The Wide, Wide World of Baseball

[j.tom]

WWoB News 11.30-12.06.59

Top Performances by Day:

11.30.59


12.01.59


12.02.59


12.03.59


12.04.59


12.05.59


12.06.59







Major League 11.30 -- Three big names are off the free agent board and headed to ML teams:

2B Kjeld Lubbers 🇳🇱 to Milwaukee, 5 years/$175 million


OF Manny Pineda 🇻🇪🇨🇴 to Providence, 6 years/$177 million


1B Alex Martinez to Colorado 🇻🇪, 8 years/$159 million




Major League 11.30 -- Trade! The Baltimore Barons send 2058 Asia Cup Best Pitcher Yin-ti Huang 🇲🇳 to the Buffalo Bisons in exchange for RHP prospect Jesse Shoemaker 🇺🇸.





WWoB 12.01 -- This week's WWoB player of the week (and inaugural POTW) is OF Oscar Lluberes 🇵🇪 of the Lima Explorers (LL), who made the LL look less like the Latin League, and more like the Little League.





Major League 12.01 -- LHP Justin Hanson 🇺🇸 signs with the Milwaukee Brewers, 4 years, $130 million.




Major League 12.04 -- San Antonio Bullets sign 3-time Liga Sudamericana (LL) MVP Ricky de Leon 🇵🇪 for 2 years, $17.4 million.




Liga Brasil 12.06 -- Rio Carnavais manager Hideyoshi Akamine 🇧🇷 has instituted 'casual fridays.' The Carnavais are 2-1 this season on Fridays and 8-14 on other days.




Standings (As of 12.06)

Latin League


Liga Brasil


Liga Gran Colombia


Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

[j.tom]

Going to add an extra day to this one because I want to begin starting these on Mondays.

WWoB News 12.07-12.14.59



Top Performances by Day

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WWoB Player of the Week (12.01-12.07)
3B Asmerom Uuka 🇿🇦 -- Bloemfontein Rose




Worldwide News

Latin League 12.08 -- The LL has suspended Montevideo 1B Salif Riitho 🇬🇲 and Asuncion RHP Alex Leonides 🇵🇾 for fighting. In the bottom of the 9th, with Montevideo rallying, Leonides hits Riitho with a pitch, and Riitho sees red.

Tale of the Tape:


I can't imagine this was a very long fight. Riitho, with five inches and 30 pounds on Leonides, easily triumphs.





Major League 12.09 -- Baltimore continues to wheel and deal, trading RHP Jean-Marc Bruneau 🇫🇷 and $2.2 million to the Mexico City Aztecs in exchange for 95th ranked prospect 1B Cody Tyson 🇺🇸, plus a 2nd round pick.

---





Latin League 12.09 -- Another big fight. Panama Niveladores 2B Angelo Reyes 🇻🇪 and Guadalajara Mariachis RHP Ignado Hernandez 🇲🇽 have been suspended after Hernandez, already down 3 in the first, decides to cut his own night short by plunking Reyes.

Tale of the Tape:


Pretty fair fight here. Hernandez outlasts Reyes with his superior stamina and beats him.






Liga Brasil 12.10 -- The Sao Paulo Industriais lose LHP Bartholomeu Burgeira 🇧🇷 for the season to a torn meniscus, in the midst of his breakout year.




Liga Brasil 12.10 -- Last year's home run leader Takeshi Lehrfel 🇧🇷🇯🇵 is approaching 'record watch' status with homer no. 15 in game 26. December 10 marks the halfway point of the BZL season, so Lehrfel is currently on pace to tie the record.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga 12.12 -- Gqeberha's Peter Mwinyimadi 🇿🇦 is a pretty good pitcher, but he may want to reconsider his approach next time he sees Dida Kalamka 🇿🇦.






Latin League 12.13 -- Lima RHP Jon Garcia 🇵🇪 will miss the rest of this season, and all of next, after tearing his UCL.




Latin League 12.13 -- Guadalajara 3B Danny Morales 🇨🇴 hits his first three home runs of the year, and contributes to all 7 Mariachis runs, but it isn't enough to beat his former team.





WWoB 12.13 -- Top prospects lists in Liga Gran Colombia and Liga Brasil have been updated:

In Liga Gran Colombia, SS Miguel Isaza 🇨🇴 leads the way with 3B Tony Medina 🇪🇨 ranked no.2. LHP Vinnie Anderson 🇦🇺 is the top-ranked pitcher (no. 7).


And in Liga Brasil, Sao Paulo has both the top batter and pitcher prospects in 3B Ze Sarmiento 🇧🇷 (no. 1) and RHP Fytor Caldas 🇧🇷🇯🇵(no.7). SS Adityagarbha Puri 🇮🇳 is ranked 2nd.




Standings (As of 12.14):

Latin League


Liga Brasil


Liga Gran Colombia


Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

[j.tom]

WWoB News 12.15 - 12.21.59

Top Performances by Day

12.15



12.16



12.17



12.18



12.19



12.20



12.21




WWoB Player of the Week (12.08-12.14)
RF Alex Hinojoza 🇲🇽 -- Panama Niveladores (LL)





Worldwide News:


12.15
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Major League

- Milwaukee signs OF Ronnie Brooks 🇺🇸 (3y, $26.5m), who was once considered the next big thing at just 16 years old.



- Former T-IV MVP C David Nanez 🇭🇳 signs with the Boise Cutthroats, 3 years, $48.6 million.




12.16
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No big news today.



12.17
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Major League

- San Antonio signs 6x ML Gold Glove winner Befikadu Osogo 🇿🇦 (3y/18m).




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

- Reigning SAL MVP Asmerom Uuka 🇿🇦 is one-upping himself this year. His latest feat: Tying the Suid-Afrikaanse Liga record for longest hitting streak, at 20.




12.18
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Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

- Asmerom Uuka's 🇿🇦 hit streak comes to an end as Bloemfontein falls to Pretoria, 3-1.





12.19
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Major League

- The San Antonio Bullets sign OF Marty Garcia 🇲🇽, 8 years, $174.4 million.




Latin League

- Kingston RHP Patricio Andrade 🇧🇷 throws 7 no-hit innings as a follower, facing the minimum, as the Crowns beat the San Juan Senadores, 1-0.





12.20
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Antarctic Research League

- McMurdo Station defeats Quinling Station for the ARL championship.




12.21
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Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

- The SAL top prospects list has been updated. The top two hitters are Pretoria 2B Luis Romo 🇩🇴, and Kimberley OF Yellel Mandara 🇿🇦. The top pitcher is RHP Masaharu Tsukada 🇯🇵, ranked 7th.




Standings As of 12.21:

Latin League


Liga Brasil


Liga Gran Colombia


Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

[j.tom]

WWoB News 12.22 - 12.28.59

Top Performances by Day

12.22


12.23


12.24


12.25


12.26


12.27


12.28




WWoB Player of the Week (12.15 - 12.21)

1B Juan Garza 🇦🇷 -- Guatemala Quetzals (LL)





Worldwide News

12.22

WWoB -- The latest power rankings in Liga Gran Colombia, Liga Brasil, and the Suid-Afrikaanse Liga have been released:





12.23

No big news today.



12.24

SAL -- Polokwane loses RHP Argan Muombwa 🇿🇦 for at least 12 months to a ruptured UCL.





12.25

LL -- A Christmas day cage match in the Latin League! Cardinales and Angeles fans were treated to a great fight in this one between Barquisimeto 2B Mario Garcia 🇻🇪 and Asuncion RHP Sergio Encinas 🇨🇺. After a hilarious sequence in the bottom of the 4th inning, Barquisimeto hits a pair of grand slams before bringing in Encinas, their third pitcher of the inning. On his second pitch, Encinas beans Garcia and the benches clear.

Tale of the Tape:


What Garcia lacks in height, he makes up for in weight and speed. He outmaneuvers Encinas and delivers yet another win for Barquisimeto in an inning full of them.

The full inning in question:





LL -- Managua gets demolished by San Jose, 18-9, but LF Marco Garcia 🇨🇴 hits for the cycle for the moral victory.





12.26

No big news today.



12.27

Major League -- Boise Cutthroats sign RHP Guglielmo Cappelletti 🇻🇪, 3 years, $8 million.




12.28

SAL -- Bloemfontein RHP Roushdy Kinoro 🇿🇦 no-hits Polokwane, the first no-hitter in the Suid-Afrikaanse Liga in 5 years!





Standings (as of 12.28)

Latin League


Liga Brasil


Liga Gran Colombia


Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

[j.tom]

WWoB News 12.29.59 - 01.04.60



WWoB Player of the Week (12.22-12.28)

1B Dev Venkatasubramanian 🇮🇳 -- Montevideo Falcons (LL)






Top Performances by Day:

12.29


12.30


12.31


01.01


01.02


01.03


01.04




Worldwide News

12.29

WWoB -- Big News! Three more leagues will begin play next season in the Wide World of Baseball: Liga Patagonia (Chile, Argentina), Sovetskaya Liga (fmr. Soviet countries), and Thịy Līk (Thailand).





Thịy Līk -- About 5 minutes into the THL's existence, Udon Thani Lotas shortstop Son Phang 🇹🇭 accidentally cooks his hand instead of dinner.




12.30

SAL -- 10 games, 10 wins in the last 10 days for the Gqeberha Seemeeue, who are running away with the race for the #1 seed.


GCL -- Reigning Liga Gran Colombia Best Pitcher Miguel Aguilar 🇻🇪🇨🇴 is out for at least a year with a torn UCL. At 40 years old, this might be the last we see of him.


LL -- Reigning Wide World of Baseball Player of the Week Dev Venkatasubramanian 🇮🇳 will not repeat, he's been suspended five games by the Latin League along with Quito pitcher Jean van Breda NED after inciting a bench clearing brawl.




12.31

CPL -- Guangzhou trades former Chinese Pro League, Africa League Best Pitcher Shi-fa Xue 🇨🇳 to the Tianjin Lions for RHP prospect Ming Ru 🇨🇳.



BZL -- Rio RHP Ryoichi Matsumoto 🇧🇷🇯🇵 is out for the season with an elbow strain.



LL -- A pair of hat tricks on New Years Eve in the Latin League. Veracruz OF Freddy Yanez 🇨🇺 gets three homers in a 15-9 win over Managua, but the best performance of the night goes to Omar Rodriguez 🇨🇴, whose third homer sent the fans home happy.




01.01

WWoB -- December Player of the Month: Kimberley (SAL) RHP Getachew Muthomi 🇿🇦.






EuroLeague -- After a 15-year run in the U.S. that included a T-III Best Pitcher award, RHP Gillespie Deane 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 is heading home, signing with the London Monarchs.




DEL -- Deutschliga #98 ranked prospect Kazuo Kurihara 🇯🇵 is out for 2 weeks after slipping on a wet floor and straining his gluteus.





01.02

LL -- No-hitter! Kingston Crowns RHP Gustavo Herrera 🇻🇪 throws the 15th no-hitter in Latin League history, and the first of the 2059-60 season.





GCL -- Reigning Liga Gran Colombia home run champion Jose Ortiz 🇨🇴 is out for the season with a torn labrum.




01.03

No big news today.



01.04

T-III Continental League -- Memphis Cavalry trade prospects RHP Hsui-chen Li 🇹🇼 and RHP Yu-zhang Mak 🇨🇳 to the Henderson Panthers for 2052 T-IV Best Pitcher Justin Cates 🇺🇸.





SAL -- Hard hitting journalism here.




Standings (As of 01.05)

Latin League



Liga Brasil



Liga Gran Colombia



Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

[j.tom]

WWoB News 01.05.60 - 01.11.60




Top Performances by Day

01.05


01.06


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01.09


01.10


01.11




WWoB Hall of Fame Class of 2060



The votes are in! Two players make up this year's World Wide of Baseball Hall of Fame class, from the UK League and India League.


OF Evan Bostock 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 played eight seasons in the UKL with the London Gents, winning the UK Series four times (2047-49, 2054). He was named UK Series MVP in 2054, and also won three UKL silver slugger awards and a gold glove at RF. Bostock currently holds the UK League record for most stolen bases in a season (2052, 51) and a career (296).



2B Devesita Gargeya 🇮🇳 joined the Wide World of Baseball late in his playing days, but made the most of it. He won four India Series titles (2047, '50, '51, '54) and three MVP awards (2048, '49, '51).







Worldwide News

01.05

WWoB -- The playoff race is coming down to the wire in Liga Brasil and Liga Gran Colombia, with just 11 games to go in each league's regular season. In both the BZL and GCL, 4 of 6 teams make the playoffs.

In Liga Brasil, only Salvador has distanced themselves from the pack, with 2nd through 5th place separated by one game.


The picture's a bit clearer in Liga Gran Colombia, where it would take an act of God to knock Cucuta out of the playoffs, and another to get Valencia in. Between them, it's a four-team dogfight for three playoff spots.




Baltic League -- Liepajas Dzintari RHP Tony Gallardo 🇨🇺 is out for 2 months after falling down a flight of stairs.





01.06

Major League -- The Minnesota Chiefs make a questionable trade, sending RHP Garrett Portillo 🇺🇸 to the Boise Cutthroats in exchange for OF Brandon Taliaferro 🇺🇸 and a 6th round pick.





Liga Gran Colombia -- The Cali Sultanes, fighting for oxygen in the playoff race, mount a massive comeback to walk off Maracay.





01.07

Major League -- Four-time ML MVP Kody Randazzo 🇺🇸 misses Hall of Fame induction this year by a single vote, capturing 79.7% of ballots in the world's only league that requires 80%. You'll get 'em next year, Kody.





Latin League -- Five days after its first no-hitter of the year, the LL has its second. Willemstad RHP Bobby Garcia 🇨🇼🇳🇱 shuts down La Paz, the league's best team, with 11 strikeouts. This is the first time a Cactussen pitcher has thrown a no-hitter.





T-II Union League -- 3-time Major League home run leader 1B Justin Evans 🇺🇸 signs with the Norfolk Royals for 3 years, $4.5 million.




01.08

Liga Brasil -- Sao Paulo RHP Joan Fal 🇧🇷, with 7 shutout innings versus Rio, earns his 34th BZL win, currently the career record.





01.09

Liga Brasil -- Despite a loss last night, the Salvador Tucanos are the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the BZL.




T-II Union League -- OF Justin Kauffman 🇺🇸 is announced as the Portland Beavers' new left fielder in a press release that was definitely written by his agent.





01.10

Liga Brasil -- Brasilia, Sao Paulo fail to capitalize on Belo Horizonte's loss and remain outside the playoffs.


Liga Gran Colombia -- Cucuta clinches a playoff spot, Cali and Maracay match wins to stay locked for final spot, Valencia's tragic number ticks down to 2.




01.11

Liga Brasil -- Salvador clinches the #1 seed, while win for Sao Paulo and a loss for Belo Horizonte brings them even for 4th place, with Brasilia just one game back.


Liga Gran Colombia -- A Maracay loss gives Cali sole possession of 4th place. Valencia is eliminated from contention.


Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Gqeberha becomes the first SAL team to lock into the playoffs.





Standings (as of 01.11.60)

Latin League


Liga Brasil


Liga Gran Colombia


Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

[j.tom]

WWoB News 01.12 - 01.18.60


The playoffs arrive this week in Liga Brasil and Liga Gran Colombia, and they are fast approaching in the LL and SAL. So, for the next few weeks we'll be focusing less on the news, and more on the baseball, but first...



WWoB Player of the Week (01.05-01.11.60)
1B Ming Ou-yang 🇨🇳 -- Medellin Carpinteros (LL)





Worldwide News

01.12

Liga Brasil -- Three-way tie for the final playoff spot after Brasilia wins, Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte lose.



Liga Gran Colombia -- Guayaquil, Cali, and Maracay, ranked 3-4-5 in the GCL, each lose, dropping Guayaquil's magic number to one with three games left to play.



Liga Gran Colombia -- Cali Sultanes 1B Israel Garcia 🇨🇴 is out for the season with a fractured hand.





01.13

Liga Brasil -- Belo Horizonte falls behind, Brasilia and Sao Paulo deadlocked for 4th.



Liga Gran Colombia -- A win and a loss by Cali keeps Maracay alive in the playoff race.




01.14

Liga Brasil -- Wins by Brasilia and Belo Horizonte, losses by Sao Paulo and Rio set up a tense final day of the BZL regular season.



Liga Gran Colombia -- In the GCL, 3 out of 4 playoff spots are now spoken for, with Cali and Maracay needing wins in game 60.




01.15

Liga Brasil -- A Rio loss earlier in the day sets up a 'win and you're in' scenario between Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo for a chance at a tiebreaker versus the Carnavais. Lifted by Zozimo Balduque's 🇧🇷walk-off grand slam, Sao Paulo sends Belo Horizonte to the couch. Brasilia picks up a win to avoid a 3-way tiebreaker scenario.



Liga Gran Colombia -- Maracay chokes away their opportunity, being shutout by the worst team in the GCL, but are bailed out by a Cali loss. The two teams will meet in a regular season tiebreaker game.




01.16

Liga Brasil -- The Rio Carnavais are headed to the playoffs! A heroic 3-run homer by Alberto Navio 🇧🇷 in the bottom of the 7th is enough to beat Sao Paulo for the final playoff spot.


Rio will face Salvador in the Semifinais, while Fortaleza faces Brasilia.



Liga Gran Colombia -- In the Liga Gran Colombia tiebreaker, Maracay smokes Cali in a game that could have been an email. Cali spent the last portion of the regular season rolling over and dying, they continue the trend in game 61 by giving up 13 before the 50/50 drawing.


Maracay will take on top-seed Cucuta in the Semifinales, Ibague and Guayaquil will also face off.




01.17

Liga Brasil -- Today is an off day in the BZL and GCL, so lets take a look at some of the stats leaders this season.


BZL Batting title: 1B Zozimo Balduque 🇧🇷 -- Sao Paulo Industriais


BZL Home run title: OF Takeshi Lehrfel 🇧🇷🇯🇵 -- Salvador Tucanos


BZL ERA title: RHP Jonas Stilwell 🇧🇷 -- Fortaleza Palmeiras




Liga Gran Colombia GCL stats leaders:


GCL Batting Title: OF Victorino Vioso 🇧🇷🇯🇵 -- Cucuta Centinelas


GCL Home run Title: OF Alberto Sanchez 🇨🇴 -- Guayaquil Piratas


GCL ERA Title: RHP Raul Aguilar 🇪🇨 -- Ibague Musicales




01.18 -- BZL & GCL Semifinals: Game 1

Liga Brasil -- Opening the BZL Semifinais, two excellent games to end the week. In Brasilia, the Gatos Pretos escape after a huge comeback in the 9th inning by Fortaleza, via a walk-off double by C Jorge Andrades 🇧🇷.

Meanwhile in Salvador, the #1 seed Tucanos were shocked by Rio in game one, letting the floodgates open with a top of the 9th Olivio Torro 🇧🇷 3-run homer to give Rio a 1-0 series lead.



Liga Gran Colombia -- Guayaquil goes up a game on Ibague after an offensive shootout, winning with help from a pair of Laurent Carlier 🇫🇷 homers.

Cucuta takes care of business to open up their series against Maracay, with the Centinelas pitching staff combining for a 5-hit shutout.



Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- With just a few days to go in the SAL season, here's how the playoff race stands. Extended coverage of the SAL begins next week and will run through the postseason.

[j.tom]

PLAYOFFS BEGIN IN SOUTH AFRICA; CONTINUE IN SOUTH AMERICA - WWoB News -- 01.19 - 01.25.60




It is crunch time, the first round of the BZL and GCL playoffs are underway, and the SAL playoffs get started this week, so let's get straight to the action.


Worldwide News

01.19

Liga Brasil -- Brasilia goes up 2-0 over Fortaleza behind RHP Aires Samico's 🇧🇷 6 shutout innings, Salvador evens their series with Rio with a 7-2 drubbing.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Both Semifinales series knotted at 1 after Ibague's walkoff sac fly, Maracay LHP Robert Ortiz's 🇨🇴 8 shutout innings.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- With 3 games to go in the regular season, Gqeberha and Bloemfontein are locked in, Pretoria needs one more win, while Kimberley and Durban race for the final playoff spot.




01.20

Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Travel day in the BZL and GCL, so South Africa is center stage today. Pretoria clinches a playoff spot with a win over Durban + a Kimberley loss.




01.21

Liga Brasil -- The venues flip for Game 3 of the Semifinais, with Fortaleza earning their first win of the series over Brasilia behind a big day from C Ximena Russel 🇧🇷. Rio goes up 2 games to 1 on the league's only above .500 team.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Pitchers step up big time in Game 3, with Ibague, Cucuta, and Maracay all getting excellent performances from their starters. Maracay, however misses out on a win.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Durban will enter the regular season finale tied with Kimberley, thanks to a Diamante loss and a walk-off single by Indringers 2B Abu Akrama 🇿🇦.





01.22

Liga Brasil -- Brasilia spoils a great starting pitcher performance by Fortaleza to go up 3-1, Salvador even with Rio after Marcelino Feij 🇧🇷, signed 12 days ago, goes 3-4.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Maracay gets another strong pitching performance and this time, they capitalize to even the series with Cucuta. Ibague goes up 3-1 on Guayaquil.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- On the final day of the regular season, Durban and Kimberley both pick up wins, setting up a tiebreaker tomorrow for the league's final playoff spot.




01.23

Liga Brasil -- Fortaleza stays alive, Rio pushes Salvador to the brink behind a great showing by RHP Ruben Martinez 🇧🇷.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Ibague ends Guayaquil's season, while Cucuta draws closer to Serie Gran Colombia, taking a 3-2 lead over Maracay. OF Juan Garcia 🇨🇴 is named Semifinales MVP for Ibague.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- On the final day of the regular season, Durban beats Kimberley for the final playoff spot tiebreaker, behind two home runs by 3B Tyler Ben Bella 🇿🇦.





01.24

No big news today. Off-day in BZL, GCL, SAL.



01.25

Liga Brasil -- Rio completes the stunning upset to knock out Salvador, while Ivo Susano's 🇧🇷🇯🇵 4-4 night and game-tying homer in the bottom of the 9th sends Brasilia to Serie Brasil.




Liga Gran Colombia -- In game 6, from the 4th inning on, Maracay pitchers give up a zip code (31222 - Somapura, Sri Lanka) and their season ends in an 11-3 defeat. Somehow Cucuta SS Jordan Duran 🇨🇴 wins series MVP, despite going 3-25.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- No big surprises in Games 1 of the SAL's Halfenstryde (Semifinal). Gqeberha wins a nailbiter over Durban, while Bloemfontein rides 7.2 no-hit innings by RHP Zoubeir Runihara 🇿🇦 to a walk-off, extra-inning win.





Top Performances by Day

01.19


01.20


01.21


01.22


01.23


01.24


01.25




Standings / Playoff Brackets (As of 01.25)

Latin League



Liga Brasil



Liga Gran Colombia



Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

[j.tom]

A CHAMPION IS CROWNED - WWoB News -- 01.26 - 02.01.60



Serie Brasil and Serie Gran Colombia kick into action this week. Let's go day-by day through each series.



Worldwide News

01.26

Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Both underdogs take wins in Game 2, Durban scoring all their runs via homers, and Pretoria beats Bloemfontein via a game-tying home run by in the 8th by OF Jordan Vickery 🇿🇦, and a game-winning 2-run triple in the 9th, also by Vickery.




Liga Brasil -- On the eve of Game 1, a comparison of the two teams left standing in Liga Brasil.




Liga Gran Colombia -- The tale of the tape for Serie Gran Colombia.






01.27

Liga Brasil -- Serie Brasil Game 1 is a low-scoring pitching duel with 6 total hits, a first-inning home run is all it takes to preserve a gem from former BZL MVP Eusebio Alferes 🇧🇷, a nice story two years after he suffered a career-altering shoulder injury.




Liga Gran Colombia -- Entering Game 1 of Serie Gran Colombia, Cucuta hadn't lost a game by more than 2 runs in over a month, but tonight, the seal breaks. Ibague 1B Bobby Flores 🇨🇴 goes 4-5 to improve his slash line this postseason to .455/.520/.864, and the Musicales win in a blowout, 10-4.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- It's an off-day for the SAL, so let's take a look at the regular season stats leaders. (Because I forgot to last week.)


SAL Batting Title: OF Ghenima Enobakhare 🇿🇦 -- Bloemfontein Rose


SAL Home Run Title: 2B Kenbede Amani 🇿🇦 -- Gqeberha Seemeeue (tiebreaker: 1 fewer at-bat)


SAL ERA Title: LHP Zak Peel 🇿🇦 -- Gqeberha Seemeeue




01.28

Liga Brasil -- Brasilia once again tries the 'only score in the 1st inning' strategy, this time with less success. A 2-run single by OF Francisco Galindez 🇧🇷 in the 6th inning gives Rio the lead, and they never look back, tying the series at 1 apiece.




Liga Gran Colombia -- With home field advantage already flipped, Game 2 is a nailbiter that stays 1-1 until the bottom of the 8th, when rookie 3B Armando Huerta 🇨🇺 gives Cucuta the lead and eventually, the win.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Like in Game 2, both underdogs win Game 3 in the SAL semis. Pretoria gets another big game from Jordan Vickery 🇿🇦, while RHP Sean Fifi 🇿🇦 pitches the bulk of a shutout for Durban.





01.29

Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Durban continues their miracle run, now just one game away from the finals. Bloemfontein evens their series with Pretoria in extras, thanks in part to a 3-hit night from OF Aghilas Kristo 🇿🇦.




Latin League -- The LL's best pitching duel of the season comes down to extras between Barquisimeto and La Paz, with Palomas RHP Luis Camacho 🇧🇴 taking just two pitches to undo all of RHP Alfredo Quintero's 🇬🇹 hard work. On the other side, the Cardinales get 8 shutout innings from RHP Alejandro Mota 🇨🇺. With just 13 games left, Barquisimeto is fighting to stay alive in the playoff race.






01.30

Liga Brasil -- Gatos Pretos' 1B Yasuo Inada 🇧🇷🇯🇵 comes up huge in game three, the former Serie Latina MVP's three homers are an exclamation point on a blowout to take a 2-1 series advantage.




Liga Gran Colombia -- A relatively quiet game 3 in Liga Gran Colombia. Ibague 2B Alex Millan's 🇨🇴 2-run double in the 3rd gives the Musicales the lead, and they never relent.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Gqeberha hangs on to avoid elimination, Pretoria gets a huge start from LHP Mutara Muhamadi 🇿🇦 and pummels Bloemfontein.





01.31

Liga Brasil -- In Game 4 of Serie Brasil, Brasilia takes an early lead on yet another Yasuo Inada 🇧🇷🇯🇵home run, but it's 2 insurance runs scored on OF Eneas Aleluia's 🇧🇷 2nd home run in his last 300+ at-bats that ends up making the difference.




Liga Gran Colombia -- A wild finish to Game 4 in Serie Gran Colombia. In a tie game, 9th inning, OF Alex Bermea 🇩🇴 hits a leadoff triple, then beats the throw home on an ensuing groundout to walk it off for Ibague and take a 3-1 series lead!




Latin League -- With just 10 games left in the Latin League season, here's a look at the latest playoff odds (full standings will be at the end of this post):

Divisions:


Wild Cards:




02.01

Liga Brasil -- Rio strikes back in Game 5, earning a dominant victory fueled by a great start by RHP Modesto Abe 🇧🇷🇯🇵.




Liga Gran Colombia -- The Ibague Musicales are Serie Gran Colombia Champions! They close it out at home in game 5 with a 5-2 win, and earn their first title. Ibague OF Alex Bermea 🇩🇴 is named series MVP, going 8/21 with a homer and 3 RBI.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Bloemfontein draws even with Pretoria to set up a Game 7. Meanwhile in a stunning upset, the 28-33 Durban Indringers are headed to the Suid-Afrika-reeks after hammering the 41-19 Gqeberha Seemeeue. Durban OF Declan Cooke 🇿🇦 is named series MVP, batting 7/20 with 3 home runs.





Top Game Performances by Day

01.26


01.27


01.28


01.29


01.30


01.31


02.01




Standings / Playoff Brackets - As of 02.01.60

Latin League:


Liga Brasil:


Liga Gran Colombia:


Suid-Afrikaanse Liga:

[j.tom]

MORE CHAMPS CROWNED; LATIN LEAGUE ENTERS HOME STRETCH WWoB News -- 02.02 - 02.08.60


This week, Serie Brasil wraps up, the Suid-Afrika-reeks gets underway, and the battle for the playoffs in the Latin League kicks into high gear...

Worldwide News

02.02

Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- The teams for the SAL championship round are officially set. Bloemfontein ends Pretoria's underdog run in game 7, advancing to the Suid-Afrika-reeks for the 5th consecutive season. Rose star 3B Asmerom Uuka 🇿🇦 wins Halfeinstryde MVP for a second straight year.





Latin League -- Tegucigalpa and Barquisimeto, both treading water in the LL playoff race, each get clutch shutouts by their starting pitchers to keep them alive. Tegucigalpa beats Guatemala behind a dominant shutout by RHP Sze Sung 🇨🇳 to draw even with Belize for the final Wild Card spot. Meanwhile, Barquisimeto RHP Juan Martinez 🇦🇷 walks the tightrope for an 8-hit shutout of Medellin, putting Barquisimeto ahead of Asuncion and Porto Velho for sole possession of the 4th LS Wild Card spot.







02.03


Liga Brasil -- In Game 6 of Serie Brasil, the Rio Carnavais bats come alive, as RHP Ruben Martinez 🇧🇷 pitches the game of his life. He throws a complete game, earning the win and preserving the Rio bullpen for Game 7.




Latin League -- In a game with huge playoff implications, San Juan SS Roland Gardner 🇩🇪 tees off on Port-au-Prince, getting 5 hits in a 10-1 blowout. The win puts the Senadores one game ahead of the Bicolores for the LC's top Wild Card spot and #3 seed, with 8 games left in the season.




Latin League -- Nueva Gerona is the first team to clinch a spot in the 2060 LL playoffs.





02.04

Liga Brasil -- Game 7 of the 2060 Serie Brasil is a nailbiter, with the Brasilia Gatos Pretos crowned champions for the fourth time. Neither offense gets much going, but it turns out to be Brasilia DH Bras Allen's 🇧🇷 2-run homer in the 4th inning that makes the difference. 1B Yasuo 🇧🇷🇯🇵, who hit 5 homers over 7 games, is named Serie Brasil MVP.




Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- Game 1 of the 2060 Suid-Afrika-reeks is a blowout, with Durban kicking in Bloemfontein's door with a 9-2 victory, thanks in part to 3 hits, including a 3-run HR, by SS Galal Iyapo 🇿🇦.




02.05

Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- After a snoozefest in Game 1, the SAR comes alive in game 2. A pair of Asmerom Uuka 🇿🇦 homers aren't enough for Bloemfontein, as they lose in 10 innings on a Billy Shomari 🇿🇦 home run, and fall behind Durban, 2-0.





Latin League -- Lima clinches a playoff spot as BC Rio and Paramaribo are eliminated.









02.06


Liga Brasil -- Following a humiliating Semifinais loss as the league's only team above .500, the Salvador Tucanos fire two-time champion GM Eduardo Sartores 🇧🇷.




Latin League -- Willemstad and Managua in, Santiago out of the LL playoffs.








02.07

Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- The Suid-Afrika-reeks takes center stage with Game 3, and Durban once again pops Bloemfontein to take them to the brink, buoyed by a 2-home run performance by 1B Meddur Alami 🇿🇦.



Latin League -- San Juan clinches a playoff spot, Willemstad clinches the LS Norte division.








02.08

Suid-Afrikaanse Liga -- In a year where they needed a tiebreaker game just to make the playoffs, the Durban Indringers are champions of the SAL for the first time! They finish off their Cinderella run with an exclamation point, with both the offense and pitching running on full power in an 11-0 shutout for the sweep. Durban OF Declan Cooke 🇿🇦 follows up his series MVP in the Halfeinstryde with another in the Suid-Afrika-reeks.





Top Performances by Day:

02.02


02.03


02.04


02.05


02.06


02.07


02.08




Standings / Playoff Brackets (As of 02.08.60):

Latin League



Liga Brasil



Suid-Afrikaanse Liga

[j.tom]

"THIS TOWN AIN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR THE FIVE OF US."
Wide World of Baseball Newsletter -- 02.09 - 02.15.60



With champions crowned in Liga Brasil, Liga Gran Colombia and the Suid-Afrikaanse Liga, the battle for the last few playoff spots in the Latin League will be decided this week. Plus, we'll find out the host city for this year's Olympiad tournament.



Worldwide News:

02.09


Latin League -- A pair of 15-K games in the LL! RHP Victor Tabares 🇲🇽 ties the Guadalajara record for strikeouts in a game, while technically (but not really) keeping the Mariachis alive in the playoff race. Meanwhile, RHP Fumio Martnez 🇧🇷🇯🇵 secures the Willemstad Cactussen single-game record versus Montevideo, in a game the Falcons desperately needed to win, locked in a tight LS Wild Card Race.





Latin League -- Today's Latin League scores; Lima and Nueva Gerona each clinch their divisions with wins:




02.10

Latin League -- With both of their teams out of contention, Santiago 3B Jin-woong Kim 🇰🇷 and Bogota LHP Danny Limones 🇻🇪🇨🇴 take an early vacation, each of them suspended for the balance of the season. With the seasons they've had, can't blame 'em.




Latin League -- Today's scores/standings, Panama and Port-au-Prince clinch playoff spots, Bermuda and Santo Domingo are eliminated.





02.11

Latin League -- Kingston RHP Chris Montero 🇵🇷🇺🇸 throws 5.2 shutout innings exactly when the Crowns need it most, helping them to a win to pull ahead of Tegucigalpa in the Wild Card standings.




Latin League -- Barquisimeto beats Buenos Aires behind 4 hits from OF Sandoval Ogasawara 🇧🇷🇯🇵, setting up a win-and-you're-in regular season finale between the Cardinales and Apples.




Latin League -- Heading into the final day of the Latin League regular season, three teams are fighting for one Wild Card spot in Liga Caribe, while the fight for the Liga Sudamericana Wild Cards has 5 teams in contention for three spots.

Today's scores and standings with one game left to play:





02.12


Latin League -- Today is the final day of the Latin League regular season! All 32 teams are in action, and several playoff spots hang in the balance...

Here are the six games with playoff implications today:



12:05 P.M. ET -- The Montevideo Falcons are left holding the short straw, ending up with the toughest opponent of any team left still fighting for their lives. If the Falcons win, they're in the playoffs. If they lose, they likely will be subject to at least one tiebreaker game, starting tomorrow.

The good news? With Willemstad resting its starting rotation for the playoffs, the ball goes to RHP Pablo Schalkwijk 🇳🇱, who enters today sporting a 7.42 ERA. The bad news? He's about to pitch the game of his career...





5:05 P.M. ET -- Hours later, Barquisimeto and Buenos Aires square off in a game where the winner heads to the playoffs, and the loser waits to find out their fate.

The Cardinales get the advantage early, but their offensive explosion is stymied by a 44-minute rain delay in the 3rd. After a stalemate in the middle innings, the gates open once again for Barquisimeto bats, as they open up their lead. Down 8-5 in the 9th, Buenos Aires loads the bases with 2 outs. Barquisimeto brings in their LOOGY, LHP Manny Cantu 🇻🇪, who in 4 pitches sends the Cardinales to the Latin League playoffs.





6:05 P.M. ET -- The fight for the playoffs in Liga Sudamericana comes to a head, with Porto Velho and Asuncion needing wins to stay alive.

Both teams get strong performances from their starting pitchers, with their bullpens doing more than enough. Porto Velho RHP Alfredo Hernandez 🇻🇪 gives the Helicionas 6 shutout innings, while Asuncion RHP Harley Schmidt's 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 5 shutout innings bring the Angeles to a win.




With play in Liga Sudamericana wrapped up for the day, four teams finish the regular season tied for the final two Wild Card spots.




7:05 P.M. ET -- The mission is very simple for the Kingston Crowns. Win tonight's game, and not only do they eliminate their opponent, Tegucigalpa, they also take out Belize and clinch the final LC Wild Card spot.

That... doesn't happen. In a game where neither side really ever gets the bats going, the Gamelas triumph, 2-1, lifted by a great performance by RHP Victor Castillo 🇭🇳, in his final start of an excellent season.



To end the regular season, both Tegucigalpa and Kingston finish 41-39, tied for the final LC Wild Card spot. Now, they wait to see what happens to Belize, and whether this will be a 2 or 3-way tiebreaker...



8:05 P.M. ET -- It all comes down to this for the Belize Havens. Their window of opportunity is open if Kingston loses later tonight; if Belize wins they will play a tiebreaker game.

However, by the time Kingston loses and opens the door for Belize, this one is already decided. The Havens are anticlimactically smashed by Port-au-Prince and 2B Robert Sandoval's 🇸🇻 3rd career grand slam, in the 3rd inning.




Tegucigalpa and Kingston will rematch tomorrow in a tiebreaker game for the final LC Wild Card spot:




02.13


Latin League -- On tiebreaker day, Tegucigalpa, Buenos Aires, and Porto Velho all convincingly claim playoff spots. Kingston, Montevideo and Asuncion have their hearts ripped out in Game 61.



Final LL regular season standings:




02.14


Olympiad Tournament -- The host city and participants for the 2060 Olympiad Tournament have been announced...

Prague, Czechia will host this year's tournament, with Team Czechia looking to regain strong form this year. They last made the Olympiad playoffs three years ago, losing to the United States in the semifinals after advancing out of their Round Robin pool.



And the field for the 2060 Olympiad. Nigeria, Greece, and Thailand will make their first Olympiad appearances while El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti fall off the board.




Latin League -- Today is an off-day before the playoffs begin, so here's a look at this year's regular season stat leaders, starting with Liga Centroamericana:



LC Batting Title: 2B Willie Salgado 🇨🇷 -- San Jose Vipers



LC Home Run Title: C Danny Burciaga 🇵🇪 -- Managua Macuilmiquiztli



LC ERA Title: RHP Domingo Amador 🇲🇽 -- Guadalajara Mariachis



Plus, the stats leaders from Liga Sudamericana:



LS Batting Title: OF Oscar Lluberes 🇵🇪 -- Lima Explorers



LS Home Run Title: 1B Dev Venkatasubramanian 🇮🇳 -- Montevideo Falcons



LS ERA Title: RHP Alberto Gomez 🇵🇪 -- Lima Explorers




Latin League -- The Best-of-3 Ronda Comodín (Wild Card Round) matchups are set. The playoffs begin tomorrow.




02.15


Latin League -- The first day of the playoffs sees Liga Centroamericana take center stage.

Tegucigalpa, on the ropes late versus San Juan, gets a rally in the top of the 9th, capped off by a sacrifice fly by OF Frank Velasquez 🇦🇷 providing the game's winning run to take Game 1, 2-1.

And in Haiti, the Port-au-Prince Bicolores can't get much going against Panama LHP Raul Garcia 🇲🇽, who allows a run 4 batters into the game, then follows it up with 5.2 scoreless innings. Injury is added to insult for the Bicolores when their ace, RHP Patrick Doucet 🇫🇷 leaves the game with a strained hamstring in the first inning.






Latin League -- The schedule for the remainder of Ronda Comodin, which picks back up next week.




Top Performances By Day:

02.09


02.10


02.11


02.12


02.13


02.14
No games scheduled.

02.15




Playoff Brackets / Pre-Playoff Power Rankings (as of 02.15)


Latin League

[j.tom]

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2059-60 Liga Gran Colombia


Standings:



Playoffs:



Champions: Ibagué Musicales



League MVP: OF Victorino Vioso 🇧🇷🇯🇵 -- Cúcuta Centinelas



Best Pitcher Award: RHP Raul Aguilar 🇪🇨 -- Ibagué Musicales



Reliever of the Year: RHP Sigmund Miller 🇩🇪 -- Ibagué Musicales



Rookie of the Year: OF Alex Bermea 🇩🇴 -- Ibagué Musicales



Manager of the Year: Martin Miniato 🇨🇴 -- Cúcuta Centinelas





Platinum Sticks:



Gold Gloves:



Stats Leaders:



Top Hitter Prospect: 3B Jonathan Sardo 🇻🇪🇨🇴 -- Cúcuta Centinelas



Top Pitcher Prospect: RHP Jose Ruiz 🇨🇷 -- Cali Sultanes



Top Upcoming GCL Free Agents

[j.tom]

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2059-60 Liga Brasil


Standings:



Playoffs:



Champions: Brasilia Gatos Pretos (4)



League MVP: 1B Zózimo Balduque 🇧🇷 -- São Paulo Industriais



Best Pitcher Award: RHP Jonas Stilwell 🇧🇷 -- Fortaleza Palmeiras



Reliever of the Year: RHP Pio Zote 🇧🇷 -- Salvador Tucanos



Rookie of the Year: RHP Heydar Rustamhanli 🇦🇿 -- Rio Carnavais



Manager of the Year: Urbano Lalitt 🇧🇷 -- Salvador Tucanos




Platinum Sticks:



Gold Gloves:



Stats Leaders:



Top Hitter Prospect: IF Adityagarbha Puri 🇮🇳 -- Salvador Tucanos



Top Pitcher Prospect: RHP Quim Farrusco 🇧🇷 -- Belo Horizonte Sóis



Top Upcoming Free Agents




Record Watch:
-- Belo Horizonte 1B Nazario Parracho 🇧🇷 ties the BZL single-season record for doubles.




-- São Paulo LHP Gaulter Palmeiros 🇧🇷 becomes the first pitcher in BZL history to walk 8 batters in a game on 11.13 versus Salvador.




-- São Paulo 1B Jaime Guadalajara 🇧🇷🇯🇵 is 28 away from becoming the first member of Liga Brasil's 500-hit club.

[j.tom]

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2059-60 Suid-Afrikaanse Liga


Standings:



Playoffs:



Champions: Durban Indringers



League MVP: 3B Asmeron Uuka 🇿🇦 -- Bloemfontein Rose



Best Pitcher Award: LHP Zak Peel 🇿🇦 -- Gqeberha Seemeeue



Reliever of the Year: RHP Dwayne Yao 🇿🇦 -- Gqeberha Seemeeue



Rookie of the Year: OF Jordan Vickery 🇿🇦 -- Pretoria Voortrekkers



Manager of the Year: Stuart Musamba 🇿🇦 -- Gqeberha Seemeeue




Platinum Sticks:



Gold Gloves:



Stats Leaders:



Top Hitter Prospect: OF Yellel Mandara 🇿🇦 -- Kimberley Diamante



Top Pitcher Prospect: RHP Masaharu Tsukada 🇯🇵 -- Bloemfontein Rose



Top Upcoming Free Agents




Record Watch:
-- Bloemfontein 3B Asmerom Uuka 🇿🇦 (pictured above) sets the SAL single-season records for total bases, slugging percentage, OPS, and WAR.



-- Bloemfontein RHP Zoubeir Runihara 🇿🇦 shatters the SAL single-season records in K's and K/9.

[T27]

Nice Japanese prospect there

[j.tom]

LATIN LEAGUE PLAYOFF SEASON
Wide World of Baseball Newsletter -- Special Edition


With only the Latin League active across the entire WWoB, and the playoffs ramping up, welcome to the first-ever special edition of the WWoB Newsletter, taking you through the entire LL postseason starting with...


RONDA COMODÍN



(5) Panama Niveladores 🇵🇦 vs. (4) Port-au-Prince Bicolores 🇭🇹

Game One -- Panama takes a 1-0 series lead.




Game Two -- Panama advances to Ronda de Ocho, sweeping Port-au-Prince. A game-winning Niveladores rally in the top of the 8th is capped off by 3B Ricky Oyarzabal's 🇨🇱 go-ahead 2-run homer.






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(6) Tegucigalpa Gemelas 🇭🇳 vs. (3) San Juan Senadores 🇵🇷

Game One -- Tegucigalpa spoils a fine performance by the San Juan pitching staff to go up 1-0.




Game Two -- The San Juan pitching staff bests their strong statline in Game One, throwing a 1-hitter to tie the series, led by RHP Austin Bieg's 🇵🇷🇺🇸 5.1 innings.





Game Three -- With their season on the line, Tegucigalpa looks to be in good shape in the middle innings. That is, until a San Juan rally in the bottom of the 7th, punctuated by 1B Oskar Rozhon's 🇨🇿 first career grand slam.






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(5) Buenos Aires Apples 🇦🇷 vs. (4) Barquisimeto Cardinales 🇻🇪

Game One -- In a rematch of their final regular season series, Buenos Aires looks to have a good shot this time, tying Game One in the 9th. However, Barquisimeto gets a pinch-hit RBI single out of Sandro Curto 🇻🇪 in the 10th to walk it off and take a 1-0 lead.





Game Two -- The Cardinales get a solo home run in the top of the 1st, and that's all they need for a win in Game Two as RHP Alejandro Mota 🇨🇺 and the Barquisimeto bullpen combine for a 3-hit shutout to send Buenos Aires back home.






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(6) Porto Velho Heliconias 🇧🇷 vs. (3) La Paz Palomas 🇧🇴


Game One -- Both sides get strong performances from their pitching staffs, but La Paz's bullpen cracks once, giving up a go-ahead pinch-hit homer to OF Osvaldo Santini 🇨🇴 to put the Heliconias ahead, 1-0 in the series.





Game Two -- Down 7-0, Porto Velho rallies back to make Game Two competitive, but can rally no further in a 7-6 loss. Veteran SS Luis Perez's 🇧🇴 bases clearing double in the bottom of the 4th inning proves to be the difference maker, forcing Game Three.





Game Three -- In an instant-classic pitching duel, Porto Velho and La Paz are locked in a stalemate until the bottom of the 9th, when C Sigfrid Brown's 🇩🇪 walkoff RBI single sends La Paz to Ronda de Ocho.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RONDA DE OCHO



(1) Nueva Gerona Vacas 🇨🇺 vs. (5) Panama Niveladores 🇵🇦


Game One -- Top-seeded Nueva Gerona fires off quickly, making it a 7-2 game through 7 innings before Panama threatens in the 9th, ultimately coming up short. A 6th inning, bases loaded walk drawn by OF Edgar Martinez 🇵🇷 produces what turns out to be the game-winning run.





Game Two -- Nueva Gerona LHP Fumio Taoka 🇯🇵 shuts down the Panama lineup (7.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 K) for a 2-0 series lead.





Game Three -- Nueva Gerona outguns and outpaces Panama in Game Three, thanks in large part to OF Bhadratmaja Rege's 🇮🇳 2 homer, 5 RBI night.




Game Four -- In one of the finest-pitched games in LL playoff history, LHP Alexis Zaragoza 🇵🇪 and RHP Vinny Vega 🇲🇽 combine to 1-hit Panama and complete the sweep for Nueva Gerona.







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(3) San Juan Senadores 🇵🇷 vs. (2) Managua Macuilmiquiztli 🇳🇮


Game One -- As both teams settle into the series, a quiet Game One is ultimately decided by a 2-run single by San Juan OF Edwin Hernandez 🇵🇷🇺🇸in the 3rd inning.





Game Two -- Managua leads for most of the night before giving up the lead in the top of the 7th. Their worries don't last long though, as an RBI triple by SS Francisco Alvarado 🇪🇨 ties the game. Although Alvarado is injured sliding into third, the run scored by his pinch runner later in the inning is the game winner.





Game Three -- Another big game for Francisco Alvarado 🇪🇨, who contributes to all four Managua runs by scoring two and driving in two more to carry his team to a 4-2 win. Macuilmiquiztli RHP Salvatore Rios 🇩🇴 contributes 5.1 IP, 5H, 1 ER, 3 K, 4 BB in the win.





Game Four -- San Juan gets a dramatic walk-off win in Game Four via a 3-run homer by SS Roland Gardner 🇩🇪, the first walk-off hit of his career.





Game Five -- Managua decides that it simply isn't enough to beat San Juan with a comeback. No, no. They need to crush their spirit. Sending 15 batters to the plate in the top of the 9th, 12 of whom score. 1B Jorge Hernandez 🇩🇴, who goes 1-2 with a grand slam in the 9th inning (4-5, 2 2B, 2 HR overall), is named player of the game.





Game Six -- If Managua's goal in the 9th inning of Game Five was to crush San Juan's spirit, mission accomplished. The Senadores spend the night flailing at whatever RHP Gus Garcia 🇨🇴 (7.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER) throws them, and go quietly into the void of elimination.






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(1) Lima Explorers 🇵🇪 vs. (4) Barquisimeto Cardinales 🇻🇪


Game One -- Lima RHP Alberto Gomez 🇵🇪, the 2059-60 LL ERA leader, puts up the worst start of his career (1.1 IP, 8 ER, 5 H, 3 K, 2 BB) at an inopportune time, and Barquisimeto pretty much has Game One locked up by the end of the second inning. 1B Carlos Morales 🇪🇨 (2-5, 4 RBI, HR) is named player of the game.





Game Two -- Lima returns the favor in Game Two with a blowout of their own. Explorers RHP Antonio Lopez 🇬🇹, who threw a shutout against Medellin his last time out, gives Lima 8.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 1 BB in the win.





Game Three -- A minor collapse by the Barquisimeto bullpen isn't enough to ruin RHP Alejandro Mota's 🇨🇺 5.1 inning, shutout performance.





Game Four -- In a tense Game Four, the Cardinales get a 3-run homer in the 8th inning from 3B Estaçio Califrnia 🇧🇷 to extend their lead and push Lima to the brink.





Game Five -- In a game not nearly as close as the score may indicate, Barquisimeto eliminates Lima after stunting their 9th inning rally. Cardinales 1B Carlos Morales 🇪🇨 is named series MVP, batting .316 with 6 RBI and 3 runs scored.






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(3) La Paz Palomas 🇧🇴 vs. (2) Willemstad Cactussen 🇨🇼


Game One -- Willemstad has two different players hit two home runs in Game One, but it's the 11th inning walkoff homer by OF Rafael Vasquez 🇵🇷🇺🇸 that Cactussen fans will never forget.





Game Two -- La Paz evens the series at 1-1 with a 6-2 win. RHP Mario Garcia 🇨🇷 (4.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) and the Palomas bullpen combine to keep Willemstad at bay.





Game Three -- Willemstad star C Cortez Ruiz 🇨🇴 goes off in Game Three for a 3-5, 2 2B, HR night as the Cactussen take a 2-1 series lead.





Game Four -- These two teams continue trading wins in Game Four; with a 5-run second inning and a strong start from RHP Antonio Maldonado 🇲🇽 (5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 9K, 0 BB), La Paz evens the series at 2 apiece.





Game Five -- In a pivotal Game Five, Willemstad turns to RHP Fumio Martnez 🇧🇷🇯🇵. Martnez responds with his first career shutout, a 2-hit, 3 walk, 10 strikeout statline in an 11-0 rout to pull within one game of the Semifinales.





Game Six -- The intensity ramps up in Game Six, a nailbiter of a battle between the Willemstad and La Paz pitching staffs. The game stays tied 1-1 from the 4th inning all the way until the 11th, when 3B Antonio Sinisterra 🇨🇱 hits his second homer of the game, a walk off to win it 2-1 all by himself, and sends Willemstad to the Semifinales.






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CAMPEONATOS DE LIGA




(1) Nueva Gerona Vacas 🇨🇺 vs. (2) Managua Macuilmiquiztli 🇳🇮


Game One -- In Game One of the championship series for Liga Caribe, Managua hangs on with a 1-run win helped greatly by RHP Salvatore Rios' 🇩🇴 7 innings of 1-run pitching.





Game Two -- Managua hangs seven on Nueva Gerona in the 2nd inning of Game Two, and cruises to the win. The rally is capped off by 1B Jorge Hernandez's 🇩🇴 2-run homer.





Game Three -- Nueva Gerona falls behind 3-0 in the series after being shut down by RHP Gus Garcia 🇨🇴 (8 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4K), whose ERA this postseason is now 1.64, and being hammered by OF Marco Garcia 🇨🇴, who goes 2-4 with a homer and 4 RBI.






Game Four -- Managua ends the Vacas' season with a dominant victory in Game Four. Macuilmiquiztli OF Alberto Gabrat 🇳🇮 is named series MVP, batting 5-15 with a home run and 4 RBI.






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(4) Barquisimeto Cardinales 🇻🇪 vs. (2) Willemstad Cactussen 🇨🇼


Game One -- Willemstad, on the ropes in the 7th inning, rallies for 5 runs, taking the lead on OF Miguel Mendez's 🇦🇷 2-run, go-ahead double with 2 outs.





Game Two -- The Cactussen earn another comeback win in Game Two, with help from two homers by 3B Antonio Sinisterra 🇨🇱.





Game Three -- An explosive 7th inning for Willemstad gives them yet another win, to push Barquisimeto to the brink of elimination. In a tie game, 3-3, OF Mannuell Topete 🇧🇷 stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, and cleared them with a double to give the Cactussen a lead they never lost.





Game Four -- Willemstad sweeps their way into Serie Latina in Game Four, with a dominant performance from starter RHP Vinny Flores 🇨🇼🇳🇱, who pitched 7.2 innings, allowing 1 run and striking out 9.






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SERIE LATINA 2060
(2) Managua Macuilmiquiztli 🇳🇮 vs. (2) Willemstad Cactussen 🇨🇼


Game One -- Managua's bats came alive last round, and the trend continues in Game One of Serie Latina 2060. Everyone in the starting lineup reaches base safely, and RHP Alfredo Olivo 🇸🇻 pitches 7 strong innings for his first Serie Latina win.





Game Two -- In a game two that briefly looked like it would be a humiliating choke for Willemstad, C Cortez Ruiz 🇨🇴, one day after his 24th birthday, saves the day with a walkoff homer to tie the series, 1-1.





Game Three -- Serie Latina heads to Managua for a tense Game Three, with the Cactussen edging the Macuilmiquiztli 4-3. Willemstad gets strong performances on both sides of the ball, with 3B Antonio Sinisterra 🇨🇱 hitting his 8th and 9th homers of the postseason, and RHP Bobby Garcia 🇨🇼🇳🇱 pitching into the 9th inning, and takes a 2-1 series lead.





Game Four -- Serie Latina continues with an unlikely heroic performance in Game Four. With Willemstad leading, half an inning away from taking a 3-1 series lead, Managua brings in OF Edwin Casas 🇬🇹, who spent most of this season riding pine, to pinch hit. He rewards them with a game-tying homer in the 9th inning, and a walkoff solo shot in the 11th to tie the series at 2.





Game Five -- In a pivotal Game Five, OF Miguel Mendez 🇦🇷 takes the reigns for the Willemstad offense, finishing a triple short of the cycle with 5 RBI and 3 runs scored, including a 6th inning grand slam, to bring the Cactussen within one game of the Serie Latina title.





Game Six -- Facing elimination, Managua lives to fight another day in Game Six, with yet another strong start from RHP Salvatore Rios 🇩🇴 that is almost wasted by the bullpen, before Managua is bailed out by a bases-loaded balk by Willemstad closer RHP Orlando Lopez 🇨🇼🇳🇱 that delivers the winning run for Managua in the 9th. If things go poorly for Willemstad in Game 7, fans may never forgive Lopez for that balk, despite his strong postseason.





Game Seven -- The only Game Seven of the entire Latin League playoffs pits unrelated RHPs Gus Garcia 🇨🇴 and Bobby Garcia 🇨🇼🇳🇱 against one another, with Gus taking a 1-run performance into the 9th inning, and finishing with 8+ IP, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K.

For the first time, the Managua Macuilmiquiztli are champions of the Latin League! Led by an offense that averages 5.82 runs per game in the playoffs, Managua finishes off Willemstad, 6-1 in Game Seven. SS Francisco Alvarado 🇪🇨 is named series MVP, going 11-32 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI.





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🇦🇷 🇦🇼 🇦🇺 🇧🇷 🇨🇦 🇨🇱 🇨🇳 🇹🇼 🇨🇴 🇨🇷 🇨🇺 🇨🇼 🇨🇿 🇩🇴 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇬🇷 🇮🇳 🇮🇹 🇯🇵 🇲🇽 🇳🇮 🇳🇬 🇵🇦 🇵🇷 🇿🇦 🇰🇷 🇹🇭 🇳🇱 🇺🇸 🇻🇪

Managua lifts the trophy on March 14, 2060, ending the Latin League season. That means we are now in waiting mode for more baseball until... tomorrow.

March 15 marks Opening Day for the most prestigious international tournament in the Wide World of Baseball. Join me on the next WWoB Newsletter, when we take a deep dive into the 2060 Olympiad...

[j.tom]

WORLD'S BEST FACE OFF IN OLYMPIAD
Wide World of Baseball Newsletter -- 2060 Olympiad Edition

32 nations, 960 players, one gold medal. The Olympiad offers the greatest concentration of talent that you'll find anywhere in the WWoB, and in the eyes of many, is baseball's greatest prize.

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GROUP ONE: Curacao, Czechia, Greece, Netherlands














Greece takes an early lead in Group One, but drops their final two games to the Netherlands to fall to 2nd at 4-2. Czechia has a chance to force a three-way tie in their final game versus the Netherlands, but is beaten 4-2 and eliminated from their home Olympiad. Curacao takes the Olympiad as an opportunity to vacation.


Group One MVP: RHP Bohumir Taborsky 🇨🇿 -- Normally, I wouldn't give MVP to a player whose team was eliminated in the group stage, but Czechia's Taborsky, who combines with opener Lumir Komarek 🇨🇿 to no-hit Curacao on March 21, is an exception.




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GROUP TWO: Argentina, Aruba, Germany, India














Argentina and Germany split their series with one another, while going undefeated versus Aruba and India to convincingly advance out of Group Two.


Group Two MVP: 2B Dennis Brennicke 🇩🇪 -- Germany gets three homers from its starting second baseman, tied for the most in the Group Stage.


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GROUP THREE: Australia, France, Italy, Venezuela















Venezuela and Italy advance out of Group Three, while Australia's three-game skid dooms them. France fails to advance from the Group Stage for the first time in 15 years.


Group Three MVP: 1B Hector Regalado 🇻🇪 -- Regalado only got 5 plate appearances, but he made the most of them, driving in 2 runs including a walk-off RBI single to beat Italy on March 19. In a group where nobody really stood out, that's enough to win him MVP.



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GROUP FOUR: Brazil, England, Japan, The United States














The United States plays a disappointing Group Stage, and now has to play a win-or-die tiebreaker versus England. Japan dominates, while Brazil's window of opportunity closes with a pair of extra-innings losses to end their tournament.


Group Four MVP: OF Seiho Nakaoka 🇯🇵 -- Nakaoka is the strongest hitter in a stacked Japan lineup, batting .500 (10-20) with 6 RBI.


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GROUP FIVE: Canada, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Thailand














Canada loses its opener but goes undefeated the rest of the way to claim Group Five. Thailand gets a rude welcome to the Olympiad, but plays spoiler to Mexico, who is forced into a tiebreaker against the Dominican Republic.


Group Five MVP: 3B John Blumberg 🇨🇦 -- Canada's offense scores the 4th most runs of any team in the group stage, and their star third baseman is a huge part of that, scoring seven times himself over six games.


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GROUP SIX: Chile, Cuba, Nicaragua, South Korea














In Group Six, Nicaragua sweeps Cuba, Cuba sweeps South Korea, and South Korea sweeps Nicaragua. However, South Korea is the only team to lose to Chile, and misses out on a chance at a 3-way tiebreaker.



Group Six MVP: 3B Jose Gomez 🇳🇮 -- Gomez bats .444 with the second highest OPS among all hitters in the Group Stage, including a leadoff homer versus Chile on March 21 in a 13-0 win.


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GROUP SEVEN: China, Costa Rica, Nigeria, South Africa














An upset winner in Group Seven as Nigeria, in their Olympiad debut, advances to the playoffs. China and Costa Rica are forced into a tiebreaker game. A win over South Africa in their final game keeps Nigeria out a 4-way tie scenario.


Group Seven MVP: 1B Chih Ju 🇨🇳 -- Ju puts on an offensive clinic, batting .526 with 3 home runs and leading the group stage in OPS by over 300 points.


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GROUP EIGHT: Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, Taiwan














Another surprise in Group Eight, where Panama takes the top spot and Puerto Rico falters, leaving Colombia and Taiwan in a tiebreaker game.


Group Eight MVP: OF Sergio Uranga 🇵🇦 -- Uranga hits .435 in the Group Stage, driving in 6 runs in 23 at-bats.


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TIEBREAKER DAY

With 96 games in the books, 12 out of 16 playoff spots in the Olympiad are spoken for. Games 97 through 100 will decide the remaining four.




China vs. Costa Rica -- This matchup to decide the last Group Seven playoff spot stays tight for the first two-thirds, but China's lineup is too much for Costa Rica's bullpen. SS Dong-po Choi 🇨🇳 puts up 4 hits in 5 at bats with 3 RBI to be named the First Star of the G-- wait, no, wrong sport.





Taiwan vs. Colombia -- Colombia gets the lead in the 5th inning and hangs on to it to send Taiwan packing. Millions of eyebrows are raised when Colombia brings in LHP Willie Saldana 🇨🇴, who's had a brutal tournament, for the save, but the gamble pays off as he works 2 no-hit innings to ice the game.





The United States vs. England -- The U.S. gets contributions throughout the lineup in a 6-4 tiebreaker win over England, avoiding becoming just the second American team (2050) to be eliminated from the Olympiad in the group stage.





Dominican Republic vs. Mexico -- In the most exciting tiebreaker game, Mexico sends the D.R. home in the Group Stage for the first time in six years, by way of a game-tying rally in the bottom of the 8th inning, and a 2-run walkoff base hit by C Alex Quiroz 🇲🇽 on his 22nd birthday.





🇦🇷 🇳🇱 🇨🇦 🇯🇵 🇩🇪 🇳🇮 🇻🇪 🇬🇷 🇵🇦 🇳🇬 🇮🇹 🇨🇺 🇲🇽 🇨🇳 🇨🇴 🇺🇸

With the 32-team field now cut down to 16, it's playoff time. The teams are split into two groups of 8 based on seeding, and will play a 7-game Round Robin to determine which two teams advance from each pool.


ROUND ROBIN #1: Argentina, Cuba, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, United States, Venezuela

















Cuba beats Germany on the final day of the Round Robin stage to advance alongside them. Two of four teams with five wins in Round Robin #1 advance based on a tiebreaker (I am not sure what OOTP uses to break ties in round robin playoffs). Losses to Cuba and Germany sink the United States, while losses to the U.S. and Cuba eliminate Venezuela. Japan makes a late charge, but it isn't enough to overcome their 1-3 start.

In the Round Robin championship game, Germany's pitching staff keeps Cuba scoreless for 11 innings after giving up two runs in the 1st, but the dam finally breaks in the bottom of the 12th, when 3B Alfredo Arroyo 🇨🇺 sends Cuba to the Gold Medal Game with a walkoff 3-run homer.




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ROUND ROBIN #2: Canada, China, Colombia, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Panama


















Round Robin #2 is a tidier affair, with Canada and the Netherlands prevailing with five wins each. China starts off 3-0 but falters down the stretch, while Greece does the opposite. Nigeria wins their first ever Round Robin game, 12-0 over Panama.

In the championship game for Round Robin #2, Team Canada's bats bark, but never bite, grounding into three double plays and leaving five runners stranded in a game of missed opportunities. RHP Leroy Mulkens 🇳🇱 NED earns his second win of the 2060 Olympiad, with 5.1 strong innings, and the Netherlands avenges their loss in the Round Robin opener.




🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱 🇨🇺 🇳🇱





GOLD MEDAL GAME Cuba vs. Netherlands

In the 2060 Olympiad Gold Medal Game, Cuba sends RHP Arturo Dominguez 🇨🇺 to the mound, while the Netherlands starts RHP Joey Janssen 🇳🇱. It winds up being Janssen who prevails with 6 innings allowing just 1 run. The Dutch take the lead in the second inning, and shut out Cuba the rest of the way for their first Olympiad Gold Medal! Cuba, who won gold a year ago, earns the silver medal for the second time (2044).




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2060 OLYMPIAD AWARDS

Most Valuable Player: Jesus Rivas 🇨🇺 (2)



Best Pitcher AND Reliever of the Year: Zi-cheng Fan 🇨🇳



Rookie of the Year: OF Cruz Salgado 🇵🇦



2060 Olympiad Champions: The Netherlands 🇳🇱




Players will now rest up as they await Major League Opening Day, and dozens of other opening days over the next few weeks.

[T27]

Congratulations to the Dutch I'll have to check who won it in my test I can't remember lol

[T27]

USA beat england in my save

[j.tom]

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2059-60 LATIN LEAGUE

Standings:




Playoffs:




Champions: Managua Macuilmiquiztli 🇳🇮




Liga Centroamericana MVP: 3B Jose Basquez 🇲🇽 -- Panama Niveladores




Liga Sudamericana MVP: 2B Bill Lopez 🇳🇮 -- Willemstad Cactussen




LC Best Pitcher Award: RHP Victor Tabares 🇲🇽 -- Guadalajara Mariachis




LS Best Pitcher Award: RHP Alberto Gomez 🇵🇪 -- Lima Explorers




LC Rookie of the Year: C Manny Garza 🇧🇴 -- San Juan Senadores




LS Rookie of the Year: 2B Arnaldo Sanguinacco 🇨🇴🇮🇹 -- Paramaribo Pufferfish




LC Manager of the Year: Ricky Oliva 🇻🇪 -- Managua Macuilmiquiztli





LS Manager of the Year: Mario Cardoza 🇧🇴 -- Willemstad Cactussen





Platinum Sticks:




Gold Gloves:




LC Stats Leaders:




LS Stats Leaders:




Top Hitter Prospect: 3B Frank Cortes 🇦🇷 -- Bogota Cobras
Top Pitcher Prospect: RHP Jose Castro 🇩🇴 -- Paramaribo Pufferfish




Record Watch:

-- RHP Frank Perez 🇬🇹, with 89 K's this season for Caracas, takes over the Latin League career strikeouts record, ending the season at 1,247.




-- 3B Hiroaki Golfn 🇧🇷🇯🇵 is three home runs away from becoming the first Latin League player with 250. He would have likely reached the mark this year if not for a season-ending broken kneecap.