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Reigning Austronesia Champion Davao had the top seed in the Taiwan-Philippine Association. At 97-65, the Devil Rays cruised to repeat Philippine League titles. Davao had the most runs (593) and fewest allowed (473) in the TPA. Tainan took the Taiwan League for the fifth year in a row, a streak that only Kaohsiung had previously pulled off from 1973-77. The Titans were 92-70, besting Taoyuan by four games.

Taiwan-Philippine Association MVP was Kaohsiung DH Yu-Ting Tsai. In his fourth season, Tsai led in WAR (8.7), total bases (355), slugging (.575), and OPS (.928). He added 37 home runs, 102 RBI, and a 183 wRC+. The Steelheads would give him a mammoth seven-year, $80,000,000 extension in June 2008. Fourth-year righty Komalat Sawaengsri won Pitcher of the Year from Taoyuan. A Thai/Taiwanese dual citizen, Sawaengsri led in wins at 23-8. He added a 1.80 ERA over 264.2 innings, 369 strikeouts, and 9.8 WAR.



The top records in the Sundaland Association again were fighting for the Java League title. Surabaya took it at 102-60, edging out an 100-62 Jakarta squad. The Sunbirds ended a six-year playoff drought. Last year’s JL winner Semarang dropped to a distant third at 86-76. In the Malacca League, Medan (86-76) outlasted defending SA champ Palembang (82-80). The Marlins ended a three-year postseason drought.

Jakarta’s Angga Budiono won Sundaland Association MVP. The 26-year old center fielder was the WARlord (10.1) and led in hits (190), triples (23), total bases (305), triple slash (.310/.340/.498), OPS (.838), and wRC+ (198). Budiono would play two more years for the Jaguars before leaving for MLB, grabbing a massive seven-year, $93,000,000 deal starting in 2009 with Houston.

Medan’s Afiq Parker made history as the first-ever seven-time Pitcher of the Year winner in APB. The 32-year old Singaporean lefty led in ERA (1.19), FIP- (48), and WAR (6.9). Because of surgery for bone chips in his elbow from the prior year, Parker only had 188.1 innings, posting 237 strikeouts and a 14-4 record. 2007 would be his last year in APB, getting traded to Cebu in the summer. Parker would pitch six seasons after between the EBF and AAB.

The Taiwan-Philippine Association rematch saw Davao prevail again over Tainan, this time 4-2. The Titans have the misfortune of being 0-5 in the final in their 2000s appearances. Surabaya swept Medan in the Sundaland Association Championship, earning their first pennant since winning it all in 1999. Both the Sunbirds and Devil Rays earned their fifth pennants.



Davao became the first Filipino team to repeat as Austronesia Champion, winning a seven-game thriller over Surabaya. For only the third time in 42 championships, the series ended with a game seven walk-off. 1B Ignatius Handayani ended it with a solo home run in the ninth, giving the Devil Rays a 3-2 game seven win.



2B Abel Cristales was finals MVP, having himself hit a huge 3 RBI walk-off double in game one for a 6-5 win in 10 innings. The 33-year old in 13 playoff starts had 16 hits, 2 runs, 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 5 RBI. This was Davao’s third APB ring, having also won back in 1995.

Other notes: Despite going 76-86, Zamboanga’s offense had 455 stolen bases, the second most in a season by any APB team. Dedi Dewi became the 14^th pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts.