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FuzzyRussianHat · 02-02-2025, 06:32 PM

Two-time defending East Asia Baseball champion Fukuoka won their fifth consecutive West Division title. The Frogs took the Japan League’s top seed at 104-58 and led the league with 709 runs. Tokyo grabbed the #2 seed at 96-66 atop the Capital Division for their second division title in three years. The Tides allowed the fewest runs at 496. Last year’s division winner Chiba finished six wins back.

The Central Division needed a tiebreaker game after Kobe and Nagoya both ended the regular season at 90-72. The Blaze prevailed for repeat playoff berths, while the Nightowls missed the field despite three straight 90+ win seasons. Osaka at 83-79 extended their streak of winning seasons to ten, while 75-87 Kyoto had only their second losing season since 2009. The weakest division winner was Sapporo at 84-78 who repeated in the North. Saitama finished two games behind at 82-80.

Niigata was 74-88, their sixth consecutive losing season. The Green Dragons had some optimism as 1B To****sugu Kobayashi won Japan League MVP. In his second year as a full-time starter, the 25-year old lefty led in hits (225), total bases (384), triple slash (.371/.418/.634), OPS (1.052), wRC+ (224), and WAR (10.1). Kobayashi added 98 runs, 37 doubles, 36 home runs, and 108 RBI.

Toshikuni Naikai’s reign as Pitcher of the Year ended in 2024 as a ruptured finger tendon kept him out four months, although he did make it back just in time for the playoffs. Assuming the top spot was Kobe’s Young-Pyo Park in his third full season, leading the league with 24 quality starts. The 24-year old righty had a 2.12 ERA over 245.2 innings, 19-6 record, 272 strikeouts, 156 ERA+, and 5.9 WAR.

Despite winning 20 fewer games, Sapporo shocked the defending champ Fukuoka 3-2 in the first round. The Swordfish earned their first Japan League Championship Series trip since 2012. Tokyo topped Kobe 3-1 on the other side, ending a JLCS drought back to 2008 for the Tides. Sapporo’s hot streak continued as they downed Tokyo 4-1 for their first pennant since 1998. Even with that hefty drought, the Swordsmen lead all Japanese teams with 14 titles.

Defending Korea League champ Busan took the top seed at 101-61, winning the South Division and growing their playoff streak to five seasons. The Blue Jays allowed only 505 runs, 100 fewer than the next closest KL squad. Both wild cards came out of the South with Changwon (92-70) and Gwangju (91-71) advancing, fending off Jeonju (89-73) and Hamhung (89-73). The Crabs’ playoff streak grew to four with their eighth berth in nine years. The Grays ended a nine-year drought.

In a tight North Division, Seongnam (90-72) prevailed to end a three-year playoff streak. The Heat were second at 89-73, missing the division by one and the second wild card by two. Last year’s division champ Bucheon fell to 75-87. The 2022 KL champ and 2023 KLCS runner-up Daegu also notably missed the playoffs at 83-79. The Diamondbacks were the top scoring team at 743 runs.

Gwangju 1B/DH Han Yi won Korea League MVP in his second year as a full-time starter. The 23-year old lefty led in runs (121), hits (212), doubles (40), average (.346), and OBP (.410). Yi added 36 homers, 111 RBI, 1.015 OPS, 176 wRC+, and 7.5 WAR. In May, the Grays gave Yi an eight-year, $136,800,000 extension.

Incheon at 83-79 missed the playoffs, but their veteran lefty Il-Hwan Lee got his first Pitcher of the Year at age 35. In his tenth year for the Inferno and 13^th season overall, Lee led in wins (22-8) while posting a 2.55 ERA over 257.1 innings, 220 strikeouts, 147 ERA+, and 6.3 WAR.

Busan survived 3-2 in the first round against Gwangju while Changwon cruised to a road sweep of Seongnam. This set up a rematch of the 2021 Korea League Championship Series, which the Crabs won despite being the underdog. Changwon couldn’t replicate that magic with the Blue Jays winning a seven-game classic. With the repeat, Busan now has 13 Korea League pennants.

The 104^th East Asian Championship was not the first finals meeting between the two storied franchises, although few were still alive to remember the most recent encounters. Busan’s first title came over Sapporo back in 1933, denying a repeat bid by the Swordfish. They met again in 1944 with the Blue Jays winning in a seven game battle. Round three in 2024 would go down as one of the most exciting finales in EAB history.

The series needed all seven games and extra innings in game seven. Sapporo ended up winning the finale 7-6 in 11 innings, marking the fourth time that the EAB Championship had an extra innings game seven (1987, 2004, 2018, 2024). The improbable win for the 84-win Swordfish made them seven-time EAB champs (1932, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1981, 1998, 2024), second only to Pyongyang (9).

Veteran 1B Masaru Ochiai was finals MVP in his first year with Sapporo. The 35-year old had won finals MVP back in 2021 for Kyoto and had been league MVP in 2016 for Kobe. In 12 playoff starts, Ochiai had 19 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, and 10 RBI. The Japan League earned its fifth consecutive title over the Korea League, giving them the series lead 53-51 all-time. It was the longest streak for the JL, although the KL had a six-year run from 1953-58.

Other notes: Hitoshi Kubota became the 5^th EAB slugger to reach 2000 career RBI. Kunihiko Ishiguro was the 34^th member of the 600 home run club. Nobuyoshi Yamauchi became the 41^st pitcher with 3500 strikeouts. Yamauchi, Hyun-Min Hu, and Yasutoshi Tanada each got to 200 wins in 2024, a mark now reached by 63 pitchers. SS Min-Jae Lim and LF Ji-Hwan Kim both won their 7^th Silver Sluggers.

02-02-2025, 06:32 PM	#2033
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,892	2024 in EAB Two-time defending East Asia Baseball champion Fukuoka won their fifth consecutive West Division title. The Frogs took the Japan League’s top seed at 104-58 and led the league with 709 runs. Tokyo grabbed the #2 seed at 96-66 atop the Capital Division for their second division title in three years. The Tides allowed the fewest runs at 496. Last year’s division winner Chiba finished six wins back. The Central Division needed a tiebreaker game after Kobe and Nagoya both ended the regular season at 90-72. The Blaze prevailed for repeat playoff berths, while the Nightowls missed the field despite three straight 90+ win seasons. Osaka at 83-79 extended their streak of winning seasons to ten, while 75-87 Kyoto had only their second losing season since 2009. The weakest division winner was Sapporo at 84-78 who repeated in the North. Saitama finished two games behind at 82-80. Niigata was 74-88, their sixth consecutive losing season. The Green Dragons had some optimism as 1B To****sugu Kobayashi won Japan League MVP. In his second year as a full-time starter, the 25-year old lefty led in hits (225), total bases (384), triple slash (.371/.418/.634), OPS (1.052), wRC+ (224), and WAR (10.1). Kobayashi added 98 runs, 37 doubles, 36 home runs, and 108 RBI. Toshikuni Naikai’s reign as Pitcher of the Year ended in 2024 as a ruptured finger tendon kept him out four months, although he did make it back just in time for the playoffs. Assuming the top spot was Kobe’s Young-Pyo Park in his third full season, leading the league with 24 quality starts. The 24-year old righty had a 2.12 ERA over 245.2 innings, 19-6 record, 272 strikeouts, 156 ERA+, and 5.9 WAR. Despite winning 20 fewer games, Sapporo shocked the defending champ Fukuoka 3-2 in the first round. The Swordfish earned their first Japan League Championship Series trip since 2012. Tokyo topped Kobe 3-1 on the other side, ending a JLCS drought back to 2008 for the Tides. Sapporo’s hot streak continued as they downed Tokyo 4-1 for their first pennant since 1998. Even with that hefty drought, the Swordsmen lead all Japanese teams with 14 titles. Defending Korea League champ Busan took the top seed at 101-61, winning the South Division and growing their playoff streak to five seasons. The Blue Jays allowed only 505 runs, 100 fewer than the next closest KL squad. Both wild cards came out of the South with Changwon (92-70) and Gwangju (91-71) advancing, fending off Jeonju (89-73) and Hamhung (89-73). The Crabs’ playoff streak grew to four with their eighth berth in nine years. The Grays ended a nine-year drought. In a tight North Division, Seongnam (90-72) prevailed to end a three-year playoff streak. The Heat were second at 89-73, missing the division by one and the second wild card by two. Last year’s division champ Bucheon fell to 75-87. The 2022 KL champ and 2023 KLCS runner-up Daegu also notably missed the playoffs at 83-79. The Diamondbacks were the top scoring team at 743 runs. Gwangju 1B/DH Han Yi won Korea League MVP in his second year as a full-time starter. The 23-year old lefty led in runs (121), hits (212), doubles (40), average (.346), and OBP (.410). Yi added 36 homers, 111 RBI, 1.015 OPS, 176 wRC+, and 7.5 WAR. In May, the Grays gave Yi an eight-year, $136,800,000 extension. Incheon at 83-79 missed the playoffs, but their veteran lefty Il-Hwan Lee got his first Pitcher of the Year at age 35. In his tenth year for the Inferno and 13^th season overall, Lee led in wins (22-8) while posting a 2.55 ERA over 257.1 innings, 220 strikeouts, 147 ERA+, and 6.3 WAR. Busan survived 3-2 in the first round against Gwangju while Changwon cruised to a road sweep of Seongnam. This set up a rematch of the 2021 Korea League Championship Series, which the Crabs won despite being the underdog. Changwon couldn’t replicate that magic with the Blue Jays winning a seven-game classic. With the repeat, Busan now has 13 Korea League pennants. The 104^th East Asian Championship was not the first finals meeting between the two storied franchises, although few were still alive to remember the most recent encounters. Busan’s first title came over Sapporo back in 1933, denying a repeat bid by the Swordfish. They met again in 1944 with the Blue Jays winning in a seven game battle. Round three in 2024 would go down as one of the most exciting finales in EAB history. The series needed all seven games and extra innings in game seven. Sapporo ended up winning the finale 7-6 in 11 innings, marking the fourth time that the EAB Championship had an extra innings game seven (1987, 2004, 2018, 2024). The improbable win for the 84-win Swordfish made them seven-time EAB champs (1932, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1981, 1998, 2024), second only to Pyongyang (9). Veteran 1B Masaru Ochiai was finals MVP in his first year with Sapporo. The 35-year old had won finals MVP back in 2021 for Kyoto and had been league MVP in 2016 for Kobe. In 12 playoff starts, Ochiai had 19 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, and 10 RBI. The Japan League earned its fifth consecutive title over the Korea League, giving them the series lead 53-51 all-time. It was the longest streak for the JL, although the KL had a six-year run from 1953-58. Other notes: Hitoshi Kubota became the 5^th EAB slugger to reach 2000 career RBI. Kunihiko Ishiguro was the 34^th member of the 600 home run club. Nobuyoshi Yamauchi became the 41^st pitcher with 3500 strikeouts. Yamauchi, Hyun-Min Hu, and Yasutoshi Tanada each got to 200 wins in 2024, a mark now reached by 63 pitchers. SS Min-Jae Lim and LF Ji-Hwan Kim both won their 7^th Silver Sluggers. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)