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FuzzyRussianHat · 04-30-2024, 06:15 PM

Defending East Asian champion and two-time defending Japan League champ Kawasaki had the JL’s best record in 2001. The Killer Whales were 102-60, taking the Capital Division for the fourth year in a row. There was a decent drop to the #2 seed Osaka, who took the Central Division at 93-69. The Orange Sox finished three ahead of Nagoya, who won 104 the prior year, and seven better than Kobe. This ended a four-year playoff drought for Osaka.

Niigata snapped an eight-year postseason skid by winning the North Division at 90-73. The Green Dragons finished two games better than Saitama and seven ahead of Sendai. Sapporo was last at 75-87, seeing their seven-year title streak ended. The only team above .500 in a weak West Division was 83-79 Hiroshima. The Hammerheads took a third straight division crown.

Hiroshima had the Japan League MVP in LF Bit-Garam Jung. The 28-year old had 58 home runs, 132 RBI, 108 runs, a .331/.355/.684 slash, 219 wRC+, and 9.9 WAR. While a great year, he didn’t lead in any stat, upsetting Saitama slugger and 2000 MVP Koji Iwasaki for the award. Iwasaki smacked 71 home runs, one shy of Tsukasa Kato’s single-season record. He also led in OPS (1.117), wRC+ (234), and WAR (10.0).

Kawasaki’s Soo Moon repeated as Pitcher of the Year and repeated as a Triple Crown winner. The third-year righty had a 19-8 record, 2.05 ERA, and 395 strikeouts in 276.1 innings. Moon also led in WHIP (0.72), K/BB (24.7), complete games (19), FIP- (50), and WAR (11.2). He became the fourth pitcher in EAB history to earn multiple Triple Crowns.

Kawasaki beat Hiroshima 3-1 and Niigata earned a road sweep over Osaka in the first round of the playoffs. This was only the third time since joining in the 1978 expansion that the Green Dragons had been to the Japan League Championship Series, having won the 1990 and 1991 pennants. The Killer Whales weren’t going to be denied their JLCS three-peat, winning the series in five games. It is the fifth time a franchise won three straight in Japan, joining Kitakyushu (1992-94), Hiroshima (1968-70), Chiba (1961-63), and Sapporo (1949-51).

Last year’s Korea League runner-up Ulsan had the top record at 104-58 atop the South Division. The Swallows had a .507 team slugging percentage, tying 1954 Yongin for the best in KL history. Although it is Ulsan’s sixth playoff berth in eight years, it was their first division title since 1985. Yongin was a distant second in the division at 92-70, but earned the first wild card. The Gold Sox extended their playoff streak to three years with seven berths in eight years.

Incheon won the North Division at 92-70, edging Seongnam by one game. The Inferno ended a 12-year playoff drought. The Spiders ended up with the second wild card, ending a two-year playoff skid. Close behind but just short were Suwon (89-73), Seoul (88-74), Busan (87-75), and reigning KL champ Daegu (86-76). The Snappers had a five-year playoff streak snapped. The Diamondbacks had won the pennant the prior two years and saw their playoff streak ended at three seasons.

Jeonju designated hitter Soo-Geun Yim won Korea League MVP. It was his third year starting, but his first looking elite. The 22-year old lefty led in runs (127), hits (222), home runs (60), RBI (138), total bases (433), OBP (.436), and WAR (9.5). He added a 1.150 OPS, 187 wRC+, and his .366 average was eight points shy of earning a Triple Crown.

Ulsan’s Yutaka Kobayashi won his third Pitcher of the Year, having previously won in 1994 and 1995 with Kitakyushu. After 15 years with the Kodiaks, he was traded for the 2001 campaign to the Swallows. In his lone season with Ulsan, the 36-year old Kobayashi led in wins (24-3), ERA (2.15), innings (280), WHIP (1.01), quality starts (29), and WAR (8.7). He added 229 strikeouts and only 29 walks.

Ulsan ousted Seongnam 3-1 and Yongin upset Incheon 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs. The Swallows earned a repeat appearance in the Korea League Championship Series, while the Gold Sox had their first since 1997. In a seven game classic, Yongin pulled off the upset over Ulsan for their fourth pennant in eight years (1994, 95, 97). It was the seventh title overall for the Gold Sox.

The 81^st East Asian Championship went all seven games with Kawasaki out-dueling Yongin to repeat as EAB champs. This was the fourth overall title for the Killer Whales, who also won it all in 1941 and 1982. Backup CF Geon Park was finals MVP despite having played only 18 games in the regular season. In 10 playoff starts, he had 14 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 4 triples, 1 homer, and 4 RBI. This ultimately was the capper for an impressive dynasty run for Kawasaki.

Other notes: Kwang-Woon Ryu and Yutaka Kobayashi both crossed 250 career wins, making it 13 EAB pitchers to have done so. Tsukasa Kato became the 32^nd slugger to 1500 RBI and Ji-Hu Kim became the 23^rd to 1500 runs scored. SS Tokuei Kato won his eighth Gold Glove. 3B Mikita Fujita and SS Hrioshige Matsunaka both won their seventh Gold Glove. 1B Byung-Tak Wie won his seventh Silver Slugger.

04-30-2024, 06:15 PM	#1202
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,818	2001 in EAB Defending East Asian champion and two-time defending Japan League champ Kawasaki had the JL’s best record in 2001. The Killer Whales were 102-60, taking the Capital Division for the fourth year in a row. There was a decent drop to the #2 seed Osaka, who took the Central Division at 93-69. The Orange Sox finished three ahead of Nagoya, who won 104 the prior year, and seven better than Kobe. This ended a four-year playoff drought for Osaka. Niigata snapped an eight-year postseason skid by winning the North Division at 90-73. The Green Dragons finished two games better than Saitama and seven ahead of Sendai. Sapporo was last at 75-87, seeing their seven-year title streak ended. The only team above .500 in a weak West Division was 83-79 Hiroshima. The Hammerheads took a third straight division crown. Hiroshima had the Japan League MVP in LF Bit-Garam Jung. The 28-year old had 58 home runs, 132 RBI, 108 runs, a .331/.355/.684 slash, 219 wRC+, and 9.9 WAR. While a great year, he didn’t lead in any stat, upsetting Saitama slugger and 2000 MVP Koji Iwasaki for the award. Iwasaki smacked 71 home runs, one shy of Tsukasa Kato’s single-season record. He also led in OPS (1.117), wRC+ (234), and WAR (10.0). Kawasaki’s Soo Moon repeated as Pitcher of the Year and repeated as a Triple Crown winner. The third-year righty had a 19-8 record, 2.05 ERA, and 395 strikeouts in 276.1 innings. Moon also led in WHIP (0.72), K/BB (24.7), complete games (19), FIP- (50), and WAR (11.2). He became the fourth pitcher in EAB history to earn multiple Triple Crowns. Kawasaki beat Hiroshima 3-1 and Niigata earned a road sweep over Osaka in the first round of the playoffs. This was only the third time since joining in the 1978 expansion that the Green Dragons had been to the Japan League Championship Series, having won the 1990 and 1991 pennants. The Killer Whales weren’t going to be denied their JLCS three-peat, winning the series in five games. It is the fifth time a franchise won three straight in Japan, joining Kitakyushu (1992-94), Hiroshima (1968-70), Chiba (1961-63), and Sapporo (1949-51). Last year’s Korea League runner-up Ulsan had the top record at 104-58 atop the South Division. The Swallows had a .507 team slugging percentage, tying 1954 Yongin for the best in KL history. Although it is Ulsan’s sixth playoff berth in eight years, it was their first division title since 1985. Yongin was a distant second in the division at 92-70, but earned the first wild card. The Gold Sox extended their playoff streak to three years with seven berths in eight years. Incheon won the North Division at 92-70, edging Seongnam by one game. The Inferno ended a 12-year playoff drought. The Spiders ended up with the second wild card, ending a two-year playoff skid. Close behind but just short were Suwon (89-73), Seoul (88-74), Busan (87-75), and reigning KL champ Daegu (86-76). The Snappers had a five-year playoff streak snapped. The Diamondbacks had won the pennant the prior two years and saw their playoff streak ended at three seasons. Jeonju designated hitter Soo-Geun Yim won Korea League MVP. It was his third year starting, but his first looking elite. The 22-year old lefty led in runs (127), hits (222), home runs (60), RBI (138), total bases (433), OBP (.436), and WAR (9.5). He added a 1.150 OPS, 187 wRC+, and his .366 average was eight points shy of earning a Triple Crown. Ulsan’s Yutaka Kobayashi won his third Pitcher of the Year, having previously won in 1994 and 1995 with Kitakyushu. After 15 years with the Kodiaks, he was traded for the 2001 campaign to the Swallows. In his lone season with Ulsan, the 36-year old Kobayashi led in wins (24-3), ERA (2.15), innings (280), WHIP (1.01), quality starts (29), and WAR (8.7). He added 229 strikeouts and only 29 walks. Ulsan ousted Seongnam 3-1 and Yongin upset Incheon 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs. The Swallows earned a repeat appearance in the Korea League Championship Series, while the Gold Sox had their first since 1997. In a seven game classic, Yongin pulled off the upset over Ulsan for their fourth pennant in eight years (1994, 95, 97). It was the seventh title overall for the Gold Sox. The 81^st East Asian Championship went all seven games with Kawasaki out-dueling Yongin to repeat as EAB champs. This was the fourth overall title for the Killer Whales, who also won it all in 1941 and 1982. Backup CF Geon Park was finals MVP despite having played only 18 games in the regular season. In 10 playoff starts, he had 14 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 4 triples, 1 homer, and 4 RBI. This ultimately was the capper for an impressive dynasty run for Kawasaki. Other notes: Kwang-Woon Ryu and Yutaka Kobayashi both crossed 250 career wins, making it 13 EAB pitchers to have done so. Tsukasa Kato became the 32^nd slugger to 1500 RBI and Ji-Hu Kim became the 23^rd to 1500 runs scored. SS Tokuei Kato won his eighth Gold Glove. 3B Mikita Fujita and SS Hrioshige Matsunaka both won their seventh Gold Glove. 1B Byung-Tak Wie 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)