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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 SAB Hall of Fame

On his fifth ballot, catcher Krish Balvinder earned his spot in the South Asia Baseball Hall of Fame. He was the lone inductee for the 2003 class, making a big jump up to 84.5%. Two others were above 60%, but short of the needed 66%. LF Indirjeet Dayada had 61.5% on his third ballot and RP Harini Shreenath got 60.8% for his second try.



RF Najib Kumaili fell off the ballot after ten votes. He was hurt by starting his official career at age 27 with only nine years’ worth of stats between Dhaka and Hyderabad. Kumaili still managed six Silver Sluggers, 1315 hits, 800 runs, 221 doubles, 395 home runs, 922 RBI, a .265/.346/.557 slash, 157 wRC+, and 55.7 WAR. He was twice an LCS MVP and helped the Hippos to the inaugural SAB title in 1980. The lack of longevity sank him though, peaking at 38.8% in 2000 and ending in 17.2%. Had Kumaili had the luxury of his early 20s, he probably would’ve gotten the tallies needed to earn a spot.



Krish Balvinder – Catcher – Ahmedabad Animals – 84.5% Fifth Ballot

Krish Balvinder was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed catcher from Khargone, India; a city of 106,000 in Madhya Pradesh (central province). Balvinder was an excellent contact hitter, especially for a catcher. He was great at avoiding strikeouts, but didn’t get many walks. Balvinder had strong gap power and averaged 34 doubles per 162 game average. He wasn’t a big bopper though with a career high of 11 home runs in a season.

Balvinder was a fairly crafty baseunner, but like most catchers, he was really slow. He spent his whole career behind the plate and was rated as firmly above average to good defensively. Balvinder became a popular player with many fans, but he didn’t endear himself with teammates or coaches. Balvinder was described by some as disloyal, lazy, greedy, and dumb. However, a durable catcher with a great bat and solid defense were almost like unicorns.

In the 1982 SAB Draft, Balvinder went third overall to Hyderabad. He was a full-time starter as a rookie for the Hippos and a solid one, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting with 2.9 WAR. That would be his only season with Hyderabad though. In the offseason, Balvinder and fellow catcher Austin Leiker were traded for three players to Ho Chi Minh City. Balvinder was the starting catcher for five seasons with the Hedgehogs, although he missed the final half of his first season there to a severely strained hip muscle.

The next four seasons for HCMC saw four straight Silver Sluggers and batting titles in 1986 (.351) and 1987 (.356). Balvinder also had 6+ WAR in both of those seasons. The great Ho Chi Minh City dynasty began with Southeast Asia League titles in both 1987 and 1989. Both seasons, they fell to the Ahmedabad dynasty in the SAB Championship. In 31 playoff starts for the Hedgehogs, Balvinder had 32 hits, 7 runs, 9 doubles, 15 RBI, a .278/.298/.400 slash, 92 wRC+, and 0.3 WAR.

Although playing in Vietnam, Balvinder did return home to India for the World Baseball Championship from 1986-94. He wasn’t a full-time starter though with only 23 games and 16 starts in that stretch, posting 17 hits, 8 runs, and 0.4 WAR. When HCMC’s team control ended after the 1988 season, the soon-to-be 28-year old Balvinder wanted to return home to India.

He would jump to the other side of the epic playoff rivalry, signing a four-year, $2,628,000 deal with Ahmedabad. Balvinder won a Silver Slugger in 1991 and helped the Animals win four straight SAB titles from 1989-92. Three of those wins came at the expense of his former squad HCMC. Balvinder stepped up in the playoffs with Ahmedabad with 71 starts, 81 hits, 21 runs, 13 doubles, 2 home runs, 27 RBI, a .308/.339/.388 slash, 120 wRC+, and 1.9 WAR.

Balvinder’s contract expired after the 1992 season and Ahmedabad brought him back on a one-year deal for 1993. He posted a very solid 5.5 WAR season, finishing his Animals run with 735 hits, 245 runs, 121 doubles, 49 home runs, 277 RBI, a .313/.339/.433 slash, 139 wRC+, and 25.6 WAR.

Even with his talent, Balvinder’s poor attitude and perceived laziness soured his reputation from many in the game. Although he still seemingly could go at a high level, Balvinder was unsigned in both 1994 and 1995. It wasn’t until the winter of 1995 that he formally retired at age 35.

Balvinder’s career stats saw 1623 hits, 551 runs, 306 doubles, 91 home runs, 606 RBI, a .312/.339/.431 slash, 128 wRC+, and 49.8 WAR. He had a lot working against him with many voters, led by his personality. Balvinder’s accumulations weren’t tremendous in part due to being a catcher and in part due to leaving the game young. He also didn’t have big power numbers and as of 2037, would only be tenth all-time in WAR amongst catchers.

Considering how hard it is for catchers to make it into any Hall of Fame generally, it’s almost a minor miracle Balvinder made the cut. Most agreed that he was the top catcher for the first decade-ish of SAB and an important part of both of the historic dynasty runs of the era. Balvinder debuted at 51.8%, then got to 64.2% in 2001. He dropped back to 59.5% in 2002, but earned a stronger look with no standouts on the 2003 ballot. Balvinder won over a large chunk of doubters to get 84.5% for a fifth ballot induction as the lone addition from the 2003 SAB class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 ABF Hall of Fame

The Asian Baseball Federation added its first two Hall of Famers with the 2003 voting. Uniquely enough, both additions were catchers, led by Erhan Buyukdemir with 90.9% in his debut. Razak Mohiyoudeen joined him at 79.8% on his third ballot. Only one other was above 50% with 1B Hazan Sheikh getting 50.2% for his second try. RF Hakim Baig was close behind with 49.4% for his second try.



SP Abbas Nadim became the first player to last ten ballots without an induction for ABF. He only pitched four official seasons but had ten years major service from his previous semi-pro stints. He won Pitcher of the Year and MVP for Izmir in 1985 and had a 76-45 record, 2.43 ERA, 1101.2 innings, 1443 strikeouts, and 33.7 WAR. It is a remarkable four year stretch, but four years simply isn’t enough to get in. He surprised many by retiring at only age 31 while being healthy. Nadim was never below 20% but peaked with 30.4% in 2001.



Erhan Buyukdemir – Catcher – Adana Axemen – 90.9% First Ballot

Erhan Buyukdemir was a 5’11’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting catcher from Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city. Buyukdemir was an excellent contact hitter with a good eye and solid knack for avoiding strikeouts. He wasn’t a big home run guy, peaking with 16 in a season. However, Buyukdemir had excellent gap power, averaging 42 doubles per his 162 game average. The doubles were extra impressive considering his speed and baserunning were both mediocre.

Buyukdemir was a career catcher that was pretty good at calling games, but around average in terms of his blocking and arm. He was considered quite durable in his prime years and became a popular figure in the early days of Turkish baseball.

The timing worked out for Buyukdemir that he was in ABF’s inaugural first-year player draft in 1985. He would be the ninth overall pick to Adana, where he’d spend his entire ABF career. Buyukdemir was used as a backup and pinch hitter in his rookie year, but firmly held the starting gig for the next decade. Buyukdemir had an impressive 55 doubles in his first full season in a designated hitter role.

He took over the catcher job after that and won eight straight Silver Sluggers in the West Asia Association from 1988-95. Buyukdemir led the WAA in both batting average and OBP in 1988, 1990, and 1991. 1990 also had the WAA lead in hits (188) with a tremendous 11.2 WAR. Buyukdemir was second in MVP voting, losing out to a 67 home run effort by Tabriz’s Vahid Hadadi. The Axemen certainly were happy with their investment, having given Buyukdemir an eight-year, $5,332,000 extension after the 1989 season.

Adana was usually above .500 in the 1980s, but just short of the playoffs. They won their first Turkish League title in 1992, but lost to Mashhad in the association final. The Axemen would then won the WAA in 1995 and 1996, beating Karachi in both years’ ABF Championship for a mini dynasty run. Buyukdemir’s playoff stats were lousy though with a .189/.281/.292 slash, 74 wRC+, and -0.2 WAR. Still, he was a big reason they got that far in the first place.

Buyukdemir’s stats weren’t better in the World Baseball Championship, playing from 1987-2001 for Turkey. In 103 games and 97 starts, he had 74 hits, 36 runs, 18 doubles, 3 home runs, 25 RBI, a .217/.319/.296 slash, 75 wRC+, and 0.1 WAR.

He was still hitting for a high average for the entirety of the Adana run. In his last year under contract in 1997, a strained groin muscle cost him three months. Adana didn’t re-up Buyukdemir, ending his ABF career. He would remain very popular though among Axemen and Turkish fans with the franchise retiring his #24 uniform eventually.

Now 33-years old heading into 1998, Buyukdemir found a hefty five-year, $20,600,000 MLB deal with Las Vegas. It was snake-bitten from the start as a broken bone in his elbow cost him almost the entire 1998 campaign. Buyukdemir was used in a platoon role the next three years as he still hit decently against righties but poorly against lefties.

For his Las Vegas tenure, Buyukdemir had 224 games and 190 starts with a .276/.328/.367 slash, 96 wRC+, 3.5 WAR, 194 hits, and 73 runs. He saw very little action in 2001 and in spring training 2002 was cut in the last year of his deal. Buyukdemir was unsigned in 2002 and retired that winter at age 37.

For his ABF/Adana tenure, Buyukdemir had 1697 hits, 692 runs, 441 doubles, 115 home runs, 715 RBI, a .323/.402/.482 slash, 158 wRC+, and 75.9 WAR. As of 2037, he still has the most WAR at catcher in ABF history. It is hard to judge totals for a new Hall of Fame, but as of 2037, he still has the fourth best batting average among inductees. His popularity and winning two titles with Adana certainly helped, making Buyukdemir a first-ballot nod at 90.9%. He was the first-ever first ballot inductee and headliner for the 2003 ABF class.



Razak “Jet” Mohiyoudeen – Catcher – Gujranwala Grasshoppers – 79.8% Third Ballot

Razak Mohiyoudeen was a 6’3’’, 205 pound right-handed catcher from Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. Mohiyoudeen was known for being a solid contract hitter with an above average eye for walks and average strikeout rate. Especially for a catcher, he had nice home run power and could get you 25-35 home runs in good years. Mohiyoudeen also had sturdy gap power and averaged around 25-35 doubles per year as well.

He occasionally could leg out an extra base, but his speed was firmly mediocre. The nickname “Jet” was one used ironically regarding his quickness. Mohiyoudeen was a career catcher and considered very good defensively. He would pick up four Gold Gloves in his career (1988, 90, 92, 93). Mohiyoudeen also showed good durability in his 20s and could reliably handle the workload. Thus, he became one of Pakistan’s first popular baseball stars.

In the 1986 ABF Draft, the second such draft, Mohiyoudeen was viewed by some as the top prospect coming out of Pakistan. As noted earlier, catchers that could both hit well and defend well were hard to find. Mohiyoudeen was picked second overall by Gujranwala, who made him a full-time starter immediately. He held that role for all seven seasons with the Grasshoppers, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting in 1987.

After missing it as a rookie, Mohiyoudeen won six consecutive Silver Sluggers for Gujranwala along with four Gold Gloves. In his fourth season of 1990, Mohiyoudeen had an all-time great season, leading the Pakistan League in batting average (.376), on-base percentage (.457), wRC+ (231), and WAR (13.0). He also had 32 home runs, 111 RBI, and a 1.111 OPS; unheard of numbers for a catcher. This earned Mohiyoudeen Pakistan League MVP.

It also put him in the historic territory. As of 2037 is it still the 13^th most WAR in a season for an ABF position player. On top of that, no catcher in any pro league ever has put up a higher WAR season. Mohiyoudeen followed that up with 10.6 WAR, 8.0 WAR, and 9.8 WAR seasons. He led with 220 wRC+ in 1993, earning a second in MVP voting.

Gujranwala stunk in its first few years, but earned three straight playoff appearances from 1989-91. Although second in the 1991 standings, they knocked off Peshawar in the PLCS and topped Izmir in the ABF Championship. As of 2037, this is still the only ABF title for the Grasshoppers. In 25 playoff starts, Mohiyoudeen had 26 hits, 14 runs, 4 doubles, 5 home runs, 16 RBI, a .286/.362/.495 slash, 172 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR.

His role in the title made Mohiyoudeen very popular in Gujranwala. He also gained national notice for Pakistan in the World Baseball Championship from 1988-98. His WBC numbers were less amazing with 105 games, 84 hits, 44 runs, 16 doubles, 12 home runs, 29 RBI, a .220/.281/.361 slash, 89 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR. Mohiyoudeen did still come home for the WBC, although his time in the Pakistan League only lasted seven years.

Free agency arrived after the 1993 season and the Grasshoppers had regressed, falling to 66-96 that year. Coming up on 29 years old, Mohiyoudeen went to free agency. He had earned international attention and the still new ABF definitely couldn’t compete with MLB money. Mohiyoudeen ended up signing with defending World Series champ Calgary on a seven-year, $22,400,000 dea.

Mohiyoudeen played great with 6.0 WAR and 6.6 WAR in his first two seasons with the Cheetahs, earning two Silver Sluggers. That gave him eight for his whole career. Calgary won 106 games in 1994, but suffered a one-and-done in the playoffs. They fell to the mid-tier after that, while Mohiyoudeen’s bat declined as well. In his third season, his average dipped to .249 with an 89 wRC+, although his defense still gave him positive value. That would be his last year as a full-time starter.

Mohiyoudeen did well in a part-time role in 1997, but struggled in 1998 and 1999 as his time got reduced more. With another year left on his contract, Calgary cut Mohiyoudeen on August 1, 1999. Baltimore signed him to finish the year, although he only played four games.

In his MLB run, Mohiyoudeen had 642 hits, 335 runs, 132 doubles, 87 home runs, 324 RBI, a .277/.330/.458 slash, 116 wRC+, and 18.4 WAR. He had hoped to still play in 2000, but couldn’t find a suitor. That winter, Mohiyoudeen retired at age 36. For his combined pro career, Mohiyoudeen had 1653 hits, 829 runs, 326 doubles, 260 home runs, 884 RBI, a .288/.358/.490 slash, 156 wRC+, and 78.5 WAR.

In ABF with Gujranwala, Mohiyoudeen had 1011 hits, 494 runs, 194 doubles, 173 home runs, 560 RBI, a .295/.375/.512 slash, 182 wRC+, and 60.1 WAR. It would be hard for a catcher to have a better seven years, but many voters felt seven years couldn’t be enough. His accumulations are certainly on the bottom of later leaderboards as a result, but his peak was historically good.

Mohiyoudeen came closer than anyone to being the first ABF Hall of Famer with a 63.2% debut and 59.9% second ballot. Erhan Buyukdemir coming on the ballot made voters re-evaluate Mohiyoudeen. Most figured Buyukdemir was a slam dunk and only longevity hurt Mohiyoudeen, who some argued was a better player. He got the bump up to 79.8% to join his fellow catcher as ABF’s first Hall of Famers in 2003.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 ALB Hall of Fame

Arab League Baseball didn’t induct its first Hall of Famer in 2003, although a new high mark was reached. Debuting SP Abdulla Al-Muhafazat received 52.0%, the first to get above the midway mark. The previous high was reliever Paul Arfaoui the prior year at 41.4%. Arfaoui was slightly down in his fourth try at 40.8%. Fellow reliever Ahmed Mohamed Abdallah narrowly debuted above the 1/3 mark at 34.7%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 World Baseball Championship

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The 57^th World Baseball Championship was the second to be hosted in the Philippines, this time centered around Davao. The lone team to go unbeaten in divisional play was a surprise as Egypt (9-0) rolled through Division 1. Only Uruguay (7-2) gave them any chase. This was the second division title for the Egyptians, joining their 1999 effort. The United States took Division 2 at 8-1, fending off Canada (7-2) and the Netherlands (6-3). The Americans have advanced 48 times in total.

A very competitive Division 3 had defending World Champion China survive at 7-2. El Salvador, Guatemala, and Iran were each at 6-3 with Honduras and the Philippines at 5-4. The Chinese have advanced 21 times now. Division 4 was also tight as Kazakhstan (7-2) edged out 6-3 efforts by Colombia and Peru. This was the fourth division title for the Kazakhs, although their last was all the way back in 1980. Japan, a semifinalist last year, was a non-factor at 4-5.

Division 5 had a tie for first between Brazil and the Dominican Republic at 7-2, while Argentina, Haiti, and India were each 5-4. The head-to-head tiebreaker gave the Brazilians the edge over the DR, sending Brazil forward for the 30^th time. Division 6 also had a tie with both South Korea and Australia at 7-2. The Koreans had the tiebreaker to advance for the 18^th time, ending a drought dating back to 1996. England was also in the mix at 6-3.

Division 7 was top heavy as Germany and Mexico tied for first at 8-1 while Nigeria was at 7-2. The Germans had the tiebreaker for their ninth division title and back-to-back berths. Germany, China, and the USA were the three division champs from 2002 to win again in 2003. Lastly in Division 8, Indonesia (7-2) prevailed by one game over Puerto Rico and two over Austria, France, Israel, and Spain. The Indonesians now have 17 division titles with their first since their 2000 runner-up effort.

In Double Round Robin Group A, Brazil battered the field at 5-1. China also advanced at 3-3, while Indonesia and Egypt were each ousted at 2-4. This was the 18^th semifinal for the Brazilians and first since 1999. The Chinese repeat bid remained intact with their 16^th final four appearance.

Group B saw South Korea first at 5-1, advancing along with the Americans at 4-2. Kazakhstan ended 2-4 and Germany was 1-5. The Koreans now have 11 semifinal berths, although they hadn’t gotten that far since 1983. The United States earned its 42^nd time in the final four and the fourth consecutive.

In the semifinals, the Americans topped Brazil 3-1 to earn a fourth straight finals appearance. It is the seventh in eight years and the 38^th overall for the United States. In a five-game classic, South Korea ousted the reigning champion China. This was SK’s seventh finals berth and first since 1973. The Chinese officially finished third place and the Brazilians were fourth.



In the 57^th World Championship, the United States returned to its throne with a 4-2 win over South Korea. The Americans have six titles in eight years and are now 33-5 all-time in the championship. The Koreans are now 1-6 in their finals berths with four of the losses against the US.



Both top awards went to Americans. WBC MVP was 1B Colin Jordan, a 26-year old entering his seventh season with Nashville. In 24 games, he had 38 hits, 25 runs, 10 doubles, 15 home runs, 39 RBI, a .437/.490/1.092 slash, 321 wRC+, and 3.0 WAR. The 39 RBI was one short of Connor Neumeyer’s record of 40 in 1972. His WAR total and hits were the fourth highest to that point by a position player. Best pitcher went to closer John Milligan, a 25-year old with Minnaeapolis. He tossed 12.1 scoreless innings with 25 strikeouts, three hits allowed, and three walks.

Other notes: The United States set a WBC record for triples (12) and had the second most stolen bases in WBC history (83). Romania’s Marian Iancu became the 10^th in WBC history to hit for the cycle, doing it against France. The lone no-hitter of 2003 came from Ghana’s Dylan Grant with 11 strikeouts and one walk against Thailand. Below are the updated all-time tournament stats:

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in AAB

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After a third place finish the prior season, Dar es Salaam took first in the AAB Southern Conference standings at 103-59. This was a new franchise best for the Sabercats and their third playoff berth in four years. It was also their second time taking the #1 spot in the standings (1997). Dar es Salaam set still-standing conference pitching records for H/9 (6.93) and WHIP (1.066). The Sabercats had both the most runs scored (852) and fewest allowed (593) in the Southern Conference.


Reigning conference champ Antananarivo again took the second playoff spot at 92-70. The Eagles edged Durban by two games, Johannesburg by four, and Lilongwe by five. The Jackalopes saw their playoff streak end at five seasons. The good times officially ended the next season when they posted their first-ever losing season.

Lilongwe RF Felix Chaula won his third consecutive Southern Conference MVP. The 27-year old from Tanzania led in runs (128), home runs (64), OBP (.430), slugging (.739), OPS (1.169), wRC+ (211), and WAR (10.1). Chaula also had 172 hits, 118 RBI, and a .318 average.

Pitcher of the Year was Antananarivo lefty Seth Zoontjes. The 33-year old Dutchman was in his second year with the Eagles after a decade in the European Baseball Federation primarily as a closer. In his second year as a starter, he posted a 13-6 record over 199 innings, 2.89 ERA, 206 strikeouts, 144 ERA+, and 5.1 WAR. Zoontjes became one of a select few in any league to win a Pitcher of the Year as a starter and also a Reliever of the Year in his career.



Reigning AAB champ Kinshasa dominated the Central Conference again, setting a new franchise and conference best record at 108-54. The Sun Cats have been in the playoffs in all nine AAB seasons and six times have finished first in the standings.

There was a steep drop to the second place spot, which went to Kigali at 85-77. Not only was this the Guardians’ first-ever playoff berth, but they hadn’t won more than 64 games in their prior eight seasons. Kigali edged out Addis Ababa by one game, Kampala by two, and Bujumbura by four. Mogadishu, who won 102 games the prior year, dropped to sixth at 79-83.

Strengthening Kinshasa was a trade in the offseason with neighboring Brazzaville. The Sun Cats sent over three prospects to get two-time MVP and single-season home run king Mohau Sibiya. The 30-year old South African became a three-time MVP, leading in runs (131), homers (64), slugging (.734), OPS (1.144), wRC+ (196), and WAR (11.8). He also had 124 RBI and a .285 average. Sibiya ultimately went to free agency after being a rental for Kinshasa and signed a six-year, $17,200,000 deal with Antananarivo.

Lubumbashi’s Alemayehu Legesse won his second Pitcher of the Year in three years. The 30-year old Ethiopian righty led in WHIP (1.02) while adding an 18-11 record over 269.2 innings, 3.27 ERA, 250 strikeouts, and 6.7 WAR. Also of note, his Loggerheads teammate Rajab Hamadi became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner. The 28-year old Tanzanian had 34 saves, a 1.57 ERA, and 135 strikeouts in 69 innings.

In the Southern Conference Championship, Antananarivo upset Dar es Salaam 4-2, earning repeat pennants from the #2 spot in the standings. Kinshasa rolled as expected in the Central Conference Championship, taking it 4-1 against Kigali. The Sun Cats earned a seventh pennant in nine years, maintaining their dominance.



The ninth Africa Series saw Kinshasa’s dynasty continue with perhaps their strongest team of the bunch. In a rematch of the prior year, the Sun Cats bested Antananarivo 5-2. 1B Boubacar Mavinga had a big postseason, winning MVP of the conference finals and the Africa Series. The 36-year old Congolese slugger had 16 hits, 13 runs, 6 doubles, 6 homers, and 14 RBI over 11 starts.



On top of repeating as champion, Kinshasa earned a sixth title in seven years. They’re only the third franchise in any world league to take six in seven, Joining CABA’s Mexico City (1967-73), and SAB’s Ahmedabad (with nine titles between 1986-96). Although the Sun Cats would continue their conference control for two more years, this was the peak of the dynasty, as they wouldn’t win it all again until 2033. Kinshasa forever goes down as the first great AAB dynasty and arguably the most impressive, only later rivaled by Addis Ababa’s run from the mid 2000s to early 2010s.

Other notes: At 53-109, Lusaka posted a new Southern Conference worst record. This wouldn’t be topped until 2025. Cape Town’s Gabriel Rakotomamonjy became the second AAB batter to post a six-hit game. Boubacar Mavinga became the first to 1000 career RBI. Mohau Sibiya became the first to 400 home runs, joined two weeks later by Timeo Kahudi. SS Ian Dube won his seventh Gold Glove, a new AAB record. 1B Yugo Hattori became the second six-time Gold Glover. LF Marley Mubiru became the first to six Silver Sluggers

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in ALB

Arab League Baseball players got a little bit of relief as they were able to lower the minimum service time requirement for free agency. It previously was at nine years, among the most restrictive of any pro league. Starting in 2003, the minimum was lowered to eight seasons. It would remain at eight until lowering again in both 2014 and 2028.



After seeing their playoff streak ended at four seasons in 2002, Casablanca re-emerged to dominate the Western Conference. The Bruins battered the Mediterranean Division at 108-54, giving them 11 division titles over ALB’s 14 seasons. Casablanca led in both runs scored (749) and fewest allowed (553). Last year’s division winner Tripoli was a distant second at 90-72 and Algiers was 86-76. They were arguably the #2 and #3 teams in the conference, although they got left out as only division winners advanced.

Amman repeated as Levant Division champ at 86-76, besting Jerusalem by six games. In the Nile Division, Cairo (85-77) won a very tight race against Khartoum (84-78) and reigning conference champ Alexandria (81-81). This was the third division title in four years for the Pharaohs.

Casablanca 3B Abderrazak Zouari won his third Western Conference MVP in four seasons. The 29-year old Moroccan righty led in runs (120), OBP (.413), slugging (.681), OPS (1.094), wRC+ (188), and WAR (10.0). Zouari added 50 home runs, 110 RBI, and a .319 average. This earned him a big pay day, as the Bruins re-signed Zouari in the offseason on a seven-year, $18,440,000 extension.

His Bruins teammate Abdullah Al-Tamtami won Pitcher of the Year in only his second full season. The 22-year old righty from Oman had a 21-11 record, 2.92 ERA, and 268 strikeouts over 264.2 innings with 6.5 WAR. Also of note, Atik Samran became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner. He started the year in his eighth season with Jerusalem, but was traded at the deadline to Cairo. He would leave for MLB in the offseason.

Cairo edged Amman 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs, sending the Pharaohs to their third Western Conference Final in four years. It was the sixth time they had met Casablanca in the WCF with the Bruins winning in 1993, 95, and 2001, while the Pharaohs had won in 1990 and 1992. Casablanca would prevail 3-1 to win their second pennant in three years and their sixth overall, leading all Arab League teams.



Defending ALB champ Dubai greatly improved their standing with a franchise-record 109-53 mark atop the Gulf Division. This earned the Diamonds a third straight division title and their ninth overall. As an offense, Dubai struck out only 1047 times, which remains a single-season ALB record as of 2037. Medina ended a five-year playoff drought and took the Saudi Division at 96-66. Last year’s division winner Riyadh dropped to below .500. The Iraq Division had a big change as Mosul’s reign ended. The Muskies fell to 77-85, ending their record playoff streak at eight years. Basra picked up the reigns at 95-67 for their third-ever division title (1993-94).

Nordine Soule continued to lead the way for the Bulldogs, winning his third Eastern Conference MVP. The 28-year old Comoran fell one short of the single-season home run for the second time at 66; his fourth season with 60+ dingers. The Basra lefty also led in runs (120), RBI (138), slugging (.694), OPS (1.052), and wRC+ (184). Soule had 8.4 WAR and a .297 average, winning his seventh Silver Slugger.

Although Mosul’s dominance ended, Rashid Tariq’s did not. He bounced back from an injury plagued 2002 to win his seventh Pitcher of the Year, a mark no other ALB pitcher has reached as of 2037. The 34-year old Iraqi led in ERA (2.49), innings (289), WHIP (0.94), quality starts (27), FIP- (64), and WAR (9.6). Tariq added a 21-5 record and 315 strikeouts. This would be his last great season, as he’d look good still in 2004 but average in 2005. He retired after the 2005 campaign and would be regularly in the ALB GOAT pitcher conversation. In 2003, he was the first to reach 250 career wins and 3500 strikeouts. Tariq’s 285 wins would stay the top mark until the late 2020s.

Medina swept Basra in the first round, sending the Mastodons to their first Eastern Conference Final since their 1992-95 dynasty run. Medina would take Dubai to the limit, but the Diamonds won the series 3-2 to repeat as champs.



The 14^th Arab League Championship was highly anticipated with a 109-win Dubai squad defending their title against 108-win Casablanca. The Bruins dethroned the Diamonds, taking the series 4-2. It was the third title for Casablanca, joining their 1994 and 1995 wins. They joined Mosul as the only teams with three ALB crowns thus far. Finals MVP was second-year RF Isur Levi. The 24-year old Israeli had 9 hits, 7 runs, 2 doubles, 4 home runs, and 7 RBI in 10 playoff starts.



Other notes: Basra’s Farouk Adam had a 30-game hit streak, setting a new record for ALB that held until 2010. Mohamed Wael reached 3500 career strikeouts, the second to do so after Rashid Tariq did it three weeks earlier. Wael also joined Tariq as the only pitchers with 200+ wins. Hassan El Mubarak and Ahmad Abbas became the first batters to 2000 career hits.

SS Mohammed Mohamed won his ninth Gold Glove and tenth Silver Slugger, becoming the first to reach those heights for both awards. It would be the final time he won either in ALB though. Mohamed would be traded to Casablanca for 2004, but miss almost the entire year to a torn PCL. He’d then leave for MLB on a six-year, $67,000,000 deal with Nashville, not returning to the ALB until a decade late in his 40s. Mohamed’s 119.0 WAR over a decade with the Muskies forever goes down as one of the all-time great peaks for any player.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in ABF



After back-to-back wild cards, Multan exploded and dominated the ABF East League in 2003 at 113-49. This tied 1998 Hyderabad for the most wins in a season by an ABF team. Spots two to six were quite tight in fighting for the remaining three playoff spots. Lahore (93-69), Almaty (89-73), and Hyderabad (89-73) each advanced. The Longhorns ended a four-year playoff drought while the Horned Frogs ended a two-year skit. It was the first time in the playoffs for the Assassins since their EPB days with the last appearance in 1996.

Falling just short was Bishkek (88-74) and Dushanbe (86-76), which ended three year playoff streaks for both. The big collapse was reigning Asian Baseball Federation champ Tashkent, who plummeted to 68-94 and an 11^th place finish. The Tomcats dating back to their EPB days had a streak of eight consecutive playoff berths and ten straight winning seasons. It was the first time since 1964 that Tashkent won fewer than 70 games.

Taking East League MVP was Dushanbe 1B Maksim Ignashevich. The 34-year old Russian was in his third year with the Tomcats after a nice run previously with Baku. Ignashevich earned a Triple Crown with a .315 average, 48 home runs, and 138 RBI. He also led the EL in runs (106), hits (193), doubles (50), slugging (.644), OPS (.991), wRC+ (217), and WAR (10.4).

Bishkek’s Oskar Tamm won Pitcher of the Year and set a still-standing ABF record with 305.1 innings pitched. As of 2037, no other pitcher in ABF history has thrown 300+ innings in a season. The 26-year old Estonian lefty led in quality starts (30) and shutouts (6). He added a 1.97 ERA, 14-13 record, 373 strikeouts, and 9.2 WAR. The Black Sox were quite pleased with the investment, as they had given Tamm a six-year, $16,420,000 extension prior to the 2003 season.

Multan cruised to a first round sweep of Hyderabad, while Almaty edged Lahore 3-2. This was the Assassins first trip to the East League Championship Series and their first LCS of any king since the 1985 EPB season. For the Mighty Cocks, their only previous berths were their 1993 and 1994 pennants. Multan would roll to their third pennant, downing Almaty 3-1. They were the first Pakistani team to win a pennant since the league expansion brought in other Central Asian teams in 2000.



The West League was tight at the top with Ankara narrowly taking first at 98-64. This extended the Alouettes’ playoff streak to four seasons. Bursa was one back at 97-65, seeing their streak grow to seven seasons. The Blue Claws pitching staff recorded 1859 strikeouts, the second highest in WL history to that point. That mark remains third best as of 2037.

Istanbul ended a 14-year playoff drought by taking third at 94-68. Isfahan and Shiraz tied for the fourth and final spot at 88-74. No tiebreaker games are used in ABF and the reigning WL champion Imperials advanced on the tiebreaker. Isfahan barely managed to extend its playoff streak to nine seasons, a new ABF record.

Although Asgabat tied for seventh at 73-89, they had the West League MVP in 1B Murad Doskaliev. He also won a Triple Crown, making it six times that an ABF hitter has earned the distinction. The 27-year old Tajik lefty had 60 home runs, 130 RBI, and a .340 average. Doskaliev also led in runs (110), hits (201), total bases (426), OBP (.405), slugging (.721), OPS (1.126), wRC+ (226), and WAR (11.8). In addition, he had a historic day on April 18 against Ankara, going 6-9 with three home runs.

Isfahan’s Yazeed Anwari made more history with his eighth Pitcher of the Year, an honor no other ABF pitcher has earned as of 2037. The 30-year old Pakistani righty led in ERA (1.97), innings (292), WHIP (0.87), K/BB (11.6), quality starts (31), complete games (17), and shutouts (5). Anwari added 9.6 WAR, 372 strikeouts, and a 21-9 record. Sadly, his dominance would end the next year due to a torn UCL. Anwari would leave after that for MLB, but would be mediocre in his final years. His decade of dominance though for the Imperials is one of the finest stretches from any pitcher.

Ankara ousted defending champ Isfahan 3-1 while Istanbul upset Bursa 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs. For the Alouettes, this was their first West League Championship Series since 1994, while the Ironmen hadn’t made it since 1989. Top-seeded Ankara dominated to take the series 4-1 over Istanbul, earning their first-ever pennant. Of the original 10 teams of the old West Asia Association, that leaves only Tabriz and Shiraz without a single pennant in ABF’s short history.



Ankara’s first ever Asian Baseball Federation Championship appearance would be brief. Multan mauled them with a sweep in the 19^th ABF final, giving the Mighty Cocks their second title (1993). They also set a new record for most wins by an ABF champ, beating Istanbul’s 111-win 1988 effort. LF Simin Arefi was finals MVP as the 27-year old Iranian had 19 hits, 15 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, and 16 RBI over 12 playoff starts. The 2003 Multan squad makes a fine case as the strongest ABF squad to date.



Other notes: Adana’s Humayun Kahil had a 32-game hit streak, the fourth longest in ABF history. Yazeed Anwari and Rami Naqvi became the second and third pitchers to 3500 career strikeouts. Anwari also was the first to reach 200 career wins. Pouya Malek became the first batter to 2000 hits.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in SAB

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Nine-time defending Indian League champion Ahmedabad had their worst season since 1987. Still, they’ve been so incredible that a “bad” season for them was 100-62 for the top record in the league again. The Animals extended their historic playoff streak to 19 seasons with their 18^th West Division title in that stretch. It was also their 16^th straight season with double-digit wins. Mumbai gave them a run for the division at 95-67, earning a third straight wild card.

Bengaluru won a terrible South Division in 2002 with 74 wins. Their 2003 title was far more deserving at 95-67. Hyderabad also had a nice turnaround for their first winning season since 1988. At 89-73, the Hippos were still six short of the division title and five away from the wild card. Delhi ended a four-year playoff drought, winning the Central Division at 91-71. Jaipur was second at 83-79, seeing their playoff streak end at four seasons.

Hyderabad 1B Janesvara Aryasva followed up his 2002 Rookie of the Year campaign with the Indian League MVP in 2003. Aryasva led in runs (122), home runs (61), RBI (130), walks (101), total bases (402), OBP (.443), slugging (.732), OPS (1.175), wRC+ (277), and WAR (13.6). Arysava’s WAR was the third highest in a season for a position player and still sits fifth as of 2037. His .342 average fell only a few points shy of a Triple Crown.

Ahmedabad’s Salim Islam won Pitcher of the Year and fell five strikeouts short of his own Triple Crown. In his second season with the Animals, the 30-year old Bangladeshi had a 20-9 record, 2.00 ERA, and 347 strikeouts. He also led in WAR (8.2), and innings pitched (260.2).

Ahmedabad beat Mumbai 3-1 in the first round, giving the Animals an unprecedented 18^th straight appearance in the Indian League Championship Series. Bengaluru swept Delhi for the Blazers’ first ILCS since 1995. Ahmedabad’s bid for ten straight pennants was denied with the Blazers pulling off the incredible upset in seven games. It was Bengaluru’s third IL title (1982, 85, 03).

Although the Animals would have more ILCS appearances in the next few years, they would have to wait until 2028 for their next pennant. Thus, this is viewed by many historians as the end of arguably the most impressive dynasty in pro baseball history. 18 straight LCS appearances, 15 pennants, and 12 SAB titles is something that is unlikely to ever be matched.



Ho Chi Minh City’s own remarkable run continued with a 118-42 record atop the Southeast Asia League’s South Division. The Hedgehogs extended their playoff streak to 17 years with 15 straight division titles. Yangon won the North Division at 106-56, extending their playoff streak to nine years with seven division titles in that stretch.

There was a big drop to the first wild card Hanoi at 86-76. This was the Hounds’ third playoff berth in four years. For the second spot, Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur both finished at 85-77. No tiebreaker game was used with the formula giving the spot to the Leopards. This was their first playoff spot since 1994. Defending South Asian Baseball champ Dhaka dropped to 79-83, missing the playoff field.

2B Tirtha Upadhyaya became SAB’s first-ever six-time MVP. Only one other player would eventually reach that distinction. It was the first time the 29-year old Nepali won the Southeast Asia League’s MVP, as his previous wins were with Bengaluru in the Indian League. In his fourth season with Ho Chi Minh City, he led in WAR (9.5) while adding 55 home runs, 126 RBI, 126 runs, and a .970 OPS.

The Hedgehogs also had record setting pitching with 1968 strikeouts as a team, which remains the SEAL record as of 2037. Their 0.954 WHIP and 11.91 K/9 are both second-best all time as of 2037. Leading the rotation was Van Khang Nguyen, who signed a five-year, $14,520,000 free agent deal with HCMC after a solid run with Kathmandu. Nguyen led in wins (23-5), innings (282), strikeouts (366), complete games (15), shutouts (4), FIP- (49), and WAR (11.8). He also had a 2.20 ERA, third in the league. Hedgehogs closer Saroth Bora also became the first-ever five-time Reliever of the Year winner.

Ho Chi Minh City topped Kuala Lumpur 3-1 in the first round, sending the Hedgehogs to their 10^th straight SEAL Championship. Yangon survived in five over Hanoi, giving the Green Dragons their second LCS berth in three years. After getting upset the last two years, HCMC reclaimed their SEAL throne 4-1. This was the Hedgehogs’ 11^th pennant of their run.



For the first time in all of their SAB Championship appearances, Ho Chi Minh City wasn’t facing Ahmedabad. They had gone 2-8 against the Animals dynasty. The Hedgehogs took care of business and rolled to a sweep of Bengaluru for their third title (1997, 2000, 2003). League MVP Tirtha Upadhyaya was MVP of all three rounds of the postseason. In 13 starts, he had 19 hits, 14 runs, 3 doubles, 8 home runs, 16 RBI, a .432/.509/1.091 slash, and 1.5 WAR. HCMC’s Saroth Bora set a SAB playoff record with 8 saves, although his postseason was a mixed bag with a 4.08 ERA in 17.2 innings and 36 strikeouts.



Other notes: Pitcher of the Year Van Khang Nugyen had the 7^th SAB Perfect Game. On May 12, the HCMC ace struck out 11 against Hanoi. Van Loi Phung became the second hitter to 1500 RBI. He retired with 1568, second to VJ Williams’ 1638. 3B Manju Abbas won a historic 14^th Gold Glove. SS Aman Aveesh and CF Mansoor Gurinder both became eight-time Gold Glovers. Tirtha Upadhyaya won his ninth Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in WAB

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After a third place finish the prior year, Bamako had the top spot in the WAB Western League at 101-61. This was only the third time the Bullfrogs had earned first in the standings (1976, 1983). Last year’s #1 seed Kumasi was one behind at 100-62, taking second. The third place spot and final wild card was Nouakchott at 92-70, ending a three-year playoff drought. Defending WL champ Cape Verde missed out at 87-75. Abidjan (86-76) and Monrovia (84-78) were also in the mix.

Kumasi DH Mo Reda won his third consecutive Western League MVP with a historic effort. The 25-year old Egyptian lefty became WAB’s single-season home run king (64), topping the previous high of 62. That would be surpassed in three years’ time, but Reda also obliterated his RBI record of 156 by knocking in 186 in 2003. This remains the WAB record and was a new world record at the time. As of 2037, it is the fifth most in a season in any world league. Reda also led the WL in runs (132), total bases (461), slugging (.740), OPS (1.143), wRC+ (221), and WAR (10.8). His .358 batting average was second behind teammate Ibrahima Bah’s .371, just missing a Triple Crown.

Pitcher of the Year was Bamako’s Dosso Fofana. The 25-year old Ivorian righty led in wins (18-9), FIP- (74), and WAR (6.5). He added a 2.69 ERA over 244.2 innings and 281 strikeouts. The Bullfrogs had given him a six-year, $12,870,000 contract extension the prior winter. Unfortunately though, 2004 was his final full season due to a string of major injuries.

Kumasi edged Nouakchott 2-1 in the wild card round to earn a repeat appearance in the Western League Championship Series. For top seed Bamako, this was their first WLCS since 1986. The Bullfrogs would earn their fourth pennant (1976, 83, 86, 03) by defeating the Monkeys 3-1.



Kano looked to keep its Eastern League dynasty intact, finishing first for the seventh year in a row. The reigning WAB champs went 104-58, also extending their postseason streak to nine seasons. Niamey was second at 93-69 to repeat as a wild card. The Atomics set a EL team record with 112 triples. Third went to Lagos at 89-73, edging Lome by one and Cotonou by six. The Lizards snapped a five-year postseason drought.

Eastern League MVP went to Niamey veteran LF Jack Kiadii. The 30-year old Liberian led in RBI (148), total bases (410), and slugging (.679). He added 116 runs, 41 home runs, a .349 average, and 8.2 WAR. Kiadii also won his fifth Gold Glove.

35-year old veteran Rick Agyemang won Pitcher of the Year. Mostly a journeyman, the Ghanaian lefty joined Cotonou the prior year, but missed much of the season to a torn labrum. Agyemang impressively bounced back with a league-best 2.48 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, while adding an 18-8 record, 246.1 innings, 263 strikeouts, and 5.1 WAR. He would regress hard the next year with a -1.7 WAR in 88.2 innings, ultimately ending his career.

Lagos upset Niamey 2-0 in the wild card round on the road, sending the Lizards to their first Eastern League Championship Series since 1997. For Kano, they were in their ninth straight ELCS and shooting for a historic seventh straight pennant. The Condors cruised to a sweep to keep the dynasty alive. Kano became only the fourth team in pro baseball history to win seven consecutive subleague titles, joining MLB’s Philadelphia (1941-47), CABA’s Mexico City (1967-73), and SAB’s Ahmedabad (nine straight from 1994-02).



Kano continued to roll into the 29^th West African Championship, besting Bamako 4-1. The Condors three-peated again and earned a sixth WAB title in seven years. This was also their ninth overall title (1975, 75, 86, 97, 98, 99, 01, 02, 03). LF Sam Pappoe was finals MVP, having joined Kano in a 2001 trade with Douala. The 27-year old from Ghana had 9 hits, 5 runs, 3 doubles, 3 homers, and 11 RBI in 8 playoff starts.



Kano joined Ahmedabad’s SAB dynasty (nine titles from 1986-96), AAB’s Kinshasa (1997-03), and CABA’s Mexico City (1967-73) as the only franchises in world history to win six overall championships in a seven year stretch. The Condors’ success would continue for a few more years as well, likely cementing their status as WAB’s greatest dynasty and one of the greatest in world baseball history.

Other notes: On June 2, Accra’s Akuneto Adeyemo went 7-8 against Cape Verde. As of 2037, he’s WAB’s only player with a seven hit game. Ajiboye Okemmiri became the third member of the 500 home run club. Tiemogo Isrissa became the fourth pitcher to 200 wins. Yakubu Odiye was the sixth to reach 2000 hits. SS Darwin Morris won his tenth straight Silver Slugger, becoming the first WAB player to win the award ten times.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in CLB

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Harbin again took first place in the Chinese Northern League standings and earned a third consecutive playoff berth. The Hellcats matched their franchise-best at 101-61. Last year’s China Series runner-up Shenyang was second at 96-66. Jinan was third at 95-67 to end a two-year playoff drought. There was an eight game drop to fourth place Tianjin. Beijing, who had earned three playoff berths in the last four years, dropped to eighth at 76-86. Another huge shift was Xi’an, who went from 84 wins in 2002 to an abysmal 58-104 in 2003.

Northern League MVP was Tianjin SS Baogang Tian. The third-year righty led in hits (194), runs (88), RBI (94), total bases (312), triple slash (.337/.371/.542), OPS (.913), wRC+ (209), and WAR (12.3). Beijing’s Rajit Khatiwada won his second Pitcher of the Year in three years. The 28-year old Nepali lefty led in ERA (1.37), K/BB (12.5), FIP- (34), and WAR (9.9). It was his fifth time leading in ERA. Khatiwada also had a 12-7 record in 210 innings with 300 strikeouts.



Defending CLB champ Kunming again had the top record in the Southern League, finishing 100-62. It was a nine game gap to second place Changsha at 91-71, who ended a five-year playoff drought. Wuhan was third at 90-72 for a third straight playoff berth. Just short in the wild card race were Shenzhen (87-75), Foshan (84-78), and Macau (83-79). Dongguan, who secured wild cards the prior two years, fell off to 11^th at 69-93.

Shenzhen RF Minghui Ruan earned Southern League MVP. The 28-year old lefty led in RBI (104), walks (64), total bases (304), OBP (.383), slugging (.608), OPS (.991), and wRC+ (225). Ruan also had 41 home runs, a .304 average, and 9.4 WAR. He played one more year with the Spartans, then was traded to Qingdao and signed a long-term deal with them.

Pitcher of the Year was Kunming’s Di Wang, who led in wins at 20-6 and ERA at 1.35. The 30-year old lefty pitched 259.1 innings with 261 strikeouts and 6.1 WAR. Wang had one more year with the Muscle, then left for the European Baseball Federation and Berlin.

Both Southern League teams edged their Northern League foes in the first round of the playoffs in three games with Changsha over Jinan and Wuhan over Shenyang. The Cannons had their first semifinal since 1997, while the Wolverines had their second in three years. The top seeds would both win 4-2 in the semifinals with Harbin beating Changsha and Kunming downing Wuhan. This gave the Muscle repeat finals berths and their third in four years, while it was the first since 1998 for the Hellcats.



In the 34^th China Series, Harbin topped Kunming 4-2. It was the third title for the Hellcats (1981, 98, 03) and put both teams at 3-3 all-time in the China Series. A key move for Harbin was trading for veteran LF Ruilong Xu at the deadline. Xu had played for Dalian since 1990 and stepped up to win finals MVP for the Hellcats. In 12 playoff starts, Xu had 16 hits, 7 runs, 4 doubles, 4 home runs, and 14 RBI.



Other notes: Ruilong Xu also became the 12^th CLB batter to 2000 hits. RF Wenjie Huang won his seventh Gold Glove. LF Tao Yang won his ninth Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in APB

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Tainan repeated as Taiwan League champs, although narrowly so. The Titans were 93-69, edging Taichung by one game. After a second place finish in 2002, Zamboanga won the Philippine League for the third time in four years. The Zebras were 88-74, beating Manila by four games and Quezon by seven. Davao, last year’s Taiwan-Philippine Association champ, took fourth at 80-82.

Tainan CF Chen-Hua Wang won his second TPA MVP. The 31-year old lefty led in doubles (34), OBP (.360), and WAR (9.5). He added a .308 average and 170 wRC+. Pitcher of the Year was Taichung’s Kan-Lin Tung. The 24-year old lefty led in wins (21-8), quality starts (28), shutouts (10), FIP- (53), and WAR (9.9). Tung added a 1.74 ERA over 264 innings and 290 strikeouts.



The Java League had a wild three-team battle for the title and ultimately the top record in the Sundaland Association. Bandung narrowly took it at 97-65, ending a six-year playoff drought. Two-time defending APB champ Semarang was one back at 96-66 and Jakarta was two back at 95-67. Singapore won the Malacca League at 90-72, ending a six-year playoff drought. The Sharks impressively bounced back after winning only 66 games the prior year. Medan was a close second at 88-74 and saw their playoff streak snapped at three seasons.

Sundaland Association MVP was Singapore veteran shortstop Alif Aris. In his 13^th and final year with the Sharks, the 34-year old led in WAR (8.8) despite missing six weeks to back trouble. He had a 166 wRC+, 20 home runs, and a .286 average. Aris used this season to cash in as a free agent in the offseason, inking a four-year, $25,200,000 deal with Jakarta.

Medan’s Afiq Parker missed all of 2002 with a torn rotator cuff. The 29-year old bounced back impressively to win his fifth Pitcher of the Year, leading in strikeouts (321), FIP- (44), and WAR (10.2). Parker added a 21-5 record and 1.80 ERA over 244.1 innings. Also worth noting was Semarang closer Aji Bayu Witarsa, who won his second Reliever of the Year. He became only the third winner of the award to post 7.2 WAR or better, getting 47 saves with a 0.51 ERA and 199 strikeouts in 105.2 innings.

In the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship, Zamboanga upset Tainan 4-2. This gave the Zebras their second pennant in three years. Bandung bested Singapore 4-2 in the Sundaland Association Championship. This was the fourth pennant for the Blackhawks (1967, 94, 95, 03).



In the 39^th Austronesia Championship, Bandung outlasted Zamboanga in a seven game classic. This was the Blackhawks’ third ring joining their 1967 and 1994 titles. The Zebras are now 0-2 in the finals and are one of five teams still without a title. 2B Irfan Nasir was finals MVP as the 33-year old had 12 hits, 10 runs, 6 home runs, and 7 RBI in 13 playoff starts.



Other notes: Jakarta’s Rendi Rambulangi tossed the 27^th APB perfect game on July 23, striking out 13 against Palembang. Gede Mamuaya became the sixth slugger to 500 home runs. He would play two more years and retire fourth all-time with 577. This is still seventh best as of 2037. Mamuaya also was the 14^th to reach 1000 runs scored. Fransisco Hartari won his tenth Silver Slugger. It was his fourth as a second baseman while the rest were in center field.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in OBA

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For the first time since 1987, Melbourne won the Australasia League title. It was the sixth pennant for the Mets along with their 1967-70 dynasty. Adelaide was their only real competitor, six games back in second at 94-68. Reigning Oceania Champion Brisbane fell to fifth place at 77-85.

Melbourne shortstop Tyler Straw won his third MVP in four years. The 26-year old posted the fifth Triple Crown season by an OBA hitter with 61 home runs, 149 RBI, and a .321 average. His RBI tally and his 135 runs were both the second-most in OBA history. Straw also led in total bases (421), slugging (.711), OPS (1.097), wRC+ (186), and WAR (12.4). This was the most WAR by a position player in OBA not named Jimmy Caliw (Caliw has the top five seasons, Straw is sixth). Straw certainly lived up to the eight-year, $28,920,000 extension he had signed the prior winter.

Pitcher of the Year was fourth-year Adelaide lefty Jarome Galuvao. The 25-year old from American Samoa led in wins (26-6), ERA (2.13), WHIP (1.02), quality starts (32), FIP- (64), and WAR (10.1). He also struck out 265 batters over 304.2 innings.



The Pacific League had an intense battle for the top spot between defending champ Fiji and Tahiti. Both finished 105-57, requiring a one-game playoff for the title. The Tropics won over the Freedom, earning their first pennant since 1976. It was Tahiti’s sixth pennant overall. The Freedom posted the second-best record in OBA history by a second place team, only behind Honolulu’s 108-win 1992.

Tahiti LF Arjita Gabeja won his second Pacific League MVP in three years. The 24-year old Fijian lefty led in runs (127), home runs (58), RBI (141), total bases (404), OBP (.394), slugging (.697), OPS (1.091), wRC+ (206), and WAR (9.1). Gabeja’s .329 average was nine points shy of earning a Triple Crown. Tahiti locked up Gabeja in the offseason with an eight-year, $29,560,000 deal.

New Caledonia’s Crow Xue repeated as Pitcher of the Year in his third season. The 25-year old Hongkonger led in ERA (2.07), innings (344), quality starts (35), and shutouts (5). He added 10.9 WAR and 314 strikeouts for a 22-12 record. The Colonels would give Xue a six-year, $21,680,000 extension after the 2004 campaign.

Also worth noting was Honolulu 2B Kalos Ryniker, who won Rookie of the Year. He set a record for the most WAR by a ROTY winner with 8.8. The Solomon Islander led in hits with 200 and added 37 home runs, 119 RBI, and a .331/.360/.568 slash.



The 44^th Oceania Championship was a seven game classic. Tahiti edged Melbourne to earn their third overall title (1965, 1975, 2003). For the fifth time in six years, the finals went seven games. Rookie 1B Jimmy Moreno was finals MVP as the 22-year old Filipino had 14 hits, 5 runs, 5 doubles, and 4 RBI over 7 playoff starts.



Other notes: Melbourne’s George Philip set a playoff record, drawing nine walks. Fiji as a team had 259 doubles and Samoa had 103 triples, both of which were Pacific League records. In a bad record, Honolulu’s Omar Ba allowed 63 home runs. Tahiti’s Jimmy Moreno became the seventh OBA hitter to record a six-hit game. After three consecutive seasons without a single no-hitter, three were thrown in 2003. Adelaide’s Joel Landry notably struck out 16 against Sydney, tying the OBA record for Ks in a no-no. SS Jay Lawrence won his 11^th Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in EPB

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Three-time defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champ Minsk dominated the European League again, taking first at 104-58. Their world record postseason streak extended to 23 seasons with their 16^th first place finish in that stretch. Moscow and St. Petersburg tied for second at 91-71 with the one-game playoff going to the Mules. Moscow earned its second playoff berth in three years. Kazan, who topped the standings the prior season, dropped to fourth at 85-77.

European League MVP was St. Petersburg 1B Taimuraz Antropov. The 29-year old Russian led in hits (179), RBI (102), total bases (319), OBP (.341), slugging (.529), OPS (.870), wRC+ (201), and WAR (9.0). Antropov added 36 home runs, a .297 average, and a Gold Glove. The Polar Bears would sign him to a three-year, $14,680,000 extension just before the 2005 season.

Minsk ace Markiyan Konoplya earned a fourth straight Pitcher of the Year. The 29-year old Ukrainian was two wins short of a Triple Crown with a 20-7 record, 1.60 ERA, and 330 strikeouts over 270.2 innings. He also led in WAR (8.5), and FIP- (62). Konoplya joined Igor Bury and Matvey Ivanov as the only EPB pitchers to win POTY in four straight years.



Krasnoyarsk and Yekaterinburg were miles ahead of the rest of the Asian League. The Cossacks narrowly repeated as the first place team at 104-58, earning a third straight playoff berth. The Yaks were one game back at 103-57 for their fourth berth in five years. Yekaterinburg had a team ERA of 2.19, the third best in AL history. Omsk, last year’s ALCS winner, was a very distant third place at 83-79.

Asian League MVP went to Krasnoyarsk 3B Boxuan Long. The 28-year old from China led in doubles (44), total bases (317), triple slash (.315/.404/.567), OPS (.971), wRC+ (175), and WAR (8.5). Long added 31 home runs and 95 RBI. He had signed an eight-year, $21,100,000 extension with the Cossacks prior to the 2003 season.

Yekaterinburg’s Matvey Ivanov won a historic fifth straight Pitcher of the Year by tossing EPB’s seventh Triple Crown season for a pitcher. The 28-year old lefty had a 26-7 record, 1.24 ERA, and 392 strikeouts over 296.2 innings. Ivanov also led in WHIP (0.69), shutouts (7), FIP- (40), and WAR (13.5). His WAR total was the sixth best season by an EPB pitcher with the fifth-best WHIP and sixth best ERA. The highlight was the 31^st EPB perfect game on June 1 with 16 strikeouts against Novosibirsk. This was Ivanov’s second no-hitter of his career.

Minsk and Moscow met in a rematch of the 2001 European League Championship Series. It was a seven-game classic, but the Miners prevailed again for their fourth consecutive pennant. Minsk is the only EPB franchise to win four-in-a-row, having also done it from 1988-91. The Asian League Championship Series was also a 2001 rematch with Krasnoyarsk and Yekaterinburg. The Cossacks had home field, but the Yaks got revenge and pulled off the upset 4-2. This was Yekaterinburg’s second title in four years and their sixth pennant overall.



The 49^th EPB Championship was the fourth time Minsk and Yekaterinburg met for the title. The Yaks beat the Miners in the inaugural championship in 1955. Yekaterinburg won again in 1989, but Minsk took the most recent encounter in 2000, starting off their streak of three straight titles. The Yaks denied the Miners’ four-peat bid with sweep. Yekaterinburg now has four EPB rings; their three wins against Minsk plus their 1970 title versus Tirana. POTY Matvey Ivanov was finals MVP, going 3-0 in the postseason with a 1.45 ERA over 18.2 innings and 21 strikeouts.



Other notes: RF Sapar Durdyew won his tenth straight and final Gold Glove. Durdyew also secured a ninth straight Silver Slugger. SS Gleb Khassanov won his tenth Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in EBF

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Copenhagen had the top mark in the EBF Northern Conference at 103-59, winning the Northeast Division for the fourth straight season. The #2 seed and other bye was North Central Division champ Warsaw at 100-62. The Wildcats ended a three-year playoff drought. Defending European Champion Kharkiv was second in the division at 94-68, which earned them the first wild card. Counting their final years in EPB, the Killer Bees have a nine-year playoff streak.

Glasgow’s own impressive playoff streak grew to eight years with their seventh straight British Isles Division title at 95-67. Rotterdam won the Northwest Division at 94-68 for their first playoff berth in a decade. Oslo (90-72) earned the second wild card, edging out Berlin (89-73), London (89-73), Amsterdam (88-74), Kyiv (87-75), Hamburg (86-76), and Stockholm (85-77). It was an impressive bounce back for the Octopi, who struggled to 66 wins the prior year. It was their second wild card in three years. Notably, the Hammers’ playoff streak ended at four seasons.

Copenhagen 1B Mattias Stole became a three-time Northern Conference MVP. It was a big gap with the prior MVPs in 1994 and 1995. The 33-year old Norwegian led in home runs (52) while adding 133 RBI, a .336/.372/.638 slash, 179 wRC+, and 7.3 WAR. Hamburg’s Viktor Stier repeated as Pitcher of the Year, leading in ERA (1.88), strikeouts (291), K/BB (9.1), FIP- (52), and WAR (9.0). The 28-year old German righty also had a 16-10 record over 235 innings.

Rotterdam edged defending EBF champ Kharkiv 2-1 in the first round, while Glasgow downed Oslo 2-0. The Ravens would shock Copenhagen 3-1 in the second round, while Warsaw outlasted the Highlanders 3-2. This was Rotterdam’s first Northern Conference Championship since their 1992 title. It was the first NCC for the Wildcats since joining the EBF. In a seven-game classic, Warsaw edged Rotterdam to earn their first EBF pennant. Counting their Eurasian Professional Baseball days, this was Warsaw’s fifth pennant (1960, 93, 94, 95, 03).



The best two records in the entire EBF were in the Southern Conference and in the East Central Division. Vienna and Budapest tied for the top spot at 107-55, requiring a one-game playoff. The Vultures prevailed for the #1 seed, while the Bombers were stuck as a wild card. This was Vienna’s first playoff berth since 1982, while it was a third straight wild card for the Bombers. This was also a franchise-record for Budapest, who had never won triple-digits in a season prior. For Vienna, they scored 897 runs with 1708 hits and a .296 batting average; each the third-highest mark in Southern Conference history. Their .345 OBP was the second-best in SC history.

Defending conference champ Madrid took the #2 seed with a 103-59 record atop the Southwest Division. This was the fifth playoff berth in a row for the Conquistadors and their fourth division title in that stretch. Tbilisi repeated in the Southeast Division at 95-67. Munich took the South Central Division for the third straight season at 93-69, besting Naples by five games. The second wild card was also in the East Central Division with 93-59 Bratislava. The Blue Falcons edged Milan by one game, Athens by four games, and Naples by five. This was the first-ever playoff berth for Bratislava in their 49 year history. Speed led the way for the Blue Falcons with 528 stolen bases, which still stands as the EBF team record as of 2037.

Vienna 3B Ben Springer repeated as Southern Conference MVP and posted the fifth Triple Crown season by an EBF hitter. The 25-year old Austrian had a .384 average, 52 home runs, and 143 RBI. Springer also led in OBP (.429), slugging (.755), OPS (1.184), wRC+ (221), and WAR (10.8). Pitcher of the Year was Budapest veteran Norbert Preda. The 31-year old Romanian righty led in wins (24-5) and complete games (17). Preda added a 2.55 ERA over 257.2 innings, 215 strikeouts, and 6.8 WAR.

Munich had homefield over Budapest as a division champ despite the win differential and used it, edging the Bombers 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs. Bratislava swept Tbilisi on the other side of the bracket. The Blue Falcons stunned Madrid 3-1 in the second round to earn their first-ever Southern Conference Championship appearance.

Top seed Vienna was taken to the brink, but survived in five versus Munich. This was the Vultures’ first SCC since 1973. The magic ran out for Bratislava as Vienna swept them for the pennant. This was the sixth pennant for the Vultures with the other five coming between 1967-73.



Despite that run, Vienna had never won the European Championship, going 0-5 in their previous appearances. The Vultures and Warsaw had a seven game classic that came down to the final inning of the final game. Vienna took game seven 4-3 on a walkoff to win their first championship. Finals MVP was CF Helmut Spiering who in 16 playoff starts had 22 hits, 12 runs, 3 doubles, 3 triples, 5 home runs, and 13 RBI. The Vultures are the 24^th EBF franchise to win it all.



Other notes: Berlin’s Sem de Smet tossed EBF’s 28^th perfect game, striking out eight against Warsaw. Peter Brinkmann became the 11^th slugger to 600 career home runs. Anders Maurstad was the 21^st pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2003 in BSA

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After missing the playoffs by one game the prior year, Bogota had Beisbol Sudamerica’s best record in 2003. The Bats won the Colombia-Ecuador Division at 112-50 for their 11^th playoff berth since 1991. It wasn’t an easy division to win though with Cali close behind at 106-56. The Cyclones easily repeated as the wild card. Guayaquil, who won the division and the Bolivar League title in 2002, struggled to 78-84.

Caracas cruised to a repeat Venezuela Division title at 92-70, earning their eighth division title in nine years. The Peru-Bolivia Division was quite weak with no teams above .500. Arequipa and Lima tied for the title at 80-82, while Santa Cruz was 77-85. The expansion Arrows beat the Lobos in the tiebreaker game, giving Arequipa its first-ever playoff appearance. Oddly enough, the Arrows still haven’t posted a winning record in 17 seasons of existence.

Cali RF Amauris Garcia won Bolivar League MVP with a career year. The 30-year old Colombian smacked a BL-best 68 home runs and 142 RBI, while also leading in total bases (419), slugging (.724), OPS (1.073), wRC+ (182), and WAR (7.9). His 68 homers was the highest by any player in BSA since the 1970s and ranked fifth all-time. Garcia also had 119 runs and a .321 average.

Pitcher of the Year was P.J. Sifuentes, who had signed with Bogota in the offseason on a five-year, $7,480,000 deal. The 33-year old Ecuadoran had pitched a decade with Quito and had won POTY a decade earlier in his sophomore season of 1994. Sifuentes led in wins at 23-3 in 2003, adding a 3.00 ERA over 258.1 innings, 225 strikeouts, and 6.6 WAR.

Because the wild card faces the top division winner in the playoff structure, the top two records in BSA therefore met in the Divisional Series. Top seed Bogota survived a five-game battle with Cali to earn their third Bolivar League Championship Series berth in four years. Caracas picked up a repeat bid as they swept Arequipa. The Bats were too worn from their war with the Cyclones, as the Colts clobbered them for a BLCS sweep. This was the first pennant for Caracas since 1996 and their 12^th overall. The Colts’ 1996 title was also the last time a Venezuelan team took the Bolivar League crown.



The three division winners in the Southern Cone League were within four games of each other, as was the wild card. Defending Copa Sudamerica winner Brasilia took the #1 seed at 101-61 atop the North Division. Buenos Aires extended its playoff streak to five years, taking the Southeast Division at 100-62. Rio de Janeiro was close behind the Atlantics at 97-65, earning the wild card by a healthy margin. The Redbirds ended a three-year playoff drought and three-year stretch of losing seasons. Asuncion (97-65) won the South Central Division for the fourth year in a row.

Brasilia 1B Bernaldo Lagasse won his second Southern Cone League MVP. The 29-year old switch hitter led in runs (122), RBI (129), walks (90), OBP (.429), slugging (.685), OPS (1.114), and WAR (9.4). Lagasse added a 208 wRC+, .342 average, and 56 home runs.

Fourth-year Santiago pitcher Uriel Navas won Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old Bolivian lefty led in ERA (2.08), WHIP (0.84), quality starts (29), FIP- (56), and WAR (10.6). Navas added 343 strikeouts over 280.2 innings with a 19-12 record. Also of note, Lobo Alvarado became a four time Reliever of the Year winner. He was traded from Mendoza to Belo Horizonte for the 2003 season and posted a 5.6 WAR, 1.92 ERA, 30 saves, 98.2 innings, and 177 strikeouts. Alvarado also became the 23^rd reliever to earn 300 career saves.

Rio de Janeiro upset reigning champ Brasilia 3-1 in the Divisional Series, while Buenos Aires outlasted Asuncion 3-2. The Redbirds grabbed their first Southern Cone League Championship appearance since 1991, while the Atlantics repeated and got their third in four years. Both teams had lengthy pennant droughts with Rio’s dating to 1970 and BA’s back to 1982. The wild card Redbirds battered their divisional foe Buenos Aires with a sweep to give Rio their second-ever pennant.



The 73^rd Copa Sudamerica was an all-timer, needing all seven games and extras in the finale. In the tenth inning, Rio de Janeiro catcher Ze Mario Gil had the walkoff RBI single, giving the Redbirds the 5-4 game seven win over Caracas. Rio became two-time Cup winners with the result (1970). Finals MVP was Rookie of the Year Damiao Cruz, who posted 6.9 WAR and 47 home runs in a remarkable debut. In 12 playoff starts, Cruz had 16 hits, 6 runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI.



Other notes: Damiao Cruz also had a four home run game in June against Rosario, becoming only the seventh BSA player to achieve the feat. The Buenos Aires pitching staff allowed only 168 walks all season with a 1.03 BB/9. This is still the BSA single-season best as of 2037. Rio de Janeiro had 121 triples, setting a Southern Cone record that would only be passed once in 2011.

Milton Becker became the third member of the 700 home run club. He ended his age 33 season with 710, behind Valor Melo (870) and Diego Pena (725) on the leaderboard. Becker also won his eighth Silver Slugger and seventh as a DH. 1B DJ Del Valle won his 10^th Gold Glove.