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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-15-2023, 03:39 PM

1972 in EPB

For the third straight season, Minsk had the best record in the EPB European League. The Miners won the North Division at 105-57 for a fifth straight playoff berth and their 17^th berth in EPB’s 18 seasons to date. For the first time since 1958, both wild cards came out of the South Division with Kazan (88-74) and defending Soviet Series champ St. Petersburg (86-76) falling short of the mark. Tirana and Prague tied for the top spot in the South Division at 91-71 with the Trojans taking the one-game playoff for the division title. Tirana got their fifth playoff berth in six years, while the Pilots earned their first-ever wild card. Budapest was one back at 90-72, earning the second wild card for their third-ever berth and first since 1969.

Leading Prague’s effort was European League MVP Anatolie Rotaru. The 33-yaer old Moldovan center fielder was in his second year with the Pilots after a long run in Helsinki. Rotaru was the WARlord at 9.4 with Gold Glove defense in center, plus a .302/.337/.553 slash line, 88 runs, 178 hits, 32 doubles, 22 triples, and 20 home runs. Pitcher of the Year was 29-year old Russian righty Mariz Mishunin, who had been traded to Minsk after seven seasons with Kazan. Mishunin was the leader in wins (24-4), ERA (1.86), and shutouts (9), adding 245 strikeouts in 280.2 innings with 7.2 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Minsk swept Budapest and Tirana survived a five game battle with Prague. The European League Championship Series was a rematch of 1969 and 1970 with the Miners having won the former and the Trojans the latter. The 1972 edition was a seven-game classic with Tirana prevailing in the end for their second-ever league title.

In their first playoff berth since winning the 1969 Asian League title, Tashkent claimed the South Division at 105-57. Both wild cards came from the south with defending league champ Almaty and Tbilisi both finishing 95-67. It was only the second playoff appearance for the Trains, who were a wild card in 1965. Yekaterinburg extended their longest-active postseason streak to nine years by winning the North Division at 89-73. Omsk’s streak ended at four as they finished second at 87-75.

Asian League MVP went to Tashkent veteran 3B Zaur Kadriov. In his 17^th season with the Tomcats, the 35-year old Uzbek was the league leader in runs (101), home runs (52), RBI (112), walks (85), slugging (.552), and wRC+ (180) with 7.6 WAR. Dushanbe’s Jozsef Laszlo won his second Pitcher of the Year in three seasons. The 28-yaer old Hungarian was the WARlord (9.3) and wins leader at 22-9, adding 377 strikeouts in 262 innings and a 1.96 ERA.

Almaty won at Yekaterinburg 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs, while Tashkent cruised to a sweep of Tbilisi. In the Asian League Championship Series, the Assassins upset the Tomcats in six games, giving Almaty back-to-back league titles. They join 1964-65 Bishkek as the only back-to-back AL winners to date. The Assassins also won their fourth league title, the most of any Asian League team so far.

In the 18^th Soviet Series, Almaty rolled to a win in five games over Tirana, sending the cup to Kazakhstan for the first time. Finals MVP was closer Nadir Dzhoraev, who in 16 postseason innings had five saves, 22 strikeouts, and a 2.25 ERA. ALCS MVP was CF Azamat Boboev who had 21 hits, 10 runs, 4 home runs, and 14 RBI in 16 playoff games.

Other notes: Eurasian Professional Baseball’s 14^th Perfect Game came from Tirana’s Martin Czar on July 2 with four strikeouts against Riga. Yekaterinburg’s Bakhadur Kuznetsov had a .588/.667/1.235 slash and 1.902 OPS in five playoff games, which holds as the single-postseason record for each stat as of 2037. Dushanbe’s pitching staff had 1785 strikeouts, setting an Asian League record. It remains second-best as of 2037.

Artur Golub became the third EPB pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts and the 15^th pitcher to 200 career wins. Demis Mankovsky became the fourth reliever to 300 career save, Jas Starsky became the fifth, and Joachim Kohut the sixth. Roman Lazutin became the fifth batter to 500 career home runs, German Daugelo won a record 12^th Gold Glove at RF, the top mark at any position in EPB. Attila Rakosi won his eighth at 1B. Samir Allahverdiyev won his eighth Silver Slugger at catcher.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-16-2023, 03:25 AM

1972 in EBF

After their surprise 1971 run to the European Championship, Luxembourg fell off a cliff with an abysmal 67-95 record. The Northwest Division still was the strongest in the Northern Conference with Rotterdam taking first at 103-59, extending their playoff streak to six years. 1970 EBF champ Paris was second at 97-65 and are back in the field as the wild card. Birmingham won their first British Isles Division title since 1963 with a 97-65 mark. The Bees were six ahead of second place Belfast. In the North central Division, Hamburg had a big turnaround from 66 wins to 92-70, snapping a four-year playoff drought. Last year’s division winner Berlin dropped to only 70 wins.

Northern Conference MVP went to Paris RF Mats Visser. The 27-year old Dutchman was the WARlord at 10.9 and led in hits (211), RBI (129), average (.340), OPS (.968), and wRC+ (210), adding 39 home runs. Brimingham’s Joseph Wilson won his second straight Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old Scot led in wins (25-9), innings (291.1), strikeouts (378), and complete games (17), adding a 2.35 ERA with 8.9 WAR and 29 quality starts.

In the first round of the playoffs, Rotterdam swept Hamburg and Birmingham topped Paris in four. It was the first-ever Northern Conference Championship berth for the Bees and the fourth straight for the Ravens. After falling short the prior two seasons, Rotterdam claimed the crown 4-1 over Birmingham for their second conference title (1969).

The Southern Conference was very tight with only three wins separating the top division winner from the weakest. The top two records were in the Southwest Division as Madrid and Marseille tied for first at 91-71. The Conquistadors took the one-game tiebreaker for back-to-back division titles, while the Musketeers got the wild card for their fifth berth in seven years. In the South Central Division, Milan took first at 90-72 and ended a 13-year playoff drought. Naples’ three-year streak ended with a drop to 79-83. In the Southeast Division, Vienna narrowly took it at 89-73, edging 87-75 Zagreb and defending champ Munich at 85-77. The Vultures earned their eighth straight playoff berth, tying the EBF all-time record set by Madrid from 1950-57.

Southern Conference MVP was Naples 3B Oberdan Gagliardini. The 26-year old Maltese lefty was the WARlord (10.2) and led in hits (208), runs (112), triples (40), total bases (395), slugging (.641), OPS (1.021), and wRC+ (194). He led in triples for the fourth straight season and the 40 triples was second most all-time to Blaise Combes’ 45 in 1962. Pitcher of the Year was fifth-year Barcelona ace Alejandro Canas. The right-handed Spaniard led in ERA (1.73), WHIP (0.77), K/BB (8.6), and FIP- (57), adding 6.8 WAR, 301 strikeouts in 202.2 innings, and a 16-7 record with 10 saves.

Vienna knocked off Madrid 3-1 and Marseille edged Milan 3-2, The Southern Conference Championship was the fifth appearance in six years for the Vultures and the seventh since 1960 for the Musketeers. The series was an absolute classic that went seven games with the finale going 11 innings. Vienna claimed game seven 6-4 for their fourth conference title in six years. Marseille is now 1-6 in their SCC appearances.

The 23^rd European Championship was a rematch of the 1969 final that saw Rotterdam defeat Vienna 4-2. The 1972 final had the same result with the Ravens winning in six for their second EBF title. Leading the playoff effort for Rotterdam was RF Nikolai Yevsikov, the NCC MVP, who had 17 hits, 10 runs, 3 home runs, and 10 RBI in 14 playoff games. The Northwest Division has had the overall champion now in four straight seasons. The Vultures are the bridesmaid again, 0-4 in their finals appearances.

Other notes: Jacob Bidwell became the second EBF hitter to 600 home runs and the third to 1500 career RBI. Ringo Barros became the fourth to 300 career saves. Gabriel Emiliani and Joachim Muller both got to 3000 career strikeouts.Reliever of the Year for Vienna Arturo Piana set a bad EBF postseason record, going 0-5 in five starts and one relief appearance. He had a rough 8.75 ERA over 23.2 innings with -0.5 WAR. Naples had 137 triples as a team, which stood as the single-season EBF record until 2018. Belfast’s Gabriel Lawrence had a 34-game hit streak.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-16-2023, 04:25 PM

1972 in BSA

Caracas snapped a seven-year playoff skid since their early 1960s dynasty, taking the Bolivar League North Division at 101-61. Maracaibo was a distant second at 90-72 while three-time defending league champ Medellin was third at 85-77. Lima claimed the South Division for the third time in five years. The Lobos finished 90-72, six ahead of La Paz and eight over Quito. Defending division champ Guayaquil was fourth at 89-82.

Bolivar League MVP went to fourth-year Maracaibo LF Goito Palominos. The 26-year old Venezuelan had the ninth Beisbol Sudamerica hitting Triple Crown with a .351 average, 52 home runs, and 112 RBI. Palominos also led the league in hits (213), runs (108), total bases (398), OBP (.393), slugging (.657), OPS (1.049), wRC+ (213), and WAR (10.1). Caracas’ lefty Yorvit Gallardo was the Pitcher of the Year. The 29-year old Ecuadoran led in wins (22-6), posting 6.4 WAR over 287.2 innings with a 2.35 ERA and 284 strikeouts.

In the Southern Cone League, defending Copa Sudamerica champ Santiago tied the BSA-record with a ninth straight division title, matching the run by 1953-61 Sao Paulo. The Saints dominated the South Division at 105-57, tying their best record during this stretch. In the Brazil Division, Fortaleza took the top spot for the first time since their 1967 Copa Sudamerica win. The Foxes were 99-63, five games ahead of Sao Paulo and nine over Rio de Janeiro. Last year’s division winner Brasilia dropped to fourth at 84-78.

Fortaleza’s Niculao Semide won his fourth Southern Cone League MVP. The 30-year old second Brazilian second baseman was the WARlord at 11.4 and also led with 116 runs, .409 OBP, .997 OPS, and 212 wRC+, adding 35 home runs and a .337 average. The Foxes also had the Pitcher of the Year in Samuel Palacios, who was traded to Fortaleza in the offseason from Belo Horizonte. In his one year as a Fox, the 30-year old Brazilian righty led in wins at 23-9 and complete games with 12, adding a 1.76 ERA in 276 innings with 347 strikeouts and 9.1 WAR. Palacios would leave for MLB’s San Francisco the next season.

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Caracas topped Lima 4-1, giving the Colts their first title since the 1959-62 four-peat. Caracas now has nine league titles, second only to Medellin’s ten. The Southern Cone League final was the fifth meeting of the last decade and the seventh overall between Fortaleza and Santiago. It went all seven games for the sixth time in seven years, this time snagged by the Foxes. It is the fifth league title for Fortaleza (1932, 1940, 1965, 1967, 1972).

In the 42^nd Copa Sudamerica, Fortaleza downed Caracas 4-2, giving the Foxes their third Cup win (1932, 1967). League MVP Niculao Semide won both finals MVP and SCC MVP, posting 21 hits, 15 runs, 8 home runs, and 16 RBI in 13 playoff games. 15 runs set a BSA postseason record and eight homers tied the record.

Other notes: Fortaleza’s Guilherme Pinto had BSA’s 27^th Perfect Game, striking out seven against Rosario on June 11. Cy Cavazos became the 12^th batter to 500 home runs. SS Alexander Rolon won his ninth Gold Glove, SS Kaique Salvao won his ninth, and LF Jacob Lemus won his eighth.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-17-2023, 03:52 AM

1972 in EAB

Sapporo snapped a 15-year playoff drought by posting the best record in East Asia Baseball in 1972. The Swordfish won the Japan League North Division at 104-58 and smacked 251 home runs as a team, setting the Japan League single-season record. It sits third as of 2037. Last year’s division champ Kawasaki was a distant second at 90-72. After dropping to .500 last year, Hiroshima is back on top of the South Division at 94-68; their fifth division crown in six years. Kobe was four back with Kyoto eight back. Last year’s league champ Kitakyushu was fifth place at 81-81.

Sapporo CF Sosuke Hoshizawa won his third straight league MVP at only age 23. He had a career high and league-best 12.9 WAR and led with 129 runs, .715 slugging, 1.116 OPS, and 223 wRC+. Hoshizawa smacked 56 home runs with 119 RBI, but it was teammate Cal Valdes who made home run history. Valdes, a 27-year old Filipino first baseman, crushed 71 home runs to become the EAB home run king, passing Chu Park’s record of 67 from 1959. Valdes became the first player in any pro league to hit 70+. Pitcher of the Year was Kyoto’s Shuichiro Sato with the third-year righty leading in ERA (1.98) and WAR (7.6), adding 250 strikeouts in 209.1 innings.

The Korea League North Division had the top five records in the league in 1972. After missing the field the prior two years, Pyongyang got back to the top spot with an impressive 106-56, winning by 16 games despite four other teams in the division with 87+ wins. Yongin won a weak South Division at 83-79, giving them six playoff berths in seven years. Last year’s EAB champ Busan and Ulsan were both two back at 81-81 with Daegu at 80-82.

The Korea League MVP and Pitcher of the Year were both Hamhung players. 1B Myeong-Won Kan was MVP with a league-best 9.8 WAR, 215 hits, .368/.426/.595 slash, 1.021 OPS, and 184 wRC+. Jae-Min Lee was the Pitcher of the Year in his second full season, leading in wins (21-10), innings (294.2), and strikeouts (358), adding 2.84 ERA, 8.0 WAR, and a Gold Glove on defense.

The Japan League Championship Series was a seven-game classic for the third time in four years. Hiroshima outlasted Sapporo 4-3 to give the Hammerheads four league titles in five years and six overall. They became the second Japan League team to win four league titles in a five-year run, joining the 1947-51 Swordfish. The Korea League Championship Series was the fifth meeting in seven years between Pyongyang and Yongin. Just like the other ones, the Pythons prevailed, this time in six games. Since 1961, the Pythons have eight league titles. They now have a record 12 total league crowns.

The 52^nd East Asia Championship served as a rubber match between Hiroshima and Pyongyang. In 1968, the Pythons won in seven to four-peat, but the Hammerheads denied the five-peat 4-2 in 1969. The 1972 edition went all seven with Hiroshima winning it in the end, giving them three EAB titles in four years. Finals MVP was RF Hyeon-Jun Wi, who had 15 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 9 RBI in 14 playoff games. The Hammerheads have five overall titles and are the third EAB team with three rings in a four-year stretch, joining the Pythons (four-peat from 1965-68) and Hamhung (three from 1955-58).

Other notes: Kakuzo Yokoyama became the seventh EAB hitter to reach 700 home runs. Min-Hyeok Shin and Chu Park both crossed 600 home runs, making it 13 members of the 600 club. Shin also won his 13^th Silver Slugger at second base. Yu-Chang Jang became the 16^th to 1500 career RBI. RF Hyeog-Jun Wi won his eighth Gold Glove. Catcher Jung-Soo Chen won his tenth Silver Slugger and pitcher Totaro Uchiyama won his ninth Silver Slugger

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-17-2023, 11:40 AM

1972 in CABA

Mexico City’s dominance continued yet again in the Mexican League as the five-time defending league champ dominated the South Division at 102-60. The Aztecs now have seven consecutive playoff berths, tying the CABA record. Queretaro was a distant second at 86-76, but that was enough to get the wild card, the first playoff berth for the expansion Terriers in their 11^th season. Mexicali won the North Division for the second time in three years, first at 90-62. They were seven ahead of Hermosillo and eigth better than both Juarez and Monterrey. Last year’s division winner Tijuana fell to 75-87.

Veteran Mexico City shortstop Aaron Valencia won his third league MVP. The 33-year old Puerto Rican was the WARlord at 10.0 and led in total bases with 363. He had a .329 average, 31 home runs, 200 hits, and 104 runs. The Aztecs also had the Pitcher of the ear with Venezuelan righty Flor Perez. The 28-year old was the ERA leader at 1.97 with a 46 FIP-, adding 7.3 WAR and 244 strikeouts over 182.2 innings with a 15-7 record and 17 saves.

Wild card Queretaro upset Mexicali on the road in the first round, sending the Terriers to their first ever Mexican League Championship Series. They were no match ultimately for the Mexico City dynasty, who took the series 4-1. The Aztecs have won six straight league titles, the first six-peat in Mexican League history (Mexicali had a five-peat from 1950-54).

Trinidad was the top team in the Caribbean League with a 96-66 record atop the Island Division. This gives the Trail Blazers three playoff berths in four years. Havana was second at 91-71, taking the wild card by four games over Haiti. The Hurricanes also earn a third berth in four years. Honduras won a very competitive Continental Division. The Horsemen were 86-76, one game better than Panama and two ahead of both defending league champ Guatemala and Salvador. That ends the Ghosts’ three-year league title run and five-year playoff streak. It was the first playoff berth since 1967 for the Horsemen.

Guatemala CF Wesley Dubar won a Caribbean League record seventh MVP award. Still only 29 years old, the right-handed Panamanian led the league in runs (112), RBI (128), walks (75), total bases (407), triple slash (.346/.421/.719), OPS (1.140), wRC+ (193) and WAR (11.6). Dubar also had 46 home runs, his fourth straight year with 45+ dingers. Pitcher of the Year was Havana’s Cajetano Ortega, who won the award previously in 1967 with Merida. Traded to the Hurricanes in 1970, the 31-year old was the ERA leader (2.03), WARlord (9.2), WIHP leader (0.83) and quality starts leader (26) with 54 FIP-, 274 strikeouts and 235 innings.

Wild card Havana topped Honduras 3-1 in the first round, sweeping them with the Horsemen only scoring on their handicap. The Hurricanes would fall to division foe Trinidad 4-1 in the Caribbean League Championship Series. The Trail Blazers become the first of the 1962 expansion teams to win a league title, doing so in their 11^th season.

In the 62^nd Central American Baseball Association Championship, Mexico City remained kings of CABA, sweeping Trinidad. The Aztecs become the first team in CABA history to four-peat as overall champs, getting their fifth title in six years and ninth overall. 1B Solomon Aragon was finals and MLCS MVP, getting 18 hits, 11 runs, 4 home runs, and 12 RBI in 9 games. Mexico City is the third pro franchise in any league to win four or more consecutive overall titles along with MLB’s Philadelphia (six-peat from 1941-47) and EAB’s Pyongyang (four-peat from 1965-68).

Other notes: 39-year old pitcher Ronaldo Antunez allowed 341 hits over 264.2 innings, a CABA-single season record for most hits allowed as of 2037. Haiti stole 467 bases as a team, which remained the CABA single-season record until 2032. SS Ivan Marrero earned his ninth Gold Glove. SS Aaron Valencia won his ninth Silver Slugger.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-17-2023, 05:33 PM

1972 in MLB

Montreal and Pittsburgh finished tied atop the National Association’s Eastern League at 98-64 with the Maples winning the one-game playoff to tiake the title. Both teams earned back-to-back playoff berths, while Montreal got their first league title since 1952. St. Louis won their third straight Midwest League crown with a 98-64 mark. The Cardinals have made the playoffs eight times in the last ten years. Columbus was a distant second at 86-76, ultimately two games short of the final wild card. Last year’s NA champ Minneapolis fell off a cliff, the worst team in the NA at 61-101.

Each of the wild cards came from the Eastern League. Philadelphia was third in the EL at 96-66 and took the second wild card, their third straight playoff spot. Brooklyn at 92-70 took the third wild card, snapping a decade-long drought. The final spot saw Toronto and Baltimore tied at 88-74 with the Timberwolves advancing in a one-game playoff. The 1970 NA champ, Toronto now has three playoff spots in four years.

National Association MVP went to Montreal RF Charlie Arsenault. The 26-year old lefty didn’t lead in any stats, but had 203 hits, 106 runs, 35 home runs, 117 RBI, a .332 average, .934 OPS, and 6.7 WAR. Hartford’s Ugo Musacci won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year and his sixth straight counting his four with EBF’s Malta. The 28-year old Italian was the WARlord (10.3), strikeout leader (298) and leader in WHIP (0.85), quality starts (28), and K/BB (8.3). He added a 2.36 ERA over 27.0.1 innings with a 13-11 record. Counting EBF, he has led his league in both strikeouts and WAR in six consecutive seasons.

The wild card round had Philadelphia over Brooklyn in two and Pittsburgh over Toronto in three. Montreal survived 3-2 in a strong challenge from the Phillies, while the Pirates upset St. Louis in four. The National Association Championship Series was the first appearance for Pittsburgh since 1963 and since 1952 for the Maples. It was a seven-game thriller with game seven going 10 innings; Montreal won it in a walkoff 4-3 to take the series 4-3. The Maples are now six-time NA champs (1901, 1915, 1928, 1949, 1951, 1972).

Two-time defending World Series champion New Orleans improved with a franchise-record 107-55 mark, atop the Southern League for the third straight season. There was a 13-game gap to second place Atlanta (94-68) and 14 to Miami (93-69). The Aces earned a fourth straight playoff berth with their wild card, while the Mallards snapped a five-year drought. Albuquerque ended a 15-year playoff absence, winning the Western League at 99-63. The Isotopes had a team ERA of 2.84, which was the American Association single-season record and remained the record until 2019.

The battle for the remaining two wild card spots had half the association in the mix. Dallas and Jacksonville ended up getting the spots, both at 88-74. Houston and Phoenix were one behind, Seattle two back, Nashville three back, Memphis four back, and four teams were seven back. The Gators earned back-to-back berths, while the Dalmatians ended a drought that stretched back to 1945. At 26 years, that was tied with Cincinnati for the longest active drought in MLB. Los Angeles saw a four-year playoff streak end, which was the longest active in the AA entering 1972.

New Orleans had the MVP and Pitcher of the Year in the American Association. RF Jaxson Gatewood won the MVP with the AA lead in the triple slash (.365/.435/.734), OPS (1.169), wRC+ (202), and WAR (9.9), adding 46 home runs, 116 RBI, and 116 runs. Brit Mooney won PotY with the lead in wins at 26-5. He had a 2.25 ERA over 288 innings with 252 strikeouts and 8.1 WAR.

Also of note was Tampa’s Will Brenneisen, the Rookie of the Year. He became the second Rookie of the Year winner in MLB history to lead the league in both home runs and RBI in his debut season; Brenneisen smacked 55 and 132, respectively. Cleveland’s Billy Rodriguez did it in 1922, but oddly enough his skill completely plummeted without injuries and he was out of the game by age 26. Last year, NA Rookie of the Year Kymani Massey led in homers, but not RBI.

The wild card round had Jacksonville sweep Miami and Atlanta edge Dallas in three. The New Orleans dynasty cruised to a sweep of the Gators, while Albuquerque bested the Aces in 3-1. It was the first American Association Championship Series berth for the Isotopes in 20 years, but nothing was going to stop the Mudcats. New Orleans took the series 4-2 and become the third AA team to three-peat, joining 1910-12 Houston and 1913-16 Memphis.

In the 72^nd World Series, the Mudcats completed the Fall Classic three-peat as well, defeating Montreal in six games. AA MVP Jaxson Gatewood also won World Series MVP, posting 19 hits, 12 runs, 11 RBI, and 0.8 WAR in 15 playoff games. It is the fourth title for New Orleans, who also won 1935, and would be the high watermark for a franchise that ultimately retreated into relative obscurity soon after. They are one of only three MLB franchises to this point to win three consecutive World Series rings with Houston (1910-12) and Philadelphia (four-peat from 1941-44). Manager Emmanuel Twellman becomes the third MLB manager with three rings, joining Houston’s Eric Stockman with four and Philadelphia’s Cory Ellis with their first three of the 1940s dynasty.

Other notes; Miami’s Parker Harpaz became the second MLB pitcher to 350 career wins. He’d close the year and his career with 361, passing Ned Giles (356) for the all-time top mark. Harpaz remains both MLB’s win leader and the win leader in all of professional baseball as of 2037. Harpaz also became the third MLB pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts, finishing the season and his career with 4586. That put him second at retirement, just ahead of Giles (4561) but still behind Newton Persaud (4655). Harpaz finished with 141.84 career WAR, retiring third behind Giles (151.70) and Persaud (145.86). Harpaz also retired ahead of both in innings pitched at 5606; Persaud had 5356 and Giles 5346. Harpaz also finished with 355 complete games, still the MLB record as of 2037.

On August 13, Houston’s Roberto Fennebeumer had a historic no-hitter against Las Vegas, setting a no-hitter record with 19 strikeouts. He was a Dutch pitcher who had come from EBF that year to the Hornets and only a hit-by pitch denied a perfect game. The previous MLB record for strikeouts in a no-no was 17 in Jeremiah Rutledge’s 1959 perfect game. In another pitching notable, eventual strikeout king Julius Jordan became the 15^th to reach 3500 strikeouts.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-18-2023, 03:20 AM

1973 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

The 1973 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class was a big one with four players earning the nod. It was very unusual for a large class in that no one was above 75% and that all four guys were players from the backlog. Closer Vicente Guerrero had the highest mark at 74.4% on his fifth ballot. 1B Tiger Novak became the first-ever inductee to get in on his 10^th and final chance, crossing the 66% threshold with 71.8%. Close behind was outfielder Estefan Salinas at 68.4% in his third attempt. The final member was starting pitcher Abraham Reiner at 68.0% for his sixth attempt. Two others were above 50% with catcher Gray Caraway at 58.5% in his third attempt and pitcher Jeremiah Rutledge at 50.9% in his second go.

Two players were dropped after ten attempts, led by catcher Joe Frid. In 20 years in the Bay Area between Oakland and San Francisco, he had two Silver Sluggers, 1976 hits, 1076 runs, 338 home runs, 1132 RBI, a .253/.328/.431 slash and 56.8 WAR. With the massive barrier for catchers generally, he needed more accolades to get a good luck. Frid peaked at 470% on his debut and ended at 40.8%.

Another catcher, Samuel Pineda, was dropped at 17.7% after peaking with 48.7% in his debut. In 16 years between Boston, St. Louis, and Albuquerque, he had six Silver Sluggers, 1992 hits, 902 runs, 180 home runs, 926 RBI, a .314/.374/.465 slash and 63.8 WAR. Injuries in his 30s kept him out of the lineup for big chunks of time and again, the voters are inclined to give catchers no benefit of the doubt for the lower accumulations that naturally come with the position.

Vincente “Salesman” Guerrero – Relief Pitcher – Chicago Cubs – 74.4% Fifth Ballot

Vicente Guerrero was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Nueva Concepcion, a municipality of around 30,000 people in northwestern El Salvador. The first Salvadoran member of MLB’s Hall of Fame, Guerrero was known for having filthy stuff with good to sometimes great movement and control. He had a one-two combo of a fastball and slider with 97-99 mph peak velocity.

Guerrero moved to the United States as a teenager and would play college baseball at the University of Michigan. He was a starting pitcher in his first two seasons, then in the bullpen in his junior season, winning NCAA Reliever of the Year. In the 1942 MLB Draft, he’d be picked in the fourth round, 168^th overall, by Chicago. He’d be best known as a Cub, spending 11 years of his 19 year career in the Windy City.

Guerrero bounced around between the closer role and middle relief in his Chicago tenure. He led the National Association with 39 saves in 1949 and had a career high 43 saves in 1946. He was third in Reliever of the Year voting in 1949 and 1951, but ultimately never won the big award. The Cubs had four straight playoff berths during his run, but were unable to advance beyond the second round. Guerrero had a 0.60 ERA in 15 playoff innings. For his entire Chicago run, he had 268 saves and 320 shutdowns, a 2.47 ERA, 722 innings, 737 strikeouts, and 23.5 WAR. He was well liked enough by the franchise that his #34 uniform would eventually be retired.

In the summer of 1953, the 31-year old Guerrero was traded to Jacksonville. He’d stay with the Gators through 1958 with off-and-on innings between the closer role and middle relief. Guerrero also pitched for his country El Salvador in the World Baseball Championship from 1950-63, often used as a starter. In 189 innings, he had a 12-8 record, 2.29 ERA, 297 strikeouts, and 7.6 WAR. In the 1957 tournament, he had a 20 strikeout, one-hit shutout against Croatia. Guerrero had 17 scoreless innings for the event and finished third in Best Pitcher voting.

Guerrero became a free agent at age 37 and went unsigned in the 1959 season, although he wasn’t ready to retire. He pitched 1.2 innings in late 1960 with Hartford, then was signed as the closer with Oklahoma City in 1961. That stint allowed him to cross the 350 save threshold, one of 24 to do it as of 2037. Guerrero went back to Jacksonville as middle relief in 1962, then saw eight total innings in 1963 between Hartford and Washington. He suffered bone chips in his elbow in the summer and retired at age 41.

Guerrero’s final stats: 357 saves and 437 shutdowns, 2.61 ERA, 1084.1 innings, 907 games, 1055 strikeouts, 317 walks, a FIP- of 69 (nice), and 31.9 WAR. 350 saves had been generally the magic number for MLB Hall of Fame voters, but it wasn’t a lock. He was far less dominant than some of the others to make it and lacked major awards or playoff notables. He debuted at 54.6%, then dropped to 49.7%. A big boost put him at 62.5% on try three, but he dropped slightly to 57.6% in his fourth attempt. The fifth ballot got Guerrero the jump needed with no major standouts in the field, becoming a Hall of Famer at 74.4%.

Tiger Novak – First Baseman – San Francisco Gold Rush – 71.8% Tenth Ballot

Tiger Novak was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Los Angeles. He was a very good contact hitter with a respectable pop in his bat, a decent eye, and ability to avoid strikeouts. Not amazing at anything, but well-rounded across the board as a hitter. He was good for around 30 home runs and 30 doubles per year on average. Novak had above average speed despite being a career first baseman and occasional designated hitter. Defensively, he wasn’t atrocious, but was below average.

Novak stayed local for college, becoming a USC Trojan. In 148 college games, he had 166 hits, 84 runs, 40 home runs, 111 RBI, and 7.6 WAR. Novak would get picked 36^th overall in the 1940 MLB Draft by San Francisco and had an excellent debut season, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. His second year was arguably his best with a career-high 6.9 WAR, 39 home runs, 211 hits, and 130 RBI. His lone Silver Slugger came in 1945, leading the American Association with 119 runs. Novak was third in MVP voting in 1945, his only time as a finalist. He was the batting average champ at .343 in 1944, but typically wasn’t a league-leader in his career.

San Francisco was good in the 1940s, but never quite good enough to make it to the playoffs. They finally broke through in 1950 after a nearly 20-year postseason drought and won the World Series. The 30-year old Novak was a playoff hero, winning World Series MVP and first round MVP. In 16 games, he had 30 hits, 14 runs, 5 doubles, 7 home runs, 17 RBI, and 1.7 WAR. The next year, the usually durably Novak suffered a ruptured MCL. He bounced back with a respectable 1952, his final season with the Gold Rush. In total, he had 2055 hits, 1082 runs, 327 doubles, 321 home runs, 1206 RBI, a .318/.370/.539 slash and 52.7 WAR.

Novak became a free agent at age 33 and signed with Memphis for the 1953 season. He was a respectable bat with the Mountain Cats, but various injuries kept him from full seasons. In Memphis, he had 413 hits, 214 runs, a .296/.358/.478 slash and 8.4 WAR. The Mountain Cats traded Novak to Las Vegas for 3B Tyler Sousa for the 1956 campaign. He was merely okay with the Vipers, then signed with Phoenix in 1957. Novak had eight at-bats with Atlanta in 1958 and opted to retire after the season at age 39.

Novak’s final stats: 2704 hits, 1424 runs, 426 doubles, 418 home runs, 1549 RBI, a .309/.365/.521 slash, 140 wRC+, and 64.8 WAR. He was very much on the borderline with a few guys getting in and some getting left out who had fairly similar resumes. He debuted at 51.3%, then dropped to a low of 42.1%. He bounced around and got very close a few times, above 60% four times including a 65.1% mark in 1968. It came down to his very last chance on the ballot and no one to that point in MLB had made it in on the tenth try. Novak changed that with 71.6%, snatching a spot in the Hall of Fame at the buzzer.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-18-2023, 11:06 AM

1973 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

Estefan “Hammerhand” Salinas – Right Field – Indianapolis Racers – 68.4% Ninth Ballot

Estefan Salinas was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from West Chester, Ohio; a township of around 60,000 located 18 miles north of Cincinnati. Salinas was both a solid contract hitter and someone with an excellent eye who was very adept at getting on base. He was among the best of the era at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He had terrific speed and used that to turn doubles into triples. Salinas’ power wasn’t outstanding, but he’d occasionally hit 20+ homers. Salinas was a career right fielder and despite his speed, was an absolutely abysmal defender. He was a hard worker though and very durable for most of his career.

Salinas went to Kansas for college and in four seasons and 192 games with the Jayhawks, he had 209 hits, 126 runs, 24 home runs, 110 RBI, and 8.3 WAR. Indianapolis was enamored and selected Salinas first overall in the 1941 MLB Draft, but were unable to come to terms with him. He returned to Kansas for his senior year and was picked again by the Racers in 1942, this time second overall. Salinas inked the deal and would be a full-time starter for Indy for the next 12 years.

Salinas won two Silver Sluggers, in 1949 and 1950, but was never in the MVP conversation. He’d steadily give you around 4-6 WAR per season though. Salinas led the National Association in stolen bases thrice with Indianapolis and led in runs (116) and OBP (.418) in 1952. The Racers made playoff runs in 1951 and 1952, making it to the NACS in the former and taking World Series runner-up in the latter. Salinas struggled in the playoff runs, but was still liked enough to see his #9 uniform retired after 12 years of service. With Indy, Salinas had 2180 hits, 1164 runs, 260 doubles, 162 triples, 182 home runs, 844 RBI, 879 walks, a .314/.391/.477 slash and 58.6 WAR. He also was a starter in 1947 and 1954 for the United States in the World Baseball Championship, winning a world title in both seasons.

1954 saw a noticeable drop in his productivity and Indianapolis traded the now 34-year old Salinas that offseason to Baltimore. After one unremarkable season with the Orioles, he signed a four-year deal with Montreal. Salinas saw a resurgence with the Maples, leading in stolen bases three times and posted career highs in 1957 with 72 steals and 7.2 WAR. He posted 581 hits, 297 runs, a .318/.397/.451 slash and 15.9 in Montreal. There, he crossed 2500 career hits and 1500 runs scored

In his fourth year with the Maples, he was benched and eventually traded to Tampa in the summer. That concluded his MLB tenure, although he’d head down under in 1960, signing at age 39 with OBA’s Melbourne. He led the Australasia League in OBP and stolen bases that year, but would be traded the next summer to Honolulu. Salinas finished out 1961 with the Honu and retired at age 40. He crossed 3000 career professional hits, ending with 3198, but fell short of the line in MLB.

Salinas’ final MLB stats: 2944 hits, 1577 runs, 364 doubles, 209 triples, 228 home runs, 1086 RBI, 1195 walks, 860 stolen bases, a .311/.389/.467 slash, 145 wRC+, and 76.1 WAR. At retirement, he was fourth all-time in stolen bases and eighth in triples. But lower power guys often have trouble standing out to the voters and without many major awards, Salinas hung around the 50-59% range consistently for years. He got to 61.9% and 62.0% in 1971 and 1972, then on his ninth attempt in 1973, converted just enough non-believers to cross the line at 68.4%.

Abraham Reimer – Starting Pitcher – Portland Pacifics – 68.0% Sixth Ballot

Abraham Reimer was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Springfield, Oregon; a city of around 60,000 located just west of Eugene. Reimer had solid stuff with average to slightly above average control and movement. He had 96-98 mph peak velocity and a four-pitch arsenal of a fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup. The slider was typically viewed as his premiere pitch. Reimer had terrific stamina and durability and you knew were getting consistent innings from him.

Reimer attended the University of Houston and in three seasons with the Cougars, had a 26-10 record in 39 starts with a 2.11 ERA, 323.2 innings, 343 strikeouts, and 12.0 WAR. The impressive college resume earned him the 18^th overall pick by Portland in the 1944 MLB Draft. Reimer was a part-time starter as a rookie, then a full-time member of the rotation onward. He had mixed results though and struggled in 1948, allowing an American Association worst 48 home runs. He bounced back with respectable stats in his next few years with the Pacifics, including a career-best 2.54 ERA in 1952. Reimer was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist though and Portland didn’t make the playoffs in his eight year tenure. In total, he had a 110-127 record, 3.79 ERA, 2036 innings, 1554 strikeouts, and 31.0 WAR. His biggest moment with the Pacifics was a no-hitter on May 28, 1947 against Los Angeles with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Reimer tested free agency after a good 1952 and at age 29, signed with San Diego. Reimer was a back of the rotation guy though, posting a 4.73 ERA and 9.6 WAR in 645.1 innings over three years. He did earn a World Series ring in 1955 as the Seals begin their 1950s dynasty, posting middling numbers in three playoff starts with a 4.35 ERA. Reimer entered free agency again and at age 32, joined Toronto for the 1956 season.

Interestingly enough, his mid 30s saw his best statistical production. In two years with the Timberwolves, he had a 3.00 ERA over 509.2 innings with 11.2 WAR. Reimer then signed a five-year, $470,00 deal with Phoenix and had four respectable years with the Firebirds, posting a 3.35 ERA and 72-47 record with 21.3 WAR over 1076 innings. Reimer had a 3.26 ERA in 30.1 innings in the 1960 postseason as Phoenix won the World Series. The Firebirds cut him before the 1962 campaign and he spent one forgettable year with Memphis, retiring at age 38.

Reimer’s final stats: 262-241 record, 3.76 ERA, 4448.2 innings, 3265 strikeouts to 1343 walks, 309/577 quality starts, 260 complete games, a FIP- of 93, and 74.4 WAR. His ERA was worse than any other pitcher in the MLB Hall of Fame at that point and advanced stats suggested Reimer was merely an above average pitcher that happened to stick around for ages. He compiled enough totals though to sway the voters who value longevity greatly and hovered in the 50% range for five years. In 1973 with no standout starting pitchers on the ballot, enough tossed Reimer an extra vote to get him to 68%, enough for sixth ballot induction.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-18-2023, 04:47 PM

1973 CABA Hall of Fame

Three first ballot selections were made for the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 1973. By far the standout was ace pitcher Jaime Rivas, earning 98.9% of the vote. The other two only narrowly got above the 66% threshold, but were first ballot regardless. LF Kiwi Tato had 70.6% and 2B Luis Miranda had 68.3%. Three others were above 50% with 3B Diego Sierra on his fourth go at 55.0%, C Hector Santana at 51.1% on his debut, and SP Wilner Christian at 50.4% on his sixth attempt.

Cut after 10 failed attempts was reliever Placido Florez. In 14 years primarily with Havana, he had 298 saves, a 2.55 ERA, 989 strikeouts, 18.9 WAR, and one Reliever of the Year. Nice career, but definitely someone who should’ve missed the cut. He peaked at 36.9% and ended at 11.5%. Another closer, Luca Aguilar, notably was dropped on his ninth try after falling below 5%. He had 257 saves, a 2.69 ERA, 969 strikeouts, and 17.3 WAR. Again, a respectable career, but not worthy of enshrinement.

Jaime Rivas – Starting Pitcher – Juarez Jesters- 98.9% First Ballot

Jaime Rivas was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed starting pitcher from San Isidro, a district with 16,000 people in Costa Rica’s San Jose province. Rivas was best known for having incredible control of his pitches, making up for the act that his stuff was good, not great; and that his movement was considered average. Rivas’ velocity peaked in the 91-93 mph range with a fastball, curveball, and changeup; but his efficiency made him very tough to hit. Rivas had excellent stamina and durability, although his work ethic was sometimes questioned.

Rivas was noticed as a teenage amateur by scouts for the Salvador Stallions, signing at age 16 in 1947. He never played a game for Salvador, getting traded before the 1950 season with another prospect to Puerto Rico for outfielder Manuel Robles. Rivas was a part-time player at age 20 in 1950, then moved into the rotation full-time for the rest of his Pelicans run. He spent eight years in Puerto Rico and emerged as an elite pitcher towards to end.

Rivas was third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1955, then won the award in 1956, leading the Caribbean League in innings and WHIP. The Pelicans won the league title and CABA Championship that year with Rivas posting a 3.68 ERA in three playoff starts. His final line with Puerto Rico was 120-85, 3.26 ERA, 1902 innings, 1774 strikeouts, and 34.7 WAR. He also pitched for his native Costa Rica from 1951-70 and posted a 3.69 ERA over 253.1 innings with 303 strikeouts and 5.6 WAR.

Rivas led in strikeouts and innings in his final season with Puerto Rico, earning him a lot of attention in free agency for the 1958 campaign. The 28-year old signed a six-year, $470,000 deal with Juarez and would become best known for his time with the Jesters. He led Mexico in WAR five of his six seasons, strikeouts thrice, K/BB five times, and wins four times. Rivas also had a career-best 1.94 ERA in 1963 and career best 9.7 WAR in 1962. He was the 1963 Pitcher of the Year, but fell just short in the other seasons, taking second in 1958, third in 1959, and second again in 1962.

Juarez made the playoffs twice in Rivas’ tenure, getting to the CABA Championship in 1962 and falling to Santo Domingo in the final. In total, he had a 113-60 record, 2.75 ERA, 1650 innings, 1621 strikeouts to only 163 walks, and 47.1 WAR. Word of his success made its way across the border and the 34-year old Rivas got MLB attention as he became a free agent in 1964. He ultimately ended his CABA career and began a new one with Louisville on a four-year, $648,000 deal.

Rivas was respectable, but not dominant, in his first two years with the Lynx. He finished with a 9.9 WAR and 3.57 ERA over two seasons and change. After a tough start to 1966, Louisville traded him to Vancouver. Rivas spent the rest of 1966 and 1967 with the Volcanoes, bouncing back the latter year to more solid numbers. Hartford signed him at age 38 for 1968, but he stunk as a Husky. Cleveland gave him a chance in 1969, his final MLB season. He had 18.9 WAR, 3.78 ERA, 60-76 record, and 861 strikeouts in five MLB seasons. Not yet ready to retire, he went to Austronesia Professional Baseball and played 1970-72 mostly as a weak reliever with Pekanbaru. Rivas retired after the 1972 campaign at age 43.

For his entire pro career, Rivas had a 3.23 ERA, 304-242 record, 4340 strikeouts in 5113.1 innings, and 98.3 WAR. For CABA specifically, he had a 3.03 ERA and 233-143 record, 3395 strikeouts to 473 walks for a 7.2 K/BB, 293/442 quality starts, a FIP- of 81, and 81.8 WAR. At his peak, Rivas was dominant even without overpowering stuff and his CABA tenure was more than enough to get the first ballot nod.

Kiwi Tato – Left Field – Leon Lions – 70.6% First Ballot

Kiwi Tato was a 5’9’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Lazaro Cardenas, a small town of around 8,000 people in the Mexican state Chihuahua. Tato was a very good contact hitter with a respectable pop in his bat, good for around 30 doubles/triples and around 20-30 home runs per year. Tato didn’t draw walks too terribly often, but he was still solid at avoiding strikeouts. He had solid speed and was an incredibly intelligent baserunner that made the most of when he got on. Tato was a career left fielder and generally viewed as below average defensively, but not awful. He was a team leader, durable, and had a great work ethic, making him a very popular player in his time.

Tato emerged as a top high school prospect in Mexico and was picked 12^th overall in the 1950 CABA Draft by Leon. He was on the reserve roster for two years, then debuted mostly off the bench in 1953 at age 22. Tato was a part-time starter in 1954, then a full-time starter from thereafter. He was a very solid starter in his first few years, but really got notice in 1958 when he led the Mexican League with 119 runs, adding a career-high 9.2 WAR and .366 batting average. This earned Tato a second place finish in MVP voting.

This also started a run of success for the Lions with seven North Division titles from 1958-65. Leon won the Mexican League title in 1959, 60, and 64; and the overall CABA title in 1959. Tato was there for the first two and posted 54 hits, 30 runs, 8 home runs, 28 RBI, and 2.3 WAR in 46 playoff games from 1958-63. Tato was third in MVP voting in 1959 and second in 1960, getting career bests with 35 home runs and 115 RBI in 1960. 1960 was his first Silver Slugger with the second in 1961; sharing a league and position with Vicente Gutierrez limited his awards despite his success. In total with Leon, Tato had 1803 hits, 931 runs, 246 doubles, 251 home runs, 813 RBI, a .316/.362/.518 slash and 64.1 WAR. The team also retired his #10 uniform down the line.

Tato’s production dropped a bit as he entered his 30s, but he was still a strong starter. He entered free agency at age 33 and signed for the 1964 season with Salvador on a four-year, $526,000 deal. The Stallions were fresh off a Caribbean League Championship Series berth and Tato helped put them over the top. Salvador was the 1964 and 1965 CABA Champion made the CLCS in 1966. Tato was the 1964 LCS MVP and posted 40 hits, 15 runs, 13 RBI, and 1.4 WAR in 32 playoff games with the Stallions.

He led the league in runs with 112 in his second year, but saw a noticeable drop in year three. In his fourth and final season, Tato was relegated mainly to the bench, although he still provided strong leadership. He retired at age 36 after the 1967 season, posting 536 hits, 293 runs, a .304/.344/.463 slash and 12.1 WAR with Salvador.

Tato’s final stats: 2339 hits, 1224 runs, 330 doubles, 84 triples, 311 home runs, 1026 RBI, a .313/.358/.505 slash, 505 stolen bases, 151 wRC+, and 76.1 WAR. A very solid career and a notable role with championship seasons for two franchises. Still, the lack of big awards and good but not eye popping accumulations meant while Tato was a first ballot pick, it was only at 70.6%. Either way, he’s found his spot among the greats.

Luis Miranda – Second Base/Shortstop – Monterrey Matadors – 68.3% First Ballot

Luis Miranda was a 5’11’’, 195 pound left-handed hitting middle infielder from Lopez Mateos, a city of around 490,000 people within the Mexico City metro. Miranda was a solid contact hitter who was well rounded with the bat. He wasn’t great at any one facet, but was viewed as above average at most things. His power was mid-tier, averaging around 25 home runs and 30 doubles/triples per season. He did have very good speed and excellent baserunning instincts, making him a menace when he got on. Miranda made about 3/4s of his starts at second base and the rest at shortstop; he was considered a good to sometimes great defender. Miranda was also very durable at a physically demanding position, rarely down with injuries.

After a very solid amateur career, Miranda was picked fifth overall by Monterrey in the 1950 CABA Draft. He started about 2/3 of the season in his first two seasons and earned his first of 11 Silver Sluggers in his second season. Miranda’s first two were at shortstop with the remainder at second base, getting the award in 52, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, and 64. He’d start 130+ games in every season for the Matadors from 1953-66. In 12 seasons, he had 6+ WAR, although he never was a league-leader in any stat.

Miranda never won MVP, but did finish second in voting in 1955 and third in 157. Both seasons were 8+ WAR with a career-best 9.6 WAR and 106 runs coming in 1958. During this stretch, Monterrey won four straight Mexican League titles and took the CABA crown in 1955 and 57. They dropped off from 1959-62, but were back in the hunt with three league titles from 1963-66. In 84 playoff games, Miranda had 78 hits, 45 runs, 14 doubles, 6 triples, 9 home runs, 46 RBI, 34 stolen bases, and 3.1 WAR. He also was the MLCS MVP in 1956. He also played in the back end of his career with the Mexican national team in the World Baseball Championship, posting 60 hits, 39 runs, 20 home runs, and 45 RBI in 81 games.

After 16 years of consistent excellence, Miranda at age 39 had his first major injury, a broken kneecap. This ended his 1967 season and ultimately his run with Monterrey, although he maintained a great relationship with the franchise and saw his #22 uniform retired. Miranda wasn’t ready to call it quits yet and MLB’s New Orleans signed him to a three-year, $596,000 deal. He wasn’t the same post-injury and struggled in his limited action in 1968 and 1969. A torn PCL ended his 1969 in late April and after going unsigned in 1970, Miranda retired at age 43.

Miranda’s final CABA stats: 2469 hits, 1310 runs, 347 doubles, 144 triples, 367 home runs, 1164 RBI, 867 stolen bases, a .286/.337/.487 slash, wRC+ of 144 and 109.6 WAR. At retirement, he was eighth in WAR among all CABA batters and was second only to Luis Miranda in WAR generated at second base. Despite all of this, he only received 68.3% on his first ballot, which seems shockingly low considering the resume. Either way, he’s a first ballot Hall of Famer.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-19-2023, 02:59 AM

1973 EAB Hall of Fame

It was a quiet ballot in 1973 for East Asia Baseball’s Hall of Fame with the few new additions seeing very little traction. One player was inducted and barely so as pitcher Katsuya Watanabe got 67.6% on his second attempt; just passing the 66% threshold required for entry. Only two others were above 50% with pitcher Tokinari Nakano at 59.9% on his fourth attempt and closer Hyeon-Jae Seo at 50.7% in his ninth try. There were no players dropped after ten ballots in the 1973 group.

Katsuya “Mad Hatter” Watanabe – Starting Pitcher – Sapporo Swordfish – 67.6% Second Ballot

Katsuya Watanabe was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Kodaira, a city of about 200,000 people in the western part of metro Tokyo. He threw hard with 97-99 mph peak velocity, although his stuff was graded merely as above average with his movement and control considered average at best. He had a four pitch arsenal with a fastball, slider, forkball, and changeup. Watanabe’s biggest asset perhaps was excellent stamina and a great work ethic. He was also considered a very good defensive pitcher, winning Gold Gloves in 1952 and 1953.

Watanabe went to Shizuoka Shogyo High School and was considered an excellent prospect out of high school. Sapporo selected him 18^th overall in the 1946 East Asia Baseball Draft and trained him in their system for the better part of four years. He pitched 11.1 innings in 1950, then made his way into the rotation after that. Watanabe wasn’t dominant, but was steady for the Swordfish.

Watanabe caught the end of the Sapporo dynasty, making two playoff starts in their 1951 EAB championship season. They got back to the final in 1956 and he had a solid run with a 2.76 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and 1.1 WAR in four starts. He also started pitching for Japan in the World Baseball Championship, making four starts and nine relief appearances from 1955-63. Watanabe had a 2.62 ERA over 44.2 innings with 57 strikeouts. He was steady again and his stamina meant he led Japan in shutouts four seasons, but Watanabe was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist.

Before the 1958 season, Watanabe was traded by Sapporo to Sendai for four prospects. His one year with the Samurai saw his lone no-hitter, an effort against Chiba on August 23 with 12 strikeouts and two walks. He led the league in innings pitched that year, but notably also walked more batters than anyone else. He entered free agency at age 31 after his one year in Sendai and re-signed with Sapporo on a seven-year, $624,000 deal.

Watanabe was okay in his return, but was occasionally a healthy scratch. In late April 1961, the Swordfish traded him again along with 3B prospect Yoshinori Izawa to Changwon for 3B Ti-Sai Tung. His final stats between the two Swordfish stints was 137-97, 2.96 ERA, 2109 innings, 2042 strikeouts, and 32.0 WAR. The franchise would also choose to retire his #40 uniform at the end of his career.

Watanabe stayed with the Crabs through 1965 with the same steady numbers for most of that stint. Changwon was a Korea League contender in the early to mid 1960s, making the EAB final in both 1963 and 1964 and winning it in 1963. In five playoff starts, he had a 3.78 ERA in 33.1 innings with 25 strikeouts. In total with the Crabs, Watanabe had a 76-54 record, 3.70 ERA, 1054 strikeouts in 1168.1 innings and 13.5 WAR. He struggled in the 1965 season and was let go at the end of the year by Changwon. The 38-year old Watanabe signed with Chiba for 1966 but struggled in limited action. He suffered a torn rotator cuff that August and went unsigned in 1967, retiring that winter at age 40.

The final tallies for Watanabe, 240-164 record, 3.24 ERA, 3696 innings, 3422 strikeouts to 875 walks, 301/473 quality starts, a FIP- of 99 and 49.2 WAR. The advanced stats suggest he had sustained averageness and he finished with the third lowest WAR of any starter in the EAB Hall of Fame. The traditionalists who like the wins stat noted that 240 was the eighth most at the time of retirement and that he had some important playoff moments for both Sapporo and Changwon. Despite the big accolades, this got him in at 67.6% on his second ballot. A weak field may have bolstered him significantly, but either way, Watanabe is forever in the Hall of Fame.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-19-2023, 01:13 PM

1973 BSA Hall of Fame

The 1973 Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame class was an impressive one with three first ballot picks with each receiving more than 94% of votes. LF Ishmael Perla (98.7%), SP Ralph Jung (98.4%), and SP Diego Pimentel (94.3%) made up the impressive group. Only one other player was above 50% with SP Jon Mancilla at 51.6%. No players were dumped in 1973 after ten failed tries.

Ishmael “Lucifer” Perla – Left/Center Field – Buenos Aires Atlantics – 98.7% First Ballot

Ishmael Perla was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He became one of the most popular players of the era as one of the most exciting ever on the basepaths. Perla had generational speed and base stealing instincts, leading the Southern Cone League in stolen bases 13 times. Perla was also excellent at getting on base with great contact skills and a unbelievable eye for the ball. He wasn’t a big home run guy, averaging around 10-15 per year, but he got you around 20-30 doubles and 20-30 triples per year, sometimes getting even more 3Bs than 2Bs with his incredible speed. Perla made about 4/5s of his starts in left field and was considered an excellent defender there, winning seven Gold Gloves. His other starts came in center and was viewed as an average glove there. On top of all of this, Perla was one of the most durable players of the rea, allowing him to compile an incredible career.

Perla was an impressive prospect from his amateur days and his hometown club Buenos Aires took notice. They were able to snag him with the 19^th pick in the 1951 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft and he’d spend his entire South American career with the Atlantics. Perla was an immediate starter and only took second in Rookie of the Year voting because of P.J. Parra’s powerful 7.4 WAR season for Brasilia. He’d go on to have 12 seasons worth 9+ WAR.

The amount of times he topped leaderboards is staggering. He led the Southern Cone League in runs scored eight times, hits four times, triples 11 times, walks drawn 12 times, total bases once, stolen bases 12 times, batting average seven times, on-base percentage in 14 consecutive seasons, slugging twice (despite not being a home run guy), OPS four times, wRC+ five times, and WAR 10 times. This earned Perla 13 Silver Sluggers (1953, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66). He also won five Gold Gloves in BSA (54, 55, 59, 60, 61).

Perla won MVP in 1954 and 1959, and took second in 1953, third in 1955, second in 1956, third in 1958, third in 1960, second in 1961, third in 1963, and second in 1966. The two seasons he won it, he had 13+ WAR, which had never been done by a BSA hitter to that point. His 13.76 WAR in 1959 remains the single-season record and his 13.25 WAR in 1954 remains fourth best as of 2037. He set other single-season records in his career that would later be passed; a .461 OBP in 1966 and 122 stolen bases in 1954. As of 2037, there has been 44 seasons by a Beisbol Sudamerica hitter worth 11+ WAR; Perla has six of them.

The heartbreaking thing for much of Perla’s career is that he just missed out on the 1940s Buenos Aires dynasty. The Atlantics were up and down in the 1950s and 1960s, but only made the playoffs once in that entire stretch. In 1963, they had a breakout 100-62 and went onto win Copa Sudamerica. This was Perla’s only playoff action in his BSA career, but he had 12 hits, 10 runs, 11 walks, and 9 steals in 13 games and most importantly, got the ring. He also played for Argentina’s World Baseball Championship team for two decades. From 1952-72, he made 198 starts in 200 games with 177 hits, 141 runs, 27 doubles, 9 triples, 39 home runs, 101 RBI, 143 stolen bases, a .250/.378/.479 slash and 9.7 WAR. At retirement, his 143 stolen bases was a WBC record and he remains third-most as of 2037.

After 15 years in his home town, Perla became a free agent for the first time at age 38. He was obviously still elite too, but didn’t want to play against the Atlantics if he didn’t have to. Perla’s #31 uniform would be retired and he’d remain a beloved icon in Buenos Aires, but he opted to play his final five seasons in Major League Baseball. Kansas City signed him to a two-year, $456,000 contract; almost doubling his best yearly make with the Atlantics.

In his debut season of 1967 with the Cougars, he led the National Association with 103 walks and a .406 OBP. He won a Gold Glove the next year, although some minor injuries kept him out a month or two both years. Perla became a free agent for 1969 and signed at age 40 with Toronto to a two-year, $492,000 deal. He won his seventh total Gold Glove in 1969 and put up two more all-star worthy seasons. In 1970, he got to play in the World Series with the Timberwolves, who fell in the final to New Orleans. At age 42, he went to Vancouver for the 1971 and for the first time, saw his production plummet. No one wanted to sign him in 1972 and after playing one more WBC that year, he retired from the game at 44.

Perla’s final stats for his entire professional career: 3280 hits, 1881 runs, 474 doubles, 383 triples, 219 home runs, 1185 RBI, 1659 walks to only 1517 strikeouts, a .318/411/.501 slash, wRC+ of 183, and 170.0 WAR. At retirement, the only batter with more career WAR throughout multiple pro leagues was Prometheo Garcia from CABA and MLB. At retirement, Perla also had more stolen bases than any pro player ever and he maintained that distinction through the rest of the 20^th Century.

In just South America, he had 2641 hits, 1462 runs, 402 doubles, 341 triples, 177 home runs, 989 RBI, 1203 walks, 1031 strikeouts, 1519 stolen bases, a .332/.419/.536 slash, 201 wRC+, and 152.1 WAR. He retired second in WAR among BSA hitters behind only Diego Pena’s 153.64 and still sits third as of 2037. Perla is still the stolen bases king as of 2037. He retired with the best career OBP and still sits fourth decades later. Perla was second in triples at retirement, two behind Felipe Delgado’s 343; and is fourth as of 2037. He was third in walks drawn at retirement and is eighth as of 2037. Perla’s accolades make him a beloved figure in Buenos Aires and in Argentine baseball history and he was a no-doubt Hall of Famer at 98.7%.

Ralph Jung – Starting Pitcher – Quito Thunderbolts – 98.4% First Ballot

Ralph Jung was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Sao Jose dos Campos, a major Brazilian city with over 700,000 people located 50 miles from Sao Paulo. Jung was known for having very solid movement on his pitches with above average control and stuff. His velocity only peaked around 93-95 mph, but he fooled hitters with five different pitches and an extreme groundball tendency. His arsenal was fastball, slider, changeup, sinker, and cutter. Jung was very durable and had strong stamina early in his career. He was a team captain who brought great leadership, work ethic, and intelligence to any clubhouse he was in.

Jung wasn’t considered a “can’t miss” prospect, although he was picked out of high school. Quito selected him to start the fifth round of the 1945 BSA Draft; the 101^st overall pick. As of 2037, he’s the second-latest draft pick to earn BSA Hall of Fame induction. The Thunderbolts debuted him at age 21 in 1947 with struggles over a partial season. Jung became a full-time starter after that, but still was iffy in his early seasons, leading the Bolivar League in walks in both 1948 and 1949.

1950 was his first truly notable season and the first of nine worth 6+ WAR. He became Quito’s ace, although the Thunderbolts wouldn’t make the playoffs during his tenure. In 1954, he won his lone Pitcher of the Year award with a league and career best 10.5 WAR and 28 quality starts. He also led the league in innings pitched and strikeouts that year. 1956 saw a second place in PotY voting, the last time he’d be a finalist in his career. He’d lead with a career-best 318 Ks in 1957. Jung also went home to Brazil and pitched for them in the World Baseball Championship from 1950-58, posting a 3.19 ERA over 124 innings with 136 strikeouts.

In a decade in Ecuador, Jung had a 164-134 record, 3.05 ERA, 2729.2 innings, 2722 strikeouts, and 61.9 WAR. Quito would also go onto retire his #94 uniform. #94 is an odd choice and not one highly sought after, but it showed respect for his efforts with the team. He became a free agent for the 1958 season and at age 32, signed a five-year, $335,000 deal with Salvador.

Jung never was as dominant with the Storm as his peak Thunderbolt days, but he gave Salvador eight solid seasons of effort. They made the playoffs once in his tenure with a 1962 Copa Sudamerica appearance, but Jung would retire without ever playing a playoff game. That spring, he suffered a torn labrum, his first major injury. After previously being very durable, injuries and age caught up. He suffered a stretched elbow ligament in late Auust 1963, ending that season and costing him a chunk of 1964. Other injuries cost him much of 1965. Jung’s final Salvador stats saw a 111-70 record, 2.59 ERA, 1599 innings, 1650 strikeouts, and 39.0 WAR.

At age 40, Sao Paulo signed him to a three-year, $398,000 deal for the 1966 season. Jung struggled in two years with the Padres when healthy, retiring after the 1967 season at age 42. He fell just short of becoming the second BSA 300-win pitcher. He did cross 4500 strikeouts in his last year, the 10^th to do so.

Jung’s final stats: 297-216 record, 2.86 ERA, 4657.2 innings, 4598 strikeouts to 1085 walks, 422/607 quality starts, 139 complete games, a FIP- of 83 and 101.6 WAR. He was the 10^th pitcher to reach 100+ WAR in BSA and retired second in wins at 297. Jung sits eighth all-time as of 2037. He also retired with the second most innings pitched and sits fifth as of 2037; and had more starts than anyone at retirement. Jung put up an impressive tenure and was considered a no-doubt Hall of Famer with a strong 98.4%.

Diego Pimentel – Starting Pitcher – Salvador Storm – 94.3% First Ballot

Diego Pimentel was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Guarapari, a coastal city of around 125,000 people in the southeastern Brazilian state of Espirito Santo. At his peak, Pimentel had overpowering stuff with 97-99 mph velocity, making up for merely above average movement and average control. His best pitch was his cutter, although his forkball, changeup, and curveball could all get outs. Pimentel had excellent stamina and durability in his 20s and was considered a good defensive pitcher, winning Gold Glove in 1961.

Pimentel was a top prospect out of college and was selected second overall in the 1953 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Salvador. He spent his entire career with the Storm and was immediately in the rotation, starting regularly when healthy. He won Rookie of the Year in 1954, then followed it up with a second place in Pitcher of the Year in his sophomore season, leading the league in innings. Pimentel surprisingly wasn’t a finalist in 1956, despite a league-best 355 strikeouts. He’d have seven straight seasons with 6+ WAR.

1958 saw Pimentel lead the Southern Cone League with a career best in strikeouts (363) and 10.0 WAR, but he still was second in the voting. He bested the WAR total with 10.4 in 1959 and finally took home the top honor. In 1961, he won it for the second time in his only season as the ERA leader. Pimentel also pitched for Brazil in the World Baseball Championship from 1956-62, posting a 3.23 ERA in 111.1 innings with 130 strikeouts.

1962 was Salvador’s only playoff appearance in his tenure, falling in Copa Sudamerica to Caracas. Pimentel would never pitch a playoff inning sadly with a torn rotator cuff in July. This knocked him out 14 months, missing much of 1963 as well. Pimentel was never the same pitcher after that, although he’d remain with the Storm through 1967. He was below average when he played and tore the rotator cuff again in late 1966. Pimentel retired at age 35 after the 1967 season with the team retiring his #3 uniform that winter.

Pimentel’s final stats: 186-127 record, 2.45 ERA, 3055.2 innings, 3320 strikeouts to 685 walks, 277/365 quality starts, a FIP- of 78, and 70.5 WAR. He’s a bit of a “what if?” guy since injuries derailed his 30s, but he was undoubtedly elite in his 20s. That run resonated with the Hall of Fame voters, who made Pimentel a first ballot pick at 94.3%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-19-2023, 04:23 PM

1973 EBF Hall of Fame

For the first time in its Hall of Fame’s short history, the European Baseball Federation had a three-player class in 1973, bringing the total to 13 inducted players. All three were first ballot guys two with the first two being slam dunks; LF Gabriel Staudt at 98.9% and SP Loris Eichelberger at 97.4%. SP Trent Addams was lower, but still a solid 79.0% to earn his spot. Two other long-tenured names finished with 51.7%, closer Ken Jacob on his ninth try and 3B Orion McIntyre on his eighth.

Dropped after ten failed attempts was LF Joel Ullmark, who was damaged by starting at age 30 and only playing eight EBF seasons. With Milan in that stretch, he had 1459 hits, 734 runs, 251 home runs, 811 RBI, a .325/.384/.556 slash, and 47.6 WAR. With a full official career, the Swede probably makes the cut. He debuted at 51.1% before plummeting to 9% at the end. Also worth noting was closer Jasa Pavlovic, who fell below 5% on his ninth try. In nine seasons mostly with Zagreb, he won two Reliever of the Year awards with a 1.39 ERA, 279 saves, 930 strikeouts, and 37.9 WAR. His EBF career started at age 28 and he’s another that with a few years of production in his 20s may have had a strong shot. He peaked at 40.4% on his fourth ballot.

Gabriel Staudt – Left/Right Field – Paris Poodles – 98.9% First Ballot

Gabriel Staudt was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Aadorf, a small municipality of around 9,000 people in northern Switzerland. Staudt was a prolific power hitter who had 15 seasons with 40+ home runs and six with 50+. He also had excellent gap power and with solid speed, was good for around 25-35 doubles per year also. In his best years, Staudt was a solid contact hitter and was excellent at drawing walks with an average strikeout rate. He spent 5/6 of his defensive career in left field with the rest mostly in right and was considered above average defensively. Remarkably durable as well, you couldn’t ask for much more in a complete hitter than what you got with Staudt.

The timing worked out perfect for Staudt as he was in his early 20s when the European Baseball Federation was formed, having established himself even as a teenager in Switzerland’s amateur ranks. He signed a five-year, $151,000 first EBF contract with Paris and would ultimately spend his first nine pro seasons with the Poodles. In his debut season, Staudt was Rookie of the Year, second in MVP voting, and a Silver Slugger winner. He had a career-best 11.3 WAR and 151 RBI, which stayed the EBF single-season RBI record until 1982.

With Paris, he won Silver Sluggers in 1951, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, and 58. Staudt was second in MVP voting again in 1952, 1956 and 1957. In 1958, he finally won the award with a career-best 54 home runs, along with a Northern Conference best 1.046 OPS, 9.3 WAR, 115 runs, and 136 RBI. The Poodles were early days contenders and were conference champs in 1952 and 1956. Staudt in 39 playoff games had 39 hits, 25 runs, 12 home runs, and 27 RBI. With Paris, he led in RBI four times, WAR, runs, and total bases thrice, and OPS twice. Staudt’s fina stats there saw 1550 hits, 988 runs, 399 home runs, 1061 RBI, a .295/.366/.617 slash, and 80.8 WAR. The Poodles would also retire his #2 uniform; the first retired by the franchise.

Staudt remained proud of his Swiss heritage and spent two decades on the Switzerland World Baseball Championship squad. From 1952-72, he started 177 games with 158 hits, 112 runs, 70 home runs, 135 RBI, and 7.6 WAR. He became a free agent at age 32 for the 1960 season and was compelled to return to his country, signing a six-year, $558,000 deal with Zurich.

He was a beast with the Mountaineers, hitting 50+ dingers in five of his six years (with the worst being 47). He led in homers, slugging, OPS, and wRC+ three times, and led in runs and WAR twice. Staudt had Silver Sluggers in 1960, 62, 63, 64, and 65, giving him 12 for his career. He was third in MVP voting in 1960, then three-peated as MVP from 1962-64, giving him four in his career. Staudt also was second in MVP in 1965, his final EBF season.

Zurich had some solid seasons in the 1950s and would make the playoffs thrice in Staudt’s tenure. He helped deliver their first European Championship in 1965, earning finals MVP. In 25 playoff games, he had 29 hits, 15 runs, 6 home runs, and 17 RBI. Staudt’s final stats with the Mountaineers saw 1045 hits, 676 runs, 302 home runs, 733 RBI, a .312/.397/.667 slash, and 55.5 WAR. He was the undisputed top hitter of EBF’s first 15 years, becoming the first batter to reach 700 home runs, 2500 hits, 1500 runs, and 1500 RBI.

For his European career, Staudt had 2595 hits, 1664 runs, 430 doubles, 177 triples, 701 home runs, 1794 RBI, 1092 walks, 485 stolen bases, a .301/.378/.636 slash, 192 wRC+ and 136.3 WAR. When he left EBF, he was the leader in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, and hitting WAR. He’d fall down as more players came in and offensive numbers rose generally, but as of 2037, he’s still seventh in hitting WAR, 10^th in home runs, 16^th in RBI, and 18^th in runs. Staudt was a no-doubt Hall of Famer at 98.9% as EBF’s first stud hitter and may still be at the top of the leaderboards had he not left for MLB.

Staudt still had six more pro baseball seasons after leaving Europe and although he didn’t win awards, he continued as a strong power hitter. He spent 1966-67 with Las Vegas, 1968-69 with Toronto, 1970 with Denver, and 1971 with Houston, putting up 20.9 WAR, 197 home runs, 816 hits, 508 runs, and 558 RBI He finally opted for retirement after the 1971 season at age 44.

For his entire pro career, Staudt finished with 3411 hits, 2172 runs, 537 doubles, 207 triples, 898 home runs, 2352 RBI, 1464 walks, a .289/.366/.598 slash and 157.2 WAR. He fell just short of joining CABA legend Prometheo Garcia as the only players with 900+ home runs across their entire pro career. At that point, only Garcia had more homers or RBI, and only Garcia and Stan Provost had more runs scored across a pro career. Staudt firmly goes down as one of the top power hitters in the entire history of the game.

Loris Eichelberger – Pitcher – Berlin Barons – 97.4% First Ballot

Loris Eichelberger was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Wangen-Bruttisellen, a municipality of about 8,000 people in northern Switzerland. He threw hard with 98-100 mph velocity and was known for incredible movement on his pitches. Eichelberger had a three-pitch of fastball, slider, and curveball; with the slider especially eliciting fear. His control was merely above average, but he had solid stamina and excellent durability in his career.

He joined Gabriel Staudt as the first Swiss Hall of Famers and crossed paths with him in the teenage years, although Eichelberger was three years younger. He ended up leaving Switzerland for college baseball at England’s University of Cambridge and was part of the first EBF first-player draft in 1951. Eichelberger was picked third overall by Berlin and ultimately spent his entire career with the Barons. He would still represent Switzerland in the World Baseball Championship, pitching 230.1 innings from 1952-67 with a 2.58 ERA, 271 strikeouts, and 7.5 WAR.

Eichelberger immediately was a starter for Berlin and won Rookie of the Year in 1952. In 1954 and 1955, he finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting with career bests of 10.8 and 11.4 WAR. He had eight seasons of 8+ WAR, although wasn’t typically a conference leader. He led in WAR just in 1955, wins twice, ERA once, innings once, and quality starts twice. 1956 was his lone Pitcher of the Year, led by a career-best 1.79 ERA. Eichelberger finished third in 1958’s voting and took his lone Gold Glove in 1959.

Berlin made the playoffs five times in Eichelberger’s tenure. They won the Northern Conference in both 1955 and 1958 and took European Champion honors in 1958. In 82.2 playoff innings, Eichelberger had a 7-3 record, 2.07 ERA, 79 strikeouts, and 2.9 WAR. This playoff success helped massively in seeing his #36 uniform retired by the Barons.

Eichelberger continued to pitch well into his early 30s. He’d be the second in EBF history to reach both 200 career wins and 4000 career strikeouts and the third to 100+ pitching WAR. Despite never leading the conference in Ks, he’d sit eighth on the all-time strikeout leaderboard as of 2037. In 1966 at age 35, he saw his first notably down year. In 1967, a ruptured finger tendon ultimately forced him to retire at age 37.

Eichelberger’s final stats: 248-155 record, 2.45 ERA, 3868.2 innings, 4068 strikeouts to 791 walks, 360/487 quality starts, a FIP- of 66, and 119.1 WAR. As of 2037, he sits ninth all-time in EBF pitching WAR and 11^th in wins. One of the premiere pitchers of the first two decades in EBF and well deserving of 97.4% and a first ballot selection.

Trent Addams – Starting Pitcher – Rotterdam Ravers – 79.0% First Ballot

Trent Addams was a 5’11’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from Saltcoats, a town with around 12,000 people on the west coast of Scotland. Addams had incredible stuff with great movement and above average control. His velocity peaked at 96-98 mph with an absolutely filthy splitter and sinker leading the arsenal, along with a curveball and changeup. This led to an extreme groundball tendency. Addams was a poor defensive pitcher who had trouble holding runners, but he was so dominant when on that guys just didn’t get on base. He was very outspoken, which made him a polarizing figure in his various stops.

Addams attended the University of Glasgow and stayed home in Scotland initially as he was picked second overall by Glasgow in the 1953 EBF Draft. He led the Northern Conferences in losses as a rookie, but bounced back to lead in strikeouts the next year at 347. In April 1956, he had a 19 strikeout, one walk no-hitter against Oslo; setting a record for most Ks in an EBF no-no which stood until 2001. He ultimately stayed only three years in his first Highlanders run, not being shy about the squad’s struggles at the time. Glasgow decided they had no choice but to trade him, moving him before the 1957 for prospects to Rotterdam.

He’d be best known for his six-year run of dominance with the Ravens. In his first three seasons, he led the conference in ERA. Addams led in strikeouts twice and had 300+ in five straight years. He led in FIP- five straight years and had 8.5 WAR each season, including an incredible 12.7, 13.1, and 11.1 in his first three seasons. He was second in Pitcher of the Year in 1957, then won the award in both 1958 and 1959. Addams also was second in 1958 MVP voting. He’d go onto finish third in 1960 PotY voting as well. Addams tossed his second no-hitter in 1957 against London, striking out 13 with two walks.

Despite his efforts, Rotterdam only made the playoffs once in his tenure, falling in the 1957 conference final to Stockholm. In total with the Ravens, Addams had a 103-42 record and 50 saves, a 1.93 ERA, 1386 innings, 1984 strikeouts, and 64.5 WAR. He would continue to pitch for Scotland in the World Baseball Championship as well from 1956-67, posting a 3.10 ERA with 259 strikeouts in 174.1 innings for 5.5 WAR.

Addams became a free agent at age 31 and loudly declared his desire for big money. He found it with MLB’s Miami signing him to a six-year, $914,000 deal. Addams wanted to prove himself on the biggest stage, but disaster struck in his sixth start with the Mallards; a torn rotator cuff. This ended his 1963 season and he never returned to dominant form again, posting three-and-a-half middling seasons with Miami. He had a 4.53 ERA over 864.2 innings with only 570 strikeouts and 8.5 WAR. The Mallards cut their losses in June 1967 and Addams went back home to Scotland, signing with Glasgow again. He made one start with the Highlanders and blew out his elbow, ending his career at age 35.

Addams final EBF stats: 141-92 record and 50 saves, 2.33 ERA, 2111.2 innings, 2860 strikeouts, 504 walks, 209/273 quality starts, a FIP- of 51 and 82.5 WAR. His six year run with Rotterdam was one of the most dominant stretches ever seen and even with the injuries and departure in his 30s, his rate stats definitely fit well with the Hall of Fame group, even of the accumulations are lower. He could be a bit of a jerk, but the voters decided Addams was still deserving of the first ball induction at 79.0%, becoming the first Scottish Hall of Famer.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-20-2023, 05:43 AM

1973 EPB Hall of Fame

Eurasian Professional Baseball added one player to its Hall of Fame from the 1973 voting with a first ballot nod to pitcher Miroslav Bohunicky at 76.4%. Another pitcher, Skerdi Hoxha, missed the cut by the thinnest of margins at 65.8% on his third attempt. SP Andrei Doman had 59.2% on his third go and SP Inal Brezhnev was at 57.0% in his debut. No one got to their tenth ballot yet in EPB voting with closer Mircea Ioan the first to get to six ballots in the EPB Hall’s short history.

Miroslav Bohunicky – Starting Pitcher – Kyiv Kings – 76.4% First Ballot

Miroslav Bohunicky was a 5’10’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Krompachy, a mining and skiing town with about 8,000 people in northwestern Slovakia. He was known for having excellent movement, solid control, and above average stuff. His velocity peaked in the 94-96 mph range with a four-pitch arsenal of fastball, slider, changeup, and cutter. Bohunicky had solid stamina when healthy, although various injuries started to cut into his innings in his 30s. He was also known as a very hard worker.

When Eurasian Professional Baseball was officially formed, Bohunicky was already 27 years old and known as a strong pitcher in the amateur and semi-pro ranks of Czechoslovakia. He’d ultimately head to Ukraine and join the new league with Kyiv on a six-year, $226,800 deal. He spent all but his final season with the Kings, who would be a consistent contender in EPB’s first decade.

Bohunicky never won Pitcher of the Year, but he was third in 1955, third in1 957, second in 1959, and second in 1960. He rarely was a league leader, but he posted a stellar 13.5 WAR season in 1959, only bested by Bogdan Chirita’s 13.9. That still stands as the ninth most WAR in a pitching season in EPB as of 2037. He had six straight 6.5+ WAR seasons to start his career, although the numbers would fall off with fewer innings into the 1960s. Bohunicky also pitched in the World Baseball Championship from 1956-63 with Slovakia, posting a 3.28 ERA over 118 innings with 119 strikeouts.

Bohunicky was a great playoff pitcher for Kyiv, who won the Soviet Series title in 1958, 59, 63, and 65. In 24 playoff starts, Bohunicky had a 12-8 record, 2.70 ERA, 167 strikeouts, and 4.1 WAR. His role in their early days dynasty run led to his unusual #97 jersey number getting retired. A number of injuries piled up and caused him to have only partial seasons in his latter run and less dominance when healthy. Bohunicky became a free agent at age 39 and spent his final season in Budapest, although a forearm strain took him out for most of the year. He retired after the season at age 39.

Bohunicky’s final stats: 184-102 record, 2.48 ERA, 2769.2 innings, 2655 strikeouts, 246/354 quality starts, a FIP- of 74, and 76.0 WAR. If he had his whole 20s, his stats may have been more prominent on the final leaderboards. Sharing a league with Bogdan Chirita meant he never won the big award despite having a few seasons that would’ve taken it otherwise. Still, he had an excellent burst and notable role in four rings for Kyiv, earning the first ballot induction at 76.4%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-20-2023, 10:19 AM

1973 OBA Hall of Fame

Voting for the Oceania Baseball Association Hall of Fame started in 1968, but 1973 was the first time anyone got above 30%. It would still be a few years before someone got enough to enter the Hall. Closer Neemia Tala’apitaga and SS Vae Afatia set the highest marks yet on their debut, but still distant at 30.8% and 29.2%, respectively.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 08-20-2023, 02:44 PM

1973 World Baseball Championship

The 1973 World Baseball Championship was the 27^th edition of the event, this time held on the Pacific island of Fiji. In Division 1, the defending world champ United States was on top as usual with a 7-0 record, advancing them to the elite eight for the 24^th time. Group B had a three-way tie for first between China, Argentina, and Greece at 5-2; with Poland and Kazakhstan at 4-3. The Chinese advanced on the tiebreaker, giving them four consecutive division titles. D3 had Costa Rica and South Korea tied at 5-2, with the Netherlands and Venezuela both one back. The Koreans got the tiebreaker for their 10^th division title. Division 4 saw Nicaragua on top for the first time at 6-1, edging 5-2 efforts from Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Taiwan.

Division 5 had Colombia first at 6-1, knocking out defending runner-up Canada at 5-2. It is the ninth division title for the Colombians. D6 had a three-way tie between Australia, Bolivia, and Mexico at 5-2. The tiebreaker sent the Bolivians forward for the first time. Division 7 went to the Philippines at 6-1, topping Romania by one. The Filipinos move forward for the fourth time. Division 8 was the most competitive of all with four teams at 5-2; Brazil, Honduras, Puerto Rico, and Russia. When all of the tiebreakers were sorted, Brazil advanced on their 13^th Division title. They have the most elite eight appearances outside the US and Canada.

In Double Round Robin Group A, the United States went unbeaten at 6-0 for their 23^rd semifinal berth. South Korea also advanced at 4-2, while Bolivia was 2-4 and Nicaragua was 0-6. The Koreans earned their seventh semifinal appearance and third in five years. Colombia was the top team in Group B at 4-2; earning their sixth semifinal berth. The Philippines and China were both 3-3, while Brazil was 2-4. The tiebreaker sent the Filipinos to the semifinal for the second time (1967).

The Americans swept the Philippines to advance to the championship for the 20^th time. South Korea bested Colombia 4-2 to earn their fifth finals berth and first since 1969. Colombia took third officially with the Philippine fourth. The Columbians are 0-6 in their semifinal appearances all-time.

The 27^th World Championship was the third time that the United States and South Korea had met in the finale. Just like in 1962 and 1965, the Americans prevailed, dominating this time for a sweep. The US has won three straight titles and has 17 overall rings. The Koreans are 1-4 to this point in the finals.

Tournament MVP was America’s Edward Torres, the 1970 and 1971 American Association MVP. The 28-year old first baseman for Los Angeles in 21 games had 26 hits, 17 runs, 10 home runs, 23 RBI, and a .333/.398/.782 slash. The Best Pitcher was given to Bolivian veteran Roberto Ojeda. The 42-year old made three relief appearances with 8.2 scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts.

Other notes: Panama had an 8.55 ERA against them in their seven games, an all-time worst to that point in a WBC run. With Bolivia and Nicaragua’s division wins in 1973, 50 nations have now to the elite eight at least once in the WBC’s history thus far.

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

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