BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, and GBRL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
26 August 2301
Players of the Week
Kowalski of Abernathy Player of the Week: It's always a thrill for fans of the team and students of the game alike when a superstar in the making shows what he's got. Donny Kowalski, the Abernathy Adamantium 23-year-old right fielder, put himself in the spotlight last week making him the clear-cut choice for North Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
He ripped 9 hits in 18 at-bats, compiling a .500 average with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs.
Kowalski is currently batting .337 with 25 home runs and 67 RBIs.
SCA Player of the Week, Rathmann of FHE: Joe Rathmann has the tools to stick in this league for many years. The 22-year-old right fielder of the FHE Yao Guai had a hot bat in the South Charles Association over the past seven days and won the Player of the Week honors.
Rathmann batted .474 with 9 hits in 19 at-bats, 2 home runs and 8 RBIs.
So far this season Rathmann has put up a .375 batting average with 140 hits, 21 home runs and 74 RBIs.
Transactions
Monday, August 26th , 2301
Oberland T-51s: Signed 1B Clap Homestead.
Oberland T-51s: Signed free agent 3B Andy Knickson to a minor league contract.
Oberland T-51s: Released 1B Clap Homestead.
Oberland T-51s: Released 3B Andy Knickson.
Sunday, August 25th , 2301
University Point Deathclaws: Activated SP Lennie Landslide from the injured list.
Starlight Lady Killers: Placed C Hope Scrapper on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/24/2301.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Placed CL Tiny Greene on the 60-day injured list.
Lexington Synths: Placed 2B Bubb Islander on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/24/2301.
The Slog Ghouls: Placed LF Chris Van Benschoten on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/23/2301.
Starlight Lady Killers: Signed C Felix Medina.
Starlight Lady Killers: Released RP Dan Kuehn.
Saturday, August 24th , 2301
Concord Radstags: Activated RP Bell Franklin from the injured list.
Concord Radstags: Released RP Steve Watertank.
Friday, August 23rd , 2301
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Placed SP Jason Bourque on the 60-day injured list.
Oberland T-51s: Signed 1B Tim MacVane.
Atom Cats: Signed 2B Lockjaw Te.
Oberland T-51s: Released 1B Tim MacVane.
Thursday, August 22nd , 2301
FHE Yao Guai: CL Daddy-O Sixx returns from his rehab assignment.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Placed RP Matt Demented on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/21/2301.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released 3B Andy Knickson.
Oberland T-51s: Signed 1B Matt Badbreath.
Oberland T-51s: Released 1B Clap Homestead.
Wednesday, August 21st , 2301
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released RP J.J. Campbell.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Activated RF Gargoyle Falcone from the injured list.
Tuesday, August 20th , 2301
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Activated 2B Mark Miller from the 60-day injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Sent 2B Mark Miller to Triple A C.I.T. Ruins for injury rehab.
The Slog Ghouls: Placed CF Jason Templeman on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/17/2301.
Standings
Team Power Rankings
Weekly Team Power Rankings: Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (140.3, o)
2) Atom Cats (112.3, o)
3) University Point Deathclaws (111.1, +)
4) County Crossing Bloodbugs (106.6, ++)
5) Easy Town Assaultrons (103.6, ++)
6) Vault 81 Dwellers (102.9, --)
7) Concord Radstags (102.4, -)
8) Diamond City Swatters (101.9, --)
9) Starlight Lady Killers (100.9, -)
10) Abernathy Adamantium (99.1, ++)
11) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (94.4, -)
12) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (89.6, --)
13) Goodneighbor Hancocks (89.1, ++)
14) Salem Witch Hats (89.1, --)
15) FHE Yao Guai (85.1, --)
16) Oberland T-51s (84.4, ++)
17) Quincy Gunners (84.4, -)
18) Egret Ninjas (80.9, -)
19) Roxbury Rad Sox (75.7, -)
20) Lexington Synths (67.2, o)
21) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (65.4, +)
22) The Slog Ghouls (62.7, --)
23) Warwick Mirelurks (57.9, +)
24) Finch Farm Four Leafs (55.2, -)
Analysis
With just five games to play, only five of the 10 teams have clinched a playoff spot. While some teams are close, there are five spots remaining, including four in the North Charles Association, so let's start there.
We mentioned that Nordhagen Beach (#1) needed to go 8-2 in their final 10 to match the CBO's best-ever record. Well, after winning seven straight, they only need to go 3-2 this week to match that mark and set a new mark with a 4-1 or 5-0 week. The Beach Boys cut through Lexington (#20) and Finch Farm (#24) with few problems, holding the two teams to a combined seven runs in the five-game week. Just last week, they shut out the Four Leafs in back-to-back games with Beachboy Nut (16-3, 2.20) and Tommy Beach (17-4, 2.83) both putting up two of the best performances of the 2301 season. The Boys will have a tougher week this week when they travel to two teams fighting for their playoff lives: Starlight (#9) and Salem (#14).
Concord (#7) has the best chance to clinch the Institute League and the #2 spot in the NCA. The Radstags have to travel to the Witch Hats and then get their chance to potentially eliminate Abernathy (#10) in the final three.
The Lady Killers get the tough task of facing Nordhagen Beach in the midweek, but they get to finish the season with the Synths, giving them a much better chance to at least stay ahead of the Adamantium and Fort Hagen (#12) for the 3rd or 4th seed.
Abernathy currently hold the 5th seed, but they will have a tough chance to maintain that place with road trips to The Slog (#22) and Concord. The Silver Shroud have been struggling, but they may have the easiest remaining schedule hosting Easy Town (#5) and traveling to Sunshine Tidings (#21). The midweek games against the Assaultrons will serve as an elimination series with one team needing a sweep for a realistic chance at the playoffs.
Speaking of the Assaultrons, they have been the hottest team in the NCA in their last 10 (8-2) and won all five games this past week over the Chemists and Ghouls. They are now just two games back of the 5th spot, which they can gain if they win all of their road games this week at Fort Hagen and The Slog.
Currently holding the 3rd seed, County Crossing (#4) had a big 5-0 week, including a weekend sweep of Salem to take a two-game lead for 2nd place in the Brotherhood League. The Bloodbugs also hold a one-game lead over the Lady Killers for the 3rd seed in the NCA in their pursuit of their first-ever CBO playoffs appearance. While they do not have a 100% chance to clinch a spot, we expect them to win most of their remaining five games at Lexington and Finch Farm.
Opposite of the Bloodbugs, the Witch Hats struggled this week, which currently has them on the outside looking in for the playoffs. Even though their final five are all at home, they get the toughest match in clinching a playoff spot by hosting both 1st place teams, Concord and Nordhagen Beach. Good luck!
In the SCA, four of the teams are determined, but seeding is still up for grabs for the 1st-4th seeds. University Point (#3) holds a one-game lead over Atom (#2) for 1st place in the Minutemen League and the South Charles Association thanks to a weekend sweep of Quincy (#17). The Cats have been the biggest surprise of 2301 with a good balance of pitching and hitting all season, and they could legitimately win the Sole Survivor Series.
Looking forward in the likely race for the 1st and 3rd seeds in the SCA, the Cats do not have it easy, having to travel to both Diamond City (#8) and to the Deathclaws to finish. We are predicting University Point to take the league, especially since their midweek series is at Roxbury (#19), which has been better as of late but still nowhere near the Claws in current talent.
In the Railroad League, the Swatters are still tied with Vault 81 (#6), with the edge probably going to the Dwellers. Vault 81 hosts Warwick (#23) before finishing the season at the Rad Sox. Meanwhile, the Swatters will face Atom as mentioned before and then travel to FHE (#15), which could be fighting for its playoff life as the 5th seed.
Jamaica Plain (#11) holds the inside edge for the 5th seed by hosting both Egret and Quincy. The Red Rockets have a Magic Number of 3 to clinch that spot. Going 2-3 this week probably gets them there to face probably Diamond City in the first round of the playoffs.
Playoff Picture Through 103 Games
NCA:
1. x-Nordhagen Beach - clinched #1 seed
2. Concord - Playoff chances = 99.3%
3. County Crossing - Playoff chances = 99.1%
4. Starlight - Playoff chances = 86.8%
5. Abernathy (head-to-head tiebreaker over Salem) - Playoff chances = 68.0%
Close:
6. Salem - Playoff chances = 37.7%
Outside Looking In:
7. Easy Town (head-to-head tiebreaker over Fort Hagen) - Playoff chances = 3.5%
8. Fort Hagen - Playoff chances = 5.7%
Eliminated:
9. The Slog
10. Finch Farm
11. Lexington
12. Sunshine Tidings
SCA:
1. z-University Point - Clinched playoff spot
2. z - V81 - (Better league record than Diamond City) - Clinched playoff spot
3. z - Atom - Clinched playoff spot
4. z - Diamond City - Clinched playoff spot
5. Jamaica Plain - Playoff chances = 96.0%
Outside Looking In:
6. Goodneighbor (head-to-head tiebreaker over FHE) - Playoff chances = 1.7%
7. FHE - Playoff chances = 0.6%
8. Quincy - Playoff chances = 1.7%
Eliminated:
9. Egret
10. Oberland
11. Roxbury
12. Warwick
Minor League Report
BMU
CA's Top Player, Sebiess of Corvega: 22-year-old Jarrod Sebiess made a few Corvega headlines during this past week as the rookie second baseman proved he could compete at the plate with his high-school idols. He captured the attention of fans, journalists and Commonwealth Association officials last week and today took home Player of the Week honors for his effort.
He cracked 9 hits in 16 at-bats to put up a .562 average. Sebiess collected 1 home run, 7 RBIs and scored 4 runs.
Sebiess is currently batting .263 with 4 home runs, 17 RBIs and 19 runs scored. He has 46 hits in 175 at-bats.
Niederer Takes This Week's Trophy: Jason Niederer demonstrated his potential to be a star in the game last week and today he took home the Massachusetts Association Player of the Week Award.
The Cabot House center fielder wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .556 average (10-for-18) with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
Currently Niederer is batting .393 with 6 home runs and 25 RBIs.
Standings
GBRL
North League's Best Batter Announced: It can be difficult for a young player to step out of the shadows and assert himself in the North League, but last week Anthony Marlow of the Clifton Vertibirds reminded everyone just why he's here as he threw up numbers that made him an easy selection for Player of the Week. Marlow rocked opposing pitching for a .538 average (7-for-13), 2 home runs and 10 RBIs to come away with the award.
Currently Marlow is hitting .238 and has collected 3 home runs, 21 RBIs and scored 16 times, while playing in 35 games.
SL Presents Player of the Week Trophy: So far in his young career, Orcin Cardinal has kept a low profile, but after his performance at the plate last week, he attracted the notice of the rest of the South League in a big way as he was named the Player of the Week today for his efforts.
The 19-year-old Poseidon Energy Mongrels right fielder hit at a torrid .400 clip as he collected 6 hits in 15 at-bats, 4 home runs, 10 RBIs and 4 runs scored.
Thus far this season in 69 games Cardinal is batting .295 with 25 home runs, 66 RBIs and 55 runs scored. He has 74 hits in 251 at-bats.
Standings
