BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
3 June 2312
CBO Analysis
At 51 games into the season, each association currently has seven teams apiece that would be considered in the playoff hunt. We will take a look at the current playoff standings. Though teams still have 79 games to go, we think that there are some indications of what teams will be in the sell vs buy positions heading into July.
We will also be covering some of what Commissioner Nate Howard feels is the future of baseball in the Commonwealth as he has spread his tentacle far beyond the Boston area and is looking to make the CBO a staple of the entirety of the New England Commonwealth. But first, CBO the past two weeks.
Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Salem Witch Hats (120.5, o)
2) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (113.9, o)
3) Roxbury Rad Sox (110.8, ++)
4) Bunker Hill 75ers (108.2, ++)
5) Oberland T-51s (104.4, ++)
6) The Slog Ghouls (103.8, -)
7) Egret Ninjas (99.8, --)
8) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (99.8, ++)
9) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (99.4, -)
10) Starlight Killers (98.2, o)
11) Goodneighbor Hancocks (97.8, ++)
12) County Crossing Bloodbugs (97.2, +)
13) Vault 81 Dwellers (96.4, --)
14) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (92.2, ++)
15) FHE Yao Guai (89.2, --)
16) Easy Town Assaultrons (89.2, +)
17) Nahant Celtics (89.2, -)
18) Concord Radstags (88.2, ++)
19) University Point Deathclaws (87.2, --)
20) Southie Brews (84.2, ++)
21) Spectacle Island Reapers (83.8, --)
22) Diamond City Swatters (83.2, --)
23) Cambridge Coursers (80.2, --)
24) Glowing Sea Radscorpions (70.2, -)
25) Atom Cats (67.6, --)
26) Quincy Gunners (66.1, -)
27) Malden Grognaks (52.9, o)
28) Lexington Synths (51.9, o)
If the playoffs started today, these would be the seeds:
NCA
1. Salem
2. Fort Hagen
3. Nordhagen Beach (3-2 record vs The Slog)
4. The Slog
5. Starlight (3-2 vs Bunker Hill, 19-12 vs NCA)
6. CC (16-15 in NCA)
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7. Bunker Hill (2-3 vs Starlight, 15-16 vs NCA)
SCA
1. Roxbury
2. Jamaica Plain
3. Oberland (3-2 vs Vault 81)
4. Vault 81 (2-3 vs Oberland)
5. Egret (2-0 vs Goodneighbor)
6. Goodneighbor (0-2 vs Egret)
Brotherhood League
The BL has four teams above .500, two teams just a game below .500, and then Malden, which at 17-34 already looks to be out of the playoff race and became the first team in 2312 to can their manager. Salem has the CBO's largest league lead at seven games, as well as the top CBO record by three games, making the Witch Hats the #1 team in the CBO.
Nordhagen Beach has been streaky this season, but with a 6-4 mark in their last 10, the Party Boys are in a tie with The Slog for 2nd place. The Boys' offense is not as good as it once was, currently 8th in runs scored (239). Two players have been outstanding on offense: LF Gorgeous DiGiacomo (.356/10/39) and 35-year-old CF Maxx Murtagh (.335/11/35). 1B Young Goodman (.199/5/17) may have hit the cliff in his career. Nordhagen Beach's pitchers are still good, currently 3rd in runs allowed (227). SPs Beachboy Nut (6-1, 3.38) and Deedee Martinson (3-1, 2.30) are doing there thing. The Boys also brought on SP D.P. Clark (4-3, 4.00) from Jamaica Plain to help boost the pitching.
Institute League
Fort Hagen is still cruising along with both Starlight and Bunker Hill the only other teams in the IL above .500. Sunshine Tidings has been better of late, too, and can find themselves back in the playoff hunt if they keep winning as they started doing in mid-May. Lexington has the CBO's worst record and should start looking to building a future contender.
Bunker Hill is tied with The Slog for the best 10-game stretch (8-2) in the NCA, to go along with a current CBO-high seven-game winning streak. While they are still on the outside looking in as a playoff seed, the 75ers are now looking as though they belong in the contenders talk. The 75ers are 4th in runs scored (279) and tied for 7th in runs allowed (247). LF Jig McGhee (.341/6/39/12 SB) has been the best all-around hitter, while SP Harley Buechel (6-1, 2.27) has been the best pitcher.
Minutemen League
This is the league we expect to be the most volatile as we approach the midway point of the season. While Jamaica Plain currently holds a one-game lead over Goodneighbor, there are still chances for teams like Universty Point and Spectacle Island to get in the middle of the race to win the Minutemen League.
One team that does not appear to be in the race, currently possessing the SCA's worst record, is Quincy. Picked to finish 4th in the league, the Gunners are nowhere near as good as the record they were predicted to have and now a team with lots of talent needs to start thinking about what can be done to get on track in future seasons. After missing the playoffs despite finishing over .500 in 2311, the Gunners thought they were ready to return to the playoffs, something they planned to build on after winning the ML in 2310. Instead, Quincy is freefalling thanks to the 11th-best scoring team (227 runs) in the SCA and 13th-best in runs allowed (290). All four starters have ERAs above 5.00 with ace SP Silk Inflosse (2-7, 5.28) being the "best" of the group. 3B Shirt Fowler (.330/3/22) is the only Gunner hitting over .300. SS Pipewrench Mathis (.251/7/20/3 SB) leads the team in homers and is tied for the stolen bases lead.
Railroad League
Oh, oh, Railroad League. You let Roxbury get back in the race and take the league lead, putting them one game ahead of the Red Rockets, Oberland, and Vault 81 for the SCA's best record. This league is goos with a CBO-best five teams above .500 and a struggling Diamond City team just one game below .500. Only Glowing Sea appears to be out of the playoff hunt in a tough league.
For the Rad Sox, they are looking to repeat and getting what they need to get there despite not standing out statistically. The Sox are 8th in runs scored (243), which is impressive since they rank below 8th in every hitting category. They are also 3rd in runs allowed (213), helped a lot by having the top bullpen (3.65 ERA). 3B Donn Mattingley (.343/15/43) is in the Nuka Hitter Award conversation, and SP Urm Rehfeldt (3-1, 1.09) has been solid. CL Professor Harriel (16 SV, 2.45) is not as dominant as he was last season, but he is still tied for the CBO lead in saves.
CBO Standings
CBO Players of the Week
May 27 - 26-year-old KiJana Mallee sent shock waves through Commonwealth Baseball Organization last week with an eye-popping performance that brought him the North Charles Association Player of the Week Award.
A newcomer to the league, Mallee made the establishment sit up and take notice, punishing opposing pitchers with a .500 average, 11 hits in 22 at-bats, 2 home runs and 8 runs batted in.
Where the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud first baseman goes from here, only the baseball gods know for sure, but Mallee certainly made his mark last week.
Mallee is currently batting .287 with 4 home runs and 22 RBIs.
Veteran Barker Cocoa had a great week at the plate for the Deathclaws to capture the majority of votes for Player of the Week in the South Charles Association.
The 33-year-old University Point first baseman built a .500 average on the strength of 11 hits in 22 at-bats, 4 home runs and 10 RBIs.
For the year, Cocoa is batting .294 with 17 home runs, 38 RBIs and 37 runs scored.
June 3 - After all of Maxx Murtagh's years in baseball, some have suggested -- albeit very delicately -- that he should think about calling it quits. But the "mature adult," as he calls himself, showed last week that he's still capable of keeping up with the youngsters. The 35-year-old Nordhagen Beach center fielder was honored today as the North Charles Association Player of the Week.
He fended off all comers by posting a .708 average with 17 hits in 24 at-bats, 4 home runs and 12 RBIs.
Murtagh is currently hitting .335 with 11 home runsand 35 RBIs, while scoring 36 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. Rock Rampage, the University Point Deathclaws 22-year-old shortstop, put himself in the spotlight last week making him the clear-cut choice for South Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
He ripped 9 hits in 28 at-bats, compiling a .321 average with 5 home runs and 14 RBIs.
This season, Rampage has posted a batting average of .316 with 61 hits in 193 at-bats, 12 home runs and 38 RBIs. He has also scored 31 runs, walked 12 times and compiled a .353 OBP.
CBO Noteworthy News
May 31 - The Malden Grognaks announced today that they have fired manager Eric Bendure.
"We've decided to move in another direction," general manager Arneson explained to the assembled press. "We appreciate all the work that Eric has done for the organization and we wish him well in the future. Unfortunately, we felt that his vision for the team and our own were too different to be reconciled and so we mutually decided to part ways."
June 2 - History was made today at Easy Town Field -- Pete Pembroke won game #150 to seal his name in the league record books. The Easy Town ace downed the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets 4-0 to gain entrance into the elite 150 Club.
"I was wound up at first. I think I threw too hard," remarked Pembroke, "I had to calm down and go out there and pitch... not just throw. I think I got better as the game wore on. I started to think less about 150 wins and more about doing what I had to do."
Since coming into the league, Pembroke has a 150-117 mark and a 3.98 ERA. The 37-year-old hurler also has struck out 1328 batters in 2254 innings and permitted 2325 hits. He is just the 14th pitcher in CBO history to win 150 games. Nordhagen Beach's Beachboy Nut is the all-time leader with 220 wins.
CBO Transactions
Monday, June 3rd , 2312
Lexington Synths: Released RP Junie Celani.
Egret Ninjas: Placed SP Hry Caje on the 60-day injured list.
Malden Grognaks: Placed SS Noctyss Eternus on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 06/01/2312.
Concord Radstags: Signed RF Ralph DeYoe.
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Xier Steeplechase.
Nahant Celtics: Signed LF Matt Dealer.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP Division McMath.
Oberland T-51s: Signed SP J.J. Nine.
Oberland T-51s: Signed SP Elliot Ben-Refael.
Nahant Celtics: Released LF Dana Torres.
Concord Radstags: Released RF Marty Fischer.
Oberland T-51s: Released CL Nate Sandalli.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Division McMath.
Oberland T-51s: Released SP Elliot Ben-Refael.
Sunday, June 2nd , 2312
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Signed free agent RP Cooz Deathbrand to a minor league contract.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed RF Big Bob McGonagil.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Signed LF Kyle Quickfingers.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released LF Dustin Dean Moriarty.
The Malden Grognaks traded 33-year old LF Edward Cox to the Nahant Celtics, getting 19-year old minor league 2B G.B. Means in return.
Saturday, June 1st , 2312
Atom Cats: Placed 1B Actually Aucoin on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/30/2312.
Concord Radstags: Signed RF Marty Fischer.
Concord Radstags: Released LF Ralph DeYoe.
The The Slog Ghouls traded 21-year old minor league LF Greg Florida to the Cambridge Coursers, getting 30-year old 3B Coup Hertwig in return.
Malden Grognaks: RP John Schuetzle becomes a free-agent.
Friday, May 31st , 2312
Starlight Killers: Placed RP Gjak Ironbreaker on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/30/2312.
Starlight Killers: Released LF Flowertop Zo.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Signed LF Dustin Dean Moriarty.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Signed SP Kristian Frederiksen.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released LF Matt Dealer.
Malden Grognaks: Fired Manager Eric Bendure.
Malden Grognaks: Fired Hitting Coach Beverly Hills Johnson.
Malden Grognaks: Signed Manager Austin Shuler.
The Jamaica Plain Red Rockets traded 26-year old LHP D.P. Clark to the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys, getting 18-year old minor league 1B Pistol Holder in return.
The Quincy Gunners traded 22-year old minor league RF Curtain Salazar to the Lexington Synths, getting 27-year old C Conroy Reynolds in return.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Released RP Elliot Ben-Refael.
Quincy Gunners: Released C Conroy Reynolds.
Thursday, May 30th , 2312
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released RF John Millertime.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP Dan Redplate.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP Bobby Swamplander.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP Nuttin Honey.
Lexington Synths: Signed SS Julian Roughneck.
Starlight Killers: Signed RF Sam Noob.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Bobby Swamplander.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Sterling Neeley.
Lexington Synths: Released SS Jayden Bells.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Alex Fonseca.
Wednesday, May 29th , 2312
Lexington Synths: Activated CF Millioncap Go from the injured list.
Lexington Synths: Sent CF Millioncap Go to Triple A Wellesley for injury rehab.
The Malden Grognaks traded 19-year old minor league RHP Uncle Robbie Robinson to the Cambridge Coursers, getting 32-year old minor league LHP Danny Machart in return.
The Glowing Sea Radscorpions traded 24-year old RHP Claw Wetwalker to the Easy Town Assaultrons, getting 27-year old minor league RHP Voj Rads in return.
The Bunker Hill 75ers traded 24-year old minor league 3B Jas Emari to the Malden Grognaks, getting 21-year old RF Bucky Tampa in return.
Tuesday, May 28th , 2312
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Activated RP Relay Meacham from the injured list.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed RF Elijah Booke.
Monday, May 27th , 2312
Easy Town Assaultrons: Signed 1B Bullet Minnow.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP Jason Brown.
Oberland T-51s: Signed SP Flimflam Macedo.
Oberland T-51s: Signed SP Ben McEntire.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Signed LF Redfern Stern.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released LF Greg De Groot.
Oberland T-51s: Released SP Dokk Strassi.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Mad Mike Parisi.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Nuttin Honey.
The Jamaica Plain Red Rockets traded 21-year old minor league C Thunder Tom Hamilton to the Atom Cats, getting 40-year old RHP Tristan Marble in return.
Sunday, May 26th , 2312
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Placed SP Pollox Troye on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/25/2312.
FHE Yao Guai: Activated LF Makin Jobear from the injured list.
FHE Yao Guai: Sent LF Makin Jobear to Triple A Watertown for injury rehab.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released LF Alex Hopp.
Quincy Gunners: Placed RP Adam Bias on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/25/2312.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Signed SP Kristian Frederiksen.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP McGoo O'Dell.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP Matt Seabanks.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP Mad Mike Parisi.
Lexington Synths: Signed SS Jayden Bells.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Released SP Kristian Frederiksen.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP McGoo O'Dell.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Art Noyes.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Matt Seabanks.
Saturday, May 25th , 2312
University Point Deathclaws: Activated LF Chris Hirshfield from the injured list.
The Quincy Gunners traded 22-year old minor league RF Cracker Jack Mazerunner and 24-year old CF Leif Organa to the University Point Deathclaws, getting 33-year old minor league RHP Erik Wipf in return.
The County Crossing Bloodbugs traded 34-year old LF Kurt Kilgore to the Starlight Killers, getting 29-year old LHP Shaak Ti in return.
Friday, May 24th , 2312
Starlight Killers: Activated RF Hurr Lee Reyes from the injured list.
Starlight Killers: Sent RF Hurr Lee Reyes to Triple A Warwick for injury rehab.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Activated SS Tenpenny Luna from the injured list.
The Slog Ghouls: Released RF Elijah Booke.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Signed SP Kristian Frederiksen.
Concord Radstags: Signed RF Vince Bamburg.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Released SP Kristian Frederiksen.
Concord Radstags: Released RF Marty Fischer.
Thursday, May 23rd , 2312
Malden Grognaks: Activated 3B Prince Campbell from the injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Released 1B Bullet Minnow.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Signed SP Kristian Frederiksen.
Lexington Synths: Signed SS Goofy Gallegos.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Released SP Kristian Frederiksen.
Wednesday, May 22nd , 2312
Starlight Killers: Activated RP Gjak Ironbreaker from the injured list.
Easy Town Assaultrons: Activated RF Baktu DaWell from the injured list.
Southie Brews: Placed CF Jurgen Windcaller on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/20/2312.
The Slog Ghouls: Placed RF Cypher Raige on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 05/21/2312.
The Lexington Synths traded 31-year old RF Danny Faraday and a 6th round draft pick to the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud, getting 18-year old minor league RHP Aaron Noluh and 21-year old minor league RF Meddygon Myddvai in return.
Tuesday, May 21st , 2312
FHE Yao Guai: Activated CF McCrew Gillens from the injured list.
Oberland T-51s: Placed CL Aaron Geneva on the 60-day injured list.
The Slog Ghouls: Activated SP Flirt Perez from the injured list.
Oberland T-51s: Signed RP Alex Fonseca.
Oberland T-51s: Signed SP Temmy Cricket.
Oberland T-51s: Signed SP Kymani Stephens.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Signed LF Greg De Groot.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Sid Anyis.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released CF Redfern Stern.
Off the Beaten Path: CBO Talks
We mentioned at the top that Commissioner Nate Howard has been working diligently toward expanding Commonwealth baseball throughout New England. He has not given us the specific details, but we have been able to gather more information as the Commonwealth continues to work on infrastructure. We have no idea how long it may take, but we could be looking at the CBO involving teams throughout the New England Commonwealth instead of just the Boston area as it is now.
Here are a few thoughts we have been able to piece together:
* Talks have ramped up considerably about the CBO absorbing the youth leagues for the Nuka World League and Vim! League. While players in those youth leagues are tied to the Season Pass Association, it was revealed that teams are not budgeting for scouting in those leagues and instead have relied on undrafted free agents and cut veterans to populate their leagues. The CBO is expected to take full control either this year or sometime before the start of the 2313 season.
* Speaking of youth leagues, we do not know yet what will happen in regards to the Commonwealth Youth League and those Bradberton and Maine youth leagues, but we do know several other settlement towns are fielding youth teams in 2313. In other words, the baby boom and expanded immigration starting in 2298 has come into full bloom. There is need for more and more accommodations with baseball being the king sport of the Commonwealth. While there are other sports teams, no other sport is organized like the CBO's machine is.
* The college ranks will also expand as the CBO is looking to bring in as many as 24 new institutions of higher education into the field. Whether all 24 enter next year or in the near future, those colleges and universities have been working on recruiting teams in anticipation of being competitive and building CBO-quality competitors.
Some of the schools that have already fielded teams for at least three years that we anticipate to join are in the Connecticut and Rhode Island regions. Teams from those regions are expected to make up the Southern Commonwealth Conference, also referred to as the SoCom. Some of those teams already competing against each other and planning to join next season or 2314 are Yale University, Hartford College, the University of Connecticut, Brown University, Providence College, and Rhode Island University. In all, 12 teams currently compete in the SoCom. The other six teams that may join in 2313 or later, depending on their readiness, are the Fairfield University Stags, Coastal University Clams, East Connecticut State University Warriors, Westerly Education Academy Owls, University of Narragansett Tide, and Hope Valley University Hikers.
* With the extreme drop-offs in popularity with the Season Pass Association, especially since they have not increased their talent, some rumblings have been about the CBO potentially purchasing those leagues, too. There have been no serious talks that we know of, but supposedly league interest owners and de facto commissioners, John-Caleb Bradberton and Small Bertha, are looking to make a money move at some point. As the two people controlling the money of their regions, the CBO is the only possibility we can see.
What would it mean for the CBO? Perhaps they could make a Nuka World team and Far Harbor team for the CBO. We are not sure if that is viable. We would think that a Nuka World team could work since there is a direct rail line connecting Bradberton to the Boston area. It could also mean swallowing up the leagues.
* That brings us to the last issue, though there needs to be movement now for that to be a reality. As of this morning, there were 1844 free agents registered with the CBO. With 28 teams, that would come out to at least 65 players available per team in the CBO. You see what we're getting at? The CBO has bounced around the possibility of there being a fourth minor league, what would be an A-level league.
With Commissioner Howard wanting to expand throughout the Commonwealth, that could mean teams in Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut to join the minors. That would actually make more sense in the short term to add minors to those far-out places rather than trying to expand the CBO before there are significant travel and broadcast infrastructures in place.
ArcJet supposedly has been testing communication satellites. With some of the BNN broadcasting equipment in place, those satellites could expand the Commonwealth's ability to communicate through further regions, which could one day include sending signals as far as if not beyond the Capital Wasteland. That means all of the New England Commonwealth would be able to watch and/or listen to every single baseball game in the region.