Fallout 4's Commonwealth Baseball Organization

[StLee]

I was rediscovering sections of OOTP especially since I never took a chance to click around. I never even thought about the championship picture. It may happen automatically now (???) but I tried to force a team picture and cards for all players.

Here are the two "hagen" teams as of May 11:

[Tyke]

It's nice to be able to put a face to "fan favourite" Tomas Jones!

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

12 May 2298 - Burton Victim of Stray Bottle

Goodneighbor reliever Aaron Burton was the victim of a thrown bottle during a scuffle in the Fairline Hill Estates bar, The Eye Patch.

Burton, doing his usual impression of a statue, stood in a corner of the bar quietly sipping on his beer following the Hancocks' 3-2 victory over the FHE Yao Guai on Wednesday night.

When a scuffle broke out between two people unrelated to either team in the bar, one of the fighters through a liquor bottle and ironically broke, cutting Burton's left eye.

Burton was transported to Milton General Hospital where he received stitches and an eye patch. He is expected to miss some time while his wound heals, but he should be OK otherwise. There was no damage to his eyeball.

Burton is 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA in six relief appearances in 2298. He has allowed two earned runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched.

12 May 2298 - BMU: Connexx goes 3-for-4 in Mole Rats Win

The Forest Grove Mole Rats bested the Somerville Place Sentry Bots by a score of 15-8, with second baseman Chris Connexx getting the main credit. On the day, Connexx was 3 for 4 with a home run and 2 singles, while scoring 2 times and driving in 5 for the Mole Rats. The loss makes Somerville Place 9-12.

The Mole Rats got a big hit from center fielder Edward Cox. In the bottom of the fifth, Cox pounded a bases-clearing double to right-center. His 9th double of the season put the Mole Rats ahead, 12-3.

"You know, at the end of the day, it's about who scores the most runs," said Forest Grove manager Good Night Cunningham.

12 May 2298 - BMU Doubleheader, Game 1: Behemoths Prevail, 6-5, Over Malden

The Breakheart Banks Behemoths downed the Malden Grognaks, 6-5. The hitting star was catcher Conrad Fallon. Fallon was 3 for 4 with a home run and a double for the Behemoths. Breakheart Banks has now won 4 games in a row.

Breakheart Banks took a 6-4 lead on Fallon's 5th home run of the season. The solo home run, which he hit off Blaze Redplate in the bottom of the seventh, propelled Breakheart Banks to the win.

"I feel honored to be a part of this team," said Fallon.

12 May 2298 - BMU Doubleheader, Game 2: Grognaks Win, 5-4, at Breakheart Banks

The Malden Grognaks had to overcome a big game from Breakheart Banks second baseman Steve McGuckin to leave Mahkra Fishpacking Stadium with a victory. And they did, winning 5-4. McGuckin went 4 for 5 with 2 doubles and 2 singles, while scoring 3 runs. Elijah Robinson, the winner, goes to 3-1. He allowed 4 runs on 13 hits, with 1 walk and 5 strikeouts over 5.2 innings. The win gives the Grognaks a record of 7-14.

Malden used the bat of Slim Chembaker to get the win. The shortstop hammered a 3-run home run in the top of the first inning to put the Grognaks ahead, 3-0. It was his lone hit in 4 at-bats, but it did its damage.

Chembaker called winning a team effort. "It's not the same guy every time," he said. "It's the sum of the parts."

12 May 2298 - BMU: Gun Fu Get One-Run Win at Corvega

The Bunker Hill Gun Fu defeated the Corvega Flamers, 2-1, in Commonwealth Association action at Corvega Stadium. Bunker Hill pitcher Ashland Adamson had a standout performance. Adamson, now 1-0, was the winner. In 8 innings, he gave up 5 hits, while striking out 2, walking 1, and allowing 1 run. After today's action, Bunker Hill sits at 10-11; Corvega slips to 14-7.

With Bunker Hill leading 1-0 in the top of the second, Adamson hit a run-scoring single off Corvega hurler Jose Macedo. It was the 1st hit of the season for Adamson and put his team ahead, 2-0.

"I was a little disappointed," said Corvega manager Jason Criswell. "We could've and should've scored more runs."

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

13 May 2298 - Finch Farm Whitewashed by Diehl

Casey Diehl of Nordhagen Beach easily handled the Finch Farm Four Leafs, stopping them on 4 hits and chucking a complete-game 3-0 shutout.

"He really did a job on us," said Finch Farm manager Wiley Boat. "He had good command of his pitches. He changed speeds well and confused us. We never could zero in on him, but he certainly zeroed in on us."

He finished the game with 9 strikeouts and 4 walks in a solid outing.

Diehl has made 7 starts so far this year and put up a 4-0 won-lost record with a 4.30 ERA. In 46 innings he has allowed 41 hits, walked 18 and struck out 27.

The game was basically settled when Dustin Mart hit a one-out, solo home run in the bottom of the third, putting the Party Boys up 1-0.

13 May 2298 - Milteer Rips 2 Home Runs in 12-9 T-51s Triumph

A 4-RBI performance from shortstop Chris Milteer, who is tied for 6th in the SCA with a .435 on-base percentage, led the Oberland T-51s to a win over the FHE Yao Guai, 12-9. Lennie Landslide, the winning pitcher, is now 5-1. He went 5 innings, allowing 6 runs on 9 hits, while fanning 3 and walking 3. The save went to Aaron Still, his 10th this season.

With Oberland leading 4-2 in the bottom of the second, Milteer hit a splitter from Papa Bush for a 3-run home run. It was his 3rd home run of the season and put the T-51s ahead, 7-2.

"Our goal is to improve each and every day," Milteer told the Oberland Observer.

The win for the T-51s lifted their record to 23-5.

13 May 2298 - Derp Excels, Quincy Blows Out Jamaica Plain

Dan Derp was a major contributor to the 13-3 Quincy win over Jamaica Plain. The Gunners second baseman slugged 2 home runs. The victory gives the Gunners a record of 17-11.

The Gunners got a big hit from first baseman Brian Drinkwater. In the bottom of the eighth, Drinkwater pounded a 3-run home run to left. His 9th home run of the season put the Gunners ahead, 12-3.

"I'm just happy to help the team win," Drinkwater told the Quincy Observer.

13 May 2298 - Synths Stay Hot, Beat Silver Shroud, 4-3

Lexington shortstop Swift Hendrix helped his team beat the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud, 4-3. Hendrix went 2 for 4 for the Synths. Chris Morgen was the winner. Over 7 innings, he allowed 3 runs on 8 hits, with no walks and 5 strikeouts. Earning his 5th save for Lexington was Doug Dee El.

Hendrix had a timely hit for Lexington in the bottom of the sixth. With Fort Hagen trailing 3-2, he turned a first pitch screwball into a 2-run home run. It was his 5th home run of the season, making it 4-3, Lexington.

"The vibe's good," said Lexington manager Sprole Races. "We've got to keep it going."

Lexington has run its win streak to 5 in a row.

[Tyke]

Maybe there's an opportunity here for Aaron Burton to earn a few caps on the side? If the owners of The Eye Patch bar were looking to do some advertising, they have a ready-made poster boy for the campaign. It could be the start of a whole new career for him!!

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

Maybe there's an opportunity here for Aaron Burton to earn a few caps on the side? If the owners of The Eye Patch bar were looking to do some advertising, they have a ready-made poster boy for the campaign. It could be the start of a whole new career for him!!

The Eye Patch bar was named in honor of Fairline Hill Estates mayor Eleanor Scarface. She chose the name Scarface because people who met her but did not know or could not remember her name referred to her as "Scarface" anyway. She thought it was humorous. The Eye Patch owner, Crow Williamson who used to run with the Gunners, once told her that people would quit calling her Scarface if she wore an eye patch, to which Eleanor replied, "Then the idiots will just call me 'Eye Patch.'" Thus The Eye Patch bar was created.

I like your idea, though. I think The Eye Patch owner needs to offer Burton free drinks for life. Then he needs to put Burton's eye patch picture on the wall. Maybe he should invest in one of these:

[Tyke]

Ooh, yes, I think I vaguely remember them!

[StLee]

Hmmm. Every story came from the NCA today, so I'll add one game from each of the ML and RL.



Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

14 May 2298 - Assaultrons End Go's Streak

The Easy Town Assaultrons pitching staff did its job today, holding hot-hitting Millioncap Go hitless in 4 at-bats during the club's 6-1 victory over the The Slog Ghouls at Easy Town Field. The disappointing performance ended a 23-game hitting streak for the center fielder.

"I'm a little down right now," Go said after the game. "I couldn't get anything going when the team needed me, and I hated to see the streak end, too."

In his season totals, Go has 1 home run, .389 BA, .416 OBP, 14 RBIs and 22 runs scored. He has played in 29 games.

14 May 2298 - Greenzone Hits 2 home runs in Adamantium Win

Po Greenzone made an impact in the 9-6 Abernathy win over Starlight. Greenzone, who is on pace to hit 34 home runs this season, went 3 for 5 with 2 home runs, while adding 6 RBI and scoring twice. Jame Functionary notched the win in relief. The left-hander allowed no runs on 1 hit in 1.2 innings. His record now sits at 1-0. With the victory, the Adamantium upped their record to 19-10.

Greenzone had a game-changing home run in the top of the ninth. On a 1-1 fastball from John Walden, he banged a 3-run home run to left, giving the Adamantium a 9-6 lead. It was the 9th home run of the year for Greenzone.

"We'll put this win in our pocket and go after the next one," said Greenzone.

14 May 2298 - Noggin Slugs Bloodbugs to 8-3 Win

The County Crossing Bloodbugs topped the Salem Witch Hats by a score of 8-3. Leading the way was first baseman Josh Noggin. Noggin went 2 for 3 with 2 home runs and a walk. He drove in 5 runs and scored twice for the Bloodbugs. County Crossing starter Jeff Rickashaw was credited with the win after throwing 139 pitches over 9 innings. His record now stands at 3-4. With the win, the Bloodbugs have a record of 12-17.

Noggin contributed a big hit, a grand slam home run, for County Crossing in the top of the fourth. With his team trailing 2-1, Noggin took a cutter from Mike Cartrette and stroked the home run to left. His 7th home run of the season allowed the Bloodbugs to leap in front, 5-2.

"We'll enjoy this win," said Noggin. "But there's more we hope to accomplish."

14 May 2298 - Chemists Earn 6-5 Win Versus Radstags

The Sunshine Tidings Chemists downed the Concord Radstags, 6-5, at Nuka Park. The Chemists were led by Amari Nukes. He hit 2 home runs, while adding 4 RBI and scoring twice. Accident John came out of the bullpen to earn the win. The right-hander allowed no runs on 2 hits in 2 innings. His record now stands at 2-2. With the win, Sunshine Tidings raised its record to 15-14.

The outcome might have been different for Sunshine Tidings, had it not been for Brightsun Ramos, the 19-year old right fielder . Ramos stroked a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th inning to put Sunshine Tidings up, 6-5. For the game, he was 3 for 5, including 1 double and 2 singles.

"This kind of game is tough on the heart," said winning manager Cozy Burmaster.

14 May 2298 - Synths Win Streak Reaches 6

The Lexington Synths picked up a win at Super Duper Mart Stadium, knocking off the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud, 5-2. Starting pitcher Pete Pembroke was a big reason why. The 4th-place Synths have won 6 in a row.

Justin Daros, the Lexington third baseman, contributed a run-scoring single in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 1-0, Synths. For the game, Daros went 2 for 4 with a double, while adding 2 RBI and scoring once.

"We did enough to win," said Daros.

14 May 2298 - Four Leafs Absorb 6-2 Loss at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium

Nordhagen Beach got a strong outing from Tommy Beach as the Party Boys defeated the Finch Farm Four Leafs, 6-2, at Slocum's Joe Seaside Stadium. Beach picked up the win for Nordhagen Beach, going 7.1 innings. He gave up 2 runs on 6 hits. He now sports a record of 6-1. Nordhagen Beach leads the North Charles Association Brotherhood League by 2½ games.

In the bottom of the seventh, Nordhagen Beach shortstop Taboo Richardson had a productive at-bat. With the bases loaded and two out, Richardson stroked a 2-run single to left. It made the score 6-2, Nordhagen Beach. For the game, he was 2 for 4 with a double, while adding 3 RBI.

"Nice to see our side come away with the win," Richardson said after the game.

14 May 2298 - Mirelurks Collect 6-2 Win Over Hancocks in 11

The Goodneighbor Hancocks got a superb performance from pitcher Quincy Eloquent, but the Warwick Mirelurks still won the game, 6-2. Eloquent threw 9 innings of 7-hit ball. Warwick reliever Pem Pollack picked up the win to move to 3-0. William Howard Chief suffered the loss. Warwick now sits at 14-15, while Goodneighbor falls to 21-8.

Melon Sanderson, the 27-year old right fielder , had a direct impact on the outcome. Sanderson contributed a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th inning to put Warwick up, 3-2.

"There's a lot of passion in our clubhouse," said Sanderson. "When we put it together we're a great ball club."

14 May 2298 - Ninjas Sneak By Dwellers, 3-2

The Egret Ninjas got a stellar effort from pitcher Gary Estate, helping Egret score a win over the visiting Vault 81 Dwellers, 3-2. Egret reliever Shawn Simms picked up the win, upping his record to 2-2. Josh Mustang was saddled with the loss. The Ninjas sit in third place in the South Charles Association Railroad League with a record of 14-15.

Crops Gerdenheimer, who is on pace for 86 RBI this season, chipped in for Egret with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the third. For the game, the right fielder had 2 hits in 3 at-bats with 1 home run, 1 single, 1 run scored, and 2 runs batted in.

Estate told a Egret Herald reporter that he was "satisfied" with the win.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

15 May 2298 - Series of Radstorms in S. Boston Cancels 1st CBO Game

For the first time in its history, a series of radstorms has caused a game to be canceled.

The Minutemen League matchup of Warwick (14-15) at Goodneighbor (21-8) at Third Rail Stadium at S. Boston HS was postponed to Friday, June 17, when hours of radstorms forced everyone nearby to stay indoors for the entirety of Sunday. The two teams will play a doubleheader, two games in one day, on June 17. Overall, the series will be a four-game series.

Typically, radstorms last one or two hours at most, making it possible to delay a game but unlikely to cancel it.

"We're curious to see what a doubleheader looks like," Hancocks manager Jeremy Whiteplate said. "For now, we will rest an extra day before Diamond City comes to town. I'm sure there will be some hangovers on the squad tomorrow, so I'm glad we have two days off."

15 May 2298 - Ninjas Down Dwellers, 10-7, on 11th Inning Danse Homer

The Egret Ninjas defeated the Vault 81 Dwellers, 10-7, in 11 innings.

Egret won the game in the bottom of the 11th inning. With no outs and Nate Truckman on the mound for Vault 81, left fielder Paladin Danse hit a dramatic 3-run home run, bringing Ninjas fans to their feet.

Doing his part in a losing effort was was left fielder Chris Van Benschoten, who went 3 for 4 with 2 home runs, a double, and a walk. He scored 3 runs and drove in 3. The current losing streak for Vault 81 has reached 4 games.

"We got the victory," said Danse. "That's all that matters at the end of the day."

15 May 2298 - Matsumoto Shines in 9-7 Jamaica Plain Win

The Jamaica Plain Red Rockets grabbed a win, 9-7, over the Quincy Gunners at The Stone House. Jamaica Plain center fielder Hid Matsumoto went 4-4 with a double, 3 singles, and a walk. He scored 4 times. Will Rope picked up the win with 6.1 innings of work. He allowed 2 runs on 8 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 3. On the season, he is now 6-0. The Red Rockets now have a record of 14-16.

Jamaica Plain used the bat of Cody Flatt to get the win. The first baseman hammered a grand slam home run in the top of the first inning to put the Red Rockets ahead, 5-0. It was his lone hit in 5 at-bats, but it did its damage.

"We maximized our offense today," said Jamaica Plain skipper Mark Sellsword. "That makes everyone's life easier."

15 May 2298 - Eviritts, Bloodbugs Get 2-0 Win

Vim! Park of Salem hosted a real pitchers' duel.

County Crossing Bloodbugs starter Gavin Eviritts was in a groove as he led his team to a win over the Salem Witch Hats, 2-0. County Crossing goes to 13-17, Salem to 14-16.

Eviritts, now 1-4, scattered 5 hits over 8 innings for the Bloodbugs.

"Gavin made his pitches," said County Crossing manager Biff Future.

The Bloodbugs took the lead in the 2nd inning thanks to a Josh Noggin solo home run. He led all batters by going 2 for 4 with a home run, two runs scored, and an RBI.

15 May 2298 - Silver Shroud Rally For 6-3 Win, Avoid Sweep

The Fort Hagen Silver Shroud picked up a win at Super Duper Mart Stadium, taking down the Lexington Synths, 6-3.

Starting pitcher Brent Hooker was a big reason why. Hooker went 7 innings to notch the win. He scattered 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 1. His record improves to 7-1. Curtis Thriceshot earned the save for Fort Hagen, his 9th of the year.

Fort Hagen used the timely hitting of Safety Langer to seize the win. The left fielder stroked a run-scoring single in the top of the eighth inning to put the Silver Shroud on top, 3-2. It was his only hit in 4 at-bats, but it was a game-changer. The Shroud went on to score four in the inning to take a 5-2 lead.

"I had pretty good command out there," said Hooker.

Fort Hagen raised its record to 17-13 with the win, currently two games back of Abernathy and two games ahead of Sunshine Tidings.

15 May 2298 - Four Leafs Get One-Run Win at Nordhagen Beach

Starting pitcher Steve Rocky pitched well enough to help the Finch Farm Four Leafs beat the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys, 6-5. Rocky got the win, improving to 3-4. He allowed 7 hits and walked 1 over 8 innings. Rocky allowed 4 runs. The win has Finch Farm at 12-18.

Finch Farm relied on the hitting of Danny Honeycutt to pick up the win. The left fielder clubbed a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning to put the Four Leafs on top, 6-0. For the game, Honeycutt had 1 home run and 1 single in 4 at-bats.

"If we play like this, we can win a lot of games," Honeycutt told the Finch Farm Observer.

Trailing 6-4 entering the bottom of the 9th, the Party Boys had a chance to rally back from their earlier 6-0 deficit. With two outs and a man on, Mike Swift tripled in Tommy Talkington to cut the game to a one-run distance. However, Taboo Richardson struck out looking to end the rally and the game.

15 May 2298 - Bloodbugs Make Post-Game Deal

Officials for County Crossing confirmed that they have traded 21-year-old SS Sean Koester and a 4th round draft pick to the Concord Radstags. In return, the Bloodbugs will receive 18-year-old minor league LF Justin Loki, 20-year-old minor league 3B Dan Castle, 20-year-old minor league LHP Keegan Richardson and a 2nd round draft pick.

A look at his season totals shows Koester with 4 home runs, .346 BA, .363 OBP, 20 RBIs and 18 runs scored.

OSA experts analyzing the trade said that County Crossing is anchoring itself for an expected high pick in the 2298 Rookie Draft, which could be a
better crop than the 2297 draft. If the draft were held today, the Bloodbugs would have the 6th pick of the 1st round and now the 4th and 6th picks of the 2nd round.

"We're trying to work our way to challenge for championships," Bloodbugs general manager Dan Dall said. "While we love Sean, we know we're not ready to compete for the Sole Survivor Series just yet. Picking up some good developing players in [Keegan] Richardson, Justin Loki, and Dan Castle gives us a chance to have a strong squad in Malden for the near future."

County Crossing's BMU team, the Malden Grognaks, are currently tied for the worst record in all of the BMU at 7-14. Most of that lack of success is because of having poor pitching at that level.

"I know our offense is developing well," Dall said, "but we feel our pitching will get built up through the draft. Besides, even if their struggling this season, we like our starters in County Crossing. [Bad Company] Grognak, [Jeff] Rickashaw, and Gavin Eviritts will find success in time, especially with a lot of run support."

The County Crossing team is tied for 6th in runs scored (155) but 11th in runs allowed (178) in North Charles Association action. The starters have the 11th ranked ERA (6.24), while the bullpen is 9th (4.21).

Looking at the prospects the Bloodbugs received, they will need to learn how to develop a raw group. Currently Loki (.114/1/9) is struggling despite being considered a future slugger in the league. Castle (.267/1/4) may have the best path to the CBO right now. Richardson (1-2, 7.48 ERA), a 3rd round pick in the 2297 Rookie draft, could be a future starter, but he will need to learn better control to improve his BB/9 ratio (5.4) and WHIP (1.98).

[StLee]

Analysis

In 2297, we would have hit the halfway point of the season. In 2298, we have barely completed the quarter mark, so we still have a lot of season left. Thirty games in, here is where we stand.

If there were any team defying the odds the most, it's the FHE Yao Guai. Not only did they shorten their official name from the Fairline Hill Estates settlement name, but they have shortened their success after a highly-successful 2297. The Yao Guai are tied for 11th in the South Charles Association in runs (137), while they are 10th in runs allowed (193). Despite being a semifinalist in 2297, FHE is looking like it is in contention for the #1 overall pick in the 2298 Rookie Draft at this point. We are not saying that they cannot make up the seven-game difference in wins between Vault 81 and them, but we are saying it does not appear they will.

Last season, Nordhagen Beach and Easy Town ended the regular season tied for second place in the Brotherhood League. Of course, as we remember, the Party Boys won the one-game playoff and propelled themselves all the way to the runners up in the Sole Survivor Series. This season, the Boys and Assaultrons look to be the beginning-to-finish class of the BL, fighting still for first place with the rest of the division sitting in the B category. Based on a few moves made by County Crossing and Finch Farm, there may only be four teams in the race.

Boys from the Beach and the Gambling Paradise teams are polar opposites in where their true strengths lie. Nordhagen Beach thrives on its four starters on the mound, leading the North Charles Association in runs allowed (115) but only tied for 6th in runs scored (155). The Boys are hanging on to the top run differential in the NCA (+40), but they have not been as good in one-run games (5-6) and extra inning games (1-3) as most other top teams. Should they start winning more of those, the Party Boys are going to start distancing themselves from others, including second-place Easy Town.

On the opposite end, Easy Town is still winning thanks to shootouts. The Assaultrons are first in the NCA in runs scored (180) but are worst in runs allowed (184). At 18-12, they are being outscored! That positive record is due in large part to their extreme success in close games. They are now a CBO-best 9-1 in one-run games. For teams that have played in three or more extra-inning games, they are tied with Egret with a 3-1 record. Easy Town is also the second-best team at home (13-3), only behind Oberland (13-1).

In the Institute League, Fort Hagen has been cold as of late, making their 2nd place standing in jeopardy for the rest of the season. This league likes the risers and fallers like no other (i.e., Starlight in 2297). Should the Shroud continue to struggle, Sunshine Tidings and Lexington would love to take their place.

Abernathy may not be the actual second-best team in the NCA, but they currently do hold the second-best record just a game behind Nordhagen Beach. The Adamantium are looking to return to their 2296 prominence, currently 3rd in runs (164) while 2nd in runs allowed (137). All of this is despite the CBO's first-ever pick, SS Austin Engill, struggling in 2298 (.257/4/18). RF Donny Kowalski (.362/10/26) is balancing that by contending for the MVP early in the season. Brad Westing (6-1, 3.43) is still thriving on the farm, making Abernathy a potent enemy to the rest of the NCA.

In the SCA, there is really only a two-team battle for dominance: Oberland and Goodneighbor. Beyond those teams, which we will surely give a lot of writing space to over the course of the season, let's look at the other teams in their leagues.

In the Minutemen League, Quincy and University Point currently are tied for second place, which may make both teams buyers later in the season for making a playoffs push.

Quincy is licking its wounds after losing a series to 5th place Jamaica Plain. The Gunners are in the position of needing to outscore opponents regularly to win. They are 1st in the SCA in runs scored (204) while only 7th in runs against (169). Other than SS Robbie Adams (.202/2/10), the rest of the lineup is tearing it up game after game. Stuart Costantino (.404/6/28) is among the leaders in the MVP race in the SCA. Flatface Parker (.352/8/27), Brian Drinkwater (.353/10/33), and Ben Pettinato (.348/6/28) are also in the discussion.

The Deathclaws are using successful pitching to make their push. They have the 3rd best runs against (129) while only being 8th in runs scored (161). Ace William Radwater (2-3, 2.67) is not getting the decision in his favor, but he always puts his team in position to win. Jukebox Luttrell (.358/8/21) is another of those players in the MVP discussion.

In the Railroad League, Vault 81 and Egret are currently battling for the wildcard spot after the Ninjas swept the Dwellers. The Dwellers have been cold of late, dropping them back into the pack. They could refind their winning ways thanks to being 4th in runs scored (171) and 5th in runs against (156). On the other hand, Egret has been surging in recent weeks, tied with the T-51s for the best 10-game stretch (8-2), which includes two straight sweeps in league series (Diamond City and Vault 81). The Ninjas are 7th in runs scored (163) and 6th in runs against (164).

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kowalski

16 May 2298 - Super Week for Sunshine Tidings's Nukes!

At the age of 26, Amari Nukes might have some potential he hasn't realized yet -- if his success at the plate last week is any indication. The Sunshine Tidings left fielder put up some exceptional numbers the past seven days with a .480 batting average. For his efforts Nukes collected the North Charles Association Player of the Week Award.

He racked up 12 hits in 25 at-bats, 3 home runs and 9 RBIs last week in 5 games.

Nukes is hitting .352 for the season with 7 home runs, 25 RBIs and 22 runs scored. He has 44 hits in 125 at-bats and played in 30 games.

16 May 2298 - Parker Selected Player of the Week

Flatface Parker captured all the headlines last week and today he added to his booty with the South Charles Association Player of the Week trophy.

The Quincy Gunners center fielder hammered league hurlers for 11 hits in 24 at-bats, a .458 average and 2 home runs. He also collected 10 RBIs and 6 runs scored.

Thus far this year Parker is hitting .352 with 8 home runs, 27 RBIs and 34 runs scored.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

The View from the BMU

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

17 May 2298 – Fiddler's Green Trailer Estates

On certain Tuesdays for the 2297 and 2298 seasons, we will feature one of the settlements where teams in the Boston Minor Union play.

In our tenth trip around the BMU, we will go to a small settlement just a short mountain climb away from Fort Hagen, the famed park of trailers, Fiddler's Green Trailer Estates.

2287 - It Comes with a Pool, Too

Nate Howard first sacked this location in his first strolls down the west bank of the Charles River. According to a terminal entry, before the Great War, "The location was a retirement community where most of the residents had no family to speak of and ended up here due to improper financial planning. After the Great War, a soldier used one of the trailers as his home, parking his damaged power armor inside before his death. Feral ghouls now infest the estates.



"At some point, a settler made his way to the shelter west of the pool. Although he was normally able to handle the ferals, he ended up with an injury, and sent radio distress messages for any assistance before dying.

"The trailer estate is a small cul-de-sac containing eight trailers, all surrounding the main leasing office, which has a pool in front of it. . . . There is a cooking station on the east side of the pool and one of the trailers has a chemistry station. There is also [a] safe in the swimming pool."

Nate had little issues with the feral ghouls and dispatched them easily. Until a time of peace, though, only a few settlers trickled into the intact trailers.

2298 - A Slum for Your Lord

The Estates themselves are still not highly populated, but they do offer a trading outpost for people moving through Concord and Lexington towards the Glowing Sea settlements in Natick and the Somerville/Vault 95 area. It is also sometimes a stopping point for people headed to the train to Bradberton and Nuka World.



Settlers began building new structures years ago. While the pool is now cleaner than it had been, locals decided that the safe was a part of the identity. One settler also happened across a book in the Boston Public Library, and now the town has added the "history" of the naming to Fiddler's Green in its rental lobby/FGTE General Store terminal.



According to the terminal entry, "Fiddler's Green is an after-life where there is perpetual mirth, a fiddle that never stops playing, and dancers who never tire. In 19th-century Anglo maritime folklore, it was a kind of after-life for sailors who had served at least fifty years at sea."



There is no current proof of this 19th-century Anglo maritime folklore, but Mayor Marryat Gaiman has indicated that HCU writers examined the book and terminal entries for a potential Fiddler's Green storyline that would feature Manta Man.

2350 - A Vision in Mobile Prosperity

The settlers of Fiddler's Green see the settlement developing in an organic way. While greens across the Commonwealth are still not common, there are indications that grass and trees will grow regularly by 2377, exactly 300 years after the fallout.



Settlers here believe that the abundance of greens along with the mountainous area will make Fiddler's Green a place people will want to live in the future. Above is one artist's depiction of the future of Fiddler's Green. In the meantime, let the fiddles play, let the dancing commence, and let the peace of a small slab of Commonwealth land ease your every day.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

17 May 2298 - T-60s Take Down Action Boys with 6-run 9th

The Fiddler's Green T-60s downed the Postal Square Action Boys, 6-5, this afternoon at The Trailer Yard. Bryan Cushman led the way, going 4-for-5 for Fiddler's Green. The T-60s go to 10-12, putting them 5th in the Massachusetts Association Glowing Sea League.

The game was decided with two out in the bottom of the ninth. With Fiddler's Green trailing 5-4, Cushman hit a fastball from Taco LaVergne for a 2-run single. Just like that, the T-60s had a walk-off win.

"This wasn't a good win," said Cushman. "It was a great win."

The T-60s entered the home half of the 9th trailing 5-0. Cushman and Swamp Ass Harris hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning off closer Kyle Kyleson, Jr. After a fielder's choice and fly out, Fiddler's Green was down to its last out with runners on first and third. Pol Graham seemed to end the game when he hit a grounder to third, but Brad Gossiper booted it, allowing Cushman to score the T-60s' first run of the game.

Postal Square then made a pitching change, bringing in LaVergne. Lavergne immediately walked Julian Roughneck and Cola Dirtman on eight straight pitches to load the bases and score a run. After a wild pitch scored Graham, Lavergne walked Ryan Wegott and Jeff Siltbean to cut the score to 5-4. Cushman then came up for his second at bat in the inning where he ended the game on the first pitch he saw from LaVergne.

"This was an awesome day," Cushman said after the game. "First we get [Piper Wright-Kowalski] to visit, and then I get to hit a walk-off winner. Perfect day. Hopefully, that gives us more momentum going into the rest of the season."

17 May 2298 - The Slog Shut Out by Whipple

Lawdog Whipple of the Lexington Synths was quite impressive as he blanked the The Slog Ghouls 3-0 at Super Duper Mart Stadium. He crafted a 6-hit shutout and chalked up 4 strikeouts with no walks in the contest.

This year Whipple has compiled a 4-2 mark with a 3.31 ERA.

The Synths' Mike Pigeonfoot hit a two-run double in the 5th inning and Swat Diamond hit a solo home run in the 6th to account for all runs in the game.

17 May 2298 - Monticello, FHE Prevail in Pitchers' Duel

The FHE Yao Guai got a magnificent performance from pitcher Sage Monticello, who stifled the Atom offense en route to a 2-1 Yao Guai win at BosCom Circle. Dave Crowfoot recorded the save for FHE, his 6th of the season. The triumph makes FHE 10-21.

Monticello scattered 2 hits over 8.1 innings for the Yao Guai. With the win, Monticello goes to 3-2 on the year with 39 strikeouts.

"Getting ahead of the hitters was the key," said Monticello.

Noah Arch scored both runs for the Yao Guai. He was 3 for 4, all singles. The winning run came in the 6th inning when Nick Waterpipe doubled in Arch from first.

17 May 2298 - Lady Killers Upend Witch Hats, 4-0

The Starlight Lady Killers got a stellar performance from pitcher Justin Sphinx, who handcuffed the Salem offense en route to a win, 4-0, at Vim! Park of Salem. Sphinx picked up the win for Starlight, going 7.1 innings. He gave up no runs on 3 hits. He now sports a record of 2-1. Starlight is now 14-17.

Starlight relied on the bat of Glenn Higinbotham to get the win. The center fielder ripped a solo home run in the top of the first inning to put the Lady Killers ahead, 1-0. For the game, Higinbotham had 1 double and 1 home run in 4 at-bats.

Higinbotham attributed the win to "energy and focus on the part of everyone."

17 May 2298 - Bloodbugs Beat Fort Hagen, 3-2, in 11

The County Crossing Bloodbugs faced a tough opponent in Fort Hagen pitcher All Day Acosta, but did just enough to pull out the victory at Hubris Comics Park by a final score of 3-2. Acosta went 6.2 innings and allowed 2 runs. County Crossing has now won 3 in a row.

County Crossing used the clutch hitting of Manley Nebeker to snag the win. The third baseman drilled a solo home run in the top of the 11th inning to put the Bloodbugs ahead, 3-2. It was his lone hit in 2 at-bats, but it was a crucial one.

"If you pitch well, you give yourself some opportunities," said County Crossing manager Biff Future.

At 4-6 in their last ten games, the Silver Shroud is currently the coldest team in the Institute League.

17 May 2298 - Party Boys Deal Chemists 12-4 Defeat

The 12-4 Nordhagen Beach win over Sunshine Tidings was due in large part to Brian Masterson. The Party Boys second baseman was 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. He scored 2 runs.

Julian Shed, the winning pitcher, is now 4-2. He went 8 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, while fanning 2 and walking 0. Nordhagen Beach is now 21-10, 2½ games up in the North Charles Association Brotherhood League.

The Party Boys got a big hit from first baseman Dustin Mart. In the top of the eighth, Mart pounded a grand slam home run to left-center. His 10th home run of the season put the Party Boys ahead, 9-0.

"It's nice to come out on top today," said Masterson.

17 May 2298 - Day of Bullpen Malfunctions in BMU

In addition to the Fiddler's Green T-60s coming back from a 5-0 ninth-inning deficit to win in dramatic fashion, three other games were decided on multi-run ninth innings to erase deficits.

The Bunker Hill Gun Fu (11-11) entered the ninth trailing the Malden Grognaks (7-15) 3-2, but scored four ninth-inning runs to take the game, 6-3.

The College Square Nerd Ragers (12-10) were trailing 4-2 at the Taffington Boathouse Spy Hunters (7-15), but rallied back with three runs to win, 5-4.

Greentop Nursery (15-7) was behind 7-4 entering the ninth, but they scored five runs on the Union Hope Lifegivers (10-12) to win, 9-7.

The BMU star of the day was the Trinity Plaza Snipers' Roger Rivera. He went 4 for 5 on the day with a double, a grand slam, two walks, three runs scored, and seven RBI. The Snipers (14-8) defeated the Forest Grove Molerats (10-12), 19-5.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

18 May 2298 - Night People's Demps One-Hits Lifegivers

Aaron Demps really had his stuff working at The Cathedral Diamond today. The Greentop Nursery Night People hurler mystified the Union Hope Lifegivers and shut them out 12-0. Demps allowed a total of 1 hit in the ballgame and struck out 11. He walked three. He was also 2 for 3 at the plate, including a walk and a sacrifice bunt. He scored three times.

"The shutout is nice but I'm just happy we won," Demps said with a smile after the game. "Nah, I'm lying. I wanted that no-hitter!"

That one hit came in the 6th inning when Newspaper Turnbull hit a pinch-hit single. The Night People were up 5-0 already at that time.

In 7 starts this season Demps has gathered 5 wins while suffering 1 loss. He has pitched 45.1 innings, allowed 29 hits, struck out 53 and has a 2.78 ERA.

Ryan Bale led the way for Greentop Nursery. He was 2 for 4 with two doubles, a walk, a run, and two RBI.

Demps was the 26th pick by Nordhagen Beach in the 2296 Inaugural Draft. Though he has pitched in six games in his career with the Party Boys, he has never started there. In 20 career starts with the Night People, however, Demps is 14-1 with a 2.05 ERA.

"He might be ready for the next level," Night People manager Jimmy Combat said, "but he better keep working his butt off here first."

18 May 2298 - Garbageman Hits in 20 Straight Games

Steve Garbageman of the Outpost Zimonja Strongbacks extended his hitting streak to 20 straight games with 1 hit in today's 2-0 triumph over the C.I.T. Ruins Refractors at Drumlin Diner Picnic Park.

"Steve has been making it easy for me to pencil his name in the lineup every day," Strongbacks manager David Troutman joked after the game.
Steve Garbageman flied out in the 1st, singled in the 3rd, struck out in the 5th and grounded out in the 7th.

Garbageman is currently hitting at a .396 pace with 1 home run and 16 RBIs.

18 May 2298 - Lacy Hits Two Homers in 12-2 Win for Diamond City

The Diamond City Swatters clobbered the Goodneighbor Hancocks, 12-2, at Third Rail Stadium at S. Boston HS. Diamond City right fielder Wayne Lacy led the onslaught. He went 3 for 4 with 2 home runs and a walk. He scored 4 times and drove in 4. With the win, Diamond City goes to 14-18, while the Hancocks fall to 22-9.

Diamond City relied on the hitting of Wally Warwick to pick up the win. The shortstop clubbed a grand slam home run in the top of the seventh inning to put the Swatters on top, 11-2. For the game, Warwick had 1 home run and 1 single in 5 at-bats.

"We'll savor this win," Warwick told the Diamond City News, "then get ready for the next game."

18 May 2298 - Talkington Slugs Party Boys to 13-4 Win

The timely hitting of Tommy Talkington helped the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys down the Sunshine Tidings Chemists, 13-4. Talkington hit 2 home runs. He scored 3 times and drove in 4 for the Party Boys. With the victory, the Party Boys upped their record to 22-10.

Who knows how it might've ended, had it not been for Tomas Jones? The Nordhagen Beach right fielder had a run-scoring double in the top of the first inning to put the Party Boys on top, 1-0. For the game, Jones had 1 double and 2 singles in 6 at-bats.

"I just tried to make good contact," said Talkington.

Talkington has not been off to a good 2298, hitting a team-low .148. He is 5th on the team with 4 home runs and 19 RBI.

18 May 2298 - Richardson 4-4, Leads Deathclaws to Win

Kory Richardson was instrumental in his team's 5-2 triumph over the Roxbury Knuckle Punchers. The right fielder went 4 for 4 with a home run and 3 singles. He scored 2 times and drove in 2 for the University Point Deathclaws. William Radwater got the win, improving to 3-3. He worked 8 innings, giving up 2 runs on 8 hits, while striking out 1 and walking 0. Roxbury's current losing streak is now 4 games.

Early in the game, Richardson had a 2-run home run for University Point. It was his 11th home run of the season and put the Deathclaws on top, 2-0.

"If you pitch well, you give yourself some opportunities," said University Point manager Woody Lumpkin.

18 May 2298 - Bloodbugs Top Fort Hagen, 8-7

Joel Carrotflower made an impact in the 8-7 County Crossing win over Fort Hagen. Carrotflower, who is tied for 9th in the NCA in doubles with 12, belted 2 home runs, while adding 3 RBI and scoring twice. The third-place Bloodbugs have won 4 in a row.

The game was at a stalemate until shortstop Slim Chembaker came to bat in the top of the ninth after the Bloodbugs had tied it with an earlier run. Facing Fort Hagen pitcher Curtis Thriceshot, he hit a 0-1 cutter for a run-scoring single. It was a game-changer, putting County Crossing on top, 8-7. For Thriceshot, it was his first blown save of the season.

"We'll relax tonight and enjoy this win," said Carrotflower.

18 May 2298 - Waterdrink Hurls Assaultrons to Shutout Victory

Angel Waterdrink of the Easy Town Assaultrons was really in the zone as he mowed down the Abernathy hitters 9-0 in a sterling mound performance.

"I'm feeling good overall," he said. "I'm executing my pitches, I'm able to hit my spots and I'm getting outs in key situations."

Waterdrink shut down the Abernathy Adamantium, blanking them on 6 hits while registering 5 strikeouts and 1 walk.

Currently Waterdrink has a record of 4-3 with 50 strikeouts and 16 walks in 64 innings and a 5.20 ERA.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

19 May 2298 - Thursday BMU Day and a Guest Transcription

It is Thursday in the Commonwealth, and we have been trying to work in BMU games so that we can be a daily rag these days. I will give reports for the top games today around the BMU, but we had a special request to include the transcription from the Charles River Trio's special broadcast of the matchup between the Haymarket Mall Commandos and the Eastlake Aquaboys. That intraweb transcription is at the bottom of this article, thus the late publication. We hope you enjoy hearing from our old favorites, Rex Goodman, George Cooper, and Anne Hargraves from WRVR.

19 May 2298 - Thesea Excels, But Sentry Bots Win

Bobby Thesea did all he could to help his team win. In the end, though, it wasn't enough to keep the Charles View Cannibals from losing, 15-13, to the Somerville Place Sentry Bots at Greenetech Genetics Park. Thesea was 2-4 with 2 home runs and a walk. He scored 3 runs and drove in 4. Make Pye, credited with the win, is now 1-0. He allowed 1 run on 2 hits. The win for the Sentry Bots lifted their record to 12-12.

The Sentry Bots took the game thanks to a nine-run 9th inning, propelling them from a 13-6 deficit. Michaelangelo Sandifer led off with a double off relieve J.J. Nine, followed by a Mike Armstrong single. Twisted Bree Schneider then singled in Sandifer to make the game 13-7 with no outs.

The Cannibals then made a pitching change, bringing in Clowney Osburn. He did well with his first batter, forcing Mackeron Kulpa into a fielder's choice to get the runner out at second. However, Currfel Tick and Frankie O'Luck hit back-to-back doubles, cutting the deficit to 13-10 and chasing Osburn.

With one out, Capstone Goofson came in to pitch, as well as a defensive replacement of Brett Patterson at third base due to injury. Kurt Kilgore kept the offensive explosion going, singling to put the tying run at the plate. After Dog Prairie struck out, Brent Flannel hit an RBI single. Bug Eyes Avant then walked to load the bases with two outs. Armstrong followed with his second single of the inning, knocking in the 12th and 13th runs. Bree then walked to reload the bases.

Left fielder Kulpa came to bat for the second time in the ninth. Facing Charles View pitcher Goofson, he hit a 1-2 fastball for a two-run single. It proved to be the game winner, putting Somerville Place on top, 15-13.

"Ugly win or not, we'll take it," said Kulpa.

19 May 2298 - Garbageman Delivers Clutch At-Bat for OZ in Win

The C.I.T. Ruins Refractors went down to defeat to Tommy Hein and his Outpost Zimonja teammates. The final score was 3-2 in favor of the Strongbacks. The winner was Jason Bourque in relief. His record improves to 1-2. Cheeky Winder took the loss. The win puts Outpost Zimonja at 12-12 this season.

Steve Garbageman was the walk-off hero for Outpost Zimonja. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Strongbacks left fielder hit a dramatic run-scoring single to send the teams home. Garbageman finished the game going 4 for 5, all singles, with two runs batted in. He is now batting .415 on the season, good for 4th in the Commonwealth Association.

"I'm just happy to help the team win," Garbageman told the Outpost Zimonja Citizen.

19 May 2298 - WRVR's Charles River Trio - Haymarket Mall at Eastlake



The Six Ball with Rex, George, and Ann

R: Welcome, baseball fans, to this special Thursday edition of our post-game program. Tonight we are The Scrapyard, a settlement just off Lake Cochituate. We are covering minor league baseball action tonight. I am Rex Goodman, and this is "The Six Ball."

A: We just want to point out that we are covering the Boston Minor Union today as a special broadcast. Since we are running the radio broadcast this weekend in the Diamond City at Egret matchup in the CBO, we thought the nice little commute from the WRVR Station to the Eastlake community and back on the short ferry across the Charles to Egret would be a pretty relaxing affair. Besides, we at WRVR love baseball.

G: Also, since we just completed our radio drama of "Death in the Mirelurk Factory," we had a little more time before we get writing again. Rex, what was your idea for our next drama?

R: Splendid question, George. I was thinking of a baseball drama since we now know more about the game and how it works. I would like it to be about a young prospect who has a difficult childhood, but he latches on to a traveling team, and eventually works his way into the baseball draft. The thing about this young fellow, I think I'll call him Watkus Edson, is that he has an incident that derails his dreams for a time. Later, he makes a comeback with his special swatter and makes the bigs. I plan to call this drama, "The Natural Swatter."

G: Thank you, Rex. That sounds like a drama our baseball fans will love. Hopefully, we can get our first broadcasts for that starting in early June.

A: Well, now that we have our promos out of the way, let's talk about this game, guys. It was our first time broadcasting a BMU game, so let's talk about this a little. Can I give the summary, Rex?

R: You most certainly aluminum can, my lady.

A: Well, first things first: the final was Haymarket Mall 6, Eastlake 1, a road sweep for the Commandos. The winner of the game and game MVP was R.J. Capps. He improved his record to 3-2, pitching eight innings, and allowing one earned run on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts. The loser was Robbie League. He is now 2-3 on the season. He allowed five earned runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout in 6.0 innings. Roger Chillingworth was 3 for 4 with a double, a run, and an RBI for the Commandos. Catcher Ayag Mour hit his second home run of the season. Richman Harris scored the only run of the game for the Aquaboys after he tripled and was knocked in on an RBI single by Settler Colon. The Commandos are now 16-8 and in first place in the Downtown Boston League. Eastlake is now 11-13 and in 6th place in the Glowing Sea League.

G: What stood out for you in the game, Anne?

A: I think that Jamaica Plain has a good combination of athletes in the Haymarket Mall team. I know the Red Rockets have been a poor team in the CBO so far, but they look like they have some good players ready to make a move. For example, the Aquaboys only scored five runs in their three-game series. That is some impressive pitching, including today, and the job done by Diamond City native Digger Vadim on Tuesday.

G: I agree, Anne. I was just looking at the BMU stats, and Haymarket Mall has the best Starters ERA in the Massachusetts Association at 3.23. That is a great number for a four-team squad. Well, really a three-player rotation since the fourth starter has only three starts on the season. The one pitcher we didn't mention is Aldo Sanch who is 5-0 with a 2.68 ERA. Those five wins tie him in all of the BMU.

R: If I may add about the losers in this series, there was one player that stood out to me. For perspective, the Aquaboys are owned by the lovely and talented Piper Wright, owner of BosCom which now holds rights for WRVR and the Charles River Trio. She is also the owner of the parent club of the Aquaboys, the Fairline Hill Estates Yao Guai.

A: They're called the FHE Yao Guai now, Rex.

R: Right you are, Anne. As always. As always. Contiuning, the right fielder for the Aquaboys, Gee Force, whom I see was the second-round pick by FHE in the 2296 Rookie Draft, has a beautiful swing that looks like he can be a powerful force in the CBO in the future. He did not hit a home run against Haymarket Mall, but he does have five on the season, which puts him among the leaders. What place?

G: Let me check. Uh...tied for fourth behind Bobby Thesea, Jim Uglyhair, and Aaron Welloff from Haymarket.

R: Right you are, George. As always.

G: Well, Anne and Rex. I think we covered this week enough. Now we can get a good night's sleep at the WRVR Studio before crossing the river for Egret Tours Marina tomorrow. Why don't you send us off, Rex?

R: Thank you, George. You have been listening to this production of "The Six Ball." From the Charles River Trio of WRVR, a subsidiary of BosCom, I, Rex Goodman, bid you adieu.

I complete this broadcast with The Dominoes, led by Billy Ward, and "Sixty Minute Man": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlZq...el=MrHellvis69

[Tyke]

Nice to hear from the Charles River Trio again! Will there be any more details of "The Natural Swatter"? Does Royston Hobble feature in it, by any chance?

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

Nice to hear from the Charles River Trio again! Will there be any more details of "The Natural Swatter"? Does Royston Hobble feature in it, by any chance?

I hope to have the Charles River Trio give the first-ever All-Star game a go.

As far as "The Natural Swatter" is concerned, Rex Goodman seems to have source materials that help his dramas go.

Here, read this terminal entry found in Sanctuary Hills of all places:

I can't quite put my finger on it, but every one of Rex Goodman's dramas sounds so similar to something else. Don't get me wrong, they are great pastimes. I mean, who couldn't love the thrillers of the Baltimore series: "The Pilfered Memo," "The Ebony Feline," and "The Veil of the Maroon Plague"? And there was the Boston thrillers: "The Barrel of Amontillado*," "The Decline of the Estate of Rusher," "The Hole and the Counterbalance," and the "Say-Story Liver."

I laughed as hard as anyone during the comedy series of 2295: "Most's Great That Begins Great," "The Salesman of Italy," "A Postwinter Morning's Goal," "A Lot of Concern About Everything," "Thirteenth Day," and my favorite, "The Gallopcastle Story." The Spouse of Shower's story was the best in that series!

The hero series was also so good: "Prince Aardvark and the Squires of the Squaretable," "Amadawg," and "The Alias and the Oddity."

Yes, they are great. I have listened to all of them, and Rex seems like a great talent as a writer for dramas. Still, there is something so familiar with those dramas that I can never quite put together. Maybe I should have paid more attention in my classes rather than staring at Becky Quizasandwich in class.

Ah, whatever. That was over 200 years ago, and I'm becoming like a god or something anyway. Carry, on Rex, and your Charles River Trio. Glad I saved your *** from Trinity Tower.

* Writer's note: there is an Amontillado Easter Egg in the Fallout 4 game.


Anyway, I have no current plans to pursue the "The Natural Swatter" radio drama within this dynasty as a written tale of Watkus Esdon's rise to fame, along with the interesting characters, Letter London, Soda Hunter, Min Cruelty, Muds, Daffodil Orange, and Harlot Snake. I mean, Rex can do those things, but I cannot! I'm positive, however, that when we hear the drama, it will sound familiar to us, too.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

20 May 2298 - Macn Almost Bacn

Lexington Synths second baseman Greg Macn suffered an unspecified but not life-threatening injury in a run-in with a behemoth on the team's trip to Sunshine Tidings.

While the behemoth was put out to desert as it infringed on occupied land, Macn was forced to make a detour towards Cambridge to Kendall Hospital. He is expected to miss several games, which will leave the Synths' thin infield thinner.

Macn, the seventh hitter in the lineup, is batting .297 (third on the team) with two home runs and 17 RBI (also third). Backup shortstops Swift Atomcat or Frank Hermit may take Macn's place, but there is a possibility Union Hope starting second baseman T.J. Craighead could be called up.

20 May 2298 - Malone Pitches Deathclaws to 6-0 Win

Quentin Malone called it a "mixture of smarts and luck," but whatever the combination, it added up to a complete game shutout of the Jamaica Plain Red Rockets.

The University Point Deathclaws right-hander blanked the Red Rockets 6-0 at Red Rockets Stadium today, allowing 2 hits and collecting 6 strikeouts. He walked 2.

In 9 starts this season, Malone has fashioned a 4-4 record and a 4.34 ERA.

Bernie Gonzalez led the Deathclaws in hits with three. He scored two runs and drove in a run in five at-bats. Aaron Nukacola hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot, in the 2nd inning.

20 May 2298 - Beerholder Throws 2-0 Shutout

Danny Beerholder kept the Synths from doing any damage to the Chemists today at ArcJet Systems Stadium. Lexington's 3 hits, all singles, and 1 walk came to naught as Sunshine Tidings took the contest 2-0. Beerholder added 9 strikeouts in his complete-game effort.

This year Beerholder has a 4-2 mark in 9 starts with a 3.84 ERA. He has given up 65 hits in 65.2 innings, struck out 58 and issued 14 walks. Opposing clubs have compiled a .259 batting average against him.

Lexington was already down a hitter after second baseman Greg Macn was injured by a behemoth last night when the Synths traveled to Sunshine Tidings. Swift Atomcat, who replaced Macn in the lineup, went 0 for 3.

20 May 2298 - Cuttooth Helps Goodneighbor Cruise to 11-1 Win

Goodneighbor shortstop Burtie Cuttooth played a vital role in his team's 11-1 triumph over Atom. He went 2-4 with a home run and a walk. He scored 2 runs and drove in 5 for Goodneighbor. The current losing streak for Atom has reached 4 games.

With Goodneighbor leading 8-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Cuttooth came up to bat against Atom pitcher Bobby Fairline. Cuttooth hit a fastball to left for a 3-run home run. His 5th home run of the season put the Hancocks on top, 11-0.

"We took advantage of our opportunities," Cuttooth told the Goodneighbor Times. "It's as simple as that."

20 May 2298 - Silver Shroud Bridle Lady Killers, 4-2

Baseball fans saw a good contest between the Fort Hagen Silver Shroud and Starlight Lady Killers.

Fort Hagen picked up a win at Hubris Comics Park, toppling the Starlight Lady Killers, 4-2. Pitcher Joey Dimes was one of the reasons the Silver Shroud triumphed. Dimes picked up the win for Fort Hagen, going 6 innings. He gave up 2 runs on 3 hits. He now sports a record of 3-6. Curtis Thriceshot was called on to finish, recording his 10th save.

Micah Morals, who is tied for 6th in the NCA in bases on balls with 17, aided the Fort Hagen cause with a run-scoring walk in the bottom of the seventh. For the game, the third baseman went 1 for 2 with 2 walks.

"We played a good game and came out on top," said Dimes.

The win boosted Fort Hagen to 18-15.

20 May 2298 - Ghouls Top Nordhagen Beach, 2-1, in 14-inning Duel

The The Slog Ghouls had to overcome a good performance from Nordhagen Beach pitcher Tommy Beach to claim a 2-1 win at Tarberry Field Forever. Beach went 8 innings and allowed 1 run. The Ghouls, at 15-18, sit in 5th place in the North Charles Association Brotherhood League.

The Ghouls procured the win, in large part because of first baseman Nick Homebody. In the bottom of the 14th, he produced the game-winning run-scoring single of Boys pitcher Jason Vaultick.

"We were in it," said Nordhagen Beach manager Craig Robinson. "We just didn't score enough runs."

Each team traded a run in the first inning before the final run was scored in the 14th. Nordhagen Beach's Night Demon Archaki and The Slog's Wonder Boy Fultz each threw three shutout innings. The Ghouls' starter, Edwin Mass, allowed just one earned run on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts in 8.0 innings.

Dustin Mart hit his 12th home run of the season to knock in the Party Boys' only run. Ryan Combs also added a double for the other extra-base hit. The Slog's 10 hits were all singles. Lernz Tentsleep drove in the Ghouls' first-inning run on an RBI single.

[StLee]

Today in the CBO

News and Notes - Reports from around the Commonwealth

by Nat Wright-Kawolski

21 May 2298 - Reported Incident in Salem Clubhouse, Team Silent

There were reports of shouting and the sounds of items slamming in the clubhouse last night following Salem's 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Finch Farm.

The Witch Hats have been a good pitching team in 2298, while almost the entire lineup is hitting below their career average.

When asked about the incident, the team refused to speak. However, the entirety of the team left the clubhouse without speaking to the media or each other. The team went straight to the visiting quarters in Finch Farm after the game, and no one emerged from their rooms until this morning. We will report more after this game if we can get any information, but it looks like the team has taken a vow of silence.

Salem manager Proper Lighthouse also refused to address the media about the game.

21 May 2298 - Bertha Fires Shutout in Sunshine Tidings Victory

Tony Bertha handcuffed the Lexington Synths at ArcJet Systems Stadium today, coming away with a 3-hit, complete-game shutout. It's the second-straight game where the Synths were held to no runs and three hits.

"I had everything working for me out there," the Sunshine Tidings Chemists left-hander said later. "I used every one of my pitches, hit both sides of the plate really well and felt like I could do whatever I wanted."

With his stuff working, Bertha had little trouble with the Synths and led the Chemists to victory, 1-0. He recorded 6 strikeouts and 2 walks in an impressive performance.

To date Bertha is 4-3 in 9 starts with a 3.55 ERA and has 52 strikeouts in 71 innings.

T.J. Craighead arrived from Union Hope to start at second base in place of injured Greg Macn. Craighead had one of the three hits, going 1 for 3. Swift Hendrix had the other two hits. All three were singles.

Amari Nukes' 7th-inning home run proved to be the game-winning hit.

21 May 2298 - Hancocks Lambaste Cats, 12-1

The Goodneighbor Hancocks beat the Atom Cats, 12-1, at Third Rail Stadium at S. Boston HS. The win was due in part to right fielder Good Don Duck, who went 4-5 with a home run, a double, and 2 singles. He scored 3 runs and drove in 5. The last-place Cats have dropped 5 straight games.

With Goodneighbor leading 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Duck hit a 2-run single off Atom hurler Wyatt Wallace. It was the 57th hit of the season for Duck and put his team ahead, 3-0.

"Things went our way," said Duck.

21 May 2298 - Swatters Rough Up Ninjas, 8-2

Wayne Lacy impressed in the 8-2 Diamond City win over Egret. Lacy, who is tied for 6th in the SCA with a .626 slugging percentage, hit 2 home runs, while scoring 4 times and driving in 3. Diamond City has 3 straight wins, Egret 3 straight losses.

Diamond City relied on the hitting of Jeffrey Curatolo to pick up the win. The first baseman clubbed a 2-run home run in the top of the third inning to put the Swatters on top, 3-2. For the game, Curatolo had 1 home run and 2 singles in 5 at-bats.

Curatolo told a Diamond City News reporter that he was "satisfied" with the win.

21 May 2298 - Radstags Beat Abernathy, 9-8, in Eventful 10th

The Concord Radstags overcame a fine performance by Abernathy right fielder Donny Kowalski to defeat the Adamantium, 9-8, in 10 innings at Nuka Park. Kowalski was 2 for 4 with 2 home runs and 2 walks, while scoring 3 times and driving in 4. Concord reliever Cal Silent was the winner. His record is now 2-0. The losing pitcher was T-Bone Heagy. The loss makes Abernathy 20-14.

Abernathy scored two runs in the top of the 10th to take an 8-6 lead before the Radstags scored three in the bottom of the inning. The Radstags relied on shortstop Sean Koester for the game-winning hit. And, in the bottom of the tenth, he delivered, hitting a run-scoring single to seal the deal.

"Exciting game to play in," said Koester. "Getting the win makes it even better."

21 May 2298 - Dominant Performance by Hooker in Fort Hagen Win

Fort Hagen rode a fine outing from starter Brent Hooker to victory over the Starlight Lady Killers at Hubris Comics Park. The final score was 2-1. Earning his 11th save of the year was Curtis Thriceshot. The triumph puts Fort Hagen at 19-15 for the season.

Hooker, a native of Westford, Massachusetts, was dealing all game. He kept Starlight hitters off-balance, while giving the Silver Shroud 8.2 quality innings. Hooker threw 124 pitches, allowing 7 hits and striking out 11.

"We put some tough at-bats on some tough pitches," said Fort Hagen manager Mark Andersen.

21 May 2298 - Party Boys Come Up Short at The Slog, 4-3

The Slog left-hander David Kiwi pitched his team to victory over the Nordhagen Beach Party Boys at Tarberry Field Forever. The final score was 4-3. Kiwi picked up the win for The Slog, going 8 innings. He gave up 2 runs on 7 hits. He now sports a record of 3-6. Tiny Greene earned save number 10 this season.

The Ghouls got a big at-bat from center fielder Millioncap Go. For the game, Go was 1-3 with a home run and a walk, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. In the bottom of the fifth, with runners on 2nd and 3rd, he stroked a 3-run home run. His 2nd home run of the season gave The Slog a 3-2 lead.

"We found a way to get it done," Kiwi said.

The Slog now has a 3-game win streak.

[Tyke]

Originally Posted by StLee

I hope to have the Charles River Trio give the first-ever All-Star game a go.

As far as "The Natural Swatter" is concerned, Rex Goodman seems to have source materials that help his dramas go.

Here, read this terminal entry found in Sanctuary Hills of all places:

I can't quite put my finger on it, but every one of Rex Goodman's dramas sounds so similar to something else. Don't get me wrong, they are great pastimes. I mean, who couldn't love the thrillers of the Baltimore series: "The Pilfered Memo," "The Ebony Feline," and "The Veil of the Maroon Plague"? And there was the Boston thrillers: "The Barrel of Amontillado*," "The Decline of the Estate of Rusher," "The Hole and the Counterbalance," and the "Say-Story Liver."

I laughed as hard as anyone during the comedy series of 2295: "Most's Great That Begins Great," "The Salesman of Italy," "A Postwinter Morning's Goal," "A Lot of Concern About Everything," "Thirteenth Day," and my favorite, "The Gallopcastle Story." The Spouse of Shower's story was the best in that series!

The hero series was also so good: "Prince Aardvark and the Squires of the Squaretable," "Amadawg," and "The Alias and the Oddity."

Yes, they are great. I have listened to all of them, and Rex seems like a great talent as a writer for dramas. Still, there is something so familiar with those dramas that I can never quite put together. Maybe I should have paid more attention in my classes rather than staring at Becky Quizasandwich in class.

Ah, whatever. That was over 200 years ago, and I'm becoming like a god or something anyway. Carry, on Rex, and your Charles River Trio. Glad I saved your *** from Trinity Tower.

* Writer's note: there is an Amontillado Easter Egg in the Fallout 4 game.


Anyway, I have no current plans to pursue the "The Natural Swatter" radio drama within this dynasty as a written tale of Watkus Esdon's rise to fame, along with the interesting characters, Letter London, Soda Hunter, Min Cruelty, Muds, Daffodil Orange, and Harlot Snake. I mean, Rex can do those things, but I cannot! I'm positive, however, that when we hear the drama, it will sound familiar to us, too.

We can't have everything, so if it's not to be... or to be....or not....that's fine with me!
Great stuff, StLee!