BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, and GBRL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
1 June 2303
Feature Story: Who Wants the IL?
In three of the four CBO leagues, the first-place team leads the second-place team but five games or more. In the Institute League, however, the last-place team trails by four games.
Fort Hagen currently leads the IL with a 23-19 record, two games better than Concord. Abernathy, Lexington, and Starlight fall in next, all three games behind, and the Sunshine Tidings Chemists are the one team at 19-23. That leads to our feature story question, who wants the IL?
The lead: Ups and Downs and Wait a Minute . . .
When looking at only the runs for vs runs against situation, there are interesting and perhaps misleading numbers. For example, let's look at the numbers of the six teams in the IL and their overall runs rank with the lower numbers being better--'2' is the lowest possible runs sum.
Abernathy - 187 RS (6th), 224 RA (11th), -37 RD, Runs Sum (17)
Concord - 169 RS (11th), 171 RA (3rd), -2 RD, Runs Sum (14)
Fort Hagen - 173 RS (T-9th), 174 RA (4th), +1 RD, Runs Sum (13)
Lexington - 176 RS (8th), 181 RA (7th), -5 RD, Runs Sum (15)
Starlight - 201 RS (3rd), 215 RA (10th), -14 RD, Runs Sum (13)
Sunshine Tidings - 184 RS (7th), 170 RA (4th), +14 RD, Runs Sum (11)
By these numbers, the Chemists should be the top team, followed by the Silver Shroud, Lady Killers, Radstags, Synths, and Adamantium. But Sunshine Tidings is in last place? And it just does not make sense.
Based on the numbers, it would look as though the Chemists just cannot pull out one-run games, but they are actually not that bad at 5-7 overall. Then again, a run here and there could make all the different. For example, Abernathy is 7-5 in one-run games, a two-game swing over the Chemists. Likewise, Concord (8-6), the Shroud (10-5), and Lexington (8-8) are all at .500 or above in close games. Only the Killers (3-5) are similar to Sunshine Tidings.
Sunshine Tidings is also the coldest team in the IL, only matching Nordhagen Beach of the Brotherhood League and Warwick of the Minutemen League in the last 10 games for futility at 2-8. Abernathy (4-6) is the only other IL team in the last 10 to suffer a losing record.
Therefore, the answer very well may be Sunshine Tidings for who will take the IL in 2303. But what about Fort Hagen? The Silver Shroud currently lead the league and have been a consistent playoff team, including winning the IL in each of the 2299, 2300, and 2302 seasons.
The Shroud are also the most banged up team in the IL with three star players currently on the injured list: SP Mike Cartrette (2-0, 2.45), 2B Mark Miller (.324/0/6), and CF Ben Pawlak (.349/7/19). Looking at those three guys missing out, you can start to see why Fort Hagen is not already pulling away from their league like County Crossing (BL), University Point (ML), and Roxbury (RL) are.
So, who will take the IL in 2303? If we had to place some bets at Easy City Downs, we would go heavy on the Silver Shroud.
Analysis
The 2303 season is now more than 1/3 of the way through, so we can start to see how some teams are already strongly in the hunt and some teams are already out of it.
The Rad Sox (#1) continue to look the most impressive in the CBO with the organization's best record at 33-9 and a six-game lead over FHE (#4) in the Railroad League. The Sox pulled away more from the rest of the South Charles Association with an 8-2 record over their last 10 games, including a split at Goodneighbor (#10), a sweep at Vault 81 (#12), a sweep at home against Quincy (#21), and a 2-1 series win over Diamond City (#6).
County Crossing comes in at #2 despite going only 5-5 over their last 10. The Bloodbugs started with a sweep at Concord (#11), a 1-2 home series against Easy Town (#8), a split with the Stags, and then a 1-2 road trip at Salem (#16).
University Point (#3) also went 5-5 in their last 10 but maintain the CBO's third-best record. In their last 10, the Deathclaws split with the Yao Guai, won two of three at Warwick (#24), split with the Dwellers, and then lost 2 of 3 versus Atom (#9).
As mentioned, FHE is #4 thanks to a strong early season and a 6-4 record over their last 10. After splitting with University Point, the Yao Guai lost 2 of 3 to Oberland (#17), swept the Hancocks, and then won 2 of 3 at the T-51s.
Rounding out the Top 5 is Finch Farm, which trails in the BL by five games but had the CBO's hottest 10-game streak at 9-1. The Four Leafs earned that record by sweeping the Chemists (#20) in two one-run games, sweeping Nordhagen Beach (#19) at home, sweeping the Synths (#14), and then going 2-1 at the Party Boys.
Speaking of the Boys, they are in a dead drop. As mentioned before, they have gone 2-8 in their last 10 and went 9-13 in May to drop them to a current tie with the Witch Hats for 4th place in the BL. Nordhagen Beach has won the BL regular season title all five years of the full CBO with their only non-playoff season coming in the inaugural 2296 BL-only schedule where they went 26-34 and finished in 5th place. We won't pretend to know what owner Emogene Cabot is thinking, but the front office with GM Brendan Kneecapped and Manager Matt "Ballhawk" Getman must be tense right now.
Standings
Team vs Team
Power Rankings
Players of the Week
NCA
CT Woodard, The Slog - 12/22 (.545), 2 HR, 6 RBI
SS Swift Hendrix, Salem - 10/16 (.625), 3 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R
SCA
LF Jeremy Schoolboy, FHE - 10/20 (.500), 2 HR, 6 RBI
1B Barker Cocoa, University Point - 9/16 (.562), 3 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R
Transactions
Monday, June 1st , 2303
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released RF Deuce Lacombe.
Easy Town Assaultrons: Released 2B Come Sreczynski.
Egret Ninjas: Activated SP Aaron Somer from the injured list.
Salem Witch Hats: Released C Benny Bingo.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Placed SS Pointie Shroud on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/31/2303.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Jon Thompson.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Yellowshoe Trinkle.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed LF Nick Fox.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RF Nick Tofu.
FHE Yao Guai: Signed free agent RF Deuce Lacombe to a minor league contract.
Concord Radstags: Signed SS Lane Learner.
Concord Radstags: Signed RP Garsa Fwip.
Quincy Gunners: Signed RF Ache Leblanc.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released LF Nick Fox.
Sunday, May 31st , 2303
Diamond City Swatters: Placed 2B Jim Synthseeker on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/30/2303.
Salem Witch Hats: Placed 3B Newspaper Turnbull on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/29/2303.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Joel Motel.
The Salem Witch Hats traded 21-year old minor league RHP Carmax Lin and 23-year old RHP Murd Barfield to the Quincy Gunners, getting 26-year old minor league 1B Tom Stamey and 23-year old minor league CF Andy Dogleash in return.
Saturday, May 30th , 2303
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Placed LF Damani Beebe on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/29/2303.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released RF Fallout McNally.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Placed CF Ben Pawlak on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/29/2303.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Tuba Longland.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Jon Thompson.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Danny Schopp.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Danny Schopp.
Friday, May 29th , 2303
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: LF Ginger Rogers returns from his rehab assignment.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Activated SP Mike Cartrette from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Sent SP Mike Cartrette to Triple A Forest Grove for injury rehab.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Jason Bucky.
The Vault 81 Dwellers traded 24-year old RF Deer Quickwalker to the Atom Cats, getting 31-year old LF Machete Thompson and 23-year old SS Saturday Latta in return.
Thursday, May 28th , 2303
County Crossing Bloodbugs: SS Cy Thompson returns from his rehab assignment.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Activated 3B Jason Juras from the injured list.
The Slog Ghouls: Signed 3B Bobby Buhrmester.
Wednesday, May 27th , 2303
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed LF Foggy Picturebook.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released LF Foggy Picturebook.
The Concord Radstags traded 25-year old LHP Phil Cecil to the Dalton Farm Fog Crawlers, getting 23-year old minor league LF Brett Trench in return.
The The Slog Ghouls traded 24-year old minor league LF Bobby Hughey and 19-year old minor league RHP Jeremy Land to the Quincy Gunners, getting 25-year old minor league RF Josh Radcake and 18-year old minor league RHP Ryan Dennislynch in return.
Tuesday, May 26th , 2303
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Placed RP Julian Shed on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/24/2303.
Monday, May 25th , 2303
Atom Cats: Placed SS Jake Doucette on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/24/2303.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed free agent CF Ben Head to a minor league contract.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Released CF Ben Head.
Sunday, May 24th , 2303
Egret Ninjas: Placed SP Aaron Somer on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/23/2303.
Quincy Gunners: Activated RF Baywatch Fischler from the injured list.
Salem Witch Hats: Activated 1B Antonio Toeclaw from the injured list.
Egret Ninjas: Signed RP Adam Froggatt.
Saturday, May 23rd , 2303
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Activated LF Ginger Rogers from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Sent LF Ginger Rogers to Triple A Forest Grove for injury rehab.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed LF Glothos Scigliano.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released LF Glothos Scigliano.
Friday, May 22nd , 2303
Lexington Synths: RP Tom Chryslus returns from his rehab assignment.
The Slog Ghouls: Placed 1B Elton Goodspeed on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/19/2303.
Oberland T-51s: Released CF Ben Head.
Thursday, May 21st , 2303
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Activated 3B Cy Thompson from the injured list.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Sent 3B Cy Thompson to Triple A Eastlake for injury rehab.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Placed 3B Jason Juras on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/20/2303.
Wednesday, May 20th , 2303
Egret Ninjas: Released CF Lightning Ramos.
Egret Ninjas: Released LF Mat Sutor.
Tuesday, May 19th , 2303
Finch Farm Four Leafs: Signed free agent 2B Casey Clarey to a minor league contract.