BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
1 May 2319
The May 1 Super Post, Part 1
CBO Top Performances
Hitting - It came on Opening Day, and it was the month's best performance. On April 7, Salem's Needham Tickler went off on Malden, scorching the Grognaks on a 3 for 5, 9 RBI day in the Witch Hats' 16-8 victory. Tickler was doubled with two on, hit a grand slam, and then hit a three-run homer to drive in his nine runs. He also scored four times. His nine RBI was a franchise single-game record.
Pitching - One week after Opening day, the month's top pitching performance came through. Atom's Mesquite Williams accomplished that feat in a shutout victory, 1-0, over Southie. Williams pitched a complete-game two-hitter, walking four and striking out five in the process.
CBO Players of the Month
NCA Hitter - Innis Sark, the Fort Hagen left fielder, certainly made a name for himself this past month. He banged out a .321 batting average with 25 hits, 9 home runs, 22 RBIs and scored 19 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 31-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 19 games, Vargas hit .394 with 6 home runs, 20 RBIs and scored 19 runs.
NCA Pitcher - When Buzzcut McDonald takes the mound, a The Slog victory is usually the result. At least that's the way it was in April.
He excelled with a 5-1 mark and a 2.45 ERA in 6 starts, tossed 44 innings, fanned 36 and held opposing batters to a .205 average.
That's why the Ghouls starter was honored today as the Pitcher of the Month by the North Charles Association.
SCA Pitcher - Veteran Hot Lips Houlihan put together quite a successful stretch in April for the Glowing Sea Radscorpions, earning himself the South Charles Association Pitcher of the Month award.
Houlihan racked up a 4-0 record in 5 starts, posting a 0.98 ERA over 36.2 innings and striking out 31.
NCA Rookie - The premier rookie has been named for April -- and the winner is Talley O'Reilly.
The North Charles Association awarded the trophy to him today in a press conference.
It was his remarkable 3-2 mark that brought the Sunshine Tidings starter the Rookie of the Month award.
O'Reilly excelled last month with a 3.15 ERA in 6 starts, tossed 40 innings, fanned 25 and held opposing hitters to a .263 average.
SCA Rookie - Youngster Bix Bimbleman emerged as the latest South Charles Association Rookie of the Month today. The young man from Roxbury deserved the honor, batting .362 with 2 home runs and 10 RBI. Is the month of April a harbinger of things to come or just a fluke? We'll find out someday, but for now, we'll just let Bimbleman enjoy the limelight.
NEBL Analysis
The 2319 minor league seasons are underway, and the top minor league with CBO-quality players has been an exciting watch for which players will work their way up.
Divisional leaders are:
PL Stars - Manchester and Worcester
PL Stripes - New haven
YL Old Glory - Fall River
YL USA - New Britain
NEBL Players of the Month
PL Hitter - At only 25 years of age, Kris McKenna could very well have many more months like this last one during his career.
That would be great news for fans of the New Haven Champions, as April was one to remember for the center fielder and he has captured the Patriot League Batter of the Month award.
On the month he hit .417 with 5 home runs, 16 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
YL Hitter - Puny Merchant may be much younger than other hitters in the Yankee League, but he performed like a seasoned veteran in April to win the Batter of the Month award.
The 24-year-old New Bedford left fielder hit .342 with 6 home runs, 11 RBIs and 20 runs scored.
PL Pitcher - Tullio Canarica of Manchester had an excellent April with a 3-0 record and was selected as the Pitcher of the Month in the Patriot League.
He finished the month with a 0.53 ERA while piling up 26 strikeouts in 34 innings and holding opposing hitters to a .157 batting average.
YL Pitcher - Bohan Omeragic was the best pitcher in April according to the voters. He severely shut down opposition batters to win the Yankee League Pitcher of the Month Award.
Fall River's star reliever compiled a 2-0 mark and an ERA of 1.08 in 16.2 innings with 12 strikeouts and 9 saves in 10 save opportunities.
MML Analysis
The Massachusetts Minor League is 22 games into the 2319 season. This league is where the younger but nearly ready players get to show off their skills. Some of the players here will be on the CBO expanded 40-man roster later this season, while many will need a little more experience before they are ready for the big time.
Division leaders are:
LL Boggs - Everett
LL Murtagh - Chicopee, Methuen, and Waltham
SL Williams - Marshfield
SL Yastrzemski - Middletown
MML Players of the Month
LL Hitter - For a rookie just breaking in, Jim Szewczyk certainly put together a successful month. It was good enough to win the LL Batter of the Month award for April.
The 27-year-old second baseman for the Arlington Caps hit .351 with 8 home runs, 17 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
SL Hitter - Ewald Kujawa has a lot going for him. The East Providence center fielder just broke into the majors this year and now the Stars League has just picked him as its top hitter for April.
In 20 games last month this outstanding rookie batted .412 with 9 home runs, 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored.
LL Pitcher - The Pitcher of the Month Award has been picked and the Legends League victor is Brookline relief ace, Espen Nygaard. For his solid outings in April he has been named the league's premier pitcher.
During the month, the Bandoliers star had 7 saves in 7 save opportunities, a 0.00 ERA and 1 win and no losses. In 10.2 innings Nygaard struck out 9 and gave up 4 hits and 0 walks.
SL Pitcher - Richard Cowboy of Middletown excelled on the mound in April with a 4-0 record and was named the Pitcher of the Month in the Stars League.
Cowboy restricted opposing batters to 27 base hits and a .229 batting average. He rang up 26 strikeouts in 33.2 innings of work, surrendered 10 walks, and fashioned a 1.60 ERA.
BMU Analysis
The lower-level leagues, starting with the Boston Minor Union, are for younger players who either do not have the talent to move up or rookies (mostly college-drafted) who need to hone their skills before competing at higher levels.
Division leaders are:
CA Dark Hollow Pond - South Portland
CA Cambridge - Greenfield
MA Downtown Boston - Cumberland and Mass Pike
MA Glowing Sea - Shelton, Southington, and Westfield
BMU Players of the Month
CA Hitter - It's perhaps an award he'll win many more times through his career, as at age 22 Fuzz Copman has a lot of baseball ahead of him.
But for now the young Brunswick Brainiacs star can enjoy the numbers he put up in April, which have garnered him the nod as the Commonwealth Association Batter of the Month.
His breakout month featured a .382 average with 5 home runs, 15 RBIs and 9 runs scored.
MA Hitter - When Chimo Gaspar stepped up to the plate in April he did it with confidence, and today he was honored with the Massachusetts Association Batter of the Month award.
The young Southington right fielder posted a .394 batting average with 6 home runs, 14 RBIs and scored 13 runs. Gaspar also worked pitchers for 6 walks to post a .438 on-base percentage.
CA Pitcher - Swoop Gommering was firing on all cylinders in the month of April with 3 wins as he steamrolled all Commonwealth Association opposition on his way to the Pitcher of the Month award.
During the month Gommering was 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA. He made 4 starts, tossed 27 innings and had 19 strikeouts.
MA Pitcher - The Massachusetts Association scribes have picked April's Pitcher of the Month and have given the trophy to Kaiden Savage of Foxborough. He was devastating on the mound last month with a standout 4-0 mark.
The Minutemen star hurler made 4 starts with a 0.72 ERA and surrendered 11 hits in 25 innings. He struck out 15 and walked 9.
GBRL Analysis
Finally, there is the Greater Boston Rookie League where players 16-22 get an opportunity much like the BMU to hone skills are show that they are not throwaway players. Many of the top players here are the youth league players looking to develop both their bodies and skills.
Division leaders are:
HL Danse - Covenant
HL Howard - Abernathy
SL Garvey - Mayoral Shelter
SL Desdemona - Amherst, Nuka Express, and Somerville Place
GBRL Players of the Month
HL Hitter - Coastal Cottage Buds fans may just have witnessed a star player blossoming before their eyes in April.
Catty Chad McKinney put up a remarkable month at the age of 19 and has been named the Heroes League Batter of the Month.
For the month, McKinney hit .403 with 6 home runs, 23 RBIs and 15 runs scored.
SL Hitter - Piedmont Marsh made his presence known as one of the best young stars in the Saviors League this past month.
The Mystic Pines Raybathers center fielder shined through the month of April and has won the Batter of the Month award.
The 19-year-old hit .408 with 7 home runs, 24 RBIs and 17 runs scored.
HL Pitcher - The #1 pitcher this past month in the Heroes League was Ernie Maxload of the Haverhill Grooms. He worked the hitters over real good, finishing April with a superb 3-0 record and a 1.29 ERA.
The Grooms star made 4 starts and surrendered 20 hits in 28 innings. He struck out 19 and walked 7.
PL Pitcher - When Mayoral Shelter relief specialist James Docherty came into the game, it was as good as over. For his great month of April he was named the Saviors League Pitcher of the Month.
Docherty posted a 4-0 mark and a 2.60 ERA in 8 relief appearances. In 17.1 innings, he allowed 21 hits, totaled no saves with 16 strikeouts and 10 walks.