Baseball: The World's Game (OOTP 22 Fictional World)

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The top three records in the Bolivar League all came out of the Colombia-Ecuador Division. Two-time defending Copa Sudamerica winner Bogota won the division and the top seed at 93-69, but they were only two games from being out of the playoff entirely. Regardless, the Bats extended their postseason streak to four seasons and they earned their 14^th playoff appearance since 1991.

One game back was Quito at 92-70, followed by Guayaquil at 91-71. The Thunderbolts got the wild card and a repeat playoff berth, while the Golds had to stay home. At 90-72, Caracas won the Venezuela Division for the fifth straight season and the 11^th time in 12 years. No one else in that division was above .500.

Santa Cruz was the lone team from the 1974 expansion that had never earned a playoff berth. The Crawfish changed that in 2006, wining the Peru-Bolivia Division at 89-73. Santa Cruz edged Lima by only one game. La Paz had won a terrible division the prior year at 75-89. The Pump Jacks pitching staff set BL worsts with only 919 strikeouts and a 5.79 K/9.

Guayaquil’s Hector Correa made history as the first five-time Bolivar League MVP. Only home run king Valor Melo in the Southern Cone League had won MVP five times in Beisbol Sudamerica. The 33-year old Ecuadoran LF led in runs (125), RBI (142), total bases (424), average (.360), OBP (.422), OPS (1.131), wRC+ (187), and WAR (9.6). Correa also had 49 home runs and 215 hits. This would conclude his run with his hometown Golds after 11 seasons, leaving for MLB in the offseason and signing a five-year, $61,500,000 deal with Atlanta. Correa would return to BSA though for his final six seasons from 2011-16.

Pitcher of the Year and Reliever of the Year went to Caracas’ B.J. Ward. The only other time a BSA reliever won POTY was Pedro Heredia in 1979. The 29-year old American lefty had merely been a decent MLB reliever for nine seasons with four teams. Ward came to BSA in 2005 with Brasilia, then joined the Colts for 2006. He had 110 innings, 36 saves, a 1.79 ERA, 121 strikeouts, 224 ERA+, and 4.3 WAR.

Wild card Quito knocked out Bogota 3-1 in the Divisional Series, ending the Bats’ three-peat bid. This was the Thunderbolts’ first Bolivar League Championship Series berth since winning Copa Sudamerica in 1994. Caracas outlasted Santa Cruz 3-2 on the other side, giving the Colts their third BLCS in five years. Caracas claimed the crown 4-1 over Quito for their second pennant in four years. It was the 13^th BL title for the Colts, which leads all teams.



Rio de Janeiro earned the #1 seed in the Southern Cone League at 99-63. The Redbirds won a third straight Southeast Division title and a fourth straight playoff berth. Buenos Aires, last year’s wild card, dropped to 78-84. After a shocking 64-win 2005, Asuncion reclaimed the South Central Division at 87-75. The Archers were eight ahead of Santiago, earning their eighth playoff berth and seventh division title in a decade. The Saints fell short despite having a payroll worth $100 million more than Asuncion.

Belo Horizonte won a stacked North Division at 97-65, ending a four-year playoff drought. Salvador was one back at 96-66 for their fourth wild card in six years. Brasilia at 93-69 and reigning league champ Fortaleza at 91-71 both missed the cut.

After 11 seasons with Brasilia, 1B Bernaldo Lagasse signed a four-year, $29,600,000 deal with Rio. His Redbirds debut saw him earn his third Southern Cone League MVP. The 32-year old Brazilian switch hitter led in runs (125), doubles (41), walks (98), OBP (.470), slugging (.725), OPS (1.195), wRC+ (234), and WAR (11.2). He added a .371 average, 46 home runs, and 109 RBI.

Belo Horizonte’s Juliao Costa became the sixth pitcher in BSA history to win Pitcher of the Year five times. The 30-year old Brazilian righty led in ERA (2.25), K/BB (13.9), shutouts (5), and FIP- (42). Costa added 10.1 WAR, 305 strikeouts, and a 16-6 record with 13 saves over 224 innings.

Rio de Janeiro survived 3-2 over Salvador and Asuncion upset Belo Horizonte 3-1 in the Divisional Series. The Redbirds earned repeat appearances in the Southern Cone Championship and their third in four years. The Archers hadn’t made it since their four pennants from 1997-01. Rio was the favorite, but Asuncion earned their fifth title 4-2. It was an impressive bounce back from a shocking 64-98 in 2005.



In the 76^th Copa Sudamerica, Asuncion defeated Caracas 4-2 to earn their second-ever overall title (2001). The Colts have now lost in their last five Cups and sit at 4-9 all-time in the championship. Catcher R.J. Noriega was finals MVP in his second season. In 16 playoff starts, the Paraguayan had 18 hits, 10 runs, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, and 3 RBI.



Other notes: Caracas slugger Milton Becker had just passed Valor Melo the prior year as the all-time RBI leader in BSA. In 2006, he became the first BSA player to cross 2000 RBI. He’d retire after the 2008 season with 2226, holding the top spot until 2027. Becker would pass Melo as the home run king in 2007. Becker also became the seventh member of the 3000 hit club in 2006 and won his 11^th Silver Slugger.

For the first time in BSA history, back-to-back seasons passed without a single no-hitter. Mefisto Rodrigues was the 13^th pitcher to 250 career wins and the 28^th to 4000 strikeouts. 1B D.J. Del Valle won his 13^th Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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After seeing their playoff streak snapped the prior year, 2003 and 2004 Japan League champ Niigata had the top seed in 2006 at 101-61. They rolled to the North Division as Saitama fell to 75-87. The Green Dragons picked up their fifth division title in six years. They were one game ahead of Hiroshima for the top overall seed.

The Hammerheads extended their West Division streak to eight seasons, but it did not come easy. Hiroshima was 100-62, two games better than 98-64 Kumamoto and five better than 95-67 Fukuoka. With no wild card spots in the JL, the Monsters and Frogs are both stuck at home again despite having 10+ more wins than the other two division champs. Fukuoka has the longest active playoff drought in East Asia Baseball at 26 seasons.

Tokyo won the Capital Division at 84-78 for a second berth in three years. Chiba, who won 97 games the prior year, was a distant second at 74-88. Defending JL champ Osaka narrowly won the Central Division at 84-78, edging Nagoya by one game. The Orange Sox picked up their fifth division title in six years.

Despite Chiba’s struggles, their two-way star Junichi Muto was Japan League MVP. The 29-year old lefty on the mound led in innings (283.2), and complete games (18), adding a 15-13 record, 2.95 ERA, 309 strikeouts, and 8.6 WAR. At the plate and in the outfield he had 123 games and 108 starts with 5.4 WAR, a .312/.335/.577 slash, 171 wRC+, and 29 home runs. Muto played one more year for Chiba, then was traded to Tokyo.

Kawasaki’s Soo Moon became a four-time Pitcher of the Year winner. He led in wins (20-7), strikeouts (356), WHIP (0.81), K/BB (14.2), FIP- (44), and WAR (10.3). The 29-year old also had a 2.23 ERA over 241.2 innings. Moon had two more years with the Killer Whales before leaving for MLB and a five-year, $63,000,000 deal with Toronto. Injury would knock him out of the game after the 2011 campaign.

Niigata downed Osaka 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs, while Tokyo upset Hiroshima 3-2. The bad times continued for the Hammerheads with no pennants and six first round exits in their eight-year playoff streak. The Tides hadn’t gotten to the Japan League Championship Series since 1995. They couldn’t keep the upset magic going against the Green Dragons, as Niigata took the JLCS 4-2. The Green Dragons won their third pennant in four years and their fifth overall (1990, 1991, 2003, 2004, 2006).



Last year’s Korea League runner-up Yongin again had the top overall seed and the South Division title. The Gold Sox were 100-62, 14 games better than second place Changwon. Incheon won the North Division at 94-68, earning their fifth playoff berth in six years. Two-time defending EAB champ Seoul was one back at 93-69, picking up a third straight wild card.

For the second wild card, Changwon (86-76) edged out Busan (85-77), Gwangju (85-77), Ulsan (83-79), Daegu (82-80), and Suwon (82-80). Entering the season, the Crabs were tied with the JL’s Fukuoka for the longest active playoff drought, ****** back to 1980. This was only the third winning season in the last 20 years for Changwon. Seongnam was 79-83, which ended their playoff streak at five seasons.

Incheon 1B Kyu-Seong Lee won his second Korea League MVP. The 29-year old led in runs (116), total bases (392), slugging (.658), OPS (1.049), and WAR (8.5). Lee added 51 home runs, 121 RBI, and a .332 average. Like many others, the allure of MLB money would be too great for Lee, as he’d leave the Inferno in the offseason. He would ink a seven-year, $84,900,000 deal to join the Detroit Tigers.

Seoul’s Dan-U Lim won Pitcher of the Year honors. The 28-year old righty led in quality starts (23) and innings (264). Lim had a 19-10 record, 2.59 ERA, 240 strikeouts, and 5.3 WAR. This effort earned him a nice six-year, $33,400,000 extension in the offseason with the Seahawks, although he’d be merely mid throughout that run.

Changwon shocked top seed Yongin 3-1 in the first round, sending the Crabs to the Korea League Championship Series for the first time since 1965. Seoul outlasted Incheon 3-2 to earn a third straight KLCS berth. The Seahawks completed the three-peat, downing Changwon 4-2. They’re the first team to win three straight Korean titles since Daegu in the 1970s. Notably unique for Seoul is that they’ve done it as a wild card each year. It was their seventh title overall.



The 86^th East Asian Championship was a rematch of 2004, which saw Seoul win 4-3 in dramatic fashion over Niigata. The Seahawks were now looking to win a third straight title, but the Green Dragons ended up spoiling that hope in six games. This was Niigata’s second title, joining their 1991 sweep over Goyang. 2B Jae-Min Hwang was finals MVP in his ninth season for the Green Dragons. In 16 playoff starts, he had 23 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 11 RBI.



Other notes: SS Tokuei Kato won his 12^th and final Gold Glove, holding the EAB record for the position.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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The power in the Mexican League was concentrated in the North Division. Defending ML champ Juarez took first at 98-64, extending their playoff streak to five years. The Jesters set a new league record offensively with 1701 hits, which still stands as the top mark as of 2037. Still, they only won the division by one game over Hermosillo at 97-65. The Hyenas ended a 16-year playoff drought ****** back to 1989.

For the second wild card, Mexicali (93-69) just beat out Monterrey (92-70), and Torreon (89-73). The Maroons ended their own 21 year playoff drought and brought an end to the Matadors’ historic streak. Monterrey had made the playoffs a CABA-record 18 consecutive seasons, although they had been a wild card and one-and-done in six straight years. Still, this was a changing of the guard after the Matadors had dominated throughout the 1990s.

Another massive change was Ecatepec falling to 80-82, ending their South Division title streak at ten years. The Explosion had been the ML’s powerhouse in the 2000s with six straight titles from 1999-04. Winning the division was Merida, whose playoff drought dated back to 1982. The Mean Green hadn’t been a division champion since 1977.

Mexicali’s Iwan Valen became a three-time Mexican League MVP. The 29-year old lefty from Curacao won his eighth Gold Glove in center field and led in WAR (11.5), total bases (407), slugging (.679), and OPS (209). Valen also had 48 home runs and 126 RBI with a .331 average. He finally ended a playoff drought for the Maroons, but they knew they couldn’t keep their superstar. Valen would sign one of the richest deals in baseball history in the offseason, heading to MLB’s Cincinnati Reds at seven years and $95,900,000.

Pitcher of the Year was Hermosillo’s Simon Leal. The 29-year old Mexican led in wins (20-9), and strikeouts (312). He added a 2.50 ERA over 244.1 innings and 6.9 WAR. The Hyenas were able to keep him locked up, inking a seven-year, $66,500,000 extension in May 2007.

Juarez survived 3-2 over Mexicali in the first round, while Hermosillo outlasted Merida 3-2. The Hyenas hadn’t gotten to the Mexican League Championship Series since their 1989 title. They took the Jesters to the limit, but Juarez repeated as ML champs after a seven game war. Juarez was now 11-time Mexican League champs.



Haiti again was the top seed in the Caribbean League, taking the Island Division at 106-56. The Herons grew their playoff streak to a decade with nine division titles in that run. Over in the Continental Division, Honduras took first at 98-64 to grow their own playoff streak to nine years. It was also the 15^th playoff berth since 1990 for the Horsemen.

Defending CABA champ Salvador was second at 95-67, taking the first wild card. The Stallions’ playoff streak was at four with and they saw a 12^th berth in 13 years. There was a big gap to the second wild card with Santo Domingo and Nicaragua tying at 84-78. Havana was right behind at 83-79, as was Santiago (81-81), Costa Rica (80-82), and Guatemala (80-82). The Dolphins beat the Navigators in the tiebreaker game, ending an eight-year playoff drought for SD.

Salvador LF Darion Gaudi won Caribbean League MVP with historic power, tying CABA’s single-season home run record of 72 set by Yohnny Galaz in 1988. No one would top this mark in CABA until 2034. Gaudi also had 159 RBI, the third-most in a season. The 25-year old Jamaican switch hitter also led in total bases (461), and slugging (.752) while adding a .336 average and 8.2 WAR. Gaudi would earn a six-year, $48,900,000 extension before the 2008 season largely from this season. Knee issues ultimately kept Gaudi from excelling beyond this one remarkable season.

Salvador also had the Pitcher of the Year in second-year lefty Mateo Ramirez. The 23-year old Dominican led in strikeouts (340), innings (265.1), WHIP (0.99), quality starts (21), and WAR (9.1). Ramirez also had a 2.61 ERA and 19-7 record. Also of note, Haiti’s Alejandro Valadez became CABA’s first five-time Reliever of the Year winner, earning them consecutively. He would leave for a relatively unremarkable MLB run the next year.

Division champs won in round one 3-1 with Haiti over Santo Domingo and Honduras over Salvador. Despite the playoff streaks for both, it was only the third time in that run that the Herons and Horsemen met in the Caribbean League Championship Series. Haiti cruised to a sweep to reclaim the throne for the first time since the 2000-02 three-peat. The Herons became seven-time CL champs.



In the 96^th Central American Baseball Association Championship, Juarez seemed on their way to a sweep initially. The Jesters won the first three games, but Haiti made the stunning comeback to win the series 4-3. The only other time in CABA Championship history to see a 3-0 rally was the very first final in 1991 with Merida over Havana.



The Herons became four-time CABA champs and won their third title of the 2000s. (1938, 2001, 2002, 2006). Finals MVP was 1B Ivan Moran with the 26-year old Honduran making 14 starts with 25 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, and 14 RBI.

Other notes: Mexicali’s Ernesto Rincon had 246 hits, the second most in a CABA season to date. Only Prometheo Garcia’s 252 from 1949 were better. Havana had 294 doubles as a team, the second-most in CL history to that point. Honduras’ Jose Cardenas had a 32-game hit streak and Trinidad’s Augusto Jaen had a 31-game one.

Hugh Boerboom became the fifth to reach 2000 career RBI. He would retire after 2006 with 2008 RBI, fifth on the all-time chart. Boerboom would also finish at 866 home runs, easily holding the top spot there until Noah Breton passed him in the late 2020s. As of 2037, Boerboom is still second in CABA homers and seventh in RBI.

Maikel Loya became the 13^th member of the 600 home run club and the 13^th to reach 1500 runs scored. Loya played three more years, getting to 689 dingers and 1796 runs. SS Rafino Piloto won his tenth Gold Glove. David Davila won his 11^th Silver Slugger at shortstop. Davila also became the 43^rd player to cross 2500 career hits.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Last year’s National Association Championship Series runner-up Quebec City had the top seed in 2006 at 102-60. This was a franchise record for the Nordiques, who won the Northeast Division. The #2 seed went to Winnipeg at 99-63 atop the Upper Midwest Division. It was the second division title in three years for the Wolves, who won the pennant in 2004. They fended off tough competition from Cleveland (95-67), Detroit (93-69), and Minneapolis (90-72).

The Cobras ended up getting the first wild card for their third playoff berth in four years. The Tigers tied with Boston for the second wild card at 93-69, while the Moose fell three games short. The one-game tiebreaker went to the Red Sox, giving them their second berth in three years. In the Lower Midwest Division, Indianapolis ended a three-year playoff drought by taking it at 91-71. It was their first division title since 2000. Columbus was second, four back at 87-75.

In the East Division, Pittsburgh prevailed at 91-71, edging Brooklyn by three games. While the Pirates were a wild card in 2003, this was their first division title since 1967. Reigning National Association champ Philadelphia fell off hard, dropping to 74-88. The Phillies had won the division four of the last five years and hadn’t posted a losing season since 1998.

Boston 1B Joran Mallery won his second National Association MVP in three years. The 24-year old from New Hampshire led in doubles (41), and WAR (9.4) in only his fourth season. Mallery added 35 home runs, 93 RBI, a .334/.402/.585 slash, and 206 wRC+. The Red Sox wanted him as the face of the franchise long term and signed him after the 2007 campaign to an eight-year, $98,700,000 deal.

Louisville’s Joshua Williams won his second Pitcher of the Year in only his third season. The 23-year old righty from Raleigh, North Carolina led in ERA (1.87), innings (270), strikeouts (327), walks (98), quality starts (30), FIP- (48), and WAR (11.4). His WAR total was the 15^th highest single-season by a MLB pitcher.

The first round of the playoffs had Cleveland sweep Pittsburgh and Indianapolis sweep Boston. The Cobras rolled on, upsetting top seed Quebec City 3-0. This gave Cleveland its first National Association Championship Series since winning it all in 2000. Winnipeg stopped the Racers 3-1 to set up a shot at their second pennant in three years. The Wolves took the series 4-1 over the Cobras to earn their second pennant.



The fight for the top seed was intense in the American Association with the top three teams all within one game of each other. Nashville ended up taking it at 101-61, bouncing back after only 76 wins in 2005. The Knights earned their fourth Southeast Division title in six years. For the other bye, Northwest Division champ Salt Lake City and South Central Division champ Austin both finished 100-62. The tiebreaker gave the Loons the bye.

For SLC, this was a third straight playoff berth. They were 10 games ahead of Portland in the division. Defending World Series champion Seattle was a distant third at 82-80, missing the playoffs for only the second time in nine years. For the Amigos, it was their second berth in three years. They had to fend off a fierce challenge from 98-64 Houston. The Hornets earned the first wild card and extended their playoff streak to five seasons.

Albuquerque and San Diego tied for the Southwest Division title at 95-67. The tiebreaker game went to the Isotopes for back-to-back division titles. Albuquerque’s playoff streak grew to six seasons, the longest active streak in MLB. The Seals were the second wild card, five games better than their closest foe Portland. San Diego ended a two-year playoff drought.

Salt Lake City CF Morgan Short won his third consecutive American Association MVP. He won his second Gold Glove as well, leading in WAR (11.9), doubles (48), average (.378), OBP (.449), and OPS (1.061). This was Short’s fourth straight batting title and third straight year with 11.9 WAR, giving him the fourth, fifth, and sixth best single-seasons by an MLB position player. Short also added 20 home runs and 102 RBI. The Loons had given Short an eight-year, $76,800,000 extension the prior winter.

Austin’s Archer Calloway won Pitcher of the Year in his fifth season. The lefty from San Antonio led in wins (23-7), quality starts (25), and shutouts (5). Calloway added 2.52 ERA, 288 strikeouts, and 7.2 WAR over 268 innings. He would sign a five-year, $41,280,000 extension with the Amigos in the offseason.

Houston edged Albuquerque 2-1 and San Diego upset Austin 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs. The Hornets went onto shock Salt Lake City 3-1 in round two. Despite their playoff streak, Houston hadn’t gotten to the American Association Championship Series since 1995. On the other side, Nashville survived 3-2 against the Seals. The Knights last played in the AACS in 2002 and won the pennant in 2001. Nashville cruised to a sweep of Houston to become five-time AA champs (1944, 1947, 1954, 2001, 2006).



The 106^th World Series saw Nashville defeat Winnipeg 4-1, giving the Knights their second MLB title of the 2000s. It was their third overall, as they also won back in 1954. World Series MVP was SS Mohammed Mohamed. The 32-year old Saudi was a five-time Arab League MVP with Mosul who signed with Nashville in 2005 at six years and $67,000,000. Mohamed missed almost all of 2005 with a torn PCL, but had a Silver Slugger 2006 season. In 14 playoff starts, he had 17 hits, 10 runs, 3 home runs, and 7 RBI.



Other notes: MLB’s 20^th Perfect Game came on May 20 from San Diego’s Johnny Aschenbrenner, who struck out 10 against Oakland. Cincinnati’s Ivor Schneider had a 30-game hit streak. Bryson Wightman became the 55^th member of the 3000 hit club.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Major League Baseball’s lone Hall of Fame inductee in 2007 was SS Bernd Sprenger, who earned a first ballot nod at 73.6%. RF Brian Ostrovskaya came close to the 66% requirement, but missed it with 61.5% on his third try. Five other returners were above 55%, but short of 60%. CL Alex Cantos had 59.5% on his ninth try, CL Brendan Gordon got 58.9% for his second, CF Will Kemme had 57.2% on his third, RF Mike Castaneda had 56.9% on his sixth and SP Ollie Husband was at 56.0% on his ninth.



Just above 50% was CL Christopher Fournier on his second ballot, CL Isaac Porter on his third, and RF Xavier Chojnacki on his fourth. The second best debut on the ballot was CL Jordan Neveau at a mere 32.2%.

The only player dropped after ten ballots was 1B Roy Cote, who played 19 seasons for Calgary. He had 3157 hits, 1639 runs, 550 doubles, 478 home runs, 1775 RBI, 997 walks, a .290/.351/.480 slash, 123 wRC+, and 57.0 WAR. Cote’s longevity got him some key accumulations and he won two World Series rings with the Cheetahs.

However, he had only one Silver Slugger and the advanced stats suggest he was an above average guy with tenure. Poor defense and baserunning meant he had surprisingly low WAR when considering his finally tallies. Still, Cote remains 12^th all-time in doubles, 38^th in RBI, and 46^th in hits. Cote got as high as 60.1% on the 2004 ballot, but was usually in the 40s, ending at 46.8%.


Jayden Slater also notably fell off after nine ballots, falling below 5% and peaking at 19.2%. He had 2116 hits, 1230 runs, 304 doubles, 564 home runs, 1441 RBI, a .252/.328/.493 slash, 129 wRC+, and 52.5 WAR over 16 years. Slater was at that point the fourth guy to miss the MLB HOF despite having 560+ dingers. He also only had one Silver Slugger and largely played for subpar teams.



Bernd “Noodle” Sprenger – Shortstop – Denver Dragons – 73.6% First Ballot

Bernd Sprenger was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting shortstop from Badbergen, Germany; a small town of around 5,000 in Lower Saxony. He was nicknamed “Noodle” for his love of pasta. Sprenger was the rare shortstop who was excellent at hitting both for contact and power. Eight different seasons, Sprenger hit 40+ homers. He could find the gap too with around 30 walks per 162 game average. Sprenger’s eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts were both average. He was a smart baserunner, but his speed was lousy.

Despite poor straight line speed, Sprenger had solid range and glovesmanship. He was a career shortstop and graded out as above average to good, even winning two Gold Gloves in his early years. Sprenger had some nagging elbow, knee and back troubles, but held up pretty well at a demanding position for 23 years. He was a great leader and became a beloved international baseball figure.

Sprenger holds a very unique distinction as being a Hall of Famer in MLB despite beginning his career in a different league. Growing up in Germany, he caught the attention of a scout from Belfast. In June 1976, he signed a developmental deal and moved to Northern Ireland. Sprenger also was a rare player to debut at age 19, seeing only a few appearances in 1979. He was a full-time starter the next six years with the Brewers, although he did miss some time in 1981 and 1983 with elbow injuries.

In his third full season, Sprenger emerged as an absolute stud. From 1982-85, he posted four straight seasons with 11+ WAR, leading the Northern Conference in 1982, 1984, and 1985. Great defense played a role, winning Gold Gloves in 1982 and 1983. Sprenger also won Silver Sluggers each of those four seasons. He led in batting average and OBP in 1984 with career bests at .363 and .424, respectively. Sprenger also smacked 37, 44, 54, and 57 home runs in those seasons.

Even stuck on some abysmal Belfast teams, Sprenger was hard to miss. However, the Brewers’ best season during his tenure was 75-87, which may have kept him from winning MVP. Still, Sprenger took second in four consecutive seasons from 1982-85. He soon became a national hero back in Germany from the World Baseball Championship. Sprenger had started with the squad in 1981 and played 212 games and made 207 starts over the next two decades.

In 1983, Sprenger led the Germans to their first-ever world title, defeating Ukraine in the championship. He won tournament MVP with 33 hits, 20 runs, 15 home runs, 28 RBI, a .314/.342/.790 slash, and 2.0 WAR over 25 starts. Germany made it back to the 1991 final, falling to Canada. Sprenger was second in MVP voting that year with 30 hits, 16 runs, 8 doubles, 9 homers, and 17 RBI over 25 starts.

In total for the German team, Sprenger had 210 hits, 143 runs, 46 doubles, 78 home runs, 166 RBI, a .263/.325/.619 slash, 164 wRC+, and 10.5 WAR. As of 2037, he’s played more games than anyone for Germany and sits second in WAR by position players, first in hits, first in RBI, second in runs, and second in homers. Among all position players, Sprenger is 30^th in WAR as of 2037, as well as 17^th in homers, 16^th in RBI, and 26^th in hits.

With that, Sprenger was known across the baseball world and was a very hot commodity entering free agency at only age 26. Belfast showed no signs of climbing from the cellar and likely had no chance of matching his expected offers. Thus ended Sprenger’s EBF run after only seven seasons. As a Brewer, Sprenger had 1016 hits, 500 runs, 170 doubles, 223 home runs, 571 RBI, a .323/.376/.609 slash, 179 wRC+, and 55.2 WAR.

It would be Denver who signed Sprenger to an eight-year, $12,500,000 deal to start his MLB run in 1986. In this era, the Dragons reached out to a number of international stars, including EAB Hall of Fame arm Aiya Kodama and former Chinese League MVP Haojian Yu. The signings paid off, as the Dragons became a regular American Association contender in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Injuries cost Sprenger almost half of his debut season of 1986, but he was still so good that he won a Silver Slugger anyway. He won the Slugger in all eight of his Denver seasons, giving him 12 total counting the Belfast run. All of his seasons had 5.5+ WAR with two being worth 9+ WAR. Sprenger led in WAR in 1987 with 9.4. His MLB best was 9.6 in 1990, which also saw an AA-best 142 RBI, 392 total bases, and .624 slugging. He hit 40+ homers five straight years from 1987-91. Sprenger’s 52 homers in 1990 was his MLB best, leading him to his lone MVP.

From 1988-93, Denver had five playoff appearances and four division titles. The Dragons won the American Association in 1989 and 1991 and fell in the 1993 AACS. In 1989, Denver defeated Hartford in the World Series with Sprenger getting 19 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 3 home runs, and 13 RBI in the playoff run. His Dragons career playoff stats were surprisingly underwhelming though with 47 starts, 48 hits, 23 runs, 11 home runs, 30 RBI, a .257/.281/.481 slash, 105 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR.

Regardless, Sprenger was a beloved superstar in the Mile High City and his #7 would be the first-ever uniform number retired by the Dragons. His contract expired after the 1993 season, becoming a free agent at age 34. Sprenger would sign a four-year, $12,600,000 deal with San Francisco.

Sprenger was less dominant in this stage of his career, but was still a very solid starter. He stepped up and won AACS MVP in 1994, helping the Gold Rush to a World Series title over Cleveland. In that run, he had 19 hits, 13 runs, 8 doubles, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI. San Francisco earned first round byes the next two seasons, but went one-and-done in the playoffs. Sprenger missed big chunks of 1996 to a knee sprain and to a dislocated shoulder in 1997.

He was a free agent again at age 38 and Denver brought him back for two years and $8,400,000. He had a resurgence with 5.2 WAR in the 1999 season. Between the two Denver runs, Sprenger had 1535 hits, 849 runs, 239 doubles, 383 home runs, 995 RBI, a .295/.345/.568 slash, 144 wRC+, and 63.7 WAR.

After that, San Francisco brought him back for $13,000,000 and two years. Elbow troubles kept him out much of 2000, although he was unremarkable when healthy. Sprenger was relegated to a bench role in 2001, struggling to a .189 average and -0.6 WAR.

Between the runs with the Gold Rush, he had 482 hits, 290 runs, 85 doubles, 104 home runs, 311 RBI, a .250/.302/.461 slash, 109 wRC+, and 13.9 WAR. Sprenger hoped to play in 2002, but was clearly cooked at this point. He retired that winter at age 43.

For his MLB career, Sprenger had 2017 hits, 1139 runs, 324 doubles, 487 home runs, 1306 RBI, a .283/.334/.539 slash, 135 wRC+, and 77.6 WAR. Starting off in Europe did lower his grand accumulations a bit within MLB, which did distance some voters. His immense popularity and role in World Series wins for two franchises though got him across the line for most voters.

Sprenger earned 73.6%, enough for a first ballot nod as the lone MLB Hall of Famer in 2007. For his full pro career, he had 3033 hits, 1639 runs, 494 doubles, 710 home runs, 1877 RBI, a .295/.347/.561 slash, 148 wRC+, and 132.8 WAR. Those combined totals and his WBC heroics prove that for much of the 1980s and 1990s, there were very few better shortstops in the world than Bernd Sprenger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Only LF Luis Martinez earned induction into the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 2007. He barely did it too, just crossing the 66% requirement with 67.0% on his fifth ballot. The only debuting player above 50% was RF Dion Juarez at 56.3%. CF Manuel Rodriguez was the one other guy above 50% with 50.6% on his fifth try.



The ballot got purged a bit with four players getting dropped after ten failed tries. SP Simon Pech led this group, ending at 14.2% and peaking at 26.6% in 1999. He had only 11 years and won 1981 Pitcher of the Year, posting a 163-117 record, 3.20 ERA, 2687 innings, 2566 strikeouts, 113 ERA+, and 51.9 WAR. He lacked the longevity or dominance beyond one strong year to get any traction.

Fellow SP Jeronimo Talavarea pitched 15 years and got as high as 47.8% in 2006 before plummeting to a low of 13.0% in 2007. His CABA run was all with Nicaragua and saw a 178-126 record, 3.09 ERA, 2797.2 innings, 2691 strikeouts, 118 ERA+, and 50.9 WAR. Another fairly firm “Hall of Good” type guy.

Likewise was SP Sergio Mendoza, who had 12 seasons with six teams. He had a 156-102 record, 2.91 ERA, 2528 innings, 2245 strikeouts, 116 ERA+, and 44.3 WAR. He debuted at 18.0% and never got higher, ending at 9.2%.

Lastly was Tonto Lorenzo, who was at least notable for winning six Gold Gloves and titles with both Juarez and Monterrey. In 11 CABA seasons, he had a 135-110 record, 2.84 ERA, 2365 innings, 2107 strikeouts, 116 ERA+, and 44.5 WAR. Lorenzo peaked with his debut ballot at 15.1% and ended at 7.3%. Each guy had fine careers, but was correctly kept outside of the Hall of Fame.



Luis Martinez – Left Field – Ecatepec Explosion – 67.0% Fifth Ballot

Luis Martinez was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting left fielder from Mexico City. At his peak, Martinez had a strong bat that could reliably get you 30+ home runs and 25+ doubles a season. He was an above average contact hitter with a decent eye for walks, but his strikeout rate was subpar. Martinez was a much stronger bat against righties (172 wRC+, .936 OPS) compared to lefties (114 wRC+, .726 OPS). Martinez’ speed was abysmal, making him struggle as a baserunner and a defender.

He was a career left fielder and graded out as a lousy defender. Martinez had a cannon arm that graded as a 10/10, but his range and glove work were hot garbage. He was an ironman though and played in 150+ games each year from 1985-96. Martinez was scrappy and always gave it his all, making him a very popular player with Ecatepec.

Although nearly his entire career was with the Explosion, many fans forget that Martinez started his career elsewhere. In the 1981 CABA Draft, Leon picked him with the ninth overall pick. Martinez only saw six at-bats in 1982, then played 30 games with six starts in 1983. In June 1983, he was traded along with prospect SP Vicente Zafra to Ecatepec for veteran SP Carlos Xochitl and $1,710,000.

Martinez remained in primarily a pinch hitter role for the rest of 1983 and through 1984. He earned a starting spot in 1985 for Ecatepec and held it for the next 12 years. In 1986 and 1988, he led the Mexican League in both RBI and total bases, winning Silver Sluggers both years. 1986 had a career best 8.6 WAR. 1988 also saw a league-leading .597 slugging, .947 OPS, and 197 wRC+. In both seasons, Martinez was second in MVP voting.

Ecatepec gave him a four-year, $5,080,000 extension after the 1987 campaign. They had three straight playoff appearances from 1986-88, but lost in the wild card round each time. The Explosion fell into the mid-tier for the next four years. Martinez was reliably solid, but didn’t provide quite as much power as they’d hoped in those middle years. Still, he was well liked for his work ethic and grit, which earned him a seven-year, $10,640,000 extension in May 1991.

1993 marked the start of Ecatepec’s dominance of the South Division, winning 12 division titles from 1993-2005. The Explosion won the Mexican League pennant in 1994, but lost in the MLCS in 1993, 95, and 96. Although well liked, Martinez’ playoff numbers weren’t good. In 50 games and 36 starts, he had 29 hits, 17 runs, 5 doubles, 5 home runs, 15 RBI, a .209/.257/.381 slash, 78 wRC+, and 0.0 WAR.

Martinez would be gone before Ecatepec’s true dynasty began in the early 2000s. He did have an impressive resurgence in 1996 at age 34, socking a career best 48 home runs with a .326 average. That got him his third Silver Slugger. Martinez was relegated to a bench role though in 1997 and the team bought out his final year in 1998. After going unsigned that season, Martinez retired at age 37.

Martinez finished with 2085 hits, 1077 runs, 333 doubles, 436 home runs, 1249 RBI, a .293/.348/.533 slash, 157 wRC+, and 61.6 WAR. His tallies were definitely borderline at best and he debuted on the 2003 ballot at 43.5%. Martinez did slowly climb up to 53.4% in 2005, but seemed to plateau at 53.0% in 2006.

2007 was a very weak Hall of Fame ballot for CABA with only one debut getting above 50%. Those that didn’t want to leave a ballot blank gave Martinez another look. He was a reliably solid power hitter for a decade and helped Ecatepec become a regular playoff team, even if he wasn’t the main piece. That got him the bump to 67.0%, crossing the line by one percent for a fifth ballot nod as 2007’s lone CABA inductee.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2007 was a mammoth year for the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame with five players earning induction. They were all first ballot nods as well, led by SP Kwang-Woon Ryu (94.3%), 1B Tsukasa Kato (93.3%), and 3B/DH Hyeon-Seong Lim (90.8%). Joining them was 2B/DH Ji-Hu Kim at 81.0% and SP Liang Ran at 69.8%. No one else above 50% and only LF Jin-Uk Song was even above 1/3, getting 44.4% on his fifth ballot.



LF Yeo-Min Kwan was dropped after ten failed ballots. He had a 15-year run with Sapporo and earned 11 Gold Gloves, plus one Silver Slugger and an EAB championship in 1981. Kwan had 2483 hits, 1222 runs, 306 doubles, 254 triples, 141 home runs, 790 RBI, 1048 stolen bases, a .313/.344/.469 slash, 141 wRC+, and 85.4 WAR. Leadoff guys always have an uphill climb though with many voters favoring homers and RBI while putting limited value on defense and steals. Kwan debuted at 34.0% in 1998, but eventually fell down to 8.3% at the end.



Kwang-Woon Ryu – Starting Pitcher – Fukuoka Frogs – 94.3% First Ballot

Kwang-Woon Ryu was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Seosan, South Korea; a city of 176,000 inhabitants on the west central coast. Ryu had pinpoint control and was considered an all-timer at placing his pitches. He needed it to make up for merely average to above average stuff and movement. Ryu’s fastball only peaked in the 91-93 mph range, but his sinker was similar, plus he had a great changeup. Changing speed and placing pitches perfectly made Ryu successful despite lacking overpowering stuff.

Ryu also had excellent stamina and was quite good at going deep into games. He also had strong durability, allowing him to rack up 4000+ innings in his career. Ryu was generally quiet and didn’t draw attention to himself, meaning he was perhaps underappreciated by many fans of his era.

In February 1980, a 16-year old Ryu signed as a teenage amateur with Fukuoka, making the move from South Korea to Japan. He debuted in 1984 at age 20 with 50 innings, showing solid promise. The Frogs made him a full-time starter after that and he was a fixture for the next nine years. Ryu usually was a starter, although they did experiment with him in a split starter/relief role at points.

Twice with Fukuoka, he led in K/BB. He also had a league best 58 FIP- in 1988, getting his highest WAR total with the Frogs at 7.8. Ryu signed a three-year, $5,000,000 extension after the 1990 season. He was reliably solid, but the lack of big strikeout numbers meant Ryu wasn’t in awards conversations. Fukuoka never made the playoffs in his tenure either, generally hovering a few games below .500.

Ryu did see his production wane a bit in his last two years with the Frogs. In 1993, he had a 91 ERA+ and only 2.7 WAR as he spent more time out of the bullpen than starting. Fukuoka decided to let him try free agency at age 30, ending his run after a decade. Ryu had a 121-117 record, 3.21 ERA, 2122.1 innings, 1918 strikeouts, 314 walks, 105 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 46.6 WAR.

He was liked enough by Frogs management that they eventually retired his #13 uniform. Ryu also had more innings and games there, leading to being inducted in green. It was his next stop though where he had his most impressive years. Ryu signed a four-year, $8,300,000 deal with Ulsan for 1994. He added another four years and $10,320,000 after the 1996 season.

Ryu’s game aged very well and the Swallows took more advantage of his stamina. He led the Korea League thrice in complete games and twice in innings pitched. In 1996, Ryu led the league with 8.6 WAR and had career bests in ERA (2.71) and strikeouts (265), earning his lone Pitcher of the Year. He led in wins (26-10) and WAR (7.1) in 1998, earning a second place in POTY.

Ulsan was a wild card four straight seasons from 1994-97. In 1996, the Swallows put together a playoff run, winning the EAB Championship over Hiroshima. Ryu ate innings, but his playoff stats were poor with Ulsan. He had a 4-6 record, 5.02 ERA, 80.2 innings, 64 strikeouts, 11 walks, 76 ERA+, 92 FIP-, and 1.4 WAR. In the 1996 run though, he had a 4-1 record and tossed 41.2 innings with a 3.46 ERA.

Ryu looked more average in 1999 and Ulsan decided to trade him. For his time with the Swallows, Ryu had a 112-71 record, 3.38 ERA, 1655.1 innings, 1418 strikeouts, 168 walks, 113 ERA+, and 5.8 WAR. In February 2000, Ulsan sent him to Yongin for three prospects.

He was respectable with 3.9 WAR in 159 innings for the Gold Sox, but did miss much of the season to bone chips in his elbow. Yongin opted to let him go after a poor playoff start. Ryu signed for 2001 with Daegu and again was perfectly serviceable with 3.9 WAR and a 3.46 ERA in 195.1 innings. However, Ryu tore his rotator cuff late in the 2001 campaign. Instead of trying to rehab such a major injury, Ryu retired that winter at age 38.

Ryu’s career stats saw a 254-205 record, 3.29 ERA, 4132 innings, 3585 strikeouts, 525 walks, 302/506 quality starts, 163 complete games, 109 ERA+, 81 FIP-, and 90.2 WAR. His reliability meant he was the 12^th pitcher to reach 250 wins and the 32^nd to 3500 strikeouts. As of 2037, he’s 22^nd all-time in pitching WAR. Ryu quietly built up impressive tallies and the voters were easily swayed, giving him a first ballot nod at 94.3% to lead the five-player 2007 EAB Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Tsukasa Kato – First Base – Kitakyushu Kodiaks – 91.3% First Ballot

Tsukasa Kato was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Kashihara, Japan a city of roughly 125,000 people in the Nara Prefecture. Quite simply, Kato socked dingers. His home run power was graded as a 10/10 for most of his career (sometimes even 11/10), sending towering shots into the grandstands regularly. Kato’s 162 game average was 55 homers per year and on seven occasions, he smacked 60+. Kato was also quite good at drawing walks as many pitchers felt it was better just to give him a free pass.

That said, Kato’s contact skills were average at best and he had a lousy strikeout rate. He didn’t get many doubles either, very much opting for the “three true outcomes.” Almost 44% of his plate appearances ended in a homer, strikeout, or walk. Kato was also a very slow and clumsy baserunner, so you weren’t going to see any value there.

Despite that sluggishness, Kato was considered a reliably good defender at first base, where he played every inning of his career in the field. Kato also had excellent durability, making 140+ starts in all but one season from 1985-1997. He wasn’t a leader in the clubhouse, but he got along generally well with everyone. Kato’s home run power would make him a popular figure throughout Japanese baseball.

Kato attended the University of Tokyo and his power was quickly on display in the college game. With the 11^th pick in the 1981 EAB Draft, he was picked by Hiroshima. Kato wasn’t fully formed yet and the Hammerheads didn’t use him at all in 1982. He saw mostly pinch hitting in 1983 and 1984. Hiroshima finally gave him a full-time job in 1985, which he held for the next six seasons with the Hammerheads.

His second full season started a stretch where Kato smacked 50+ home runs in 11 out of 12 seasons. The 11 seasons with 50 homers matched EAB home run king Lei Meng for the most in EAB history. Kato led Japan in homers 11 times in that stretch. Specifically with Hiroshima, he was the leader from 1986-1990. Kato also led once in total bases, thrice in slugging, once in OPS, once in wRC+, and once in WAR.

1987 saw the lead in WAR (9.5), wRC+ (213), and OPS (1.059), earning Kato his first MVP. He also took third in 1991 with the Hammerheads. Kato won Silver Sluggers in 1986, 87, and 88 with Hiroshima. The Hammerheads committed to Kato with an eight-year, $6,620,000 contract extension after the 1986 season.

Hiroshima contended with four division titles from 1985-89. However, they couldn’t get over the hump with their deepest runs being JLCS defeats in 1986 and 1987. In the playoffs for the Hammerheads, Kato had 30 starts, 24 hits, 19 runs, 12 home runs, 21 RBI, a .226/.287/.604 slash, 168 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR.

Hiroshima fell below .500 in 1990 and seemed to be entering a rebuilding phase. To the disappointment of many fans, Kato decided to opt out of his deal and enter free agency. For his Hammerheads tenure, Kato had 886 hits, 564 runs, 111 doubles, 326 home runs, 635 RBI, a .258/.325/.583 slash, 172 wRC+, and 39.7 WAR.

Kato’s most famous run began in 1991 after signing a seven-year, $10,240,000 deal with Kitakyushu. The Kodiaks had just taken runner-up in the JLCS and hoped Kato could get them over the hump. This was a great spot for him with the Kodiaks’ field known as one of the most homer-friendly parks in Japan. The dimensions were 315-405-309; very ripe for exploitation by a guy like Kato.

He smacked 50+ in all seven seasons with the Kodiaks, leading the league six times. He also had 110+ RBI each season in Kitakyushu. Over that run, Kato led in RBI four times, runs once, walks twice, total bases, thrice, slugging thrice, OPS thrice, wRC+ thrice, and WAR thrice. Kato won six Silver Sluggers, giving him nine total. 1993 was his only miss during the tenure.

Kato was the missing piece to start a dynasty. Kitakyushu lost in the 1991 JLCS, but then won three straight EAB Championships from 1992-94. They were the second-ever EAB franchise to three-peat, joining Pyongyang’s 1960s dynasty. Kato played a mammoth role, winning EAB Championship MVP in 1992 and 1994; plus 1994 JLCS MVP.

In 67 playoff starts, Kato had 52 hits, 40 runs, 25 home runs, 45 RBI, 20 walks, a .211/.274/.538 slash, 141 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR. For his EAB career, he had 76 hits, 59 runs, 37 home runs, 66 RBI, a .215/.278/.558 slash, 149 wRC+, and 3.6 WAR. Kato fell one homer short of Ki-Tae Yun’s career playoff record. He still sits second in playoff homers and fourth in RBI in EAB as of 2037.

Kato also made regular season history in 1994 when he crushed 72 home runs, passing Carl Valdes’ single-season record of 71 from 1972. That earned him his second MVP. Then in 1997 at age 36, Kato smacked 72 homers yet again, winning a third MVP. He also had a career-best 147 RBI and 9.5 WAR that year. Kato also finished second in MVP voting in 1991 and third in 1992. 72 held as EAB’s homer record until 2005 and still sits third most as of 2037.

Kato’s contract was up after the 1997 season. Kitakyushu narrowly missed the playoffs in 1995 and 1996, then was upset in the 1997 JLCS by Sapporo. Although coming up on age 37, Kato just had his best year by WAR. At 759 home runs, some thought he could make a run at Lei Meng’s all-time record of 897. However, Kato decided to leave for the allure of Major League Baseball.

With Kitakyushu, he had 1010 hits, 685 runs, 433 home runs, 856 RBI, a .259/.332/.630 slash, 190 wRC+, and 53.5 WAR. After leaving, the Kodiaks dropped from 109 wins to 72 and ended up stinking for the next decade. Some higher-ups with Kitakyushu held some bitterness over that and opted not to retire Kato’s jersey despite his remarkable accomplishments and role in the dynasty. He’d remain very popular though with most fans for his unforgettable tenure.

Kato joined MLB and the Vancouver Volcanoes on a three-year, $11,520,000 deal. He missed the first few months of his debut season to a fractured finger and struggled in his debut season with -0.1 WAR and a .186 average. His strikeout rate was still awful in the next two years, but he did hit enough power to provide positive value. Kato had 345 games, 279 hits, 192 runs, 93 home runs, 222 RBI, a .224/.295/.492 slash, 118 wRC+, and 5.8 WAR with Vancouver.

He served his purpose though in 1998, as Vancouver won the World Series over Toronto. This put Kato on a very short list with championship rings in two different leagues. In 16 playoff starts, he had 12 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, 5 RBI, a .222/.288/.444 slash, and 110 wRC+.

Kato was a free agent again for 2001 and was now 40 years old. He decided to return to Japan and found a long-term deal worth $12,120,000 over three years with Kobe. Some thought he might still have a shot to chase Meng’s records, but Kato was abysmal in his EAB return. The Blaze quickly benched him as he had a .163 average, 43.9% strikeout rate, 47 wRC+, and -0.5 WAR over 64 games. Kato retired that winter at age 41.

For his EAB career, Kato had 1916 hits, 1257 runs, 220 doubles, 762 home runs, 1506 RBI, 775 walks, a .257/.328/.602 slash, 179 wRC+, and 92.7 WAR. As of 2037, he’s seventh in EAB in homers and 47^th in RBI. Some wonder if he hadn’t left for Vancouver if he could’ve made the run at Lei Meng’s record. Kato did get to 855 homers for his entire pro career, a tally very few have achieved.

Kato’s full pro career had 855 homers, 1728 RBI, 2195 hits, 1449 runs, 894 walks, a .252/.323/.586 slash, 171 wRC+, and 98.5 WAR. He wasn’t a complete hitter, but few boasted more power or saw the championship success Kato saw. He was an easy first ballot pick for the 2007 EAB class at 93.3%, the second highest percentage in the five player group.



Hyeon-Seong Lim – Third Base/Designated Hitter – Busan Blue Jays – 90.8% First Ballot

Hyeon-Seong Lim was a 6’0’’, 205 pound switch-hitting third baseman from the capital of South Korea, Seoul. Lim was an outstanding contact hitter that regularly put the ball into play. He was excellent at avoiding strikeouts, but very rarely drew walks. Lim’s splits were notably lopsided as well, posting a .346 average and 154 wRC+ against righties compared to a .292 average and 102 wRC+ against lefties.

Lim wasn’t a singles slap hitter though, boasting an excellent pop in his bat. His 162 game average saw 35 doubles, 6 triples, and 27 home runs per year, meaning a solid slugging percentage accompanied his high batting average. Although he could find the gap regularly, Lim wasn’t going to get extra bases with his legs. He was known as a laughably bad and clumsy baserunner.

Lim had a rifle arm, which placed him at third base defensively. His range and glove were both poor though, thus he made only about 2/5s of his starts at 3B with the rest as a designated hitter. Lim had great durability and played 140+ games in all but one season from 1989-2001. He was a spark plug known for his work ethic and scrappiness. That made him absolutely beloved by Busan fans, as he spent his entire pro career as a Blue Jay.

Lim was a rare player picked in the EAB Draft out of high school, attending Woosung High in Uiwang. In 1985, Busan picked him with the #10 selection, although they gave him time to develop. He debuted in 1987 at age 20, but played only 21 games with one start. Lim saw 93 games and 26 starts the next year, then earned the full-time job in 1989. He held a starting spot through 2001 and outside of injuries in 1992, was a consistent regular.

Lim got his first Silver Sluggers in 1990 and 1991, both at 3B. He then got it in 1994 as a DH, signing an eight-year, $18,840,000 extension that winter. 1994 also saw Busan end a 10-year playoff drought, although they were one-and-done as a wild card. The Blue Jays made the Korea League Championship Series in 1995 and 1996, but lost both times. After a one-and-done in 1997, they began another playoff drought for the rest of Lim’s time.

Lim did his darnedest in the playoffs over 27 starts, getting 35 hits, 15 runs, 2 doubles, 7 home runs, 18 RBI, a .337.366/.577 slash, 158 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR. He also played for South Korea from 1991-2000 in the World Baseball Championship, although usually as a reserve. Lim was unremarkable on that stage as he had 48 games and 15 starts with 22 hits, 9 runs, 2 homers, 12 RBI, a .229/.262/.323 slash, and 65 wRC+.

Lim led Korea in hits from 1995-97 and won two more Silver Sluggers in 1996 and 1997. Those years also him become a two-time MVP. In 1996, he led with 139 RBI and 392 total bases while adding 8.8 WAR. Then in 1997, Lim made history by leading and posting career highs in hits (257), runs (117), doubles (44), total bases (404), average (.398), OBP (.414), OPS (1.040), wRC+ (185), and 9.8 WAR.

257 hits not only broke Si-Hun Lee’s EAB record of 252 from 1993, but also tied the then world record set by Beisbol Sudamerica’s Caco Gallegos in 1989. This remains EAB’s record as of 2037, although it would get matched once. Lim’s .398 average was also the second-best in EAB history at that point and still ranks fourth as of 2037. He also had a 27-game hitting streak during the season.

This was the peak of Lim’s career, as he didn’t top 4+ WAR in his next four seasons. His power and average both diminished, although he was still a fine starter. Lim became a free agent after the 2001 season and couldn’t find a suitor in 2002, retiring that winter at age 35. Busan immediately brought him back to retire his #22 uniform for his impressive service.

Lim finished with 2650 hits, 1154 runs, 441 doubles, 336 home runs, 1371 RBI, a .333/.354/.533 slash, 141 wRC+, and 67.5 WAR. At induction, he was one of only five EAB Hall of Famers with a batting average above .330 and is one of only seven as of 2037.

He didn’t stick around long enough to really rack up the accumulations though. As a DH much his run, Lim’s WAR also ended up towards the bottom of the Hall of Fame leaderboard. That said, two MVPs, a record-setting season, and a full career with one team all resonate strongly with Hall of Fame voters. Lim got in easily in his debut at 90.8% to join the five-player 2007 EAB class.