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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-02-2023, 06:01 AM

1984 in OBA

The Australasia League had a tie for the top spot at the season’s end with both Auckland and Adelaide at 94-68. The Avengers defeated the Aardvarks in a one-game playoff to give Auckland its third AL title in four years. Last year’s winner Christchurch fell off to a fourth place 79-83.

Despite their struggles, Chinooks 2B Mahuru Tion won the Australasia League MVP. The 30-year old Tahitian was the WARlord (9.0) and led in stolen bases (79), adding a .846 OPS and 153 wRC+. Adelaide’s Tarzan Rao won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and again made history. The 31-year old righty from Vanuatu earned back-to-back Triple Crowns and set the OBA record with 16.6 WAR. This not only remains the OBA record as of 2037, but was at this point only the sixth pitching season in any league worth 16+ WAR. Rao also led in wins (28-7), ERA (1.87), inning (328), strikeouts (462), WHIP (0.76), K/BB (14.0), quality starts (32), complete games (24), and FIP- (36).

Two-time defending Oceania Champion Honolulu earned a fourth straight Pacific League title. The Honu finished 102-60, 12 games ahead of Guam and 17 games better than Port Moresby.

Pacific League MVP went to Tahiti 2B Evan Boyett. The 27-year old from Hawaii was the WARlord (9.8) and leader in average (.312), OBP (.365), total bases (311), hits (187), runs (94), and doubles (45). Pitcher of the Year was Honolulu’s Jas Kuresa. The 26-year old Samoan righty was the ERA leader at 1.82 with the best FIP- at 68. Kuresa also had a 21-7 record with 268 strikeouts over 256.2 innings and 7.4 WAR.

In the 25^th Oceania Championship, it was a rematch of the 1982 final. Honolulu prevailed again over Auckland, this time 4-2, becoming the first franchise to three-peat as OBA champs. Pitcher of the Year Jas Kuresa was finals MVP as he got two complete game wins, allowing two runs and nine hits over 18 innings with 16 strikeouts and one walk. As of 2037, this run is one of only three OBA three-peats with the Honu doing it again from 1988-90 and Melbourne taking four straight from 2004-07.

Other notes: Perth’s Mitch Bird became the fourth OBA batter to record a six hit game. Neville Ryan had a 26-game hit streak to tie the OBA all-time record. Matthew Johnson and Trent Atkins became the fifth and sixth to 400 career home runs. Dede Hayati became the fourth to 2500 career hits. Hayati played two more years and retired as OBA’s hit king with 2885, passing Sione Hala’s 2872. That was the top mark until 2000.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-02-2023, 11:02 AM

1984 in EPB

After missing the playoffs last year, Bucharest finished atop the South Division at 102-60 for the best record in Eurasian Professional Baseball. It is the third division title in four years for the Broncos. Minsk won the North Division for the fourth straight year at 99-63. St. Petersburg was two back at 97-65 and again took a wild card spot. Kharkiv was also 97-65 to take second in the South Division and earn a third straight wild card. Two-time defending European League champ Kyiv had a solid 93-69 record, but the Kings had their playoff streak snapped at six seasons.

St. Petersburg 1B Darian Tasos won his third European League MVP. The 33-year old Albanian set the EPB single-season record for batting WAR with 13.46; a mark that would only get topped once over the next 50 years. Tasos led the EL in runs (107), hits (200), home runs (58), RBI (125), total bases (419), OBP (.385), slugging (.713), OPS (1.098), and wRC+ (262). Minsk’s Elfar Freyr Finsen won his second Pitcher of the Year. The 34-year old Icelandic lefty had 10.3 WAR over 279.2 innings with 294 strikeouts, a 21-9 record, and 1.61 ERA.

Bucharest survived in a five game duel against St. Petersburg for the first round of the playoffs, while Kharkiv stunned Minsk in a road sweep. This was the third European League Championship Series appearance in five years for the Killer Bees, while it was the first since 1960 for the Broncos. For the fourth straight season, the ELCS went all seven games. Bucharest prevailed over Kharkiv to win their second-ever EL pennant, joining their 1957 EPB title season.

Ulaanbaatar had the top mark in the Asian League at 98-64 atop the North Division for their second playoff berth in three years. Both wild cards came out of the North Division with Ufa at 92-70 and Krasnoyarsk at 91-71. For the Fiends, it snapped a 14-year playoff drought. The 1982 Soviet Series champ Cossacks are back in the field after only 83 wins the prior year. In the South Division, defending AL champ Bishkek was first at 92-70, earning a fourth playoff berth in five years. Baku was second at 90-72 and Dushanbe was third at 88-74, both just short in the wild card race as well. Novosibirsk (90-72) and Omsk (86-76) were also in the mix, but ultimately missed the playoff field.

Dushanbe RF Yusik Akkoyun was the Asian League MVP. The 26-year old Uzbek lefty led in WAR (9.1), slugging (.621), OPS (.990), and wRC+ (206), adding a .315 average and 32 home runs. Ulaanbaatar’s Azer Sattarli won his third consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 30-year old Russian led in strikeouts (390), and WAR (11.0), adding a 1.64 ERA and 21-7 record over 290 innings.

The division champs won the first round playoff series 3-1 with Ulaanbaatar over Krasnoyarsk and Bishkek over Ufa. The Black Sox earned a fourth Asian League Championship Series appearance in five years, while the Boars got only their second-ever appearance (1976). Bishkek bested Ulaanbaatar 4-2 to earn back-to-back AL pennants; their third in five years; and their sixth in franchise history. Their six titles is the most of any Asian League team.

The 30^th Soviet Series was a seven game thriller. For the third time in the decade, Bishkek found themselves the bridesmaid as Bucharest prevailed 4-3, bringing the title to Romania for only the second time (1957). 3B Konrad Mazur was the finals MVP, posting 7 home runs, 20 RBI, 14 hits, and 8 runs in 19 playoff starts. Mazur tied the EPB postseason record for RBI and also set the record for most strikeouts (31).

Other notes: There were three perfect games thrown in the 1984 EPB season, making it 23 in EPB’s history. Novosibirsk’s Rolands Karlovskis had the first with six strikeouts on April 19 against Almaty. Karlovskis became the first (and as of 2037, the only) EPB pitcher to throw two perfect games in his career, as he did it previously in 1979. On May 24, Kharkiv’s Merab Anjaparidze fanned nine against Sofia. Then on June 28, Bishkek’s Giorgi Mikadze struck out seven against Yerevan. Also notably, St. Petersburg’s Carymyrat Kurbanow had two no-hitters, one in August versus Riga and one in September against Sofia. That gave Kurbanow four no-nos in his career, as he had one in 1976 and a perfect game in 1977. He joined Artur Golub as the only EPB pitchers to this point with four or more no-hitters.

Vladimir Nadiryan became the fourth pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts. Emin Ismayilov became the sixth hitter to 600 career home runs. Aleksei Winchi and Artem Bezubyak were the 12^th and 13^th to reach 2500 career hits. Ivan Valev became the fourth to reach 1500 RBI. He’d retire after the 1985 season as the leader all-time with 1699, although Konrad Mazur would pass him two years later with 1702. Valev also won his 10^th Silver Slugger, LF Artyom Kahn won his 12^th Gold Glove.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-02-2023, 05:19 PM

1984 in EBF

Prior to the 1984 season, the European Baseball Federation instituted rule changes to increase offensive output. The EBF ERA in 1983 was around 3.40 with a batting average around .244, both marks considered below average historically. The changes worked with the ERA for 1984 sitting around 3.92 and the batting average around .264; both marks considered above average historically. For the 1980s, this made EBF’s offense the highest of any non-DH league for the rest of the decade. The output would stay around the same mark for the EBF for the next few decades.

Defending European Champion Amsterdam improved their mark to 104-58 and took the Northwest Division for the third straight season. The Anacondas set a EBF record with a team batting average of .301 and 485 stolen bases. The next two best records in the Northern Conference were in the same division. Paris took the wild card spot at 95-67, edging Rotterdam by two games. The Poodles snapped a seven-season playoff drought, while the Ravens had a great turnaround after bottoming out at 62 wins the prior year. In the North Central Division, Berlin was first at96-66 for back-to-back playoff spots and their first division title since 1971. Last year’s conference runner-up Copenhagen was second at 88-74. Birmingham won back-to-back British Isles Division crowns with a 92-70 mark.

The offensive rule changes helped Northern Conference MVP Sean Houston to a record breaking season for Birmingham. The 25-year old Scottish right fielder set the single-season mark for home runs (72), RBI (167), runs scored (144), hits (234), and total bases (522). The total bases record is still the all-time mark as of 2037, although Houston would later be passed in the other spots. Still, this season as of 2037 remains second all-time in RBI and runs and fourth in homers. Houston was also two points short of a Triple Crown with a .361 average, adding 11.1 WAR and a NC best .806 slugging, 1.187 OPS, and 228 wRC+. Pitcher of the Year meanwhile was Stockholm veteran Johannes Soderberg. The 31-year old Swede led in ERA (2.24) with 6.8 WAR over 212.2 innings, 225 strikeouts, and a 12-8 record.

Amsterdam swept Birmingham and Berlin swept Paris in the first round of the playoffs. This was the first Northern Conference Championship berth for the Barons since 1969. Berlin would fall though to the defending champion Anacondas 4-2, making Amsterdam the fourth franchise to repeat as Northern Conference champs. The Anacondas are now four time NC champs, having also won in 1951 and 1954.

Madrid narrowly had the top seed in the Southern Conference at 96-66, getting back-to-back playoff berths. They had to fend off a loaded Southwest Division field with Lisbon and Seville tying at 92-70 and Marseille at 88-74. The Clippers won the tiebreaker game over the Stingrays to secure the wild card and snap a three-year playoff drought. The Musketeers saw their four-year division title streak snapped as they missed the field. Defending conference champ Zurich extended its record division title streak to 12 years, winning the South Central at 93-69. The Southeast Division went to 95-67 Munich, giving the Mavericks back-to-back berths.

An intense MVP battle saw Zagreb’s Richard Rautenstrauch take the title. The 32-year old German second baseman won the award for the fourth time in his final EBF season, as he’d leave for MLB’s Houston the next season. Rautenstrauch led in WAR (11.7), RBI 149), total bases (458), slugging (.757), OPS (1.145), and wRC+ (204). His 61 home runs was second to Zurich’s Jack Kennedy’s 65. Meanwhile, Lisbon’s Franco Gilbert became the first in EBF history to have a batting average above .400. His .408 remains EBF’s best-ever as of 2037. Madrid’s Jacky Muro won Pitcher of the Year with the 29-year old Spaniard leading in ERA (2.36), and WHIP (0.93). he had 5.7 WAR over 244 innings with a 20-6 record.

Lisbon upset division foe Madrid 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs, while Zurich topped Munich 301. For the Clippers, it was their first Southern Conference Championship berth since 1977. Lisbon came close, but the Mountaineers defeated them in a seven game classic. Zurich became the second franchise to three-peat as SC champs, joining 1953-55 Madrid. The Mountaineers also became the second to win four conference titles in five years, joining 1969-73 Vienna.

The 35^th European Championship was a rematch from the prior year. Amsterdam won the series 4-2 and became the first team in EBF history to win back-to-back European Championships. EBF had been the only of the major leagues, even including the newer ones, that hadn’t yet seen a team repeat as overall champ. LF Teun Ouwerkerk was the finals MVP, getting 20 hits, 7 runs, and 6 stolen bases over 15 playoff starts. Zurich yet again falls just short, going 0-5 in their finals appearances over the last decade with a 1-6 mark all-time.

Other notes; Copenhagen’s Lasse Kallevik had a 38-game hit streak, the fourth longest streak in EBF history. Monte Montanez became the third to 600 career home runs. Richard Rautenstrauch won his ninth Silver Slugger. He would leave EBF with 125.2 career WAR, fourth best among all hitters.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-03-2023, 05:38 AM

1984 in BSA

Ciudad Guayana won back-to-back Bolivar League North Division titles with a 94-68 mark in 1984. The Giants led the league in runs scored (712) and fewest allowed (550), although they were only two games ahead of Caracas for the division crown. In the South Division, Lima was first with an impressive turnaround from their 66 win mark the prior year. The Lobos won the title at 92-70 to end an 11-year playoff drought. Cali was second at 86-76, while defending BL champ Quito dropped to fourth at 76-86.

Bolivar League MVP went to Cali catcher Sancho Sanchez. The 25-year old Colombian led in WAR (9.3) and batting average (.363), adding a 1.010 OPS, 29 home runs, and 80 RBI. Valencia’s Lazaro Rodriguez won a historic ninth Pitcher of the Year and became the second Beisbol Sudamerica pitcher to win two Triple Crowns. Rodriguez had a 20-8 record, 1.71 ERA, and 361 strikeouts; leading in Ks for the 11^th straight season. He also led in WHIP (0.76), K/BB (10.9), FIP- (41), and WAR (11.8). This would be the last great season for Rodriguez with a torn flexor tendon coming four starts into 1985. Still, he remains the only BSA pitcher to win the top award nine times and one of very few in any league to do so.

The top two records in the Southern Cone League were Recife and Belo Horizonte in the Brazil Division. The Retrievers (99-63) finished one game better than the Hogs (98-64), giving Recife its second division crown. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Sao Paulo was third at 89-73. The South Division was incredible competitive as well. Concepcion secured its first-ever division title at 89-73, beating Cordoba by one, Rosario by three, and Montevideo by four.

League MVP went to Buenos Aires second baseman Kip Flores. Nicknamed “T-Bone,” the 25-year old Paraguayan led in WAR (9.9), hits (216), total bases (361), average (.372), OBP (.402), OPS (1.024), and wRC+ (199). Belo Horizonte’s Benjamim Alegre won his fourth Pitcher of the Year in five years. He led in WAR (10.8), FIP- (36), WHIP (0.85), and K/BB (14.6), adding a 2.29 ERA over 228.1 innings, 365 strikeouts, a 14-11 record, and 14 saves.

The 1984 postseason was unique as three of the four finalists were teams from the 1974 league expansion. Ciudad Guayana downed Lima 4-1 in the Bolivar League Championship Series, while Recife edged Conception 4-3 in the Southern Cone Championship. Thus, the 54^th Copa Sudamerica would have two expansion teams earning their first shot at the overall crown.

In the finale, the Giants topped the Retrievers 4-2 and brought the cup to Venezuela. 3B Slim Villar was finals MVP with 15 hits, 5 runs, 2 home runs, 7 RBI, and 8 stolen bases in 11 playoff starts.

Other notes: Cali’s Matias Punete had the 37^th Perfect Game in Beisbol Sudamerica history, striking out seven against Quito on August 7. Lazaro Rodriguez became the ninth pitcher to 2500 career wins. Valor Melo became the sixth to 1500 runs scored and the 25^th to 2500 hits. Celso Galo became the 13^th to 1500 RBI. Leonardo Valez won his 12^th and final Gold Glove at third base, a record for the position.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-03-2023, 11:00 AM

1984 in EAB

Sendai had the best record in the Japan League in 1984 at 105-57, tying a franchise record. The Samurai snapped a five-year playoff drought, upending the North Division reign of defending JL champ Sapporo. The Swordfish were a non-factor at 81-81. Kobe claimed the Central Division at 98-64 for their fourth division title in five years, as Osaka was a distant second at 88-74 and last year’s division champ Nagoya was 86-76. Kawasaki claimed a fourth straight capital division as their 86-76 mark was three ahead of Chiba, five over Saitama and six better than Tokyo. Kitakyushu also won a fourth straight division title at 86-76 atop the West Division. It is the sixth playoff berth in seven years for the Kodiaks. Kumamoto was four games back and Hiroshima was five back. In their seventh season, the Monsters became the first of the 1978 expansion teams to post a winning record.

Japan League MVP was Sendai’s Katsunan Higashida. The 27-year old shortstop had joined the Samurai in a trade before the 1983 season after being Jeonju’s #1 draft pick, Higashida led the league in hits (213), runs (116), average (.354), OPS (1.021), and wRC+ (206), adding 9.4 WAR, 42 home runs, and 112 RBI. He would leave for MLB’s Dallas in the offseason. Hiroshima’s Aiya Kodama won his third straight Pitcher of the Year and joined Hall of Famer Chikara Ohkubo as the only two-time Triple Crown winners in East Asia Baseball. The 25-year old lefty had a 22-6 record, 1.84 ERA, and 371 strikeouts. Kodama also led the JL in WHIP (0.77), complete games (21), FIP- (43), shutouts (5), and WAR (11.5).

Kawasaki upset Sendai 3-1 in the first round, while Kobe topped Kitakyushu 3-1. This sent the Killer Whales to their third straight Japan League Championship Series and sent the Blaze for the first time since 1981. The JLCS was a seven game thriller with Kobe coming out on top. It is the fifth JL pennant for the Blaze (1935, 42, 57, 60, 84).

Daejeon (106-56) again had the best record in the Korea League, winning a fourth straight South Division title and a fifth in six years. Defending EAB champ Seongnam improved from a wild card spot the prior year to a 103-59 record atop the North Division. Yongin (98-64) and Suwon (95-67) were the wild cards by a large margin. For the Gold Sox, it was their third playoff berth in five years, while it was the fifth in six years for the Snappers. Busan’s four-year playoff streak ended with an 80-82 record.

Suwon DH Myeong-Won Song won his second Korea League MVP, five years after his first one. Song led in runs (123), OBP (.430), OPS (1.088), wRC+ (190), and 9.4 WAR. He also had 44 home runs and 123 RBI. Changwon’s Seung-Yu Woo won his fourth Pitcher of the Year in five seasons. The 28-year old righty led in wins at 21-12 and complete games with 20. He also had a 3.01 ERA over 280.2 innings, 325 strikeouts, and 6.9 WAR.

After four early exits in recent years, Daejeon topped Suwon 3-1 in the first round to finally advance to the Korea League Championship Series. The Ducks earned only their third-ever KLCS appearance, joining their 1947 and 1950 appearances. Wild card Yongin meanwhile earned a road upset 3-0 over Seongnam, giving the Gold Sox their second KLCS berth in three years. Yongin would deny Daejeon its first pennant with the Gold Sox taking the series 4-1. It is only Yongin’s second Korea League crown, joining the 1970 title.

In the 64^th East Asian Championship, the Gold Sox earned their first-ever overall title. Yongin edged Kobe in a seven game battle, led by an excellent postseason from ace Ju-Eon Eun. He set the EAB playoff record with 2.3 WAR over the postseason, a mark that still stands in 2037. In five starts, he was 4-0 over 41 innings with a 1.76 ERA, 50 strikeouts, and two walks. Catcher Masaru Ikeda won the finals MVP, posting 14 hits, 4 runs, and 8 RBI in 15 starts.

Other notes: LF Ki-Chun Park won his 14^th Gold Glove, an EAB record at any position. Pitcher of the Year Aiya Kodama had a 20 strikeout game over 10 innings against Kawasaki on September 16.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-03-2023, 04:17 PM

1984 in CABA

The Mexican League had three different playoff teams in 1984 than what they had in 1983. After going 83-79 the prior year, Puebla had the top mark in the ML at 105-57, winning the South Division. There was a big gap from the Pumas to the second best record in Juarez. The Jesters won the North Division at 87-75, putting the 1981 and 1982 ML champs back in the playoffs after missing the prior year. Mexicali at 85-77 was second and secured the wild card, beating Tijuana by one game, Ecatepec by two, and Monterrey by four. It was the first playoff berth for the Maroons since 1972. Last year’s MLCS teams Hermosillo and Torreon both went 75-87.

Juarez LF Caetano Penuelas became a four-time Mexican League MVP. The 32-year old Costa Rican led in average (.375), OBP (.426), and OPS (1.033), adding 6.5 WAR and 67 extra base hits. Puebla ace Junior Vergara won his sixth straight Pitcher of the Year and was five points away from his fifth Triple Crown. He had a 18-7 record, 366 strikeouts, and 1.73 ERA over 254.1 innings. Vergara also led the league in WHIP (0.73), K/BB (17.4), FIP- (46), shutouts (6), and WAR (11.0). Also of note, Chihuahua’s Franscisco Gonzalez won his fourth Reliever of the Year with the 28-year old posting 39 saves and a 1.65 ERA over 103.1 innings with 175 strikeouts.

Juarez edged Mexicali 3-2 in an intense wild card round, setting up a rematch from 1982 in the Mexican League Championship Series. Puebla was a heavy favorite, but the Jesters pulled off the stunning upset in seven games. For Juarez, it is their third pennant in four years and their sixth title in the last eleven seasons. Juarez has eighth ML titles overall (1912, 62, 74, 77, 78, 81, 82, 84).

Salvador snapped a four-year playoff drought to win the Continental Division at 105-57, posting the top mark in the Caribbean League. Defending league champ Guatemala was second at 97-65, which firmly grabbed them the wild card. This gave the Ghosts their fifth consecutive playoff berth. Santo Domingo also earned a fifth straight spot, cruising to the Island Division at 96-66. Puerto Rico, a CLCS finalist last year, was eight back at 88-74.

Pelicans CF Orlando Ramos was the Caribbean League MVP. The 25-year old Costa Rican led in runs (110), RBI (112), total bases (367), slugging (.620), OPS (1.012), wRC+ (189), and WAR (11.0). Ramos also had a .346 average and 43 home runs. Guatemala’s Franklyn Maldonado won his second Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Honduran was the WARlord (9.4) for the fourth straight year and led in innings (290) and quality starts (30). Maldonado also had a 2.36 ERA with a 20-7 record and 326 strikeouts.

Santo Domingo outlasted Guatemala 3-2 in the wild card round to send the Dolphins to the Caribbean League Championship Series. SD would knock off Salvador 4-2 to give Santo Domingo its third pennant in four years. The Dolphins are now 11-time Caribbean League champs, second most behind Honduras’ 12.

The 74^th Central American Baseball Association Championship was the fourth time that Juarez and Santo Domingo had met in the finale. The Dolphins won back in 1962, then more recently saw the Jesters win in 1981 and the Dolphins on top in 1982. SD dominated the 1984 edition with the first sweep in the championship since 1972. SS Juan Paulino was finals MVP with 20 hits, 7 runs, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 2 home runs, and 7 RBI in 14 starts. The Dolphins earned their second title in three years and their sixth overall title (1917, 27, 60, 62, 82, 84).

Other notes: Solomon Aragon became the third CABA batter to 700 home runs. He would play two more seasons and pass Prometheo Garcia as CABA’s home run king, retiring with 772 dingers. Aragon held the top mark until the early 2000s. Rafioby Barajas became the 14^th to reach 1500 RBI. LF Julio Santana won his eighth Gold Glove. 3B Kenedy Ortiz won his eighth Silver Slugger.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-04-2023, 05:43 AM

1984 in MLB

Leading the National Association in 1984 was Hartford at 113-49, setting a franchise record. The Huskies won the Northeast Division and earned a fourth consecutive playoff berth, the longest active streak in MLB. Defending World Series champ Ottawa was second in the division at 101-61 to take the first wild card and earn their fourth berth in five years. In the Lower Midwest Division, Louisville was first at 105-57. The Lynx got their third straight division title and their eighth playoff appearance in the last decade. 1982 World Series winner St. Louis, who narrowly missed the playoffs in 1983, were second in the division at 98-64. This got them the second wild card easily with an eight game gap to the next contender Kansas City.

In the East Division, Baltimore dominated the field at 100-62. The Orioles have won the division three straight seasons now. And in the Upper Midwest Division, Chicago snapped a three-year postseason drought and took the title at 89-73. Last year’s division winner Omaha and Cleveland were distant second places at 80-82.

The Cubs claimed the top awards, led by CF Janus Garcia’s fourth National Association MVP. The 27-year old led in WAR (9.5), adding a .341 average, .937 OPS, 26 home runs, and 99 runs. Third year pitcher Jonah “Warthog” Moore was Pitcher of the Year. A Chicago native, Moore was the WARlord (9.9) and leader in quality starts (30), and FIP- (61). He added a 2.21 ERA and 22-8 record over 285.2 innings with 233 strikeouts.

In the first round of the playoffs, Chicago knocked out Ottawa 2-0 and St. Louis topped Baltimore 2-0. The Cubs upset Louisville 3-2 in round two, while Hartford survived in five against the Cardinals. For the Huskies, they earned their first National Association Championship Series appearance since 1964, while the Cubs got their fifth in the last decade. The NACS went all seven games for the first time since 1972 as Chicago edged Hartford. It is the third pennant for the Cubs, who also won in 1964 and 1980.

The best record in the American Association was 108-54 San Francisco, earning back-to-back Southwest Division titles. The division was loaded with all seven teams posting a winning record and both wild cards coming from there. Albuquerque at 101-61 easily had the first wild card for their third berth in five years. The second spot went to Phoenix at 93-69 for their third berth in four years. The Firebirds finished one game ahead of Oakland and four ahead of Oklahoma City.

The Outlaws, who won 105 games the prior year, ended up second in the South Central Division as well at 89-73. At 98-64, Houston took back-to-back division titles. Defending AA champ Calgary dominated the Northwest Division at 102-60. In a tight Southeast Division, Jacksonville finished first at 85-77, topping Tampa by two games and Nashville by five. The Gators snapped an 11-year playoff drought and had a first place finish for the first time since 1967. Denver, the AACS runner-up the prior season, fell off a cliff from 98 wins to 65 wins.

San Francisco RF Mike Castaneda was the American Association MVP. He led the AA in total bases (370), slugging (.645), OPS (1.046), and wRC+ (180). Castaneda added 9.1 WAR, 122 runs, 45 home runs, and 140 RBI. The Gold Rush also had the Pitcher of the Year in Charlie Desprez, who had won the award twice in the European Baseball Federation with Hamburg. In his second year in the Bay Area, the 29-year old Frenchman led in wins at 23-6, ERA at 2.33, and quality starts at 27. He added 256 strikeouts in 285.2 innings with 8.5 WAR.

Albuquerque outlasted Jacksonville 2-1 in the first round, while Phoenix topped Houston 2-0. San Francisco downed their division foe Firebirds 3-1 in round two, while Calgary survived in five over the Isotopes. For the Gold Rush, this was their first American Association Championship Series appearance since 1965. SF would defeat the defending champion Cheetahs 4-2 for their first AA pennant since winning the 1950 World Series. San Francisco now has five AA titles (1921, 24, 29, 50, 84).

In the 84^th World Series, Chicago downed San Francisco in six games to give the Cubs their second MLB title (1964). National Association MVP Janus Garcia was the playoff hero as well, winning World Series MVP and NACS MVP. In 20 games, he had 31 hits, 17 runs, 3 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs, 12 RBI, 11 walks, and 9 stolen bases.

Other notes: MLB’s 18^th Perfect Game came from New York’s Rogelio Robles on August 23, striking out nine against Philadelphia. Mike Lee became the 18^th MLB pitcher to 3500 career strikeouts. 3B Christopher Sollinger won his 11^th Gold Glove. Two-way player Khaled Scott won his 11^th and final Silver Slugger as a pitcher.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-04-2023, 02:00 PM

1985 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

For the fourth straight year, Major League Baseball had a four-player Hall of Fame class with the 1985 voting. Pitcher Luke Peters and RF/DH Harris Carney both were first ballot selections with 96.9% for Peters and 91.2% for Carney. RF/DH Bo Salinas made it across the 66% threshold on his fifth ballot, getting in with 73.8%. 3B Jim Booth was the fourth inductee on his third ballot with 67.7%. Two others were above 50% with 1B Braylen Nelson at 55.8% on his eighth try and catcher Gavin Geogham at 52.0% on his third attempt.

Among those dropped after ten failed ballots was CF Severiano Maldonado. He played 15 years in MLB between three teams with three Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, 2636 hits, 1105 runs, 421 doubles, 839 doubles, a .312/.350/.423 slash and 63.5 WAR. The lack of power (only 74 home runs) hurt him with a peak at 44.9% on his fourth attempt and a finish at 31.3%.

Pitcher Thomas Hush was dropped finishing at 16.7% after peaking at 41.5% on his second ballot. He pitched 17 seasons with four teams and had a 229-167 record, 3.29 ERA, 2547 strikeouts over 3801.2 innings, 85 FIP-, and 80.4 WAR. He never won Pitcher of the Year though and got dismissed as a Hall of Very Good type. Also dropped as 1B Daniel Hadnott, who started at 36.4% and finished at 6.8%. He won three Silver Sluggers over 15 years mostly with Dallas and posted 2382 hits, 1391 runs, 486 home runs, 1386 RBI, a .296/.367/.536 slash and 66.3 WAR. Hadnott though never was in the playoffs and had totals just low enough compared to some of the other guys getting in recent classes.

Luke Peters – Starting Pitcher – Montreal Maples – 96.9% First Ballot

Luke Peters was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Montreal, Quebec. Peters was known as a reliable ironman who made 33+ starts every year for 20 straight professional seasons. At his peak, he had great stuff with solid movement and stuff as well. Peters’ fastball peaked in the 97-99 mph range and was mixed with a slider and splitter. While not known as wildly dominant, Peters was consistently firm and reliable. He was a fan favorite at each of his stops, known for a great work ethic.

Peters left Montreal for the United States, playing college baseball with Ball State. In three years as a Cardinal, he had a 19-12 record, 2.32 ERA, 317.2 innings, 338 strikeouts, and 14.5 WAR. In the 1959 Major League Baseball Draft, he returned to his hometown as he was picked 11^th by Montreal. Peters was immediately a full-time starter and led the National Association in ERA as a rookie at 2.39. This earned him third in Rookie of the Year voting. Despite his success, he’d almost never be a league leader past this season. He did lead in WHIP, quality starts, and complete games in 1962; then was tied for the lead in wins in 1971.

Peters had 4+ WAR in all but his final season and had ten seasons worth 6+ WAR. He never won the Pitcher of the Year, but did take second in 1962 and third in 1964 with the Maples. Montreal made the playoffs thrice as a wild card while he was there, but they couldn’t advance out of the second round. In total with the Maples, he had a 102-89 record, 2.87 ERA, 1830 innings, 1582 strikeouts to 433 walks, and 43.9 WAR. Peters also began pitching for Team Canada with 62 appearances between 1960-78 in the World Baseball Championship. He had a 23-19 record, 3.63 ERA, 429.1 innings, 524 strikeouts, and 5.7 WAR. He was also part of their 1967 World Championship team. This kept Peters as a popular player in Canada despite a relatively short time in his home country.

Much to the chagrin of many hometown fans, Montreal traded Peters before the 1967 season for four prospects to Columbus. He spent two years with the Chargers with a 29-22 record, 3.43 ERA, 447 strikeouts, and 10.2 WAR. After that, the 29-year old Peters became a free agent for the first time. He signed a five-year, $1,240,000 deal with St. Louis.

With the Cardinals, he took third in 1972 Pitcher of the Year voting. St. Louis made four straight playoff appearances with Peters, but also never got beyond the second round of the playoffs. You couldn’t blame Peters, he had a solid 2.97 ERA in eight playoff starts with the Cardinals over 60.2 innings. Peters posted 30.2 WAR total in his first St. Louis stint with three seasons under an ERA of three. St. Louis didn’t re-sign him though when the contract was up and Peters was a free agent again at age 34.

For the 1974 season, he signed a three-year deal with Charlotte worth $1,212,000. He ended up playing two years as a Canary with a good 1974 but an iffy 1975 with his first season above an ERA of four. Charlotte traded him for three players before the 1976 season to Albuquerque, where he earned his 250^th career win. After a decent season with the Isotopes, Peters signed again with St. Louis for 1977 and reclaimed some of his old success.

In total between his two stints with the Cardinals, he had a 111-86 record, 3.11 ERA, 1831.1 innings, 1475 strikeouts to 368 walks, 83 FIP-, and 40.8 WAR. Peters remained popular with St. Louis fans as well, although opted to enter the Hall of Fame with his hometown Montreal. The Cardinals run ended with a trade to Vancouver for CF Ian Lynch before the 1979 season. Peters struggled hard in his one year with Vancouver, his final season in the majors. He did make a few starts in minor league Dayton in 1980, retiring after that season at age 41.

Peters’ final stats: 294-257 record, 3.28 ERA, 5181 innings, 4157 strikeouts to 1150 walks, 447/681 quality starts, 230 complete games, 84 FIP-, and 112.4 WAR. Despite rarely being viewed as a top five pitcher in his career, his longevity and reliability had him eighth in MLB wins at induction, eighth in pitching WAR, fifth in strikeouts, fourth in games started, and eighth in innings pitched. These totals made him an easy first ballot choice, getting the induction at 96.9%.

Harris “Scar’ Carney – Right Field/Designated Hitter – San Antonio Oilers – 91.2% First Ballot

Harris Carney was a 6’0’’ 200 pound right-handed right fielder from Edcouch, Texas; a small town of around 3,000 in the very south of the state near McAllen. Nicknamed “Scar,” Carney was generally a very well rounded hitter who had solid contact skills, power, and a good eye. He hit 30+ home runs in 12 different seasons while adding 25 doubles per season on average. Carney’s strikeout rate was fairly average most of his career, but he was better than most at drawing walks still. He was a slow baserunner and a lousy defender, making about 2/3 of his starts in right field and most of the rest as a designated hitter. Carney was a good leader and generally well liked both in the clubhouse and with teammates. He was also quite durable starting 140+ games in all but two of his 16 pro seasons.

Carney attended Kansas State and had a very good college career, twice winning Silver Slugger and taking third in 1961’s college MVP voting. With the Wildcats, he had 61 home runs, 171 hits, 115 runs, 41 doubles, a .316/.403/.730 slash and 11.3 WAR over 144 games. In the 1963 MLB Draft, San Antonio selected Carney 18^th overall. He was a part-time starter and looked pretty good as a rookie, earning him the starting role from there on. Carney was a regular starter for the next 15 years, only missing a few weeks in 1974 to injuries.

He became an excellent cleanup hitter for the Oilers, leading the American Association in RBI three times. In 1966, his 147 RBI, 39 home run effort earned Carney a Silver Slugger as a DH and a third place in MVP voting. He won additional Sluggers in 1967, 69, and 70. In 1969, Carney won his lone MVP with AA and career bests with 56 home runs, 158 RBI, 398 total bases, and a 1.043 OPS. The 158 RBI was at the time the sixth most in a MLB season. He was also third in 1970 MVP voting with 49 home runs and 146 RBI.

San Antonio made the playoffs thrice in Carney’s tenure, but never got beyond the second round. For his tenure, Carney had 1455 hits, 820 runs, 199 doubles, 318 home runs, 997 RBI, a .314/.371/.567 slash and 40.7 WAR. Despite only an eight year run, the Oilers would later retire Carney’s #33 uniform. In his last year, San Antonio plummeted from 94 wins to 64 wins. The Oilers wouldn’t re-sign Carney, who entered free agency at age 29. For the 1972 season, he cashed in on an eight-year, $31,04,000 deal with Chicago.

Carney never matched his Oilers peak with the Cubs and didn’t win any awards, but he posted five solid seasons Chicago got to the National Association Championship Series in 1975, which was the only playoff run during Carney’s tenure. In five seasons, he had 801 hits, 432 runs, 170 home runs, 457 RBI, and 21.8 WAR. He decided to opt out after the fifth year of his contract and signed a five-year, $2,900,000 deal with Baltimore for the 1977 season.

His first two seasons with Baltimore kept up his same general production as with the Cubs. However, his 1979 season was historically bad with the Orioles keeping in the lineup despite his struggles. He led the NA with 227 strikeouts and had an abysmal .146 batting average and -5.5 WAR. His total WAR with Baltimore was 1.0 over three years despite posting 3.8 and 2.8 in his first two years. Carney opted to retire after the terrible season at age 36.

Carney’s final stats: 2634 hits, 1439 runs, 381 doubles, 559 home runs, 1703 RBI, 767 walks, a .290/.348/.521 slash, 138 wRC+, and 63.5 WAR. His power stretch especially with San Antonio was impressive and his totals didn’t look out of place, although the advanced stats might suggest he was maybe more borderline than the vote total suggested. But Carney was popular and well-liked and the voters didn’t hesitate to give him the first ballot nod at 91.2%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-04-2023, 07:02 PM

1985 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

Bo Salinas – Right Field/Designated Hitter – Cincinnati Reds – 73.8% Fifth Ballot

Bo Salinas was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Cogon, a small town of around 2,000 people in the Davao Region in the southeastern part of the Philippines. Salinas was a solid contact hitter with an excellent eye, leading in on-base percentage four times in his career. He had nice home run power with nine seasons of 30+ home runs, although he didn’t get a ton of doubles (25 per year). His strikeout rate was respectable and his baserunning speed was terrible, with many critics questioning his hustle and work ethic. Salinas made about 3/5 of his starts in right field and was considered a delightfully average defender. He was a designated hitter most of the rest of his starts with a few stints in left field with poor defense there. Despite his talents, Salinas often clashed with coaches and teammates due to a poor attitude.

Salinas left the Philippines as a teenager and attended Washington State to play college baseball. In 126 games, he had 145 hits, 82 runs, 25 home runs, 85 RBI, and 6.1 WAR. As a foreign born player, Salinas wasn’t eligible in the MLB Draft until the fourth round at the earliest due to the regional draft rules. With the 10^th pick of the fourth round, 161^st overall, he was picked by Cincinnati. Although his full pro career was in America, he would return to the Philippines for the World Baseball Championship. From 1956-74 with the national team, he had 86 games and 69 starts, 64 hits, 41 runs, 20 home runs, 39 RBI, and 3.2 WAR.

Salinas was a pinch hitter primarily as a rookie and a part-time starter in his second season. He earned the full-time job in 1959 and had a breakout season, leading the National Association in home runs (40), average (.346), OPS (1.056), and WAR (9.1). This earned Salinas a Silver Slugger and a second place finish in MVP voting. He never matched that production in the rest of his Reds run, with torn ankle ligaments costing him chunks of 1961 and 1963. Salinas would win an additional Silver Slugger in 1960. In seven seasons with Cincinnati, he had 822 hits, 466 runs, 159 home runs, 484 RBI, a .303/.400/.527 slash, and 31.0 WAR.

Cincinnati didn’t make the playoffs in Salinas’ run and neither sides wanted to continue the relationship. He became a free agent after the 1963 season at age 29 and signed a seven-year, $1,218,000 deal with Denver. Salinas’ Dragons debut was impressive as he won American Association MVP and his third Silver Slugger. As a DH, he led in RBI (122), walks (88), OPS (1.038), and WAR (8.1). Denver made it to the AACS, falling to Phoenix despite five home runs in 12 games from Salinas. This would ultimately be the only playoff games in his career.

Denver fell off and struggled for the rest of his tenure. Salinas was hurt and unremarkable in his second season with the Dragons, although he bounced back with a solid 1966 where he led again in OPS (1.072) and posted 8.0 WAR. After a respectable fourth season, he decided to opt out from the rest of his deal. With Denver, Salinas had 622 hits, 369 runs, 139 home runs, 398 RBI, and 22.7 WAR. At age 33, he signed a five-year, $1,320,000 contract with Houston.

Salinas wasn’t an MVP candidate during this down period for the Hornets, but was a decent enough starter over five years. He posted 14.5 WAR, 731 hits, 421 runs, 122 home runs, and 426 RBI with Houston. His production dropped to middling in his last season and the Hornets didn’t re-sign him. Salinas joined Jacksonville at age 38 for the 1973 season. He had one more full-time season, then made sporadic appearances for the next two years with the Gators. He had only 2.6 WAR with 215 hits in that stretch, retiring at age 40 after the 1975 season.

Salinas’ final stats: 2390 hits, 1366 runs, 347 doubles, 445 home runs, 1418 RBI, 1133 walks, a .296/.385/.508 slash, 146 wRC+, and 70.8 WAR. His OBP was among the better ones on the Hall of Fame list, although his other totals were on the lower end compared to other inductees. Combined with being generally a bit of a jerk and playing on lousy teams during his run, Salinas’ candidacy was borderline. He missed out on his first four ballots, although his lowest was 59.9%. The crowded fields of the 1980s ballots made it tough for Salinas to gain ground, but he got a boost on his fifth ballot and earned his spot with the 1985 group at 73.8%.

Jim “The Bird” Booth – Third Base – Kansas City Cougars – 67.7% Fourth Ballot

Jim Booth was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed third baseman from Lewisville, Texas; a city of around 110,000 people within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Booth in his prime was an above average contact hitter with good home run power, averaging around 30 dingers per season. He was very strikeout prone despite also being quite good at drawing walks. Booth only got around 20-25 doubles/triples per season and was a weak baserunner. Nicknamed “The Bird,” he was one of a very small group of MLB players that played all non-pitcher spots in the field at some point in his career. Booth was a third baseman by far the most and was an above average defender there while being subpar at other spots.

Booth was one of the most accomplished college baseball players of all time with the University of Kentucky. He twice won NCAA MVP and won three Silver Sluggers, posting 168 hits, 127 runs, 65 home runs, 138 RBI, and 12.0 WAR over 143 college games. Booth was the seventh player in NCAA history to win MVP twice and was the fifth to win Silver Slugger thrice. Naturally, this made The Bird the top prospect entering the 1953 MLB Draft and Kansas City selected him with the #1 overall pick. Booth had a solid rookie season as a part-time starter, then took over a full-time role after that.

Booth won four Silver Sluggers at third base (1955, 56, 60, 64) and one as a shortstop (1960) with the Cougars. He also won a Gold Glove at third in 1969, although Booth was never a MVP finalist. He wasn’t typically a league leader with his only black ink coming in RBI in 1960. That year was his best with 45 home runs, 122 RBI, and 7.7 WAR. He posted six seasons of 6+ WAR with Kansas City and put up reliably solid stats. Various injuries cost him big chunks though, such as a strained ACL in 1959, hamstring strain in 1961, herniated disc in 1962, and post-concussion syndrome in 1963.

Booth became well known nationally in the 1961 World Baseball Championship, playing for the United States team. In 22 games, he smacked 12 home runs with 28 RBI, 26 hits, and 22 runs; taking second in MVP voting. That was his only time as a full-time starter in the WBC, although he was on Team USA in eight WBCs, posting 46 hits, 41 runs, 20 home runs, and 46 RBI over 59 games. 1961 also saw Kansas City snap a 13-year postseason drought. They were National Association champs that year and in 1962, falling in the World Series both years. The Cougars made the playoffs four times in Booth’s tenure and he was a solid playoff performer with 47 hits, 24 runs, 11 home runs, 38 RBI, and 1.7 WAR in 49 starts.

Booth spent 16 seasons with Kansas City and posted exactly 2000 hits, 1218 runs, 283 doubles, 459 home runs, 1361 RBI, 965 walks, a .261/.344/.496 slash, 148 wRC+, and 77.7 WAR. After their earlier successes, the Cougars struggled to close the 1960s and moved on from the now 37-year old Booth. But he felt he had more years to give to the game and was right, being one of a very select few to play until his age 44 season.

He took on the journeyman role for the next decade and was still good enough to be a decent starter for most of that run, although age and injuries kept him off the field in notable chunks. He signed in 1970 with Atlanta, who had won the World Series the prior season. The Aces made the playoffs twice in his two years and change there with 5.5 WAR over 233 games. He’d get cut though in early May 1972, becoming a free agent midseason at age 39.

Milwaukee scooped Booth up and he earned his 500^th home run and 1500^th career RBI in the same at bat on June 1972. He would sign a three-year deal after the 1972 campaign and played all three with the Mustangs, posting 8.5 WAR over 442 games. Booth wasn’t ready to retire after that deal was up, signing for 1976 with San Antonio on a three-year deal. A torn hamstring cost him the second half of the season and the Oilers traded him in the offseason to Washington. He made 52 starts and played 97 games with the Admirals, retiring after the 1977 at age 45.

Booth’s final stats: 2631 hits, 1592 runs, 377 doubles, 598 home runs, 1767 RBI, 1328 walks, a .252/.338/.477 slash, wRC+ of 139, and 92.7 WAR. His totals certainly fit in within a vacuum, but many were dismissive that he didn’t have larger tallies considering his longevity. Booth also struck out 2854 times in his career, more than any other player in MLB history, a mark he still holds as of 2037. His .252 average would also be the worst of any Hall of Famer at induction. However, others credited him for still being a starting quality player well into his 40s. Plus, nearly 600 home runs, 1500+ runs and 1500+ RBI, and more than 90 WAR typically would make you a lock. Booth missed the cut on his first two ballots at 55.2% and 56.2%, but squeaked by the 66% threshold on his third try at 67.7%, taking his spot among the greats.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-05-2023, 05:42 AM

1985 CABA Hall of Fame

Pitcher Flor Perez was the lone inductee for the 1985 Hall of Fame Class of the Central American Baseball Association. Perez earned a first ballot selection, receiving 84.6%. Only two others cracked the 50% mark with 1B Carlos De La Fuente at 59.1% on his third ballot and SP Barnabe Sanchez at 53.1% for his second attempt. There were no players dropped after ten ballots.

Flor Perez – Pitcher – Mexico City Aztecs – 84.6% First Ballot

Flor Perez was a 5’11’’, 175 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Venezuela, Caracas. Perez had incredibly overpowering stuff with above average movement, but subpar control. His velocity peaked at 97-99 mph with a curveball, changeup, sinker, cutter arsenal. All four pitches were deadly with the change and curve especially drawing whiffs. Perez’ stamina was on the lower end and he didn’t go the distance too often compared to other starters, but he still had solid durability. Defensively he was lousy, but his stuff still made up oftentimes for his flaws.

Perez was spotted by a scout from Mexico City while he was trying to poach talent in Venezuela. At age 16, Perez decided to join the Aztecs developmental system. He debuted with a few starts in 1965 at age 21, but found himself rarely used for his first four seasons. Mexico City was just beginning its dynasty and cracking the lineup wasn’t an easy task. From 1966-74, the Aztecs had nine straight playoff appearances, seven Mexican League titles, and six CABA Championships. Perez was there for all of it and earned six rings, although it wasn’t until 1969 that he became a full-timer in the rotation.

In 1969, Perez took third in Pitcher of the Year voting as he led the Mexican League in ERA at 2.08. He led in strikeouts with 311 in 1972, then had a career-best 1.97 ERA in 1972 in a split starter/relief role. Perez earned Pitcher of the Year in 1972, then took it again in 1974 with a ML-best 0.90 WHIP and 20-7 record. His playoff numbers were mixed with the Aztecs, finishing with an 11-8 record over 139.2 innings, a 3.48 ERA, 161 strikeouts, and 3.6 WAR. He also regularly returned home to Venezuela to play for his country in the World Baseball Championship. From 1967-79, Perez had a 14-5 record, 3.84 ERA, 138.1 innings, 211 strikeouts, and 2.8 WAR.

In 1974, Perez had his lone no-hitter on July 4 with a 12 strikeout, one walk performance against Tijuana. This was also the last year of Mexico City’s playoff run, as they fell in the MLCS. The team started a playoff drought the next year and Perez had a sluggish start to the year with an ERA above 3.50. The Aztecs realized it was time to rebuild and looked to trade Perez and others. He finished his Mexico City run with a 114-67 record, 2.64 ERA, 1603.2 innings, 2033 strikeouts to 398 walks, 69 FIP-, and 45.8 WAR. The franchise would later retire his #25 uniform for his role in the dynasty run.

The Aztecs traded him in July 1975 to Guadalajara for pitchers Ruben Pineda and Fidele Lara. Perez would regain his form in 1976 and take second in Pitcher of the Year voting, helping the Hellhounds snap a playoff drought and win their first CABA championship since the 1920s. Perez had a 2.66 ERA over 23.2 playoff innings in the run. He had two more solid years and then a middling fourth year with Guadalajara, posting a 62-56 record, 2.77 ERA, 1058.1 innings, 1269 strikeouts, and 23.0 WAR. Although still healthy, Perez decided to call it quits after the 1979 season at age 36.

The final stats for Perez: 176-123 record, 2.69 ERA, 2662 innings, 3302 strikeouts, 646 walks, 267/357 quality starts, 75 FIP-, and 68.8 WAR. His innings and thus his accumulations are among the lower end of other CABA Hall of Famers, but his rate stats are certainly not out of place. Winning two Pitcher of the Year awards and holding seven CABA rings pushed Perez across the line for many of the voters skeptical of his totals. He received the first ballot recognition at 84.6%, the lone member of CABA’s 1985 Hall of Fame class.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-05-2023, 11:38 AM

1985 EAB Hall of Fame

Outfielder Yu-Chan Jang picked up a first ballot induction into the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame with 97.0% of the vote. He was the lone member of the 1985 class, although 2B Su-Yeon Park very nearly joined him with 64.0%. This was the highest mark Park had received in his nine attempts at the HOF. Also above 50% were 3B Hiromichi Ono at 59.2% for his second attempt and C Jung-Soo Chen with 53.9% for his sixth go.

Two players fell off the ballot after ten failed tries. SP Young-Jin Moon had a 17 year career with Yongin and peaked at 49.4% on his debut before dropping to 15.5% by the end. Moon had a 213-165 record, 3.34 ERA, 3386 innings, 3153 strikeouts, and 67.1 WAR. A nice run, but with no awards, he never got much attention. Also dropping was 1B Kenzan Manabe, who had 17 years between Osaka and Yongin and won MVP in 1955. He debuted at 56.1%, but plummeted to 11.3% by the end of his candidacy. Manabe had 2650 hits, 1414 runs, 558 home runs, 1540 RBI, a .274/.329/.507 slash and 76.6 WAR. Similar marks had gotten others across the line, but other big hitting first basemen of his era overshadowed him and Manabe rarely topped the leaderboards.

Yu-Chan Jang – Left/Center Field – Suwon Snappers – 97.0% First Ballot

Yu-Chan Jang was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Daegu, South Korea. Jang was known for great durability, longevity, and work ethic. He was a solid contact hitter with very reliable power, regularly getting around 30-40 home runs and around 40 doubles/triples per season. Jang had very good speed and was an incredibly intelligent baserunner. He had an above average eye for drawing walks with average strikeout rates. Jang made about 2/3s of his starts in left field and was considered quite solid defensively in left. He made roughly the other third of his starts in center field and was thought of as an above average gloveman there.

Jang left South Korea to attend Japan’s Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai. After an excellent collegiate baseball career, he was picked fifth overall in the 1957 EAB Draft by Suwon. Jang instantly was a starter with the Snappers and took second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1958. He was a full-time starter for 14 years with Suwon and had 130+ starts in all but 1967 when he lost a month to injury. Jang picked up nine of his ten Silver Sluggers with the Snappers, winning from 1959-64 in center field and then in left in 68, 68, and 70.

Jang had seven seasons worth 8+ WAR with Suwon and consistently provided a ton of value. However, his only times at the top of the leaderboard was a first place in doubles in 1964 and runs scored in 1970. As a result, he never won MVP, although he was third in voting in 1964 and second in 1966. Jang was perhaps underappreciated because the Snappers never made the playoffs despite his efforts. Suwon rarely was bad in his tenure, but were usually around .500 or just short. Their 101 win season was overshadowed by the 115 wins of the Pyongyang dynasty in their division. Just with Suwon though, Jang had a Hall of Fame resume with 2437 hits, 1302 runs, 374 doubles, 169 triples, 454 home runs, 1425 RBI, a .307/.357/.569 slash, and 101.6 WAR. His #12 uniform would be retired later and he’d remain a beloved icon for Snappers fans.

Jang had about another decade left post-Suwon, becoming a free agent after the 1972 season at age 36. He signed a three-year, $756,000 deal with Busan and ultimately played two seasons there as a solid starter, although he never matched his Snappers peak as a Blue Jay. Before the 1974 season, Jang was traded to his hometown squad Daegu, picking up his 1500^th career run in his one year with the Diamondbacks. It was also his first taste of the postseason as Daegu made it to the EAB Championship, falling to Kyoto in the final. Jang had 13 hits, 11 runs, 5 home runs, and 8 RBI in 12 playoff games.

A free agent again after the 1974 campaign, the now 39-year old signed with Seoul on a three-year, $952,000 deal. Injuries cost Jang half of the 1975 season and he seemed cooked in the 1976 season, although he picked up his 3000^th career hit. Jang shocked many with a remarkable 1977 at age 41, leading the Korea League in WAR (8.1), slugging (.652), and wRC+ (180). He smacked 45 home runs, a career high, and had an OPS above one for the third time in his career. This remarkable turnaround earned Jang his lone MVP and his tenth Silver Slugger. The season had a sad ending though with a torn calf muscle in September ending his run with the Seahawks.

Daegu signed him in for the 1978 season to a three-year deal, but Jang regressed back towards what you expect from an aging slugger. He got to play again in the EAB Championship with his hometown squad in 1978, who was upset by Sendai in the championship. Jang opted to retire after the 1979 season at age 44, one of a very select group to play that long. There was a thought he could reach the very exclusive 2000 runs and 2000 RBI clubs, but Jang had been reduced more to a bench role by the end.

Jang’s final stats: 3429 hits, 1923 runs, 535 doubles, 229 triples, 657 home runs, 1974 RBI, 1181 stolen bases, a .290/.341/.541 slash, 143 wRC+, and 127.3 WAR. He featured prominently on the leaderboards at induction, sitting third in runs, third in hits, fifth in doubles, eleventh in home runs, fifth in RBI, fifth in stolen bases, and fifth in hitting WAR. As of 2037, he remains top ten all-time in WAR, steals, RBI, hits, and runs. It is no wonder why Jang was such a beloved figure in 1960s and 1970s Korean baseball, earning the first ballot nod at 97.0% as the lone member of the 1985 Hall of Fame class.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-05-2023, 05:37 PM

1985 BSA Hall of Fame

Beisbol Sudamerica had three first ballot Hall of Famers with the 1985 class, led by a historic performance by OF Luca Alvares. He became the first player in any pro league to earn 100%; a unanimous induction. 3B Emaxwell Navas firmly got in as well with 91.8%, while pitcher Micael Saraiva earned the nod with 74.7%. Only one other was above 50% with reliever Tomas Nobel at 59.1% on his debut, only a few points shy of the 66% requirement.

1B Ryan Azambuja ended at 49.1% on his tenth and final ballot, peaking at 59.8% on his fifth try. In 11 seasons with Bogota, he had 1732 hits, 839 runs, 438 home runs, 1025 RBI, a .295/.326/.555 slash and 55.8 WAR. He led the Bolviar League in home runs five times, but didn’t have the longevity to get the accumulations. Also dropped was LF Pascal Herrera, who ended at 36.4% after getting as high as 47.5%. He won five Silver Sluggers, but was hurt by six of his 16 pro seasons being in MLB. In BSA, he had 1667 hits, 763 runs, 293 doubles, 308 home runs, 865 RBI, a .313/.354/.554 slash, and 54.7 WAR. Good, but again not quite high enough totals to make it.

Closer Sebastian Reyes fell off with a peak of 26.9% on his second ballot and finish at 6.7%. He had 309 saves and a 2.58 ERA over 791 innings with 900 strikeouts and 21.3 WAR, firmly a Hall of Very Good type. Lastly, catcher Martinho Mera fell off with 2.6% on his tenth ballot, peaking at 37.8% on his debut. He was doomed by the anti-catcher bias of many voters despite a 15 year career primarily with Salvador that saw six Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves. Mera had 1757 hits, 621 runs, 175 home runs, 694 RBI, a .251/.287/.377 slash and 62.5 WAR. He had the third most WAR of any BSA catcher, but It still wouldn’t be until the 2030s that the Beisbol Sudamerica HOF finally put in any catcher.

Luca “Lunatic” Alvares – Right/Left Field – Lima Lobos – 100.0% First Ballot

Luca Alvares was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Sicuani, a town of around 55,000 people in the southeastern Peruvian Cuzco Department. Nicknamed “Lunatic Luca,” he was an absolutely beloved figure in Peruvian baseball, known for his work ethic, leadership, and infectious personality. Alvares was an excellent home run hitter who had 11 seasons with 40+ homers. He was also above average as a contact hitter and was around average at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Although he hit many homers, he didn’t get too many doubles or triples despite having decent baserunning speed. Alvares made about 2/3s of his starts in right field with the rest in left and was generally considered a competent fielder. He was also quite durable for most of his 17 year professional career.

Alvares quickly drew attention as a top amateur prospect throughout Peru. He was up for selection in the 1962 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft and went to Lima 16^th overall. His entire pro career would be in the Peruvian capital and he’d also make 78 appearances between 1964-74 for the national team. In the World Baseball Championship, Alvares had 59 hits, 44 runs, 26 home runs, 45 RBI, and 2.7 WAR. He was only a part-time starter as a rookie, but assuming a regular role from year two onward.

In his third season, Lunatic Luca led in home runs with 47, earning his first of eight Silver Sluggers. He also won the award in 1966, 67, 68, 69, 72, 73, and 74; while adding a Gold Glove in 1967. Alvares led in home runs thrice, runs scored twice, RBI twice, total bases twice, slugging twice, and WAR once. In 1968, he had a career-best 50 home runs. Despite his excellence, Alvares never won Bolivar League MVP. He took third in 1966, second in 1967, third in 1968, and third in 1973.

Lima had historically struggled prior to Alvares’ tenure. In 1968, he helped them snap a 32-year playoff drought and win their first Copa Sudamerica. He was the BLCS MVP with 12 hits, 8 runs, 5 home runs, and 9 RBI in 11 postseason games. The Lobos were almost always above .500 during Alvares prime in the 1960s and early 1970s, but they only made the playoffs twice more with no luck in 1970 or 1972. A fractured foot meant he missed the 1970 playoff run. He wore #13 most of his career, switching to #19 for 1974 after the Lobos retired #13 for 1978 Hall of Famer Aleix Espinoza.

Alvarez carried on into his 30s, sticking with the Lobos as they fell to the bottom tier later in the 1970s. The team eventually didn’t re-sign him after the 1979 season, which saw him cross the 2500 career hit and 1500 RBI thresholds. Alvarez tried to find a home for 1980, but went unsigned. He retired officially in the winter of 1980 at age 40.

The final stats for Lunatic Luca saw 2506 hits, 1435 runs, 330 doubles, 682 home runs, 1527 RBI, a .282/.335/.561 slash, 156 wRC+, and 98.9 WAR. He was third in home runs at induction and tenth in RBI and certainly had numbers worthy of induction. But it was still a surprise that he was the first guy to earn a unanimous induction considering there were definitely others who boasted stronger resumes. Of course, it is more the fault of stuffy writers that obvious inner circle guys ended up a vote or two short of 100%. But Alvares was so beloved and iconic that he made world history.

Emaxwell Navas – Third Base – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 91.8% First Ballot

Emaxwell Navas was a 5’10’’, 170 pound right-handed third baseman from Maceio, a city with one million people and the capital of northeastern Brazil’s State of Alagoas. Navas was a very well rounded hitter who wasn’t amazing at anything, but reliably solid across the board. He was a good contact hitter who got you 30-35 doubles and 25-35 home runs per year on average while also getting you a nice number of walks. He was below average as a baserunner, but made up for his flaws with a great work ethic. Navas was a career third baseman and considered consistently average with the glove. He was also considered quite durable, making 139+ starts each year from 1964-76.

Navas was drafted fourth overall by Belo Horizonte in the 1957 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft and spent his entire pro career with the Hogs. It took time for him to develop though, as he was a pinch hitter only for the first three yars of his career. Navas moved into a starting role in 1962, but a torn PCL in July put him out 10 months, costing him the rest of 1962 and a large chunk of 1963. He’d finally have a full season as a starter in his sixth season in 1964 and put up consistent production for the next decade plus.

Navas was the undisputed top hitting third baseman for a decade in the Southern Cone League, winning 11 straight Silver Sluggers from 1966-76. He had 13 straight seasons worth 6+ WAR and even cracked double-digits in 1969 and 1971. He was the WARlord with 11.1 in 1971 and also led the league with 111 RBI. The only other time he led in a category was 40 doubles in 1969. Because of that, he never won league MVP, although he was close on a few occasions. Navas was third in 1966, second in 1969, and second in 1971.

He also became very popular throughout all of Brazil as a key cog for the national team in the World Baseball Championship. He started 227 games between 1964-78 with 184 hits, 111 runs, 62 home runs, 140 RBI, a .227/.303/.495 slash and 6.5 WAR. His 227 games are the most appearances for any Brazilian and he helped the squad to three finals appearances. While the Hogs had some respectable seasons in his tenure, they only made the playoffs once in his entire run, falling in the LCS to Santiago in 1968. Still, Navas was one of the reasons to still go to the ballpark and his #11 would be retired at the end of his career.

He still played at a very high level into his 30s, only finally seeing a drop off in 1977 at age 39. That season saw his first major injury in more than a decade, a torn calf muscle. Navas signed for two more years and had trouble staying with the lineup from other injuries. He ultimately called it quits after the 1979 season at age 41.

Navas’ final stats: 2661 hits, 1231 runs, 535 doubles, 445 home runs, 1385 RBI, a .296/.353/.514 slash, 166 wRC+, and 120.8 WAR. At induction, he had the seventh most WAR of any South American batter and was second in doubles behind Javier Herrera’s 618. He was also barely behind Angel Gabriel Cornejo for most WAR at a third base. Navas is almost always in the conversation for the top three 3Bs in BSA history and was an easy choice, perhaps getting undersold with 91.8%.

Micael Saraiva – Starting Pitcher – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 74.7% First Ballot

Micael Saraiva was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Russas, a municipality of around 79,000 people in the northeastern Brazilian state Ceara. Saraiva wasn’t a particularly dominant pitcher, but he gave you consistently above average stuff, movement, and control with great stamina. His velocity only peaked at 93-95 mph, but he still had a good fastball mixed with a curveball and changeup. Saraiva was poor at holding runners, but considered a very good defensive pitcher otherwise, winning three Gold Gloves from 1971-73. He was, by pitcher standards, a decent hitter and won a Silver Slugger in 1967.

Belo Horizonte took a chance on Saraiva picking him 38^th overall in the second round of the 1963 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. He spent his first two seasons in the developmental system before debuting as a reliever in 1966. He became a part-time starter in year two, then a full-time one for the next decade with nine straight seasons of 250+ innings. Saraiva led the Southern Cone League in innings pitched twice and complete games twice, as well as wins twice and quality starts once. He had eight seasons worth 5+ WAR, putting up reliable but not outstanding stats.

Saraiva pitched for Brazil in the World Baseball Championship from 1969-79 with 102 innings, a 4.94 ERA, 113 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR. In 1968, he finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting, his only time as a finalist. He ended up spending six seasons with Belo Horizonte, making two playoff starts in 1968. In total with the Hogs, he had a 95-54 record, 2.58 ERA, 1359.1 innings, 1307 strikeouts, and 30.3 WAR. BH decided to move on from Saraiva before the 1972 season, trading the now 28-year old to Brasilia for three prospects and a draft pick.

He spent two seasons with the Bearcats continuing his consistent production, posting a 33-23 record, 2.63 ERA over 550 innings, 552 strikeouts, and 11.0 WAR. Saraiva entered free agency for the 1974 and at age 30, signed a four-year, $1,040,000 deal with Sao Paulo. The Padres had been good in the 1970s so far, but hadn’t quite been able to get over the hump. In 1976 and 1977, they won the Southern Cone League title and in 76, beat Valencia in Copa Sudamerica. Saraiva’s postseason stats were underwhelming with a 4.67 ERA in 44.1 innings, but he ate up innings reliably in the regular season.

Saraiva signed a four-year extension in the summer of 1977 with Sao Paulo. He was never quite as good there as his other runs, with a dead even 100 ERA+ with the Padres compared to a 117 with Belo Horizonte and 115 with Brasilia. In 1979, shoulder inflammation knocked him out of his second start of the season. This ultimately required surgery and put him on the shelf for 14 months, effectively ending his career. He remained on roster in 1980, but never made it back to the show, retiring at age 37.

Saraiva’s final stats saw a 201-142 record, 2.90 ERA, 3225.1 innings, 3095 strikeouts to 547 walks, 272/391 quality tarts, FIP- of 84, 150 complete games, and 66.8 WAR. It was a steady career, but he was never generally viewed as a top five pitcher in the game. Still, the Beisbol Sudamerica voters in particular loved starting pitchers and felt Saraiva’s resume fit the bill. He wasn’t the star of the 1985 class, but he picked up the first ballot recognition with 74.7%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-06-2023, 06:25 AM

1985 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 1)

The 1985 European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame Class was an impressive one as for the second time in history, four players were inducted. Each of them received the first ballot recognition, although two stood well above the rest. SS Nikolaos Pavlis picked up 98.4% and SP Callum Docker received 96.5%. Fellow SP Fabian Mullner secured his spot on a respectable 77.1% and 1B Tobias Sigmarsson narrowly crossed the 66% requirement with 68.6%. No players fell off the EBF ballot in 1985 after ten attempts.

Nikolaos “Blitz” Pavlis – Shortstop – Zagreb Gulls – 98.4% First Ballot

Nikolaos Pavlis was a 5’11’’, 190 pound right-handed shortstop from Aryiroupoli, Greece; an southern Athens suburb with around 34,000 people. Pavlis was one of the hardest hitting batters of the era, averaging around 30-40 home runs per season with another 30-40 doubles and triples per season. He also had solid speed and baserunning instincts, allowing him to stretch out for extra bases. Pavlis was an above average contact hitter with a respectable eye, although he did strike out a bit more than the average. In his EBF career, he was a full-time shortstop and a very good defensive one. Pavlis would move to first base and play solid there in his final seasons in MLB. He was a great leader and a hard worker, making him one of the most popular players of his era.

The second Greek inductee into the Hall of Fame, Pavlis ultimately spent little time at home apart from road games to Athens and three editions with the national team in the World Baseball Championship. He went to England to play college baseball with the University of Westminster. After excelling there, Zagreb selected him seventh overall in the 1965 European Baseball Federation Draft. His entire EBF career would be in Croatia with the Gulls, where he became a franchise icon and a celebrated sports star for all of Yugoslavia.

Pavlis was a full-time starter beginning in his rookie year, although injuries cost him two months of his first season. Small injuries here and there cost him time, but he was generally quite durable at a very demanding position, playing in 125+ games in all but his first and final season with the Gulls. His bat was largely unmatched at shortstop and he won nine Silver Sluggers (1967-72, 75, 77, 78).

In only his second season at 22-years old, Pavlis picked up Southern Conference MVP by leading with 10.3 WAR. It would be his first of eight seasons worth 10+ WAR with eleven seasons worth 8+. That year, the Gulls snapped a six-year playoff drought, although they were one-and-done. Zagreb missed the playoffs the next five years despite Pavlis’ efforts. He was third in MVP voting in 1968, then had a historic 1969 season that netted his second MVP. His 14.3 WAR was the second most by a EBF hitter at that point and still ranks sixth best as of 2037. He also led the conference in OPS (1.063), wRC+ (220), total bases (401), home runs (50), runs (115), and RBI (119). Pavlis had career highs in hits, total bases, wRC+, and WAR.

Pavlis continued to be great with a second place in 1971 MVP voting, then his third win of the top prize in 1973. He’d take third again in 1974 and second in 1975. Although he didn’t win it in 1975, he had career bests in home runs (51), RBI (127), and runs (132). Most importantly, this year saw Zagreb win the European Championship for the second time in franchise history. The Gulls also made the playoffs in 1973, 74, and 78. In his playoff career, Pavlis had 40 starts, 40 hits, 27 runs, 6 home runs, 19 RBI, and 1.6 WAR. Bringing home the title helped cement his status as an all-timer with Zagreb retiring his #25 uniform at the end of his career.

In 1979, a back injury cost Pavlis part of the season. However, his production also slipped and he found himself relegated to more of a bench role for the first time. Although there wouldn’t ultimately be hard feelings, Pavlis opted to leave the Gulls at the end of the 1979 season to find a starting role somewhere else. He had numerous suitors in Europe, but the biggest money by far came from Major League Baseball’s Buffalo Blue Sox. More than doubling his top Gulls salary, Pavlis signed a three-year, $2,220,000 deal with Buffalo.

That marked the end of his European career and his time as a shortstop, as the now 35-year old was having trouble with the physical demands of the spot. He played three seasons at first base for Buffalo and wasn’t the same elite hitter, but he still provided respectable power stats. With the Blue Sox, he had 8.0 WAR, 395 hits, 229 runs, 95 home runs, 249 RBI, and 117 wRC+. He became a free agent after the 1982 season and didn’t find a major league home. Minor league Providence signed him for part of the 1983 campaign, but Pavlis opted to retire after his run in Rhode Island at age 39.

For his entire pro career, Pavlis had 137.0 WAR, 2537 hits, 1509 runs, 575 home runs, and 1516 RBI. Just for his EBF and Zagreb run, he had 2142 hits, 1280 runs, 333 doubles, 138 triples, 480 home runs, 1267 RBI, 506 stolen bases, a .298/.360/.583 slash, 175 wRC+, and 129.0 WAR. At induction, he had the third most WAR for a EBF batter. Pavlis was easily the top in WAR for shortstops and was widely considered EBF’s GOAT at the position until Harvey Coyle completely re-wrote the record books about 30-40 years later. Pavlis was a no-doubt Hall of Fame pick on the first ballot at 98.4%.

Callum Docker – Starting Pitcher – Dublin Dinos – 96.5% First Ballot

Callum Docker was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Cinderford, a town of around 9,000 people in southwestern England. Docker was a fireballer who used his incredible 99-101 mph fastball to overpower hitters despite having average movement and subpar control. His stuff was excellent though as he also boasted a great splitter and changeup, plus a decent slider. Docker generally had good durability and respectable stamina, along with a solid knack for holding runners. He was incredibly well respected in the clubhouse as a team captain, earning the loyalty and admiration of many teammates during his run.

Docker attended Harper Adams University College in Edgmond and earned the 14^th overall pick in the 1964 EBF Draft by Dublin. His full career would be with the Dinos, although he still played for England regularly in the World Baseball Championship. In 176.1 innings in the WBC from 1967-79, Docker had a 12-7 record, 2.71 ERA, 232 strikeouts, and 4.6 WAR. He made only six starts with poor results in 1966, but excelled in his first full season in 1967. He led the Northern Conference in wins at 24-5 and won Rookie of the Year unanimously. Docker even took third in Pitcher of the Year voting and had an excellent postseason with a 0.74 ERA over three starts and 24.1 innings. This performance helped Dublin win the 1967 European Championship.

The Dinos got back to the final in 1968 with Docker again taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting. They made the playoffs three more times in Docker’s tenure, although never again got beyond the first round. He would lead the conference three times in WHIP, twice in wins, and one in ERA with a 1.65 mark in 1974. Docker took second in Pitcher of the Year voting that season, but ultimately never won the top award.

After posting sub 2.50 ERAs for most of his career, Docker started to see it above three regularly to close out the 1970s. He still regularly ate innings and picked up strikeouts, but he started giving up more hits and walks, posting average at best advanced stats. He decided to retire after the 1979 season at age 35. Dublin would almost immediately retire his #45 jersey for his role in their 1967 championship series and general service.

Docker’s final stats: 227-122 record, 2.50 ERA, 3240.2 innings, 3685 strikeouts to 774 walks, 87 FIP-, 313/407 quality starts, and 61.6 WAR. At induction, he was seventh in wins and his ERA fit in with other inductees, although the advanced stats didn’t love him. Still, his resume was plenty impressive in the eyes of the EBF voters, who placed Docker into the Hall of Fame with a first ballot 96.5%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-06-2023, 02:47 PM

1985 EBF Hall of Fame

Fabian Mullner – Starting Pitcher – Oslo Octopi – 77.1% First Ballot

Fabian Mullner was a 6’0’’, 175 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Austria, Vienna. He threw hard with 99-101 mph peak velocity, but also had solid control and movement on his pitches. Mullner’s stuff was three pitches with a curveball, changeup, and cutter. He had pretty good durability in his career with perfectly respectable stamina and defense. Mullner was a very hard worker and loyal, which endeared him to many teammates and coaches in his career.

Mullner was a scouting discovery as he was spotted by a keen eye from Oslo in 1960. At age 16, Mullner made his way north to Norway, where he’d play his entire professional career. He debuted as a reliever in 1965 at age 20 and got his first starts the next year. Mullner was a full-time starter for the next decade after that for the Octopi. He would return home to Austria for the World Baseball Championship, pitching 136.2 innings between 1967-79. In the WBC, he had a 10-9 record, 4.21 ERA, 163 strikeouts, and 2.1 WAR.

Mullner’s standout season came in 1969, leading the Northern Conference with a 1.55 ERA, 31 quality starts, 8 shutouts, and 9.8 WAR. This earned him his lone Pitcher of the Year, as he never was a finalist or league leader in any other season. Mullner remained reliable and steady though for about another decade for Oslo, helping them to their first-ever playoff appearances. In 1975, the Octopi won their first Northern Conference title, falling to Zagreb in the championship. Mullner had a 1.95 ERA over 37 innings in that playoff run and posted a 2.31 ERA over 70 career postseason innings with a nice 69 strikeouts and 1.9 WAR.

After their 1975 season, Oslo fell hard with three straight seasons below 70 wins. Mullner stayed loyal to the team, but his stats regressed to around league average levels in his final few seasons. In 1979, he had been reduced to only a part time role in the rotation. He still had a year left on the big contact extension he signed in the summer of 1973, but Mullner decided to call it a career at only age 35.

Mullner’s final stats, 191-149 record, 2.54 ERA, 3347.2 innings, 3201 strikeouts to 610 walks, 295/413 quality starts, 83 FIP-, and 69.1 WAR. His numbers really aren’t too dissimilar from Callum Docker’s, although Mullner didn’t have quite as many people campaigning for his induction. He still had enough though to earn himself a first ballot nod with 77.1%.

Tobias Sigmarsson – First Baseman – Belfast Brewers – 68.6% First Ballot

Tobias Sigmarsson was a 6’0’’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. The first Icelandic Hall of Famer, Sigmarsson was a terrific power hitter who had 10 seasons with 40+ home runs and 16 straight with 30+. He also was a solid contact hitter also gave you around 25-30 doubles per year and a few triples. Sigmarsson could draw walks fairly effectively, but was still a free swinger who struck out more than you’d like. He was a slow baserunner and never played in the field anywhere but first base, although he was a perfectly passable defender. Sigmarsson was very intelligent and was considered an ironman, making 148+ starts in 15 straight seasons.

Sigmarsson left the limited baseball scene at the time in Iceland to play college baseball at England’s University of Sheffield. At the time, there were some regional restrictions in the draft which left the few Icelandic players from early consideration. Sigmarsson wouldn’t get picked until early round five, 133rd overall, by Belfast in the 1963 EBF Draft. His entire European career would ultimately be spent in Northern Ireland.

He didn’t crack the lineup regularly until his third season, mainly used as a pinch hitter. But once in the cleanup spot, Sigmarsson delivered with six consecutive 40+ home run seasons and eight straight with 100+ RBI. He won Silver Sluggers in 1968, 69, 71, and 72. He led the Northern Conference thrice in both home runs and RBI, peaking with 49 dingers in 1967. 1968 was his finest season, leading in WAR (9.5), OPS (1.005), and total bases (387), all career bests. Sigmarsson finished second in MVP voting, the only time he was a finalist.

Despite his efforts, he didn’t get a ton of notice on the wider stage as Belfast generally stunk. The Brewers had only one playoff berth in their first 50 years of existence and typically hovered near the bottom of the standings. Sigmarsson’s slugging was one of the only redeeming things of the era and they’d retire his #9 uniform. After a decade with the Brewers, Sigmarsson became a free agent at age 33. He had international suitors and decided to leave European baseball, signing a five-year, $2,330,000 deal with MLB’s Louisville Lynx starting with the 1975 season.

He carried over his production to Kentucky in five strong seasons with Louisville, winning a Silver Slugger in 1978. The Lynx had a 16-year playoff drought prior to his arrival, but made it four straight years while Sigmarsson was there. After early exits in 1975-77, Louisville broke through and won the 1978 World Series. In that playoff run, Sigmarsson had 16 hits, 11 runs, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI in 16 playoff games. In total with the Lynx, he had 27.7 WAR, 850 hits, 468 runs, 189 home runs, 527 RBI, and a .293/.355/.544 slash.

Sigmarsson’s contract expired after the 1979 season and the 38-year old signed a two-year deal with Detroit. His production dropped a bit, but he still put up 6.7 WAR and 66 home runs in his two seasons with the Tigers. Sigmarsson spent his final two seasons with Omaha, although his role was reduced with the Hawks, posting 1.2 WAR while there. After going unsigned in 1984, Sigmarsson retired at age 43. For his MLB career, he had 1244 hits, 703 runs, 284 home runs, 767 RBI, a .276/.341/.517 slash and 35.6 WAR.

For his entire pro career, Sigmarsson had 106.3 WAR, 2922 hits, 1606 runs, 457 doubles, 693 home runs, 1820 RBI, a .286/.348/.550 slash and 165 wRC+. That would be a lock in any league, but his EBF candidacy was based primarily on his time in Belfast. With the Brewers, he had 1678 hits, 903 runs, 273 doubles, 409 home runs, 1053 RBI, a .294/.353/.577 slash, 180 wRC+, and 70.7 WAR. Still impressive over a shorter stretch, but lower accumulations due to his exit to MLB. Many voters held that and being stuck on a terrible Belfast team against him, but enough were wowed by the dingers and his popularity. Sigmarsson earned a first ballot nod as the fourth member of the 1985 class, just barely crossing the 66% requirement at 68.6%.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 12-06-2023, 06:59 PM

1985 EPB Hall of Fame

Eurasian Professional Baseball’s 1985 Hall of Fame class had two inductees. Both were first ballot, but by very different margins. Closer Jas Starsky was a firm pick at 95.6%, while starting pitcher Seitzhan Svechnikov just crossed the 66% requirement with 66.6%. Two other debuting candidates got very close but fell just short with SP Pavel Melnichuk at 65.4% and SP Serhiy Belov at 61.3%. Also above 50% was 2B Ali Alasgarov at 52.6% on his third ballot, SP Eryk Wozniak at 52.0% in his seventh attempt, and SP Artyom Rudasev at 50.3% for his seventh go.

No one was cut after ten ballots, but two notables fell below 5% after a number of tries. The biggest snub was SS Leonard Szuster, who had 22 years between Minsk and Omsk. He won seven Gold Gloves and had eight Silver Sluggers with 2407 hits, 1211 runs, 396 doubles, 215 home runs, 1014 RBI, a .265/.328/.395 slash and 109.8 WAR. Despite that resume, he debuted at 46.3% and plummeted until falling to 4.4% on his eighth ballot. As of 2037, he has the fourth most WAR of any EPB hitter, but the voters weren’t swayed by defensive value and turned off by low power numbers. . Pitcher Borys Voynov debuted at 54.0% before falling to 4.1% on his ninth ballot. He had a 203-108 record in 14 years with Minsk with a 2.65 ERA, 2838 innings, 2798 strikeouts, and 65.4 WAR.

Jas “Hellraiser” Starsky – Closer – Warsaw Wildcats – 95.6% First Ballot

Jas Starsky was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Glogzw, a city of around 65,000 people in western Poland. Nicknamed “Hellraiser,” he was known for incredible stuff and very good movement along with decent control. His peak velocity was 96-98 mph and he only had two pitches, but Starsky’s fastball/splitter combo was deadly when he was dealing. He was also considered a very good defensive pitcher. Starsky was the ultimate journeyman playing for 11 teams in his career, but he was a fan favorite at each stop. His great work ethic and adaptability made him a success in multiple environments.

Starsky got noticed as a great amateur in Poland and caught the attention of the capital’s team. Warsaw selected him 47^th overall in the 1962 EPB Draft; the ninth pick of the second round. He was immediately thrown into a closer role and generally held that for his entire career, posting 20+ saves in 14 different seasons. Starsky also pitched for Poland in the World Baseball Championship from 1965-79. Although he was exclusively a reliever as a pro, he made 25 starts with 14 relief appearances in the WBC. Over 176 innings, Starsky had a 2.35 ERA, 285 strikeouts, and 6.1 WAR. His highlight was a 14 strikeout, two walk no-hitter in a 1969 encounter with Brazil.

With Warsaw, he played seven seasons in his first run. Starsky was second in Reliever of the Year voting in 1967. The Wildcats only made the playoffs once in this tenure, but Starsky was a local favorite and would later see his #21 uniform retired. He posted 187 saves and 21.2 WAR in the first run. In 1969, he seemed primed for a career-best season, but suffered bone chips in his elbow that put him out for five months.

The Wildcats would trade him for three prospects before the 1970 season to Tirana. His one year with the Trojans was his strongest season and his first Reliever of the Year, posting 7.8 WAR over 102.2 innings with 47 saves and 208 strikeouts. As of 2037, the WAR total is the second most ever in a EPB season by a Reliever of the Year winner. Starsky also picked up four saves in the playoffs as Tirana won the European League title, falling in the Soviet Series to Yekaterinburg.

He pitched another decade, but his vagabond life began at age 31 as a free agent for the first time. Starsky signed with Omsk in 1971 and won Reliever of the Year for the second time and took third in Pitcher of the Year voting. This season saw a 0.75 ERA, a career-best for a full season, and 7.0 WAR. Srarsky spent 1972 in Moscow, then returned to Warsaw for 1973. The Wildcats would trade him midseason to Kharkiv, who ended up winning the EL title. He led the league in saves (36) and had 6.7 WAR, earning his third Reliever of the Year.

1974 was split as well, starting with Tashkent and getting traded at the deadline to Krasnoyarsk. Starsky was second in Reliever of the Year voting this season. He signed in 1975 with Minsk and won the award for the fourth and final time. Starsky was third in voting in 1976 with Kyiv, then second in 1977 with Tashkent. That was his last year as a full-time closer with a torn rotator cuff in April 1978 with Bratislava. He attempted a comeback in 1979 by signing with Tbilisi, but was traded before the season to Dushanbe. Starsky was unremarkable in his limited use with the Dynamo and retired after the season at age 39.

Starsky’s final stats: 473 saves and 564 shutdowns, 1.42 ERA, 1211.1 innings, 1986 strikeouts to 301 walks, FIP- of 33, and 67.0 WAR. He also had a 1.67 ERA and 22 saves over 59.1 playoff innings with 107 strikeouts and 3.1 WAR. Starsky retired EPB’s all-time saves leader and still holds the crown as of 2037, although he is just behind former saves leader Demis Mankovsky for most WAR by an EPB reliever (72.1 to 67.0). As of 2037, Starsky also has the career record in ERA (1.42), H/9 (4.73), K/9 (14.8), WHIP (0.77), opponents average (.155), and opponents OBP (.216). Starsky’s dominance and popularity made him an easy first ballot choice, getting in with 95.6%.

Seitzhan Svechnikov – Starting Pitcher – Yerevan Valiants – 66.6% First Ballot

Seitzhan Svechnikov was a 6’1’’, 185 pound left-handed pitcher from Kosonsoy, a city of around 50,000 people in eastern Uzbekistan. Svechnikov was a fireballer with 99-101 mph velocity and overpowering stuff, which made up for middling movement and control at times. His fastball was fantastic, but he also had a very good forkball, good slider, and occasionally used curveball and changeup. Svechnikov had good stamina and was quite durable, posting 11 straight seasons with 255+ innings.

He was spotted in late 1960 as a teenager by a scout from Yerevan and opted to sign a developmental deal with the Valiants. Svechnikov spent his entire pro career in Armenia, finally making his debut in 1966 at age 21. He was a full-time starter from the beginning, but really didn’t emerge as an ace until a few years in. Svechnikov led the Asian league in strikeouts three times and won Pitcher of the Year in 1974. That season had a career-best 414 Ks over 296.2 innings with a 2.12 ERA and league-best 12.9 WAR. That season earned him a hefty contract extension worth $1,798,000 over six years. Svechnikov finished third in Pitcher of the Year the following season, his only other time as a finalist.

Svechnikov also pitched for Uzbekistan from 1967-78 in the World Baseball Championship. Over 109.2 innings, he had a 2.87 ERA, 155 strikeouts, and 2.8 WAR. He tossed 16.2 scoreless innings notably in the 1971 edition. Yerevan was typically awful in his tenure, but in 1977, they popped out of nowhere to win the South Division. Svechnikov had a 4.12 ERA in three playoff starts as they lost in the ALCS. That would be Yerevan’s only playoff appearance for their 45 year run in Eurasian Professional Baseball.

Svechnikov’s production dropped a bit after his Pitcher of the Year season, although he was still a solid starter. 1978 saw a big setback though with a stretched elbow ligament putting him on the shelf for 10 months. Svechnikov came back and pitched a full 1979, but his strikeouts and innings were both down significantly with average at best production. He decided to retire after this season at age 35.

Svechnikov’s stats had a 186-180 record, 2.76 ERA, 3567.1 innings, 4436 strikeouts, 741 walks, 300/444 quality starts, 172 complete games, 77 FIP- and 87.4 WAR. He was the tenth EPB pitcher to earn 4000 career strikeouts and his stats didn’t look out of place compared to some others in the Hall of Fame, but Svechnikov was often overlooked having been stuck with lousy Yerevan teams. In his debut, he managed to win enough voters over to get the first ballot nod, albeit barely at 66.6%.

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

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