BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
16 September 2313
CBO Playoffs 2313
NCA Championship Series: #6 Nahant Celtics (68-62) vs #4 The Slog Ghouls (73-57)
Season Series: The Slog 5, Nahant 5
May 13-15 @Slog: Nah 3-1, Slog 5-4, Slog 3-2
June 28-29 @Slog: Nah 4-0, Slog 6-5
July 18-20 @Nah: Nah 8-7 (10), Slog 4-2, Nah 6-5
August 9-10 @Nah: Nah 7-4, Slog 11-1
Analysis
During the regular season, Nahant and The Slog split their series with seven of the 10 matchups being decided by one or two runs. The only true blowout was the last matchup of the season, an 11-1 Ghouls victory at Nahant to end the final tally at 5-5. We think this indicates a good sign that the teams match up well and should allow for an entertaining NCACS.
Nahant playoff appearances (2): 2302, 2311
The Slog playoff appearance (4): 2299, 2300, 2310, 2312
Since the CBO stated that they have renamed the first two championships to the CBO Leagues Title Series, extracting the first two seasons from the records, the Ghouls and Celtics have never officially met in the playoffs. They did meet in the 2296 CBO Leagues Title Series where #7 The Slog defeated the #3 Finch Far Four Leafs, 4 games to 1. Otherwise, under the CBO umbrella, neither team has been in the playoffs in the same season until this one.
For the Celtics, this marks their third-ever trip to the playoffs and first trip to the NCACS. They are also attempting to be the first #6 team to make their way to the Sole Survivor Series. In 2310, #4 Oberland was the lowest seed to ever make it. The Slog is making its fifth appearance and also first trip to the NCACS, so neither team has the advantage when it comes to experience here. Last season, the Ghouls reached the semifinals before succumbing to eventual champion, Fort Hagen. Nahant won the BL two seasons ago and was the #2 seed, but fell in the semifinals to eventual CBO runners-up, Nordhagen Beach.
Looking at the matchups, Nahant's best advantage is in the middle of their lineup, especially with Diamond Ball, Bulleye Shooterson, and Ayag Mour. The Slog seems to have most of the other advantages, both in the lineup and the Starter vs Starter pitching matchups. The Ghouls will start ace Flirt Perez in Game 1, while the Celtics will start second-starter Matt Bowman.
Prediction
We expect this series to be the best matchup series of the 2313 playoffs and thus pick it to go seven games. Based on each team's home record versus each other and the results of the last game of the regular season series, we think that slightly favors the Ghouls to take Game 7. The Slog 4, Nahant 3
SCA Championship Series: #2 Atom Cats (79-51) vs #1 Vault 81 Dwellers (89-41)
Season Series: Vault 81 3, Atom 1
June 19-20 @V81: V81 7-2, V81 5-1
August 11-12 @Atom 4-3, V81 4-1
Analysis
During the regular season, this series went about how it was expected to go with the CBO's top team, Vault 81, handling its business against Atom, part of the reason the Dwellers finished 10 games better than the SCA's #2 seed. Vault 81 ended up having a .500 or better record against every SCA opponent; their only losing records came against Easy Town (1-2) and Salem (1-2). The Cats only had losing records against Vault 81 and Goodneighbor (4-6).
Atom playoff appearances (5): 2301-2305
Vault 81 playoff appearances (8): 2299-2301, 2306, 2308, 2310-2312
In the playoffs, there was only one season where both teams appeared at the same time: 2301. That season, the #4 Dwellers won their Play-in Series but lost to #1 University Point in the Semifinals Round. Atom as the #3 seed went on to beat the Deathclaws in the SCACS, making their only appearance in the Sole Survivor Series where they dropped the series to the Boys, 4-1. Vault 81's best season was last season when they reached the Sole Survivor Series before the Silver Shroud swept them.
Looking at the matchups, this series heavily favors Vault 81. While we hope that it can turn out to be an exciting series, the Dwellers are more loaded with talent, as well as benefiting from an earlier series win in the Semifinal Round to allow their team to be slightly more rested. That means the Cats are without ace Doug Creep for Games 1 and 2, meaning his maximum number of appearances will be two in the series. Vault 81 will begin with their second starter Scruffy Taguchi and could potentially start ace Exxie Summerset in Game 2. We would assume that happens if they drop Game 1.
As far as offense is concerned, we detailed already in the Semifinals Round preview that this Vault 81 team has a record-setting offense. It will be tough for the Cats to hold them down, and even tougher to match runs for runs. Atom just does not have the same firepower.
Prediction
We like the seven-game series to go seven games. After all, we are fans of baseball and want to see more of it. Unfortunately, we do not see this one going seven and hope that we can have moe than four. To give balance that the Cats will win 1.5 games, we will just round that up. Vault 81 4, Atom 2.