BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, CYL, and CBA
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
7 September 2314
SCA Playoffs Preview - Association Semifinal Round
#4 Diamond City Swatters (71-59) vs #1 Vault 81 Dwellers (80-50)
Season Series: Vault 81 6, Diamond City 4
April 5-6 @DC: V81 1-0, V81 16-4
June 2-4 @V81: DC 7-3, V81 12-6, V81 6-5(16)
July 22-23 @V81: DC 11-0, V81 4-3
August 23-25 @DC: V81 5-4, DC 8-7, DC 8-6
Analysis
Diamond City continued the dominance they have shown since August 1. With a sweep of a pretty good Glowing Sea team, the Swatters now get to test their skills against the CBO's top team, Vault 81. During the season, the Dwellers won the series, but Diamond City won the August series 2-1.
Vault 81 is an angry team, at least we would think. The Dwellers are in the playoffs for the 11th time, including the last six seasons. This is now their third-straight Railroad League titile, yet they have yet to win a Sole Survivor Series. The closest they came was in 2312 when Vault 81 fell to Fort Hagen in the SSS, 4 games to none. Despite going 95-35 last season, the Dwellers only got as far as the SCA Championship Series.
While the Dwellers are not as successful as last season in the regular season, they are just as talented. They finished 2nd in runs scored (696), including 1st in OPS (.825), WAR (26.1), wOBA (.359), and home runs (171). Seven of the eight regulars in the lineup hit double-digit homers, including the middle of the lineup: 1B Pockets Wrench (.308/28/86), LF Stu Gains (.312/26/82), and C Phantom Vargas (.273/21/68).
On the mound, Vault 81 was 1st in runs allowed (563), 5th in Starters ERA (4.15), and 3rd in Bullpen ERA (3.58). All three starters are good: Zack Million (13-11, 3.86), Scruffy Taguchi (14-7, 4.36), and Exxie Summerset (14-9, 4.29). In the bullpen, CL Dynamite Delaney (27 SV, 2.73) was among the best.
Prediction
At this point in the season, this is a matchup we are excited to watch. Both teams have looked to be championship-caliber. Vault 81 is more talented overall, thus part of the nine-game difference in the final standings, but the Swatters are the CBO's hottest remaining team. In the end, we see this as the Dwellers' Revenge tour. Vault 81 3, Diamond City 1
#6 Quincy Gunners (69-61) vs #2 University Point Deathclaws (76-54)
Season Series: University Point 6, Quincy 4
April 27-29 @Qui: UP 4-1, UP 4-2, Qui 4-3
May 24-25 @UP: UP 4-3(12), UP 7-6
June 22-24 @UP: Qui 4-2, UP 4-1, Qui 9-0
August 4-5 @Qui: UP 7-2, Qui 9-5
Analysis
Quincy, despite representing the SCA in 2314, was not expected to get past Atom in the Wildcard Round. Yet, here we are with the Gunners looking to defeat their Minuteman League rivals, University Point. Their series guarantees an ML-RL Association Championship Series matchup.
In the regular season, University Point took the series, 6-4. The series involved six times where the winning team scored exactly four runs and eight times where the losing team scored three or fewer runs. That means this series could be a low-scoring one.
The Deathclaws had been enjoying a 13-year period of success where they had been in the playoffs 12 times, appeared in the Sole Survivor Series three times, and won two. In 2313 and 2314, however, many thought that run was done before exploding again to an ML crown, their
seventh.
Looking at the statistics of the Claws makes us wonder exactly how they ended up as the SCA's #2 seed. On offense, they finished 12th in runs scored (608) though no offensive category was below 11th (OBP, .333). All-time star, 1B Barker Cocoa (.326/33/91) may have earned his 10th Nuka-Hitter Award. RF Wee Willy Warrington (.287/21/74) was the only other power contributor.
Pitching was quite better, with the Deathclaws finishing 4th in runs allowed (568), including 6th in Starters ERA (4.26) and 1st in Bullpen ERA (3.37). Digger Vadim (19-8, 3.65) and Tony Bertha (14-8, 3.72) both had sub-4.00 ERAs. CL Swampy Tamragouri (36 SV, 2.51) led the CBO in saves and finished second in shutdowns (35). One-time closer, RP Matt Hoernig (3-2, 4 SV, 2.23) offered 40.1 quality innings in relief.
Prediction
In the first three months of the season, the Claws were 51-28, but they went only 25-26 in the last two months, nearly blowing a large ML lead. Quincy is back for another playoff run, though the Gunners only went 13-14 in August to nearly miss the playoffs. If Cocoa does not take over, then we don't see the Deathclaws taking this one. And we don't see the Gunners letting Cocoa take over. Quincy 3, University Point 2