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

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-11-2024, 05:24 PM

1996 in WAB

Accra earned first place in the WAB Western League standings for the first time in franchise history with a 101-61 record in 1996. It was repeat playoff berths for the Alligators and their third all-time. Freetown ended a two-year playoff ski and finished second at 90-72. Abidjan, who had won the WL pennant four consecutive years, narrowly extended their postseason streak. The Athletes at 87-75 finished third for the second wild card, topping Nouakchott by three games.

Leading Accra’s efforts was DH Seydou Badara, who fell one short of the WAB home run record with 61. The 26-year old Malian also led in RBI (135), walks (100) and total bases (346), but also led in strikeouts with 203. He had a .251 average and 5.6 WAR with nearly half of his career WAR in this one breakout season. Despite Monrovia being below .500, they saw Angelo Costa win Pitcher of the Year. At only 23-years old, the Cape Verdean lefty led in wins (21-9), innings (292.1), strikeouts (384), quality starts (28), complete games (20), FIP- (55), and WAR (11.3). He was second in ERA at 2.28. Costa’s 20 complete games also set a still-standing WAB single-season record.

Freetown survived 2-1 over Abidjan in the wild card round, ending the Athletes’ hope at a five-peat. It was only the second time the Foresters had ever made the Western League Championship Series, joining their 1977 title season. It was the second for Accra, who was runner-up the prior year. The Alligators earned their first pennant by outlasting Freetown 3-2 in the WLCS.

Ibadan had the best overall record, leading the Eastern League at 112-50. The Iguanas extended their postseason streak to seven seasons. Second place was defending WAB champ Port Harcourt at 102-60, extending their impressive playoff streak to eight. Kano, who was the ELCS runner-up last year, placed third at 99-63. Lagos came close to taking the final playoff spot from the Condors, but finished fourth at 95-67.

Two-way Ibadan star Rudy Bambara won his fourth Eastern League MVP as well as his first Pitcher of the Year. On the mound, the 30-year old Burkinabe was the leader in ERA (1.82), quality starts (29), FIP- (60), and WAR (9.4). He added a 23-3 record, 266.1 innings, and 307 strikeouts. On top of that, he had 94 games at the plate and starts at third base, smacking 35 home runs, 110 hits, 82 RBI, with a .317/.364/.677 slash and 5.3 WAR. This incredible effort made Bambara a massively sought after free agent in the offseason, leaving for MLB on a five-year, $19,000,000 deal with Edmonton.

Kano upset Port Harcourt with a 2-0 sweep in the wild card round, sending the Condors back to the Eastern League Championship Series. Ibadan was making their fourth ELCS berth in five years. The Iguanas took the series 3-1 to win their third pennant in four years (1993, 94, 96).

In the 22^nd West African Championship, Accra became a first-time champion. The Alligators bested Ibadan 4-1, making the Iguanas 1-2 in their finals appearances. With Accra’s win, 10 of WAB’s 20 teams have won it all. Leading the effort was 3B Antoine Samson, who won WLCS MVP. In 10 playoff starts, he had 10 hits, 2 runs, 1 home run, 4 RBI, and 5 walks.

Other notes: Xavi Leko, who had passed Addise Assefa for WAB’s all-time strikeout lead, became the first pitcher to fan 4500 hitters. Daouda Kadri became the sixth to 400 home runs. Abel Alemu and Arnaud Issaka became the third and fourth hitters to score 1000 runs.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-12-2024, 03:33 AM

1996 in CLB

The CLB Northern League had a shakeup at the top in 1996. Nanjing finished first at 101-61, earning their first playoff appearance since 1989. It is only the second time the Nuggets have finished first in the standings (1973). Harbin was one back at 100-62, but snapped a playoff drought that stretched back to their 1981 title. Defending Chinese League champ Xi’an tied for third with Shenyang at 85-67. Zhengzhou, a semifinalist in 1995, took fifth at 83-79.

Northern League MVP went to Zhengzhou’s Ziming Feng. The 26-year old first basemen nicknamed “Butterball,” led in home runs (48), RBI (99), total bases (345), slugging (.583), OPS (.921), and wRC+ (196). Feng added 9.3 WAR and a .291 average. Xi’an’s Momota Oichi won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year honors, leading in wins (21-8), strikeouts (348), quality starts (29), FIP- (59), and 8.3 WAR). He had a 1.69 ERA over 255.2 innings, falling just four points short of a Triple Crown.

Four teams fought over the two postseason spots in the Southern League. Like in the Northern League, two teams ended lengthy playoff droughts. Foshan finished first at 96-66, earning their first postseason berth since their 1980 championship. Hong Kong at second at 94-68, ending a drought dating to 1985. The Champions allowed 304 earned runs, which still stands as the third lowest tally in SL history as of 2037. Kunming (93-69) and last year’s first place squad Chengdu (92-70) both narrowly missed the cut. Changsha, who was second in 1995, dropped to seventh at 79-83.

Southern League MVP went to 1B Julong Dou. The 29-year old in his ninth pro season led in hits (226), runs (75), doubles (42), average (.359), OBP (.396), and WAR (10.5). Foshan’s Jinlong Han was Pitcher of the Year, leading all pitchers with a 1.18 ERA. Han added an 18-8 record over 275 innings, 391 strikeouts, and 10.5 WAR.

The Northern League continued its dominance of the Southern League in the crossover playoff semifinals. Nanjing topped Hong Kong 4-2 and Harbin outlasted Foshan 4-3. It was the sixth time in the 1990s that both Northern League playoff teams made it to the China Series. It was the third finals berth by the Nuggets (1970, 1982) and the fourth for Harbin (1973, 80, 81).

In the 27^th China Series, Nanjing edged Harbin in a seven game classic to earn their first CLB title. With that, 13 of CLB’s 24 teams have now won the overall title. Veteran RF Zhen Luo was finals MVP as the 31-year old made 13 playoff starts with 13 hits, 9 runs, 5 home runs, and 8 RBI.

Other notes: Qingdao’s Hongbo Wan set a single-season CLB record with 35 triples. Wuhan’s Martin Cui set the single-season strikeout record with an impressive 22 Ks over nine innings on 7/22 against Macau. As of 2037, no other CLB pitcher has gotten to 22 strikeouts. Zhiming Cao became the seventh reliever to reach 300 saves. The next player to hit the mark wouldn’t do it until 2010. 2B Liang Shang Guan won his tenth and final Silver Slugger. He became the fourth batter to win the award ten times or more.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-12-2024, 10:08 AM

1996 in APB

For the third consecutive season, Taoyuan posted the top record in the Taiwan-Philippine Association. The Tsunami took the Taiwan League at 103-59, finishing 14 games ahead of second place Kaohsiung. In the Philippine League, Cebu had an impressive bounce back after winning only 66 games in 1965. The Crows finished 91-71 to end a three-year playoff drought. Defending Austronesia Champion Davao was tied for second at 81-81 with Manila.

Although Tainan was a terrible 69-93, third-year Titans center fielder Chen-Hua Wang won the TPA MVP. The 24-year old lefty led in runs (82), OBP (.360), slugging (.504), OPS (.864), wRC+ (175), total bases (301), and WAR (8.7). Taoyuan’s Heng-Hsiao Laio scored Pitcher of the Year, leading in ERA (1.44), WHIP (0.75), and FIP- (45). Liao added 8.3 WAR, a 13-7 record, and 261 strikeouts in 206.2 innings. Also of note, Davao’s Wei-Min Chiang won his third straight Reliever of the Year, posting a 1.10 ERA and 4.4 WAR over 65.1 innings with 26 saves and 101 strikeouts.

For only the second time in franchise history (1982), Singapore won the Malacca League. The Sharks had the Sundaland Association’s best record at 105-57, finishing 11 games ahead of Batam. For the Blue Raiders, this is only the second time they’ve missed the playoffs in seven years. Despite missing the playoffs, Batam set a team record for fewest hits allowed (956), which stood as the APB record until 2005. Defending SA champ Bandung won the Java League for the third consecutive season with their 93-69 mark. Surabaya (89-73) and Jakarta (86-76) were competitive, but just short.

Singapore 1B Gavin Loh won repeat Sundaland Association MVPs and set a single-season APB record by a hitter with 14.0 WAR. That still stands as the top mark as of 2037. He won a Gold Glove and led in runs (107), home runs (53), RBI (114), total bases (376), slugging (.649), OPS (1.031), and wRC+ (266) with a .314 average. This was the final year with the Sharks for the 32-year old Indonesian, as he left for MLB and a five-year, $19,600,000 deal with Denver in the offseason.

Batam’s Wisnu Mahmudiana was Pitcher of the Year for the fourth consecutive season. The 29-year old righty led in WAR (13.4), and WHIP (0.60), while adding a 21-6 record, 1.43 ERA, and 441 strikeouts over 227 innings. Mahmudiana also threw two no-hitters, giving him three for his career. It was a year of great pitching, as despite setting a career record in Ks, he was beaten by Surabaya’s Wen-Yang Kuo with 445 Ks. Jakarata’s Hadi Ningsih also posted an incredible 0.98 ERA and 10.6 WAR, but he didn’t have as many innings or strikeouts to get the top honor. Still, Ningsih’s ERA was the third-lowest by a qualifying starter in APB history. Also of note, Chang-Heng Chang won his fourth Reliever of the Year in a season split between Medan and Jakarta. He was the fifth APB reliever to win the award four times and used it to cash in on MLB money after the 1997 campaign.

The Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship saw Taoyuan sweep Cebu, giving the Tsunami their second title in three years. It was Taoyuan’s sixth pennant overall, which leads all TPA teams. The Sundaland Association Championship was a seven game classic that saw Singapore defeat Bandung for their first-ever title. Game seven went 11 innings with the Sharks taking it 2-1. With Singapore’s pennant, that leaves Depok as the only Sundaland Association team without at least one pennant. The only TPA team without one is Zamboanga.

The 32nd Austronesia Championship was also a seven game classic that needed extra innings in the finale. Game seven saw a 6-5 Taoyuan win over Singapore in 12 innings, ending with a walk off solo home run by SS Abdul Haris Basri. RF Fernando Reyes was the playoff hero overall, winning MVP of the TPA final and APB final. The 29-year old Filipino missed half of the regular season to injury, but in 11 playoff games had 15 hits, 10 runs, 2 doubles, 6 home runs, and 9 RBI. The Tsunami are now four time APB champs (1978, 82, 83, 96). This ties Taoyuan with Kaohsiung for the second-most titles, while Jakarta’s five rings remain the most.

Other notes: The 23rd APB perfect game came on May 5 from Jakarta’s Wahyu Toy, striking out 11 against Batam. Singapore’s Jianbua Wong set a playoff record with a .476 batting average, going 10-21 over 11 games and 4 starts. Hadi Ningsih became the fourth pitcher to 4500 strikeouts, while four other pitchers (Ronald Purnomo, Chandra Igbonefo, Mulya Dayanti, Ricky Jungao) crossed 4000 Ks in 1996. Ten APB pitchers are now in the 4k club. Ningsih also became the third to reach 250 wins. He would pitch two more years and end at 277, passing Dave Hermillo’s 269 to take the all-time lead. Ningsih stayed the wins leader until 2027. He also would be the WARlord at 144.49 until the 2020s.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-12-2024, 05:36 PM

1996 in OBA

For the first time since their mid 1970s dynasty, Adelaide was on top of the Australasia League in 1996. The Aardvarks were 94-68, earning their seventh AL pennant (1963, 64, 66, 74, 76, 77, 96), tying them with Perth and Christchurch. The Penguins were the closest competitor at 90-72, followed by Auckland at 87-75. The defending champion Chinooks were fourth at 85-77.

Australasia League MVP went to Perth LF Ron Veditto. The 27-year old Australian led in runs (93), hits (198), RBI (103), total bases (354), triple slash (.354/.376/.632), OPS (1.009), wRC+ (204), and WAR (9.0). He also had a career best 34 home runs Venditto also had a 29-game hit streak, which was OBA’s second longest to date.. Auckland’s Sandy Montoya won Pitcher of the Year in his OBA debut. The 35-year old Peruvian had spent his entire career to that point in MLB with 12 solid seasons in Nashville and one in Tampa. With the Avengers, Montoya led in ERA (2.55), WHIP (0.94), and quality starts (32). He added a 17-14 record over 314.2 innings, 298 strikeouts, and 6.8 WAR.

Defending Oceania Champion Honolulu dominated the Pacific League at 107-55 for a historic 13^th pennant. 11 of those titles for the Honu have come in the last 16 seasons. Guam was a distant second at 95-67, 12 games back. Samoa was third at 88-74.

Pacific League MVP went to Honolulu 1B Vavao Brighouse for the seventh time. The 33-year old Samoan smacked a league best 65 home runs with 130 RBI, 105 runs, 373 total bases, a .619 slugging, and 7.3 WAR. It was Brighouse’s tenth time leading in home runs and his eighth season with 60+ dingers. No other player in any world league to this point has had as many 60+ homer seasons. His Honu teammate Zeke Decker was a repeat Pitcher of the Year winner, leading in wins at 27-6. He added a 2.00 ERA, 319.1 innings, 309 strikeouts, and 7.5 WAR.

Defending champ Honolulu was a big favorite entering the 37^th Oceania Championship against Adelaide. However, the Aardvarks not only beat the Honu, but stunned them with a sweep. Adelaide moves to an impressive 6-1 all-time in the final with their first championship since 1977. Catcher Remington Numbers was finals MVP going 7-16 with 4 runs and 2 doubles. The 30-year old Englishman had joined Adelaide that season after starting his career in EBF. The defeat also officially marked the end of Honolulu’s dominance in the Pacific League, as the Honu would have to wait more than 20 years for their next pennant.

Other notes: September 12 saw OBA’s seventh perfect game as Honolulu’s Evan Tofuola struck out 14 against Fiji. This was the first OBA perfecto since 1985. Fiji’s Asaeli Ali set a bad all-time OBA record, striking out 252 times during the season. Vavoa Brighouse joined Sione Hala as the only OBA members of the 600 home run club. Brighouse also won his eighth Silver Slugger at first base. Jonah Lois became the fourth pitcher to reach 250 career wins. He would pitch one more year and retire at 277, which is still fifth best as of 2037. Graham Chapman won his eighth Silver Slugger. Interestingly, Chapman has won five times in right field, twice in left, and once as a designated hitter.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-13-2024, 03:44 AM

1996 in EPB

The EPB European League had the same four playoff teams as the prior year. Kharkiv again had the best overall record, dominating the South Division at 114-48. The North Division saw a swap as Minsk (100-62) took first and three-time defending EL champ Warsaw (97-65) got the first wild card. The Miners extended their impressive playoff streak to 16 seasons, while the Wildcats added their own solid streak to nine. Minsk also had historic pitching success, as their 370 runs are the fewest allowed in EPB history as of 2037. Their 1.99 ERA and 331 earned runs are second to the Miners’ 1990 campaign. The Killer Bees had their own impressive pitching record with a 0.845 team WHIP, a mark only bested by Minsk in 1999. At 92-70, Kyiv grabbed the second wild card and secured six straight playoff berths. Kazan finished one back with Sofia four games away.

European League MVP went to Minsk LF Wojciech Jezierski. The 27-year old Polish righty was the offensive WARlord (9.7) and led in OBP (.398), slugging (.579), OPS (.976), and wRC+ (211). He added 32 home runs and a .314 average. Kyiv’s Artem Makarevich won his third Pitcher of the Year in four seasons, posting a 24-8 record, 1.51 ERA, 285.1 innings, 383 strikeouts, and 11.9 WAR. It was the last season in EPB for the 33-year old Belarusian, who defected to MLB in the offseason on a four-year, $13,280,000 deal with Montreal. Also of note, Minsk’s Stefan Nesu set a single-season EPB ERA record of 1.05, which still stands as of 2037 as the lowest. He only had 163.1 innings due to injury, keeping his accumulations out of the award conversations.

Kharkiv beat their divisional and Ukrainian rival Kyiv 3-1 in the first round, sending the Killer Bees to repeat European League Championship Series appearances. Minsk swept Warsaw, ending the Wildcats’ bid for a fourth consecutive pennant. Kharkiv was the favorite again, but just like last year, they were upset. The Miners outlasted the Killer Bees in a seven game classic for Minsk’s first pennant since their 1988-91 four-peat. The Miners now have 13 pennants to their name with seven since the start of the 1980s.

In the Asian League, Almaty’s playoff streak became six years, winning the South Division and earning the top seed at 106-56. Defending EPB champ Irkutsk at 101-61 won a fifth straight North Division and improved to seven straight postseason berths. The Ice Cats had their own historic pitching staff, setting still-standing AL records for ERA (2.10), hits (995), and earned runs (346). Their 395 runs allowed and 1780 strikeouts are third-best in AL history. Interestingly enough, Omsk allowed only 1035 hits, the second-fewest ever by an AL team. Despite that, the Otters were only 82-80.

The first wild card went to Novosibirsk at 93-69. The Nitros also extended a lengthy playoff streak to six seasons. For the final spot, Tashkent and Ufa tied at 90-72 with Tbilisi at 88-74. The Tomcats won the tiebreaker game over the Fiends to earn repeat playoff bids. With that, the 1996 Eurasian Professional Baseball postseason field saw the rare occurrence of the same eight playoff teams as from the prior season.

Asian League MVP was Yerevan shortstop Iosif Kostandinov. In only his third full season, the 23-year old Russian righty led in doubles (38) and WAR (10.3), while adding a .305/.332/.473 slash. Pitcher of the Year was Irkutsk’s Temuujin Munkhuu, a big breakout for the 29-year old Mongolian righty. He had been a reliever until 1995, but broke out as a starter in 1996 with a league-best 1.39 ERA and 0.73 WHIP. Munkhuu had a 17-5 record over 252.1 innings with 357 strikeouts and 9.8 WAR.

Tashkent upset Almaty 3-2 in the first round, sending the Tomcats back to the Asian League Championship Series. The playoff yips continue for the Assassins, who have gotten knocked out six straight years in the first round. On the other side, Irkutsk swept Novosibirsk, sending the Ice Cats to a fifth straight ALCS. The Nitros have their own streak of futility with five straight first round exits. The ALCS rematch was a seven game thriller, but Irkutsk continued its’ hold on the top spot by topping Tashkent. The Ice Cats repeated and became the first team in Asian League history to win four pennants in five years. Irkutsk now has eight AL titles, second most to Bishkek’s nine.

Despite the relative successes of Irkutsk and Minsk, it was only the second time they had met for the EPB Championship. Back in 1956, the second-ever EPB season, the Miners prevailed 4-1. The 42^nd finale needed all seven games, but it was Minsk coming out on top over the defending champion Ice Cats. League MVP Wojciech Jezierski was also finals MVP, posting 20 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, and 12 RBI over 17 playoff starts. The Miners are now nine-time champs (1956, 62, 66, 69, 85, 88, 90, 91, 96), passing Kyiv for the most.

Other notes: July 31 saw EPB’s 28^th perfect game and the first since 1989. Irkutsk’s Aleksandr Ghukasyan did it with 11 strikeouts against Novosibirsk. Tashkent’s Frantisek Kasa tied EPB’s single-game strikeout record, fanning 22 over 8.2 innings against Baku on July 30. Fredi Tamasi became the third pitcher to reach 300 career wins, retiring with 300 exactly. Igor Bury became the eighth to reach 250 wins. Dzmitry Kuliev became the 14^th to 500 home runs. Interestingly enough, no other player would get to 500 homers until 2010.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-13-2024, 11:47 AM

1996 in EBF

Amsterdam won the Northwest Division for the second time in three years and took the EBF Northern Conference’s #1 seed at 102-60. Paris, last year’s division winner, was a very distant second at 83-79. The British Isles Division was intense with Birmingham earning a sixth consecutive division title at 97-65. Glasgow at 95-67 took the wild card, ending a five-year playoff drought. Defending conference champ Dublin was two back on the Highlanders at 93-69, seeing their repeat hopes dashed. After back-to-back losing seasons, Berlin returned to the North Central Division perch at 90-72. The Barons were two games ahead of Stockholm and six ahead of defending division champ Copenhagen.

Northern Conference MVP went to Amsterdam LF Kenneth Hammer. The 30-year old Dane led in total bases (383), triple slash (.368/.409/.656), OPS (1.065), and wRC+ (198). Hammer added 8.8 WAR, 41 home runs, and 122 RBI in his final year of European baseball, as he left for MLB and San Diego in the offseason. Injuries would in part cause Hammer’s MLB run to be unremarkable.

Birmingham’s Lindsey Brampton won an impressive sixth consecutive Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old Englishman earned his second straight Triple Crown season and broke his own single-season strikeout record with 489 Ks, a 24-5 record, and 2.25 ERA over 268 innings. 489 strikeouts remains the EBF all-time record as of 2037 with the top five seasons all belonging to Brampton. He also led in WHIP (0.84), FIP- (49), and WAR (11.0). Brampton joined Jean-Luc Roch as the only two-time Triple Crown winners in EBF.

Both first round playoff series went all five games with Amsterdam outlasting Berlin and Birmingham edging Glasgow. The Anacondas got their second Northern Conference Championship appearance in three years, while the Bees earned a fourth straight and their fifth in six years. Birmingham reclaimed the top spot by taking the series 4-2 over Amsterdam, giving the Bees their fourth pennant of the 1990s (91, 93, 94, 96). It is their fifth conference title overall.

Barcelona narrowly had the Southern Conference’s best record at 95-67. The Bengals won the Southwest Division for their third playoff berth in four years. Both South Central Division champ Zurich and Southeast Division winner Zagreb finished at 94-68. The Mountaineers were repeat division winners with their 23rd playoff berth in 24 seasons. The Gulls got their second berth in three years. In the wild card race, defending European Champion Lisbon barely took the wild card to prolong their playoff streak to six seasons. At 85-77, the Clippers were two games ahead of Munich, three better than Athens, and four ahead of Naples.

Lisbon two-way start Daniel Ramires was a repeat Southern Conference MVP. On the mound, the 33-year old Portuguese righty led in wins (21-7) and strikeouts (301), posting a 2.74 ERA, 276.1 innings, and 8.4 WAR., while winning a fifth Gold Glove on the mound. At the plate and in the outfield, Ramires had 5.6 WAR in 129 games, 144 hits, 24 home runs, and a .325/.387/.589 slash. He also barely missed Pitcher of the Year, bested in that race by Barcelona’s Anders Maurstad. The 27-year old Norwegian was in his third season as a Bengal, leading in WAR (9.2), WHIP (0.93), shutouts (6), and innings pitched (289.2). Maurstad had 273 strikeouts, a 19-8 record, and 2.49 ERA.

Barcelona survived a five game challenge in the first round from divisional foe Lisbon, ending the Clippers’ repeat bid. Zagreb edged Zurich in five, setting up a rematch of the 1994 Southern Conference Championship. Just as two years ago, it was the Bengals beating the Gulls. Barcelona won the series 4-1 to become six-time conference champs (1950, 59, 64, 79, 94, 96).

The 47th European Championship would be a rematch of the 45th edition, which had Birmingham beating Barcelona 4-2. The Bengals would get revenge and take the 1996 title in a seven game showdown. It is the fourth ring for Barcelona, who also won it all in 1959, 64, and 79. CF Lucas Ortega was finals MVP, posting 20 hits, 13 runs, 8 home runs, and 20 RBI in 17 playoff starts.

Although his Bees were defeated, Lindsey Brampton set postseason records for WAR (2.23) and strikeouts (75). As of 2037, no other EBF pitcher has topped 60 strikeouts or 2+ WAR in a playoff run. Brampton didn’t have run support, going 2-3 despite a 1.96 ERA over 41.1 innings. Interestingly enough, his teammate Miroslav Pahor set a playoff record with six wins. He did this as a closer, going 6-2 with 2 saves in 12 playoff appearances with a 4.08 ERA.

Other notes: Brampton had two games with 22 strikeouts, both against Glasgow. This tied the record he set last year in 10 innings, but this year’s games were over nine and 8.1. There have been eight EBF games with 21 or more strikeouts, seven by Brampton. Sean Houston became the fifth batter to 3000 career hits and the fifth to 700 home runs. He would play one more season, ending with 3269 hits and 752 home runs. This put him fourth in homers and third in hits at retirement.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-13-2024, 04:39 PM

1996 in BSA

Defending Bolivar League champion Bogota, who made the playoffs as a wild card last year, took the Colombia-Ecuador Division at 101-61. This gave the Bats their fifth playoff appearance in six years. The wild card race was centered in this division as well with Medellin (90-72) taking the spot over Cali (85-77) and Quito (84-78). The Mutiny grabbed a fourth playoff berth in five years. The BL’s best record was 111-11 Lima atop the Peru-Bolivia Division. It was the Lobos’ ninth consecutive playoff appearance, one short of the Beisbol Sudamerica record set by Santiago from 1964-73. Lima also won their eighth division title of that streak. Meanwhile, Caracas repeated as Venezuela Division champs and greatly improved from their 86-win 1995, ending an impressive 104-58.

Bolivar League MVP went to Lima veteran 2B Gabriel Romero. It was the final BSA season for the 33-year old Peruvian before leaving for MLB, and an impressive breakout with a league-best 10.0 WAR and 127 RBI. Romero added 47 home runs and a .334/.354/.607 slash. Bogota’s Emiliano Calleros was Pitcher of the Year, leading in ERA at 1.88. The 29-year old Colombian won the award despite only tossing 192 innings due to injury, posting a 14-6 record, 157 strikeouts, and 5.4 WAR. This was his peak, as Calleros got the yips with his control falling off a cliff, effectively ending his career after 1997.

Wild card Medellin upset Lima 3-1 in the Divisional Series, giving the Lobos repeat first round exits as the top seed. Caracas swept defending champ Bogota, sending the Colts to a repeat Bolivar League Championship Series appearance. For the Munity, this was their third time in five years in the BLCS. Caracas claimed the pennant 4-2 for their first title in a decade. With 11 Bolivar League titles, the Colts lead all teams (1932, 33, 38, 56, 59, 60, 61, 62, 72, 87, 96).

Defending Copa Sudamerica champion Recife improved and set a franchise-best at 115-47 atop the Southern Cone League’s North Division. This mark by the Retrievers was tied for the second best record in league history, only behind Cordoba’s 120-42 in 1956. Recife also won the division for the third time in four years. Brasilia, who grabbed the wild card last year at 100-62, fell to 76-86. The Southeast Division had Sao Paulo back on top at 102-60, returning to form after missing the postseason in 1995. Since 1986, the Padres have been a playoff teams in all but two seasons. Buenos Aires (90-72) was second in the division, but beat out 88-74 Rio de Janeiro for the wild card. It was the first playoff appearance in 14 years for the Atlantics. In the South Central Division, Mendoza (95-67) earned its first-ever title in the franchise’s young 10-year history. Santiago’s four-year title streak ended with the Saints falling to 80-82. With the Mutants advancing, that leaves expansion teams Santa Cruz and Arequipa as the only BSA teams without a playoff berth so far.

Southern Cone League MVP went to Fortaleza 3B Pedro Souza in only his second year as a full-time starter. The 23-year old Brazilian switch hitter led in home runs (62), RBI (135), total bases (375), and slugging (.615). He added a .275 average and 8.5 WAR. Recife’s Augusto Candido secured Pitcher of the Year honors, leading in ERA (1.40), WHIP (0.71), K/BB (14.2), quality starts (34), FIP- (48), and WAR (10.9). The 27-year old lefty also had 313 strikeouts over 263 innings with a 21-7 record.

Recife downed Buenos Aires 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs, while Sao Paulo survived in five games over Mendoza. This put the Padres back into the Southern Cone Championship for the fifth time in 15 years, while the Retrievers had a shot to repeat as champs. The series ended up being very anticlimactic as Recife swept Sao Paulo, earning back-to-back pennants and the third in franchise history.

For the first time since Valencia in 1977-78, there was a repeat Copa Sudamerica champion. Recife won a seven-game classic over Caracas in the 66^th finale. The Retrievers were the fifth franchise to grab repeat cups, also joining 1959-60 Caracas, 1941-42 Buenos Aires, and 1939-40 La Paz. RF Oliveiro Castillo was finals MVP, posting 22 hits, 13 runs, 7 home runs, and 18 RBI over 15 playoff starts.

Other notes: Caracas LF Pascal Garcia set a single-season record with 152 stolen bases, destroying the previous BSA record of 124. Not only was this a BSA record, but this set a world record for all pro leagues that wouldn’t be passed until 2028. Garcia’s mark still is the BSA record in 2037 by a healthy margin. RF Ariando Abarca won his eighth consecutive Gold Glove.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-14-2024, 03:43 AM

1996 in EAB

For back-to-back seasons, Hiroshima had the Japan League’s best record and won the West Division at 99-63. They had to outlast a fierce challenge from Kitakyushu, who finished one back at 98-64 and missed the playoffs again. The division champs only format of the JL has crushed the Kodiaks with 101 and 98 win seasons not being enough for them. Osaka at 97-65 won the Central Division for the first time in six years. Sapporo claimed the North Division for the third consecutive season with their 93-69 finish. Tokyo, who shocked the league by winning the title despite advancing as an atrocious 74-88 Capital Division winner, improved to 88-74. The Tides finished one ahead of Kawasaki to claim a sixth straight division title; the longest active playoff streak in EAB.

Japan League MVP went to Kitakyushu two-way star Umi Kihara. The 28-year old on the mound had a 20-8 record, 2.22 ERA, and 244 strikeouts over 255 innings with 5.9 WAR. Kihara had the shocking combo of pitcher/catcher, making 69 starts behind the plate. In 114 total games offensively, he had 127 hits, 23 home runs, a .329/.375/.583 slash, and 6.7 WAR. Veteran Osaka ace Rikiya Fujiwara won his third Pitcher of the Year award and his first since 1990. The 35-year old left led in ERA (1.44) and WHIP (0.75), but only saw 199.2 innings to a late-season fractured elbow. Fujiwara had a 15-4 record, 202 strikeouts, and 6.5 WAR. Sadly, another fractured elbow four starts into 1997 would end Fujiwara’s career.

Hiroshima ousted defending JL champ Tokyo 3-1 in the first round, while Sapporo edged Osaka 3-2. This was the Hammerheads’ first Japan League Championship Series since 1987, while it was a repeat for the Swordfish. Both were looking to end title droughts with Hiroshima’s last pennant in 1972 and Sapporo’s in 1983. The Hammerheads won the JLCS 4-2 over the Swordfish, becoming seven-time Japan League champs (1939, 59, 68, 69, 70, 72, 96).

The Korea League’s South Division was very top heavy as Busan and Ulsan battled for the title and the top record in the KL. The Blue Jays prevailed at 108-54, while the Swallows were the first wild card at 105-57. Both teams extended playoff streaks to three seasons. Defending East Asian Champion Yongin also extended its streak to three, taking third in the division but grabbing the second wild card at 93-69. In the North Division, Suwon (95-67) placed first for a fourth berth in five years. Their closest competitors were Seongnam at 90-72 and Goyang at 88-74.

Busan 3B Hyeon-Seong Lim won the Korea League MVP. The 29-year old switch hitter led in hits (225), RBI (139), and total bases (392). Lim added 38 home runs, 111 runs, a .366 average, 1.014 OPS, and 8.8 WAR. Ulsan’s Kwang-Wood Ryu was Pitcher of the Year, leading in WAR (8.6), innings I296), and complete games (17). The 32-year old veteran was in his third season with the Swallows after pitching for a decade with Fukuoka. Ryu added a 20-12 record, 2.71 ERA, and 265 strikeouts.

Busan eliminated the defending EAB champ Yongin 3-1, while Ulsan survived in five over Suwon in the first round. The Blue Jays made a repeat Korea League Championship Series appearance while the Swallows had their second in three years. Like in the JL, both were trying to end decent pennant droughts with Ulsan’s last title in 1989 and Busan’s in 1980. In a seven game classic, the Swallows bested the Blue Jays in the battle of the birds. This made Ulsan four-time Korea League champs (1936, 37, 87, 96).

The 76^th East Asian Championship ended in a sweep, only the second finals sweep in 30 years. Ulsan clobbered Hiroshima for only their second overall title, joining the 1937 campaign. Two-time league MVP Byung-Tak Wie was named the finals MVP, posting 20 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, and 15 RBI over 16 playoff starts.

Other notes: Woo-Hong Ryu became the third pitcher to 300 wins and the fifth to 4500 strikeouts, He would pitch two more seasons and end with 339 wins, second to Sang-Hun Joon’s 346. Ryu’s 4886 Ks would also be behind Joon’s 5694 strikeouts. Seong-Jun Myong also crossed 4000 Ks, the 14^th to do so. Sukejuro Sakamoto became the 17^th member of the 3000 hit club. CF Yeon-Ho Kim won his seventh Gold Glove. CF Yuma Akasaka won his 11^th Silver Slugger, a record for the position. Tsukasa Kato won his eighth at first base.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-14-2024, 12:38 PM

1996 in CABA

Following their historic sixth Mexican League title in six years and a record-setting 116-46 season, Monterrey very nearly saw their playoff streak snapped. The Matadors dropped to only 86-76, which tied them with Torreon for first in the North Division. Monterrey defeated the Tomahawks in the tiebreaker game to extend their playoff streak to nine, tying the CABA record set from 1966-74 by Ecatepec. Hermosillo and Juarez were both also in the division hunt at 82-80. Tijuana, who had been the wild card in four straight seasons, fell to 80-82.

The down year for Monterrey gave Ecatepec the chance to post the Mexican League’s best record. The Explosion did so emphatically at 107-55 atop the South Division, impressively bouncing back from a lousy 71 win 1995. It was their third division title in four years. In the wild card race, Guadalajara (94-68) held off Leon (92-70) to advance. This ended a five-year playoff drought for the Hellhounds.

Ecatepec swept the top awards, led by an impressive debut by RF Velasquez Saavedra. After five great seasons with Honduras, Saavedra cased in with the Explosion on an eight-year, $21,180,000 deal. The 26-year old Guatemalan righty rewarded the investment with an MVP, leading in runs (130), triples (25), walks (92), total bases (405), OBP (.433), slugging (.732), OPS (1.166), wRC+ (220), and WAR (12.2). Saavedra also had 47 home runs, 122 RBI, a .335 average, and won a Gold Glove. Pitcher of the Year went to Vincente Chung, returning to the rotation after being stuck on the reserve roster all of 1994 and 1995. The 26-year old Brazilian lefty led in wins (21-4), K/BB (8.5), quality starts (25), and FIP- (63). Chung added 7.9 WAR over 236.1 innings with a 2.67 ERA and 297 strikeouts. The Explosion also had Rookie of the Year 1B Hector Renteria, who had 41 home runs and 5.1 WAR in his debut.

Monterrey won the wild card round with a sweep of Guadalajara to earn a seventh straight Mexican League Championship Series berth. For the first time in that run, they were considered the underdog against Ecatepec. It was their third meeting in the MLCS recently with the Matadors winning in 1993 and the Explosion taking it in 1994. Despite home field and the 20-win difference in records, it was Monterrey taking the title over Ecatepec in a seven-game classic. It was the first time since 1988 that the MLCS needed all seven games. This gave the Matadors repeat ML pennants and their sixth in seven years. Monterrey became the third Mexican franchise to win six titles in seven years, joining 1913-19 Tijuana and 1967-73 Mexico City.

The Caribbean League’s Continental Division was very top heavy as both Salvador and Honduras extended playoff streaks. The Stallions won the division at 110-52 for a third consecutive berth, while the Horsemen at 105-57 were the wild card with a fourth straight playoff appearance. In the Caribbean Division, Havana (92-70) ended up on top of Santo Domingo by two games. This was the Hurricanes’ first playoff appearance in a decade and their first division title since 1977. Santiago, the league champ last year, was tied for third with Haiti at 85-77.

Santo Domingo CF Hugh Boerboom became a three-time Caribbean League MVP. The 33-year old Aruban slugger smacked a career-best 57 home runs and also led in RBI (124), total bases (380), and slugging (.634). Boerboom added a .307 average and 7.2 WAR.

Meanwhile, Salvador righty Rafael Perez won his first Pitcher of the Year and became the first Triple Crown pitcher since Junior Vergara’s 1980s dominance The 28-year old Dominican had joined the Stallions in the offseason on a seven-year, $16,020,000 deal after beginning with Panama. Perez had a 23-5 record, 2.25 ERA, and 307 strikeouts, while also leading in innings pitched (276.1), WHIP (0.92), quality starts (28), FIP- (66), and WAR (9.0). He also won a Gold Glove, his second. Salvador closer Ruy Torres also became a four-time Reliever of the Year in only six seasons. The 28-year old Panamanian would leave for MLB in the offseason with a relatively unremarkable MLB tenure.

Havana had home field advantage as the division champ and the one game handicap, but still got rolled in the wild card round 3-1 by Honduras. The Horsemen couldn’t hold up to their division rival Salvador, as the Stallions won the Caribbean League Championship Series 4-1. Salvador earned a second pennant in three years and their seventh in franchise history.

Despite the recent success for both, Monterrey and Salvador hadn’t met recently in the Central American Baseball Association Championship. It wasn’t their first encounter though, as the Stallions beat the Matadors 4-2 in the 1965 edition. In the 86^th finale, Monterrey survived a seven game classic to repeat as champs and secure their fifth ring in seven years. The Matadors are only the second team in CABA history to win five titles in seven years, joining Mexico City’s six from 1967-73. LF Pedro Nugent was both MLCS MVP and finals MVP. The 29-year old Jamaican had 16 hits, 13 runs 5 triples, 5 home runs, and 11 RBI in 16 playoff starts.

Other notes: For back-to-back seasons, CABA had zero no-hitters. Romeo Verguet had a notable year for milestones, crossing 500 home runs, 1500 RBI, and 2500 hits.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-14-2024, 05:39 PM

1996 in MLB

Defending National Association champ Boston set a franchise-best at 109-53, dominating a strong Northeast Division. The second and third best records in the NA were both in the Northeast and earned wild cards. Toronto finished 99-63 and Ottawa was 98-64. The Elks ended a three-year playoff drought and the Timberwolves ended a two-year one. Buffalo, who had made the playoffs the prior two seasons out of the Northeast, plummeted to only 69 wins.

The Lower Midwest Division saw a tie for first between Indianapolis and Columbus at 93-69, while St. Louis was one back at 92-70. The Racers won the tiebreaker game for their second playoff berth in three years and denied the Chargers’ bid for a division title three-peat. This was Indy’s first division title since 1988. The Racers also earned the #2 seed and the first round bye. Wichita, winners of 90 games last year and in the 1995 wild card hunt, collapsed and went 68-94.

New York secured the East Division title at 90-72 for their sixth playoff appearance in eight years. Philadelphia fell two games short, Brooklyn was six away, and last year’s National Association runner-up Washington dropped to 80-82. The Upper Midwest Division had Minneapolis on top at 88-74, ending a playoff drought taking back to 1982. Cleveland’s three year division title streak ended with the Cobras finishing at 79-83.

National Association MVP went to Indianapolis 1B Salvador Villasenor. The Racers gave him an eight-year, $24,000,000 extension the prior summer and were rewarded for their investment. The 29-year old Spaniard led in hits (221), RBI (138), total bases (402), average (.373), slugging (.678), OPS (1.101), wRC+ (228), and WAR (10.4). His 46 home runs left him four away from a Triple Crown. New York’s Pitcher Fahri Unal won Pitcher of the Year in his second MLB season. The 30-year old Turk had come to the Yankees on a six-year, $22,560,000 deal after winning two Pitcher of the Year awards with Bursa of the Asian Baseball Federation. Unal had a 17-7 record, 2.43 ERA, 274.1 innings, 217 strikeouts, and 7.2 WAR. He also had a no-hitter on September 27 with eight strikeouts and two walks against Winnipeg.

In the first round of the playoffs, Minneapolis beat Toronto 2-0 and New York topped Ottawa 2-1. Both second round series went all five games but had the favored squads advance. Boston edged the Moose and Indianapolis outlasted the Yankees. The Red Sox were looking for repeat pennants, while the Racers earned their first National Association Championship Series appearance from 1977. Boston was a heavy favorite, but Indy upset them 4-2 to earn their eighth pennant (1931, 36, 52, 57, 59, 74, 77, 96).

The American Association was guaranteed to see a new champ, as defending World Series champion Denver struggled to a 71-91 campaign. Edmonton ended a four-year playoff drought and posted the AA’s best record at 101-61 on top of the Northwest Division. The other bye went to San Francisco at 100-62 atop the Southwest Division, earning a fourth consecutive playoff berth. San Diego was close behind at 98-64, earning the first wild card and ending a playoff drought dating back to 1986. For the second wild card, Oakland (92-70) edged out Los Angeles (91-71) and Atlanta (90-72). The Owls had an even longer playoff drought back to 1981.

Nashville ended the longest drought of any team in 1996, winning the Southeast Division at 92-70. The Knights hadn’t been a playoff team since 1978 and hadn’t won a division title since all the way back in 1956. Atlanta at 90-72 fell two games short of both the division and the second wild card. Charlotte (87-75) was also in the mix. Last year’s division winner Tampa dropped to 71-91. The South Central Division had Dallas (88-74) squeak by defending winner Houston (87-75) and New Orleans (84-78). The Dalmatians snapped a four-year postseason skid.

Edmonton first baseman Isaac McKenna won American Association MVP in only his third season. The 23-year old Canadian lefty led in home runs (49), RBI (143), runs (112), OBP (.409), OPS (1.018), wRC+ (172) and WAR (9.1), while adding a .318 average and 193 hits. Pitcher of the Year was another upcoming star in San Diego’s Bradrabahu Abhimani. The 24-year old Indian lefty had a 20-8 record, 2.64 ERA, 272.2 innings, 234 strikeouts, and 6.7 WAR.

Dallas downed San Diego 2-1 and Nashville ousted Oakland 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs. The Knights went onto upset San Francisco 3-1 in the second round, while Edmonton dropped the Dalmatians 3-0. This was Nashville’s first American Association Championship Series appearance since 1956, long before the Eels franchise existed. It was Edmonton’s second AACS, having won the 1988 pennant. The Eels earned their second title 4-2 over Nashville.

In the 96^th World Series, Major League Baseball was guaranteed to have its 39^th unique franchise on top. Indianapolis had been there seven times previously, but took runner-up each time. Their curse continued as Edmonton rolled to the title in five games. Veteran LF Xavier Escobar won World Series MVP in his 11th season as an Eel. The 31-year old Brazilian had 21 hits, 15 runs, 5 home runs, and 13 RBI in 14 playoff starts. The Racers are now 0-8 in the World Series, which are the most finals defeats in any world league by a team without a title. Meanwhile between Edmonton and Calgary, four of the last 11 trophies ended up in Alberta.

Other notes: Brian Ostrovskaya became the 19^th member of the 600 home run club and also crossed 1500 RBI. Phil Sannes was the 51^st member of the 3000 hit club. T.J. Nakabayashi became the eighth pitcher to reach 4000 strikeouts.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-15-2024, 03:40 AM

1997 MLB Hall of Fame

Two players picked up inductions into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame class for 1997. 1B Joziah Perry was a no-doubter, getting 97.9% in his debut. Joining him was closer Devin Ivey, who barely crossed the 66% requirement with 68.2% for his third attempt. LF Aiden Hertlein missed out by about as thin of a margin possible at 65.8% in his third ballot. 1B Aranha Carlos also came very close at 64.3% for his second try. Three others were above 50% with 1B Kymani Massey at 59.5% in his fifth ballot, 2B Cade Parker at 57.7% for his debut, and 1B Jonah Mabile at 52.3% for his fourth attempt.

RF Bentlee Fleming was the lone player to fall off the ballot after ten tries, ending at 41.7%. The Winnipeg native stayed in the low 40% range consistently during his ballots. A 16-year veteran primarily with Vancouver, he won Silver Slugger once and posted 2559 hits, 1442 runs, 338 doubles, 471 home runs, 1427 RBI, a .282/.351/.485 slash, and 63.1 WAR. Fleming was never a top guy though and mostly played on weaker teams, thus the banishment to the Hall of Very Good.

Joziah “Mirror” Perry – First Base/Designated Hitter – San Francisco Gold Rush – 97.9% First Ballot

Joziah Perry was a 6’6’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Hawthorne, California; a city of around 88,000 within the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Perry was one of the best pure hitters in his prime, combining great contract, power, and eye. He was great at avoiding strikeouts and always made very hard contact, averaging around 40 home runs and another 40 doubles/triples per year. Perry was faster than you’d think with his big frame, but he was a lackluster baserunner. His career was split almost evenly between first base and designated hitter, as he was a mediocre defender. Perry was very durable and stayed loyal to San Francisco in his career, becoming extremely popular in the Bay.

Perry stayed in California for his entire baseball career and attended college close to home at UCLA. As a Bruin in three seasons, he had 143 starts, 206 hits, 131 runs, 30 doubles, 71 home runs, 164 RBI, a .367/.439/.820 slash, and 14.7 WAR. Perry was the seventh player in college baseball history to win NCAA MVP twice, doing it as a freshman in 1972 and as a junior in 1974. He also won Silver Sluggers in both years. Naturally, this made Perry a big prize for the 1974 MLB Draft. With the ninth overall pick, San Francisco selected Perry and immediately gave him a four-year, $1,860,000 major league deal; a rare get for a prospect.

Perry was immediately a full-timer and started all 162 games in his rookie year of 1975, running away with Rookie of the Year and leading the American Association in total bases. He’d be a starter his entire run with the Gold Rush, only occasionally missing time to injury. Perry led the AA in runs scored thrice, hits four times, doubles twice, triples once, home runs thrice, RBI twice, total bases seven times, average once, slugging five times, OPS four times, wRC+ six times, and WAR thrice.

Perry also was a dominant force in the World Baseball Championship from 1977-86 for the United States team. He was the 1981 Tournament MVP with 25 runs, 29 hits, 12 home runs, and 28 RBI over 23 starts. Perry picked up five world title rings with the American team (1977, 81, 82, 84, 85), making him a very popular player throughout the country.

Although San Francisco was a weak team in the 1970s, Perry earned plenty of attention. 1976 saw his first Silver Slugger at DH and a third place finish in MVP voting. Then in 1978, he scored 147 runs, setting a single-season MLB record that stood until 1994. His 238 hits was also only four short of the single-season record, plus he added 45 doubles, 49 home runs, and a .372 average. With that, Perry was named AA MVP for the first time.

The next year, he led in home runs for the first time at 56, helping him to his second MVP and a third Silver Slugger. After the 1979 season, the Gold Rush gave Perry an eight-year, $7,570,000 contract extension. He won SS again in 1980, but was second in MVP voting. In 1981, Perry became a three-time MVP and five-time Slugger winner. He wouldn’t be an MVP finalist again, but one SS again in 1982 and 1989. Unlike the previous ones, those two came as a first baseman and not a DH.

As the 1980s dawned, San Francisco returned to relevance. In the decade, they had nine winning seasons and five playoff appearances. In 1984, the Gold Rush finally broke through and won the American Association pennant, falling in the World Series to Chicago. Sadly for Perry, he missed the entire postseason run and a good chunk of the season to a broken hand. SF never made it beyond the second round in his other playoff chances, leaving Perry with 14 starts, 19 hits, 10 runs, 3 home runs, and 9 RBI in his postseason career.

Perry’s stats were no longer world class in his 30s, but he was still a very good starter. The Gold Rush gave him a five-year, $7,900,000 extension in the spring of 1987. He struggled in 1988, but bounced back to lead in home runs in 1989 to win his final Silver Slugger. That season also saw Perry join the 600 home run club. 1990 was his last year as a starter, as San Francisco moved him to a bench role for most of 1991.

With one year left on his deal, the Gold Rush traded Perry after the 1991 season to Quebec City for LF Elroy Golub. Perry was unremarkable in spring training and was cut by the Nordiques before the regular season. He wanted to play still, but went unsigned that season and retired in the winter at age 38. San Francisco immediately brought him back to retire his #14 uniform as one of the franchise’s favorite icons.

Perry’s career stats saw 2885 hits, 1731 runs, 458 doubles, 141 triples, 660 home runs, 1830 RBI, a .306/.374/.594 slash, 156 wRC+, and 91.2 WAR. Not many had reached 1500+ runs, 1500+ RBI, and 650+ home runs in MLB history. At induction, Perry was tied for sixth all-time in homers, 16^th in RBI, and 27^th in runs scored. Few guys were more proficient with their bat in their prime than Perry, earning him the first ballot induction at 97.9%.

Devin Ivey – Closer – New York Yankees – 68.2% Third Ballot

Devin Ivey was a 6’6’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Lochearn, Maryland; a small town of around 25,000 just west of Baltimore. Ivey had incredible stuff with a 99-101 mph fastball and a great slider which featured very good movement. He also had above average control along with excellent durability and good stamina for a relief pitcher. Ivey was very outspoken, which made him a polarizing figure with teammates and fans. His spicy hot takes were part of the reason he ended up bouncing between 11 teams in his career.

Ivey went west for his college days with Stanford. As a freshman, he took third in Reliever of the Year voting. The Cardinal moved him to the rotation and he won NCAA Pitcher of the Year as both a sophomore and junior. Ivey was only the third pitcher in college baseball history to win the award twice. Over 40 appearances and 24 starts in his college career, Ivey had a 1.08 ERA, 18-5 record, 7 saves, 209 innings, 252 strikeouts, and 11.3 WAR. With this dominance, many teams were interesting in Ivey, but some didn’t want to commit to a big deal. With only two (albeit great) pitches and lower stamina, scouts didn’t think he would be a starter and relievers had a much lower value. Still, New York would use the 12^th overall pick in the 1972 MLB Draft on Ivey, signing him to a four-year, $1,360,000 deal.

Ivey was thrown into the closer role as a rookie and held that role more often than not in his six years and change with the Yankees. In his second season, he won Reliever of the Year with 5.8 WAR, a 1.30 ERA, and 139 strikeouts over 97 innings. That was Ivey’s only time winning the top award, although he took second in 1977 with New York. He didn’t rack up big save totals, as the Yankees generally stunk in that era. With the Yankees, he had 187 saves and 231 shutdowns, 1.95 ERA, 521 innings, 687 strikeouts, and 22.4 WAR.

Ivey was set to enter free agency for the first time after the 1979 season. NY didn’t expect to keep him and traded him to Detroit at the deadline for two pitchers. He was outstanding with 24.1 scoreless innings and 14 saves with the Tigers, giving him a bump entering free agency at age 28. Even with his talent, some teams were leery of his obnoxious nature. He would get signed right at the end of free agency on a one year, $870,000 deal with Montreal, the defending National Association champ.

From the very end of his Yankees run in July 1979 to August 1980, Ivey had a 41 save streak. He took second in Reliever of the Year voting with the Maples, although he was iffy in the postseason with a 4.35 ERA in 10.1 innings. Montreal fell in the NACS to Chicago and Ivey became a free agent yet again. He signed a one-year deal with Calgary in early 1981. He was alright with the Cheetahs, who traded him to Las Vegas at the deadline for three pitchers. Ivey had a great postseason for the Vipers with a 0.93 ERA in 9.2 innings, although LV fell in the AACS.

Ivey signed with Oakland in 1982, but was used in only 21.1 innings despite being effective when he pitched. He went to Washington in 1983 and reclaimed the closer role, taking third in Reliever of the Year voting. Ivey had a 29 inning scoreless streak during his Admirals tenure. That run led to Montreal bringing Ivey back for an actual contract of length at three years, $3,300,000. He was a respectable closer in 1984, but was reduced to middle relief in 1985. Between three seasons with Montreal, he had 80 saves, a 2.16 ERA, 204.1 innings, 245 strikeouts, and 7.4 WAR.

Before the 1986 season, the 34-year old Ivey was cut by Montreal. Looking to find a home somewhere, Ivey ended up in West African Baseball and spent the season with Kumasi. He returned to MLB with Nashville in 1987 with limited use. The Knights traded him to Cincinnati for 1988, which was his last year as an actual closer. That got him to 350 career saves, the 16^th to do so. Ivey spent one final season with Omaha and struggled, opting to retire after the 1989 campaign at age 38.

For his MLB career, Ivey had 367 saves and 468 shutdowns, 2.25 ERA, 1098.1 innings, 1324 strikeouts, a 61 FIP-, and 39.6 WAR. His ERA, strikeout, and WAR totals were relatively in line with some other guys that had gotten the MLB Hall of Fame nod. It wasn’t easy to get big attention as a reliever and Ivey’s personality worked against him. Still, he got close at 62.2% and 61.5% on his first two ballots. The third attempt in 1997 got him just across the line at 68.2%, making Ivey the second member of the 1997 class.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-15-2024, 11:28 AM

1997 CABA Hall of Fame

Pitcher Franklyn Maldonado was the lone member of the 1997 class for the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame. He was nearly unanimous at 99.7%, but it was a quiet ballot otherwise. The only other player who was even above 50% was catcher Hansel Morel at 52.8% in his seventh ballot. No one was dropped after ten ballots in 1997.

Franklyn Maldonado – Starting Pitcher – Guatemala Ghosts – 99.7% First Ballot

Franklyn Maldonado was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Real del Puente, Honduras; a small town of around 4,000 people in the northwest of the country. Maldonado was a well-rounded pitcher with very good stuff, movement, and control. He had a 95-97 mph fastball that he mixed with a slider and changeup. Maldonado was one of the best at changing speeds and holding runners. He was considered an excellent defensive pitcher and had respectable stamina in his early days. Maldonado was a fan favorite and was a popular player despite a relatively short peak.

Despite coming from humble origins, Maldonado did get some attention as a prospect in the amateur ranks of Honduras. He was picked in the second round of the 1976 CABA Draft by Guatemala with the 47^th overall pick. The Ghosts wouldn’t bring him up for his first two seasons under contract. Maldonado debuted with seven starts in 1979 at age 23, but showed promise. Maldonado was good as a partial starter in 1980, then entered the rotation full-time from 1981 after.

From 1981-86, Maldonado led the Caribbean League in WAR five times. He led in ERA in 1982, earning Pitcher of the Year. He took second in 1983, then won the award again in 1984. Maldonado would be a regular finalist, taking second in 1986 and 1987 with Guatemala. With the Ghosts, he also led the league in wins twice, WHIP twice, innings once, and quality starts three times. Maldonado was also quite effective in the World Baseball Championship for his native Honduras. From 1979-91 with the national team, he had a 1.95 ERA over 175.1 innings, 10-11 record, 220 strikeouts, and 6.5 WAR.

From 1980-84, Guatemala had a five-year playoff streak. They got to the Caribbean League Championship Series in 1980, 81, and 83; winning the pennant in 1983. They would fall in the final to Hermosillo, but Maldonado gave them good playoff numbers. With the Ghosts in the playoffs, Maldonado had a 2.94 ERA, 64.1 innings, 89 strikeouts, 5-4 record, and 2.1 WAR. After the 1983 season, Guatemala locked him up with a five-year, $3,270,000 contract extension.

Guatemala was good, but just outside of the playoffs from 1985-87. It looked like a rebuild was in order and Maldonado had one year left on his deal at age 32. The Ghosts decided to trade him in late 1987 to Guadalajara for three prospects. For his time in Guatemala, Maldonado had a 145-68 record, 2.55 ERA, 2093.1 innings, 2307 strikeouts, and 69.0 WAR. He remained popular with Ghosts fans and did see his #38 uniform retired once his playing days were done.

Maldonado had a strong debut with the Hellhounds, leading in wins and quality starts with a third place finish in Pitcher of the Year voting. He also won his first Gold Glove with his second coming the next year. Guadalajara was happy with their acquisition and gave Maldonado a five-year, $4,750,000 extension in the summer of 1988. He pitched well the next two years as the Hellhounds made it to the Mexican League Championship Series both seasons, although they couldn’t claim the pennant.

Although he still had been effective in 1990, his velocity had suddenly plummeted without any major injury, going from 95-97 mph to 90-92 mph. In 1991, Maldonado’s fastball was in the 86-88 mph range. Although his control was still great, his stuff was now awful. He struggled in spring training and was only used for 24.2 innings. Maldonado retired that winter at age 36. With Guadalajara, he had a 56-32 record, 2.17 ERA, 787.2 innings, 804 strikeouts, and 20.2 WAR.

For his career, Maldonado posted a 201-100 record, 2.45 ERA, 2881 innings, 3111 strikeouts, 427 walks, 281/361 quality starts, a 66 FIP-, and 89.2 WAR. His rate stats were very impressive, although the grand totals were on the lower end with the quick end to his career. Before his sudden decline, many observers thought Maldonado would end up at the tip-top of the leaderboards. Regardless, even in only 11 full seasons, Maldonado’s resume was outstanding. He was nearly unanimously voted in at 99.7% as the lone member of CABA’s 1997 Hall of Fame class.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-15-2024, 04:29 PM

1997 EAB Hall of Fame

East Asia Baseball’s 1997 Hall of Fame class was a very solid one with three inductees from their first ballot. CF Sosuke Hoshizawa was the star easily at 99.4%, but OF Ryota Shintani (87.8%) and LF Myeong-Won Song (84.1%) were no slouches by any stretch. A fourth outfielder almost joined them on his second ballot, but Jay-Hoon Cho missed the mark at 60.4%. Also above 50% were 2B Seong-Jae Kang at 55.2% and closer Dong-Myung Choy at 50.0%, both on their second ballots. No players were dropped after ten ballots.

Sosuke “Legend” Hoshizawa – Center Field – Sapporo Swordfish – 99.4% First Ballot

Sosuke Hoshizawa was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed center fielder from Toyohashi, a city of 375,000 people in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture. He later earned the nickname “legend,” which was certainly fitting for someone of his stature as a genuine five-tool player. In his prime, Hoshizawa was an excellent contact and power hitter with a respectable eye. He ended up averaging around 45 home runs per 162 games with a career .300 average. Hoshizawa had great pop in his bat generally, also getting you around 25-35 doubles/triples per year.

Hoshizawa often stretched out extra bases with great speed and keen instincts. He played his entire career in center field and was an excellent defender. As of 2037, he’s EAB’s all-time leader in zone rating, putouts, and chances at the position. Despite a number of injury issues in the second half of his career, Hoshizawa always gave his all and provided excellent leadership as Sapporo’s captain. He was viewed as one of the greatest men to ever step on the diamond in Japan and is one of the most beloved icons and symbols of the sport.

Hoshizawa’s excellence was spotted as a teenager and many teams were interested in picking him straight out of Tokai High School. Sapporo was one of these squads and had the second pick in the 1967 EAB Draft. The Swordfish selected Hoshizawa, beginning a partnership that lasted 24 years. He made his official debut in 1968 at age 19, although he only had 12 plate appearances. The plan was to make him a full-time starter the next year, but a ruptured finger tendon at the end of spring training cost him four months. Still, Hoshizawa came back to finish the season and posted 27 home runs in only 58 games. It looked clear that this phenom was likely going to live up to the immense hype.

From 1970-76, Hoshizawa posted seven straight seasons worth 10+ WAR. Even more impressive was that he did it despite missing a month or more in three of those seasons. In his first full season as a starter in 1970, Hoshizawa led in runs, home runs, total bases, OPS, and wRC+ to win his first Japan League MVP. He won again in 1971, 72, and 74, while taking second in 1973. In 1972, he led with 129 runs and a 1.116 OPS with 56 home runs and 12.9 WAR. Hoshizawa had 12.6 WAR and a league-best 81 stolen bases in 1974 while adding 47 home runs. He also won all six of his Silver Sluggers consecutively from 1970-75.

Sapporo had fallen on hard times in the mid 1960s and hadn’t seen the playoffs since 1957, but Hoshizawa’s production brought them 100+ seasons and playoff spots in 1972 and 1974. Both seasons, they fell in the Japan League Championship Series. But the Swordfish were convinced he’d lead them to success, signing Hoshizawa to an eight-year, $2,790,000 extension after the 1972 campaign. Despite his historic production, Sapporo wouldn’t see consistent success until 1979.

As much as Hoshizawa tried to power through, he physically was often a wreck. Back spasms cost him more than half of 1977 with miscellaneous injuries knocking him out much of 1978. 1979 finally saw Hoshizawa’s first full season in a few years, getting the Swordfish back to the playoffs. Despite having the top seed, they were one-and-done. But this began a stretch of dominance atop the recently realigned North Division. Sapporo would make the playoffs ten times from 1979-89.

When healthy, Hoshizawa was still great. He’d win most of his six Gold Gloves in these later years (1974, 79, 83, 84, 85, 86). Sapporo signed him to a six-year, $2,328,000 extension just before the 1980 season. The Swordfish got to the JLCS, but a partially torn labrum kept Hoshizawa out of the playoff run. In 1981, Sapporo finally put together the championship run, taking the EAB title. Hoshizawa’s leadership was invaluable, even though he was iffy in limited playoff time with late season elbow inflammation. Regardless, he finally got Sapporo its first ring since the early 1950s.

Sapporo was ousted in the 1982 JLCS. They won the 1983 pennant, losing the EAB title to Seongnam. That was easily Hoshizawa‘s best playoff run with 18 starts, 22 hits, 15 runs, 8 home runs, and 18 RBI. The Swordfish would get ousted in the first round of their next five playoff appearances. Hoshizawa only played games in two of those five series due to injury. For his playoff career, he had 51 games, 56 hits, 31 runs, 13 home runs, 39 RBI, a .284/.308/.584 slash, and 2.1 WAR. He also rejoined Japan in the World Baseball Championship from 1982-89, having previously only played in 1970 and 1971. In 97 career WBC starts, he had 93 hits, 65 runs, 7 doubles, 36 home runs, 76 RBI, a .266/.343/.602 slash, and 4.1 WAR.

Hoshizawa was still excellent when healthy in his 30s, posting six seasons worth 6+ WAR despite missing notable time each year. 1982 had a broken kneecap and 1985 had a ruptured Achilles tendon. Multiple times he dealt with hamstring strains, partially torn labrums, and back stiffness. Hoshizawa was still a team captain and almost a second manager in the clubhouse, beloved by all. Even with the injuries, Sapporo gave him another three-year extension after the 1985 season at age 37.

In 1988, Hoshizawa managed to have his first full season in around a decade, but his power was no longer elite. Still, the Swordfish added another three year extension. Hoshizawa crossed the 700 career home run mark in 1989, but it was his last great moment. He was limited severely by his body in his final three seasons and finally was reduced to a bench role in 1991. Still, Hoshizawa was a beloved elder statesman to the end and a rare player to have played in four decades, having started in 1968 and ended in 1991. He finally retired at age 42 and saw his #28 uniform retired by Sapporo.

Hoshizawa’s final stats: 2772 hits, 1647 runs, 297 doubles, 220 triples, 718 home runs, 1746 RBI, 943 stolen bases, a .300/.341/.613 slash, 177 wRC+, and 156.9 WAR. Even with the injuries, Hoshizawa became EAB’s all-time WARlord, a distinction he still holds as of 2037. At induction, he was seventh all-time in home runs, 10^th in runs and 12^th in RBI. He was the only player with 700+ home runs and 900+ stolen bases. His hard work and dedication were incredible even as his body broke down, becoming a very rare example of someone who both debuted as a teenager and played into their 40s. Even rarer still and perhaps unique to Hoshizawa was doing that with one team. The nickname “legend” is incredibly fitting for this inner circle Hall of Famer, leading off the 1997 class at 99.4%.

Ryota “Old School” Shintani – Center/Left Field – Sendai Samurai – 87.8% First Ballot

Ryota Shintani was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Osaka, Japan. At his best, Shintani was a great power hitter with an excellent eye and solid contact ability. He averaged around 45 home runs per 162 games while also getting around 30-35 doubles/triples per season. Shintani had above average speed and baserunning chops in his prime. His career defensively was roughly split 50/50 between center and left field. He graded as slightly below average in center and pretty good in left. Shintani was a team leader and would become one of Japan’s favorite players. He earned the nickname “Old School” for his approach to the game.

Shintani attended Tokai University in Tokyo and excelled as an amateur, becoming the top prospect for the 1973 EAB Draft. Sendai selected him with the first overall pick and his entire 11-year run in the Japan League was with the Samurai. Shintani was a full-time starter for his entire tenure, although he did miss chunks of 1978, 1980, 1981, and 1984 to injuries. His debut was impressive with 5.1 WAR, taking the 1974 Rookie of the Year.

He had a very solid 1975 and 1976, which prompted Sendai to sign Shintani to an eight-year, $2,830,000 contract extension. Shintani emerged as truly elite with the 1977 campaign, leading in home runs, OPS, and WAR. This earned him his first MVP and Silver Slugger, plus his lone Gold Glove in left. His national popularity grew as a regular for Japan in the World Baseball Championship. Even after leaving for MLB, he came home for the WBC from 1975-95 with 196 games, 191 starts, 175 hits, 133 runs, 65 home runs, 116 RBI, a .261/.378/.604 slash, and 10.0 WAR.

A bruised kneecap cost Shintani close to half of the 1978 season, but Sendai still managed to win a weak North Division at 84-78. He returned for the postseason and led them to a stunning East Asian Championship run, the first (and as of 2037, only) title for the Samurai. In 14 playoff starts, Shintani had 13 hits, 11 runs, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI. Helping Sendai to its first time forever made Shintani a franchise icon. For the rest of his tenure, Sendai was above .500 but generally stuck behind Sapporo in the divisional race. Their only other playoff berth was a one-and-done in 1984 despite having the Japan League’s best record.

Shintani’s second MVP and Silver Slugger came in 1979. A severely strained hip muscle cost him the second half of 1980, 1982 saw a return to form with Shintani winning his third MVP and Silver Slugger. He won additional Sluggers in 1983 and 1984 and took third in 1983’s MVP voting. In his tenure, Shintani led in runs scored thrice, homers twice, RBI once, total bases thrice, OBP twice, slugging thrice, OPS thrice, wRC+ four times, and WAR four times.

1984 was on pace to perhaps be his best year yet, but a concussion knocked him out for a month. That would be his final season in Japan, as Shintani left for MLB soon after. Sendai would retire his #16 more than a decade later once his playing days were over and he remained one of the franchise’s favorites.

For his Sendai tenure, Shintani had 1606 hits, 1063 runs, 252 doubles, 461 home runs, 1089 RBI, a .301/.368/.639 slash, 191 wRC+, and 87.2 WAR. The grand totals aren’t high on the leaderboard since he left early with some wondering if he could’ve rivaled Sosuke Hoshizawa’s tallies had he stuck around. A few voters poo-poo’d him leaving, but that resume was still ********* and earned Shintani a first ballot induction at 87.8%.

He would still have half of his playing career left though. At age 34, he joined MLB’s Houston Hornets on a four-year, $5,360,000 deal. Shintani won Silver Sluggers in CF for Houston in 1987 and 1988 and was third in 1987’s MVP voting. The Hornets made the playoffs twice in his tenure, but couldn’t get beyond the second round. Untimely injures kept Shintani from playing in either of those postseason runs. For his Houston time, he had a solid 612 hits, 412 runs, 144 home runs, 367 RBI, a .282/.359/.557 slash, and 26.5 WAR.

His contract expired and at age 38, he was a free agent again for 1989. Having looked very good in Houston, that compelled Indianapolis to sign Shintani on a three-year, $5,500,000 deal. He was good when healthy, but torn ankle ligaments and a fractured knee cost him big chunks of his two seasons with the Racers. Shintani still managed 7.7 WAR over 182 games for Indianapolis. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria in his contract and became a free agent again for 1991.

Despite being 40 years old, Denver gave Shintani a three-year, $6,020,000 deal. Again, injuries meant he only managed half seasons with the Dragons, but he was still good when healthy. Denver won the American Association pennant in 1991 with Shintani getting 8 hits, 5 runs, 3 home runs, and 7 RBI in 11 playoff starts. Over two seasons and 158 games with the Dragons, Shintani had 7.2 WAR, 40 home runs, 174 hits, 104 runs, and 90 RBI.

Shintani spent 1993-94 with Virginia Beach with the same story; good production but a lot of injuries. Philadelphia had Shintani for his final two seasons, but he only managed 88 games with the Phillies. The nickname “Old School” was especially poignant as the oldest player in the game. Shintani retired after the 1996 campaign at age 46.

For his MLB tenure, Shintani had 1199 hits, 779 runs, 185 doubles, 269 home runs, 690 RBI, a .284/.365/.543 slash, 152 wRC+, and 48.6 WAR. It is a very impressive roughly decade of production for someone who came over at age 34. For his entire pro career, Shintani had 2805 hits, 1842 runs, 437 doubles, 139 triples, 730 home runs, 1779 RBI, 1094 walks, a .293/.367/.597 slash, 173 wRC+, and 135.8 WAR. The grand totals make it clear that Shintani was one of the absolute finest outfielders in all of professional baseball for two decades.

Myeong-Won Song – Outfield/Designated Hitter – Suwon Snappers – 84.1% First Ballot

Myeong-Won Song was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Bucheon, South Korea. Song had a great eye for the ball, allowing him to be one of the best at getting on base both from hits and walks. He also had a very solid pop in his bat, averaging around 35-40 home runs and around 25-30 doubles per season. Song had okay speed in his younger years and was a fairly smart baserunner. He was a lousy defender, thus making about half of his career starts as a designated hitter. Song split his time defensively between left and right field and was graded as mediocre in both spots. He was a durable and reliable bat, allowing him to help Suwon become a playoff contender.

Song didn’t have the traditional path to professional baseball, as he didn’t pick up the game until his 20s. He played within an independent league in South Korea, but dominated and caught the eye of a scout from Suwon. At age 25, Song signed his first big league contract to join the snappers in 1978. In his debut, he led the Korea League in OPS, picking up Rookie of the Year and his first of seven Silver Sluggers.

The ‘diamond in the rough’ signing would soon pay off for Suwon. The Snappers hadn’t made the playoffs since 1935, but they would earn five berths in six years from 1979-84. Four times they made it to the KLCS, winning the pennant in 1981. They lost to Sapporo in the EAB Championship, but they had their first sustained success. Song in 47 postseason games had 57 hits, 24 runs, 9 doubles, 11 home runs, 28 RBI, a .329/.410/.586 slash, and 2.4 WAR. He also made appearances in four World Baseball Championships from 1978-81 with South Korea, posting 61 hits, 45 runs, 20 home runs, and 47 RBI over 61 games.

Song’s second season saw him lead the KL in the triple slash, posting an impressive 1.136 OPS and career best 10.1 WAR with 43 home runs. That earned him league MVP and his second Silver Slugger. His additional Sluggers came in 1980, 84, 85, 86, and 89. He had two as a DH, three in LF, and two in RF. Song also won his second MVP in 1984, leading in WAR, OPS, and runs. He led in OBP four times in his career and OPS thrice.

In spring 1980, Song signed an eight-year, $3,714,000 contract extension. He was very popular with Suwon fans and continued to perform at a high level. However, the team began to rebuild as the 1980s came to a close, falling to 62-100 in 1988. As a Snapper, Song had 1777 hits, 1079 runs, 298 doubles, 377 home runs, 1020 RBI, a .312/.405/.574 slash, and 68.0 WAR. His #34 uniform would get retired a few years later.

His contract ended with the 1988 season, which had also been easily his worst statistically. At age 36, Seoul gave Song a chance on a three-year, $3,320,000 deal. He bounced back impressively in 1989, taking second in MVP voting and winning his last Silver Slugger. The Seahawks made it to the KLCS for the first time in a decade, but were bested by Daegu. Song had a good second year with Seoul as well, posting 11.2 WAR over two seasons with the squad.

However, just before the 1991 season, Song was sent to Jeonju in a four-player trade. He was a full-time starter with the Jethawks, but posted the weakest year of his career with a .240/.316/.407 slash and 1.2 WAR. Song decided to retire that winter at age 38 instead of trying to find a new home.

For his EAB career, Song had 2247 hits, 1342 runs, 365 doubles, 476 home runs, 1304 RBI, 1076 walks, a .304/.394/.558 slash, 159 wRC+, and 80.4 WAR. At induction, only two other Hall of Famers had a better career OBP. He was a very steady bat, although his stats weren’t quite as eye popping as his 1997 Hall of Fame classmates. They were still plenty good to get the first ballot selection at 84.1% to round out the 1997 trio.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-16-2024, 04:33 AM

1997 BSA Hall of Fame

The 1997 Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame ballot didn’t induct a single player, the first blank ballot for BSA since 1980. SP Rio Santiago finished less than a percentage point away from the mark at 65.3% on his debut. Fellow pitcher Robinson Moreira was at 62.7% for his eighth ballot. Also above 50% were RF Dani Manzanares at 57.9% on his second try and 3B Saul Puerta with 55.6% for his ninth go. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

**MrNFL_FanIQ** · 03-16-2024, 11:14 AM

1997 EBF Hall of Fame

Two players were honored from the 1997 European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame voting. SP Jacky Muro was a no-doubter with 97.6% in his debut. He was joined by 1B Charles-Olivier Mallen with 71.3% for his second ballot. Three others were above 50%, but shy of the 66% needed. LF Husnija Kojic had 53.4% for his debut, SP Cornelius Danner got 52.0% on his fourth ballot, and SP Jose Calderon was at 51.0% in his seventh attempt. The EBF ballot didn’t have any players dropped following ten stays on the ballot.

Jacky Muro – Starting Pitcher – Madrid Conquistadors – 97.6% First Ballot

Jacky Muro was a 6’4’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from Palma, Spain; the capital and largest city of the Balearic Islands with around 400,000 inhabitants. Muro had filthy stuff with a dominant 99-101 mph fastball mixed with a slider, curveball, and splitter. His movement was merely average with below average control, but his 10/10 stuff made Muro difficult to solve as a hitter. He also had very solid stamina and durability, throwing 230+ innings in all but his final season. Muro was considered smart and loyal, two traits that served him well.

After an excellent college career, Muro was picked 14^th overall in the 1977 EBF Draft by Madrid. He spent his entire pro career in the Spanish capital, while also putting up great numbers for his home country in the World Baseball Championship. From 1978-91 with the Spanish national team, Muro had a 20-7 record, 2.72 ERA, 238.1 innings, 380 strikeouts, 77 walks, and 7.3 WAR. He even had a no-hitter in the 1987 WBC, striking out 13 with four walks in a game versus Ghana.

Muro was a full-time starter immediately and posted 6.4 WAR and 303 strikeouts as a rookie, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting. During his run, he was almost always a top ten level pitcher and at times in the top five. He took second in 1981 Pitcher of the Year voting, third in 1982, and second in 1983. Muro finally won the award in 1984, leading the Southern Conference that season in ERA and WHIP. He had led in strikeouts and wins the prior year. Those were his only times atop the leaderboards despite his consistent success.

In his third season, Muro tossed a no-hitter on 8/31/80, striking out 17 with three walks against Naples. Madrid was generally solid throughout Muro’s tenure despite sharing a division with some very good Marseille teams. The Conquistadors made the playoffs in 1979, 83, 84, 86, 87, and 90 during his run. Madrid went one-and-done in those early years, but was convinced Muro would be a part of a champion one day. The Conquistadors signed him to a four-year extension worth $3,550,000 after the 1983 season, then another five-year, $5,800,000 extension just before the 1987 season.

Madrid made it to the Southern Conference Final in 1986, but lost to the Musketeers. In 1987, the Conquistadors got over the hump and won their first European Championship since their 1950s dynasty. Muro had a great 1987 postseason, winning conference finals MVP with a 2.33 ERA and three complete game victories in the run. The Conquistadors missed the playoffs the next two years, but won it all in 1990. For his playoff career, Muro had a 3.58 ERA over 118 innings, 5-9 record, 129 strikeouts, 108 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR.

1990 would ultimately be his last good year. His production had dropped some at that point, but he was still a fine starter. Despite not having any major injuries, Muro’s velocity began to drop significantly as 1990 winded down. By 1991, he was merely in the 94-96 mph range and his once untouchable fastball became quite hittable. Muro was moved out of the rotation after posting middling numbers. He opted for retirement after the 1991 season at age 36. Madird would immediately retire his #19 uniform.

Muro’s career had a 230-130 record, 2.88 ERA, 3423.1 innings, 4375 strikeouts, 897 walks, 295/427 quality starts, 110 complete games, a .209 batting average against him, 74 FIP-, and 89.7 WAR. At induction, he was fourth all-time in strikeouts and still sits sixth as of 2037. He was also ninth in pitching WAR at induction and sits 15^th in 2037. Muro had an excellent career and played a big role in returning Madrid to relevance in the 1980s. He was an easy pick for the voters, getting 97.6% on his debut.

Charles-Olivier Mallen – First Base – Paris Poodles – 71.3% Second Ballot

Charles-Olivier Mallen was a 6’3’’, 200 pound switch-hitting first baseman from Saint-Jean-le-Branc, a commune of around 8,000 people in central France. Mallen was a solid contact hitter with sturdy power, averaging around 35-40 home runs and around 30 doubles/triples per year. Despite a good average, his ability to earn walks and avoid strikeouts was both subpar. Mallen had below average speed but was fairly intelligent on the basepaths. He was a career first baseman and a very good defender, winning four Gold Gloves in his career. Mallen was an ironman type, starting 130+ games each year of his pro career. He was very dedicated, hardworking, and loyal; making him one of the most beloved figures in French baseball.

Mallen quickly became viewed as a great prospect coming out of France ahead of the 1975 EBF Draft. Paris picked up its countryman with the 23^rd overall pick and he’d spend nearly his entire professional career in the capital. Mallen also played for the national team in ten editions of the World Baseball Championship from 1977-86 and 1990. In 80 games and 63 WBC starts, he had 61 hits, 32 runs, 23 home runs, 48 RBI, a .230/.269/.509 slash, and 1.6 WAR.

Paris made Mallen a full-time starter immediately and he posted 5.4 WAR in his rookie season, taking second in 1976 Rookie of the Year voting. The Poodles were a wild card that year as well, although they were ousted in the first round. Despite Mallen’s success, Paris wouldn’t make it back to the playoffs for nearly a decade. But in his second year, he emerged as an elite player with career bests in runs (110), hits (202), home runs (46), RBI (118), batting average (.316), and WAR (9.2). This was the closest Mallen got to the MVP, taking second in the voting. He did secure his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger.

Mallen remained a solid and sturdy player, but he wasn’t a league leader or someone considered the absolute best of the best. He only won Silver Slugger once more in 1983 and had his four Gold Gloves in 1977, 78, 79, and 81. Mallen very much endeared himself to Parisian fans with his #4 jersey a regular sight. The Poodles would retire that uniform at the end of his career. Mallen would get his first contract extension after the 1979 season at five years, $2,330,000 dollars.

His second extension came after the 1984 campaign worth $4,700,000 over five years. 1984 saw the Poodles earn a wild card, but again they were eliminated in the first round. Paris had been generally in the mid-tier during Mallen’s tenure. They started to struggle towards the end of the 1980s, bottoming out at 60-102 in 1989. This was the final year of Mallen’s contract and the Poodles decided to look for trade value. They moved him and $2,060,000 to Dublin in exchange for three prospects.

In his short tenure in Ireland, Mallen earned his 2500^th career hit. The Dinos made it to the Northern Conference Championship and Mallen had a solid postseason, but they lost to conference powerhouse Amsterdam. Mallen had 11 hits, 6 runs, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI over 8 playoff starts. He was a free agent for the first time at age 37 before the 1990 season. The love was still strong between Mallen and Paris, and he signed a one year, $1,240,000 deal to return to the Poodles.

Mallen picked up his 500^th career home run and 1500^th RBI this season. His numbers were a bit down from previous highs, but still starter quality. However, Mallen suffered his first major injury with a fractured knee in September 1990. Paris didn’t re-sign him and Mallen was a free agent for 1991. He hoped to still play, but teams weren’t willing to pay for an aged slugger coming off a major injury. Mallen officially retired that winter at age 39.

Mallen’s stats had 2704 hits, 1312 runs, 395 doubles, 529 home runs, 1555 RBI, a .297/.323/.535 slash, 143 wRC+, and 76.0 WAR. He had a very steady career and was very well liked, but his tallies were still on the lower end of the Hall of Fame leaderboard. Mallen didn’t have the black ink many voters expected and his Paris teams weren’t contenders. His popularity and consistency were definite plusses. Mallen just missed the cut at 64.4% for his debut ballot, then got the bump to 71.3% on try #2 to secure his spot in the 1997 class.

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

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