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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 EAB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

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Yu-Jin Choi – First Base/Designated Hitter – Seoul Seahawks – 98.6% First Ballot

Yu-Jin Choi was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Asan, South Korea, a city of around 300,000 just south of Seoul that is known for its many hot springs and spas. Choi was known as an excellent power hitter with a great eye, leading the Korea League in home runs six times and walks drawn five times. He was a respectable contact hitter with an average strikeout rate that also got you around 25-30 doubles per year. Choi led in runs scored five times, although he was a very slow baserunner. He was a career first basemen with subpar defense and made about ¼ of his career starts as a designated hitter. Choi was very durable though with 15 straight seasons with 145+ starts.

Choi’s large frame and power potential made him a hot prospect coming out of Woosung High School in Uiwang. He ended up picked 16^th overall in the 1963 East Asia Baseball Draft by Suwon. Choi never played a game for the Snappers though, spending a year and a half in their developmental system. In the summer of 1965, Suwon ended up trading Choi and prospect 2B Xingyun Guo to Seoul for veteran pitcher Byeong-Joon Yun and prospect SP Seung-Jin Choi. The Seahawks had him sit for 1966 and 1967, making his debut with only 33 plate appearances in 1968 at age 23. Choi was a pinch hitter mostly in 1969 with okay results, then a part-time starter in 1970.

Choi finally found a full-time starting job in 1971 as a designated hitter and excelled, leading the Korea League in runs, home runs, RBI, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. This earned him his first Silver Slugger and a second place finish in MVP voting. He’d go onto win eight Silver Sluggers total with two more as a DH (1981, 82) and five as a first baseman (1973, 75, 76, 77, 78). Choi led the KL in runs scored five times, home runs five times, walks drawn five times, total bases four times, WAR twice, OPS twice, and wRC+ twice. He also excelled for South Korea in the World Baseball Championship, making 158 appearances and 151 starts from 1971-84. He posted 134 hits, 125 runs, 58 home runs, 114 RBI, 99 walks, a .256/.382/.650 slash, and 9.5 WAR.

Choi was third in MVP voting in 1972, third in 1975, third in 1976, second in 1981, and second in 1982. 1973 saw him win the prize with career bests in homers (58), RBI (128), total bases (44), triple slash (.326/.411/.672), OPS (1.083), wRC+ (183), and WAR (9.0). Choi continued to provide solid steady productive and power for a decade plus for Seoul and became one of their most beloved players. For the early part of his tenure, the Seahawks were consistently above average, but Choi wouldn’t be on a playoff team until his age 33 season.

Seoul finally broke through for playoff appearances in 1978, 79, and 81. In 1979, the Seahawks won the EAB championship for only the second time (1948). Oddly enough, Choi stunk in the playoff run with a.127 average and posted a .148/.232/.318 slash in his postseason career. Still, his power was a big reason they got there to begin with and he would be celebrated for his role. Seoul would retire his #42 uniform at the end of his career.

Choi posted his third 50+ home run season in 1982 at age 37, posting 8.0 WAR that season. His stats would drop a bit the next year, but he still posted 5.8 WAR and seemed to still have solid value. Seoul couldn’t compete with the offer from MLB’s Salt Lake City Loons, entering their third season of existence. Wanting to make a splash, they signed Choi to a two-year deal at $1,180,000 per season; a steep raise from his $462,000 peak with the Seahawks. He was a full-time starter for both seasons with the Loons, but struggled against MLB pitching with a -0.9 WAR run and a .200/.297/.368 slash. Choi hoped to play somewhere in 1986, but the SLC run tanked interest and he retired that winter at age 41.

For his EAB/Seoul run, Choi had 2435 hits, 1514 runs, 399 doubles, 621 home runs, 1576 RBI, 1080 walks, a .295/.378/.579 slash, 162 wRC+, and 90.3 WAR. He was the 19^th batter to 600 career home runs, the 14^th to 1500 runs and the 21^st to 1500 RBI. Despite his consistent success, he didn’t end up soaring as high up the leaderboards as his Hall of Fame classmate Hyeog-Jun Wi, but Choi’s power certainly was taken note of. As such, Choi received a first-ballot induction at 98.6%.



Yeong-Il “Burger” Weon – Third Base/Designated Hitter – Daegu Diamondbacks – 95.5% First Ballot

Yeong-Il Weon was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Seoul, South Korea. He got the nickname “Burger” from his habit of enjoying a cheeseburger pre and post almost every game. Weon was another solid power hitter who also had above average contact skills. Burger averaged around 35-40 home runs and around 30-35 doubles per season. Despite his power, Weon rarely drew walks and was middling at avoiding strikeouts. He had below average speed and played exclusively on defense at third base, although about ¼ of his career starts were as a designated hitter. Defensively, he was viewed as mediocre at best with a nice arm, but poor range. Still, Weon was a hard worker and durable, emerging as one of the better bats at third of the era.

Weon was a Woosung High School teammate of Hall of Fame classmate Yu-Jin Choi, although Weon was two years older. He was a very highly touted prospect though with Daegu especially falling in love with his potential. The Diamondbacks picked Weon with the first overall pick of the 1961 EAB Draft. His first four years were largely spent being developed, although he would make limited at bats in 1963, 1965, and 1966. Weon struggled in those initial appearances, clearly not yet ready for the majors. In 1967, he became a full-time starter and put up solid production, leaving Daegu optimistic that good things were ahead.

Weon had seven straight seasons worth 5+ WAR from 1969-1974. He’d win three Silver Sluggers at third base coming in 1970, 71, and 74. 1974 was his lone time as an MVP finalist, taking second in voting. This year saw Weon lead Korea in home runs (44), RBI (133), and WAR (8.2). He led in homers and RBI again the next year, although his average dropped steeply. Weon also played two editions of the World Baseball Championship for South Korea in 1969 and 1970. The former was notable though, helping SK to their first World Championship with 26 hits, 12 runs, 6 home runs, and 18 RBI over 23 starts.

It took time for Daegu to complete their rebuild. They won three Korea League titles in the 1950s, but spent the entire 1960s with losing records. The tide switched back to the Diamondbacks in the 1970s, putting together a dynasty run. From 1973-78, Daegu won five Korea League titles (1973, 74, 75, 76, 78) and won two East Asian Championships (1973, 1975). Weon won KLCS MVP in 1974 and 1978 and in 66 playoff starts with the Diamondbacks, posted 71 hits, 37 runs, 18 home runs, 48 RBI, and 2.1 WAR. This forever made him a popular franchise figure and Daegu would retire his #12 uniform when his career ended.

After being very durable in his twenties, a couple of injuries began costing Weon some playing time. During the 1971 season, he had signed an eight-year, $2,706,000 contract extension. After their 1978 season and KL pennant though, Weon surprised many by declining his contract option and entering free agency at age 36. His contract was front loaded with $378,000 per year in the peak seasons, but down to $306,000 in his last two. Weon was able to get up to $374,000 per year again as Incheon inked him to a two-year deal starting in 1979. In total with Daegu, he had 2050 hits, 1064 runs, 380 doubles, 417 home runs, 1232 RBI, a .299/.335/.549 slash, and 66.1 WAR.

Weon regressed notably in his one season with the Inferno with only 18 home runs and a .697 OPS. Incheon cut their losses and traded him for three prospects to Busan. He was able to bounce back with a respectable 1980 for the Blue Jays and helped them win the Korea League title, posting 12 hits, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI in the postseason run. A free agent again after that, he signed for 1981 at age 38 to a two-year, $944,000 deal with Yongin. Weon had decent results, but the season ended with a ruptured foot tendon in September and was let go.

Weon returned to Busan in 1982 and he showed some solid numbers when healthy with the Blue Jays. More foot issues cost him two months of the season and Busan went one-and-done in the playoffs. In 1983, Incheon gave him another look and seemingly out of nowhere, the 40 year-old hit 40 home runs and 121 RBI. While he still had power value, his strikeouts were up and he had no defensive utility at all. Weon hoped to catch on somewhere in 1984, but went unsigned and ultimately retired that winter at age 42.

Weon’s final stats saw 2799 hits, 1434 runs, 515 doubles, 560 home runs, 1678 RBI, a .292/.329/.533 slash, 140 wRC+, and 80.5 WAR. His numbers would stand out more if not in a Hall of Fame class with some guys who were better, but Weon still compiled some impressive numbers. His popularity with Daegu and role in their dynasty made Burger a lock, filling out the impressive 1989 EAB Hall of Fame class at 95.5%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 BSA Hall of Fame

Two first ballot Hall of Fame selections made up the 1989 class for Beisbol Sudamerica, although they got in with very different margins. Second baseman Niculao Semide was nearly unanimous at 99.4%, while pitcher Willis Bermudez crossed the 66% threshold by the very slim margin of 67.1%. Starting pitcher Manuel Gonzalez was heartbreakingly close on his ninth try, but was short at 64.7%. This was the highest mark for Gonzalez, whose previous best was 59.6% the prior season. One other was above 50% with 3B Saul Puerta at 53.6% in his debut.



One player was dropped after ten ballots in closer Pablo Cesti, who bounced around for 13 years between BSA, MLB, and CABA. He won two Reliever of the Year awards and for his whole pro career had 28.4 WAR, 293 saves, a 2.22 ERA, 933 innings, and 1126 strikeouts. Most of that was in BSA, but his later years were forgettable in the other leagues and it kept him from more impressive accumulations. Cesti still managed 43.4% on his debut ballot, but dropped to 10.2% at the end.



Niculao Semide – Second Base – Fortaleza Foxes – 99.4% First Ballot

Niculao Semide was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed second baseman from Maracas, Brazil, a town of around 20,000 people in the northeastern Bahia state. At his peak, Semide was a great contact hitter with an outstanding eye and patience. He had respectable power too and averaged around 30 home runs and around 30 doubles/triples per season. Semide had above average speed and solid baserunning instincts. He played primarily at second base and was below average defensively, but his bat was unmatched for the position. Semide had great longevity and was an extremely popular player, although sometimes his work ethic was iffy.

Semide was considered a promising, but raw prospect in the 1962 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. Fortaleza selected him seventh overall and his entire two decade pro career was spent with the Foxes. Semide’s first three seasons though saw very little action with a total of 44 games and nine starts. Part of it was him needing seasoning and part was just not having an opening as Fortaleza was a playoff contender at this point. Semide would make six starts and play 11 playoff games in 1965 showing decent potential as the Foxes won the Southern Cone Championship, falling in Copa Sudamerica to Quito.

In 1966, the 24-year old Semide finally became a full-time starter and immediately excelled with a 9.5 WAR season with 38 home runs and a .956 OPS. This earned him his first MVP and his first of 13 Silver Sluggers. He won additional Sluggers at second in 1967 and 1968, from 1970-74, and 1977-81 (with the last one being when he moved to first base at the end). As of 2037, he’s the record holder at second base. 1966 was also Semide’s debut in the World Baseball Championship for Brazil, where he earned the WBC MVP with 27 hits, 8 doubles, 14 runs, and 1.3 WAR over 25 starts. He made 221 appearances and 203 starts for Brazil from 1966-82, posting 185 hits, 133 runs, 26 doubles, 54 home runs, 121 RBI, 122 walks, a .249/.360/.507 slash and 9.2 WAR.

1967 was his finest season and another MVP, setting career and league bests in hits (201), home runs (122), total bases (398), slugging (.691), OPS (1.116), and WAR (13.3). His .349 average and 122 RBI also gave Semide the seventh BSA Triple Crown season for a hitter. At the time, that was the second most WAR ever in a season for a BSA hitter and it still ranks third as of 2037. Semide carried that success into the postseason with 15 hits, 7 runs, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, and 10 walks in 13 starts. This earned him Copa Sudamerica MVP as Fortaleza claimed the Cup for only the second time in franchise history. That was his only season as the leader in homers and RBI.

Semide ended up leading the league in runs scored three times, hits twice, walks five times, total bases twice, average twice, OBP seven times, slugging twice, OPS thrice, wRC+ thrice, and WAR thrice. He had 11 seasons worth 8+ WAR and five that reached triple digits. Semide third in MVP voting in 1968, hurt by Fortaleza dropping to only 79 wins. The next year, Semide missed the second half of the season on a severely strained hip muscle. He bounced back though with his third MVP in 1970, although Fortaleza missed the playoffs for the third straight year. They would sign Semide to an extension early in 1972 for six years, $1,512,000.

The Foxes made it back in 1972, which was Semide’s fourth and final MVP season with 11.4 WAR, a career best 116 runs scored, and .997 OPS. He won his second Copa Sudamerica MVP as Fortaleza took the top spot again. In total for his playoff career, Semide played 55 games with 55 hits, 34 runs, 14 home runs, 34 RBI, a .282/.355/.574 slash and 3.0 WAR. The Foxes would be a middling team the next five years, finally getting back with to Copa Sudamerica in 1978. That time, they fell to Valencia in the final.

Semide remained a consistent force during this time, taking third in MVP voting in 1977 and second in 1978. He signed another three-year extension after the 1977 season and remained beloved by the Fortaleza fan base as he played through his 30s. At age 39 in 1981, he still posted an 8.2 WAR season with a .981 OPS. Age finally started to catch up with a torn rib cage muscle costing him half of 1982. In 1983, he was below average for the first time in his career and was let go by Fortaleza. Semide hoped to sign somewhere in 1984, but found no takers and had to retire at age 43. The Foxes immediately retired his #26 uniform and he remains beloved as a franchise icon.

Semide’s final stats: 2906 hits, 1588 runs, 376 doubles, 515 home runs, 1374 RBI, 1288 walks, 574 stolen bases, a .324/.408/.560 slash, 191 wRC+, and 150.0 WAR. A t induction, he was third all-time in hitting WAR and remains fourth as of 2037. Semide was also third in walks drawn at induction and he was only the second BSA Hall of Famer at the time with a career OBP above .400. As of 2037, only six players have pulled that off. He also remains the WARlord among second basemen. Semide was an obvious inner-circle Hall of Famer and a huge part of Fortaleza’s title runs in the 1960s and 1970s, well deserving of the 99.4% first ballot nod.



Willis Bermudez – Starting Pitcher – Santiago Saints – 67.1% First Ballot

Willis Bermudez was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Chile, Santiago. He had strong stuff despite only 94-96 mph peak velocity while boasting above average control and movement. Bermudez’s best pitch was his slider, but he also had a solid knuckle curve along with his fastball and a changeup. Bermudez very rarely threw complete games, which was unusual for an eventual Hall of Fame pitcher. Still, he was generally pretty durable and reliable.

Bermudez was noticed locally in Santiago as one of the top Chilean prospects ahead of the 1966 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. His hometown team picked him 24^th overall and put him into the rotation immediately, where he earned second place in Rookie of the Year voting. Bermudez wasn’t one who won major awards, although he was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1969, third in 1971, and second in 1972. 1972 saw him post a career best and league-leading 1.47 ERA. Bermudez thrice had 8+ WAR with a peak of 9.6 WAR in 1970.

Santiago was in the midst of its decade-long dominance of the Southern Cone League’s South Division when Bermudez came. They had won Copa Sudamerica already thrice in the 1960s prior to his 1966 debut. The Saints got back to the final in 1968 and 1971, winning it all in the latter. Bermudez was a solid postseason pitcher over 93.2 career innings with a 2.02 ERA, 111 strikeouts, only 15 walks, and 2.6 WAR. He also pitched from 1969-82 for Chile in the World Baseball Championship. Bermudez’s WBC stats saw a 4.37 ERA over 164.2 innings with 209 strikeouts and 2.3 WAR.

Santiago’s playoff streak ended in 1974, although they still had a few good seasons right after before truly entering the rebuilding phase. Bermudez had reached his 30s and his ERA was a career-worst 3.58 in 1975. Santiago opted not to re-sign their native son and he entered free agency at age 32. Bermudez stayed in Chile, signing with the still only three-year old Concepcion franchise. After one unremarkable season, the Chiefs traded him for 1977 back to Santiago for two prospects. Bermudez had a bit of a resurgence in his return to the Saints, but Santiago wasn’t interested in committing him to any long term deals.

A free agent again at age 34, Bermudez found that no South American teams wanted to give him that long term stability. He found it down under, moving to Australia and the Oceania Baseball Association on a five-year, $1,582,000 deal with Sydney. The Snakes were a middling franchise, but Bermudez gave them five respectable seasons, even leading in ERA and WHIP in 1979. In total with Sydney, he had a 76-60 record, 2.75 ERA, 1228.2 innings, 1230 strikeouts, and 19.5 WAR. Bermudez was 39 years old when his contract expired and Santiago opted to give him one more shot in 1983. He only pitched 12 innings and retired that offseason at age 40. However, his hometown club retired his #17 uniform that winter.

For his entire pro career, Bermudez had a 244-152 record, 2.61 ERA, 3623 innings, 4176 strikeouts, 643 walks, 79 FIP-, and 83.8 WAR. For just Beisbol Sudamerica, he had a 168-92 record, 2.53 ERA, 2394.1 innings, 2946 strikeouts, 447 walks, 255/339 quality starts, 71 FIP-, and 64.3 WAR. A quietly solid career, but Bermudez lacked the big accumulations or awards that were usually a pre-requisite for induction. Many pundits had him pegged for the Hall of Very Good, but his playoff success and run with his hometown team won over just enough skeptics. It was by the thin margin of 67.1%, but Bermudez became a first ballot Hall of Famer.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 EBF Hall of Fame

The European Baseball Federation’s Hall of Fame didn’t add any players in 1989, the first blank ballot since 1983. SP Ugo Musacci was the closest at 55.6% on his fourth ballot, but the seven-time Pitcher of the Year had detractors for spending many of his best years in MLB. Also above 50% were 1B Alex Zonneveld at 55.0% on his second ballot and 1B Isak Steffensen at 53.0% for his seventh attempt. The best debut was SP Torger Thelin at 47.9%. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 EPB Hall of Fame

Eurasian Professional Baseball welcomed three players into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1989. Leading the way was pitcher Nikita Zubrilin at 97.5%, followed by fellow pitchers Kristiyan Filipov and Anatoli Agakerimzade at 83.8% and 70.4%, respectively. Three others were above 50%, but short of the 66% requirement. 2B Ali Alasgarov had 55.6% in his seventh ballot, SP Serhiy Belov was at 53.1% on his fifth attempt, and SP Maksim Ekstrem got 52.7% in his debut.



One player was dropped after his tenth ballot in CF Edgars Lika. The Latvian was extremely popular in his 20 year career with seven teams, most notably with Kyiv. He had 2617 hits, 1429 runs, 427 doubles, 423 home runs, 1301 RBI, a .248/.315/.439 slash, and 105.9 WAR. He also won nine Gold Gloves, six Silver Sluggers, five championships, and two LCS MVPs. Despite this impressive resume, Lika didn’t get much traction with a peak of 47.4% on his second ballot and finish at 13.0%. Some felt his accumulations were too low for his longevity and he lacked the sexy stats. His defense and walks helped make him fourth in hitting WAR when he fell off the ballot and he’s still ninth best as of 2037. Yet, that wasn’t enough to get the nod.



Nikita Zubrilin – Starting Pitcher – Minsk Miners – 97.5% First Ballot

Nikita Zubrilin was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Orsha, Belarus, a city of around 100,000 people in the northeastern part of the country. He was a hard thrower with 99-101 mph peak velocity with solid stuff and control, along with decent movement. Zubrilin had a five pitch arsenal of fastball, curveball, splitter, cutter, and knuckle curve. He had very nice stamina and was viewed as a durable and reliable arm most of his run.

As a teenage amateur in Belarus, Zubrilin would often travel west to the capital Minsk for baseball camps. Scouts from the Miners were impressed by his potential and he was signed to a developmental deal in 1963. Zubrilin would debut at age 21 in 1967 with limited appearances in his first three seasons. He showed great promise, but it was hard to crack the lineup of the powerhouse Minsk squad. Zubrilin wouldn’t get used in the 1969 postseason, but he’d earn ultimately his only EPB ring this season. 1968 marked the start of his appearances for Belarus in the World Baseball Championship. From 1968-83, he tossed 215 innings with a 3.73 ERA, 250 strikeouts, and 4.1 WAR.

Zubrilin became a full-time starter in 1970 and hold that role for the next decade plus. He was consistently a top end pitcher, although rarely a league leader. 1974 saw career highs and league bests in strikeouts (359) and WAR (9.5), although he was third in Pitcher of the Year voting. He was also third in 1973, second in 1975, and third in 1976. Zubrilin did finally win the award in 1979 with a 1.86 ERA, 8.4 WAR season. The highlight of this season was throwing EPB’s 18^th Perfect Game with eight strikeouts on May 21 against Kyiv.

Minsk remained a consistent contender in the 1970s, but it was a decade of disappointment as they couldn’t get beyond the European League Championship Series despite making nine playoff appearances and four ELCS berths in the decade. Zubrilin’s playoff stats saw a 2.86 ERA over 138.2 innings with a 6-9 record, 148 strikeouts, 19 walks, and 2.3 WAR. He remained steady all that time and was appreciated as a local Belarusian player. Zubrilin’s #10 uniform would be retired at the end of his career.

In 1981, Minsk finally overcame their playoff struggles and won the European League title, falling in the Soviet Series to Dushanbe. Sadly, Zubrilin wouldn’t be a part of the playoff run with a torn UCL in September putting him out 13 months. This was the end of his run with the Miners, who let him go that offseason. Zubrilin signed with Moscow for 1982, but never was healthy enough to pitch for them. He then joined Bucharest in 1983 for his comeback effort. Zubrilin had some decent moments with the Broncos, but was average at best by this point. He decided to retire here at age 37.

Zubrilin’s final stats: 237-149 record, 2.53 ERA, 3731.2 innings, 3991 strikeouts, 619 walks, 319/449 quality starts, 215 complete games, 77 FIP-, and 91.7 WAR. He wasn’t considered THE pitcher of his era, but his resume certainly was plenty impressive when it was all said and done. The voters didn’t need much convincing, putting Zubrilin in on the first ballot with 97.5%.



Kristiyan “Doom” Filipov – Starting Pitcher – Ulaanbaatar Boars – 83.8% First Ballot

Kristiyan Filipov was a 6’0’’, 180 pound right-handed starting pitcher form Varna, Bulgaria’s third largest city, located along the western banks of the Black Sea. His nickname “Doom” came from his fascination with doomsday topics and media. Filipov had overpowering stuff, which made up for often average movement and control. He had a stellar fastball that topped out in the 97-99 mph range and mixed it with a terrific slider and a good splitter. Filipov had respectable stamina and was solid at holding runners.

Filipov was noticed by a scout from Ulaanbaatar in 1967 as a 16-year old amateur. He made the choice to sign then and made the big move from Bulgaria all the way to Mongolia. After spending five years in their academy, Filipov made his debut in 1972 with a split between the rotation and bullpen. He moved to a full-time start with respectable results in 1973, but saw a setback in 1974 with a torn meniscus costing him hall the season. Although far from home, Filipov did return to Bulgaria for the World Baseball Championship from 1972-84. He made 32 appearances with 141.1 innings, a 4.90 ERA, 175 strikeouts, and 0.1 WAR.

1975 saw Filipov emerge as a legitimate ace and in 1976, he won his lone Pitcher of the Year, leading the Asian League with career bests in strikeouts (412) and WAR (9.7). That was a season of highlights, starting with a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and one walk in August against Chelyabinsk. From there, Ulaanbaatar went on a playoff run that culminated in the franchise’s first (and as of 2037, only) EPB championship. Filipov had a strong postseason with a 2.53 ERA over 32 innings with 50 strikeouts.

Filipov wouldn’t be an award finalist in the rest of his career, although he did lead the AL in ERA in 1977 and both strikeouts and WHIP in 1969. The Boars fell into the mid-tier for these years, but Filipov remained solid. In total with Ulaanbaatar, he had a 104-72 record, 2.14 ERA, 1688.2 innings, 2281 strikeouts, and 46.2 WAR. For his role in helping the Boars win the title, Filipov’s #22 uniform would later be retired. His run there ended after the 1979 season, as Filipov entered free agency at age 30.

He ended up signing a four-year, $1,510,000 deal with Asgabat, who had just won the Soviet Series in 1979. Filipov ultimately pitched three seasons with the Alphas, posting a 2.19 ERA, 48-29 record, 796 innings, 1058 strikeouts, and 22.8 WAR. In 1980, he tossed his second career no-hitter, striking out 16 with one walk in late June against Yerevan. Asgabat made the playoffs twice while he was there, but were one-and-done both times. The Alphas opted to trade Filipov before the final year of his deal for five prospects to Novosibirsk.

Filipov had one good season with the Nitros, who got to the ALCS that year. However, he struggled with a 5.18 ERA in the postseason and wasn’t brought back. At age 34, Filipov was a free agent again and had a diverse array of suitors. The 1980s marked the first time that players in the Soviet Bloc had the ability to explore elsewhere and Filipov found a buyer in MLB’s Cleveland Cobras. They were sold on him being a big player and signed him to a four-year, $4,260,000 deal.

Sadly, Filipov’s MLB tenure was immediately snake bitten with a damaged elbow ligament in June 1984, altohough he had been merely average before the injury. This knocked him out 12 months and Cleveland ended up cutting their losses in summer 1985. Filipov did return in late 1985 with 13 innings in Philadelphia. New Orleans gave him a shot in 1986, but he was abysmal and realized it was time to hang it up at age 36.

For his EPB run, Filipov had a 165-111 record, 2.14 ERA, 2730.2 innings, 3672 strikeouts, 551 walks, 263/344 quality starts, 69 FIP- (nice), and 76.6 WAR. His innings and accumulations weren’t as high as some others who got inducted, but his ERA and rate stats certainly were worthy of a look. The votes were impressed enough to give Filipov the first ballot induction at 83.8%, becoming only the second Bulgarian inductee.



Anatoli Agakerimzade – Starting Pitcher – St. Petersburg Polar Bears – 70.4% First Ballot.

Anatoli Agakerimzade was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Almaty, the largest city and former capital of Kazakhstan. His calling card was pinpoint control, which allowed him to thrive despite having merely average stuff and slightly above average movement. Agakerimzade’s velocity peaked in the 95-97 mph range with a fastball, changeup, cutter combo. His changeup was his best pitch with an excellent ability to change speeds with an extreme flyball tendency.

Although Agakerimzade is remembered pretty much exclusively for his time with St. Petersburg, that’s not where his pro career began. He was picked 25^th overall in the 1968 EPB Draft by Bishkek. Agakerimzade debuted with four forgettable relief appearances in 1969. Still hoping to contend after winning three Asian League titles in the 1960s, the Black Sox traded Agakerimzade straight up for veteran shortstop Yuri Symanski to St. Petersburg.

Agakerimzade was iffy in his first year with the Polar Bears as a part-time starter, but turned into an ace in 1971 with the European League lead in ERA (1.81) and wins (21-7). This earned him Pitcher of the Year honors and helped St. Petersburg to a wild card, their first playoff berth in seven years. The Polar Bears went on an unexpected playoff tear and won it all, defeating Agakerimzade’s hometown club Almaty in the Soviet Series. He had a solid postseason with a 3-1 record over 30 innings with a 2.40 ERA and 26 strikeouts.

Agakerimzade was never quite as dominant in the rest of his career and wasn’t a Pitcher of the Year finalist ever again. He still consistently provided quality starts, leading in that stat three times in his career. In the mid 1970s, St. Petersburg experimented with putting him in the bullpen, although that trial ended after the 1976 season. Agakerimzade would also return home and pitch for the Kazakh national team from 1974-83 in the World Baseball Championship. In 134 WBC innings, he had a 4.37 ERA, 131 strikeouts, and 0.9 WAR.

The Polar Bears went on a six-year playoff streak from 1974-79, winning the European League title in both 1976 and 1977. In 1977, they won 108 games and claimed the Soviet Series. Agakerimzade’s playoff stats were a mixed back, posting a 3.28 ERA over 85 innings with 78 strikeouts and 2.0 WAR. His consistent performance was still an important part of their 1970s success and St. Petersburg would retire his #21 uniform at the end of his career. He stayed steady and even had a career high 290.1 innings and 32 quality starts in 1982 at age 36. Sadly, in his third start of 1983, Agakerimzade suffered a ruptured UCL. He opted to retire that winter at age 37 instead of trying a comeback.

Agakerimzade’s final stats: 208-121 record, 2.49 ERA, 3081 innings, 2703 strikeouts to 408 walks, 294/374 quality starts, a FIP- of 86, and 58.9 WAR. His stats were certainly the most borderline of the guys who got in with the 1989 Hall of Fame class and he lacked dominance. But Agakerimzade’s steady production as a key member for a strong decade for one franchise did some heavy lifting. He was a narrow first ballot selection, but got in with 70.4% to round out EPB’s 1989 crew.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 OBA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

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The 1989 Hall of Fame ballot for the Oceania Baseball Association was a significant one with four players earning induction, increasing the membership from 12 to 16. The only no-doubter though was pitcher Nathaniel Doloran with 99.1% on his debut. The other three each barely crossed the 66% threshold after being on the ballot for many years. Pitcher Kent Thackray got 67.9% on his fifth try with fellow pitcher Ryan Cudiaboo also at 67.9% on his eighth try. One more pitcher, Honore Waheo, got the nod with 67.0% on his eighth attempt. A fifth pitcher nearly joined them in Matthew Mamba, although he fell short with 56.9% in his eighth attempt. No players were dropped after ten ballots.



Nathaniel Doloran – Starting Pitcher – Brisbane Black Bears – 99.1% First Ballot

Nathaniel Doloran was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Perth, Australia. He was known for having incredible stuff led by a stellar 99-101 mph fastball. He mixed in a solid cutter and forkball, decent curveball, and occasional changeup. Doloran had solid control, although his movement could be spotty, leading to an extreme flyball tendency. He had excellent stamina, leading the league in complete games four times and innings thrice. Doloran was a fan favorite who worked hard and became one of the most endearing pitchers of his era.

Doloran was hitting the 90s in velocity even as a teenager, making him one of the most prized prospects in Australian baseball. In the 1966 OBA Draft, Brisbane picked him with the #1 overall pick. However, Doloran decided that he wanted to attend college instead, much to the chagrin of the Black Bears management. Three years later after continuing to hone his craft, Doloran was eligible again for the 1969 OBA Draft. Brisbane was still very much interested and this time signed him with the second overall pick.

Doloran immediately was a starter and immediately excelled with 413 strikeouts and 8.0 WAR, earning 1970 Rookie of the Year honors. This started a steak of seven seasons leading the Australasia League in strikeouts. Doloran would lead eight times in Ks total. He’d post ten consecutive 10+ WAR seasons with four being 10+. In only his second pro season, Doloran earned his first Pitcher of the Year. After taking third in 1972, he’d win the award four straight seasons; becoming the first OBA pitcher to win the top honor five times.

Doloran became the first OBA pitcher to have multiple Triple Crown seasons with his 1974 and 1975 efforts. In 1974, he set a world record with 30 wins, a mark still not surpassed as of 2037 (although two other OBA pitchers would match it). His 486 strikeouts in 1974 set a OBA record, only to be surpassed the next year at 497. Tarzan Rao’s 524 in 1983 would top it, but Doloran’s 497 remained second best until the 2010s and still is fourth in OBA history as of 2037. When Doloran fanned 497 in 1975, it was at the time the fourth most by any pitcher in any pro league.

He’d take third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1977, his last season as a finalist for the award. Although Doloran’s utter dominance diminished, he still was a very good pitcher through the rest of the 1970s. He also pitched for Australia in the World Baseball Championship from 1971-82, posting a 2.63 ERA and 18-8 record over 232.2 innings with 342 strikeouts and 7.4 WAR. Doloran remained loyal to Brisbane, although the Black Bears still couldn’t earn their first league title while he was there. They had winning seasons during his peak, but were back towards the bottom of the standings generally despite his efforts. Doloran would never pitch a playoff game in his illustrious career. His #8 uniform would later be retired and he’d remain a favorite for years to come.

Doloran’s time with Brisbane ended before the 1982 season as the team opted to trade him to Gold Coast in exchange for CF prospect Flynn Counsell and 3B prospect Franklin the Ripper (and yes, I did not make that name up). The Kangaroos were hoping Doloran would help them get to the next level, but his run would be cursed. Shoulder inflammation in late March cost him4-5 months, then he suffered a torn rotator cuff in September. GC let him go and Port Moresby signed Doloran to a three-year deal hoping for a comeback. Sadly, he was terrible in his one season with the Mud Hens, although while there he did become the first OBA pitcher to 5000 career strikeouts. Doloran retired after the 1983 season at age 36.

Doloran’s final stats: 227-164 record, 2.26 ERA, 3804.1 innings, 5026 strikeouts, 621 walks, 352/476 quality starts, 183 complete games, 42 shutouts, 67 FIP-, and 114.7 WAR. When he was inducted, he had been passed by both Nigel Chalmers and Tarzan Rao as the strikeout king, but he’s still sixth all-time as of 2037. Doloran was undoubtedly one of the most dominant pitchers in OBA history and got plenty of notice despite being stuck on a struggling Brisbane franchise. He was a deserved no-doubt Hall of Famer with 99.1% of the vote.



Kent Thackray – Starting Pitcher – Tahiti Tropics – 67.9% Fifth Ballot

Kent Thackray was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Hamilton, New Zealand; a city of around 185,000 on the North Island. He wasn’t outstanding at anything, but was considered a well-rounded pitcher with above average stuff, movement, and control. Thackray had 95-97 mph peak velocity and a diverse arsenal of cutter, slider, curveball, forkball, and changeup. He was great at holding runners and considered a solid defensive pitcher with decent stamina.

Thackray was picked seventh overall by Melbourne in the 1966 OBA Draft and made 25 starts as a rookie with a 1.86 ERA and 4.2 WAR, earning the 1967 Rookie of the Year. That season kicked off a dynasty for the Mets, who won four straight Austalasia League titles and won the OBA title in 1967 and 1969. Thackray struggled in his three starts in the 1967 final and ended up missing the other postseason runs. He missed 1969 to a torn meniscus in August, although the other playoff series he was simply not used. Thackray was a decent starter with Melbourne, but considered their fourth man in the rotation. Thackray was also a regular with New Zealand in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 4.71 ERA over 147 innings from 1967-78 with 168 strikeouts and only 0.2 WAR.

In five seasons in Melbourne, Thackray had a 68-30 record, 2.37 ERA, 957.1 innings, 957 strikeouts, and 17.3 WAR. After the 1971 season, the Mets decided to trade him straight up to Tahiti for 3B R.J. Nunley. In his first two seasons with the Tropics, Thackray delivered his standard above average production. He would step up though with his best seasons, taking third in 1974 Pitcher of the Year voting and second in 1975. By WAR, 1976 was his most impressive with 8.0 WAR and a career-best 335 strikeouts. 1975 would see a no-hitter as well on April 22 with six strikeouts and two walks against Guadalajara.

This run helped Tahiti become the top team in the Pacific League, taking three straight PL titles from 1974-76. They were OBA champs in 1975, although Thackray’s 3.51 ERA over 7 playoff starts and 51.1 innings with the Tropics was unremarkable. Still, he was an important part of their success and it helped him earn his #25 uniform’s retirement. Tahiti would fade towards the bottom of the standings to close the 1970s and Thackray’s career would fade. He suffered a partially torn labrum in 1978 and shoulder inflammation in 1979, causing him to fall off and retire after the 1979 season at age 35. With Tahiti, he had a 105-85 record, 2.53 ERA, 1909.2 innings, 1890 strikeouts, 388 walks, and 32.1 WAR.

Thackray’s final stats saw a 173-115 record, 2.48 ERA, 2867 innings, 2847 strikeouts to 571 walks, 262/361 quality starts, a 91 FIP-, and 49.3 WAR. By any measure, his stats are among the weakest of those who would get into the OBA Hall of Fame and many pundits thought he was a prime Hall of Very Good guy. The voting also reflected that with Thackray bouncing between the 40-50% range on his first four ballots. On his fifth attempt, he managed to get a bump just across the line at 67.9%, securing a spot in the OBA Hall.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 OBA Hall of Fame (Part 2)



Ryan Cudiaboo – Starting Pitcher – Port Moresby Mud Hens – 67.9% Eight Ballot

Ryan Cudiaboo was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed pitcher from Sydney, Australia. He was known for solid stuff with decent control and movement. Cudiaboo had a great 97-99 mph fastball and mixed in a slider and changeup. His stamina was weak compared to most of his OBA contemporaries, but his stuff and leadership made him an important piece.

Cudiaboo was picked fifth overall by Melbourne in the 1963 OBA Draft. He saw limited bullpen use in his first two seasons before earning a full-time starting role in 1966. He wasn’t dominant, but put up respectable numbers as Melbourne’s dynasty came to fruition from 1967-70. Cudiaboo was excellent in the 1967 championship with a 0.64 ERA over 14 innings, helping the Mets win the title. He struggled in his other postseason efforts though, finishing with a 4.96 playoff ERA over 49 innings. Cudiaboo also made limited appearances for Australia in the World Baseball Championship, throwing 12 relief innings.

In his final year with Melbourne in 1970, Cudiaboo was the Australasia League leader in ERA at 1.65. This gave him second in Pitcher of the Year voting, his only time as a finalist. 1970 was also a contract year for Cudiaboo and that season made his stock the highest it would ever be. In total with the Mets, Cudiaboo had a 77-57 record, 2.40 ERA, 1322 innings, 1317 strikeouts, and 24.9 WAR. At age 29, he opted for free agency and signed a six-year, $846,000 deal with Port Moresby.

The Mud Hens were a lower end team during his six seasons there, although he provided consistent reliable production. He was less impressive statistically there, but had more innings and was ultimately inducted in the Mud Hens hat. Cudiaboo posted an 84-102 record, 2.88 ERA, 1719.2 innings, 1846 strikeouts, and 29.3 WAR. The highlight of his time was a no-hitter on July 6, 1975 against Guam with 13 strikeouts and two walks.

Cudiaboo was 35 years old when his Port Moresby contract expired after the 1976 season. He decided to search worldwide for his next job and found his way to Mexico, signing to a two-year, $600,000 deal with Tijuana. Cudiaboo was subpar in his one season with the Toros and was traded that offseason to Havana. He saw only nine appearances while in Cuba and was a free agent again after the 1978 season. Cudiaboo’s worldwide travels sent him to EPB’s Riga Roosters. He was an okay occasional starter and long relief guy in his one season in Latvia. His final season was with Tirana in 1980, although he recorded only one out with the Trojans. Cudiaboo retired at age 39.

Cudiaboo’s final OBA stats saw a 161-159 record, 2.67 ERA, 3041.2 innings, 3163 strikeouts, 656 walks, 311/425 quality starts, 89 FIP-, and 54.2 WAR. Like his classmates Kent Thackray and Honore Waheo, Cudiaboo’s tallies weren’t incredible and suggested a Hall of Very Good spot to many voters. He hovered in the 30-40% range for his first five ballots before spiking up to 61.1% in 1987. He dropped back to 42.5% in 1988, but the voters were feeling generous in 1969 and got him across the line at 67.9% on his eighth attempt.



Honore “Einstein” Waheo – Starting Pitcher - Samoa Sun Sox – 67.0% Eight Ballot

Honore Waheo was a 5’11’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia. Waheo was known for having strong movement on his pitches with above average stuff and control. His velocity peaked in the 96-98 mph range with a tough fastball, plus a curveball and slider. Waheo was good at holding runners and had average starter. He was also considered a very intelligent pitcher.

Waheo’s potential was spotted as a teenager and he was a top prospect coming out of high school. Samoa decided to pick him third overall in the 1965 OBA Draft and let him develop on the reserve roster for two seasons. Waheo became a part-time starter in 1968, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting. He was a full-time starter from thereafter, although injuries cost him chunks of his sophomore and junior seasons.

Waheo emerged as an ace for the Sun Sox with five seasons worth 6+ WAR between 1971-1976. He never won Pitcher of the Year, but took third in voting in 1972, 73, and 75. Waheo’s WAR peak was 9.7 in 1974, which also saw a career best 386 strikeouts. In 1972, Samoa won its first-ever Pacific League title. Waheo had two great starts in the final with a 0.59 ERA over 15.1 innings, although the Sun Sox still fell to Gold Coast in the final. Samoa made it back and won the title in a rematch in 1973, although a severe ankle sprain kept Waheo out for the playoff run and the second half of that season. In this stretch, he also pitched 29.2 innings in the World Baseball Championship with a 0.91 ERA and 39 strikeouts. He pitched for France, having citizenship as his native New Caledonia is a French territory.

Waheo’s OBA and Samoa run ended after the 1976 season as he entered free agency at age 31. He would make his way to Canada as MLB’s Vancouver Volcanoes were enamored with him, inking a seven-year, $3,402,000 deal. Vancouver would end up with buyer’s remorse, as Waheo was merely mid in 1977 and missed six weeks to bone chips in his elbow. The next year, an elbow sprain, followed by a torn labrum, knocked him out most of the season. The Volcanoes cut their losses after 1979’s spring training. He would make a few relief appearances that year with Toronto before being cut in late August. Waheo finished out the season in minor league Providence, retiring that winter at only age 33.

For his OBA/Samoa run, Waheo had a 134-93 record, 2.20 ERA, 2262 innings, 2356 strikeouts, 457 walks, 217/285 quality starts, 75 FIP-, and 56.7 WAR. His totals were very low compared to other Hall of Famers in OBA, but his rate stats were far more impressive than his classmates Thackray and Cudiaboo. As of 2037, his ERA is the second-best of any OBA Hall of Fame starter. Many voters felt he wasn’t around long enough to by deserving though and he fluctuated on the ballot for seven years with a peak of 62.5% in 1987 and low of 32.9% in 1986. After 33.0% in 1988, Waheo’s eighth try saw the bump up to 67.0%, allowing him to just cross the line and round out the four-player 1989 OBA Hall of Fame group.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 APB Hall of Fame

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Austronesia Professional Baseball inducted three players into its Hall of Fame in 1989 with each of them receiving a first ballot nod. Leading the charge was LF Abracham Gumelar at 96.5%. 3B/1B Kim Shin Pan received 89.2% to earn his spot and SP Guntur Kadir got 76.6%. Two others were above 50% on their second tries with 1B Po-Yu Shao at 55.9% and CL Lee Tira at 53.8%. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.



Abracham Gumelar – Left Field – Palembang Panthers – 96.5% First Ballot

Abracham Gumelar was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta. Gumelar was a great contact hitter with excellent home run power that led the Sundaland Association in dingers six times. He also got you around 20-30 doubles per year with a couple triples despite having below average speed. Gumelar was above average at drawing walks, although his strikeout rates were middling. He was a career left fielder and subpar defensively. Gumelar was considered very durable with 155+ games played each season from 1970 to 1981.

Gumelar left Indonesia for Taiwan to play college baseball at Toko University. He returned to his home country in the 1966 APB Draft when he was picked second overall by Palembang. His entire APB run was with the Panthers and he became one of the most beloved players of his era. Gumelar was also a regular for Indonesia’s World Baseball Championship team with 137 games and 116 starts from 1969-85. In that stretch, he had 120 hits, 91 runs, 49 home runs, 101 RBI, a .279/.378/.651 slash, and 7.1 WAR.

Palembang didn’t feel Gumelar was immediately ready for the big time as he was used in a pinch hitter role in his first two seasons. He earned the starting role in 1969 and excelled, leading the Sundaland Association in the triple slash, home runs, and WAR. This got Gumelar his first of five MVPs and first of 11 Silver Sluggers. The additional Sluggers came from 1970-75, then from 1978-81. Gumelar led the SA in runs scored thrice, homers six times, RBI five times, batting average twice, OBP five times, slugging six times, OPS five times, wRC+ five times, and WAR four times.

1970 was a banner year for Gumelar with career highs in home runs (54), RBI (122), total bases (346), and WAR (10.5), giving him his second MVP. He’d take third in 1971’s MVP voting and second in 1972. 1974 would be his third MVP win and was Palembang’s first-ever division title win. The Panthers became a playoff regular at this point with four berths in five years from 1974-78. In 1975, Gumelar won his fourth MVP and became the first APB hitter to earn a Triple Crown (46 homers, 104 RBI, .297 average). He took third in MVP voting in 1977 and 1978, then won the award for the fifth and final time in 1979; the first to do so. He’d be a finalist once more with a second place in 1980.

Palembang won the Sundaland Association championship in 1974, 1976, and 1978. The Panthers weren’t able to claim the Austronesia Championship as they were defeated each time by Kaohsiung’s dynasty. Gumelar was a playoff beast in 1974 and 1976 in particular, earning Sundaland Association Championship MVP both years. In 38 playoff starts, he had 43 hits, 22 runs, 13 home runs, 30 RBI, a .300/.359/.633 slash, wRC+ of 252 and 3.4 WAR. This cemented Gumelar’s status as a Palembang legend and his #21 uniform unsurprisingly was retired once he was done.

Gumelar’s power and contact began to fade a bit into the 1980s and with that, the Panthers faded towards the bottom of the standings. 1982 would be the first time that injuries cost him significant time, missing around two months. He still posted 5.4 WAR that year in only 109 games. But his final year saw full season career lows of 30 home runs, a .229 average, and 4.6 WAR. In that last year, Gumelar was able to become the first APB slugger to reach 600 career home runs. He was the second to 1000 runs scored in 1981, the third to 1000 RBI in 1978, and the third to 2000 hits in 1981.

Gumelar became a free agent for the first time after the 1983 season at age 37. He was able to cash in and grab MLB money on a three-year, $3,780,000 deal with Cleveland. This gave Gumelar an annual $1,260,000 salary; far more than his peak Panthers pull of $381,000. He was decent in his first year with the Cobras, although a concussion cost him six weeks. Cleveland moved him to the bench in 1985 and cut him after 1986 spring training. He made 10 appearances that spring with Virginia Beach before being cut in early July. Gumelar opted to retire that winter at age 40.

Gumelar’s final APB/Palembang stats saw 2316 hits, 1173 runs, 365 doubles, 604 home runs, 1426 RBI, 822 walks, a .280/.345/.544 slash, 212 wRC+, and 123.1 WAR. Those are strong numbers in any league, but especially in the very low offense atmosphere of APB. Chun-Chia Lan passed him as the home run king later in the 1980s, but Gumelar remained second until the 2020s and is still fourth all-time as of 2037. At induction, Gumelar was the APB leader in RBI and hitting WAR. He would hold onto both titles until the 2020, but still sits fourth in RBI and second in WAR as of 2037. Gumelar was undoubtedly one of APB’s finest all-time hitters and an obvious first ballot choice at 96.5%.



Kim Shin Pan – Third/First Base – Surabaya Sunbirds – 89.2% First Ballot

Kim Shin Pan was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed corner infielder from Singapore and is the first Singaporean Hall of Famer. Pan was a solid contact and power hitter with a respectable eye and decent strikeout avoidance. He was a slower baseunner, but still had good enough gap power to get you a decent amount of doubles and the occasional triple. Pan made around 3/4s of his starts at third base and the rest at first base and was considered a delightfully average gloveman at both spots. Pan ended up being a very popular player, but his outspoken nature made him polarizing.

Pan left Singapore to play college baseball at CITIC College in Tainan. He excelled and quickly became one of the most prized prospects ahead of the 1966 APB Draft. Surabaya had the first selection and used it on Pan, who would spend his entire 17 year pro career as a Sunbird. He started a good chunk of his rookie season in 1967, then emerged as a bona fide star in his second season. Pan also was a regular for Singapore in the World Baseball Championship from 1969-84 with 117 games played, 105 hits, 71 runs, 34 home runs, 70 RBI, a .259/.353/.551 slash, and 4.9 WAR.

In his sophomore season, Pan led the Sundaland Association in hits and doubles. He’d lead in hits once more, home runs once, RBI twice, and OBP once. Pan would rack up the WARlord title four times and posted 13 seasons worth 6+ WAR and four worth double-digits. He won ten Silver Sluggers from 1969-80 and managed a Gold Glove in 1980 as well. In 1970, he also became only the second APB batter to record six hits in a single game. Pan picked up three MVPs in his career; 1972, 1973, and 1977. He was third in 1975 and 1980.

Pan cemented himself as a Surabaya legend when the Sunbirds earned their first-ever playoff berth in 1971. At 87-75, they were an underdog, but they upset Batam in the Sundaland Association Championship and topped Taoyuan to earn their first Austronesia Championship. Pan was the MVP of both series with 15 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 10 RBI in only nine games. They won division titles in the next two seasons, but fell in the SAC both times to the Blue Raiders.

Surabaya returned to the postseason in 1977 and won the Association title, although they fell in the championship to Kaohsiung. The Sunbirds fell off in 1978, largely due to Pan missing most of the season with a torn PCL. He came back in 1979 and didn’t have the same power, but he still pushed Surabaya back to the Promised Land. The Sunbirds won the 1979 APB title with Pan picked up Association Finals MVP. In 44 career playoff starts, Pan had 55 hits, 30 runs, 15 home runs, 33 RBI, a .331/.382/.663 slash, 256 wRC+, and 3.8 WAR. He was the APB playoff leader in home runs and RBI until the 2010s and still sits third all-time for both as of 2037.

1980 and 1981 were both nice seasons for Pan, although Surabaya dropped to the middle of the standings. Various injuries cost him more than half of 1982, then he struggled with only five home runs and a .227 average in 1983. Surabaya let him go and Pan played one more WBC in 1984 for Singapore. He hoped to sign somewhere that season, but had to retire that winter after going unsigned at age 39. Surabaya would retire his #9 uniform that winter.

Pan’s final stats: 2305 hits, 1115 runs, 358 doubles, 463 home runs, 1267 RBI, a .270/.329/.485 slash, 178 wRC+, and 120.7 WAR. His offensive stats aren’t quite as eye-popping as his Hall of Fame classmate Gumelar, but Pan still finished only three points behind him in batting WAR. He’s still fifth all-time as of 2037 and has the second most WAR at third base. Pan is still beloved by most Surabaya fans for his playoff heroics and was an easy first ballot selection at 89.2%.



Guntur Kadir – Starting Pitcher – Kaohsiung Steelheads – 76.6% First Ballot

Guntur Kadir was a 6’0’’, 180 pound right-handed pitcher from Cicuruk, a sub-district of the city of Sukabumi (population 356,000) in West Java, Indonesia. Kadir was a hard-thrower with 98-100 peak velocity with very good stuff and control. He had a fastball, slider, and circle change and his movement was considered below average. However, Kadir was a master at changing speeds and his circle change was considered incredible. He was a hard working sparkplug type, making him a valuable player in the clubhouse.

Kadir was spotted as a teenage amateur in 1967 at age 16 by a scout from Kaohsiung. Little did he realize that he’d become a huge part of a dynasty run. Kadir made his debut with the Steelheads as a reliever in 1972, then was a full-time starter after. He also would return home to pitch for Indonesia in the World Baseball Championship with a 10-2 record and 3.75 ERA from 1974-83 with 105.2 innings, 156 strikeouts, and 2.4 WAR.

Kaohsiung’s dynasty began in 1973 and saw four Austronesia Championships (1973, 74, 76, 77). As of 2037, the Steelheads are the only franchise in APB history to have won four APB titles in a five year stretch. 1974 saw Kadir take second in Pitcher of the Year voting with his first of five 9+ WAR seasons. He was a critical playoff piece, posting a 2.19 ERA over 107 innings with a 10-4 record, 134 strikeouts, and 3.5 WAR. From 1976-79, Kadir was dominant and led the Taiwan-Philippine Association in WAR, WHIP, and K/BB each season. He also led win ERA in 1976, strikeouts in 1979, and wins twice. Despite that, Kadir only won Pitcher of the Year once (1976). He was second in 1977 and 1978.

Kaohsiung faded towards the middle of the standings after their 1977 title season, although Kadir remained elite. He’d suffer a huge setback May 1980 with a partially torn UCL putting him out eight months. Kadir was never quite the same after that. He returned in 1981, but a herniated disc knocked him out the first two months of the season. Now in rebuilding mode, the Steelheads traded Kadir at the deadline for five prospects to Zamboanga. Kadir would later see his #24 uniform retired and he was remembered fondly for his role in the great Kaohsiung dynasty.

Kadir was subpar that summer and fall with the Zebras, although they did get to the playoffs. He became a free agency after the season at age 31 and had to weigh his future. MLB’s Tampa Thunderbirds hoped that Kadir could return to form and took a chance on him with a three-year, $2,710,000 deal. He would be a solidly above average pitcher in 1982 and 1983 in Tampa, but would end up with another torn UCL late in the 1983 season that knocked him out 11 months,

Kadir attempted a comeback in 1984 with the Thunderbirds, but was atrocious over six starts. In total with Tampa, he had a 4.05 ERA over 524.2 innings and 7.1 WAR. Calgary signed Kadir as a back-end starter in 1985. He then went to Philadelphia in 1986 and Brooklyn in 1987 with lackluster results. Columbus signed Kadir for 1988, but another torn UCL in spring training forced his retirement at age 37. For his MLB run, Kadir had a 51-48 record, 4.27 ERA, 907.1 innings, 723 strikeouts, and 8.0 WAR.

For his APB career though, Kadir had a 141-81 record, 2.23 ERA, 2056.2 innings, 2633 strikeouts to 276 walks, 196/253 quality starts, 59 complete games, 61 FIP-, and 66.5 WAR. Many voters felt Kadir didn’t have the accumulations or longevity to belong, but he was very impressive during his 20s and was a critical part of Kaohsiung’s dynasty. Some voters were sympathetic and felt he only missed out on the accumulations because of getting derailed by injury. Enough felt his peak and playoff accomplishments were enough and Kadir got the first ballot induction at 76.6% to round out the 1989 APB Hall of Fame crew.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 CLB Hall of Fame

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Chinese League Baseball welcomed closer Yi Li into its Hall of Fame as the lone inductee in 1989. Li only narrowly crossed the 66% requirement, but got in nonetheless with 72.1% on his fifth ballot. SP Li Jin was close but just short at 62.1% on his third attempt. The only other player above 50% was CL Yuzeng Liang at 53.3% in his third try. The top debut was SP Guichao Li at 44.8%. No players were dropped after ten ballots.



Yi “Hoover” Li – Closer – Chengdu Clowns – 72.1% Fifth Ballot

Yi Li was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Yangjiang, a city of around 2,600,000 near the South China Sea. Li had excellent stuff and terrific movement along with very good control. He had only two pitches with a 97-99 mph fastball and a quick slider, but his one-two punch was more than enough to thrive. Li was also considered a hard worker.

Li ended up having a peculiar career as a mercenary, although it wasn’t because he was disloyal or greedy. When CLB was formed for the 1970 season, Li was already 32 years old and established in China’s semi-pro circuits. His established service meant teams didn’t have long control over his tenure and franchises weren’t inclined to give relievers lengthy deals. Thus, Li ended up playing for nine teams in 10 years with his longest tenure being two years with Chengdu. He did also pitch in five editions of the World Baseball Championship for China, winning Best Pitcher in 1974 with 11 scoreless innings. He ended up with a 1.52 ERA over 53.1 innings, 77 strikeouts, and 2.1 WAR.

Li’s CLB career began with Foshan in 1970 and it was arguably his best season with a career-high 0.66 ERA and 6.4 WAR. He took third in Reliever of the Year voting in 1970, 1972, 1974, and 1979. Li was second in 1976 and won the award for the only time in 1973. Regardless of where he was, Li was considered elite. He went to Nanjing in 1971, then to Guangzhou in 1972 and Jinan in 1973. From August 1972 to June 1973, Li posted 46 consecutive scoreless innings.

Li’s lone Reliever of the Year was won with Jinan, who signed him to a two-year contract extension on October 5. Three days later, they traded him to Chengdu. After two seasons with the Clowns, he signed for 1976 with Chongqing. Between August 1975 and August 1976, Li had a streak of 51 successful save opportunities. 1976 was his only season leading the league in saves with a career best 47.

Li signed with Hong Kong in 1977 and struggled with injuries and poor production when healthy. He was now 40 years old when signing for a second time with Nanjing in 1978 and wasn’t used in the closer role. The Nuggets traded him in the summer to Changsha, where he finished out the year. Li went to Xiamen in 1979 and was back in the closer’s role with solid results, becoming the third reliever to reach 300 saves in CLB history. He wanted to still pitch in 1980, but retired that winter after going unsigned.

Li’s final stats: 333 saves and 390 shutdowns, a 1.35 ERA, 775 innings, 1015 strikeouts, 117 walks, 28 FIP-, and 43.1 WAR. His rate stats were impressive, but he still paled in comparison to recent inductee Encai Xing. Li was hurt too by bouncing around so many places, but still hovered in the upper 50%-lower 60% range in his first four ballots. His supporters pointed out that his entire run was beginning from age 32 and if he had his 20s to add to the tallies, Li likely would’ve posted remarkable accumulations. Enough voters came around on his fifth ballot to get him in at 72.1% as the lone 1989 Hall of Famer for CLB.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 WAB Hall of Fame



The second member of the West Africa Baseball Hall of Fame wouldn’t be inducted in 1989. The top performer was SP Adul dos Santos at 49.9% in his debut. LF Mario Duc was the only other player above the 1/3 mark with 39.9% in his debut.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 World Baseball Championship

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The 1989 World Baseball Championship was the 43^rd edition and returned to South America for the first time since 1974, this time hosted in Quito, Ecuador. In Division 1, Venezuela took first at 8-1, two games better than Romania. It was the fourth division title for the Venezuelans, who hadn’t gotten that far since all the way back in 1959. The defending champion Americans went unbeaten in Division 2 for their usual division crown. For the 37^th time, the US moved to the elite eight. In D3, Argentina advanced with an 8-1 mark edging 7-2 Greece. It is the 10^th time advancing for the Argentinians and their first since 1976. China was only 5-4 and missed for the fifth straight season, their longest drought since the 1960s.

Japan claimed Division 4 at 8-1, two games ahead of France, Jamaica, and Vietnam. It is the 15^th time the Japanese have advanced, ending a two-year drought. In Division 5, South Korea and Germany tied for the top spot at 7-2, while both Russia and Guatemala were 6-3. The tiebreaker went to the Koreans to move them forward for the 15^th time and first since 1986. In a tight D6, the Netherlands prevailed at 7-2 while Belarus and Mexico were both 6-3. For the Dutch, it is their fifth time advancing and third of the 1980s.

Division 7 had Brazil and India even at 7-2, while Kazakhstan was 6-3. The tiebreaker went to the Brazilians to send them forward for the 23^rd time. And in Division 8, Canada crushed the field at 9-0. The Canadians have advanced 26 times, second only to the Americans. Last year’s runner up Italy was a non-factor in D8 at 5-4. Ultimately, the only repeat division winners from the prior year were Brazil and the United States.

In Round Robin Group A, Japan snagged the top spot at 4-2, getting to the final four for the sixth time and first time since 1984. The Netherlands and United States both were 3-3 and Argentina was 2-2. The tiebreaker went to the Dutch to give them their first semifinal berth, while the Americans had a rare elimination. In Group B, Canada claimed first at 5-1 for their 20^th semifinal and first since their 1986 world title. Brazil advanced at 4-2, while South Korea was 3-3 and Venezuela was 0-6. The Brazilians earned a third consecutive semifinal appearance and their 12^th overall.

Brazil took their semifinal series 3-1 over Japan, getting to the championship for the sixth time and the second time in three years. Canada would sweep the Netherlands 3-0 for their 12^th championship appearance and first since 1986. Japan officially took third for their best finish since 1984, while the Dutch had their top-ever run.



The 43^rd World Championship had two nations familiar with the final, although it was their first-time facing off for the crown. The series was a classic, going all seven games for the first time since 1980. Brazil bested Canada to claim their second time in three years, becoming only the third nation to win two titles in three years. (Mexico repeated in 1949-50, and the US has done it many times). Brazil is now 2-4 in the championship and the Canadians are 3-9.



Leading Brazil’s efforts was Tournament MVP Nicolas Carnicas. A 30-year old 3B with Rio de Janeiro, he had 23 hits, 20 runs, 13 home runs, 4 RBI, and 1.8 WAR over 26 starts. Best Pitcher was Canada’s Moses Hayes, a 23-year old reliever with Seattle who had only thrown 28.2 MLB innings to that point. In the WBC tournament, the Montreal native tossed 10.1 scoreless innings with 20 strikeouts, two hits allowed, and three walks.

Other notes: American Brendan Gordon had a 24 strikeout game against Bangladesh, which tied the second most Ks in a WBC game. The record remained Nick Hedrick’s incredible 25 Ks in 1957. The lone no-hitter in 1989 was Canada’s Kyle Lowe fanning 13 with 2 walks against the Netherlands in the semifinals.

1989 also was the final WBC appearance for two legends of the event; American Connor Neumeyer and Filipino Jimmy Caliw. They were the top two all-time in hitting WAR with 20.86 for Neumeyer and 19.40 for Caliw. They would remain the top two until topped by American Morgan Short’s run from 2003-2022. They remain the top two in home runs (Caliw with 121, Neumeyer at 111). As of 2037, Neumeyer is the RBI leader (265) and total bases leader (723).

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 in ABF

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After missing the playoffs by one game last year, Peshawar ended up atop the Pakistan League standings at 105-57. It was their first time taking first place with their team OBP of .330 holding as the PL record until 2029. The battle for the wild card was super tight with Gujranwala narrowly taking it at 92-70, beating Hyderabad and Faisalabad both by one game. It was the first winning season for the Grasshoppers. Last year’s league champ Rawalpindi fell off to a sixth place 71-91.

Pakistan League MVP went to second-year Faisalabad slugger Hakim Baig. The 24-year old right fielder led in hits (208), average (.333), and WAR (9.8), adding 36 home runs, 120 RBI, and a .949 OPS. Baig managed to beat teammate Hazan Sheikh for the award despite Sheikh leading with 50 home runs and 122 RBI. Leading the Gujranwala turnaround was Dhofar Ghaffar, who won Pitcher of the Year and Rookie of the Year with a historic debut. The eighth overall pick posted a 1.22 ERA, which is still the ABF single-season record as of 2037. Ghaffar also was the leader in wins (21-5), WAR (11.5), WHIP (0.68), K/BB (12.7), and FIP- (36). He added 304 strikeouts in 228 innings. Also of note, Multan’s Touraj Haghighat won his fourth Reliever of the Year.



The top record in the West Asia Association was Tehran at 94-68, earning their first-ever Persian League title. The Tarpons were five games ahead of both Mashhad and Shiraz, while three-time defending winner Isfahan dropped to 82-80. Defending ABF champ Istanbul won the Turkish League for the fourth time in five years. They ended up tying at 89-73 with Izmir, but the Ironmen won the tiebreaker over the Ice Caps. Adana at 87-75 was right in the mix as well.

Istanbul 2B Metin Demir was the WAA MVP. The 25-year old was the WARlord (8.7) and leader in average (.327), OBP (.416), OPS (.924), and walks (90). Pitcher of the Year was Tehran veteran Zeyad Noori. The 33-year old Afghan set a still-standing ABF record with 28 complete games. He also led in wins (23-12), innings (291), K/BB (16.0), and WAR (10.7); adding a 2.35 ERA and 353 strikeouts.

Both of the league finals went all seven games. The Pakistan League championship saw Peshawar outlast Gujranwala in the first appearances for both teams. Meanwhile in the West Asia Association Championship, Istanbul edged Tehran 4-3 to give the Ironmen back-to-back titles. Istanbul would claim repeat Asian Baseball Federation championships and their third in ABF’s five year history to date, beating Peshawar 4-2. League MVP Metin Demir was finals MVP, posting 18 hits, 4 runs, 6 doubles, and 8 RBI in 13 playoff starts.





Other notes: Gujranwala’s Ali Javaid had a notable April, throwing two no-hitters over a ten day stretch. He struck out five with two walks on April 12 against Multan, then posted an eight K, two walk no-no on April 22 against Faisalabad. 2B Qavi Naserwanji and C Serik Sadiqov were the two players to earn Gold Gloves in all five of ABF’s initial seasons.

For the first five seasons of the Asian Baseball Federation, the West Asia Association had a cumulative 3.17 ERA and the Pakistan League was at 3.27. The batting averages were .222 and .228, respectively. These were both low offensive environments, but not the lowest. ABF would remain on the lower end moving forward, but wouldn’t be as low as the deadball style of CLB and APB.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 in SAB



The big shock in the Indian League was Kanpur’s collapse with the Poison going from the South Asian Baseball champs at 104-58 to an abysmal 66-96 in 1989. Ahmedabad would surge to the top record in the IL at 119-53, tying 1983 Pune for the winning season in SAB history. The Animals won the West Division for the fifth consecutive year and their eighth playoff berth in SAB’s first ten seasons. Surat at 97-65 earned the wild card for back-to-back seasons. With Kanpur’s collapse, Kolkata won the Central Division at 101-61 for their second division title in four years. The South Division saw Visakhpatnam on top at 91-71 for their third division title in six years. Last year’s division winner Hyderabad plummeted from 90 wins to 70 wins.

Ahmedabad slugger Andee Siddharth won his first Indian League MVP with another powerful season. He had 66 home runs, one short of his 1987 single season mark, and 153 RBI; one shy of Dhavalapaksa Dattatreya’s record for the prior year. Siddharth also led in runs (131) and total bases (416) while adding an 1.045 OPS and 9.9 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Surat’s Janapati Sara with the lead in wins (24-2), ERA (1.57), WHIP (0.82), and FIP- (50). He added 273 strikeouts in 195.1 innings with 7.2 WAR. Sara’s foes had a .231 slugging against him, which is a single-season SAB record as of 2037. Also of note, Kolkata’s Harini Shreenath won his third Reliever of the Year and set a still-standing SAB record with 52 saves.

In the first round of the playoffs, Ahmedabad survived in five games in a challenge from divisional rival Surat. This sent the Animals to the Indian League Championship Series for the fourth straight year. Meanwhile, Kolkata earned their first-ever trip as they ousted Visakhpatnam in four. The ILCS saw Ahmedabad clobber the Cosmos 4-1 to win their third pennant in four years.





Ho Chi Minh City saw the best record in the Southeast Asia League at 97-65, winning the South Division and grabbing a sixth playoff berth in seven years. Both wild cards came out of the South Division with defending SEAL champ Phnom Penh at 89-73 and Johor Bahru at 88-74. The Blue Wings got their first playoff berth since 1981. The North Division had a tie at the top with Hanoi and Chittagong both at 86-76. The tiebreaker game went to the Hounds for their third consecutive division title.

Chittagong 3B Thang Huynh won his second Southeast Asia League MVP and became the first SAB batter to earn a Triple Crown. The 27-year old Vietnamese switch hitter had 57 home runs, 148 RBI, and a .347 average. Huynh also led in runs (131), hits (207), total bases (429), OBP (.411), slugging (.719), OPS (1.130), wRC+ (212), and WAR (12.0). For the third time in four years, Vientiane’s Zainal bin Aziz won SEAL Pitcher of the Year. He tossed the second Triple Crown season for a SAB pitcher with a 22-6 record, 2.02 ERA, and 367 strikeouts. He also led in WHIP (0.92), quality starts (28), FIP- (50), and WAR (10.2). He tossed 249 innings.

Ho Chi Minh City swept Johor Bahru in the first round, while Phnon Penh edged Hanoi 3-2. The Hedgehogs earned their third consecutive Southeast Asia League Championship Series and set up a rematch with the Pandas. Ho Chi Minh City got revenge and bested Phnom Penh 4-1, taking their second pennant in three years.





The 10th South Asia Baseball Championship was a rematch of the 1987 final. Ahmedabad prevailed again over Ho Chi Minh City, taking the series 4-1 for their third title in four years. IL MVP Andee Siddharth was the finals MVP just as he was in the 1987 encounter. In 14 playoff starts, Siddharth had 17 hits, 12 runs, 7 home runs, and 13 RBI.





Other notes: 2B V.J. Williams won his seventh Silver Slugger. Ynilo Naranjo had a record eight shutouts in 1989. For the first decade of South Asia Baseball, the Indian League had a cumulative ERA of 3.43 and the Southeast Asia League was at 3.68. The batting averages were .234 for the IL and .240 for SEAL. Both of these marks were a bit below average on the grand historical scale, but fairly middle of the road compared to the other leagues in the 1980s.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 in WAB

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Conakry claimed first in the Western League standings at 100-62 in 1989, earning their third playoff berth in four years. The Coyotes set a single season WAB record with 525 stolen bases, still the top mark by a large margin as of 2037. There was a big gap to second place with numerous teams in the mix for the two wild card spots. Cape Verde and Kumasi both earned repeat wild card berths with the Vulcans at 86-76 and the Monkeys at 85-77. Kumasi extended their record postseason streak to 12 seasons. Last year’s WL champ Dakar and Freetown were both three away from third at 82-80 and Abidjan was 81-81.

Conakry’s Moussa Naba won his second MVP, leading the league in hits (196), WAR (9.4) and stolen bases (107) while adding 26 home runs and a .328/.373/.564 slash. The 107 steals by the 27-year old Burkinabe tied the WAB single season record. Naba’s efforts edged out Abidjan’s Vincent Langat for the award despite his 62 home run season, tying the single-season record. No one in WAB topped 62 home runs until the 21^st Century. Bamkao’s Addise Assefa won his fourth Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old lefty had a 20-6 record, 2.42 ERA, and 310 strikeouts over 248.2 innings with 6.5 WAR. It would be Assefa’s last award winning season with a torn rotator cuff costing him most of 1990, although he’d still hang around pro baseball through 1996.

In the wild card round, Kumasi got the road upset 2-0 over Cape Verde. This sent the Monkeys to the Western League Championship Series for the seventh time in their playoff streak, while it was the second in three years for Conakry. The Coyotes edged Kumasi 3-2 in the WLCS to earn their first-ever pennant.



After finishing fourth last year, Lome had the best overall record in West African Baseball at 109-53 atop the Eastern League. The Lasers earned their second playoff berth in three years and their third in franchise history. Defending WAB champ Lagos was great again at 104-58, taking second and getting their 12^th playoff appearance over WAB’s first 15 seasons. Port Harcourt ended a four-year playoff drought, taking third at 89-73. The Hillcats were only one ahead of Cotonou and two better than Benin City for the final wild card. Last year’s wild cards both fell off as Niamey went from 96 wins to 78 wins, while Kano collapsed from 98 wins to 64 wins.

Leading Lome was 25-year old LF Ferdinand Chihana, the Eastern League MVP. He posted WAB’s second-ever Triple Crown by a hitter with 57 home runs, 152 RBI, and .348 average. Chihana’s 152 RBI was two short of the single season record. The Malawian switch hitter also led in runs (127), hits (211), total bases (440), slugging (.725), OPS (1.102), wRC+ (205), and WAR (10.6). Cotonou’s Bello Stephen won his third Pitcher of the Year award in only his fourth season. The 26-year old Nigerian led in strikeouts (360), quality starts (24), complete games (17), FIP- (55), and WAR (9.6). He added an 18-8 record and 2.35 ERA over 256.2 innings. Stephen posted 32 WAR in his first four seasons, but only would get 9.3 for the rest of his career due to injuries and regression.

In the wild card round, Port Harcourt shocked Lagos with a 2-1 upset, earning their fifth-ever Eastern League Championship Series and first since 1982. Meanwhile, Lome was making its first-ever appearance and were the heavy favorite. But the Hillcats continued their momentum and upset the Lasers as well, taking the ELCS 3-1. It was the third pennant for Port Harcourt (1980, 1982).



In the 15^th West African Championship, Port Harcourt got one more impressive upset, taking the series 4-2 over Conakry. It is the second title for the Hillcats, who also won it all in 1980. Rookie catcher Mamadou Traore won finals MVP, posting a great postseason after only playing 25 regular season games. The 23-year old Guinean posted 14 hits, 5 runs, 3 home runs, and 12 RBI in 13 playoff starts. Port Harcourt became the first team in WAB history to finish third in the standings and go onto win the overall championship.



Other notes: Kouadio Diao became the second pitcher to 200 wins and Addise Assefa was the second to 3500 career strikeouts. Vincent Langat became the fourth to 400 home runs.

On the historical scale, West African Baseball in the 1980s had an average offensive environment. The cumulative ERA was around 3.64 and the batting average was around .243; both towards the middle of the professional leagues. Unlike many other leagues, WAB would only tweak its rules to see more offense with above average numbers coming in the 1990s and 2000s, followed by all-time highs after that for any league.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 in CLB

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The Chinese Northern League had a shakeup as Dalian finished first at 104-58 in their first playoff berth since their 1975 championship season. Second place was Nanjing at 95-67, snapping their own five-year playoff drought. Defending Chinese League Baseball champ Tianjin tied for third with Hangzhou, ending the Jackrabbits’ record six-year postseason streak. Jinan, second last year, was fifth in 1989 at 90-72. Meanwhile, Beijing was 77-85 for their first losing record since 1983.

Northern League MVP went to Dalian right fielder Yicheng Teng. The 27-year old lefty led in wRC+ (233), slugging (.595), and OPS (.963), adding 8.9 WAR, a .319 average, and 31 home runs. Shanghai’s Zengxiang Zhang won Pitcher of the Year and was one win short of a Triple Crown with a 1.44 ERA, 304 strikeouts, and 19-8 record. Zhang tossed 231.1 innings with 9.7 WAR and led the NL in 0.72 WHIP and 20.3 K/BB. Also of note was Tianjin’s Junwei Zhu winning his fifth Reliever of the Year.



The Southern League had the same two playoff teams from the prior year, although they swapped positions. Macau finished first at 100-62, taking first for only the second time in franchise history. Shenzhen was second at 98-64, getting their third playoff appearance in franchise history. Changsha was a distant third at 90-72, eight games away from the Spartans.

Shenzhen SS Chenchao Pan was the SL MVP, leading in WAR with 8.5. The sixth-year player added a .272/.326/.474 slash for a 168 wRC+ with 64 stolen bases and 24 home runs. Pitcher of the Year was Macau’s Lang Lu with the 26-year old leading in ERA (1.23), WIHP (0.77), FIP- (54), and WAR (8.2). Lu added 281 strikeouts and an 18-6 record over 240.2 innings.



Both first place teams won the semifinal round in six games with Dalian downing Shenzhen and Macau bested Nanjing. This was the second pennant for both the Gold Dragons and Magicians, setting up a rematch of the 1975 championship. Just like the prior meeting, Dalian prevailed by taking the 20^th China Series 4-2 over Macau. 22-year old 2B Liang Shang Guan won finals MVP with 21 hits, 10 runs, 5 triples, 5 RBI, and 9 stolen bases over 12 playoff starts.



Other notes: The 19^th Perfect Game came from Changsha’s Jiahao Hong against Xiamen with 11 strikeouts on March 26. Zhiyin Meng became the second CLB batter to have a four home run game, doing it against Xi’an on June 25. Zhen Luo became the fourth batter to have a six hit game. Guodong Lin became the third to 4000 career strikeouts, finishing at 4104. He still sits second all-time in CLB as of 2037, behind only Zhiyuan Lai’s 4367. SS Lu Hou won his eighth Gold Glove. RF Shichao Zhang and RF Mingqi Dai both won their seventh Silver Sluggers.

Chinese League Baseball in the 1980s saw an extremely low offensive environment which was only matched by APB’s Sundaland Association. CLB saw a batting average for the 1980s around .216 and an ERA around 2.58. Chinese baseball would remain extremely low through the new millennium.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1989 in APB




Defending Austronesia Champion Taipei won the Taiwan League for back-to-back seasons and set a franchise-record at 106-56. The Philippine League saw a huge turnaround season from Davao, going from 69 wins to 93-69. This gave the Devil Rays the title for their first playoff berth since 1978. Last year’s winner Cebu and Quezon both were second at 87-75.

Leading Taipei’s effort was Eli Cheng, winning Taiwan-Philippine Association MVP for the second time. Like his 1986 MVP run, Cheng again posted a Triple Crown season with 51 home runs, 108 RBI, and a .301 average. The 27-year old Taiwanese lefty also led in runs (102), walks (83), total bases (352), OBP (.389), slugging (.615), OPS (1.004), wRC+ (199), and WAR (10.0). Cheng was the first APB batter to smack 50+ home runs since 1978. Pitcher of the Year was Cebu’s Ricky Jungao, who was one win short of his own Triple Crown with an 18-7 record, 1.53 ERA, and 398 strikeouts. He was the WARlord (11.3) over 271.1 innings.





Jakarta had the top mark in the Sundaland Association at 102-60, giving the Jaguars the Java League crown for the sixth time in the 1980s. They ended up 11 games ahead of defending SA champ Semarang and Surabaya both at 91-71. Medan won the Malacca League for the third consecutive season and for the seventh time in the decade. The Marlins were 92-70, topping Pekanbaru by nine games.

Jakarta had both the Sundaland Association MVP and Pitcher of the Year in 1989. The former was SS Nyai Gunawan, who led in WAR at 9.5. The 29-year old had a 190 wRC+ with 20 home runs and 75 stolen bases. The latter was Hadi Ningsih, winning his second Pitcher of the Year. The 32-year old ace led in ERA (1.24), and WHIP (0.69) while posting a 19-7 record over 239.1 innings with 304 strikeouts and 7.9 WAR.

The Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship saw Taipei cruise to a 4-1 win over Davao, making the Tigercats repeat champs. The Sundaland Association Championship saw Medan upset Jakarta 4-1, giving the Marlins their second title in three years and their fifth in the 1980s.





In the 25h Austronesia Championship, Taipei was the favorite and hoping for a repeat. Medan denied that and took the series in six, giving the Marlins their second title in three years and their third overall. 3B A.J. Tan was the finals MVP, having led the SA in 1989 in hits and average. Nicknamed “Taz,” the 25-year old Singaporean had 10 hits, 3 runs, 3 doubles, and 4 stolen bases in 11 playoff starts. Although his Tigercats came up short, pitcher Ahmad Maidin had a very notable postseason as well, tossing 23 scoreless innings in three starts with 22 strikeouts.





Other notes: 1989 had APB’s 15th and 16th Perfect Games. On April 10, Kaohisung’s Foo Su struck out 15 against Cebu. He was bested on May 22 by Bandung’s Vhon Lasam with an incredible 19 strikeout perfecto against Depok. This set the APB record for most Ks in any no-hitter and was a world record for most strikeouts in a perfect game. Amazingly enough, only one day later over in Eurasian Professional Baseball, Vilnius’ Dana Bancu had a 19 strikeout perfect game against Minsk. Lasam also notably became the first APB pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts and while he and Poh Tan became the third and fourth to 200 wins. 3B Huang Haung won his eighth Silver Slugger.

For the 1980s, the “deadball” style of Austronesia Professional Baseball had extremely low offensive production, especially without the DH in the Sundaland Association. The SA’s ERA for the 1980s was 2.43, the lowest of any league in history to date; while the Taiwan-Philippine Association was at 2.82. The SA’s batting average was .213 and the TPA’s was .224 for the decade. APB would remain the lowest offensive environment in pro baseball along with Chinese League Baseball for decades to come.