BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, and GBRL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
15 June 2303
Feature Story: Puttin' the Nifty Back in the Garage
Two seasons ago, the Atom Cats looked to be near the top of the hill when they faced off against Nordhagen Beach in the Sole Survivor Series. The Cats ultimately fell to the Party Boys in the final, but they were sure they would be back. That didn't quite happen in the 2302 season when they went down in the Play-in Series.
This season did not start out as a championship-contending look, but the Cats are now on an 8-game winning streak, putting them right in the thick of the SCA playoff hunt. At 30-22, Atom now trails first-place University Point by just four games and would be the 4th seed if the playoffs were to begin today. Diamond City is currently a game behind for the 5th spot and Vault 81 is two games behind for the sixth spot.
The power behind the Cats' streak is their offense. Ranked 1st in the SCA in runs scored (285), OPS (.801), wOBA (.353), and Base Running (+6.7) and 2nd in Average (.271), OBP (.362), WAR (13.3), and homers (68), the Cats are hard to get out on offense.
The leader of the offense is a surprising reemerging player in RF Melon Sanderson (.309/20/49). Originally a 9th-round pick in the 2296 Inaugural Draft, Sanderson was a five-year starter for the Warwick Mirelurks. After struggling at the start of the 2301 season, the Mirelurks traded Sanderson to the Wild Gatorclaws of the Nuka World League. After just one part of a season there and after leading the NWL with 31 home runs in just 66 games, Atom brought him back to the CBO to finish the 2301 season. He did not find his old success in 2302, but has found magic to start the 2303 season. That includes leading the CBO in home runs and leading the SCA in homers, RBI, runs (51), extra-base hits (30), and ISO (.366).
Other leaders for Atom include SS Jake Doucette (.297/10/32), 2B Rabbit Forest (.313/4/22), LF Jeremy Schoolboy (.293/4/24), CF Earthbound Bussey (.289/5/23), and 1B Will Ashfire (.211/13/36).
Pitching has not driven their success, but the Cats have the 5th-best Starters ERA. Their leader is ace Scruffy Taguchi (5-2, 2.44), with their three other starters sporting ERAs below 4.00: Deedee Martinson (4-3, 3.44), Pete Pembroke (6-3, 3.93), and Bow Rome (8-3, 3.74).
Analysis
Roxbury has secured its spot as the #1 team. The Rad Sox are winning at a .788 clip on the season and went 8-2 in their last 10, tied for the best streak in the last 10 games with two other teams. The Sox started with a split at University Point (#2), won all three at FHE (#5), split with Goodneighbor (#13), and then swept Egret (#24).
Coming in at #2 is University Point with a 6-4 record in their last 10. The Deathclaws were unable to secure a sweep in that stretch but also never lost a series. After facing Roxbury, the Claws won two of three at Jamaica Plain (#21), split at Diamond City (#8), and then won two of three versus Goodneighbor.
County Crossing remains #3 with a 5-5 record in their last 10. The Bloodbugs were swept at Fort Hagen (#6), won two of three at Easy Town (#15), split with Concord (#10), and then won two of three over Finch Farm.
The featured Atom Cats are #4 thanks to their current eight-game winning streak, tying them with Roxbury and Nordhagen Beach (#11) for the best record in the last 10. Atom was swept at the Yao Guai, and then swept at Goodneighbor, versus the Ninjas, and versus the Red Rockets.
FHE moves past Vault 81 (#7) for #5 to give the SCA four of the top five spots. The Yao Guai went 6-4. In addition to the mentions of their first two series versus Atom and Roxbury, the Yao Guai then swept Quincy (#19) in Quincy, outscoring the Gunners 18-1 and then won two of three at the Swatters.
Next week we reach the near-midway part of the 120-game season with teams getting up to 57 games. At 52 games, let's take a look at the playoff picture.
NCA
1. County Crossing
2. Fort Hagen
3. Finch Farm
4. Concord
5t. Nordhagen Beach
5t. Starlight
7. Easy Town
SCA
1. Roxbury
2. University Point
3. FHE
4. Atom
5. Diamond City
6. Vault 81
7. Goodneighbor
Standings
Team vs Team
Power Rankings
Players of the Week
NCA
RF Jonathan Angelou, Nordhagen Beach - 11/21 (.524), 6 HR, 13 RBI, 11 R
1B Zeldolph Violet, Starlight - 7/15 (.467), 4 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R
SCA
2B Chris Connexx, Roxbury - 10/20 (.500), 2 HR, 4 RBI
LF Young Goodman, Roxbury - 8/18 (.444), 2 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R
Transactions
Monday, June 15th , 2303
Abernathy Adamantium: LF Joe Whiskey Hagen returns from his rehab assignment.
Abernathy Adamantium: Released CL Steve Slocums.
Abernathy Adamantium: Placed RP Crazy Cameron Hurley on the 60-day injured list.
Lexington Synths: Activated LF Gee Force from the injured list.
Abernathy Adamantium: Signed RP Jake Caller.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Signed free agent CL Steve Slocums to a minor league contract.
Sunday, June 14th , 2303
Egret Ninjas: Activated SP Evan Before from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Activated 2B Mark Miller from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Sent 2B Mark Miller to Triple A Forest Grove for injury rehab.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Warren Fowl.
Saturday, June 13th , 2303
Concord Radstags: Activated 1B Dusty Brownell from the injured list.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Activated RF Baktu DaWell from the injured list.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Sent RF Baktu DaWell to Triple A Breakheart Banks for injury rehab.
Warwick Mirelurks: Activated RP Josh Calvit from the injured list.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released LF Ian Koerner.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed LF Zackery Paxson.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released 1B Dustin Gatling.
Friday, June 12th , 2303
The Dark Bloodworms traded 24-year old minor league RHP Stack Moneyman and 24-year old minor league RHP Yule Felttip to the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets, getting 38-year old minor league RHP Prince Arthur in return.
Thursday, June 11th , 2303
Oberland T-51s: Placed SP Ronnie Messenger on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/10/2303.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Justin Anglertrapp.
Wednesday, June 10th , 2303
Abernathy Adamantium: Activated LF Joe Whiskey Hagen from the injured list.
Abernathy Adamantium: Sent LF Joe Whiskey Hagen to Triple A Bunker Hill for injury rehab.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Activated RP Julian Shed from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Joe Junkyard.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Nathaniel Farquhar.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Big James Greenhouse.
Abernathy Adamantium: Signed 1B Yellowshoe Trinkle.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Nathaniel Farquhar.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Zachery Battle.
Monday, June 8th , 2303
County Crossing Bloodbugs: RF Babs Rooth returns from his rehab assignment.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Andy Gatorclaw.
The Slog Ghouls: Signed RP Nick Dyson.
Sunday, June 7th , 2303
Diamond City Swatters: Activated 2B Jim Synthseeker from the injured list.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Activated LF Damani Beebe from the injured list.
The Slog Ghouls: Placed RP Frank Freeman on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/06/2303.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released LF Joe Beardman.
The Slog Ghouls: Signed RP Dubya Bush.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Ryan Gulick.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Carl Ryall.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Josh Hollander.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Carl Ryall.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Josh Hollander.
The Dark Bloodworms traded 22-year old minor league 1B Dustin Gatling to the Sunshine Tidings Chemists, getting 25-year old RHP Josh Kelley in return.
The The Slog Ghouls traded 25-year old RHP Frank Freeman and 23-year old RHP Van Funky to the Roxbury Rad Sox, getting 18-year old minor league 3B Pretty Boy Richards in return.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Placed RP Frank Freeman on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/06/2303.
Saturday, June 6th , 2303
Concord Radstags: Placed 1B Dusty Brownell on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/05/2303.
Easy Town Assaultrons: Placed CF Sean Samuels on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/05/2303.
Egret Ninjas: Placed SP Evan Before on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/05/2303.
Atom Cats: Activated SS Jake Doucette from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Joe Junkyard.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed LF Josh Post.
Egret Ninjas: Signed RP Jeremy Crowe.
Friday, June 5th , 2303
Salem Witch Hats: SP Tony Bertha returns from his rehab assignment.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Jason Bucky.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Mike Pratt.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed RP Bloody Arthur.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed LF Eric Hulshof.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Bloody Arthur.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released RP Mike Pratt.
Thursday, June 4th , 2303
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: SP Mike Cartrette returns from his rehab assignment.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed LF Andy Cofell.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released LF Zackery Paxson.
Wednesday, June 3rd , 2303
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Activated RF Babs Rooth from the injured list.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Sent RF Babs Rooth to Triple A Eastlake for injury rehab.
Lexington Synths: Placed LF Gee Force on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/02/2303.
Warwick Mirelurks: Placed RP Josh Calvit on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/02/2303.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Signed RF Charlie Wells.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Released RF Charlie Wells.
Tuesday, June 2nd , 2303
Concord Radstags: Released LF Brett Trench.
Starlight Lady Killers: Activated RP John Walden from the 60-day injured list.
Starlight Lady Killers: Released RP Jeremy Crowe.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed LF Greg Mirman.
Abernathy Adamantium: Signed 1B Rammy Moustache.
Abernathy Adamantium: Released SP Jonnel Johns.