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FuzzyRussianHat · 02-16-2025, 11:18 AM

2025 was a historic year in Major League Baseball for a number of reasons. Perhaps most significant was the introduction of several rule changes designed to increase scoring. Compared to other world leagues and on the historical scale, the American Association had been considered to have a just above average offensive environment while the National Association sans designated hitter was below average.

The worldwide trend had been to increasing scoring, which seemed to peak fan interest in a lot of other world leagues. The trend also saw an increase specifically in home runs. Many fans were especially excited for 2025 as Detroit’s Isaac Cox was seven home runs short of Cody Lim’s career home run record of 758. Fans were enthralled by Lim passing Elijah Cashman in 2020, surpassing a record that had stood since before World War II.

Although MLB’s environment had never been extreme compared to other leagues, it had seen a small but steady downward trend in scoring over the last century. In the 1930s, the American Association’s league ERA averaged out around 4.08 while the National Association was at 3.82. Both had posted single-season lows in 2012 with the NA at 3.28 and AA at 3.77.

With the changes, the National Association’s league ERA increased from 3.52 in 2024 to 3.97 in 2025, while the American Association went from 3.88 to 4.37. Batting averages also spiked going from .242 to .259 in the NA and .250 to .268 in the AA. This placed both associations in the above average to high scoring ranges for the remainder of the 2020s.

Cincinnati took the National Association’s top seed at 103-59 to win their sixth consecutive Lower Midwest Division title. It was a competitive race for the #1 spot as both Upper Midwest Division winner Detroit and Northeast Division champ Montreal finished 99-63. East Division champ Washington at 97-65 also was in the mix. The Reds won theirs by double-digits though, while the other three each had fierce battles for first

The toughest was in the Upper Midwest with Minneapolis two behind the Tigers at 97-65. Detroit still held on for their third consecutive division crown and a remarkable 13^th division title since 2008. For the Moose, they earned the first wild card and finally snapped a 27-year playoff drought, which had been the second-longest active drought in the National Association.

Defending World Series champ Washington won the East by four games over Raleigh and Montreal took the Northeast by six over Toronto. The Maples repeated as division champs while the Admirals had their third in five years and their third consecutive playoff berth.

Both the Timberwolves and Raptors were 93-69, snagging the remaining wild card slots over Louisville (92-70), Quebec City (91-71), Chicago (86-76), Columbus (86-76), and Wichita (86-76). Raleigh became the first of the NA’s expansion teams from 2021 to earn a playoff spot and allowed the fewest runs at 600. Toronto earned its second wild card in three years. Notably Chicago’s playoff streak ended at five seasons despite the Cubs leading in runs scored at 849. The Lynx painfully fell one game short, which extended the NA’s longest active postseason drought to 39 seasons for Louisville.

Cincinnati 1B Mike Rojas became a four-time National Association MVP, having also won it from 2020-22. He became only the tenth player in MLB history to win 4+ MVPs. The 30-year old righty led in RBI (158), total bases (426), slugging (.728), OPS (1.148), and wRC+ (216). The OPS was the ninth-best single season in MLB to that point. Rojas smacked 57 homers with a .364 average, .420 OBP, 123 runs, 213 hits, and 8.8 WAR. He also won MVP honors of the All-Star game, won his seventh Silver Slugger, and had a 32-game hitting streak in the spring.

Pitcher of the Year went to second-year Grand Rapids righty Vitorio Wada. The 21-year old American-Mexican dual national won the ERA title at 2.26 and led in innings (259), quality starts (24), and shutouts (7). Wada posted 210 strikeouts, 7.3 WAR, 161 ERA+, and a 16-9 record. The Growlers had selected him 6^th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Ohio State. Also worth a mention was Columbus’s J.J. Fuller becoming a three-time Reliever of the Year winner.

The first round saw all three division winners win with sweeps; Washington over Minneapolis, Montreal over Raleigh, and Detroit over Toronto. The defending champion Admirals then knocked off top seed Cincinnati on the road 3-1 in round two. That was a rematch of the prior year’s National Association Championship Series. Washington’s win prevented the Reds from a fourth straight appearance.

Detroit swept Montreal on the other side 3-0 for their third NACS appearance in five years. The Tigers then dethroned Washington 4-2 to win their second pennant in five years. Detroit was now a six-time National Association champ (1902, 1911, 1932, 1953, 2021, 2025). Notably, no one was still alive to remember their lone World Series win back in MLB’s second-ever season of 1902.

Only five wins separated the top seed in the American Association from the weakest wild card. Seattle won the Northwest Division for the third straight year at 99-63 and narrowly secured the bye. They were 14 games better than second place Portland, but had to contend with a stacked Southwest Division in the battle for the #1 seed.

Los Angeles emerged atop the Southwest field at 98-64 and led MLB with 923 runs. The Angels picked up their third division title in five seasons. Right behind were Las Vegas (96-66), Oakland (94-68), and San Francisco (94-68), who each secured wild cards. The Gold Rush and Vipers continued to be playoff regulars with both posting their seventh berth in a decade. SF allowed the fewest runs in the American Association at 662.

For the Owls, they finally ended a 28-year playoff drought for only their playoff appearance in the last 45 years. Oakland’s drought had been the second-longest active one in the AA. Miami had MLB’s longest by a healthy margin, growing to 53 seasons with another losing effort in 2025. Expansion Sacramento also notably had a strong 87-75 effort in only their fifth season in the Southwest. Last year’s division champ and the 2023 pennant winner San Diego missed the cut at 83-79.

Nashville won the Southeast Division at 94-68 to end a two-year playoff skid. It was the sixth berth in a decade for the Knights, who held off Charlotte (90-72), Tampa (88-74) and last year’s winner Orlando (87-75). Those squads had been the next closest in the wild card race.

Defending American Association champ and last year’s top seed Houston had the weakest record of the 2025 playoff teams. Their 91-71 effort still allowed them to repeat as South Central Division champ and earn their third division title in four years. Their closest foe was Austin at 83-79. Two notable runs of winning campaigns came to an end in 2025. Denver fell to 78-84, ending what had been one of MLB’s longest runs at 15 years. New Orleans dropped to 67-95 to snap their own solid nine-year stretch of winning seasons.

Oklahoma City was 81-81, but had the American Association MVP in DH Neil Hollinger. In only his third season, the Lloydminster, Alberta native led in runs (131), hits (230), RBI (157), total bases (451), average (.367), slugging (.720), OPS (1.143), wRC+ (195), and WAR (9.7). He also had 43 doubles, 58 home runs, and a .423 OBP.

Hollinger fell only three homers short of a Triple Crown, which had only been achieved seven times by an MLB hitter. Miami’s Dennis Peters spoiled that with his 61 homer campaign. The NA’s Mathis Vezina also hit 61, making 12 times in MLB history that a slugger has hit 61+ dingers. MLB’s record remained 67 by both Dean Ott (2022) and Killian Fruechte (2012).

Pitcher of the Year went to Los Angeles righty Urbano Coello. The 27-year old Mexican led in WHIP (1.05) and posted a 2.40 ERA over 251.2 innings, 20-5 record, 203 strikeouts, 180 ERA+, and 8.0 WAR. While Coello would pitch another eight years for the Angels, this was sadly his last full season as he’d be plagued with major injuries. Also worthy of mentioning was Memphis’s Vic McCallister winning his third Reliever of the Year.

Houston barely kept their repeat hopes alive, escaping with a 3-2 first round win over Las Vegas. Nashville swept San Francisco while Los Angeles topped Oakland 3-1, moving each division champ forward. The Hornets were promptly swept by Seattle in a rematch of last year’s American Association Championship Series. The Grizzlies earned a third straight trip to the AACS.

The Knights outlasted the Angels 3-2 in round two for a third AACS trip in a decade. Nashville then handled Seattle 4-1 to end a 15 season title drought in Tennessee. The Knights became seven-time American Association champions (1944, 1947, 1954, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2025).

In the second-ever World Series back in 1902, Detroit defeated Calgary 4-2. Tigers fans back then probably had no idea they’d have to wait until the 125^th World Series for their second title. Heck, they probably didn’t even know if baseball would exist that long. When Detroit had last won it all, Theodore Roosevelt had become the first American president to ride in an automobile.

Detroit ended the 122-year drought with a 4-2 victory over Nashville. It was the largest gap between a team’s first and second titles, passing the 110-year wait of the first World Series champ Tampa. Finals MVP was 3B Hidekazu Matsuo in his sixth season with the Tigers. The 35-year old Japanese righty started 17 playoff games with 26 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homers, and 10 RBI.

Other notes: It was truly a storybook season for Isaac Cox, winning the World Series in his third year with Detroit while becoming the new MLB home run king. He became a rare five-time World Series champ having won four previously with Denver. Cox smacked 37 home runs at age 38 to get to 788 homers, passing Cody Lim’s record of 758.

It wasn’t Cox’s only milestone as he became the 65^th member of the 3000 hit club. He was also in striking distance of the 2000 RBI and 2000 runs scored milestones. Cox wouldn’t get to chase the records in Detroit as his deal expired. He would link up with 2021 expansion squad El Paso on a two-year, $28,000,000 deal. Five players reached the 500 home run club in 2025, brining that group to an even 100 in MLB.

Vincent Lepp became only the 9^th in MLB history to reach 4000 career strikeouts and the first to do so since 1996. Four would earn their 3000^th strikeout, a mark reached by 92 MLB arms. Devin Ormsby became only the 47^th to reach 250 career wins. 2025 was the first season since 2003 in MLB to no have a single no-hitter thrown. SS Ledell Pinnock and LF Max Baldwin each won their 9^th consecutive Gold Gloves.

Another notable strikeout record was reached by Akira Brady with the eight-time Pitcher of the Year from the Oceania Baseball Association signing with Phoenix in 2025. The 38-year old New Zealander only struck out 159 for the Firebirds, but this got him to a combined 6500+ strikeouts for his pro career. Brady became only the fourth in all of world history to reach that mark.

He also finished the year with 365 total wins, moving to #2 all-time on the world leaderboard. Only Ulices Montero had more with 398 wins from 1913-35 between CABA and MLB. Brady would post middling production in 2026 for Phoenix, then get cut after four appearances in 2027. He went back to OBA for only two more relief appearances later that year. Brady ended with a 382-192 record, 2.52 ERA, 5482 innings, 6725 strikeouts, and 180.4 WAR over his combined career, certainly staking his case as a top five all-time pitcher in world history.

02-16-2025, 11:18 AM	#2074
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,650	2025 in MLB 2025 was a historic year in Major League Baseball for a number of reasons. Perhaps most significant was the introduction of several rule changes designed to increase scoring. Compared to other world leagues and on the historical scale, the American Association had been considered to have a just above average offensive environment while the National Association sans designated hitter was below average. The worldwide trend had been to increasing scoring, which seemed to peak fan interest in a lot of other world leagues. The trend also saw an increase specifically in home runs. Many fans were especially excited for 2025 as Detroit’s Isaac Cox was seven home runs short of Cody Lim’s career home run record of 758. Fans were enthralled by Lim passing Elijah Cashman in 2020, surpassing a record that had stood since before World War II. Although MLB’s environment had never been extreme compared to other leagues, it had seen a small but steady downward trend in scoring over the last century. In the 1930s, the American Association’s league ERA averaged out around 4.08 while the National Association was at 3.82. Both had posted single-season lows in 2012 with the NA at 3.28 and AA at 3.77. With the changes, the National Association’s league ERA increased from 3.52 in 2024 to 3.97 in 2025, while the American Association went from 3.88 to 4.37. Batting averages also spiked going from .242 to .259 in the NA and .250 to .268 in the AA. This placed both associations in the above average to high scoring ranges for the remainder of the 2020s. Cincinnati took the National Association’s top seed at 103-59 to win their sixth consecutive Lower Midwest Division title. It was a competitive race for the #1 spot as both Upper Midwest Division winner Detroit and Northeast Division champ Montreal finished 99-63. East Division champ Washington at 97-65 also was in the mix. The Reds won theirs by double-digits though, while the other three each had fierce battles for first The toughest was in the Upper Midwest with Minneapolis two behind the Tigers at 97-65. Detroit still held on for their third consecutive division crown and a remarkable 13^th division title since 2008. For the Moose, they earned the first wild card and finally snapped a 27-year playoff drought, which had been the second-longest active drought in the National Association. Defending World Series champ Washington won the East by four games over Raleigh and Montreal took the Northeast by six over Toronto. The Maples repeated as division champs while the Admirals had their third in five years and their third consecutive playoff berth. Both the Timberwolves and Raptors were 93-69, snagging the remaining wild card slots over Louisville (92-70), Quebec City (91-71), Chicago (86-76), Columbus (86-76), and Wichita (86-76). Raleigh became the first of the NA’s expansion teams from 2021 to earn a playoff spot and allowed the fewest runs at 600. Toronto earned its second wild card in three years. Notably Chicago’s playoff streak ended at five seasons despite the Cubs leading in runs scored at 849. The Lynx painfully fell one game short, which extended the NA’s longest active postseason drought to 39 seasons for Louisville. Cincinnati 1B Mike Rojas became a four-time National Association MVP, having also won it from 2020-22. He became only the tenth player in MLB history to win 4+ MVPs. The 30-year old righty led in RBI (158), total bases (426), slugging (.728), OPS (1.148), and wRC+ (216). The OPS was the ninth-best single season in MLB to that point. Rojas smacked 57 homers with a .364 average, .420 OBP, 123 runs, 213 hits, and 8.8 WAR. He also won MVP honors of the All-Star game, won his seventh Silver Slugger, and had a 32-game hitting streak in the spring. Pitcher of the Year went to second-year Grand Rapids righty Vitorio Wada. The 21-year old American-Mexican dual national won the ERA title at 2.26 and led in innings (259), quality starts (24), and shutouts (7). Wada posted 210 strikeouts, 7.3 WAR, 161 ERA+, and a 16-9 record. The Growlers had selected him 6^th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Ohio State. Also worth a mention was Columbus’s J.J. Fuller becoming a three-time Reliever of the Year winner. The first round saw all three division winners win with sweeps; Washington over Minneapolis, Montreal over Raleigh, and Detroit over Toronto. The defending champion Admirals then knocked off top seed Cincinnati on the road 3-1 in round two. That was a rematch of the prior year’s National Association Championship Series. Washington’s win prevented the Reds from a fourth straight appearance. Detroit swept Montreal on the other side 3-0 for their third NACS appearance in five years. The Tigers then dethroned Washington 4-2 to win their second pennant in five years. Detroit was now a six-time National Association champ (1902, 1911, 1932, 1953, 2021, 2025). Notably, no one was still alive to remember their lone World Series win back in MLB’s second-ever season of 1902. Only five wins separated the top seed in the American Association from the weakest wild card. Seattle won the Northwest Division for the third straight year at 99-63 and narrowly secured the bye. They were 14 games better than second place Portland, but had to contend with a stacked Southwest Division in the battle for the #1 seed. Los Angeles emerged atop the Southwest field at 98-64 and led MLB with 923 runs. The Angels picked up their third division title in five seasons. Right behind were Las Vegas (96-66), Oakland (94-68), and San Francisco (94-68), who each secured wild cards. The Gold Rush and Vipers continued to be playoff regulars with both posting their seventh berth in a decade. SF allowed the fewest runs in the American Association at 662. For the Owls, they finally ended a 28-year playoff drought for only their playoff appearance in the last 45 years. Oakland’s drought had been the second-longest active one in the AA. Miami had MLB’s longest by a healthy margin, growing to 53 seasons with another losing effort in 2025. Expansion Sacramento also notably had a strong 87-75 effort in only their fifth season in the Southwest. Last year’s division champ and the 2023 pennant winner San Diego missed the cut at 83-79. Nashville won the Southeast Division at 94-68 to end a two-year playoff skid. It was the sixth berth in a decade for the Knights, who held off Charlotte (90-72), Tampa (88-74) and last year’s winner Orlando (87-75). Those squads had been the next closest in the wild card race. Defending American Association champ and last year’s top seed Houston had the weakest record of the 2025 playoff teams. Their 91-71 effort still allowed them to repeat as South Central Division champ and earn their third division title in four years. Their closest foe was Austin at 83-79. Two notable runs of winning campaigns came to an end in 2025. Denver fell to 78-84, ending what had been one of MLB’s longest runs at 15 years. New Orleans dropped to 67-95 to snap their own solid nine-year stretch of winning seasons. Oklahoma City was 81-81, but had the American Association MVP in DH Neil Hollinger. In only his third season, the Lloydminster, Alberta native led in runs (131), hits (230), RBI (157), total bases (451), average (.367), slugging (.720), OPS (1.143), wRC+ (195), and WAR (9.7). He also had 43 doubles, 58 home runs, and a .423 OBP. Hollinger fell only three homers short of a Triple Crown, which had only been achieved seven times by an MLB hitter. Miami’s Dennis Peters spoiled that with his 61 homer campaign. The NA’s Mathis Vezina also hit 61, making 12 times in MLB history that a slugger has hit 61+ dingers. MLB’s record remained 67 by both Dean Ott (2022) and Killian Fruechte (2012). Pitcher of the Year went to Los Angeles righty Urbano Coello. The 27-year old Mexican led in WHIP (1.05) and posted a 2.40 ERA over 251.2 innings, 20-5 record, 203 strikeouts, 180 ERA+, and 8.0 WAR. While Coello would pitch another eight years for the Angels, this was sadly his last full season as he’d be plagued with major injuries. Also worthy of mentioning was Memphis’s Vic McCallister winning his third Reliever of the Year. Houston barely kept their repeat hopes alive, escaping with a 3-2 first round win over Las Vegas. Nashville swept San Francisco while Los Angeles topped Oakland 3-1, moving each division champ forward. The Hornets were promptly swept by Seattle in a rematch of last year’s American Association Championship Series. The Grizzlies earned a third straight trip to the AACS. The Knights outlasted the Angels 3-2 in round two for a third AACS trip in a decade. Nashville then handled Seattle 4-1 to end a 15 season title drought in Tennessee. The Knights became seven-time American Association champions (1944, 1947, 1954, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2025). In the second-ever World Series back in 1902, Detroit defeated Calgary 4-2. Tigers fans back then probably had no idea they’d have to wait until the 125^th World Series for their second title. Heck, they probably didn’t even know if baseball would exist that long. When Detroit had last won it all, Theodore Roosevelt had become the first American president to ride in an automobile. Detroit ended the 122-year drought with a 4-2 victory over Nashville. It was the largest gap between a team’s first and second titles, passing the 110-year wait of the first World Series champ Tampa. Finals MVP was 3B Hidekazu Matsuo in his sixth season with the Tigers. The 35-year old Japanese righty started 17 playoff games with 26 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homers, and 10 RBI. Other notes: It was truly a storybook season for Isaac Cox, winning the World Series in his third year with Detroit while becoming the new MLB home run king. He became a rare five-time World Series champ having won four previously with Denver. Cox smacked 37 home runs at age 38 to get to 788 homers, passing Cody Lim’s record of 758. It wasn’t Cox’s only milestone as he became the 65^th member of the 3000 hit club. He was also in striking distance of the 2000 RBI and 2000 runs scored milestones. Cox wouldn’t get to chase the records in Detroit as his deal expired. He would link up with 2021 expansion squad El Paso on a two-year, $28,000,000 deal. Five players reached the 500 home run club in 2025, brining that group to an even 100 in MLB. Vincent Lepp became only the 9^th in MLB history to reach 4000 career strikeouts and the first to do so since 1996. Four would earn their 3000^th strikeout, a mark reached by 92 MLB arms. Devin Ormsby became only the 47^th to reach 250 career wins. 2025 was the first season since 2003 in MLB to no have a single no-hitter thrown. SS Ledell Pinnock and LF Max Baldwin each won their 9^th consecutive Gold Gloves. Another notable strikeout record was reached by Akira Brady with the eight-time Pitcher of the Year from the Oceania Baseball Association signing with Phoenix in 2025. The 38-year old New Zealander only struck out 159 for the Firebirds, but this got him to a combined 6500+ strikeouts for his pro career. Brady became only the fourth in all of world history to reach that mark. He also finished the year with 365 total wins, moving to #2 all-time on the world leaderboard. Only Ulices Montero had more with 398 wins from 1913-35 between CABA and MLB. Brady would post middling production in 2026 for Phoenix, then get cut after four appearances in 2027. He went back to OBA for only two more relief appearances later that year. Brady ended with a 382-192 record, 2.52 ERA, 5482 innings, 6725 strikeouts, and 180.4 WAR over his combined career, certainly staking his case as a top five all-time pitcher in world history. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)