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FuzzyRussianHat · 01-07-2025, 06:42 PM

2020 National Association champ Cincinnati took the top seed and bye in 2022 with MLB’s best overall record at 109-53. The Reds won their third straight Lower Midwest Division title, leading the NA in scoring at 794 runs. The next best was Northeast Division champ Ottawa at 102-60. The Elks got repeat playoff berths, but it was their first division title since 2003. Quebec City was a close second at 98-64 to earn the first wild card. The Nordiques allowed the fewest runs in MLB (521) and earned their third playoff berth in four years.

Chicago’s playoff streak grew to three as they took the Upper Midwest Division at 94-68, beating Winnipeg by five and defending NA champ Detroit by eight. Boston (93-69) picked up the second wild card and Indianapolis (90-72) took the third, while the Wolves (89-73), Louisville (87-75), Detroit (86-76), and Washington (86-76) were the first teams out. The Red Sox secured a fifth playoff berth in six years, while the Racers ended an eight-year drought.

Meanwhile in the East Division, Virginia Beach and Philadelphia finished tied at 87-75, while Washington was one back and both Brooklyn and New York were five back. In the one-game playoff tiebreaker, the Vikings defeated the Phillies to end their 24-year postseason drought. VB had been tied for the second-longest active drought in the National Association. Louisville currently has the longest drought at 36 seasons. Also notable was St. Louis falling to 70-92, ending their streak of 12 straight winning seasons.

Cincinnati first baseman Mike Rojas won his third straight National Association MVP. The 27-year old Michigander led in runs (127), total bases (378), slugging (.633), OPS (1.024), wRC+ (207), and WAR (9.1). Rojas had 203 hits, 41 home runs, 121 RBI, and a .340 average.

Virginia Beach righty Truman Bloodworth secured Pitcher of the Year in his fifth season. The 25-year old Brooklyn native led in strikeouts (300), innings (265.1), quality starts (28), FIP- (55), and WAR (10.2). Bloodworth had a 20-6 record, 2.17 ERA, and 163 ERA+. He was 20 ERA points and one win from a Triple Crown. After the season, the Vikings gave him a five-year, $96,600,000 extension.

Chicago was the only team to get a first round sweep as they rolled Boston. Virginia Beach survived 3-2 over Quebec City, while Indianapolis shocked #2 seed Ottawa 3-2. The Racers nearly upset #1 seed Cincinnati as well, but the Reds outlasted them 3-2 in the second round. On the other side, the Cubs bested Virginia Beach 3-1.

The last time Chicago had made it to the National Association Championship Series was 1998 and their last pennant was 1984. Their drought would continue though as Cincinnati won a seven-game thriller over the Cubs for their second title in three years. The Reds were now five-time National Association champs (1919, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2022).

Denver and Los Angeles both finished at 106-56 atop the American Association ranks with the tiebreaker formula giving the top seed and lone bye to the Angels. LA repeated as Southwest Division champs, while the Dragons’ MLB-record streak atop the Northwest Division grew to 13 years. San Francisco was a strong second in the Southwest at 98-64, easily earning repeat wild cards.

Los Angeles allowed the fewest runs in the AA at 570, while Houston scored the most at 942. The Hornets’ effort landed them a 102-60 record and the South Central Division crown. It was their second playoff berth in three years and their first division title since 2017. It was also Houston’s first 100+ win campaign since 2003. In addition to their offense, the Hornets’ pitching staff also set a new AA record with an 8.49 K/9. Dallas was second at 92-70, landing the second wild card to end a 23-year playoff drought.

The weakest division winner would be Nashville in the Southeast at 92-70. The Knights repeated and won their fourth division title in five years. Atlanta was two back at 90-72, which was just enough to give the Aces the third wild card and their second berth in three years. Just missing the cut were Albuquerque (89-73), Oakland (88-74), Las Vegas (87-75), Seattle (87-75), and New Orleans (86-76). The Mudcats won the World Series in 2021 at 112-50, but fell four games short of the 2022 postseason. Also worth a mention was 83-79 Miami, which was only the second winning season for them in 36 years. The hapless Mallards have MLB’s longest active playoff drought at 50 years.

American Association MVP went to Dallas veteran Dean Ott. The 31-year old lefty from Edinburg, Texas had been a reliable slugger for a decade with the Dalmatians, but he had only topped 40+ dingers thrice. In 2022, Ott shocked many by tying Killian Fruechte’s 2012 single-season MLB home run record by smacking 67 dingers. Ott also led the AA with 134 RBI and added 8.0 WAR, 109 runs, 1.011 OPS, and 170 wRC+.

Tying the home run record makes your value skyrocket. Ott had signed an eight-year, $163,400,000 extension with Dallas in summer 2019, but used his opt-out after the 2022 campaign to hit free agency. San Francisco signed him for five years and $155 million, making him one of the first ever with $30 million annually. Ott would never come close to replicating this effort and posted a mere 105 wRC+ and .779 OPS with the Gold Rush.

Pitcher of the Year went to Los Angeles righty Vincent Lepp, who became MLB’s eighth pitcher to win the award 4+ times. He had won from 2012-14 with St. Louis, becoming one of the very few to win the award in both associations. Lepp had signed a free agent deal with Los Angeles in 2020. In 2022, he led in innings (286.2) and complete games (24), adding a 21-8 record, 2.57 ERA, 254 strikeouts, and 9.0 WAR. Lepp would return “home” in the offseason, going back to the Cardinals on a four-year, $137 million deal.

Lepp beat out Denver’s Oscar Dissard for the top award despite Dissard’s 12.37 WAR effort. That was the fifth-best single-season WAR for an MLB pitcher ever, not far from T.J. Nakabayashi’s record of 12.64 from 1991. Dissard led in wins (24-6) and had a 2.92 ERA over 271.1 innings with 301 strikeouts in his MLB debut season. The 31-year old Frenchman had won three POTY awards previously in Europe with Brussels. He came to America in 2022 on a four-year, $85,600,000 deal with the Dragons.

Houston swept Dallas 3-0 and Denver downed Atlanta 3-1 in the first round to advance as division winners. Top wild card San Francisco would edge the weakest division winner Nashville 3-2. The Gold Rush parlayed that into a huge 3-2 upset over top seed and divisional foe Los Angeles in the second round. SF secured its third American Association Championship Series appearance in six years.

On the other side, Denver dropped Houston 3-1 to earn their third AACS in a row and their ninth appearance during their playoff streak. San Francisco’s magic ran out against the well-seasoned Dragons as Denver took the AACS 4-1. Denver won its second pennant in three years and its fourth of the decade. It was the tenth title for the Dragons, tying Houston for the second most among AA teams. Phoenix (12) holds the most still.

The 122th World Series was the first sweep since 2014 as Denver dominated Cincinnati in a rematch of the 2020 finale. The Dragons are now 9-1 all-time in the World Series and stand alone with the most MLB titles, winning it all in 1925, 1938, 1962, 1989, 1995, 2013, 2015, 2020, and 2022.

World Series MVP was Hungarian 1B Tomas Erdos, another of Denver’s international imports. The 32-year old had spent most of his time in the European Second League with London, winning three MVPs there. He had a strong MLB debut in 2022 for the Dragons, getting 16 playoff starts with 21 hits, 14 runs, 2 doubles, 7 home runs, and 19 RBI.

Other notes: 2022 was the final season for MLB’s career WARlord Morgan Short, who played his final two seasons with expansion Sacramento. Over 21 years between there, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Houston, Short won five MVPs, six Gold Gloves, and 14 Silver Sluggers in center field. Short’s 170.5 WAR as of 2037 ranks 13^th among all players in world baseball history.

Phoenix’s Bsiei Kubota struck out 21 in 10 innings against Oakland on July 10. This tied two others for the second-most strikeouts in an MLB game. Carny Valvo holds the top spot with 22 over 11 innings back in 1964. Joran Mallery and Ichisake Kawasaki became the 92^nd and 93^rd to reach 500 home runs. Killian Fruechte got to both 1500 RBI and 2500 hits in 2022. SS Fritz Louissi won his 10^th Silver Slugger and 3B Hossein Kokabi won his 7^th Silver Slugger.

01-07-2025, 06:42 PM	#1956
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,226	2022 in MLB 2020 National Association champ Cincinnati took the top seed and bye in 2022 with MLB’s best overall record at 109-53. The Reds won their third straight Lower Midwest Division title, leading the NA in scoring at 794 runs. The next best was Northeast Division champ Ottawa at 102-60. The Elks got repeat playoff berths, but it was their first division title since 2003. Quebec City was a close second at 98-64 to earn the first wild card. The Nordiques allowed the fewest runs in MLB (521) and earned their third playoff berth in four years. Chicago’s playoff streak grew to three as they took the Upper Midwest Division at 94-68, beating Winnipeg by five and defending NA champ Detroit by eight. Boston (93-69) picked up the second wild card and Indianapolis (90-72) took the third, while the Wolves (89-73), Louisville (87-75), Detroit (86-76), and Washington (86-76) were the first teams out. The Red Sox secured a fifth playoff berth in six years, while the Racers ended an eight-year drought. Meanwhile in the East Division, Virginia Beach and Philadelphia finished tied at 87-75, while Washington was one back and both Brooklyn and New York were five back. In the one-game playoff tiebreaker, the Vikings defeated the Phillies to end their 24-year postseason drought. VB had been tied for the second-longest active drought in the National Association. Louisville currently has the longest drought at 36 seasons. Also notable was St. Louis falling to 70-92, ending their streak of 12 straight winning seasons. Cincinnati first baseman Mike Rojas won his third straight National Association MVP. The 27-year old Michigander led in runs (127), total bases (378), slugging (.633), OPS (1.024), wRC+ (207), and WAR (9.1). Rojas had 203 hits, 41 home runs, 121 RBI, and a .340 average. Virginia Beach righty Truman Bloodworth secured Pitcher of the Year in his fifth season. The 25-year old Brooklyn native led in strikeouts (300), innings (265.1), quality starts (28), FIP- (55), and WAR (10.2). Bloodworth had a 20-6 record, 2.17 ERA, and 163 ERA+. He was 20 ERA points and one win from a Triple Crown. After the season, the Vikings gave him a five-year, $96,600,000 extension. Chicago was the only team to get a first round sweep as they rolled Boston. Virginia Beach survived 3-2 over Quebec City, while Indianapolis shocked #2 seed Ottawa 3-2. The Racers nearly upset #1 seed Cincinnati as well, but the Reds outlasted them 3-2 in the second round. On the other side, the Cubs bested Virginia Beach 3-1. The last time Chicago had made it to the National Association Championship Series was 1998 and their last pennant was 1984. Their drought would continue though as Cincinnati won a seven-game thriller over the Cubs for their second title in three years. The Reds were now five-time National Association champs (1919, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2022). Denver and Los Angeles both finished at 106-56 atop the American Association ranks with the tiebreaker formula giving the top seed and lone bye to the Angels. LA repeated as Southwest Division champs, while the Dragons’ MLB-record streak atop the Northwest Division grew to 13 years. San Francisco was a strong second in the Southwest at 98-64, easily earning repeat wild cards. Los Angeles allowed the fewest runs in the AA at 570, while Houston scored the most at 942. The Hornets’ effort landed them a 102-60 record and the South Central Division crown. It was their second playoff berth in three years and their first division title since 2017. It was also Houston’s first 100+ win campaign since 2003. In addition to their offense, the Hornets’ pitching staff also set a new AA record with an 8.49 K/9. Dallas was second at 92-70, landing the second wild card to end a 23-year playoff drought. The weakest division winner would be Nashville in the Southeast at 92-70. The Knights repeated and won their fourth division title in five years. Atlanta was two back at 90-72, which was just enough to give the Aces the third wild card and their second berth in three years. Just missing the cut were Albuquerque (89-73), Oakland (88-74), Las Vegas (87-75), Seattle (87-75), and New Orleans (86-76). The Mudcats won the World Series in 2021 at 112-50, but fell four games short of the 2022 postseason. Also worth a mention was 83-79 Miami, which was only the second winning season for them in 36 years. The hapless Mallards have MLB’s longest active playoff drought at 50 years. American Association MVP went to Dallas veteran Dean Ott. The 31-year old lefty from Edinburg, Texas had been a reliable slugger for a decade with the Dalmatians, but he had only topped 40+ dingers thrice. In 2022, Ott shocked many by tying Killian Fruechte’s 2012 single-season MLB home run record by smacking 67 dingers. Ott also led the AA with 134 RBI and added 8.0 WAR, 109 runs, 1.011 OPS, and 170 wRC+. Tying the home run record makes your value skyrocket. Ott had signed an eight-year, $163,400,000 extension with Dallas in summer 2019, but used his opt-out after the 2022 campaign to hit free agency. San Francisco signed him for five years and $155 million, making him one of the first ever with $30 million annually. Ott would never come close to replicating this effort and posted a mere 105 wRC+ and .779 OPS with the Gold Rush. Pitcher of the Year went to Los Angeles righty Vincent Lepp, who became MLB’s eighth pitcher to win the award 4+ times. He had won from 2012-14 with St. Louis, becoming one of the very few to win the award in both associations. Lepp had signed a free agent deal with Los Angeles in 2020. In 2022, he led in innings (286.2) and complete games (24), adding a 21-8 record, 2.57 ERA, 254 strikeouts, and 9.0 WAR. Lepp would return “home” in the offseason, going back to the Cardinals on a four-year, $137 million deal. Lepp beat out Denver’s Oscar Dissard for the top award despite Dissard’s 12.37 WAR effort. That was the fifth-best single-season WAR for an MLB pitcher ever, not far from T.J. Nakabayashi’s record of 12.64 from 1991. Dissard led in wins (24-6) and had a 2.92 ERA over 271.1 innings with 301 strikeouts in his MLB debut season. The 31-year old Frenchman had won three POTY awards previously in Europe with Brussels. He came to America in 2022 on a four-year, $85,600,000 deal with the Dragons. Houston swept Dallas 3-0 and Denver downed Atlanta 3-1 in the first round to advance as division winners. Top wild card San Francisco would edge the weakest division winner Nashville 3-2. The Gold Rush parlayed that into a huge 3-2 upset over top seed and divisional foe Los Angeles in the second round. SF secured its third American Association Championship Series appearance in six years. On the other side, Denver dropped Houston 3-1 to earn their third AACS in a row and their ninth appearance during their playoff streak. San Francisco’s magic ran out against the well-seasoned Dragons as Denver took the AACS 4-1. Denver won its second pennant in three years and its fourth of the decade. It was the tenth title for the Dragons, tying Houston for the second most among AA teams. Phoenix (12) holds the most still. The 122th World Series was the first sweep since 2014 as Denver dominated Cincinnati in a rematch of the 2020 finale. The Dragons are now 9-1 all-time in the World Series and stand alone with the most MLB titles, winning it all in 1925, 1938, 1962, 1989, 1995, 2013, 2015, 2020, and 2022. World Series MVP was Hungarian 1B Tomas Erdos, another of Denver’s international imports. The 32-year old had spent most of his time in the European Second League with London, winning three MVPs there. He had a strong MLB debut in 2022 for the Dragons, getting 16 playoff starts with 21 hits, 14 runs, 2 doubles, 7 home runs, and 19 RBI. Other notes: 2022 was the final season for MLB’s career WARlord Morgan Short, who played his final two seasons with expansion Sacramento. Over 21 years between there, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Houston, Short won five MVPs, six Gold Gloves, and 14 Silver Sluggers in center field. Short’s 170.5 WAR as of 2037 ranks 13^th among all players in world baseball history. Phoenix’s Bsiei Kubota struck out 21 in 10 innings against Oakland on July 10. This tied two others for the second-most strikeouts in an MLB game. Carny Valvo holds the top spot with 22 over 11 innings back in 1964. Joran Mallery and Ichisake Kawasaki became the 92^nd and 93^rd to reach 500 home runs. Killian Fruechte got to both 1500 RBI and 2500 hits in 2022. SS Fritz Louissi won his 10^th Silver Slugger and 3B Hossein Kokabi won his 7^th 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)