Cherry made an impact in the 10-4 The Slog win over Finch Farm. Cherry, who is a two-time All-Star, went 3 for 4 with a double and 2 singles, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. The victory gives The Slog a record of 58-48. Coupled with Salem's loss, the Ghouls will be the Brotherhood League's wildcard team as the #4 seed in the SCA playoffs.
The Ghouls got a big at-bat from right fielder Boots Yellowhair. For the game, Yellowhair went 1 for 2 with a double and 2 walks. He scored 2 times and drove in 2. In the bottom of the first, with runners on 1st and 3rd, he stroked a 2-run double. His 27th double of the season gave The Slog a 2-0 lead.
"We were able to get some things going offensively," said Yellowhair.