Fallout: New Vegas' Mojave Baseball League

[StLee]

Kirby’s Two-RBI Single in Ninth Sinks Vault Boys

Nelson “Rat” Kirby is not what you would call a master batter. In fact, the 19-year-old had very few opportunities to bat with the Radscorpions in 2286 due to his offensive woes.

Still, despite batting only .183 during the regular season, Kirby proved to be clutch in the top of the ninth, blooping a two-RBI single to score the winning runs in North Vegas’ 6-4 come-from-behind win at Vault-Tec in Primm.

George O’Kill, the game’s most valuable player, drove in the tying run in the top of the ninth, following a Jason Williams double with an RBI double. O’Kill overcame a miserable three-game stretch to start the series by going 3 for 3 with a double, a home run, two RBI, three runs, and two walks in Game Four. Bill Cole followed with a walk, and Jesus Martinez singled to load the bases with nobody out. After two straight outs, Kirby came through.

John Rock suffered the loss for the Vault Boys, allowing three earned runs on four hits with a walk and strikeout in just 2/3 of an inning. Orlando Stephens was the starting pitcher for Vault-Tec. In 6.2 innings, he allowed three earned runs on nine hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Curt Petty was the winning pitcher for North Vegas, allowing no runs on a hit with two walks and a strikeout in 1.1 innings. Gary Clark got the save, pitching a perfect ninth inning. Lee Burke was the starting pitcher. He finished with four earned runs allowed on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 6.2 innings.

The Radscorpions took the first lead of the game in the second. O’Kill and Cole led off with back-to-back singles. With two outs, Duncan Whaley was intentionally walked to load the bases for Burke. Burke then answered by hitting a two-RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

Vault-Tec scored its first runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. With one out, James Sexton singled. Joseph Dillon then hit a two-run home run to deep left center field.

North Vegas retook the lead in the seventh when O’Kill hit a solo home run. However, the lead was short-lived.

The Vault Boys answered in the bottom of the inning. MC Mack Walt Williams led off with a walk. With one out, Raul Castro singled to move Williams to third. With two outs, pinch hitter Nelson Johnson hit a two-RBI triple to give Vault-Tec its first lead, 4-3.

That led to the three-run rally by North Vegas in the ninth.

North Vegas had 14 hits in the game, mostly led from its charge at the 4-5-6 spots in the order. O’Kill, Cole, and Arthur Glass/Martinez combined to go 9 for 11 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI, five runs, and three walks.

The series is now tied 2-2. Pressure may be on Vault-Tec to win the next game. Then again, there has been no home field advantage in the 2286 playoffs. In nine games, the home team is just 2-7, including 0-4 so far this series.

[StLee]

What an idiot I am!!! I simmed ahead on a day when I had time to get some simming done. Unfortunately, I forgot to grab the box scores for the rest of the Mojave Series. Now I have to wade through the box scores folder to find the games. It would be nice if I understood the logic in game IDs. I would think the highest numbered game ID would be the latest game. NOPE! Not the case.

I'll find the box score eventually. But... note to self: Don't skip steps!!! Don't sim ahead until all t's are crossed and i's are hearted.

[StLee]

Whew!



Vault-Tec Rallies Late, Takes 3-2 Lead

Vault-Tec was just seven outs away from being swept at home and falling behind three games to two. And then, something clicked. A two-out rally led the Vault Boys to an 11-7 game five victory over North Vegas in the Mojave Series.

With two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the seventh, game MVP Tony Donnellson got a clutch RBI single to cut the Radscorpions lead to 7-4. After a wild pitch moved Donnellson to second, James Sexton singled him home. North Vegas then pulled starter Nate Camp for Curt Petty. Joseph Dillon answered the pitching change by hitting a single, followed by a MC Mack Walt Williams walk. Anthony Savage then singled in Sexton to cut the lead to 7-6. Raul Castro followed up with a two-RBI single to give the Vault Boys their first lead, 8-7.

Vault-Tec then pulled away in the eighth. Alex Raines singled to lead off, and Donellson hit a two-run homer, his second of the game, for the 10-7 lead. After a pitching change, Sexton made it back-to-back homers for the Vault Boys for the 11-7 final.

Each team went back and forth in the early game. With one out in the top of the first, North Vegas’ Kirby Brown reached on an error. With two outs, George O’Kill singled. Bill Cole then singled in Brown and both runners advanced on the throw to the plate. Vault-Tec starter Tom Nelson then threw a wild pitch to score O’Kill and give the Radscorpions a 2-0 lead.

The Vault Boys answered in the bottom of the inning. Angel Serrano led off with a single, followed by Donnellson hitting a first-pitch homer off starter Nate Camp. That homer tied the game 2-2.

In the second, North Vegas’ L’il Tony T-Snizzle Hensley led off with a walk. Duncan Whaley then reached on an error by Arlen Vaughn. Camp followed with a sacrifice runner to move up the runners. Squirrel And then hit an RBI ground out to give the Radscorpions a 3-2 lead.

Vault-Tec again tied the game in the third. With two outs, Joseph Dillon hit a solo home run to straightaway left field to knot the game 3-3.

The Radscorpions looked to take the momentum for the series in the fifth. And led off with a Walk. With two outs and And at second, O’Kill hit a two-run home run for a 5-3 lead. Bill Cole then singled, followed by an RBI double by Arthur Glass for a 6-3 advantage. After Nelson was pulled for Greg Thompson, Hensley singled in Glass for a four-run lead.

Thompson was credited for the win. He gave up no runs on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 2.1 innings. The starter Nelson allowed seven runs, four earned, on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings in the no decision. Wally Grant earned the save by not allowing a run or a hit in 1.1 innings.

Petty was the losing pitcher. He gave up two earned runs on three hits with a walk without getting an out. Camp, the starter, allowed six earned runs on 10 hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 6.2 innings in the no decision. All four North Vegas pitchers gave up at least one run.

Just like North Vegas’ offensive outburst in game four, the Vault Boys’ bats were in sync for game five with 16 total hits. Donnellson was by far the best bat, going 3 for 4 with two home runs, five RBI, three runs scored, and a walk.

The teams now travel back to North Vegas for game six. Vault-Tec will clinch the series by winning one of the two possible games scheduled.

[Tyke]

Phew indeed! Both for the game and for finding the box score again!

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

Phew indeed! Both for the game and for finding the box score again!

This series has been interesting, especially for the games in Primm. Hopefully the games played in North Vegas can offer just as much excitement!

[StLee]

Rodriguez Dominates Again, Vault-Tec Wins Mojave Series

Game three may have been an epic battle with one unearned run doing Ricardo Rodriguez in. But that had nothing to do with game six, where Rodriguez pitched 8.2 innings of dominant baseball in helping the Vault Boys win the Mojave Series.

Vault-Tec won 6-1 over North Vegas.

Rodriguez finished the game giving up one earned run on seven hits with five strikeouts. He threw 124 pitches before being pulled with two outs in the ninth after giving up a double and single. Wally Grant finished the game.

Rich Richmond was the losing pitcher, allowing four earned runs on four hits with two walks in only two innings.

The Vault Boys jumped out to an early lead on Richmond and the Radscorpions in the top of the first. Angel Serrano led off with a walk, followed by a Tony Donnellson double to move Serrano to third. James Sexton then hit an RBI ground out for a 1-0 lead. Joseph Dillon followed with an RBI single for a 2-0 lead.

North Vegas also scored in the first. With one out, Kirby Brown hit a solo home run. That would be all the scoring the Radscorpions would have off Rodriguez.

In the second, the Vault Boys extended their lead. Vaughn was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Rodriguez then bunted him over to second. Serrano then doubled in Vaughn for a 3-1 lead. With two outs, Sexton singled in Serrano for a 4-1 lead.

Carlos Gonzalez replaced Richmond in the third. MC Mack Walt Williams led off with a single for the Vault Boys. Anthony Savage and Raul Castro then walked to load the bases. Vaughn followed that up by knocking in Williams on a sacrifice fly for a 5-1 advantage.

The series’ final run came in the ninth. John Mulvaney saw his first action of the postseason in relief for North Vegas. With one out, Sexton and Dillon walked. With two outs, Savage hit an RBI single for the 6-1 final.

Based on his two-game performance, Rodriguez was named the Mojave Series MVP. In two games, Rodriguez finished 1-1 with a 0.54 ERA. He allowed two runs, one earned, on eight hits with a walk and 11 strikeouts in 16.2 IP. Rodriguez did not play in the first round series due to injury.

[Tyke]

After the first two games, there seemed to be an inevitability about the result, but it turned into a much better series than anticipated. Just hoping that LaRue comes back strongly next year and the Lucky 38s will be in the mix again.

[StLee]

Top Offensive Performance – Ken Turner, Ultra Luxe

Also, top team performance (+22) and the Freeside Kings' new logo



Top Pitching Performance – Jose Rosales, Camp McCarran

[StLee]

Lefty Grove Trophy (Best Pitcher)



1. SP – Bob Ward, Novac – 10-3, 1.60 ERA, 162.2 IP, 51 BB, 147 K
2. SP – Nate Camp, North Vegas – 15-3, 2.34 ERA, 157.2 IP, 47 BB, 118 K
3. SP – Wilfred Buckley, Goodsprings – 12-5, 2.54 ERA, 145.1 IP, 30 BB, 156 K

Babe Ruth Trophy (Best Hitter)



1. 1B - George O’Kill, North Vegas – .323, 22 2B, 29 HR, 73 RBI, 63 R, 59 BB
2. 1B – Edward Simpson, Sunset Sarsaparilla – .333, 31 2B, 3 3B, 21 HR, 74 RBI, 72 R, 34 BB
3. CF - Bob Franklin, Sunset Sarsaparilla – .280, 16 2B, 1 3B, 29 HR, 90 RBI, 69 R, 28 BB, 16 SB

Top Rookie (Best Player Under 23)



1. 1B – Francisco Riveria, Novac – .304, 17 2B, 15 HR, 50 RBI, 45 R, 21 BB
2. RF - Angel Serrano, Vault-Tec – .259, 14 2B, 5 3B, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 56 R, 35 BB, 19 SB
3. 1B - Tom Junktown Junkie, Gomorrah – .291, 19 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 42 RBI, 46 R, 9 BB, 22 SB

Mojave Postseason Award (Best Playoffs Performance)



1. LF - James Sexton, Vault-Tec – 11 G, 46 AB, 17 H (.370 AVG), 4 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 10 R, 5 BB
2. SP - Tom Nelson, Vault-Tec – 4 G, 4 GS, 2-0, 2.88 ERA, 25 IP, 11 R, 8 ER, 8 BB, 25 K
3. SS - Joseph Dillon, Vault-Tec – 11 G, 42 AB, 17 H (.405 AVG), 2 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R, 7 BB, 1 SB

Honus Wagner Defense Trophy (Best Defensive Player per Position)

P – Jim Ford, New California Republic
C – Robert Glass, Sunset Sarsaparilla
1B – Scary Danny Parker, Atomic Wrangler
2B – Stu Vanstone, Goodsprings
3B – Ted Snyder, Novac
SS – George Gray, Atomic Wrangler
LF – Mike Duncan, Goodsprings
CF – Gerardo Makejoo, New California Republic
RF – Josh Spread, Tops

[StLee]

Cannot delete posts.... At least I know attachments work, so I don't have to worry about my Photobucket account running out of bandwidth now.

[StLee]

The second offseason was just as busy as the first. There were lots of changes to come in the Winter Meetings. Again Lee addressed the league in a memo with announcements of exciting new and future changes.

9.21.2286

Greetings, owners!

Congratulations to Vault-Tec and Leonard Strausser for your masterful postseason run. Also, congratulations to North Vegas and Novac for their postseason appearances. Finally, congratulations to Camp McCarran's PL team Nuka Cola winning the championship.

This offseason we have some exciting changes to the league. One thing that we have discussed before is that we are going to try to expand our baseball influence to areas outside of the Mojave. Though I have no immediate intention to expanding the league franchises outside of the Mojave, we can find talent elsewhere. Therefore, starting today, I have sent scouts to different secured locations (thanks again, Mr. House, for your spectacular robot army!) in surrounding areas west, north, and east of here. By next year, I hope to have an eligible array of players from California, Arizona, and beyond.

This offseason, Winter Meetings will begin on January 1 and conclude on January 4. I have a few things I would like to put on the ballot, including some proposed rule changes and discussing the relocation proposals of multiple teams in both the MBL and PL. Also, at the meeting we will officially unveil our brand new Mojave Baseball League screen as part of the official launch in the Mojave to the RobCo Network Center.

As with everything, stay safe out there and see you all at the end of the year.

Comm. Lee

[StLee]

8.20.86 – Player suspension (chem use)

Freeside’s Cristian Fernandez was found to have Rebound in his system, meaning the minor league pitcher will begin his first three games of 2287 on the sidelines.

Fernandez was 9-2 with a 5.48 ERA in 111.2 innings pitched for the Nipton Phoenix this past season.

8.25.86 - League Champions

Vault-Tec is now the champions of the Mojave Baseball League. The Vault Boys defeated the Novac Dinosaurs 4 games to 1 in the First Round and then beat the North Vegas Radscorpions 4 games to 2 in the Mojave Series to become this year's winner.

Now that the season is over, the league will not test for chems until players report back for spring training.

9.13.86 – Player news

Sunset Sarsaparilla received bad news from its great but troubled close Carlos Colon. The twice-suspended player, who had a 0.67 ERA and 22 saves, decided to sit out the 2287 season to get himself in order.

According to a team press release: “Carlos decided that he was having a hard time staying focused. He decided it was best for him to sit out the 2287 season to wander the Mojave and get his life in order. We don’t like it, but we have to accept it. We just hope he stays safe out there.”

9.21.86 - Player injury

Just a week after losing its closer, Sunset Sarsaparilla had more bad news when shortstop Joe Chase ran into a randy Nightkin. Chase received multiple injuries to his ah um guh ytrzdryts and will be out for at least the offseason and possibly part of the season if he has any complications from his surgery.

10.5.86 - Player injury

Cliff Worley of Ultra Luxe wanted to visit the site where he had word of an old family honor: the Yangtze Memorial near Goodsprings. Unfortunately for him, a small group of Golden Geckos were nearby, making Worley's memorial trip also life-threatening.

Luckily for Worley, a young woman, whom he said had a "beautiful smirk," was nearby and Varmint Rifled the geckos to death.

10.5.2286 - Mojave Draft

Round 1
Round 1, Pick 1 - Ultra Luxe White Gloves: SP Tower Carlson

Round 1, Pick 2 - Freeside Kings: SP Christian Coleman

Round 1, Pick 3 - Gomorrah Devils: SP Josh Horn

Round 1, Pick 4 - Tops Mutants: SP Andy Montgomery

Round 1, Pick 5 - Goodsprings Lucky 38s: RF Toy Moriarty

Round 1, Pick 6 - Atomic Wrangler Wranglers: CF Z35 Khan

Round 1, Pick 7 - Camp McCarran Brahmin: RF Dave Green

Round 1, Pick 8 - New California Republic Bears: SP Clark Griffith

Round 1, Pick 9 - Sunset Sarsaparilla Fire Ants: 2B Buster Cherry

Round 1, Pick 10 - Novac Dinosaurs: CF Jim Samuels

Round 1, Pick 11 - Vault-Tec Vault Boys: SS John Sheffield

Round 1, Pick 12 - North Vegas Radscorpions: C Chris Forceps

Round 2
Round 2, Pick 1 - Ultra Luxe White Gloves: CF Lonnie Doerr

Round 2, Pick 2 - Freeside Kings: SP Eric Holmes

Round 2, Pick 3 - Gomorrah Devils: 1B Jarred Oldviper

Round 2, Pick 4 - Tops Mutants: SP Grognak King

Round 2, Pick 5 - Goodsprings Lucky 38s: CF Martín Valdés

Round 2, Pick 6 - Atomic Wrangler Wranglers: CF Clyde Wallace

Round 2, Pick 7 - Camp McCarran Brahmin: CF Jake Cole

Round 2, Pick 8 - New California Republic Bears: C Clark MacDonald

Round 2, Pick 9 - Sunset Sarsaparilla Fire Ants: CF Dan Green

Round 2, Pick 10 - Novac Dinosaurs: SP Leo Walker

Round 2, Pick 11 - Vault-Tec Vault Boys: SS Walter Hamilton

Round 2, Pick 12 - North Vegas Radscorpions: 3B Jeff Morrison

Round 3
Round 3, Pick 1 - Ultra Luxe White Gloves: SS Fred Hodge

Round 3, Pick 2 - Freeside Kings: RF Mercury Rising

Round 3, Pick 3 - Gomorrah Devils: 3B Joe Davies

Round 3, Pick 4 - Tops Mutants: 3B Richard McCarthy

Round 3, Pick 5 - Goodsprings Lucky 38s: SP Dave Schroeder

Round 3, Pick 6 - Atomic Wrangler Wranglers: CL Bill Alexander

Round 3, Pick 7 - Camp McCarran Brahmin: CF Bud Bowen

Round 3, Pick 8 - New California Republic Bears: SP Steven Foster

Round 3, Pick 9 - Sunset Sarsaparilla Fire Ants: 3B Pewter Agave

Round 3, Pick 10 - Novac Dinosaurs: SP Vince Wagner

Round 3, Pick 11 - Vault-Tec Vault Boys: SP Byron Low Ton

Round 3, Pick 12 - North Vegas Radscorpions: SP Bobby Hutchins

Round 4
Round 4, Pick 1 - Ultra Luxe White Gloves: C Chris Oglethorpe

Round 4, Pick 2 - Freeside Kings: SP Ken Mathis

Round 4, Pick 3 - Gomorrah Devils: C Jeff Walker

Round 4, Pick 4 - Tops Mutants: SP Junior Meyer

Round 4, Pick 5 - Goodsprings Lucky 38s: SS Luis Mercado

Round 4, Pick 6 - Atomic Wrangler Wranglers: SP Justin Ingram

Round 4, Pick 7 - Camp McCarran Brahmin: SP Jason Rainey

Round 4, Pick 8 - New California Republic Bears: SP Arthur James

Round 4, Pick 9 - Sunset Sarsaparilla Fire Ants: CF Luis Cerda

Round 4, Pick 10 - Novac Dinosaurs: 3B G10 Khan

Round 4, Pick 11 - Vault-Tec Vault Boys: SS George Everett

Round 4, Pick 12 - North Vegas Radscorpions: SS Pete Moore

Round 5
Round 5, Pick 1 - Ultra Luxe White Gloves: 3B Chris Cactus Juice

Round 5, Pick 2 - Freeside Kings: SS António Serrano

Round 5, Pick 3 - Gomorrah Devils: C K95 Khan

Round 5, Pick 4 - Tops Mutants: 2B Chuck Wilkerson

Round 5, Pick 5 - Goodsprings Lucky 38s: SP Bullets Bush

Round 5, Pick 6 - Atomic Wrangler Wranglers: SS Mark Banks

Round 5, Pick 7 - Camp McCarran Brahmin: C Johnny Teague

Round 5, Pick 8 - New California Republic Bears: SS Chris Montgomery

Round 5, Pick 9 - Sunset Sarsaparilla Fire Ants: SP Sami Ekman

Round 5, Pick 10 - Novac Dinosaurs: 1B Jesse Blood Pack

Round 5, Pick 11 - Vault-Tec Vault Boys: SP Lawrence Boucher

Round 5, Pick 12 - North Vegas Radscorpions: SP R.J. Brown

10.22.86 - Player injury

The Mojave Desert is not a place to be trifled with, but what do you do when you have a backed up sewer line in your house and have to delve down into the sewers yourself to fix the problem?

Well, if you're lucky, you only run into some mole rats, which can easily be killed with a couple of swift thrusts to the head with a lead pipe or baseball bat.

If you're Vault-Tec's Jack Jackson, you may start to understand why your 35-year-old self is milling about in the minors and not with the championship club.

According to Jackson, two mole rats in the sewers approached him. He swung his baseball bat at the slow-moving fellows, but . . . whiffed. That gave one of the mole rats enough time to take a chunk of meat out of Jackson's leg before he found his mark and clubbed the critter to death.

Perhaps someone should work on his swing after he recovers from his leg wound.

11.9.86 - Player leave

Novac's Mojave Desert Blue has been feeling a bit, wait for it, blue.

The young closer, who looks like he can play in the Mojave Baseball League at a full-time clip soon, stated that he missed his family and needed to take a trip north to their place.

There have been rumors of wandering Deathclaw packs near the Northern Passage, so we hope Blue is traveling with a well-armed entourage.

[StLee]

Map - too big so makes text-reading difficult.

Winter Meetings notes in next post.

[StLee]

(I had to edit the last post because of problems with the map being too big, so here is the original post, with the "attached map" in the post above.)

The second offseason in the Mojave saw more changes and more moves. Lee's idea was to convert all teams to the location model over the sponsor model, but he understood why things might remain for some of the teams. Still, with franchise relocation and renaming, the Mojave Baseball League showed that it was not yet carved into a mountain.

Winter Meetings:

I. Team Name Changes/Relocations

Three franchises relocated, sending the name changing and need for Michael Angelo brand jerseys yet again. Angelo had already been working on adding a second jersey to each Prospects League team. Now he had to change up a few of the Mojave Baseball League teams, too.

Vault-Tec relocated from Primm to South Vegas and became the South Vegas Vault Boys. Atomic Wrangler moved from Westside to Boulder City and became the Boulder City Atomic Wranglers. The Sunset Sarsaparilla Fire Ants left Nellis Air Force Base to take the Atomic Wranglers' place in Westside and became the Westside Sarsaparillas. The South Vegas Cazadores had to leave because their parent team took over their stadium, so they moved to Bonnie Springs. Finally, the RobCo Robots were forced to leave Boulder City, so they moved to Nelson and became the Nelson RobCo Robots.

Primm and the Nellis Air Force Base allowed their franchises to leave with Lee's promise that they would receive a new franchise to begin play in 2288. Locations of their affiliated PL team were not yet determined, though there was talk of adding a second stadium in Freeside, along with possible locations in the secured Fort, a second, smaller stadium built at the Nellis AFB, and Boulder Beach.

A map of all franchise locations in 2287 has been attached.

II. Realignment

Along with franchises relocating, it was necessary to realign divisions to maintain geographical integrity.

In the MBL, there was only one change. The Westside Sarsaparillas moved from the East to the Central Division, and the Boulder City Atomic Wranglers went from the Central to the East.

In the PL, division alignments changed to the North, West, and East divisions.

The North Division was made up of: Aerotech Tops, Bonnie Springs Cazadores, H&H Tool Company Reds (play at the Whiskey Rose Caravans Park - note that this is an old map, so it still shows the old name, Crimson Caravans, on the map), and Sloan Quarriers.

The West Division was made up of: Hidden Valley Ranchers, NCR Cubs (play in NCR Correctional Facility), Nipton Phoenix, and Nuka Cola Westerners (play in Mojave Outpost).

The East Division was made up of: 188 Traders, Bitter Springs Refugees, Cottonwood Lakelurks, and Nelson Robco Robots.

III. Rule Changes

The following rules changes were proposed:

A. Expanding active roster to 26 players. ACCEPTED 27-2.

B. Limiting PL rosters to 35 players. ACCEPTED 19-10.

C. Changing names of league awards. ACCEPTED 26-3.
Owners felt these awards were not representative of the feel of the Mojave since they were all named after baseball players only Lee had ever heard of. Therefore the new award names were: Lead Dealer Pitcher Award, New Vegas Samurai Hitter Award, New Kid Award, Return to Sender Defense Award, and Mojave Hardcore Mode Postseason Award. (Author's Note: Minus the "pitcher," "hitter," and "defense" words, these are all real accomplishments in the Fallout: New Vegas game!)

C. Adding more chems to the banned chems list.
Some of the chems are hybrid forms. Slasher was added as a major chem. Other chems that have ability-enhancing properties that are now banned include: ant nectar, ant queen pheromones (stronger version of ant nectar), coyote tobacco chew, healing powder, and mushroom cloud.

Suspension times were not yet determined at the time of the meetings, but slasher was expected to carry a 15-game suspension for first-time use, and all others around 5 games.

D. The RobCo Network Center would officially sponsor the Mojave Baseball League screen. RobCo would create a division of its RNC to be called the Baseball News Network, or BNN. ACCEPTED 28-1.

IV. Scouting Caravans

Last year, the league approved scouting caravans to expand beyond the Mojave, as well as holding independent talent camps. Lee gave updates on the scouts sent out in September.

Baseball camps had been established in and around Shady Springs in California and parts of Texas. Though population was sparse in a lot of the desert areas, preventing full baseball camps, Lee said that scouts were recruiting some players to join the league.

Since none of the players recruited for the 2287 season were in the Mojave in time for the draft, all players with a signed certificate by a league-approved scout could join the league as a free agent for the 2287 season. Individual scouting reports would be prepared on the players' ability and secret personality reports would be available based on the scouts' investigations and observations. Also, scouts out east were trained to look for signs of Legionaires in disguise.

Though the California Pipeline was rejected in voting, Lee convinced the owners that it would be a good idea to form a definitive pipeline in California to absorb talent and keep profits higher, lest the more highly-populated California areas form their own baseball league and poach talent from the Mojave. (Author's poll for anyone reading this and willing to respond: If I can get this league to last for, let's say more than six years, do you think it's a good idea to add a competing league in the Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 environments? Or, would you prefer the Mojave to remain the central location of the league? Or, would a spin-off be more suitable? Let me know what you think!)

V. Winter Meetings Trades
* = blockbuster trade - highly-rated player traded

1.1.87

* Boulder City traded 20-year-old SP Julio Cortes to Ultra Luxe for 33-year-old SP Sixto Deleon and 18-year-old MR Pat Jones.

1.2.87

* Boulder City traded 28-year-old SS George Gray and 29-year-old LF William Harris to Westside for 19-year-old 3B Chris Andrews, 18-year-old MR Eric Gregory, and 18-year-old SP Harry Adams.

Boulder City traded 33-year-old LF John Butler and 19-year-old C Zach Williams to South Vegas for 28-year-old MR Wally Grant.

Camp McCarran traded 16-year-old rookie C Johnny Teague to North Vegas for 39-year-old 3B Francisco Sandeater and 30-year-old RF Ben Bell.

Boulder City traded 19-year-old CF Nate Goff to Freeside for 33-year-old SS Max Rutledge and 29-year-old SP Ronnie Walker.

* Goodsprings traded 35-year-old SP Wilfred Buckley to North Vegas for 20-year-old 1B Jesus Martinez and 21-year-old SP Jim Jones.

Goodsprings traded 26-year-old MR Ronald Cobb for 17-year-old 3B Ben Adams.

The Tops Mutants traded 26-year-old center fielder Zack Cameron to the Gomorrah Devils, getting 17-year-old minor league starting pitcher Rob Cunningham and 20-year-old minor league catcher Santiago Yucca in return.

1.3.87

Boulder City traded 31-year-old MR Lake Water to Tops for 17-year-old MR Tim Burton.

Novac traded 21-year-old RF John Fisher to North Vegas for 19-year-old SP Bill Peterson.

Tops traded 19-year-old SP Billy Robertson to Freeside for 19-year-old CF Bob Conant.

* Goodsprings traded 28-year-old 3B Duane Antqueen to South Vegas for 29-year-old SP Willie Miller.

New California Republic traded 18-year-old 2B Brandon Skinner to Camp McCarran for 17-year-old MR Kane Horton.

1.4.87

Goodsprings traded 17-year-old RF William Sparks to Tops for rookie 16-year-old SP Grognak King and rookie 16-year-old 2B Chuck Wilkerson.

New California Republic traded 38-year-old MR Billy Ross to South Vegas for 37-year-old LF John Stanley.

* New California Republic traded 22-year-old RF Steve Davis to Gomorrah for 27-year-old CL Basket Zapp.

South Vegas traded 20-year-old CF John Wagner to Freeside for 18-year-old 3B Alf DeLayer.

[Tyke]

My first reaction to your expansion proposal was "yes, of course" but, as I've said before, I'm probably more interested in the backstory than the actual baseball, so I'll amend my response to "yes, provided the backstory can accommodate it"!

Still really enjoying this - KUTGW

[StLee]

Originally Posted by Tyke

My first reaction to your expansion proposal was "yes, of course" but, as I've said before, I'm probably more interested in the backstory than the actual baseball, so I'll amend my response to "yes, provided the backstory can accommodate it"!

Still really enjoying this - KUTGW

Thanks for the input. I'm trying to decide what to do beyond the "6 years" that the Historian's story is set within. Also, it may give me good reasons to fire up Fallouts 1 and 2 again to remember some of the newness of that environment that was so fresh and exciting.

Anyone else have an opinion? I see this thread has lots of views. Some people must be reading!

[StLee]

Year 3: 2287

The Mojave was changing and progressing so much that the war between the NCR and the Legion seemed like hundreds of years ago. The theme of this time has been simple: progress. People were flooding in from lots of different places just for the chance to live in probably the only really thriving place on the known earth.

In 2287, more company progress meant more jobs for the people coming into the Mojave. More jobs meant less crime. Less crime meant less depression, chem use, and death. Healthier, safer environments meant more productivity and cooperation.

Without further ado, here are some companies that started to make traction in the Mojave:

The New Vegas Steel plant was up and running. Instead of concentrating on things like robots and weapons, the steel company was providing structures for rebuilding damaged and destroyed buildings and supplying Loyal and Jack in their transportation ventures.

Loyal had four operating small planes in his warehouse and had found enough trainable people to start building passenger planes. He said he did not know if he could live long enough to witness it, but he estimated that passenger planes would be flying the skies by as early as 2290.

The Samson Rock Crushing Plant, along with the Quarry Junction, was supplying the New California Republic with enough concrete and rubble to improve the integrity of the rails and rebuild sections of roads to make travel much easier. Concrete was also widely available to work on repairing and rebuilding damaged and destroyed buildings, helping communities like Boulder City and South Vegas to thrive.

People with farming skills were moving into the area, allowing brahmin and bighorn ranches to grow, giving even more food supply to the Mojave. Some farmers even worked on cultivation of crops native to the Mojave, like broc flowers, agave fruit, maize, and jalapeno peppers.

The railway stations, still exclusively under the control of the New California Republic, were available in more locations for both passenger transport and business transport. The business side was the biggest because steel and concrete, as well as fresh crops, could easily be distributed to the places they were needed. Also, the NCR set up a special commuter baseball train to allow players and fans to travel to available locations.

The NCR continued its push outside the Mojave. Reports were that there were some places that needed heavy military presence, like Denver. That could mean bad news for the Mojave Baseball League if the NCR took its trooper/baseball players out of the area. Lee considered making a rule that no other soldiers could join the MBL while active. He said he would put the rule into effect if the NCR did move players out of the area. In that case, it was definitely a good thing the president’s brother owned one of the franchises in the MBL.

RobCo’s online network was fully operational and launched on the first of the year, available to everyone who could access it. For people who could not afford the service or had problems connecting in home from infrastructure damage, they could access the RNC at available network stations in schools, libraries, and community centers. The Baseball News Network division of the RNC was the first to launch with its Mojave Baseball League screen.

Nuka Cola was now an operating facility. Their concentration was on distribution of existing products and R&D for producing rad-free products, planned to launch in 2289.

Another California company, Radiation King, moved into the area. They set up their initial HQ in the Nevada Highway Patrol Station just south of Primm. Originally, they explained, the company produced nuclear-age products, like home televisions. The company restructured in California following the fallout by focusing on decontamination ventures. Radiation King said that it would work to decontaminate any irradiated zones in the area to make those places safe to travel through and eventually safe to live. They said that Jack Rabbit Springs could be rad free by 2291 and Camp Searchlight by 2295.

The Toxic Dump Site between Novac and Nelson had been filled in before, but it still was heavily irradiated, so Radiation King said it would fix that area, too, along with the Old Nuclear Test Site, Vault 34, and an area of Black Mountain that required a radiation suit to travel through.

All of those things mentioned above affected the MBL in a positive way of some sort, except for the potential loss of active-duty NCR troops. But there was one event that happened in early 2287 that turned the MBL on its head. I will give you an account based on the eye witness reports of the people on duty.

2.13.87 – Unlucky 13

There was nothing atypical about the day. The Strip carried on as it always did, quiet and recovering at 7:30 AM on a Sunday morning. Ebenezer Swank was milling about smoking a cigarette in the hallway of the 13th floor suites of the Tops Casino.

A young woman, a bit short and a lot country, walked past Swank in the hallway. She smirked as she passed him. Swank noticed the tight pants and couldn’t resist.

“Damn, baby,” Swank called out. “I never saw anything like you up here before. What’s your name?”

The young woman turned around. Swank’s two bodyguards were checking her out, too. “You can call me Cheyenne,” she said.

“Cheyenne. I like that. Want to come in old Swank’s room and have a cup of coffee and shoot the old two-headed bull to start the day?”

“Definitely,” she said.

“Ring-a-ding!”

Swank opened the door to his suite. “Sorry, doll, but company policy. My boys here have to pat you.”

“Pat away,” she said. The smirk remained on her face as the well-armed boys ran their hands over every millimeter of her body. After they were finished, and she was found to be sans weapons, she and Swank walked into the suite. The door shut and locked out the panting bodyguards in the hallway.

They stood guard. Ten minutes, twenty, thirty. It was almost an hour before the young woman walked out of the room. “I think I wore him out. He’s asleep now and told me to give you this.”

She handed the bodyguards a note in Swank’s handwriting: “Boys, I’m taking a rest for awhile to rebuild my energy. Wake me up by noon.”

The young woman smirked at the body guards. “Thanks for the good time.” She strolled towards the elevator, and she was gone.

At noon Swank still had not emerged from his room. By that time the early gamblers had started making the Tops tons of caps and it was usually Swank’s job to keep them happy and spending. The bodyguards knocked, and, after a time of no response, one of the guards used his key to enter the room.

When they found Swank, he was naked and covered in blood. He had been stabbed multiple times with what appeared to be a thin, sharp object, almost like the hairpin that held up the young lady’s hair. A police investigation confirmed that it was indeed a hairpin that did Swank in. They were now on the lookout for a woman who went by the name Cheyenne.

On February 13, 2287, Ebenezer Swank was no more. Lee had to act fast to get things back in order.

[StLee]

I already detailed the Swank Event. The big question was "Why?" The NCR had its team on the move trying to figure out who the culprit was and what it meant for the bigger picture, because, let's face it, the last time any big-time players in the Mojave died it was all Lee's doing. A petite female couldn't be Lee, so who was it it? And why?

For the time being, there was a replacement owner within the Tops organization, and I will introduce him in my next update.

Here are news and notes associated with the MBL from January through the beginning of April:

1.11.87 – Player trade

The Westside Sarsaparillas traded 28-year-old shortstop George Gray and 19-year-old minor league center fielder Brad Gecko to the New California Republic Bears, getting 33-year-old starting pitcher Miguel Rosa in return.

1.16.87 – Player trade

The Tops Mutants traded 29-year-old starting pitcher Miguel Santos to the South Vegas Vault Boys, getting 17-year-old minor league closer Dave Young in return.

2.7.87 – Player personal leave

Gomorrah reliever Doug Campbell and his wife’s joy turned into sadness yesterday, as their young child passed away from unknown reasons. Campbell stated today that he would take some time away from baseball to get his mind right, and would return at some unknown date in the future.

2.16.87 – Player trade

The Camp McCarran Brahmin traded 33-year-old third baseman Java Stirfry and 19-year-old minor league shortstop Tony Smith to the Goodsprings Lucky 38s, getting 32-year-old starting pitcher David Bennett in return.

2.23.87 – Player injury

Westside received bad news today when reliever Henry Lowe was crushed beneath crates of Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles at the factory near Westside.
Lowe, who was 6-5 with three saves and a 3.76 ERA in 2286 for the Sarsaparillas, will now have to have his legs reconstructed. The 33-year-old will be out for the 2287 season and may be done with his baseball career.

3.2.87 – Player death

Kevin Murphy looked to have a promising young career in the Mojave Baseball League. After being traded midseason from North Vegas to Camp McCarran, Murphy went from being a seldom-used backup to a starter.

In 97 games in 2286, Murphy finished with a .266 batting average with 16 doubles, 13 home runs, 39 RBI, 39 runs, 28 walks, and 57 strikeouts. And he was getting better by the day.

Unfortunately, a run in with the Scorpions gang outside Camp McCarran led to Murphy’s demise.

3.10.87 through 3.21.87 – Exhibition schedule

3.10.87 – Exhibition: WestsideSarsaparillas 5 at Ultra Luxe White Gloves 3. Notable: 2B Augusto Rivera, Westside, 2 for 6, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R

3.11.87– Free Agent Spike - The Scouting Caravans

We don’t yet know how good they will be, but Commissioner Lee announced today that there are around 50 newly available players in free agency as of today.

Commissioner Lee said he found players through scouts heading out to areas of California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas, as well as parts of Nevada outside the Mojave.

Scouts also reported that Colorado was a tough place to recruit, including the ancient city of Denver where there was nothing there but “man-hungry dogs.”

All 12 franchises will have an opportunity today to watch the new talent play, and then they will draw lots for the rights to pick up any of the players available. Tomorrow we will let you know if any of those players were picked up and where they came from to end up in the Mojave Baseball League.

3.11.87 – Exhibition: Tops Mutants 0 at South Vegas Vault Boys 3. Notable: SP Tom Nelson, 8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 K

3.12.87 – Free Agent Signing

There was only one winner after the new free agents’ exhibition game, though that could change in time. Westside signed starting pitcher Luis Alomar who hails from the former state of Oklahoma. Though Alomar is from Oklahoma, he was living in California at the time. He said his family fled Oklahoma and worked their way west, eventually moving to a New California Republic safe zone.

3.12.87 – Exhibition: Novac Dinosaurs 1 at North Vegas Radscorpions 6. Notable: SP Wilfred Buckley, North Vegas, 7.1 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 12 K

3.13.87 – Exhibition: New California Republic Bears 4 at Goodsprings Lucky 38s 5.Notable: CJeremy Watson, NCR, 2 for 3, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R; CF Jimmy LaRue, Goodsprings, 2 for 4, 3 RBI

3.14.87 – Exhibition: Gomorrah Devils 0 at Freeside Kings 6. Notable: Jeff MacTause, Freeside, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, BB, 9 K

3.15.87 – Exhibition: Camp McCarran Brahmin 6 at Boulder City Atomic Wranglers 3. Notable: C Giant Bear, Camp McCarran, 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB

3.16.87 – Exhibition: South Vegas Vault Boys 4, Westside Sarsaparilla 0. Notable: Angel Polanco, Westside, 8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K; Ricardo Rodriguez, South Vegas, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, 3 K

3.17.87 – Exhibition: Ultra Luxe White Gloves 5 at Tops Mutants 4. Notable: SP Callum Bain, Tops, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 10 K

3.18.87 – Exhibition: Goodsprings Lucky 38s 3 at Novac Dinosaurs 10. Notable: CF Poseidon LastName, Novac, 2 for 5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R

3.19.87 – Exhibition: North Vegas Radscorpions 0 at New California Republic Bears 6. Notable: SP Jim Ford, NCR, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

3.20.87 – Exhibition: Boulder City Atomic Wranglers 2 at Gomorrah Devils 1. Notable: SP Sixto Deleon, Boulder City, 8 IP, 8 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K

3.21.87 – Exhibition: Freeside Kings 2 at Camp McCarran Brahmin 13. Notable: 3B Mitch Carter, Camp McCarran, 2 for 3, HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB

3.24.87 – Player Trade

The South Vegas Vault Boys traded 28-year-old center fielder Floyd Bryant and 18-year-old minor league first baseman David Schoolskipper to the Boulder City Atomic Wranglers, getting 39-year-old starting pitcher José Estrada in return.

3.24.87 – Player Injury

Gomorrah minor leaguer catcher Jamie Reed got into a scrap with a Centaur, resulting in some open wounds and a bad case of radiation poisoning. Reed could miss up to three months recovering.

[StLee]

He was once insignificant, nameless, and just a small cog in the Tops wheel. He was the Bartender when Lee was taking over the Mojave. Little did Lee know was that behind the ruthless conniving that was the Chairmen, one “little” man within the organization saved his caps and finagled his way into the inner circle.

And, just days after Ebeneezer Swank saw his demise, the Bartender sat in a room of the top remaining members of the Chairmen and made his play into the baseball world.

Now, don’t misunderstand this story. The rightful next man in line became the owner of the Tops. That man was Tommy Torini. Lee liked Tommy, and Tommy liked Lee, or at least he seemed to, unlike Benny and Swank before him.

“As we all know, I’m the big boss man now,” Tommy told the motley crew of Chairmen in the room. “The reason we’re here and the reason I brought in Big Bad to the Knee Lee and…what’s your story, Glory?”

“Just call me the Historian,” I said.

“Everybody's got to have some claim to fame,” Tommy replied while scratching at his eye patch. “You can call me the Dancing and Singing Stud Bull then.” He laughed and so did the bedraggled Chairmen.

“On to the show,” Tommy continued. “You know, the biggest show the Mojave ever did see. I’m talking about Lee and baseball, you see. Now, I ain’t running this place into my own prideful ground like Swankie did. Not me. I’m looking to multiply our caps and make the Tops something it ain’t ever seen: being the tops!

“That’s why some things are going to change, you dig? First, we’re going to work hand in hand with Lee to make this baseball thing work. Second, we’re going to make decisions not based on who’s at the top of the pyramid, but who’s going to make us all more of those little metal caps that makes the world spin round faster than my tap shoes.

“I have a vision for this casino. We aren’t the everyman’s place like the 38. We aren’t the sex paradise that Gomorrah is. And we most certainly don’t have the class the Luxe has. What we do have is the best entertainers on the strip.

“But the real reason we’re here, right here, right now, is because I need to give some juice to our baseball side of business. Let me shake out how this boogie’s going to jive. To make the most of our time, we need two things: fans and success. Now I know what the deal with the fans is, but success comes from wins. Wins brings what Lee called the bandwagoners in, and the bandwagoners bring in the caps. We win, we’re in. That’s why I got us a baseball man who has been right under our eyes all this time. Well, right under my one good eye.

“Everybody, please give it up for the man with the plan, the guy who kept the Aces running smoother than a child bride’s behind, the one, the only Richard Wang.”

Wang stood up to address the room. He was short and thin with a small voice. But each word rang like a chime in the forest. The men sitting at the table listened and quietly agreed. “Thank you, Tommy. If it weren’t for the Aces, we would already be building the railroads or rebuilding those measly little cities that may not need us anymore in the future. But we still need more to maintain the lifestyle for the new Mojave.

“I saw something in the baseball league a lot of others didn’t, and it started at the Aces bar. You see, the players want to come in and unwind after a hard day’s work or play. They sit at the bar and talk or drink or try to pick up a jazzy guy or gal in the crowd. And you know for the most part who did what in their day. But not always, not for the right kind of players.

“I served these men drink after drink, and I noticed what made the difference between the players who were winners and the ones who were losers. There’s that guy Spread in the outfield. It doesn’t matter if he hit a game-winning homer or struck out four times. He held his head high and was ready to move on and win the next day. Then there’s that Wesley guy. Same position, same situation. But if he ****s up one play, he’s in the corner with his head hanging.

“The way I see it, we need more Spreads and less Wesleys. We need guys who don’t give a **** but still want to go out the next day, whip out their meat, and piss all over the other team. I know I don’t have a lot of time to build up for this year with Swank getting whacked the other day. But I’m going to start making some moves and move this team like a ballet dancer in a bullet fight. Ain’t nobody watching the Tops at the bottoms. We’re going to the tops and I’m getting us the players that we need.”

After the meeting, Lee welcomed the new owner and manager of the Tops Mutants. Lee was positive that the change was positive. He also used his Speech skill to convince the room he had nothing to do with Swank’s death and was just surprised as they were with his assassination.

Below: Tommy Torini, owner, and Richard Wang, general manager

[StLee]

Michael Angelo's businesses, especially with the opening of the Nuka Cola factory in New Vegas, were busy. But that didn't mean he couldn't design new uniforms and logos for the 2287 season.

With the relocation of three franchises, Angelo had to change those uniforms. Vault-Tec was now South Vegas, and they changed their road uniforms to indicate their home. Sunset Sarsaparilla moved to Westside, and they added Westside to their road uniforms. Atomic Wrangler moved to Boulder City, adopting the city name on their road uniform. Both their road and home caps changed from the logo to the Atomic Wrangler initials.

Tops made a change to their uniforms, dropping their orange that clashed with Camp McCarran, and going to gray for their home colors. The Freeside Kings chose a bolder crown logo and added that logo to their caps. Ultra Luxe changed their home jersey to show their team name, White Gloves, and added the White Glove Society logo of masks to their home uniform. New California Republic changed its road jersey from pink to a brown base with pink sleeves.

In the PL, all teams added a second jersey, and some changed their jerseys.

H&T Tool Company changed their hats to pinstripe models. The NCR Cubs adopted their parent team's jerseys with the NCR Cubs name added to the jerseys. The Cazadores moved to Bonnie Springs and added the town name to the bottom of their road jerseys.