BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
8 September 2312
CBO Playoffs 2312
SCA Association Semifinals Round: #5 Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (69-61) vs #1 Roxbury Rad Sox (73-57)
Season Series: Roxbury 2, Jamaica Plain 2
April 27-28 @Rox: JP 4-1, Rox 6-3
July 4-5 @JP: Rox 3-2, JP 8-3
Analysis
Both Roxbury and Jamaica Plain have been playoff regulars throughout CBO history, but their success rates in the playoffs have been much different. For the Rad Sox, this marks their ninth trip to the playoffs with three championships and five Sole Survivor Series appearances under their belts, including a year ago when they won it all. On the other hand, the Red Rockets are making their 10th playoff appearance, but they are still seeking their first trip to the Sole Survivor Series.
The first time these two teams met in the playoffs was in 2302 when the #2 Rockets defeated the #3 Sox in a 3-2 series win. In 2304, they faced off in the SCA Championship Series with Roxbury taking it in seven games. They met against in the SCACS in 2307 with the Sox winning in six this time. This season will mark the fourth postseason matchup between the two.
Roxbury is not a dominant #1 seed like Fort Hagen is in the NCA. On offense, the Rad Sox finished 3rd in the SCA in runs scored (686), their highest-ranking offensive category. The unquestioned leader on offense is 3B Donn Mattingley (.333/27/86). Other top contributors include C Ayag Mour (.313/17/80), LF Ben Pawlak (.289/17/72), and SS Purple Gupta (.281/11/65).
Where the Sox used to dominate, they were just the middle of the pack in pitching in 2312. Roxbury finished 7th in runs allowed (637), 8th in Starters ERA (4.35), and 5th in Bullpen ERA (4.91). Age is a sad affair, especially when you talk about the once-great pitching staff of the Rad Sox. Ace SP Nuke Laloosh (10-9, 4.34) was anything but for the 31-year-old two-time Vim! Pitcher Award winner. The same goes for one of the CBO's best closers ever, Josh Samm, who not only has not been the closer, but finished 8-12 with a 7.17 ERA as a reliever. Two starters who enter the playoffs with sub-4.00 ERAs are Urm Rehfeldt (10-6, 3.94) and Saint O'Fender (5-1, 3.73). CL Professor Harriel (37 SV, 2.50) is the best option from the bullpen, with RP Charred Lee Widemore (6-0, 2.70) assisting.
Prediction
We are pretty sure that the Sox would have to struggle to a championship moreso this season than they did last. With that stated, Jamaica Plain has not shown the ability to get over the hump in the playoffs, and playing a team like the Rad Sox will tax them. In the end, we think Roxbury will eke out a series victory. Roxbury 3, Jamaica Plain 2
SCA Association Semifinals Round: #3 Vault 81 Dwellers (72-58) vs #2 Goodneighbor Hancocks (70-60)
Season Series: Goodneighbor 2, Vault 81 2
June 18-19 @V81: V81 4-2, Good 3-1
August 14-15 @Good: V81 5-4, Good 7-4(10)
Analysis
From 2298-2300, the Goodneighbor Hancocks were a force, including winning the Sole Survivor Series in the first season of the full CBO in 2298. And then they dropped off, finishing .500 in 2301 and never much better than that until this season when they won the Minutemen League in a contentious race. For Vault 81, this is their eighth playoff appearance, including the past two seasons. Unlike the Hancocks, though, the Dwellers have yet to get to the Sole Survivor Series.
These two teams have met in the playoffs before. In 2299, the Hancocks were the #1 seed, playing the #4 Dwellers in the Association Semifinals. There, Goodneighbor won 3-0 before succumbing to Diamond City in the SCACS. That was the only meeting, but both were victims of the Swatters in 2300 in the first season of the five-team playoffs for the SCA.
This season, the Hancocks come in as a good team that seems to be at least a year away from being a legitimate contender for the title. Offensively, Goodneighbor has a lot of work to do, finishing 13th in the SCA in runs scored (569). The two best hitters were CF Missile Crews (.311/23/78/32 SB) and RF Jay Gabby (.284/24/76/11 SB). Other contributors include 1B Handel Alone (.310/12/39) and LF Ziggy Stardust (.276/14/52), both of whom make the top half of the order good while the bottom half is unable to produce runs.
Where the hitting has failed, the Goodneighbor pitching starters have been great. The Hancocks finished 1st in runs allowed (520), 1st in Starters ERA (3.33), and 9th in Bullpen ERA (5.11). The playoff starters are Heaven Fontenot (12-12, 3.60), Clubhouse Treelover (13-8, 2.89), and Mister Burns (13-8, 3.03). The bullpen was not as effective, especially at the closer position where the early-season closer, Jaree Ra (23 SV, 4.78), was replaced late-season by Pollox Troye (10 SV, 2.57). RPs Josh Kelley (4-1, 3.50) and Exec Horton (3-5, 3.86) also had some success.
Prediction
While the Hancocks' pitching is awesome, their offense would have to hit out of character to be able to take this series. We suspect that they will be mesmerized by their first trip to the playoffs in 12 seasons with many of their current players being too young to remember that appearance well. The Hancocks will be able to take one at home, but that's it. Vault 81 3, Goodneighbor 1