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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-16-2023, 10:31 AM

1966 in CABA

The 1965 and 1963 Mexican League champ Monterrey won the North Division for the third straight year in 1966, cruising to the title at 98-64. The Matadors allowed 518 runs, the fewest in the league. The best record in Mexico was South Division champ and last year’s wild card Ecatepec at 103-59. Mexico City picked up the wild card at 91-71, finishing two games better than Leon. This ended an 11-year postseason drought for the Aztecs while giving the Lions only their second miss in the last nine years.

Hermosillo was .500, but they had the MVP in 26-year old first baseman Edgardo Franco. Nicknamed “Weasel,” the right-handed Honduran was the leader in the triple slash (.363/.429/.600), OPS (1.029), wRC+ (197), WAR (9.1), runs (113), and stolen bases (80). Franco spent one more season with the Hyenas before leaving for MLB from 1968-1972. The Pitcher of the Year was Sebastian “Cadillac” Cruz. The 26-year old 6’6’’ lefty was the ERA leader (1.76), posting 232 strikeouts and 230.2 innings and 4.7 WAR.

Fresh off back-to-back CABA Championships, Salvador got even better with a franchise record 111-51 record. This extended the postseason streak to four seasons for the Stallions, who led the Caribbean League in runs scored (801) and fewest allowed (566). The wild card also came from the Continental Division with a solid 99-63 season for Honduras. The Horsemen rejoin the postseason field after having a seven-year streak snapped in 1965. Jamaica took the Island Division title at 93-69, beating Santiago by two games and Puerto Rico by six. The Jazz ended a three-year playoff skid. Last year’s division champ Haiti fell to a sixth place 73-89.

Guatemala’s Wesley Dubar won the first of several MVP awards. The 23-year old Panamanian center fielder was the league leader in runs (121), slugging (.643), OPS (1.023), wRC+ (173) and WAR (12.0), adding 39 home runs and 111 RBI. This began what would be a nine-year streak as the runs scored leader in the Caribbean League and was year two of what would be an eight-year stretch as the WARlord. Pitcher of the Year went to Salvador’s Isadoro Cruz in his second full season. The 23-year old righty led in wins with a 23-7 record, posting a 2.66 ERA over 261 innings with 269 strikeouts and 6.5 WAR.

Both wild card series were sweeps for the division champ with Monterrey over Mexico City and Jamaica over Honduras. In the Mexican League Championship Series, the Matadors downed Ecatepec in five games, giving Monterrey back-to-back titles. It is their third in four years; seventh in twelve years, and record tenth overall. The Caribbean League Championship Series was a seven-game classic that saw the Jazz deny Salvador’s three-peat. Jamaica earned its first league title since 1950 and fifth overall.

The 1966 Central American Baseball Association Championship was an all-timer between Jamaica and Monterrey. The series went all seven with game seven going 15 innings. The Jazz took the game 5-4 to bring the cup to Jamaica for the fourth time (1950, 1933, 1930). Oddly enough, one other final had seen game seven go 15 innings; Jamaica’s 1930 title win over Hermosillo. The Matadors are 0-3 in the CABA final in the last four seasons and 3-7 historically. Veteran catcher Sebastian Gonzalez was the top playoff performer as LCS MVP, posting 17 hits, 7 runs, 17 RBI, and 3 home runs in 16 games.

Other notes: Emmanuel Lopez became the fourth CABA batter to reach 1500 runs scored.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-16-2023, 04:46 PM

1966 in MLB

Hartford had the best record in the National Association in back-to-back seasons, winning a third straight Eastern League title at 102-60. The Huskies also have a four-season playoff streak, tied with San Francisco for the longest active streak. Hartford had to hold off very strong competition with all four wild cards coming out of the EL. In the Midwest League, Kansas City took first at 94-68 for their fourth playoff appearance in six years. Columbus and Minneapolis both finished 91-72, ultimately two games short of the last wild card, while Omaha was 90-72. Chicago, who won the 1964 World Series and had 100 wins in 1965, fell off a cliff to the worst record in the NA at 53-109.

The first wild card went to defending World Series champion Ottawa at 99-63, three games behind Hartford for the league title. Next were Philadelphia and New York, both at 94-68. The Phillies earned back-to-back berths, while it was the first since 1953 for the Yankees. The final wild card went to Washington at 93-69, who the prior year had the worst record in the National Association at 55-107. This snapped a five-year drought for the Admirals. Of note, Boston (88-74) had a four-year playoff streak ended and St. Louis (73-89) ended a three-year one.

MVP went to third year Kansas City 1B Woodrow Naylor. The 23-year old was the leader in runs scored (119), walks drawn (119), OBP (.457), OPS (.1047), wRC (206), and WAR (8.6), adding 34 home runs and 108 RBI. The walk tally was only the 13^th time a MLB hitter had 119+ walks in a season. Ottawa’s Logan Davis was Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old lefty had the most wins with a 22-7 record and most innings pitched (282.1) and most quality starts (28). He had a 2.65 ERA with 210 strikeouts and 5.3 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia edged New York in three and Washington swept Ottawa. For the second straight year, Hartford was one-and-done despite having the top record with the Huskies falling in four to the Admirals. Midwest League champ Kansas City fended off their wild card challenge from the Phillies 3-1. In the National Association Championship Series, Washington’s Cinderella season continued with a sweep of the Cougars. For the Admirals, they are now 4-0 in the NACS, although they last won it in 1930. Their other titles came in 1912 and 1914.

The American Association in 1966 had four teams with 100+ wins with two in each league. The best overall narrowly was Houston atop the Southern League at 104-58; their first league title since 1952 and only second playoff berth since then. Miami was close behind at 102-60 with the Malalrds ending a 27-year playoff drought. 102 wins was also a franchise record for Miami. In the Western League, San Diego finished first at 103-59 for a third straight playoff berth and their first WL pennant since 1958. Phoenix was one back at 102-60, putting the 1964 Association Champs back into the playoffs after narrowly missing the prior year.

The other two wild card spots went to San Antonio and San Francisco, both at 93-69. This gave the Gold Rush four straight playoff berths and was the first since 1959 for the Oilers. Missing out narrowly were Calgary and Las Vegas (both 90-72), Nashville (89-73), Jacksonville (88-74), and Oakland (87-75). Defending American Association champ Memphis dropped down to ninth place in the Southern League at 79-83.

Leading Miami’s turnaround was second-year right fielder Jose Eduardo Banda. The 22-year old left-handed Mexican led in slugging (.626), adding a .346 average, 47 home runs, 115 runs, 212 hits, 119 RBI, and 8.4 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Phoenix’s David Maggio, who had been largely a journeyman prior. In his second season with the Firebirds, the 32-year old lead in wins at 22-6, as well as ERA (2.32) and quality starts (28). He had 275 innings, 217 strikeouts, and 6.3 WAR.

In the wild card round, the two 100+ win teams advanced in three games with Miami over San Francisco and Phoenix over San Antonio. The second round matchups ended up with the division rivals facing off. In both cases, the league champion won in a 3-2 affair with Houston surviving the Mallards and San Diego outlasting the Firebirds. The American Association Championship Series was San Diego’s first since 1958 and Houston’s first since 1952. In a seven-game battle, the Seals defeated the Hornets. It is the fifth title for San Diego.

In the 1966 World Series, Washington’s magic ultimately ran out. The Seals dropped the Admirals in five games to give San Diego its fifth MLB title (1936, 1955, 1956, 1958). Catcher Avelino Suarez was the playoff leader and AACS MVP. In 17 playoff games for the Seals, he had 19 hits, 9 runs, 5 doubles, and 12 RBI.

Other notes: For the 1966 season, Major League Baseball lowered the secondary roster size from 40 to 38. Arthur Moller hit 57 home runs, giving him four seasons of 50+. Parker Harpaz became the 14^th MLB pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts. Tyler Whisnant joined the 3000 hit club as the 35^th MLB member and also crossed 1500 runs scored. 3B Colton Flack won his 10^th Gold Glove.

A few bad records were set in 1966. At 43-119, New Orleans had the fourth worst record in MLB history, behind 1957 Cincinnati (41-121) and two teams at 42-120. The Mudcats allowed 1775 hits, the all-time worst mark. Meanwhile, Chicago SS Patrick Friese struck out a record 331; still the whiff king as of 2036. The previous MLB record was 311, set by Nick Fiscus in 1917.
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**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-17-2023, 06:28 AM

1967 MLB Hall of Fame

Major League Baseball’s 1967 Hall of Fame class inducted three players. Starting pitcher Rayan Orozco was a no-doubt pick, earning the first ballot nod at 95.8%. The other two inductees barely were above the 66% threshold, but crossed the line. Closer Rodrick Wisdom on his debut got to 68.4% and first baseman Jackson Hilton on his second attempt finished at 66.8%. 2B Bodie Howard was close on his seventh go but short at 61.2%. Two others, both on their third try, were above 50% in right fielders Estefan Salinas and Gene Jobgen.

Two players were removed after ten ballots. RF Eli Dewalt had an 18-year career with 2844 hits, 1384 runs, 436 home runs, 1480 RBI, .302 average, and 66.2 WAR. He lacked individual accolades with one Silver Slugger, meaning he never got much traction, peaking at 34.4% on his second ballot and ending at 17.9%. Also cut was catcher Alejandro Fernandez, who debuted at 48.0% but ended at 7.2%. In 18 seasons, he won nine Silver Sluggers, had 1827 hits, 1196 runs, 427 home runs, 1149 RBI, and 70.5 WAR. Fernandez was likely the best catcher of his era, but the Hall of Fame’s anti-catcher bias struck again due to the lack of counting stats that come with the position. That, and his best years came with forgettable Louisville teams.

Also worth a mention was CF Myeong-Won Lee, who was dropped after falling below 5% on his fifth ballot. Dooming him from induction was a split career between CABA and MLB. He was a three-time MVP in eight seasons with Haiti, then had a long run with Philadelphia’s dynasty. Over 23 total seasons, he had 2969 hits, 1696 runs, 438 doubles, 185 triples, 498 home runs, 1610 RBI, and 122.7 WAR; plus six Gold Gloves and nine Silver Sluggers. The combined resume makes Lee likely the best player to be left out of any Hall, but the split tallies were just low enough in each league to keep him from stronger consideration.

Rayan Orozco – Starting Pitcher – Indianapolis Racers – 95.8% First Ballot

Rayan Orozco was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Candelaria, Puerto Rico; a barrio of around 20,000 people in the northern part of the island. Orozco had 10/10 stuff at his peak with 99-101 mph velocity, along with great movement and good control. He had an extreme groundball tendency with a stellar sinker and forkball, along with a great slider and okay changeup. Orozco also was terrific at holding runners and was known for strong stamina when healthy.

After becoming a high school star on the island, Orozco came stateside and played college baseball for Georgia. As someone born outside of the main US or Canada, he wasn’t eligible in the first three rounds of the MLB Draft due to the regional restrictions. In 1945, he was the first of the fourth round picks, selected by Columbus. However, Orozco couldn’t come to terms with the Chargers and returned to Georgia for his senior season. He took second in NCAA Pitcher of the Year voting in 1946 and was picked second in the fourth round, 152th overall, by Indianapolis. Orozco’s entire pro career would be with the Racers.

Orozco was an immediate success for what had been a struggling Indianapolis franchise in recent memory. His rookie year was worth 7.5 WAR, posting a 2.30 ERA over 238.2 innings. He took second in both Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year, dropping the latter to future HOF 1B Jaxson Bradley. Orozco’s sophomore season saw him claim Pitcher of the Year with a career-best 9.6 WAR and the National Association lead in ERA and FIP-.

He would go onto have 11 seasons worth 6+ WAR and would lead in FIP- four times, strikeouts once, and ERA twice. Orozco’s second Pitcher of the Year came in 1950 with a 2.37 ERA, 20-7 record, and 8.4 WAR. He took second in 1954, third in 1956 and 1957, second again in 1958, and third in 1959. In 1954, he was the strikeout leader for the only time in his career with 285. During his run, Indy started to see occasional success. He pitched in the playoffs four times with the Racers taking the NACS in 1952, 1957, and 1959; although each time they fell in the World Series. In his postseason career, Orozco had an 11-5 record in 131.1 innings with a 2.54 ERA, 130 strikeouts, 1.05 WHIP, and 3.5 WAR.

Orozco’s first major injury was a torn labrum in May 1953, which put him out the rest of that season. He bounced back the next year at age 29 with a great season, but suffered another partial tear in 1955. He torn his labrum again at the end of the 1956 campaign, but still bounced back for three more great seasons. In 1960 at age 35, shoulder inflammation knocked him out almost the entire season. These injuries finally caught up to him as Orozco struggled in a 1961 season that also saw rotator cuff inflammation. He opted to retire after the 1961 season at age 37, with his #34 uniform being immediately retired by the Racers.

Orozco’s final stats: 207-125 record, 2.83 ERA, 3236.2 innings, 3128 strikeouts, 299/424 quality starts, 146 complete games, FIP- of 69, and 97.5 WAR. Very few Hall of Fame MLB starters finished with a sub-three ERA and his tallies don’t look out of place even with injuries hurting his longevity. Orozco was regularly a top five pitcher in MLB in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s and the star for Indianapolis, earning an easy first-ballot induction at 95.8%.

Rodrick Wisdom – Closer – Hartford Huskies – 68.4% First Ballot

Rodrick Wisdom was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Asheville, North Carolina; a city of around 100,000 people in the western part of the state. At his peak, Wisdom threw fire with an incredible 99-101 mph cutter. His only other pitch was a solid changeup, but this one-two punch combined with great movement and good control made Wisdom a force at his best. His strikeouts weren’t as outstanding as many other elite closers, but the cutter was excellent at earning very fieldable outs. He had good stamina and could hold runners, but having only two pitches meant his pro career was in the bullpen.

Wisdom went west for college with the Oregon Ducks. He was a starter in college and earned the 24^th overall pick in the 1943 MLB Draft by Atlanta. He struggled in limited use in his first two years, followed by a partial stint with mixed results at closer in year three. His next three years with the Aces were more solid, earning Reliever of the Year in 1948 and a third place finish in 1949. In six seasons with the struggling Atlanta franchise, Wisdom had a 3.57 ERA, 90 saves, 258 strikeouts in 302.1 innings, 112 shutdowns, and 8.7 WAR.

Before the 1950 season, the now 26-year old Wisdom was traded to Hartford for three prospects, beginning his signature MLB run. He signed a three-year extension quickly and ultimately spent 12 seasons with the Huskies; a very long tenure for any reliever. Wisdom was the starting closer for all but the final season with Hartford, winning his second Reliever of the Year in 1958 and taking second in both 1950 and 1955. He had a 29-save opportunity streak from August 1954 to June 1955 and had a 22 game scoreless streak during that run as well.

Hartford never had a losing record during Wisdom’s tenure and he got to pitch in seven postseasons. He posted a 3.33 ERA over 48.2 innings with 13 saves. The Huskies were National Association champs in his debut year of 1950, but unfortunately for him couldn’t get beyond the NACS in the other seasons. Wisdom became the third MLB closer to reach 400 career saves and by the time he was done, was the all-time saves leader at 441. In total with the Huskies, he had 351 saves with a 2.24 ERA, 864 innings, 852 strikeouts, 409 shutdowns, and 25.1 WAR.

In 1961, the now 37-year old Wisdom was moved out of the closer role for the first time in his Huskies career as his cutter velocity had dropped a few miles per hour of velocity. He wasn’t re-signed after the season, although the franchise would retire his #68 uniform (not that #68 was in particular high demand). Wisdom went south of the border and pitched two seasons in middle relief for Juarez, then two with Torreon. Dwindling production and a partially torn labrum in 1964 ended his effectiveness, as he retired at age 42 following the 1965 season.

The final MLB stats for Wisdom: 441 saves, 2.59 ERA, 1020 appearances, 1166.1 innings, 1110 strikeouts, 362 walks, 521 shutdowns, 70 FIP- and 33.8 WAR. He was the first reliever to pitch in more than 1000 games and remains second all-time in both saves and games as of 2037; getting passed by only Carson Hanford in both. The lack of big strikeout numbers meant his WAR was actually mid-grade among MLB Hall of Famers despite his tenure. However, such longevity and consistency aren’t common for relievers, earning Wisdom the first ballot nod, even if only barely at 68.4%.

Jackson Hilton – First Baseman – Jacksonville Gators – 66.8% Second Ballot

Jackson Hilton was a 5’11’’, 195 pound left-handed first baseman from Graham, North Carolina, a tiny town of under 20,000 people in the north central part of the state. At his prime, Hilton was one of the top home run hitters in Major League Baseball, while adding solid contract and gap power skills. He was viewed as above average at drawing walks and at avoiding strikeouts, once posting a 40-game on base streak. A very slow baserunner, Hilton was a career first baseman and was considered a bit below average, but not atrocious defensively.

Hilton attended Northwestern and was a stud designed hitter as a freshman, winning a Silver Slugger. He took College World Series MVP as the Wildcats were the 1942 National Champion. When eligible for the MLB Draft, it was Jacksonville who picked Hilton up, fifth overall in the 1944 Draft. He would be only the second player inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Gator, joining Del Klassen.

Hilton won Rookie of the Year in 1945 with a 37 home run season. He’d go onto hit 30+ home runs in 12 different seasons and 40+ in six straight seasons from 1946-51. During that run, he led the American Association in dingers three times. His career best of 51 in 1952 oddly enough wasn’t the lead. He also had seven straight 100+ RBI seasons, including 148 in 1950. His best season by WAR was 8.0 in his second year, which also had a career best .336.

Hilton won five Silver Sluggers at the competitive first base slot: in 1946, 48, 49, 50, and 52. He never won MVP, although he took second in 1946 and third in 1952. Jacksonville made the playoffs four times in his early years, although only once did they get as far as the AACS. In 18 playoff games, he had 15 hits, 10 runs, 6 home runs, and 12 RBI. Hilton also started in the 1947 World Baseball Championship and was a reserve in 1948 and 1950, posting 7 home runs in 75 at bats. In total with the Gators, he had 1985 hits, 1128 runs, 475 home runs, 1315 RBI, a .300 average, and 59.1 WAR. The franchise would honor him by eventually retiring his #39 uniform; the first player to earn the honor for Jacksonville.

At age 33, Hilton declined his contract option and became a free agent for the 1957 season. He signed a five-year, $330,000 deal with Omaha, nearly doubling his yearly salary. His production had dropped from his early 20s, although he still gave the Hawks four decent seasons. He posted 431 hits, 246 runs, 95 home runs, 254 RBI, and 8.7 WAR. Hilton crossed the 500 home run and 1500 RBI milestones with Omaha. He was moved to a bench role in his final season with the Hawks and became a free agent after the 1960 season. Hilton spent 1961 as a minor league reserve in Chattanooga, retiring after the season at age 37.

Hilton’s final stats: 2416 hits, 1374 runs, 361 doubles, 570 home runs, 1569 RBI, a .290/.358/.545 slash and 67.7 WAR. A fine career, but a bit lower on the leaderboards than most other MLB Hall of Famers. For a first baseman especially, usually bigger final stat lines are needed to stand out. Hilton was well known and generally popular and as they say, chicks dig the long ball. In his 20s, few players offered his reliable power. Hilton missed the cut on his first ballot at 60.3%, but barely snuck across the 66% threshold in his second try at 66.8%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-17-2023, 01:10 PM

1967 CABA Hall of Fame

The Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame inducted four players on the 1967 ballot; only the third time that four went in from one group. All four were first ballot picks as well, although with varying percentages. The stars of the class were pitcher Edgar Andunvar and first baseman Timmy Ramirez; both getting in at a strong 97.4%. Pitcher Wily Orantes made it with 83.8%, while reliever Marcos Lopez was just above the 66% cut at 67.2%. Two others, 1B Alejandro Encinas and pitcher Tirso Sepulveda, were above 50%.

Only one player was dropped after making it ten tries on the ballot. RF Samuel Sousa was the 1945 Mexican League MVP, posting 1748 hits, 864 runs, 382 home runs, 1011 RBI, and 53.1 WAR in 13 seasons with Chihuahua. He had a nice peak, but lacked the accumulations needed for serious consideration. Sousa peaked at 27.7% on his second ballot and ended at 5.0%.

Edgar Andunvar – Starting Pitcher – Guatemala Ghosts – 97.4% First Ballot

Edgar Andunvar was a 5’10’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa. He was a well-rounded pitcher with solid stuff, movement, and control. Andunvar had a five-pitch arsenal with 96-98 mph peak velocity, led by an outstanding splitter. He mixed this with a strong cutter, good changeup, and decent slider and curveball. Andunvar was good at holding runners and generally very durable, not picking up any significant injuries until his 30s.

Andunvar had an excellent amateur career and was quickly viewed as the top pitching prospect in Central America. In the 1944 CABA Draft, he was picked second overall by Guatemala. This would be his best and most known run, although he only spent seven seasons with the Ghosts. They were a struggling franchise and didn’t make the postseason, but Andunvar was a strong starter right away and elite a few seasons in.

In his fourth season in 1948, Andunvar won his first Pitcher of the Year award. He won his second in 1949 and third in 1950, leading the Caribbean League in WAR and FIP- each season and ERA twice. In total with Guatemala, he had a 92-85 record, 2.92 ERA, 1583 strikeouts in 1660.2 innings, and 47.5 WAR. After the three outstanding seasons, his production dropped a noticeably in 1951, seeing his ERA increase from 2.10 to 3.56. Worried he had peaked and wanting to sell high, the Ghosts traded Andunvar to Nicaragua, receiving four prospects.

Andunvar definitely wasn’t cooked yet, as he posted his fourth Pitcher of the Year season in 1952 for the Navigators, going 23-7 with a 1.96 ERA and 8.8 WAR. This also was Andunvar’s first time in the playoffs, although he struggled in two starts. Now 31 years old and a free agent, Andunvar signed a six-year, $306,000 deal with Havana. He led in ERA for the fourth time in his Hurricanes debut, taking second in Pitcher of the Year.

Andunvar wouldn’t be a finalist in his remaining four seasons with Havana, but was still strong when healthy. An elbow strain put him out about two months in 1955 and a torn triceps the next season put him out for the entire second half. He bounced back with a strong 1957 at age 35 and posted a 69-36 record with Havana, a 2.83 ERA, 1016 strikeouts in 1082.2 innings, and 31.1 WAR. He also made two playoff starts in 1953.

The Hurricanes voided the team option for 1958, making Andunvar a free agent again. He joined Leon on a three-year deal and had a strong debut, helping the Lions end a 15-year playoff drought. In 1959, they won the CABA Championship and took the Mexican League title in 1960. In 1959, the 37-year old Andunvar won his fifth Pitcher of the Year, joining the legendary Ulices Montero as the only pitchers to do so to that point in CABA. His fifth trophy came seven years after his fourth, leading in ERA for the fifth time in his career and wins for the third.

His playoff numbers weren’t great, but he earned the CABA ring regardless. In three seasons with Leon, Andunvar had a 58-16 record, 2.53 ERA, 655 innings, 582 strikeouts, and 16.6 WAR. In October 1960, Andunvar suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee. Leon figured that was it for him and didn’t re-sign Andunvar. He wasn’t done yet, signing a three-year deal with Nicaragua at age 39. Andunvar was still good enough to hang in his return to the Navigators, but opted to retire after one season. In this last year, he became the sixth CABA pitcher to reach 250 wins and the 15^th to 3500 strikeouts.

Andunvar’s final stats: 255-158, 2.79 ERA, 3888.2 innings, 3622 strikeouts, 358/536 quality starts, FIP- of 72, and 108.2 WAR. He was the third CABA pitcher to cross 100 career WAR and retired only behind the GOAT Ulices Montero’s 165.6. Many would view him as the top CABA pitcher of his generation, making Andunvar an easy first ballot pick at 97.4%.

Timmy “Flipper” Ramirez – First Baseman - Mexicali Maroons – 97.4% First Ballot

Timmy Ramirez was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed first baseman from San Luis Potosi, Mexico; a major city in the central part of the country. Ramirez was an outstanding home run hitter in his prime, leading Mexico in dingers in six different seasons and RBI thrice. He was also a very solid contact hitter with good gap power. Ramirez didn’t walk as much as you’d expect from a slugger, but he didn’t strike out a ton. He was a slow baserunner who spent almost his entire career defensively at first base. Had the Mexican League used the designated hitter, that would have been his ideal spot as Ramirez was a horrible defender. But with his power, work ethic, and loyalty, Ramirez became a beloved figure in Mexican baseball.

His power and potential was noticed immediately as the 19-year old Ramirez was picked first overall in the 1941 CABA Draft by Mexicali. He was on the developmental roster in 1942 and made only 30 plate appearances in 1943. Ramirez’s first full season saw a bench role in 1944, followed by solid results as a starter in 1945. It was 1946 that Ramirez arrived, smacking 51 home runs in the first of five consecutive seasons leading the Mexican League. This season included a four home run game against Leon and Timmy too second in MVP voting.

In 1947, Ramirez won his first MVP and first Silver Slugger, leading the league with 47 home runs despite missing a month with a fractured finger. He was back in full for his second MVP and Silver Slugger in 1948; becoming CABA’s single-season home run king with 61. 1949 was just as dominant, although he was third in MVP voting. In 1950, Ramirez beat his own home run record with 65 and took his third MVP and Silver Slugger. 65 homers wouldn’t get matched until 1976 in CABA and not topped until 1979. He also boasted a 49-game on base streak during the 1950 run.

During this stretch, Mexicali began a dynasty with six straight North Division titles from 1949-54. They won the Mexican League title in 1950, 51, 52, 53, and 54; and won the overall CABA title in 1953 and 54. In 50 career playoff games, Ramirez had 58 hits, 26 runs, 12 doubles, 8 home runs, and 28 RBI. He missed the 1951 postseason and the entire second half with a broken kneecap. A strained groin put him out two months in 1952, although he still had 43 home runs in only 116 games. In 1953, Ramirez led in home runs for the sixth and final time, posting his seventh season with an OPS above 1.000.

After this season, Ramirez saw his production drop dramatically from elite to merely above average. 1954 and 1955 were his final full seasons, then recurring injuries; particularly with his hamstrings, meant he missed multiple months each year from 1956-1959. The Maroons faded into a mid-tier team spot, although he was still a beloved figure who would have his #16 retired. Ramirez was also nationally popular as one of the leaders of the Mexican National Team in the World Baseball Championship. In 135 games from 1947-58, he had 125 hits, 104 runs, 68 home runs, 107 RBI, and 6.9 WAR. Mexico won the world title in 1949 and 1950 with Ramirez putting up 18 home runs and 33 RBI in those two runs.

In 1960, the now 38-year old Ramirez was traded by Mexicali, although there were no hard feelings between the franchise and its biggest hero. He was moved to Salvador for two players and missed most of 1960 with assorted injuries. While there, he did become CABA’s fourth hitter to reach 600 home runs. The Stallions released him and he signed for his final season with Hermosillo purely in a reserve and mentor role. Ramirez retired after the 1961 season at age 39

The final stats: 2292 hits, 1242 runs, 352 doubles, 605 home runs, 1473 RBI, a .300/.356/.598 slash, 186 wRC+ and 88.1 WAR. In his peak run from 1946-1955, he averaged 45.7 home runs per season; numbers that are still impressive even in later decades that have more power generally. If not for the injuries, Ramirez may have had a legit shot to chase some of Prometheo Garcia’s all-time power numbers. Regardless, “Flipper” was a no doubt Hall of Famer as a stud slugger who led Mexicali’s 1950s dynasty.

Wily Orantes – Starting Pitcher – Monterrey Matadors – 83.8% First Ballot

Wily Orantes was a 5’10’’, 180 pound right-handed pitcher from Tampico, a city of about 300,000 people just off the gulf coast in east-central Mexico. Orantes was a bit of a late bloomer who never was going to overwhelm you with his stuff at 94-96 mph. He always had good control and in his later seasons developed tremendous movement, being a rare player who peaked in his early 30s. Orantes was an extreme groundballer with his changeup as his best pitch, mixed with a decent fastball, slider, and occasional knuckle curve. His stamina was considered poor for a starter, only posting 14 complete games while most CABA Hall of Famers had triple-digits. To his credit, Orantes was a great defender, winning Gold Gloves in 1948, 52, 53, and 55.

Orantes was picked eighth overall in the 1945 CABA Draft by Monterrey and spent 1946 on the reserve roster. He was a reliever his rookie season of 1947, and not a particularly good one with negative WAR. He became a starter from here on, but he was merely above average in his first four seasons in the rotation. Orantes did throw a no-hitter in 1950 against Hermosillo with 11 strikeouts and one walk, but he generally received little attention for a then weak Matadors squad. Orantes had bad forearm inflammation in late 1950 and then needed surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow, putting him out most of 1951.

Orantes bounced back from that injury with increased success, posting a career best 5.2 WAR in 1952 and topping it with 6.9 WAR the next year. He also was selected for the Mexican team in the World Baseball Championship as a reliever mostly, pitching from 1950-54 with a 3.90 ERA over 27.2 innings.

It was 1955 at age 29 when Orantes finally put it all together. He led Mexican with a 1.56 ERA and 0.80 WHIP, winning Pitcher of the Year. He would lead in ERA four straight seasons and WHIP three of the four, winning Pitcher of the Year again in 1956 and 1958 and taking second in 1957. This stretch coincided with a dynasty run for Monterrey, who won four straight Mexican League titles from 1955-58. In 1955 and 57, they were the overall CABA champion. In 12 playoff starts, Orantes had a 6-4 record, 2.91 ERA, 65 innings, and 36 strikeouts.

Orantes had similar success to start 1959, but disaster struck in late June with a torn rotator cuff injury, This put Orantes out for the rest of 1959 and the majority of 1960 with only 14 innings coming late that year. He hoped 1961 could be a true comeback, but after only 12.1 innings, he tore the rotator cuff again. This effectively ended his career at age 35. For his efforts, Monterrey retired his #35 uniform.

The final stats for Orantes: 156-89, 2.42 ERA, 2341.2 innings, 2050 strikeouts, 382 walks, 234//336 quality starts, 80 FIP-, and 53.1 WAR. His tallies are very low compared to other Hall of Famers between both major injuries and not being a big innings or strikeout guy even in his prime. His ERA and WHIP numbers look very deserving though. Three Pitcher of the Year awards and a key role in a dynasty put Orantes over the top despite lacking some of the counting stats, getting him the first ballot nod at 83.8%.

Marcos Lopez – Pitcher – Monterrey Matadors – 67.2% First Ballot

Marcos Lopez was a 6’2’’, 175 pound left-handed pitcher from Texcoco, a city of around 250,000 people located 25 kilometers northeast of Mexico City. Lopez was a hard thrower with 99-101 mph velocity and excellent control, although his movement was viewed as a bit below average. He had an incredible fastball, mixed with a good screwball and circle change, an alright curveball, and rarely used straight change. Lopez was great at holding runners and considered a good defensive pitcher. The five-pitch arsenal made him a starter initially, but poor stamina meant he spent the second half of his career exclusively in relief.

Lopez was highly touted thanks to that fastball and a rare CABA Draft pick as a high schooler, selected 13^th overall by Chihuahua. He ultimately didn’t come to terms with the Warriors, opting to play college ball. When he was up for the draft again in 1948, Monterrey selected him 14^th overall. For his first six seasons with the Matadors, Lopez was a starting pitcher. After average results in the first two years, he would lead Mexico in ERA three straight years (1951, 52, 53). He never won Pitcher of the Year, although he was second in 1951, third in 1952 and 53, and second again in 1954.

For the 1955 season, the 29-year old Lopez was moved to the bullpen and spent the rest of his career there. His teammate and Hall of Fame classmate Wily Orantes took over as the Monterrey ace and they began their dynasty. Lopez was the closer in 1955 and 56, finishing third in Reliever of the Year in the former and second in the latter. The Matadors won their Mexican League titles and Lopez earned two CABA rings in 1955 and 57. In 26 postseason innings, he had seven saves with an unremarkable 4.50 ERA.

Lopez saw less use in 1957 and that offseason, Monterrey traded him with prospect LF Connor Militello to Santiago for LF Yonelvy Villalobos. Lopez was rarely more than middle relief from here on. After one year with the Sailfish, the now 33-year old signed for 1959 with Salvador. Monterrey brought him back for 1960, then he signed with Ecatepec for 1961. The Explosion traded him back to the Matadors at the deadline and Lopez retired with Monterrey at age 35. In total with Monterrey, Lopez had an 88-78 record, 75 saves, 2.32 ERA, 1552 innings, 1871 strikeouts, and 39.2 WAR. The franchise would also retire his #23 uniform.

His final stats: 95-82 record, 105 saves and 174 shutdowns, 2.49 ERA, 1683.1 innings, 1991 strikeouts, 270 walks, 132/184 quality starts, and 40.9 WAR. He occupies a weird spot statistically where voters couldn’t figure out if he should be judged on starter standards, the lesser reliever standards, or a bit of both. Although he had a few great years, his tallies as well beneath the typical starter in the CABA Hall. In a vacuum, the numbers look good for a reliever sans the lack of saves, but almost all of his peak numbers were pre-bullpen. His strange resume swayed enough voters to get Lopez in on the first ballot, although just barely at 67.2%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-17-2023, 04:30 PM

1967 EAB Hall of Fame

East Asia Baseball inducted two players into the Hall of Fame from the 1967 ballot. Both were first ballot, although with wildly different percentages. 3B Nariyuki Yanagisawa was a no-doubter at 93.6%, while closer Kenshiro Aoki narrowly crossed the 66% threshold with 68.0%. CF Han-Min Park had 57.3% on his eighth try, closer Kantaro Kobayashi at 50.6% on his sixth, and LF Chong-Chun Pak at 50.0% even on his third.

One player was dropped from the EAB ballot after ten failed attempts. LF Hang-Seo Seok had a 19-year career mostly with Gwangju, although he did spend three years with MLB’s Buffalo. His EAB stats were 2387 hits, 1125 runs, 422 home runs, 387 doubles, 1316 RBI, a .303 average, three Silver Sluggers, and 62.3 WAR. With no MVPs or playoff appearances, Seok was banished to the Hall of Very Good, ending at 6.1% after debuting at 35.5%.

Nariyuki Yanagisawa – Third/First Base – Sapporo Swordfish – 93.6% First Ballot

Nariyuki Yanagisawa was a 5’11’’, 190 pound right-handed corner infielder from Nagaoka, the second largest city in Japan’s Niigata Prefecture. He was a well-rounded batter that with good to sometimes great power, plus solid contract skills and gap power. Yanagisawa had an average eye, was average at avoiding strikeouts, and slightly below average for baserunning speed. He made above 3/4s of his starts at third base with the rest over at first and was considered delightfully average. He was steady and worked hard, providing adequate defensive value at third while boasting generally a better bat than his contemporaries at the position. Yanagisawa became extremely popular nationally for his play on the national team and his role in Sapporo’s dynasty.

Yanagisawa attended Tokoha Hamamatsu University and was actually exclusively starting pitcher in college, posting a 3.46 ERA over 369.2 college innings. By the time he was a junior, he was graded as a one-star pitcher who wasn’t expected to make it to the bigs. He ended up draft in the late fifth round; the final round in EAB; 142^nd overall by Sapporo. Yanagisawa ended up being the latest-ever draft pick to earn Hall of Fame honors in EAB.

The Swordfish felt his very strong arm would be suited for third base and that he had hitting potential. Yanagisawa was switched and ultimately never pitched a single inning as a pro. He made a few pinch hit appearances as a rookie, then was a part-time starter in 1946. He honed his batting craft and emerged as a strong starter by year three, posting eight straight seasons of 6+ WAR from 1947-1954. Sapporo emerged as a dynasty in the mid 1940s and early 1950s, winning eight division titles from 1943-51. The Swordfish won the Japan League title six times (44, 45, 47, 49, 50, 51) and were EAB champion in 1947, 49, and 51.

For Yanagisawa, he became a 10-time Silver Slugger winner, taking it in 1948, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, and 58. All but the first one were for third base. He led Japan in OPS four times, slugging twice, and once in home runs, hits, doubles, and WAR. Yanagisawa started getting MVP looks, winning the award in 1949. He took third in 1947 and 1948, second in 1950 and 51, third in 1952, second in 1953, and third again in 1954. Yanagisawa could reliably be counted on for 30-35 home runs and a .310 ish average during this stretch.

Yanagisawa was a big time playoff performer as well. In 74 games and 67 starts, he had 75 hits, 41 runs, 13 doubles, 18 home runs, 50 RBI, and a .291 average. He was the East Asian Championship MVP in both 1949 and 1951, leading Sapporo to titles. Yanagisawa also helped Japan win the 1953 World Baseball Championship. He played in 158 tournament games from 1948-62, posting 127 hits, 98 runs, 44 home runs, and 99 RBI.

Yanagisawa’s numbers dwindled a bit into his 30s, but were still strong when he wasn’t hampered by minor injuries. He missed a few weeks each year in his latter Sapporo seasons, although still provided good value. Although the dynasty ended in 1951, the Swordfish got back to the playoffs in 1955 and 56, winning another Japan League title in 1956. After the 1959 season, Sapporo opted not to re-sign the now 37-year old Yanagisawa. Still, he remained beloved and his #3 uniform would soon be retired. His stats with the squad: 2072 hits, 1018 runs, 331 doubles, 418 home runs, 1182 RBI, a .302 average, and 91.8 WAR.

Yanagisawa got a nice payday in a two-year deal with Saitama for 1960. His first year was still starter quality, but not elite. Year two was a bit worse and the Sting traded him midseason to Nagoya. The 39-year old was a free agent again in 1962 and got an offer to play for Major League Baseball’s Indianapolis. He made $130,000 with the Racers, well ahead of his peak $74,000 salary with Sapporo. Age and injuries meant he only played 84 games and started 32 in his lone MLB season. Yanagisawa was cut after one year in Indy and after going unsigned in 1963, officially retired at age 41.

The final EAB stats for Yanagisawa: 2331 hits, 1136 runs, 370 doubles, 460 home runs, 1317 RBI, a .298/.350/.538 slash, and 97.6 WAR. Not at the very top of the EAB Hall of Fame leaderboard, but far from the bottom as well. He comfortably belongs as a first ballot guy as a perennial MVP candidate for a decade and a big piece of a dynasty.

Kenshiro Aoki – Closer – Suwon Snappers – 68.0% First Ballot

Kenshiro Aoki was a 5’10’’, 175 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Takanabe, a small town of around 20,000 people in southern Japan. He was known for incredible movement with a 97-99 mph sinker and fastball combo. Aoki’s control was average at best, but he could draw easy groundballs with ease thanks to the sinker. Aoki was hard working and loyal, making him a clubhouse favorite.

Aoki attended Hosei University in Kawasaki and was picked 23^rd overall by Sapporo in the 1944 East Asia Baseball Draft. He never played for the Swordfish, who were just starting their dynasty. Aoki was a reserve roster guy in 1945 and the first half of 1946, ultimately traded in the summer with another reliever to Suwon for first baseman Eun-Seong Sung. Aoki made 13 appearances that summer with the Snappers, then became a full-time closer when healthy for the rest of his run.

He played his entire pro career with Suwon, eventually earning his #20 uniform’s retirement. Aoki made the best of times with a bad franchise, as Suwon didn’t make the playoffs once during his tenure and was generally below .500. He had decent numbers in his first full season in 1947, but suffered a setback with a torn labrum in June 1948. He bounced back impressively, posting 25+ saves in each of the next eight seasons. Aoki never won Reliever of the Year, but finished third five times (1949, 50, 51, 55, 59). He led Japan in saves with 43 in 1955.

Aoki was part of the 1953 Japan team that won the World Baseball Championship. From 1950-60, he pitched in 33 games with eight starts, posting a very strong 1.81 ERA in 89.2 innings with 126 strikeouts. In 1957, a torn UCL put him out for nine months. Still, Aoki bounced right back with solid 1958 and 1959 seasons. 1960 was his last as the closer, followed by a weak 1961 season to close things at age 38. In that last year, he did cross 400 career saves; the fifth EAB pitcher to do so.

Aoki’s final stats: 403 saves and 442 shutdowns, 2.72 ERA, 1040.1 innings, 1162 strikeouts, 333 walks, FIP- of 69 (nice), and 31.1 WAR. He didn’t have the dominance of other Hall of Fame closers and was stuck staying loyal to a bad team, but 400 saves was the magic number to that point. Thus, Aoki was a first ballot Hall of Famer, albeit just barely at 68.0%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-18-2023, 05:34 AM

1967 BSA Hall of Fame

Three players earned induction into the Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame with the 1967 class. Two first ballot guys led the group with pitcher Diego Mena at 83.2% and 3B Pedro Quintana at 74.5%. Also getting in was closer Adrian Amaro, just getting across the line on his sixth ballot with 67.0%. One other player, LF Martyn Jarawa, was above the 50% mark as he posted 58.9% in his fourth attempt. The BSA ballot didn’t have any players dropped after ten tries on the ballot.

Diego Mena – Starting Pitcher – Cali Cyclones – 83.2% First Ballot

Diego Mena was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Floridablanca, a city of about 300,000 people in northeast Colombia. At his peak, Mena had 97-99 mph velocity and good stuff with above average to solid control and weak movement. He had a four pitch arsenal with a good fastball, curveball, and splitter, along with a rarely used poor changeup. Mena was also viewed as a good defensive pitcher who was effective at holding runners, earning a Gold Glove in 1958. He had terrific durability, lending to a lengthy career despite being viewed as a bit lazy by some critics.

Mena was picked ninth overall in the 1942 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Cali, where he’d have his longest and most notable tenure. He had an excellent debut season, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting for 1943. Mena was inconsistent though with below average results in year two, good numbers in year three, and a terrible fourth year that saw him moved out of the rotation. Mena’s biggest moment came in 1945 when on August 11, he threw a perfect game with eight strikeouts against Quito.

After a rough 1946, Mena’s 1947 was his best year of his career by WAR and strikeouts. He never finished as a Pitcher of the Year finalist, but put up solid stats to close the 1940s for Cali. Around this time, the Cyclones replaced La Paz as the premiere team in the Bolivar League. Mena was there for playoff berths from 1947-50 and three straight Bolivar League titles in from 48-50, although they weren’t able to claim Copa Sudamerica. Mena’s playoff stats with Cali weren’t anything great, a 2-5 record and 4.92 ERA over 60.1 innings. His final overall stats with the Cyclones was 126-81, 2.88 ERA, 1979.2 innings, 2283 strikeouts, and 34.0 WAR. Cali would go onto retire his #8 uniform later on.

Mena opted for free agency after the 1950 season and the 31-year old signed a five-year, $150,000 deal with Medellin. He struggled in his first two years with the Mutiny, eventually relegated to a bullpen role. He bounced back to the rotation in 1953 and for the only time in his career, led the league in strikeouts (304). Mena’s fourth year was solid and Medellin got to the playoffs, although they were one-and-done. The Mutiny opted to buyout the last year of his contract though, sending Mena back to free agency. He signed a three-year, $145,400 deal for the 1955 season with Bogota.

In his later years, he joined the Colombian National Team for the World Baseball Championship. Mena played in the inaugural tournament in 1947, then didn’t play again until 1952 with six tournament appearances from 1952-60. He was mainly a reliever with 39.2 innings and a 4.76 ERA. Mena bounced between starting and relief in the later years of his career with mixed results. His Bats debut in 1955 was his last really good year as a starter. After a lousy 1956, Mena was traded and spent 1957 with Cordoba.

The now 38-year old Mena re-signed with Bogota in 1958, then was traded in the offseason for 1959 to Callao. After one year with the Cats, he went back to the Bats and was again traded, this time midseason to Caracas. Mena wasn’t used in the 1960 postseason, but did earn a Copa Sudamerica ring with the Colts. He went back one more time with Bogota in 1961, then concluded his pro career for CABA’s Jamaica in 1962, retiring at age 43.

Mena’s final stats in Beisbol Sudamerica 246-223, 3.27 ERA, 4386.2 innings, 4545 strikeouts, 745 walks, 354/546 quality starts, 171 complete games, an FIP- of 98 and 60.8 WAR. The advanced stats suggest Mena was a delightfully average pitcher who just managed to stick around for a long time. He’s one of the only starters in the BSA Hall of Fame with an ERA above three. His longevity allowed him to hit some milestones like being the ninth pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts (and one of 19 to do so as of 2037) and not many pitchers got above 240 wins. The longevity swayed the voters, putting him in on the first ballot firmly with 83.2% of the vote.

Pedro “Bird” Quintana – Third Baseman – Bogota Bats – 74.5% First Ballot

Pedro Quintana was a 6’2’’, 200 pound third baseman from Bello, a large suburb of Medellin in Colombia’s Aburra Valley. Quintana was known as a stellar contact hitter with great gap power and solid speed. His home run power was limited to around 15 dingers per season, but Quintana had plenty of extra base hits from doubles and triples. He was known to put the ball in play regularly, rarely walking but striking out less often than most. Quintana was a career third baseman who was typically viewed as average to slightly above average; he did win a Gold Glove in 1959. He was also a very well-liked figure by fans and in the clubhouse for his work ethic and loyalty.

Quintana was picked 21^st overall in the 1948 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Bogota and spent his entire BSA run with the Bats. He was plugged into the starting lineup right away and earned Rookie of the Year in 1949. Quintana was the everyday starter consistently throughout his 20s for Bogota, earning nine seasons worth 5+ WAR. He picked up four Silver Sluggers; 1950, 1951, 1952, and 1955. His sophomore and junior seasons were his best, winning Bolivar League MVP in both 1950 and 1951. He led the league in batting average and hits in both years, plus runs scored in 1950.

Those were his only years as a league-leader, apart from leading in triples in 1953 and doubles in 1955. Quintana wasn’t again a finalist for MVP, but continued to lead the way for Bogota. They made the playoffs from 1949-15, then again in 1956, while being mid-tier the rest of his tenure. 1951 was the signature year for the Bats as they won their first Bolivar League title. In 26 playoff games, Quintana had 31 hits, 13 runs, and a .292 average. Quintana was also a regular for the Colombian National Team, playing in 126 games and making 117 starts in the World Baseball Championship from 1950-63. He had 123 hits, 63 runs, 22 doubles, 23 home runs, and 53 RBI.

The generally durable Quintana had his first major injury at age 32 in 1958; a torn back muscle that put him out 4-5 months. He bounced back with a strong 1959, earning his 2000^th career hit. After a good 1960, his 1961 was merely okay. Bogota bought out the last year of his contract, making the 36-year old a free agent for the first time in 1962. There were no hard feelings, as his #37 uniform would be retired soon after by the squad. Quintana found an MLB buyer in Los Angeles and got a nice paycheck for $414,000 over three years. He was a respectable starter in his first year with the Angels, but struggled mightily in his second year, leading him to retire after the 1963 season at age 37.

His final Beisbol Sudamerica stats: 2341 hits, 997 runs, 422 doubles, 189 triples, 176 home runs, 814 RBI, a .322/.348/.504 slash and 69.4 WAR. When he was inducted, he had a better career batting average than anyone else in the BSA Hall of Fame, although several would pass him years later as offensive numbers shot up league-wide. At retirement, he was also third in doubles among Hall of Famers, but the lack of homers and RBI hurt him with some voters. He also just fell short of the 1000 runs scored and 2500 hit milestones. This meant Quintana didn’t get a huge percentage of the vote, but 74.5% was enough for a first ballot nod for “Bird.”

Adrian Amaro – Closer – Montevideo Venom – 67.0% Sixth Ballot

Adrian Amaro was a 6’1’’, 195 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Menmo, a tiny northwest Paraguay settlement created by Mennonites. His velocity peaked at 94-96 mph, but Amaro was known for still having very good stuff, movement, and control. His two main pitches were a fastball and cutter, along with a rarely used circle change. Amaro was a hard worker and very durable, avoiding major injury over his career.

Amaro was picked eighth overall in the 1942 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Montevideo. His longest tenure was with the Venom at nine seasons and he’d go onto be inducted with Montevideo and have his #17 retired by the franchise. He was a bright spot for the perennial basement-dwelling franchise, who never won more than 75 games in a season during his run. Amaro still made the most of his save opportunities, winning Reliever of the Year in 1944 and 1950. He took third for the award in 1947 and had a 34 save streak between July 1945 and July 1946. In total with Montevideo, Amaro had a 2.19 ERA, 248 saves, 709 strikeouts over 673.1 innings, and 20.1 WAR.

Amaro loved his native Paraguay and was a regular from 1947-59 on the national team in the World Baseball Championship. He was typically a starter in the tournament, posting a 3.16 ERA over 148.1 innings with 160 strikeouts. When his contract came due with Montevideo for 1952, the then 31-year old went back to his home country and signed with Asuncion. This began an unusual tenure with the Archers, who like Montevideo, were consistently a bottom-tier team. He began the 1952, 53, 54, and 55 seasons with Asuncion, but was traded in the summer each time, going to Buenos Aires in 1952, La Paz in 1953, Maracaibo in 1954, and Sao Paulo in 1955. He maintained a closer role in each spot, although was never an award finalist.

He still went back home though and played his final BSA season with the Archers in 1956, his lone full-season there. In that last year, he became the fourth closer in Beisbol Sudamerica history to cross 400 saves. After that, the 36-year old Amaro spent two years with MLB’s Buffalo in middle relief and made four appearances with Los Angeles in 1959, retiring after that season at age 38.

The final stats for Amaro in BSA: 403 saves and 503 shutdowns, 2.24 ERA, 1054.2 innings, 1146 strikeouts, FIP- of 64 and 33.5 WAR. 400 saves was generally the magic number for closers to get into the Hall, but he wasn’t nearly as dominant as his contemporaries and wasn’t well known due to a career on terrible teams. Amaro hovered around the 50-60% range for his first four times on the ballot, then sank to a low of 43.7% in 1966. At that point, many observers figured his chances were done, but Amaro got a surprise bump on his sixth go in 1967, just crossing the 66% threshold with 67.0%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-18-2023, 11:35 AM

1967 EBF Hall of Fame

The European Baseball Federation added one into the Hall of Fame with the 1967 ballot. Outfielder Branislav Mikusiak got the nod with 76.9% on his ballot debut. Slugger Orion McIntyre was short again but had a respectable 58.7%. Three others were above 50% with closer Ken Jacob at 58.0%, closer Richard Hackl at 54.9%, and CF Joe Ramet at 54.2%.

Branislav Mikusiak – Outfielder – Madrid Conquistadors – 76.9% First Ballot

Branislav Mikusiak was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Stupava, a small town of around 12,000 people near the western border in Slovakia. Mikusiak was an incredibly well-rounded hitter who was above average to good in all facets with the bat. He was a strong contact hitter who regularly hit 30+ home runs; he was great at drawing walks and decent at avoiding strikeouts, and he had very good speed. Mikusiak made about 60% of his starts in right field and was viewed as a great defender there, winning two Gold Gloves. The rest of his starts were generally in center, where he was viewed as below average.

Mikusiak began his EBF career at age 25 when he signed an eight-year deal with Paris. This began a streak of seven straight 7+ WAR seasons. He won three Silver Sluggers with the Poodles in 1952, 53, and 54 and helped them to a Northern Conference title in 1952. In 23 playoff games, he had 28 hits, 17 runs, 6 home runs, and 21 RBI. Mikusiak won his first MVP in 1953, leading in WAR (9.5) and slugging (.597). In four seasons with Paris, Mikusiak had 637 hits, 430 runs, 89 doubles, 147 home runs, 447 RBI, and 34.5 WAR.

Mikusiak missed the last two months of the 1954 season with a torn meniscus. He opted out of his contract following this and signed an eight-year contract with Madrid. He only played four years with the Conquistadors, but had one of the greatest four-year stretches possible. Mikusiak was the WARlord in three straight seasons, posting 35 total WAR in that stretch. He won MVP in 1956 and 57 and took second in 1955; winning Silver Sluggers in each year. Madrid won the 1955 European Championship with Mikusiak in 28 playoff games for the Conquistadors posting 28 hits, 17 runs, 6 home runs, and 20 RBI. In total with Madrid, he had 675 hits, 434 runs, 159 home runs, 424 RBI, and 39.4 WAR. In 1956, Mikusiak played for the first time for Slovakia in the World Baseball Championship as well. He became a regular from 1956-63, starting 72 games with 66 hits, 49 runs, 21 home runs, and 43 RBI.

A strained hip muscle put him out about two months in 1958. Mikusiak opted out of his Madrid deal, feeling that he deserved to paid far more. He couldn’t find any EBF team able or willing to match his asking price and Mikusiak sit out the entire 1959 season. MLB teams were reluctant as well as he wanted top money even by their standards, plus they were still skeptical of EBF’s talent level and not wanting to deal with the legal issues of bringing him over. Eventually, Denver took the plunge, signing Mikusiak for $496,000 and four years; almost doubling his peak yearly salary with Madrid.

He began his MLB career at age 34 and won his two Gold Gloves with the Dragons. He was a strong starter for his first three years with Denver and helped them to the 1962 World Series title. In 32 playoff starts, Mikusiak had 31 hits, 19 runs, 6 home runs, and 12 RBI. In total with the Dragons, he had 590 hits, 343 runs, 118 home runs, 302 RBI, and 18.1 WAR.

Mikusiak’s production fell off noticeably in his fourth year with Denver and he wasn’t re-signed. Mikusiak spent 1964 as a decent starter with Albuquerque, then was below average with Charlotte in 1965. After going unsigned in 1966, he retired at age 41. Between MLB and EBF, Mikusiak had 2153 hits, 1352 runs, 309 doubles, 129 triples, 454 home runs, 1274 RBI, a .289/.373/.549 slash and 94.1 WAR.

For his eight-season EBF run, Mikusiak had 1312 hits, 864 runs, 194 doubles, 306 home runs, 871 RBI, a .303/.394/.605 slash, and 73.9 WAR. For the 1950s, he was generally viewed as a top five level player in the European Baseball Federation. The short run and move to MLB means his leaderboard tallies are low, but he was incredibly impressive at his peak and played a role in early successes for both Madrid and Paris. With the standards a bit different for the earliest players in EBF, Mikusiak’s resume was enough to earn first ballot induction at 76.9%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-18-2023, 05:47 PM

1967 World Baseball Championship

The 1967 World Baseball Championship was the 21^st edition of the tournament as it was held in Mexico for the third time; this time in Monterrey. For the first time in tournament history, the United States didn’t advance to the elite eight. The Americans took second in Division 1 at 5-2, finishing behind 6-1 North Korea. This snapped the USA’s bid for a championship four-peat and was the fifth time that NK won a division. South Korea also moved on, rolling to a 7-0 Division 2 title. SK now has moved onto the Round Robin stage seven times, bouncing back after the 1965 runner-up missed out in 1966. Canada won Division 3 at 6-1, beating Poland by one game. The Canadians have 15 appearances in the elite eight, second only to the US. Division 4 went to Japan at 6-1, their seventh division title and first since 1964.

Mexico was unbeaten to take Division 5 at 7-0, beating out a strong 6-1 effort from Italy. The Mexicans have moved on eight times, also their first time since 1964. France won a tight Division 6 at 6-1, edging defending runner-up Brazil and Uzbekistan at 5-2. It joins 1963 as the only division titles for the French. Russia at 5-2 took Division 7, one game better than Colombia, Panama, and Serbia. The Russians advance for the sixth time and for the third consecutive season. And in Division 8, the Philippines rolled to 7-0 for their second-ever elite eight appearance (1964).

In Round Robin Group A, South Korea took first at 4-2. Canada and Japan tied for second at 3-3 with Russia at 2-4. The tiebreaker moved the Canadians forward for their 14^th semifinal appearance. For the Koreans, it was their fourth time making it to the final four. In Group B, the Philippines finished first at 5-1 for their first-ever semifinal berth. Mexico was second at 4-2 to advance, while North Korea was 3-3 and France went 0-6. The Mexicans advanced to their seventh semifinal.

Mexico earned its sixth finals berth as they took their semifinal series 4-2 over South Korea. Canada ousted the Philippines in five games, giving the Canadians their ninth finals berth. South Korea officially earned third place with the Philippines fourth. The championship was the first appearance since 1963 for both Mexico and Canada, with the Mexicans prevailing that year in seven games. The 1967 final was far less dramatic with the Canadians pulling off a sweep. Canada is now a three-time tournament champion, adding this rung to their 1959 and 1954 wins.

Tournament MVP was Mexico’s Diego Garcia. The 29-year old third baseman for Milwaukee in 23 starts had 26 hits, 19 runs, 11 home runs, 15 RBI, and 1.5 WAR. Taking Best Pitcher was Canada’s Hugo Salyer. A 24-year old reliever for Philadelphia, the lefty had four saves and a 3-0 record over 10 appearances and 19.2 innings, posting a 0.46 ERA and 42 strikeouts. This was the peak for the promising young closer as a torn rotator cuff in August of 1967 ended his career.

Below are the updated running stats for the tournament.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-19-2023, 06:18 AM

1967 in APB

The third season for Austronesia Professional Baseball saw the exact same four playoff teams as the prior year. In the Taiwan-Philippine Association, those two teams have won their league all three years. Manila dominated the Philippine League at 110-52, scoring the most runs (606) and allowing the fewest (382) in the TPA. Two-time defending TPA champ Taichung won the Taiwan League at 96-66, finishing six games ahead of their closest challenge Taipei.

Although second place, the Tigercats would have the MVP in 1B Shen-Hsiung Hsue. The 33-year old lefty in his second year with the team was the TPA leader in runs (85), home runs (48), RBI (98), slugging (.534), OPS (.838), and wRC+ (173), adding 6.9 WAR. Manila’s Jonah Miranda won Pitcher of the Year with the 30-year old righty earning WARlord status at 9.6 with a TPA best 50 FIP- and six shutouts. He added a 2.08 ERA, 18-7 record and 272 strikeouts in 247 innings. Also of note, Taichung’s Abdul Rizki won his third straight Reliever of the Year. The 31-year old had 7.1 WAR and 165 strikeouts in 94.2 innings for 35 saves and a 1.06 ERA.

The Sundaland Association again had Bandung and Medan on top of their leagues. The Blackhawks had the best record, dominating the Java League at 107-55 and posting the most runs (615) and fewest allowed (408). Defending APB Champion Medan narrowly took the Malacca League at 100-62, holding off a strong challenge from Pekanbaru two games back.

MVP went to Bandung centerfielder Zharfan Mohd Ali, a 31-year old Malaysian the team acquired in a trade last summer from Semarang. Ali led the SA with 42 home runs, 94 RBI, and 84 runs, adding 8.7 WAR. Pekanbaru’s W.C. Yu won his second Pitcher of the Year. “Cactus” was one win from a Triple Crown season with a 20-9 record, 1.63 ERA, and 306 strikeouts over 237.1 innings. He also had 8.0 WAR, a 0.60 WHIP, 13.3 K/BB, and 15 complete games.

The Taiwan-Philippine Championship lacked drama as Manila got revenge on Taichung. After falling in the prior two championships, the Manatees cruised with a sweep of the Toucans. Meanwhile, the Sundaland Championship rematch went seven games for the second straight time. This time, it was Bandung coming out on top of Medan. In the third Austronesia Championship, the Blackhawks bested Manila 4-2. Series MVP was Zharfan Mohd Ali, who in 13 postseason games had 16 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 7 RBI.

Other notes: Singapore’s 45-117 record would stand as the worst in Sundaland Association history as of 2037. Only Taipei in 1974 at 43-119 would have a worse mark for all of APB history. Ruben Yu of Manila stole 104 bases, which held as the single-season steals record until 1984. Taichung’s Djaka Ramdani was the first APB player to have a six hit game. Granted, it came in an extra innings marathon with 12 at-bats. Davao’s Kane Fauntas had the first 20-game hit streak in APB.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-19-2023, 10:34 AM

1967 in OBA

The Australasia League had a first-time champion in 1967 with Melbourne on top. After finishing 80-82 last season, the Mets soared to the top at 100-62. Perth was second at 91-71, while defending league champ Adelaide dropped to seventh with a 74-88 season. Melbourne’s pitching staff posted a WHIP of 0.904 and 1063 total hits, which would be second-best in league history as of 2037.

Mets RF Danny Carrott won back-to-back MVPs. The 25-year old lefty again led the league in runs (92), home runs (45), RBI (93), slugging (.591), OPS (.917), wRC+ (212), and WAR (9.6). Although the Aardvarks struggled, Flynn Rodden won his second Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old lefty led the league in ERA for the third straight season with his 1.29 mark still standing as of 2037 for the single-season record. He posted 10.3 WAR and a 0.69 WHIP with 319 strikeouts and a FIP- of 44 in 244.2 innings. Unfortunately for Rodden, this was his last great year as a string of injuries derailed his career soon after.

Guam had a strong turnaround from 76 wins to 97 to take the top spot in the Pacific League. It was the second league title for the Golden Eagles, who were the first champs back in 1960. At 97-65, they held off Port Moresby by three games. Defending Oceania Champion Guadalcanal fell to fourth place at 85-77.

Guam RF Sione Hala won his second MVP and earned his and OBA’s second batting Triple Crown. The 24-year old Tongan had a .345 average, 55 home runs, and 130 RBI, while also leading the league in hits (204), runs (94), triple slash (.345/.378/.679), OPS (1.057), wRC+ (216) and WAR (9.8). Guadalcanal’s Sakeo Rasalato won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year honors. The fourth-year Fijian righty had the most wins at 22-11 and led in WAR (11.6), innings (327.2), K/BB (8.7) and FIP- (59). He posted a 2.17 ERA with 338 strikeouts and a 0.81 WHIP.

The eighth Oceania Championship was the second to require all seven games. Melbourne outlasted Guam for the franchise’s first ring. Although the Golden Eagles lost, they had the series MVP in Lucas Ivanir, who had 12 hits, 4 runs, 3 triples, and 4 RBI.

Other notes: Adelaide;s Te Paoro Rangi threw the third OBA perfect and his second, having also done it in 1963. On June 7, he did it again against Gold Coast, striking out 10. It was his second no-hitter of the year, as he K’d nine and walked one in April against Brisbane. He joins East Asia Baseball Hall of Famer Moon Kim as the only professional players to this point with two perfect games. Rangi also became the first OBA pitcher to reach 2000 career strikeouts. Perth’s Nate Makris became the first hitter to 300 homers. SS Fineasi Hausia won his seventh Gold Glove.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-19-2023, 03:49 PM

1967 in EPB

Leading Eurasian Professional Baseball’s European League in 1967 was Kazan, winning the North Division for the first time at 101-61. This gave the Crusaders three straight playoff berths. Both wild cards came out of the North as Moscow extended its postseason streak to seven years at 99-63, while Warsaw earned its first since 1960 with a 98-64 mark. Defending Soviet Series champ Minsk missed the field for the first time in franchise history, three off the last wild card at 95-67. In the South Division, Tirana unseated Kyiv’s five-year hold on the division title. The Trojans earned their first playoff berth at 96-66, beating the Kings by a game for the top spot.

Although Bratislava struggled to a 75-87 season, their ace Havlik Hloznik won both league MVP and Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old Slovak righty was the leader in strikeouts (413), innings pitched (306.2), shutouts (10), and WAR (12.7), adding a 1.70 ERA with a 19-10 record. Hloznik also played 84 games in the outfield with 68 hits, 8 home runs, 28 RBI, and 1.0 WAR.

Bishkek had a third consecutive 100+ win season and fifth straight South Division title in the Asian League, posting EPB’s best record in 1967 at 108-54. They ran away with the division, while the North Division was quite competitive. Ufa earned the title and a fifth straight playoff berth at 101-61. Ulaanbaatar finished one behind at 100-62, giving the Boars their first playoff appearance in franchise history. That leaves Yerevan as the only Asian League team without at least one playoff berth. Yekaterinburg got the second wild card at 94-68, extending the Yaks playoff streak to four seasons. After a record-setting 120 win 1966 and the league title, Omsk missed the playoffs, two out of the wild card at 92-70.

Ulaanbaatar’s Amam Charyyew won his second MVP. The 29-year old Turkmen centerfielder was the leader in runs (98), average (.315), slugging (.656), OPS (1.016), wRC+ (199), and WAR (10.0), adding 46 home runs and 108 RBI. Ufa’s Serkan Petrov grabbed his first Pitcher of the Year. The 33-year old Bulgarian lefty in his 12^th year with the Fiends had a career year with a league-best 1.63 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 29 quality starts, and 59 FIP-. Petrov had 8.5 WAR, a 17-7 record, and 281 strikeouts over 248.1 innings.

The first round of the playoffs in the European League had Kazan defeat Warsaw 3-1 and Moscow sweep Tirana. Both division champs rolled to sweeps in the Asian League with Ufa over Ulaanbaatar and Bishkek over Yekaterinburg. In the ELCS, the Mules knocked off the Crusaders 4-1 to give Moscow its first league title and leave Kazan as runner-up in back-to-back years. Bishkek made its fourth straight ALCS appearance in a rematch of the 1964 final with Ufa. The Black Sox defeated the Fiends 4-2, giving Bishkek three titles in four seasons and leaving Ufa 0-3 thus far in ALCS appearances.

The 13^th Soviet Series saw Bishkek become two-time EPB champions, sending the title back to Kyrgyzstan. The Black Sox bested Moscow in five games with Soviet Series MVP going to 2B Elnur Kuat. The four-time Gold Glove winner in his final season with Bishkek had 22 hits in 14 playoff games with 7 runs and 5 RBI.

Other notes: Helsinki’s Vladislav Putsila had a 29-game hit streak, the second longest EPB streak to date behind Sergei Mammedov’s 30 in 1958. Eldar Vdovichenko and Sharav Tumur became the second and third EPB hitters to reach 2000 hits. Madalin Keretesz and Yavor Stefanov became the fifth and sixth sluggers to 400 home runs. Sergei Filatov became the first pitcher to 250 wins and the first to 4000 strikeouts. Henri Gevorgyan became the third pitcher to 3500 strikeouts. 3B Pavlo Kolesnik won his ninth Silver Slugger, the first EPB hitter to get to nine.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-20-2023, 03:52 AM

1967 in EBF

The top record for the entire European Baseball Federation in 1967 belonged to Paris at 103-59, giving the Poodles the Northern Conference’s Northwest Division. Paris is back in the playoffs after missing the prior two seasons. Rotterdam was second in the division at 94-68, taking the wild card for their first playoff appearance in a decade. Dublin claimed the British Isles Division at 93-69 after four straight losing seasons since their EBF title. London at 91-71 missed the division title by two games and the wild card by three, while defending EBF champ Glasgow fell to 86-76. The only returning playoff team for the Northern Conference was Hamburg, who barely took a weak North Central Division at 84-78. Oslo ended one back with Berlin four behind.

Northern Conference MVP went to Glasgow LF Graeme McNay. The 26-year old Irishman was the leader in hits (209), home runs (49), triple slash (.348/.394/.661), OPS (1.054), wRC+ (225), and WAR (10.6). Pitcher of the Year was Rotterdam’s Mortiz Varkevisser. It was the first season as a full-time starter for the 23-year old left-handed Dutchman, who posted a 2.22 ERA and 23-7 record with 241 strikeouts over 267.2 innings and 5.4 WAR.

While the Northern Conference had notable playoff turnover, the Southern Conference saw each division with the same winner as last year. Vienna had the best overall record at 100-62 atop the Southeast Division for their third straight division title. Zagreb at 88-74 took the wild card by a seven-game margin for the Gulls’ first winning season since winning the 1960 EBF title. Rome made it six straight South Central Division titles, going 99-63. Defending conference champ Marseille claimed the Southwest Division at 95-67.

Second-year shortstop Niklaos Pavlis had a huge breakout season for Zagreb, earning Southern Conference MVP. The 22-year old Greek righty was the WARlord at 10.3, adding a .295 average, 31 home runs, 85 RBI, and 96 runs. Malta’s Ugo Musacci won Pitcher of the Year in his third season, falling one win shy of a Triple Crown. The 23-year old Italian was the leader in ERA (1.97), strikeouts (350), WHIP (0.88), WAR (10.2), and FIP- (55), posting a 21-9 record over 270 innings.

In the first round of the playoffs in the north, Hamburg stunned Paris by taking the series in four games, while Dublin swept Rotterdam in the south, Vienna rolled to a sweep of Zagreb, while Marseille edged Rome in a five-game battle. The Northern Conference Championship saw the first sweep since 1955 as the Dinos cruised by the Hammers. For Dublin, it is their second conference title along with the 1962 season. Hamburg is now 1-4 all time in the NCC. The Southern Conference Championship looked like it would follow a similar script as the Musketeers took the first three games. Vienna rallied to deny the repeat, giving the Vultures their first-ever conference title. Marseille has now blown a 3-0 series lead twice, also doing it against Belgrade in 1961.

In the 18^th European Championship, Dublin joined Amsterdam and Barcelona as the only franchises with two overall titles. The Dinos downed Vienna in five games to send the trophy back to Ireland for the first time since 1962. Finals MVP was CF Jo Norton, who had nine hits, 4 runs, and 2 home runs in 9 playoff games. One quirk is that despite winning the title, Dublin only had 72 total home runs as a team; third-fewest ever in a season for any EBF team as of 2037. Walks and steals helped the Dinos score runs in the face of their lower power numbers.

Other notes: Two perfect games were thrown in 1967. On June 20, Matthew Glazier of Oslo did it with seven strikeouts against London. On September 12, Tommaso Paladino of Naples pulled it off, striking out six versus Amsterdam. Rudjer Bosnjak became the second hitter to 500 home runs and became an eight-time Silver Slugger winner at first base. Aaron Grunauer and Pedro Varela became the fourth and fifth EBF pitchers to 200 career wins.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-20-2023, 12:02 PM

1967 in BSA

The Bolivar League had repeat division champs in 1967. Callao earned back-to-back South Division crowns at 97-65, fending off a strong challenge from 95-67 Quito. The top five records in the league all came from the South Division in an oddly distributed season. Defending league champ Medellin fell all the way to 84-78, but that was enough to win a third straight North Division title. Bogota was one back at 83-79 with Caracas three behind and Valencia four back. The Mutiny set an unusual league record despite winning their division; the fewest stolen bases for a Beisbol Sudamerica team at 74.

Valencia’s Jovanny Camacho earned Bolivar League MVP. In his second full season, the Venezuelan first baseman was the leader in runs (99), doubles (34), home runs (53), slugging (.630), OPS (.964), and wRC+ (186), adding 7.9 WAR and 113 RBI. Pitcher of the Year went to Guayaquil ace Laurenco Cedillo for the fifth time, making him the third BSA pitcher to earn the honor five times. The 32-year old Chilean righty was the WARlord for the eighth time with a career best 12.6. Cedillo also was the leader in FIP- (40), wins (20-11), K/BB (14.0), and complete games (21), adding a 1.81 ERA over 274 innings with 337 strikeouts to only 24 walks.

The Southern Cone League also had repeat division champions as both Santiago and Fortaleza each took first place for the fourth consecutive season. The defending Copa Sudamerica champ Saints took the South Division at 104-58, beating solid efforts from Buenos Aires (97-65) and Rosario (92-70). Santiago led the league in both runs scored (704) and runs allowed (482). Meanwhile, the Foxes took the competitive Brazil Division at 90-72, ending ahead of Salvador by three games, Belo Horizonte by four, Brasilia by six, and Sao Paulo by seven.

Fortaleza 2B Niculao Semide won back-to-back MVPs and posted an all-time great season. In his second full season, the 25-year old posted Beisbol Sudamerica’s seventh Triple Crown hitting season. His 13.3 WAR was also second-best ever by a BSA hitter behind only Ishmael Perla’s 13.7 in 1959. Semide led the league in hits (201), home runs (49), RBI (122), walks (88), triple slash (.349/.425/.691), OPS (1.116) and wRC+ (225).

Santiago’s Aitor Guillen won his second Pitcher of the Year in three seasons as the 26-year old Argentine led the league in quality starts with 28. He had a 19-10 record, 2.04 ERA, 288 strikeouts, and 7.5 WAR in 247 innings. Various injuries would make this the final great season for Guillen. Also of note, Buenos Aries closer Alfredo Mejia joined the very short list of four-time Reliever of the Year winners. After winning the prior three with Cali, he was traded to the Atlantics for 1967, posting 43 saves, a 1.19 ERA, 184 strikeouts, and 6.5 WAR. This was his final season in South America, as the 31-year old jumped to Major League Baseball in the offseason.

Just like the prior season, both League Championship Series went seven games. In the Bolivar League, Medellin made it back-to-back wins over Callao, giving the Mutiny seven league titles. This ties them with La Paz and Caracas for the most. In the fourth straight Southern Cone Final between the two, Fortaleza and Santiago traded the title again and it was the Foxes turn. They’ve met six times in the final counting the 1932-33 meetings with each team winning the title thrice. Fortaleza now has four titles (1932, 1940, 1965, 1967).

The 37^th Copa Sudamerica would be the second title for the Foxes as Fortaleza defeated Medellin in six games; making the Mutiny runner-up in back-to-back years. Niculao Semide continued his historic MVP season excellence into the postseason, winning Copa Sudamerica and SCC MVP. In 13 playoff games, he had 15 hits, 7 runs, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, and 10 walks. It was a 35 year gap between the Foxes winning in 1967 and taking their first Copa Sudamerica all the back in 1932. This also sent the cup back to Brazil for the first time since Sao Paulo won it in 1958.

Other notes; Ryan Azambuja had a four home run game for Bogota against Barquisimeto, the fourth BSA player to do so. Ralph Jung became the 10^th pitcher to 4500 strikeouts. Mike Andrades became the seventh BSA hitter to 1500 career RBI and crossed 500 home runs; the 11^th to do so.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-20-2023, 04:45 PM

1967 in EAB

For the 1967 season, East Asia Baseball followed Major League Baseball’s lead from a few years earlier and shrunk their active roster size from 25 to 24 players. This was ultimately a compromise move between the owners and players. The prior season, EAB had lowered the free agent minimum service time from seven to six, allowing players to reach free agency and arbitration sooner. The smaller roster meant one less spot, but the players that made the squad would ultimately get a bit more money. Teams could freely move players from the reserve to active roster though, so there were plenty of options still to adjust to injuries.

The Japan League in 1967 was very competitive and saw new teams at the top of the standings. In the North Division, Kawasaki snapped a 24 season playoff drought with the league’s best record at 94-68. They fended off 92-70 Chiba and two-time defending league champ Yokohama at 90-72. The Yellow Jackets would fall off hard the next year and go into a rebuilding phase. In the South Division, Hiroshima won for the first time since taking EAB Champion honors in 1959. The Hammerheads and Fukuoka had to go to a one-game tiebreaker for the top spot with both finishing the regular season at 86-76. Kitakyushu was only one back with Kobe two back and last year’s division champ Kyoto six back.

Saitama only won 70 games, but it was their right fielder Sanjiro Miyama winning the league MVP. It was a banner year for the sixth season outfielder, leading the league in hits (207), average (.356), OBP (.394), wRC+ (200) and WAR (10.4), adding 32 home runs and 103 RBI. Kyoto’s Su-Yeong Myung was the Pitcher of the Year. The 13^th year righty was the ERA leader at 1.85 and WHIP leader at 0.81, adding 6.4 WAR and a 15-5 record over 209 innings with 250 strikeouts.

Pyongyang’s dominance continued in the Korea League as the two-time defending EAB champs had their seventh straight North Division title and seventh straight season with 109 or more wins. The Pythons finished 111-51, leading by far in runs scored at 811 and having the fewest allowed at 525. Seoul was second at a distant 93-69. The South Division saw Yongin on top for back-to-back seasons. The Gold Sox were 16 games better than Busan with an 101-61 mark, tying a franchise record for wins in a season.

Daegu was the worst team in the league at 60-102, but Diamondbacks first baseman Ji-Hwan Kwan still won the MVP. The 25-year old lefty was the leader in hits (207), average (.347), slugging (.622), OPS (1.014), wRC+ (183), and WAR (8.6). Seoul’s Jae-Hoon Seon won the Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old lefty was the wins leader with a 24-4 record and the WARlord at 8.3, also leading in WHIP (0.87) and quality starts (28). He had a 2.42 ERA over 271.2 innings with 290 strikeouts.

The Japan League Championship Series saw Kawasaki cruise to the title in five games over Hiroshima. This gave the Killer Whales their third league title, joining the 1938 and 1941 seasons. The Korea League Championship Series saw Pyongyang win again over Yongin, this time in six games. The Pythons now have three straight Korea League titles; five in seven years; and a record nine total. They’re the first team to three-peat in Korea since Busan’s 1940s dynasty.

Pyongyang’s dynasty rolled to the East Asian Championship 4-1 against Kawasaki, also giving the Pythons three straight overall titles and five in seven years. Finals MVP was CF Min-Woo Yoon, with the 25-year old in 11 playoff games posting 13 hits, 8 runs, 3 home runs, and 8 RBI. Pyongyang are the first team to three-peat as overall EAB champs and now have seven overall crowns; more than any other team. The 1960s Pythons were making a strong case for the best dynasty in East Asia Baseball History and they wouldn’t be done yet either.

Other notes: Ki-Wook Ahn became the sixth EAB hitter to reach 700 career home runs and the eighth to 1500 runs scored. Han-Gyeol Bu became a 10-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop. Lei Meng won his 12^th and final Silver Slugger in left field. Meng finished the 1967 season with 753 home runs, just behind Ju-An Pak’s all-time mark of 760. Meng would easily pass it next season to become the EAB home run king, a title he held until the 2010s.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 07-21-2023, 02:49 AM

1967 in CABA

Torreon became the first of the teams from the 1962 expansion to earn a playoff spot. The Tomahawks had the best record in the Mexican League in 1967 at 103-59, taking the North Division title. Monterrey, who had won the league three of the last four years, finished second at 88-74 and fell six games short of a wild card. In the South Division, last year’s wild card champ Mexico City won the division at 96-66. Puebla was second at 94-68 and picked up the wild card for their first playoff berth since 1953. Ecatepec, who won 103 games the prior year, dropped to 90-72 and missed the wild card by four games.

Leading Torreon’s first playoff season was centerfielder Santiago Perez, who won the MVP. Perez was the #1 overall draft pick in 1962 and emerged as a star, leading Mexico in 1967 in home runs (53), RBI (123), slugging (.654), and OPS (1.030), adding 8.0 WAR. He had two more great years with the Tomahawks before moving to MLB at age 29, ultimately putting him short of what likely would’ve been a Hall of Fame CABA career. The bright spot for a middling Merida team was Pitcher of the Year Cajetano Ortega. The fourth-year righty was the ERA leader at 1.92 and had 27 quality starts, adding a 16-10 record, 6.9 WAR, and 208 strikeouts over 248.2 innings.

After missing the playoff field last year, Guatemala bounced back with a franchise record 104-58 second, taking the Caribbean League’s Continental Division. Honduras took second at 94-68 and won the wild card, giving the Horsemen 12 playoff appearances in a 15-year stretch. Salvador, who had been a league finalist the prior four seasons, missed the playoff field at 90-72. The Stallions did hit 295 doubles as a team, a Caribbean League record that stood until 2033. In the Island Division, defending CABA champion Jamaica finished on top again, this time with an improved 101-61 record. Trinidad was a distant second at 87-75, but it was a new best for them as one of the other 1962 expansion teams.

Guatemala CF Wesley Dubar won back-to-back MVP awards. The 24-year old stud was the leader in runs (113), slugging (.584), OPS (.949), wRC+ (160), and WAR (8.9), adding 39 home runs and 101 RBI. It was his third straight season as the league’s offensive WARlord. Honduras veteran Oscar Medina won Pitcher of the Year, falling two wins short of a Triple Crown. The 34-year old Costa Rican lefty had numerous career and league bests with a 2.00 ERA, 321 strikeouts, and 10.7 WAR over 274.2 innings with a 21-8 record. After a career high, Medina fell off a cliff with a 3.99 ERA the next year and was out of the game right after.

Mexico City easily swept divisional rival Puebla in the wild card round, while Honduras upset Jamaica in four. The Mexico League Championship Series was an all-timer that went all seven. The final went 10 innings with Mexico City winning 6-5 to deny Torreon its first league title. It was the sixth league title for the Aztecs, although they hadn’t won since 1945. In the Caribbean League Championship Series, Guatemala won its first-ever title, downing Honduras in six.

While Mexico City won the Mexican League title in dramatic fashion, there was no drama required for them in the CABA Championship. The Aztecs swept Guatemala, giving Mexico City its fifth overall title (1924, 1934, 1936, 1945). SS Aaron Valencia won both MLCS and finals MVP. In 13 playoff games, the 28-year old Puerto Rican had 22 hits, 13 runs, 5 home runs, and 12 RBI. Little did the CABA world know that this would be the beginning of an all-time dynasty for the Aztecs that extended into the mid 1970s.

Other notes: Hermosillo’s Santiago Esquivel became the ninth CABA pitcher to strike out 20+ in a game, getting 20Ks over 12 innings against Puebla on August 28. Emmanuel Lopez became the fourth CABA batter to 3000 hits and the eighth to 1500 RBI.

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

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