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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 SAB Hall of Fame

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South Asia Baseball had two players added into the Hall of Fame in 2008. Both made the cut in their debuts with SP Jade Poomkeaw at 84.2% and CF Anjan Sumanjit at 74.6%. 2B Abdul Deepkaran narrowly missed the 66% requirement, getting 63.6% in his third ballot. Also above 50% was C Kumar Patel with a 56.7% debut. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.



Jade Poomkeaw – Starting Pitcher – Dhaka Dobermans – 84.2% First Ballot

Jade Poomkeaw was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Xam Nua, Laos; a town of 56,900 in the nation’s northeast. Poomkeaw would be the first-ever Laotian Hall of Famer. He had strong stuff along with good control and respectable movement. Poomkeaw’s fastball regularly reached the 97-99 mph range and was mixed with a changeup, splitter, and cutter.

Poomkeaw had good stamina and durability, leading the league twice in innings pitched. He was also considered a solid defensive pitcher. Poomkeaw’s potential was noticed out of high school and he was picked second overall in the SAB Draft by Dhaka. They couldn’t come to terms and Poomkeaw instead spent the next two years playing amateur ball.

In the 1989 SAB Draft, Dhaka was still quite interested and picked Poomkeaw sixth overall. This time, they came to terms and he was a full-time starter immediately. Poomkeaw had a tremendous rookie season with 9.1 WAR, a 2.36 ERA, and 306 strikeouts. That would’ve been a SAB WAR record for a Rookie of the Year winner, but he shockingly took second for the award. Poomkeaw also was third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1990.

After five straight losing seasons, Dhaka had an impressive 107-55 record in 1991. They won the Southeast Asia League pennant, but lost to the Ahmedabad dynasty in the SAB Championship. The Dobermans made the playoffs again in 1992, 94, and 95 with Poomkeaw. They made the LCS in 1994, but lost to Ho Chi Minh City. Poomkeaw was a solid playoff pitcher for Dhaka with a 2.71 ERA in 73 innings and 80 strikeouts.

Poomkeaw wasn’t generally a league leader with Dhaka and never reached his rookie year WAR total or ERA. Still, he had 6+ WAR in four seasons and 300+ strikeouts four times. He was second in 1991 Pitcher of the Year voting. In total with Dhaka, Poomkeaw had a 96-56 record, 2.79 ERA, 1469.2 innings, 1845 strikeouts, 337 walks, 130 ERA+, 72 FIP-, and 41.0 WAR.

After the 1995 season, a 29-year old Poomkeaw was a free agent. The financial woes for many teams in the early top-heavy days of SAB meant that only the Ho Chi Minh City and Ahmedabad dynasties tended to sign free agents. Poomkeaw couldn’t come to terms with either or anyone else in 1996 and sat out that season.

Poomkeaw returned to the game in 1997 for $1,660,000 with a two-year deal for Ho Chi Minh City with a player option. He had a solid season and posted a 2.95 ERA in 21.1 playoff innings. 1997 was the year the Hedgehogs finally beat Ahmedabad in the SAB Championship after losing in their first six meetings. Poomkeaw was second in Pitcher of the Year voting that season.

He decided to decline his option year and ended up sitting out again in 1998. Now 32 years old, Poomkeaw went to Ahmedabad for 1999 and had his finest season. He earned a Triple Crown with a 23-4 record, 1.92 ERA, and 375 strikeouts; all career bests along with 9.8 WAR and 276 innings. Poomkeaw picked up Pitcher of the Year honors and had a 1.59 ERA in 28.1 playoff innings as the Animals won their 11^th title in 14 years.

Poomkeaw decided to sit out again in 2000 and went back to Ho Chi Minh City in 2001 at age 34. He was having a good season, but suffered radial nerve compression that ended his year in mid July. Yangon signed him for 2002, but Poomkeaw was never the same after the injury. He struggled to a 4.88 ERA in 153 innings for the Green Dragons. Poomkeaw retired that winter at age 36.

The career stats for Poomkeaw: 153-81 record, 2.77 ERA, 2271.2 innings, 2821 strikeouts, 517 walks, 209/298 quality starts, 63 complete games, 24 shutouts, 131 ERA+, 72 FIP-, and 62.5 WAR. The issues in early SAB and the later injury cost Poomkeaw a chance for more impressive accumulations. Regardless, SAB Hall of Fame voters recognized that Poomkeaw was one of the finest pitchers of the 1990s. He received 84.2% for a first ballot induction in 2008.



Anjan “Legend” Sumanjit – Center Field – Ahmedabad Animals – 74.6% First Ballot

Anjan Sumanjit was a 6’1’’, 195 pound left-handed hitting center fielder from Igatpuri, India; a town of 31,000 in the state of Maharashtra. Sumanjit was an all-time great traditional leadoff guy and the nickname “legend” often referred to his speed. He was lightning quick and was one of the most cunning base stealers ever, successfully swiping in 78% of his tries.

Sumanjit was a good contact hitter and was excellent at putting the ball in play and avoiding strikeouts, although he rarely drew walks. He had a good pop in his bat, averaging 33 doubles, 11 triples, and 21 home runs per his 162 game average. With his speed, he often turned singles into doubles and doubles into triples.

Defensively, Sumanjit was a career center fielder. He had great range and a rocket arm, although he did occasionally make sloppy errors. Still, Sumanjit graded out as a reliably good to great defender in a valuable spot. He was a beloved fan favorite and known for his intelligence, work ethic, loyalty, and adaptability.

Unlike many of the Hall of Famers who later came to Ahmedabad during the dynasty, Sumanjit spent his whole career with the Animals. He was signed as a teenage amateur in January 1986 and debuted in 1989 at age 19. He only played 62 games with 24 starts in his first three years, primarily used as a pinch runner and defensive substitution. The dynasty was well underway at this point and Sumanjit earned SAB Championship rings in his first three seasons.

Sumanjit became a full-time starter in 1992 as the leadoff man and had the most at-bats and plate appearances in the Indian League five times from 1992-1997. In his first four seasons, he led the league each time in stolen bases, peaking with 125 in 1994. That was a new SAB record that held until 2001 and still ranks fifth best as of 2037.

Additionally, he led in hits twice, runs once, and triples once. From 1992-99, Sumanjit had six seasons worth 8+ WAR and topped 10+ thrice. He won Silver Sluggers in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, and 2001. Sumanjit never won MVP, but took second in 1993 voting, second in 1995, and third in 1999. After the 1997 season, Ahmedabad gave Sumanjit a five-year, $7,560,000 extension.

Sumanjit really emerged as a legend in the postseason as the dynasty rolled on. Over his tenure, Ahmedabad never won fewer than 107 games in a season. They made it to the Indian League Championship Series each season and won the pennant 13 times. The Animals took the SAB Championship in 1989, 90, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96, 98, 99, and 2002.

Four times, Sumanjit was the SAB Championship MVP. He is believed to be the only player in world baseball history to win a finals MVP four times. Sumanjit took it in 1992, 1998, 1999, and 2002. In 178 playoff games and 156 starts, Sumanjit had 201 hits, 85 runs, 32 doubles, 11 triples, 20 home runs, 63 RBI, 114 stolen bases, a .312/.346/.489 slash, 163 wRC+, and 8.7 WAR.

The 114 stolen bases is a postseason world record and by a healthy margin as the next closest was his longtime teammate K.C. Choudhury at 81. Sumanjit is also the all-time world playoff leader in hits (201), singles (138), and caught stealing (40). Certainly, Ahmedabad’s dynasty gave him plenty of opportunities, but he shined in the big moments.

Six times in the playoffs, Sumanjit stole 10+ bases. He stole 17 in 1995, which tied the then-world record. It remains the SAB record and one behind the world record. Because he was a homegrown talent, Sumanjit was especially beloved by Ahmedabad fans. His #9 uniform would be among those retired from the dynasty run.

Sumanjit also had national popularity throughout India. He played from 1993-2002 for the national team in the World Baseball Championship. In 63 games and 57 starts, Sumanjit had 60 hits, 36 runs, 10 doubles, 10 home runs, 25 RBI, 43 stolen bases, a .278/.328/.472 slash, 128 wRC+, and 2.2 WAR.

The 2000 season saw Sumanjit miss more than half the year to a hamstring strain. He bounced back with a great 2001, but lost much of 2002 to a torn groin muscle. Sumanjit struggled in the 2002 season with a .208/.244/.374 slash and 88 wRC+, all career worsts by a significant margin. However, he stepped up one last time in the postseason, winning his fourth finals MVP.

Sumanjit had looked cooked in much of the season and despite the happy ending, Ahmedabad let him go. He hoped to still play somewhere in 2003, but ended up unsigned. Sumanjit officially retired in the winter of 2003 at only 34.

The final stats for Sumanjit had 1741 hits, 965 runs, 324 doubles, 111 triples, 211 home runs, 750 RBI, 945 stolen bases, a .288/.320/.483 slash, 151 wRC+, and 84.6 WAR. As of 2037, Sumanjit is 40^th in WAR among position players. However, his accumulations in the regular season were lower than most since he only played around 10 full seasons. Sumanjit does rank 16^th all-time in stolen bases.

It was the incredible playoff stats that made Sumanjit shine. He may have never been a league MVP, but he stepped up in the clutch moments consistently and stands as one of the most impressive playoff performers in baseball history. Sumanjit was a beloved member of the historic dynasty.

There were still voters though that poo-poo’d Sumanjit’s overall regular season totals being too low. Amazingly, he only received 74.6% of the vote, perhaps somewhat attributed to fatigue with Ahmedabad guys. Regardless, Sumanjit was a deserved first ballot Hall of Famer with SAB’s 2008 class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 ABF Hall of Fame



LF Vahid Hadadi became the fourth member of the Asian Baseball Federation Hall of Fame in 2008. He set a record for highest percentage yet as a slam dunk first ballot guy with 98.1%. Two returners were above 50%, but short of the 66% requirement. 1B Hazan Sheikh received 57.5% in his seventh ballot and RF Labid Haroon got 51.9% on his second try. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.



Vahid Hadadi – Left Field – Tabriz Tiger Sharks – 98.1% First Ballot

Vahid Hadadi was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Karaj, a city with around 1,590,000 in north central Iran. Hadadi was a great contact hitter with stellar home run power. He smacked 50+ dingers in eight of his 13 pro seasons, a feat few have achieved. Hadadi also had a solid eye and drew a healthy number of walks, although his strikeout rate was below average. Hadadi generally hit the ball hard and was good for 30-40 doubles most years as well.

Hadadi was an absolute beast specifically against right-handed pitching with a career 210 wRC+ and 1.108 OPS. Against lefties, he had a 144 wRC+ and .840 OPS. Hadadi was a savvy baserunner, but his speed was lousy. His immobility was a major issue for him in the field.

Defensively, Hadadi made most of his starts in left field. He played first base in his first three seasons and occasionally saw time in rihght. Hadadi was terrible in each spot with awful range and glove work. He did at least have a very strong arm which could come in handy in left. Hadadi showed sturdy durability for most of his career, providing reliable value.

Hadadi’s bat and power made him a must play even with his terrible defense. He was popular with many fans because of dingers, but he was not liked by teammates and coaches. Hadadi was greedy, lazy, selfish, and dumb. That said, most were willing to overlook the terrifying truth so they can instead watch him sock some dingers.

Hadadi’s power made him a prized Iranian prospect ahead of the 1989 ABF Draft. He was taken #2 overall by Tabriz and had an all-time rookie season. Hadadi led the league in runs (120), home runs (67), RBI (135), total bases (430), slugging (.813), OPS (1.223), wRC+ (263), and WAR (12.4). He set ABF single-season records in homers, OPS, and slugging,

In world baseball history, the only Rookie of the Year winner with a greater WAR in his debut was WAB pitcher Kouadio Diao at 13.7. Hadadi would only get passed by a position player when the ABF saw Nizami Aghazade debut with 13.9 in 2012. Naturally, Hadadi also West Asia Association MVP and a Silver Slugger. The formerly terrible Tabriz squad improved from 59 wins the prior year to 79.

Despite Hadadi’s efforts, the Tiger Sharks never made the playoffs in his tenure. They had winning seasons in the early 90s, but typically hovered around .500. His sophomore season was weaker marginally in the rate stats, but he broke his own home run record with 74 dingers. Hadadi again led in runs, RBI, total bases, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR; earning a second MVP and Silver Slugger.

As of 2037, Hadadi’s 74 home runs remains the ABF single-season record. His 1990 slugging mark of .813 still ranks second and the 1.223 OPS ranks fifth. Hadadi became a popular Iranian baseball fixture as he played for his country from 1990-2001 in the World Baseball Championship. He had 119 games and 115 starts with 96 hits, 65 runs, 11 doubles, 33 home runs, 72 RBI, a .234/.318/.512 slash, 140 wRC+, and 4.2 WAR.

A torn hamstring cost Hadadi the majority of the 1992 season and he missed some of 1993 with a hamstring strain. He still smacked 60 homers in 1993 and had a career best .371 average, winning a third Silver Slugger and taking second in MVP voting. It was also his third season worth 10+ WAR.

Hadadi would lead in home runs thrice more, although he wouldn’t crack 60+ again. The next seven seasons were all worth 6+ WAR with Hadadi cracking 10+ again in 1998. After the 1994 season, Tabriz gave Hadadi an eight-year, $9,900,000 extension. He won additional Silver Sluggers in 1995, 1996, and 1997.

Hadadi’s third MVP was 1997, which saw his only time leading in batting average (.359). He also led in slugging, OPS, wRC+, and homers that year despite only playing 128 games because of injury. Hadadi also led in wRC+ in 1995 and 1996 and led in both slugging and OPS in 1996. He finished second in 1996 and 1998 MVP voting.

Hadadi continued to dominate the power stats despite being unlikeable by teammates. Some posit that is why Tabriz couldn’t find team success despite Hadadi’s numbers. In 1999, he became the first ABF slugger to 500 career home runs and 1000 runs scored, plus the second to 1000 RBI.

The decline came suddenly for Hadadi in 2001 at age 34. That season, he hit a mere 24 home runs with a 106 wRC+ and 1.0 WAR. In 2002, Hadadi was mediocre enough to be moved to the bench with only 37 starts and 92 games.

He did become the first to 600 homers in that final season, but couldn’t reach 2000 hits. Clearly cooked, Hadadi retired that winter at age 36. Tabriz quickly honored him by retiring his #27 uniform. He would remain ABF’s all-time home run king until 2011.

Hadadi finished with 1913 hits, 1211 runs, 398 doubles, 603 home runs, 1269 RBI, 738 walks, a .305/.382/.663 slash, 194 wRC+, and 95.4 WAR. As of 2037, he’s ninth in homers and 21^st in WAR for position players.

His 1.044 OPS was the all-time mark and as of 2037, only one retired player (Nizami Aghazade) bested him. He’s still fourth among all players with 3000 plate appearances. Aghazade also eventually passed him narrowly in slugging, but Hadadi is still #2 among Hall of Famers.

As far as rate stats go, Hadadi is inner-circle level for power hitters. His sudden decline, terrible defense, and lack of team success keep him from getting more consideration when discussing ABF’s all-time greats. But you’d be hard pressed to find a better pure slugger. He might be a jerk, but Hadadi was a slam dunk inductee and the only addition in 2008 at 98.1%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 ALB Hall of Fame

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Third baseman Elann Isser became the third member of the Arab League Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. He narrowly breached the 66% requirement with 70.8% in his debut. Only two others were above 50%, both on their fourth try. SP Ilwad Maxamed received 55.2% and CL Khemais Khalid grabbed 53.6%. No one was dropped after ten failed ballots.



Elann “Free Fall” Isser – Third Base – Abu Dhabi Destroyers – 70.8% First Ballot

Elann Isser was a 6’1’’, 195 pound right-handed third baseman from Ra’anana, Israel; a city of around 100,000 people. Isser was an excellent home run hitter who hit 40+ homers in six different seasons. He also had nice gap power, averaging around 20-30 doubles per year. Isser was merely a decent contact hitter with an average eye and strikeout rate. He had okay baserunning instincts with mediocre speed.

Isser was a career third baseman and had an absolute cannon of an arm. His glove work was okay and he graded out as an average defender for his career. Isser had good durability and became an extremely popular player as one of the first great sluggers in ALB. He was also a team captain and one of the more respected guys in his era.

Arab League Baseball officially began with the 1990 season and Isser had just started his pro career the year before, so he wasn’t eligible for the first rookie draft. That gave him the option at age 22 to sign with any team and Abu Dhabi snagged him for two years and $1,230,000. Isser was a full-time starter right away and had a strong debut with 4.6 WAR. He won Rookie of the Year and his lone Gold Glove in 1990.

Isser’s power developed in his second year with an Eastern Conference best 51 home runs, 117 RBI, 354 total bases, .633 slugging, .982 OPS, 189 wRC+, and 8.9 WAR. He earned MVP honors and his first of six Silver Sluggers. Isser led in both home runs and RBI again in 1994 and 1995, setting career bests in 1994 with 53 dingers and 121 RBI. He was third in 1993 MVP voting and second in 1994.

Those were his only years as a league leader, although he posted 5+ WAR each year from 1993-2000. Isser even had 5.2 WAR in 1996 despite missing about half the season to injury. He was Abu Dhabi’s first star player, although the Destroyers generally were a few games below .500. They won the Gulf Division in 1990 and 1993, but lost in the first round both years. They averaged 79.1 wins per season during Isser’s tenure.

Isser’s Silver Slugger wins were 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, and 1999. Abu Dhabi gave him a five-year, $9,500,000 extension in June 1998. In 2000, he became the second ALB batter to reach the 400 home run and 1000 RBI milestones behind Bilal Hamdan. He would miss half of 2001 to a broken hand.

2002 was still a respectable year with 4.0 WAR and a 119 wRC+. Isser declined his contract option and became a free agent for the first time. He couldn’t find a suitor though as most teams preferred to court younger players. Isser retired in the winter of 2003 at age 36. Abu Dhabi immediately brought him back in to retire his #29 uniform.

Isser ended with 1774 hits, 974 runs, 320 doubles, 469 home runs, 1161 RBI, a .264/.327/.528 slash, 144 wRC+, and 70.6 WAR. As of 2037, he’s fourth all-time at third base in WAR and he sits 38^th among all position players. Later stars would blow by his accumulations, but Isser was a consistently strong slugger for ALB’s first decade.

There were those who thought his accumulations were too low and dinged him for his lack of team success. Isser’s power and respect as a captain was enough though to earn 70.8% in his debut as the lone inductee into the Arab League Hall of Fame in 2008.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 AAB Hall of Fame

The African Association of Baseball didn’t induct its first Hall of Famer with the 2008 voting. SP Ahmed Hussen Rooble set a new high mark for any player with a debut at 39.4%. 1B Laurent Kouakou was next at 38.2% on his second try. One other debut was above the 1/3 mark with SP Hendrik Jongman at 35.7%. There was still a big gulf between these first options and the 66% requirement.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 World Baseball Championship

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The 2008 World Baseball Championship was the 62^nd edition of the event and was hosted in Argentina for the second time, this time centered in Cordoba. In Division 1, Ethiopia advanced at 7-2, edging out 6-3 efforts by Algeria and Taiwan. It was the second division win for the Ethiopians, who also did it in 2006. The defending world champion United States was the lone unbeaten team, rolling to 9-0 in Division 2. It was the 51^st time the Americans made it to the elite eight.

Turkey took Division 3 at 8-1, beating last year’s runner-up China by one game and the Philippines by two. This was Turkey’s fourth division title and their second in three years. Division 4 had a tie for first at 6-3 between the Netherlands and Japan, while Brazil, Guatemala, and Myanmar were each 5-4. The Dutch had the tiebreaker for their seventh division win and first since 2002.

Russia won Division 5 at 7-2, defeating neighbor Finland by one and four others by two. This was the 15^th division win for the Russians and first since their 2001 runner-up campaign. D6 went to 8-1 Australia, who topped both Italy and South Korea by two. This was the fifth division win for the Australians, ending a ten year title drought.

Mexico claimed Division 7 at 8-1 with Spain, Nigeria, and Israel all at 6-3. The Mexicans advanced for the 27^th time and joined the US as the only teams to earn repeat division titles this year. Indonesia prevailed at 8-1 in Division 8 with Pakistan the closest foe at 6-3. The Indonesians moved forward for the 18^th time with their first title since 2003.

The United States won Round Robin Group A at 4-2, continuing their dominance with a 45^th semifinal berth. The Netherlands and Turkey tied at 3-3 and Mexico was 2-4. The Dutch took the tiebreaker for their second-ever semifinal appearance, joining their fourth place finish back in 1989.

Ethiopia and Indonesia tied for the top spot in Group B at 4-2, while both Russia and Australia were 2-4. It was the first-ever semifinal for the Ethiopians and the 11^th for the Indonesians, who last did it as the runner-up in 2000. Ethiopia joined Nigeria as the only African nations thus far to make it to the final four.

The United States defeated Indonesia 3-1 in the semifinal for a 41^st finals appearance and their seventh of the 2000s. The Netherlands swept Ethiopia to give the Dutch their first finals appearance. The Indonesians were officially third for the fourth time, while Ethiopia’s fourth place was a new best.



The Americans dominated the Dutch with a sweep in the 62^nd World Championship, giving the US back-to-back titles and their sixth of the decade. The Americans are now 36-5 all-time in the championship. The Netherlands became the 23^rd unique nation to earn a trip to the championship series



Fifth-year Virginia Beach RF Ezekiel Thomas was the Tournament MVP and earned it with a historic effort. In 23 starts, the New Yorker had 39 hits, 31 runs, 8 doubles, 18 home runs, 46 RBI, 101 total bases, a .390/.443/1.010 slash, 313 wRC+, and 3.5 WAR. The 46 RBI broke Connor Neumeyer’s record of 40 from 1972 and still remains the top mark as of 2037.

Thomas also tied Adam Lewis’s hits record from 1951 and set a new position player WAR record with 3.49, passing Neumeyer’s 3.48. He missed the runs record and homer record both by two behind Neumeyer’s 1972. As of 2037, Thomas’s 2008 effort is still second in WAR, fifth in homers, fourth in hits, and eighth in runs.

The Americans also had the best pitcher in TJ Douglas, the reigning American Association Reliever of the Year with Houston. The 28-year old Texan had two starts and six relief appearances, tossing 23.2 scoreless innings with 62 strikeouts, 6 walks, and only 3 hits allowed.

Other notes: 2008 had two no-hitters in the WBC with the first by Ecuador’s Nacho Toscano with 10 strikeouts and two walks against Serbia. Belgium’s Yannick de Vries had the other with 15 Ks and 4 walks versus Guatemala. Below are the updated all-time tournament stats. Indonesia’s third place allowed them to pass Japan for the seventh place spot all-time.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in E2L



Fresh off their demotion the prior season, London’s European Second League debut saw them dominate the Western Conference standings at 109-53. Edinburgh earned its first-ever playoff berth in second at 97-65. Rome, who also just got relegated in 2007, took third at 95-67.

There was a tie for the final playoff spot between Cardiff and Lyon at 86-76. The Crew won the tiebreaker game to take the spot in their first-ever winning season. Just missing out were Liverpool (85-77) and Hanover (83-79).



In the Eastern Conference, Lviv took first place at 99-63, giving the Lunkers repeat playoff berths. Lodz was second at 96-66, while just demoted Krakow was third at 95-67. It was the first playoff appearance for the Legion. The final playoff spot was Gothenberg at 92-70 for their first playoff berth. The Gales allowed 961 hits and 5.77 H/9, which remain conference records as of 2037.

Skopje was a close fifth at 90-72. Newly demoted Odessa was sixth at 85-77. Varna had finished first in the standings last year, but blew it in the playoffs. They were seventh in 2008 at 84-78. Riga had escaped the Second League in 2006, but was relegated back after the 2007 effort. The Roosters imploded down to 58-104.

The Western Conference Round Robin had Cardiff and Rome both advance to the finals at 4-2. Top seed London was 2-4, as was Edinburgh. In the Eastern Conference, Lodz (4-2) took the top spot. Krakow tied with Gothenburg at 3-3 with the tiebreaker going to the Canines. Top seed Lyiv was 2-4, meaning both first place teams remain in E2L unless five EBF Elite teams suffer demotions.



Rome defeated Cardiff 4-2 and Krakow topped Lodz 4-1 in the conference championships. This sent the Red Wolves and Canines right back up to the top tier after one season relegated. Rome downed Krakow 4-1 for the Second League Championship. If additional promotion/relegation is required, it would be the Legion first in line, followed by the Crew.



Other notes: Two perfect games were thrown in 2008. Lviv’s Liam Gilpin did it with 10 strikeouts against Chisinau on March 28. On September 20, Lyon’s Yannick de Vries fanned 11 against Nantes. In 2006, de Vries had thrown the first E2L perfecto against Reykjavik.

London’s Unai Hermosillo had the first-ever Triple Crown in E2L for London. The 24-year old Spanish 1B won MVP honors with a .322 average, 55 home runs, and 145 RBI.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in AAB

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Antananarivo repeated as the first place finisher in the Southern Conference at 100-62. This gave the Eagles their fifth playoff appearance in seven years. They led the conference in both runs scored (797) and fewest allowed (627). Close behind was Johannesburg at 98-64, who had an impressive turnaround from a franchise worst 63-99 the prior year. This ended a six-year playoff drought for the Jackalopes. They outperformed their “expected record” by 12 games.

There was an eight game gap between them and third place Lusaka at 90-72. That was only the third-ever winning season for the Lake Monsters, who last did it in 1997. The big surprise was two-time defending African Association of Baseball champion Durban’s drop. The Deer feel to 71-91, ending their playoff streak at three seasons with an eighth place finish.

Luanda was fourth place, but their star center fielder Mwarami Tale won his third Southern Conference MVP. The 27-year old Tanzanian lefty led in home runs (63), total bases (410), slugging (.714), OPS (1.096), and wRC+ (190). Tale added 8.3 WAR, a .305 average, 114 runs, and 127 RBI.

Pitcher of the Year was Johannesburg lefty Damian Apio. The fourth year Ugandan lefty led in ERA (2.40), K/BB (6.0), FIP- (46), and WAR (9.5). Apio added an 18-6 record, 214 innings, 272 strikeouts, and 170 ERA+. Sadly, a torn flexor tendon the next year derailed Apios’ career and he’d never muster up another full season again.



Two-time defending Central Conference champion Addis Ababa dominated the field at 104-58. The Brahmas allowed the fewest runs in AAB at 617 and finished 15 games ahead of second place Kigali. The Guardians at 89-73 edged out Lubumbashi for the second playoff spot by three games. Kigali had the top offense in AAB at 918 runs scored, but allowed the second most runs at 801.

For Kigali, they earned their second-ever playoff berth, joining the 2003 campaign. Last year’s wild card Bujumbura dropped from 96 wins to a mere 79-83. They tied for fourth in the standings with Mogadishu. The once proud Kinshasa dynasty was 75-89 in eighth, posting repeat losing seasons for the first time in franchise history.

Bujumbura’s Luke Tembo won his third Central Conference MVP in four years. The 27-year old Malawian first baseman led in home runs (69), RBI (150), walks (144), total bases (398), OBP (.455), slugging (.768), OPS (1.224), wRC+ (197), and WAR (9.2).

Although he had fewer walks than his previous world record seasons, Tembo did post the second-best OBP in AAB history to that point. It was also the seventh 150+ RBI season in AAB thus far. The Bighorns would finally lock up their superstar before the 2010 season on a seven-year, $26,760,000 extension.

Pitcher of the Year was Addis Ababa’s Michael Wakachu, who became AAB’s second-ever Triple Crown winning pitcher. The 28-year old Malawian righty had a 23-3 record, 2.30 ERA, and 296 strikeouts over 207.1 innings. Wakachu also led in WHIP (0.84), K/BB (5.7), quality starts (28), FIP- (52), and WAR (8.3) with a 184 ERA+. The Brahmas gave him a five-year, $14,760,000 extension after the 2009 campaign.

Antananarivo and Johannesburg had a seven game classic in the Southern Conference Championship with the top-seeded Eagles prevailing in the end. It was the fourth pennant for Antananarivo (2003, 2003, 2005, 2008). Addis Ababa rolled to a Central Conference sweep of Kigali, giving the Brahmas their third straight pennant.



The 14^th Africa Series was needed all nine games to decide the champion and was the first to end with a walk off. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Addis Ababa 3B Marlin Kimwaki won it with a two-run home run, giving the Brahmas game nine by a 4-3 final.

It was sweet for the 10^th-year Brahmas star Kimwaki, delivering his squad their first AAB title after taking runner-up in back-to-back years versus Durban. Little did they know that this marked the beginning of an all-time great dynasty. For the Eagles, they fell to 1-3 in their finals berths.

Antananarivo’s Mohau Sibiya was Africa Series MVP in defeat. He set a playoff record with 10 home runs, which still stands as of 2037. Sibiya had 15 hits, 13 runs, and 12 RBI in 15 playoff starts. He also struck out 26 times, which is also still a playoff record.



Other notes: Antananarivo had 65 triples as a team, which set an AAB record that would only be passed once in 2018. Mogadishu’s Jose Santarem had 60 doubles, which would be a record in a lot of leagues. This was second-best in AAB at that point behind Stefan Cejka’s 71. 2008 was the first season in AAB history without a single no-hitter thrown.

Felix Chaula became the third to reach 500 career home runs and the fifth to 1000 runs scored. Rajab Hamadi became the first to 400 saves and would retire after the 2015 season as AAB’s all-time leader with 444. Henry Kibirige and Tesfu Ogbagaber became the second and third pitchers to 2500 career strikeouts. Becoming six-time Silver Slugger winners were 2B Gedeon Bukasa, 3B Marlin Kimwaki, and CF Ronny Safari

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in ALB



The Arab League Western Conference was competitive with each division having two 90+ win teams in the hunt. The top seed went to Casablanca at 99-63, finishing eight games better than Algiers in the Mediterranean Division. The Bruins earned their 14^th division title over ALB’s 19 seasons to date.

The #2 seed was Amman, winning the Levant Division at 97-65. This ended a four-year playoff drought for the Aviators, who bested Beirut by six games. Defending conference champ Jerusalem, who had won three straight division titles, plummeted from 104 wins in 2007 to a lousy 71-91 in 2008. The closest division was the Nile Division, which Giza took for the third straight year. The Goats finished 95-67, edging Cairo by only two games.

Casablanca’s Abderrazak Zourai joined Nordine Soule and Mohammed Mohamed as the only five-time MVPs in ALB history to date. Zourai had previously won the Western Conference’s top prize in 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004. In 2008, the 34-year old Moroccan third baseman led in runs (112) and WAR (8.3). Zouari also had 39 home runs, 110 RBI, a .950 OPS, and 159 wRC+ to win his seventh Silver Slugger. This would end his 15-year run with the Bruins, as he would leave for MLB in the winter on a four-year, $56,700,000 deal with Baltimore.

His Casablanca teammate Abdullah Al-Tamtami won his third Pitcher of the Year award. The 27-year old Omani righty led in wins (20-5), strikeouts (332), FIP- (58), and WAR (9.1). Al-Tamtami added a 2.73 ERA over 247.2 innings with a 140 ERA+. The Bruins gave him a seven-year, $24,640,000 extension just before the 2009 season.

Amman swept Giza in the first round of the playoffs for their fourth Western Conference Final appearance and first since 1999. Casablanca was making a repeat appearance and their tenth overall. The Bruins outlasted the Aviators 3-2 to earn their seventh WC pennant (1993, 94, 95, 01, 03, 05, 08).



Basra rode an impressive offense to the top seed in the Eastern Conference at 109-53. The Bulldogs set a franchise record for wins and extended their Iraq Division title streak to six seasons. Basra scored 893 runs, while the next closest team in the conference had only 754. That was defending ALB champ Medina at 102-60, winning their sixth straight Saudi Division. The Mastodons posted a fifth consecutive 100+ win season.

Dubai’s Gulf Division streak ended at seven seasons as the Diamonds limped to a 71-91 record. Kuwait claimed the mantle at 87-75, topping Abu Dhabi by two games. This was the second-ever playoff berth for the Whales, joining their stunning 2000 title win.

The stacked Basra offense had the top three finishers in Eastern Conference MVP voting. 27-year old Comoran RF Farouk Adam ended up winning his first MVP, leading in runs (144), doubles (54), OBP (.442), wRC+ (212), and WAR (11.7). The 144 runs were a single-season record that wasn’t passed until 2028. Adam also had 251 hits, 34 home runs, 147 RBI, 92 stolen bases, and a .404 batting average.

Prior to 2008, no ALB player had hit above .400 or posted 250+ hits. However, Adam didn’t even lead the conference because of teammate Hassan El Zamek. The 24-year old Egyptian CF had a 10.7 WAR effort with single-season records in hits (261), average (.407), and stolen bases (138). The average and hits mark both held until 2027, while he’d beat his own steals mark two years later. Amazingly, that got El Zamek THIRD in MVP voting.

Second was the seven-time MVP LF Nordine Soule. The 33-year old set the RBI record with 172, breaking his 169 mark from 2005. This would only get passed once in 2027. The 33-year old Comoran also had 66 home runs, his ninth 60+ homer season, finishing the season with 797 for his career. Soule had a 1.173 OPS and 10.1 WAR. You could argue that the Soule-El Zamek-Adam pairing in 2008 was the strongest outfield in baseball history. Each were locked up long-term with the Bulldogs as well.

Dubai’s Uria Lerner won his third Pitcher of the Year, joining his 2004 and 2005 wins. It was an impressive comeback for the 27-year old Israeli righty, who missed all of 2007 to a torn UCL. Lerner led in WAR (8.5), quality starts (23), and FIP- (55). He added 295 strikeouts in 219.1 innings, a 2.42 ERA, and 16-6 record. Lerner also had a 14 K, 1 BB no-hitter against Abu Dhabi in July.

Sadly, Lerner’s 2008 ended with another torn UCL that knocked him out for all of 2009. He’d manage to bounce back for an ERA title in 2010, but he’d have more injuries after that. Also worth mentioning, Medina’s Souilem Boudiaf became the second ALB closer to win Reliever of the Year four times. Boudiaf also became the fourth to reach 300 saves in ALB. He’d leave for MLB in the offseason and would bounce around teams and leagues for another 13 years.

Medina swept Kuwait in the first round, pitting the Mastodons against Basra in the Eastern Conference Final for the fifth year in a row. This was a rubber match as Basra had won in 2004 and 2006, while Medina took it in 2005 and 2007. The even year again favored the Bulldogs, who earned their third pennant 3-1.



For the second time in three years, Basra secured the Arab League Championship. The high octane Bulldogs beat Casablanca 4-1 to drop the Bruins to 3-4 in their finals berths. Finals MVP didn’t come from the stacked outfield, but from SS Chucka Debekeme. The 31-year old Nigerian in nine playoff starts had 9 hits, 4 runs, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, and 7 RBI. It was the fourth straight title by an Eastern Conference team.



Other notes: Amman’s Kamal Saleh set numerous playoff stats that still stand as of 2037. He tossed 15 scoreless innings with 22 strikeouts in his two starts, allowing 3 hits and 0 walks. Saleh’s H/9 (1.80), WHIP (0.20), opponent triple slash (.064/.102/.064) and OPS (.166) are all still playoff records. Sulaymaniyah’s offense struck out 1805 times, which remains an all-time Eastern Conference worst as of 2037.

Nordine Soule crossed 1500 runs scored, becoming the first to reach that mark. He was now the all-time runs, RBI, and home run king. Soule also became the second to reach 2500 career hits and would pass Hassan El Mubarak’s 2611 for that top spot in 2009. Soule won his record 12^th Silver Slugger as well in left field.

Mustafa bin Nazim joined Soule as the only ALB sluggers with 600 home runs. He also won his tenth Silver Slugger at second base. Zuhair Hamad became the third pitcher to 200 wins. SS Amr Khatab won his ninth Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in ABF



After taking second in the East League standings in 2007, Hyderabad had the top spot in 2008 at 107-55. The Horned Frogs wrestled the top spot from Karachi, who was a close second at 105-57. Hyderabad last took first in their 1999 championship season. The Carp extended their playoff streak to five seasons. There was a 19 game gap between Karachi in second place and the third place teams.

Defending ELCS winner Bishkek and Lahore tied for third at 86-76 to take the remaining wild cards. The Black Sox extended their playoff streak to five with their eighth berth of the 2000s. The Longhorns playoff streak grew to four seasons. Rawalpindi was two games short at 84-78, which continued the longest postseason drought in the EL at 20 seasons.

Nearly snapping the Red Wings drought was East League MVP Vural Yildiz. The 27-year old Turkish right fielder led in home runs (53), RBI (110), triples (18), total bases (392), OBP (.392), slugging (.703), OPS (1.094), wRC+ (238), and WAR (12.1). Yildiz also had a .310 average and 51 stolen bases for Rawalpindi.

Karachi’s Zahir Nasir won Pitcher of the Year in his ninth season for the Carp. The 28-year old Pakistani righty led in ERA (1.51), FIP- (47), and WAR (8.1). Nasir added a 16-6 record over 208.2 innings, 280 strikeouts, and a 206 ERA+. In May, Karachi locked him up with a seven-year, $40,600,000 extension. Also of note, Peshawar’s Ananthakrishnan Khan became the second ABF closer to win Reliever of the Year four times.

Despite the 23 win difference in the regular season, Bishkek shocked Hyderabad with a first round playoff sweep. Karachi cruised to a sweep of Lahore to set up a rematch in the East League Championship Series. The Carp splashed their way to a sweep of the Black Sox to give Karachi its fourth pennant (1985, 95, 96, 08).



Reigning Asian Baseball Federation champ Istanbul crushed the competition in the West League at 112-50. This set a new WL wins record, topping the Ironmen’s 111-51 from 1988. They grew their playoff streak to six seasons with their fourth first place finish in that stretch. Istanbul led the WL in runs (821) and fewest allowed (528). They also set a new ABF team record with 375 doubles, which held until 2020.

There was a 19-game gap to second place Isfahan at 93-69, extending their playoff streak to three seasons. Asgabat repeated as a wild card in third at 92-70. The fourth spot saw a tie between Shiraz and Bursa at 84-78 with the tiebreaker going to the Suns. That got Shiraz into the postseason field for the fourth time in five years. Last year’s WLCS runner-up Mashhad dropped to seventh at 77-85.

Istanbul 1B Petri Viskari earned West League MVP. The 26-year old Finnish lefty led in runs (131), hits (213), doubles (51), RBI (142), total bases (410), triple slash (.370/.445/.712), OPS (1.157), wRC+ (213), and WAR (11.4). Viskari’s 131 runs fell two short of the ABF record. He also smacked 46 home runs. After winning finals MVP the prior season, the Ironmen had given Viskari an eight-year, $46,460,000 extension.

Pitcher of the Year went to Tabriz’ Gevorg Qasimov in only his second full season. The 23-year old Uzbek lefty led in WHIP (0.85), innings (266.2), quality starts (23), and complete games (19). Qasimov added 7.5 WAR, a 153 ERA+, 319 strikeouts, a 2.40 ERA, and 19-9 record.

Istanbul cruised to a first round playoff sweep of Shiraz, while Isfahan topped Asgabat 3-1. It was the Imperials’ first West League Championship Series since 2002. They couldn’t do much against the Iromnen though, as they repeated as champion in five games. This was the fifth pennant for Istanbul, who also won in 1985, 1988, and 1989.



The ABF Championship luck for both Istanbul and Karachi continued on the same path. The Ironmen swept the Carp, giving them repeat titles and putting them at 5-0 all-time in the championship. The loss dropped Karachi to 0-4 in the finals, which included a loss to Istanbul in the inaugural 1985 event. League MVP Petri Viskari repeated as finals MVP, posting 15 hits, 7 runs, 6 doubles, 2 homers, and 11 RBI in 12 playoff starts.



The Ironmen’s 112-50 record was the second-best ever by an ABF champ, behind only Multan’s 113-49 in 2003. Istanbul became the first franchise to repeat as champs twice, having also done it in 1988-89. It was the fifth instance of an ABF repeat along with Hyderabad’s 1986-87, Adana’s 1995-96, and Isfahan’s 1997-98. It would be the last repeat until 2016-17.

Istanbul could argue their 2008 squad was the all-time best in ABF to that point. It would be the peak of the run, as the Ironmen wouldn’t make back to the WLCS in the next 28 seasons. Still, they were the first ABF squad to earn five titles. As of 2037, only Hyderabad reached or topped that distinction.

Other notes: Hyderabad’s Mardan Naxarov threw ABF’s 13^th perfect game on April 19, striking out 11 against Asgabat. Gujranwala’s Faramarz Hejazipour struck out 22 in 8 innings against Dushanbe on May 3. This was one short of the single game record set in 1999 of 24 over 9 innings by Rami Naqvi. His teammate Ibrahim Bulak had a 19 strikeout, 1 walk no-hitter against Tehran. That was one K short of the no-hitter record in ABF, also set by Naqvi in 1999.

Simin Arefi became the 7^th to 400 home runs and the ninth to 1000 RBI. 2B Rattu Najran won his eighth Gold Glove and C Amir Yskakov won his eighth.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 SAB and APB Changes

2008 saw a significant change for South Asia Baseball with the departure of Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru from the Southeast Asia League. The two Malaysian teams had been generally disgruntled with the lack of competitive balance in SEAL. Both had been negotiating with Austronesia Professional Baseball on a potential jump.

The move made a lot of cultural and geographic sense, as the two teams shared a lot in common with the Indonesian teams of the Sundaland Association and Singapore. A conflict between Malaysia and Indonesia in the mid 1960s had prevented KL and JB from joining APB when it formed in 1965. The countries were now largely on good terms and had far more cultural similarities than Malaysia had with the other SEAL teams.

The opportunity to jump finally emerged as APB looked to expand for the first time in the 2000s. They added a team to the Taiwan and Philippine Leagues in 2007 and made room for the Malaysian teams in 2008. SAB had expanded in 2004 and wanted to grow more also, although they had hoped for a longer gap between changes.



To keep SEAL at seven teams in two divisions despite the defection, two expansion teams were added for 2008. The Colombo Catfish (Sri Lanka) and Hai Phong Prowlers (Vietnam) were welcomed into the league. Sri Lanka was a bit out of place geographically, but was a growing market. SAB officials thought it made more sense to get them into SEAL instead of being the one non-Indian team in the Indian League.

Colombo was moved into the South Division, which had been the home previously for both Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. The Prowlers were the fourth Vietnamese team and were put in the North Division. To achieve balance in the divisions, someone from the North had to switch to the South. That was preferred generally over blowing it up and switching to a West/East divide.

The controversial decision was made to move Yangon over to the South Division. It made sense geographically as the furthest south option by a decent margin, but it shifted the competitive balance. Over the last decade plus, the Green Dragons had largely dominated the North while Ho Chi Minh City had dominated the South. Now, these two teams would be divisional rivals. They had already established an intense playoff rivalry. SAB kept this alignment until the next expansion in 2025.

Both Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru ended up in the Malacca League. In order to keep an even balance, one team needed to be moved to the Java League. As they were the furthest east team geographically, Palembang was shifted out of the Malacca League.

The Java League had its name from having five teams on the island of Java. Palembang was part of Sumatra, although the travel wouldn’t be much different for the Panthers going southeast instead of north. To reflect Palembang’s addition, the Java League was renamed the Java Sea League, as both islands bordered the sea.



APB maintained this alignment until their next expansion in 2028. Neither APB nor SAB made any changes to their playoff structures or other rule changes. Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur brought their players over and joined as is, while the two new SAB teams built their rosters via expansion draft.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in SAB

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The Indian League’s top seed in 2008 was Kolkata, who snapped a seven-year playoff drought to do it. The Cosmos were 100-62 atop the Central Division, taking the throne from by eight games. The defending IL champ Kanpur completely imploded. After winning 95 games in 2007, the Poison had the league’s worst record at 63-99.

In the West Division, Mumbai at 93-69 edged Ahmedabad by one game. While it was the sixth playoff berth in eight years for the Meteors, they had never been division champs. The Animals and Jokers tied for the wild card at 92-70, needing a one-game playoff. Jaipur prevailed to extend their playoff streak to five seasons.

For Ahmedabad, their historic streak ended at 23 years, falling one short of matching the world record playoff streak of EPB’s Minsk. Lucknow was two back of the wild card at 90-72. In their fifth year of existence, the Larks had won fewer than 60 games in their prior three seasons.

Everyone in the South Division finished below .500. Hyderabad and Chennai were the best of the bad at 80-82. The Hippos beat the Cows in a one-game playoff to repeat as division champs, although it was far less impressive than their 101 wins the prior year.

Indian League MVP went to Kolkata LF Lwin Swe Ko. The 24-year old Burmese righty led in home runs (59), RBI (128), slugging (.719), OPS (1.092), wRC+ (228), and WAR (9.0). Ko added 126 runs and a .313 batting average. The Cosmos rewarded him the prior October with a five-year, $12,080,000 extension.

Jaipur’s Jay Singh repeated as Pitcher of the Year. In his second year with the Jokers, the 26-year old Indian led again in ERA (2.42) and was the WARlord at 6.8. He also led with 65 FIP- and posted a 17-7 record over 219.1 innings, 335 strikeouts, and a 149 ERA+. He led Jaipur to 1961 strikeouts and 12.08 K/9 as a team, setting Indian League records that still hold in 2037.

Jaipur upset their divisional foe Kolkata 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs while Mumbai beat Hyderabad 3-1. It was the second-ever Indian League Championship Series for the Meteors, who won the pennant in 2005. The Jokers were looking for their second pennant in three years. Mumbai ended up sweeping Jaipur in an uneventful ILCS.



Defending South Asia Baseball champ Hanoi improved upon their impressive 111 wins from the prior year, helped a bit by having Yangon moved out of the division. The Hounds clobbered the North Division at 120-42 and set a SAB record with 1006 runs scored. As of 2037, they’re the only SAB team ever to top 1k, a mark rarely breached in any world league. Hanoi’s playoff streak grew to four years.

Now in the South Division, Yangon topped their new foes at 114-48 to grow their playoff streak to 14 seasons. The Green Dragons won their 12^th division title of that stretch. This meant that Ho Chi Minh City’s South Division title streak ended at 19 years. The Hedgehogs were still 100-62, easily growing their overall postseason run to 22 years as the first wild card.

There was an 11 game gap to the second wild card with Dhaka at 89-73 in the North. The Dobermans also extended a playoff streak with their fourth straight wild card. The only other team above .500 was Mandalay at 82-80, seven games short of Dhaka.

To score more than 1000 runs, Hanoi had DH Majed Darwish completely incinerate the record books. The 25-year old Bahraini switch hitter repeated as Southeast Asia League MVP and set multiple bonkers world records. Darwish smacked 85 home runs, blowing by the world record of 77 set by Mwarami Tale in 2006 in the African Association of Baseball. Darwish is still the world record holder in homers as of 2037, although he’d amazingly do better the next year.

Even more bonkers perhaps was Darwish’s 220 RBI, 167 runs scored, and 528 total bases. The previous RBI world record was West Africa Baseball’s Mo Reda with 186 in 2003. As of 2037, no one else has topped 200 in any league. The previous runs world record was 152 by WAB’s Darwin Morris in 2001. As of 2037, no one else has reached 167 runs in a season either. The total bases were also a new world record that Darwish himself would later top.

Darwish also led the league in hits (229), total bases (528), slugging (.856), OPS (1.312), and WAR (13.2). The slugging and OPS marks set new SAB records and fell just short of world records. Shockingly despite those absurd numbers, Darwish was actually second in batting average (.371) and wRC+ (218).

Beating him was Mandalay LF Ratan Canduri with a .383 average and 223 wRC+. Canduri tied the former SAB home run record with 74 and added 154 RBI and 132 runs with 12.4 WAR. In any other year, Canduri would’ve been a unanimous MVP, but Darwish’s stat line looked like a video game on the easiest difficulty.

Pitcher of the Year was Yangon’s Brahma Karim. The 31-year old Indian lefty had struggled in the last few years, but had an amazing bounce back by leading with a 2.35 ERA. He also led in quality starts with 19. Karim had a 19-2 record over 214.1 innings, 210 strikeouts, 182 ERA+, and 5.8 WAR. He signed a free agent deal in the offseason with Dhaka, but never recaptured that lightning in a bottle.

Hanoi cruised to a first round sweep of Dhaka, while Yangon swept Ho Chi Ming City to set up a rematch in the Southeast Asia League Championship. The Hounds repeated as champs, taking the series 4-2 over the Green Dragons. It was Hanoi’s third pennant, as they had also won in 1986.



Mumbai gave Hanoi a fierce fight in the 29^th South Asia Baseball Championship. However, the record-setting Hounds prevailed in a seven-game classic to repeat as champs. They became the fourth SAB franchise to earn a repeat, joining Ahmedabad, Ho Chi Minh City, and Pune.

1B Devavesman Toppo was the playoff hero for Hanoi, winning finals MVP and LCS MVP. The 29-year old Indian in 16 starts had 23 hits, 12 runs, 4 doubles, 10 home runs, and 20 RBI. He and league MVP Majed Darwish both set the new playoff HR record with 10. Toppo was also one RBI short of Deepak Rahim’s record from 1995.



With their 120-42 record, 1006 runs, and repeat title, some argue the 2008 Hanoi squad is SAB’s all-time best. They were not the winningest champ with Ahmedabad at 124-38 in 1995 and Ho Chi Minh City at 122-40 in 2004 and 121-41 in 2005. Still, some argue the Hounds deserve props for doing it in a more competitive league.

Other notes: Tirtha Upadhyaya became the first SAB slugger to 800 career home runs. He also became the fifth to reach 2500 career hits, while David Rusli breached that mark a few months earlier. Van Khang Nguyen became the sixth pitcher to 3500 strikeouts. Taj Kanikaraja became the second to 400 career saves. 2B/SS Sameer Sheikh and 3B Jatinder Chowdhary both became eight-time Silver Slugger winners.

Kanpur’s Buddu Danavat struck out 299 times, setting an all-time SAB worst that holds as of 2037. Visakhapatnam’s Kasi Kumar had a .3997 batting average, the third best in SAB history to that point. Mumbai reliever Mal Anand pitched 82 games, setting a SAB record that holds in 2037.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in WAB

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Abidjan took the top seed in the WAB Western League in 2008 at 106-56. It was the fourth straight playoff berth for the Athletes, but their first time taking the top spot since 2001. Three-time defending WL champ Monrovia also extended their playoff streak to four, taking second at 97-65. Nouakchott repeated as the third place team at 88-74. The Night Riders finished one game ahead of Accra for the final playoff spot.

Western League MVP was Nouakchott DH Francisco de Gouvela. The 26-year old Bissau-Guinean was in his second year with the Night Riders after being traded from Cotonou. De Gouvela led in runs scored (114) and added 202 hits, 46 doubles, 20 home runs, 98 RBI, 80 stolen bases, a .317/.391/.518 slash, and 6.9 WAR. Nouakchott gave him a four-year, $17,320,000 extension in April 2008.

Abidjan’s Arthur Boateng picked up Pitcher of the Year. The 24-year old Ghanaian lefty led in wins (21-7), strikeouts (277), and WAR (6.2). Boateng added a 2.42 ERA over 245.1 innings for a 155 ERA+. He also earned an extension from the Athletes, inking four years at $12,240,000 in May.

Monrovia swept Nouakchott in the wild card round, sending the Diplomats to their fourth straight Western League Championship Series. Abidjan was the top seed in their first WLCS since their 1999-01 pennants. Monrovia earned the road upset 3-2 to secure a fourth title in a row. It is the second time in WL history that a team four-peated with the Diplomats joining Abidjan’s 1992-95 run.



Kano and Lagos tied for first in the Eastern League standings at 97-65. The tiebreaker went to the Condors, who bounced back after seeing their 12-year playoff streak snapped the prior year. It also guaranteed Kano’s 13^th appearance in 14 years in the ELCS. The Lizards also bounced back after just missing the postseason in 2007, earning their fifth berth in six years.

Ouagadougou repeated as a wild card, taking the third place spot at 92-70. The Osprey was four games ahead of defending WAB Champion and two-time defending EL champ Niamey at 88-74. Last year’s ELCS runner-up Ibadan was fifth at 82-80.

Lagos RF Luc Mariam repeated as Eastern League MVP. The 31-year old Ivorian righty led in home runs (61), RBI (142), total bases (411), slugging (.751), OPS (1.121), and wRC+ (196). Mariam added 8.4 WAR and a .335 batting average, winning his seventh Silver Slugger. He signed a four-year, $15,600,000 extension the next spring with the Lizards, but struggled with knee injuries in his final seasons.

Third-year Ibadan righty Kamal Abdallah was the Pitcher of the Year, leading in quality starts (19). The 23-year old Sudanese righty had a 15-7 record over 222.2 innings, 2.83 ERA, 267 strikeouts, 148 ERA+, and 5.5 WAR. It was the one great season in an otherwise forgettable career. Abdallah would be out of the game before his 30^th birthday.

Lagos outlasted Ouagadougou 2-1 in the wild card round, sending the Lizards to their third Eastern League Championship Series in six years. Lagos had lost in their last four ELCS appearances. The Lizards reversed that trend, upsetting Kano 3-1. This was the 10^th pennant for Lagos, but their first since 1992.



The 34^th West African Championship was a seven game thriller between Monrovia and Lagos. The Diplomats prevailed for their second title in three years. For the Lizards, it was their second-ever finals defeat, putting them at 8-2 all-time. SS Abiodun Inyang was finals MVP and LCS MVP as the 25-year old Nigerian had 14 playoff starts, 24 hits, 10 runs, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 11 RBI, and 7 stolen bases. Inyang was one hit short of the WB playoff record.



Other notes: Freetown’s Ikechukwu Onyia hit 64 doubles, which was second-most in a WAB season behind Florencio Hernandez’s 68 from 1998. Jack Kiadii was the fourth member of the 2500 hit club and the third to 1500 RBI. SS Tchiressoua Yao won his eighth Gold Glove. 1B Ahamad Mathew won his eighth Silver Slugger.

Darwin Morris won his WAB record 15^th Silver Slugger at shortstop. He finished the season with 2697 hits, passing Abel Alemu’s 2692 to become the WAB hit king. Morris was already the all-time runs, homers, RBI, and WAR leaders. It was Morris’s final Silver Slugger as he’d deal with injuries in his final years, although he still had six more pro seasons left.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in CLB



The Chinese Northern League was a tight battle with nine games separating first place from eighth. None of the 2007 playoff teams made it back in 2008 with two of them (Beijing and Dalian) finishing below .500. Shanghai took first at 91-71 to end a two-year playoff drought. It was the Seawolves fifth-ever playoff berth, but their first time taking the top spot in the standings.

The other playoff spots went to Qingdao (89-73) and Zhengzhou (87-75). Both teams earned their second berth in three years. Also in the hunt were Tianjin (86-76), Nanjing (83-79), Harbin (82-80), last year’s China Series runner-up Jinan (82-80), and Shenyang (82-80).

Jinan LF Mingchao Xu won Northern League MVP, leading in triples (23) and batting average (.307). The 26-year old lefty had 175 hits, 15 home runs, a 184 wRC+, and 8.1 WAR. The Jumbos signed Xu to a massive eight-year, $68,500,000 after the 2009 season.

Dalian’s Cheng Song won his fourth Pitcher of the Year in five years. He became the fourth CLB pitcher to win POTY four times. The 32-year old righty led in wins (21-6), strikeouts (326), complete games (21), shutouts (7), and WAR (9.2). Song had a 1.68 ERA over 262 innings and a 151 ERA+. Song had only one year left with the Gold Dragons, then played his final three years in Europe for Naples. Also of note, Harbin’s Boyang Cao won his fourth Reliever of the Year.



Macau made history in the Southern League at 118-44. This was the second-most wins in CLB history (and still is in 2037) behind Tianjin’s 123-39 from 1971. Macau led all of China in runs (617) and runs allowed (379). The Magicians ended a two-year playoff drought. Macau beat their own Southern League record for wins, having gone 115-47 in 1990.

Chengdu was second at 97-65, ending a nine-year playoff drought. The only 2007 playoff team to make it back in 2008 was defending CLB champ Hong Kong. The Champions were third at 88-74, beating Wuhan by three games and Changsha by five. The Cannons saw their playoff streak end at five seasons. After getting a wild card last year, Dongguan imploded and had China’s worst record at 56-106.

Southern League MVP was Macau 1B Huiqiang Deng in his third season. The 23-year old lefty won a Gold Glove and led in runs (100), OBP (.365), slugging (.561), OPS (.926), wRC+ (229), and WAR (10.6). Deng also had 158 hits, 39 home runs, and a .289 average. The Magicians would lock him up long-term after the 2010 season with an eight-year, $52,940,000 extension. Deng had a nice career, but wasn’t a MVP candidate ever again.

Macau also had the Pitcher of the Year Jing Htet. The 29-year old righty led in wins (24-2), quality starts (28), and WAR (8.8). His .923 winning percentage is the single-season record for CLB starters. Htet added a 1.64 ERA over 246.2 innings with 294 strikeouts and a 144 ERA+. Htet had one more year with the Magicians before leaving for Europe and a six-year, $39,900,000 deal with Madrid.

Macau also had 67 saves as a pitching staff, the second-most in CLB history behind Wuhan’s 74 from 1974. The Magicians’ Jingzhe Wu won Reliever of the Year with 55 saves, which was the third-most in CLB history behind Encai Xing’s 57 in 1974 and Zhibin Liao’s 56 in 2003.

Both Northern League teams won their first round playoff matchups against the Southern League rivals with Zhengzhou over Chengdu and Qingdao over Hong Kong, both 2-1. This sent the Zips to their second semifinal in three years, while it was the Devils’ first semifinal since 1992. Both semifinals ended up being seven game classics.

Qingdao shocked Macau, denying the Magicians despite their record-setting campaign. On the other side, Shanghai outlasted Zhengzhou. It was the second-ever finals berth for both winners and guaranteed a first-time CLB champ. Qingdao was the 1992 runner-up and Shanghai was the 1976 runner-up. This was also the first time since 1998 that the finals had two Northern League teams facing off.



In the 39^th China Series, Shanghai downed Qingdao 4-1. The Seawolves became the 16^th different CLB franchise to win it all. Pitcher Xin Chen was finals MVP in only his second season. He had four playoff starts with a 2-1 record, 31 innings, 1.45 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and 2 walks.



Other notes: Shenyang had only 996 hits as a team, the second lowest in Northern League history at that point. Hong Kong’s Yuyin Liu had a 21 strikeout game over 11 innings against Guangzhou. This was one strikeout short of Martin Cui’s 22 from 1996. CF Martin Schindler won his eighth Gold Glove. RF Minghui Ruan won his eighth Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in APB

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The Philippine League was very top heavy in 2008 with the top three records in the Taiwan-Philippine Association. Davao earned the PL crown for the fourth straight year with a 105-57 record. Manila was a strong second at 100-62, while Cebu was 92-70.

The Taiwan League finished with an 87-75 tie between defending TPA champ Kaohsiung and Taoyuan. The Tsunami won the one-game tiebreaker to oust the reigning champ Steelheads. It was Taoyuan’s first pennant since their back-to-back Austronesia Championship wins from 1996-97. Taipei was also in the mix at 82-80, five games back. That was their first winning season since 2000.

Taipei’s Ching-Hui Lin repeated as Taiwan-Philippine Association MVP. In his third full season, the 24-year old designated hitter led in RBI (112), total bases (376), OBP (.384), slugging (.621), OPS (1.006), wRC+ (206), and WAR (9.1). Lin added 196 hits, 105 runs, 41 home runs, and a .324 average. The Tigercats gave Lin an eight-year, $98,400,000 extension after the 2008 seasons. This made him one of the first APB players to make eight figures per year.

For the second time in three years, Taoyuan’s Komalat Sawaengsri was Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Thai righty led in ERA (1.13) and WHIP (0.68). Sawaengsri had a 16-4 record, 222.2 innings, 288 strikeouts, 9.3 WAR, and 252 ERA+. He would leave for Taichung after the 2010 season, struggling with injuries after leaving Taoyuan. His teammate M.C. Liu also became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner.



The Sundaland Association’s best record was Singapore at 97-65 atop the Malacca League. It was the first playoff berth or winning season since 2003 for the Sharks. Medan was a distant second at 88-74. The new members Kuala Lumpur (64-98) and Johor Bahru (54-108) both struggled in their APB debut seasons.

Defending APB champ Surabaya won the Java Sea League for the third straight year. The Sunbirds were 93-69, edging out Semarang (91-71) Bandung (88-74), and Jakarta (87-75). It was the first time in the Java Sea League for Palembang, who won the Malacca League the prior year. The Panthers struggled to 73-89 after getting moved.

Sundaland Association MVP was Surabaya 1B Aluii Nguyen in his third full season on roster. The 24-year old Cambodian lefty led in slugging (.625), and OPS (.982). Nguyen had 45 home runs, 83 RBI, a .296 average, 241 wRC+, and 9.0 WAR. The Sunbrids would lock him up after the 2009 season on an eight-year, $83,600,000 deal.

Depok’s Michael Gam was the Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. The 26-year old Indonesian lefty led in WHIP (0.71) and innings pitched (274.1). Gam had a 17-15 record, 1.57 ERA, 315 strikeouts, 159 ERA+, and 7.4 WAR. He’d have a few more nice seasons with the Crows before leaving for CABA and falling off in his 30s.

In the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship, Taoyuan defeated Davao 4-2. It was the TPA-record eighth pennant for the Tsunami (1971, 78, 82, 83, 94, 96, 97, 08). Surabaya’s bid for a Sundaland Association Championship three-peat was thwarted as Singapore won a seven game thriller. It was the second-ever pennant for the Sharks, joining their 1996 win.



Singapore wouldn’t win their first Austronesia Championship as Taoyuan took the 44^th finale 4-1. The Tsunami tied Jakarta for the most APB rings with six, having also won it all in 1978, 82, 83, 96, and 97. LF Tung-Hua Yu won finals MVP in his seventh season for Taoyuan. The six-time Gold Glove winner had 11 playoff starts, 14 hits, 8 runs, 3 doubles, 2 homers, and 7 RBI.



Other notes: Davao’s Junior Sanchez set the single-season APB record with 130 stolen bases, passing Beau Cabral’s 121 from 2004. Sanchez still has the top mark as of 2037. Cabral had a 34-game hit streak, setting the APB record. The previous best was 28 games by three players. Cabral’s mark would hold until 2032.

The 29^th and 30^th perfect games in APB were thrown in 2008. On May 1, Taichung’s Kan-Lin Tung struck out 11 against Taoyuan. On July 4, Medan’s Bo Sun fanned 15 against Batam. Dedi Dewi became the ninth pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts.

Manila had 112 triples as a team, the second-best in TPA history. Hsinchu had 71 home runs, the second-worst in TPA history. In their APB debut, Johor Bahru’s offense had a .232 on-base percentage, setting a new Sundaland Association low. SS Shan Jakar won his seventh Gold Glove. CF Paolo Baptista won his eighth Silver Slugger and SS Chi-Chao Shih won his seventh.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2008 in OBA

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Melbourne’s Australasia League dynasty continued with a record-setting season for the four-time defending Oceania Champions. The Mets were 114-48, setting a new AL wins record. The previous best was 111 wins by Perth in 1978. It was the second-best in OBA history behind only Guam’s 119-43 in 1999. They became the first OBA team in either league to win six straight pennants as well. Melbourne passed Adelaide for the most AL titles with 10.

The Mets led the AL in runs scored (829) and fewest allowed (566). They also set an AL record with 59 saves. Brisbane had a great franchise-best 102-60 record, but was still 12 games back in second. Christchurch took third at 91-71.

Brisbane 3B Marlon Russell took Australasia League MVP. The 29-year old Australian lefty led in hits (207), RBI (128), average (.353), OPS (1.027), and WAR (10.5). Russell had 44 homers, falling three short of a Triple Crown. He added 108 runs and a 168 wRC+. In spring training, the Black Bears gave Russell a four-year, $22,700,000 extension.

Christchurch’s Joel Wilson earned Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Australian lefty led in quality starts (32), WAR (7.5), and walks (105). Wilson had a 23-11 record and 2.70 ERA over 296.2 innings with 264 strikeouts and a 150 ERA+. He had one more year with the Chinooks, then was traded to Guam for a ten year run with the Golden Eagles.



Tahiti repeated as Pacific League champion and won their fifth title in six years. The Tropics finished 104-58, finishing seven games ahead of Samoa and 11 better than Honolulu. This gave Tahiti 10 PL pennants, still behind the 13 by both Guam and Honolulu.

Arjita Gabeja became a four-time Pacific League MVP. The 29-year old left fielder for Tahiti led in home runs (49), RBI (109), OBP (.383), OPS (1.002), and wRC+ (195). The Fijian lefty added a .290 average and 6.5 WAR. Gabeja became the sixth OBA player to win four or more MVP. He also won his seventh Silver Slugger.

Samoa’s Austin Jong repeated as Pitcher of the Year. The 23-year old Papuan led in strikeouts (472), WHIP (0.81), complete games (20), FIP- (46), and WAR (14.1). Jong added a 2.31 ERA and 19-13 record over 319.2 innings with a 151 ERA+. His 472 Ks was the fifth most in a season and his 14.1 WAR ranked sixth. He also had a 20 strikeout game against Timor in September. Jong signed a seven-year, $26,560,000 extension prior to the 2008 season.



The 49^th Oceania Championship was the fifth meeting in six years between Melbourne and Tahiti. The Tropics won the first battle in 2003, but the Mets had won fourth straight titles with wins in 2004, 05, and 07 over Tahiti. The only other time in pro baseball history where the finals had the same teams five times in six years was in South Asia Baseball between Ahmedabad and Ho Chi Minh City.

In a seven game battle, the Tropics denied Melbourne’s five-peat hopes. This made Tahiti four-time OBA champs (1965, 1975, 2003, 2008). 3B Ueli Nakanelua won finals MVP as the 30-year old Samoan had 10 hits, 3 runs, 1 double, 2 homers, and 6 RBI.



Other notes: New Caledonia’s Ethan Juuderbiddil had OBA’s 11^th perfect game on July 2, striking out 12 against Guadalcanal. Ian Griff and Dane Molitor became the sixth and seventh batters to reach 2500 career hits. Timothy Manglona was the fifth pitcher to 250 career wins.