Fallout 4's Commonwealth Baseball Organization

[StLee]

BNN Report

News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

10 April 2316

Opening Day and PAM Surprises

If we quickly polled fans of the CBO which teams they expect to compete for the 2316 Sole Survivor Series title, most would point to the last four standing of last season: Vault 81, Lexington, University Point, and Easy Town. If we told you that PAM only picked one of those teams to be a top contender and for two of them to miss the playoffs completely, would you believe us? Well . . .

In PAM's predictions for 2316, based on final records picks, the Assaultrons would be the favorites, taking on the Quincy Gunners in the Sole Survivor Series. Other league picks are Fort Hagen in the Institute League and Diamond City to win a tiebreaker over Oberland in the Railroad League. The defending champion Dwellers and the Deathclaws are both expected to miss the playoffs, while the Synths are picked to be the 5th seed in the North Charles Association.



Brotherhood League

Easy Town finished 2nd in 2315 and then upset the #2 seed Salem Witch Hats in the NCA Semifinals to reach the NCA Championship Series before falling to Lexington. PAM sees a lot of talent and leadership for the Trons, leading to them being the top pick in the CBO.

2315 Nuka Hitter Award winner, CF Eden Babz, is predicted to win his second-straight award by PAM's picks over the likes of Salem's Brian DeLong and Thatch Heard, Fort Hagen's Diamond Ball, and Bunker Hill's Kasumi Goto. On the mound, PAM expects both starters Tarzan Rogers and Lonely Gale to compete for the Vim! Pitcher Award.

PAM has The Slog returning to the playoffs as the 3rd seed, just four back of the Trons. Malden is picked to make their second-straight playoff appearance as the 4th seed, and the Witch Hats will close off the playoff picks as the 6th seed. Nahant is expected to finish two back of the wildcard race, followed by Nordhagen Beach at three back and County Crossing as the CBO's worst team after having the 2nd-overall pick (SP Scooter Harcourt, whom they have made their ace in 2316).

Institute League

As mentioned, the Shroud are expected to rebound from a disappointing 2315 when they missed the playoffs completely. After four-straight trips to the playoffs, the Silver Shroud finished at 61-69 and 4th in the IL. This season, they get the return of star Ball, whom PAM predicts will finish third in the Nuka Hitter Award voting. PAM also has C Malificent Shaw as 10th on that same list after he hit .342/15/68 in 2315. On the mound, PAM has legend Nuke Laloosh making a comeback in performance, picking him to with the Vim! Pitcher Award in 2316. Laloosh last won that award in 2305 while with Roxbury. He went 5-17 with a 5.95 ERA in 2315, so PAM's pick seems to be an error in calculation. We'll see.

Behind Fort Hagen, PAM has the defending NCA champions, Lexington, as the only other playoff team. Bunker Hill and Cambridge are picked to finish two back of the last wildcard spot, with Concord at four back, and Starlight and Sunshine Tidings both finishing with fewer than 60 wins.

In addition to Laloosh on PAM's Vim! Pitcher Award voting list, both the Coursers and Radstags have a couple of contenders. For Cambridge, they are Scooter Yaghmur and rookie Bullets Barnes (the 8th-overall pick in the 2315 Draft). For the Stags, those pitchers are Kevin Gauzeman, who is moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation, and Leyden Aigg.

Minuteman League

There is movement expected in the ML in 2316. The defending champions in the ML, the University Point Deathclaws, are picked to finish tied for 5th in 2316 and miss the playoffs. It is a bit of a surprise since we think that the team is still strong despite losing some veterans through retirements in the offseason.

In place of the Claws, the Gunners and Jamaica Plain are expected to battle it out as the SCA's top team with Quincy expected to come out on top as the #1 seed. The Red Rockets are expected to finish as the #3 seed, and Atom as the #5 seed to complete the ML's playoff teams. Other teams in order, including tiebreakers are Spectacle Island, Goodneighbor, the Deathclaws, and Southie.

Looking at potential award winners in the league, for hitters, the Rockets, which may have the CBO's best offense, had three on the list in 3B Tre Morgueman (3rd), CF Jay Gabby (4th), and 1B Sheedy Smith (8th). Other ML players on the list are the Reapers' Donovan Mackey and Griffin Herring and the Gunners' Duff Fee.

On the mound, Spectacle Island's Aqua Purified is expected to win the Vim! Pitcher Award. He finished 9th in voting last season after leading the SCA in victories in a 17-8, 4.08 season. Other contenders in the ML include Atom's K-9 Creep and Mesquite Williams. The rest are in the RL.

Railroad League

PAM is so confident that the Dwellers reached their peak in 2316 that she is picking them for a spot other than #1 for the first time in awhile. They are down so much, that PAM has Vault 81 as finishing 5th in the RL and missing the playoffs by a game behind Glowing Sea, who PAM has edging Roxbury in a tiebreaker.

In another tiebreaker, PAM has Diamond City winning the league, though even with Oberland. The T-51s missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2306, breaking a string of eight-straight playoffs appearances. The Swatters did make the playoffs last season, finishing 2nd behind Vault 81. At the back of the pack, Egret and FHE are both expected to tie for 6th and the SCA's worst record. However, the teams would hold only the 4th and 5th picks in the 2316 Draft.

For potential award winners from the RL, the Radscorpions' Enigma Montgomery is the pick to win the 2316 Nuka Hitter Award, which would be his third-straight. Other contenders are the Sox's Joey Bell, FHE's Missile Crews, and Glowing Sea's Naga Arakaki, who won the Nuka Hitter Award in 2312.

For pitchers, there are several contenders on the list: Diamond City's Beachboy Nut, 2315 Vim! Pitcher Award winner Macho Lopez, and Heaven Fontenot, the T-51s' Emperry Alizm, Roxbury's Saint O'Fender, the Dwellers' Zack Million, and the Yao Guai's Baker Dozen.

Top Players List



Top Prospects List

[StLee]

BNN Report

News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

24 April 2316

Early Returns on PAM's Picks

We have completed our first two weeks of the 21-week 2316 season. With the early returns, PAM looks as though she could be accurate with some teams, but she could have been less than accurate in some of her other picks. In our league breakdowns, we will look at some of those picks that PAM either underestimated or, in one case, vastly overrated. We are not analyzing University Point this time, but the Deathclaws were picked to finish below .500 and instead possess the CBO's top record at 11-2. But first, here are the current team power rankings for the Commonwealth Baseball Organization:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) University Point Deathclaws (162.3, ++)
2) Concord Radstags (150.4, ++)
3) Bunker Hill 75ers (148.4, -)
4) Malden Grognaks (140.4, o)
5) Vault 81 Dwellers (133.6, ++)
6) Diamond City Swatters (129.6, --)
7) Spectacle Island Reapers (129.6, +)
8) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (127.6, +)
9) Lexington Synths (115.7, ++)
10) Quincy Gunners (114.7, --)
11) Easy Town Assaultrons (113.7, --)
12) Glowing Sea Radscorpions (107.7, --)
13) The Slog Ghouls (100.8, +)
14) Goodneighbor Hancocks (99.8, --)
15) Nahant Celtics (95.8, +)
16) Oberland T-51s (84.2, +)
17) Cambridge Coursers (83.2, --)
18) Atom Cats (81.2, --)
19) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (80.2, -)
20) Southie Brews (70.3, ++)
21) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (52.4, +)
22) County Crossing Bloodbugs (50.4, o)
23) Salem Witch Hats (48.4, --)
24) FHE Yao Guai (45.4, --)
25) Starlight Killers (33.6, +)
26) Egret Ninjas (16.7, -)
27) Roxbury Rad Sox (16.7, -)
28) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (-23.0, o)

Brotherhood League

We will start each league breakdown with PAM's predictions, just as a reminder of what she is expecting over the 130-game schedule. Remember that Easy Town is expected to finish atop the CBO in 2316. With that stated, PAM's predicted order with tiebreakers being listed first in assumed ties is: the Assaultrons, The Slog, Malden, Salem, Nahant, Nordhagen Beach, and County Crossing.

Two days ago, the 10-1 Grognaks were the CBO's best, but they have now lost two straight in a weekend series versus Quincy. Still, Malden holds a two-game lead and looks to be a legitimate force. They are followed by three teams above .500: the Trons, Ghouls, and Celtics. All of the Party Boys, Withc Hats, and Bloodbugs are below .500.

For the Grognaks, being a playoff team in an expectation, but they probably did not anticipate such a fast start. Now the pressure is on them to stay on top of the BL. Malden is getting it done on offense, ranking 1st in six categories, most importantly being runs scored (75). RF Floren Habern (.429/0/6) is getting on base regularly, and LF Taffy Dare (.341/3/8), 3B Jacob Tarberry (.327/3/14), and 2B Jack of Diamonds Cordero (.333/1/9) are driving in runs. On the mound, Malden is 2nd in runs allowed (31), including having the 4th-best Starters ERA (2.62) and 2nd-best Bullpen ERA (1.70). Hry Caje (3-1, 1.36) and Edgar Drezek (2-0. 2.55) both have sub-3.00 ERAs, and CL Rump Pellstilt (2 SV, 0.00) has yet to allow a run.



Institute League

PAM's predictions for the IL were: Fort Hagen, Lexington, Bunker Hill, Cambridge, Concord, Starlight, and Sunshine Tidings. Looking at the standings, it is not far off with one obvious exception: the Radstags. The Stags are tied with the 75ers for first place and are on a CBO-best six-game winning streak. Concord is now tied with Bunker Hill and the Grognaks for the SCA's best record. The Silver Shroud is in 3rd with Lexington at 4th and the last of the above .500 teams in the IL. Cambridge, the Chemists, and the Killers are all below ,500 with Starlight currently holding the NCA's worst record.

The Radstags have not been a great team over the years, but they are attempting to make their third-straight playoff appearance, which would be a franchise record. PAM picked the Stags to finish in 5th and miss the playoffs, though, and they have responded by winning a lot. Concord is tied for 6th in runs scored (54) and 1st in runs allowed (22), a measly 1.69 runs per game allowed, including four shutouts and another five games holding opponents to one or two runs. 1B Two Shoes Rivera (.347/1/7/4 SB) leads the team in average, RBI, and stolen bases. SS Grayson Caps (.250/2/5) is the home runs leader. On the mound, the Stags have the best Starters ERA (1.19), with all four starters currently in the 1.00-1.99 range: Leyden Aigg (1-0, 1.16), Kevin Gauzeman (3-0, 1.12), Frank Heart (1-1, 1.31), and Mel Gorgeous (2-0, 1.59). The Bullpen ERA is 6th (2.95), led by CL Dimman Dillon (4 SV, 2.84).



Minutemen League

The ML was expected to finish this way: Quincy, Jamaica Plain, Atom, Spectacle Island, Goodneighbor, University Point, and Southie. After winning the ML in 2315 and reaching the SCA Championship Series, we were surprised that PAM thought the Deathclaws has aged out and picked them in 6th place. The Claws' response? Only the CBO's best record. On the other hand, the 2nd place pick, whom we are featuring and was expected to be the best offensive team in 2316 is not on the playoff track. Current standings see University Point on top, followed by the Reapers, Gunners, and Hancocks for winning teams. Atom, the Brews, and the Red Rockets are all below .500. At 0-13, the Rockets are the CBO's worst team.

The Rockets are the CBO's worst offense. Someone needs to check PAM's functioning. Jamaica Plain is 14th in the SCA with 30 runs scored, which is actually one more than Starlight has scored. However, the Red Rockets are last in the CBO in several offensive categories, including batting average (.201). .201. As a team. Leadoff 3B Tre Morgueman, who hit a career low, .224, last season and promised to bounce back to his .270 median is batting .085. LF Ken Debate (.167/1/4) and SS Brandon Larsonist (.178/2/7) are not much better. CF Jay Gabby (.293/1/6) is the team leader in hitting of qualified hitters. There are 68 players around the CBO hitting better than Gabby. It's bad. It's so bad that we only need to analyze the offense. This team needs to get blown up to find some chemistry. GM Marco Pacheco had better do something soon.



Railroad League

One more look at the RL shows this predicted order: Diamond City, Oberland, Glowing Sea, Roxbury, Vault 81, Egret, and FHE. Of course, the big surprise was putting the defending champions in the non-playoff pecking order, but this league is not too far off. Currently, both the Dwellers and Swatters are knotted at 9-4 atop the RL. The Radscorpions are the only other team above .500. All of the T-51s, Yao Guai, Ninjas, and Rad Sox are below .500. Egret and the Sox are tied at the bottom and only have better records than the Rockets.

Roxbury thus gets our biggest surprise award in this update for RL teams. Expected to be playoff contenders, the Rad Sox have been a disaster and currently are tied with the Ninjas and Salem for the CBO's second-longest losing streak of five games. The Soz are tied for 12th in the SCA in runs scored (38) and 14th in runs allowed (73). On offense, only the first three hitters are doing much of anything: LF Van Leuwen (.326/1/5), 3B Rodney Caribou (.298/2/5), and 1B Honker Trinkl (.292/2/7). On the mound, only fourth starter, SP Freak Mouton (2-1, 3.86) has an ERA below 4.00 for the starters. Ace Saint O'Fender (0-4, 5.96) has been shellacked in all four starts after returning from a serious back injury in 2315 that limited him to nine games.



CBO Standings



CBO Players of the Week

April 17 - The Slog sports fans can't stop singing the praises of Puddle Norman, who has been selected the North Charles Association Player of the Week.

Norman was in a comfort zone all week, finishing with a .560 average (14-for-25), 7 RBIs and 1 home run.

His hard work and hustle paid off this week. The hard-working and hard-playing Foo Fieterz was rewarded with the South Charles Association Player of the Week honors.

The scrappy Oberland T-51s left fielder hit .464 while collecting 13 hits in 28 at-bats, 3 home runs and 15 RBIs.

April 24 - Not every ball that came off Aaron Squire's bat last week was a line drive or a towering shot -- it just seemed that way to the teams that played the Bunker Hill 75ers. For his exploits, Squire was named this week's North Charles Association Player of the Week award.

The Bunker Hill shortstop put up 10 hits in 20 at-bats and 3 home runs while hitting .500 with 11 RBIs and 7 runs scored.

Pitcher Aqua Purified of the Spectacle Island Reapers was the top performer in the South Charles Association over the last week of play and today he was tabbed as the Player of the Week.

Purified notched a 2-0 mark, 14 strikeouts and a standout 0.00 earned run average while giving up 9 hits and walking 2 in 17.1 innings.

CBO Noteworthy News

April 14 - The Vault 81 Dwellers revealed their Champions Statue outside CURIE Inc. Field on the Boston College side. The statue commemorates the 2315 championship with manager Drac Jaskula holding the Sole Survivor Cup in the air.

CYL All-Star Game

Hannigan Smith cemented his status as one of the best in the game with his performance tonight.

"It's an honor to even be invited to the game. To be rewarded as the MVP of the game is extra special," the North Region star said after his great showing. "Just playing on the same diamond as some of these guys is a pure treat."

In the game itself, Hannigan Smith certainly wasn't the only great player out there, but he did enough in the North Region's 13-8 win over the South Region All-Stars.

His all-time numbers show Smith is carrying a .312 career batting average with 57 home runs and 136 RBIs.

It is not an easy task to pick the best players for the annual baseball classic -- the All-Star Game. It is not possible to please everybody. Whether we agree or not, they have been chosen ... and here they are. The rosters for this year's Commonwealth Youth League All-Star Game have been announced.

For the North Region, the roster includes:

SP Wand Engill (CAST) - 4-1, 2.30 ERA, 54.2 IP, 1.19 WHIP, 12.2 K/9, 3.6 WAR
SP Bronny Galinski (LAW) - 3-1, 2.01 ERA, 40.1 IP, 1.36 WHIP, 11.6 K/9, 1.8 WAR
SP Sequester Grundelplith M.D. (DCNB) - 6-0, 1.98 ERA, 59.0 IP, 1.27 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, 2.3 WAR
SP Eagle Eye Hayes (MARB) - 5-1, 2.24 ERA, 56.1 IP, 0.99 WHIP, 11.0 K/9, 3.1 WAR
SP Trench Lueger (MALD) - 3-2, 2.23 ERA, 44.1 IP, 1.26 WHIP, 10.2 K/9, 2.0 WAR
SP Talley O'Reilly (ROCK) - 3-2, 2.35 ERA, 53.2 IP, 1.16 WHIP, 12.7 K/9, 3.0 WAR
SP Montgomery Santrac (SCB) - 5-0, 1.87 ERA, 53.0 IP, 1.38 WHIP, 8.5 K/9, 2.0 WAR
SP Coke Nut Silivan (NBP) - 5-0, 1.89 ERA, 57.0 IP, 1.14 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, 3.2 WAR
RP Lathan Cricketleg (NCB) - 2-0, 3.06 ERA, 17.2 IP, 0.96 WHIP, 9.2 K/9, 0.6 WAR
RP D-Man Goodman (BEAN) - 0-0, 2.02 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1.50 WHIP, 12.8 K/9, 0.4 WAR
RP Kaden Jones (NEED) - 1-0, 2 SV, 2.70 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1.57 WHIP, 6.8 K/9, 0.2 WAR
RP Logan Prouse (GLOU) - 1-0, 2.87 ERA, 15.2 IP, 1.60 WHIP, 12.1 K/9, 0.0 WAR
RP Steve Slade (STUR) - 1-0, 2.02 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1.35 WHIP, 10.8 K/9, 0.6 WAR
C Carl Ireland (LEX) - .436/.611/.949, 78 AB, 12 HR, 227 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
C Whitey Martin (CVNNT) - .468/.570/.671, 79 AB, 5 HR, 186 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
C Willy Warwick (GDIA) - .400/.574/.900, 70 AB, 10 HR, 206 wRC+, 1.5 WAR
1B Creenan Taylor (GEOR) - .520/.574/.930, 100 AB, 11 HR, 224 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
2B Harley Corrigan (BEAN) - .446/.541/.842, 101 AB, 11 HR, 2 SB, 201 wRC+, 1.5 WAR
2B Wild Card Fitzgerald (CVNNT) - .506/.672/1.025, 81 AB, 13 HR, 265 wRC+, 2.4 WAR
2B Matej Hladky (NEED) - .432/.545/.905, 95 AB, 11 HR, 198 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
2B Boob Willis (LEX) - .420/.550/.880, 100 AB, 11 HR, 1 SB, 201 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
3B Dig-Dug Densusianu (B30) - .467/.566/.804, 92 AB, 9 HR, 199 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
3B Kess Kutha (AUG) - .464/.539/.979, 97 AB, 12 HR, 219 wRC+, 1.8 WAR
SS Poland White (B30) - .434/.508/.909, 99 AB, 13 HR, 3 SB, 192 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
LF Bastian Gardner (NCB) - .414/.552/.839, 87 AB, 11 HR, 196 wRC+, 1.5 WAR
LF Smoke Seegars (CVNNT) - .515/.595/.990, 101 AB, 13 HR, 241 wRC+, 2.1 WAR
LF Steven Shin (BCP) - .441/.504/.882, 102 AB, 11 HR, 2 SB, 195 wRC+, 1.6 WAR
LF Hannigan Smith (WORC) - .446/.496/.832, 101 AB, 11 HR, 180 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
RF Windstorm Rix (LEX) - .444/.573/.877, 81 AB, 9 HR, 209 wRC+, 1.3 WAR
RF Zarby Zanzibar (B30) - .476/.570/.806, 103 AB, 6 HR, 3 SB, 205 wRC+, 1.8 WAR
.

For the South Region these players have been selected:

SP Sheridon Carr (WQUIN) - 3-2, 2.04 ERA, 35.1 IP, 0.96 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, 1.6 WAR
SP Adie Chase (HARW) - 6-0, 1.84 ERA, 53.2 IP, 1.27 WHIP, 10.4 K/9, 2.6 WAR
SP Kelby Cieslak (JOHN) - 4-0, 2.37 ERA, 49.1 IP, 1.20 WHIP, 9.1 K/9, 1.7 WAR
SP Hunter Doyle (HART) - 3-1, 2.67 ERA, 54.0 IP, 1.41 WHIP, 9.0 K/9, 1.9 WAR
SP Redmond Jones (NHAV) - 4-2, 2.19 ERA, 49.1 IP, 1.07 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, 2.2 WAR
SP Dishpan Man Santana (WFLT) - 1-2, 2.61 ERA, 38.0 IP, 1.61 WHIP, 9.7 K/9, 1.6 WAR
RP Seamus O'Sullivan (BRIS) - 0-1, 3.07 ERA, 14.2 IP, 1.77 WHIP, 6.1 K/9, 0.1 WAR
RP Roger Schanowski (LAWN) - 1-0, 3.95 ERA, 13.2 IP, 1.46 WHIP, 7.2 K/9, 0.0 WAR
RP Weldon Vallis (PLY) - 0-1, 2.51 ERA, 14.1 IP, 1.33 WHIP, 11.9 K/9, 0.6 WAR
CL Paws Brently (PATH) - 2-1, 8 SV, 4.40 ERA, 14.1 IP, 1.53 WHIP, 11.3 K/9, 0.7 WAR
CL Moss Point (CVTRY) - 2-0, 10 SV, 3.46 ERA, 13.0 IP, 1.00 WHIP, 9.0 K/9, 0.5 WAR
C Snoopy Barron (PLY) - .456/.561/1.139, 79 AB, 16 HR, 247 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
C Carl Caldwell (LAWN) - .449/.522/.872, 78 AB, 10 HR, 195 wRC+, 1.3 WAR
C Runt Vicksburg (BRWN) - .456/.561/.873, 79 AB, 9 HR, 209 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
1B Zeke Erb (SAND) - .490/.592/.906, 96 AB, 10 HR, 1 SB, 227 wRC+, 1.8 WAR
1B Kully Puistola (TREE) - .484/.559/.828, 93 AB, 8 HR, 1 SB, 195 wRC+, 1.3 WAR
2B Burma Bond (CHIC) - .480/.582/1.020, 98 AB, 14 HR, 237 wRC+, 2.3 WAR
3B Skipper Beach (NAUS) - .439/.521/.898, 98 AB, 12 HR, 1 SB, 196 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
3B Fortunato Cask (CHIC) - .480/.559/.969, 98 AB, 13 HR, 218 wRC+, 1.7 WAR
3B Puke Johiya (FPLT) - .477/.533/.936, 109 AB, 10 HR, 2 SB, 212 wRC+, 1.6 WAR
3B Sheridon O'Sullivan (NPRV) - .472/.595/.888, 89 AB, 10 HR, 6 SB, 219 wRC+, 1.9 WAR
3B Button Southie (NORW) - .490/.584/.814, 102 AB, 8 HR, 213 wRC+, 1.9 WAR
LF Aesop Hayjen (DENN) - .477/.565/.977, 86 AB, 11 HR, 6 SB, 224 wRC+, 2.2 WAR
LF Rusty MacLean (EAST) - .511/.629/.739, 88 AB, 2 HR, 218 wRC+, 2.0 WAR
LF Jailhouse Shillitto (HOLY) - .471/.538/.873, 102 AB, 12 HR, 3 SB, 203 wRC+, 1.8 WAR
LF Apex Sizeman (BRWN) - .471/.542/.745, 102 AB, 6 HR, 6 SB, 186 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
CF Anatoli Knyazev (FPLT) - .495/.625/.926, 95 AB, 11 HR, 11 SB, 241 wRC+, 2.8 WAR
CF Swatter Palmer (SEEK) - .505/.563/.851, 101 AB, 9 HR, 212 wRC+, 1.9 WAR
CF Kujapa Saligrama (WFLT) - .448/.534/.833, 96 AB, 10 HR, 2 SB, 193 wRC+, 1.8 WAR
RF Fen Byrne (HOLY) - .463/.552/.811, 95 AB, 8 HR, 1 SB, 198 wRC+, 1.4 WAR
.

The NR manager conceded that not every deserving player is rewarded with a spot on the roster. "Every year," he said, "someone is disappointed to be left out. This year's no different -- too many good players, not enough roster spots."

[StLee]

BNN Report

News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

1 May 2316

The May 1 Super Post, Part 1

CBO Top Performances

Hitters - He was one of two players with a game score of 100 or higher in April, but Southie's Keen Sugiura earned the highest score with a 105. On April 13 at Spectacle Island, the Brews' 1B went 3 for 4 with two home runs, a walk, three runs scored, and seven batted in. The Brews won, 12-5.

Pitchers - Cambridge's Scooter Yaghmour pitched a gem of a game on April 29 at The Slog, earning him the month's highest pitching game score of 91. Yaghmour pitched nine shutout innings, allowing two singles, walking two, and striking out 10 in the Coursers' 5-0 victory.

CBO Players of the Month

NCA Hitter - Jacob Tarberry, the Malden third baseman, certainly made a name for himself this past month. He banged out a .357 batting average with 30 hits, 6 home runs, 27 RBIs and scored 20 times.

That kind of hitting earned him the North Charles Association Batter of the Month honors for April.

SCA Hitter - Phantom Vargas battered South Charles Association pitchers all April and wound up taking home the Batter of the Month Award.

"I've been around Commonwealth Baseball Organization long enough to know you really have to work hard day in and day out to be able to put up this kind of consistency," the 28-year-old Vargas told reporters. "I put in a lot of work, even on the days I might not take the field, and it's always nice when everything comes together for me like it did this last month."

In 16 games, Vargas hit .379 with 6 home runs, 20 RBIs and scored 13 runs.

NCA Pitcher - April was a magical month for Trauma Medley of Bunker Hill. He held the North Charles Association hitters spellbound, conjuring up a 4-0 mark and a 1.60 ERA.

Medley also chalked up 5 starts, 33.2 innings and 16 strikeouts.

For this outstanding performance he was rewarded with the Pitcher of the Month trophy.

SCA Pitcher - The Glowing Sea Radscorpions really got a lot out of their bullpen in April and Pink Floyd definitely played the leading role.
Today the South Charles Association recognized his spectacular contribution, naming him the Pitcher of the Month for April.

He made 10 relief appearances and compiled 3 saves in 13.2 innings with 7 strikeouts and a 0.66 ERA.

NCA Rookie - On the heels of a breakout month Tyler Furlow received the North Charles Association Rookie of the Month trophy from BNN.

The Nahant hurler flashed some fine figures in April, picking up 1 win and no losses, 10 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 strikeouts and no walks. When he was on the mound, the opposition could only manage a .147 batting average.

SCA Rookie - Jimmie Dimmick is still a bit shy, but then, who could blame the newest South Charles Association Rookie of the Month honoree? He hasn't been around the league long enough to fully know the ropes yet, despite the fact that he's putting up veteran-like numbers.

In April the Southie hitter tagged opposing pitching for a .284 average with 19 hits, 4 home runs and 11 RBIs.

NEBL Analysis

The NEBL functions as the place where veterans go to hang on to baseball, try to make it back to the CBO, and sometimes dominate the league. Fans of the NEBL have flocked to see some of their favorites from the CBO play into their 30s, so to speak. This season, several 30+ players are giving the fans' a lot of worth for their caps.

Right now, only one division, the Maine Division, has a solo leader: Everett. The other divisions all have a tie:
Vershire - Greenfield and Marlborough
Mass - Plymouth, Fall River, and Brookline
Connri - Needham and Foxborough



NEBL Players of the Month

PL Hitter - When Gorgeous George Davis stepped up to the plate in April he did it with confidence, and today he was honored with the Patriot League Batter of the Month award.

The young Lowell right fielder posted a .371 batting average with 6 home runs, 18 RBIs and scored 13 runs. Davis also worked pitchers for 4 walks to post a .405 on-base percentage.

YL Hitter - To Rick Pickle, age is just a number.

He may be 35 years old, but the Natick Big Leaguers right fielder proved in April that he's still got what it takes to compete at an elite level.

With a .409 average, 5 home runs, 14 RBIs, and 7 runs scored, Pickle had all the numbers that counted and has won the Yankee League Batter of the Month award.

PL Pitcher - The Patriot League scribes have selected April's Pitcher of the Month and have awarded the honor to Kurt Cats of Arlington. He was outstanding on the hill last month and has the numbers to prove it -- a 4-0 record.

The Caps star performer made 4 starts with a 1.36 ERA and surrendered 18 hits in 33 innings. He struck out 24 and walked 10.

YL Pitcher - In April Sandwich starter Lucas Frost confused hitters all month long. Last month's Yankee League Pitcher of the Month took home the trophy as he collected a 4-0 record in 5 starts.

The 25-year-old Frost added 25 strikeouts in 38.2 innings and 9 walks to his season record and compiled a 1.86 ERA. Other clubs hit .211 against him.

MML Analysis

The MML has been the jumping spot for some of the younger talent once they "get it." While some still move into AAA territory in the NEBL, many of the top young guns will jump from here straight to the CBO ranks. There are a few, like Sactuary Hill's (Lex) C Flew Elling Tamir, who could see that jump happen this season, especially when teams expand to 40.

All except one division currently has a solo leader. Division leaders are:
Boggs - Covenant
Murtagh - Revere Beach
Williams - Hyde Park and Brockton
Yastrzemski - Mayoral Shelter



MML Players of the Month

LL Hitter - For a rookie just breaking in, Honest Pierce certainly put together a successful month. It was good enough to win the LL Batter of the Month award for April.

The 21-year-old third baseman for the Marblehead Grenades hit .304 with 6 home runs, 18 RBIs and 12 runs scored.

SL Hitter - At only 19 years of age, Redeye Perez could very well have many more months like this last one during his career.

That would be great news for fans of the Newton Behemoths, as April was one to remember for the shortstop and he has captured the Stars League Batter of the Month award.

On the month he hit .325 with 7 home runs, 15 RBIs and 17 runs scored.

LL Pitcher - A standout performance in April earned Denvarius Baseline the Pitcher of the Month Award in the Legends League. When his name was penciled in to start by the Littleton skipper, it meant trouble for opposing teams. For the month the Ragers star racked up 4 wins and 1 loss.

In 36.1 innings of work, Baseline limited opposing batters to 25 base hits and a .198 batting average. He notched 25 strikeouts, issued 22 walks and had a 2.23 ERA.

SL Pitcher - There's something about a young rookie winning the Stars League Pitcher of the Month trophy that sends shock waves through the league. Such is the case with Andrew Seay, a 23-year-old starter for the Newton Behemoths.

In April, he topped off the month with a 4-0 mark and 2.41 ERA in 4 starts, tossed 33.2 innings, fanned 23 and held opposing teams to a .161 average.

BMU Analysis

The BMU is built for the college selections who are not ready to compete for a CBO shot. While some 18 and 19 year olds play here, many are in the 20-25 range. Some of these players may find themselves on a CBO roster sooner than later, like Union Hope's (SI) SP Catty Catton and his 0.79 ERA.

There are three solo division leaders and one tie at the 16-game mark:
Dark Hollow Pond - Parsons Asylum
Cambridge - Union Hope and Walden Pond
Downtown Boston - DB Tech
Glowing Sea - Westing Estate



BMU Players of the Month

CA Hitter - Big Dipper Grzenkowicz may be much younger than other hitters in the Commonwealth Association, but he performed like a seasoned veteran in April to win the Batter of the Month award.

The 20-year-old Kingsport second baseman hit .333 with 5 home runs, 15 RBIs and 18 runs scored.

MA Hitter - Greater Mass Vans fans believe they've got a talented young star in Broke Lawyer.

He did nothing to dissuade that notion in April, as he hit .453 with 4 home runs, 7 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

The end result was the center fielder being named the Massachusetts Association Batter of the Month.

CA Pitcher - In April Union Hope starter Catty Catton mystified Commonwealth Association hitters and carried off the Pitcher of the Month honors by chalking up a 4-0 record in 4 starts.

The 21-year-old Catton added 19 strikeouts in 34.1 innings and 6 walks to his season record and compiled a 0.79 ERA. Opposing batters hit .184 against him.

MA Starter - Dan Nippard of the Nuclear Physicists bewildered opposing batters in April and was honored as the Massachusetts Association Pitcher of the Month earlier today.

The DB Tech starter sparkled last month with a 3-0 record and 1.42 ERA. He made 3 starts, tossed 25.1 innings and had 16 strikeouts.

GBRL Analysis

Ah, the youngsters fresh out of the CYL, and a few college players 22 or under. The GBRL is for the "rookies," the players with talent but not yet showing those skills at a major league level. The GBRL is full of potential talent looking to show off what they have, probably for a jump to AA (MML) or A (BMU) later in the season or next. One such player is Beantown's (Egr) SP Mike Searocker. The 4th-overall selection in the 2315 Draft, Searocker is already 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four starts and has struck out 47 in 27.0 innings of work. Egret may need him sooner than later!

Division leaders in the GBRL through 16 games are Brunswick (Northeast), Switchboard (Northwest), Cumberland (Southeast), and Norwalk (Southwest).



GBRL Players of the Month

NL Hitter - Brunswick Brainiacs fans may just have witnessed a star player blossoming before their eyes in April.

O.B. Jackson put up a remarkable month at the age of 20 and has been named the North League Batter of the Month.

For the month, Jackson hit .465 with 9 home runs, 17 RBIs and 15 runs scored.

SL Hitter - It's perhaps an award he'll win many more times through his career, as at age 20 Slim Enchtull has a lot of baseball ahead of him.

But for now the young Norwalk Pickpockets star can enjoy the numbers he put up in April, which have garnered him the nod as the South League Batter of the Month.

His breakout month featured a .486 average with 7 home runs, 15 RBIs and 13 runs scored.

NL Pitcher - Devon Cobbs hasn't been around long enough to know that youngsters shouldn't be winning North League Pitcher of the Month. But when you put up numbers like his, you're going to get some notice.

In April the Brattleboro starter earned a 3-0 mark in 4 starts. He threw 28.1 innings, struck out 30 and compiled a solid 1.27 ERA.

SL Pitcher - A 3-0 record with a 1.23 ERA is a good month for most any pitcher. The South League thought it was worthy of an award and named Quinlan Farley, starter for the Waterbury Cola Kings, April's Pitcher of the Month.

He also held the opposition to a .126 average while posting 31 strikeouts in 29.1 innings.

[StLee]

BNN Report

News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

1 May 2316

The May 1 Super Post, Part 2

CCBL Analysis

As the 2316 CCBL regular season winds down, there is still a lot of excitement heading into the final 12 games of the season. At this time, no team has yet to clinch one of the 24 playoff spots, but there are plenty of teams in good shape.

Here is the Top 20:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Sturbridge Mighty Men (147.0, +)
2) Commonwealth University Terriers (137.2, -)
3) Northeastern Huskies (125.3, ++)
4) Greenfield College Greenies (125.1, +)
5) Quincy College Masons (124.4, -)
6) Mass Maritime Buccaneers (124.1, +)
7) Yale Bulldogs (122.8, --)
8) Winthrop College Guardians (119.3, o)
9) Assumption Greyhounds (116.3, +)
10) UMass Minutemen (114.3, --)
11) Acadia College Minks (112.7, ++)
12) ECSU Warriors (110.9, ++)
13) New Hampshire Wildcats (110.7, ++)
14) Revere College Riders (109.9, ++)
15) Tufts University Jumbos (109.9, ++)
16) Providence College Friars (109.5, --)
17) Nahant Marine Institute Aquas (108.9, ++)
18) Dartmouth Big Green (108.6, ++)
19) Cape Cod University Sharks (107.9, --)
20) College of the Atlantic Black Flies (107.9, -)

At 36-12, Strubridge University is the top team in the CCBL and lead the Mid-Commonwealth Conference by 10 games, giving the Mighty Men a Magic # of 3. Other conference leaders are:

BCAC - Commonwealth
MassCon - Greenfield College
NoComm - Acadia College and New Hampshire
SoComm - Yale
Atlantic Sound - Mass Maritime





CCBL Players of the Month

Hitter - Even though he is a newcomer to Commonwealth Collegiate Baseball League, Axe Dillworth put up some good numbers in April and earned the CCBL Batter of the Month award.

He was one of Yale's offensive leaders with a .514 average in 25 games. He also racked up 9 home runs, 25 RBIs, and 30 runs scored.

So far this season, Dillworth is batting .426 with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs and 43 runs scored. He has 80 hits in 188 at-bats, 20 walks and a .478 OBP. Dillworth has played in 45 games.

Pitcher - It was a monstrous April for the Commonwealth Collegiate Baseball League Pitcher of the Month award winner, Brandon Sparrow of the Commonwealth University Terriers. He put up some mighty scary numbers.

Sparrow recorded 8 wins and no losses in 9 starts. Throwing a total of 66 innings, he yielded 47 hits, mowed down 69 on strikes, gave up 13 walks and put up a solid ERA of 1.23 in a stellar month on the mound.

To date this year, Sparrow has compiled a 11-0 mark with a 0.93 ERA in 12 starts.

CYL Analysis

There are eight games left in the regular season, and there are zero of the 32 playoffs spots filled. In all fairness, two teams, Lexington and Chicopee, have a Magic # of 1 to clinch a spot. They are each the best team in their region.

Division leaders are:
NR Franklin - Needham
NR Emerson - Marblehead
NR Fuller - Lexington
NR Revere - Boston Common
NR DuBois - Newburyport
NR Longfellow - Far Harbor
SR Adams - Coventry
SR Alcott - Jamaica Plain
SR Morse - Plymouth
SR Attucks - Harwich
SR Hancock - Old Lyme
SR Bradberton - Chicopee




CYL Players of the Month

NR Hitter - Cam Hall made his presence known as one of the best young stars in the North Region this past month.

The Lynn Pier Gamers left fielder shined through the month of April and has won the Batter of the Month award.

The 15-year-old hit .550 with 17 home runs, 47 RBIs and 38 runs scored.

On the year, Hall is hitting .482 with 67 hits, 22 home runs, 63 RBIs, .615 OBP and has scored 60 runs.

SR Hitter - Skipper Beach has a lot going for him. The Nauset Beach third baseman just broke into the majors this year and now the South Region has just picked him as its top hitter for April.

In 24 games last month this outstanding rookie batted .535 with 19 home runs, 45 RBIs and 39 runs scored.

For the season, Beach is batting .467 with 78 hits and 24 home runs. He has scored 56 times and batted in 59.

NR Pitcher - Last month's cream of the crop on the mound was Coke Nut Silivan of the Newburyport Cubs. He captured the North Region Pitcher of the Month award for his outstanding performance in April.

Silivan started 8 games, threw 59.1 innings, yielded 75 hits and logged a 6-0 record. He put down 75 batters on strikes, walked 6 and compiled a 3.49 ERA. Opposing teams batted .302 against him.

Silivan has made 12 starts, tossed 94.1 innings, struck out 105 batters and walked 7. His record is 9-0 with a 2.58 ERA and he has limited other teams to a .274 batting average.

SR Pitcher - When Sheridon Carr takes the mound, a West Quincy victory is usually the result. That was the case in April.

That's why he was voted the South Region Pitcher of the Month.

Carr throttled league hitters the whole month with an impressive 5-2 mark and 3.61 ERA in 7 starts. The Atomatoys star hurler also rung up 40 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.

For the season, Carr has compiled a 7-3 record with a 2.97 ERA.

[StLee]

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Nuka News Update

Reporting on the NWL and APL

by Evan Guy

1 May 2316

NWL Picks: Victory, Orange

The 2316 season is upon us! PAM has predicted that the Victory Cave Crickets and Orange Tourists will win their respective divisions and meet in the Nuka Series.

Last season, Cherry defeated Grape in six games in the Nuka Series and then went on to defeat the Far Harbor Ghoul Whales of the Vim! League to win the Season Pass Association Series in six games. The Cave Crickets finished tied for 3rd place, and the Tourists finished in second place.

PAM has Victory taking the North Bradberton Division by five games over Quantum and finishing at 49-41. Also, Orange is expected to finish at 49-41, edging both the Ghoulrillas and Dark by two games in what is expected to be a tight South Bradberton Division.



For top hitter picks, PAM predicts that the Tourists' 1B Yorkie Tallsky will come out on top. Other contenders are Cherry's Genius Jerry Kordic, Tick Garrett, Swamp Dantin, and Everlast Barron, and Victory's A-Train Gilmore. Dantin was the winner of last season's Nuka King Award.

Top pitcher picks start with a pair of Ghoulrillas in Fick Aragvsky and Chris Montgomery. Other contenders include the Nukalurks' Shady Sand and Tumble Viera, Grape's Kory DiLeva, and Wild's Blasphemy Perez. Quartz's Chris Yao won the Nuka Cannon Award last season. Montgomery won it in 2314.

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Vim! View

News of the Vim! League and Its Affiliates

by Jimmy Gresham

1 May 2316

Vim! League Predicted to Have the Best Season Ever!

You know who is super duper extra wextra excited about the upcoming 2316 Vim! League season, the 16th season of the league? Me!!! Do you know why? Because this will be the best Vim! League season ever, far none!

Last season was the best before and things were super competitive in the Vim! Series. In the end, the Far Harbor Ghoul Whales won it all, defeating the Dalton Farm Fog Crawlers, 4 games to 3. Unfortunately, the Gwhales lost in the Season Pass Association Series to Cherry of the Nuka World League.

This season, PAM has a surprise pick to be the Vim! League's best: the Cranberry Island Hermit Crabs. The Crabs are the only team in the league that has not been to a Vim! Series nor won a championship. At the beginning of the Vim! League, there were two other teams: the Brooke's Head Behemoths and Rayburn Point Patcheyes. Neither won a championship, but both played in the Vim! Series. The Behemoths were in the first one in 2301, losing to Far Harbor, 4-0. The Patcheyes lost to the Crawlers in 2303, 4 games to 2. Both teams were dissolved in 2304 and became Mount Desert Island League affiliates of the teams that defeated them in the ViM! Series.

PAM also picked Dalton Farm to repeat as champions in the Fog Division. In 2315, their division title was their first since 2308. The Crawlers last won a title in 2306, the last of four-straight titles. Dalton Farm is tied with the Gwhales for most Vim! Series appearances (7) and leads in the most championships (4). Echo Lake is second with three titles.



In the race for the Vim! MVP, won last season by Dalton Farm's Toppie Gunn (4th), PAM picks two Far Harbor players to battle at the top. 1B Mader Sierra and 3B Hazmatt Zuniga are the top hitters predicted, while the Crabs' 1B Bobba Fette, Eden Meadows' 1B Geecee Metal, and Acadian's Tuppy Ayon are expected to compete. Zuniga won the award in back-to-back seasons in 2313 and 2314. Fette won the Vim! MVP in 2312.

The Vim! Top Arm also has a Ghoul Whale at the top, so why are they not the picks to repeat a title? In any case, the expected 2316 winner is the Gwhales' Kap Kooke. Other contenders include the Crawlers' Steady Mike Holmes and Phil Cecil, National Park's Darma Mollema, and the Acadians' Wearya Going. Cecil won the award last season, his second. Going won it in 2314, Holmes won it in 2313, and Kooke won it in 2312.