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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 WAB Hall of Fame

Two starting pitchers secured first ballot inductions for the 2001 West Africa Baseball Hall of Fame. Both made it easily as well with Paul Akpan at 92.3% and Bijou Kalumbu at 91.3%. 2B Endurance Jacob came close to the 66% requirement, but fell short on his tenth and final try at 60.1%. The other player above 50% was Elodie Belem at 57.0% on his fourth try.



For Jacob, his last try was his best effort after usually hovering in the 30-50% range. He was hurt by officially debuting at age 27, limiting his accumulations. In only five years, he won two Silver Sluggers and had 1249 hits, 880 runs, 229 doubles, 111 triples, 403 home runs, 978 RBI, a .219/.297/.509 slash, 127 wRC+, and 33.2 WAR. Jacob was the third guy to reach 400 career home runs, but he also struck out a ton and was a terrible defender. He was part of three championship teams with Lagos and had 18 home runs in 65 playoff starts, making him worth a look.

LF Arafat Soumah also fell off the ballot after ten tries, although he never got higher than 15.1%. He had an 11 year career, winning seven Gold Gloves and one Silver Slugger with 1707 hits, 748 runs, 295 doubles, 127 home runs, 696 RBI, a .311/.361/.468 slash, 137 wRC+, and 51.8 WAR. Soumah was a great defender and good leadoff man, but lacked the power numbers and longevity needed to get more attention. He did also win two titles with Lagos.



Paul Akpan – Starting Pitcher – Lagos Lizards – 92.3% First Ballot

Paul Akpan was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Konduga, a small town of around 13,400 in northeastern Nigeria. Akpan was a fireballer with 99-101 mph velocity on a stellar fastball. He had great stuff generally as he also boasted a good changeup and okay curveball. Akpan had solid control, but his movement was below average. His stamina was quite solid with good durability and defense. Akpan was also praised for a strong work ethic.

He threw hard even from a young age, drawing attention from Nigerian scouts as a teenager. In December 1980, Kano ended up inking him to a developmental deal. Many fans don’t realize he started with the Condors organization, since he never threw a pitch for them. After spending time in their academy, he was part of a four player trade in November 1985 to Lagos.

Akpan was called up by the Lizards in 1986 with nine relief appearances at age 21. He was used as a reliever in 1987 and struck out 100 in 77 innings, earning Reliever of the Year honors. Lagos moved Akpan to the rotation the next season, where he remained for the rest of his African run. He ended up being a critical piece of the Lizards’ sustained success. Akpan also pitched well for Nigeria in the World Baseball Championship from 1988-98, tossing 92.2 innings with a 2.72 ERA, 137 strikeouts, 130 ERA+, and 3.0 WAR.

Lagos would be the West African Champion in 1988, 1991, and 1992. Akpan was a tremendous playoff pitcher with 82 innings, a 7-3 record, 1.87 ERA, 109 strikeouts, 199 ERA+, and 1.8 WAR. The Lizards extended him after the 1989 season for five years and $3,576,000. From 1989-94, he had six straight seasons with 300+ strikeouts; not an easy feat in WAB.

Akpan’s best year would come in 1991 with a Triple Crown season with a 23-8 record, 1.64 ERA, and 346 strikeouts. He also led in WHIP, complete games, and WAR. Not only did Akpan win his lone Pitcher of the Year, but he secured Eastern League MVP as well. He is believed to be the only player in baseball history to have won an MVP, Pitcher of the Year, and a Reliever of the Year in a career.

Akpan was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1992 and third in 1993. He fell off a bit in 1994, but was still a solid starter. That wrapped up his WAB career, as Akpan opted to test out free agency at age 30. He had international suitors and ended up heading to Major League Baseball with a hefty four-year, $13,080,000 deal with Houston.

Akpan looked good with Houston, posting a 17-2 record and 3.02 ERA over 21 starts. However in a stunning move, the Hornets cut him in the summer of 1995. Many observers wondered what the true behind-the-scenes motivation for this move was, as it certainly wasn’t a performance issue. Akpan was also a well-liked guy generally and not one you’d think would be fired as a malcontent. Either way, he was picked up in mid August and finished the season with Calgary.

A free agent again at age 31, Akpan signed a two-year, $7,360,000 deal with Philadelphia. He ate innings for the Phillies, but was only marginally above average there. For his MLB tenure, Akpan had a 46-30 record, 3.29 ERA, 731 innings, 572 strikeouts, 111 ERA+, and 8.8 WAR. After the 1997 season, he was 33 years old and looking for his next home. Akpan didn’t return home to Africa, instead ending up the European Baseball Federation. He signed a four-year, $13,000,000 contract with Vienna.

He looked good in his first season with the Vultures, but ended up having elbow troubles. In mid July, he was diagnosed with a stretched elbow ligament, costing him 11 months. Akpan wasn’t the same pitcher when he returned with a notable drop in velocity. He was below average in 1999, then had a rotator cuff strain in 2000. Akpan was only used in two relief appearances, retiring after the season at age 36. While in Austria, he had a 16-13 record, 3.52 ERA, 271 innings, 242 strikeouts, 110 ERA+, and 5.5 WAR.

For his entire pro career, Akpan had a 204-110 record, 2.80 ERA, 2816.1 innings, 3229 strikeouts, 133 ERA+, and 60.8 WAR. For his WAB run with Lagos, he had a 142-67 record and 47 saves, 2.49 ERA, 1814.1 innings, 2415 strikeouts, 162/212 quality starts, 63 complete games, 149 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 46.6 WAR. It was impressive dominance, although he’s not high on the leaderboards since he only had seven seasons as a starter for the Lizards. Akpan was dominant in that stretch and a beast in the postseason, which led to Lagos retiring his #4 uniform. The voters were won over easily, putting Akpan in at 92.3% as a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2001.



Bijou Kalumbu – Starting Pitcher – Kumasi Monkeys – 91.3% First Ballot

Bijou Kalumbu was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kalumbu had excellent control with very good movement and solid stuff. He had a terrific 97-99 mph fastball, a great curveball, and an okay slider. Kalumbu had respectable stamina, but his defense and ability to hold runners were lackluster. He was very well liked in the clubhouse, considered to be loyal, intelligent, and a hard worker.

The DR Congo didn’t have a developed baseball scene at that point, not getting major teams until the African Association of Baseball started in 1995. Growing up in the capital though, Kalumbu was still able to get some attention from crafty WAB scouts. At age 16, Kalumbu signed a developmental deal with Kumasi, bringing him up to Ghana.

He’d spend nearly his entire WAB career in Ghana, making his official debut in 1980 at age 19. He only made two relief appearances that year and one the next. Kalumbu became a full-time starter from 1982 onward and was viewed as the Monkeys’ ace for a decade. He came up during the middle of what was a record 14-year playoff streak for Kumasi.

Kalumbu had a stellar 1984, posting career bests in ERA (1.89), FIP (43), and 10.9 WAR. He was second in Pitcher of the Year voting, but earned a five-year, $1,492,000 contract extension. Kalumbu led in ERA the next year, suffered a ruptured finger tendon that cost him the second half of the season. He also missed the postseason run as Kumasi won the Western League pennant, falling in the WAB Championship to Lagos.

Kumasi ultimately never won it all during their playoff streak. They did make it to the WAB Championship thrice (1985, 1987, 1991) and twice more got to the WLCS. Kalumbu was respectable in his playoff appearances with a 3.38 ERA in 98.2 innings, a 6-3 record, 113 strikeouts, only 9 walks, a 106 ERA+, and 3.1 WAR. A fractured shoulder blade cost him much of the early part of 1986, but Kalumbu stayed healthy for the following three seasons.

In 1988, he led the WL in innings and posted a career-best 346 strikeouts and 28 quality starts, along with 8.9 WAR. This earned Kalumbu his lone Pitcher of the Year. In June 1989, Kumasi committed to a six-year, $5,280,000 extension. He lost a chunk of 1990 to a strained hamstring, but was steady and solid generally throughout that extension. In 1993, he became WAB’s seventh pitcher to reach 3000 career strikeouts,

Kumasi’s playoff streak ended with a 79-83 record in 1992 and by 1994, they bottomed out at 67-95. The Monkeys were sellers and looked to get trade value from Kalumbu in the final year of his deal. He was sent to Ibadan for three prospects in July 1995. Kalumbu reached 3500 strikeouts in his brief stay with the Iguanas, the fourth pitcher to hit the mark. He kept good relations with Kumasi officials and his #8 uniform would get retired.

Ibadan was the two-time reigning Eastern League champ, but fell in the first round in 1995. Kalumbu was middling in his brief stay there and struggled in his one playoff start. The Iguanas didn’t re-sign him and he was a free agent for the first time at age 35. He also pitched for the first time in 1995 in the World Baseball Championship as the DR Congo finally qualified. Kalumbu pitched for them from 1995-97, but struggled with a 5.84 ERA in six starts.

Kalumbu made an unexpected move to New Zealand, signing a three-year deal starting in 1996 with OBA’s Christchurch worth $4,460,000. He gave them very average results in 1996. Then in 1997, Kalumbu struggled before suffering a torn UCL. That effectively ended his career, retiring that winter at age 37.

In WAB, Kalumbu had a 191-128 record, 2.86 ERA, 2960 innings, 3514 strikeouts, 437 walks, 267/423 quality starts, 45 complete games, 128 ERA+, 69 FIP-, and 85.6 WAR. He retired only 0.3 behind Power Bonou for the pitching WARlord in WAB history and still sits second as of 2037. Kalumbu is also ninth in strikeouts and 16^th in wins as of 2037. Advanced stats show that Kalumbu was perhaps underappreciated in his time. The Hall of Fame voters though acknowledged him without much prodding, giving him 91.3% and a first ballot induction in 2001.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 SAB Hall of Fame

For the first time in its brief history, South Asia Baseball had a Hall of Fame class with multiple players in 2001. The Hall grew to eight total with the first ballot nods of RF Johar Rai (91.3%) and 1B Andee Siddharth (83.2%). Catcher Krish Balvinder barely missed out with 64.2% in his third attempt. Closer Jason Mayekar fell short in his tenth and final try with 58.1%. Also above 50% was LF Indirjeet Dayada at 51.9%.



For Mayekar, he peaked at 59.6% in 2000 and hovered around 40-50% most of the time. He was hurt by starting his career officially at age 28 and stepping away at age 34. Mayekar had only seven actual seasons, but led in saves five times and won Reliever of the Year once. He had 254 saves, a 1.72 ERA, 574.2 innings, 1038 strikeouts, 197 ERA+, and 29.3 WAR. With a longer tenure, his dominance likely gets him in.

Also dropped after ten ballots was Amardita Nidheesh, who only had seven official seasons as well. He peaked with his debut at 24.9% and ended at 10.6%. Nidheesh had 178 saves, a 1.52 ERA, 438 innings, 708 strikeouts, a 232 ERA+, and 23.9 WAR. Very impressive dominance but again over too small a sample size.



Johar “Pop” Rai – Right/Left Field – Ahmedabad Animals – 91.3% First Ballot

Johar Rai was a 6’3’’, 195 pound right-handed corner outfielder from Baripada, a city of 116,000 people in eastern India’s Mayurbhanj district. Rai was a very good home run hitter and a solid contract hitter. He had an above average eye for drawing walks, but a below average strikeout rate. Rai had a strong pop in his bat, averaging 41 home runs and 28 doubles per 162 games. As a baserunner, he was slow and uncoordinated.

Defensively, Rai made about 3/4s of his starts in right field with the rest in left. He was a below average defender due to poor range, but had a decent enough arm to not be a liability with his glove. Rai was incredibly durable, playing 138+ games in all but his final season. He was adaptable and worked hard, becoming an extremely popular early figure of Indian baseball.

Rai was a part of the very first rookie draft for South Asia Baseball and was one of the most coveted prospects. He was picked ninth overall by Mumbai, who made him a full-time starter right away. Rai didn’t have his full power in his first two seasons, although he was still a respectable slugger. He emerged as a true slugger in his fourth season with his first of five 50+ dinger efforts and his first of nine 100+ RBI seasons.

With the Meteors, Rai won Silver Sluggers in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987. He was third in 1984’s MVP voting, second in 1986, and third in 1987. Rai was the leader in home runs in both 1985 and 1986, posting a career best 58 in 1985. Rai had a career and league best 135 RBI in 1985. It would be 1987 that was his best season by WAR (9.4) and his only full season with a batting average above .300.

Despite his best efforts, Mumbai didn’t make the playoffs in his run. They did improve to post winning records by the end of his tenure. Rai also played for India in the World Baseball Championship from 1984-93 with 66 games and 43 starts. In the WBC, he had 39 hits, 24 runs, 9 home runs, 23 RBI, a .234/.348/.431 slash, and 1.4 WAR.

For his seven seasons with Mumbai, Rai had 1117 hits, 557 runs, 178 doubles, 287 home runs, 712 RBI, a .282/.349/.554 slash, 172 wRC+, and 45.7 WAR. By WAR, it was his most productive spot of his career, but Rai would be far more known and recognized for his second run. That began when he left for free agency after the 1987 at age 30. Rai moved across the division and inked a seven-year, $2,076,000 deal with Ahmedabad.

The Animals were coming off back-to-back SAB Championships, but their dynasty was only getting started. Rai played a big role in that, as they won 107+ games in each of his eight seasons in Ahmedabad. The Animals got to the ILCS each time and won additional SAB titles in 1989, 90, 91, 92, 94, and 95. Rai won Silver Sluggers in 1988, 89, 90, 92, and 94; giving him nine for his career.

His lone MVP came in the 1992 season at age 34. It was the only time he smacked 50+ homers with Ahmedabad, leading the Indian League with 53. Rai also had a career-best 110 runs and added 116 RBI and 8.7 WAR. The next year, Rai became the first player in SAB history to have 500 career home runs. He’d be joined three months later by teammate VJ Williams and the next year by teammate and Hall of Fame classmate Andee Siddharth.

Rai was a key playoff performer for those stacked Animals squads. In total, he played 104 games with 102 hits, 52 runs, 25 doubles, 18 home runs, 62 RBI, a .272/.329/.515 slash, 154 wRC+, and 4.1 WAR. His role on the dynasty made him an extremely popular player and associated him strongly with Ahmedabad, even if his most impressive statistical seasons came with Mumbai. Rai’s #3 uniform would eventually be retired by the Animals as well.

Rai’s contract expired after the 1994 season and Ahmedabad brought him back on a one year deal. He had still looked good in the prior years, but was moved to a bench and pinch hitting role. The 1995 squad won the title with a all-time best 124-38 record, beating 124-win Ho Chi Minh City in the final. Rai saw little use on the stacked roster, but still had a .308 average and 7 home runs in 52 at bats. He wanted to still play in 1996, but no teams were interested at his asking price. Rai retired that winter at age 38.

For his career, Rai had 2201 hits, 1159 runs, 386 doubles, 567 home runs, 1458 RBI, a .281/.345/.558 slash, 176 wRC+, and 89.7 WAR. At retirement, he was second all-time in home runs and RBI behind VJ Williams. Rai’s accumulations would slide down the leaderboards as SAB became a high offense environment in later years, but he was one of the first great sluggers and one of the many key pieces in the Ahmedabad dynasty, picking up six rings. Rai was an easy first ballot choice, getting 91.3% with the 2001 class.



Andee “Rattler” Siddharth – First Base – Ahmedabad Animals – 83.2% First Ballot

Andee Siddharth was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed first baseman from Malaj Khand, a town with about 32,000 people in central India known for having Asia’s biggest open copper mines. Siddharth had prolific home run power that was graded as a 10/10 at his peak. He was merely an okay contact hitter and struggled with strikeouts, but his power profile allowed him to draw plenty of walks. Siddharth also got you around 30 doubles per year, but he wasn’t going to stretch out extra bases with his legs. He was an incredibly slow and lousy baserunner.

Siddharth was exclusively a first baseman, making every single start of his career there. He was a very good defender at the spot as well, winning three Gold Gloves in his career. Siddharth was very durable, playing 150+ games each year from 1985-94.

In the first SAB rookie draft in 1980, Siddharth was picked 11^th overall by Ahmedabad. While many greats of the era eventually joined the Animals during their dynasty, Siddharth was there from the start. He was picked as a 19-year old and wasn’t immediately thrown into the fire. Siddharth debuted with three pinch hit appearances in 1982 at age 20. He played 67 games in 1983, then was a full-time starter from 1984 onward.

By 1985, Siddharth’s home run power was apparent. He had six seasons with 50+ home runs, leading the Indian League four times. Siddharth also led in runs scored twice, RBI four times, and total bases twice. He won Silver Sluggers from 1987-90 and won Gold Gloves in 1985, 86, and 91. Siddharth also played sporadically for India in the World Baseball Championship from 1985-93, playing 39 games with 17 starts

In 1987, Siddharth became the new SAB single season home run king with 67 and the first to pass 150+ RBI with 153. He got 153 RBI again two years later and 66 home runs that year. Siddharth’s home run mark held until 1998 as the single-season best. 1989 also saw 131 runs scored and 9.9 WAR, earning Siddharth his only MVP. He was third in MVP voting in 1986, second in 1987, third in 1988, and second in 1994.

Ahmedabad’s dynasty kicked off officially in 1986 and Siddharth was a massive part of it. He won eight championship rings (1986-87, 89-92, 94-95). After the second title in 1987, Siddharth re-signed on a massive eight-year, $7,090,000 deal. He made history by winning SAB Championship MVP three times (1987, 89, 94). In 133 playoff games and 121 starts, Siddharth had 115 hits, 69 runs, 32 doubles, 38 home runs, 90 RBI, a .260/.335/.595 slash, 188 wRC+, and 6.5 WAR. As of 2037, Siddharth is still fifth all-time in playoff homers and sixth in RBI.

Siddharth became the third SAB batter to 500 career home runs, leading with 57 dingers and 113 in RBI. However, he declined significantly the next year, getting benched early in the season. Siddharth had a .168 batting average and was mostly a pinch hitter on Ahmedabad’s 124-win 1995 team. This was Siddharth’s eighth and final ring.

The Animals let him go after the 1995 season, making Siddharth a free agent for the first time at age 34. He wanted to still play and was extremely popular, but no team wanted to or could afford to commit to the big money he wanted. Siddharth went unsigned in both 1996 and 1997, but wasn’t officially retired until winter 1997. Ahmedabad would bring him back to retire his #13 uniform once he announced he was done.

Siddharth’s career stats saw 1613 hits, 1114 runs, 350 doubles, 561 home runs, 1302 RBI, .254/.333/.584 slash, 179 wRC+, and 75.1 WAR. Like Johar Rai, Siddharth was one of the first big boppers in South Asia Baseball. He was especially impressive in the playoffs and a key part in establishing the great Ahmedabad dynasty. Siddharth received 83.2% of the vote to earn a first ballot spot in the 2001 Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 ABF/ALB Hall of Fame

Catcher Razak Mohiyoudeen became the first player to receive more than 50% in Hall of Fame voting for the Asian Baseball Federation. He still was just short of the 66% requirement with 63.2%, leaving ABF still without its first inductee. Only one other player was above 1/3s with SP Rais Khawaja’s 36.8% second ballot effort.



Arab League Baseball still wasn’t particularly close to their first inductee. On his second try, closer Paul Arfaoui was again narrowly above the 1/3s mark with 34.6%. No one else was above single-digits.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 World Baseball Championship

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The 55^th World Baseball Championship was the first hosted in South America since 1989, this time centered around Maracaibo, Venezuela. Division 1 was one of the most competitive ever with Honduras narrowly taking it at 6-3. Seven other teams were one game back at 5-4. The Hondurans advanced to the elite eight for the third time-ever (1947, 1984). D2 was also super tight with the reigning world champion United States first at 7-2. The Philippines, Poland, and Ukraine were each one back at 6-3 with two others two back. The Americans moved to the elite eight for the 46^th time.

Division 3 had Canada first at 7-2, edging 6-3 efforts by China and the DR Congo. The Canadians repeated as division champs, advancing for the 34^th time. In D4, there was a three-way tie for first between Russia, Puerto Rico, and Japan. The tiebreakers went to the Russians, advancing for the 14^th time and the first time since 1996. In Division 5, Venezuela (7-2) topped Algeria and Australia by a game. This was the fifth time to the elite eight for the Venezuelans and first since 1989. Argentina was one of only two 8-1 teams in the 2001 WBC, taking Division 6 by a game over Cuba and two games over Brazil and South Korea. The Argentinians became 11-time division champs, but they hadn’t gotten that far since 1989.

The other 8-1 team was Mexico atop Division 7, two ahead of Italy and Nigeria. The Mexicans won their fourth division title in five years and advanced for the 24^th time. Division 8 saw a stunning win for Myanmar at 7-2. Last year’s runner-up and 1999 champ Indonesia was second at 6-3 along with Pakistan. The Burmese became the 70^th unique nation to make it to the elite eight at least once.

Round Robin Group A was a true tie as Honduras, Canada, Mexico, and Myanmar all went 3-3. After sorting through a mess of tiebreakers, the Mexicans and Burmese advanced to the semifinal. It was the 14^th time going to the semifinal for Mexico and the fourth time in five years. Group B had the United States and Russia both advancing at 4-2, while Argentina was 3-3 and Venezuela was 1-5. The Americans earned a 40^th semifinal appearance, while the Russian got their ninth and first since the 1990 runner-up effort.

The US cruised to a semifinal sweep of Myanmar, sending the Americans to the championship for the fifth time in six years. On the other side, Russia ousted Mexico 3-1. It was the fifth time Russia earned a finals berth. The Mexicans repeated as the third place team, while the Burmese earned fourth place in their first-ever semifinal appearance.



The 55^th World Championship was the third time that the United States and Russia met in the final. The Americans won their 1955 encounter, followed by the lone Russian title the next year with a rally from down 3-0. The US continued their dominance by rolling 4-1, winning a fifth title in six years. The Americans are now 32-4 all-time in the championship, while the Russians are 1-4.



Tournament MVP was American catcher Luca Adams, a 12-year veteran with San Francisco. In 20 starts, Adams had 23 hits, 11 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, 15 RBI, and 12 walks. The US also had the best pitcher Jeremy Dau, a third-year closer with Memphis. He set a still-standing WBC record with a 0.05 WHIP, allowing only one hit (a homer) in 18.1 innings. Dau had six saves in 11 appearances with a 0.49 ERA, 46 strikeouts, and no walks.

Other notes: Bolivia’s Uriel Navas tossed a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts and four walks versus Vietnam. Below are the updated all-time tournament stats.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in AAB

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Three-time defending Southern Conference champion Johannesburg had the top record yet again, rolling to a third straight first place at 108-54. The Jackalopes had a .369 team OBP, which holds as the third best in conference history as of 2037. Dar es Salaam repeated as the wild card with a 98-64 mark. The only squad remotely in striking distance was Antananarivo at 90-72. Also notable was Cape Town bottoming out at 54-108. It was only two years prior that the Cowboys had a four-year playoff streak.

Lilongwe finished seventh, but they had the Southern Conference MVP in RF Felix Chaula. The 25-year old Tanzanian righty led in home runs (63), RBI (122), total bases (401), slugging (.726), OPS (1.130), wRC+ (203), and WAR (9.5). His .310 batting average was also third in the SC. Pitcher of the Year was Dar es Salaam’s Mobutu Kandol. The 26-year old Congolese righty led in wins (25-7), ERA (2.57), innings (287.2), quality starts (26), FIP- (61), and WAR (10.2). His 292 strikeouts left him 12 short of a Triple Crown. Sadly, his career plummeted after this due to a torn flexor tendon. Kandol would pitch for another decade, but was resigned to being a subpar reliever.



The positions were switched in the Central Conference standings. After taking second for the first time last year, Lubumbashi earned the top spot at 105-57. Four-time defending AAB champ Kinshasa took second at 100-62, keeping the Sun Cats as the only team to make the playoffs in all seven seasons of AAB so far. Mogadishu was a distant third at 92-70.

Lubumbashi 1B Abede Chekol repeated as Central Conference MVP. The 25-year old Ethiopian lefty led in runs (117), total bases (376), average (.326), slugging (.656), OPS (1.066), and wRC+ (179). Chekol added 46 home runs and 116 RBI. His Loggerheads teammate and Ethiopian countryman Alemayehu Legesse won Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old righty led in wins (19-8), and WAR (8.0). Legesse added a 2.85 ERA over 252.2 innings with 236 strikeouts and had a no-hitter against Bujumbura. After the season, Lubumbashi gave him a three-year, $4,780,000 extension.

The Southern Conference Championship rematch saw Johannesburg prevail yet again, rolling Dar es Salaam 4-1. The Jackalopes earned a fourth consecutive pennant and their fifth in seven years. Kinshasa’s five-peat goals were thwarted with Lubumbashi sweeping them in the Central Conference Championship.



Johannesburg hoped that with Kinshasa out of the way, they could reclaim the throne. However, the seventh Africa Series went to Lubumbashi 5-3, making the Jackalopes runners up for the fourth year in a row. Conference MVP Abebe Chekol led the Loggerheads to their first-ever title, earning finals MVP as well. In 11 playoff starts, Chekol had 11 hits, 9 runs, 2 doubles, 3 home runs, and 5 RBI.



Other notes: Laurent Kouakou became the first player to 300 career home runs. Seven others would join him later in 2001. SS Ian Dube won his sixth Gold Glove. CF Bawaka Ngoie and C Denis Rakotoson won their sixth Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in ALB

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The battle for the top seed in the Western Conference was centered in the Mediterranean Division. Casablanca managed to earn a fourth straight division title at 99-63. They held off 98-64 Algiers, who had to stay home with only divisional champs advancing to the playoffs in ALB. That was a franchise best for the Arsenal, who is one of five teams without a playoff berth yet. Jerusalem repeated as Levant Division champ at 97-65, also fending off a strong foe in 93-69 Amman. Defending conference champ Cairo repeated in the Nile Division at 92-70, topping Alexandria by six games.

Giza was one of the worst teams in the Arab League at 58-104, but their two-way star Arabi al-Raddi couldn’t be denied Western Conference MVP. In only 94 games at the plate playing left field, the 29-year old Sudanese lefty hit 27 home runs with a .358 average, 1.150 OPS, 214 wRC+, and 5.7 WAR. On the mound, he had 5.2 WAR with a 2.83 ERA over 190.2 innings, 11-11 record, and 227 strikeouts. Injuries would limit al-Raddi’s potential, suffering a torn UCL early in 2002. Pitcher of the Year was Casablanca’s Mohamed Abdou in only his second season. The Egyptian left led in strikeouts (340), innings (286), quality starts (27), complete games (13), and WAR (7.9). Abdou added a 2.86 ERA and 17-11 record.

Cairo swept Jerusalem 2-0 in the first round, sending the Pharaohs to repeat Western Conference finals. Despite their five division titles in six years, this was Casablanca’s first WCF since their 1993-95 three-peat. The Bruins earned their fourth pennant, taking the final over Cairo 3-2.



Coming off their 121-win season and disappointing Eastern Conference Final defeat, Mosul again had the top record in the conference. The Muskies were 101-61, earning a seventh consecutive Iraq Division title. Jeddah won the Saudi Division at 96-66, topping reigning division winner Riyadh by three games. This gave the Jackals their third division title in four years. Dubai took the Gulf Division at 91-71, edging Doha by two games. This was the Diamonds’ second division win in three years. Kuwait, who shockingly won it all last year despite being 83-79, regressed to a mere 73-89 in 2001.

Basra was 89-73, still stuck by Mosul. It was Bulldogs LF Nordine Soule taking his second Eastern Conference MVP, leading in home runs (60), slugging (.727), OPS (1.130), and wRC+ (215). The 26-year old lefty from Comoros also had 123 RBI, a .334 average, and 10.2 WAR. Mosul’s Rashid Tariq won a historic sixth Pitcher of the Year; a mark only one ALB pitcher would match in the next 35 years. The 32-year old Iraqi righty led in wins (23-8), ERA (2.44), innings (284), and WAR (9.1). He added 282 strikeouts and a 1.01 WHIP.

Jeddah edged Dubai 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs, sending the Jackals to their second Eastern Conference Final in three years. For Mosul, it was their seventh straight season in the ECF, looking for their fourth pennant. The Muskies still had the bitter taste of last year’s stunning defeat to Kuwait and weren’t about to let that happen again. Mosul dropped Jeddah 3-1 to earn their third pennant in four years.



In the 12^th Arab League Championship, Mosul re-established the dynasty with a five game victory over Casablanca. The Muskies became the first team with three ALB titles and as of 2037, they’re the only ALB franchise to win three titles in a four year stretch. Finals MVP was 2B Said Choucair, a 27-year old Lebanese switch hitter. In 9 playoff starts, he had 11 hits, 5 runs, 3 doubles, 4 home runs, and 9 RBI.



This capped off an impressive dynasty run for Mosul, although they would never live down the stunning ECF defeat in 2000. Still, these would be remembered as the glory years for the Muskies, as they’d be without a pennant for the next 35 seasons and only make the conference finals twice in that stretch.

Other notes: Bilal Hamdan became the first ALB slugger to 500 career home runs. Hamdan also won his eighth Gold Glove at first base. Assad Fouad became the first pitcher to 3000 career strikeouts. Rashid Tariq and Mohamed Wael would also reach that mark in 2001. SS Mohammed Mohamed won his seventh Gold Glove and his eighth Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in ABF

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Three of the newcomers to the ABF repeated as playoff teams in 2000. Dushanbe and Bishkek tied for the top spot at 97-65 with first place officially going to the Dynamo. It was Dushanbe’s first time taking first since 1982. For the remaining two playoff spots, defending ABF champ Tashkent and Multan took them at 89-73. The Mighty Cocks had the tiebreaker to take third, while the Tomcats were eighth. Tashkent extended their playoff streak counting the EPB days to seven seasons. Rawalpindi and Peshawar both were one game short of the postseason at 88-74. Hyderabad’s seven-year postseason streak came to an end as they were seventh at 79-83.

East League MVP went to Rawalpindi first baseman Altaf Aslam. The 28-year old Pakistani lefty led in runs (104), home runs (69), RBI (127), total bases (380), slugging (.687), OPS (1.041), and wRC+ (214). Aslam’s 69 homers was tied for the second-most in ABF history. He also had 9.0 WAR in a contract year and would leave for MLB and Quebec City in the offseason on a four-year, $32,300,000 deal.

Pitcher of the Year was Bishkek veteran Procopie Lungu. The 36-year old Moldovan was in his third year with the Black Sox, after playing the prior 12 years with Almaty. It was Lungu’s second Pitcher of the Year, as he won all the way back in 1992 with the Assassins. He led in ERA (1.64), K/BB (9.6), quality starts (32), FIP- (61), and WAR (8.9). Lungu also had 345 strikeouts and an 18-9 record over 264 innings.

The favorites prevailed in the first round of the playoffs with Dushanbe sweeping Tashkent and Bishkek sweeping Multan. That ended the Tomcats’ hope for a fourth straight pennant. The Black Sox earned repeat East League Championship Series appearances, while the Dynamo hadn’t gotten this far since their 1981 EPB pennant. Dushanbe would claim the title 4-1 over Bishkek for their fourth-ever pennant (1958, 60, 81, 01).



The West League had the same four playoff teams as the prior year, albeit in different spots. Ankara was the top squad at 106-56, setting a franchise record. Reigning WL champ Isfahan finished second at 99-63, extending their playoff streak to seven years. The Imperials had 1924 strikeouts and an 11.77 K/9, both of which remain West League records as of 2037. Bursa took third at 96-66 to grow their own streak to five years, while Adana grabbed fourth at 88-74. Istanbul was the first team out in fifth at a distant 81-81.

For the third time in four years, MVP went to Adana’s Humayun Kahil. The 24-year old Pakistani left fielder was the WARlord (10.4) despite playing only 127 games. He also led in RBI (115), average (.346), slugging (.677), OPS (1.093), and wRC+ (225). Kahil had 44 home runs, falling one short of a Triple Crown.

Isfahan’s Yazeed Anwari won a historic sixth West League Pitcher of the Year. As of 2037, he’s one of only three ABF pitchers to win the award six times or more. The 28-year old Pakistani righty also prevailed despite injury, losing the final two months to elbow inflammation. Anwari led in ERA (1.76), K/BB (15.6), and FIP- (46). He added 7.9 WAR, 266 strikeouts, and an 18-4 record over 189.1 innings.

In the first round, #4 seed Adana stunned top seed Ankara 3-1, while #3 seed Bursa upset #2 Isfahan with a sweep. The Axemen earned their first WLCS since 1996, while the Blue Claws earned a third straight berth. Bursa battered Adana with a sweep to take their second West League pennant in three years.



In the 17^th Asian Baseball Federation Championship, Dushanbe beat Bursa 4-2, sending the ABF title to Tajikistan for the first time. It is the third ring overall for the Dynamo, who won the EPB title in both 1960 and 1981. In his Dushanbe debut, 1B Maksim Ignashevich won finals MVP. The 32-year old Russian signed a five-year, $18,400,000 deal after previously playing for Baku. In the playoffs, Ignashevich had 14 starts, 20 hits, 8 runs, 11 doubles, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI.



Other notes: Hasan Afshin became the first ABF pitcher to 3500 strikeouts.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in SAB

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Ahmedabad’s Indian League again continued as the seven-time defending league champs broke their own wins record. The Animals finished 125-37 in 2001, topping their own 124-38 mark from 1995. That is one win shy of the SAB and world record of 126-36 by Ho Chi Minh City in 1993. Ahmedabad also extended its playoff streak to 17 seasons and its West Division title streak to 15.

Second in the division was 90-72 Mumbai, which earned them the wild card and their first-ever playoff berth. The Meteors entered the season as the only team in South Asia Baseball without at least one playoff appearance through SAB’s first 21 years. Jaipur cruised to the Central Division title at 97-65, getting their fifth playoff berth in six years. Kolkata, who won 95 games last year, fell off to 78-84. In a weak West Division, Visakhapatnam took it at 83-79, edging Chennai by one game. The Volts secured a fourth consecutive division title.

Indian League MVP was Jaipur 2B David Rusli in a record-setting campaign. The 28-year old became the second-ever SAB hitter to bat above .400 with his .4055 falling barely behind Arnav Sumedh’s .4057 from 1996. Rusli also stole 143 bases, which remains SAB’s all-time record as of 2037. At the time, it was the second most in any world league only behind Beisbol Sudamerica’s Pascal Garcia getting 152 in 1996. The 28-year old Thai switch hitter was only caught stealing 28 times, making for an truly all-time baserunning effort. On top of all that, he led the IL in runs (135), hits (234), OBP (.463), OPS (1.042), wRC+ (239), and WAR (13.3). Rusli’s effort was the fifth-most WAR by a SAB position player to that pint, especially remarkable with only 10 home runs (but 52 doubles).

Ahmedabad’s Gandhalata Green won Pitcher of the Year. The 30-year old got it despite only throwing 195 innings, winning amidst a quiet field. He did post a league-best 1.75 ERA and 0.86 WHIP to his credit. Green had a 16-3 record, 166 strikeouts, and 3.2 WAR. Green also tossed SAB’s sixth-ever perfect game on May 21, striking out eight against Hyderabad. Also of note, his Animals teammate Saroth Bora won his third Reliever of the Year. The 29-year old Cambodian tied SAB’s single-season saves record with 52, adding a 1.94 ERA over 97.2 innings, 178 strikeouts, and 3.8 WAR.

Mumbai took their divisional foe Ahmedabad to the brink in the first round of the playoffs, but the Animals escaped in five games. This meant for the 16^th consecutive season, Ahmedabad would play in the Indian League Championship Series. For the fourth time in six years, they would be facing Jaipur in the ILCS, as the Jokers edged Visakhapatnam 3-2. Ahmedabad won the ILCS 4-2 for an eighth consecutive pennant. They became the first team in any world league to win eight subleague titles in a row. The Animals became only the second team in world history to win 125+ games and also get to their championship, joining WAB’s Kano from the prior year. The other two teams to win that many lost in the first round (Ho Chi Minh City in 1993 & EBF’s Madrid in 1951).



Speaking of the Hedgehogs, the reigning SAB champs and winners of four straight Southeast Asia League titles continued their usual dominance. Ho Chi Minh City had SEAL’s best record at 115-47, rolling to a 13^th consecutive South Division title and 15^th straight playoff berth.

In the North Division, Yangon was first at 103-59, extending their own nice playoff streak to seven years. Hanoi was second at 92-70, easily getting the first wild card. The Hounds advanced for the sixth time in nine years. The second wild card spot was a mess that saw Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Kathmandu all tied at 82-80. SAB doesn’t use tiebreaking games and the formula favored the Bobcats. Bangkok got its fifth wild card in eight years.

Southeast Asia League MVP was Hanoi DH Htay Lay. The 25-year old Burmese lefty led in hits (187), RBI (141), total bases (407), slugging (.652), and wRC+ (179). Lay added 8.0 WAR, 58 home runs, and a .300 average. Although Vientiane had the worst record in the league, their ace Van Minh An won Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old Vietnamese lefty was the WARlord (8.6) and leader in FIP- (59). An added a 15-11 record over 243.1 innings, 2.44 ERA, and 302 strikeouts.

The wild cards were quickly dispatched in the first round with Ho Chi Minh City sweeping Bangkok and Yangon sweeping Hanoi. This was the eighth successive Southeast Asia League Championship Series for the Hedgehogs. The Green Dragons hadn’t been that far since 1996 despite their playoff streak. Yangon pulled off the upset and denied the HCMC five-peat, winning the series 4-2. This was the fifth pennant for the Green Dragons (1980, 82, 83, 96, 01).



In the 22^nd South Asia Championship, all seven games were needed for the first time since 1995. Ahmedabad was denied becoming the first-ever champ in any world league with 125 wins or more, as Yangon pulled off the upset for its first-ever SAB title. The Animals were runner-up in back-to-back seasons. Leading Yangon was LF J.V. Munshi, who won finals MVP. The 27-year old had 27 hits, 16 runs, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 8 RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 16 playoff starts.



Other notes: Reliever of the Year Saroth Bora had an all-time great postseason in defeat for Ahmedabad, posting 19.2 scoreless innings with six saves and 37 strikeouts. Van Loi Phung became the sixth to reach 500 career home runs and won his ninth Silver Slugger in center field. 3B Manju Abbas won his 12^th Gold Glove and won his eighth Silver Slugger. 2B Tirtha Upadhyaya won his seventh Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in WAB

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Defending West African Baseball champ Abidjan again finished with the top record in the Western League, going 100-62. The Athletes extended their playoff streak to four years and earned their ninth berth in a decade. Accra was second at 91-71 to earn repeat wild cards. Freetown’s playoff streak grew to six years, taking the third place slot at 88-74. The Foresters took the final wild card by only one game over Nouakchott, two over Cape Verde, and five over both Conakry and Kumasi.

Western League MVP went to Kumasi designated hitter Mo Reda in his second season as a full-time starter. The Egyptian lefty led in runs (118), home runs (48), RBI (156), total bases (412), slugging (.661), OPS (1.057), wRC+ (189), and WAR (8.7). Reda’s 156 RBI was a new single-season WAB record, which he himself would top two years later. Abidjan’s Antonio Akinyemi repeated as Pitcher of the Year, winning his third. The 32-year old Nigerian lefty led in ERA (2.50), posting a 14-3 record over 197.2 innings with 233 strikeouts and 5.0 WAR.

Freetown upset Accra 2-0 in the wild card round, sending the Foresters to their sixth straight Western League Championship Series appearance. Unfortunately for Freetown, they also lost in the WLCS for the sixth straight year. Abidjan won the rematch 3-1 for a third straight pennant and their seventh in a decade. The Athletes now have 11 WL titles in WAB’s 27 year history.



Last year, Kano had a record-setting 125-37 season, but lost in the WAB Championship. The four-time defending Eastern League champs yet again took first in the standings with the Condors at 105-57. Kano’s postseason streak grew to seven years. Cotonou was second at 95-67 for their second-ever playoff appearance (1987). Ibadan narrowly extended its 12-year playoff streak, the longest active one in WAB. The Iguanas took third at 90-72, edging Lome by one game and Niamey by seven.

Kano’s Darwin Morris won a historic seventh Eastern League MVP. He broke his own runs scored record of 146 from 1997, scoring 152 times for a new world record. This held as the top mark in WAB until 2024 and still sits second in WAB history. The 29-year old Liberian shortstop also led in total bases (417), triple slash (.365/.454/.739), OPS (1.193), wRC+ (215), and WAR (14.5). He added 47 home runs and 134 RBI and posted his fourth season worth 14+ WAR. As of 2037, Morris is the only position player in baseball history with four seasons worth 14+ WAR.

Kano also had the Pitcher of the Year Kennedy Chisanga. He joined the Condors in a trade with Lome in January. The 26-year old Zambian led in wins (20-7), ERA (2.77), and WHIP (1.01). Chisanga added 218 strikeouts over 227 innings with 5.0 WAR. He would cash in with a six-year, $14,780,000 free agent deal in the offseason with Cotonou.

Ibadan earned the road win 2-1 over Cotonou in the wild card round, giving the Iguanas their fourth consecutive appearance in the Eastern League Championship Series. They were again no match for Kano, as the Condors swept them in the ELCS to earn a fifth straight pennant. Kano has won the Eastern League crown nine times now.



For the third straight year, the West African Championship pitted Kano against Abidjan. The Condors won in 1999 to three-peat, then the Athletes stunned the 125-win Kano squad in 2000. In six games, the Condors defeated Abidjan for their fourth WAB title in five years. Kano now has seven WAB titles, second only to Lagos’ eight. 3B Arnaud Aho was finals MVP with the 33-year old Beninois getting 9 hits, 7 runs, 5 home runs, and 11 RBI in 9 starts.



Other notes: Douala’s Kely Ballard had a 35-game hit streak, setting a new WAB record that held until 2013. Jack Kidaii also had a 34-game hit streak in 2001, both passing the previous record of 33. 2B Fausto Pyagbara won his seventh Gold Glove. Finals MVP Arnaud Aho won his ninth Silver Slugger at 3B and Darwin Morris won his eighth at SS. 2B Hamza Seidu won his seventh Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in CLB

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The Chinese Northern League had a three-way tie for first at 92-70 between Tianjin, Beijing, and Harbin. No tiebreaker games were used as all three teams got playoff spots. The formula gave the Jackrabbits first place and the bye, while the Hellcats took second and the Bears third. Tianjin ended a playoff drought dating back to 1988. Beijing was back after missing the prior year, while Harbin returned to the playoffs after a two-year layoff. The last time each of those teams made the playoffs, they won it all. Jinan narrowly missed out, taking fourth at 90-72. Hangzhou was fifth at 85-77 and Shenyang was sixth at 84-78.

Shenyang CF Xirong Wang won his second Northern League MVP, leading in WAR at 10.7. The 28-year old added 185 wRC+ and 32 home runs. Pitcher of the Year was Beijing’s Rajit Khatiwada. The 26-year old Nepali lefty led in ERA (1.02), WHIP (0.67), K/BB (11.4), shutouts (7), FIP- (43), and WAR (10.9). Khatiwada also had 342 strikeouts and an 18-8 record over 265 innings. Also of note, Xi’an’s Chaing-Ho Yang won his third Reliever of the Year.



Wuhan was first in the Southern League at 95-67, earning their first playoff berth since 1993. Dongguan took second at 93-69 to end a two-year playoff drought. Defending CLB champ Guangzhou was the only playoff team from last year to make it back to the playoffs. The Gamecocks narrowly took third at 90-72, topping Foshan by one game and Kunming by three.

Dongguan 2B Chenglin Huang won his second Southern League MVP. In his final season in CLB, the 32-year old led in hits (183) and average (.310), while adding 7.5 WAR and 30 home runs. Huang would leave for MLB in the offseason on a five-year, $42,500,000 deal with Phoenix.

Foshan’s Jinlong Han became the first-ever five-time Pitcher of the Year winner in CLB. The 31-year old righty led in strikeouts (378), K/BB (13.5), FIP- (34), and WAR (12.3). Han also had a 17-10 record over 266.1 innings and 1.69 ERA. Han also cashed in with MLB money in the offseason, joining St. Louis on a six-year, $50,100,000 deal. As of 2037, he’s one of only three pitchers in Chinese League Baseball history to win POTY five times.

In the first round crossover games, both Northern League teams beat their Southern team counterparts. Both were sweeps with Beijing over Dongguan and Harbin over the reigning champ Guangzhou. SL top seed Wuhan downed Harbin 4-2 in their semifinal. Earning their second-ever trip to the China Series (1993). The other semi re-established the great postseason rivalry of the mid 1980s between the Bears and Tianjin. Beijing upset the Jackrabbits 4-2, sending them to the final for the second time in three years.



In the 32^nd China Series, Wuhan became a first-time champion, besting Beijing 4-1. The Wolverines became the 14^th different CLB franchise to win it all. Third-year 2B Zifeng Zhou was finals MVP, getting 8 hits, 7 runs, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, and 6 RBI in 11 playoff starts.



Other notes; Xiamen was last in the Southern League at 61-101 and set an all-time CLB worst with only 326 runs scored. Qingdao’s Bryan Morris tossed CLB’s 30^th Perfect Game, striking out eight against Tianjin. Tao Yang became the fourth CLB slugger to 400 home runs. Yang also won his seventh Silver Slugger. Jinlong Han became the sixth to 3500 strikeouts. SS Chengxi Erpan won his eighth Gold Glove. 2B Chenglin Huang won his eighth Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in APB

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Defending Austronesia Champion Kaohsiung took the Taiwan League for the third consecutive season. The Steelheads won it at 100-62, holding off respectable efforts by Tainan (91-71) and Taichung (90-72). Zamboanga repeated in a weak Philippine League field. 84-78 was enough for the Zebras to take first, edging Quezon by two games and Manila by six.

Repeating as Taiwan-Philippine Association MVP was Zamboanga CF Paolo Baptista. In only his third season, he led in WAR (10.8), wRC+ (193), total bases (300), slugging (.591), OPS (.921), and wRC+ (193). Baptista pulled it off despite missing three weeks to a fractured foot. The Zebras didn’t mess around with their young budding superstar, signing him to an eight-year, $31,340,000 extension in October.

Cebu’s Ninoy Lumar won his third consecutive Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (18-11), innings (304.1), strikeouts (415), WHIP (0.73), K/BB (9.9), quality starts (28), complete games (10), shutouts (10), FIP- (51), and WAR (11.6). The 30-year old righty also had a 1.60 ERA, tying his career best. Lumar would have two more good years, but two torn rotator cuffs would end his career after his age 33 season. Also notable was Kaohsiung’s Bo-Kai Yen winning his third Reliever of the Year in only his fourth season. He led in saves at 43 and posted a career best 0.98 ERA over 100.2 innings with 179 strikeouts and 5.5 WAR.



Reigning Sundaland Association champ Medan repeated in the Malacca League at 99-63, taking the top spot by 11 games over Singapore. The Java League had a shakeup with Semarang first at 96-66. The Sliders hadn’t won the JL since their 1990 APB title season. Bandung was a close second at 93-69 with Surabaya at 87-75. Last year’s Java League winner Depok dropped to fourth at 83-79.

Sundaland Association MVP went to Surabaya 3B Gede Mamuaya. It was the second MVP for the 36-year old lefty, who had done it a decade earlier. He found the fountain of youth with a career season, leading the SA with career bests in runs (101), home runs (55), RBI (108), total bases (340), slugging (.622), OPS (.967), wRC+ (225), and WAR (12.2). Mamuaya also became a ten-time Silver Slugger winner.

Afiq Parker won his fourth consecutive Pitcher of the Year with another historic season. The 27-year old lefty for Medan led for the third straight year in ERA (1.10), strikeouts (431), FIP- (13), and WAR (16.0). He hit a career-best in ERA and WHIP and posted only the fifth-ever 16+ WAR season for an APB pitcher. In four seasons, Parker had posted a bonkers 60.9 WAR. He pitched 261.1 innings with a 22-5 record; two wins short of a third straight Triple Crown. Parker had a no-hitter (the third of his career) against Batam on May 23 with 18 strikeouts and one walk, as well as a 20 strikeout game in August versus Palembang. The Singaporean would see adversity shortly, suffering a torn rotator cuff in spring training 2002 that would knock him out 13 months.

In a Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship rematch, Zamboanga got revenge and upset Kaohsiung in six games. The Zebras entered the year as the only TPA team without at least one pennant, finally ending that unfortunate distinction. The Sundaland Association Championship was a seven game battle with Semarang ousting reigning champ Medan. It was the fifth pennant for the Sliders (1975, 80, 88, 90, 01).



The 37^th Austronesia Championship would be the first since 1986 to end in a sweep, as Semarang smacked Zamboanga. The Sliders became three-time APB champs with the win, having also won it all in 1975 and 1990. Backup 1B Ronald Yang was finals MVP. He only had two playoff starts and seven games, but he posted eight hits, 5 runs, 1 double, 1 home run, and 5 RBI.



Other notes: Batam’s Wisnu Mahmudiana had the 25^th APB perfect game on September 23, striking out 18 against Depok. He joined very elite company in baseball history as it was his second perfect game (1994). It was also Mahmudiana’s fourth no-hitter, becoming the third APB hitter with four or more no-nos. Mahmudiana also became the 12^th pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts in APB and the 12^th to 200 wins.

Bandung had 248 doubles as a team, setting a new Sundaland Association record that still holds as of 2037. Eli Cheng won his seventh Silver Slugger and his first as a DH. His previous wins were split between the corner outfield and first base. Cheng did it at age 39 in his return to APB after playing the prior eight years in MLB.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in OBA

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For the third time in six years, Adelaide claimed the Australasia League pennant. The Aardvarks bounced back from only 82 wins in 2000 and 72 in 1999, rolling to the AL title at 100-62. They were 18 games better than their closest competitors in Gold Coast and Christchurch. Last year’s winner Auckland fell to 80-82, fifth behind 81-81 Melbourne. Adelaide outperformed their Pythagorean expectation by a large margin, winning 11 more games than the math would suggest.

Melbourne’s Tyler Straw repeated as Australasia League MVP. The third-year shortstop was the WARlord (11.1) and leader in slugging (.659), and OPS (1.025). Straw added 105 runs, 39 home runs, 108 RBI, and a .303 average. Pitcher of the Year was Adelaide’s Peter Regan, who led in wins at 23-12. The 27-year old righty had a 3.21 ERA over 289 innings, 275 strikeouts, and 6.4 WAR. This would be the peak of an otherwise unremarkable career for Regan, who suffered a torn labrum the next summer.



Two-time defending Oceania Champion Guam held its hold on the Pacific League crown. The Golden Eagles won their fifth consecutive pennant, taking first at 99-63. It was also Guam’s eighth title in 11 years and their 13^th overall, tying them with Honolulu for the most. Port Moresby was their only real competitor, a distant nine games back at 90-72. Guadalcanal was third at 85-79.

Tahiti struggled to seventh place, but they found a rising star in Arjita Gabeja, the Pacific League MVP. It was the first full season for the 22-year old Fijian lefty, who shined as a designated hitter. He led in home runs (51), RBI (115), runs (97), total bases (364), slugging (.589), and OPS (.928). Gabeja added 6.1 WAR and a .288 average. Guam’s Timothy Manglona won his fourth Pitcher of the Year in five seasons. The 27-year old Northern Marianan was the WARlord (9.5) and leader in wins (23-10), WHIP (0.71), K/BB (19.2), quality starts (28), complete games (25), shutouts (8), and FIP- (67). Manglona added 384 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA in 307.2 innings.



Guam entered the 42^nd Oceania Championship looking for the third-ever three-peat. Adelaide denied them that honor, taking the series in six games. In his OBA debut, DH Kiryl Savchuk picked up finals MVP. The 29-year old Belarusian had played in Poland for Warsaw before signing a seven-year, $19,560,000 deal with the Aardvarks. In the series, he had 9 hits, 7 runs, 4 home runs, and 6 RBI.



It was the Aardvarks’ third title in six years and their eighth overall, sitting an impressive 8-1 all-time in the championship. The win also ties Adelaide with Honolulu for the most OBA titles. This would mark the end of the Aardvarks status as a regular contender, as they wouldn’t be back to the final in the next 35 years.

Other notes: Ricardo Antonio became the 10^th pitcher to 3500 strikeouts and the 12^th to 200 career wins. 3B Errol Herne won his 10^th Gold Glove and SS Thom Serra won his eighth. CF Damien Patton won his seventh Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in EPB



Defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champ Minsk took top honors in the European League again, finishing 99-63. This grew the Miners’ playoff streak to 21 seasons, tying EBF’s Zurich for the longest streak in any pro league. Moscow ended a 13-year playoff drought, taking the wild card at 88-74. Kazan fell two games short of the Mules with St. Petersburg six back. The Crusaders had their four-year playoff streak snapped.

European League MVP went to Kazan veteran SS Gleb Khassanov. The 31-year old had Gold Glove winning defense, helping him to lead in WAR at 11.3. Khassanov also led in runs (89), and doubles (37), while adding 25 home runs and 172 wRC+.

Minsk’s Markiyan Konoplya repeated as Pitcher of the Year and repeated as a Triple Crown winner. The 27-year old Ukrainian righty posted only the sixth Triple Crown by an EPB pitcher and became the first to do it twice, posting a 22-6 record, 1.72 ERA, and 342 strikeouts over 277.2 innings. Konoplya also led in WHIP (0.83), quality starts (31), shutouts (6), FIP- (51), and WAR (10.7). In addition, Konoplya won a Gold Glove.



Defending Asian League champ Yekaterinburg finished atop the standings again, this time going 103-59. The Yaks earned a third consecutive playoff berth. Krasnoyarsk got second at 97-65, ending a playoff drought dating back to 1988. Last year’s wild card Omsk finished third, five back on the Cossacks at 92-70.

Yekaterinburg ace Matvey Ivanov won his third straight Asian League Pitcher of the Year and also earned league MVP. The 26-year old Russian lefty led in ERA (1.85), strikeouts (363), WHIP (0.81), quality starts (27), FIP- (49), and WAR (11.2). He added a 21-10 record over 278 innings.

In the European League Championship Series, Minsk downed Moscow 4-2 to repeat as champs. The Miners now have 15 pennants to their name. The Asian League Championship Series had Krasnoyarsk upset Yekaterinburg in six games. It was the fourth pennant for the Cossacks, who hadn’t taken the AL since their lone EPB championship ring in 1982.



In the 47^th EPB Championship, Minsk repeated as champion, although they had to work for it as Krasnoyarsk forced all seven games. The Miners became 11-time champs (1956, 62, 66, 69, 85, 88, 90, 91, 96, 2000, 01). Finals MVP was LF Ryuunosuke Sugawara, a Japanese veteran who joined Minsk in 1999 after starting in East Asia Baseball. In 13 playoff starts, Sugawara had 18 hits, 7 runs, 2 doubles, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI.



Other notes: EL MVP Gleb Khassanov won his eighth Silver Slugger. RF Sapar Durdyek won his seventh.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in EBF



Glasgow took the top seed in the EBF Northern Conference with a franchise record 110-52 season. The Highlanders won a fifth consecutive British Isles Division title and extended their playoff streak to six years. Copenhagen fell just short of the top seed, but earned a bye as well at 109-53. This was also a franchise record for the Corsairs, who repeated as Northeast Division champs. Defending EBF champion Kharkiv won a competitive North Central Division at 102-60. Counting their EPB days, the Killer Bees’ playoff streak grew to seven seasons. Hamburg was close behind at 99-63, earning the first wild card for a third straight playoff berth.

In a weak Northwest Division, Amsterdam (87-75) edged out Paris (84-78). This ended a four-year playoff drought for the Anacondas. In the race for the second wild card spot, Oslo (94-68) topped Warsaw (92-70), and Birmingham (91-71). The Octopi hadn’t earned a playoff spot since 1980. Notably, Berlin’s five-year playoff streak ended as the Barons dropped to 76-86.

Copenhagen LF Villum Kleist used epic power to win his second Northern Conference MVP. The 32-year old Dane smacked 71 home runs, becoming the sixth player in EBF history to hit 70+. He also led in RBI (143), total bases (422), slugging (.733), OPS (1.096), and wRC+ (201). Kliest had a .297 average and 8.0 WAR.

Kharkiv’s Igor Kuchkowski repeated as Pitcher of the Year, winning the award for the fourth time counting his two from EPB. The 34-year old Polish lefty led in wins (23-4), ERA (1.82), innings (272.1), and quality starts (30). He added 302 strikeouts and 9.1 WAR. Kuchkowski would look great again in 2002, but his velocity would fall off a cliff after that, ending his run after the 2003 season.

Hamburg beat Amsterdam 2-1 and Kharkiv topped Oslo 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs. Both top seeds prevailed in round two with Glasgow taking it 3-1 over the Hammers and Copenhagen surviving in five against the reigning champion Killer Bees. Glasgow advanced to the Northern Conference Championship for the fourth time in five years, but they hadn’t claimed the pennant since 1976. This was the Corsairs’ first NCC since their 1984 title. Glasgow would ultimately sweep Copenhagen, sending the pennant to Scotland for the fourth time (1965, 66, 76, 2001).



Munich ended up with the top record in the Southern Conference at 100-62, taking the South Central Division champ. The Mavericks ended a five-year playoff drought, fending off a solid 92-70 Rome squad. The Red Wolves fell four games short of the second wild card. The two wild cards and the #2 seed all came out of a tight Southwest Division. Seville and Madrid tied for first at 99-63, while Milan was 96-66. The tiebreaker game gave the division to the Stingrays, ending a nine-year playoff drought for them. The two-time defending conference champ Conquistadors got the first wild card, while the Maulers got the second spot and repeated as a playoff team.

Budapest grabbed a tight East Central Division at 89-73; their first playoff appearance since 1978. The Bombers dethroned Athens by one game, ending a four-year division title streak by the Anchors. The Southeast Division went to Sofia at 87-75. Last year’s division winner Tirana plummeted to 63-99. For the Spikes, it is their first-ever division title in franchise history. Their lone playoff appearance from their prior EPB stint came in 1977.

Southern Conference MVP was Milan 1B Joseph Doran. The third-year Irishman led in runs (123), total bases (427), and slugging (.695). Doran added 51 home runs, 126 RBI, a .344 average, and 8.3 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Naples’ righty Ivo Jericek. The 28-year old Croatian led in wins (18-10), innings (270.2), quality starts (25), and complete games (19). Jericek added a 2.59 ERA, 217 strikeouts, and 7.1 WAR.

Madrid swept Sofia and Milan edged Budapest 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs. Munich survived 3-2 to oust the defending champ Conquistadors, while the Maulers stunned Seville with a road sweep. Milan hadn’t played in the Southern Conference Championship since 1958, while the Mavericks were making their first appearance since 1992. Munich took the series 4-2 over Milan to win a sixth pennant (1951, 52, 71, 88, 91, 2001).



The 52^nd European Championship went to Glasgow in five games over Munich, making the Highlanders three-time EBF champs (1966, 1976). They’re the first champ out of the United Kingdom since Birmingham in 1994. Backup OF Louis Spinner won finals MVP, having to take a starting role in 13 playoff games. The Swiss 27-year old had 17 hits, 7 runs, 5 doubles, and 18 RBI. Glasgow notably was the tenth different European Champion in ten years.



Other notes: Birmingham’s Lindsey Brampton twice had 21 strikeout games in 2001, including a no-hitter with 21 strikeouts and four walks against London on August 14. He’s thrown five 21K games and has three with 22 K. Only Ugo Musacci also has an EBF game with 21 Ks. Brampton’s eight games of 21 or more strikeouts is the most in world history, topping Beisbol Sudamerica legend Mohamed Ramos’ seven. His 21 K no-no is also the EBF record for strikeouts in a no-hitter. Brampton also joined Jean-Luc Roch as the only pitchers with 5500 strikeouts. He would play two more years, hampered by a torn UCL in 2002. Still, Brampton would pass Roch’s 5757, retiring EBF’s strikeout king at 5955.

Helsinki’s Valery Yevseyev had a 39-game hitting streak, the fifth longest in EBF history. Robin Morrison, Peter Brinkmann, and Villum Kleist each joined the 500 home run club, making 20 members. Rodrigo Vilanova became the 21^st to 1500 runs scored.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 in BSA

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Lima’s Beisbol Sudamerica record playoff streak extended to 14 seasons in 2001. The Lobos took the top overall seed in the Bolivar League, dominating the Peru-Bolivia League at 108-54. Lima’s division title streak grew to 11 seasons. Reigning Copa Sudamerica champ Bogota was close to taking the top seed themselves, winning the Colombia-Ecuador Division at 106-56. The Bats’ own impressive playoff streak grew to six seasons. Guayaquil was second at 95-67, easily taking the wild card for their first playoff berth in a decade. The Venezuela Division was putrid with Barquisimeto taking it at 81-81. They were one game better than Caracas, ending the Colts’ six-year playoff streak. Ciudad Guayana finished three games back. The Black Cats hadn’t been a playoff team or division champ since their 1982 championship season.

Bolivar League MVP was a repeat with Guayaquil LF Hector Correa. The 28-year old Ecuadoran switch hitter led in runs (138), total bases (427), OBP (.435), slugging (.748), OPS (1.183), wRC+ (196), and WAR (10.3). Correa added 54 home runs, 127 RBI, and a .364 average. Ciudad Guayana’s Lamberto Castillo won a third straight Pitcher of the Year. The fourth-year Venezuelan lefty led in ERA (2.26), WHIP (0.91), shutouts (4), FIP- (50), and WAR (9.6). Castillo added 295 strikeouts and a 17-8 record over 223.1 innings.

Lima rolled Guayaquil with a Divisional Series sweep and Bogota bested Barquisimeto 3-1. This pitted the defending Bolivar League champ Bats against the 1997 and 1998 champ Lobos in the BLCS. The series was an all-timer, going all seven games with the finale needing 17 innings. Lima won the marathon 5-4 on a walkoff RBI single by CF Cristobal Cabezas. This gave the Lobos their sixth pennant of the playoff streak and their seventh overall.



Defending Southern Cone League champion Asuncion set a franchise record at 110-52. Although they’ve won the pennant in three of the last four seasons, this was the Archers’ first-ever 100+ win season, rolling to the South Central Division title. They allowed 506 runs, the fewest in the league by 74. The division also saw the collapse of Mendoza, who was the wild card the prior year at 97-65. The Mutants collapsed to 68-94 in 2001.

Belo Horizonte won the North Division at 99-63, ending an eight-year playoff drought. Buenos Aires took the Southeast Division at 97-65 for a third straight berth and fifth in six years. The wild card race saw a tie at 92-70 between Salvador and Montevideo, while Rosario was close at 89-73. The Storm won the tiebreaker game over the Venom, getting their first playoff berth since 1993. Recife, who had been a playoff regular the last few years, dropped to 82-80.

Asuncion’s Marc Pierleoni won his second Southern Cone League MVP. The 29-year old Uruguayan center fielder led in WAR (9.7), total bases (388), doubles (40), slugging (.651), and OPS (1.010). Pierleoni added 44 home runs, 116 RBI, and a .329 average. The Archers would have him for only one more season, as he left for MLB and a four-year, $35,600,000 deal with Edmonton.

Belo Horizonte’s Juliao Costa won Pitcher of the Year, making 27 starts and 20 relief appearances. The 25-year old Brazilian righty led in ERA (2.22), FIP- (50), and WAR (9.6). Costa pitched 243 innings with a 16-8 record, 13 saves, and 276 strikeouts.

Asuncion survived a fierce challenge from Salvador in the Divisional Series 3-2, while Belo Horizonte swept Buenos Aires. It was the Hogs’ first Southern Cone League Championship appearance since 1992, while the Archers were looking for a fourth pennant in five years. Asuncion’s reign continued, taking the title in six games over Belo Horizonte. The Archers have quickly passed a number of teams in the league in pennants despite having only one playoff appearance in their first 66 seasons as a franchise.



Despite their recent success, Asuncion still didn’t have a Copa Sudamerica ring, having lost in the 1997, 98, and 2000 finals. It was a rematch with Lima, who had beaten them in 97 and 98. The 71^st Copa Sudamerica went to the Archers 4-2 over the Lobos, making Asuncion the 25^th BSA franchise to win the Cup. Maracaibo and Montevideo are the only original teams left without a title, along with expansion squads Santa Cruz, Arequipa, and Mendoza. 1B Rafael Cervantes was finals MVP in his tenth season with the Archers. The 32-year old Paraguayan had 17 playoff starts with 22 hits, 10 runs, 5 doubles, 1 homer, and 5 RBI.



Other notes: Andres Ramirez became the sixth pitcher to 5000 career strikeouts and the fourth to 300 wins. He would pitch two more years, ending with 341 wins (third all-time) and 5406 strikeouts (fifth). He would be six wins short of the all-time 347 mark of Mohamed Ramos.

Lima set a Bolivar League record with 124 triples, which would hold until 2021. Rosario’s Matt Monaco had a 36-game hitting streak, which was the fourth longest in BSA history at that point. Milton Becker became the 10^th member of the 600 home run club. 1B D.J. Del Valle won his eighth Gold Glove. 3B Chi Chi Bergodi and LF Ulises Soliz became seven-time Gold Glove winners.