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FuzzyRussianHat · 03-29-2024, 05:23 PM

Kumasi was a surprising team atop the WAB Western League standings in 1998. The Monkeys hadn’t made the playoffs since their record 14-year postseason streak ended in 1991. Kumasi took the top spot at 100-62. Abidjan was second at 97-65, getting back into the field after a fourth place finish the prior year. The Athletes earned their sixth berth in seven years. Freetown, the WLCS runner-up the prior two seasons, took the third place spot at 92-70. Accra was close at 90-72, but saw their three-year playoff streak snapped. Defending Western League champ Nouakchott dropped to fifth at 86-76.

Dakar’s Emmanuel Kao won his first Western League MVP at only age 23. The Togolese right fielder led in home runs (52), total bases (389), slugging (.649), OPS (1.023), and wRC+ (179). Kao also had 8.3 WAR, a .316 average, and 131 RBI. Monrovia’s Angelo Costa won his second Pitcher of the Year in three years. The 25-year old Cape Verdean lefty was the ERA leader (2.09) and had the most strikeouts (355), quality starts (27), FIP- (50), and WAR (10.8). He had a 19-8 record over 258 innings, two wins short of a Triple Crown.

Freetown upset Abidjan 2-0 in the wild card round, sending the Foresters to the Western League Championship Series for the third consecutive season. They would end up the runner-up for the third year in a row, falling 3-2 in an intense battle with Kumasi. It was the fifth pennant for the Monkeys and their first since 1991.

Defending West African Baseball champion Kano set a franchise record at 114-48 atop the Eastern League standings. This was the second winningest-season in EL history to that point, behind Port Harcourt’s 115 wins in 1977. The Condors also extended their postseason streak to four years. Niamey surprised many by taking second at 96-66. The Atomics hadn’t posted a winning season since their last playoff berth back in 1988. Meanwhile, Ibadan continued the longest active postseason streak in WAB, taking third at 90-72. The Iguanas have advanced every year of the 1990s. The Hillcats were a competitive fourth at 85-77. Lagos, the ELCS runner-up last year, dropped to 76-86.

Eastern League MVP for the fourth time in five years went to Kano shortstop Darwin Morris. The 26-year old Liberian led in runs (136), home runs (47), stolen bases (85), OBP (.446), slugging (.713), OPS (1.159), wRC+ (213), and WAR (13.6). Morris added a .346 average and 125 RBI. Ibadan’s Tiemogo Idrissa won Pitcher of the Year as the 28-year old Nigerien righty led in wins (18-6) and WAR (7.4). He added 281 strikeouts and a 2.73 ERA over 260 innings. This effort convinced the Iguanas to sign Idrissa to a six-year, $14,620,000 extension in the offseason.

Ibadan upset Niamey 2-0 in the wild card round, sending the Iguanas to the Eastern League Championship Series for the fifth time in seven years. Meanwhile, Kano was making their fourth straight ELCS appearance. The defending champion Condors made quick work of Ibadan with a three-game sweep. Kano earned its sixth EL pennant (1975, 76, 84, 86, 97, 98).

In the 24^th West African Championship, Kano officially established a dynasty, rolling Kumasi 4-1 to repeat as champs. The Condors are also now 5-1 all-time in the final, while the Monkeys are 0-5. LF Amewu Murry was finals MVP as the 28-year old Ghanaian had 16 hits, 7 runs, 5 doubles, and 4 RBI in 8 playoff starts. At 114-48, Kano broke their own record from the prior year (111-51) as the winningest team to take the WAB title. At that point, many would have argued the 1998 Kano squad was WAB’s best-ever team, but they’d quickly be overshadowed as the Condors’ dominance continued in the coming years.

Other notes: Kumasi’s Ada Nwankwo and Kano’s Revelation Maseko had 238 hits, beating Nwankwo’s own single-season record from 1995 by one. This record would hold until 2004. Nwankwo also had a 33-game hitting streak, setting a new WAB record. The previous mark was 32 by Courtnall Ngcobo in 1988. Abidjan’s Benedict Collins scored 143 runs, falling three short of Darwin Morris’s 146 from the prior season. Collins also stole 130+ bases for the third time in his career, a feat not reached by any other player in any world league to this point. Lome’s Kieran du Toit struck out 407 batters, becoming only WAB’s fourth pitcher to fan 400+. As of 2037, no other players have hit that threshold. Xavi Leko reached 5000 career strikeouts, finishing his career with 5032. As of 2037, he’s still the strikeout king with only two others even crossing 4000.

Niamey’s Austin Folorunso became the 12^th WAB pitcher to throw a perfect game, striking out 15 against Cotonou. Germain Tchouga became the second batter to 500 home runs. He’d play two more seasons and end at 541, still falling short of Vincent Langat’s 584. Abel Alemu became the first batter to 2500 career hits. He’d retire after the 1999 season with 2692 and would hold the hit king distinction for about a decade. SS Jorginho Fonseca won his ninth Gold Glove, becoming the first WAB player at any position to win nine. LF Jake Pourchet won his eighth Gold Glove. 3B Arnaud Aho won his seventh Silver Slugger.

03-29-2024, 05:23 PM	#1106
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,825	1998 in WAB Kumasi was a surprising team atop the WAB Western League standings in 1998. The Monkeys hadn’t made the playoffs since their record 14-year postseason streak ended in 1991. Kumasi took the top spot at 100-62. Abidjan was second at 97-65, getting back into the field after a fourth place finish the prior year. The Athletes earned their sixth berth in seven years. Freetown, the WLCS runner-up the prior two seasons, took the third place spot at 92-70. Accra was close at 90-72, but saw their three-year playoff streak snapped. Defending Western League champ Nouakchott dropped to fifth at 86-76. Dakar’s Emmanuel Kao won his first Western League MVP at only age 23. The Togolese right fielder led in home runs (52), total bases (389), slugging (.649), OPS (1.023), and wRC+ (179). Kao also had 8.3 WAR, a .316 average, and 131 RBI. Monrovia’s Angelo Costa won his second Pitcher of the Year in three years. The 25-year old Cape Verdean lefty was the ERA leader (2.09) and had the most strikeouts (355), quality starts (27), FIP- (50), and WAR (10.8). He had a 19-8 record over 258 innings, two wins short of a Triple Crown. Freetown upset Abidjan 2-0 in the wild card round, sending the Foresters to the Western League Championship Series for the third consecutive season. They would end up the runner-up for the third year in a row, falling 3-2 in an intense battle with Kumasi. It was the fifth pennant for the Monkeys and their first since 1991. Defending West African Baseball champion Kano set a franchise record at 114-48 atop the Eastern League standings. This was the second winningest-season in EL history to that point, behind Port Harcourt’s 115 wins in 1977. The Condors also extended their postseason streak to four years. Niamey surprised many by taking second at 96-66. The Atomics hadn’t posted a winning season since their last playoff berth back in 1988. Meanwhile, Ibadan continued the longest active postseason streak in WAB, taking third at 90-72. The Iguanas have advanced every year of the 1990s. The Hillcats were a competitive fourth at 85-77. Lagos, the ELCS runner-up last year, dropped to 76-86. Eastern League MVP for the fourth time in five years went to Kano shortstop Darwin Morris. The 26-year old Liberian led in runs (136), home runs (47), stolen bases (85), OBP (.446), slugging (.713), OPS (1.159), wRC+ (213), and WAR (13.6). Morris added a .346 average and 125 RBI. Ibadan’s Tiemogo Idrissa won Pitcher of the Year as the 28-year old Nigerien righty led in wins (18-6) and WAR (7.4). He added 281 strikeouts and a 2.73 ERA over 260 innings. This effort convinced the Iguanas to sign Idrissa to a six-year, $14,620,000 extension in the offseason. Ibadan upset Niamey 2-0 in the wild card round, sending the Iguanas to the Eastern League Championship Series for the fifth time in seven years. Meanwhile, Kano was making their fourth straight ELCS appearance. The defending champion Condors made quick work of Ibadan with a three-game sweep. Kano earned its sixth EL pennant (1975, 76, 84, 86, 97, 98). In the 24^th West African Championship, Kano officially established a dynasty, rolling Kumasi 4-1 to repeat as champs. The Condors are also now 5-1 all-time in the final, while the Monkeys are 0-5. LF Amewu Murry was finals MVP as the 28-year old Ghanaian had 16 hits, 7 runs, 5 doubles, and 4 RBI in 8 playoff starts. At 114-48, Kano broke their own record from the prior year (111-51) as the winningest team to take the WAB title. At that point, many would have argued the 1998 Kano squad was WAB’s best-ever team, but they’d quickly be overshadowed as the Condors’ dominance continued in the coming years. Other notes: Kumasi’s Ada Nwankwo and Kano’s Revelation Maseko had 238 hits, beating Nwankwo’s own single-season record from 1995 by one. This record would hold until 2004. Nwankwo also had a 33-game hitting streak, setting a new WAB record. The previous mark was 32 by Courtnall Ngcobo in 1988. Abidjan’s Benedict Collins scored 143 runs, falling three short of Darwin Morris’s 146 from the prior season. Collins also stole 130+ bases for the third time in his career, a feat not reached by any other player in any world league to this point. Lome’s Kieran du Toit struck out 407 batters, becoming only WAB’s fourth pitcher to fan 400+. As of 2037, no other players have hit that threshold. Xavi Leko reached 5000 career strikeouts, finishing his career with 5032. As of 2037, he’s still the strikeout king with only two others even crossing 4000. Niamey’s Austin Folorunso became the 12^th WAB pitcher to throw a perfect game, striking out 15 against Cotonou. Germain Tchouga became the second batter to 500 home runs. He’d play two more seasons and end at 541, still falling short of Vincent Langat’s 584. Abel Alemu became the first batter to 2500 career hits. He’d retire after the 1999 season with 2692 and would hold the hit king distinction for about a decade. SS Jorginho Fonseca won his ninth Gold Glove, becoming the first WAB player at any position to win nine. LF Jake Pourchet won his eighth Gold Glove. 3B Arnaud Aho won his seventh Silver Slugger. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)