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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1970 in EAB

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Defending East Asian Champion Hiroshima won the Japan League South Division for the fourth straight season. The Hammerheads narrowly took the South Division at 96-66, beating Nagoya by only one game and Kitakyushu by two. Sendai earned back-to-back North Division crowns and also had a very fierce battle. The Samurai finished 94-68, edging Kawasaki by one game.

Sapporo’s Sosuke Hoshizawa won his first league MVP, a remarkable accomplishment for a 21-year old in his second season. The center fielder and second overall draft pick in 1967 was the WARlord (10.7) and whacked 54 home runs, also leading the league in runs (114), total bases (404), slugging (.688), OPS (1.071) and wRC+(211), also adding 115 RBI and 194 hits. Pitcher of the Year was Kitakyushu’s Ho-In Koh. The 25-year old righty was the ERA leader at 2.03, WHIP leader at 0.89, and WARlord with 7.9. He added a 15-6 record and 15 saves over 217.1 innings with 252 strikeouts and an 11.0 K/BB.



For the first time in a decade, Pyongyang wasn’t atop the Korea League. Hamhung rolled to the North Division title at 102-60, the first title for the Heat since 1960. Pyongyang was a distant second at 83-79. Yongin won a fifth straight South Division title with a 97-65 record. Daegu was their closest competitor at 91-71, the first winning season for the Diamondbacks since 1957.

MVP went to Busan designated hitter Ha-Rang Pan. The 31-year old in his fourth year with the Blue Jays led the league in hits (201) and OBP (.421), adding a .338 average, 29 home runs, a .980 OPS and 8.1 WAR. Pitcher of the Year for the third straight season went to Yongin’s Tae-Hong Kim. The 27-year old lefty was the WARlord at 9.8 and had a FIP- of 54. Kim posted a 20-9 record, 2.69 ERA, and 314 strikeouts over 257.1 innings.

Both League Championship Series went seven games and were dramatic as well. In a rematch in Japan, Hiroshima prevailed again over Sendai, taking game seven in 12 innings by a 4-3 final. The Hammerheads are the third Japanese team to three-peat and have now five titles overall. In Korea, Yongin won the first three games, but Hamhung rallied in the next three. The Gold Sox prevailed in game seven to finally take the crown after being denied the prior four years by Pyongyang. For Yongin, it is their first-ever league title, leaving Kyoto, Seongnam, Goyang, and Daejeon as the only teams without a finals berth in East Asia Baseball’s first 50 seasons.



Although the LCS was dramatic, the East Asian Championship wasn’t particularly. Hiroshima downed Yongin 4-1, giving the Hammerheads back-to-back EAB crowns and a 4-1 record in their finals appearances. Last year’s finals MVP Hyeog-Jun Wi was JLCS MVP with 12 hits, 8 runs, and 4 triples in 12 playoff games. Finals MVP was CF Bo-Hun Yun, posting 12 hits, 2 runs, and 3 triples in 12 playoff games.



Other notes: 12 years had passed since the last EAB perfect game, but Osaka’s Bunyu Yamada would break that streak on August 9, 1970. He struck out three against Kawasaki for EAB’s 23^rd perfect game. Sang-Hun Joon became the ninth pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts and the sixth to 250 career wins.

Home run king Lei Meng crossed a few more milestones in his penultimate season. He became the fourth hitter to 3000 career hits and the second to 2000 RBI. Meng passed Byung-Oh Tan as the all-time RBI leader with an impressive 110 RBI, 51 home run season in 1970 at age 39. The Changwon legend would fall off in his final season of 1971, but would finish with the all-time marks of 897 home runs and 2089 RBI, along with 3151 hits and 1909 runs scored. Kakuzo Yokoyama and Man-Hee Cho both crossed 600 home runs, making it nine batters in the club.

In awards notables, Han-Gyeol Bu got his 13^th and final Gold Glove at shortstop, which is more than any Korea League player has at any spit. Cathcer Wan-Seon Kwan impressively won his 11^th. 2B Min-Hyeok Shin won his 11^th Silver Slugger. SS Kyung-Hwan Choi and LF Yu-Chan Jang became nine time winners and C Jung-Soo Chen won his eighth.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

EAB After 50 Years

The 1970 season marked the 50^th year for East Asia Baseball, joining MLB and CABA at having reached the mark. Here’s a look at how teams have fared:



The Japan League has had a fair bit of parity with the worst average for wins per season was only 77.3, belonging to Fukuoka. Nagoya had the most wins at 86.7 per season, but Sapporo had them beat for playoff appearances (15 versus 12). The Swordfish also have the most finals berths by a good margin at 10 with the Nightowls next at six. Still, Sapporo, Nagoya, and Hiroshima are each tied for the most overall titles at four apiece. Only Kyoto hasn’t made the finals at least once, although both Fukuoka and Tokyo have one fewer playoff appearance and lower win tallies.

The Korea League has been more top heavy, especially in the North Division with the dynasty runs of both Pyongyang and Hamhung. The Pythons have averaged an impressive 94.0 wins per season with the Heat at 91.9, both the best in EAB by far. They are tied for the lead in playoff berths at 17. Pyongyang has the most overall titles at eight and finals appearances at 11. Hamhung and Busan both have eight finals berths. Daejeon, Seongnam and Goyang are the three Korean teams without a finals appearance and the Ducks have the fewest wins in all of EAB at 75.0. Daejeon, Seongnam, and Incheon have the fewest playoff appearances of any EAB team at two each.

The 50^th Anniversary All-Time Team is listed below:

SP: Chikara Ohkubo (1921-34) 249-114, 2.25 ERA, 3843 strikeouts, 126.9 WAR, 4x Pitcher of the Year
SP: Yu-Geon Moon (1930-48), 283-127, 2.41 ERA, 4452 strikeouts, 116.7 WAR, 6x Pitcher of the Year
SP: Jae-Ha Pak (1948-63) 260-183, 2.88 ERA, 3937 strikeouts, 122.7 WAR, 3x Pitcher of the Year
SP: Drew St. Louis (1935-49) 188-114, 2.01 ERA, 3634 strikeouts, 85.5 WAR, 5x Pitcher of the Year
SP: Tadasumi Tanabe (1952-65), 161-105, 2.68 ERA, 2571 strikeouts, 62.4 WAR, plus 1283 hits, 201 home runs, 47.4 WAR as a batter; 4 MVPs, 3x Pitcher of the Year
CL: Oki Tanaka (1938-54), 565 saves, 1.77 ERA, 1967 strikeouts, 64.9 WAR, 5x Reliever of the Year

C: Sang-Sik Bom (1929-41, 49-51) 1898 hits, 970 runs, 368 HR, 1058 RBI, .824 OPS, 89.2 WAR, 8x Silver Slugger
1B: Yu-Jin Kim (1934-50), 2267 hits, 1198 runs, 570 HR, 1412 RBI, .895 OPS, 94.8 WAR, 2x MVP, 7x Silver Slugger
2B: Min-Hyeok Shin (1958-73) 2699 hits, 1445 runs, 657 HR, 1732 RBI, 1.023 OPS, 124.8 WAR, 3x MVP, 13x Silver Slugger
3B: Hyun-Ook Jo (1954-69) 2290 hits, 1353 runs, 585 HR, 1405 RBI, .946 OPS, 111.7 WAR, 2x MVP, 4x Gold Glove, 8x Silver Slugger
SS; Si-U Gim (1934-53) 2403 hits, 1141 runs, 518 HR, 1347 RBI, .809 OPS, 138.8 WAR, 4x MVP, 5x Gold Glove, 11x Silver Slugger
LF: Lei Meng (1953-71) 3151 hits, 1909 runs, 897 HR, 2089 RBI, .935 OPS, 121.9 WAR, 3x MVP, 12x Silver Slugger
CF: Takashi Ishihara (1943-59) 2641 hits, 1556 runs, 703 HR, 1691 RBI, .898 OPS, 133.8 WAR, 5x MVP, 9x Silver Slugger
RF: Young-Hwan Sha (1950-69) 3055 hits, 1950 runs, 760 HR, 1863 RBI, 1.012 OPS, 122.7 WAR, 4x MVP, 15x Silver Slugger
DH: Byung-Oh Tan (1932-53) 3871 hits, 2010 runs, 718 HR, 2023 RBI, .926 OPS, 131.1 WAR, 5x MVP, 13x Silver Slugger
Manager: Fujio Hitokito: 6 EAB titles with Pyongyang, 1945-1284 career record, 10 playoff appearances (1961-72)

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1970 in CABA

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Mexico City’s run atop the Mexican League continued in 1970 with a franchise record 112-50 season. The three-time defending league champ earned their fifth straight South Division title with their dominance. Second in the division was Guadalajara, who took the wild card at 94-68, four games ahead of Queretaro. This earned back-to-back wild cards for the Hellhounds. Mexicali finished atop the North Division at 93-69, their first division win since 1964. Last year’s winner Tijuana was second at eight games back.

Puebla was fourth in the South Division at 85-77, but had both the league MVP and Pitcher of the Year. RF Adrian Hernandez won MVP in his fifth season with the Pumas as the 26-year old led the league in runs at 112, adding 205 hits, 28 home runs, a .932 OPS, and 8.3 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was fifth year righty Ricky Casarez, leading in WAR (8.1), wins (21-6), WHIP (0.74) and quality starts (31) with a 1.99 ERA and 315 strikeouts in 248.1 innings. Also of note, Emanuel Saucedo became a three-time Reliever of the Year, joining Mexicali for 1970 after being with Jamaica previously. In his final season before leaving for MLB, he had 45 saves, a 1.03 ERA, 168 strikeouts, and 5.1 WAR.



Defending Caribbean League champ Guatemala dropped from their wild 118 win 1969, but still had the best record in the league with a 100-62 mark atop the Continental Division. This gave the Ghosts four straight playoff berths and five in six years. The Island Division was incredibly tight for both first place and the wild card. Seven teams had a realistic shot much of the season with it ultimately coming down to Santiago and Havana tied at 91-71. Both move to the playoffs, but the Sailfish won the one-game tiebreaker for the division crown (although they’ll just meet again in the playoffs). It is back-to-back berths for the Hurricanes and the second in three years for Santiago, although it is their first division title since 1955. The other teams in the mix were Jamaica and Santo Domingo at 89-73, and Puerto Rico and Trinidad both at 86-76.

It was the fifth MVP for Guatemala CF Wesley Dubar and maybe his best season yet. At 13.73 WAR, he tied Jhyoce Hidrovo’s 1916 for the third-best season for a CABA hitter and narrowly beat his own 13.64 from the prior year. Dubar also led the league in runs (138, a career best), home runs (55), RBI (145), total bases (409), OBP (.410), slugging (.730), OPS (1.140), and wRC+ (195), and won a Gold Glove with a 12.4 ZR in center. Pitcher of the Year was Santiago’s Barnabe Sanchez, who also won it in 1968. The 27-year old Cuban was the ERA (2.18), and WHIP (0.87) leader, adding 6.6 WAR, a 21-7 record, and 312 strikeouts in 273 innings.

In the wild card round, Guadalajara upset Mexicali and Santiago held off Havana with both series going the distance. The top seeds dominated in the LCS ultimately. Mexico City beat the Hellhounds 4-1 to take their fourth straight Mexican League title and eighth overall. The Aztecs are the fourth Mexican League team to four-peat, joining Monterrey (1955-58), Mexicali (1950-54), and Tijuana (1916-19). Guatemala repeated and won their third Caribbean League in four years, besting Santiago in five.



The 60^th Central American Baseball Association Championship was a rematch of the 59^th and 57^th. Just like those two, Mexico City defeated Guatemala, this time in six games. Finals MVP was 1B Solomon Aragon, who posted 11 hits, 6 runs, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI in 11 playoff games. It is back-to-back CABA crowns and the third in four years for the Aztecs, who have seven overall rings. They join 1929-32 Ecatepec as the only CABA teams to win three overall titles in a four year stretch.



Other notes: Mario Benitez of Guadalajara had a 20 strikeout no-hitter on April 1 against Chihuahua, walking three. This still stands as the most strikeouts in a CABA no-hitter and tied the world record. He’s the 11^th player to have a 20+ K game in CABA as well. Chihuahua’s pitching staff had 571 walks, which would be the all-time worst single-season mark until 2020. Aaron Galaviz won his ninth Gold Glove in RF.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1970 in MLB

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The 1970 National Association was a very competitive group, especially in the Eastern League. Buffalo ended up on top at 96-66 with only their second-ever first place finish (1922). It was a solid bounce back for the Blue Sox, who were a wild card in 1968 but fell to 73 wins in 1969. Three teams were behind them at 93-69 and each got a wild card; Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Toronto. This gave the Elks their second playoff spot in three years, back-to-back for the Timberwolves, and the first in four years for the Phillies.

St. Louis earned its seventh playoff berth in the last nine years by winning the Midwest League at 90-72. Omaha was next at 87-75, but ultimately were four games from the final wild card. Defending NA champ Columbus dropped to a fourth place 81-81. Baltimore picked up the last playoff spot at 91-71, two better than Pittsburgh and four ahead of Montreal, New York, Washington, and Omaha. This gave the Orioles their first playoff berth since a 1955 wild card. The biggest swing of any team was one downward for Brooklyn, going from 81 wins in 1969 to a putrid 57-105 in 1970.

National Association MVP was Gavin Geoghan, a 28-year old catcher. He became the first catcher to win the award, leading in the triple slash (.353/.424/.612), OPS (1.036), and wRC+ (198), adding 8.6 WAR, 31 home runs, 109 RBI, and 108 runs scored. Pitcher of the Year went to Dallas Levy, a third-year player for a lackluster Cleveland squad. He didn’t lead in any stats, but got by on a 2.07 ERA over 234.1 innings, 183 strikeouts, 6.4 WAR, and a 12-10 record.

In the first round of the playoffs, Toronto edged Ottawa and Philadelphia bested Baltimore, both 201. The Phillies upset EL champ Buffalo in five games and the Timberwolves stunned ML champ St. Louis in five, setting up an all-wild card National Association Championship Series. Toronto topped Philadelphia in six in the NACS, making the Timberwolves a four-time NA champ (1970, 1954, 1926, 1903). They’re the first Canadian team in the World Series since Ottawa won it in 1965.



1968 World Series champion Los Angeles had the best record in the American Association at 102-60, winning the Western League and earning a third straight playoff berth. This became the longest active streak with San Diego’s six-year run snapped with a plunge from 103 wins to 74 for the Seals. The Southern League had a new face on top with New Orleans at 96-66, earning their first playoff berth since 1949 and first league title since 1940. Defending World Series champ Atlanta was one behind at 95-67 with San Antonio at 94-68. They were the first two wild cards with back-to-back playoff spots for both.

The remaining two wild card spots came down to tiebreaker games with Seattle, Portland, and Oakland each finishing at 92-70. Vancouver, Dallas, and Tampa were each only three games out and Denver was four back. The Grizzlies defeated the Pacifics, then Portland topped Oakland to set the field. This snapped a six-year playoff drought for Seattle and a seven-year one for the Pacifics. The longest active playoff drought is now 25 years for both Dallas and Cincinnati. The Dalmatians made a big step though, improving to 89 wins in 1970 after an MLB-worst 51 wins the prior year.

The Angels had the MVP and Pitcher of the Year in 1970 25-year old 1B Edward Torres was MVP with an American Association best 52 home runs, 154 RBI, and .639 slugging, adding a .320 average and 7.1 WAR. It was only the 16^th MLB season to have 150+ RBI. 29-year old Carny Valvo earned his second Pitcher of the Year. The Eureka, California native had the best ERA at 2.58, the most wins with a 22-9 mark, and was the WARlord at 8.1. He added 239 strikeouts in 279.1 innings. Sadly, Valvo suffered a partially torn labrum in September, putting him out for the playoff run. He’d have three more solid seasons, but later injuries knocked him out of the game effectively at age 33 and ended a potential Hall of Fame career.

In the first round, San Antonio swept Seattle and Portland ousted defending World Series champ Atlanta 2-1. The league champs prevailed in round two as New Orleans swept the Oilers and Los Angeles topped the Pacifics in four. The Mudcats ultimately mauled the Angels in a surprising AACS swept, the first sweep since 1944. This was only the second-ever American Association Championship Series appearance for New Orleans, who were 1935 World Series champs.



The Mudcats continued to roll into the 70^th World Series and claimed their second ring, defeating Toronto in five games. 3B Ethan Martinez was the World Series MVP with the 28-year old posting 18 hits, 11 runs, 3 home runs, and 10 RBI in 12 playoff games. This marked the beginning of what would become an early 1970s dynasty for the previously downtrodden Mudcats franchise.



Other notes: American Association Pitcher of the Year Carny Valvo threw MLB’s 12^th Perfect Game on August 20, striking out eight against Las Vegas. The day was notable as well as the second time in MLB history that two hitters occurred on the same day, as Columbus’ Arturo Bridges had eight Ks and 1 walk against St. Louis.

Tyler Whisnant became the eighth hitter to 3500 career hits, ending his final season with 3582. At retirement, he was sixth all-time. Benton Gibney and Braylen Nelson both reached 3000 hits, bringing the total to 38 MLB hitters in the 3K club.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1971 MLB Hall of Fame

After having five first-ballot guys inducted in the 1970 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class, the 1971 group saw three players inducted who had been on multiple ballots. The biggest jump went to 3B Beckham Hudson on his third attempt, finishing with 78.1%. SS Chance Warren got in with 74.5% on his fourth go. RF Gene Jobgen on his seventh attempt barely crossed the 66% required threshold with 67.0% even. Three others came very close to joining them with closer Vicente Guerrero at 62.5% on his third try, 1B Tiger Novak on his eighth at 62.2%, and RF Estefan Salinas at 61.9% on his seventh. Catcher Gray Caraway was also above 50% with 56.2% in his debut.



Notably dropped after ten attempts was three-time MVP Jared Lee. He was a noted two-way star over a 17 year career, posting a 3.49 ERA, 112-85 record, 1589 strikeouts, and 38.7 WAR as a pitcher. As an outfielder and first baseman, he had 923 hits, 529 runs, 196 home runs, a .307/.385/.559 slash and 31.8 WAR. A number of major injuries derailed him from being elite after having his three MVPs by age 26 with Minneapolis. The combined WAR was worth a look, but he didn’t sustain his success in either discipline long enough to get the nod despite a remarkable peak. He had 30.6% on his first ballot and continued downward, ending at 9.9%.

Also dropped after ten failed ballots was SP George Friend, Over a 21 year run, he had a 243-235 record, 3.35 ERA, 2925 strikeouts in 4443.2 innings, and 84.0 WAR. Nice sustained career, but was never dominant or in the awards conversation, leaving him defined as a compiler. He peaked at 29.0% on his debut and ended at 6.6%.



Beckham Hudson – Third Baseman – Montreal Maples – 78.1% Third Ballot

Beckham Hudson was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Waterloo, Ontario, a city of about 120,000 people located about 60 miles west of Toronto. Hudson was a very good contact hitter with a respectable pop in his bat that typically got you around 20 home runs and 30 doubles per year. Earlier in his career, he was very good at avoiding strikeouts and respectable at drawing walks. Hudson had below average speed, but was considered a very good consistent defender at third base. He spent basically his full career at third and is fifth all-time in zone rating at 121.6 for the position as of 2037. Hudson only got one Gold Glove, but that was because he played at the same time as eventual ten-time winner Colton Flack (who is second in ZR). He was very humble about his accomplishments though in a fine 21 year pro career.

Hudson left for Texas A&M in college and in three years as an Aggie, had 182 hits, 92 runs, 36 home runs, and 113 RBI in 144 games. In the 1944 Major League Baseball Draft, Montreal picked Hudson 30^th overall. He played 75 games in 1945, although he was in the minors for half the season. He became the full-time starter in year two and remained a starter anytime he was healthy into his late 30s.

Hudson spent eight seasons with the Maples, winning two Silver Sluggers (1948, 51) and a Gold Glove (1952). His lone MVP season came in 1951 as he led the National Association in WAR (9.4) and total bases (49), adding a career-best 36 home runs, 199 hits, and 103 runs. He wasn’t a top three MVP finalist in any other season, but Hudson’s production was very steady with nine 6+ WAR seasons and 4+ WAR from 1946-1959.

Hudson played a role in Montreal winning two World Series rings in 1949 and 1951. In 44 playoff games with the Maples, he had 55 hits, 32 runs, 7 home runs, 18 RBI, and 1.7 WAR. This helped earn his #6 uniform retired after his career was done, despite the relatively short tenure. In total with Montreal, Hudson had 1316 hits, 632 runs, 219 doubles, 164 home runs, 601 RBI, a .308/.358/.484 slash and 49.6 WAR.

He also became a regular for the Canadian National Team, holding the record for most games played for the nation as of 2037 at 304. That also stands as third most of any player from any nation as of 2037 and he’d be the record holder until 2022. From 1947-63, he had 296 hits, 177 runs, 82 home runs, 187 RBI, a .271/.350/.538 slash and 12.3 WAR. At retirement he was first in WBC hits and remains third as of 2037. Hudson helped Canada win the 1954 and 1959 World Championships. In 1959, he also was the first player in tournament history to hit for the cycle, doing it against South Korea.

At age 29, Hudson entered free agency and secured the bag with a seven-year, $612,000 contract with Hartford; more than doubling his salary of his best Montreal year. He won his third and fourth Silver Sluggers in 1953 and 1957 and put up the same reliable production. He had his first notable injuries cost him half of 1956, but he bounced right back. The Huskies made the playoffs five times in his run, although only once made it as far as the NACS. Hudson wasn’t to blame, posting 42 hits, 15 runs, and a .321 average in 33 playoff games. In total with Hartford, Hudson had 1122 hits, 544 runs, 137 home runs, 606 RBI, a .303/.364/.474 slash and 44.3 WAR.

Hudson entered free agency again and signed at age 36 to Toronto for the 1960 season. His batting numbers fell off noticeably from his normal peaks with far more strikeouts, but he still was a good enough defender to provide some positive value despite an average-at-best bat in the run. He only started half the games in his final MLB season, finishing in Toronto with 506 hits, 245 runs, a .249 average, and 11.8 WAR. At age 40, his MLB career was done, but he had two more professional seasons in the Oceania Baseball Association with New Caledonia. He had a solid 1964 and actually won a Silver Slugger, but fell off a cliff hard in 1965. After going unsigned in 1966, he retired at age 43.

Hudson’s final MLB stats: 2944 hits, 1421 runs, 484 doubles, 370 home runs, 1474 RBI, a .294/.350/.461 slash and 105.7 WAR. Very solid numbers, but his general lack of league-leading elite seasons meant some voters were dismissive of Hudson as a compiler. His first two times on the ballot, he fell just short with 63.5% and 59.5%. With a wide open 1971 field, Hudson finally got the boost up to 78.1% to give him his deserved spot among the MLB Hall of Fame elite.



Chance Warren – Shortstop – Detroit Tigers – 74.5% Fourth Ballot

Chance Warren was a 5’9’’, 185 pound right-handed shortstop from Toronto, Ontario. Warren was a terrific contact hitter with a knack for putting the ball in play in almost every at-bat. Warren very rarely struck out with a 7.0% rate in his career, but he also even more rarely drew walks. He wasn’t at all a home run hitter, but he was good for about 30-40 doubles/triples in his best years, adding above average to good baserunning speed. Warren was a career shortstop and a consistently good one, although he only once won the Gold Glove in 1948. He was a hard worker and was able to stick around as a positive contributor into his 40s.

For his college career, Warren sought out MACtion, playing for the Miami Redhawks. In three seasons though, he was unremarkable with 159 hits, 67 runs, a .265 average, and 1.9 WAR. He wasn’t a top draft pick, but was grabbed by his hometown Toronto in the third round with the 118^th overall pick of the 1939 MLB Draft. He started half of his rookie season and spent the other half in the minors, which included a 34-game hit streak with Kingston. Warren took over the full-time starting role for the next six seasons with the Timberwolves.

Warren was iffy in his first two full seasons, but started putting up solid, but not award winning, numbers. Toronto only made the playoffs once in his tenure in 1946, but he missed the run with a hamstring injury. In total for the Timberwolves, he had 1176 hits, 477 runs, a .303/.322/.383 slash and 22.7 WAR. Warren entered free agency at age 28 and inked a long-term contract beginning in 1947 with Detroit of eight years, $283,600. It wasn’t a massive money deal, but gave him long-term stability.

Warren became best known and most popular as a Tiger. He won his three Silver Sluggers (1949, 50, 53) and his Gold Glove (1948) in Detroit. Each of his seasons were worth 4+ WAR with a career-best 7.4 WAR in 1949. He also got to play in the 1953 World Series and posted 29 hits and 8 runs in 17 postseason games that year; the Tigers ultimately fell to Phoenix. In total with Detroit, Warren had 1415 hits, 611 runs, a .324/.354/.419 slash and 42.5 WAR. Back troubles caused him to miss some time in his final two Tiger seasons and the team opted not to re-sign him when his eight-year deal ended after the 1954 season.

Now age 36, Warren signed with New Orleans and had a respectable 1955, but missed most of 1956 with a severe concussion suffered in September 1955. For the next five years, his offensive value was below average to average at best, but he was still a good enough defender to earn spots and have value. Warren spent 1957 with Minneapolis, 1958-59 with Nashville, 1960 with Kansas City, and 1961 with Ottawa. With the Elks, he earned his 3500^th hit and 1500^th run. The wheels finally fell off with a terrible 1962 with San Francisco where he struck out 149 times and hit .171 for an abysmal -5.6 WAR. Warren retired after that season at age 43.

His final stats: 3600 hits, 1574 runs, 510 doubles, 162 triples, 67 home runs, 1110 RBI, a .303/.333/.390 slash, 410 stolen bases, and 80.8 WAR. With his wRC+ only 104 though, many voters were skeptical and viewed Warren as just an average hitter that stuck around forever. It is often tough for guys without power numbers to get traction too, despite Warren retiring fifth all-time in hits and sitting eighth as of 2037. He was at 53.1% on his debut ballot, jumped to 62.7% on try two, but fell to 54.0% on his third try. The fourth try with a quieter field was enough for Warren to get the boost up to 74.5% and earn his spot.



Gene Jobgen – Right Field – Pittsburgh Pirates – 67.0% Seventh Ballot

Gene Jobgen was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was an excellent contact hitter with sometimes sneaky power, averaging around 25-30 home runs and 25-35 doubles per season. Jobgen was better than most at avoiding strikeouts, but a bit below average at drawing walks. He was a very slow baserunner and a career right fielder, although he was typically considered to be delightfully average on defense. The biggest knock on Jobgen is that he was perceived to be greedy and disloyal, viewed a bit as a mercenary who bounced around throughout his career.

Jobgen went to college at Central Florida and in three seasons had 169 hits, 72 runs, 19 home runs, 62 RBI, a .313 average, and 6.1 WAR. This caught the attention of Pittsburgh, who picked Jobgen 27^th overall in the 1943 MLB Draft. He made 66 at-bats in 1944, spending most of the season with minor league Morgantown, where he won a Silver Slugger. Jobgen started half of the 1945 season, missing time due to injury. Still, in 81 starts, he earned second place in Rookie of the Year voting. He was the full-time starter in right for the remainder of his Pirates run.

In 1946, he broke out by leading the National Association in hits with 217, posting an impressive 9.2 WAR and 1.025 OPS. This earned his first Silver Slugger and a third place in MVP voting. His production was a bit weaker in 1947, but still very strong, this time getting the MVP along with a second Silver Slugger. Jobgen dropped a bit in 1948 and missed half of 1949 with a severely strained hip muscle. In total with Pittsburgh, he had 873 hits, 417 runs, 118 home runs, 420 RBI, a .346/.391/.559 slash and 32.2 WAR. This six year run would ultimately be his longest tenured one.

Just before opening day 1950, Pittsburgh traded Jobgen to Nashville for four prospects. He had a solid age 27 season with the Knights worth 6.9 WAR, then entered free agency. He signed a big eight-year, $522,000 deal with Minneapolis. Jobgen had a solid 1951, but a weak 1952 with his first season batting below .300. He bounced back big-time in 1953 with his third Silver Slugger and a second place finish in MVP voting. After only 12 home runs the prior year and a career best of 35, Jobgen smacked a National Association best 45 and led with 345 total bases. The Moose made a surprise run to the NACS, but were denied there despite Jobgen getting 15 hits and 7 RBI in 12 postseason games.

His Minneapolis run had 535 hits, 266 runs, 83 home runs, 244 RBI, a .304/.360/.500 slash and 16.5 WAR. Fresh off the big season, Jobgen opted out in the fourth year of his eight year contract with the Moose. He found the bag and a buyer in San Antonio with a seven-year, $712,000 deal. Jobgen had a nice first year, okay second year, and respectable third year with the Oilers, although he wasn’t any longer in any awards conversations. He had 518 hits, 257 runs, 86 home runs, 292 RBI, and 11.6 WAR in three years with a .317/.361/.520 slash line. He opted out again of another long-term deal, although ended up with less money with a three-year, $484,000 deal with New Orleans. He was subar in three seasons with the Mudcats and retired after the 1959 season at age 36.

Jobgen’s final stats: 2529 hits, 1212 runs, 402 doubles, 365 home runs, 1232 RBI, a .313/.362/.507 slash, wRC+ of 145, and 68.1 WAR. Not bad, but the type of numbers that typically banish one to the Hall of Very Good, especially without a signature run and limited accolades. He debuted at a respectable 53.4%, fell to 44.0%, jumped to 56.0%, fell to 39.9%, and jumped to 59.4% in his first five Hall of Fame ballots. The sixth try saw a steep fall to 32.8%, leading many to figure Jobgen’s hopes were over. But in a 1971 group with no major standouts, Jobgen received a remarkable swing, going from 32.8% to 67.0%. This just got him across the 66% line and into the Hall on his seventh try, although experts still cite him typically as one of the weaker members.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1971 CABA Hall of Fame

Two players made it into the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 1971. The star of the class was outfielder Grant Duncan, a no-doubt first ballot pick at 98.3%. Joining him was pitcher Tirso Sepulveda, who barely made it on his fifth attempt. Sepulveda finished at 66.2%, just enough to pass the 66.0% threshold needed for induction. Two others were above 50% with 1B Salvador Islas at 55.9% on his seventh ballot and SP Mario Guerrero at 55.5% on his fifth attempt.



Dropped after ten attempts was pitcher Manolas Tellez, who had a 16-year career almost entirely with Costa Rica. He had a 193-215 record, 3.52 ERA, 30005 strikeouts, and 56.9 WAR. A respectable career, but sustained average-ness. He got as high as 48.6% on his seventh ballot but finished at 14.5%. Also worth noting was Renato Ortivez, who was dropped after falling below 5% on his eighth try. In nine CABA seasons, he had two MVPs, 1556 hits, 782 runs, 294 home runs, 862 RBI, and 42.2 WAR. Ortivez also had a Triple Crown season at age 25 with Havana. He spent almost his entire 30s and early 40s in either MLB or OBA, preventing him from getting the stats that might have gotten him across the line for a CABA nod.



Grant “Decoy” Duncan – Left Field – Santo Domingo Dolphins – 98.3% First Ballot


Grant Duncan was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from the Jamaican capital Kingston. Duncan had great power and contact ability with good speed and baserunning ability. He averaged around 40 home runs per seron, while also adding around 40 doubles/triples each year as well. Duncan was respectable at drawing walks and decent at avoiding strikeouts. He was a career left fielder and a very solid defender that won three Gold Gloves. Duncan also had a strong work ethic and good durability for most of his career, making him one of the most popular players in the Caribbean during the 1950s and 60s.

Duncan emerged as a stellar prospect in his amateur days in Jamaica, making him highly touted when he became eligible in the 1949 CABA Draft. Santo Domingo drafted him second overall and he’d spend his entire CABA run with the Dolphins. Duncan was immediately the full time starter and held that role whenever he was healthy. He had a decent rookie season and solid second season, eventually emerging as an elite player by year #3.

In 1952, Duncan won his first Silver Slugger and took third in MVP voting. In 1953, he was the All-Star game MVP, a Silver Slugger winner, and second in MVP voting despite missing six weeks with a fractured finger. 1954 saw his third Silver Slugger and first MVP, leading the Caribbean league with 121 runs, 51 home runs, 118 RBI, 1.070 OPS, and 10.7 WAR. Duncan had an even better WAR at 11.7 in 1955 with his second Gold Glove, fourth Silver Slugger, and first Gold Glove. He didn’t win awards in 1956 but still had a strong year, earning a seven-year, $690,000 contract extension with the Dolphins.

After being a mid-tier team early in his run, Santo Domingo became a Caribbean League power in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Dolphins made five playoffs appearances from 1957-62, winning the league title four times (57, 60, 61, 62) and the CABA title twice (1960, 62). Duncan’s third MVP came in 1957 with career bests in home runs (57) and RBI (128), getting his fifth and final Silver Slugger, as well as the CLCS MVP. This was his final MVP, although he’d finish second in 1962 and won a Gold Glove that year and in 1963.

Duncan’s regular season numbers were good but not amazing in this run, but he was a big time playoff performer. In 42 playoff games, he had 51 hits, 34 runs, 13 home runs, 32 RBI, and 2.6 WAR. Duncan was the 1960 CABA Championship MVP and had two CABA rings to his name. In 1960, he hit for the cycle and had a four home run game, while also passing the 1000 RBI, 1000 run, and 400 home run thresholds. Duncan also was a consistent player for his home country Jamaica in the World Baseball Championship, making 135 starts between 1950-68. He had 121 hits, 76 runs, 41 home runs, 77 RBI, and 4.8 WAR in his tournament career.

Duncan saw a bit of a statistical resurgence in his mid 30s, but missed half of 1964 and 1/3 of 1965 to injury. At age 38, he became a free agent for the first time and saw his CABA run end, although he remained beloved by Santo Domingo fans and saw his #24 uniform soon retired. He left for MLB and signed with San Antonio for the 1966 season, still putting up solid power especially at his age. Duncan went to Oakland for 1967, but he struggled in his lone season with the Owls. He was unsigned much of 1968 and had a brief minor league stint in Rochester, opting to retire at age 41 after the season.

Duncan’s final CABA stats: 2422 hits, 1428 runs, 415 doubles, 168 triples, 578 home runs, 1469 RBI, a .297/.354/.602 slash, wRC+ of 162, and 107.9 WAR. He was ninth in WAR among all CABA hitters at retirement. A stellar career and a key part of Santo Domingo’s dynasty run in the late 50s and early 60s. Duncan was an obvious first ballot choice, getting 98.3%.



Tirso Sepulveda – Starting Pitcher – Honduras Horsemen – 66.2% Fifth Ballot

Tirso Sepulveda was a 5’11’’, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from the capital of Nicaragua, Managua. Sepulveda had a five pitch arsenal with 97-99 mph velocity led by a terrific cutter. He had a good fastball, along with a decent curveball, forkball, and changeup. His stuff, movement, and control were rated as above average to good for his career. Sepulveda had strong stamina and durability in his 20s, emerging as one of the top pitchers in CABA.

Sepulveda was an excellent amateur, earning the fifth overall pick by Honduras in the 1948 CABA Draft. He only had 19.1 innings in his first season, then was a part-time starter in 1950. Sepulveda was a full-time starter afterward and in 1951, finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting, He was second again in 1952 with a league-best and career best 9.0 WAR.

In 1953, Honduras started a stretch of regular dominance in the Continental Division. They were Caribbean League champ in 1953 with Sepulveda winning Pitcher of the Year. He was second in 1954, then won it for the second time in 1955. He had a 4.07 ERA in 55.1 playoff innings from 1953-55. Sepulveda was still good, but his production dropped a bit in 1956 and 1957 as the Horsemen missed the playoffs both years. His final stats in Honduras was 141-67, 2.59 ERA, 1990 strikeouts in 1966.1 innings, and 50.3 WAR. Sepulveda also was a regular for his native Nicaragua in the World Baseball Championship from 1950-61, posting a 3.50 ERA over 144 innings with 197 strikeouts and 5.3 WAR.

The now 31-year old Sepulveda became a free agent in 1958, although he still had a solid relationship with Honduras, as the Horsemen would retire his #27 uniform. Sepulveda signed a six-year, $484,000 deal with Haiti. In July, disaster struck with a torn flexor tendon, putting him out for 13 months in total. He returned in late 1959, but was merely an average-at-best pitcher from here on out. Other injuries cost him parts of 1960 and 1961 and after a middling 1961, Sepulveda opted to retire at age 35. With the Herons, he had a 33-30 record, 3.66 ERA, 461 strikeouts, and 9.9 WAR.

The final stats for Sepulveda: 174-97, 2.82 ERA, 2516.2 innings, 2451 strikeouts, 239/325 quality starts, a FIP- of 79, and 60.2 WAR. His overall accumulations are low due to a much shorter career than most Hall of Famers, but was a consistent Pitcher of the Year contender throughout his 20s. Sepulveda was in the 50-60% range on his first three ballots and fell just short on his fourth go at 65.4%. He got the extra percent he needed in 1971 to just get over the line at 66.2%, forever having a spot among CABA’s greats.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1971 EAB Hall of Fame

Two-way star Tadasumi Tanabe was the lone player inducted into East Asia Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1971, getting 90.9% on his debut. SP Young-Gwon Shin barely missed the 66% threshold at 65.2% on his third go. Slugger Ju-An Pak was also close, but short at 62.9% on his third ballot.



One other player was above 50% in closer Kantaro Kobayashi, who was dropped after ten attempts on the ballot. He had a 19 year career with eight teams and won Reliever of the Year once, posting 344 saves and 527 shutdowns, 1338 strikeouts in 1337 innings, and 30.3 WAR. A respectable career, but lacked the dominance needed to get him across the line. He was never below 44%, but never got to 60%.



Tadasumi Tanabe – Pitcher/Left Field – Saitama Sting – 90.9% First Ballot

Tadasumi Tanabe was a 5’11’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher and outfielder from Akita, a city of around 300,000 people in the northern part of the main Japanese island Honshu. Tanabe was a two-way player that was known for having great control as a pitcher. His stuff and movement was above average with 93-95 mph peak velocity with a forkball, curveball, cutter, and changeup. As a pitcher, he wasn’t overpowering, but used the great control to coax ground balls. Tanabe also had excellent stamina as a pitcher when healthy. As a hitter, he was very well rounded, considered not outstanding at anything, but good to very good at everything. Tanabe played left field exclusively when not pitching and was considered a consistently average defender with low speed, but a good arm.

Tanabe attended Waseda University in Tokyo and was exclusively a pitcher, posting a 30-12 record, 2.65 ERA, and 11.7 WAR in 56 college starts. His hitting potential was also known, but his pitching profile on its own made him a top prospect. Tanabe was picked second overall by Saitama in the 1951 EAB Draft. He was a full-time starter on the mound as a rookie and also started half the season in the field, earning Rookie of the Year and his first of eight Silver Sluggers as a pitcher. He also won Silver Slugger in 1953, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, and 62. Tanabe also pitched two no-hitters in his career, striking out seven against Hiroshima in 1955 and striking out 14 against Sendai in 1957.

Injuries caused him to miss about two months in 1954, 55, and 56; but his combined stats still made him an MVP candidate for the mid-tier Sting. In 1954, he finished second in MVP voting with 6.1 WAR on the mound and 4.2 WAR as a hitter. In 1956, he won MVP for the first time with a decent 4.5 WAR as a pitcher and a 7.1 WAR, 29 home run season offensively in 115 games.

1957-59 saw Tanabe at 100% full strength and he unleashed his maximum potential. In all three seasons, he won both the Pitcher of the Year award and Japan League MVP. In this stretch as a pitcher, he had a 61-19 record with 799 innings, 2.28 ERA, 805 strikeouts, and 23.8 WAR. As a hitter, he had 447 hits, 232 runs, 93 home runs, 237 RBI, a .341 batting average, and 22.2 WAR. This gave him 46.0 WAR in three years. Tanabe had a career-best 41 home runs in 1958 with a .353 average and 8.2 WAR. In 1957, he had a career-best 9.5 WAR pitching with 289 strikeouts in 278 innings. 1957 and 1958 both had 16+ combined WAR, which remained EAB single-season records until the 2020s.

This workload proved unsustainable, as in September 1959, Tanabe suffered a damaged elbow ligament, knocking him out for 10 months. Saitama made the playoffs in 1958-60, but the Sting couldn’t get beyond the JLCS. Tanabe was still good when healthy in 1960 and 1961, but missed big chunks of both seasons. Around this time, he started playing for Japan in the World Baseball Championship, joining the team in ten seasons between 1958-69. Tanabe was primarily a pitcher with a 3.57 ERA, 10-6 record, 138.2 innings, 142 strikeouts, and 2.1 WAR. As a hitter in 99 plate appearances, he had 18 hits, 17 runs, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI.

In 1962, he had his last full season with above average production on both ends. Tanabe missed chunks of 1963 and 1964, his final two seasons with Saitama who had fallen back into mediocrity. The Sting would retire his #18 uniform later, but they opted to trade the now 34-year old for the 1965 season to Kyoto for pitcher Tokuzo Saito and 2B Takeye Ono. His time with the Kamikaze was short-lived with a torn labrum in late May, ultimately ending his East Asia Baseball tenure.

Tanabe seemed to still be a solid player when healthy, but he couldn’t stay on the field. MLB’s Memphis gave him a chance with a three-year, $552,000 deal in hopes he could resurrect the magic. A herniated disc, then another torn labrum ended his 1966 with the Mountain Cats. He missed all of 1967 and was cut by Memphis, getting signed for 1968 by Buffalo. Tanabe was still able to gave some positive value when healthy with the Blue Sox. He was signed for 1969 with Oakland and saw the season end with yet another torn labrum. He returned to Japan and signed with Kobe in 1970, but a fourth torn labrum in spring training ended his career at age 40.

Tanabe’s final EAB pitching stats: 161-105, 2.68 ERA, 2669 innings, 2571 strikeouts to 356 walks, 130 complete games, and 62.4 WAR. With three Pitcher of the Year awards as well, he’d be worth consideration purely as a pitcher. As a hitter, he had 1283 hits, 557 runs, 203 doubles, 201 home runs, 601 RBI, a .317/.368/.525 slash and 47.4 WAR. When healthy, Tanabe was one of the most electric and awesome players in professional baseball history. Even with all of the injuries, he still posted enough numbers for a worthy first ballot Hall of Fame career at 90.9%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1971 BSA Hall of Fame

Beisbol Sudamerica inducted two players into the Hall of Fame with the 1971 class, both on the first ballot. The star was starting pitcher Argel Souza with 99.4% of the vote. Meanwhile, LF Ynilo Zapata barely got in with 66.3%, just beyond the 66.0% mark. SP Sousa Marques had a solid debut ballot as well, but was short at 60.1%. Two others were above 50% with SP Jon Mancilla at 52.9% on his second try and SP Jay Carrizales at 51.1% on his third go.



LF Placido Guerrero fell off the ballot after ten failed attempts, ending at 34.1% after peaking at 51.2% on his seventh attempt. In 14 years with Cordoba, he had 1974 hits, 1108 runs, 540 home runs, 1170 RBI, a .277/.337/.550 slash, 81.4 WAR, plus the 1951 MVP and two Silver Sluggers. His last four years were in MLB, perhaps costing him a chance of getting slightly more accumulations to cross the line. Also dropped was 3B Martin Fontura, a five-time Silver Slugger winner between Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo. He never got above 32.5% from his first year, despite having 2200 hits, 912 runs, 348 doubles, 198 home runs, 822 RBI, a .304/.345/.456 slash and 86.3 WAR. Both Fontura and Guerrero had solid careers that wouldn’t look out of place in the Hall of Fame, but neither swayed the voters in ten ballots.



Argel Souza – Starting Pitcher – Sao Paulo Padres – 99.4% First Ballot

Argel Souza was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Pouso Alegre, a city of 150,000 people in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Souza had excellent stuff with above average to good movement and control. He had 97-99 mph max velocity with a three pitch arsenal of a fastball, slider, and changeup. Souza mixed the three expertly to become one of South America’s best pitchers. He was known also for very good stamina and respectable defense. Souza was a fan favorite with a great work ethic and loyalty, making him a standout throughout his run.

Souza emerged as a top prospect after his amateur career and was picked ninth overall by Sao Paulo in the 1952 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. He was a full-time starter as a rookie and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting with a respectable debut. By his second year, he was already viewed as elite, taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting. That year, he had a no hitter with 13 strikeouts and three walks against Montevideo.

Souza was a critical piece in Sao Paulo becoming the dominant force of the Brazil Division. They won the division title nine straight seasons from 1953-61, won the Southern Cone League in 1954, 57, 58, 59, and 60; and took the Copa Sudamerica crown in 1958. Souza was the ace of this run, leading the league in strikeouts and wins thrice, quality starts five times, shutouts thrice, and WAR thrice. In 1957, he had his second no-hitter, getting 14 strikeouts with no walks against Brasilia, but just missing out on the perfect game.

Souza won his first Pitcher of the Year in 1955, his second in 1957, third in 1958, and fourth in 1960. He took second in 1956 as well. 1957 was the crown jewel that also earned him a league MVP. Souza had only the third Pitching Triple Crown in BSA history to that point with a 27-4 record, 1.14 ERA, and 350 strikeouts in 291.2 innings with 11.2 WAR. The ERA mark was the third lowest total in BSA history. He had six seasons with an ERA below two for the Padres, posting a 194-75 record, 2.01 ERA, 2756.1 innings, 3198 strikeouts, and 77.3 WAR.

He was a huge part in getting Sao Paulo to the playoffs regularly for a decade, although his postseason numbers were surprisingly pedestrian with a 2.64 ERA and 5-11 record over 22 appearances. He had a 1.9 WAR over 146.1 innings with 140 strikeouts. He also was a regular for Brazil in the World Baseball Championship and was good, but not incredible. From 1954-64, he had 173 innings with a 3.02 ERA, 12-9 record, 189 strikeouts, and 3.7 WAR. He did toss 17 innings with only one unearned run against him in 1959.

Sao Paulo dropped off and started to rebuild with the 1962 season. Souza was still having good seasons, but his 1961 and 1962 campaigns weren’t award winning. The Padres traded him for three prospects before the 1963 season to Salvador. The 33-year old Souza showed he could still go, winning his fifth Pitcher of the Year in 1963 for the Storm, becoming the first five-time winner in the Southern Cone League. Souza fell off hard, going from an 8.1 WAR season to 0.4 WAR in 1964, in part hampered by an elbow strain. He stunk in limited action in 1965 for the Storm and opted to retire after the season at age 36. With Salvador, he had a 40-23 record, 3.19 ERA, 512 strikeouts, and 6.5 WAR total.

The final stats for Souza: 234-98, 2.22 ERA, 3348.2 innings, 3710 strikeouts, 336/410 quality starts, 119 complete games, FIP- of 76, and 83.8 WAR. At retirement, he had the best winning percentage of any BSA Hall of Famer and is still #2 as of 2037. He didn’t play long enough to raise to the top of all of the leaderboards, but his prime was among the best in the history of South American baseball. Sao Paulo retired his #32 uniform as a key part of their memorable 1950s success. With five Pitcher of the Year awards, an MVP, and a Triple Crown, Souza was a no-doubter at 99.4%.



Ynilo Zapata – Left Field – Callao Cats – 66.3% First Ballot

Ynilo Zapata was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Lima, Peru. Zapata had prolific home run power, leading the Bolivar League in home runs six times in his first seven seasons. He was a good to occasionally great contact hitter who was better than many sluggers at avoiding strikeouts, although generally around average at drawing walks. Zapata was a slow baserunner and viewed as a below average to bad defender who played basically exclusively in left field. But the man hit dingers and that him a hot commodity.

He became well known in Peru as an amateur as the next possible great slugger. Zapata was picked 14^th overall by his hometown Lima in the 1950 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft, but couldn’t come to terms with the Lobos. While still an amateur, he played for the Peruvian team in the World Baseball Championship in 1951. From 1951-64, he played 115 WBC games with 89 hits, 71 runs, 40 home runs, 83 RBI, and 4.0 WAR. In the 1951 BSA Draft, Callao selected him fifth overall and he joined the Cats, where he spent the vast majority of his pro career.

Zapata was thrown into the starting lineup immediately and became the first-ever player to win MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. He led the Bolivar League with 53 home runs and had career highs in OPS at 1.077, wRC+ at 211, and WAR at 8.6. He led the league in home runs six times from 1952-58 and hit 50+ twice more with 53 in 1955 and 51 in 1957. He also had three 125+ RBI seasons with a peak of 133 in 1955. Zapata was second in MVP voting in 1955, third in 1956, and second again in 1957; but his rookie year was his lone MVP ultimately. He won six Silver Sluggers (52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 62).

Zapata’s power pushed Callao to relevance for the first time in the franchise’s history. The Cats won the South Division five times from 1954-60 and took the Copa Sudamerica crown in 1954 and 1957. In 34 playoff games, Zapata had 31 hits, 16 runs, 8 home runs, 19 RBI, and 1.2 WAR. His production began to fade a bit into his 30s with a broken hand putting him out 3-4 months in 1960.

Callao remained competitive after 1960, but wouldn’t make the playoffs in the next five years. Zapata still got 35+ homers in 1961 and 1962, but he was no longer an MVP candidate. In 1963, he missed two months with a strained MCL. Zapata was moved to a bench role in 1964 and at age 36, was traded in the summer to Fortaleza along with a prospect to get pitcher Leo Andrade. He spent the rest of 1964 and 1965 as a bench player for the Foxes, opting to retire after the 1965 season at age37. Callao still remembered him fondly though and would retire his #13 uniform.

Zapata’s final stats: 1860 hits, 1061 runs, 487 home runs, 1155 RBI, a .292/.350/.578 slash, 161 wRC+ and 69.6 WAR. His MVP rookie season made many think he was the next big thing, but his totals are actually lower than you’d expect considering his peak. Only one other player (Martyn Jarava) had gotten into the Hall as a hitter with under 2000 career hits. Many thought Zapata didn’t have the accumulations needed to deserve a spot, but other voters love dingers and pointed out he had a big role in two Cup wins for Callao. He ended up being a first ballot choice just barely at 66.3%; but barely or not, Zapata is in.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1971 EBF Hall of Fame

For the first time since 1964, the European Baseball Federation didn’t induct any players into the Hall of Fame with 1971’s voting. Three returners were close yet again above 60%, but below the required 66%. Closer Richard Hackl led this group at 63.8% on his sixth ballot, followed by 3B Orion McIntyre at 62.5% on his sixth and CF Joe Ramet at 60.8% on his ninth. Ramet would become the first player in EBF’s history to make it to ten ballots. Two others were above 50% with closer Ken Jacob at 57.0% on his seventh attempt and 1B Fabian Wittkowski at 55.6% in his debut.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1971 EPB Hall of Fame



1971 saw Eurasian Professional Baseball finally add someone to the Hall of Fame to join inaugural member Bogdon Chirita from the 1968 vote. Two players got the nod in 1971, led by pitcher Alexandru Spinu as a first ballot choice at 84.0%. On his third attempt, closer Khalid Azad got the bump across the line as well with 71.2%. Two others were above 50% on their debuts with SP Skerdi Hoxha at 58.4% and SP Andrei Doman at 54.5%.



Alexandru “Hacksaw” Spinu - Starting Pitcher – Warsaw Wildcats – 84.0% First Ballot

Alexandru Spinu was a 6’5’’, 210 pound left-handed pitcher from Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. Spinu had good control and an electric fastball that peaked at 95-97 mph velocity. He mixed this with a good slider and okay changeup with his movement rated as average at best. Spinu had terrific stamina, leading the league in innings pitched four times. He was also great at holding runners and was considered an excellent defensive pitcher, winning a Gold Glove in 1960.

Like many of his era, he didn’t pick up baseball until after World War II in his late teens. Moldova at the time was one of the states within the Soviet Union and he bounced around the Soviet amateur and semi-pro circuits in his early 20s. Eurasian Professional Baseball officially formed for the 1955 season and the 26-year old was a top candidate for many teams. Spinu ended up going to Poland, signing a six-year, $242,400 deal with Warsaw.

Spinu was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1955, leading the league in strikeouts and posting a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts and one walk against Minsk. The Wildcats had an impressive 122-win debut, but lost ultimately in the first round of the playoffs despite Spinu’s efforts. He was good, but a bit weaker in 1956. Then in 1957, he won Pitcher of the Year, leading the European League with 11.4 WAR and 342 strikeouts. Spinu struggled in his only playoff appearance and suffered a rotator cuff strain, putting him out as the Wildcats fell in the ELCS.

Spinu was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1958 despite career bests in WAR (12.1) and strikeouts (365). His 1959 was ended in July by ulnar nerve entrapment. Fearing his usefulness would be ended by the injury, Warsaw traded the 31-year old Spinu for the 1960 season to Kharkiv in exchange for four prospects. In total with the Wildcats, Spinu had an 88-45 record, 2.70 ERA, 1529 strikeouts in 1275.2 innings, and 43.1 WAR.

His one season with the Killer Bees saw an impressive bounce back with 10.7 WAR and his fourth season atop the strikeout charts, this time at 348. Spinu took third in Pitcher of the Year voting and won a Gold Glove, entering free agency as a hot commodity in 1961. He stayed in Ukraine on a five-year, $445,000 deal with Kyiv.

A good debut with the Kings was cut short in July with a torn labrum. He again bounced back though, leading in strikeouts for the fifth time in 1962, Kyiv got to the ELCS, but Spinu struggled in his three postseason starts. The Kings won the 1963 Soviet Series and Spinu got a ring, but he pitched 0.2 innings all season thanks to a torn labrum in his first start. Spinu had more injuries woes in 1964, but was still effective when he was healthy, posting 4.8 WAR in only 19 starts. With Kyiv, he had a 2.68 ERA over 289 innings, 348 strikeouts, and 10.6 WAR.

Spinu became a free agent at age 36 for the 1965 season and signed with Almaty. He was okay in Kazakhstan, but more injuries put him out two months. The Assassins traded him in July back to Warsaw, but he was only healthy enough to make three starts in his Wildcats return. Spinu decided to retire at age 37.

Spinu’s final stats: 154-84 record, 2.70 ERA, 2210.2 innings, 2586 strikeouts to 358 walks, 179/276 quality starts, FIP- of 66 and 70.5 WAR. Injuries and a late start to his official career put his final tallies at the bottom of the Hall of Fame leaderboards, but he was undoubtedly dominant when healthy. With the voters understanding the first inducted players might not have the big stats of later guys, enough viewed Spinu’s resume as worthy. Thus, he was a first ballot nod at 84.0%.



Khalid Azad – Closer – Minsk Miners – 71.2% Third Ballot

Khalid Azad was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed reliever from Yeni Suraxani, a small municipality within Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Azad had a two-pitch combo of a curveball and sinker with excellent movement and 96-98 mph peak velocity on the sinker. His stuff was graded as terrific with his control viewed as above average. The main knock on him was a perceived greediness and lack of loyalty.

Azad picked up baseball in his 20s in Azerbaijan and was 27-years old when EPB was started up in 1955. He ultimately was signed by Minsk to a two-year deal and immediately emerged as the closer for the Miners. Azad was runner-up for Reliever of the Year in 1956 and won the award in 1957. Minsk was a powerhouse franchise, getting to the playoffs in all six of Azad’s seasons there. They won the Soviet Series in 1956 and got to the final in 1955. Azad was a strong playoff performer, posting 13 saves and 16 shutdowns over 42.1 innings with a 1.70 ERA and 53 strikeouts. He also pitched for Azerbaijan in the World Baseball Championship from 1958-63, although he was used as a starter most often. He posted a 3.01 ERA in 83.2 innings with 123 strikeouts and 2.7 WAR.

Azad was demoted out of the closer role in 1960, but still saw regular use in his final season with Minsk. In his time in Belarus, he had 175 saves, a 1.56 ERA, 200 shutdowns, 658 strikeouts in 474.1 innings and 24.5 WAR. At age 33, Azad became a free agent and signed with Yekaterinburg for 1961. He led the league in saves for the first time in 1961 and took third in Reliever of the Year voting. Although not a finalist in 1962, he posted career bests in strikeouts (139) and WAR (6.0). Azad was off to a strong start for 1963, but the typically durable reliever suffered a torn elbow ligament that ended his career at age 36. In total with the Yaks he had 89 saves, 1.87 ERA, 300 strikeouts, and 11.2 WAR.

Azad’s final stats saw 264 saves and 307 shutdowns, 1.65 ERA, 691 innings, 958 strikeouts, FIP- of 39 and 35.7 WAR. His save total is low for what usually gets relievers into Halls of Fame, but it was a small sample size from a late start and early exit. Azad was very dominant when he was on and after three attempts on early ballots, voters felt he was worthy of being the first reliever into the EPB Hall of Fame. He received 71.2% on his third attempt.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1971 World Baseball Championship



The 25^th World Baseball Championship was held in Hong Kong. After missing the elite eight in consecutive seasons for the first time, the United States came up with its 22th divisional win. The Americans finished 6-1 in a tough Division 1, edging 5-2 runs from Austria, Haiti, and Italy. Division 2 had South Korea and Chile tie for first at 5-2, both one game ahead of Cuba and Scotland. The tiebreaker favored the Koreans, sending them to the Round Robin for the ninth time. Defending World Champion China claimed Division 3 at 6-1, one ahead of Bulgaria. Meanwhile, Division 4 was a mess with six teams (Japan, Bolivia, Ireland, Singapore, France, and Spain) all at 4-3. After a whole host of tiebreakers, Japan moved forward for the tenth time.

Canada went a perfect 7-0 in Division 5, two ahead of the Dominican Republic. Mexico had similar success at 7-0 in Division 6 with Australia their closest foe. The Canadians have advanced 18 times and the Mexicans 11 times. The Philippines earned its third-ever Round Robin berth by winning Division 7 at 6-1, edging Brazil by a game. And in Division 8, Puerto Rico became a three-time division winner. PR finished 6-1, holding off defending runner-up Russia and Indonesia both at 5-2.

Round Robin Group A had China first at 4-2. The USA and Japan both were 3-3 with Mexico at 2-4. The tiebreaker sent the Americans to their 21^st Final Four, while the Chinese made it for the third time. In Group B, South Korea and Canada were the top dogs at 4-2, while the Philippines and Puerto Rico were both 2-4. This gave the Canadians their 17^th semifinal berth and the Koreans their sixth. China advanced to the championship by beating Canada 4-2 in their semifinal series, while the Americans swept South Korea 4-0. Canada officially was third place for the sixth time, while SK was fourth.



The 25^th World Championship was the 18^th finals appearance for the perennial power United States, meanwhile China wanted to join the US and Mexico as the only nations to win back-to-back titles. The Americans ultimately returned to their perch at the top, taking the series in five games. The US has 15 World Titles, while everyone else has combined for 10.



Although the runner-up, China had the tournament MVP in Jun Zong. A 28-year old left fielder for Hong Kong, he smacked 10 home runs with 16 RBI, 17 hits, and 14 runs in 20 tournament games. Top pitcher went to American closer Thurman Lofink, a 27-year old with New Orleans. He had nine relief appearances and two starts in the tournament, posting five saves and a 3-0 record with a 0.29 ERA over 30.2 innings. He struck out 72 and had a 2.1 WAR.

Other notes; Venezuela’s Cesar Valladares had 20 strikeouts and two walks in a no-hitter against Romania. This is tied for third most strikeouts in a WBC no-hitter with the record at 22.

Below are the updated all-time tournament stats. Through 25 events, there have been seven different champions, 11 nations to make the final, 28 that have gotten to the semifinal, and 48 to make it to the elite eight.

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1971 in CLB

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The second season for Chinese League Baseball saw a record-setting 123-39 season for Tianjin. This still stands as the all-time winningest season in CLB history as of 2037 and at this point in history, was tied for third most wins in a season in any pro league. Shanghai was a strong second place at 107-55, earning the other spot from the Northern League. Last year’s top two were third and fourth with Nanjing at 97-65 and defending CLB champ Beijing at 93-69.

The Jackrabbits had the league MVP and Pitcher of the Year along with their historic record. MVP was 26-year old RF Xinze Yan, who led in OPS (1.053), slugging (.641), and total bases (365), adding 10.9 WAR, a .336 average, 44 home runs, and 110 RBI. 26-year old Luke Ren was Pitcher of the Year with the lefty leading in wins off a 25-4 record. He had a 1.75 ERA over 282.2 innings with 240 strikeouts and 8.3 WAR.



The Southern League also had two different playoff teams from the inaugural season. After taking a close third last year, Guangzhou was in first at 101-61. Foshan took second place at 95-67, finishing one better than Chengdu for the final spot. Last year’s playoff teams Wuhan and Chongqing finished sixth and fifth, respectively.

Although Hong Kong was 73-89, they head the Southern League MVP in Jun Zong. The 28-year old LF was the World Baseball Championship’s MVP and carried that into a 56 home run, 97 RBI season. He also led with 95 runs, 346 total bases, a .609 slugging, .942 OPS, and wRC+ of 227 while adding 9.6 WAR. 56 home runs beat Dolgoon Bolorsukh by one for the most in a CLB season, although he’d remain the single-season leader for only three years. Foshan’s Encai Li won Pitcher of the Year at age 38. The righty was the WARlord at 10.7 and led in complete games (15) and shutouts (8), adding 278 strikeouts in 255.1 innings with a 1.20 ERA and 18-8 record.

Both league champions won in the semifinal as Guangzhou survived Shanghai in seven games and Tianjin topped Foshan in six. The Jackrabbits had the chance to be the winningest champion in pro baseball history, as 123-win Minsk in 1957 was a one-and-done, 124-win Madrid in 1953 fell in the EBF championship and 125-win Madrid in 1951 was one and done. The Gamecocks denied them that honor in a seven game classic. Despite being runner-up, Tianjin RF Boyang Zhang was the finals MVP, posting 5 home runs, 16 hits, 8 runs, and 12 RBI in 13 playoff games.





Other notes: Chongqing’s Jaiqi Zhang had the first four home run game in CLB History. The next one wouldn’t happen until 1989. Shanghai’s Yingfu Yang had the first six hit game.

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1971 in APB

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The Taiwan-Philippine Association had new teams atop its leagues for the 1971 season. In the Taiwan League, Taoyuan took the top spot at 85-77, edging out defending champ Taipei and Kaohsiung both at 82-80. In the Philippine League, Manila’s six-year streak was ended as the Manatees were a last place 70-92. Zamboanga was first at 89-73, edging out Cebu by two games and Davao by four.

Kaohsiung’s Yao-Hsun Ching won MVP with the 23-year old in his fourth full season already. He was the leaer in runs scored (90), total bases (306), slugging (.534), OPS (.850), and wRC+ (173), adding 8.8 WAR and 36 home runs. Tianan’s Kun-Sheng Lin won a third straight Pitcher of the Year with another incredible season. He broke his own single-season strikeout record with 476, also leading with 15.7 WAR, 0.70 WHIP, a 13.2 K/BB, 29 complete games, and 297.2 innings, posting a 1.90 ERA and 19-13 record. In his first four seasons, Lin has an absurd 55.0 WAR with 1672 strikeouts.



The best overall record in Austronesia Professional Baseball came in the Sundaland Association as Batam won back-to-back Malacca League titles. The second best record was in the same league as Medan and the Blue Raiders both were 100-62 to close the regular season. Batam won the tiebreaker game to take the crown. The Java League had a first time winner in Surabaya at 87-75. The Sunbirds beat defending APB champ Jakarta by one game and Semarang by two games to take the title.

Although Singapore stunk with only 66 wins, they had the MVP in RF Dedi Nugroho. He only started 122 games, but the second-year lefty was the home run leader with 51 and also led in slugging (.667), OPS (1.037) and wRC+ (246) with 8.9 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Batam’s Ahmad Nasir Suryadi. The 27-year old righty in his fifth season as a Blue Raider had the most wins with a 21-9 record, posting a 1.73 ERA in 281.1 innings with 299 strikeouts and 7.0 WAR.

The Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship went to Taoyuan in five games over Zamboanga. Meanwhile Surabaya upset Batam in the Sundaland Association final, easily dispatching them with a sweep. The Sunbirds continued their momentum into the seventh Austronesia Championship, topping the Tsunami 4-1 for their first title. 3B Kim Shin Pan was the MVP of the association final and the APB final, posting 15 hits, 5 home runs, 10 RBI, and 9 runs in 9 playoff games.





Other notes: The fourth APB perfect game came on June 22 from Jakarta’s Sen-Lung Shu, who struck out 13 against Semarang. Muljadi Suwandi became the first APB pitcher to reach 2000 career strikeouts. Depok’s Alex Yustinus had a 25-game hit streak, setting a new APB record. Pekanbaru had a steep fall from being the first Sundaland Champion to only 57 wins in 1971. They scored only 353 runs and had 956 hits, both of which were all time worsts until 2024. CF Ruben Yu and 3B Stanley Susilowati both won their seventh Gold Gloves, remaining the two players to have taken the award in all seven APB seasons thus far.

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1971 in OBA

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Gold Coast became a first time Australasia League champion in 1971 with a 101-61 record. Melbourne’s dynasty came to an end after four straight league titles. The Mets were second place at 95-67 with Adelaide third at 91-71.

Aardvarks 2B/SS Jimmy Caliw won his third straight MVP award, breaking his own single-season OBA record with 13.3 WAR. The 25-year old Filipino won his fourth Gold Glove and led in hits (174), total bases (324), average (.299), OBP (.359), OPS (.917), and wRC+ (187), adding 55 home runs and 97 RBI. Pitcher of the Year was Brisbane’s Nathaniel Doloran. After an excellent Rookie of the Year campaign in 1970, the 24-year old lefty led in strikeouts for the second straight season with 436, setting a new OBA single-season record. Doloran added 9.7 WAR over 305.1 innings with a 1.80 ERA and 18-12 record.

Tahiti rolled to the Pacific League title at 107-55, setting a new PL record and tying the OBA mark set last year by Melbourne. It is the second title for the Tropics, who won It all in 1965. Honolulu (99-63) and Samoa (98-64) both had great seasons, but couldn’t keep up with Tahiti. It was the best ever season for the Sun Sox, who only won 69 games the prior year and had never finished better than .500. Last year’s Oceania champ New Caledonia dropped from 100 wins in 1970 to a fifth place 75-87.



The Pacific League MVP and Pitcher of the Year both came from the Tropics. MVP was 27-year old 3B Ieremia Tenakanai, a Papuan in his fourth full season. He led the league in hits (205), total bases (357), triple slash (.319/.354/.556), OPS (.910) and wRC+ (194), adding 7.3 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Dwight Castillo, a 26-year old lefty from Palau. He led in ERA at 1.41 and wins at 26-8, adding 35 quality starts over 319.1 innings with 353 strikeouts and 8.3 WAR.

The 12^th Oceania Championship saw Gold Coast win its first title, defeating Tahiti in six games. League MVP Ieremia Tenakanai was also the finals MVP, smacking four home runs with nine hits, three doubles, six runs, and nine RBI.





Other notes: Zachary Nelson became the third OBA pitcher to 2500 strikeouts. Catcher Graham Parker won his eighth Gold Glove, the first OBA player to get to eight.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1971 in EPB

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Minsk had the best record in Eurasian Professional Baseball in 1971 as the Miners earned a fourth straight playoff berth and their 16^th in EPB’s first 17 years. The Miners won the North Division at 115-47 with Moscow taking second at 105-57 for back-to-back playoff berths. St. Petersburg was 95-67 to get the second wild card, their first playoff berth since 1964. The South Division saw a tie between Kharkiv and Kyiv at 88-74 with the Killer Bees advancing on a one-game tiebreaker for back-to-back playoff berths. Defending European League champ Tirana dropped to 84-78, ending their four-year playoff streak.

League MVP went to Minsk’s Zina Gigolashvili. The 35-year old Georgian first baseman in his third year with the Miners set the new EPB single-season home run record with 65, defeating his own record of 56 from 1961. This would remain the record until 1986. Gigolashvili also had 139 RBI, one short of the single-season record set by Pavlo Kolesnik in 1955. He also led the league in the triple slash (.309/.383/.706), OPS (1.089), wRC+ (221) and WAR (11.1). This earned him the fourth Triple Crown by an EPB hitter. His OPS mark was also a single-season record that would hold until 1984. Gigolashvili also became the third EPB hitter to 500 career home runs and crossed 1000 RBI.

Pitcher of the Year went to 25-year old Kazakh Anatoli Agakerimzade. After being drafted by Bishkek, he was traded for 1970 to St. Petersburg. In his second season with the Polar Bears, he led the league in ERA (1.81), quality starts (30) and wins (21-7), adding 263.1 innings, 217 strikeouts, and 6.1 WAR.



Omsk had the best record in the Asian League at 100-62 atop the North Division, earning a fourth straight playoff berth. Defending Soviet Series champ Yekaterinburg took second at 98-64 and got the first wild card, extending their postseason streak to eight, the longest active one in EPB. In the South Division, Almaty took first at 96-66 for their first playoff berth since their 1963 AL title. Dushanbe narrowly took second at 92-70, finishing one ahead of Tashkent, three ahead of Ulaanbaatar, and four over Krasnoyarsk for the final wild card. The Dynamo earned back-to-back playoff berths.

MVP went to Dushanbe shortstop Daurenbek Zeynalov. The 29-year old Tajik was the league leader in WAR (8.6), total bases (326) and triples (35). This was a EPB record for triples as Zeynalov led for the seventh time in his eight year career. Pitcher of the Year was Yekaterinburg’s Vladimir Hora. The 32-year old Czech righty was the WARlord at 12.1, leading in FIP- (47), wins (22-7), and shutouts (8), adding a 1.90 ERA over 293.1 innings with 358 strikeouts.

In the first round of the European League playoffs, St. Petersburg stunned Minsk with an upset 3-1, while Moscow downed Kharkiv 3-1. In the Asian League, Dushanbe upset Omsk in four and Almaty swept Yekaterinburg. In their first-ever European League Championship Series appearance, the Polar Bears took the league title, downing the Mules in six games. The Asian League Championship Series saw the Assassins sweep the Dynamo. Almaty becomes a three-time Asian League champ, having also won in 1957 and 1963.



The 17^th Soviet Series was the second ever to go all seven games. St. Petersburg won the first three games, but Almaty rallied back by winning the next three. The Polar Bears avoided the full collapse and won game seven for their first-ever EPB title. The Assassins are now 0-3 in Soviet Series appearances. Although they lost, Almaty’s Azamat Boboev was the finals MVP. The 28-year old CF also was the ALCS MVP, posting 21 hits, 10 runs,4 home runs, and 14 RBI in 16 playoff games.



Other notes: Baku’s Yunis Atamuradov threw EPB’s 13^th Perfect Game, striking out seven against Yerevan on September 5. Sergei Filatov became the first pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts. A few months later, Alvi Tahiri became the second. RF German Daugelo won his 11^th straight Gold Glove. OF Amam Charyyew won his eighth Silver Slugger.