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FuzzyRussianHat · 01-18-2024, 06:20 PM

Defending South Asian Champion Ahmedabad was yet again the class of the Indian League. The Animals earned their ninth playoff berth in a decade and third straight West Division title with an 111-51 record. Surat was a distant second at 95-67, but that was more than enough to give the Silver Sox a third consecutive wild card. After a shockingly bad 66-win 1989, the 1988 SAB champ Kanpur bounced back impressively at 105-57 atop the Central Division. Last year’s league runner-up Kolkata was second at 87-75, eight games back on the wild card. 87-75 was enough for Visakhapatnam to win back-to-back titles in a weak South Division.

2B VJ Williams became the Indian League’s first five-time MVP. After winning the previous four with Delhi, Williams sat out 1988 before getting his desired big money with Ahmedabad. In his second season with the Animals, the 30-year old lefty led in hits (193), RBI (146), total bases (398), average (.337), slugging (.695), OPS (1.097), wRC+ (246) and WAR (12.5). His 51 home runs left him three shy of a Triple Crown. Surat’s Janapati Sara won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year, leading with 367 strikeouts, 29 quality starts, a 54 FIP-, and 9.2 WAR. Sara added a 16-8 record over 243.1 innings with a 2.44 ERA.

Visakhapatnam stunned Kanpur in the first round of the playoffs with a road sweep, earning their second-ever Indian League Championship Series berth (1984). Wild card Surat took their divisional foe Ahmedabad to the limit, but the Animals escaped to win the series in five. Ahmedabad wouldn’t have any problems with the Volts, sweeping them in the ILCS to give the Animals four pennants in five years.

Defending Southeast Asia League champion Ho Chi Minh City again had the top record in SEAL. The Hedgehogs won the South Division 109-53, dominating even with both wild cards coming from the South. Phnom Penh (93-69) and Johor Bahru (89-73) took the wild cards with only Vientiane (85-77) also in the mix. The Pandas earned a third consecutive wild card, while it was back-to-back for the Blue Wings. Yangon snapped a five-year playoff drought as the only team above .500 in the North Division at 88-74. Hanoi, who had won the division title the prior three years, dropped to a lackluster 70-92.

SEAL MVP was LF Ajmer Kulkarni, who signed with Ho Chi Minh City only the year prior. He was the WARlord (8.7) and leader in slugging (.633), OPS (1.013), and wRC+ (176). Kulkarni added 49 home runs and 118 RBI. This was the final season for the 30-year old, who had a polarizing personality. Wanting more money than teams could offer and legal issues meant he remained a free agent for the next six years before eventually retiring. He had 62.1 WAR, six Silver Sluggers, and three Gold Gloves, but wasn’t Hall of Fame eligible due to not making ten years of major service.

Vientiane’s Zainal bin Aziz won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and secured back-to-back Triple Crown seasons with a 21-5 record, 1.48 ERA, and 360 strikeouts. The 30-year old Malaysian lefty also led in WHIP (0.80), K/BB (8.0), quality starts (30), FIP- (41), and WAR (11.7), doing it over 243.2 innings. Also of note, Ho Chi Minh City’s La Wai Noe became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner, posting 32 saves and a 1.74 ERA over 77.2 innings.

The Hedgehogs rolled to a first round sweep of Johor Bahru, while Yangon won a five-game thriller over Phnom Penh. Ho Chi Minh City claimed the Southeast Asia League Championship Series 4-1 over the Green Dragons, winning a third SEAL title in four years.

The 11^th South Asia Baseball Championship looked familiar with Ahmedabad facing Ho Chi Minh City for the third time in four years. Just like the prior meetings, the Animals were victorious, taking it this time 4-2. LF K.C. Choudhury was finals MVP as the 1988 IL MVP had 17 hits, 13 runs, 4 home runs, 6 RBI, 12 walks, and 14 stolen bases over 15 starts. Ahmedabad’s dynasty now has four SAB titles in five years and their dominance would continue throughout the rest of the 20^th Century.

Other notes: For the second time in SAB history, there were zero no-hitters for the full season. Johar Rai became the first SAB batter to 400 home runs and to 1000 career RBI. VJ Williams joined him with 1000+ RBI one week later. Williams won his eighth Silver Slugger at 2B and Rai got his seventh at RF.

01-18-2024, 06:20 PM	#892
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,460	1990 in SAB Defending South Asian Champion Ahmedabad was yet again the class of the Indian League. The Animals earned their ninth playoff berth in a decade and third straight West Division title with an 111-51 record. Surat was a distant second at 95-67, but that was more than enough to give the Silver Sox a third consecutive wild card. After a shockingly bad 66-win 1989, the 1988 SAB champ Kanpur bounced back impressively at 105-57 atop the Central Division. Last year’s league runner-up Kolkata was second at 87-75, eight games back on the wild card. 87-75 was enough for Visakhapatnam to win back-to-back titles in a weak South Division. 2B VJ Williams became the Indian League’s first five-time MVP. After winning the previous four with Delhi, Williams sat out 1988 before getting his desired big money with Ahmedabad. In his second season with the Animals, the 30-year old lefty led in hits (193), RBI (146), total bases (398), average (.337), slugging (.695), OPS (1.097), wRC+ (246) and WAR (12.5). His 51 home runs left him three shy of a Triple Crown. Surat’s Janapati Sara won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year, leading with 367 strikeouts, 29 quality starts, a 54 FIP-, and 9.2 WAR. Sara added a 16-8 record over 243.1 innings with a 2.44 ERA. Visakhapatnam stunned Kanpur in the first round of the playoffs with a road sweep, earning their second-ever Indian League Championship Series berth (1984). Wild card Surat took their divisional foe Ahmedabad to the limit, but the Animals escaped to win the series in five. Ahmedabad wouldn’t have any problems with the Volts, sweeping them in the ILCS to give the Animals four pennants in five years. Defending Southeast Asia League champion Ho Chi Minh City again had the top record in SEAL. The Hedgehogs won the South Division 109-53, dominating even with both wild cards coming from the South. Phnom Penh (93-69) and Johor Bahru (89-73) took the wild cards with only Vientiane (85-77) also in the mix. The Pandas earned a third consecutive wild card, while it was back-to-back for the Blue Wings. Yangon snapped a five-year playoff drought as the only team above .500 in the North Division at 88-74. Hanoi, who had won the division title the prior three years, dropped to a lackluster 70-92. SEAL MVP was LF Ajmer Kulkarni, who signed with Ho Chi Minh City only the year prior. He was the WARlord (8.7) and leader in slugging (.633), OPS (1.013), and wRC+ (176). Kulkarni added 49 home runs and 118 RBI. This was the final season for the 30-year old, who had a polarizing personality. Wanting more money than teams could offer and legal issues meant he remained a free agent for the next six years before eventually retiring. He had 62.1 WAR, six Silver Sluggers, and three Gold Gloves, but wasn’t Hall of Fame eligible due to not making ten years of major service. Vientiane’s Zainal bin Aziz won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and secured back-to-back Triple Crown seasons with a 21-5 record, 1.48 ERA, and 360 strikeouts. The 30-year old Malaysian lefty also led in WHIP (0.80), K/BB (8.0), quality starts (30), FIP- (41), and WAR (11.7), doing it over 243.2 innings. Also of note, Ho Chi Minh City’s La Wai Noe became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner, posting 32 saves and a 1.74 ERA over 77.2 innings. The Hedgehogs rolled to a first round sweep of Johor Bahru, while Yangon won a five-game thriller over Phnom Penh. Ho Chi Minh City claimed the Southeast Asia League Championship Series 4-1 over the Green Dragons, winning a third SEAL title in four years. The 11^th South Asia Baseball Championship looked familiar with Ahmedabad facing Ho Chi Minh City for the third time in four years. Just like the prior meetings, the Animals were victorious, taking it this time 4-2. LF K.C. Choudhury was finals MVP as the 1988 IL MVP had 17 hits, 13 runs, 4 home runs, 6 RBI, 12 walks, and 14 stolen bases over 15 starts. Ahmedabad’s dynasty now has four SAB titles in five years and their dominance would continue throughout the rest of the 20^th Century. Other notes: For the second time in SAB history, there were zero no-hitters for the full season. Johar Rai became the first SAB batter to 400 home runs and to 1000 career RBI. VJ Williams joined him with 1000+ RBI one week later. Williams won his eighth Silver Slugger at 2B and Rai got his seventh at RF. __________________ 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)