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

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In 2009, both Philadelphia and Washington won 100+ games in the National Association’s East League. The Phillies did it again at 103-59, earning the top seed and their fourth straight playoff berth. Philadelphia earned its eighth playoff berth and seventh division title in a decade. As for the Admirals, they completely collapsed. Washington went from a franchise record 105-57 to an abysmal 64-98, their worst season in 20 years.

Boston had the #2 seed by winning the Northeast Division at 101-61. The Red Sox earned a fifth consecutive playoff berth and fourth division crown in a row. The wild card race was focused in the East and Northeast with Brooklyn (95-67) and Quebec City (93-69) taking the spots. Baltimore (90-72) was also in the mix, but saw their playoff drought grow to 24 seasons. The Dodgers ended five-year drought and the Nordiques snapped a three-year skid.

Detroit dominated the Upper Midwest at 97-65 for their third playoff berth in four years. Milwaukee, last year’s NACS runner-up, was a distant second at 84-78. Meanwhile, the Lower Midwest had four teams in the mix for the division title. Indianapolis and St. Louis tied for first at 87-75, while Cincinnati was 84-78 and Louisville finished 82-80.

The tiebreaker game went to the Racers over the Cardinals, ending a three-year playoff drought for Indy. The two-time defending National Association champion Reds had their three-peat dreams thwarted. Columbus also had a notable drop from a 95-win wild card down to only 75 wins.

Detroit 1B Murad Doskaliev became a three-time National Association MVP. For the 34-year old Tajik, it was his fifth overall MVP. He won the NA title for Philadelphia 2007 and 2008, as well as the 2004 and 2003 West League MVP for Asgabat of the Asian Baseball Federation. After making his MLB debut with four seasons for the Phillies, Doskaliev joined the Tigers in 2010 on a four-year, $70,000,000.

In his Detroit debut, Doskaliev led in home runs (48), RBI (131), doubles (37), and total bases (401). He also had 107 runs, 196 hits, a .312/.362/.639 slash, 204 wRC+, and 8.3 WAR. Between ABF and MLB, it was Doskaliev’s seventh season leading his league in home runs.

Another international superstar dominating a new league was Juliao Costa, the Pitcher of the Year in his second year with Philadelphia. Costa became a seven-time POTY winner, having done it six times in his native Brazil with Belo Horizonte.

The Phillies lured him from Beisbol Sudamerica after the 2008 season with a five-year, $63,500,000 deal. In 2010, the 34-year old righty led in wins (21-7), strikeouts (297), WHIP (0.91), K/BB (7.6), and quality starts (27). Costa had a 2.45 ERA over 275.1 innings, 137 ERA+, and 8.0 WAR.

Brooklyn edged Indianapolis and Quebec City upset Detroit in the first round, both 2-1. Both made the top seeds work for it in round two as both matchups went 3-2. Boston survived against the Dodgers and Philadelphia outlasted the Nordiques. The Red Sox finally got to the National Association Championship Series after four straight early exits. It was their first NACS appearance since 2004. The Phillies got back for the second time in four years.

The series was a seven game classic with Philadelphia picking up the win over Boston. The Phillies earned their third pennant in a decade, having also won in 2005 and 2001. This gave Philadelphia 12 National Association titles, which was more pennants than any other team in MLB.



The American Association’s top two records came out of an intense battle for the Southwest Division. After missing the playoffs in 2009, the 2007/2008 AA champ San Diego finished first at 99-63. Los Angeles was one back at 98-64, stuck with the first wild card. This still ended an 11-year playoff drought for the Angles.

The #2 seed went to Tampa at 97-65 in the Southeast Division. The Thunderbirds hadn’t seen a division title or playoff berth since 1995. Reigning World Series champ Nashville dropped to 85-77, five short of the final wild card. The Knights had their playoff streak ended at four seasons. Jacksonville went from a wild card in 2009 to a mediocre 73-89.

Houston won the South Central Division at 91-71 for their seventh playoff berth in nine years. Their closest foe was Austin at 86-76. Last year’s division champ Oklahoma City dropped to 78-84. The Northwest Division went to Denver at 89-73, ending a postseason drought for the Dragons back to their 1995 World Series win. They were nine games ahead of Vancouver. Defending division champ Salt Lake City plummeted to 64-98.

For the second wild card, Las Vegas (90-72) emerged out of a very competitive group to grab repeat playoff berths. Four teams were one back at 89-73; Atlanta, Charlotte, Albuquerque, and Oakland. San Francisco at 88-74, Austin at 86-76, and Nashville at 85-77 all were in the mix as well. No one in the Southwest Division had a losing record with the worst team being 81-81 Phoenix.

San Diego 1B Ju-Won Yoo became a two-time American Association MVP. The 32-year old South Korean righty led in RBI (143) while posting 53 home runs, 102 runs, a .308/.368/.607 slash, 171 wRC+, and 8.2 WAR. Yoo also won his second Gold Glove.

The Seals also had Vic Ryan win his second Pitcher of the Year in three years. The 30-year old righty led in wins (24-6), ERA (2.05), innings (285.2), WHIP (0.88), quality starts (29), complete games (24), FIP- (61), and WAR (10.1). Ryan had 246 strikeouts and a 182 ERA+, falling 22 Ks short of a Triple Crown. Sadly, it was Ryan’s last great season due a torn flexor tendon suffered the following July.

Also worth a mention was closer Jeremy Dau becoming a three-time Reliever of the Year winner. The 31-year old righty for Austin had a 0.61 ERA over 59.1 innings, 16 saves, 99 strikeouts, and 4.6 WAR. Dau was the tenth in MLB history to win the award thrice.

Denver edged Los Angeles 2-1 and Las Vegas ousted Houston 2-1 in the first round. The Dragons continued on and upset Tampa 3-2 in the second round for their first American Association Championship Series berth since their 1995 World Series win. San Diego topped the Vipers 3-1 and set up a shot at a third pennant in four years.

The Seals pulled off just that, defeating Denver 4-2 for a ninth American Association pennant. That tied San Diego with Houston for the second-most AA pennants, only behind Phoenix at 11. The Seals were the first AA team to win three titles in a four year stretch since Las Vegas’s 1976-79 run.



Despite the general success of both franchises, the 110^th World Series was the first meeting between San Diego and Philadelphia. The Seals rolled to a 4-1 win for their second title in four years. San Diego became seven-time MLB champs, tying the Phillies and Houston for the most. Pitcher of the Year Vic Ryan was World Series MVP, posting a 2.41 ERA over 37.1 playoff innings with 40 strikeouts and 3 walks.



Other notes: Two perfect games were thrown in the 2010 MLB season. The 26^th perfecto came on April 30 by Wichita’s Florian Kiss with 12 strikeouts against St. Louis. The second came on June 11 from Pittsburgh’s Cameron Gardiner with 10 Ks against Cincinnati.

Both pitcher Theron Summers and CF Damien Yang became nine time Gold Glove winners. CF Morgan Short won his ninth consecutive Silver Slugger. SS Joel Tournier and 2B Cole Becenti became seven-time Slugger winners.

Indianapolis’ pitching staff set a National Association record with 1489 strikeouts and a 9.02 K/9. Philadelphia had 1465 Ks and a 9.00 K/9, which both would’ve been NA record if not for the Racers. Indy’s marks remain NA bests as of 2037.

At 50-112, Pittsburgh had an all-time poor offense again. The Pirates scored only 437 runs, tying their own all-time MLB worst from 2008. Pittsburgh’s .305 team slugging was the second-worst ever behind their .301 from two years prior. Miami set a new American Association all-time worst for OBP at .277.

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Editors’ note: I had meant to a do a Major League Baseball 100 years recap like I did with the CABA one. However, I just forgot to do it when that time came. So here’s a look at MLB after 110 seasons instead.



Philadelphia has been the National Association’s top squad by World Series wins (7), NA pennants (12), playoff berths (44), and division titles (22); boasting the top team score at 220. Their 87.2 average wins per season was surprisingly second to Ottawa at 88.3. The Elks mark was the highest of any MLB team. They were third in playoff appearances in the NA at 36 with Hartford just beating them at 35.

Ottawa had the second most NA titles at 11, followed by Montreal (10), and Indianapolis (9). Life is pain for the Racers, having gone 0-9 in their World Series berths. Despite those berths, they’ve actually been a more middling franchise overall. There’s a notable skew in success favoring the old East League teams over the Midwest League teams. The highest average wins per season from a Midwest team was St. Louis, barely above .500 at 81.5.

Buffalo and Omaha are the two original NA squads without a pennant, joined by expansion squads Wichita and Quebec City. The Blue Sox have the fewest playoff berths of an original team with 10 in 110 years. Expansion Winnipeg actually has a higher team score than both Buffalo and Brooklyn.

The American Association’s Houston has the most playoff appearances (46) and the best team score (232) of any MLB franchise. They are tied with San Diego and Philadelphia for the most World Series rings at 7. Phoenix has the most AA pennants though at 11, followed by the Seals, Hornets, and Los Angeles at 9 each. Houston has the best average wins in the AA at 87.7 and more division titles than anyone in MLB by far at 33.

Apart from Houston, you can see the skew towards the old Western League teams compared to the Southern League teams. The Southwest especially is strong with six of the top nine teams in the AA by playoff appearances. Phoenix is second to Houston’s 46 with 37, followed by LA (33), San Francisco (32), and Albuquerque (31).

Although they’ve averaged around a .500 record, Oakland joins San Antonio as the only original American Association teams without a pennant in 110 tries. The Oilers have the worst average wins per year (74.3) of any non-expansion team in MLB. Expansion squads Salt Lake City, Austin, and Orlando each have yet to win a pennant. The Orcas and the NA’s Wichita are the only teams without an LCS appearance yet.

The titles have been strongly skewed towards the American Association, holding a 67-43 record in the World Series over the National Association.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

The first-ever Baseball Grand Championship was hosted in Caracas, Venezuela in 2010. It would be the only version of the event using a divisional format with a Round Robin against division foes, following by the two division winners playing in a best-of-seven.

In Division 1 was San Diego (MLB), Haiti (CABA), Yongin (EAB), Santa Cruz (BSA), Zurich (EBF), Omsk (EPB), Melbourne (OBA), Davao (APB), Kolkata (SAB), and Addis Ababa (AAB). In Division 2 was Philadelphia (MLB), Ecatepec (CABA), Kyoto (EAB), Recife (BSA), Dublin (EBF), Chendgu (CLB), Hanoi (SAB), Amman (ALB), Cotonou (WAB), and Rawalpindi (ABF). Hanoi was the “wild card” addition as a runner-up with a 121-41 record from a league without two auto-bids.



In Division 1, the World Series champion San Diego was the top team at 8-1. AAB champ Addis Ababa, Caribbean champ Haiti, and EBF runner-up Zurich each tied for second at 6-3. Oceania champ Melbourne was fifth in the division at 5-4. Division 2 had MLB’s Philadelphia first at 8-1, while WAB champ Cotonou and ABF champ Rawalpindi were next at 6-3. The only other team above .500 was European champ Dublin at 5-4.

With that, the best-of-seven was a rematch of the World Series. San Diego had beaten Philadelphia 4-1 for the MLB title, but the Phillies got revenge. Philadelphia took the rematch 4-1 to be crowned the 2010 and first-ever Grand Champion.

Winning MVP honors was 29-year old right fielder Mohamed Osman, who had won NACS MVP a few weeks earlier for Philadelphia. The Sudanese lefty in 14 tournament games had 13 hits, 16 runs, 3 doubles, 9 home runs, 18 RBI, and 43 total bases.

Seven-time Pitcher of the Year Juliao Costa was also the BGC’s Best Pitcher. The 34-year old Brazilian went 3-0 in three starts with 25 innings, a 0.72 ERA, 30 strikeouts, 8 hits allowed, 2 walks, 2 complete games, and 1 shutout.



Other notes: The first Grand Championship was a critical success, although there were those upset to see a World Series best-of-seven rematch. Even Philadelphia and San Diego weren’t thrilled to have to do it again, although the Phillies were happy to get revenge. That’s why the best-of-seven and divisional format was scrapped after 2010. The inaugural result did show that MLB was still king of the pro baseball world, although other world leagues certainly had a strong showing.

In 2011, the Grand Championship was switched to a round robin with all 20 teams playing each other team once. This gave each team more games and allowed for a larger sample size and forced more of a marathon strategy. There wouldn’t be any playoffs afterward as whichever team had the best record would earn the Grand Champion crown.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

DH/OF James Franco was the only addition for the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. Franco received a narrow first ballot induction at 72.3%. The next closest to the 66% requirement were SP Dirk Hughes at 62.2% on his third ballot and 2B Chaz Cimarron with 61.9% for his fourth attempt.



Six others breached 50% but fell short of 60%. RF Brian Ostrovskaya had 58.7% on his seventh ballot, CF Will Kemme had 55.2% on his seventh, C Elliott McKay picked up 53.4% for his fourth try, CL Brendan Gordon received 53.1% on his sixth attempt, RF Xavier Chojnacki got 51.9% on his eighth ballot, and RF Mike Castaneda’s tenth and final try saw 51.0%. The second best debut was C Jacob Gibson at a mere 39.5%.

For Castaneda, he consistently was between 49-57% in his ten ballots. The right fielder had an 18-year career with San Francisco and won one MVP, two Silver Sluggers, and was part of the 1994 World Series team. Castaneda had 2513 hits, 1461 runs, 369 doubles, 531 home runs, 1529 RBI, 949 walks, a .287/.359/.520 slash, 136 wRC+, and 75.5 WAR.

Castaneda had a very steady and reliable career, but was never a league leader apart from his 1984 MVP season. He was a beast in that year’s postseason run too which saw a World Series defeat. The tallies weren’t out of place compared to other Hall of Famers, but the lack of black ink kept him narrowly on the outside.

Other observers noted that Castaneda had notably better WAR and wRC+ totals than James Franco, despite the latter getting a first ballot nod in 2011 and Castaneda getting bumped from the ballot. That said, Castaneda still remains a favorite for Gold Rush fans despite being banished to the Hall of Pretty Good.



James “Splatter” Franco – Designated Hitter/Outfield – Los Angeles Angels – 72.3% First Ballot

James Franco was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Inglewood, California; a city of 107,000 people within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Franco was an excellent contact hitter and outstanding at avoiding strikeouts. He was also good at drawing walks and had terrific speed, which proved useful for a leadoff role. Franco led the American Association six times in stolen bases and was incredibly dangerous on the basepaths. Franco wasn’t a prolific slugger, but he wasn’t a mere singles slap hitter either. He had 26 doubles, 12 triples, and 15 home runs per his 162 game average.

Franco’s incredible baserunning speed didn’t translate at all to defensive range or skill. He made around 45% of his career starts in the outfield, mostly in left with some in right. Franco graded out as a terrible defender in either spot. While the designated hitter was often reserved for big bruisers, more than half of Franco’s starts came as a DH.

Franco stayed in the greater Los Angeles area for college, attending the University of Southern California. With the Trojans, he had 142 games, 159 hits, 99 runs, 32 doubles, 26 home runs, 94 RBI, and a .296/.365/.530. Franco was a top prospect nationwide, but was very much a local favorite in the LA area. Thus, the Angels picked Franco seventh overall in the 1985 MLB Draft.

He debuted in 1986, but spent most of his time in the minors with only 27 games. Franco had 114 games and 64 starts in 1987, then graduated to a full-time starting job in 1988. However, a strained abdominal and a fractured thumb cost him a good chunk of the season. Franco stayed healthy after that with nine straight seasons with 148+ games.

Franco’s finest season was 1989, which saw AA and career bests in hits (235), batting average (.373), total bases (373), OBP (.429), OPS (1.021), and wRC+ (175). He had a career-best 8.3 WAR, 23 home runs, and 18 triples, plus a league-best 117 runs. Franco earned his lone MVP win and a Silver Slugger as a DH. Los Angeles ended a seven-year playoff drought, but lost in the first round.

1990 also saw a Silver Slugger for Franco, although he wouldn’t win the award again after that. He would only top 5+ WAR once more as well, losing value due to either being a DH or a crap defender. Franco did lead in stolen bases twice with the Angels, setting a career best 74 in 1991.

The Angels in 1990 won the American Association pennant, suffering an upset World Series loss to Virginia Beach. Franco had 22 hits, 11 runs, 5 doubles, 2 home runs, and 10 RBI in that playoff run. Los Angeles would lock up their hometown favorite after the 1991 season on an eight-year, $19,480,000 deal.

LA made the playoffs again in 1991, 1993, and 1995, but couldn’t get beyond the second round. In 1997, the Angels got over the hump and ultimately won the World Series over Minneapolis. Franco played a big role in the playoffs, winning AACS and second round MVP. He had 23 hits, 12 runs, 3 doubles, 5 home runs, and 9 RBI over 18 playoff games.

For his playoff career with the Angels, Franco had 63 games, 73 hits, 33 runs, 13 doubles, 4 triples, 7 home runs, 26 RBI, 23 walks, 21 stolen bases, a .302/.372/.475 slash, 130 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. His general playoff success earned him a lot of fans in LA and was a big reason his #26 uniform was later retired.

Los Angeles lost in the AACS in 1998, which was Franco’s final season there. In total, Franco had 2162 hits, 1042 runs, 297 doubles, 128 triples, 172 home runs, 973 RBI, 553 stolen bases, a .317/.372/.474 slash, 129 wRC+, and 39.4 WAR. He declined the final year option in his deal, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 33.

Seattle signed Franco to a five-year, $22,200,000 deal. He was the stolen bases leader in four of his five seasons with the Grizzlies and led in triples in 2003 with 22. Franco put up steady value for Seattle, who had their own playoff run during his tenure. The Grizzlies lost in the first round in 1999, then finally won their first-ever pennant in 2000.

Seattle lost to Cleveland in the 2000 World Series. They won 100+ games the next three years, but suffered AACS losses in 2001 and 2003 and a second round defeat in 2002. Franco again stepped up in the postseason with 35 starts, 42 hits, 25 runs, 5 doubles, 6 triples, 5 home runs, 13 RBI, 14 stolen bases, a .313/.354/.552 slash, 136 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR.

For his entire playoff career, Franco had 99 games, 116 hits, 58 runs, 18 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, 39 RBI, 30 walks, 35 stolen bases, a .308/.367/.504 slash, 133 wRC+, and 3.5 WAR. At retirement, he was the all-time steals leader in the playoffs and second in triples. Franco still ranks third in both as of 2037.

For the Seattle tenure, Franco had 940 hits, 521 runs, 118 doubles, 65 triples, 73 home runs, 331 RBI, 311 stolen bases, a .318/.371/.476 slash, 127 wRC+, and 19.4 WAR. He became the 54^th member of the 3000 hit club and the 93^rd player to cross 1500 runs scored. Franco had still looked solid in his final Grizzlies season, earning plenty of free agency attention even at age 38.

Milwaukee gave Franco a three-year, $11,160,000 deal. However, the National Association’s lack of a DH limited his options. Franco only played 89 games with 41 starts in 2004, although he still looked respectable at the plate in that sample. He would struggle in a bench-only role in 2005 with -0.5 WAR over 88 games. Franco had only 0.4 WAR and a 106 wRC+ with the Mustangs. He retired after the 2005 season at age 40.

Franco finished with 3173 hits, 1600 runs, 426 doubles, 196 triples, 251 home runs, 1331 RBI, 857 walks, a 5.4% strikeout rate, 871 stolen bases, a .316/.370/.472 slash, 128 wRC+, and 59.2 WAR. As of 2037, Franco ranks 10^th all-time in stolen bases. However, a lack of power and no defensive value hurt him in the advanced metrics. Very few guys had earned an MLB Hall of Fame nod with a WAR below 60.

Helping Franco’s case were his strong playoff numbers and hitting a few big milestones like 3000+ hits and 1500+ runs. The 2011 ballot also didn’t have anyone else debuting with strong resumes, making Franco pop a bit more compared to the returners. He certainly looks in retrospect to be one of the weakest inductees, but Franco earned a first ballot nod at 72.3%. With that, he was the lone addition into MLB’s HOF in 2011.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Two pitchers from Salvador’s 1990s dynasty earned induction into the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 2011. Rafael Perez was nearly unanimous at 98.9%, while Benito Bertran got a huge bump on his third ballot to 85.0%. The only other player above 50% was SP Angel Tobar with 53.5% on his third ballot. No players were dropped after ten ballots. The next best debut was only at 22.7%.



Rafael Perez – Starting Pitcher – Salvador Stallions – 98.9% First Ballot

Rafael Perez was a 6’7’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Moca, the tenth largest city in the Dominican Republic with around 175,000 inhabitants. Perez had excellent stuff, great movement, and very good control. His fastball only hit 93-95 mph, but he also had a strong splitter, curveball, and changeup. Perez was a master at changing speeds and picking his spots.

Perez’s stamina was just above average compared to other CABA aces, but he was an ironman who almost never missed a start. He tossed 215+ innings and 32+ games in all 16 of his pro seasons. He also was known as an excellent defensive pitcher, winning two Gold Gloves. Perez wasn’t a clubhouse leader or genius, but he was still a tremendous ace in a dynasty run.

Despite his final results, Perez wasn’t a highly-touted prospect. He ended up with a growth spurt after high school, shooting up to 6’7’’ suddenly. Even still, he didn’t have the explosive velocity scouts favored. In the 1989 CABA Draft Perez wasn’t picked until the ninth pick of the fourth round. He was the 95^th overall selection by Panama.

The Parrots made Perez a full-time starter immediately and he held that role for his six seasons there. He gave solid innings with 5+ WAR in in five of his seasons. Perez wasn’t a league leader, but did earn a Gold Glove in 1995. His rookie season saw Panama win 87 games, their best effort since 1975. However, the Parrots fell back into their traditional mediocrity for the rest of his tenure.

Perez finished with an 82-66 record, 3.33 ERA, 1437.1 innings, 1456 strikeouts, 274 walks, 117 ERA+, and 32.2 WAR with Panama. He left for free agency after the 1995 season at age 28. Salvador was very impressed with his talent and gave Perez a seven-year, $16,020,000 deal. It proved to be an excellent move to help the Stallions create a dynasty.

Salvador was already good before signing Perez, having won the CABA Championship in 1994. They lost in the Caribbean League final in an upset loss to Santiago in 1995. With Perez, the Stallions would win four straight Caribbean titles from 1996-1999. In 1997 and 1998, Salvador repeated as CABA champ.

Perez immediately delivered by debuting with a Triple Crown season in 1996 with a 23-5 record, 2.25 ERA, and 307 strikeouts; all career highs. He also had career and league bests in WHIP (0.92) and quality starts (28) while posting 9.0 WAR. Perez won his first Pitcher of the Year and his second Gold Glove.

He ended up with four consecutive Pitcher of the Year awards from 1996-99. Perez led in ERA and WAR again in both 1997 and 1998 and posted 9.0, 9.0, 10.1, and 8.9 WAR over those four years. He led in strikeouts again in 1997 and WHIP again in 1998. Perez also pitched for the Dominican Republic in that stretch in the World Baseball Championship. In those four years and a 1991 appearance, he had a 2.44 ERA over 51.2 innings, 83 strikeouts, 150 ERA+, and 2.1 WAR.

It was his performances in the playoffs that catapulted Perez into legendary status. Over the 1996-99 four-peat, Perez had a 12-1 record and 1.19 ERA over 120.2 innings with 138 strikeouts, 21 walks, and 4.8 WAR. He also won finals MVP in the 1998 victory over Tijuana.

After that run, Perez still tossed 5.5+ WAR six more times. Salvador lost in the wild card round in 2000 and 2001, then saw their playoff streak snapped at eight years with the 2002 season. The Stallions still thought they could make another run and re-upped a now 35-year old Perez for three years and $12,040,000.

Perez returned to dominant form with his fourth ERA title in 2003 with a 2.46 mark. He earned his fifth Pitcher of the Year, becoming only the fifth CABA pitcher to ever do that. Salvador made it back to the playoffs, although they lost to Honduras in the CLCS. This was Perez’s only weak playoff effort with a 4.50 ERA over 24 innings.

For his playoff career though, Perez had a stellar 1.78 ERA in 192.2 innings, 17-5 record, 189 strikeouts, 32 walks, 0.94 WHIP, 232 ERA+, and 6.2 WAR. At retirement, no CABA pitcher had more playoff wins. As of 2037, he’s still third in wins, as well as 11^th in strikeouts and fifth in WAR. Among Hall of Famer starters, his playoff ERA ranks fourth best.

Perez had a great 2004 and a good 2005. The Stallions had a first round exit in 2004, but went on a surprise CABA Championship run in 2005, winning it all Juarez. This gave Perez three CABA title rings and five Caribbean rings. In his final postseason run, he had a 2.52 ERA over 25 innings.

In that last season, Perez’s strikeout stats had significantly dropped. Despite that, he still had solid stats and the Stallions gave him a three-year, $13,080,000 extension in the offseason. When he reported to spring training, Perez’s velocity had completely tanked. It was down to the 90-92 mph range in 2005, down from the 93-95 mph peak he normally had. By 2006, Perez was peaking at 85-87 mph.

Regardless of his history and resume, that just wasn’t playable. Perez spent 2006 on roster, but never saw an inning. He opted to retire that winter at age 39. Salvador immediately honored him and retired his #15 uniform for his role in the great dynasty run. With the Stallions, Perez had a 173-100 record, 2.85 ERA, 2675.1 innings, 2803 strikeouts, 370 walks, 140 ERA+, and 79.6 WAR.

Perez’s final stats saw a 255-166 record, 3.02 ERA, 4112.2 innings, 4259 strikeouts, 644 walks, 367/517 quality starts, 148 complete games, 131 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 111.8 WAR. At retirement, Perez ranked third all-time in pitching WAR behind only the legendary Ulices Montero and Junior Vergara. As of 2037, Perez is still fifth on that list. In 2037, Perez is also ninth in wins and 12^th in strikeouts and fittingly was named to the CABA Centennial Team.

Montero and Vergara’s dominance will keep Perez out of all-time GOAT pitcher conversations. But a case could definitely be made for Perez as CABA’s best-ever postseason starting pitcher. Any top ten pitchers list worth its salt has Perez on there somewhere. He was an easy Hall of Fame headliner in 2011, getting in with a nearly unanimous 98.9%.



Benito Bertran – Starting Pitcher – Salvador Stallions – 85.0% First Ballot

Benito Bertran was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from San Pedro Sula, the second largest city in Honduras with around 1.5 million people in the metropolitan area. Bertran was known for having tremendous pinpoint control and excellent movement on his pitches. That made up for having merely average stuff with a peak of 94-96 mph on his fastball. Bertran had a fantastic splitter and a good slider, owing to an extreme groundball tendency.

Bertran also had elite stamina and led the Caribbean League five times in complete games and twice in innings pitched. For the first decade of his run, he had great durability and tossed 240+ innings each year. Injury would ultimately cut things short after that. Bertran ended up being the Robin to Rafael Perez’s Batman during the Salvador dynasty.

Interestingly enough, they had very different expectations at the start of their career. Perez was a fourth round draft pick who greatly exceeded all expectations to become an inner-circle Hall of Famer. Meanwhile, scouts fell in love with Bertran’s control in the amateur ranks and he soared up the prospect ranks. Salvador ended up picking Bertran with the #1 overall pick of the 1990 CABA Draft.

Bertran started immediately for the Stallions and had a decent rookie campaign despite leading the CL in losses. Salvador had earned the #1 pick with a terrible 62-100 in 1990 and did little better at 64-98 in 1991. Bertran helped them start the turnaround for what would be the great 1990s dynasty.

In 1992, the Stallions went from 64 to 98 wins, taking the top seed. In his second year, Bertran led in wins at 20-10 as well as in WAR at 8.0 and complete games at 16. He won Pitcher of the Year and Salvador made it to the CLCS. Bertran got rocked in the playoffs with a 7.53 ERA over 14.1 innings and the Stallions lost the CLCS to Trinidad.

That rocked Bertran’s confidence, as he struggled to a 4.24 ERA in 1993 and Salvador missed the playoffs. He got his grove back with a league and career best 2.43 ERA in 1994, while also leading in WHIP (0.96), quality starts (25), and WAR (7.3). Bertran earned his second Pitcher of the Year and he fared better with a 2.90 playoff ERA in 31 innings. Salvador defeated Ecatepec to win the 1994 CABA Championship.

That winter, the soon to be 27-year old Bertran was extended on a five-year, $12,060,000 deal. Bertran led in WAR again in 1995 and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Salvador was upset by Santiago in that season’s CLCS. That loss in part promoted the Stallions to sign Rafael Perez in the offseason, which moved Bertran into the #2 role.

He was fine in that role, leading twice in innings pitched and complete games during the 1996-99 Caribbean League title four-peat. Bertran led in wins at 21-10 in 1999 and had a career best 8.4 WAR, but was second to Perez in POTY voting. That was Bertran’s last time as a finalist. The Stallions would give him a five-year, $14,800,000 extension during spring training 1999.

While Perez’s tremendous playoff stats got deserved attention, Bertran had very good playoff stats for his career. Over 168.1 innings, he had a 2.62 ERA, 11-8 record, 137 strikeouts, 15 walks, 9.1 K/BB, 17/20 quality starts, 151 ERA+, and 4.7 WAR. Bertran was especially great in the 1997 CABA Championship run with a 1.61 ERA over 44.2 innings. He was a critical part of them winning back-to-back CABA rings in 1997 and 1998.

Although his pro career was in nearby El Salvador, Bertran still returned home to Honduras for the World Baseball Championship from 1991-2003. He had a 3.17 ERA over 229.2 WBC innings with 213 strikeouts, a 14-14 record, 44 walks, 114 ERA+, and 5.6 WAR.

Disaster struck a 33-year old Bertran in late April 2001 as he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament. This put him on the shelf 13 months, missing the rest of 2001 and start of 2002. His signature pinpoint control never came back all the way after the injury. Bertran struggled to a 4.23 ERA over 172.1 innings in his 2002 return.

Salvador limited Bertran to mostly relief in 2003, where he put up a respectable 2.57 ERA and 2.4 WAR over 101.2 innings. Back spasms cost him part of the season and he only saw one relief appearance in the 2003 postseason. Bertran opted to retire with that at age 35 and immediately saw his #39 uniform retired by the Stallions.

Bertran finished with a 182-132 record, 3.40 ERA, 2981 innings, 2225 strikeouts, 329 walks, 203/347 quality starts, 164 complete games, 117 ERA+, and 67.6 WAR. Despite his successes, that ERA was at the very bottom compared to other CABA Hall of Famers. Bertran’s strikeout stats were also very low compared to other HOFers, putting him borderline territory.

Bertran narrowly missed the cut at 63.0% in 2009 and then dropped to 54.4% in 2010. When 2011 rolled around, Perez was going to be an obvious choice, but his pending induction shined a brighter light on Bertran. The latter’s own postseason success was highlighted as a key part of the dynasty run for Salvador. It was almost forgotten too that Bertran did have two Pitcher of the Year awards to his name.

The symmetry was perfect for many voters, giving Bertran an impressive bump up to 85.0%. Almost never did someone receive that high of a percentage outside of the first ballot. Bertran was a third ballot addition and joined his longtime teammate Perez as the inductees for CABA in 2011.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Two players were slam dunk additions into the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. SP Yutaka Kobayashi earned 99.1% and 1B Myeong-Hwan Sung had 98.3% to easily get in on their debuts. The only other player to crack 50% was 3B Shigefumi Tsukehara at 58.9% on his fourth ballot.



Dropped after ten failed ballots was 1B Ye-Seong Van, who had a 17-year career between Suwon, Goyang, and Yongin. Van won an MVP and Silver Slugger in 1984, but otherwise wasn’t a league leader. He had 2247 hits, 1169 runs, 408 doubles, 404 home runs, 1256 RBI, a .315/.368/.551 slash, 149 wRC+, and 63.8 WAR. Van had a solid “Hall of Pretty Good” resume, peaking at 36.8% in 2003 and ending with 15.2%.

RF Chuji Kaizoji also dropped after ten failed ballots, peaking ta 26.7% in 2003 and ending with 13.4%. He had a 20-year career and his full totals would be very much worthy, but that included an eight-year MLB excursion to Baltimore. For his full pro career, Kaizoji had 2745 hits, 1606 runs, 382 doubles, 817 home runs, 1927 RBI, a .278/.336/.571 slash, 168 wRC+, and 104.3 WAR. Few guys in pro baseball history had topped 800 career home runs.

Kaizoji’s best years came in MLB with an MVP and two Silver Sluggers. In EAB, he had one Slugger and did lead in homers twice. He finished in EAB with 1697 hits, 991 runs, 226 doubles, 525 home runs, 1181 RBI, a .277/.337/.578 slash, 169 wRC+, and 66.4 WAR. That resume still deserved a look, but the MLB stint lowered his EAB accumulations enough to leave him on the outside.



Yutaka Kobayashi – Starting Pitcher – Kitakyushu Kodiaks – 99.1% First Ballot

Yutaka Kobayashi was a 6’5’’, 205 pound right-handed pitcher from Kashiba, a city with around 78,000 inhabitants in Japan’s Nara Prefecture. In his prime, Kobayashi had strong stuff, great movement, and solid control. Although his stuff waned in his later years, Kobayashi’s control became elite, keeping him effective despite a noticeable drop in velocity.

Kobayashi’s fastball peaked in the 96-98 mph range and was mixed with a great splitter, good changeup, and occasionally used curveball. His stamina was average relative to other EAB aces, but Kobayashi was an ironman that never missed a start, tossing 210+ innings in all but his final season. He also was a strong defensive pitcher and was terrific at holding the runners he allowed on.

After an impressive amateur career at Tokyo’s Wasedu University, Kobayashi entered the 1985 EAB Draft as arguably the top prospect from Japan. He was picked #2 overall by Kitakyushu and became a full-time starter immediately. Kobayashi had a respectable debut with a 3.42 ERA and 242.1 innings in his rookie year, twice earning Rookie of the Month.

Kobayashi didn’t get much attention nationally initially with Kitakyushu struggling to close the 1980s. 1989 would be his first time pitching in the World Baseball Championship, which he’d go onto do regularly through 2004. In 153.1 WBC innings, Kobayashi had a 4.11 ERA, 9-10 record, 171 strikeouts, 43 walks, 88 ERA+, and 2.6 WAR. Although his WBC stats were mid, Kobayashi would become soon known as a big game pitcher for the Kodiaks.

After the 1989 season, Kobayashi was given a five-year, $6,580,000 contract extension. Kitakyushu won the West Division five consecutive seasons from 1990-94 with Kobayashi leading the way as an ace. In 1990, he led Japan in quality starts and WAR, taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. This year also saw his lone Gold Glove win.

Kobayashi struggled in his first playoff action with a 6.11 ERA over 17.2 innings in 1990. The Kodiaks lost in the 1990 and 1991 Japan League Championship Series. They overcame that obstacle though, winning the EAB Championship three straight years from 1992-94. That Kitakyushu run was only the second-ever three-peat in EAB Championship history, joining Pyongyang’s four-peat from 1965-68.

Kobayashi was especially strong with a 1.46 ERA over 24.2 innings in 1992 and a 1.41 ERA over 32 innings in 1993. In total for Kitakyushu in the playoffs, Kobayashi had a 12-6 record and 4 saves, 2.82 ERA, 137.1 innings, 139 strikeouts, 25 walks, 115 ERA+, and 2.5 WAR. Following the third title in 1994, Kitakyushu gave Kobayashi at age 30 a seven-year, $17,640,000 extension.

While Kobayashi had been considered a great pitcher prior, the lack of big strikeout stats hurt him in the awards conversations. He finally won Pitcher of the Year in 1994, posting a career best 2.00 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. The next three seasons, Kobayashi led Japan in WAR with 8.9, 8.6, and 9.1. He also led all three years in K/BB and FIP- while posting a career-best 0.80 WHIP in 1997.

Kobayashi won Pitcher of the Year for a second time in 1995, then took third in 1996 and second in 1997. Kitakyushu won 101 and 98 games in 1995 and 1996, but narrowly lost the division to Hiroshima both years. The Kodiaks made it back to the playoffs in 1997 at 109-53, but were stunned in the JLCS by Sapporo. That marked their end of their dominant run, as Kitakyushu posted four straight losing seasons and wouldn’t be back in the playoffs for more than a decade.

The Kodiaks began a fire sale during these years and Kobayashi was traded after the 2000 season to Ulsan for two prospects. He remained a popular figure with Kitakyushu fans for his role in the dynasty and later saw his #13 uniform retired. With the Kodiaks, Kobayashi had a 228-159 record, 2.59 ERA, 3550 innings, 3644 strikeouts, 501 walks, 127 ERA+, and 97.0 WAR.

By ERA+, Kobayashi’s one season with Ulsan was his best at 191. The 36-year old proved ageless, winning his first ERA title at 2.15 and leading in wins at 24-3, WHIP (1.01), innings (280), quality starts (29), and WAR (8.7). Kobayashi won his third Pitcher of the Year six years after winning his second.

Ulsan earned a repeat Korea League Championship Series appearance, but was upset by Yongin. Kobayashi delivered in the playoffs with a 1.38 ERA over 26 innings regardless. Thus, the one-year rental of Kobayashi didn’t get them over the hump. His value was high entering free agency for the first time at age 37 and he signed for two years and $12,000,000 with Sapporo.

Kobayashi was solid yet again with a 2.47 ERA over 229.2 innings and 5.5 WAR in 2002. The Swordfish went nowhere that season though and traded Kobayashi for three prospects to Kobe. Kobayashi still didn’t lose a step, posting a 2.24 ERA and 6.8 WAR with the Blaze. He finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting.

A free agent at age 39, Kobayashi signed with Osaka for two years and $14,000,000. It was at this point that his velocity dropped significantly and he now had trouble hitting 90 mph. Kobayashi’s control was still stellar though and he gave the Orange Sox a respectable 3.07 ERA and 4.3 WAR in 2004. That year, he became the fourth EAB pitcher to reach 300 career wins and the sixth to 4500 career strikeouts.

The drop was even steeper in 2005 and Kobayashi was relegated primarily to the bullpen with a 3.46 ERA over 127.1 innings. Osaka won the 2005 Japan League title, but lost in the EAB Championship to Seoul. Kobayashi was only used in two relief appearances for the entire playoff run. He retired that winter at age 41.

Kobayashi ended with a 302-194 record, 2.59 ERA, 4717.1 innings, 4610 strikeouts, 612 walks, 434/583 quality starts, 125 complete games, 129 ERA+, and 123.8 WAR. As of 2037, he ranked fourth all-time in wins, fifth in strikeouts, and fourth in pitching WAR. Kobayashi didn’t have the raw dominance of the other pitchers in the GOAT conversations, but his ironman durability gave him remarkable totals.

Additionally, as of 2037 Kobayashi is tied for the most playoff wins in EAB history at 15. His final playoff stats had a 15-7 record, 2.66 ERA, 166 innings, 161 strikeouts, 26 walks, 124 ERA+, and 3.6 WAR. Kobayashi was a critical part of Kitakyushu’s historic dynasty and one of the most steady and reliable pitchers of the 1990s. He was a no-doubter with 99.1% atop EAB’s 2011 Hall of Fame ballot.



Myeong-Hwan Sung – First Base/Center Field – Pyongyang Pythons – 98.3% First Ballot

Myeong-Hwan Sung was a 6’2’’, 195 pound switch-hitting first baseman and outfielder from the capital of South Korea, Seoul. Sung was known for having a reliably strong bat, although he only led the league in home runs once. He still posted 34 homers, 26 doubles, and 19 triples per his 162 game average.

Sung’s speed was very good and he was an incredibly adept and savvy baserunner and thief. He became known as one of the most impressive run scorers of his era. Sung was merely an above average contact hitter with an average ability for drawing walks and a below average strikeout rate. Still, he made his opportunities count when he got on base.

In his first five seasons, Sung’s speed led to a posting in center field. He proved to be an abysmal defender in center and was shifted to first base from then on. Sung graded as a perfectly adequate glove man at first. He did have sporadic small injuries, but stayed generally healthy over a 20-year career. From 1990-2003, he played 150+ games in all but two seasons.

Perhaps his most endearing qualities were as a person. Sung was a team captain known for excellent leadership and a strong work ethic. It is no wonder that he became an extremely popular player in his era and a beloved icon for Korean fans.

Sung’s popularity was vast on both ends of the 38^th Parallel. Despite growing up in South Korea’s capital, his most famous tenure was in the North’s capital. Sung was signed as a teenage amateur free agent in December 1982 by Pyongyang. He looked so impressive that he debuted at age 19 in 1986 with 115 games and 101 starts. Very rarely in any pro league did a teenager earn a starting role.

Sung started for a decade for the Pythons, although he was merely a good starter in his first few years. He didn’t have his home run power initially, hitting 45 total in his first four seasons. In 1990 alone, he smacked 40 dingers, earning his first of three Silver Sluggers. That was his only one while playing center field.

Although historically a strong franchise, Pyongyang was abysmal in the 1980s averaging 65.7 wins per season. They hoped Sung could lead them back to success and gave him a five-year, $6,380,000 extension in May 1990.

1992 was his lone season leading in home runs with 46, along with a career and league high 147 RBI. Sung was third in MVP voting and Pyongyang ended a 14-year playoff drought, although they lost in the first round. In 1994, Sung set league and career bests in runs (124), total bases (377), slugging (.636), and wRC+ (176). This also had a career best 9.4 WAR and .322 batting average along with 44 home runs and 102 RBI, placing Sung third in MVP voting.

Pyongyang made it back to the playoffs in 1995, but again was one-and-done. Still, they finally had a few good years thanks to Sung, whose #3 uniform was later retired. This was his final season with the Pythons, finishing with 1542 hits, 824 runs, 226 doubles, 157 triples, 278 home runs, 826 RBI, 437 stolen bases, a .283/.326/.536 slash, 138 wRC+, and 42.3 WAR. He would be a free agent for the first time at age 29.

Sung had fondness for Pyongyang’s fans, but he had wanted to return home to South Korea. He was a regular for SK in the World Baseball Championship from 1990-2003 with 112 games and 80 starts. He posted 66 hits, 48 runs, 9 doubles, 5 triples, 24 home runs, 59 RBI, 28 stolen bases, a .199/.282/.474 slash, 118 wRC+, and 2.8 WAR.

There were plenty of suitors and Sung signed a seven-year, $18,360,000 deal for the 1996 season with Busan. The Blue Jays had taken KLCS runner-up the prior year and wanted to get over the hump. Sung had an excellent debuting, leading in runs scored and posting 8.3 WAR for a third place in MVP voting. He was merely okay in the playoffs as the Blue Jays lost the KLCS despite being the #1 seed.

Busan lost in the first round in 1997, then narrowly missed the playoffs in 1998 and 1999. Sung led in both runs and RBI in 1997 with 8.2 WAR, winning his second Silver Slugger. He was second in MVP voting, but ultimately never won the top award. Sung picked up a third Silver Slugger in 1999.

Sung opted out of the remaining three years of his contract after the 1999 campaign. With Busan, he finished with 697 hits, 444 runs, 103 doubles, 79 triples, 166 home runs, 459 RBI, 192 stolen bases, a .311/.360/.649 slash, 165 wRC+, and 29.4 WAR. Now 33-years old, Sung signed a four-year, $13,440,000 deal with Daegu. The Diamondbacks had won the EAB Championship the prior year.

Sung played his final six seasons for Daegu, extending for another three years and $13,080,000 after the 2003 season. He was mostly a good starter for them and didn’t reach his peak stats from the prior runs. Sung’s power was lower in this era, but he was an excellent leader as the Diamondbacks remained successful.

Daegu won another Korea League title in 2000, but lost to Kawasaki for the EAB Championship. Sung missed that postseason unfortunately from a broken hand suffered in August. The Diamondbacks missed the playoffs in 2001, then lost in the 2002 KLCS to Incheon. They won 103 games in 2003, but suffered a first round upset to the Inferno.

Sung had a solid 2002 playoff run, but for his career was merely decent in the postseason. In 37 starts, he had 37 hits, 23 runs, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 6 home runs, 18 RBI, 18 stolen bases, a .268/.313/.478 slash, 119 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR.

Daegu fell to the mid-tier by Sung’s final seasons. Torn ankle ligaments knocked him out for much of the 2004 campaign. Sung would struggle in 2005 and be eventually benched after batting .193 In total with the Diamondbacks, Sung had 806 hits, 482 runs, 123 doubles, 95 triples, 152 home runs, 420 RBI, 303 stolen bases, a .272/.319/.532 slash, 129 wRC+, and 21.5 WAR.

In that last season, Sung notably became the 19^th member of the 3000 hit club. He would miss being the 26^th to reach 600 home runs though, falling four short. Sung retired after the 2005 season at age 39. He was the only player in EAB history to top 500 homers, 400 doubles, and 300 triples.

The final career stats for Sung: 3045 hits, 1750 runs, 452 doubles, 331 triples, 596 home runs, 1705 RBI, 668 walks, 932 stolen bases, .286/.331/.559 slash, 141 wRC+, and 93.2 WAR. He was top ten in runs scored at retirement and still ranks 11^th in 2037. Sung also sits 57^th in WAR for position players, 37^th in homers, 25^th in RBI, and 22^nd in hits.

Sung didn’t have a tip-top level career and didn’t end up with a loaded trophy case. But he was incredibly solid and reliable for two decades and an adored figure in Korean baseball. Thus, Sung was an obvious first ballot Hall of Famer and received 98.3%. He and Kobayashi make an impressive one-two punch for EAB’s 2011 class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Pitcher P.J. Sifuentes stood alone as an inductee into the Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame in 2011, receiving 92.8% on his ballot debut. The next closest to the 66% requirement was 1B Nyx Navas with 60.1% on his second ballot. Catcher Moises Avalos had 57.9% on his third go. No one else was above 50% and the next best debut was down at 30.2%. The BSA ballot also didn’t see any players dropped following ten failed ballots.



P.J. “Big Train” Sifuentes – Starting Pitcher- Quito Thunderbolts – 92.8% First Ballot

P.J. Sifuentes was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Macara, Ecuador, a small town of about 11,000 people on the southern border with Peru. Sifuentes was known for having great stuff, very good movement, and above average control. His fastball hit the 96-98 mph range regularly and was part of a five-pitch arsenal. Sifuentes’ splitter and forkball were his most devastating pitches, but his changeup and curveball could get you out too.

Relative to other South American aces, Sifuentes’ stamina was average. He was relatively durable, but saw his career shortened by two major injuries. Sifuentes was very outspoken and polarizing at times, but he was fiercely loyal to those close to him. He was often on the right side of the issues he spoke out on, making Sifuentes a popular figure generally in his native Ecuador.

After an excellent amateur career, Sifuentes was picked #6 overall in the 1992 BSA Draft by Quito. He was a full-time starter immediately for the Thunderbolts and an immediate starter for Ecuador in the World Baseball Championship. From 1993-2005 in the WBC, Sifuentes had a 3.31 ERA over 138.2 innings, 11-5 record, 170 strikeouts, 56 walks, 108 ERA+, and 3.6 WAR.

In his rookie season for Quito, Sifuentes posted a 2.81 ERA and 6.2 WAR, earning 1993 Rookie of the Year honors. His arrival helped the Thunderbolts bounce back from a mediocre 69-93 in 1992 to 93-69 in 1993, missing out on a wild card by only one game. In 1994, Sifuentes posted an all-time great sophomore season.

Sifuentes led the Bolivar League in ERA (1.84), wins (24-5), quality starts (32), FIP- (53), and WAR (11.8). These would all be career bests, along with his 293.1 innings, 333 strikeouts, 195 ERA+, and 0.93 WHIP. Sifuentes won Pitcher of the Year and took second in MVP voting.

Quito made the playoffs as a wild card and went all the way to Copa Sudamerica, beating Fortaleza for the 1994 title. Sifuentes was mixed in the playoffs with a 3.80 ERA over 21.1 innings and 22 strikeouts. Regardless, he became a favorite forever of Thunderbolts fans for helping them to their first Cup win since 1965.

Sifuentes was third in 1995 Pitcher of the Year voting, but struggled in his one playoff start as Quito lost in the first round. In 1996, Sifuentes led in strikeouts, WHIP, and WAR. The Thunderbolts fell to just above .500, but committed to Sifuentes with a five-year, $11,220,000 extension.

Quito would fall into mediocrity for the rest of Sifuentes’ run, only finishing above .500 once in his remaining seasons. 1997 saw Sifuentes’ first setback with bone chips in his elbow. This required surgery and cost him the last month of the season and the 1998 WBC. He was back for the 1998 regular season, but posted very average stats, making many observers think he might be a flash in the pan.

Sifuentes bounced back with an excellent 1999 with a 2.43 ERA and 9.7 WAR, taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. 2000 had a lousy 4.20 ERA, but his 6.9 WAR and 76 FIP- suggested he was plagued by bad luck. Sifuentes looked better to start 2001, but suffered a partially torn UCL in early July. This injury would have a 10-11 month recovery time and put Sifuentes’ future in doubt.

Quito gave him a one-year extension in hopes he could return to form in 2002. He made it back for 186 innings with a 3.63 ERA and 4.5 WAR. That would be his last year with the Thunderbolts, who let Sifuentes leave for free agency at age 33.

With Quito, Sifuentes had a 145-117 record, 3.01 ERA, 2473.1 innings, 2666 strikeouts, 473 walks, 214/319 quality starts, 123 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 71.6 WAR. He’d remain a popular figure in the capital region and saw his #34 uniform later retired. Sifuentes’ next chapter began with a five-year, $7,480,000 deal with Bogota.

The Bats had just seen their playoff streak snapped at seven years, missing the wild card by a game. They hoped Sifuentes could solidify the rotation and they were right. Bogota went 112-50 in 2003, but suffered a BLCS upset loss to Caracas. Sifuentes led in wins at 23-3 with a 3.00 ERA and 6.6 WAR. His strikeout numbers were lower than the past, but this was still enough to win his second Pitcher of the Year.

Sifuentes struggled again in the playoffs though with a 6.14 ERA over 22 innings. He had a nice 2004 and fared better in that playoff run, going 4-0 in five starts with a 3.05 ERA over 38.1 innings and 43 strikeouts. Bogota won Copa Sudamerica over Salvador, giving Sifuentes his second cup win.

His stamina and velocity both dropped in 2005 and Sifuentes was used only as a part-time starter. The small sample paid off, as he led in ERA at 2.44 over 181 innings and posted four shutouts. Sifuentes was third in Pitcher of the Year voting with that effort. Bogota didn’t use Sifuentes in the playoffs, but he earned a third ring as the Bats repeated as Copa Sudamerica champs, this time beating Fortaleza.

Sifuentes’ exact role for 2006 was a bit uncertain, but he didn’t make it to the regular season. He suffered a partially torn labrum in spring training, originally expected to cost him just three months. Sifuentes suffered a setback in late May and doctors said he had to retire at age 36. With Bogota, Sifuentes had a 57-20 record, 2.99 ERA, 706.2 innings, 637 strikeouts, 133 ERA+, and 15.3 WAR.

The final stats had a 202-137 record, 3.01 ERA, 3180 innings, 3303 strikeouts, 590 walks, 275/413 quality starts, 110 complete games, 20 shutouts, 125 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 86.9 WAR. As of 2037, he ranked 34^th in pitching WAR. Sifuentes wasn’t an inner-circle level guy, but very few argued against him being a first ballot Hall of Famer. He received 92.8% and was BSA’s lone inductee in 2011.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Three players earned induction for the European Baseball Federation’s 2011 Hall of Fame class. The only slam dunk was pitcher Anders Maurstad, who was nearly unanimous at 99.1%. Fellow pitcher Viktor Fredsgaard joined him with 74.6% on his fifth ballot, finally crossing the 66% requirement. The third addition was two-way player Henrique Agnelo, receiving a nice 69.5% on his third ballot.



Pitcher Reggie Hobart was also close, but narrowly missed the cut with 62.7% on his eighth ballot. That was notably his best showing yet. RF Mitchel Dekker also missed by a thin margin with a 62.4% debut. No other players were above 50%.

Closer Vinzenz Kornfeld was among those dropped after ten ballots. He peaked at 35.1% in 2003 and ended with a mere 8%. Kornfeld was hurt by spending half of his career in MLB, but he did win Reliever of the Year thrice in seven seasons with Berlin. Kornfeld’s EBF stats saw 227 saves, 2.16 ERA, 578.2 innings, 880 strikeouts, 135 walks, 173 ERA+, and 18.4 WAR. He didn’t have nearly enough tenure to make a dent in the voting.

Catcher Reinhard Matern also fell off the ballot, peaking with a 31.8% debut and ending at 6.5%. It is never easy for catchers to get attention, but Matren only had one Silver Slugger in his 16 year career almost exclusively with Hamburg. He had 1663 hits, 946 runs, 201 doubles, 465 home runs, 1171 RBI, a .224/.286/.445 slash, 107 wRC+, and 53.4 WAR. He ranks fifth in WAR among catchers in 2037, but that wasn’t enough to make Matern the first-ever catcher added into EBF’s HOF.

A third player dropped after ten ballots was pitcher Andreas Albrecht, who split 17 years between EBF and MLB. He won four Gold Gloves and in EBF had a 185-121 record, 3.35 ERA, 2810 innings, 2415 strikeouts, 113 ERA+, and 53.7 WAR. With a few more years’ accumulations, he might have had a chance. Albrecht was a solid Hall of Pretty Good type, peaking at 26.7% in 2003 and ending at 5.0%.



Anders “Trey” Maurstad – Starting Pitcher – Barcelona Bengals – 99.1% First Ballot

Anders Maurstad was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Softeland, Norway; a village of just under 2,000 people on the Bergen Peninsula. Maurstad had absolutely elite control of his arsenal while also posting excellent stuff and movement. He wouldn’t overpower you with his fastball only hitting 92-94 mph, but he located it with absurd precision.

Maurstad had five equally potent pitches in the arsenal with a changeup, slider, forkball, and splitter. He knew how to change speeds masterfully and for many hitters, all five pitches looked the same until it was too late to react. Maurstad’s stamina was good and his was incredibly durable, tossing 210+ innings in all 16 of his full seasons.

The talent was undeniable, but Maurstad’s personality left a lot to be desired. Many said he was lazy, dumb, and lacked any sort of leadership capabilities. He wasn’t disruptive, but he wasn’t the ideal teammate either. Regardless, Maurstad put together a remarkable career.

Maurstad rose quickly through the amateur scene in Norway and was quickly the top prospect coming out of the country. That earned attention in the nation’s capital and Maurstad was picked 12^th overall by Oslo in the 1988 EBF Draft. He debuted with three relief appearances in 1989, but was a full-time starter by 1990. Maurstad stayed a regular starter for the next 16 seasons.

Maurstad took second in Rookie of the Year voting with a solid debut campaign. His second year was his lone 300+ strikeout season at 308. In 1992, he led the Northern Conference in wins at 24-6, which was impressive considering Oslo was a lousy 72-90 squad. Maurstad also posted a 2.38 ERA, taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting.

He was strong again in 1993 with six shutouts, but overlooked due to being with a weak franchise. Maurstad did pitch for Norway in the World Baseball Championship, but only from 1991-94. In that stretch, he had a 3.18 ERA over 45.1 innings with 74 strikeouts, 112 ERA+, and 2.2 WAR. He wouldn’t pitch in the WBC once his time in his home country ended.

That came in July 1994, as Oslo traded Maurstad to Barcelona for pitcher Tiago Basto and a draft pick. With the Octopi, Maurstad finished with a 69-54 record, 2.88 ERA, 1176 innings, 1225 strikeouts, 158 walks, 131 ERA+, and 26.9 WAR. His time in Spain would become his most famous tenure. Barcelona had ended a 13-year playoff drought and hoped another strong arm could help them take the next step.

The Bengals gave Maurstad a five-year, $10,680,000 about a month after acquiring him. He had an excellent finish to the season and Barcelona won the Southern Conference Championship. They lost to Birmingham in the European Championship, but Maurstad delivered a 2.97 ERA in 36.1 playoff innings. Barcelona officials were confident they had made the right move grabbing Maurstad.

The Bengals fell to 82-80 in 1995, but you couldn’t blame Maurstad as he led in wins and WAR. This was his first of five consecutive seasons as the WARlord and a run of 8+ WAR in seven out of eight seasons. Still, he took second in 1995 Pitcher of the Year voting.

Maurstad finally took the top honor in 1996, leading the SSC in innings, WHIP, WAR, and shutouts. Barcelona went onto win it all, defeating Birmingham in a European Championship rematch. Maurstad had a stellar postseason with a 1.54 ERA in five starts, 41 innings, and 35 strikeouts. That alone earned him a fondness with many Bengals fans and led to his #35 uniform later being retired.

Maurstad won Pitcher of the Year again in both 1997 and 1998 for a three-peat. The latter was easily his finest year with his lone ERA title with a career best 2.26. He also had conference and career bests in innings (291), K/BB (11.1), quality starts (28), FIP- (56), and WAR (11.1). Barcelona narrowly missed the playoffs in 1997, then went one-and-done in 1998.

Barcelona felt they still had a competitive window and after the 1998 season signed Maurstad to a seven-year, $25,920,000 extension. The Bengals shockingly plummeted to 62-100 in 1999 and posted six straight losing seasons. Maurstad couldn’t be blamed though, as he led again in WAR in both 1999 and 2001. He took second in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Maurstad pitched a few more solid seasons, then saw his first notable struggles in 2005 with a 4.89 ERA. He still had an 87 FIP- and 4.2 WAR, but Barcelona bought out the remainder of his contract. Maurstad decided to retire with that at age 36. With the Bengals, he had a 174-124 record, 3.00 ERA, 2927.2 innings, 2842 strikeouts, 388 walks, 130 ERA+, and 92.7 WAR.

The final stats had a 243-178 record, 2.96 ERA, 4103.2 innings, 4067 strikeouts, 546 walks, 349/522 quality starts, 130 ERA+, 70 FIP-, and 119.6 WAR. As of 2037, Maurstad is eighth in pitching WAR, 14^th in wins, fifth in innings pitched, and ninth in strikeouts. He also had a 2.34 ERA over 88.1 career playoff innings with 76 strikeouts.

Maurstad isn’t generally in the GOAT conversations for European pitchers, but his resume was absolutely rock solid with three POTYs and a ring. Maurstad received 99.1% to headline EBF’s three-player 2011 Hall of Fame class.