.
Providing Coverage of Real Baseball Online
Well Blogger...thank you for hosting!
RBO CHRONICLE - new link
http://www.rbofactor.com/blog/
!!!!
Special thanks to Skoal for doing the preview
Bombers Vs. TechEast
This game features two teams, which seem to be firing on all cylinders. Bombers comes off of a big win over Roto NL, while TechEast comes off of an impressive showing against Lynx. These two teams look to establish an early tempo with pitching, and solid defensive play.
Baptiste will set the tone for TechEast early and often with his bat, but don't expect gatyopin2 and ABSmoke to let him do all the talking. Sandman7 will look to stop the potent Bombers bats, but question marks about relief abound. If he needs some, Vejar and kiku can step up, but will they perform? Baptiste knows that this team can score in a hurry, so look for him to set a great example, and show people why he's a great manager. I'm betting he comes out on fire (not literally, that would hurt), and goes all Robert Redford on some baseballs this week.
Bombers looks to be lead by Roguee and Cunning, as well as a tremendous pitching rotation, starting with Ipwn and finishing with ChungFX or ThePope. If ThePope sees action in relief, you better believe pointy, fancy hats will be worn by all, and enjoyed by none. There's a lot of talk about Roguee trying to take league by storm, and thrust him or herself into the MVP lead, and look for him or her to try and show the bat skills to make that happen.
Players to watch: Bombers: Roguee // TechEast: Baptiste
Prediction: Bombers 11 TechEast 8
Roto NL vs Lynx
The two teams meeting in this game, are two teams trying desperately to right their ship, in hopes that a big win will be a harbinger of things to come. Roto NL comes off of a less than stellar showing against Bombers, while Lynx comes off of a tough loss to TechEast.
For Roto NL, the question that needs to be answered is: who is going to pitch well enough to keep them in a game? nubXPRESS and Pesto have both tried, but in the end, the opposition came out on top. You know they're going to hit, with HaZeD, Day, LORDV8R and company, but if you can't pitch, what is the use? Don't forget about EasyOut, who is my man to watch for NL. He's just seething at the mouth (possibly rabid) to breakout, and is fixin' to do so this week.
The Lynx have shown great team spirit and a desire to win, it just hasn't translated into wins. Look for EWade and company to come out firing on all cylinders and try to swipe one here. LSU21 is a solid bat, in a line up that contains many solid bats. Wendigo, Hugebat and Tubby86 are also looking to rough up what ever Roto NL throws at them. Tubby86 figures to see a large chunk of (if not all of) the work on the mound, but in a pinch, you could see XxBRAVOxX out there. I heard Wendigo is excited to go out there and show the boys how she rolls, so keep an eye out for her.
Players to watch: Roto NL: EasyOut // Lynx: Wendigo
Prediction: Roto NL 13 Lynx 11
BigHeros vs FlightAL
BigHeros comes into this week after suffering a real kick in the collective grapes at the hand of D Rays last week. FlightAL comes into this game on the opposite end of the spectrum, as they were kicking (and possibly stomping) all the grapes last week in a rout of Ambition.
The biggest thing for the BigHeros to do in this game, is find some camaraderie and balance. They seem to either score runs, and don't pitch well, or do a decent enough job pitching, but don't score enough to get the job done. Her0 will be looked upon to do a lot of the work, as will Nhr. Those two guys cannot possibly carry an offense by themselves, so look for timely contributions from goTWINS and possibly BigJoll (the artist formerly known as Molholt). Pitching wise, they've got SupaNova and The24Kid, who will look to contain some hot bats on the other side of the field, and are players to watch for.
FlightAL comes into this game on an absolute offensive tear. Kentucky, DrDeath, Majewicz and ZachAtack look to knock the cover off of the ball everytime they step in, and usually succeed. They've got a "throw who ever feels like it out there" attitude about pitching, but when you're stomping face and chewing gum, it really doesn't matter who's pitching for you. If you're looking for a stud muffin to watch out for on FlightAL, you'd have to go with D3thklok. There's no substitute for talent (or beer), he's aiming to go out there, and show everyone how he does it.
Players to watch: BigHeros: SupaNova/The24Kid // FlightAL: D3thklok
Prediction: FlightAL 17 BigHeros 5
D Rays vs Ambition
An interesting dynamic is at play in the D Rays and Ambition game. These are two teams who are new to the Elite league, and are trying to make a mark. The D Rays plowed through BigHeros last week, while Ambition got waxed by FlightAL.
D Rays is one of those enigma type teams, who have chemistry, but on paper don't look like a team who could contend. That just goes to show you what pitching and chemistry can do, because they put it to BigHeros in a big way last week. Y4ankrule threw a gem, and they got timely hits from KeenanG and company to secure their first win. Look for Tyrrel and HAVERFORD to do some damage, and try to keep the D Rays shuffling on, and winning games.
Ambition comes into this game desperately needing a win, to build chemistry and give them something to build off of. h0w has to get the most out of every player, including himself, in order to win games, and shock some people. This is one team I don't know a whole lot about, only that they're hungry to win, and showcase themselves in this League. Mattman13 should have a breakout game, and plays with a chip on his shoulder after a rough split with Empire.
Players to watch: D Rays: Tyrrel // Ambition: Mattman13
Prediction: D Rays 12 Ambition 10
Rage vs DwH
This game features two teams coming off of tough losses last week. Rage watched FlightNL take them downtown, while DwH had a stomach punch game at the hands of a walkoff (more like kick in the groin off) loss against Carnage.
Rage has a unique blend of players who are tasting their first Elite action, but are starving to win and become seen as the best of the best. GoHome96, RomeyC and rUafraid lead this group of quirky mouthy players, who can swing the bat. Cjwalker also figures to have impact, but with only one pitcher, this team needs to light up the scoreboard to have a chance. rUafraid is a player to watch, with his solid bat and pitching prowess, but don't be surprised if Rage looks like a christmas tree after this one.
For DwH (Donuts with Hats), the pitching has been there, the batting hasn't. They've only scored a total of 9 runs, and that won't get the job done. Looking at their lineup, it's tough to figure out why they haven't scored a lot of runs. Guys like ensferum, Ricky8 and LuckyMe89 have always had hot bats, look for them to get on track this week. Pitching for them has been solid, so look for more of the same from RUGJUICE, PiLi and soulcrshr. I'll pick ensferum as a player to watch here, because frankly he entertains me, and is due for a bananas type breakout game this week, as he shows up why this group puts up donuts, and wears hats.
Players to watch: Rage: rUafraid // DwH: ensferum
Prediction: DwH 12 Rage 11
FlightNL vs Carnage
This game has early playoff implications, and will establish a front runner in the Central/West league. These teams are strong in both pitching and hitting, and will look to out do eachother in my Game of the Week.
FlightNL has put up some runs, and had shutdown pitching in the first two games of this league. They've been effective across the board and look strong coming into this one. Papi, Ebola and dcurt25 lead an offense which hopes to score early, score often, and head home with your girlfriend. SmokeOut and ElDuque are a two headed pitching monster, which looks sexy on the field, and on paper. SmokeOut has allowed one run in 9 innings of work, which is unheard of for the Elite league. He is my player to watch, because chances are, he's going to be smoking batters, and will be the difference maker, unless GATECH is out there stealing Carnage's bukkets.
Carnage is another team with a tremendous lineup, and a two faced pitching attack. Megatron and Sparkie come out every week and shut down the best of the best. Wiggy and BlindMan come in riding high this week, after a great offensive showing for each in the last game. BlindMan hit a walkoff homer against DwH, while Wiggy consistently swings a hot bat. I'm looking for a breakout game from the Sexy Swedes though. GAWD and ToyBoy are poised and ready to take the Elite league by storm, and are the players to watch here. They will be the difference between a win and loss for Carnage, and you better believe they come out with adult beverages in tow, and have already put the kids to bed.
Players to Watch: FlightNL: SmokeOut // Carnage: ToyBoy/GAWD
Prediction: FlightNL 9 Carnage 4
Empire vs RotoWire
This game has a big giant X on the calendar for both teams. There are players on both teams that want to show the other what they're all about, and either jump into the upper echelon of players, or reaffirm greatness in the minds of all who play in the Elite league.
Empire has the offense, defense, and pitching of a well oiled Elite contender. They're active and cohesive, and feature some of the top names of RBO's last few patches and leagues. MelkyNYY brings a club into this game which is tired of hearing what one of the RotoWire pitchers has been talking about, and looks to make things difficult early and often for him. Pete998 looks to suppliment the offense provided by MelkyNYY, as well as Oman. They're going to be lead pitching by KMAN (player to watch), FIRE911 and Death. There are other "factors" at work here also, which kick this rivalry into high gear, including 27 page flamewars, and JPEG trophies. Empire wants to silence RotoWire's bats and mouths, and their pitching gives them an avenue to do so.
RotoWire comes into this game after putting the wood to Insanity. After a hard luck loss on opening night, they came back strong in game two and really showed why time after time, they're one of the elite squads in RBO. Lead by the get on base attitude of the Oregon Connection (CBothe and Haskell), and some timely hitting with runners on by Skoal, which got the job done. The pitching has mostly fell on Skoal's broad, rippling shoulders, but look for Boget to come out fired up, and show why he has been a top pitcher in RBO for some time now. BenyDJet gets my nod as a player to watch however. The man is due for a beastly performance, and it would not surprise me at all to see him bring the noise here. Will there be a lot of rawr, and little bite? Or lots of rawr and lots of bite? We will see on Tuesday.
Players to Watch: Empire: KMAN // RotoWire: BenyDJet
Prediction: RotoWire 10 Empire 9
TechWest vs Insanity
TechWest was looked at a middle of the road type team when this league started, but they look to pile up another win against Insanity this week. Insanity has suffered back to back losses, but looks to rebound, and show they are not doormats.
TechWest has been lead largely by the pitching of WCKDPERK. He has shined in games against RotoWire and Empire. He's on a mission, and looks to continue that here. The batters for TechWest include a trifecta of heft that is DanTheMan, SandMan16 and Own4Life. They're looking to go out there and beat Insanity like they stole something, and put up a ton of runs to help out WCKDPERK. SandMan16 is the player to watch here, he's looking to put some distance between him and Skoal for the MVP of the Central/West league, and add to his league leading 5 homers.
For Insanity, both pitching and hitting have been an issue. They have yet to find someone to supply Killerboy with any relief, should he struggle, and also haven't given him many runs to work with. RickyD and Luna21 will look to change that this week, and as a tandem should be the breakout performers for Insanity. I'm expecting to see Killerboy go out and pitch well this week, making him a player to watch. If he pitches well, and Insanity hits like we all know they can, TechWest could be in some trouble.
Players to Watch: TechWest: SandMan16 // Insanity: RickyD/Luna21
Round 2 is in the books and things are really starting to heat up. Teams are making their case for an all important playoff spot and really starting to kick into full gear. Check out who’s coming out on top and who’s stuck underneath the pile below!!!
TechEast tames Lynx
TechEast came ready to play against Lynx on Tuesday. gatyopin2 started things off right blasting a HR in just his first at bat of the game. Lynx saw offensive support come from Tubby86, LSU21, and Hugebat but TechEast was just too much. gatyopin2 also knocked a 3-run HR to improve on his already solid night.
Final Score: TechEast 10, Lynx 4.
Bombers Blast Their Way Past Roto NL
The Bombers made the Roto NL pitching staff look non-existant on Tuesday night. In just 2 innings the Bombers already had a 9 run lead and never looked back. Pesto had his dome rocked giving up 6 HRs in his two innings of work. HaZeD was the only glimmer of light for the Roto NL roster as he attempted to bring his team back into the game with 2 HRs.
Final Score: Bombers 16, Roto NL 4.
FlightAL Routes Ambition
FlightAL gave Ambition no chance to pickup their first win. Using just the brute force of their offense, FlightAL put up 18 runs. h0w and his Ambition roster still managed to pull 6 runs but ZachAtack just became too much to handle. After the score opened up FlightAL cruised to victory. Ambition will continue to fight and looks forward to trying to pickup their first win against a viable candidate in D Rays.
Final Score: FlightAL 18, Ambition 6.
BigHeros fall to D Rays
The D Rays aren’t going to be a team to roll over in the 2008-3 Elite. They proved their value after beating the BigHeros squad. Y4ankrule deserves credit as he held the tough BigHeros squad to just 5 runs while pitching the bulk of the innings. Her0 will look for his team to rebound against FlightAL next week. SupaNova will certainly have to step things up against an even tougher squad in FlightAL.
Final Score: D Rays 8 , BigHeros 5.
FlightNL Pitches Their Way to Victory…Again
FlightNL took down another team in Rage. SmokeOut has been absolutely lights out giving up just 1 run this league in a total of 9 innings. Rage saw some limited success against ElDuque, but they could not contend with the superior FlightNL squad. Though SmokeOut has been great, Carnage will be gunning to put runs on the board early and often next week. Look for SmokeOut to attempt to continue his run as a clear cut All-Aces favorite at this standpoint.
Final Score: FlightNL 13, Rage 5.
Hey, Now Walk It Out
Carnage might have been a little understaffed against DwH on Tuesday but that didn’t stop them from stealing a win. BlindMan played the role of hero with a walkoff HR in the bottom of the 6th. Things got shaky for Carnage after Megatron dropped and ToyBoy had to take over the pitching duties, but it was all good after BlindMan ’s walkoff HR. DwH put up a valiant effort, but Carnage took the opportunity to slide the victory from under their feet.
Final Score: Carnage 9, DwH 8.
TechWest Shocks Empire
TechWest is pushing themselves into the upper echelon of teams after two straight wins over RotoWire and Empire. This time around WCKDPERK gave the opposing team no chance. Holding Empire to no runs heading into the last innings, things were looking bleak. The former MVP, KidNasty, was held 0-5 with multiple strikeouts. Even former All-Aces KMAN saw the ball fly over his head. TechWest is looking strong both offensively and pitching wise and will look to improve to 3-0 on the season against Insanity next week.
Final Score: TechWest 11, Empire 2.
RotoWire Back on Track
Perhaps last week was an eye opener but RotoWire seems to be ready to go now. Skoal continued to push his RotoWire teammates. After a solid performance in RotoWire’s loss, Skoal added 3 HRs to bring his season total to 5. Add in a few innings of great pitching and you’ve got an early candidate for MVP. Insanity managed only 5 runs while Killerboy and crew allowed 11.
Final Score: RotoWire 11, Insanity 5.
TechEast vs Lynx
TechEast came off a strong and convincing win last Friday, defeating a favored Roto NL team. Though there was some controversy surrounding TechEast after the victory, the power-hitting squad should continue to have motivation throughout the season as they look to become an "established team." Moreover, that quest should be a lot easier with solid effort from both sides of the ball. TechEast, with help from manager Baptiste, were able to score 6 runs off the dynamic duo of NubXPRESS and Pesto. Pitching was just as solid, with Sandman7 pitching a full 6 innings and holding Roto NL to just 3 runs. If TechEast can continue this domination today and throughout the season, they might just become a possible favorite to win league.
Lynx had a solid effort against Bombers last week but the Bombers offense was just too hot. Lynx also had a commendable offense, scoring seven runs and almost put the game in reach. Manager EWade and LSU21 should both continue to lead the Lynx offense today.
Players to Watch For:
TechEast
Sandman7. Coming off a very impressive win against Roto NL, Sandman7 might be in a position to show that he really is an elite pitcher. If Sandman can shut down the Lynx offense, look for TechEast to cruise to an easy victory.
Lynx
EWade. EWade has certainly proven that he can hit. Coming off a 2 homerun game against Bombers, EWade should continue to show off his hot bat.
Fire's Prediction: 7-5 TechEast
Newbert's Prediction:
Bombers vs Roto NL
What can be said about Bombers? Although the pitching was a little shaky, the offense managed to score enough runs to lead the team to victory. Individual leaders included gimmepie and BigJuddd, who both combined for 8 RBIs. The Bombers offense should strike fear into the hearts of all elite pitchers. And NubXPRESS should be no exception.
Roto NL came off a disappointing loss Tuesday against TechEast. The offense managed only to score 3 runs and did not give their pitching enough offensive support. The desire for a major upset should motivate Roto NL to score more runs against a tough Bombers squad.
ChungFX will also be starting against his former squad for the first time tonight. Will Roto NL show Chung that they are indeed the better team?
Players to Watch For:
Bombers
BigJuddd should once again lead the Bombers offense. A top offensive performer, BigJuddd should have no problem hitting against Roto NL.
Roto NL
HaZed showed a little fieriness after the game Friday, complaining of a certain play which I still dont understand :). However, his passion for winning might enable him to catch fire and make some noise against former teammate ChungFX.
Fire's Prediction: 12-8 Bombers
Newbert's Prediction:
FlightAL vs Ambition
FlightAL had an easy victory against D Rays last week. Puddles and ZachAtack combined 5 homeruns and 8 RBIs. The beastly offense should perform well against Ambition. Moreover, DrDeath pitched well, going 6 innings and allowing 5 runs.
Ambition also played well but suffered a heart-broken lose against BigHeroes. Ambition kept the game close through 6 innings but 3 homeruns by Nhr made the difference. NlaLoosh pitched well but gave up 10 runs over 6 innings.
Players to Watch For:
FlightAL
DrDeath. If he can pitch well against the experienced offense of Ambition, FlightAL should score enough runs to win the game.
Ambition
NlaLoosh. It will be a very difficult assignment for Loosh as he pitches against the power-hitting lineup of FlightAL. Its highly unlikely Ambition will be able to outscore FlightAL; therefore, if Ambition wants to win, they will have to depend on Loosh to shut down FlightAL.
Fire's Prediction: 12-5 FlightAL
Newbert's Prediction:
BigHeros vs D Rays
BigHeros succeded in denying Ambition an upset last week as they managed to score 10 runs. Led by Nhr, the BigHeros will look to continue their same success tonight against D Rays. Though there is a chance for an upset, it is highly unlikely against D Rays.
D Rays came off an unsurprising loss against FlightAL. The offense was too much to handle for D Rays and they did not have much success on offense either. D Rays might have a chance to defeat BigHeros, but unless their offense can get some runs, it will be close to impossible for them to win.
Players to Watch For:
BigHeros
Nhr came off a big game last week against Ambition. Nhr blasted 3 homeruns and batted in 6 RBIs. The BigHeros offense will once again have to rely on Nhr to have a big game.
D Rays
Tyrrel. Tyrrel also had a multi-homerun game, smashing 2 homeruns to give the D Rays some hope last week. If Tyrrel can continue his same offensive production, maybe the pitching can hold BigHeros and give D Rays the W.
Fire's Prediction: 13-6 BigHeros
Newbert's Prediction:
DwH vs Carnage
DwH suffered a lose to start the season last Friday against FlightNL. While the pitching was certainly there, offensive production was not evident. Sadly, 1 run in elite will not get you any type of victory. In order to win tonight against Carnage, DwH will have to solid effort in both pitching and offense.
Carnage showed last week they can still score runs and have solid pitching. Megatron pitched well, and combined with Toyboy, allowed 3 runs over 6 innings. Offense was just as solid, with production coming from Wiggy and Klemens. Carnage should have another solid game against DwH tonight.
Players to Watch For:
DwH
Luckyme89. Lucky has a strong bat and should be able to drive some runs in DwH and give the pitching some support.
Carnage
Megatron. Megatron might have a hard time shutting down DwH if he is not careful. Whenever these two teams play each other, it is always in an interesting matchup to see who can come up on top.
Fire's Prediction: 13-10 Carnage
Newbert's Prediction:
Rage vs FlightNL
Rage suffered a disappointing loss against Carnage as they were shut down offensively. Defense was apparently a problem for Rage as well, as some missed plays in right field accounted for some runs. Rage will need to play their best tonight against FlightNL. Offense will be the key. If they can score early, chances are they will be able to pull off an upset.
FlightNL came off a impressive win last week. SmokeOut was incredible, going 5 innings while allowing only 1 run. If he can continue his same success and shut down Rage, FlightNL should be able to claim victory.
Players to Watch For:
Rage
rUafraid had to pitch the entire game last Friday against Carnage. He was also disappointed with some defensive plays. rUafraid should be able to ignite some passion in his team and gain some offensive and defensive support.
FlightNL
SmokeOut. This guy had obviously proven he can be a big part of FlightNL's success. If he pitches well, FlightNL should be able to start the season 2-0.
Fire's Prediction: 8-2 FlightNL
Newbert's Prediction:
Rotowire vs Insanity
Rotowire suffered a lose last week against TechWest. While they were many apparent reasons why Roto lost, it seems they will be able to get it together tonight against Insanity. A strong pitching peformance by Skoal last week did make it close for Rotowire but they did fall short. Boget will look to regain his confidence against Insanity, and should let Roto to a W.
Insanity had a strong performance against Empire last week. Killerboy pitched very well, shutting down Empire's offense for the most part. Offense also did well but fell short to the strong pitching combo of Death and FIRE911. Tonight, Insanity will face another tough pitching duo. If Killer can pitch well again, and gain some offensive support, look for Insanity to pull off the upset.
Players to Watch For:
Rotowire
Boget. Boget will look to reclaim his title of "greatest of all-time" tonight against Insanity. He should be able to pull off a great pitching peformance and lead Rotowire to a win.
Insanity
Killerboy. Coming off an amazing pitching peformance, Killer will once again need to pitch well to give his team a chance to win.
Fire's Prediction: 7-6 Rotowire
Newbert's Prediction:
Empire vs TechWest (Game of the Week)
Empire won just by a hair last week against Insanity. MelkyNYY led the team in offensive production, hitting 2 homeruns and batting in 3 RBIs. Strong pitching performances from Death and FIRE911 gave Empire the win. The offense for Empire was a concern but pitching did well enough to carry the team.
TechWest was able to pull off the upset against Rotowire last week. Sandman16 led the team in offense, smashing 2 homeruns and batting 6 RBIs. He will certainly look to lead the team once again against Empire.
This will most likely be a pitching dual. Both teams will have to score runs late in order to win.
Players to Watch For:
Empire
MelkyNYY. Melky proved to be the difference last week and should be able to put on another impressive game tonight.
TechWest
Sandman16 was able to put up some amazing game against Rotowire. He should be able to strike some fear into the hearts of Empire's pitchers.
Fire's Prediction: 8-6 Empire
Newbert's Prediction:
*As Posted by Newbert on the RBO Website*
After the 1st round of the Elite League was postponed due to a rain delay, things seemed to be off to a rocky start. Luckily, 8 games of competitive Elite League action is the remedy for anything. Players soon forgot about the postponement as they geared up for their 2008-3 Elite League debuts. Read below to see how everyone fared!
TechEast topples Roto NL
TechEast seemed to click early as they blasted 4 HRs off Roto NL’s pitcher, nubXPRESS. Baptiste found himself with 2 HRs and 2 RBIs to guide the TechEast offense to 6 runs. The real hero for the TechEast squad in the win was Sandman7. Pitching all 6 innings, Sandman7 picked up 2 strikeouts while holding Roto NL to just 3 runs. He also supported his own cause with a 3-run HR in the game.
Final Score: TechEast 6, Roto NL 3.
Bombers Slide Past Lynx
Lynx put up an excellent fight against a tough Bombers lineup. Ewade and LSU21 each knocked 2 HRs and amounted for a combined 6 Lynx RBIs. Despite Lynx firing on all cylinders the Bombers offense just proved to be too much. BigJuddd and gimmepie each had a HR. BigJuddd went 5-6 with 1 HR and 5 RBIs while gimmepie followed suit going 4-6 with 1 HR and 3 RBIs.
Final Score: Bombers 10, Lynx 7.
FlightAL Cruise Against D Rays
DrDeath really controlled the game early giving FlightAL the opportunity to open up a sizeable lead. Puddles was an absolute machine, blasting the ball and his kilt over the wall 3 times. Puddles collected 5 RBIs. Teammate ZachAtack also dealt his share of damage with 2 HRs and 3 RBIs. The D Rays struck late and received 2 HRs from Tyrrel but it was all too late.
Final Score: FlightAL 11, D Rays 5.
BigHeros Deny Ambition
Ambition made their league debut but fell just shy against BigHeros. Pitching proved to be a slight concern but offensively they mustered 7 runs. Mattman13 blasted 2 HRs, h0w knocked 2 HRs, but Nhr took the cake with 3 HRs and 6 RBIs. NlaLoosh allowed 10 BigHeros runs which proved just enough for SupaNova and the BigHeros pitching staff.
Final Score: BigHeros 10, Ambition 7.
FlightNL Pitches Their Way to Victory
DwH just couldn’t find a groove against SmokeOut and FlightNL. FlightNL didn’t need many runs but Corv and Ebola teamed up to prove more than enough. Each found themselves with balls sent far over the wall. SmokeOut was the main event in the game throwing 5 strong innings, giving up just 5 total hits. ElDuque came in for the close and SmokeOut finished with a smoking 1.80 ERA for the game.
Final Score: FlightNL 6, DwH 1.
Carnage Unleashes Rage
Some people may think that Carnage isn’t as good as previous leagues but the current squad is the first to disagree. Megatron and ToyBoy together pitched well only allowing Rage to a mere 3 runs. Carnage saw their offense come from Wiggy, xXbnUtzXx, and klemens through HRs.
Final Score: Carnage 8, Rage 3.
TechWest Strikes Early Against RotoWire
TechWest took full advantage of Boget’s underhand blunder hitting 10 runs early on in the game. After moving Skoal to pitcher things seemed to calm with TechWest only scoring 2 more runs but it was already too late. RotoWire pushed for a late inning comeback but the lead was just too big. SandMan16, Own4Life, and Jeeps had brought TechWest plenty of runs and more importantly, the win.
Final Score: TechWest 12, RotoWire 8.
Empire Stands Tall Against the Insanity
As teams finished up their games, many players were amazed to see Insanity neck and neck with Empire. Killerboy found himself pitching a gem against one of the tougher squads of the Western Conference. Despite a lacking offensive output, Empire found the win with 2 HRs by MelkyNYY and strong pitching from Death.
Final Score: Empire 5, Insanity 4.
Roto NL vs TechEast
The Roto NL roster makes its debut tonight against a tough TechEast tonight. Hitters, such as HaZed and HrPower, should strike fear into the hearts of the unproven TechEast pitchers. However, NubXPRESS might have a difficult time shutting down the incredible TechEast offense. Baptiste, gatyopin2, Nataliamo, and ABSmoke should all give the pitching combo of NubXPRESS and Pesto a hard time. Look for this game to be an offensive battle.
Keys to the Game
For Roto NL:
Solid defense. Defense is something that Roto NL has always seemed to struggle with. By showing they can make plays in the outfield, Roto NL will surely impress and prove they are serious in making a playoff run.
For TechEast:
Pitching. We all know TechEast can hit but with that pitching staff, you never know if they can pitch consistently enough to win. If the pitching trio of Sandman7, kiku, and Vejar can somehow shut down the Roto NL offense, TechEast might be able to pull of a win.
Fire’s Prediction: 12-10 Roto NL
Newbert’s Prediction: 14-8 Roto NL
Players to Watch For: Baptiste, NubXPRESS
Lynx vs Bombers
The heavily-favored Bombers team will look to begin its quest for league champions tonight against Lynx. Do I need to go into detail how dangerous the Bombers offense is this season? Combined with some old and new faces, the Bombers offense should have no problem scoring runs this season. Cunning, Roguee, TheMan, and gimmepie will all look to dominate league this season. For Lynx, this will be their very first elite league for most of their players. In order to defeat Bombers, Lynx will have to hope for timely hitting and solid pitching.
Keys to the Game:
For Lynx:
Shut down the Bomber offense (sound easy enough). Limit the Bombers scoring opportunities and Lynx might be able to pull a major upset.
For Bombers:
Score, score, score. Dominate on offense and Bombers should be able start off the season with a win.
Fire’s Prediction: 14-6 Bombers
Newbert’s Prediction: 19-3 Bombers
Players to Watch For: Cunning, EWade
D Rays vs FlightAL
Well, this should be interesting. Not much can be said about this game except D Rays has no pitcher so it looks like they will have to rely entirely on their offense to win this game. FlightAL certainly has a strong offense and a proven elite league pitcher in DrDeath. In other words, this should be a total blowout in favor of FlightAL. If they do not win this game, I swear I will forever retire from RBO.
Keys to the Game:
For D Rays:
Score as many runs as possible. With no pitcher, its highly unlikely you will be able to limit the offense of FlightAL. The best the D Rays can do is to keep scoring runs and just they can outscore FlightAL.
For FlightAL:
Shut down D Rays. Their offense can be tough to handle. However, DrDeath should have no problem pitching against D Rays and it should be an easy win for FlightAL.
Fire’s Prediction: 17-3 FlightAL
Newbert’s Prediction: 11-8 FlightAL
Players to Watch For: KeenanG, DrDeath
Ambition vs BigHeroes
Ambition enters this league as a new team looking to pull off some upsets. This quest might come tonight against BigHeroes. Ambition is full of old of new faces. H0w and Bolter have both had previous experience in elite league and will look to lead the team in offense and defense. BigHeroes also has players that have also had previous league experience, including Bigio, BigJoll, and manager Her0.
Keys to the Game:
For Ambition:
Pitching? The only pitcher on the current roster is NLaLoosh. It might even just benefit Ambition to go with a non pitcher since Loosh only has 5 speed. Nonetheless, look for Ambition to stop the BigHeroes offense. If they also maximize their offensive potential, Ambition could start the season with an upset.
For BigHeroes:
Shut down Ambition. The duo of The24Kid and SupaNova can very easily limit Ambition. Along with solid defense, BigHeroes should be able to win.
Fire’s Prediction: 7-5 BigHeroes
Newbert’s Prediction: 12-10 Ambition
Players to Watch For: h0w, Her0
FlightNL vs DwH
FlightNL enters league with dominate pitchers. ElDuque and SmokeOut have to be considered two of the best pitchers in league this season. Both have had experience in elite league and both know how to win. In order to beat this team, DwH will have to hope for an offensive miracle. Hitting off those two pitchers will not be easy and must have solid pitching and hitting throughout the game.
Keys to the Game:
For FlightNL:
Simply score. Pitching is solid enough to give you a chance of winning every single game. Solidify this by giving your pitchers some run support. This will not be hard to do tonight against DwH.
For DwH:
Score early. You don’t want to be down late in the game. FlightNL has deep relief that will shut you down late in the game. Score runs early, and hope your pitching can do the rest.
Fire’s Prediction: 10-6 FlightNL
Newbert’s Prediction: 16-3 FlightNL
Players to Watch For: ElDuque, ensferum
Carnage vs Rage
Carnage comes into this league looking to repeat its same success that they had in the 2007-4 league. With its current roster, it is very possible to not only repeat but actually win league. Their offense has improved, and they even have some pitching depth with the addition of Sparkie. Megatron will face off with Rage tonight looking to win. Rage, on the other hand, does have some potential to win. Despite having a small roster, they do have some power hitters in Duster, RomeyC, and Cjwalker.
Keys to the Game:
For Carnage:
Pitching. Limit the hitters of Rage and trust your defense.
For Rage:
Focus on hitting Megatron. You do not want to be losing if Sparkie comes in to relief Megatron.
Fire’s Prediction: 9-4 Carnage
Newbert’s Prediction: 12-9 Rage
Players to Watch For: Megatron, RomeyC
TechWest vs Rotowire
TechWest, despite adding some key pitching additions, is still a relatively weak team. Compared to its sister team TechEast, offense is stacked in favor of TechEast. However, TechWest just might be able to defeat the inactive Rotowire. Moreover, Boget should still have no problem against TechWest.
Keys to the Game:
For TechWest:
Take advantage of Rotowire inactivity. The hitters of Rotowire might not be as good as they once were. Use this to your favor.
For Rotowire:
Trust Boget. Despite having a weaker offense, TechWest can still surprise and score some runs. If Boget can stop their offense, Rotowire should be able to win.
Fire’s Prediction: 8-5 Rotowire
Newbert’s Prediciton: 8-6 TechWest (walkoff HR)
Players to Watch For: Sandman16, Boget
Insanity vs Empire
Insanity is a combination of old and new faces that can score some runs. Colacino2, RickyD, and Dual are all potential hitters that should be able to hit the pitching staff of Empire. Empire is also filled with young and new faces, all with amazing talent.
Keys to the Game:
For Insanity:
Score runs early. Again, Empire does have a deep pitching staff in the trio of KMAN, Dre, and FIRE911. If they can score some runs early, their pitching should be able to hold the Empire offense.
For Empire:
Take advantage of scoring opportunities. Make sure to score early as well and let the pitching do the rest.
Fire’s Prediction: 9-6 Empire
Newbert’s Prediction: 12-4 Empire
Players to Watch For: Colacino2, KMAN
So who will be king? The quest for a league championship begins tonight at 9 EST. Good Luck to all teams.