BNN Weekly Report
This Week in the CBO, BMU, and GBRL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
3 February 2304
CBO 2304: What to Look For in the NCA
I would love to say being around baseball has made me an expert, but that would be a grand lie. In fact, every single play and series of plays is so different that Tinker Tom's Soul Crusher Machine could not calculate the infinite possibilities of happenings.
So, even the supercomputer that is PAM struggles with properly calculating the exact results of a single game, much less the irradiated waters of an incalculable number of variables leading to an eventual end score with a swath of possible outcomes ranging from 0-20 different win totals over the course of a 120-game schedule. Am I confusing you yet? Good!
The 2304 season seems to be a new variable in the finite possibilities, and I cannot explain why. Call it a hunch, or indigestion from my weekend splurge at Power Noodles, but I predict the 2304 season will be unpredictable.
Sure, sure, your powerhouses are still there, but let me look at how the top two of the always goods in the North Charles Association look vulnerable.
Fort Hagen, which was a win away from winning the Sole Survivor Series in 2303, may be on the downswing this season. They have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, but Mike Cartrette (4-2, 2.45) has not been able to stay on the mound in the past two season, starting a total of 12 games in that stretch. Matt Hope (12-14, 4.67) is 35 years old and looks to be on the downturn with former starter Brent Hooker (8-9, 3.48) the only person who may be able to replace him. On offense, the team has seemed to be on a downward path, with star CF Ben Pawlak (.348/18/67) the only truly reliable option in the lineup.
Nordhagen Beach is on a similar path, especially after finishing second in the Brotherhood League in 2303. The Party Boys entered the playoffs as the 3rd seed convinced that they were good enough to win it all, but dropped their first series to the Concord Radstags. Unlike the Shroud, Nordhagen Beach still has some outstanding players with the talented Beachboy Nut (19-8, 3.03) and Ugio Church (11-8, 3.49) at the top of the rotation. They also have the best offensive outfield in LF Michael Fogcrawler (.273/32/93), CF Maxx Murtagh (.265/37/84), and RF Jonathan Angelou (.313/46/126). Call me crazy, but I still expect the Boys to be closer to missing the playoffs than winning the NCA. Or maybe I am just trying to stir up controversy in my story.
If Fort Hagen and Nordhagen Beach are falling off, then who is replacing them? Well, outside County Crossing and Concord who both already did in 2303. I don't know.
Easy Town looks to be a few developed players away but does have some good offensive core players, especially 1B/SP Lannie Tykeson (.326/34/93) who finished third in the Nuka Hitter Award voting and racked up a few other awards, including being the NCA's best hitter at both the 1B and SP spots.
Starlight is much better than their 57-63 record indicated. They are solid on the mound, especially with the emergence of Alex Alexson (15-6, 3.50). The Lady Killers also have two stars in 1B Zeldolph Violet (.310/35/110) and SS Nick Maris (.281/10/48). The Killers had four players all hit 20+ home runs, giving them a good shot to outscore anyone.
Later we will analyze the SCA which has eight teams all worthy of a playoff spot. For now, looking at the NCA, we are expecting things to get shaken up in 2304.
Transactions
Saturday, January 30th , 2304
Concord Radstags: Signed free agent RP Quartz Hoertz to a minor league contract.
Friday, January 29th , 2304
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed free agent RP Wrecker Webb to a minor league contract.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Dennis Moonface.
Thursday, January 28th , 2304
University Point Deathclaws: Signed free agent RP Jim Jarpen to a minor league contract.
University Point Deathclaws: Signed free agent RP Ferren Barr to a minor league contract.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Chris Fortunato.
Wednesday, January 27th , 2304
Quincy Gunners: Signed free agent RP Bill Jones to a minor league contract.
Quincy Gunners: Signed free agent RP Paulwine Giannetti to a minor league contract.
Egret Ninjas: Signed LF Elias Duran.
Tuesday, January 26th , 2304
The Starlight Lady Killers traded 31-year old 3B Ruben Q to the Acadia Acadians, getting 26-year old RHP Homeslice Cochrane and 21-year old minor league LHP Budleaf Longfield in return.
Saturday, January 23rd , 2304
FHE Yao Guai: Signed free agent RP Ray Hallpass to a minor league contract.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Nate Grund.
Friday, January 22nd , 2304
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Jeremy Renner.
Egret Ninjas: Signed LF Adrian Pajak.
Thursday, January 21st , 2304
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Com Slurp.
Wednesday, January 20th , 2304
Finch Farm Four Leafs: Signed free agent 2B Slow Motion Bush to a minor league contract.
Tuesday, January 19th , 2304
Easy Town Assaultrons: Signed free agent RP Jordan Freedom to a minor league contract.
Easy Town Assaultrons: Signed free agent RP Andrew Glaspie to a minor league contract.
The Finch Farm Four Leafs traded 26-year old 2B Signal Frummy to the Quantum Nukalurks, getting 30-year old RHP Roger Carlson in return.
Monday, January 18th , 2304
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Signed free agent RP Matt Bluntson to a minor league contract.
The Easy Town Assaultrons traded 25-year old minor league RHP Ryan Lynn to the Atom Cats, getting 24-year old minor league LHP Jason Hadley and 16-year old minor league 1B Danny Readyforit in return.
The Goodneighbor Hancocks traded 19-year old minor league LF Knife Bowie to the Abernathy Adamantium, getting 27-year old LHP Tony Bertha and 18-year old minor league RHP Ogre Olmstead in return.
Sunday, January 17th , 2304
Egret Ninjas: Signed LF Troy Kisspeople.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Gooseneck Shortfellow.
The Salem Witch Hats traded 25-year old minor league LHP Jason Andrews and 24-year old LF Eric Doll to the Concord Radstags, getting 24-year old minor league LHP Danny Machart in return.
The Spectacle Island Reapers traded 25-year old LHP Wearya Going to the Acadia Acadians, getting 23-year old minor league CF Shane Rutherford and 19-year old minor league 3B Casey Sturman in return.
Saturday, January 16th , 2304
Starlight Lady Killers: Signed free agent RP Wagon Camacho to a minor league contract.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Adrian Miller.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Signed RP Kyle Robel.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Signed RP Jack Silveira.
Friday, January 15th , 2304
Egret Ninjas: Released LF Andy Cofell.
Thursday, January 14th , 2304
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Signed free agent RP Austin Levesque to a minor league contract.
Wednesday, January 13th , 2304
University Point Deathclaws: Signed free agent RP Gold Mine Kerwin to a minor league contract.
University Point Deathclaws: Signed free agent RP Justin Hooper to a minor league contract.
Salem Witch Hats: Signed SP Stack Moneyman.
Tuesday, January 12th , 2304
The Slog Ghouls: Signed free agent RP Sal Goodspeed to a minor league contract.
Egret Ninjas: Signed RP Danny Callan.
Egret Ninjas: Signed RP Jazz Boxerman.
Egret Ninjas: Signed LF Xev Stanfield.
Monday, January 11th , 2304
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Signed free agent RP Jayden Moore to a minor league contract.
Oberland T-51s: Signed free agent SP Hoodoo Loulou to a minor league contract.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Mike Pretty.
Sunday, January 10th , 2304
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Signed RP Jon Thompson.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Signed RP Ali Crummie.
The Sunshine Tidings Chemists traded 25-year old minor league 2B Jarrod Sebiess to the Far Harbor Ghoul Whales, getting 28-year old RHP Brennan Collins and 18-year old minor league 2B Fraud Sigg in return.
Saturday, January 9th , 2304
Egret Ninjas: Signed LF Chelli Sailorman.
Friday, January 8th , 2304
University Point Deathclaws: Signed free agent RP Mailord Mullady to a minor league contract.
Thursday, January 7th , 2304
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed free agent RP Dillon Young to a minor league contract.
Quincy Gunners: Signed free agent 2B Notso Bland to a minor league contract.
Wednesday, January 6th , 2304
Egret Ninjas: Signed LF Alex Parra.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Mo Mo Foglife.
The Spectacle Island Reapers traded 19-year old minor league RHP Jalep Temper and 20-year old minor league RHP Nien Nunb to the Finch Farm Four Leafs, getting 26-year old RF Matt Basile, 23-year old minor league LF Kenry Batray, 26-year old RHP Isaiah Swindler, and 20-year old minor league SS Bobby Fellows in return.
Tuesday, January 5th , 2304
University Point Deathclaws: Signed free agent SS Jelani Samples to a minor league contract.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Signed free agent RP Wicket Warwick to a minor league contract.
Monday, January 4th , 2304
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed free agent RP Danny Little to a minor league contract.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed free agent RP Fulford Patterson to a minor league contract.
Atom Cats: Signed free agent RF Kevin Nogilny to a minor league contract.
Finch Farm Four Leafs: Signed free agent RF Twomey Miller to a minor league contract.
Spectacle Island Reapers: Fired Pitching Coach Greg Kolstad.
Sunday, January 3rd , 2304
The Vault 81 Dwellers traded 21-year old minor league 1B Priz Worden, 18-year old minor league SS Due Crymes, and 18-year old minor league LHP Car Aballo to the Finch Farm Four Leafs, getting 24-year old 3B Tib Shorthop in return.
The University Point Deathclaws traded 25-year old 2B Jason Harris, 18-year old minor league RF Oh My Takei, and 17-year old minor league 2B Willie Wattz to the Sunshine Tidings Chemists, getting 26-year old LHP Bill Sarnacki in return.
Saturday, January 2nd , 2304
Egret Ninjas: Signed LF Vince Bamburg.
Egret Ninjas: Signed free agent SP Cory Slone to a minor league contract.
Egret Ninjas: Signed free agent LF Kidney Driscoll to a minor league contract.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Signed free agent RF Josh Green to a minor league contract.
Starlight Lady Killers: Signed free agent RP Shole Major to a minor league contract.
Salem Witch Hats: Signed free agent CF Mystery Echo to a minor league contract.
Diamond City Swatters: Signed free agent LF Canner Korn to a minor league contract.
University Point Deathclaws: Signed free agent RP Even Piell to a minor league contract.
Atom Cats: Signed free agent CL Wheelcap Scrapperman to a minor league contract.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Signed free agent RF Walgreen Pietryka to a minor league contract.
Lexington Synths: Signed C Chris Miller.
Lexington Synths: Signed free agent CF Wizard Tillman to a minor league contract.
Easy Town Assaultrons: Signed free agent SS Reverend Wilson to a minor league contract.
County Crossing Bloodbugs: Signed free agent 3B Rey McSriff to a minor league contract.
Friday, January 1st , 2304
Vault 81 Dwellers: Signed 3B Zhodahoo Steinbeck.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Kyle Coco.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Bobby Anglerlure.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Pass Pewitt.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Jugdor Sharp.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Rammy Moustache.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 3B Think Toms.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released SP Stack Moneyman.
Jamaica Plain Red Rockets: Released 1B Matt Badbreath.
Finch Farm Four Leafs: Released 3B Do-Good Wilkerson.
Spectacle Island Reapers: Released RP Blake Rollie.
University Point Deathclaws: Released RP Ross Groleau.
Egret Ninjas: Released CF Raul Allstar.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released LF Vince Bamburg.
Sunshine Tidings Chemists: Released C Geoff Hollowtree.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released C Superboy Burnman.
Goodneighbor Hancocks: Released CF Starlips Maldonado.
Roxbury Rad Sox: Released RP Somewhere Miller.
Oberland T-51s: Released RF John Millertime.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released RF Josh Green.
Quincy Gunners: Released LF Ben Line-Uss.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B Marv Faria.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B Jake Weber.
Quincy Gunners: Released 2B Speedy MacMillan.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B George Clingman.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B Jake Baldman.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B Zhodahoo Steinbeck.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B Dancer Manfredonia.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B French Paris.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B Hyp Joyner.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released SS Brad D'Amato.
Vault 81 Dwellers: Released 3B Mike Pretty.
FHE Yao Guai: Released RP Ben Pell.
Abernathy Adamantium: Released C Mousey Rooney.
Abernathy Adamantium: Released RP Chad Yoda.
Abernathy Adamantium: Released RP Jazz Boxerman.
Easy Town Assaultrons: Released 3B Chris Christopherson.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Released SP Cory Slone.
Nordhagen Beach Party Boys: Released 2B Brad Krol.