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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-27-2024, 07:29 PM

2019 in EBF

Four teams were within three games of the top seed in EBF’s Northern Conference. Hamburg narrowly took it at 99-63 atop the North Central Division, earning their third straight division title and fourth in five years. The #2 seed and second bye went to last year’s conference runner-up Frankfurt at 98-64, winning the Northwest Division. Amsterdam was only two back in the division at 96-66, earning the first wild card. The Anacondas earned their sixth playoff appearance in seven years; all wild card berths.

Warsaw won the Northeast Division at 97-65, forced to play in the first round despite being two games away from the #1 spot. This was the Wildcats’ first playoff berth in a decade despite never finishing worse than 78-84 in that run. Edinburgh took the British Isles Division at 92-70 for their first-ever playoff berth in their ten season run among the European Baseball Federation’s Elite tier. Manchester was four games back at 88-74.

Last year’s European Second League champ Berlin was second in the Northeast at 91-71, earning the second wild card. The Barons had been stuck in E2L the prior eight years and hadn’t been a playoff team among the Elite since 2004. Falling short in the wild card race were Cologne (89-73), Manchester (88-74), Brussels (86-76), and Rotterdam (85-77).

Notably, the reigning European Champion Birmingham was a complete non-factor at 74-88. Getting relegated was Belfast at 60-102. The Brewers were only in their second season back in the EBF Elite after winning the Second League in 2017. Paris and Copenhagen were both 65-97, escaping the 100+ loss demotion threshold by three games each.

Kharkiv was near .500, but had the Northern Conference MVP in CF Dawid Paderewski. The 28-year old Polish righty was the WARlord at 10.4, adding 51 home runs, 125 RBI, 202 hits, 116 runs, a 1.082 OPS, and 196 wRC+. The Killer Bees gave Paderewski a seven-year, $109,000,000 extension after the 2020 season, although he would opt out after the 2023 campaign and leave for MLB.

Brussels lefty Oscar Dissard repeated as Pitcher of the Year and won for the third time. He posted the 15^th Triple Crown season for an EBF pitcher and first since 2007. The 28-year old Frenchman had a 24-4 record, 2.33 ERA, and 325 strikeouts. Dissard also led in WAR (10.5), FIP- (50), and complete games (20), while posting a 169 ERA+ over 254.2 innings. He had two more seasons with the Beavers, but would opt out after Brussels suffered relegation in 2021.

Amsterdam won 2-1 on the road over Edinburgh and Warsaw edged Berlin 2-1 in the first round. The Wildcats then got the road victory 3-1 over Frankfurt in the second round, sending Warsaw to the Northern Conference Final for the second time (2003) since joining EBF in the 2000 EPB exodus. Top seed Hamburg rolled to a sweep of the Anacondas for the Hammers’ first conference final since 2015. Hamburg defeated Warsaw 4-2 to become five-time conference champs (1964, 1979, 1990, 1999, 2019).

All eyes were on the loaded South Central Division as Palermo and Zurich batted for the division title, the Southern Conference’s top seed, and EBF’s best overall record. They ended up tied at 105-57 to end the regular season, but the Priests defeated the Mountaineers in the tiebreaker game for the #1 spot. This was Palermo’s second playoff berth in their three years among the EBF Elite.

Although stuck as a wild card, Zurich’s playoff streak grew to four years. Almost quietly, third place in the division was 97-65 Naples, who easily took the second wild card. The Nobles had just gotten promoted back to the EBF Elite after six year tenure in the Second League. This was Naples’ first playoff berth in the top tier since 2006. They were seven wins better than the next closest team in the wild card race. Meanwhile fifth in the division was defending conference champ Munich at 83-79, missing the playoffs.

The #2 seed and second bye was Southeast Division champ Thessaloniki at 97-65, giving them three straight division titles. The Tritons allowed the fewest runs in all of EBF at 529, while Zurich led all teams at 836 runs scored. Bucharest was second at 90-72, seven short of the division and last wild card. Meanwhile, the other two division titles were intense battles. Ultimately, three of the four division crowns needed a tiebreaker game to decide the champ.

Four teams fought in the East Central Division with Belgrade and Budapest tying for first at 89-73, while Brno and Zagreb were both one back at 88-74. The Bruisers bested the Bombers in the tiebreaker for Belgrade’s first berth since 2015. Madrid and last year’s conference runner-up Lisbon tied at 87-75 atop the Southwest Division. The Conquistadors ousted the Clippers in the tiebreaker game for Madrid’s fourth playoff berth in a row. The Spanish capital hadn’t won a division title since 2008. Zaragoza dropped to 72-90, notably their first losing season since joining the EBF Elite in 2013.

Both Yerevan (54-108) and Lviv (55-107) were relegated for losing 100+ games, while Varna narrowly escaped demotion at 64-98. The Valiants were relegated for the first time in franchise history. For the Lunkers, 2019 was their first-ever season outside of the Second League. Lviv had been one of the winningest E2L teams previously, but hadn’t been able to make the jump.

Leading Palermo to the top seed was Jean-Paul Lafontaine, winning his second Southern Conference MVP in three years. The 29-year old French first baseman scored 145 runs, breaking the EBF record of 144 set by Sean Houston in 1984 and Henrique Nunes in 1993. Lafontaine’s mark remains the EBF single-season record as of 2037.

Lafontaine also led the conference in hits (235), slugging (.755), OPS (1.177), and wRC+ (226). He finished second in home runs (54), batting average (.381), and WAR (11.7). Zagreb’s Aleksandr Parts beat him narrowly in average (.386) and WAR (12.0) and posted 43 triples, falling two short of Blaise Combes’ EBF and world record of 45 from 1962. It was the third-best in world history with EBF’s Franco Gilbert getting 44 in 1987.

Pitcher of the Year was Naples righty Benjamin Johnson, who led in ERA (2.13), complete games (14), and shutouts (6). The 30-year old American ended up in Italy in 2010 after failing to make the cut in MLB, finding his footing in EBF for the Nobles. Johnson had a 16-8 record over 232 innings, 235 strikeouts, 180 ERA+, and 6.6 WAR.

The first round had 2-0 sweeps with Zurich over Madrid and Belgrade over Naples. With division champs getting preferential seeding, this stuck the 105-win wild card Mountaineers against 106-win Palermo in the second round. While Zurich may have lost the division to the Priests, they had the last laugh with a 3-1 series win in the second round. This was the Mountaineers’ second Southern Conference Championship berth in four years.

On the other side of the bracket, Belgrade won 3-2 in an upset over Thessaloniki. The Bruisers had gotten to the conference final in 2015, but their pennant drought was all the way back to 1974. That skid continued as Zurich prevailed 4-2 against Belgrade, giving the Mountaineers their third conference pennant of the decade (2010, 2016, 2019). It was the 11^th conference crown for Zurich, which led all EBF teams.

Both Zurich and Hamburg had historically had troubles in the European Championship. Although the Mountaineers had been there more than anyone else, they had an uninspiring 3-7 record, only winning in 1965, 1993, and 2016. The Hammers had never won it all with an 0-4 record in their previous tries. It was the first finals meeting between the two squads.

In the 70^th European Championship, it was Hamburg on top 4-2 over Zurich to become the 28^th different franchise with a title. The Hammers were the eighth different champ in eight years and the first German champ since Cologne in 2012. Finals MVP went to 1B Max Gerlach in his ninth year with Hamburg. In 15 playoff starts, the 29-year old German had 18 hits, 14 runs, 9 home runs, and 13 RBI with a 1.482 OPS. He was only the fifth player in EBF history to hit nine or more homers in a playoff run.

Other notes: Jiri Lebr became the fourth member of the 3500 hit club, finishing the season with 3603. That placed him third behind Francisco Cruz’s 3720 and Carsten Dal’s 3633. 2019 was Cruz’s final year, getting 40 hits in 56 games. Lebr also became the 17^th to reach 1500 runs scored. Gianfranco Marinis became the eighth pitcher to 250 wins and Gustav Rosengren became the 36^th to 200 wins. For the first time since 2008, EBF didn’t have a single no-hitter.

Harvey Coyle became the 25^th to reach 1500 RBI. Coyle won his 12^th straight Gold Glove at shortstop and earned his 11^th Silver Slugger. He was the first EBF player at any position with 12 Gold Gloves and became the third player at any position with 11 Sluggers, joining legendary right fielders Sean Houston and Jacob Ronnberg.

The incredible Oslo superstar was only 32 years old still and had amassed 152.4 WAR, one of 28 position players in all of pro baseball history at any position with 150+ career WAR. After the 2019 campaign, Coyle was fourth on EBF’s WARlord chart among all players, behind only Ronnberg (169.2), SS Christophoros Zarkadis (164.0), and two-way player Edgar Miranda (157.6).

Promotion/Relegation: Belfast, Yerevan, and Lviv were the relegated teams, while the two Second League finalists (Cluj-Napoca and Glasgow) were promoted along with the best conference runner-up Bratislava. The Valiants and Lunkers easily filled the two spots in the E2L Eastern Conference with the Brewers into the Western Conference.

The EBF Elite would change its league structure starting in 2020 from four divisions of six teams to three divisions of eight teams. More details about that re-alignment to come in a future post. The Paladins and Blue Falcons filled the two voids in the Eastern Conference while the Highlanders returned to the Western Conference.

In the 2010s, the European Baseball Federation’s Elite Tier saw a league ERA around 3.79 and batting average around .260 with slightly more scoring from the Southern Conference. This ranked just between average and above average both on the historical scale and compared to other world leagues in the 2010s. EBF’s stats held remarkably firm compared to the prior three decades. There would be a slight bump up in scoring in the 2020s.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-28-2024, 05:10 AM

2019 in BSA

Caracas dominated the Bolivar League competition with a staggering 117-45 record, which was tied for the fourth-best in Beisbol Sudamerica history. No team had won 117+ games in BSA since 1956. The Colts earned their third straight Venezuela Division title and third straight 100+ win season. Caracas allowed the fewest runs in all of BSA (546) and scored the second most (860).

The only team that scored more was Trujillo (879), who dominated the Peru-Bolivia Division at 102-60. The Thoroughbreds earned repeat playoff berths and their first-ever division title. They dethroned Callao, who had a run of four straight division titles. The Cats fell to 71-91, their first losing season since 2007 and only the third time in 12 years that they missed the playoffs altogether.

The Colombia-Ecuador Division was the only competitive one with Medellin (95-67) edging Quito (94-68). The Mutiny repeated as division champs and extended their playoff streak to nine years, winning their eighth division title of that run. For the Thunderbolts as the first wild card, this snapped a 12-year postseason drought. Elsewhere in the division Guayaquil struggled to 69-93 only two years removed from a 101-win season. This was the Golds worst effort since 1997.

Defending Bolivar League champ Maturin very narrowly secured the second wild card spot. The Makos finished 88-74, beating Bogota by one game, Maracaibo by two, Santa Cruz by six, and La Paz by seven. Notably for the Bats, they posted their first winning season since 2008.

Trujillo shortstop Tajo Rios earned Bolivar League MVP in his seventh season. The 28-year old Peruvian led in runs (120), hits (232), total bases (394), batting average (.392), slugging (.666), OPS (1.092), wRC+ (185), and WAR (12.0). He technically fell just short of 12 WAR at 11.99, but it ranks as the 14^th best season by a BSA position player. The last BSA position player with a 12+ WAR season came in 1979. Rios also had 37 home runs, 113 RBI, 52 stolen bases, and a 31-game hitting streak. Before the 2019 season, the Thoroughbreds extended Rios at $86,740,000 over eight years.

For the second time in three years, Caracas righty Julio Arias won Pitcher of the Year. In only his fourth full season, the 26-year old Colombian got his first ERA title (2.49) and led in WHIP (0.92) and FIP- (66). Arias added a 19-3 record over 213 innings, 244 strikeouts, and 157 ERA+.

Defending champ Maturin’s hope for another Cinderella run as the #5 seed was thwarted, ousted 2-1 in the first round by Quito. The Thunderbolts then fell 3-1 in the Divisional Series to top seed Caracas, while Trujillo swept Medellin. The Colts earned back-to-back Bolivar League Championship Series tries, while this was the deepest run for the Thoroughbreds. Trujillo would shock 117-win Caracas 4-2 to snag their first-ever pennant. This makes back-to-back BL pennants by a 2009 expansion team.

It was a close race for the Southern Cone League’s #1 seed but it went to last year’s league runner-up Asuncion at 104-58. This was the first South Central Division title for the Archers since 2010, allowing the fewest runs in the league at 565. North Division champ Fortaleza scored the most at 820 and took the #2 seed at 102-60. The Foxes ended a three year playoff drought.

Recife was six behind in the division at 96-66, securing the first wild card. The Retrievers playoff streak grew to seven seasons with their tenth berth in eleven years. Buenos Aires at 92-70 repeated as Southeast Division champs, beating Rio de Janeiro by three games.

For the second wild card, reigning Copa Sudamerica champ and two-time defending Southern Cone champ Concepcion kept their repeat dreams alive at 92-70. The Chiefs’ playoff streak grew to four years with their eighth berth in nine years. Rio at 89-73 was two games back and Santiago was six away.

Brasilia was nine games short of the wild card at 83-79 despite having the MVP Eddy Corunha. He had an impressive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2018 and topped it in his sophomore season, leading the league in runs (120), homers (58), total bases (430), slugging (.708), OPS (1.112), wRC+ (210), and WAR (10.6). The 24-year old Brazilian shortstop also had 213 hits, 132 RBI, and a .351 batting average.

Recife’s Yuangdong Wang won his second Pitcher of the Year in three years. Counting his trophies from his prior stint in China with Zhengzhou, Wang is now a seven-time POTY recipient overall. The 32-year old lefty led in wins (22-9), innings (275.1), strikeouts (340), quality starts (29), and WAR (7.5). Wang had a 151 ERA+ and 2.35 ERA, finishing second and only falling 14 points from a Triple Crown. Wang joined a very short list of those with multiple Pitcher of the Year awards in multiple world leagues.

Buenos Aires ousted the defending champ Concepcion 2-0 in the first round, then rolled on to a shocking Divisional Series sweep of top seed Asuncion. The Atlantics earned their first Southern Cone Championship appearance since 2003. Recife stunned divisional foe Fortaleza with a road sweep, sending the Retrievers to their eighth LCS since 2009. BA’s magic ran out as Recife prevailed 4-1 for their fourth pennant of the decade. The Retrievers became seven-time Southern Cone champs, an impressive haul for a 1974 expansion team.

The 89^th Copa Sudamerica saw a 4-1 series victory for Recife over Trujillo, giving the Retrievers their fourth cup win (1995, 1996, 2015, 2019). 1B Sebastian Nazario earned finals MVP, having come to Recife in a 2016 deadline trade with Ciudad Guayana. The 29-year old Venezuelan in 13 playoff starts had 20 hits, 14 runs, 1 double, 3 triples, 5 homers, and 12 RBI.

Other notes: Medellin’s Mateo Salinas became the first player in Beisbol Sudamerica history with a seven hit game, going 7-7 on April 13 against Quito. He was only the 12 in all of pro baseball history to achieve the feat. Asuncion’s Vito Mendiero threw BSA’s 48^th Perfect Game on August 25, striking out eight against Sao Paulo. Recife’s Edgardo Mandujano had a 36-game hitting streak in the summer, tying the fifth-longest streak in BSA history.

Antonio Arceo became the sixth member of the 700 home run club and Niccolo Coelho became the 21^st member of the 600 homer club. Coelho, Rodrigo Aguilar, and Manuel Marquez each reached 1500 RBI in 2019, making 30 batters to do so. Coelho won his 10^th Silver Slugger at 3B and Arceo won his 9^th at 2B. Alex Salinas was the 17^th to reach 1500 runs scored. Filipe Loureno became the 31^st reliever to record 300 saves.

Catcher Cicero Lugo won his 12^th consecutive Silver Slugger, becoming the fifth player at any position in BSA with 12+ Sluggers. Lugo also became the first catcher in any world league to achieve 12+ Sluggers. SS Merkin Najera won his tenth Gold Glove, becoming the third shortstop to win the award 10+ times.

No world league in the 2010s had a higher league batting average than the Bolivar League at .274, narrowly edging West African Baseball’s high tallies. The Southern Cone League without the DH was at .265, still firmly above average on the historical scale. Despite the higher batting averages relative to other world leagues in the 2010s, Beisbol Sudamerica’s ERA titles weren’t quite as inflated.

For the 2010s, the Bolivar League’s ERA was 4.01, grading as above average. The Southern Cone’s 3.70 ERA was very average both on the historical scale and compared to other 2010 leagues. BSA’s 2010s were similar to the 2000s, which had seen a spike compared to the below average to low prior decades. The BL’s ERA actually slightly dipped from the 2000s to the 2010s, while LCS’s went slightly up. BSA would maintain a similar environment for the 2020s.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-28-2024, 09:53 AM

2019 in EAB

Three teams fought for the Japan League’s top seed in 2019. All three of those teams repeated as division champs and won their division by double digits. North Division champ Sapporo narrowly claimed the pole position at 99-63. Their division was the tightest amongst the top three seeds, but the Swordfish were still ten games ahead of Saitama and 13 better than Sendai.

Reigning East Asia Baseball champ Osaka at 98-64 fell one short of the top seed. The Orange Sox grew their Central Division streak to five seasons. Kawasaki cruised in the Capital Division at 95-67. Osaka led the JL in scoring with 710 runs, while the Killer Whales allowed the fewest runs at 475.

Meanwhile the remaining West Division had a tie at the top between Kitakyushu and Fukuoka at 87-75. The Kodiaks won the tiebreaker game to end their 21-year playoff drought, which had been the longest active skid in Japan. Hiroshima dropped to 79-83, ending their seven-year playoff streak. It was the first losing season since 2009 for the Hammerheads.

Osaka right fielder Shigeyori Suzuki repeated as Japan League MVP. The 27-year old lefty led in runs (109), home runs (57), RBI (125), total bases (403), slugging (.680), OPS (1.035), wRC+ (224), and WAR (9.8). This was Suzuki’s final year with the Orange Sox, who were unable to lock him up long term. He left for MLB and inked an eight-year, $156,600,000 deal with Seattle. While Suzuki never won MVP in MLB, he would post a solid 11 years in the United States.

Fukuoka lefty Toshikuni Naikai won his third Pitcher of the Year in four years. He wasn’t as absurdly dominant as his 17.4 WAR, 1.05 ERA mark from 20187, but the 26-year old was still a beast. Naikai led in ERA (1.93), strikeouts (397), WHIP (0.66), FIP- (34), and WAR (10.3). He tossed 218.2 innings with a 169 ERA+ and 16-5 record. The 397 Ks was tied for the sixth-best single-season effort in EAB to that point.

Naikai threw his second no-hitter of his career with a 21 strikeout, one walk effort against Chiba on August 5. That broke the EAB record for most Ks in a no-no and was only the fourth no-hitter in pro baseball history with 21 strikeouts. It was the seventh 21K game of any kind in EAB. The Frogs locked up their historic ace long-term in the offseason with a seven-year, $140,000,000 extension. Fukuoka would be immediately rewarded when Naikai posted the greatest pitching season ever in 2020.

Kitakyushu upset Sapporo 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs, while Kawasaki ousted the reigning champ Osaka 3-1. The Killer Whales earned repeat berths in the Japan League Championship Series, while the Kodiaks hadn’t gotten that far since 1997. In a seven-game classic, Kawasaki outlasted Kitakyushu for their first pennant since the 1999-2001 three-peat. It was the eighth Japan League title overall for the Killer Whales.

The Korea League had solid parity in 2019 with only eight wins separating the top record from the seventh-best. Changwon again was the top seed, although they narrowly secured it at 97-65 for their fourth straight South Division title. Reigning KL champ Seongnam won the North Division at 96-66, growing their playoff streak to three seasons. The Spiders also secured their fifth playoff berth in six years. The Crabs led the league in scoring (781) and Seongnam allowed the fewest runs (606).

Daegu was only two behind Changwon for the South Division title, but 95-67 got them the first wild card and their first playoff spot since winning it all in 2013. Goyang at 91-71 finished one game ahead of both Jeonju and Seoul at 90-72 for the second wild card. Yongin (89-73), Hamhung (86-76), and Ulsan (85-77) were also in the mix. The Green Sox had repeat playoff berths while the Seahawks had their three-year streak snapped.

Changwon 2B Dae-Eui Ha won his second Korea League MVP in three years. The 27-year old led in runs (119), hits (223), stolen bases (123), and batting average (.361). The 123 steals were the fifth-most in an EAB season. Ha also had 38 doubles, 20 triples, 12 home runs, a .938 OPS, 158 wRC+, and 9.5 WAR. The following spring, the Crabs gave Ha an eight-year, $176,000,000 extension. Ha edged out Gwangju’s Kunihiko Ishiguro for the MVP despite the latter’s 64 home run effort. It was Ishiguro’s fourth time smacking 60+ dingers. Hamhung’s Ye-Joon Ki, notably had 152 RBI, only the 12th to cross 150+ in EAB.

Soon-Jung Lee denied Do-Kyun Lee’s bid for a sixth Pitcher of the Year. Soon-Jung was a 27-year old lefty for Yongin who led in wins (25-3), ERA (1.96), and quality starts (28). He added 227 strikeouts over 262 innings, a 194 ERA+, and 6.5 WAR. Do-Kyun was still a strikeout machine for Seoul with 417 Ks, plus a 2.35 ERA over 257 innings and 10.1 WAR. Do-Kyun’s mark was the fourth most Ks in an EAB season. He played one more year in the South Korean capital before bolting for MLB’s Detroit Tigers. The Seahawks missed the playoffs, but Do-Kyun led them to a team 9.89 K/9, breaking a KL record that held since 1928.

Defending champ Seongnam rolled to a first round sweep of Daegu and Goyang upset top seed Changwon 3-1. For the Green Sox, this was their first Korea League Championship Series try since 2012. The Spiders would prevail 4-2 over Goyang for the repeat and their third pennant in six years. Seongnam became seven-time Korean champs with the result.

The 99^th East Asian Championship was not the first finals meeting between Kawasaki and Seongnam, as the Killer Whales beat the Spiders back in 1982. Seongnam got revenge in a barnburner in 2019, taking the series in seven games. The Spiders became four-time EAB champs (1983, 1990, 2003, 2019).

CF Sung-Man Song was finals MVP in his fifth season for Seongnam, starting 16 playoff games with 22 hits, 10 runs, 1 double, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 11 RBI. Teammate Shigeo Horie was also a key contributor as KLCS MVP, getting 23 hits, 10 runs, 6 home runs, and 22 RBI. The 22 RBI broke the previous EAB playoff record of 21 by Zhanchong Li from 2002. Horie’s mark remains #1 in EAB as of 2037.

Other notes: Kawasaki’s Kazumasa Fujii threw EAB’s 37^th Perfect Game on April 21, striking out six against Kumamoto. Hitoshi Kubota became the 13^th member of the 700 home run club. Kubota and Sang-Jun Gang both reached 1500 runs scored, a mark reached by 32 EAB players. Kaneo Kuroda was the 17^th pitcher to record 4000 strikeouts. Sadaharu Chiba was the 30^th reliever to 300 saves. SS Shingen Matsumara won his eighth Silver Slugger.

For the 2010s, the Japan League had an ERA around 3.37 and .245 batting average, which both graded as below average scoring on the historical scale. The Korea League with the DH was on the upper-end of average with a 3.78 ERA and .260 batting average. These numbers were slightly down from the 2000s, but more or less in line with EAB’s stats since the 1960s. EAB remained consistent into the 2020s.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-28-2024, 05:54 PM

2019 in CABA

For the fifth year in a row, Juarez won the Mexican League’s North Division and took the top seed. The Jesters finished 109-53, ending their playoff streak and 100+ win season streak both to six years. Juarez had a tough challenge in the division with 103-59 Hermosillo. The Hyenas easily got repeat wild cards, posting their winningest season since 1989. The Jesters led all of Mexico in both runs scored (814) and fewest allowed (560).

In the South Division, Puebla had an impressive turnaround from only 67 wins the prior year. The Pumas won the division at 92-70 to end a 23-year playoff drought, which was the second-longest active skid in the ML. Merida was five back at 87-75, which was just enough for the second wild card over Torreon (86-76), Tijuana (85-77), and San Luis Potosi (82-80). The Mean Green snapped an 11-year postseason drought. Although they just missed the playoffs again, the Tomahawks grew their run of winning seasons to 20 years. The defending Mexican League champ Leon limped to 75-87.

Juarez right fielder Loyd Wayne won Mexican League MVP with a record-breaking fourth season. The 25-year old Jamaican led in runs (139), walks (118), triple slash (.381/.490/.755), OPS (1.245), wRC+ (235), and WAR (12.6). Wayne’s .490 on-base percentage set a new world pro baseball record, beating the previous best of .489 by Mwarami Tale of the African Association of Baseball in 2009. Wayne’s 2019 effort ranks second in world history as of 2037, as he himself would top it in 2023.

Wayne’s 1.245 OPS was a CABA single-season record, beating Amazado Matos’ 1.229 from 1968. He had the 19^th-best OPS in any world league to that point. Wayne’s 118 walks were the second-most in CABA history, behind his own 126 from the prior year. Wayne added 53 home runs, 126 RBI, and 45 stolen bases. His WAR mark was the 18^th-best by a CABA position player. The Jesters wisely negotiated an eight-year, $108,500,000 extension signed in late August.

Hermosillo’s Jamarca Akim repeated as Pitcher of the Year and became the sixth in CABA history to win the award five times. The 30-year old Jamaican lefty had a 17-5 record, 2.64 ERA, and 254 strikeouts over 235.2 innings with a 147 ERA+ and 6.0 WAR. The only stats he led in were complete games (13), and shutouts (4). Akim had signed a new six-year, $82,800,000 deal with the Hyenas prior to the season.

Both first round playoff battles went 3-1 to the division champs with Juarez over Merida and Puebla over Hermosillo. The Jesters earned their fifth Mexican League Championship Series appearance in six years, while the Pumas hadn’t been there since 1996. Juarez was the heavy favorite, but was denied the pennant in back-to-back years. Puebla shocked them with a sweep for their first pennant in 70 years. The Pumas became four-time Mexican League champs (1915, 1928, 1949, 2019).

The top two teams in the Caribbean League fought over the Island Division title. Havana (97-65) narrowly claimed it over Jamaica (96-66), giving the Hurricanes back-to-back division titles and #1 seeds. Havana’s playoff streak grew to four years with the Jazz extending their run to six as the first wild card. Reigning CABA Champion Guyana repeated as Continental Division champ at 89-73. The Golden Knights had four teams within five games of them.

Those four teams and one from the Island Division were in a tight battle for the second wild card. Costa Rica snagged it at 87-75, fending off Panama (85-77), Puerto Rico (85-77), Honduras (84-78), and Salvador (84-78). It was the Rays’ first time in the playoffs in 30 years, ending the second-longest active drought in the Caribbean. The longest in all of CABA is Bahamas at 32 seasons. Haiti finished 81-81, missing the playoffs for only the third time in 23 years. This was the first time since 1993 that the Herons didn’t have a winning record, ending their CL-record streak at 25 years.

Santo Domingo stunk at 71-91, but their right fielder Jarek Wilson-Smith was Caribbean League MVP. The 24-year old Belizean lefty led in runs (124), hits (237), triples (34), total bases (438), triple slash (.379/.406/.700), OPS (1.105), wRC+ (192), and WAR (9.9). Wilson-Smith added 28 doubles, 35 homers, 114 RBI, and 74 stolen bases. It would be his only MVP in an excellent 18-year career with the Dolphins.

Guyana again had Pitcher of the Year, but this time it was Jhon Banuelos. The 26-year old Cuban lefty was the WARlord (6.9) and led with a 65 FIP-. Banuelos saw a 2.86 ERA and 17-9 record in 226.1 innings with 274 strikeouts and a 140 ERA+. Banuelos was the #1 overall draft pick in 2013 by the Golden Knights.

Division champs earned first round sweeps with Havana over Costa Rica and Guyana over Jamaica. The Golden Knights had a shot at repeat Caribbean League titles, while the Hurricanes were going for their second in four years. The CLCS ended up being a dud as Havana swept Guyana to become eight-time Caribbean Champs (1911, 1912, 1913, 1949, 1975, 2009, 2016, 2019).

It was the first time in CABA’s 109 year history that both the MLCS and CLCS ended in sweeps. The 109^th Central American Baseball Association Championship continued that trend with Havana sweeping Puebla, making the Hurricanes five-time CABA champs (1912, 1949, 1975, 2009, 2019). The only other time in all of pro baseball history where a league’s semifinals and championship all ended in sweeps was the inaugural 1931 Beisbol Sudamerica campaign.

Havana was a perfect 11-0 in the postseason, becoming the first CABA champ to run the table since the expansion to three rounds. 1924 Mexico City and 1920 Guadalajara were the only other champs to go unbeaten in the playoffs, both at 8-0. Finals MVP was platoon 1B Alberto Perez who had only six playoff games and five starts, but posted 11 hits, 4 runs, 2 homers, and 8 RBI.

Other notes: Diego Conception became the 16^th CABA reliever to reach 300 career saves. C Luis Moran won his tenth Silver Slugger, becoming the third catcher in CABA history with 10+ (Mar Pavia, Chip Perez). 2B Timmy Asher won his eighth consecutive Silver Slugger.

In the 2010s, the Mexican League’s ERA was around 3.83 with a .262 batting average. The Caribbean League with the DH was only slightly higher with a 3.96 ERA and .265 batting average. Both of these graded as above average scoring on the historical scale and compared to other world leagues in the 2010s.

For the Mexican League, this was the highest ever ERA for a decade, while the Caribbean League dropped nine points from the 2000s. Specifically in 2018, the ML had a 4.02 ERA, which remains a league record as of 2037. Overall, the numbers for the last 30 years were fairly consistent for CABA. Things would continue on the same pace for the 2020s.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-29-2024, 04:58 AM

2019 in MLB

Defending World Series champ Kansas City dominated the competition in the National Association at 107-55, breaking their own franchise record from the prior year by two wins. The Cougars were 11 wins ahead of the next best NA team and earned their fourth consecutive Lower Midwest Division title. It was historically strong pitching that propelled KC to success.

Kansas City allowed 442 runs and 394 earned runs, both setting MLB all-time single-season records that still stand as of 2037. KC’s 2.41 ERA was the second-lowest in MLB history only behind Wichita’s 2.37 from 2004. The 04 Wasps had the previous earned run low (397), while 2005 Cleveland had the prior runs low of 450. The Cougars also had a 0.987 team WHIP, which was the third-best in MLB history.

The #2 seed and second bye went to Northeast Division champ Boston at 96-66. The Red Sox earned their third straight division title, although Quebec City at 93-69 gave them a run for it. The Nordiques earned the first wild card and ended an eight-year playoff drought.

Detroit and Winnipeg finished even at 89-73 atop the Upper Midwest Division. The Tigers won the tiebreaker game for a third consecutive division title and their eighth of the decade. Detroit had the most runs in the NA at 750. The Wolves were a surprising contender having gone 59-103 in both the prior two seasons. Despite a -13 run differential, they narrowly got the second wild card to end an 11-year playoff drought.

Missing the cut in for the second wild card by two wins were Hartford and Cincinnati at 87-75. Chicago (85-77), St. Louis (84-78), and Toronto (83-79) were also in the mix. Philadelphia at 89-73 repeated as East Division champ and earned their 15^th playoff berth in 20 years. The Phillies’ streak of winning seasons grew to 13 years. Their closest competitors were 83-79 New York and 82-80 Baltimore.

National Association MVP was Quebec City’s Alex Mills in his third full season. The 24-year old second baseman from Georgetown, Ontario led in slugging (.609), and wRC+ (199). Mills added 187 hits, 103 runs, 44 home runs, 99 RBI, a .992 OPS, and 8.1 WAR. Mills would go on to have a 15-year Hall of Pretty Good career for the Nordiques.

Winnipeg’s Luke Harrison secured Pitcher of the Year in his ninth season for the Wolves. The 29-year old Albertan righty led in ERA (2.01), quality starts (28), and shutouts (7). Harrison posted 9.2 WAR and a 173 ERA+ over 264.1 innings with a 20-9 record and 265 strikeouts. He also tossed a no-hitter on April 24 with seven strikeouts and one walk versus Cleveland. Harrison inked another five-year extension at $113,000,000 after the 2020 season.

Also worth a mention was Columbus closer J.J. Fuller, who won Reliever of the Year in only his second season. He posted a dominant 6.6 WAR over 74.1 innings, setting an MLB record for WAR by a ROTY winner. Fuller struck out 143 with a 0.97 ERA, 364 ERA+, and NA-best 40 saves.

Winning the division on the one-game tiebreaker gave Detroit home field against Winnipeg in the first round rematch, which they needed to survive 2-1. Quebec City went on the road to upset Philadelphia 2-1 on the other side. Both were ousted 3-1 by the top seeds with Kansas City beating the Nordiques and Boston besting the Tigers.

This set up a rematch in the National Association Championship Series, which hadn’t happened since Chicago versus Montreal in 1979-80. For the first time since 1982, the NACS ended in a sweep with Kansas City clobbering Boston. The Cougars won their third pennant in four years and their eighth overall (1937, 1961, 1962, 1976, 1991, 2016, 2018, 2019). They joined Philadelphia (1941-47 seven-peat and 2010-13), Winnipeg (2004-07), and St. Louis (1908-10) as the only National Association franchises to win three pennants in a four year stretch.

In the American Association, it was Denver doing the dominating with historic pitching. The Dragons finished ten ahead of the next closest team at 106-56, earning a third straight 100+ win season and tenth consecutive Northwest Division title. Denver joined Ottawa (1932-41) as the only teams in MLB history with a ten-year playoff streak.

The Dragons allowed 505 runs, 438 earned runs, and had a 2.71 team ERA. Each of these was all-time single-season bests in the American Association, which has higher scoring than the National Association thanks to the designated hitter. Denver’s records remain AA bests as of 2037, beating the 2.84 ERA and 461 earned runs by 1972 Albuquerque and the 521 runs allowed by 2012 Oakland. The Dragons also posted a 1.038 team WHIP, which is the third-lowest in AA history. Denver actually underperformed their expected win/loss by ten games. They were second in runs (839) for a +334 run differential.

The three other division winners were within two games of each other, making for a fierce fight for the #2 seed and bye. Reigning AA champ Las Vegas narrowly got it at 96-66 atop the Southwest Division. The Vipers grew their playoff streak to three, although it was their first division title since 2009. Vegas had to fend off a tough division, beating Oakland by five games, San Diego by six, and Los Angeles by seven.

The #3 seed was Oklahoma City at 95-67 atop the South Central Division. It ended a nine-year playoff drought for the Outlaws and was an impressive recovery from an abysmal 62-100 the prior year. Houston was right behind them at 93-69, while New Orleans (87-75) and Austin (86-76) were competitive. Nashville got the #4 seed to repeat atop the Southeast Division at 94-68. Their lone competitor was an 87-75 Jacksonville.

Salt Lake City was the most distant second place finisher at 11 games behind Denver, but their 95-67 record earned a repeat wild card for the Loons. The Hornets at 93-69 got the second spot for their second berth in three years. Houston beat out Oakland by two games, San Diego by three, Los Angeles by four, New Orleans and Jacksonville by six, Austin by seven, and Dallas by eight. The Seals had by far the most runs in MLB at 917. Last year’s runner-up and the 2017 AA champ San Francisco was a non-factor, falling to 78-84.

Leading Oklahoma City’s turnaround was 3B Albert Gardiner, the American Association MVP. In his fourth season, the 24-year old Texan led in home runs (63), total bases (409), slugging (.691), and wRC+ (185). Gardiner added 8.9 WAR, 1.068 OPS, 118 runs, and 129 RBI. He fell four short of the MLB single-season home run record, but got paid for his efforts with an eight-year, $159,700,000 extension at season’s end from the Outlaws.

Gardiner had to fend off a very solid challenge for MVP by Houston RF Ric Ransom, who led in batting average (.334) and RBI (160) while taking second in WAR (9.3) and third in homers (55). Ransom was only the fifth in MLB history to reach 160+ RBI and the first to do it since 1978.

In his MLB debut, Las Vegas righty Daniel Newqvist won Pitcher of the Year. The 30-year old from Sweden came over on a seven-year, $145,800,000 deal with the Vipers after pitching nine years in EBF’s Stockholm. Newqvist led in WHIP (0.88), quality starts (27), and complete games (25). He added a 22-6 record, 2.45 ERA, 275.2 innings, 289 strikeouts, 158 ERA+, and 9.1 WAR.

Nashville swept Salt Lake City and Houston swept Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs. The Hornets then shocked top seed Denver 3-1 in the second round, marking back-to-back years that the Dragons went one-and-done despite the #1 seed. Houston earned its first American Association Championship Series berth since 2008.

On the other side, Nashville got the 3-1 road win over Las Vegas, giving the Knights their second AACS in four years. In a seven game classic, the Hornets stung Nashville, giving the pennant to the #6 seed for back-to-back seasons. This was Houston’s tenth pennant, but it was their first in 67 years. The Hornets had made the AACS eight times since their 1952 title, but had gone 0-8 in that stretch.

Kansas City was aiming to be the first repeat World Series champion since Phoenix in 2003-04. They were the heavy favorite for the 119^th World Series, but the magic continued for Houston, who won a seven game thriller over the Cougars. This tied the Hornets with Denver for the most MLB titles at eight, although they didn’t expect to wait two generations to get #8. Houston’s prior wins were 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1920, 1922, and 1952.

It was RBI leader Ric Ransom who won World Series MVP. The Beaumont, Texas native had 20 playoff starts with 26 hits, 12 runs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, and 17 RBI. Houston joined 2011 Tampa, 1953 Phoenix, 1982 St. Louis, 1988 and 1990 Virginia Beach, and 2012 Philadelphia as the World Series champs to come from the #6 seed.

Other notes: Cody Lim became only the fifth member of the 700 home run club. In his 15^th and final year with Oklahoma City, Lim smacked 53 homers to get to 722, ranking third behind Elijah Cashman’s 750 and Kaby Silva’s 731. The 35-year old Malaysian had the MLB record for 50+ homer seasons with nine, but almost quietly climbed the ranks with only four Silver Sluggers and no MVPs.

Graham Gregor meanwhile became the 27^th to reach 600 home runs and the 62^nd to 3000 hits. Both Joran Mallery and Ryan Skramesto got to 1500 RBI. Killian Fruechte won his ninth Silver Slugger and his eighth in left field. SS Fritz Louissi won his eighth Silver Slugger. Easton MacGregor and Omari Green became the 81^st and 82^nd pitchers to 3000 strikeouts. Montreal’s offense drew only 274 walks all season, an MLB all-time worst.

For the 2010s, the National Association had a 3.41 league ERA and .240 batting average, both of which graded as below average scoring on the historical scale. This was the lowest batting average for a decade in NA history and was one point ahead of the 2000s for lowest ERA. The NA did set single season lows with a .237 batting average in 2013 and a 3.28 ERA in 2012.

The American Association had a .251 batting average and 3.84 ERA, which were both average to above average relative to other world leagues and historical averages. However, these were both all-time low marks for the AA. The AA set a single-season low ERA of 3.77 in 2012.

MLB’s numbers overall were very consistent from the 2010s back through the 1990s. However, these 30 years were down relative to the years prior with a 3.68 ERA in the NA from the 1900s-80s and a 4.11 ERA for the AA. Like many other world leagues, MLB officials would opt for rule changes in the 2020s to increase scoring.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-29-2024, 10:11 AM

2019 Baseball Grand Championship

The 2019 Baseball Grand Championship was the tenth year of the event and the first to be hosted in the United States. Incidentally, one of the participants was playing in their home city for the first time, as Houston had been selected to host years prior. The World Series champion Hornets hoped to continue on an impressive playoff run.

The auto-bids for the event were MLB’s Houston and Kansas City, CABA’s Havana and Puebla, EAB’s Seongnam and Kawasaki, BSA’s Trujillo and Recife, EBF’s Hamburg and Zurich, EPB’s Chelyabinsk, OBA’s Sydney, APB’s Palembang, CLB’s Hong Kong, WAB’s Kano, SAB’s Pune, ABF’s Tabriz, ALB’s Tripoli, and AAB’s Luanda. The wild card went to WAB runner-up Bamako, who had finished 109-53. They controversially got the nod over defending Grand Champion Jeddah. The Jackals were the ALB runner-up at 104-58 and thought the defending title justified their spot despite the Bullfrogs winning more.

The BGC again showed how small the gap truly was between each of the world leagues as the sixth different league fielded the champ in six years (and the seventh overall). The Asian Baseball Federation’s Tabriz took the top spot at 15-4, setting a new runs record for the event at 112. The Tiger Sharks also had a +50 run differential, which was the third-highest to that point. Tabriz led all teams in homers (52), OBP (.328), slugging (.532), and OPS (.860). Prior to that, the ABF’s best finish was fellow Iranian squad Tehran in fourth in 2017.

For the third straight season, the Southern Cone League champ took second place. Recife was right behind Tabriz at 14-5, leading all teams with 45 runs allowed and a 2.12 ERA. The Retrievers tied Jeddah from the prior year for the fewest runs allowed in the current format. It was a two game drop to Kansas City and Pune at 12-7 with the Cougars taking third place on the tiebreaker. KC had a +35 run differential while the Purple Knights were only +2. It was the first time in four years that the MLB had a team in the top three. Pune set a high-mark for the Indian League, although SAB’s Hanoi had been third in 2016.

Next were Puebla and Zurich both at 11-8, followed by the host Houston at 10-9. Five teams finished 9-10; Hamburg, Havana, Kawasaki, Luanda, and Trujillo. Bamako, Hong Kong, Kano, Sydney, and Tripoli were all 8-11. The Bullfrogs notably scored the second most runs (95), but allowed the most (101). The Snakes notably stole a tournament-record 41 bases. Chelyabinsk and Seongnam were 7-12 and Palembang was alone in last at 6-13.

Trujillo’s Rico Ortega was named Tournament MVP. The 33-year old Peruvian was in his 11^th year for his hometown squad, but missed almost all of the 2019 season to a fractured coracoid in his shoulder. In the BGC, Ortega started 18 games with 17 hits, 16 runs, 11 home runs, 21 RBI, 12 walks, a 1.274 OPS, and 1.6 WAR. Ortega took the top honor despite Hamburg’s Oliver Schmitz leading all players in RBI (29) and home runs (16); both of which were the second most in BGC history to date.

Best Pitcher went to Luanda’s Guimas Simoes, who had been a subpar back-end starter for the Landsharks. The 27-year old Angolan lefty had three excellent starts with a 0.40 ERA over 22.2 innings, 2-0 record, 25 strikeouts, 4 hits, and 5 walks allowed. Simoes had a .070 opponent’s OPS, which remains a tournament record as of 2037 among any pitcher with 21+ innings. It was the one standout moment for a guy who posted a career WAR of 7.6.

Other notes: The seventh no-hitter in Baseball Grand Championship history was thrown on November 14 by Sydney’s Jay McKaig, striking out 18 and walking two against Zurich. Kawasaki’s Dagutorio Dodo was the second to have a four home run game, doing it on November 22 against Palembang. Puebla’s Clayton Morgan had the unfortunate distinction of being the first to earn the Titanium Sombrero with a six strikeout game.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-29-2024, 06:46 PM

2020 MLB Hall of Fame

Major League Baseball’s 2020 Hall of Fame class saw two first ballot inductees, although neither breached 80%. OF Lukas Warrell led the way at 76.8% with 2B Cole Becenti close behind at 73.8%. SS Robert Hightower barely missed the 66% requirement with 64.8% for his seventh ballot. This was the closest Hightower has gotten and his third time above 50%.

Five other players were above 50%, led by RF Renaldo Anastasio debuting at 59.6%. C Sebastian Van Velzen got 59.2% for his fourth ballot. 3B Jeanpaul Vick debuted with 57.3%. SP Bob Gallagher earned 56.2% in his tenth and final try, while SP Victor Burke picked up 50.6% for his second chance.

For Gallagher, he peaked at 61.1% in 2018 and had a low of 43.6% in 2017. He spent most of his 15-year MLB run with Cleveland and posted a 226-181 record, 3.22 ERA, 3934.1 innings, 3394 strikeouts, 892 walks, 160 complete games, 111 ERA+, and 79.0 WAR. However, Gallagher lacked black ink and awards and was dismissed as an above average compiler. He also played his final three years in EBF and those extra accumulations might have just gotten him in. But instead, Gallagher fell to the Hall of Pretty Good.

Catcher Jacob Gibson was dropped after ten failed ballots as well, peaking at 46.3% in 2012 and ending at only 10.1%. He had a 21-year career with Edmonton and posted one Gold Glove and one Silver Slugger, 2182 hits, 1142 runs, 393 doubles, 247 home runs, 1081 RBI, 1143 walks, a .254/.345/.391 slash, 107 wRC+, and 66.6 WAR. Among catchers, he ranks 16^th in WAR. Gibson had impressive longevity, but he was generally not considered elite. With the trouble even top-tier catchers can have getting inducted, longevity was never going to be enough for Gibson.

Also dropped was reliever Christian Yates, who got as high as 38.4% in 2012 but ended at only 3.7%. He had a 13-year career with 303 saves, 2.30 ERA, 820.1 innings, 885 strikeouts, 252 walks, 159 ERA+, and 29.5 WAR. Yates never won Reliever of the Year and was far less dominant than what was needed for a closer to earn the nod. Still, Yates deserves credit for lasting ten years on the ballot.

Lukas Warrell – Left/Right Field – Albuquerque Isotopes – 76.8% First Ballot

Lukas Warrell was a 6’0’’, 200 pound outfielder from Tucson, Arizona; the state’s second-largest city with just over one million in the metropolitan area. Warrell had an unusual hitting profile as he was incredible at drawing walks, yet terrible at avoiding strikeouts. Against right-handed pitching, he had strong power with above average contact skills, posting a career 145 wRC+ and .914 OPS. Warrell struggled against lefties often with a career 92 wRC+ and .691 OPS.

Warrell’s power was reliable in the middle of the lineup, getting 32 home runs, 22 doubles, and 7 triples per his 162 game average. He had solid speed along with outstanding baserunning and stealing instincts. Warrell was a corner outfielder with about half of his career starts in left field, 1/3 in right field, and the rest as a designated hitter. He graded as a strong RF and above average LF. Warrell’s work ethic and loyalty made him a popular and well respected player. He also showed solid durability over a 22-year career.

From 1990-92, Warrell played college baseball at Clemson, winning an NCAA Gold Glove in 1991 and both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in 1992. For his college career, Warrell had 148 games, 124 hits, 99 runs, 20 doubles, 45 home runs, 94 RBI, 111 walks, 121 strikeouts, a .256/.402/.593 slash, 176 wRC+, and 8.0 WAR. In the 1992 MLB Draft, Warrell was picked 24^th overall by Albuquerque, making his return to the southwest.

Warrell was a part-time starter with 4.8 WAR in his debut season in 98 starts and 120 games, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting. He then started all 162 games as a DH in 1994 and won a Silver Slugger, scoring an incredible 150 runs. This not only set a new MLB single-season record, but it was a world record at the time. Warrell’s mark remained the MLB record until 2036 and ranks as the 13^th-best season in world history as of 2037. He also led the American Association in walks (102) and had his first of three 40+ home runs seasons. Warrell also posted his first of eight seasons worth 5+ WAR.

Albuquerque ended a six-year playoff drought and got the #2 seed in 1994, but lost in the second round to Atlanta. The Isotopes would be stuck mostly below average in the next six seasons, averaging 76.8 wins. Warrell played well, but was outside of awards conversations or league leading stats. 1998 had a big setback as a severely strained hip muscle knocked him out five months. However, Albuquerque still gave Warrell an eight-year, $40,800,000 extension in the winter.

In 2001, Warrell led the AA in runs (120), walks (102), and WAR (8.9), while getting 41 home runs and 101 RBI, winning a Silver Slugger in LF and taking second in MVP voting. This started a six-year playoff streak for Albuquerque, although they again went one-and-done despite having the first round bye. Warrell did even better in 2002, winning his lone MVP and third Silver Slugger. He led in runs (124), walks (109), OPS (1.044), and WAR (9.6). Warrell’s WAR and OPS were career highs as was were his 46 home runs and 125 RBI.

Albuquerque was a wild card in 2002, but went on a playoff tear for their first American Association pennant since 1975. Warrell was AACS MVP as they ousted Nashville, but the Isotopes did lose to Milwaukee in the World Series. In the playoff run, Warrell had 19 starts, 18 runs, 28 hits, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 14 RBI, 13 walks, and a 1.133 OPS. The Isotopes had first round losses in 2003, 2004, and 2006. They got back to the AACS in 2005, but fell to top seed Seattle.

Warrell was also a regular during his peak in the World Baseball Championship for the United States, starting 223 games from 1994-2004. He posted 169 hits, 164 runs, 32 doubles, 11 triples, 55 home runs, 55 home runs, 144 RBI, 185 walks, 326 strikeouts, 117 stolen bases, a .220/.382/.506 slash, 157 wRC+, and 11.2 WAR. As of 2037, Warrell has the third most walks and strikeouts in WBC history. He also ranks 15^th in runs scored.

In 1996, Warrell was WBC MVP, leading all players in homers (12), RBI (27), walks (17), total bases (70), and WAR (2.2). He led in walks drawn five times, runs twice, strikeouts thrice, and steals twice. Warrell was third in WBC MVP voting in both 1994 and 2002. He was a key part of six world champion American teams (1996, 97, 98, 2000, 01, 03).

After his 2002 MVP season for Albuquerque, Warrell was never quite as dominant again. He was still good enough and well liked to stick around. Warrell declined his contract option after the 2005 season, but inked a new three-year, $30 million deal with the Isotopes. 2006 would be a disaster though with a ruptured Achilles tendon in late June, knocking him out 14 months. Warrell did come back for two more solid seasons to conclude a 16-year run in New Mexico.

The Isotopes got the #1 seed in 2008 at 104-58, but again went one-and-done despite the bye. Warrell’s playoff stats overall weren’t bad over 44 starts, 45 hits, 29 runs, 7 doubles, 4 triples, 8 homers, 26 RBI, 29 walks, 15 steals, a .281/.387/.525 slash, and 142 wRC+. While some critics noted that Albuquerque underperformed in this era, Warrell still helped them to their first pennant in 25 years.

With Albuquerque, Warrell had 2007 hits, 1453 runs, 320 doubles, 107 triples, 447 home runs, 1284 RBI, 1265 walks, 1754 strikeouts, 500 stolen bases, a .266/.376/.515 slash, 139 wRC+, and 84.3 WAR. The Isotopes would eventually retire Warrell’s #14 uniform. He was a free agent for the first time at age 37 and signed a three-year, $35,400,000 deal with Charlotte.

Warrell had a career best 114 walks in his Charlotte debut and got 112 walks two years later. In total, he had 353 hits, 232 runs, 52 doubles, 11 triples, 74 home runs, 219 RBI, 295 walks, .230/.359/.423 slash, 116 wRC+, and 9.7 WAR. The Canaries took the #2 seed in 2011, but went one-and-done. While in Charlotte, Warrell reached the 1500 runs scored and 1500 walks drawn milestones.

Now 40-years old, Warrell signed a three-year, $39,100,000 deal with Calgary. He was merely okay starting in 2012, but trouble struck in August with a broken kneecap. A setback required surgery, putting him out almost all of 2013. Warrell returned as a part-time starter in 2014, but stunk with -0.8 WAR over 86 games. In total for the Cheetahs, he played 212 games for 1.7 WAR, a .697 OPS, and 96 wRC+. Warrell retired after the 2014 season just after his 43^rd birthday.

Warrell finished with 2824 games, 2517 hits, 1815 runs, 389 doubles, 123 triples, 557 home runs, 1586 RBI, 1656 walks, 2330 strikeouts, 597 stolen bases, a .256/.368/.491 slash, 132 wRC+, and 95.6 WAR. As of 2037, Warrell ranks 24^th in runs, 85^th in home runs, 99^th in RBI, 6^th in walks, 15^th in strikeouts, and 70^th in WAR among position players. In all of pro baseball history, Warrell sits 14^th in walks drawn.

He had a unique skillset with impressive longevity. Warrell’s outstanding 150 run effort in 1994 earned him a significant place in MLB history. He didn’t have the raw dominance of some other Hall of Fame hopefuls, but Warrell hit enough milestones to secure the first ballot nod. He wasn’t an inner-circle guy at 76.8%, but this got him in to lead the two-player 2020 class.

Cole “Buddha” Becenti – Second Base – Orlando Orcas – 73.8% First Ballot

Cole Becenti was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed second baseman from Louisville, Kentucky. He would become the first Kentuckian to earn induction and the first player representing the Orlando Orcas. At his peak, Becenti was a well-rounded hitter that was good to occasionally great in terms of both contact and power. His eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts were both average to slightly below average. Becenti was notably better against left-handed pitching (152 wRC+, .915 OPS) but wasn’t bad against righties (135 wRC+, .843 OPS).

Becenti’s reliable power set him apart from many batters, getting 39 home runs and 30 doubles per his 162 game average. His baserunning skills were alright, but his speed was lousy. Despite that, Becenti’s range was respectable and he graded as reliably average defensively at second base. He started about ¾ of his games at 2B with the rest either at first base or as a designated hitter. Becenti ran into some knee troubles, but still held up for an 18-year pro career. He emerged as the first star player with Orlando, who joined MLB in the 1982 expansion.

It was a rough start for the Orcas, who were the last of those expansion teams to earn a playoff spot. Becenti caught their eye as he put up big numbers at Vanderbilt, winning a Silver Slugger his freshman year in 1996. He took second in NCAA MVP voting that year and third in 1997. As a Commodore, Becenti played 149 games with 174 hits, 110 runs, 33 doubles, 54 home runs, 110 RBI, 79 walks, .316/.406/.670 slash, 215 wRC+, and 11.2 WAR. In the 1998 MLB Draft, Orlando picked him with the #3 overall pick.

Becenti started most of his rookie year with okay results with 2.5 WAR in 131 games, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting. He broke out in his sophomore campaign, leading the American Association in both home runs (48) and WAR (9.9). Becenti won his first Silver Slugger and took second in MVP voting. He posted 6+ WAR each year from 2000-2005 and topped 9+ WAR in 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005. Becenti won Silver Sluggers in 2002-05 at second base, then again in 2007 as a DH for the Orcas.

In 2003, Becenti won MVP, which was a rare feat for a second baseman. He led again in WAR (9.7) and home runs (50), getting career bests in homers, RBI (124), and hits (203). Orlando earned their first-ever playoff berth and division title, but went one-and-done. Despite Becenti’s best efforts, the Orcas would stay stuck at or below .500 for the rest of his run. Orlando wouldn’t make the playoffs again until 2024.

Becenti led in wRC+ (184) in 2004, although he wasn’t a league leader after that. He would smack 49 home runs in 2007 and breach 35+ dingers in four other seasons. Becenti finished third in 2004 and 2005’s MVP voting. Orlando gave him an eight-year, $61,340,000 extension after the 2002 season. 2006 would be his first major injury setback, missing most of the season to a torn meniscus in his right knee.

He would post three more solid years with the Orcas after that. Becenti also played 71 games from 2001-07 in the World Baseball Championship for the United States with 52 hits, 33 runs, 7 doubles, 17 home runs, 44 RBI, a .843 OPS, 145 wRC+, and 1.9 WAR. Becenti was part of world champion American teams in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007.

In total for Orlando, Becenti had 1778 hits, 923 runs, 295 doubles, 399 home runs, 1049 RBI, a .297/.345/.558 slash, 150 wRC+, and 74.0 WAR. His #2 uniform would later be the first number retired by the Orcas. Becenti’s run in central Florida ended after the 2009 season as he declined his contract option, becoming a free agent at age 32. He earned a big paycheck with San Francisco worth $72 million over five years.

Becenti’s Gold Rush debut was his best year, winning his seventh Silver Slugger. However, he tore his right knee meniscus again in 2011, missing most of the year. Becenti would struggle in the next two years in the Bay with only 1.8 WAR over 258 starts. San Francisco wouldn’t make the playoffs during his four year tenure, which saw 447 games, 447 hits, 202 runs, 59 doubles, 91 home runs, 252 RBI, a .262/.306/.461 slash, 116 wRC+, and 9.2 WAR. SF bought out the final year of Becenti’s contract, making him a free agent for 2014 at age 36.

He signed a one-year deal with Omaha and showed some of his old ability, posting 4.5 WAR, a 142 wRC+, .779 OPS, and 30 home runs with the Hawks. However, this was Becenti’s final MLB season. After struggling to find a suitor stateside, he opened up his search worldwide. Becenti ended up in West African Baseball and Burkina Faso on a three-year, $24,000,000 deal with Ouagadougou.

Becenti couldn’t carry over his 2014 momentum to WAB. He was average-at-best over 105 games in 2016 and below average in 2016, missing part of the year to elbow tendinitis. In 217 games for the Osprey, Becenti had 2.9 WAR and 100 wRC+. He didn’t meet the criteria for his deal, becoming a free agent again at age 39. Becenti hoped to catch on somewhere in 2017, but was unsigned and later retired at age 40.

For his MLB career, Becenti ended with 2381 hits, 1196 runs, 379 doubles, 520 home runs, 1383 RBI, a .288/.335/.532 slash, 143 wRC+, and 87.7 WAR. As of 2037, he doesn’t crack the top 100 in any major statistic. However, Becenti does rank 14^th in WAR, 5^th in home runs, and 18^th in RBI accrued at second base. For his era, supporters noted that he was the American Association’s best second baseman.

There were detractors who felt Becenti’s raw numbers weren’t strong enough. Others held his lack of team success as a mark against him. Becenti wasn’t an inner-circle level guy, but in the 2000s you would have been hard pressed to find a better second baseman in MLB. At 73.8%, Becenti got enough for the first ballot induction with MLB’s 2020 Hall of Fame class

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-30-2024, 05:39 AM

2020 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

The Central American Baseball Association’s 2020 Hall of Fame voting lacked impactful debuts with only one newcomer getting above 20%. However, this opened things up for three returners to cross the 66% requirement for induction. 1B Yonder Aguirre led the way with 83.3% in his third ballot. SP Julio Sandoval made it on his seventh attempt at 73.3% and fellow pitcher Ian Paniagua got 69.3% for his third ballot. No one else was above 50% and no players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

Yonder Aguirre – First Base – Havana Hurricanes – 83.3% Third Ballot

Yonder Aguirre was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. Aguirre was a solid contract hitter with a great pop in his bat, getting 38 home runs and 32 doubles per his 162 game average. He wasn’t a league leader, but Aguirre was steady and consistent. However, Aguirre was mediocre both at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He was also very slow and sluggish on the basepaths.

Aguirre made around 80% of his starts at first base with most of the rest as a designated hitter. He was a reliably good defender at first, winning Gold Gloves from 2007-09. Aguirre had outstanding durability and basically never missed time to injury. He was quite intelligent, but was viewed by most teammates as a distant loner.

His power potential was quickly noticed as a teenager growing in in the Dominican capital. A visiting scout from Havana was able to convince Aguirre to come to Cuba on a developmental deal in March 1994. He spent most of six years in their academy, but Aguirre did debut in 1997 at age 19. From 1997-99, he played 80 games and started 37, struggling in his limited play. Aguirre earned a full-time starting gig in 2000 and held it exclusively for the next decade.

From 2000-07, Aguirre posted 4.9+ WAR, 30+ home runs, 110+ RBI, and a .300+ batting average each year. He topped 40 home runs six times in that stretch, winning a Silver Slugger at DH in 2000 and 1B in 2005. Aguirre signed a two-year, $11,600,000 extension in April 2003, then inked a seven-year, $50,300,000 extension in May 2005.

Aguirre was third in MVP voting in 2005, his only time as a finalist. This was his lone time leading in a major stat with 219 hits. That was a career high, as was his 116 runs, 137 RBI, .342/.372/.618 slash, .989 OPS, 165 wRC+, and 8.2 WAR. Aguirre’s 45 homers were his second most, as he smacked 46 in 2003.

Havana was regularly above .500 in this era, but fell behind the dynasty runs of Haiti and Honduras. The Hurricanes lost in the Caribbean League Championship Series in both 2002 and 2004, then lost in the first round in 2005. They missed the playoffs from 2006-08. Aguirre also played 80 games with 62 starts for the Dominican Republic from 2000-13 in the World Baseball Championship, posting 62 hits, 36 runs, 14 doubles, 19 home runs, 33 RBI, a .247/.297/.538 slash, 143 wRC+, and 2.4 WAR

Aguirre’s production dropped sharply after the 2007 season, going from a regular 5+ WAR guy to the 2-3 WAR range. He still hit 43 home runs in the 2009 season, then stepped up in the playoffs as Havana won the CABA Championship over Monterrey. In 16 playoff starts, Aguirre posted 19 hits, 12 runs, 7 homers, 14 RBI, and a .985 OPS. For his playoff career, he started 36 games with 40 hits, 22 runs, 8 doubles, 12 homers, 27 RBI, a .274/.287/.589 slash, 132 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR. The Hurricanes would fall off after this surprise title win, finishing below .500 the next four years.

In 2010, Aguirre was reduced to a backup role with only 89 games and 47 starts. He was back to starting two more seasons with Havana, reaching 500 career home runs. After the 2012 season, Aguirre became a free agent for the first time at age 35. The Hurricanes would later retire his #28 uniform for his efforts and role in their first title since 1975.

Aguirre couldn’t find another CABA job and moved to West African Baseball in 2013 on a three-year, $16,500,000 deal with Ouagadougou. He was an okay starter in 2013 with 1.3 WAR and 108 wRC+ in 147 games and 126 starts. Aguirre struggled in only 49 games in 2014 with -0.8 WAR and a .512 OPS. He retired that winter at age 37.

With Havana, Aguirre had 2408 hits, 1194 runs, 410 doubles, 505 home runs, 1456 RBI, 266 walks, 1744 strikeouts, a .306/.330/.563 slash, 137 wRC+, and 59.5 WAR. As of 2037, Aguirre ranks 86^th in hits, 69^th in home runs, and 55^th in RBI. He does fit outside of the top 100 in WAR among position players. He had some nice home run tallies, but advanced stats put him a bit on the borderline. Aguirre also lacked black ink, but he was often in the top ten in big stats during his prime.

Aguirre just missed the cut in his first two ballots at 64.7% and 62.9%. A lack of impactful debuts helped make his resume jump out a bit more come the 2020 CABA Hall of Fame ballot. Aguirre’s home run power, a sustained run with one team, and helping Havana win the title in 2009 helped get him the nod, even if he wasn’t THE top first baseman of his era. Aguirre bumped up to a rock solid 83.3% for a third ballot induction and the headline spot in 2020.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-30-2024, 04:43 PM

2020 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 2)

Julio Sandoval – Starting Pitcher – Honduras Horsemen – 73.3% Seventh Ballot

Julio Sandoval was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Las Vegas, Honduras, a town of around 11,000 people. Sandoval had very good stuff and movement, although his control was never better than average. His 97-99 mph sinker was his strongest pitch, but his curveball, changeup, and splitter were each potent options. Sandoval’s stamina was good compared to most CABA aces and he had good durability, tossing 200+ innings in all but his final season. He was average defensively and was generally a well-liked guy in the clubhouse.

Sandoval emerged as a top pitching prospect ahead of CABA’s 1997 Draft and was picked ninth overall by Panama. The Parrots made him a full-time starter right away with 219 innings and 2.2 WAR in his rookie season. Sandoval got more effective after that and topped 6+ WAR in three of his five seasons with the Parrots. He led the Caribbean League in innings in 2000 (289.2) and unfortunately led in walks (101) in 2001. Sandoval was a good starter at this point, but wasn’t in awards conversations.

Panama was subpar during this era, averaging 74.6 wins per season in Sandoval’s tenure. With that, they weren’t able to match the contract value that Sandoval would get on the free agent market after the 2002 season. In five seasons for the Parrots, Sandoval had a 75-64 record, 3.59 ERA, 1285 innings, 1245 strikeouts, 401 walks, 112 ERA+, and 26.0 WAR.

Heading towards his age 28 season, Sandoval returned to his home country and signed a four-year, $17,280,000 deal with Honduras. This became his most famous and notably run. The Horsemen had been a regular contender recently, earning nine playoff berths in the prior ten years. However, they had struggled in the postseason since their 1993 CABA title with four CLCS defeats and four losses in the first round.

Sandoval helped Honduras get back to the mountaintop, winning the CABA Championship over Ecatepec in 2003 with a 110-52 record. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting with a 7.2 WAR effort and went 3-0 in the playoffs with a 25.4 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 28.1 innings. Honduras repeated as Caribbean champ in 2004, but lost the CABA finale in a rematch with the Explosion. Sandoval had a 3.90 ERA over 27.2 playoff innings with 33 strikeouts in the 2004 run.

2004 was Sandoval’s finest season, winning his lone Pitcher of the Year by posting the first Triple Crown pitching season in CABA since 1996. He had a 24-3 record, 2.11 ERA, and 351 strikeouts; all career highs. Sandoval also hit his career best WAR at 8.6. He led in WAR at 8.4 in 2005 and took second in POTY voting. He allowed 4 runs in 8.1 innings in his lone playoff start as Honduras was a wild card with a first round defeat.

Sandoval posted 6.5 WAR in 2006 and Honduras got back to the CLCS, although they were ousted by Haiti. He had a 1.93 ERA over 14 playoff innings. For his postseason career, Sandoval had a 3.10 ERA and 5-1 record over 78.1 innings, 81 strikeouts, 18 walks, 127 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. While his tenure was only four years, Sandoval played a big role in getting Honduras over the hump for two pennants and one CABA title. With the Horsemen, he had a 76-26 record, 2.72 ERA, 1021 innings, 1174 strikeouts, 255 walks, 146 ERA+, and 30.7 WAR.

Soon to be 32-years old, Sandoval was a free agent again for 2007. Jamaica inked him to a six-year, $37,900,000 deal which ended up being a big bust. His velocity had dipped from the upper 90s to mid 90s in his last year with Honduras, but Sandoval declined rapidly with the Jazz. In his Jamaica debut, Sandoval was peaking in the 90-92 mph range and struggled to a 4.40 ERA and 1.5 WAR over 256 innings.

For 2008, Sandoval now was topping out in the 85-87 mph range. He was actively bad over 187.1 innings with a 4.37 ERA and was taken out of the rotation. Sandoval remained under contract for 2009 and 2010, but Jamaica didn’t use him in either season. With the Jazz, he had a 4.18 ERA over 443.1 innings, 17-32 record, 233 strikeouts, 98 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. Sandoval officially retired after the 2010 season at age 35.

Sandoval finished with a 168-122 record, 3.36 ERA, 2749.1 innings, 2652 strikeouts, 757 walks, 186/335 quality starts, 115 complete games, 119 ERA+, and 58.6 WAR. As of 2037, he falls outside the top 100 in all of the counting stats except for the bad one of walks (39^th). Sandoval’s quick and sudden decline kept him from reaching accumulations that most figured he’d reach easily based on how his 20s went. Because of that, many voters felt he didn’t have the tenure to deserve a Hall of Fame spot. Supporters noted his window of dominance with Honduras, the Triple Crown season, and two Caribbean pennants.

In 2014, Sandoval debuted on the ballot at 47.8%. He bounced between the 40-55% range for his next three ballots, then came close to the 66% requirement in 2018 at 61.9%. Sandoval dropped back to 54.6% in 2019, but got the benefit of weak debuts for 2020. He bumped across the line at 73.3% for induction with the 2020 class on his seventh ballot.

Ian Paniagua – Starting Pitcher – Juarez Jesters – 69.3% Third Ballot

Ian Paniagua was a 6’6’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico; a town of 75,000 within the San Juan metropolitan area. Despite his size, Paniagua wasn’t a power pitcher as his velocity peaked at only 89-91 mph. However, he had solid stuff with a diverse six-pitch arsenal mixed with great control and strong movement. Paniagua had a fastball, slider, forkball, changeup, cutter, and circle change on offer.

Paniagua’s stamina was good relative to other CABA aces and he had reliable durability for most of his run. He was mediocre at holding runners and fielding the position. The main knock on Paniagua was that he was a selfish jerk. Many teammates and coaches noted his lack of effort and intelligence. Even if he coasted at times on his natural talent, Paniagua still managed to post a 17-year professional career.

In November 1990, a teenaged Paniagua was spotted by a visiting Mexican scout from Juarez, giving him a developmental contract. He spent five years in the Jesters’ academy before debuting in 1996 at age 22, posting a 4.25 ERA over 118.2 innings. He started much of 1997, then was a full-time fixture in the rotation from 1998-2009 with Juarez. During that run, Paniagua topped 5+ WAR in nine different seasons. His production and innings were steady, although he rarely was a league leader and was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist. Paniagua did have the most complete games in 2003 and quality starts in 2007.

Juarez gave Paniagua a five-year, $13,360,000 extension after the 1998 season, followed by a seven-year, $40,760,000 extension just before the 2003 campaign. They knew what to expect from Paniagua, which helped the Jesters become a contender in the 2000s. From 2000-06, Juarez had six playoff berths. They fell in the Mexican League Championship Series in 2000 and 2002, then had first round exits as a wild card in 2003 and 2004.

The Jesters broke through and won back-to-back Mexican League titles in 2005-06. Juarez failed to win the CABA Championship though, falling to Salvador in 2005 and Haiti in 2006. Paniagua was excellent in the 2006 run with a 2.37 ERA over 38 innings. However, he struggled in his other playoff opportunities. For his career, Paniagua was a lackluster 7-10 with a 4.67 ERA over 115.2 playoff innings with 98 strikeouts, 13 walks, 80 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. He did fare better in his sporadic World Baseball Championship appearances for Puerto Rico with 111 innings, a 2.59 ERA, 8-3 record, 1.3 WAR, and 112 strikeouts.

Juarez fell just outside the playoffs for the remainder of Paniagua’s run. He saw his first injury setback in late summer 2008 with a torn rotator cuff. Paniagua bounced back though with a career-best 2.80 ERA in 2009. Still, the Jesters bought out the remainder of his deal, making Paniagua a free agent at age 36. Despite his personality clashes, Juarez would later retire his #30 uniform. Paniagua had a 213-142 record, 3.56 ERA, 3255 innings, 3104 strikeouts, 609 walks, 104 ERA+, and 69.1 WAR.

Tijuana signed Paniagua to a three-year, $17,100,000 deal. He ate innings, but otherwise struggled with his worst production in his two seasons for the Toros. Paniagua posted a 21-30 record, 4.14 ERA, 461 innings, 378 strikeouts, 89 ERA+, and 4.2 WAR. Tijuana would trade him in the offseason to Santo Domingo for three prospects.

Paniagua was a back-end starter with passable results in his one year with the Dolphins with 2.9 WAR over 170 innings and a 4.24 ERA. He wasn’t used in the playoffs, but he earned a ring as Santo Domingo won the CABA Championship against his former squad Juarez. Paniagua did see 15 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship, but struggled to a 7.20 ERA. He wanted to play somewhere in 2013, but teams weren’t interested. Paniagua retired in the winter at age 39.

In total, Paniagua had a 245-177 record, 3.66 ERA, 3886 innings, 3595 strikeouts, 771 walks, 295/500 quality starts, 130 complete games, 22 shutouts, 101 ERA+, and 76.2 WAR. As of 2037, Paniagua ranks 18^th in wins, 16^th in innings, 31^st in strikeouts, 44^th in complete games, 34^th in walks, and 44^th in WAR among pitchers. The 101 ERA+ and 3.66 ERA suggested sustained averageness, although his 86 FIP- suggested Paniagua may have been stronger than the ERA stats would suggest.

There were voters who were underwhelmed by his overall production, playoff struggles, and lack of awards. Paniagua’s ERA would be the worst of any Hall of Fame inductee in CABA. Plus, he was an unlikeable jerk. However, Paniagua’s longevity got him to milestones though as to that point, every eligible pitcher with 230+ wins and/or 3500+ strikeouts made the cut. He narrowly missed the 66% requirement in his first two ballots at 61.9% and 62.6%. Paniagua didn’t cross the line by much, but 69.3% in 2020 earned him a third ballot induction into CABA’s HOF.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 11-30-2024, 07:36 PM

2020 EAB Hall of Fame

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-01-2024, 05:55 AM

2020 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-01-2024, 10:03 AM

2020 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-01-2024, 06:09 PM

2020 EBF Hall of Fame

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-02-2024, 06:31 AM

2020 EPB Hall of Fame

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-02-2024, 11:56 AM

2020 OBA Hall of Fame

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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