More Links

MrNFL_FanIQ · 03-04-2025, 07:28 PM

For the first time since 2004, no players were added into the European Baseball Federation’s Hall of Fame. The closest to the 66% requirement in 2027 was SP Johannes Jol, falling painfully short at 64.6% on his ninth try. 3B Kyle Evrard was next at 58.9% also on his ninth ballot. Two debuts were above 50% with RF Dylan Fitzpatrick at 56.1% and LF Emilson Patino at 53.7%. CL Stefan Sedlak also topped 50% on his sixth go at 50.9%.

SP Gabriel Mandelli fell off the ballot after ten failed tries, peaking at 27.0% on his 2018 debut and ending at 8.1%. He won a Pitcher of the Year late in his career in the African Association of Baseball, bouncing around in his final years. Mandelli’s EBF run was almost entirely with Milan, finishing with a 169-115 record, 3.35 ERA, 2607.1 innings, 2358 strikeouts, 116 ERA+, and 51.4 WAR. He needed either more dominance or more longevity to get any real traction.

Also of note, two-way player Michael Stojanovic fell below 5% and was dropped on his ninth ballot, peaking at 29.2% in 2020. He spent 16 years with his hometown Vienna and as a pitcher had a 148-121 record, 3.88 ERA, 2585 innings, 1938 strikeouts, 101 ERA+, 87 FIP-, and 50.6 WAR. Stojanovic won five Silver Sluggers and played outfield with 1698 games, 1489 hits, 790 runs, 298 doubles, 127 triples, 190 home runs, 762 RBI, .300/.365/.527 slash, 144 wRC+, and 38.6 WAR.

He was a tough one to evaluate as he definitely wasn’t good enough just as a pitcher or just as a hitter to fit in. The combined 89.2 WAR certainly puts Stojanovic in consideration, but he wasn’t dominant enough in either skill to earn the attention and accolades that other two-way stars got.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 03-05-2025, 06:24 AM

Two were added into Eurasian Professional Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2027, headlined by first ballot SP Wojciech Tarnawski at 87.1%. Fellow pitcher Roman Khilkevich joined him on his second ballot, barely crossing the 66% requirement at 66.4%. CL Povilas Zdancius didn’t miss by much with 63.6% for his third try. 1B Benjamin Bodnar also crossed 505% at 52.5% for his eighth attempt.

CL Syarhey Golgovsky was dropped after ten failed ballots, peaking at 43.3% in 2024 and generally hovering in the 30s. For his time in EPB, Golgovsky had one Reliever of the Year, 276 saves, 339 shutdowns, 1.85 ERA, 793.1 innings, 1069 strikeouts, 230 walks, 149 ERA+, and 24.9 WAR. He bounced around other leagues in his final years to lower the final EPB accumulations. Golgovsky also didn’t have the raw dominance that most voters looked for when considering closers for the Hall of Fame.

Wojciech Tarnawski – Starting Pitcher – Minsk Miners – 87.1% First Ballot

Wojciech Tarnawski was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Gliwice, Poland; a city of around 175,000 in the south-central part of the country. Tarnawski had above average stuff and movement along with strong control. He wasn’t going to overpower you with his velocity peaking at 91-93 mph on an okay cutter. Tarnawski had an outstanding changeup though and a good curveball. He thrived by changing speeds and picking his spots.

Tarnawski’s stamina and his defense were considered average relative to other EPB aces. He did have an excellent pickoff move and was tough to steal on. Tarnawski’s durability was good and he avoided the major arm issues that often doom pitchers. He was also known as a prankster in the clubhouse, sometimes endearing himself to teammates and sometimes being obnoxious.

In the 2002 EPB Draft, Tarnawski was taken 15^th overall out of high school by Minsk. The Miners kept him in their developmental system in 2003 and 2004, then gave him limited innings across 2005 and 2006. Tarnawski had a part-time starting role from 2007-09 and finally cracked the rotation full-time in 2010. He had some good results in 2008-09, but it had fierce competition on the roster. Minsk was the EPB Championship runner-up in 2008 and European League runner-up in 2009. Tarnawski had struggled in the 2008 postseason with a 7.15 ERA in 11.1 innings, but had a quality start in 2009.

From 2010-13, Tarnawski was worth 6+ WAR each year for Minsk. He led the EL ins trikeouts in both 2011 and 2012, posting his career bests for Ks (312) and ERA (2.07) in 2011. That effort earned Tarnawski a second place in Pitcher of the Year voting. Tarnawski led in innings, complete games, shutouts, and losses in 2013, taking third in POTY. He led in wins and innings in 2010.

Minsk missed the playoffs in 2010, then won the EPB Championship over Omsk as a wild card in 2011. Tarnawski was excellent in the 2011 run, winning his three starts with a 1.88 ERA over 24 innings and 23 strikeouts. He was less impressive in the Baseball Grand Championship going 0-4 with a 4.03 ERA, 29 innings, and 29 strikeouts. The Miners were the last place team at 5-14.

After being the dominant force in EPB for 60+ years, Minsk finally fell off with their first back-to-back losing seasons in 2013-14. It was time for a true rebuild for the first time and Tarnawski was a part of the fire sale, sent to Rostov before the 2015 campaign in a five-player deal. For Minsk, Tarnawski had a 111-84 record, 2.70 ERA, 1803 innings, 1911 strikeouts, 242 walks, 118 ERA+, and 43.3 WAR. In part from his role in the 2011 title, Tarnawski’s #2 uniform was eventually retired in the Belarusian capital.

Tarnawski pitched two years with Rostov and was second in 2016’s Pitcher of the Year voting with a career-best 8.1 WAR. The Rhinos had won three straight pennants prior to his arrival and got back to the ELCS in 2015-16, but were ousted both years by Moscow. For Rostov, Tarnawski had a 32-16 record, 2.73 ERA, 488 innings, 470 strikeouts, 45 walks, 117 ERA+, and 11.9 WAR. He also allowed six runs (four earned) over 15 playoff innings.

Heading towards age 34, Tarnawski was a free agent for the first time and signed a five-year, $52 million deal with Krasnoyarsk. Tarnawski never reached his previous production in the regular season, but was still reliably above average. He was more important for some nice playoff efforts as the Cossacks emerged as an Asian League contender. 2018 marked the start of what would be an 11-year playoff streak.

Krasnoyarsk won the EPB Championship in 2018 over Krasnodar with Tarnawski throwing three complete game victories in the run. He was surprisingly reduced to six relief appearances in the Baseball Grand Championship with Krasnoyarsk finishing 9-10. The Cossacks then lost in the ALCS in 2019, 2020, and 2022 with a first round loss in 2021. Over 50 playoff innings for them, Tarnawski had a 3-1 record, 2.16 ERA, 37 strikeouts, 153 ERA+, and 0.7 WAR.

For his playoff career, Tarnawski had a 7-4 record, 2.68 ERA, 107.1 innings, 96 strikeouts, 20 walks, 121 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. He also pitched for Poland in the World Baseball Championship from 2006-15, but often as a reliever. Over 66.1 innings, he had a 3.39 ERA, 84 strikeouts, and 0.9 WAR.

Tarnawski’s final two seasons with Krasnoyarsk were both worth 5 WAR. His contract ended with the 2021 season and he certainly still seemed good enough for a spot somewhere. However, Tarnawski didn’t push his luck and decided to retire at age 38 before hitting that wall. For the Cossacks, he had a 61-49 record, 3.01 ERA, 1084.1 innings, 901 strikeouts, 110 ERA+, and 19.6 WAR.

The final stats had a 204-149 record, 2.80 ERA, 3375.1 innings, 3282 strikeouts, 454 walks, 289/412 quality starts, 164 complete games, 33 shutouts, 115 ERA+, 82 FIP-, and 74.9 WAR. As of 2037, Tarnawski ranks 57^th in wins, 62^nd in innings, 66^th in complete games, 60^th in shutouts, 85^th in strikeouts, and 72^nd in pitching WAR.

Tarnawski’s stats don’t put him at that inner-circle level, but he checked off most of the boxes the Eurasian Professional Baseball Hall of Fame voters looked for from an ace. Tarnawski had 200+ wins, 3000+ strikeouts, and was an important part of championship wins for both Minsk and Krasnoyarsk. He received 87.1% for a first ballot slot to headline the 2027 class.

Roman Khilkevich – Starting Pitcher - Kazan Crusaders – 66.4% Second Ballot

Roman Khilkevich was a 6’7’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from the capital of Belarus, Minsk. Khilkevich had above average-to-good stuff, movement, and control in his prime. His velocity peaked in the 94-96 mph range with a three-pitch arsenal of fastball, curveball, and changeup.

Khilkevich’s stamina was excellent and he loved going deep in games, but this contributed to his myriad major injuries. He was also quite stubborn and unwilling to adapt at times. Khilkevich had a fantastic pickoff move and was one of the toughest guys to steal on. He graded as just below average defensively.

In August 2004, a teenaged Khilkevich was spotted and signed to a developmental deal with Kazan. He’d pitch all of his innings for the Crusaders, debuting as a full-time starter in 2009 at age 21. Kazan had a run of contention early in Khilkevich’s career, falling in the European League Championship Series in 2010, 12, and 13.

Khilkevich’s playoff stats were a mixed bag as he stunk in 2010, was decent in 2012, and awesome in 2013. He finished with a 3.47 ERA over 46.2 playoff innings, 37 strikeouts, 95 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. The Crusaders hovered around the mid-tier for the remaining of his tenure.

Khilkevich was third in 2011’s Pitcher of the Year voting with his career bests in strikeouts (311), innings (281.1), and WAR (8.7). He had his first injury setbacks after that, missing two months in 2012 to elbow inflammation. Then in April 2013, Khilkevich suffered a torn rotator cuff. He made it back after only four months, shocking many as that injury often had upwards of a year’s recovery time. Khilkevich was dominant too in his small sample size post tear, leading Kazan to sign him that offseason to a five-year, $25,220,000 extension.

In 2014, Khilkevich won Pitcher of the Year with league bests in wins (25-8), strikeouts (308), and WAR (8.1). He was also second in ERA at 2.06, his best to that point. Khilkevich was good, but not incredible in the next two seasons. He then suffered elbow inflammation that knocked him out for the second half of 2017. Khilkevich surprised Kazan by declining his contract option, but they soon worked out a new six-year, $58,200,000 deal.

At age 30 in 2018, Khilkevich won his second Pitcher of the Year with his lone ERA title, a career best 1.86. The season had a catastrophic end though with a torn UCL suffered in the final week. 2018 would be his final full season, although Khilkevich did make it back for partial efforts in 2019 and 2020. He lost a good chunk of 2020 to a herniated disc.

The injuries had tanked his velocity and stuff by this point and he now peaked in the 89-91 mph range. Kazan was still on the hook for his deal and kept Khilkevich under contract from 2021-23. However, he was never considered good enough to pitch a single inning in that stretch. Khilkevich officially retired after the 2023 season shortly after his 36^th birthday. The Crusaders soon after retired his #19 uniform.

Khilkevich had a 157-82 record, 2.52 ERA, 2308.1 innings, 2309 strikeouts, 501 walks, 131 complete games, 34 shutouts, 128 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 54.1 WAR. The injuries tanked his final tallies and he misses the top 100 in the counting stats as of 2037. Khilkevich’s rate stats compared favorably to many other Eurasian Professional Baseball Hall of Fame starting pitchers, but his tallies were definitely borderline at best.

EPB voters were generally pitcher-friendly though and several were sympathetic towards Khilkevich’s injury issues. Not many guys had two Pitcher of the Year wins and some voters appreciated guys who stayed with one team for their whole run. Khilkevich just missed the 66% cut in his 2026 ballot debut at 64.3%. He only barely bumped up in 2027 to 66.4%, but that got Khilkevich across the line for a second ballot induction.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 03-05-2025, 01:11 PM

The 2027 voting for the Oceania Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame didn’t have any debuts of consequence as the top newcomer got a whopping 12.4%. The ballot very nearly ended up blank, but also came close to having three returners cross the 66% threshold. SP Joel Wilson ended up being the lone selection by just crossing the line at 66.7% on his third ballot.

Fellow third ballot pitcher George Hudson was a near miss at 64.1%. 3B Marlon Russell was the best position player at 60.3% for his fifth try. Two second ballot guys crossed 50% with SP Raj Marple at 59.8% and LF Samson Gould with 51.4%. No players fell off the ballot after ten failed attempts.

Joel Wilson – Starting Pitcher – Guam Golden Eagles – 66.7% Third Ballot

Joel Wilson was a 6’8’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Newcastle, Australia; a city of around 169,000 in New South Wales. Wilson had excellent movement on his pitches with good stuff, but his control was incredibly erratic. His fastball peaked in the 95-97 mph range with a slider, curveball, and splitter in his arsenal. Wilson had an extreme groundball tendency and didn’t allow many homers, but walks would get him in trouble at times.

Wilson’s stamina was below average relative to the typical ace in the four-man rotation world of OBA. However, Wilson’s durability was generally solid and you’d regularly get a full workload. He had an excellent pickoff move with decent defense. Wilson was a pretty basic teammate and would never cause trouble, but you couldn’t look to him for leadership.

He was first eligible for the 2002 OBA Draft and was picked 16^th overall by Brisbane. Wilson couldn’t come to terms with the Black Bears and spent another season in the college ranks. For the 2003 OBA Draft, he was picked eighth by Christchurch and ultimately signed with the Chinooks. Wilson was used as a part-time starter in his first three seasons, finally earning a full-time rotation slot in 2007.

Wilson posted 7+ WAR in each of his first three full seasons with the Chinooks. He took third in 2007’s Pitcher of the Year voting. Wilson led the Australasia League in WAR in 2008 (7.5) and quality starts (32), but also had the most walks at 105. Still, he won Pitcher of the Year for that effort. Wilson was arguably better in 2009 with career bests in WAR (9.6) and strikeouts (286), but he wasn’t a finalist that year.

During Wilson’s brief run, Christchurch was in the middle of the standings with Melbourne’s AL dynasty in full effect. For the Chinooks, he had a 70-50 record, 2.76 ERA, 1091 innings, 1040 strikeouts, 363 walks, 20 complete games, 141 ERA+, and 29.1 WAR. In January 2010, the 30-year old Wilson was traded to Guam in a four player deal, beginning what would become his signature run. After a nice debut effort, the Golden Eagles gave Wilson a four-year, $20,800,000 extension.

Wilson never was an awards finalist or league leader for Guam, but he gave them fairly reliable production. He posted his career best ERA of 1.77 in 2016, although he was used for fewer innings than prior years. The Golden Eagles returned to the top spot of the Pacific League in 2016 at 107-55 and pulled off the shocking Oceania Championship upset over 126-36 Christchurch. Wilson gave up only one unearned run over his two starts in the series with 12 strikeouts over 15.2 innings.

He then had a 3.38 ERA over 16 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship with Guam taking the top spot at 13-6. That winter, the Golden Eagles gave Wilson a two-year, $15,800,000 extension. Guam repeated as OBA champ in 2017 by beating Brisbane. Wilson’s one series start saw three runs over seven innings. He was lackluster in the 2017 BGC with a 4.78 ERA over 26.1 innings as the Golden Eagles this time were in the middle at 10-9.

Wilson regressed hard in 2018 with a 5.56 ERA and Guam fell to 82-80. The team bounced back for a second place 95-67 in 2019 with Wilson rebounding somewhat. However, his season ended in mid-July with a fractured elbow. He opted to retire that winter just past his 40^th birthday and the Golden Eagles quickly retired his #28 uniform. For Guam, Wilson had a 154-119 record, 3.38 ERA, 2328.2 innings, 2065 strikeouts, 725 walks, 105 ERA+, and 43.8 WAR.

The final stats had a 224-169 record, 3.18 ERA, 3419.2 innings, 3105 strikeouts, 1088 walks, 310/475 quality starts, 50 complete games, 16 shutouts, 114 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 72.9 WAR. As of 2037, Wilson is 21^st in wins, 31^st in innings, 46^th in strikeouts, 2^nd in walks, and 30^th in pitching WAR. His rate stats weren’t elite, but certainly weren’t completely out of place compared to other OBA Hall of Fame aces.

Detractors felt Wilson wasn’t dominant enough and lacked the black ink expected of a great ace in the Oceania Baseball Association. Supporters pointed to his nice accumulations and important role in two championship wins for Guam. Wilson missed the cut in his first two ballots with 60.4% and 55.7%, respectively. With only weak debuts and a wide open 2027 field, Wilson got the push just across the line at 66.7%. He earned a third ballot induction barely and was OBA’s lone inductee for 2027.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 03-05-2025, 07:37 PM

Three starting pitchers were added into Austronesia Professional Baseball’s Hall of Fame for 2027. Each made it on their ballot debut with Oliverio Sampoerna (95.9%) and Raja Kamal (92.1%) both as no-doubters. Yu-Ren Lin had his own nice tally at 76.8% to breach the 66% requirement. SP Bagus Ranga was the top returner at 51.7% on his sixth ballot. 3B Nicky Abizar was the best position player with 51.3% for his debut. No one else was above 50%.

Dropped after ten failed ballots was SP Putra Adriani, who got as close as 60.5% in 2020 before ending at only 28.1%. Over 17 years, Andriani had a 189-173 record, 2.29 ERA, 3611 innings, 3274 strikeouts, 525 walks, 112 ERA+, and 58.2 WAR. He didn’t have the black ink or accolades and was mostly on forgettable teams apart from Bandung’s 2003 championship. Andriani’s longevity got him close, but with so many great pitchers in the low-offense world of APB, he didn’t have anything that made him stand out.

Oliverio Sampoerna – Starting Pitcher - Zamboanga Zebras – 95.9% First Ballot

Oliverio Sampoerna was a 6’1’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Hacienda, Philippines; a barangay of 6,000 in the city of Tabaco. Sampoerna had impressive stuff along with above average movement and control. His fastball regularly hit the 97-99 mph range, but all four of his offerings were tough with a slider, splitter, and curveball in the arsenal.

Sampoerna had excellent stamina during his prime and was pretty durable in his 20s, although a major injury in his early 30s hurt his trajectory. He was solid at holding runners and had his moments defensively, including a Gold Glove win in 2012. Sampoerna was viewed as one of the great leaders and captains of his era, widely respected for his work ethic, leadership, loyalty, and adaptability.

By the 2008 APB Draft, Sampoerna was one of the top ranked prospects out of the Philippines. He was picked eighth overall by Zamboanga and spent his entire career with the Zebras. Sampoerna was used only for 37 relief innings in 2009, then secured a full-time rotation spot from 2010 onward. His control was poor as a rookie with an association-worst 111 walks. By 2012, Sampoerna had cut down on the walks significantly and was a top level arm, posting six straight years with 6.5+ WAR. The Zebras gave him a six-year, $45,500,000 extension after the 2012 campaign.

On just about any other team, Sampoerna would’ve been the undisputed ace. However, he played Robin for Zamboanga with Ching-Chen Yao as Batman with Yao winning Pitcher of the Year ten times from 2012-23. Together, they helped the Zebras start a Philippine League dynasty, taking the top spot from 2013-15 and from 2017-19.

Sampoerna led the Taiwan-Philippine Association thrice in wins, innings pitched, quality starts, complete games, and shutouts. He had 300+ strikeouts each year from 2012-17 and twice had 10+ WAR seasons with 10.1 in 2014 and 10.5 in 2016. Sampoerna never led in Ks, WAR, or ERA; often because of Yao. He also never won Pitcher of the Year, but was second in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016 and third in 2017.

On September 30, 2015, Sampoerna tossed APB’s 39^th perfect game in a ten strikeout effort versus Davao. He had a second no-hitter on October 6, 2017 in a playoff encounter against Taipei, striking out 12. The Zebras and Tigercats became regular foes in the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship as Taipei claimed the Taiwan League from 2012-20. Zamboanga dominated the rivalry, winning in 2013, 14, 15, 17, and 18. Taipei’s only win of their battles came in 2019.

Zamboanga was 2-3 during this run in the Austronesia Championship. They won their first-ever title in 2013 over Bandung, then took second in the Baseball Grand Championship at 13-6. Sampoerna was 0-3 with a 3.09 ERA over 23.1 innings in the APB playoffs, followed by a 3.27 ERA over 33 innings in the BGC. The Zebras dropped the 2015 APB final to Pekanbaru, then lost in a 2015 rematch with the Blackhawks.

After missing the 2016 playoffs, Zamboanga had their best record of 107-55 in 2017, but fell to Johor Bahru in the Austronesia Championship. That was Sampoerna’s best postseason with a 1.01 ERA over 26.2 innings, 41 strikeouts, and 3-0 record, earning MVP of the TPA Championship. For his playoff career, Sampoerna had a 7-6 record, 109.2 innings, 13 starts, 2.22 ERA, 130 strikeouts, 19 walks, 123 ERA+, and 3.7 WAR.

Sampoerna did also pitch for the Philippines in the Baseball Grand Championship from 2013-18, posting a 5-4 record in 67.1 innings, 4.54 ERA, 90 strikeouts, 36 walks, and -0.4 WAR. Although his numbers were poor on the whole, Sampoerna was important in 2015 with a 3.26 ERA over 30.1 innings, 3-2 record, 36 strikeouts, and 16 walks. The Philippines won their first world title that year, defeating Mexico in the finals.

In early June 2018, the now 31-year old Sampoerna signed a six-year, $88,200,000 extension. Only two weeks later, he suffered a torn flexor tendon with a 12 month recovery. Zamboanga did win their second APB title that fall and got revenge against the Blue Wings, but Sampoerna had to watch wearing a sling. He never reached his previous levels of dominance after that injury.

Sampoerna did make it back for the second part of 2019, but struggled to a career worst 3.25 ERA over 97 innings. He was a healthy scratch in the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship as Taipei finally knocked of Zamboanga. While the Zebras kept their run of winning seasons intact for the next three years, 2019 was their last playoff trip with Sampoerna.

He bounced back and was a good starter in 2020 with 5.2 WAR. Sampoerna’s velocity plummeted soon after, going from a 97-99 mph peak down to 91-93 mph. He was still a decent starter in 2021, but his strikeout totals dropped significantly. Sampoerna’s velocity fell more for 2022 and he wasn’t used all season despite being under contract. He retired that winter at age 35 and immediately had his #8 uniform retired by Zamboanga.

Sampoerna finished with a 183-110 record, 1.99 ERA, 2773 innings, 3132 strikeouts, 624 walks, 129 complete games, 46 shutouts, 136 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 72.4 WAR. As of 2037, Sampoerna ranks 50^th in wins, 90^th in innings, 57^th in complete games, 24^th in shutouts, 67^th in strikeouts, and 42^nd in WAR among pitchers. His tallies certainly were dented by the flexor tear injury shortening his career.

Among pitchers with 1000+ innings, Sampoerna ranks 38^th in ERA, 75^th in WHIP (0.89), and 41^st in opponent’s OPS (.531). His 5.94 H/9 ranks 35^th and his .190/.243/.288 triple slash is 39^th/89^th/27^th. The rate stats certainly showed Sampoerna was definitely Hall of Fame worthy, but he was very much overlooked and underappreciated by many in his time.

Of course, being the #2 pitcher on your team for your entire prime hurts the notoriety, but those are the breaks when your teammate is arguably the league’s greatest pitcher ever. Voters didn’t hold that against Sampoerna with 95.9%, easily headlining the three-player 2027 class for Austronesia Professional Baseball.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 03-06-2025, 05:44 AM

Raja “Jammer” Kamal – Starting Pitcher – Kuala Lumpur Leopards – 92.1% First Ballot

Raja Kamal was a 6’3’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Sikandra, India; a town of around 13,500 in the Uttar Pradesh state. Kamal was known for very strong stuff with good movement and above average control. The nicknamed “Jammer” came from his 96-98 mph cutter, although his curveball was often equally frustrating for batters. Kamal also had a circle change as a third pitch in the arsenal.

Kamal’s stamina was good relative to other APB aces and he had excellent durability, tossing 200+ innings in all but his first and final seasons. He had a nice pickoff move and was an excellent defensive pitcher, winning Gold Gloves in 2008 and 2010. Kamal’s work ethic was top notch and he was also appreciated for his adaptability and loyalty.

In September 2001, Kamal left India on a developmental deal with Kuala Lumpur, who at the time was part of South Asia Baseball. Shortly after his debut, the Leopards had moved from SAB to Austronesia Professional Baseball. Kamal was already committed though to KL and stayed loyal to the Leopards for giving him a shot. Thus, he ended up as the first (and only as of 2037) Indian inducted into APB’s Hall of Fame.

Kamal spent most of five years in their academy before debuting in 2007 primarily in relief with 73.1 innings. That was his lone SAB season, as Kuala Lumpur departed for APB starting with 2008. He was a full-time starter for their APB debut and held that role 14 years with the Leopards. 2010 started a 13-year run of seasons worth 5+ WAR for Kamal with six of those worth 7+. He had a sub-two ERA seven times and 300+ strikeouts nine times. He didn’t get a ton of awards attention though, partially due to Kuala Lumpur struggling for much of their early tenure in APB.

After the 2011 season, Kamal reaffirmed his commitment to Kuala Lumpur on a five-year, $33,080,000 extension. He added another five years and $47,500,000 signed in April 2016. Kamal was best known for his run in Malaysia, but he did represent India from 2018-22 in the World Baseball Championship with a 1.85 ERA over 34 innings and 39 strikeouts.

Kamal led with a career high 341 strikeouts in 2015 and had his highest WAR at 8.4. The Leopards also earned their first-ever playoff trip in APB, but lost to Bandung in the Sundaland Association Championship. Kamal held up his end, allowing one run over seven innings in his one start.

It was 2017 when he finally broke out and earned Pitcher of the Year with a career and SA best 1.09 ERA. As of 2037, that ranks as the 15^th-best qualifying ERA in the low-scoring world of APB. On July 4, 2018, Kamal tossed APB’s 41^st perfect game in a 13 strikeout performance against Jakarta. He carried on and was third in 2021’s Pitcher of the Year voting at age 35. Kuala Lumpur made it back to the playoffs, but he struggled in his one start and they were ousted by Palembang.

This also marked the end of Kamal’s run in Kuala Lumpur, as he became a free agent for the first time at age 36. He ultimately left APB and ended up in the Central American Baseball Association, signing a three-year, $37,500,000 deal with Guatemala. The Leopards would honor him a few years later by retiring his #2 uniform.

Kamal arrived to help christen a dynasty run for the Ghosts, who won four straight Caribbean League titles from 2022-25. Kamal had a 5.4 WAR effort in 2022 and a 2.08 ERA over 17.1 playoff innings as they won the CABA Championship over Juarez. He was then a stud in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 0.63 ERA over 28.2 innings and 29 strikeouts. Guatemala was one of four times tied for ninth at 10-9.

He was still good in 2023, but was less impressive in the postseason with a 5.82 ERA over 21.2 in the CABA run and a 4.03 ERA over 22.1 innings in the BGC. Guatemala was denied the CABA repeat by a 117-win Mexico City, but finished second in the Baseball Grand Championship at 13-6. Unfortunately, Kamal’s velocity fell sharply for 2024 and he was only used for 15 relief innings. Kamal didn’t see postseason action, although the Ghosts won the CABA title again and was 9-10 in the BGC.

Kamal retired after the 2024 season at age 39, giving him Guatemala tallies of a 35-17 record, 3.04 ERA, 511.2 innings, 449 strikeouts, 73 walks, 131 ERA+, and 9.6 WAR. For his combined pro career, he had a 235-182 record, 2.21 ERA, 4032 innings, 4682 strikeouts, 730 walks, 146 complete games, 37 shutouts, 123 ERA+, and 99.7 WAR.

In APB, which was his entire Kuala Lumpur run sans 2007, Kamal had a 195-163 record, 2.05 ERA, 3447 innings, 4175 strikeouts, 627 walks, 124 complete games, 33 shutouts, 123 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 90.0 WAR. As of 2037, Kamal is 38^th in wins, 31^st in innings, 68^th in complete games, 58^th in shutouts, 16^th in strikeouts, and 24^th in WAR among pitchers.

Among those with 1000+ innings, Kamal’s ERA ranks 48^th, his 0.89 WHIP is 75^th, and his .540 opponent’s OPS is 59^th. Kamal’s 10.90 K/9 is 66^th and his 6.37 H/9 ranks 91^st. His .200/.242/.298 triple slash is 91^st/85^th/59^th. Kamal probably falls just short of what many view as the “inner circle” level, but his Hall of Fame candidacy was close to a sure thing. At 92.1%, he was the second of three debuts to earn induction with Austronesia Professional Baseball’s 2027 class.

Yu-Ren Lin – Pitcher – Taipei Tigercats – 76.8% First Ballot

Yu-Ren Lin was a 6’7’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Chingshui, Taiwan; a district within Taichung City. Lin had great stuff and stellar movement in his prime, although his control was subpar for most of his run. His fastball peaked in the 96-98 mph range and was mixed in with a changeup, splitter, and cutter. All four options were generally viewed as equally potent.

Lin’s stamina was a bit below average relative to other APB aces and the high pitch counts from his weak control often kept him from going deeper into games. He still gave you full workloads generally with reliable durability. Lin struggled to hold runners once they got on and he was lousy defensively. You weren’t going to outwork Lin though, who drew praise for his work ethic, adaptability, intelligence, and selflessness.

He wasn’t at the top of prospect lists as he attended the Taiwan Sports University in Taoyuan. Lin was the first pick of the third round, 41^st overall, in the 2004 APB Draft by Taipei. He ultimately spent his entire APB career with the Tigercats, although his use was limited initially. Lin’s first four seasons from 2006-09 were spent between use from the bullpen and as a back-end starter, posting unremarkable production. Lin did show his first flash of greatness on August 15, 2009, tossing a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts and three walks against Kaohsiung.

Lin was moved to the rotation full-time in 2010 and held that role for 11 years with Taipei. He generally wasn’t a league leader apart from having the most wins in 2012 and 2018. Lin did notably toss a second no-hitter on July 24, 2012 with 12 Ks and 3 BB facing Taichung. Lin was reliably worth 4+ WAR during his run as a starter and topped 7+ WAR in three seasons. He never was a Pitcher of the Year finalist, although it was going to be hard to complete in the Taiwan-Philippine Association with Zamboanga’s Ching-Chen Yao and Oliverio Sampoerna.

Taipei dominated the Taiwan League during Lin’s tenure, taking first from 2009-10 and then from 2012-20. He stayed loyal throughout, inking a four-year, $22,360,000 extension in April 2012 and a five-year, $49,500,000 extension in April 2016. The knock on the Tigercats was their inability to win the TPA title despite their dominance. From 2009-15, they won 98+ games each year and had zero pennants to show for it.

The Tigercats did finally win the pennant over Davao in 2016, falling to Semarang in the Austronesia Championship. Taipei was defeated in 2017 and 2018 by Zamboanga, who had also ousted them from 2013-15. Lin would have his third no-hitter on September 8, 2017 with 12 Ks and 2 BB against Tainan. The Tigercats finally got one over on the Zebras in 2019, but lost the APB finale to Palembang. Lin’s playoff stats were a mixed bag in his career, finishing with a 2.30 ERA over 113.2 innings, 118 ERA+, 7-6 record, 111 strikeouts, and 2.4 WAR.

2020 was their weakest season of the run by record at 88-74, but they ousted Manila for the TPA pennant and got revenge in the APB Championship over the Panthers. That run was Lin’s finest effort at age 37, posting a 0.60 ERA over 30 playoff innings with 22 strikeouts. Taipei finished 9-10 in the 2020 Baseball Grand Championship with Lin having a 3.98 ERA and 88 ERA+ over 31.2 innings.

In 2020, Lin also reached the 200 win and 3000 strikeout milestones. But his production had dipped some in the regular season and for 2021, he was taken out of the full-time rotation into a split bullpen/starter role and only posted 0.8 WAR. Lin’s contract expired that winter and he became a free agent for the first time heading towards age 39.

Lin managed to impress Major League Baseball’s Raleigh in the offseason and landed a two-year, $16 million deal for the expansion squad’s second season. He underwhelmed in spring training and was cut in early April after only one poor relief appearance. Salt Lake City grabbed him a week later, but he was little better with an 8.59 ERA over 14.2 relief innings. The Loons cut him in July and he spent the rest of the year with minor league Laredo. Lin retired that winter at age 39 and immediately had his #27 uniform retired back in Taipei.

For the Tigercats, Lin had a 212-114 record, 2.35 ERA, 2933.2 innings, 3137 strikeouts, 756 walks, 47 complete games, 20 shutouts, 117 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 70.3 WAR. As of 2037, Lin is 23^rd in wins, 71^st in innings, 66^th in strikeouts, 15^th in walks, and 46^th in WAR among pitchers. He was also 34^th in WAR among pitchers in the postseason.

Lin wasn’t overly dominant and wasn’t viewed as a top three level pitcher in his prime, but he was steadily a top ten to top five level guy. Although he lacked the big accolades, Lin was remembered favorably as a key figure during Taipei’s reign of dominance in the Taiwan League. His effort specifically in 2020 when the Tigercats finally won it all was one of the most recent and endearing memories of Lin for the voters. Thus, he got 76.8% for a first ballot induction and the third slot in Austronesia Professional Baseball’s 2027 Hall of Fame class.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 03-06-2025, 05:30 PM

Legendary two-way star Chuchuan Cao headlined Chinese League Baseball’s 2027 Hall of Fame ballot at a near unanimous 98.6%. Joining him just beyond the 66% threshold was 1B Peng Wang at 69.7% on his fourth ballot. SP Liqiang Yang missed by less than a point at 65.1% for his fifth try. 3B Gongsun Yang was also painfully short at 62.0% for his tenth and final chance. Also above 50% was CL Jingxing Zhang at 56.0% in his ninth go and SS Jiyu Liu at 54.6% on his second attempt.

Yang was hurt by the general tough climb batters have with CLB’s voters in the low-scoring league. In 12 years for Macao, he had 1859 hits, 855 runs, 291 doubles, 389 home runs, 969 RBI, 326 walks, .263/.294/.480 slash, 176 wRC+, and 99.4 WAR. Yang won seven Silver Sluggers and peaked at 62.0% in his last ballot after bouncing around the 40-55% range.

As of 2037, Yang is 18^th in WAR among position players and has the third most WAR earned at third base. He also helped the Magicians to three China Series appearances, but the lack of a ring was held against him even though his playoff stats were fine. Yang was another victim of tough standards and is often cited as one of the larger snubs for CLB’s Hall of Fame.

Chuchuan Cao – Pitcher/Left Field – Shenyang Swans – 98.6% First Ballot

Chuchuan Cao was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed from Jiaxing, China; a prefecture-level city of 5.4 million people on the country’s eastern coast near Shanghai. Many argue Cao was the best-ever two-way player in baseball history with some going as far as calling him the best-ever baseball player, full stop. It helped that simply as a pitcher, Cao was an inner-circle level talent.

On the mound, Cao had very good stuff, movement, and control. His 96-98 mph cutter was often his best pitch, but his splitter, curveball, and changeup also were quite effective. Cao’s stamina was fantastic as well and he led the Chinese Northern League twice in innings pitched even while playing a full two-way load. Until his eventual career-ending injury, Cao’s durability was rock solid as well. He was also a strong defensive pitcher with a great pickoff move.

Offensively, Cao was a well-rounded bat who was a great contact hitter with a nice pop in his bat. He was incredible at avoiding strikeouts with a 7.7% career K rate, although he was merely okay at drawing walks. Cao didn’t have prolific power, but his 162 game average got you 19 home runs, 28 doubles, and 11 triples.

On top of that, Cao was a terrific baserunner with great speed. He usually played left field when not pitching and graded as below average defensively, but he was perfectly serviceable. Cao was a one-of-a-kind athlete and even the other outstanding two-way guys in baseball history weren’t seemingly good to great at basically everything. He also had a world class work ethic and tremendous adaptability, a true sparkplug type.

Cao was picked fifth overall by Shenyang in the 2011 CLB Draft and spent his entire ten-year run in China with the Swans. He was a full-time two-way starter immediately and debuted with 5.9 WAR pitching and 5.0 WAR as a batter. Amazingly, Cao was second in both Rookie of the Year and MVP voting thanks to Cheng Kang’s 35 home run, 10.8 WAR rookie campaign. Amazingly, this was the lowest combined WAR season for Cao with Shenyang.

In only his second year in 2013, Cao posted what is widely cited as the greatest single-season effort by any player in baseball history ever. On the mound, he posted CLB’s third-ever pitching Triple Crown season with a 20-8 record, 1.31 ERA, and 356 strikeouts. Cao also led in WHIP (0.70), complete games (29), shutouts (10), FIP- (40), and WAR (12.0). The ERA, Ks, shutouts, FIP-, and WAR would each be CLB career bests for him. Just on the mound, this was an all-time season.

Meanwhile, Cao also played 130 games with his bat and started 117 with 9.6 WAR, 212 wRC+, .311/.354/.565 slash, .919 OPS, 23 home runs, 28 doubles, 143 hits, 62 RBI, 49 steals, and 60 runs. He would have his career highs in hits, homers, OPS, and offensive WAR. The combined WAR total was a truly absurd 21.6, which is the world’s single-season record by three full points. That blew away the previous world record of 17.94 set by world strikeout king Mohamed Ramos in the 1936 Beisbol Sudamerica season.

Purely as a pitcher, Cao led the NL eight of nine seasons in WAR from 2013-21, posting 8+ WAR in each of them and 10+ in four of them. He led thrice in strikeouts, thrice in wins, thrice in WHIP, and twice in innings pitched. Cao won Pitcher of the Year in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2020. He also was second in POTY voting in both 2019 and 2021.

Again, just as a pitcher, Cao’s decade with Shenyang was one of the best ten-year runs any ace has ever posted. He had his first no-hitter on May 23, 2015 with 15 strikeouts and 3 walks versus Qingdao. On April 11, 2016, Cao tossed CLB’s 49^th perfect game with 14 Ks against Xi’an. Cao was perfect for a second time on Junt 26, 2020 in a 12 K effort against Jinan. He’s one of three in CLB history with two perfectos.

Meanwhile offensively, Cao was above 6+ WAR seven times and was never below 3+ WAR for the Swans. Although the grand tallies may look low out of context, you have to remember that Chinese League Baseball was an incredibly low-scoring environment, plus the two-way workload meant starting at most around 110-120 games offensively. For his CLB career, Cao had a career 174 wRC+ and won nine Silver Sluggers as a pitcher (2012-18, 2020-21).

The combined results pushed Cao to five MVP wins (2013, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021). No one else in CLB has five, plus Cao was second in MVP voting in 2012, 2014, and 2016 with a third place in 2018. His combined WAR seasons with Shenyang went 10.9, 21.6, 16.1, 17.9, 16.7, 17.5, 15.3, 11.8, 14.5, and 16.0.

As of 2037 in world baseball history, there have been only 26 seasons by any player worth 16+ WAR; SIX of these are Cao. He has the #1 spot (21.6 in 2013), #4 (17.9 in 2015), #7 (17.5 in 2017), #14 (16.7 in 2016), #21 (16.1 in 2014), and #26 (16.0 in 2021).

Unsurprisingly, Shenyang became a playoff contender with Cao. They ended an 11-year drought in 2015, but lost in the round robin. After missing the cut in 2016, the Swans earned five straight semifinal trips from 2017-21. Their season ended there each year except 2020, when they won the China Series over Macau. In that run, Cao had a 1.96 ERA over 41.1 playoff innings with a 4-1 record and 49 strikeouts, although he struggled to -0.3 WAR offensively. He had a 3.38 ERA in 32 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship and 59 wRC+ offensively with the Swans finishing second-to-last at 5-14.

If there was any weakness in Cao’s resume, it is that his playoff stats were a mixed bag. As a pitcher with Shenyang, he had a 9-9 record in 20 starts, 163.2 innings, 2.47 ERA, 201 strikeouts, and 5.6 WAR. Cao’s 109 ERA+ was unremarkable, but his 60 FIP- suggested bad luck. As of 2037, Cao ranks 2^nd in playoff innings, WAR, and strikeouts; but he is also first in losses and hits allowed (144).

At the plate he had 65 games, a .268/.300/.437 slash, 143 wRC+, 2.2 WAR, 62 hits, 25 runs, 9 doubles, 8 home runs, 37 RBI, and 20 steals. Cao was by no means bad in the playoffs, but he looked human compared to the regular season exploits.

Cao was also a regular for China in the World Baseball Championship from 2013-24. On the mound, he had an 11-3 record over 120 innings, 2.92 ERA, 168 strikeouts, and 2.9 WAR. At the plate, he had 21 games and 9 starts with a .286/.326/.429 slash and 0 WAR. Cao earned a world championship with the 2016 Chinese squad, who beat Venezuela in the final.

His exploits in CLB quickly became the stuff of legend around the world, which made Cao an interesting free agent. Fresh off his fifth MVP, the soon to be 33-year old Cao hit the market for 2022 as his Shenyang deal ended. This marked the end of his CLB career as the league’s overall WARlord at 158.3, just ahead of shortstop Junjie Hsiung’s 152.62.

Cao’s final pitching numbers with Shenyang was a 177-88 record, 1.75 ERA, 2566.2 innings, 3242 strikeouts, 330 walks, 257/298 quality starts, 150 complete games, 52 shutouts, 149 ERA+, 51 FIP-, and 97.2 WAR. As of 2037, Cao is 12^th in wins, 11^th in complete games, 3^rd in shutouts, 13^th in strikeouts, and 5^th in pitching WAR. Keep in mind, he got that high on the leaderboards with only a ten-year career.

Among CLB pitchers with 1000+ innings, Cao ranks 16^th in ERA, 19^th in WHIP (0.79), and 15^th in opponent’s OPS (.491). His .186/.216/.275 triple slash ranks 38^th/16^th/23^rd. Cao also ranks 32^nd in K/9 (11.37), 51^st in H/9 (5.94), and 41^st in BB/9 (1.16). Many speculate that if Cao stayed in China, he might have ended up as the league’s GOAT pitcher. Even in just a decade, Cao’s pitching alone was worthy of an inner-circle Hall of Fame induction. Shenyang didn’t hesitate to retire his #25 uniform once his playing days were officially done.

At the plate, Cao played 1252 games and started 1138 with 1283 hits, 576 runs, 216 doubles, 88 triples, 153 home runs, 586 RBI, 264 walks, 444 stolen bases, .292/.333/.486 slash, 174 wRC+, and 61.1 WAR. If Cao had dedicated his time exclusively to the outfield, he probably had the skill to get into the Hall of Fame just based on that. He was an obvious Hall of Famer and frankly his 98.6% was too low as he headlined Chinese League Baseball’s 2027 class.

Cao’s career continued though beyond China and many thought he’d end up in Major League Baseball. He surprised several observers though by moving to Australia on a four-year, $43,200,000 deal with Sydney of the Oceania Baseball Association. It was also a surprise that Cao agreed to focus primarily on his pitching. Two-way use was quite rare in OBA, especially as it was the only major league to employ a four-man rotation. The Australasia League also employed the designated hitter, meaning Cao wasn’t batting on his pitching days.

In three straight years for the Snakes, Cao won Pitcher of the Year, leading each season in wins. He twice led with 10+ WAR and twice led in innings, complete games, quality starts, shutouts, and FIP-. Cao also led with 347 strikeouts in 2023 and 0.90 WHIP in 2024. As of 2037, he is one of nine in world history with a combined eight or more POTY wins. Cao did see limited use in the outfield with okay results, playing 115 games with 79 starts for 2.7 WAR, .761 OPS, and 111 wRC+.

Sydney won the Oceania Championship in 2022, defeating Vanuatu for the title. Cao allowed four runs with 14 innings in two starts. He then had a 3.03 ERA over 38.2 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship and 47 strikeouts. Sydney finished 8-11 in the 2022 BGC. The Snakes took second in the Australasia League in 2023 and won the pennant in 2024, falling in the OBA final to Port Moresby.

To that point, Cao’s career durability had been impressive. But calamity occurred on September 4, 2024 with a torn rotator cuff. This cost Cao the final month and the OBA Championship, but he was given a 7-8 month recovery window for the full expectation of returning. Sydney officials weren’t optimistic though and voided the team option fourth year of his contract.

With Sydney, Cao had a 76-20 record, 2.78 ERA, 916 innings, 975 strikeouts, 109 walks, 47 complete games, 12 shutouts, 139 ERA+, 69 FIP-, and 27.7 WAR. He was set to be 36-years old for the 2025 season coming off a major injury, but the hope was that he’d return to form once healed. Cao quickly signed a three-year, $55,200,000 deal with Major League Baseball’s San Diego Seals.

Sadly, Cao’s MLB debut never materialized. He had a setback in February 2025 that required another surgery. Doctors told Cao that his best case was another 15 months of recovery time, meaning a return date for late spring 2026. During the rehab process, it became quickly clear that his stuff was going to be significantly weakened and potentially not MLB caliber. It was a tough choice, but Cao decided to retire from baseball in the winter of 2025 at age 36.

For his combined pitching career, Cao had a 253-108 record, 2.02 ERA, 3482.2 innings, 4217 strikeouts, 439 walks, 335/414 quality starts, 197 complete games, 64 shutouts, 146 ERA+, 55 FIP-, and 124.9 WAR. He only narrowly missed the top 50 for pitching WAR among all players as of 2037. Cao’s ERA is 33^rd, ERA+ ranks 44^th and his FIP- is 19^th among Hall of Fame starters. Again, just as a pitcher, Cao had an inner-circle level HOF career.

The combined offensive numbers had 1367 games, 1217 starts, 1377 hits, 630 runs, 236 doubles, 96 triples, 160 home runs, 626 RBI, 285 walks, 392 strikeouts, 473 stolen bases, .291/.332/.483 slash, 169 wRC+, and 63.8 WAR. Cao finished with a combined WAR of 188.7, which as of 2037 is 8^th in world history for all players. It is the best by a two-way guy, topping the 180.0 by EPB legend Igor Bury.

If Cao hadn’t torn the rotator cuff and kept going for a few more years, supporters suggest he would’ve been the undisputed greatest player in baseball history. Even with the injury, you could still credibly make that case. Even among two-way legends, there had never been someone who was seemingly good at almost every single possible baseball skill.

Some detractors ding him for the perceived lower talent level of CLB relative to other world leagues. Cao’s pitching was stellar in OBA too, so certainly he would’ve thrived pitching anywhere. Whether he would’ve been as effective offensively in another world league is an open question. Cao’s playoff stats, while not poor, weren’t as exceptional as one might expect.

His overall list of accomplishments though playing only 13 years is absurd; eight Pitcher of the Year awards, five MVPs, nine Silver Sluggers, championship rings in both CLB and OBA, three no-hitters, and two perfect games. The case is strong that Chuchuan Cao may have been the most all-around talented baseball player in the history of the game.

He’s usually cited as the greatest player to come out of China and as the best-ever two-way player. His exact spot on the GOAT rankings is contentious, but you’d rarely find him outside of most top ten lists. Assessing the true worth of a two-way guy by itself isn’t particularly simple. Cao was arguably a top 50 all-time pitcher and combined that with all-star level production in the outfield. In any event, Cao certainly was one of the true immortals of the game.

Peng Wang – First Base/Designated Hitter – Chengdu Clowns – 69.7% Fourth Ballot

Peng Wang was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed hitting first baseman from Chongqing, China’s largest municipality by urban population at 22.8 million people. Wang was an excellent home run hitter with above average to good contact. He had a decent eye for walks, but he struggled with strikeouts. Wang’s 162 game average got you 45 homers, 24 doubles, and 2 triples; focusing his power on dingers. He wasn’t going to leg out extra bags often with lousy speed and poor baserunning.

Wang played first base exclusively in China and was a reliably solid defender, even winning a Gold Glove as a rookie in 2007. After leaving CLB, he was primarily a designed hitter with occasional starts at 1B. Wang had recurring knee issues, but generally didn’t miss big stretches over his 17 year career. He wasn’t a troublemaker, but he also wasn’t one to take on a leadership role.

Coming out of college, Wang had power potential rarely seen in the low-scoring world of Chinese League Baseball. He was selected second overall in the 2006 CLB Draft by Chengdu and was a full-time starter immediately, earning a four-year, $10,720,000 deal as a rookie. Wang won a Gold Glove in his debut season, but struggled offensively and led the Southern League in strikeouts. He put it together in year two, getting at least 6.5 WAR each year for the rest of the run with the Clowns.

Wang’s arrival turned Chengdu into a regular contender, starting an eight-year playoff streak in 2008. In 2009, Wang led in home runs (45), RBI (92), and runs (93), earning his first Silver Slugger and taking third in MVP voting. The Clowns made the semifinal for the first time in their run, but were denied by Xiamen. A bone bruise in his wrist kept Wang out part of the fall, but he was back for the playoff run to cement his spot in CLB lore.

Chengdu was the #4 seed in 2010, but went on a tear all the way to their first China Series victory over Macau. Wang was finals MVP and in 20 playoff starts had 18 hits, 11 runs, 7 homers, 15 RBI, 3 doubles, 229 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR. He was merely average in the inaugural Baseball Grand Championship with the Clowns going 4-5 in the divisional format used just in the 2010 BGC. The title run cemented Wang’s spot as a Chengdu legend, but his 2011 campaign made him a league legend.

Entering 2011, the low-scoring CLB had single-season records of 59 home runs and 125 RBI. Wang obliterated both of those marks with 70 dingers and 150 RBI, marks that still haven’t been passed in CLB as of 2037. His 15.09 WAR was the second-best by a CLB position player behind only Libo Li’s 15.85 from 1980. Wang’s 409 total bases were a new CLB record and still ranks 10^th as of 2037.

Wang also set a new CLB slugging record (.693) and just missed the OPS record (1.054). He led in runs (113) and wRC+ (272), winning his first MVP and second Silver Slugger. Chengdu made it back to the semifinal, but were ousted by Changsha. Wang led again in homers the next three years and twice more led in RBI, slugging, OPS, and wRC+. He also led in runs and total bases for 2012, and in OBP for 2014. His 1.078 OPS in 2014 did break the then CLB record, although that was topped two years later. Wang twice more also breached double-digit WAR.

With his efforts, Wang won MVPs in both 2012 and 2014 and earned Silver Sluggers from 2012-14. Chengdu lost in the round robin in 2012, then won their second China Series in 2013 over Hangzhou. Wang was semifinal MVP and had another strong showing with 17 hits, 7 runs, 5 homers, and 12 RBI in 17 starts. In the Baseball Grand Championship, Wang was merely okay with 104 wRC+ and 0.3 WAR in 18 starts as the Clowns tied for last at 6-13. He missed the 2014 playoffs to a concussion and the Clowns lost in the round robin.

For his playoff career with Chengdu, Wang started 63 games with 59 hits, 26 runs, 11 doubles, 16 home runs, 45 RBI, .259/.310/.518 slash, 191 wRC+, and 3.5 WAR. He was a critical piece for the Clowns’ only two titles and his #7 uniform was retired at the end of his pro career. Wang’s talents were too overwhelming though to stay in China as he quickly had interest from around the globe. He entered free agency after the 2014 season at age 30 and knew he could secure the bag.

With Chengdu, Wang had 1197 games, 1116 hits, 661 runs, 159 doubles, 330 home runs, 769 RBI, .257/.326/.532 slash, 204 wRC+, and 69.9 WAR. That eight-year run was his full CLB career, which ranks him 51th in home runs as of 2037 and 88^th in WAR for position players. But his overall tallies were certainly on the low end simply because of the brief tenure. Among CLB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Wang’s OPS of .857 ranks 52^nd and his slugging is 41^st.

Some think that if Wang stayed, he would’ve had an excellent shot at becoming CLB’s home run king. There were many voters though that gave him zero credit for his later MLB numbers and felt Wang wasn’t worthy purely based on lack of tenure. He just missed the cut in his first two Hall of Fame ballots with 60.1% in 2024 and 65.3% in 2025. Wang dropped to 48.4% on his third try in 48.4%.

Supporters though pointed out some defining accolades: three MVPs, five times as the home run leader, the single-season HR and RBI leader, and two championship rings. Getting all of that made him worthy in their eyes even with only eight years of tallies. Wang bumped back up on his fourth try in 2027 to 69.7%, crossing the 66% threshold. This secured a fourth ballot induction into the Chinese League Baseball Hall of Fame for 2027.

Wang had another eight years post CLB though, heading to Major League Baseball for 2015 on a seven-year, $166,600,000 deal with San Francisco. Wang was mostly a DH with the Gold Rush and had nice power numbers right away with back-to-back 40+ homer seasons. He only had one elite year in SF, winning a Silver Slugger in 2017 with an American Association best 54 homers and 119 RBI. Wang dropped off a bit for the rest of his tenure, but was still a decent enough starter. He did lose almost all of 2019 from a torn ACL suffered late in the 2018 campaign.

San Francisco made the playoffs from 2016-18, earning a pennant in 2017 with a World Series loss to Boston. The Gold Rush finished 11-8 in the Baseball Grand Championship in a five-way tie for fourth. SF lost in the second round in 2016 and 2021 and had an AACS defeat in 2018. Wang’s playoff starts were alright with 29 starts, 28 hits, 11 runs, 6 homers, 20 RBI, 117 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR. He was solid in the BGC over 19 starts with 14 hits, 15 runs, 7 homers, 9 RBI, 157 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR.

While in the United States, Wang did return home for a few appearances in the World Baseball Championship for China. From 2010-18, Wang played 71 games with 67 hits, 46 runs, 10 doubles, 24 home runs, 48 RBI, a .260/.344/.578 slash, and 3.4 WAR. Wang was a starter for the 2016 Chinese squad which won the World Championship, besting Venezuela in the final.

For San Francisco, Wang had 897 games, 835 hits, 513 runs, 140 doubles, 249 home runs, 611 RBI, 276 walks, 884 strikeouts, .248/.322/.517 slash, 127 wRC+, and 19.6 WAR. While he was a nice player for seven years with the Gold Rush, some felt he didn’t live up to the big paycheck and fanfare he received. Wang was a free agent again for 2022 heading towards age 38 and signed a one-year, $9,100,000 deal with Montreal.

Wang’s power dropped to a low 28 homers and 67 RBI, although his WAR was still comparable to his last San Francisco season with the added value of playing 1B again instead of DH. He wanted to play again in 2023, but couldn’t find any suitors apart from a minor league deal in September with minor league Chesapeake, where he played one game. Wang retired that winter at age 39, finishing the MLB tenure with 1050 games, 966 hits, 585 runs, 158 doubles, 277 home runs, 678 RBI, 319 walks, 1050 strikeouts, .247/.321/.503 slash, 125 wRC+, and 22.3 WAR.

The combined pro stats had 2247 games, 2082 hits, 1246 runs, 317 doubles, 607 home runs, 1447 RBI, 678 walks, 2293 strikeouts, .252/.323/.518 slash, 166 wRC+, and 92.1 WAR. Wang was one of the more steady sluggers of his era, leading his league six times in homers and five times in RBI across CLB and MLB. That power certainly made Wang worthy of recognition with his CLB dominance snagging him a Hall of Fame slot.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 03-07-2025, 06:52 AM

West African Baseball added two into the Hall of Fame for 2027, captained by SP Christopher Larbi at a nearly unanimous 99.2%. 3B/DH Ogunfeyimi Udoka joined him on his second ballot, making it past the 66% requirement at 70.1%. 2B Kevin Ge narrowly missed in his second try at 63.8%. Also above 50% was SP Isaac Appiah at 55.1% on his third ballot and CL Francis Koomson at 52.0% for his seventh go.

Pitcher Emma Markson fell off after ten failed ballots, getting above 60% twice and ending at 42.9%. He was hurt by having his career split between starting and relief, the switch coming at age 28 after a ruptured disc. Markson pitched 14 yars for Lome and won Pitcher of the Year in 2002, finishing with a 117-83 record, 3.20 ERA, 1715.1 innings, 2155 strikeouts, 255 walks, 124 ERA+, and 33.9 WAR. He was on a nice pace, but fell way short of the needed tallies. It was somewhat surprising Markson actually got as close to induction as he did.

Christopher Larbi – Starting Pitcher – Abidjan Athletes – 99.2% First Ballot

Christopher Larbi was a 5’11’’, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Cape Coast, Ghana; a city of around 108,000 people. Larbi had great stuff, solid control, and above average movement. His fastball peaked in the 97-99 mph range and was good, but it was Larbi’s fantastic knuckle curve which was his most dangerous pitch. He also had a nice slider and forkball, plus an okay changeup.

WAB starters weren’t expected to go deep into games anywhere as often as other leagues, but Larbi’s stamina was low even by those standards with six career complete games. He had ironman durability though, so you’d go no shortage of appearances. Larbi’s innings weren’t as frequent as other aces, but his were incredible efficient. He had an excellent pickoff move, but was otherwise weak defensively. Larbi was sometimes considered selfish, but he never was a malcontent.

In March 2002, Larbi was signed as a teenage amateur by Abidjan, making the move from Ghana to the Ivory Coast. He spent five full years in their academy before debuting in 2007 at age 21 with part-time use. Larbi was a back-end starter in 2008, then a full-time one generally after that. In 2009, he had a 3.72 ERA over 19.1 playoff innings with 24 strikeouts as the Athletes beat Ibadan for the WAB Championship. It was Abidjan’s fifth straight playoff trip, but the first time they had broken through in that run.

The Athletes made it back to the final in 2010, but lost to Cotonou in the Championship. Abidjan then suffered back-to-back Western League Championship Series defeats. Larbi’s playoff stats were poor in this era, but he had begun to emerge as a regular season force. He had 5+ WAR each year from 2009-15 and was the WARlord in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. During this run, Larbi led in wins four times, ERA thrice, strikeouts thrice, WHIP five times, K/BB four times, and FIP- six times.

Larbi was second in 2010’s Pitcher of the Year voting, then won for the first time in 2012 with career and league bests in ERA (1.72), WHIP (0.78), quality starts (260), ERA+ (225), FIP- (49), and WAR (8.4). Larbi’s ERA mark is the ninth-best qualifying season in WAB history as of 2037 and is one of only 33 qualifying seasons below two. He also was third in 2012’s MVP voting.

In 2013, Larbi tossed WAB’s ninth pitching Triple Crown season with a 19-6 record, 2.93 ERA, and 258 Ks to repeat as Pitcher of the Year. That winter, Abidjan signed Larbi to a six-year, $87,300,000 extension. He three-peated with a league and career-best 314 strikeouts in 2014, taking second in ERA at 2.62. Larbi made it four straight in 2015 with his third ERA title (2.38) and fourth time as the WARlord (7.9). Larbi was only the fifth WAB pitcher to win the award four times and the first to do it consecutively.

Abidjan missed the playoffs in 2013, then had back-to-back second round exits in 2014-15. The Athletes missed the playoffs from 2016-17, then had a WLCS loss in 2018 and second round loss in 2019. For his playoff career with Abidjan, Larbi had a lackluster 2-6 record, 4.19 ERA, 88 innings, 123 strikeouts, 95 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR.

Larbi dropped off noticeably from 2016-18 with ERAs back above three, but he returned to form with his fourth ERA title in 2019 at 2.42. He led in WAR for the fifth time and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Before the 2019 season, Abidjan had given Larbi a five-year, $49 million extension. The team went 108-54 that year, but was open to trade offers despite just re-signing Larbi. His value had spiked after his 2019 resurgence and the Athletes moved him in the offseason to Conakry for two prospect outfielders.

For Abidjan, he had a 184-72 record, 2.76 ERA, 2334 innings, 3101 strikeouts, 318 walks, 155 ERA+, and 68.8 WAR. Larbi remained very popular after leaving and his #13 uniform would soon be retired. The deal with the Coyotes was also a bit surprising since they were a direct competitor for Abidjan, having lost in the WLCS in 2019. Conakry hoped Larbi could be the final piece to get them over the hump.

Larbi moved to Guinea and ultimately never played for either team from his native Ghana. He did see sporadic use for Ghana in the World Baseball Championship from 2008-10, 2016-18, and 2021. In the WBC, Larbi had a 3-7 record, 3.51 ERA, 66.2 innings, 87 strikeouts, 16 walks, and 0.3 WAR.

In 2020, Larbi was third in Pitcher of the Year voting and Conakry indeed got over that hump. The Coyotes had a franchise-best 107-55 season and won their second WAB title, besting Yaounde in the final. Larbi did struggle in his two playoff starts, giving up 10 runs in 11.1 innings. He redeemed himself in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 1.24 ERA over 29 innings and 39 strikeouts. Conakry surprised many observers with a second place finish at 14-5, just behind Denver’s 15-4. That was the best-ever finish by a WAB team to that point.

Larbi had a respectable 2021 and gave up one run over nine playoff innings as Conakry lost the WLCS to Abidjan. That year, he crossed the 200 win and 3500 strikeout thresholds. Larbi still seemed capable, but decided to retire that winter at age 35. With the Coyotes, Larbi had a 24-16 record, 3.48 ERA, 367.2 innings, 448 strikeouts, 56 walks, 127 ERA+, and 7.6 WAR.

The final stats for Larbi: 208-88 record, 2.86 ERA, 2701.2 innings, 3549 strikeouts, 374 walks, 219/402 quality starts, 6 complete games, 3 shutouts, 151 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 76.4 WAR. As of 2037, Larbi is 6^th in wins, 29^th in innings, 8^th in strikeouts, and 7^th in WAR among pitchers. Even with relatively fewer innings and a shorter run than some Hall of Fame levels, Larbi’s excellent efficiency gave him strong counting stats.

Among WAB pitchers with 1000+ innings as of 2037, Larbi is 24^th in ERA, 9^th in WHIP (0.97), and 26^th in opponent’s OPS (.620). His .224/.259/.362 triple slash ranks 33^rd/17^th/42^nd. Larbi’s 11.82 K/9 is 31^st, his 7.45 H/9 is 35^th, and his 1.25 BB/9 ranks 19^th. Among all Hall of Fame starters in world history, Larbi’s ERA+ ranks 26^th. He was definitely among the most efficient starters of his era.

Larbi’s final totals often aren’t quite high enough to get him into the #1 spot, but most top ten WAB pitcher lists have Larbi on there somewhere. At 99.2%, Larbi was a near unanimous selection and the headliner for West African Baseball’s 2027 Hall of Fame class.

Ogunfeyimi Udoka – Third Base/Designated Hitter – Niamey Atomics – 70.1% Second Ballot

Ogunfeyimi Udoka was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed hitting third baseman from Ibi, Nigeria; a town of 84,000 in the country’s southeast. Udoka was a solid contract hitter with an excellent pop in his bat against right-handed pitching. His 162 game average got you 40 doubles and 35 home runs with almost all of the power against RHP (career 1.006 OPS, 157 wRC+). Udoka struggled facing lefties with .689 OPS and 78 wRC+ for his career.

Udoka was average at best in regards to drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts on the whole. His baserunning skills were okay, but his speed was mediocre. From 2012-18, Udoka was a full-time third baseman and was a generally lousy defender. Before and after that stretch, he was mainly a designated hitter. About 2/3 of his career starts came at 3B in total with almost all of the rest at DH. Udoka had mostly good durability and intelligence, which combined with his power meant you’d find a spot for him in the lineup somewhere.

In August 2001, Udoka was signed as a teenage amateur to a developmental deal with Niamey. He debuted for the Atomics in 2005 at age 20, although he struggled over only 35 games and 15 starts. Udoka was a part-timer for the next two years, showing lots of promise in 2007 specifically with 30 home runs and 3.5 WAR over only 45 starts and 102 games.

Niamey was a contender in Udoka’s earliest years, winning back-to-back Eastern League pennants in 2006-07. They lost the 2006 WAB Championship to Monrovia, then got revenge against the Diplomats in 2007. Udoka stepped up big in the 2007 run, starting 10 games with 11 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, and 13 RBI. That helped him earn the full-time starting gig from 2008 onward.

Udoka led the league in doubles in both 2009 (54) and 2011 (54), which was the only stat he ever led in. Udoka did notably hit 40+ homers in both 2009 and 2010 and had 100+ RBI six times. He won his two Silver Sluggers (as a DH) in 2009 and 2010, taking second in MVP voting both years. 2010 had his career bests in WAR (7.6), runs (119), and homers (45). Udoka also took third in 2014’s MVP voting with his career best triple slash (.370/.414/.688) and OPS (1.082).

Niamey stayed above .500 from 2008-15, but couldn’t match their earlier playoff runs. The Atomics had second round exits in 2009 and 2010, followed by first round defeats in 2011 and 2014. Apart from the great 2007 run, Udoka’s playoff numbers were underwhelming. He finished with 33 games, 28 hits, 22 runs, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 25 RBI, .228/.301/.512 slash, 114 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR.

Udoka’s stats were similar representing his native Nigeria from 2008-15 in the World Baseball Championship. He had a nice 2011 run, helping the Nigerians to a fourth place finish. On the whole in the WBC, Udoka had 39 games and 29 starts with 28 hits, 15 runs, 4 doubles, 8 home runs, 23 RBI, .262/.313/.523 slash, 136 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR.

In August 2008, Udoka had signed an eight-year, $25,460,000 extension with Niamey. He continued forward with mostly good results, but struggled to start off the 2016 campaign; his final year under contract. The Atomics were struggling as a whole and they’d end up at 67-95, their first losing season in two decades. It became clear that a rebuild was in order and they traded Udoka at the end of May to Port Harcourt for prospect pitcher Saifoulaye Bangoura. Bangoura ended up being a serviceable back-end arm for the Atomics for 15 years.

Udoka finished in Naimey with 1511 games, 1714 hits, 934 runs, 391 doubles, 327 home runs, 1033 RBI, 438 walks, .318/.369/.584 slash, 146 wRC+, and 48.3 WAR. He had become a popular player over his 11 year tenure in Niger and Udoka’s #29 uniform would be eventually retired.

Port Harcourt was the 2015 WAB Champion, but had started slow in 2016 and hoped Udoka could help steady the ship. He was decent with 23 home runs, 76 RBI, and 2.4 WAR over 88 games and 69 starts. However, the Hillcats ended up finishing at .500. Udoka was now a free agent for the first time at age 32 and inked a five-year, $38 million deal with Accra.

Udoka was a good starter in his first two years for Accra, even hitting 42 dingers in 2018. The Alligators got to 89-73 in 2017; their best effort since 2001, but fell just short of the playoffs. Accra would be below average for the rest of Udoka’s run. He declined in year three and was a weak backup for his final two years, retiring after the 2020 campaign at age 36. For the Alligators, Udoka had 420 games, 381 hits, 202 runs, 84 doubles, 88 home runs, 236 RBI, .282/.322/.542 slash, 118 wRC+, and 6.9 WAR.

The final stats for Udoka had 2019 games, 2187 hits, 1191 runs, 497 doubles, 36 triples, 438 home runs, 1345 RBI, 522 walks, 1258 strikeouts, .310/.359/.578 slash, 140 wRC+, and 57.7 WAR. As of 2037, Udoka ranks 74^th in hits, 70^th in runs, 48^th in doubles, 47^th in home runs, 58^th in RBI, 62^nd in total bases (4070), and 63^rd in WAR among position players. His .936 OPS is 60^th among WAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, as was his slugging.

Udoka’s tallies were definitely on the borderline compared to other Hall of Famers for West African Baseball. Supporters pointed out Niamey’s team success while Udoka was there, along with steady power and three finishes as an MVP finalist. Detractors thought his tallies weren’t quite high enough and he didn’t have the raw dominance to overrule that. He also lost some points for being a DH for a 1/3 of his run. In his 2026 ballot debut, Udoka barely missed the 66% requirement at 65.2%. He won over a few more voters in 2027 to get to 70.1%, securing the second ballot induction.

MrNFL_FanIQ · 03-07-2025, 04:05 PM

The 2027 Hall of Fame class for South Asia Baseball was an impressive one with three players added on their first ballot. LF/DH Ratan Canduri was the clear headliner at 98.9%, joined by relief pitchers Viaan Ramakrishna (88.1%) and Seyha San (80.7%). Two returners cracked 50% with CF Chris Saandeep at 54.0% on his second ballot and CL Khon Aye Ko at 50.9% in his fourth try. No players were removed after ten failed ballots.

Ratan “Fang” Canduri – Left Field/Designated Hitter – Mandalay Mammoths – 98.9%

Ratan Canduri was a 6’1’’, 195 pound right-handed left fielder from Bhuj, India; a city of around 188,000 in the country’s west. Canduri was famous for his outstanding home run power which many scouts rated as a 10/10 in his prime. He was also an elite contact hitter with an excellent eye for drawing walks, although his strikeout rate was average at best. Few batters in all of baseball history though were as efficient and effective at the plate. Canduri’s 162 game average got you 49 home runs, 30 doubles, and 2 triples. He was also a very intelligent and skilled baserunner despite having poor speed.

Canduri’s main downside was being an abysmal fielder. About 60% of his starts came in left field with sporadic use at first base. Around 30% of his starts were as a designated hitter. Canduri had remarkable longevity and mostly avoided major injuries, playing 130+ games in 21 consecutive seasons. His bat was so incredible that he remained a strong starter into his 40s. Canduri was adaptable to his situations and emerged as a megastar worldwide and arguably the best-ever player from India.

In June 1994, a teenaged Canduri was spotted and signed to a developmental deal with Mandalay. He spent a bit over three years in their academy in Myanmar before making his debut in 1997 at age 20. Canduri wasn’t fully formed yet and was mediocre in his first three years, posting -0.5 WAR over 196 games and 86 starts. Canduri put things together in 2000 with 34 homers, 4.8 WAR, and 1.011 OPS over 125 games and 85 starts. The Mammoths gave him an eight-year, $10,720,000 extension that winter in hopes that they had found their star.

After a good 2001, Canduri became elite from 2002-08 with Mandalay. Each season had OPS above one, 40+ homers, 100+ RBI, and 7+ WAR. For the Mammoths, he led the Southeast Asia League thrice in OPS, wRC+, and total bases; twice in average, on-base percentage, slugging, and walks; and once in hits, homers, RBI, and WAR. Canduri won Silver Sluggers each year in left except for 2007.

2002 was the first of seven seasons total with 50+ homers. Canduri was second in 2003’s MVP voting, winning his first batting title (.347). He won his first MVP in 2006 with SAB’s second-ever hitting Triple Crown to that point with 65 homers, 139 RBI, and a .367 average. Canduri’s .486 on-base percentage set a new world record and his .806 slugging and 1.292 OPS were both new SAB records. This season also had Canduri’s career bests for WAR (13.2) and walks (118).

Canduri bested his power numbers in 2008 with career highs of 74 home runs, 154 RBI, and 473 total bases. He also won his third batting title (.383), topped his slugging (.834), and matched his 1.292 OPS from 2008. However, this started the trend of Canduri’s excellence being overshadowed by Hanoi’s Majed Darwish. That year, Darwish beat out Canduri for MVP by obliterating world power records at 85 homers and 220 RBI. Darwish also usurped Canduri’s SAB slugging and OPS records.

While Canduri had become a known star in SEAL, he also was perhaps underappreciated to that point due to Mandalay’s struggles. The Mammoths didn’t make the playoffs in his reign, peaking at 88-74 in 2007. Canduri was due for free agency in 2009 at age 32 and decided to test the market. He couldn’t get the long-term deal he wanted from anyone, ultimately signing a one-year, $4,960,000 deal with Ho Chi Minh City.

The Hedgehogs had been the perennial power to that point and were on a 22-year playoff streak. 2009 would be the last year of that streak, but they capped it off with their sixth SAB Championship and 14^th SEAL title of the run. Canduri had 67 homers, 140 RBI, 1.227 OPS, and 10.7 WAR, but again was second in MVP voting because Darwish had a bonkers 91 homers, 209 RBI, and 1.293 OPS. HCMC beat Jaipur for the title with Canduri getting 20 hits, 10 runs, 5 doubles, 5 homers, and 13 RBI in his first 17 playoff games.

Canduri played on the World Baseball Championship stage prior to that, playing 180 games for India from 2002-20. He had 138 hits, 130 runs, 55 homers, 125 RBI, 25 doubles, .224/.352/.532 slash, and 7.9 WAR. Canduri had a big showing in 2009 as the Indians won their first World Championship over the United States, starting 24 games with 22 hits, 25 runs, 9 doubles, 7 homers, and 22 RBI. India also notably finished fourth place the next year.

For 2010, the 33-year old Canduri was back in free agency and switched to the Indian League on a one-year, $5,300,000 deal with Pune. He played first base this year and won a Silver Slugger there along with his second MVP. Canduri led in homers (69), OBP (.475), slugging (.796), OPS (1.270), wRC+ (262), and WAR (12.6) and added career highs in runs (149) and hits (201). The Purple Knights took the top seed at 109-53, but were upset by Kolkata in the ILCS.

Canduri finally signed a longer deal for 2011, joining Bengaluru at $14,900,000 over three years. He played two seasons for the Blazers and dropped off notably in 2011 with a bad by his standards 5.3 WAR season. Canduri rebounded with a Silver Slugger (at 1B) and a second place in MVP voting for 2012, leading in OPS for the fifth time.

The Blazers were in the middle of the standings these years and Canduri declined the third-year option, finishing with 14.3 WAR, 211 wRC+, and 1.068 OPS over 274 games for Bengaluru. Canduri stayed in the IL on a one-year, $8,400,000 deal for 2013 with Delhi. Here, he won his third MVP and ninth Silver Slugger (his third at 1B).

Canduri had an incredible triple slash of .406/.487/.817 for a 1.304 OPS, 270 wRC+, and 11.8 WAR. This set SAB single-season records for average and OBP with the OBP mark still standing as of 2037 and the average getting beaten only once. The OPS was third only behind Darwish’s 1.321 in 2010 and 1.312 from 2008.

As of 2037, Canduri’s 1.304 OPS from 2013 is one of only six seasons in all of world history above 1.300. In SAB, Canduri has the #3, #5, #6, #8, and #9 best OPS seasons. He also has the #4, #5, #7, #9, and #10 ranked seasons by slugging percentage. In all of world history as of 2037, a slugging above .800 has happened 41 times; three of these are Canduri.

This 2013 effort got Delhi to the ILCS, but they lost to Visakhapatnam. Canduri would miss the postseason due to a broken bone in his elbow suffered in early September. Back to free agency he went, this time signing a one-year, $8,000,000 deal with Yangon. This brought him back to the Southeast Asia League for the first time since his Ho Chi Minh City stint. He ended up signing on for a second year with the Green Dragons at $7,500,000. By this point, Yangon was in the middle of what would be a world record 29 season playoff streak.

Canduri led in OPS for the seventh and final two and led in OBP twice more, but his prolific power was gone as he was now in his late 30s. Still, he was good for 30+ homers for another seven years. Canduri was third in 2014’s MVP voting and Yangon won the SEAL title, falling to Kolkata in the SAB Championship. Canduri had 14 hits, 8 runs, 3 homers, and 12 RBI in the playoff run.

Yangon won it all in 2015, defeating Mumbai for the SAB Championship with Canduri getting 16 hits, 10 runs, 5 homers, and 8 RBI in the playoff run. The Green Dragons struggled to 6-13 in the Baseball Grand Championship, but Canduri thrived in 19 starts with 1.240 OPS, 20 hits, 17 runs, 10 homers, and 14 RBI.

Canduri was now 39-years old, but still hitting at a very high level. He signed two years and $24,200,000 with Kanpur, posting 12.5 WAR over 294 games, 300 hits, 177 runs, 59 doubles, 73 homers, 184 RBI, and .960 OPS. Canduri won his tenth and final Silver Slugger in 2017 back in left field. The Poison fell in the 2016 ILCS with Canduri struggling to -0.2 WAR in the playoffs. He redeemed himself in 2017 with 1.099 OPS, 5 homers, and 13 RBI as Kanpur won the Indian League pennant, falling to Yangon for the SAB Championship.

With the Poison, Canduri also continued his climb up SAB’s leaderboards. He and Darwish both joined the 900 home run club in August 2017. In September 2016, Canduri was the third to 3000 hits and a month prior, he was the fourth to 2000 RBI. The top power marks of Tirtha Upadhyaya seemed catchable, but Canduri knew he wouldn’t get the #1 spot with the younger Darwish already ahead of him.

Canduri returned to Yangon in 2018 and scored his 2000^th run, passing Manju Abbas that season for the SAB record. Of course, Darwish reached 2000 runs only two months later and soon passed Canduri for the top spot. A late season twisted ankle kept Canduri out for the playoffs as the top-seeded Green Dragons were upset in the first round. Between Yangon stints, Canduri played 430 games with 477 hits, 314 runs, 79 doubles, 117 home runs, 320 RBI, .305/.396/.593 slash, 169 wRC+, and 19.5 WAR.

Now 42-years old, Canduri returned where his career started with Mandalay. The Mammoths had recently become a contender, falling to Pune in the 2019 SAB Championship. Canduri hoped to win it all with his original squad, but they were thwarted in the 2019 SEAL Championship by Vientiane. That year, he led in walks for the fifth time and crossed 1600 for his career, putting him within striking distance of the SAB record 1647 by K.C. Choudhury.

Combining 2019 with his original run, Canduri’s Mandalay numbers saw 1699 games, 1823 hits, 1072 runs, 316 doubles, 518 home runs, 1211 RBI, 783 walks, .324/.409/.661 slash, 187 wRC+, and 83.4 WAR. Unsurprisingly, the Mammoths retired his #21 uniform at the end of his career and he remained a beloved figure there.

Canduri spent two final seasons with Dhaka. In 2020, he reached 1000 career home runs, a mark to that point reached only by Darwish the year prior and the Arab League’s Nordine Soule. Canduri would finish behind both in homers and RBI, but he placed himself in the highest circles ever reached by sluggers. Canduri also passed Choudhury in 2020 to become SAB’s walks leader, a distinction he still holds as of 2037.

In 2020, Canduri also joined Abbas as SAB’s only players with 3500 hits. He ended 2020 at 3633 and had hoped to chase Abbas’ high mark of 3897. Canduri was still solid in 2020 with a 3.5 WAR, 37 homer season. However, age finally caught him in 2021 as he struggled to a league-worst 201 strikeouts. Canduri had only 0.7 WAR and .709 OPS, easily the worst full-time numbers of his career.

Dhaka ended a playoff drought in 2021 and went on a surprise run, giving Canduri one last shot at the playoffs. The Dobermans won the SEAL title, but fell in the SAB Championship to Delhi. Canduri struggled to a .576 OPS over 18 starts. His career playoff numbers weren’t bad, but definitely were well below his regular season dominance with 104 starts, 102 hits, 60 runs, 15 doubles, 24 home runs, 67 RBI, .264/.340/.494 slash, 128 wRC+, and 2.9 WAR. Canduri would’ve loved to keep playing, but it was clear he was finally washed, retiring after the 2021 season at age 45.

Canduri’s final stats had 3479 games, 3770 hits, 2334 runs, 647 doubles, 44 triples, 1049 home runs, 2496 RBI, 1735 walks, 2688 strikeouts, 126 stolen bases, .316/.405/.642 slash, 187 wRC+, and 169.1 WAR. In just about any league at any time period, those totals put you in GOAT hitter territory, but Canduri had the misfortune of being a contemporary of Majed Darwish, who ended up as the world’s HR, RBI, and runs leader.

As of 2037 in SAB, Canduri ranks 2^nd in games, 3^rd in hits, 2^nd in total bases (7652), 6^th in singles (2030), 5^th in doubles, 2^nd in home runs, 2^nd in RBI, 1^st in walks, 9^th in strikeouts, and 2^nd in WAR among position players. Although Darwish had him beat by a decent margin in some counting stats, Canduri was only five points behind him in WAR; although part of that could be attributed to Darwish having a larger share of starts as a DH.

Among SAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Canduri’s 1.047 OPS is 4^th and his triple slash ranks 36^th/5^th/5^th. Canduri did have Darwish beat in both batting average and on-base percentage, but Darwish’s insane power pushed him higher in OPS. Among world Hall of Famers as of 2037, Canduri ranks 25^th in OBP, 20^th in slugging, 14^th in OPS, and 31^st in wRC+. Canduri’s high walk rate actually helped him to a higher wRC+ than Darwish (187 versus 181).

On the world leaderboards as of 2037, Canduri is 9^th in games played, 34^th in at-bats (11,926), 6^th in runs, 17^th in hits, 50^th in doubles, 5^th in home runs, 7^th in RBI, 9^th in walks, and 11^th in WAR among position players. When including all players ever, Canduri sits 16^th in WAR. He has the most of an Indian-born player (Abbas was next at 154.7) and ranks 6^th among all players born in Asia.

Most people default to Darwish as South Asia Baseball’s GOAT because of his wacky power tallies, but Canduri was closer to matching his value than many realize. SAB has had some major offensive standouts in its history, but most usually have Darwish, Canduri, Upadhyaya, and Abbas in the top four. Canduri didn’t have quite as many awards as the others and didn’t have the real “signature run” with one team that the others had. Although he won a few titles, he also didn’t have huge playoff stats. Playing for eight different teams might have also caused some to overlook Canduri relative to his incredible production.

Where he lands on the world’s all-time rankings is always a fierce debate as well. SAB’s offensive environment (and homers especially) is higher than other world leagues, and some argue that the overall quality of play is among the low end relative to other leagues. Thus, some scholars might slightly nerf the big stat totals from guys like Canduri.

But even when you try to normalize the numbers, Canduri clearly emerges as an all-time immortal in terms of offensive production. Even the biggest SAB detractors would be unlikely to keep him off of top 50 lists for position players. In terms of purely batting, you could arguably stick him into the top 10. The few position players ahead of him in career WAR generally gained that extra value with defense. Canduri was an abysmal fielder and spent almost 1/3 of his career as a DH.

Any way you slice it; there have been very few players in baseball history to have the high contact, power, and eye skills that Canduri had. Even fewer maintained those skills at a high level well into their 40s. Canduri was a true inner-circle level talent and headlined SAB’s 2027 Hall of Fame class at 98.9%.

03-04-2025, 07:28 PM	#2105
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2027 EBF Hall of Fame For the first time since 2004, no players were added into the European Baseball Federation’s Hall of Fame. The closest to the 66% requirement in 2027 was SP Johannes Jol, falling painfully short at 64.6% on his ninth try. 3B Kyle Evrard was next at 58.9% also on his ninth ballot. Two debuts were above 50% with RF Dylan Fitzpatrick at 56.1% and LF Emilson Patino at 53.7%. CL Stefan Sedlak also topped 50% on his sixth go at 50.9%. SP Gabriel Mandelli fell off the ballot after ten failed tries, peaking at 27.0% on his 2018 debut and ending at 8.1%. He won a Pitcher of the Year late in his career in the African Association of Baseball, bouncing around in his final years. Mandelli’s EBF run was almost entirely with Milan, finishing with a 169-115 record, 3.35 ERA, 2607.1 innings, 2358 strikeouts, 116 ERA+, and 51.4 WAR. He needed either more dominance or more longevity to get any real traction. Also of note, two-way player Michael Stojanovic fell below 5% and was dropped on his ninth ballot, peaking at 29.2% in 2020. He spent 16 years with his hometown Vienna and as a pitcher had a 148-121 record, 3.88 ERA, 2585 innings, 1938 strikeouts, 101 ERA+, 87 FIP-, and 50.6 WAR. Stojanovic won five Silver Sluggers and played outfield with 1698 games, 1489 hits, 790 runs, 298 doubles, 127 triples, 190 home runs, 762 RBI, .300/.365/.527 slash, 144 wRC+, and 38.6 WAR. He was a tough one to evaluate as he definitely wasn’t good enough just as a pitcher or just as a hitter to fit in. The combined 89.2 WAR certainly puts Stojanovic in consideration, but he wasn’t dominant enough in either skill to earn the attention and accolades that other two-way stars got. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

03-05-2025, 06:24 AM	#2106
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2027 EPB Hall of Fame Two were added into Eurasian Professional Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2027, headlined by first ballot SP Wojciech Tarnawski at 87.1%. Fellow pitcher Roman Khilkevich joined him on his second ballot, barely crossing the 66% requirement at 66.4%. CL Povilas Zdancius didn’t miss by much with 63.6% for his third try. 1B Benjamin Bodnar also crossed 505% at 52.5% for his eighth attempt. CL Syarhey Golgovsky was dropped after ten failed ballots, peaking at 43.3% in 2024 and generally hovering in the 30s. For his time in EPB, Golgovsky had one Reliever of the Year, 276 saves, 339 shutdowns, 1.85 ERA, 793.1 innings, 1069 strikeouts, 230 walks, 149 ERA+, and 24.9 WAR. He bounced around other leagues in his final years to lower the final EPB accumulations. Golgovsky also didn’t have the raw dominance that most voters looked for when considering closers for the Hall of Fame. Wojciech Tarnawski – Starting Pitcher – Minsk Miners – 87.1% First Ballot Wojciech Tarnawski was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Gliwice, Poland; a city of around 175,000 in the south-central part of the country. Tarnawski had above average stuff and movement along with strong control. He wasn’t going to overpower you with his velocity peaking at 91-93 mph on an okay cutter. Tarnawski had an outstanding changeup though and a good curveball. He thrived by changing speeds and picking his spots. Tarnawski’s stamina and his defense were considered average relative to other EPB aces. He did have an excellent pickoff move and was tough to steal on. Tarnawski’s durability was good and he avoided the major arm issues that often doom pitchers. He was also known as a prankster in the clubhouse, sometimes endearing himself to teammates and sometimes being obnoxious. In the 2002 EPB Draft, Tarnawski was taken 15^th overall out of high school by Minsk. The Miners kept him in their developmental system in 2003 and 2004, then gave him limited innings across 2005 and 2006. Tarnawski had a part-time starting role from 2007-09 and finally cracked the rotation full-time in 2010. He had some good results in 2008-09, but it had fierce competition on the roster. Minsk was the EPB Championship runner-up in 2008 and European League runner-up in 2009. Tarnawski had struggled in the 2008 postseason with a 7.15 ERA in 11.1 innings, but had a quality start in 2009. From 2010-13, Tarnawski was worth 6+ WAR each year for Minsk. He led the EL ins trikeouts in both 2011 and 2012, posting his career bests for Ks (312) and ERA (2.07) in 2011. That effort earned Tarnawski a second place in Pitcher of the Year voting. Tarnawski led in innings, complete games, shutouts, and losses in 2013, taking third in POTY. He led in wins and innings in 2010. Minsk missed the playoffs in 2010, then won the EPB Championship over Omsk as a wild card in 2011. Tarnawski was excellent in the 2011 run, winning his three starts with a 1.88 ERA over 24 innings and 23 strikeouts. He was less impressive in the Baseball Grand Championship going 0-4 with a 4.03 ERA, 29 innings, and 29 strikeouts. The Miners were the last place team at 5-14. After being the dominant force in EPB for 60+ years, Minsk finally fell off with their first back-to-back losing seasons in 2013-14. It was time for a true rebuild for the first time and Tarnawski was a part of the fire sale, sent to Rostov before the 2015 campaign in a five-player deal. For Minsk, Tarnawski had a 111-84 record, 2.70 ERA, 1803 innings, 1911 strikeouts, 242 walks, 118 ERA+, and 43.3 WAR. In part from his role in the 2011 title, Tarnawski’s #2 uniform was eventually retired in the Belarusian capital. Tarnawski pitched two years with Rostov and was second in 2016’s Pitcher of the Year voting with a career-best 8.1 WAR. The Rhinos had won three straight pennants prior to his arrival and got back to the ELCS in 2015-16, but were ousted both years by Moscow. For Rostov, Tarnawski had a 32-16 record, 2.73 ERA, 488 innings, 470 strikeouts, 45 walks, 117 ERA+, and 11.9 WAR. He also allowed six runs (four earned) over 15 playoff innings. Heading towards age 34, Tarnawski was a free agent for the first time and signed a five-year, $52 million deal with Krasnoyarsk. Tarnawski never reached his previous production in the regular season, but was still reliably above average. He was more important for some nice playoff efforts as the Cossacks emerged as an Asian League contender. 2018 marked the start of what would be an 11-year playoff streak. Krasnoyarsk won the EPB Championship in 2018 over Krasnodar with Tarnawski throwing three complete game victories in the run. He was surprisingly reduced to six relief appearances in the Baseball Grand Championship with Krasnoyarsk finishing 9-10. The Cossacks then lost in the ALCS in 2019, 2020, and 2022 with a first round loss in 2021. Over 50 playoff innings for them, Tarnawski had a 3-1 record, 2.16 ERA, 37 strikeouts, 153 ERA+, and 0.7 WAR. For his playoff career, Tarnawski had a 7-4 record, 2.68 ERA, 107.1 innings, 96 strikeouts, 20 walks, 121 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. He also pitched for Poland in the World Baseball Championship from 2006-15, but often as a reliever. Over 66.1 innings, he had a 3.39 ERA, 84 strikeouts, and 0.9 WAR. Tarnawski’s final two seasons with Krasnoyarsk were both worth 5 WAR. His contract ended with the 2021 season and he certainly still seemed good enough for a spot somewhere. However, Tarnawski didn’t push his luck and decided to retire at age 38 before hitting that wall. For the Cossacks, he had a 61-49 record, 3.01 ERA, 1084.1 innings, 901 strikeouts, 110 ERA+, and 19.6 WAR. The final stats had a 204-149 record, 2.80 ERA, 3375.1 innings, 3282 strikeouts, 454 walks, 289/412 quality starts, 164 complete games, 33 shutouts, 115 ERA+, 82 FIP-, and 74.9 WAR. As of 2037, Tarnawski ranks 57^th in wins, 62^nd in innings, 66^th in complete games, 60^th in shutouts, 85^th in strikeouts, and 72^nd in pitching WAR. Tarnawski’s stats don’t put him at that inner-circle level, but he checked off most of the boxes the Eurasian Professional Baseball Hall of Fame voters looked for from an ace. Tarnawski had 200+ wins, 3000+ strikeouts, and was an important part of championship wins for both Minsk and Krasnoyarsk. He received 87.1% for a first ballot slot to headline the 2027 class. Roman Khilkevich – Starting Pitcher - Kazan Crusaders – 66.4% Second Ballot Roman Khilkevich was a 6’7’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from the capital of Belarus, Minsk. Khilkevich had above average-to-good stuff, movement, and control in his prime. His velocity peaked in the 94-96 mph range with a three-pitch arsenal of fastball, curveball, and changeup. Khilkevich’s stamina was excellent and he loved going deep in games, but this contributed to his myriad major injuries. He was also quite stubborn and unwilling to adapt at times. Khilkevich had a fantastic pickoff move and was one of the toughest guys to steal on. He graded as just below average defensively. In August 2004, a teenaged Khilkevich was spotted and signed to a developmental deal with Kazan. He’d pitch all of his innings for the Crusaders, debuting as a full-time starter in 2009 at age 21. Kazan had a run of contention early in Khilkevich’s career, falling in the European League Championship Series in 2010, 12, and 13. Khilkevich’s playoff stats were a mixed bag as he stunk in 2010, was decent in 2012, and awesome in 2013. He finished with a 3.47 ERA over 46.2 playoff innings, 37 strikeouts, 95 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. The Crusaders hovered around the mid-tier for the remaining of his tenure. Khilkevich was third in 2011’s Pitcher of the Year voting with his career bests in strikeouts (311), innings (281.1), and WAR (8.7). He had his first injury setbacks after that, missing two months in 2012 to elbow inflammation. Then in April 2013, Khilkevich suffered a torn rotator cuff. He made it back after only four months, shocking many as that injury often had upwards of a year’s recovery time. Khilkevich was dominant too in his small sample size post tear, leading Kazan to sign him that offseason to a five-year, $25,220,000 extension. In 2014, Khilkevich won Pitcher of the Year with league bests in wins (25-8), strikeouts (308), and WAR (8.1). He was also second in ERA at 2.06, his best to that point. Khilkevich was good, but not incredible in the next two seasons. He then suffered elbow inflammation that knocked him out for the second half of 2017. Khilkevich surprised Kazan by declining his contract option, but they soon worked out a new six-year, $58,200,000 deal. At age 30 in 2018, Khilkevich won his second Pitcher of the Year with his lone ERA title, a career best 1.86. The season had a catastrophic end though with a torn UCL suffered in the final week. 2018 would be his final full season, although Khilkevich did make it back for partial efforts in 2019 and 2020. He lost a good chunk of 2020 to a herniated disc. The injuries had tanked his velocity and stuff by this point and he now peaked in the 89-91 mph range. Kazan was still on the hook for his deal and kept Khilkevich under contract from 2021-23. However, he was never considered good enough to pitch a single inning in that stretch. Khilkevich officially retired after the 2023 season shortly after his 36^th birthday. The Crusaders soon after retired his #19 uniform. Khilkevich had a 157-82 record, 2.52 ERA, 2308.1 innings, 2309 strikeouts, 501 walks, 131 complete games, 34 shutouts, 128 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 54.1 WAR. The injuries tanked his final tallies and he misses the top 100 in the counting stats as of 2037. Khilkevich’s rate stats compared favorably to many other Eurasian Professional Baseball Hall of Fame starting pitchers, but his tallies were definitely borderline at best. EPB voters were generally pitcher-friendly though and several were sympathetic towards Khilkevich’s injury issues. Not many guys had two Pitcher of the Year wins and some voters appreciated guys who stayed with one team for their whole run. Khilkevich just missed the 66% cut in his 2026 ballot debut at 64.3%. He only barely bumped up in 2027 to 66.4%, but that got Khilkevich across the line for a second ballot induction. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

03-05-2025, 01:11 PM	#2107
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2027 OBA Hall of Fame The 2027 voting for the Oceania Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame didn’t have any debuts of consequence as the top newcomer got a whopping 12.4%. The ballot very nearly ended up blank, but also came close to having three returners cross the 66% threshold. SP Joel Wilson ended up being the lone selection by just crossing the line at 66.7% on his third ballot. Fellow third ballot pitcher George Hudson was a near miss at 64.1%. 3B Marlon Russell was the best position player at 60.3% for his fifth try. Two second ballot guys crossed 50% with SP Raj Marple at 59.8% and LF Samson Gould with 51.4%. No players fell off the ballot after ten failed attempts. Joel Wilson – Starting Pitcher – Guam Golden Eagles – 66.7% Third Ballot Joel Wilson was a 6’8’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Newcastle, Australia; a city of around 169,000 in New South Wales. Wilson had excellent movement on his pitches with good stuff, but his control was incredibly erratic. His fastball peaked in the 95-97 mph range with a slider, curveball, and splitter in his arsenal. Wilson had an extreme groundball tendency and didn’t allow many homers, but walks would get him in trouble at times. Wilson’s stamina was below average relative to the typical ace in the four-man rotation world of OBA. However, Wilson’s durability was generally solid and you’d regularly get a full workload. He had an excellent pickoff move with decent defense. Wilson was a pretty basic teammate and would never cause trouble, but you couldn’t look to him for leadership. He was first eligible for the 2002 OBA Draft and was picked 16^th overall by Brisbane. Wilson couldn’t come to terms with the Black Bears and spent another season in the college ranks. For the 2003 OBA Draft, he was picked eighth by Christchurch and ultimately signed with the Chinooks. Wilson was used as a part-time starter in his first three seasons, finally earning a full-time rotation slot in 2007. Wilson posted 7+ WAR in each of his first three full seasons with the Chinooks. He took third in 2007’s Pitcher of the Year voting. Wilson led the Australasia League in WAR in 2008 (7.5) and quality starts (32), but also had the most walks at 105. Still, he won Pitcher of the Year for that effort. Wilson was arguably better in 2009 with career bests in WAR (9.6) and strikeouts (286), but he wasn’t a finalist that year. During Wilson’s brief run, Christchurch was in the middle of the standings with Melbourne’s AL dynasty in full effect. For the Chinooks, he had a 70-50 record, 2.76 ERA, 1091 innings, 1040 strikeouts, 363 walks, 20 complete games, 141 ERA+, and 29.1 WAR. In January 2010, the 30-year old Wilson was traded to Guam in a four player deal, beginning what would become his signature run. After a nice debut effort, the Golden Eagles gave Wilson a four-year, $20,800,000 extension. Wilson never was an awards finalist or league leader for Guam, but he gave them fairly reliable production. He posted his career best ERA of 1.77 in 2016, although he was used for fewer innings than prior years. The Golden Eagles returned to the top spot of the Pacific League in 2016 at 107-55 and pulled off the shocking Oceania Championship upset over 126-36 Christchurch. Wilson gave up only one unearned run over his two starts in the series with 12 strikeouts over 15.2 innings. He then had a 3.38 ERA over 16 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship with Guam taking the top spot at 13-6. That winter, the Golden Eagles gave Wilson a two-year, $15,800,000 extension. Guam repeated as OBA champ in 2017 by beating Brisbane. Wilson’s one series start saw three runs over seven innings. He was lackluster in the 2017 BGC with a 4.78 ERA over 26.1 innings as the Golden Eagles this time were in the middle at 10-9. Wilson regressed hard in 2018 with a 5.56 ERA and Guam fell to 82-80. The team bounced back for a second place 95-67 in 2019 with Wilson rebounding somewhat. However, his season ended in mid-July with a fractured elbow. He opted to retire that winter just past his 40^th birthday and the Golden Eagles quickly retired his #28 uniform. For Guam, Wilson had a 154-119 record, 3.38 ERA, 2328.2 innings, 2065 strikeouts, 725 walks, 105 ERA+, and 43.8 WAR. The final stats had a 224-169 record, 3.18 ERA, 3419.2 innings, 3105 strikeouts, 1088 walks, 310/475 quality starts, 50 complete games, 16 shutouts, 114 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 72.9 WAR. As of 2037, Wilson is 21^st in wins, 31^st in innings, 46^th in strikeouts, 2^nd in walks, and 30^th in pitching WAR. His rate stats weren’t elite, but certainly weren’t completely out of place compared to other OBA Hall of Fame aces. Detractors felt Wilson wasn’t dominant enough and lacked the black ink expected of a great ace in the Oceania Baseball Association. Supporters pointed to his nice accumulations and important role in two championship wins for Guam. Wilson missed the cut in his first two ballots with 60.4% and 55.7%, respectively. With only weak debuts and a wide open 2027 field, Wilson got the push just across the line at 66.7%. He earned a third ballot induction barely and was OBA’s lone inductee for 2027. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

03-05-2025, 07:37 PM	#2108
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2027 APB Hall of Fame (Part 1) Three starting pitchers were added into Austronesia Professional Baseball’s Hall of Fame for 2027. Each made it on their ballot debut with Oliverio Sampoerna (95.9%) and Raja Kamal (92.1%) both as no-doubters. Yu-Ren Lin had his own nice tally at 76.8% to breach the 66% requirement. SP Bagus Ranga was the top returner at 51.7% on his sixth ballot. 3B Nicky Abizar was the best position player with 51.3% for his debut. No one else was above 50%. Dropped after ten failed ballots was SP Putra Adriani, who got as close as 60.5% in 2020 before ending at only 28.1%. Over 17 years, Andriani had a 189-173 record, 2.29 ERA, 3611 innings, 3274 strikeouts, 525 walks, 112 ERA+, and 58.2 WAR. He didn’t have the black ink or accolades and was mostly on forgettable teams apart from Bandung’s 2003 championship. Andriani’s longevity got him close, but with so many great pitchers in the low-offense world of APB, he didn’t have anything that made him stand out. Oliverio Sampoerna – Starting Pitcher - Zamboanga Zebras – 95.9% First Ballot Oliverio Sampoerna was a 6’1’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Hacienda, Philippines; a barangay of 6,000 in the city of Tabaco. Sampoerna had impressive stuff along with above average movement and control. His fastball regularly hit the 97-99 mph range, but all four of his offerings were tough with a slider, splitter, and curveball in the arsenal. Sampoerna had excellent stamina during his prime and was pretty durable in his 20s, although a major injury in his early 30s hurt his trajectory. He was solid at holding runners and had his moments defensively, including a Gold Glove win in 2012. Sampoerna was viewed as one of the great leaders and captains of his era, widely respected for his work ethic, leadership, loyalty, and adaptability. By the 2008 APB Draft, Sampoerna was one of the top ranked prospects out of the Philippines. He was picked eighth overall by Zamboanga and spent his entire career with the Zebras. Sampoerna was used only for 37 relief innings in 2009, then secured a full-time rotation spot from 2010 onward. His control was poor as a rookie with an association-worst 111 walks. By 2012, Sampoerna had cut down on the walks significantly and was a top level arm, posting six straight years with 6.5+ WAR. The Zebras gave him a six-year, $45,500,000 extension after the 2012 campaign. On just about any other team, Sampoerna would’ve been the undisputed ace. However, he played Robin for Zamboanga with Ching-Chen Yao as Batman with Yao winning Pitcher of the Year ten times from 2012-23. Together, they helped the Zebras start a Philippine League dynasty, taking the top spot from 2013-15 and from 2017-19. Sampoerna led the Taiwan-Philippine Association thrice in wins, innings pitched, quality starts, complete games, and shutouts. He had 300+ strikeouts each year from 2012-17 and twice had 10+ WAR seasons with 10.1 in 2014 and 10.5 in 2016. Sampoerna never led in Ks, WAR, or ERA; often because of Yao. He also never won Pitcher of the Year, but was second in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016 and third in 2017. On September 30, 2015, Sampoerna tossed APB’s 39^th perfect game in a ten strikeout effort versus Davao. He had a second no-hitter on October 6, 2017 in a playoff encounter against Taipei, striking out 12. The Zebras and Tigercats became regular foes in the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship as Taipei claimed the Taiwan League from 2012-20. Zamboanga dominated the rivalry, winning in 2013, 14, 15, 17, and 18. Taipei’s only win of their battles came in 2019. Zamboanga was 2-3 during this run in the Austronesia Championship. They won their first-ever title in 2013 over Bandung, then took second in the Baseball Grand Championship at 13-6. Sampoerna was 0-3 with a 3.09 ERA over 23.1 innings in the APB playoffs, followed by a 3.27 ERA over 33 innings in the BGC. The Zebras dropped the 2015 APB final to Pekanbaru, then lost in a 2015 rematch with the Blackhawks. After missing the 2016 playoffs, Zamboanga had their best record of 107-55 in 2017, but fell to Johor Bahru in the Austronesia Championship. That was Sampoerna’s best postseason with a 1.01 ERA over 26.2 innings, 41 strikeouts, and 3-0 record, earning MVP of the TPA Championship. For his playoff career, Sampoerna had a 7-6 record, 109.2 innings, 13 starts, 2.22 ERA, 130 strikeouts, 19 walks, 123 ERA+, and 3.7 WAR. Sampoerna did also pitch for the Philippines in the Baseball Grand Championship from 2013-18, posting a 5-4 record in 67.1 innings, 4.54 ERA, 90 strikeouts, 36 walks, and -0.4 WAR. Although his numbers were poor on the whole, Sampoerna was important in 2015 with a 3.26 ERA over 30.1 innings, 3-2 record, 36 strikeouts, and 16 walks. The Philippines won their first world title that year, defeating Mexico in the finals. In early June 2018, the now 31-year old Sampoerna signed a six-year, $88,200,000 extension. Only two weeks later, he suffered a torn flexor tendon with a 12 month recovery. Zamboanga did win their second APB title that fall and got revenge against the Blue Wings, but Sampoerna had to watch wearing a sling. He never reached his previous levels of dominance after that injury. Sampoerna did make it back for the second part of 2019, but struggled to a career worst 3.25 ERA over 97 innings. He was a healthy scratch in the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship as Taipei finally knocked of Zamboanga. While the Zebras kept their run of winning seasons intact for the next three years, 2019 was their last playoff trip with Sampoerna. He bounced back and was a good starter in 2020 with 5.2 WAR. Sampoerna’s velocity plummeted soon after, going from a 97-99 mph peak down to 91-93 mph. He was still a decent starter in 2021, but his strikeout totals dropped significantly. Sampoerna’s velocity fell more for 2022 and he wasn’t used all season despite being under contract. He retired that winter at age 35 and immediately had his #8 uniform retired by Zamboanga. Sampoerna finished with a 183-110 record, 1.99 ERA, 2773 innings, 3132 strikeouts, 624 walks, 129 complete games, 46 shutouts, 136 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 72.4 WAR. As of 2037, Sampoerna ranks 50^th in wins, 90^th in innings, 57^th in complete games, 24^th in shutouts, 67^th in strikeouts, and 42^nd in WAR among pitchers. His tallies certainly were dented by the flexor tear injury shortening his career. Among pitchers with 1000+ innings, Sampoerna ranks 38^th in ERA, 75^th in WHIP (0.89), and 41^st in opponent’s OPS (.531). His 5.94 H/9 ranks 35^th and his .190/.243/.288 triple slash is 39^th/89^th/27^th. The rate stats certainly showed Sampoerna was definitely Hall of Fame worthy, but he was very much overlooked and underappreciated by many in his time. Of course, being the #2 pitcher on your team for your entire prime hurts the notoriety, but those are the breaks when your teammate is arguably the league’s greatest pitcher ever. Voters didn’t hold that against Sampoerna with 95.9%, easily headlining the three-player 2027 class for Austronesia Professional Baseball. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

03-06-2025, 05:44 AM	#2109
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2027 APB Hall of Fame (Part 2) Raja “Jammer” Kamal – Starting Pitcher – Kuala Lumpur Leopards – 92.1% First Ballot Raja Kamal was a 6’3’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Sikandra, India; a town of around 13,500 in the Uttar Pradesh state. Kamal was known for very strong stuff with good movement and above average control. The nicknamed “Jammer” came from his 96-98 mph cutter, although his curveball was often equally frustrating for batters. Kamal also had a circle change as a third pitch in the arsenal. Kamal’s stamina was good relative to other APB aces and he had excellent durability, tossing 200+ innings in all but his first and final seasons. He had a nice pickoff move and was an excellent defensive pitcher, winning Gold Gloves in 2008 and 2010. Kamal’s work ethic was top notch and he was also appreciated for his adaptability and loyalty. In September 2001, Kamal left India on a developmental deal with Kuala Lumpur, who at the time was part of South Asia Baseball. Shortly after his debut, the Leopards had moved from SAB to Austronesia Professional Baseball. Kamal was already committed though to KL and stayed loyal to the Leopards for giving him a shot. Thus, he ended up as the first (and only as of 2037) Indian inducted into APB’s Hall of Fame. Kamal spent most of five years in their academy before debuting in 2007 primarily in relief with 73.1 innings. That was his lone SAB season, as Kuala Lumpur departed for APB starting with 2008. He was a full-time starter for their APB debut and held that role 14 years with the Leopards. 2010 started a 13-year run of seasons worth 5+ WAR for Kamal with six of those worth 7+. He had a sub-two ERA seven times and 300+ strikeouts nine times. He didn’t get a ton of awards attention though, partially due to Kuala Lumpur struggling for much of their early tenure in APB. After the 2011 season, Kamal reaffirmed his commitment to Kuala Lumpur on a five-year, $33,080,000 extension. He added another five years and $47,500,000 signed in April 2016. Kamal was best known for his run in Malaysia, but he did represent India from 2018-22 in the World Baseball Championship with a 1.85 ERA over 34 innings and 39 strikeouts. Kamal led with a career high 341 strikeouts in 2015 and had his highest WAR at 8.4. The Leopards also earned their first-ever playoff trip in APB, but lost to Bandung in the Sundaland Association Championship. Kamal held up his end, allowing one run over seven innings in his one start. It was 2017 when he finally broke out and earned Pitcher of the Year with a career and SA best 1.09 ERA. As of 2037, that ranks as the 15^th-best qualifying ERA in the low-scoring world of APB. On July 4, 2018, Kamal tossed APB’s 41^st perfect game in a 13 strikeout performance against Jakarta. He carried on and was third in 2021’s Pitcher of the Year voting at age 35. Kuala Lumpur made it back to the playoffs, but he struggled in his one start and they were ousted by Palembang. This also marked the end of Kamal’s run in Kuala Lumpur, as he became a free agent for the first time at age 36. He ultimately left APB and ended up in the Central American Baseball Association, signing a three-year, $37,500,000 deal with Guatemala. The Leopards would honor him a few years later by retiring his #2 uniform. Kamal arrived to help christen a dynasty run for the Ghosts, who won four straight Caribbean League titles from 2022-25. Kamal had a 5.4 WAR effort in 2022 and a 2.08 ERA over 17.1 playoff innings as they won the CABA Championship over Juarez. He was then a stud in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 0.63 ERA over 28.2 innings and 29 strikeouts. Guatemala was one of four times tied for ninth at 10-9. He was still good in 2023, but was less impressive in the postseason with a 5.82 ERA over 21.2 in the CABA run and a 4.03 ERA over 22.1 innings in the BGC. Guatemala was denied the CABA repeat by a 117-win Mexico City, but finished second in the Baseball Grand Championship at 13-6. Unfortunately, Kamal’s velocity fell sharply for 2024 and he was only used for 15 relief innings. Kamal didn’t see postseason action, although the Ghosts won the CABA title again and was 9-10 in the BGC. Kamal retired after the 2024 season at age 39, giving him Guatemala tallies of a 35-17 record, 3.04 ERA, 511.2 innings, 449 strikeouts, 73 walks, 131 ERA+, and 9.6 WAR. For his combined pro career, he had a 235-182 record, 2.21 ERA, 4032 innings, 4682 strikeouts, 730 walks, 146 complete games, 37 shutouts, 123 ERA+, and 99.7 WAR. In APB, which was his entire Kuala Lumpur run sans 2007, Kamal had a 195-163 record, 2.05 ERA, 3447 innings, 4175 strikeouts, 627 walks, 124 complete games, 33 shutouts, 123 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 90.0 WAR. As of 2037, Kamal is 38^th in wins, 31^st in innings, 68^th in complete games, 58^th in shutouts, 16^th in strikeouts, and 24^th in WAR among pitchers. Among those with 1000+ innings, Kamal’s ERA ranks 48^th, his 0.89 WHIP is 75^th, and his .540 opponent’s OPS is 59^th. Kamal’s 10.90 K/9 is 66^th and his 6.37 H/9 ranks 91^st. His .200/.242/.298 triple slash is 91^st/85^th/59^th. Kamal probably falls just short of what many view as the “inner circle” level, but his Hall of Fame candidacy was close to a sure thing. At 92.1%, he was the second of three debuts to earn induction with Austronesia Professional Baseball’s 2027 class. Yu-Ren Lin – Pitcher – Taipei Tigercats – 76.8% First Ballot Yu-Ren Lin was a 6’7’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Chingshui, Taiwan; a district within Taichung City. Lin had great stuff and stellar movement in his prime, although his control was subpar for most of his run. His fastball peaked in the 96-98 mph range and was mixed in with a changeup, splitter, and cutter. All four options were generally viewed as equally potent. Lin’s stamina was a bit below average relative to other APB aces and the high pitch counts from his weak control often kept him from going deeper into games. He still gave you full workloads generally with reliable durability. Lin struggled to hold runners once they got on and he was lousy defensively. You weren’t going to outwork Lin though, who drew praise for his work ethic, adaptability, intelligence, and selflessness. He wasn’t at the top of prospect lists as he attended the Taiwan Sports University in Taoyuan. Lin was the first pick of the third round, 41^st overall, in the 2004 APB Draft by Taipei. He ultimately spent his entire APB career with the Tigercats, although his use was limited initially. Lin’s first four seasons from 2006-09 were spent between use from the bullpen and as a back-end starter, posting unremarkable production. Lin did show his first flash of greatness on August 15, 2009, tossing a no-hitter with 10 strikeouts and three walks against Kaohsiung. Lin was moved to the rotation full-time in 2010 and held that role for 11 years with Taipei. He generally wasn’t a league leader apart from having the most wins in 2012 and 2018. Lin did notably toss a second no-hitter on July 24, 2012 with 12 Ks and 3 BB facing Taichung. Lin was reliably worth 4+ WAR during his run as a starter and topped 7+ WAR in three seasons. He never was a Pitcher of the Year finalist, although it was going to be hard to complete in the Taiwan-Philippine Association with Zamboanga’s Ching-Chen Yao and Oliverio Sampoerna. Taipei dominated the Taiwan League during Lin’s tenure, taking first from 2009-10 and then from 2012-20. He stayed loyal throughout, inking a four-year, $22,360,000 extension in April 2012 and a five-year, $49,500,000 extension in April 2016. The knock on the Tigercats was their inability to win the TPA title despite their dominance. From 2009-15, they won 98+ games each year and had zero pennants to show for it. The Tigercats did finally win the pennant over Davao in 2016, falling to Semarang in the Austronesia Championship. Taipei was defeated in 2017 and 2018 by Zamboanga, who had also ousted them from 2013-15. Lin would have his third no-hitter on September 8, 2017 with 12 Ks and 2 BB against Tainan. The Tigercats finally got one over on the Zebras in 2019, but lost the APB finale to Palembang. Lin’s playoff stats were a mixed bag in his career, finishing with a 2.30 ERA over 113.2 innings, 118 ERA+, 7-6 record, 111 strikeouts, and 2.4 WAR. 2020 was their weakest season of the run by record at 88-74, but they ousted Manila for the TPA pennant and got revenge in the APB Championship over the Panthers. That run was Lin’s finest effort at age 37, posting a 0.60 ERA over 30 playoff innings with 22 strikeouts. Taipei finished 9-10 in the 2020 Baseball Grand Championship with Lin having a 3.98 ERA and 88 ERA+ over 31.2 innings. In 2020, Lin also reached the 200 win and 3000 strikeout milestones. But his production had dipped some in the regular season and for 2021, he was taken out of the full-time rotation into a split bullpen/starter role and only posted 0.8 WAR. Lin’s contract expired that winter and he became a free agent for the first time heading towards age 39. Lin managed to impress Major League Baseball’s Raleigh in the offseason and landed a two-year, $16 million deal for the expansion squad’s second season. He underwhelmed in spring training and was cut in early April after only one poor relief appearance. Salt Lake City grabbed him a week later, but he was little better with an 8.59 ERA over 14.2 relief innings. The Loons cut him in July and he spent the rest of the year with minor league Laredo. Lin retired that winter at age 39 and immediately had his #27 uniform retired back in Taipei. For the Tigercats, Lin had a 212-114 record, 2.35 ERA, 2933.2 innings, 3137 strikeouts, 756 walks, 47 complete games, 20 shutouts, 117 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 70.3 WAR. As of 2037, Lin is 23^rd in wins, 71^st in innings, 66^th in strikeouts, 15^th in walks, and 46^th in WAR among pitchers. He was also 34^th in WAR among pitchers in the postseason. Lin wasn’t overly dominant and wasn’t viewed as a top three level pitcher in his prime, but he was steadily a top ten to top five level guy. Although he lacked the big accolades, Lin was remembered favorably as a key figure during Taipei’s reign of dominance in the Taiwan League. His effort specifically in 2020 when the Tigercats finally won it all was one of the most recent and endearing memories of Lin for the voters. Thus, he got 76.8% for a first ballot induction and the third slot in Austronesia Professional Baseball’s 2027 Hall of Fame class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

	PGA 2K25 Can't Squander Hot Start With VC Greed
	MLB The Show 25 Franchise Mode In-Depth Breakdown
	PGA Tour 2K25 Review: A Pure Drive Down the Fairway

03-07-2025, 06:52 AM	#2111
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2027 WAB Hall of Fame West African Baseball added two into the Hall of Fame for 2027, captained by SP Christopher Larbi at a nearly unanimous 99.2%. 3B/DH Ogunfeyimi Udoka joined him on his second ballot, making it past the 66% requirement at 70.1%. 2B Kevin Ge narrowly missed in his second try at 63.8%. Also above 50% was SP Isaac Appiah at 55.1% on his third ballot and CL Francis Koomson at 52.0% for his seventh go. Pitcher Emma Markson fell off after ten failed ballots, getting above 60% twice and ending at 42.9%. He was hurt by having his career split between starting and relief, the switch coming at age 28 after a ruptured disc. Markson pitched 14 yars for Lome and won Pitcher of the Year in 2002, finishing with a 117-83 record, 3.20 ERA, 1715.1 innings, 2155 strikeouts, 255 walks, 124 ERA+, and 33.9 WAR. He was on a nice pace, but fell way short of the needed tallies. It was somewhat surprising Markson actually got as close to induction as he did. Christopher Larbi – Starting Pitcher – Abidjan Athletes – 99.2% First Ballot Christopher Larbi was a 5’11’’, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Cape Coast, Ghana; a city of around 108,000 people. Larbi had great stuff, solid control, and above average movement. His fastball peaked in the 97-99 mph range and was good, but it was Larbi’s fantastic knuckle curve which was his most dangerous pitch. He also had a nice slider and forkball, plus an okay changeup. WAB starters weren’t expected to go deep into games anywhere as often as other leagues, but Larbi’s stamina was low even by those standards with six career complete games. He had ironman durability though, so you’d go no shortage of appearances. Larbi’s innings weren’t as frequent as other aces, but his were incredible efficient. He had an excellent pickoff move, but was otherwise weak defensively. Larbi was sometimes considered selfish, but he never was a malcontent. In March 2002, Larbi was signed as a teenage amateur by Abidjan, making the move from Ghana to the Ivory Coast. He spent five full years in their academy before debuting in 2007 at age 21 with part-time use. Larbi was a back-end starter in 2008, then a full-time one generally after that. In 2009, he had a 3.72 ERA over 19.1 playoff innings with 24 strikeouts as the Athletes beat Ibadan for the WAB Championship. It was Abidjan’s fifth straight playoff trip, but the first time they had broken through in that run. The Athletes made it back to the final in 2010, but lost to Cotonou in the Championship. Abidjan then suffered back-to-back Western League Championship Series defeats. Larbi’s playoff stats were poor in this era, but he had begun to emerge as a regular season force. He had 5+ WAR each year from 2009-15 and was the WARlord in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. During this run, Larbi led in wins four times, ERA thrice, strikeouts thrice, WHIP five times, K/BB four times, and FIP- six times. Larbi was second in 2010’s Pitcher of the Year voting, then won for the first time in 2012 with career and league bests in ERA (1.72), WHIP (0.78), quality starts (260), ERA+ (225), FIP- (49), and WAR (8.4). Larbi’s ERA mark is the ninth-best qualifying season in WAB history as of 2037 and is one of only 33 qualifying seasons below two. He also was third in 2012’s MVP voting. In 2013, Larbi tossed WAB’s ninth pitching Triple Crown season with a 19-6 record, 2.93 ERA, and 258 Ks to repeat as Pitcher of the Year. That winter, Abidjan signed Larbi to a six-year, $87,300,000 extension. He three-peated with a league and career-best 314 strikeouts in 2014, taking second in ERA at 2.62. Larbi made it four straight in 2015 with his third ERA title (2.38) and fourth time as the WARlord (7.9). Larbi was only the fifth WAB pitcher to win the award four times and the first to do it consecutively. Abidjan missed the playoffs in 2013, then had back-to-back second round exits in 2014-15. The Athletes missed the playoffs from 2016-17, then had a WLCS loss in 2018 and second round loss in 2019. For his playoff career with Abidjan, Larbi had a lackluster 2-6 record, 4.19 ERA, 88 innings, 123 strikeouts, 95 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. Larbi dropped off noticeably from 2016-18 with ERAs back above three, but he returned to form with his fourth ERA title in 2019 at 2.42. He led in WAR for the fifth time and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Before the 2019 season, Abidjan had given Larbi a five-year, $49 million extension. The team went 108-54 that year, but was open to trade offers despite just re-signing Larbi. His value had spiked after his 2019 resurgence and the Athletes moved him in the offseason to Conakry for two prospect outfielders. For Abidjan, he had a 184-72 record, 2.76 ERA, 2334 innings, 3101 strikeouts, 318 walks, 155 ERA+, and 68.8 WAR. Larbi remained very popular after leaving and his #13 uniform would soon be retired. The deal with the Coyotes was also a bit surprising since they were a direct competitor for Abidjan, having lost in the WLCS in 2019. Conakry hoped Larbi could be the final piece to get them over the hump. Larbi moved to Guinea and ultimately never played for either team from his native Ghana. He did see sporadic use for Ghana in the World Baseball Championship from 2008-10, 2016-18, and 2021. In the WBC, Larbi had a 3-7 record, 3.51 ERA, 66.2 innings, 87 strikeouts, 16 walks, and 0.3 WAR. In 2020, Larbi was third in Pitcher of the Year voting and Conakry indeed got over that hump. The Coyotes had a franchise-best 107-55 season and won their second WAB title, besting Yaounde in the final. Larbi did struggle in his two playoff starts, giving up 10 runs in 11.1 innings. He redeemed himself in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 1.24 ERA over 29 innings and 39 strikeouts. Conakry surprised many observers with a second place finish at 14-5, just behind Denver’s 15-4. That was the best-ever finish by a WAB team to that point. Larbi had a respectable 2021 and gave up one run over nine playoff innings as Conakry lost the WLCS to Abidjan. That year, he crossed the 200 win and 3500 strikeout thresholds. Larbi still seemed capable, but decided to retire that winter at age 35. With the Coyotes, Larbi had a 24-16 record, 3.48 ERA, 367.2 innings, 448 strikeouts, 56 walks, 127 ERA+, and 7.6 WAR. The final stats for Larbi: 208-88 record, 2.86 ERA, 2701.2 innings, 3549 strikeouts, 374 walks, 219/402 quality starts, 6 complete games, 3 shutouts, 151 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 76.4 WAR. As of 2037, Larbi is 6^th in wins, 29^th in innings, 8^th in strikeouts, and 7^th in WAR among pitchers. Even with relatively fewer innings and a shorter run than some Hall of Fame levels, Larbi’s excellent efficiency gave him strong counting stats. Among WAB pitchers with 1000+ innings as of 2037, Larbi is 24^th in ERA, 9^th in WHIP (0.97), and 26^th in opponent’s OPS (.620). His .224/.259/.362 triple slash ranks 33^rd/17^th/42^nd. Larbi’s 11.82 K/9 is 31^st, his 7.45 H/9 is 35^th, and his 1.25 BB/9 ranks 19^th. Among all Hall of Fame starters in world history, Larbi’s ERA+ ranks 26^th. He was definitely among the most efficient starters of his era. Larbi’s final totals often aren’t quite high enough to get him into the #1 spot, but most top ten WAB pitcher lists have Larbi on there somewhere. At 99.2%, Larbi was a near unanimous selection and the headliner for West African Baseball’s 2027 Hall of Fame class. Ogunfeyimi Udoka – Third Base/Designated Hitter – Niamey Atomics – 70.1% Second Ballot Ogunfeyimi Udoka was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed hitting third baseman from Ibi, Nigeria; a town of 84,000 in the country’s southeast. Udoka was a solid contract hitter with an excellent pop in his bat against right-handed pitching. His 162 game average got you 40 doubles and 35 home runs with almost all of the power against RHP (career 1.006 OPS, 157 wRC+). Udoka struggled facing lefties with .689 OPS and 78 wRC+ for his career. Udoka was average at best in regards to drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts on the whole. His baserunning skills were okay, but his speed was mediocre. From 2012-18, Udoka was a full-time third baseman and was a generally lousy defender. Before and after that stretch, he was mainly a designated hitter. About 2/3 of his career starts came at 3B in total with almost all of the rest at DH. Udoka had mostly good durability and intelligence, which combined with his power meant you’d find a spot for him in the lineup somewhere. In August 2001, Udoka was signed as a teenage amateur to a developmental deal with Niamey. He debuted for the Atomics in 2005 at age 20, although he struggled over only 35 games and 15 starts. Udoka was a part-timer for the next two years, showing lots of promise in 2007 specifically with 30 home runs and 3.5 WAR over only 45 starts and 102 games. Niamey was a contender in Udoka’s earliest years, winning back-to-back Eastern League pennants in 2006-07. They lost the 2006 WAB Championship to Monrovia, then got revenge against the Diplomats in 2007. Udoka stepped up big in the 2007 run, starting 10 games with 11 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, and 13 RBI. That helped him earn the full-time starting gig from 2008 onward. Udoka led the league in doubles in both 2009 (54) and 2011 (54), which was the only stat he ever led in. Udoka did notably hit 40+ homers in both 2009 and 2010 and had 100+ RBI six times. He won his two Silver Sluggers (as a DH) in 2009 and 2010, taking second in MVP voting both years. 2010 had his career bests in WAR (7.6), runs (119), and homers (45). Udoka also took third in 2014’s MVP voting with his career best triple slash (.370/.414/.688) and OPS (1.082). Niamey stayed above .500 from 2008-15, but couldn’t match their earlier playoff runs. The Atomics had second round exits in 2009 and 2010, followed by first round defeats in 2011 and 2014. Apart from the great 2007 run, Udoka’s playoff numbers were underwhelming. He finished with 33 games, 28 hits, 22 runs, 4 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 25 RBI, .228/.301/.512 slash, 114 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. Udoka’s stats were similar representing his native Nigeria from 2008-15 in the World Baseball Championship. He had a nice 2011 run, helping the Nigerians to a fourth place finish. On the whole in the WBC, Udoka had 39 games and 29 starts with 28 hits, 15 runs, 4 doubles, 8 home runs, 23 RBI, .262/.313/.523 slash, 136 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR. In August 2008, Udoka had signed an eight-year, $25,460,000 extension with Niamey. He continued forward with mostly good results, but struggled to start off the 2016 campaign; his final year under contract. The Atomics were struggling as a whole and they’d end up at 67-95, their first losing season in two decades. It became clear that a rebuild was in order and they traded Udoka at the end of May to Port Harcourt for prospect pitcher Saifoulaye Bangoura. Bangoura ended up being a serviceable back-end arm for the Atomics for 15 years. Udoka finished in Naimey with 1511 games, 1714 hits, 934 runs, 391 doubles, 327 home runs, 1033 RBI, 438 walks, .318/.369/.584 slash, 146 wRC+, and 48.3 WAR. He had become a popular player over his 11 year tenure in Niger and Udoka’s #29 uniform would be eventually retired. Port Harcourt was the 2015 WAB Champion, but had started slow in 2016 and hoped Udoka could help steady the ship. He was decent with 23 home runs, 76 RBI, and 2.4 WAR over 88 games and 69 starts. However, the Hillcats ended up finishing at .500. Udoka was now a free agent for the first time at age 32 and inked a five-year, $38 million deal with Accra. Udoka was a good starter in his first two years for Accra, even hitting 42 dingers in 2018. The Alligators got to 89-73 in 2017; their best effort since 2001, but fell just short of the playoffs. Accra would be below average for the rest of Udoka’s run. He declined in year three and was a weak backup for his final two years, retiring after the 2020 campaign at age 36. For the Alligators, Udoka had 420 games, 381 hits, 202 runs, 84 doubles, 88 home runs, 236 RBI, .282/.322/.542 slash, 118 wRC+, and 6.9 WAR. The final stats for Udoka had 2019 games, 2187 hits, 1191 runs, 497 doubles, 36 triples, 438 home runs, 1345 RBI, 522 walks, 1258 strikeouts, .310/.359/.578 slash, 140 wRC+, and 57.7 WAR. As of 2037, Udoka ranks 74^th in hits, 70^th in runs, 48^th in doubles, 47^th in home runs, 58^th in RBI, 62^nd in total bases (4070), and 63^rd in WAR among position players. His .936 OPS is 60^th among WAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, as was his slugging. Udoka’s tallies were definitely on the borderline compared to other Hall of Famers for West African Baseball. Supporters pointed out Niamey’s team success while Udoka was there, along with steady power and three finishes as an MVP finalist. Detractors thought his tallies weren’t quite high enough and he didn’t have the raw dominance to overrule that. He also lost some points for being a DH for a 1/3 of his run. In his 2026 ballot debut, Udoka barely missed the 66% requirement at 65.2%. He won over a few more voters in 2027 to get to 70.1%, securing the second ballot induction. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

03-07-2025, 04:05 PM	#2112
MrNFL_FanIQ MVP OVR: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008	2027 SAB Hall of Fame (Part 1) The 2027 Hall of Fame class for South Asia Baseball was an impressive one with three players added on their first ballot. LF/DH Ratan Canduri was the clear headliner at 98.9%, joined by relief pitchers Viaan Ramakrishna (88.1%) and Seyha San (80.7%). Two returners cracked 50% with CF Chris Saandeep at 54.0% on his second ballot and CL Khon Aye Ko at 50.9% in his fourth try. No players were removed after ten failed ballots. Ratan “Fang” Canduri – Left Field/Designated Hitter – Mandalay Mammoths – 98.9% Ratan Canduri was a 6’1’’, 195 pound right-handed left fielder from Bhuj, India; a city of around 188,000 in the country’s west. Canduri was famous for his outstanding home run power which many scouts rated as a 10/10 in his prime. He was also an elite contact hitter with an excellent eye for drawing walks, although his strikeout rate was average at best. Few batters in all of baseball history though were as efficient and effective at the plate. Canduri’s 162 game average got you 49 home runs, 30 doubles, and 2 triples. He was also a very intelligent and skilled baserunner despite having poor speed. Canduri’s main downside was being an abysmal fielder. About 60% of his starts came in left field with sporadic use at first base. Around 30% of his starts were as a designated hitter. Canduri had remarkable longevity and mostly avoided major injuries, playing 130+ games in 21 consecutive seasons. His bat was so incredible that he remained a strong starter into his 40s. Canduri was adaptable to his situations and emerged as a megastar worldwide and arguably the best-ever player from India. In June 1994, a teenaged Canduri was spotted and signed to a developmental deal with Mandalay. He spent a bit over three years in their academy in Myanmar before making his debut in 1997 at age 20. Canduri wasn’t fully formed yet and was mediocre in his first three years, posting -0.5 WAR over 196 games and 86 starts. Canduri put things together in 2000 with 34 homers, 4.8 WAR, and 1.011 OPS over 125 games and 85 starts. The Mammoths gave him an eight-year, $10,720,000 extension that winter in hopes that they had found their star. After a good 2001, Canduri became elite from 2002-08 with Mandalay. Each season had OPS above one, 40+ homers, 100+ RBI, and 7+ WAR. For the Mammoths, he led the Southeast Asia League thrice in OPS, wRC+, and total bases; twice in average, on-base percentage, slugging, and walks; and once in hits, homers, RBI, and WAR. Canduri won Silver Sluggers each year in left except for 2007. 2002 was the first of seven seasons total with 50+ homers. Canduri was second in 2003’s MVP voting, winning his first batting title (.347). He won his first MVP in 2006 with SAB’s second-ever hitting Triple Crown to that point with 65 homers, 139 RBI, and a .367 average. Canduri’s .486 on-base percentage set a new world record and his .806 slugging and 1.292 OPS were both new SAB records. This season also had Canduri’s career bests for WAR (13.2) and walks (118). Canduri bested his power numbers in 2008 with career highs of 74 home runs, 154 RBI, and 473 total bases. He also won his third batting title (.383), topped his slugging (.834), and matched his 1.292 OPS from 2008. However, this started the trend of Canduri’s excellence being overshadowed by Hanoi’s Majed Darwish. That year, Darwish beat out Canduri for MVP by obliterating world power records at 85 homers and 220 RBI. Darwish also usurped Canduri’s SAB slugging and OPS records. While Canduri had become a known star in SEAL, he also was perhaps underappreciated to that point due to Mandalay’s struggles. The Mammoths didn’t make the playoffs in his reign, peaking at 88-74 in 2007. Canduri was due for free agency in 2009 at age 32 and decided to test the market. He couldn’t get the long-term deal he wanted from anyone, ultimately signing a one-year, $4,960,000 deal with Ho Chi Minh City. The Hedgehogs had been the perennial power to that point and were on a 22-year playoff streak. 2009 would be the last year of that streak, but they capped it off with their sixth SAB Championship and 14^th SEAL title of the run. Canduri had 67 homers, 140 RBI, 1.227 OPS, and 10.7 WAR, but again was second in MVP voting because Darwish had a bonkers 91 homers, 209 RBI, and 1.293 OPS. HCMC beat Jaipur for the title with Canduri getting 20 hits, 10 runs, 5 doubles, 5 homers, and 13 RBI in his first 17 playoff games. Canduri played on the World Baseball Championship stage prior to that, playing 180 games for India from 2002-20. He had 138 hits, 130 runs, 55 homers, 125 RBI, 25 doubles, .224/.352/.532 slash, and 7.9 WAR. Canduri had a big showing in 2009 as the Indians won their first World Championship over the United States, starting 24 games with 22 hits, 25 runs, 9 doubles, 7 homers, and 22 RBI. India also notably finished fourth place the next year. For 2010, the 33-year old Canduri was back in free agency and switched to the Indian League on a one-year, $5,300,000 deal with Pune. He played first base this year and won a Silver Slugger there along with his second MVP. Canduri led in homers (69), OBP (.475), slugging (.796), OPS (1.270), wRC+ (262), and WAR (12.6) and added career highs in runs (149) and hits (201). The Purple Knights took the top seed at 109-53, but were upset by Kolkata in the ILCS. Canduri finally signed a longer deal for 2011, joining Bengaluru at $14,900,000 over three years. He played two seasons for the Blazers and dropped off notably in 2011 with a bad by his standards 5.3 WAR season. Canduri rebounded with a Silver Slugger (at 1B) and a second place in MVP voting for 2012, leading in OPS for the fifth time. The Blazers were in the middle of the standings these years and Canduri declined the third-year option, finishing with 14.3 WAR, 211 wRC+, and 1.068 OPS over 274 games for Bengaluru. Canduri stayed in the IL on a one-year, $8,400,000 deal for 2013 with Delhi. Here, he won his third MVP and ninth Silver Slugger (his third at 1B). Canduri had an incredible triple slash of .406/.487/.817 for a 1.304 OPS, 270 wRC+, and 11.8 WAR. This set SAB single-season records for average and OBP with the OBP mark still standing as of 2037 and the average getting beaten only once. The OPS was third only behind Darwish’s 1.321 in 2010 and 1.312 from 2008. As of 2037, Canduri’s 1.304 OPS from 2013 is one of only six seasons in all of world history above 1.300. In SAB, Canduri has the #3, #5, #6, #8, and #9 best OPS seasons. He also has the #4, #5, #7, #9, and #10 ranked seasons by slugging percentage. In all of world history as of 2037, a slugging above .800 has happened 41 times; three of these are Canduri. This 2013 effort got Delhi to the ILCS, but they lost to Visakhapatnam. Canduri would miss the postseason due to a broken bone in his elbow suffered in early September. Back to free agency he went, this time signing a one-year, $8,000,000 deal with Yangon. This brought him back to the Southeast Asia League for the first time since his Ho Chi Minh City stint. He ended up signing on for a second year with the Green Dragons at $7,500,000. By this point, Yangon was in the middle of what would be a world record 29 season playoff streak. Canduri led in OPS for the seventh and final two and led in OBP twice more, but his prolific power was gone as he was now in his late 30s. Still, he was good for 30+ homers for another seven years. Canduri was third in 2014’s MVP voting and Yangon won the SEAL title, falling to Kolkata in the SAB Championship. Canduri had 14 hits, 8 runs, 3 homers, and 12 RBI in the playoff run. Yangon won it all in 2015, defeating Mumbai for the SAB Championship with Canduri getting 16 hits, 10 runs, 5 homers, and 8 RBI in the playoff run. The Green Dragons struggled to 6-13 in the Baseball Grand Championship, but Canduri thrived in 19 starts with 1.240 OPS, 20 hits, 17 runs, 10 homers, and 14 RBI. Canduri was now 39-years old, but still hitting at a very high level. He signed two years and $24,200,000 with Kanpur, posting 12.5 WAR over 294 games, 300 hits, 177 runs, 59 doubles, 73 homers, 184 RBI, and .960 OPS. Canduri won his tenth and final Silver Slugger in 2017 back in left field. The Poison fell in the 2016 ILCS with Canduri struggling to -0.2 WAR in the playoffs. He redeemed himself in 2017 with 1.099 OPS, 5 homers, and 13 RBI as Kanpur won the Indian League pennant, falling to Yangon for the SAB Championship. With the Poison, Canduri also continued his climb up SAB’s leaderboards. He and Darwish both joined the 900 home run club in August 2017. In September 2016, Canduri was the third to 3000 hits and a month prior, he was the fourth to 2000 RBI. The top power marks of Tirtha Upadhyaya seemed catchable, but Canduri knew he wouldn’t get the #1 spot with the younger Darwish already ahead of him. Canduri returned to Yangon in 2018 and scored his 2000^th run, passing Manju Abbas that season for the SAB record. Of course, Darwish reached 2000 runs only two months later and soon passed Canduri for the top spot. A late season twisted ankle kept Canduri out for the playoffs as the top-seeded Green Dragons were upset in the first round. Between Yangon stints, Canduri played 430 games with 477 hits, 314 runs, 79 doubles, 117 home runs, 320 RBI, .305/.396/.593 slash, 169 wRC+, and 19.5 WAR. Now 42-years old, Canduri returned where his career started with Mandalay. The Mammoths had recently become a contender, falling to Pune in the 2019 SAB Championship. Canduri hoped to win it all with his original squad, but they were thwarted in the 2019 SEAL Championship by Vientiane. That year, he led in walks for the fifth time and crossed 1600 for his career, putting him within striking distance of the SAB record 1647 by K.C. Choudhury. Combining 2019 with his original run, Canduri’s Mandalay numbers saw 1699 games, 1823 hits, 1072 runs, 316 doubles, 518 home runs, 1211 RBI, 783 walks, .324/.409/.661 slash, 187 wRC+, and 83.4 WAR. Unsurprisingly, the Mammoths retired his #21 uniform at the end of his career and he remained a beloved figure there. Canduri spent two final seasons with Dhaka. In 2020, he reached 1000 career home runs, a mark to that point reached only by Darwish the year prior and the Arab League’s Nordine Soule. Canduri would finish behind both in homers and RBI, but he placed himself in the highest circles ever reached by sluggers. Canduri also passed Choudhury in 2020 to become SAB’s walks leader, a distinction he still holds as of 2037. In 2020, Canduri also joined Abbas as SAB’s only players with 3500 hits. He ended 2020 at 3633 and had hoped to chase Abbas’ high mark of 3897. Canduri was still solid in 2020 with a 3.5 WAR, 37 homer season. However, age finally caught him in 2021 as he struggled to a league-worst 201 strikeouts. Canduri had only 0.7 WAR and .709 OPS, easily the worst full-time numbers of his career. Dhaka ended a playoff drought in 2021 and went on a surprise run, giving Canduri one last shot at the playoffs. The Dobermans won the SEAL title, but fell in the SAB Championship to Delhi. Canduri struggled to a .576 OPS over 18 starts. His career playoff numbers weren’t bad, but definitely were well below his regular season dominance with 104 starts, 102 hits, 60 runs, 15 doubles, 24 home runs, 67 RBI, .264/.340/.494 slash, 128 wRC+, and 2.9 WAR. Canduri would’ve loved to keep playing, but it was clear he was finally washed, retiring after the 2021 season at age 45. Canduri’s final stats had 3479 games, 3770 hits, 2334 runs, 647 doubles, 44 triples, 1049 home runs, 2496 RBI, 1735 walks, 2688 strikeouts, 126 stolen bases, .316/.405/.642 slash, 187 wRC+, and 169.1 WAR. In just about any league at any time period, those totals put you in GOAT hitter territory, but Canduri had the misfortune of being a contemporary of Majed Darwish, who ended up as the world’s HR, RBI, and runs leader. As of 2037 in SAB, Canduri ranks 2^nd in games, 3^rd in hits, 2^nd in total bases (7652), 6^th in singles (2030), 5^th in doubles, 2^nd in home runs, 2^nd in RBI, 1^st in walks, 9^th in strikeouts, and 2^nd in WAR among position players. Although Darwish had him beat by a decent margin in some counting stats, Canduri was only five points behind him in WAR; although part of that could be attributed to Darwish having a larger share of starts as a DH. Among SAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Canduri’s 1.047 OPS is 4^th and his triple slash ranks 36^th/5^th/5^th. Canduri did have Darwish beat in both batting average and on-base percentage, but Darwish’s insane power pushed him higher in OPS. Among world Hall of Famers as of 2037, Canduri ranks 25^th in OBP, 20^th in slugging, 14^th in OPS, and 31^st in wRC+. Canduri’s high walk rate actually helped him to a higher wRC+ than Darwish (187 versus 181). On the world leaderboards as of 2037, Canduri is 9^th in games played, 34^th in at-bats (11,926), 6^th in runs, 17^th in hits, 50^th in doubles, 5^th in home runs, 7^th in RBI, 9^th in walks, and 11^th in WAR among position players. When including all players ever, Canduri sits 16^th in WAR. He has the most of an Indian-born player (Abbas was next at 154.7) and ranks 6^th among all players born in Asia. Most people default to Darwish as South Asia Baseball’s GOAT because of his wacky power tallies, but Canduri was closer to matching his value than many realize. SAB has had some major offensive standouts in its history, but most usually have Darwish, Canduri, Upadhyaya, and Abbas in the top four. Canduri didn’t have quite as many awards as the others and didn’t have the real “signature run” with one team that the others had. Although he won a few titles, he also didn’t have huge playoff stats. Playing for eight different teams might have also caused some to overlook Canduri relative to his incredible production. Where he lands on the world’s all-time rankings is always a fierce debate as well. SAB’s offensive environment (and homers especially) is higher than other world leagues, and some argue that the overall quality of play is among the low end relative to other leagues. Thus, some scholars might slightly nerf the big stat totals from guys like Canduri. But even when you try to normalize the numbers, Canduri clearly emerges as an all-time immortal in terms of offensive production. Even the biggest SAB detractors would be unlikely to keep him off of top 50 lists for position players. In terms of purely batting, you could arguably stick him into the top 10. The few position players ahead of him in career WAR generally gained that extra value with defense. Canduri was an abysmal fielder and spent almost 1/3 of his career as a DH. Any way you slice it; there have been very few players in baseball history to have the high contact, power, and eye skills that Canduri had. Even fewer maintained those skills at a high level well into their 40s. Canduri was a true inner-circle level talent and headlined SAB’s 2027 Hall of Fame class at 98.9%. johnstone1987 likes this. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game OOTP 22 Fictional World Stories

More Links

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