OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

FuzzyRussianHat · 05-09-2024, 06:37 PM

Two-time defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champion Minsk and Kazan both finished at 99-63 atop the European League standings. No tiebreaker game was used as the Crusaders won the formula for the top spot. Although it was their fifth playoff berth in six years and they won the EPB title in 1997, Kazan hadn’t won a division crown since 1969. This snapped the Miners’ division title streak at six seasons, although their playoff streak grew to 22 years. This passed EBF’s Zurich for the longest postseason streak in any pro baseball league. There was a steep drop from the top two to third place Moscow at 83-79.

Minsk had the European League MVP in LF Ruslan Tsarayev. It was the first year as a full-time starter for the 25-year old hometown favorite, who led the EL in hits (187), average (.316), OBP (.344), and WAR (7.7). Tsarayev added 22 home runs and a 192 wRC+. The Miners would make him a long-term fixture with an eight-year, $19,800,000 extension after the 2003 season.

His Minsk teammate Markiyan Konoplya won his third consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Ukrainian righty led in strikeouts (360), quality starts (27), shutouts (6), FIP- (56), and WAR (10.0). Konoplya added a 2.00 ERA over 284 innings and didn’t get run support with a 12-16 record. He became the fourth EPB pitcher to win the award three years in a row.

Defending Asian League champ Krasnoyarsk improved their stock to set a franchise best at 108-54. They earned back-to-back playoff berths, but the Cossacks hadn’t led the standings since 1984. There was a big drop, then an intense battle for the second place spot. Omsk and Yekaterinburg tied for the wild card at 90-72, while Ufa was one away at 89-73. The Otters edged the Yaks in the tiebreaker game, giving Omsk its fourth playoff berth in six years. Yekaterinburg’s three-year playoff streak ended.

Although Yekaterinburg just missed the playoffs, they saw a historic effort from ace Matvey Ivanov. The 27-year old Russian lefty won his fourth straight Pitcher of the Year and earned Asian League MVP. He set single-season records for strikeouts (432), and shutouts (13), which both still hold as the top mark as of 2037. Ivanov finished one K better than Artur Golub’s 431 from 1969. The 13 shutouts also set a world record that still hasn’t been reached as of 2037 in any league.

Ivanov also led the league in ERA (1.21), WHIP (0.73), complete games (29), FIP- (39) and WAR (14.13). The WAR mark fell just shy of Taleh Ismailov’s record 14.17 set in 1956. As of 2037, this is still the second-most WAR in a season by an EPB pitcher. Ivanov tossed 304.1 innings and had a 24-8 record, only missing a Triple Crown due to Krasnoyarsk’s Pascal Branescu, who had 27 wins for the Cossacks.

Although they had to go on the road, Minsk used their wealth of playoff experience to knock off Kazan 4-1 in the European League Championship Series. It was the third straight pennant for the Miners and their 16^th overall. Defending AL champ Krasnoyarsk was the heavy favorite in the Asian League Championship Series, but Omsk stunned them by taking it in six. It was the fourth pennant for the Otters, who also won it in 1966, 1985, and 1987.

Omsk hoped that the 48^th EPB Championship would give them their first-ever overall title. However, perennial power Minsk was too much to handle. The Miners completed the three-peat, taking the series in six games to win their record 12^th championship. Minsk became the first team in EPB history to win three EPB titles in a row and as of 2037, they’re the only team to do it. Finals MVP went to 1B Navarro Di Maggio, a 33-year old Argentine who came to Belarus in 2000. In 11 playoff starts, Di Maggio had 14 hits, 7 runs, 1 double, 2 triples, 1 homer, 3 RBI, and 6 stolen bases. With 12 rings, Minsk and SAB’s Ahmedabad are tied for the most titles by any franchise in any world league.

Other notes: Krasnoyarsk’s Yakov Ryzhikov broke his own single-season stolen bases record of 113, swiping 117 bags in 2002. This stayed the record until 2010, but still remains third-best as of 2037. His teammate Pascal Branescu tied the single-season record with 310 innings pitched, previously hit in 1955 by Max Kukharchik. This remains the top mark as of 2037.

Igor Urban passed Kirill Ohlobyatin and became EPB’s all-time hit king. He finished his career and the season at 3044, becoming the first to cross 3K. He would hold the top mark until finally passed in the early 2030s by Timofei Averkin. Shahin Lebedev became the 14^th to reach 300 saves. RF Sapar Durdiyew won his ninth Gold Glove and his eighth Silver Slugger. SS Gleb Khassanov won his ninth Silver Slugger.

05-09-2024, 06:37 PM	#1229
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,224	2002 in EPB Two-time defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champion Minsk and Kazan both finished at 99-63 atop the European League standings. No tiebreaker game was used as the Crusaders won the formula for the top spot. Although it was their fifth playoff berth in six years and they won the EPB title in 1997, Kazan hadn’t won a division crown since 1969. This snapped the Miners’ division title streak at six seasons, although their playoff streak grew to 22 years. This passed EBF’s Zurich for the longest postseason streak in any pro baseball league. There was a steep drop from the top two to third place Moscow at 83-79. Minsk had the European League MVP in LF Ruslan Tsarayev. It was the first year as a full-time starter for the 25-year old hometown favorite, who led the EL in hits (187), average (.316), OBP (.344), and WAR (7.7). Tsarayev added 22 home runs and a 192 wRC+. The Miners would make him a long-term fixture with an eight-year, $19,800,000 extension after the 2003 season. His Minsk teammate Markiyan Konoplya won his third consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Ukrainian righty led in strikeouts (360), quality starts (27), shutouts (6), FIP- (56), and WAR (10.0). Konoplya added a 2.00 ERA over 284 innings and didn’t get run support with a 12-16 record. He became the fourth EPB pitcher to win the award three years in a row. Defending Asian League champ Krasnoyarsk improved their stock to set a franchise best at 108-54. They earned back-to-back playoff berths, but the Cossacks hadn’t led the standings since 1984. There was a big drop, then an intense battle for the second place spot. Omsk and Yekaterinburg tied for the wild card at 90-72, while Ufa was one away at 89-73. The Otters edged the Yaks in the tiebreaker game, giving Omsk its fourth playoff berth in six years. Yekaterinburg’s three-year playoff streak ended. Although Yekaterinburg just missed the playoffs, they saw a historic effort from ace Matvey Ivanov. The 27-year old Russian lefty won his fourth straight Pitcher of the Year and earned Asian League MVP. He set single-season records for strikeouts (432), and shutouts (13), which both still hold as the top mark as of 2037. Ivanov finished one K better than Artur Golub’s 431 from 1969. The 13 shutouts also set a world record that still hasn’t been reached as of 2037 in any league. Ivanov also led the league in ERA (1.21), WHIP (0.73), complete games (29), FIP- (39) and WAR (14.13). The WAR mark fell just shy of Taleh Ismailov’s record 14.17 set in 1956. As of 2037, this is still the second-most WAR in a season by an EPB pitcher. Ivanov tossed 304.1 innings and had a 24-8 record, only missing a Triple Crown due to Krasnoyarsk’s Pascal Branescu, who had 27 wins for the Cossacks. Although they had to go on the road, Minsk used their wealth of playoff experience to knock off Kazan 4-1 in the European League Championship Series. It was the third straight pennant for the Miners and their 16^th overall. Defending AL champ Krasnoyarsk was the heavy favorite in the Asian League Championship Series, but Omsk stunned them by taking it in six. It was the fourth pennant for the Otters, who also won it in 1966, 1985, and 1987. Omsk hoped that the 48^th EPB Championship would give them their first-ever overall title. However, perennial power Minsk was too much to handle. The Miners completed the three-peat, taking the series in six games to win their record 12^th championship. Minsk became the first team in EPB history to win three EPB titles in a row and as of 2037, they’re the only team to do it. Finals MVP went to 1B Navarro Di Maggio, a 33-year old Argentine who came to Belarus in 2000. In 11 playoff starts, Di Maggio had 14 hits, 7 runs, 1 double, 2 triples, 1 homer, 3 RBI, and 6 stolen bases. With 12 rings, Minsk and SAB’s Ahmedabad are tied for the most titles by any franchise in any world league. Other notes: Krasnoyarsk’s Yakov Ryzhikov broke his own single-season stolen bases record of 113, swiping 117 bags in 2002. This stayed the record until 2010, but still remains third-best as of 2037. His teammate Pascal Branescu tied the single-season record with 310 innings pitched, previously hit in 1955 by Max Kukharchik. This remains the top mark as of 2037. Igor Urban passed Kirill Ohlobyatin and became EPB’s all-time hit king. He finished his career and the season at 3044, becoming the first to cross 3K. He would hold the top mark until finally passed in the early 2030s by Timofei Averkin. Shahin Lebedev became the 14^th to reach 300 saves. RF Sapar Durdiyew won his ninth Gold Glove and his eighth Silver Slugger. SS Gleb Khassanov won his ninth Silver Slugger. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)