[FuzzyRussianHat]

The National Association was very competitive in 1993 with the best overall record being only 96-66. That went to Quebec City atop the Northeast Division, earning their first-ever playoff berth in their 12 years of existence. Another expansion team was East Division champ with Virginia Beach at 93-69. Despite having two World Series titles in the last six years, this was the Vikings’ first-ever division title. 92-70 Cleveland won the Upper Midwest Division for their first playoff berth since 1985. St. Louis was the lone repeat division champ, taking the Lower Midwest at 89-73. They topped Columbus by only one game.

In the wild card race, 90-72 earned playoff spots for both Toronto and New York. The Yankees extended their playoff streak to three years and the Timberwolves had their second berth in three years. Defending MLB champ Hartford, Buffalo, and Columbus were both two back at 88-74. Last year’s NACS runner-up Boston was 87-75, as was Brooklyn. Winnipeg (86-76), Wichita (85-77), and Ottawa (84-78) were all in the mix as well.

Washington posted a seventh consecutive losing season. However, the Admirals had reason for optimism with 23-year old RF Nathaniel D’Attilo winning National Association MVP. He led the NA in walks (100), OBP (.438), wRC+ (213), and WAR (9.9). D’Attilo added 39 home runs and a .335 average. Virginia Beach’s Marco Talamo won his second Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old Italian righty was the WARlord (9.2) and led in WHIP (0.97) and FIP- (61) with six shutouts. Talamo added a 21-8 record over 263 innings with 253 strikeouts and a 2.63 ERA.

Both wild cards earned first round playoff sweeps with New York over St. Louis and Toronto over Cleveland. Both kept rolling in round two as the Yankees ousted Quebec City 3-1 and the Timberwolves topped Virginia Beach 3-1. It was the third time in five years getting to the National Association Championship Series for New York. The Yankees would be denied again though, as Toronto took the series 4-3. It was the Timberwolves’ first NACS and pennant since 1985. It was Toronto’s sixth NA crown overall (1903, 26, 54, 70, 85, 93).



Defending American Association champ Calgary had the best record in the AA and Major League Baseball, winning the Northwest Division at 101-61. The division also had 94-68 Denver taking the first wild card, bouncing back after 80 wins in 1992. The Dragons secured a fifth playoff berth in six seasons. The other first round bye went to Southwest Division champ Los Angeles at 99-63. The Angels also bounced back after a lackluster 1992, earning a fourth playoff spot in five years.

Atlanta at 94-68 won the Southeast Division for a seventh consecutive season, tying the MLB record for consecutive division titles set by Ottawa in 1932-38. The South Central Division had New Orleans fist at 89-73, besting Memphis by three games and Austin by four. This was the Mudcats’ first playoff appearance since 1973. San Francisco claimed the second wild card at 91-71 to end a two-year playoff skid. Falling short for the final spot was Seattle at three back, Memphis at five back, and four teams at six back.

Helping New Orleans to its first playoff appearance in two decades was American Association MVP Jordan Mattern. The 24-year old right fielder led the AA in hits (208), total bases (373), average (.349), OBP (.418), OPS (1.044), wRC+ (179), and WAR (10.2). Mattern added 37 home runs and 112 RBI. Pitcher of the Year was Los Angeles lefty Jamal Brown. The 24-year old led in wins (23-7), ERA (2.42), and quality starts (25). Brown tossed 294.1 innings with 209 strikeouts and 7.5 WAR.

Like in the National Association, both wild card teams won their first round playoff series. Both would go all three games with Denver ousting New Orleans and San Francisco over Atlanta. The Dragons continued on by upsetting Denver 3-1, but top seed Calgary would prevail in four over San Francisco. The American Association Championship Series had the division rivals battling. They had claimed three of the last four pennants between them with the Cheetahs the defending champs and the Dragons winning in 1991 and 1989. Calgary would take the AACS 4-1 to repeat as champs; the first repeat since their own 1986-87 run. The Cheetahs have five pennants in 11 years and eight overall (1902, 04, 40, 83, 86, 87, 92, 93).



The 92th World Series was the first all-Canadian matchup since Calgary beat Montreal in 1987. After taking runner-up last year, the Cheetahs took the title 4-2 over Toronto. Calgary now has three MLB titles overall with each coming in the last eight years (1986, 87, 93). SS Robert Hightower was the World Series MVP in his third season. In 15 playoff games, he had 21 hits, 8 runs, 3 doubles, and 5 RBI. Also of note was 34-year Russian veteran Aleksei Sakalauskas, a former EPB MVP with Yekaterinburg. He joined the Cheetahs in the offseason on a five-year, $11,600,000 deal and won AACS MVP with 22 hits, 15 runs, 8 home runs, and 17 RBI in 15 playoff starts.



Other notes: Louisville’s Chris Reid had 27 losses on the mound, tying the MLB single-season record. Milwaukee’s Austin Devereaux had a seven hit game against Omaha on April 8, becoming the third player in MLB to do it. Hartford’s Orion Davenport had a 34-game hitting streak. SS Bernd Sprenger won his eighth and final Silver Slugger.