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FuzzyRussianHat · 10-07-2023, 04:39 AM

The competition in the Mexican League’s South Division was fierce in 1978 with the five best records in the league coming from that group. Guadalajara took the title at 94-68 for their second division title in three years. Right behind them was a three-way tie at 93-69 between Merida, Ecatepec, and Puebla; while Queretaro was at 89-73. Tiebreaker games were required with one wild card available between the three teams. The Explosion beat the Pumas, but would lose to the Mean Green to give Merida back-to-back playoff berths. Over in the North Division, defending CABA champion Juarez was the only team above .500, taking the top spot at 88-74.

Although Hermosillo wasn’t in the playoff mix, they had the Mexican League MVP with 25-year old 2B Mesquito Delion. He led the league in runs (114), hits (217), triples (25), total bases (365), OBP (.409), and WAR (10.4). Torreon also wasn’t competitive, but they boasted the Pitcher of the Year Conrado Gonsalez. The 26-year old Cuban righty was the WARlord (10.6) and leader in strikeouts (357), K/BB (12.8), quality starts (29), and FIP- (50). He added a 1.86 ERA and 17-8 record in 261.1 innings.

Juarez used the home field advantage as division champ to defeat Merida 3-1 in the wild card round. The Jesters carried the momentum into the Mexican League Championship Series and defeated Guadalajara in six games. This gives Juarez back-to-back Mexican League titles and their third league title in five years. It is their fifth ML title overall.

In the Caribbean League, Guatemala and Salvador jockeyed for the top spot overall and in the Continental Division, finishing tied at 96-66. The Ghosts won the division in the one-game tiebreaker, although the Stallions easily got the wild card. Salvador snapped an 11-year playoff drought, while Guatemala is back in after missing the last two years. Last year’s league champ Costa Rica fell off a cliff from 104 wins to 67, while last year’s wild card Nicaragua was at 85-77. In the Island Division, Jamaica was first at 90-72, four ahead of Santiago and six better than both Haiti and Puerto Rico. It was the first playoff berth for the Jazz since winning the 1968 CABA crown.

Caribbean League MVP went to veteran RF Alvaro Quintana with Salvador. The 32-year old Nicaraguan lefty led in home runs (53), RBI (124), runs (107), total bases (363), slugging (.654), OPS (1.016), and wRC+ (171). Santo Domingo’s Lamont Amerson was the Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old Jamaican lefty led in ERA (2.00), and quality starts (29), adding 283 strikeouts in 269.2 innings, 8.1 WAR, and a 17-7 record.

Salvador and Jamaica had an intense battle in the wild card round with the Stallions taking it 3-2 despite the one-game disadvantage. Salvador carried that momentum into the Caribbean League Championship Series and rolled their rival Guatemala 4-1. It was the fifth league title for the Stallions and first since their 1964-65 repeat. There have been seven different Caribbean champs in seven years, easily the longest stretch in league history without a repeat winner.

In the 68^th Central American Baseball Association Championship, Juarez defeated Salvador 4-2 to make the Jesters back-to-back CABA champs. LF Caetano Penuelas was finals MVP with the 26-year old posting 20 hits, 5 runs, 4 doubles, and 9 RBI in 15 playoff starts. The Mexican League has now won the CABA crown over the Caribbean League eight times in the last ten seasons.

Other notes: 1978 had CABA’s 24^th and 25^th Perfect Games. On April 11, Chihuahua’s Teodoro Tovar struck out 10 against Mexicali. Then on June 24, Noah Lopez of Tijuana had seven against Mexicali, Lopez had thrown a separate no-hitter a month earlier, joining Marcos Lopez (1950) as the only pitchers in CABA to throw multiple no-hitters in a season. Wesley Dubar became the seventh hitter to 600 career home runs. Mario Benitez became the eighth to 4000 strikeouts. 1B Rafioby Barajas won his ninth Gold Glove.

10-07-2023, 04:39 AM	#627
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,428	1978 in CABA The competition in the Mexican League’s South Division was fierce in 1978 with the five best records in the league coming from that group. Guadalajara took the title at 94-68 for their second division title in three years. Right behind them was a three-way tie at 93-69 between Merida, Ecatepec, and Puebla; while Queretaro was at 89-73. Tiebreaker games were required with one wild card available between the three teams. The Explosion beat the Pumas, but would lose to the Mean Green to give Merida back-to-back playoff berths. Over in the North Division, defending CABA champion Juarez was the only team above .500, taking the top spot at 88-74. Although Hermosillo wasn’t in the playoff mix, they had the Mexican League MVP with 25-year old 2B Mesquito Delion. He led the league in runs (114), hits (217), triples (25), total bases (365), OBP (.409), and WAR (10.4). Torreon also wasn’t competitive, but they boasted the Pitcher of the Year Conrado Gonsalez. The 26-year old Cuban righty was the WARlord (10.6) and leader in strikeouts (357), K/BB (12.8), quality starts (29), and FIP- (50). He added a 1.86 ERA and 17-8 record in 261.1 innings. Juarez used the home field advantage as division champ to defeat Merida 3-1 in the wild card round. The Jesters carried the momentum into the Mexican League Championship Series and defeated Guadalajara in six games. This gives Juarez back-to-back Mexican League titles and their third league title in five years. It is their fifth ML title overall. In the Caribbean League, Guatemala and Salvador jockeyed for the top spot overall and in the Continental Division, finishing tied at 96-66. The Ghosts won the division in the one-game tiebreaker, although the Stallions easily got the wild card. Salvador snapped an 11-year playoff drought, while Guatemala is back in after missing the last two years. Last year’s league champ Costa Rica fell off a cliff from 104 wins to 67, while last year’s wild card Nicaragua was at 85-77. In the Island Division, Jamaica was first at 90-72, four ahead of Santiago and six better than both Haiti and Puerto Rico. It was the first playoff berth for the Jazz since winning the 1968 CABA crown. Caribbean League MVP went to veteran RF Alvaro Quintana with Salvador. The 32-year old Nicaraguan lefty led in home runs (53), RBI (124), runs (107), total bases (363), slugging (.654), OPS (1.016), and wRC+ (171). Santo Domingo’s Lamont Amerson was the Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old Jamaican lefty led in ERA (2.00), and quality starts (29), adding 283 strikeouts in 269.2 innings, 8.1 WAR, and a 17-7 record. Salvador and Jamaica had an intense battle in the wild card round with the Stallions taking it 3-2 despite the one-game disadvantage. Salvador carried that momentum into the Caribbean League Championship Series and rolled their rival Guatemala 4-1. It was the fifth league title for the Stallions and first since their 1964-65 repeat. There have been seven different Caribbean champs in seven years, easily the longest stretch in league history without a repeat winner. In the 68^th Central American Baseball Association Championship, Juarez defeated Salvador 4-2 to make the Jesters back-to-back CABA champs. LF Caetano Penuelas was finals MVP with the 26-year old posting 20 hits, 5 runs, 4 doubles, and 9 RBI in 15 playoff starts. The Mexican League has now won the CABA crown over the Caribbean League eight times in the last ten seasons. Other notes: 1978 had CABA’s 24^th and 25^th Perfect Games. On April 11, Chihuahua’s Teodoro Tovar struck out 10 against Mexicali. Then on June 24, Noah Lopez of Tijuana had seven against Mexicali, Lopez had thrown a separate no-hitter a month earlier, joining Marcos Lopez (1950) as the only pitchers in CABA to throw multiple no-hitters in a season. Wesley Dubar became the seventh hitter to 600 career home runs. Mario Benitez became the eighth to 4000 strikeouts. 1B Rafioby Barajas won his ninth Gold Glove. __________________ 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)