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FuzzyRussianHat · 09-06-2023, 05:26 PM

Minsk won a sixth straight European League North Division title and earned a 20^th playoff berth in the first 21 years of Eurasian Professional Baseball. At 108-54, the Miners had the best record in all of EPB. St. Petersburg and defending Soviet Series champ Moscow were both wild card teams again with the Polar Bears at 102-60 and the Mules at 94-68. For Moscow, it is their fifth playoff berth in six years. Kyiv won the South Division at 95-67 for their second division title in three years. Last year’s winner Kharkiv missed the field with a second place 89-73.

Moscow DH Emin Ismayilov won the European League MVP, having signed with the Mules as a free agent in the offseason after eight years with Kyiv. He was only two points short of a Triple Crown as he had a .307 average and led in runs (113), hits (181), home runs (62), RBI (117), walks (74), total bases (398), OBP (.384), slugging (.676), OPS (1.059), wRC+ (213), and WAR (10.3). It was only the second 60+ HR season in EPB history behind Zina Gigolashvili’s 65 in 1971.

Kyiv’s Ihor Povaliy became the first pitcher in EPB history to win both Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season. The 24-year old Belarusian lefty was the WARlord (10.5) and leader in K/BB (11.1), shutouts (8), and FIP- (50), adding 332 strikeouts over 268.1 innings with a 1.74 ERA and 21-6 record. Also of note, Jas Starsky became EPB’s second four-time Reliever of the Year winner. The 35-year old spent 1975 with Minsk and posted a 1.12 ERA over 96.2 innings with 164 strikeouts and 6.8 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Moscow upset Minsk in four games and Kyiv edged St. Petersburg in five games. The European League Championship Series saw the Mules sweep the Kings, giving Moscow back-to-back league titles as a wild card. It is their third EL crown (1975, 74, 67).

The top mark in the Asian League went to Ulaanbaatar atop the North Division at 106-56; their first division title and back-to-back playoff berths. The Boars allowed only 393 runs, setting an AL record. Tbilisi won the South Division at 104-58 for their first-ever division crown and fourth straight playoff appearance. Almaty (97-65) and Irkutsk (92-70) earned the wild card spots. The Assassins earned a fifth straight playoff berth and the Ice Cats snapped a drought dating back to 1962. Last year’s Asian League champ Krasnoyarsk collapsed spectacularly. After winning 100 games in 1974, the Cossacks dropped to a last place 60-102 in 1975.

Asian League MVP went to Ulaanbaatar’s Zdeno Macala. The 25-year old Slovak DH had a banner year with the lead in runs (103), home runs (44), RBI (115), total bases (363), slugging (.600), and 92 WAR. Baku’s Vladimir Nadiryan won the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Armenian righty was the WARlord (10.1) and led in quality starts (29), and FIP- (58). He added 366 strikeouts over 289.2 innings with a 1.80 ERA and 17-12 record.

Both first round series in the Asian League went all five games with the wild card teams stunning the division champs; Irkutsk topped Ulaanbaatar and Almaty bested Tbilisi. This sent Almaty to their fifth straight ALCS and Irkutsk to their first in 15 years. In the ALCS, the Ice Cats downed the Assassins in five games, giving Irkutsk its third league title (1975, 1961, 1956).

The 21^st Soviet Series featured the second wild card from both leagues. It also saw back-to-back years with two Russian teams in the finale. The series went all seven games with Moscow edging Irkutsk, giving the Mules back-to-back titles. League MVP Emin Ismayilov also won finals MVP, posting 18 hits, 11 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, and 15 RBI in 15 playoff games. Moscow becomes the third franchise to win back-to-back EPB rings, joining 1972-73 Almaty and 1958-59 Kyiv. Irkutsk meanwhile moves to 0-3 in Soviet Series appearances.

Other notes: Zina Gigolashvili became the first batter in EPB to reach 700 career home runs and the first to 1500 RBI. He’d play one more season and retire as the leader in both stats with 720 home runs and 1559 RBI, plus 1398 runs scored. Zaur Kadirov became the sixth batter to 500 home runs. Demis Mankovsky became the first reliever to 400 career saves in EPB. Havlik Hloznik became the ninth pitcher to 4000 strikeouts and the 22^nd to 200 wins. Catcher Samir Allahverdiyev won his 11^th and final Silver Slugger, becoming the first hitter to win 11 at any position.

09-06-2023, 05:26 PM	#567
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,420	1975 in EPB Minsk won a sixth straight European League North Division title and earned a 20^th playoff berth in the first 21 years of Eurasian Professional Baseball. At 108-54, the Miners had the best record in all of EPB. St. Petersburg and defending Soviet Series champ Moscow were both wild card teams again with the Polar Bears at 102-60 and the Mules at 94-68. For Moscow, it is their fifth playoff berth in six years. Kyiv won the South Division at 95-67 for their second division title in three years. Last year’s winner Kharkiv missed the field with a second place 89-73. Moscow DH Emin Ismayilov won the European League MVP, having signed with the Mules as a free agent in the offseason after eight years with Kyiv. He was only two points short of a Triple Crown as he had a .307 average and led in runs (113), hits (181), home runs (62), RBI (117), walks (74), total bases (398), OBP (.384), slugging (.676), OPS (1.059), wRC+ (213), and WAR (10.3). It was only the second 60+ HR season in EPB history behind Zina Gigolashvili’s 65 in 1971. Kyiv’s Ihor Povaliy became the first pitcher in EPB history to win both Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season. The 24-year old Belarusian lefty was the WARlord (10.5) and leader in K/BB (11.1), shutouts (8), and FIP- (50), adding 332 strikeouts over 268.1 innings with a 1.74 ERA and 21-6 record. Also of note, Jas Starsky became EPB’s second four-time Reliever of the Year winner. The 35-year old spent 1975 with Minsk and posted a 1.12 ERA over 96.2 innings with 164 strikeouts and 6.8 WAR. In the first round of the playoffs, Moscow upset Minsk in four games and Kyiv edged St. Petersburg in five games. The European League Championship Series saw the Mules sweep the Kings, giving Moscow back-to-back league titles as a wild card. It is their third EL crown (1975, 74, 67). The top mark in the Asian League went to Ulaanbaatar atop the North Division at 106-56; their first division title and back-to-back playoff berths. The Boars allowed only 393 runs, setting an AL record. Tbilisi won the South Division at 104-58 for their first-ever division crown and fourth straight playoff appearance. Almaty (97-65) and Irkutsk (92-70) earned the wild card spots. The Assassins earned a fifth straight playoff berth and the Ice Cats snapped a drought dating back to 1962. Last year’s Asian League champ Krasnoyarsk collapsed spectacularly. After winning 100 games in 1974, the Cossacks dropped to a last place 60-102 in 1975. Asian League MVP went to Ulaanbaatar’s Zdeno Macala. The 25-year old Slovak DH had a banner year with the lead in runs (103), home runs (44), RBI (115), total bases (363), slugging (.600), and 92 WAR. Baku’s Vladimir Nadiryan won the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Armenian righty was the WARlord (10.1) and led in quality starts (29), and FIP- (58). He added 366 strikeouts over 289.2 innings with a 1.80 ERA and 17-12 record. Both first round series in the Asian League went all five games with the wild card teams stunning the division champs; Irkutsk topped Ulaanbaatar and Almaty bested Tbilisi. This sent Almaty to their fifth straight ALCS and Irkutsk to their first in 15 years. In the ALCS, the Ice Cats downed the Assassins in five games, giving Irkutsk its third league title (1975, 1961, 1956). The 21^st Soviet Series featured the second wild card from both leagues. It also saw back-to-back years with two Russian teams in the finale. The series went all seven games with Moscow edging Irkutsk, giving the Mules back-to-back titles. League MVP Emin Ismayilov also won finals MVP, posting 18 hits, 11 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, and 15 RBI in 15 playoff games. Moscow becomes the third franchise to win back-to-back EPB rings, joining 1972-73 Almaty and 1958-59 Kyiv. Irkutsk meanwhile moves to 0-3 in Soviet Series appearances. Other notes: Zina Gigolashvili became the first batter in EPB to reach 700 career home runs and the first to 1500 RBI. He’d play one more season and retire as the leader in both stats with 720 home runs and 1559 RBI, plus 1398 runs scored. Zaur Kadirov became the sixth batter to 500 home runs. Demis Mankovsky became the first reliever to 400 career saves in EPB. Havlik Hloznik became the ninth pitcher to 4000 strikeouts and the 22^nd to 200 wins. Catcher Samir Allahverdiyev won his 11^th and final Silver Slugger, becoming the first hitter to win 11 at any position. __________________ 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)