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Nuka News Update
Reporting on the NWL, APL, NWLR, and BBL Leagues
by Evan Guy
1 June 2304
New Look, Fun Runs in the NWL
The 2304 NWL season is a month in, and the new look of splitting teams into the North Bradberton and South Bradberton divisions has given new excitement to the playoff race. Here's a look at what happened in May.
In the NB Division, the Victory Cave Crickets have taken the early lead in the division, leading the Quantum Nukalurks by a game. The Cave Crickets have looked to be the top team overall in the NWL, leading in both runs scored (152) and runs allowed (105).
On offense, Victory's 2B Diss Montand (.471/0/11) has been ripping hits galore. 1B Settler Colon (.389/1/16), 3B John Parsons (.344/0/9), C Coco Caravaneer (.340/2/13), and RF Brotherseven Dadson (.340/4/10) are all hitting above .300 as regulars for a team batting .323 on the season. Part-time 2B Speedy MacMillan is batting .453.
The league has experienced an extreme hitting imbalance since the first season, with hitting much more talented than pitching. That does not mean Victory is not loaded, leading the NWL in Staters ERA (3.71). The most successful pitcher to keep the ERA low is SP Chad Hartwig (3-1, 2.68). CL Ryan Bugg (7 SV, 2.45) leads the bullpen.
In the SB Division, the Quartz Star Force have a more comfortable lead, 2.5 games ahead of the Orange Tourists. Despite winning most of their games, however, the Star Force has not been as dominant as Victory. Quartz is currently 4th in runs scored (128) and tide for 5th in runs allowed (123).
On offense, everything revolves around the hitting in the third hole of 3B Daniel Rousseaux (.422/3/24). LF Alec LeVier (.374/4/10), RF Step Chaver (.373/1/12), 2B Brad Krol (.324/6/21), and SS Julian Roughneck (.326/2/6) have all contributed heavily on offense.
The starting pitching is 6th in ERA (4.98), which has kept the team from being the NWL's best. Ace SP Craig Widmar (1-3, 4.71) has the lowest ERA but is the only starter with a losing record. CL Salacious Thames (5 SV, 2.25) has helped keep the runs down, as has RP Rouge Iorres (2-0, 1.74).
Standings
Top Players in May
NWL Hitter and Top Rookie - For a rookie just breaking in, Signal Frummy certainly put together a successful month. It was good enough to win the NWL Batter of the Month award for May.
The 26-year-old second baseman for the Quantum Nukalurks hit .495 with 3 home runs, 24 RBIs and 18 runs scored.
NWL Pitcher - Bull Johnson really put his best foot forward in May with 6 wins and 1 loss and walked off with the Pitcher of the Month honors in the Nuka World League. When he got the start for the Orange Tourists, it was good news for his club, but bad news for the opposition.
In 58 innings of work, Johnson limited opposing batters to 53 base hits and a .245 batting average. He notched 47 strikeouts, issued 16 walks and had a 2.48 ERA.
APL Hitter - It's perhaps an award he'll win many more times through his career, as at age 25 Savoy Slurp has a lot of baseball ahead of him.
But for now the young Bradberton Disciples star can enjoy the numbers he put up in May, which have garnered him the nod as the Amusement Park League Batter of the Month.
His breakout month featured a .373 average with 7 home runs, 26 RBIs and 19 runs scored.
APL Pitcher - A 2-0 record with a 1.39 ERA is a good month for most any pitcher. The Amusement Park League thought it was worthy of an award and named Tyler Nagy, starter for the Safari Adventure Gazelles, May's Pitcher of the Month.
He also held the opposition to a .291 average while posting 26 strikeouts in 32.1 innings.
NWLR - Season begins June 20
BBL Hitter - Os Cazadore picked up the top batter prize in the Bradberton Boys League for May.
The Fizztop Mountain first baseman hit .411 with 17 home runs, 27 RBIs and 30 runs scored. He also drew 14 walks to post an OBP of .486.
BBL Pitcher - Wes Janson had an outstanding May -- so good that the Bradberton Boys League presented him with the Pitcher of the Month Award earlier today.
"There's no way to know where the Shovels would be without Janson," one fan is quoted as saying.
In May Janson dominated the competition, running up a 5-1 record, a 2.97 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 36.1 innings.
Vim! View
Veracious, Vivacious, Vainglorious Vision of the Vim! Leagues
by Vikky Vail
Very Good Gulpers, Ghoul Whales Vault into Victory's View
Vikki Vail, your devoted Vim! League correspondent, ventures into the vortex of Vim! news as May's vibrant vista unfolds. The National Park Gulpers and Far Harbor Ghoul Whales, veritable visionaries, valiantly lead their respective divisions as we voyage through this vivacious month.
The Gulpers gallantly glide 2.5 games ahead, victorious over both the Eden Meadows Anglers and Echo Lake Harbormen in the Fog Division. Meanwhile, the Gwhales viciously cling to a half-game lead in the Harbor Division, fending off the Grand Hotel Atoms.
When we survey the Vim! League's top teams, National Park emerges as the verifiable vanguard. Their record vouches for their excellence, yet the statistics veil some verisimilitude. The Gulpers are tied for 5th in runs scored, mustering 128 valiant runs, yet stand 2nd in runs allowed with a virtuous 113.
Their offense excels in numerous categories, with the exception of run generation. This peculiarity, it seems, is due to their ranking of 7th (the very last) in home runs with a modest 20. The chief catalyst for this modest yet valiant figure is SS Steve Commie, boasting a veritable .462 batting average, 4 home runs, and 17 RBIs, positioning him as an early MVP contender. C Tony Becker (.347/2/17) and CF Jeff Cramer (.323/2/15) have also verily contributed to the offense's valor.
The pitching staff, a vital vein of the Gulpers' success, unveils a variegated story. SP Niner Poliquin (2-1, 1.84) and Steve Harpoon (4-0, 2.45) emerge as valiant stars in their starting rotation. RP John Baty (3-0, 1.06) proves to be the Gulpers' virtuoso reliever, while CL Ethan Tarberry (4 SV, 10.80) looms as a vexing vulnerability.
Far Harbor, sharing the Vim! League's third place in runs scored (129), navigates through the turbulent seas of success, ranking sixth in runs allowed (137). This situation veils the division leader's long-term viability, especially in comparison to the more steadfast Atoms.
The division leader's distinction stems from their 4-2 season series advantage over the Atoms, underlining a valorous edge. On the offensive front, 2B Jarrod Sebiess (.370/5/20) marches as the Ghoul Whales' vanguard in their voyage. Accompanying him are RF Adam Crewmate (.354/2/14), LF Blu Furman (.346/1/20), and CF Drew Buntrock (.305/3/20), who provide valuable contributions.
Pitching proves to be Far Harbor's vexing vexation, ranking sixth in Starters ERA (5.60) and fourth in Bullpen ERA (4.96). SP Alex Ruder (5-2, 4.02) valiantly leads the starters, while RP Enrique Rodriguez (0-0, 1.84) emerges as a beacon of hope in the bullpen. Chris Blackmire (3-3, 7.58) valiantly transitions from a starting role to the closing position, filling the void left by the injured CL Noodle Green (17 SV, 2.88 in 2303).
As we venture deeper into this Vim! League voyage, stay vigilant for the valiant struggles and victories that will undoubtedly define this vibrant season.
Standings
Outstanding Players in May (from BNN reports)
VL Hitter - Steve Commie relied on a .462 average to become the Vim! League Batter of the Month. He had a good May, going 42 for 91.
He finished with 4 home runs and 17 RBIs, scored 20 runs, and had a .532 on-base percentage.
VL Pitcher - It was a monstrous May for the Vim! League Pitcher of the Month award winner, Nick Glawe of the Grand Hotel Atoms. He put up some mighty scary numbers.
Glawe recorded 4 wins and 1 loss in 7 starts. Throwing a total of 50 innings, he yielded 43 hits, mowed down 34 on strikes, gave up 16 walks and put up a solid ERA of 2.52 in a stellar month on the mound.
VL Rookie - Ryan Hurst earned May's Rookie of the Month honors in the Vim! League for last month's performance. The boyish Echo Lake third baseman might be wet behind the ears, but he's proving that he has what it takes to play at this level.
Hurst hit .383 with 4 home runs, 13 RBIs and 17 runs scored this past month on his way to winning the award.
MDIL Hitter - Not known for his offensive prowess, Whear Flynn set the league afire in May and took home the Mount Desert Island League Batter of the Month award.
The Eagle's Cove second baseman posted a steady .408 batting average, 7 home runs, 24 RBIs and 20 runs.
MDIL Pitcher - It's official!
Mike Ropeman of the Rayburn Point Patcheyes is the Mount Desert Island League Pitcher of the Month. In May he dominated the league with 4 wins and 1 loss in 6 starts. In 51 innings of work Ropeman chalked up 34 strikeouts, 12 walks, a 1.41 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .247 batting average.
VRL - Season begins June 20
MYL MDI4 Hitter - Today Tasu Leech was voted Mount Desert Island Four Batter of the Month for June. During the month the 16-year-old National Park third baseman compiled a .330 batting average.
Most importantly for the Rangers though, he also posted 3 home runs, 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
MYL GDIL Hitter - It's a time for celebration in Pleasant Cove as Mercurial Swift has just walked away with May's Great Diamond Island League Batter of the Month award.
He socked 30 hits in 98 at-bats to put up a .306 batting average, 6 home runs, 10 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
MYL MDI4 Pitcher - When Truss Tee takes the hill, he's a good bet to nail down the victory for the National Park Rangers. At least that's the way it was in May.
He excelled with a 5-1 mark and 1.53 ERA in 7 starts. In 47 innings, he fanned 39 and walked 9.
That's why he was honored today as the Pitcher of the Month by the Mount Desert Island Four.
MYL GDIL Pitcher - The Pitcher of the Month for May has been picked and the Great Diamond Island League award went to Echo Point hurler, Keip Choppin.
During the month, Choppin was impressive with a 3.47 ERA and 5 wins and 1 loss. In 49.1 innings he struck out 53 and gave up 27 hits and 23 walks.