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

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1957 World Baseball Championship

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The 1957 World Baseball Championship was held in Guadalajara, Mexico. The United States took Division 1 with a 6-1 record, finishing one game ahead of France and Hungary. Italy advanced went a 7-0 run in Division 2, one game ahead of an upstart Uzbekistan. Canada claimed Division 3 at 6-1, one better than England. Division 4 went to Romania at 6-1, who were a game better than the Czech Republic. D5 went to the Netherlands at 6-1 with Mexico, Ecuador, and Paraguay all one game behind. Poland picked up D6 at 6-1, one better than Brazil and Haiti. Division 7 saw Argentina take it at 5-2, who edged out defending champ Russia, Peru, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. And in D8, there was a three-way tie for first at 5-2. Switzerland advanced to the Round Robin with the tiebreaker over both Chile and Colombia.

In the Double Round Robin Group A, Canada took the top mark at 5-1, advancing along with 3-3 Italy. The Swiss and Poles both were eliminated at 2-4. In Group B, the Americans prevailed at 4-2. Romania and Argentina tied for second at 3-3 with the tiebreaker going to the Romanians. The Dutch were last at 2-4.

For Romania, it was their first-ever semifinal appearance and they gave Canada a challenge, but the Canadians prevailed in seven games to advance to their fifth championship appearance. On the other side, Italy made their second semifinal appearance, but the powerhouse USA moved forward in six games. The World Championship saw the Americans against the Canadians for the fourth time. The US won the series 4-1, giving the Americans their sixth world title in the WBC’s first 11 editions.





Both the tournament MVP and Best Pitcher went to Americans. MVP was 24-year old 3B Steven Mautner of Tampa. In his first tournament appearance, Mautner in 22 starts had 29 hits, 14 runs, 5 doubles, 3 home runs, and 13 RBI with a .349/.432/.542 slash.

32-year old Oakland closer Nick Hedrick was the Best Pitcher winner. He was used as a starter and excelled with a 5-0 record in seven starts, 55.1 innings, a 0.65 ERA, 109 strikeouts, and a stellar 4.7 WAR. The WAR and strikeout tallies were both tournament records that still hold even as of 2037 and through expanded tournament formats in later years. Hedrick had a record-setting 25 strikeout game against Norway in nine innings early on.

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1957 in EPB



Defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champion Minsk set a league record with a 123-39 mark atop the European League North Division. This beats Warsaw’s 122 wins in the 1955 debut season and stands as the winningest season in EPB history decades later. Kyiv took the South Division for the second straight season with a 109-53 record. Wild cards went to Warsaw at 104-58 and Bucharest at 97-65. The Wildcats are in the playoffs for the second time in three years and the Broncos have made it three straight.

League MVP went to Miners LF Eldar Vdovichenko. The 25-year old Russian led the European League in runs (122), hits (208), stolen bases (88), average (.339), slugging (.611), OPS (.997), wRC+ (176),and WAR (9.6). Pitcher of the Year went to Warsaw’s Alexandru Spinu. The 28-year old left-handed Moldovan was the league leader in innings (281.1), strikeouts (342), K/BB (11.0), complete games (22), FIP- (52), and WAR (11.4). He had a 21-9 record and 2.50 ERA.



The best record in the Asian League was Almaty at 116-46 atop the South Division, putting the Assassins into the playoffs for the third straight year. After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, 1955 Soviet Series champ Yekaterinburg won the North Division at 106-56. The wild card race was tight with Novosibirsk and Dushanbe advancing both at 101-61; the first playoff berth for the Nitros and third for the Dynamo. Defending Asian League champ Irkutsk missed by one game at 100-62 with Krasnoyarsk only two out of the last wildcard and Tashkent five games away.

The Asian League MVP and Pitcher of the Year were the same player for back-to-back seasons. Dushanbe pitcher Sergei Filatov won his second Pitcher of the Year and his first MVP. The 28-year old left-handed Russian from Kazan led the league in ERA (1.94), WHIP (0.87), K/BB (7.33), FIP- (47), and WAR (11.9), adding a 19-8 record over 274.1 innings and 312 strikeouts.

Just like with Warsaw’s record 122-win season, 123-win Minsk were upset in the first round. Bucharest bested the Miners in 3-1, while the Wildcats upset Kyiv in four. Almaty took care of business by sweeping Dushanbe and Novosibirsk upset Yekaterinburg in four. The ELCS was a seven game classic with the Broncos edging Warsaw. The ALCS went to the Assassins in five against the Nitros. In the Soviet Series, Bucharest bested Almaty in six games, sending the title to Romania for the first time.

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1957 in EBF

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Leading the European Baseball Federation’s Northern Conference in 1957 was Stockholm, getting their seventh straight playoff berth. The Swordsmen finished 104-58 atop the North Central Division. In the Northwest Division, Rotterdam took first 100-62 for back-to-back playoff berths and their first division title. Amsterdam finished one behind at 99-63, getting the wild card easily and their seventh playoff appearance in the EBF’s first eight seasons. Birmingham picked up back-to-back British Isles Division crowns, taking it easily at 92-70. Defending conference champ Paris fell off to 75 wins.

Stockholm’s Pietro Ribsi was the conference MVP and Pitcher of the Year. He won his third Pitcher of the Year, beating out a field that had two other pitchers with 12+ WAR seasons. The 32-year old Italian was the Northern Conference leader in wins (24), innings (301.2), and quality starts (33). He had a 24-8 record, 1.79 ERA, 339 strikeouts, and 12.5 WAR. He beat out stellar seasons by Hamburg’s Peter Plattner and Rotterdam’s Trent Addams, who also had outstanding seasons on the mound.




The top record in the Southern Conference and overall in the EBF went to Madrid, taking the Southwest Division title at 107-55. The Conquistadors are the only team to make the playoffs in each of the first eight years of the EBF. Defending European Champion Lisbon was second at 94-68, but still moved forward as a wild card. In a competitive South Central Division, Naples earned their first-ever playoff berth with a 91-71 mark. Zurich’s title streak was snapped with an 88-74 record for them. The Southeast Division stunk with all five teams below .500. Munich was the best of the bad at 79-83, sending them to the playoffs for the sixth time. Athens finished two games back and last year’s division champ Zagreb fell hard to 68 wins.

Madrid CF Brainslav Mikusiak won back-to-back MVPs and the third of his career. The 31-year old Slovak led the conference in runs (133), hits (195), triple slash (.336/.422/.675), OPS (1.097), wRC+ (214), and WAR (12.6). He also added 46 home runs and 125 RBI. Seville’s Armando Rojas won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards. The 25-year old Spaniard was the SC leader in ERA (1.72), innings (282.1), strikeouts (351), WHIP (0.88), quality starts (29), shutouts (7), and WAR (10.1).

All four first round playoff series went all five games. Stockholm survived Amsterdam and Rotterdam edged Birmingham in the Northern Conference. Lisbon upset division foe Madrid and Naples knocked off Munich in the Southern Conference. In the NCC, the Swordsmen topped the Ravens in six games. The SCC saw the Nobles outlast the Clippers in seven games. The European Championship saw two franchises in their first finals appearance. Stockholm cruised to a 4-1 win over Naples, sending the title to Sweden for the first time.





Other notes: On August 27, Barcelona’s Cosimo Rozzi had the sixth EBF perfect game, striking out six against Seville. Pietro Ribsi and Elih Cruz became the first pitchers to reach 2000 career strikeouts. CF Mercury Hand won his record seventh Gold Glove. LF Gabriel Staudt won his sixth Silver Slugger, as did SC MVP Brainslav Mikusiak. They’re the first in the EBF to get to six.

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1957 in BSA



Callao posted a 100+ win season for the third time in four years, taking the Bolivar League South Division at 101-61. They finished six games better than second place Lima. Meanwhile, the North Division was a tight battle that saw Barquisimeto take first at 89-73. It is only the third-ever playoff berth for the Black Cats, who last made it to the postseason in 1943. Barquisimeto was only one game ahead of defending Bolivar League champ Caracas and five better than Maracaibo.

Mike Andrades won his second straight league MVP. The 27-year old Callao right fielder led the league in runs (121), hits (224), RBI (141), average (.357), slugging (.666), OPS (1.033), wRC+ (194), and WAR (9.3). The 141 RBI was a new single-season record for Beisbol Sudamerica. Pitcher of the Year went to Barquisimeto’s Julio Cigala. The 32-year old Venezuelan only led in complete games (18), posting a 5.2 WAR, 21-11 record, 2.52 ERA, and 249 strikeouts over 281.2 innings.



Sao Paulo won the Brazil Division for the fifth straight season and posted the best record in the Southern Cone League with a 105-57 record. Brasilia was next at 96-66 with Salvador at 94-68. In the South Division, Santiago snapped a four-year playoff drought by taking first at 94-68. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Cordoba, who won 120 games the prior season, finished one game behind the Saints at 93-69.

League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Sao Paulo’s Angel Souza. It is the second PotY for Souza and he’s the first non-two way pitcher to win MVP in the Southern Cone. The 27-year old tossed a Triple Crown season with a 27-4 record, 1.14 ERA, and 350 strikeouts, also leading the league in innings (291.2), quality starts (33), FIP- (52), and WAR (11.2). The 1.14 ERA is third-best all time in a Beisbol Sudamerica single season, only behind Timoteo Caruso’s 1.07 in 1946 and Mohammed Ramos’ 1.09 in 1939.

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Callao defeated Barquisimeto in five games, giving the Cats their second league title in four years. In the Southern Cone Championship, Sao Paulo bested Santiago 4-1, also giving the Padres their second title in four years. It is their fourth league title. In a rematch of the 1954 Copa Sudamerica, the Cats again prevailed over the Padres; this time in a seven-game classic.





Other notes: Angel Gabriel Cornejo of Cordoba became the first BSA player to get to 3000 career hits. This would be his last season as a full-time starter, but Cornejo would play two more years, retiring at age 46 with 3253 hits. Cornejo also became the fourth BSA hitter to 1500 RBI. Diego Pena became the second to 1500 runs scored. R.J. Correa and Felipe Delgado became the sixth and seventh hitters to 2500 hits. Asuncion’s Adrian Calvo became the seventh BSA hitter to 500 career home runs. Lincoln Parra was the sixth pitcher to 250 career wins. In award notables, CF Loury Nova became a 12-time Gold Glove winner, joining SS Jamie Escoto as the only 12 time winners.

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1957 in EAB

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The best record in the Japan League in 1957 went to Sendai at 96-66, giving the Samurai their third playoff berth in five years. Sendai ended two games better than defending league champ Sapporo at 94-68 and seven ahead of Saitama in the North Division. Kobe claimed the South Division at 93-69 for back-to-back division titles. The Blaze were two games ahead of Fukuoka and four ahead of both Hiroshima and Kitakyushu.

The Japan League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Saitama’s Tadasumi Tanabe. It is back-to-back MVPs for the two-way star and his first PotY. On the moun, Tanabe led the league in innings (278) and WAR (9.5), while adding a 18-6 record, 2.20 ERA, and 289 strikeouts. In left field, Tanabe added 7.1 WAR with 142 hits, 29 home runs, 82 RBI, a .932 OPS and .315 average in 115 starts. By combined WAR, it is the greatest EAB single season to date and up there with one of the best single seasons in pro baseball history. Overshadowed was Kawasaki 1B Toyo Ishigura, who posted a .345 average, 56 home runs, 129 RBI, and 10.6 WAR. He was only 10 average points away from a Triple Crown.



The best record in the Korea League was Changwon at 102-60, earning their first South Division title since 1949. Defending East Asia Baseball champ Daegu fell to a third place 84-78 record. In the North Division, Hamhung claimed a third straight crown with a 98-64 mark. They were eight games better than Pyongyang.

The Crabs swept the major awards, boasting the league MVP, Pitcher of the Year, and Reliever of the Year. MVP went to 25-year old 3B Hyun-Ook Jo. Nicknamed “Onion,” Jo was the Korea League leader in runs (126), home runs (59), OPS (1.068), wRC+ (181), and WAR (12.0). He also earned his second straight Gold Glove at third. Pitcher of the Year was Dan Dudamel, a 24-year old righty from the Philippines He had the league lead in wins (22), strikeouts (297), WHIP (1.02), K/BB (9.0), quality starts (24), and WAR (8.0), while posting a 2.97 ERA over 269.1 innings. Dudamel also earned Gold Glove honors. Chang-Hee Lee was Reliever of the Year, his first of what would be fourth straight. Lee had a 1.34 ERA and 45 saves for 4.2 WAR out of the bullpen.

Both of the League Championship Series went seven games in 1957. In Japan, Kobe edged Sendai to give the Blaze their third league title, joining the 1935 and 1942 campaigns. In Korea, Changwon seemed on their way to a sweep, but Hamhung rallied from a 3-0 hole to take the series in seven. For the Heat, it is their second title in three ears and sixth overall. The East Asian Championship was far less dramatic as Hamhung swept Kobe for the Heat’s record fifth overall title. With two rings in three years, Hamhung has built up a potential dynasty.





Other notes: Dong-Hee Cho became the ninth EAB hitter to 500 career home runs. Takashi Ishihara became the third to 1500 career RBI. Han-Soo Jung was the third EAB pitcher to 250 career wins. Dong-Ju Hahn of Ulsan had a 32-game hitting streak in 1957, the third-longest to date in EAB. Toshinobu Noguchi won his eighth and final Gold Glove at catcher, a record for the position. 3B Nariyuki Yanagisawa won his ninth Silver Slugger.

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1957 in CABA

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Two-time defending Mexican League champ Monterrey won the North Division for the third straight season and had the best record in the league at 99-63. Mexicali at 88-74 was a distant second. Guadalajara also made it a three-year division title repeat, taking the South Division at 91-71. Ecatepec at 84-78 and Mexico City at 83-79 were the closest competition.

Aztecs CF Emmanuel Lopez won his third league MVP and back-to-back. In 1957, Lopez was the league leader in runs (117), hits (215), stolen bases (71), average (.359), OBP (.425), OPS (1.004), wRC+ (195), and WAR (10.2). Pitcher of the Year went to 33-year old Jesus Montiel of Monterrey. His only league-leading stat was WIHP (0.96), taking the title in a weak field on a 17-8 record, 2.56 ERA, and 5.4 WAR with 233 strikeouts in 235.1 innings.



The three best records in the Caribbean League were all in the Island Division with an intense battle throughout the season. Santo Domingo and defending CABA champ Puerto Rico tied for first at 99-63 with Havana one game behind. In the one-game playoff, the Dolphins dropped the Pelicans, snapping a three decade postseason drought for the Dominican capital. The Continental Division saw Costa Rica on top at 91-71 for back-to-back division titles.

Santo Domingo LF Grant Duncan won his third MVP in four seasons. The 29-year old Jamaican had the league lead in runs (119), home runs (57), RBI (128), slugging (.758), OPS (1.157), wRC+ (201), and WAR (9.5). The slugging mark was a new CABA single-season record and the OPS mark was the third-best single season. Pitcher of the Year was Costa Rica’s Marc Cedillo. The fourth-year righty from Bogota led in complete games (16) and shutouts (5), posting a 20-12 record, 2.82 ERA, 271 innings, 244 strikeouts, and 7.2 WAR.

It was the third straight Mexican League Championship Series between Monterrey and Guadalajara and just like the prior two, it was the Matadors prevailing. Monterrey took it this time 4-2 for the sixth league title in franchise history. In the Caribbean League Championship Series, Santo Domingo defeated Costa Rica in six to give the Dolphins their fourth league title and first since 1927. The CABA Championship went to Monterrey 4-2 to give the Matadors their second overall title in three years and third overall.






Other notes: Rodger Hunter became the 14^th CABA player to reach 500 career home runs. CF Linus Williams became a 10 time Gold Glove winner, the first CABA player to get 10 at his position and seventh to get 10 at any spot. Guadalajara slugger Prometheo Garcia became a nine time Silver Slugger winner at 1B and LF Julio Hinojosa won his eighth.

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1957 in MLB

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For the second straight year, it was the Eastern League dominating the Midwest League in the National Association with all four wild cards coming from the East. The best overall record in Major League Baseball belonged to Hartford at 107-55, earning their fourth straight playoff berth. The 107 win tally was a franchise record for the Huskies. Boston was next at 101-61 for their fourth berth in five seasons. Philadelphia was third at 100-62 for their first playoff spot since 1952.

The final two spots had five times in the mix with Pittsburgh taking the first one at 96-66. For the Pirates, it is only their fourth-ever playoff appearance and first since 1928. The final spot saw Washington and Baltimore finish tied at 94-68. The Admirals won the tiebreaker game to earn back-to-back wild cards. Brooklyn (91-71) and defending NA champ Ottawa (89-73) fell just short. Meanwhile, Indianapolis at 97-67 took the Midwest League title by 10 games with Minneapolis (87-75) the closest competitor. It is an impressive turnaround for the Races, who were an abysmal 64-98 the prior year, getting their first playoff spot since winning the NA title in 1952.

National Association MVP went to OF/SP Casen Shaw, a journeyman two-way player that had played with Houston and Kansas City prior. He was traded to Boston for the 1957 season, but the 30-year old found himself cut in mid May. Indianapolis picked him up at the end of the month and he managed to go on a tear. In 117 games, he had a .391 average, 150 hits, 71 runs, 14 home runs, 66 RBI, and 6.2 WAR. As a pitcher, he was an unremarkable 14-10, 4.38 ERA, 207.1 innings, 110 strikeouts, and 1.9 WAR. Combined, he put together enough to help the Racers to the ML title. The next year would be his last as a pitcher and he’d spend another decade as a respectable bat with five other teams. But his 1957 will be remembered as an incredibly unique case of a guy who got cut midway and apart from a solid 1954 at the plate with Kansas City, had been mid-tier even if two-way.

Indianapolis also had a notable debut in RF R.J. Clinton, the sixth overall pick in the prior draft out of Washington State. The future Hall of Famer was the Rookie of the Year and third in MVP voting with 38 home runs, a .320 average, and 7.2 WAR in 128 starts. Pitcher of the Year was more traditional in going to Brooklyn’s John Delaney. The 26-year old righty was the NA leader in wins (21), and ERA (2.21), adding 204 strikeouts over 276.2 innings with 7.6 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Pittsburgh upset Philadelphia 2-0 and Washington surprised Boston 2-1. In round two, Indianapolis dispatched the Pirates in a sweep and Hartford topped the Admirals 3-1, sending the league champs to the National Association Championship Series. The Racers claimed the series in a seven-game classic over the Huskies, giving Indy its second NA title of the decade and fourth total.



The Western League yet again saw success over the Southern League in the American Association with all four wild cards out of the West. The best overall record went to Vancouver, who were the last team in last season. The Volcanoes finished 103-59, a franchise record season. Next in line were Las Vegas (99-63), Denver (96-66), and two-time defending World Series champ San Diego (96-66). For the Vipers, it was their seventh playoff berth of the 1950s, while the Dragons snapped a drought that dated back to 1944.

The final wild card spot went to Portland at 92-70, finishing one ahead of Los Angeles and four ahead of Oakland. The Pacifics had the second-longest playoff drought in MLB, having last made the playoffs in 1921. The longest drought was snapped in 1957 well with Tampa winning the Southern League title at 92-70, finishing four ahead of the three-time defending SL champ Nashville at 88-74. The Thunderbirds hadn’t been to the postseason since the Taft Administration in 1909; a nearly 50-year gap. It was the second longest drought in MLB history, the longest going to Oklahoma City’s 54 years from the franchise debut to their first wild card.

Leading the Thunderbirds to snap their streak was 1B Martin Medina, winning his third American Association MVP and first since 1953. The 30-year old lefty from Panama was the leader in RBI (137), OBP (.425), slugging (.616), OPS (1.041), and wRC+ (171), adding 40 home runs and 8.4 WAR. San Diego ace Spenser Emond won his fifth Pitcher of the Year, joining the elite company of Jeremy Frechette, Newton Persaud, and Ned Giles as the only five-time winners. The now 32-year old lefty had an AA and career best 2.32 ERA, also leading in WHIP at 0.98. He only made 24 starts because of a strained abdominal muscle, but still posted 209.2 innings, 205 strikeouts, and 7.2 WAR.

The Wild Card round had Portland defeat Las Vegas and Denver down San Diego, both in three games. Both league champs prevailed in round two in four games with Vancouver over the Pacifics and Tampa over the Dragons. The American Association Championship Series saw the Volcanoes defeat the Thunderbirds 4-2, giving Vancouver only its second-ever AA title (1939). The Volcanoes went onto add their first-ever World Series ring, defeating Indianapolis in a seven-game classic. The Racers are now 0-4 in the Fall Classic, sharing the unfortunate distinction with Dallas for most WS losses.





Other notes: Vancouver’s Dominic Lamoureux had a 37-game hitting streak, which is tied for the third-longest in MLB history. Alec Ebner became the 10^th MLB pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts. Sebastian Lunde became the 13^th hitter to 600 career home runs.

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1958 MLB Hall of Fame

The 1958 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Class had three inductees with two on the first ballot. 2B Cash Watson crossed the threshold on his debut at 83.4%, as did CF Halton Walker at 72.2%. Meanwhile on his seventh try, SP Jacob Gosselin finally made it in with 72.2%. SP Patrick Iannazzo missed the 66% threshold by one percent on his penultimate attempt, while fellow SP Roy Cole had a solid showing but missed on his sixth go at 61.4%.



Two players were booted from the ballot after ten attempts. Reliever Jhan Lopez-Garcia had a 2.12 ERA and 251 saves with 1361 strikeouts over 893 innings and 39.7 WAR. The WAR and strikeout numbers compare decently to other relievers in the HOF, but he peaked at 38.4% on his second try having lacked any accolades. LF Sandy Rainey was also dropped, peaking at 26.3% on his debut. The 1928 NA MVP, in 17 years primarily with Detroit he had 2510 hits, 1303 runs, 478 home runs, 1421 RBI, a .298 average, and 61.7 WAR. Very respectable, but firmly in the “Hall of Very Good” range with the lone MVP season his only real standout season.



Cash Watson – Second Baseman – Charlotte Canaries – 83.4% First Ballot

Cash Watson was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed second baseman from Estero, Florida; a village near the Cape Coral/Fort Myers area. Watson is the fourth 2B to earn induction into the MLB Hall and played the majority of his career there, sans the occasional start at third. Watson was a very good contact hitter, excellent baserunner, and solid at drawing walks; making him a great run-scorer. He didn’t have much home run power, but had solid gap power and used his speed to tally an impressive number of doubles and triples. Defensively he was very good, racking up a career 197.5 ZR at second. This is second-best all-time in MLB, only behind his contemporary Hunter Pride’s remkarable 284.3. Pride (who won 11 Gold Gloves) is the main reason Watson only earned Gold Glove once despite his success. On top of this, Watson was a beloved figure in the game with an incredible work ethic and intelligence.

Watson went west and played college baseball at Oregon, earning immediate attention among MLB scouts. In the 1931 MLB Draft, Charlotte selected Watson second overall. After an impressive rookie season, he won the batting title in 1933 at .358 and led the American Association with 10.8 WAR, earning his first Silver Slugger and second place in MVP voting. All five of his Silver Sluggers came with the Canaries, adding additional ones in 1935, 36, 38, and 40. In 1940, he was second in MVP voting again, thanks to an AA-best 9.9 WAR and .413 OBP.

The 1930s were successful for Charlotte and Watson played a big role. They made the playoffs five times in his tenure and in 1937, won the World Series. In that run, he had 20 hits, 13 runs, 8 doubles, and 11 RBI in 14 playoff games. Fresh off a second-place in MVP voting season in 1940, the now 29-year old Watson lived up to his first name and got him some Cash. He signed a seven-year, $212,000 deal with Atlanta.

Watson spent six seasons ultimately with the Aces and while a solid starter, he didn’t live up to the highs of the Charlotte run. Small injuries caused him to miss a month or two in his first few seasons with Atlanta and he missed his entire fifth season with Atlanta due to a torn PCL. He came back with a respectable 1946 at age 34, but was let go at the end of the season. With Atlanta, Watson had 681 hits, 403 runs, 143 doubles, and 24.4 WAR.

He returned to his baseball home of Charlotte in 1947 and showed flashes of the old Watson with a 6.3 WAR season and his lone Gold Glove. He finished in Charlotte with a total of 1733 hits, 939 runs, 313 doubles, 119 triples, 115 home runs, 749 RBI, a .313 average, and 71.8 WAR. By this point, the Canaries were a rebuilding team and didn’t bring him back the next year. But his #7 uniform would be retired once his career was up, joining fellow Hall of Famer Domingo Martinez as the only Canaries with the distinction.

Watson would play five more MLB seasons ultimately. He signed with Seattle in 1948 and 1949, Ottawa in 1950 and 1951, and finally Oklahoma City in 1952 at age 40. He still provided positive value, but began to fade like all players do. He was able to cross a major milestone in the last year with the Outlaws; 3000 career hits. Watson was the 26^th player to earn the feat. He also retired fifth in doubles and would be the 12^th hitter inducted with 100+ career WAR.

The final stats for Watson: 3007 hits, 1643 runs, 576 doubles, 210 triples, 172 home runs, 1269 RBI, 1197 walks, 692 stolen bases, a .295/.376/.444 slash and 108.4 WAR. A stellar career that is perhaps overlooked by some due to a steady but unremarkable second half. It seems like 83.4% is a bit low considering the accolades, but Watson regardless is a first ballot Hall of Famer.



Halton Walker – Center Fielder – Cincinnati Reds – 72.2% First Ballot

Halton Walker was a 6’0’’, 195 pound left-handed centerfielder from Lorain, Ohio; a smaller city located on Lake Erie. Walker was an excellent contact hitter who had solid gap power and above average speed. He wasn’t a dominant home run hitter, but averaged around 20 per season while adding a nice chunk of doubles and triples. Walker rarely drew walks, but also very rarely struck out. He played his entire career in center field and was considered a reliably good and solid defender.

Almost all of Walker’s baseball career would be in his native Ohio. He attended Kent State University and after his junior year, was picked 25^th overall in the 1935 MLB Draft by St. Louis. Walker wouldn’t sign with the college and returned for his senior year with the Golden Flashes, winning a Gold Glove. In the 1936 Draft, he was picked by Cincinnati 11^th overall and signed with the Reds. He was an immediate success, winning the National Association Rookie of the Year in 1937 with a 7.6 WAR season. He also won a Silver Slugger and finished second in MVP voting

His second year was arguably his best with a career best 9.0 WA and the NA lead and career high of 222 hits. He was third in MVP voting and won his second Silver Slugger. He won his third and final SS in 1940 with a career-best 126 RBI, taking third again in MVP voting. He never again was at the top of award lists but he would have 5+ WAR seasons in 12 of his 13 years with the Reds, only missing it in 1947 due to missing time to injury. Cincinnati made it to the playoffs six times with Walker, although they never made it to the World Series. In 34 games, he had 48 hits, 19 runs, 28 RBI, a .350 average and 1.2 WAR. In total with the Reds, Walker had 2388 hits, 1198 runs, 336 doubles, 185 triples, 223 home runs, 1163 RBI, a .317/.360/.500 slash and 85.4 WAR. His #20 uniform would be retired at the end of his career.

At the end of the 1949 season, Cincinnati traded Walker to Los Angeles for three prospects. In his one year with the Angels, he crossed 2500 career hits, although he struggled. He signed at age 36 with Dallas and spent his final two seasons with the Dalmatians, retiring at the end of the 1952 season.

The final stats for Walker: 2749 hits, 1350 runs, 381 doubles, 203 triples, 250 home runs, 1297 RBI, a .309/.352/.482 slash and 89.2 WAR. He had a great start to his career and was a reliable starter and contributor for more than a decade as the face of the Reds, earning a first-ballot induction at 72.2%.



Jacob Gosselin – Starting Pitcher – Vancouver Volcanoes – 72.2% Seventh Ballot

Jacob Gosselin was a 5’8’, 185 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Calgary, Alberta. Gosselin wasn’t outstanding at any one aspect, but was good to solid at all facets of pitching. His 92-94 mph velocity wasn’t amazing, but he had solid movement and control and was excellent at coaxing groundballs. His most dominant pitch was a changeup, mixed with a slider, curveball, and sinker. He was also known as being durable and as a solid defensive pitcher.

Gosselin left for the United States for college, playing at Notre Dame. He returned to western Canada when drafted 36^th overall in the 1927 MLB Draft by Vancouver. Gosselin spent eight seasons with the Volcanoes, peaking with an American Association-best 2.53 ERA in 1935. That year, he placed second in Pitcher of the Year voting; the closest he got to winning the big award. He put up 39.2 WAR and a 118-80 record in this run with Vancouver as an above average regular starter for a struggling franchise. Before the 1936 season, the 28-year old Gosselin was traded for prospects to Milwaukee.

After one year with the Mustangs, Gosselin signed with his hometown Calgary on a six-year, $116,400 contract. With the Cheetahs, he posted five seasons of 5.9+ WAR and helped them to a World Series appearance in 1940 and an AACS in 1941. Although he was inducted into the HOF with Vancouver, he was arguably more impressive with Calgary. In his run, he was 113-67 with a 3.25 ERA, 1191 strikeouts over 1665.1 innings, and 44.8 WAR.

Late in the 1943 season, Gosselin required elbow ligament reconstruction surgery. He returned to the minor league Edmonton affiliate in late 1944 and suffered a torn UCL, putting him out another year. He attempted another comeback and made a few minor league starts in 1945. At age 38, he was signed by Houston and made his Major League return, but struggled and was cut by the Hornets. Later that year, Vancouver brought him back and he found a brief resurgence, getting to 250 career wins exactly. Gosselin retired after the 1946 season at age 39.

The final stats for Gosselin: 250-169, 3.29 ERA, 3957 innings, 2774 strikeouts, 950 walks, 307 quality starts, 215 complete games, and 94.3 WAR. He quietly put up a solid resume, but his lack of dominance, strikeouts, and major awards made many view Gosselin as a “Hall of Very Good” type. His first four years on the ballot he was in the 40-50% range, then got a bump to 61.6% on his fifth try. He fell again on the sixth ballot, but made enough gains to join the 1958 class with 72.2%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1958 CABA Hall of Fame

Three players earned induction into the Central American Baseball Association in the 1958 class, each on the first ballot. SS Emmanuel Zavala was the star of the class at 93.2%, joined by SP Jeron Evans at 83.2% and 1B Ildefonso Vasquez at 74.2%. 2B Ray Reyes was close on his sixth ballot at 61.9% but ultimately short of the 66% threshold. One other player, LF Se-Hyeon Kim, was just above 50%.



Dropped after his tenth ballot was OF Willy Samuel, who peaked on his third ballot at 40.8%. In his CABA run almost exclusively with Ecatepec, he had 1587 hits, 740 runs, 287 doubles, a .335/.391/.474 slash and 56.4 WAR. Samuel was an important part of the Explosion’s title runs, but he left for MLB at age 31 and lost potential CABA accumulations. That, plus injuries in his 30s, kept Samuel down the list despite a very impressive run in his 20s.



Emmanuel “Punk” Zavala – Shortstop – Leon Lions – 93.2% First Ballot

Emmanuel Zavala was a 6’2’’ 195 pound right-handed shortstop from Nuevo Laredo on the Mexico/Texas border. Zavala was an ironman at shortstop, making 139+ starts every year in all but the final season of his 19-year professional career. He was a strong contact hitter with respectable home run power and solid baserunning skills. He didn’t draw walks very often and struck out more than you’d like, but he offered unparalleled offensive production for the position. He was a career shortstop and while not a Gold Glove winner, he was as reliably above average to good defender.

Zavala was a highly touted prospect as an amateur and earned the first overall selection in the 1933 CABA Draft by Leon. Zavala spent his entire professional career with the Lions and was an immediate success, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting. In year two, he won his first of 16 consecutive Silver Sluggers at shortstop. Zavala is the first player in professional baseball history to win the award 16 times and as of 2037, one of only three in any professional league to do it. He had 14 straight 6+ WAR seasons beginning with his third season.

In 1938, Zavala led the Mexican League with 11.5 WAR, earning his first MVP. He’d also lead in WAR in 1942 (9.7) and 1943 (8.0). Despite his accolades, he wasn’t one to lead the league in other stats other than when he led in RBI in 1944. He won his second MVP in 1942, was third in 1937, second in 1944, and third in 1949 at the ripe old age of 37.

After a rough start to the 1930s, Leon started finding success with Zavala leading the way by the end of the decade. They were the 1939 and 1941 CABA champion and were runner-up in 1942. Zavala was a beast in 1939, winning both Mexican League Championship Series MVP and CABA Championship MVP with 18 hits in 14 games, 7 runs, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI. He struggled a bit in the other two runs, but still helped the Lions to additional success. In 39 playoff games, Zavala had 37 hits, 15 runs, 5 home runs, 18 RBI, and 1.0 WAR. Leon remained a top-half of the standings team for the rest of the 1940s, but wouldn’t make the playoffs again during Zavala’s tenure.

He stayed loyal to the team, continuing to produce at a very high level well into his 30s. Zavala also played for the Mexican national team in the first five World Baseball Championship events, posting 34 hits, 25 runs, 7 home runs, and 18 RBI in 50 games. Age started to catch up to Zavala as the 1950s dawned, but he stuck around long enough to became the first CABA player to reach 3000 career hits. He was a bench player primarily in this final season, but fans nationwide were delighted to see the extremely popular Zavala reach the milestone. He retired after the 1952 season and saw his #6 uniform retired soon after.

The final stats for Zavala, 3044 hits, 1454 runs, 386 doubles, 166 triples, 497 home runs, 1486 RBI, 804 stolen bases, a .279/.314/.482 slash, and 134.1 WAR. His time as the all-time hit king would be short-lived thanks to Prometheo Garcia passing him later in the decade. He also retired with the most games played of any CABA player at 2951, which would hold until the 1960s. At retirement, he was second all-time in WAR for a CABA hitter behind only Kiko Velazquez. Zavala was a true ironman and one of the best offensive shortstops in professional baseball history, easily earning the first ballot nod. If anything, 93.2% seems too low for his resume.



Jeron Evans – Starting Pitcher – Puerto Rico Pelicans – 83.2% First Ballot

Jeron Evans was a 5’11’’, 175 pound right-handed pitcher from Maroon Town, a tiny settlement in northwest Jamaica. Evans had one of the more unique profiles of a prominent pitcher. He had excellent velocity around 99-101 mph and pinpoint control of a great fastball, mixed with a good splitter and cutter, and weak curveball. However, his movement was often terrible, ranked a 2/10 by most scouts even at his peak. He had a ton of strikeouts and very few walks, but flat pitches meant he’d allow a lot of home runs. Evans led the Caribbean League in strikeouts eight times, but also led in home runs allowed eight times. This meant Evans was very boom-or-bust.

After drawing attention as a talented teenager in Jamaica, he was picked on the second round, 32^nd overall, by Puerto Rico in the 1934 CABA Draft. He made his debut in1937 at age 22 and struggled as a rookie, but he soon began overpowering many hitters with his stuff. In his fourth season in 1940, he lead the league in strikeouts; the first of eight straight seasons doing so. Evans never won Pitcher of the Year, but took second in voting in 1943, 44, and 46.

During those prime years, the Pelicans became a contender, winning the Island Division six straight years from 1941-46. Puerto Rico won the Caribbean League championship in 41, 43, 44, and 45; and took the overall CABA title in 1944. In 130.2 postseason innings, Evans had a 7-4 record, 3.93 ERA, 157 strikeouts, 26 home runs allowed, nine walks, and 1.9 WAR. In 1947 at age 32, he became the 11^th CABA pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts and seemed like someone who could maybe even challenge Ulices Montero’s all-time mark of 5849;, or at least become the second member of the 5K club.

Alas, late in the 1947 season, Evans suffered a torn labrum. He stuck around the league for another five seasons, but was never the same or able to put together a full season. He suffered a torn UCL at the start of 1949, had severe shoulder inflammation in 1950, and a torn back muscle in 1951 Evans was able to stick around long enough to be the 20^th CABA pitcher to 200 wins, retiring after the 1952 season at age 38. For his part in their 1940s dynasty, the career Pelican had his #24 uniform retired at the end of his career.

The final stats for Evans: 207-142 record, 3.23 ERA, 3162.2 innings, 3798 strikeouts to only 372 walks, but 514 home runs allowed, a 0.97 WHIP, 243/395 quality starts, and 56.0 WAR. His walks allowed would be among the lowest of all CABA Hall of Fame starters, but his home runs allowed would be second-worst all-time despite not having a full season after age 32. His strikeouts made him an impressive force, but the dingers meant he allowed more runs than your typical Hall of Famer and was ranked unfavorably by many advanced metrics. Still, he was the ace during a Caribbean League dynasty run for Puerto Rico, earning Evans the first ballot nod at 83.2%.



Ildefonso Vazquez – First Baseman – Puerto Rico Pelicans – 74.2% First Ballot

Ildefonso Vazquez was a 5’1’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Jaguey Grande, a small city in west-central Cuba. Vazquez was a well-rounded bat with excellent contact skills and solid power in the middle of the lineup. He was middling in terms of drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts, but he made up for that easily with quality hits. He was a very slow baserunner, but considered generally a reliable defensive first baseman, which is where he spent his entire career. Vazquez was well liked and known as a prankster that caused good-natured chaos in the clubhouse.

He was spotted as a teenager in Cuba and was picked 13^th overall in the 1932 CABA Draft by Puerto Rico. Like HOF classmate Jeron Evans, Vazquez spent his entire pro career with the Pelicans. Although picked in 1932, he wasn’t a full-timer until the 1937 at age 24, although he did make sparing appearances in 1934 and 1936. He was a part-time starter in his first two years, then a full-time starter from 1939 until his final season in 1952. In each of those seasons, he made 149+ starts as an incredibly durable ironman.

1939 was the breakout year for Vazquez, earning the Caribbean League batting title with a .330 average and career/league best 207 hits. This was the first of his five Silver Slugger seasons, also earning the award in 1941, 42, 44, and 48. 1941 was his career season, leading the Caribbean in runs (110), hits (199), doubles (40), average (.336), OPS (.992), and WAR (9.2), earning his lone MVP. He was second in MVP voting in 1942 with career highs in home runs (44) and RBI (130). He never quite replicated that success in the rest of career, but was still a reliable solid presence in the lineup.

Like mentioned above with Evans, Puerto Rico became a Caribbean League power in the early 1940s. Vazquez shined in the playoffs, posting a line in 60 starts of 85 hits, 46 runs, 12 doubles, 27 home runs, 63 RBI, a .351 average, and 4.8 WAR. He was the 1944 CABA Championship MVP and his 27 playoff home runs was the CABA record until passed by Solomon Aragon about 30 years later. He remained steady as the Pelicans began to rebuild into the 1950s. After a resurgence at age 38 in 1951, he fell off noticeably the next year, retiring after the 1952 season.

The final stats for Vazquez: 2660 hits, 1282 runs, 421 doubles, 465 home runs, 1438 RBI, a .290/.335/.498 slash and 74.2 WAR. He was about as reliable as could be at first base for 15 years and stepped up big time in the postseason, playing a critical role in Puerto Rico’s 1940s success. Still, he only got 74.2% of the vote, perhaps a bit low, but still high enough to forever list Vazquez as a first-ballot CABA Hall of Famer.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1958 EAB Hall of Fame

The East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame added two members in the 1958 class, both on the first ballot. 1B Kazushi Takano made it in at 83.7% and was joined by SP Yoshiki Yamane at 73.3%. SP Young-Gil Chyu was close on his second try but short of the 66% threshold with 59.9%. SS Soo-Hyn Choo on his fourth attempt and LF Bum-Young Ahn on his third both also were above the 50% mark.



Two players were dropped after ten tries on the ballot. LF Sang-Yun Hyun played his entire 14 year career with Goyang and peaked at 48.3% on his second ballot. He was the 1937 Korea League MVP and had 2018 hits, 1092 runs, 380 home runs, 1133 RBI, a .273/.322/.522 slash and 65.4 WAR. He fell off hard as he entered his 30s and was retired at 35, hurting his final accumulations.

Also dropped was SS Mamoru Miura, who played 18 years and almost entirely with Hiroshima. He peaked at 41.0% of the vote on his first and fifth ballots and plummeted to 10.5% at the end. He had 2435 hits, 1083 runs, 435 doubles, 347 home runs, 1146 RBI, a .264/.310/.450 slash and 94.9 WAR. He Is just behind Koson Mori (94.97 to 94.91) with the highest WAR total of someone to not make it into the EAB Hall to date and for whatever reason, never got much support.



Kazushi Takano – First Base/Center Field – Saitama Sting – 83.7% First Ballot

Kazushi Takano was a 5’10’’, 185 pound right-handed hitter from Saitama, Japan. A fan-favorite and hard-worker, Takano was a very good contact hitter who also offered home run power, hitting 40+ in five seasons and 30+ in nine seasons. He had surprisingly good speed for a power hitter and was able to turn his oddly rare doubles into uncommonly frequent triples. He wasn’t much for drawing walks and struck out more than average. Takano had an odd defensive profile, split between center field where he was viewed as below average and at first base, where he won three Gold Gloves. He made roughly 50% of his starts at 1B, 45% at CF, and 5% in LF.

Takano played college baseball at Takushoku Tokyo University and was selected by his hometown club Saitama second overall in the 1937 EAB Draft. He was an immediate success, winning Rookie of the Year in 1938 with a 4.7 WAR season. Takano would post 6+ WAR in the next 10 seasons, combining durability and reliability with strong production. Takano won Silver Sluggers in 1939, 40, 41, 43, 46, and 47; and Gold Gloves in 42, 43, and 44.

The breakout year was his fourth in 1941, where he was only the second EAB hitter to achieve a Triple Crown season. He had a .349 average, .48 home runs, and 126 RBI; all career-bests. He also led Japan in runs (122), hits (203), triples (23), OBP (.405), slugging (.723), OPS (1.128), wRC+ (262). Those were all career bests, as was the 11.6 WAR and 56 stolen bases. The Sting won 98 games that year, but fell short of the division title to Kawasaki by two games.

Unfortunately in Takano’s run, Saitama only made the playoffs once in 1946. He wasn’t to blame though, winning MVP in that 1941 season and taking second in 1942, 43, and 46. In total with the Sting, Takano had 1788 hits, 1017 runs, 406 home runs, 1017 RBI, 433 stolen bases, a .284/.340/.565 slash and 85.1 WAR. His #19 uniform would be retired upon the end of his career.

Takano’s time in Saitama ended with a trade before the 1949 season to Nagoya. The 33-year old played that winter for Japan in the World Baseball Championship; his only appearance in the tournament. His one season with the Nightowls was okay, but below his prior standards as his power and speed diminished with age. The next season, Takano signed a five-year deal with Sapporo, but struggled and was traded after one season to Kitakyushu. He spent two seasons in a bench role with the Kodiaks, retiring after the 1952 season at age 36.

The final line for Takano: 2108 hits, 1172 runs, 243 doubles, 212 triples, 452 home runs, 1184 RBI, 516 stolen bases, a .279/.335/.547, and 92.7 WAR. He didn’t have the longevity compared to some other Hall of Famers, but in the early and mid 1940s, there were few hitters better in Japan. This burst and being a fan-favorite hometown hero gave Takano the push to earn first ballot induction at 83.7%.



Yoshiki Yamane – Starting Pitcher – Osaka Orange Sox – 73.3% First Ballot

Yoshiki Yamane was a 6’1’’, 190 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Isehara, a smaller city in the Kanto region of Japan. Yamane was known for having great stuff, succeeding despite having at times poor control and average movement. He had 94-96 mph velocity on his fastball, but used an excellent slider and curveball, plus a good changeup, to retire batters and force flyballs. Yamane was viewed as a team leader and as a solid defensive pitcher.

Yamane attended Nagoya Gakuin University and caught the attention of Osaka, who picked him 11^th overall in the 1938 East Asia Baseball Draft. He had a respectable debut season and with only 22 starts, earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1939. His second and third year were both unremarkable with arguably below average production, but he was able to sort out some control issues from there. In 1944, Yamane took third in Pitcher of the Year voting and in 1948, came closer with a second place finish. In 1944, he had a no-hitter against Kobe with 13 strikeouts and two walks. 1948 had a league and career best 23 wins with a 1.97 ERA and 6.3 WAR.

Postseason success played a big role in Yamane getting the nod. The Orange Sox made the playoffs from 1943-46, winning the EAB title in 1943 and the Japan League title in 1946. In the 1943 run, he was 3-0 over 25.1 innings with a 1.07 ERA. Along with a 1951 berth, Yamane had 11 postseason starts with a 6-3 record, 2.39 ERA, 83 innings, 74 strikeouts, and 1.1 WAR. Yamane began to decline into his early 30s, an unusual early drop as he didn’t have any significant injuries as are often associated which such falls. Yamane opted to retire at age 35 after the 1952 season, playing his entire pro career in Osaka. His #7 uniform would be retired that winter.

The final stats: 190-152, 2.79 ERA, 3216 innings, 3240 strikeouts, 854 walks, 278/406 quality starts, and 45.8 WAR. A good run, but advanced metrics and an early decline make Yamane someone often cited as a “Hall of Very Good” guy instead of HOF guy. His 45.8 WAR is second worst in the EAB Hall among non-relievers and his career FIP- of 97 suggests sustained averageness more than excellence. Still, he played his entire career with one team and had a solid role in some postseason success. This was enough for Yamane to get the nod on the first ballot at 73.3%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1958 BSA Hall of Fame

1958 saw only one player added to Beisbol Sudamerica’s Hall of Fame. Pitcher Hernan Alatorre was a first ballot pick with an impressive 93.9%. 1B Yuri Assuncao was nearly a first ballot selection as well, but his 65.3% was barely below the 66% threshold. Only one other player, SP Aldemar Ramires, as above 50%.



One was dropped after his 10^th ballot in catcher Armando Urquides, who fell to 10.2% after peaking at 43.8% on his second try. He was hurt by having his official BSA career start at age 27, but in 13 seasons with three teams he had seven Silver Sluggers, 1387 hits, and 55.2 WAR. The general anti-catcher bias of the Hall of Fame voters didn’t help his cause either as the relatively weak offensive tallies even by elite catches gets overlooked.



Hernan Alatorre – Starting Pitcher – Lima Lobos – 93.9% First Ballot

Hernan Alatorre was a 6’2’’, 205 pound left-handed pitcher from Lima, Peru. Alatorre was known for having very good control and solid stuff, finding success despite having velocity that peaked in the 89-91 range. His fastball wasn’t his go-to though, a great slider and an outstanding changeup carried Alatorre to success. He was also a very good defensive pitcher and generally pretty durable. His skill led to a long career despite being generally viewed as a total jerk who lacked hustle. This meant Alatorre isn’t entirely remembered as fondly as you’d expect as a Hall of Famer who spent nearly his entire pro career in his hometown.

The Lima native was selected by the Lobos in the 1936 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 1937. He became a fixture in the rotation for around 15 years, posting reliably consistent numbers for a struggling franchise that never made the playoffs in his run. He had 10 seasons of 300+ strikeouts and seven seasons of 7+ WAR. Still, he never won Pitcher of the Year and finished top three only once, taking second in 1946. That year had a career and league-best 9.4 WAR and 0.79 WHIP.

In the summer of 1944, Lima traded him to Fortaleza for three prospects. But as a free agent in the offseason, he signed back up with the Lobos for another seven seasons. He had a no-hitter against Medellin in 1942 and on April 30, 1950, had his crowning achievement with Beisbol Sudamerica’s 15^th perfect game. Alatorre struck out eight in the perfect against Valencia. He also was on the Peruvian national team in the first six World Baseball Championship tournaments, posting a 4.38 ERA over 72 innings with 82 strikeouts.

Before the 1952 season, the 38-year old Alatorre was traded to Cali, which allowed him to experience his only BSA postseason as the Cyclones were Bolivar League champ. He had two strong starts in that run with a 1.62 ERA over 16.2 innings with 14 strikeouts. His overall numbers had weakened, but Alatorre was still good enough to hang around at this point. However, he decided that the playoff run with Cali was a good place to end, retiring at age 38. He would the next year see his #16 uniform retired back home in Lima.

The final stats for Alatorre: 238-193, 2.53 ERA, 4046 innings, 4703 strikeouts, 711 walks, 375/516 quality starts, 144 complete games, and 101.6 WAR. In an odd way, he somewhat quietly built up an impressive resume. He was the fifth BSA pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts and the 12^th to 200 wins. Among the HOF leaderboard, his numbers certainly don’t look out of place. Despite rarely leading the league, being on a weak franchise, and being a bit rude, Alatorre’s credentials were undeniable and he grabbed a first ballot spot at 93.9%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1958 World Baseball Championship

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The 1958 World Baseball Championship was held in Seville, Spain. In Division 1, the defending champion United States advanced to the round robin with a 7-0 record, although they had a stiff challenge from Italy at 6-1. A very competitive Division 2 went to South Korea at 5-2, finishing one game better than Bolivia, Honduras, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Division 3 was even tighter with the top four teams all 4-3 and the bottom four all at 3-4. Belarus, France, Romania, and Ukraine each were in the upper group and the tiebreaker went to the Ukrainians. Last year’s runner-up Canada missed at 3-4. In Division 4, Belgium and Spain both finished 6-1 and the tiebreaker sent the Belgians into the next round.

Division 5 had a four-way tie for the top spot at 5-2 between Germany, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Poland with the Germans moving forward on the tiebreaker. Division 6 had a three-way tie at 5-2 between Brazil, the Czech Republic, and Peru; the Brazilians advanced on the tiebreaker In Division 7, North Korea won outright at 6-1, a game ahead of both Russia and Switzerland. And in Division 8, Chile and Colombia tied for first at 6-1 with the Colombians going to the Round Robin on the tiebreaker.

In the Double Round Robin Group A, the Americans and Ukrainians moved forward with 4-2 records, while Germany and Belgium both were ousted at 2-4. This sends Ukraine to the semifinal for the first time. Meanwhile, Group B had Brazil on top at 5-1 to earn their second semifinal appearance. South Korea and Colombia were 3-3 and North Korea was 1-5. The Colombians took the tiebreaker to advance to the semi for the third time.

Ukraine handled Colombia 4-1 to advance to the championship for the first time, while the United States downed Brazil in five games. The World Championship saw the Americans prevail 4-1, giving the US back-to-back titles, three in four years, and seven in the tournament’s first 12 years.





Tournament MVP went to American Ross Strickland. A 24-year old centerfielder playing for Minneapolis, he had a tournament-best 21 runs, 32 hits, 16 stolen bases, and 1.6 WAR; adding a .344 average, 8 home runs, and 21 RBI. South Korean’s Tae-Yang So was named the Best Pitcher. The 30-year old closer for Sapporo and 1955 Reliever of the Year tossed 11 scoreless innings in three appearances for two saves, 22 strikeouts, three walks, and 1.0 WAR.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1958 in EPB

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The European League saw both Kyiv and Minsk win their respective divisions for the third straight season. The Miners led the league overall at 104-58 atop the North Division. The Kings claimed the South Division at 103-59, edging Bucharest (102-60) by one game. The defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champion Broncos still earned their fourth straight playoff berth with the wild card. At 96-66, Kharkiv took the final wild card for their first-ever playoff berth, beating out Moscow by one game.

European League MVP went to Kharkiv’s Stepan Pavlyukovets. The 24-year old Belarusian LF was EPB’s first-ever batting Triple Crown winner with a .325 average, 52 home runs, and 122 RBI, tying the single-season home run record thus far in EPB’s four year history. He also led in hits (192), OBP (.3820, slugging (.653), OPS (1.036), and WAR (7.4). Bucharest’s Bogdan Chirita won his second Pitcher of the Year. The 31-year old Romanian was the leader in ERA (1.85), WHIP (0.85), FIP- (40), and WAR (12.6) with 301 strikeouts over 263 innings.



The best overall record in EPB narrowly went to Asian League North Division champ Novosibirsk at 108-54, getting their first division title and back-to-back playoff berths. Dushanbe at 107-55 was the South Division champ for a fourth straight berth, but their first division title. Krasnoyarsk (104-58) and Almaty (101-61) took the wild card spots with Yekaterinburg (100-62) and Irkutsk (95-67) narrowly missing. It is the second wild card in four years for the Cossacks and four straight for the Assassins.

The Asian League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Baku’s Skerdi Hoxha despite the Blackbirds going .500 for the year. He was the leader in wins at 22-3 and ERA at 1.52, also leading in WHIP (0.86) and quality starts (28). He also had 10.0 WAR and 266 innings with 283 strikeouts and earned his fourth straight Gold Glove.

In the first round of the playoffs, Kharkiv upset Minsk 3-1 and Kyiv survived in five games against Bucharest in the European League. In the Asian League, Almaty upset Novosibirsk in four and Dushanbe edged Krasnoyarsk in five. The all-Ukraine ELCS saw the Kings prevail in six over the Killer Bees, while the ALCS had the Dynamo over the Assassins in a seven-game classic. The Soviet Series had two teams in it for the first time and saw Kyiv defeat Dushanbe in five games.





Other notes: Warsaw’s Dan Vaarala threw the fourth EPB perfect game with six strikeouts against Vilnius on June 9. Krasnoyarsk’s Sergei Mammedov had a 30-game hitting streak, the first EPB player to get 30+.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1958 in EBF

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For the ninth season of the European Baseball Federation, the mound was lowered as stats had fallen from year one to year eight. The Northern Conference went from a .227 league average and 3.12 ERA to .245 and 3.341 in 1958, while the Southern Conference went from .237 and 3.29 to .249 and 3.69.

The Northern Conference didn’t have any 100+ win teams in 1958. The best overall record went to Hamburg at 95-67, earning their first-ever playoff berth as North Central Division champ. Berlin was second at 93-69 and earned the wild card, while defending European Champion Stockholm was 91-71 and missed the playoffs. The Barons earned their third playoff berth in franchise history. The Northwest Division was a tight battle with Luxenbourg winning for the first time. The Lancers finished 92-70, finishing three better than both Amsterdam and Rotterdam and four better than Brussels. In the British Isles Division, Birmingham won a third straight title with a 88-74 mark, beating Belfast by six games and Glasgow by seven.

NC MVP went to Paris LF Gabriel Staudt. The 30-year old Swiss righty was the conference leader in home runs (54), RBI (136), runs (115), slugging (.674), OPS (1.046), wRC+ (201), and WAR (9.3). Stoudt also won his seventh Silver Slugger, the first EBF player to earn seven. Rotterdam’s Trent Addams was Pitcher of the Year, earning the EBF’s third Triple Crown pitching season. The 26-year old Scot had a 24-3 record, 1.56 ERA, and 367 strikeouts over 248.2 innings with a 30 FIP- and league-record 13.1 WAR.



The best overall record in the EBF came in the Southern Conference from Lisbon, who won the Southwest Division at 105-57 for their fourth playoff berth in five years. Milan claimed the South Central Division at 93-69 for their first playoff berth since 1953, finishing four games ahead of Zurich. Defending conference champ Naples fell to 75-87. The Southeast Division champ was Athens at 92-70, earning their first-ever playoff appearance. Zurich at 89-73 narrowly grabbed the wild card for their fourth appearance in five years. The Mountaineers were one game ahead of Seville, four better than Madrid, and five over Marseille.

Southern Conference MVP went to Munich 2B Jonathan Fossdal. The 25-year old from Norway was the conference leader in WAR (10.9) and wRC+ (191), adding a .340 average, 38 home runs, and 114 RBI. Seville’s Armando Rojas won his third straight Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old led in ERA for the fourth time in career with 2.01 and WAR for the third straight season with a career-best 12.2. He also led in strikeouts (36), WHIP (0.83), quality starts (29), and FIP- (44).

In the first round in the Northern Conference playoffs, both series went all five games. Hamburg edged Birmingham and Berlin edged Luxembourg for an all-Germany conference final. In the Southern Conference, Zurich upset Lisbon in a sweep and Milan dropped Athens 3-1. The NCC saw the Barons beat the Hammers in five games to send Berlin to the European final for the first time. The SCC was a seven-game classic with the Mountaineers outlasting the Maulers, sending Zurich to their first European Championship. It would be a rout as Berlin swept the Mountaineers for their first title and the second title by a German team. It was the first time the European Championship series was a sweep.





Other notes; The seventh EBF perfect game was thrown on September 13 by Belfast’s Arran MacNair, who stuck out eight against Dublin. This was the only no-hitter for the entire season. Pietro Ribsi became the first pitcher to 2500 career strikeouts. CF Mercury Hand won his eighth consecutive Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1958 in BSA

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Defending Copa Sudamerica champion Callao won the Bolivar League South Division for the third straight year in 1958 and for the fourth time in five years. The Cats were 100-62, nine games better than second place Guayaquil. In the North Division, Barquisimeto took the title at 99-63 for back-to-back playoff berths, finishing two games better than Caracas.

Bolivar League MVP went to 2B Remberto Borja of Barquisimeto, earning his second career MVP. The 28-year old Venezuelan was the league leader in WAR (10.5), OBP (.427), and triples (24), adding a .356 average, 101 runs, and 208 hits. Guayaquil righty Laurenco Cedillo won his first of what would be seven Pitcher of the Year awards. In his second full season, the 23-year old Chilean led the league in WAR (8.4), strikeouts (352), and wins (20), posting a 2.47 ERA over 265.2 with 29 quality starts.



Defending Southern Cone champ Sao Paulo won the Brazil Division for the sixth straight season, but had to win a war to do so. The Padres finished 104-58, outracing Rio de Janeiro at 103-59. Salvador (95-67) and Fortaleza (92-70) were both in the race for much of the year as well. Santiago won back-to-back South Division titles, 12 games better than Buenos Aires with a 97-65 mark.

Santiago two-way player Jay Carrizales was the league MVP. The 26-year old left-handed Santiago native as a pitcher had 8.4 WAR, a 19-11 record, 2.61 ERA, 308 strikeouts, and 272.2 innings. As a right fielder, Carrizales had 6.3 WAR with a .307 average, 21 home runs, 126 hits, and 53 runs. He also earned Gold Glove at pitcher. Sao Paulo’s Angel Souza won his third Pitcher of the Year in four years. The 28-year old Brazilian righty led the league with 25 wins, adding a 1.74 ERA, 284.2 innings, 339 strikeouts, and 7.3 WAR.

The Bolivar League Championship Series was a rematch and this time, Barquisimeto reversed the script on Callao. The Black Cats earned a sweep for their first-ever league title. The Southern Cone Championship was also a rematch and was a seven-game thriller. Game seven went 11 innings with Sao Paulo winning it 7-6, taking the series over Santiago for back-to-back league titles and their fifth title. The Padres kept that momentum into Copa Sudamerica, defeating Barquisimeto in five games. This is Sao Paulo’s second cup win, joining the 1942 campaign.





Other notes: Slugger Diego Pena became the first BSA hitter to reach 700 career home runs. Pena added five more the next year at age 44, finishing with a career tally of 725. He also finished with 1754 RBI and 1596 runs, both all-time records at retirement and his 153.6 WAR was the all-time mark for a batter. R.J. Correa became the fourth hitter to 1500 career RBI and the eighth to 500 home runs. Diego Mena became the 15^th pitcher to 4000 strikeouts. CF Loury Nova won his 13^th Gold Glove, a Beisbol Sudamerica record.