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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-08-2024, 05:43 PM

2015 in EBF

Hamburg shocked many in 2015 by having the European Baseball Federation Elite’s best record at 109-53. The Hammers hadn’t posted a winning season in the prior five years, but pulled off the big turnaround for the Baltic Sea Division title and the Northern Conference’s top seed. It was Hamburg’s first playoff spot and division title since 2008. They led all EBF teams in scoring with 809 runs and were third in the conference in runs allowed at 609. Oslo’s six-year run atop the division ended with the Octopi dropping to 80-82.

The #2 seed and second bye went to Antwerp at 99-63 in a strong Northwest Division. The Airedales earned back-to-back playoff berths, but it was their first-ever division title. Amsterdam was two back at 97-65, which earned the Anacondas a third straight wild card. Reigning European Champion Paris was third in the division at 89-73, which tied the Poodles and Warsaw for the second wild card. Paris won the tiebreaker game to extend their playoff streak to four seasons. Brussels wasn’t far behind at 85-77, giving them a decade of winning seasons.

Dublin extended EBF’s longest active playoff streak to eight years and earned their seventh British Isles Division title in that run. The Dinos at 95-67 also had their tenth playoff appearance since 2005. Birmingham at 87-75 was eight away for the division title and two short in the wild card race. Cologne’s North Central Division title streak grew to six as they easily took it at 95-67.

Two teams were relegated out of the Northern Conference with Belfast (51-111) and Vilnius (56-106) both breaching the 100 loss mark. The historically inept Brewers had shown some life only a few years prior, but collapsed for their first relegation. The Victory had also been a playoff team as recently as 2009, but dropped quickly for their first demotion. At 63-99, Glasgow very narrowly escaped their own relegation. The Highlanders had their worst season since 1984.

Antwerp’s Stefanos Emmanoulidis won Northern Conference MVP, breaking up the six-year run by Oslo’s Harvey Coyle. Nicknamed “Big Cat,” the 25-year old Greek shortstop led in home runs (62), runs (117), and total bases (396). Emmanoulidis also had 133 RBI, a .295/.344/.657 slash, 185 wRC+, and 10.4 WAR. He played two more years for the Airedales before leaving in free agency for Munich.

Brussels lefty Oscar Dissard won Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. The 24-year old French lefty was one win away from a Triple Crown with a 2.21 ERA, 299 strikeouts, and 18-8 record over 244 innings. Dissard also led in complete games (12) and WAR (9.0) while posting a 172 ERA+. The Beavers gave him a long-term deal after the 2017 season at seven years and $86,140,000.

In a rematch of last year’s Northern Conference Championship, Dublin swept defending champ Paris 2-0 in the first round. On the other side, Amsterdam swept Cologne. Both fell to the top seeds as Antwerp survived a 3-2 classic with the Dinos and Hamburg swept the Anacondas.

The Hammers hadn’t been to the conference final since their 1999 pennant. For the Airedales, this was their first-ever conference final, thriving after earning promotion as the 2011 Second League champ. Hamburg was the big favorite, but Antwerp pulled off the upset 4-2. This guaranteed that the European Championship would have a team that started in the Second League for the third straight year, an impressive feat since those franchises were only in their 11^th seasons.

The two teams that matched Antwerp’s feat were 2014 Southern Conference champ Valencia and 2013 SC winner Zaragoza. Those two finished locked up at 94-68 in a loaded Southwest Division. The Gold Hawks won the one-game tiebreaker game to not only win the division, but earn the top overall seed in a tight conference. Zaragoza earned a third straight playoff berth. Even though they were even for the top record, both were only four games from missing the playoffs entirely.

The Southwest Division also had Barcelona (92-70), Madrid (90-72), and Marseille (89-73). The Bengals got the second wild card to end a three-year playoff drought, while both the Musketeers and Conquistadors missed the playoffs despite being in striking distance of first place. The #2 seed went to South Central Division champ Milan at 93-69, which ended their three-year playoff drought. Zurich was 89-73, missing the division title by four games and a wild card by three.

Thessaloniki won the Southeast Division at 92-70 to end a four-year playoff skid. This also ended the six-year division reign of Athens, who fell to fourth at 80-82. Yerevan at 86-76 was the closest to the Tritons, falling six short for the division and second wild card. The Valiants had the most runs in the conference at 788.

Lastly in the East Central Division, Belgrade (88-74) finished four games better than Bucharest. This ended a 32-year playoff drought for the Bruisers, who posted only their second winning season in 25 years. Last year’s division champ Budapest was a non-factor at 75-87.

The lone relegated team from the Southern Conference was Sarajevo at 62-100. The Salukis had just earned promotion in 2014 as the Second League runner-up, but just Grandpa Simpson’d their way back down. Tbilisi was the next closest to demotion at 64-98, but escaped the 100+ loss threshold by two games.

Bucharest 1B Dumitru Horj won MVP honors in his fourth season. The 26-year old Romanian led in wRC+ (186) and posted 9.0 WAR, 42 home runs, 108 RBI, 118 runs, and a 1.038 OPS. Horj would be a solid fixture in the Broncos lineup for the next decade, but this would be the peak of his production.

For the third time in five years, Marseille’s Mitja Kovacic won Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old Slovene righty led in strikeouts (265), and WAR (8.8). Kovacic added a 15-10 record and 2.73 ERA over 234 innings. He beat out Bucharest’s Pavlo Martseshki for the award despite the latter finishing three strikeouts shy of a Triple Crown with his 2.59 ERA, 20-9 record, and 262 Ks. Kovacic became the 12^th pitcher in EBF history with three or more POTYs.

Belgrade pulled off a surprise first round sweep of defending Southern Conference champ Valencia, while Barcelona edged Thessaloniki 2-1. Both pulled off upsets of the top seeds as the Bruisers ousted Zaragoza 3-1 and the Bengals bested Milan 3-1. For Belgrade, this was their first Southern Conference Championship appearance since 1982, which incidentally saw a defeat by Barcelona.

Although the Bengals had missed the playoffs the prior three years, this was their fifth conference finals try of the decade. Barcelona snagged their fourth pennant in ten years with a 4-2 win over Belgrade. The Bengals became ten-time Southern Conference champs, more than any other franchise. This was also the fourth time in five years that the SC pennant went to a Spanish team.

The 66^th European Championship was a seven game classic with Antwerp prevailing over Barcelona. The Airedales became the first of the charter Second League franchises from 2005 to win it all in the top tier. The Bengals moved to 5-5 in their finals tries with the loss. Of their recent tries, they’re 1-3 with losses in 2006 and 2011 and a win in 2007.

Winning MVP in both the NCC and EC was LF Judah Hainault, who only played 35 regular season games because of a broken bone in his elbow. The 22-year old Frenchman started 18 playoff games with 26 hits, 15 runs, 3 doubles, 4 triples, 3 homers, and 14 RBI. The Antwerp win brought the trophy to Belgium for the third time, joining Brussels’ 1978 and 1961 titles. It also was the sixth consecutive season and the eighth time in ten years that the title went to the Northern Conference champ.

Although defeated, second year Barcelona starter Lucas Falacheira had a historic postseason. The 24-year old Portuguese left fielder won conference finals MVP with 35 hits, 10 runs, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 10 RBI, 8 walks, and 14 stolen bases. The 35 hits broke Sean Houston’s playoff record of 34 from 1994 and remains the top mark as of 2037.

Other notes: In his final season, Carsten Dal became EBF’s all-time runs scored leader at 2101. He only got 28 in 2015, but that passed Jacob Ronnberg’s 2082. As of 2037, Dal is still the EBF leader in runs and the world leader in stolen bases with 1995, coming closer than anyone in baseball history to reaching 2000 swipes. Dal also retired the world leader in triples at 457, although he would get passed twice in the coming years, including in EBF by Aleksandr Parts.

For the first time since 2008, EBF didn’t have a no-hitter. Geoffrey Hebert and Stephane Pastor became the 33^rd and 34^th pitchers to earn 200 career wins. Hebert also became the 24^th to 3500 strikeouts. Ben Springer was the 33^rd batter to 2500 hits. SS Harvey Coyle won his eighth consecutive Gold Glove.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-09-2024, 05:43 AM

2015 in BSA

Maracaibo bounced back from a 76-win 2014 to take the top seed in the Bolivar League at 103-59. It was their second Venezuela Division title in three years and their first time as the #1 seed since 1953. Ciudad Guayana was 11 back in the division, but 92-70 earned them the first wild card. That ended a 14-year playoff drought for the Giants. Barquisimeto’s seven-year playoff streak ended with a thud as the Black Cats stunk at 70-92.

Defending Copa Sudamerica winner Medellin had the #2 seed at 97-65, earning the Colombia-Ecuador Division title for the fifth straight year. The Mutiny offense had 310 doubles, which remains a BSA team record as of 2037. The fight for the second wild card was centered here with Cali (89-73) grabbing it over Guayaquil (87-75). The Cyclones ended a seven-year playoff drought, while it was only the second miss in eight years for the Golds. Guayaquil did grow their streak of winning seasons to 12, the longest active run in BSA.

Over in the Peru-Bolivia Division, Callao (89-73) took it over Trujillo (84-78). It was the first winning season for the Thoroughbreds, who joined Beisbol Sudamerica in the 2009 expansion. The Cats got their sixth playoff berth in eight years, but only their second division title of that run. Santa Cruz had won the division seven times in the decade, but collapsed in 2015 down to 69-93.

Medellin’s Pablo Amor won the Bolivar League MVP in his first season as a full-time starter. The 25-year old Colombian designated hitter started every game and led in home runs (56), RBI (134), runs (132), total bases (429), and OBP (.433). Amor added 221 hits, 38 doubles, a .352 average, 1.116 OPS, 187 wRC+, and 9.6 WAR.

Although Barquisimeto struggled, their ace Sebastian Marquez won Pitcher of the Year for the sixth time in seven years. He became the sixth pitcher in BSA history to win the award six or more times. Still only 29-years old, the Venezuelan righty led in ERA (2.19), strikeouts (312), WHIP (0.91), quality starts (22), and shutouts (5). He was two wins from a Triple Crown at 19-10 and posted 8.2 WAR and a 183 ERA+ over 254.1 innings.

Callao swept divisional foe Cali 2-0 in the first round, but lost 3-1 to top seed Maracaibo in the divisional series. Medellin survived a strong challenge 3-2 from Ciudad Guayana, setting up a rematch of the 2013 Bolivar League Championship series. The Mutiny hoped for a three-peat, but the Mariners rolled to a 4-1 BLCS victory. It was only the third pennant for Maracaibo (1941, 1953), ending a 62 year title drought.

Montevideo set a franchise record at 104-58 and earned the Southern Cone League’s top seed for the first time ever. The Venom earned back-to-back playoff berths, but it was their first Southeast Division title since 1998. Sao Paulo’s five-year playoff streak from the division came to an end with an 80-82 finish.

Santiago had the #2 seed at 96-66 as South Central Division champs. While the Saints got their third playoff berth in five years, it was their first division title since 2005. Recife won the North Division at 92-70 for their sixth playoff berth in seven years. It was the third time in that run that the Retrievers won the division title.

In a tight race for the two wild cards, two-time defending league champ Fortaleza and Salta both advanced at 86-76. Falling just short were Salvador (85-77), Rosario (83-79), Concepcion (82-80), Cordoba (82-80), and Belo Horizonte (82-80). The Foxes earned a fourth straight playoff spot and seventh in eight years. The Silver Hawks meanwhile became the first of the 2009 expansion teams to earn a playoff spot. The Chiefs saw their playoff streak end at four seasons. The Storm notably bounced back after an abysmal 58-win 2014.

Fortaleza’s Antonio Arceo became a three-time Southern Cone League MVP, although it was his first since 2009 and 2010. The 30-year old Bolivian second baseman set career highs in home runs (72), RBI (162), and total bases (446), while adding a 1.077 OPS, 198 wRC+, and 10.3 WAR.

It was the highest home run total in BSA history by someone not named Valor Melo, falling four short of his single-season record. Arceo’s mark still ranks as the fourth-most homers in a BSA season as of 2037, behind Melo’s 76, 76, and 74.

The 162 RBI was also the third-most in a season behind only Rodrigo Aguilar’s 2009 and 2010 efforts. It was only the sixth season of 150+ in league history to that point. Arceo led in homers for the sixth time and topped 50+ for the seventh time. The veteran slugger also earned his sixth Silver Slugger.

Pitcher of the Year was Cordoba’s Halil Yilmaz. The 30-year old Turkish lefty was in his third year with the Chanticleers after starting his career in the Asian Baseball Federation, winning POTY in 2009 there with Ankara. Yilmaz won the ERA title at 2.21 in 2015 and led with 24 quality starts. He added 5.6 WAR and a 170 ERA+ over 252.1 innings with 239 strikeouts and a 14-9 record. Despite this effort, Cordoba traded him in the offseason to Recife.

Salta surprised Fortaleza 2-1 in the first round, ending the Foxes’ hope of a third straight pennant. The Silver Hawks gave top seed Montevideo a battle, but the Venom survived 3-2 in the Divisional Series. Recife held off Santiago 3-2, sending the Retrievers to the Southern Cone Championship for the third straight year. It was also their sixth league final in seven years.

Montevideo earned only their third-ever league final (1981, 1995) and were the only original BSA franchise without a pennant. Unfortunately for them, that streak continued as Recife pulled off the upset in a seven game war. Impressively, it was the sixth pennant for the Retrievers, who were a 1974 expansion team (1984, 1995, 1996, 2010, 2011, 2015).

In the 85^th Copa Sudamerica, Recife also played spoiler for Maracaibo. The Mariners were the only original team other than Montevideo without a BSA ring. The Retrievers rolled 4-1 for their third title, joining the 1995-96 repeat. This continued a run of parity as the seventh different Cup winner in seven years.

Former league MVP Niccolo Coelho had a big postseason, winning MVP of the LCS and Copa Sudamerica. The 32-year old Brazilian 3B in 17 playoff starts had 23 hits, 15 runs, 4 doubles, 7 home runs, and 13 RBI. In his tenth year with Recife, Coelho finally got to hoist the cup.

Other notes: Asuncion had 489 stolen bases as a team, setting a new Beisbol Sudamerica record that held until 2025. For the first time since 2006, BSA didn’t have a no-hitter thrown all season. Belo Horizonte’s Denis Jorge had a 40-game hitting streak, which fell three short of the BSA record 43 set in 1955 by Remberto Borja. It was only the 13^th time in pro baseball history that a player had a 40+ streak.

Arsenio Araujo became the 15^th to reach 1500 runs scored. Antonio Arceo became the 46^th member of the 500 home run club. Catcher Cicero Lugo won his eighth straight Silver Slugger.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-09-2024, 11:51 AM

2015 in EAB

The Japan League’s top two records battled for the Capital Division crown with only the winner advancing to the playoffs. Yokohama and their high-powered offense took it at 101-61, leading the JL in runs scored at 777. Kawasaki, who allowed the fewest runs in East Asia Baseball at 464, fell two games short. The Yellow Jackets repeated as division champs. Chiba was also a contender in the division, taking third at 90-72. The second best division winner was Sendai, who cruised to a third consecutive North Division title at 93-69.

Hiroshima won a competitive West Division at 90-72, edging Kumamoto (85-77) and Fukuoka (84-78). The Hammerheads grabbed their fourth division win in a row. Osaka narrowly grabbed the Central Division at 87-75, beating Kobe (86-76). The Orange Sox ended an eight-year playoff drought. Defending EAB champ Kyoto finished five back at 82-80.

Hitoshi Kubota made history as EAB’s first-ever seven time MVP. The Hiroshima left fielder won his fourth Japan League MVP in a row, leading in slugging (.638), OPS (1.015), and wRC+ (204). The 32-year old switch hitter added 43 home runs, 107 RBI, a .311 average, and 7.2 WAR. Kubota won his ninth Silver Slugger in his 12^th year starting for the Hammerheads. He pulled off the MVP effort despite missing August to a fractured foot.

Osaka’s Nobuyoshi Yamauchi earned Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. The 24-year old lefty led in strikeouts (314), quality starts (28), and WAR (7.5). Yamauchi added a 19-4 record over 248 innings, 1.89 ERA, and 178 ERA+.

Yokohama ousted Osaka 3-1 and Hiroshima stopped Sendai 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs. The Hammerheads earned their fourth consecutive Japan League Championship Series appearance, while the Yellow Jackets last made it in 1988. Yokohama ended their 26-year pennant drought, rolling Hiroshima 4-1. The win gave the Yellow Jackets eight league titles (1924, 26, 27, 65, 66, 86, 88, 2015).

Seongnam had the top mark in the Korea League at 96-66. Even though the Spiders were the defending league champs, this was their first North Division title since 2008. Seongnam allowed the fewest runs (542) and was tied with Changwon for the most scored (780). Pyongyang was five back at 91-71, which was the second-best record in the KL. The Pythons earned the first wild card for their second playoff appearance in three years.

At 90-72, Ulsan repeated as South Division champs and secured a fourth straight playoff berth. In a tight race for the second wild card, Hamhung (86-76) outlasted Incheon (85-77), Daejeon (85-77), and Changwon (83-79). The Heat ended a three-year playoff drought. The Crabs ended an eight-year run of losing seasons. Last year’s KLCS runner-up Gwangju finished 81-81, their first non-winning season since 2004.

Claiming Korea League MVP was Hamhung shortstop Kwang-Sik Oh, already in his fifth year at only age 23. Oh led in hits (225), doubles (45), average (.383), OBP (.415), and WAR (10.1). He added a 1.059 OPS, 182 wRC+, and 34 home runs. Oh played two more seasons for the Heat before leaving for a solid 13-year MLB run. He edged Gwangju RF Kunihiko Ishiguro for the MVP despite the latter’s 71 home runs and 144 RBI. Ishiguro had set the single-season HR record the prior year with 79 and joined Tsukasa Kato and Carl Valdes as the only EAB players with multiple 70 dinger seasons.

Seoul’s Do-Kyun Lee won his second Pitcher of the Year in three years, thriving despite the Seahawks’ 76-86 season. Lee was the first Triple Crown pitcher in EAB since Soo Moon in 2001 and posted only the 16^th pitching TC with a 27-8 record, 2.06 ERA, and 447 strikeouts. He shattered EAB’s single-season strikeout record of 397 held by two pitchers. Lee’s mark would get passed three year later by Toshikuni Kaikai. They both would post multiple 400 K seasons over the next decade.

For the 26-year old Lee, he also led in innings (275.2), WHIP (0.73), K/BB (19.4), quality starts (26), and WAR (11.8). He was one win shy of the single-season record and was only the third EAB pitcher to get to 27. Lee’s WAR mark was the fifth-best pitching season to that point and his 14.59 K/9 set a new record. He topped 15K in nine games and set a single-game record with 22 in 8.2 innings against Busan on April 27. Three pitchers had previously gotten to 21.

Seongnam topped Hamhung 3-1 and Ulsan edged Pyongyang 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs. The Spiders had a chance to repeat as Korea League Championship Series winners, while it was the Swallows first berth since 2001. Last year, Ulsan had the top seed but lost to Seongnam in the first round. For the second time in three years, the KLCS needed all seven games with the finale going extra innings.

It took 17 innings, but Ulsan got their revenge with a 7-6 marathon win. Although the Swallows had been a regular playoff team in the last 20 years, this was their first pennant since 1996. Ulsan became five-time KL champs (1936, 37, 87, 96, 15). The 2015 KL finale was tied for the second-longest game seven in pro baseball history, matching the 2001 Bolivar League final between Lima and Bogota. The world record was the 1973 Sundaland Championship game seven between Batam and Surabaya, which went an incredible 20 innings.

The 95^th East Asian Championship went to Yokohama 4-2 over Ulsan, ending an 87-year title drought for the Yellow Jackets. Their two other titles came in 1926 and 1927. Unsurprisingly, this was the longest gap between titles in EAB history. RF Renzo Takagi was finals MVP despite being a platoon guy. The 26-year old lefty had 12 playoff games and 3 starts, posting 8 hits, 8 runs, 4 extra base hits, and 8 RBI.

Other notes: Jeonju’s Takeo Nagai threw EAB’s 34^th perfect game on June 8 with 14 strikeouts against Seongnam. Chiba’s pitching staff surrendered only 196 walks all year with a 1.22 BB/9, setting a new EAB record. Ulsan’s Seo-U Kim set a bad playoff record for losses by going 0-4 in his five starts, posting a 5.85 ERA over 32.1 innings.

Soo-Geum Yim became EAB’s fourth member of the 800 home run club. For the 14^th time in his career, Yim topped 40 homers. He finished his age 36 season with 832, third to Lei Meng’s 897 and Hyeog-Jun Wi’s 873. Yim also was the fourth to cross 2000 RBI, ending the season at 2035. That put him third behind Wi’s 2097 and Meng’s 2089.

Yoo Sen became the 29^th to reach 1500 runs scored. Sen, Hitoshi Kubota, and Shigeyoshi Taguchi each reached 500 homers, a feat achieved by 63 in EAB. Hyun-Woo Park was the 29^th reliever to 300 saves. Dong-Hyun Jung and Sekien Ida both won their 200^th game, making that a 53-player club. SS Do-Hyeon Ju won his ninth Gold Glove. C Ha-Jun Au won his eighth Silver Slugger.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-09-2024, 07:18 PM

2015 in CABA

Juarez at 106-56 was the Mexican League’s top seed in 2015, earning their fourth playoff berth in five years. It was only their second North Division title in that run, joining their 2012 pennant season. San Luis Potosi was second at 100-62 for a new franchise best and their second wild card in three years. Two-time defending ML champ Torreon narrowly grabbed the second wild card at 92-70, fending off Hermosillo (90-72), Tijuana (85-77), Guadalajara (85-77), and Chihuahua (84-78).

Leon claimed a third straight South Division at 97-65, finishing 12 games better than their closest foe Guadalajara. Also worth mentioning was Ecatepec’s 71-91 finish and Monterrey’s 79-83 mark. The Matadors saw their historic 28-year streak of winning seasons ended, while the Explosion had only their third losing season since 1993. The last time both were below .500 in the same year was 1983.

San Luis Potosi 1B Alejandro Carrillo earned Mexican League MVP, leading in hits (237), RBI (150), and WAR (10.2). The 24-year old Mexican had 121 runs, 51 home runs, a .370/.388/.690 slash, 1.078 OPS, and 206 wRC+. It was the 17^th time in CABA history that a player reached 150 RBI. Carrillo signed a five-year, $48,600,000 extension in May with the Potros.

He took MVP over Hermosillo’s Juvenal Romo and his 67 home runs, which fell five short of the single-season record. Both lost out on the Silver Slugger at first base to Mexico City’s Miguel Gonzales, who won the batting title (.375) and had 60 home runs, 142 RBI, and 9.6 WAR.

Leon’s Emiliano Carreras won Pitcher of the Year in his 12^th season with the Lions. The 34-year old Mexican righty led in ERA (1.91), innings (272.2), WHIP (0.85), quality starts (28), and complete games (13). Carreras added 7.5 WAR, a 22-7 record, 253 strikeouts, and 200 ERA+.

Juarez swept Torreon in the first round to deny the Tomahawks three-peat, getting revenge for their 2014 Mexican League Championship Series defeat. Leon survived in five against San Luis Potosi, earning their first MLCS appearance since 1991. The Jesters took it 4-2 over the Lions for their fourth pennant in 11 years. The victory gave Juarez their 13^th Mexican League title.

Haiti at 104-58 saw the Caribbean League’s best record and their first Island Division title since their 2010 pennant. The Herons earned their fourth straight playoff berth, their 18^th berth in 19 years, and 22^nd consecutive winning season. Last year’s CL runner-up Jamaica was second at 96-66, earning the first wild card.
Haiti (825 runs) and the Jazz (817) had the top two offenses while the Herons allowed the fewest runs at 623.

Honduras repeated as Continental Division champ at 97-65 for their fourth division title in five years. Panama was three back at 94-68, which nabbed them the second wild card over Costa Rica (91-71) and Guatemala (87-75). The Parrots secured a third playoff berth in four years. Reigning CABA champ Nicaragua limped to a 78-84 season, their first losing campaign in a decade.

Jamaica CF Herve Mickler repeated as Caribbean League MVP. The 28-year old Aruban lefty was the WARlord at 9.6 and posted 55 home runs, 105 RBI, a .314/.380/.691 slash, 177 wRC+, 57 stolen bases, and 112 runs. Mickler beat out Santo Domingo’s Noah Breton for the top spot despite the latter’s 64 home runs and 8.8 WAR.

Haiti’s Gaby Saunders was Pitcher of the Year in his lone season with the Herons. He was traded there in the offseason after six seasons with Santiago. The 27-year old Jamaican lefty had a 2.92 ERA over 258.2 innings, 17-9 record, 316 strikeouts, 140 ERA+, and 5.7 WAR. Sadly, Saunders suffered a ruptured UCL in the playoffs and struggled for the rest of his career, bouncing around between ALB and OBA.

Honduras rolled Jamaica with a first round sweep, while Haiti survived 3-2 in a fierce battle with Panama. This rekindled a Caribbean League Championship Series rivalry, which had seen the Herons defeat the Horsemen in 2000, 2001, 2006, and 2007. Honduras did at least get a first round win over Haiti en route to their 2004 title. Haiti continued their success over Honduras, taking the series 4-2 for their first pennant since 2010. The Herons won their sixth title since 2000 and their tenth overall.

The 105^th Central American Baseball Association Championship was the second finals meeting between Haiti and Juarez, as the Herons came back from down 3-0 to win against the Jesters in 2006. It was less dramatic in 2015, but it was Haiti on top again, this time in six games. The Herons became six-time CABA champs and continued their 21^st Century success with wins in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, and now 2015. Prior to this run, their only other CABA crown was back in 1938.

Finals MVP was veteran 2B Ahmed Fouad Fawzy. The 38-year old Egyptian was in his second season with Haiti and his seventh in CABA, having previously played 11 years with Algiers of the Arab League. In 16 playoff starts, Fawzy had 21 hits, 17 runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 6 home runs, and 14 RBI. The 17 runs fell one short of the CABA postseason record.

Other notes: Santo Domingo’s Jarek Wilson-Smith had 36 triples, falling one short of the CABA single-season record. For the first time since 2002, CABA had zero no-hitters in a season. Casimiro Salceda became the 11^th member of the 3000 hit club. He played one more season and ended at 3087, which ranks 12^th as of 2037. Juan Castro was the 27^th to reach 1500 RBI. Vinicius Garcia became the 14^th member of the 300 save club.

CF Santiago Flores won his eighth Gold Glove. 3B Vicente Martinez and RF William Watson both won their seventh Gold Gloves. C Luis Moran won his seventh consecutive Silver Slugger.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-10-2024, 05:10 AM

2015 in MLB

Defending National Association champ St. Louis bested their impressive 107-55 run from 2014 with a franchise-record 112-50 in 2015. The Cardinals finished 15 games better than their nearest foe, leading the NA in runs at 805 and allowing the second fewest at 515. St. Louis repeated as Lower Midwest Division champs and earned a third straight playoff berth. It was the highest win total for any National Association team since Hartford’s 113 wins in 1984.

The next best two records were fighting in a very tough Northeast Division. Toronto (97-65) edged out Montreal (96-66) for the division and the #2 seed. The Timberwolves ended a 14-year playoff drought and a 29-year division title drought. The Maples earned a third straight playoff berth as the first wild card.

The second wild card came from the Northeast narrowly with 93-69 Hartford, earning back-to-back berths. They held off Lower Midwest squads Columbus (92-70) and Kansas City (91-71), as well as their neighbor Boston (91-71). Also notable from the Northeast was 49-113 Ottawa, a franchise worst for the generally solid Elks.

Philadelphia won the East Division at 94-68 and set multiple MLB team pitching records. The Phillies staff had a .968 WHIP and allowed 239 walks with a 1.46 BB/9. The BB/9 would get topped once, but the other two are still records as of 2037. Philly repeated as division champs and earned their fourth straight playoff berth. Since 2001, Philadelphia has an impressive 12 playoff appearances. The only other team in MLB history to earn 12 playoff berths in a 15-year stretch was Ottawa from 1924-38.

It wasn’t a pushover for Philly to win the division with Baltimore (89-73), Virginia Beach (88-74), and Brooklyn (85-77) in the mix. The Orioles fell four games short of the second wild card, but it was an impressive rebound from back-to-back 60 win campaigns. Detroit at 91-71 repeated as Upper Midwest Division champ and grabbed their sixth division win in eight years. Chicago was their only close foe at 85-77.

Montreal RF Ezekiel Thomas won his third straight National Association MVP and the fourth of his career. In his fourth year with the Maples, the 31-year old New Yorker led in OPS (1.027), slugging (.639), and wRC+ (215). Thomas lost about a month to injury, but still managed 43 home runs, 105 RBI, 107 runs, and 7.4 WAR.

In his Hartford debut, veteran pitcher Steffen Neumann earned his first NA Pitcher of the Year. The 36-year old German lefty now had six total, winning with Los Angeles in the American Association in 2013 and winning from 2004-07 in the European Baseball Federation with Vienna. Neumann signed a three-year, $65,400,000 deal with the Huskies following his seven seasons for the Angels. Neumann led in complete games (18) and innings (280). He posted a 2.35 ERA, 20-10 record, 248 strikeouts, 147 ERA+, and 8.4 WAR.

Also worth noting was Stevie Ray Thornton, who won his third Reliever of the Year in his lone season with Brooklyn. Thornton had 31 saves, a 0.81 ERA, 420 ERA+, 89.1 innings, and 162 strikeouts. He had 6.0 WAR, which was the highest ever by a National Association Reliever of the Year winner and the second most by any MLB ROTY.

Detroit swept Montreal and Philadelphia swept Hartford in the first round. Neither held up against the top seeds, although the Tigers took St. Louis to a fifth game. Toronto topped Philadelphia, earning their first National Association Championship Series appearance since 2000. The defending champ Cardinals wouldn’t be denied in the NACS, but it was an all-time classic series.

It went all seven games with the finale needing extra innings, concluding in the 12^th inning for a 4-3 walkoff final. This was the third NACS in 115 years of history to feature an extra-innings game seven. St. Louis became the second-winningest team to earn the NA pennant, one game behind 114-48 Philadelphia from 1946. The Cardinals earned their seventh World Series trip (1908, 1909, 1910, 1963, 1982, 2014, 2015).

The American Association’s Southwest Division was absolutely stacked, led by Los Angeles and Las Vegas battling for the #1 seed. The Angels ended up grabbing it at 109-53, extending their playoff streak to six years. The Vipers ended a four-year playoff drought as the first wild card. LA led the AA in runs (844) with LV second (810). The Vipers allowed the second fewest runs at 585, only 10 worse than Phoenix.

The defending World Series winner and Baseball Grand Champion Firebirds finished 97-65, sneaking by San Francisco by one game for the second wild card. Their pitching staff allowed 1166 hits, the third-fewest in AA history. Phoenix’s playoff streak grew to four seasons, but it was no cakewalk. The Firebirds were only one game better than San Francisco (96-66) and four ahead of both Salt Lake City and Charlotte (93-69). Also notable in the Southwest was Oakland’s collapse, going from just out in 2014 at 95-67 to a measly 69-93 in 2015. Albuquerque also fell off to 77-85 after taking a wild card the prior year.

The #2 seed went to 100-62 Denver, almost quietly winning a sixth straight Northwest Division title. They were seven games ahead of SLC. Tampa’s playoff streak also grew to six with their third straight Southeast Division title. The Thunderbirds at 97-65 took it by four games over Charlotte, who bounced back from a 69-win 2014. Orlando dropped off after a 91-win 2014, falling to 74-88. San Antonio won a third consecutive South Central Division at 91-71. Their only competitor was Austin at 84-78.

American Association MVP went to San Antonio 3B Hossein Kokabi. The 27-year old Iranian was the WARlord at 9.4 and posted 51 home runs, 121 RBI, 120 runs, a .296/.389/.612 slash, 1.001 OPS, and 171 wRC+. Kokabi stayed two more years for the Oilers, but left after that for a big six-year, $153,600,000 deal with Boston.

Pitcher of the Year was second-year Salt Lake City righty Stanley Middlekauff. The Logan, Utah native led in wins (24-6), ERA (2.01), innings (296), quality starts (29), complete games (23), shutouts (6), FIP- (66), and WAR (9.5). Middlekauff struck out 211 and had a 190 ERA+. His 2.01 ERA from this season ranks as the 55^th-best qualifying season in MLB history. Middlekauff went onto have a fine Hall of Good career, but never reached this level again.

As a wild card, 107-win Las Vegas had to go on the road to San Antonio. Although the Vipers were a major favorite, the Oilers pulled off the first round sweep. Phoenix kept their repeat hopes alive with a 2-1 first round win over Tampa. However, the Firebirds were ousted in the second round 3-1 by Los Angeles in a rematch of the prior American Association Championship Series.

On the other side, Denver won a 3-2 battle with San Antonio, giving the Dragons their fourth AACS berth in six years. The Angels recent inability to win the big one continued as Denver prevailed in seven games. Like the NACS, the AACS saw an extra-innings game seven. After 13 innings, the Dragons went ahead in the top half for a 2-1 victory. It was their second pennant in three years and their eighth overall (1925, 1938, 1962, 1989, 1991, 1995, 2013, 2015).

After two dramatic LCS matchups, the 115h World Series seemed underwhelming with Denver beating St. Louis 4-1. The Dragons are an impressive 7-1 in the Fall Classic, tying them for the second-most rings with Phoenix, Houston, and San Diego. Philadelphia still has the most with eight. Denver was also the first time to win two in three years since Phoenix’s 2003-04 repeat. The Cardinals were the first to lose back-to-back since Winnipeg’s 2006-07. Their 113-wins were the second most in MLB history by a World Series loser behind only 114-48 Philadelphia from 1946.

Pitcher Omari Green was the World Series MVP, having joined Denver in 2014 on a five-year, $115,000,000 free agent deal. In five playoff starts, the 28-year old righty went 4-1 over 42 innings with a 2.57 ERA, 39 strikeouts, and 148 ERA+. In the World Series specifically, he threw a two-hit shutout.

Other notes: MLB’s 29^th Perfect Game was the first to be thrown in the postseason. Phoenix’s Jesse Riley did it with four strikeouts on November 2 against Tampa in their first round series. There was a no-hitter later in the playoffs as well by Los Angeles’ Elliot Snider against Denver with eight strikeouts and three walks.

Daniel Hecker became the 22^nd member of the 600 home run club. He played two more years and ended at 649. CF Morgan Short won his 13^th Silver Slugger, becoming the first MLB player at any position to win 13. Short finished the season with 131.5 WAR, becoming the fifth position player to reach 130+. He’s only about five points from passing the leader Elijah Cashman. Six pitchers have also breached 130+ WAR, led by Ned Giles at 151.7.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-10-2024, 06:51 PM

2015 Baseball Grand Championship

Tokyo, Japan played host to the sixth Baseball Grand Championship. Earning the automatic bids were MLB’s Denver and St. Louis, CABA’s Juarez and Haiti, EAB’s Ulsan and Yokohama, BSA’s Recife and Maracaibo, EBF’s Antwerp and Barcelona, EPB’s Ufa, OBA’s Tahiti, APB’s Bandung, CLB’s Xi’an, WAB’s Port Harcourt, SAB’s Yangon, ABF’s Dushanbe, ALB’s Casablanca, and AAB’s Brazzaville. The at large went to Johannesburg, the AAB runner-up at 110-52. That win total beat out APB runner-up Zamboanga at 105-57.

It proved a critical selection though as Johannesburg stunned the world, finishing tied for first at 15-4 with World Series champ Denver. The Jackalopes won their November 13^th game 13-7 over the Dragons, giving them the tiebreaker and the title of Baseball Grand Champion. It went to show how remarkably fast baseball had grown throughout Africa despite the African Association being only 21 years deep.

Johannesburg was the first African champ, the third from outside MLB, and the second to win the Grand Championship despite losing their league’s finale. Denver very nearly became the first franchise to win Grand Champion twice, having won in 2013. The Jackalopes had a team .539 slugging percentage, the best of any team in the BGC as of 2037.

Antwerp was a close third at 14-5, becoming the highest placing European team to date. The Airedales actually led all teams in both runs scored (111) and runs allowed (60). Their 0.860 team WIHP was the all-time low mark until 2030. Their team slugging of .537 was just behind Johannesburg and still ranks third as of 2037.

Maracaibo was a strong fourth at 13-6 despite having a +1 run differential. That was a new high finish by a South American team. Haiti was fifth at 11-8, followed by a three-way tie for sixth between Recife, St. Louis, and Tahiti. Four teams were even at 9-10 for ninth; Barcelona, Dushanbe, Juarez, and Yokohama. Brazzaville, Port Harcourt, Ufa, and Xi’an were each next at 8-11. Bandung was alone in 17^th at 7-12. Ulsan and Yangon finished 6-13 and Casablanca sat alone at the bottom at 5-14.

Antwerp 3B Mika Noom was named Tournament MVP. The 29-year old Dutchman started 18 games with 18 hits, 19 runs, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 8 home runs, 13 RBI, and 10 walks. He beat teammate Stefanos Emmanoulidis for the honor despite the latter’s 13 homers, 25 hits, 23 RBI, and 1.7 WAR. Ufa’s Nikolay Kargopolcev was also notable with 26 hits, 20 runs, 15 home runs, 26 RBI, a 1.336 OPS, and 1.9 WAR. His 15 homers was the new BGC high mark.

Noom’s Airedales teammate Didier Zaha was named Best Pitcher after missing almost all of the 2015 season from a torn UCL the prior fall. The 35-year old lefty from Senegal had only just gone to Europe after a 13-year WAB career. Zaha was 4-0 in his four starts with a 1.44 ERA over 31.1 innings, 34 strikeouts, 19 hits, 8 walks, 277 ERA+, and 1.8 WAR. He had the best qualifying ERA and most WAR.

Other notes: Antwerp also had an impressive 18 strikeout, 2 walk no-hitter from Wilfried Hoffman against Maracaibo. This was the 4^th no-hitter in BGC history and the highest strikeout mark amongst them. St. Louis’s Vincent Lepp had a 19 strikeout game against Port Harcourt, tying the high mark for Ks in a game. Lepp struck out 61 batters in total to set the new BGC high mark by one.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-11-2024, 07:38 AM

2016 MLB Hall of Fame

Two outfielders earned induction into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame for the 2016 voting. RF Nathaniel D’Attilo was a slam dunk at 98.9%, while CF Tyler Ryabenko made it by the slimmest of margins. In his third ballot, Ryabenko breached the 66% requirement at 66.9%. SP Keifer Bobbins barely missed out on his third go with 64.1%. Catcher Elliot McKay got 60.2% for his ninth try. Three others were above 50% with SS Robert Hightower (58.5%, 3^rd), SP Bob Gallagher (57.7%, 6^th), and C Brayan Varela (57.4%, 1^st).

The lone player dropped from the 2016 MLB ballot after ten failed tries was RF Mac Mathews, who had a 17-year run with six teams. He notably led the league in hits four times, stolen bases six times, and had the best batting average in 1993. Mathews finished with 2778 hits, 1253 runs, 348 doubles, 173 triples, 178 home runs, 971 RBI, 788 stolen bases, a .317/.343/.457 slash, 137 wRC+, and 54.7 WAR.

As of 2037, he ranks 19^th in stolen bases. Low power guys have trouble getting noticed, plus Mathews was a weak defender and mostly played on bad teams. With only one Silver Slugger, he didn’t have accolades to overcome his weaknesses. Mathews debuted at 25.6% and grew slightly to 26.2% in 2008, but was mostly in the single-digits after that. He ended at 6.7% as a nice Hall of Good player.

Nathaniel D’Attilo – Right Field – Washington Admirals – 98.9% First Ballot

Nathaniel D’Attilo was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Raritan, New Jersey; a borough of about 8,000 in Somerset County. D’Attilo was one of the greatest pure hitters in MLB history. At his peak, some scouts thought he was a 10/10 or even 11/10 rating for contact and eye. D’Attilo was also quite good at avoiding strikeouts, which was especially rare for someone who still boasted solid power. He was usually good for 30+ home runs per season and topped 40+ five times. However, he found the gap rarer than you might expect with only 20 doubles and 6 triples per his 162 game average.

D’Attilo’s speed and baserunning both graded as below average, but not abysmal. He spent the majority of his career in right field and moved to left in his later years as his arm weakened. D’Attilo graded as an average defender in his early years, but was subpar in the middle and outright terrible at the end. His durability was good enough to give him a 20-year career, although lingering small injuries often cost him a couple weeks here and there.

The incredible natural gifts help make D’Attilo one of the most exciting and popular players of his era. However, he did have some critics who thought he was a bit selfish and lazy. Later in his career, D’Attilo’s work ethic issues led to some weight gain. Even if he coasted at times on natural ability, he emerged as one of the finest bats in pro baseball history.

D’Attilo played three college seasons at Florida State University. As a Seminole, he had 142 games, 149 hits, 108 runs, 19 doubles, 43 home runs, 86 RBI, 120 walks, a .309/.447/.616 slash, 197 wRC+, and 9.5 WAR. Surprisingly, D’Attilo’s junior season was by far the worst with a .939 OPS compared to his 1.080 and 1.155 in the prior years. Still, that didn’t discourage many scouts ahead of the 1990 MLB Draft. With the #3 overall pick, D’Attilo was selected by the Washington Admirals. The thought was to make him a full-time starter immediately, but he missed much of his rookie season to a broken bone in his elbow.

1992 was a mostly full load with the first of 15 straight seasons for D’Attilo worth 5+ WAR. He then emerged as the top hitter in MLB with three straight National Association MVPs and Silver Sluggers from 1993-95. D’Attilo was the WARlord and leader in on-base percentage and wRC+ in all three seasons. He also led in slugging and OPS in both 1994 and 1995, walks in 1993 and 1994, and in runs, total bases, and batting average in 1995.

D’Attilo’s 1995 had career bests in the triple slash (.388/.472/.723), OPS (1.195), wRC+ (267), and WAR (11.6). The OPS set a new single-season record, passing Francisco Valencia’s 1.185 from 1946. It held as the top mark until 2026 and ranks fourth still as of 2037. The on-base percentage was also a MLB record and remains the top mark. The WAR mark is also still the 14^th-best MLB season for a position player.

That effort helped Washington to their first winning season in a decade, finishing 100-62 atop the East Division. They made it to the NACS, but lost to Boston. D’Attilo had a strong postseason with a .513/.568/1.077 slash over 11 starts with 20 hits, 13 runs, 5 homers, and 13 RBI. He was the NACS MVP despite his team’s defeat. That winter, the Admirals inked D’Attilo to an eight-year, $28,280,000 extension. Washington fans thought they were on their way to being a regular contender for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, that was not the case as they wouldn’t make the playoffs again until 2007. Washington wasn’t ever bad during this stretch, but they were aggressively mid, finishing in the 80s for wins eight times. D’Attilo could hardly be blamed, winning additional Silver Sluggers in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003. He became the tenth player in MLB history to earn nine or more Sluggers in his career.

D’Attilo won a fourth MVP in 2000, leading that season in the triple slash (.342/.446/.702), OPS (1.148), wRC+ (257), and WAR (9.3). At the time, that OPS ranked as the sixth-best single season in MLB history. D’Attilo was third in MVP voting for 1996 and 1997, second in 1999 and 2002, and third again in 2003. He was the fourth in National Association history with four MVPs. In total, D’Attilo led in runs scored four times, home runs once, total bases twice, average twice, WAR four times, six times in OBP and wRC+, and five times in OPS and slugging.

In September 2003, a 33-year old D’Attilo signed a three-year, $42,000,000 extension with Washington. That season had his career peak in home runs (49) and RBI (120). D’Attilo’s MVP consideration was done at this point, but he had three more very strong seasons as a starter. In total for Washington, D’Attilo had 2479 hits, 1441 runs, 272 doubles, 85 triples, 538 home runs, 1340 RBI, 1237 walks, a .328/.422/.600 slash, 214 wRC+, and 121.3 WAR.

Washington surprised many by trading D’Attilo in the last year of his deal at age 37. Just before spring training 2007, he was sent to Houston for four prospects. There was some initial hurt feelings, but they would later reconcile and retire D’Attilo’s #17 uniform He did have some excitement for joining the Hornets, as they had been the American Association’s runner-up the prior year and were on a five-year playoff streak.

D’Attilo had a respectable season, leading in walks (92) and posting a .880 OPS and 4.5 WAR. However, Houston struggled to a 77-85 campaign, their first losing season since 1993. D’Attilo was now a free agent for the first time and found a home in Philadelphia on a two-year, $24,900,000 deal. He thought this was his shot to get that World Series ring, as the Phillies had been the 2007 NACS runner-up at 104-58.

2008 was a solid effort with a .927 OPS, 5.1 WAR, and league-best 92 walks. Philadelphia won 103-59 games and earned the top seed, but were shockingly swept in the second round by D’Attilo’s former Washington squad. He went 4-16 in the three games in what would be his final playoff appearance. Philly made it back in 2009, but D’Attilo was reduced a part-time role with middling results. A strained hamstring kept him out the final weeks of the season.

With Philadelphia, D’Attilo had a .298/.389/.468 slash, 156 wRC+, and 6.1 WAR over 278 games. A free agent again at age 40, D’Attilo was unsigned until Indianapolis grabbed him in May 2010. He had hoped to catch the 3000 hit and 600 home run milestones and wasn’t far from Elijah Cashman’s all-time WAR mark for position players. However, D’Attilo saw only one start and 62 games as a pinch hitter for Indy. He went unsigned in 2011 and finally retired that winter at age 42.

D’Attilo finished with 2919 hits, 1695 runs, 328 doubles, 102 triples, 594 home runs, 1538 RBI, 1457 walks, 207 stolen bases, a .323/.417/.579 slash, 204 wRC+, and 132.4 WAR. In terms of counting stats as of 2037, D’Attilo ranks 100^th in hits, 54^th in runs, 56^th in home runs, and 18^th in walks drawn. However, his efficiency stats were tremendous. Even with the relatively low accumulations, D’Attilo is still 10^th in WAR among position players.

Among all MLB players with 3000+ plate appearances, D’Attilo still ranks 12^th in OPS and is second to only Killian Fruechte amongst retired players, as later spikes in MLB’s overall offense numbers skewed things. He also ranks 61^st in batting average, fifth in on-base percentage, and 42^nd in slugging percentage. D’Attilo’s efficiency also ranks incredibly highly in all of baseball history.

As of 2037 amongst all world baseball Hall of Famers, his 204 wRC+ ranks eighth best and he’s one of only 10 players with 200+. His on-base percentage ranks sixth best among this same group. From a pure batting efficiency standpoint, there were very few ever that did it better than D’Attilo.

The lack of team success, his perceived work ethic issues, and lackluster defense dent D’Attilo in the all-time GOAT conversations. Specifically in his primary position of right field, he ranks fourth in WAR among MLB players in 2037. However, he’s undoubtedly a Hall of Fame headliner, leading the 2016 class at 98.9%.

Tyler Ryabenko – Center Field – San Diego Seals – 66.9% Third Ballot

Tyler Ryabenko was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed center fielder from Grants Pass, Oregon; a small city of around 39,000 in the state’s southwest corner. Ryabenko was a solid contact hitter with an excellent strikeout rate, although he was subpar at drawing walks. He had very good pop in his bat and over his 162 game average got you 32 doubles, 8 triples, and 28 home runs. Ryabenko topped 35+ triples thrice and 30+ home runs seven times.

Ryabenko’s speed and baserunning ability were both just above average. He was a career center fielder and didn’t have the range to excel defensively. Ryabenko graded as below average with his glove, but he wasn’t a liability and had a better bat than many others who could play the spot. Ryabenko also had outstanding durability at a very demanding position, starting 149+ games each year from 1994-2007.

He left the Pacific Northwest for college, playing at the University of Michigan. In his junior season, Ryabenko was the NCAA MVP and won both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Over three seasons as a Wolverine, he played 146 games with 181 hits, 98 runs, 33 doubles, 42 home runs, 115 RBI, a .307/.353/.581 slash, 171 wRC+, and 7.9 WAR. With the 26^th pick in the 1991 MLB Draft, Ryabenko was selected by San Diego. He spent all of 1992 with minor league Chula Vista and earned Minor League MVP honors.

Ryabenko became a full-time starter in 1993 and held the role for the next 14 years with the Seals. He topped 4+ WAR in ten seasons and was above 6+ WAR four times. Ryabenko was the 1993 Rookie of the Year and won the Silver Slugger with a 6.0 WAR season. By 1996, San Diego ended a decade-long playoff drought and from 1996-2003, they earned six berths with one division title. However, the Seals never made it beyond the second round in that run. Ryabenko’s playoff career stats were underwhelming over 45 career starts with 49 hits, 22 runs, 8 doubles, 6 home runs, 21 RBI, a .272/.307/.428 slash, and 107 wRC+.

Meanwhile, Ryabenko had two stellar runs in the World Baseball Championship as a starter in 1997 and 2000 for the United States. In 1997, he led all players with 21 runs, 33 hits, 11 doubles, 3 triples, and 24 RBI. In 2000, Ryabenko had 25 hits, 17 runs, 4 doubles, 6 homers, and 22 RBI. He was a backup in his other WBC appearances, but earned world champion rings with the American team in 1996, 1997, 2000, and 2001. In 1997, Ryabenko finished second in Tournament MVP voting.

After the 1997 season, San Diego signed Ryabenko to an eight-year, $31,600,000 extension. 1998 was Ryabenko’s top MLB season, leading the American Association in runs (117), hits (218), RBI (135), and WAR (9.9). Those were all career bests, as was his 41 doubles, 37 home runs, .341/.381/.606 slash, .987 OPS, and 170 wRC+. That earned Ryabenko MVP honors and his second Silver Slugger. His third and final Silver Slugger came in 2001 with a 7.3 WAR season. Ryabenko also led in doubles with 39 in 2002.

Ryabenko opted out of his contract after the 2003 season to sign a new four-year, $35,600,000 deal with San Diego. He had a few more nice seasons, but dropped to below average hitting by his final season in 2006. Ryabenko picked up his 2500^th career hit this season, but the Seals voided the team option fourth year of his contract.

In total with San Diego, Ryabenko had 2576 hits, 1236 runs, 427 doubles, 106 triples, 386 home runs, 1415 RBI, a .295/.327/.501 slash, 128 wRC+, and 72.4 WAR. He remained a beloved favorite by Seals fans and sadly left at the wrong time, as SD won the 2007 World Series right after he left. Ryabenko would later get an honorary ring from the franchise and see his #9 uniform retired. A free agent for the first time heading towards his age 36 season, Ryabenko stayed in the Southwest Division with a three-year, $28,800,000 deal with Albuquerque.

Ryabenko had a good 2007 with 3.9 WAR and a 129 wRC+. He was reduced to a bench role by the end of the 2008 season with only 0.4 WAR and a 85 wRC+ over 117 games. He had 4.3 WAR and 110 wRC+ over two seasons for the Isotopes. Ryabenko was let go for 2009 and went unsigned all season, retiring that winter at age 38.

The final stats saw 2857 hits, 1376 runs, 479 doubles, 117 triples, 416 home runs, 1542 RBI, 495 walks, 230 stolen bases, a .293/.326/.494 slash, 126 wRC+, and 76.7 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 13^th in WAR accumulated at center field. Ryabenko ranks 67^th in doubles, but doesn’t crack the top 100 in any other stat. His accumulations put him very much in a borderline spot for Hall of Fame induction.

Ryabenko was a very popular player and had an MVP award to his name, which helped him across the line for some voters. He just missed the 66% requirement at 60.4% and 65.1% for his first two ballots. On his third try, Ryabenko barely bumped up to 66.9%, but that got him across the line for a third ballot induction with MLB’s 2016 Hall of Fame class

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-11-2024, 11:27 AM

2016 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

Three players received a first ballot induction with the 2016 Hall of Fame class for the Central American Baseball Association. OF Ryan Crowe led the way at 97.3%, joined by 1B/LF Jose Cardenas at 80.7% and 1B Yusdet Remo at 78.6%. The only other player above 50% was SP Julio Sandoval, the best returner with a 54.6% third ballot.

Dropped after ten failed ballots was 1B Samuel Ibanez, who peaked at 45.1% in 2011 and ended at a low of 8.5%. He was a starter for 11 years with good power for Guatemala, but only had one Silver Slugger and no black ink. Ibanez finished with 2089 hits, 1169 runs, 320 doubles, 481 home runs, 1246 RBI, a .286/.343/.540 slash, 138 wRC+, and 53.7 WAR. It was a solid career, but a pretty firm “Hall of Pretty Good” type, especially at a loaded offensive position like first base.

Ryan Crowe – Outfielder – Juarez Jesters – 97.3% First Ballot

Ryan Crowe was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed American outfielder from Parts Unknown. Much of his early life is a mystery with some legal issues in his youth expected, since he popped up unexpectedly from independent leagues. Crowe was a well-rounded bat who was good to great across the board in terms of contact, power, and eye. Over his 162 game average, Crowe would get 34 doubles and 32 home runs per season.

Crowe’s speed and baserunning were both mediocre. He made about 2/3s of his starts in right field and had weak range, but good enough glove work and arm strength to provide passable defense. Crowe had similar results in left field, but was terrible defensively in limited time playing center. He had fantastic durability and played 140+ games each year from 1995-2009.

In his early 20s, Crowe bounced around obscure independent leagues in the United States and northern Mexico. He started to show some promise and caught the attention of Juarez, who signed him in 1995 at age 25. Crowe had an excellent debut and won Rookie of the Year, getting his first of 14 straight seasons worth 5+ WAR. Crowe led the Mexican League in doubles in 1996 and walks in 1997. This early success inspired the Jesters to give him a seven-year, $24,760,000 extension after the 1998 season.

By 2000, he went from a strong starter to Mexican League MVP. Crowe led the league in the triple slash (.379/.441/.693), posting career highs there and in OPS (1.133), wRC+ (217), WAR (10.2), hits (222), runs (124), and home runs (47). Juarez broke through for their first playoff berth since 1988, falling to Ecatepec in the MLCS. The Jesters became a regular playoff contender with five straight berths from 2002-2006.

Crowe had similar stats in 2001, leading again in batting average (.357) and OBP (.420) while posting 10.1 WAR, and 1.086 OPS. He led with a career best 137 RBI and had a career high 45 doubles. Crowe won his second Silver Slugger and was second in MVP voting. He led in doubles in 2002 and posted four more 8+ WAR seasons, winning Silver Sluggers in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Crowe was third in 2004 MVP voting and 2006.

Juarez lost in the 2002 MLCS to the Ecatepec dynasty, then had first round playoff losses in 2003 and 2004. The Jesters broke through with back-to-back pennants in 2005 and 2006, but they lost the 2005 CABA Championship to Salvador and the 2006 final to Haiti. Crowe had very good playoff numbers in 59 starts with 76 hits, 46 runs, 11 doubles, 14 home runs, 42 RBI, a .328/.379/.582 slash, 179 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR.

Crowe signed a two-year, $14,800,000 extension after the 2005 season. Juarez remained good in 2007 and 2008, but fell just short of the playoffs both years. They fell to 78-84 in 2009, their only losing season during Crowe’s tenure. Age had finally caught up to the now 40-year old Crowe, who had his worst season at 3.0 WAR and 123 wRC+. He would cross the 1500 run and 1500 RBI milestones in his last season.

Looking to re-tool, Juarez let Crowe go. He signed for 2010 with Monterrey, but struggled as a part-time starter with -0.6 WAR over 336 plate appearances. Crowe had hoped to get to the 3000 hit and 500 home run milestones, but was clearly cooked at this point. No one signed him in 2011 and he retired that winter at age 42. Juarez fittingly brought him back soon after to retire his #42 uniform.

Crowe ended with 2981 hits, 1547 runs, 520 doubles, 497 home runs, 1555 RBI, 909 walks, a .329/.390/.563 slash, 175 wRC+, and 109.3 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 20^th in CABA in hits, 23^rd in runs, 11^th in doubles, 76^th in home runs, 36^th in RBI, 26^th in walks, and 24^th in WAR among position players. Among those with 3000+ plate appearances, his .953 OPS sits 59^th. Among Hall of Famers in CABA, Crowe’s OBP is 12^th.

Despite coming from complete obscurity, Crowe was one of CABA’s most reliably consistent batters of the 1990s and 2000s, helping Juarez become a contender to start the 21^st Century. Crowe was a strong headliner for CABA’s 2016 Hall of Fame class at 97.3%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-11-2024, 02:28 PM

2016 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 2)

Jose Cardenas – First Base/Left Field – Honduras Horsemen – 80.7% First Ballot

Jose Cardenas was a 6’3’’, 205 pound right-handed hitter from San German, Cuba; a town in eastern Cuba’s Urbano Noris municipality. Cardenas was an excellent contact hitter with an average eye and strikeout rate. He was a great power hitter who topped 40+ home runs four times. Cardenas’s gap power was also reliably good with 32 doubles and 33 home runs per his 162 game average. He was a decent baserunner technically, but his speed was lousy.

Cardenas made roughly half of his defensive career at first base and graded out as lousy there. He had around ¼ of his starts in left and was even worse there. The other ¼ of his starts were as a designated hitter. Cardenas generally had strong durability over a 20 year pro career.

In September 1985, a teenaged Cardenas was signed to an amateur developmental deal with Leon. He made his Mexican League debut in 1991 at age 21 with 70 games and three starts. Cardenas remained mostly a pinch hitter in 1992, then saw 108 starts in 1993. Cardenas earned the full-time role in 1994, which saw league bests in OBP (.417), OPS (1.065), and wRC+ (203). He won his first Silver Slugger (in LF) and finished third in MVP voting.

Cardenas had four straight 5+ WAR years for the Lions. They won division titles in 1991 and 1992 before Cardenas was a starter, then just missed the playoffs in his later years. In total with Leon, Cardenas had 858 hits, 409 runs, 143 doubles, 146 home runs, 446 RBI, a .345/.395/.594 slash, 181 wRC+, and 30.1 WAR. The Lions wanted to lock him up, but couldn’t come to terms. At age 27, Cardenas would spend the next six years outside of CABA.

MLB teams took notice and Houston gave Cardenas a five-year, $19,440,000 deal. He didn’t live up to his CABA standards with the Hornets with merely decent production in his first three years. Houston made him a part-time starter in 2000, then only used him in 74 games with 39 starts in 2001 despite being healthy. With the Hornets, Cardenas had 683 hits, 340 runs, 124 doubles, 113 home runs, 393 RBI, a .278/.327/.469 slash, 116 wRC+, and 8.7 WAR. Houston made the playoffs twice, but had first round exits in 1997 and 1999.

While in MLB, Cardenas did still return to his native Cuba for the World Baseball Championship. From 1996-2003, he had 77 starts, 79 hits, 36 runs, 18 doubles, 18 home runs, 49 RBI, a .271/.334/.526 slash, 149 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR. Despite unremarkable MLB results, Buffalo gave him a one-year deal for 2002. This was easily his best MLB season with 3.7 WAR and a 152 wRC+ over 147 games. Despite that, MLB teams weren’t looking to give a 33-year old Cardenas a long-term deal.

However, CABA’s Honduras gave him a five-year, $17,400,000 deal, which began his most famous run. The Horsemen won back-to-back Caribbean League titles in 2003 and 2004 with Cardenas earning 2003 CLCS MVP. Honduras won the 2003 CABA Championship in Ecatepec, then lost in a rematch in 2004. The Horsemen had a one-and-done in 2005, then lost in the 2006 and 2007 CLCS to Haiti.

Cardenas had a strong career playoff run over 46 starts with 69 hits, 31 runs, 11 doubles, 8 home runs, 25 RBI, a .369/.389/578, 160 wRC+, and 2.4 WAR. His stats were subpar in the 2004 run, but excellent in 2003 with 24 hits, 11 runs, and a 1.357 OPS. He won a Silver Slugger in 2003 and took third in MVP voting. 2004 had a 31-game hit streak, then 2006 saw a 32-game hit streak.

In 2006, Cardenas had career and league bests in runs (128), hits (222), OBP (1.137), and WAR (8.0). At age 36, he also exploded for 58 home runs and 135 RBI, by far career bests. Cardenas finished second in MVP voting, the closest he came to the top award. In March 2007, Honduras gave him a three-year, $24,500,000 extension.

Cardenas had a good 2008, but his power fell off notably in the next two years. Honduras’s decade-long playoff streak also ended with middling finishes from 2008-2010. After an iffy 2010, he retired at age 41. With Honduras, Cardenas had 1550 hits, 762 runs, 250 doubles, 295 home runs, 901 RBI, a .330/.371/.579, 154 wRC+, and 40.6 WAR. His eight year run was strong enough for the Horsemen to retire his #96 uniform.

For his full pro career, Cardenas had 3249 hits, 1582 runs, 551 doubles, 581 home runs, 1836 RBI, 739 walks, a .319/.365/.552 slash, 151 wRC+, and 83.2 WAR. That line probably gets anyone in, but his CABA accumulations were hurt by the six-year MLB excursion. In CABA, Cardenas had 2408 hits, 1171 runs, 393 doubles, 441 home runs, 1347 RBI, a .336/.379/.584 slash, 164 wRC+, and 70.7 WAR. He falls outside of the top 100 in most counting stats.

Cardenas’s rate stats are strong though amongst all CABA hitters with 3000+ plate appearances. He ranks 35^th in batting average, 42^nd in OBP, 66^th in slugging, and 43^rd in OPS. Cardenas’s best years coming in his 30s also left recent positive memories with voters. He played a big role in two Caribbean League titles for Honduras, which allowed him to overcome any accumulation worries. At 80.7%, Cardenas was a first-ballot inductee and the second player in CABA’s 2016 Hall of Fame class.

Yusdet Remo – First Base – Tijuana Toros – 78.6% First Ballot

Yusdet Remo was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Tipitapa, Honduras; a city of around 150,000 in the greater Managua area. Remo was a solid contact hitter with great home run power, topping 35+ home runs each year from 1999-2009. He had nice gap power as well with 22 doubles and 10 triples per his 162 game average.

Despite his power, Remo didn’t draw many walks and he struggled with strikeouts. Remo was excellent against right-handed pitching (184 wRC+, .981 OPS) and merely above average against lefties (120 wRC+, .761 OPS). He had average speed and was often overly aggressive on the basepaths with only a 43.7% success rate on steals. Remo played left field his rookie year with lousy defense. He played first base for the rest of his run and was a reliably good gloveman there. Remo was a true ironman who never missed time to injury.

Even as a teenager, Remo was a big kid and drew a lot of attention around Nicaragua’s capital. A visiting scout from Tijuana grabbed him in May 1992 to a developmental deal and he debuted in the Mexican League at age 19 in 1995. Remo only saw pinch hit use in his first three years with 21 starts in 198 games. The Toros were regularly a wild card in the 1990s, but most years fell victim to Monterrey’s dynasty.

Remo became a full-time starter in 1998 and held this rule through 2004 for Tijiuana. He had a good 1998, but emerged as a star with a big postseason. In 14 starts, Remo had 20 hits, 12 runs, 7 home runs, and 14 RBI, helping Tijuana to their first pennant since 1923 as MLCS MVP. The Toros upset the Matadors in the MLCS, but couldn’t win it all as Salvador repeated as CABA Champion. Tijuana lost in the first round in 1999, then fell towards the middle of the standings generally for the next few years.

In 1999, Remo won his lone MVP and Silver Slugger, leading the league in runs (115), total bases (416), and wRC+ (212). The total bases and wRC+ were career bests, as were his 57 home runs, 131 RBI, .684 slugging, and 1.053 OPS. Remo fell off notably in 2000, but bounced back with 5+ WAR efforts in each of the next four seasons for Tijuana.

He saw a career high 8.3 WAR and 118 runs in 2003, also posting 53 homers and a 1.005 OPS. Remo was third in MVP voting, but an emerging Donald Gonzalez made Silver Sluggers a tough proposition at first base. In 2004, Remo had a six-hit game against Torreon. In total with Tijuana, Remo had 1392 hits, 711 runs, 179 doubles, 321 home runs, 799 RBI, .306/.341/.589 slash, 172 wRC+, and 41.1 WAR.

Tijuana had signed Remo to an eight-year, $33,160,000 extension after the 1999 season. He surprised and disappointed many in the organization by exercising his opt-out after the 2004 campaign, becoming a 29-year old free agent. Remo would stay popular years later and eventually made good with the Toros, getting his #17 retired.

Remo got a big payday as Torreon signed him at eight years and $53,100,000. Torreon had been the MLCS runner-up in the prior two years and hoped Remo could get them across the line. He put up solid numbers initially for the Tomahawks, including a league-best 49 home runs in 2006. However, they had first round losses in the 2005 and 2008 postseasons while missing the cut in 2006 and 2007.

While his entire pro career was in Mexico, Remo regularly returned to his native Nicaragua for the World Baseball Championship. He had 118 games and 107 starts from 1996-2011 with overall average production. Remo posted 86 hits, 44 runs, 16 doubles, 21 home runs, 47 RBI, a .218/.278/.419 slash, 99 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR.

After the 2009 season, a now 34-year old Remo opted out of the final three years of his Torreon deal. In five years with the Tomahawks, Remo had 893 hits, 468 runs, 105 doubles, 214 home runs, 539 RBI, a .311/.343/.604 slash, 170 wRC+, and 27.3 WAR. The Tomahawks had moved him more to a platoon role against righties in his last year, but he still posted a 160 wRC+. Remo had hoped to get another big long-term teal, but his bet was a bust.

Remo was unsigned in spring training, then finally got a one year, $3,160,000 deal with Juarez. He was still a passable starter in 132 games with a 123 wRC+ and .790 OPS, but his power saw a career low 25 home runs. Remo was unsigned in 2011 and only played in that year’s WBC. With no suitors, Remo retired at age 35.

The final stats saw 2420 hits, 1252 runs, 294 doubles, 130 triples, 560 home runs, 1404 RBI, 359 stolen bases, a .306/.340/.588 slash, 168 wRC+, and 70.9 WAR. As of 2037, Remo ranks 41^st in home runs, 67^th in RBI, 84^th in hits, and 90^th in runs. He does miss the top 100 in WAR, but does rank 61^st in slugging among all CABA hitters with 3000+ plate appearances.

Remo’s accumulations were on the lower end compared to a lot of Hall of Famers. However, he hit a lot of homers in a short run, had an MVP, and played a big role in Tijuana’s 1998 Mexican League title. Those perks got him a first ballot induction at 78.6% as the third member of a rock solid 2016 CABA Hall of Fame class

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-11-2024, 08:00 PM

2016 EAB Hall of Fame

The 2016 East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame class didn’t have any notable debuts with the top newcomer getting only 25.4%. There was one inductee as RF Jung-Sang Ryu got a big bump to 78.7% on his third ballot. 3B Kazuo Shiraki barely missed the 66% cut with a 64.1% fourth ballot. SP Kachi Ishii was also close at 61.8% for his fifth go. 3B Min-Seong Ryu saw 58.9% for his second ballot and SP Nazonokusa Mori received 58.3% for his fifth go. No one was dropped from the ballot after ten failed tries.

Jung-Sang Ryu – Right Field – Pyongyang Pythons – 78.7% Third Ballot

Jung-Sang Ryu was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Hungnam, North Korea, a district within Hamhung. Ryu had excellent home run power with 42 over his 162 game average and three seasons of 50+. He was much better against right-handed hitting with a career .925 OPS and 148 wRC+. Ryu was actively bad against lefties with a .632 OPS and 80 wRC+. He was a mediocre contact hitter against both sides, but his power and knack for drawing walks against righties still gave him positive value.

Unlike the traditional home run hitter, Ryu had very good speed and baserunning instincts. Like his home run power, his gap power was far better against righties, getting 21 doubles and 9 triples per his 162 game average. Ryu played center field as a rookie, but otherwise was a right fielder almost exclusively. He graded as a very good defender in right, winning two Gold Gloves. Ryu was below average in center, but was passable enough to fill in a couple times a year.

Ryu had some small sporadic injuries, but didn’t miss much time over an 18-yeaer career. He was a good leader and his home run power helped make him one of North Korea’s most popular figures. Ryu was a regular figure for the DPRK in the World Baseball Championship from 1992-2007 with 144 starts, 86 hits, 57 runs, 18 doubles, 30 home runs, 65 RBI, 46 stolen bases, a .179/.272/.412 slash, 94 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR.

Almost his entire pro career came with one of the two North Korean pro teams. Although Ryu grew up around Hamhung, he was picked sixth overall by Pyongyang in the 1990 EAB Draft. He was a part-time starter in 1991 and took third in Rookie of the Year voting. Ryu was a full-time starter for the next 12 years for the Pythons and was a reason to come to the ballpark. Pyongyang was generally mediocre in his tenure with their lone playoff berths being first round exits in 1992 and 1995.

In his third season, Ryu put it all together, posting Korea League and career bests in runs (129), home runs (59), total bases (403), slugging (.726), and WAR (11.2). Ryu also had career bests in hits (171), doubles (29), triples (13), average (.308), OBP (.378), OPS (1.104), and wRC+ (196). He had the rare awards trifecta, winning MVP, Silver Slugger, and a Gold Glove. Ryu won his second Silver Slugger in 1994 with 53 home runs, 113 RBI, and 7.1 WAR.

Ryu’s later struggles against lefties hurt him in later years even with strong power numbers against righties. He still posted 4+ WAR each year from 1992-1999, but only did it sporadically after that. In 1997, Ryu joined the small group of EAB sluggers with a four home run game. 1996 saw 51 homers and he’d top 40+ twice more in his career. In April 1996, Pyongyang gave Ryu a seven-year, $23,640,000 extension.

His poor contact ability and lefty struggles gave him inconsistent stats for the rest of the first Pyongyang run. Ryu’s deal finally fan out after the 2003 season, making him a free agent for the first time at age 36. He returned closer to home on a two-year, $6,160,000 deal with Hamhung. Ryu was a platoon starter in 2004 and 2005 with playable results, posting 6.2 WAR, 40 home runs, and 141 wRC+ over 159 games.

In May 2005, Hamhung traded Ryu and $3,510,000 to Yokohama for 3B Jun Aoki and 1B Yujiro Yoneda. In 93 games for the Yellow Jackets, Ryu saw 1.5 WAR and a 111 wRC+. A free agent again at age 38, Pyongyang brought him back on a two-year, $6,960,000 deal. Ryu won his second Gold Glove in 2006, but he couldn’t hit above .200 at this point, which limited his overall hitting value.

Pyongyang gave him a third year, but traded him in July 2008 to Gwangju for two prospects. He only played 29 games with the Grays, posting 1.9 WAR total for his final season. Elbow tendinitis kept him out for the final six weeks of the season with Gwangju. Ryu opted to retire that winter at age 41.

Ryu finished with 1949 hits, 1381 runs, 308 doubles, 130 triples, 626 home runs, 1372 RBI, 931 walks, 735 stolen bases, a .238/.318/.536 slash, 132 wRC+, and 79.8 WAR. He was the 26^th player to join the 600 home run club and ranks 32^nd as of 2037. He also ranks 85^th in RBI and 68^th in runs scored. However, his batting average is the fourth worst among EAB Hall of Famers as of 2037.

There had been some other guys who made it in before him primarily on the strength of home runs, which Ryu had plenty of. His great baserunning and defense gave him a solid boost, but it was hard to ignore the poor batting average and actively bad production against lefties. Ryu’s MVP helped too, but he was hurt by being on mostly forgettable Pyongyang teams.

Ryu just missed the cut in his first two ballots at 63.3% and 63.6%, three points away from the 66% requirement. 2016 saw no impactful debuts, which opened up an opportunity for returners to get another look. The voters thought Ryu was the best of the bunch, boosting him to 78.7% for a third ballot induction. With that, he was the lone selection into EAB’s Hall of Fame in 2016.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-12-2024, 05:06 AM

2016 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

Beisbol Sudamerica had a very strong 2016 Hall of Fame class with three inductees on their first ballot. Two were no-doubters with 1B Bernaldo Lagasse at 98.6% and 3B/1B Pedro Souza at 98.0%. RF/1B Oliveiro Castillo also saw a strong showing at 81.5%.

Catcher Moises Avalos barely missed out with 62.7% on his eighth try. He had finished above 60% five times, but the anti-catcher bias still kept him short of the 66% requirement. Through more than 80 years of BSA history, there still wasn’t a single inducted catcher. The only other player above ½ of the vote was RF Amauris Garcia at exactly 50% for his third ballot.

Three players fell off the ballot after ten failed tries. SP Adrian Jurado debuted at 33.6%, but ended at only 8.7%. He had a 17-year run with a 209-166 record, 3.39 ERA, 3291.2 innings, 3058 strikeouts, 593 walks, 106 ERA+, and 51.7 WAR. Jurado had one ERA title, but otherwise was generally an above average pitcher with some longevity. He also had weak playoff numbers with Caracas in his 30s that didn’t help his case.

LF Kasim Mati won MVP in 1994 with Medellin and four Silver Sluggers, but his totals were hurt by leaving for MLB after only a 12-year run Mati had 1987 hits, 997 runs, 393 doubles, 334 home runs, 1120 RBI, a .305/.361/.534 slash, 150 wRC+, and 72.1 WAR. With a few more years, Mati probably gets the nod. He debuted at 35.9%, but finished at only 6.1%.

SP Augusto Candido also fell off, debuting at 33.6% and ending at only 4.6%. He won Pitcher of the Year in 1996 and won three Gold Gloves and two Copas Sudamerica with Recife. Injuries derailed Candido with a torn elbow ligament at age 30 and career-ending shoulder inflammation at age 32. In 11 years with Recife, he had a 158-100 record, 2.57 ERA, 2502 innings, 2409 strikeouts, 358 walks, 125 ERA+, and 64.3 WAR. Had Candido stayed healthy for a few more years, he was certainly on pace for a HOF spot.

Bernaldo “Cowboy” Lagasse – First Base – Brasilia Bearcats – 98.6% First Ballot

Bernaldo Lagasse was a 6’3’’, 200 pound switch-hitting first baseman from Belem, Brazil; the capital of the northern Para state with around 1,300,000 people. Nicknamed “Cowboy,” Lagasse had a legendary eye for drawing walks. He was the league leader in walks in 15 of his 16 full seasons as a starter and led nine times in on-base percentage.

Lagasse was also a very solid contact hitter and had excellent power in his swing. His 162 game average saw 40 home runs and 27 doubles. His strikeout rate was unremarkable, but that didn’t stop him from being one of the most impressive bats in South America. Lagasse led the league five times in runs scored purely from getting on base so often, as he was quite slow with terrible baserunning skills

Defensively, Lagasse spent his entire career at first base. He was a subpar gloveman, but you could do worse. He was a reliable ironman who played 149+ games each season from 1997-2012. Lagasse wasn’t a vocal leader and loyalist, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most popular players of his era.

Lagasse’s talents were evident during his amateur career, drawing attention even as a high schooler. He was a rare draft pick out of the prep ranks, going 11^th to Brasilia in the 1992 BSA Draft. The Bearcats were patient in developing Lagasse, as he didn’t play at all in 1993 or 1994. He only saw 59 games and seven starts between 1995 and 1996. Lagasse earned a full-time starter gig in 1997 and held it for the next nine years for Brasilia.

In his first four years as a starter, Lagasse led the Southern Cone League in on-base percentage. He had 5.1 WAR seasons in 1997 and 1998, then exploded in 1999 with his first of ten 40+ home run seasons. Lagasse led in runs (121), walks (100), OBP (.424), OPS (1.058), and WAR (10.7). He posted only the sixth-ever 100 walk season to that point in BSA. That effort earned MVP honors and pushed Brasilia to the top seed at 103-59, ending a three-year playoff drought.

In the playoffs, Lagasse earned LCS MVP honors and pushed Brasilia to a Copa Sudamerica win over La Paz, their first title since the 1930s. He had 16 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 2 homers, 8 RBI, and 10 walks in 16 playoff starts. The Bearcats would miss the playoffs by one game in 2000, then surprisingly fell to 73-89 in 2001. Lagasse still thrived though, continuing what would be a nine-year streak of seasons worth 7+ WAR. After the 2000 campaign, Brasilia gave him an eight-year, $29,880,000 extension.

Brasilia returned to the playoffs from 2002-04 and won Copa Sudamerica in 2002 over Caracas. Lagasse had a legendary postseason run, winning MVP honors in all three rounds of the playoffs. In 12 starts, he had 17 hits, 9 runs, 8 home runs, and 15 RBI. Lagasse also won a Silver Slugger and was third in MVP voting, leading the league in runs, walks, and WAR.

The Bearcats lost in the first round in 2003 and fell in the 2004 LCS to Salvador. For his 43 playoff starts with Brasilia, Lagasse had 47 hits, 28 runs, 5 doubles, 16 home runs, 33 RBI, 19 walks, a .305/.373/.675 slash, and 186 wRC+. He was also a regular for Brazil with 163 games and 153 starts from 1998-2013 in the World Baseball Championship. Lagasse had 110 hits, 84 runs, 20 doubles, 37 home runs, 87 RBI, 134 walks, a .216/.394/.481 slash, 150 wRC+, and 6.2 WAR.

Lagasse won his second MVP and a Silver Slugger in 2003, leading in runs (122), RBI (129), walks (90), OBP (.429), slugging (.685), OPS (1.114), and WAR (9.4). This season also had his career best 56 home runs. Brasilia missed the playoffs in 2005, but Lagasse won another Slugger and was second in MVP voting. He led in OBP, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR this year and topped 50 home runs for the third time.

Now 32-years old, Lagasse’s stock was at a peak and he decided to leave after the 2005 season for free agency. With Brasilia, he had 1654 hits, 973 runs, 259 doubles, 369 home runs, 888 RBI, 837 walks, a .323/.419/.598 slash, 192 wRC+, and 75.6 WAR. While Bearcats fans were disappointed he left, he remained a beloved figure for his role in their two titles. Lagasse’s #30 uniform would be retired at the end of his career.

Lagasse signed a four-year, $29,600,000 deal with Rio de Janeiro. The Redbirds had won the Cup in 2003 and lost in the 2005 LCS. Rio continued its playoff streak with four division titles with Lagasse. He debuted with his third MVP and a Silver Slugger in 2006, posting career and league bests in runs (125), doubles (41), OBP (.470), slugging (.725), OPS (1.195), wRC+ (234), and WAR (11.2). The OBP mark was a new BSA single-season record that held until 2023 and still ranks seventh as of 2037. The OPS mark was the fifth best to that point and sits 11^th in present day.

2007 saw his fifth Silver Slugger with league bests in homers, walks, OBP, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. It was his fifth time leading both WAR and OPS. Lagasse was second in 2007 and 2009’s MVP voting. Rio won the Southern Cone League in 2008, but lost Copa Sudamerica to Santa Cruz. The Redbirds lost in the 2005 LCS and had first round losses in 2006 and 2008. Lagasse was merely decent in the playoffs for Rio with 36 starts, 43 hits, 19 runs, 5 doubles, 3 home runs, 14 RBI, 14 walks, a .321/.387/.425 slash, and 121 wRC+.

With Rio de Janeiro, Lagasse had 707 hits, 461 runs, 102 doubles, 182 home runs, 392 RBI, 384 walks, a .330/.434/.648 slash, 200 wRC+, and 35.4 WAR. 2008 was a down year, but otherwise he was playing his best baseball in his mid 30s. Lagasse decided to go to free agency again and the superstar had worldwide offers. This ended his Beisbol Sudamerica career, signing a three-year, $42,100,000 deal with MLB’s Toronto Timberwolves.

Lagasse had an impressive debut in 2010 for Toronto, leading the National Association with 116 walks. His 40 home runs, 186 wRC+, and 7.3 WAR were all impressive for a 36-year old debutant. Lagasse led in walks again the next two years, but his power began to decline by year three. The Timberwolves didn’t make the playoffs in his run, but he lived up to the deal over three years with 14.9 WAR, 155 wRC+, and a .233/.367/.459 slash.

Now 39-years old, Boston signed Lagasse for two years and $22,700,000. His power and contact ability both dropped noticeable and he was a backup mostly with the Red Sox with 57 starts over 131 games. He had 1.9 WAR and 126 wRC+ with Boston. In total in MLB, Lagasse had 447 hits, 290 runs, 57 doubles, 112 home runs, 307 RBI, 391 walks, a .231/.366/.443 slash, 150 wRC+, and 16.8 WAR. Lagasse wanted to play in 2015, but went unsigned and retired that winter.

For his combined pro career, Lagasse had 2808 hits, 1724 runs, 418 doubles, 663 home runs, 1587 RBI, 1612 walks, a .305/.411/.577 slash, 185 wRC+, and 127.8 WAR. Just in BSA, he had 2361 hits, 1434 runs, 361 doubles, 551 home runs, 1280 RBI, 1221 walks, a .325/.424/.613 slash, 195 wRC+, and 111.0 WAR.

As of 2037 in BSA, Lagasse ranks seventh in walks, 19^th in WAR among position players, 47^th in home runs and 41^st in runs scored. He retired as the BSA leader in on-base percentage among all players with 3000+ plate appearances and still sits second in 2037. Lagasse also retired as the OPS leader at 1.036, just ahead of home run king Milton Becker’s 1.035. Lagasse is still seventh as of 2037, showing his spot as an incredibly efficient bat, even if he didn’t have the big grand totals.

His .411 OBP for his entire pro career also ranks 14^th best among all Hall of Famers in any world league as of 2037. Lagasse’s 1612 pro walks is 19^th among all players in all leagues. He was a remarkable hitter and a big reason Brasilia won it all in both 1999 and 2002. Lagasse was an easy headliner for the 2016 BSA Hall of fame at 98.6%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-12-2024, 01:33 PM

2016 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 2)

Pedro “Chappy” Souza – Third/First Base – Fortaleza Foxes – 98.0% First Ballot

Pedro Souza was a 6’0’’, 190 pound switch-hitting corner infielder from Valinhos, Brazil; a city of 131,000 in the Sao Paulo state. Souza was a prolific home run hitter who topped 50+ nine times and 40+ twelve times. He was incredibly strong against right-handed pitching with a career 163 wRC+ and .929 OPS. Souza struggled against lefties with a .621 OPS and 76 wRC+. He was hurt by being an average-at-best contact hitter against righties and actively poor versus lefties.

Despite his power, Souza was merely okay at drawing walks and was below average in strikeouts. His power was concentrated on dingers and he only topped 20+ doubles once. Souza was also a slow baserunner, so he wasn’t going to stretch out extra bases often. He had strong durability for much of his career, starting 140+ games each year from 1995-2006.

Souza split his career almost evenly between third base and first base. He had a cannon arm and good glovework, but lousy range. Souza graded as an average defender at 3B and above average at 1B. He was a team captain with a tremendous character, renowned for his leadership, work ethic, selflessness, and intelligence. Between being an absolute class act and hitting a lot of dingers, it is no surprise that Souza was a beloved superstar of the era.

Coming out of high school, Souza was picked 13^th overall by Fortaleza in the 1993 BSA Draft. He didn’t play in 1992 or 1994 and struggled in his 91 games and 33 starts in 1993. Souza earned a full-time starting job in 1995 and had put it altogether by then at age 22, smacking a Southern Cone League best 60 home runs.

He topped it the next year with arguably his best season, posting league and career bests in homers (62), RBI (135), and total bases (375). Souza also had career bests in wRC+ (177), and WAR (8.5). He won 1996 MVP honors and a Silver Slugger at third base. Souza had 47 or more homers from 1995-2006. He topped 50+ five more times with the Foxes and led the league in 1998, 1999, 2002, and 2003. Souza smacked 60 again in 2003 and had 100+ RBI six more times. Souza won a Silver Slugger in 1998 at first base.

Despite his efforts, Fortaleza struggled during his tenure, posting nothing but losing seasons from 1996-2003. He was beloved by Foxes fans though and his #36 uniform would eventually be retired. Souza did also play for Brazil in the World Baseball Championship, but mostly as a backup and clubhouse leader. From 1996-2007, he had 70 games and 26 starts with 30 hits, 23 runs, 13 home runs, 23 RBI, a .246/.324/.590 slash, 153 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR.

With Fortaleza, Souza had 1532 hits, 855 runs, 152 doubles, 496 home runs, 1068 RBI, a .270/.307/.562 slash, 151 wRC+, and 51.9 WAR. While he wanted to stay loyal to the squad, Souza ultimately wasn’t re-signed after the 2003 season and entered free agency at age 31. Incidentally, the Foxes finally returned to contention shortly after he left. Souza ended up in Chile, signing a four-year, $14,560,000 deal with Santiago.

Souza’s second year with the Saints saw his second MVP and third Silver Slugger, leading in homers for the seventh time. He had a career-best .964 OPS and topped 7+ WAR for the third time. Santiago ended a six-year playoff drought with a division title, but lost in the first round of the playoffs. The Saints fell to below .500 the next year. Souza declined the fourth-year option in his contract, becoming a free agent again at age 34.

With Santiago, Souza had 467 hits, 272 runs, 152 home runs, 331 RBI, a .265/.301/.549 slash, 134 wRC+, and 15.6 WAR. Salvador signed him to a four-year, $23,200,000 deal. A fractured wrist cost Souza six weeks in 2007, then in 2009 he was moved to a platoon role. While his power was down from its peak, he still his 30+ homers each year from 2007-2009. Souza’s leadership also helped immensely as the Storm posted a brief dynasty run.

Salvador won Copa Sudamerica in 2007 and 2009, while suffering a LCS loss in 2008 to Rio de Janeiro. Souza was subpar in the 2007 and 2008 postseasons, but he stepped up big in 2009 with 18 hits, 15 runs, 6 homers, 13 RBI, and 1.066 OPS in 16 starts. The Storm would just miss the playoffs in 2010, but Souza would remain fondly remembered for his part in two titles. In 2008, Souza was the fourth in BSA history to reach 700 career home runs.

Age was catching up by 2010 and Souza was moved purely to a bench role, playing only 90 games with 17 starts. In total for Salvador, he had 354 hits, 200 runs, 114 home runs, 270 RBI, a .242/.293/.508 slash, 118 wRC+, and 10.6 WAR. Souza retired after the 2010 season at age 38.

Souza finished with 2353 hits, 1327 runs, 229 doubles, 762 home runs, 1669 RBI, 439 walks, a .264/.303/.550 slash, 142 wRC+, and 78.1 WAR. As of 2037, Souza still ranks sixth in home runs, 16^th in RBI, and 64^th in runs scored. He doesn’t crack the top 100 in WAR by position players, losing out due to his poor hitting against lefties.

Few guys hit harder against righties than Souza though and few players garnered more respect and adoration in the clubhouse. He won two MVPs and two Copa Sudamerica rings, cementing his status as a beloved baseball hero. Souza grabbed 98.0% as a no-doubt Hall of Famer in BSA’s 2016 class.

Oliveiro Castillo – Right Field/First Base – Recife Retrievers – 81.5% First Ballot

Oliveiro Castillo was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed hitting right fielder and first baseman from the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires. Castillo was a well-rounded bat who wasn’t amazing at one thing, but good to occasionally great in terms of contact, power, and eye. His 162 game average saw 36 home runs and 25 doubles. Castillo was never a league leader in his career, but he was steady and reliable at the plate. He was a decently savvy baserunner, but his speed was lousy.

Castillo made about 2/3s of his career starts in right field with most of the rest at first base. He was a terrible defender in either spot, but he played his whole career in the Southern Cone League where the designated hitter wasn’t available. Castillo also criticized for selfishness and a lackluster work ethic. He had some sporadic injury issues, but didn’t miss big stretches too often. Castillo’s bat was predictable enough to earn a regular spot in the lineup.

In the 1988 BSA Draft, Castillo was picked seventh overall by Cordoba. He barely saw the field though with the Chanticleers and looked like a possible bust early on. From 1989-1993, he only made 23 starts over 237 games with 1.1 WAR and 96 wRC+. Fed up with mediocrity, Castillo was traded before the 1994 season to Recife for 2B Espirito Javir and P Che Melena. It was with the Retrievers that he finally lived up to the potential.

Recife made him a starter right away and he posted 12 straight seasons worth 4+ WAR. Castillo’s second year saw a career best 44 home runs. He stepped up big in the playoffs as the Retrievers won back-to-back Copa Sudamerica rings in 1995 and 1996. Castillo was the LCS MVP in 1995 and finals MVP in 1996. Over the 31 starts, he had 48 hits, 26 runs, 4 doubles, 15 home runs, 35 RBI, and 2.9 WAR. This forever gave Castillo a warm place in the heart of Recife fans with his #18 uniform later getting retired.

After the 1996 season, Recife signed Castillo to an eight-year, $17,300,000 extension. The Retrievers won division titles again in 1997, 1998, and 2000. However, they lost in the 1998 LCS to Asuncion and had first round exits the other years. Recife fell to around .500 in 2001 and 2002, then stunk for the four years after that.

Castillo largely kept chugging along. In 2000, he had many career bests with 110 runs, 207 hits, 37 doubles, 108 RBI, a .352 average, and 9.1 WAR. He won his first Silver Slugger and was third in MVP voting. Castillo won another Slugger in 2002 with career highs in OPS (1.054), wRC+ (211), and home runs (44). Recife gave him another three years and $22,000,000 in May 2004.

While most of his pro career came in Brazil, Castillo did return home to Argentina regularly for the World Baseball Championship. He had 89 games and 72 starts from 1993-2005 with 72 hits, 54 runs, 10 doubles, 28 home runs, 69 RBI, a .276/.396/.644 slash, 195 wRC+, and 4.9 WAR.

2006 saw a notable setback with a bruised kneecap costing him three months. Castillo bounced back in 2007 with a 6.0 WAR season at age 38 and Recife made it just back above .500. He signed a qualifying offer for 2008, but was just used as a part-time starter. That was his final year with Recife, who let the 40-year old Castillo enter free agency for the first time.

With the Retrievers, Castillo had 2338 hits, 1218 runs, 349 doubles, 519 home runs, 1234 RBI, a .313/.369/.576 slash, 177 wRC+, and 84.1 WAR. He signed a two-year, $11,400,000 deal with Manaus, who joined Beisbol Sudamerica for 2009 as an expansion team. Castillo was average at best in 2009, but had a solid 2010 at age 41 with 37 home runs, .933 OPS, 155 wRC+, and 4.9 WAR. With Manaus, he had 272 hits, 129 runs, 54 home runs, 154 RBI, a .279/.355/.498 slash, 133 wRC+, and 5.9 WAR. Castillo’s good 2010 meant teams were still interested, but he decided to hang it up at age 41.

Castillo finished with 2679 hits, 1388 runs, 409 doubles, 584 home runs, 1425 RBI, 742 walks, a .306/.364/.562 slash, 170 wRC+, and 91.2 WAR. As of 2037, he’s 54^th in WAR among position players, 53^rd in hits, 46^th in runs, 30^th in home runs, and 56^th in RBI. Some voters were surprised how solid his tallies were despite never being a league leader and rarely being in the MVP conversation. Almost quietly, Castillo built up an impressive resume.

There were some voters who shunned the lack of black ink and awards. But most were impressed by Castillo’s full resume. His role in back-to-back titles for Recife in 1995 and 1996 couldn’t be overstated either. Castillo only got 81.5%, but that was plenty for the first ballot nod in BSA’s impressive three-player 2016 Hall of Fame class.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-12-2024, 06:39 PM

2016 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 1)

The European Baseball Federation had a solid three-player Hall of Fame class for 2016. Pitchers Enrico Gini and Gianni Fenech were both rock solid first ballot picks at 96.8% and 90.0%, respectively. Catcher Ulrich Thomsen barely joined them on his third try, just crossing the 66% requirement at 67.9%. SP Geza Sebestyen narrowly missed with a 63.0% debut. Also above 50% was CL Elias Blomqvist who debuted at 52.1%. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

Enrico Gini – Starting Pitcher – Marseille Musketeers – 96.8% First Ballot

Enrico Gini was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Cantu, Italy; a city of around 39,000 in the north near the Swiss border. Gini had excellent stuff along with good movement and control. His fastball was quite impressive despite only peaking at 93-95 mph. Gini’s circle change and regular changeup earned him the most whiffs, while he also had a curveball and screwball in the arsenal.

Gini’s stamina was respectable relative to other European aces. His durability was excellent for much of his career, reliably tossing 200+ innings each year from 1996-2007. Gini was incredible humble and selfless, which earned him plenty of respect from his peers over a 15-year pro career.

In June 1990, Gini was noticed and signed to a developmental deal by Marseille, making the move to France. He spent most of five years in their academy, officially debuting in 1995 at age 21. He only had 13.1 innings over five appearances that year. The Musketeers moved him to the rotation full-time in 1996 and he held down a spot for eight seasons in Marseille.

Gini earned 1996 Rookie of the Year honors with 3.8 WAR over 242.1 innings. Gini earned some attention in 1998 when he led the Southern Conference in strikeouts with a career best 294. This was his only time leading his career, but he did top 250 Ks in ten different seasons. 1998 did see a second place finish in Pitcher of the Year voting. From 1998-2003 with Marseille, he had 5.5+ WAR each year, peaking with 8.6 in 2001. He was third in 1999 and 2003 POTY voting.

On May 5, 2000, Gini threw EBF’s 21^st perfect game with 14 strikeouts against Belgrade. Then on September 5, 2002, he was perfect again with six strikeouts versus Barcelona. Gini was the first EBF pitcher with two perfect games, a distinction he held alone until Harvey Bolton joined him in the early 2030s. Still, it is a distinction held by very few pitchers in world history.

Marseille historically has been a strong franchise, but Gini was there during a down period. They averaged 75.9 wins per season during his tenure and only finished above .500 twice with 83-79 seasons in 1995 and 2003. Gini kept his head down and went to work, signing a four-year, $12,640,000 extension after the 2000 campaign. His efforts would later get his #12 uniform retired by the Musketeers. In total there, Gini had a 124-79 record, 2.84 ERA, 2027.1 innings, 2102 strikeouts, 420 walks, 135 ERA+, and 50.7 WAR.

Although his most prominent years came in France, Gini regularly returned home to Italy for the World Baseball Championship. From 1997-2008, he tossed 189 innings with a 16-8 record, 2.86 ERA, 261 strikeouts, 58 walks, 123 ERA+, and 5.1 WAR. Gini had four quality starts in 2005, helping the Italians earn a runner-up finish to the United States. Italy also had a final four in 2006.

2003 would be Gini‘s lone ERA title at 2.39. Gini had a year left on his deal entering 2004, but Marseille traded him to Warsaw for prospects SP Mitja Kovacic and C Guntars Ozols. The deal paid off big for the Musketeers as Kovacic would win three Pitcher of the Year awards with them, earning his own Hall of Fame nod in 2024.

Warsaw had won the Northern Conference title the prior year and they hoped Gini would help them remain a powerhouse. They won their division at 103-59, but suffered a second round upset to Paris. In the playoffs, Gini allowed three runs over nine innings. He had a solid regular season with 7.4 WAR and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Coming up on his age 31 season, Gini decided not to sign long-term with the Wildcats and entered free agency.

Dublin gave Gini big money with a six-year, $42,000,000 deal. He helped the Dinos end a nine-year playoff drought, which began a run of ten division titles from 2005-2015. Gini led in wins for the only time in 2007 at 19-7 and had career bests in ERA (2.14) and quality starts (26). He finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting and ultimately never won the top prize.

Despite four division titles from 2005-2009 and a blistering 111-51 record in 2009, Dublin couldn’t get beyond the second round of the playoffs. Gini’s playoff stats for the Dinos were middling with a 3.60 ERA over 50 innings, 4-3 record, 44 strikeouts, and 102 ERA+. He missed the second half of 2008 to shoulder inflammation. In 2010, elbow inflammation kept him out for the entire summer.

Gini was mediocre in 76 innings in 2010 with a 4.62 ERA. However, he posted a passable 3.50 ERA in his three playoff starts, which helped Dublin finally get over the hump. The Dinos were 2010 European Champions, defeating Zurich in the final. With it being the last year of his deal as well, Gini decided it was the perfect way to end his career, retiring at age 36. With Dublin, he had an 84-34 record, 2.66 ERA, 1134.2 innings, 1182 strikeouts, 170 walks, 140 ERA+, and 26.1 WAR.

In total, Gini had a 227-121 record, 2.77 ERA, 3381 innings, 3551 strikeouts, 627 walks, 305/439 quality starts, 86 complete games, 136 ERA+, and 83.6 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 20^th in wins, 28^th in strikeouts, and 25^th in pitching WAR. Among all EBF pitchers with 1000+ innings, he is 79^th in ERA.

Gini didn’t draw attention to himself, which perhaps kept him from winning Pitcher of the Year despite being a regular finalist. Few pitchers were as reliably solid in the late 1990s and 2000s in Europe and two perfect games is a remarkable milestone. Gini was a no-doubt Hall of Famer at 96.8% to lead the way with EBF’s 2016 class.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-13-2024, 05:45 AM

2016 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 2)

Gianni Fenech – Pitcher – Copenhagen Corsairs – 90.0% First Ballot

Gianni Fenech was a 6’6’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Gzira, a town of around 11,000 in Malta’s Central Region. He would be only the second-ever Maltese Hall of Famer, joining Class of 2012 pitcher Vincent Cassar. Fenech had incredible stuff with and outstanding movement later in his career. He had good control in his younger days, but regressed to average in his later run. Fenech had a three-pitch arsenal with a 95-97 mph fastball, slider, and changeup.

Fenech notably fared better against right-handed bats (158 ERA+, 2.34 ERA) compared to lefties (124 ERA+, 2.99 ERA). He had good stamina at his peak, but later injuries tanked that and shifted him to the bullpen. Fenech also started his career as a reliever and saw success in both mediums at various points in his career.

In the 1988 EBF Draft coming out of high school, Fenech was picked 10^th overall by Naples. He spurned the Nobles though and decided to attend junior college for the next two years. Fenech upped his stock and was picked by his home country team Malta third overall in 1991. The Marvels saw him as a reliever and used him in the closer role in his first four seasons.

Fenech looked merely okay in his first three years, but posted a 1.36 ERA and 33 saves in 1995, earning Reliever of the Year honors. Malta made him a starter in 1996 with average production. The Marvels remained a bottom feeder franchise during his run, averaging 70.4 wins. Although Fenech appreciated his home country, he wasn’t expected to stay long-term with the perennial loser Marvels. In five seasons, he had a 38-40 record, 125 saves, 3.02 ERA, 536.2 innings, 531 strikeouts, 125 ERA+, and 11.2 WAR.

Coming up on age 28, Fenech was traded straight up for prospect pitcher Edwin Copel. The Highlanders had him for two years with solid results, including a Northern Conference best 22-8 record and a career-best 28 quality starts. Fenech took second in 1997 Pitcher of the Year voting. He was solid in the 1997 postseason with a 2.25 ERA, but iffy in 1998 at 4.24. Both seasons, Glasgow was defeated in the conference championship.

With Glasgow, Fenech had a 40-18 record, 2.62 ERA, 525 innings, 528 strikeouts, 138 ERA+, and 12.4 WAR. He decided to test free agency heading towards age 30 and drew plenty of attention. Copenhagen ended up the buyer on a six-year, $21,040,000 deal. This became Fenech’s signature run, helping the Corsairs begin an eight-year playoff streak from 2000-2007.

In his Copenhagen debut, Fenech won his lone Pitcher of the Year, leading the conference in WAR (9.2) and complete games (17). He became one of a select few in baseball history to win POTY as a starter as well as a Reliever of the Year. Fenech’s WAR was even better in 2000 at 10.2, but he took third in POTY voting. Fenech was third again in 2001 and second in 2003.

Fenech was solid in the postseason with a 2.66 ERA over 47.1 innings and 59 strikeouts for Copenhagen. From 2000-2003, they had three second round exits and a conference finals loss in 2001 to Glasgow. The Corsairs finally broke through in 2004 and won the European Championship. However, Fenech had to watch the festivities in a sling.

Shoulder inflammation had knocked him out for the second half of 2002, although he bounced back expertly in 2003. 2004 would see the big one though with radial nerve compression in late April, knocking him out eight months. That injury ultimately ended both his Copenhagen tenure and his time as a starting pitcher. His deal naturally expired that winter and the Corsairs weren’t willing to commit to a soon-to-be 36-year old off a major injury.

With Copenhagen, Fenech had an 89-33 record, 2.29 ERA, 1160.1 innings, 1458 strikeouts, 172 walks, 162 ERA+, and 41.1 WAR. Although the Corsairs wouldn’t commit big money, MLB’s Las Vegas Vipers would. They bet on Fenech with a three-year, $28,300,000 deal. The deal was a bust though as he ultimately just had a 4.42 ERA over 38.2 relief innings in 2005. In the offseason, he was traded to Chicago.

Fenech regained his mojo with the Cubs, posting a 1.47 ERA and 27 saves as their closer, finishing second in Reliever of the Year voting. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the third year of the deal, becoming a free agent again. Houston signed him as a set-up man in 2007, posting a 2.31 ERA over 78 innings. Fenech then joined Cincinnati for 2008.

He had a 3.69 ERA over 75.2 innings for the Reds, but notably took home a World Series ring with Cincy in 2008. This concluded his MLB tenure with 31 saves, 272 innings, a 2.75 ERA, 291 strikeouts, 133 ERA+, and 7.3 WAR. Coming up on his 40s, Fenech went back to Europe and inked a two-year, $7,440,000 deal with Budapest.

Fenech still could contribute, taking second in 2009 Reliever of the Year voting with a 2.13 ERA over 55 innings. In July 2010 with trading allowed between EBF and AAB, Fenech was sent to Africa in a four-player deal with Nairobi. He had 11 appearances with the Night Hawks, then stayed in AAB for 2011 with Brazzaville. Fenech struggled in 22 innings for the Blowfish and retired that winter at age 42.

For his combined pro career, Fenech had a 194-115 record, 207 saves, 2.62 ERA, 2612.2 innings, 2902 strikeouts, 539 walks, 142 ERA+, and 74.0 WAR. Just in Europe, he had a 175-97 record, 176 saves, 2.55 ERA, 2302 innings, 2592 strikeouts, 419 walks, 182/238 quality starts, 77 complete games, 145 ERA+, and 66.6 WAR. As of 2037, he’s 63^rd in pitching WAR. His ERA ranks 36^th amongst all pitchers with 1000+ innings.

Fenech fell into an odd place for evaluation with his split starting/relief career. However, his tallies still were respectable even with a shorter run as a starter. Fenech’s peak dominance with Copenhagen went a long way with voters and he got the first ballot nod easily. At 90.0%, Fenech was the second of three in EBF’s 2016 Hall of Fame class.

Ulrich Thomsen – Catcher – Oslo Octopi – 67.9% Third Ballot

Ulrich Thomsen was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting catcher from Holstebro, Denmark; a town with around 37,000 people in the Mid Jutland Region. Thomsen wasn’t an outstanding hitter, but he was considered above average to occasionally good in terms of contact, power, and eye. His 162 game average got you 19 home runs, 23 doubles, and 4 triples.

With the lower offensive expectations from catchers, this made Thomsen stand out. Thomsen was also a very clever and savvy baserunner who had more speed than you’d expect, although you wouldn’t call him fast. He was actually quite lousy defensively, but his bat was reliable enough to still give him plenty of positive value overall.

Expectations were high from Oslo, who picked Thomsen second overall in the 1991 EBA Draft. He was a part-time starter in his first two years, then had the full-time gig from 1994-2001 for the Octopi. Thomsen showed great durability during that stretch apart from a strained oblique and separated shoulder in his last year. Oslo signed him after the 1997 season to a four-year, $13,400,000 deal. 1998 would see his career-best WAR at 6.6.

He was the top hitting catcher in the Northern Conference, winning five straight Silver Sluggers from 1995-1999. Thomsen topped 4+ WAR in each of those seasons and regularly hit above .300 with an OPS above .800. Despite his efforts, Oslo stunk during this era as from 1988-2000, their best season was 76-86. In total for the Octopi, he had 1269 hits, 543 runs, 173 doubles, 147 home runs, 518 RBI, a .301/.339/.464 slash, 130 wRC+, and 39.8 WAR.

Thomsen also was a regular for his native Denmark in the World Baseball Championship. From 1992-2008, he had 117 games and 114 starts, posting 95 hits, 43 runs, 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 37 RBI, a .230/.298/.358 slash, 93 wRC+, and 2.0 WAR.

2001 was the last year of his contract and Oslo wasn’t sure they wanted to extend the 32-year old Thomsen. They ended up moving him in a five-player offseason trade to Lisbon. He won his sixth Silver Slugger in his one year with the Clippers, then entered free agency for the first time. Madrid signed Thomsen to a four-year, $20,800,000 deal.

Injuries cost him some time with the Conquistadors, although he still posted 11.3 WAR and a .816 OPS in three seasons for Madrid. They were a regular contender at this point and won the Southern Conference title in 2002 and 2004, although they fell in the EBF final both years. This was Thomsen’s lone playoff experience in his career, posting a .328/.384/.472 slash, 131 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR over 36 starts.

Thomsen didn’t meet the criteria for the fourth year of the Madrid deal, becoming a free agent at age 36. Most teams were leery of signing a catcher at that age and he had to look towards the newly formed European Second League, signing a three-year, $17,900,000 deal with Edinburgh.

Thomsen had a strong 6.5 WAR in 2005, then dropped to 3.4 WAR in 2006. He ended up back in the big time as he was traded after the 2006 season to Dublin. He had 2.3 WAR in his one year with the Dinos, although he had a career-worst 88 wRC+. Berlin gave him a look in 2008, but he struggled to -0.5 WAR over 48 games and 30 starts. Thomsen would retire that winter at age 40.

For his EBF Elite tenure, Thomsen had 1891 hits, 856 runs, 273 doubles, 223 home runs, 819 RBI, 188 stolen bases, a .292/.333/.455 slash, 122 wRC+, and 55.9 WAR. At retirement, he had the second most WAR among catchers and still ranks fourth as of 2037. As often the case with the position, his tallies were unremarkable compared to other position players.

It was never an easy battle for any catcher with the limitations of the position. Even by catcher standards though, Thomsen seemed pretty borderline. At that point, EBF hadn’t elected a single catcher into its Hall of Fame. He debuted at 53.7% in 2014 and fell to 52.0% in 2015. Thomsen got the bump just across the line in 2016 at 67.9%, earning the third ballot nod. As of 2037, he’s still EBF’s lone Hall of Fame catcher.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 10-13-2024, 10:04 AM

2016 EPB Hall of Fame

Two players received a first ballot induction for the 2016 Eurasian Professional Baseball Hall of Fame class. They had similar numbers with CF Yakov Ryzhikov at 89.6% and DH Sarxan Niftaliyev at 88.8%. SP Edmond Vardanyan fell painfully short of the 66% requirement, getting 65.3% on his fourth ballot. Also cracking 50% were LF Oleg Ivashko (57.0%, 5^th), CL Stilian Zaborov (56.2%, 2^nd), and RP Elgiz Alisher (53.0%, 3^rd). No players were dropped following ten failed ballots.

Yakov “Train” Ryzhikov – Center Field – Krasnoyarsk Cossacks – 89.6% First Ballot

Yakov Ryzhikov was a 6’0’’, 205 pound left-handed center fielder from Ust-Ilimsk, Russia; a city of about 86,000 inhabitants in the Irkutsk Oblast. Ryzhikov earned the nickname “Train” for his incredible speed and baserunning exploits. He would lead the league ten straight seasons in stolen bases and retire as the EPB steals leader. Ryzhikov was also an excellent contact hitter in his prime, winning three batting titles. He also rarely struck out, but he was below average at drawing walks.

Ryzhikov wasn’t just a singles slap hitter though, averaging 26 doubles and 19 triples per 162 games. He wasn’t one to hit homers though with only 57 for his career. Ryzhikov was a career center fielder and a reliably solid defender. He also had respectable durability at a demanding spot. Ryzhikov was a team captain, renowned for his leadership and work ethic. That and his blistering speed made him a popular favorite for Russian baseball fans.

Krasnoyarsk selected Ryzhikov 14^th overall in the 1994 EPB Draft and made him a full-time starter immediately. He missed six weeks to forearm inflammation in his rookie season, but still posted 4.4 WAR and earned Rookie of the Year honors. By his third year, he was an electric player and won his first of five Silver Sluggers. Ryzhikov led the league in runs (87), steals (113), average (.328), and OBP (.377). The 113 steals broke the previous EPB record by one.

That started his ten-year streak leading the league in steals. He also topped 7+ WAR five times in that run and topped 5+ WAR each year. Ryzhikov led in hits and batting average in both 2001 and 2002. He won Silver Sluggers in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2003. Ryzhikov was third in 1998 MVP voting and second in 2002.

2002 was a banner year with league bests in runs (117), hits (209), steals (117), average (.335), OBP (.383), and WAR (10.7). The runs, hits, steals, and WAR marks were all career highs, as was his 33 doubles. Ryzhikov broke his own single-season steals record which held until 2010. It still ranks as the third-best as of 2037. Krasnoyarsk locked him up after the 1999 season with an eight-year, $20,920,000 extension.

Krasnoyarsk was a terrible franchise in the 1990s, but started to turn things around in the 21^st Century with a five-year playoff streak from 2001-2005. The Cossacks won the Asian League pennant in 2001, then lost in the ALCS in 2002, 2003, and 2004. They fell to Minsk in the 2001 EPB Championship despite Ryzhikov’s 16 hits, 9 runs, and 11 steals. In 31 playoff starts for the Cossacks, he had 41 hits, 15 runs, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 7 RBI, 26 steals, a .315/.360/.385 slash, and 127 wRC+.

Ryzhikov’s rate stats were excellent in 2004, but back issues plagued him for much of the season. He would be 34-years old in 2005 with three years left on the Krasnoyarsk deal. Ryzhikov shocked many by exercising his contract opt out and leaving for free agency. He frustrated many Krasnoyarsk fans too by signing a five-year, $23,400,000 deal with Yekaterinburg. The Yaks had bested the Cossacks in the last two ALCS matchups.

With Krasnoyarsk, Ryzhikov had 1735 hits, 828 runs, 237 doubles, 186 triples, 447 RBI, 1038 stolen bases, a .314/.362/.448 slash, 142 wRC+, and 79.6 WAR. The Cossacks would eventually make up with him once his playing career was done, retiring his #5 uniform. It was a surprise that the longtime captain left, but the Yaks were appealing as they had a shot to three-peat as EPB champion.

Ryzhikov was never as impressive with Yekaterinburg as a hitter. Incidentally in 2005, the Yaks were upset by Krasnoyarsk in the ALCS. They bounced back with AL pennants the next two years and back-to-back finals meetings with Moscow. Yekaterinburg lost in 2006, but won it all in 2007. Over 22 playoff starts, Ryzhikov had 26 hits, 10 runs, 6 extra base hits, 11 steals, a .313/.352/.422 slash, and 129 wRC+.

More back troubles kept him out for parts of 2006 and 2007, as did a broken collarbone the latter year. Ryzhikov played three years with Yekaterinburg and was still valuable with 366 hits, 196 runs, 65 doubles, 33 triples, 246 stolen bases, a .286/.337/.400 slash, 119 wRC+, and 14.1 WAR. He also passed Bogdan Sergeev’s 1215 to become EPB’s all-time stolen bases leader.

The run ended with a New Year’s Day 2008 blockbuster trade with Irkutsk that included six players. The trade ended up with three Hall of Famers as Ryzhikov and Class of 2028 SP Kamil Domanski went to the Ice Cats, while Class of 2024 LF Aram Sargsyan joined the Yaks. This did get him closer to home as it returned him to his home state. He still was 900 kilometers away though because Russia is really freakin’ big.

Ryzhikov had been a fixture for the Russian team in the World Baseball Championship. From 1996-2008, he had 108 games and 93 starts. For his tournament career, Ryzhikov had 110 hits, 58 runs, 20 doubles, 5 triples, 10 home runs, 42 RBI, 72 stolen bases, a .261/.330/.403 slash, 109 wRC+, and 3.4 WAR.

With Irkutsk, his bat had weakened but he still had good enough defense and baserunning for positive value. Ryzhikov had two seasons with 271 hits, 139 runs, 30 doubles, 30 triples, 73 RBI, 133 steals, a .286/.309/.381 slash, 99 wRC+, and 7.8 WAR. The Ice Cats missed the playoffs in 2007, then lost in the 2008 ALCS to Yekaterinburg.

A 39-year old free agent, Ryzhikov joined Minsk for 2010. However, a broken bone in his elbow kept him out most of the season. He still wanted to play somewhere and found a spot oddly enough in Major League Baseball. Brooklyn gave him a one-year deal for 2011 where he played 74 games and started 71. Injuries again kept him out for large chunks, including all but three playoff games. However, Brooklyn won the National Association pennant, losing to Tampa in the World Series.

This gave Ryzhikov a chance to play in the newly formed Baseball Grand Championship in its second year. The Dodgers finished fourth with Ryzhikov making 12 starts with a .209/.277/.302 slash. Brooklyn brought him back for 2012, but between declining skills and injuries, he only played 34 games. He was cut by the Dodgers after spring training 2013. Ryzhikov hoped to find a home but went unsigned, retiring that winter at age 43.

In EPB, Ryzhikov had 2411 hits, 1183 runs, 339 doubles, 254 triples, 57 home runs, 662 RBI, 482 walks, 1436 stolen bases, a .303/.350/.430 slash, 132 wRC+, and 102.3 WAR. He would lose the stolen bases crown in 2024, passed narrowly by Yuriy Isakov. Ryzhikov still ranks second as of 2037 and also ranks 14^th in WAR among position players. He sits 52^nd in hits and 53^rd in runs scored.

Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, his batting average sits 36^th. He’s also one of only two EPB Hall of Fame hitters with fewer than 1000 strikeouts. Adding his MLB steals, Ryzhikov’s 1461 stolen bases ranks 24^th in all of pro baseball history.

It isn’t always easy for leadoff guys to get noticed with their lack of power output. However, Ryzhikov’s baserunning, contact, and defensive value gave him an impressive 19-year career. The voters put him in convincingly at 89.6% to lead EPB’s 2016 Hall of Fame class.

Sarxan “Cosmo” Niftaliyev – Designated Hitter – Yekaterinburg Yaks- 88.8% First Ballot

Sarxan Niftaliyev was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed hitter from Sudogda, Russia; a town of about 10,000 people in the Vladimir Oblast about 120 miles east of Moscow. Niftaliyev was nicknamed “Cosmo,” as in cosmonaut due to his love of all things space. He was considered one of the most endearing personalities of the era, renowned for his leadership, loyalty, work ethic, and intelligence. Niftaliyev emerged as a beloved face throughout Russian baseball.

At the plate, Niftaliyev was a solid contact and power hitter with a decent eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts. He was especially potent against right-handed pitching with a career 167 wRC+ and .908 OPS. Against lefties, he only saw a 111 wRC+ and .687 OPS. This still netted him 35 home runs and 28 doubles per his 162 game average.

He was a comically slow and clumsy baserunner. Niftaliyev’s extreme lack of athleticism was baffling considering his excellent bat. He only made 92 starts in the field for his career and was atrocious at second base. Luckily for Niftaliyev, the designated hitter was an option for his entire career, where he thrived. He also had outstanding durability and apart from his rookie year, he played 150+ in each of his EPB seasons.

Even without any defensive value, Niftaliyev’s hitting potential intrigued scouts from a young age. Out of high school, he was picked 13^th overall by Krasnoyarsk in the 1992 EPB Draft. Niftaliyev opted to pass and attend college, coming back eligible in 1995. Yekaterinburg picked him eighth overall and he spent the next 12 years with the Yaks. He started most of 1996 with respectable results, then earned the full-time job from then onward. Niftaliyev was third in Rookie of the Year voting.

He didn’t emerge as truly elite until his third season, which saw his first Silver Slugger and a second place MVP finish. Niftaliyev then grabbed back-to-back MVPs in 1999 and 2000 (although oddly enough didn’t win the Slugger either year). In 1999, Niftaliyev led the Asian League in total bases (378), slugging (.629), OPS (1.002), and wRC+ (212). Those were all career highs, as was his 43 home runs, 109 RBI, 100 runs, .324 average, .373 OBP, and 9.0 WAR. Niftaliyev led in runs scored with 93 in 2000.

After the 2000 season, Niftaliyev signed an eight-year, $17,620,000 extension with the Yaks. Yekaterinburg emerged as a contender by 1999 and especially thrived after EPB shrunk with the 2000 exodus. The Yaks earned 13 playoff berths from 1999-2011. With Niftaliyev, they won the Asian league title in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007. The Yaks won it all in 2003, 2004, and 2007. The 2004 squad at 116-48 also ranks amongst EPB’s all-time best teams.

Niftaliyev won additional Sluggers in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2007. He was third in 2005’s MVP voting, then won the top honor for the third time in 2007. Over 86 playoff starts, Niftaliyev had 92 hits, 30 runs, 17 doubles, 3 triples, 8 home runs, 31 RBI, a .287/.337/.434 slash, 130 wRC+, and 2.8 WAR. His leadership helped usher in a dynasty run and his #16 uniform would later be retired by Yekaterinburg.

From 1999-2005, Niftaliyev also made appearances for Russia in the World Baseball Championship with 56 games and 37 starts. He had 35 hits, 23 runs, 5 doubles, 12 home runs, 27 RBI, a .219/.288/.475 slash, 114 wRC+, and 1.0 WAR. In total with Yekaterinburg, Niftaliyev had 1959 hits, 933 runs, 327 doubles, 394 home runs, 1093 RBI, a .291/.345/.524 slash, 162 wRC+, and 65.4 WAR.

Niftaliyev did surprise many by declining his contract option after the 2007 season, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 35. He signed a three-year, $10,880,000 deal with Minsk. Niftaliyev never reached his Yaks heights with the Miners, but was still a reliable bat with 500 hits, 244 runs, 72 doubles, 100 home runs, 251 RBI, a .279/.325/.495 slash, 142 wRC+, and 10.9 WAR. Niftaliyev struggled in his two postseason runs for Minsk, which saw an European League pennant in 2008 and ELCS loss in 2009.

Now 38-years old, Niftaliyev had trouble finding a landing spot and had to leave EPB. He ended up in West Africa Baseball oddly enough and bounced around for three years. Niftaliyev played with Monrovia in 2011, Ouagadougou in 2012, and Yaounde in 2013. He had alright results with 271 hits, 161 runs, 70 home runs, 190 RBI, 134 wRC+, and 5.1 WAR. Niftaliyev was unsigned in 2014 and retired that winter at age 42.

For his combined pro career, Niftaliyev had 2730 hits, 1338 runs, 452 doubles, 564 home runs, 1534 RBI, 702 walks, a .287/.340/.522 slash, 155 wRC+, and 81.5 WAR. Just in EPB, he finished with 2459 hits, 1177 runs, 399 doubles, 494 home runs, 1344 RBI, a .288/.341/.518 slash, 158 wRC+, and 76.4 WAR.

As of 2037, Niftaliyev ranks 57^th in WAR among position players, 46^th in hits, 56^th in runs, 31^st in homers, and 29^th in RBI. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, he’s 39^th in OPS (.859) and 46^th in slugging. Niftaliyev was an impressive hitter and one of the few to win three MVPs, as well as a recognizable face during Yekaterinburg’s 2000s dominance. Even without defensive value, most voters were sold on Niftaliyev’s resume. At 88.8%, he was the second member of EPB’s 2016 Hall of Fame class.

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

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