November 15, 2063 — Gold Rush at the Awards Podium
They say winning fixes everything. Well, it doesn’t fix the potholes on Commissioner Street or the weird smell in the visitors’ clubhouse, but it certainly fixes perception, and this fall, the Johannesburg Gold are being seen in a whole new light.
The ballots are in, the trophies handed out, and the league has made it official: 2063 was the year the Gold joined the GBC’s top tier.
GM of the Year: Graham Luna
The headline award goes to the man who, just twelve months ago, was unpacking boxes in an office that had been home to four straight losing seasons. Graham Luna didn’t just steer Johannesburg to its first winning record; he took them all the way to the Grand Slam Cup finals. Voters noticed, giving Luna 83 points across 25 ballots to edge out Jerusalem’s Lee Scott, despite Jersusalem’s 108-win regular season. The victory margin was thin (just nine points), but the message was loud: what Luna built was his own, not an inherited juggernaut. And for a GM who still insists on paying for his own coffee in the ballpark cafe, the recognition is another layer of surreal.
Position Player of the Year: Peyton Leads; Gold Pack the Top 10
Cairo/London’s Blair Peyton won in a landslide, his .364 average, 118 steals, and 9.9 WAR making him a no-doubt choice. But Johannesburg made its presence known, as Adam MacDonald finished fourth, his blend of speed, defense, and patience cementing him as the division’s most well-rounded outfielder. Simao Hayagawa placed fifth, his power bat behind the plate as vital as ever. James Belinda (7th) and Essam bin Eisa (10th) rounded out a quartet of Gold bats in the top tier. When you can put four names in the league’s top 10 for value, you’re doing something right.
Pitcher of the Year: Seki Second
Buenos Aires ace Alapai Nalani took home the crown, but Kiminobu Seki’s second-place finish is the story here. In his first full season as a starter, Seki posted a division-low 3.55 ERA, paired with the best HR/9 (0.8) and K/9 (9.1) marks in the AfSAmOc. Max Dawe (4th) and Aaron Bridges (5th) also drew votes, with Jeff Bannon (11th) and Juan Garza (15th) getting honorable mentions. Depth has been a buzzword in Luna’s front office all year—and here it was on display in the ballots.
Rookie of the Year: Cordero Second
Cairo’s Zhao-hui Mei took the honor, but Emilio Cordero’s silver medal speaks volumes about his 118-game debut. A late-April call-up from Double-A, Cordero slugged .519 with 23 homers, injecting instant thunder into the lineup.
Bin Eisa (14th) and Husam bin Shareef (15th) also cracked the list, a reminder that the Gold’s youth pipeline is starting to produce.
Reliever of the Year: Torres on Top
No debate here: Cesar Torres led the division in saves (31) and anchored the bullpen from April through October. His 3.20 ERA and 1.32 WHIP earned him 27 of 28 first-place votes. Trade-deadline pickup Jay Chapman finished third, giving Johannesburg two of the top three relievers in the division. Fabiao Marcha (8th), Edward Johnson (9th), Ivan Martinez (11th), and Husam bin Shareef (13th) also appeared, proving this bullpen was more than just Torres and a prayer.
Silver Sluggers: Hayagawa and MacDonald Bring the Shine
Johannesburg claimed two bats on the AfSAmOc’s best-of list: Simao Hayagawa (catcher) and Adam MacDonald (outfield). Hayagawa’s 42 homers, .306 average, and over 100 runs and RBIs made him the league’s offensive benchmark behind the plate. MacDonald’s on-base machine act and gap power locked up his spot as one of the three best outfielders in the division.
Gold Gloves: The Outfield and Shortstop Lock It Down
The Gold weren’t just hitting—they were preventing hits, too. Dima Rozinov was the runaway winner at shortstop, validating the midseason trade that brought him over from Cairo. MacDonald added to his Silver Slugger with a Gold Glove in left, while Fareed bin Sa'eed snagged center field honors. Three defensive awards in one season? That’s culture change.
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Arbitration Results Finalized
The Gold avoided most of the courtroom drama this offseason, settling with two key arms before hearings. Kiminobu Seki agreed to a 1-year, $1.85M deal. Still recovering from a postseason injury, Seki’s camp opted for security over risk. Jeff Bannon signed for 1 year, $1.475M, keeping the steady righty in the mix for a spot in the middle of next year's rotation.
Two cases did reach a decision: Abdul-Sami bin Ya'qub won his hearing, securing $724,750 after the club offered $630K. Manny Costello also prevailed, landing $812,500 despite a rough 7.45 ERA season between Johannesburg and Sydney. The team had offered $500K, citing performance concerns.
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What’s Next: The Offseason Roadmap
Awards season is over. Now comes the hard part—making sure 2063 wasn’t a one-year wonder. Here’s the calendar:
November 16 – GBC Free Agency Opens: Expect Luna to be active in the bullpen market and sniff around for another bat to lengthen the lineup.
December TBD – Winter Meetings: Trade rumors, GM face-to-face meetings, and enough coffee to keep a relief corps awake until spring. The Gold will also finalize their Rule 5 draft board here.
December TBD – GBC & BBA Rule 5 Draft: Last winter’s Rule 5 haul (Callum Montgomerie and Husam bin Shareef) paid real dividends, proving that Graham Luna knows how to mine value from the bargain bin. With October’s playoff run exposing a few thin spots on the depth chart, don’t be surprised if he tries to poach another undervalued gem (or two) this year.
After that? It’s a sprint to spring. The Gold return as defending AfSAmOc champions, but the target on their back has never been bigger.
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Final Word
From front office to field, Johannesburg just had the most decorated season in franchise history. The challenge now isn’t chasing respect...it’s defending it.
And something tells me Graham Luna’s already drawing up the blueprint.
—JvW
