BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
25 September 2320
CBO Playoffs: Association Championship Series Previews
Overview
All but one league champion is out of the playoffs, with the Malden Grognaks being the lone survivor. Both #1 seeds went one-and-done, the first time since 2309 that neither #1 seed made it to the Association Championship Series when #1 seeds Starlight and Oberland both fell in the Semifinals Round.
This could also mark the second-straight season that we have a #2 vs #6 matchup with the Grognaks still alive and Roxbury in the SCA as the 36 seed. The Rad Sox are also in position to be the fourth #6 seed to reach the Sole Survivor Series since 2313. Since 2313, one of the bottom two seeds (#5 or #6) has made the Sole Survivor Series five times (in seven seasons), including the past four.
#4 Easy Town Assaultrons (80-64) vs #2 Malden Grognaks (80-64)
Season Series: Malden 5, Easy Town 5
April 15-18 @Mal: Mal 8-1, Mal 5-4, ET 5-4, Mal 4-2
June 18-20 @ET: ET 6-1, ET 5-2, Mal 10-6
August 6-8 @ET: Mal 2-1, ET 9-7(14), ET 4-1
Playoff History: Easy Town 2, Malden 0
2316 - NCA Championship Series - #3 Easy Town 4, #1 Malden 3
2317 - NCA Championship Series - #1 Easy Town 4, #3 Malden 3
For the third time in five seasons, the Assaultrons and Grognaks meet in the NCA Championship Series for the right to the Sole Survivor Series. In each of the two previous meetings, it was the Trons that found victory.
Malden has been decently successful in the playoffs in now their 5th appearance since they debuted in 2315. Still, the Sole Survivor Series has eluded them so far with the Trons being the main team stopping them from advancing to their first SSS.
Easy Town is now making its 11th playoff appearance and fifth trip to the NCA Championship Series (2298, 2315-2317, 2319). They have advanced to the Sole Survivor Series in four of those seasons (2298, 2316-2317, 2319) with one championship (2317). A win here would put the Assaultrons in sole possession of 2nd place in the NCA in Sole Survivor Series appearances behind Nordhagen Beach (7) and potentially tied with Roxbury for 2nd most in the CBO, depending on the Sox's series with Diamond City.
Analysis
While the CBO has bounced back and forth in its tiebreaker formulas, electing not to have a season-ending extra game tiebreaker, this matchup would have been perfect to determine the regular season champions. The first tiebreaker, as it stands, is head-to-head matchups, where the teams went 5-5 against each other. The next tiebreaker for teams in the same league is league record. Malden clinched the Brotherhood League title here, going 42-30 vs the Trons' 39-33.
Games were decently tight in both Malden and Easy Town with 7 out of 10 games within three runs. Each home team was most successful at home with the Grognaks going 3-1 and Easy Town going 4-2.
Successful hitters for the Assaultrons in the season series included Donnie Gray (.342/4/10) and Finnan Hunt (.342/0/4). While their records did not indicate it, both SPs Dave Pitcher (1-2, 19.2 IP, 2.75) and Red Eagle (1-1, 19.2 IP, 2.75) held Malden down in runs.
For the Grognaks, their best hitters against Easy Town were Lance Tinter (.355/1/4) and Taffy Dare (.310/2/7). Starters did not hold the Trons down in runs well, with Vault Boy Barnette (1-1, 14.1 IP, 3.77) and Quincy Jones (1-0, 17.1 IP, 4.15) being the best.
Statistically speaking, the Assaultrons seem to be the better bets, including finishing 2nd in the NCA in both runs scored (631) and runs allowed (496). Malden finished 4th in runs scored (610) and 5th in runs allowed (528).
Prediction
Malden has been flirting with the Sole Survivor Series for years now with the Trons being their main enemy in preventing it. This is a season of revenge for them. On the other hand, the Assaultrons have been the most successful team in the past few seasons, appearing in the Sole Survivor Series in three of the past four seasons, including last season. The Trons also have been able to win both previous matchups, and we think they are the better team overall. Easy Town 4, Malden 2
#6 Roxbury Rad Sox (77-67) vs #4 Diamond City Swatters (86-58)
Season Series: Diamond City 5, Roxbury 5
May 14-16 @DC: Rox 5-0, DC 13-2, DC 4-3
July 16-18 @DC: DC 5-3, DC 5-2, DC 2-1
September 9-12 @Rox: Rox 2-1, Rox 9-8(12), Rox 1-0, Rox 3-2
Playoff History: Roxbury 1, Diamond City 0
2303 - Association Semifinals - Roxbury 3, Diamond City 2
It has been 17 years since the Diamond City Swatters and Roxbury Rad Sox have faced each other in the playoffs. Since that matchup, including the 2303 season, there have been four titles between them but few playoffs that involved both teams. Those seasons were 2304 and now 2320.
The Sox were one of the powers that dropped off from relevance. After winning their third title in 2311, Roxbury made the playoffs in 2312 and then missed seven-straight seasons. Overall, this is the Rad Sox's 6th appearance in the SCA Championship Series. They went 5-0 in their previous five trips, marking them second overall in the CBO in Sole Survivor Series appearances (5) and titles (3). Nordhagen Beach is first in each (7 and 4).
Diamond City is the most successful team to reach the Sole Survivor Series, going 3-0 in their appearances, including their last just two seasons ago over Cambridge. In SCA Championship Series appearances, the Swatters are 3-1 with their only SCACS loss coming in 2317 when they dropped the series to Quincy.
Analysis
In the regular season, in six games in Diamond City, the Swatters went 5-1 but then dropped all four games to the Sox in Roxbury to complete the regular season. That sweep by Roxbury is the reason they are here and why the Swatters entered the playoffs as the #4 seed instead of the #3 seed.
For the Rad Sox, their top two hitters against Diamond City were Turbo Blackwood (.333/0/0) and Honker Trinkl (.290/3/7). Bix Bimbleman hit two homers. On the mound, Daley Hayes (2-1, 21.2 IP, 1,25) was the only starter to record an ERA under 5.00 against the Swatters.
Diamond City's top hitters were Chill Pillman (.375/0/4) and Teng Dgebuadze (.300/2/10). Macho Lopez (1-1, 15.1 IP, 1.76) and Dimman Dillon (1-1, 14.2 IP, 3.07) had the best performances as starters against the Sox.
Prediction
The Sox have made a great run, but they are against one of the best pitching rotations we have seen in some years. While he probably will finish 2nd at best in the Vim! Pitcher Award voting, Lopez (22-8, 2.12) is one of the CBO's best pitchers and tied the regular season wins record. Dropper Millieu (15-10, 2.41) and Black Red (9-8, 2.51) both are among the best in ERA among starters, with Heavan Fontenot (13-8, 3.27) and Dillon (11-7, 2.10) giving top support in the bullpen. In other words, we do not see the Rad Sox scoring a lot of runs and need to hold down the Swatters to win this. They won't. Diamond City 4, Roxbury 2