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FuzzyRussianHat · 02-15-2024, 04:32 AM

The EBF Northern Conference saw four repeat playoff teams in 1993. The wild card last year, Stockholm, this time took the top overall seed. The Swordsmen finished 97-65 to win the North Central Division for the first time since 1982. Berlin, the top seed last year, earned the wild card at 94-68. The Barons earned a third consecutive season and for the eighth time in a decade. Birmingham (95-67) took a third straight British Isles Division title. The Bees allowed 407 earned runs, the third fewest runs in NC history and the lowest since 1961. In the Northwest Division, defending European Champion Rotterdam narrowly took it at 93-69, besting Brussels by one game. The Beavers were only two games behind Berlin for the wild card. For the Ravens, they secured a fourth successive playoff appearance and their eighth in nine years.

For the first time since 1975, the Northern Conference MVP and Pitcher of the Year was the same player. Birmingham’s Lindsey Brampton took MVP for the first time and his third consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old English broke the single-season EBF strikeout record with 465 Ks, passing Alejandro Canas’ 454 from 1978. Brampton also won his third straight ERA title (1.66) and led in WHIP (0.74), quality starts (30), complete games (17), FIP- (42), and WAR (12.9). He lacked run support with a 16-12 record over 271.2 innings.

In the first round of the playoffs, Stockholm outlasted defending EBF champ Rotterdam in a five game classic. This gave the Swordsmen their first Northern Conference Championship berth since winning the 1982 title. Birmingham bested Berlin 3-1, which allowed the Bees to earn their second pennant in three years. Birmingham beat Stockholm 4-2 in the NCC to secure the franchise’s third pennant (1974, 91, 93).

Defending Southern Conference champ Lisbon won the Southwest Division for the third consecutive season. The Clippers at 100-62 had the best overall record in EBF. 94-68 Barcelona gave them a solid run, which earned the wild card spot. The Bengals ended a playoff drought that dated back to their 1979 championship season. Yet again, Zurich and Munich extended their impressive division title streaks. At 97-65, the Mountaineers world record atop the South Central Division extended to 21 seasons. The 96-66 Mavericks grabbed an 11^th consecutive Southeast Division title. Ultimately, this would be the final season for both of those streaks. The closest competitor was 88-74 Rome, who was still nine away from the division and six from the wild card.

Barcelona’s Henrique Nunes picked up Southern Conference MVP, building off an impressive Rookie of the Year campaign in 1992. The 24-year old Portuguese right fielder tied Sean Houston’s single-season record with 144 runs scored. Nunes also led in home runs (56), total bases (429), slugging (.741), OPS (1.153), and wRC+ (202). He added 134 RBI, a .345 average, and 11.6 WAR. It seemed like Nunes was on his way to a possible Hall of Fame career, but multiple catastrophic left shoulder injuries meant he never played a full season after 1994 and was retired at age 31.

Munich’s Marlon Hoffman earned Pitcher of the Year for the fifth time, joining eight-time winner Jean-Luc Roch as the only EBF pitchers to win five or more to date. It was the last full season for the 35-year old German righty, who led the Southern Conference in ERA (2.05), innings (289.1), WHIP (0.88), and quality starts (31). Hoffman also had a 22-6 record, 256 strikeouts, and 8.3 WAR. A torn meniscus next season would cut his final Mavericks season in half. Hoffman would play two more partial forgettable seasons after in MLB before retiring.

In the first round of the playoffs, Lisbon swept divisional rival Barcelona and Zurich swept Munich. The Clippers earned their fourth Southern Conference Championship appearance in five years, while the Mountaineers snapped a four-year streak of one-and-dones. Zurich shocked Lisbon by sweeping them in the SCC. Despite their 21-year division title streak, it is the first pennant since 1984 for the Mountaineers. They’ve advanced to the final eight times total, tied with Amsterdam for the most conference titles.

Although they’ve been a consistent playoff team for two decades, Zurich had gone 0-5 in their European Championship appearances during their streak. They were 1-6 overall with the only prior ring in 1970. For Birmingham, they were looking to take a second title in three years. The 44^th European Championship was an all-timer that went the distance. Game seven needed an extra inning with the Mountaineers finally getting over the hump, winning 3-2 in 10 innings. 1B Daniel Galonopoulas was the playoff hero, ending the series with a walk off RBI single. The 32-year old was the MVP of both the European Championship and the Southern Conference Championship, posting 23 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, and 19 RBI over 14 playoff starts.

It was a dramatic way for Zurich to finally get the ring after two decades of playoff disappointments. It also marked the end of their world record 21 season playoff streak, although they would still make a few more appearances in the 1990s. Other teams in other leagues would later have longer playoff streaks, but the Mountaineers’ won their division each year of the streak. That distinction has not been matched as of 2037.

Other notes: Dublin’s Felix Powell set a single-season record with 192 singles, which still stands as the most in EBF as of 2037. Powell also had 245 hits, the second-most in a season to this point by Franco Gilbert’s 254 from 1988. Both Jacob Ronnberg and Jack Kennedy became the first EBF batters to reach 2000 career RBI. Ronnberg would retire the all-time leader at 2184 after the 1996 season, holding the top mark until the 2020s. Kennedy would retire with 2017 and hold second place just as long.

Kennedy also became the fourth to reach 3000 career hits, retiring with 3155. Ronnberg ended the season at 3274, still behind Sauncho Fiero’s all-time record of 3321. Ronnberg would pass Fiero in 1994 at the hit king and hold that crown until the 2010s. Ronnberg also became the fourth EBF slugger to 700 career home runs. He would play three more seasons and finish with 786, retiring third on the all-time list. Ronnberg also saw his final Silver Slugger in 1993, giving him an EBF-record 15. As of 2037, no EBF player has won the award 15 times. Sean Houston became the eighth to reach 600 home runs and the tenth to 1500 RBI. 1B Oliver Michaelsen won his tenth Gold Glove and C Peter Schroter won his eighth.

The European Baseball Federation made a change starting with the 1994 season, lowering the active player roster from 25 to 24.

02-15-2024, 04:32 AM	#975
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,893	1993 in EBF The EBF Northern Conference saw four repeat playoff teams in 1993. The wild card last year, Stockholm, this time took the top overall seed. The Swordsmen finished 97-65 to win the North Central Division for the first time since 1982. Berlin, the top seed last year, earned the wild card at 94-68. The Barons earned a third consecutive season and for the eighth time in a decade. Birmingham (95-67) took a third straight British Isles Division title. The Bees allowed 407 earned runs, the third fewest runs in NC history and the lowest since 1961. In the Northwest Division, defending European Champion Rotterdam narrowly took it at 93-69, besting Brussels by one game. The Beavers were only two games behind Berlin for the wild card. For the Ravens, they secured a fourth successive playoff appearance and their eighth in nine years. For the first time since 1975, the Northern Conference MVP and Pitcher of the Year was the same player. Birmingham’s Lindsey Brampton took MVP for the first time and his third consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old English broke the single-season EBF strikeout record with 465 Ks, passing Alejandro Canas’ 454 from 1978. Brampton also won his third straight ERA title (1.66) and led in WHIP (0.74), quality starts (30), complete games (17), FIP- (42), and WAR (12.9). He lacked run support with a 16-12 record over 271.2 innings. In the first round of the playoffs, Stockholm outlasted defending EBF champ Rotterdam in a five game classic. This gave the Swordsmen their first Northern Conference Championship berth since winning the 1982 title. Birmingham bested Berlin 3-1, which allowed the Bees to earn their second pennant in three years. Birmingham beat Stockholm 4-2 in the NCC to secure the franchise’s third pennant (1974, 91, 93). Defending Southern Conference champ Lisbon won the Southwest Division for the third consecutive season. The Clippers at 100-62 had the best overall record in EBF. 94-68 Barcelona gave them a solid run, which earned the wild card spot. The Bengals ended a playoff drought that dated back to their 1979 championship season. Yet again, Zurich and Munich extended their impressive division title streaks. At 97-65, the Mountaineers world record atop the South Central Division extended to 21 seasons. The 96-66 Mavericks grabbed an 11^th consecutive Southeast Division title. Ultimately, this would be the final season for both of those streaks. The closest competitor was 88-74 Rome, who was still nine away from the division and six from the wild card. Barcelona’s Henrique Nunes picked up Southern Conference MVP, building off an impressive Rookie of the Year campaign in 1992. The 24-year old Portuguese right fielder tied Sean Houston’s single-season record with 144 runs scored. Nunes also led in home runs (56), total bases (429), slugging (.741), OPS (1.153), and wRC+ (202). He added 134 RBI, a .345 average, and 11.6 WAR. It seemed like Nunes was on his way to a possible Hall of Fame career, but multiple catastrophic left shoulder injuries meant he never played a full season after 1994 and was retired at age 31. Munich’s Marlon Hoffman earned Pitcher of the Year for the fifth time, joining eight-time winner Jean-Luc Roch as the only EBF pitchers to win five or more to date. It was the last full season for the 35-year old German righty, who led the Southern Conference in ERA (2.05), innings (289.1), WHIP (0.88), and quality starts (31). Hoffman also had a 22-6 record, 256 strikeouts, and 8.3 WAR. A torn meniscus next season would cut his final Mavericks season in half. Hoffman would play two more partial forgettable seasons after in MLB before retiring. In the first round of the playoffs, Lisbon swept divisional rival Barcelona and Zurich swept Munich. The Clippers earned their fourth Southern Conference Championship appearance in five years, while the Mountaineers snapped a four-year streak of one-and-dones. Zurich shocked Lisbon by sweeping them in the SCC. Despite their 21-year division title streak, it is the first pennant since 1984 for the Mountaineers. They’ve advanced to the final eight times total, tied with Amsterdam for the most conference titles. Although they’ve been a consistent playoff team for two decades, Zurich had gone 0-5 in their European Championship appearances during their streak. They were 1-6 overall with the only prior ring in 1970. For Birmingham, they were looking to take a second title in three years. The 44^th European Championship was an all-timer that went the distance. Game seven needed an extra inning with the Mountaineers finally getting over the hump, winning 3-2 in 10 innings. 1B Daniel Galonopoulas was the playoff hero, ending the series with a walk off RBI single. The 32-year old was the MVP of both the European Championship and the Southern Conference Championship, posting 23 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, and 19 RBI over 14 playoff starts. It was a dramatic way for Zurich to finally get the ring after two decades of playoff disappointments. It also marked the end of their world record 21 season playoff streak, although they would still make a few more appearances in the 1990s. Other teams in other leagues would later have longer playoff streaks, but the Mountaineers’ won their division each year of the streak. That distinction has not been matched as of 2037. Other notes: Dublin’s Felix Powell set a single-season record with 192 singles, which still stands as the most in EBF as of 2037. Powell also had 245 hits, the second-most in a season to this point by Franco Gilbert’s 254 from 1988. Both Jacob Ronnberg and Jack Kennedy became the first EBF batters to reach 2000 career RBI. Ronnberg would retire the all-time leader at 2184 after the 1996 season, holding the top mark until the 2020s. Kennedy would retire with 2017 and hold second place just as long. Kennedy also became the fourth to reach 3000 career hits, retiring with 3155. Ronnberg ended the season at 3274, still behind Sauncho Fiero’s all-time record of 3321. Ronnberg would pass Fiero in 1994 at the hit king and hold that crown until the 2010s. Ronnberg also became the fourth EBF slugger to 700 career home runs. He would play three more seasons and finish with 786, retiring third on the all-time list. Ronnberg also saw his final Silver Slugger in 1993, giving him an EBF-record 15. As of 2037, no EBF player has won the award 15 times. Sean Houston became the eighth to reach 600 home runs and the tenth to 1500 RBI. 1B Oliver Michaelsen won his tenth Gold Glove and C Peter Schroter won his eighth. The European Baseball Federation made a change starting with the 1994 season, lowering the active player roster from 25 to 24. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)