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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1918 in CABA

Tijuana continued their Mexican League success in 1918 with a 114-48 record for a sixth straight North Division title. Toros ace Brian Kendall picked up his second Pitcher of the Year, leading Liga Mexico with 7.9 WAR despite only 24 starts due to injury. Tijuana had the top three pitchers in ERA as well as Reliever of the Year B.J. Medina.


In the South Division, Ecatepec won their second division title in three years, finishing 97-65. Guadalajara was next at 90-72, followed by Puebla at 88-74. Pumas infielder Alex Hinojosa earned his fourth MVP and led the league in seven categories. The Explosion gave a nice effort in the League Championship Series, but Tijuana prevailed in six games for their fifth league title in six years.


In the Dominican, defending CABA champ Santo Domingo battled with Santiago for the Island division title. The Dolphins had the league MVP in Zósimo Hernández, a two-way pitcher and left fielder; and the Sailfish had a Triple Crown season from Ulices Montero for his second Pitcher of the Year. Both finished the regular season at 103-59, but the offensive prowess of Santo Domingo gave them the edge in the tiebreaker game.


Nicaragua easily claimed the Continental division at 97-65 for their first playoff appearance. The Navigators couldn’t stand up to the Dolphins though, as Santo Domingo won the LCS in six games for back-to-back Caribbean League titles. The Dolphins couldn’t claim back-to-back CABA titles though as Tijuana got revenge in five games. The Toros became the first three-time CABA champ.


Other notes: Juarez pitcher Nick Bermea set a single game record with 22 strikeouts, doing it in 14.2 innings against Merida. Tijuana’s Avelino Tamez threw CABA’s fourth perfect game on 8/27 against Monterrey.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1918 in MLB

Defending World Series champ Philadelphia took a very top heavy Eastern League in 1918 at 102-60. Phillies outfielder Cam Lloyd picked up the MVP with the National Association lead in runs (129), hits (203), home runs (53), and RBI (147). He was six points away from a hitting Triple Crown. Hartford took the second place spot at 99-63, fending off 97-65 marks from both Montreal and New York.


Columbus, who won 68 games the prior year, picked up the Midwest League title at 90-72. Louisville earned their first playoff berth since 1906 with the wild card at 87-76, one game better than Indianapolis. Washington’s Jeremiah Jaiboon picked up the Pitcher of the Year.


The Chargers swept the Huskies in the first round of the playoffs while Philadelphia survived in five games against Louisville. Philadelphia would find a rhythm though to defeat Columbus in the NACS in six, sending the Phillies to the World Series for the second straight year.


In the American Association, Jacksonville won the Southern League for their first playoff appearance since 1903, finishing with the AA’s best record at 100-62. Dallas made back-to-back playoff berths by taking second at 97-65. Houston (91-71) and Memphis (88-74) were next.


In the Western League, San Francisco secured their first-ever playoff berth with the league title at 99-63. The Gold Rush had the league MVP in centerfielder Payton Wayman, with the 24-year old claiming the batting title at .362. Portland advanced to the postseason for the fourth time in five years as the wild card at 95-67. Third place Denver (90-72) had Pitcher of the Year in Ray Biedermann, whom they acquired in free agency from Louisville in the offseason.


The second place finishers both advanced in the postseason as the Pacifics upset the Gators in a sweep and the Dalmatians outlasted the Gold Rush in five. Dallas downed Portland in five games in the AACS for the Dalmatians’ first-ever Association title.


The World Series went to Philadelphia in six games, making the Phillies the second MLB team to repeat as overall champ. Outfielder Pablo De La Fuente was the World Series MVP, picking up 13 RBI, 23 hits, and 4 triples over 17 postseason games.


Other notes; Montreal third baseman Dusty Knight won his record 14^th and final Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1919: The First MLB Hall of Famer

The idea of a Major League Baseball Hall of Fame came to fruition fairly quickly, but it wouldn’t be until 1919 that a player would be enshrined. The rules were induction were receiving 66% of the vote with a maximum of 10 years on the ballot if you received 5% or greater. You were eligible five years after retiring from the league.


The early voting was an interesting discussion as many of the earliest players started their officially recorded MLB careers in their late 20s or 30s. The disorganized and chaotic nature of professional baseball prior to MLB’s 1901 inaugural season meant some early players got punished by their lack of accumulated stats; accomplishments from the 19^th century were largely ignored or dismissed. But in 1919, the first player to receive the honor was starting pitcher Franklin Carro.


Franklin Carro: Starting Pitcher, New York Yankees (76.3%, first ballot)


Franklin “Stumpy” Carro was born on October 19, 1874 in McPherson, Kansas, which was only founded two years prior. At 5’6’’, 160 pounds, the lefty earned the name “Stumpy” for his short and stocky frame. While not physically intimidating, Carro was a hard worker who learned how to get ground balls and strikeouts with great efficiency. His pitches topped out in the lower 90 mph range, but his sinker, forkball, slider, and changeup was elite stuff and served him well as he took up the fledgling game in his 20s, despite having at times shaky control.


At the time Major League Baseball was founded, Carro was already 26-years old, but had become known among the baseball world as a great pitcher. So much so that in the inaugural draft, he was the 19^th overall pick of the Houston Hornets.


Carro pitched his first three MLB seasons with the Hornets, leading the American Association in strikeouts in 1902. The following year, his 21-6 record, 2.91 ERA, and 291 strikeouts earned him the Pitcher of the Year award. In a game that year against Phoenix, he hit a then-MLB record with 19 strikeouts in a game.


Late in 1903, Carro signed a one-year contract extension for $1,860 with the Hornets, but the team was worried they wouldn’t be able to keep him long-term. In January 1904, Houston traded Carro to Milwaukee for three ultimately unsuccessful prospects.


With the Mustangs, Carro had perhaps his best career season. He led the National Association and had a career-best 1.92 ERA and 308 strikeouts at age 29. Milwaukee led the NA at 103-59 won their only World Series title of the 20^th century. Carro won his second PotY and joined a small list of winners in both the NA and AA.


It proved a valuable one-year rental for the Mustangs, but Carro wouldn’t stick around. On December 2, 1904, he signed one of the richest contracts to date with the New York Yankees of seven years, $25,160. He played all seven years of the deal and became known as an all-time great Yankee.


The contract paid off right away as in 1905, Carro led the NA in strikeouts (296) and WAR (9.8) en route to a third Pitcher of the Year. He pitched 40 innings with a 2.68 ERA in the 1905 postseason as the Yankees won their first World Series, defeating his first team Houston in seven games.


He remained a strong starter for the Yankees after that, but started to see age and injuries catch up. In Austin 1907, Carro suffered a torn flexor tendon in his throwing elbow and then a torn rotator cuff in May 1909, leading to partial seasons. He pitched full seasons in 1910 and 1911 and even led the NA in WAR (7.4) in 1911 at age 36. But after that season, the Yankees elected to part ways with Carro.


He signed a two-year, $8,160 deal with San Diego and while still a quality pitcher, was no longer an ace by 1912. After a year with the Seals, he was traded for prospects to the Cleveland Cobras. He only made eight starts with the Cobras but one was special, his lone no-hitter against Minneapolis on April 16.


At age 38, he had more elbow issues and again suffered a torn flexor tendon, effectively ending his run with Cleveland. In late 1914, the Yankees signed him to a minor league deal, but he never took the field. One month later, he officially announced his retirement from professional baseball.


Carro notably was the first MLB player to reach the 2000 and 2500 strikeout threshold, finishing with 2740. His final record as 177-118 with a 2.79 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 79.2 career WAR over 2866 innings. For Stumpy, an excellent career and a fine player to end up as the first MLB Hall of Famer.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1919 in CABA

Guadalajara emerged as the dominant force in the 1919 Mexican League regular season at 113-49, leading in both runs and fewest allowed (660-421). They easily pulled away from Puebla in the South Division, despite the Pumas having league MVP Alex Hinojosa and Pitcher of the Year Matt Determan. It would be Hinojosa’s fifth and final MVP. Hellhounds outfielder Victor Valenzuela was the batting champion and would soon replace Hinojosa as the perennial top MVP contender.


Tijuana had a down year by their lofty standards, but still comfortably won the North Division at 95-67. The Toros’ playoff experience paid off against the fledgling Guadalajara squad as Tijuana won the LCS in six games. It would be their sixth Mexican League title in seven years.


Santo Domingo picked up a third straight Caribbean Island Division title with an 100-62 mark, fending off 93-win efforts from Haiti and Santiago. The Dolphins had three players in the top five for runs scored, home runs, and RBI; led by league MVP Alba Jiménez and former MVP Diomar Glas. Sailfish ace Ulices Montero won his third PotY in four years with 439 strikeouts, the second highest tally in CABA history and second highest season for WAR at 13.8.


In the Continental Division, Honduras posted their first-ever winning season en route to the title at 95-67. The Horsemen would upset the flashier and more acclaimed Dolphins, cruising to a 4-1 LCS win. Honduras would be no match for Tijuana in the CABA Championship, which the Toros took in five.


Through the first decade of CABA, Tijuana had emerged as the powerhouse with six finals appearances and four CABA titles. But 1919 would be the end of the dynasty run and apart from a one-off in the early 1920s, the end of Tijuana’s time as a top-tier team. 1919 was the last year for manager Santiago Francisco, who would be the only CABA manager with four titles until Spiro Santim picked up eight over the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1919 in MLB

After back-to-back 97 win seasons with no playoff appearance, Montreal exploded for the best record in the 1919 MLB season at 107-55. The Maples had the rare feat of boasting the MVP and Pitcher of the Year in the same season. 36-year old left fielder Karmendra Jainarine signed as a free agent after four years with Memphis and posted a career best 9.8 WAR for Montreal. 31-year old pitcher Lautaro Romero had a career year as well, leading the National Association with a 2.28 ERA and 21-4 mark


The Eastern League had a ton of competition for the Maples as Hartford’s 100-62 mark netted them second for back-to-back seasons. Philadelphia’s bid for a World Series three-peat was thwarted as they finished third at 98-64, two up on fourth place Brooklyn at 96-66.


Cincinnati had the sixth most wins in the National Association, but the most in the Midwest League at 88-74 for their first league title. Louisville earned back-to-back berths at 85-77, one up on Columbus, two on Detroit, and three on Milwaukee.


Despite the numbers greatly favoring the Eastern League, the Midwest League prevailed in the first round of the playoffs. The Reds outlasted the Huskies in five games and the Lynx stunned the Maples with a road sweep. In an Ohio River showdown, Cincinnati defeated Louisville in six games for the Reds first Association title.


Portland picked up the top spot in the American Association at 106-56, leading MLB with 947 and a .298 team batting average. It was the fourth straight playoff berth by the Pacifics and the second straight for San Francisco, who took the second place spot at 101-61. Defending AA champ Dallas secured a third straight berth with the Southern League title at 99-63. Atlanta picked up their second ever playoff spot, taking second at 97-65 and outlasting Jacksonville by two games and Houston by six. Aces leadoff man Patrick Null picked up the league MVP as the 25-year old outfielder had the batting title at .373 and 233 hits.


Pitcher of the Year went to Newton Persaud for the second time. It was his first with Houston, as he signed with the Hornets for seven years and $49,140 in the offseason after nine years with the struggling New Orleans franchise. Persaud’s 11.51 WAR was the second best season in MLB history for a pitcher to that point, only behind Jeremy Frechette’s 11.53 in 1905. Persaud was also one win away from nabbing the Triple Crown.


Top seeds prevailed in the AA first round with Dallas surviving San Francisco in five games and Portland besting Atlanta in six. In an AACS rematch, the Dalmatians again prevailed, securing back-to-back American Association crowns with a sweep. Dallas would again be denied the World Series title though, as the surprising Cincinnati Reds capped off their playoff run with the franchise’s first title in six games. Outfielder Randy Adamo was World Series MVP, picking up 24 hits, six home runs, 13 runs, and 19 RBI over 17 playoff games.


Other notes: Tyler Peterson became the first reliever to win Reliever of the Year three times. Peterson started the year with the Reds, but was traded to Columbus early in the year for prospects.


First baseman Elijah Cashman won Rookie of the Year for St. Louis with a 6.9 WAR season. The 45^th overall draft pick by Dallas in 1917, the Cardinals got him in a trade the next year and he picked up AAA MVP in 1918. Over the next two decades, Cashman would make a case as the greatest hitter in MLB history.


Houston’s Willie Hodo and Omaha’s Casey Esnault would both in April become the first MLB pitchers to reach 250 career wins. Baltimore’s Jim Klattenburger became the first pitcher to hit 400 career saves. Jonathon Gillette of Houston was the fifth to reach 1500 runs scored and Dallas’ Christophe Martin the sixth to hit 1500 RBI.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1920 Hall of Fame voting

Nobody reached the 66% threshold in the 1920 MLB Hall of Fame voting class, leaving Franklin Carro as the lone member for a year. 1907 American Association Pitcher of the Year Tom Guillaume was the highest vote getter at 53.1%, followed by 1902 and 1903 MVP George Cull at 49.7% and 1904 MVP Mario Salazar at 48.2%.


Worth noting was Jeremy Diedrich, down at the bottom at 7.5% after his ninth year. Next year, he’d be the first player to make it to 10 years on the ballot and also not get in. But he’s an interesting “what if,” who won Pitcher of the Year in 1901 for Calgary and then again in 1902 for Toronto. Starting in MLB at age 26, his first five years recorded 30.4 WAR, about as strong of a start as you can get. But a partially torn UCL in early 1906 ended his career at age 31

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1920 in CABA

Guadalajara for the second straight year had the best record in CABA at 107-55. The Hellhounds led the Mexican League in runs scored and fewest allowed, getting the league MVP from 24-year old outfielder Victor Valenzuela with 11.8 WAR, 200 hits, and 99 runs. He earned the rare feat of winning MVP, Gold Glove, and Silver Slugger.


Meanwhile in the North Division, Tijuana fell off with a fourth place 83-79 mark. Chihuahua for the first time at 92-70, one better than Hermosillo at 91-71. Last place Juarez saw Nick Bermea get his fourth Pitcher of the Year. In the LCS, Guadalajara swept the Warriors for their first Mexican League title.


Defending Caribbean champ Honduras won the Continental Division for the second straight year, finishing 90-72. The big numbers again came from the Island Division as Santiago outlasted Jamaica. The Sailfish took first at 106-56, two better than the 104-58 Jazz. Haiti was 94-68 and last year’s division winner Santo Domingo dropped to 82-80.


Santiago ace Ulices Montero won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and also became the first pitcher to get the MVP. In his age 28 season, Montero had a Triple Crown year at 24-5, a career best 1.37 ERA, and 424 strikeouts. He also set CABA records for WHIP (0.66) and opponent OBP (.184).


Despite leading the Caribbean League in runs and runs allowed, the Sailfish would fall in five games to the Horsemen, sending Honduras to back-to-back Caribbean titles. But the Horsemen were no match for Guadalajara as the Hellhounds won their first CABA championship in a sweep. First baseman Aneurys Perez was series MVP, hitting a 335 OPS+ in the postseason.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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

The Eastern League was incredibly top heavy in 1920 with only three teams below .500 and five with 95 or more wins. The same top two prevailed but swapped spots with Hartford first at 106-56 and Montreal next at 104-58. Buffalo had their best-ever franchise season at 102-60, but it still wasn’t enough for a berth. Philadelphia, the World Series champ in 1917 and 1918, missed out for the second straight year despite finishing with 97 wins.


Columbus picked up the Midwest League title at 104-58 with a the MVP in Kayden Lindsay, a third-year outfielder who won the batting title and led the National Association in WAR. Defending World Series champ Cincinnati took the second place spot and playoff berth at 96-66. Pitcher of the Year went to Buffalo’s Derek Edwards as the 22-year old lefty and second overall pick in 1918 had the best ERA in MLB at 2.15.


The Huskies beat the Reds in a five game classic to prevent a repeat and the Chargers downed the Maples in four games. The NACS would go the distance with Hartford winning in seven for their second Association title.


In the American Association, the Western League was the top heavy one with four teams at 98 wins or more. San Francisco led the way at 108-54 and were one of a select few teams to score 1000+ runs. Portland took the second place spot at 101-61, one better than Phoenix and three over Denver. Pacifics slugger Walter Seda won his third career MVP with a career best 222 hits and 126 runs scored.


In the Southern League, Houston took first at 100-62 for their playoff berth since 1914. Dallas, winner of the AA title in the last two seasons, extended their playoff streak to four years with a second place mark at 99-63. Jacksonville (94-68), Charlotte (93-69), and Atlanta (92-70) were in the fight.


Pitcher of the Year went to Gators veteran Easton Dematties, who at age 30 had a career year and league best ERA at 2.45. Canaries 1B/DH Christopher Ross socked 58 home runs, tying the all-time record set by Aitor Cerda seven years earlier.


The first round of the AA playoffs saw the Hornets sweep the Pacifics and the Gold Rush sweep the Dalmatians. The American Association Championship Series went seven games and Houston outlasted the San Fran offense, giving the Hornets a seventh association title in the AA’s first 20 years.


In the World Series, Houston secured a fifth MLB title, defeating Hartford in six games. It wouldn’t be until the mid 1940s that another franchise could claim five titles to their name. Outfielder Richie Ferenchak was an unlikely World Series MVP, picking up 23 hits and 12 runs over 16 postseason games.


Other notes; Willie Hodo of Toronto became the second pitcher to reach 3500 career strikeouts.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

EAB formation

By the 1920s, Major League Baseball was a major success and the Central American Baseball Association was on its way. Baseball had become the game of choice in much of the Western Hemisphere. But early in the 20^th century, the game had spread into the Eastern Hemisphere.


Baseball was introduced across the Pacific to Japan by Americans before the turn of the century and began to slowly grow there. Soon after, the game came to the Korean peninsula. The cultural and financial success of MLB and CABA was something prominent figures in East Asia felt they could replicate.


Teams popped up in Japan and the then-occupied Korean peninsula. In 1921, they were organized by the sanctioning body known as East Asia Baseball. There was a separate Japanese League and Korean League which largely kept affairs separate and their nationals in their league. The Designated Hitter was used in Korea, but not Japan. Both leagues had two seven-team divisions with the champs playing in a best-of-seven League Championship Series. From there, the Japanese champ and Korean champ battle for the East Asian Championship in a best-of-seven.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1921 MLB Hall of Fame

The 1921 MLB Hall of Fame class enshrined four players with three of them receiving more than 92% of the votes. Pitchers Jeremy Frechette and Josh Davis, along with outfielders Adam Boehm and Adam Tucker, hold up as a very strong class even looking more than 100 years later. Three of the four played a big role in the early Houston Hornets dynasties.


Jeremy Frechette – Starting Pitcher – Houston Hornets – 96.1% (First Ballot)

The ace pitcher of the Houston Hornets dynasty, Jeremy Frechette was born on July 7, 1880 in Fayetteville Arkansas. At 5’7’’, 170 pounds, the right-handed pitcher wasn’t physically imposing. But his fastball would top out in the upper 90 mph range, along with a filthy sinker, strong slider, and eventually excellent control.


Frechette played collegiately at Stanford, where he was used as a closer. Despite being known as a Houston legend, he was actually drafted in 1901 by New Orleans in the 5^th round as the 200^th overall pick. As a rookie in 1902, he had a few lackluster relief appearances before being traded in July with a few prospects to Houston for a rental of second baseman Taylor Robbins.


In 1903, he started to show promise as a starter, splitting his time between the bullpen and starting. The next year, he emerged as one of the most reliable inning eaters in the game, leading the American Association with 295 innings and a very solid 8.2 WAR.


In 1905, he set a record still untouched more than a century later with 29 wins. Along with a league-best 2.45 ERA and 11.5 WAR, Frechette earned his first of five Pitcher of the Year Awards. He also posted a 1.60 ERA in 39.1 playoff innings, leading the Hornets to their first American Association title and World Series appearance.


As great as he was in the regular season, he’d become one of the best postseason pitchers of all-time. During his tenure, Houston made the World Series six times and won it four; and made it to the AACS nine times. His postseason line: 16-7, 2.92 ERA, 34 starts, 256 innings, 223 strikeouts. It wasn’t until the postseason expanded years later that anyone even approached his totals, still holding the WAR mark (7.74) more than a century later and sitting second in strikeouts, innings, and third in wins.


Frechette posted nine consecutive 20+ win seasons from 1904 to 1912, led the AA in strikeouts from 1907-1909, and led in WAR five times with three seasons above 10 WAR. The Hornets won the World Series in 1908, 10, 11, and 12. In 1912, Frechette was the first pitcher to reach 200 career wins and in 1914, the third to hit 2500 career strikeouts. He won Pitcher of the Year in 1905, 08, 09, 11, and 12.


At age 33 in 1914, Frechette surprisingly fell off quickly and was released in July 1915, retiring that winter. The end of his run also marked the end of that Houston dynasty, posting their first losing season in 1915 since 1902. He finishes with a 233-104 record, 3.32 career ERA of 3080.1 innings, 2522 strikeouts, a 1.21 WHIP, 128 ERA+, and 92.5 WAR. Five PotYs and a playoff legend make Jeremy Frechette an inner-circle Hall of Famer of the early era.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1921 MLB Hall of Fame

Josh Davis – Starting Pitcher – Cleveland Cobras – 95.4% (First Ballot)


Josh Davis was born in Ewa Beach, Hawaii in 1884, long before Hawaii was a state or had been officially taken over by the United States. Davis came stateside to pursue baseball, playing collegiately at Indiana University. The 5’11’’, 200 pound left made a big impression with the Hoosiers and caught the eye of many teams, getting drafted fourth overall in the 1904 draft by the Cleveland Cobras.


Davis had three pitches and was a master at coaxing groundballs with a sinker that topped out in the upper 90s. Along with a filthy changeup and solid curveball, Davis immediately was successful, posting a 2.86 ERA as a rookie in 1905. He would lead the National Association in WAR and strikeouts the next three seasons, winning Pitcher of the Year in 1907 and 1908. He’d win it again in 1910 and 1911 with the Cobras, posting a career-best 1.98 ERA in 1910. In 1911, he was the first Triple Crown winning pitcher with the NA’s best mark in wins (19), ERA (2.43), and strikeouts (256)


Despite his personal success, Cleveland did not make the playoffs during his entire tenure. Although they posted a couple winning seasons, they never cracked the 90-win mark. When his contract expired at the end of 1911, Davis decided to leave the Cobras in search of playoff glory and of course, big money.


Houston had established themselves as the first dynasty by then and their success gave them money to spend, which they used in December 1911 on Davis in the tune of seven years, $33,900. He seamlessly transitioned to the American Association, winning AA Pitcher of the Year in 1913 and 1914 (and barely missed in in 1912 due to teammate Jeremy Frechette). Davis had two 10+ WAR seasons in 1913 and 1914 and posted a career high 305 strikeouts in 1914. In 1912, he got his lone World Series ring.


1915 started well enough, throwing his only no-hitter in April against Las Vegas. But in May, disaster struck the then 31-year old lefty with an ulnar nerve entrapment in his elbow. The injury and a setback put him out for the year and led to Houston cutting ties. No Major League team wanted to take a chance on Davis, fearing the injury meant the end of his career. But he was determined to continue on and found a buyer, the Santiago Sailfish of CABA. He signed a five-year, $21,600 deal and moved to the Dominican.


The Sailfish were rewarded for their signing as Davis posted a 6.5 WAR season and Santiago claimed the CABA championship in 1916. However, more injuries would plague Davis after that, including radial nerve compression in the elbow in July 1918. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t one he could bounce back from and Davis retired at age 35.


His final MLB numbers are impressive: six Pitcher of the Year Awards, 196-109, 2.53 ERA over 2862 innings, 2763 strikeouts, and 90.1 WAR. Combining his CABA numbers, Davis had 225 wins, 3201 strikeouts, and a 98.6 WAR. Even with injury ending his MLB run at age 31, Davis certainly earned his place among the all-time great arms.


Adam “Ripper” Boehm – Outfielder - Houston Hornets – 92.3% (First Ballot)


Adam Boehm was one of baseball’s first star players and would later be known for his incredible longevity. Born May 16, 1870 in Newark, OH; Boehm ended up a 5’8’’, 205 pound left handed outfielder. He’d become known as an all-time great contact hitter with solid power, an elite eye, and nice quickness. In his 20s, he bounced around barnstorming in the Midwest and his “sparkplug” personality earned him respect and the nickname “Ripper.”


Oddly enough, his entire 20s came in the pre-MLB era, leading to his early day stats not counting towards leaderboards. But his efforts led to being picked fifth in the inaugural MLB Draft by the Ottawa Elks.

Boehm played centerfield primarily in his six seasons in Ottawa, earning two Silver Sluggers and five All-Star game invites. Approaching age 37 towards 1907 though, the Elks decided it was time to move on, trading Boehm to Dallas for three prospects. With the Dalmatians and now in left field, Boehm had a career-best and American Association leading 128 runs scored. But he hadn’t gotten a taste of postseason play yet and didn’t think he’d find it in Dallas.


He did stay in Texas, signing a three-year, $12,720 deal with Houston, who had been the AA champ and World Series runner-up in 1905 and 1906. There, at age 38, he began what became his signature run in eight seasons with the Hornet dynasty. In 1908, he won his lone career MVP with 137 runs scored, a 1.105 OPS, and a 9.8 WAR. He was batter of the month in three straight months and was first round and World Series MVP as Houston claimed their first MLB ring.


Boehm wouldn’t post league-leading numbers quite the same again, but he was a reliable starter in left and part of four MLB champion teams. He signed a three-year extension in 1912 and started up until age 45; one of a very small group ever to make it that long. Eventually age caught up to him in 1915 and he retired following that season.


Had his 20s come only a few years later, there’s no doubt that Boehm would be at the top of many all-time leaderboards. Even so, he was the first player ever to reach 1000 and 1500 runs scored and the second to reach 2500 career hits. His final line was 2542 hits, 1579 runs, 399 home runs, 1435 RBI, 1302 walks drawn, a .301/.397/.503 slash and 89.3 WAR. Pretty remarkable for a guy whose official MLB career began at age 31.


Adam Tucker –Left Fielder – Baltimore Orioles – 79.2% (First Ballot)

Adam Tucker was born January 20, 1876 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. A 6’0’’, 200 pound lefty, Tucker was known as a team leader and excellent contact hitter. While many outfielders bounce around over their career, Tucker was very firmly a left fielder, playing 2125 of 2133 career games in left.


He began playing on various teams in the pre-MLB days throughout Florida, earning the attention of the Jacksonville Gators once MLB started up. At age 25, he was picked in the inaugural MLB Draft in the 3^rd round, 117^th overall, by Jacksonsville. In four years with the Gators, Tucker twice earned Silver Slugger and led the American Association in RBI in 1903 with 129. That year, Jacksonville won the AA championship with Tucker knocking in 14 and hitting five homers in 11 postseason games.


Tucker decided to test free agency after the 1904 season and signed a very rich deal with Baltimore; the team he’d become best known for playing with. He signed an eight-year, $32,280 deal with the Orioles and would play seven of those years. In 1906, he led the National Association in hitting overall with the triple slash .380/.433/.614, finishing second in MVP voting. He was a four-time All-Star and twice a Silver Slugger winner with Baltimore, but couldn’t lift the Orioles to a postseason appearance.


In 1910, Tucker finished with a league best 8.2 WAR, matching his career high from 1906. But he’d drop off a bit the next year and before the 1912 at age 36, he was traded to Detroit for three prospects. After a respectable year with the Tigers, he signed a two-year deal with Calgary. He played one with the Cheetahs, then was traded to Miami for the 1914 campaign. With the Mallards, he became the first player to 2500 career hits.


At age 39 in 1915, Tucker signed with Seattle but only played 14 games due to numerous injuries. That would mark the end of his MLB career, but he’d play two more professional seasons after in CABA with Honduras and Santiago.


Tucker finished his MLB career with 2549 hits, 1270 runs, 407 home runs, 1319 RBI, a .323 batting average, .380 OBP, 156 OPS+, and 84.0 career WAR. He wasn’t the flashiest or more dominant player, but a reliable leader and starter for 14 years makes Tucker a solid Hall of Fame selection.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1921 in EAB

In the first season under the East Asia Baseball sanctioning, Tokyo and Nagoya were the Japan League’s first division champions. In the North, the Tides had the fewest runs allowed at 454, finishing first at 96-66. It was a competitive group with Saitama four back, Sapporo six back, and Kawasaki both above .500. The Nightowls took the South at 92-70 with Osaka (86-76) the only team above .500 in the division.


The Orange Sox had pitcher Zeshin Saito, who was the inaugural Pitcher of the Year and MVP. The 25-year old lefty had a Japan-best 11.7 WAR and 342 strikeouts with a 1.63 ERA.


In the Korea League, the North division was oddly distributed with three teams above 100 wins, one at 35, and one at only 19. Pyongyang won it at 118-44, beating out Hamhung (109-53) and Seongna (104-58). The South had more balance with Daegu first at 104-58, beating Changwon (97-65) and Gwangju (96-66).


League MVP went to Yongin’s Jae-Hee-Sin, whacking 59 home runs and 175 RBI. The RBI mark would stay the league record for more than a decade with three of EAB’s 150+ RBI seasons of the 20^th century in 1921. Ko Agano of Daegu was Pitcher of the Year and Seiki Okuyama of Seongnam set a long-standing record of 28 wins.


The JLCS went to Tokyo in five games over Nagoya and Pyongyang bested Daegu in six in the KLCS. The first EAB Championship went seven games and was claimed by the Pythons. Left fielder Toma Dobashi won series MVP with the 29-year old getting 16 hits, four homers, and 12 RBI in the postseason.


Other notes: Two perfect games were thrown in EAB in 1921. Japan PotY Zeshin Saito tossed one with 15 strikeouts versus Fukuoka and Hamhung’s Jae-Won Park had 14 Ks against Ulsan. Hamhung’s Sang-Hyun Kang posted a 42-game hit streak. He’d be the only guy to have a streak of 40+ until 1992.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1921 in CABA

Guadalajara won their third straight Mexican League South Division title, as the defending CABA champ led Mexico in runs scored and allowed for a 103-59 record. Aneurys Perez was league MVP for the Hellhounds, leading the way in runs, homers, RBI, walks, OBP, slugging, OPS, and WAR. Chihuahua won back-to-back North Division titles, also finishing 103-59. Mexico City’s Lian Llanes won Pitcher of the year with his league-best 1.39 ERA.


The Caribbean League final would be a rematch as well with Santiago taking first in a strong Island Division at 108-54, beating 96-win Haiti and Jamaica. Honduras took the Continental Division at 97-65. Sailfish ace Ulices Montero won his fourth straight PotY and fifth overall with 424 strikeouts, a 0.76 WHIP, 1.86 ERA, and 12.5 WAR. Despite a losing record, Havana’s Mackendy Civil was MVP with the league lead in the triple slash for a 10.8 WAR.


Santiago wouldn’t led Honduras upset them this time, sweeping the LCS for the franchise’s second league title. Guadalajara defeated Chihuahua in six games for back-to-back Mexican titles and claimed back-to-back CABA crowns in a seven-game classic over the Sailfish. Pitcher Honorato Gutierrez was series MVP with four playoff starts for a 1.06 ERA, 34 innings, and 28 strikeouts.


Other notes: Kenyon Jorgensen of Juarez threw CABA’s fifth perfect game, striking out 11 against Puebla on 8/2. Three pitchers reached the 3000 career strikeout mark; Alejandro Cordova, Nick Bermea, and Ulices Montero.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1921 in MLB

For the second straight season, San Francisco had the best record in MLB. The Gold Rush had an MLB best 105-57 with 917 runs scored. In his third season with San Fran, 32-year old outfielder Jonathan Gibbs won his third career MVP with a 48 home run, 150 RBI season. It was his first MVP since the 1914 season with Columbus and he set career highs. Portland took second in the Western League at 92-70 for their seventh playoff berth in eight years. The Pacifics wouldn’t return to the postseason again until the late 50s.


Atlanta won the Southern League title for the first team in team history with an 101-61 mark. Defending World Series champ Houston was second at 97-65 to return the playoffs. At age 31, Hornets pitcher Newton Persaud won his third Pitcher of the Year, leading the American Association in strikeouts for the fourth straight year and WAR for the fifth.


In a rematch of last year’s AACS, San Francisco edged Houston in five games to advance. The Aces easily swept Portland in the first round, but would fall in five games to the Gold Rush for SF’s first-ever Association title.


The Eastern League had two teams at the top earning their first-ever playoff appearance. Baltimore won the title at 101-61 and Buffalo, who missed out last year despite winning 102 games, took the second spot at 100-62. Defending National Association champ Hartford placed third at 93-69, thwarting a repeat bid. The Orioles had the league MVP in second baseman Norris Thuston, who at only age 22 had a 10.48 WAR season, at the time the third best season from a position player.


In the Midwest League, Kansas City had their first playoff berth in about a decade by taking first at 100-62. Last year’s ML champ Columbus easily took second at 95-67. Washington 30-year old pitcher Jeremiah Jaiboon won his second PotY with a MLB best 2.12 ERA.


The Cougars survived a five-game series with the Blue Sox to advance, while the Orioles swept the Chargers. In the NACS, Baltimore defeated Kansas City in six games to send the Orioles to the World Series along with fellow first-timer San Francisco. The Gold Rush prevailed in five in the Fall Classic. 22-year old outfielder Jo De Groot won World Series MVP, picking up 12 runs, 24 hits, and 14 RBI in 15 playoff games.


Other notes: Portland’s Kyle Bartz became the first player in MLB history to reach 3000 career hits. Bartz would retire after the 1923 season with a total of 3383 hits. He’d become the eighth to reach 1500 career runs scored later in 1921. Houston’s Jonathon Gillette became the third to whack 500 career home runs.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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

After four Hall of Fame inductees in 1921, no players reached the 66% threshold for the 1922 class. Phoenix pitcher Tom Guillaume got the closest he has yet at 61%, much better than the 27.8% the prior year. Shortstop Dave Douglas made his debut just above 60% and early days MVP George Cull hit his highest percentage at 58% in his sixth try.