BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, and GBRL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
23 September 2304
CBO NCA Semifinals Preview
NCA Playoffs - #5 Easy Town Assaultrons (66-54) vs #1 County Crossing Bloodbugs (86-34)
Season Series
County Crossing 8, Easy Town 4
June 10-12 @ET: ET 10-9, ET 3-2, ET 6-5
June 17-19 @CC: ET 9-8, CC 6-2, CC 8-1
August 5-7 @ET: CC 4-3, CC 6-5, CC 7-4
August 12-14 @CC: CC 7-1, CC 6-5, CC 6-5
Analysis
County Crossing is now entering its fourth-straight playoff appearance and its second-straight run as the #1 seed. In their three previous appearances, they only won one series, their first in 2301 as the #3 seed. Last season, the Bloodbugs ended up falling in this round to #4 seed Fort Hagen, which went on to the Sole Survivor Series.
Easy Town is trying to repeat what Fort Hagen did last season, attempting to knock down the #1 seed, though this year's version of the Bugs looks to be much more powerful and hot at the right time.
The season series was a tale of three thirds. In the 12-game season series, the Assaultrons were the winners of the first four, while the Bloodbugs took the next eight, including all six in August when they last met. In other words, all the pressure falls on Easy Town to find their way to win. Their saving grace may be that they lost four of those eight games by only a run.
For County Crossing, they finished first in the North Charles Association in every category but stolen bases (5th at 37). However, stolen bases matter little when your team is first in runs scored (715), batting average (.292), OBP (.376), and home runs (tied for 1st at 172). There are five legit power hitters on the team: RF Babs Rooth (.344/48/115), SS Cy Thompson (.255/26/98), CF Long Hall (.290/26/77), 3B Taygun Topaloglu (.333/21/80), and LF Kurt Kilgore (.319/19/82). They also have one of the best leadoff hitters in 2B Ajani Peacock (.322/7/50/24 SB), though he is not playing his natural position at 1B. That may change in the playoffs, though, with acquired 1B Zeldolph Violet (.340/23/84, .386/10/36 in 42 games with the Bugs) out with an injury.
For pitching, the Bloodbugs are also first in the NCA in multiple categories: runs allowed (428), FIP (3.54), Pitching WAR (27.4), and strikeouts (848). The Starters ERA is 2nd (3.43) and the Bullpen ERA is 3rd (3.62). For the starters, all four starters finished with at least 15 wins on the season. The top three in the playoffs will be Whip Lashley (18-7, 2.97), Gavin Eviritts (18-7, 3.70), and Urm Rehfeldt (15-6, 3.71) with Terrence Artman (16-6, 3.43) moving into the bullpen. Jesse Bibeault (36 SV, 2,72) with a great setup man in Drama Miller (5-1, 2.55).
Prediction
There is no doubt that County Crossing is one of the two best teams in the CBO alongside the defending champions, Roxbury. Based on the series with Easy Town, it appears that the Bloodbugs have every advantage. Still, the Bugs need to show that they are ready to win in the playoffs. We are taking County Crossing to win the five-game series, but we think that the Assaultrons will sneak in a win, maybe two. County Crossing 3, Easy Town 1.
NCA Playoffs - #3 Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (81-39) vs #2 Sunshine Tidings Chemists (71-49)
Season Series
Nordhagen Beach 5, Sunshine Tidings 3
April 21-22 @ST: ST 3-2, ST 4-1
May 10-11 @NB: NB 9-5, NB 6-3
August 30-31 @NB: NB 6-5, ST 7-6
September 6-7 @ST: NB 7-1, NB 12-2
Analysis
Nordhagen Beach has been a perennial playoff competitor, while Sunshine Tidings is making just its second playoff appearance ever. On paper, this series appears to be a one-sided affair, and that may turn out to be the reality, too.
For the Party Boys, they are making their eight-straight playoff appearance, including all seven years of the aligned CBO. Their streak of five-straight Brotherhood League titles ended last season, and the Boys enter the playoffs for the second-straight season as the #3 seed. Last season, they did not respond as well, falling in five games to Concord.
On offense, the Boys finished 3rd in runs scored (632) and 3rd in home runs (170). That is all fine and good, but their best offensive player, RF Jonathan Angelou (.310/36/106) is out for the remainder of the 2304 season. Still, there are good producers, led by LF Michael Fogcrawler (.288/40/95). Other contributors include CF Maxx Murtagh (.301/24/80), 2B Jumper Hayes (.340/15/64), and 1B Dustin Mart (.257/15/48).
The pitching is much better, though there is a paradox of statistics with Nordhagen Beach finishing second in runs allowed (434) while having the best Starters ERA (3.30) and Bullpen ERA (3.41). Defensively, though, they were 5th in errors (43). The three starters are good: Beachboy Nut (18-7), Ugio Church (19-4, 2.75), and Tommy Beach (16-9, 3.95). Lawdog Whipple (10-8, 4.45) moves to the bullpen to join David "AntAgonist" Kidd (37 SV, 2.97), Ted Iam (3-1, 2.35), and Matt Ranger (5-1, 3.71).
The Chemists made their first playoff appearance in 2303 despite finishing with a .492 winning percentage (59-61). As was predicted, they then fell in the Play-in Series to Fort Hagen. This year, they come in with their first Institute League championship, edging out the Silver Shroud by four games.
Sunshine Tidings is 4th in runs scored (621) on offense, though they tied County Crossing for first in home runs (171). Unfortunately, they are down one of their big boppers, RF Baktu DaWell (.326/22/62). They do have CF Ricky Ticky Laughy (.298/45/121) to lead their offense, along with 1B Bryan Assman (.300/22/60), SS Lernz Tentsleep (.276/27/81), and C Red Sone (.292/17/77).
The pitching is not as good, finishing 6th in runs allowed (556), 6th in Starters ERA (4.56), and 8th in Bullpen ERA (4.44). None of their starters had a sub-4.00 ERA, with Mike Rubric (10-11, 4.30), Brian Bridges (13-4, 4.06), and Joey Dimes (12-11, 5.30) getting the playoff starts. In the bullpen, closer Cush Baker (38 SV, 1.56) was a standout and SP Danny Haines (14-6, 4.55) should help out.
Prediction
It is unfortunate that each team is missing one of its best players. Based on those losses, we expect the Party Boys pitching to dominate in this game and pick them to get the sweep. Nordhagen Beach 3, Sunshine Tidings 0.