Baseball: The World's Game (OOTP 22 Fictional World)

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  • MrNFL_FanIQ
    MVP
    • Oct 2008
    • 4983

    #1261
    2004 WAB Hall of Fame

    After back-to-back years with no inductees, West Africa Baseball added two into the Hall of Fame in 2004. SP Xavi Leko was a strong first-ballot addition with 92.8%. Fellow pitcher Elodie Belem finally got the call in his seventh try, just barely scraping by at 66.2%. No other players were above 50%.



    Dropped after ten ballots was SP Habib Ndiaye. He was hurt by only having an eight-year WAB career with Niamey, having left for MLB after that. With the Atomics, he had a 122-76 record, 2.96 ERA, 1911.1 innings, 2094 strikeouts, 124 ERA+, and 52.6 WAR, along with a championship ring in 1987. Ndiaye led in WAR twice as well, but never won the top award. The lack of longevity and accumulations hurt him most, as he peaked with a debut of 28.4% and fell to 10.6% by the end.

    1B/DH Mohamed Sadik David also well off the ballot after ten tries. He won three Silver Sluggers in 12 years in WAB, then left for the Arab League for his final four seasons. In WAB with Accra and Benin City, David had 1393 hits, 788 runs, 288 doubles, 393 home runs, 895 RBI, a .252/.313/.523 slash, 139 wRC+, and 34.7 WAR.

    David did lead the league in home runs four times, including 62 in 1980 which remained tied for the single-season record until 2003. A lack of longevity also hurt him, as did the penalty of playing DH for much of his run. David debuted at 25.1%, but ended up dropping to 8.9% by the end.



    Xavi Leko – Starting Pitcher – Benin City Blue Devils – 92.8% First Ballot

    Xavi Leko was a 5’10’’, 180 pound left-handed pitcher from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Leko had outstanding stuff with good control. His velocity peaked in the 97-99 mph range with an incredible slider, strong changeup, and good cutter. Despite the terrific stuff, his movement graded poorly and he struggled with allowing home runs. Leko had excellent stamina, leading the league in innings pitched twice and complete games four times.

    When Leko was growing up, the baseball scene in his native Kinshasa was very underdeveloped. The only major league in Africa was West Africa Baseball, but there were WAB scouts watching elsewhere in the continent. One of them spotted Leko and brought him to Nigeria, signing him in March 1979 to a deal with Benin City. The Blue Devils had Leko in their developmental system four years, then debuted him in 1983 at age 20 as a part-time starter. With promising results, Leko earned a full-time starting role for the next seven years for Benin City.

    Leko’s great stuff led to remarkable strikeout numbers. He led the Eastern League in strikeouts four straight years from 1984-87 and again in 1990. Leko’s 401 Ks in 1990 is one of only six seasons in WAB history of 400+ strikeouts. Leko also led in wins twice, innings once, complete games thrice, and shutouts five times with the Blue Devils.

    Despite that, Leko didn’t win Pitcher of the Year, taking second in 1987 and 1990. His troubles with allowing home runs hurt him, as did Benin City’s general lack of success. The Blue Devils never made the playoffs in his run and only once finished with a winning season. The team did give Leko a four-year, $1,596,000 extension in April 1987. Benin City would also eventually retire Leko’s #4 uniform for his contributions.

    In eight seasons for the Blue Devils, Leko had a 116-92 record, 2.91 ERA, 1869.1 innings, 2723 strikeouts, 414 walks, 149/240 quality starts, 80 complete games, 125 ERA+, and 47.5 WAR. After a strong 1990 from Leko, Benin City decided to sell high. They traded him and SP Mokili Ako to Lome for 1B Nyaya Issah and SP Junior Ijeh.

    Lome had just taken runner-up in the ELCS the prior two years and hoped Leko could help them get over the hump. Before he debuted for Lome, they signed Leko to a seven-year, $7,300,000 contract extension. Despite his efforts, the Lasers would be stuck mostly in the middle of the standings. Sadly, Leko would never pitch in the postseason for his entire career. He would get four berths in the World Baseball Championship for the DR Congo from 1955-98, posting a 4.37 ERA in 45.1 innings with 56 strikeouts.

    Leko looked good in his debut with the Lasers, but did miss seven weeks to biceps tendinitis. This would be a recurring injury that also cost him time in 1993 and 1998. Leko’s issues with allowing homers really plagued him with Lome, as he’d allow the most in the league thrice. He still had strikeout success, leading the league in Ks twice more for seven strikeout titles in his career.

    In 1995, Leko became the second to 4000 career strikeouts. He would pass Addise Assefa as the all-time leader and become the only WAB pitcher to reach 5000+. His overall success began to wane in the later years and Leko retired after the 1998 campaign at age 35. With Lome, Leko had an 80-96 record, 3.47 ERA, 1726.2 innings, 2309 strikeouts, 339 walks, 109 ERA+, and 20.0 WAR.

    Leko finished with a 196-188 record, 3.18 ERA, 3596 innings, 5032 strikeouts, 753 walks, 274/460 quality starts, 144 complete games, 30 shutouts, 117 ERA+, 88 FIP-, and 67.5 WAR. He’s the strikeout king by a large margin and also WAB’s all-time leader in complete games. Leko also had allowed the most home runs of any pitcher, although he would get passed later.

    Leko’s ERA and win percentage are weaker than many later WAB Hall of Famers. As of 2037, he’s 13th in wins and 13th in WAR. His flaws did keep him from winning Pitcher of the Year, but being the undisputed strikeout king will make you a lock. Leko got 92.8% to headline WAB’s 2004 Hall of Fame class.



    Elodie Belem – Starting Pitcher – Cotonou Copperheads – 66.2% Seventh Ballot

    Elodie Belem was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. Belem had excellent control, very good movement, and respectable stuff. His fastball was solid despite only peaking in the 93-95 mph range, expertly mixed with a good curveball and splitter. Belem had excellent stamina among WAB pitchers, leading four times in innings pitched.

    He had good defense and was considered good at holding runners as well. Belem had excellent stamina and almost never missed a start prior to his career-ending injury. Belem was a fan favorite who had great adaptability and a strong work ethic. He became one of the most well-known and popular pitchers in the early days of African baseball.

    Coming out of high school, Belem was getting attention from scouts. In the 1981 WAB Draft, Belem was picked 13th overall by Port Harcourt. He decided to begin his amateur career instead and didn’t sign with the Hillcats. Belem’s stock went up in the next two years and he was picked second overall by Cotonou in the 1983 Draft. Belem’s entire WAB career would come with the Copperheads, who made him a full-time starter immediately.

    Belem took third in Rookie of the Year voting and led the league in innings as a rookie. He was a reliable arm with eight straight seasons worth 5+ WAR for the Copperheads. Belem wasn’t a league leader though generally outside of eating innings. He did lead in wins at 22-12 in 1989, earning second in Pitcher of the Year voting. That was Belem’s only time as a finalist.

    Cotonou earned a playoff spot in 1987, falling in the Eastern League Championship Series to Niamey. Belem had a 2.41 ERA over 18.2 playoff innings with 13 strikeouts. After that effort, Cotonou gave Belem a five-year, $2,764,000 extension. This would be his only time in the playoffs, as the Copperheads were generally just above .500, but not strong enough to advance.

    Belem would be popular back home in Burkina Faso as the ace for the country in the World Baseball Championship. From 1982-95, he had a 11-9 record over 211.1 innings, 2.77 ERA, 202 strikeouts, 65 walks, 131 ERA+, and 3.8 WAR. In 1989, Belem was third in Best Pitcher Voting as he tossed 17.2 scoreless innings with 19 strikeouts. In 1995, Belem also tossed a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and one walk against Egypt.

    Belem was coming up on his age 32 season when his Cotonou contract expired after the 1992 season. He decided to leave Benin and Africa altogether as he had big money offers elsewhere. His #1 uniform would be later retired by the Copperheads for his nine-year tenure with the squad. Belem would be MLB bound, inking a six-year, $13,920,000 contract with the Washington Admirals.

    Belem ultimately pitched three seasons for Washington. While not elite, he was quite solid and respectable for a then-struggling Admirals squad. Belem had a 40-43 record, 2.99 ERA, 704.2 innings, 396 strikeouts, 122 walks, 115 ERA+, and 14.5 WAR.

    Belem’s career met a tragically early end. After having great durability most of his run, he suffered a torn rotator cuff in August 1995. Doctors said he’d miss six months, giving Belem hope that he’d be back in 1996. However, a setback required surgery and added another 15 months to that time. Thus, he retired in winter 1996 at age 36.

    With Cotonou and in WAB, Belem had a 149-120 record, 2.98 ERA, 2377.1 innings, 2451 strikeouts, 356 walks, 198/292 quality starts, 112 complete games, 122 ERA+, and 55.4 WAR. That was a good nine-year run and his rate stats weren’t out of place among all-time aces. However, Belem lacked the longevity and accumulations many voters wanted. Plus, he didn’t have a Pitcher of the Year to his name or any sustained playoff success.

    As such, Belem was stuck in the “Hall of Pretty Good” mindset with many voters. He debuted in 1998 at 42.7%, but slowly grew into the 50s from 2000-2002. In 2003, Belem was painfully short at 65.8% on his sixth ballot. Some wondered if that would be as close as he’d get. He won over one or two voters in 2004 to cross the 66% line at 66.2%. Belem got a seventh-ballot addition as the second member of the 2004 WAB Hall of Fame Class.

    Comment

    • MrNFL_FanIQ
      MVP
      • Oct 2008
      • 4983

      #1262
      2004 SAB Hall of Fame

      Two players were added in 2004 to the South Asia Baseball Hall of Fame. On his third try, reliever Harini Shreenath led the way at 79.0%. SP Saddam Khan earned a first-ballot addition, albeit barely at 67.6%. The only other player above 50% was LF Indirjeet Dayada at 55.9% for his fourth try.



      Dropped after ten tries was SP Ratanpreet Nagpal, who had a ten-year run with three teams. He had a 136-96 record, 3.42 ERA, 2187 innings, 2139 strikeouts, 107 ERA+, and 31.4 WAR. It was a nice career, but certainly lacking both the longevity and dominance needed to get the nod. Nagpal debuted at 13.3% but only went down from there, ending at 4.9%.



      Harini Shreenath – Relief Pitcher – Kolkata Cosmos – 79.0% Third Ballot

      Harini Shreenath was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Balangir; a district with around 1,700,000 people in southeastern India. Shreenath had incredible movement on his pitches with good stuff and respectable control. He had a 96-98 mph sinker with a remarkable drop that he countered with a knuckle curve.

      Shreenath had good stamina and was an excellent defensive pitcher. Shreenath was also unique in being a relief pitcher that was a decent batter. He was never used in a two-way role, but he had a .200/.273/.367 career slash. He was a hard worker, but some thought he was a bit of a doofus.

      Shreenath was picked early in the second round of the 1982 SAB Draft, chosen 31st overall by Kolkata. He debuted in middle relief in 1983, but earned the closer role in his second season. He held that spot for six years with the Cosmos and led the Indian League in saves three times. Shreenath won three Reliever of the Year awards (1985, 88, 89). He also took second in 1986 and third in 1987.

      In 1989, Shreenath set the SAB single-season record with 52 saves. This remains the all-time mark and would only get matched once in 2001. Arguably, Shreenath’s best year was the year prior with career highs in ERA (0.84), strikeouts (134), and WAR (4.3). Kolkata made the ILCS in 1989, but fell to the Ahmedabad dynasty. That was Shreenath’s only playoff appearances with the Cosmos, allowing two runs in 7.1 innings.

      With Kolkata, Shreenath had 247 saves and 277 shutdowns, a 1.69 ERA, 602 innings, 742 strikeouts, 175 walks, 202 ERA+, and 19.7 WAR. Shreenath also pitched for India in the World Baseball Championship from 1985-97. In 35 innings, he had a 4.37 ERA, 47 strikeouts, 22 walks, 84 ERA+, and 0.5 WAR.

      After the 1989 season, Shreenath entered free agency for the first time at age 28. Many of the teams in the early days had financial issues and couldn’t add big free agents like the dynasties of Ahmedabad and Ho Chi Minh City. Thus, Shreenath was unsigned for 1990 and enjoyed a brief sabbatical. He wanted to get back in the game and the Animals added him for one year in 1991.

      Shreenath led the Indian League in saves that year and earned a championship ring with the Animals; their third straight. He was a free agent again and didn’t play in 1992, but Ahmedabad brought him back for 1993. Shreenath was third in Reliever of the Year that season, but the Animals five-peat bid was thwarted by Kanpur. He had a 2.41 ERA, 69 saves, and 214 strikeouts in 145.2 innings with the Animals and 5.4 WAR.

      Shreenath again sat out for a season, missing the 1994 campaign. Ho Chi Minh City signed him to a two-year, $1,380,000 deal. He saw limited use with the Hedgehogs in those two years with five saves, a 2.00 ERA in 67.2 innings, 77 strikeouts, and 1.0 WAR. Shreenath was a free agent again in 1997 and retired that winter at age 36.

      Shreenath ended with 321 saves and 367 shutdowns, a 1.84 ERA, 815.1 innings, 1033 strikeouts, 229 walks, 183 ERA+, 63 FIP-, and 26.1 WAR. His ERA was the best of any SAB Hall of Famer, although his innings, WAR and strikeouts are the lowest. He was the first reliever to 300 career saves. Three Reliever of the Year Awards was an impressive accomplishment as well.

      However, the lower accumulations hurt him with some voters. Some felt any reliever to earn the honor needed more innings, Ks, and saves. Shreenath missed the cut in his first two ballots with a debut at 64.1% and second ballot at 60.8%. On his third try, Shreenath received a big boost up to 79.0% to become the first closer added into the South Asia Baseball Hall of Fame.



      Saddam Khan – Starting Pitcher – Visakhapatnam Volts – 67.6% First Ballot

      Saddam Khan was a 5’11’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher from Nagaluru, a city of roughly 620,000 on India’s southwestern coast. Khan was known for having great movement on his pitches with solid stuff and average control. Khan had a 96-98 mph fastball along with a great slider, good curveball, good splitter, and rare changeup. His stamina was on the lower end among SAB aces. Khan was incredibly scrappy, known for his sparkplug work ethic and adaptability.

      Khan was a highly touted prospect and was picked eighth overall in the 1985 SAB Draft by Visakhapatnam. He was a full-time starter immediately and pulled off the incredibly rare feat of winning Pitcher of the Year as a rookie. He had a remarkable 1.44 ERA, which was the SAB single-season record for a starter until 2009. As of 2037, this is still the second-lowest in SAB history. Despite this effort, he was actually second in 1986 Rookie of the Year voting to Kanpur RF Kyu-Jin Jeong, who did get 7.0 WAR and a 196 wRC+.

      Khan never had a year that amazing again and wasn’t ever a POTY finalist again. He would lead in quality starts twice and K/BB once, but otherwise wasn’t a league leader either. All six of his seasons with the Volts were above 5+ WAR.

      Visakhapatnam had four division titles in Khan’s run, although the Ahmedabad dynasty was in place by that point to deny that. The Volts made the Indian League Championship Series in both 1990 and 1991, but fell both times to the Animals. Khan had a 2.27 ERA over 47.2 playoff innings with Visakhapatnam, striking out 51 with a 143 ERA+.

      Khan entered free agency after the 1991 season. Coming up on his age 29 season, Khan joined up with Ho Chi Minh City on a six-year, $5,520,000 deal. His first season with the Hedgehogs was pretty good, but he was closer to average after that with diminished innings due to his weaker stamina and small injuries. HCMC continued their Southeast Asia League dominance, winning four pennants during Khan’s run. In 1997, after going 0-6 in their previous SAB Championships, the Hedgehogs finally won it all.

      By that point, Khan had been moved to a relief role, taken out of the rotation full-time in 1996. His playoff stats were mixed with Ho Chi Minh City, posting a 3.88 ERA over 53.1 innings, 48 strikeouts, and 92 ERA+. With HCMC he had a 67-33 record, 3.19 ERA, 896 innings, 931 strikeouts, 112 ERA+, and 16.0 WAR.

      Soon to be 35 years old, Khan was a free agent for the second time. He went to the other side of the dynasty rivalry with Ahmedabad, tossing 70.1 innings with a 2.56 ERA. He tossed 1.2 scoreless playoff innings and earned his second ring as the Animals took the 1998 title against HCMC. Khan retired that winter at age 35.

      Khan finished with a 162-88 record, 2.67 ERA, 2312 innings, 2527 strikeouts, 584 walks, 222/297 quality starts, 28 complete games, 127 ERA+, and 50.8 WAR. He had an odd career considering his record-setting rookie year. Khan wasn’t dominant beyond that and had a relatively short prime. He didn’t stick around too long, leading to low accumulations compared to later Hall of Famers.

      Khan’s rate stats were good and he was generally a popular player. With SAB’s Hall of Fame still quite young, it was hard to figure out the bar for induction. Khan debuted in 2004 at 67.6%, which just crossed the line for a first ballot induction.

      Comment

      • MrNFL_FanIQ
        MVP
        • Oct 2008
        • 4983

        #1263
        2004 ABF and ALB Hall of Fame




        The Asian Baseball Federation had inducted its first Hall of Famers in 2003. No one joined them in 2004, although LF Hakim Baig came very close to the 66% requirement with 62.5% on his third try. Also above 50% was 1B Hazah Sheikh at 52.1% with his third ballot. The best debut was reliever Nosrat Maghami at a mere 20.8%.

        The first player to make ten ballots and miss the cut for ABF was SP Zeyad Noori. He had only five official years with Tehan, but thrived with an 85-65 record, 2.39 ERA, 1411.2 innings, 1594 strikeouts, 132 ERA+, and 47.6 WAR. Noori was Pitcher of the Year in 1989 and if he wasn’t 29 when ABF started, he might have had a chance to get the needed accumulations. Five years wasn’t enough for the majority of voters, although Noori did debut at 26.1%. He ended at 15.4%.



        Arab League Baseball’s Hall of Fame still remained empty after 2004 voting. SP Abdullah Al-Muhafazat again was above 50% with 50.5% for his second try. He was slightly down from 52.0% the prior year and is still the only player that has gotten above 50%. Also above 1/3s of the vote was CL Paul Arfaoui (38.4%, 5th ballot) and CL Ahmed Mohamed Abdallah (33.8%, 2nd ballot). The best debut was also a reliever with Adlene Sami getting only 20.5%. 2005 would finally see the ALB enshrine its first Hall of Famer.

        Comment

        • MrNFL_FanIQ
          MVP
          • Oct 2008
          • 4983

          #1264
          2004 World Baseball Championship




          The 58th World Baseball Championship returned to the United States for the first time since 1990, hosted in Miami, Florida. The lone team to go unbeaten in Divisional play was 9-0 Mexico atop the D1 standings. Panama was their closest competitor at 7-2. This was the 25th time advancing for the Mexicans, who missed out the prior two years.

          In D2, the United States and Taiwan tied for first at 7-2, while Poland was just behind at 6-3. The head-to-head tiebreaker favored the Taiwanese, ousting the reigning champion US. This was only the 10th time in WBC history that the Americans didn’t advance to the elite eight. It was the seventh division title for Taiwan, but their first since 1998.

          After back-to-back years without a division title, Canada claimed D3 at 7-2. They edged out China by one game, preventing the Chinese from a third straight division title. The Canadians moved forward for the 35th time. Division 4 had Guatemala and Japan tied at 7-2, while the Philippines and Romania were both 6-3. The Guatemalans had the tiebreaker for only their third-ever division title (1985, 1968).

          India at 7-2 earned the Division 5 crown, topping Cuba by one game. It was the fourth division win for the Indians, ending a three-year drought. South Korea claimed Division 6 at 8-1 with only 6-3 South Africa giving chase. The Koreans were the only team from the 2003 elite eight to make it back in 2004. This was SK’s 19th time moving forward.

          France picked up Division 7 at 7-2, topping Myanmar by one. It was the tenth division title for the French and first since 2000. Lastly, Italy and Nigeria tied for Division 8 at 7-2, while Indonesia was 6-3. The Italians earned a 12th division title with the head-to-head tiebreaker. Italy hadn’t gotten that far since taking runner-up in 1988.

          Round Robin Group A had Mexico and Canada both advancing at 4-2, while France went 3-3 and Guatemala finished 1-5. The Canadians earned a 26th semifinal appearance, their first since taking fourth in 2000. It was the fifth in eight years for the Mexicans and their 15th overall. Group B was led by last year’s finalist South Korea at 4-2 for a 12th final four appearance. Taiwan and India tied at 3-3, while Italy was 2-4. Taiwan advanced on the tiebreaker for their seventh semifinal (and first since 1998).

          Taiwan outlasted Mexico 3-2 in the semifinal for their second-ever finals berth. The Taiwanese were the 1980 runner-up against the Czech Republic. Canada downed South Korea 3-1 for their first championship appearance since their 1995 title. It was the 16th finals for the Canadians, who were 6-9 in their prior tries. Mexico officially was third for the fourth time. The Koreans finished fourth for the second time.



          In the 58th World Championship, Canada denied Taiwan’s bid to be a first-time winner. The Canadians won the series 4-2 for their seventh title (1954, 59, 67, 86, 91, 95, 04), which is second only to the Americans.



          The WBC MVP went to South Korea LF Seok-Hyeon So. A 32-year old in his tenth season with the Chinese League’s Shenyang, So had 19 starts with 17 hits, 15 runs, 10 home runs, 17 RBI, 15 walks, a .254/.398/.731 slash, and 1.5 WAR. France’s George Laporte was the Best Pitcher, a 25-year old closer from the Caribbean island of Martinique. A fifth-year back-end reliever for MLB’s Memphis, Laporte tossed 11 scoreless innings in eight appearances with six saves, 25 strikeouts, and two hits allowed.

          Other notes: Canada’s Timothy Shibuya set a tournament record with five complete games. Taiwan’s Kan-Lin Tung set a bad record with five losses. The defending TPA Pitcher of the Year went 1-5 with a 3.35 ERA over 45.2 innings, pitching merely average with poor run support. Turkey’s Ali Ozyazici became the ninth to hit four home runs in a WBC game, doing it against Uganda. Israel’s Liagat Fawzy was the 11th to hit for the cycle, doing it versus Malaysia.

          2004 had three no-hitters and notably, two perfect games. Prior to that, there were only five perfect games in WBC history. Argentina’s Lobo Alvarado struck out 20 his perfecto against North Korea, setting a record for Ks in a WBC perfect game. Mexico’s Pablo Ortiz had a 17 strikeout perfect game in the semifinals against Taiwan. Additionally, the Netherlands’ Lance de Ruiter had a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts and two walks versus Portugal.

          Below are the overall tournament stats. Mexico is now tied for fifth with China after their third place finish.

          Comment

          • MrNFL_FanIQ
            MVP
            • Oct 2008
            • 4983

            #1265
            2004 in AAB




            Dar es Salaam tied 1996 Cape Town’s mark for the most wins in a season in the African Association of Baseball in 2004. The Sabercats were 114-48 to earn first in the Southern Conference for back-to-back seasons. Dar also earned a fourth playoff berth in five years. 114 wins remains the SC record as of 2037, but it would get topped once in the Central Conference. On the reverse end, Cape Town was 53-109 in 2004, matching Lusaka from the prior year for the conference’s worst-ever record.

            Two teams were in the mix for the second place spot. Ultimately, Luanda took it at 97-65 for only their second-ever playoff appearance (1996). Antananarivo, who won the pennant the last two seasons, fell three games short at 94-68. There was a steep gap to fourth place Durban at 85-77. Also of note, former powerhouse Johannesburg was eighth at 70-92, posting their first-ever losing season.

            In a competitive race for Southern Conference MVP, Luanda CF Mwarami Tale took it. The 23-year old from Tanzania led in runs (140), three short of the single-season record, while also leading in home runs (63), and OPS (1.129). Tale had a .307/.414/.714 slash, 11.2 WAR, 197 wRC+, and 143 RBI. Tale signed the biggest deal in AAB history to date in April 2005 for eight years and $20,320,000 to stick with the Landsharks.

            That effort edged out Dar es Salaam CF Arsenio Barroso, who set a new single-season RBI record with 162. The 24-year old Angolan also led in batting average (.351), slugging (.740), wRC+ (205), WAR (11.3), and hits (200) while smacking 58 home runs. Barroso also had a 29-game hit streak in the summer, setting a new AAB record. The Sabercats wisely signed him before the season to a five-year, $6,136,000 extension.

            Durban’s Siyabonga Zongo was the Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. The 26-year old South African lefty led in ERA (2.38), strikeouts (279), WHIP (0.90), K/BB (6.3), quality starts (25), FIP- (65), and WAR (8.3). Zongo also had an 18-14 record over 256.2 innings. Additionally, his teammate Rajab Hamadi became AAB’s first four-time winner of Reliever of the Year (along with his Central Conference counterpart). Hamadi joined the Sabercats in the offseason after eight years with Lubumbashi. He also became the first AAB pitcher to 300 career saves.



            For only the second time in their illustrious history, Kinshasa didn’t win 100+ games. 97-65 was still good enough for the two-time defending AAB champs to finish atop the Central Conference standings for the sixth time in seven years. The Sun Cats have made the playoffs in all ten years of AAB so far. After missing the playoffs the last two years, Lubumbashi took the second place spot, close behind at 94-68. There was a nine game gap to third place Addis Ababa and a 12 game deficit to fourth place Kigali.

            Central Conference MVP was Bujumbura 1B Franklin Aguilar, who took an odd route to Africa. The 37-year old from Spain had been a decent journeyman for 15 years in MLB before joining AAB in 2003 with Lubumbashi. He was a bench player there, but signed with the Bighorns for 2004 and exploded for a MVP season. Aguilar led in average (.316), OPS (1.021), wRC+ (183), and WAR (9.1). He added 180 hits, 43 home runs, and 109 RBI.

            For the third time in four years, Lubumbashi’s Alemayehu Legesse was Pitcher of the Year. The 31-year old Ethiopian led in wins (23-7), innings (270.2), strikeouts (283), and WAR (9.0). Legesse added a 3.69 ERA and 108 ERA+. It was his last year with the Loggerheads and he’d ultimately fade into relatively obscurity in the next six years between AAB and EBF.

            Also of note, Tewderos Tadesse joined his Southern Conference counterpart as the first four-time Reliever of the Year winners. The 35-year old Ethiopian was now with Addis Ababa, his fifth team in six years. He’d play for 11 franchises over the course of his career.

            Dar es Salaam had gone 0-3 in the Southern Conference Championship in the last four years, but they finally reversed that trend. In a seven game classic, they edged Luanda to become two-time pennant winners (1997). Kinshasa’s dynasty continued in the Central Conference as they downed Lubumbashi 4-2. This gave the Sun Cats three straight CC titles and their eighth in a decade.



            For only the second time in the history of the Africa Series, all nine games were required. Dar es Salaam denied Kinshasa’s three-peat bid, winning their first-ever title 5-4. CF Arsenio Barroso was finals MVP as the Angolan star had 20 hits, 14 runs, 6 doubles, 4 home runs, and 10 RBI over 15 playoff starts. The Sabercats became the fifth franchise in AAB to win it all through the first ten seasons.



            Other notes: Bujumbura’s Luke Tembo set a world single season record by drawing 156 walks. Tembo would break it himself two years later with 163 and as of 2037, has the top three highest walk seasons of all-time in any pro league. As a team, Ndjamena hit only 96 home runs in 2004. This remains the all-time low in AAB history as of 2037.

            Ndjamena’s Lulut Lestari set an AAB record for most strikeouts in a no-hitter, fanning 13 in his effort on June 2 against Bujumbura. He also tied the record for most walks in a no-no with six. Mohau Sibiya became the first player to 1000 runs scored and the second to 1000 RBI. Boubacar Mavinga was the third member of the 400 home run club. Joel Mwasesa became the first pitcher to 2500 career strikeouts. CF Velontsiory Raharijaona became the third AAB player to win six Gold Gloves.

            Comment

            • MrNFL_FanIQ
              MVP
              • Oct 2008
              • 4983

              #1266
              2004 in ALB




              Alexandria had the best record in the Arab League in 2004, bouncing back from a .500 season in 2003. The Astronauts dominated the Nile Division at 106-56 for the top seed in the Western Conference. Alexandria had the most runs (819) and fewest allowed (587) in the WC. Another impressive turnaround was Levant Division champ Beirut, who stunk at 71-91 the prior year. The Bluebirds dominated at 100-62, ending a nine-year playoff drought.

              Tripoli won a weak Mediterranean Division at 85-77, edging Algiers by three games. The Privateers earned a second division title in three years. Reigning ALB champ Casablanca dropped to 78-84 for only their second losing season in 15 years. Last year’s other division winners also missed the field, although they at least remained above .500. Cairo was 82-80 and Amman went 86-76.

              For the fourth time in five years, Casablanca 3B Abderrazak Zouari won Western Conference MVP. The 30-year old Moroccan righty led in runs (115), and WAR (10.8). He added 49 home runs, 108 RBI, a 1.018 OPS, and 185 wRC+. Zouari became the third ALB player to win four MVPs, joining Mohammed Mohamed and his Eastern Conference counterpart Nordine Soule.

              Mohamed Wael became the second pitcher to win four Pitcher of the Year awards. The 34-year old had won previously in 1994, 97, and 98 with Khartoum. After 13 years with the Cottonmouths, Wael was traded for 2004 to Alexandria. The Egyptian lefty posted a Triple Crown in his one year with the Astronauts with a 22-8 record, 2.36 ERA, and 359 strikeouts. He also led in WHIP (0.90), and quality starts (27) while adding 9.1 WAR in 266.2 innings. This was Wael’s final season in the Arab League, signing with MLB’s Quebec City in 2005 on a three-year, $29,400,000 deal.

              Beirut survived 2-1 against Tripoli in the first round of the playoffs. This earned the Bluebirds their first-ever Western Conference Final berth, while Alexandria was making their third appearance with their second in three years. Beirut pulled off the upset 3-1, becoming the seventh of the 12 teams in the Western Conference with a pennant.



              While the Western Conference had three different playoff teams from the prior year, the Eastern Conference had all repeats. Basra at 104-58 had the top seed and the Iraq Division title. Two-time defending conference champ Dubai was 100-62, earning a fourth consecutive Gulf Division title. Medina was also 100-62 atop the Saudi Division. All three teams won their division by 18 or more games.

              Basra LF Nordine Soule won his fourth Eastern Conference MVP and became the single-season home run king. Soule smacked 68 dingers, topping Ahmed Hassan Egeh’s record of 67 from 1990. The 29-year old Comoran lefty also led in runs (133), RBI (146), total bases (424), slugging (.773), OPS (1.188), wRC+ (207), and WAR (9.5). Soule led in homers for the sixth time in his career and posted his fifth season of 60+ dongs.

              In his third season, Dubai’s Uria Lerner won Pitcher of the Year and made it three ALB pitchers with a Triple Crown. The Israeli righty had a 24-7 record, 2.19 ERA, and 388 strikeouts. Lerner also led in WHIP (0.86), innings (267.2), K/BB (13.4), quality starts (27), FIP- (39), and WAR (13.4). The 13.4 WAR set a single-season ALB record for pitchers which still holds as the all-time best as of 2037. Before the season was over, the Diamonds inked Lerner to a seven-year, $9,700,000 extension.

              Medina earned repeat appearances in the Eastern Conference Final by sweeping reigning champ Dubai in the first round. For top seed Basra, their only prior ECF berths were defeats in 1993 and 1994. The Bulldogs became a first-time pennant winner, sweeping the Mastodons 3-0. Basra became the seventh Eastern Conference team to win a pennant.



              The 15th Arab League Championship was guaranteed to crown the 10th unique champion in ALB history. Beirut bested Basra 4-1 to bring the cup to Lebanon. Leading the playoff effort was Yanis Legros, a French 1B who joined Beirut after a decade in EBF. Legros won conference finals MVP and had 18 hits, 7 runs, 3 doubles, 5 home runs, and 12 RBI in 12 playoff starts.



              Other notes: In a bad record, Dubai’s Salem Aldani was caught stealing 74 times. This remains the all-time worst in ALB as of 2037. He did successfully get 93 steals for what it is worth. Baghdad’s Moahmed Grisha had a 29-game hit streak, one game short of the ALB record.

              Junoon Asghar and Nordine Soule became the second and third members of the 500 home run club. Both also crossed 1000 runs scored in 2004. Soule also won his eighth straight Silver Slugger in left field. Ibrahim Ahmed Raafat was the third to reach 2000 hits. Abdulla Al-Hashemi was the second to 300 career saves. CF Yousef Shehadeh and RF Amin Arafat became seven-time Gold Glove winners.

              Comment

              • MrNFL_FanIQ
                MVP
                • Oct 2008
                • 4983

                #1267
                2004 in ABF




                Bishkek’s three-year playoff streak ended in 2003, but the Black Sox found themselves back on top in 2004. At 104-58, they took first in the Asian Baseball Federation East League standings by a 13 game margin. Next were Almaty and Karachi both at 91-71. The Assassins were the EL’s only repeat playoff team from the prior year, while the Car ended a seven-year playoff drought. The fourth and final spot saw a tie between Dushanbe and Lahore at 86-76. The tiebreaker formula favored the Dynamo for their fourth playoff berth in five years. Gujranwala was three games back. Multan, who won the ABF title last year with 113 wins, limped to seventh at 82-80.

                East League MVP was Bishkek 3B/P Tomas Pataki. The 28-year old Hungarian switch hitter had 7.1 WAR at the plate in 129 games and 101 starts with a .318/.400/.580 slash and 224 wRC+. He led in ERA on the mound at 1.78 over 202.2 innings with 180 strikeouts and 3.1 WAR. That effort earned Pataki a big payday, as the Black Sox signed him to a seven-year, $26,920,000 extension in the offseason. Bishkek also had Pitcher of the Year Oskar Tamm, who repeated with the honor. The 27-year old from Estonia led in wins at 19-9 and posted a 2.14 ERA, 274 innings, 341 strikeouts, and 7.1 WAR.

                Despite Bishkek being the heavy favorite, they were stunned 3-2 by Dushanbe in the first round of the playoffs. The Dynamo earned a third East League Championship Series berth in four years. Almaty picked up repeat ELCS berths as they swept Karachi in the first round. The Assassins would be the runner-up again despite having home field advantage. Dushanbe won a seven-game thriller, the first 4-3 ELCS since 1994. This was the Dynamo’s second pennant since joining the ABF, having won it all in 2001. It is their fifth counting their tenure in Eurasian Professional Baseball.



                Three teams in the West League earned repeat playoff berths. Istanbul had top billing at 104-58, winning triple digits for the first time since 1988. Bursa was second at 96-66, extending their playoff streak to eight seasons. Shiraz was third at 94-68, finally ending their unfortunate distinction as the only ABF team without a single playoff berth.

                Fourth place was defending WL champ Ankara at 90-72, growing their playoff streak to five years. Asgabat (89-73) and Ismir (85-77) both were in the running for the final playoff spot. 2004 did mark the end of Isfahan’s record nine-season postseason streak. The Imperials fell hard to 73-89, placing ninth in the standings.

                Asgabat 1B Murad Doskaliev repeated as the West League MVP. The 28-year old Tajik lefty led in home runs (64), RBI (149), total bases (426), slugging (.738), OPS (1.134), wRC+ (208), and WAR (11.6). Doskaliev also had a .329 batting average, falling six points short of a Triple Crown. He would play one more year with the Alphas, then leave for MLB on a four-year, $42,700,000 deal with Philadelphia.

                Ankara’s Shaheed Qureshi was the Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old Pakistani righty led in strikeouts (383), WHIP (0.92), innings (281.1), complete games (18), and shutouts (5). Qureshi also had 8.4 WAR, a 18-12 record, and a 2.11 ERA. He would regress hard the next year and end up traded by 2006. Qureshi would manage to pitch another decade, but he was wildly inconsistent and never again reached the highs of the 2004 campaign.

                Ankara upset Istanbul 3-1 in the first round in a rematch of last year’s West League Championship Series. Bursa swept Shiraz on the other side, giving the Blue Claws their fifth WLCS in six years. In a seven-game classic, Bursa dethroned the Alouettes. This was the Blue Claws’ third pennant in six years, having also won the WL in 1999 and 2001.



                Bursa hadn’t won the ABF Championship though, having lost to Dushanbe in their 2001 appearance. The rematch went the distance the Blue Claws claiming the 20th finale 4-3 over the Dynamo. Bursa became the eighth franchise to grab the ABF ring and were the first Turkish champ since Adana in 1996. A West League/West Asia Association team hadn’t taken the title since 1998.



                3B Darak Ghulam was the finals MVP. The 29-year old Pakistani switch hitter set an ABF playoff record with 14 walks. In 17 starts, he also had 16 hits, 15 runs, 2 doubles, 4 home runs, 9 RBI, and 6 stolen bases. There were a few other postseason records set in 2004. Dushanbe’s Maksim Ignashevich, the ELCS MVP, had 13 doubles. As of 2037, this is the world record for doubles in a single postseason.

                In five games, Bishkek’s Ildar Starov set batting average and on-base percentage records at .600 and .652. Dushanbe’s Abbas Muhannad also set a bad record with four losses, going 1-4 in five starts with a 6.82 ERA in 30.1 innings.

                Other notes: Shiraz ace Mughal Perwani threw ABF’s tenth perfect game on May 18, striking out 11 against Istanbul. Rawalpindi was last in the East League and set all-time ABF worsts offensively. Their .188/.246/.290 team slash, 367 runs scored, and 971 hits are each all-time ABF worsts still as of 2037. Four players joined the 400 home run club, making five ABF members. Hasan Afshin became the first pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts. Rami Naqvi joined him in the 4000 K club.

                Comment

                • MrNFL_FanIQ
                  MVP
                  • Oct 2008
                  • 4983

                  #1268
                  2004 in SAB

                  Although South Asia Baseball had seen very top-heavy results on the diamond, the fan response had been excellent since its formation in 1980. Officials felt the time for expansion was coming up, even if some of the teams were still having some financial woes. Expanding markets likely would bring in more cash and four new teams were approved starting with the 2004 season, putting both leagues at 14 teams.



                  The Indian League added the Nagpur Patriots to the South Division and the Lucknow Larks to the Central Division. That put both divisions at five teams, while the West Division kept its original four teams. Meanwhile, the Southeast Asia League’s additions made for two divisions with seven teams each. The South Division added the Vietnam-based Da Nang Nailers, while the North Division introduced the Bangladeshi Khulna Claws. This gave both Vietnam and Bangladesh three teams, the most of any country within SEAL.



                  For the first time since 1993, Ahmedabad didn’t have the best record in the Indian League. That honor went to defending champ Bengaluru at 106-56, earning a third consecutive South Division title. The Animals still made the postseason field, extending their playoff streak to 20 years. They joined EBF’s Zurich and EPB’s Minsk as the only teams in any world league to post a two-decade postseason streak. Ahmedabad’s West Division title streak grew to 16 seasons, but it was the closest they’d come to surrendering the crown in that stretch.

                  The Animals took it at 95-67, while Mumbai was one back at 94-68. The Meteors earned a fourth wild card in a row, topping Chennai by four games. Jaipur took a weak Central Division at 83-79 for their seventh playoff appearance in nine years. Kanpur was two behind and reigning division champ Delhi was four back.

                  Hyderabad was just above .500, but their first baseman Janesvara Aryasva repeated as Indian League MVP in his third season. He led in RBI (108), total bases (339), triple slash (.335/.416/.630), OPS (1.046), wRC+ (220), and WAR (9.1). His power was down noticeably from his 61 home runs the prior year, only smacking 35. He would stay three more years with the Hippos before starting his more famous run from 2008-2015 with Yangon.

                  In a quiet year for Pitcher of the Year options, Mumbai’s Jagisa Myska took it. The 26-year old righty led in wins (19-3), ERA (1.55), and quality starts (26). He added 230 strikeouts in 209 innings and 5.2 WAR. Myska’s poor stamina would lead to him being moved to the bullpen the next season, where he won Reliever of the Year. He would have a forgettable run in the following decade though. In other reliever news, Surat’s Taj Kanikaraja became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner.

                  In the first round of the playoffs, Jaipur shocked Ahmedabad 3-1. This would be the first time since 1985 that the Animals weren’t in the Indian League Championship Series. The Jokers earned their fourth ILCS in five ears. Bengaluru bested Mumbai 3-1 to continue their repeat hopes. The Blazers battered Jaipur in a sweep to repeat and earn a fourth Indian League pennant (1982, 85, 03, 04). The Jokers remain snake-bitten, sitting 0-9 in their ILCS appearances.



                  While Ahmedabad’s dynasty had finally cracked, Ho Chi Minh City’s was very much alive in the Southeast Asia League. The defending SEAL champs were 122-40 atop the South Division, topping the 120+ mark for the third time in their 18-year playoff odyssey. Their division title streak grew to 13 years. This Hedgehog squad matched their own SEAL record of only 428 runs allowed, which still remains the top mark. HCMC also set a new WHIP record at 0.945. Their 2.53 ERA and 411 earned runs were both second-best in SEAL history behind the 1993 campaign, while the 1008 hits allowed was third fewest. These marks all hold those same spots as of 2037.

                  Yangon’s playoff streak grew to ten years with their eighth North Division title in that stretch. The Green Dragons were 105-57, 19 games better than closest foe Hanoi. The Hounds were seven games away from the second wild card. The first spot was a stunner as expansion Da Nang debuted at 98-64. The only other expansion team to earn a playoff spot in its debut was CABA’s Suriname last year. Phnom Penh grabbed the second spot at 93-69, ending a four-year stretch without a playoff appearance or winning record. The Pandas turnaround was impressive, having won 68, 66, 69, and 71 games in their most recent efforts.

                  Yangon 3B Jatinder Chowdhary won the SEAL MVP as the 24-year old Indian led in runs (129), triple slash (.355/.468/.755), OPS (1.223), wRC+ (227), and WAR (12.5). He added 53 home runs and 127 RBI. The Green Dragons had wisely locked him up to an eight-year, $17,960,000 deal after the 2002 season. He managed to fend off HCMC’s Tirtha Upadhyaya for the top honor despite the latter’s 68 home runs and 158 RBI. That set the SAB RBI record, which would get obliterated four years later. It was also six short of Dhuna Itar’s record 74 homers in 2000.

                  HCMC’s Sikander Harija won his second Pitcher of the Year, having also taken it back in 2000. The 32-year old Indian lefty led in ERA (2.04), WHIP (0.81), complete games (14), shutouts (6), FIP- (55), and WAR (9.0). Harija added a 22-4 record and 303 strikeouts in 233.1 innings. Also of note, Sabuj Nath became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner, posting a 5.8 WAR effort for the expansion Da Nang squad.

                  Ho Chi Minh City swept Phnom Penh in the first round to give the Hedgehogs an 11th straight SEAL Championship appearance. The upstart Da Nang upset Yangon 3-1, earning an LCS in the debut season. The Nailers gave the Hedgehogs a spirited effort, but the dynasty ultimately continued. HCMC won the series in six games to repeat as SEAL champs and earn a 12th pennant.



                  Ho Chi Minh City battered Bengaluru with a sweep to repeat as South Asia Baseball champs. This was their fourth overall title, joining the 1997, 2000, and 2003 campaigns. It was also the second-most wins ever by a SAB champ behind 1995 Ahmedabad’s 124-38 effort. RF Kamlesh Kanmani was finals MVP, making 13 playoff starts with 19 hits, 5 runs, 6 doubles, 3 home runs, and 10 RBI.



                  Although HCMC had been firmly a SEAL dynasty, they were now finally shining as SAB’s top team after being denied so many times by Ahmedabad. Having gone 240-84 in the prior year, they matched the 1994-95 Animals for the world record most wins by a team that won back-to-back titles. The best two-year run in any world league was WAB’s Kano at 248-76 from 1999-00, but they had lost the 2000 championship.

                  Other notes: HCMC also had a record-setting postseason by reliever Nikeyparee Basnet. Over 17.1 playoff innings, he set SAB records for H/9 (1.56), opponent batting average (.057), and opponent slugging (.113). Basnet won SEALCS MVP, an incredibly rare feat for a reliever. He had a 0.52 ERA, 3-0 record, 4 saves, and 25 strikeouts in nine playoff appearances.

                  SAB’s eighth perfect game came on July 7 from Da Nang’s Raja Ahmad Saari, who struck out nine against Mandalay. Reliever Saroth Bora became the first to reach 400 career saves. He would pitch until 2010 and retire with 499, holding the all-time mark until finally passed in the late 2020s.

                  Tirtha Upadhyaya became the second member of the 600 home run club. He still had work to reach Amoda Shah, who retired the leader at 729 after the 2005 season. Upadhyaya also won his tenth Silver Slugger and his first as a designated hitter. Van Loi Phung became the third to 1500 runs scored, retiring third at 1505.

                  3B Manju Abbas won his 15th and final Gold Glove. Abbas is one of a very select few at any position in any world league to win 15. He joined MLB’s Christopher Sollinger and Dusty Knight as the only 15-time winners at third base specifically. Abbas would retire with 3395 games and 3288 starts at third; more than anyone in world history. P Tanvir Hosen and C Quoc Pham won their seventh Gold Gloves. SS Dhruv Sanjay won his seventh Silver Slugger.

                  Comment

                  • MrNFL_FanIQ
                    MVP
                    • Oct 2008
                    • 4983

                    #1269
                    2004 in WAB




                    WAB’s Western League saw the same playoff field as the prior year with both Bamako and Kumasi earning a third straight playoff berth. Positions were swapped though as Nouakchott took the top honor at 100-62. It was only the third time the Night Riders had finished first, joining their 1984 and 1997 pennant wins. Last year’s first place and WLCS winner Bamako was second at 96-66. Kumasi was third at 94-68 with a steep 13 game drop to fourth place.

                    Although third place, the Monkeys set some single-season records. They had a .308 team batting average, 1786 hits, and only 964 strikeouts; each of which remain WL all-time records as of 2037. Kumasi also only drew 270 walks all season, which is the third lowest mark in Western League history. Their 881 runs scored were the best in West Africa Baseball, but their awful 768 runs allowed was ahead of only 67-95 Freetown’s 771.

                    Despite being below .500, the Western League MVP came from Conakry. LF Odinaka Eke led the league in home runs (60), walks (88), slugging (.706), OPS (1.109), and wRC+ (194). The 27-year old Nigerian added a .311 average, 123 RBI, and 9.3 WAR. He had tough competition, including three-time defending MVP Mo Reda. With 154 RBI, he became the first player in world history with four consecutive seasons with 150+ RBI.

                    Third in MVP voting was LF Kely Ballard, who was traded from Douala to Noukachott for 2004. Ballard left for free agency in 2005 and signed a seven-year, $27,720,000 deal with Abidjan. He had 258 hits, a .412 average, and .459 OBP; each of which were new WAB records. Ballard was the first .400 hitter in WAB and his .412 was the second best in world history at that point, behind only CABA’s Jagger Sweebe Jr. at .415 in 1986.

                    258 hits was a world record to that point and amazingly, Ballard wasn’t the only player to reach it in 2004. Kumasi’s Ibrahima Bah also had 258 hits while setting his own world record with 196 singles. That is still the WAB singles record as of 2037 and would only get topped once in any other league.

                    Pitcher of the Year in the Western League was second-year Dakar righty Rashid Habimana. The Rwandan was the leader in ERA (2.27), WHIP (0.90), quality starts (25), complete games (8), and WAR (5.8). Habimana added a 16-11 record and 274 strikeouts in 246.1 innings. Also of note, Cape Verde’s Jimmy Freeman won a third consecutive Reliever of the Year.

                    Kumasi upset Bamako 2-0 in the wild card round to earn a repeat appearance in the Western League Championship Series. For Nouakchott, it was their first since 1997. The series had incredible offensive numbers and came down to the fifth and final game. In 10 innings, Kumasi edged the Night Riders 12-10 to earn their sixth pennant (1979, 85, 87, 91, 98, 04)



                    The Eastern League had a surprise as Ibadan returned to form. The Iguanas had posted back-to-back losing seasons since their 12-year playoff streak ended. In 2004, Ibadan led the EL standings at 100-62. They had 416 stolen bases as a team, setting a new EL record that they’d break two years later. This was also the first time since 1996 that Kano didn’t lead the standings, incidentally also done by the Iguanas.

                    The three-time defending WAB champs and seven-time reigning EL champion Condors still were able to extend their playoff streak to ten years. Kano was 96-66, while last year’s ELCS runner-up Lagos was third at 92-70. The Lizards were three games better than Niamey to take the final playoff spot.

                    Kano SS Darwin Morris won his historic ninth Eastern League MVP despite seven weeks to injury. In 111 games, the 32-year old Liberian still led in WAR at 8.9 while posting 39 home runs, a .322/.403/.701 slash, and 203 wRC+. He joined OBA’s Sione Hala and Jimmy Caliw, CABAs Kiko Velazquez, and CABA/MLB’s Prometheo Garcia as the only players with nine or more MVPs to that point. The Condors signed their legendary star to a five-year, $14,160,000 extension the following March.

                    Pitcher of the Year was Lome’s Zachary Owusu. The 29-year old Ghanaian lefty led with 331 strikeouts. He added a 2.99 ERA over 247 innings, 15-12 record, and 4.9 WAR. He pitched one more season with the Lasers, then signed a six-year, $25,440,000 for 2006 with Abidjan.

                    Kano swept Lagos in the wild card round to give the Condors a tenth straight Eastern League Championship Series appearance. They had met Ibadan five times prior in that stretch, losing in 1996 but winning four straight from 1998-01. Although they were the road underdog, Kano kept its claim to the throne by beating Ibadan 3-1 in the ELCS. The Condors earned an eight pennant in a row, becoming only the second team in world history with eight straight subleague titles (Ahmedabad had nine in the Indian League from 1994-02).



                    Kano was going for a fourth straight West African Championship ring and a seventh in eight years. However, they couldn’t figure out how to slow Kumasi’s record-setting offense. The Monkeys stunned them by winning 4-1, becoming the 11th WAB franchise with an overall title. Kumasi “got the monkey off their back,” as they were 0-5 in their prior finals berths.



                    Multiple playoff records that still stand were set in 2037 by Kumasi players. Ibrahima Bah and Enrique Mendoza each scored 19 runs. Mendoza also set the record for singles with 20. Both Mo Reda and Richard Olagunju had 22 RBI, tying the mark set two years earlier by Ifeanyi Adeleke. The 2004 Kumasi Monkeys certainly go down as one of the most unique champs in baseball history with one of most impressive all-time offenses mixed with a near league-worst pitching staff and defense.

                    Other notes: Ibrahima Bah had a 33 game hit streak, which fell two short of the record set by teammate Kely Ballard in 2001 with Douala. Darwin Morris became the seventh to 2000 hits and the fourth to 500 home runs. Arnaud Aho joined him in the homer club and Ajiboye Okemmiri also crossed the 2K hit mark. Morris also won an 11th straight Silver Slugger at shortstop.

                    Comment

                    • MrNFL_FanIQ
                      MVP
                      • Oct 2008
                      • 4983

                      #1270
                      2004 in CLB




                      The Chinese Northern League saw a significant shakeup in 2004. The prior year’s playoff teams; reigning CLB champ Harbin, Shenyang, and Jinan; finished with 73, 72, and 75 wins, respectively. Finishing first in 2004 was Dalian, who was 11th the prior season at 68-94. The Gold Dragons ended a three-year playoff and winning season drought.

                      Tying for the wild cards were Hangzhou and Tianjin, both at 91-71. Qingdao was five back and Zhengzhou was six away. The Jackrabbits at least had a similar record the prior year, although they did miss the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The Hens ended a four-year skid. Xi’an also had a notable shift, going from last place with 58 wins to 83-79 in 2004.

                      Shenyang LF Seok-Hyeon So won Northern League MVP, leading in runs (106), home runs (44), walks (85), total bases 985), slugging (.565), OPS (.905), wRC+ (206), and WAR (10.5). The 32-year old from South Korea had been with the Swans since 1994.

                      Dalian’s Cheng Song won Pitcher of the Year, leading in WHIP (0.77), FIP- (36), and WAR (12.1). The 28-year old righty also had a 1.55 ERA and 362 strikeouts over 260.2 innings with a 17-10 record. In the offseason, Dalian would give Song a five-year, $20,680,000 extension. Also worth noting from the Gold Dragons was SS Jiyu Liu, the Rookie of the Year. He became the fifth in CLB history to win the award and post a season of 8 WAR or better.



                      The Southern League standings were incredibly tight with the top three separated by one game. Changsha narrowly took first at 94-68 for a repeat playoff berth. Macau and Wuhan were both 93-69 to take the wild card spots. Kunming, who had earned back-to-back finals berths, was fourth at 89-73, followed by both Chongqing and Xiamen at 87-75. The Wolverines earned a fourth consecutive playoff berth, while the Magicians snapped a nine-year drought.

                      Southern League MVP was Wuhan RF Bangzao Li. The 29-year old had 8.6 WAR, a 195 wRC+, .252/.322/.483 slash, and 36 home runs. Changsha’s Lei Li won Pitcher of the Year, leading in WAR (10.3), FIP- (42), and wins (19-6). Li also had a 1.34 ERA over 255.1 innings and 316 strikeouts.

                      Both Southern League teams pulled off first round playoff wins 2-1 with Macau over Hangzhou and Wuhan over Tianjin. The Magicians hadn’t been in the semifinal since 1989, while it was the third time in four years for the Wolverines. Wuhan fell 4-2 to Changsha in the semifinal, giving the Cannons their third-ever China Series berth (1977, 1997). Macau would stun Dalian 4-1 in the other semifinal, giving the Magicians their third finals berth (1975, 1989). This set up the first all-Southern League finale since 2000.



                      In the 35th China Series, Changsha rolled league rival Macau 4-1. This made the Cannons two-time champs, joining their 1997 ring. 1B Feng Du was finals MVP as the 23-year old lefty had 13 hits, 6 runs, 3 doubles, 3 triples, and 5 RBI in 11 playoff starts.



                      Other notes: Hongbo Wan became the 18th player to 1000 runs scored. He played one more year and got to 1083, which sits ninth all-time as of 2037. RF Wenjie Huang won his eighth Gold Glove.

                      Comment

                      • MrNFL_FanIQ
                        MVP
                        • Oct 2008
                        • 4983

                        #1271
                        2004 in APB




                        Zamboanga and Tainan both repeated as league champs in the Taiwan-Philippine Association in 2004, although both had competitive fights. The defending TPA champ Zebras took the Philippine League at 93-69, fending off Manila by three games and Davao by five. The Titans were 92-70 atop the Taiwan League, five games better than Kaohsiung. Tainan earned a third straight TL title.

                        TPA MVP was Zamboanga CF Paolo Baptista for the fourth time in five years. The 27-year old led in runs (90), triples (20), home runs (35), RBI (108), total bases (32), OPS (.914), and WAR (9.4). The Zebras soon locked in their star for one of the richest deals in Austronesia Professional Baseball history. They had signed Baptista for an eight-year extension after the 2001 season, but he would opt out after the 2005 campaign. Zamboanga would meet his high asking price on an eight-year, $73,700,000 deal.

                        Pitcher of the Year was Taichung’s Chia-Jung Huang. The 25-year old lefty led in wins (21-9), ERA (1.44), innings (293), quality starts (30), and shutouts (7). Huang also had 7.0 WAR and 294 strikeouts.



                        Although Jakarta has had multiple winning seasons in the last decade, they hadn’t won the Java League title since 1993. The Jaguars had the top mark in the entire Sundaland Association at 100-62. They had 246 doubles as a team, two short of the SA single-season record. Semarang was a distant second at 89-73 and defending APB champ Bandung was 86-76.

                        In the Malacca League, Palembang ended a 25-year playoff drought. The Panthers had a remarkable turnaround from only 69 wins in 2003, not having posted a winning season since 1997. Palembang took the title at 89-73, the only team above .500 in the ML. Last year’s winner Singapore dropped to 74-88, while perennial contender Medan also fell off to 77-85.

                        In his third season with Jakarta, veteran RF Basuki Susanti won Sundaland Association MVP. The 32-year old led in homers (33), total bases (299), OBP (.370), slugging (.565), OPS (.935), and wRC+ (235). He added 8.6 WAR and a .308 average. Susanti used this effort to cash in, opting out of his Jaguars deal and signing a four-year, $38,400,000 deal with MLB’s Houston in the offseason. Unfortunately for him, he would struggle in his final seasons outside APB.

                        Medan ace Afiq Parker won his sixth Pitcher of the Year, joining Kun-Sheng Lin and Sahid Fakhruddin as the only six-time winners in APB. Still only 30 years old, Parker led in strikeouts (351), FIP- (54), and WAR (9.7). He’s had the WARlord title in six of the last seven years, only missing in 2002 to injury. Parker also had a 1.69 ERA over 276.2 innings with a 16-9 record.

                        In a Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship rematch, Zamboanga was victorious 4-2 over Tainan. The Zebras earned back-to-back pennants and their third in four years. Jakarta clobbered Palembang with a sweep in the Sundaland Association Championship. It was the ninth pennant for the Jaguars and first since their 1992-93 repeat. Jakarta has been to the APB Championship more than any other team.



                        After 2004, the Jaguars also stood alone for the most Austronesian Championship wins of any franchise. They would outlast Zamboanga 4-3 in a classic for their sixth title (1969, 70, 85, 92, 93, 04) passing Kaohsiung and Taoyuan’s five titles. 2003 SA MVP Alif Aris was finals MVP, a 35-year old veteran shortstop who signed with Jakarta in the offseason after 13 seasons with Singapore. In 11 playoff starts, Aris had 17 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 4 home runs, and 9 RBI.



                        Other notes: Two APB playoff records were set in 2004. Jakarta closer Sama Sitorus recorded eight saves. He tossed 12.2 scoreless innings in eight appearances with 13 strikeouts. Zamboanga’s Hector Constanza set the high mark for stolen bases with 15. Heng-Hsiao Liao became the 13th pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. Alif Aris won his ninth and final Silver Slugger.

                        Comment

                        • MrNFL_FanIQ
                          MVP
                          • Oct 2008
                          • 4983

                          #1272
                          2004 in OBA




                          Melbourne repeated as the Australasia League champ, earning their seventh pennant. The Mets were 94-68, fending off a solid Adelaide squad by two games. Brisbane was a distant third at nine back, followed by three teams 11 back at 83-79.

                          The Mets swept the top awards, securing Australasia League MVP with RF George Philip. The 26-year old Solomon Islander led in runs (122), walks (88), and WAR (7.2). He added his third Gold Glove, plus 32 home runs and a .942 OPS. Melbourne would have one more year of Philip before he left for MLB on a four-year, $31,200,000 deal with Montreal.

                          Melbourne’s Kai Brockhurst picked up Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old Australian had played the prior ten seasons for Adelaide, but joined the Mets in the offseason on a four-year, $9,120,000 free agent deal. Brockhurst led in ERA (3.07), FIP- (74), and WAR (7.8). He added a 20-12 record over 287.2 innings and 266 strikeouts.



                          Tahiti also repeated as the Pacific League champions, once again fending off Fiji by only one game. The defending Oceania Champ Tropics were 98-64, edging the 97-65 Freedom. Tahiti had a team batting average of .280, setting a new PL record. Samoa was a very distant third at 83-79. The Sun Sox notably had 433 stolen bases as a team, the third most in PL history.

                          Although Honolulu stunk at 73-89, second-year second baseman Kalos Ryniker had an all-time season. He won Pacific League MVP and posted OBA’s fifth Triple Crown for a batter with 56 home runs, 149 RBI, and a .356 average. Ryniker had 225 hits, setting a single-season OBA record that held until 2019. The 149 RBI was also tied for second most in a season to that point. The 24-year old Solomon Islander also led in total bases (424), slugging (.671), OPS (1.054), wRC+ (198), and WAR (10.8).

                          Guam’s Timothy Manglona earned a fifth Pitcher of the Year, joining Tarzan Rao and Tarzan Rao as the only OBA pitchers with five or more. The 30-year old lefty from the Northern Marianas led in WHIP (0.86), K/BB (15.3), quality starts (32), shutouts (5), FIP- (56), and WAR (13.0). Manglona added a 21-16 record, 2.47 ERA, and 413 strikeouts over 338.2 innings. He became the 11th OBA pitcher to reach 3500 career strikeouts.



                          The 45th Oceania Championship was a rematch from the prior year. Melbourne flipped the script and got revenge on Tahiti, taking the title 4-2. This was the third ring for the Mets, who also won it all in 1967 and 1969. Finals MVP was 29-year old 2B Jim Williamson, who went 10-25 with 7 runs, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 6 RBI, and 6 stolen bases in the series.



                          This playoff rivalry would continue between the Mets and the Tropics with four more meetings in the finals between 2005-2011. Both would get wins, but this era would be ultimately defined as a dynasty run for Melbourne that would rival Honolulu’s epic run in the 1980s.

                          Other notes: Melbourne’s Luke Fletcher tossed OBA’s ninth perfect game on July 6, striking out six against Auckland. Adelaide’s Kiryl Savchuk had a 34-game hit streak, setting a new all-time OBA record. This remained the top spot until 2029.

                          Samoa’s Luther Green had 33 complete games and 352 innings pitched, setting world records for both. He would get passed twice later for total innings, but the 33 complete games remains the world’s record as of 2037. Jim DeRossi became the 13th pitcher to 200 wins. Damien Patton won his ninth Silver Slugger. It was his first in right field, as the previous wins were all in center.

                          Perth had a historically bad pitching staff in 2004, setting all-time Australasia League worsts in team ERA (5.00), hits (1706), runs (880), earned runs (803), H/9 (10.63), and WHIP (1.498). The WHIP, hits, and H/9 marks all are still the worst in OBA as of 2037, while the other stats are still top three worsts in the AL.

                          Comment

                          • MrNFL_FanIQ
                            MVP
                            • Oct 2008
                            • 4983

                            #1273
                            2004 in EPB




                            The EPB European League was very top heavy in 2004 with the four original franchises each at 94+ wins and the four newer expansion squads at 72 wins or lower. After taking fourth in 2003, Kazan claimed the top spot at 104-58. This was the Crusaders’ sixth playoff berth in eight years. Four-time defending EL champ Minsk took the second place spot at 102-60, growing their world-record playoff streak to 24 years. Falling short of the playoffs were Moscow (96-66) and St. Petersburg (94-68).

                            European League MVP went to St. Petersburg RF Jov Sakharov. The 26-year old Russian led in runs (90), hits (187), doubles (33), triples (15), total bases (322), stolen bases (85), triple slash (.320/.370/.551), OPS (.921), wRC+ (211), and WAR (11.9). Sakharov also had 24 home runs and 81 RBI.

                            Minsk’s Markiyan Konoplya won his fifth consecutive Pitcher of the Year. He joined Matvey Ivanov, Igor Bury, and Bogdan Chirita as the only five-time winners and joined only Ivanov in having won five in a row. The 30-year old Ukrainian righty led in ERA (1.88), strikeouts (335), WHIP (0.77), and WAR (7.7). He had a 19-9 record in 291.1 innings, falling two wins short of the Triple Crown. Konoplya would play one more year with the Miners, then leave for St. Petersburg in free agency on a five-year, $27,000,000 deal. Also of note, Moscow’s Shahin Lebedev became a three-time Relieve rof the Year winner.



                            Defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champ Yekaterinburg looked even better in 2004. The Yaks set a franchise record at 116-46, which was tied for the third-best record in Asian League history. Yekaterinburg led the AL in runs (695) and fewest allowed (438). The Yaks earned a fifth playoff berth in six years. Krasnoyarsk had its own impressive 104-58 season to take the wild card and extend its playoff streak to four years. There was a 22 game gap to third place Irkutsk at 82-80.

                            Leading the Yekaterinburg offense was 1B Benjamin Bodnar, who had the first Triple Crown season on offense in EPB since 1992. It was the eighth overall and a major breakout for Bodnar, who hadn’t really been a league-leader previously. The 30-year old Hungarian led in runs (122), hits (193), home runs (128), total bases (402), triple slash (.329/.384/.686), OPS (1.070), wRC+ (223), and WAR (11.6). He was the first EPB hitter since 1999 to hit 50+ homers in a season. Although Bodnar played for another decade, he’d be plagued by knee troubles and never again complete a full season for the Yaks.

                            History was also made as Yekaterinburg’s Matvey Ivanov won his sixth straight Pitcher of the Year, becoming EPB’s first six-time winner. The 29-year old Russian led in wins (20-6), ERA (1.26), shutouts (9), FIP- (30), and WAR (11.2). Ivanov added 304 strikeouts over 228.1 innings and a 0.73 WHIP. The season featured a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts and one walk on July 23 versus Ulaanbaatar. It was the third no-no of Ivanov’s career and he also placed third in MVP voting.

                            Kazan had home field advantage, but Minsk wasn’t ready to let the dynasty get interrupted. The Miners won the European League Championship Series 4-3 over the Crusaders for a fifth consecutive pennant and the 18th in franchise history. The Asian League Championship Series rematch also was a seven game classic. Yekaterinburg survived Krasnoyarsk to repeat as AL champs and win their third pennant in five years. The Yaks are now seven-time AL champs.



                            In the 50th EPB Championship, Yekaterinburg won their rematch 4-1 over Minsk to repeat as champs. It was the fifth time these squads had met in the finale with the Yaks controlling the series 4-1. Veteran catcher Nikita Romaschenko was the finals MVP in his 15th pro season and third with Yekaterinburg. In 12 playoff starts, the 36-year old had 14 hits, 6 runs, 2 home runs, and 10 RBI.



                            At 116-46, the Yaks now hold the EPB record for most wins by a team that won it all, passing 1995 Irkutsk at 115-47. They are five-time champs, having beaten Minsk in 1965, 1989, 2003, and 2004; along with the 1970 title against Tirana. Yekaterinburg wouldn’t be done yet in the 2000s, but the 2004 squad stands out as a contender for EPB’s all-time best team.

                            Other notes: CF Miroslaw Skowronek won his seventh Gold Glove. SS Gleb Khassanov won his 11th Silver Slugger, tying the record by C Samir Allahverdiyev for the most at any position in EPB.

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                            • MrNFL_FanIQ
                              MVP
                              • Oct 2008
                              • 4983

                              #1274
                              2004 in EBF



                              Copenhagen had the European Baseball Federation’s best record in 2004, setting a franchise record at 112-50. The Corsairs rolled to a fifth straight Northeast Division title and the Northern Conference’s top seed. Copenhagen scored 875 runs, 122 more than their closest conference foe. They also allowed only 561 runs, tied with Warsaw for the fewest in EBF.

                              The #2 seed went to defending conference champ Warsaw at 101-61. The Wildcats had to fend off a fierce challenge from Berlin at 99-63 to take the North Central Division. The Barons easily got the first wild card and ended a three-year playoff drought. Paris picked up the Northwest Division at 93-69 to end their own three-year playoff skid. The Poodles were three games ahead of Amsterdam for the title.

                              Glasgow took the British Isles Division at 88-74. It was their weakest season of a now nine-year playoff streak, which also extended the division title streak to eight. Dublin was the closest foe at 81-81. For the second wild card, Kyiv (92-70) held off Amsterdam (90-72), Kharkiv (88-74). Brussels (85-77), and Vilnius (85-77). The Kings got their second berth in three years. The Killer Bees’ playoff streak dating back to their final EPB seasons was ended at nine seasons, ceding the longest active streak to Glasgow.

                              Brussels first baseman Francisco Cruz won Northern Conference MVP. The 26-year old lefty from Portugal was the leader in runs (125), hits (218), total bases (422), average (.360), slugging (.698), OPS (1.105), wRC+ (198), and WAR (9.9). Cruz also had 38 doubles, 26 triples, 38 home runs, and 104 RBI. This effort earned Cruz a hefty payday, as the Beavers signed him in the offseason to an eight-year, $64,140,000 extension.

                              Luxembourg’s Johannes Jol won Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old Dutch righty had a 16-9 record in 255.2 innings, 2.75 ERA, 245 strikeouts, and 6.9 WAR. Jol also earned a raise for his efforts with the Lancers giving him five years and $31,640,000 in the offseason.

                              In the first round of the playoffs, Berlin edged Glasgow 2-1 and Paris topped Kyiv 2-1. The Barons gave top seed Copenhagen a scare, but the Corsairs survived 3-2 in round two. Meanwhile, the Poodles pulled off the upset 3-2 at Warsaw. This was Copenhagen’s first Northern Conference Championship appearance since 2001 and Paris’ first since 1999. The top-ranked Corsairs clobbered the Poodles for a sweep, taking their third-ever pennant (1950, 1985, 2004).



                              Reigning European Champion Vienna had the Southern Conference’s top seed at 103-59 atop the East Central Division. The other bye went to 99-63 Munich, winning a fourth consecutive South Central Division. The Mavericks really had to work for it with Zurich only one game behind at 98-64. The Mountaineers and South Central quad Naples (90-72) were the wild cards. This was the third berth in five years for Zurich and ended a four-year drought for the Nobles. The only other squad in the wild card mix was Lisbon at 86-76.

                              Madrid was ten ahead of the Clippers, winning the Southwest Division at 96-66. The Conquistadors’ playoff streak grew to six seasons. 95-67 Tbilisi meanwhile cruised in the Southeast Division for a third straight title. One notable shift in the SC was Budapest, who went from 107-wins in 2003 to a lousy 72-90 in 2004. Bratislava also had a tough drop, going from a conference finalist the prior year to a 70-win squad in 2004.

                              Southern Conference MVP was Krakow CF Joris Kostic, fresh off an impressive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2003. The 24-year old Austrian lefty led in runs with 110, adding 219 hits, 38 home runs, 97 RBI, 76 stolen bases, a .365/.410/.622 slash, and 8.9 WAR.

                              Vienna’s Steffen Neumann won Pitcher of the Year and had the 1th EBF pitching Triple Crown. The achievement hadn’t been reached since Lindsey Brampton in 1996. The 25-year old German left had a 24-7 record, 2.16 ERA, and 332 strikeouts over 262 innings. Neumann also led in WHIP (0.98), quality starts (27), FIP- (61), and WAR (9.3).

                              Tbilisi swept Zurich and Madrid swept Naples in the first round, making it only division champs in round two. Both top seeds would see stunning 3-1 exits as the Trains upset defending EBF champ Vienna and the Conquistadors shocked Munich. Madrid earned a fourth Southern Conference Championship appearance in six years, while the Trains had their second in three years. Just as in 2002, Tbilisi was denied its first-ever pennant by the Conquistadors. Madrid swept them for a fourth pennant in six years. It was their ninth conference title, passing Zurich for the most in the SC.



                              For the third straight appearance, Madrid was the runner-up in the European Championship. Copenhagen took the 55th finale 4-2, earning the cup for the first time since the inaugural 1950 season. LF Balas Gecsek was finals MVP as the 25-year old Hungarian had 15 playoff starts with 13 hits, 7 runs, 5 doubles, 3 home runs, and 10 RBI.



                              At 112-50, the 2004 Copenhagen squad marks well among the finest-ever EBF champs. To that point, the only teams to win the title with a better record were 1954 Amsterdam (118-44) and 1961 Brussels (113-49). Additionally, a Scandinavian team hadn’t won it all since Stockholm in 1982.

                              Other notes: Villum Kleist became the 14th batter to 1500 career RBI.

                              Comment

                              • MrNFL_FanIQ
                                MVP
                                • Oct 2008
                                • 4983

                                #1275
                                2004 in BSA




                                Defending Bolivar League champ Caracas had the league’s best record at 98-64, winning the Venezuela Division for the third straight year. The Colts also earned their ninth playoff berth in a decade. The Colombia-Ecuador Division had four teams fighting for the division title and the wild card. Bogota ended up narrowly repeating as division champs at 94-68. Like Caracas, the Bats earned a ninth playoff appearance in ten years.

                                Meanwhile, Cali and Quito were both two behind at 92-70 and Guayaquil was at 89-73. The Cyclones beat the Thunderbolts in a one-game tiebreaker to earn a third consecutive wild card. Lima was back atop the Peru-Bolivia Division after falling short in back-to-back years. The Lobos took it at 86-76, topping La Paz by two games and Arequipa by six.

                                Guayaquil’s Hector Correa won his fourth Bolivar League MVP in five years. He joined Hall of Famers Valor Melo, Niculao Semide, Saul Vargas, Lincoln Ruvalcaba, and Javier Herrera as the only Beisbol Sudamerica players with four or more MVPs. The 31-year old Ecuadoran left fielder led in runs (121), hits (222), total bases (410), slugging (.667), OPS (1.073), and wRC+ (176). Correa added his third Gold Glove plus 45 home runs, 114 RBI, a .361 average, and 7.8 WAR.

                                Pitcher of the Year was Quito lefty T.J. Jaimes. The 26-year old lefty led in ERA (2.45), WHIP (0.97), and quality starts (27). Jaimes added a 19-10 record over 261 innings with 256 strikeouts and 7.6 WAR.

                                Cali upset reigning champ Caracas 3-1 in the Divisional Series and Bogota swept Lima. The Bats picked up a fourth Bolivar League Championship Series appearance in five years, while the Cyclones advanced for the first time since 1988. Bogota bested their divisional foe Cali 4-2 to win their third pennant in a decade. The Bats are five-time Bolivar League champs (1951, 73, 95, 2000, 04).



                                The Southern Cone League’s top seed was Asuncion at 99-63. The Archers rolled to a fifth straight South Central Division title. In the North Division, Salvador took first at 96-66. The Storm bounced back for a third playoff berth in four years, although they hadn’t won a division title since 1981. Defending division champ Brasilia was close behind at 90-72, taking the wild card for a third straight playoff berth. Belo Horizonte was four behind the Bearcats.

                                The Southeast Division went to defending Copa Sudamerica winner Rio de Janeiro. This ended a five-year playoff streak for Buenos Aires. The Atlantics and Rosario were both 87-75, falling four short in the division race and four back in the wild card race.

                                Third-year Rio de Janeiro centerfielder Lucas Cordeiro was Southern Cone League MVP. The Brazilian righty led in runs (122), and total bases (395), while adding 217 hits, 25 doubles, 30 triples, 31 home runs, 8.9 WAR, and a .334/.372/.609 slash.

                                Belo Horizonte’s Juliao Costa became a three-time Pitcher of the Year winner, having also won in 2001 and 2002. The 28-year old Brazilian righty led in WAR (12.6), innings (288), strikeouts (383), K/BB (13.2), and FIP- (46). Costa added a 2.34 ERA and 19-9 record.

                                Salvador eliminated defending champ Rio 3-1 in the Divisional Series and Brasilia upset Asuncion 3-2. The Bearcats earned a second Southern Cone League Championship appearance in three years, while it was the Storms’ first since their 1981 pennant. Salvador defeated their divisional foe Brasilia 4-2 to become six-time league champs (1949, 62, 73, 79, 81, 04).



                                The 74th Copa Sudamerica was the second finals meeting between Salvador and Bogota. In 1973, the Storm won a seven-game classic over the Bats. Bogota got revenge in 2004, taking the series 4-2. This was the second Cup win for the Bats, joining their 2000 title. 1B Victor Meza had a big postseason, winning BLCS MVP and Copa Sudamerca MVP. The 29-year old hometown favorite had 15 playoff starts with 22 hits, 16 runs, 3 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, 11 RBI, and 5 stolen bases. 16 runs fell one short of the BSA playoff record set in 1992.



                                Other notes: Medellin’s Israel Sanchez had a 37-game hit streak, the second-longest in BSA history behind Remberto Borja’s 43 in 1955. Both Federico Mendez and Daniel Medina also posted 31-game hit streaks in 2004.

                                Milton Becker became the ninth to 1500 runs scored and also joined the 2500 hit club. Becker also grabbed his ninth Silver Slugger as a DH. Pedro Souza was the 33rd member of the 500 home run club. 1B D.J. Del Valle became an 11-time Gold Glove winner.

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