BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
12 August 2320
The August Super Post, Part 2
NEBL Standings
The New England Baseball League regular season is over. The good clubs that made the playoffs are headed back to the ballparks to determine the league's top team, while the other teams can be found on the first tee, half-heartedly enjoying the offseason with mixed emotions.
It's playoff time, when the best teams play one another with the ultimate prize at stake -- the New England Series championship.
The regular season has ended and anxiety is starting to rise around the clubhouses still harboring championship aspirations.
The playoffs begin today, the final sprint to the finish line and the time when great players earn their fame, when average players get a shot at immortality, and when rookies look to make their name.
Some dread it and some relish it, but everyone who dreams of playing in New England Baseball League wants to have a once-in-a-lifetime shot at championship glory. The 2320 League Championships kicks off today with these exciting matchups:
Newton Behemoths vs Springfield Operators and Lowell Sentry Bots vs West Hartford Alphas.
NEBL Players of the Month
PL Hitter - When Randall Marcus stepped up to the plate in July he did it with confidence, and today he was honored with the Patriot League Batter of the Month award.
The young Nashua center fielder posted a .375 batting average with 8 home runs, 18 RBIs and scored 24 runs. Marcus also worked pitchers for 15 walks to post a .469 on-base percentage.
This year, Marcus is hitting .328 with 9 home runs and 19 RBIs in 36 games played. He also boasts an OBP of .429 with 20 walks and 30 runs scored.
YL Hitter - At only 22 years of age, Fred Chicken could very well have many more months like this last one during his career.
That would be great news for fans of the Fall River Rippers, as July was one to remember for the center fielder and he has captured the Yankee League Batter of the Month award.
On the month he hit .429 with 6 home runs, 19 RBIs and 24 runs scored.
At the moment, Chicken is batting .346 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs. He has played in 86 games and scored 64 times.
PL Pitcher - Sea Mink hasn't been around long enough to know that youngsters shouldn't be winning Patriot League Pitcher of the Month. But when you put up numbers like his, you're going to get some notice.
In July the Nashua starter earned a 4-0 mark in 6 starts. He threw 40.2 innings, struck out 22 and compiled a solid 1.55 ERA.
This year, Mink has made 13 starts, thrown 81.1 innings, fanned 53 batters and walked 25. His won-lost record is 6-3 with a 3.43 ERA.
YL Pitcher - The top pitcher this past month in the Yankee League was Licky Lichenstein of the Lowell Sentry Bots. He really bewildered league hitters, finishing July with an excellent 4-1 record and 1.45 ERA.
The Sentry Bots hurler made 6 starts and surrendered 27 hits in 43.1 innings. He struck out 32 and walked 10.
This year, Lichenstein has compiled a 4-2 mark with a 1.89 ERA in 9 starts.
MML Standings
Close the book on the Massachusetts Minor League regular season. For most of the ballclubs, it's all over except for the crying. Now attention turns to the playoffs. It will be the best against the best to determine the Massachusetts Minor Series champion for 2320. And it all kicks off soon. The all-important second season is about to begin.
The Massachusetts Minor League playoffs are here -- so let the games begin! It's time to crown the Massachusetts Minor Series champion for 2320. Now that the regular season has ended and the best ballclubs have been decided, it's playoff time. Any ballplayer worth his salt wants those coveted championship rings. A real ballplayer knows that he needs those little golden treasures to seal his fame in the league annals. The second season is here starting today with some sparkling series on tap:
Everett Mutant Hounds vs Arlington Caps and Stratford Pugilists vs Weymouth Cannibals.
MML Players of the Month
LL Hitter - It's official. BNN writers have voted Tom Harkness of the Chicopee Vans the Legends League Batter of the Month award for July.
During the month he recorded a .356 average with 6 home runs, 26 RBIs and 17 runs scored.
So far this season, Harkness has recorded a .342 batting average with 50 hits, 7 home runs, 31 RBIs, 26 runs scored and a .458 OBP.
SL Hitter - Braintree Robobrains fans believe they've got a talented young star in Olcar Moore.
He did nothing to dissuade that notion in July, as he hit .345 with 6 home runs, 12 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
The end result was the left fielder being named the Stars League Batter of the Month.
This season, Moore is batting .285 with 27 RBIs, 25 runs scored and 12 home runs.
LL Pitcher - July's top hurler was Lib Doe of Chicopee. He shackled Legends League hitters the entire month and claimed the Pitcher of the Month award with a sparkling 4-1 mark.
The 25-year-old Doe added 24 strikeouts in 45.1 innings and 10 walks to his season record and compiled a 1.99 ERA. Other clubs hit .248 against him.
So far this season, Doe has a 8-2 record with a 1.65 ERA.
SL Pitcher - Kian Wood has made fans throughout Massachusetts Minor League take notice over the past month with an exceptional 5-0 record. No pitcher in the Stars League threw better in July, garnering him the Pitcher of the Month award today.
In 6 starts Wood compiled a 3.07 ERA, putting up a 5-0 record, striking out 31 and tossing 44 innings.
In 19 starts this year, Wood has posted 6 wins while suffering 8 losses. He has pitched 129.1 innings, allowed 135 hits, struck out 92 and has a 4.87 ERA.
BMU Playoffs
With a 7-4 win over the Clifton Vertibirds tonight at Rockland Ball Park, the Rockland Snipers wrapped up their 2nd title in team history.
Rockland left little doubt who was the better club. "Team" was the word of the day as the Snipers celebrated the culmination of their banner year in the victors clubhouse following the game.
"Hitting, pitching, fielding; those are all things you need to win, but most importantly you need a team, a team that works together toward the same collective goal," said Rockland manager Justin Vertz. "Our players felt that way all year and they played that way. When one guy had an off day, 24 others stepped up their game and filled the void."
A jovial mood filled the air as Rockland celebrated into the night. The city's mayor said parade plans were underway and a "huge celebration" in the works.
"We're going to celebrate our team, our championship Rockland Snipers," the mayor said.
The champions completed the regular season with a first-place finish in the Massachusetts Association Downtown Boston Division and a 57-31 record.
BMU Players of the Month
CA Hitter - Even though he is a newcomer to Boston Minor Union, Liam King put up some good numbers in July and earned the CA Batter of the Month award.
He was one of Bangor's offensive leaders with a .333 average in 19 games. He also racked up 5 home runs, 11 RBIs, and 15 runs scored.
Currently King is batting .308 with 8 home runs, 20 RBIs and 26 runs scored.
MA Hitter - Black Magic Rogers may be much younger than other hitters in the Massachusetts Association, but he performed like a seasoned veteran in July to win the Batter of the Month award.
The 22-year-old Meriden left fielder hit .284 with 6 home runs, 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored.
Rogers is currently batting .239 with 8 home runs and 20 RBIs.
CA Pitcher - There's no doubt that Eyebots starter Parrish Wesman earned his Commonwealth Association Pitcher of the Month award. He left absolutely no room for doubt as he mowed his way through the opposition in July.
During the month Wesman was 4-0 with a 3.18 ERA. He made 5 starts, tossed 34 innings and had 30 strikeouts.
In 9 starts this year, Wesman has recorded a 7-1 record and a 3.03 ERA.
MA Pitcher - The Pitcher of the Month for July has been picked and the Massachusetts Association award went to Rockland hurler, Fergus Tal-Shachar.
During the month, Tal-Shachar was impressive with a 0.92 ERA and 4 wins and no losses. In 39 innings he struck out 39 and gave up 25 hits and 4 walks.
In 9 starts this season, Tal-Shachar has compiled a 6-1 record and a 1.42 ERA.
GBRL Playoffs
Sometimes the winner is the one who got the lucky bounces and the lucky calls, and sometimes the winner is just the one who played better.
It was the latter case in 2320, as the Abernathy Adamantium topped the Cherry Ghoulrillas 3-1 tonight at Grandchester Mystery Mansion Park to win the Rookie Series. It was the 2nd title in franchise history.
"When you play for championships, you have to play better than the team in the other dugout. We did that in this series, and all year. Now we're the best team in baseball," said Abernathy left fielder Acrobat Magee, who was named series MVP.
The Adamantium took the series 4-2. The new titleholders completed the regular season with a first-place finish in the Heroes League Danse Division and a 49-39 record.
Abernathy manager Lee Duper grinned and nodded when asked to comment on Magee's words.
"Acrobat said it best -- we played better than the other team," the skipper said.
Hometown officials announced they were already planning a "grand celebration" for the winners in the days to come.
GBRL Players of the Month
HL Hitter - For a rookie just breaking in, Conor Blueplate certainly put together a successful month. It was good enough to win the HL Batter of the Month award for July.
The 22-year-old left fielder for the National Park Gulpers hit .418 with 6 home runs, 21 RBIs and 21 runs scored.
So far this year, Blueplate is batting .291 with 11 home runs, 48 RBIs and 52 runs scored.
SL Hitter - Not known for his offensive prowess, Darby O'Doherty set the league afire in July and took home the Saviors League Batter of the Month award.
The Mayoral Shelter first baseman posted a steady .420 batting average, 9 home runs, 23 RBIs and 17 runs.
This year, O'Doherty is batting .449 with 10 home runs.
HL Pitcher - Sheridon Carr of the Anglers bewildered opposing batters in July and was honored as the Heroes League Pitcher of the Month earlier today.
The Eden Meadows starter sparkled last month with a 3-0 record and 1.16 ERA. He made 4 starts, tossed 23.1 innings and had 30 strikeouts.
In 20 starts this season, Carr has registered a 5-5 record and a 4.03 ERA.
SL Pitcher - Any time a rookie makes a splash on the scene, it's got to be great for his career potential. Just ask Ox Kapono, who put together a stellar month out of the pen. The Quartz Star Force reliever, 22, kept the opposition off balance all month as he held them to a .257 average and walked away with the Saviors League Pitcher of the Month award for July.
Kapono posted a 3-0 mark and a 3.38 ERA in no relief appearances. In 29.1 innings, he had no saves, 29 strikeouts, and 18 walks.
This season, he has made 4 relief appearances, collecting no saves. Kapono has worked 40.2 innings, yielding 37 hits and giving out 29 free passes while striking out 42. He has a 5-1 record with a 4.65 ERA.
VHRL Awards
Hitter - Roarty MacNamara, the talented Montpelier first baseman, certainly made his name known among VerHamp Rookie League hurlers this season. He hammered them for 59 hits, 8 doubles, no triples, 8 home runs, 31 RBIs and scored 22 times. That kind of output made him the choice for VerHamp Rookie League Most Valuable Player Award for 2320.
He received 4 first place votes, as a unanimous winner. Wawa Medlock of the Montpelier Monarchs finished second in voting, while Little John Moore of the Lebanon Comets finished third.
Player - Team - First Place - Total Points
Roarty MacNamara - Montpelier Monarchs - 4 - 56
Wawa Medlock - Montpelier Monarchs - 0 - 36
Little John Moore - Lebanon Comets - 0 - 32
Sham Swamy - Burlington Tridents - 0 - 28
Conor Dixon - Conway Pinehawks - 0 - 24
Serious Shirley - Lebanon Comets - 0 - 19
Scrapper Melton - Lebanon Comets - 0 - 17
Plitha Rybof - Burlington Tridents - 0 - 10
Jay Kitchen - Montpelier Monarchs - 0 - 7
Polly Koch - Conway Pinehawks - 0 - 4
Martin Skovgaard - Conway Pinehawks - 0 - 3
Starter - Mike Cain had a spectacular year for Montpelier in 2320, putting up 3 wins for the Monarchs to walk away with the VerHamp Rookie League Pitcher of the Year Award trophy.
He finished the season with a 3-5 mark, 49 strikeouts and a 3.39 ERA. In 12 starts Cain surrendered 55 hits and 28 walks in 58.1 innings on the mound.
He received 3 first place votes out of a possible 4. Aaron Akhurst of the Montpelier Monarchs finished second in voting with 1 first place vote, while Suljo Zuzoric of the Burlington Tridents finished third.
Player - Team - First Place - Total Points
Mike Cain - Montpelier Monarchs - 3 - 25
Aaron Akhurst - Montpelier Monarchs - 1 - 17
Suljo Zuzoric - Burlington Tridents - 0 - 14
Keely Campbell - Burlington Tridents - 0 - 7
Fabien Fabre - Conway Pinehawks - 0 - 4
Gabriel Shuo - Lebanon Comets - 0 - 1
Reliever - Dante Bagby said he thinks hitters often underestimate him, as he's only 21 years old.
But he'll certainly be getting a lot more respect now, as the Conway Pinehawks rising star has won the VerHamp Rookie League Reliever of the Year Award for 2320.
He captured the award on the strength of his 2.25 ERA over 40 innings. He also had 6 saves in 25 relief appearances, 58 strikeouts and only 18 walks.
He received 4 first place votes, as a unanimous winner. Walt Clawhorn of the Montpelier Monarchs finished second in voting, while Meany Walsh of the Conway Pinehawks finished third.
Player - Team - First Place - Total Points
Dante Bagby - Conway Pinehawks - 4 - 20
Walt Clawhorn - Montpelier Monarchs - 0 - 8
Meany Walsh - Conway Pinehawks - 0 - 8