BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
20 April 2314
CBO Analysis
After 13 games in the 2314 season, we will not pretend to know what the final pitch of the Sole Survivor Series will look like. What we can do, however, is to conjecture on the relevance of the first 13 games and what could happen the rest of the way.
To start off with, PAM predicted Vault 81 and The Slog (based on record) to be the top two teams in the CBO. While that is not quite accurate, the Ghhouls are the CBO's sole 10-game winner, while the Dwellerts are tied for 1st place after overcoming great first weeks by two of their league rivals. Let's breakdown each league, but first . . . Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) The Slog Ghouls (141.4, +)
2) Southie Brews (130.6, ++)
3) Lexington Synths (128.6, +)
4) Easy Town Assaultrons (121.7, ++)
5) Cambridge Coursers (118.7, ++)
6) Concord Radstags (118.7, ++)
7) Bunker Hill 75ers (115.7, ++)
8) Vault 81 Dwellers (115.7, o)
9) Oberland T-51s (106.7, --)
10) Quincy Gunners (100.8, +)
11) Glowing Sea Radscorpions (97.8, ++)
12) Malden Grognaks (97.8, -)
13) Spectacle Island Reapers (97.8, ++)
14) Salem Witch Hats (96.8, --)
15) Diamond City Swatters (88.8, --)
16) Nahant Celtics (86.2, ++)
17) Egret Ninjas (85.2, ++)
18) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (82.2, -)
19) Starlight Killers (80.2, --)
20) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (70.3, ++)
21) Goodneighbor Hancocks (64.3, ++)
22) University Point Deathclaws (64.3, --)
23) County Crossing Bloodbugs (63.3, --)
24) FHE Yao Guai (51.4, +)
25) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (51.4, --)
26) Atom Cats (50.4, --)
27) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (48.4, --)
28) Roxbury Rad Sox (46.4, --)
Brotherhood League
As mentioned, the Ghouls are at the top of the mountain two weeks into the season. Four other teams--Easy Town, Salem, and Malden--are above .500 with the last two teams--Nordhagen Beach and County Crossing--just three games under .500. The defending NCA champions, Nahant, sit in 5th at 6-7.
The Assaultrons are not expected to finish the season anywhere near the playoffs, so at 8-5 and two games back of The Slog for 1st, it is a good time to feature the Trons. Easy Town's seven-game winning streak, including 6-0 this week, is a good way to look good. Tied for 5th in runs scored (72_ and 5th in runs allowed (61), Easy Town is doing what needs to be done to be a winning team. Five players are currently hitting over .300, led by SS Albie Cannibal (.396/6/16). Cannibal finished .265/22/72 and won one Rookie of the Month Award, though he did not finish in the top five of the yearly award. On the mound, starters have not been great, currently 9th in ERA (4.61) with Jeremy Wyckoff (1-0, 2.20) the only one doing OK so far. The bullpen has been a bit better, tied for 4th at 3.55. RP Claw Wetwalker (1-0, 0.00) has pitched nine scoreless innings to lead the bullpen.
Institute League
At 9-4, Lexington has a one-game lead on all three of Bunker Hill, Cambridge, and Concord. Starlight and Fort Hagen sit at three back, both a game under .500, while Sunshine Tidings is tied with four SCA teams with the CBO's worst record.
We have implied that we think Concord may be the next team to take a step up to competition. At 8-5 and on a four-game winning streak, the Radstags may be in the hunt to make a run this season. Statsitically, they should be #1 or at least #2 behind The Slog. The Stags are tied for 3rd in runs scored (74) and 1st in runs allowed (48), including tops in Starters ERA (2.96). A trio of decent average, high power hitters man the middle in 1B hax Kim (.289/6/12), LF Jannar Arbor (.283/4/7), and 3B Mike Fountaineau (.302/5/9). RF gargoyle Falcone (.419/0/10) has been a great veteran contributor early on. On the mound, all four starters possess an ERA below 4.00: Leyden Aigg (2-0. 2.33), Mel Gorgeous (2-1, 2.57), Chad Nailgun (2-1. 3.93), and Chris Schneier (1-0, 2.35). Two players in the bullpen have the anomaly 0-1, 0.00 ERA in Teetop Spinks and Ulfar Unending.
Minutemen League
We still feel that the ML is the CBO's weakets league, and they will probably not disappoint. The team helping that was a team that started yesterday in sole possession of the worst record in the CBO, the defending champion Atom Cats. Thanks to a win yesterday, the Cats are now tied with Jamaica Plain for the ML's worst record. Southie is in control thanks to a mid-week series win over Quincy, two games back and tied with Spectacle Island for 2nd place and the only teams above .500. Goodneighbor and University Point are tied for 4th place at four games back of the Brews.
For Atom, everything that went right in 2313 is going in the opposite direction in 2314 despite a few studs on the roster. On offense, the Cats are 10th in runs scored (56) despite being statistically better than that rank in most other categories, including being 4th in average (.274). LF Gremlin T. Squarfish (.407/1/8) may not have the pop but he does lead the team in hitting. Both 3B Hulk Seepley (.277/5/11) and 2B Lee Mayhew (.278/4/8) have been carrying the power game. On the mound, ace Doug Creep (1-2, 4.74) has struggled mightily a season after going 21-8 and winning the Vim! Pitcher Award. Despite the losing record, second starter Josh Brown (1-2, 3.31) has been the best in results. RPs Sebastian Brakefield (0-0 0.00) and Lippy Lyonne (0-0. 1.17) have been the best bullpen pitchers.
Railroad League
Vault 81 and Oberland currently lead the RL at 8-6, while Diamond City and Glowing Sea sit a game back. The records for the T-51s and Swatters are dubious because each went 7-0 in Week 1. Diamond City had the biggest Dog and God moments of the season, going 7-0 and then 0-6. (Howard has mentioned another universe where a team called the Cougars were quite similar, looking amazing one week and then bombing the next.) Egret is one game under .500, while Roxbury and FHE share the rear and five-way tie for the #1 overall pick.
The Swatters may just have had a week of bad luck because they are statistically looking pretty good. Diamond City is 4th in runs scored (69) and 6th in runs allowed (57). SS Alex Bragman (.370/5/13) has taken control of the team and probably should demand that he bats higher in the lineup than 6th. On the mound, the only starter excelling is ace Macho Lopez (1-0, 1.69). Heaven Fontenot (1-2, 4.87) and Elastic Man Haley (2-1, 5.62) have struggled to start. CL Burt Bloodhound (3 SV, 0.00) has done his job well from the bullpen.
CBO Standings
CBO Players of the Week
April 13 - Albie Cannibal demonstrated his potential to be a star in the game last week and today he took home the North Charles Association Player of the Week Award.
The Easy Town shortstop wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .419 average (13-for-31) with 6 home runs and 13 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
All week long Stormin Normin MacDonald was the toughest out in the South Charles Association and that is the prime reason he was voted the Player of the Week.
The Oberland shortstop rapped out 13 hits in 23 at-bats for a .565 batting average, drove in 7 runs and scored 4 times.
April 20 - 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. Kasumi Goto, the Bunker Hill 75ers 25-year-old left fielder, put himself in the spotlight last week making him the clear-cut choice for North Charles Association Player of the Week honors.
He ripped 11 hits in 22 at-bats, compiling a .500 average with 4 home runs and 6 RBIs.
22-year-old Copper Quartz sent shock waves through Commonwealth Baseball Organization last week with an eye-popping performance that brought him the South Charles Association Player of the Week Award.
A newcomer to the league, Quartz made the establishment sit up and take notice, punishing opposing pitchers with a .524 average, 11 hits in 21 at-bats, 5 home runs and 14 RBI.
Where the Egret Ninjas center fielder goes from here, only the baseball gods know for sure, but Quartz certainly made his mark last week.
CBO Noteworthy News
April 12 - The Witch Hats Chris Teddybear wrote his name in the league history books by picking up career victory number 150 today against the Malden Grognaks. In the Salem 7-2 triumph at Vim! Park of Salem, the 38-year-old hurler went 7 innings, allowed 4 hits and had 4 strikeouts and 2 walks.
"I won't forget this day," an emotional Teddybear told reporters. "It's hard to stay at the top for so long and to win 150 games is quite a feat."
Lifetime Teddybear has registered a 150-85 record with a 3.46 ERA.