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FuzzyRussianHat · 09-23-2024, 08:19 PM

The Asian Baseball Federation increased the minimum service years requirement for free agents from six years to seven. The previous six had been one of the lowest of any world league, while seven puts them in the median.

Faisalabad repeated as both the South Division champ and the East League’s top seed at 99-63. The Fire grew their playoff streak to five seasons. In the North Division, Dushanbe (90-72) narrowly edged Asgabat (89-73). The Dynamo earned repeat playoff berths, while the Alphas ended a five-year postseason drought. Last year’s North Division champ Tashkent was a non-factor at 73-89.

Reigning ABF champ Hyderabad would narrowly earn the second wild card at 85-77, growing their playoff streak to four seasons. The Horned Frogs were two ahead of Lahore, four better than Karachi, and five ahead of Kabul. Although Bishkek hadn’t made the playoff since 2010, they hadn’t posted a losing season since joining ABF 2000. That run ended with a 67-95 record in 2014, the worst season for the Black Sox since 1959.

Dushanbe shortstop Nizami Aghazade won his third straight East League MVP. Still in only his third season, the 26-year old Kazakh righty led in the triple slash (.339/.435/.630), OPS (1.064), wRC+ (231), WAR (13.3), total bases (345), home runs (42), and runs (105). His 102 RBI was two shy of his second Triple Crown. Aghazade now has three consecutive 13+ WAR efforts to start his career.

Pitcher of the Year was Musa Ismayilov in his second year with Hyderabad. This was the one notable season for the 27-year old Uzbek righty, who led in WHIP (0.81), and shutouts (7). Ismayilov also had a 1.95 ERA over 244.2 innings, 288 strikeouts, 16-7 record, 156 ERA+, and 4.6 WAR. This was only the second time in ABF history that the POTY winner had less than 5 WAR.

Faisalabad ousted defending champ Hyderabad 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs, while Asgabat upset Dushanbe with a road sweep. This was the first-time the Alphas had been to the East League Championship Series since joining ABF with their most recent LCS coming in the 1999 Eurasian Professional Baseball season. Top seed Faisalabad was in their first ELCS since winning the 2011 ABF title. The Fire would secure their second pennant, winning 4-2 over Asgabat.

The West League was loaded in the Central Division, led again by two-time defending WL champ Baku. The Blackbirds at 104-58 earned their sixth division title in-a-row and third straight 100+ win season. They had to fend off a strong effort from Tehran at 100-62, who earned their fourth straight wild card. The Tarpons earned repeat 100+ win seasons as well. The division also had 96-66 Mashhad who earned their third straight wild card.

Over in the Turkish Division, 91-71 ended a long run of futility for Adana. The Axemen ended a 12-year playoff drought with only their second winning season in that stretch. Adana held off Istanbul (86-80) and last year’s division winner Ankara (82-80).

Mashhad’s Ahour Sabbari won West League MVP with ABF’s best two-way season to date. The 24-year old Iranian lefty played the outfield offensively and in 102 games and 96 starts had 6.8 WAR, a .296/.371/.575 slash, 183 wRC+, 26 home runs, and 46 stolen bases. On the mound, Sabbari had a 2.75 ERA over 251.2 innings, 16-13 record, 284 strikeouts, 115 ERA+, and 5.2 WAR. The Mercury rewarded him with an eight-year, $61,400,000 deal to remain with the squad after the 2015 season.

Tabriz’s Gevorg Qasimov won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year honors. The 29-year old Uzbek also became only the third ABF pitcher to win the award four times, having also done it in 2008 and 2010. In 2014, Qasimov led in ERA (1.79), strikeouts (337), WHIP (0.74), K/BB (11.2), shutouts (8), and WAR (9.0). He also had a 21-5 record in 247 innings and a 181 ERA+. Qasimov would get the bag the following spring on a six-year, $62,500,000 extension with the Tiger Sharks. Sadly, he’d suffer major injuries that effectively put him out of the game before turning 33.

Mashhad shocked Baku with a 3-2 upset in the first round, giving the Mercury their first West League Championship Series appearance since 2007. Adana knocked off Tehran 3-1 for their first WLCS since 2001. Mashhad then rolled to a sweep of the Axemen for their fourth pennant (1990, 1992, 1994, 2014).

The 30^th Asian Baseball Federation Championship lacked drama as Faisalabad swept Mashhad, giving the Fire their second title in four years. 2011 league MVP Rafkat Kudaybergenov was finals MVP in his tenth season for Faisalabad. The 28-year old Uzbek first baseman in 15 playoff starts had 20 hits, 13 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, and 14 RBI. It was the first sweep in the ABF Championship since 2008.

Other notes: Gaziantep had a historically bad offense with 448 runs scored, the second-worst in West League history behind only Tabriz’ 443 in 1989. The Gorillas set all-time WL worsts in slugging (.310), and doubles (195) and had the second-most strikeouts (1793). Izmir was also lousy with the fewest homers in WL history (61). Their .311 slugging would’ve been the new league worst if not for Gaziantep.

Petri Viskari became the sixth member of the 500 home run club. Borzoo Atashi became the 11^th to reach 2000 hits. Khalil Shaan was the seventh pitcher to 3500 strikeouts. 3B Shaheed Abbas won his tenth straight Gold Glove, becoming the first ABF player at any position to win the award ten times. 2B Mehrdad Javadi and CF Ziad Tarkhan both won their seventh Silver Slugger in a row.

09-23-2024, 08:19 PM	#1640
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,984	2014 in ABF The Asian Baseball Federation increased the minimum service years requirement for free agents from six years to seven. The previous six had been one of the lowest of any world league, while seven puts them in the median. Faisalabad repeated as both the South Division champ and the East League’s top seed at 99-63. The Fire grew their playoff streak to five seasons. In the North Division, Dushanbe (90-72) narrowly edged Asgabat (89-73). The Dynamo earned repeat playoff berths, while the Alphas ended a five-year postseason drought. Last year’s North Division champ Tashkent was a non-factor at 73-89. Reigning ABF champ Hyderabad would narrowly earn the second wild card at 85-77, growing their playoff streak to four seasons. The Horned Frogs were two ahead of Lahore, four better than Karachi, and five ahead of Kabul. Although Bishkek hadn’t made the playoff since 2010, they hadn’t posted a losing season since joining ABF 2000. That run ended with a 67-95 record in 2014, the worst season for the Black Sox since 1959. Dushanbe shortstop Nizami Aghazade won his third straight East League MVP. Still in only his third season, the 26-year old Kazakh righty led in the triple slash (.339/.435/.630), OPS (1.064), wRC+ (231), WAR (13.3), total bases (345), home runs (42), and runs (105). His 102 RBI was two shy of his second Triple Crown. Aghazade now has three consecutive 13+ WAR efforts to start his career. Pitcher of the Year was Musa Ismayilov in his second year with Hyderabad. This was the one notable season for the 27-year old Uzbek righty, who led in WHIP (0.81), and shutouts (7). Ismayilov also had a 1.95 ERA over 244.2 innings, 288 strikeouts, 16-7 record, 156 ERA+, and 4.6 WAR. This was only the second time in ABF history that the POTY winner had less than 5 WAR. Faisalabad ousted defending champ Hyderabad 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs, while Asgabat upset Dushanbe with a road sweep. This was the first-time the Alphas had been to the East League Championship Series since joining ABF with their most recent LCS coming in the 1999 Eurasian Professional Baseball season. Top seed Faisalabad was in their first ELCS since winning the 2011 ABF title. The Fire would secure their second pennant, winning 4-2 over Asgabat. The West League was loaded in the Central Division, led again by two-time defending WL champ Baku. The Blackbirds at 104-58 earned their sixth division title in-a-row and third straight 100+ win season. They had to fend off a strong effort from Tehran at 100-62, who earned their fourth straight wild card. The Tarpons earned repeat 100+ win seasons as well. The division also had 96-66 Mashhad who earned their third straight wild card. Over in the Turkish Division, 91-71 ended a long run of futility for Adana. The Axemen ended a 12-year playoff drought with only their second winning season in that stretch. Adana held off Istanbul (86-80) and last year’s division winner Ankara (82-80). Mashhad’s Ahour Sabbari won West League MVP with ABF’s best two-way season to date. The 24-year old Iranian lefty played the outfield offensively and in 102 games and 96 starts had 6.8 WAR, a .296/.371/.575 slash, 183 wRC+, 26 home runs, and 46 stolen bases. On the mound, Sabbari had a 2.75 ERA over 251.2 innings, 16-13 record, 284 strikeouts, 115 ERA+, and 5.2 WAR. The Mercury rewarded him with an eight-year, $61,400,000 deal to remain with the squad after the 2015 season. Tabriz’s Gevorg Qasimov won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year honors. The 29-year old Uzbek also became only the third ABF pitcher to win the award four times, having also done it in 2008 and 2010. In 2014, Qasimov led in ERA (1.79), strikeouts (337), WHIP (0.74), K/BB (11.2), shutouts (8), and WAR (9.0). He also had a 21-5 record in 247 innings and a 181 ERA+. Qasimov would get the bag the following spring on a six-year, $62,500,000 extension with the Tiger Sharks. Sadly, he’d suffer major injuries that effectively put him out of the game before turning 33. Mashhad shocked Baku with a 3-2 upset in the first round, giving the Mercury their first West League Championship Series appearance since 2007. Adana knocked off Tehran 3-1 for their first WLCS since 2001. Mashhad then rolled to a sweep of the Axemen for their fourth pennant (1990, 1992, 1994, 2014). The 30^th Asian Baseball Federation Championship lacked drama as Faisalabad swept Mashhad, giving the Fire their second title in four years. 2011 league MVP Rafkat Kudaybergenov was finals MVP in his tenth season for Faisalabad. The 28-year old Uzbek first baseman in 15 playoff starts had 20 hits, 13 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, and 14 RBI. It was the first sweep in the ABF Championship since 2008. Other notes: Gaziantep had a historically bad offense with 448 runs scored, the second-worst in West League history behind only Tabriz’ 443 in 1989. The Gorillas set all-time WL worsts in slugging (.310), and doubles (195) and had the second-most strikeouts (1793). Izmir was also lousy with the fewest homers in WL history (61). Their .311 slugging would’ve been the new league worst if not for Gaziantep. Petri Viskari became the sixth member of the 500 home run club. Borzoo Atashi became the 11^th to reach 2000 hits. Khalil Shaan was the seventh pitcher to 3500 strikeouts. 3B Shaheed Abbas won his tenth straight Gold Glove, becoming the first ABF player at any position to win the award ten times. 2B Mehrdad Javadi and CF Ziad Tarkhan both won their seventh Silver Slugger in a row. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)