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Defending European Champion Amsterdam made it six straight playoff appearances to start the European Baseball Federation as the Anacondas had the best record in the Northern Conference at 111-51. Berlin won a second straight North Central Division title with a 104-58, finishing five games better than Stockholm. London took the British Isles Division at 86-76 for their third playoff berth thus far, beating Dublin by five games. Stockholm at 99-63 earned the wild card spot, outracing Paris by three games. The Swordsmen make it five straight playoff berths.

Northern Conference MVP went to rookie LF Blake Turland for London, who also won the Rookie of the Year. The 23-year old Englishman led the NC in WAR (9.4), slugging (.635), OPS (1.036), and wRC+ (206), adding 37 home runs, 85 RBI, and a .314 average. Stockholm’s Pietro Ribsi won his second Pitcher of the Year Award. The 30-year old Italian was the leader in ERA (1.59), innings (282.1), and quality starts (29), adding 303 strikeouts and 11.1 WAR.



The best mark in the Southern Conference went to two-time defending conference champ Madrid. The Conquistadors joined Amsterdam as the only teams to make the playoffs in each year of the EBF thus far, rolling to the Southwest Division at 107-55. Zurich took back-to-back South Central Division titles with a 95-67 finish, seven games better than Milan. In the Southeast Division, Belgrade and Munich tied for first at 93-69. The Bruisers won the one-game tiebreaker to earn their first playoff berth. The Mavericks still advanced to the playoffs as the wild card, their fifth consecutive appearance. The ended up a few games ahead of Lisbon, Milan, and Seville.

Leading Belgrade was SC MVP Kazzimierz Franiak. The 30-year old from Poland in his fifth season with the team was the leader in homers (62), RBI (144), slugging (.672), OPS (1.060), and wRC+ (202) with 9.3 WAR. Strangely enough, Franiak would take the next five years off from professional baseball, although he’d still play for the Polish team in the World Baseball Championship. He re-emerged in 1960 in MLB with Cleveland.

Pitcher of the Year ended up being a split between two players. Vienna’s Sem Outjes had the second-ever Triple Crown for an EBF pitcher. The 32-year old Dutchman did it with a 21-10 record, 1.81 ERA, 305 strikeouts, and 11.7 WAR. Nino Kristo of Zagreb meanwhile was in what would be the final season for the 35-year old lefty from Croatia. Kristo led the conference in wins (21), innings (287), quality starts (28), complete games (18), and shutouts (8). He had a 1.98 ERA, 257 strikeouts, and 8.5 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs in the Northern Conference, Amsterdam topped Stockholm in four games and Berlin swept London. The Anacondas bid for a championship repeat was quickly thwarted as the Barons swept them in the conference championship, sending them to their first finale. In the Southern Conference, Madrid survived in the first round in a five game battle with Munich, while Zurich topped Belgrade in four games. The Conquistadors edged the Mountaineers 4-3 in the SCC, giving Madrid a third straight Southern Conference title. The Conquistadors finally picked up their first European Championship, defeating Berlin in six games. It is the first title for a Spanish team.





Other notes: Centerfielder Mercury Hand and third baseman Adrian Liechti became the first five-time Gold Glove winners. 3B Orion McIntyre became the first five-time Silver Slugger winner.