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FuzzyRussianHat · 12-28-2023, 06:36 AM

Three of the four Japan League division champs were the same for the third consecutive season. The lone exception saw defending JL champ Yokohama miss the cut at 92-70, finishing four back on 96-66 in the Capital Division. The Comets snapped a six-year playoff drought with their run. The best overall record in the Japan League was Central Division champ Osaka at 107-55. Sapporo cruised to the North Division at 97-65 and Hiroshima snagged the West Division at 95-67.

Japan League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to players for Hiroshima. 26-year old first baseman Tsukasa Kato won MVP, leading in home runs (62), total bases (375), slugging (.682), OPS (1.059), wRC+ (213), and WAR (9.5). He was the first 60+ homer hitter since 1979. Aiya Kodama won his sixth straight Pitcher of the Year, joining Yu-Geon Moon as the only six-time winners in East Asia Baseball history. Kodama led in ERA (1.66), strikeouts (346), WHIP (0.83), complete games (15), FIP- (35), and WAR (11.6). He finished two wins shy of a fourth Triple Crown season. Kodama would pitch one more year with the Hammerheads, then leave for MLB’s Denver Dragons.

Hiroshima upset 107-win Osaka 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs and Chiba downed Sapporo 3-1. This gave the Hammerheads back-to-back appearances in the Japan League Championship Series, while it was the first berth for the Comets since 1964. The JLCS went all seven games with the home team winning each game, which favored Chiba for their first pennant since their 1961-63 three-peat. It was the fifth title for the Comets, who also won it all in 1952.

The Korea League South Division had an intense three-team battle for the top spot. Defending East Asian champion Jeonju took the spot at 100-62, earning a third straight playoff berth. Ulsan was only one back at 99-63 and Yongin was two back at 98-64, although both still advanced as wild cards. This gave the Gold Sox four consecutive berths and the Swallows their second in three years. Daejeon was still solid, but out of the hunt at 90-72. In the North Division, Hamhung took first for back-to-back seasons at 91-71. The Heat were two games better than Seongnam.

Spiders first baseman Byung-Il Jun won his third Korea League MVP with his first back in 1982. The 30-year old lefty slugger led in home runs (51), RBI (127), total bases (387), slugging (.652), OPS (1.034), and wRC+ (176) with 7.5 WAR. Yongin’s Ju-Eon Eun won his third Pitcher of the Year as the WARlord at 9.1. He had a 61 FIP- and 2.91 ERA over 266 innings with 274 strikeouts and a 21-9 record.

The Gold Sox upset Jeonju 3-2 in a first round classic, while fellow wild card Ulsan ousted Hamhung 3-1. Yongin earned a fourth straight Korea League Championship Series appearance, while the Swallows saw their second in three years. In a rematch of the 1985 KLCS, Ulsan got revenge and claimed the series 4-2. It was the third-ever pennant for the Swallows with their other titles coming all the way back in 1936 and 1937.

The 66^th East Asian Championship pitted two franchises that had only won the overall title once prior; Ulsan was the 1937 champ and Chiba took it in 1952. The 1987 final was an all-time seven-game classic, ending for the first-time in history with an extra innings game seven. The Comets scored in the top of the tenth inning to win it 6-5. Veteran LF Chitomi Tsushima was the finals MVP, posting 22 hits, 10 runs, 2 home runs, and 6 RBI in 18 playoff starts.

Other notes: Jeonju’s Ji-Hu Kim had 40 triples, setting a new EAB single-season record that still holds as of 2037. My-Sung Lim became the 21^st batter to 600 career home runs and the 15^th to 1500 runs scored. Shuzo Toda won his eighth Gold Glove and first at shortstop, having won the prior awards at second base.

12-28-2023, 06:36 AM	#827
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,170	1987 in EAB Three of the four Japan League division champs were the same for the third consecutive season. The lone exception saw defending JL champ Yokohama miss the cut at 92-70, finishing four back on 96-66 in the Capital Division. The Comets snapped a six-year playoff drought with their run. The best overall record in the Japan League was Central Division champ Osaka at 107-55. Sapporo cruised to the North Division at 97-65 and Hiroshima snagged the West Division at 95-67. Japan League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to players for Hiroshima. 26-year old first baseman Tsukasa Kato won MVP, leading in home runs (62), total bases (375), slugging (.682), OPS (1.059), wRC+ (213), and WAR (9.5). He was the first 60+ homer hitter since 1979. Aiya Kodama won his sixth straight Pitcher of the Year, joining Yu-Geon Moon as the only six-time winners in East Asia Baseball history. Kodama led in ERA (1.66), strikeouts (346), WHIP (0.83), complete games (15), FIP- (35), and WAR (11.6). He finished two wins shy of a fourth Triple Crown season. Kodama would pitch one more year with the Hammerheads, then leave for MLB’s Denver Dragons. Hiroshima upset 107-win Osaka 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs and Chiba downed Sapporo 3-1. This gave the Hammerheads back-to-back appearances in the Japan League Championship Series, while it was the first berth for the Comets since 1964. The JLCS went all seven games with the home team winning each game, which favored Chiba for their first pennant since their 1961-63 three-peat. It was the fifth title for the Comets, who also won it all in 1952. The Korea League South Division had an intense three-team battle for the top spot. Defending East Asian champion Jeonju took the spot at 100-62, earning a third straight playoff berth. Ulsan was only one back at 99-63 and Yongin was two back at 98-64, although both still advanced as wild cards. This gave the Gold Sox four consecutive berths and the Swallows their second in three years. Daejeon was still solid, but out of the hunt at 90-72. In the North Division, Hamhung took first for back-to-back seasons at 91-71. The Heat were two games better than Seongnam. Spiders first baseman Byung-Il Jun won his third Korea League MVP with his first back in 1982. The 30-year old lefty slugger led in home runs (51), RBI (127), total bases (387), slugging (.652), OPS (1.034), and wRC+ (176) with 7.5 WAR. Yongin’s Ju-Eon Eun won his third Pitcher of the Year as the WARlord at 9.1. He had a 61 FIP- and 2.91 ERA over 266 innings with 274 strikeouts and a 21-9 record. The Gold Sox upset Jeonju 3-2 in a first round classic, while fellow wild card Ulsan ousted Hamhung 3-1. Yongin earned a fourth straight Korea League Championship Series appearance, while the Swallows saw their second in three years. In a rematch of the 1985 KLCS, Ulsan got revenge and claimed the series 4-2. It was the third-ever pennant for the Swallows with their other titles coming all the way back in 1936 and 1937. The 66^th East Asian Championship pitted two franchises that had only won the overall title once prior; Ulsan was the 1937 champ and Chiba took it in 1952. The 1987 final was an all-time seven-game classic, ending for the first-time in history with an extra innings game seven. The Comets scored in the top of the tenth inning to win it 6-5. Veteran LF Chitomi Tsushima was the finals MVP, posting 22 hits, 10 runs, 2 home runs, and 6 RBI in 18 playoff starts. Other notes: Jeonju’s Ji-Hu Kim had 40 triples, setting a new EAB single-season record that still holds as of 2037. My-Sung Lim became the 21^st batter to 600 career home runs and the 15^th to 1500 runs scored. Shuzo Toda won his eighth Gold Glove and first at shortstop, having won the prior awards at second base. __________________ 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)