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FuzzyRussianHat · 08-22-2023, 04:49 AM

Minsk remained the constant in the EPB European League with a 98-64 record atop the North Division, giving the Miners six straight playoff berths and 18 in EPB’s first 19 seasons. The other three spots went to different teams from the prior year. Kyiv snapped a six-year playoff drought by winning the South Division at 90-72. Kharkiv was second at 88-74 and narrowly took the first wild card for their third berth in four years. The other spot had a very tight battle with Moscow and Riga tying at 87-75, while Kazan and Warsaw were both only one game behind. The Mules took the one-game playoff over the Roosters, giving Moscow a third berth in four years. Defending league champ Tirana fell to sixth in the division at 77-85.

Bucharest was a forgettable 77-85, but DH Ivan Valev had a very memorable season as MVP, becoming the fifth Triple Crown hitter in the history of Eurasian Professional Baseball. The 24-year old Bulgarian nicknamed “Socks” had 52 home runs, 116 RBI, and a .316 average; also leading the league in hits (200), total bases (394), slugging (.623), OPS (.974), and wRC+ (202). In his second year with Moscow, 32-year old Havlik Hloznik won Pitcher of the Year, having previously done it with Bratislava in 1967. The two-way start was the ERA leader (1.83) and WARlord (9.0), adding 344 strikeouts over 290 innings with a 16-13 record. He also added 1.0 WAR at the plate with 13 home runs in 78 starts. Also of note, Jas Starsky won his third Reliever of the Year. The 33-year old started the year with Warsaw, then was traded at the deadline to Kharkiv. Combined, he had 36 saves, a 1.65 ERA, and 6.7 WAR with 179 strikeouts over 109 innings.

In the first round of the playoff, Minsk survived a five-game battle with Moscow, meanwhile Kharkiv upset Kyiv with a road sweep. This sent the Killer Bees to only their second European League Championship Series (1958), while the Miners were in their record 13^th. Kharkiv prevailed for their first league title 4-1, making Minsk 0-3 in the last four years. The Miners are still 6-7 all-time. The Killer Bees are the first Ukrainian finalist since Kyiv in 1965.

Chelyabinsk was a surprise top dog in the Asian League at 102-60, taking the North Division and snapping a decade-long playoff drought. The longest active playoff streak ended at nine with Yekaterinburg dropping to 78-84. Defending Soviet Series champ Almaty very narrowly won the South Division at 93-69. Dushanbe was one back at 92-70 to get the first wild card for their third playoff spot in four years. For the second spot, Tbilisi and Tashkent tied at 91-71, while Irkutsk was 90-72 and Krasnoyarsk was 88-74. The tiebreaker game went to the Trains, giving them back-to-back wild cards.

Ice Cats LF Grigori Ovsianikov won the league MVP in his fourth full season. The 24-year old Russian led in total bases (332), slugging (.588), OPS (.959), and wRC+ (193), adding 8.5 WAR, a .319 average, and 34 home runs. Pitcher of the Year was Dushanbe’s Nurlan Rahmonov. The 25-year old Uzbek righty was the WARlord at 9.4 with a 60 FIP-, adding 326 strikeouts in 281 innings with a 1.92 ERA and 18-12 record.

Both first round matchups ended up being sweeps with Tbilisi upsetting Chelyabinsk and Almaty topping Dushanbe. In the Asian League Championship Series, it was the first appearance for the Trains, meanwhile the Assassins were in their seventh and looking for a three-peat. Tbilisi took them to the brink, but Almaty prevailed in seven games, taking game seven 4-3 in 11 innings. The Assassins became the first team in either league to win three straight league titles.

In the 19^th Soviet Series, Almaty downed Kharkiv 4-1, making the Assassins the second back-to-back EPB champ, joining 1958-59 Kyiv. Pitcher Elvin Kambarov was the finals MVP and became a two-time MVP, also doing it back in 1965 with Bishkek. The 35-year old Kazakh had a 1.09 ERA in five postseason starts with 33 innings pitched, 39 strikeouts, and a 3-1 record.

Other notes; Almaty’s Elvin Kambarov had the fourth EPB game with 20+ strikeouts, fanning 20 over 11.2 innings against Omsk on 5/30. The record remains 22 by Arutyun Lezjov in 1962. On April 1, Alvi Tahiri became the first EPB pitcher to 5000 career strikeouts. Artur Golub would hit the mark as well in July. This would be Golub’s penultimate season and he’d end with 5238 career Ks. Tahiri would keep going and cross the 6000 K mark in 1976. Tahiri also became the second to 250 career wins.

Zina Gigolashvili became the first to 600 career home runs. RF German Daugelo won his record 12^th Gold Glove. Catcher Samir Allahverdiyev won his record ninth Silver Slugger.

08-22-2023, 04:49 AM	#527
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,735	1973 in EPB Minsk remained the constant in the EPB European League with a 98-64 record atop the North Division, giving the Miners six straight playoff berths and 18 in EPB’s first 19 seasons. The other three spots went to different teams from the prior year. Kyiv snapped a six-year playoff drought by winning the South Division at 90-72. Kharkiv was second at 88-74 and narrowly took the first wild card for their third berth in four years. The other spot had a very tight battle with Moscow and Riga tying at 87-75, while Kazan and Warsaw were both only one game behind. The Mules took the one-game playoff over the Roosters, giving Moscow a third berth in four years. Defending league champ Tirana fell to sixth in the division at 77-85. Bucharest was a forgettable 77-85, but DH Ivan Valev had a very memorable season as MVP, becoming the fifth Triple Crown hitter in the history of Eurasian Professional Baseball. The 24-year old Bulgarian nicknamed “Socks” had 52 home runs, 116 RBI, and a .316 average; also leading the league in hits (200), total bases (394), slugging (.623), OPS (.974), and wRC+ (202). In his second year with Moscow, 32-year old Havlik Hloznik won Pitcher of the Year, having previously done it with Bratislava in 1967. The two-way start was the ERA leader (1.83) and WARlord (9.0), adding 344 strikeouts over 290 innings with a 16-13 record. He also added 1.0 WAR at the plate with 13 home runs in 78 starts. Also of note, Jas Starsky won his third Reliever of the Year. The 33-year old started the year with Warsaw, then was traded at the deadline to Kharkiv. Combined, he had 36 saves, a 1.65 ERA, and 6.7 WAR with 179 strikeouts over 109 innings. In the first round of the playoff, Minsk survived a five-game battle with Moscow, meanwhile Kharkiv upset Kyiv with a road sweep. This sent the Killer Bees to only their second European League Championship Series (1958), while the Miners were in their record 13^th. Kharkiv prevailed for their first league title 4-1, making Minsk 0-3 in the last four years. The Miners are still 6-7 all-time. The Killer Bees are the first Ukrainian finalist since Kyiv in 1965. Chelyabinsk was a surprise top dog in the Asian League at 102-60, taking the North Division and snapping a decade-long playoff drought. The longest active playoff streak ended at nine with Yekaterinburg dropping to 78-84. Defending Soviet Series champ Almaty very narrowly won the South Division at 93-69. Dushanbe was one back at 92-70 to get the first wild card for their third playoff spot in four years. For the second spot, Tbilisi and Tashkent tied at 91-71, while Irkutsk was 90-72 and Krasnoyarsk was 88-74. The tiebreaker game went to the Trains, giving them back-to-back wild cards. Ice Cats LF Grigori Ovsianikov won the league MVP in his fourth full season. The 24-year old Russian led in total bases (332), slugging (.588), OPS (.959), and wRC+ (193), adding 8.5 WAR, a .319 average, and 34 home runs. Pitcher of the Year was Dushanbe’s Nurlan Rahmonov. The 25-year old Uzbek righty was the WARlord at 9.4 with a 60 FIP-, adding 326 strikeouts in 281 innings with a 1.92 ERA and 18-12 record. Both first round matchups ended up being sweeps with Tbilisi upsetting Chelyabinsk and Almaty topping Dushanbe. In the Asian League Championship Series, it was the first appearance for the Trains, meanwhile the Assassins were in their seventh and looking for a three-peat. Tbilisi took them to the brink, but Almaty prevailed in seven games, taking game seven 4-3 in 11 innings. The Assassins became the first team in either league to win three straight league titles. In the 19^th Soviet Series, Almaty downed Kharkiv 4-1, making the Assassins the second back-to-back EPB champ, joining 1958-59 Kyiv. Pitcher Elvin Kambarov was the finals MVP and became a two-time MVP, also doing it back in 1965 with Bishkek. The 35-year old Kazakh had a 1.09 ERA in five postseason starts with 33 innings pitched, 39 strikeouts, and a 3-1 record. Other notes; Almaty’s Elvin Kambarov had the fourth EPB game with 20+ strikeouts, fanning 20 over 11.2 innings against Omsk on 5/30. The record remains 22 by Arutyun Lezjov in 1962. On April 1, Alvi Tahiri became the first EPB pitcher to 5000 career strikeouts. Artur Golub would hit the mark as well in July. This would be Golub’s penultimate season and he’d end with 5238 career Ks. Tahiri would keep going and cross the 6000 K mark in 1976. Tahiri also became the second to 250 career wins. Zina Gigolashvili became the first to 600 career home runs. RF German Daugelo won his record 12^th Gold Glove. Catcher Samir Allahverdiyev won his record ninth Silver Slugger. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)