BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, and GBRL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
21 September 2306
SCA Semifinals Preview
SCA Playoffs - #5 Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (66-54) vs #1 Vault 81 Dwellers (77-43)
Season Series
Vault 81 6, Jamaica Plain 2
April 19-20 @V81: JP 1-0, V81 6-1
May 8-9 @JP: JP 4-2, V81 8-2
July 31-August 1 @JP: V81 7-2, V81 13-7
September 11-12 @V81: V81 4-3, V81 7-2
Analysis
A year ago, the Vault 81 Dwellers were down on their luck, finishing 50-70 and 6th place in the Railroad League. They traded one of their star players, CF Aesed Hayjen, to University Point, and accepted that their three-year success from 2299-2301 when they reached the playoffs all three years was over.
Then, something changed. People who struggled in 2305 suddenly started playing like champions in 2306. The Dwellers found ways to win and kept on winning. By the end of the season, Vault 81 had completed a journey from last place in the Railroad League in 2305 to the team with the top record in the South Charles Association in 2306.
The Dwellers now get to face Jamaica Plain, which easily handled the defending champion Deathclaws in two games in the Play-in Series. This matchup will mark the 3rd time these two teams meet in the playoffs, with the higher-ranked team having swept both matchups:
2300 SCA Semifinal: #1 Vault 81 3, #4 Jamaica Plain 0
2301 SCA Play-in Series: #4 Vault 81 2, #5 Jamaica Plain 0
The Dwellers are what we would call overachievers since their record is much higher than they were expected, their stats, too. PAM picked the Dwellers to finish 58-62, good enough for 4th in the RL, while Jamaica Plain was expected to win the Minutemen League with a 73-47.
Vault 81 finished 3rd in the SCA in runs scored (665) and a respectable 4th in home runs (175). They were 3rd in stolen bases (59) with an all-around fast team and 1st in base running (0.4). Trade acquisition, CF Stu Gains (.298/40/109), emerged as the bull in the middle of the lineup. He is accompanied by five other Dwellers who hit 25 or more home runs: 3B Knud Bather (.281/34/75), RF Joe Rathmann (.289/27/83), 2B/1B Harry Byrd (.358/27/95), SS Tib Shorthop (.311/26/84), and 2B/SS End Yamada (.302/25/101). They are so loaded, that Shorthop may be relegated to the bench for parts of the series.
If you think the offense was good, the pitching was even better, finishing 1st in runs allowed (468) and Starters ERA (3.86) and 2nd in Bullpen ERA (3.69). SP Exxie Summerset (22-1, 2.15) was a record-setting pitcher, and he has not even reached his full potential! No other starter finished with a sub-4.00 ERA, but they still can get good innings out of veteran starters Bruce Iddings (12-12, 4.80) and Vince McCort (14-9, 4.41). In the bullpen, CL Chris Salazar (26 SV, 3.90) was decent, but Nick Kifer (3-1, 2.32), Tennessee Tailor (1-0. 1.29), and Aaron Burton (1-0, 0.95) really closed down the middle innings.
Prediction
A lot is pointing toward Vault 81 to win this series: a great season, loads of young and hungry talent, season success over Jamaica Plain, and historical success in the playoffs against the Red Rockets. Still, there is always an X factor, and recent playoff history is the biggest one. We will take the Rockets to keep up the momentum and get the upset, 3 games to 2.
SCA Playoffs - #3 Roxbury Rad Sox (74-46) vs #2 Spectacle Island Reapers (71-49)
Season Series
Roxbury 4, Spectacle Island 4
April 25-26 @SI: SI 5-4, Rox 8-5
May 15-16 @Rox: Rox 4-3, SI 7-2
July 31-August 1 @SI: SI 9-5, SI 3-1
August 7-8 @Rox: Rox 8-7, Rox 10-9
Analysis
Before moving into the ocean from Warwick to Spectacle Island, the Reapers franchise had been in a long-term rut. As the Mirelurks, they made two early playoff appearances: 2296 when they won the Minutemen League and 2298 when they finished second. As the #2 overall seed in the 2296 playoffs, Warwick fell to #7 The Slog, 3-2 that went on to win the first Sole Survivor Series. In their return as the third seed in the SCA, they fell to #2 Oberland. Now as a rebranded and relocated franchise, they return to the playoffs seeking their first-ever series win.
Unfortunately for the Reapers, they have to face one of the best teams in recent history, the Roxbury Rad Sox, winners of the 2303 and 2304 Sole Survivor Series. Neither of these teams have been in the playoffs together before, with the Rad Sox making their first appearance in 2302 and then returning every year since.
Though they ended up finishing three games back in the Railroad League, Roxbury was still a good all-around team. Offensively, they finished 2nd in scoring (669) and were in the top half of every offensive category. Three players stood out the most with a combination of high average and heavy hitting: CF Ben Pawlak (.316/29/111), 3B Donn Mattingley (.287/31/86), and LF Young Goodman (.307/26/78). RF Deerlord Fugivmee (.320/4/42/18 SB) is one of the best leadoff hitters.
Pitching was also good, finishing 2nd in runs allowed (470), 2nd in Starters ERA (3.87), and 1st in Bullpen ERA (3.52). Ace SP Nuka Laloosh (19-7, 3.08) was only outshined by Vault 81's Summerset. SP Urm Rehfeldt (11-8, 4.19) and SP Whokill Poole (16-8, 3.97), while 35-year-old SP Chet Arthur (12-10, 4.49) held his own. In the bullpen, CL Andy Helium (30 SV, 3.81) had a solid year with a lot of help from RP Roger Failure (5-4, 3.82, 1 SV), RP John Irwin (0-0, 2.50), and RP Adam Bias (0-2, 1.80).
Spectacle Island was not as successful but still good overall. On offense, the Reapers finished 4th in runs scored (663), just six runs back of the Sox. They were 1st in home runs with 229. That's mostly because two players had the greatest home run seasons in CBO history, by far. 1B Homestay Lovetap (.346/61/149) set the home run and RBI records, while his teammate 3B Diamond Ball (.379/57/126) spent a good portion of the season as the home runs leader. Both players will contend with University Point's Barker Cocoa for the Nuka Hitter Award. Other Spectacle Island players who contributed to the scoring were LF Juda Stoner (.249/44/90), RF Matt Basile (.236/28/64), CF Gin Kwon (.326/7/46)m and SS Pipewrench Mathis (.251/20/59). This team can hit at all eight position spots.
The pitching finished 3rd in runs allowed (537), 3rd in Starters ERA (4.34), and 9th in Bullpen ERA (4.67), which is probably their one spot keeping them from winning it all. The three playoff starters--Dobbie Radoncis (15-7, 4.14), Isaiah Swindler (19-4, 3.78), and Jonathan Newman (12-8, 4.74)--were all serviceable, but they will miss their #2 SP, Corey Ware (12-7, 4.28) in the playoffs. Ware was improving before going down in August with a serious shoulder injury. Bullpen pitching was such a problem that the Reapers went with two closers: Alien Mars (16 SV, 5.68) and Bryan Arsonist (21 SV, 6.20). Mars came over from Diamond City in a July trade, but went from a 4.22 ERA with the Swatters to a 5.90 ERA with Spectacle Island.
Prediction
It's been a long time since the Spectacle Island franchise has been to the playoffs. Yes, they are an up-and-coming team that will probably dethrone Atom and University Point for awhile. However, Roxbury is good and knows how to win at this time of the year. We guess the Reapers can steal a game, so we will go with the Sox 3, Spectacle Island 1.