BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
19 August 2312
CBO Analysis
The 2312 season has two more weeks and 13 more games to play for each team. While no team has yet to earn a spot, four teams--Malden, Lexington, Glowing Sea, and Spectacle Island--have been eliminated with that order the current top of the 2312 Rooke Draft order. Only one league leader, Fort Hagen, has a solid lead, thus a Magic # below 10 (7). The rest of the league races and the wildcard races are still very much in doubt.
Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Salem Witch Hats (121.7, ++)
2) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (120.3, o)
3) County Crossing Bloodbugs (109.2, -)
4) Roxbury Rad Sox (102.5, ++)
5) Vault 81 Dwellers (99.8, +)
6) Bunker Hill 75ers (99.5, -)
7) Oberland T-51s (99.5, --)
8) Starlight Killers (96.8, ++)
9) University Point Deathclaws (96.8, ++)
10) Diamond City Swatters (96.3, ++)
11) FHE Yao Guai (95.8, --)
12) Goodneighbor Hancocks (94.4, o)
13) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (93.7, ++)
14) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (92.4, --)
15) The Slog Ghouls (90.8, o)
16) Concord Radstags (89.3, -)
17) Southie Brews (87.2, --)
18) Egret Ninjas (85.8, --)
19) Nahant Celtics (85.2, o)
20) Atom Cats (83.6, o)
21) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (82.8, --)
22) Cambridge Coursers (76.9, +)
23) Spectacle Island Reapers (75.4, +)
24) Quincy Gunners (72.8, o)
25) Easy Town Assaultrons (70.9, --)
26) Glowing Sea Radscorpions (69.7, o)
27) Lexington Synths (66.3, o)
28) Malden Grognaks (65.2, o)
Brotherhood League
Unless something crazy happens, there are four teams in the playoff race and four teams out in the Brotherhood League. After allowing County Crossing to catch up and tie them for a day, Salem has now gone on a five-game winning streak to extend it lead back to three games. Nordhagen Beach and The Slog are fighting for 3rd place and a spot in the playoffs.
The Witch Hats are again the CBO's top team with the top record, though Fort Hagen is just one game back in the race to the #1 seed. Salem has been near the top of all statistical categories all season, showing the Hats to be one of the most-balanced teams in the CBO. The Hats are 3rd in runs scored (663) and 2nd in runs against (529), a difference of 5.67 to 4.52 (or over one run) per game. The top three hitters in the lineup--LF Dan Erb (.280/23/59/33 SB), 2B Peter Pan Calvillo (.324/24/70), and 1B Brian DeLong (.304/22/68)--have high averages and the most homr runs on the team. The top seven hitters are dangerous. The best pitchers for ERA purposes are SPs Jaa Thirtysix (11-9, 3.06) and Pokey Chatman (8-13, 3.66). Chatman has not had great run support in his starts.
Looking at key matchups down the stretch, Salem travels to Nordhagen Beach for three and County Crossing for two in two of its three final series of the season. That final week could lead to a showdown between the Hats and Bugs for the BL crown. The Party Boys have a few tough series with five more against the Bloodbugs and three against Salem. The only team with a winning record left on the Ghouls' schedule is their three-game visit at Jamaica Plain starting today.
Prediction:
Winner: County Crossing (2)
Wildcards: Salem (3), The Slog (5), Nordhagen Beach (6)
Institute League
As mentioned, the Silver Shroud have the largest lead at seven games. Behind the Shroud are the Bunker hill 75ers, Starlight Killers, Concord Radstags, and Sunshine Tidings in that order. The last three of that group are 10, 11, and 12 games back, so they are also jostling for place and a spot in the playoffs in a tight race where Starlight would be in as the 6th playoff team and each of the Stags and Chemists would be out.
The 75ers have not been much of a blip on our radar all season, but they sit in the 4th slot in the playoff hunt as we go down the stretch. Bunker Hill is 4th in runs scored (656) and 8th in runs allowed (568). SS Aaron Squire (.289/34/107) has been the most outstanding hitter on the team with a great season from LF Jig McGhee (.340/17/85/25 SB) and additional power from 3B Cave Dweller Bourgeois (.287/25/74). SPs Jason Tonelli (8-9, 3.96) and Max Thuderdome (12-8, 3.87) have been pitching well as of late.
Fort Hagen should have no problem clinching the IL as early as this week. The Silver Shroud play two teams, Diamond City and Quincy, from the SCA this week before finishing the season against Starlight, Nahant, and Sunshine Tidings. The 75ers only tough matchup remaining is a three-game trip to Concord next week. The Killers will have a tough road, including road trips to Roxbury this week and at the Shroud next week. The Stags will also have it tough with all five of their remaining series against winning teams. The same goes for Sunshine Tidings.
Prediction:
Winner: Fort Hagen (1)
Wildcards: Bunker Hill (4)
Minutemen League
The top three teams are all within a game of each other with Goodneighbor at the top of the heap, followed by a cold Jamaica Plain (five-game losing streak) and University Point both a game back. While Southie and Atom have been playing well over a stretch of time to get them near .500, they can be considered out of the race. Quincy will be eliminated within the next few days.
The Hancocks are in 1st place, but they are the most Jekyll and Hyde team from pitching to hitting. For runs against (465) and Starters ERA (3.35), Goodneighbor is atop the SCA, but the Hancocks are last in runs scored (499). On the mound, despite terrible run support, all four starters are above .500: Heaven Fontenott (11-10, 3.51), Clubhouse Treelover (11-8, 2.82), Mister Burns (12-8, 3.12), and Pollox Troye (9-3, 2.64). There are some decent hitters in the Goodneighbor lineup, but no stars, with CF Missile Crews (.301/19/62/27 SB) probably being the best all-around hitter.
With this league being in a three-team race, the matchups for all three of Goodneighbor, the Red Rockets, and the Deathclaws will matter. Amid three series against lower-ranked teams in Easy Town, Quincy, and Atom, the Hancocks play two series against University Point, which could determine the slot for the playoffs or missing the playoffs altogether. The Rockets and Claws also face off for a three-game stretch next week, where the Claws will have eight-straight games against eith Jamaica Plain or the Hancocks.
Prediction:
Winner: University Point (2)
Wildcards: Goodneighbor (6)
Railroad League
With five games separating 1st and 5th, the Railroad League is the most exciting league down the stretch. Roxbury has a two-game lead and the SCA's top record, followed by Oberland, FHE, Vault 81, and Egret. Diamond City is just one game under .500, but we do not see a path for the Swatters to sneak in unless they got super hot and finish at around 70-60. Despite their current five-game winning streak, that will not happen.
Vault 81 is a team both on the cusp of surging ahead or falling behind the pack. Looking at the Dwellers statistically, however, we are putting them in the championship contender category. The Dwellers are 1st in runs scored (656) and 4th in runs allowed (547). Four players have 20 or more home runs: CF Stu Gains (.304/25/74), 2B Harry Byrd (.296/21/68), RF Joe Rathmann (.328/21/59), and C Phantom Vargas (.302/20/70). On the mound, neither of the top two starters have been dominant, but they have been decent: Scruffy Taguchi (11-11, 4.02) and Exxie Summerset (12-8, 3.89).
This league race is complicated, so let's start at the top and work our way down. Roxbury faces four-straight teams with winning records in Starlight, Egret, Oberland, and the Ninjas again, before finishing at Diamond City. The T-51s also have three tough series but five games against the Swatters. The Yao Guai only have two more teams with winning records to play: the Ninjas and Dwellers. The Dwellers get an easier path,, including hosting Cambridge and Glowing Sea this week. They also host Sunshine Tidings and FHE next week with a trip to the Glowing Sea Dome in between those series. The Ninjas have it the toughest with series against Concord, Roxbury (twice), FHE, and the Radscorpions.
Prediction:
Winner: Oberland (1)
Wildcards: Vault 81 (3), Roxbury (4), FHE (5)
CBO Standings
CBO Players of the Week
August 5 - A battle-tested Babs Rooth declared war on opposing pitchers last week, attacking the ball like the well-schooled veteran he is. Today the 33-year-old County Crossing right fielder collected the North Charles Association Player of the Week Award.
He wrapped up the week with a .467 average, 7 hits in 15 at-bats, 2 home runs, 5 RBIs and 4 runs scored.
This year, Rooth is batting .365 with 36 home runs and 101 RBIs.
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. Daub Buckle, the Southie Brews 20-year-old catcher, 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 15 at-bats, compiling a .600 average with 2 home runs and 4 RBIs.
Thus far this season, Buckle has hit .310 with 17 home runs, 64 RBIs and scored 51 times.
August 12 - His hard work and hustle paid off this week. The hard-working and hard-playing Duff Fee was rewarded with the North Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
The scrappy Concord Radstags center fielder hit .524 while collecting 11 hits in 21 at-bats, 3 home runs and 6 RBIs.
On the year, Fee has hit .326 with 25 home runs, 63 RBIs and scored 65 runs.
Gremlin T. Squearfish 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 Atom left fielder wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .480 average (12-for-25) with 3 home runs and 9 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
To date, Squearfish has collected 143 hits for a .340 average. He has posted 16 home runs, scored 66 runs and driven in 57 runs.
August 19 - Nauseous Revere has the tools to stick in this league for many years. The 23-year-old second baseman of the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud had a hot bat in the North Charles Association over the past seven days and won the Player of the Week honors.
Revere batted .600 with 12 hits in 20 at-bats, 3 home runs and 9 RBIs.
In the current season, Revere has put up a .324 batting average with 132 hits, 14 home runs, 75 RBI and scored 90 runs.
One of the league's most exciting young players, Zod Gaycey of the Spectacle Island Reapers earned himself South Charles Association Player of the Week honors with a standout performance in last week's games.
For the week the 25-year-old left fielder had a lofty .519 average (14-for-27), collecting 3 home runs, 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
Posting a .320 batting average to date, Gaycey has 30 home runs and 88 RBIs.
CBO Noteworthy News
August 7 - Dan Erb reached the 2000-hit mark today. Salem's 35-year-old left fielder received a standing ovation from Salem Witch Hats and Nahant Celtics fans alike. On the day, Erb went 3-for-6 in the Witch Hats 14-3 victory.
Over his career Erb is batting .303 with 346 home runs and 1102 RBIs. In 1727 games he has delivered 2000 hits, scored 1122 runs, stolen 90 bases and gotten on base at a .382 clip.
August 10 - Stuart Costantino hit for the cycle and paced the Nahant Celtics to a win, 13-4, against the Easy Town Assaultrons at Easy Town Field.
The Celtics catcher led the way for his club with 4 hits in 5 at-bats -- 1 single, 1 double, 1 triple and 1 home run -- along with 5 runs batted in and 1 run.
"Now that I know what Stuart is capable of, I'm going to expect it more often," Nahant manager Soini Alapassi joked with reporters after the game.
Stuart Costantino hit a two-run home run off Hitman Medicman in the 3rd, tripled in the 4th, singled in the 5th, hit a three-run double in the 6th and struck out in the 9th.
Thus far this season in 91 games, Costantino is batting .243 with 2 home runs, 27 RBIs and 25 runs scored. He has 69 hits in 284 at-bats.
August 11 - Dwellers ace Scruffy Taguchi reeled in his 150th career victory by beating the Roxbury Rad Sox 14-5 at CURIE Inc. Field. In his historic win, he notched 2 strikeouts in 6.1 innings, yielded 4 runs and 5 hits, while surrendering 1 walk.
"I tried to focus on each batter," said Taguchi after the game, "but as the game goes by, I couldn't help but think about the possibility. 150 is a big number. It's an exclusive club and I'm honored to be a member."
Taguchi has authored a 150-128 won-lost record in his career with a 3.71 ERA.
August 13 - What a day for Barker Cocoa. The 34-year-old University Point first baseman reached the 2000-hit mark today and the Deathclaws whipped the Vault 81 Dwellers 6-2.
Cocoa told reporters, "It's good to finally get it. The closer you get to 2000, the harder it is to get there. Now the pressure is off and I can go back to just playing ball."
He went 2 for 3 in the game to reach the milestone.
Cocoa is hitting .359 lifetime with 2001 hits, 335 doubles, 19 triples, 534 home runs, and 1463 RBIs to date. He has scored 1575 runs and stolen 37 bases.
CBO Transactions
Monday, August 19th , 2312
Malden Grognaks: Released RF Mighty Dward.
Malden Grognaks: Released RF Mark Knight.
Malden Grognaks: Released RF Marty Fischer.
Concord Radstags: Activated SS Hatrack Hines from the injured list.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Activated 2B Avrusa Sarethi from the injured list.
FHE Yao Guai: Activated 2B Blue Dahlia from the injured list.
Sunday, August 18th , 2312
FHE Yao Guai: Released C Hugo Nieto.
Saturday, August 17th , 2312
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Mark Knight.
Friday, August 16th , 2312
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Placed RF Babs Rooth on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/15/2312.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Activated SS Fat Cat Beimborn from the restricted list.
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Cheap Diehl.
Thursday, August 15th , 2312
Atom Cats: RP Mike Waterdrinker (AAA Medford) retired from professional baseball.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: RP Mike Grille (AAA Needham) retired from professional baseball.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Retired #8 in honor of Andy Helium.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: CL Andy Helium (AAA Foxborough) retired from professional baseball.
Bunker Hill 75ers: RP Danny Rocketman (AAA Abernathy) retired from professional baseball.
Diamond City Swatters: LF Bryan Benton (AAA Natick) retired from professional baseball.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: 3B Micah Morals (AAA Worcester) retired from professional baseball.
Egret Ninjas: RP Surrender Hendrickson (AAA Brookline) retired from professional baseball.
Easy Town Assaultrons: RP Alex Godcomplex (AAA Danvers) retired from professional baseball.
The Slog Ghouls: 1B Joe Provisioner (AAA Burlington) retired from professional baseball.
Nahant Celtics: LF Brotherseven Dadson (AAA Finch Farm) retired from professional baseball.
Concord Radstags: RP Brian Cox (AAA Arlington) retired from professional baseball.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: RP Danny Sixfingers (AAA Woburn) retired from professional baseball.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: C Ben Neese (AAA Woburn) retired from professional baseball.
Oberland T-51s: CF Base McAndrews (AAA Lynn) retired from professional baseball.
Malden Grognaks: RP Cousin Vinny (AAA Plymouth) retired from professional baseball.
Oberland T-51s: RP Art Armstrong (AAA Lynn) retired from professional baseball.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: LF Card Fuller (AAA Woburn) retired from professional baseball.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: 2B Scruffy Newell (AAA Braintree) retired from professional baseball.
Quincy Gunners: Released RP Mike Sernandez.
Quincy Gunners: Released SP Tim LeBlanc.
The Slog Ghouls: 2B Rowdy Rodney Holt returns from his rehab assignment.
Malden Grognaks: SP Edwin Flowerspawn returns from his rehab assignment.
Starlight Killers: SS David Medel returns from his rehab assignment.
FHE Yao Guai: Activated CF McCrew Gillens from the injured list.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Released 3B Willie Aknow.
Wednesday, August 14th , 2312
Lexington Synths: Released SS Can Sweet.
Lexington Synths: Released SS Agmaer Nord.
Tuesday, August 13th , 2312
Lexington Synths: Signed LF Rocky Story.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed RF Dwight Workman.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released RF Dwight Workman.
Lexington Synths: Released 1B Will Ashfire.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Placed SS Fat Cat Beimborn on the restricted list.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released RF Mark Knight.
Monday, August 12th , 2312
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Vegas Bradber.
Sunday, August 11th , 2312
Diamond City Swatters: Activated SP Gary Harvard from the injured list.
Nahant Celtics: Signed LF Brotherseven Dadson.
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Jeremy Gillespie.
Malden Grognaks: Released RF Jeremy Gillespie.
Saturday, August 10th , 2312
Lexington Synths: Signed LF Next Stop Alvarado.
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF John Millertime.
Malden Grognaks: Released RF Crops Gerdenheimer.
Friday, August 9th , 2312
Salem Witch Hats: Activated SP Taki Undertaker from the injured list.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed RF Mark Knight.
Thursday, August 8th , 2312
Starlight Killers: Activated 1B Oren Gep from the injured list.
Starlight Killers: Placed RF Hurr Lee Reyes on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/06/2312.
Wednesday, August 7th , 2312
FHE Yao Guai: Activated 3B Rocket Arm Espinosa from the injured list.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Activated CF Boryslaw Skiba from the injured list.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Sent CF Boryslaw Skiba to Triple A Needham for injury rehab.
Lexington Synths: Signed LF Jez Hedgehog.
Tuesday, August 6th , 2312
Cambridge Coursers: Placed 2B Togie Pitt on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/04/2312.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released RP R.J. Capps.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Placed SP Eugene Gym on the 60-day injured list.
Fort Hagen Silver Shroud: Placed RP Clueless Gunsmith on the 60-day injured list.
Atom Cats: Released C Uthgerd Unbroken.
Lexington Synths: Signed LF Alex Hopp.
Lexington Synths: Released 1B Rocky Story.
Monday, August 5th , 2312
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed RF Curtain Mora.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released RF Cheap Diehl.
Sunday, August 4th , 2312
Diamond City Swatters: Placed SP Gary Harvard on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/03/2312.
Saturday, August 3rd , 2312
Goodneighbor Hancocks: LF Chris Reaver (AA Marblehead) retired from professional baseball.
Bunker Hill 75ers: LF Steve Hindman (AA Mayoral Shelter) retired from professional baseball.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: LF John Blagg (AA Marblehead) retired from professional baseball.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: 1B Justin Applebaum (AA Outpost Zimonja) retired from professional baseball.
Concord Radstags: Released SS Keith McKinney.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Art Noyes.
Concord Radstags: Released LF Curtain Mora.
Malden Grognaks: Released RP Wizard Balinese.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Paul Jaggers.
Bunker Hill 75ers: Released 2B Miles Benson.
Salem Witch Hats: Placed SP Taki Undertaker on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/02/2312.
Quincy Gunners: Released RP Danny Janssen.
Nahant Celtics: Released LF Alex Hopp.
Lexington Synths: Activated SP R.J. Shepherd from the injured list.
Lexington Synths: Released SS Shi Tyuknot.
Nahant Celtics: Signed LF Gains Baker.
Friday, August 2nd , 2312
Concord Radstags: Placed SS Hatrack Hines on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/01/2312.
Cambridge Coursers: Activated RP Freon McMahan from the injured list.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Signed SP Kristian Frederiksen.
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Avar Javed.
Malden Grognaks: Released RF Reddy Herring.
Thursday, August 1st , 2312
Concord Radstags: Released RF John Millertime.
Diamond City Swatters: Released 2B Mark Miller.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released RF Avar Javed.
Nahant Celtics: Released LF Aaron Goodale.
Nahant Celtics: Released LF Kyle Quickfingers.
Egret Ninjas: Released C Purple Gonzales.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Activated RP Charred Lee Widemore from the injured list.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Sent RP Charred Lee Widemore to Triple A Sandwich for injury rehab.
Malden Grognaks: Released RP Hair Tortuss.
Lexington Synths: Released SS Gilly Eartheater.
Lexington Synths: Released SS Donk Oh.
Nahant Celtics: Signed LF Tyler Spronk.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed RF Happy Man.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released RF Happy Man.
Nahant Celtics: Released LF Gains Baker.
Wednesday, July 31st , 2312
Atom Cats: 2B Root Beer returns from his rehab assignment.
Starlight Killers: Activated 3B David Medel from the injured list.
Starlight Killers: Sent 3B David Medel to Triple A Warwick for injury rehab.
FHE Yao Guai: Placed LF Makin Jobear on the 60-day injured list.
Malden Grognaks: Released RP Tiger Comfortman.
Oberland T-51s: Released RP Jaypee Amigo.
Spectacle Island Reapers: Activated CF Hondo Ohnaka from the injured list.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Signed RP Jaypee Amigo.
Nahant Celtics: Signed free agent RP Woody Boyd to a minor league contract.
The Roxbury Rad Sox traded 19-year old minor league LF True Tee Warrior to the Spectacle Island Reapers, getting 34-year old RF Dan Squirrel in return.
The FHE Yao Guai traded 18-year old minor league RF Baldazzar Politician to the Lexington Synths, getting 34-year old LF Gee Force in return.
The University Point Deathclaws traded 20-year old minor league RHP Crazylegs Gunnels to the Nahant Celtics, getting 23-year old RHP Rob Hoode and 19-year old minor league RHP Larry Lea in return.
The Concord Radstags traded 19-year old minor league 3B Roo Kid Cunningham, 24-year old minor league CF Velvet Underground, and a 10th round draft pick to the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets, getting 33-year old RF Gargoyle Falcone, 21-year old minor league RHP Chase D. Crockett, and a 4th round draft pick in return.
Tuesday, July 30th , 2312
Quincy Gunners: SP Ma'Khail Redstick returns from his rehab assignment.
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Crops Gerdenheimer.
Malden Grognaks: Released RF Happy Man.
The Jamaica Plain Red Rockets traded 27-year old LHP Jaypee Amigo to the Oberland T-51s, getting 21-year old minor league 1B Lars Arson in return.