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FuzzyRussianHat · 03-04-2024, 06:46 PM

The Japan League’s West Division was again loaded with the best two records in the league. Only one could advance and that was 103-59 Hiroshima, edging three-time defending EAB champ Kitakyushu by two games. That snapped a five-year playoff drought for the Hammerheads and officially marked the end of the Kodiaks’ five-year streak and their dynasty run. The Central Division went to 99-63 Kyoto for their second division win in three years. Kobe was second at 89-73. Sapporo cruised to repeat North Division titles at 94-68. Meanwhile in a putrid Capital Division, Tokyo (74-88) was first by two games over Yokohama and three over both Kawasaki and Chiba. The Tides extended their playoff streak to four years, but also notably posted the worst record ever by a playoff qualifier in any pro league.

Japan League MVP went to Kyoto RF Pikushi Tamaki. The 26-year old lefty led in the triple slash (.348/.419/.716), OPS (1.135), wRC+ (233), WAR (10.3), and runs (97). Tamaki added 41 home runs and 103 RBI. Kitakyushu’s Yutaka Kobayashi earned repeat Pitcher of the Year awards, leading in K/BB (14.2), FIP- (54), and WAR (8.9). Kobayashi had a 2.51 ERA over 240 innings with 270 strikeouts and a 20-7 record.

Tokyo shocked Hiroshima 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs, while Sapporo secured a road sweep of Kyoto. It was the first Japan League Championship Series for the Swordsmen since their 1983 pennant, while it was the first appearance since 1992 for the Tides. Tokyo continued to confound the baseball world by beating Sapporo 4-2 in the JLCS. At 74-88, the Tides easily set a world record for worst record by a pennant winner. This was Tokyo’s fifth Japan League title (1921, 36, 73, 75, 95).

Busan and Yongin ended up tied at 101-61 in the race for the Korea League’s best record and the South Division title. The Blue Jays won the tiebreaker game for repeat playoff berths and their first division title in 24 years. The defending KL champ Gold Sox were easily the first wild card, earning repeat playoff spots. Ulsan also picked up a repeat wild card and was in the division mix much of the season, finishing at 98-64. Pyongyang won the North Division at 93-69 for their second playoff appearance in four years. Suwon’s playoff streak ended at three years as they dropped to .500.

Ulsan’s Byung-Tak Wie earned back-to-back Korea League MVPs. The 25-year old first baseman led in runs (112), home runs (53), total bases (393), slugging (.696), OPS (1.086), and wRC+ (192). He added 8.7 WAR with 115 RBI. Ha-Ram Lee was a repeat Pitcher of the Year winner and won it for the fourth time. In his first full-season with Busan after getting traded from Incheon at the deadline last year, the 29-year old lefty earned a second Triple Crown with a 24-8 record, 1.66 ERA, and 392 strikeouts. He was five Ks short of the single-season record. Lee also joined Chikara Ohkubo and Aiya Kodama as the only multiple-time Triple Crown EAB pitchers. Lee pitched 277 innings and had 8.7 WAR along with a league-best 0.73 WHIP and 32 quality starts. Also notable was Gwangju’s Hachiro Koga winning a fourth Reliever of the Year.

Busan outlasted Ulsan 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs, while Yongin prevailed on the road 3-1 over Pyongyang. For the Blue Jays, they hadn’t been to the Korea League Championship Series since 1981. Despite their home field advantage and division win, Busan was battered by Yongin in the KLCS. The Gold Sox swept the Blue Jays to repeat as KL champs. This was Yongin’s fifth pennant with four of those coming in the last 12 years.

In the 75^th East Asian Championship, Tokyo’s stunning postseason run ended with a thud. Yongin took care of business 4-1 to earn the franchise’s second overall title, joining their 1984 win. LF Chae-Ho Yi won finals MVP with the 1992 league MVP proving a solid free agent pickup from Goyang. The 32-year old had 13 playoff starts with 13 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 9 RBI.

Other notes: Jun-Seong Noi became only the third batter to reach 3500 career hits. He finished the season and retired at 3519, behind leader Byung-Oh Tan’s 3871 and Dong-Ju Hahn’s 3585. Ju-Kan Yoo became only the 16^th member of the 3000 hit club. Tsukasa Kato became the 25^th to reach 600 home runs. Ju-Eon Eun was the 10^th pitcher to reach 250 wins. For the first time since 1985, zero no-hitters occurred in a season. 2B Kunihiko Koike won his seventh Gold Glove. CF Yuma Akasaka won his tenth Silver Slugger, setting a record for the position. 1B Tsukasa Kato and 2B/SS Katsunan Higashida won their seventh Silver Sluggers.

03-04-2024, 06:46 PM	#1031
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,903	1995 in EAB The Japan League’s West Division was again loaded with the best two records in the league. Only one could advance and that was 103-59 Hiroshima, edging three-time defending EAB champ Kitakyushu by two games. That snapped a five-year playoff drought for the Hammerheads and officially marked the end of the Kodiaks’ five-year streak and their dynasty run. The Central Division went to 99-63 Kyoto for their second division win in three years. Kobe was second at 89-73. Sapporo cruised to repeat North Division titles at 94-68. Meanwhile in a putrid Capital Division, Tokyo (74-88) was first by two games over Yokohama and three over both Kawasaki and Chiba. The Tides extended their playoff streak to four years, but also notably posted the worst record ever by a playoff qualifier in any pro league. Japan League MVP went to Kyoto RF Pikushi Tamaki. The 26-year old lefty led in the triple slash (.348/.419/.716), OPS (1.135), wRC+ (233), WAR (10.3), and runs (97). Tamaki added 41 home runs and 103 RBI. Kitakyushu’s Yutaka Kobayashi earned repeat Pitcher of the Year awards, leading in K/BB (14.2), FIP- (54), and WAR (8.9). Kobayashi had a 2.51 ERA over 240 innings with 270 strikeouts and a 20-7 record. Tokyo shocked Hiroshima 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs, while Sapporo secured a road sweep of Kyoto. It was the first Japan League Championship Series for the Swordsmen since their 1983 pennant, while it was the first appearance since 1992 for the Tides. Tokyo continued to confound the baseball world by beating Sapporo 4-2 in the JLCS. At 74-88, the Tides easily set a world record for worst record by a pennant winner. This was Tokyo’s fifth Japan League title (1921, 36, 73, 75, 95). Busan and Yongin ended up tied at 101-61 in the race for the Korea League’s best record and the South Division title. The Blue Jays won the tiebreaker game for repeat playoff berths and their first division title in 24 years. The defending KL champ Gold Sox were easily the first wild card, earning repeat playoff spots. Ulsan also picked up a repeat wild card and was in the division mix much of the season, finishing at 98-64. Pyongyang won the North Division at 93-69 for their second playoff appearance in four years. Suwon’s playoff streak ended at three years as they dropped to .500. Ulsan’s Byung-Tak Wie earned back-to-back Korea League MVPs. The 25-year old first baseman led in runs (112), home runs (53), total bases (393), slugging (.696), OPS (1.086), and wRC+ (192). He added 8.7 WAR with 115 RBI. Ha-Ram Lee was a repeat Pitcher of the Year winner and won it for the fourth time. In his first full-season with Busan after getting traded from Incheon at the deadline last year, the 29-year old lefty earned a second Triple Crown with a 24-8 record, 1.66 ERA, and 392 strikeouts. He was five Ks short of the single-season record. Lee also joined Chikara Ohkubo and Aiya Kodama as the only multiple-time Triple Crown EAB pitchers. Lee pitched 277 innings and had 8.7 WAR along with a league-best 0.73 WHIP and 32 quality starts. Also notable was Gwangju’s Hachiro Koga winning a fourth Reliever of the Year. Busan outlasted Ulsan 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs, while Yongin prevailed on the road 3-1 over Pyongyang. For the Blue Jays, they hadn’t been to the Korea League Championship Series since 1981. Despite their home field advantage and division win, Busan was battered by Yongin in the KLCS. The Gold Sox swept the Blue Jays to repeat as KL champs. This was Yongin’s fifth pennant with four of those coming in the last 12 years. In the 75^th East Asian Championship, Tokyo’s stunning postseason run ended with a thud. Yongin took care of business 4-1 to earn the franchise’s second overall title, joining their 1984 win. LF Chae-Ho Yi won finals MVP with the 1992 league MVP proving a solid free agent pickup from Goyang. The 32-year old had 13 playoff starts with 13 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 9 RBI. Other notes: Jun-Seong Noi became only the third batter to reach 3500 career hits. He finished the season and retired at 3519, behind leader Byung-Oh Tan’s 3871 and Dong-Ju Hahn’s 3585. Ju-Kan Yoo became only the 16^th member of the 3000 hit club. Tsukasa Kato became the 25^th to reach 600 home runs. Ju-Eon Eun was the 10^th pitcher to reach 250 wins. For the first time since 1985, zero no-hitters occurred in a season. 2B Kunihiko Koike won his seventh Gold Glove. CF Yuma Akasaka won his tenth Silver Slugger, setting a record for the position. 1B Tsukasa Kato and 2B/SS Katsunan Higashida won their seventh Silver Sluggers. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)