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MrNFL_FanIQ · 11-30-2024, 08:36 PM

East Asia Baseball’s 2020 Hall of Fame ballot was very nearly a blank one with one returner scraping past the 66% requirement. On his ninth try, SP Kachi Ishii made it in at 67.2%. Ishii joined Class of 1968 CF Ha-Min Park as EAB’s only inductees from the ninth ballot. No players have gotten in on their tenth go in EAB. The best debut was SP Jong-Hyeon Chung at 60.8% with no other debutants above 40%.

Five other returners did cross the 50% mark, but were below 60%. 3B Min-Seong Ryu led this crew at 59.9% in his sixth ballot. On their third ballots, SP Dong-Won Kim had 56.3% and SP Rais Malikov received 54.8%. SP Nazonokusa Mori posted 53.6% for his ninth attempt and LF Kazuo Satoh saw 51.5% for his second try. No players were removed from the ballot after ten failed tries in 2020.

Worth noting that Ryu was removed from the ballot despite only six ballots. This was possible a glitch since he was below 5% in his one season in the West African Baseball ballot. Considering he had 56% or better in six tries, Ryu had a pretty good shot of eventually getting in. A seven-time Silver Slugger winner at third base, Ryu had a unique career that spanned 23 seasons.

Hurting his EAB Hall of Fame candidacy was playing only 13 seasons there, combining for 2536 hits, 988 runs, 440 doubles, 86 triples, 189 home runs, 1060 RBI, a .346/.380/.506 slash, 143 wRC+, and 70.2 WAR. Those numbers made him borderline, especially for a leadoff type guy. He would go on to play four years in MLB, then six years in WAB. He even won MVP in his WAB debut with Bamako at age 39.

Between three leagues, Ryu had 3253 games, 4043 hits, 1610 runs, 703 doubles, 120 triples, 319 home runs, 1709 RBI, a .330/.367/.484 slash, 135 wRC+, and 104.8 WAR. He quietly became only the third in all of pro baseball history to reach 4000 career hits because they were spread out. As of 2037, Ryu ranks 5^th among all players in hits, 18^th in doubles, and 32^nd in games played; giving him a unique career worthy of a mention.

Kachi Ishii – Starting Pitcher – Bucheon Bolts – 67.2% Ninth Ballot

Kachi Ishii was a 6’7’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Izumiotsu, Japan; a city of around 73,000 people in the Osaka Prefecture. Ishii was known for having excellent stuff with above average movement, although his control was below average. His fastball was tough despite only peaking in the 94-96 mph range. Ishii’s tricky screwball was his most dangerous pitch and was considered one of the all-time great screwballs. He also had a nice curveball and a changeup in the arsenal.

Ishii’s stamina was low compared to most EAB starters and he wasn’t going to get you as many complete games as most aces. He also ran into some injury issues but unlike most pitchers, it wasn’t arm trouble but instead was back and knee woes. Ishii did have the benefit of being an excellent defensive pitcher who was good at holding runners, winning a Gold Glove in 2005.

By Ishii’s senior year at Taisei Gakuindai High School, he had emerged as one of the most promising pitching prospects. Bucheon picked him fourth overall and had him in their developmental academy four years. He didn’t play in the 1990 regular season, but allowed one run in six innings in the playoffs as the Bolts lost in the Korea League Championship Series. Ishii debuted as a full-time starter in 1991 with a 3.3 WAR rookie campaign. He again had a quality playoff start, but Bucheon was ousted in the first round.

He looked similar in 1992, then missed much of 1993 to a torn meniscus. Ishii bounced back in 1994 with one of four 6+ WAR seasons he’d post in his career, but again his season ended with a torn meniscus. Ishii was a decent but unremarkable starter the next three years as Bucheon plummeted to the bottom of the standings. The Bolts bottomed out at 56-106 in 1996, but they did surprise many with a KL pennant two years later. By then, Ishii was gone as he entered free agency at age 29 after the 1997 campaign.

With Bucheon, Ishii had a 77-76 record, 3.60 ERA, 1404.2 innings, 1589 strikeouts, 460 walks, 105 ERA+, and 26.4 WAR. It was by far his longest tenure and he’d be inducted wearing the Bolts’ purple and gold. However, Ishii’s most famous and notably run was likely his next one with Osaka. He returned to his native Japan and home prefecture on a four-year, $8,320,000 deal with the Orange Sox.

Ishii made history in his first year in Osaka, throwing EAB’s 30^th Perfect Game on August 18 with 14 strikeouts against Yokohama. 1998 saw his career best in strikeouts (313) and WAR (6.9). Ishii had similar stats in 1999 with 6.8 WAR and 307 strikeouts. He had career bests in wins (21-7) and ERA (1.90) as well as his only time as a league leader with 31 quality starts. Ishii finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting, his only time as a finalist.

He was solid again the next two years as Osaka started to contend. They missed the playoffs in 2000 despite their 100-62 record, then won the division title in 2001 at 93-69, although they went one-and-done. Ishii struggled in his one playoff start, allowing five runs in seven innings. The Orange Sox would claim the Japan League pennant in 2002, but again Ishii was gone just before his team broke through. In four years for Osaka, Ishii had a 62-32 record, 2.46 ERA, 971.1 innings, 1137 strikeouts, 194 walks, 137 ERA+, and 25.3 WAR.

Ishii was a free agent again now at age 33 and inked a five-year, $25,000,000 deal with Nagoya. His first two years for the Nightowls were solid with the production teams came to expect from him. Knee troubles popped up again for Ishii with another torn meniscus, costing him most of the 2004 season. Ishii was solid to start 2005, but Nagoya was in the midst of a rebuild. On July 1, he was part of a five-player trade with Hiroshima. With the Nightowls, Ishii had a 29-24 record, 2.66 ERA, 564.2 innings, 694 strikeouts, 114 walks, 128 ERA+, and 15.7 WAR.

He was merely okay finishing out 2005 for Hiroshima, but did toss seven shutout playoff innings. The Hammerheads had the top overall seed, but went one-and-done, which was a recurring problem during their 1999-06 playoff streak. Ishii had a 2.97 ERA and 3.9 WAR in 203.1 innings for 2006, giving him 4.3 WAR total for his Hiroshima tenure. He wasn’t used in the playoffs as they again suffered a first round exit. Ishii was set for free agency that winter, but decided not to overstay his welcome and retired at age 38.

Ishii ended with an 188-143 record, 3.06 ERA, 3262.1 innings, 3747 strikeouts, 832 walks, 294/432 quality starts, 57 complete games, 16 shutouts, 117 ERA+, and 71.7 WAR. As of 2037, Ishii ranks 30^th in strikeouts, 92^nd in innings, and 71^st in pitching WAR. His accumulations were certainly borderline though and some critics felt he lacked the black ink or awards required to overcome lower tallies. Although good in his limited playoff starts (2.96 ERA in 27.1 innings), Ishii also didn’t play for any prominent contenders.

Supporters argued his steady production and throwing a perfect game pushed him across the line. Ishii debuted in 2012 at 45.2% and hovered around the 40s-low 50s for much of his run. He got up to 61.8% in 2016 and 64.7% in 2018, just on the cusp of the 66% requirement. However, Ishii fell to a low of 34.8% in 2019, making supporters worried that his chances were done. With lackluster debuts in 2020, Ishii’s resume received another pass and popped out compared to the other options. He sneaked across the line at 67.2% to become only the second ninth ballot selection and the lone member of EAB’s 2020 Hall of Fame class.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 12-01-2024, 06:55 AM

Beisbol Sudamerica’s 2020 Hall of Fame class was an impressive one with four players selected upon their ballot debuts. It was the first time since 2000 that BSA had seen a four-player group. Two were absolute slam dunks with SP Juliao Costa at 99.4% and 1B/2B Gavino Cuoghi at 94.9%. Joining them was OF/DH D.J. Serna at 79.0% and CL Cristobal Nava at 70.4%. One other player cracked 50% with 3B Artemio Reyes at 51.3% on his fourth ballot. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots and in fact, no returners even fell below the 5% mark.

Juliao Costa – Starting Pitcher – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 99.4% First Ballot

Juliao Costa was a 6’6’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher Santa Maria, a municipality of 283,000 inhabitants in Brazil’s southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul. Costa had tremendous stuff with excellent movement and pinpoint control. His fastball regularly hit 98-100 mph, but his equally quick cutter was even more dangerous. Costa also boasted a strong forkball and changeup in the arsenal.

Costa had very good stamina and durability, tossing 220+ innings in all but his first and final seasons. He was also a good defensive pitcher who was decent at holding runners. Costa was also a better hitter than most pitchers, winning Silver Sluggers in 2002 and 2005 while posting a career .240 batting average. His personality was quite ordinary, but his extraordinary pitching made Costa one of the finest arms ever to come out of Brazil.

After a fine college career, Costa was picked 14^th overall by Belo Horizonte in BSA’s 1997 Draft. The Hogs used him as a reliever in his rookie season, although he was iffy in that role with -0.6 WAR over 70 innings. Costa moved to the rotation in his sophomore year, but it was his third season that he emerged as elite. This was his first of nine consecutive seasons for Belo Horizonte worth 8+ WAR.

From 2000-08, Costa led the Southern Cone League in WAR seven times and topped double-digits thrice He won four ERA titles while leading in strikeouts twice, wins once, WHIP thrice, K/BB four times, and FIP- seven times. Costa was one win short of a Triple Crown season in 2002, which featured his career best ERA at 1.88. 2004 saw his bests in strikeouts (383), and WAR (12.6). That WAR mark rates as the 15^th-best pitching season in BSA history as of 2037 and ranks seventh best if you remove the legendary Mohmaed Ramos from the list. Costa is the only player from the 21^st Century on that top 15 list.

During this run, Costa won Pitcher of the Year honors six times (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), making him one of six in BSA history to achieve that feat. Costa also took third in 2000’s voting. Belo Horizonte locked him up after the 2002 campaign with a seven-year, $29,400,000 extension. Despite Costa’s efforts, the Hogs were generally just above the mid-tier, averaging 82.9 wins per season during his run. They made the playoffs twice, falling in the 2001 LCS and in the 2006 divisional series. Costa’s one 2006 start was iffy, but he had a strong 1.96 ERA in 23 innings in the 2001 run.

From 1998-07, Belo Horizonte won at least 76 games each year. In 2008, the Hogs completely collapsed to 58-102, signaling the start of a rebuild. This was Costa’s final year there, still leading in WAR at 8.1. With no hope of contention ahead, Costa declined his contract option and opted for free agency at age 33. He remained popular with Belo Horizonte fans for his dominance and his #15 uniform would later be retired. With the Hogs, Costa had a 173-98 record, 2.43 ERA, 2605 innings, 3129 strikeouts, 362 walks, 147 ERA+, and 92.7 WAR.

Costa’s resume made him enticing to teams across the world, including in Major League Baseball. He ended up going to the United States on a five-year, $63,500,000 deal with Philadelphia. Costa would continue to pitch for his native Brazil in the World Baseball Championship, where he had earned the attention of teams worldwide. From 1999-2013, Costa pitched 225.2 WBC innings with a 15-8 record, 3.35 ERA, 299 strikeouts, 45 walks, and 7.2 WAR.

Philadelphia was in the midst of regular contention at this point. Costa had a great 6.0 WAR debut season in 2009, although the Phillies had a first round playoff loss. In 2010, Costa won National Association Pitcher of the Year, giving him seven POTY awards counting his BSA bounty. He led wins (21-7), strikeouts (297), WHIP (0.91), K/BB (7.6), and quality starts (27). These were all bests for his MLB tenure, as was his 2.45 ERA and 8.0 WAR.

Philadelphia won the NA pennant, but lost the World Series to San Diego. Costa had a 3.10 ERA over 29 playoff innings with 26 strikeouts. However, he was a beast in the inaugural Baseball Grand Championship, going 3-0 in three starts with 25 innings, 30 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR. That effort made the Phillies the first-ever Grand Champion and made Costa the first Best Pitcher winner in BGC history. He also was third in BGC MVP voting.

Costa’s velocity dipped notably after this, down to a 96-98 mph peak in 2011, 94-96 mph in 2012, and 91-93 mph by 2013. His control was still excellent but without the power, Costa’s production was merely average in these regular seasons. He stepped up again in the playoffs with a 1.80 ERA in 25 innings in 2012 and a 2.51 ERA in 43 innings in 2013. Philadelphia won back-to-back NA pennants these years despite being a wild card. The Phillies won the 2012 World Series over Phoenix, but lost the 2013 Fall Classic to Denver.

Again in the Baseball Grand Championship, Costa was strong with a 2.64 ERA over 30.2 innings in 2012 and a 2.06 ERA in 35 innings in 2013. Philadelphia finished fourth in the 2012 BGC at 12-7 and was 9-10 for 12^th in 2013. For his MLB playoff career, Costa had a 7-3 record, 2.60 ERA, 104 innings, 73 strikeouts, 130 ERA+, and 0.7 WAR. In the BGC, he had a 9-1 record and 1.88 ERA over 90.2 innings with 88 strikeouts and 3.4 WAR.

In total for Philadelphia, Costa had a 78-53 record, 3.17 ERA, 1244.2 innings, 1110 strikeouts, 178 walks, 108 ERA+, and 26.6 WAR. His diminished velocity meant his MLB tenure was done as he approached age 38. Costa returned to Brazil and signed a two-year, $21,600,000 deal with Salvador. Age was catching up and he had trouble reaching 90 mph now. Costa struggled to a 4.82 ERA in 104.2 innings for the Storm and retired after the 2014 season.

In Beisbol Sudamerica, Costa had a 179-103 record, 2.52 ERA, 2709.2 innings, 3182 strikeouts, 375 walks, 231/309 quality starts, 111 complete games, 32 shutouts, 142 ERA+, and 93.3 WAR. Because he left five years for MLB, his accumulations aren’t high on the leaderboards as of 2037. He ranks 87^th in strikeouts and misses the top 100 in wins, but does rank 29^th in WAR among pitchers. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, Costa’s ERA is 86^th, his 0.96 WHIP is 56^th, and his opponent’s OPS of .597 is 84^th.

Certainly though, a six-time Pitcher of the Year winner is a no-doubt lock. However, Costa’s lack of playoff success with Belo Horizonte and shorter tenure does keep him out of the GOAT pitcher conversations specifically within BSA. His dominance in the big stage while with the Phillies though earns him stronger consideration as one of the world’s best for his era.

For his combined pro career, Costa had a 257-156 record, 2.73 ERA, 3954.1 innings, 4292 strikeouts, 553 walks, 343/470 quality starts, 166 complete games, 40 shutouts, 129 ERA+, and 119.9 WAR. Without doubt, Costa was a Hall of Fame headliner, leading BSA’s impressive 2020 class with a nearly unanimous 99.4%.

Gavino “Dino” Cuoghi – First/Second Base – Mendoza Mutants – 94.9% First Ballot

Gavino Cuoghi was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed infielder from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Nicknamed “Dino,” Cuoghi was a great contact hitter with an excellent penchant for extra base hits. Over a 162 game average, he was good for 38 doubles, 14 triples, and 32 home runs. Cuoghi was also a slick baserunner with good speed. He was merely average at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts.

Cuoghi started at second base in his first five seasons, but was abysmal defensively there. He moved to first base for the rest of his career and was reliably average there. Cuoghi was one of the smartest guys in the clubhouse and was beloved for his intense loyalty. He also had fantastic durability, starting 140+ games in all but two seasons over an 18-year career. Cuoghi stayed with some lousy Mendoza teams longer than most players would in the same spot. That loyalty and his talents made Cuoghi absolutely adored both with the Mutants and throughout all of Argentina.

Even coming out of high school, Cuoghi was a very highly touted Argentinian prospect. In the 1998 BSA Draft, he was picked fifth overall by Rosario, but opted to attend college. Three years later for the 2001 BSA Draft, Cuoghi was picked seventh by Mendoza. He was a regular backup in his rookie season with 117 games and 11 starts. Cuoghi then became a full-time starter for the Mutants for the next 12 years.

From 2003-2011, Cuoghi was worth 6+ WAR each season. From 2004-08, he led the Southern Cone League each year in doubles. Cuoghi won Silver Sluggers at second base in 2003, 04, 05, 06, and 07. He led the league in total bases in both 2006 and 2007, posting 9+ WAR both seasons. Cuoghi also led with 236 hits in 2006 and 125 runs in 2007.

In 2006, Cuoghi was second in MVP voting, posting his career best OPS (1.077), wRC+ (208), total bases (415) WAR (9.4), hits (236), and RBI (122). He won the top honor in 2007 with career highs in runs (125) and similar other stats. Both years, he hit 38 home runs. Cuoghi topped 30+ homers six times with Mendoza, although he never crossed 40+. He scored 100+ runs in nine consecutive seasons, topped 200+ hits eight times, 100+ RBI seven times, .350 batting average five times, and an OPS of one four times with Mendoza.

Despite all that, the Mutants never made the playoffs in Cuoghi’s tenure. Mendoza was an expansion team in 1987 and had a few playoff berths in the late 1990s. While Cuoghi was there though, they averaged 73.8 wins per season and only finished above .500 thrice. He wanted things to work and committed to an eight-year, $50,240,000 extension after the 2006 season. Cuoghi was absolutely beloved and saw his #10 uniform as the first one retired by the Mutants.

Cuoghi was a favorite throughout all of Argentina and a regular for the national team in the World Baseball Championship. From 2003-2018, he played 121 games with 113 starts, continuing to play for his country even after leaving South America in his later years. In the WBC, Cuoghi had 129 hits, 78 runs, 20 doubles, 30 home runs, 71 RBI, 51 stolen bases, a .295/.361/.564 slash, 165 wRC+, and 5.8 WAR.

He had stayed remarkably consistent with Mendoza until the 2014 season, dropping to career lows in WAR (2.9) and OPS (.808). That was the final year of Cuoghi’s deal with age 36 approaching the following May. Fans hated to see him go, but he amicably parted ways with the Mutants. Cuoghi’s decline, age, and price tag made other BSA teams leery, especially with more powerful options available now at first base. Cuoghi had to open his search worldwide and ended up heading to the Oceania Baseball Association.

Cuoghi signed a three-year, $14,840,000 deal with Samoa. He had decent production in his 2015 debut, but did miss a month to an oblique strain. Then in 2016, Cuoghi had impressive career resurgence. He led the Pacific League in runs (112), hits (193), RBI (111), triple slash (.339/.387/.633), OPS (1.020), wRC+ (200), and WAR (8.4); while adding a career high 40 home runs. At age 37, Cuoghi earned Pacific League MVP, becoming one of the few players to win the honor in two different world leagues. He also earned the sixth Silver Slugger of his career and his only one at first base.

2017 was a strong effort as well with 6.7 WAR, 35 homers, 110 RBI, and a .965 OPS. The Sun Sox were just above .500 during his run, but couldn’t quite hang with the likes of Guam or Tahiti. In total though for Samoa, Cuoghi had 508 hits, 277 runs, 89 doubles, 29 triples, 92 home runs, 270 RBI, 120 stolen bases, a .323/.368/.593 slash, 182 wRC+, and 18.3 WAR.

Cuoghi’s stock was still high in OBA even at age 39 and he inked a two-year, $22,400,000 deal with Guadalcanal. He fell off to merely okay numbers with the Green Jackets, getting 277 hits, 155 runs, 47 doubles, 42 home runs, 117 RBI, a .256/.304/.444 slash, 113 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR. Despite his efforts, Cuoghi never got to play in a postseason game for his entire career. He retired after the 2019 season at age 40 and returned home to Argentina where he’d be a regular fixture at Mendoza games.

With the Mutants, Cuoghi had 2518 hits, 1285 runs, 461 doubles, 179 triples, 377 home runs, 1277 RBI, 409 walks, 876 stolen bases, a .342/.376/.606 slash, 178 wRC+, and 87.6 WAR. As of 2037, Cuoghi ranks 87^th in hits, 76^th in runs, 36^th in doubles, 83^rd in triples, 32^nd in stolen bases, and 67^th in WAR among position players.

While his grand tallies weren’t jaw dropping, his rate stats were quite impressive. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Cuoghi’s batting average ranks 32^nd, his OBP 59^th, slugging 31^st, and his .982 OPS ranks 32^nd. It was especially impressive to rank so highly in slugging and OPS without ever leading the league in homers.

For his combined professional career, Cuoghi had 2733 games, 3303 hits, 1717 runs, 597 doubles, 223 triples, 511 home runs, 1664 RBI, 604 walks, 1058 stolen bases, a .330/.367/.587 slash, .953 OPS, 172 wRC+, and 109.1 WAR. All that, plus being a standup guy made Cuoghi an easy choice even with a strong 2020 Hall of Fame class. He earned 94.9% to secure his first ballot spot proudly wearing Mendoza’s unique shade of green.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 12-01-2024, 11:03 AM

D.J. Serna – Outfield/Designated Hitter – Quito Thunderbolts – 79.0% First Ballot

D.J. Serna was a 6’4’’, 195 pound left-handed outfielder from Altagracia de Orituco, Venezuela, a town of around 52,000 in the central part of the country. Serna was known for prolific home run power, smacking 40+ in 12 different seasons and topping 50+ five times. He was also very good at drawing walks with many teams not wanting to risk the long ball. Despite that, Serna did struggle with strikeouts.

He was a solid contact hitter against right-handed pitching with a career 1.000 OPS and 156 wRC+. However, Serna was below average facing lefties with a .729 OPS and 96 wRC+. His power was definitely concentrated on homers, getting only 24 doubles per his 162 game average. Serna also wasn’t going to get extra bases with his legs as he was pathetically slow and clumsy on the basepaths.

Serna’s lack of grace and speed also led to terrible defense throughout his career. He made a bit over half of his starts in the corner outfield, primarily in left, but he was most useful as a designated hitter. Serna was a very hard worker and a vocal leader, but he could be a bit rigid and slow. He had generally good durability and become a popular figure for his towering homers.

His power potential was spotted even as a teenager by an Ecuadoran scout visiting Venezuela. They convinced Serna to come to Quito on a developmental deal signed in December 1994. He spent five years in the Thunderbolts academy, then had a part-time role in 2000 at age 22 with 100 games and 13 starts. Serna was a full-time starter by 2001, although he missed two months to a severe hip strain. He stayed mostly healthy after that and was a full-timer in Quito for the next 12 years.

2002 started a six-year streak of 40 home run seasons and a seven-year stretch of 100+ RBI efforts. Serna topped an OPS of one in four of these seasons and had five seasons above 5+ WAR. He took his first Silver Slugger in 2003 in left field with his second in 2005. It was the 2005 campaign that launched Serna into the spotlight, mainly because he launched the ball

Serna became the 11^th player to that point to reach 63 home runs. He also led in runs (125), RBI (140), total bases (424), slugging (.744), OPS (1.106), wRC+ (199), and WAR (9.6); all career highs. Serna also had career bests in batting average (.349), and OBP (.416), winning his lone Bolivar League MVP. Quito ended a nine-year playoff drought and had the top seed, but was upset by La Paz in the divisional series. Serna was 3-15 with one homer in what would sadly be his only postseason.

Quito did make it to the BLCS in 2006, but shoulder inflammation kept Serna out for the final weeks of the season. He was second in MVP voting with 7.1 WAR and a league-best 56 home runs. Serna led in homers again in 2007 with 53 to win his third Silver Slugger. After the season, he inked a seven-year, $58,400,000 extension to remain with Quito. The Thunderbolts were almost never bad in his tenure, but were stuck in the middle tier, averaging 83.3 wins per season during Serna’s run.

The great regret for Serna’s career was the lack of big game experience. He only played in three editions of the World Baseball Championship for his native Venezuela, although he was solid with a .919 OPS and 162 wRC+ from 2006-08. Serna’s overall efficiency fell a bit into his 30s, but he was still a very reliable power bat. Serna reached an OPS above one twice and led the league twice in walks in the back-end of the Quito run.

Serna would become the 16^th Beisbol Sudamerica hitter to reach 600 career home runs in 2014. The season had a rough end though as torn ankle ligaments knocked him out for the second half. Even before the injury, it was by far his weakest full season effort with only 0.6 WAR, 105 wRC+, and .773 OPS over 101 games. Serna became a free agent after that heading towards age 37.

BSA teams thought his best days were gone, thus Serna had to open up his search parameters. He found a home in Lebanon on a three-year, $14,640,000 deal with the Arab League’s Beirut. Serna had an impressive debut 2015 season, leading the Western Conference in home runs (59), slugging (.672), and OPS (1.038). This earned him a third place in MVP voting.

Serna couldn’t quite replicate that in 2016, but still was solid with 4.3 WAR and 42 home runs, getting home over 700 homers for his combined pro career. He would struggle in 2017 and get benched, posting -0.3 WAR and a .684 OPS over 106 games. With Beirut, Serna had 340 hits, 214 runs, 61 doubles, 123 home runs, 259 RBI, .894 OPS, 146 wRC+, and 9.6 WAR. He looked for a home in 2018, but went unsigned and retired at age 40. Upon this news, Quito brought him back to retire his #8 uniform for his impressive service.

With Quito, Serna had 2054 hits, 1268 runs, 307 doubles, 612 home runs, 1426 RBI, 847 walks, a .288/.363/.595 slash, .957 OPS, 145 wRC+, and 61.8 WAR. As of 2037, Serna ranks 23^rd in home runs, 85^th in runs, 55^th in RBI, and 46^th in walks. He doesn’t crack the top 100 in WAR among position players though, hurt by his porous defense and baserunning. Still, among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Serna ranks 53^rd in slugging and 63^rd in OPS.

For his combined pro career, Serna had 2394 hits, 1482 runs, 368 doubles, 735 home runs, 1685 RBI, 1012 walks, a .281/.357/.590 slash, 145 wRC+, and 71.4 WAR. There were a few voters that marked him down for the lack of team success and for being a DH/poor defender. However, most agreed that Serna’s dominant power made him one of the most feared sluggers of his era. That got him to the first ballot at 79.0% as the third of four players in BSA’s impressive 2020 Hall of Fame class.

Cristobal “Thrash” Nava – Closer – Maracaibo Mariners – 70.4% First Ballot

Cristobal Nava was a 6’7’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from San Cristobal, Venezuela; a city of 282,000 people located near the Colombian border. Nava’s stuff was absolutely filthy despite having merely below average movement or stuff. His 96-98 mph fastball was tough to hit, but his changeup was stellar. Nava’s ability to change speeds and make both pitches look the same out of his hand often covered for his other deficiencies.

Nava graded as a strong defensive pitcher who was average at holding runners. He had excellent durability and was almost always available over his 18-year career. Nava was also a team captain and a highly respected leader. Teammates and coaches noted his intelligence, loyalty, and work ethic. These skills made him stand out entering the 1996 BSA Draft more than most relievers would. Nava was picked early in the second round, 36^th overall, by Maracaibo.

The Mariners made Nava the closer right away and he held that role for a decade. Saves weren’t the easiest to come by as Maracaibo was hot garbage throughout Nava’s tenure. They averaged 71.2 wins per season and only finished above .500 once, going 82-80 in 2005. Still, Nava had five seasons with 30+ saves, topped 4+ WAR thrice, and had a sub-two ERA five times. His only time leading in saves came in 2002 with 32.

Nava won Reliever of the Year in 2001, posting a 1.34 ERA, 34 saves, 123 strikeouts, and 3.8 WAR. His best ERA was 1.06 in 2000 and his highest WAR (4.6) and strikeout totals (148) came in 2002. Nava was second in Reliever of the Year voting in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, and 2006. He finished third in 1999 and 2002. In total for Maracaibo, Nava had 288 saves and 319 shutdowns, a 2.23 ERA, 749.1 innings, 1306 strikeouts, 240 walks, 176 ERA+, and 34.8 WAR.

He was also a regular for Venezuela in the World Baseball Championship with 70 appearances from 1997-2013. In that stretch, Nava had a 3.83 ERA over 89.1 innings, 40 saves, 7-8 record, 183 strikeouts, 53 walks, 95 ERA+, and 1.2 WAR. Nava continued to pitch for his country even after he stopped playing for Venezuelan based teams.

Nava’s Maracaibo run ended after the 2006 season with free agency at age 32. Appreciative of his efforts, the Mariners would retire his #11 uniform at the end of his career. Nava’s next move was a two-year, $7,520,000 deal with Bogota. He won his second Reliever of the Year in his Bats debut with 38 saves, 1.52 ERA, 77 innings, 131 strikeouts, and 3.9 WAR. Bogota got the top seed in the Bolivar League at 106-56, but went one-and-done in the playoffs.

In 2008, Nava was moved out of the closer role, but was still effective in 32.2 innings. In total for Bogota, he had 40 saves, a 1.56 ERA, 109.2 innings, 180 strikeouts, 261 ERA+, and 5.2 WAR. Next, Nava signed a two-year, $8,000,000 deal with Asuncion. The Archers used him in a setup role in 2009 with a 2.22 ERA over 52.2 innings with 1.6 WAR. They would buy out the team option year, sending Nava back to free agency at age 35.

Nava ended up finding a job in Major League Baseball, heading to the United States on a two-year, $13,400,000 deal with Cincinnati. He was below average in 69 innings in 2010 with 4.04 WAR in middle relief. Nava was looking better with a 2.42 ERA in 48.1 innings in 2011, but the Reds traded him at the deadline. He had a 3.38 ERA over 117.1 innings, 162 strikeouts, 100 ERA+, and 1.5 WAR in total with Cincinnati.

He was traded to Baltimore, posting a 3.45 ERA over 28.2 innings in the second half. Nava did post 4.2 scoreless playoff innings for the Orioles, although they had a first round exit. This ended his MLB tenure as he looked back at Beisbol Sudamerica. Brasilia gave the 37-year old Nava a look at $11,500,000 over two years.

Nava returned to the closer role for the first time since 2012 with decent results for the Bearcats, posting 66 saves over 143.2 innings, 2.76 ERA, 247 strikeouts, 132 ERA+, and 3.6 WAR. Brasilia got to the Southern Cone Championship in 2012, but fell to Concepcion. Nava had four saves in seven playoff appearances with a 3.65 ERA over 12.1 innings.

A free agent yet again, Nava pitched one final season with Maturin. He struggled with a 4.47 ERA over 56.1 innings with the Makos. He only got one save, which kept him three short from 400 in his career. Nava decided to retire after the 2014 campaign at age 40.

In BSA, Nava had a 95-103 record, 397 saves and 478 shutdowns, 2.35 ERA, 1111.2 innings, 1913 strikeouts, 330 walks, 165 ERA+, and 46.5 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 10^th in saves. Amongst BSA Hall of Fame relievers, he’s 8^th in WAR, 3^rd in strikeouts, and 15^th in ERA. Against all pitchers with 1000+ career innings, Nava’s ERA is 52^nd and his .590 opponent’s OPS is 65^th.

Many other HOF relievers have more dominant stats, but Nava’s longevity and leadership impressed a lot of voters. He was also consistently a top three closer for his entire Maracaibo run. This got Nava to 70.4%, just enough for a first ballot induction to finish off Beisbol Sudamerica’s four-player 2020 class.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 12-01-2024, 07:09 PM

No debuting players were above 50% for the European Baseball Federation’s 2020 Hall of Fame voting, opening up the field for returners to cross the 66% requirement. Two Swedes did just that, led by closer Elias Blomqvist soaring to 81.7% on his fifth ballot. 1B Ulf Alstrom barely joined him with 67.6% for his sixth try. 3B Isaad Dorgham also had a strong showing, but missed at 60.6% on his fifth attempt. Also above 50% was SP Martin Kukoc at 56.4% for his sixth try and 3B Kyle Evrard with 52.6% for his second go. The top debut was SP Ebbe Arvidsson at 45.5%.

Three players were removed from the ballot after ten failed tries, led by RP Rafael Dorflinger. He was the ultimate journeyman with an 18-year career between 12 teams, posting 298 saves and 436 shutdowns, 2.92 ERA, 1177.2 innings, 1219 strikeouts, 255 walks, 131 ERA+, and 26.1 WAR. Dorflinger did win Reliever of the Year once, but otherwise was just a tenured above average reliever. He peaked at 44.9% in 2015 and was consistently in the 30-45% range.

SP Otis Laycock was also dumped after ten ballots, peaking at 28.7% in 2013 and ending with 11.5%. He had a 12-year career mostly with Glasgow and won two ERA titles, but was plagued by major injuries. Laycock had a 117-59 record, 1544.1 innings, 1682 strikeouts, 285 walks, 132 ERA+, and 36.4 WAR. The pace was there, but Laycock only twice breached 200+ innings in a season, falling far short of the longevity needed to get the nod.

Another SP Marcello Filetti fell off after ten years, peaking with his 23.7% debut and ending at only 6.1%. He had a 17-year career with eight teams, posting a 225-209 record, 3.98 ERA, 4054 innings, 3105 strikeouts, 980 walks, 190 complete games, 96 ERA+, and 47.1 WAR. Filetti as of 2037 is second in complete games and seventh in innings pitched. Often times having lots of innings can be enough for starting pitchers, but Filetti was never better than average.

Elias Blomqvist – Relief Pitcher – Madrid Conquistadors – 81.7% Fifth Ballot

Elias Blomqvist was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Norrkoping, a city of around 137,000 people in eastern Sweden. Unlike most great relievers, Blomqvist didn’t have overwhelming stuff with his peak velocity at 93-95 mph. Despite merely good stuff, Blomqvist used excellent control and movement to thrive. His arsenal was a one-two punch of fastball and splitter with an extreme groundball tendency. Blomqvist’s stamina and durability were both decent compared to most relievers. He was good at holding runners but subpar defensively.

Blomqvist was not a highly touted prospect, as he wasn’t picked until the fourth round of the 1992 EBF Draft. He was the second pick of the round, going 96^th overall to Copenhagen. The Corsairs used him for only 16.1 innings in 1993 with a 2.76 ERA. In the offseason, Copenhagen traded Blomqvist and SP Jens Palsen to Madrid for C Luc Dacourt. The Conquistadors left him on the reserve roster for all of 1994.

Madrid brought Blomqvist up for 1995, but only used him 14 innings. He saw a greater role in 1996, but struggled with a 4.62 ERA in 48.2 innings. Blomqvist finally put it together in 1997, earning the closer role and winning Reliever of the Year with a 1.61 ERA over 72.2 innings. He repeated in 1998 with a Southern Conference best 40 saves. Blomqvist had a 1.75 ERA and had his career best WAR at 3.4.

Blomqvist was merely okay in 1999 and missed part of the year to injury. However, this ended an eight-year drought for Madrid and started a seven-year playoff streak. The Conquistadors won the 1999 European Championship over Hamburg. Blomqvist struggled in the playoffs with a 5.40 ERA over 8.1 innings, but did get five saves.

In 2000 and 2002, Blomqvist was second in Reliever of the Year voting. In the middle, he was moved out of the closer role in 2001 despite a 0.73 ERA in 37 innings. In 2002, Blomqvist saw a career and conference best 46 saves. Madrid won conference titles in both 2000 and 2002, but lost in the European Championship both years to Kharkiv. They lost in the second round in 2001. Blomqvist had a 4.42 ERA in 2000, but was strong the next two years with three scoreless innings in 2001 and a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings in 2002.

Madrid gave Blomqvist a two-year, $4,640,000 extension in 2003, followed by another two-year, $6,400,000 extension in November 2004. Blomqvist maintained the closer role through this stretch, winning his third Reliever of the Year in 2004. Madrid won another conference title in 2004, but lost the finals to Copenhagen. The Conquistadors had early exits in 2003, 2005, and 2007; missing the playoffs in 2006. Blomqvist was excellent in the 2004 playoffs, allowing one run over 14 innings with six saves.

Blomqvist was generally strong in the playoffs in his later years, making up for some struggles early in his run. For his career, he had 24 saves and 27 shutdowns, a 2.51 ERA over 71.2 innings, 50 strikeouts, 155 ERA+, and 1.5 WAR. As of 2037, Blomqvist is EBF’s career playoff leader in saves. He was also the eighth in EBF history to reach 300 regular season saves.

After the 2007 season, Blomqvist became a free agent for the first time at age 38. With Madrid, Blomqvist had 322 saves and 339 shutdowns, 2.30 ERA, 725.1 innings, 740 strikeouts, 152 walks, 169 ERA+, and 25.0 WAR. He signed a two-year, $12 million deal with MLB’s Memphis Mountain Cats. Blomqvist only had four appearances with a 5.40 ERA over 13.1 innings. Despite the initial investment, Memphis cut Blomqvist on April 22.

Blomqvist went back to Europe for 2008 with Kyiv, posting a 3.12 ERA over 60.2 innings and 11 saves. He tossed four scoreless playoff innings, helping the Kings win the European Championship over Bucharest. A free agent again, Blomqvist signed a two-year, $7,440,000 deal with Glasgow. He had a 3.10 ERA in 40.2 innings for the Highlanders before being traded at the deadline to Manchester.

After a solid month with the Crushers, Blomqvist’s season ended with a torn rotator cuff. He tried a comeback in Manchester for 2010, but struggled with a 6.35 ERA over 11.1 innings. Blomqvist retired that winter at age 41 and Madrid quickly brought him back to Spain to retire his #16 uniform for his role in their playoff run.

In EBF, Blomqvist had 351 saves and 380 shutdowns, a 79-60 record, 2.43 ERA, 872.2 innings, 845 strikeouts, 175 walks, 158 ERA+, and 26.5 WAR. He was third in saves at retirement and ranks sixth as of 2037. Blomqvist’s strikeouts and rate stats though are both very low compared to the typical Hall of Fame reliever worldwide. Of EBF’s HOF closers, he has the lowest strikeout tally and second lowest WAR.

However, Blomqvist’s save numbers in both the regular season and postseason impressed traditionalist voters. Blomqvist won three Reliever of the Year awards and he also had a prominent role with Madrid’s dominant run of the era in the Southern Conference. Between the Conquistadors and Kyiv, Blomqvist saw five conference titles and two European Championships.

The lack of dominance still kept him out for his first four HOF ballots, starting at 52.1%. He dropped to 49.4% in 2017, then barely missed the cut in 2018 at 64.7%. Blomqvist fell back to 53.4% in 2019, but got a huge bump up with an open field in 2020. At 81.7%, Blomqvist was a fifth ballot Hall of Fame inductee and the headliner for EBF’s 2020 class.

Ulf Alstrom – First Base – Hamburg Hammers – 67.6% Third Ballot

Ulf Alstrom was a 6’6’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Landskrona, a town of 33,000 inhabitants on the southwest coast of Sweden. Alstrom was a great contact hitter who was also quite solid at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He also boasted reliably strong home run power, smacking 40+ dingers seven times in his career and 30+ twelve times. Alstrom’s gap power was decent with 27 doubles per his 162 game average. His speed and baserunning were atrocious, keeping him from legging out extra bases.

Alstrom was notably stronger against right-handed pitching (156 wRC+, .938 OPS) compared to lefties (128 wRC+, .815 OPS). He was exclusively a first baseman and was a below average defender, but wasn’t a complete liability. Alstrom had excellent durability, playing 150+ games in 15 different seasons. He became popular for his talents, but was polarizing among fans and teammates because of his outspoken personality. Alstrom’s spicy hot takes were generally wrong and poorly thought out, but hitting dingers will make people put up with a lot of obnoxiousness.

Even as a teenager, Alstrom was a tall and imposing figure. This drew attention to him despite growing up in a small town in Sweden. A German scout would spot him and signed Alstrom to a developmental contract with Hamburg in May 1992. He spent most of four years in the Hammers’ academy, officially debuting with ten plate appearances in 1995 at age 20. Hamburg made him a full-time starter in 1996, a role he held for seven years.

Alstrom was unimpressive in his rookie season, but emerged as a superstar slugger in his second year. Each year from 1997-2002 for Hamburg, Alstrom had 8+ WAR, 40+ home runs, 100+ RBI, a batting average above .345 and an OPS above one. Each of these seasons earned him a Silver Slugger. Alstrom led the Northern Conference in OPS in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002. Alstrom led in WAR in both 1998 and 2001 with 9.4 and 9.1. He led in OBP in 1998, runs in and slugging in 2002, and total bases in both 1998 and 2002.

2000 and 2002 saw MVP wins for Alstrom, while he took second in 1998, 1999, and 2001. 2002 had his career bests in runs (120) and homers (50). In 1998, Alstrom had his bests in total bases (391), OBP (.427), OPS (1.078), wRC+ (202), and WAR (9.4). Alstrom’s RBI high was 130 in 2001 with his highest hit total (220) and batting average (.357) coming in 1999.

From 1999-2002, Hamburg had four straight playoff berths. As a wild card in 1999, the Hammers went on a surprise run to a Northern Conference title, falling to Madrid in the European Championship. In that playoff run, Alstrom had 19 hits, 9 runs, 5 doubles, 2 homers, 6 RBI, and 11 walks. Hamburg had first round losses in 2000 and 2002 with a second round loss in 2001. In total for the Hammers, Alstrom had 29 playoff starts with 40 hits, 15 runs, 7 doubles, 6 home runs, 19 RBI, a 1.037 OPS, 182 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR.

In August 2000, Hamburg signed Alstrom to an eight-year, $31,520,000 extension. However, he knew he was a stud and had a chance to make bigger money elsewhere. Alstrom opted out of his deal after the 2002 season to the disappointment of many Hammers fans. In total, he had 1397 hits, 720 runs, 197 doubles, 292 home runs, 809 RBI, a .338/.403/.610 slash, 183 wRC+, and 53.9 WAR.

Although he would leave Europe, Alstrom did still return home to Sweden for the World Baseball Championship. From 1996-2012, he had 144 games and 133 starts with 130 hits, 94 runs, 23 doubles, 48 home runs, 105 RBI, 73 walks, a .264/.360/.608 slash, 178 wRC+, and 7.3 WAR. As of 2037, Alstrom has the second most WAR of any Swedish position player in WBC play. He also ranks second in runs, RBI, and walks drawn.

Alstrom cashed in big with an eight-year, $85,600,000 deal with MLB’s Houston Hornets; more than doubling his peak Hamburg salary. Alstrom was never a league leader or awards candidate in his MLB run, but he provided Houston with reliable power, topping 30+ homers five times and 3+ WAR four times. He was a full-time starter for the entire length of the deal, only missing time in 2007 when a broken hand cost him the summer.

Houston was a playoff regular in his tenure averaging 91.75 wins per season with six playoff berths and four South Central Division titles. The Hornets couldn’t get over the hump though with their deepest runs being American Association Championship Series defeats in both 2006 and 2008. Alstrom had strong playoff numbers over 46 starts with 59 hits, 26 runs, 5 doubles, 12 home runs, 26 RBI, a .337/.387/.594 slash, 166 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR.

Alstrom’s power did start to wane into his mid 30s, failing to reach 30 homers in 2008 and 2010. In total for Houston, he had 1235 hits, 655 runs, 189 doubles, 247 home runs, 729 RBI, a .276/.336/.489 slash, 123 wRC+, and 24.2 WAR. As his deal expired, Alstrom was a free agent at age 36. MLB teams thought he was done as a top contributor and not worth the price tag or hassle with his outspoken personality. Thus, Alstrom looked to return to European baseball.

He ended up in Armenia on a three-year, $25,500,000 deal with Yerevan. Alstrom regained some of that old form in 2011 with a 34 home run, 5.5 WAR, .920 OPS return season with the Valiants. He would regress in 2012 and miss part of the spring to a knee sprain, posting 0.4 WAR and a .703 OPS over 119 games. Alstrom had 5.9 WAR, 281 hits, 124 runs, 53 doubles, 42 home runs, 151 RBI, and a .294/.349/.487 slash with Yerevan. He retired that winter at age 38 and mended fences with Hamburg, who retired his #27 uniform.

Alstrom in EBF had 1678 hits, 844 runs, 250 doubles, 334 home runs, 960 RBI, 547 walks, .330/.393/.587 slash, 173 wRC+, and 59.8 WAR. Among all EBF batters with 3000+ plate appearances, his .980 OPS ranks 45^th. Alstrom’s batting average is 54^th, OBP is 32^nd, and slugging is 76^th. But because his EBF run was only nine seasons, his counting stats are well below the normal accumulations expected for a Hall of Famer.

Combining his MLB numbers, Alstrom had 2914 hits, 1499 runs, 439 doubles, 581 home runs, 1689 RBI, 951 walks, .305/.367/.541 slash, 150 wRC+, and 84.1 WAR. That combined line along with his accolades would be a lock, but many voters simply couldn’t get over the low EBF accumulations. Those skeptics weren’t willing to give Alstrom credit for his MLB tenure. Plus, many of those voters simply didn’t like him for being an outspoken loudmouth jerk.

Supporters noted he was a perennial MVP candidate during his Hamburg prime. Alstrom had two MVPs, six Silver Sluggers, and led in OPS four times; marks few players even with tenure reached. He also had strong playoff stats and helped the Hammers to a pennant in 1999. Alstrom would miss the cut in 2018 at 59.9% and 58.0% in 2019. With no impactful debuts in 2020, he just got the boost across the 66% requirement at 67.6%. Alstrom may be a controversial figure, but he earned a third ballot induction regardless for EBF’s 2020 Hall of Fame class.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 12-02-2024, 07:31 AM

11-time Pitcher of the Year winner Matvey Ivanov was the headliner of Eurasian Professional Baseball’s 2020 Hall of Fame class and was somehow not unanimous with 99.2%. Fellow pitcher Elgiz Alisher joined him in the class with 78.4% in his seventh ballot. No other players in the group were above 50% and none were dropped after ten failed ballots.

Matvey Ivanov – Starting Pitcher – Yekaterinburg Yaks – 99.2% First Ballot

Matvey Ivanov was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city. Ivanov was very well rounded with great stuff, movement, and control. He wasn’t overpowering, but his fastball at 95-97 mph was still plenty impressive. Ivanov also boasted a strong screwball and splitter, plus a rarely used changeup. He was one of the smartest pitchers in the game, knowing exactly when and where to pick his spots.

Ivanov had outstanding stamina, leading the league six times in complete games and eight times in shutouts. His control and efficiency also allowed him to regularly go the distance. Ivanov also had strong durability for most of his career, but he did get limited by a few major injuries in his 30s. He was also excellent at holding the few runners he did let on and won a Gold Glove in 2013. Ivanov emerged as one of the biggest baseball superstars ever to come out of Russia and a key figure in the post-exodus EPB.

Even out of high school, it was clear to most scouts that Ivanov was going to be something special. He was picked seventh overall by Yekaterinburg in the 1993 EPB Draft and ultimately pitched his entire 19-year career with the Yaks. Ivanov spent his first two seasons in their academy, then debuted in 1996 at age 21 with mostly relief appearances over 81.1 innings. He became a full-time fixture in the Yak rotation from 1997 onward.

Ivanov was a strong starter in his first two seasons in the rotation, but emerged as elite in 1999 for his first Pitcher of the Year win. He was also third in MVP voting, posting Asian League bests in wins (24-7), quality starts (30), and complete games (28). This was also the first of nine straight seasons of 9+ WAR. Yekaterinburg ended an eight-year playoff drought, but lost in the first round.

2000 was the great exodus as a major chunk of EPB’s teams departed for either the European Baseball Federation or Asian Baseball Federation. Yekaterinburg took advantage of this opening to become the Asian League’s top power for the next decade. Ivanov spearheaded this run as the ace, dominating to a level which hadn’t been seen in league history. His dominance also helped maintain baseball’s popularity in Russia after the exodus, making him a national hero.

Ivanov did pitch for the Russian national team from 1999-2009 in the World Baseball Championship. He tossed 156.2 innings with a 7-7 record, 2.69 ERA, 221 strikeouts, 24 walks, and 4.4 WAR. He had a 2.48 ERA over 40 innings in the 2001 run as the Russians fell in the World Championship to the United States.

From 1999-07, Ivanov made history by winning nine consecutive Pitcher of the Year awards. He is the only pitcher in world history with nine in a row and to that point was only the third in any world league to win nine total, joining BSA’s Lazaro Rodriguez and CABA/MLB’s Junior Vergara (10). Before this stretch, Igor Bury (5) had the most of any EPB pitcher. Markiyan Konoplya would win seven POTYs in the European League concurrent with Ivanov’s run.

Ivanov led in WAR each year from 2000-07 and topped 10+ seven times in that stretch, He won seven consecutive ERA titles from 2001-07 and had a sub-two ERA each year of the POTY streak. In the streak, Ivanov also led in wins six times, strikeouts seven times, WHIP six times, K/BB five times, quality starts four times, complete games six times, shutouts seven times, and FIP- eight times.

In 2002, Ivanov also had the rare feat of a pitcher winning MVP honors. This season saw career bests in ERA (1.21), innings (304.1), strikeouts (432), shutouts (13), ERA+ (238), and WAR (14.13). The WAR mark fell just short of Taleh Ismailov’s record 14.17 from 1956 amongst EPB pitchers. Ivanov also holds the #7 and #8 spots in the EPB single-season leaderboards for pitchers. The 432 strikeouts broke Artur Golub’s 1969 record by one and remains EPB’s single-season best as of 2037.

Ivanov’s 13 shutouts in 2002 was perhaps his most impressive accomplishment, as this remains an unmatched world record in all of pro baseball history. It would be the next year when Ivanov tossed his lone perfect game, striking out 16 against Novosibirsk on June 1, 2003. During the POTY streak, Ivanov also had a 2000 no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and 1 walk against Ufa and a 2004 no-hitter with 16 Ks and 1 walk versus Ulaanbaatar.

Just as this streak was starting, Yekaterinburg wisely gave Ivanov a seven-year, $14,800,000 extension after the 2000 season. Ivanov had an ERA below 1.50 four times, the most of any EPB starter. While winning MVP once, he was also second in 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2007: and third in 2004. The Yaks gave Ivanov another five-year, $19,600,000 extension in March 2007.

With Ivanov’s dominance came a dynasty run for Yekaterinburg. The Yaks won the 2000 Asian League pennant, but lost to Minsk in the EPB Championship. They were upset by Krasnoyarsk in the 2001, then missed the playoffs by one game in 2002. Then from 2003-12, the Yaks had a ten year playoff streak. Yekaterinburg won the EPB title in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2012. They also won the AL pennant in 2006.

Ivanov’s success carried into the postseason with 250.1 career innings, a 20-9 record, 2.05 ERA, 313 strikeouts, 33 walks, 25 quality starts, 16 complete games, 4 shutouts, 151 ERA+, and 11.2 WAR. Ivanov was finals MVP in 2003, posting a 3-0 record and 1.45 ERA over 18.2 innings. His strongest run was 2004 with a 0.97 ERA over 37 innings, 48 strikeouts, and 2.6 WAR. As of 2037, Ivanov is the EPB playoff leader in WAR, second in wins, and second in strikeouts. His 11.2 WAR is also the highest tally by any pitcher in any world league.

The Pitcher of the Year streak finally ended in 2008, although part of that was due to a rotator cuff strain that cost him all of May. Ivanov still finished third with a 7.2 WAR effort. 2009 would be the first major crisis for the now 34-year old lefty. In late April, Ivanov suffered a damaged elbow ligament to put his future in doubt. He ultimately missed 15 months recovering from the injury and looked rather pedestrian upon returning in the second half of 2010.

Ivanov’s stamina and strikeout punch were lowered and he’d never top 300 Ks again. Still, he returned to form in 2011 with his eighth ERA title (1.96) and the lead in strikeouts (285) and WHIP (0.84). Ivanov won his record tenth Pitcher of the Year, matching a mark only previously reached by Junior Vergara in his split CABA/MLB career.

In 2011, Ivanov also notably threw two no-hitters. The first came on May 14 with 10 strikeouts and 2 walks against Irkutsk, then the second was September 16 over Ulaanbaatar with 10 strikeouts and 2 walks. This gave Ivanov five no-hitters for his career, which leads all EPB aces. Yekaterinburg signed him to a two-year, $12,600,000 extension in the winter. From 2011-13, he had three straight seasons with a nice 6.9 WAR.

In 2012, Ivanov won his 11^th and final Pitcher of the Year award. He would be the only pitcher in pro baseball history with nine until matched in 2031 by CABA’s Richard Wright. Ivanov nearly got his 12^th with a second place finish in 2013. Yekaterinburg won their fifth and final title of the dynasty in 2012 with Ivanov going 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA over 24 innings. Their playoff streak ended with an 84-78 record in 2013. From 1999-2014, the Yaks averaged 96.8 wins per season.

2013 saw Ivanov become the fifth EPB pitcher to win 300 games and the sixth to 5000 strikeouts. No EPB pitchers have reached either mark since. Ivanov had a sluggish start to 2014 and saw his velocity peaking in the 91-93 mph range. In late May, his season was ended due to bone chips in his elbow. Ivanov opted to retire with that at age 40 and had his #26 uniform immediately retired by Yekaterinburg.

Ivanov’s final tallies saw a 313-145 record, 1.84 ERA, 4284.2 innings, 5040 strikeouts, 624 walks, 395/483 quality starts, 295 complete games, 77 shutouts, 165 ERA+, 58 FIP-, and 149.8 WAR. As of 2037, Ivanov is the EPB all-time leader in shutouts. In counting stats, he’s 4^th in wins, 5^th in complete games, 9^th in innings pitched, 6^th in strikeouts, and 3^rd in WAR among pitchers.

Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, Ivanov’s ERA ranks 7^th, his .526 opponent’s OPS is 11^th, his .197 batting average is 27^th, .234 OPS is 13^th, and .291 slugging is 10^th. Very few of those ahead of him were starters either. Ivanov is also 11^th in WHIP (0.85), 68^th in BB/9 (1.31), 25^th in H/9 (6.33), 65^th in K/9 (10.59), and 15^th in winning percentage (.683).

EPB has seen some impressive aces over the years, which makes for an intense conversation when discussing who the greatest of all-time is. Ivanov has the best ERA of any starter with 3000+ innings, eight ERA titles, the 11 POTY awards, and five EPB titles with Yekaterinburg’s dynasty run.

Alvi Tahiri is the WAR, wins, and strikeouts leader, but a lot of that was a function of longevity with 5699.1 innings. Sergei Filatov has him just beat in WAR with similar innings. Some dog Ivanov for thriving in the post-exodus weakened EPB, but others note Filatov pitched in EPB’s earliest years against an arguably weak talent pool. Igor Bury often gets cited as EPB’s overall WARlord with his two-way exploits, but many argue Ivanov was a better pure pitcher.

In all of pro baseball history as of 2037, Ivanov’s tallies rank 29^th in wins, 17^th in complete games, 5^th in shutouts, and 13^th in pitching WAR. He sits 52^nd in WAR when including all players. In rate stats among other current and guaranteed Hall of Fame starters, Ivanov’s ERA is 10^th, ERA+ is 10^th, FIP- is 35^th, and OPS is 26^th. Regardless of where he may rank on the EPB GOAT scale, there’s no doubt that Ivanov is among the absolute inner-circle of pitchers in pro baseball history.

Elgiz Alisher – Pitcher – Volgograd Voyagers – 78.4% Seventh Ballot

Elgiz Alisher was a 5’11’’, 170 pound right-handed pitcher from Oral, Kazakhstan; a city of roughly 271,900 in the northwest near the Russian border. Alisher was a hard thrower with strong stuff, excellent movement, and above average control. He had a 98-100 mph fastball, but his impressive curveball was his most dangerous pitch. Alisher also had a weak changeup as a third pitch and lacking a more reliable third pitch was a big reason while his career was split between starting and the bullpen.

Alisher’s stamina wasn’t the issue as that graded as strong. His durability was also quite good, avoiding major injuries until his final years. He was a weak defensive pitcher, but was good at holding runners. Alisher garnered the respect of the clubhouse as a great team captain, known for his leadership and work ethic despite being an otherwise simple man.

Despite being in the relatively isolated spot of western Kazakhstan, a scout from Belarus learned of Alisher’s exploits as a teenager. He was signed in April 1989 to a developmental deal with Minsk and spent seven years in their academy. Alisher debuted in 1996 at age 23 and would be used exclusively as a reliever with the Miners.

He wasn’t the main closer in his first three years, but he was outstanding in his limited role. Alisher had 114 innings with 46 saves, 63 shutdowns, 5.9 WAR, 166 strikeouts, and a sub-one ERA. He was a beast in his rookie season in the playoffs, allowing only one run over 23 innings with 4 saves and 25 strikeouts, helping Minsk to the 1996 EPB Championship win over Ulaanbaatar.

From 6/29/96 to 4/20/97, Alisher had a 35 game scoreless streak. He also had 23 successful save opportunities in that run. The Miners had a first round loss in 1997, then fell in the European League Championship Series in 1998-99. In 19 playoff appearances and 38.1 innings, Alisher had a 0.47 ERA, 8 saves, 13 shutdowns, 47 strikeouts, and 1.8 WAR.

Alisher was moved to the closer role in 1999 with 26 saves over 79.1 innings and 3.3 WAR, although his ERA as a less dominant 2.16. In total for Minsk, Alisher had 72 saves and 98 shutdowns, a 1.20 ERA, 154 games, 203.1 innings, 265 strikeouts, 40 walks, 254 ERA+, and 9.1 WAR. The Miners were happy to have him as they continued what would be a historic 24-year playoff streak, but his tenure came to an end with the great 2000 exodus.

With so many teams leaving EPB in 2000, officially quickly set up an expansion draft to add four new franchises to stop the bleeding. As a reliever, Alisher wasn’t protected by Minsk and ended up being the tenth player selected in the expansion draft. This sent him to the newly formed Volgograd Voyagers. Alisher would be the first Hall of Fame inductee in the colors of one of the 2000 expansion teams.

Volgograd had an impressive debut season at 84-78, but they fell to 60-102 the next year and stayed below .500 until 2005. Alisher was a closer in the inaugural season with good results, but the Voyagers opted to make him a starter after that. From 2002-2005, Alisher was worth 5+ WAR each season. He was signed to a five-year, $12,860,000 extension in June 2003.

2005 was Alisher’s breakout season with his lone ERA title at 1.59, giving him third in Pitcher of the Year voting. It was his only time as an awards finalist. Alisher did lead the European League in both innings and quality starts in 2004. He led in complete games once and shutouts three times. Volgograd slowly grew as a franchise and in 2007, became the first of the expansion teams to earn a playoff spot. They were first in the standings too, but lost in the ELCS to defending champ Moscow. Alisher had an iffy 4.15 ERA over his 8.2 playoff innings.

Because of his Minsk run, he finished with an excellent 1.15 career playoff ERA over 47 innings. Alisher was also respectable in the World Baseball Championship for his native Kazakhstan from 1996-2008. He was generally a starter in the WBC with 145.2 innings, a 3.27 ERA, 10-9 record, 168 strikeouts, 69 walks, 109 ERA+, and 3.2 WAR.

Forearm inflammation had limited Alisher a bit in 2007, as did back troubles. In August 2008, he suffered a bone spur in his elbow that knocked him out nine months total. This also marked the end of his Volgograd run with a 113-102 record, 2.29 ERA, 1970.1 innings, 1755 strikeouts, 388 walks, 123 ERA+, and 40.1 WAR. For his efforts as one of the franchise’s first leaders, the Voyagers made Alisher’s #25 the first uniform to be retired.

He was still only about to be 36-years old, but teams were leery coming off a major injury. Alisher ended up in the EBF with Krakow, although he missed the early part of the year to a rotator cuff strain. He was decent in his limited use with a 2.87 ERA over 31.1 innings for the Canines. Volgograd re-signed Alisher for 2010, but he never saw the field, limited to a behind the scenes leadership role. Alisher officially retired after the 2010 season at age 37.

For his EPB career, Alisher had a 140-117 record, 125 saves and 161 shutdowns, 2.19 ERA, 2173.2 innings, 2020 strikeouts, 428 walks, 171/228 quality starts, 110 complete games, 29 shutouts, 130 ERA+, and 49.2 WAR. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, his ERA ranks 36^th and his .581 opponent’s OPS ranks 88^th. Alisher’s resume was difficult to evaluate though since he had split his career between starting and relief. As such, he lacked the accumulation marks expected of a Hall of Famer for either role.

Alisher was generally efficient in both roles, but didn’t have the eye popping tallies or awards. His playoff success with Minsk and his steady leadership with Volgograd were his biggest plusses. Alisher debuted at 52.0% and bounced around the ballot for the next few years. He fell to 36.9% in 2017, then barely missed the 66% requirement in 2018 at 64.5%. Alisher plummeted to a new low of 35.2% in 2019, making his chances look bleak. For whatever reason, a huge swath of voters changed their mind in 2020 and got him to 78.4%. With that, Alisher was a seventh ballot inductee and the second member of EPB’s 2020 class.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 12-02-2024, 12:56 PM

The Oceania Baseball Association’s 2020 Hall of Fame ballot was devoid of meaningful debuts with the best newcomer at a lousy 7.3%. One returner took advantage of the weaker field with SP Val Moran getting inducted with 71.1% on his third ballot, narrowly breaching the 66% requirement. The only other player above 50% was SP Jarome Guluvao at 55.2% for his second try. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

Val Moran – Starting Pitcher – Sydney Snakes – 71.1% Third Ballot

Val Moran was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Hilo, Hawaii; a settlement of 44,000 people. It is the largest settlement in the state outside of the greater Honolulu area. Moran was the second Hawaiian-born inductee into the OBA Hall of Fame, joining class of 1995 1B Trent Atkins. Moran wasn’t incredibly rated, but he reliably had above average to good stuff and movement along with decent control.

Moran’s fastball regularly hit the 97-99 mph range, but it was his slider which proved to be his most effective pitch. He also had a weak curveball as a third option, but the one-two fastball/slider punch was often enough. Moran had very good stamina and durability for most of his career, tossing 250+ innings each year from 1999-2008. He was a great defender and won a Gold Glove in 2007. Moran wasn’t the brightest guy and he wasn’t one to take on a leadership role.

As a teenager in October 1993, Moran moved to Australia on a developmental deal with Sydney. He spent three full years in the Snakes academy before debuting in 1998 at age 22 with 84.1 okay innings. Moran was a full-time starter after that and reliably ate innings. He graded statistically as just above average for much of this tenure, although he was still worth 5+ WAR thrice for Sydney.

The Snakes were the last of the original Australasia League teams to win a pennant. They were firmly mid-tier during Moran’s tenure, averaging 81.1 wins per season. Moran’s breakout for Sydney came in 2005, leading the AL in strikeouts (294), innings (326.2), and complete games (14). He was third in Pitcher of the Year voting, his only time as a finalist. Moran also had 6.4 WAR, his second-highest season behind his 7.0 from 2002.

After that 2005 season, Sydney gave him a seven-year, $24,080,000 extension. However, Moran only played a few more months for the Snakes. At the 2006 trade deadline, he was shipped to Melbourne for three prospects. In total for Sydney, Moran had a 116-126 record, 2401.2 innings, 2127 strikeouts, 608 walks, 81 complete games, 104 ERA+, and 36.4 WAR. He was liked enough by Snakes officials that his #1 uniform was eventually retired.

Melbourne was in the midst of their dynasty run, having won the last three AL pennants and the last two Oceania Championships. The Mets kept rolling, winning another seven pennants for ten straight AL titles. Melbourne won the OBA crown again in 2006 and 2007 for the four-peat. The Mets’ biggest win tally was 114-48 in 2008, although they were upset in the final by Tahiti. Melbourne returned to the OBA throne in both 2009 and 2010.

Moran slotted in well initially for Melbourne, leading the AL in wins with 24 in both 2007 and 2008. 2007 saw his career best ERA at 2.86. Moran was a mixed bag in the postseason with 31.2 innings, a 1-2 record, 3.41 ERA, 21 strikeouts, 7 walks, 117 ERA+, and 0.1 WAR. By 2009, he was used in a split starter/relief role, then was a full-timer out of the bullpen after that. In the inaugural 2010 Baseball Grand Championship, he allowed four runs (three earned) in 4.2 innings.

In 2011, Moran’s season ended in September with radial nerve compression. He was back ready to go by the 2012 spring, but suffered a ruptured UCL in only his second appearance. Melbourne bought out the final year of his contract and instead of rehabbing, Moran opted for retirement just after his 37^th birthday. With the Mets, Moran had a 71-47 record, 3.13 ERA, 996.2 innings, 920 strikeouts, 251 walks, 124 ERA+, and 17.7 WAR.

Moran finished with a 187-173 record, 3.47 ERA, 3398.1 innings, 3047 strikeouts, 859 walks, 256/421 quality starts, 104 complete games, 11 shutouts, 109 ERA+, 94 FIP-, and 54.1 WAR. As of 2037, Moran ranks 46^th in wins, 33^rd in innings, 48^th in strikeouts, and 60^th in WAR among position players. Only one pitcher had gotten into the Hall of Fame with a weaker ERA, but five starters had made it with less WAR.

Either way, Moran was definitely a borderline case. Being a part of Melbourne’s title run gave him some extra recognition despite lacking accolades otherwise. OBA’s voters were generally friendly towards pitching and Moran received 60.4% and 55.2% in his first two ballots. With literally no debuts of note in 2020, Moran took advantage with the slight bump to 71.1%. He may be one of the weaker arms to get the nod, but regardless Moran crossed the 66% requirement for a third ballot induction as OBA’s lone 2020 Hall of Fame selection.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 12-02-2024, 07:38 PM

Austronesia Professional Baseball’s 2020 Hall of Fame voting was a wide open field as the top newcomer got 45.3%. Three guys with tenure on the ballot came close to the 66% requirement, but it was CF/2B Fransisco Hartati as the only one getting in at 73.3% on his ninth try. RF Sutanto Mangkoepradja was next at 64.2% and 1B Gavin Loh saw 60.8%, both on their eighth ballots.

One other returner topped 60% with SP Putra Andriani getting 60.5% for his third ballot. SP Dwi Aditya Supandi had 56.4% on his second try and LF Beau Cabral received 54.7% on his second attempt. SP I Komang Ainaga was the best debutant at 45.3%.

SP Arfandi Bekti was the lone player dropped after ten failed ballots. He had a 19-year career between eight teams and won APB titles in 1998 with Batam and 2000 with Kaohsiung. Bekti had a 239-197 record, 2.46 ERA, 4146 innings, 3320 strikeouts, 105 ERA+, and 55.8 WAR. In the playoffs, he had a 2.45 ERA over 139.2 innings, 125 strikeouts, and 103 ERA+. APB voters are very pitcher-friendly, but Bekti lacked black ink and was never in awards conversations. He was purely a compiler, peaking at 33.6% in his debut and ending with 10.5%.

Fransisco “Wasp” Hartati – Center Field/Second Base – Surabaya Sunbirds – 73.3% Ninth Ballot

Fransisco Hartati was a 6’3’’, 205 pound right-handed center fielder and second baseman from Sumenep, Indonesia; a regency of the East Java province with 1.1 million people. He was nicknamed “Wasp” for his incredible ferocity, known as one of the hardest workers in the game. Hartati was a rock solid contact hitter with a reliable pop in his bat, getting 22 doubles, 9 triples, and 23 home runs per his 162 game average. He was graded as average in terms of drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts relative to other APB hitters.

Hartati was one of the more clever and savvy baserunners you’d find despite his speed being merely above average in his peak. He gutted out a 22-year career despite dealing with numerous recurring injuries into his 30s and 40s. The big downside was Hartati was absolutely atrocious defensively playing in leagues without a designated hitter.

For his career, his accumulated zone rating was an appalling -409.1. Hartati was primarily split between center field and second base with occasional stints at first base and left field. It was baffling to many how someone so abysmal defensively was placed between two of the more challenging and important defensive spots. Hartati’s can-do attitude and his strong bat still gave him positive value in the lineup even if he was complete booty defensively.

Hartati’s bat alone made him one of the highest graded Indonesian prospects ahead of the 1984 APB Draft. He was picked #2 overall by Surabaya, where he’d spend the next 19 years. Hartati was used primarily as a pinch hitter his first three years, in part because there wasn’t a logical spot for him in the field. He earned the starting gig in 1988 and played 150+ games each year from 1988-1994. Hartati’s first Silver Slugger as at CF came in 1988.

In 1989, Hartati led the Sundaland Association in RBI (86), total bases (296), OBP (.352), slugging (.536), OPS (.888), and wRC+ (237). He took second in MVP voting and won his second Silver Slugger. He had 5.9 WAR or better from 1989-1993 and topped 8+ twice. Hartati won Sluggers in CF in 1990 and 1992 with his first at second base in 1991. He was third in MVP voting in 1990 and signed an eight-year, $11,230,000 extension with Surabaya that winter.

The Sunbirds ended an 11-year playoff drought in 1991, but lost the Sundaland Association final to Batam. Surabaya was rarely bad during Hartati’s 20s, but they wouldn’t make the playoffs again until 1999 and were stick in the mid-tier. He had back-to-back batting titles in 1991 and 1992, leading in hits both years. Hartati also led in runs and total bases in 1992. 1991 had his career best WAR at 8.4.

Hartati won Silver Sluggers in CF in both 1993 and 1994, giving him eight total to that point. He ran into injury issues with a sprained ankle in 1995, then was reduced to a part-time starter in 1996. 1997 saw a strained abdominal muscle costing him six weeks, although Hartati still managed to win a Silver Slugger at second base. He finally had a full season in 1998 and won another Slugger at 2B. Hartati was now soon to be 37-years old, but Surabaya extended the popular player for another three years at $8,440,000.

Even with a fractured foot keeping him out more than a month, Hartati had a 5.3 WAR effort in 1999. Surabaya ended their playoff drought and upset defending champ Batam in the Sundaland Association Championship. The Sunbirds then won the Austronesia Championship over Manila with Hartati getting finals MVP. He more than made up for his weak 1991 playoff effort, starting 13 games with 19 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, and 9 RBI. After a 15-year run, he brought a title to his longtime team.

Surabaya fell mostly to the middle tier for the next few years, as did Hartati’s production. He would manage his tenth Silver Slugger in 2003, becoming only the fifth in APB history with ten Sluggers at any position. It was his fourth at 2B with six in CF. The Sunbirds gave Hartati a three-year, $10,520,000 extension after the 2000 season. Various injuries plagued him in his later years, including a torn meniscus in 2001 and a torn thumb ligament in 2003.

Hartati’s deal expired after the 2003 season, making him a free agent for the first time at age 42. He still hoped to play somewhere and opened up a worldwide search. That led him to EPB and the Russian capital, signing a three-year, $10,400,000 deal with Moscow. A strained abdominal muscle kept him out almost half of his debut season with the Mules.

2005 saw very average numbers with 1.1 WAR over 124 games. However, Hartati stepped up big in the playoffs as Moscow won the EPB Championship over Yekaterinburg. In 11 playoff starts, Hartati had 12 hits, 2 runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, and 6 RBI. He was named finals MVP, becoming one of the very few in pro baseball history to earn finals MVP in multiple leagues. He had 4.0 WAR and a 137 wRC+ over 213 games total for Moscow. Hartati failed to meet the vesting criteria for the third year of his deal.

Hartati was now 44 years old, but still willing and eager to play. He came back to Indonesia and Semarang was willing to sign him for three years at $8,720,000. Hartati started the whole season, but was merely passable with a 99 wRC+ and 0.7 WAR. He decided to officially retire that winter just after his 45^th birthday. Surabaya would honor him by retiring his #11 uniform for his 19-years of service.

For his APB career, Hartati had 2390 hits, 1115 runs, 329 doubles, 139 triples, 362 home runs, 1072 RBI, 482 walks, 485 stolen bases, a .278/.320/.475 slash, 177 wRC+, and 69.7 WAR. These tallies rank well in the very low scoring world of APB as of 2037 with Hartati 18^th in hits, 21^st in runs, 65^th in doubles, 66^th in triples, 55^th in home runs, 32^nd in RBI, and 77^th in WAR among position players. His WAR was notably far lower than you’d expect due to his garbage defense. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, his .795 OPS ranks 65^th.

Hartati proved a tough case for many voters, especially those turned off by his defense. APB voters were notably tough for hitters to begin with and even with the ten Silver Sluggers and longevity, his tallies weren’t as high as some would’ve wanted. Supporters appreciated his steadfastness to Surabaya and role in their 1999 championship season.

In his 2012 ballot debut, Hartati began with 51.0%. He bounced around and was in the 40s twice, but also in the 60s twice. Hartati made it to 62.7% in 2016 and 63.4% in 2018, but couldn’t breach the 66% requirement. He fell back to 51.6% in 2019, then had a chance with his penultimate ballot in 2020. With a quieter field, Hartati got the bump he needed to 73.3%. He became only the third APB inductee to get in on his ninth ballot and was the lone addition in 2020.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 12-03-2024, 07:10 AM

RF Hongbo Wan joined Class of 2007 inductee Baoxian He as the only tenth ballot Hall of Fame inductees in Chinese League Baseball history. Wan was the only addition for 2020, making it in on his final try at 73.8%. Two others came very close to the 66% requirement. The best debut was CL Boyang Cao at 64.6%, while LF Seok-Hyeon So received 64.0% for his seventh try. Two others were above 50% with RF Minghui Ruan at 55.7% on his fifth ballot and CL Jingxing Zhang at 50.5% for his second go. No players were dropped after ten failed tries.

Hongbo “Iguana” Wan – Right Field – Qingdao Devils – 73.8% Tenth Ballot

Hongbo Wan was a 6’0’’, 190 pound left-handed right fielder from Hegang, China; a prefecture-level city of 891,000 inhabitants in the northeast near the Russian border. Nicknamed “Iguana,” Wan was a well-rounded batter with good-to-great contact, power, and eye. His 162 game average saw 22 doubles, 20 triples, and 25 home runs; strong extra-base hit numbers in the very low scoring environment of CLB. Wan’s main downside a batter was a poor strikeout rate despite his other skills.

Wan was an excellent baserunner with good speed, often creating opportunities with his legs. The majority of his starts came in right field, where he graded as reliably average defensively. Wan moved to first base in his final years with passable results. He also played a little center field early on, but didn’t have the range for that spot. Assorted injuries greatly limited Wan despite a 16-year career, as he missed a month or more in six different seasons.

He tore through China’s amateur circuit and was the #1 overall pick by Qingdao in the 1989 CLB Draft. Wan’s entire career came with the Devils and he had an impactful debut. His rookie season saw a league-best 24 triples and he became one of a select few Rookie of the Year winners with 8+ WAR in his debut season. He dipped a bit the next year, but still had 5+ WAR in each of his first seven seasons.

In 1992, Wan won Northern League MVP and his first Silver Slugger, leading the NL in runs (103), homers (38), total bases (339), slugging (.606), OPS (.971), wRC+ (212), and WAR (12.4). All these marks were career highs, as was his 158 hits, 71 stolen bases, .283 batting average, and .365 OBP. Qingdao ended a nine-year playoff drought for only their second-ever playoff berth. The Devils got to the China Series for the first time in franchise history, falling to the Dalian dynasty. Wan had 9 hits, 4 runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 5 RBI, and a 137 wRC+ in his lone playoff chance.

Qingdao the definition of mid over the next 13 years with no playoff berths and an average of 80.9 wins per season. Wan still thrived, winning additional Silver Sluggers in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, and 2000. He earned his second MVP in 1995, leading in runs (103), total bases (322), slugging (.560), and WAR (10.9). Wan was the WARlord and runs leader again in 1996, taking third in MVP voting. That year, Wan also hit 35 triples, which remains CLB’s single-season record as of 2037.

After the 1993 season, Wan signed an eight-year, $8,560,000 extension with Qingdao. 1997 saw setbacks with a fractured wrist and chronic back soreness costing him half the season. Wan would deal with smaller sporadic injuries into his 30s. He became the third player in CLB history to hit for the cycle twice, doing it in 1998 and 1999. At age 33, he signed a five-year, $24,000,000 extension after the 2000 season.

Wan also played for China from 1095-2001 in the World Baseball Championship. He was a big reason they were the runner-up in both 1995 and 1996, taking third in 1996’s MVP voting. Wan started 98 games with 97 hits, 73 runs, 17 doubles, 8 triples, 27 home runs, 66 RBI, 49 stolen bases, a .264/.351/.573 slash, 165 wRC+, and 5.9 WAR. This gave a sense of what Wan’s tallies would look like in a more neutral offensive environment.

In 2003, Wan suffered a strained PCL that kept him out roughly half the season. His hitting started to dip here with only 1.4 WAR and 119 wRC+ in 2004 despite a full load. Wan had -0.8 WAR then in 2005 which showed his time had ended. He retired that winter at age 38 and Qingdao immediately retired his #11 uniform.

Wan finished with 1781 hits, 1083 runs, 288 doubles, 258 triples, 331 home runs, 924 RBI, 776 walks, 641 stolen bases, a .241/.319/.485 slash, 164 wRC+, and 95.6 WAR. As of 2037, Wan ranks 9^th in runs scored, 61^st in hits, 21^st in total bases, 49^th in doubles, 5^th in triples, 50^th in home runs, 38^th in RBI, 29^th in stolen bases, 12^th in walks, and 26^th in WAR among position players.

Wan was also a popular player with two MVPs, but CLB voters were notoriously stingy when it came to hitters. Being on mostly forgettable Qingdao teams hurt him with some voters, although others appreciated his loyalty. Even for the low-scoring CLB, his .241 batting average was well below the normal standard for Hall of Famers with only two inductees to that point with less than .265. Supporters noted that nearly half of Wan’s hits were for extra bases.

He debuted in 2011 at 48.6% and never was lower, but he was stuck around 48% for the next two years. Wan got to 60.3% in 2014 and was above 60% each year from 2016-19. However, he just couldn’t get across the 66% requirement, peaking at 63.5%. 2020 was Wan’s tenth and final try, as well as a ballot without any strong contenders. He got the bump to 73.8% to finally secure that deserved spot. Wan was the lone CLB inductee in 2020 and the second in league history to make it on his tenth and final chance.

11-30-2024, 08:36 PM	#1825
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2020 EAB Hall of Fame East Asia Baseball’s 2020 Hall of Fame ballot was very nearly a blank one with one returner scraping past the 66% requirement. On his ninth try, SP Kachi Ishii made it in at 67.2%. Ishii joined Class of 1968 CF Ha-Min Park as EAB’s only inductees from the ninth ballot. No players have gotten in on their tenth go in EAB. The best debut was SP Jong-Hyeon Chung at 60.8% with no other debutants above 40%. Five other returners did cross the 50% mark, but were below 60%. 3B Min-Seong Ryu led this crew at 59.9% in his sixth ballot. On their third ballots, SP Dong-Won Kim had 56.3% and SP Rais Malikov received 54.8%. SP Nazonokusa Mori posted 53.6% for his ninth attempt and LF Kazuo Satoh saw 51.5% for his second try. No players were removed from the ballot after ten failed tries in 2020. Worth noting that Ryu was removed from the ballot despite only six ballots. This was possible a glitch since he was below 5% in his one season in the West African Baseball ballot. Considering he had 56% or better in six tries, Ryu had a pretty good shot of eventually getting in. A seven-time Silver Slugger winner at third base, Ryu had a unique career that spanned 23 seasons. Hurting his EAB Hall of Fame candidacy was playing only 13 seasons there, combining for 2536 hits, 988 runs, 440 doubles, 86 triples, 189 home runs, 1060 RBI, a .346/.380/.506 slash, 143 wRC+, and 70.2 WAR. Those numbers made him borderline, especially for a leadoff type guy. He would go on to play four years in MLB, then six years in WAB. He even won MVP in his WAB debut with Bamako at age 39. Between three leagues, Ryu had 3253 games, 4043 hits, 1610 runs, 703 doubles, 120 triples, 319 home runs, 1709 RBI, a .330/.367/.484 slash, 135 wRC+, and 104.8 WAR. He quietly became only the third in all of pro baseball history to reach 4000 career hits because they were spread out. As of 2037, Ryu ranks 5^th among all players in hits, 18^th in doubles, and 32^nd in games played; giving him a unique career worthy of a mention. Kachi Ishii – Starting Pitcher – Bucheon Bolts – 67.2% Ninth Ballot Kachi Ishii was a 6’7’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Izumiotsu, Japan; a city of around 73,000 people in the Osaka Prefecture. Ishii was known for having excellent stuff with above average movement, although his control was below average. His fastball was tough despite only peaking in the 94-96 mph range. Ishii’s tricky screwball was his most dangerous pitch and was considered one of the all-time great screwballs. He also had a nice curveball and a changeup in the arsenal. Ishii’s stamina was low compared to most EAB starters and he wasn’t going to get you as many complete games as most aces. He also ran into some injury issues but unlike most pitchers, it wasn’t arm trouble but instead was back and knee woes. Ishii did have the benefit of being an excellent defensive pitcher who was good at holding runners, winning a Gold Glove in 2005. By Ishii’s senior year at Taisei Gakuindai High School, he had emerged as one of the most promising pitching prospects. Bucheon picked him fourth overall and had him in their developmental academy four years. He didn’t play in the 1990 regular season, but allowed one run in six innings in the playoffs as the Bolts lost in the Korea League Championship Series. Ishii debuted as a full-time starter in 1991 with a 3.3 WAR rookie campaign. He again had a quality playoff start, but Bucheon was ousted in the first round. He looked similar in 1992, then missed much of 1993 to a torn meniscus. Ishii bounced back in 1994 with one of four 6+ WAR seasons he’d post in his career, but again his season ended with a torn meniscus. Ishii was a decent but unremarkable starter the next three years as Bucheon plummeted to the bottom of the standings. The Bolts bottomed out at 56-106 in 1996, but they did surprise many with a KL pennant two years later. By then, Ishii was gone as he entered free agency at age 29 after the 1997 campaign. With Bucheon, Ishii had a 77-76 record, 3.60 ERA, 1404.2 innings, 1589 strikeouts, 460 walks, 105 ERA+, and 26.4 WAR. It was by far his longest tenure and he’d be inducted wearing the Bolts’ purple and gold. However, Ishii’s most famous and notably run was likely his next one with Osaka. He returned to his native Japan and home prefecture on a four-year, $8,320,000 deal with the Orange Sox. Ishii made history in his first year in Osaka, throwing EAB’s 30^th Perfect Game on August 18 with 14 strikeouts against Yokohama. 1998 saw his career best in strikeouts (313) and WAR (6.9). Ishii had similar stats in 1999 with 6.8 WAR and 307 strikeouts. He had career bests in wins (21-7) and ERA (1.90) as well as his only time as a league leader with 31 quality starts. Ishii finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting, his only time as a finalist. He was solid again the next two years as Osaka started to contend. They missed the playoffs in 2000 despite their 100-62 record, then won the division title in 2001 at 93-69, although they went one-and-done. Ishii struggled in his one playoff start, allowing five runs in seven innings. The Orange Sox would claim the Japan League pennant in 2002, but again Ishii was gone just before his team broke through. In four years for Osaka, Ishii had a 62-32 record, 2.46 ERA, 971.1 innings, 1137 strikeouts, 194 walks, 137 ERA+, and 25.3 WAR. Ishii was a free agent again now at age 33 and inked a five-year, $25,000,000 deal with Nagoya. His first two years for the Nightowls were solid with the production teams came to expect from him. Knee troubles popped up again for Ishii with another torn meniscus, costing him most of the 2004 season. Ishii was solid to start 2005, but Nagoya was in the midst of a rebuild. On July 1, he was part of a five-player trade with Hiroshima. With the Nightowls, Ishii had a 29-24 record, 2.66 ERA, 564.2 innings, 694 strikeouts, 114 walks, 128 ERA+, and 15.7 WAR. He was merely okay finishing out 2005 for Hiroshima, but did toss seven shutout playoff innings. The Hammerheads had the top overall seed, but went one-and-done, which was a recurring problem during their 1999-06 playoff streak. Ishii had a 2.97 ERA and 3.9 WAR in 203.1 innings for 2006, giving him 4.3 WAR total for his Hiroshima tenure. He wasn’t used in the playoffs as they again suffered a first round exit. Ishii was set for free agency that winter, but decided not to overstay his welcome and retired at age 38. Ishii ended with an 188-143 record, 3.06 ERA, 3262.1 innings, 3747 strikeouts, 832 walks, 294/432 quality starts, 57 complete games, 16 shutouts, 117 ERA+, and 71.7 WAR. As of 2037, Ishii ranks 30^th in strikeouts, 92^nd in innings, and 71^st in pitching WAR. His accumulations were certainly borderline though and some critics felt he lacked the black ink or awards required to overcome lower tallies. Although good in his limited playoff starts (2.96 ERA in 27.1 innings), Ishii also didn’t play for any prominent contenders. Supporters argued his steady production and throwing a perfect game pushed him across the line. Ishii debuted in 2012 at 45.2% and hovered around the 40s-low 50s for much of his run. He got up to 61.8% in 2016 and 64.7% in 2018, just on the cusp of the 66% requirement. However, Ishii fell to a low of 34.8% in 2019, making supporters worried that his chances were done. With lackluster debuts in 2020, Ishii’s resume received another pass and popped out compared to the other options. He sneaked across the line at 67.2% to become only the second ninth ballot selection and the lone member of EAB’s 2020 Hall of Fame class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

12-01-2024, 06:55 AM	#1826
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2020 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 1) Beisbol Sudamerica’s 2020 Hall of Fame class was an impressive one with four players selected upon their ballot debuts. It was the first time since 2000 that BSA had seen a four-player group. Two were absolute slam dunks with SP Juliao Costa at 99.4% and 1B/2B Gavino Cuoghi at 94.9%. Joining them was OF/DH D.J. Serna at 79.0% and CL Cristobal Nava at 70.4%. One other player cracked 50% with 3B Artemio Reyes at 51.3% on his fourth ballot. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots and in fact, no returners even fell below the 5% mark. Juliao Costa – Starting Pitcher – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 99.4% First Ballot Juliao Costa was a 6’6’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher Santa Maria, a municipality of 283,000 inhabitants in Brazil’s southernmost state, Rio Grande do Sul. Costa had tremendous stuff with excellent movement and pinpoint control. His fastball regularly hit 98-100 mph, but his equally quick cutter was even more dangerous. Costa also boasted a strong forkball and changeup in the arsenal. Costa had very good stamina and durability, tossing 220+ innings in all but his first and final seasons. He was also a good defensive pitcher who was decent at holding runners. Costa was also a better hitter than most pitchers, winning Silver Sluggers in 2002 and 2005 while posting a career .240 batting average. His personality was quite ordinary, but his extraordinary pitching made Costa one of the finest arms ever to come out of Brazil. After a fine college career, Costa was picked 14^th overall by Belo Horizonte in BSA’s 1997 Draft. The Hogs used him as a reliever in his rookie season, although he was iffy in that role with -0.6 WAR over 70 innings. Costa moved to the rotation in his sophomore year, but it was his third season that he emerged as elite. This was his first of nine consecutive seasons for Belo Horizonte worth 8+ WAR. From 2000-08, Costa led the Southern Cone League in WAR seven times and topped double-digits thrice He won four ERA titles while leading in strikeouts twice, wins once, WHIP thrice, K/BB four times, and FIP- seven times. Costa was one win short of a Triple Crown season in 2002, which featured his career best ERA at 1.88. 2004 saw his bests in strikeouts (383), and WAR (12.6). That WAR mark rates as the 15^th-best pitching season in BSA history as of 2037 and ranks seventh best if you remove the legendary Mohmaed Ramos from the list. Costa is the only player from the 21^st Century on that top 15 list. During this run, Costa won Pitcher of the Year honors six times (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), making him one of six in BSA history to achieve that feat. Costa also took third in 2000’s voting. Belo Horizonte locked him up after the 2002 campaign with a seven-year, $29,400,000 extension. Despite Costa’s efforts, the Hogs were generally just above the mid-tier, averaging 82.9 wins per season during his run. They made the playoffs twice, falling in the 2001 LCS and in the 2006 divisional series. Costa’s one 2006 start was iffy, but he had a strong 1.96 ERA in 23 innings in the 2001 run. From 1998-07, Belo Horizonte won at least 76 games each year. In 2008, the Hogs completely collapsed to 58-102, signaling the start of a rebuild. This was Costa’s final year there, still leading in WAR at 8.1. With no hope of contention ahead, Costa declined his contract option and opted for free agency at age 33. He remained popular with Belo Horizonte fans for his dominance and his #15 uniform would later be retired. With the Hogs, Costa had a 173-98 record, 2.43 ERA, 2605 innings, 3129 strikeouts, 362 walks, 147 ERA+, and 92.7 WAR. Costa’s resume made him enticing to teams across the world, including in Major League Baseball. He ended up going to the United States on a five-year, $63,500,000 deal with Philadelphia. Costa would continue to pitch for his native Brazil in the World Baseball Championship, where he had earned the attention of teams worldwide. From 1999-2013, Costa pitched 225.2 WBC innings with a 15-8 record, 3.35 ERA, 299 strikeouts, 45 walks, and 7.2 WAR. Philadelphia was in the midst of regular contention at this point. Costa had a great 6.0 WAR debut season in 2009, although the Phillies had a first round playoff loss. In 2010, Costa won National Association Pitcher of the Year, giving him seven POTY awards counting his BSA bounty. He led wins (21-7), strikeouts (297), WHIP (0.91), K/BB (7.6), and quality starts (27). These were all bests for his MLB tenure, as was his 2.45 ERA and 8.0 WAR. Philadelphia won the NA pennant, but lost the World Series to San Diego. Costa had a 3.10 ERA over 29 playoff innings with 26 strikeouts. However, he was a beast in the inaugural Baseball Grand Championship, going 3-0 in three starts with 25 innings, 30 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR. That effort made the Phillies the first-ever Grand Champion and made Costa the first Best Pitcher winner in BGC history. He also was third in BGC MVP voting. Costa’s velocity dipped notably after this, down to a 96-98 mph peak in 2011, 94-96 mph in 2012, and 91-93 mph by 2013. His control was still excellent but without the power, Costa’s production was merely average in these regular seasons. He stepped up again in the playoffs with a 1.80 ERA in 25 innings in 2012 and a 2.51 ERA in 43 innings in 2013. Philadelphia won back-to-back NA pennants these years despite being a wild card. The Phillies won the 2012 World Series over Phoenix, but lost the 2013 Fall Classic to Denver. Again in the Baseball Grand Championship, Costa was strong with a 2.64 ERA over 30.2 innings in 2012 and a 2.06 ERA in 35 innings in 2013. Philadelphia finished fourth in the 2012 BGC at 12-7 and was 9-10 for 12^th in 2013. For his MLB playoff career, Costa had a 7-3 record, 2.60 ERA, 104 innings, 73 strikeouts, 130 ERA+, and 0.7 WAR. In the BGC, he had a 9-1 record and 1.88 ERA over 90.2 innings with 88 strikeouts and 3.4 WAR. In total for Philadelphia, Costa had a 78-53 record, 3.17 ERA, 1244.2 innings, 1110 strikeouts, 178 walks, 108 ERA+, and 26.6 WAR. His diminished velocity meant his MLB tenure was done as he approached age 38. Costa returned to Brazil and signed a two-year, $21,600,000 deal with Salvador. Age was catching up and he had trouble reaching 90 mph now. Costa struggled to a 4.82 ERA in 104.2 innings for the Storm and retired after the 2014 season. In Beisbol Sudamerica, Costa had a 179-103 record, 2.52 ERA, 2709.2 innings, 3182 strikeouts, 375 walks, 231/309 quality starts, 111 complete games, 32 shutouts, 142 ERA+, and 93.3 WAR. Because he left five years for MLB, his accumulations aren’t high on the leaderboards as of 2037. He ranks 87^th in strikeouts and misses the top 100 in wins, but does rank 29^th in WAR among pitchers. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, Costa’s ERA is 86^th, his 0.96 WHIP is 56^th, and his opponent’s OPS of .597 is 84^th. Certainly though, a six-time Pitcher of the Year winner is a no-doubt lock. However, Costa’s lack of playoff success with Belo Horizonte and shorter tenure does keep him out of the GOAT pitcher conversations specifically within BSA. His dominance in the big stage while with the Phillies though earns him stronger consideration as one of the world’s best for his era. For his combined pro career, Costa had a 257-156 record, 2.73 ERA, 3954.1 innings, 4292 strikeouts, 553 walks, 343/470 quality starts, 166 complete games, 40 shutouts, 129 ERA+, and 119.9 WAR. Without doubt, Costa was a Hall of Fame headliner, leading BSA’s impressive 2020 class with a nearly unanimous 99.4%. Gavino “Dino” Cuoghi – First/Second Base – Mendoza Mutants – 94.9% First Ballot Gavino Cuoghi was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed infielder from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Nicknamed “Dino,” Cuoghi was a great contact hitter with an excellent penchant for extra base hits. Over a 162 game average, he was good for 38 doubles, 14 triples, and 32 home runs. Cuoghi was also a slick baserunner with good speed. He was merely average at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Cuoghi started at second base in his first five seasons, but was abysmal defensively there. He moved to first base for the rest of his career and was reliably average there. Cuoghi was one of the smartest guys in the clubhouse and was beloved for his intense loyalty. He also had fantastic durability, starting 140+ games in all but two seasons over an 18-year career. Cuoghi stayed with some lousy Mendoza teams longer than most players would in the same spot. That loyalty and his talents made Cuoghi absolutely adored both with the Mutants and throughout all of Argentina. Even coming out of high school, Cuoghi was a very highly touted Argentinian prospect. In the 1998 BSA Draft, he was picked fifth overall by Rosario, but opted to attend college. Three years later for the 2001 BSA Draft, Cuoghi was picked seventh by Mendoza. He was a regular backup in his rookie season with 117 games and 11 starts. Cuoghi then became a full-time starter for the Mutants for the next 12 years. From 2003-2011, Cuoghi was worth 6+ WAR each season. From 2004-08, he led the Southern Cone League each year in doubles. Cuoghi won Silver Sluggers at second base in 2003, 04, 05, 06, and 07. He led the league in total bases in both 2006 and 2007, posting 9+ WAR both seasons. Cuoghi also led with 236 hits in 2006 and 125 runs in 2007. In 2006, Cuoghi was second in MVP voting, posting his career best OPS (1.077), wRC+ (208), total bases (415) WAR (9.4), hits (236), and RBI (122). He won the top honor in 2007 with career highs in runs (125) and similar other stats. Both years, he hit 38 home runs. Cuoghi topped 30+ homers six times with Mendoza, although he never crossed 40+. He scored 100+ runs in nine consecutive seasons, topped 200+ hits eight times, 100+ RBI seven times, .350 batting average five times, and an OPS of one four times with Mendoza. Despite all that, the Mutants never made the playoffs in Cuoghi’s tenure. Mendoza was an expansion team in 1987 and had a few playoff berths in the late 1990s. While Cuoghi was there though, they averaged 73.8 wins per season and only finished above .500 thrice. He wanted things to work and committed to an eight-year, $50,240,000 extension after the 2006 season. Cuoghi was absolutely beloved and saw his #10 uniform as the first one retired by the Mutants. Cuoghi was a favorite throughout all of Argentina and a regular for the national team in the World Baseball Championship. From 2003-2018, he played 121 games with 113 starts, continuing to play for his country even after leaving South America in his later years. In the WBC, Cuoghi had 129 hits, 78 runs, 20 doubles, 30 home runs, 71 RBI, 51 stolen bases, a .295/.361/.564 slash, 165 wRC+, and 5.8 WAR. He had stayed remarkably consistent with Mendoza until the 2014 season, dropping to career lows in WAR (2.9) and OPS (.808). That was the final year of Cuoghi’s deal with age 36 approaching the following May. Fans hated to see him go, but he amicably parted ways with the Mutants. Cuoghi’s decline, age, and price tag made other BSA teams leery, especially with more powerful options available now at first base. Cuoghi had to open his search worldwide and ended up heading to the Oceania Baseball Association. Cuoghi signed a three-year, $14,840,000 deal with Samoa. He had decent production in his 2015 debut, but did miss a month to an oblique strain. Then in 2016, Cuoghi had impressive career resurgence. He led the Pacific League in runs (112), hits (193), RBI (111), triple slash (.339/.387/.633), OPS (1.020), wRC+ (200), and WAR (8.4); while adding a career high 40 home runs. At age 37, Cuoghi earned Pacific League MVP, becoming one of the few players to win the honor in two different world leagues. He also earned the sixth Silver Slugger of his career and his only one at first base. 2017 was a strong effort as well with 6.7 WAR, 35 homers, 110 RBI, and a .965 OPS. The Sun Sox were just above .500 during his run, but couldn’t quite hang with the likes of Guam or Tahiti. In total though for Samoa, Cuoghi had 508 hits, 277 runs, 89 doubles, 29 triples, 92 home runs, 270 RBI, 120 stolen bases, a .323/.368/.593 slash, 182 wRC+, and 18.3 WAR. Cuoghi’s stock was still high in OBA even at age 39 and he inked a two-year, $22,400,000 deal with Guadalcanal. He fell off to merely okay numbers with the Green Jackets, getting 277 hits, 155 runs, 47 doubles, 42 home runs, 117 RBI, a .256/.304/.444 slash, 113 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR. Despite his efforts, Cuoghi never got to play in a postseason game for his entire career. He retired after the 2019 season at age 40 and returned home to Argentina where he’d be a regular fixture at Mendoza games. With the Mutants, Cuoghi had 2518 hits, 1285 runs, 461 doubles, 179 triples, 377 home runs, 1277 RBI, 409 walks, 876 stolen bases, a .342/.376/.606 slash, 178 wRC+, and 87.6 WAR. As of 2037, Cuoghi ranks 87^th in hits, 76^th in runs, 36^th in doubles, 83^rd in triples, 32^nd in stolen bases, and 67^th in WAR among position players. While his grand tallies weren’t jaw dropping, his rate stats were quite impressive. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Cuoghi’s batting average ranks 32^nd, his OBP 59^th, slugging 31^st, and his .982 OPS ranks 32^nd. It was especially impressive to rank so highly in slugging and OPS without ever leading the league in homers. For his combined professional career, Cuoghi had 2733 games, 3303 hits, 1717 runs, 597 doubles, 223 triples, 511 home runs, 1664 RBI, 604 walks, 1058 stolen bases, a .330/.367/.587 slash, .953 OPS, 172 wRC+, and 109.1 WAR. All that, plus being a standup guy made Cuoghi an easy choice even with a strong 2020 Hall of Fame class. He earned 94.9% to secure his first ballot spot proudly wearing Mendoza’s unique shade of green. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

12-01-2024, 11:03 AM	#1827
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2020 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 2) D.J. Serna – Outfield/Designated Hitter – Quito Thunderbolts – 79.0% First Ballot D.J. Serna was a 6’4’’, 195 pound left-handed outfielder from Altagracia de Orituco, Venezuela, a town of around 52,000 in the central part of the country. Serna was known for prolific home run power, smacking 40+ in 12 different seasons and topping 50+ five times. He was also very good at drawing walks with many teams not wanting to risk the long ball. Despite that, Serna did struggle with strikeouts. He was a solid contact hitter against right-handed pitching with a career 1.000 OPS and 156 wRC+. However, Serna was below average facing lefties with a .729 OPS and 96 wRC+. His power was definitely concentrated on homers, getting only 24 doubles per his 162 game average. Serna also wasn’t going to get extra bases with his legs as he was pathetically slow and clumsy on the basepaths. Serna’s lack of grace and speed also led to terrible defense throughout his career. He made a bit over half of his starts in the corner outfield, primarily in left, but he was most useful as a designated hitter. Serna was a very hard worker and a vocal leader, but he could be a bit rigid and slow. He had generally good durability and become a popular figure for his towering homers. His power potential was spotted even as a teenager by an Ecuadoran scout visiting Venezuela. They convinced Serna to come to Quito on a developmental deal signed in December 1994. He spent five years in the Thunderbolts academy, then had a part-time role in 2000 at age 22 with 100 games and 13 starts. Serna was a full-time starter by 2001, although he missed two months to a severe hip strain. He stayed mostly healthy after that and was a full-timer in Quito for the next 12 years. 2002 started a six-year streak of 40 home run seasons and a seven-year stretch of 100+ RBI efforts. Serna topped an OPS of one in four of these seasons and had five seasons above 5+ WAR. He took his first Silver Slugger in 2003 in left field with his second in 2005. It was the 2005 campaign that launched Serna into the spotlight, mainly because he launched the ball Serna became the 11^th player to that point to reach 63 home runs. He also led in runs (125), RBI (140), total bases (424), slugging (.744), OPS (1.106), wRC+ (199), and WAR (9.6); all career highs. Serna also had career bests in batting average (.349), and OBP (.416), winning his lone Bolivar League MVP. Quito ended a nine-year playoff drought and had the top seed, but was upset by La Paz in the divisional series. Serna was 3-15 with one homer in what would sadly be his only postseason. Quito did make it to the BLCS in 2006, but shoulder inflammation kept Serna out for the final weeks of the season. He was second in MVP voting with 7.1 WAR and a league-best 56 home runs. Serna led in homers again in 2007 with 53 to win his third Silver Slugger. After the season, he inked a seven-year, $58,400,000 extension to remain with Quito. The Thunderbolts were almost never bad in his tenure, but were stuck in the middle tier, averaging 83.3 wins per season during Serna’s run. The great regret for Serna’s career was the lack of big game experience. He only played in three editions of the World Baseball Championship for his native Venezuela, although he was solid with a .919 OPS and 162 wRC+ from 2006-08. Serna’s overall efficiency fell a bit into his 30s, but he was still a very reliable power bat. Serna reached an OPS above one twice and led the league twice in walks in the back-end of the Quito run. Serna would become the 16^th Beisbol Sudamerica hitter to reach 600 career home runs in 2014. The season had a rough end though as torn ankle ligaments knocked him out for the second half. Even before the injury, it was by far his weakest full season effort with only 0.6 WAR, 105 wRC+, and .773 OPS over 101 games. Serna became a free agent after that heading towards age 37. BSA teams thought his best days were gone, thus Serna had to open up his search parameters. He found a home in Lebanon on a three-year, $14,640,000 deal with the Arab League’s Beirut. Serna had an impressive debut 2015 season, leading the Western Conference in home runs (59), slugging (.672), and OPS (1.038). This earned him a third place in MVP voting. Serna couldn’t quite replicate that in 2016, but still was solid with 4.3 WAR and 42 home runs, getting home over 700 homers for his combined pro career. He would struggle in 2017 and get benched, posting -0.3 WAR and a .684 OPS over 106 games. With Beirut, Serna had 340 hits, 214 runs, 61 doubles, 123 home runs, 259 RBI, .894 OPS, 146 wRC+, and 9.6 WAR. He looked for a home in 2018, but went unsigned and retired at age 40. Upon this news, Quito brought him back to retire his #8 uniform for his impressive service. With Quito, Serna had 2054 hits, 1268 runs, 307 doubles, 612 home runs, 1426 RBI, 847 walks, a .288/.363/.595 slash, .957 OPS, 145 wRC+, and 61.8 WAR. As of 2037, Serna ranks 23^rd in home runs, 85^th in runs, 55^th in RBI, and 46^th in walks. He doesn’t crack the top 100 in WAR among position players though, hurt by his porous defense and baserunning. Still, among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Serna ranks 53^rd in slugging and 63^rd in OPS. For his combined pro career, Serna had 2394 hits, 1482 runs, 368 doubles, 735 home runs, 1685 RBI, 1012 walks, a .281/.357/.590 slash, 145 wRC+, and 71.4 WAR. There were a few voters that marked him down for the lack of team success and for being a DH/poor defender. However, most agreed that Serna’s dominant power made him one of the most feared sluggers of his era. That got him to the first ballot at 79.0% as the third of four players in BSA’s impressive 2020 Hall of Fame class. Cristobal “Thrash” Nava – Closer – Maracaibo Mariners – 70.4% First Ballot Cristobal Nava was a 6’7’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from San Cristobal, Venezuela; a city of 282,000 people located near the Colombian border. Nava’s stuff was absolutely filthy despite having merely below average movement or stuff. His 96-98 mph fastball was tough to hit, but his changeup was stellar. Nava’s ability to change speeds and make both pitches look the same out of his hand often covered for his other deficiencies. Nava graded as a strong defensive pitcher who was average at holding runners. He had excellent durability and was almost always available over his 18-year career. Nava was also a team captain and a highly respected leader. Teammates and coaches noted his intelligence, loyalty, and work ethic. These skills made him stand out entering the 1996 BSA Draft more than most relievers would. Nava was picked early in the second round, 36^th overall, by Maracaibo. The Mariners made Nava the closer right away and he held that role for a decade. Saves weren’t the easiest to come by as Maracaibo was hot garbage throughout Nava’s tenure. They averaged 71.2 wins per season and only finished above .500 once, going 82-80 in 2005. Still, Nava had five seasons with 30+ saves, topped 4+ WAR thrice, and had a sub-two ERA five times. His only time leading in saves came in 2002 with 32. Nava won Reliever of the Year in 2001, posting a 1.34 ERA, 34 saves, 123 strikeouts, and 3.8 WAR. His best ERA was 1.06 in 2000 and his highest WAR (4.6) and strikeout totals (148) came in 2002. Nava was second in Reliever of the Year voting in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, and 2006. He finished third in 1999 and 2002. In total for Maracaibo, Nava had 288 saves and 319 shutdowns, a 2.23 ERA, 749.1 innings, 1306 strikeouts, 240 walks, 176 ERA+, and 34.8 WAR. He was also a regular for Venezuela in the World Baseball Championship with 70 appearances from 1997-2013. In that stretch, Nava had a 3.83 ERA over 89.1 innings, 40 saves, 7-8 record, 183 strikeouts, 53 walks, 95 ERA+, and 1.2 WAR. Nava continued to pitch for his country even after he stopped playing for Venezuelan based teams. Nava’s Maracaibo run ended after the 2006 season with free agency at age 32. Appreciative of his efforts, the Mariners would retire his #11 uniform at the end of his career. Nava’s next move was a two-year, $7,520,000 deal with Bogota. He won his second Reliever of the Year in his Bats debut with 38 saves, 1.52 ERA, 77 innings, 131 strikeouts, and 3.9 WAR. Bogota got the top seed in the Bolivar League at 106-56, but went one-and-done in the playoffs. In 2008, Nava was moved out of the closer role, but was still effective in 32.2 innings. In total for Bogota, he had 40 saves, a 1.56 ERA, 109.2 innings, 180 strikeouts, 261 ERA+, and 5.2 WAR. Next, Nava signed a two-year, $8,000,000 deal with Asuncion. The Archers used him in a setup role in 2009 with a 2.22 ERA over 52.2 innings with 1.6 WAR. They would buy out the team option year, sending Nava back to free agency at age 35. Nava ended up finding a job in Major League Baseball, heading to the United States on a two-year, $13,400,000 deal with Cincinnati. He was below average in 69 innings in 2010 with 4.04 WAR in middle relief. Nava was looking better with a 2.42 ERA in 48.1 innings in 2011, but the Reds traded him at the deadline. He had a 3.38 ERA over 117.1 innings, 162 strikeouts, 100 ERA+, and 1.5 WAR in total with Cincinnati. He was traded to Baltimore, posting a 3.45 ERA over 28.2 innings in the second half. Nava did post 4.2 scoreless playoff innings for the Orioles, although they had a first round exit. This ended his MLB tenure as he looked back at Beisbol Sudamerica. Brasilia gave the 37-year old Nava a look at $11,500,000 over two years. Nava returned to the closer role for the first time since 2012 with decent results for the Bearcats, posting 66 saves over 143.2 innings, 2.76 ERA, 247 strikeouts, 132 ERA+, and 3.6 WAR. Brasilia got to the Southern Cone Championship in 2012, but fell to Concepcion. Nava had four saves in seven playoff appearances with a 3.65 ERA over 12.1 innings. A free agent yet again, Nava pitched one final season with Maturin. He struggled with a 4.47 ERA over 56.1 innings with the Makos. He only got one save, which kept him three short from 400 in his career. Nava decided to retire after the 2014 campaign at age 40. In BSA, Nava had a 95-103 record, 397 saves and 478 shutdowns, 2.35 ERA, 1111.2 innings, 1913 strikeouts, 330 walks, 165 ERA+, and 46.5 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 10^th in saves. Amongst BSA Hall of Fame relievers, he’s 8^th in WAR, 3^rd in strikeouts, and 15^th in ERA. Against all pitchers with 1000+ career innings, Nava’s ERA is 52^nd and his .590 opponent’s OPS is 65^th. Many other HOF relievers have more dominant stats, but Nava’s longevity and leadership impressed a lot of voters. He was also consistently a top three closer for his entire Maracaibo run. This got Nava to 70.4%, just enough for a first ballot induction to finish off Beisbol Sudamerica’s four-player 2020 class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

12-01-2024, 07:09 PM	#1828
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2020 EBF Hall of Fame No debuting players were above 50% for the European Baseball Federation’s 2020 Hall of Fame voting, opening up the field for returners to cross the 66% requirement. Two Swedes did just that, led by closer Elias Blomqvist soaring to 81.7% on his fifth ballot. 1B Ulf Alstrom barely joined him with 67.6% for his sixth try. 3B Isaad Dorgham also had a strong showing, but missed at 60.6% on his fifth attempt. Also above 50% was SP Martin Kukoc at 56.4% for his sixth try and 3B Kyle Evrard with 52.6% for his second go. The top debut was SP Ebbe Arvidsson at 45.5%. Three players were removed from the ballot after ten failed tries, led by RP Rafael Dorflinger. He was the ultimate journeyman with an 18-year career between 12 teams, posting 298 saves and 436 shutdowns, 2.92 ERA, 1177.2 innings, 1219 strikeouts, 255 walks, 131 ERA+, and 26.1 WAR. Dorflinger did win Reliever of the Year once, but otherwise was just a tenured above average reliever. He peaked at 44.9% in 2015 and was consistently in the 30-45% range. SP Otis Laycock was also dumped after ten ballots, peaking at 28.7% in 2013 and ending with 11.5%. He had a 12-year career mostly with Glasgow and won two ERA titles, but was plagued by major injuries. Laycock had a 117-59 record, 1544.1 innings, 1682 strikeouts, 285 walks, 132 ERA+, and 36.4 WAR. The pace was there, but Laycock only twice breached 200+ innings in a season, falling far short of the longevity needed to get the nod. Another SP Marcello Filetti fell off after ten years, peaking with his 23.7% debut and ending at only 6.1%. He had a 17-year career with eight teams, posting a 225-209 record, 3.98 ERA, 4054 innings, 3105 strikeouts, 980 walks, 190 complete games, 96 ERA+, and 47.1 WAR. Filetti as of 2037 is second in complete games and seventh in innings pitched. Often times having lots of innings can be enough for starting pitchers, but Filetti was never better than average. Elias Blomqvist – Relief Pitcher – Madrid Conquistadors – 81.7% Fifth Ballot Elias Blomqvist was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Norrkoping, a city of around 137,000 people in eastern Sweden. Unlike most great relievers, Blomqvist didn’t have overwhelming stuff with his peak velocity at 93-95 mph. Despite merely good stuff, Blomqvist used excellent control and movement to thrive. His arsenal was a one-two punch of fastball and splitter with an extreme groundball tendency. Blomqvist’s stamina and durability were both decent compared to most relievers. He was good at holding runners but subpar defensively. Blomqvist was not a highly touted prospect, as he wasn’t picked until the fourth round of the 1992 EBF Draft. He was the second pick of the round, going 96^th overall to Copenhagen. The Corsairs used him for only 16.1 innings in 1993 with a 2.76 ERA. In the offseason, Copenhagen traded Blomqvist and SP Jens Palsen to Madrid for C Luc Dacourt. The Conquistadors left him on the reserve roster for all of 1994. Madrid brought Blomqvist up for 1995, but only used him 14 innings. He saw a greater role in 1996, but struggled with a 4.62 ERA in 48.2 innings. Blomqvist finally put it together in 1997, earning the closer role and winning Reliever of the Year with a 1.61 ERA over 72.2 innings. He repeated in 1998 with a Southern Conference best 40 saves. Blomqvist had a 1.75 ERA and had his career best WAR at 3.4. Blomqvist was merely okay in 1999 and missed part of the year to injury. However, this ended an eight-year drought for Madrid and started a seven-year playoff streak. The Conquistadors won the 1999 European Championship over Hamburg. Blomqvist struggled in the playoffs with a 5.40 ERA over 8.1 innings, but did get five saves. In 2000 and 2002, Blomqvist was second in Reliever of the Year voting. In the middle, he was moved out of the closer role in 2001 despite a 0.73 ERA in 37 innings. In 2002, Blomqvist saw a career and conference best 46 saves. Madrid won conference titles in both 2000 and 2002, but lost in the European Championship both years to Kharkiv. They lost in the second round in 2001. Blomqvist had a 4.42 ERA in 2000, but was strong the next two years with three scoreless innings in 2001 and a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings in 2002. Madrid gave Blomqvist a two-year, $4,640,000 extension in 2003, followed by another two-year, $6,400,000 extension in November 2004. Blomqvist maintained the closer role through this stretch, winning his third Reliever of the Year in 2004. Madrid won another conference title in 2004, but lost the finals to Copenhagen. The Conquistadors had early exits in 2003, 2005, and 2007; missing the playoffs in 2006. Blomqvist was excellent in the 2004 playoffs, allowing one run over 14 innings with six saves. Blomqvist was generally strong in the playoffs in his later years, making up for some struggles early in his run. For his career, he had 24 saves and 27 shutdowns, a 2.51 ERA over 71.2 innings, 50 strikeouts, 155 ERA+, and 1.5 WAR. As of 2037, Blomqvist is EBF’s career playoff leader in saves. He was also the eighth in EBF history to reach 300 regular season saves. After the 2007 season, Blomqvist became a free agent for the first time at age 38. With Madrid, Blomqvist had 322 saves and 339 shutdowns, 2.30 ERA, 725.1 innings, 740 strikeouts, 152 walks, 169 ERA+, and 25.0 WAR. He signed a two-year, $12 million deal with MLB’s Memphis Mountain Cats. Blomqvist only had four appearances with a 5.40 ERA over 13.1 innings. Despite the initial investment, Memphis cut Blomqvist on April 22. Blomqvist went back to Europe for 2008 with Kyiv, posting a 3.12 ERA over 60.2 innings and 11 saves. He tossed four scoreless playoff innings, helping the Kings win the European Championship over Bucharest. A free agent again, Blomqvist signed a two-year, $7,440,000 deal with Glasgow. He had a 3.10 ERA in 40.2 innings for the Highlanders before being traded at the deadline to Manchester. After a solid month with the Crushers, Blomqvist’s season ended with a torn rotator cuff. He tried a comeback in Manchester for 2010, but struggled with a 6.35 ERA over 11.1 innings. Blomqvist retired that winter at age 41 and Madrid quickly brought him back to Spain to retire his #16 uniform for his role in their playoff run. In EBF, Blomqvist had 351 saves and 380 shutdowns, a 79-60 record, 2.43 ERA, 872.2 innings, 845 strikeouts, 175 walks, 158 ERA+, and 26.5 WAR. He was third in saves at retirement and ranks sixth as of 2037. Blomqvist’s strikeouts and rate stats though are both very low compared to the typical Hall of Fame reliever worldwide. Of EBF’s HOF closers, he has the lowest strikeout tally and second lowest WAR. However, Blomqvist’s save numbers in both the regular season and postseason impressed traditionalist voters. Blomqvist won three Reliever of the Year awards and he also had a prominent role with Madrid’s dominant run of the era in the Southern Conference. Between the Conquistadors and Kyiv, Blomqvist saw five conference titles and two European Championships. The lack of dominance still kept him out for his first four HOF ballots, starting at 52.1%. He dropped to 49.4% in 2017, then barely missed the cut in 2018 at 64.7%. Blomqvist fell back to 53.4% in 2019, but got a huge bump up with an open field in 2020. At 81.7%, Blomqvist was a fifth ballot Hall of Fame inductee and the headliner for EBF’s 2020 class. Ulf Alstrom – First Base – Hamburg Hammers – 67.6% Third Ballot Ulf Alstrom was a 6’6’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Landskrona, a town of 33,000 inhabitants on the southwest coast of Sweden. Alstrom was a great contact hitter who was also quite solid at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He also boasted reliably strong home run power, smacking 40+ dingers seven times in his career and 30+ twelve times. Alstrom’s gap power was decent with 27 doubles per his 162 game average. His speed and baserunning were atrocious, keeping him from legging out extra bases. Alstrom was notably stronger against right-handed pitching (156 wRC+, .938 OPS) compared to lefties (128 wRC+, .815 OPS). He was exclusively a first baseman and was a below average defender, but wasn’t a complete liability. Alstrom had excellent durability, playing 150+ games in 15 different seasons. He became popular for his talents, but was polarizing among fans and teammates because of his outspoken personality. Alstrom’s spicy hot takes were generally wrong and poorly thought out, but hitting dingers will make people put up with a lot of obnoxiousness. Even as a teenager, Alstrom was a tall and imposing figure. This drew attention to him despite growing up in a small town in Sweden. A German scout would spot him and signed Alstrom to a developmental contract with Hamburg in May 1992. He spent most of four years in the Hammers’ academy, officially debuting with ten plate appearances in 1995 at age 20. Hamburg made him a full-time starter in 1996, a role he held for seven years. Alstrom was unimpressive in his rookie season, but emerged as a superstar slugger in his second year. Each year from 1997-2002 for Hamburg, Alstrom had 8+ WAR, 40+ home runs, 100+ RBI, a batting average above .345 and an OPS above one. Each of these seasons earned him a Silver Slugger. Alstrom led the Northern Conference in OPS in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002. Alstrom led in WAR in both 1998 and 2001 with 9.4 and 9.1. He led in OBP in 1998, runs in and slugging in 2002, and total bases in both 1998 and 2002. 2000 and 2002 saw MVP wins for Alstrom, while he took second in 1998, 1999, and 2001. 2002 had his career bests in runs (120) and homers (50). In 1998, Alstrom had his bests in total bases (391), OBP (.427), OPS (1.078), wRC+ (202), and WAR (9.4). Alstrom’s RBI high was 130 in 2001 with his highest hit total (220) and batting average (.357) coming in 1999. From 1999-2002, Hamburg had four straight playoff berths. As a wild card in 1999, the Hammers went on a surprise run to a Northern Conference title, falling to Madrid in the European Championship. In that playoff run, Alstrom had 19 hits, 9 runs, 5 doubles, 2 homers, 6 RBI, and 11 walks. Hamburg had first round losses in 2000 and 2002 with a second round loss in 2001. In total for the Hammers, Alstrom had 29 playoff starts with 40 hits, 15 runs, 7 doubles, 6 home runs, 19 RBI, a 1.037 OPS, 182 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. In August 2000, Hamburg signed Alstrom to an eight-year, $31,520,000 extension. However, he knew he was a stud and had a chance to make bigger money elsewhere. Alstrom opted out of his deal after the 2002 season to the disappointment of many Hammers fans. In total, he had 1397 hits, 720 runs, 197 doubles, 292 home runs, 809 RBI, a .338/.403/.610 slash, 183 wRC+, and 53.9 WAR. Although he would leave Europe, Alstrom did still return home to Sweden for the World Baseball Championship. From 1996-2012, he had 144 games and 133 starts with 130 hits, 94 runs, 23 doubles, 48 home runs, 105 RBI, 73 walks, a .264/.360/.608 slash, 178 wRC+, and 7.3 WAR. As of 2037, Alstrom has the second most WAR of any Swedish position player in WBC play. He also ranks second in runs, RBI, and walks drawn. Alstrom cashed in big with an eight-year, $85,600,000 deal with MLB’s Houston Hornets; more than doubling his peak Hamburg salary. Alstrom was never a league leader or awards candidate in his MLB run, but he provided Houston with reliable power, topping 30+ homers five times and 3+ WAR four times. He was a full-time starter for the entire length of the deal, only missing time in 2007 when a broken hand cost him the summer. Houston was a playoff regular in his tenure averaging 91.75 wins per season with six playoff berths and four South Central Division titles. The Hornets couldn’t get over the hump though with their deepest runs being American Association Championship Series defeats in both 2006 and 2008. Alstrom had strong playoff numbers over 46 starts with 59 hits, 26 runs, 5 doubles, 12 home runs, 26 RBI, a .337/.387/.594 slash, 166 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR. Alstrom’s power did start to wane into his mid 30s, failing to reach 30 homers in 2008 and 2010. In total for Houston, he had 1235 hits, 655 runs, 189 doubles, 247 home runs, 729 RBI, a .276/.336/.489 slash, 123 wRC+, and 24.2 WAR. As his deal expired, Alstrom was a free agent at age 36. MLB teams thought he was done as a top contributor and not worth the price tag or hassle with his outspoken personality. Thus, Alstrom looked to return to European baseball. He ended up in Armenia on a three-year, $25,500,000 deal with Yerevan. Alstrom regained some of that old form in 2011 with a 34 home run, 5.5 WAR, .920 OPS return season with the Valiants. He would regress in 2012 and miss part of the spring to a knee sprain, posting 0.4 WAR and a .703 OPS over 119 games. Alstrom had 5.9 WAR, 281 hits, 124 runs, 53 doubles, 42 home runs, 151 RBI, and a .294/.349/.487 slash with Yerevan. He retired that winter at age 38 and mended fences with Hamburg, who retired his #27 uniform. Alstrom in EBF had 1678 hits, 844 runs, 250 doubles, 334 home runs, 960 RBI, 547 walks, .330/.393/.587 slash, 173 wRC+, and 59.8 WAR. Among all EBF batters with 3000+ plate appearances, his .980 OPS ranks 45^th. Alstrom’s batting average is 54^th, OBP is 32^nd, and slugging is 76^th. But because his EBF run was only nine seasons, his counting stats are well below the normal accumulations expected for a Hall of Famer. Combining his MLB numbers, Alstrom had 2914 hits, 1499 runs, 439 doubles, 581 home runs, 1689 RBI, 951 walks, .305/.367/.541 slash, 150 wRC+, and 84.1 WAR. That combined line along with his accolades would be a lock, but many voters simply couldn’t get over the low EBF accumulations. Those skeptics weren’t willing to give Alstrom credit for his MLB tenure. Plus, many of those voters simply didn’t like him for being an outspoken loudmouth jerk. Supporters noted he was a perennial MVP candidate during his Hamburg prime. Alstrom had two MVPs, six Silver Sluggers, and led in OPS four times; marks few players even with tenure reached. He also had strong playoff stats and helped the Hammers to a pennant in 1999. Alstrom would miss the cut in 2018 at 59.9% and 58.0% in 2019. With no impactful debuts in 2020, he just got the boost across the 66% requirement at 67.6%. Alstrom may be a controversial figure, but he earned a third ballot induction regardless for EBF’s 2020 Hall of Fame class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

12-02-2024, 07:31 AM	#1829
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2020 EPB Hall of Fame 11-time Pitcher of the Year winner Matvey Ivanov was the headliner of Eurasian Professional Baseball’s 2020 Hall of Fame class and was somehow not unanimous with 99.2%. Fellow pitcher Elgiz Alisher joined him in the class with 78.4% in his seventh ballot. No other players in the group were above 50% and none were dropped after ten failed ballots. Matvey Ivanov – Starting Pitcher – Yekaterinburg Yaks – 99.2% First Ballot Matvey Ivanov was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city. Ivanov was very well rounded with great stuff, movement, and control. He wasn’t overpowering, but his fastball at 95-97 mph was still plenty impressive. Ivanov also boasted a strong screwball and splitter, plus a rarely used changeup. He was one of the smartest pitchers in the game, knowing exactly when and where to pick his spots. Ivanov had outstanding stamina, leading the league six times in complete games and eight times in shutouts. His control and efficiency also allowed him to regularly go the distance. Ivanov also had strong durability for most of his career, but he did get limited by a few major injuries in his 30s. He was also excellent at holding the few runners he did let on and won a Gold Glove in 2013. Ivanov emerged as one of the biggest baseball superstars ever to come out of Russia and a key figure in the post-exodus EPB. Even out of high school, it was clear to most scouts that Ivanov was going to be something special. He was picked seventh overall by Yekaterinburg in the 1993 EPB Draft and ultimately pitched his entire 19-year career with the Yaks. Ivanov spent his first two seasons in their academy, then debuted in 1996 at age 21 with mostly relief appearances over 81.1 innings. He became a full-time fixture in the Yak rotation from 1997 onward. Ivanov was a strong starter in his first two seasons in the rotation, but emerged as elite in 1999 for his first Pitcher of the Year win. He was also third in MVP voting, posting Asian League bests in wins (24-7), quality starts (30), and complete games (28). This was also the first of nine straight seasons of 9+ WAR. Yekaterinburg ended an eight-year playoff drought, but lost in the first round. 2000 was the great exodus as a major chunk of EPB’s teams departed for either the European Baseball Federation or Asian Baseball Federation. Yekaterinburg took advantage of this opening to become the Asian League’s top power for the next decade. Ivanov spearheaded this run as the ace, dominating to a level which hadn’t been seen in league history. His dominance also helped maintain baseball’s popularity in Russia after the exodus, making him a national hero. Ivanov did pitch for the Russian national team from 1999-2009 in the World Baseball Championship. He tossed 156.2 innings with a 7-7 record, 2.69 ERA, 221 strikeouts, 24 walks, and 4.4 WAR. He had a 2.48 ERA over 40 innings in the 2001 run as the Russians fell in the World Championship to the United States. From 1999-07, Ivanov made history by winning nine consecutive Pitcher of the Year awards. He is the only pitcher in world history with nine in a row and to that point was only the third in any world league to win nine total, joining BSA’s Lazaro Rodriguez and CABA/MLB’s Junior Vergara (10). Before this stretch, Igor Bury (5) had the most of any EPB pitcher. Markiyan Konoplya would win seven POTYs in the European League concurrent with Ivanov’s run. Ivanov led in WAR each year from 2000-07 and topped 10+ seven times in that stretch, He won seven consecutive ERA titles from 2001-07 and had a sub-two ERA each year of the POTY streak. In the streak, Ivanov also led in wins six times, strikeouts seven times, WHIP six times, K/BB five times, quality starts four times, complete games six times, shutouts seven times, and FIP- eight times. In 2002, Ivanov also had the rare feat of a pitcher winning MVP honors. This season saw career bests in ERA (1.21), innings (304.1), strikeouts (432), shutouts (13), ERA+ (238), and WAR (14.13). The WAR mark fell just short of Taleh Ismailov’s record 14.17 from 1956 amongst EPB pitchers. Ivanov also holds the #7 and #8 spots in the EPB single-season leaderboards for pitchers. The 432 strikeouts broke Artur Golub’s 1969 record by one and remains EPB’s single-season best as of 2037. Ivanov’s 13 shutouts in 2002 was perhaps his most impressive accomplishment, as this remains an unmatched world record in all of pro baseball history. It would be the next year when Ivanov tossed his lone perfect game, striking out 16 against Novosibirsk on June 1, 2003. During the POTY streak, Ivanov also had a 2000 no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and 1 walk against Ufa and a 2004 no-hitter with 16 Ks and 1 walk versus Ulaanbaatar. Just as this streak was starting, Yekaterinburg wisely gave Ivanov a seven-year, $14,800,000 extension after the 2000 season. Ivanov had an ERA below 1.50 four times, the most of any EPB starter. While winning MVP once, he was also second in 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2007: and third in 2004. The Yaks gave Ivanov another five-year, $19,600,000 extension in March 2007. With Ivanov’s dominance came a dynasty run for Yekaterinburg. The Yaks won the 2000 Asian League pennant, but lost to Minsk in the EPB Championship. They were upset by Krasnoyarsk in the 2001, then missed the playoffs by one game in 2002. Then from 2003-12, the Yaks had a ten year playoff streak. Yekaterinburg won the EPB title in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2012. They also won the AL pennant in 2006. Ivanov’s success carried into the postseason with 250.1 career innings, a 20-9 record, 2.05 ERA, 313 strikeouts, 33 walks, 25 quality starts, 16 complete games, 4 shutouts, 151 ERA+, and 11.2 WAR. Ivanov was finals MVP in 2003, posting a 3-0 record and 1.45 ERA over 18.2 innings. His strongest run was 2004 with a 0.97 ERA over 37 innings, 48 strikeouts, and 2.6 WAR. As of 2037, Ivanov is the EPB playoff leader in WAR, second in wins, and second in strikeouts. His 11.2 WAR is also the highest tally by any pitcher in any world league. The Pitcher of the Year streak finally ended in 2008, although part of that was due to a rotator cuff strain that cost him all of May. Ivanov still finished third with a 7.2 WAR effort. 2009 would be the first major crisis for the now 34-year old lefty. In late April, Ivanov suffered a damaged elbow ligament to put his future in doubt. He ultimately missed 15 months recovering from the injury and looked rather pedestrian upon returning in the second half of 2010. Ivanov’s stamina and strikeout punch were lowered and he’d never top 300 Ks again. Still, he returned to form in 2011 with his eighth ERA title (1.96) and the lead in strikeouts (285) and WHIP (0.84). Ivanov won his record tenth Pitcher of the Year, matching a mark only previously reached by Junior Vergara in his split CABA/MLB career. In 2011, Ivanov also notably threw two no-hitters. The first came on May 14 with 10 strikeouts and 2 walks against Irkutsk, then the second was September 16 over Ulaanbaatar with 10 strikeouts and 2 walks. This gave Ivanov five no-hitters for his career, which leads all EPB aces. Yekaterinburg signed him to a two-year, $12,600,000 extension in the winter. From 2011-13, he had three straight seasons with a nice 6.9 WAR. In 2012, Ivanov won his 11^th and final Pitcher of the Year award. He would be the only pitcher in pro baseball history with nine until matched in 2031 by CABA’s Richard Wright. Ivanov nearly got his 12^th with a second place finish in 2013. Yekaterinburg won their fifth and final title of the dynasty in 2012 with Ivanov going 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA over 24 innings. Their playoff streak ended with an 84-78 record in 2013. From 1999-2014, the Yaks averaged 96.8 wins per season. 2013 saw Ivanov become the fifth EPB pitcher to win 300 games and the sixth to 5000 strikeouts. No EPB pitchers have reached either mark since. Ivanov had a sluggish start to 2014 and saw his velocity peaking in the 91-93 mph range. In late May, his season was ended due to bone chips in his elbow. Ivanov opted to retire with that at age 40 and had his #26 uniform immediately retired by Yekaterinburg. Ivanov’s final tallies saw a 313-145 record, 1.84 ERA, 4284.2 innings, 5040 strikeouts, 624 walks, 395/483 quality starts, 295 complete games, 77 shutouts, 165 ERA+, 58 FIP-, and 149.8 WAR. As of 2037, Ivanov is the EPB all-time leader in shutouts. In counting stats, he’s 4^th in wins, 5^th in complete games, 9^th in innings pitched, 6^th in strikeouts, and 3^rd in WAR among pitchers. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, Ivanov’s ERA ranks 7^th, his .526 opponent’s OPS is 11^th, his .197 batting average is 27^th, .234 OPS is 13^th, and .291 slugging is 10^th. Very few of those ahead of him were starters either. Ivanov is also 11^th in WHIP (0.85), 68^th in BB/9 (1.31), 25^th in H/9 (6.33), 65^th in K/9 (10.59), and 15^th in winning percentage (.683). EPB has seen some impressive aces over the years, which makes for an intense conversation when discussing who the greatest of all-time is. Ivanov has the best ERA of any starter with 3000+ innings, eight ERA titles, the 11 POTY awards, and five EPB titles with Yekaterinburg’s dynasty run. Alvi Tahiri is the WAR, wins, and strikeouts leader, but a lot of that was a function of longevity with 5699.1 innings. Sergei Filatov has him just beat in WAR with similar innings. Some dog Ivanov for thriving in the post-exodus weakened EPB, but others note Filatov pitched in EPB’s earliest years against an arguably weak talent pool. Igor Bury often gets cited as EPB’s overall WARlord with his two-way exploits, but many argue Ivanov was a better pure pitcher. In all of pro baseball history as of 2037, Ivanov’s tallies rank 29^th in wins, 17^th in complete games, 5^th in shutouts, and 13^th in pitching WAR. He sits 52^nd in WAR when including all players. In rate stats among other current and guaranteed Hall of Fame starters, Ivanov’s ERA is 10^th, ERA+ is 10^th, FIP- is 35^th, and OPS is 26^th. Regardless of where he may rank on the EPB GOAT scale, there’s no doubt that Ivanov is among the absolute inner-circle of pitchers in pro baseball history. Elgiz Alisher – Pitcher – Volgograd Voyagers – 78.4% Seventh Ballot Elgiz Alisher was a 5’11’’, 170 pound right-handed pitcher from Oral, Kazakhstan; a city of roughly 271,900 in the northwest near the Russian border. Alisher was a hard thrower with strong stuff, excellent movement, and above average control. He had a 98-100 mph fastball, but his impressive curveball was his most dangerous pitch. Alisher also had a weak changeup as a third pitch and lacking a more reliable third pitch was a big reason while his career was split between starting and the bullpen. Alisher’s stamina wasn’t the issue as that graded as strong. His durability was also quite good, avoiding major injuries until his final years. He was a weak defensive pitcher, but was good at holding runners. Alisher garnered the respect of the clubhouse as a great team captain, known for his leadership and work ethic despite being an otherwise simple man. Despite being in the relatively isolated spot of western Kazakhstan, a scout from Belarus learned of Alisher’s exploits as a teenager. He was signed in April 1989 to a developmental deal with Minsk and spent seven years in their academy. Alisher debuted in 1996 at age 23 and would be used exclusively as a reliever with the Miners. He wasn’t the main closer in his first three years, but he was outstanding in his limited role. Alisher had 114 innings with 46 saves, 63 shutdowns, 5.9 WAR, 166 strikeouts, and a sub-one ERA. He was a beast in his rookie season in the playoffs, allowing only one run over 23 innings with 4 saves and 25 strikeouts, helping Minsk to the 1996 EPB Championship win over Ulaanbaatar. From 6/29/96 to 4/20/97, Alisher had a 35 game scoreless streak. He also had 23 successful save opportunities in that run. The Miners had a first round loss in 1997, then fell in the European League Championship Series in 1998-99. In 19 playoff appearances and 38.1 innings, Alisher had a 0.47 ERA, 8 saves, 13 shutdowns, 47 strikeouts, and 1.8 WAR. Alisher was moved to the closer role in 1999 with 26 saves over 79.1 innings and 3.3 WAR, although his ERA as a less dominant 2.16. In total for Minsk, Alisher had 72 saves and 98 shutdowns, a 1.20 ERA, 154 games, 203.1 innings, 265 strikeouts, 40 walks, 254 ERA+, and 9.1 WAR. The Miners were happy to have him as they continued what would be a historic 24-year playoff streak, but his tenure came to an end with the great 2000 exodus. With so many teams leaving EPB in 2000, officially quickly set up an expansion draft to add four new franchises to stop the bleeding. As a reliever, Alisher wasn’t protected by Minsk and ended up being the tenth player selected in the expansion draft. This sent him to the newly formed Volgograd Voyagers. Alisher would be the first Hall of Fame inductee in the colors of one of the 2000 expansion teams. Volgograd had an impressive debut season at 84-78, but they fell to 60-102 the next year and stayed below .500 until 2005. Alisher was a closer in the inaugural season with good results, but the Voyagers opted to make him a starter after that. From 2002-2005, Alisher was worth 5+ WAR each season. He was signed to a five-year, $12,860,000 extension in June 2003. 2005 was Alisher’s breakout season with his lone ERA title at 1.59, giving him third in Pitcher of the Year voting. It was his only time as an awards finalist. Alisher did lead the European League in both innings and quality starts in 2004. He led in complete games once and shutouts three times. Volgograd slowly grew as a franchise and in 2007, became the first of the expansion teams to earn a playoff spot. They were first in the standings too, but lost in the ELCS to defending champ Moscow. Alisher had an iffy 4.15 ERA over his 8.2 playoff innings. Because of his Minsk run, he finished with an excellent 1.15 career playoff ERA over 47 innings. Alisher was also respectable in the World Baseball Championship for his native Kazakhstan from 1996-2008. He was generally a starter in the WBC with 145.2 innings, a 3.27 ERA, 10-9 record, 168 strikeouts, 69 walks, 109 ERA+, and 3.2 WAR. Forearm inflammation had limited Alisher a bit in 2007, as did back troubles. In August 2008, he suffered a bone spur in his elbow that knocked him out nine months total. This also marked the end of his Volgograd run with a 113-102 record, 2.29 ERA, 1970.1 innings, 1755 strikeouts, 388 walks, 123 ERA+, and 40.1 WAR. For his efforts as one of the franchise’s first leaders, the Voyagers made Alisher’s #25 the first uniform to be retired. He was still only about to be 36-years old, but teams were leery coming off a major injury. Alisher ended up in the EBF with Krakow, although he missed the early part of the year to a rotator cuff strain. He was decent in his limited use with a 2.87 ERA over 31.1 innings for the Canines. Volgograd re-signed Alisher for 2010, but he never saw the field, limited to a behind the scenes leadership role. Alisher officially retired after the 2010 season at age 37. For his EPB career, Alisher had a 140-117 record, 125 saves and 161 shutdowns, 2.19 ERA, 2173.2 innings, 2020 strikeouts, 428 walks, 171/228 quality starts, 110 complete games, 29 shutouts, 130 ERA+, and 49.2 WAR. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, his ERA ranks 36^th and his .581 opponent’s OPS ranks 88^th. Alisher’s resume was difficult to evaluate though since he had split his career between starting and relief. As such, he lacked the accumulation marks expected of a Hall of Famer for either role. Alisher was generally efficient in both roles, but didn’t have the eye popping tallies or awards. His playoff success with Minsk and his steady leadership with Volgograd were his biggest plusses. Alisher debuted at 52.0% and bounced around the ballot for the next few years. He fell to 36.9% in 2017, then barely missed the 66% requirement in 2018 at 64.5%. Alisher plummeted to a new low of 35.2% in 2019, making his chances look bleak. For whatever reason, a huge swath of voters changed their mind in 2020 and got him to 78.4%. With that, Alisher was a seventh ballot inductee and the second member of EPB’s 2020 class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

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12-02-2024, 12:56 PM	#1830
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2020 OBA Hall of Fame The Oceania Baseball Association’s 2020 Hall of Fame ballot was devoid of meaningful debuts with the best newcomer at a lousy 7.3%. One returner took advantage of the weaker field with SP Val Moran getting inducted with 71.1% on his third ballot, narrowly breaching the 66% requirement. The only other player above 50% was SP Jarome Guluvao at 55.2% for his second try. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots. Val Moran – Starting Pitcher – Sydney Snakes – 71.1% Third Ballot Val Moran was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Hilo, Hawaii; a settlement of 44,000 people. It is the largest settlement in the state outside of the greater Honolulu area. Moran was the second Hawaiian-born inductee into the OBA Hall of Fame, joining class of 1995 1B Trent Atkins. Moran wasn’t incredibly rated, but he reliably had above average to good stuff and movement along with decent control. Moran’s fastball regularly hit the 97-99 mph range, but it was his slider which proved to be his most effective pitch. He also had a weak curveball as a third option, but the one-two fastball/slider punch was often enough. Moran had very good stamina and durability for most of his career, tossing 250+ innings each year from 1999-2008. He was a great defender and won a Gold Glove in 2007. Moran wasn’t the brightest guy and he wasn’t one to take on a leadership role. As a teenager in October 1993, Moran moved to Australia on a developmental deal with Sydney. He spent three full years in the Snakes academy before debuting in 1998 at age 22 with 84.1 okay innings. Moran was a full-time starter after that and reliably ate innings. He graded statistically as just above average for much of this tenure, although he was still worth 5+ WAR thrice for Sydney. The Snakes were the last of the original Australasia League teams to win a pennant. They were firmly mid-tier during Moran’s tenure, averaging 81.1 wins per season. Moran’s breakout for Sydney came in 2005, leading the AL in strikeouts (294), innings (326.2), and complete games (14). He was third in Pitcher of the Year voting, his only time as a finalist. Moran also had 6.4 WAR, his second-highest season behind his 7.0 from 2002. After that 2005 season, Sydney gave him a seven-year, $24,080,000 extension. However, Moran only played a few more months for the Snakes. At the 2006 trade deadline, he was shipped to Melbourne for three prospects. In total for Sydney, Moran had a 116-126 record, 2401.2 innings, 2127 strikeouts, 608 walks, 81 complete games, 104 ERA+, and 36.4 WAR. He was liked enough by Snakes officials that his #1 uniform was eventually retired. Melbourne was in the midst of their dynasty run, having won the last three AL pennants and the last two Oceania Championships. The Mets kept rolling, winning another seven pennants for ten straight AL titles. Melbourne won the OBA crown again in 2006 and 2007 for the four-peat. The Mets’ biggest win tally was 114-48 in 2008, although they were upset in the final by Tahiti. Melbourne returned to the OBA throne in both 2009 and 2010. Moran slotted in well initially for Melbourne, leading the AL in wins with 24 in both 2007 and 2008. 2007 saw his career best ERA at 2.86. Moran was a mixed bag in the postseason with 31.2 innings, a 1-2 record, 3.41 ERA, 21 strikeouts, 7 walks, 117 ERA+, and 0.1 WAR. By 2009, he was used in a split starter/relief role, then was a full-timer out of the bullpen after that. In the inaugural 2010 Baseball Grand Championship, he allowed four runs (three earned) in 4.2 innings. In 2011, Moran’s season ended in September with radial nerve compression. He was back ready to go by the 2012 spring, but suffered a ruptured UCL in only his second appearance. Melbourne bought out the final year of his contract and instead of rehabbing, Moran opted for retirement just after his 37^th birthday. With the Mets, Moran had a 71-47 record, 3.13 ERA, 996.2 innings, 920 strikeouts, 251 walks, 124 ERA+, and 17.7 WAR. Moran finished with a 187-173 record, 3.47 ERA, 3398.1 innings, 3047 strikeouts, 859 walks, 256/421 quality starts, 104 complete games, 11 shutouts, 109 ERA+, 94 FIP-, and 54.1 WAR. As of 2037, Moran ranks 46^th in wins, 33^rd in innings, 48^th in strikeouts, and 60^th in WAR among position players. Only one pitcher had gotten into the Hall of Fame with a weaker ERA, but five starters had made it with less WAR. Either way, Moran was definitely a borderline case. Being a part of Melbourne’s title run gave him some extra recognition despite lacking accolades otherwise. OBA’s voters were generally friendly towards pitching and Moran received 60.4% and 55.2% in his first two ballots. With literally no debuts of note in 2020, Moran took advantage with the slight bump to 71.1%. He may be one of the weaker arms to get the nod, but regardless Moran crossed the 66% requirement for a third ballot induction as OBA’s lone 2020 Hall of Fame selection. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

12-02-2024, 07:38 PM	#1831
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2020 APB Hall of Fame Austronesia Professional Baseball’s 2020 Hall of Fame voting was a wide open field as the top newcomer got 45.3%. Three guys with tenure on the ballot came close to the 66% requirement, but it was CF/2B Fransisco Hartati as the only one getting in at 73.3% on his ninth try. RF Sutanto Mangkoepradja was next at 64.2% and 1B Gavin Loh saw 60.8%, both on their eighth ballots. One other returner topped 60% with SP Putra Andriani getting 60.5% for his third ballot. SP Dwi Aditya Supandi had 56.4% on his second try and LF Beau Cabral received 54.7% on his second attempt. SP I Komang Ainaga was the best debutant at 45.3%. SP Arfandi Bekti was the lone player dropped after ten failed ballots. He had a 19-year career between eight teams and won APB titles in 1998 with Batam and 2000 with Kaohsiung. Bekti had a 239-197 record, 2.46 ERA, 4146 innings, 3320 strikeouts, 105 ERA+, and 55.8 WAR. In the playoffs, he had a 2.45 ERA over 139.2 innings, 125 strikeouts, and 103 ERA+. APB voters are very pitcher-friendly, but Bekti lacked black ink and was never in awards conversations. He was purely a compiler, peaking at 33.6% in his debut and ending with 10.5%. Fransisco “Wasp” Hartati – Center Field/Second Base – Surabaya Sunbirds – 73.3% Ninth Ballot Fransisco Hartati was a 6’3’’, 205 pound right-handed center fielder and second baseman from Sumenep, Indonesia; a regency of the East Java province with 1.1 million people. He was nicknamed “Wasp” for his incredible ferocity, known as one of the hardest workers in the game. Hartati was a rock solid contact hitter with a reliable pop in his bat, getting 22 doubles, 9 triples, and 23 home runs per his 162 game average. He was graded as average in terms of drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts relative to other APB hitters. Hartati was one of the more clever and savvy baserunners you’d find despite his speed being merely above average in his peak. He gutted out a 22-year career despite dealing with numerous recurring injuries into his 30s and 40s. The big downside was Hartati was absolutely atrocious defensively playing in leagues without a designated hitter. For his career, his accumulated zone rating was an appalling -409.1. Hartati was primarily split between center field and second base with occasional stints at first base and left field. It was baffling to many how someone so abysmal defensively was placed between two of the more challenging and important defensive spots. Hartati’s can-do attitude and his strong bat still gave him positive value in the lineup even if he was complete booty defensively. Hartati’s bat alone made him one of the highest graded Indonesian prospects ahead of the 1984 APB Draft. He was picked #2 overall by Surabaya, where he’d spend the next 19 years. Hartati was used primarily as a pinch hitter his first three years, in part because there wasn’t a logical spot for him in the field. He earned the starting gig in 1988 and played 150+ games each year from 1988-1994. Hartati’s first Silver Slugger as at CF came in 1988. In 1989, Hartati led the Sundaland Association in RBI (86), total bases (296), OBP (.352), slugging (.536), OPS (.888), and wRC+ (237). He took second in MVP voting and won his second Silver Slugger. He had 5.9 WAR or better from 1989-1993 and topped 8+ twice. Hartati won Sluggers in CF in 1990 and 1992 with his first at second base in 1991. He was third in MVP voting in 1990 and signed an eight-year, $11,230,000 extension with Surabaya that winter. The Sunbirds ended an 11-year playoff drought in 1991, but lost the Sundaland Association final to Batam. Surabaya was rarely bad during Hartati’s 20s, but they wouldn’t make the playoffs again until 1999 and were stick in the mid-tier. He had back-to-back batting titles in 1991 and 1992, leading in hits both years. Hartati also led in runs and total bases in 1992. 1991 had his career best WAR at 8.4. Hartati won Silver Sluggers in CF in both 1993 and 1994, giving him eight total to that point. He ran into injury issues with a sprained ankle in 1995, then was reduced to a part-time starter in 1996. 1997 saw a strained abdominal muscle costing him six weeks, although Hartati still managed to win a Silver Slugger at second base. He finally had a full season in 1998 and won another Slugger at 2B. Hartati was now soon to be 37-years old, but Surabaya extended the popular player for another three years at $8,440,000. Even with a fractured foot keeping him out more than a month, Hartati had a 5.3 WAR effort in 1999. Surabaya ended their playoff drought and upset defending champ Batam in the Sundaland Association Championship. The Sunbirds then won the Austronesia Championship over Manila with Hartati getting finals MVP. He more than made up for his weak 1991 playoff effort, starting 13 games with 19 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, and 9 RBI. After a 15-year run, he brought a title to his longtime team. Surabaya fell mostly to the middle tier for the next few years, as did Hartati’s production. He would manage his tenth Silver Slugger in 2003, becoming only the fifth in APB history with ten Sluggers at any position. It was his fourth at 2B with six in CF. The Sunbirds gave Hartati a three-year, $10,520,000 extension after the 2000 season. Various injuries plagued him in his later years, including a torn meniscus in 2001 and a torn thumb ligament in 2003. Hartati’s deal expired after the 2003 season, making him a free agent for the first time at age 42. He still hoped to play somewhere and opened up a worldwide search. That led him to EPB and the Russian capital, signing a three-year, $10,400,000 deal with Moscow. A strained abdominal muscle kept him out almost half of his debut season with the Mules. 2005 saw very average numbers with 1.1 WAR over 124 games. However, Hartati stepped up big in the playoffs as Moscow won the EPB Championship over Yekaterinburg. In 11 playoff starts, Hartati had 12 hits, 2 runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 1 homer, and 6 RBI. He was named finals MVP, becoming one of the very few in pro baseball history to earn finals MVP in multiple leagues. He had 4.0 WAR and a 137 wRC+ over 213 games total for Moscow. Hartati failed to meet the vesting criteria for the third year of his deal. Hartati was now 44 years old, but still willing and eager to play. He came back to Indonesia and Semarang was willing to sign him for three years at $8,720,000. Hartati started the whole season, but was merely passable with a 99 wRC+ and 0.7 WAR. He decided to officially retire that winter just after his 45^th birthday. Surabaya would honor him by retiring his #11 uniform for his 19-years of service. For his APB career, Hartati had 2390 hits, 1115 runs, 329 doubles, 139 triples, 362 home runs, 1072 RBI, 482 walks, 485 stolen bases, a .278/.320/.475 slash, 177 wRC+, and 69.7 WAR. These tallies rank well in the very low scoring world of APB as of 2037 with Hartati 18^th in hits, 21^st in runs, 65^th in doubles, 66^th in triples, 55^th in home runs, 32^nd in RBI, and 77^th in WAR among position players. His WAR was notably far lower than you’d expect due to his garbage defense. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, his .795 OPS ranks 65^th. Hartati proved a tough case for many voters, especially those turned off by his defense. APB voters were notably tough for hitters to begin with and even with the ten Silver Sluggers and longevity, his tallies weren’t as high as some would’ve wanted. Supporters appreciated his steadfastness to Surabaya and role in their 1999 championship season. In his 2012 ballot debut, Hartati began with 51.0%. He bounced around and was in the 40s twice, but also in the 60s twice. Hartati made it to 62.7% in 2016 and 63.4% in 2018, but couldn’t breach the 66% requirement. He fell back to 51.6% in 2019, then had a chance with his penultimate ballot in 2020. With a quieter field, Hartati got the bump he needed to 73.3%. He became only the third APB inductee to get in on his ninth ballot and was the lone addition in 2020. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

12-03-2024, 07:10 AM	#1832
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2020 CLB Hall of Fame RF Hongbo Wan joined Class of 2007 inductee Baoxian He as the only tenth ballot Hall of Fame inductees in Chinese League Baseball history. Wan was the only addition for 2020, making it in on his final try at 73.8%. Two others came very close to the 66% requirement. The best debut was CL Boyang Cao at 64.6%, while LF Seok-Hyeon So received 64.0% for his seventh try. Two others were above 50% with RF Minghui Ruan at 55.7% on his fifth ballot and CL Jingxing Zhang at 50.5% for his second go. No players were dropped after ten failed tries. Hongbo “Iguana” Wan – Right Field – Qingdao Devils – 73.8% Tenth Ballot Hongbo Wan was a 6’0’’, 190 pound left-handed right fielder from Hegang, China; a prefecture-level city of 891,000 inhabitants in the northeast near the Russian border. Nicknamed “Iguana,” Wan was a well-rounded batter with good-to-great contact, power, and eye. His 162 game average saw 22 doubles, 20 triples, and 25 home runs; strong extra-base hit numbers in the very low scoring environment of CLB. Wan’s main downside a batter was a poor strikeout rate despite his other skills. Wan was an excellent baserunner with good speed, often creating opportunities with his legs. The majority of his starts came in right field, where he graded as reliably average defensively. Wan moved to first base in his final years with passable results. He also played a little center field early on, but didn’t have the range for that spot. Assorted injuries greatly limited Wan despite a 16-year career, as he missed a month or more in six different seasons. He tore through China’s amateur circuit and was the #1 overall pick by Qingdao in the 1989 CLB Draft. Wan’s entire career came with the Devils and he had an impactful debut. His rookie season saw a league-best 24 triples and he became one of a select few Rookie of the Year winners with 8+ WAR in his debut season. He dipped a bit the next year, but still had 5+ WAR in each of his first seven seasons. In 1992, Wan won Northern League MVP and his first Silver Slugger, leading the NL in runs (103), homers (38), total bases (339), slugging (.606), OPS (.971), wRC+ (212), and WAR (12.4). All these marks were career highs, as was his 158 hits, 71 stolen bases, .283 batting average, and .365 OBP. Qingdao ended a nine-year playoff drought for only their second-ever playoff berth. The Devils got to the China Series for the first time in franchise history, falling to the Dalian dynasty. Wan had 9 hits, 4 runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 5 RBI, and a 137 wRC+ in his lone playoff chance. Qingdao the definition of mid over the next 13 years with no playoff berths and an average of 80.9 wins per season. Wan still thrived, winning additional Silver Sluggers in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, and 2000. He earned his second MVP in 1995, leading in runs (103), total bases (322), slugging (.560), and WAR (10.9). Wan was the WARlord and runs leader again in 1996, taking third in MVP voting. That year, Wan also hit 35 triples, which remains CLB’s single-season record as of 2037. After the 1993 season, Wan signed an eight-year, $8,560,000 extension with Qingdao. 1997 saw setbacks with a fractured wrist and chronic back soreness costing him half the season. Wan would deal with smaller sporadic injuries into his 30s. He became the third player in CLB history to hit for the cycle twice, doing it in 1998 and 1999. At age 33, he signed a five-year, $24,000,000 extension after the 2000 season. Wan also played for China from 1095-2001 in the World Baseball Championship. He was a big reason they were the runner-up in both 1995 and 1996, taking third in 1996’s MVP voting. Wan started 98 games with 97 hits, 73 runs, 17 doubles, 8 triples, 27 home runs, 66 RBI, 49 stolen bases, a .264/.351/.573 slash, 165 wRC+, and 5.9 WAR. This gave a sense of what Wan’s tallies would look like in a more neutral offensive environment. In 2003, Wan suffered a strained PCL that kept him out roughly half the season. His hitting started to dip here with only 1.4 WAR and 119 wRC+ in 2004 despite a full load. Wan had -0.8 WAR then in 2005 which showed his time had ended. He retired that winter at age 38 and Qingdao immediately retired his #11 uniform. Wan finished with 1781 hits, 1083 runs, 288 doubles, 258 triples, 331 home runs, 924 RBI, 776 walks, 641 stolen bases, a .241/.319/.485 slash, 164 wRC+, and 95.6 WAR. As of 2037, Wan ranks 9^th in runs scored, 61^st in hits, 21^st in total bases, 49^th in doubles, 5^th in triples, 50^th in home runs, 38^th in RBI, 29^th in stolen bases, 12^th in walks, and 26^th in WAR among position players. Wan was also a popular player with two MVPs, but CLB voters were notoriously stingy when it came to hitters. Being on mostly forgettable Qingdao teams hurt him with some voters, although others appreciated his loyalty. Even for the low-scoring CLB, his .241 batting average was well below the normal standard for Hall of Famers with only two inductees to that point with less than .265. Supporters noted that nearly half of Wan’s hits were for extra bases. He debuted in 2011 at 48.6% and never was lower, but he was stuck around 48% for the next two years. Wan got to 60.3% in 2014 and was above 60% each year from 2016-19. However, he just couldn’t get across the 66% requirement, peaking at 63.5%. 2020 was Wan’s tenth and final try, as well as a ballot without any strong contenders. He got the bump to 73.8% to finally secure that deserved spot. Wan was the lone CLB inductee in 2020 and the second in league history to make it on his tenth and final chance. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

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