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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-11-2023, 04:51 AM

1951 in EAB

Sapporo continued its Japan League North Division dominance in 1951, winning the title for the fifth straight year and eighth time in nine years. The Swordfish finished 107-55, needing a strong year to fend off a solid 103-59 Yokohama squad and 98-64 Sendai. The South Division was competitive, but weak. Osaka took the title for the first time since 1946 with the Orange Sox at 86-76. Hiroshima and Kobe both finished two back at 84-78 and Kitakyushu was five away at 81-81.

Sendai’s Hidetsugo Fujino had a monster year to earn the MVP. The 25-year old RF led the league in home runs (57), RBI (138), hits (212), runs (126), slash (.362/.431/.718), OPS (1.149), wRC+ (251), and WAR (11.3). Fujino was only the third EAB hitter to earn a Triple Crown and the first since 1941. Yokohama’s Haruo Matsuzaki was Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old left led in wins (20), strikeouts (316), WAR (8.5), and WHIP (0.86). He had a 2.22 ERA, just one point away from a Triple Crown season.

Seoul had the best record in Korea at 101-61, giving the Seahawks their third playoff berth in four years. They bounced back after missing last year to Incheon, who fell to second place in the North Divison at 91-71. Daegu took the South Division at 95-67, five games ahead of Busan. The Diamondbacks earned their first playoff berth in a decade. Last year’s division champ Daejeon fell off hard from 101 games to 72 games.

Incheon LF Tae-U Chun was the league MVP, leading Korea in runs (112), doubles (45), average (.345), OPB (.396), and WAR (7.4). Seoul’s Yorinobu Hayase was Pitcher of the Year at age 29. Hayase had 23 wins, a 2.68 ERA, 297 strikeouts, and 7.4 WAR.

The Japanese League Championship Series saw Sapporo defeat Osaka in five games, giving the Swordfish six titles in the last eight years. Sapporo now has eight total Japan titles, tying them with Korea’s Busan for the most of any EAB team. The KLCS had Seoul sweep Daegu in the first KLCS sweep since 1933. The win gives the Seahawks a third title in four years. The East Asian Championship would be a seven game classic with Sapporo edging Seoul in the end. The Swordfish win their third EAB title in their run and fourth overall, tied with Busan for the most.

Other notes: Goyang’s Byung-Oh Tan became the first EAB hitter to 3500 career hits. Tan would play two more seasons, retiring the all-time EAB hit king at 3871. Oki Tanaka became the first (and as of 2036, the only) EAB closer to 500 career saves. He’d ultimately retire after the 1954 season with the all-time mark of 565.

Taiji Makino became the sixth to 4000 career strikeouts. Ha-Jun Cho became the second player to both 1500 runs scored and 1500 RBI. Si-U Gim became the seventh to 500 home runs. Jong Lee had a 32-game hit streak, the third longest in EAB history. Ha-Min Park won his ninth Silver Slugger as a DH.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-11-2023, 11:13 AM

1951 in CABA

Defending Mexican League champ Mexicali won the North Division for the third straight season in 1951, leading the league at 101-61. In the South Division, Ecatepec secured their first title since 1944. The Explosion were 99-63, while last year’s division winner Guadalajara fell to fourth at 81 wins. Both the Maroons and Explosion won their division by double-digits.

Although the Hellhounds fell off, Prometheo Garcia continued his dominance with the 28-year old 1B getting his third MVP. Garcia won his second Triple Crown with a .350 average, 44 home runs, and 119 RBI. He also led Mexico in runs (103), hits (222), OBP (.406), slugging (.609), OPS (1.015), wRC+ (211) and WAR (9.8). Mexicali’s Rolando Pena won his second Pitcher of the Year in three seasons. Pena had a 2.24 ERA, 261 innings, 284 strikeouts, and 8.6 WAR. He also won a Gold Glove for his defense.

The top team in the Caribbean League was Santiago for their first Island Division crown since their 1947 league title. The Sailfish finished 100-62, while last year’s CABA champ Jamaica plummeted to fourth at 78-84. A competitive Continental Division came down to a tiebreaker game between Nicaragua and Salvador, who both finished at 85-77. The Navigators took the tiebreaker game to win a second straight division title.

Nicaragua had the Caribbean MVP in 1B Jonathan Suarez. In his second full-time season, the 26-year 1B from Honduras led in hits (202), RBI (121), average (.322), slugging (.577), and OPS (.949), adding 6.9 WAR and 36 home runs. Salvador’s Galeno Garza was the Pitcher of the Year, leading in ERA (2.00), WHIP (0.830, and WAR (9.7).

The Mexican League Championship Series went to Mexicali in six games against Ecatepec, giving the Maroons back-to-back league titles. The Caribbean League Championship Series saw Santiago take it in six over Nicaragua, giving the Sailfish their first since 1947 and fifth league title. The CABA Championship was a sweep for the first time since 1933 as Santiago smacked Mexicali, making the Maroons runner-up in back-to-back years. It is the third overall title for the Sailfish and first since 1923.

Other notes: Crossing 200 career wins in 1951 were Jeron Evans and Stinky Macaca. Jeong-Hyeon Pin became the fourth CABA batter to 1500 RBI. Se-Hyeon Kim became the 11^th to 500 career home runs and also crossed 2500 hits. Ildefonso Vazquez also crossed 2500 hits, making it 13 batters to do so.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-12-2023, 04:08 AM

1951 in MLB

After missing the playoffs last year, 1949 World Series champ Montreal took the Eastern League title in 1951 at 104-58 for the best record in the National Association. Second place went to the New York Yankees at 96-66, giving them their first playoff appearance since 1917. The 1950 EL champ Philadelphia fell short of the wild card by three games. In the Midwest League, Indianapolis took first for their first playoff appearance since 1936 and first ML title since 1932. The Racers at 92-70 finished one game ahead of Chicago, three ahead of St. Louis, and five on Columbus. The Cubs got the wild card for their third straight playoff appearance.

The Maples had the NA MVP and Pitcher of the Year in 1951. 27-year old 3B Beckham Hudson led the NA with 9.4 WAR, adding 199 hits, 36 home runs, 107 RBI, and a .333 average. 27-year old Oliver Guerra was PotY with the lead in WAR (9.5), while adding 270 strikeouts and a 2.74 ERA.

In the first round of the playoffs, Montreal beat Chicago and Indianapolis downed New York; both in four games. The Maples won their second National Association title in three years by defeating the Racers in six games. Montreal earns their fifth NA crown, joining Ottawa (5) and Philadelphia (9) as the only five-time winners.

Houston ended their longest playoff drought in franchise history at 11 years as the Hornets won the Southern League title at 103-59. It is Houston’s record 16^th first place finish. San Antonio at 96-66 took second to get the wild card for the second straight year, while Memphis was third. Jacksonville’s playoff streak ended at three as the Gators finished fifth, beginning their own decade-plus playoff drought. Las Vegas won the Western League at 102-60, only their second league title in their seven playoff appearances all-time. Phoenix took second at 95-67 to advance, beating out defending World Series champ San Francisco by two games and San Diego by three.

Gold Rush 3B Zach Bargas picked up the American Association MVP. The 24-year old had what would be his career peak with a batting title at a .371 average along with an AA best 231 hits. He added 25 homers, 120 RBI, and 6.9 WAR. The Firebirds had the Pitcher of the Year in Alan Birkemeier in what was also a career peak in an otherwise unremarkable career The 27-year old had 8.9 WAR with a 2.80 ERA, 23-9 record, and 259 strikeouts in 283.1 innings.

Birkemeier helped lead Phoenix in a first round upset at Houston in five games, while San Antonio shocked Las Vegas in five. In a wild card battle in the American Association Championship Series, the Firebirds took it in five games for their first association title since 1933 and fourth total. The 51^st World Series went seven games with Montreal edging Phoenix to give the Maples their second title. They become among a select few to win two titles in three seasons as well, creating a mini-dynasty along the way. Notably, this would also be the last time for a decade that a National Association team won the World Series. The NA had the advantage over the AA 27-24 through 51 meetings, but the American Association would soon flip the switch and be forevermore considered the stronger organization.

Other notes: Millard Barkley became the 17^th pitcher to reach 250 career wins. Wei-Ju Wang crossed 1500 runs scored. Alejandro Fernandez won his ninth Silver Slugger, a record for catchers. The general anti-catcher bias of the Hall of Fame voters would ultimately hold Fernandez out despite this fact, considered by many as one of the biggest HOF snubs of all time.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-12-2023, 06:18 PM

1952 MLB Hall of Fame

The 1952 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class was another impressive one with four first-ballot selections; three of which made it at 93% or higher. 1B Kaby Silva and SP Domingo Martinez were absolute no-doubters at 99.7% and 99.0%, respectively. 1B Brad Berg got 93.8% and would be the headliner in just about any other class. The fourth inductee was RF Dale Brooks, just sneaking over the threshold at 69.2%. Two others had very good first time showings above 60%; C Hernan Ortega and CF Luke Marray. SP Andy Cowan barely missed the cut on his third try at 64.4%.

There were four players dropped from the MLB ballot following their tenth attempt. RF Kayden Lindsey had a 22 year professional career primarily with Columbus in MLB, but spent time with four other MLB franchises and three in CABA. He won MVP in 1920 and had 2421 hits, 1198 runs, 230 home runs, 1147 RBI, a .314 average, and 74.8 WAR in MLB. He had 12.6 WAR in CABA that might have gotten him over the hump if added, but the lack of power meant he peaked at 38.6% on his ninth attempt. Closer Anthony Van Schoonhooven was another drop, putting up 38.0 WAR and 334 saves with a 2.63 ERA over 23 seasons. He was viewed as more of a compiler and playing for 14 teams is viewed as a negative by voters. He peaked at 44.8% on the second ballot.

2B Todd Donnelly also was dropped, peaking at 31.2% on his second try. In 16 years with four teams, he had 2488 hits, 1270 runs, 112 homers, a .318 average, and 56.0 WAR. The fourth player dropped after 10 tries was 1B Colt Marshall, who played exclusively with Louisville. He had 2390 hits, 1039 runs, 229 homers, 1071 RBI, a .337 average, and 57.2 WAR. Solid singles hitter, but that’s not exciting, especially from a 1B. He peaked at 34.6% on his second attempt.

Kaby Silva – First Baseman- Omaha Hawks – 99.7% First Ballot

Kaby Silva was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed first baseman from Praia, the capital of the west African island nation of Cape Verde. He would be come to known as a prolific contact and power hitter, leading the National Association in homers five times and posting a career .321 batting average. He had a respectable eye, but was a slow baserunner. He didn’t hit too many doubles, but he didn’t need to with so many balls going over the fence. Silva’s entire defensive career was at first base and he was considered generally above average with the glove.

Silva wasn’t immediately immersed in baseball being in Cape Verde, which was a Portuguese colonial property until 1975. Silva had family connections which introduced him to the game, but he didn’t exactly have an avenue to play at home. He came to America for college at North Carolina and with little experience, walked on and became a successful player. He was picked in the 1926 MLB Draft, but as a non-American or Canadian, he was excluded from the early regional rounds. He went 158^th overall in round four to Omaha and even at the time, wasn’t thought to be a stellar prospect. But as he continued to immerse himself in the game in his 20s, he quickly became an elite bat for the Hawks.

In his third season, Silva had 48 home runs, his first of nine seasons with 40+. The next year, he led in homers (50) and RBI (118) in the National Association, finishing third in MVP voting. 1932 was his first MVP season with 55 home runs and 8.5 WAR. Silva won it again in 1934 and 1935 with the former being a historic season. Silva had a Triple Crown with a .387 average, 52 home runs, and 137 RBI. He also led the NA in hits (235), OBP (.441), slugging (.697), OPS (1.138), and WAR (10.8). This season often gets cited on why baseball is a team game though, as despite this incredible effort from Silva, Omaha still was an abysmal 69-93 team.

The Hawks would be a wild card the next year, but they were an early exit and continuously a bottom-tier team during Silva’s best years. He had six 50+ home run seasons and nine 100+ seasons, earning five Silver Sluggers against a loaded 1B field. Omaha would finally see some success in the early 1940s with Silva getting his fourth MVP in 1941 at age 34. The Hawks won the Midwest League twice and had two wild cards from 1940-43, but were ousted in the first round each time. Age also started to catch up to him, as various injuries put him out a month or two in 1937, 39, 42, 43, 44, and 45. Even in less than full seasons, he was still putting up 4-5 WAR and 25-35 homers in the down years and 50+ when healthy.

Silva started to rack up milestones, including 3000 hits, 1500+ runs, 1500+ RBI, and 100+ WAR. But the big one was 700+ homers with many thinking Silva could catch the all-time mark of Elijah Cashman of 750, set in 1936. Silva was the second to get to 700+, doing it at age 38 in1945. It was his last season with Omaha and they’d ultimately retire his #21 and use the beloved Silva as a team ambassador. But he signed with Calgary for the 1946 season to a two-year deal with the Cheetahs hoping he could catch the home run record if moved to a DH. He hit 26 homers in 1946, but struggled otherwise, posting -1.3 WAR. Silva decided to retire there at age 40, ending second in all-time homers at 731.

The final statistics: 3218 hits, 1665 runs, 351 doubles, 731 home runs, 1895 RBI, 892 walks, a .321/.376/.580 slash and 108.1 WAR. One of the all-time great hitters and a bright spot for an Omaha franchise that was often a stinker in the 1930s and 40s. Silva also become a legend back home in Cape Verde and helped introduce the game to the islands and to west Africa as a whole and would play a role in helping form West African Baseball in 1975 and creating a Cape Verde-based franchise.

Domingo Martinez – Starting Pitcher – Charlotte Canaries – 99.0% First Ballot

Domingo Martinez was a 5’10’’, 180 pound left-handed pitcher form Culiacan, a city in northwestern Mexico. Martinez was known for a stellar fastball that regularly hit 97-99 mph, mixed with generally solid control and movement between the fastball, a stellar slider, and a solid changeup. He was generally considered a good defensive pitcher and someone with strong stamina. He left for the United States and played college baseball at Wisconsin. After that run, Martinez was picked 153^rd overall in the 1931 MLB Draft by Charlotte, where he’d spend his entire career.

Martinez saw some work as a solid reliever in his rookie season and then became a full-time starter in year two and a bona fide ace in year three. Charlotte made it to the American Association Championship in 1933 with Martinez posting three quality starts in that run. He’d struggle a bit in his 20s afterward in the postseason, although the Canaries would still pull off four playoff berths and the 1937 World Series title. He was third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1934 and second in 1938.

It was the late 1930s and his late 20s when Martinez became exceptional. In 1938, he had 11.5 WAR over 294.2 innings, at the time setting a single-season WAR record for pitchers with a 24-6 record, 2.69 ERA, 294 strikeouts, 19 complete games, and six shutouts. He was second in PotY In 1939, then did even better in 1940 to win his second award with 11.7 WAR, 297 strikeouts, a 2.80 ERA and 23 complete games. The 11.7 WAR stood as the pitcher MLB single-season record until 1991.

He was third in voting in 1941, but was most importantly able to shake off some playoff gremlins as Charlotte won the American Association title, falling in the World Series to the fledging Philadelphia dynasty. In that postseason, Martinez had a 2.18 ERA over 41.1 innings and five starts. He had two more solid seasons in 1942 and 1943, leading in WAR for a third time, although the Canaries were one-and-done in the postseason.

By this point, the now 33-year old Martinez was established as one of the best pitchers of the last decade. But in the late spring of 1944, he needed surgery in his throwing elbow to remove a bone spur. He was never the same after this. He came back for a middling 1945, then stunk it up in 1946, opting to retire at the end of the season at age 36. Still, he got two important milestones at the end; 250 wins and 3000+ strikeouts. Charlotte quickly retired his #30 uniform, the first retired by the Canaries and one of only three in franchise history.

The final statistics: 250-140, 3.22 ERA, 3471.2 innings, 3145 strikeouts, 868 walks, 263/430 quality starts, 223 complete games, 51 shutouts, and 98.6 WAR. Had he been able to stay healthy, he had a shot at being in the upper echelon of the all-time pitchers. Still, hitting the milestones he did considering shows how impressive and dominant Martinez was at his best. It is no surprise he not only got in on the first ballot, but at 99.0%.

Brad Berg – First Baseman – Cincinnati Reds – 93.8% First Ballot

Brad Berg was a 6’3’’, 200 pound switch hitting first baseman from Hammond, Indiana; located just outside of Chicago. Berg was a solid contact hitter with very good power. He had a decent eye, but did strike out more than the average hitter. He made up for It by posting 35+ home runs 10 times in his career. Berg was a slow baserunner and played entirely at first base, although he was thought of as an above average to good defender. Berg stayed in the Midwest by playing college baseball at Eastern Michigan, helping the Eagles to the 1929 National Championship. This attention earned him the 12^th overall pick in the 1929 MLB Draft by Cincinnati.

He spent 1930 in the minor league affiliate in Dayton and was the minor league MVP. Berg became a part-time starter for the Reds in 1931 and 32, then became a full-time starter after for the next decade. He would win Silver Sluggers in 1936, 38, and 42 and became a top-tier hitter in the mid to late 1930s, although he wouldn’t always get the notice with Kaby Silva sharing a position and league with him, plus Cincinnati’s general mediocrity.

In 1936, he won the National Association MVP by leading in WAR (8.2), runs (115), and RBI (137). He won it again In 1938 with career bests in home runs (52) and RBI (139). He remained a consistent strong slugger and the Reds finally saw some playoff action in Berg’s later years. They made the playoffs in 1937, 39, 42, and 43; winning the Midwest League in each. However, their deepest runs saw elimination at the NACS In 1939 and 1942.

After the 1943 season, the now 35-year old Berg opted for free agency and signed with Albuquerque. He was on his way to an MVP caliber season in his Isotopes debut with a 1.045 OPS, but back spasms put him out for six weeks. The next two seasons, Berg struggled and put up below average production. He picked up his 2500^th hit, but opted to retire at age 38 as his contract with Albuquerque expired.

The final statistics: 2551 hits, 1404 runs, 394 doubles, 559 home runs, 1722 RBI, 829 walks, a .293/.355/.536 slash, and 81.8 WAR. He was a reliable presence in the middle of the lineup for about 15 years, but was often overshadowed by other stud 1Bs. Still, his #19 uniform was retired by Cincinnati and the Hall of Fame voters didn’t forget about the popular slugger, giving him a first ballot induction at 93.8%.

Dale Brooks – Right Fielder – Calgary Cheetahs – 69.2% First Ballot

Dale Brooks was a 5’7’’, 180 pound left-handed right fielder from Red Deer, Alberta; a city located midway between Calgary and Edmonton. Brooks was an excellent contact hitter with decent power, averaging around 20-30 home runs a season and 30-40 doubles. He was decent at drawing walks and a below average baserunner. He played almost exclusively at right field and was considered a lousy defender. Brooks was a well-liked team leader and incredibly durable. Brooks played college baseball at Ohio University and was picked 40^th overall by Calgary in the 1926 MLB Draft, keeping him relatively close to home.

He was a part-time starter as a rookie, then became a full-time starter for around 17 seasons. Year two was his peak at age 22, leading the American Association in hits (222), runs (113), average (.357) and OBP (.402). His two Silver Sluggers came in 1928 and 1929. He never again had seasons that strong, but he was a reliable each year for 3-5 WAR, around a .300 average, 35 or so doubles, around 90 runs, and 20-30 homers. The Cheetahs only made the playoffs twice in Brooks’ tenure; making it to the AACS in 1935 and a first round exit in 1937. With Calgary, Brooks had 2157 hits, 1118 runs, 259 home runs, 1051 RBI, and 48.5 WAR. His #16 uniform would be retired once Brooks was finished as a local favorite.

In summer 1938, the 32-year old Brooks was part of a five-player trade that sent him to Buffalo. He spent the rest of that season and the next five years with the Blue Sox. There, he had 968 hits, 484 runs, 146 home runs, and 22.3 WAR. In Buffalo, Brooks earned his 3000^th hit, 1500^th run, 1500^th RBI, and 400^th home run. At age 38, he signed with Philadelphia mid-dynasty for the 1944 season. Brooks was done as a solid full-time starter, but was a decent bench piece as the Phillies won the 1944 World Series and got to it in 1945 and 46. Brooks retired after the 1946 season at age 40.

The final statistics: 3364 hits, 1724 runs, 595 doubles, 442 home runs, 1663 RBI, a .309/.365/.495 slash and 72.8 WAR. At retirement, his 595 doubles was #1 on the all-time leaderboard and was also sixth in hits. He compiled some solid numbers, but Brooks was rarely considered elite. Still, his reliable production gave him some stats you couldn’t ignore and he earned first ballot selection, albeit at only 69.2%. He’s the fourth guy in a stacked 1952 HOF class, but a Hall of Famer regardless.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-13-2023, 04:20 AM

1952 CABA Hall of Fame

Two players were inducted to the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 1952, both getting in at exactly 83.0% on their first ballot. SP Napler Pedro and LF Emmanuel Reyes were the newest members of the Hall. SP Hugo Aguilar barely missed out on joining them in his second attempt, falling short of the 66.0% threshold with a 65.7%. No one else was above 50% and no players were dropped after a 10^th ballot.

Napler Pedro – Starting Pitcher – Ecatepec Explosion – 83.0% First Ballot

Naple Pedro was a 64’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Saltillo in northeastern Mexico. Pedro was known for having great movement and good control on his pitches. His velocity was only around 93-95 mph on his fastball, but his great changeup and a nice curveball helped his effectiveness. Pedro was also thought of as a good defensive pitcher, very durable, and a very hard worker. He was a very impressive amateur and was picked first overall in the 1931 CABA Draft by Chihuahua.

He instantly become a starter for the Warriors and was second in Rookie of the Year voting. He was a solid starter in four seasons for the struggling Warriors squad, putting up 22.9 WAR and a 2.88 ERA. His tenure was short, traded in the 1935 offseason for prospects to Costa Rica; who just won the CABA championship. In his Rays debut, he finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting and was a solid contributor as they again won the Caribbean League. The team fell off hard in the next two seasons and Pedro tested free agency after the 1938 campaign.

At age 29, Pedro signed for the 1939 season with Ecatepec. He would go into the Hall as a member of the Explosion, although his tenure was only five seasons. He had a 3.03 ERA, 27.4 WAR, and 1030 strikeouts in Ecatepec, who became a contender in 1943 and won the CABA Championship. Pedro was a free agent at the season’s end and opted to go to Mexico City for the 1944 season. In 1945, the Aztecs made a run and took the CABA Championship with Pedro finishing third in Pitcher of the Year voting at age 35. His production fell off a bit the next year and Pedro decided to retire at age 37.

Pedro’s final statistics: 233-188, 2.96 ERA, 3765.1 innings, 3190 strikeouts, 679 walks, 341/494 quality starts, and 79.2 WAR. He never was the top pitcher in the game, but he was a reliable 5-7 WAR starter for 15 seasons and played a role in championship teams for three franchises. This earned Pedro a spot in the CABA Hall on the first ballot at 83.0%.

Emmanuel Reyes – Left/Right Fielder – Merida Mean Green – 83.0% First Ballot

Emmanuel Reyes was a 6’2’, 200 pound left-handed corner outfielder from Esteli, the third largest city in Nicaragua. Reyes was an excellent power hitter, leading Mexico in home runs six times and RBI four times. He was a respectable contact hitter as well, although his strikeout numbers were a bit high and his walk numbers a bit low. He wasn’t a quick baserunner and split his defensive career almost 50/50 between left and right field; being equally subpar with the glove in both.

Reyes was signed as a teenage amateur out of Nicaragua by Merida and made his Mean Green debut in 1930. He was a partial starter in 1931, then became a full-time regular starter the next year. Reyes won four straight Silver Sluggers from 1932-15, leading in home runs each year and RBI thrice. Reyes was third in MVP voting in 1933, second in 1934 and 1935, third in 1936, and third again in 1939. He was a beast for a decade despite Merida being a bottom-tier team. His #6 jersey would be the first retired by the franchise as he gave fans reason to come see a lousy team. In his Mean Green run, he had 1738 hits, 480 home runs, 1111 RBI, 895 runs, 1111 RBI, and 67.0 WAR.

Reyes was traded to Salvador at age 32 for the 1942 season and struggled, posting 1.9 WAR despite still adding 46 home runs and crossing 500 in his career. He left that offseason and went to America, signing with Charlotte. He spent a year and change with the Canaries before getting released in 1944 and heading back to Mexico with Juarez. Reyes played his final three seasons with the Jesters with a slight resurgence in 1945. He retired after the 1946 season at age 37.

The final CABA stats for Reyes: 2098 hits, 1095 runs, 592 home runs, 1356 RBI, a .278/.323/.562 slash and 72.7 WAR. At his peak, Reyes was the best home run hitter in Mexico. He comes up less often among the inner-circle having been stuck with a mediocre Merida franchise and with the non-homer parts of his game being forgettable. Still, he socked a lot of dingers and this earned Reyes a first ballot induction at 83.0%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-13-2023, 05:08 PM

1952 EAB Hall of Fame

The 1952 East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame class had three players inducted, each on their first ballot. SP Seung-Mo Kim was the lone no-doubter, getting the nod nearly unanimously at 99.4%. Joining him were closer Sung-Hyo Lee at 74.3% and SP Takashi Katayanagi at 69.8%. Closer Osamu Kurokawa had a nice debut at 58.3% with two others, SS Jun-Yeong Dang and 2B Sang-U Yoon crossing 50%.

Dropped after his 10^th try on the ballot was SP Ping’an Xie. The lefty from China split his 14 year career between Kobe and Saitama and had a 185-148 record, 2.60 ERA, 3299 strikeouts, and 70.1 WAR. Pretty solid, but he never won any awards and was thought of by many as a “Hall of Very Good” level guy. He peaked at 53.2% on his penultimate attempt on the ballot.

Seung-Mo Kim – Starting Pitcher – Hiroshima Hammerheads – 99.4% First Ballot

Seung-Mo Kim was a 5’9’’, 180 pound left-handed pitcher from Changwon, South Korea. Kim was known for excellent pinpoint control, which allowed him to thrive despite only having 90-92 mph velocity on his fastball. He also had a respectable slider and changeup. Kim was a solid defensive pitcher and good at holding runners. He was signed as an amateur as a teenager with Hiroshima in 1923 and made his debut in 1927.

Kim became a full-time starter in 1928 and was second in Rookie of the Year voting. He was a solid reliable starter for the Hammerheads who had seven seasons of 6+ WAR. In 1938, he won Pitcher of the Year with a league-best 1.75 ERA, 23-7 record, and 7.8 WAR. He also led in ERA in 1935, strikeouts in 1936, and WAR in 1934. Kim took second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1935. In total with Hiroshima, he had a 193-135 record, 2.44 ERA, 3337 strikeouts, and 78.6 WAR. His #4 uniform would get retired as well.

Kim finally got a chance at the postseason at age 32 in 1939 and helped the Hammerheads win the EAB Championship. In his postseason run, he was 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA over 22 innings with 24 strikeouts. Kim was reliable health-wise generally, although he missed most of 1932 with a fractured elbow. In 1941, a torn back muscle put him out most of that season. Worried about his effectiveness and age post-injury, Kim was traded to Kyoto straight up for SS Yoo-Geol Park.

In his one year with the Kamikaze, Kim earned his 200^th career win and 3500^th strikeout. He moved back to Korea at age 36 to join Busan for the 1943 season, fresh off an EAB title. Kim had a career resurgence as in 1944, he led the league in ERA (2.27) with a 7.8 WAR, finishing second in Pitcher of the Year voting. The Blue Jays won the Korean title in both 1943 and 1944 and won the EAB title in 44. With Busan, Kim became the second EAB pitcher to reach 250 career wins and the fourth to 4000 strikeouts. At age 39, he signed with his hometown Changwon to a three-year deal, but only played in 1946 as his productivity fell off and he suffered a partially torn labrum in the summer. Kim retired at age 40.

The final statistics: 261-171, 2.47 ERA, 3994.2 innings, 4294 strikeouts, 575 walks, 409/552 quality starts, and 103.7 WAR. At retirement, he was one of three pitchers to have 100+ career WAR. It’s surprising that he only won Pitcher of the Year once considering his excellent statistics. He did this without having excellent velocity either, a master of pinpoint control and changing speeds. Seung-Mo Kim was an easy first ballot choice at 99.4%.

Sung-Hyo Lee – Closer – Chiba Comets – 74.3% First Ballot

Sung-Hyo Lee was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Seoul, South Korea. He was a fireballer with 99-101 mph velocity on a cutter that he mixed with a curveball. His movement wasn’t anything special and his control was spotty early in his career, but the speed on the cutter earned him plenty of strikeouts and groundballs. Although talented, he was considered by some to lack work ethic and intelligence. He was signed in 1929 as an amateur teenage free agent by Chiba and made his debut for the Comets in 1934 at age 21.

By his second season, Lee was the full-time closer and held that role for his entire EAB run. Chiba was a bottom-tier team, but Lee led Japan in saves twice in his Comets run, finishing second in Reliever of the Year voting in 1935 and 1937. He was traded in summer 1940 to Fukuoka and again finished second in Reliever of the Year voting. After spending 1941 with the Frogs, he signed a three-year deal for the 1942 season with Busan. Lee was second in Reliever of the year in 1942 and third in 1944, but he did finally win the award in 1943.

Although he’s inducted with Chiba as that was his longest tenure, he’s perhaps best known for the three years as the closer with Busan as this was the final part of their dynasty. The Blue Jays won the Korea League all three years Lee was there and took the EAB title in 1942 and 44. He had 13 saves in 21 postseason appearances with a 1.70 ERA over 37 innings and 58 strikeouts, certainly playing an important role. He put up 15 WAR and 113 saves with the Blue Jays, while adding 26.6 WAR and 218 saves in his six and change years with Chiba.

This marked the end of his EAB stats as with World War II ending, he was able to try his hand at Major League Baseball. He spent some time as a closer, but bounced around and had limited success over six seasons. He signed with Portland, was traded to Milwaukee, signed again with Portland, and was traded to Indianapolis. He still would return home to Korea as he played for the South Korean team on their 1947-50 World Baseball Championship squads, posting a 3.00 ERA over 42 innings with 71 strikeouts. Lee retired at age 38.

Over his whole pro career, he had 2.41 ERA, 453 saves, and 48.9 WAR. For just EAB, had ended with 378 saves, a 2.14 ERA, 1613 strikeouts over 1052.1 innings, and 44.2 WAR. He was fourth in EAB saves at retirement despite leaving in his early 30s and might have had a shot as an inner-circle EAB closer had he stayed. Still, even in just a decade of work, Lee earned a first ballot induction at 74.3%.

Takashi Katayanagi – Starting Pitcher – Yokohama Yellow Jackets – 69.8% First Ballot

Takashi Katayanagi was a 5’6’’, 185 pound left-handed pitcher from Fujieda, a small city in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture. His top pitch was a cutter that reached 97-99 mph and was very difficult to hit. He added a respectable slider and changeup to throw batters off balance. Katayanagi was a hard worker and a good defensive pitcher who was excellent at holding runners. He attended nearby Toaki University Junior College and was selected 13^th overall by Yokohama in the 1930 EAB Draft.

He pitched seven innings in 1931 and then was a fairly unsuccessful reliever the next two seasons. He became a regular starter in 1934 and finally hit his stride as an ace-level pitcher in 1935. In 1936 and 1937, he led Japan in ERA and WHIP. He never won Pitcher of the Year in his career, but took third in 1936 and second in 1937, 1940, and 1941. In his time with Yokohama from 1931-39, he was 95-70 with a 2.53 ERA, 1613 strikeouts, and 28.6 WAR. He also tossed a no hitter in 1938 against Kyoto with 11 strikeouts and one walk.

Katayanagi was traded for the 1940 season to Daejeon and after one strong season with the Ducks, left for free agency. Nagoya signed him for six seasons starting in 1941 at age 30. The Nightowls had won the 1940 EAB championship and got to the playoffs in 1941, but fell in the JLCS; Katayanagi’s only playoff experience. Nagoya fell off a bit as did Katayanagi, who was barely replacement level in 1944 at age 33. He spent two more seasons as a rarely used reliever who dealt with injury issues, opting to retire at the end of the 1946 season at age 35.

His final statistics: 173-114, 2.55 ERA, 2646.1 innings, 2785 strikeouts, 471 walks, 253/350 quality starts, and 54.4 WAR. He had about a nine year run as a legitimate ace, but had a relatively short and unremarkable career otherwise by the usual Hall of Fame standards. Of the starters that are in, he’s usually forgotten or pointed out as one of the weakest inductees. Still, the voters decided Katayanagi was not only deserving, but a first ballot selection, making the cut at 69.8%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-14-2023, 04:39 AM

1952 BSA Hall of Fame

LF Carlo Mizurado was the only player inducted in Beisbol Sudamerica’s 1952 Hall of Fame class, getting in on his first try with 76.2% of the vote. SP Rey Parisi barely was short on his fourth go as he was at 65.6%, less than a percent off the 66% threshold. Closer Diego Cabanero was the only other player above 50%. No BSA options were dropped after a 10^th ballot.

Carlo “Bats” Mizuardo – Left Fielder – Sao Paulo Padres – 76.2 First Ballot

Carlo Mizuardo was a 6’0’’, 195 pound left-handed outfielder from Florianopolis, a city on Brazil’s Santa Catarina Island Mizurado was known as a strong contact hitter with good reliable power and very solid baserunning speed. His discipline was at times lacking, as he rarely walked and struck out a decent amount, but he picked up a lot of extra base hits in the very defensive early era of Beisbol Sudamerica. He played primarily in left field, although he made a few starts sporadically in center and right. In left, he was considered an excellent fielder, winning the Gold Glove seven straight seasons from 1936-1942.

After a solid amateur career, Mizurado was taken second overall in the 1932 BSA Draft by Sao Paulo, where he played nearly his entire professional career. He was immediately successful, earning Rookie of the Year in 1933. By 1935, he was a top-tier starter, leading the Southern Cone in WAR at 10.1. He had 10.1 WAR again in 1936 and a career best 11.2 in 1941. His lone MVP season was 1941 where he also led the league in the triple slash (.326/.361/.631), wRC+ (227), home runs (39), doubles (38), and hits (190). He was second in MVP voting in 1935, 1936, third in 1937 and 1939; and won five Silver Sluggers.

The Padres finally found success as a franchise towards the end of Mizurado’s run. They made the playoffs from 1942-45, won the Southern Cone title in 1943 and 44, and took Copa Sudamerica in 1944. A severe hip strain kept him out of the 1943 playoff run and a few knee injuries kept caused him to miss some games, but he finally had a chance to experience team success after a decade with Sao Paulo. The Padres would retire his #13 jersey after he was done. After the 1945 season, the 35-year old Mizurado entered free agency and signed with Belo Horizonte, but stunk it up in his one season with the Hogs, retiring at only age 35.

His final statistics: 2038 hits, 963 runs, 294 doubles, 114 triples, 410 home runs, 1028 RBI, a .284/.319/.529 slash and 92.9 WAR. To contemporary eyes, his totals may seem underwhelming, but he played in an incredibly defensive early era. His stellar defense bumped his WAR and he was actually third on the batter leaderboard at retirement. He became very popular in Sao Paulo as a franchise high point in their early years and deserves a first ballot spot in the HOF, even at only 76.2%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-14-2023, 05:22 PM

1952 World Baseball Championship

The sixth World Baseball Championship was held in 1952 in Caracas, Venezuela. The format was adjusted again slightly with the top two teams from each 10-team division advancing to the next round. There would then be two round robin pools where each team would play the other three twice. The best two teams from each group advanced to a best-of-five semifinal, followed by a best-of-seven championship. This particular format lasted four seasons.

In Division 1, the United States advanced with a 10-1 record, just holding off North Korea by one game. In Division 2, Ecuador took first by going 9-2, two games better than both Peru and Switzerland. The Swiss advanced over the Peruvians on a tiebreaker. In Division 3, Brazil at 9-2 had the top spot with Canada second at 8-3. In Division 4, there was a three-way tie for first between China, Japan, and Mexico. The Chinese and Mexicans moved forward on the tiebreakers, eliminating last year’s runner-up Japan.

In Group A, the United States went unbeaten at 6-0 to advance to the semifinal. Mexico went 4-2 to advance as well, while Switzerland and North Korea both were knocked out at 1-5. In Group B, Canada and China both moved forward with 4-2 records, while Brazil was 3-3 and Ecuador went 1-5.

Both semifinals ended up being 3-0 sweeps as the United States downed Canada and Mexico ousted China. In a rematch of the 1950 championship, the Americans got revenge on the Mexicans, winning the series 4-2. The USA has taken four of the first six world championships.

Earning tournament MVP was American shortstop Tony Bigam. The 26-year old shortstop for Oklahoma City in 26 games had 38 hits, 33 runs, 12 home runs, 27 RBI, and 2.7 WAR. The Best Pitcher went to Mexico’s Javier Solis. The 26-year old reliever for Santiago made nine appearances with 4 saves over 17.1 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts. It would be the peak for the promising young reliever as his career tragically ended the next spring with a torn UCL.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-15-2023, 09:27 AM

1952 in EBF

Year three of the European Baseball Federation had seven of the eight playoff teams from the prior season back in the postseason field. The best record in the Northern Conference went to Stockholm, dominating the North Central Division at 105-57. Paris again won the Northwest Division and Amsterdam took the wild card with the Poodles at 104-58 and the Anacondas at 100-62. The new playoff team was London atop the weak British Isles Division at 87-75. Last year’s division champ Glasgow dropped to fourth at 71-91.

NC MVP went to Birmingham LF August Johnson. The 35-year old Swede led the conference in home runs (61), walks (101), OBP (.421), slugging (.690), OPS (1.110), and WAR (9.8). The Pitcher of the Year went to Oslo’s Cristiano Moreira. A 32-year old righty from Portugal, Moreira led the NC in wins (23) and ERA (1.63) while posting 262 strikeouts and 8.9 WAR.

The Southern Conference defending champ Munich had the best record in all of Europe in 1952, taking the Southeast Division at 111-51. Barcelona and Madrid both advanced again but switched positions with the Bengals first in the Southwest at 103-59 and the Conquistadors one back at 102-60. Lisbon at 94-68 posted a solid effort, but still short of a wild card. The South Central Division went to Milan at 98-64.

Mavericks LF Wolfgang Heinzmann was the SC’s MVP. The 30-year old German led the conference in runs (118), home runs (56), RBI (145), slugging (.655), and OPS (1.040) with 9.2 WAR. Madrid’s Mike “Horseface” Ring was Pitcher of the Year. A 28-year old Australian, Ring was the leader in strikeouts (386) and WAR (10.5) with a 2.55 ERA. Also notable was Belgrade’s Promoz Kucinic becoming the first two-time Reliever of the Year winner. The left-handed Serb had 41 saves and a 1.05 ERA with a 6.1 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs in the Northern Conference, Stockholm swept defending European Champion Amsterdam in three and Paris swept London. In the Southern Conference, Munich defeated Madrid in four and Milan swept Barcelona. The Northern Conference Championship saw Paris sweep Stockholm 4-0 and the Southern Conference Championship had Munich down Milan in five, sending the Mavericks to back-to-back European Championships. The third finale went all seven for the first time with the home team winning each game. That favored the Mavericks over the Poodles, sending the title to Germany for the first time.

Other notes: The first EBF perfect game occurred on May 1 via London’s Zdenek Plsek. He struck out 16 in a masterful performance against Glasgowi

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-15-2023, 03:21 PM

1952 in BSA

A competitive Bolivar League North Division in 1952 saw Maracaibo on top at 94-68, their first playoff appearance in a decade. They held off defending champ Bogota by two games and Medellin by five. In the South Division, Cali extended its playoff streak to six seasons. The Cyclones finished 88-74, seven games better than second place Guayaquil.

Callao LF Ynilo Zapata was the Bolivar League MVP in a remarkable rookie season. The 14^th overall pick in 1950 by the Cats, the left-handed Peruvian led in home runs (53), slugging (.681), OPS (1.077), wRC+ (211), and WAR (8.6). Pitcher of the Year went to Medellin’s Ramon Olguin. The 27-year old Argentinian posted a league-best 10.1 WAR with a 21-10 record, 1.95 ERA, and 331 strikeouts over 286.1 innings.

The best record in Liga Cono Sur went to Belo Horizonte for their fifth playoff appearance in seven seasons. The Hogs claimed a strong Brazil Division with a 103-59 record, beating out Fortaleza (96-66) and Brasilia (95-67). Santiago won the South Division at 93-69, edging defending Copa Sudamerica champ Cordoba at 89-73 and Buenos Aires at 88-74.

League MVP went to Rio de Janeiro RF Silvinho Carreira. The 30-year old was the leader in home runs (52) and RBI (127) with a .611 slugging and 8.0 WAR. Buenos Aires ace Rolando Salva won his second Pitcher of the Year, having also taken it in 1948. The 32-year from Paraguay was the league leader in strikeouts (350), adding 6.8 WAR and a 2.14 ERA with a 20-8 record.

Cali won the Bolivar League Championship Series for the fourth time in five seasons as they downed Maracaibo in five games. Belo Horizonte made it three Southern Cone titles in five years by edging Santiago in seven games, the first time since 1946 that the Southern Cone final went seven. In the third Copa Sudamerica meeting between the Hogs and Cylcones, Belo Horizonte won yet again, getting their third title with a 4-2 series victory. Cali is the bridesmaid again, 0-4 in Copa Sudamerica in the last five years.

Other notes: Sao Paulo’s Amadeus Ribeiro became the third BSA player to 500 career home runs. He and Nando Gaspar both crossed 1000 RBI as well. Alexandre Bentivoglio crossed 4000 strikeouts and passing 200 wins were Alonzo Guzman and Barry Hernandez. Jamie Escoto won his 12^th Gold Glove at shortstop, the first BSA player to win 12. Meanwhile, Diego Pena expanded his Silver Slugger record to 14.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-16-2023, 08:11 AM

1952 in EAB

For the first time in franchise history, Chiba picked up a playoff appearance, leaving Sendai as the only East Asia Baseball team without a single playoff berth over 32 years. The Comets took first in the North Division at 101-61 in a competitive field. The Samurai and Yokohama tied for second at 94-68, followed by defending EAB champ Sapporo at 92-70 and Tokyo at 91-71. In a weaker South Division, it was a two team race. Kyoto took it at 87-75, edging Kitakyushu by one game. It is only the second playoff berth for the Kamikaze, who made it in 1938.

Although Fukuoka struggled, RF Takashi Ishihara won his fourth Japan League MVP, his first since 1948. The 32-year old lefty was the league leader in home runs (52), RBI (117), slugging (.637), and wRC+ (193). Veteran pitcher Kiyomasu Nakano won Pitcher of the Year at age 35. A free agent who would spend just this season with Chiba, he posted a league-best 1.70 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 13.3 K/BB and 59 FIP-; all career bests by far.

Seongnam had the best record in the Korea League at 104-58, their first North Division title since 1940. Defending league champ Seoul finished second at 92-70 with Incheon at 91-71. In the South Division, Daegu earned back-to-back division titles with an 89-73 overall mark.

Hamhung RF Young-Hwan Sha won his first MVP in what would become an all-time great career. The 24-year old lead the league in runs (127), home runs (56), RBI (124), walks (83), OBP (.397), slugging (.674), OPS (1.070), wRC+ (177) and WAR (7.0). Daegu’s Young-Hwon Shin earned EAB’s sixth pitcher Triple Crown and the first since 1940. The 24-year old had a 21-6 record, 2.08 ERA, and 380 strikeouts, also leading in WHIP (0.91), quality starts (25), and WAR (11.8).

The Japan League Championship Series was guaranteed a first time champion in 1952. Chiba swept Kyoto, while Daegu swept Seongnam in the Korea final for the Diamondbacks’ third league title and first since 1941. They would not secure their first EAB Championship as the Comets claimed the title in five games.

Other notes: The legendary Byung-Oh Tan crossed 700 home runs in his penultimate season, the first to do so. Both Ju-Han Choi and Se-Yeon Kim passed 200 career wins.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-16-2023, 01:23 PM

1952 in CABA

Two-time defending Mexican League champ Mexicali won the North Division for the fourth straight season in 1952. The Maroons ended at 97-65, six games ahead of Monterrey and nine over Hermosillo. Puebla picked up the South Division at 103-59, the only team in the division with a winning record. Last year’s division champ Ecatepec fell to 77 wins.

League MVP went to Mexico City’s Emmanuel Lopez, who won Rookie of the Year the prior season. The 23-year old CF would be the next megastar for the Aztecs in the vein of Kiko Velazquez. In 1952, he led Mexico in hits (209), triples (21), average (.346), OBP (.392), and WAR (10.2). Mexicali’s Rolando Pena won his third Pitcher of the Year in four seasons. The 30-year old ace led the league in WAR at 7.8, going 17-10 with a 2.30 ERA and 268 strikeouts.

The Caribbean Island Division came down to a one-game tiebreaker after Santiago and Puerto Rico both finished at 96-66. The defending CABA champ Sailfish prevailed to advance on and continue their repeat bid. Nicaragua meanwhile firmly claimed the Continental Division at 97-65. The Navigators made it three straight division titles.

Leading Santiago with his first MVP was LF Lorenzo Rodriguez. At only age 23 in his first full-time season, the Cuban lefty led the Caribbean in runs (112), hits (200), doubles (36), RBI (115), average (.328), slugging (.614), OPS (.973) and wRC+ (184). Edgar Andunvar won his fourth Pitcher of the Year in five seasons. Guatemala traded their former ace to Nicaragua, where he’d spend one season before signing with Havana. His one season as a Navigator was impactful, leading in ERA (1.96) and wins (23-7) with 264 strikeouts, 29 quality starts, and 8.8 WAR.

The Mexican League Championship Series was a seven game thriller with Mexicali edging Puebla in seven, giving the Maroons three straight league titles. Mexicali joins 1916-19 Tijuana as the only Mexican dynasties to win three straight. Santiago made it back-to-back in the Caribbean by beating Nicaragua in six, giving the Navigators a third straight defeat. The 1952 CABA Championship was a rematch and was more competitive than the prior season’s sweep. The end result was the same as Santiago downed Mexicali 4-2. For the Sailfish, it is their fourth overall title.

Other notes: Emmanuel Zavala became the first CABA batter to 3000 career hits. It was his final season and he only started 42 games, but it got him to 3044 total over an illustrious career. He would only remain the all-time leader until getting passed in 1958 by Prometheo Garcia. At retirement, Zavala’s 131.3 career WAR is second among hitters only to Kiko Velazquez and third among all CABA players. Elsewhere, Se-Hyeon Kim became the sixth CABA hitter to 1500 RBI.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-17-2023, 06:10 AM

1952 in MLB

For the prior 51 seasons in Major League Baseball, the playoff structure had been the same with the league champions and second place finishers advancing; only eight total teams out of 48. Many leaders in league felt a postseason expansion would be lucrative and entertaining, while allowing other very good teams a chance to compete for the title. Thus, with the 1952 season, the playoff setup changed to a format that would remain until the second round of expansion teams in 2021.

The new format would have 16 total teams; eight from each Association. The league champions would earn a bye, while there would be four wild cards. Unlike the previous format where the second place team from both leagues advances, the wild cards would simply be the top four records of non-champs. Therefore, all four could be from the same league (and in fact this would happen in 1952 with all four wild cards going to Western League teams over the Southern League).

The first round would be best-of-threes with the higher seeded wild card hosting all three. Round two would keep the format held previously by round one with a best-of-five hosted entirely by the league champ. The Association Championships and World Series remain best-of-seven two-three-two.

Defending World Series champ Montreal improved their record and claimed the Eastern League title for the third time in four seasons. At 109-53, the Maples had the best mark in all of MLB. Chicago also won a third title in four years over in the Midwest League with a first place 99-63. Last year’s ML champ Indianapolis was second at 96-66, taking the first wild card. EL #2 Philadelphia was the second wild card at 92-70. Columbus at 90-72 and Baltimore at 89-73 were the other qualifiers, just beating out both Boston and Louisville at 87-75, Milwaukee at 86-76, and Hartford at 85-77. The Phillies are in for the second time in three years, the Orioles for the first time since 1942, and the Chargers for the fifth time in six seasons.

Baltimore CF Adam Lewis won his first National Association MVP. Lewis led the NA in WAR (10.0) and runs (116) while adding 216 hits, a .353 average, and 31 home runs. He earned the honor despite a record tying season from Milwaukee’s L.J. Shabazz, who tied the single-season home run record of 62 previously hit in 1949 by Sebastian Lunde. 62 would remain the record until 2001. Montreal’s Oliver Guerra won back-to-back Pitcher of the Years with a stellar 11.2 WAR, 299 strikeouts, and 2.03 ERA. Sadly for the 28-year old from Spain, a torn UCL next season would derail a career that hat tremendous potential.

In the wild card round, Columbus beat Philadelphia 2-0 and Indianapolis topped Baltimore 2-1. In round two, Montreal survived in five against Columbus, while Indianapolis upset league rival Chicago in four. The repeat beat for the Maples was foiled by the Racers with the National Association Championship Series going to Indianapolis in six. It is the third NA title for Indy, joining the 1931 and 1936 campaigns.

At 100-62, Houston won their second straight Southern League title. San Antonio was second at 89-73, but that no longer guarantees a playoff spot. They’d be five games out of the last wild card spot, with all four going to the Western League. Albuquerque took first in the WL at 107-55, fending off Las Vegas at 103-59. The Vipers earned a third straight playoff berth. San Diego and San Francisco both finished 99-63 to qualify in the expanded field. Last year’s American Association champ Phoenix took the final wild card at 94-68.

Although Tampa was seventh in the Southern League, they had the league MVP in 25-year old 1B Martin Medina. The Panamanian slugger led the NA in runs (123), homers (54), and OBP (.401). San Diego ace Spenser Emond won his second Pitcher of the Year award four years apart. He was the leader in wins (21), innings (293), quality starts (29) and WAR (10.1), adding a 2.43 ERA and 263 strikeouts.

The first round saw San Francisco beat San Diego in three games and Las Vegas topping Phoenix in three. In round two, Houston outlasted the Vipers in five games while Albuquerque swept the Gold Rush in three. Despite the playoff field being five Western teams and one Southern, the American Association Championship Series would go to the South. The Hornets dropped the Isotopes in five games, giving Houston its record ninth AA title; but first since 1922. They added their first World Series ring in 30 years by defeating Indianapolis in six games. The Hornets now have seven MLB titles, tied with Philadelphia for the most.

Other notes: Rajpaul Intarawut of Boston threw MLB’s eighth perfect game on April 27 against Brooklyn. He struck out 15 in the win, setting an MLB record for most Ks in a perfect game and tying the mark for most in any no-hitter. In milestone news, Wei-ju Wwang, Jack McCoy, and Cash Watson all crossed 3000 hits, putting 26 players at the threshold. McCoy also made it to 1500 RBI. Jason Morrissey became the 19^th pitcher to 250 wins. Alfredo Ruiz made it to 3000 strikeouts.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-17-2023, 04:24 PM

1953 MLB Hall of Fame

For the third straight season, the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame was a loaded four-person class. All four in the 1953 class were first ballot picks above 84% with two inner-circle level guys. 3B Caleb Yang had 99.1% and 1B Blake Wynn had 96.3% as no doubters. Closer Rovaldis Arvelo at 85.9% and LF Ethan Ayala at 84.2% both got in with very firm numbers as well. CF Luke Murray wasn’t too far off the 66% threshold at 60.3% on his second attempt. SP Andy Cowan and C Hernan Ortega both were above 50% as well. No players were 10^th ballot drops in 1953.

Caleb “Graveyard” Yang – Third Baseman – Baltimore Orioles – 99.1% First Ballot

Caleb Yang was a 5’10’’, 175 pound right-handed third baseman from Sint Nicolas in southeast Aruba. The first Aruban member of the MLB Hall of Fame, Yang was an excellent all-around hitter with stellar contact ability and reliably solid power despite his small frame. He wasn’t anything notable at drawing walks, but didn’t strikeout a ton. Yang was an average baserunner and generally an above average to good defender at third base, where he spent almost his entire career. He won one Gold Glove in 1935 and was considered a “sparkplug” throughout his run.

With the first three rounds of the MLB Draft limited to American and Canadian players on a regional basis, Yang wasn’t selected until the fourth round in the 1927 MLB Draft. But he was considered by many as the top prospect, having won college player of the year in both 1926 and 1927 with Miami; only the third player to win the award multiple seasons. Indianapolis had the first pick of the fourth round and scooped up Yang. He made his debut in 1928 and only played just over half the season on the big club, but he posted a 5.6 WAR season in just 88 starts and still finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. Some small injuries knocked him out for about a month of his first few seasons, but he still won Silver Sluggers with Indianapolis in 1930, 32, 33, and 35. In 1931 and 1932, the Racers had two sneaky good seasons after struggling previously. Yang established himself as a playoff performer, picking up eight home runs, 21 hits, and 18 RBI in their 1931 run that saw the franchise’s first National Association title.

In 1932, Yang was second in MVP voting with a batting title (.368), 1.092 OPS, and 9.9 WAR. In 1933, he won what would ultimately be his only MVP with a NA best 10.1 WAR, 51 home runs, and 142 RBI. In 1935, he was second in voting despite career bests in 11.2 WAR, 214 hits, and 113 runs. In total with Indy, Yang had 1341 hits, 734 runs, 266 home runs, 772 RBI, a .338 average, and 59.1 WAR. Despite that, Indianapolis wasn’t even his signature run, although his overall stats in the Circle City were comparable to his noted Baltimore run.

Yang left Indianapolis for free agency and signed an eight-year, $204,600 deal with the Orioles starting with the 1936 season. The now 29-year old Yang would play all eight years of that deal, winning four more Silver Sluggers (1936, 39, 40, 42). He was second in MVP voting in both 39 and 42, posting 9.7 and 9.6 WAR in those years, respectively. 1942 was especially impressive since he did it in only 126 starts. 1939 is the run Baltimore fans remember most fondly, as the team made it the World Series and won it all for only the second time. In the postseason, Yang had 19 hits, 11 runs, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI and earned NACS MVP. In total with the Orioles, he had 1372 hits, 795 runs, 291 home runs, 809 RBI, and 59.4 WAR. His #41 uniform would get retired by the team as well.

With his contract up at age 37, Yang signed a two-year deal with St. Louis. Injuries put him out a good chunk of the first year and his production dropped well below his prior standards. Yang signed for his final two seasons with Denver, where he crossed the 600 home run and 3000 hit thresholds. After going unsigned in 1948, Yang retired at age 41.

The final statistics: 3208 hits, 1772 runs, 456 doubles, 108 triples, 625 home runs, 1831 RBI, a .320/.363/.574 slash and 127.5 WAR. At retirement, his WAR was second best in MLB among all hitters and as of 2036 is ninth best all time and first for any 3B. He’s almost always the first name suggested when discussing the all-time greatest third baseman in MLB history. Beloved back in his home of Aruba and by MLB fans alike, Yang was truly an inner-circle level Hall of Famer and the star in a loaded 1953 group.

Blake Wynn – First Baseman – Boston Red Sox – 96.3% First Ballot

Blake Wynn was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed batting first baseman from Revere, Massachusetts; just outside of Boston. Wynn was a good contact and power hitter, reliably hitting around .300 and 35+ home runs each season. Despite his power, he very rarely walked, but didn’t strike out much either. He was a very slow baserunner, but was stellar with the glove at first and is considered by many to be the GOAT defender at 1B. He picked up 12 Gold Gloves in his career and his career ZR at first is 122.5; the highest mark of any MLB 1B. Wynn was a sparkplug and an ironman, making him one of the most popular players of his era.

Wynn played college baseball for East Carolina and was selected 14^th overall in the 1931 MLB Draft by his hometown Boston Red Sox. He spent 1932 in the minors, debuting in 1933 with a Rookie of the Year season with 6.5 WAR and 37 home runs. He was the model of consistency over nine season with the Red Sox, hitting 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI each season with around 5.5 WAR per year. He was one of the only reasons to go to Fenway in the 1930s, as Boston was consistently a bottom tier team.

1940 was Wynn’s signature season and the only time he got to play in the postseason with the Red Sox, who fell in the NACS. Wynn won his lone MVP with 59 home runs; at the time, second only to Elijah Cashman’s’ 61 for the single season record. His 171 RBI was second only to Aitor Cerda’s 175 and would remain the second most in a season until 2036. He also led the National Association in runs (119), slugging (.645) and WAR (8.5). The next year, he finished third in MVP voting with 46 home runs and 132 RBI. In total with the Red Sox, Wynn had 1747 hits, 839 runs, 369 HRs, 1129 RBI, a .313 average, and 54.7 WAR. Unsurprisingly, his #43 was the first number retired in Boston and he remained a beloved figure for decades afterward.

At age 31 in 1942, Wynn left for free agency and signed a six-year deal with Minneapolis, more than doubling his yearly salary. He continued to put up the same reliable production in his first years with the Moose, leading the NA in home runs with 50 in 1943 and 58 in 1945. The latter year he finished third in MVP voting and got his second Silver Slugger, a low number thanks to a loaded group at the position. Minneapolis made the playoffs in 1944 and 45, but Wynn never had a chance to play in the World Series. Age saw his production decline in his final two seasons with the Moose and he retired at age 37.

The final statistics: 2774 hits, 1327 runs, 404 doubles, 604 home runs, 1822 RBI, a .298/.322/.543 slash and 80.8 WAR. A steady performer for 15 years, an elite defender, and one of the top homer hitters of his era. It is easy to see why Wynn was extremely popular and why he earned first ballot induction at 96.3%.

Rovaldis “Cats” Arvelo – Closer – Milwaukee Mustangs – 85.9% First Ballot

Rovaldis Arvelo was a 5’10’’, 180 pound right-handed closer from Guadalajara, Mexico. He was an all-time hard thrower with regular 99-101 mph velocity on a cut fastball that was often unhittable. His only other pitch was a solid changeup, which he sprinkled in with good movement and control overall.

Arvelo came to America for college and played for Ball State. Although his limited repertoire made him a reliever in the pros, he was an elite starter in college and won Pitcher of the Year in 1926 as a sophomore. With the regional rounds limiting the first three to American and Canadian players, Arvelo ended up picked in the fourth round, 159^th overall in 1927. He was picked by New Orleans with the fifth pick of the round. Arvelo split time between closer and setup for the struggling Mudcats in his early career, putting up 89 saves, a 2.55 ERA, and 8.6 WAR in his 4.5 seasons in the Bayou.

Arvelo’s signature run began in the summer of 1932 when New Orleans traded him to Milwaukee for three players. With the Mustangs, he became an elite reliever, leading the National Association in saves five straight years from 1933-37. He won Reliever of the Year in 1934, 35, and 36, then finished third for the award in 37, 38, and 39. For about a 7-8 year stretch, Milwaukee reliably knew they were in great hands when they went to the pen.

The Mustangs made the playoffs five times in Arvelo’s run, getting to the NACS in 1933, 34, and 35. In 34 and 35, they won the association title, falling in the World Series in both years. Arvelo was an excellent postseason pitcher, finishing with a 1.62 ERA and seven saves over 33.1 innings with 45 strikeouts. In the regular season with the Mustangs, Arvelo had 309 saves, a 2.11 ERA over 690 innings, 929 strikeouts, and 35.4 WAR.

In spring 1940, Arvelo suffered a torn rotator cuff that put him out a near calendar year. He came back in 1941 at age 34, but struggled and lost the closer role. Milwaukee wouldn’t re-sign him at the end of the year, but his #90 uniform would be one of two retired by the Mustangs for his great run and role in their 1930s success.

Arvelo signed with Ottawa for 1942 In a limited role, then spent three seasons with Houston. He briefly reclaimed the magic in 1943, earning his 400^th save as a Hornet. He was only the second to pass the mark and became the all-time leader shortly after, passing Jim Klattenburger’s 401. Houston stopped using him by 1945, although he had another brief spurt of success in 1946 with Las Vegas. After one last year in 1947 for Pittsburgh, Arvelo retired at age 41.

The final statistics: 2.26 ERA, 438 saves, 1170 innings, 1430 strikeouts, 285 walks, 536 shutdowns, and 51.5 WAR. At the time, he was the WARlord for relivers and would be one of a select few at 50+. Rodrick Wisdom would pass him by three for the saves mark in the next decade and he’d be in the all-time best reliever conversation until Carson Hanford’s 1960s-70s domination. As of 2036, he’s one of only four MLB closers with 400+ saves and was the premier reliever of the 1930s, earning Arvelo a first ballot induction at 85.9%.

Ethan Ayala – Left/Right Field – Calgary Cheetahs - 84.2% First Ballot

Ethan Ayala was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed corner outfielder from the small communities of Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland. Ayala was an excellent contact hitter and solid baserunner. He had reliable gap and home run power, good for around 30 doubles and 25-30 home runs per year on average. He didn’t draw many walks, but was solid at avoiding strikeouts. He was a corner outfielder who split his defensive career almost 50/50 between left and right field. He was generally considered a below average defender at both spots. Ayala was a hard worker and a fan favorite, extremely popular in each of his stops.

Ayala played his college baseball for South Carolina and went back home to Maryland in the 1930 MLB Draft, picked 29^th overall by Baltimore. He spent all of 1931 in minor league Annapolis, where we won a league MVP. He was called up in 1932 and had a solid rookie year, although a foot injury put him out for a good chunk. His second season was statistically the best of his career, leading the National Association in hits (225) and runs (133) with a .358 average and 8.3 WAR. He finished second in MVP voting and won his first Silver Slugger. He’d win it again in 1934 and 1937 with the Orioles, finishing in six seasons there with 1135 hits, 630 runs, 187 home runs, and 35.6 WAR.

He’d have the most WAR with Baltimore, but he’d go into the Hall and be most associated with his second stop. The Orioles traded the now 27-year old Ayala to Calgary for the 1938 season. Ayala spent eight seasons with the Cheetahs, winning one Silver Slugger in 1939 and finishing second in MVP voting in 1939 and third in 1940. He’d be integral in Calgary winning the American Association title in1 940, taking AACS MVP. They fell in the World Series, but he had 26 hits, 14 runs, and 15 RBI over the postseason. With the Cheetahs, he had 1489 hits, 779 runs, 193 homers, and 30.2 WAR. Despite the short run, he made enough of an impact for Calgary to retire his #6 jersey.

Ayala left for free agency and stayed in Canada, joining Vancouver for the 1946 season at age 35. Various injuries put him out more than half of his first year, then year two he had very limited value. Still, he was able to cross 400 career home runs and 1500 runs in his final season with the Volcanoes. He hoped to catch on somewhere in 1948 but after going unsigned, Ayala retired at age 38.

The final statistics: 2820 hits, 1512 runs, 451 doubles, 410 home runs, 1367 RBI, a .320/.358/.538 slash, and 67.1 WAR. Compared to some of the other recent inductees, he’s on the weaker side of the inductees. But Ayala was a solid popular presence in the outfield for 16 seasons, earning him a first ballot nod in 1953 at 84.2%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 04-18-2023, 06:38 AM

1953 CABA Hall of Fame

For the first time in the history of the Central American Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame, four players were inducted in one class. In the 1953 edition, 3B Jonny Lucero and SP Ward Wellman were no doubter first ballot guys at 98.3% and 94.6%, respectively. SP Hugo Aguilar made it at 73.5% on his third ballot, while C Chip Perez on his first go received 70.8%. No one else was above 50%.

Two players were dropped after their 10^th attempt at the HOF. SP Sebastian Fernandez had a 15-year career with a 191-170 record, 3.28 ERA, 3183 strikeouts, and 60.5 WAR with Haiti and five other teams. Solid, but generally a “Hall of Very Good” level guy who peaked at 31.1% on his first ballot. Another SP, Livingstone Dixon in a 10-year CABA run mostly with Santiago had a 146-88 record, 2.97 ERA, 2324 strikeouts and 54.1 WAR. A good decade, but not enough longevity or dominance to get in. He peaked at 29.6% on his debut.

Jonny “Worm” Lucero – Third Base/Shortstop – Haiti Herons – 98.3% First Ballot

Jonny Lucero was a 6’0’’, 205 pound switch-hitting infielder from Luquillo, a small northeastern coastal town in Puerto Rico. Lucero was an elite CABA hitter with great contact ability and home run power. He was excellent at drawing walks, leading the league in walks and OBP five times. Still, he struck out more than most and was at his quickest, a slightly below average baserunner. Lucero made about 2/3 of his career starts at third base and the other 1/3 at shortstop. He was generally viewed as around average defensively at 3B and below average at SS. Lucero was also a team captain and leader, well-liked by teammates and fans alike.

After amateur success in his native Puerto Rico, Lucero was picked seventh overall in the 1924 CABA Draft by Haiti. He immediately was a star, posting 7.2 WAR and earning Rookie of the Year, his first of 11 Silver Sluggers, and a second place MVP voting finish. The next year was his first MVP and a career best at 10.6 WAR. Lucero went on to win six MVPs, also taking it in 1927, 1929, 1930, 1932, and 1935. He led the Caribbean League in WAR five times, homes twice, runs twice, RBI once, and OPS four times.

Haiti was a lower-tier franchise for Lucero’s best years despite his efforts, but began to find success finally at the end of the 1930s. In 1937 and 1938, they won their first Caribbean League titles and in 1938, won the CABA Championship with Lucero earning series MVP. In that postseason, he had 21 hits, 11 runs, 3 home runs, and 11 RBI. His final Haiti stats were 2052 hits, 1138 runs, 494 home runs, 1237 RBI, a .297 average, and 103.1 WAR. His #43 uniform was retired, the first for the franchise.

After winning the CABA title at age 35, Lucero decided it was time to leave CABA as he left for the United States and signed with Miami. Back injuries put him out more than half of the year and he was done after season as a Mallard. Lucero went to Charlotte next for two seasons, then spent 1942 in Minneapolis. The Moose traded him to Hartford for 1943, followed by a free agent signing for 1944 with Montreal and for Memphis in 1945. He was never MVP level, but was still a solid starter when healthy, posting 23.5 WAR, 735 hits, 194 home runs, and 473 runs over his seven MLB seasons. Now in his 40s, he returned to CABA at age 43 with Monterrey for the 1946 season and Santo Domingo in 1947. He was able to get his 500^th career homer with the Matadors. A torn Achilles ended his 1947 and Lucero retired in the offseason at the age of 45.

For his entire professional career, he had 700 home runs, 128.7 WAR, 2852 hits, 1637 runs, and 1809 RBI. In CABA specifically, Lucero had 2098 hits, 1164 runs, 311 doubles, 506 home runs, 1271 RBI, 851 walks, a .296/.370/.571, and 105.2 WAR. At retirement, he was one of four CABA hitters with 100+ career WAR. Few hitters in the world were better than Lucero over his impressive 20+ year career and he’s an obvious first ballot choice at 98.3%.

Ward Wellman –Starting Pitcher – Mexico City Aztecs - 94.6% First Ballot

Ward Wellman was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from San Francisco, California. At his peak, Wellman had 96-98 mph velocity and was known for excellent control and solid movement. He had a six pitch arsenal with a fastball, slider, curveball, changeup, knuckle curve, and splitter with the slider usually cited as the best pitch. Wellman was also considered a solid defensive pitcher and as a very durable and reliable player.

Wellman had a very unlikely path to being a CABA Hall of Famer. He attended Valley Christian High School in San Jose and was a rare high schooler picked in the MLB Draft, picked in the fourth round (185^th overall) by Ottawa in the 1928 draft. He struggled in the minor leagues, getting traded in summer 1931 to Brooklyn’s minor league. The Dodgers cut him after spring training 1932, followed by a two-day stint in Baltimore’s organization.

From there, he went south to Mexico City in late spring 1932 and was an alright reliever for the rest of that season. He was a decent starter in 1933 for the Aztecs, then it finally all clicked for him starting in 1934. For the next decade or so, he became an ace for Mexico City with 12 5+ WAR seasons and eight seasons at 6+ WAR. In 1936, he won the Pitcher of the Year, leading Mexico with a 1.72 ERA and 8.6 WAR. He won it again at age 34 in 1944. He was third in 1937 and second in 1945.

The Aztecs would become a dynasty in the 1930s and Wellman was a big part of that run. Mexico City won the Mexican League in 1934, 36, 40, and 45; and won the overall CABA title in 34, 36, and 45. In 17 postseason starts, Wellman was 10-4 with a 3.00 ERA over 114 innings with 103 strikeouts, only 14 walks, and 2.6 WAR. In 1945, he won the MLCS MVP and was seeing some of his best stats in his mid 30s. His #15 uniform would be retired after his career was over.

Wellman decided to return to the United States and give MLB another shot. With his CABA resume, Las Vegas gave the 37-year old Wellman a two-year deal. He wasn’t elite by any stretch, but was able to keep a spot in a rotation over five MLB seasons. He was with Las Vegas in 1947-48, Oakland in 1949, Cincinnati in 1950, and Oakland once more in 1951. In 1952, he was set to pitch for Cleveland, but a torn rotator cuff in spring training would end his career.

For his entire pro career, Wellman had a 299-180 record, 3.03 ERA, and 99.0 WAR. For his CABA run, he had a 247-126 record, 2.66 ERA, 3441 innings, 3356 strikeouts, 469 walks, 351 quality starts, and 88.4 WAR. He was able to become a legit ace for a decade and was the lead pitcher during Mexico City’s 1930s dynasty. Thus, Wellman deserves the first ballot induction he received at 94.6%.

Hugo Aguilar – Starting Pitcher – Tijuana Toros – 73.5% Third Ballot

Hugo Aguilar was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Victoria, a city in the northeastern Mexican city of Tamaulipas. Aguilar had 97-99 mph velocity and an impressive five-pitch arsenal led by a strong fastball. He added a curveball, forkball, changeup, and splitter and boasted respectable movement and control. Aguilar was also a good defensive pitcher, winning two Gold Gloves and was also known as a hard worker,

Aguilar was a highly sought-out prospect and would be picked first overall in the 1932 CABA Draft by Chihuahua. The Warriors were an abysmal franchise in the 1930s and Aguilar led the league in losses his first two seasons, but would start to show some promise. Before the 1937 season, Aguilar was traded to Tijuana for three prospects. This would be his most known run, playing six seasons with the Toros.

Aguilar finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting three straight seasons from 1938-40. He was one of the few redeeming parts for a struggling franchise, They finally ended a nearly two-decade playoff drought in 1940, but were one and done. Aguilar struggled in his one career postseason start, allowing five runs in three innings. He left for Haiti in free agency at age 33 for the 1943 season. He spent three seasons with the Herons, retiring after the 1945 campaign.

The final stats for Aguilar: 184-187, 3.01 ERA, 3422 innings, 3177 strikeouts, 698 walks, 281 quality starts, 136 complete games, and 63.9 WAR. He’d be the first and only starter in the CABA HOF with a losing record, although his lack of run support could be blamed for a lot of that. Despite that, there were enough voters who liked him and thought his resume was still solid enough. He barely missed the cut in his first two ballots and got over the hump at 73.5% on his third attempt. Aguilar isn’t at the top of the Hall of Fame leaderboards, but he’s in.

Chip Perez – Catcher – Juarez Jesters – 70.8% First Ballot

Chip Perez was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed catcher from San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a hitter, Perez had solid contact ability and strong pop in his bat. He was excellent at hitting doubles despite his slow speed and a reliable 20+ home run guy in his peak. He was okay at drawing walks and had some trouble with strike outs. At a very difficult position physically, he was a reliable 120-130 game starter for most of his run. Defensively, he was also considered elite, winning five Gold Gloves. A hard working intelligent guy, Perez was a fan favorite in his career.

Perez was signed as an amateur free agent by Juarez in 1925, making his professional debut at age 20 in 1929. Starting in 1931, he’d be the Jesters’ full-time starting catcher through 1944. He was consistently the best hitting catcher in Mexico, winning the Silver Slugger 11 times along with his five Gold Gloves. In 1931, he finished third in league MVP voting and in 1936, he finished second. He was a consistent all-star selection and twice was all-star game MVP. Apart from a fractured knee in 1938 and torn abdominal in 1944, he was consistently in the lineup, making 1748 starts with the Jesters. With Juarez, Perez had 2012 hits, 948 runs, 289 home runs, 966 RBI, and 90.4 WAR. He only got to play in the postseason four seasons and the Jesters never claimed a league title.

Perez returned home in 1945 as he was traded Puerto Rico at age 36. His home-country Pelicans were fresh off the CABA Championship and made it back in 1945, falling in the final to Mexico City. Still, Perez finally was able to play in the championship, getting 12 hits in the postseason. His production starting falling and he was moved to the bench for much of 1946 and 1947. Perez retired after the 1947 season at age 39.

His final statistics: 2220 hits, 1048 runs, 476 doubles, 319 home runs, 1102 RBI, a .279/.332/.475 slash and 93.9 WAR. Solid numbers at any position, but especially at the underappreciated catcher spot. His 93.9 WAR is first all-time among CABA catchers and he was rightfully elected on the first ballot, even at a surprisingly low 70.8%.

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

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