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

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West African Baseball added three players into the Hall of Fame in 2010 with each sitting in the 70-75% range. Pitcher Rick Agyemang had the top mark with a debut at 75.2%. Center fielder Aijboye Okemmiri was close behind with a 74.0% debut. First baseman Daouda Kadri was third with 72.1%, finally crossing the 66% requirement on his eighth ballot. Pitcher Angelo Costa barely missed the cut at 65.5% for his second ballot. 2B Hamza Seidu was also above 50% on his second try at 57.7%. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots in 2010.



Rick Agyemang – Starting Pitcher – Abidjan Athletes – 75.2% First Ballot

Rick Agyemang was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Tema, Ghana; a city of roughly 160,000 within the Greater Accra area. Agyemang had respectable stuff with above average control, although his control was often subpar. His fastball hit 95-97 mph regularly and was mixed in with a slider and changeup. Agyemang had pretty good stamina relative to other WAB aces and had excellent durability in his younger years.

Agyemang’s professional career began in Mali when he was signed in August 1984 as a teenage amateur by Bamako. He spent five full seasons in the Bullfrogs academy before debuting in 1990 at age 22. Agyemang was a full-time starter immediately, although control issues plagued him early on. He led the league with 99 walks in his debut season and didn’t post strong value until his third season.

Although he didn’t play in his native Ghana, Agyemang represented his native country from 1991-2004 in the World Baseball Championship. He tossed 112.1 innings with a 4.09 ERA, 114 strikeouts, 48 walks, 88 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR.

Bamako’s only playoff appearance during Agyemang’s tenure was a wild card round loss in 1992, which saw him get rocked in his one start. He had a respectable 1992 and 1993 campaign, then started to look like a proper ace in 1994. A 5.6 WAR season earned him a second place in Pitcher of the Year voting.

1995 was Agyemang’s last season under contract with Bamako, who didn’t have the desire to give him a big contract. He was traded in early June to Lagos with OF Alebiosu Alfa for C Teva Ioane and P Houssein Saores. With the Bullfrogs, Agyemang had a 67-60 record, 3.40 ERA, 1225.2 innings, 1302 strikeouts, 412 walks, 112 ERA+, and 16.2 WAR.

Agyemang struggled in his few months with the Lizards, posting a lousy 4.72 ERA. Lagos’ just missed the playoffs and Agyemang entered free agency at age 28. His weak season had lowered his stock some, but Abidjan still saw plenty of potential. They signed Agyemang to a six-year, $8,840,000 deal to begin what would be his signature run. He was going to a contender, as the Athletes had just won their fourth straight Western League pennant.

1996 was a respectable debut for Agyemang, although Abidjan lost in the wild card round and he got roughed up in his lone playoff start. 1997 was stronger with a new career best 6.5 WAR, but Abidjan’s playoff streak was snapped as they fell one game short at 95-67. The Athletes made it back with four straight berths from 1998-2001.

In 1998, Agyemang led in wins with a career best 21-5 and had career highs in strikeouts (288), innings (267.1), and WAR (7.0). He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting, but wasn’t used in the playoffs as Abidjan lost in the wild card round. Agyemang had a decent 1999, but finally stepped up in the postseason. In four playoff starts, he had a 3-1 record over 27.1 innings, 29 strikeouts, and a 1.32 ERA. Abidjan won the WL pennant, but lost the WAB Championship against Kano’s dynasty.

The Athletes upset 125-win Kano in the 2000 WAB Championship, then lost in a rematch with the Condors in 2001. Agyemang was unremarkable in those playoff runs, finishing his postseason career with a 3.82 ERA over 61.1 innings. In 2001, Agyemang was third in POTY voting. He finished his Abidjan tenure with a 99-56 record, 3.21 ERA, 1418 innings, 1544 strikeouts, 361 walks, 120 ERA+, and 31.4 WAR.

Agyemang was a free agent again at age 34 and signed a four-year, $11,200,000 deal with Cotonou. The Copperheads had just snapped a 13-year playoff drought and hoped that Agyemang could help them contend more. Sadly, it didn’t pay off as they were merely above average in his first two seasons and then back to the bottom after that.

The deal was snake-bitten though due to Agyemang suffering a torn labrum in late January during the World Baseball Championship. He missed most of the 2002 season and looked middling in his limited action. Agyemang would surprise many with a stellar bounce-back season in 2003. He won his lone ERA title at 2.48 and led in WHIP at 1.00. That effort gave Agyemang his only Pitcher of the Year win at age 35. The season also saw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts and 4 walks against Ibadan in May.

Agyemang’s success was short lived, as he got wrecked to start 2004. Cotonou eventually had to bench him, finishing with a 5.38 ERA and -1.7 WAR over 88.2 innings. He retired from the game that winter at age 37. With the Copperheads, Agyemang h ad a 26-18 record, 3.45 ERA, 412.2 innings, 429 strikeouts, 113 ERA+, and 4.6 WAR.

The final stats for Agyemang: 197-143 record, 3.37 ERA, 3188 innings, 3435 strikeouts, 919 walks, 250/416 quality starts, 114 ERA+, 92 FIP-, and 52.8 WAR. It was an interesting career as he generally didn’t lead any leaderboards. Almost quietly, Agyemang ended up 13^th in strikeouts and 12^th in wins still as of 2037. He ranks 47^th in pitching WAR though and advanced stats suggest a more above average final grade.

Still, tenure has value. Agyemang also was visible in the back-end of Abidjan’s title runs of the era and did have both a POTY and no-hitter to his name. On his Hall of Fame ballot debut, Agyemang received 75.2%, earning the lead spot for the three-player 2010 class.

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Ajiboye Okemmiri – Center Field – Abidjan Athletes – 74.0% First Ballot

Ajiboye Okemmiri was a 6’0’’, 185 pound left-handed hitting center fielder from Idanre, Nigeria, a city with nearly 130,000 inhabitants in the country’s southwest. Okemmiri has very good home run power with average contact kills and an above average to good eye. He was especially strong against right-handing pitching with a .920 career OBP and 150 wRC+, while posting a lackluster .671 OPS and 90 wRC+ versus lefties.

Okemmiri did struggle with strikeouts, but he hit the ball hard when he made contact. His power was mainly focused on homers, topping 40+ six times and 30+ 13 times. Okemmiri didn’t find the gap too often, only averaging around 20-25 doubles/triples per season. Despite playing center field, his running speed on the basepaths was merely average.

His range in center was weaker than you’d like, although his arm and glove work were okay. Okemmiri graded as firmly below average defensively, but played almost his entire career in center. He handled the physical demands of the position fairly well for the most part. Some did criticize Okemmiri for a lack of hustle, but his natural talent carried him a long way.

Okemmiri was noticed by a scout from Abidjan and brought to the Ivory Coast in September 1984 as a teenage free agent. He officially debuted in 1988 at age 20, but only saw 24 games and three starts in his first two seasons. Okemmiri was a part-time starter in 1990 with a nice effort, earning the full-time gig from 1991 through 2004.

In 1991, Okemmiri led the Western League in home runs (50) and RBI (132) with career bests in both, earning a Silver Slugger. He would earn additional Sluggers in 1992 and 1993 as Abidjan began their dynasty run. The Athletes knew Okemmiri was going to be a big piece of that run, giving him a five-year, $3,878,000 extension after the 1992 season.

In 1993, Okemmiri snagged his lone MVP, leading in runs scored (102) and homers (46). The runs mark was a career best, as was his 166 hits, .290 average, .947 OPS, and 7.3 WAR. From 1992-2001, Abidjan made the playoffs each year but 1997. They won the WLCS four straight seasons from 1992-95 and won the WAB Championship in 1994.

Okemmiri was a strong playoff performer in the 1992-95 run with 1.5 WAR over 42 starts. He was less impressive in the middle runs, but was strong again in 2001. Abidjan won WL pennants from 1999-01 and won the WAB title in 2000 with a huge upset over 125-win Kano. In his playoff career, Okemmiri had 69 starts, 66 hits, 40 runs, 9 doubles, 5 triples, 16 gome runs, 38 RBI, a .256/.323/.516 slash, 130 wRC+, and 2.0 WAR.

He also played from 1991-2000 in the World Baseball Championship for Nigeria with mixed results. Okemmiri had 81 games and 59 starts in the WBC, recording 45 hits, 28 runs, 10 doubles, 16 home runs, 31 RBI, a .210/.309/.481 slash, 128 wRC+, and 1.9 WAR.

1994 and 1995 were down years because of injuries. Okemmiri missed parts of 1994 to a fractured thumb and a bone spur in his elbow, then lost a bit of 1995 to a fractured foot. He actually opted out of his contract following the 1994 season, but inked a new four-year, $5,740,000 deal with Abidjan.

Okemmiri was good and steady in his late 20s and early 30s, although he wasn’t a league leader. He did win Silver Sluggers in 1999 and 2003, giving him five for his career. The final one in 2003 came at right field and not center. Abidjan rewarded him after the 1998 campaign with a six-year, $13,680,000 extension which carried him through the 2004 campaign.

After the 2001 WL pennant, Abidjan fell towards the middle of the standings and missed the playoffs from 2002-04. Okemmiri chugged along, becoming the third WAB batter to 500 career home runs and the eighth to 2000 hits. Okemmiri was heading towards age 37 when his deal expired after a decent 2004 campaign. That would mark the end of his time in WAB.

Okemmiri wanted to keep playing, but had trouble finding anyone interested in his asking price. The newly formed European Second League was looking for experienced veteran players and Okemmiri ended up in France. He signed a three-year, $14,280,000 deal with Toulouse for one last final major payday.

Once the bag was secured, Okemmiri stunk it up for the Toads. He was only a part-time starter in 2005 and 2006 and mediocre when he did play. Toulouse eventually benched him and he saw only three games in 2007. With Toulouse, he posted -1.0 WAR, a .186/.283/.366 slash, and 93 wRC+. Okemmiri retired after the 2007 campaign at age 39.

Abidjan remembered him fondly though, retiring his #41 uniform that winter. Okemmiri finished his WAB career with 2036 hits, 1264 runs, 289 doubles, 559 home runs, 1393 RBI, 743 walks, 234 stolen bases, a .263/.334/.533 slash, 138 wRC+, and 63.6 WAR. Many of the accumulations would be dwarfed in later years, but Okemmiri was second in homers at retirement.

As of 2037, he’s 21^st in homers and 40^th in WAR among position players. Okemmiri didn’t have big eye-popping numbers, but he was a strong reliable contributor during a decade of success for Abidjan. That was enough for 74.0% of the vote in 2010, giving Okemmiri a first-ballot nod.



Daouda Kadri – First Base – Ibadan Iguanas – 72.1% Eighth Ballot

Daouda Kadri was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Cotonou, the largest city in Benin. Kadri was a solid power hitter with a very good eye for drawing walks. His strikeout rate was poor though and he was a merely above average contact hitter. Kadri averaged 34 home runs and 33 doubles per his 162 game average. While great at finding the gap, he wasn’t going to leg out extra bases as he was laughably slow and clumsy.

Kadri never played anywhere else defensively than first base, although he did make a few starts as a designated hitter. Despite his general sluggishness, Kadri graded out as a reliably average gloveman. He had very good durability and started 140+ games each year from 1988-2001.

Kadri drew plenty of notice dominating the amateur scene in Benin, becoming a top prospect ahead of the 1984 WAB Draft. He was picked third overall by Freetown, beginning his pro career in Sierra Leone. The Foresters used him sparingly as a rookie with 96 games and 48 starts, seeing mixed results. Kadri was the full-time starter from then after, but he missed part of 1986 to a strained MCL and part of 1987 to a concussion. Kadri would look like an ironman after that, playing 145+ games in each of his remaining WAB seasons.

Freetown wasn’t a particularly competitive team during Kadri’s run and didn’t make the playoffs. By the end of his brief run though, he was drawing plenty of attention. Kadri won Silver Sluggers in 1990 and 1991. In 1990, he was the Western League’s leader in RBI and total bases. He posted three straight 5+ WAR seasons to end his run with Freetown and was becoming a popular player.

In total for the Foresters, Kadri had 926 hits, 514 runs, 194 doubles, 210 home runs, 603 RBI, a .264/.325/.507 slash, 135 wRC+, and 24.7 WAR. He would be 29 years old when he hit free agency after the 1991 campaign. Ibadan won the sweepstakes for Kadri with a seven-year, $7,720,000 deal. The Iguanas had been a wild card in back-to-back seasons and hoped to get over the playoff hump.

Kadri helped them do that, earning three straight Eastern League Championship Series berths to start his run. They lost in 1992, but won the pennant in 1993 and 1994. In 1993, Ibadan earned their first WAB Championship, beating Abidjan in the final. The Athletes got revenge in the 1994 rematch. Kadri was ELCS MVP in the 1994 run.

1992 was Kadri’s best individual season and the closest he came to winning MVP, taking second. He earned his third Silver Slugger, leading the league in runs, doubles, homers, RBI, total bases, slugging, OPS, and wRC+. This also saw a career best 8.7 WAR and .315 batting average. Kadri in 1993 had career highs in homers (46) and RBI (148). He remained quite solid in the following years, but wasn’t a league leader or award winner.

The Iguanas lost in the wild card round in 1995, then won another EL pennant in 1996 before losing the WAB final to Accra. 1997 was Kadri’s last year and saw another wild card round defeat as Kano began their dynasty. In his playoff career, Kadri had 45 starts, 50 hits, 24 runs, 6 doubles, 14 home runs, 39 RBI, a .278/.305/.556 slash, 144 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR.

That marked the end of his career in Africa, although Kadri still had five more years of baseball ahead. The 35-year old free agent ended up finding a home in Ukraine, signing for three years and $5,620,000 with Kharikiv. Kadri was okay in 1998, but was quite solid in 1999 and 2000 with 4+ WAR in both years.

Kadri played a big role in a dynasty run for Kharkiv. The Killer Bees won the Eurasian Professional Baseball Championship in 1998 and 1999, then moved to European Professional Baseball in the great 2000 exodus. In their EBF debut, Kharkiv won it all for a third straight title. Kadri was the ELCS MVP in 1999 and brought his overall ring total to four.

In 48 playoff starts, he had 42 hits, 17 runs, 8 doubles, 6 home runs, 21 RBI, a .241/.311/.391 slash, 109 wRC+, and 1.0 WAR. In total for Kharkiv, Kadri had 406 hits, 228 runs, 65 doubles, 74 home runs, 242 RBI, a .254/.345/.440 slash, 140 wRC+, and 11.9 WAR. He served his purpose well and was now a free agent again at age 38.

Having proven himself on the EBF stage, Zurich gave Kadri a one-year, $2,880,000 deal. He was decent with a 2.8 WAR season starting for the Mountaineers. After that, Kadri ended up in Australia for OBA’s Gold Coast on a one-year, $1,860,000 deal. He fractured his tibia and missed part of the spring, but still mustered 2.0 WAR in 116 games. Kadri opted to retire that winter at age 40.

For his entire pro baseball career, Kadri had 2552 hits, 1415 runs, 530 doubles, 552 home runs, 1683 RBI, 1001 walks, a .267/.338/.504 slash, 141 wRC+, and 73.8 WAR. His final WAB tally though missed out on five years of accumulations, making Kadri more borderline. He had 1909 hits, 1063 runs, 411 doubles, 437 home runs, 1310 RBI, 694 walks, a .270/.338/.524 slash, 144 wRC+, and 57.2 WAR.

Most voters thought Kadri’s resume was as borderline as you could get and he bounced around for eight ballots. He debuted at 54.9%, then dropped to 49.8% in 2004. Kadri was in the upper 50s the next two years, then suffered repeated heartbreak. From 2007-2009, he was within 1% thrice of breaching the 66% requirement. On his eighth go in 2010, Kadri finally bumped up to 72.1% as the third player in the 2010 WAB Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

South Asia Baseball had two inductees on their debut ballots for the 2010 Hall of Fame class. CF Van Loi Phung was a no-doubter and nearly unanimous at 99.4%. Pitcher Tanvir Hosen joined him with a respectable 77.5%. SP Jalal Mohammad narrowly missed the 66% requirement with 62.8% in his debut. Catcher Kumar Patel got 59.5% on his third go and 1B Sunil Lamichhane took 59.2% on his second try.



SP Joe Manavendra was dropped after ten failed tries. He was part of four titles for Ahmedabad and pitched 11 seasons between the Animals and Ho Chi Minh City, but had very few innings due to major injuries. Manavendra had a 125-52 record, 2.73 ERA, 1612.1 innings, 1924 strikeouts, 432 walks, 126 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 40.9 WAR. He was effectively done after his age 31 season and didn’t have the tenure to make the cut. Manavendra peaked at 26.5% in his debut and ended at 9.0%.



Van Loi Phung – Center Field – Chittagong Commandos – 99.4% First Ballot

Van Loi Phung was a 5’10’’, 175 pound right-handed center fielder from Haiphong, Vietnam’s third largest city. Phung was a great contact hitter with a solid eye with a decent strikeout rate. Despite his smaller stature, Phung had a very strong bat. He regularly hit 30+ home runs and topped 40+ five times. Phung could also find the gap effectively, averaging around 40-50 doubles/triples most seasons.

Phung wasn’t a burner, but he had above average speed with solid baserunning instincts. He had plenty of range as a career center fielder and graded out as an excellent defender, winning eight Gold Gloves in his career. Phung was fairly durable and was scrappy with a tireless work ethic. These attributes made Phung one of the most impactful and popular players of South Asia Baseball’s first two decades.

Many scouts quickly saw Phung’s potential as a possible five-tool guy. He ended up in Bangladesh when picked fifth overall by Chittagong in the 1982 SAB Draft. Phung was a full-time starter immediately and an all-star right away, winning 1983 Rookie of the Year. In his second year, he led the Southeast Asia League in WAR for the first of seven times. Phung won a Gold Glove, but didn’t have his power stroke quite yet.

He found it in major fashion in 1985 with a career best 53 home runs, 142 RBI, and 435 total bases. Phung also led the league and had career highs in runs (122), triple slash (.354/.404/.717), OPS (1.120), wRC+ (208), and WAR (13.5). The WAR mark in 2037 still ranks as the sixth highest among all SAB position players. Phung had the awards sweep, winning MVP, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove.

That effort also gave Chittagong its first-ever winning season and playoff berth as a wild card, although they lost the SEAL Championship to Hanoi. Phung did his part in 10 playoff starts with a .343/.425/.657 slash and 202 wRC+. The Commandos would be stuck in the middle lower tier for the rest of Phung’s run despite his tremendous success.

He was becoming a baseball superstar in all of Southeast Asia, but was especially popular in his native Vietnam. Phung played for his country from 1982-2004 in the World Baseball Championship with 197 games and 190 starts, 180 hits, 111 runs, 32 doubles, 46 home runs, 103 RBI, 79 walks, a .252/.336/.496 slash, 140 wRC+, and 7.0 WAR.

Phung led in WAR again in 1986 and 1987 for Chittagong. 1987 was his second MVP, as he also led in runs, RBI, total bases, OPS, and wRC+. Phung won another Silver Slugger in 1987 and earned six consecutive Gold Gloves from 1984-1989. In total for the Commandos, Phung had 1269 hits, 678 runs, 237 doubles, 60 triples, 241 home runs, 736 RBI, 216 stolen bases, a .313/.369/.579 slash, 164 wRC+, and 67.9 WAR.

Chittagong didn’t have the funds to give Phung the massive contact he was likely due with free agency looming. His last season with the Commandos was 1989, entering free agency at age 29. In this era of SAB, Ahmedabad and Ho Chi Minh City established dynasties and hoovered up all of the money. The majority of big-time free agents were limited to one of the two evil empires. Phung was no exception.

Phung couldn’t come to terms with them or any other team and sat out the 1990 season, although he still played in the WBC. After taking the year off, Ahmedabad finally lured Phung back on a two-year, $1,300,000 deal. Phung led the Indian League with a career high 46 doubles and won a batting title with a .344 average. He breached 10+ WAR for the sixth time, winning a Silver Slugger and taking second in MVP voting.

Ahmedabad won the SAB Championship in 1991 for a three-peat and their fifth ring in six years. Phung’s great numbers came despite missing most of the fall and almost all of the postseason between a hamstring strain and elbow strain. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the second year of the deal and ended up a free agent again at age 31.

This time, Phung switched to the other dynasty, getting a six-year, $4,610,000 deal from Ho Chi Minh City. As a megastar already in Vietnam, the Hedgehogs and their fans had been itching to bring Phung in. He would lead SEAL in WAR in 1992, 1993, and 1995; posting 8+ WAR in all five years he ended up playing in that run.

Phung won his third MVP in 1992 and his fourth in 1995, while taking third in 1996’s voting. He also won Silver Sluggers in all five years of this run and grabbed Gold Gloves in 1992 and 1993. This gave Phung eight Silver Sluggers and eight Gold Gloves over his impressive career.

HCMC continued its dominance of SEAL, winning league pennants in 1992, 1994, and 1995. They had a record 126-36 mark in 1993, but suffered a stunning first round upset loss. The Hedgehogs were defeated in the 1996 LCS by Yangon. In each of their SAB Championship berths, they fell against Ahmedabad. Phung was great in his role, winning 1994 LCS MVP and posting 2.4 WAR over 59 starts in the run.

Phung was on pace in 1996 to maybe have his best season yet, but back spasms kept him out more than two months. He still got third in MVP voting in only 103 games. Ultimately, he didn’t reach the criteria for the sixth season of the deal and was a free agent again in 1997 at age 36. At this point, Phung effectively retired from the game.

He left open the possibility of a comeback and certainly was still plenty talented. However, dealing with the bidding wars and politics of the big two was annoying for Phung. He stayed in shape and still played for Vietnam in the World Baseball Championship, but he was gone from SAB three years from 1997-99.

Now 39 years old, Phung was lured back in 2000 on a one year deal with Ahmedabad. He missed some time to an elbow strain and showed some rust, posting easily the lowest WAR of his career with 3.3. Phung was relegated to a part-time role with only seven games and five starts in the playoffs. The Animals lost the SAB final that year to Ho Chi Minh City.

The Hedgehogs would bring him back in 2001 and he returned to form. Phung posted 7.4 WAR and won his ninth and final Silver Slugger. He was merely okay in the playoffs as HCMC was upset by Yangon in the LCS. Phung was used as a part-time role in 2002, only playing 96 games with 61 starts. HCMC again suffered an upset loss in the LCS, this time against Dhaka.

Between his Ho Chi Minh City stints, Phung had 1048 hits, 611 runs, 190 doubles, 240 home runs, 610 RBI, 112 stolen bases, a .309/.370/.599 slash, 174 wRC+, and 58.6 WAR. Phung was a free agent again at age 42 and Ahmedabad gave him another look, this time at three years and $6,840,000.

Phung was used only as a part-time starter in two more seasons with the Animals, posting playable numbers. Ahmedabad was upset in the Indian League final by Bengaluru in 2003, then lost in the first round in 2004. Despite being on the dynasty teams, Phung’s luck was bad for winning it all. The Animals’ 1991 title was his only SAB ring.

The career playoff numbers were solid though with 105 games, 99 starts, 106 hits, 52 runs, 24 doubles, 18 home runs, 49 RBI, a .282/.346/.500 slash, 146 wRC+, and 4.2 WAR. Phung retired after the 2004 season at age 44. Between the three stints with Ahmedabad, he had 424 hits, 216 runs, 98 doubles, 71 home runs, 222 RBI, 122 walks, a .286/.343/.521 slash, 172 wRC+, and 17.3 WAR.

Phung’s final stats had 2449 games, 2741 hits, 1505 runs, 525 doubles, 117 triples, 552 home runs, 1568 RBI, 796 walks, 378 stolen bases, a .307/.365/.577 slash, 169 wRC+, and 143.7 WAR. He was the sixth to reach 500 home runs, the third to 1500 runs scored, the second to 1500 RBI, and the second to 2500 hits. At retirement, he had just passed V.J. Williams as the all-time WARlord at 143.7, aided by his years of stellar defense in center field.

As of 2037, Phung is fifth in WAR among position players, 20^th in hits, 22^nd in runs, 21^st in RBI, and 30^th in home runs. Had he not missed a few seasons, Phung might feature more prominently in GOAT-level conversations. Either way, he was one of the absolute top-tier guys from his era and a Hall of Fame lock. Phung headlined SAB’s 2010 ballot with a near unanimous selection at 99.4%.



Tanvir Hosen – Starting Pitcher – Surat Silver Sox – 77.5% First Ballot

Tanvir Hosen was a 6’7’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Domar, an upazila of roughly 250,000 in northern Bangladesh. Hosen had good stuff, solid control, and above average movement. His velocity only peaked in the 92-94 mph range, but Hosen had a six pitch arsenal with each having respectable potency. His sinker was his strongest pitch, but Hosen also had a slider, curveball, forkball, changeup, and splitter. His stamina was among the strongest in the league and Hosen went deeper more often than most SAB aces.

Hosen was also known as a tremendous defensive pitcher and a master at holding runners. He won seven Gold Gloves in his career with wins in 1996, 97, 99, 2001, 02, 03, and 04. Hosen also great durability and tossed 200+ innings in all but two seasons. He was loyal, adaptable, and worked hard, making him well liked in the clubhouse.

Hosen was spotted as a teenage amateur in Bangladesh by a scout visiting from Surat. He signed in September 1988 and moved to India, spending three seasons in the Silver Sox developmental system. Hosen debuted in 1992 at age 21 as a part-time starter and held his own. Surat made him a regular in the rotation for his remaining six seasons there.

Hosen wasn’t generally dominant, but he posted three seasons worth 4.5+ WAR with Surat. He led the Indian League twice in innings pitched, once in quality starts, and once in complete games. He also led in losses once, not helped by the Silver Sox stinking during his run. Surat didn’t make the playoffs in his tenure and averaged only 73.4 wins per season.

Two of Hosen’s Gold Gloves came with Surat, but he otherwise wasn’t in awards conversations. He did also go home to Bangladesh for the World Baseball Championship from 1993-2004. Hosen tossed 151.2 WBC innings with a 5-10 record, 3.20 ERA, 165 strikeouts, 41 walks, 112 ERA+, and 3.5 WAR.

With Surat, Hosen had a 93-93 record, 2.89 ERA, 1652 innings, 1781 strikeouts, 1781 strikeouts, 357 walks, 152/217 quality starts, 49 complete games, 108 ERA+, and 30.9 WAR. He generally had nice things to say about the organization and even opted to be inducted in Silver Sox colors, despite having a more dominant and high profile run with Ho Chi Minh City.

Surat couldn’t afford to keep him and Hosen became a free agent at age 28 in 1999. He went to the Hedgehogs on a six-year, $9,600,000 deal. Hosen debuted with his best season by WAR with a Southeast Asia League best 7.5. This also had a career best in strikeouts at 320. Hosen took third in Pitcher of the Year voting and won a Gold Glove.

HCMC won the SEAL title, losing in the 1999 SAB Championship to Ahmedabad. Hosen stunk in the playoffs thought with a 6.85 EERA in 23.2 innings. He redeemed himself in 2000, leading that season in wins and shutouts. Hosen posted a 2.10 ERA in 30 playoff innings with 35 strikeouts, helping the Hedgehogs knock off the Animals in that year’s final.

Hosen was third in 2003 Pitcher of the Year voting with a career best 2.08 ERA. His playoff stats were mixed in the other runs, finishing with an 8-5 record, 3.75 ERA, 110.1 innings, 129 strikeouts, 16 walks, 97 ERA+, and 0.7 WAR. The Hedgehogs lost in the SEAL Championship in 2001 and 2002, but won the SAB Championship in 2003.

In 2004, a 33-year old Hosen left Ho Chi Minh City, but not by choice. South Asia Baseball expanded by four teams and Hosen was picked fourth overall by Nagpur in the expansion draft. He ended up pitching 127 innings for the Patriots with nice results, posting a 2.62 ERA, 152 strikeouts, and 4.0 WAR.

HCMC wanted Hosen back though and in late June, made a trade with Nagpur. The Hedgehogs sent over five prospects to get Hosen and $4,320,000. He finished the season with a combined 2.57 ERA and helped HCMC win back-to-back SAB Championships. They were excited to keep him for the run, giving Hosen a four-year, $9,280,000 extension in late September.

Oddly enough, 2004 would be his final season. Hosen was under contract in 2005, but never took the field. He hadn’t suffered a major injury to anyone’s knowledge, but when he reported to spring training, his velocity was now peaking at 85-87 mph. Hosen had to retire that winter at age 35, finishing his HCMC run with a 94-32 record, 2.94 ERA, 1232.2 innings, 1944 strikeouts, 184 walks, 106/158 quality starts, 125 ERA+, and 34.2 WAR.

For his career, Hosen had a 194-129 record, 2.90 ERA, 3011.2 innings, 3427 strikeouts, 560 walks, 268/391 quality starts, 93 complete games, 30 shutouts, 115 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and a nice 69.0 WAR. Before the sudden decline, Hosen was on pace to potentially reach some notable spots on the leaderboards.

Still, as of 2037 he’s 20^th in pitching WAR, 26^th in strikeouts, and 20^th in wins. Hosen managed to post a fine career that the voters recognized, getting 77.5% in his ballot debut. This made Hosen the second member of SAB’s 2010 Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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The Asian Baseball Federation didn’t add anyone into the Hall of Fame for the first time since 2007. The 2010 ballot was easily the weakest since the earliest days of voting with no one even at 50%. The top two barely crossed 1/3 of the vote with LF Pouya Malek at 34.6% on his second try and 1B Mohammed Khan with 34.0% for his third attempt. The best debut was 1B Haroon Yahya at a paltry 21.6%. No one was dropped after ten failed ballots.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Pitcher Ilwad Maxamed became the fifth member of the Arab League Baseball Hall of Fame, finally making the cut on his sixth ballot. He only barely breached the 66% requirement at 68.8%. Closer Khadr Seif fell painfully short with 65.2% for his second try. Closer Khemais Khalid had 58.0% on his sixth ballot and SP Nacerdine Rahim was at 53.9% on his fifth try. The best debut was SP Radwan Daoudi, barely staying on the ballot at 7.1%. No one was dropped after ten failed attempts.



Ilwad Maxamed – Starting Pitcher – Casablanca Bruins – 68.8% Sixth Ballot

Ilwad Maxamed was a 5’9’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Bosaso, historically known as Bender Cassim. It is a city in northeastern Somalia with around 700,000. Maxamed wasn’t outstanding at anything, but he was generally above average to good in terms of stuff, movement, and control. His fastball hit the 94-96 mph range and was mixed with a curveball and changeup. Maxamed’s changeup was considered his most deadly pitch.

Maxamed did have excellent stamina and durability, leading the conference twice in innings and four times in complete games. He had excellent durability and regularly started 32+ games until his final season. Maxamed was a team captain and well respected across the game for his leadership and work ethic.

By the time Arab League Baseball started for the 1990 season, Maxamed was established in the various semi-pro and barnstorming leagues of the region. He was already 29 years old, but viewed as a potential ace for the new league. Maxamed’s first ALB deal was signed for five years and $3,970,000 with Casablanca, sending him the Somali westward to Morocco.

In his five seasons with the Bruins, Maxamed led the Western Conference in shutouts each year, complete games four times, wins twice, and innings twice. Each season was worth 5+ WAR with a career best 7.8 WAR in 1991. Maxamed was third in Pitcher of the Year voting in both 1992 and 1993, but never won the top honor. Among his shutouts was a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks on September 23, 1991 versus Damascus.

Casablanca would be one of the first successful franchises and Maxamed played a big role. The Bruins earned conference finals berths in 1990, 92, 93, and 94. They won pennants in 1993 and 1994 and earned their first Arab League Championship ring in 1994 against Medina, preventing a three-peat by the Mastodons.

In seven playoff starts, Maxamed had a 4-2 record, 2.49 ERA, 47 innings, 34 strikeouts, 11 walks, 142 ERA+, and 1.1 WAR. In total for Casablanca, Maxamed had a 94-52 record, 3.08 ERA, 1329 innings, 1306 strikeouts, 271 walks, 112/173 quality starts, 60 complete games, 22 shutouts, 112 ERA+, and 29.1 WAR.

His deal expired after the 1994 campaign and Maxamed was a free agent at age 34. Next up was a move to Egypt and a five-year, $7,400,000 deal with Cairo. Maxamed led in wins in 1996 and topped 4+ WAR four times, peaking with 6.1 in 1995. He otherwise wasn’t a league leader or awards candidate with the Pharaohs.

Cairo was the Western Conference runner-up in 1995, then won the ALB Championship in 1996. Maxamed had a 2.95 ERA over his 36.2 playoff innings for the Pharaohs, striking out 41 with 5 walks, a 129 ERA+, and 1.8 WAR. His role in leading two teams to titles garnered plenty of respect. Cairo remained good for his final three years, but couldn’t overcome a fledgling Khartoum squad in the Nile Division.

For his playoff career, Maxamed had a 6-3 record, 2.69 ERA, 83.2 innings, 75 strikeouts, 16 walks, 136 ERA+, 64 FIP-, and 2.8 WAR. He was moved to a part-time role in his last year with Cairo, finishing his tenure there with a 71-55 record, 3.78 ERA, 1122.1 innings, 996 strikeouts, 245 walks, 94/160 quality starts, 102 ERA+, and 22.9 WAR.

Maxamed was now 39 years old and still trying to play somewhere. He ended up in Russia with Samara, who just joined Eurasian Professional Baseball as an expansion team following the great exodus that winter of teams to EBF and ABF. The new Steelers squad gave Maxamed three years and $5,880,000, expecting him to help them establish themselves.

Sadly, Maxamed never played an inning for Samara. He suffered rotator cuff inflammation in spring training and never could get it to go away. A setback in May led to doctors telling Maxamed he had to retire from the game at age 39.

Maxamed finished with a 165-107 record, 3.40 ERA, 2451.1 innings, 2302 strikeouts, 516 walks, 206/333 quality starts, 80 complete games, 29 shutouts, 107 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 52.0 WAR. Like many early days guys, Maxamed was hurt by starting his official career at age 29, thus making his final accumulations on the lower end. Advanced stats also suggested that he might have been a “Hall of Pretty Good” type guy and he lacked the awards and big stats.

Still, Maxamed had very strong playoff numbers, helping two franchises win rings. His leadership and respect across the game were major plusses. Maxamed would debut with a mere 40.2% in 2005, although he slowly climbed his way up.

By 2009, Maxamed got to 62.1%, just missing the 66% requirement. With no impressive debuts in 2010, Maxamed got the bump he needed to 68.8%. With that, he earned a sixth ballot addition as the lone 2010 inductee for the Arab League Baseball Hall of Fame.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2010 didn’t mark the first inductee into the African Association of Baseball Hall of Fame. It was notable though as previously, no one had gotten above 40%. In 2010, four players breached that mark, led by debuting CF Bawaka Ngoie at 53.6%.



Three returners set new highs with SP Hendrik Jongman at 49.4% on his third ballot, SP Ahmed Hussen Rooble with 45.2% for his third go, and 1B Laurent Kouakou at 41.8% on his fourth ballot. CL Markus Shahanga also breached the 1/3 mark with a 38.8% debut.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

While there had been a “world champion” nation since the 1940s with the World Baseball Championship, many had wanted to decide a true “world champion” among the professional teams. With the World Series moniker, Major League Baseball’s champion often boasted that title. In the earliest days of pro baseball, any unbiased observer would agree that MLB’s talent level was the best in the world.

By the 2000s with the worldwide proliferation of the game, the gap between the pro leagues had shrunk notably. Each year, champion teams and players would argue that they had the best team in the world. While most still felt MLB had the most talent overall, many observers felt that the top teams from each league would more than hold their own against MLB’s top contenders.

A “champion’s league” type setup existed in other sports, but not baseball. Many Global Baseball Alliance officials wanted to make this a reality, but there were a tremendous amount of logistics to sort out. More serious discussions began in the early 2000s as there were now 14 “major league” level associations. Within many of those were individual subleagues of varying size and strength.

Most owners and executives realized it was something that would be very popular and financially rewarding. Many players loved the idea of going for ultimate glory (and the extra paycheck). All of the leagues started in March or April and ended in October or November. With the WBC already taking up January and February, officials realized this event would have to happen shortly after the postseasons ended, thus making a mid-November start.

Not every league ended at exactly the same time, so it was tough to line up timelines for each team to finish up and have at least some break (but not too long of one). Leagues also had to change their free agency filing dates to ensure rosters stayed intact for such an event. Over the early 2000s, the major leagues agreed to such framework.

The next step was determining which teams made it and the rule set. Some favored just having the 14 overall champions, but many of the more established leagues disliked that. For example, MLB felt both the National Association champ and American Association champ should get it. Similar was places like CABA, who claimed an overall champ but still viewed the Mexican League and Caribbean League as distinct leagues worthy of recognition.

Each league also had unique rule sets and play styles. Officials agreed to shoot for a “middle ground” between the higher scoring and lower scoring leagues. They allowed for a 30-man active roster with a 10-player reserve roster. The designated hitter was also approved for use.

The event would become named the Baseball Grand Championship, differentiating from the “world champ” moniker of the WBC champ. In the earliest design, 20 teams were invited to participate. The qualifiers were as follows:

-Both Association Champions from Major League Baseball
-The Mexican and Caribbean Champions from CABA
-The Japan and Korea League Champs from EAB
-The Bolivar League and Southern Cone Champs from BSA
-Both Conference Champs from the EBF Elite

As the largest and most prestigious leagues, those each earned two teams. The remaining nine leagues (EPB, OBA, APB, CLB, WAB, SAB, ABF, ALB, AAB) would have their overall champion invited. To get to 20, there would be one “wild card” team, going to the best runner-up by resume from the remaining nine leagues.

For the inaugural 2010 Grand Championship, the teams were split into two divisions of ten teams each. Each team met once in a round-robin with the two division champions meeting in a best-of-seven series. This format would only be used in 2010, switching to a true round-robin only between all of the teams from 2011 onward.

The final details were ironed out with various world cities bidding for hosting rights much like the WBC. Caracas, Venezuela won the bid for the inaugural 2010 event and officials opted to keep a variety of sites between representative cities of the various leagues. With that, the first-ever Grand Champion was set to be crowned in November 2010…

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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The 2010 World Baseball Championship was the 64^th edition of the event and was held in the Caribbean for the first time since 1988, this time centered on Kingston, Jamaica. Canada crushed the Division 1 competition at 8-1 with no one else better than 5-4. The Canadians hadn’t won the division since their 2004 world title, advancing for the 36^th time.

The United States was similarly dominant in Division 2 at 8-1 with their nearest foe being 6-3 Ethiopia. The Americans earned a fourth consecutive berth and their 53^rd overall. They would be one of three teams from the 2009 playoff field to make it back in 2010.

Taiwan and Romania tied at 8-1 atop Division 3, but the Taiwanese won the head-to-head to advance. It was their eighth division title and first since the 2004 runner-up season. The Romanians would’ve gotten their third-ever division title, had they won.

Division 4 was incredibly tight with a three-way tie for first at 6-3 between Vietnam, Morocco, and Italy. Japan, Poland, and Portugal were each right in the mix at 5-4. The tiebreakers gave Vietnam their second-ever division title (1999). Defending world champ India rolled to 8-1 atop Division 5 with only Myanmar at 6-3 giving chase. The Indians advanced for the third time in four years and for the seventh time overall.

Colombia and South Korea tied atop Division 6 at 7-2, while Kazakhstan was right behind at 6-3. The tiebreaker sent the Colombians forward for the 17^th time and the first time since 2006. Division 7 saw Uzbekistan and Spain even at 6-3, while Ireland, Nigeria, and Serbia were each 5-4. The Uzbeks advanced on the tiebreaker for their fourth division title, although they hadn’t done it since way back in 1985.

The lone unbeaten in division play was Pakistan at 9-0. The repeat win earned a fifth division title and their third in four years. Indonesia was their closest foe at 7-2. The elite eight was notable as it was the first time since 1982 that there wasn’t a single European nation. This crew saw five from Asia, two from North America, and one from South America.

In Round Robin Group A, the United States was the top squad at 5-1. This gave the Americans a 47^th semifinal berth. Pakistan also advanced at 3-3, while Canada and Uzbekistan were both 2-4. This was the fourth time getting to the final four with the most recent in 2007 by the Pakistanis.

Colombia claimed the top spot in Group B at 5-1. They earned an 11^th semifinal appearance and first since 2006. Defending world champ India moved forward for the third time with their 4-2 mark. Taiwan went 3-3, while Vietnam was winless at 0-6.

In a rematch of 2009’s World Championship, the United States got revenge and swept India 3-0. On the other side, Colombia edged Pakistan 3-2 in a fierce battle. The Colombians earned their first-ever finals berth, becoming the 24^th unique country to get to the final. Colombia was also the first South American finalist since Brazil in 1990. Pakistan was officially third, matching their top finish for the third time.



The American dominance continued in the 64^th World Championship with the US beating Colombia 4-1. This was their 10^th world title in 15 years, putting the Americans at 37-6 all-time in the finals. Leading the way was Tournament MVP Killian Fruechete, the reigning National Association MVP with Omaha. The 25-year old Californian left fielder had 23 starts, 32 hits, 23 runs, 4 doubles, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 12 walks, 13 stolen bases, a 258 wRC+, and 2.1 WAR.



Best Pitcher was given to Ukraine’s Roman Vakulenko, entering his fourth season in EBF with Dublin. The 23-year old tossed 13.1 scoreless innings with 24 strikeouts, 5 walks, and 4 hits allowed.

Other notes: 2010 saw two no-hitters, coming on back-to-back days. On January 24, Myanmar’s Khon Aye Ko did it with 20 strikeouts and 1 walk against Argentina. Then on January 25, Algeria’s Souilem Boudiaf fanned 17 with two walks against Switzerland. Paraguay’s Martin Esteves became the 15^th in WBC history to hit for the cycle, doing it against Slovakia. The USA’s Morgan Short saw a 20-game hit streak carrying over from the prior WBC. He became the sixth player to have a streak of 20+.