BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
26 September 2311
Sole Survivor Series: Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (76-54) vs Roxbury Rad Sox (78-52)
Season Series
Roxbury 3, Nordhagen Beach 0
May 31-June 2 @NB: Rox 6-2, Rox 2-0, Rox 4-2
Analysis
The Nordhagen Beach Party Boys and Roxbury Rad Sox are two franchises that have made winning a tradition in the early years of the CBO. Of the now 28 spots in this 14th Sole Survivor Series (official), the Party Boys and Rad Sox have now occupied 12 of those spots. This is the Boys' 7th appearance in a Sole Survivor Series with a lifetime record of 4-2, while the Sox are making their 5th appearance with a lifetime record of 2-2.
This will also mark the second time that Nordhagen Beach and the Rad Sox meet in the Sole Survivor Series. In 2307, the Party Boys won the series, 4 games to 1, marking the beginning of a dominant effort in the playoffs. The Boys have now won three of the last four Sole Survivor Series, including the past two.
In the season series, it was all Roxbury, outscoring the Boys 12-4 in their three-game series. Ben Pawlak (.500/3/4) and Sum Downie (.400/2/3) were the offensive heroes, producing more total home runs than Nordhagen Beach had total runs. SP Nuka Laloosh (1-0, 0.00) pitched 8.0 innings of scoreless ball in his lone start. Boys SP Beachboy Nut (0-0, 0.71) pitched well in his start, a no-decision after 7.1 innings.
There are a few key matchups and interesting stories to look at. One of the factors of this game is the movement of stars. The biggest of those was the December 17, 2300, trade that sent SP Beachboy Nut to Nordhagen Beach in exchange for 3B Donn Mattingley and SS Purple Gupta. All three players have shaped their new franchises over the years. Another key trade that favored the Boys was executed on June 30, 2308, when the struggling Rad Sox (that season) sent LF Young Goodman to the Boys for three prospects: SP Saint O'Fender, RP Astro Nomey, and RP Waxem Topsaw. O'Fender (1-0, 4.85 as a RP) is the only player to play for the Sox. Nomey (3-2, 3.63) is with FHE in a 2309 trade that landed Roxbury SP Aaron Demps (9-7, 5.29).
In a side-by-side analysis of team statistics, the Party Boys seem to have most of the advantages. Nordhagen Beach finished tied for 8th in the CBO in runs scored (696), while the Sox finished 5th (702), just a six-run difference on the season. For runs allowed, the Boys were tied for 14th overall (628), while Roxbury was 16th (647), a 19-run difference.
Looking at a side-by-side comparison of OSA-rated talent,
SP1 - Beachboy Nut (15-5, 2.76) > Nuke Laloosh (15-9, 3.33)
SP2 - Deedee Martinson (10-10, 4.72) > Oliver Oil (8-12, 3.41)
SP3 - Ugio Church (12-10, 4.76) = Urm Rehfeldt (15-9, 4.51)
RP1 - David "AntAgonist" Kidd (6-6, 5.32) < Dobbie Radoncis (10-7, 4.25 as a SP)
CL - Ted Iam (28 SV, 3.59) < Professor Harriel (41 SV, 1.72)
C - Clownie Blammo (.297/17/70) < Ayag Mour (.343/17/73)
1B - Jacob Tarberry (.340/35/105) > Sum Downie (.246/25/76)
2B - Jumper Hayes (.314/7/36) < Emerald Sapphire (.312/18/74)
3B - Dirty Dog Sapienza (.268/6/26) < Donn Mattingley (.356/19/83)
SS - Pipe Wallcrawler (.333/19/64) < Purple Gupta (.298/11/60)
LF - Young Goodman (.297/16/69) > Scott Dourque (.288/5/45)
CF - Maxx Murtagh (.279/27/55) < Ben Pawlak (.282/22/74)
RF - Jonathan Angelou (.237/25/86) < Brightsun Ramos (.269/10/44)
Key Injuries
Nordhagen Beach
RF Gorgeous DiGiacomo (.333 in two games)
1B Mountainside Rockhand (.336/20/88)
Roxbury
None
Nordhagen Beach was already without its starting RF for the season, DiGiacomo, after he ruptured his Achilles in just the second game of the season. DiGiacomo was set to become the regular starter in RF after batting ,331/8/38 in just 82 games with 35 starts in 2310.
The Party Boys lost Rockhand for the playoffs in the Wildcard Round when he strained his hamstring. That forced Tarberry to take his spot at 1B and then split Sapienza and called-up Justin Hazard at 3B. Hazard spent the entire regular season with the Braintree Robobrains of the MML before being called up for the Association Semifinals Round.
Prediction
We are hoping for a fight to the 7th game because we love baseball and want more. This season, the Rad Sox seemed to own the Party Boys, at least in that one series they played. Both teams are currently operating at all cylinders, accomplishing the feat of defeating their associations' #2 and #1 teams in order. Historically, Nordhagen Beach has the advantage, both in previous matchups and current history of winning championships. We have stated it before, and we will state it again. We will pick against the Boys again after they have bowed out. Until then, they are the pick.
Nordhagen Beach 4, Roxbury 2