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FuzzyRussianHat · 06-21-2024, 04:41 AM

Defending Western League champ Monrovia absolutely obliterated their competition in 2006, taking first by 26 games. The Diplomats set a franchise record at 111-51 and were the first WL team to win 110+ since Abidjan in 1981. They had the most runs scored in all of West African Baseball at 835 and led the WL with only 623 allowed. They had been building up their young core, as Monrovia players had won the last four Rookie of the Year awards.

There was a big traffic jam for the other two playoff spots. Abidjan got second at 85-77 to earn a repeat wild card berth. The third and final spot had a tie at 84-78 between Kumasi and Nouakchott. The Monkeys won the tiebreaker game to return to the postseason after seeing their three-year streak ended in 2005. Freetown (80-82), Conakry (79-83), and Bamako (78-84) were also in striking distance for much of the season.

Monrovia 1B Rob Santillan was the Western League MVP in his lone season with the Diplomats. The 33-year old American had come to WAB in 2003 after a forgettable MLB tenure, playing three seasons with Nouakchott before coming to Monrovia. Santillan had 55 home runs, 142 RBI, 108 runs, a .297/.383/.647 slash, 171 wRC+, and 7.3 WAR.

Santillan managed to beat out Abidjan’s Shahnawaz Ikram for the top award despite the latter becoming WAB’s new single-season home run king. The 36-year old Pakistani DH was in his second year with the Athletes and smacked 66 home runs, passing Mo Reda’s record of 64 from 2003. This would be WAB’s top homer mark until 2022. Ikram also led in RBI (148) and total bases (406).

Monrovia also had the Pitcher of the Year Razak Glele, who pulled it off despite missing a few starts to injury. In his second full season, the 24-year old Beninois lefty led in ERA at 2.59. Glele also had an 18-6 record, 187 strikeouts, and 4.6 WAR over 184 innings. His Diplomats teammate Emanuel Tuhair also won Reliever of the Year, marking a rare occurrence where the same team had the MVP, POTY, and ROTY.

Kumasi upset Abidjan 2-1 in the wild card round for their fourth Western League Championship Series appearance in five years. Top seed Monrovia was far too powerful though, taking the series 3-1 to repeat as WL champs. It was the Diplomats’ third pennant, as they also won back in 1980.

Kano looked to continue its dynasty as the nine-time defending Eastern League champs took first in the standings at 104-58. The reigning WAB champion Condors extended their postseasons streak to 12 seasons, tying 1990-01 Ibadan for the second-longest streak in WAB history. It was their eighth time getting first in the regular season standings. Kano had been a wild card the prior two years despite taking the pennant anyway.

Lagos finished second at 98-64 to grow their playoff streak to four seasons. Niamey took the third place spot at 91-71 to end a two-year playoff drought. Their closest foes were Ibadan (86-76) and Ouagadougou (85-77). Although they missed the playoffs, the Iguanas did set an EL record with 421 stolen bases as a team. That held as the top mark until 2019.

Kano shortstop Darwin Morris continued to make history by winning his 11^th Eastern League MVP. The only player in world history with more MVPs was OBA/MLB legend Jimmy Caliw with 12. This would be Morris’ last MVP despite playing for another decade at a high level, as injuries would begin to give him some trouble.

In 2006, the 34-year old Liberian led with 9.5 WAR, taking WARlord honors for the 13^th year in a row. He also led in OBP (.404), OPS (1.058), and wRC+ (191). In 130 games and 123 starts, Morris also had 37 home runs and 103 RBI. He earned a WAB-record 13^th consecutive Silver Slugger. Morris also became WAB’s new career home run leader, passing Vincent Langat’s 584 to become the first member of the 600 homer club.

Pitcher of the Year and Reliever of the Year both went to Lagos righty Francis Koomson. It was the third straight Reliever of the Year for the 28-year old Ghanaian, who also became the first reliever in WAB history to win POTY. Koomson had a 1.22 ERA over 88.1 innings, 38 saves, 133 strikeouts, a 310 ERA+, and 4.5 WAR.

Niamey upset Lagos 2-1 in the wild card round, giving the Atomics their first Eastern League Championship Series appearance since 2002. They were a major underdog against Kano, who was entering a 12^th straight ELCS with a shot at a 10^th consecutive pennant. Niamey would shock the Condors, winning the series 3-2 to dethrone one of the all-time great dynasties. It was the second-ever pennant for the Atomics, who won it all in 1987.

In the 32^nd West African Championship, Monrovia won its first-ever overall title, topping Niamey 4-1. Third-year LF Julius Ayuba was the finals MVP, posting 17 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 3 home runs, 9 RBI, and 4 stolen bases over nine postseason starts. Ayuba would later become best known as a 13-time Gold Glove winner, winning his first in 2006.

At 111-51, the Diplomats finished tied for the third-best record by an eventual WAB champ with Kano’s 1997 squad. Monrovia also became the 12^th different WAB franchise to win it all. The Diplomats would be a top WL contender for the rest of the 2000s, but their 2006 squad would still stand alone clearly as the franchise’s best-ever and one of WAB’s best-ever.

Other notes: 2006 didn’t see a single no-hitter in WAB, the first time that had happened since 2001. SS Tchiressoua Yao won his seventh Gold Glove.

06-21-2024, 04:41 AM	#1356
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,996	2006 in WAB Defending Western League champ Monrovia absolutely obliterated their competition in 2006, taking first by 26 games. The Diplomats set a franchise record at 111-51 and were the first WL team to win 110+ since Abidjan in 1981. They had the most runs scored in all of West African Baseball at 835 and led the WL with only 623 allowed. They had been building up their young core, as Monrovia players had won the last four Rookie of the Year awards. There was a big traffic jam for the other two playoff spots. Abidjan got second at 85-77 to earn a repeat wild card berth. The third and final spot had a tie at 84-78 between Kumasi and Nouakchott. The Monkeys won the tiebreaker game to return to the postseason after seeing their three-year streak ended in 2005. Freetown (80-82), Conakry (79-83), and Bamako (78-84) were also in striking distance for much of the season. Monrovia 1B Rob Santillan was the Western League MVP in his lone season with the Diplomats. The 33-year old American had come to WAB in 2003 after a forgettable MLB tenure, playing three seasons with Nouakchott before coming to Monrovia. Santillan had 55 home runs, 142 RBI, 108 runs, a .297/.383/.647 slash, 171 wRC+, and 7.3 WAR. Santillan managed to beat out Abidjan’s Shahnawaz Ikram for the top award despite the latter becoming WAB’s new single-season home run king. The 36-year old Pakistani DH was in his second year with the Athletes and smacked 66 home runs, passing Mo Reda’s record of 64 from 2003. This would be WAB’s top homer mark until 2022. Ikram also led in RBI (148) and total bases (406). Monrovia also had the Pitcher of the Year Razak Glele, who pulled it off despite missing a few starts to injury. In his second full season, the 24-year old Beninois lefty led in ERA at 2.59. Glele also had an 18-6 record, 187 strikeouts, and 4.6 WAR over 184 innings. His Diplomats teammate Emanuel Tuhair also won Reliever of the Year, marking a rare occurrence where the same team had the MVP, POTY, and ROTY. Kumasi upset Abidjan 2-1 in the wild card round for their fourth Western League Championship Series appearance in five years. Top seed Monrovia was far too powerful though, taking the series 3-1 to repeat as WL champs. It was the Diplomats’ third pennant, as they also won back in 1980. Kano looked to continue its dynasty as the nine-time defending Eastern League champs took first in the standings at 104-58. The reigning WAB champion Condors extended their postseasons streak to 12 seasons, tying 1990-01 Ibadan for the second-longest streak in WAB history. It was their eighth time getting first in the regular season standings. Kano had been a wild card the prior two years despite taking the pennant anyway. Lagos finished second at 98-64 to grow their playoff streak to four seasons. Niamey took the third place spot at 91-71 to end a two-year playoff drought. Their closest foes were Ibadan (86-76) and Ouagadougou (85-77). Although they missed the playoffs, the Iguanas did set an EL record with 421 stolen bases as a team. That held as the top mark until 2019. Kano shortstop Darwin Morris continued to make history by winning his 11^th Eastern League MVP. The only player in world history with more MVPs was OBA/MLB legend Jimmy Caliw with 12. This would be Morris’ last MVP despite playing for another decade at a high level, as injuries would begin to give him some trouble. In 2006, the 34-year old Liberian led with 9.5 WAR, taking WARlord honors for the 13^th year in a row. He also led in OBP (.404), OPS (1.058), and wRC+ (191). In 130 games and 123 starts, Morris also had 37 home runs and 103 RBI. He earned a WAB-record 13^th consecutive Silver Slugger. Morris also became WAB’s new career home run leader, passing Vincent Langat’s 584 to become the first member of the 600 homer club. Pitcher of the Year and Reliever of the Year both went to Lagos righty Francis Koomson. It was the third straight Reliever of the Year for the 28-year old Ghanaian, who also became the first reliever in WAB history to win POTY. Koomson had a 1.22 ERA over 88.1 innings, 38 saves, 133 strikeouts, a 310 ERA+, and 4.5 WAR. Niamey upset Lagos 2-1 in the wild card round, giving the Atomics their first Eastern League Championship Series appearance since 2002. They were a major underdog against Kano, who was entering a 12^th straight ELCS with a shot at a 10^th consecutive pennant. Niamey would shock the Condors, winning the series 3-2 to dethrone one of the all-time great dynasties. It was the second-ever pennant for the Atomics, who won it all in 1987. In the 32^nd West African Championship, Monrovia won its first-ever overall title, topping Niamey 4-1. Third-year LF Julius Ayuba was the finals MVP, posting 17 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 3 home runs, 9 RBI, and 4 stolen bases over nine postseason starts. Ayuba would later become best known as a 13-time Gold Glove winner, winning his first in 2006. At 111-51, the Diplomats finished tied for the third-best record by an eventual WAB champ with Kano’s 1997 squad. Monrovia also became the 12^th different WAB franchise to win it all. The Diplomats would be a top WL contender for the rest of the 2000s, but their 2006 squad would still stand alone clearly as the franchise’s best-ever and one of WAB’s best-ever. Other notes: 2006 didn’t see a single no-hitter in WAB, the first time that had happened since 2001. SS Tchiressoua Yao won his seventh Gold Glove. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)