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FuzzyRussianHat · 03-31-2024, 10:07 AM

The EBF Northern Conference had a fascinating battle at the top with five teams within four games of the top seed and only four playoff spots available. Reigning European Champion Paris ended up narrowly with the top seed at 98-64, earning their third Northwest Division title in four years. Amsterdam was four games back at 94-68. The Anacondas ended up the odd team out in the wild card race. Copenhagen (96-66) won the North Central Division to end a two year playoff skid. Berlin (95-67) fell one game short of a third straight division title. However, the Barons took the wild card by one game over Amsterdam. The one non-competitive division saw Glasgow on top at 97-65 in the British Isles, earning three straight playoff appearances. Birmingham’s seven-year playoff streak came to an end as the Bees finished at 85-77, 12 games from the division crown and 10 from the wild card.

Copenhagen LF Willum Kleist picked up Northern Conference MVP honors. The 29-year old Dane was the leader in runs (118), home runs (60), and slugging (.679), while adding 7.8 WAR, 129 RBI, and a .289 average. His Corsairs teammate Kenny Hallberg won Pitcher of the Year, snapping the seven-year reign of Birmingham’s Lindsey Brampton. In only his second season, the 24-year old Swedish lefty Hallberg led in wins (23-6) and quality starts (31). He added a 2.18 ERA over 273 innings, 288 strikeouts, and 8.3 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, wild card Berlin upset defending champ Paris 3-1, while Glasgow downed Copenhagen 3-1. This sent the Highlanders to back-to-back Northern Conference Championship appearances, while it was Berlin’s first since 1992. Both squads were looking to end losing streaks in the conference finals; the Barons had dropped their last seven appearances and Glasgow had lost its last four. In a seven game classic, Berlin prevailed for their third-ever pennant. The German capital’s other two titles were more than 40 years ago, coming in 1955 and 1958.

Naples was the big surprise in the Southern Conference, winning the South Central Division and taking the top seed at 98-64. The Nobles hadn’t posted a winning season since 1985 and they hadn’t been in the postseason since their 1971 division title. The Zurich dominance seemed finally over after taking 24 of the last 25 division titles. At 74-88, the Mountaineers posted their first losing season since 1971. Defending conference champ Lisbon was one short of the top seed at 97-65. The Clippers won a strong Southwest Division to extend their postseason streak to eight seasons. Barcelona was second at 92-70, which allowed the Bengals to get the wild card for their fourth playoff berth in six years. They had to fight off Madrid (88-74) for the wild card. Athens was Southeast Division winners for the third time in four years, going 93-69. Zagreb, last year’s wild card, was their nearest foe at 84-78.

Leading Naples’ turnaround was Southern Conference MVP Giulio Lago. The 27-year old Italian right fielder led in WAR (10.6) and hits (206). Lago added 121 runs, 48 home runs, 123 RBI, and .345 average. His MVP was somewhat of a surprise considering Lisbon 1B Peter Brinkman socked 72 home runs. That was tied for the second most in a season behind only Mattias Stole’s 75 in 1994. The 28-year old German had signed a massive six-year, $12,720,000 deal with the Clippers in free agency after playing 1997 in Birmingham and his prior seasons with Vienna.

Barcelona’s Anders Maurstad won a third consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 29-year old Norwegian lefty led in wins (20-7), ERA (2.26), innings (291), WHIP (0.98), K/BB (11.1), quality starts (28), shutouts (6), FIP- (56), and WAR (11.1). Maurstad’s 288 strikeouts were six away from earning a Triple Crown. His continued dominance compelled the Bengals to sign Maurstad to a seven-year, $25,920,000 extension in the offseason.

The first round of the playoffs saw Naples outlast Barcelona in a five game battle. Meanwhile, Athens shocked Lisbon with a road sweep. The Anchors earned a third Southern Conference Championship appearance in four years. For the Nobles, their only prior SCC came when they won their lone pennant back in 1957. Naples ousted Athens 4-2 to become the first Italian conference champ since Rome’s 1968 title.

The 49^th European Championship went the distance and ended with a first-time champion as Naples edged Berlin 4-3. With that, 22 of EBF’s 30 teams have won it all. 1B Antonio Massolo was the postseason hero, winning MVP of the conference final and the European Championship. In 18 playoff starts, he had 21 hits, 12 runs, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs, and 19 RBI.

Other notes: Daniel Galonopoulas became the ninth player to 600 career home runs. Both Lindsey Brampton and Khaled Jabri crossed 4000 career strikeouts, making it eight pitchers to have done so. SP Daniel Ramires and CF Slavomil Csonka both became seven time Gold Glove winners.

03-31-2024, 10:07 AM	#1111
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,640	1998 in EBF The EBF Northern Conference had a fascinating battle at the top with five teams within four games of the top seed and only four playoff spots available. Reigning European Champion Paris ended up narrowly with the top seed at 98-64, earning their third Northwest Division title in four years. Amsterdam was four games back at 94-68. The Anacondas ended up the odd team out in the wild card race. Copenhagen (96-66) won the North Central Division to end a two year playoff skid. Berlin (95-67) fell one game short of a third straight division title. However, the Barons took the wild card by one game over Amsterdam. The one non-competitive division saw Glasgow on top at 97-65 in the British Isles, earning three straight playoff appearances. Birmingham’s seven-year playoff streak came to an end as the Bees finished at 85-77, 12 games from the division crown and 10 from the wild card. Copenhagen LF Willum Kleist picked up Northern Conference MVP honors. The 29-year old Dane was the leader in runs (118), home runs (60), and slugging (.679), while adding 7.8 WAR, 129 RBI, and a .289 average. His Corsairs teammate Kenny Hallberg won Pitcher of the Year, snapping the seven-year reign of Birmingham’s Lindsey Brampton. In only his second season, the 24-year old Swedish lefty Hallberg led in wins (23-6) and quality starts (31). He added a 2.18 ERA over 273 innings, 288 strikeouts, and 8.3 WAR. In the first round of the playoffs, wild card Berlin upset defending champ Paris 3-1, while Glasgow downed Copenhagen 3-1. This sent the Highlanders to back-to-back Northern Conference Championship appearances, while it was Berlin’s first since 1992. Both squads were looking to end losing streaks in the conference finals; the Barons had dropped their last seven appearances and Glasgow had lost its last four. In a seven game classic, Berlin prevailed for their third-ever pennant. The German capital’s other two titles were more than 40 years ago, coming in 1955 and 1958. Naples was the big surprise in the Southern Conference, winning the South Central Division and taking the top seed at 98-64. The Nobles hadn’t posted a winning season since 1985 and they hadn’t been in the postseason since their 1971 division title. The Zurich dominance seemed finally over after taking 24 of the last 25 division titles. At 74-88, the Mountaineers posted their first losing season since 1971. Defending conference champ Lisbon was one short of the top seed at 97-65. The Clippers won a strong Southwest Division to extend their postseason streak to eight seasons. Barcelona was second at 92-70, which allowed the Bengals to get the wild card for their fourth playoff berth in six years. They had to fight off Madrid (88-74) for the wild card. Athens was Southeast Division winners for the third time in four years, going 93-69. Zagreb, last year’s wild card, was their nearest foe at 84-78. Leading Naples’ turnaround was Southern Conference MVP Giulio Lago. The 27-year old Italian right fielder led in WAR (10.6) and hits (206). Lago added 121 runs, 48 home runs, 123 RBI, and .345 average. His MVP was somewhat of a surprise considering Lisbon 1B Peter Brinkman socked 72 home runs. That was tied for the second most in a season behind only Mattias Stole’s 75 in 1994. The 28-year old German had signed a massive six-year, $12,720,000 deal with the Clippers in free agency after playing 1997 in Birmingham and his prior seasons with Vienna. Barcelona’s Anders Maurstad won a third consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 29-year old Norwegian lefty led in wins (20-7), ERA (2.26), innings (291), WHIP (0.98), K/BB (11.1), quality starts (28), shutouts (6), FIP- (56), and WAR (11.1). Maurstad’s 288 strikeouts were six away from earning a Triple Crown. His continued dominance compelled the Bengals to sign Maurstad to a seven-year, $25,920,000 extension in the offseason. The first round of the playoffs saw Naples outlast Barcelona in a five game battle. Meanwhile, Athens shocked Lisbon with a road sweep. The Anchors earned a third Southern Conference Championship appearance in four years. For the Nobles, their only prior SCC came when they won their lone pennant back in 1957. Naples ousted Athens 4-2 to become the first Italian conference champ since Rome’s 1968 title. The 49^th European Championship went the distance and ended with a first-time champion as Naples edged Berlin 4-3. With that, 22 of EBF’s 30 teams have won it all. 1B Antonio Massolo was the postseason hero, winning MVP of the conference final and the European Championship. In 18 playoff starts, he had 21 hits, 12 runs, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs, and 19 RBI. Other notes: Daniel Galonopoulas became the ninth player to 600 career home runs. Both Lindsey Brampton and Khaled Jabri crossed 4000 career strikeouts, making it eight pitchers to have done so. SP Daniel Ramires and CF Slavomil Csonka both became seven time Gold Glove winners. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)