1935
We have entered into a joint research agreement with Korea. It will probably help them more than us, but we're always looking for new discoveries.
Iron man CF Seiji "Three Bags" Kawasaki is the biggest name free agent in a sparse offering this offseason. The speedy outfielder from Houston was snapped up by the Chicago Miners. The Buffalo Argent made a key acquisition also, acquiring former Miners' Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove winner 3B Billy "Matador" Diehl.
Former SP Tashiaki "Toad" Kato was inducted into the CBL Hall of Fame. A quiet and steady performer who played all 18 of his seasons with Atlanta, he was never recognized for a single season award and never won a playoff series. Despite the lack of attention, he amassed an impressive 339 victories with a 3.16 career ERA. At his induction ceremony Kato reminisced about his baseball career: "My how time flies. It is only a mere moment from your first spring training game to your last appearance. But it a magnificent journey." Kato has expressed interest in continuing with baseball in some fashion, possibly as a coach or manager someday.
The June draft had some very promising pitching prospects in it, but the cream of the crop was SP Cody Childress. In addition to having superior talent and four strong pitches to throw he is considered a true student of the game who busts his tail to get better as a pitcher.
Masters Division: Early on the defending champion Buffalo Argent marched out to a strong start and held an 8 game lead over the Boston Gold by the end of June. By September the Argent steamed out to an insurmountable lead, but Boston saw their hold on second place slip as the Houston Citadel chipped away game by game. In the end the Gold took control of their own destiny and grabbed the second playoff spot by one game over the Citadel.
The seemingly invulnerable Argent met their match in the Boston Gold, who were playing stronger as the season went on. The series went a full seven games, but at the end the Argent closed out the series at home in a high scoring game that ended in the bottom of the 9th on a run-scoring error by Boston star 1B Makhmud Melifov.
Legends Division: At the midpoint of the season the St. Louis Pioneers held a narrow lead over the Elephants, Haberdashers, and Anglers who were all within 2 games of each other. As the season came to a close the Pioneers overcame the rest of the teams to win the division, with the Anglers and Elephants tied going into the last day of the season. When the Anglers and Elephants were both shut out by their opponents on the road, it set up a one-game playoff. In the top of the 6th inning of the sudden-death game at Washington, Seattle hero Paulin Spiteri hit a two-run single to tie the game at 4-4. But the Angler bullpen failed to preserve the tie when Brian "Shadow" Stauner surrendered at base hit to Pio Tedeschi and pinch-running rookie speedster Mauro Valli came around to score.
The division series was just as dramatic for the Elephants, who battled the Pioneers to a deciding seventh game in St. Louis. The Pioneers took charge of the game early with a 3-run home run by Adolfo Croce, but Washington fought back to make the score 5-4. The Elephants had the winning run at the plate in the top of the 9th, but closer Danny Garrett shut down the rally and sent the Pioneers in search of their first championship.
CBL Championship: In the battle of David vs. Goliath the Pioneers struck first with a game 1 victory, but the rest of the series was all Buffalo. The Argent proved their 106 regular season victories weren't a fluke and closed the series in 5 high-scoring games, winning their third championship in four years.
Pitcher Mike Trego, who was traded from the New York Admirals to the San Francisco Zoo at the deadline, added to his legend with a 7th Best Pitcher Award.