Fallout 4's Commonwealth Baseball Organization

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

17 June 2298 - Quickwalker Shines in 11-6 Vault 81 Win

Deer Quickwalker left his imprint on the 11-6 Vault 81 win against the Egret Ninjas. Quickwalker, who is tied for 6th in the SCA in hits with 78, went 4 for 5 with a home run, a triple, and 2 doubles. He scored 4 times and drove in 3. Josh Mustang picked up the win with 8 innings of work. He allowed 4 runs on 6 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 9. On the season, he is now 4-7. The Dwellers sport a record of 21-32.

Quickwalker had a key at-bat for Vault 81 early in the game. With runners on 1st and 2nd, he hit a 3-run home run. It was his 17th home run of the season and gave Vault 81 an early 3-0 lead.

"It feels good to get this one," Quickwalker told the Vault 81 Chronicle.

17 June 2298 - Goodneightbor, Warwick Split Doubleheader

Game One: Hancocks Need Extra Innings to Top Mirelurks, 4-3
The rain could not keep the home crowd from enjoying a good ballgame.

Goodneighbor rode a decent outing from starter John Oldsink to victory over the Warwick Mirelurks. The final score was 4-3. Goodneighbor goes to 38-14. The win puts them 8 games up in their division.

The clutch at-bat came in the bottom of the tenth inning, when Goodneighbor catcher Stephen Brewster, facing Pem Pollack, had a run-scoring hit-by-pitch. It gave the Hancocks the 4-3 win.

"It was a good effort all around," said Brewster.

Game Two: Mirelurks Upend Hancocks, 7-6

The Warwick Mirelurks beat the Goodneighbor Hancocks by a score of 7-6. left fielder Joe "Whiskey" Hagen deserved the lion's share of the credit. Hagen was 2 for 3 with a double and 2 walks for the Mirelurks. After today's action, Warwick sits at 26-27; Goodneighbor slips to 38-15.

It could have been a different outcome for Warwick, had it not been for Tutton Gatekeeper, the 20-year old third baseman . Gatekeeper contributed a run-scoring single in the top of the ninth inning to put Warwick up, 7-6.

"It was a solid team effort," said Gatekeeper after the game.

17 June 2298 - Adamantium Lose By a Run at Fort Hagen, 4-3

The Fort Hagen Silver Shroud had to overcome a big game from Abernathy left fielder Po Greenzone to leave Hubris Comics Park with a victory. And they did, winning 4-3. Greenzone was 2 for 2 with a home run and 3 walks, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. Brent Hooker picked up the win, improving his season record to 10-4. He struck out 6 in 7.2 innings. With the win, Fort Hagen pushed its record to 27-26.

Jim Tiller dealt the Adamantium a blow in the bottom of the fifth. Batting with a runner on 2nd and Fort Hagen leading 3-1, Tiller, who is tied for 4th in the NCA in hits with 88, hit a 1-0 changeup for a run-scoring single.

"We won," Tiller told assembled media after the game. "I guess that's all that really matters."

17 June 2298 - Party Boys Score Late, Top Witch Hats, 7-4

Getting a good performance from right fielder Tomas Jones, the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys defeated the Salem Witch Hats, 7-4. Jones went 2-4 with a home run, a double, and a walk. He drove in 3 runs and scored once for the Party Boys. Nordhagen Beach pitcher Jason Vaultick got the win, upping his record to 1-1. Dan Beantown got the loss. Night Demon Archacki earned the save, his 11th, for the Party Boys.

Nordhagen Beach used the timely hitting of Matilde Moody to capture the win. The pinch hitter socked a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to put the Party Boys ahead, 5-4. It was his only hit in 1 at-bat, but it was a big one. Nordhagen Beach went on to score two more runs in the last inning for the final score.

"It's nice to come out on top today," said Moody.

With the win, Nordhagen Beach upped its record to 34-19.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

18 June 2298 - Salem Trades Breakball for Oberland's Kazar, Dogleash

The Salem Witch Hats have finalized a deal with the Oberland T-51s for the services of 20-year-old C Cozy Kazar and 18-year-old minor league CF Andy Dogleash. In exchange, the T-51s will receive 30-year-old RHP Matt Breakball.

Breakball has taken the mound for 16 relief appearances this season, nailing down no saves while notching a 2-1 record with a 3.12 ERA. The reliever has limited opposing batters to a .235 batting average.

This year Kazar is batting .194 with 18 hits, 2 home runs, 10 RBIs, 21 walks, .353 OBP and has scored 12 runs. Dogleash has batted .257 with 5 home runs and 29 RBI.

18 June 2298 - Hipp Has Punctured Thigh

Fiddler's Green T-60s (Oberland) reliever Jim Hipp was injured in an off-field accident when a rail gun test went wrong.

A settler, Bart Compson, at Fiddler's Green Trailer Estate recently acquired a rail gun from an unknown weapons seller. He wanted to try the gun out and an audience gathered to see if the rail gun could slice a tree in two as the seller claimed. Compson did indeed shred the tree, but one of the rail spikes ricocheted off the tree, and making a bloatfly line right at Hipp's thigh.

Due to the noise of the rail gun, witnesses did not realize at first that Hipp was screaming in pain from the accident. He was rushed to the med clinic and a vertibird was ordered to take Hipp to the Greater Mass Blood Clinic at Fort Hagen, the closest hospital in the area.

Hipp has pitched sparingly in 2298 with the T-60s after starting 13 games in 2297. In five appearances as a reliever this season, Hipp has allowed five earned runs on eight hits with five walks, and 14 strikeouts in 13.0 innings for a 3.46 ERA.

18 June 2298 - Big Day for Nukes as Chemists Down Radstags, 10-6

The Sunshine Tidings Chemists defeated the Concord Radstags, 10-6. Doing his part was left fielder Amari Nukes, who was 3-5 with a home run and a double. He drove in 5 runs and scored once. The Chemists sport a record of 22-32.

It could have been a different outcome for Sunshine Tidings, had it not been for Brightsun Ramos, the top prospect . Ramos contributed a run-scoring single in the top of the sixth inning to put Sunshine Tidings up, 6-3.

"It was a nice win for our side today," said Chemists manager Cozy Burmaster. "Not perfect, but we'll take it."

Nukes ran his consecutive-game hitting streak to 31 games with 3 hits in his club's victory today.

"I don't really know why it's even happening," he said with a grin after the game. "So asking me how long I can keep it up is kind of irrelevant. It'll end when it ends."

Amari Nukes struck out in the 1st, flied out in the 3rd, hit a two-run home run off Mario Bustos in the 5th, hit a three-run double in the 6th and singled in the 8th.

This year Nukes is hitting .411, produced 49 RBIs and 12 home runs, scored 37 times and gotten on base at a .426 rate.

18 June 2298 - Honeycutt Hits 2 home runs in Four Leafs Win

Finch Farm left fielder Danny Honeycutt was a significant contributor in his team's 9-6 triumph over the County Crossing Bloodbugs. He went 3 for 4 with 2 home runs and a walk for Finch Farm. Chris Farmman, now 2-0, was credited with the win. He allowed 1 run on 3 hits, while striking out 2 and walking 0. The save went to Steve Warwar, number 12 for him.

With no one out in the bottom of the seventh, Dustin Daylight had a game-changing hit. The Four Leafs catcher slammed a run-scoring single off Boss Gentleman, making the score 7-6, Finch Farm.

"It was a solid team effort," said Honeycutt after the game.

Finch Farm is 4th in the North Charles Association Brotherhood League with a record of 25-29.

18 June 2298 - Gunners Lose to Deathclaws in Walk Off

The University Point Deathclaws weathered a fine game by Quincy right fielder David Driftwood to upend the Gunners, 6-5, at Gwinnett Brewery Park. Driftwood went 2 for 4 with a home run, a double, and a walk, while scoring 2 times and driving in 3. Reliever Marc Pondsip picked up the win. His record improves to 4-2. Wick Prater took the loss. The victory gives University Point a record of 32-22.

In the bottom of the tenth, Jason Harris had a chance to deal the knockout blow. And he did, punching a run-scoring sacrifice fly to center off Quincy pitcher Wick Prater.

"Winning in the last at-bat, there's nothing else like it," said Harris.

18 June 2298 - Yao Guai Beat Diamond City, 4-3, Tie for 2nd

The FHE Yao Guai picked up a win at BosCom Circle, taking down the Diamond City Swatters, 4-3. Starting pitcher Bow Rome was a big reason why. FHE pitcher Bus Paula got the win, upping his record to 3-2. Burt Oldshoe got the loss. The save went to Dave Crowfoot, his 13th this season.

Had Jon Hitman not delivered a key base hit in the bottom of the eighth, the outcome might have been different. Instead, with two down and a runner on 2nd, Hitman hit a run-scoring single. That made the score 4-3, in favor of the Yao Guai.

"I was a little disappointed," said Diamond City manager Bucky Bachelor. "We could've and should've scored more runs."

FHE has 3 straight wins, Diamond City 3 straight losses.

18 June 2298 - Witch Hats Double Up Nordhagen Beach, 6-3

The Salem Witch Hats stopped the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys, 6-3, at Vim! Park of Salem. The Witch Hats got a big game from Tyler Spronk, who was 3-4 with 2 home runs. Terrence Artman picked up the win, improving his season record to 5-7. He struck out 11 in 8.2 innings. Dan Beantown earned the save for Salem, his 15th of the year.

The Witch Hats got an important contribution from center fielder Mike Castillo, who in the bottom of the third hit a 1-0 curveball into left for a 2-run home run. It was his 10th home run of the season and put the Witch Hats ahead, 3-0.

"Enjoyed this one," Spronk told the Salem Times. "But it's back to work tomorrow."

The Witch Hats are now 23-31, while the Party Boys fall to 34-20.

18 June 2298 - Silver Shroud Rebuff Adamantium, 3-1

Fort Hagen Silver Shroud starter Joey Dimes turned in an exceptional performance against the Abernathy Adamantium at Hubris Comics Park, resulting in a Fort Hagen win, 3-1. Dimes, the winner, moves to 6-7. He threw 7.2 innings of 4-hit ball, while fanning 8 and giving up 4 walks. With the win, Fort Hagen pushed its record to 28-26.

Fort Hagen took a 3-0 lead on Sam Noob's 14th double of the season. The 2-run double, which Noob hit in the bottom of the seventh, left Abernathy pitcher Jason Worry visibly frustrated.

Noob told a Fort Hagen Bulletin reporter that he was "gratified" with the win.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

19 June 2298 - FHE Trades Wilkins for Goodneighbor's Rathmann

It came down to the last hour of a self-imposed trade deadline, but the FHE Yao Guai and Goodneighbor Hancocks finally came to an agreement on a trade that had been rumored for weeks. The trade sends FHE's 33-year-old RHP Mayday Wilkins to Goodneighbor in a swap for 19-year-old minor league RF Joe Rathmann and 19-year-old minor league 3B Danny Vertibird.

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.

Wilkins has taken the mound for 12 relief appearances this season, nailing down 1 save while notching a 1-0 record with a 7.11 ERA. The reliever has limited opposing batters to a .364 batting average.

In his 2298 season totals, Rathmann has no home runs, .375 BA, .375 OBP, 0 RBIs and 3 runs scored.

19 June 2298 - Gunsmith Suspended, Out 2 Games

The league commissioner's office has notified the Starlight Lady Killers that second baseman Justin Gunsmith has been given a 2-game suspension for his involvement in an incident with the home plate umpire in yesterday's Starlight-Lexington game at Valentine Detective Agency Field. After being called out on a pitch that he deemed a ball, Gunsmith aggressively expressed his displeasure and was promptly ejected from the game.

In the league suspension notice, it stated that he was suspended for making an obscene gesture toward the umpires prior to entering the dugout. The league said that type of behavior would not be tolerated.

Gunsmith and the Lady Killers were unavailable for comment.

This season Gunsmith is batting .266 with 25 hits and no home runs. He has scored 7 times and has 8 runs batted in.

19 June 2298 - Mirelurks Win at Goodneighbor, 8-5

Warwick and Goodneighbor duked it out and the Mirelurks came out victorious.

The Warwick Mirelurks overcame a good performance by Goodneighbor second baseman Jumper Hayes to knock off Goodneighbor, 8-5, at Third Rail Stadium at S. Boston HS. Hayes was 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. He scored 2 times and drove in 3. With the win, Warwick pushed its record to 28-27.

Tutton Gatekeeper, who is on pace for 96 RBI this season, contributed to the Warwick win with a run-scoring ground out in the top of the third. For the game, the third baseman had 2 hits in 4 at-bats with 1 home run, 1 single, 1 run scored, and 4 runs batted in.

"We took advantage of our opportunities," Gatekeeper told the Warwick Daily. "It's as simple as that."

19 June 2298 - Metalbox Leads Assaultrons to 13-4 Win Over Ghouls

The Easy Town Assaultrons trumped the The Slog Ghouls, 13-4, at Easy Town Field. Easy Town left fielder Jarrett Metalbox was terrific. He went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. He scored 3 runs and drove in 2. Easy Town pitcher Angel Waterdrink got the win, upping his record to 8-5. Dan Dozier got the loss. The victory gives Easy Town a record of 31-24.

Sean Samuels hit a 2-run double off Dan Dozier in the bottom of the sixth, which put the Assaultrons in front, 5-4. In addition to the double, Samuels had 2 singles, while going 3 for 5.

"Enjoyed this one," Metalbox told the Easy Town Chronicle. "But it's back to work tomorrow."

19 June 2298 - Fusion Now 6-1 After Subduing Yao Guai

Diamond City and FHE played a hard-fought contest.

Diamond City Swatters starter Tim Fusion pitched his team past the FHE Yao Guai, 3-2. Diamond City is now 26-29. FHE is 25-30.

The Yao Guai had little chance against Fusion, who overpowered FHE hitters and struck out 11.

"We put some tough at-bats on some tough pitches," said Diamond City manager Bucky Bachelor.

19 June 2298 - Treestump Delivers Walk-Off Win for Witch Hats

Salem Witch Hats starter Roberto Gonzales was in a rhythm all game. He led his team to a win over the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys, 3-2. Gonzales went the distance for Salem. He gave up 2 runs on 10 hits. Salem's record now stands at 24-31, placing them 5th in the North Charles Association Brotherhood League.

Chris Treestump was the walk-off hero for Salem. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Witch Hats right fielder hit a dramatic solo home run off reliever Jason Vaultick to send the teams home.

Treestump said the team appreciates the support from the fans. "I'm glad we could reward them with a good win," he said after the game.

Nordhagen Beach entered the ninth trailing 2-0. Down to their final out with the bases loaded, Taboo Richardson hit a two-RBI single to score pinch runner Ryan Bale and pinch hitter C3-88 Puppetboy.

19 June 2298 - Abernathy Beats Fort Hagen, 2-1

In a low-scoring clash between Abernathy and Fort Hagen, pitcher Neil Watson was a difference-maker. The right-hander earned accolades in the 2-1 win. T-Bone Heagy closed the game out for Abernathy, earning his 14th save. Abernathy now has a record of 31-24 with the win.

Po Greenzone tagged a home run off All Day Acosta in the top of the sixth. His solo blast put the Adamantium on top, 2-1. In all, Greenzone had 1 single in addition to the home run, while going 2 for 4.

"Win or lose, we pick each other up in this clubhouse," Watson told the Abernathy Herald.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

20 June 2298 - BNN Top 100 Prospects List Updated

With the mid-season mark upon us, now is a great time to update the pre-season BNN Top 100 Prospect list with what we have learned to this point. This year 20-year-old RHP Digger Vadim of the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets is the #1 prospect overall.

Here is the top 10:
1) RHP Digger Vadim, 20, Jamaica Plain Red Rockets
2) LF Barker Cocoa, 19, University Point Deathclaws
3) 2B Chris Connexx, 17, Roxbury Knuckle Punchers
4) 1B Oren Gep, 20, Diamond City Swatters
5) CF Kurt Kilgore, 20, Egret Ninjas
6) LHP Whokill Poole, 18, Roxbury Knuckle Punchers
7) RHP Emperry Alizm, 19, Vault 81 Dwellers
8) RHP Mike Rubric, 20, Abernathy Adamantium
9) SS Jake Doucette, 20, Atom Cats
10) RHP Chris Deathclaw, 20, Finch Farm Four Leafs

20 June 2298 - BMU: Another Super Week for Outpost Zimonja's Garbageman!

It can be difficult for a young player to step out of the shadows and assert himself in the Commonwealth Association, but last week Steve Garbageman of the Outpost Zimonja Strongbacks reminded everyone just why he's here as he threw up numbers that made him an easy selection for Player of the Week. Garbageman rocked opposing pitching for a .565 average (13-for-23), no home runs and 11 RBIs to come away with the award.

This year Garbageman has collected a .450 batting average to date with 76 hits in 169 at-bats, 42 RBIs, 3 home runs and scored 32 times. He has played in 38 games.

20 June 2298 - BMU: MA Player of the Week Chosen

Steve Hon is respected by most Cabot House Rayguns fans for his no-frills style of play. The 30-year-old first baseman went about his business with vigor last week to grab the Massachusetts Association Player of the Week honors.

He compiled a .611 average (11-for-18) with 1 home run, 5 RBIs and 5 runs scored.

This season Hon is batting .385 with 62 hits, 3 home runs, 26 RBIs, .416 OBP and has scored 33 runs.

20 June 2298 - Big Bat Pays Off, Beebe Player of the Week

So far in his young career, Damani Beebe has kept a low profile, but after his performance at the plate last week, he attracted the notice of the rest of the North Charles Association in a big way as he was named the Player of the Week today for his efforts.

The 19-year-old Starlight Lady Killers right fielder hit at a torrid .556 clip as he collected 10 hits in 18 at-bats, 2 home runs, 4 RBIs and 5 runs scored.

For the season, Beebe is hitting at a .341 clip with 9 home runs, 20 RBIs and has scored 20 runs. He has 28 hits, 2 walks and a .360 on-base percentage.

20 June 2298 - SCA's #1 Player Named

Bloatfly Williams 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 Oberland right fielder wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers last week, pounding them for a .571 average (12-for-21) with 1 home run and 7 RBIs on his way to claiming the honor.

Currently Williams is hitting .365 and has collected 1 home run, 26 RBIs and scored 38 times, while playing in 55 games.

[StLee]

Analysis

We have now surpassed the halfway point of the season as all teams have completed 55 of their 108 games. Now, we think we know what we have in the CBO as a few teams have set the pace for the season while other teams have their ups and downs while trying to get into playoff position.

Weekly Team Power Rankings: Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Oberland T-51s (140.5, o)
2) Goodneighbor Hancocks (119.4, o)
3) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (109.3, o)
4) Starlight Lady Killers (106.5, o)
5) University Point Deathclaws (105.7, +1)
6) Easy Town Assaultrons (103.5, ++3)
7) Quincy Gunners (101.2, +1)
8) The Slog Ghouls (98.9, -1)
9) Abernathy Adamantium (98.5, --4)
10) Warwick Mirelurks (96.6, +2)
11) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (90.6, -1)
12) Lexington Synths (89.4, +1)
13) Diamond City Swatters (88.1, -2)
14) Egret Ninjas (87.1, ++3)
15) Finch Farm Four Leafs (86.1, +1)
16) Concord Radstags (83.5, ++3)
17) FHE Yao Guai (82.8, -2)
18) Salem Witch Hats (80.5, o)
19) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (75.1, --5)
20) Atom Cats (71.5, ++3)
21) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (67.0, -1)
22) County Crossing Bloodbugs (66.3, -1)
23) Vault 81 Dwellers (60.7, -1)
24) Roxbury Knuckle Punchers (49.4, o)

Brotherhood League

After Friday's loss, Easy Town no longer had sole possession of 2nd place. However, the Assaultrons rebounded in the next two games, taking the series over The Slog to again take control for the wildcard spot and get an important series win. It does not mean the Assaultrons will hold on to the spot to the defending league champions. As we pointed out, Easy Town has benefited from close-game wins more than any other team. That is still true as Easy Town (11-3) is tied for first in the CBO in one-run wins while only trailing Oberland (8-2) in one-run losses.

The Slog stayed hot in 2297, but they are looking more like the 2296 team that won it all. Although the offense (10th in runs scored with 263) still has not been anywhere near what it was in the past two seasons, the pitching (tied for 2nd with 249 runs) is formidable. The starting combination of Edwin Mass (4-5, 3.35), David Kiwi (5-7, 3.76), and Jason Woods (9-4, 3.38) is not getting enough run support to win routinely, but they help The Slog hold the second-best ERA for starters in the North Charles Association (3.92).

Nordhagen Beach has been consistent as a first place team despite dropping their series to Salem. By being 3rd in the NCA in runs (292) and 1st in runs allowed (225), they are expected to win two out of every three. One thing that has been disturbing about the offense is that they do not tend to do well the first two times through the lineup, depending on late runs in too many games. That can be seen in the overall record of second and third starters Chet Arthur (5-7, 3.36) and Julian Shed (5-6, 3.14) despite having good ERAs. The Party Boys have the best starters ERA with a 3.59 mark.

Institute League

Remember when the Starlight Lady Killers were way up in this league in 2297 before plummeting? Well, they had better not. The Lady Killers have surged into a first-place tie at the halfway point of the season. They were in first place at midseason last year, too, before ultimately falling to 4th place. This season, the offense has been waking up after a torrid start. With the trade for Damani Beebe (.341/9/20), the Lady Killers look to have a dangerous and powerful lineup, especially for their right-handed batters. Leadoff hitter Hubris McBride (.220/11/27) is not getting as many hits as they need, but he does lead the team in homers by using the home screen to his advantage.

While it has been noted that Fort Hagen has had the biggest drop so far, Abernathy is actually the second coldest team in the NCA. The Adamantium have been 3-7 in their last 10 and barely escaped being swept by the Silver Shroud with a 2-1 victory on Sunday. Brad Westing (8-4, 3.91) has been solid, but the Adamantium may want to consider a trade for another top starter to stay in the playoff race, especially with Lexington still sticking around at only four games back.

The Shroud got the series win they needed over Abernathy, but they have to find the momentum they had early in the season. They have fallen to 11th in runs scored (256), which is a big contributor in their drop. They just cannot convert hits (2nd in batting average at .298) to runs. Should they learn how to string together hits, they will see their win totals increase in the second half of the season.

Minutemen League

After taking the first game of a canceled game, Goodneighbor lost the next three in the home series versus Warwick, marking their longest losing streak of the season. After splitting with Oberland, it is not a time to panic for the Hancocks, but they did lose ground to the T-51s. They probably are more concerned with holding off University Point and Quincy on the season, but losing three to the 4th place team is not a sign of anything.

On the other end of the sweep, the Mirelurks have now surpassed Jamaica Plain for 4th place and stand just two back of Quincy and four back of University Point. Warwick missed the playoffs last season, but they were in the race the whole way and won the league two years ago. They are not a team to take for granted.

Railroad League

Oberland went 3-2 this week, which is equivalent to a losing week for them. It's not as bad as their 1-4 week two weeks ago, but they seem to expect at least one sweep a week. Roxbury was having none of it in Game Three, taking it 6-4, dropping the T-51s league lead to only 16 games. For perspective, Goodneighbor has an 18-win lead over last place Atom in the ML, which is the biggest gap between two league teams. The T-51s are 16 up on the two second place teams in their league! Their magic number is a low 38 with 53 to play. Expect that in no later than mid-August.

With the Knuckle Punchers and Dwellers expected to be pretenders at best in the RL wildcard race, the jumble of Egret (26-29), Diamond City (26-29), and FHE (25-30). What gives each team an edge? For the Ninjas, Paladin Danse was the CBO MVP two years ago. This season he has MVP-like numbers (.315/13/50) and the team leads the CBO in home runs (82) with five guys with 10 or more homers and two more guys,Bill Chaney (9) and Dustin Bowfiddle (7) on their way. Diamond City has the MVP leader, which would mark the MVP coming out of the RL for the third straight season, in Wayne Lacy (.374/22/60). Wally Warwick (.314/9/42) and Jeffrey Curatolo (.279/13/42) have to help a team that have little hittig outside their big three. The Yao Guai have the benefit of better pitching than the other two teams, including Bow Rome (3-6, 4.35), Sage Monticello (5-3, 3.90), and Papa Bush (7-4, 4.80).

[StLee]

Oops. I forgot the BMU had Monday games two weeks in a row because of it being All-Star Week



Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

20 June 2298 - Hitting Streak Still Alive for Burgess

Howie Burgess collected 1 hit in today's game and extended his hitting streak to 20 games. His club, the C.I.T. Ruins Refractors, beat the Breakheart Banks Behemoths 6-4.

"Right now, when they throw me the ball, it looks the size of a softball," Burgess quipped to a BNN reporter after the game. "I'm excited about how things are clicking."

Howie Burgess grounded out in the 1st, grounded out in the 3rd, grounded out in the 5th, singled in the 8th, walked in the 10th and walked in the 11th.

So far this season Burgess is hitting .306 with 2 home runs.

20 June 2298 - Natick Banks Roughed Up By Commandos

Led by Hunter Wilde, the Haymarket Mall Commandos defeated the Natick Banks Big Leaguers, 8-0. Wilde went 3 for 4 with 2 home runs and a double, while scoring 3 times and driving in 6 for the Commandos. The victory gives Haymarket Mall a record of 27-12.

In the top of the first of a scoreless game, Wilde hit a 3-run home run to put his team ahead.

Wilde said his team "played with determination."

Aldo Sanch (9-1) earned the victory by allowing no runs on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts in 8.0 innings. Batface Landry pitched a scoreless ninth.

20 June 2298 - Snipers Deal Aquaboys 10-3 Loss

Mike Oldtimer was a major contributor to the 10-3 Trinity Plaza win over Eastlake. The Snipers third baseman threw 8 innings allowing 3 runs. Trinity Plaza now has a record of 24-15 with the win.

Who knows how it might've ended, had it not been for Splotch Pollock? The Trinity Plaza catcher had a 2-run double in the top of the first inning to put the Snipers on top, 3-0. For the game, Pollock had 1 double and 1 single in 4 at-bats.

"One win at a time, one game at a time. We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves," Pollock told the Trinity Plaza Times.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

The View from the BMU

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

21 June 2298 – Eastlake

On certain Tuesdays for the 2297 and 2298 seasons, we will feature one of the settlements where teams in the Boston Minor Union play.

In our fifteenth trip around the BMU, we will go to the location of a stopover location and the least populated established settlement in the Commonwealth, the defensive outpost of Eastlake.


Electrical Hobbyist's Club, now known as the Eastlake Outpost

Not on the Map

Eastlake, a small settlement outpost controlled by the Brotherhood of Steel just east of Lake Cochituate, is not a recognized map point because it was recently established as a defensive outpost to prevent creatures from congregating and causing damage to caravans and travelers moving from the west banks of the Charles River to other locations around the lake and south near the Glowing Sea.


Brotherhood of Steel patrol unit in full power armor

The central outpost is located at the former Electrical Hobbyist's Club. Eastlake is directly between Mass Pike Interchange and Vault 95 on its north-south axis. It is also across Lake Cochituate from Natick Banks and due west of the WRVR Station, which is across the Charles River from Egret Tours Marina.


Lake Cochituate

According to a terminal, Lake Cochituate is "a relatively large lake with a few locations on its shoreline, such as the Poseidon reservoir to the northwest, Natick Banks including its police department to the west, an unmarked pre-War military checkpoint to the southwest and the Mass Fusion disposal site to the southeast."


Eastlake Outpost, centered around the Electrical Hobbyist's Club building.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

21 June 2298 - BMU: Snipers Lose to Aquaboys in Walk Off

The Eastlake Aquaboys overcame a fine performance by Trinity Plaza first baseman Matt Brahmin to defeat the Snipers, 9-8, in 11 innings at The Outpost. Brahmin was 3 for 3 with a double, 2 singles, a walk, and was hit by a pitch, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. Eastlake now owns a record of 19-21.

The Aquaboys procured the win, in large part because of second baseman Richman Harris. In the bottom of the 11th, he produced the game-winning run-scoring single.

Harris called the triumph "a good team win."

21 June 2298 - Sentry Bots Need Extra Innings to Top Action Boys, 9-7

Fans who congregated at Shamrock Taphouse Stadium of the Square were treated to extra-inning drama.

The timely hitting of Man Chee helped the Somerville Place Sentry Bots down the Postal Square Action Boys, 9-7. Chee was 4-5 with a home run, 3 singles, and a walk, while scoring 2 times and driving in 3 for the Sentry Bots. The save went to Mike Hove, his 8th this season.

Somerville Place used the timely hitting of Ben Fallon to seize the win. The left fielder stroked a run-scoring single in the top of the tenth inning to put the Sentry Bots on top, 8-7. It was his only hit in 3 at-bats, but it was a game-changer.

"Big win," said Fallon.

The win elevated the Sentry Bots to 20-20.

21 June 2298 - Synths 3B Daros has 3 hit night in Win

Lexington beat County Crossing in a rain-soaked ballgame.

The Lexington Synths beat the County Crossing Bloodbugs by a score of 13-5. third baseman Justin Daros deserved the lion's share of the credit. Daros went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. He scored 3 times and drove in 4 for the Synths. Lexington reliever Earcorn Eichorn picked up the win, upping his record to 1-0. Bad Company Grognak absorbed the loss.

With Lexington leading 4-3 in the top of the fourth, Daros hit a fastball from Bad Company Grognak for a 3-run home run. It was his 7th home run of the season and put the Synths ahead, 7-3.

"Win or lose, we pick each other up in this clubhouse," Daros told the Lexington Herald.

The triumph puts Lexington at 28-28 for the season.

21 June 2298 - Mannson, Swatters Get 3-1 Win

Diamond City left-hander X10-44 Mannson pitched his team to victory over the Goodneighbor Hancocks at The Great Green Jewel. The final score was 3-1. The current losing streak for Goodneighbor has reached 4 games.

Mannson was effective against the Hancocks, seldom allowing a hard-hit ball. The left-hander limited Goodneighbor to just 1 run on 2 hits over 8.1 innings.

"It was a tough night at the plate," said Goodneighbor manager Jeremy Whiteplate.

21 June 2298 - Silver Shroud Roll Over Four Leafs, 9-1

Fort Hagen Silver Shroud starter Derek Green worked his magic, as he helped his team defeat the Finch Farm Four Leafs, 9-1. The win for the Silver Shroud lifted their record to 29-27.

Fort Hagen relied on the hitting of Mark Miller to pick up the win. The second baseman clubbed a 3-run home run in the top of the first inning to put the Silver Shroud on top, 3-0. For the game, Miller had 1 home run and 1 single in 5 at-bats.

"We'll keep our chins up and get ready for the next game," said losing manager Wiley Boat.

21 June 2298 - Radstags Ruin Party Boys Rally, Win in 10

The Concord Radstags weathered a fine game by Nordhagen Beach second baseman Brian Masterson to upend the Party Boys, 7-6, at Nuka Park. Masterson was 4 for 5 with 4 singles. Concord is 5th in the North Charles Association Institute League with a record of 25-31.

The clutch at-bat came in the bottom of the tenth inning, when Concord second baseman Josh McIntyre, facing Night Demon Archacki, had a run-scoring sacrifice fly. It gave the Radstags the 7-6 win.

McIntyre said afterward that he was "glad the fans were treated to a good ballgame."

Nordhagen Beach trailed 5-1 entering the 7th inning and then 6-4 entering the 9th. In the 9th, the Party Boys used four singles in the first five at bats of the inning to tie the game. Mike Swift hit the two-RBI, bases-loaded singled that helped send the game to extra innings.

21 June 2298 - Bugs Has 20-Game Hitting Streak

Oberland third baseman Jeremy Bugs keeps on racking up hits every time he plays.

His hitting streak now stands at 20 games after collecting 2 hits at Coolest Field in Town today. The T-51s took the 8-2 victory over the Atom Cats.

"I have been seeing the ball really good the last few weeks, but I am a bit surprised how things are working out," Bugs said. "I've gotten a couple flares to drop in, so I've also been a little lucky."

Jeremy Bugs singled in the 1st, hit an RBI single in the 2nd, walked in the 4th, grounded out in the 6th and flied out in the 9th.

During the current season Bugs is batting at a .335 clip with 5 home runs and 35 RBIs. He has played in 56 games and scored 30 times.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

22 June 2298 - BMU: Aquaboys Pull Off Thrilling 4-3 Win in Extras

Owen X was superb against Trinity Plaza. The left-hander, who leads the MA with a 12.0 K/9 rate, had a fastball that was virtually unhittable at times. The result was a Aquaboys victory. The score was 4-3. Eastlake is 20-21 and Trinity Plaza, with the loss, 24-17.

The clutch at-bat came in the bottom of the tenth inning, when Eastlake pinch hitter Bryan Trader, facing Chris Tumbleson, had a run-scoring sacrifice fly. It gave the Aquaboys the 4-3 win.

"Owen was throwing strikes, locating well," said Eastlake manager Steve Feinman.

22 June 2298 - BMU: Pterror Slugs Mole Rats to 10-9 Win

Behind a solid performance from first baseman Jared Pterror, the Forest Grove Mole Rats defeated the Cabot House Rayguns, 10-9. Pterror was 2 for 3 with 2 home runs and a walk, while scoring 3 times and driving in 5 for the Mole Rats. Forest Grove reliever Jimmy "Peanut" Carty picked up the win, upping his record to 1-0. Ross Flamenco was saddled with the loss. Forest Grove's record now stands at 19-22, placing them last in the Massachusetts Association Glowing Sea League.

Pterror had a game-changing home run in the bottom of the eighth. On a full count fastball from Ross Flamenco, he banged a 2-run home run to right, giving the Mole Rats a 10-9 lead. It was the 5th home run of the year for Pterror.

"Win or lose, we pick each other up in this clubhouse," Pterror told the Forest Grove News.

22 June 2298 - BMU: Tykeson Leads Spy Hunters to Win

No one was more impactful than Lannie Tykeson in the 14-4 Taffington Boathouse win over Bunker Hill. Tykeson, who is tied for 5th in the CA with a .553 slugging percentage, was 4 for 6 with a home run, a double, and 2 singles. He scored 2 times and drove in 4. Taffington Boathouse, at 17-24, holds down 4th place in the Commonwealth Association Dark Hollow Pond League.

Tykeson contributed in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on 1st and 3rd, he hit a run-scoring single. It was one at-bat among others that helped Taffington Boathouse get the win.

"We'll pop the top on a cold beverage and get back to work tomorrow," Tykeson said.

22 June 2298 - Adams 4-5 in Gunners Win

The Quincy Gunners topped the Egret Ninjas by the score of 15-7, with the biggest share of the credit going to shortstop Robbie Adams. Adams was 4 for 5 with a home run and 2 doubles, while adding 8 RBI and scoring once for the Gunners on the day. Quincy reliever Nick Radio picked up the win, raising his record to 1-0. Gary Estate was tagged with the loss. Quincy raised its record to 31-26 with the win.

With Quincy leading 12-7 in the top of the ninth, Adams came up to bat against Egret pitcher Surrender Hendrickson. Adams hit a changeup to right for a 3-run home run. His 4th home run of the season put the Gunners on top, 15-7.

"We put it together today and came out with the win," Adams said in postgame remarks. "That's the main thing."

22 June 2298 - Engill Homers Twice in 12-8 Adamantium Win

The Abernathy Adamantium topped the Easy Town Assaultrons, 12-8, with shortstop Austin Engill playing a big role. Engill belted 2 home runs. He drove in 6 runs and scored twice for the Adamantium in the win. With the win, Abernathy pushed its record to 32-25.

In the bottom of the sixth, Abernathy second baseman Jim Waples had a productive at-bat. With the bases loaded and no one out, Waples stroked a run-scoring single to left. It made the score 8-7, Abernathy. For the game, he was 2 for 5 with 2 singles. He scored 2 runs.

Waples called the triumph "a good team win."

22 June 2298 - Hits Galore: Bugs Drills 5 Hits

Jeremy Bugs was on fire today and sparked his club to a 14-7 victory over the Cats. The Oberland third baseman was a tough out and went 5-for-6 against Atom in a fine hitting display.

"I got my pitches and I connected. They all found the right holes on the diamond. Some days you hit shots and they're right at somebody and some days they fall in."

Jeremy Bugs singled in the 1st, singled in the 2nd, struck out in the 3rd, hit an RBI single in the 5th, singled in the 7th and singled in the 8th.

For the year Bugs is batting .347 with 5 home runs, 36 RBIs and 34 runs scored.

22 June 2298 - Stahl has 3 hit night, Leads Radstags to Win

Concord right fielder David Stahl was a significant contributor in his team's 10-4 triumph over the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys. He went 3 for 3 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. He scored 2 runs and drove in 2 for Concord. Concord now has a 3-game win streak.

The Radstags got a big at-bat from first baseman Jason Robinson. For the game, Robinson was 1-4 with a home run. He drove in 3 runs and scored once. In the bottom of the first, with runners on 1st and 2nd, he stroked a 3-run home run. His 16th home run of the season gave Concord a 3-0 lead.

"There's a lot of passion in our clubhouse," said Robinson. "When we put it together we're a great ball club."

22 June 2298 - Four Leafs Roll Over Silver Shroud, 12-2

Finch Farm Four Leafs starter Matt Pageturner was in a rhythm all game. He led his team to a win over the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud, 12-2. Finch Farm now owns a record of 27-30.

Pageturner came through for Finch Farm with a 2-run single in the bottom of the fourth. He hit a first-pitch circle change to center field, staking his team to a 4-2 lead.

"Matt made his pitches," said Finch Farm manager Wiley Boat.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

23 June 2298 - Rayguns' Bean Takes Leave

The Atom Cats' 4th-round pick, rookie Silton Bean, learned of an unfortunate raider attack in his settlement in Newburyport on the coast of the Merrimack River.

Bean learned of the news while returning from the Cabot House Rayguns series at Forest Grove. He left in a vertibird with a Brotherhood of Steel crew on the way to his hometown where he is expected to help in the cleanup. He is not expected to return for the remainder of the 2298 season.

On the season, Bean appeared in 18 games for the Rayguns. He was 2-4 with six saves and a 11.05 ERA in 14.2 innings pitched.

23 June 2298 - BMU News: The All-Star Game Rosters Announced

Showcase for the Stars -- The Boston Minor Union All-Star Game, the first in the union's history. It's a 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 Commonwealth Association and Massachusetts Association 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.

The game will be live simulcast on TV and radio with BosCom's WRVR Crew, Anne Hargraves, George Cooper, and Rex Goodman. The game will be played at The Outpost, the home field of the Eastlake Aquaboys.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

24 June 2298 - Cats Topple Deathclaws, Lose Star Stabb in Mound Charge

Atom rode a decent outing from starter Jake Williams to victory over the University Point Deathclaws. The final score was 5-2. Williams got the win, improving to 3-1. He allowed 6 hits and walked 3 over 8 innings. Williams allowed 2 runs. Freedom Williams collected his 8th save.

The Cats got an important contribution from catcher Garrett Machine, who in the bottom of the second knocked a 0-1 curveball into center for a run-scoring triple. It was his 1st triple of the season and put the Cats ahead, 2-0.

"I had pretty good command out there," said Williams.

University Point's current losing streak is now 4 games.

If there wasn't a history between Shane "Bee's Knees" Stabb of Atom and Gary Stallworth of University Point, then there is one now. The incident between the two sparked a bench-clearing scrum with those two being the center of attention. Now they will miss 3 and 5 games respectively as a result of their actions. The league office announced their suspensions today.

"We're both really competitive," Stabb said later, "and sometimes things go a little too far because of it."

In 58 games this year Stabb has posted a .263 average and put up these numbers: 8 home runs, 32 RBIs and 26 runs scored.

Stallworth has a 5-2 season record so far. In 15 starts, he has fanned 70 batters in 87.2 innings with a 4.62 ERA.

24 June 2298 - Warwick Socks it to Knuckle Punchers, Cracks 5 Hits

It was a big day for Wally Warwick and he brought the Diamond City Swatters along for the ride.

Warwick led his club to a 10-0 victory over the Roxbury Knuckle Punchers today at The Great Green Jewel, smoking Roxbury pitching for 5 hits in 5 at-bats. The 21-year-old shortstop later called the victory "sweet."

Wally Warwick hit an RBI single in the 1st, singled in the 2nd, singled in the 4th, hit an RBI single in the 5th and singled in the 7th.

So far this year Warwick has 10 home runs and a .331 batting average.

MVP leader Wayne Lacy also contributed to the Swatters' success. In the game, he was 2 for 3 with a double, his CBO-best 23rd home run, a walk, three runs scored, and four RBI.

Tyler Powers (6-6) earned the win by going 8.2 innings, allowing no runs on six hits with 11 strikeouts.

24 June 2298 - 35-Game Hitting Streak for Nukes

Amari Nukes's hitting streak is becoming the talk of Sunshine Tidings. The 26-year-old left fielder extended it once again today, this time bringing it to 35 games with a 1-for-4 performance against the Concord Radstags. The Chemists took the game, 5-3.

"People are starting to bring it up to me when I'm around town," he said. "It's getting stressful."

Amari Nukes singled in the 2nd, grounded out in the 4th, grounded out in the 5th and grounded out in the 7th.

For the season Nukes is currently batting .408 with 12 home runs and 50 RBIs. In 58 games he has reached base at a .425 rate and scored 37 runs to date.

24 June 2298 - Four Leafs Trip Party Boys, 6-1, in Extra Innings

The Nordhagen Beach Party Boys got a superb performance from pitcher Chet Arthur. Still, it wasn't enough to beat Finch Farm. The Four Leafs won the game, 6-1, in 10 innings. Arthur threw 7 innings of 4-hit ball. The Party Boys, at 34-24, have lost 5 in a row.

Finch Farm used the timely hitting of Ginger Rogers to capture the win. The center fielder socked a 2-run home run in the top of the tenth inning off Night Demon Archaki to put the Four Leafs ahead, 3-1. It was his only hit in 5 at-bats, but it was a big one.

Rogers told a Finch Farm Observer reporter that he was "gratified" with the win.

24 June 2298 - Silver Shroud Sneak By Synths, 3-2

Fort Hagen Silver Shroud starter Joey Dimes hurled his team past the Lexington Synths, 3-2. Fort Hagen pitcher Matt Demented got the win, upping his record to 2-2. Doug Dee El got the loss. With the win, Fort Hagen upped its record to 30-28.

It could have been a different outcome for Fort Hagen, had it not been for Paul Grog, the 26-year old catcher. Grog contributed a run-scoring single in the top of the ninth inning to put Fort Hagen up, 3-2.

"I just tried to make good contact," said Grog.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

25 June 2298 - BMU: Thesea wins HR Challenge

The Outpost was rocking as some premier hitters competed in the 2298 Home Run Challenge. When the dust settled, Bobby Thesea emerged as the champion. The Charles View Cannibals left fielder prevailed over Jim Uglyhair of the Natick Banks Big Leaguers in the final round by a score of 17-9.

"I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life," Thesea said after it was all over. "I'm exhausted."

25 June 2298 - BMU: All-Star Game Result





25 June 2298 - Boohoo Slugs Ninjas to 11-4 Win

Kyle Boohoo was a major factor in the 11-4 Egret win over Vault 81. The Ninjas first baseman went 2 for 2 with 2 home runs and 3 walks. He scored 4 times and drove in 5. The winning pitcher was Phlip Wallace. He tossed 126 pitches over 9 innings, allowing 4 runs on 10 hits. The Ninjas sit in 4th place in the South Charles Association Railroad League with a record of 28-31.

Early in the game, Boohoo had a 3-run home run for Egret. It was his 12th home run of the season and put the Ninjas on top, 6-3.

"We were able to get some things going offensively," said Boohoo.

25 June 2298 - Radstags Rough Up Chemists, 11-1

Spirited fans greeted the Sunshine Tidings Chemists for their clash with the Concord Radstags.

The Concord Radstags beat the Sunshine Tidings Chemists, 11-1, at ArcJet Systems Stadium. The win was due in part to first baseman Jason Robinson, who was 2 for 3 with 2 home runs and 2 walks. He drove in 4 runs and scored twice. The 5th-place Radstags now have a win-loss record of 27-32.

Josh McIntyre, who is on pace for 71 RBI this season, chipped in for Concord with a 2-run home run in the top of the third. For the game, the second baseman had 3 hits in 4 at-bats with 1 home run, 2 singles, 2 runs scored, and 3 RBI.

"I thought we played a nice game," Robinson told the Concord Daily. "Good pitching, timely hitting, it was all there."

25 June 2298 - Carrotflower Sizzles -- Smokes Witch Hats for 5 Hits

Joel Carrotflower of the Bloodbugs was unstoppable in today's 9-6 victory over the Salem Witch Hats at Beantown Brewery Stadium. He battered them for 5 hits in 5 at-bats.

"Boy, I was on the mark today," said the County Crossing second baseman after the game. "I could see the ball real well. It's a great feeling to do this. And besides, 5-for-5 won't hurt your batting average like 0-for-5 will."

Joel Carrotflower hit an RBI single in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, singled in the 5th, singled in the 6th and hit an RBI single in the 8th.

This season Carrotflower has hit 4 home runs and posted a .358 batting average.

25 June 2298 - Yao Guai Shut Out T-51s, End Bugs's Streak

The Oberland T-51s went down to defeat to Sage Monticello and his FHE teammates. The final score was 1-0 in favor of the Yao Guai. The 'W' lifts FHE's record to 28-31.

A defensive lapse proved costly in the contest. In the top of the seventh, with the game tied, Hose Wallcrawler was at the plate when FHE scored 1 on an error. The miscue enabled the Yao Guai to go in front, 1-0.

"At the end of the day, it's always about your starting pitcher," said FHE skipper David Meatcook.

Oberland third baseman Jeremy Bugs came into today's game against the FHE Yao Guai on a hot streak. He left on a cold one.

The Yao Guai did their jobs well, beating the T-51s and holding Bugs hitless to snap his 22-game hitting streak. The 28-year-old third baseman had a few words to say after finishing 0-for-4, telling reporters only that he "came up short."

"What Jeremy did was exciting and quite an achievement," said T-51s manager Dirk Steadyhand. "It's tough enough to get one hit in this league, much less go 22 games in a row. I'm even more proud of the way he handled the press coverage. He never let the frenzy get to him or affect his play."

Currently Bugs is batting .343 with 5 home runs and 37 RBIs.

25 June 2298 - Finch Farm Dismisses Nordhagen Beach, 5-2

Finch Farm picked up a win at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium, bumping off the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys, 5-2. Pitcher Josh Dude was a major reason the Four Leafs emerged victorious. Dude got the win, improving to 6-5. He allowed 8 hits and walked 2 over 8 innings. Dude allowed 2 runs. The losing streak for Nordhagen Beach has now reached 6 games.

Matt Basile, who is on pace for 66 RBI this season, contributed to the Finch Farm win with a 2-run home run in the top of the second. For the game, the right fielder had 2 hits in 4 at-bats with 1 home run, 1 single, 2 runs scored, and 2 runs batted in.

Basile called the win the result of "everyone being in sync."

25 June 2298 - Synths Hang 7-2 Loss on Error-Prone Shroud

Behind a fine performance from Tyler Ross, the Lexington Synths knocked off the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud, 7-2. Ross went 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 singles, while scoring 2 times for the Synths. The win makes Lexington 29-30. Fort Hagen falls to 30-29 thanks in large part to their four errors.

With one out in the bottom of the first, Swat Diamond barreled up a changeup from All Day Acosta. The result was a 3-run home run, putting the Synths in front, 5-0.

"It's good to win," Ross told the Lexington Herald. "I like to have fun doing it."

[Tyke]

Nice to see mentions of young Lannie Tykeson and I'm pleased that he made the CA roster for the BMU All-Star Game. Can you remind me who Taffington are affiliated with, so that I can look out for him when he moves up?
Less pleased with the Party Boys' current slump - is that just a 3-game losing streak? Hope they are back on track pdq!

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

Nice to see mentions of young Lannie Tykeson and I'm pleased that he made the CA roster for the BMU All-Star Game. Can you remind me who Taffington are affiliated with, so that I can look out for him when he moves up?
Less pleased with the Party Boys' current slump - is that just a 3-game losing streak? Hope they are back on track pdq!

Tykeson is a prospect for the Party Boys' main competitor this season, the Easy Town Assaultrons.

And the Boys have dropped SIX straight! Yikes! They need to bust this slump, pronto!

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

26 June 2298 - Milteer Slugs T-51s to 6-2 Win

The Oberland T-51s topped the FHE Yao Guai by the score of 6-2, with the biggest share of the credit going to shortstop Chris Milteer. Milteer slugged 2 home runs, while adding 5 RBI and scoring twice for the T-51s on the day. The T-51s, at 46-14, have a comfortable 16½-game lead in their division.

Early in the game, Milteer had a 3-run home run for Oberland. It was his 10th home run of the season and put the T-51s on top, 5-2.

"Enjoyed this one," Milteer told the Oberland Observer. "But it's back to work tomorrow."

26 June 2298 - Witch Hats Turn Back County Crossing, 5-4

County Crossing first baseman Josh Noggin was sensational. He was 3 for 5 with a home run and a double. He scored 2 times and drove in 3, but it wasn't enough to rally his team to a win. Salem beat the Bloodbugs, 5-4. Dan Beantown converted his 18th save in 21 tries. The Witch Hats now have a mark of 27-33.

Antonio Toeclaw chipped in for Salem, stroking a crucial run-scoring single in the top of the seventh inning. For the game, the first baseman was 1 for 4.

"I just tried to make good contact," said Toeclaw.

26 June 2298 - Mirelurks Snag 4-2 Win

The Warwick Mirelurks topped the Goodneighbor Hancocks, 4-2, in South Charles Association action at The Homestead. The game was highlighted by the performance of Warwick pitcher Dave Kovalenko. With the win, Warwick pushed its record to 32-28.

Melon Sanderson chipped in for Warwick, stroking a crucial run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth inning. For the game, the right fielder was 2 for 4 with 2 singles.

Sanderson attributed the win to "energy and focus on the part of everyone."

26 June 2298 - Boys Break Losing Streak, Avoid Sweep

Nordhagen Beach beat Finch Farm on the strength of starter Derek Gist's fine effort. The left-hander led his team to a win, 5-3, ending a six-game losing streak for the Brotherhood League leaders. Night Demon Archacki notched his 12th save in 14 chances. With the victory, the Party Boys upped their record to 35-25.

The Party Boys got a big hit from shortstop Taboo Richardson. In the bottom of the fifth, Richardson pounded a solo home run to left. His 6th home run of the season put the Party Boys ahead, 4-2.

"Winning is contagious," said Richardson. "We're looking forward to the next game."

26 June 2298 - Synths Edge Silver Shroud, 4-3

The home crowd had a good time watching the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud and Lexington Synths get after it.

Lexington Synths starter Chris Morgen pitched a strong game against the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud at Super Duper Mart Stadium, leading the Synths to victory, 4-3. Morgen went 7 innings to notch the win. He scattered 7 hits, walked 2, and struck out 4. His record improves to 4-5. Doug Dee El closed the door for Lexington, picking up his 11th save of the year.

Mike Davidson tagged a home run off Derek Green in the bottom of the seventh. His 2-run blast put the Synths on top, 4-3. In all, Davidson had 1 single in addition to the home run, while going 2 for 3.

"In baseball, you have your ups and downs," said Fort Hagen manager Mark Andersen. "You just try to stay level-headed the whole time."

The win elevated the Synths to 30-30.

[Tyke]

So, when / if he gets called up, I could have a conflict of interests! ��
Good to see the boys break out of the slump. Onwards and upwards!

[StLee]

TWO random trades rolled today for Nordhagen Beach and Jamaica Plain. With the trade deadline looming in just a month, I am taking a little more control of the random trades when a buyer or seller is rolled. In the case of both trades, there were benefits to be gained for Nordhagen Beach as a buyer and Jamaica Plain as a seller. I thought the Red Rockets should get more than they did, but the JP GM is happy.



Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

27 June 2298 - BMU: Commonwealth Association Picks Top Performer

His hard work and hustle paid off this week. The hard-working and hard-playing Lannie Tykeson was rewarded with the Commonwealth Association Player of the Week honors.

The scrappy Taffington Boathouse Spy Hunters first baseman hit .625 while collecting 10 hits in 16 at-bats, 1 home run and 7 RBIs.

Thus far this season Tykeson is hitting .390 with 5 home runs, 26 RBIs and 14 runs scored. He has 48 hits in 123 at-bats and has played in 33 games.

27 June 2298 - BMU: Red-Hot Rampage Reaps MA Reward

It can be difficult for a young player to step out of the shadows and assert himself in the Massachusetts Association, but last week Jason Eisch of the Somerville Place Sentry Bots reminded everyone just why he's here as he threw up numbers that made him an easy selection for Player of the Week. Eisch rocked opposing pitching for a .571 average (8-for-14), 3 home runs and 6 RBIs to come away with the award.

Eisch is currently batting .338 with 9 home runs and 28 RBIs.

27 June 2298 - NCA Announces Player of the Week

At the age of 29, Josh Noggin might have some potential he hasn't realized yet -- if his success at the plate last week is any indication. The County Crossing first baseman put up some exceptional numbers the past seven days with a .455 batting average. For his efforts Noggin collected the North Charles Association Player of the Week Award.

He racked up 10 hits in 22 at-bats, 2 home runs and 8 RBIs last week in 5 games.

In 58 games Noggin is hitting .311 this season with 74 hits, 13 home runs, 56 RBIs, 24 walks, .377 OBP and has scored 46 runs.

27 June 2298 - SCA Player of the Week Awarded

Wally Warwick has the tools to stick in this league for many years. The 21-year-old shortstop of the Diamond City Swatters had a hot bat in the South Charles Association over the past seven days and won the Player of the Week honors.

Warwick batted .625 with 15 hits in 24 at-bats, 2 home runs and 8 RBIs.

In his 2298 season totals, Warwick has 11 home runs, .344 BA, .394 OBP, 50 RBIs and 43 runs scored.

27 June 2298 - Nordhagen Beach-FHE Trade: Talkington for Hitman

In a move that has left many fans wondering, the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys have traded 18-year-old 3B Tommy Talkington, 21-year-old minor league RHP Andy Watsname and a 3rd round draft pick to the FHE Yao Guai. In return, the Party Boys receive 30-year-old 3B Jon Hitman, 28-year-old LHP Mike Waterdrinker, and a 5th round draft pick.

This year Talkington is hitting .176 with 7 home runs. His low batting average and high strikeout percentage throughout the season have become liabilities for him to remain in the lineup. The Party Boys felt as though he was regressing and needed to improve the position.

Hitman's current batting average stands at .317 and he has chalked up 1 home run and 22 RBIs. He started only 39 of 57 games for the Yao Guai, starting none since FHE acquired Pistol Schmidt from Salem.

Reports are that FHE was more interested in Watsname and the draft pick swap than they were interested in Talkington who may be sent to Eastlake to start his time in the Railroad League. Talkington was the Party Boys' 7th round pick in the 2296 Inaugural Draft, but people around the organization felt he was a bench player at best until they could find his replacement in a trade.

Watsname was 2-2 with a 4.82 in seven starts for the Greentop Night People. Waterdrinker was 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 14 relief appearances for FHE.

27 June 2298 - Jamaica Plain Red Rockets Ship Gunkill to Quincy

The Jamaica Plain Red Rockets addressed a concern today, coming to terms with the Quincy Gunners on a trade that will send 33-year-old CF Steve Gunkill and a 3rd round draft pick from the Red Rockets to the Gunners in exchange for 21-year-old minor league RHP Kyle Kyleson Jr., 19-year-old minor league 2B Imperial LeBeau and a 2nd round draft pick.

"We got the center fielder we need for our playoff push," Gunners GM Gunner Sprague said. "I have missed watching Gunkill play this year. Now I get to watch him every day."

This season Gunkill has hit no home runs and posted a .250 batting average in 31 games. Acquired in an offseason trade from Vault 81, Gunkill could not supplant rookie Hid Matsumoto in the Jamaica Plain lineup. Quincy gets a career .333 hitter, with 11 career home runs, 73 RBI, and 14 stolen bases.

"This feels like the best move I've made so far," Red Rockets general manager Jason Walenga said. "We lost a leader, but we got two good prospects and a higher draft pick for him. That's something that won't pay off yet, but we will see Kyleson and LeBeau help our team in the future."

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

So, when / if he gets called up, I could have a conflict of interests! ��
Good to see the boys break out of the slump. Onwards and upwards!

Every time I see D.J. LeMahieu in Yankees pinstripes, I have a conflict of interest!

You can do like I do and root for the player while hoping his team loses every game!

[Tyke]

Yes, that's the way! Happy with the Boys' trade.

[StLee]

Analysis

We have reached the 60-game mark, which would have been the end of the regular season in the past two seasons. We are also one week away from the first-ever CBO All-Star Game over the Independence Day holidays. Looking at the standings, if the playoffs started today, we would have the following first-round matchups:

NCA
#4 Starlight (33-27) at #1 Nordhagen Beach (35-25)
#3 Easy Town (34-26) at #2 Abernathy (34-26)

SCA
#4 Diamond City (30-30) at #1 Oberland (46-14)
#3 Quincy (33-27) at #2 Goodneighbor (40-20)

The North Charles Association used a poor weak by the Party Boys to become a really tight race. Only two games separate the Boys from the four-seed Lady Killers right now. All 12 teams still have realistic, though not all likely, chances at making the playoffs and winning the NCA.

On the other hand, the South Charles Association still looks to be a final battle between the T-51s and the Hancocks for association supremacy. While the wildcard team of the Minutemen League could be a dark horse to win it all, the wildcard of the Railroad League appears to be an easy out in the first round. Today that team is the Swatters, but in a week it could be the Egret Ninjas or the FHE Yao Guai.*

* Continued in the last section of this column

Power Rankings

Weekly Team Power Rankings: Here are the current team power rankings for Commonwealth Baseball Organization:

Teams (Total Points, Tendency):
1) Oberland T-51s (143.0, o)
2) Goodneighbor Hancocks (117.0, o)
3) Easy Town Assaultrons (106.0, ++3)
4) Nordhagen Beach Party Boys (102.0, -1)
5) Quincy Gunners (101.0, +2)
6) Abernathy Adamantium (101.0, ++3)
7) Warwick Mirelurks (101.0, ++3)
8) Starlight Lady Killers (100.0, --4)
9) Diamond City Swatters (95.0, ++4)
10) Lexington Synths (94.0, +2)
11) The Slog Ghouls (91.0, --3)
12) Egret Ninjas (91.0, +2)
13) Concord Radstags (90.0, ++3)
14) Finch Farm Four Leafs (88.0, +1)
15) Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (86.0, --4)
16) University Point Deathclaws (86.0, --11)
17) FHE Yao Guai (85.0, o)
18) Salem Witch Hats (84.0, o)
19) Atom Cats (76.0, +1)
20) Jamaica Plain Red Rockets (73.0, -1)
21) County Crossing Bloodbugs (72.0, +1)
22) Vault 81 Dwellers (70.0, +1)
23) Sunshine Tidings Chemists (66.0, -2)
24) Roxbury Knuckle Punchers (37.0, o)

Biggest Riser

Diamond City (+4, LW - 13, TW - 9) - On a 4-1 week, including a split with Minutemen League-leader Goodneighbor and a sweep of Railroad League last place Roxbury (see playoff chances below), the Swatters are currently flying high and would make the playoffs should they begin today. In a three-team race for the wildcard spot in the RL, the Swatters seem to have the advantage with a 23.18% chance to make the playoffs. This week they repeat their opponents but play both on the road instead of at home heading into the All-Star break.

Biggest Faller

University Point (-11, LW - 5, TW - 16) - Battling for the ML wildcard spot, the Deathclaws had a devastating week within a six-game losing streak. University Point lost all five games to two bottom-dwellers: Vault 81 and Atom. In those games, the Claws scored 1, 1, 2, 4, and 4 runs. They will need to do much better to break out of their slump as they host FHE and Atom this week. That losing streak dropped them out of second place into a third-place tie with Warwick, both a game behind Quincy.

Other Observations

*Vault 81 and Roxbury are looking to be out of the playoff race soon. Take that back a bit: the Knuckle Punchers are out of the race and predict they have only a 14.64% chance of making the playoffs. It would mean that they get extremely hot the rest of the season and go approximately 38-10 with the majority of those wins coming over league opponents Diamond City, Egret, FHE, and Vault 81. At the same time, take that back 2: Mathematically, PAM gives the Knuckle Punchers a 14.64% chance to make the playoffs. I, however, give them a 0% chance to make up those 14 games and get all the wins from the Minutemen League they would need to drop four other teams in the RL behind them.

Teams go through slumps, but teams usually follow a pattern of wins and losses, so what is up with the Institute League and its big swings? Just like last year's drop by the Lady Killers, this year's big dropper so far has been Fort Hagen. The bright April that the Silver Shroud had has started to look like an anomaly after they have struggled mightily in May and June. With a two-game stretch at Salem, Fort Hagen could still salvage a winning June, but it is looking more and more like they are right where they belong at .500.

Speaking of the IL, it still could be any team's league to win, but Abernathy and Starlight are both appearing to be the more aggressive in making that happen. For both teams, they had better hope their moves work out because they may be licking their wounds if they don't.

Nordhagen Beach made a somewhat surprising move of trading away third baseman Tommy Talkington. Talkington was expected to be a future star for the Party Boys, but the staff was getting impatient with what he was delivering. Some even referred to Talkington as a "rally killer" since the Boys had been depending upon late-inning stretches of runs. Unfortunately, Talkington was more likely to strike out than get a hit. His numbers were down across the board, and so were the Boys' wins and run totals. The move they made to acquire Jon Hitman should immediately pay dividends. In 2.5 years as a starter, Hitman has only struck out a total of 78 times. Talkington already struck out 70 this season! While Hitman does not provide as much power, he does provide hits, man.