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FuzzyRussianHat · 11-13-2024, 12:08 PM

Despite being Australia’s most populous and most famous city, Sydney had historically been a stinker at baseball. Entering 2018, the Snakes were the only original franchise in the Oceania Baseball Association without a pennant. They had started to contend by the mid 2010s, but hadn’t been able to get higher than second place.

In their 59^th season, Sydney finally took the top spot in the Australasia League. The Snakes won it at 100-62, leading the AL in runs scored at 819. Perth was second at 93-69, while defending AL champ Brisbane and Auckland tied for third at 92-70. For the Avengers, that was their first winning season since 2010. Christchurch was fifth at 88-74.

Melbourne was an awful 64-98 for their third straight abysmal season, a far cry from the dynasty run of 2003-12. Despite that, the Mets had the Australasia League’s MVP Elvis Epsen. The 23-year old Australian first baseman led in OBP (.408), slugging (.663), OPS (1.070), wRC+ (179), and WAR (8.1). Epsen added a .344 average, 42 home runs, 133 RBI, 106 runs, and 80 stolen bases. He would have two more good years in Melbourne before bolting to MLB’s Detroit Tigers on a five-year, $104,400,000 deal.

Hobart was a mere 80-82, but their ace Steve Stringer was Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old Australian righty led in wins (23-9), ERA (2.45), WHIP (0.89), and quality starts (29). Stringer added 278 strikeouts over 311.2 innings, 162 ERA+, and 6.2 WAR. He would leave the Tasmaniacs in the winter and ink a six-year, $66,100,000 deal with Auckland.

Guam had claimed back-to-back OBA titles, but they fell to a forgettable fifth place in the 2018 Pacific League standings at 82-80. Filling the opening would be Samoa at 93-69, edging 92-70 Fiji by one game. Guadalcanal at 88-74 was a close third with Honolulu fourth at 83-79. This ended a 30-year pennant drought for the Sun Sox, who picked up their fourth PL title (1972, 1973, 1987, 2018).

At 77-85, Timor had the Pacific League MVP Andy Drake. The 25-year old Australian right fielder came to the Tapirs in a 2016 trade with Perth. Drake led in runs (109), home runs (53), total bases (365), OBP (.366), slugging (.651), OPS (1.017), wRC+ (201), and WAR (7.8). His 105 RBI and .314 average were both second in the PL. Drake stayed one more year with Timor before taking the MLB payday at $139,100,000 over eight years with Los Angeles.

Fiji’s Akira Brady won his sixth Pitcher of the Year, joining Timothy Manglona and Tarzan Rao as OBA’s six-time winners. This was perhaps the most impressive year for the 31-year old New Zealander, which was a high bar to cross. Brady won his third Triple Crown, a feat only Rao had achieved prior among OBA pitchers. Brady had a 30-7 record, 1.87 ERA, and 512 strikeouts. The lefty also led in innings (346.2), WHIP (0.77), K/BB (14.6), quality starts (34), shutouts (8), FIP- (43), and WAR (16.1) with a 186 ERA+.

The 30 wins tied the world record set by OBA’s Nathaniel Doloran (1974) and Jim DeRossi (1999). The strikeout mark was Brady’s best, falling 12 short of Rao’s 524 in 1983. It was only the sixth-time in any pro league that a pitcher fanned 500+ and ranked fourth all-time. The WAR was also a career-best for Brady, second in OBA history to Rao’s 16.59 from 1984. As of 2037, it ranks as the 11^th-best single-season WAR by a pitcher in any world league and ranks as the 20^th-best single-season WAR by any player ever.

Brady also hit notable milestones in 2018, becoming the sixth OBA pitcher to 250 wins and the seventh to 4500 strikeouts. He also won his lone Gold Glove in 2018. Fiji wisely gave Brady another extension in April 2019 for $75,600,000 over six years.

In the 59^th Oceania Championship, Sydney earned its first-ever title by besting Samoa 4-2. That left Fiji as the only of OBA’s original 16 teams that hadn’t won it all, although the Freedom did have two Pacific League pennants. 1B Truman Maunder was finals MVP in his fourth year starting for the Snakes. The 27-year old had 9 hits, 6 runs, 2 homers, and 4 RBI in 6 starts. It was a long time coming for Sydney, who would emerge as a regular contender over the next decade.

Other notes: Roe Kaupa became the 14^th member of the 500 home run club and won his eighth Silver Slugger. Jonathon Reilly, Adrian Kali, and Kevin Coan each reached 2500 hits, making 16 batters to do so. Isaac Tague became the 24^th pitcher to 200 wins. SS Romeo Acas won his seventh Gold Glove. Merlin Megson won his ninth Silver Slugger and his first as a designated hitter. Megson’s other wins were at 1B, LF, and RF.

11-13-2024, 12:08 PM	#1790
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,935	2018 in OBA Despite being Australia’s most populous and most famous city, Sydney had historically been a stinker at baseball. Entering 2018, the Snakes were the only original franchise in the Oceania Baseball Association without a pennant. They had started to contend by the mid 2010s, but hadn’t been able to get higher than second place. In their 59^th season, Sydney finally took the top spot in the Australasia League. The Snakes won it at 100-62, leading the AL in runs scored at 819. Perth was second at 93-69, while defending AL champ Brisbane and Auckland tied for third at 92-70. For the Avengers, that was their first winning season since 2010. Christchurch was fifth at 88-74. Melbourne was an awful 64-98 for their third straight abysmal season, a far cry from the dynasty run of 2003-12. Despite that, the Mets had the Australasia League’s MVP Elvis Epsen. The 23-year old Australian first baseman led in OBP (.408), slugging (.663), OPS (1.070), wRC+ (179), and WAR (8.1). Epsen added a .344 average, 42 home runs, 133 RBI, 106 runs, and 80 stolen bases. He would have two more good years in Melbourne before bolting to MLB’s Detroit Tigers on a five-year, $104,400,000 deal. Hobart was a mere 80-82, but their ace Steve Stringer was Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old Australian righty led in wins (23-9), ERA (2.45), WHIP (0.89), and quality starts (29). Stringer added 278 strikeouts over 311.2 innings, 162 ERA+, and 6.2 WAR. He would leave the Tasmaniacs in the winter and ink a six-year, $66,100,000 deal with Auckland. Guam had claimed back-to-back OBA titles, but they fell to a forgettable fifth place in the 2018 Pacific League standings at 82-80. Filling the opening would be Samoa at 93-69, edging 92-70 Fiji by one game. Guadalcanal at 88-74 was a close third with Honolulu fourth at 83-79. This ended a 30-year pennant drought for the Sun Sox, who picked up their fourth PL title (1972, 1973, 1987, 2018). At 77-85, Timor had the Pacific League MVP Andy Drake. The 25-year old Australian right fielder came to the Tapirs in a 2016 trade with Perth. Drake led in runs (109), home runs (53), total bases (365), OBP (.366), slugging (.651), OPS (1.017), wRC+ (201), and WAR (7.8). His 105 RBI and .314 average were both second in the PL. Drake stayed one more year with Timor before taking the MLB payday at $139,100,000 over eight years with Los Angeles. Fiji’s Akira Brady won his sixth Pitcher of the Year, joining Timothy Manglona and Tarzan Rao as OBA’s six-time winners. This was perhaps the most impressive year for the 31-year old New Zealander, which was a high bar to cross. Brady won his third Triple Crown, a feat only Rao had achieved prior among OBA pitchers. Brady had a 30-7 record, 1.87 ERA, and 512 strikeouts. The lefty also led in innings (346.2), WHIP (0.77), K/BB (14.6), quality starts (34), shutouts (8), FIP- (43), and WAR (16.1) with a 186 ERA+. The 30 wins tied the world record set by OBA’s Nathaniel Doloran (1974) and Jim DeRossi (1999). The strikeout mark was Brady’s best, falling 12 short of Rao’s 524 in 1983. It was only the sixth-time in any pro league that a pitcher fanned 500+ and ranked fourth all-time. The WAR was also a career-best for Brady, second in OBA history to Rao’s 16.59 from 1984. As of 2037, it ranks as the 11^th-best single-season WAR by a pitcher in any world league and ranks as the 20^th-best single-season WAR by any player ever. Brady also hit notable milestones in 2018, becoming the sixth OBA pitcher to 250 wins and the seventh to 4500 strikeouts. He also won his lone Gold Glove in 2018. Fiji wisely gave Brady another extension in April 2019 for $75,600,000 over six years. In the 59^th Oceania Championship, Sydney earned its first-ever title by besting Samoa 4-2. That left Fiji as the only of OBA’s original 16 teams that hadn’t won it all, although the Freedom did have two Pacific League pennants. 1B Truman Maunder was finals MVP in his fourth year starting for the Snakes. The 27-year old had 9 hits, 6 runs, 2 homers, and 4 RBI in 6 starts. It was a long time coming for Sydney, who would emerge as a regular contender over the next decade. Other notes: Roe Kaupa became the 14^th member of the 500 home run club and won his eighth Silver Slugger. Jonathon Reilly, Adrian Kali, and Kevin Coan each reached 2500 hits, making 16 batters to do so. Isaac Tague became the 24^th pitcher to 200 wins. SS Romeo Acas won his seventh Gold Glove. Merlin Megson won his ninth Silver Slugger and his first as a designated hitter. Megson’s other wins were at 1B, LF, and RF. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)