BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, College, and Youth Leagues
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
24 August 2308
CBO Analysis
The 100-game mark of the season has been reached. Teams outside the playoff race now only have 20 games to make a move. Six teams already know that their 2308 postseason hopes are dashed, meaning 18 teams are vying for the 10 playoffs spots.
If the playoffs were to start today, these would be the seedings:
NCA
1. Salem
2. Sunshine Tidings
3. Bunker Hill
4. Nordhagen Beach
5. Starlight
The top half of the NCA has been hot, while the bottom half has been cold. The entire Brotherhood League is technically still alive for a playoff spot, but the bottom three teams are all .500 or below. The last three teams in the Institute League are out.
Salem appears on its way to not only clinching a playoff spot with a 10-game lead over the 6th-place team, but they also have the smallest Magic # (13) to clinch their league title. In the Institute League, Sunshine Tidings and Bunker Hill are neck and neck in the race to the league title.
In the wildcard race, 6th place Easy Town is closer to the 4 spot than the 5 spot since they trail #4 Nordhagen Beach by two games and #5 Starlight by three games. It will be an interesting race as we approach the final four weeks of play.
SCA
1. Vault 81
2. Jamaica Plain
3. Oberland
4. Spectacle Island
5. Egret
Like the NCA, these ranking have not changed from two weeks ago. In the Minutemen League, Jamaica Plain and Spectacle Island are tied atop the league. However, the Red Rockets hold a three-game series edge, giving them the nod. Vault 81 has kept pace in the Railroad League with Oberland's surge, so the Dwellers still have the second-biggest league lead (3 games).
While Quincy, as well as longshots Atom and Roxbury, is still alive, the Gunner still trail Egret by five games in the wildcard race. University Point is only back by a game to the Ninjas, but the Deathclaws have been a bit up and down all season. The Claws currently have CF Aesed Hayjen on a rehab assignment, but they can use him pronto!
Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (124.2, ++) - The Chemists lead a strong NCA crop despite trailing Salem by three games for the top record. After going 8-2 in their last 10, though, Sunshine Tidings is among the hottest teams in the NCA. The Chemists swept The Slog, won two at Fort Hagen, split at Salem, and then swept Concord.
2) Salem Witch Hats (123.6, -) - The Witch Hats went 7-3 to maintain a strong hold in the NCA and the CBO. In the last 10 games, the Hats swept the Radstags, won two over Nordhagen Beach, split with the Chemists, and then won two at County Crossing.
3) Bunker Hill 75ers (117.4, -) - With an 8-2 the past two weeks, the 75ers are starting to look to be a true challenge. Bunker Hill swept the Bloodbugs, swept Lexington, swept the Ghouls, and then won on of three versus Fort Hagen.
4) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (115.2, ++) - The Party Boys went 7-3 and have won five straight to keep them in the #4 spot in the NCA standings. The Boys spilt with Starlight, won one at the Hats, swept the Synths, and then swept Nahant.
5) Vault 81 Dwellers (114.4, +) - With a 6-4 mark in their past 10, the Dwellers lead all SCA teams in the Power Rankings. Vault 81 swept Goodneighbor, won one at Egret, split at Quincy, and then won two over Diamond City.
6) Starlight Killers (114.0, --)
7) Easy Town Assaultrons (111.6, ++)
8) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (109.4, o)
9) Oberland T-51s (109.0, --)
10) Egret Ninjas (106.6, +)
11) Spectacle Island Reapers (106.4, -)
12) University Point Deathclaws (103.8, --)
13) Roxbury Rad Sox (89.2, ++)
14) Quincy Gunners (87.6, --)
15) Nahant Celtics (87.0, -)
16) County Crossing Bloodbugs (79.8, +)
17) The Slog Ghouls (76.2, -)
18) Atom Cats (70.2, o)
19) Diamond City Swatters (60.4, +)
20) Lexington Synths (58.4, o)
21) Goodneighbor Hancocks (57.8, +)
22) FHE Yao Guai (57.0, --)
23) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (55.8, o)
24) Concord Radstags (11.0, o)
CBO Standings
CBO Players of the Week
August 17 - This week's Player of the Week was Sean Samuels of the Easy Town Assaultrons.
He bombarded North Charles Association pitching for 8 hits in 18 at-bats, 3 home runs and 8 RBIs while hitting .444 and scoring 6 runs.
This season Samuels is batting at a .317 clip with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs.
Homestay Lovetap is respected by most Spectacle Island Reapers fans for his no-frills style of play. The 26-year-old first baseman went about his business with vigor last week to grab the South Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
He compiled a .500 average (9-for-18) with 5 home runs, 10 RBIs and 7 runs scored.
Currently Lovetap is batting .320 with 113 hits and 48 home runs. He has knocked in 97 runs and scored 90 times.
August 24 - Starlight sports fans can't stop singing the praises of Oren Gep, who has been selected the North Charles Association Player of the Week.
Gep was in a comfort zone all week, finishing with a .400 average (6-for-15), 12 RBIs and 6 home runs.
In the current season, Gep has put up a .282 batting average with 96 hits, 30 home runs, 85 runs batted in and scored 79 runs.
It's always a thrill for fans of the team and students of the game alike when a superstar in the making shows what he's got. Ken Debate, the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets 23-year-old left fielder, put himself in the spotlight last week making him the clear-cut choice for South Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
He ripped 8 hits in 17 at-bats, compiling a .471 average with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs.
This season Debate is hitting .321 with 42 home runs.
CBO Draft Preview
The 2308 Rookie Draft is approaching, and teams are starting to carve their spots in the Top 14 picks as they begin to be eliminated from the playoffs. Let's look at 5 more potential draft picks. But first, this would be the Top 10 based on current records for earned picks:
1. Concord
2. Fort Hagen
3. Diamond City
4. FHE
5. Godneighbor
6. Lexington
7. Atom
8. Country Crossing
9. Roxbury
10. The Slog
6. RF Eli Durus, Stoneham - Durus was productive in his four years with the Commandos, batting .336 with 73 home runs and 221 RBI. Durus is expected to be a future power hitter in the CBO with the chance to double up in getting lots of hits beyond just his home run numbers. He could make his way into the Top 5, and OSA believes he could be a potential target of Concord at #1.
7. 1B Cyclone Bolt, Danvers - Bolt is also a good hitter who will only get better. In fours seasons with the Perception, Bolt hit .358/81/264 making him one of the more prolific hitters in youth league history. He's no Tobias Hoffman or Jacob Tarberry, but Bolt can crush the ball.
8. 1B Whitebear Whittington, Concord-Lexington - Whittington had a slow start for the Minuteboys but was able to bring it on his senior season, batting .319 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI. He has patience at the plate, which will serve him well as he also gets stronger. He is a decent defensive 1B, but he could get better.
9. RF Kasumi Goto, Glowing Sea Prep - Goto was his best his senior year with the Venom when he hit .323 with 23 home runs and 61 RBI. Goto is a player determined to improve, and it has shown. He still needs to work on his walk-to-strikeout ratio, but he can be a patient (sometimes too much) hitter waiting for the right pitch. He also could play anywhere in the OF, though his preferred position is RF.
10. SP Slugger Pyne, Beantown - We're not sure what we get with Pyne after he suffered an injury in his second start of the season. Though he will be back in December, Pyne was expected to put himself above every other pitcher in this draft. Instead, OSA could see him anywhere from the 7th overall pick to the 7th round in the draft. He has three pitches, but his dominant pitches are his fastball and splitter. He will need to improve his changeup and add another pitch in the minors to be an SP in the CBO.
CBO Transactions
Monday, August 24th , 2308
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Bill Charisma.
Sunday, August 23rd , 2308
The Slog Ghouls: Activated RF Boots Yellowhair from the 60-day injured list.
The Slog Ghouls: Sent RF Boots Yellowhair to Triple A Burlington for injury rehab.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: The settlements in Jamaica Plain and Greentop Nursery have set up a goods trade caravan that will help to boost the Greentop Nursery economy and save Jamaica Plain from shipping costs.
Friday, August 21st , 2308
Diamond City Swatters: Activated LF Todd Smithfield from the injured list.
Concord Radstags: The Breakheart Banks minor affiliate will change its team name in 2309 from the Behemoths to the Jets.
Atom Cats: Activated SP Tristan Marble from the 60-day injured list.
Thursday, August 20th , 2308
Nahant Celtics: Activated SS Roger Coker from the injured list.
Nahant Celtics: Sent SS Roger Coker to Triple A Finch Farm for injury rehab.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Activated SP Godot Beckett from the restricted list.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Signed 1B Bubba Necklace.
Wednesday, August 19th , 2308
Roxbury Rad Sox: Released LF Flat Tire Granillo.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Scott Baldman.
Concord Radstags: Activated SP Bobby Van Marter from the injured list.
Tuesday, August 18th , 2308
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Signed 1B Erik Johnsen.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Dave Wilhelm.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released 1B Erik Johnsen.
Monday, August 17th , 2308
Vault 81 Dwellers: Placed 3B Knud Bather on the 7-day injured list.
University Point Deathclaws: Activated CF Aesed Hayjen from the injured list.
University Point Deathclaws: Sent CF Aesed Hayjen to Triple A Graygarden for injury rehab.
University Point Deathclaws: Activated RF Tomas Jones from the injured list.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Activated 1B Tony Two-time from the injured list.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Sent 1B Tony Two-time to Triple A Foxborough for injury rehab.
Quincy Gunners: Activated CL Ryan Rebman from the injured list.
Quincy Gunners: Sent CL Ryan Rebman to Triple A Castle for injury rehab.
Atom Cats: Placed SS Fat Cat Beimborn on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/16/2308.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Jonathan Lopez.
Sunday, August 16th , 2308
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Kooky Strobel.
Saturday, August 15th, 2308
University Point Deathclaws: The Claws minor league affiliate, Trinity Plaza, will move out of Downtown Boston in 2309 to play in Rockland.
Friday, August 14th , 2308
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Activated RF B.J. Perez from the injured list.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Sent RF B.J. Perez to Triple A Lowell for injury rehab.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Activated 2B Bulleye Shooterson from the injured list.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Yeager Meister.
Thursday, August 13th , 2308
Concord Radstags: Placed SP Bobby Van Marter on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/11/2308.
FHE Yao Guai: Activated CF Carhorn O'Shea from the restricted list.
Wednesday, August 12th , 2308
Diamond City Swatters: Placed LF Todd Smithfield on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/11/2308.
Tuesday, August 11th , 2308
Lexington Synths: Activated C Danny Enfryz from the injured list.