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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in ABF

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The Pakistan League had an intense three-team race for the two playoff spots. Two-time defending Asian Baseball Federation champ Hyderabad finished first for their third straight playoff berth with a 101-61 record. The Horned Frogs were one ahead of 100-62 Rawalpindi and two better than 99-63 Peshawar. This gave the Red Wings their first playoff berth. The Predators had a strong turnaround from only 74 wins the prior year, but fell just short. Lahore, who won a PL record 110 wins the prior season, fell to fourth at 83-79.

Pakistan League MVP went to 1B Ghantous Abbas of Faisalabad. Nicknamed “the General,” the 30-year old slugger led in home runs (56), total bases (384), average (.323), slugging (.675), OPS (1.056), wRC+ (207), and WAR (10.4); adding 122 RBI and 103 runs. The 56 home runs tied the single-season home run record, although this would get topped in 1990. This effort earned Abbas a MLB contract the next season with Los Angeles. Peshawar’s Vohra Halim was the Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (24-9), strikeouts (363), complete games (17), FIP- (49), and WAR (10.3). Halim added a 1.94 ERA over 269 innings.



After dropping off to only 74 wins the prior year, Istanbul set an ABF record for wins at 111-51. This gave the Ironmen their third Turkish League title in ABF’s first four seasons. Last year’s TL winner Ankara was 88-74, respectable but a distant second. Istanbul’s team ERA of 2.25 remains the WAA’s all-time best as of 2037 and their 416 runs allowed is second fewest as of 2037. Two-time defending West Asia Association champ Isfahan won the Persian League for the third straight season. The Imperials were 96-66, topping Shiraz by four games. The Suns had an impressive turnaround for their first winning season after going 61-101 the prior year and an all-time worst 38-124.

West Asia Association MVP and Pitcher of the Year both went to Shiraz’s Taylan Kucukbayrak. He led in wins (21-8), ERA (1.71), innings (284.2), and WHIP (0.77), while adding 363 strikeouts and 9.0 WAR. Despite winning both big awards, another pitcher had a record-setting season in Tehran’s Ali Dahir. He had 13.6 WAR, which remains the all-time ABF mark as of 2037, and struck out 455 (which remains third best as of 2037). Dahir also had a 2.09 ERA over 254.1 innings with a 16-9 record, but was perhaps overlooked on a terrible Tehran team.

In the Pakistan League Championship Series, Rawalpindi ousted defending champ Hyderabad 4-2 to earn their first-ever title. The West Asia Association Championship saw Istanbul sweep Isfahan to give the Ironmen their second pennant, having won the ABF title in the inaugural 1985 season.



Istanbul and Rawalpindi had a seven game classic in the fourth Asian Baseball Federation Championship. The Ironmen prevailed in the end for their second title, making their claim as the best team in ABF’s short history to date. RF Irfan Dikerdem was the finals MVP in an impressive rookie season. The 23-yar old Istanbul native had 11 hits, 4 runs, and 3 stolen bases in 11 playoff starts. The 1988 Ironmen would be the ABF champs with the best record (111-51) until Multan’s 113-49 run in 2003.



Other notes: Avid Balakh of Izmir struck out 21 against Tabriz on April 16, the second most Ks in a game behind Ali Dahir’s 22 in 1986.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in SAB

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Two-time defending South Asia Baseball Champion Ahmedabad set a franchise record going 107-55 in 1988. This gave the Animals the best record in the Indian League and the West Division title, along with their seventh playoff berth in SAB’s first nine seasons. Kanpur won the Central Division for back-to-back years, going 104-58. Meanwhile in the South Division, Hyderabad took it at 90-72, earning their first playoff berth since the inaugural season. They were one game better than 89-73 Visakhapatnam, who also fell one game short of the wild card. The West Division’s Surat at 90-72 took the wild card for their first-ever playoff appearance. Kolkata and Jaipur were both in the mix as well at 85-77, but fell off down the stretch.

Taking Indian League MVP was Ahmedabad LF K.C. Choudhury. The 28-year old Indian was the leader in runs (126), walks (106), stolen bases (88), and WAR (11.5). He also added 51 home runs, 105 RBI, and a 1.090 OPS. He managed to beat Kanpur’s Dhavalapaksa Dattatreya for the award despite his 65 home runs and 154 RBI. This set a new single season RBI record and was two homers short of the record Andee Siddharth set last year. Kanpur’s Arvind Lal won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards. The 24-year old lefty led again in ERA (2.02), and WHIP (0.86), while also leading the IL in K/BB (8.2), FIP- (47), and WAR (9.2). He added a 19-6 record, 11 saves, and 321 strikeouts in 227 innings.

Ahmedabad dispatched their division rival Surat 3-1 in the first round, while Kanpur ousted Hyderabad 3-1. This was the first Indian League Championship Series berth for the Poison, who was the underdog even at 104 against the 107-win defending champion Animals. In a seven-game classic, Kanpur disrupted Ahmedabad’s dynasty ambitions, giving the Poison their first pennant.



The Southeast Asia League had a ton of parity as the top record ended up being 91-72. Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City tied at 90-72 atop the South Division with the Bobcats winning a tiebreaker game to claim the division title for the third straight year. The defending SEAL champion Hedgehogs were the first wild card and got their fifth playoff appearance in six seasons. Hanoi won the North Division for the third time in four years with their 88-74 finish. In a tight battle for the second wild card, Phnom Penh claimed it at 85-77, edging Johor Bahru by two, Kathmandu by three, and both Kuala Lumpur and Mandalay by five. This was the first playoff berth for the Pandas.

Southeast Asia League MVP went to Ho Chi Minh City 3B Hoai Truong. The 29-year old Vietnamese righty won a batting title at .337 and was the WARlord at 9.2. Truong added 29 home runs, 105 RBI, 203 hits, and a .988 OPS. Bangkok lefty Weerapong Muengchu was Pitcher of the Year. Nickanmed “Dingus,” the 28-year old Thai lefty posted the first-ever Triple Crown season in South Asia Baseball with a 19-9 record, 2.18 Era, and 321 strikeouts. He also had 26 quality starts and 8.0 WAR over 235.2 innings. Oddly enough, Muengchu would only have two more pro seasons despite being healthy as no teams were able to match his high contract demands and he wasn’t willing to move to a new league.

In the first round of the playoffs, Phnom Penh stunned Bangkok by upsetting the Bobcats 3-1. Ho Chi Minh City topped Hanoi 3-1 to give the Hedgehogs back-to-back berths in the Southeast Asia League Championship Series. The newcomer Pandas prevailed in a seven-game battle though to send the pennant to Cambodia.



Phnom Penh was overmatched in the ninth South Asia Championship against Kanpur, but gave the Poison a solid fight. Still, Kanpur prevailed 4-2 for its first title and the seventh straight victory for the Indian League over the SEAL in the championship. LF Dhavalapaksa Dattatreya had a stellar postseason and won both finals MVP and ILCS MVP. In 17 playoff games, the 26-year old had 16 hits, 11 runs, 7 home runs, 14 RBI, and 11 walks.



Other notes: Ahmedabad’s Serhiy Abdullaev struck out 16 with two walks in a no-hitter on August 10 against Bengaluru. This set the SAB record for strikeouts in a no-no and would hold until 2012.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in SAB

Prior to the 14^th season of West Africa Baseball, rule changes were made to increase offensive numbers. These changes caused the league ERA to jump from around 3.45 in 1987 to 3.81 in 1988, while the batting average went from around .237 to .252. WAB’s offense numbers would be considered above average in the grand historical context into the 1990s, although it would be among the highest scoring leagues to close the 20^th Century. Later bumps in the 2010s would turn WAB into a very high offensive environment.



The Western League saw some new faces in the playoff field. Dakar had won only 65 games in 1987 and 54 in 1986, but they stunning many by finishing first in the Western League at 98-64. This was their second playoff berth ever, as they were a wild card back in the inaugural 1975 season Cape Verde was one back in 97-65 for their first-ever playoff berth. The Vulcans hadn’t posting a winning season until their 88 wins the prior season. Defefnding WL champ Kumasi did remain a constant by earning a record 11^th straight playoff berth. The Monkeys finished 90-72, taking the third place spot by four games over Conakry and five over Bamako.

Taking Western League MVP was Cape Verde LF Courtnall Mgcobo. The 24-year old South African lefty led in runs (121), hits (207), triples (30), total bases (355), stolen bases (98), batting average (.339), and OPS (.972). He added 37 doubles, 17 home runs, and 7.0 WAR. Mgcobo also had a 32-game hit streak, which would be the WAB record until 1998. Kumasi’s Bijou Kalumbu was Pitcher of the Year. The 27-year old Congolese righty had the most innings pitched at 258 and most quality starts at 28. Kalumbu added a 17-6 record, 2.51 ERA, 346 strikeouts, and 8.9 WAR.

Cape Verde ousted Kumasi 2-0 in the wild card round, pushing the Monkeys out of the Western League Championship Series for the first time since 1984. The Vulcans and Dakar were both making their first WLCS appearance and the series went all five games. The home field advantage helped the Dukes claim the pennant 3-2.



After a fourth place finish in 1987, Lagos returned to the Eastern League’s perch at 106-56. This was the fifth time finishing first for the Lizards and their 11^th playoff appearance over WAB’s first 14 seasons. Kano also returned to the postseason after missing the prior season by taking second at 98-64. The Condors now have ten playoff appearances to their name. Defending WAB champ Niamey was able to take third at 96-66 to extend their postseason streak to five seasons. Lome was in contention, but fell three games short of the final wild card.

Despite the Lasers missing the postseason, 1B Nyaya Issah claimed the Eastern League’s MVP. The 26-year old Ghanaian led the EL in hits (197), RBI (114), total bases (352), triple slash (.336/.407/.601), OPS (1.008), wRC+ (184), and WAR (8.3). He added 110 runs and 36 home runs. Lagos righty Dalanda Soumah became a two-time Pitcher of the Year, having also won in 1985. The 28-year old Guinean led in wins at 21-9, plus strikeouts (398), K/BB (13.3), and quality starts (30). He added 8.6 WAR over 260.2 innings with a 2.21 ERA. He’d pitch one more season with the Lizards before leaving for MLB’s Dallas Dalmatians.

Niamey upset Kano 2-1 in the wild card round to send the Atomics to the Eastern League Championship Series for the fourth time in five years. It was the second time they were to have faced Lagos in the ELCS, who was making a tenth appearance. The Lizards swept the defending champs 3-0, making Lagos seven-time EL pennant winners.



Lagos added a sixth West African Baseball Championship trophy to the shelf, joining their 1978, 79, 81, 83, and 85 titles. The Lizards defeated first-time finalist Dakar 4-2 with finals MVP going to veteran LF Roldanillo Chacon. The 35-year old Guatemalan had played 12 years between CABA and MLB before joining Lagos in 1988. In nine playoff games, the journeyman had 13 hits, 6 home runs, 6 runs scored, and 9 RBI.



Other notes; Addise Assefa and Albert Kamara became the third and fourth pitchers to 3000 career strikeouts.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in CLB

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Tianjin was first in the Northern League in 1988 at 94-68, giving them a Chinese League Baseball record sixth straight playoff appearance. Jinan finished two behind at 92-70 to take the second place spot. It is only the second playoff berth for the Jumbos, who took second in 1980. The Beijing dynasty came to a close after four straight finals berths and three CLB titles. The Bears were still good in 1988, but they ended up fourth at 88-74. Hangzhou was one better at 89-73 with Shanghai fifth at 86-76.

Jackrabbits RF Mingqi Dai won his third Northern League MVP. “Bumblebee” led the NL in WAR (12.1), RBI (96), OBP (.369), slugging (.613), OPS (.982), and wRC+ (237). The Tianjin lefty also had 37 home runs and a .302 average. Pitcher of the Year was Jinan’s Hejing Guo, who emerged seemingly out of nowhere. The 25-year old bounced bak from a torn flexor tendon the prior year, leading in WHIP (0.72) with a 1.27 ERA over 198.2 innings, 15-5 record, 273 strikeouts, and 8.0 WAR. Sadly, more injuries meant Guo’s career would be over before turning 28. Also of note, Tianjin’s Junwei Zhu won his fourth Reliever of the Year, posting a 1.06 ERA and 43 saves with 189 strikeouts in 110.1 innings.



The Southern League saw two playoff droughts snapped. Shenzhen secured the top spot at 96-66, getting only their second-ever playoff berth (1979). Macau was one behind them at 95-67 for their third-ever playoff appearance (1975, 1983). Both teams saw turnarounds from losing records in the prior four seasons. Chengdu and Dongguan both finished third at 90-72, while last year’s finalist Guangzhou was fifth at 87-75.

Macau two-way player Wei Qin won his first Southern League MVP. As a first baseman, he played 128 games with 6.1 WAR, 28 home runs, 110 hits, a .877 OPS, and 176 wRC+. On the mound, Qin had a 1.89 ERA and 15-6 record over 238.2 innings with 258 strikeouts and 4.8 WAR. Although Wuhan was below .500, 29-year old righty Xiabin Chen won Pitcher of the Year. He was nine strikeouts short of a Triple Crown with a 21-10 record, 1.39 ERA, and 307 Ks. He led in innings pitched (284.1), WHIP (0.73), quality starts (32), complete games (21), shutouts (9), and WAR (8.7). Chen pitched one more season with the Wolverines before leaving for America.

Both first place teams were victorious over the second place teams in the semifinal playoff matchups. Tianjin topped Macau 4-2, while Shenzhen survived in seven against Jinan with the home team winning all seven games. This sent the Spartans to their first-ever China Series appearance, while the Jackrabbits earned their sixth finals berth and fourth of the decade.



Tianjin joined Beijing as the only Chinese franchises with four CLB rings thus far. The Jackrabbits won the 19^th China Series 4-2 over Shenzhen, taking third title in six years (1983, 86). Tianjin also won it all back in 1972. League MVP Mingqi Dai was finals MVP for the second time in his career, posting 14 hits, 11 runs, 4 home runs, 11 RBI, and 7 walks in 12 playoff starts.



Other notes; 1988 was the first season in CLB that zero no-hitters were thrown. Guodong Lin became the fifth pitcher to 200 career wins. Junjie Hsiung and Chaoqing Yang became the fourth and fifth batters to 1000 RBI. Yang also became the eighth to 1000 runs scored. Hsiung won his 10^th and final Gold Glove at shortstop. He’d play one more season and his defense helped make him the position player WARlord at 152.6. As of 2037, Hsiung is also the CLB leader in hits (2824), games (2658), and doubles (471). 3B Chantha Thepsenavong won his 12^th Gold Glove, which is tied with 1B Shenchao An for the most at any position.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in APB

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For the first time in 18 years, Taipei took the top spot in the Taiwan League. The Tigercats finished at 94-68, earning their third TL title in the 24 year history of Austronesia Professional Baseball. Tainan was second at 90-72, while defending Taiwan-Philippine Association champ Taichung was at 84-78. This ended the Toucans’ four-year streak as Taiwan’s best. Cebu was the Philippine League leader for the first time since 1980 with a franchise best 101-61 mark. Last year’s winner Quezon was second at 93-69.

The big addition for the Crows was LF Eric Iglesia, the 1984 Sundaland Association MVP. After a decade with Semarang, he signed a seven-year, $7,560,000 deal with Cebu and won TPA MVP. The 30-year old nicknamed “Zippo” led in total bases (289), slugging (.544), OPS (.891), and wRC+ (182), adding 6.9 WAR and a .322 average. The Crows also saw Alex Clavijo earn back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards. He led in strikeouts (434), K/BB (14.5), FIP- (34), and WAR (13.7). Clavijo also had an 19-11 record and 1.93 ERA over 279.1 innings.



Defending Sundaland Association Champion Medan very narrowly kept their hold on the Malacca League crown. They finished tied with Pekanbaru for the top spot at 99-63 with the Palms seeing an incredible turnaround from winning only 69 games the prior season. The Marlins ended Pekanbaru’s Cinderella story in the one-game tiebreaker to take the title. In the Java League, Semarang ended a three-year playoff drought by taking first at 100-62 and boasting the best record in the SA. Jakarta was a close second at 96-66, but the Jaguars had their three-year Java title streak ended.

Depok was a non-factor at 77-85, but 1B Akbar Fatchurohman had a terrific sseason and won Sundaland Association MVP. The 25-year old led in hits (196), home runs (40), total bases (356), triple slash (.317/.359/.576), OPS (.935), wRC+ (233) and WAR (11.6) while winning a Gold Glove defensively. Pitcher of the Year was Semarang’s Agil Vargas in an impressive return from a torn flexor tendon. In 270.2 innings, the 27-year old righty had a 19-7 record, 1.20 ERA, 315 strikeouts, and 6.9 WAR. Sadly, Vargas needed elbow surgery the following April and barely saw the field for the rest of his shortened career.

In the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship, Taipei topped Cebu 4-2, giving the Tigercats their second-ever pennant (1968). Taipei’s Derek Chiu had one of the great playoff performances in the series, striking out 22 in a complete game win. This set the APB playoff record for Ks in a game and was one off Vhon Lasam’s 23 strikeout effort in July 1984. The Sundaland Association Championship went all seven games and the home team won every time. The half-game Semarang finished ahead of Medan with made the difference for home field advantage and the Sliders ousted the defending champ Marlins. This was the third SA pennant for Semarang, who also won in 1975 and 1980.



Both Taipei and Semarang were looking for their second-ever Austronesia Championship title. In the 24^th final, the Tigercats cruised to a 4-1 series win over the Sliders, bringing the title back to Taiwan for the first time since Taoyuan’s 1983 win. RF Eli Cheng was finals MVP as the 1986 Triple Crown winner had 11 hits, 7 runs, 2 home runs, and 4 RBI in his playoff debut of 11 starts.



Other notes: Vhom Lasam became the second APB pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. He passed Wisnu Dharmayuman’s 4094 to become the all-time strikeout leader. He’d play four more seasons and end with 5365, holding the crown until the early 2010s. Dave Hermillo became the second pitcher to 200 wins. Yandi Harjanto and Ming-Yi Chou became the sixth and seventh batters to 400 home runs.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in OBA

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After finishing second the prior season, Christchurch finished atop the Australasia League in 1988 at 101-61. This was the fourth AL title of the 1980s for the Chinooks and their fifth in franchise history. Last year’s champ Melbourne was still solid, but a distant second at 88-74. Gold Coast was third at 87-75.

Although Sydney was middling, they had the Australasia League MVP in RF Graham Chapman. The mustachioed 27-year old Australian led in OBP (.382) and OPS (.987), adding 6.2 WAR, 51 home runs, and 97 RBI. He took the top prize despite Melbourne’s Eric Williams smacking 60 home runs. That tied the OBA record entering the season, although it would get forgotten due to the happenings in the Pacific League. AL Pitcher of the Year was Brisbane’s Jax Royer, who led in WAR (8.1) and quality starts (28). He added 305 strikeouts over 304 innings with a 2.69 ERA and 21-14 record.



Honolulu showed that the prior year was a mere disruption in their Pacific League dynasty. The Honu took first at 99-63 for their sixth PL title in eight eyears. Tahiti was second at 89-73, while defending Oceania Champion Samoa fell to third at 84-78.

It was the epic power of 1B Vavao Brighouse that pushed Honolulu back to the top, winning his second Pacific League MVP. The 25-year old lefty had fallen out of favor the prior year and was benched for part of it, but he bounced back and broke his single-season home run record of 60 from 1986. The 6’8’ Samoan crushed 69 dingers, a very nice total that still stands as OBA’s all-time best even as of 2037. Brighouse also led the PL in runs (95), RBI (125), total bases (362), slugging (.688), OPS (.999), wRC +(238), and WAR (9.0). Third year Tahiti righty Seveci Rabuka won Pitcher of the Year as the 25-year old Fijian led in wins (24-6), ERA (1.75), and quality starts (33). He had 7.3 WAR over 323.1 innings with 273 strikeouts. Also of note, New Caledonia’s Brent Sami became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner.



Despite it being Honolulu’s sixth and Christchurch’s fourth Oceania Championship apperarances of the 1980s, it was only their second meeting. The Honu won the 1983 encounter and had gone 4-1 in their 1980s finals, while the Chinooks had gone 0-3. The trend continued as Honolulu won the championship 4-2 for their fifth ring in seven years. Vavao Brighouse was finals MVP for the second time, going 6-21 in the series with 4 runs, 3 home runs, and 6 RBI. The Honu match Adelaide as the only OBA teams with five overall titles.



Other notes: Gold Coast’s Francis Quinteros struck out 20 in an August game against Perth, tying the regulation single-game OBA record. 1988 didn’t have a single no-hitter in OBA, joining 1980 as the only seasons to date to have that quirk. Durant Lindly became the fifth pitcher to 4000 strikeouts and the sixth to 200 wins.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in EPB

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Warsaw posted the top record in the EPB European League in 1988 at 114-48, ending a two-year playoff drought. This ended Minsk’s seven-year North Division title streak, but the Miners were still excellent at 109-53 and easily earned the first wild card. At 93-69, Moscow was a distant third in the division, but that got them the second wild card by a healthy margin. It was the Mules first winning season and playoff berth since 1981. Two-time defending Soviet Series champion Kyiv dominated the South Division at 106-56, getting their tenth playoff berth in 11 years. The Kings pitching staff set new EL records with a team 2.00 ERA and 377 runs allowed.

European League MVP went to Moscow’s Jovo Vyrubou, a second-year hometown favorite. The 25-year old righty led in runs (85), home runs (47), RBI (108), total bases (329), slugging (.559), OPS (.886), and WAR (8.5). The Mules also had Pitcher of the Year in Georgi Tabakov, who surged out of nowhere after previously being iffy and injury prone. He had a career season, leading in wins (23-4), ERA (1.40), and quality starts (31). Tabakov added 283 innings, 252 strikeouts, and 7.8 WAR. He sadly suffered a torn UCL and torn rotator cuff in the next two seasons and barely pitched again, although 1988 would remain a career highlight. He managed to edge out Vilnius’ Dana Bancu for the award despite Bancu’s 15.5 K/9. That remains a single-season EPB record as of 2037.

In the first round of the playoffs, Moscow stunned Warsaw by ousting them 3-1. The rivals Minsk and Kyiv met again with the Miners getting the 3-1 road win to eliminate the defending champs. It was Minsk’s 19^th time in the European League Championship Series, while it was the first for the Mules for their 1975 title and sixth overall. The Miners made quick work of Moscow with a sweep, making Minsk nine time EL champs (1955, 56, 62, 64, 66, 69, 81, 85, 88).




For the third time in the 1980s, Novosibirsk earned a playoff spot. It was the second time they finished atop the North Division, posting the Asian League’s best record at 104-58. The wild card race was in the North Division with Krasnoyarsk at 97-65 getting the first spot for back-to-back playoff berths. Ufa was two back at 95-67 to get the second spot and end a three-year playoff drought. Defending AL champ Omsk was three games short at 92-70, while Yekaterinburg dropped from 98 wins to 80. Both the Otters and Yaks had three-year playoff streaks ended. Meanwhile in the South Division, Bishkek extended its playoff streak to three at 100-62.

Novosibirsk 1B Dzmitry Kuliev was Asian League MVP as the 26-year old Kazakh lefty smacked a league best 60 home runs and 141, while falling eight points short of the Triple Crown with a .325 average. He also led in total bases (429), slugging (.686), OPS (1.034), wRC+ (229), and WAR (10.9). His Nitros teammate Igor Bury won his fourth straight Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old righty led in strikeouts (387), FIP- (45), and WAR (10.8) each for the fourth straight year while also leading with 0.77 WHIP. Bury also had a 1.87 ERA and 21-5 record over 254.2 innings. The two-way star also added 22 home runs and 2.8 WAR at the plate. Bury also had a 16 strikeout no-hitter against Dushabne with two walks on April 1.

Both first round series went all seven games with Novosibirsk surviving a challenge from Ufa and Bishkek outlasting Krasnoyarsk. It was only the third Asian League Championship Series appearance for the Nitros, who came up short in both 1983 and 1957. It was familiar for the Black Sox with their sixth ALCS just of the 1980s. However, Novosibirsk overcame that experience and claimed their first pennant in six games.



The playoff experience really paid off though in the 34^th Soviet Series as Minsk swept Novosibirsk to become six-time EPB champions (1956, 62, 66, 69, 85, 88). CF Ihar Kabelsky was finals MVP and posted 18 hits, 10 runs, 2 home runs, 12 RBI, and 9 stolen bases in 12 playoff starts.



Other notes: Darian Tasos became the seventh EPB batter to 600 career home runs. Andrey Fisyuk and Azer Sattarli two days apart reached 4000 strikeouts, bringing it to 17 pitchers to do so.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in EBF

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Berlin had the best record in the EBF Northern Conference at 104-58, winning the North Central Division for the third straight season. Two-time defending conference champ Amsterdam won the Northwest Division at 100-62 and earned a seventh straight playoff berth. They switched spots in the division with Rotterdam, but the 88-74 Ravens still got the wild card for a fourth straight playoff appearance. Another division foe Brussels was 85-77, their closest foil for the wild card. After falling below .500 last year, Birmingham won the British Isles Division for the fifth time in sixth years, finishing 85-79. Last year’s winner Glasgow dropped from 95 wins to 72.

Northern Conference MVP went to Amsterdam 2B Cherif Berrada. It was the first full season for the 24-year old Parisian, who posted 7.7 WAR with a .326/.350/.569 slash, 203 hits, 105 runs, 61 stolen bases, and 29 home runs. Pitcher of the Year went to Brussels lefty Khaled Jabri. The 25-year old Dutch ace led in WAR (7.5) and ERA (2.59), adding an 18-7 record over 267.2 innings with 276 strikeouts.

Berlin battered Birmingham with a first round sweep, while Amsterdam ousted divisional foe Rotterdam 3-1. For the fourth time in five years, this set up Anacondas versus Barons in the Northern Conference Championship. For the fourth time, it was Amsterdam on top, besting Berlin 4-1. The Anacondas became the first Northern Conference team to three-peat and won their fifth pennant in six years; the only team in either conference to take five in six. It also was Amsterdam’s seventh overall.



Zurich’s historic streak of South Central Division titles continued and extended to 16 seasons in 1988. At 106-56, the Mountaineers also boasted the best record in the European Baseball Federation. Marseille cruised to the Southwest Division at 99-63 for their fourth straight playoff berth and eighth in nine years. Munich’s run atop the Southeast Division extended to six seasons with a 95-67 mark. Meanwhile in the wild card race, Milan and Belgrade tied for the spot at 87-75. The Maulers won the tiebreaker game and became the first wild card out of the South Central Division since 1965. It was also Milan’s first playoff berth since 1972. Defending European Champion Madrid finished 85-77, two games short of the wild card spot.

Marseille’s Jacob “Rowdy” Ronnberg became a four-time Southern Conference MVP winner. The 32-year old Swede was ten points short of a Triple Crown with 58 home runs, 156 RBI, and a .369 average. Ronnberg also led in OBP (.416), slugging (.841), OPS (1.257), wRC+ (222), and WAR (12.4) while also winning his 11^th Gold Glove in right field. This was a EBF record for Gold Gloves at any position to date. Still, Zurich’s Franco Gilbert had a case for the award despite not having the home run power. Gilbert had 254 hits, flattening Ronnberg’s single-season record of 242 from 1985. The 254 hits remains the EBF all-time mark as of 2037 and was the world record in any league when it happened, although that would be beaten the next year in South America. Gilbert also scored 140 runs, four off of Sean Houston’s 1984 record.

Pitcher of the Year went to Zurich’s Angelo Silvestri. Nicknamed “Dog,” the 28-year old Swiss righty was the WARlord (11.5) and ERA leader (2.28) with a 19.9 K/BB. He struck out 278 with only 14 walks over 265 for a 19-3 record. Also of note, Rome’s Benjamin Rogiers won his third straight Reliever of the Year with 41 saves and 3.8 WAR over 82 innings. He’d leave for MLB and Brooklyn the following season.

Zurich swept their divisional foe Milan in the first round of the playoffs while Munich outlasted Marseille in a five game battle. It was the 11^th Southern Conference Championship appearance for the Mountaineers in their historic streak. Despite being on a six-year division title streak, the Mavericks had gone one-and-done in the prior five seasons, making their first SCC appearance since 1971. Zurich would be the runner-up for the third time in five years as Munich won the pennant 4-1. It is the fourth title for the Mavericks, who also won the Southern Conference crown in 1951, 52, and 71.



The 39^th European Championship was a rematch of the second one, which Amsterdam had taken back in 1951. For the third straight season, the Anacondas were defeated in the finale as Munich won 4-2, winning only its second-ever EBF title (1952). 1B Alfred Pietsch was the playoff hero, winning both finals MVP and conference finals MVP. In 16 playoff starts, he had 22 hits, 11 runs, 3 home runs, and 14 RBI. It is the third-ever European Championship by a German team with the most recent being Berlin’s 1958 win.



Other notes: For the third straight season, EBF didn’t have a single no-hitter thrown. Prior to this, 1951 was the only season with this oddity. Jack Kennedy became the sixth to 1500 career RBI. He, Ronnberg, and Sean Houston would all be chasing the top mark in the coming years, set by Christophoros Zarkadis. He retired in 1989 the RBI king with 1903. Zarkadis would pick up his 11^th and final Silver Slugger at shortstop in 1988, while Ronnberg won his 10^th in right field. Jacky Muro, Uwe Deckers, and Martin Borer each reached 3500 strikeouts, bringing it to 13 pitchers to have done so.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in BSA

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The Bolivar League’s best record in 1988 was Venezuela Division champ Ciudad Guayana at 99-63. Valencia was second at 88-74, while last year’s BL champ Caracas fell off a cliff to 69-93. It was back-to-back division titles for the Giants and also for Cali. The Cyclones narrowly beat Bogota for the Colombia-Ecuador Division with a 96-66 finish. The Bats were 95-67, besting Medellin by five games for the wild card spot. This ended a six-year playoff drought for Bogota. Meanwhile, Lima ended a three-year playoff drought with a 94-68 mark atop the Peru-Bolivia Division. They were nine ahead of last year’s division winner La Paz.

Bolivar League MVP went to Lima’s Eric Rodriguez. The fourth-year Peruvian right fielder had a breakout year as the WARlord (8.6) and leader in slugging (.659) and total bases (406). He added a .325 average, 47 home runs, and 119 RBI. Despite his great season, it was Medellin’s Samuel Salazar who became the first Beisbol Sudadmerica hitter to bat above .400 with a .405 average. He would be the only player to do it until 2010. Salazar had 8.2 WAR and 47 doubles, but his lack of home run power kept him out of the MVP race despite his accomplishment.

Meanwhile, Ciudad Guayana’s Santigo Montiel won Pitcher of the Year, coming back from an elbow ligament reconstruction surgery that knocked him out 22 months. The 28-year old in his first action since April 1986 was the leader in strikeouts (304), WHIP (0.85), K/BB (10.5), FIP- (55), and WAR (10.0), adding a 2.01 ERA and 18-9 record over 260.1 innings. This would be his final full season with additional injuries limiting him for the next few years.

Wild card Bogota upset Ciudad Guayana 3-1 in the Divisional Series, while Cali survived in five versus Lima. This put the Bats in the Bolivar League Championship Series for the first time since 1981. However, the Cyclones would win the BLCS in five games to take their third pennant in four years. The Cyclones are now seven time Bolivar League champs.



The best two records in the Southern Cone League were both in the Southeast Division. Sao Paulo took the division title at 108-54 or their third straight playoff berth, switching spots from the prior year with Rosario. At 104-58, the Robins were still easily the wild card. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Concepcion claimed the South Central Division at 102-60 for their fourth playoff berth in five years. Meanwhile, the North Division went to Belo Horizonte at 95-67, putting the Hogs back in the playoff field after missing the prior two years. Last year’s division winner Fortaleza was second at 85-77.

Brasilia was at 84 wins, but boasted the MVP in 27-year old first baseman Salomao Barboza. He smacked 67 home runs and led in runs (126), total bases (437), slugging (.701), OPS (1.065), and wRC+ (211). The 67 dingers was the fifth most in a BSA season. Just like in the Bolivar League, there was also a record set as Fortaleza 1B Caco Gallegos had 240 hits, beating the old top mark of 235 from 1978. He also had 36 triples, the second-best season to date, but lacking home run power meant he Gallegos didn’t earn MVP finalist status. Pitcher of the Year went to fourth-year Sao Paulo ace Andres Ramirez. The 24-year old Bolivian led in ERA (1.76), WHIP (0,74), WAR (11.0), quality starts (28) and shutouts (8). Ramirez added a 21-6 record and 339 strikeouts in 285.2 innings.

Concepcion outlasted Belo Horizonte in five games in the divisional series, while Rosario upset Sao Paulo 3-1. This was only the third time the Robins had made it to the Southern Cone League Championship with the other two all the way back in 1931 and 1935. The Chiefs, despite bring a 1974 expansion team, were in their fourth in five years. Concepcion was crowned back-to-back champs, taking the series 4-2 over Rosario.



The 58^th Copa Sudamerica ended up being a seven game classic between Concepcion and Cali as the Chiefs looked to win back-to-back cups and the Cyclones went for their second in three years. Game seven ended up an epic pitcher’s duel which Cali claimed 1-0 for their second title. 1B Arnau Aceves was the finals MVP and the BLCS MVP, posting 21 hits, 12 runs, 8 home runs, and 19 RBI over 17 playoff starts.



Other notes: The 40^th Beisbol Sudamerica Perfect Game came on June 3 by Recife’s Wilfredo Casacubierta with 14 strikeouts against Montevideo. In his final season, Lazaro Rodriguez joined Mohamed Ramos in the 6000 strikeout club. Rodriguez ended with 6045, still well behind Ramos’ world record of 7747. Only two others had reached 6000+ in Ulices Montero (between CABA & MLB) and Alvi Tahiri (EPB). Rodriguez ended with 147.97 WAR, fourth all-time for BSA pitchers behind Ramos (205.06), Laurenco Cedillo (162.88) and Evan Yho (155.03). Pasquale Martin became the seventh to 1500 runs scored.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in EAB

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Both Sapporo and Osaka won their respective divisions for the fourth consecutive season in 1988. The Swordfish finished 103-59 atop the North Division to post the Japan League’s best record, while the Orange Sox won the Central Division at 93-69. In a tight Capital Division, 1986 JL champ Yokohama outraced defending EAB champ Chiba. The Yellow Jackets won the title at 101-61, while the Comets at 98-64 were left out of the field. Meanwhile, Kumamoto won a terrible West Division at 80-82, beating Fukuoka by two. Defending division champ Hiroshima plummeted from 95 wins to 75. It is the first-ever playoff berth for the Monsters, who were part of the 1978 expansion.

Although they were incredibly mid, Kumamoto did feature a Japan League MVP season from RF Nobuo Nakayama. The 25-year old lefty led in runs (114), hits (213), RBI (136), total bases (393), OPS (1.020), and wRC+ (218). He added 8.2 WAR and 37 home runs. Pitcher of the Year was Sapporo veteran Seong-Jun Myong. The 30-year old righty had the most innings pitched (278.2) and most quality starts (28), adding a 19-10 record, 2.33 ERA, 298 strikeouts, and 8.0 WAR.

Yokohama cruised to a first round sweep of Osaka, while Kumamoto stunned Sapporo with a 3-2 road series win. The Monsters made history as the first-ever team to enter the Japan League Championship Series with a losing regular season record. Their magic ran out as the Yellow Jackets swept them, giving Yokohama its second pennant in three years. Yokohama now has seven Japan League titles, having also won thrice in the 1920s and twice in the mid 1960s.



The best record in the Korea League was Deajeon at 100-62, winning the South Division for the seventh time in ten years. It is also the sixth time in that stretch the Ducks have won 100+ games, although they don’t have any titles to show for it. Last year’s division winner Jeonju was a distant second at 89-73, but this got them the first wild card and their fourth straight playoff berth. In the North Division, Incheon had an incredible turnaround from only 62 wins the prior year, winning the title at 90-72. It was the first winning season for the Inferno since 1977 and their first playoff berth since 1973. Goyang was second in the division at 87-75, which tied them and Yongin for the second wild card. The tiebreaker went to the Green Sox, ending their nine-year playoff drought and snapping the Gold Sox’s four-year streak. Close behind in the wild card race were Seongnam and Daegu both at 84-78, plus defending KL champ Ulsan at 82-80 along with Hamhung.

Daejeon had both the Korea League MVP and Pitcher of the Year. The former was Hisao Arai, as the 30-year old first baseman had a breakout season leading in RBI (129), total bases (356), average (.360), and WAR (7.6). He added a .995 OPS, 107 runs, 214 hits, and 30 home runs. Veteran pitcher Ko Yashimoto was another guy with a career season as the 33-year old righty won the award with the KL’s best ERA (2.73) and WHIP (0.98). He added 264 strikeouts, 198 innings, and a 17-6 record with 4.0 WAR. As of 2037, that is the lowest WAR total for a Pitcher of the Year winner.

Yet again, Daejeon’s great regular season meant nothing as Goyang upset them 3-2 in the first round. In the Ducks seven playoff appearances in the last decade, they’ve gone one-and-done six times. Meanwhile, the Green Sox grabbed their first Korea League Championship Series berth since 1978. Jeonju downed Incheon in the first round 3-1, then topped Goyang 4-1 in the KLCS. This gave the Jethawks their second pennant in three years.



In the 68^th East Asian Championship, it was a rematch of the 1986 edition which saw Jeonju defeat Yokohama in six games. The 1988 edition had a similar result as the Jethawks took the title 4-1 over the Yellow Jackets. Finals MVP went to pitcher Hiyutaro Sakamaki, who joined Jeonju in a deadline trade from Kitakyushu. He was 4-0 in four postseason starts with a 0.81 ERA over 33.1 innings with 28 strikeouts and one walk.



Other notes: Taek-Hyun Yim became the 10^th member of the 3000 hit club. Jun-Seong Gwan became the 22^nd to 600 career home runs. They and Sosuke Hoshizawa each crossed 1500 runs scored, bringing it to 18 hitters to reach the mark. Fumihiko Ueda became the 11^th to 4000 strikeouts. Katsuo Nakayama became the eighth pitcher to 250 wins. Hagane Miya****a became the sixth reliever to 400 saves. Yeo-Min Kwan won his eighth Gold Glove in left field and Tae-Won Ahn won his eighth in right.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in CABA

Before the 1988 season, the Central American Baseball Association went in the opposite direction other organizations had gone by decreasing their service time required for free agency. CABA went from six years to five years, the lowest of any of the Global Baseball Association league. Only EBF, WAB, and SAB had been at six years while the other leagues were higher and had increased their threshold in recent years.



The Mexican League was very competitive in 1988 with Monterrey posting the best record at 94-68. This won them the North Division and ended a two-year playoff skid. Juarez was second at 91-71, which earned them the wild card by a very thin margin. This ended a three-year playoff gap for the Jesters. Hermosillo was one game back, while Puebla was four back, Leon was five back, and defending ML champ Torreon was seven away. Meanwhile in the South Division, Ecatepec and Guadalajara tied at 90-72. This meant the winner of the one-game playoff got into the field, while the loser was just short of the wild card. The tiebreaker game went to the Explosion, giving them a third consecutive playoff appearance.

Puebla’s Junior Vergara won his historic ninth Pitcher of the Year and also picked up the Mexican League MVP. It was also a historic fifth Triple Crown for Vergara, something which has never been done by any other pitcher in any world league. Vergara had a 21-9 record, 1.50 ERA, and 395 strikeouts, He was the WARlord for the ninth straight season (12.7) and led in WHIP (0.68), K/BB (30.4), and FIP- (38), while walking only 13 guys over 269.1 innings. Vergara pitched one more year with the Pumas before leaving for MLB at age 36.

In the wild card round, Juarez edged Ecatepec 3-2 on the road. The Jesters were into the Mexican League Championship Series for the first time since 1984 while Monterrey was making their first berth since 1985. The MLCS went the distance with Juarez upsetting the Matadors 4-3. For the Jesters, this was their seventh ML pennant in the last 15 seasons and their ninth overall.



The Caribbean League saw a big shift from the prior year. Salvador had the best record at 96-66, winning the Continental Division after missing the playoffs the prior two years. Honduras at 94-68 was a close second and took the wild card, ending a 13 year postseason drought. Nicaragua improved from 69 wins to 89 wins, while two-time defending CABA champ Costa Rica was fourth in the division at 85-77. In the Island Division, Trinidad completed a remarkable turnaround from having won only 64 games the prior season. The Trail Blazers posted their first winning season since 1974 and first playoff berth since their 1972 title. Havana was a close second at 90-72, while last year’s division champ Bahamas finished fifth at 77-85.

Leading Trinidad’s turnaround was 1B Yohnny Galaz. The 28-year old Dominican lefty became the new CABA home run king with 72, topping Lobo Villanueva’s mark of 70 from 1979. This was CABA’s pinnacle until 2034. Galaz also led the league in runs (122), hits (202), RBI (137), total bases (454), slugging (.717), OPS (1.085), wRC+ (205), and WAR (11.1). The 454 total bases were second most in CABA history to this point behind Prometheo Garcia’s 459 in 1949. Honduras lefty Victor Alvares won Pitcher of the Year and led in wins at 22-9, quality starts at 27, and K/BB at 17.7. He added a 2.30 ERA over 277.1 innings with 318 strikeouts and 7.1 WAR.

Trinidad topped Honduras 3-1 in the wild card round, getting to the Caribbean League Championship Series for only the second time joining their 1972 title season. For Salvador, it was their third CLCS berth in five years. Like in 1984 and 1985, the Stallions came up short as the Trail Blazers bested them in a seven game classic.



The 78^th Central American Association Baseball Championship was also a seven game battle. All seven games were won the home team, which favored Trinidad this season over Juarez. 3B Adrian Tovar was the finals MVP and posted 20 hits, 10 runs, 2 doubles, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI over 17 playoff starts. The Trail Blazers are the first of the 1962 expansion teams to win the CABA title.



Other notes: Costa Rica’s Estanislao Lina had a 21 strikeout game against Santiago, setting the CABA record for most Ks in a regulation game. The overall record is still Nick Bermea’s 22 Ks from 1918, although that came over 14.2 innings. Junior Vergara became the ninth pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. Mario Bueno became the 15^th to reach 1500 RBI.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1988 in MLB

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Only one team from the 1987 National Association playoff field made it back in 1988. After missing out last year, Ottawa had the best overall record at 107-55 to win the Northeast Division and earned their seventh playoff appearance in nine years. Defending NA champ Montreal fell to 74-88, while last year’s NACS runner-up Hartford dropped to 84-78. Brooklyn won the East Division at 98-64, ending a seven-year playoff drought. It was also the first time since 1960 that the Dodgers had a first place finish.

Philadelphia was the lone team returning to the playoff field as the Phillies took the first wild card at 93-69. This gave them a third straight playoff appearance. At 90-72, Virginia Beach took the second wild card, topping Chicago by two games. In their seventh season, the Vikings are the first of the 1982 expansion teams to make the NA playoffs. Detroit won the Upper Midwest at 89-73, edging the Cubs by a game and ending a seven-year playoff drought. The Lower Midwest Division went to Indianapolis at 95-67; the Racers first playoff berth since their 1977 NA title. Kansas City, winners of 100 games last year, fell to a non-factor at 78-84.

Detroit 1B Aranha Carlos won the National Association MVP and made history by doing it at age 42. The Brazilian spent his 20s in South America, then moved to MLB as a solid slugger through his 30s. Carlos found the fountain of youth in his second year as a Tiger, posting career highs in runs (119), home runs (45), RBI (122), total bases (378), triple slash (.345/.415/.630), OPS (1.045), wRC+ (213), and WAR (10.1). He also led the NA in runs, RBI, total bases, OBP, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. Ottawa’s Andy Richter won Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (25-4), ERA (1.94), innings (301.2), WHIP (0.94), and complete games (20). He added 214 strikeouts and 6.9 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia edged Detroit 2-1 and Virginia Beach bested Indianapolis 2-1. The Vikings shocked Ottawa 3-1 in the second round, while Philadelphia outlasted Brooklyn 3-2. This was the first time since 1971 that the Phillies made it to the American Association Championship Series, while it was the first for Virginia Beach. The expansion Viking squad stunned Philadelphia in a seven game classic to earn a trip to the World Series.



Atlanta had the best overall record in the American Association and MLB, setting a franchise record at 110-52. The Aces earned back-to-back Southeast Division titles, finishing 18 games better than Tampa. Phoenix won the Southwest Division at 105-57 for back-to-back titles and their sixth playoff berth of the 1980s. Oakland was second in the division at 94-68, ultimately one game short of the second wild card spot.

In the Northwest Division, Edmonton became one of two from the 1982 expansion teams to win a division title. The Eels were 103-59, outlasting a tough field that had both wild cards. Denver at 98-64 ended a four-year playoff drought, while two-time defending World Series champ Calgary took the second spot at 95-67. The Cheetahs extended their postseason streak to six seasons. Austin was the other expansion team to win a division title, taking the South Central at 86-76. The Amigos were four games better than Houston.

Atlanta 3B Bentley Wade won the American Association MVP. The 33-year old was in his second season with the Aces, having been traded for prospects after a decade with Memphis. Wade had a banner year, leading in hits (221), triples (25), total bases (358), average (.363), and WAR (9.1). Phoenix’s Ben Piccininni won Pitcher of the Year with a 2.53 ERA, 22-8 record, and 239 strikeouts over 277.1 innings with 7.9 WAR. He took the award, although statistically Austin’s Chris Greer had a very notable year with 11.1 WAR, 301 strikeouts, and a 2.72 ERA.

Austin upset Denver 2-1 in the first round, while Edmonton swept Calgary and ended the Cheetahs’ hopes at a three-peat. The Amigos would shock Atlanta 3-1 in round two, while Edmonton ousted Phoenix 3-1. This pitted two 1982 expansion teams into the American Association Championship Series for the first time. It was a seven-game classic with the Eels outlasting the Amigos.



The 88^th World Series was a fascinating matchup between two expansion franchises in Virginia Beach and Edmonton. It took seven seasons for one of these teams to make the playoffs, but no one expected that the seventh year would see two of them playing for the title. The Vikings Cinderella wild card run was capped off with the title in an anticlimactic 4-1 win over the Eels. 38-year old Hao Lan was the World Series MVP, earning the honor 13 years after winning the 1975 China Series MVP. In 19 playoff starts, Lan had 19 hits, 12 runs, 4 doubles, 1 home run, and 8 RBI. Belgian pitcher Nico Lemmens was a big part of the run as well, setting a playoff record with three shutouts. In six starts, Lemmens was 4-0 with a 1.86 ERA over 48.1 innings with 47 strikeouts.



Other notes: Brooklyn’s Billy Macel had a notable season, throwing two no-hitters. He joined Leo Elliott (1974) as the only MLB pitchers to have two in the same season. Memphis pitcher T.J. Urbina set a bad record that still stands as the worst in MLB history, allowing 74 home runs. Mike Lee became the seventh pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. 3B Christopher Sollinger won his 14^th Gold Glove, a MLB record at any position.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 MLB Hall of Fame

The 1989 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame ballot was a weaker one and very nearly ended up with no players inducted. However, LF Ron Perry managed to narrowly earn a first ballot induction, crossing the 66% threshold with 67.7%. Five others were above 50%, led by closer Angelo Kiernan and catcher Gavin Geogham both at 59.7% with the former on his third try and latter in his seventh. Catcher Earl Tucker had 51.7% in his seventh ballot, LF Simao Ojeda had 51.7% in his tenth, and 2B Bobby Davis had 50.3% in his seventh.



Ojeda was dropped after ten failed attempts with his last ballot being his highest, usually hovering in the 40s. In 17 years with eight teams, he had 2712 hits, 1431 runs, 377 doubles, 126 triples, 168 home runs, 893 RBI, 1094 walks, a .314/.391/.446 slash, 879 stolen bases, and 53.1 WAR. Ojeda was a solid lead-off man who led in average twice and steals six times, but he didn’t win any major awards and lacked the power numbers voters expect from a corner outfielder.

Also dropped after ten ballots was pitcher James Eisenhuth, who pitched 15 years primarily with Houston. He peaked at28.4% on his debut before ending at 10.4%. Eisenhuth had a 216-164 record, 3.45 ERA, 3590 innings, 2408 strikeouts, and 79.6 WAR. A solid reliable career, but he had no major awards or league leading stats to speak of.



Ron Perry – Left Field – Washington Admirals – 67.7% First Ballot

Ron Perry was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed left fielder from the capital of Ireland, Dublin. Perry was known for having an excellent eye for drawing walks and a good knack at avoiding strikeouts. He was also a solid contact hitter with a respectable pop in his bat, averaging around 20-30 home runs and 25-30 doubles per season. Perry primarily played defensively in left field and was viewed as a very average fielder. He had a good arm, but weak range and was a very slow baserunner. He was considered quite durable most of his career and had a scrappy work ethic, making him a fan favorite at each of his stops.

Perry left his native Ireland for the United States as a teenager and picked up baseball more fully there. He ended up playing college baseball at Auburn and in 141 games posted 142 hits, 86 runs, 23 home runs, 102 RBI, and 4.0 WAR. Perry wasn’t eligible for the first three regional rounds of the 1963 MLB Draft, but was picked sixth in the fourth round by Washington with the 153^rd overall pick. The Admirals opted to keep Perry in minor league Richmond for the entire 1964, where he excelled and won a minor league MVP with 55 home runs and 166 RBI.

Perry’s majors debut came as a part-time start in 1965, posting a solid 3.4 WAR rookie season. He’d become a full-time starter for Washington for the next six seasons, leading in runs scored in 1967 and doubles in 1971. In 1966, the Admirals had an incredible turnaround season, going from 55 wins to 93 wins and a World Series appearance. They would end up being a mid-tier team for the rest of his run. He had four seasons worth 6+ WAR and two worth 8+. However, sharing a position with guys like Garland Mulholland and Connor Neumeyer meant Perry never won a Silver Slugger or was a MVP finalist despite his efforts.

Perry’s scrappiness made him a very popular player for Washington regardless. He was also well liked back in Ireland and he played in the World Baseball Championship from 1965-83 for the Irish squad. In 144 WBC games, he had 120 hits, 89 runs, 20 doubles, 29 home runs, 81 RBI, 90 walks, a .236/.351/.459 slash, and 5.2 WAR. For his Admirals tenure, Perry had 1249 hits, 689 runs, 193 doubles, 200 home runs, 663 RBI, 544 walks, a .303/.383/.506 slash, and 46.4 WAR.

It seemed like Washington wanted him for the long run, signing Perry to a seven-year, $2,470,000 contract extension before the 1971 season. After a 8.5 WAR 1971, he had a less impressive 3.8 WAR in 1972. The Admirals stunned the baseball world by straight up cutting Perry in August 1972, which created lingering tensions between him and the franchise to this day. Speculation remains to this day on what the true motives were behind the baffling move, especially to a guy as well liked generally.

Perry finished the 1972 season with Montreal, then entered 1973 as a 30-year old free agent. He signed a five-year, $1,920,000 deal with Houston and ultimately played three solid seasons with the Hornets, posting 520 hits, 289 runs, 73 home runs, 285 RBI, and 16.9 WAR. Houston was a wild card twice in his run, but were one-and-done both times. After the 1975 season, Perry exercised his contract’s opt-out and signed a five-year, $2,750,000 deal with Las Vegas.

Although it wasn’t his best run by raw statistics, his Vipers tenure might be his most historically relevant and some felt he should’ve gone into the Hall of Fame in purple. Las Vegas had a dynasty run in the late 1970s, making it to the 1976, 78, and 79 World Series and taking the title in 1976 and 1979. Perry was a reliable starter in that stretch and was a solid playoff performer. In 70 postseason starts, he had 3.2 WAR, a .286/.413/.469 slash, 70 hits, 51 runs, 17 doubles, 8 home runs, 34 RBI, and 52 walks.

Perry continued his reliable production through his 30s and finally started to decline a bit in the early 1980s. Small injuries began to cost him some games and by 1983, he was only a part-time starter. Perry retired after the 1983 season at age 41. For his Las Vegas tenure, he had 1098 hits, 645 runs, 174 doubles, 163 home runs, 570 RBI, 585 walks, a .285/.381/.469 slash, and 28.5 WAR.

For his entire career, Perry posted 2894 hits, 1637 runs, 462 doubles, 440 home runs, 1527 RBI, 1351 walks, a .296/.382/.489 slash, 147 wRC+, and 92.7 WAR. Very nice totals, but not eye-popping numbers that made him a lock. He also very rarely was a league leader and didn’t have any big awards to his name, making some voters skeptical. Still, Perry was well-liked by the baseball press and fans and his playoff role with Las Vegas pushed him just past the line for enough voters. Perry was barely a first ballot selection at 67.7%, but was first ballot nonetheless and the only MLB Hall of Famer inducted for 1989.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 CABA Hall of Fame

The 1989 Central American Baseball Association ballot didn’t have any slam dunks on it and the highest percentage for a newcomer was a measly 24.7%. Starting pitcher Barnabe Sanchez was the lone inductee, finally sneaking across the 66% threshold on his sixth ballot with 68.0%. The only other player above 50% was closer Leo Otero with 53.2% for his eighth ballot.



The third highest was LF Cipriano Masias with 48.0%, ths highest he reached in his ten tries. He won 1962 MVP and four Silver Sluggers in 17 years with four teams, posting 2729 hits, 1363 runs, 432 doubles, 306 home runs, 1200 RBI, 769 stolen bases, a .309/.341/.506 slash, 137 wRC+, and 69.5 WAR. The tallies were borderline though and lacking the dingers that voters expect from a corner outfielder.



Barnabe Sanchez – Starting Pitcher – Santiago Sailfish – 68.0% Sixth Ballot

Barnabe Sanchez was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Cuba, Havana. He was a hard thrower with 99-101 mph peak velocity on his fastball while boasting solid control and movement. Sanchez had a five-pitch arsenal that also featured a slider, forkball, changeup, and cutter. No one pitcher was incredible, but all five were solid. He had decent stamina, but didn’t end up with nearly as many innings as many of his Hall of Fame contemporaries. Still, Sanchez worked very hard, was loyal, and adaptable.

Sanchez was spotted as a teenage amateur when a scout from Santiago was visiting Havana to look at prospects. He signed in 1959 at age 16 and made the move from Cuba to the Dominican Republic. Sanchez spent six years in the developmental academy and seemed primed to debut in 1964. That year, he pitched for Cuba in the World Baseball Championship for the first time. Sanchez ended up pitching in the WBC from 1964-77, posting a 14-6 record and 2.88 ERA over 175 innings with 209 strikeouts and 4.5 WAR. However, during 1964’s spring training, he suffered from shoulder inflammation that ultimately required surgery and knocked him out all of 1964.

Sanchez bounced back to debut for Santiago in 1965 and posted a 6.3 WAR rookie season. He was a full-timer in the Sailfish rotation for seven-and-a-half years, five times posting 6+ WAR. Sanchez led in wins in 1968 at 22-8 and posted 8.3 WAR, helping him win the Pitcher of the Year. Santiago made the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade, but he struggled in his one start and the team was one-and-done. In 1969, a rotator cuff strain cost him about 6 weeks and the squad was just above .500.

Santiago was back in the playoffs in 1970 and Sanchez won his second Pitcher of the Year, leading in ERA (2.18), and WHIP (0.87). He had three respectable appearances in the playoffs, but the Sailfish fell in the Caribbean League Championship Series. A torn meniscus in the 1971 WBC cost him a chunk of that season. Santiago fell to below .500.

The Sailfish were optimistic they’d turn it around and signed Sanchez to a six-year, $1,492,000 deal. However, the team struggled immensely, ultimately winning only 63 games. The franchise decided to blow it all up, including by moving the still only 29-year old Sanchez. He finished his Santiago tenure with a 114-79 record, 2.95 ERA, 184.2 innings, 1953 strikeouts, and 49.1 WAR. Sanchez’ number #28 uniform would get retired as well at the end of his career.

The trade was made in July 1972 with Trinidad in exchange for CF Rayan Mateo and SP Bray Setser. Most teams wouldn’t want to inherit a new, long-term deal, but the Trail Blazers were hopeful that it would pay off. They had made the playoffs twice in the prior three years, but were eliminated in the wild card round. Sanchez had a solid second half and Trinidad won its first-ever Caribbean League title, although they fell to the Mexico City dynasty in the CABA Championship. Sanchez struggled in his two playoff starts with a 5.59 ERA.

Trinidad would fall into the bottom of the standings for the rest of the 1970s with hit-or-miss production from Sanchez. He had a great 1974 and led the league in ERA, but injuries would begin to plague him regularly. Rotator cuff issues and elbow issues were among the culprits as Sanchez would fail to pitch 200+ innings in a year after 1974. He was terrible in 1978 and opted to retire after the season at age 35. With Trinidad, Sanchez had a 65-53 record, 3.22 ERA, 1072.2 innings, 998 strikeouts, and 19.9 WAR.

For his career, Sanchez posted a 179-132 record, 3.05 ERA, 2919.1 innings, 2951 strikeouts, 472 walks, 248/379 quality starts, 80 FIP, and 69.1 WAR. He was on the lower end of innings and tallies compared to others in the CABA Hall of Fame, but a few guys with less impressive stat lines had gotten the nod. Sanchez’ lack of playoff success hurt him, but having two Pitcher of the Year awards put him in exclusive company. He seemed destined to miss the cut with a 46.6% debut, bouncing between the 40s-50s in his first five ballots. 1989 had no standouts though and with many voters loathe to leave the ballot blank, Sanchez managed to win over a few doubters. This got him to 68.0% on his sixth try, just beyond the 66% threshold and into CABA’s Hall of Fame.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 EAB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

The 1989 East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame class was one of the most impressive of all-time. Four first ballot selections were made with all four guys getting above 95%. RF Hyeog-Jun Wi had the highest mark at 99.3%, followed by SP Shuichiro Sato at 99.0%, 1B Yu-Jin Choi at 98.6%, and 3B Yeong-Il Weon at 95.5%. No one else was above 50%.



Dropped after ten failed ballots was catcher Jung-Soo Chen, who ended at 37.2% with a peak of 53.9% and valley of 12.3%. Chen won 11 Silver Sluggers in a 17-year career with Hamhung, but the anti-catcher bias of the voters struck again. He had 2142 hits, 833 runs, 451 doubles, 143 home runs, 901 RBI, a .308/.345/.446 slash, and 63.6 WAR. At retirement, he had the second most WAR of any catcher and was the only EAB catcher with 2000+ hits. But catcher stats by default are less impressive than other positions and the voters didn’t give him any quarter. As a result, Sang-Sik Bom remained EAB’s only Hall of Fame catcher and wouldn’t have company until the 2010s.

Also dropped after ten failed ballots was close Sun-Yong Sung, who peaked at 40.0% but ended at 7.3%. He had a 19-year career, but bounced between EAB and MLB and 12 different teams. In EAB, he had 313 saves, a 3.03 ERA, 1080 strikeouts, 915 innings, and 22.8 WAR. Sung won Reliever of the Year once, but lacked the dominance of other notables. His 425 pro saves for his entire career might have gotten him more notice if he got them all in EAB.



Hyeog-Jun “Jet” Wi – Right Field – Hiroshima Hammerheads – 99.3% First Ballot

Hyeog-Jun Wi was a 6’3’’, 205 pound left-handed right fielder from Seoul, South Korea. Wi was an excellent slugger who average around 45 home runs per season, six times hitting 50+. He was an above average contact hitter, but despite his power profile, he was fairly weak at drawing walks and only okay at avoiding strikeouts. Wi had great gap power along with his homer power, averaging around 40 doubles/triples per year. He was able to leg out extra bases with solid speed, although his baserunning instincts weren’t the best. Wi was a career right fielder and an stellar defender, winning 13 Gold Gloves. He was also an ironman, who made 140+ starts in all but his first and final seasons.

Wi’s potential was immediately spotted by many and he was poised to be the top South Korean prospect by the time he graduated high school. Knowing they wouldn’t have a shot at him in the draft due to regional restrictions, Hiroshima pursed Wi and signed him as a teenage amateur free agent in late 1960. The Hammerheads had him in their developmental system for three years and felt his was ready for the big time in 1964. Wi debuted at only age 19, a rarity in professional baseball. He showed he was ready for the big time with 3.5 WAR in 131 games and 107 starts, earning 1964 Rookie of the Year honors.

In his second season, Wi won his first of 13 consecutive Gold Gloves. He was the undisputed best defender at his position and the first player in Japan League history to win 13 at any position. As of 2037, he’s one of only four in all of East Asia Baseball with 13 or more Gold Gloves. On the all-time leaderboard in right field, Wi as of 2037 is the career leader in zone rating, assists, putouts, games, innings, total chances, and double plays.

Wi’s reliable defense made him valuable right away, but by his third season, he had discovered his power stroke with a 47 home run season, earning a third place finish in MVP voting. This began a 12-year run with Hiroshima with 39 or more home runs in each season, adding 100+ RBI in ten of those seasons. With the Hammerheads, Wi led the Japan League in triples thrice, RBI thrice, runs once, home runs once, total bases four times, slugging three times, OPS twice, and WAR once. He would post six seasons worth 8+ WAR and twice reached double-digits.

Wi was a critical piece of Hiroshima putting together a dynasty run with four Japan League titles from 1968-72. The Hammerheads won the EAB ring in 1969, 1970, and 1972 as well. Wi excelled in the postseason, winning EAB Championship MVP in 1969 and 1972, plus JLCS MVP in 1968, 69, and 70. In 56 playoff starts with Hiroshima, Wi had a .343/.378/.817 slash, 73 hits, 45 runs, 4 doubles, 11 triples, 25 home runs, and 45 RBI for 4.6 WAR and a 240 wRC+. He smacked 10 home runs in the 1969 postseason, setting a still-standing EAB record. At induction, he was tied for second all-time in playoff homers with 28.

Wi was Japan League MVP in 1969 and 1973. He was third in 1966, second in 1967, second in 1970, and third in 1979. He won six Silver Sluggers (1969, 70, 72, 73, 77, 79). After their 1972 title, Hiroshima faded into the bottom of the standings for the rest of the 1970s, but Wi was still great. He had a career best 59 home runs in 1973 and had a five-year streak of 50+ home runs. Wi played 14 seasons with Hiroshima and had 2347 hits, 1353 runs, 289 doubles, 236 triples, 637 home runs, 1477 RBI, a .297/.336/.635 slash, and 102.7 WAR. He was a beloved figure with Hammerheads fans and saw his #50 uniform retired as soon as his baseball career ended.

Hiroshima bottomed out with a lousy 54-108 season in 1977. Wi was entering a contract year, having signed an eight-year, $3,060,000 extension back in 1970. Figuring they wouldn’t be able to keep him around, Wi was traded before the 1978 season to Goyang for two prospects. There were no hard feelings and Wi kept up good relations with Hiroshima and their fans. His average went down and his one year with the Green Sox was statistically his worst since his rookie year, although Wi still hit 43 home runs. He still helped Goyang to a JLCS berth, but they were knocked out by Sendai.

Now 34-years old, Wi entered free agency for the first time and signed a four-year, $1,682,000 deal with defending Korea League champion Daegu. He showed some of that old spark in his first year with the Diamondbacks, posting 55 home runs and 121 RBI. Despite his prolific power, this was only the second time in his career as the home run leader. Daegu ended up one-and-done in the playoffs and would be a middling team in the rest of his run.

Wi was still good, but not incredible in his remaining three seasons with Daegu. In total, he posted 608 hits, 384 runs, 160 home runs, 436 RBI, and 18.9 WAR. With the Diamondbacks, Wi became the second EAB batter to 800 career home runs in 1981, the third to 2000 RBI in 1982, and the ninth to 3000 hits in 1982.

He was a free agent again in 1983 at age 38 and there was some thought that he could catch Lei Meng’s all-time marks of 897 home runs and 2089 RBI. Wi signed a two-year deal with Goyang and still managed to put up 33 home runs and 85 RBI with 2.8 WAR. This allowed him to become the new East Asia Baseball RBI king at 2097, but he was still short of the home run mark at 873. Wi decided not to come back one more year to chase Meng’s mark, retiring after the 1983 season at age 39.

Wi’s final stats: 3216 hits, 1906 runs, 395 doubles, 335 triples, 873 home runs, 2097 RBI, 583 walks, 461 stolen bases, a .286/.329/.615 slash, 164 wRC+, and 128.2 WAR. At induction, Wi was first in RBI, second in home runs, fifth in hits, fifth in runs, second in triples, sixth in hitting WAR, and third in games played. He remained the RBI leader until the late 2010s and as of 2037 is still third all-time in RBI, fifth in home runs, and eighth in batting WAR. Wi’s hitting accomplishments are deserving on their own, but his stellar defense and playoff heroics make him a true “inner-circle” Hall of Famer and the star of the impressive 1989 EAB class at 99.3%.



Shuichiro Sato – Starting Pitcher – Kyoto Kamikaze – 99.0% First Ballot

Shuichiro Sato was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Hita, Japan; a city of around 65,000 people in the southwestern Oita Prefecture. Sato was known for having excellent movement on his pitches with good stuff and okay control. His fastball only peaked at 95-97 mph, but it was still one of the best in the game with its movement. Sato mixed it with a great slider and decent changeup and had an extreme groundball tendency. His stamina was very weak compared to the typical ace with his 13 complete games being the lowest for any EAB Hall of Famer. Sato was an excellent team leader and captain who worked hard, making him one of the most popular pitchers of his era.

Sato attended Osaka Keizai University and was picked 15^th overall in the 1969 East Asia Baseball Draft by Kyoto. He saw a lot of use immediately between starting and the bullpen and even threw a no-hitter in his rookie season with three strikeouts and two walks against Sendai. This helped Sato earn the 1970 Rookie of the Year. He emerged as an ace by his third season, leading the Japan League in ERA, FIP-, and WAR. This earned him the Pitcher of the Year.

Sato won Pitcher of the Year again in 1973 with a career best 1.69 ERA, 23-4 record, and 0.85 WHIP. This began a five-year streak as division champs for Kyoto, would win the Japan League pennant in 1974, 76, and 77. The Kamikaze won the EAB title in 74 and 76 as well with Sato posting a 2.61 playoff ERA over 82.2 innings with 108 strikeouts and 2.9 WAR. He also was a regular for Japan’s World Baseball Championship squad from 1971-81, posting a 2.78 ERA over 132.2 innings with 144 strikeouts and 3.5 WAR.

After his 1973 peak season, Sato wasn’t seen at the top of leaderboards for the next few seasons, although he still reliably was posting around 6 WAR per year. He took third in 1976 Pitcher of the Year voting and second in 1977, posting a sub-two ERA in the latter. In 1980, he led in ERA for the third time and had a career best 9.4 WAR. This earned Sato his third Pitcher of the Year, seven years after he had gotten his second.

In late 1981, Sato suffered shoulder inflammation that had a setback and required surgery, putting him out 11 months in total. He came back in autumn 1982 to a struggling Kyoto squad and was unremarkable in his little use. He’d suffer a partially torn UCL that September, which ended his time with Kyoto. Sato still remained very popular and would see his #27 uniform retired in 1983. He still wanted to pitch and signed with Yokohama, but Sato struggled in 90.1 innings with the Yellow Jackets. He retired after the 1983 campaign at age 36.

Sato’s final stats: 188-83 record, 2.52 ERA, 2612.2 innings, 2875 strikeouts, 223/363 quality starts, 67 FIP-, and 76.3 WAR. His accumulations and innings were on the lower end of Hall of Fame EAB pitchers, but his rate stats were more than worthy. Sato also had the benefits of three Pitcher of the Year awards and a starring role in a dynasty run for Kyoto. The voters didn’t hesitate one bit when his name popped up and even in the loaded 1989 class, Sato received an impressive 99.0%.