BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, GBRL, and Youth Leagues
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
29 April 2307
CBO Analysis
Watch out, CBO teams! We are only a month into the season, and guess which two teams top the power rankings. We are now entering the league games in the first weekend of May, so it is time for contenders to start making their statements.
Coming in at #1 is Roxbury after going an SCA-best 8-2 in the last two weeks. The Rad Sox are now three games up on every other team for the CBO's best record. The Sox swept Quincy (#8) and Spectacle Island (#11), split at University Point (#13), swept the Cats (#4), and split at Jamaica Plain (#18).
The defending champions, County Crossing, are #2. Like the Sox, the Bloodbugs went 8-2 in their last 10 to take over the top record in the NCA. The Bugs got swept at Starlight (#17), and then swept Lexington (#16), Concord (#22), Fort Hagen (#20), and Bunker Hill (#24).
FHE drops two spots to #3 after going 5-5 in their last 10. They are still tied for the second-best record in the league. The Yao Guai split with Atom, split with the Deathclaws, split at the Cats, got swept by the Gunners, and then swept Goodneighbor (#23).
Atom comes in at #4 despite a 5-5 stretch to remain tied with the Yao Guai for the #2 spot in the SCA and one game ahead for the Minutemen League's top spot. The Cats split at FHE, swept Oberland (#21), split against the Yao Guai, got swept by the Sox, and then split with Egret (#15).
Vault 81 wraps up the Top 5 at #5 with a 7-3 mark in their last 10. The Dwellers swept the Reapers and Hancocks, split with the Red Rockets, split with the Claws, and then split with Quincy.
Brotherhood League
The top five teams in this league all had a record above .500 in their matchups with the Institute League, securing the IL as the weakest league once again and more fodder for the BL's feeding. Both County Crossing and Easy Town went 8-2, putting them above the rest though the Assaultrons are a game back of Nordhagen Beach for 2nd place.
The Party Boys may want to start looking at improving their bullpen, currently 11th in the NCA in ERA (6.22). Outside of CL David "AntAgonist" Kidd (9 SV, 1.59) and RP Marc Woodsman (0-0, 0.00 in 6.0 IP), the bullpen has been lit up in every appearance, accounting for half of the Boys' losses. SP Ugio Church (2-2, 6.89) has been the only starter struggling, which probably will not be a season-long problem. Basically, this team is good late-inning pitching away from being the favorites in the NCA.
Salem is still an intriguing team coming into 2307. Two games back of the Bugs, the Witch Hats have shown that they can win some big games and are currently high in both runs scored (3rd at 107) and runs allowed (4th at 93). The Hats are also 3rd in home runs (29) with a good split among CF Andy Dogleash (.309/6/17), 3B Booth Larson (.239/5/18), LF Dan Erb (.250/5/10), and 1B Needham Tickler (.293/4/13).
Institute League
At 11-11, Sunshine Tidings is the only team at .500 in this league, which has been disappointing in non-IL games thus far. Now they get to tear each other up for the rest of the season, with our estimation that the Chemists will emerge but no other team has the tickets to win it.
Bunker Hill has been the most disappointing team in a season where many thought they would take the next step toward a playoff run. The 75ers are 10th in runs scored (83) and 12th in runs allowed (135). The only hitter with a good start has been 2B Emerald Sapphire (.354/3/9). SS Aaron Squire (.282/4/12) is in a bit of a slump as of late. SP Jason Tonelli (2-2, 3.79) is the only starter with a sub 4.00 ERA.
Minutemen League
We have called this the topsy-turvy league with some teams expected to be in the playoffs playing some below .500 ball (University Point and Jamaica Plain). The Deathclaws have had the injury bug so far this season, losing RF Tomas Jones for the season and SS Austin Engill for at least a month. That has proven to be damaging since the Claws are built on their stars being healthy. 1B Barker Cocoa (.365/11/28) is doing what he does, but overall, University Point is 6th in runs scored (120) and 10th in batting average (.272).
Spectacle Island may be an interesting team to watch after acquiring the services of C Ayag Mour (.210/1/9). Mour was slumping to start the season, like much of the Red Rockets' offense but should wake up to help the Reapers make a playoff run.
Railroad League
Roxbury and Vault 81 should be at the top for the majority of the 2307 season, and that is right were they are with the Dwellers starting to move up closer to FHE. Outside of the Sox and Dwellers, the rest of the league went 5-5 or worse against the ML, meaning that the rest of the league is bound to fade away when Roxbury and Vault 81 regularly wins two or three games in a series.
FHE has certainly been the most surprising team thus far, especially with their ability to score runs (1st at 145). Five players are currently hitting above .300: LF Waze Waiting (.382/2/15), 1B Bryan Cushman (.343/5/16), SS Hose Wallcrawler (.319/7/27), CF Willy Mazehaze (.315/3/11/9 SB), and RF Steven Capone (.312/4/15).
CBO Standings
CBO Power Rankings
CBO Players of the Week
April 22 - It was announced today that Concord first baseman Dusty Brownell was named the North Charles Association Player of the Week Award for his superb play last week.
During the week he compiled a .444 batting average (8-for-18) with 6 home runs, 13 runs batted in and scored 6 runs.
Brownell has collected 15 hits for the Radstags this year, 10 of them home runs. He has also netted 19 RBIs and scored 14 runs while batting .375.
It was an extraordinary week for Wally Warwick of the Atom Cats. First he goes on a hot hitting streak, batting .667, then he is voted the Player of the Week in the South Charles Association. Last week Warwick went 6-for-9, racked up 2 home runs and 6 RBIs and scored 4 runs. It was a heck of a week for the Atom second baseman.
Hitting .379 to date, Warwick has 2 home runs and 11 RBIs. He has played in 16 games.
April 29 - John Windman demonstrated his potential to be a star in the game last week and today he took home the North Charles Association Player of the Week Award.
The Slog first baseman wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .571 average (8-for-14) with 4 home runs and 7 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
A look at his season totals shows Windman with 7 home runs, .351 BA, .486 OBP, 18 RBIs and 8 runs scored.
His hard work and hustle paid off this week. The hard-working and hard-playing Barker Cocoa was rewarded with the South Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
The scrappy University Point Deathclaws first baseman hit .444 while collecting 8 hits in 18 at-bats, 5 home runs and 12 RBIs.
So far this season Cocoa is hitting .365 with 11 home runs, 28 RBIs and 23 runs scored. He has 27 hits in 74 at-bats and a .530 OBP.
CBO Transactions
Monday, April 29th , 2307
Egret Ninjas: Placed RP Tey How on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 04/28/2307.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Activated RF Gunner Eyesocket from the injured list.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Bill Charisma.
Egret Ninjas: Signed RP Radscorpion Johnson.
The Jamaica Plain Red Rockets traded 29-year old C Ayag Mour, 18-year old minor league 1B Bug Eyes Sann, a 1st round draft pick, and a 4th round draft pick to the Spectacle Island Reapers, getting 29-year old RHP Dobbie Radoncis and 18-year old minor league 3B Tray Morgueman in return.
Friday, April 26th , 2307
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Activated RF Jonathan Angelou from the injured list.
The Slog Ghouls: Activated RF Boots Yellowhair from the injured list.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed RF Eric Reliable.
The Goodneighbor Hancocks traded 19-year old minor league RHP Old Glory Radcliffe and 23-year old LHP Adi Gallia to the Nahant Celtics, getting 26-year old minor league RHP Hard Cohen and 19-year old 2B Nick Webgrease in return.
Thursday, April 25th , 2307
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Activated SS Brett Hansen from the injured list.
Tuesday, April 23rd , 2307
The Nahant Celtics traded 24-year old LF Jake Drool and 22-year old minor league LF Michael Woodbine to the Starlight Killers, getting 27-year old minor league CF Love Hanson in return.
Monday, April 22nd , 2307
University Point Deathclaws: Placed SS Austin Engill on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 04/21/2307.
Quincy Gunners: Activated SP Troy Phillabum from the 60-day injured list.
Quincy Gunners: Sent SP Troy Phillabum to Triple A Malden for injury rehab.
Quincy Gunners: Activated CF Hondo Ohnaka from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Placed SS Well Done Dungan on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 04/21/2307.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Placed RF Gunner Eyesocket on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 04/21/2307.
The Slog Ghouls: Activated RP Denaria Kee from the injured list.
Sunday, April 21st , 2307
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Crab Kroh.
Saturday, April 20th , 2307
The Slog Ghouls: Placed RF Boots Yellowhair on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 04/18/2307.
Friday, April 19th , 2307
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Placed SP Mike Rubric on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 04/18/2307.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Placed RF Jonathan Angelou on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 04/18/2307.
Thursday, April 18th , 2307
Lexington Synths: Activated RF Crooked Tostado from the injured list.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed RF Flounder Polk.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Released RF Flounder Polk.
Tuesday, April 16th , 2307
Easy Town Assaultrons: Activated RP Danny Scorcher from the injured list.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Yulie Diamondcove.