BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
3 September 2312
2312 Season Comes to Close; Fort Hagen-Roxbury Earn #1 Bids
With University Point and FHE meeting in a 6th-seed tiebreaker, a 4-1 Deathclaws' victory, the 2312 season has now come to a close. Another season has come to pass and "to the winners go the spoils" -- the lucky ones will be headed for the playoffs in a few days and a chance to win the Commonwealth Baseball Organization title in the Sole Survivor Series. The envious losers, however, will suffer a long and somber offseason, wondering where it all went wrong and trying to figure out how to do it right.
The NCA playoff teams in order will be Fort Hagen, County Crossing, Salem, Bunker Hill, The Slog, and Nordhagen Beach. In the SCA, the playoff teams in order are Roxbury, Goodneighbor, Vault 81, Oberland, Jamaica Plain, and University Point.
Looking at the draft order, the following positions represent the Top 5 picks based on worst records on the season: 1. Glowing Sea, 2. Malden, 3. Lexington, 4. Quincy, 5. Spectacle Island.
Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (126.6, o)
2) Vault 81 Dwellers (113.7, ++)
3) County Crossing Bloodbugs (110.6, +)
4) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (107.6, ++)
5) Bunker Hill 75ers (107.2, -)
6) The Slog Ghouls (103.3, --)
7) Goodneighbor Hancocks (102.8, +)
8) Roxbury Rad Sox (102.2, -)
9) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (99.8, ++)
10) Starlight Killers (99.1, +)
11) University Point Deathclaws (96.1, -)
12) Egret Ninjas (93.7, ++)
13) Oberland T-51s (92.8, --)
14) Atom Cats (92.6, +)
15) Salem Witch Hats (92.4, --)
16) Diamond City Swatters (91.0, ++)
17) Concord Radstags (90.7, --)
18) FHE Yao Guai (90.1, --)
19) Nahant Celtics (88.3, -)
20) Spectacle Island Reapers (73.4, ++)
21) Malden Grognaks (73.3, +)
22) Lexington Synths (73.0, ++)
23) Cambridge Coursers (71.8, -)
24) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (68.4, --)
25) Quincy Gunners (66.4, -)
26) Southie Brews (64.7, --)
27) Glowing Sea Radscorpions (64.3, -)
28) Easy Town Assaultrons (62.7, -)
We will begin previewing the playoffs this week, so we will not break down each of the leagues as we typically do in the playoffs. What we would like to do is look a bit at the playoff teams and players to watch:
CBO's Regular Season Warriors: NCA #1 Fort Hagen - Finishing at 82-48, the Silver Shroud were five games ahead of County Crossing for the CBO's best record. At 9-1 in their final 10 games, the Shroud are also entering the playoffs as dangerous as ever. Fort Hagen can score, and it has enough top pitching to make them favorites in the playoffs. Players to watch are 2B Nauseous Revere (.326/16/87) and SP La'Ray Kalel (19-6, 3.00).
Too Good or Not Good Enough: SCA #1 Roxbury - They may have finished with the SCA's top record, but the Rad Sox did not blow people away this season. Finishing 3rd in runs scored (686) and7th in runs against (637), this season's team is not like some of those past championship teams. There is still good veteran presence, including hitters C Ayag Mour (.313/17/80), LF Ben Pawlak (.289/17/72), and 3B Donn Mattingley (.333/27/86).
Never Count Them Out: NCA # 6 Nordhagen Beach - Now making the playoffs in all 15 seasons of the CBO, the Party Boys have also represented the NCA in the Sole Survivor Series the past three seasons (winning in 2309 and 2310), four of the last five seasons (winning it in 2307), and five of the last seven seasons. The Boys were in the Sole Survivor Series in seven of the first 14 seasons, winning four. They are the first team to appear in three-straight SSSs. LF Gorgeous DiGiacomo (.312/17/71) has wrestled control of the offense, with SP Beachboy Nut (14-5, 3.32) still a premium ace. Rookie CL Yank Daley (37 SV, 1.74) led the SCA and was tied for the CBO lead in saves.
Count Them Out: NCA #3 Salem - The Witch Hats held on to the CBO's top record for most of the season. Then, as the playoffs approached, the Hats collapsed. Entering the playoffs, Salem is one of the CBO's coldest teams, going 1-9 in their last 10. Now, as the third seed and without that bye, we do not see the Witch Hats being prepared to handle playoff veterans in Nordhagen Beach. This season has gotten ugly quickly.
Young Guns: SCA #2 Goodneighbor - Despite their Minutemen League championship, their first since 2300, the Hancocks have to be disappointed in their offensive output. Still, this is a young team that will only get better with leadership in CF Missile Crews (.311/23/78) and RF Jay Gabby (.284/24/76). On the mound, the young guns of SPs Heaven Fontenot (12-12, 3.60), Clubhouse Treelover (13-8, 2.89), and Mister Burns (13-8, 3.03).
Old Glory: SCA #6 University Point - With one of the most veteran teams in the CBO (Nordhagen Beach and Roxbury is in that same boat), the Deathclaws are hoping to use their experience to their advantage in the long climb up from the sixth seed. 34-year-old 1B Barker Cocoa (.327/48/122), 35-year-old CF Aesed Hayjen (.301/15/45), 35-year-old RF Tomas Jones (.283/18/69), and 35-year-old SP Tony Bertha (8-7, 4.67) was the unquestioned leaders of the team.
Happy to Be Here: NCA #5 The Slog - With just their second playoff appearance in the past 12 seasons, the Ghouls have not been to the party much. Their best run came in back-to-back appearances in 2299 and 2300. The Ghouls were actually the winners of the first Sole Survivor Series over fellow BL team, the Finch Farm Four Leafs (now Nahant). However, that series does not count in the full CBO period. All of The Slog's success in 2312 has been great, but we do not expect the Ghouls to get past Bunker Hill in the Wildcard Round.
Won't Give Up: NCA #2 Country Crossing - If Fort Hagen were not so hot, we might have the Bloodbugs as the NCA favorites. However, as the #2 seed and a first-round bye, the Bugs are poised to return to glory from their playoff run of 9 out of 10 seasons before missing last season. County Crossing is a dangerous team all-around, but the late-season injury to star RF Babs Rooth (.365/37/107), seven RBI shy of the Triple Crown,will mean that the Bloodbugs will have to scrape together a few more victories. SS Cy Thompson (.301/24/62), who was injured in a mininuke explosion, could be back for the Semifinals.
Biggest Wildcard: NCA #4 Bunker Hill - The 75ers have been superhot for a while and could carry that momentum into the playoffs where they will be the favorites to move to the Semifinals Round against the Silver Shroud. There are several outstanding players, but LF Jig McGhee (.341/20/94), SS Aaron Squire (.283/36/114), and 3B Cave Dweller Bourgeois (.286/28/86) are among the best middle of the lineup trio in the CBO. SPs Jason Tonelli (9-9, 3.78) and Max Thunderdome (16-8, 3.40) lead the pitching staff.
Power Hour: SCA #5 Jamaica Plain - The Red Rockets had made the playoffs 9 out of 10 seasons before missing the last two, including finishing in 6th place in 2311. The 2312 version fought for a league title before falling just a game short and earning the fifth seed. The Rockets' best chance is to keep hitting home runs at the rate they have--195 in 130 games or 1.5 per game--to lead the CBO. The top three of those power hitters were LF Ken Debate (.292/32/93), SS Brandon Larsonist (.229/25/46), and 3B Tre' Morgueman (.260/23/80). Six players hit 15 or more homers on the season.
Hotter Than Hot: SCA #3 Vault 81 - We were ready to hand the Railroad League to Oberland, or at least to Roxbury as a consolation.Well, the Dwellers made it interesting, winning their last eight to finish just a game back of the Rad Sox. Vault 81 was also tied with Jamaica Plain in the SCA for the best record (8-2) in their last 10.While they fell just short of the home run crown with 193, the Dwellers have five players who finished with more than 20 home runs, including team leader CF Stu Gains (.298/28/80). None of them blew anyone out of the water, but the three playoff starters--Exxie Summerset (13-8, 3.92), Scruffy Taguchi (12-13, 3.82), and Ryan Goodpryce (9-5, 3.93)--are tough to beat.
Sleeping Giants: SCA #4 Oberland - We personally think that the Oberland T-51s are the CBO's best team (see below), but they have not performed that way throughout the season, finishing tied for 7th in runs scored (662) and 10th in runs allowed (665). That's right; the T-51s were outscored on the season. With a few injuries and underperformances, we are expecting the T-51s to turn up the heat and put a lot of pressure on the top seeds in the tournament.
Sole Survivor Series Prediction: Oberland over Fort Hagen
CBO Standings
CBO Transactions
Tuesday, September 3rd , 2312
Bunker Hill 75ers: Activated RP Mike Cartrette from the injured list.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released SP Aval Atheron.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Released SP D.P. Clark.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Activated SS Purple Gupta from the injured list.
Monday, September 2nd , 2312
Cambridge Coursers: Activated 2B Togie Pitt from the injured list.
Sunday, September 1st , 2312
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Placed SS Gav Gidree on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/31/2312.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Placed LF Ziggy Stardust on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/31/2312.
Easy Town Assaultrons: Activated RF Sean Samuels from the injured list.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Placed SP Doug Creep on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/29/2312.
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Flowertop Zo.
Malden Grognaks: Released RF Flowertop Zo.
Saturday, August 31st , 2312
Roxbury Rad Sox: Placed SP Bill Sarnacki on the 60-day injured list.
Lexington Synths: Signed LF Kyle Quickfingers.
Friday, August 30th , 2312
Southie Brews: Placed CF Jurgen Windcaller on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/29/2312.
Glowing Sea Radscorpions: Signed RP Alex Fonseca.
Thursday, August 29th , 2312
Southie Brews: Placed SP Sham Killarney on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/28/2312.
Lexington Synths: Signed LF Fat Pete Chiodo.
Cambridge Coursers: Signed SP Mike Sernandez.
Wednesday, August 28th , 2312
Roxbury Rad Sox: Placed SS Purple Gupta on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/27/2312.
Tuesday, August 27th , 2312
Diamond City Swatters: Placed 2B Rayman Tatogrower on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/26/2312.
Monday, August 26th , 2312
Bunker Hill 75ers: Placed RP Mike Cartrette on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/25/2312.
Diamond City Swatters: Placed SP Gary Harvard on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/25/2312.
Salem Witch Hats: Activated SP Ben Huber from the injured list.
Starlight Killers: Signed free agent RP Beau Beast to a minor league contract.
Sunday, August 25th , 2312
Malden Grognaks: Signed RP Division McMath.
Malden Grognaks: Signed RF Reddy Herring.
Saturday, August 24th , 2312
Atom Cats: Activated 1B Actually Aucoin from the injured list.
Malden Grognaks: Placed CL Sanfer Annsiskow on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/23/2312.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed RP Scott Canada.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released RP Scott Canada.
Friday, August 23rd , 2312
Bunker Hill 75ers: Placed SP Hangman Alley on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/20/2312.
Southie Brews: Placed RP Matchbox Ollivierre on the 60-day injured list.
Thursday, August 22nd , 2312
Concord Radstags: Placed RP Chris Schneier on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/21/2312.
Salem Witch Hats: Placed SP Taki Undertaker on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/20/2312.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Placed SP Nuke Laloosh on the 7-day injured list, retroactive to 08/21/2312.
Wednesday, August 21st , 2312
Egret Ninjas: Activated SP Lyle Pine from the injured list.
Lexington Synths: Signed LF Jason Love.
Tuesday, August 20th , 2312
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed SP Danny Janssen.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed RP Art Noyes.