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Nuka News Update
Reporting on the NWL, APL, NWLR, and BBL Leagues
by Evan Guy
1 June 2308
Quantum, Orange Lead Early Charge
The Quantum Nukalurks and the Orange Tourists have early leads in their respective divisions in the Nuka World League after a month of play.
The Nukalurks are finding ways to win games despite only being 4th in runs scored (114) and last in runs allowed (121). A few standout players for the Nukalurks have been 1B Joe Ransom (.343/3/12), 2B Signal Frummy (.333/4/13), RF Alex Hopp (.296/3/12), SP Smoker Caliman (3-0, 2.74), and RP Uppin Attem (1-0, 0.96).
Orange has appeared to be the NWL's best overall team in 2308 thus far. They are 3rd in runs scored (115) and 1st in runs against (90), allowing just 3.75 runs per game. The Tourists' top three starting pitchers are all having an outstanding start: Allen Puckett (5-0, 2.51), Bull Johnson (4-2, 2.68), and Orion Sapunxiu (4-1, 3.22). Offensively, LF Pudding Onhderitz (.381/1/14) leads the teams in average and RBI, while 3B Percent Lambert (.257/4/11) leads in home runs.
Ah Oona picked up the top batter prize in the Nuka World League for May. The Grape shortstop hit .374 with 12 home runs, 27 RBIs and 19 runs scored. He also drew 12 walks to post an OBP of .438.
The Pitcher of the Month has been chosen and the Nuka World League trophy went to Orange hurler, Puckett. During the month, Puckett was impressive with a 2.51 ERA and 5 wins and no losses. In 46.2 innings he struck out 37 and gave up 45 hits and 9 walks.
Youngster Mike Munchkin emerged as the latest Nuka World League Rookie of the Month today. The young man from Victory deserved the honor, batting .388 with 1 home run and 19 RBI. Is the month of May a harbinger of things to come or just a fluke? We'll find out someday, but for now, we'll just let Munchkin enjoy the limelight.
APL
The Nuka Bottling Plant Pack and the Dry Rock Gulch Convicts are divisional leaders at this point in the season after playing 27 of 90 games.
The Pack fans believe they've got a talented young star in Jake Roth. He did nothing to dissuade that notion in May, as he hit .361 with 9 home runs, 28 RBIs and 22 runs scored. The end result was the center fielder being named the Amusement Park League Batter of the Month.
The Amusement Park League presented the Pitcher of the Month Award. It went to bullpen ace James Kimbrough of Dry Rock Gulch for his outstanding work on the mound. During the month, the Convicts star had 6 saves in 6 save opportunities, a 0.00 ERA and 2 wins and no losses. In 13 innings Kimbrough struck out 6 and gave up 8 hits and 3 walks.
NWLRL
The Wixon Cola Kings and Northpoint Reservoir Gulchers are atop the North Bradeberton Division, while the Dunmore Ferris Wheels are alone atop the South Bradberton Division.
The Batter of the Month honoree for May in the NWL Rookie League is Wixon Cola Kings first baseman Young Hee Cyuleez. He showed no mercy as he finished the month with a .439 batting average, 9 home runs, 32 RBIs, and 19 runs scored.
In May, the top pitcher in the NWL Rookie League was a reliever, thanks to some sensational numbers Camden Wakewater put up coming out of the bullpen. The Wixon relief specialist made 11 relief appearances, picking up 6 saves and 12 strikeouts in 11.1 innings, and posted a 2-0 mark and a 0.00 ERA.
BBL
With just 11 games remaining on the 2308 campaign, the Ol' Sugartop Buckaroos hold a two-game lead and a Magic # of 10. The Wixon Shovels are two games back and lead both the King Cola Youths and Mad Mulligan Travelers by a game for the wildcard spot.
Egg Rolled put together a good May to earn the Bradberton Boys League Batter of the Month prize. A virtual unknown, he made the most of his chance to prove to Mad Mulligan officials that he belongs on the big league roster. The Travelers center fielder posted a .250 batting average with 13 home runs, 26 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
The Bradberton Boys League Pitcher of the Month honor has been given to York Sinatra of Ol Sugartop for a superlative month.
"I actually never wanted to be a pitcher," Sinatra told reporters when asked who he credits for his pitching ability. "I wanted to be an outfielder and on the third day of tryouts my coach came up and said, 'Sin, you couldn't hit a lick even if we put it on a tee for ya.' Well, that ticked me off, so I decided if I couldn't hit I wanted to make sure no one else could either and so here I am."
It all turned out for the best as the Ol Sugartop starter notched a 3-0 record with a 0.00 ERA last month. He made 8 starts and struck out 48 in 38.1 innings.
Vim! View
Veracious, Vivacious, Vainglorious Vision of the Vim! Leagues
by Vikky Vail
1 June 2308
Vim! League After 24
With 24 games down, the Echo Lake Harbormen and Grand Hotel Atoms hold slight leads in their divisions. Both teams have won 15 games to date with just two teams--National Park and Cranberry Island--struggling.
Ryan Hurst is not used to being associated with Batter of the Month-caliber players, but today the Echo Lake third baseman joined that select company when the Vim! League announced the results of May's voting.
Hurst totaled 33 hits, 14 walks, 7 home runs, 23 RBIs and 23 runs scored last month to put together a .359 batting average and .439 on-base percentage.
He was the best pitcher in May according to the voters. Mike Stiner shut down enemy batters to win the Vim! League Pitcher of the Month Award.
Echo Lake's star reliever held the opposition to a .200 average and put up 8 saves and 18 strikeouts in 19 innings with a 3-0 mark and a 2.37 ERA.
Cluck Roo's eyes seem to light up whenever he sees the baseball. The young Acadia center fielder has been hitting everything in sight for the better part of a month.
In May he was voted the Rookie of the Month.
During the month he hit .341 with 6 doubles, 3 triples and 6 home runs. Roo also scored 16 times and drove in 17 runs.
In the Mount Desert Island League, Brooke's Head leads their division thanks to a 10-game winning streak. Also, the Rayburn Point Patcheyes are atop their division in a playoff matchup that could feature two franchises that used to play in the Vim! League.
Boss Ross of Cliff's Edge and Mike Pigeonfoot of Rayburn Point are tied for the Batter WAR lead at 1.5. The Pitcher WAR leader is Clue Whitmore of the Behemoths at 1.3.
The Vim! Rookie League is led by the Glowing Grove Braniacs and the Fringe Cove Champions. CF Nute Gunray of Vim! Factory is the Batter WAR leader (1.6) and Huntress Island's Roman Zvolanek and MS Azalea's Guo-quiang Shaw are the Pitcher WAR leaders (1.7).
In the Maine Youth League's, one game separates first and last place in the MDIF with Cliff's Edge and Far Harbor tied at 14-13 for 1st place. In the GDIL, Diamond Cove has a two-game lead over Echo Point.
Slinky McGee of the Dockdwellers is the Batter WAR leader (1.8) in the MDIF, and both Junky Turnbull of Diamond Cove and Better Bill Howzitt of Pleasant Cove are the Batter WAR leaders in the GDIL (1.8). Pitcher WAR leaders in each league are the Wolves' Hawk Dawson (1.9) and the Raiders' Arc Darkwater (2.0).