BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, CYL, and CBA
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
15 March 2315
CYL Preview
Just four days after the regular season start of the collegiate baseball season, the youth are now oiling their gloves and sharpening their cleats in anticipation of the 2315 season. Last season, the Needham Radstorm topped the New Bedford Whales, 2 games to 1, to take the Youth Series.
The CYL has announced that it has also created titles for its various awards to express more interest in the winners:
MVP -> Slugger Supreme
Pitcher of the Year -> Mound Ace
Reliever of the Year -> Shutdown Specialist
Positional Hitter -> Iron Bat
Defense -> Diamond Defender
Manager -> One and True King
This season, the Radstorm are expected to be in the scrum, while the Whales are expected to take a dive to the bottom of the Crispus Attucks Division. Let's take a look at the expected division winners first:
NR Franklin - Needham Radstorm
NR Emerson - Marblehead Mess
NR Fuller - Lexington Minuteboys
NR Revere - Boston Common Baby Bellies
NR DuBois - Rockport Seafarers
NR Longfellow - Far Harbor Dockdwellers
SR Adams - North Providence Phantoms
SR Alcott - Jamaica Plain Treasures
SR Morse - Weymouth Locksmiths
SR Attucks - Eastham Rads
SR Hancock - Old Lyme Lake Monsters
SR Bradberton - Chicopee Galaxy
Assuming that regular season records are indicative of the finals, PAM has Boston Common at 39-11 emerging from the North Region with Jamaica Plain at 38-12 representing the South Region. The Baby Bellies are predicted to have the overall best record, thus the prediciton that they win it all.
Top players are expected to be Needham's 2B Matej Hladsky and New Haven's 2B Headcase Stepniewski for Slugger Supreme in their respective regions. For Mound Ace Award, PAM has predicted Gloucester's Rhubarb Coombs and Old Lyme's WIng Kawolski.
CYL in the 2315 Draft
There are 1120 senior players eligible for the 2315 CBO Draft with a number of juniors who are eligible to declare a year early for teams in the CYL under two years. Those players can declare following the CYL season. Looking at the list of eligible players, here are five we think we will see selected early in 2315:
1. SP Mike Searocker, Lowell - PAM may not think that Searocker is the CBO's best pitcher this year, but the Frags' lefty's only hang up was an elbow injury that shortened his junior season. Coming back from that injury, Searocker has a 13-6 career record with a 3.14 ERA in 27 career starts. Scouts love his curveball and see him as a future ace in the CBO.
2. 2B Cajun Darri, Saugus - The Launchers' 2B came on last season, hitting .404/17/51. Scouts think he will only get better this season. With a .360 career average, 57 home runs, and 161 RBI, Darri is one of the best offensive players in all of the CYL.
3. 3B Tommy Tanks, Woodlawn - If Darri came on, Tanks emerged in 2314, moving his batting average from .299 the previous season to .391 and recovering his power from 10 to 22 home runs. Scouts see his power as limitless, expected to double by the time he reaches his career peak, making him an elite power talent in the 2315 CBO Draft.
4. 2B Arbor Creek, Provincetown - Creek saw his production drop in 2314, but he is expecting to rebound. Despite those "struggles," Creek still hit .295 with 11 home runs and 35 RBI for the Land Pirates. He is a good all-around player, but scouts have noticed he will not speak up when he needs to make changes or struggles with the coaches' directions. Coach Victor Mettlesome saw his team struggle last season and would hope that Creek can help turn things around.
5. LF Just Jeff Efferson, Stoneham - Efferson popped out an amazing .430 average in 2314 with 18 homers and 42 RBI for the Commandos. He is a rare player that can play pretty much anywhere but pitcher and catcher (and he could probably play those positions, too). Scouts think his speed is going to keep him in the outfield and he may eventually play RF at the next level because of his strong arm and power.
Here are five more to watch. Let's see if these names show up on our draft previews later this season.
6. 1B O'Day Gabby, Boston Harbor
7. LF Ice Cream Horton, Wellfleet
8. 2B Ksawery Necel, Boston Common
9. C Joorden Danyaals, Wellfleet
10. RF Justin Stedd, Attleboro
