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FuzzyRussianHat · 03-20-2024, 05:20 PM

For the 1997 season, Chinese League Baseball expanded its postseason by one team in each league. Now, the top three teams from each team advance with the first place team getting a bye into the semifinal. CLB did maintain its unique structure of having playoff interleague play and still allowing the possibility of a championship between two teams from the same league. The first round matchups would see the second place finisher from one league hosting the third place team of the other league in a best of three. The winners move onto the best-of-seven semifinal, followed by the best-of-seven China Series. The #2 NL vs. #3 SL winner faced the SL #1, while the #3 NL vs. #2 SL winner met the NL #1 in the semi. This remained the CLB playoff format until 2009.

Reigning CLB champ Nanjing finished atop the Northern League standings for back-to-back seasons with a 95-67 mark. The Nuggets were one game better than 1995 champ Xi’an at 94-68, giving the Attack their third playoff berth in four years. For the new third place playoff spot, Jinan (85-77) edged out Beijing (82-80), Dalian (82-80), and Zhengzhou (81-81). This was the first time in a decade that the Jumbos earned a postseason berth. Harbin, the CLB runner-up last year, dropped to ninth place at 76-86.

Leading the Nuggets was Northern League MVP Hao Wu. The 27-uear old shortstop was the WARlord at 8.2, posting a .281/.355/.458 slash with 53 extra base hits. Xi’an’s Momota Oichi won his third straight Pitcher of the Year, becoming the second in CLB history to win three in a row. The 26-year old Japanese righty led in strikeouts (375), quality starts (28), FIP- (53), and WAR (9.0). Oichi added a 1.70 ERA and 18-8 record and 1.70 ERA.

Changsha bounced back from their 79-win 1996 and dominated the Southern League at 109-53. This was a franchise-best for the Cannons, who had only made the playoffs twice before and never had finished first in the standings. There was a 16-game drop to 93-69 Hong Kong, who placed second for back-to-back seasons. Foshan, the first place squad the prior year, grabbed third at 91-71. The Flyers were seven games ahead of Chongqing and nine ahead of Chengdu.

Guangzhou was tied for tenth at 70-92, but they had Southern League MVP Xiaotian Xu. The 25-year old center fielder was the WARlord (9.1) and leader in total bases (305), OPS (.857), and wRC+ (211). He added 22 home runs and a .296 average. Foshan’s Jinlong Han repeated as Pitcher of the Year, leading in ERA (1.45), shutouts (12), FIP- (42), and WAR (10.7). The 27-year old Han added 371 strikeouts over 260.2 innings for a 15-11 record. The big highlight was a 20 strikeout, one walk no-hitter on June 18 against Hong Kong. This set the CLB record for most strikeouts in a no-hitter and would only get matched once in 2025.

While the Northern League had recently dominated the Southern League in the crossover playoff games, the SL reversed the trend in 1997. In the first round, Hong Kong edged Jinan 2-1 and Foshan upset Xi’an with a road sweep. The Champions then upset NL #1 Nanjing 4-3 in a semifinal classic. Changsha downed the Flyers 4-2 in the other semi, There hadn’t been an all-Southern League final since 1978, while there had been eight all-NL finals since then, including the last three.

Hong Kong had lost to Kunming in that 1978 final, while winning the 1982 title over Nanjing in their other China Series berth. That 1982 season was the last time any SL team had won it all. For Changsha, their only other China Series appearance was in 1977, losing an also all-SL final to Kunming. In the 28^th China Series, the Cannons claimed the cup in a seven game classic over the Champions. Fourth year shortstop Dalun Lou was finals MVP, getting 14 hits, 3 runs, 3 doubles, and 5 RBI over 13 playoff starts. With Changsha’s title, 13 of CLB’s 24 teams have claimed the cup.

Other notes: CLB had three perfect games thrown in 1997, making it 26 perfectos in CLB history. The first was Dongguan’s Xin Ruan on April 17 with 12 strikeouts against Ghangzhou. Next was Hong Kong’s Gen Tu on July 1, fanning 15 versus Wuhan. The third was August 26 by Qindgao’s Manuel De La Cruz, who struck out six. Two way P/1B Wei Qin won his 12^th and final Silver Slugger. As of 2037, no other CLB player at any position has won the award 12 times.

03-20-2024, 05:20 PM	#1079
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,884	1997 in CLB For the 1997 season, Chinese League Baseball expanded its postseason by one team in each league. Now, the top three teams from each team advance with the first place team getting a bye into the semifinal. CLB did maintain its unique structure of having playoff interleague play and still allowing the possibility of a championship between two teams from the same league. The first round matchups would see the second place finisher from one league hosting the third place team of the other league in a best of three. The winners move onto the best-of-seven semifinal, followed by the best-of-seven China Series. The #2 NL vs. #3 SL winner faced the SL #1, while the #3 NL vs. #2 SL winner met the NL #1 in the semi. This remained the CLB playoff format until 2009. Reigning CLB champ Nanjing finished atop the Northern League standings for back-to-back seasons with a 95-67 mark. The Nuggets were one game better than 1995 champ Xi’an at 94-68, giving the Attack their third playoff berth in four years. For the new third place playoff spot, Jinan (85-77) edged out Beijing (82-80), Dalian (82-80), and Zhengzhou (81-81). This was the first time in a decade that the Jumbos earned a postseason berth. Harbin, the CLB runner-up last year, dropped to ninth place at 76-86. Leading the Nuggets was Northern League MVP Hao Wu. The 27-uear old shortstop was the WARlord at 8.2, posting a .281/.355/.458 slash with 53 extra base hits. Xi’an’s Momota Oichi won his third straight Pitcher of the Year, becoming the second in CLB history to win three in a row. The 26-year old Japanese righty led in strikeouts (375), quality starts (28), FIP- (53), and WAR (9.0). Oichi added a 1.70 ERA and 18-8 record and 1.70 ERA. Changsha bounced back from their 79-win 1996 and dominated the Southern League at 109-53. This was a franchise-best for the Cannons, who had only made the playoffs twice before and never had finished first in the standings. There was a 16-game drop to 93-69 Hong Kong, who placed second for back-to-back seasons. Foshan, the first place squad the prior year, grabbed third at 91-71. The Flyers were seven games ahead of Chongqing and nine ahead of Chengdu. Guangzhou was tied for tenth at 70-92, but they had Southern League MVP Xiaotian Xu. The 25-year old center fielder was the WARlord (9.1) and leader in total bases (305), OPS (.857), and wRC+ (211). He added 22 home runs and a .296 average. Foshan’s Jinlong Han repeated as Pitcher of the Year, leading in ERA (1.45), shutouts (12), FIP- (42), and WAR (10.7). The 27-year old Han added 371 strikeouts over 260.2 innings for a 15-11 record. The big highlight was a 20 strikeout, one walk no-hitter on June 18 against Hong Kong. This set the CLB record for most strikeouts in a no-hitter and would only get matched once in 2025. While the Northern League had recently dominated the Southern League in the crossover playoff games, the SL reversed the trend in 1997. In the first round, Hong Kong edged Jinan 2-1 and Foshan upset Xi’an with a road sweep. The Champions then upset NL #1 Nanjing 4-3 in a semifinal classic. Changsha downed the Flyers 4-2 in the other semi, There hadn’t been an all-Southern League final since 1978, while there had been eight all-NL finals since then, including the last three. Hong Kong had lost to Kunming in that 1978 final, while winning the 1982 title over Nanjing in their other China Series berth. That 1982 season was the last time any SL team had won it all. For Changsha, their only other China Series appearance was in 1977, losing an also all-SL final to Kunming. In the 28^th China Series, the Cannons claimed the cup in a seven game classic over the Champions. Fourth year shortstop Dalun Lou was finals MVP, getting 14 hits, 3 runs, 3 doubles, and 5 RBI over 13 playoff starts. With Changsha’s title, 13 of CLB’s 24 teams have claimed the cup. Other notes: CLB had three perfect games thrown in 1997, making it 26 perfectos in CLB history. The first was Dongguan’s Xin Ruan on April 17 with 12 strikeouts against Ghangzhou. Next was Hong Kong’s Gen Tu on July 1, fanning 15 versus Wuhan. The third was August 26 by Qindgao’s Manuel De La Cruz, who struck out six. Two way P/1B Wei Qin won his 12^th and final Silver Slugger. As of 2037, no other CLB player at any position has won the award 12 times. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)