BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
31 May 2315
CBO Analysis
Each team in the CBO has played around 51 games, meaning we are at about the 40% mark of the 2315 season. At this time, the CBO has four teams with 30 or more wins and just three with 30 or more losses. With the exception of Salem's .720 winning percentage, every other team with a winning record is under 10 games above .500. Let's look at the power rankings and then the current playoff order. Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) University Point Deathclaws (132.5, +)
2) Salem Witch Hats (130.6, o)
3) Lexington Synths (122.5, -)
4) Bunker Hill 75ers (111.8, o)
5) Atom Cats (107.4, +)
6) Vault 81 Dwellers (101.8, -)
7) Diamond City Swatters (101.2, ++)
8) Easy Town Assaultrons (100.2, +)
9) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (97.6, ++)
10) Quincy Gunners (95.8, ++)
11) Roxbury Rad Sox (93.8, --)
12) Concord Radstags (93.8, ++)
13) Oberland T-51s (91.8, --)
14) The Slog Ghouls (86.2, +)
15) Spectacle Island Reapers (85.8, ++)
16) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (81.8, ++)
17) Goodneighbor Hancocks (80.6, +)
18) Cambridge Coursers (80.2, --)
19) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (80.2, --)
20) Glowing Sea Radscorpions (79.2, --)
21) Southie Brews (79.2, -)
22) Malden Grognaks (78.8, --)
23) FHE Yao Guai (78.2, --)
24) Nahant Celtics (76.2, o)
25) County Crossing Bloodbugs (72.6, +)
26) Egret Ninjas (65.0, -)
27) Starlight Killers (63.5, +)
28) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (53.9, -)
NCA
1. Salem
2. Lexington
3. Bunker Hill
4. Easy Town
5. Sunshine Tidings
6. The Slog
SCA
1. University Point
2. Roxbury (Series lead over Vault 81, 3-0)
3. Atom
4. Vault 81
5. Diamond City
T6. Quincy and Oberland (Season series tied, 1-1)
Brotherhood League
As mentioned, the Witch Hats are the CBO's top team. Only Easy Town is another BL team with a winning record. The Slog, Malden, Nahant, and County Crossing make up teams that can still be in the playoff hunt, while Nordhagen Beach currently holds the CBO's worst record at 17-34.
The Assaultrons have not made the playoffs since 2307 when they won their first, and only, BL crown. Since then, the Trons have dropped off considerably, missing the playoffs each of the past seven seasons. This season, all indicators put them as a team finishing around .500, but they may be just what they need to do. Statistically, Easy Town is in the middle of the pack, currently 8th in runs scored (239) and 3rd in runs allowed (240) despite being 7th in both Starters ERA (4.47) and Bullpen ERA (4.60). Part of that reason is being ranked 10th in Defensive Efficiency (.669). On offense, C Bill Barnes (.324/11/31) has been a great power hitter, while CF Eden Babz (.323/7/32/20 SB) seems to be the team MVP. Performances on the mound have not been spectacular, but the coaching staff has been pleased with SP Tarzan Rogers (6-2. 3.61), CL Tut Cadillac (11 SV, 3.81), and RP Harp Kettle (2-0, 1.53).
Institute League
Lexington and Bunker Hill make the only 1-2 combo of 30-win teams in a single CBO league. Sunshine Tidings and Concord have both been hot of late, propelling them into 3rd and 4th, respectively. A cold Fort Hagen is 5th, followed by Cambridge and the CBO's only other team besides the Boys with fewer than 20 wins, Starlight.
The Radstags slipped into the playoffs last season as the 6th seed, their first appearance since 2305, and hope to return in 2315. While the team has had its struggles, Concord is probably in the Top 6 of the NCA in talent. This season, the Stags are 6th in runs scored (250) and 5th in runs allowed (245). On offense, LF Jannar Arbor (.278/9/41) seems to control the power attack, while the top of the lineup--CF Kai Devlin (.356/2/22/16 SB) and SS Paper Mills (.320/6/26)--consistently get on base. For pitching, ace Leyden Aigg (6-3, 3.36) has been doing his job with SP Mel Gorgeous (7-1, 3.34) also off to a great start. The bullpen has not been great, holding the 12th-ranked ERA (5.19). RP Bobby Carvajal (3-1, 2.87) has been the top option so far.
Minutemen League
With a 35-16 record, University Point is not only the SCA's only 30+ win team but also six games better than the next best team in the association, fellow ML rival Atom. Quincy is the last of the .500+ teams, with all of Spectacle Island, Southie, Jamaica Plain, and Goodneighbor just a couple of hot weeks away from being there.
At 22-29, the Hancocks are the CBO's top 7th-place team. Goodneighbor may actually be a decently good team, but they are not getting the right bounces so far. On offense, the Hancocks are 7th in runs scored (246) but 1st in Batting Avg (.290). Part of that low-scoring output is also that they are tied for 12th in homers (41). The entire starting eight appear to be decent, with SS Gav Gidree (.365/4/16) leading the team in hitting and back from injury that kept him out three weeks. CF Jay Gabby (.339/8/25) is the homers leader. On the mound, both top two starters Jared Porch (5-4, 3.16) and Pollox Troye (6-4, 3.53) have helped the cause. In the bullpen, Sticky Hill (2 SV, 2.16) has taken over closer duties after Midnight Flowers (7 SV, 8.27) below 8 of his 15 save opportunities.
Railroad League
With Roxbury on a three-game losing streak and Vault 81 on a three-game winning streak, we have a lone tie atop a league in the CBO. Since the Sox swept the Dwellers on May 10-12, they are currently the RL leaders. Within three games behind, all of Diamond City, Oberland, and Glowing Sea could see themselves move up at any time. Both FHE and Egret are down but not officially out.
For the Rad Sox, despite their losing streak, there are thoughts they can be heavy contenders again like they were from 2302-2312 when they made nine playoff appearances and won three Sole Survivor Series titles with two runner-up finishes. By their patterns, that means another championship in 2316. For this season, the Sox are certainly showing improvement, even if they do not ultimately take the RL crown. They have four players in the middle that look to be their biggest power hitters from 3rd through 6th: SS Honker Trinkl (.365/11/23), RF Joey Bell (.300/14/43), 3B Rodney Caribou (.277/9/28), and C Azzada Lylvieve (.229/7/27). While pitching could be better, Roxbury is 5th in runs allowed (238) with the 4th-best Starters ERA (4.18). They are led by ace Ma'Khail Redstick (5-1, 2.20) with bullpen help from CL Hulk Martin (15 SV, 3.05) and Neeshagh Raggett (2-3, 3.10).
CBO Standings
CBO Players of the Week
May 24 - Concord fans have something to crow about today as Concord left fielder Jannar Arbor nabbed the North Charles Association Player of the Week Award for his performance over the last seven days.
"I know there are times when it's hard to lay off pitches. Everyone goes through stretches when he's too eager to put the ball in play. You know, though, I feel like this past week I was able to get in the right frame of mind and just let things come naturally," said Arbor.
He posted a .478 average (11-for-23) this past week with 3 home runs, 10 RBIs, and 8 runs scored.
This year, Arbor has hit at a .299 clip with 49 hits, 8 home runs, 36 RBIs and 28 runs scored.
Barker Cocoa had a week for the ages as he romped to the South Charles Association Player of the Week Award. The happy-go-lucky 36-year-old still plays ball like a kid, mashing and slashing as he goes.
The University Point Deathclaws first baseman hit .478 last week as he chalked up 11 hits in 23 at-bats, 3 home runs, 7 RBIs and 6 runs scored.
Currently Cocoa has 13 home runs and a .345 batting average.
May 31 - All week long Zod Gaycey was the talk of the North Charles Association... his name and face were everywhere. So it was no surprise to anyone when he was chosen the North Charles Association's Player of the Week for his exceptional performance.
Gaycey put up a solid set of stats, compiling a .429 average (12-for-28) and contributing 3 home runs and 7 RBIs to claim the honor.
Gaycey is hitting .320 in 2315 with 29 RBIs and 9 home runs.
Sheedy Smith demonstrated his potential to be a star in the game last week and today he took home the South Charles Association Player of the Week Award.
The Jamaica Plain first baseman wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .556 average (15-for-27) with 2 home runs and 6 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.
Currently Smith is batting .368 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs.
CBO Noteworthy News
May 18 - It was a great day for Isaiah Swindler today at Tarberry Field Forever -- he picked up victory number 150 to join the great pitchers of the past in the exclusive 150 Club. The The Slog ace stopped the Starlight Killers 9-1, yielding 6 hits and recording 7 strikeouts and 1 walk in his milestone game.
"150 wins puts you in some good company," Swindler told reporters. "I'm honored to be there."
Swindler has fashioned a 150-149 won-lost record in his career with a 4.34 ERA.
May 28 - Today at The Wharf at Nahant, Oberland T-51s second baseman Odd Todd Walker accomplished a true baseball rarity, knocking a single, double, triple and a home run to hit for the cycle and lead the T-51s to a win, 14-4, over the Nahant Celtics.
In a standout performance, Walker laced 6 hits in 6 at-bats and had 9 runs batted in.
"I felt good before the game, I felt good during it, and I feel great now," Walker told reporters.
Odd Todd Walker doubled in the 1st, hit a two-run triple in the 2nd, hit a three-run home run off Alley Cat Presh in the 4th, hit a solo-shot off Roy Lach in the 5th, hit a two-run single in the 6th and hit an RBI double in the 8th.
Walker is currently batting .305 with 6 home runs and 27 RBIs.
May 28 - Digger Vadim entered the record books today as he collected win number 200 at Cambridge Polymer Field.
"Wow! This is a select group of pitchers. I am honored and thrilled to be in it," Vadim said after the game. "I never dreamed of winning this many games."
In his historic outing he went 8 innings and gave up 1 run on 9 hits. Vadim also had 4 strikeouts and 2 walks as his University Point Deathclaws topped the Cambridge Coursers 3-1.
Lifetime Vadim has a won-lost record of 200 victories and 124 losses with 2637 strikeouts in 3210 innings and a 3.63 ERA.