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In 2009, both Philadelphia and Washington won 100+ games in the National Association’s East League. The Phillies did it again at 103-59, earning the top seed and their fourth straight playoff berth. Philadelphia earned its eighth playoff berth and seventh division title in a decade. As for the Admirals, they completely collapsed. Washington went from a franchise record 105-57 to an abysmal 64-98, their worst season in 20 years.

Boston had the #2 seed by winning the Northeast Division at 101-61. The Red Sox earned a fifth consecutive playoff berth and fourth division crown in a row. The wild card race was focused in the East and Northeast with Brooklyn (95-67) and Quebec City (93-69) taking the spots. Baltimore (90-72) was also in the mix, but saw their playoff drought grow to 24 seasons. The Dodgers ended five-year drought and the Nordiques snapped a three-year skid.

Detroit dominated the Upper Midwest at 97-65 for their third playoff berth in four years. Milwaukee, last year’s NACS runner-up, was a distant second at 84-78. Meanwhile, the Lower Midwest had four teams in the mix for the division title. Indianapolis and St. Louis tied for first at 87-75, while Cincinnati was 84-78 and Louisville finished 82-80.

The tiebreaker game went to the Racers over the Cardinals, ending a three-year playoff drought for Indy. The two-time defending National Association champion Reds had their three-peat dreams thwarted. Columbus also had a notable drop from a 95-win wild card down to only 75 wins.

Detroit 1B Murad Doskaliev became a three-time National Association MVP. For the 34-year old Tajik, it was his fifth overall MVP. He won the NA title for Philadelphia 2007 and 2008, as well as the 2004 and 2003 West League MVP for Asgabat of the Asian Baseball Federation. After making his MLB debut with four seasons for the Phillies, Doskaliev joined the Tigers in 2010 on a four-year, $70,000,000.

In his Detroit debut, Doskaliev led in home runs (48), RBI (131), doubles (37), and total bases (401). He also had 107 runs, 196 hits, a .312/.362/.639 slash, 204 wRC+, and 8.3 WAR. Between ABF and MLB, it was Doskaliev’s seventh season leading his league in home runs.

Another international superstar dominating a new league was Juliao Costa, the Pitcher of the Year in his second year with Philadelphia. Costa became a seven-time POTY winner, having done it six times in his native Brazil with Belo Horizonte.

The Phillies lured him from Beisbol Sudamerica after the 2008 season with a five-year, $63,500,000 deal. In 2010, the 34-year old righty led in wins (21-7), strikeouts (297), WHIP (0.91), K/BB (7.6), and quality starts (27). Costa had a 2.45 ERA over 275.1 innings, 137 ERA+, and 8.0 WAR.

Brooklyn edged Indianapolis and Quebec City upset Detroit in the first round, both 2-1. Both made the top seeds work for it in round two as both matchups went 3-2. Boston survived against the Dodgers and Philadelphia outlasted the Nordiques. The Red Sox finally got to the National Association Championship Series after four straight early exits. It was their first NACS appearance since 2004. The Phillies got back for the second time in four years.

The series was a seven game classic with Philadelphia picking up the win over Boston. The Phillies earned their third pennant in a decade, having also won in 2005 and 2001. This gave Philadelphia 12 National Association titles, which was more pennants than any other team in MLB.



The American Association’s top two records came out of an intense battle for the Southwest Division. After missing the playoffs in 2009, the 2007/2008 AA champ San Diego finished first at 99-63. Los Angeles was one back at 98-64, stuck with the first wild card. This still ended an 11-year playoff drought for the Angles.

The #2 seed went to Tampa at 97-65 in the Southeast Division. The Thunderbirds hadn’t seen a division title or playoff berth since 1995. Reigning World Series champ Nashville dropped to 85-77, five short of the final wild card. The Knights had their playoff streak ended at four seasons. Jacksonville went from a wild card in 2009 to a mediocre 73-89.

Houston won the South Central Division at 91-71 for their seventh playoff berth in nine years. Their closest foe was Austin at 86-76. Last year’s division champ Oklahoma City dropped to 78-84. The Northwest Division went to Denver at 89-73, ending a postseason drought for the Dragons back to their 1995 World Series win. They were nine games ahead of Vancouver. Defending division champ Salt Lake City plummeted to 64-98.

For the second wild card, Las Vegas (90-72) emerged out of a very competitive group to grab repeat playoff berths. Four teams were one back at 89-73; Atlanta, Charlotte, Albuquerque, and Oakland. San Francisco at 88-74, Austin at 86-76, and Nashville at 85-77 all were in the mix as well. No one in the Southwest Division had a losing record with the worst team being 81-81 Phoenix.

San Diego 1B Ju-Won Yoo became a two-time American Association MVP. The 32-year old South Korean righty led in RBI (143) while posting 53 home runs, 102 runs, a .308/.368/.607 slash, 171 wRC+, and 8.2 WAR. Yoo also won his second Gold Glove.

The Seals also had Vic Ryan win his second Pitcher of the Year in three years. The 30-year old righty led in wins (24-6), ERA (2.05), innings (285.2), WHIP (0.88), quality starts (29), complete games (24), FIP- (61), and WAR (10.1). Ryan had 246 strikeouts and a 182 ERA+, falling 22 Ks short of a Triple Crown. Sadly, it was Ryan’s last great season due a torn flexor tendon suffered the following July.

Also worth a mention was closer Jeremy Dau becoming a three-time Reliever of the Year winner. The 31-year old righty for Austin had a 0.61 ERA over 59.1 innings, 16 saves, 99 strikeouts, and 4.6 WAR. Dau was the tenth in MLB history to win the award thrice.

Denver edged Los Angeles 2-1 and Las Vegas ousted Houston 2-1 in the first round. The Dragons continued on and upset Tampa 3-2 in the second round for their first American Association Championship Series berth since their 1995 World Series win. San Diego topped the Vipers 3-1 and set up a shot at a third pennant in four years.

The Seals pulled off just that, defeating Denver 4-2 for a ninth American Association pennant. That tied San Diego with Houston for the second-most AA pennants, only behind Phoenix at 11. The Seals were the first AA team to win three titles in a four year stretch since Las Vegas’s 1976-79 run.



Despite the general success of both franchises, the 110^th World Series was the first meeting between San Diego and Philadelphia. The Seals rolled to a 4-1 win for their second title in four years. San Diego became seven-time MLB champs, tying the Phillies and Houston for the most. Pitcher of the Year Vic Ryan was World Series MVP, posting a 2.41 ERA over 37.1 playoff innings with 40 strikeouts and 3 walks.



Other notes: Two perfect games were thrown in the 2010 MLB season. The 26^th perfecto came on April 30 by Wichita’s Florian Kiss with 12 strikeouts against St. Louis. The second came on June 11 from Pittsburgh’s Cameron Gardiner with 10 Ks against Cincinnati.

Both pitcher Theron Summers and CF Damien Yang became nine time Gold Glove winners. CF Morgan Short won his ninth consecutive Silver Slugger. SS Joel Tournier and 2B Cole Becenti became seven-time Slugger winners.

Indianapolis’ pitching staff set a National Association record with 1489 strikeouts and a 9.02 K/9. Philadelphia had 1465 Ks and a 9.00 K/9, which both would’ve been NA record if not for the Racers. Indy’s marks remain NA bests as of 2037.

At 50-112, Pittsburgh had an all-time poor offense again. The Pirates scored only 437 runs, tying their own all-time MLB worst from 2008. Pittsburgh’s .305 team slugging was the second-worst ever behind their .301 from two years prior. Miami set a new American Association all-time worst for OBP at .277.