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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

Major League Baseball had an impressive four player Hall of Fame class with the 1984 voting. The top three guys were all first ballot picks with two absolute no-doubters in starting pitcher Julius Jordan at 98.6% and closer Carson Hanford at 98.0%. 2B Grayson Angeline also got the first ballot recognition at 81.7%. The fourth player in the group was 3B Benton Gibney, who narrowly crossed the 66% threshold with 69.3% on his fifth ballot. RF Bo Salinas was close but just short with 63.0% on his fourth attempt. Also above 50% were 3B Jim Booth at 56.2% for his second go and 1B Braylen Nelson with 54.4% in his seventh attempt.



Dropped after ten tries was closer Wes Kihm, who had a 17-year career primarily with Oakland. He debuted at 51.4%, but was down to 21.2% by the end. He won Reliever of the Year once and had 255 saves with 310 shutdowns, a 2.16 ERA, 1155 strikeouts over 792.2 innings and 35.9 WAR. Kihn lacked the dominance that some other closers had though, keeping him out.

Three others were dropped after ten ballots with each finishing in the single digits. SP Logan Davis had a 16-year career primarily with Ottawa and won 1966 Pitcher of the Year, putting up a 207-172 record, 3.10 ERA, 2819 strikeouts over 3691 innings and 77.1 WAR. He peaked at 32.2% in his debut. Closer Tyrone Brown won Reliever of the Year twice and peaked at 43.3%. In 17 years almost exclusively in San Francisco, Brown had 227 saves and 287 shutdowns, a 1.92 ERA, 990 strikeouts over 712 innings and 35.0 WAR. 1B Krispen Bell played 16 years with four teams and peaked at 24.8%. He had a solid 575 career home runs, but only 48.5 WAR along with 2157 hits, 1290 runs, 1490 RBI, and a .268/.322/.531 slash. Nice careers for those three, but they lacked the big accumulations or accolades to get much traction.



Julius Jordan – Starting Pitcher – Houston Hornets – 98.6% First Ballot

Julius Jordan was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Lyons, Oregon; a tiny town of around 1,000 people located about 70 miles south of Portland. Jordan was known for incredible 10/10 stuff with 97-99 mph peak velocity. His movement was merely average with his control becoming solid later in his career. Jordan had three pitches; fastball, changeup, and cutter; and was a master at changing speeds. Jordan was also an ironman who never missed a start to injury and had very good stamina. His main flaw was being poor at defense and holding runners.

Jordan played college baseball at East Carolina and was relatively unheralded compared to other eventual Hall of Famers. His home state team Portland would pick him late in the second round, 110^th overall, in the 1958 Major League Baseball Draft. Jordan was split between the rotation and bullpen, then was a full-time starter with 33+ starts each year for the next 18 seasons. He had some issues allowing home runs in his early years and although he ate innings, his advanced stats had Jordan as an average-at-best pitcher in his first seasons with the Pacifics. They made the playoffs thrice while Jordan was there, but never got out of the second round.

Jordan started to improve and get more notice towards the end of his Portland tenure, leading the American Association in strikeouts in both 1965 and 1966. He led in WHIP in 65, but saw his ERA skyrocket in 66. Jordan was decent to start 1967, but a rebuilding Pacifics squad opted to move the now 29-year old Jordan with it being a contract year. He was traded in a six-player deal to San Francisco at the deadline and finished out the year with the Gold Rush, who were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. In total with Portland, Jordan had a 128-130 record, 3.82 ERA, 2250.1 innings, 2251 strikeouts, and 41.7 WAR.

Jordan had established himself if nothing else as someone who got you a lot of innings, although his 107 ERA+ with the Pacifics marked him as an above average at best arm. Regardless, he had suitors in free agency and signed a seven year, $1,722,000 deal with Houston. Jordan had a strong debut season with the Hornets and led in strikeouts, but his ERA jumped above four in the next two seasons. Improving his control, Jordan became considered elite for the first time in 1971. He had a career best 2.61 ERA and led the AA in strikeouts, innings, quality starts, and WAR, earning his lone Pitcher of the Year.

Jordan’s 1972 set career highs in WAR (10.2) and strikeouts (330), although he’d surprisingly not be a PotY finalist. Houston had been middling in his tenure, then fell off a major cliff with only 57 wins in 1973. Jordan’s productivity dropped a bit and that summer, they moved Jordan for prospects to Seattle. He finished 1973 and pitched a solid 1974 with the Grizzlies, taking second in 1974’s Pitcher of the Year voting. Jordan had a 2.90 ERA in 40.1 playoff innings for Seattle, who fell in the AACS in 1974.

Jordan wouldn’t resign with the Grizzlies and became a free agent at age 37. Houston signed him again and he posted very solid efforts in 1975 and 76, taking third in PotY in the former. The Hornets made the AACS in 1976 but were denied with Jordan ultimately never making it to a World Series. He was okay in 1977, then struggled in 1978 and wasn’t used in their playoff run. Still, that year he became the seventh pitcher to 300 career wins and ended up just short of 5000 career strikeouts, retiring the all-time leader with 4988. Jordan retired at age 41 and between his two runs with Houston, had a 160-123 record, 3.65 ERA, 2608 innings, 2297 strikeouts, and 60.3 WAR. The Hornets added him to the ring of honor by retiring his #8 uniform.

Jordan’s final career stats: 312-275 record, 3.67 ERA, 5308 innings, 4988 strikeouts to 1241 walks, 376/660 quality starts, 308 complete games, FIP- of 85, and 112.8 WAR. His longevity pushed him up the leaderboards and at induction, he was the strikeout leader, tied for fourth in wins, fifth in innings pitched, third in complete games, and seventh in pitching WAR. On the downside, he was second all-time in losses, second in home runs allowed, and his ERA was among the worst of other Hall of Famers. Still, even as of 2037, Jordan is still MLB’s career strikeout leader. He was never the most dominant or impressive pitcher in the league, but his longevity and durability made him a fixture on the leaderboards and a first round selection at 98.6%.



Carson Hanford – Closer – Oakland Oaks – 98.0% First Ballot

Carson Hanford was a 5’11’’, 180 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Carlsbad, California; a city of around 115,000 people in San Diego County. He only had a 97-99 mph fastball and changeup, but his stuff was considered legendary. Hanford also had very good control and solid movement, making him tough to crack when he was on. He was known for solid stamina and durability and was one of the only relievers to hold a closer role his entire run, getting 20+ saves in all of his 20 professional seasons. Hanford was also a team captain and incredibly hard worker, making him an endearing player, especially on the national stage.

Even though he’s considered by many to be Major League Baseball’s greatest closer, perhaps his most notoriety came in the World Baseball Championship. Hanford was a fixture from 1960-78 on the United States team with 17 starts, 101 appearances, and 255 innings. In that stretch, he had an impressive 560 strikeouts, 2.12 ERA, 26-6 record, 31 saves, 0.65 WHIP, and 12.8 WAR. As of 2037, no pitcher has appeared in more WBC games and he’s one of nine pitchers with 550+ career strikeouts. Hanford won 14 world titles and was the 1975 Best Pitcher with a 0.83 ERA over 21.2 innings.

He made a few starts in the WBC, but was a career reliever as a pro. Hanford was a great starter in college though at Tennessee and was second in 1959 NCAA Pitcher of the Year voting. Over 205 college innings, he had a 1.54 ERA, 293 strikeouts, and 11.3 WAR. In the 1959 MLB Draft, Albuquerque selected Hanford 29^th overall. In his second year with the Isotopes, he took second in Reliever of the Year voting with 5.1 WAR. Hanford was the closer five seasons for the then middling Albuquerque squad, posting 135 saves, a 1.80 ERA over 335.1 innings, 480 strikeouts, and 18.7 WAR.

Just before the start of the 1965 season, the Isotopes traded Hanford straight up for starting pitcher Rylan Zimerman. His one season with the Firebirds saw him lead the American Association in saves for the second time. Hanford became a free agent that offseason at age 27 and signed a four-year, $604,000 deal with Oakland. This began his signature run of 13 seasons with the Owls, the type of longevity almost never seen for a closer in pro baseball.

Hanford was the starting closer for all of that run for Oakland, who was consistently at or just above .500. They made the postseason six times in his tenure, but never got out of the second round. Hanford won Reliever of the Year twice; in 1973 and 1976. He also took second in 1969 and third in 1974. In total with the Owls, Hanford had 368 saves, a 1.96 ERA over 800.1 innings, 1101 strikeouts, and 36.3 WAR.

He continued his productivity seemingly unabated through his 30s. In 1974, Hanford became MLB’s fourth pitcher to 400 career saves. By 1977, he was the all-time leader and the only one to 500. Hanford ended up with 536 MLB saves, still the all-time leader as of 2037 by a solid margin. He finished with Oakland after the 1978 season and saw his #27 uniform retired. Hanford played one more pro season in Monrovia of West African Baseball and after going unsigned in 1980, retired at age 42. Counting his WAB season, Hanford had 571 career saves.

For his MLB career, Hanford finished with 536 saves and 557 shutdowns, a 1.89 ERA, 130-96 record, 1104 games, 1192.2 innings, 1660 strikeouts to 331 walks, a FIP- of 49 and 58.2 WAR. As of 2037, he remains the MLB leader in saves and games pitched. Hanford also has the most WAR, most strikeouts, and second best ERA among Hall of Fame relievers. Many point at him as MLB’s GOAT closer for good reason and Hanford was an obvious first ballot choice at 98.0%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 2)



Grayson Angeline – Second Base/Utility – San Antonio Oilers – 81.7% First Ballot

Grayson Angeline was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting batter from Penobscot, Maine; a small town of 1,000 people on the Bagaduce River. At the plate, Angeline was known as a terrific contact hitter with a great eye and excellent ability to avoid strikeouts. He was also a very quick baserunner and effective base stealer, making him one of the most dangerous in the game when he got on. His drawback was a lack of major power, averaging around 30 doubles/triples and 10 home runs per year. Angeline was durable and versatile, making half of his career starts at second base with very solid defense. He also had notable stints with good D in left field and iffy D at shortstop, but could also be used at third or center in a pinch.

Angeline left for the west coast and played in college at Washington. He’d remain a Husky to begin his career, but traded in Washington’s purple for Hartford’s gold. Angeline was picked 35th overall in the 1960 MLB Draft and took second in 1961 Rookie of the Year voting despite only starting in 94 games. His second season was arguably his most impressive with a career best and National Association leading 8.9 WAR and 214 hits. He also led in runs scored (116) and stolen bases (66) and won his lone Gold Glove in left field. Angeline was moved to second the next season and won his first Silver Slugger.

He’d lead the NA in runs thrice and stolen bases twice, but this would be the peak of Angeline’s spots atop leaderboards. He won a second Silver Slugger with Hartford in 1966, who was regularly a playoff contender at this point. However, the Huskies couldn’t put it all together, only making the NACS once and falling in 1964. Angeline couldn’t be blamed though with 28 hits and 18 runs in his 24 playoff starts. For his full Hartford run, he had 1130 hits, 652 runs, 149 doubles, 67 home runs, a .335/.405/.465 slash, 397 stolen bases, and 44.4 WAR.

Angeline became a free agent after the 1966 season and decided to leave New England. He signed an eight-year, $2,154,000 deal with San Antonio. He played out that entire deal and became most known for his time in Texas, despite having more impressive stats with the Huskies. Angeline played shortstop initially with San Antonio and won Silver Sluggers in 1967 and 1968. He also won seven titles for the United States in the World Baseball Championship from 1963-75. In 144 games, Angeline had 142 hits, 103 runs, 16 doubles, 15 home runs, 103 stolen bases, and 6.5 WAR. He led the tournament in runs scored twice, hits one, and stolen bases twice.

San Antonio only made the playoffs twice during Angeline’s tenure and couldn’t get out of the second round. Still, he was extremely popular with Oilers fans and his #27 uniform would later be retired. In his eight seasons in Texas, Angeline had 1325 hits, 729 runs, 170 doubles, 70 home runs, 358 stolen bases, a .299/.373/.405 slash and 32.0 WAR. He became a free agent at 35 and signed a three-year deal beginning in 1975 with Ottawa.

After solid durability most of his career, his debut season with the Elks was cut short with a torn meniscus. Angeline rehabbed though and was able to get back in time for the postseason, helping Ottawa to a National Association title. They fell in the World Series to Albuquerque, but he had a chance to play in the Fall Classic and had a solid 20 hits and 13 runs in 16 playoff games. Angeline had a nice second season with Ottawa until a broken kneecap knocked him out in August. The Elks let him go and he signed at age 37 with Memphis. He had a full bounce-back season worth 5.0 WAR with the Mountain Cats, but lost chunks of 1978 with various injuries. Memphis let him go and Angeline was unsigned in 1979, opting him to retire that winter at age 40.

Angeline’s final career stats: 2881 hits, 1618 runs, 364 doubles, 107 triples, 167 home runs, 918 RBI, 980 walks, 864 stolen bases, .312/.385/.429 slash, 129 wRC+, and 87.8 WAR. At induction, he was fifth all time in steals and his OBP was among the better ones on the leaderboard, although his slugging was near the bottom. Some voters were dismissive of his lack of power stats and weren’t wowed by singles, walks, and steals. But his versatility and popularity couldn’t be ignored and Angeline earned the first ballot selection at 81.7%; the third member of the four-player 1984 class.




Benton “Ant” Gibney – Third Base/Left Field – Charlotte Canaries – 69.3% Fifth Ballot

Benton Gibney was a 5’9’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Sulphur, Louisiana; a town of 21,000 people near sulfur mines in the southwestern part of the state near Lake Charles. Gibney was an excellent contact hitter with solid gap power, plus good speed and baserunning skills. He was okay at drawing walks, but generally above average at avoiding strikeouts. Gibney wasn’t a big home run hitter with around 15-20 per year on average. He’d get you about25-35 doubles and triples per season reliably though. Gibney was primarily a third baseman and considered below average, but not awfuld defensively. He also made about 1/5 of his starts in the outfield, primarily in left. Gibney was a scrappy sparkplug type player, which made him very popular among fans and teammates.

Gibney attended Arizona State University and in 148 college games, had 195 hits, 124 runs, 28 home runs, 101 RBI, and 8.4 WAR. He earned a college Silver Slugger as a sophomore and a Gold Glove as a junior. Gibney was a very hot commodity and Charlotte selected him with the #1 overall pick in the 1951 Major League Baseball Draft. He was a full-time starter immediately and stayed a starter his whole career when healthy. Gibney earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1952. He would lead the American Association in triples three times with the Canaries, which would be his only time as a league leader in his career.

Gibney was very popular with Charlotte, who was a terrible team throughout the 1950s. He had solid numbers for his first few seasons and signed an eight-year, $561,800 extension during the 1955 season. However, Gibney would get worn down from overuse. Gibney fell off in his fifth year, then was atrocious in the 1957 season with an all-time bad season of -4.8. He bounced back though with a 5.9 WAR 1958 season, earning his lone MLB Silver Slugger. In total with Charlotte, Gibney had 1438 hits, 703 runs, 202 doubles, 99 triples, 122 home runs, 510 RBI, 269 stolen bases, a .298/335/.457 slash and 23.1 WAR.

At the start of the 1960 season, Gibney suffered a torn PCL, putting him on the shelf for ten months. He played seven games in 1961 for Charlotte, who decided to cut their losses with the 30-year old Gibney in April. Two weeks later, he signed with Oklahoma City and ultimately spent five full seasons with the Outlaws. Gibney had a solid season and helped OKC win the 1961 World Series, posting 22 hits, 10 runs, 5 doubles, and 10 RBI in the postseason run. Oklahoma City got to the AACS in 1962 and the World Series again in 1963 with Gibney posting 43 hits, 19 runs, 14 extra base hits, 18 RBI, and a .314 average over 34 playoff games.

Gibney remained a solid starter into his 30s with the Outlaws, posting 833 hits, 441 runs, 94 doubles, 40 triples, 87 home runs, 285 RBI, a .304/.347/.463 slash, and 18.5 WAR while there. OKC began rebuilding in the mid 1960s and opted to release Gibney in April 1966. The 35-year old signed for one year with Ottawa, then spent 1967-69 with Toronto. He had 12.1 WAR with the Timberwolves, quietly providing solid value. Gibney continued to chug along, spending 1970-71 with Baltimore. He went to Columbus in 1972 and missed half the season with a torn back muscle, but bounced back with a solid 1973 at age 42. The Chargers traded him to San Francisco in 1974 and after an unremarkable season with the Gold Rush, he retired at age 44. Gibney is one of a select few to still be an MLB starter at such an advanced age.

Gibney’s final stats: 3565 hits, 1781 runs, 467 doubles, 199 triples, 322 home runs, 1285 RBI, 656 stolen bases, a .297/.335/.449 slash, 119 wRC+, and 72.5 WAR. His longevity meant that at induction, he was ninth all-time in hits and 16th in runs scored. However, Gibney lacked accolades or big stats, plus the advanced stats had him on the lower rung of Hall of Fame candidates despite his totals. Many voters looked at him as a guy who just was above average for a long time and he missed the cut in his first four ballots, although his bottom was 59.8%. Gibney’s popularity as a scrapper got him just enough of a boost on the fifth try to cross the 66% threshold with 69.3%, becoming the fourth and final member of the 1984 Hall of Fame Class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 CABA Hall of Fame

The Central American Baseball Association added two first-ballot players into the Hall of Fame with the 1984 voting. Pitcher Mario Benitez was a no-doubter with 98.5%, while fellow pitcher Allberto Gonzalez joined him with a very respectable 77.6%. 1B Carlos De La Fuente was close on his second try, but fell short with 59.2%. RF Juan Jose was at 58.3% on his tenth attempt and CF Santiago Perez had 51.5% in his seventh go.



For Jose, he had gotten as close as 60.5% in his eight ballot, but never could quite cross the line. The Panamanian had a 21-year career and four Silver Sluggers, but bounced around in his career, playing for five CABA teams and four MLB teams. For his entire pro career, he had 2764 hits, 1511 runs, 584 home runs, 1664 RBI, and 70.1 WAR. For just CABA, Jose had 2147 hits, 1177 runs, 304 doubles, 470 home runs, 1269 RBI, and 59.8 WAR. A nice career, but just low enough of the tallies to banish him to the Hall of Very Good.



Mario Benitez – Starting Pitcher – Guadalajara Hellhounds – 98.5% First Ballot

Mario Benitez was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Tuxpam, a city of around 150,000 people near the Gulf of Mexico in the east-central state of Veracruz. Tuxpan means “Place of Rabbits” in the Nahuatl language. Benitez was known for electric stuff with very good movement and above average control. His fastball peaked in the 99-101 mph range, but he could just as easily beat you with his forkball, changeup, or cutter. Benitez had excellent stamina and led the Mexican League in complete games seven times in his career.

Benitez quickly emerged as one of the top Mexican prospects and went to Guadalajara third overall in the 1963 CABA Draft. He played his entire pro career with the Hellhounds and debuted in 1964 primarily in relief. He became a full-time starter by year two, although it wasn’t until his fourth season that Benitez emerged as an ace. In 1967, he finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting and took his first of two Silver Sluggers; the other coming in 1969. For a pitcher, he was a decent batter with a career .238 average. Benitez also won a Gold Glove in 1973.

In 1969, Benitez won Pitcher of the Year for the first time. He’d win the top honor five times total, also taking it in 1971, 73, 75, and 76. He took second in 1970 and 1974 as well, becoming an elite strikeout pitcher in that stretch. Benitez led the Mexican League In strikeouts five times, wins six times, ERA twice, WHIP four times, and WAR four times. In 1970 against Chihuahua, he set a record for most strikeouts in a CABA no-hitter, fanning 20. In 1973, he had his finest season with a Triple Crown effort on a career-best 1.84 ERA with 342 strikeouts and a 19-8 record. That year also had career bests in WAR (9.0), and quality starts (27).

Improving his control allowed Benitez to see his most dominant seasons in his early 30s. After being a bottom-tier team in the 1960s, Guadalajara made the playoffs from 1969-71, although they were denied a deep run going against the Mexico City dynasty. After being more middling in the early 1970s, the Hellhounds put it altogether and won the 1976 CABA Championship, their first ring since the early 1920s. Benitez was excellent in the playoffs with a 1.53 ERA over 29.1 innings that year and 31 strikeouts. He was a great playoff performer generally with 59.2 career postseason innings and a 1.36 ERA.

Forearm inflammation cost Benitez part of the 1977 season and saw his production drop from the Pitcher of the Year quality the prior year, although he was still a solid starter. His velocity dropped noticeably in 1978 and Benitez had merely average stats, reduced to a relief role by the postseason. Guadalajara bought out the rest of his contract and Benitez decided to retire at age 36. His #12 uniform was retired almost immediately and he would remain one of the franchise’s favorite sons for years after.

Benitez’ final stats 243-151 record, 2.70 ERA, 3545.1 innings, 4057 strikeouts to 790 walks, 297/409 quality starts, 199 complete games, 77 FIP-, and 86.1 WAR. As of 2036, he is only one of six CABA pitchers to win Pitcher of the Year five or more times. At induction, he was 10^th in wins, seventh in strikeouts, fourth in complete games, and 15^th in WAR for CABA pitchers. Benitez doesn’t come up in the GOAT pitcher conversations, but his spot in the Hall of Fame is basically undisputed, getting the first ballot nod with 98.5%.



Allberto Gonzalez – Starting Pitcher – Guatemala Ghosts – 77.6% First Ballot

Allberto Gonzalez was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Santa Barbara, Guatemala; a town of 30,000 people in the western part of the country. Gonzalez had merely average stuff, but his solid control and movement made him effective regardless. His velocity only peaked at 91-93 mph, but he had a strong slider and curveball, plus a rarely seen changeup. Gonzalez was great at holding runners and had pretty solid stamina. He was viewed as a team leader, but some would criticize him for his inconsistent work ethic.

Gonzalez was noticed in his home country by the Guatemala Ghosts, who selected him out of high school with the ninth overall pick in the 1962 CABA Draft. He debuted with four relief appearances in 1965 at age 21. Gonzalez made some starts in 1966 and 1967, although he couldn’t crack the rotation in 1968 despite being healthy. The Ghosts were a dominant force in the Caribbean League at this point, making the playoffs ten times during Gonzalez’ tenure. They won the CL pennant in 1967, 69, 70, 71, and 74.

In 1969, Gonzalez finally emerged as an ace with a 20-3 record, 2.45 ERA, and 7.3 WAR; taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. He took third in 1971 and second in 1973 with Guatemala, but ultimately never won the top award. Gonzalez wasn’t a league leader, but he put up solid reliable stats as Guatemala continued to contend. Over 129 playoff innings, he had a 3.35 ERA with 90 strikeouts. Gonzalez also played for the Guatemalan national team in the World Baseball Championship four times with a 3.75 ERA over 50.1 innings.

In 1974, the Ghosts finally won the overall CABA crown. Gonzalez had a strong season, but stunk with an 8.16 ERA in three playoff starts. Still, he got the big ring and the franchise would later retire his #17 uniform for role in their 1960s and 70s success. In total with Guatemala, he had a 134-70 record, 2.98 ERA, 2016 innings, 1844 strikeouts, and 50.4 WAR. Gonzalez became a free agent at age 31 following their championship series and signed a six-year, $1,908,000 contract with Santiago.

Gonzalez had a great debut season with the Sailfish, finishing second in Pitcher of the Year voting. He was good at the start, but saw his production start to slowly decline with age. Elbow inflammation would cost him a chunk of his final season in 1978 and he’d retire at the end of the year at only age 35. In his time with Santiago, Gonzalez had a 55-41 record, 2.88 ERA, 909.2 innings, 839 strikeouts, and 21.4 WAR.

The final stats saw a 189-111 record, 2.95 ERA, 2925.2 innings, 2683 strikeout to only 427 walks, 245/366 quality starts, 78 FIP-, and 71.8 WAR. He didn’t have the longevity or dominance to see big totals, but his rate stats weren’t out of place amongst other pitchers in the CABA Hall of Fame. Although Gonzalez never won the top award, he was a key reason Guatemala was so consistently good for a decade. Enough voters respected that for a first ballot selection with 77.6%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 EAB Hall of Fame

---

Two first-ballot selections were made for East Asia Baseball’s 1984 Hall of Fame Class. Pitcher Jae-Hoon Seon was nearly unanimous with 99.3% of the vote and was joined by CF Seung-Hyeon Min at 90.7%. 2B Su-Yeon Park was close but still short of the 66% mark on his eighth attempt at 58.1%. The only other player above 50% was 3B Hiromichi Ono with 56.6% for his debut. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.



Jae-Hoon Seon – Starting Pitcher – Seoul Seahawks – 99.3% First Ballot

Jae-Hoon Seon was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Sinanju, a town of 15,000 people in North Korea located about 50 minutes north of Pyongyang. Seon had excellent control along with solid movement and respectable stuff. His velocity peaked at 95-97 mph with a good fastball, great curveball, and occasional changeup. Seon was an ironman who almost never missed a start and was a great team leader and captain, making him a beloved player across the Korean peninsula. He was very good at holding runners and had reliable and consistent stamina; making him one of the most steady pitchers in East Asia Baseball history.

Although he grew up in the North, Seon’s entire pro career would be with the South Korea capital Seoul. A scout from the Seahawks spotted him as a teenager amateur in 1955 and signed him at 16 years old. After five years in the developmental system, he debuted in 1960 at age 21 as a full-time starter. He’d pitch 200+ innings each year for the next 18 years and took second in Rookie of the Year honors. Seon was immensely popular for a Seoul franchise that couldn’t get over the hump. They had a number of winning seasons especially in the 1960s and 1970s, but Seon never saw a single playoff start. Some of the Seahawks’ better years came adjacent to Pyongyang’s historic dynasty.

Seon was the steady face of the franchise though for two decades, posting 15 seasons worth 6+ WAR. He wasn’t a dominant type though and never led the league in strikeouts or ERA. He did lead twice in wins, innings pitched, WAR, and WHIP, while also leading in quality starts five times. Seon would win Pitcher of the Year twice, taking the award in 1967 and again in 1975. He took second in 1964 and 1968, third in 1970, second in 1973, third in 1974, and third again in 1976. Seon also went home to North Korea and pitched for them in the World Baseball Championship regularly. He shined in the tournament with 172.2 innings, a 15-2 record, 2.55 ERA, 219 strikeouts, and 5.7 WAR.

In 1977 at age 38, Seon finally showed signs of slowing down after posting the same reliable solid production without fail for the prior 17 years. His 3.88 ERA was his first time with an ERA above three in a decade, but he still provided good innings that year. However in 1978, he struggled with a 5.98 ERA and injury woes. In September, the ironman saw his first major injury with a damaged elbow ligament effectively ending his career. Ironically, Seoul made the playoffs that year for the first time in his career, although Seon wouldn’t be able to take the field. He retired that winter at age 40 and had his #35 uniform retired immediately.

Seon’s final stats: 318-205 record, 2.99 ERA, 4902.1 innings, 4766 strikeouts to 639 walks, 422/626 quality starts, 176 complete games, 74 FIP-, and 132.4 WAR. Seon’s WAR total is the all-time record among East Asia Baseball pitchers still as of 2037. He was only the second EAB pitcher to reach 300 career wins and still sits third all-time as of 2037. Seon retired second all-time in strikeouts and remains fourth in 2037. His consistency and longevity put him in the conversation with the all-time greats, even if he didn’t have as dominant of a peak as some of his contemporaries. The pitching WARlord was a no-doubt first ballot choice and nearly unanimous at 99.3%.



Seung-Hyeon Min – Center Field – Chiba Comets – 90.7% First Ballot

Seung-Hyeon Min was a 5’10’’, 190 pound right-handed center fielder from the North Korean capital Pyongyang. Like his Hall of Fame classmate Seon, Min was an ironman and renowned for his durability and consistency. He was a career center fielder and viewed as slightly below average defensively. At the plate, he was a solid contact hitter with great speed and gap power. Min was a master at getting doubles and triples, leading the league in triples eight different times. He averaged around 25-30 doubles and 25-30 triples per year in his prime while also getting you around 20-25 home runs per season. Min also had an above average eye and was able to avoid big strikeout numbers.

Min was spotted by a scout from Chiba, who signed him as a teenage amateur in 1954. He made his debut with a few appearances in 1959 at age 20, then was a full-time starter from thereafter. Min would start 140+ games in the next 12 consecutive seasons for the Comets. He’d lead the Japan League in triples seven different times and posted 11 straight seasons worth 6+ WAR. Min picked up Rookie of the Year in 1960 and won nine straight Silver Sluggers in center field from 1961-69.

Min never won league MVP, but was a finalist twice. He finished third in 1964 and third again in 1968. Min had seven seasons with 100+ runs scored and was the WARlord in 1969 with 8.4. He had a career best 117 runs in 1964 and 389 total bases in 1968. Chiba became a contender in the early 1960s, winning three straight Japan League titles from 1961-63; although they never won the overall EAB title. In 36 playoff games, Min had 46 hits, 20 runs, 5 home runs, 10 RBI, and a .326/.392/.468 slash. He also was a regular for the North Korean team in the World Baseball Championship. In 115 games, Min had 101 hits, 61 runs, 24 home runs, 56 RBI, and 3.8 WAR.

The Comets remained a winning team for the next few years, but started a decade long playoff drought after their 1964 berth. By the end of the decade, they had fallen to the bottom of the standings. Min had signed an eight-year contract extension in 1965, but decided to opt out after the 1971 season at age 33. In total with Chiba, he had 2297 hits, 1190 runs, 349 doubles, 296 triples, 282 home runs, 1090 RIB, and 88.6 WAR. Even after leaving, he remained very popular with the Comets faithful and saw his #6 uniform retired later.

Min’s last season with Chiba was his weakest of his career with 4.3 WAR, but he still had plenty of suitors. MLB’s Miami Mallards signed him to a five-year, $1,558,000 deal. He had a respectable season in South Florida and Miami made the playoffs, but they decided to trade him to Toronto in the offseason straight up for pitcher Clifton Silas. Min’s 1973 was his best in North America as he won a Silver Slugger. In two years and change with the Timberwolves, he had 10.2 WAR.

In late May 1975, Toronto opted to release Min and the 36-year old returned home to North Korea and finished the season with Hamhung. He still showed he could be starter quality and another MLB team gave him a shot. Min spent 1976 and 1977 with Albuquerque, although he struggled in the second season. In total in MLB, Min had 772 hits, 431 runs, 100 doubles, 45 triples, 102 home runs, 356 RBI, and 15.1 WAR. He became a free agent and went back to Hamhung in 1978, posting a decent season that allowed him to cross 2500 career EAB hits. After going unsigned in 1979, Min retired at age 41.

For his entire pro career, Min had 3315 hits, 1750 runs, 476 doubles, 368 triples, 411 home runs, 1550 RBI, a .302/.361/.524 slash and 109.8 WAR. For just East Asia Baseball, he had 2543 hits, 1319 runs, 376 doubles, 323 triples, 309 home runs, 1194 RBI, 548 stolen bases, a .318/.371/.561 slash, 170 wRC+, and 94.7 WAR. Many felt he was the best center fielder in EAB in the 1960s and that earned Min the first ballot induction with 90.7%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 BSA Hall of Fame

The 1984 Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame class was an impressive one with three slam dunk first ballot selections. Pitcher Domingas Ribeiro got 98.4%, first baseman Javier Herrera had 98.4%, and pitcher Ivo Ferreira picked up 96.9%. Two others finished at 52.3% with closer Jaguare Maia on his tenth ballot and 1B Cy Cavazos in his debut.



This result dropped Maia from the ballot, who had an 18-year career between BSA and MLB. He pitched for eight teams and in BSA had 367 saves, a 1.90 ERA, 1003.2 innings, 1513 strikeouts, and 36.8 WAR. Maia was eighth in BSA saves at retirement, but never won Reliever of the Year or saw much playoff action, keeping him out despite numbers comparable to some other Hall of Fame relievers. His debut at 64.5% made people think he’d eventually get in, but that was Maia’s peak, although he never dropped below 45%.

Also dropped was another reliever in Nils Luis, who did won three Reliever of the Year awards and had three Copa Sudamerica rings between Cordoba and Lima. For his entire pro career he had 33.7 WAR and 323 saves with a MLB stint, but in BSA he had only 244 saves and 28.3 WAR, although an impressive 1.58 ERA and 932 strikeouts in 706.1 innings. Luis didn’t have the longevity to get traction with the voters, peaking at 41.2% on his debut and hovering in the teens for his final ballots.



Domingas Ribeiro – Starting Pitcher – Sao Paulo Padres – 98.4% First Ballot

Domingas Ribeiro was a 6’4’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Unai, a municipality of around 85,000 people in southeastern Brazil located 164 kilometers from Brasilia. He was the son of Hall of Famer Amadeus “Hurricane” Ribeiro, who was a first baseman and three-time MVP with Sao Paulo and others in the 1940s and 1950s. Domingas had stellar control of his pitchers with terrific movement and very good stuff. His velocity peaked at 96-98 mph with an extreme groundball tendency and an arsenal of sinker, forkball, curveball, and changeup. Ribeiro was a very good defensive pitcher with solid durability and intelligence as well.

Under the tutelage of his father, Ribeiro quickly became one of the hottest prospects in Brazilian baseball. He was eligible for the 1963 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft and Sao Paulo had the first overall pick; the same squad that his father Amadeus had been a superstar with. The Padres made the obvious choice and the fans were delighted, hoping the younger Ribeiro could return them to prominence. Sao Paulo had been a dynasty in the 1950s and won rings in the early 1940s, but they had fallen off to start the 60s. Ribeiro was full-time starter immediately, although he had some growing pains in his rookie season.

Ribeiro figured it out quickly though and finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting in his third season, throwing a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts that year against Buenos Aires. That began a streak of six straight seasons as the Southern Cone League’s leader in ERA. He also led in WHIP eight straight years and with his incredible control, he was the best in K/BB nine times. Ribeiro had seven seasons worth 10+ WAR and was the league leader in WAR in eight different seasons. He also pitched for Brazil in the World Baseball Championship from 1966-77, although he was less dominant there. Still, he had a solid 3.35 ERA over 298 WBC innings with 356 strikeouts and 6.5 WAR.

Ribeiro started racking up the awards, although he was used in a somewhat unusual role. He made 49 starts in 1967, but was used as an opener and only threw 175.1 innings. In later seasons he’d throw more innings, but make fewer starts as Sao Paulo liked to bring him out of the bullpen. Either way, he was incredible effective, winning Pitcher of the Year four straight years from 1968-71, then again in 1976 and 1977. Ribeiro also was third in 1972, second in 1973, and third in 1975. As of 2037, Ribeiro is the only Southern Cone League pitcher with six Pitcher of the Year awards and one of only four to do it in all of Beisbol Sudamerica.

Despite his success, Sao Paulo still needed time to rebuild in the 1960s. In 1969, they snapped a seven-year playoff drought with a 112 win season and Copa Sudamerica appearance. The next six years, the Padres missed the playoffs, although they were consistently still a 90+ win team. In 1976, Sao Paulo finally returned to their perch atop South American baseball. That year, Ribeiro threw a perfect game with 13 strikeouts against Fortaleza. They made Copa Sudamerica again in 1977, although fell in the finale in a rematch with Valencia. In the playoffs, Ribeiro had a 2.61 ERA over 82.2 innings and 95 strikeouts.

Ribeiro had been used as a more traditional starter by this point after seeing a career low 109 innings in an opener role in 1974. He was still excellent in his mid 30s, but saw his production slip significantly for the first time in 1978. Despite being seemingly healthy, Ribeiro was now topping out in the low 90s and was no longer dominant. He crossed 4000 career strikeouts in his final season, then opted to retire after the 1978 campaign at age 36. His #23 uniform was retired immediately and placed right next to his father’s #20.

Ribeiro’s final stats: 245-118 record, 72 saves, 2.02 ERA, 3490.1 innings, 4085 strikeouts to only 374 walks, a 0.84 WHIP, 10.9 K/BB, 336/480 quality starts, FIP- of 58, and 120.5 WAR. As of 2037, he’s one of only two Hall of Fame pitchers to have 3000+ innings and fewer than 400 walks. At induction, Ribeiro was seventh all-time in pitching WAR, 19th in strikeouts, 11th in wins, and seventh in WHIP. Among HOF starters, he had the sixth lowest ERA. A no-doubt Hall of Famer and all-time great pitcher, Ribeiro received 98.4% and the first ballot nod.



Javier “Snapper” Herrera – First Base – Quito Thunderbolts – 98.4% First Ballot

Javier Herrera was a 6’4’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from Guayaquil, Ecuador. As a career first baseman with that frame, most would probably picture a big lumbering slugger, but Herrera was far from that with elite speed and great defense. He was an all-time great contact hitter who led the Bolivar League in batting average eight times, while boasting a solid eye and decent ability to avoid strikeouts. Herrera wasn’t a big home run hitter, but still had plenty of pop in his bat with great gap power. He would average around 30-40 doubles, 15-20 triples, and 15-25 home runs per season. On top of that, Herrera was a team captain and great leader, making him one of the most beloved players of the era.

“Snapper” was immediately noticed as a prospect in his native Ecuador and the capital’s team kept a close eye on him. In the 1956 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft, Quito picked Herrera 16th overall. He’d only play five games in 1957, but became a full-time starter at age 20 in 1958. He’d be a full-time starter whenever healthy for the next two decades and spent all but his final season with the Thunderbolts. Herrera had some issues with strikeouts in his first few seasons as he developed, although he still was third in Rookie of the Year voting. By age 24, he had emerged as one of the continent’s elite players.

Herrera would lead the Bolivar League in runs scored three times, hits five times, doubles thrice, walks thrice, stolen bases four times, batting average eight times, on base percentage nine times, slugging four times, OPS six times, wRC+ five times, and WAR three times. His penchant for extra base hits was especially impressive as he would lead in slugging despite only once hitting 30 home runs. Herrera won eight Silver Sluggers (62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 69, 70, 74), and six Gold Gloves (59, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71).

Herrera first got strong MVP consideration in 1962 with a second place finish. He’d then claim the award in 1963 and 1964. Herrera was third in 1965, then lost much of 1966 to injuries. He’d take second in 1968, then win the award in 1969 and 1970 to become a four-time winner. Herrera was a finalist again with a second in 1971 and third in 1974.

Quito had been a bottom-tier franchise to begin its existence with no playoff berths in the first 32 seasons. Herrera’s rise helped change that as they would win the 1963, 64, and 65 Bolivar League titles. In 1965, the Thunderbolts won their first-ever Copa Sudamerica ring. In that run, Herrera had 40 hits, 19 runs, 21 RBI, and 1.7 WAR over 37 playoff starts. Quito would be more middling for the rest of the 1960s and into the 1970s, but Herrera brought them their first sustained success. He was also beloved in Ecuador for being a stalwart on the national team, making 140 starts in the World Baseball Championship from 1959-78. He had 134 hits, 72 runs, 27 doubles, 29 home runs, 69 RBI, and 5.3 WAR.

As he entered his 30s, various injuries would keep Herrera out a couple weeks each season. Still, he was putting up excellent seasons through his age 38 season. In 1976, he got his 3254th hit, passing Angel Gabriel Cornjeo as the all-time hit king in BSA, a distinction he held until the 2010s. Later that year, Herrera suffered a torn calf muscle and missed four months.

His power was noticeably down in 1977, his final season with Quito. The Thunderbolts traded him that offseason to Medellin, although he’d hold no ill will and remain a beloved franchise icon with his #26 uniform retired one year later. Herrera was subpar in his one season with the Mutiny, but did become the first BSA batter to 3500 career hits while there. Herrera retired that winter at age 41.

Herrera’s final stats: 3597 hits, 1639 runs, 618 doubles, 300 triples, 348 home runs, 1546 RBI, 950 walks, 1230 stolen bases, a .335/.388/.545 slash, 164 wRC+, and 117.9 WAR. He retired as the all-time Beisbol Sudamerica hit king and is still sitting fourth-best as of 2037. At induction, Herrera was also the doubles leader and runs scored leader, plus was fourth in triples, eighth in RBI, second in stolen bases, and eighth in hitting WAR. As of 2037, he’s second in doubles still, sixth in steals, and 14th in WAR. Herrera certainly had an inner-circle Hall of Fame level career, getting a first ballot nod at 98.4%.



Ivo Ferreira – Pitcher – Medellin Mutiny – 96.9% First Ballot

Ivo Ferreira was a 6’0’’, 205 pound left-handed pitcher from Araxa, a city of around 100,000 people in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Ferreira had great stuff with above average control and movement. His fastball had 98-100 mph peak velocity and he also had an excellent splitter, plus an occasionally used changeup. The drop of the splitter and its ability to look like the fastball got Ferreira a lot of strikeouts and weak groundballs. He also had great stamina for much of his career and was known as a hard worker, making him a popular player. Ferreira also was excellent at holding runners, although he was considered a lousy defender otherwise.

Ferreira was spotted by a scout from Medellin as a teenager and signed a developmental deal in 1958, sending him to Colombia. He made his pro debut in a closer role in 1964 and was split the next year between the rotation and bullpen. By 1966, Ferreira had emerged as a legitimate ace and took third in Pitcher of the Year voting. He’d take second in 1968 and third in 1969. In 1970, Ferreira led the Bolivar League in wins, strikeouts, WAR, and innings to earn his first Pitcher of the Year. He led again in wins, Ks, and WAR to win the 1971 Pitcher of the Year. Ferreira’s lone time leading in ERA was 1972, finishing second that year in voting.

Led by Ferreira’s arm, Medellin won seven straight division titles from 1965-71. Five times in that stretch, the Mutiny were Bolivar League champs and in 1969, they claimed Copa Sudamerica. Ferreira was a strong playoff pitcher with a 2.54 ERA over 156 innings with 159 strikeouts, only 26 walks, and 4.4 WAR. He also returned home to Brazil for the World Baseball Championship from 1967-78 with a 3.80 ERA over 144.1 innings, 194 strikeouts, and 2.3 WAR.

Medellin faded into mediocrity and began a decade-plus playoff drought starting in 1972. A bone spur in his elbow cost him part of 1973 and he was never quite as dominant of a strikeout pitcher, although Ferreira was still strong the next few years. The turning point for Ferreira was a torn rotator cuff in late June 1976, knocking him out for 12 months. He rehabbed back, but didn’t have the strength to return to the rotation. Ferreira was a decent reliever for a season and a half, but he still wanted to start. He wouldn’t get that chance as he was let go after the 1978 season and unsigned in 1979. Ferreira retried that winter at age 37 and Medellin soon after would retire his #32 uniform,

Ferreira’s final line had a 201-147 record, 2.49 ERA, 3091 innings, 3475 strikeouts to 515 walks, 260/348 quality starts, 163 complete games, FIP- of 73, and 83.1 WAR. He didn’t have the longevity to be atop the leaderboards, but Ferreira was clearly one of the finest pitchers in Beisbol Sudamerica in the 1960s and 70s, plus a critical piece in a dominant run for Medellin. The voters didn’t hesitate to make Ferreira the third member of the impressive 1984 Hall of Fame class with 96.9% of the vote.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 EBF Hall of Fame

The European Baseball Federation added two players into its Hall of Fame from the 1984 voting. LF Sauncho Fiero was a first ballot selection with 94.5%, while RF Paul Schlacher got the boost up to 78.0% on his seventh ballot. The only other player above 50% was SP Munib Jovicic, short of the 66% requirement with 57.0% on his eighth attempt.



Dropped after ten ballots was SP Rayan Boulay, who had a 14-year career with Paris. He had a 161-101 record, 2.75 ERA, 2728 strikeouts over 2342.2 innings with 55.5 WAR. Pretty firmly a Hall of Very Good guy who peaked at 22.8% on his second ballot. Also dropped was Levin Feuersanger, a two-way player who played 16 seasons between Zurich and Berlin. On the mound, he had a 184-145 record, 3.07 ERA, 2579 strikeouts over 3057.1 innings, and 57.9 WAR. In the outfield, he had 22.2 WAR with a .275/.341/.525 slash, 621 hits, 360 runs, 147 home runs, and 374 RBI. The combined numbers didn’t win over the voters as he wasn’t a dominant player with Feuersander peaking at 35.1% on his debut. Both he and Boulay were in the single-digits by the end.



Sauncho “Headhunter” Fiero – Left Field – Athens Anchors – 94.5% First Ballot

Sauncho Fiero was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Fuenlabrada, a Spanish city of around 200,000 people within the Community of Madrid. Fiero was a fantastic contact hitter that was also solid at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He had excellent gap power with very good speed, averaging around 30 doubles and 20 triples per season. Although he had strong gap power, Fiero didn’t hit many home runs with a career high of 13. He was considered an ironman as he made 140+ starts in 16 straight seasons. Fiero was a career left fielder, although he was a lousy defender. He was endearing though as a quiet, humble, hard-working player who you could always count on.

As a teenager amateur in Spain, Fiero was spotted by a scout from Athens. At age 16, he was signed and brought to Greece on a developmental deal. Fiero debuted with a few appearances in 1960 at age 19, then became a full-time starter for the Anchors for the next 16 seasons. In his first full season, Fiero won a batting title with a .345 average and led the Southern Conference with 211 hits, earning him the 1961 Rookie of the Year. He would win five batting titles and lead in hits six times. Fiero also was the conference leader in doubles thrice and OBP once.

Without the big slugging numbers, Fiero was never in the top three in MVP voting and often was just short of the Silver Slugger. Still, he won the Slugger four times (1965, 67, 68, 69). Fiero also was a regular for Spain in the World Baseball Championship with 109 starts from 1962-77. He had 122 hits, 53 runs, 29 doubles, 3.2 WAR, and a .298/.389/.425 slash in the WBC. Athens made the playoffs four times in his tenure, although they never got beyond the conference final and Fiero had an iffy .197 average in 17 games.

He kept chugging along though and climbed his way up the all-time hits leaderboard, eventually becoming the European Baseball Federation’s hit leader and first player to 3000 career hits. His gap power started to fade in his later years and he was demoted to a part-time role by the end with Athens. Fiero would be let go after the 1977 season, but kept a good relationship with the Anchors and would see his #35 uniform retired. He hoped to carry on and signed a three-year deal at age 37 with Seville, but he was middling in a part-time role with the Stingrays. After only one season back in Spain, Fiero opted to retire.

Fiero’s final stats: 3321 hits, 1428 runs, 541 doubles, 305 triples, 131 home runs, 1166 RBI, 937 walks, 896 stolen bases, a .329/.387/.481 slash, 153 wRC+, and 80.0 WAR. He would hold onto the hit-king crown until the mid 1990s and sits tenth as of 2037. At induction, he was also the doubles leader and remains sixth as of 2037. Fiero fell down the leaderboards in the later years, but the hits leader certainly isn’t going to be left out and he earned the first ballot nod at 94.5%.



Paul Schlacher – Right Field – Naples Nobles – 78.0% Seventh Ballot

Paul Schlacher was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Leonding, a city of around 27,000 people in upper Austria. Schlacher was best known for having an excellent eye, getting on base quite often despite being an average contact hitter and only average at avoiding strikeouts. Schlacher had respectable home run power, regularly hitting 20+ and a couple times topping 35. He also averaged 30 doubles per season, although he didn’t stretch many out to triples with his below average speed. Schlacher was a career right fielder and typically viewed as being above average defensively. He was also pretty durable and regularly was a full-time starter for almost his entire career.

Schlacher was a late bloomer though, not debuting until he was 24 years old. He was spotted by a scout from Naples in 1954 and signed as a teenager amateur. He spent many seasons in the developmental system, but the Nobles’ patience ultimately paid off. He only started half of the games in his rookie year, but was impressive enough to take second in the 1961 Rookie of the Year voting. Schlacher would be a full-time starter for the rest of his Naples run with 130+ starts each year for the next decade in Italy.

He would win Silver Sluggers in 1966 and 67. In 1966, Schlacher had a sudden power burst, smacking a Southern Conference best 51 home runs and 121 RBI. He also led in WAR (11.3), OPS (1.118), and wRC+ (224) to earn his lone MVP award. He took third in voting the next year, still leading in OPS and wRC+ while posting a 10.1 WAR season. Schlacher never again had the same type of power, but he’d post ten seasons worth 5+ WAR in his career. He also was a regular for Austria in the World Baseball Championship with 120 starts from 1962-77. In that stretch he had 93 hits, 60 runs, 35 home runs, 72 RBI, and 4.4 WAR.

Naples was a middling team during Schlacher’s best seasons. They would finally get to the playoffs with three straight division titles from 1969-71, but they were one-and-done each season in the playoffs. Still, he was a very popular player for his decade in Naples and would have his #17 uniform retired at the end of his pro career. Schlacher’s Nobles run and run in Europe ended after the 1972 season as the 36 year old became a free agent, drawing international suitors. He decided to sign a three-year, $1,016,000 deal with Brooklyn.

Schlacher had a strong MLB debut with a 6.0 WAR season. He had three solid years with the Dodgers worth 14.1 WAR in total. After that contract ran out, he played two more seasons with Boston. Schlacher was a solid starter in his first year with the Red Sox, but saw his role lessened as age continued to chase him. He opted to retire after the 1977 season at age 41. For his five MLB seasons, Schlacher had 18.4 WAR, 621 hits, 383 runs, 114 home runs, and 359 RBI.

For his full pro career, Schlacher had 98.9 WAR, 2377 hits, 1414 runs, 436 home runs, 1433 RBI, a .277/.376/.497 slash, and 152 wRC+. However, his EBF Hall of Fame criteria was mainly focused on his Naples run with a .290/.391/.524 slash, 80.5 WAR, 161 wRC+, 1756 hits, 1031 runs, 322 home runs, and 1074 RBI. Schlacher didn’t have the tenure or dominance to be up the leaderboards, although his OBP and WAR marks gave him some traction. He debuted at 43.7% and fell to 33.6% on his second attempt, making many figure Schlacher’s candidacy was doomed. He pinballed around and got to 64.3% on his fifth ballot, barely missing the 66% threshood. He dropped back to 52.1% on his sixth ballot, but enough voters changed their mind for a seventh ballot induction with 78.0%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 EPB Hall of Fame

---

Eurasian Professional Baseball inducted two players into the Hall of Fame with the 1984 ballot, both on the first ballot. Two-way player Havlik Hloznik was the headliner with 98.2% of the vote and was joined by pitcher Nikita Titov at 81.5%. Closer Elgiz Gulyamov was close on his second try at 62.8%, Also above 50% was 2B Ali Alasgarov at 56.9% for his second ballot and SP Eryk Wozniak at 56.0% on his sixth attempt. No players were dumped from the EPB ballot after ten tries in 1984.



Havlik Hloznik – Pitcher/Outfielder – Bratislava Blue Falcons – 98.2% First Ballot

Havlik Hloznik was a 5’10’’, 200 pound two-way player from Kremnica, a town of around 5,000 people in central Slovakia. Hloznik was a right-handed pitcher, but was a left-handed hitter. Pitching was his main forte with very good stuff and movement along with above average control. Hloznik’s fastball topped out in the 97-99 mph range and was mixed with a curveball, changeup, and sinker. He was also great at holding runners and was incredibly durable, starting 30+ games in the mound with 250+ innings in all but his final two seasons.

Hloznik did this while also averaging around another 50 starts or so each year in the outfield. He wasn’t an amazing batter, but good enough to provide positive value in the lineup. Hloznik had a solid eye with respectable speed and contact ability, plus decent pop in his bat. He made about 2/3 of his non-pitching starts in right field with most of the rest in left and was a below average defender, but not awful. Hloznik was also a hard worker and very adaptable, which made him one of the most popular players of his era.

Hloznik’s potential was noticed at home in Czechoslovakia during his college days, and the Slovakian capital Bratislava picked him seventh overall in the 1963 EPB Draft. He was a full-timer immediately in the rotation and also provided 300+ plate appearances each year as a Blue Falcon. Hloznik easily claimed the 1964 Rookie of the Year, winning Rookie of the Month four times in his debut season. On the mound, he had 12 total seasons worth 6+ WAR and 12 seasons with 300+ strikeouts. In 1966, Hloznik tossed a no-hitter with nine strikeouts and two walks against Riga. He would take third in that year’s MVP voting.

1967 would be Hloznik’s finest season on the mound, winning both Pitcher of the Year and league MVP. He had career bests in ERA (1.70), innings (306.2), strikeouts (413), and WAR (12.7). Hloznik had a European League-best 10.3 WAR with a 1.81 ERA in 1970, but was second in Pitcher of the Year voting. He’d take the MVP that year though with his finest season at the plate, adding 4.0 WAR, 160 wRC+, and a .308 average. Hloznik took third in both PotY and MVP voting in 1971, ultimately his final season with Bratislava.

Despite his efforts, the Blue Falcons were consistently a bottom-rung franchise and wouldn’t make their first playoff appearance until 2003. Hloznik is still remembered fondly though, especially as a Slovakian great, and had his #4 uniform retired. With Bratislava on the mound, he had a 131-110 record, 2.27 ERA, 2812 strikeouts over 2326.2 innings, and 69.6 WAR. At the plate, he had 15.9 WAR with 672 hits, 307 runs, 77 home runs, 258 RBI, and a .258/.321/.417 slash. Hloznik became a free agent after the 1971 season and the 31-year old got a lot of attention. Moscow would win out with a six-year, $1,412,000 deal.

After a solid first season with the Mules, Hloznik won his second Pitcher of the Year in 1973 and took second in MVP voting, leading the European League in ERA (1.83) and WAR (9.0). Moscow had been a contender, but had dealt with issues getting over the hump in the playoffs. Hloznik helped change that as the Mules were the 1974 and 1975 Soviet Series winners. He won ELCS and finals MVP in 1974, then won ELCS MVP again in 1975. In 11 playoff starts, Hloznik had a 1.39 ERA, 8-2 record, 84.1 innings, 94 strikeouts, and 2.3 WAR. He also in 22 games at the plate had 22 hits, 6 runs, 3 home runs, a .306/.383/.514 slash and 0.9 WAR.

1976 had his second no-hitter, an eight strikeout effort against Minsk. However, Hloznik’s efforts were average at best on the whole. The next year, Moscow tried him in an opener role, but he was subpar. The Mules released him after the season and he signed back with Bratislava for 1978. Hloznik was cooked though at this point and saw limited use, retiring after the season at age 37.

Hloznik’s final stats on the mound saw a 218-180 record, 2.33 ERA, 3775.2 innings, 4493 strikeouts to 814 walks, 343/498 quality starts, 194 complete games, FIP- of 71, and 106.8 WAR. At induction, he was one of only five EPB pitchers with 100+ career WAR and more than deserving just on his pitching merits. At the plate, Hloznik added 1043 hits, 491 runs, 164 doubles, 131 home runs, 422 RBI, 358 stolen bases, a .257/.316/.427 slash, 128 wRC+, and 25.9 WAR. Along with his role in Moscow’s mid 1970s titles, Hloznik easily goes down as one of the best of the 1960s and 1970s in Eurasian Professional Baseball, well deserving of the first ballot nod at 98.2%.



Nikita Titov - Starting Pitcher – Omsk Otters – 81.5% First Ballot

Nikita Titov was a 5’10’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in western Russia. Titov’s biggest strength was excellent pinpoint control, but he also had above average stuff and movement in his prime. His velocity peaked at 96-98 mph with a fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup. Titov had solid stamina and durability and was considered a sparkplug personality with a great work ethic and attitude.

Titov was noticed as a high schooler and was picked 30^th overall by Krasnoyarsk in the 1955 Eurasian Professional Baseball Draft. However, he didn’t sign with the Cossacks and began a college career. Titov was still highly touted when he next became eligible in 1959, getting picked eighth overall by Omsk. He signed with the Otters and was an instant full-time member of their rotation.

Titov spent 13 and a half seasons with Omsk and put up regular solid production with ten seasons worth 5+ WAR. He wasn’t a league leader though and only once was a Pitcher of the Year finalist, taking third in the 1966 voting. That year, he posted an impressive 10.1 WAR and league best 28 quality starts. On July 14, 1968; Titov threw EPB’s tenth perfect game with seven strikeouts against Baku.

Omsk was a consistent contender during Titov’s prime with seven playoff appearances from 1963-71. The Otters had trouble in the postseason, but had a historic 1966 season where they finished 120-42 and won the Asian League title; falling in the Soviet Series to Minsk. Titov’s playoff numbers looked similar to his regular season production with a 2.92 ERA over 64.2 innings with 77 strikeouts and 2.3 WAR. In total with Omsk, Titov had a 200-162 record, 2.95 ERA, 3404.1 innings, 3641 strikeouts to 488 walks, 290/437 quality starts, and 87.5 WAR. The Otters would honor him by retiring his #20 uniform at the end of his career.

Omsk started to struggle and rebuild into the mid 1970s and decided to trade the now 36-year old Titov in the summer of 1973. He was moved along with SS Yevhen Zhokh to Kyiv in exchange for eventual Hall of Fame pitcher Yevhen Selin and pitcher Szilard Duna. The Kings ended a postseason drought that season and opted to sign Titov to a contract extension. When healthy, he was very solid with a 47-16 record, 2.06 ERA, 669.2 innings, 643 strikeouts, and 16.3 WAR over three and a half seasons with Kyiv.

Shoulder inflammation would cost Titov much of 1975. He bounced back in 1976, but suffered a torn UCL in July 1976, putting him on the shelf for 16 months. Titov was determined to make a comeback despite the odds and his age. He signed back with Omsk in September 1977, but didn’t make an appearance and was let go in the offseason. Titov would sign before the 1978 season with Irkutsk, but struggled in 26 innings of relief. He retired after the season at age 41.

Titov’s final stats: 249-181 record, 2.82 ERA, 4100 innings, 4303 strikeouts, 543 walks, 356/527 quality starts, FIP- of 76, and 103.2 WAR. His ERA was one of the higher ones among EPB Hall of Famers, but he was one of six pitchers at induction with 100+ career WAR and was the eighth pitcher to reach 4000 career strikeouts. At induction, he was also fourth all-time in wins. Titov’s longevity got him the first ballot nod with 81.5% of the vote.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 OBA Hall of Fame

No players were inducted into the Oceania Baseball Association with the 1984 voting. RF Danny Carrott was the only player above 50%, getting 57.0% on his fourth go, a new high mark for the two-time MVP. Three pitchers were in the 40-50% range with Honore Waheo at 49.2%, Ryan Cudiaboo at 48.9%, and Matthew Mamba at 45.2%. All three were on their third ballot.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 APB Hall of Fame

Pitcher Ametung Tirta was inducted into the Austronesia Professional Baseball Hall of Fame as the lone member of the 1984 class. On his first ballot, Tirta received 79.0% of the vote. Closer Hao-Ming Lu was close to the 66% mark in his debut, but was five percent short with 61.0%. Also above 50% were 3B Stanley Susilowati at 59.7% for his second attempt and pitcher Vitorio Pinga at 59.0% on his fifth try.



Dropped after ten tries was closer Hartriono Siagian, who stayed in the 30% range his whole time on the ballot. He never won the top award and only was in APB for five seasons, but he did lead in saves four times. Between three leagues and seven teams over eight years, Siagian had 198 saves, a 1.30 ERA, 559.1 innings, 720 strikeouts, and 25.0 WAR. Another closer, I Putu Widodo was dropped with a peak of 28.7% on the ballot. His APB run was only six years, but he won two Reliever of the Year awards. With six teams and two leagues over seven years, he had 188 saves, a 1.35 ERA, 894 strikeouts over 466.1 innings and 30.8 WAR.



Ametung Tirta – Pitcher – Surabaya Sunbirds – 79.0% First Ballot

Ametung Tirta was a 5’10’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Ambon, a city of around 350,000 people and the capital of the eastern Indonesian province of Maluku. Tirta was considered average to above average with his stuff, movement, and control. His velocity peaked at 95-97 mph velocity with an arsenal of fastball, slider, forkball, and changeup. Tirta had good stamina and durability in his 20s.

Tirta left Indonesia to play college baseball at the University of Kang Ning in Taipei. His collegiate excellence earned him the fifth overall pick by Surabaya in the 1967 APB Draft. Tirta’s full career in Austronesia Professional Baseball was with the Sunbirds, beginning with some starts and relief. He took second in Rookie of the Year voting. From year two to nine with Surabaya, he pitched 249+ innings in each season.

On two occasions, Tirta led the Sundaland Association in ERA. He finished third in Pitcher of the Year in 1971 voting, then won the award in 1972 with career and league bests in ERA (1.55), and WHIP (0.79). He’d also take third in 1973 voting. The Sunbirds earned their first playoff appearances during this three year stretch and in 1971 won their Austronesian Championship for the first time. In 58.2 playoff innings, Tirta had a 2.76 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 1.2 WAR.

By WAR, Tirta’s best season was 1975 with 8.3. He had six straight 5+ WAR seasons to that point, but saw his productivity drop with only 2.8 WAR in 1976. This was the final APB season for Tirta with the 31-year old entering free agency and getting international suitors. His stint with Surabaya was strong enough that the franchise would later retire his #6 uniform. Even with a down 1976, MLB’s San Francisco was convinced he could return to form, signing Tirta to a six-year, $3,166,000 contract.

Tirta struggled with the Gold Rush with a lousy 5.22 ERA over 172.1 innings with negative 1.0 WAR. He was reduced to the bullpen for his second year and cut before the 1979 season. Tirta had four more MLB seasons and bounced around between Denver, Oakland, Indianapolis, and the new expansion Virginia Beach squad. He got back into the rotation in his last two years, but he’d retire after the 1982 season at age 37. For his MLB career, Tirta had a 37-45 record, 4.70 ERA, 824 innings, 414 strikeouts, FIP- of 128 and -1.7 WAR.

However, his APB Hall of Fame candidacy is based on his Surabaya tenure. With the Sunbirds, he had a 156-80 record, 2.02 ERA, 2316.2 innings, 2231 strikeouts, 512 walks, FIP- of 81, and 48.8 WAR. It was a solid run over nine years and he helped them win a ring, but his totals are certainly on the low end. With a still young Hall of Fame and a lack of standouts on the 1984 ballot, enough voters decided to give Tirta a first ballot spot at 79.0%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 CLB Hall of Fame

---

Chinese League Baseball’s Hall of Fame saw its first inductee from the 1984 voting as pitcher Chun Lin received 90.1% on his debut. The top five on the ballot all were in their debut, but only two were above 1/3 with pitchers Feixien Zhang at 39.3% and Xi Zhong at 35.0%.



Chun Lin – Pitcher – Chengdu Clowns – 90.1% First Ballot

Chun Lin was a 5’9’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher from Jinzhou, a prefecture-level city of more than 2,700,000 in China’s northeastern Liaoning province. Lin had very good stuff, movement, and control with 97-99 mph peak velocity. His arsenal was fastball, slider, forkball, and changeup. He was very durable, although he wasn’t one to throw many complete games. Lin had been a star of the semi-pro ranks in his early 20s throughout China. He was 27-years old when CLB was officially formed for the 1970 season and signed his first CLB deal with Chengdu; a four-year, $616,000 deal.

In his debut season, Lin was third in Pitcher of the Year voting and won a Silver Slugger. He then won Pitcher of the Year in both 1972 and 1973, taking third in MVP voting in 1972. Lin had two no-hitters with the Clowns, both with 11 strikeouts and one walk. The first came in May 1970 against Hong Kong with the second in March 1971 against Kunming. Lin led in strikeouts, WIHP, and WAR twice in his four year run with Chengdu. He als pitched with China’s World Baseball Championship team from 1971-75 with a 2.87 ERA over 75.1 innings.

With Chengdu in only four seasons, Lin had a 74-27 record, 1.43 ERA, 928.1 innings, 1194 strikeouts, 32 FIP-, and 44.6 WAR. The Clowns were solid, but didn’t make the playoff in Lin’s run. Now age 31, he left for the 1974 season and signed a six-year, $1,608,000 deal with Wuhan. The Wolverines would make the playoffs three times with Lin, although they couldn’t get beyond the semifinal. Lin took second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1974 and third in 1976. He posted a career-best 0.60 WAR in his first season with Wuhan. Lin saw his production drop significantly in his fourth and fifth seasons with the Wolverines and opted to retire after the 1978 season at age 35. With Wuhan, Lin had a 72-45 record, 2.30 ERA, 1098.2 innings, 1015 strikeouts, and 26.8 WAR.

Lin’s full career had a 146-72 record, 1.90 ERA, 2027 innings, 2209 strikeouts to 271 walks, 219/276 quality starts, a 0.81 WHIP, 56 FIP-, and 71.4 WAR. His rate stats are very impressive for what was officially a nine year career, although the totals are lower on the later leaderboards. Had Lin’s early 20s been included, he probably would’ve figured more prominently on the all-time lists for Chinese pitchers. His run was impressive enough though to make him the first CLB Hall of Famer and a first ballot pick at 90.1%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 World Baseball Championship



The 1984 World Baseball Championship was the 38th edition of the event and the first to be hosted in Indonesia with Jakarta as the primary host city. For the 34th time, the United States advanced into the elite eight as the Americans took Division 1 at 8-1. Colombia, France, Haiti, and Paraguay were each 6-3. China claimed Division 2 at 7-2, edging 6-3 efforts by Argentina and Venezuela. It is the 13th division title for the Chinese, who had missed the field in the prior two years. Defending world champion Germany tied with Japan atop Division 3 at 7-2 with Taiwan at 6-3. The tiebreaker went to the Japanese to end a five year division title drought. It is Japan’s 13th time advancing to the elite eight.

Division 4 saw a first-time division winner in an incredibly loaded field with Bangladesh at 6-3. Five nations were 5-4 and three were 4-5. D5 had Spain first at 7-2, beating both Mexico and Peru by one game. This is the fourth division title for the Spanish and first since 1976. In Division 6, Honduras prevailed at 7-2, one ahead of both Belgium and India. The only other time the Hondurans got out of the opening round was the inaugural 1947 WBC. Last year’s runner-up Ukraine and Canada both went 8-1 in D7. The tiebreaker moved the Ukrainians forward for the fourth time. And in Division 8, Brazil at 8-1 edged out 7-2 Cuba to advance. The Brazilians have advanced 20 times as well as three straight years.

The United States went 5-1 for first in Round Robin Group A, while both Japan and Honduras were 3-3 and Bangladesh was 1-5. The tiebreaker sent Japan forward to the semifinal for the fifth time, but first since 1964. It is the 31st final four for the Americans. Group B had China and Brazil advance with 4-2 finishes for both, while Spain was 3-3 and Ukraine was 1-5. It was the ninth time in the semifinal round for both the Chinese and Brazilians.

In the best-of-five semifinals, the United States swept China to earn a 27th finals appearance. Brazil bested Japan 3-1 to earn their fourth finals berth and first since 1976. Japan officially was third; their best finish since 1962, while China was fourth.



The 38th World Championship was the third time that the United States and Brazil had met in the finale, with the Americans winning in their 1966 and 1976 encounters. The result was the same as the US took it 4-2 for its 24th world title. Brazil is now 0-4 in their finals appearances.



Connor Neumeyer won a historic fourth tournament MVP as the 34-year old American left fielder had 25 runs, 35 hits, 7 doubles, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, and 2.0 WAR in 24 starts. Neumeyer joined the Philippines’ Jimmy Caliw as the only players with 100+ home runs in their WBC careers. Canada’s James Chretien was given the Best Pitcher. A three-time Reliever of the Year winner with Calgary, he tossed 11.2 scoreless innings with three hits allowed and 23 strikeouts.

Other notes: Belarus’s Pavel Bely threw only the second WBC perfect game, striking out 16 against Honduras. The only other perfect game was back in 1960. Uruguay’s Bruno Navarro also had a no-hitter, striking out 14 and walking five against Thailand. Norway’s Lasse Kallevik became only the third player to hit for the cycle in the WBC, doing it against Russia.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 in SAB

---

In its fifth season, the Indian League saw Bengaluru, Jaipur, and Pune each in the playoffs again. Those teams have made the postseason field in all five seasons. The Blazers, winners of 115 games last year, were one better at 116-46 atop the South Division. Defending South Asian champ Pune fell off from their record setting 119-win 1983, but still comfortably won the West Division at 99-63. In the Central Division, Jaipur was first at 87-75, five games ahead of Delhi. The wild card spot went to the South Division’s Visakhapatnam at 87-75 for the Volts’ first-ever playoff berth.

Delhi’s V.J Williams won the Indian League MVP. The fourth-year Indian 2B was the leader in runs (138), hits (207), total bases (415), triple slash (.354/.435/.709), OPS (1.144), wRC+ (232), and WAR (13.0). Williams also smacked 51 home runs with 109 RBI. His 138 runs scored would be the single-season SAB record until 2007. Pune’s Sankar Sundaram won his fourth Pitcher of the Year with the 31-year old leading in WAR (9.1) and strikeouts (369). He had a 2.57 ERA and 21-7 record over 244.2 and also won a Gold Glove. Also of note, Pedro Heredia won his fourth Reliever of the Year. The 34-year old Argentinian split the season between Ahmedabad and Jaipur. Between SAB and Beisbol Sudamerica, Heredia has won Reliever of the Year an unprecedented ten times.

Despite their stellar record, Bengaluru once again suffered a first round exit. Division foe Visakhapatnam upset them in 3-2 to advance to face defending South Asian champ Pune. The Purple Knights bested Jaipur 3-1. In their fourth straight Indian League Championship Series appearance, Pune won their third IL title, surviving a seven game thriller against the Volts.



Dhaka earned a fourth straight playoff appearance and posted the top record in the Southeast Asia League at 105-57. This won them the North Division by 13 games over two time defending SEAL champ Yangon. The Green Dragons at 92-70 easily took a wild card and are the only SEAL team to make the playoffs in each of the first five seasons. Kathmandu at 89-73 took the second wild card for their second berth in three years. The only team with a winning record in the South Division was Ho Chi Minh City. The Hedgehogs finished 89-73, winning back-to-back division crowns.

Dhaka 1B Yamin Thaw won his third Southeast Asia League MVP in four years. The “Enforcer” did it with the 35-year old Burmese lefty leading in runs (102), walks (97), OBP (.398), OPS (.976), and wRC+ (175), while adding 38 home runs and 7.1 WAR. Yangon’s Navjot Indumukhi won both Pitcher of the Year and Reliever of the Year. The 31-year old Indian had 37 saves, a 0.76 ERA, and 154 strikeouts over 95 innings with only seven walks and 6.2 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Ho Chi Minh City upset defending champ Yangon in five games, while Dhaka swept Kathmandu. The Southeast Asia League Championship Series was a seven-game classic with the Dobermans defeating the Hedgehogs. For Dhaka, it is their second SEAL title, setting up a rematch of the 1981 South Asian Championship against Pune.



The Purple Knights became the first franchise in SAB history to win the South Asian Championship in back-to-back seasons. Pune outlasted Dhaka in an intense battle 4-3. LF Ghazzi Usama was the finals MVP with the 31-year old Pakistani posting 18 hits, 6 runs, 5 doubles, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI in 18 playoff starts. Pitcher of the Year Sankar Sundaram was huge as well, setting a still-standing postseason record with 58 strikeouts. He had a 1.21 ERA and 4-0 record over 37.1 playoff innings. On the other side, Dhaka’s Yamin Thaw had 10 doubles in the postseason, a SAB record that still stands in 2037.



Other notes: Ahmedabad’s Ynilo Naranjo set a single game SAB record with 21 strikeouts in a complete game against Surat. This mark would only get matched again in 2007. For the first time, SAB didn’t see a single no-hitter all season. Bengaluru’s Augustin Markovic was the first player in SAB history to hit four home runs in a game. SS Al-Amin Kundu is the only SAB player to win Silver Sluggers in each of the first five seasons. LF Aidy Majeed did it with the Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 in WAB

---

The Western League had the same three playoff teams in 1984 as it had in 1983. Nouakchott went from the second wild card the prior season up to first place at 100-62. Defending WL champ Bamako was only one game back at 99-63. Kumasi at 90-72 finished third for the second wild card spot and a seventh consecutive playoff berth. Accra was four back at 86-76 with Conakry at 85-77. Although second, the Bullfrogs allowed only 450 runs, a single-season Western League record that still stands as of 2037.

Nouakchott’s Epule Fongang won back-to-back MVPs. The 24-year old Cameroonian 3B led in runs (102), hits (216), RBI (121), total bases (365), triple slash (.349/.378/.590), OPS (.968), wRC+ (188), and WAR (10.9). Bamako’s Addise Assefa won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old Ethiopian lefty set a new single-season strikeout record with 427; a mark that still stands as of 2037. Assefa also led the Western League in wins (24-5), innings (292), WHIP (0.76), K/BB (10.4), quality starts (31), complete games (13), shutouts (5), and WAR (11.0). He also had a 22 strikeout game against Accra on July 16, a single-game WAB record that held until 2022.

Bamako edged Kumasi 2-1 in the wild card round to set up a rematch with Nouakchott in the Western League Championship Series. The Night Riders would get revenge taking the series 3-1 for their first league title.



Atop the Eastern League was Kano at 96-66, earning a seventh playoff appearance in the first ten years of West African Baseball. After just missing the playoff field last year, Port Harcourt took second at 91-71 for their sixth playoff appearance. Niamey became a first-time playoff team as the Atomics finished third at 89-73. Ibadan was two games behind for the second wild card with Ouagadougou four back and defending WAB champion Lagos at five back.

Osprey CF Robbie Oakes won back-to-back Eastern League MVPs. It would be the final WAB season for the 26-year old South African, who would leave for MLB’s Jacksonville the next year. Oakes led the EL in runs (113), walks (126), stolen bases (87), OBP (.434), OPS (.930), wRC+ (174), and WAR (9.7). His 126 walks set a single-season WAB record that still stands as of 2037. Taking back-to-back Pitcher of the Year was Moussa Sidi, who signed a big seven-year, $2,940,000 deal with Kano after winning the award with Lagos last year. The 29-year old Mauritanian led in wins (19-8), ERA (1.71), quality starts (28), FIP- (55), and WAR (9.1). He added 304 strikeouts in 247 innings.

Niamey upset Port Harcourt 2-1 in the wild card round to advance to the Eastern League Championship Series. First place Kano would claim the crown though, defeating the Atomics 3-1. It is the third EL pennant for the Condors, who won the WAB championship in the first two seasons.



The 10^th West African Championship was a seven game classic. Nouakchott won its first ring by edging Kano 4-3 with league MVP Epule Fongang leading the way. He won both finals MVP and WLCS MVP with 18 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, 12 RBI, and 8 stolen bases in 11 playoff games.



Other notes: Power Bonou became the first WAB pitcher to 3000 career strikeouts. George Nandjou became the first to 1000 career RBI. Abdoulaye Cisse won his seventh Gold Glove as a pitcher.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 in CLB



Defending Chinese League Baseball champion Tianjin improved to a franchise-record 111-51 to dominate the Northern League. The Jackrabbits led all of China in both runs scored (581) and fewest allowed (372). Taking the second place spot was Beijing at 90-72, the first playoff berth for the capital since 1970. Qingdao finished four games behind the Bears for the second place spot with Shanghai five back and both Nanjing and Harbin at seven back.

Jinan’s Charlie Zhang won his second Northern League MVP in three years. The 29-year old second baseman led in WAR (12.1), total bases (332), slugging (.576), OPS (.916), wRC+ (12.1), and triples (21). Zhang added a .278 average and 38 home runs. Tianjin’s Sarunyoo Pongpanich won Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old from Thailand led in wins with a 21-10 record, posting a 1.46 ERA over 259 innings with 270 strikeouts and 7.8 WAR.



Defending Southern League champ Chongqing took first again, this time at 98-64. 1982 champ Hong Kong finished second narrowly at 94-68, edging out Guangzhou by one game and Chengdu by two. Last year’s second place team Macau fell off noticeably, taking tenth at 62-100.

Guangzhou LF Chaoqing Yang won his second Southern League MVP, leading in WAR (12.3), runs (104), total bases (351), slugging (.634), and OPS (.987). Yang added 44 home runs and 93 RBI. He took MVP over Chongqing’s Shichao Zhang, who became the first Triple Crown hitter in CLB history. Zhang had 47 home runs, 101 RBI, and a .301 average with 9.5 WAR and 223 wRC+, but his poor defense compared to Yang hurt him with some voters. Shenzhen’s Xinyu Dai won his third straight Pitcher of the Year, leading with 9.4 WAR, 53 FIP-, 9 shutouts, and a 11.3 K/BB. Dai had a 13-14 record over 263.1 innings with 293 strikeouts and 1.88 WAR. Also of note, Yongjie Xie won his seventh Reliever of the Year award in his lone season with Chongqing. Xie left for Eurasian Professional Baseball and later Major League Baseball to finish his career.

Both Northern League teams prevailed in the semifinal series. First place Tianjin survived a seven-game classic with Hong Kong, while Beijing upset Chongqing 4-1. This sent the Bears to the China Series for the second time, as they were the inaugural champs, while the Jackrabbits had a shot at repeat titles and earned a fourth finals berth.



Beijing bested Tianjin 4-3 in a classic to become two time Chinese League champions. RF Hejing Chen led the way for the Bears, winning MVP honors in the final and in the semifinal. In 12 playoff starts, Chen had 22 hits, 6 runs, 2 doubles, 3 triples, 6 RBI, and 7 stolen bases.



Other notes: CLB’s 14^th and 15^th Perfect Games were thrown in the 1984 season. On April 29, Beijing’s Bin Zhan had nine strikeouts against Shanghai. Then on August 6, Kunming’s Jiahao Zhang fanned 15 against Shenzhen. Qingdao’s Shenchao An became the first CLB hitter to 2500 hits. He’d play one more season and retire with 2704 hits. Although he’d get passed only a few years later for the top spot, his mark remains second all-time in the low offense CLB. Yongjie Xie became the second reliever to 400 career saves. Xinze Yan became the third to 400 career home runs. Zhijian Dong became the first to 4000 career strikeouts, retiring with 4054 Ks. Hao Lan and Wenjie Zhang became the third and fourth to 1000 career RBI. Yadong Chen was the fourth to 1000 runs scored.

3B Chanta Thepsenavong and SS Junjie Hsiung won their ninth Gold Glove. Catcher Yuanyi Sun won his eighth. LF Hao Lan won his ninth Silver Slugger while 3B Liang Yehya won his eighth. This was the final CLB season for Xinze Yan, who retired the CLB career leader in runs (1147) and RBI (1157). He’d hold those career marks until the early 2020s.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1984 in APB

---

After taking second in the prior two seasons, Taichung found itself back at the top of the Taiwan League in 1984. The Toucans were 92-70, beating Tainan by four games and Taipei by seven. Taoyuan’s dynasty officially ended as the two-time defending Austronesian Champions were fourth at 83-79. The Tsunami would have to wait until the 1990s to be a champion again, but they did set a still standing Taiwan-Philippine Association record with 484 stolen bases as a team. Quezon won the Philippine League at 97-65 for their second title in three years, besting Zamboanga by five games. Last year’s PL winner Manila dropped to 77-83.

The TPA would see Triple Crown seasons from both the MVP and Pitcher of the Year. Quezon 1B Indra Gunalan won his second MVP with the 28-year old Indonesian posting a .291 average, 45 home runs, and 107 RBI. He also led the association in runs (177), total bases (355), slugging (.584), OPS (.902), and wRC+ (175). Zamboanga’s Vhon Lasam won his fourth Pitcher of the Year with a 20-7 record, 1.72 ERA, and 377 strikeouts. The 29-year old Filipino lefty tossed 288 innings and also led in WHIP (0.81), FIP- (52), and WAR (11.0).



Defending Sundaland Association champ Medan won the Malacca League for the fourth time in five years. The Marlins had the top record in the SA at 104-58, 17 games ahead of Pekanbaru. Semarang had a great turnaround to win the Java League, going from 67 wins in 1983 to 91-71 in 1984. Last year’s first palce team Jakarta was second at 86-76.

Winning Sundaland Association MVP was Semarang’s Eric Iglesia. The 26-year old Filipino left fielder led the SA in hits (198), average (.331), RBI (102), total bases (365), slugging (.610), OPS (.969), and wRC+ (253). He added 8.1 WAR and 35 home runs. Medan’s Ryco Bujang won his third Pitcher of the Year in the fifth year of his career. The 27-year old Indonesian led in WAR (10.8), WHIP (0.74), K/BB (10.6), quality starts (32), and wins (19-6). He added a 1.51 ERA over 274.1 innings with 330 strikeouts.

The Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship was a seven game thriller with Quezon outlasting Taichung. This was the first title for the Zombies and the first for a Filipino team since 1980. The Sundaland Association was a dud with Medan sweeping Semarang. This gave the Marlins their third title in four years and fourth SA pennant overall.



Medan would again be denied in the Austronesia Championship, moving to 0-3 in their 1980s run. Quezon took the series in six games for their first overall championship. Pitcher Samuel Dau was finals MVP with a stellar postseason, going 3-0 in three starts and 25.1 innings with a 0.36 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and only one walk.



Other notes: APB’s 10^th and 11^th Perfect Games came in 1984. On May 28, Bandung’s Azman Attah struck out nine against Surabaya. On June 12, Palembang’s Gherry Sulaiman fanned 10 against Semarang. Pitcher of the Year Vhon Lasam set a single-game record with 23 strikeouts over 10.1 innings against Cebu. This mark wouldn’t get met again in APB until 2035. Davao’s Jacko Halili had APB’s fourth six-hit game. It would be the last one until 1994.

Angelo Mula became the second batter to 2500 hits, the ninth to 1000 RBI, and the fifth to 1000 runs scored. Francis Pung became the sixth to 1000 runs. It would be the final season for both with Pung finishing with 2741 hits and Mula at 2517. They would remain the top two in APB hits until 2001. Kent Wang won his 15^th and final Gold Glove at first base, which would remain the APB record for any position.