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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2022 in BSA

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Caracas again was a regular season powerhouse, taking the top seed in the Bolivar League for the fourth year running. The Colts at 114-48 also won their sixth straight Venezuela Division title, leading all of Beisbol Sudamerica in scoring with 904 runs. Even with the frustrations of having no pennants yet in this run, Caracas remained the continent’s hottest ticket. The Colts had a season attendance of 2,859,209, setting a new BSA record.

Barranquilla was the next best at 105-57 atop the Colombia-Ecuador Division. This was the first-ever playoff berth for the 2009 expansion Blues, who stunned many since their only prior winning season was back in 2014. Barranquilla allowed the fewest runs in BSA at 531.

Callao was the weakest division winner at 92-70 atop the Peru-Bolivia Division. The Cats ended a three-year run of losing seasons, while Trujillo’s four-year playoff streak ended. The Thoroughbreds at 89-73 were three short in the division and five away from the second wild card.

Cali (95-67) and defending Copa Sudamerica camp Valencia (94-68) took the two wild card spots. Ciudad Guayana, the BLCS runner-up the prior two years, was the first team out at 90-72. The Cyclones ended a six-year playoff drought and got the #3 overall seed, since BSA’s playoffs doesn’t give seeding preference to division champs.

Ciudad Guayana designated hitter Juan Suarez repeated as Bolivar League MVP in his second season. The 23-year old Colombian led in runs (129), hits (259), home runs (56), RBI (162), total bases (493), slugging (.736), OPS (1.143), and wRC+ (191). Suarez set a new BL record for total bases at 493, topping Valor Melo’s 473 that had held since 1979. Suarez had 38 doubles and 14 triples to go with his 56 homers.

Suarez almost broke the single-season hits record as his 259 finished second by Nuno Escalante’s 262 from 2018. Suarez had 8.9 WAR and a .387 batting average, narrowly missing out on a Triple Crown. Santa Cruz’s Walter Perez had him beat with a .393 average. Suarez’s RBI mark also was notably the third-best single season in BSA history, behind Rodrigo Aguilar’s 173 and 170 from 2009-10. The sky seemed to be the limit for Suarez, but he’d miss much of 2023 to a torn ACL and would run into other injury issues later in his career.

Caracas righty Julio Arias became a four-time Pitcher of the Year, having also won in 2017, 2019, and 2020. The 29-year old Colombian led in wins (19-4), ERA (2.08), and quality starts (26). Arias tossed 225 innings with 228 strikeouts, 199 ERA+, and 6.5 WAR.

Valencia beat Callao 2-1 in the first round, but were promptly swept by Caracas in the Divisional Series, giving Caracas revenge for last year’s early exit. Despite six straight 100+ win seasons, this was only the third time in that run that the Colts advanced to the Bolivar League Championship Series. On the other side, Cali upset Barranquilla 3-2 for their first BLCS trip since 2007.

The Cyclones were looking to end a 33-year title drought and keep the upset train going. Despite Caracas finishing 21 wins better, some thought the Colts might squander another top seed. Caracas finally got over that hump, defeating Cali 4-2 for their first pennant since 2006. The Colts became 14-time Bolivar League champs, which led all teams.



The Southern Cone League’s South Central Division was top heavy with Santiago and Concepcion battling for the #1 seed. The Saints at 103-59 narrowly took it for their third straight division title and seventh playoff berth in eight years. At 102-60, the Chiefs got their sixth berth in seven years and their tenth since 2011. Santiago was the top scoring team at 777 runs while Conception had the best pitching with 545 runs allowed.

Reigning league champ Fortaleza dominated the North Division at 95-67 for their third berth in four years. The Foxes set new league records for team batting average (.299) and on-base percentage (.343). Recife notably fell to 78-84, which ended their nine-year postseason streak. It was also the first losing campaign since 2006 for the Retrievers.

Four teams were within four games of the Southeast Division title with Sao Paulo first at 90-72. Buenos Aires was one back at 89-73, which landed them the second wild card. Rio de Janeiro (88-74) and Montevideo (86-76) were left on the outside. The Padres ended a five-year playoff drought and the Atlantics snapped a two-year skid.

Buenos Aires dominated the top awards, led by Southern Cone League MVP Spinoza Arajo. The 29-year old third baseman led in homers (52) and added 105 runs, 111 RBI, 1.075 OPS, 199 wRC+, and 9.7 WAR. Arajo had inked an eight-year, $81 million extension before the season. His Atlantics teammate Enrico Lula grabbed Rookie of the Year as a reliever with 34 saves, a 1.79 ERA, and 3.7 WAR.

The Argentinian capital also had Pitcher of the Year Adrian Jimenez. The 25-year old Colombian righty led in wins (20-6), walks (82), strikeouts (350), and quality starts (27). Jimenez posted a 1.98 ERA in 254.1 innings and 7.5 WAR. Also worth a mention was Sao Paulo closer Tony Montes winning his third Reliever of the Year in four years.

Sao Paulo edged Buenos Aires 2-1 in the first round, then got swept by Santiago in the Divisional Series. Fortaleza beat Conception 3-1 to set up a Southern Cone League Championship rematch between the defending champ Foxes and the 2020 champ Saints.

Just like in 2022, the series needed all seven games. Fortaleza won at home 4-3 in 2021 and got the 4-3 road win in 2022 to secure the repeat. This gave the Foxes four pennants for the decade, having also repeated in 2013-14. Fortaleza now had 12 pennants, second-most behind Sao Paulo’s 14.



In the 92^nd Copa Sudamerica, Fortaleza would be the runner-up in back-to-back years. Caracas claimed the Cup 4-1, finally securing the top spot again after recent playoff failures. The Colts ended a 59-year title drought and won their fifth Cup. (1933, 1959, 1960, 1962, 2022). They were also the seventh different Cup winner in seven years, although they were the third Venezuelan team in that batch.

At 114-48, the 2022 Caracas squad had the best record by a Copa Sudamerica winner since Recife’s 115-47 in 1996. The only Cup winners with better marks were 1940 La Paz at 122-40, 1934 Medellin at 118-44, and 1931 Medellin at 117-45. The 2022 Colts had a case as being the best-ever modern South American squad and could argue they faced much better competition than the teams from BSA’s first decade.



Other notes: On the opposite end of the spectrum, Barquisimeto’s 2022 squad was likely the undisputed worst-ever in BSA. The Black Cats were an abysmal 35-127, beating the previous worst by nine games. Their pitching was especially putrid, setting BSA worsts for team ERA (5.73), earned runs (959), and WHIP (1.584). Barquisimeto allowed 959 runs, second-worst to Quito’s 972 from the inaugural 1931 season.

There hadn’t been a sub-40 win team in any world league since Shiraz went 38-124 in the 1986 ABF season. Most of the other examples were horribly run teams at the very beginning of new leagues prior to a balance setting in. Barquisimeto didn’t that excuse, marking them as one of the true stinkers in baseball history.

BSA’s 49^th Perfect Game came on June 20 from Concepcion’s Bentley Baantjer, who struck out 8 against Mendoza. This was Baantjer’s second no-hitter, having also done it in 2013. Niccolo Coelho became the 14^th member of the 3000 hit club. SS Tajo Rios won his 7^th Silver Slugger. SP Adrian Chacon won his 8^th Gold Glove, extending his position record.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2022 in EAB

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Fukuoka won their third straight West Division title in 2022, but they did it in remarkably dominant fashion. The Frogs were the only team above 100 wins in all of East Asia Baseball, rolling the Japan League field at 11-52. Fukuoka allowed the fewest runs in all of EAB at 471 and scored the second-most runs in Japan at 681. The Frogs’ pitching staff had a 11.25 K/9, setting a new EAB team record. Hiroshima was a solid 94-68 in the division, but with only division champs advancing to the playoffs in the JL, that didn’t mean much.

The Central Division was quite top heavy with defending EAB champ Kyoto advancing at 99-63, holding off 97-65 Nagoya and 91-71 Osaka. The Kamikaze pitching staff allowed 191 walks with a 1.19 BB/9, the second-lowest marks in EAB history behind their own efforts the prior year. The Nightowls notably had their first winning season in a decade.

The other two divisions both had weak winners. In the North, Saitama (84-78) sneaked by Sapporo (82-80) to repeat. In the Capital, 83-79 was good enough for Tokyo to end a 12-year playoff drought. Yokohama was seven back, while last year’s division champ Kawasaki fell from 103 wins to only 73.

Earning Japan league MVP was Nagoya two-way player Ienobu Kan. On the mound, the 25-year old righty led in quality starts (25), adding a 2.50 ERA over 245 innings, 18-7 record, 231 strikeouts, and 6.3 WAR. He had 135 games at the plate primarily in right field, posting 159 hits, 91 runs, 21 doubles, 31 homers, 86 RBI, 1.024 OPS, 216 wRC+, and 8.3 WAR. Kan’s 14.6 WAR was the third-best two-way season in EAB history and ranked as the fifth-best when factoring in all EAB players.

Kan had been the #1 overall pick for Nagoya out of high school in the 2015 EAB Draft. They had hoped he could be EAB’s next two-way star and 2022 showed what his max potential was. The Nightowls gave him a three-year, $35,800,000 extension in May. Sadly, he suffered a fractured coracoid bone in his shoulder at the end of the season. 2022 was essentially one of two full load seasons in Kan’s career, as he’d be constantly plagued by elbow and shoulder injuries.

Leading Fukuoka to the top seed was Toshikuni Naikai winning his sixth Pitcher of the Year in seven seasons. The 29-year old lefty again led in ERA (1.53), strikeouts (415), WHIP (0.60), K/BB (21.8), shutouts (4), FIP- (17), ERA+ (218), and WAR (12.5). Naikai had an 18-2 record and 14 saves over 211.2 innings.

Naikai didn’t have the otherworldly totals of some of his prior years, but he did break his own K/9 record at 17.65. This set a new world record among starters, beating Austronesia Professional Baseball stud Ching-Chen Yao’s 16.9 from 2012. Naikai has EAB’s top five seasons by K/9 and has four of the top ten seasons in all of pro baseball history. The 415 strikeouts were his third-best total and the sixth-best in EAB history. Naikai also had his third no-hitter, striking out 19 against Kumamoto on May 10. That was the second-most Ks in an EAB no-no behind his own 21 from 2019.

The top teams prevailed in the first round with Fukuoka over Tokyo 3-1 and Kyoto over Saitama 3-2. The Kamikaze’s repeat bid was alive, while the Frogs were in their second Japan League Championship Series in three years. Fukuoka showed that top seed was no fluke, dethroning the reigning champ Kyoto 4-1 to end a 41-year pennant drought. The Frogs became four-time Japan League champs (1928, 1929, 1980, 2022).



There wasn’t a clear #1 team in the Korea League as the top seed and second wild card were separated by only three wins. Defending KL champ Changwon had the top seed at 95-67 atop the South Division, earning their sixth playoff berth in seven years. Both wild cards were in the South with Busan (94-68) and Daegu (92-70) close behind. The Blue Jays earned their third consecutive playoff berth and the Diamondbacks got their second in four years.

In the North Division, Incheon grabbed their first title and playoff berth since 2014. The Inferno finished 94-68, taking the division by eight games over 86-76 Seongnam. Last year’s division champ Suwon was third at 84-78. Changwon led the KL in scoring (832) while Incheon allowed the fewest runs (602).

Ji-Hwan Kim repeated as Korea League MVP, although he did it with a different team. After 11 years with Jeonju, Kim joined Incheon on a six-year, $112,800,000 deal. The 30-year old switch-hitting left fielder delivered a playoff berth and led in runs (125) and total bases (366). Kim had 46 homers, 117 RBI, 1.009 OPS, 163 wRC+, and 8.1 WAR.

Earning Pitcher of the Year was Suwon lefty Jun-Hwi Jung. The 29-year old lefty led in wins (22-6), complete games (19), and WAR (7.4). Jung posted a 2.39 ERA over 263.1 innings with 272 strikeouts in his eighth year for the Snappers. Jung would get another big extension from Suwon in April 2024 at $158,400,000 over six years.

Daegu earned a 3-2 road win over top seed Changwon in the first round and Incheon bested Busan 3-1. The Diamondbacks got their first Korea League Championship Series since winning it all in 2013. For the Inferno, they hadn’t gotten this far since 2003. Despite the similar records, the KLCS wasn’t remotely competitive with Daegu sweeping Incheon. The Diamondbacks became a record 15-time Korea League champ.



The 102^nd East Asian Championship saw Fukuoka defeat Daegu 4-2 to give the Frogs only their third-ever title (1929, 1980, 2022). Finals MVP went to 1B Shinichi Suzuki with the 27-year old starting 15 playoff games with 19 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI.

Pitcher of the Year Toshikuni Naikai was a beast in the playoffs as well, destroying the former EAB playoff strikeout record of 55. Naikai fanned 64 in only 35 innings, posting a 1.03 ERA, 3-0 record, 325 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. It was the fourth-time an EAB pitcher had 2+ WAR in the playoffs, a mark Naikai himself had reached two years prior.



Other notes: EAB’s 38^th Perfect Game was thrown by Jeonju’s Seon-Keun Yun on August 2, striking out 10 versus Suwon. Hitoshi Kubota became the 5^th member of the 800 home run club and the 23^rd member of the 3000 hit club. Kubota also won his 12^th Silver Slugger in left field, matching Lei Meng’s position record. 3B CHul Park won his 9^th Silver Slugger. Jae-A Choi was the 46^th to reach 1500 RBI. Takeo Nagai and Si-Hun Choi both reached 3500 strikeouts as pitchers, a mark met by 40 EAB arms.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2022 in CABA

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Four wins separated the playoff teams in a top heavy Mexican League for 2022. Juarez returned to the North Division perch and the top seed at 102-60. The Jesters grew their playoff streak to nine years with their seventh division title in that stretch. Torreon was second at 96-66, which earned the second wild card. Although the Tomahawks have posted 23 consecutive winning seasons, their 2022 effort ended a four-year playoff drought.

Ecatepec at 99-63 edged out Mexico City at 98-64 in the South Division. The Explosion snapped a nine-year playoff drought. The Aztecs got the first wild card to earn repeat playoff berths. The next closest teams in the wild card race were defending CABA champion Tijuana (89-73) and Merida (88-74). Ecatepec led the ML in scoring by a healthy margin at 802 runs, while Juarez allowed the fewest at 547.

Mexican League MVP went to veteran slugger Noah Breton in his seventh year with Torreon. It was the first MVP for the 31-year old Puerto Rican first baseman despite leading in home runs for the sixth time. Breton socked 63 dingers and led in runs (117), walks (86), total bases (388), OBP (.403), slugging (.697), OPS (1.100), wRC+ (205), and WAR (8.5). He added 133 RBI and a .312 batting average along with his 7^th Silver Slugger.

Tijuana lefty Richard Wright won his third Pitcher of the Year in a row in only his fourth season. The 24-year old Jamaican led in ERA (2.01), strikeouts (384), WHIP (0.81), quality starts (27), complete games (13), and shutouts (6). Wright’s 18-6 record left him one win shy of a repeat Triple Crown. He had 8.8 WAR over 255 innings. Wright also threw his second no-hitter, striking out nine and walking two against Monterrey on May 22. The Toros locked up their star ace in spring 2023 to a seven-year, $131 million extension.

Despite the small wins differences between playoff teams, both division champs earned first round sweeps with Juarez over Torreon and Ecatepec over Mexico City. The Jesters earned their fourth consecutive Mexican League Championship Series trip and their ninth since 2012. For the Explosion, this was their first trip since falling to Juarez in 2012.

The Jesters reclaimed the crown with an MLCS sweep over Ecatepec, winning their sixth pennant in eleven years. Juarez now has 17 Mexican League titles, second only to Monterrey’s 18. It was the first time under the two wild card format that the Mexican League’s first round and the MLCS ended in sweeps. This was especially surprising considering how close together each team finished in the regular season.



The Caribbean League’s top two records fought for the Continental Division crown. Guatemala repeated and again was the top seed at 106-56. Suriname at 102-60 gave them a run, earning a third straight playoff berth. Over in the Island Division, Haiti finished first at 99-63. That ended a three-year playoff drought for the Herons and was their first division title since their 2015 CABA title.

For the second wild card, Santo Domingo (92-70) squeaked by Havana (91-71), Honduras (88-74) and Panama (88-74). This ended the Dolphins’ eight-year playoff drought and was only the second miss in seven years for the Hurricanes. Defending CL champ Puerto Rico was a non-factor at 77-85. The Parrots led in scoring at 782 and the Ghosts allowed the fewest runs at 513. Guatemala allowed 100+ fewer than the rest of the league.

In his second year as a full-time starter, Suriname’s Bertie Duncan won Caribbean League MVP. The 25-year old Trinidadian second baseman led in home runs (53), RBI (122), runs (126), total bases (410), slugging (.695), OPS (1.059), wRC+ (184), and WAR (10.5). Duncan added a .315 average and 69 stolen bases. The Silverbacks secured him after the 2023 season to an eight-year, $130,600,000 extension.

Guatemala’s Israel Montague repeated as Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old Panamanian lefty led in ERA (1.92), WHIP (0.83), K/BB (11.1), FIP- (60), and WAR (8.3). Montague had 288 strikeouts over 239.1 innings with a 20-6 record. He narrowly beat out Suriname’s Angel Brea, who had the most strikeouts (359) and best record (26-4). It was only the sixth time a CABA pitcher had 26+ wins, but Montague’s ERA (1.92 versus 2.69) won the day.

Suriname survived 3-2 against Haiti in the first round while Guatemala swept Santo Domingo. This was the first-ever Caribbean League Championship Series for the Silverbacks, who joined in the 2003 expansion. For the Ghosts, they hadn’t gotten this far since their most recent pennant way back in 1983. Guatemala would end their 38-year title drought, stopping Suriname 4-2 to become seven-time Caribbean champs.



The 112^th Central American Baseball Association Championship was the second time that Guatemala and Juarez had met in the final. The Ghosts’ only prior CABA title came back in that 1974 encounter. The 2022 rematch was a seven-game classic with Guatemala earning their second championship. The Jesters moved to 3-5 in their finals trips since 2005. RF James Figueroa went on a tear in the playoffs, winning CLCS and finals MVP. In his 7^th year starting for Guatemala, the 28-year old Salvadoran had 15 playoff starts with 23 hits, 6 runs, 3 doubles, 3 homers, and 11 RBI.



Other notes: Matias Esquilin joined Wesley Dubar as the only players to score 2000 runs in CABA. The 38-year old Juarez LF finished the year at 2006, just behind Dubar’s 2028. In all of baseball history to this point, they were two of only 20 players with 2000+ professional runs. Esquilin was also already CABA’s stolen bases leader now at 1301 and became the 57^th member of the 500 home club.

Max Valentin and Noah Breton became the 19^th and 20^th members of the 600 homer club. Alva Cervantes was the 55^th to reach 2500 hits. Pancho Burgos was the 31^st to 1500 RBI. Jamarca Akim and Albert Villa was the 50^th and 51^st pitchers to 200 wins. 3B Jesus Lombranta won his 8^th Gold Glove. C Luis Moran won his 11^th Silver Slugger, tying the CABA position record.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2022 in MLB

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2020 National Association champ Cincinnati took the top seed and bye in 2022 with MLB’s best overall record at 109-53. The Reds won their third straight Lower Midwest Division title, leading the NA in scoring at 794 runs. The next best was Northeast Division champ Ottawa at 102-60. The Elks got repeat playoff berths, but it was their first division title since 2003. Quebec City was a close second at 98-64 to earn the first wild card. The Nordiques allowed the fewest runs in MLB (521) and earned their third playoff berth in four years.

Chicago’s playoff streak grew to three as they took the Upper Midwest Division at 94-68, beating Winnipeg by five and defending NA champ Detroit by eight. Boston (93-69) picked up the second wild card and Indianapolis (90-72) took the third, while the Wolves (89-73), Louisville (87-75), Detroit (86-76), and Washington (86-76) were the first teams out. The Red Sox secured a fifth playoff berth in six years, while the Racers ended an eight-year drought.

Meanwhile in the East Division, Virginia Beach and Philadelphia finished tied at 87-75, while Washington was one back and both Brooklyn and New York were five back. In the one-game playoff tiebreaker, the Vikings defeated the Phillies to end their 24-year postseason drought. VB had been tied for the second-longest active drought in the National Association. Louisville currently has the longest drought at 36 seasons. Also notable was St. Louis falling to 70-92, ending their streak of 12 straight winning seasons.

Cincinnati first baseman Mike Rojas won his third straight National Association MVP. The 27-year old Michigander led in runs (127), total bases (378), slugging (.633), OPS (1.024), wRC+ (207), and WAR (9.1). Rojas had 203 hits, 41 home runs, 121 RBI, and a .340 average.

Virginia Beach righty Truman Bloodworth secured Pitcher of the Year in his fifth season. The 25-year old Brooklyn native led in strikeouts (300), innings (265.1), quality starts (28), FIP- (55), and WAR (10.2). Bloodworth had a 20-6 record, 2.17 ERA, and 163 ERA+. He was 20 ERA points and one win from a Triple Crown. After the season, the Vikings gave him a five-year, $96,600,000 extension.

Chicago was the only team to get a first round sweep as they rolled Boston. Virginia Beach survived 3-2 over Quebec City, while Indianapolis shocked #2 seed Ottawa 3-2. The Racers nearly upset #1 seed Cincinnati as well, but the Reds outlasted them 3-2 in the second round. On the other side, the Cubs bested Virginia Beach 3-1.

The last time Chicago had made it to the National Association Championship Series was 1998 and their last pennant was 1984. Their drought would continue though as Cincinnati won a seven-game thriller over the Cubs for their second title in three years. The Reds were now five-time National Association champs (1919, 2008, 2009, 2020, 2022).



Denver and Los Angeles both finished at 106-56 atop the American Association ranks with the tiebreaker formula giving the top seed and lone bye to the Angels. LA repeated as Southwest Division champs, while the Dragons’ MLB-record streak atop the Northwest Division grew to 13 years. San Francisco was a strong second in the Southwest at 98-64, easily earning repeat wild cards.

Los Angeles allowed the fewest runs in the AA at 570, while Houston scored the most at 942. The Hornets’ effort landed them a 102-60 record and the South Central Division crown. It was their second playoff berth in three years and their first division title since 2017. It was also Houston’s first 100+ win campaign since 2003. In addition to their offense, the Hornets’ pitching staff also set a new AA record with an 8.49 K/9. Dallas was second at 92-70, landing the second wild card to end a 23-year playoff drought.

The weakest division winner would be Nashville in the Southeast at 92-70. The Knights repeated and won their fourth division title in five years. Atlanta was two back at 90-72, which was just enough to give the Aces the third wild card and their second berth in three years. Just missing the cut were Albuquerque (89-73), Oakland (88-74), Las Vegas (87-75), Seattle (87-75), and New Orleans (86-76). The Mudcats won the World Series in 2021 at 112-50, but fell four games short of the 2022 postseason. Also worth a mention was 83-79 Miami, which was only the second winning season for them in 36 years. The hapless Mallards have MLB’s longest active playoff drought at 50 years.

American Association MVP went to Dallas veteran Dean Ott. The 31-year old lefty from Edinburg, Texas had been a reliable slugger for a decade with the Dalmatians, but he had only topped 40+ dingers thrice. In 2022, Ott shocked many by tying Killian Fruechte’s 2012 single-season MLB home run record by smacking 67 dingers. Ott also led the AA with 134 RBI and added 8.0 WAR, 109 runs, 1.011 OPS, and 170 wRC+.

Tying the home run record makes your value skyrocket. Ott had signed an eight-year, $163,400,000 extension with Dallas in summer 2019, but used his opt-out after the 2022 campaign to hit free agency. San Francisco signed him for five years and $155 million, making him one of the first ever with $30 million annually. Ott would never come close to replicating this effort and posted a mere 105 wRC+ and .779 OPS with the Gold Rush.

Pitcher of the Year went to Los Angeles righty Vincent Lepp, who became MLB’s eighth pitcher to win the award 4+ times. He had won from 2012-14 with St. Louis, becoming one of the very few to win the award in both associations. Lepp had signed a free agent deal with Los Angeles in 2020. In 2022, he led in innings (286.2) and complete games (24), adding a 21-8 record, 2.57 ERA, 254 strikeouts, and 9.0 WAR. Lepp would return “home” in the offseason, going back to the Cardinals on a four-year, $137 million deal.

Lepp beat out Denver’s Oscar Dissard for the top award despite Dissard’s 12.37 WAR effort. That was the fifth-best single-season WAR for an MLB pitcher ever, not far from T.J. Nakabayashi’s record of 12.64 from 1991. Dissard led in wins (24-6) and had a 2.92 ERA over 271.1 innings with 301 strikeouts in his MLB debut season. The 31-year old Frenchman had won three POTY awards previously in Europe with Brussels. He came to America in 2022 on a four-year, $85,600,000 deal with the Dragons.

Houston swept Dallas 3-0 and Denver downed Atlanta 3-1 in the first round to advance as division winners. Top wild card San Francisco would edge the weakest division winner Nashville 3-2. The Gold Rush parlayed that into a huge 3-2 upset over top seed and divisional foe Los Angeles in the second round. SF secured its third American Association Championship Series appearance in six years.

On the other side, Denver dropped Houston 3-1 to earn their third AACS in a row and their ninth appearance during their playoff streak. San Francisco’s magic ran out against the well-seasoned Dragons as Denver took the AACS 4-1. Denver won its second pennant in three years and its fourth of the decade. It was the tenth title for the Dragons, tying Houston for the second most among AA teams. Phoenix (12) holds the most still.



The 122th World Series was the first sweep since 2014 as Denver dominated Cincinnati in a rematch of the 2020 finale. The Dragons are now 9-1 all-time in the World Series and stand alone with the most MLB titles, winning it all in 1925, 1938, 1962, 1989, 1995, 2013, 2015, 2020, and 2022.

World Series MVP was Hungarian 1B Tomas Erdos, another of Denver’s international imports. The 32-year old had spent most of his time in the European Second League with London, winning three MVPs there. He had a strong MLB debut in 2022 for the Dragons, getting 16 playoff starts with 21 hits, 14 runs, 2 doubles, 7 home runs, and 19 RBI.



Other notes: 2022 was the final season for MLB’s career WARlord Morgan Short, who played his final two seasons with expansion Sacramento. Over 21 years between there, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Houston, Short won five MVPs, six Gold Gloves, and 14 Silver Sluggers in center field. Short’s 170.5 WAR as of 2037 ranks 13^th among all players in world baseball history.

Phoenix’s Bsiei Kubota struck out 21 in 10 innings against Oakland on July 10. This tied two others for the second-most strikeouts in an MLB game. Carny Valvo holds the top spot with 22 over 11 innings back in 1964. Joran Mallery and Ichisake Kawasaki became the 92^nd and 93^rd to reach 500 home runs. Killian Fruechte got to both 1500 RBI and 2500 hits in 2022. SS Fritz Louissi won his 10^th Silver Slugger and 3B Hossein Kokabi won his 7^th Silver Slugger.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2022 Baseball Grand Championship

The 13^th Baseball Grand Championship was hosted in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The auto-bid participants were MLB’s Denver and Cincinnati, CABA’s Juarez and Guatemala, EAB’s Daegu and Fukuoka, BSA’s Caracas and Fortaleza, EBF’s Dublin and Naples, EPB’s Omsk, OBA’s Sydney, APB’s Quezon, CLB’s Hong Kong, WAB’s Conakry, SAB’s Yangon, ABF’s Bishkek, ALB’s Casablanca, and AAB’s Kampala. Earning the wild card slot was ABF runner-up Bishkek.

2022 saw a competitive field with Caracas and Kampala tying for the top spot at 13-6. In their November 18 meeting, the Colts won 4-1, giving them the tiebreaker and Grand Champion honors. Caracas became the first-ever South American champ, while the Peacocks were the runner-up in back-to-back seasons. Kampala joins Concepcion (2017-18) as the teams to finish second twice.



Caracas went big to make up for their early playoff exits in recent years. Combining their regular season, playoff, and BGC results got them a 138-57 record. This was the second-best winning percentage (.708) and tied for the second-most wins since the BGC started. Only 2020 Denver at 140-54 and .722 had been better. This gave the 2022 Colts a deserved look when discussing the best-ever Beisbol Sudamerica team and baseball’s best-ever, full stop.



Kampala had ended up with the best run differential at +31, followed by Dublin at +25 and Caracas at +24. The Colts allowed the fewest runs (50) with the Dinos (51) and Peacocks (53) right behind. Dublin finished third place at 12-7, matching 2015 Antwerp for the best-ever finish from an EBF team. There was then a five-way tie next in line at 11-8.

Officially based on tiebreakers, Fukuoka finished fourth, Juarez fifth, Naples sixth, Yangon seventh, and Bishkek eighth. Next at 10-0 were Baku, Conakry, Denver, and Guatemala. Cincinnati and Casablanca were both 9-10 despite having the most runs of any team. The Reds had the most at 94, while the Bruins and Juarez tied for second at 91 runs.

Fortaleza, Omsk, and Sydney finished 8-11. Hong Kong was alone in 16^th at 7-12, followed by Quezon at 5-14 and Daegu at 3-16. The Diamondbacks tied 2014 Shantou for the worst records under the BGC’s current format.

Cincinnati’s Mike Rojas became the first player to win Grand Championship Tournament MVP twice, having also done it in 2020. In 19 starts, the 27-year old first baseman had 26 hits, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 9 home runs, 20 RBI, 1.138 OPS, 237 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR.

Best Pitcher went to Bishkek veteran Sijad Khaleel, a two-time Pitcher of the Year winner in the ABF. The 32-year old Afghan lefty tossed 27.2 innings with a 0.65 ERA, 4-0 record, and 36 strikeouts. Khaleel allowed 12 hits and 5 walks for 1.6 WAR.

Other notes: Caracas’ Daniel Schafer had 29 hits, the second-most by one player behind Pedro Serna’s 31 from 2014. Juarez’s Loyd Wayne had a .542 OBP, the fourth-best qualifying effort to date. Denver’s Oscar Dissard had 2.57 pitching WAR, the third-highest effort so far.

Cincinnati’s Riley Morales had a 19-strikeout effort on November 22 against Conakry, tying the BGC record for strikeouts in a regulation game. Amsterdam’s Luther Bowness has the record with 20 Ks in extras in 2016. Casablanca’s Wahab Khalifa drew five walks on November 8 and Loyd Wayne drew five the next day. As of 2037, they’re the only players with a five-walk BGC game.

Quezon’s offense had a .239 on-base percentage and .279 slugging, both all-time BGC worsts. Sydney stole 38 bases, the second-best behind their own 41 from 2019. Champion Caracas showed steals weren’t required, as their three swipes was the second-lowest in BGC history.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 MLB Hall of Fame

Major League Baseball’s 2023 Hall of Fame class had two slam dunk inductees with OF Bryant Packer at 99.7% and 3B Daniel Hecker at 97.9%. Two barely missed the 66% requirement with SP Rinat Khan at 64.2% on his second ballot and SS/3B Robert Hightower at 63.2% in his tenth and final chance. Also cracking 50% was 3B Jeanpaul Vick (58.0%, 4^th ballot), C Sebastian Van Velzen (57.6%, 7^th ballot), 2B Adrian Bega (53.5%, 2^nd ballot), CL Jeremy Dau (53.5%, 2^nd ballot), and SP Victor Burke (53.5%, 5^th ballot).



For Hightower, he fell painfully short with five ballots above 60% and a peak of 64.8% in 2020. He played 18 years between four teams with five Silver Sluggers, 2837 hits, 1288 runs, 539 doubles, 252 home runs, 1238 RBI, .320/.375/.475 slash, 135 wRC+, and 53.7 WAR. Hightower was the 1993 World Series MVP for Calgary and helped Edmonton to their 1999 title.

Hurting Hightower was truly putrid defense between shortstop and third base. At SS in 1224 games, he had -238.0 zone rating and .872 EFF. That greatly tanked his WAR value, plus he was a terrible baserunner for a leadoff type guy. He also lacked home run power, but he had two batting titles and an impressive 5.6% strikeout rate. Hightower’s downsides outweighed his positives just enough to keep him outside the Hall of Fame.



Bryant Packer – Outfield/Designated Hitter – Louisville Lynx – 99.7% First Ballot

Bryant Packer was a 6’2’’, 205 pound left-handed outfielder from Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. Packer was one of the better all-around batters of his era, but he was an especially impressive contact hitter. He had a knack for extra base hits with a 162 game average of 38 home runs, 26 doubles, and 14 triples. Packer was also excellent at avoiding strikeouts with an 8.9% K rate, although he was merely average at drawing walks. He was also one of MLB’s fastest and most adept baserunners.

Packer’s power was especially potent against right-handed pitching with a career 177 wRC+ and .982 OPS. Versus lefties, he was still quite solid with a 140 wRC+ and .846 OPS. Despite Packer’s athleticism, he was a lousy defender. He made just over half of his career starts in right field with terrible results. Packer saw limited time in left field and at first base with similarly poor results. Around ¼ of his career starts came as a designated hitter.

His offensive prowess and impressive durability made Packer a must start even with his defensive deficiencies. Packer was one of the hardest working and selfless players you’d find, although he did sometimes have more guts than sense. These unique skills made him one of MLB’s most beloved superstars despite playing almost exclusively for subpar teams.

Packer moved from Florida up to Indiana as he played three years in college at Notre Dame. In 144 games over three seasons, Packer had 173 hits, 98 runs, 19 doubles, 4 triples, 50 home runs, 115 RBI, .313/.370/.634 slash, 187 wRC+, and 8.9 WAR. Packer was one of the top prospects for the 2000 MLB Draft and went third overall to Louisville.

The Lynx made Packer a starter immediately with great results, winning 2001 Rookie of the Year with 5.7 WAR and a National Association best 18 triples. With Louisville, Packer had 11 seasons above 5+ WAR and seven seasons above 7+ WAR. He led in triples five times, total bases thrice, and once in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and slugging.

Packer won Silver Sluggers in 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009 with Louisville. The first was in left field with the rest in right. Packer finished second in 2003 and 2005’s MVP voting and third in both 2007 and 2009, ultimately never winning the top honor in MVP. He signed an eight-year, $97,600,000 extension after the 2006 season to keep his roots in Kentucky.

Despite his efforts, Louisville never made the playoffs in his tenure. They usually weren’t awful, averaging 78.3 wins per season in Packer’s tenure. The Lynx had four winning seasons with their best effort being 92-70 in 2007, falling three games short of a wild card. Still, Packer was beloved and the biggest draw at the ballpark. His #9 uniform would be the first number retired by Louisville with none joining him as of 2037.

Packer’s production would notably drop in 2012 with career lows in homers (17), OPS (.862), and WAR (3.8) to that point. The year ended with a herniated disc at the end of August. Packer surprised many that winter by opting out of the remainder of his Louisville deal, becoming a free agent at age 32. With the Lynx, Packer had 2251 hits, 1216 runs, 286 doubles, 179 triples, 401 home runs, 1148 RBI, 517 walks, 470 stolen bases, .319/.369/.582 slash, 188 wRC+, and 82.9 WAR.

Many teams still thought Packer had plenty to offer. Edmonton led this group, giving Packer a five-year, $107 million deal. Packer never hit his Louisville highs with the Eels, but he did give them 5+ WAR in his first two seasons. Packer dipped in his final two years and ultimately didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fifth year of the contract. With Edmonton, he did notably reach the 500 home run and 1500 runs scored thresholds. The Eels were a bottom-tier team in the 2010s and Packer would ultimately be one of the best-ever MLB players to never see a postseason game.

With Edmonton, Packer had 661 hits, 340 runs, 86 doubles, 59 triples, 104 home runs, 348 RBI, .296/.342/.528 slash, 136 wRC+, and 14.9 WAR. For 2017, the 36-year old Packer signed a two-year, $28,800,000 deal with Virginia Beach. There he joined the 3000 hit club, but he missed almost half the year to a herniated disc. Packer posted 0.8 WAR and .731 OPS over 100 games for the Vikings, who let him go for 2018.

That marked the end of Packer’s MLB career, although he still wanted to play somewhere. He found an unlikely home in the African Second League, which was making its debut season in 2018. The upstart league liked the idea of having name brand international stars and Packer signed a two-year deal at $14,400,000 with Bangui.

While Packer might not have been MLB starter caliber anymore, he wrecked the field in the new A2L. He won back-to-back MVPs for the Badgers, including a 70 home run, 186 RBI, 182 run effort in 2018 in the incredibly high scoring league. Packer helped set the tone for Bangui, who won the inaugural A2L title in 2018 and took runner up in 2019.

Packer stayed in Africa in 2020 signing with Bulawayo, although he was merely a decent starter for the Buzz. He was unsigned in 2021, retiring that winter at age 41. In three seasons in A2L, Packer had 594 hits, 463 runs, 107 doubles, 158 home runs, 463 RBI, 236 stolen bases, .328/.405/.678 slash, 144 wRC+, and 15.6 WAR.

For his MLB career, Packer ended with 3003 hits, 1610 runs, 380 doubles, 245 triples, 524 home runs, 1545 RBI, 686 walks, 607 stolen bases, .311/.360/.564 slash, 173 wRC+, and 98.6 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 73^rd in hits, 78^th in runs, 6^th in triples, 53^rd in stolen bases, and 58^th in WAR among position players. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Packer’s .923 OPS ranks 84^th.

While Packer’s resume doesn’t put him among the inner-circle greats, he almost quietly was one of the most efficient batters of his era. The Hall of Fame voters didn’t need any convincing for the beloved slugger, who became the first inductee in Louisville light blue. Packer was nearly unanimously inducted at 99.7% as part of MLB’s 2023 class.



Daniel “Coach” Hecker – Third Base – Albuquerque Isotopes – 97.9% First Ballot

Daniel Hecker was a 6’1’’, 200 pound switch-hitting third baseman from Paramount, California; a city of 54,000 people in Los Angeles County. Hecker was best known for his reliable home run power, hitting 30+ dingers in 13 seasons. He rated as above average to good in terms of his contact ability and eye for walks, although his strikeout rate was unremarkable. Hecker could find the gap with solid success and had a 162 game average of 36 homers, 24 doubles, and 7 triples.

Hecker didn’t have extreme splits, but did fare notably better facing right-handed pitching (.892 OPS) versus lefties (.783 OPS). He was a fantastic baserunner and base stealer and was among the fastest in the game at his peak. You might not expect a speedster at third base, but Hecker spent his entire career at the hot corner. He graded as remarkably average, finishing with a career zone rating of 0 and EFF of 1.000; literally as average as you can be.

Few players were more popular in his generation. Hecker was a true fan favorite, but he wasn’t one to take the leadership reigns in the clubhouse. He was ol’ reliable with outstanding durability in his career, playing 135+ games in all but the final three years of a 20-year career. Hecker ended up as the beloved face of the Albuquerque Isotopes, who picked his 13^th overall in MLB’s 1997 MLB Draft.

Before that, Hecker spent three college seasons at Penn State. He played 139 games for the Nittany Lions with 142 hits, 92 runs, 20 doubles, 45 home runs, 97 RBI, 61 walks, 17 stolen bases, .273/.356/.578 slash, 175 wRC+, and 7.6 WAR. That got him on Albuquerque’s radar, who made Hecker a full-time starter immediately after drafting him. He was a staple of the Isotopes lineup for 13 and a half seasons. Hecker debuted with 38 home runs and 6.5 WAR, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1998.

Hecker won Silver Sluggers in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011 with Albuquerque. He wasn’t generally a league leader, but he did notably lead in 2004 in RBI (133), total bases (38), and slugging (.639). That year had his career highs in hits (195), homers (45), average (.328), OPS (1.021), wRC+ (170), and WAR (9.0). Hecker was second in 2004’s MVP and took third in 2001, but never won the top honor. He would lead the American Association twice in stolen bases and had ten seasons above 6+ WAR for the Isotopes.

The fans in New Mexico quickly fell in love with Hecker. Albuquerque became a contender during his run, making the playoffs from 2001-06 and again from 2008-09. Thrice they won the Southwest Division against a tough field that included repeat pennants by both Phoenix and San Diego. In 2002 as a wild card, the Isotopes won the AA pennant over defending champ Nashville. Albuquerque would be defeated by Milwaukee in the World Series. Hecker had a solid playoff run with 22 hits, 17 runs, 4 doubles, 4 homers, 18 RBI, and 9 stolen bases.

In July 2003, Albuquerque signed Hecker to an eight-year, $71,800,000 extension. He had a solid run in the 2005 postseason, but had underwhelming stats in their other efforts. The Isotopes fell in the 2005 AACS to Seattle, but wouldn’t get beyond the second round in any of Hecker’s other seasons. In 15 playoff starts, he had 52 hits, 31 runs, 8 doubles, 12 home runs, 47 RBI, 19 stolen bases, .249/.326/.469 slash, 116 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. Far from dominant, but Hecker was still beloved for helping Albuquerque be regularly in the mix for a decade.

By 2011, Albuquerque needed to rebuild as that would be their first losing campaign since 1999. With one year left on his deal, the Isotopes surprised many by trading their long-time superstar. The 34-year old Hecker was set near the deadline to Tampa for four prospects. He maintained a great relationship with the organization and fans and would see his #23 uniform later retired. With the Isotopes, Hecker had 2299 hits, 1387 runs, 325 doubles, 95 triples, 504 home runs, 1417 RBI, 777 walks, 479 stolen bases, .285/.350/.537 slash, 138 wRC+, and 88.0 WAR.

Hecker helped Tampa’s playoff push as they grabbed the second wild card, then went on a stunning run to a World Series win over Brooklyn. The Thunderbirds ended the longest drought between championships in pro baseball history with their 2011 win, as their only other title had been MLB’s inaugural 1901 season. Hecker had 2.2 WAR in the final two months, but did struggle to -0.1 WAR and .617 in the playoffs.

He fared better in the second-ever Baseball Grand Championship, getting 17 hits, 19 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, 11 RBI, 12 walks, a .266/.405/.594 slash, 183 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. Tampa finished 15-4 to become the second-ever Grand Champion, giving Hecker two rings in three months of work. Now 35-years old, he entered free agency for the first time heading into 2012.

It was one of the bigger culture shifts you could find, going from a decade-plus in the desert Southwest to French Canada. Hecker signed a three-year, $55,400,000 deal with Montreal, where he quickly crossed the 2500 hit, 1500 run, and 1500 RBI milestones. He won a Silver Slugger in 2013, giving him nine for his career. Hecker led the National Association in doubles in 2012 and in runs scored in 2013. He averaged more than 6+ WAR per season in his three-year stint for the Maples.

Montreal would win division titles in 2013 and 2014, although they couldn’t get beyond the second round. Hecker did struggle in the small playoff sample size, going 4-30. In total though, Hecker was quite good for the Maples with 465 hits, 301 runs, 81 doubles, 82 home runs, 212 RBI, 95 steals, .272/.339/.484 slash, 152 wRC+, and 18.8 WAR.

Back to free agency, the now 38-year old signed for two years and $44 million with Philadelphia. 2015 would be rough as Hecker missed most of the year to a fractured ankle. He looked subpar prior to the injury and was used as a backup in 2016. In 186 games for the Phillies, he had 3.0 WAR, .717 OPS, and 106 wRC+.

Hecker still wanted to play and got a one-year deal for 2016 with Detroit. He fared better for the Tigers with 2.4 WAR and .826 OPS in 128 games and 81 starts. While there, Hecker was also able to join the 3000 hit club. Unfortunately by this point, teams could find equivalent players who were much younger and cheaper. Hecker was unsigned in 2018 and retired that winter not long after his 42^nd birthday.

In total, Hecker had 2933 games, 3033 hits, 1872 runs, 441 doubles, 118 triples, 649 home runs, 1787 RBI, 1056 walks, 614 stolen bases, .279/.345/.521 slash, 139 wRC+, and 114.4 WAR. As of 2037, Hecker ranks 33^rd in games, 65^th in hits, 15^th in runs, 35^th in home runs, 36^th in RBI, 48^th in stolen bases, and 20^th in WAR among position players. Specifically at third base, Hecker has the 2^nd-most WAR and leads in both runs and homers.

Like his Hall of Fame classmate Bryant Packer, Hecker almost quietly built up his stellar resume since he wasn’t usually atop leaderboards. Hecker ended up being on the shortlist for MLB’s best-ever third baseman and remains a beloved spokesman for the sport. At 97.9%, Hecker joined Packer for an impressive one-two punch for MLB’s 2023 Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

The Central American Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame class in 2023 had three inductees, headlined by SP Papu Rodriquez with a debut at 84.0%. The other additions both received 69.2%, narrowly breaching the 66% requirement. SP Emiliano Carreras did it on his debut, while OF Einar Rodriguez finally made the cut on his sixth try. SP Secretario Sanz came close on his sixth try, but missed at 61.8%. Two other debuts were above 50% with LF Hugo Garcia at 52.3% and SP Montell Donald with 50.5%.



The one player dropped from the ballot after ten failed tries was 1B Hector Renteria, who played 13 years for Ecatepec. He peaked at only 18.1% in his debut and survived ten years, ending at 4.3%. Renteria was a notable playoff performer for the Explosion’s dynasty, winning MLCS MVP thrice. He had 1826 hits, 1115 runs, 383 doubles, 159 triples, 399 home runs, 1202 RBI, 553 stolen bases, .293/.345/.597 slash, 160 wRC+, and 54.6 WAR.

Renteria’s playoff stats saw 119 games, 108 hits, 64 runs, 15 doubles, 13 triples, 25 home runs, 75 RBI, .268/.309/.556 slash, 142 wRC+, and 3.9 WAR. As of 2037, he does rank 5^th in playoff runs, 9^th in hits, and 6^th in homers. Renteria only won Silver Slugger once though and his regular season numbers needed either more dominance or more tenure to get the attention. He was a significant bit-player for Ecatepec, but ultimately on the outside for the Hall of Fame.



Papu Rodriquez – Pitcher – Leon Lions – 84.0% First Ballot

Papu Rodriquez was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Mendoza, Argentina’s fourth-largest metropolitan area. Rodriquez was a hard thrower with excelkent stuff and very good control, although his movement was average at best. He regularly hit 99-101 mph with an arsenal of splitter, cutter, forkball, and changeup.

Rodriquez’s stamina was respectable compared to most CABA aces, but he would be plagued with elbow injuries in his career and only reached 200+ innings in seven seasons. He was above average defensively and at holding runners. Some thought Rodriquez’s work ethic was lacking, but he was able to expertly adapt to his situation.

Argentinians obviously came up almost exclusively in the Beisbol Sudamerica framework. Rodriquez was quickly emerging as one of the country’s top prospect, which caught the eye of a scout back in Mexico. They convinced Rodriquez to leave for Leon, signing a developmental deal in November 1997. Rodriquez would be the first-ever CABA Hall of Famer born in Argentina and only the sixth to be born in South America.

Rodriquez spent most of five years in the Lions’ academy, officially debuting with six relief appearances in 2002 at age 20. He was a full-time reliever with decent results in 2003, then made his way into the rotation after that. Rodriquez was okay in 2004, then posted a stellar 2005 campaign. He led in ERA (2.11) and WAR (9.2), taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Rodriquez was hurt by it being a down era for Leon, who had a playoff drought from 1993-2009.

2006 began his injury issues, as Rodriquez missed the second half to shoulder inflammation. Then in 2007, he was out almost all year with bone chips in his elbow. Leon cautiously hoped Rodriquez could still be an ace, thus they extended him for only four years that winter at $31,600,000. Rodriquez would manage to stay at least somewhat healthy over the next few years for the Lions.

In 2008, Rodriquez led the Mexican League in strikeouts, WHIP, and K/BB, taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting. He led in WHIP and K/BB again in 2009 for another third place. Then in 2010, Rodriquez won his lone Pitcher of the Year, leading in innings (264), strikeouts (339), and WAR (7.8). Leon ended their playoff drought, although they lost in the first round. The Lions now felt more confident in giving Rodriquez a long-term deal. At age 29, he inked a six-year, $77,600,000 extension in June 2011.

Rodriquez led twice more in WHIP and K/BB and won an ERA title in 2013 at 2.21, although he only had 162.2 innings that year because of more bone chips. Rodriquez also managed a second place in 2014’s POTY voting. The Lions started a playoff streak from 2013-16 with first round losses in the front end and MLCS defeats in the back end. To his credit, Rodriquez had a 2.41 career ERA over 33.2 playoff innings with 39 strikeouts. In addition, Rodriquez did return home to Argentina to pitch in the World Baseball Championship from 2005-15. He had a 3.24 ERA over 114 innings, 6-9 record, 6 saves, 147 strikeouts, 112 ERA+, and 4.0 WAR.

2015 was disastrous with a bone spur in his elbow keeping him out all spring and most of the summer. Shortly after getting back in August, he suffered a torn flexor tendon, knocking Rodriquez out eight months. He made it back for a partial 2016, but his production was merely average. Rodriquez ran into shoulder issues for much of the season.

In 2017, Rodriquez again had bone chips in his elbow that kept him out most of the year. In his limited action, he struggled to a 5.35 ERA over 33.2 innings. Rodriquez’s deal was coming to an end and it didn’t look like he had any juice left, thus he retired shortly after his 36^th birthday. Leon appreciated Rodriquez for his efforts over 15 years and retired his #22 uniform.

Rodriquez had a 154-98 record, 2.87 ERA, 2303.2 innings, 2730 strikeouts, 301 walks, 0.99 WHIP, 97 complete games, 126 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 59.9 WAR. The rate stats certainly look good compared to many other Hall of Fame starters. His WHIP ranks 63^rd among all pitchers with 1000+ innings. However, Rodriquez is outside of the top 100 in counting stats due to his low inning count.

Many voters were sympathetic and gave Rodriquez some grace for the low totals because of his injuries. He was a well-liked player generally and playing with one team goes a long way for some. Rodriquez also had a POTY win and led twice in ERA, strikeouts, and WAR. Those accolades pushed him in easily despite unremarkable tallies. At 84.0%, Rodriquez earned first ballot induction and headlined CABA’s three-player 2023 class

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Einar Rodriguez – Outfield/Designated Hitter – Havana Hurricanes – 69.2% Sixth Ballot

Einar Rodriguez was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Manicaragua, a municipality of around 61,000 in central Cuba’s Villa Clara Province. Rodriguez was a solid contract hitter in his prime with reliable pop in his bat. He was above average at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts as well. While not a prolific slugger, Rodriguez got you 39 home runs and 33 doubles per his 162 game average. He wasn’t much of an athlete with terrible speed and mediocre baserunning chops.

Rodriguez was also a subpar defender, who split his starts in the field roughly evenly between right field and left. Around 1/3 of his career starts came as a designated hitter. While a poor fielder, you could definitely do worse. Rodriguez’s excellent leadership and work ethic often made up for any lost defensive value. He would unfortunately see his tallies impacted by various injuries, but Rodriguez still managed a fine 14 year run.

By the 1998 CABA Draft, Rodriguez had emerged as arguably Cuba’s best prospect. That certainly got attention in the capital, as he was picked 7^th overall by Havana. He spent his entire pro career there and regularly represented Cuba in the World Baseball Championship. From 2000-13, Rodriguez played 101 WBC games with 71 starts, 72 hits, 37 runs, 10 doubles, 19 home runs, 47 RBI, .260/.322/.516 slash, 136 wRC+, and 2.4 WAR.

Rodriguez started most of his rookie year with solid results, taking second in 1999’s Rookie of the Year voting. He was on an excellent pace in 2000, but arm injuries and a strained PCL kept him out for a good chunk. Rodriguez showed his top potential in 2001 and 2002, staying healthy both years. Both seasons saw him led the Caribbean League in hits, doubles, and total bases.

2002 saw most of Rodriguez’s career bests, including hits (232), runs (115), home runs (44), RBI (132), total bases (408), batting average (.347), and WAR (7.1). He won his lone Silver Slugger in 2002 and was second in MVP voting, his only time as a finalist. In June 2002, Havana gave Rodriguez a four-year, $18,320,000 extension.

The Hurricanes as a wild card made the CLCS in 2002, but lost to Haiti’s dynasty. Havana lost in the 2004 CLCS to Honduras and had a first round loss in 2005 before retreating to the middle tier. Elbow issues cost Rodriguez bits of 2004 and 2005. Still, they were generally happy with his production and gave him a seven-year, $42,100,000 extension in May 2006.

Rodriguez stayed mostly healthy the next few years apart for missing much of 2008. His production was a bit inconsistent, but he did top 5+ WAR in 2006 and 2009. It was 2009 which would be Rodriguez’s most famous effort, winning CABA Championship MVP as Havana won it all over Monterrey. In 16 playoff starts, Rodriguez had 23 hits, 12 runs, 5 doubles, 5 homers, 15 RBI, 1.111 OPS, and 0.9 WAR.

Havana couldn’t follow up that title run, finishing below .500 for the following four seasons. Rodriguez’s production notably dipped in 2012 and the Hurricanes voided the team option year of his contract. Rodriguez wanted to play somewhere, but couldn’t find any suitors for 2013. He retired that winter at age 37.

Rodriguez finished with 2114 hits, 1126 runs, 370 doubles, 442 home runs, 1272 RBI, 456 walks, .311/.352/.569 slash, 143 wRC+, and 56.5 WAR. As of 2037, the only stat that he cracks the top 100 in is RBI at 99^th. The injuries certainly dented his final totals, which led many voters to dismiss Rodriguez as a Hall of Good type guy. His rate stats were quite solid, but weren’t otherworldly.

In 2018, Rodriguez debuted on the ballot at only 35.7%, then moved to 45.0% and 43.7%. He got a notable bump to 60.3% in 2021, then dropped to 53.8% in 2022. There seemed to be a late push for Rodriguez’s candidacy. Supporters especially pointed towards his role in Havana’s 2009 championship and having stayed with one team. He was given some grace for injury woes as well by those in favor. Rodriguez received the boost he needed in 2023 up to 69.2%, earning him a sixth ballot induction into CABA’s Hall of Fame.



Emiliano “Stumpy” Carreras – Starting Pitcher – Leon Lions – 69.2% First Ballot

Emiliano Carreras was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Texcoco, Mexico, a city of 35,400 located 25 kilometers northeast of Mexico City. Carreras wasn’t amazing at any one thing, but his stuff, movement, and control all graded as above average to good. His fastball peaked in the 96-98 mph range and was considered one of the stronger ones in the league. Carreras also had a great splitter and a nice changeup as his other options.

Carreras had very good stamina and solid durability. He was a good defensive pitcher who was decent at holding runners. Carreras ended up being a late bloomer, making for a unique career. He wasn’t one to draw attention to himself, which maybe limited his use earlier in his career.

Expectations were high initially for Carreras as he was picked 4^th overall by Leon in the 2003 CABA Draft. However, he saw limited relief use in his first five seasons despite being healthy. Carreras’s bullpen numbers were respectable, but several coaches thought his three-pitch arsenal wasn’t diverse enough to be a starter. It wasn’t until 2009 that Carreras earned his first shot as a full-time starter.

Carreras led the Mexican League in complete games, shutouts, and innings in 2009, proving he can hang in the rotation. He would finish third in 2010’s Pitcher of the Year voting and second in 2011. He won an ERA title in the former at 2.31 and the WARlord in the latter at 6.7. Along with Hall of Fame classmate Papu Rodriquez in the rotation, Leon started to compete into the 2010s. Carreras signed a seven-year, $81,200,000 extension in September 2011.

The Lions would suffer first round playoff exits in 2010, 2013, and 2014. Leon made it to the Mexican League Championship Series in both 2015 and 2016, but fell to Juarez’s fledgling dynasty both years. Carreras’s playoff stats were generally underwhelming with a 4.13 ERA over 61 innings, 2-5 record, 52 strikeouts, 91 ERA+, and 0.6 WAR.

Carreras put up reliable innings into his 30s, although his production was up-and-down since he wasn’t a big strikeout guy. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2014, then won the award in 2015. Carreras earned the ERA title at 1.91 and led in WHIP at 0.85, while adding career bests in wins (22-7), WAR (7.5), strikeouts (253), and quality starts (28). He couldn’t replicate that effort later, posting roughly league average numbers for his final two seasons. Carreras decided to retire after the 2017 campaign at age 36 with Leon retiring his #13 uniform soon after.

In total, Carreras had a 160-106 record, 2.99 ERA, 2423 innings, 2169 strikeouts, 369 walks, 185/272 quality starts, 101 complete games, 124 ERA+, and 50.5 WAR. Like his former teammate Rodriquez, Carreras’s final tallies fall outside of the top 100 lists. While Rodriquez had injuries to blame, Carreras’s were in part from barely getting used in his first few seasons. He was a somewhat polarizing candidate for that reason when comparing his raw numbers to contemporaries.

Carreras’s rate stats were comparable to some of the lower-end Hall of Famers, but a bit lower than Rodriquez. Most voters felt strongly about Rodriquez though, which helped Carreras’s case. He had two ERA titles and a POTY, plus he spent his entire career with one franchise. Those factors were just enough to get Carreras across the 66% requirement on his debut ballot. At 69.2%, Carreras rounded out CABA’s three-player Hall of Fame class for 2023.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 EAB Hall of Fame



Two players made the East Asia Baseball 2023 Hall of Fame class upon their ballot debuts. First baseman Seung-U Lee was the no-doubt headliner at 96.7% and was joined by SP Seo-Hu Tongbang at 73.9%. LF Sang-Min Hwang debuted at 62.8%, narrowly missing the 66% requirement. The top returner was SP Sora Miyoshi at 55.6% for his second ballot. No one else cracked 50% and no players were removed after ten failed ballots.



Seung-U Lee – First Base- Goyang Green Sox – 96.7% First Ballot

Seung-U Lee was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Busan, South Korea’s second-most populous city. Lee was an stellar contact hitter with a low strikeout rate, although he was average at best at drawing walks. Not only did Lee hit for a high average, but he boasted reliably solid power. His 162 game average got you 34 home runs and 33 doubles, rarely deviating from that consistency in either direction.

Lee wasn’t particularly nimble with terrible speed and baserunning skills. He exclusively played at first base and for his entire career graded as a just below average defender. Despite that, Lee did earn Gold Gloves in both 2013 and 2014. His popularity helped that out, becoming one of South Korea’s favorite ballplayers. Lee’s durability was respectable, which combined with his consistency made for an impressive 20 year career.

At Yonsei University in Seoul, Lee quickly marched up the college prospect rankings. In EAB’s 2000 draft, he was picked 6^th overall by Goyang. He saw limited use initially for the Green Sox, posting -0.3 WAR over 187 games and 28 starts in his first two seasons. Lee earned a full-time role in 2003 with good results, then became elite after that.

2004 saw Lee lead the Korea League in OPS (1.021) and wRC+ (176), winning his first of six Silver Sluggers. He won again in 2005, 2008, 2010, and 2012 for Goyang. Lee had an OPS above one five times with the Green Sox and had eight seasons above 6+ WAR. He breached 200 hits in six straight years from 2005-2010. Lee also smacked 30+ homers with 100+ RBI in eight consecutive seasons for Goyang.

In 2005, Lee won his first batting title (.361) and had career bests in home runs (50), RBI (150), runs (103), OPS (1.083), wRC+ (190), and WAR (9.0). He was second in MVP voting and helped Goyang end an 11-year playoff drought, although they were a wild card with a first round loss. The Green Sox locked him up that winter on an eight-year, $74,200,000 extension.

Goyang missed the playoffs the next two years, but Lee rolled on with a second batting title in 2007 at .370. He also had a career-best 227 hits, taking second in MVP votes. Around this time, Lee’s national popularity was growing as he was a regular for South Korea in the World Baseball Championship. From 2005-17, Lee played 101 games and started 86 with 99 hits, 58 runs, 18 doubles, 27 home runs, 67 RBI, a .294/.346/.588 slash, and 4.2 WAR.

Lee was second in 2008’s MVP voting and Goyang got the second wild card at 94-68. They got hot in the playoffs and beat Seongnam for the Korea League title, falling to Niigata in the EAB Championship. In the playoffs, Lee had 20 hits, 6 runs, 2 doubles, 2 homers, and 17 RBI. The Green Sox would miss the playoffs the next two years, but Lee again rolled on.

His lone MVP win came in 2009, which had his third batting title (.367) along with a league-best 226 hits and 124 RBI. Lee would miss around a month in both 2011 and 2012, but stepped up big in the postseason. Goyang won back-to-back Korea League titles. They fell to Kyoto in the 2011 EAB Championship, but defeated Hiroshima in 2012 for their first-ever EAB title. Lee won KLCS MVP in the 2011 run. Over 50 playoff starts for the Green Sox, he had 67 hits, 27 runs, 7 doubles, 12 homers, 44 RBI, .345/.389/.588 slash, 161 wRC+, and 2.5 WAR.

Lee surprised many by opting out of the remainder of his Goyang contract after their 2012 championship season. With the Green Sox, Lee had 2036 hits, 924 runs, 333 doubles, 374 home runs, 1148 RBI, a .345/.377/.602 slash, 167 wRC+, and 68.4 WAR. He would remain beloved for his role in their pennants and his #47 uniform would later be retired. Heading towards age 34, Lee opted for free agency and the paycheck that came with that.

Gwangju inked him for $82,100,000 over five years. Lee won a Silver Slugger in 2014 and was still quite productive, although he wasn’t a league leader for the Grays. Part of that was due to minor injuries costing him a few weeks in a few seasons, but he did top 5+ WAR in three of his five Gwangju seasons. The Grays had been a playoff regular to end the 2000s, but hadn’t been able to get over the hump.

Unfortunately for them, Lee couldn’t get them across that line. The Grays lost in the 2013 wild card round and fell to Seongnam in the 2014 KLCS. They hovered around .500 for the rest of Lee’s tenure. In total, Lee finished with 863 hits, 399 runs, 133 doubles, 134 home runs, 459 RBI, a .332/.366/.548 slash, 153 wRC+, and 24.8 WAR. This marked the end of his Korea League career, although he wasn’t quite done yet with professional baseball.

Not many teams were looking for 39-year old first basemen whose power had diminished. Lee found an unlikely home in Laos, signing a three-year, $11,960,000 deal with South Asia Baseball’s Vientiane Vampires. He gave them three respectable seasons as a starter with 383 games, 458 hits, 181 runs, 80 doubles, 55 home runs, 222 RBI, .319/.355/.496 slash, 134 wRC+, and 9.6 WAR.

Vientiane was a regular playoff team at this point, but couldn’t escape from Yangon’s shadow in the Southeast Asia League. They lost to Mandalay in the 2018 SEAL Championship, then finally broke through for their first pennant in a 2019 rematch with the Mammoths. The Vampires were denied the SAB Championship by Pune.

Lee still had some of that old playoff spark even in his 40s. In 25 starts for Vientiane, Lee had 35 hits, 9 runs, 9 doubles, 6 home runs, 22 RBI, .361/.366/.639 slash, 175 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR. Vientiane lost in the first round of 2020, a year that saw Lee miss two months to an oblique strain. He became a free agent for 2021 and was eager to still play, but he couldn’t find any buyers. Lee had to retire in the winter of 2021 at age 42.

For his combined pro career, Lee had 2750 games, 3357 hits, 1504 runs, 546 doubles, 563 home runs, 1829 RBI, .338/.371/.572 slash, 159 wRC+, and 102.8 WAR. Among all of the world’s Hall of Famers as of 2037, Lee ‘s batting average ranks 35^th. For his EAB tenure, he ended with 2899 hits, 1323 runs, 466 doubles, 508 home runs, 1607 RBI, a .341/.374/.585 slash, 163 wRC+, and 93.2 WAR.

On the EAB leaderboards as of 2037, Lee is 35^th in hits, 90^th in runs, 44th in doubles, 80^th in home runs, 37^th in RBI, and 56^th in WAR among position players. Among all EAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, he has the 10^th-best batting average and ranks 6^th among those with 10+ seasons. Lee also sits 47^th in OBP, 39^th in slugging, and his .959 OPS ranks 31^st.

Combine those stats with Lee’s impressive playoff efforts, three Korea League titles with Goyang, and their first EAB championship ring; and you have yourself an obvious Hall of Fame headliner. Even if Lee wasn’t the most dominant bat of his era, few were more consistently effective. At 96.7%, Lee captained the two-player 2023 EAB HOF class.



Seo-Hu Tongbang – Starting Pitcher – Suwon Snappers – 73.9% First Ballot

Seo-Hu Tongbang was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Seongnam, South Korea. Tongbang was known for having very good stuff along with above average movement and control. His 97-99 mph cutter was his strongest offering, but Tongbang also had a slider, forkball, curveball, and changeup in the arsenal. This diverse repertoire made him a tough one to face when he was on his game.

Tongbang’s stamina was considered solid and he had fairly good durability for most of his run. He was a great defensive pitcher, but did have some struggles holding runners. Tongbang was a hard worker who kept his head down, known amongst teammates as a quiet and humble pitcher. He was never one to seek out fame despite his impressive career.

Even without boasting, Tongbang emerged as a top prospect out of Chung-Ang University in Seoul. He went #1 overall in the 2003 EAB Draft to Suwon, where he spent his entire pro career. Tongbang was a full-time starter right away and tossed 200+ innings in each of his first 11 seasons. He took third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2004.

Tongbang didn’t get awards attention early in his career, but advanced stats noted how strong he was. In his 20s, Tongbang led the Korea League twice in WAR and twice in strikeouts, while posting four seasons at above 7 WAR. 2008 was his strongest season by Ks (329), WAR (9.1), and ERA (2.38). In June 2007, Suwon signed Tongbang to a four-year, $32,200,000 extension.

The Snappers ended an eight-year playoff drought in 2009, falling to Busan in the KLCS. They would suffer first round losses in 2010 and 2011, then fell towards the bottom of the standings shortly after that. Over 35.2 playoff innings, Tongbang had a 2.78 ERA, 3-1 record, 42 strikeouts, 134 ERA+, and 0.7 WAR.

In 2011, Tongbang was second in Pitcher of the Year voting. In June 2012, Suwon gave him a big extension at six years and $79,200,000. Although the team fell off, Tongbang won Pitcher of the Year in 2012 and took second in 2013, leading both seasons in WAR. However, his production dropped sharply after that as his velocity fell from the upper 90s to the lower 90s.

Tongbang had 6.8 WAR in 2012 and 8.6 WAR in 2013. In his final four years, he combined for 5.3. Tongbang did have a partially torn labrum in 2015, but otherwise was just old fashion regression. Early in 2017, he did notably hit the 200 win threshold. With his deal coming up, Tongbang retired that winter at age 35. Suwon quickly honored him for his service, retiring his #15 uniform.

In total, Tongbang had a 213-154 record, 3.26 ERA, 3264 innings, 3284 strikeouts, 656 walks, 264/425 quality starts, 108 complete games, 21 shutouts, 116 ERA+, and 75.7 WAR. As of 2037, Tongbang ranks 53^rd in wins, 91^st in innings, 74^th in strikeouts, and 62^nd in pitching WAR.

He was rarely viewed as the top guy in his time, but he quietly built up an impressive resume that stacked up favorably to other East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame inductees. Tongbang debuted at 73.9%, earning the first ballot slot as the second member of EAB’s 2023 class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 BSA Hall of Fame

Beisbol Sudamerica’s 2023 Hall of Fame class was almost empty due to a lack of impactful debuts as the best newcomer got a measly 19.6%. That did open things up enough for OF Sergio Echevarria on his ninth ballot, crossing the 66% requirement at 72.0%. Three other returners topped 50%, but fell short of 60%. 1B Izan Espinoza had 55.6% on his eighth try, 3B Artemio Reyes saw 50.7% for his seventh go, and SP Uriel Navas received 50.3% in his sixth ballot.



Dropped after ten failed ballots was RF Amauris Garcia, who played 13 years between Cali and Lima with two Silver Sluggers and one MVP. He peaked at 50.8% in his debut and ended at 28.7%. Garcia was best known for his 68 home run 2003 campaign, finishing his career with 1809 hits, 1023 runs, 231 doubles, 553 home runs, 1293 RBI, .288/.320/.594 slash, 144 wRC+, and 49.9 WAR. He was a great home run hitter, but wasn’t particularly great at anything else and didn’t have the longevity needed to get by just on dingers.



Sergio Echevarria – Outfield – Lima Lobos – 72.0% Ninth Ballot

Sergio Echevarria was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Neuquen, a city of 224,000 people in central Argentina. Echevarria was a solid contact hitter with a decent eye for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He was an outstanding baserunner, getting steals at an impressive rate with merely good speed. Echevarria also had a very steady pop in his bat with a 162 game average getting you 29 home runs, 27 doubles, and 21 triples.

Echevarria played throughout the outfield, although left field was his most common spot with around half of his career starts. He graded as a below average LF, solid RF, and subpar CF. While Echevarria had some recurring knee issues, he held up fairly well for a 20 year career. He wasn’t one to be a vocal leader, but his skillset made him a popular player in his run.

Scouts fell in love with Echevarria as a prospect, earning him the #1 overall pick in BSA’s 1990 Draft by Mendoza. His skills were a bit raw though in his early 20s. Echevarria didn’t play in 1991, then put up mediocre hitting in his first three years as a starter. Some worried that Echevarria might be a bust, but he broke through in his fourth year by winning a Silver Slugger in center field.

Echevarria won his second Slugger in 1996 and helped the 1987 expansion Mutants to their first-ever playoff berth, a divisional series loss. In 1997, Mendoza fell back below .500 and Echevarria lost two months to a separated shoulder. Although he was an all-star and a good starter by this point, the Mutants weren’t sure they could afford or justify a long-term extension. Hoping to get some value, they traded Echevarria in the offseason to defending Copa Sudamerica champ Lima for two pitching prospects and a draft pick.

For a #1 overall pick, his Mendoza tenure was pretty underwhelming. Echevarria had 827 games, 763 hits, 381 runs, 109 doubles, 95 triples, 110 home runs, 362 RBI, 326 stolen bases, .248/.284/.453 slash, 119 wRC+, and 20.6 WAR. The rest of his Beisbol Sudamerica career would be in Peru, although Echevarria did return home to Argentina fairly regularly for the World Baseball Championship.

From 1996-2011, Echevarria played 107 games and started 91 for Argentina, getting 85 hits, 61 runs, 17 doubles, 24 home runs, 59 RBI, 41 stolen bases, a .231/.300/.505 slash, 131 wRC+, and 3.4 WAR. Echevarria led all players in home runs (11), RBI (21), total bases (56), and WAR (1.8) in his 2011 effort, helping Argentina to an elite eight appearances.

Echevarria found his footing right away with Lima, debuting by leading the Bolivar League in runs (122), and on-base percentage (.410); both career highs. The 9.1 WAR effort earned him a second in MVP voting. The Lobos dropped from 108-54 to 92-70, but still repeated as Copa Sudamerica champs by beating Concepcion again in the final. Echevarria had a strong postseason with 16 starts, 22 hits, 14 runs, 3 doubles, 5 homers, 16 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.

In 1999, Echevarria won a Silver Slugger in right field and took third in MVP voting., leading the league in batting average (.375), wRC+ (218), triples (28), and WAR (10.8). Those marks were each career highs. Echevarria remained quite solid the next two years, although he wouldn’t lead the league again. He finished third in MVP voting in 2000, but ultimately never won the top honor. Before the 2001 season, the soon-to-be 30-year old Echevarria signed an eight-year, $38.5 million extension with Lima.

Lima had divisional series exits in 1999 and 2000. In 2001, the Lobos made the playoffs for the 14^th consecutive season and won their sixth Bolivar League pennant of the run, although they lost in their third Copa Sudamerica meeting with Concepcion.

Echevarria earned BLCS MVP and in 16 playoff starts had 26 hits, 11 runs, 6 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 11 RBI, and 1.185 OPS. He also hit for the cycle in the BLCS against Bogota, joining a short list of guys to achieve the feat in a playoff game. For his career, Echevarria had excellent playoff numbers with 50 starts, 72 hits, 35 runs, 13 doubles, 7 home runs, 13 home runs, 38 RBI, 26 stolen bases, a .358/.384/.687 slash, 193 wRC+, and 3.8 WAR.

In 2003, severe shoulder inflammation required surgery and put Echevarria out nearly a calendar year. He never reached his previous career highs after this, although he was still a reliable starter good for around 3-4 WAR a season for a few more years. Various small injuries would cost Echevarria a few weeks a couple times in his mid 30s as well. Lima’s playoff streak ended in 2002 and apart from a divisional series exit in 2004, they wouldn’t make the playoffs again until the late 2020s.

With Lima, Echevarria had 1838 hits, 1072 runs, 274 doubles, 233 triples, 312 home runs, 1037 RBI, 666 stolen bases, .307/.346/.583 slash, 145 wRC+, and 63.9 WAR. He remained a popular figure for his role in the second half of their run of success and saw his #25 uniform later retired. Echevarria’s contract expired after the 2009 season and he entered free agency for the first time heading towards his age 39 season.

Echevarria couldn’t find any suitors in BSA, but found work in Afghanistan of all places. In their second season post expansion, Asian Baseball Federation newcomer Kabul signed Echevarria for two years and $3,720,000. He was a decent part-time starter with 2.4 WAR for the Black Knights in 2010. Kabul would trade Echevarria in the offseason though to Adana for three prospects. In one season in Turkey, Echevarria played 114 games with 1.0 WAR and .704 OPS. After going unsigned in 2012, he retired that winter at age 41.

For his Beisbol Sudamerica run, Echevarria had 2601 hits, 1453 runs, 383 doubles, 318 triples, 422 home runs, 1399 RBI, 489 walks, 992 stolen bases, .287/.325/.539 slash, 136 wRC+, and 84.6 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 76^th in WAR among position players, 68^th in hits, 36^th in runs, 7^th in triples, 63^rd in RBI, and 20^th in stolen bases.

Echevarria hit a lot of nice statistical milestones and had great playoff stats, helping Lima to a cup win and two pennants. However, he wasn’t overly dominant except in that brief peak with the Lobos in his late 20s. Many voters remembered his later years more as a reliable above average guy more so than his prime. Some dismissed him as a compiler and felt he lacked the black ink and awards needed to cross the line.

The doubters won the battle for nine ballots, but Echevarria bounced up and down. He debuted at a solid 56.2% in 2015, then fell to 39.9% in 2018. He jumped back and forth the next few years, getting 61.3% in 2021 but only 24.0% in 2022. His ninth try came with a wide open ballot and many gave his resume a fresh look. Enough realized that Echevarria’s resume was quite solid, getting him the big bump up to 72.0%. With that, Echevarria made it in as BSA’s lone Hall of Fame inductee for 2023.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 1)

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The European Baseball Federation’s 2023 Hall of Fame class had three inductees, headlined by 1B Alan Dikov at 96.6%. Two returners made it across the 66% requirement with LF/1B Andriy Boychuk getting 73.5% on his third ballot and 3B Isaad Dorgham at 70.1% for his eighth attempt. SP Martin Kukoc narrowly missed at 60.4% on his penultimate chance. No one else was above 50% and no players were dropped after ten failed ballots.



Alan Dikov – First Base – Warsaw Wildcats – 96.6% First Ballot

Alan Dikov was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Kotlas, Russia, a town of 60,000 inhabitants in the country’s European Arkhangelsk Oblast. Dikov was best known for his excellent home run power, smacking 50+ in eight different seasons. He was also a solid contact hitter with a decent eye for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. While his power was concentrated on homers, he did also get 23 doubles per his 162 game average. Dikov wasn’t going to get extra bags with his legs though as he was an abysmally slow and clumsy baserunner.

Dikov made all of his career starts at first base and was a poor defender, but his home run power more than covered for his shortcomings. His durability was fairly good and he had an excellent work ethic. When you’re a hard-working guy who socks dingers, you’re going to become a very popular player. Dikov was the star as Warsaw made their transition from Eurasian Professional Baseball into the EBF.

He would be only the second Russian inducted into EBF’s HOF, as the vast majority play in EPB. Dikov was planning on the same, as Warsaw was still EPB territory when Dikov signed a developmental deal in February 1996. In 2000, the Polish capital was among the many teams that left EPB for EBF. Dikov’s pro debut would come after that move was made.

Dikov spent most of seven years in the Wildcats academy. He did see limited action in 2001 and 2002 with 75 games and 10 starts between the two years. 2003 marked his full-time debut with great success, leading the conference in slugging (.729), OPS (1.131), and wRC+ (211). Dikov finished second in MVP voting and help lead Warsaw to their first-ever EBF playoff berth,

Not only that, but the Wildcats won the Northern Conference pennant in only their fourth EBF season. Warsaw fell in the European Championship to former EPB rival Budapest, who also made the jump in 2000. In 19 playoff starts, Dikov had 20 hits, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 8 home runs, and 16 RBI. That run made him a star in Poland, although his later playoff stats would be underwhelming. The Wildcats made four more berths from 2004-08 and won two division titles, but they couldn’t get beyond the second round.

Dikov exploded in 2007 for his lone MVP and a Silver Slugger, leading the conference with career highs in runs (122), home runs (61), RBI (137), total bases (431), slugging (.739), OPS (1.165), and wRC+ (215). Dikov also had his career bests in hits (213), batting average (.365), OBP (.425), and WAR (10.2). He missed a Triple Crown season by only six points. That effort got the soon-to-be 28-year old Dikov paid, signing an eight-year, $75,400,000 extension that winter.

He remained a very steady power hitter over that deal, but never reached MVP status again. Dikov led in home runs in 2008 with 56 and won a Silver Slugger in 2010. He smacked 50+ homers with 100+ RBI seven times from 2008-2014. Even with his efforts, Warsaw regressed towards the middle of the standings. The Wildcats were usually just above .500, but they wouldn’t get back to the playoffs for the rest of Dikov’s run.

Dikov remained a reason to come to the ballpark, earning his 600^th home run and 2000^th hit both in 2014. His power dropped sharply in 2015 with only 24 home runs though. Out of respect, Warsaw gave him a qualifying offer for 2016 and he bounced back somewhat with 34 homers in 117 games. Back spasms would bother Dikov throughout the spring. That winter, Warsaw let him leave for free agency at age 37. He retained a strong relationship though with the Wildcats and his #25 uniform would soon be retired.

While very popular in Poland, Dikov was also popular back home in Russia despite not playing in EPB. He did represent his country in 62 games with 50 starts from 2005-13 in the World Baseball Championship. Dikov posted 57 hits, 29 runs, 6 doubles, 17 home runs, 35 RBI, .273/.335/.545 slash, 154 wRC+, and 2.1 WAR.

In 2017, Dikov signed a one-year deal with Ljubljana, where he picked up his 1500^th RBI. He wanted to make a run at 700 home runs, but fell nine short. Dikov had 25 homers and only 0.7 WAR with a 100 wRC+ starting for the Juggernauts. He retired after the season shortly after his 38^th birthday.

Dikov finished with 2379 hits, 1312 runs, 326 doubles, 691 home runs, 1506 RBI, 622 walks, .297/.349/.607 slash, 166 wRC+, and 83.4 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 11^th in home runs, 36^th in RBI, 68^th in runs, 74^th in hits, and 73^rd in WAR among position players. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, his slugging ranks 48^th and his OPS of .956 is 73^rd.

He was one of the finest sluggers of his era and was a key superstar in helping Poland integrate successfully from EPB into EBF. Dikov was an easy Hall of Fame choice at 96.6%, headlining a three-player 2023 class for the European Baseball Federation.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Andriy “Jasper” Boychuk – Left Field/First Base – Bratislava Blue Falcons – 73.5% Third Ballot

Andriy Boychuk was a 5’10’’, 200 pound switch-hitting left fielder and first baseman from Bila Tserkva, Ukraine; a city of around 200,000 inhabitants not far from Kyiv. Boychuk was a tremendous leadoff hitter who had strong contact skills, rarely struck out, and was solid at drawing walks. He was an incredibly dangerous baserunner with excellent speed. Boychuk wouldn’t hit many home runs, but his speed and gap power still gave him plenty of extra base hits. His 162 game average got you 35 doubles, 24 triples, and 9 home runs.

Boychuk made around 3/5 of his career starts in left field, grading as a reliably above average defender. About 1/5 of his starts came sporadically at first base with subpar results and he also had some time as a designated hitter. Boychuk’s durability was generally strong over a 21-year career. He was well respected in the clubhouse for his work ethic and leadership, viewed as one of the game’s good guys.

He would be only the second Ukrainian inducted into EBF’s Hall of Fame. Like with his HOF classmate Alan Dikov, Boychuk grew up in what was then Eurasian Professional Baseball territory. He was noticed and signed to a developmental deal by Bratislava in June 1997. By the time Boychuk debuted in 2000, the Slovakian capital was among the cities that left EPB in the great 2000 exodus. Boychuk was a rare teenage debut in 2000, although he wasn’t yet ready with struggles in 71 games and 22 starts.

Boychuk was a part-time starter in 2001 with more promising results, then took over a full-time job from 2002 onward. He posted a blistering 42 triples in 2002, becoming only the fourth in world history to get that many in a season to that point. Boychuk led the conference thrice in his career in triples and was a consistent three-bag threat. With the Blue Falcons, he had eight consecutive seasons worth 6.5+ WAR from 2002-09.

2007 was Boychuk’s only time as an MVP finalist, taking third, while his lone EBF Silver Slugger was 2005. 2005 saw career and conference bests in batting average (.387), OBP (.442), and OPS (1.065) and a career best 190 wRC+. 2007 was his lone time as the WARlord with a career-best 8.9, along with his stolen bases high mark at 102. Despite never hitting more than 13 home runs in a season, Boychuk had an OPS above one in four seasons for Bratislava.

Bratislava was mostly in the middle tier during Boychuk’s tenure, but they did make it to the Southern Conference Championship twice. In 2003, the Blue Falcons fell to Vienna and in 2007 they were defeated by Barcelona. In his 21 playoff starts, he had 27 hits, 14 runs, 5 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 14 RBI, 8 steals, .873 OPS, and 0.7 WAR. Those would be his only playoff starts of his major league career.

Boychuk did see some starts for Ukraine from 2002-17 in the World Baseball Championship, playing 87 games and starting 60. He had 67 hits, 43 runs, 9 doubles, 7 triples, 6 homers, 20 RBI, 36 walks, 39 stolen bases, .273/.370/.441 slash, 124 wRC+, and 2.5 WAR. Almost half of his WAR came in a solid 2007 effort which earned Ukraine a divisional title.

After the 2005 season, Boychuk signed an eight-year, $70,060,000 extension with Bratislava. Despite his production, the Blue Falcons opted to trade him before the 2010 campaign to Rotterdam for two players. With Bratislava, Boychuk had 1709 hits, 900 runs, 275 doubles, 277 triples, 82 home runs, 720 RBI, 777 stolen bases, .351/.405/.572 slash, 164 wRC+, and 65.4 WAR. The franchise would later retire his #8 uniform for his efforts.

Boychuk ultimately didn’t get Rotterdam out of the mid-tier like they hoped. He would miss the entire 2010 season to a broken kneecap suffered in the WBC. A strained PCL and fractured thumb cost him about half of 2011, although Boychuk’s production was solid when healthy that year and in 2012. He dropped off significantly in 2013 with only a .725 OPS and 2.1 WAR, leading many to think his productive days were ending just after turning 33.

With Rotterdam, Boychuk had 449 hits, 223 runs, 97 doubles, 53 triples, 19 home runs, 165 RBI, 148 walks, 136 stolen bases, .299/.362/.472 slash, 138 wRC+, and 12.7 WAR. He held out to find an EBF home, but had no luck and eventually had to expand his search. Boychuk ended up in Russia and EPB, signing in spring training 2014 to a four-year, $16,320,000 deal with Irkutsk.

Boychuk had generally solid production with the Ice Cats, even winning a Silver Slugger in 2015 and leading in runs in 2016. Irkutsk was stuck in the mid-tier at this time, but Boychuk did his job. He posted 702 hits, 347 runs, 109 doubles, 70 triples, 37 homers, 234 RBI, 254 steals, .296/.352/.448 slash, 133 wRC+, and 15.8 WAR. Boychuk also got to exactly 400 triples between EBF and EPB, a mark achieved by only 11 players in world history as of 2037.

He was a free agent again for 2018 at age 37 and couldn’t find any big league offers. Boychuk did end up in the brand new African Second League, playing three seasons for Maseru with 5.5 WAR over 421 games. He retired after the 2020 campaign at age 40.

For his EBF career, Boychuk had 2158 hits, 1123 runs, 372 doubles, 330 triples, 101 home runs, 885 RBI, 598 walks, 913 stolen bases, .339/.395/.549 slash, 158 wRC+, and 78.1 WAR. As of 2037, Boychuk ranks 80^th in doubles, 15^th in triples, 26^th in stolen bases, and 94^th in WAR among position players. Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Boychuk’s batting average is 30^th, his OBP is 24^th, and his .944 OPS ranks 94^th.

His overall accumulations were on the lower end since he was out of EBF by age 33. Some voters gave Boychuk some credit for his EPB tenure, which got him over 1000 stolen bases and got him close to 3000 hits, 1500 runs, and 100 WAR. However, it was always an uphill climb anyway for leadoff guys since many voters hyper-fixate on homers and RBI. Rate stats showed though how incredibly efficient of a hitter Boychuk was.

Boychuk debuted in 2021 at 57.2% and jumped to 64.7% in 2022, barely missing the 66% requirement. He got another sizeable bump to 73.5% for the third ballot induction in 2023, joining a three-player Hall of Fame class for the European Baseball Federation.



Isaad “Stumpy” Dorgham – Third Base – Amsterdam Anacondas – 70.1% Eighth Ballot

Isaad Dorgham was a 6’1’’, 190 pound right-handed third baseman from Tilburg, Netherlands; a city of 222,000 inhabitants in the country’s south. Dorgham was a traditional leadoff man with very good contact skills and a solid strikeout rate, although he was poor at drawing walks. He had a nice pop in his bat with a 162 game average of 30 doubles, 25 triples, and 11 home runs. Dorgham was an excellent baserunner, thriving despite having merely good to occasionally great speed.

His hitting profile was somewhat unusual for a guy who played exclusively at third base. Dorgham had a strong arm and was a reliably strong defender. He wasn’t quite Gold Glove level, but he definitely provided positive defensive value. His durability was respectable for most his run as well. Dorgham was a true fan favorite and none would say a bad word about him as a man, known for his leadership, loyalty, selflessness, and work ethic.

Dorgham was quickly spotted as an up-and-coming Dutch prospect and was signed by Amsterdam to a developmental contract in June 1990. He officially debuted in 1994 at age 20 with six pinch hit appearances. Dorgham was on the roster full-time in 1995 but was primarily a backup. He then spent all of 1996 inactive before being brought back up in 1997 as a full-time starter, leading the Northern Conference with 26 triples.

1998 had a major setback in May with a severely strained hip muscle costing Dorgham much of the season. He would remain mostly healthy for the next decade with the Anacondas, posting ten seasons above 5+ WAR. Dorgham won a Silver Slugger in 2000 and 2007, but wasn’t typically in awards conversations. He led in triples in 2002 with 31 and led in stolen bases in 2003 with 85.

2000 was Dorgham’s best season by many metrics with career highs in hits (220), home runs (23), RBI (105), triple slash (.353/.374/.587), OPS (.960), wRC+ (172), and WAR (9.0). Amsterdam signed Dorgham to a four-year, $24,340,000 extension in April 2002, then gave him another four years and $31,600,000 in May 2006.

Amsterdam was generally just above .500 for most of Dorgham’s run, averaging 87.7 wins. They only made the playoffs four times with him rostered, seeing first round exits in 2001 and 2002, along with a conference finals loss in 2007. In his limited sample size, Dorgham had a .994 OPS and 173 wRC+ over 16 playoff games.

Dorgham did see more regular big game exposure in the World Baseball Championship for the Netherlands from 1996-2010. However, his WBC stats were unremarkable with 133 games, 126 hits, 68 runs, 25 doubles, 5 triples, 13 home runs, 50 RBI, 71 stolen bases, .246/.294/.391 slash, 99 wRC+, and 3.1 WAR. Dorgham was notably a starter in 2008 as the Dutch had their deepest run, falling in the World Championship to the United States.

One notable accomplishment for Dorgham was becoming the third EBF player to hit for the cycle thrice in a career, doing it in 2002, 2003, and 2007. He carried onto with the same solid production in his early 30s, even posting his second-best WAR of 8.7 in 2007 at age 33. That earned Dorgham his second Silver Slugger. Unfortunately for Dorgham, things took a sharp turn downward after suffering a broken kneecap in late August 2008.

Dorgham missed part of 2009 recovering from the injury and still looked respectable, even getting a 26-game hitting streak in the summer. However, he struggled significantly and was benched early in 2010, posting -0.3 WAR over 57 games and 17 starts. Dorgham retired from the game that winter at age 37.

The final stats for Dorgham saw 2424 hits, 1108 runs, 365 doubles, 309 triples, 139 home runs, 999 RBI, 234 walks, 819 stolen bases, .327/.348/.516 slash, 142 wRC+, and 78.8 WAR. As of 2037, Dorgham ranks 62^nd in hits, 92^nd in doubles, 23^rd in triples, 44^th in steals, and 90^th in WAR among position players. His batting average ranks 73^rd among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances.

Dorgham faced an upward climb for many voters, especially as a leadoff guy without big home run/RBI tallies. He had some nice tallies, but wasn’t around long enough to make a big dent on the leaderboards. Dorgham also lacked accolades and black ink, plus his teams lacked big playoff moments. However, staying with one team and being generally a well-liked guy gave him some hope of earning induction.

Debuting in 2016, Dorgham started at 45.6%. He only gained ground after that, getting up to 60.6% by 2020. Dorgham barely missed the 66% cut in 2021 at 61.6% and 63.3% in 2022. He got another small boost in 2023 to 70.1%, making it across the line for an eighth ballot induction. With that, Dorgham capped off a three-player 2023 Hall of Fame class for the European Baseball Federation.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 EPB Hall of Fame

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Third baseman Ivan Mushailov stood alone for induction at 99.0% for Eurasian Professional Baseball’s 2023 Hall of Fame voting. LF Aram Sargsyan barely missed joining him with a 65.2% debut, short by less than 1% of the 66% requirement. The best returners were both on their fourth ballot with 1B Benjamin Bodnar at 53.6% and SP Nijat Statsky at 52.6%. No one else was above 50% and no players were removed after ten failed ballots.



Ivan “Rhino” Mushailov – Third Base – Moscow Mules – 99.0% First Ballot

Ivan Mushailov was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Rybinsk, a city of around 200,000 in western Russia’s Yaroslavl Oblast. Mushailov was one of the strongest home run hitters in the lower-scoring EPB. He also could find the gap with a 162 game average of 33 homers, 23 doubles, and 11 triples. Unlike the typical slugger, Mushailov had great speed and was a fantastic baserunner.

While Mushailov made his contact count, his overall contact ability was mediocre. He also had a subpar eye, drawing fewer walks than you’d expect for a slugger with a high strikeout rate. Mushailov was exciting to watch though and was a true ironman, starting 142+ games in 20 seasons. He was also a respected team captain in the clubhouse. Mushailov was a career third baseman with a cannon arm, generally providing above average to good defensive value. The nickname “Rhino” came from his impressive power and durability.

Mushailov was noticed as a teenager and signed in December 1991 to a developmental deal with Moscow. His entire storied career would come in the Russian capital. Mushailov spent almost five full years in their academy, debuting in 1997 with 7 at-bats at age 21. The Mules made him a full-time starter in 1998, a role he held steadfastly for the next two decades.

2000 was Mushailov’s breakout year, leading the European League in doubles (35), total bases (303), and WAR (9.4), winning his first Silver Slugger. He would develop his home run power more in his late 20s and early 30s, but 2000 was the first of 12 straight years at 5+ WAR. Mushailov won additional Silver Sluggers in 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. He was second in 2004’s MVP voting, then in 2005 took third in MVP voting by leading the European League in both home runs and RBI.

After being mid in the 1990s, Moscow returned to contention in the 2000s. The Mules lost in the 2001 and 2003 ELCS to Minsk’s dynasty. 2005 would start a seven-year playoff streak that saw EL pennants in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010. Moscow took home the EPB Championship in 2006 and 2009. Mushailov earned finals MVP in the 2006 run, which saw 13 hits, 8 runs, 4 homers, and 10 RBI in 13 starts.

Mushailov was third in 2007 MVP voting as the leader in runs and RBI. In September 2008, Moscow gave Mushailov a five-year, $24,200,000 extension. 2008 saw league bests in homers (45) and RBI (125). He led in homers once more in 2010 with a career high 48. Mushailov signed an additional two-year, $16,800,000 extension after the 2013 season.

Moscow missed the playoffs in 2012 and 2013, but started another three-year streak in 2014. The Mules took the 2015 and 2016 pennants, losing the EPB Championship in the former and winning in the latter. This gave Mushailov seven pennants and three EPB rings in his impressive career. Despite that, his playoff numbers were somewhat underwhelming.

In 112 starts, Mushailov had 101 hits, 46 runs, 21 doubles, 5 triples, 20 home runs, 60 RBI, 38 steals, .227/.249/.432 slash, 108 wRC+, and 2.4 WAR. Mushailov does rank 9^th in playoff homers as of 2037 and 6^th in RBI. He was a bit better in the 2016 Baseball Grand Championship in 17 games with 11 hits, 7 runs, 6 homers, and 10 RBI. The Mules would finish 9-10 for a 13^th place finish.

Mushailov was also a regular for Russia in the World Baseball Championship, but his tournament numbers were likewise underwhelming. In 88 games and 62 starts from 2001-17, he had 47 hits, 31 runs, 8 doubles, 14 homers, 34 RBI, 24 steals, a .204/.265/.430 slash, and 1.0 WAR.

His numbers dropped significantly in 2014 down to 1.6 WAR, but Mushailov had an impressive resurgence in 2015 at age 39 with 7.1 WAR and 36 homers. That earned him another two-year, $18 million extension with Moscow. In September 2016, Mushailov became the 9^th member of the 600 home run club and the second to 1500 runs scored. He would fall 58 runs score of Zaur Kadirov’s record of 1619.

However in his final season, Mushailov did pass Konrad Mazur’s 1072 RBI to become EPB’s new RBI king, a crown he still holds as of 2037. He also joined Kadriov as the only players with 3000+ EPB games played and was on a short list in world history to play 3000+ with one team. Moscow let him go for 2018 and Mushailov went unsigned, retiring at age 43. The Mules immediately brought him home to retire his #37 uniform.

Mushailov played 3085 games with 2659 hits, 1561 runs, 430 doubles, 207 triples, 630 home runs, 1755 RBI, 585 walks, 1055 stolen bases, .234/.272/.474 slash, 132 wRC+, and 106.7 WAR. As of 2037, he’s EPB’s career leader in RBI and at-bats with 11,366. Mushailov ranks 8^th in homers, 5^th in runs, 21^st in hits, 22^nd in doubles, 35^th in triples, 11^th in stolen bases, and 6^th in WAR for position players. He also has the 7^th most strikeouts at 2877.

Conventional wisdom suggests even in a low-scoring league that a guy with such a low average and OBP shouldn’t have been so successful. Among the world’s Hall of Famers as of 2037, he has the second-lowest OBP and the 11^th-worst average. However, Mushailov is one of 11 HOFers to reach 600+ home runs and 1000+ stolen bases in a career.

It makes his resume a bit tough when trying to rate EPB’s best-ever hitters. He is the career leader at third base for runs, hits, total bases, RBI, and steals. Mushailov is second just behind Boxuan Long for WAR at the spot. Still, he’s in the mix for EPB’s best-ever 3B and will make some top ten lists for position players. Mushailov’s impressive longevity helped make Moscow a perennial power to start the 21^st Century. Either way, he was a clear Hall of Fame headliner, standing alone at 99.0% atop EPB’s 2023 voting.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 OBA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

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2023 was an impressive year for debuts on the Oceania Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame ballot. Three newcomers earned induction while two only barely missed the 66% threshold. SP Crow Xue (97.6%) and 1B Junia Lava (93.8%) were the clear headliners, while SP Austin Jong had his own solid 76.4% to get in. Missing the cut was SP Julian Albright at 64.6% and 3B Ueli Nakamelua at 60.4%. No one else was above 50% with the best returner being CL Nolan Gilmoon at 42.0% on his fifth try. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots either.


Crow Xue – Starting Pitcher – New Caledonia Colonels – 97.6% First Ballot

Crow Xue was a 6’5’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Tuen Mun, a district of 506,000 people within Hong Kong. Xue was the first Hongkonger inducted into any league’s Hall of Fame. His movement was incredible and graded as a 10/10 at his peak, a rating very rarely seen. Xue also had very good stuff, although his control was average at best.

Xue‘s velocity peaked in the 94-96 mph range with his sinker. His changeup was a true all-timer and by far his deadliest pitch, although Xue’s slider and curveball could get outs. He had very good stamina and had impressive durability, tossing 245+ innings in all but two of his final three seasons. Xue ‘s defense and ability to hold runners were both lacking. He also got criticized by some teammates for being a selfish mercenary type. That could be forgiven though with such a high talent level.

Hong Kong natives were generally within Chinese League Baseball’s domain, but Xue decided to declare for OBA’s 2000 Draft. Because of regional restrictions, he wasn’t available until the fourth round. New Caledonia jumped on him though with the first pick of the round, 52^nd overall. Xue immediately became their ace, starting a streak of eight consecutive seasons above 6.5 WAR. He finished second in 2001’s Rookie of the Year voting.

By his second year, Xue led the Pacific League in WAR and won his first Pitcher of the Year. He would post 10+ WAR five times after that, leading the league with a career-best 11.1 in 2006. He won ERA titles in 2003, 2006, and 2008; while leading in wins in both 2006 and 2007. Xue repeated as POTY in 2003 and won a third in 2006. He finished third in voting in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008. Xue‘s 2006 effort also landed him a second place in MVP voting.

New Caledonia gave Xue a six-year, $21,680,000 extension after the 2004 season. The Colonels had been historically mediocre and unfortunately Xue couldn’t fix that alone. They averaged 78.1 wins per season during his run with only two winning campaigns, peaking with a 90-72 third place in 2006. Perhaps Xue’s crowning achievement was a no-hitter on October 2, 2008 against Timor with 13 strikeouts and two walks.

Xue did get a chance to pitch on the big stage in the World Baseball Championship, as he was eligible for the squad of China proper. From 2002-15, Xue tossed 169.1 innings with an 11-2 record, 2.34 ERA, 205 strikeouts, 63 walks, and 5.0 WAR. He won a world title with the 2002 quad and was part of the 2007 runner-up season.


After the 2009 season, Xue declined his contract option to leave New Caledonia for brighter pastures and more money. With the Colonels, he had a 185-129 record, 2.64 ERA, 2816.2 innings, 2879 strikeouts, 649 walks, 138 ERA+, and 86.2 WAR. Xue was the main reason to come to the ballpark there in the 2000s and his #8 uniform would eventually be retired. At age 32, he was a free agent that got plenty of consideration from around the globe.

Toronto won the sweepstakes, signing Xue for $60,500,000 over five years. While he never reached his incredible OBA dominance, Xue was a very solid starter with the Timberwolves four years. He wouldn’t get a taste of the playoffs there, as Toronto was stuck in the middle tier. With the Timberwolves, Xue had a 64-34 record, 2.84 ERA, 1017.1 innings, 919 strikeouts, 116 ERA+, and 21.6 WAR. He declined his option for the fifth year of the deal, becoming a free agent again at age 36.

Defending World Series champ Denver was interested, giving Xue three years and $62,400,000. He maintained similar production in 2014 for the Dragons and tossed a playoff shutout, although Denver fell in the second round. In June 2015, Xue suffered his first major injury of his career, a torn labrum. While that can be a career ender or at least a full year injury, Xue remarkably rehabbed it in four months.

Xue was back by the 2015 postseason, starting five games with a 4-0 record, 39 innings, 3.46 ERA, 21 strikeouts, 18 walks, and 0.3 WAR. His innings helped Denver take the World Series over St. Louis. In the Baseball Grand Championship, the Dragons were 15-4, losing the title on a tiebreaker to Johannesburg. In four BGC starts, Xue had a 3.21 ERA over 33.2 innings, 2-2 record, 46 strikeouts, and 1.9 WAR. That comeback from injury gave him many Denver fans a fondness for Xue, even if he was only there two years.

With Denver, Xue had a 28-15 record, 2.98 ERA, 362.2 innings, 314 strikeouts, 129 ERA+, and 8.8 WAR. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the third year of the deal, becoming a free agent again at age 38. Xue opted to return to OBA on a three-year, $42,700,000 deal with Christchurch. His return season was off to an impressive start with a 15-1 record, 1.62 ERA, and 5.1 WAR over 155.1 innings. Unfortunately in early July, Xue tore his labrum for a second time.

That tear put Xue out eight months and tanked his control upon his return. He pitched a mostly full 2017, but led the league in walks (117) with an iffy 4.29 ERA. This return did allow Xue to reach 300 career wins combined from between OBA/MLB, a mark reached by only 46 pitchers in the world as of 2037. For the Chinooks, he had a 30-20 record, 3.26 ERA, 402.2 innings, 393 strikeouts, and 9.2 WAR. Xue retired that winter shortly after his 40^th birthday.

In OBA, Xue had a 215-149 record, 2.71 ERA, 3219.1 innings, 3272 strikeouts, 804 walks, 295/414 quality starts, 139 complete games, 32 shutouts, 136 ERA+, and 95.4 WAR. As of 2037, Xue ranks 24^th in wins, 44^th in innings, 38^th in strikeouts, and 10^th in pitching WAR. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, his ERA ranks 64^th and his .602 opponent’s OPS ranks 57^th.

Some think Xue might have made it to the very top of OBA’s pitching leaderboards had he not spent six years in MLB. While it keeps him from many top five and top ten lists among OBA pitchers, Xue’s full professional numbers are quite impressive. He had a 307-198 record, 2.76 ERA, 4599.1 innings, 4505 strikeouts, 1197 walks, 197 complete games, 47 shutouts, 130 ERA+, and 125.8 WAR.

As of 2037 among all pro pitchers, Xue is 37^th in wins and just misses the top 50 for WAR. Xue certainly was a no-doubt Hall of Famer anyway you sliced it and his changeup especially is still remembered as one of the best ever. At 97.6%, Xue headlined a strong three-player 2023 HOF class for the Oceania Baseball Association.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2023 OBA Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Junia Lava – First Base/Designated Hitter – Fiji Freedom – 93.8% First Ballot

Junia Lava was a 6’3’’, 200 pound switch-hitting first baseman from Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. He was the third inductee from the small island nation, joining great pitchers Tarzan Rao and Brad Nelson. Lava was known as a consistently strong home run hitter, topping 30+ homers in 18 seasons and 40+ homers in nine seasons. His gap power was decent with around 20-25 doubles most years. Lava was painfully slow and wasn’t going to get extra bags with his legs. Lava’s contact ability and eye were both average at best and he struggled with strikeouts.

Lava’s durability was quite good, allowing him to play more than 3000 games over 22 years. He only ever started in the field at first base and graded for his career as a subpar defender, although you could do far worse. Early in his run, Lava was viewed as a positive value defenseman. About 30% of his starts came as a designated hitter. Lava was a respected team captain, known for his loyalty, leadership, and dedication. He became one of the most popular players in the Pacific League and one of the most universally admired players of his time.

A scout for Fiji managed to discover Lava as a teenager, signing him to a developmental deal as a teenager in September 1992. He spent three years in their academy before debuting with 47 games in 1996 at age 21. Lava was a starter the next year and held the job down for the next two decades.

His best season by many metrics was 2000, leading the league with career highs in home runs (54), total bases (391), and wRC+ (197). Lava also had his bests in runs (104), hits (190), doubles (33), triple slash (.312/.372/.642), OPS (1.014), and WAR (7.6). Lava won a Silver Slugger and took second in MVP voting. Fiji would lock him up by May 2002 to a six-year, $22,360,000 extension.

Lava’s lone MVP win and his second Silver Slugger came in 2002, leading in RBI, total bases, and WAR. He also won a Gold Glove to complete the awards sweep. This effort led Fiji to their first-ever Pacific League pennant win, although they were denied in the Oceania Championship by Brisbane in a seven game classic. In the series, Lava went 10-28 with 4 runs, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, and 5 RBI.

Lava won a second Gold Glove in 2004, but wasn’t in awards conversations for the rest of his run. He didn’t get above 5 WAR in a season after 2002, but he still provided steady power numbers. After being a bottom-rung franchise for most of their existence, Fiji was in the mix in the mid 2000s. They fell one game short of the PL title to Tahiti in both 2003 and 2004. Then in 2006, the Freedom won their second-ever pennant, this time on the good side of a one-game margin with the Tropics.

Fiji would again be denied their first OBA crown, falling to Melbourne’s dynasty. Lava was 3-15 in the series as they got swept, but he’d be fondly remembered as the guy who got the Freedom to their first-ever finals trips. For the rest of Lava’s run after this, Fiji was in the middle of the standings and usually around .500, plus or minus a few games.

In April 2008, Lava signed another extension with the Freedom at $16,280,000 over five years. His durability remained steady into his 30s, even if his production was now merely decent. In 2012, Lava became the 5^th member of the 600 home run club, the 9^th to 2500 hits, and the 5^th to 1500 RBI. He signed a series of one-year deals with Fiji, remaining popular in a leadership role as he chased more milestones.

In 2015, Lava was the 3^rd to reach 1500 runs scored and the 3^rd to 700 home runs. He also had a resurgence that year at age 40, leading the PL with 117 RBI. He also smacked 44 homers, his first 40+ season since 2008. In 2016, he became the second to reach 3000 games played. Fiji gave him a three-year, $13,600,000 extension in July 2016. One month later, Lava was the second to earn 3000 career hits. That year, Lava also became OBA’s all-time RBI leader.

Lava had still been playable to that point, but age finally caught up in 2017 as he struggled to -0.6 WAR. Fiji had no choice but to bench him, ending a chase for the all-time home run and runs scored marks. He would get 71 hits in 2017, passing Quentin Basa’s 3078 to become OBA’s all-time hits king. Lava retired that winter at age 42 and immediately had his #10 uniform retired by the Freedom. At retirement, Lava was the OBA leader in games, at-bats, hits, strikeouts, and RBI. He was 2^nd in runs and 3^rd in home runs.

In total, Lava played 3243 games with 3113 hits, 1611 runs, 465 doubles, 51 triples, 778 home runs, 1989 RBI, 879 walks, 3268 strikeouts, .255/.307/.492 slash, 128 wRC+, and 66.0 WAR. As of 2037, Lava is still OBA’s leader in games, at-bats (12,223), and strikeouts. He ranks 5^th in runs, 5^th in hits, 10^th in doubles, 4^th in homers, 2^nd in RBI, and 15^th in walks.

Despite all those marks, he only clocks in 49^th in WAR among position players. Advanced stats paint Lava as an above average player with elite longevity, but that durability and his leadership are very important qualities. Among all players in world history as of 2037, Lava ranks 34^th in games played and 19^th in at-bats. He does also have the misfortune of having the 6^th most strikeouts.

Lava doesn’t factor into many conversations for OBA’s top ten position players despite his tallies. However, he’s remembered quite fondly for bringing Fiji its first-ever sustained success and pennants. Few players of Lava’s era garnered more respect as a man, making him a slam dunk Hall of Famer. Lava received 93.8% to take the second slot in OBA’s three-player 2023 class.



Austin Jong – Starting Pitcher – Samoa Sun Sox – 76.4% First Ballot

Austin Jong was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. At his peak, Jong’s stuff was tremendous with a 10/10 grade from some scouts. He also had quite solid command with above average movement. Jong’s velocity hit 97-99 mph with his cutter, although a fantastic changeup was his biggest source of whiffs. He also had a nice curveball as a third offering.

Jong’s stamina was good initially, but took a hit like everything else with a major injury at age 25. He struggled holding runners, but was a great gloveman, winning a Gold Glove in 2014. In the 2002 OBA Draft, Jong was a rare pick selected out of the high school ranks. Samoa snagged him with the 14^th pick of the second round, 33^rd overall. The Sun Sox kept him in developmental for two seasons before debuting him in 2005 at age 20. Jong took second in Rookie of the Year voting with a nice effort.

By his second year, Jong had arrived. From 2006-09, he had four straight seasons as the Pacific League’s strikeout leader, topping 400+ each time. Jong also was above 10+ WAR each year, leading the league from 2007-09. He was second in 2006’s Pitcher of the Year voting, then won the award in three consecutive seasons. Jong’s 14.1 WAR in 2008 is one of only 11 seasons above 14+ WAR by an OBA pitcher as of 2037.

On August 22, 2006, Jong tossed OBA’s 10^th Perfect Game in a 15 strikeout effort against Guadalcanal. He also had 20 strikeout games in both 2008 and 2009. Samoa was in the Pacific League title race, but couldn’t win it during Jong’s prime. They had second place finishes in 2008 and 2009 with 97 and 99 win seasons, respectively. The Sun Sox would be more around the third/fourth place range heading into the 2010s.

Jong seemed like the guy to lead to them eventual greatness, signing a seven-year, $26,560,000 extension in October 2007. Unfortunately, disaster struck for Jong at only age 25 on July 19, 2010 with a torn rotator cuff. Not only did that knock Jong out ten months, but his stuff, control, and stamina were never the same after that. He would finish out his Samoa run as an above average starter, but was a long way from his elite dominance of his early 20s.

With Samoa, Jong had a 156-123 record, 2.92 ERA, 2637 innings, 3304 strikeouts, 475 walks, 124 ERA+, and 80.5 WAR. The Sun Sox would eventually retire his #7 uniform for his efforts. However, they opted not to re-sign him when his deal expired after the 2014 season. Still only 30 as he hit free agency for the first time, Jong snagged a big payday from Perth at $42,600,000 over six years. The Penguins hoped they could reclaim some of Jong’s past production.

Sadly, Jong regressed further with mediocre results with the Penguins. Late in his third year in Perth, Jong suffered a torn flexor tendon that effectively ended his career. He had a 16 month recovery time and wanted to come back in 2019, but the Penguins kept him on the reserve roster all year. They voided the team option in his contract that winter and Jong retired at age 35. With Perth, he had a 31-43 record, 4.56 ERA, 606.1 innings, 545 strikeouts, 127 walks, 84 ERA+ and 8.2 WAR.

Jong finished with an 187-166 record, 3.22 ERA, 3243.1 innings, 3849 strikeouts, 602 walks, 267/420 quality starts, 116 complete games, 24 shutouts, 114 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 88.7 WAR. As of 2037, Jong is 46^th in wins, 17^th in strikeouts, 40^th in innings, and 14^th in WAR among pitchers. His 10.68 K/9 ranks 25^th among all pitchers with 1000+ innings.

That 2006-09 run was so incredible to essentially carry Jong’s resume despite being done by age 32 and being merely decent after the rotator cuff tear. He hung around just long enough to hit the accumulations most voters had as prerequisites for a pitcher. Fans who were there remember that even if for only four years, Jong may have been the best pitcher in the world. Jong got 76.4% in his ballot debut to cap off a strong three-player Hall of Fame class in 2023 for the Oceania Baseball Association.