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Pitcher of the Year

TAO

Bruce Dunn of the Santo Domingo Dolphins fired on all cylinders in 2058 and dominated The Americas & Oceania batters. During the year Dunn compiled a 22-6 record, a 3.30 ERA and 211 strikeouts while working 220.2 innings and racking up 7.0 WAR. The 33 year old Australian made his name at the Auckland Kiwis, and has put up a whole host of great seasons and with a cumulative 5.8 WAR in 11 seasons. However, 2058 saw his first all-star appearance and pitcher award, showing just how high the bar is for any of the WBL awards.

He received 78 first place votes out of a possible 144. Sateki Kikeona of the Bogota Condors finished second in voting with 46 first place votes, while Steve Lucas of the Memphis Steamers finished third with 20 first place votes.

EAA

The 33 year old Argentinian Antonio Cazares was on fire this season for the Bengaluru Bytes. He went 16-10 in 34 starts with 242 strikeouts in 219.1 innings and a 3.32 ERA, amounting to superb 7.4 WAR. The 5th round pick was drafted out of high-school in 2043, and made is MLB debut in 2047. He has netted a WAR of over 58 in his career since then, and made the all-star game this year, as well as back in 2052. He’s a power pitcher, who’s stuff gets a lot of swings and misses.

He received 120 first place votes out of a possible 144. Ari Bintang of the Hanoi Mopeds finished second in voting with 2 first place votes, while Tycho Kock of the Paris Black Cats finished third.

MVP

TAO

There was some shock at the announcement of the year’s MVP for EAA. Fans had generally believed that Antonio Cardoza’s season for the La Paz Doves was sure to land him this year’s award, given many are saying it was the most impressive season by any outfielder in the history of the WBL. Cardoza smashed a whole load of WLB single season records this year, including the batting average (.393) and OPS (1.354) records, while completing the season woth an obscene 11.1 WAR. Although his 57 home runs wasn’t close to the new WBL record of 85, it was still one of the highest tallies. All that was only enough for second though, with 44 first place votes. The unexpected winner was pitcher Steve Lucas - who was the only starter to manage an ERA under 3 this year, with 2.87, and the league’s highest ERA+ with 182. He had a 7.4 WAR and 179 Ks, as he well and truly cemented his place as the Memphis Steamer’s ace. In a season where ERAs were way higher than is normal in the WBL, Lucas’ season really does stand out.

EAA

He may only be 26, but the Japanese-Brazilian Tony Iwaki of the Pyongyang Grasshoppers’ had a season that he’ll find hard to top for the rest of his career. Iwaki had a ultra-reliable .351 batting average and a .464 on-base percentage this year. In 159 games he piled up 210 hits, 67 home runs, and 162 RBI, his WAR was 9.0, helped by also being one of the league’s best defensive first-baseman. He’s now been an all-star in all 4 of his seasons in the WBL, having also won the rookie of the year award in 2055. Iwaki is on a hall-of-fame trajectory if he can stay healthy and continue to notch up these kinds of ridiculous numbers. The Grasshoppers will be delighted to have him signed through 2066, having been their first, and the second overall, pick of the 2051 draft.

He received 144 first place votes, as a unanimous winner. Mujahid bin Basim of the Manila Snakes finished second in voting, while Florian Margreiter of the Moscow Blizzard finished third.