BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, College, and Youth Leagues
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
15 June 2308
CBO Analysis
We are now more than 50 games into the 2308 season, and we are beginning to get a much better idea of which teams may be in the running in the end. There are a few consistent teams, both good and bad, in the 2308 season, and there are some other teams that we still have the wait-and-see approach. Let's break down the Power Rankings Top 5 and then look at the individual leagues of the CBO.
Salem remains #1 this week after a 7-3 mark in their last 10 and a weekend sweep. The Witch Hats split at Lexington (#17), won two at Nahant (#18), split with Bunker Hill (#10), and then swept the Celtics.
Sunshine Tidings jumps into the #2 spot thanks to a six-game winning streak and a 7-3 mark in their last 10 games. The Chemists split at County Crossing (#16), won one of three at the 75ers, swept The Slog (#14), and then swept Fort Hagen (#24).
With the best record in the SCA, Vault 81 is the #3 team with a four-game streak and a 6-4 record the past two weeks. The Dwellers split with Atom (#19), won one over Oberland (#6), split at University Point (#9), and then swept FHE (#22).
Nordhagen Beach is the #4 team despite only going 5-5 in their last 10. The Party Boys split at Bunker Hill, won one at the Ghouls, swept the Silver Shroud, and then won one at home over Easy Town (#11).
Quincy rounds out the Top 5 at #5 with a 7-3 record in the past two weeks. Despite still trailing by two games in the Minutemen League, the Gunners have been the hottest team in that league. They split with the Yao Guai, swept the Cats, got swept by the T-51s, and then swept Goodneighbor (#20).
Brotherhood League
This league has been consistently good one, currently tied with the ML with four teams above .500 and only lacking a fifth because of Salem's sweep over Nahant. The Hats have been the CBO's most consistent team, covering around .700 each month, as well as being great in one-run games (9-2) and extra-inning games (6-1). Add to that, the Witch Hats are murderers at home (21-4).
The defending champions, Nordhagen Beach, are only four games back, though, and they have been consistently good, too. The Boys are 3rd in runs scored (282) and 2nd in runs allowed (204). CF Maxx Murtagh (.369/21/44) is in midseason contention for the Nuka Hitter Award. Third-year manager Zach Toth is also experimenting with the lineup, including trying RF Jonathan Angelou (.233/16/54) at the leadoff spot to try to get him back closer to his career .286 average. His .233 average is his lowest of his career since he became a full-time starter in 2299. SP Beachboy Nut (8-3, 2.55) has been consistently effective, as well as SP Ugio Church (9-2, 3.51).
Institute League
With their current winning streak, the Chemists have appeared to have taken control of the IL. This league is a tale of two halves with the top three teams--Sunshine Tidings, Bunker Hill, and Starlight--way ahead of the bottom three--Lexington, Concord, and Fort Hagen.
The Silver Shroud have appeared to hit the true bottom in franchise history, currently 11th in runs scored (226) and 12th in runs allowed (346) at 6.65 runs allowed per game! It is evident why the Shroud have the CBO's worst record; they are giving up a lot of runs while lacking an offense that can outscore opponents. C Sleve McDichael (.306/8/29) is the only hitter over .300 on the team. 2B Sauce Almeida (.240/11/34) leads the team in HR. Current ace SP Nien Nunb (0-9, 8.38) is terrible. Prospects in the near future do not look good.
Minutemen League
With Atom and Goodneighbor a solid 10 games below .500, the race for the ML is a four-way race which should be exciting until the end. Spectacle Island currently leads, but they just got swept by University Point, which now trails by just three games in 3rd place. Jamaica Plain is quietly in 4th place, trailing by four games.
The Red Rockets will probably be there through the end as evidenced by playoff appearances seven of the past eight seasons. They are currently 3rd in runs scored (288) and 2nd in runs allowed (217), showing that they are experiencing a statistical anomaly of dropping more games than their stats indicate. LF Ken Debate (.300/21/45) should be in the midseason discussion for Nuka Hitter Award, and 2B Bulleye Shooterson (.306/15/42) and SS Jake Doucette (.312/10/29) are having outstanding seasons. On the mound, SP Derek Green (7-4, 3.30) has been the most consistent starter with RP Rob O'Cop (3-0, 1.69) helping out in the bullpen.
Railroad League
The RL is still surprising us due to Roxbury's struggles in 2308. While we do not expect those struggles to continue all season, the Rad Sox sit in 4th place behind Vault 81, Oberland, and Egret.
The T-51s have started to warm up, showing that they are a team we should keep an eye on. While the offense has not been great, 7th in runs scored (236), the pitching has been fusion core-powered with the least runs allowed (192) and the best Starters ERA (3.49). The top three starters--Emperry Alizm (9-4, 2.25), Mesquite Williams (6-4, 3.40), and Trolley Dodge (5-5, 3.63)--can take over any game. Add to that the 3rd-best Bullpen ERA (3.74) led by CL William Butcherman (13 SV, 2.29) and RP Dan Beantown (3-2, 1.84), and Oberland is tough to score on.
CBO Standings
CBO Power Rankings
CBO Players of the Week
June 8 - His hard work and hustle paid off this week. The hard-working and hard-playing Dan Erb was rewarded with the North Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
The scrappy Salem Witch Hats left fielder hit .500 while collecting 9 hits in 18 at-bats, 3 home runs and 9 RBIs.
Erb is hitting .413 so far this season with 37 RBIs and 42 runs scored. He has 76 hits including 13 home runs, 24 walks and .488 OBP.
Bill Lazarus 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 Goodneighbor right fielder wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .500 average (12-for-24) with 1 home run and 6 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
For the season Lazarus is currently batting .353 with 5 home runs and 36 RBIs. In 47 games he has reached base at a .391 rate and scored 34 runs to date.
June 15 - His hard work and hustle paid off this week. The hard-working and hard-playing Maxx Murtagh was rewarded with the North Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
The scrappy Nordhagen Beach Party Boys center fielder hit .421 while collecting 8 hits in 19 at-bats, 5 home runs and 7 RBIs.
This season in 52 games Murtagh is batting .369 with 21 home runs, 44 RBIs and has scored 59 times.
The marquee name in the South Charles Association this week is Orcin Cardinal of the Oberland T-51s.
The hot-hitting 26-year-old right fielder put up a .471 average and .565 on-base percentage, piling up 8 hits in 17 at-bats, 3 home runs, 7 RBIs and 5 runs scored.
That kind of hitting got him the SCA Player of the Week honors.
Batting .350 to date, Cardinal has 21 home runs and 67 RBIs.
CBO Transactions
Monday, June 15th , 2308
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Placed 2B Newscap Woldorf on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/14/2308.
Easy Town Assaultrons: Danvers, the MML location for the Assaultrons, won the lottery for the placement of a mini-GECK.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed RF Dwight Workman.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Released RF Dwight Workman.
Sunday, June 14th , 2308
Quincy Gunners: Activated SP Fosdyke Rochambeau from the restricted list.
The County Crossing Bloodbugs traded 21-year old minor league 3B Prince Campbell to the Atom Cats, getting 29-year old minor league 2B Pat Shammo in return.
Saturday, June 13th , 2308
University Point Deathclaws: Placed 3B Nate Tivity on the restricted list.
Diamond City Swatters: Activated SS Father Franetzki from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Activated SS Well Done Dungan from the injured list.
Spectacle Island Reapers: Placed SP Corey Ware on the restricted list.
Spectacle Island Reapers: Signed RP John Bayers.
Friday, June 12th , 2308
Roxbury Rad Sox: Released RF Dave Frickitt.
University Point Deathclaws: Signed RP Jeremy Crowe.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Cowlick Cooper.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Cowlick Cooper.
Thursday, June 11th , 2308
University Point Deathclaws: Placed RF Tomas Jones on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/10/2308.
Atom Cats: Activated 1B Casey Roux from the restricted list.
Spectacle Island Reapers: Released 3B Pirate Birn.
The Concord Radstags traded 29-year old 1B Dusty Brownell to the Sunshine Tidings Chemists, getting 18-year old minor league 1B Heddic Volunnar, 18-year old minor league RHP Torbjorn Shattershield, and 18-year old minor league RHP Katon Subadio in return.
The Sunshine Tidings Chemists traded 30-year old 1B Jim "Avenger" Tiller and 30-year old LF David Seaweed to the University Point Deathclaws, getting 36-year old RHP John Walden, 31-year old LF Mike Castillo, 18-year old minor league RHP Bay Brees, and 20-year old minor league RHP Tech Lobo in return.
Wednesday, June 10th , 2308
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Hugo Arig.
Tuesday, June 9th , 2308
Nahant Celtics: SS Love Hanson returns from his rehab assignment.
The Slog Ghouls: Placed RP Steve Slocums on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/08/2308.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed RF Lowton Roberts.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Released RF Lowton Roberts.
The Vault 81 Dwellers traded 21-year old minor league 3B Nick Moshassuck and 18-year old minor league LF Wyndelius Gatharian to the University Point Deathclaws, getting 25-year old minor league LF Sean Wagoner in return.