BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
23 April 2317
Oberland Takes Early Lead in Race to the Top
We have completed our first two weeks of the 21-week 2317 season, and the Oberland T-51s own the top record in our first full update at 10-3. All other league leaders are at 9-4 with one surprise at the top of the standings. Another surprise, Atom, is at the bottom at 2-11. Here are the current team power rankings for the Commonwealth Baseball Organization:
Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Oberland T-51s (150.4, ++)
2) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (129.6, +)
3) Easy Town Assaultrons (127.6, ++)
4) Glowing Sea Radscorpions (127.6, -)
5) Quincy Granites (127.6, o)
6) Spectacle Island Reapers (116.7, ++)
7) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (115.7, ++)
8) Diamond City Swatters (111.7, -)
9) Egret Ninjas (101.8, ++)
10) Nahant Celtics (99.8, ++)
11) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (97.8, ++)
12) Malden Grognaks (97.8, o)
13) University Point Deathclaws (97.8, ++)
14) Lexington Synths (93.8, --)
15) Cambridge Coursers (92.8, --)
16) Southie Brews (91.0, --)
17) Vault 81 Dwellers (87.2, ++)
18) Roxbury Rad Sox (84.2, --)
19) Starlight Killers (82.2, -)
20) The Slog Ghouls (81.2, --)
21) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (80.2, --)
22) Goodneighbor Hancocks (70.1, o)
23) FHE Yao Guai (63.3, --)
24) Salem Witch Hats (56.4, ++)
25) Bunker Hill 75ers (50.4, --)
26) County Crossing Bloodbugs (36.6, --)
27) Concord Radstags (32.6, -)
28) Atom Cats (15.7, -)
Brotherhood League
One season ago, Easy Town looked to step up. Despite not winning the BL, the Assaultrons battled through the 6 (The Slog), 2 (Bunker Hill), and 1 (Malden) seeds to make it to their second Sole Survivor Series before getting swept by Quincy. This season, they start out at the top of the BL, currently one game up on Nordhagen Beach. Nahant and Malden are knotted at 7-6 and in 3rd place.
For the Assaultrons, offense has been the biggest factor, currently atop six offensive categories, including runs scored (83). Second-year player and the former 11th-overall pick of the 2314 draft, 3B Halep Gutteridge, leads the charge with a .468/1/10 line. The Trons are not hitting bombs, with LF J.J. Gray (.327/3/12) as the only player with multiple homers. Still, this offense is electric ever at bat. SP Red Eagle (2-0, 2.53) has been the best pitcher thus far.
Institute League
Sunshine Tidings is on a three-game winning streak, pushing the Chemists two games up on a three-way tie for 2nd place: Lexington, Cambridge, and Fort Hagen. Last season's IL champion, Bunker Hill is currently in 6th place.
A year ago, we featured the Radstags in our first update for surprisingly being in 1st place. The Stags maintained a decent record, finishing in 3rd in the IL and settling into the playoffs as the 5 seed. This season, though, has been a disastrous start, just one game above the Cats for the CBO's worst record.
Concord is last in six categories, including runs scored (34), an average of fewer than three runs per game. Only 1B Two Shoes Rivera (.347/4/7) is doing anything on offense. Pitching has been average with the 7th-best runs allowed (63). SP Mel Gorgeous (1-1, 1.53) has been the best pitcher.
Minutemen League
The Quincy (now) Granites finished the 2316 season atop the CBO, sweeping the Assaultrons in the Sole Survivor Series as the 6 seed in the SCA. This season, they have started strong on the road to defending their title, atop the ML. Spectacle Island sits at a game back, while University Point is two back in the list of teams above .500. PAM's ML pick, Jamaica Plain is in 5th, while my 2nd place pick, Atom is in dead last in the CBO.
The Cats' slow start can be directly attributed to the entire offense beginning on a slump, save 2B Lee Mayhew (.396/1/3). Atom is 14th in runs scored (47) and towards the bottom in every offensive category. Pitching has been OK, but the Cats are tied for 9th in runs allowed (76) thanks to poor defense and multiple unearned runs. SP Junkyard Gourd (0-1, 2.55) has been the most effective starter thus far.
Railroad League
While the T-51s sport the CBO's best record, the RL is still the CBO's tightest league with Oberland up by five on 7th place FHE. Oberland has the longest current winning streak at six games, while the Yao Guai are tied for the longest streak with Cambridge at four games. Glowing Sea is one back, and Diamond City and Egret round out teams over .500. Defending RL champions and my pick to win the title, Vault 81, is tied for 5th.
For Oberland, they have title hopes and have shown so far that they were unhappy getting upset by Quincy in the playoffs. Pitching has led to the T-51s biggest success, currently 2nd in runs allowed (46) and Starters ERA (2.98). They traded away Ahsoka Tano to Malden for another bat in CF Jurgen Windcaller. The top three starters--Tarzan Rogers (2-0, 1.93), Sarthis Idren (2-1, 2.84), and Emperry Alizm (3-0, 3.32)--are all handling business. 3B Kyle Powell (.444/5/13) may be the early Nuka-Hitter Award leader on offense. He is halfway to matching his career best in homers (10) in just 13 games.
CBO Standings
CBO Players of the Week
April 16 - Red Jay Jones has the tools to stick in this league for many years. The 24-year-old catcher of the Sunshine Tidings Chemists had a hot bat in the North Charles Association over the past seven days and won the Player of the Week honors.
Jones batted .636 with 14 hits in 22 at-bats, 4 home runs and 7 RBIs.
It was an extraordinary week for Kyle Powell of the Oberland T-51s. First he goes on a hot hitting streak, batting .545, then he is voted the Player of the Week in the South Charles Association. Last week Powell went 12-for-22, racked up 4 home runs and 11 RBIs and scored 6 runs. It was a heck of a week for the Oberland third baseman.
April 23 - This week's top performer in the North Charles Association was shortstop Peter Pan Calvillo of the Sunshine Tidings Chemists.
He lashed out a .560 average and was voted the Player of the Week. Over the last week Calvillo tagged 14 hits in 25 at-bats and 1 home run, drove in 8 runs and scored 6 times.
23-year-old Brad Hop 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, Hop made the establishment sit up and take notice, punishing opposing pitchers with a .579 average, 11 hits in 19 at-bats, 4 home runs and 6 RBI.
Where the Quincy Granites right fielder goes from here, only the baseball gods know for sure, but Hop certainly made his mark last week.
CBO Noteworthy News
April 18 - Fort Hagen ace Nuke Laloosh solidified his place in league history with his 200th career victory today at Hubris Comics Park. Laloosh and the Silver Shroud bested Sunshine Tidings 8-3. He checked the Chemists on 8 hits in 7 innings and finished the day with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks.
"I've worked hard for this day," Laloosh said. "Sometimes I didn't think it would happen. Most of the time it seemed so far off. Now it's here. It's like a dream!"
Over the course of his career, Laloosh has a won-lost record of 200 wins and 129 losses with 2454 strikeouts in 3130 innings pitched with a lifetime 3.54 ERA.
April 20 - It came down to the last hour of a self-imposed trade deadline, but the Oberland T-51s and Malden Grognaks finally came to an agreement on a trade that had been rumored for weeks. The trade sends Oberland's 34-year old RHP Ahsoka Tano to Malden in a swap for 27-year old CF Jurgen Windcaller. Both GMs seemed relieved that the deal had been completed with one stating, "We had to set a deadline to get it done." The players are expected to report to their new teams by tomorrow.
In his career, Tano has fanned 862 batters and walked 513 in 1378.2 innings of work. His lifetime won-lost record is 74 victories and 69 defeats with a 4.22 ERA and opposing hitters have compiled a .267 batting average against him.
Currently Windcaller is batting .333 with 11 hits and no home runs. He has knocked in 1 runs and scored 7 times.
April 21 - Proving the old adage that one man's trash is another man's treasure, the Celtics announced today the acquisition of 25-year old RHP Gary Harvard and 21-year old minor league 2B Big Dipper Grzenkowicz from the Salem Witch Hats in exchange for 20-year old minor league SS No Neck Lok. "This isn't the deal of the century," acknowledged the Celtics, "but we think it will improve the direction of both teams."
During his career, Harvard has 23 victories and 41 defeats with a 5.23 ERA.
CYL All-Star Game
The North Region All-Stars have bragging rights for the year after beating the South Region All-Stars by a score of 3-1 at Coventry Grounds.
North Region star Early Duvet played a key role in the win, going 3 for 4 to lead his team.
In his 172-game career Duvet is hitting .384 with 247 hits, 42 doubles, 4 triples and 72 home runs. He has scored 174 runs and driven in 218.
Showcase for the Stars -- The Commonwealth Youth League All-Star Game. It's a great game for the fans. The All-Star Classic comes around each year at this time to the delight of every baseball fan. Talented players from the North Region and South Region come together and show their wares on the baseball diamond. The top players go toe-to-toe with one another to get the bragging rights for their league.
Selected to play for the North Region All-Stars are:
SP Specs Blake (FARH) - 7-0, 1.73 ERA, 62.1 IP, 1.04 WHIP, 11.4 K/9, 4.0 WAR
SP Rhubarb Coombs (GLOU) - 5-2, 1.61 ERA, 56.0 IP, 0.96 WHIP, 13.0 K/9, 3.2 WAR
SP Sequester Grundelplith M.D. (DCNB) - 3-1, 1.05 ERA, 60.0 IP, 0.70 WHIP, 11.1 K/9, 4.0 WAR
SP Eagle Eye Hayes (MARB) - 7-1, 1.24 ERA, 65.1 IP, 0.83 WHIP, 14.7 K/9, 5.0 WAR
SP Fog Slater (PRTM) - 4-2, 1.00 ERA, 54.0 IP, 0.59 WHIP, 13.7 K/9, 3.9 WAR
SP Mad Dog Waqanitoga (KITT) - 1-1, 1.28 ERA, 42.1 IP, 0.69 WHIP, 12.3 K/9, 2.6 WAR
RP Klaus Goldbaek (BOX) - 1-3, 3.38 ERA, 13.1 IP, 0.97 WHIP, 12.1 K/9, 0.1 WAR
RP Zo Papanicolaou (BEAN) - 0-0, 2.02 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1.20 WHIP, 14.8 K/9, 0.5 WAR
RP Pitcher Poole (DERR) - 2-0, 1.23 ERA, 14.2 IP, 0.82 WHIP, 17.8 K/9, 0.8 WAR
CL Conch Daltry (CVNNT) - 1-0, 10 SV, 0.69 ERA, 13.0 IP, 0.31 WHIP, 15.2 K/9, 1.0 WAR
CL Cyclone Harper (SEAB) - 1-2, 6 SV, 1.93 ERA, 14.0 IP, 0.93 WHIP, 11.6 K/9, 0.7 WAR
C Carl Ireland (LEX) - .403/.567/.806, 72 AB, 8 HR, 1 SB, 227 wRC+, 1.9 WAR
C Breslan O'Sullivan (STON) - .373/.561/1.080, 75 AB, 16 HR, 1 SB, 270 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
C Guffy Verizon (BCOM) - .444/.586/1.125, 72 AB, 15 HR, 3 SB, 289 wRC+, 2.7 WAR
1B Poison Maru (IPS) - .468/.600/.909, 77 AB, 9 HR, 264 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
1B Quatro Quatro (FARH) - .452/.562/.952, 84 AB, 12 HR, 259 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
1B Worm Sanders (NCB) - .443/.569/1.114, 88 AB, 17 HR, 281 wRC+, 2.3 WAR
2B Early Duvet (WORC) - .394/.529/.883, 94 AB, 13 HR, 2 SB, 230 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
2B Boob Willis (LEX) - .393/.530/.955, 89 AB, 13 HR, 244 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
2B Average Joe Wilson (BHAR) - .455/.562/.977, 88 AB, 12 HR, 2 SB, 255 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
3B Bailer Sharp (WSLY) - .470/.607/.976, 83 AB, 12 HR, 281 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
3B Deadtree Wallatello (BCP) - .398/.539/.878, 98 AB, 13 HR, 1 SB, 238 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
SS Grizz Cunningham (LITT) - .466/.556/1.184, 103 AB, 22 HR, 2 SB, 292 wRC+, 3.0 WAR
SS Stinky Milner (NCB) - .451/.575/.922, 102 AB, 12 HR, 1 SB, 253 wRC+, 2.5 WAR
LF Owen Burden (LEX) - .522/.626/.978, 90 AB, 10 HR, 1 SB, 280 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
LF Enjoyable Everett Dexter (MARL) - .390/.554/1.280, 82 AB, 23 HR, 1 SB, 288 wRC+, 2.6 WAR
LF Taco Dobson (DANV) - .351/.556/1.095, 74 AB, 17 HR, 1 SB, 265 wRC+, 2.7 WAR
LF Ronit Taylor (IPS) - .457/.579/1.025, 81 AB, 13 HR, 276 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
RF Clockwork Hoffman (SCB) - .420/.575/.815, 81 AB, 9 HR, 1 SB, 234 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
RF Ethan Olds (LITT) - .375/.492/1.135, 96 AB, 22 HR, 259 wRC+, 3.0 WAR
The South Region All-Stars will have these players on their roster:
SP Grunt Appleby (FPRK) - 5-1, 0.90 ERA, 50.0 IP, 0.90 WHIP, 8.8 K/9, 2.6 WAR
SP Chad Church (TAUN) - 7-0, 1.16 ERA, 70.0 IP, 1.07 WHIP, 11.1 K/9, 3.5 WAR
SP Rupee Haecke (NAN) - 3-2, 0.76 ERA, 47.2 IP, 0.99 WHIP, 10.8 K/9, 2.7 WAR
SP Pennies Ingham (MER) - 2-2, 1.29 ERA, 48.2 IP, 0.82 WHIP, 11.5 K/9, 3.0 WAR
SP Unnie Kuikkonen (PAW) - 6-0, 1.52 ERA, 65.0 IP, 0.89 WHIP, 13.6 K/9, 3.3 WAR
SP Bert Maybury (WQUIN) - 8-0, 1.75 ERA, 66.2 IP, 0.70 WHIP, 12.7 K/9, 3.1 WAR
RP Leonhart Beck (SWAN) - 2-1, 1.20 ERA, 15.0 IP, 1.27 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, 0.5 WAR
RP Moises Looney (SWAN) - 1-1, 0.69 ERA, 13.0 IP, 0.69 WHIP, 8.3 K/9, 0.5 WAR
RP Swan Melton (WOON) - 2-0, 0.63 ERA, 14.1 IP, 0.77 WHIP, 13.2 K/9, 0.7 WAR
RP Graeme Morrow (CHIC) - 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 15.1 IP, 0.72 WHIP, 12.9 K/9, 1.1 WAR
RP Henry Sentner (EPRV) - 3-0, 2 SV, 0.69 ERA, 13.0 IP, 0.62 WHIP, 9.7 K/9, 0.8 WAR
C Snoopy Barron (PLY) - .446/.543/.716, 74 AB, 4 HR, 1 SB, 207 wRC+, 1.5 WAR
C Max Bietak (BRCK) - .375/.495/1.069, 72 AB, 16 HR, 259 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
C Ulick Tripper (TRU) - .441/.562/.721, 68 AB, 5 HR, 220 wRC+, 1.6 WAR
1B Arfi Arrington (HADL) - .384/.492/.859, 99 AB, 14 HR, 219 wRC+, 1.6 WAR
1B LaGrange Butterell (BRDG) - .391/.518/.954, 87 AB, 14 HR, 237 wRC+, 1.8 WAR
1B Florante Lisao (NAUS) - .361/.574/1.111, 72 AB, 18 HR, 1 SB, 261 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
1B Connie Ryan (HOLY) - .432/.590/.716, 81 AB, 6 HR, 1 SB, 216 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
1B Headcase Stepniewski (NHAV) - .417/.581/.964, 84 AB, 11 HR, 257 wRC+, 2.2 WAR
2B Skipper Beach (NAUS) - .378/.486/.756, 90 AB, 10 HR, 2 SB, 187 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
2B Alvin Dark (SAND) - .565/.677/1.326, 92 AB, 20 HR, 1 SB, 355 wRC+, 4.2 WAR
2B Boom Boom Harris (HARW) - .382/.486/.685, 89 AB, 7 HR, 1 SB, 180 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
3B Sheridon O'Sullivan (NPRV) - .420/.540/.898, 88 AB, 12 HR, 2 SB, 237 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
3B Beast Reid (JP) - .363/.487/.769, 91 AB, 11 HR, 189 wRC+, 1.5 WAR
LF Donegan Downs (TH) - .392/.520/.918, 97 AB, 14 HR, 1 SB, 224 wRC+, 2.2 WAR
LF Satsuma Sanders (SWAN) - .395/.547/.802, 86 AB, 10 HR, 6 SB, 223 wRC+, 2.2 WAR
LF Simon Strobl (TREE) - .435/.505/.837, 92 AB, 9 HR, 222 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
CF Piedmont Marsh (JP) - .402/.518/.891, 92 AB, 14 HR, 232 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
CF Catty Chad McKinney (LYME) - .379/.478/.832, 95 AB, 11 HR, 1 SB, 196 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
RF Quigley Scholar (SWAN) - .368/.504/.874, 95 AB, 14 HR, 4 SB, 221 wRC+, 2.1 WAR