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FuzzyRussianHat · 01-21-2024, 11:11 AM

The #1 seed in the Japan League went to Niigata at 95-67 in what was the first ever winning season in the expansion Green Dragons’ 13-year history. This earned them the North Division title for the first time, finishing eight ahead of Saitama. Sapporo, who had won the division 10 times in the last 11 years, fell to a middling 80-82. Defending East Asian Champion Osaka finished 93-69 to earn the Central Division crown for the sixth consecutive season. Kitakyushu ended a five-year playoff drought to win the West Division at 92-70. Fukuoka was second at seven back, while defending champ Hiroshima fell below .500. In the Capital Division, Yokohama took first for the third time in five years. At 90-72, the Yellow Jackets were 10 better than second place Tokyo. Chiba, the JL runner-up last year, dropped to 75-87.

Leading Niigata to their first playoff berth was Japan League MVP Makhmud Hakim. The third-year RF from China led the league in runs (113), and WAR (8.3), while adding 37 home runs, 109 RBI, and a .314/.370/.602 slash. Hakim also pitched 23.1 innings and would emerge as a legit two way star the following season. Hakim also set a JL record for RBIs in a game with 11, going5-5 with 4 home runs against Sapporo on September 1. Osaka’s Rikiya Fujiwara won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards, leading the JL in ERA (1.72), and WHIP (0.75). The 29-year old lefty had a 19-5 record over 214.1 innings with 221 strikeouts and 6.6 WAR.

Niigata outlasted Yokohama 3-2 in a first round classic, while Kitakyushu upset defending champ Osaka with a road sweep. It was the Kodiaks’ first Japan League Championship Series appearance since 1979. The Green Dragons would claim the pennant in their first-ever JLCS appearance, dropping Kitakyushu 4-1.

The Korea League’s top three records were all out of the North Division. Hamhung and Bucheon tied for the top spot at 100-62 with the one-game playoff going to the Heat. This gave Hamhung its fourth division title in five years. For the Bolts, this was both their first-ever winning season and playoff berth since joining EAB in the 1978 expansion. Seongnam finished 96-66 to firmly take the second wild card, ending a four-year playoff drought for the Spiders. In the South Division, Gwangju took first at 91-71 to end the longest active playoff drought in EAB. The Grays last playoff berth was way back in 1955. The new longest drought belongs to the JL’s Saitama at 30 seasons. Busan finished three short of the division title at 88-74. Last year’s KL champ Daegu fell to fifth in the division at 78-84.

Seongnam’s Byung-Il Jun became only the second-ever five time MVP winner in Korea League history, joining all-time hit king Byung-Oh Tan. The 33-year old DH led the league in hits (218), runs (111), average (.357), OBP (.422), and OPS (1.008). Jun added 35 home runs, 119 RBI, and 7.8 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Bucheon’s Seon-U Pak. The sixth-year righty was the WARlord (7.8) and leader in wins (23-9), innings (285.1), and strikeouts (297). His 2.87 ERA was fourth in the league.

The wild card teams pulled off road upsets in the first round of the playoffs. Seongnam shocked Hamhung 3-1, while Bucheon ousted Gwangju 3-1. It was the Spiders’ first Korea League Championship Series appearance since their back-to-back titles in 1982 and 1983. For the Bolts, it was their first appearance and with Niigata’s success in the Japan League, this meant each of the 1978 expansion teams have now gotten to the LCS once. Bucheon wouldn’t make it an all-expansion final though, losing 4-3 to Seongnam in the KLCS and making the Spiders three-time KL champs.

In the 70^th East Asia Championship, Seongnam bested Niigata 4-2 to give the Spiders their second overall title (1983). LF Jin-Uk Song won finals MVP as the 33-year old former league MVP had 19 hits, 5 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run, and 5 RBI in 17 playoff starts.

Other notes: Fumihiko Ueda became the fourth EAB pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts, ending the season and his career with 4577. As of 2037, that is seventh on the all-time leaderboard. Both Hiroshi Koike and Jun-Seong Gwan joined the 3000 hit club, making 12 members to date in EAB. In Gold Glove news, LF Yeo-Min Kwan won his tenth, 2B/SS Shuzo Toda won his ninth, and SS Hyo-Jin Chang won his eighth.

01-21-2024, 11:11 AM	#900
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,801	1990 in EAB The #1 seed in the Japan League went to Niigata at 95-67 in what was the first ever winning season in the expansion Green Dragons’ 13-year history. This earned them the North Division title for the first time, finishing eight ahead of Saitama. Sapporo, who had won the division 10 times in the last 11 years, fell to a middling 80-82. Defending East Asian Champion Osaka finished 93-69 to earn the Central Division crown for the sixth consecutive season. Kitakyushu ended a five-year playoff drought to win the West Division at 92-70. Fukuoka was second at seven back, while defending champ Hiroshima fell below .500. In the Capital Division, Yokohama took first for the third time in five years. At 90-72, the Yellow Jackets were 10 better than second place Tokyo. Chiba, the JL runner-up last year, dropped to 75-87. Leading Niigata to their first playoff berth was Japan League MVP Makhmud Hakim. The third-year RF from China led the league in runs (113), and WAR (8.3), while adding 37 home runs, 109 RBI, and a .314/.370/.602 slash. Hakim also pitched 23.1 innings and would emerge as a legit two way star the following season. Hakim also set a JL record for RBIs in a game with 11, going5-5 with 4 home runs against Sapporo on September 1. Osaka’s Rikiya Fujiwara won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards, leading the JL in ERA (1.72), and WHIP (0.75). The 29-year old lefty had a 19-5 record over 214.1 innings with 221 strikeouts and 6.6 WAR. Niigata outlasted Yokohama 3-2 in a first round classic, while Kitakyushu upset defending champ Osaka with a road sweep. It was the Kodiaks’ first Japan League Championship Series appearance since 1979. The Green Dragons would claim the pennant in their first-ever JLCS appearance, dropping Kitakyushu 4-1. The Korea League’s top three records were all out of the North Division. Hamhung and Bucheon tied for the top spot at 100-62 with the one-game playoff going to the Heat. This gave Hamhung its fourth division title in five years. For the Bolts, this was both their first-ever winning season and playoff berth since joining EAB in the 1978 expansion. Seongnam finished 96-66 to firmly take the second wild card, ending a four-year playoff drought for the Spiders. In the South Division, Gwangju took first at 91-71 to end the longest active playoff drought in EAB. The Grays last playoff berth was way back in 1955. The new longest drought belongs to the JL’s Saitama at 30 seasons. Busan finished three short of the division title at 88-74. Last year’s KL champ Daegu fell to fifth in the division at 78-84. Seongnam’s Byung-Il Jun became only the second-ever five time MVP winner in Korea League history, joining all-time hit king Byung-Oh Tan. The 33-year old DH led the league in hits (218), runs (111), average (.357), OBP (.422), and OPS (1.008). Jun added 35 home runs, 119 RBI, and 7.8 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Bucheon’s Seon-U Pak. The sixth-year righty was the WARlord (7.8) and leader in wins (23-9), innings (285.1), and strikeouts (297). His 2.87 ERA was fourth in the league. The wild card teams pulled off road upsets in the first round of the playoffs. Seongnam shocked Hamhung 3-1, while Bucheon ousted Gwangju 3-1. It was the Spiders’ first Korea League Championship Series appearance since their back-to-back titles in 1982 and 1983. For the Bolts, it was their first appearance and with Niigata’s success in the Japan League, this meant each of the 1978 expansion teams have now gotten to the LCS once. Bucheon wouldn’t make it an all-expansion final though, losing 4-3 to Seongnam in the KLCS and making the Spiders three-time KL champs. In the 70^th East Asia Championship, Seongnam bested Niigata 4-2 to give the Spiders their second overall title (1983). LF Jin-Uk Song won finals MVP as the 33-year old former league MVP had 19 hits, 5 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run, and 5 RBI in 17 playoff starts. Other notes: Fumihiko Ueda became the fourth EAB pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts, ending the season and his career with 4577. As of 2037, that is seventh on the all-time leaderboard. Both Hiroshi Koike and Jun-Seong Gwan joined the 3000 hit club, making 12 members to date in EAB. In Gold Glove news, LF Yeo-Min Kwan won his tenth, 2B/SS Shuzo Toda won his ninth, and SS Hyo-Jin Chang won his eighth. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)