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FuzzyRussianHat · 04-18-2024, 05:39 AM

2000 was the first season for the newly expanded Asian Baseball Federation. The former Eurasian Professional Baseball teams performed well in the new East League against the eight Pakistani teams. Tashkent, who won the EPB Asian League pennant the prior two years, finished first in the new EL at 103-59. The Tomcats now have five consecutive playoff berths. Their cohorts Bishkek and Dushanbe both were 95-67 to take the first two wild cards. The Black Sox ended a five-year playoff drought and the Dynamo snapped one dating back to 1983. Reigning ABF champ Hyderabad was fourth at 94-68, getting the final playoff spot. The next closest teams were Rawalpindi (89-73) and Multan (87-75).

East League MVP was Dushanbe right fielder Talib Huseynzade. The 26-year old Turkmen lefty led in average (.348), OBP (.415), OPS (1.067), wRC+ (226), and WAR (9.3). He added 39 home runs and 111 RBI. Huseynzade would play one more year with the Dynamo, then leave for MLB and Chicago. Pitcher of the Year was second-year Rawalpindi righty Numair Hashimi. The 21-year old Pakistani led in wins (21-4), ERA (1.49), and shutouts (6). He added 6.9 WAR over 247.1 innings with 308 strikeouts. Unfortunately for Hashimi, this was his peak as a series of major injuries would mean he’d have only one more full season over the next decade.

The newly expanded playoffs saw the #1 and #2 seeds win over their lower foes in the first round. Tashkent topped Hyderabad 3-1, ending the Horned Frogs’ hopes of a fourth consecutive league pennant. Bishkek edged Dushanbe, giving the Black Sox their first finals berth since their 1994 EPB AL pennant. In the first-ever ABF East League Championship, the Tomcats topped Bishkek 4-1. Combined with their EPB seasons, Tashkent has now won three straight pennants and four overall.

In the new West League, the two EPB additions were non-factors. Asgabat had won 104 games the prior season in EPB, but ended up seventh at 83-79. Baku debuted in last place at 57-105, although they had been bad already. Isfahan, who had five straight Persian League titles, took first at 103-59.

Last year’s Turkish League and West Asia Association champ Bursa was second at 101-61. The Blue Claws extended their playoff streak to four seasons. Adana (91-71) was third, ending a three-year playoff drought since their 1995-96 titles. Ankara and Tabriz tied for the fourth spot at 85-77 with Tehran (84-78) and Asgabat (83-79) close behind. The ABF didn’t use a tiebreaker games with the formula sending the Alouettes forward. This was Ankara’s first playoff berth since 1994.

Shiraz was below .500, but their two-way star Mehdi Vaziri won West League MVP. The 28-year old Iranian on the mound had a 15-10 record, 2.36 ERA, 282 strikeouts, and 5.4 WAR over 274 innings. Playing center field, Vaziri had 103 games and 90 starts with 5.6 WAR, 25 home runs, a .287/.381/.573 slash and 181 wRC+. It was his final year with the Suns, as they traded him in the offseason to Tashkent. He’d quickly sign a seven-year, $15,640,000 deal with the Tomcats.

Pitcher of the Year was Bursa’s Nasser Avizeh, who led in wins (26-3), quality starts (29), complete games (24), and shutouts (7). The 25-year old Iranian righty also had a 1.70 ERA over 280.1 innings, 363 strikeouts, and 10.1 WAR. He managed to beat out Yazeed Anwari for the award despite Anwari’s 13.0 WAR; the third-best in ABF history. Perhaps it was voter fatigue, since the Isfahan ace had won five straight entering the year. Anwari also led in ERA (1.66), strikeouts (407), and WHIP (0.77), but had an 15-8 record.

Isfahan survived in a five-game first round battle with Ankara and Bursa bested Adana 3-1. This set up the fourth straight league championship meeting between the Imperials and Blue Claws. Bursa was the defending champ, but Isfahan had won it in 1997 and 1998. In a seven-game thriller, the Imperials prevailed over the Blue Claws. It was Isfahan’s fifth pennant (1986, 87, 97, 98, 00).

The 16^th Asian Baseball Federation Championship went to newcomer Tashkent, who topped Isfahan 4-2. It was the first overall title ever for the Tomcats, who had gone 0-3 in their EPB finals. The Imperials were now 2-3 in their finals berths. Finals MVP was CF Lyron Dye, a Curacaoan journeyman who had joined the Tomcats the prior season. In 14 playoff games and 4 starts, Dye had 10 hits, 6 runs, 5 home runs, and 8 RBI. He ultimately wasn’t re-signed and would retire soon after.

Other notes: Peshawar’s Ghulam Johl became the fourth ABF batter to record a six-hit game.

04-18-2024, 05:39 AM	#1164
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,936	2000 in ABF 2000 was the first season for the newly expanded Asian Baseball Federation. The former Eurasian Professional Baseball teams performed well in the new East League against the eight Pakistani teams. Tashkent, who won the EPB Asian League pennant the prior two years, finished first in the new EL at 103-59. The Tomcats now have five consecutive playoff berths. Their cohorts Bishkek and Dushanbe both were 95-67 to take the first two wild cards. The Black Sox ended a five-year playoff drought and the Dynamo snapped one dating back to 1983. Reigning ABF champ Hyderabad was fourth at 94-68, getting the final playoff spot. The next closest teams were Rawalpindi (89-73) and Multan (87-75). East League MVP was Dushanbe right fielder Talib Huseynzade. The 26-year old Turkmen lefty led in average (.348), OBP (.415), OPS (1.067), wRC+ (226), and WAR (9.3). He added 39 home runs and 111 RBI. Huseynzade would play one more year with the Dynamo, then leave for MLB and Chicago. Pitcher of the Year was second-year Rawalpindi righty Numair Hashimi. The 21-year old Pakistani led in wins (21-4), ERA (1.49), and shutouts (6). He added 6.9 WAR over 247.1 innings with 308 strikeouts. Unfortunately for Hashimi, this was his peak as a series of major injuries would mean he’d have only one more full season over the next decade. The newly expanded playoffs saw the #1 and #2 seeds win over their lower foes in the first round. Tashkent topped Hyderabad 3-1, ending the Horned Frogs’ hopes of a fourth consecutive league pennant. Bishkek edged Dushanbe, giving the Black Sox their first finals berth since their 1994 EPB AL pennant. In the first-ever ABF East League Championship, the Tomcats topped Bishkek 4-1. Combined with their EPB seasons, Tashkent has now won three straight pennants and four overall. In the new West League, the two EPB additions were non-factors. Asgabat had won 104 games the prior season in EPB, but ended up seventh at 83-79. Baku debuted in last place at 57-105, although they had been bad already. Isfahan, who had five straight Persian League titles, took first at 103-59. Last year’s Turkish League and West Asia Association champ Bursa was second at 101-61. The Blue Claws extended their playoff streak to four seasons. Adana (91-71) was third, ending a three-year playoff drought since their 1995-96 titles. Ankara and Tabriz tied for the fourth spot at 85-77 with Tehran (84-78) and Asgabat (83-79) close behind. The ABF didn’t use a tiebreaker games with the formula sending the Alouettes forward. This was Ankara’s first playoff berth since 1994. Shiraz was below .500, but their two-way star Mehdi Vaziri won West League MVP. The 28-year old Iranian on the mound had a 15-10 record, 2.36 ERA, 282 strikeouts, and 5.4 WAR over 274 innings. Playing center field, Vaziri had 103 games and 90 starts with 5.6 WAR, 25 home runs, a .287/.381/.573 slash and 181 wRC+. It was his final year with the Suns, as they traded him in the offseason to Tashkent. He’d quickly sign a seven-year, $15,640,000 deal with the Tomcats. Pitcher of the Year was Bursa’s Nasser Avizeh, who led in wins (26-3), quality starts (29), complete games (24), and shutouts (7). The 25-year old Iranian righty also had a 1.70 ERA over 280.1 innings, 363 strikeouts, and 10.1 WAR. He managed to beat out Yazeed Anwari for the award despite Anwari’s 13.0 WAR; the third-best in ABF history. Perhaps it was voter fatigue, since the Isfahan ace had won five straight entering the year. Anwari also led in ERA (1.66), strikeouts (407), and WHIP (0.77), but had an 15-8 record. Isfahan survived in a five-game first round battle with Ankara and Bursa bested Adana 3-1. This set up the fourth straight league championship meeting between the Imperials and Blue Claws. Bursa was the defending champ, but Isfahan had won it in 1997 and 1998. In a seven-game thriller, the Imperials prevailed over the Blue Claws. It was Isfahan’s fifth pennant (1986, 87, 97, 98, 00). The 16^th Asian Baseball Federation Championship went to newcomer Tashkent, who topped Isfahan 4-2. It was the first overall title ever for the Tomcats, who had gone 0-3 in their EPB finals. The Imperials were now 2-3 in their finals berths. Finals MVP was CF Lyron Dye, a Curacaoan journeyman who had joined the Tomcats the prior season. In 14 playoff games and 4 starts, Dye had 10 hits, 6 runs, 5 home runs, and 8 RBI. He ultimately wasn’t re-signed and would retire soon after. Other notes: Peshawar’s Ghulam Johl became the fourth ABF batter to record a six-hit game. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)