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FuzzyRussianHat · 01-13-2024, 12:05 PM

The battle for the best record in the Mexican League was also the battle for the North Division title. Hermosillo finished at 105-57, taking the spot by one game over 104-58 Monterrey. It was the sixth playoff berth for the decade for the Hyenas, who had missed the field in the prior two seasons. The Matadors were easily the wild card for back-to-back seasons. Defending ML champ Juarez was 82-80, placing them fifth in the division. In the South Division, 86-76 gave Guadalajara the crown for their first playoff berth since 1978. Puebla was second at 81-81 and defending division champ Ecatepec was 77-85.

Although 73-win Merida was a non-factor in the standings, their 3B Stephen Soriano picked up Mexican League MVP honors. The 28-year old Mexican righty led in home runs (55), walks (84), slugging (.610), OPS (.984), wRC+ (217), and WAR (9.8). Pitcher of the Year was Monterrey’s Juan Meza. The 27-year old lefty led in wins (24-5), WHIP (0.74), shutouts (6), and WAR (8.5). He also tossed a perfect game on July 9 with 12 strikeouts against Puebla. Meza added a 2.07 ERA and 357 strikeouts over 264.2 innings. The Matadors also had a notable season from Rookie of the Year Francklin Bonhomme, who became the fourth in ML history to win the award and post 7.5+ WAR. He had 44 home runs, 121 RBI, and 7.8 WAR in his debut.

By being the wild card, 104-win Monterrey had to travel to 86-win Guadalajara for the wild card round and begin with a one-game disadvantage. The Hellhounds used those perks to sweep the Matadors and earn their first Mexican League Championship Series appearance since 1978. They were no match for Hermosillo, who claimed the MLCS in five games. It was the fourth pennant of the 1980s for the Hyenas and the seventh in franchise history.

The Caribbean League had a shake up with three different playoff teams than the prior year. After missing the field the prior two seasons, Nicaragua took the Continental Division and had the CL’s best overall record at 97-65. It was their first division title since 1976. Costa Rica, the CABA champ in 1986 and 1987, bounced back from their 1988 miss and took the wild card at 90-72. Salvador and Honduras, playoff teams last year, dropped to 81 and 73 wins, respectively. Santo Domingo had won the Island Division from 1981-86, but had missed the postseason field in 1987 and 1988. The Dolphins were back on top in 1989 at 95-67. Haiti was a distant second at 84-78, while defending CABA champ Trinidad fell to .500.

Leading the Navigators effort was second-year center fielder Manuel Rodriguez, the Caribbean League’s MVP. The 23-year old Guatemalan lefty had the most homers (51) and added 107 RBI with 101 runs, a .939 OPS, and 8.9 WAR. Costa Rica’s Alexis Lagunes won Pitcher of the Year as the 29-year old Colombian lefty had the best ERA (1.98), WHIP (0.86), strikeouts (343), K/BB (10.1), quality starts (27), FIP- (57), and WAR (9.8). He had a 17-12 record over 268.2 innings. The highlight of his season was the 34^th CABA perfect game, thrown on May 6 with 14 strikeouts against Havana.

Santo Domingo swept Costa Rica in the wild card round to send the Dolphins to the Caribbean League Championship Series for the sixth time in the decade. For Nicaragua, it was their first appearance since 1977 and they had gone 0-7 all-time in their previous berths. At that point, Nicaragua and Bahamas were the only Caribbean League teams that hadn’t won a single league title. The Buccaneers at least had the excuse of being an expansion team, while the Navigators had failed in their first 78 seasons. Nicaragua finally secured its first pennant as they swept Santo Domingo.

In the 79^th Central American Baseball Association Championship, Hermosillo rolled Nicaragua 4-1, making the Hyenas three-time CABA champs (1947, 1983, 1989). LF Tony Galvan was the finals MVP, posting 11 hits, 3 runs, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, and 6 RBI in 10 playoff starts. It would be the last finals appearance until 2008 for the Hyenas, but their supporters fondly look back on the 1980s as the franchise’s best decade.

Other notes: Torreon’s Matias Flores set a CABA record for strikeouts in a regulation game, fanning 22 against Juarez on May 12. Nick Bermea had also reached 22 Ks in a 1918 game, but needed 14.2 innings to do it. Remarkably, CABA had four perfect games thrown in 1989, something that had never happened in any league. CL Pitcher of the Year Alexis Lagunes of Costa Rica did it first with 14 strikeouts against Havana on May 6. On June 16, it was Trinidad’s Julian Engel with nine Ks versus Guatemala. ML Pitcher of the Year Juan Meza was third with 12 Ks against Puebla on July 9. The fourth was Leon’s Yusuf Manto with 10 strikeouts against Guadalajara.

In milestones, Junior Vergara became the third pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts, finishing his final year with 4532. Vergara also ended with 123.7 WAR, second all-time only to Ulices Montero’s 165.6. Luis Feliz Brea became the 10^th to 4000 Ks and the seventh to 250 wins. It was also his final season and he ended at 107.6 WAR, retiring fourth among all CABA pitchers.

CABA’s 1980s offensive numbers dipped slightly from the prior decades, but were still viewed as average relative to other leagues. The Mexican League had a 3.24 ERA and .246 batting average, considered below average offense numbers on the greater historical scale. The Caribbean League was more generally average with a .253 BA and 3.60 ERA. Following the 1989 season, CABA opted to make some rules changes to boost offense and saw the CL numbers into the above average range and ML numbers the average range moving forward.

01-13-2024, 12:05 PM	#876
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,936	1989 in CABA The battle for the best record in the Mexican League was also the battle for the North Division title. Hermosillo finished at 105-57, taking the spot by one game over 104-58 Monterrey. It was the sixth playoff berth for the decade for the Hyenas, who had missed the field in the prior two seasons. The Matadors were easily the wild card for back-to-back seasons. Defending ML champ Juarez was 82-80, placing them fifth in the division. In the South Division, 86-76 gave Guadalajara the crown for their first playoff berth since 1978. Puebla was second at 81-81 and defending division champ Ecatepec was 77-85. Although 73-win Merida was a non-factor in the standings, their 3B Stephen Soriano picked up Mexican League MVP honors. The 28-year old Mexican righty led in home runs (55), walks (84), slugging (.610), OPS (.984), wRC+ (217), and WAR (9.8). Pitcher of the Year was Monterrey’s Juan Meza. The 27-year old lefty led in wins (24-5), WHIP (0.74), shutouts (6), and WAR (8.5). He also tossed a perfect game on July 9 with 12 strikeouts against Puebla. Meza added a 2.07 ERA and 357 strikeouts over 264.2 innings. The Matadors also had a notable season from Rookie of the Year Francklin Bonhomme, who became the fourth in ML history to win the award and post 7.5+ WAR. He had 44 home runs, 121 RBI, and 7.8 WAR in his debut. By being the wild card, 104-win Monterrey had to travel to 86-win Guadalajara for the wild card round and begin with a one-game disadvantage. The Hellhounds used those perks to sweep the Matadors and earn their first Mexican League Championship Series appearance since 1978. They were no match for Hermosillo, who claimed the MLCS in five games. It was the fourth pennant of the 1980s for the Hyenas and the seventh in franchise history. The Caribbean League had a shake up with three different playoff teams than the prior year. After missing the field the prior two seasons, Nicaragua took the Continental Division and had the CL’s best overall record at 97-65. It was their first division title since 1976. Costa Rica, the CABA champ in 1986 and 1987, bounced back from their 1988 miss and took the wild card at 90-72. Salvador and Honduras, playoff teams last year, dropped to 81 and 73 wins, respectively. Santo Domingo had won the Island Division from 1981-86, but had missed the postseason field in 1987 and 1988. The Dolphins were back on top in 1989 at 95-67. Haiti was a distant second at 84-78, while defending CABA champ Trinidad fell to .500. Leading the Navigators effort was second-year center fielder Manuel Rodriguez, the Caribbean League’s MVP. The 23-year old Guatemalan lefty had the most homers (51) and added 107 RBI with 101 runs, a .939 OPS, and 8.9 WAR. Costa Rica’s Alexis Lagunes won Pitcher of the Year as the 29-year old Colombian lefty had the best ERA (1.98), WHIP (0.86), strikeouts (343), K/BB (10.1), quality starts (27), FIP- (57), and WAR (9.8). He had a 17-12 record over 268.2 innings. The highlight of his season was the 34^th CABA perfect game, thrown on May 6 with 14 strikeouts against Havana. Santo Domingo swept Costa Rica in the wild card round to send the Dolphins to the Caribbean League Championship Series for the sixth time in the decade. For Nicaragua, it was their first appearance since 1977 and they had gone 0-7 all-time in their previous berths. At that point, Nicaragua and Bahamas were the only Caribbean League teams that hadn’t won a single league title. The Buccaneers at least had the excuse of being an expansion team, while the Navigators had failed in their first 78 seasons. Nicaragua finally secured its first pennant as they swept Santo Domingo. In the 79^th Central American Baseball Association Championship, Hermosillo rolled Nicaragua 4-1, making the Hyenas three-time CABA champs (1947, 1983, 1989). LF Tony Galvan was the finals MVP, posting 11 hits, 3 runs, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, and 6 RBI in 10 playoff starts. It would be the last finals appearance until 2008 for the Hyenas, but their supporters fondly look back on the 1980s as the franchise’s best decade. Other notes: Torreon’s Matias Flores set a CABA record for strikeouts in a regulation game, fanning 22 against Juarez on May 12. Nick Bermea had also reached 22 Ks in a 1918 game, but needed 14.2 innings to do it. Remarkably, CABA had four perfect games thrown in 1989, something that had never happened in any league. CL Pitcher of the Year Alexis Lagunes of Costa Rica did it first with 14 strikeouts against Havana on May 6. On June 16, it was Trinidad’s Julian Engel with nine Ks versus Guatemala. ML Pitcher of the Year Juan Meza was third with 12 Ks against Puebla on July 9. The fourth was Leon’s Yusuf Manto with 10 strikeouts against Guadalajara. In milestones, Junior Vergara became the third pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts, finishing his final year with 4532. Vergara also ended with 123.7 WAR, second all-time only to Ulices Montero’s 165.6. Luis Feliz Brea became the 10^th to 4000 Ks and the seventh to 250 wins. It was also his final season and he ended at 107.6 WAR, retiring fourth among all CABA pitchers. CABA’s 1980s offensive numbers dipped slightly from the prior decades, but were still viewed as average relative to other leagues. The Mexican League had a 3.24 ERA and .246 batting average, considered below average offense numbers on the greater historical scale. The Caribbean League was more generally average with a .253 BA and 3.60 ERA. Following the 1989 season, CABA opted to make some rules changes to boost offense and saw the CL numbers into the above average range and ML numbers the average range moving forward. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)