BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
17 September 2320
CBO Playoffs: Association Semifinals Round Preview
NCA: #4 Easy Town Assaultrons (80-64) vs #1 Fort Hagen Silver Shroud (84-60)
Season Series: Fort Hagen 3, Easy Town 3
April 19-21 @ET: ET 5-0, FtH 6-1, ET 3-2
July 26-28 @FtH: ET 7-2, FtH 6-0, FtH 5-2
Playoff History: Easy Town 3, Fort Hagen 1
2298 - Championship Series - #3 Easy Town 3, #4 Fort Hagen 1
2300 - Association Semifinal - #2 Fort Hagen 3, #3 Easy Town 2
2304 - Play-in Round - #5 Easy Town 2, #4 Fort Hagen 0
2319 - Championship Series - #2 Easy Town 4, #4 Fort Hagen 2
Analysis
Fort Hagen was a team that generally took care of business against bad teams but struggled at times against good teams. That can be seen in the season series against Easy Town with the two teams splitting their six-game series. The teams went back and forth, each getting a few large wins, so the season series does not tell us much other than it is a smart bet that it goes all five games.
This series also features the NCA's two best teams all-around statistically. The Silver Shroud wrapped around the Trons' 2nd-rank in runs for and against by finishing 1st in runs scored and 3rd in runs against.
Offensively, LF Innis Sark was the team MVP, finishing as one of only 15 players in the CBO with 30 or more home runs and one of 11 players with 85 or more runs batted in. Interestingly, the Shroud finished 7th in home runs, one of their lowest stats.
On the mound, the Fort Hagen benefited most from a dominant bullpen, finishing with a 2.85 ERA. The starters were 11th in ERA, giving us pause in predicting the Shroud to win it all. Booker Wood was the best all-around pitcher, finishing 15-8 with a 3.00 ERA. Nuke Laloosh moves to the bullpen for the playoffs. Some speculate he may call it quits after this season. A championship would help make that decision.
Looking at the playoff history between these two teams, they are the series of teams that have met most in the postseason of all the four matchups in 2320. Most interesting is that this will mark the Assaultrons and Silver Shroud's fifth meeting. Every season that both Easy Town and the Shroud have been in the playoffs the same season has resulted in them facing each other. Twice, this series was for the right to move on to the Sole Survivor Series. The Trons won both times, including a season ago when they downed Fort Hagen, 4 games to 2, before falling to Egret in the Sole Survivor Series.
Prediction
The Silver Shroud are the #1 seed for a reason, being consistent throughout the season. Easy Town has had its ups and downs, but have only had one losing month: April (13-14). That also is consistency. The Trons are a good hitting team that knows how to work the bases, which could be overpowering for the Shroud starting rotation. In the end, we like Easy Town to go all the way to the Sole Survivor Series for the 4th time in 5 seasons. Easy Town 3, Fort Hagen 2
NCA: #3 Cambridge Coursers (83-61) vs #2 Malden Grognaks (80-64)
Season Series: Malden 4, Cambridge 2
May 31-June 2 @Mal: Mal 13-5, Cam 9-3, Mal 4-3(11)
August 10-12 @Cam: Cam 2-0, Mal 7-3, Mal 6-3(10)
Playoff History: First Meeting
Analysis
Two of the original expansion franchises from 2310 meet for the first time in the playoffs, with this season marking the fourth time in recent seasons that they are in the playoffs simultaneously. Cambridge is making its fourth playoff tripe (2316, 2318-2320), while Malden is in its fifth appearance (2315-2317, 2319-2320). The Coursers advanced to the Sole Survivor Series just two seasons ago, which could be telling in this series.
In the regular season, the Grognaks held a slight edge, winning 4 of the 6 matchups. All four victories for Malden came through late wins with four relief pitchers earning the victories. For Cambridge, Scooter Yaghmour and Toon Alljet both had two outstanding starts apiece but had no decisions between them. Yaghmour had a 1.80 ERA in 15.0 innings, to go along with 19 strikeouts.
Malden statistically is slightly better than the Coursers. The Naks were 4th in runs scored (compared to 5th for Cambridge) and 5th in runs allowed (compared to tied for 7th for Cambridge. The Grognaks' best features statistically was finishing 2nd in OBP, which means that they put themselves in position to score runs.
Malden did not have anyone who stood out individually on offense, but every player contributed. Despite not qualifying statistically, Lance Tinter led the team in average in 107 games played. Phantom Vargas was the leader in homers, and Floren Habern was the RBI and stolen bases leader.
On the mound, starters were decent for the Grognaks and again slightly ahead of Cambridge in ERA (5th to 7th). Ace Ahsoka Tano (4-5, 2.39) has a great ERA but has seen limited action in 2320. He is currently experiencing shoulder issues that may limit him or leave him out of action entirely. Vault Boy Barnette (12-3, 3.55) or Hrye Caje (12-13, 3.83) could fill in for Tano if he is unable to go.
Prediction
We feel that the Grognaks are the better team and should win the series. At the same time, the Coursers have experienced more recent success in making a deep playoff run. Malden was in the NCA Championship Series in both 2316 and 2317, though, falling to Easy Town both times. In the end, we are tossing a coin and going with the team that would host Game 5. Malden 3, Cambridge 2
SCA: #4 Diamond City Swatters (86-58) vs #1 Southie Brews (93-51)
Season Series: Diamond City 5, Southie 1
May 4-6 @Sou: Sou 4-3(12), DC 1-0, DC 5-3
July 19-21 @DC: DC 4-0, DC 8-7, DC 1-0
Playoff History: Diamond City 1, Southie 0
2318 - Championship Series - #1 Diamond City 4, #2 Southie 3
Analysis
If we asked the average reader what seeds each team is in this #1 vs #4 matchup, they would probably guess Diamond City as the #1 seed. Looking at the talent of the teams and typical success, that would be a good guess. However, this season has been anything but typical with the Brews sitting with the CBO's top record of 93-51.
With that stated, 5 of the Brews' 51 losses came against the Swatters. Diamond City was the only team that they had a losing record against in the SCA, so there could be some psychological advantages for the Swatters entering this series.
Statistically, this matchup features the SCA's top offense (Southie) against the top pitching staff (Diamond City). The Brews have earned their #1 seed by leading in almost all offensive categories. Seven of the eight regular hitters hit 15 or more home runs, helping Southie to the CBO-best with 206. Mikita Sato was the best overall hitter, finishing 1st in homers (30), 2nd in average (.253), and 4th in RBI (65) while batting from the 8th spot.
Pitching is a tale of two squads for the Brews. Southie finished 4th in runs scored, to go along with the top Bullpen ERA (2.26). However, the starters ranked 13th in ERA (3.75), indicating the mythological Achilles heel. The trade for Arcade Anderson (5-2, 2.57 since joining Southie) may have solved the problem. He struggled with Quincy, but was getting especially frustrated that he was piling up losses in good outings, including losing three straight when allowing only two or fewer runs. Of his 16 losses with the Granites, nine came when he allowed three or fewer runs. Anderson's addition to the lineup puts less pressure on Jobe Christie (17-10, 3.52) and Orel Hershey (20-7, 3.74). Full team page below:
Two seasons ago, both the Swatters and Southie met for the first time in the playoffs. Diamond City ended up wining the SCA Championship Series, where they went on to defeat Cambridge for their third overall Sole Survivor Series championship. As noted in the Wildcard Round previews, the Swatters are the only team to be undefeated in the Sole Survivor Series with more than one appearance. Southie is making just its second playoff appearance in team history. For the record, here are the multi-SSS teams and their records, in alphabetical order, of all 22 official Series:
Atom 1-1
County Crossing 1-1
Diamond City 3-0
Easy Town 1-3
Fort Hagen 1-3
Nordhagen Beach 4-3
Oberland 0-2
Quincy 1-2
Roxbury 3-2
University Point 2-1
Vault 81 1-1
One-timers:
Bunker Hill 1-0
Cambridge 0-1
Egret 1-0
Goodneighbor 1-0
Lexington 0-1
Nahant 0-1
The Slog 1-0
Prediction
The Brews have played well all season and earned their spot as the top seed. Diamond City appeared to be the top seed at one point, but a poor stretch at the beginning of August dropped them to 2nd place in the Railroad League and then another poor stretch in September dropped them to the #4 seed. When playing Southie, though, the Swatters looked to have a team they knew how to beat. We'll take the experience over the up-and-coming team. Diamond City 3, Southie 1
SCA: #6 Roxbury Rad Sox (77-67) vs #2 FHE Yao Guai (91-53)
Season Series: FHE 5, Roxbury 5
April 29-May 2 @Rox: FHE 3-2, Rox 6-2, FHE 5-4, FHE 6-4
June 4-6 @FHE: Rox 6-5, Rox 9-5, FHE 7-6
July 30-August 1 @FHE: Rox 4-0, FHE 4-3, Rox 2-1
Playoff History: First Meeting
Analysis
The regular season matchups between #2 FHE and #6 Roxbury were good ones with just three matchups being decided by more than two runs. In fact, six of the 10 games were decided by just a run in this Railroad League battle.
For the Yao Guai, they are masters of none statistically, but great all-around, finishing second in the SCA in both runs scored and runs allowed, beaten only by the two teams in the other matchup for the top spots. The only place that FHE does not have any statistical advantages over Roxbury appears to be in base running, where Missile Crews (49 steals) is the only great runner on the team. No one else had more than three stolen bases.
Phil Brodie (.322/30/101) should be in the Nuka Hitter Award conversation in the SCA. He led the SCA in 12 offensive categories, making him the clear favorite. Lots of other players contributed offensively, especially Crews, Brass Well, and Bowen Marsh, making the top of the lineup a hard chem to inject for opposing pitchers.
On the mound, the Yao Guai are likely to get the season sweep on top awards since there is little debate about Lane Phrasemaker (20-3, 1.67) being the favorite for the Vim! Pitcher Award. Only the Swatters' Macho Lopez seems to be serious competition there. Interestingly, Phrasemaker's 20 wins fell just five shy of his father, Blaine's, 25 career wins over six seasons from 2296-2300 with County Crossing, Finch Farm, and Diamond City. He finished 25-52. Baker Dozen also had a great season, setting the CBO record for no-hitters in a season (2) and career (3).
It is hard to believe that this is the first meeting between two Railroad League rivals, but it is even harder to believe this season marks just the third time both teams have been in the playoffs in the same season. The other two times were 2303 and 2311.
The Yao Guai have not been a winning team, but they have been much better since Piper Wright purchased the team. In FHE's eight total appearances, seven of them have come in the last decade: 2311, 2313-2314, 2317-2320. This marks the fourth-straight season they are here.
Roxbury has had a lot more success overall with 2302-2312 making up all of it. This is the Rad Sox's first trip to the playoffs since 2312 with their last playoff series victory coming in the 2311 Sole Survivor Series. That one had marked their fifth appearance and third championship. Other appearances came in 2303-2304 and 2306-2307 with victories in 2303 and 2304.
Prediction
We like how hot the Sox have been at the end of the year to break their playoff drought. At the same time, we think that FHE is the obviously better team, despite the Rad Sox playing them tightly in the regular season. In the end, we feel that the Yao Guai will overpower Roxbury. FHE 3, Roxbury 1