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Nuka News Update
Reporting on the NWL, APL, NWLR, and BBL Leagues
by Evan Guy
1 May 2311
Victory, Orange Expected to Play for Nuka Series
The first day of the 2311 season is here, and the Victory Cave Crickets are picked to defeat the Orange Tourists in the 13th Nuka Series.
The Cave Crickets won the past two Nuka Series, including a 4-2 series victory over the Dark Bloodworms in 2310. It was their fourth Nuka World League title. However, Victory is 0-4 in the Season Pass Association Series. They were swept in four games last season by National Park of the Vim! League.
Orange will be chasing just its second championship. The Tourists defeated Quantum, 4-1, in the 2308 Nuka Series to win their first. Like Victory, the Tourists fell in the SPA Series, losing to Grand Hotel, 4-3.
The Wild Gatorclaws are the only other team realistically expected to contend for the title. The Gatorclaws have never appeared in the Nuka Series and have finished above .500 only twice: 2300 and 2301 when they went 43-41 each season.
This season, there is some excitement, including the prospects of second-year SS Bubba Shrimp. In his rookie season in 2310, Shrimp batted .367 with 10 home runs and 31 RBI. Shrimp came to the Commonwealth from a place in the Southern part of the former United States. He claimed he played in a large baseball league there. Wild signed him last June after a tryout.
The top hitter in the league is a rookie pick in Victory's 3B Wizard of Oz Smith, a free agent signee in the offseason who has impressed scouts from the CBO. Assuming he is not scooped up by a CBO team, he is predicted to bat .426 in the 2311 season. Other contenders are 2B Yorkie Tallsky of Orange, RF Doman Northsea of Orange, and Shrimp.
The top pitcher is expected to be the Cave Crickets' SP Melvin Teacup. Others expected to compete are SP Shady Sand of Quartz, SP Cameron Biehler of Quantum, and SP Kory DiLeva of Grape.
NWL's Minor and Boys League Outlooks
2B Yorkie Tallsky of Orange is considered the #1 overall prospect, but he is expected to be the Opening Day starter for the Tourists.
Here are the top ten minor league prospects in the NWL based on opening day rosters--the number indicates their overall prospect ranking with players playing in the NWL to open the season removed:
7. SP Fastball Freddie Kingston, Wild, NWLRL - Northpoint Reservoir Gulchers
12. SP Rude Rube Waddell, Quantum, NWLRL - Red Rocket Radrats
13. C Cock-eyed Lou Fratto, Orange, NWLRL - Dunmore Ferris Wheels
16. C Merica Clamcollector, Quartz, NWLRL - Junkyard Space Cadets
18. 1B Danny Doright, Orange, APL - Nuka Town Operators
20. 2B Mound Barkley, Wild, NWLRL - Northpoint Reservoir Gulchers
21. CF Tyler Cross, Wild, NWLRL - Northpoint Reservoir Gulchers
22. CL Rik Ogarkov, Dark, NWLRL - Nuka Plant Electrics
23. 1B Baby Bull Cepeda, Grape, NWLRL - Wixon Cola Kings
24. 1B Bumblebee Foxx, Quantum, NWLRL - Red Rocket Radrats
The top five senior prospects from the Bradberton Boys League are as follows:
CL Magician Steam, Starport Nuka
RP Johnny Bags, Angry Anaconda
CL Edwin Echegoyen, South Bradberton
RP Mogrul vo Beltte, Starport Nuka
1B Always Wright, Starport Nuka
Vim! View
Veracious, Vivacious, Vainglorious Vision of the Vim! Leagues
by Vikky Vail
1 May 2311
Dalton Farm and Grand Hotel Expected to Win 50
While the National Park Gulpers are still celebrating their 2310 Vim! Series and Season Pass Association Series victories, the 2311 Vim! League season looks to be something different.
Predictions are in, and the Dalton Farm Fog Crawlers are expected to be the slight favorites over the Grand Hotel Atoms in what looks to be a tight Vim! League season. The Gulpers are expected to drop to last place in the league at 39-51.
Dalton Farm's CF Toppie Gunn is expected to run away with the batting title with a .284/29/82 prediction and win the Vim! MVP award for the second-straight season. Gunn holds the single-season home run record with 40 in 2309. Other top hitter candidates are 1B Young Hee Cyuleez of Cranberry Island, 2B Bobba Fette of the Hermit Crabs, and C Chris Dominoes of Echo Lake.
SP Jason Woods of Echo Lake is expected to win his third-straight Vim! Top Arm Award and fifth overall. Other competitors are SP Phil Cecil of the Fog Crawlers, SP Justin Wentworth of Dalton Farm, and SP Wearya Going of Acadia.
Vim! League Minors and Youth Leagues Outlooks
1B Jaf Aladdin of Dalton Farm is the Vim! League's top-overall prospect. He is expected to start the 2311 season with the Fog Crawlers.
Here are the top ten minor league prospects in the VL based on opening day rosters--the number indicates their overall prospect ranking with players playing in the VL to open the season removed:
2. 2B Punkin Mashmouth, Far Harbor, MDIL - Brooke's Head Behemoths
3. C Junkyard Dog Williams, National Park, VRL - Glowing Grove Brainiacs
7. 3B Whitey Chairman, National Park, VRL - Glowing Grove Brainiacs
8. SP Plus Erazo, National Park, VRL - Glowing Grove Brainiacs
10. LF Bees Knees Santana, Far Harbor, VRL - Fringe Cove Champions
13. 1B Bobby Packer, Echo Lake, VRL - Vim Factory Pops
16. 2B Camp Buddy, National Park, VRL - Glowing Grove Brainiacs
17. 3B Justin Hilson, Grand Hotel, VRL - Rock Point Barnacles
18. 1B Terrific George Seaver, Eden Meadows, VRL - MS Azalea Shipwrecks
19. CL Rebel Cu, Cranberry Island, VRL - Longfellow Pips
The top five seniors from the Maine Youth Leagues in the 2311 Draft are:
1. RF Alien Buckley, Far Harbor
2. C Cahn Ray, Echo Point
3. 2B Meat Commonly, Echo Point
4. SP Josty Penguin, National Park
5. RF Dale Nails, Echo Point