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FuzzyRussianHat · 11-25-2023, 04:35 PM

For the first time in the franchise’s ten year history, Ciudad Guayana earned a division title. The Giants finished 99-63 atop the Bolivar League’s North Division, beating out Valencia by six games and both Bogota and Caracas by ten. They are the second of the 1974 expansion teams to earn a playoff spot, as Recife had done it the prior season. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Barquisimeto finished at 85-77, placing fifth in the division. Quito had an impressive turnaround from 70 wins the prior year to 99-63, easily winning the South Division. The Thunderbolts had won the Bolivar League in 1981 before struggling in 1982. Last year’s division winner La Paz fell to 76 wins.

Leading Ciudad Guayana’s success was Venezuelan 3B Slim Villar. Nicknamed “Professor,” the 25-year old was the leader in WAR (8.9) and batting average (.362), adding a 1.031 OPS, 211 hits, 102 runs, 26 home runs, and 106 RBI. Valencia’s Lazaro Rodriguez won a historic eighth Pitcher of the Year and as of 2037 is still the only Beisbol Sudamerica with eight or more. The 32-year old Paraguayan righty was the leader in ERA (2.30), strikeouts (364), WHIP (0.94), quality starts (26), FIP- (52), and WAR (10.5). Rodriguez had a 21-7 record over 262 innings and led in strikeouts for the tenth consecutive season and WAR for the eleventh.

In a very tight Brazil Division of the Southern Cone League, Sao Paulo finished first at 93-69, topping Belo Horizonte by two games and Recife by three. This snapped a five-year playoff drought for the Padres. Cordoba won the South Division at 88-74, edging Santiago by only one game and besting Concepcion by six and defending league champ Buenos Aires by seven. The Chanticleers hadn’t made the playoffs since their 1974 championship season.

Both major awards went to players from Belo Horizonte. Southern Cone League MVP was fourth-year first baseman Keith Ormeno, who led in runs (114), RBI (131), total bases (389), slugging (.688), OPS (1.084), and wRC+ (218). He added 9.2 WAR, a .336 average, and 52 home runs. 27-yeaer old Benjamim Alegre won his third Pitcher of the Year in four years and had back-to-back Triple Crown seasons. It was the ninth Triple Crown for a BSA pitcher and he became the first guy to do it twice. Alegre had a 22-6 record, 2.11 ERA, and 374 strikeouts. He also posted a career best 12.6 WAR and 36 FIP- over 252 innings.

The Bolivar League Championship Series was a seven game battle with Quito coming out on top of the newcomer Ciudad Guayana. This gave the Thunderbolts their second BL pennant in three years and the fifth in franchise history. The Southern Cone Championship went six games with Sao Paulo defeating Cordoba. It was the Padres 11^th title and first since 1977.

In the 53^rd Copa Sudamerica, Sao Paulo pummeled Quito with a sweep to give the Padres their fourth Cup win (1944, 58, 76, 83). RF Oscar Linares was finals MVP, a 32-year old veteran who was a starter on their last title winner. Linares in 10 playoff starts had 15 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 3 home runs, and 6 RBI. The Thunderbolts are now 1-4 all-time in the final.

Other notes: Salvador slugger Valor Melo had his 10^th season with 50+ home runs and crossed 700 for his career. He finished the season with 739, passing Diego Pena’s all-time mark of 725. Melo would stay BSA’s home run king for more than two decades before getting passed in the 2000s by Milton Becker. Melo and Saul Puerta both crossed 1500 RBI, making it 12 batters to have reached the milestone. Pitcher of the Year Lazaro Rodriguez became the fourth to reach 5000 career strikeouts. There was not a single no-hitter in Beisbol Sudamerica in 1983, the first time since 1958 that there wasn’t at least one. 3B Leonardo Valdez won his 11^th Gold Glove.

11-25-2023, 04:35 PM	#733
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,124	1983 in BSA For the first time in the franchise’s ten year history, Ciudad Guayana earned a division title. The Giants finished 99-63 atop the Bolivar League’s North Division, beating out Valencia by six games and both Bogota and Caracas by ten. They are the second of the 1974 expansion teams to earn a playoff spot, as Recife had done it the prior season. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Barquisimeto finished at 85-77, placing fifth in the division. Quito had an impressive turnaround from 70 wins the prior year to 99-63, easily winning the South Division. The Thunderbolts had won the Bolivar League in 1981 before struggling in 1982. Last year’s division winner La Paz fell to 76 wins. Leading Ciudad Guayana’s success was Venezuelan 3B Slim Villar. Nicknamed “Professor,” the 25-year old was the leader in WAR (8.9) and batting average (.362), adding a 1.031 OPS, 211 hits, 102 runs, 26 home runs, and 106 RBI. Valencia’s Lazaro Rodriguez won a historic eighth Pitcher of the Year and as of 2037 is still the only Beisbol Sudamerica with eight or more. The 32-year old Paraguayan righty was the leader in ERA (2.30), strikeouts (364), WHIP (0.94), quality starts (26), FIP- (52), and WAR (10.5). Rodriguez had a 21-7 record over 262 innings and led in strikeouts for the tenth consecutive season and WAR for the eleventh. In a very tight Brazil Division of the Southern Cone League, Sao Paulo finished first at 93-69, topping Belo Horizonte by two games and Recife by three. This snapped a five-year playoff drought for the Padres. Cordoba won the South Division at 88-74, edging Santiago by only one game and besting Concepcion by six and defending league champ Buenos Aires by seven. The Chanticleers hadn’t made the playoffs since their 1974 championship season. Both major awards went to players from Belo Horizonte. Southern Cone League MVP was fourth-year first baseman Keith Ormeno, who led in runs (114), RBI (131), total bases (389), slugging (.688), OPS (1.084), and wRC+ (218). He added 9.2 WAR, a .336 average, and 52 home runs. 27-yeaer old Benjamim Alegre won his third Pitcher of the Year in four years and had back-to-back Triple Crown seasons. It was the ninth Triple Crown for a BSA pitcher and he became the first guy to do it twice. Alegre had a 22-6 record, 2.11 ERA, and 374 strikeouts. He also posted a career best 12.6 WAR and 36 FIP- over 252 innings. The Bolivar League Championship Series was a seven game battle with Quito coming out on top of the newcomer Ciudad Guayana. This gave the Thunderbolts their second BL pennant in three years and the fifth in franchise history. The Southern Cone Championship went six games with Sao Paulo defeating Cordoba. It was the Padres 11^th title and first since 1977. In the 53^rd Copa Sudamerica, Sao Paulo pummeled Quito with a sweep to give the Padres their fourth Cup win (1944, 58, 76, 83). RF Oscar Linares was finals MVP, a 32-year old veteran who was a starter on their last title winner. Linares in 10 playoff starts had 15 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 3 home runs, and 6 RBI. The Thunderbolts are now 1-4 all-time in the final. Other notes: Salvador slugger Valor Melo had his 10^th season with 50+ home runs and crossed 700 for his career. He finished the season with 739, passing Diego Pena’s all-time mark of 725. Melo would stay BSA’s home run king for more than two decades before getting passed in the 2000s by Milton Becker. Melo and Saul Puerta both crossed 1500 RBI, making it 12 batters to have reached the milestone. Pitcher of the Year Lazaro Rodriguez became the fourth to reach 5000 career strikeouts. There was not a single no-hitter in Beisbol Sudamerica in 1983, the first time since 1958 that there wasn’t at least one. 3B Leonardo Valdez won his 11^th 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)