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Arab League Baseball players got a little bit of relief as they were able to lower the minimum service time requirement for free agency. It previously was at nine years, among the most restrictive of any pro league. Starting in 2003, the minimum was lowered to eight seasons. It would remain at eight until lowering again in both 2014 and 2028.



After seeing their playoff streak ended at four seasons in 2002, Casablanca re-emerged to dominate the Western Conference. The Bruins battered the Mediterranean Division at 108-54, giving them 11 division titles over ALB’s 14 seasons. Casablanca led in both runs scored (749) and fewest allowed (553). Last year’s division winner Tripoli was a distant second at 90-72 and Algiers was 86-76. They were arguably the #2 and #3 teams in the conference, although they got left out as only division winners advanced.

Amman repeated as Levant Division champ at 86-76, besting Jerusalem by six games. In the Nile Division, Cairo (85-77) won a very tight race against Khartoum (84-78) and reigning conference champ Alexandria (81-81). This was the third division title in four years for the Pharaohs.

Casablanca 3B Abderrazak Zouari won his third Western Conference MVP in four seasons. The 29-year old Moroccan righty led in runs (120), OBP (.413), slugging (.681), OPS (1.094), wRC+ (188), and WAR (10.0). Zouari added 50 home runs, 110 RBI, and a .319 average. This earned him a big pay day, as the Bruins re-signed Zouari in the offseason on a seven-year, $18,440,000 extension.

His Bruins teammate Abdullah Al-Tamtami won Pitcher of the Year in only his second full season. The 22-year old righty from Oman had a 21-11 record, 2.92 ERA, and 268 strikeouts over 264.2 innings with 6.5 WAR. Also of note, Atik Samran became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner. He started the year in his eighth season with Jerusalem, but was traded at the deadline to Cairo. He would leave for MLB in the offseason.

Cairo edged Amman 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs, sending the Pharaohs to their third Western Conference Final in four years. It was the sixth time they had met Casablanca in the WCF with the Bruins winning in 1993, 95, and 2001, while the Pharaohs had won in 1990 and 1992. Casablanca would prevail 3-1 to win their second pennant in three years and their sixth overall, leading all Arab League teams.



Defending ALB champ Dubai greatly improved their standing with a franchise-record 109-53 mark atop the Gulf Division. This earned the Diamonds a third straight division title and their ninth overall. As an offense, Dubai struck out only 1047 times, which remains a single-season ALB record as of 2037. Medina ended a five-year playoff drought and took the Saudi Division at 96-66. Last year’s division winner Riyadh dropped to below .500. The Iraq Division had a big change as Mosul’s reign ended. The Muskies fell to 77-85, ending their record playoff streak at eight years. Basra picked up the reigns at 95-67 for their third-ever division title (1993-94).

Nordine Soule continued to lead the way for the Bulldogs, winning his third Eastern Conference MVP. The 28-year old Comoran fell one short of the single-season home run for the second time at 66; his fourth season with 60+ dingers. The Basra lefty also led in runs (120), RBI (138), slugging (.694), OPS (1.052), and wRC+ (184). Soule had 8.4 WAR and a .297 average, winning his seventh Silver Slugger.

Although Mosul’s dominance ended, Rashid Tariq’s did not. He bounced back from an injury plagued 2002 to win his seventh Pitcher of the Year, a mark no other ALB pitcher has reached as of 2037. The 34-year old Iraqi led in ERA (2.49), innings (289), WHIP (0.94), quality starts (27), FIP- (64), and WAR (9.6). Tariq added a 21-5 record and 315 strikeouts. This would be his last great season, as he’d look good still in 2004 but average in 2005. He retired after the 2005 campaign and would be regularly in the ALB GOAT pitcher conversation. In 2003, he was the first to reach 250 career wins and 3500 strikeouts. Tariq’s 285 wins would stay the top mark until the late 2020s.

Medina swept Basra in the first round, sending the Mastodons to their first Eastern Conference Final since their 1992-95 dynasty run. Medina would take Dubai to the limit, but the Diamonds won the series 3-2 to repeat as champs.



The 14^th Arab League Championship was highly anticipated with a 109-win Dubai squad defending their title against 108-win Casablanca. The Bruins dethroned the Diamonds, taking the series 4-2. It was the third title for Casablanca, joining their 1994 and 1995 wins. They joined Mosul as the only teams with three ALB crowns thus far. Finals MVP was second-year RF Isur Levi. The 24-year old Israeli had 9 hits, 7 runs, 2 doubles, 4 home runs, and 7 RBI in 10 playoff starts.



Other notes: Basra’s Farouk Adam had a 30-game hit streak, setting a new record for ALB that held until 2010. Mohamed Wael reached 3500 career strikeouts, the second to do so after Rashid Tariq did it three weeks earlier. Wael also joined Tariq as the only pitchers with 200+ wins. Hassan El Mubarak and Ahmad Abbas became the first batters to 2000 career hits.

SS Mohammed Mohamed won his ninth Gold Glove and tenth Silver Slugger, becoming the first to reach those heights for both awards. It would be the final time he won either in ALB though. Mohamed would be traded to Casablanca for 2004, but miss almost the entire year to a torn PCL. He’d then leave for MLB on a six-year, $67,000,000 deal with Nashville, not returning to the ALB until a decade late in his 40s. Mohamed’s 119.0 WAR over a decade with the Muskies forever goes down as one of the all-time great peaks for any player.