BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
7 April 2313
CBO Season Preview
It's a new season, and there is a lot of excitement in the air of change and progress among teams without winning traditions. PAM has made a series of interesting picks, and we are curious to see how right the trusty assaultron is entering 2313. Let's break down the picks and what they mean.
North Charles Association
PAM has predicted the The Slog Ghouls and Fort Hagen Silver Shroud to win their respective leagues with the Ghouls as PAM's pick to win the NCA. In order of the playoffs should PAM's predictions hold up:
1. The Slog
2. Fort Hagen
3. Concord
4. Salem
5. Nahant
6. County Crossing
Both the Bloodbugs and Starlight are predicted to finish 70-60, but the Bugs would hold the tiebreaker based on these predictions with a higher run differential.
The most interesting tidbit would be Nordhagen Beach finishing below .500 at 61-69. The Nuka Cup Tournament may have been the first hint that the Party Boys have not properly reloaded their talent to be competitive in the near future as they age out. The Boys will probably be early sellers to reload for 2314.
Concord also offers an interesting pick as the #3 seed after missing the playoffs the last seven seasons. The Radstags came close last season, finishing at 67-63 and just out. It was their last winning season since 2305. The Stags have built a strong base over the years, and may have one of the most dangerous lineups in the CBO. Productivity of rookie 3B Mike Fountaineau, 1B Hax Kim, RF Gargoyle Falcone, and CF Duff Fee could frustrate opposing pitchers all season. Concord also has good depth, which could turn into trade fodder to improve the pitching staff. Still, the Radstags will have three really good pitchers in SP Leyden Aigg, SP Mel Gorgeous, and CL Penn Teller.
In all, 70 appears to be the magic number to get into the playoffs. Speaking of the opposite of the playoffs, both the Easy Town Assaultrons and Sunshine Tidings Chemists are expected to battle for the CBO's #1 overall pick in the Rookie Draft. Both Malden and Cambridge are expected to just avoid the basement yet again.
PAM is not predicting County Crossing's Babs Rooth to win the Nuka Hitter Award in 2313 as he did in 2312. Instead, PAM is picking 2B Diamond Ball of Nahant as the most likely to win the award, followed by Gavin Deux-Gas (The Slog), Brian DeLong (Salem), and Bulleye Shooterson (Nahant).
In the pitchers' race, the Bloodbugs' College Luckyman is PAM's pick to win the Vim! Pitcher Award. Other contenders include The Slog's Make Money, and the Silver Shroud's La'Ray Kalel, Elastic Man Haley, and Sarthis Idren.
South Charles Association
In the SCA, PAM has the University Point Deathclaws and FHE Yao Guai as picks to win their leagues. The Yao Guai are an interesting pick to be the SCA representative in the Sole Survivor Series after losing out on the play-in game in 2312 to miss the playoffs. Here is the predicted playoff order:
1. FHE
2. University Point
3. Oberland
4. Diamond City
5. Vault 81
6. Jamaica Plain
PAM has both Quincy and Roxbury at 67-63 and the first teams out. The Rad Sox were the CBO champions just two seasons ago, yet they still are in it and very well could find their way in yet again.
In addition to Roxbury being out, a couple of interesting teams in Goodneighbor (2312 ML champion) and Egret to finish with losing records. We are trying to figure out what makes PAM doubt the Hancocks' chance for success since they are a young team that seems to be getting better and better. Looking at their lineup, they have filled in some of their holes, with some definitive stars in the outfield: CF Missile Crews, LF Ziggy Stardust, and RF Jay Gabby (injured in the offseason in a raider attack-will be back in late-April). For the Ninjas, they just missed out on the playoffs in 2312 by a game, but they are on a five-season streak of finishing above .500. They had made the playoffs the four seasons prior to 2312. Egret is an aging team, but it's core is still quite good.
As it stands, Diamond City as the 4th seed is the biggest surprise. The Swatters last made the playoffs eight seasons ago when they used to be a force. Since then, they have turned over their roster and now have some new guys looking to make a name in the most important franchise in the CBO. People already know about RF Magnum Peaeye in the middle of the lineup and SP Paul Stains dominating on the mound when he gets run support. There will also be eyes on rookie SS Alex Bragman who arrived in a trade with Starlight that sent SP Phil Pearlman to the Killers among an array of prospects.
In the least surprising prediction ever, PAM has picked 34-year-old 1B Barker Cocoa of University Point to win the Nuka Hitter Award. Players competing for 2nd place in the hitting race are LF Ken Debate (Jamaica Plain), LF Makin Jobear (FHE), CF Missile Crews (Goodneighbor), and 2B Slip Knotty (FHE).
In the race for the Vim! Pitcher Award, the Swatters' Stains is expected to take the title. Other top contenders are SP Heaven Fontenot (Goodneighbor), SP Nuka Laloosh (Roxbury), SP Baker Dozen (FHE), and SP Ahsoka Tano (Oberland).
CBO Top Players
CBO Top Prospects
CBO Top Systems
