News from the CBO, Minors, College, and Youth Leagues
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
7 September 2308
CBO Analysis
With 110 games played and 10 more to go, ZERO teams have clinched a playoff berth. There are some unofficial eliminations, but officially, seven teams know for sure they will not be playing in the 2308 postseason. In the Brotherhood League, all six teams are officially alive. However, since Nordhagen Beach and Easy Town face off next weekend, none of Nahant, The Slog, and County Crossing can clinch a playoff spot.
If the playoffs were to start today, these would be the seedings:
NCA
1. Salem
2. Sunshine Tidings
3. Bunker Hill
4. Easy Town
5. Starlight
Salem has a Magic # of 3 to clinch the BL. The Witch Hats also lead Sunshine Tidings by a game for the top seed in the NCA. The Chemists seem to have the easier road down the stretch to clinch the top seed with non-league games at Easy Town and versus County Crossing, with league games hosting Lexington and visiting Starlight. Meanwhile, the Hats will play the IL's Killers on the road and Bunker Hill at home, as well as face The Slog six times to finish the year.
In the wildcard race, Easy Town jumped into a BL tie with Nordhagen Beach and has the tiebreaker due to a 6-3 edge in the season series. Bunker Hill and Starlight appear that they will be in some order the #3 and #5 seeds, with the 75ers leading by just a game after getting swept by the Killers this past weekend.
SCA
1. Oberland
2. Spectacle Island
3. Vault 81
4. Jamaica Plain
5. Egret
The SCA decided to shuffle around its seedings heading into the final two weeks with some great matchups in the final 10 games.
In the Minutemen League, Spectacle Island is back in first, going 6-4 in their last 10, while Jamaica Plain went just 4-6. The 3rd-place team, University Point, fell behind by going 3-7, putting them in serious danger of missing the playoffs. The Reapers and Red Rockets meet in Spectacle Island in the last series of the regular season.
In the Railroad League, Oberland got hot, going 9-1 in their last 10 to take over control of both the league and the top record in the SCA. Meanwhile, Vault 81 was only 4-6, leading Egret with a five-game winning streak to stand just five back. The Ninjas face both the T-51s and Dwellers in their final two RL series, meaning that Egret largely controls their own destiny to be anywhere from the #1 overall seed to missing the playoffs altogether.
In the wildcard race, the Ninjas lead by 5 games over the Deathclaws. Both Roxbury and Quincy are technically eliminated, each trailing by 10 games with 10 to play.
Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Oberland T-51s (121.9, +) - As mentioned, the T-51s went 9-1 in their last 10 to take over control of the SCA. Oberland swept University Point, Vault 81, and Atom before winning two of three at Roxbury.
2) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (117.5, -) - The Chemists went 6-4 with a split with Salem, two of three over Bunker Hill, a split with Nordhagen Beach, and two of three over Concord.
3) Egret Ninjas (113.7, ++) - The Ninjas were 7-3 in their past 10 with a split with Quincy, a series loss at Roxbury, a sweep of the Gunners, and then a sweep of Diamond City.
4) Salem Witch Hats (113.2, -) - The Hats have struggled as of late, going 4-6 with a split at the Chemists, a series loss to Nahant, a split with the Killers, and then another series loss to County Crossing.
5) Starlight Killers (113.0, +) - The Killers went 6-4 in their last 10, but started on a three-game losing streak. Starlight got swept by the Assaultrons, won the series at Fort Hagen, split with the Witch Hats, and then swept the 75ers.
6) Vault 81 Dwellers (106.6, ++)
7) Easy Town Assaultrons (106.1, +)
8) Spectacle Island Reapers (105.7, --)
9) Bunker Hill 75ers (104.6, --)
10) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (100.5, o)
11) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (100.1, --)
12) County Crossing Bloodbugs (91.7, ++)
13) University Point Deathclaws (90.5, -)
14) Roxbury Rad Sox (87.4, o)
15) The Slog Ghouls (86.7, +)
16) Nahant Celtics (84.4, --)
17) Quincy Gunners (83.4, o)
18) Goodneighbor Hancocks (72.7, +)
19) Lexington Synths (71.4, ++)
20) Atom Cats (71.0, -)
21) FHE Yao Guai (62.8, o)
22) Diamond City Swatters (59.2, -)
23) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (57.9, o)
24) Concord Radstags (39.9, o)
CBO Standings
CBO Players of the Week
August 31 - Dusty Brownell is respected by most Sunshine Tidings Chemists fans for his no-frills style of play. The 29-year-old first baseman went about his business with vigor last week to grab the North Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
He compiled a .400 average (8-for-20) with 4 home runs, 5 RBIs and 7 runs scored.
This year Brownell is batting .283 with 23 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Curt Carpenter 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 Quincy first baseman wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .571 average (12-for-21) with 2 home runs and 6 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
During the current season Carpenter is batting at a .277 clip with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs. He has played in 99 games and scored 65 times.
September 7 - The Player of the Week has been announced by the North Charles Association. The honor went to Ross Merchantman, third baseman of the Sunshine Tidings Chemists.
He burned up the league with a .609 average to win the award. Merchantman went 14-for-23 for the week, totaled 5 home runs with 13 RBIs and scored 7 times.
This season Merchantman is hitting at a .285 pace with 40 home runs, 103 RBIs and has scored 85 times.
Wookie Chewbacca 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 FHE second baseman wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .571 average (12-for-21) with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
Chewbacca is batting .288 with 4 home runs and 20 RBIs this season.
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. The Slog
10. Nahant
Here are five more draft picks to preview:
11. RF Kettle Dietrich, CIT Academy - One of the leaders of the BYDL's runners up, Dietrich has an explosive bat though he may not be as gifted a hitter as the eight expected to be picked before him. He is a lanky player who will punish high fastballs. However, in the CBO he is more likely to hit for average rather than power. He is also a decently good corner outfielder which should keep him on the field for whatever level he is playing.
12. CF Tobias Hoffman, Diamond City - One word: power. Hoffman has hit 30+ home runs his last three seasons with the Newsboys, giving him a one-home run edge (118) over Jacob Tarberry (117) for the BYDL's best all-time home runs. He also finished 5th for all-time RBI with 290. Like Dietrich, Hoffman is a good corner outfielder, meaning he should find plenty of playing time and chances to jack home runs.
13. C Yvuh Jet, Danvers - Jet is good at handling bad pitches, though he is not that great yet at throwing runners out. With the bat in his hands, he will exhibit the most power among the catcher class, giving him an edge over other catcher prospects.
14. LF Sack King, Braintree - Another corner outfielder in a strong draft for OF, King is still growing into his frame. He is built for power, although he was not as successful as some of his peers in the BYDL due to injuries the past two seasons. Scouts believe he will grow into his frame and be one of the premier home run hitters at some point. However, there is concern that King may have nagging injuries throughout his career, with special concern about back issues.
15. RF Bucky Tampa, Woburn - Tampa is a good all-around hitter who can hit for average and power. While it has not been the case yet based on his youth league numbers with the Diners, Tampa is expected to be one of the more patient hitters in the draft. Defense is a liability, though, so he could see himself fall in the draft.
CBO Transactions
Monday, September 7th , 2308
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Bullet Branch.
Friday, September 4th , 2308
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Rammy Moustache.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Rammy Moustache.
Thursday, September 3rd , 2308
Diamond City Swatters: Placed CF Kevin Phelps on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 09/02/2308.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Yeager Meister.
Wednesday, September 2nd , 2308
Atom Cats: Activated SS Fat Cat Beimborn from the injured list.
Sunday, August 30th , 2308
University Point Deathclaws: Activated SP Cobra Cobratea from the injured list.
University Point Deathclaws: Sent SP Cobra Cobratea to Triple A Graygarden for injury rehab.
Saturday, August 29th , 2308
Easy Town Assaultrons: Placed C Tyler Shoemaker on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/28/2308.
Diamond City Swatters: Placed SP Brent Brewer on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/28/2308.
Diamond City Swatters: Signed RP Mica Braet.
Friday, August 28th , 2308
Spectacle Island Reapers: Released RP John Bayers.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Placed RF Deerlord Fugivmee on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/26/2308.
Thursday, August 27th , 2308
Vault 81 Dwellers: Activated 3B Knud Bather from the injured list.
Wednesday, August 26th , 2308
Roxbury Rad Sox: Placed SP Godot Beckett on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/23/2308.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Signed 1B Bill Charisma.
Monday, August 24th , 2308
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Bill Charisma.
MML Playoffs
The 2308 regular season has come to an end with four teams left standing to battle it out for the championship. In the Legends League, the Everett Mutant Houds will take on the Abernathy Adamantium. In the Stars League, the Braintree Robobrains will challenge the Providence Warlocks.
BMU Playoffs
The Boston Minor Series between the Mystic Pines Raybathers and the Forest Grove Pugilists is down to its final game in a winner-take-all matchup. The Raybathers last won the championship in 2299 while Forest Grove is in its third season in the BMU, never having won a championship there. In its history as the Pugilists, this is only the second time they have made the playoffs with no championships.
GBRL Playoffs
The Rookie Series is also to its final game with the Lynn Woods Bloatflies and Greater Mass Vans tied at two games apiece. The teams will match up tomorrow with the winner taking the 2308 crown.
