BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, GBRL, and Youth Leagues
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
10 June 2307
CBO Analysis
We are now more than 50 games into the season, and by the time of our next report on June 24, we will be at the halfway mark, giving us a significant idea of the 2307 contenders and pretenders. As for now, the tops of the four leagues are mostly the same with a little shuffling in the Power Rankings due to hot and cold streaks. Here is the Top 5.
Coming in again at #1 is Roxbury with the CBO's top record, an eight-game lead on the second-best team in the CBO, after a 7-3 stretch in their last 10. The Rad Sox swept Goodneighbor (#23), won two at Egret (#20), got swept at home by University Point (#3), and then swept FHE (#19).
Easy Town is the next-best team and comes in at #2 after a 7-3 stretch, including a current five-game winning streak to take a three-game lead in the top-heavy Brotherhood League. The Assaultrons splith with Bunker Hill (#16), won one at Salem (#6), swept Lexington (#22), and then swept The Slog (#21) in three close games.
University Point is #3, storming back from a slow start to tie atop the Minutemen League thanks to a 6-4 record in their last 10. The Deathclaws split with Diamond City (#14), won one versus Spectacle Island (#7), swept the Sox, and won two at the Hancocks.
Starlight jumps up to #4, perhaps the first time a team from the Institute League has been in the Top 5 this season after going 7-3 with a current six-game winning streak. The Killers are currently a game up in the IL in what has been a good battle so far. In the past two weeks, Starlight split with Nordhagen Beach (#5), won one versus the 75ers, swept County Crossing (#8) on the road, and then won all three at the Synths.
Nordhagen Beach rounds out the Top 5 despite going only 5-5 in the past two weeks. The Party Boys split with the Killers, won one at the Ghouls, split with Sunshine Tidings (#11), and then won two versus the Witch Hats.
Brotherhood League
This league is still exciting even with the Assaultrons creating a slight gap with a three-game lead over both the Boys and Hats. County Crossing is four games back. No one in this league had a losing record in their past 10, something no other league can claim. We still expect jostling throughout the season and cannot pretend to predict, at least not with confidence, which three of these teams will be the playoff selections. We would guess Salem is still the odd team out, but we will see what moves they may make with some prospects to spare.
Looking closely at the Witch Hats, there is plenty of room for improvement, especially on offense where they rank tied for 5th in the NCA in runs scored (247), 8th in batting average (.259), and 5th in home runs (66). No one on the team is hitting over .300, with 1B Needham Tickler (.298/10/30) leading the way. It's not like the lineup is bad, though. The two lowest averages in the starting lineup are C Knicker Trout (.223/2/12) and SS Jerry Goodlow (.249/2/21), so the lineup is consistent. If they were to trade to upgrade the lineup, we would expect them to look for an impact hitter somewhere in the lineup.
Institute League
Sunshine Tidings and Starlight have been battling for awhile about which team will hold on to 1st place. As it stands, neither has been able to stand as the king of the hill with the Killers currently a game up and just four games over .500, which would make them 5th place in the BL.
Bunker Hill has been a little more consistent over the last month, helping them to move up and now trail by just three games. No other team in the IL seems to be a contender.
If the 75ers want a shot to win the IL, or at least get into the playoffs as the 2nd-place team, they will need to be much better at pitching. Currently 11th in runs allowed (281) and Starters ERA (5.12), Bunker Hill has been let down by the inability to pitch outs, which includes a CBO-worst 264 walks given up. Quincy (243) is the next worse team at giving free passes. The 75ers pitching staff continues to be Jason Tonelli (6-4, 3.09) and then everyone else. Should Bunker Hill want to make a run, they need to find a team willing to give up a quality starter with a low WHIP. Good luck with that!
Minutemen League
This league has suddenly become the most competitive with four teams within two games of first place. Atom was the only team in the top five spots of the ML to have a losing string in their past 10, opening the door for other teams to take control. We have chronicled the Deathclaws' injuries, but outside of Tomas Jones being out for the season, they have been healthier as of late.
Spectacle Island has also made a move up, and we wonder how good they could be since they have seemed to underperform this season, ranking 6th in the SCA in runs scored (259) and runs allowed (250). The powerful middle lineup of 3B Diamond Ball (.358/19/53), 1B Homestay Lovetap (.271/20/44), and RF Judas Stoner (.284/15/39) continues to generate runs. If they need true help, it would be in the bullpen where they are 10th in ERA (5.49). CL Alien Mars (14 SV, 5.87) is not what they need to hold onto tight games, as he has proven the past two seasons trying to replace past closer Bryan Arsonist (1-3, 1 SV, 9.53), who has been even worse.
Railroad League
Another update, and we can already start counting the Magic # for Roxbury to win the RL as they stretch their lead to 13 games thanks in part to Vault 81 struggling in the past two weeks. Oberland has started to wake up, giving them a chance to move into 2nd place, though they trail the Dwellers by three.
Oberland was an intriguing team coming into the 2307 season, but we have begun to think they were way overrated. The offense has been decent, ranking 5th with 263 runs scored, but they are 8th in runs allowed (261) with much of the same problem as the Reapers in the ML, a bad bullpen (11th with a 6.11 ERA). The T-51s also need a consistent closer. William Butcherman (11SV, 5.06) is not it, but no reliever has an ERA below 4.00. RP Dan Beantown (1-1, 4.03) is the best of a bad bunch and probably should assume the closer role as he held when he pitched for Concord. The T-51s may also want to reconsider allowing rookie LF/RP Zair Inquisitor from pitching. If they wanted him to be a two-way player when drafting him 5th overall in the 2303 draft, he should have been more dominant in the minors. Instead, his debut with Oberland has him with a 54.00 ERA in two inning pitched. That is a small sample size, but he has been overwhelmed on the mound. Luckily for the T-51s, he is batting .320 with 8 home runs and 29 RBI, which is helping the team win games.
CBO Standings
CBO Power Rankings
CBO Players of the Week
June 3 - The #1 hitter in the North Charles Association was Starlight first baseman Oren Gep. He was selected as the Player of the Week.
During the week Gep banged out a .500 batting average (7-for-14), 4 home runs, 8 RBI and scored 9 runs.
Gep is batting at a .302 pace this season, picking up 48 hits in 159 at-bats with 17 home runs, 50 RBIs and 35 runs scored.
Murray Bunts demonstrated his potential to be a star in the game last week and today he took home the South Charles Association Player of the Week Award.
The Diamond City first baseman wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .474 average (9-for-19) with 6 home runs and 10 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
Thus far this season Bunts has hit .283 with 15 home runs, 34 RBIs and scored 27 times.
June 10 - Cy Thompson is respected by most County Crossing Bloodbugs fans for his no-frills style of play. The 28-year-old shortstop went about his business with vigor last week to grab the North Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
He compiled a .524 average (11-for-21) with 3 home runs, 5 RBIs and 3 runs scored.
This year Thompson is batting .319 with 16 home runs.
At the age of 28, Barker Cocoa might have some potential he hasn't realized yet -- if his success at the plate last week is any indication. The University Point first baseman put up some exceptional numbers the past seven days with a .474 batting average. For his efforts Cocoa collected the South Charles Association Player of the Week Award.
He racked up 9 hits in 19 at-bats, 5 home runs and 13 RBIs last week in 5 games.
This season Cocoa is batting .408 with 28 home runs. His totals include 79 RBIs and 55 runs scored.
CBO Transactions
Monday, June 10th , 2307
Vault 81 Dwellers: Placed 3B Knud Bather on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/09/2307.
Diamond City Swatters: Placed 2B Blaine Bishop on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/09/2307.
Saturday, June 8th , 2307
Quincy Gunners: Activated 1B Bob Bloodbug from the restricted list.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Activated 2B Tut Campbell from the restricted list.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Activated CF Dustin Shotgun from the restricted list.
Friday, June 7th , 2307
Diamond City Swatters: Activated SS Teddy Sturgeon from the injured list.
Egret Ninjas: Activated SP Brahmin Lover Beardman from the injured list.
Thursday, June 6th , 2307
Spectacle Island Reapers: Signed C Pigeye Hutchinson.
Wednesday, June 5th , 2307
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Chris Napkin.
The Atom Cats traded 20-year old minor league 1B Rival Hey to the Spectacle Island Reapers, getting 30-year old minor league C Deacon Gookin and 18-year old minor league 1B Yip Yick Ping in return.
Tuesday, June 4th , 2307
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Activated RF Gunner Eyesocket from the injured list.
Monday, June 3rd , 2307
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Placed RP Pete Holster on the restricted list.
Quincy Gunners: Placed 1B Bob Bloodbug on the restricted list.
Sunday, June 2nd , 2307
University Point Deathclaws: Activated LF Mag Barbarian from the injured list.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Placed RP Roger Failure on the 60-day injured list.
The Slog Ghouls: Activated 1B Rich Verdu from the restricted list.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed RP Jack Silveira.
Saturday, June 1st , 2307
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Placed LF Handel Alone on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/31/2307.
Egret Ninjas: Activated RP Tey How from the injured list.
Friday, May 31st , 2307
Diamond City Swatters: Placed SS Teddy Sturgeon on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/30/2307.
Egret Ninjas: Placed SP Brahmin Lover Beardman on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/30/2307.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Placed SS Lernz Tentsleep on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/30/2307.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Kyle Coco.
Concord Radstags: Signed C Dennis Writer.
Egret Ninjas: Signed RP Jake Lynnwoods.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Kyle Coco.
Thursday, May 30th , 2307
Vault 81 Dwellers: Activated C Paul Tracy from the injured list.
Spectacle Island Reapers: Placed RF Matt Basile on the 60-day injured list.
Wednesday, May 29th , 2307
Nahant Celtics: Placed CF Grandson Quarles on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/28/2307.
Egret Ninjas: Placed 2B Justin Tootles on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/28/2307.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Activated CF Edward Cox from the restricted list.
The Slog Ghouls: Placed 1B Rich Verdu on the restricted list.
Nahant Celtics: Signed C Tony Billy.
Nahant Celtics: Signed CF William Enablin.
Nahant Celtics: Signed LF Joe Lynch.