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FuzzyRussianHat · 07-20-2023, 06:45 PM

For the 1967 season, East Asia Baseball followed Major League Baseball’s lead from a few years earlier and shrunk their active roster size from 25 to 24 players. This was ultimately a compromise move between the owners and players. The prior season, EAB had lowered the free agent minimum service time from seven to six, allowing players to reach free agency and arbitration sooner. The smaller roster meant one less spot, but the players that made the squad would ultimately get a bit more money. Teams could freely move players from the reserve to active roster though, so there were plenty of options still to adjust to injuries.

The Japan League in 1967 was very competitive and saw new teams at the top of the standings. In the North Division, Kawasaki snapped a 24 season playoff drought with the league’s best record at 94-68. They fended off 92-70 Chiba and two-time defending league champ Yokohama at 90-72. The Yellow Jackets would fall off hard the next year and go into a rebuilding phase. In the South Division, Hiroshima won for the first time since taking EAB Champion honors in 1959. The Hammerheads and Fukuoka had to go to a one-game tiebreaker for the top spot with both finishing the regular season at 86-76. Kitakyushu was only one back with Kobe two back and last year’s division champ Kyoto six back.

Saitama only won 70 games, but it was their right fielder Sanjiro Miyama winning the league MVP. It was a banner year for the sixth season outfielder, leading the league in hits (207), average (.356), OBP (.394), wRC+ (200) and WAR (10.4), adding 32 home runs and 103 RBI. Kyoto’s Su-Yeong Myung was the Pitcher of the Year. The 13^th year righty was the ERA leader at 1.85 and WHIP leader at 0.81, adding 6.4 WAR and a 15-5 record over 209 innings with 250 strikeouts.

Pyongyang’s dominance continued in the Korea League as the two-time defending EAB champs had their seventh straight North Division title and seventh straight season with 109 or more wins. The Pythons finished 111-51, leading by far in runs scored at 811 and having the fewest allowed at 525. Seoul was second at a distant 93-69. The South Division saw Yongin on top for back-to-back seasons. The Gold Sox were 16 games better than Busan with an 101-61 mark, tying a franchise record for wins in a season.

Daegu was the worst team in the league at 60-102, but Diamondbacks first baseman Ji-Hwan Kwan still won the MVP. The 25-year old lefty was the leader in hits (207), average (.347), slugging (.622), OPS (1.014), wRC+ (183), and WAR (8.6). Seoul’s Jae-Hoon Seon won the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old lefty was the wins leader with a 24-4 record and the WARlord at 8.3, also leading in WHIP (0.87) and quality starts (28). He had a 2.42 ERA over 271.2 innings with 290 strikeouts.

The Japan League Championship Series saw Kawasaki cruise to the title in five games over Hiroshima. This gave the Killer Whales their third league title, joining the 1938 and 1941 seasons. The Korea League Championship Series saw Pyongyang win again over Yongin, this time in six games. The Pythons now have three straight Korea League titles; five in seven years; and a record nine total. They’re the first team to three-peat in Korea since Busan’s 1940s dynasty.

Pyongyang’s dynasty rolled to the East Asian Championship 4-1 against Kawasaki, also giving the Pythons three straight overall titles and five in seven years. Finals MVP was CF Min-Woo Yoon, with the 25-year old in 11 playoff games posting 13 hits, 8 runs, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI. Pyongyang are the first team to three-peat as overall EAB champs and now have seven overall crowns; more than any other team. The 1960s Pythons were making a strong case for the best dynasty in East Asia Baseball History and they wouldn’t be done yet either.

Other notes: Ki-Wook Ahn became the sixth EAB hitter to reach 700 career home runs and the eighth to 1500 runs scored. Han-Gyeol Bu became a 10-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop. Lei Meng won his 12^th and final Silver Slugger in left field. Meng finished the 1967 season with 753 home runs, just behind Ju-An Pak’s all-time mark of 760. Meng would easily pass it next season to become the EAB home run king, a title he held until the 2010s.

07-20-2023, 06:45 PM	#431
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,173	1967 in EAB For the 1967 season, East Asia Baseball followed Major League Baseball’s lead from a few years earlier and shrunk their active roster size from 25 to 24 players. This was ultimately a compromise move between the owners and players. The prior season, EAB had lowered the free agent minimum service time from seven to six, allowing players to reach free agency and arbitration sooner. The smaller roster meant one less spot, but the players that made the squad would ultimately get a bit more money. Teams could freely move players from the reserve to active roster though, so there were plenty of options still to adjust to injuries. The Japan League in 1967 was very competitive and saw new teams at the top of the standings. In the North Division, Kawasaki snapped a 24 season playoff drought with the league’s best record at 94-68. They fended off 92-70 Chiba and two-time defending league champ Yokohama at 90-72. The Yellow Jackets would fall off hard the next year and go into a rebuilding phase. In the South Division, Hiroshima won for the first time since taking EAB Champion honors in 1959. The Hammerheads and Fukuoka had to go to a one-game tiebreaker for the top spot with both finishing the regular season at 86-76. Kitakyushu was only one back with Kobe two back and last year’s division champ Kyoto six back. Saitama only won 70 games, but it was their right fielder Sanjiro Miyama winning the league MVP. It was a banner year for the sixth season outfielder, leading the league in hits (207), average (.356), OBP (.394), wRC+ (200) and WAR (10.4), adding 32 home runs and 103 RBI. Kyoto’s Su-Yeong Myung was the Pitcher of the Year. The 13^th year righty was the ERA leader at 1.85 and WHIP leader at 0.81, adding 6.4 WAR and a 15-5 record over 209 innings with 250 strikeouts. Pyongyang’s dominance continued in the Korea League as the two-time defending EAB champs had their seventh straight North Division title and seventh straight season with 109 or more wins. The Pythons finished 111-51, leading by far in runs scored at 811 and having the fewest allowed at 525. Seoul was second at a distant 93-69. The South Division saw Yongin on top for back-to-back seasons. The Gold Sox were 16 games better than Busan with an 101-61 mark, tying a franchise record for wins in a season. Daegu was the worst team in the league at 60-102, but Diamondbacks first baseman Ji-Hwan Kwan still won the MVP. The 25-year old lefty was the leader in hits (207), average (.347), slugging (.622), OPS (1.014), wRC+ (183), and WAR (8.6). Seoul’s Jae-Hoon Seon won the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old lefty was the wins leader with a 24-4 record and the WARlord at 8.3, also leading in WHIP (0.87) and quality starts (28). He had a 2.42 ERA over 271.2 innings with 290 strikeouts. The Japan League Championship Series saw Kawasaki cruise to the title in five games over Hiroshima. This gave the Killer Whales their third league title, joining the 1938 and 1941 seasons. The Korea League Championship Series saw Pyongyang win again over Yongin, this time in six games. The Pythons now have three straight Korea League titles; five in seven years; and a record nine total. They’re the first team to three-peat in Korea since Busan’s 1940s dynasty. Pyongyang’s dynasty rolled to the East Asian Championship 4-1 against Kawasaki, also giving the Pythons three straight overall titles and five in seven years. Finals MVP was CF Min-Woo Yoon, with the 25-year old in 11 playoff games posting 13 hits, 8 runs, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI. Pyongyang are the first team to three-peat as overall EAB champs and now have seven overall crowns; more than any other team. The 1960s Pythons were making a strong case for the best dynasty in East Asia Baseball History and they wouldn’t be done yet either. Other notes: Ki-Wook Ahn became the sixth EAB hitter to reach 700 career home runs and the eighth to 1500 runs scored. Han-Gyeol Bu became a 10-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop. Lei Meng won his 12^th and final Silver Slugger in left field. Meng finished the 1967 season with 753 home runs, just behind Ju-An Pak’s all-time mark of 760. Meng would easily pass it next season to become the EAB home run king, a title he held until the 2010s. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)