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FuzzyRussianHat · 01-13-2024, 04:59 AM

The Capital Division was the Japan League’s strongest again in 1989. After taking second the prior year despite winning 98 games, 1987 EAB champ Chiba took the top spot at 96-66 for the best record in Japan. Kawasaki missed out at 91-71, as did defending JL champ Yokohama at 89-73. Osaka and Sapporo continued their holds on their respective divisions as both picked up a fifth consecutive division title. The Orange Sox were 95-67, nine games better than Nagoya in the Central Division. The Swordfish were 91-71 and the only winning team in the North Division. Hiroshima’s three-year West Division title streak was snapped the prior season by Kumamoto, but the Hammerheads returned to the perch in 1989. Hiroshima took it at 88-74, while the Monsters were 80-82.

The Japan League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both came out of Osaka. CF Yuma Akasaka was MVP as the 29-year old l posted 202 hits, 23 home runs, a .346/.388/.527 slash and 9.7 WAR. Akasaka also had a 36-game hitting streak, the fifth longest in EAB history. 28-year old lefty Rikiya Fujiwara was the pitching WARlord at 8.8 and led with 31 strikeouts. He added a 2.48 ERA and 19-9 record over 265.1 innings.

Both first round playoff series went all five games as Chiba outlasted Hiroshima and Osaka edged Sapporo. This gave the Comets their second Japan League Championship Series berth in three years, while it was the second in five years for the Orange Sox. Osaka would dominate the JLCS, defeating Chiba 4-1. It is the seventh pennant for the Orange Sox (1923, 25, 43, 46, 58, 85, 89).

Daegu had its first playoff berth in nine years with a 95-67 record to post the Korea League’s top record and win the South Division. Hamhung won the North Division at 93-69 for a third division title in four years. Seoul was second at 88-74, which earned the Seahawks the first wild card and their first playoff berth since 1981. The battle for the second wild card was a mess with three teams tying at 86-76; Incheon, Goyang, and defending EAB champ Jeonju. East Asia Baseball doesn’t use tiebreaker games and the tiebreaking formula gave the spot to the Inferno, giving them back-to-back playoff berths. Bucheon (85-77), Busan (84-78), Changwon (83-79), and Seongnam (81-81) were all right in the mix too. After winning 100+ games six times in the 1980s, Daejeon finished 79-83 for their first losing season since 1976.

Seongnam veteran first baseman Byung-Il Jun won his fourth Korea League MVP. He was the first player in EAB to reach 150 RBI in 20 years, while also leading the league in runs (116), hits (220), total bases (408), slugging (.641), OPS (1.042), wRC+ (176) and WAR (8.6). Jun was second in the league in both home runs (47) and batting average (.351). Second-year Incheon lefty Ha-Ram Lee was Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (20-10), strikeouts (310), and WHIP (0.96). Lee added a 2.68 ERA over 255.1 innings with 6.5 WAR.

Daegu downed Incheon 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs and Seoul upset divisional foe Hamhung 3-2. This was the Seahawks’ first Korea League Championship Series berth since their 1979 title and the first for the Diamondbacks since their 1978 pennant. Daegu dominated Seoul 4-1 to earn the 11^th KL crown in franchise history, second to Pyongyang’s 13 pennants.

In a nice 69^th East Asian Championship, Osaka defeated Daegu 4-2 to give the Orange Sox five overall titles (1923, 25, 43, 85, 89). League MVPP Yuma Akasaka was also finals MVP, posting 27 hits, 6 runs, 3 doubles, and 11 RBI in 16 playoff starts.

Other notes: Nagoya’s My-Sung Jo struck out 17 with one walk in a no-hitter on July 3 against Saitama, tying the EAB record for most Ks in a no-hitter. Katsuo Nakayama became the 12^th pitcher to 4000 strikeouts. Sosuke Hoshizawa became the ninth EAB slugger to 700 career home runs. He’d play two more forgettable seasons to finish at 718, tied for seventh all-time. Yeo-Min Kwan won his ninth Gold Glove in left field and Tae-Won Ahn won his ninth in right. Seong-Jun Yeon won his eighth Silver Slugger at shortstop.

East Asia Baseball’s statistics stayed similar in the 1980s as they looked in the prior few decades. The Japan League had a 3.45 ERA and .250 average, a slight drop from the 1970s. The Korea League had a .261 average and 3.85 ERA; a slight bump upward. The KL was the second highest ERA of any world league in the 1980s behind only MLB’s American Association, although their numbers were merely above average in the greater historical context. The JL was slightly below average historically and right in the middle compared to other leagues in the 1980s. While other leagues will fluctuate more, EAB would stay largely consistent over the coming years.

01-13-2024, 04:59 AM	#875
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,460	1989 in EAB The Capital Division was the Japan League’s strongest again in 1989. After taking second the prior year despite winning 98 games, 1987 EAB champ Chiba took the top spot at 96-66 for the best record in Japan. Kawasaki missed out at 91-71, as did defending JL champ Yokohama at 89-73. Osaka and Sapporo continued their holds on their respective divisions as both picked up a fifth consecutive division title. The Orange Sox were 95-67, nine games better than Nagoya in the Central Division. The Swordfish were 91-71 and the only winning team in the North Division. Hiroshima’s three-year West Division title streak was snapped the prior season by Kumamoto, but the Hammerheads returned to the perch in 1989. Hiroshima took it at 88-74, while the Monsters were 80-82. The Japan League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both came out of Osaka. CF Yuma Akasaka was MVP as the 29-year old l posted 202 hits, 23 home runs, a .346/.388/.527 slash and 9.7 WAR. Akasaka also had a 36-game hitting streak, the fifth longest in EAB history. 28-year old lefty Rikiya Fujiwara was the pitching WARlord at 8.8 and led with 31 strikeouts. He added a 2.48 ERA and 19-9 record over 265.1 innings. Both first round playoff series went all five games as Chiba outlasted Hiroshima and Osaka edged Sapporo. This gave the Comets their second Japan League Championship Series berth in three years, while it was the second in five years for the Orange Sox. Osaka would dominate the JLCS, defeating Chiba 4-1. It is the seventh pennant for the Orange Sox (1923, 25, 43, 46, 58, 85, 89). Daegu had its first playoff berth in nine years with a 95-67 record to post the Korea League’s top record and win the South Division. Hamhung won the North Division at 93-69 for a third division title in four years. Seoul was second at 88-74, which earned the Seahawks the first wild card and their first playoff berth since 1981. The battle for the second wild card was a mess with three teams tying at 86-76; Incheon, Goyang, and defending EAB champ Jeonju. East Asia Baseball doesn’t use tiebreaker games and the tiebreaking formula gave the spot to the Inferno, giving them back-to-back playoff berths. Bucheon (85-77), Busan (84-78), Changwon (83-79), and Seongnam (81-81) were all right in the mix too. After winning 100+ games six times in the 1980s, Daejeon finished 79-83 for their first losing season since 1976. Seongnam veteran first baseman Byung-Il Jun won his fourth Korea League MVP. He was the first player in EAB to reach 150 RBI in 20 years, while also leading the league in runs (116), hits (220), total bases (408), slugging (.641), OPS (1.042), wRC+ (176) and WAR (8.6). Jun was second in the league in both home runs (47) and batting average (.351). Second-year Incheon lefty Ha-Ram Lee was Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (20-10), strikeouts (310), and WHIP (0.96). Lee added a 2.68 ERA over 255.1 innings with 6.5 WAR. Daegu downed Incheon 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs and Seoul upset divisional foe Hamhung 3-2. This was the Seahawks’ first Korea League Championship Series berth since their 1979 title and the first for the Diamondbacks since their 1978 pennant. Daegu dominated Seoul 4-1 to earn the 11^th KL crown in franchise history, second to Pyongyang’s 13 pennants. In a nice 69^th East Asian Championship, Osaka defeated Daegu 4-2 to give the Orange Sox five overall titles (1923, 25, 43, 85, 89). League MVPP Yuma Akasaka was also finals MVP, posting 27 hits, 6 runs, 3 doubles, and 11 RBI in 16 playoff starts. Other notes: Nagoya’s My-Sung Jo struck out 17 with one walk in a no-hitter on July 3 against Saitama, tying the EAB record for most Ks in a no-hitter. Katsuo Nakayama became the 12^th pitcher to 4000 strikeouts. Sosuke Hoshizawa became the ninth EAB slugger to 700 career home runs. He’d play two more forgettable seasons to finish at 718, tied for seventh all-time. Yeo-Min Kwan won his ninth Gold Glove in left field and Tae-Won Ahn won his ninth in right. Seong-Jun Yeon won his eighth Silver Slugger at shortstop. East Asia Baseball’s statistics stayed similar in the 1980s as they looked in the prior few decades. The Japan League had a 3.45 ERA and .250 average, a slight drop from the 1970s. The Korea League had a .261 average and 3.85 ERA; a slight bump upward. The KL was the second highest ERA of any world league in the 1980s behind only MLB’s American Association, although their numbers were merely above average in the greater historical context. The JL was slightly below average historically and right in the middle compared to other leagues in the 1980s. While other leagues will fluctuate more, EAB would stay largely consistent over the coming years. __________________ 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)