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FuzzyRussianHat · 09-18-2023, 05:09 AM

The National Association was very competitive in 1976 with the best record being 94-68. This went to Cincinnati, who won the Midwest League to snap a 31-year playoff drought, which was the longest active drought in Major League Baseball. Louisville was one behind at 93-69 to earn their second straight wild card. Boston won the Eastern League at 91-71 to end a seven-year playoff drought, improving from a 70-win 1975 season.

Baltimore was second in the EL at 89-73, tying with Kansas City to get the second and third wild cards. It was the first Orioles playoff berth since 1970, while the Cougars earned a fourth straight wild card. Detroit narrowly took the final wild card at 86-76, finishing one game ahead of Buffalo and defending NA champ Ottawa, two better than Hartford, Cleveland, and Montreal; and three better than Pittsburgh and Washington. This was back-to-back playoff spots for the Tigers. Chicago, who made it to the NACS last year, noticeably dropped to eleventh in the ML at 74-88.

Cincinnati’s Brooks Kunes won the National Association MVP. The 27-year old 2B led in OBP (.416), OPS (.988), and wRC+ (194), adding 8.3 WAR and a .360 average. Hartford’s Ugo Musacci won Pitcher of the Year. It was the third time winning it in the National Association for the 32-year old Italian and his seventh overall, having won the award four times with Malta in EBF. Musacci was the WARlord (10.2) and leader in strikeouts (261), WHIP (0.90), FIP- (57), and K/BB (9.3). He added a 2.30 ERA over 274 innings.

In the first round of the playoffs, Kansas City beat Baltimore 2-1 and Detroit downed Louisville 2-0. The Cougars upset Boston 3-2 in round two, while Cincinnati cruised to a sweep over the Tigers. This sent the Reds to their first National Association Championship Series since 1942, while it was the first for KC since 1966. Kansas City kept rolling by taking the NACS over the Reds 4-1. It is the fourth NA title for the Cougars, who also won it in 1962, 1961, and 1937.

Houston had the top mark in MLB at 109-53, earning a third straight playoff berth and their first Southern League title since 1966. The Hornets scored 935 runs, the only team in MLB with 900+ this season. Meanwhile, Oakland won back-to-back Western League titles at 103-59. Second in the WL was Las Vegas, who finished 98-64 for the first wild card spot. For the Vipers, this was their first playoff berth in a decade.

The remaining wild cards went to Tampa (96-66), Calgary (95-67), and Dallas (94-68). It was the first berth for the Thunderbirds since 1968 and back-to-back for both the Cheetahs and Dalmatians. Defending World Series champion Albuquerque dropped to 83-79, taking sixth in the WL.

American Association MVP went to Ottawa two-way player Uriel Larking. The 29-year old righty was a legit Pitcher of the Year candidate with a 2.83 ERA over 260.1 innings, 22-7 record, 210 strikeouts, and 8.5 WAR. As a first baseman, he had 105 games with 4.1 WAR, a 1.021 OPS, .308 average, 21 home runs, and 66 RBI. He also earned a Gold Glove as a pitcher. PotY went to Dallas’ Landon Padilla. The 27-year old Puerto Rican was the ERA leader at 2.65 and had the most innings at 298.1, adding a 21-10 record, 250 strikeouts, 27 quality starts, and 7.3 WAR.

In the wild card round, Tampa swept Calgary and Las Vegas dumped Dallas. Houston outlasted the Thunderbirds 3-2 in round two, while the Vipers upset Oakland in four games. This sent the Hornets to their first American Association Championship Series in 1966 and the first since 1959 for Las Vegas. The Vipers would shock Houston by sweeping the Hornets in the AACS. This sent Las Vegas to the World Series for only the second time (1959).

The 76^th World Series was the third straight finale to go all seven games. The American Association extended its winning streak in the Fall Classic to nine years as Las Vegas defeated Kansas City 4-3. It is the second MLB ring for Sin City (1959). The Cougars are now 0-4 in the World Series. Despite the defeat, the World Series MVP was KC’s Myeong-Won Kan with the 32-year old North Korean in his second MLB season after a great run with EAB’s Hamhung. The 32-year old 1B in 20 playoff games had 27 hits, 15 runs, 6 home runs, and 21 RBI.

Other notes: Victor Petitt, R.J. Clinton, and Eloy Kolman each crossed 3000 career hits, making it 42 MLB hitters to have done so. Luke Peters became the 32^nd pitcher to 250 career wins. 3B B.J. Orwig won his tenth Gold Glove.

09-18-2023, 05:09 AM	#590
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,826	1976 in MLB The National Association was very competitive in 1976 with the best record being 94-68. This went to Cincinnati, who won the Midwest League to snap a 31-year playoff drought, which was the longest active drought in Major League Baseball. Louisville was one behind at 93-69 to earn their second straight wild card. Boston won the Eastern League at 91-71 to end a seven-year playoff drought, improving from a 70-win 1975 season. Baltimore was second in the EL at 89-73, tying with Kansas City to get the second and third wild cards. It was the first Orioles playoff berth since 1970, while the Cougars earned a fourth straight wild card. Detroit narrowly took the final wild card at 86-76, finishing one game ahead of Buffalo and defending NA champ Ottawa, two better than Hartford, Cleveland, and Montreal; and three better than Pittsburgh and Washington. This was back-to-back playoff spots for the Tigers. Chicago, who made it to the NACS last year, noticeably dropped to eleventh in the ML at 74-88. Cincinnati’s Brooks Kunes won the National Association MVP. The 27-year old 2B led in OBP (.416), OPS (.988), and wRC+ (194), adding 8.3 WAR and a .360 average. Hartford’s Ugo Musacci won Pitcher of the Year. It was the third time winning it in the National Association for the 32-year old Italian and his seventh overall, having won the award four times with Malta in EBF. Musacci was the WARlord (10.2) and leader in strikeouts (261), WHIP (0.90), FIP- (57), and K/BB (9.3). He added a 2.30 ERA over 274 innings. In the first round of the playoffs, Kansas City beat Baltimore 2-1 and Detroit downed Louisville 2-0. The Cougars upset Boston 3-2 in round two, while Cincinnati cruised to a sweep over the Tigers. This sent the Reds to their first National Association Championship Series since 1942, while it was the first for KC since 1966. Kansas City kept rolling by taking the NACS over the Reds 4-1. It is the fourth NA title for the Cougars, who also won it in 1962, 1961, and 1937. Houston had the top mark in MLB at 109-53, earning a third straight playoff berth and their first Southern League title since 1966. The Hornets scored 935 runs, the only team in MLB with 900+ this season. Meanwhile, Oakland won back-to-back Western League titles at 103-59. Second in the WL was Las Vegas, who finished 98-64 for the first wild card spot. For the Vipers, this was their first playoff berth in a decade. The remaining wild cards went to Tampa (96-66), Calgary (95-67), and Dallas (94-68). It was the first berth for the Thunderbirds since 1968 and back-to-back for both the Cheetahs and Dalmatians. Defending World Series champion Albuquerque dropped to 83-79, taking sixth in the WL. American Association MVP went to Ottawa two-way player Uriel Larking. The 29-year old righty was a legit Pitcher of the Year candidate with a 2.83 ERA over 260.1 innings, 22-7 record, 210 strikeouts, and 8.5 WAR. As a first baseman, he had 105 games with 4.1 WAR, a 1.021 OPS, .308 average, 21 home runs, and 66 RBI. He also earned a Gold Glove as a pitcher. PotY went to Dallas’ Landon Padilla. The 27-year old Puerto Rican was the ERA leader at 2.65 and had the most innings at 298.1, adding a 21-10 record, 250 strikeouts, 27 quality starts, and 7.3 WAR. In the wild card round, Tampa swept Calgary and Las Vegas dumped Dallas. Houston outlasted the Thunderbirds 3-2 in round two, while the Vipers upset Oakland in four games. This sent the Hornets to their first American Association Championship Series in 1966 and the first since 1959 for Las Vegas. The Vipers would shock Houston by sweeping the Hornets in the AACS. This sent Las Vegas to the World Series for only the second time (1959). The 76^th World Series was the third straight finale to go all seven games. The American Association extended its winning streak in the Fall Classic to nine years as Las Vegas defeated Kansas City 4-3. It is the second MLB ring for Sin City (1959). The Cougars are now 0-4 in the World Series. Despite the defeat, the World Series MVP was KC’s Myeong-Won Kan with the 32-year old North Korean in his second MLB season after a great run with EAB’s Hamhung. The 32-year old 1B in 20 playoff games had 27 hits, 15 runs, 6 home runs, and 21 RBI. Other notes: Victor Petitt, R.J. Clinton, and Eloy Kolman each crossed 3000 career hits, making it 42 MLB hitters to have done so. Luke Peters became the 32^nd pitcher to 250 career wins. 3B B.J. Orwig won his tenth Gold Glove. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)