[FuzzyRussianHat]

The fourth season of South Asia Baseball saw record setting win totals in the Indian League. Pune finished 119-43 atop the West Division to set a single-season wins record that wouldn’t be topped until 1995. Division foe Ahmedabad at 91-71 easily took the wild card. Not far from the Purple Knights dominance was defending South Asia champ Bengaluru, who dominated the South Division at 115-47. The Blazers smacked 254 home runs as a team, while held as the IL record until 2030. In a weak Central Division, Jaipur took first at 83-79. The Jokers, Pune, and Bengaluru have each made the playoffs all four SAB seasons so far, while Ahmedabad has made it thrice.

SS Al-Amin Kundu won his fourth straight Indian League MVP. The 31-year old Pune shortstop led in home runs (58), runs (117), RBI (139), and WAR (11.9). Purple Knights ace Sankar Sundaram won his third straight Pitcher of the Year. The 30-year old righty led in WHIP (0.84) and split his time between the rotation and bullpen with 20 starts and 39 relief appearances. Over 186 innings, he had a 2.37 ERA, 12-2 record, 22 saves, 284 strikeouts, and 6.6 WAR.

Pune pounded Ahmedabad with the expected first round sweep, but Jaipur shocked Bengaluru by upsetting them 3-1. The Jokers gave the Purple Knights a seven game classic battle in the Indian League Championship Series, but Pune proved too powerful in the end. The Purple Knights are now two-time IL champs, having also won it in 1981.



Defending Southeast Asia League champ Yangon had the top record in 1983 at 103-59, winning the North Division and a fourth straight playoff berth. The South Division went to Ho Chi Minh City at 96-66 for their first-ever playoff berth. Last year’s SEAL runner-up Dhaka easily took the first wild card spot at 93-69. No one stood out in the battle for the second spot with 84-78 Mandalay edging Phnom Penh for it by one game. The Mammoths have made the playoffs three of SEAL’s first four seasons.

1B Yamin “Enforcer” Thaw won his second Southeast Asia League MVP. He won the award and set the record with 66 home runs in 1981, but didn’t play at all in 1982 as no one met his big asking price. The 34-year old Burmese slugger signed for 1983 with Dhaka and led in home runs (53), RBI (135), total bases (372), OBP (.409), slugging (.681), OPS (1.090), wRC+ (209), and WAR (10.1). He had a .319 batting average, seven points shy of a Triple Crown. Pitcher of the Year went to Mandalay’s Kalapriya Bhoola. The 30-year old Indian righty had a 2.40 ERA over 232.1 innings with 241 strikeouts and 6.5 WAR. Sadly, he’d suffer a torn UCL the next season with Pune and see his career end prematurely.

Yangon swept Mandalay in the first round, while Dhaka upset Ho Chi Minh City 3-2. For the third straight season, the Southeast Asia League Championship Series had the Green Dragons and Dobermans with Dhaka having won in 1981 and Yangon taking it in 1982. The Green Dragons prevailed 4-1 to take their third SEAL title in its first four seasons.



Yangon would find themselves 0-3 all-time in the South Asia Championship though as the fourth edition went to Pune. The Purple Knights pummeled them in a sweep to win their first title with their 119-43 mark one of the best ever for a champion. League MVP Al-Amin Kundu was finals MVP and hit 8 home runs with 16 hits, 12 runs, and 15 RBI in 14 playoff games.



Other notes: Janistha Jai set a bad single-season record that still stands as of 2037, he was caught stealing 71 times.