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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1945 CABA Hall of Fame

---

One player was picked for the 1945 Central American Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame as RF Domingo Huerta was a first ballot pick at 92.6%. SP Aitor Moreno came very close on his eighth ballot, but just missed the 2/3 threshold at 62.3%. 2B Junior Mota was the only other player to cross 50%, getting 58.0% on his sixth ballot. No players on the CABA ballot were dropped after a 10^th season.



Domingo Huerta – Right Fielder – Costa Rica Rays – 92.6% First Ballot

Domingo Huerta was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Panama City. The first Panamanian Hall of Famer, Huerta was a feared batter who combined great power with solid contact ability, a solid eye and decent speed. Huerta played almost exclusively in right field and was generally thought of defensively as average to slightly above average.

Huerta had an excellent amateur career in Panama, earning him the #1 overall draft pick by Costa Rica in the 1925 CABA Draft. He immediately was a starter for the Rays, winning the Caribbean League MVP in his third season in 1928 with the league lead in runs (99), OPS (.989), and WAR (9.1). He second MVP came in 1931 with career bests in home runs (46), OBP (.395), OPS (1.061), run s(104), hits (168), and WAR (9.4). In 1934 at age 30, Huerta added his third MVP with the lead in OPS (.981), adding 36 homers and 6.5 WAR despite only playing 129 games thanks to injury.

The Rays became a contender in the 1930s, winning the Continental Division five times. Costa Rica won the Caribbean League in 1932, 1935, and 1936 and in 1935, claimed the CABA title. In 1935, Huerta earned CLCS MVP honors. In total with the Rays, Huerta won nine Silver Sluggers, 1886 hits, 1145 runs, 501 home runs, 1212 RBI, and 81.1 WAR. He became only the second CABA player to reach 500 career homers.

Starting to fade into his mid 30s, Costa Rica traded Huerta to Santo Domingo for the 1939 season. He had an unremarkable year with the Dolphins, although he still hit 39 homers and did collect his 2000^th career hit. Huerta went to MLB for his final season and was a part-time starter with Toronto. After going unsigned in 1941, Huerta retired at the age of 38.

His final CABA stats: 2021 hits, 1232 runs, 303 doubles, 540 home runs, 1316 RBI, a .274/.346/.561 slash, .907 OPS, and 83.5 WAR. Many of his totals would be surpassed in the coming decades, but few were as reliable and dangerous in the 1920 and 1930s as a power hitter. Extremely popular both at home in Panama as their first Hall of Famer and with the Costa Rica Rays fanbase, Huerta‘s #20 is retired for his big role in their 1930s success. An easy choice for the 1945 Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1945 EAB Hall of Fame

Only one player made the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame Class in 1945 and barely so. Pitcher Jun-Hyeok Cho on his second ballot barely crossed the 66% threshold at 66.5%. The only other player to be above 50% was 3B Kisho Miura at 56.5% on his sixth attempt.



Two were dropped after their 10^th time on the ballot. Ko Agano finished at 39.0% on his last try with the pitcher peaking at 54% on his fifth go. He pitched for five teams and his tallies were hurt by being 29 years old with EAB formed. He was the 1921 Korea League Pitcher of the Year and had a 158-100 record, 2.55 ERA, 2246 strikeouts, and 57.7 WAR. Perhaps with his 20s added, he would’ve made the cut.

Another pitcher with a similar fate was Ju-An Kim, who ended at 6% after peaking at 27.3% on his first try. His official stats with four teams starts at age 32, although he notably won both Pitcher of the Year and MVP in 1922 for Sapporo. Kim had a 117-59 record, 2.11 ERA, 1448 strikeouts, and 52.1 WAR. Again, with a full career, someone who would’ve had a shot.



Jun-Hyeok Cho – Starting Pitcher – Saitama Sting – 66.5% Second Ballot

Jun-Hyeok Cho was a 5’8’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher born in Pyongyang. He had excellent velocity with a fastball that hit 99-101 mph routinely. He mixed it with a solid splitter and okay changeup, showing respectable control but at times lacking movement.

Cho was one of the rare players of the era picked out of high school, taken in the third round and 84^th overall in the 1921 EAB Draft by his hometown Pyongyang. He spent part of three years in development and only saw 42.2 innings with the Pythons with poor success. He was on roster and did earn an EAB ring as part of the 1924 championship Pyongyang squad. Disappointed in the young pitcher’s lack of immediate progression, he was traded with two others to Saitama for 1B Ji-Hoo Kim, who was inducted in the 1943 Hall of Fame class.

The remainder of Cho’s professional career and his signature run came in 14 seasons with the Sting. He started to see some real success at age 22, but a torn abdominal muscle caused him to miss much of 1927. He bounced back though with his best two seasons, leading Japan in ERA in both 1928 (1.46) and 1929 (1.38). He had a no-hitter against Fukuoka in 1928 with nine strikeouts and one walk. Both of those seasons and in 1930, he’d take second in Pitcher of the Year voting; the closest he’d come to the award. In 1930, the Sting won their first Japan League title, falling in the EAB final to Gwangju.

Cho’s production would steadily decline into the 1930s as Saitama generally struggled as well. By his late 20s, he was merely a decent middle of the rotation guy and into his 30s, he became borderline. Cho retired after the 1938 season at age 35, a relatively early exit for someone who didn’t have any major injuries to force him out of the game.

Cho’s final line: 181-125, 2.53 ERA, 2993.0 innings, 2917 strikeouts, 260/402 quality starts and 52.9 WAR. One could argue that the two pitchers who were dropped on the 10^th year had a more compelling case over their shortened careers. His #14 was retired by the Sting and for a 3-4 year stretch, he was a true ace who helped them to a league title. Some would point to him as one of the weakest members of the Hall and he barely crossed the threshold at 66.5%, but Cho can say forever that he was a second ballot Hall of Famer.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1945 in BSA

---

Worth nothing as well that voting had begun in the 1940s for the Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame, although nobody had earned induction in the first few years. 1945 had the largest number of eligible players to date, but only reliever Marvin Loera even cracked 1/4s of the vote. It would be next year’s ballot in 1946 that would see the initial members of the BSA HOF.



The Bolivar League saw the same two division champs again in 1945 as La Paz won its seventh straight South Division and Medellin took back-to-back in the North. The Mutiny were the only team above .500 in the North at 89-73, while the Pump Jacks at 99-63 were better than Cali by six games and Guayaquil by 10.

Cali’s Saul Vargas won his third MVP. The 32-year old Colombian CF led the Bolivar League in runs (91), hits (183), slugging (.531), OPS (.881), and WAR (8.3). Vargas also won his 10^th Silver Slugger; the first Bolivar League player to do so. La Paz 29-year old righty Ilalio Lopez picked up the Pitcher of the Year with the league lead in WIHP (0.8), innings pitched (302), quality starts (32/35), and complete games (24). He had a 1.85 ERA, 19-14 record, and 8.3 WAR.



The Southern Cone League Brazil Division came down to a tiebreaker game as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro both finished 101-61. The Padres took the tiebreaker, giving the defending Copa Sudamerica champ a fourth straight division title. Meanwhile, the South Division saw Buenos Aires on top for the fifth straight season. The Atlantics were dominant with Beisbol Sudamerica's best record at 111-51. They led the league in both runs scored (603) and fewest allowed (386).

Sao Paulo 1B Amadeus Ribeiro won his second MVP in three years. The 27-year old nicknamed “hurricane” led the league in runs (95), home runs (49), slugging (.593), OPS (.957) and wRC+ (205). 30-year old Uruguayan lefty Evan Yho won his second Pitcher of the Year with Buenos Aires. Yho led the Southern Cone in WAR (10.7), wins (22) and K/BB (14.4) while posting a 1.55 ERA and 359 strikeouts.

The Bolivar Championship rematch went again to La Paz over Medellin in six games, giving the Pump Jacks four straight league titles and six of the last seven. The fourth straight Cono Sur final between Buenos Aires went to the Atlantics five games over the Padres. This would be the final of their CSCS meetings with a split record. Buenos Aires added their third Copa Sudamerica title in five seasons by defeating La Paz in five games in a rematch and repeat of 1942. The Atlantics join the Pump Jacks and Medellin as the only three-time champs to date.





Other notes: On August 11, Diego Meno of Cali threw a perfect game against Quito, striking out eight. Luisao Capucho of Sao Paulo set a record for most strikeouts in a no-hitter, fanning 20 with one walk on August 25 against Montevideo. Mohamed Ramos became the first BSA pitcher to 300 wins, a feat that wouldn't be hit again until the 1970s. Three pitchers joined Ramos and Pierre Ramirez with 3500+ strikeouts; Danilo Patricio, Cato Arias, and Oscar Blanco. Closer Freddie Sandoval won his third Reliever of the Year, getting 39 saves and 5.7 WAR in a season split between Maracaibo and Medellin.

Sao Paulo's Carlo Mizurado became the third BSA hitter to reach 400 career home runs. Mizurado and Ruy Vargas both crossed 1000 RBI. The third, fourth, and fifth BSA hitters to 2000+ hits were Leudy Perales, Jorge Santiago, and Jose Negron. Perales also passed 1000 runs scored, the fifth to do so. Rio de Janeiro’s Martin Arriaga became the first 10-time Gold Glove winner. The right fielder would win his 11^th the next season.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1945 in EAB

---

The Japan League in 1945 saw Sapporo and Osaka both claim their third consecutive division title. The defending league champ Swordfish had the top record in East Asia Baseball at 105-57, while the Orange Sox took the South Division at 94-68. Sapporo had the fewest runs allowed (443) while Osaka had the second most scored (613).

Fukuoka RF Takashi Ishihara won his first MVP. The third-year lefty led the league in WAR (10.8), home runs (52), RBI (120), runs (113) and slugging (.657). Tokyo’s Yeon-U Choo picked up the Pitcher of the Year. The 23-year old was Japan’s leader in ERA (1.7), WHIP (0.71), and WAR (9.0). Sapporo’s Oki Tanaka became the second Japan League player to win four Reliever of the Year awards. He set the single-season saves record of 53, which would hold through the 20^th century. He had 6.4 WAR and 0.71 ERA over 89.1 innings.



The Korea League North Division saw Hamhung take the top spot for the first time since 1938. The Heat finished at 99-63, beating out defending champ Pyongyang by just one game. In a competitive South, Changwon was first at 96-66, topping Ulsan by four games and Busan by 10. For the Crabs, it is only their second playoff berth, joining the league title 1923 run. For the dynastic Blue Jays, it would start a stretch of 26 years between division titles.

Goyang’s Byung-Oh Tan picked up his fifth MVP. The 32-year old LF was only two points away from a Triple Crown with 47 home runs, 119 RBI, and a .339 average. Tan also led Korea in runs (113), slugging (.652), OPS (1.033) and WAR (8.8). He earned his record 11^th Silver Slugger as well Incheon’s Su-Yeon Kim was the Pitcher of the Year, leading Korea in ERA (2.02), WHIP (0.87), and quality starts (29).

Round three in the JLCS between Sapporo and Osaka wouldn't be competitive as the Swordfish swept the Orange Sox for back-to-back Japan League titles and their record fifth overall. The KLCS went six with Changwon prevailing over Hamhung for their second-ever Korea League title. The Crabs added their first-ever East Asia Baseball title as well in a seven-game thriller over Sapporo. The Swordfish are runner-up for back-to-back years and are 1-4 in the EAB finale.





Other notes: Seung-Mo Kim of Busan became the second pitcher to 250 career wins, joining teammate Yu-Geon Moon. They also became the fourth and fifth pitchers to cross 4000 strikeouts. Another Blue Jay Sang-U Yoon and Goyang's Byung-Oh Tan became the second and third EAB batters to 2500+ hits. Saitama's Osamu Kurokawa became the third to reach 400 saves. Kawasaki CF Alex Menocal became a 10-time Gold Glove winner, the first EAB player to do so. 3B Kuh-Ha Han became an eight-time winner.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1945 in CABA

---

After a four year gap between playoff appearances, Mexico City had the Mexican League's best record at 109-53. This allowed them to outrace a solid 101-61 effort by Leon for the South Division title, while back-to-back league champ Ecatepec dropped to third at 88-74. In the North Division, Hermosillo claimed back-to-back division titles, the best in a fairly weak field at 89-73.

Chihuahua RF Samuel Sousa picked up the MVP. He led the Mexican League with a career season in home runs (51), RBI (111), slugging (.622), OPS (.976), and WAR (53.1). Tijuana veteran Samuel Valadez picked up his second Pitcher of the Year, five years after his first. The 37-year old Cuban had the league lead in ERA (1.63) and complete games (14), adding 7.3 WAR and 211 strikeouts.



Puerto Rico continued its dominance in the Caribbean League, taking a fifth straight Island Division title with the league-best 103-59 record. Costa Rica secured a weak Continental Division for their first playoff appearance since winning the league in 1936. The Rays at 86-76 were three games better than Panama. Defending division champ Salvador fell hard, the worst team in the league at 64-98.

Costa Rica RF Alvaro Fulgensio picked up the MVP in the 29-year old’s final CABA season, as he left for MLB the next season. Fulgensio led the Caribbean League in hits (202), average (.347), slugging (.407), and OPS (.986). Puerto Rico’s Roy Facey picked up Pitcher of the Year despite the 31-year old lefty missing a month. He still led the Caribbean in wins (22) and ERA (2.17).

In the MLCS, Mexico City downed Hermosillo in six games, giving the Aztecs their fifth Mexican League title and first since 1940. The CLCS saw Puerto Rico prevail in six games against Costa Rica, giving the Pelicans three straight Caribbean titles and four in five seasons. They joined Havana (1911-13) as the only teams to win three straight Carribean crowns. Puerto Rico now has eight total, tying Honduras for the most. The CABA Championship went seven games with the home team winning each time. For Puerto Rico, that meant they were the runner-up for the third time in their five-year run. Mexico CIty became a four-time overall champ with their first since 1936. The Aztecs tie Ecatepec and Tijuana for most overall CABA titles.





Other notes: On July 15, Salvador's Pedro Castro threw CABA's 16th perfect game against Panama, striking out 13. Crossing 200 career wins were Napler Pedro and Samuel Valadez. Jeong-Hyeon Pin crossed 400 home runs and 1000 RBI. Crossing 2000 hits were Emmanuel Zavala and Emmanuel Reyes. Jamaica shortstop Thomas Rheault won his Caribbean League record 11^th Gold Glove. Leon SS Emmanuel Zavala grabbed an 11^th Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1945 in MLB

---

Philadelphia remained the class of the National Association in 1945. The four-time defending World Series champs had MLB's best record at 107-55, taking the Eastern League title. Phillies shortstop Wei-Ting Wei broke a single-season record with 142 runs scored. Hartford took second with their third straight 100+ win season and playoff appearance with the Huskies at 100-62. Brooklyn barely missed out at 99-63 with a solid 95-win Toronto in the mix as well. In the Midwest League, Minneapolis won back-to-back titles, on top at 102-60. Cincinnati made it four straight playoff berths taking second at 94-68, four ahead of Chicago.

Hartford RF Noah O’Dell picked up the NA MVP as the 24-year old led the way In hits (218), triple slash (.371/.428/.624), OPS (1.052), and WAR (10.0). Philadelphia’s Henry Lopez won his second Pitcher of the Year. In his sixth season, the righty led the National Association in wins (23) and innings (279.2), adding a 2.64 ERA, 234 strikeouts, and 7.5 WAR.

The league champs prevailed in the first round as Philadelphia swept Cincinnati and Minneapolis topped Hartford in four. The Moose gave a respectable effort, but the Phillies secured an unprecedented fifth consecutive National Association title in six games. No other franchise would even get four-in-a-row until the San Diego dynasty of the late 2020s.



The five best records in the American Association would all come from a hyper-competitive Western League. San Diego narrowly took it at 104-58, their first playoff berth since winning the World Series in 1936. Los Angeles and San Francisco tied for second at 102-60 and in a one-game playoff, the Angels advanced for back-to-back playoff berths. This extended the Gold Rush drought to 14 years. Vancouver (97-65) and Denver (94-68) had great runs too that fell short.

Although weaker, the Southern League was also incredibly competitive with five teams within two games of first. Defending AA champ Nashville and Dallas tied for first at 87-75, two games ahead of Houston, Memphis, and Miami. No tiebreaker game is used when both teams are in the playoff; the season tiebreaker went to the Dalmatians for their fourth straight SL title.

Charlotte’s Danys Vera won his second American Association MVP and third overall MVP. The 33-year old Guatemalan LF led in the triple slash (.361/.432/.646) and OPS (1.078) with a 7.5 WAR and 185 wRC+. Albuquerque’s Luke Freeberg got the Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old left didn’t lead in any stats, but had a 2.85 ERA, 257 strikeouts, and 8.0 WAR. All career bests, as injuries would derail his career soon after.

The first round of the playoffs saw the strong Western League advance as San Diego survived Nashville in five games and Los Angeles won in four at Dallas. In the AACS, the Angels won in six games, giving them their second-ever American Association title (1909). After being a tiebreaker game away from elimination, Los Angeles stunned the world by denying the Philadelphia five-peat in the World Series. The Angels took the Fall Classic in five games for their first MLB championship.





Other notes: Houston's Ned Giles earned his 300th career win on May 15, joining Newton Persaud as the only MLB pitchers to do so. Giles also crossed 4000 strikeouts, joining Persaud and Bailey Johnson as the only to reach the feat. Domingo Martinez made it to 3000 strikeouts.

Omaha's Kaby Silva joined Elijah Cashman as the only members of the 700 home run club. He would ultimately retire after 1946 at 731; second all-time behind Cashman's 750. Silva also joined the 3000 hit club in 1945, the 16th member. Seattle's Andrei Tanev became the sixth member of the 600 home run club. Blake Wynn and Dan McKenzie both made it to 500.

Isaac Epperson of New York became the third to reach 3500 hits, joining Corey Patrizio and Jax Sanders. Epperson retired in the offseason at 3551, third all-time behind Patrizio (3596) and Sanders (3609). The eventual hit king, Stan Provost, crossed 2000 in 1945. Epperson also crossed 1500 RBI, as did Jesse Cuello and Purvis Jones. Ridrigo Reta crossed 1500 runs scored. Boston’s Blake Wynn picked up his 10^th Gold Glove at 1B.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1946 MLB Hall of Fame

---

The 1946 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class had three inductees, all on the first ballot, but all below 80%. LF Rafael Becerra (79.9%), SP Mark Tarkenton (71.7%), and 1B Pedro Gil (71.0%) were those added to the Hall. Three others were above 60% but were short of the 66% threshold; 2B Kenny Goldman, LF Sergio Castro, and 1B Balta Llama. Three others made it above 50%. No players in the 1946 MLB ballot were dropped from the ballot on their 10^th try.



Rafael Becerra – Left Fielder/Designated Hitter – San Antonio Oilers – 79.9% First Ballot

Rafael Becerra was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed batter from Querendaro in the Mexican state of Michoacan. Becerra was a very solid hitter with strong contact and power ability. He was an above average baserunner and could respectably draw walks. Becerra was a poor defender who primarily played in left field, although he made about 40% of his career starts as a designated hitter.

Becerra came to the United States for college and played NCAA baseball at Ohio. He was the first pick in the fourth round of the 1923 MLB Draft, 150^th overall, by Milwaukee. The late pick could be attributed to the regional rounds at the front of the draft which limited teams to regional American and Canadian selections. Becerra was immediately named the #7 prospect in baseball though. The Mustangs wouldn’t make him a full-time starter until year three, getting his first Silver Slugger that season. In five seasons with Milwaukee, he had 650 hits, 132 home runs, 382 RBI, and 20.7 WAR.

Interestingly, Becerra was traded before the 1929 season to San Francisco, where he’d finish his 20s. In his second season for the Gold Rush, Becerra earned his lone career MVP, leading the American Association in runs (126), home runs (45), RBI (140), slugging (.642) and OPS (1.070). With a .350 average, he was only five points away from a Triple Crown. SF won the AA title in 1929, falling in the World Series to Ottawa. The next year, he had a career-best 50 home runs. After four seasons with San Francisco, Becerra had 747 hits, 159 home runs, 474 RBI, a .311 average, and 20.0 WAR.

At age 30, Becerra entered free agency for the 1933 season and signed a seven-year deal with San Antonio in what would be his longest run. He picked up his third, fourth, and fifth Silver Sluggers in his first three years with the Oilers, leading the AA in OBP (.403) and OPS (1.000) in 1934. A hip injury and broken leg cost him parts of 1936 and 1938, but he was a consistent bat for San Antonio.

In seven seasons for the Oilers, Becerra had 1042 hits, 595 runs, 233 home runs, 646 RBI, and 23.6 WAR. They were a weak franchise who didn’t make the playoffs in his run, but Becerra was a reason to go to the ballpark. He crossed500 home runs and 1500 RBI in his final year in San Antonio, but his production began to slip into his late 30s and he wasn’t re-signed by the Oilers.

This ended his MLB career, but Becerra had a bit of a career revival in CABA, playing another six years. He played 1940-42 with Honduras and 1943-1945 with Guadalajara. He was a starter with the Horsemen during a dynasty run, winning two CABA titles during Becerra’s tenure. He got 701 hits, 144 home runs, and 16.7 in six CABA seasons.

Between the two organizations, Becerra had 3140 hits, 668 home runs, 81.1 WAR, 1874 RBI and 1753 runs. Specifically in MLB, Becerra finished with 2439 hits, 1374 runs, 524 home runs, 1502 RBI, a .305/.372/.561 slash and 64.3 WAR. A very solid and reliable bat during the 1920s and 1930s earned Becerra a first ballot spot in the MLB Hall.



Mark Tarkenton – Starting Pitcher – San Francisco Gold Rush – 71.7% First Ballot

Mark Tarkenton was a 5’10’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from the small town of Kerman in Fresno County, California. Tarkenton was an extreme groundball pitcher whose top pitcher was a 98-100 mph cutter, mixed with a curveball and changeup. His stuff was considered exceptional with solid control. He didn’t fully develop that stuff though until a year or two post college. After playing for Georgia, he was drafted by San Francisco in the second round, 96^th overall, in the 1926 MLB Draft.

Tarkenton was used sparingly in his first two seasons, only throwing 79.2 total innings. This was the tail end of SF’s run atop the Western League. He became a full-time starter in 1929 and held that role for the next decade for the Gold Rush. That season, San Francisco won the American Association title, losing the World Series to Ottawa.

He became a dominant strikeout pitcher, leading the American Association in Ks eight times in nine seasons. He led in WAR three times, twice going above 10 WAR. In 1934, he earned the Triple Crown with a 23-8 record, 2.45 ERA, and 329 strikeouts. He was the third pitcher in MLB history at that point to achieve the honor. That was his lone Pitcher of the Year season; he did take third in 1936 and second in 1937. Although never a bad team, San Francisco wasn’t a playoff team for most of the 1930s. In 1939 at age 33, Tarkenton’s production dropped off significantly. In summer 1940, a stretched elbow ligament effectively ended his career. His #18 would get retired though by the Gold Rush that winter.

He was done at age 35, but still put up 3159 career strikeouts over 11 full seasons. Tarkenton had a 184-152 record, 3.32 ERA in 3070 innings with 218/381 quality starts and 81.0 WAR. He averaged 9.26 Ks per nine innings, the highest of any Hall of Fame starter at the time of induction. His ERA was a bit higher than some others in the Hall with lower compiled stats due to his relatively short career. However, his strikeout dominance in the 1930s meant Tarkenton was going to have a good shot and at 71.7%, made it on the first ballot to the 1946 class.



Pedro Gil – First Baseman – Washington Admirals – 71.0% First Ballot

Pedro Gil was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed batter from the small town of Banning, part of the Inland Empire in California. He was an excellent contact hitter with good power and a decent eye. He was an okay baserunner and spent the majority of his career at first base, considered an okay fielder. He also made some starts in left field and as a designated hitter when he was in the American Association.

Gil attended the University of Houston and was a stellar college baseball player, earning the college MVP award as a freshman. In 1922, Las Vegas selected Gil with the 41^st overall pick in the MLB Draft. He immediately excelled with a 37 home run, 129 RBI, .350 average rookie season, earning the Rookie of the Year. In 1925, Gil led the AA in home runs (49) and RBI (160). Although he was in the top 10 in a number of stats in numerous seasons, that would be his only time in the top spot. Gil won his two Silver Sluggers with the Vipers in 1924 and 1926.

He spent six seasons with Las Vegas with 1086 hits, 212 home runs, 708 RBI, and 25.8 WAR. Gil was a fan favorite and signed an eight-year extension with the Vipers in late 1926, but was traded to Washington for the start of the 1929 season at age 27. He would go into the Hall as an Admiral, also spending six seasons there. Gil’s only opportunities at playoff baseball came with the Admirals, who won the World Series in 1930. With Washington, Gil had 995 hits, 195 home runs, 595 RBI, a .304 average, and 26.8 WAR.

In 1935, the 33-year old Gil signed with Brooklyn and spent four seasons starting for the Dodgers, where he added 108 home runs, 319 RBI, and 10.6 WAR. His last two seasons then came with San Diego where he added another 43 home runs, 159 RBI, and 3.4 WAR.

The final line for Gil: 2969 hits, 1602 runs, 412 doubles, 558 home runs, 1781 RBI, a .298/.350/.526 slash and 66.7 WAR. He was a consistent starter for 17 seasons who could be counted on for around 30 home runs, a near .300 average and around 4-5 WAR per season. Not dominant, but as reliable and well-liked as you can get in the mind of his peers and fans. This snagged Gil a first ballot selection with 71.0% of the vote.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1946 CABA Hall of Fame

One player was inducted into the Central American Baseball Association’s 1946 Hall of Fame Class. Pitcher Paul Garcia made the cut on his first ballot with 77.7% of the vote. Fellow pitcher Aitor Moreno came incredibly close again at 63.4%, barely under the 66% threshold. That was Moreno’s ninth try, meaning he’ll have one more opportunity to make the cut next year. Two others were above 50%, 2B Junior Mota on his seventh try and SP Rayan Montes on his first.



Two players were dropped after lasting ten seasons on the ballot. Pitcher Carlos Cartagena was the 1922 Mexican League Pitcher of the Year, posting 174-145, 3.09 ERA, and 38.0 WAR with mostly Guadalajara. He peaked at 27.7% on his first try on the ballot, ending at 11.3%. Reliever Philippe L’Amour was the 1921 Caribbean League Reliever of the Year with 202 saves in his CABA career. He peaked at 17.8%.



Paul Garcia – Starting Pitcher – Hermosillo Hyenas – 77.7% First Ballot

Paul Garcia was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Acapulco, the coastal beach city in southern Mexico. Garcia had 96-98 mph velocity with a five-pitch arsenal of a curveball, forkball, changeup, sinker, and splitter. Garcia was considered a respectable defensive pitcher and someone who could reliably eat innings, leading the Mexican League in innings pitched thrice. He was a “sparkplug” player with an infectious energy.

After a strong amateur career, Garcia was picked fourth overall in the 1925 CABA Draft by Hermosillo. He became a full-time starter by his third season and was a regular starter for the Hyenas. He led Mexican in wins in 1931 and 33, strikeouts in 1933 (292), and WAR in 1932. Reliable, but he only made the top three in Pitcher of the Year once with Hermosillo, taking third in 1933. He helped lead the Hyenas to the Mexican League title in 1930 and 33, falling short of the CABA title in both seasons because of Jamaica.

Hermosillo began to struggle into the mid 1930s, as did Garcia. At age 31, Hermosillo traded Garcia for prospects to Haiti in July 1935. His contract was up after only a few months with the Herons and he signed back up with the Hyenas the next year. After spending 1936 there, he was traded again, this time to Santiago.

After a forgettable year with the Sailfish, he went back to Haiti as a free-agent and was part of the Herons’ 1938 CABA championship season. Garcia had a career resurgence in 1939, finishing third in Pitcher of the Year voting at age 35 with a 21 win, 2.88 ERA season. Still, the Herons traded him that offseason to Monterrey, where Garcia pitched his final season. He picked up his 200^th career win with the Matadors and opted to retire after the 1940 season at age 37.

Garcia’s final line: 213-163, 3.05 ERA, 3249 strikeouts over 3462.2 innings, 284/424 quality starts and 62.5 WAR. His #12 was retired by Hermosillo in 1941. Not dominant, but a reliable starter in the late 1920s and into the 1930s. This led to Garcia’s induction at 77.7% on the first ballot as the only 1946 CABA Hall of Fame pick.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1946 EAB Hall of Fame

The 1946 East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame added one player in the 1946 class. On his seventh attempt, infielder Kisho Miura finally crossed the 66% threshold with 73.0% of the vote. Closer Toyohiko Taguchi came close on his debut at 62.9%. Another reliever, Ji-Hyun Kim, was the only other player above 50%.



One player was dropped after 10 seasons on the ballot; starting pitcher Takenao Fukuda. Between four teams, he had a 147-87 record, 2.51 ERA, 2045 strikeouts and 52.4 WAR. Solid numbers considering his official EAB career started at age 29. With a full career of numbers, he may have made, but lacking big accolades hurt him despite helping Yokohama win two EAB titles. Fukuda peaked at 32.8% on his second try, ending at 11.1%.



Kisho “Ant” Miura – Infielder – Gwangju Grays – 73.0% Seventh Ballot

Kisho Miura was a 5’9’’, 180 pound right-handed infielder from Kurume, a city in the Fukuoka Prefecture in Japan. Miura was renowned for incredible speed and baserunning ability. He was also a very solid contact hitter with a great eye. He wasn’t powerful, but used his speed to get a good number of doubles and triples. He was an infielder and generally thought of a below average defender. He spent about 40% of his starts at third base, around 25% at second base, 25% as a designated hitter and the rest roughly split between first and shortstop.

Miura was a solid pro in Japan prior to the forming of East Asia Baseball. When EAB was officially founded, Miura signed with the Gwangju Grays at age 29 for the 1921 season. He won six Silver Sluggers in his 10 seasons with Gwangju and led the Korean League in stolen bases each of those years. His 141 steals in 1925 remains the single-season record even a century later. Miura also led the league in runs twice, hits once, and triples thrice.

Gwangju was a Korea League power in the 1920s, winning seven straight South Division titles from 1924-1930. They won the Korea League title in 25, 26, 27, and 30; winning the EAB title in 1930. Miura was the KLCS MVP in 1925 and in his playoff career had 65 hits and 27 runs in 63 playoff games. With the Grays, Miura had 1604 hits, 992 runs, 1106 stolen bases, a .301/.383/.474 slash, and 58.7 WAR. His #17 was retired, the first number to be retired by Gwangju, as an important part of their 1920s run.

At age 39 fresh off a 112 run, 5.5 WAR season, Miura took a shot at Major League Baseball, spending two seasons with Omaha. The veteran was a solid starter in two seasons with the Hawks, then returned to EAB for his final two seasons with Sendai.

His final EAB stats were 1075 runs, 1790 hits, 260 doubles, 222 triples, 1185 stolen bases, a .297/.377/.466 slash and 62.1 WAR. At retirement, he had more stolen bases than any other professional baseball player and remained the EAB all-time leader until 1971. His Hall case is an interesting one as he lacked the home run and RBI numbers usually required. His overall accumulations were lower than many others in the Hall, but it was worth noting his EAB career started at age 29. Had he had his 20s to add to the stats, 2000 career stolen bases could have been possible and he certainly would have racked up more impressive run and hit totals. Miura was below 60% in his first six years on the ballot, but he made it to 73.0% on the seventh try to earn induction.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1946 BSA Hall of Fame

---

After voting started in the 1940s, the first Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Famers were elected in 1946. Pitchers Mauricio Vargas and Wagner Santos both made it in on their first ballot with Vargas at 77.0% and Santos at 72.9%. CF Nelson Coelho was the next closest with a distant 33.4% on his first try.



Mauricio Vargas – Starting Pitcher – Valencia Velocity – 77.0% First Ballot

Mauricio Vargas was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Lima, Peru. Vargas had excellent movement and solid stuff with a 96-98 mph fastball mixed with a good slider and forkball, plus a rarely-used changeup. He was also considered a great defender, as he won six Gold Gloves during his tenure.

Vargas bounced around the amateur and semi-pro ranks in Peru before Beisbol Sudamerica was formed. He was 27 years old when BSA began, signing with Valencia for the 1931 season. The Velocity had some solid seasons in the 1930s, but was unable to win the North Division. Still, Vargas was excellent for nine seasons.

Vargas led the Bolivar League in ERA in 1932 (1.96) and 1934 (1.65). He also posted an incredible 13.4 WAR in 1934 and 11.1 WAR in 1937. Vargas earned Pitcher of the Year in 1934 and finished third in both 1936 and 1937. In 1940 at age 36, he returned to his native Peru by signing with Callao. Unfortunately in late May, a partially torn UCL would end his career.

Vargas’s final statistics were 165-96, 2.24 ERA, 2792 strikeouts over 2500 innings, 235/311 quality starts and 80.7 WAR. His #20 was retired by Valencia and he was considered one of the top pitchers of BSA’s first decade. His totals are low by comparison to later HOF pitchers due to his later start and earlier retirement, but Vargas is well deserving as a member of the first Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame Class.



Wagner Santos – Starting Pitcher – Buenos Aires Atlantics – 72.9% First Ballot

Wagner Santos was a 5’9’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher born in Ferraz de Vasconcelos, part of greater Sao Paulo, Brazil. He was known for stellar control with 95-97 mph velocity when he came into Beisbol Sudamerica with a fastball, slider, and changeup. He was already a very seasoned pro when he started his official BSA career, signing with Buenos Aires at age 32 for the 1931 season.

Santos won the Southern Cone Pitcher of the Year in his Atlantics debut with the league lead in ERA at 1.64. He led in ERA again in 1934, led in WAR (11.5) in 1932, led in WHIP thrice and K/BB four times with his remarkable 210 walks over 2053.2 career innings. In May 1933 against Salavdor, Santos threw the second BSA perfect game with 15 strikeouts. He was second in Pitcher of the Year in 1934 and was third in 1933 and 1932.

The veteran pitcher didn’t stay anywhere very long. His first three and best seasons were with Buenos Aires. He signed with Brasilia from 1934-36 and won Copa Sudamerica with the Bearcats in 1935. Santos was with Fortaleza in 1937. The Foxes traded him to Salvador, where he played two seasons, followed by a final season back with the Bearcats.

His final stats: 137-72, 2.05 ERA, 2053.2 innings with 2121 strikeouts, 198/284 quality starts and 64.6 WAR. The fact that this stat line came from ages 32-41 is especially impressive and if he had been able to start earlier, Santos might have been thought of as an inner-circle level player. Still, this run earned him a first ballot selection at 72.9% in Beisbol Sudamerica’s first Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1946 in BSA

---

La Paz and Medellin were again the Bolivar League division champions to set up a third straight finals meeting between the two. For the Pump Jacks dynasty, this extended their playoff streak to a Beisbol Sudamerica record eight seasons. La Paz had the best overall record at 101-61, six games ahead of Cali in the South Division. The Mutiny finished 90-72 atop the North Division, five better than Valencia.

La Paz 1B Noel Parra secured the MVP with the league lead in hits (190), doubles (41), slugging (.570), OPS (.938), and WAR (9.4). The Pump Jacks also had the Pitcher of the Year as Ilalio Lopez earned his second straight. Lopez at age 30 led in wins (22) and complete games (21), posting 8.9 WAR, 333 strikeouts, and 2.09 ERA.



Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Buenos Aires extended their postseason streak to six straight seasons, taking the Southern Cone's South Division at 93-69, beating Cordoba by seven games. A competitive Brazil division saw new contenders as Sao Paulo dropped to third place. Belo Horizonte got their second-ever division title (1939) at 99-63, one game better than Fortaleza.

Sao Paulo 1B Amadeus Ribeiro won his third MVP in four seasons. He tied Manel Pinedo’s single-season home run record with 62 and had one of the best offensive seasons in Liga Cono Sur history. Ribeiro also led the league in runs (101), hits (204), RBI (126), triple slash (.332/.376/.684), OPS (1.060), wRC+ (254) and WAR (11.8). Buenos Aires ace Evan Yho secured his third Pitcher of the Year. The 31-year old lefty Yho led the league in WAR for the third straight season at 10.7. He also led in wins (21), innings (276.2), strikeouts (368), and K/BB (10.2).

The Bolivar League Championship Series rematch between La Paz and Medellin had the same result as the prior two. The Pump Jacks again prevailed, this time even more convincingly with a sweep. La Paz wins their fifth straight and seventh in eight years. It wouldn't be until Valencia in the 1970s that another team won five straight Bolivar titles. In the Cono Sur final, Buenos Aires outlasted Belo Horizonte in seven games to give the Atlantics back-to-back titles and their fourth in six years.

The 1946 Copa Sudamerica was the third time in the 1940s that it was Buenos Aires versus La Paz. The winner would become the first franchise to win four Copa Sudamerica titles. Unlike 1942 and 1945, which saw the Atlantics prevail; the 1946 edition went to the Pump Jacks. La Paz took the series in five games, giving them four titles from 1939-1946. This would ultimately mark the end of their Bolivar League dynasty with a nearly 30-year playoff drought to follow despite having some decent teams in that stretch. Still, the run inspired and solidified a solid fanbase and presence in Bolivia for years to come, despite later stumbles.





Other notes: La Paz veteran pitcher Mohamed Ramos made it an unprecedented 7000+ career strikeouts in 1946. Meanwhile, Sao Paulo's Danilo Patricio celebrated being the second player to get to 4000 strikeouts and the second to 250 wins. Pascal Aguirre and Timoteo Caruso both made it to 3500 Ks. Aguirre also became the sixth to 200 career wins.

In offensive notes, five crossed 2000 hits in 1946; making it 10 players to do so in BSA. Doing it in 1946 were Sam Lara, Carlo Mizurado, Ruy Vargas, Barry Huaman, and Leonardo Velasco. Vargas and Jose Negron became the third and fourth BSA hitters to reach 400 home runs. Huaman became the sixth to 1000 runs scored. Rio’s Martin Arriaga earned an 11^th Gold Glove at right field. Two-way player Ignacio Rola earned his 10^th Silver Slugger at pitcher.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1946 in EAB

---

Saitama had the Japan League’s best record in 1946 at 101-61 for their first playoff berth since 1934. They cruised to the North Division title as back-to-back league champ Sapporo fell off, tying for second at 82-80 with Yokohama. Osaka at 98-65 easily took the South Division, giving the Orange Sox four straight playoff appearances.

Leading the Sting to their playoff appearance was Dylan Chen. The 29-year old Chinese RF was two average points short of a Triple Crown with a .314 average, 54 home run, 108 RBI season with 100 runs scored and 9.5 WAR. He’d get his seventh Silver Slugger in his finale year in Saitama, as he’d head to Major League Baseball and Buffalo next season with the hold on EAB players leaving lifted now that World War II was over. Fukuoka veteran Taiji Makino won the Pitcher of the Year. Th3 32-year old didn’t lead in any stats, but had a 2.03 ERA and 5.6 WAR with 234 strikeouts.



Hamhung secured the Korea League North Division for the second straight season with their 97-65 mark eight games better than Pyongyang and Seoul. In the South, Yongin outraced defending EAB champ Changwon for the title. The Gold Sox took it at 101-61, two games better than the Crabs. For Yongin, it is their first playoff appearance in franchise history. This leaves Chiba, Daejeon, Incheon, and Sendai as the EAB teams without at least one playoff berth through the first 26 seasons.

Pyongyang 1B Seong-Jun Han picked up the MVP in his fourth season. “Sugar Bear” set a league record with 38 triples, while also leading Korea in runs (113), slugging (.601), wRC+ (182), and WAR (8.1). The triple record would stand until 1987. Incheon’s Su-Yeon Kim won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards. He was five ERA points away from a Triple Crown with the 27-year old going 21-7 with a 1.74 ERA and 291 strikeouts. He also led Korea in innings (289), quality starts (28), and WAR (9.5).

Osaka defeated Saitama in six games in the Japan League Championship Series for their second title in four years and fourth overall league title. In the Korean League Championship Series, Hamhung edged Yongin in a seven-game classic for the Heat’s third title and first since 1928. The East Asian Championship also was a seven game slugfest with Hamhung prevailing over Osaka. The Heat become a three-time EAB champion.





Other notes: In a statistical oddity, 1946 didn’t have a single no-hitter, the first time in EAB history this happened. Goyang’s Byung-Oh Tan became the fourth EAB batter to 500 career home runs. Busan’s Min-Seong Pak became the fourth to 2500 career hits. Changwon’s Ha-Jun Cho won his eighth Silver Slugger at right field. Nagoya’s Si-U Gim won his ninth at shortstop.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1946 in CABA

---

Chihuahua took the Mexican League North Division in 1946 at 96-66, nine games better than Tijuana. Hermosillo, who won it the last two years, fell off hard to a last place 67-95. Meanwhile in the South, Merida edged defending CABA champ Mexico City by a game with the Mean Green at 97-65 and the Aztecs at 96-66. For Merida, it is their first playoff appearance in more than 30 years with their only berths in 1911 and 1912.

The MVP went to Guadalajara 1B Prometheo Garcia in his second full season. It would be the first of many MVPs for arguably the greatest hitter in CABA history. The 23-year old from Ojinaga, Mexico in 1946 led Mexico in hits (214), runs (104), average (.358), OBP (.405), OPS (1.024), and WAR (10.3). Chihuahua’s Danny Ledo earned Pitcher of the Year and was the first Triple Crown winning pitcher since 1928. The 26-year old Ledo had a 23-7 record, 2.15 ERA, and 320 strikeouts.



Puerto Rico made it six straight seasons on top in the Caribbean League Island Division. The Pelicans held off a very competitive field at 94-68, two games better than Haiti and five ahead of both Jamaica and Santiago. In the Continental Division, Panama edged Salvador by one game, taking it at 83-79. It is the first playoff berth for the Parrots since making it from 1911-1914.

RF Pasqualino Yanez of Puerto Rico won his third MVP in five seasons. In his penultimate season with the Pelicans, the 34-year old led the Caribbean with 7.7 WAR, adding 41 home runs, 119 RBI, and a .309 average. Rookie Glenn Paolantionio was a surprise Pitcher of the Year for Haiti with a 16-7 record, 2.44 ERA, 241 strikeouts, and 6.9 WAR. Paolantonio had an odd career, getting drafted twice in the first round in MLB but failing to sign. The North Carolina native left for CABA and had this big rookie year, but a torn UCL and two torn rotator cuffs meant he never had a full season beyond his rookie year.

In the Mexican League Championship Series, Chihuahua beat Merida in six games, giving the Warriors their third league title and first since 1926. In the Caribbean League Championship Series, Panama denied Puerto Rico’s bid for a four-peat, winning in seven. It was the Parrots’ first ever Caribbean League title and they added their first CABA Championship in a seven-game classic over Chihuahua. It would be an outlier with Panama, who wouldn’t return to the finale in the next 90 years. At 83-79, the Parrots are maybe the weakest and most unlikely champ in CABA history. Still, the shiny ring looks the same on their fingers.





Other notes: Yves Jean and Jonny Lucero became the sixth and seventh CABA players to 500 home runs. Felipe Morales became the fourth to 4000 strikeouts and the fifth to 250 wins. Leon’s Emmanuel Zavala won his 12^th Silver Slugger at shortstop. Thomas Rheault grabbed his 12^th Gold Glove at shortstop.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1946 in MLB

---

Philadelphia set a franchise record with a 114-48 season, giving the Phillies a sixth straight playoff berth and fifth straight Eastern League title. Toronto also set a franchise record trying to keep pace as the Timberwolves took second in the EL at 108-54. For Toronto, it is their first playoff berth in a decade. Hartford’s streak was snapped as they took third at 96-66. In the Midwest League, Kansas City was first at 93-69 for their first playoff spot since 1937. Milwaukee grabbed second at 89-73, their first playoff berth since 1939. Last year’s ML champ Minneapolis fell to eighth at 73 wins.

Milwaukee’s Francisco Valencia won the MVP in his third season in the league. The Mexican first baseman led in the triple slash at .387/.455/.730 with a 1.186 OPS, 234 wRC+ and 9.9 WAR. His .387 average was the third-best season to that point. The 1.1858 OPS was a single-season record that held until 1995. Philadelphia’s Leon Frausto earned the Pitcher of the Year at age 30. The Venezuelan had a career year with an NA-best 2.09 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with 16 complete games and 7.5 WAR. Toronto’s Alex Lusk also became one of a select few to win Reliever of the Year three times, leading the NA with 45 saves.

In the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia swept Milwaukee and Toronto battled to a 3-2 win at Kansas City. In the National Association Championship Series, the Timberwolves battled hard, but the Phillies dynasty continued. Philadelphia won the series in seven games for their unprecedented sixth consecutive NA title.



In the Southern League, Jacksonville at 99-63 took first, getting their first playoff appearance since winning the 1932 World Series. San Antonio was one back at 98-64 for only the third-ever playoff appearance for the Oilers (1907, 1924). Nashville was third at 89 wins, while last year’s SL champ Dallas dropped to 72 wins. In the Western League, San Diego took back-to-back titles, yet again finishing one game ahead of Los Angeles. The Seals were 102-60 with the defending World Series champ Angeles at 101-61 for their third straight playoff berth. Las Vegas (99-63), San Francisco (97-65) and Oakland (94-68) all had great seasons, but fell just short.

25-year old San Antonio designated hitter Sebastian “Lizard” Lunde won his first MVP with a historic season. He posted the fifth-ever MLB hitter Triple Crown with a .354 average, 55 home runs, and 149 RBI. Lunde also led the American Association in runs (125), hits (235), and slugging (.656). San Francisco journeyman Dave Garcia was the Pitcher of the Year, leading the AA in wins (21) and WAR (7.5) with 261 strikeouts and a 3.01 ERA. San Diego’s Victor Porter became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner with a 1.51 ERA, 4.5 WAR season.

The Western League prevailed in the first round as San Diego survived in five games against San Antonio and Los Angeles swept Jacksonville. In an American Association Championship Series rematch, the Angels again defeated the Seals; this time in seven games. This set up a World Series rematch as well between the Angels and Phillies. Once again, Los Angeles came out on top in five games. The Angels join the Phillies dynasty (41-44), the 1917-18 Phillies, and 1910-12 Houston Hornets as the only winners of consecutive World Series titles.






Other notes: Denver’s Caleb Yang became the seventh MLB batter to 600 home runs. Yang, Jesse Cuello, and Purvis Jones all crossed 3000 hits, making it 19 batters to have joined the club. Getting to 1500 RBI were Aubin Shrauger, Feris Adam, and Keith Strollo. Jesse Cuello and Luke Murray made it to 1500 runs scored. San Francisco’s Roy Cole, Charlotte’s Domingo Martinez, and Vancouver’s Jacob Gosselin all crossed 250 career wins. Boston 1B Blake Wynn won his 11^th Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1947 MLB Hall of Fame

The 1947 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Class had only one inductee, but a no-doubter in CF Jax Sanders, who got in with an impressive 98.2%. Two others crossed 60%, but not the 66% required for induction. 1B Balta Llama got 61.4% on his second try and CL Noah Pugliese had 61.1% on his fourth go. Eight others made it above 50%.



Getting dropped after his 10^th ballot was SP Sebastian Pentland. The 1927 American Association Pitcher of the Year, over 17 seasons between Boston, San Francisco, and Indianapolis, he had a 235-208 record, 3.70 ERA, 4087.1 innings, 3135 strikeouts, and 82.6 WAR. His longevity and totals were solid and by the metrics, he’s actually at or above the average in each category. Still, the lack of dominance and accolades sank him as Pentland peaked at 43.1% on the first ballot.

Further down also dropped after ten seasons was pitcher Mack Brandt. In 14 years with Albuquerque and Houston, he had a 184-132 record, 3.57 ERA, 2946.2 innings, 2491 strikeouts, and 62.6 WAR. He was most notable for being just a win short of a Triple Crown in 1926. A better peak than Pentland, but fewer accumulations, so not surprising that he didn’t fare any better. He peaked at 30.5% on his second ballot.



Jax Sanders – Centerfielder – Philadelphia Phillies – 98.2% First Ballot

Jax Sanders was a 5’10’’, 175 pound right-handed centerfielder from Malvern, Pennsylvania, a small town located 25 miles west of Philadelphia. Sanders was one of the all-time great leadoff hitters as an excellent contact hitter with outstanding speed. He regularly put the ball in play, rarely striking out but also rarely getting walks. He wasn’t much of a power hitter, but his speed allowed him to get some extra bases. He led his league in stolen bases six times in his career. He was a career centerfielder and a stellar defender, earning seven Gold Gloves.

Sanders played college baseball at Virginia and ended up back close to home as Philadelphia picked him 28^th overall in the 1921 MLB Draft. He spent 10 seasons with the Phillies, who were a mid to lower tier franchise during his run in the 1920s. He won three of his five Silver Sluggers with Philly and finished with 1808 hits, 886 runs a .314 average, and 58.0 WAR. In 1928, Sanders had a 37-game hitting streak; at the time the second-longest streak in MLB history.

His #6 is one of two numbers retired by the franchise and he’d remain very popular locally for years, despite his tenure coming in a relatively forgettable time between their late 1910s titles and the 1940s dynasty. Sanders left Philadelphia and signed a seven-year deal with Memphis for the 1931 season at age 30.

With the Mountain Cats, he won two more Silver Sluggers and five of his seven Gold Gloves. In 1934, Sanders grabbed his lone MVP with the American Association lead in hits (219), runs (115), and WAR (7.8). Memphis made the playoffs twice in his six year tenure but were eliminated in the first round both times. With the Mountain Cats, he had 1165 hits, 616 runs, and 31.5 WAR. He picked up his 2500^th hit and 1500^th run with Memphis.

Sanders was on the move for the 1937 season at age 36 and signed a three-year deal with Toronto. He led in stolen bases twice with the Timberwolves and still provided good defensive value, although his hitting value was starting to drop. He picked up his 3000^th hit in Toronto.

At age 39, he signed with Calgary in 1940 and earned his 3500^th career hit. He won one more Gold Glove, but was starting to have age and injuries catch up. He wrapped his MLB career in 1941 with Louisville, only playing 22 games thanks to a torn ACL. But his 18 hits with the Lynx allowed him to pass Corey Patricio as the MLB all-time hit king at 3609. Sanders would play three more years in CABA with Jamaica, posting a solid 1942, before seeing limited time in 1943 and 1944. He would retire at age 45 after going unsigned in 1945.

His final stats in MLB: 3609 hits, 1786 runs, 384 doubles, 172 triples, 227 home runs, 1196 RBI, a .302/.334/.420 slash and 101.8 WAR. He’d get passed by three hitters for the hit king by the end of the 1950s, but would finish the 21^st Century fifth all-time. His 928 steals was first all-time when he retired and he’d only be passed by Bill Tan in the next century. His career Zone Rating was 338.5, the all-time most of all MLB CFs and third all-time at any position. Sanders had a unique skill set and was a premier player of the 1920s and 1930s, well deserving of an inner-circle 98.2% induction into the 1947 MLB Hall.