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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2000 in BSA

Beisbol Sudamerica had seen roughly average to below average offensive numbers on the historical scale in the prior few decades. Leadership had seen the spectator support that the rule changes brought in the 1980s to increase offense and hoped more runs might mean more money. For the 2000 season, BSA instituted more changes which ultimately gave the Bolivar League a 4.05 ERA for the 2000s, compared to 3.55 in the 1990s. The Southern Cone League would go from 3.26 to 3.65. This also put BSA very much in line with their neighbors to the north in the Central American Baseball Association. BSA bigwigs hoped if it worked for CABA, that it would work for them at getting more butts in seats.



In the Bolivar League, the three division title streaks continued. Lima took the Peru-Bolivia Division at 100-62 and the top seed, extending their BSA-record playoff streak to 14 seasons and division title streak to 11. La Paz, who won the BL pennant last year as a wild card, was a non-factor at 77-85. Bogota claimed the Colombia-Ecuador Division at 99-63 for a sixth straight division title and seven playoff berths in a row. Caracas nabbed the Venezuela Division at 92-70 for their own six-year title streak. It was a weak wild card race as Ciudad Guayana was the only other team above .500 at 83-79. That was the first playoff berth or winning season for the Giants since 1993.

Guayaquil left fielder Hector Correa was Bolivar League MVP despite his Golds winning only 74 games. The 27-year old Ecuadoran switch hitter led in runs (124), home runs (51), RBI (133), total bases (434), slugging (.732), OPS (1.139), wRC+ (189), and WAR (8.8). Pitcher of the Year a repeat winner in Ciudad Guayana’s hometown hero Lamberto Castillo. In only his third season, he led in ERA (1.92(, strikeouts (343), WHIP (1.00), quality starts (26), shutouts (7), FIP- (57), and WAR (10.1). His 21-8 record over 277.1 innings left him two wins shy of a Triple Crown.

Ciudad Guayana upset Lima 3-2 in the Divisional Series, while Bogota outlasted Caracas 3-2. The Giants hadn’t been in the Bolivar League Championship Series since their 1992 pennant, meanwhile the Bats played in the BLCS three years prior. Bogota beat CG 4-1 for their first pennant since 1995 and their fourth title overall.



The Southern Cone League had an intense battle for the South Central Division between Asuncion and Mendoza. The Archers took it ultimately at 98-64, beating the Mutants by one game for their third playoff berth in four years. Mendoza still got the wild card for repeat playoff berths. Santiago dropped to 84-78 in the division, missing the playoffs for only the third time in a decade. Buenos Aires cruised to the Southeast Division at 98-64 for a fourth playoff appearance in five years. Last year’s division winner Rio de Janeiro dropped to 76-86. In the North Division, Recife (93-69) outlasted reigning Copa Sudamerica champ Brasilia (92-70). This gave the Retrievers their fifth division title in six years. The defending champ Bearcats fell one game short in the division and five behind Mendoza for the wild card.

Rosario was only 84-78, but they had the Southern Cone MVP in 1B Matt Monaco. He broke a 50-year old record for most doubles in a season with 58, which still stands as of 2037. The 27-year old Argentine also led in runs (122), hits (235), total bases (461), average (.372), slugging (.729), OPS (1.126), wRC+ (226), and WAR (11.3). He added 52 home runs and 125 RBI. Pitcher of the Year was second-year ace Camilo Medellin of Buenos Aires. The 23-year old Argentine righty led in wins (20-9), innings (289.1), and complete games (17). Medellin also had 287 strikeouts, a 2.55 ERA, and 7.7 WAR. Also of note, Mendoza’s Lobo Alvarado became a three-time Reliever of the Year winner.

Both Division Series matchups ended up going all five games. Buenos Aires survived against Mendoza and Asuncion outlasted Recife. This was the first Southern Cone League Championship Series for the Atlantics since 1982, while the Archers were shooting for their third pennant in four years. Asuncion continued its LCS success, taking the series 4-2 against BA.



The 70^th Copa Sudamerica was guaranteed to see a first-time champion. Bogota had gone 0-3 in their previous appearances, while Asuncion was 0-2 as the runner-up in both 1997 and 1998. The Bats took the series 4-1, becoming the first Colombian champ since Quito in 1994. 3B Adam Gonalves was finals MVP, having joined Bogota in a trade with Salvador in the offseason. The 26-year old Brazilian 3B had 15 playoff starts with 20 hits, 12 runs, 5 home runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, and 12 RBI.



Other notes: With Bogota’s title, 24 of BSA’s 30 teams have won the cup at least once. Asuncion, Montevideo, and Maracaibo are the only original franchises yet to do it, joined by expansion teams Santa Cruz, Arequipa, and Mendoza. 2000 was the first season since 1989 not to feature a single no-hitter in BSA. SS Jose Luiz Velasques won his ninth Gold Glove and 1B DJ Del Valle won his seventh. DH Milton Becker won his seventh Silver Slugger

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2000 in EAB

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Reining Japan League champion Kawasaki improved to a franchise-record 107-55, taking the Capital Division for the third straight season and posting the JL’s top mark. The next two top teams both were in the Central Division with only one able to advance. Nagoya (104-58) snapped an eight-year playoff drought, while Osaka (100-62) had to stay home. Kobe’s three-year division title streak ended with the Blaze falling to 83-79. Hiroshima repeated in the West Division at 92-70. Sapporo extended its playoff streak to seven years, the longest active streak in East Asia Baseball. The Swordfish at 84-78 won a weak North Division, beating out Niigata by three games and Saitama by six.

Sting RF Koji Iwasaki won Japan League MVP. The 26-year old led in home runs (63), RBI (146), total bases (410), slugging (.698), OPS (1.067), and wRC+ (228). He added 9.2 WAR and a .319 batting average. Saitama would have him one more season before trading Iwasaki to Osaka, where he’d get a mammoth eight-year, $77,300,000 deal.

Second-year Kawasaki righty Soo Moon won Pitcher of the Year by tossing the 14^th Triple Crown season for an EAB pitcher with a 23-5 record, 1.75 ERA, and 334 strikeouts over 262.2 innings. The 23-year old Korean righty had been a second round draft pick in 1994 out of high school by Changwon, but ended up one of five prospects traded to the Killer Whales in 1995 for 2004 Hall of Famer Kazuharu Yonesaki. Moon also led in K/BB (11.9), complete games (21), shutouts (7), FIP- (54), and WAR (9.7).

Kawasaki swept Sapporo and Nagoya downed Hiroshima 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs. The Nightowls earned their first Japan League Championship Series appearance since 1979, while the Killer Whales were making a third consecutive appearance. The JLCS hadn’t gone all seven games since 1993, but the 2000 edition ended that gap. Kawasaki took it over Nagoya in a classic to repeat as Japan’s champion. The Killer Whales became six-time JL champs (1938, 41, 67, 82, 99, 2000).



Defending East Asian champ Daegu had the Korea League’s best record at 103-59, earning a third straight playoff berth and the South Division title. Ulsan and Yongin were both close behind, getting the wild cards at 100-62 and 96-66, respectively. The Swallows ended a two-year playoff drought, while the Gold Sox advanced for back-to-back years and for the sixth time in seven years. Jeonju, last year’s KLCS runner-up, fell to 78-84. Suwon at 97-65 won the North Division by 11 games. The Snappers won the title for the fifth year in a row and for the seventh time in eight years.

Suwon picked up RF Hong-Chol Kang from Daejeon in an offseason trade. The move paid off as the 28-year old righty won Korea League MVP, leading in home runs (66), total bases (390), and slugging (.664). He added 127 RBI, a .276 average, and 7.4 WAR. The Snappers had Kang one more year before he left for MLB. Suwon also had the Pitcher of the Year Sung-Hyun Tak, who previously won it in 1997. The 31-year old had a league and career-best 10.0 WAR, also leading in ERA (2.07), strikeouts (277), WHIP (0.88), quality starts (27), and FIP- (47). Tak added 230.1 innings and an 18-4 record. Sadly for Tak, he would suffer a torn UCL and flexor tear in the next two seasons.

Daegu swept Yongin and Ulsan ousted Suwon 3-1 in the first round. The Diamondbacks had a shot to repeat in the Korea League Championship Series, while it was the Swallows’ first KLCS since taking the 1996 title. Daegu downed Ulsan 4-2 to repeat as Korean champions, earning their 13^th pennant. This put them past Pyongyang for the most titles by a KL team.



The 80^th East Asian Championship was the first finals rematch since 1968-69 with Pyongyang and Hiroshima. Kawasaki got revenge against Daegu as the Killer Whales won it 4-1. This was the third overall title for Kawasaki, joining their 1982 and 1941 wins. The Diamondbacks are now 5-8 all-time in the final. 1B Dong-Hwan Cho was finals MVP for back-to-back seasons, having won it in a losing effort the prior year. The 29-year old had 15 playoff starts with 18 hits, 12 runs, 8 home runs, and 14 RBI. His teammate Hyun-Jun Nahm set a playoff record, drawing 15 walks.



Other notes: Suwon’s Jun-Yeong Song set the single-season EAB record for singles with 183. He had 243 hits total, the third-most in a season to that point. Ji-Hu Kim became the 31^st to reach 1500 RBI. SS Tokuei Kato won his seventh Gold Glove. Two-way player Umi Kihara won his seventh Silver Slugger. It was third as a pitcher with the other four as a catcher.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2000 in CABA

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Reigning Central American Baseball Association champion Ecatepec broke their own franchise record from the prior year with a 114-48 mark atop the Mexican League South Division. The Explosion set ML records for batting average (.294), OBP (.342), doubles (314), and stolen bases (445). The doubles mark is still the best as of 2037, while the others remain third-best in league history. Ecatepec won the division for the fifth consecutive season and the seventh time in eight years.

Monterrey’s decade-long stint atop the North Division ended thanks to Juarez at 103-59. The Jesters earned their first playoff berth since 1988. The Matadors kept their CABA record playoff streak alive, taking the wild card at 97-65. Monterrey now has 13 straight playoff appearances. Torreon (90-72) and Guadalajara (89-73) were the closest foes in the wild card race. Tijuana, who earned the wild card seven of the past eight years, dropped to .500.

Leading the Jesters to their playoff berth was Mexican League MVP Ryan Crowe. A 30-year old American in his sixth year with Juarez, Crowe led in total bases (406), triple slash (.379/.441/.693), OPS (1.133), and wRC+ (217). He added 10.2 WAR, 47 home runs, and 121 RBI. Pitcher of the Year was Ecatepec’s Santiago Rodriguez. The 32-year old Salvadoran righty made his return to CABA after a fascinating career path that included a severe torn rotator cuff and a brief stint in MLB. Rodriguez led the ML in wins (24-4) and complete games (15) while posting a 2.57 ERA over 251.2 innings, 246 strikeouts, and 7.2 WAR.

Juarez swept Monterrey in the wild card round, making it the first time since 1989 that the Matadors wouldn’t play in the Mexican League Championship Series. The Jesters last got this far with their 1988 pennant. Defending champ Ecatepec proved to be too much, as the Explosion looked to start a dynasty. Ecatepec won the series 4-2 to repeat as champs and earn their third title in seven years. The Explosion are now nine-time Mexican champs (1929, 31, 32, 43, 44, 75, 94, 99, 2000).



Honduras again had the top record in the Caribbean League, topping the Continental Division at 102-60. The Horsemen earned their ninth playoff berth in 11 years. Four-time defending CL champ Salvador kept their playoff streak alive, taking the wild card at 99-63. The Stallions earned a seventh straight playoff berth. In a tight Island Division, Haiti (96-66) edged Trinidad (95-67). The Herons extended their own division title streak to four seasons.

Honduras 1B Stevie Montoya won his third consecutive Caribbean League MVP. The 31-year old Mexican lefty led in hits (216), RBI (131), total bases (425), slugging (.694), OPS (1.095), wRC+ (195), and WAR (9.6). Montoya added 53 home runs and a .353 average. His teammate Yusmani Rodriguez won Pitcher of the Year at only age 23. In his third full season, the Costa Rican lefty led in ERA (1.76), WHIP (0.84), and FIP- (56). Rodriguez added a 21-5 record over 235 innings, 274 strikeouts, and 8.6 WAR.

Salvador’s dynasty officially ended as Haiti ousted them 3-1 in the wild card. It was the first time since 1993 that the Stallions weren’t playing in the Caribbean League Championship Series. The Herons were making their third CLCS berth in four years and Honduras was making back-to-back trips, although they hadn’t met in the final round since Haiti’s last pennant in 1973. The Herons downed the Horsemen 4-2, making Haiti four time Caribbean champs (1937, 38, 73, 2000).



In the 90^th CABA Championship, Ecatepec and Haiti had a memorable series. It seemed destined for a sweep when the Explosion won the first three games. The Herons took the next three to force a decisive game seven, which ended up being an all-timer. In 10 innings, Ecatepec won the finale 6-4 to repeat as CABA champion. RF Velasquez Saavedra ended the series with a walk-off two run home run.



2B Furgan Kalkavan was the finals MVP in his CABA debut. The 29-year old from Turkey signed a seven-year, $21,320,000 deal with Ecatepec in the offseason after seven years with ABF’s Istanbul. In 13 playoff games, Kalkavan had 25 hits, 11 runs, 8 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, and 11 RBI with a .500 batting average. The win was the sixth title for the Explosion, christening the next great Mexican League dynasty.

Other notes: Adrian Tovar hit multiple milestones in 2000, becoming the eighth CABA batter to 3000 hits, the tenth to 1500 runs scored, and the 11^th to 600 home runs. Tovar also won his ninth Silver Slugger at third base. 2B Santiago Rosas won his ninth Gold Glove. 3B Jacky Castillo won his tenth straight Silver Slugger at third base.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2000 in MLB

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The top seed in the National Association was Quebec City, repeating as Northeast Division champs at 99-63. Defending NA champ Indianapolis got the other bye at 95-67, taking the Lower Midwest Division. The Racers extended their playoff streak to five seasons. Columbus was one back at 94-68, which earned them the first wild card. The Chargers picked up their fifth playoff berth in seven years. Toronto ended up the second wild card at 92-70, seven back on the Nordiques in the Northeast. The 1998 NA champ Timberwolves had narrowly missed the playoffs the prior year.

New York won a tight East Division at 92-70, edging Philadelphia and Virginia Beach both by three games. It was the seventh time in the last decade that the Yankees earned a playoff spot. In the Upper Midwest, Cleveland (91-71) was one better than Milwaukee, repeating as division champs. The Mustangs were two games short of the second wild card. Montreal’s three-year playoff streak ended as they were 87-75.

Washington finished at 86-76, but saw a resurgence from RF Nathaniel D’Attilo. He won his fourth National Association MVP, but first since his three straight from 1993-95. Still only 30 years old, the lefty from New Jersey led in the triple slash (.342/.446/.702), OPS (1.148), wRC+ (257), and WAR (9.3). D’Attilo added 45 home runs and 97 RBI. Columbus’s Udugama Bandara won his second Pitcher of the Year in three years. The 31-year old Sri Lankan had a 19-10 record over 275 innings, 2.03 ERA, 201 strikeouts, and 6.9 WAR.

In the first round of the playoffs, Cleveland swept Columbus 2-0 and Toronto topped New York 2-1. The Timberwolves kept rolling, stunning division rival Quebec City 3-1 on the road. The Cobras also stunned Indianapolis with a road sweep. For Toronto, it was their second National Association Championship Series in three years, while Cleveland had made it in 1994. The Cobras would clobber the Timberwolves 4-1 for fun times in Cleveland again. It was their fourth pennant (1922, 27, 94, 2000).



Seattle had the top seed in the American Association and set a new franchise best at 107-53. The Grizzlies earned their third straight playoff berth, but it was their first Northwest Division title since the 1982 realignment. Their last first place was back in 1973. The other bye went to Southwest Division champ Las Vegas as 98-64, who snapped a two-year playoff drought. Phoenix was second at 95-67, earning the first wild card and ending a five-year playoff skid. Atlanta rolled to repeat Southeast Division titles at 95-67, ten ahead of Nashville.

In a weaker South Central Division, New Orleans ended a five-year postseason skid. 87-75 was enough to take it over defending division champ Houston. In the race for the second wild card, Salt Lake City (93-69) earned their first-ever playoff berth. That leaves Orlando as the only of the 1982 expansion teams without at least one appearance. The Loons were one game better than San Francisco (92-70) and two ahead of defending World Series champion Edmonton (91-71). For the third time, the Eels followed up a pennant-winning season by missing the playoffs altogether.

Five years after his first American Association MVP, Seattle 1B Bryson Wightman won his second. The 30-year old hometown hero led in hits (217), and total bases (390) while adding 117 runs, 41 home runs, 133 RBI, a .336/.397/.605 slash and 8.3 WAR. Pitcher of the Year was Phoenix’s Gabe Duvallier in his first full season. The 22-year old righty from Tucson led in WHIP (0.79), K/BB (8.7), quality starts (29), and complete games (24). Duvallier added a 22-9 record over 283.2 innings, 2.35 ERA, 234 strikeouts, and 7.1 WAR.

Phoenix grabbed a road sweep of New Orleans and Atlanta outlasted Salt Lake City 2-1 in the first round. Both top seeds rolled to second round sweeps with Seattle over the Firebirds and Las Vegas over the Aces. It was the second American Association Championship Series trip in four years for the Aces, while the Grizzlies last did it in 1976. Seattle was also one of only six AA teams without a pennant yet and one of only three original teams not to do it in MLB’s 100-year history. The Grizzlies finally ended that curse, sweeping Las Vegas. That leaves San Antonio and Oakland as the original American Association teams without a World Series berth, along with expansion squads Salt Lake City, Orlando, and Austin.



There was a lot of fanfare for the 100^th World Series, but it ended up an uneventful affair as Cleveland swept Seattle. This was the first sweep since 1991 and also ended the American Association’s seven-year title streak, as the last National Association champ was Hartford in 1992. It was Cleveland’s second World Series win, joining their 1927 victory over Atlanta.



Other notes: MVP Nathaniel D’Attilo won his seventh Silver Slugger in right field.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 MLB Hall of Fame

2001 had two first ballot inductees into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. 3B Bentley Wade led the way at 96.9% and was joined by catcher Mike Bastiani at 80.1%. Closer Alex Cantos was close on his third try, but just short of the 66% requirement with 63.4%. Also above 50% were 2B Rodrigo Badillo at 59.9% on his third try, C Peter Wacker at 53.7% in his ninth, and OF/DH Zach Santo at 53.7% on his tenth and final ballot.



For Santo, he played 18 seasons with Dallas, winning two Silver Sluggers and helping them to two World Series rings. He had 2535 hits, 1316 runs, 396 doubles, 461 home runs, 1557 RBI, a .303/.365/.521 slash, 138 wRC+, and 60.8 WAR. The Filipino native was very popular as a tenured franchise guy, but lost points for spending half his career as a designated hitter. Santo wasn’t a league leader and he hovered around the 30-45% range most of the time on the ballot. He ended with a high of 53.7%, but wasn’t considered dominant enough to warrant the nod.

Also dropped was Emilson Aranda, a Spaniard who had a 13-year tenure most notably with Indianapolis. He had a 183-129 record, 3.17 ERA, 2874.1 innings, 2653 strikeouts, 118 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 68.6 WAR. Aranda led the National Association in strikeouts thrice. He didn’t quite have the longevity or hardware to stand out amongst other elite pitchers. Aranda peaked at 33.1% in his second ballot and ended at 10.2%, forever banished to the Hall of Pretty Good.



Bentley “Hands” Wade – Third Base – Memphis Mountain Cats – 96.9% First Ballot

Bentley Wade was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed third baseman from Fayetteville, North Carolina; a city of around 200,000 people in the Sandhills. Wade was a tremendous contact hitter and earned the nickname “Hands” for his quick hand speed. He was also excellent at avoiding strikeouts and above average at drawing walks. Wade had very solid gap power, averaging around 25 doubles and 15 triples per year. He wasn’t a prolific home run swatter, but still got you around 15 most years.

Wade had outstanding speed and was considered one of the most savvy baserunners and base stealers of all-time. Defensively, he was primarily a third baseman and considered reliably solid at the spot. Wade was also very durable, making 130+ starts each year from 1977-90. His entire pro career would be in the Deep South and he’d be quite popular. However, Wade was quite outspoken, making him a “love him or hate him,” type of guy with fans and teammates.

Wade attended the University of Florida in college. In 147 games as a Gator, he had 158 hits, 83 runs, 23 doubles, 11 triples, 17 home runs, 54 RBI, 33 stolen bases, a .292/.359/.469 slash, and 4.8 WAR. Wade projected quite highly on the boards for the 1975 MLB Draft and was picked sixth overall by Memphis. He played 138 games with 113 starts in his rookie year, posting respectable numbers in his debut. Wade held the starting gig for the next decade with the Mountain Cats.

Memphis was incredibly mid during his run, averaging 78 wins per season but never once making the playoffs. Wade was a star though, winning Silver Sluggers in 1977, 1978, and 1980. After the 1979 season, the Mountain Cats signed him to an eight-year, $5,790,000 extension. He led the American Association in triples in 1977, hits in 1985, and stolen bases in 1979.

Wade also played for the United States from 1980-92 in the World Baseball Championship, playing 223 games with 252 hits, 164 runs, 39 doubles, 11 triples, 25 home runs, 98 RBI, a .300/.365/.462 slash, 146 stolen bases, and 8.9 WAR. His 146 steals was a WBC record until demolished by Morgan Short’s 20 year run, but it still is second most as of 2037. Wade was third in 1984 MVP voting and second in 1988. He won world titles with the American team in 1981, 82, 84, 85, 88, and 92.

For his time in Memphis, Wade had 2069 hits, 1006 runs,, 246 doubles, 147 triples, 148 home runs, 817 RBI, 553 stolen bases, a .322/.369/.475 slash, 127 wRC+, and 58.9 WAR. He would remain a popular figure with Mountain Cats fans, despite playing in an unremarkable era for the team. The franchise would later retire his #35 uniform. Although he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Memphis orange, his second half in Atlanta was arguably more memorable.

Entering the last year of his contract in 1987, the 32-year old Wade was traded to the Aces for three prospects and a draft pick. Atlanta quickly inked him to a five-year, $8,780,000 extension. In his first three years with the Aces, Wade led the AA in triples thrice, hits once, total bases once, batting average twice, and WAR once. He won Silver Sluggers in 1988, 1989, and 1990; living up to the deal.

1988 would be Wade’s lone MVP season with career bests in average (.363), WAR (9.1), hits (221), triples (25), and total bases (358). He was a big part of Atlanta’s eight-year Southeast Division title streak from 1987-94. However, some gave him the label of a playoff choker. The Aces made the AACS five times in this run, but never won the pennant. Wade in 61 games had 68 hits, 33 runs, 11 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs, 27 RBI, 20 stolen bases, a .280/.312/.440 slash, 103 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR. Not awful, but pedestrian compared to his typical regular season production.

Injuries cost him a decent chunk of 1991, his first time missing more than a few weeks. Still, that season Wade joined the 3000 hit club. Atlanta extended him for three years and $5,800,000. He had two more good years, leading in triples for a fifth time in 1993. The Aces added another three years at $9,880,000 to his deal. In 1994, Wade struggled noticeably with a .247 average, well below his .321 mark for his career. He reached a key milestone though as the 11^th MLB batter to reach 3500 career hits.

Wade managed to have his best postseason in 1994 at age 39 with a .362 average and 17 hits. He looked like his old self and Atlanta hoped they could get one more run out of him. Unfortunately, he was abysmal in 1995 with a -2.1 WAR in only 67 games. He was relegated to the bench and Atlanta’s playoff streak came to an end. Wade retired that winter at age 41 with a bit of a bitter taste from how it all ended.

Wade’s final stats saw 3548 hits, 1755 runs, 458 doubles, 278 triples, 248 home runs, 1363 RBI, 888 stolen bases, a .321/.368/.481 slash, 127 wRC+, and 101.0 WAR. He fell seven triples short of Raymond Boisvert’s all-time mark of 285 and still sits second as of 2037. As of 2037, Wade is also fifth in steals, 13^th in hits, 36^th in runs scored, and 51^st in WAR among position players. At third base specifically, Wade is the leader in hits and is fifth in WAR. Most would agree that he was the best third baseman of his era, making Wade an easy first ballot pick at 96.9%.



Mike “Skid Row” Bastiani – Catcher – Las Vegas Vipers – 80.1% First Ballot

Mike Bastiani was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting catcher from Scottsdale, Arizona; a city of around 240,000 people within the Phoenix metropolitan area. Bastiani was one of the finest offensive catchers of all-time and was a well-rounded hitter with solid contact, eye, and power skills. He was good for around 25 doubles and 20-25 home runs most seasons while keeping a fairly low strikeout rate. Bastiani was cartoonishly slow though and was a laughably bad baserunner.

Bastiani was one of the game’s longest tenured catchers ever, playing a long time at a very physically demanding position. His 2322 starts at the position remains a MLB record as of 2037. Bastiani graded out as a good to sometimes great defender behind the plate. He ended being a very popular figure, but his outspoken personality did make him controversial at times.

Bastiani attended Kansas State, where he played 134 games with 118 starts, 130 hits, 81 runs, 20 doubles, 36 home runs, 86 RBI, a .281/.384/.563 slash, 164 wRC+, and 6.0 WAR. A catcher who could hit that well and still play good defense was a rarity, making Bastiani a hot commodity. In the 1973 MLB Draft, he was picked 14^th overall by Las Vegas. Bastiani was a part-time starter with respectable results in his rookie year, earning the full-time gig the next season. His sophomore campaign had a .342 average and 7.1 WAR, earning his first Silver Slugger.

Las Vegas put together a dynasty run and Bastiani played a significant role.. The Vipers made the playoffs six times from 1976-82, winning the American Association pennant in 1976, 1978, and 1979. LV won it all in 1976 and 1979. In 64 playoff starts, Bastiani had 74 hits, 44 runs, 10 doubles, 15 home runs, 39 RBI, a .308/.385/.546 slash, 151 wRC+, and 3.0 WAR. He was clutch in the playoffs, winning 1978 AACS MVP.

Bastiani won additional Silver Sluggers in 1976 and 1979 and was second in 1977 MVP voting. He earned a batting title in 1979 at .360 and a career best 7.4 WAR. The next year saw a fractured finger cost him the first three months of the season. Las Vegas had their best win total of the run at 110-52, but lost the AACS to Atlanta. The run was winding down for the Vipers. They would earn a wild card in 1982, but start a decade-long rebuild after that.

For his Las Vegas career (including a later one-off), Bastiani had 1237 hits, 620 runs, 206 doubles, 189 home runs, 677 RBI, a .305/.374/.502 slash, 135 wRC+, and 43.8 WAR. He’d remain a popular figure in Sin City years later for his role in their dynasty run with his #21 uniform getting taken out of circulation. Bastiani was due for free agency after the 1982 season and made it known he wanted to test the waters. Wanting to get value, the Vipers traded him near the deadline to St. Louis for RP Lanny Carter and SS Cosmin Gheorghe.

The Cardinals earned a wild card and went on an impressive playoff run, winning the 1982 World Series. Bastiani in 16 playoff starts had 19 hits, 11 runs, 4 doubles, 2 home runs, 8 RBI, and a .328/.381/.500 slash. Although his time was brief, St. Louis fans remember him fondly for helping them get that ring. Now a free agent at age 30, Bastiani signed a four-year, $4,280,000 deal with Houston.

Bastiani won his lone Gold Glove in 1983 with the Hornets and earned Silver Sluggers in 1984 and 1985. Houston made the playoffs thrice in his run, but they never got beyond the second round and Bastiani’s stats were forgettable. In four seasons though with the Hornets, he had 541 hits, 268 runs, 91 home runs, 312 RBI, a .286/.355/.490 slash, 125 wRC+, and 19.8 WAR. Bastiani would struggle in his last year in Houston with a .224 average, making some wonder if his career was coming to an end.

The 34-year old landed a four-year, $6,020,000 deal with San Diego. He looked respectable in his Seals debut, then posted an excellent 1988 season with 6.7 WAR and a .338 average, winning his fifth and final Silver Slugger. Bastiani had a decent 1989, but was relegated to a part-time role in 1990. San Diego was firmly middling during this run with Bastiani posting 15.3 WAR, 476 hits, 229 runs, 76 home runs, 252 RBI, and a .285/.353/.464 slash.

Now age 38, Las Vegas brought him back as a fan favorite in a part-time role for 1991. Bastiani still felt he could be a full-time starter, and got that opportunity with Cincinnati in 1992. He posted 3.6 WAR at age 39, which inspired Ottawa to give him a three-year, $7,000,000 deal starting in 1993. Bastiani was still a very sturdy starter for two years with the Elks, although knee tendinitis cost him more than two months in 1994.

Bastiani failed to meet vesting criteria, becoming a free agent in 1995. Virginia Beach signed him to a three-year, $9,360,000 deal; an impressive haul for someone of his vintage. Bastiani only played 48 games with 27 starts, looking firmly below average. He retired that winter at age 42, one of a very small group of catchers historically to play that long and still at a high level.

Bastiani’s final stats: 2666 hits, 1299 runs, 459 doubles, 406 home runs, 1423 RBI, a .291/.358/.482 slash, 128 wRC+, and 91.4 WAR. As of 2037, he’s the all-time leader among catchers in hits, runs, at-bats, total bases, and RBI. Bastiani is also still fifth in WAR and second in home runs among catchers. Hall of Fame voters often disregard catchers for the lower accumulations that naturally come with the position, but Bastiani’s resume was pretty impeccable. His playoff heroics and role in three World Series titles went a long way as well. He earned the first ballot nod at 80.1% to round out the 2001 Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 CABA Hall of Fame

Pitcher Samuel Fernandez was the lone addition into the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 2001, grabbing the first ballot nod at 96.5%. 3B Pedro Pizarro narrowly missed the 66% cut with 63.5% on his sixth attempt. The one other guy above 50% was pitcher Gabe de Kroon at 52.8% on his third ballot.



Dropped after ten failed attempts was 3B Hugo Vegas, who was one of a short list of guys to win an MVP in both CABA and MLB. He was hurt by the split career with seven years in Panama and one in Honduras, along with a decade in MLB. In CABA, Vegas had 1086 hits, 658 runs, 136 doubles, 353 home runs, 781 RBI, a .260/.318/.554 slash, 140 wRC+, and 41.5 WAR. It was an excellent stretch, but nowhere near the accumulations neded. He did have 71.4 WAR, 2305 hits, 1447 runs, 725 home runs, and 1624 for his combined career, which very likely gets you in if in one league. Vegas debuted at 33.6% and ended at a high of 47.5%.

Reliever Reynaldo Alvarado also fell off the ballot after ten years, also being hurt by a split CABA/MLB career. He had eight seasons with Guatemala, winning four Reliever of the Year awards and leading in saves thrice. Alvarado had 239 saves, 2.01 ERA, 586 innings, 908 strikeouts, 180 ERA+, 43 FIP-, and 28.5 WAR. His MLB run was merely decent. Alvarado also lacked the accumulations, but was good enough in a short burst to get as high as 52.8% on his ninth ballot. He plummeted to 12.4% for his final try. As of 2037, he is only one of eight in CABA with four or more Reliever of the Year awards, earning Alvarado a special mention.



Samuel Fernandez – Starting Pitcher – Leon Lions – 96.5% First Ballot

Samuel Fernandez was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Oaxaca, Mexico City, a city with around 715,000 in the country’s south. Fernandez had remarkable stuff that broke the scale, in his prime he was an 11/10. He had a great 99-101 mph fastball with a phenomenal forkball, good curveball, and rarely used changeup. Fernandez’s movement was solid, although his control was average at best. His stamina was merely okay and he was plagued with injuries at various points, limiting his potential. Fernandez was a very good fielder that was decent at holding runners. He was considered a strong leader that was willing to speak his mind, although his outspoken nature did rub some the wrong way.

Fernandez’s stuff was undeniable in his amateur career with many observers viewing him as a generational talent. Leon had the #1 overall pick in the 1982 CABA Draft and used it on Fernandez, who spent his entire pro career as a Lion. He was a full-time starter immediately and took second in 1983’s Rookie of the Year voting. Fernandez had some inconsistency early on, but looked like a true ace by his third season.

1986 saw an impressive no-hitter on April 6 with 17 strikeouts and two walks against Guadalajara. Shoulder issues would cost him nearly three months, but he’d be back in time for the postseason. Leon ended a six-year playoff drought and won the Mexican League title, falling to Costa Rica for the CABA crown. Fernandez would post a 2.83 ERA over 28.2 playoff innings with a blistering 51 strikeouts.

He was at full strength in 1987 with arguably his finest season, leading in wins (20-7), strikeouts (405), and quality starts (29) with a career-best 10.8 WAR and 1.83 ERA. It was only the eighth time in CABA history that a pitcher fanned 400+. Fernandez would take second in Pitcher of the Year voting despite that, overshadowed by Junior Vergara’s 11.2 WAR at age 33 in a comeback from a major injury. The next spring, Fernandez earned a seven-year, $8,540,000 extension with Leon.

He had a very good 1988, but lost two months of 1989 to elbow tendinitis. Fernandez stayed healthy from 1990-92 and led twice in strikeouts and WHIP, while also leading in WAR and wins in 1991. Fernandez was second again in 1991 in Pitcher of the Year voting, never winning the top honor. Leon got back to the playoffs in 1991 after being mediocre in the prior four years, falling to the Monterrey dynasty in the MLCS.

That was the last hurrah for Fernandez, who suffered a partially torn labrum in late April 1993. It required surgery, costing him eight months. In 1994, a herniated disc kept him out most of the year, although he still looked good when he did pitch. Fernandez partially tore his labrum again in early 1995 and looked lousy in his limited innings that year. He didn’t want it to end like that, but Fernandez realized his goose was cooked and retired that winter at age 35. Leon immediately announced that his #14 uniform would be retired.

Fernandez’s final stats: 156-93 record, 2.39 ERA, 2307.1 innings, 3377 strikeouts, 472 walks, 232/298 quality starts, 138 ERA+, 61 FIP-, and 75.4 WAR. Very few starters in the CABA Hall of Fame have a sub 2.40 career ERA and his strikeout rate is impressive. At his peak, Fernandez was electric, but he was overshadowed by Junior Vergara’s generational dominance and being on some forgettable Leon teams. Still, Fernandez’s peak was so impressive that the voters didn’t mind the lower accumulations. He was the lone 2001 inductee with an impressive 96.5%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 EAB Hall of Fame

Two players got slam dunk inductions into the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. 1B Jun-Seong Noi had 98.3% and 3B Ju-Kan Yoo received 95.1%, easily picking up the first ballot honor. SS U-Seong San came very close on his second try, but missed the 66% requirement at 64.7%. LF Seong-Jae Kang and LF Jay-Hoon Cho both also had nice showings on their sixth ballots, but missed at 62.2% and 60.5%, respectively.



Two fell off after ten ballots. 1B Yuma Watanabe had a 14-year career mostly with Chiba, winning three Silver Sluggers and posting 1937 hits, 1151 runs, 384 doubles, 558 home runs, 1351 RBI, a .278/.341/.585 slash, 163 wRC+, and 61.4 WAR. Watanabe was hurt by being on some weak Comets teams and being at a position with more impressive sluggers. He still got as high as 51.6% on his second ballot, but was down to 26.2% by his last attempt.

Pitcher Hisataka Otsuka also fell off the ballot. He had a 14-year career with four teams and won 1979 Pitcher of the Year, winning two EAB titles with Kyoto and one with Sapporo. Otsuka had a 191-139 record, 3.06 ERA, 3021.1 innings, 2468 strikeouts, 116 ERA+, and 52.4 WAR. He had a lot of playoff opportunities as well with a 14-8 record, 3.25 ERA, 185.1 innings, 133 strikeouts, and 110 ERA+. Otsuka wasn’t overly dominant outside his POTY season, leading some voters to view him as a Hall of Pretty Good type. He made it to an even 50% on his second ballot as a peak, but was down to 19.9% by the end.



Jun-Seong “Sonny” Noi – First Base – Changwon Crabs – 98.3% First Ballot

Jun-Seong Noi was a 6’3’’, 195 pound right-handed first baseman from Incheon, South Korea. Noi was a very good contact hitter that was great at putting the ball in play, although he rarely drew walks. He had incredible speed with outstanding baserunning and base stealing ability. Noi still had a strong pop in his bat and wasn’t a singles slap hitter. His 162 game average saw 29 doubles, 14 triples, and 18 home runs per year.

That was an unusual profile for a guy that played exclusively at first base in his career. Noi was a reliably good gloveman as well. He’d become renowned as his era’s Iron Man, starting 148+ games in all but his first two seasons. Noi was always available and had a tremendous work ethic, making him one of Korea’s most beloved baseball figures in a career that spanned three decades.

Noi attended Woosung High School and his unique talents were evident even as a teenager. Changwon picked him fourth overall in the 1972 EAB Draft out of high school. The Crabs kept him in developmental in 1973, but used Noi as a part-time starter in 1974 at age 20. He struggled and clearly wasn’t ready yet, spending 1975 back on the reserve roster. He looked decent in 1976 with 62 starts, which earned him a starting job for the next 19 years after.

Noi finally reached his potential in 1978, his first of four straight seasons leading the Korea League in hits. He had the best batting average in 1980 and thrice led in stolen bases. Noi won Silver Sluggers in 1979 and 1980. In 1980, he earned Korea League MVP, helping the Crabs end a 15-year playoff drought. They fell in the first round, but Changwon extended their fan favorite with an eight-year, $5,220,000 deal.

Noi was popular throughout South Korea as well, although he only sporadically played in the World Baseball Championship for the national team. In six WBCs, he only had 37 games and 21 starts with forgettable results. Noi got noticed even though Changwon was outside of the playoff mix in the next few years. They usually were above .500 in the early 1980s, but not quite good enough to make the cut. Noi remained a good starter, but wasn’t an award winner for the next few years.

Noi would opt out of his Changwon contract after the 1985 season, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 32. It disappointed some Crabs fans, but he remained extremely popular and would see his #13 uniform later retired. In a decade with Changwon, Noi had 1953 hits, 878 runs, 272 doubles, 145 triples, 173 home runs, 840 RBI, 883 stolen bases, a .326/.348/.506 slash, 134 wRC+, and 47.7 WAR. He would end up signing a five-year, $4,300,000 deal to join Busan.

The Blue Jays didn’t break through in Noi’s run and he only spent two years there, again eventually opting out of his deal. He was plenty good in his two seasons with 12.2 WAR, 407 hits, 180 runs, and a .331/.360/.515 slash. While in Busan, he crossed 1000 career stolen bases. Now 34 years old, he signed a five-year, $5,300,000 deal with Ulsan.

The Swallows had won the Korea League pennant the prior year and Noi hoped this would get him closer to a championship. Alas, Ulsan fell to 82-80 in 1988 and bottomed out at 60-102 in 1990. Noi was his usual reliable self in the first two years, but struggled to a 95 wRC+ in 1990. With Ulsan, he had 567 hits, 245 runs, a .310/.326/.478 slash, and 11.9 WAR. Looking to rebuild completely, the Swallows traded Noi to Gwangju before the 1991 season for two prospects.

Noi had a remarkable career resurgence in 1991, winning his second Korea League MVP 11 years after his first one. He also had his third Silver Slugger, leading the KL in hits, stolen bases, and batting average with 8.2 WAR. The Grays won 101 games, but were upset in the first round of the playoffs. The next year, Gwangju got to the KLCS, but lost to Suwon. This was the closest Noi would get to a pennant in his career.

Notably in that 1992 season, he became EAB’s all-time stolen base king, passing Taek-Hyun Kim’s mark of 1347 that had been finalized in 1989. In only two seasons with Gwangju, Noi had 14.1 WAR with 402 hits, 195 runs, a .343/.362/.538 slash, and 151 wRC+. That showed he could still play at a high level even as he approached age 39. The iron man would earn a nice payday with a two-year, $4,480,000 MLB deal with Virginia Beach.

Noi was a respectable starter in his two years with the Vikings, posting 4.3 WAR and a 110 wRC+. The highlight came in 1994, hitting for the cycle against Washington. He came back to South Korea for 1995 on a one year deal with Seoul. Noi had a nice season and reached numerous milestones; 1500 stolen bases, 3500 hits, 1500 runs scored, and 1500 RBI. He hoped to play in 1996, but went unsigned and retired that winter at age 42.

Noi’s final stats in EAB saw 3519 hits, 1576 runs, 481 doubles, 251 triples, 318 home runs, 1554 RBI, 1557 stolen bases, a .325/.347/.504 slash, 134 wRC+, and 89.7 WAR. He remains EAB’s stolen base king as of 2037 and still sits fourth in hits. At induction, his combined 1656 stolen bases from EAB/MLB was the second most of any player in pro baseball history behind only Ishmael Perla, the 1973 Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Famer with 1721 steals between BSA and MLB. Few players in EAB history were more exciting to watch on the basepaths, earning Noi the easy first ballot induction at 98.3%.



Ju-Kan Yoo – Third Base – Hamhung Heat – 95.1% First Ballot

Ju-Kan Yoo was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Singpyong, North Korea; a county of around 63,000 people in the country’s North Hwanghae Province. Yoo was known as a strong home run hitter with respectable contact ability. His strikeout rate and ability to draw walks were both above average as well. Yoo averaged 35 home runs per 162 games with around 21 doubles and 9 triples. Despite his bigger frame, he had solid speed, although he was around 50/50 on steal attempts.

Yoo exclusively played at third base and as of 2037, is the EAB all-time leader at the position in games, starts, assists, putouts, total chances, and innings. He had a rocket arm, but weak range, grading out as below average for his career. Yoo was an iron man with outstanding durability, playing 144+ games every year from 1977-94.

Yoo attended Kamimura Gakuen High School and got noticed even as a teenager. In the 1969 EAB Draft, he was picked in the second round by Hamhung with the 43^rd overall pick. He officially debuted in 1973 at age 21, but he had only 16 at bats in pinch hit appearances between 1973 and 1974. After going back to the reserve roster in 1975, he spent half of 1976 active with 28 starts. Yoo earned the full-time gig in 1977 and was the fixture at third for the Heat for the next 17 years.

1978 was his finest year and only year as a league leader, topping Korean baseball in runs (105), RBI (122), and batting average (.336). Yoo won his first of seven Silver Sluggers and finished second in MVP voting. He won additional sluggers in 1979, 80, 81, 84, 88, and 89. Yoo was the definition of reliable. He also played for North Korea in the World Baseball Championship from 1978-95 with 138 games, 106 hits, 69 runs, 40 home runs, 75 RBI, a .235/.307/.534 slash, and 3.3 WAR.

Hamhung was stuck in the middle tier in the early 1980s, but Yoo was still a popular attraction. In April 1979, he signed a four-year, $2,102,000 contract extension, Yoo became a free agent after the 1983 season, but re-signed with the Heat on a five-year, $3,350,000 deal. At this point, Hamhung finally found some sustained success. From 1986-90, the Heat won four North Division titles. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs each time. Yoo was unremarkable in 23 playoff games with a 98 wRC+ and 0.1 WAR.

Hamhung regressed hard after their last division win in 1990, spending the rest of the century in the bottom of the standings. Yoo inked a three-year, $3,000,000 extension after the 1988 campaign, followed by another three years at $3,840,000 before the 1991 season. His numbers stayed remarkably steady through his 30s, finally seeing a notably dip in 1993. That would be his final year with the Heat.

In total with Hamhung, Yoo had 2808 hits, 1535 runs, 360 doubles, 589 home runs, 1774 RBI, a .283/.329/.528 slash, 136 wRC+, and 83.9 WAR. The Heat would later retire his #13 uniform. They were in full fire sale mode after the 1993 campaign, trading Yoo to Suwon for three prospects. Despite coming off his worst year, the Snappers still extended Yoo two weeks later to a three-year, $4,980,000 extension.

Yoo had an impressive bounce back year in 1994, turning back the clock and tying his career best with 39 home runs at age 42. The Snappers won 100 games and the division, but fell in the first round of the playoffs. Yoo would struggle the next year and get relegated to a bench role. He would reach notable milestones with Suwon, becoming the 24^th to 600 home runs and the 16^th to 3000 hits. Yoo retired after the 1995 season at age 44, having posted 6.4 WAR and 53 home runs with the Snappers.

For his full career, Yoo had 3009 hits, 1656 runs, 383 doubles, 160 triples, 642 home runs, 1889 RBI, 603 stolen bases, a .282/.329/.529 slash, 137 wRC+, and 90.3 WAR. As of 2037, he’s the all-time leader among EAB third basemen in total bases and RBI. At induction, he was sixth in EAB in RBI and still sits 10^th as of 2037. Yoo’s remarkable longevity and consistency gave him totals you couldn’t deny, earning the first ballot pick at 95.1%

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 BSA Hall of Fame

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Beisbol Sudamerica saw three first ballot inductees for the 2001 Hall of Fame class. IF Dyjan Rondo was nearly unanimous at 99.4%, joined by pitcher Arnau Emilio at 94.3% and LF Rafael Gasso at 81.6%. Two others were very close to the 66% threshold with 1B Bastian Martin at 62.7% for his second ballot and CL Andreo Ferrari at 62.0% for his debut. RF Yago Prata also notably had 56.3% in his second ballot. No players were dropped following ten tries in 2001.



Dyjan Rondo – Third Base/Infield – Fortaleza Foxes – 99.4% First Ballot

Dyjan Rondo was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed infielder from Sao Jose dos Pinhais, a municipality of around 330,000 people in southern Brazil. Rondo was a great contact hitter with a great pop in his bat. He regularly got you around 35-45 home runs and around 25-35 doubles per season. Rondo was talented at drawing walks, but he did still have a below average strikeout rate.

On the basepaths, he was sluggish and lackluster. Despite his poor speed, he proved to be a versatile defensive infielder. Rondo primarily played at third base and was very talented, winning six Gold Gloves. He had starts at all of the infield spots in his career with average results at first and second and subpar results at shortstop. Rondo was incredibly durable and played 130+ games in each year of his 16 year professional career. His skillset helped make him one of Brazil’s most beloved baseball figures on his era.

Rondo showed great potential in his amateur career, earning the seventh overall pick by Fortaleza in the 1983 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. His entire 12-year BSA career was as a Fox, earning a full-time starting gig as a rookie. Rondo was the 1984 Rookie of the Year and had his first Silver Slugger in 1985. He won nine Sluggers in total (1985-90, 92-95) and six Gold Gloves (1989-94).

In 1987, Rondo was second in MVP voting as he dominated the Southern Cone leaderboards, posting the top mark in runs, doubles, walks, total bases, OBP, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. He would be the WARlord thrice in his career and also lead in RBI thrice, runs twice, walks thrice, total bases twice, and OBP twice. Rondo was second again in MVP voting in 1990, 1994, and 1995.

Rondo’s national popularity came from the World Baseball Championship, playing for Brazil from 1989-98. He helped them to world titles in 1989 and 1990, taking third in WBC MVP voting. Over 147 games, he had 124 hits, 101 runs, 15 doubles, 56 home runs, 117 RBI, a .244/.345/.603 slash, 171 wRC+, and 7.2 WAR.

He helped Fortaleza to playoff berths in 1987 and 1989, although his playoff numbers were poor. The Foxes fell in the LCS in 1987 and the first round in 1989. Fortaleza hoped Rondo could take them to the promised land, signing him to an eight-year, $8,930,000 extension after the 1987 season. Rondo continued to play great into the early 1990s, although the Foxes found themselves stuck just outside of the postseason. Rondo would post a remarkable 57-game on-base streak from 8/30/90 to 5/3/91.

Fortaleza fell to 73-89 in 1993, but bounced back with a wild card appearance in 1994. Rondo’s playoff stats weren’t great, but the Foxes made a run to the Southern Cone championship, falling to Quito in Copa Sudamerica. They just missed the playoffs in 1995, but Rondo exploded with career bests in runs (116), home runs (52), RBI (133), total bases (375), and WAR (10.6). That earned him his lone MVP award at age 34. It also happened to be the final year of his deal with Fortaleza.

Rondo decided to leave for free agency and ultimately left Brazil. He would remain beloved by Foxes fans and his #39 uniform would later be retired. As a reigning MVP, Rondo had plenty of suitors worldwide. He ended up going to MLB on a three-year, $9,960,000 deal with the Charlotte Canaries. Rondo had a great debut season with 36 home runs, 6.5 WAR, and an all-star game appearance.

1997 was still a good year as a starter for Rondo, but his third year was the weakest of his career with 1.5 WAR and 103 wRC+. In total with the Canaries, he had 474 hits, 253 runs, 93 home runs, 253 RBI, a .277/.329//.487 slash, and 11.6 WAR. His defensive range had also significantly slipped at this point, lowering his stock as a 38-year old free agent. Rondo ended up in Morocco of all places, signing with the Arab League’s Casablanca. He spent one season as a slightly above average designated hitter. Rondo still wanted to play, but was unsigned in 2000 and retired that winter at age 40.

For his BSA career, Rondo had 2138 hits, 1105 runs, 361 doubles, 446 home runs, 1292 RBI, a .319/.386/.586 slash, 174 wRC+, and 105.0 WAR. As of 2037, he has the best OBP among all BSA third basemen. At induction, he was 16^th among BSA position players in career WAR and still ranks 28^th as of 2037. Rondo was one of the finest bats of his era and a surefire Hall of Fame pick, taking 99.4% to leadoff the three-player 2001 ballot.



Arnau Emilio – Starting Pitcher – Santiago Saints – 94.3% First Ballot

Aranu Emilio was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Chile, Santiago. Emilio had great stuff with above average to good movement and control. His best pitch was a 97-99 mph cutter, but he also had an excellent changeup and a good curveball. Emilio’s stamina was okay, but he threw fewer complete games than most other great BSA starters. He had great durability though, allowing for 220+ innings each year sans his rookie season. Emilio was also a stellar defensive pitcher, winning seven Gold Gloves in his career.

Emilio was a successful amateur in Chile and was picked by his hometown Santiago 12^th overall in the 1979 BSA Draft. His entire BSA career was with the Saints, becoming well known throughout the capital. Emilio remained on the reserve roster in 1980, then debuted primarily as a reliever in 1981. He was moved to the rotation full time in 1982 and stayed there for 14 years with Santiago.

Emilio’s great defense got noticed early on, winning his first of seven Gold Gloves in 1983. He won it again in 1984, 85, 86, 94, 95, and 97. While not typically a league leader, his pitching quickly earned notice too. Emilio was third in 1984 Pitcher of the Year voting. That winter, Santiago extended him for five years at $2,738,000 total. Emilio also tossed 206.2 innings for Chile in the World Baseball Championship from 1982-96. He had a 2.70 ERA, 267 strikeouts, 74 walks, 137 ERA+, and 5.2 WAR.

In his late 20s, Emilio was consistently good, but not in the awards conversations. Still, in August 1989, the Saints gave Emilio a six-year, $6,960,000 extension. After a down period, Santiago finally started contending again in 1990. From 1990-95, they won five division titles, although they didn’t do anything in the postseason. 1993 saw an LCS defeat, while the other years were first round exits for Santiago. Emilio in the playoffs was unremarkable with a 3.93 ERA in eight starts, 52.2 innings, 55 strikeouts, and a 83 ERA+.

However, Emilio had his best seasons during this stretch with four seasons worth 7+ WAR. He led in wins in 1990 and 1991, had the best WHIP and most quality starts in 1991, and was the WARlord in 1992. Emilio picked up Pitcher of the Year honors in 1991 and 1992, cementing his legacy as an all-time great. He was a rare case of someone seeing their best years come in their mid 30s.

Emilio’s Santiago run ended with the 1995 season and to the surprise of many, he left South America. The Saints would retire his #26 uniform two years later. Emilio ended up leaving for Australia, signing a two-year, $3,080,000 deal with Melbourne. He was merely average in one season with the Mets, who traded him in the offseason to Samoa. Emilio was still respectable with the Sun Sox, but saw his season ended with a torn meniscus. He opted to retire with that at age 40. His two-year OBA stint saw a 3.30 ERA over 548.2 innings, 102 ERA+, and 8.6 WAR.

In his Santiago and BSA run, Emilio had a 242-139 record, 2.72 ERA, 3602 innings, 4076 strikeouts, 638 walks, 325/446 quality starts, 92 complete games, 124 ERA+, 77 FIP-, and 86.6 WAR. Emilio put together a very solid resume with his hometown team, earning his spot in the 2001 Hall of Fame class on the first ballot at 94.3%.



Rafael Gasso – Left Field – Brasilia Bearcats – 81.6% First Ballot

Rafael Gasso was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed left fielder from Dois Corregos, a small city of around 27,000 people in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state. Gasso was a strong slugger that had 11 seasons with 40+ home runs. He was an above average contact hitter with an okay strikeout rate, although he didn’t draw nearly as many walks as you’d expect from a power guy, Gasso’s gap power was merely decent with around 20-25 doubles/triples per year.

Despite that profile and frame, Gasso was a crafty baserunner with better speed than you’d think. He was a career left fielder known for having a very strong arm. Gasso graded out as a consistently good defender. He was quite durable and reliable, making 135+ starts in 16 straight seasons. Gasso kept his head down and worked hard, making him very popular throughout his career.

Gasso was picked in his late teens by Brasilia with the 19^th pick in the 1976 BSA Draft. The Bearcats kept him on the reserve roster for almost all of his first three years, apart from eight games in 1979. Gasso’s proper debut came in 1980 and it was an excellent one with 40 home runs and 6.6 WAR. He was Rookie of the Month thrice and ran away with Rookie of the Year honors. Gasso became a fixture for Brasilia for the next decade and change.

His second full year saw him lead the Southern Cone League with 50 home runs. Gasso also had a career high 116 RBI and 8.0 WAR, taking third in MVP voting. He had a career best 51 homers in 1982 and 375 total bases, earning his first Silver Slugger and a second in MVP voting. Gasso didn’t lead the league in stats the rest of his run, but you could expect very reliably solid power. He won additional Silver Sluggers in 1986, 87, and 90.

Gasso was also a key slugger during Brazil’s success in the World Baseball Championship in the 1980s. He played 179 games with 177 starts from 1981-93, posting 149 hits, 100 runs, 49 home runs, 109 RBI, a .234/.299/.505 slash, 129 wRC+, and 5.0 WAR. Gasso won world titles with the 1987 and 1989 Brazilian squads and was third in 1988’s WBC MVP voting.

Brasilia committed long-term to Gasso on an eight-year, $5,463,000 extension starting in 1985. Despite his efforts, the Bearcats never made the playoffs in his tenure, averaging 78 wins per season. The fans loved him and his #3 uniform eventually would be retired. Gasso’s power numbers did start to drop a bit as he entered his early 30s, but he still provided solid value throughout his whole run. He signed another four-year extension after the 1991 season worth $5,400,000.

For his Brasilia run, Gasso had 2144 hits, 1123 runs, 249 doubles, 513 home runs, 1163 RBI, 413 stolen bases, a .289/.318/.552 slash, 158 wRC+, and 74.8 WAR. After winning 90 games in 1991 and showing playoff potential, the Bearcats dropped to 73 wins in 1992. They were sellers and moved Gasso in late June to Rosario for four prospects.

The Robins were making a late push and Gasso’s addition paid off. They were a 90-72 wild card, but went on a postseason run and won Copa Sudamerica for the first time in franchise history, beating Ciudad Guayana for the title. Gasso stepped up in his only postseason, winning MVP in their LCS win over Belo Horizonte. In 14 playoff starts, Gasso had 18 hits, 11 runs, 4 doubles, 5 home runs, 11 RBI, and 0.9 WAR; forever earning a warm place in the hearts of Rosario fans.

The Robins regressed to the bottom of the standings the next three seasons. Gasso still provided positive value, posting 449 hits, 254 run, 129 home runs, 301 RBI, a 126 wRC+, and 11.8 WAR during his tenure. His deal ran out after the 1995 season and he decided to call it quits at age 38.

Gasso finished with 2593 hits, 1377 runs, 304 doubles, 642 home runs, 1464 RBI, 530 stolen bases, a .279/.308/.540 slash, 151 wRC+, and 86.5 WAR. He was the ninth player in Beisbol Sudamerica history to join the 600 home run club and was seventh all-time at induction. He’s still 19^th as of 2037 even with the 21^st Century explosion in offense. The man socked dingers and helped Rosario win a title. Gasso wasn’t THE star of the era, but he was strong enough to get a first ballot induction at 81.6% to round out the impressive 2001 Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 EBF Hall of Fame

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Three players were added into the European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame in 2001. Two were no-doubt slam dunk first ballot guys with SP/LF Edgar Miranda at 99.6% and LF Jack Kennedy at 98.5%. They were joined by SP Johannes Soderberg, who narrowly crossed the 66% requirement. In his fourth ballot, Soderberg got the jump to 69.7%. 2B JF Bourelly had a nice debut, but fell short at 59.2%. Also above 50% was SP Cornelius Danner at 50.9% on his eighth try. No players were dropped from the ballot after ten tries.



Edgar “Slap” Miranda – Starting Pitcher/Left Field – Seville Stingrays – 99.6% First Ballot

Edgar Miranda was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher and outfielder from Leganes, Spain; a city of around 185,000 inhabitants within metropolitan Madrid. Miranda was well rounded on the mound with very good stuff, movement, and control. His fastball regularly hit 97-99 mph and he countered it with an all-time epic 10/10 changeup. Miranda also had a strong curveball he could go to, but the one-two punch earned plenty of whiffs. He had great stamina and durability, tossing 270+ innings each season except his first and last.

Miranda’s pitching alone was elite, but his two-way ability made him a true legend. He was a great batter with a .301 career average and 38 home runs per 162 games. Miranda had a solid eye, respectable strikeout rate, and good gap power, especially against lefties. He was a smart baserunner, but was pretty slow. Still, Miranda managed to have respectable range in left field, where he started when not pitching. He graded out as above average defensively in left and below average as a pitcher, as his ability to hold runners was iffy.

There had been a few two-way guys in EBF’s early years, but none that could call themselves elite at both spots. Miranda emerged in the Spanish amateur ranks as someone who had the tools to be special. Seville had the #1 overall pick in 1981 and used it on Miranda, who would spend nearly his entire pro career with the Stingrays. He was a full-time two-way starter immediately and his durability would be legendary. Every year with Seville had 30+ starts on the mound and 110+ starts at the plate.

Miranda took second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1982. He was easily the top hitter among regular pitchers, winning his first of nine consecutive Silver Sluggers in his rookie campaign. He would post 11 straight seasons worth 4+ WAR offensively despite losing some games due to the nature of the split. He had eight seasons with 30+ home runs.

That didn’t slow the workload down, leading in innings pitched in his second and third seasons. In his fourth season, he topped the Southern Conference in strikeouts with a career-best. Seville snapped a seven-year playoff drought, although they lost in the first round. The Stingrays would sign him after this campaign to a six-year, $6,050,000 contract extension.

Miranda also was a rarely-seen two-way player in the World Baseball Championship for Spain from 1982-95. As a pitcher, he had 213.2 innings with a 12-10 record, 3.33 ERA, 285 strikeouts, 110 ERA+, and 5.5 WAR. Miranda had 58 games at the plate with 53 hits, 35 runs, 12 doubles, 16 home runs, 39 RBI, a .265/.336/.585 slash, 160 wRC+, and 2.5 WAR.

1986 was his best year by WAR at 9.7 on the mound, plus 5.8 at the plate. He led in quality starts and complete games, but took third in Pitcher of the Year voting and second in MVP voting. The next year, he led in wins at 24-5, which Miranda grab his first MVP. He continued his two-way excellence, but Seville couldn’t get over the hump, missing the playoffs from 1986-91. Still, Miranda received a four-year, $6,320,000 contract extension in March 1991.

In 1992, Miranda was the leader in innings, strikeouts, and WAR, while posting a career best 2.35 ERA. He also had 35 home runs and 4.9 WAR at the plate. This got him his second MVP and his lone Pitcher of the Year at age 33. Seville made it back to the playoffs and Miranda had a 2.65 ERA in two starts, but they again were one-and-done. This would be his last time playing in the postseason.

Miranda had two more solid seasons, but the Stingrays retreated back to the middle of the standings. He decided to decline the contract option remaining, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 36. He would remain popular with Seville and see his #36 uniform eventually retired. Miranda surprised many by signing with Belgrade, who had been a bottom-rung team in recent memory. He inked a three-year, $7,680,000 deal with the Bruisers.

He only lasted one season with Belgrade. Miranda looked surprisingly pedestrian on the mound with the Bruisers, although his batting numbers remained quite good. However, on July 27, 1995, Miranda suffered a torn labrum. This ended his season and also his career, as he decided to retire that winter at age 37.

As a pitcher, Miranda finished with a 246-160 record, 3.21 ERA, 3822.2 innings, 3936 strikeouts, 663 walks, 309/480 quality starts, 178 complete games, 118 ERA+, 81 FIP-, and 89.5 WAR. At induction, he was ninth all-tie in wins, ninth in strikeouts, and 12^th in pitching WAR. He’s still top 20 in each as of 2037, boasting a pitching resume that on its own would get Miranda a Hall of Fame spot.

Offensively, he had 1834 hits, 1021 runs, 280 doubles, 416 home runs, 1069 RBI, a .301/.365/.563 slash, 158 wRC+, and 68.1 WAR. If Miranda had just his batting numbers, you could still credibly argue in favor of induction. His combined WAR of 157.6 placed him at induction only behind Jacob Ronnberg (169.2) and Christophoros Zarkadis (164.0).

At this point, only EPB legend Igor Bury had him beat in combined WAR for a two-way guy (180.0 total, although he was more skewed with 138.9 on the mound. As of 2037, he has the third most WAR of any two-way player and the second most offensive WAR. When discussing two-way guys, Miranda is a top-five level guy in world baseball history. His lack of playoff success was probably the one thing keeping him from being a unanimous Hall of Famer, getting 99.6%.



Jack “Fingers” Kennedy – Left Field – Zurich Mountaineers – 98.5% First Ballot

Jack Kennedy was a 6’0’’, 195 pound left-handed left fielder from Newbridge, Ireland; a town of 24,000 people located about an hour southwest of Dublin. Kennedy was a prolific home run hitter that also hit effectively for average. He had seven seasons with 50+ home runs and 12 with 40+. Kennedy was good at drawing walks, but did have a poor strikeout rate. He wasn’t just about dingers, averaging around 25-35 doubles/triples per season.

Kennedy was a very savvy and crafty baserunner despite having subpar speed. He was a career left fielder and was firmly mediocre with his glove. Kennedy had good durability though and socked dingers at a remarkable clip, making him extremely popular. His notoriety among the general public almost approached that of another famous Jack Kennedy.

Kennedy’s power potential caught the eye of a scout from Zurich in attendance at a prospects camp in Dublin. As a 16-year old, he signed a developmental deal with the Mountaineers in late 1970. It would be one of all-time great finds, as Kennedy played a huge role in Zurich’s historic division title streak. He became one of a select few to debut at age 19 with 39 games and 5 starts in 1974. That would be the second year of the record 21-season streak.

Kennedy was a full-time starter in 1975 and immediately succeeded with 6.6 WAR and a career and conference best 38 doubles. This earned him his first of three straight Silver Sluggers. In 1976, he took third in Southern Conference MVP voting with a 10.3 WAR, 54 home run season. Kennedy had 9.1 WAR in only 130 games in 1977 and led in slugging at .682. That earned him second in MVP voting.

A hamstring strain and elbow inflammation cost Kennedy half of the 1978 campaign. Kennedy bounced back to take third in 1979 MVP voting and third in 1982. Just before the 1980 season, Zurich inked him to an eight-year, $5,350,000 contract extension. The Mountaineers hoped he could finally get them over that hump. During their historic division title streak, Zurich had 12 Southern Conference Championship appearances. They won the pennant in 1976, 1980, 1982, 1983, and 1984. However, each time they were denied in the European Championship.

In his playoff career, Kennedy played 162 games with 158 starts, picking up 145 hits, 79 runs, 21 doubles, 38 home runs, 84 RBI, a .233/.276/.454 slash, 110 wRC+, and 3.7 WAR. Although not bad numbers, he did get some flack for not being more dominant in the postseason, shouldering some blame for their lack of a title. He also played for Ireland from 1976-96 in the World Baseball Championship and dominated that field. In 175 games, he had 169 hits, 127 runs, 83 home runs, 145 RBI, a .265/.341/.700 slash, 188 wRC+, and 10.5 WAR.

From 1982-84, Kennedy led the conference each year home runs and led twice in runs. 1983 also had the lead and career bests in RBI (137), slugging (.726), OPS (1.121), and wRC+ (225) along with a blistering 11.8 WAR. This finally won Kennedy the MVP, a tough egg to crack sharing a conference with guys like Richard Rautenstrauch and Jacob Ronnberg. 1984 had a career high 65 home runs and 129 RBI. Kennedy won Silver Sluggers in 1983 and 1984 and took second in 1984 MVP voting.

In 1987, the 32-year old Kennedy suffered a ruptured MCL in early August, knocking him out nine months. Still, Zurich gave him another five years and $5,120,000. He was still great in these next few years, but generally less dominant and bothered by nagging injuries. From 1985-92, the Mountaineers’ playoff woes were more pronounced with five one-and-dones and three conference finals defeats.

Kennedy started racking up career accolades. In 1990, he was the third to reach 700 career home runs and the 11^th to 2500 hits. By 1992, he was EBF’s home run king, passing Zarkadis’ career mark of 795. Kennedy had a resurgence with 54 homers in 1992, leading the conference for the fourth time in his career. In 1993, Kennedy crossed 2000 RBI, a mark only reached by Ronnberg a month earlier. It was now a battle between Kennedy and Ronnberg seemingly as to who would finish atop the leaderboards. 1993 also had Kennedy join the 3000 hit club.

1993 was the 21^st season of the Zurich division title streak and the year they finally got over the hump. The 38-year old Kennedy stepped up in the playoffs with 15 hits, 9 runs, 3 homers, and 10 RBI in 13 games, finally earning the European Championship. It was the crowning moment in an all-time career, grasping the ring after having so many shots.

Kennedy’s contract expired with that title and he was a free agent for the first time at age 39. He didn’t want to end his career yet, signing a two-year, $3,880,000 deal with Amsterdam. Kennedy was merely okay in one season with the Anacondas. This season, Kennedy crossed 2000 career runs, a mark only reached by Ronnberg two months earlier.

After one season with Amsterdam, he was traded in the offseason back to Zurich for two pitchers. Unfortunately, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in April 1995, effectively ending his career. Kennedy tried to find a home in 1996, but went unsigned. He played one final WBC with Ireland in 1996, then retired that winter at age 42. Zurich immediately retied his #31 uniform.

Kennedy’s final statistics were 3155 hits, 2021 runs, 553 doubles, 124 triples, 875 home runs, 2107 RBI, 1008 walks, 364 stolen bases, a .299/.362/.623 slash, 173 wRC+, and 140.3 WAR. Kennedy retired the home run king and would only be passed by Harvey Coyle in the 2020s. He retired second to Ronnberg in both RBI and runs scored and as of 2037 still sits fourth and third, respectively. Kennedy also was the all-time doubles leader at retirement and remains fifth. He was third in WAR among position players and remains fifth in 2037.

In the playoffs as of 2037, Kennedy is also second all-time in home runs, fifth in RBI, fifth in runs, and sixth in hits. Any conversation about EBF’s all-time best hitters includes Kennedy, who makes the top five list of just about anyone putting such a list together. He received 98.5% to join the 2001 EBF Hall of Fame class.



Johannes Soderberg – Starting Pitcher – Stockholm Swordsmen – 69.7% Fourth Ballot

Johannes Soderberg was a 6’0’’, 170 pound left-handed pitcher from Gothenburg; Sweden’s second largest city with around 600,000 people. Soderberg was known for having outstanding movement on his pitches and very good stuff, although his control was below average. His fastball only was 93-95 mph, but he was a very rare guy with six different pitches. Soderberg’s curveball was his best pitch, but his forkball, splitter, slider, and changeup were all threats.

Soderberg’s stamina was decent, but he didn’t have as many complete games as most other all-time greats. Injuries did cost him chunks of many seasons, but his ability to change speeds and switch between pitches allowed him to still thrive.

Soderberg stood out in high school career as one of Sweden’s rising baseball stars. Stockholm decided to pick him out of high school with the 10^th overall pick in the 1971 EBF Draft. They kept him on the developmental roster for 1972 and 1973. Soderberg debuted at age 21 with four starts in 1974 with limited success. He would then be a part-time starter in 1975 and struggled with a 4.64 ERA.

In 1976, Soderberg looked like the ace that Stockholm hoped he could be, leading the Northern Conference in ERA with 1.66. However, he suffered a torn flexor tendon in late July. A setback in his recovery required surgery, keeping Soderberg out 19 months in total and putting his career future in doubt. He missed the entire 1977 season.

Soderberg made a remarkable comeback in 1978, leading the conference with 9.2 WAR and posting career bests in wins at 23-8 and 328 strikeouts. He won Pitcher of the Year and helped Stockholm extend their postseason streak to five years. The Swordsmen again went one-and-done though. They had a seven-year streak from 1974-80 with five one-and-dones and two defeats in the conference final.

Soderberg earned a three-year, $1,510,000 contract extension beginning in 1980. 1979 would see another major injury with a fractured elbow in August. He bounced back with good efforts and had a huge 1982 postseason. Stockholm snuck into the playoffs that year at 83-79, but put together an unexpected run to the European Championship. Soderberg went 4-1 in five playoff starts with a 2.48 ERA over 36.1 innings, 32 strikeouts, and 140 ERA+. 1982 also featured a no-hitter on July 6 against Athens with six strikeouts and two walks. Two weeks after the no-hitter, Soderberg signed a five-year, $3,900,000 extension.

In addition to his Stockholm run, Soderberg regularly pitched for Sweden in the World Baseball Championship. From 1979-91, he had 29 appearances with 170.2 innings, 14-10 record, 3.06 ERA, 219 strikeouts, 121 ERA+, and 5.1 WAR. In 1983 and 1984, Soderberg led the Northern Conference in ERA both years. He was third in 1983 Pitcher of the Year voting and won the award for the second time in 1984.

Stockholm fell to the bottom of the standings soon after, bottoming at 64 wins in both 1986 and 1987. A strained triceps cost Soderberg three months in 1986. The Swordsmen looked to be sellers as they were rebuilding and traded Soderberg in May 1987 to Munich for three prospects. He looked solid with the Mavericks, but was beat up in his one playoff start for Munich. For his entire playoff career, Soderberg had a 3.49 ERA over 90.1 innings with 66 strikeouts.

Between Stockholm and Munich in 1987, Soderberg had 7.1 WAR and still looked to be a top-level arm. Now 35 years old, Soderberg was a free agent for the first time. MLB came calling and Cleveland signed him to a three-year, $4,460,000 deal. Soderberg was delightfully average in his one season as a Cobra. Cleveland would trade him and CF Aaron Gale to Atlanta in the offseason for three prospects.

Soderberg looked okay in four starts with the Aces, but they decided to cut him. He was unemployed for only six days, signing with Brooklyn. Soderberg had decent success with the Dodgers, but a herniated disc cost him the second half. His efforts were good enough though for Brooklyn to give him a two-year, $3,600,000 extension.

A sprained ankle cost Soderberg half of 1990, but he still was a serviceable arm in the back of the rotation. In May 1991, he suffered a torn rotator cuff, putting him out for ten months. That ended his four year run in MLB with a 25-29 record, 3.31 ERA, 585.1 innings, 412 strikeouts, 107 ERA+, and 8.8 WAR.

Soderberg wanted to keep pitching and Stockholm brought him home on a one-year, $1,440,000 deal. Sadly, the injury tanked his velocity with his fastball now at 86-88 mph. Soderberg stunk with a 5.33 ERA and retired after the season at age 40. Still, the Swordsmen honored him by retiring his #12 uniform.

For his EBF tenure, Soderberg had a 169-120 record, 2.74 ERA, 2788.1 innings, 2977 strikeouts, 739 walks, 262/374 quality starts, 59 complete games, 129 ERA+, 72 FIP-, and 76.2 WAR. His rate stats were very good, but his accumulations were on the low end compared to other Hall of Famers. Soderberg was above 60% in his first three ballots, but fell just short each time of the 66% requirement. In 1999, he was less than a point shy at 65.5%. 2001 saw the bump to 69.7%, giving Soderberg a fourth ballot induction as part of a strong EBF class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 EPB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

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Eurasian Professional Baseball had an impressive four-player Hall of Fame class for 2001 with each player earning a first ballot induction. All four guys were starting pitchers as well. Jaylan Harrell led the way at 98.2%, closely trailed by Pavel Bely at 94.3%. Nikolai Nikiforovich had a solid 81.0%, while Vasif Agharahimov narrowly crossed the 66% requirement at 68.2%. The only other player above 50% was another pitcher in Maxim Aivazyan, who got 59.2% on his sixth try. No players fell off the ballot after ten tries in 2001.



Jaylan Harrell – Starting Pitcher – Minsk Miners – 98.2% First Ballot

Jaylan Harrell was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Harrell was a fireballer with a fastball that regularly hit the 100+ mph mark. He had great stuff and developed excellent control with good movement. Harrell had a fastball, slider, changeup arsenal. His stamina was decent, but his great durability meant he regularly got you plenty of innings. Harrell was also a solid defensive pitcher. He was a fan favorite with a strong work ethic, ultimately becoming a beloved part of Minsk’s 1980s and early 1990s success.

Harrell took a strange career path to end up a star in Belarus. He grew up in Philadelphia and played college baseball at the University of Michigan. Harrell was unremarkable with a 4.75 ERA over 134.2 innings with a 2-12 record, 112 strikeouts, 84 walks, and a 75 ERA+. His velocity was good, but his control was terrible at this point, leading most scouts to dismiss him as a prospect. After his senior year with the Wolverines, Harrell was picked late in the 7^th round of the MLB Draft by Tampa; the 329^th overall pick.

Harrell was unimpressive in spring training and the Thunderbirds cut him. It looked like the dream may be over before it even got started. Harrell spammed his information to any and every pro baseball team he could find, hoping someone would give him a chance. A scout from Minsk managed to notice Harrell’s velocity and thought that if they could fix his control, that he could excel. The logistics of an American going to the Soviet Union were complicated, but Harrell defected to chase his baseball dream, joining Minsk on a one-year deal in May 1979.

He spent that year in development and debuted in 1980. His control was still poor, but his stuff was still good enough to show flashes as a part-time starter. That winter, Harrell finally put it all together and fixed his mechanical issues. He went from a guy graded 3/10 in control to one that was an 8/10. The better control meant better, faster stuff too. All of a sudden, Harrell had blossomed into a stud.

In his second season with Minsk, he led the European League in strikeouts, wins, and WAR; taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. The Miners bounced back from a rare playoff miss the prior year, winning the EL pennant and falling in the championship to Dushanbe. Harrell posted a 2.18 ERA over 41.1 playoff innings with 44 strikeouts. He would get plenty of chances to prove himself in the postseason, as Minsk began would ultimately would be a 24-season playoff streak.

Harrell was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1982, then won it for the first time in 1983. He was also third in MVP voting in 1983, posting only the fourth Triple Crown season by an EPB pitcher with a 25-6 record, 1.44 ERA, and 354 strikeouts with 11.5 WAR. From 1981-84, he led the EL in wins thrice, strikeouts twice, WHIP thrice, and WAR twice. Minsk signed him to a six-year, $1,906,000 deal after the 1983 campaign.

The Miners won the EPB Championship in 1985, then started a new dynasty with four EL pennants in a row from 1988-91. Minsk took it all in 1988, 1990, and 1991. For his playoff career, Harrell had a 19-11 record, 2.33 ERA, 298 innings, 355 strikeouts, 32/37 quality starts, a 125 ERA+, and 8.4 WAR. As of 2037, he’s still the EPB all-time playoff leader in innings, shutouts (50), and strikeouts (335). Harrell also retired as the playoff pitching WARlord, although Matvey Ivanov would eventually catch him.

Harrell was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1987, leading in wins that year. He signed a five-year, $4,150,000 extension before the 1989 season. In 1990, Harrell had an all-time great season with career bests in ERA (1.35), strikeouts (383), WHIP (0.63), quality starts (31), shutouts (10), and WAR (11.8). This year also featured an incredible 46 consecutive scoreless innings in the early summer. Amazingly, he didn’t win Pitcher of the Year with this effort, taking second in both POTY and MVP voting.

Harrell’s 1991 was weaker, but still statistically very excellent with a 1.80 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 365 strikeouts, and 9.0 WAR. He tossed a no-hitter on September 26 in the playoffs against Warsaw with 14 strikeouts and 1 walk. Minsk won the title and Harrell earned his second Pitcher of the Year. That was his last award winning campaign ultimately. Harrell was on his way with an excellent 1992, but he missed the final two months and the playoffs due to a fractured elbow.

Harrell’s velocity dropped significantly after this injury, going from triple digits to mid 90s. He looked very average in 1993, which was ultimately his final year with Minsk. Harrell became a free agent for the first time at age 37. He would remain a very popular figure in Belarus and his #9 uniform would get retired. Harrell would return to the United States for the first time in 15 years, signing a two-year, $5,920,000 deal with MLB’s Brooklyn.

Harrell’s one year with the Dodgers was unremarkable, split between starting and the bullpen. He posted a 4.10 ERA and ended up cut in spring training 1995. EPB teams were willing to give him another shot based on his prior success and he went to Russia with Irkutsk. He saw very limited use with only 35.1 total innings. Harrell wasn’t used in the postseason, but did earn his fifth EPB Championship ring as the Ice Cats won it all. He retired that winter at age 39.

Harrell’s EPB statistics saw a 253-124 record, 2.02 ERA, 3714 innings, 4422 strikeouts, 499 walks, 369/443 quality starts, 154 complete games, 144 ERA+, 65 FIP- and 114.5 WAR. As of 2037, he’s ninth in pitching WAR, 19^th in strikeouts, and 12^th in wins. Harrell’s ERA is among the lowest of any starting pitcher in the EPB Hall. Becoming a legend in Belarus isn’t what he would’ve expected when he was struggling in his 20s at the University of Michigan, but Harrell posted an all-time EPB career. He was the first member of the impressive 2001 Hall of Fame class with 98.2%.



Pavel Bely – Starting Pitcher – Minsk Miners – 94.3% First Ballot

Pavel Bely was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Belarus, Minsk. Bely had great stuff with 98-100 mph peak velocity with a cutter, slider, changeup arsenal. He had good movement and developed strong control especially later in his career. Bely had decent stamina and was a good defensive pitcher, although he was weak at holding runners. He was hard working and adaptable while also boasting terrific durability.

Bely stood out as an amateur in Belarus and his hometown team Minsk selected him 28^th overall in the 1979 EPB Draft. He was called up part-way through the 1980 season and was iffy in his rookie campaign. Bely was a full-time starter for the next 14 years and looked great from year two onward, beginning a streak of ten years of 6+ WAR seasons. With Minsk, he was third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1982 and second in 1983. in 1982, Bely tossed a 10 strikeout, two walk no-hitter against Riga.

Bely was also a regular for Belarus in the World Baseball Championship, splitting time between starting and relief. He tossed 135.2 innings from 1981-95 with a 3.58 ERA, 194 strikeouts, 102 ERA+, and 3.5 WAR. Bely made history in the 1984 WBC, tossing the second-ever WBC Perfect Game with 16 strikeouts against Honduras.

With Minsk, Bely was part of their 1981 and 1985 European League pennants with the EPB title in 1985. In the playoffs with the Miners, he had an 8-3 record, 2.11 ERA, 111 innings, 116 strikeouts, and 139 ERA+. He ultimately played six seasons with his hometown squad with a 2.44 ERA in 1521.1 innings, 91-58 record, 1753 strikeouts, 121 ERA+, and 44.1 WAR.

The Minsk run came to a surprising end as just before the 1986 season started, Bely was traded. The Miners sent him to Krasnoyarsk for first baseman Igor Portnyagin and 2B Denys Bakay. Bely had three seasons with the Cossacks, taking second in 1988 Pitcher of the Year voting. 1988 saw career bests in wins (26-6), WAR (10.5), and strikeouts (368).

Krasnoyarsk made the playoffs in 1987 and 1988, falling in the Asian League final to Omsk in 1987. Bely had a 0.87 ERA in 31 playoff innings with the Cossacks. For his Krasnoyarsk run, he had a 66-23 record, 2.34 ERA, 825.1 innings, 1048 strikeouts, 130 ERA+, and 25.0 WAR. He left for free agency after his outstanding 1988 season, becoming a hot commodity at age 31. Bely signed a six-year, $6,960,000 deal with Yekaterinburg.

Bely continued to pitch at a high level for the Yaks, helping them win the EPB Championship in 1989. In the playoff run, he was 3-1 in 40 innings with a 2.02 ERA and 46 strikeouts. Bely also took second in 1990’s Pitcher of the Year voting. He ended up pitching five years in Yekaterinburg with an 84-47 record, 2.30 ERA, 1378 innings, 1672 strikeouts, 128 ERA+, and 35.5 WAR. The Yaks would buy out the final year of his deal after the 1993 season, making Bely a free agent again at age 36.

Bely signed a three-year, $4,400,000 contract for Irkutsk. While there, he crossed the 250 win and 4500 career strikeout milestones. Bely won his third EPB Championship ring as the Ice Cats won the 1995 title. For his playoff career, Bely had a 15-5 record, 1.97 ERA, 219.1 innings, 250 strikeouts, 23/27 quality starts, a 151 ERA+, and 6.5 WAR.

In two seasons with Irkutsk, Bely had a 28-17 record, 2.74 ERA, 407.1 innings, 435 strikeouts, and 8.2 WAR. He had a good first year with the Ice Cats with 6.5 WAR, but was below average in 1995. Bely was moved out of the full-time rotation towards the end of the season and made only three relief appearances in the playoff run. Bely retired after the season ended at age 38.

Bely retired with a 269-145 record, 2.40 ERA, 4132 innings, 4908 strikeouts, 703 walks, 391/515 quality starts, 141 complete games, 123 ERA+, and 112.8 WAR. He was perhaps overshadowed by the many great contemporaries and because he bounced around between teams. Still, Bely as of 2037 is still tenth all-time in EPB pitching WAR, tenth in wins, and ninth in strikeouts. He’s also sixth in WAR and seventh in strikeouts in the postseason. Bely was an easy choice even with many other great pitchers on the ballot, joining the 2001 class at 94.3%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 EPB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Nikolai Nikiforovich – Starting Pitcher – Novosibirsk Nitros – 81.0% First Ballot

Nikolai Nikiforovich was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Novoblagodarnoye, a small village of around 3,000 people in Russia’s Stavropol Krai in the North Caucasus region. Nikiforovich was best known for having pinpoint control, allowing him to succeed despite having average to above average stuff and movement. His fastball only hit the 93-95 mph range, but he countered it well with a great curveball, good slider, and occasional changeup. Nikiforovich had respectable stamina and was great at holding runners. He was also viewed as pretty durability for most of his run.

Nikiforovich earned attention in his amateur career as one of the more promising Russian prospects. In the 1981 EPB Draft, Nikiforovich was picked seventh overall by Novosibirsk. He pitched 37.2 innings in 1982 with iffy results, but looked great when becoming a full-time starter the next year. Nikiforovich had 5.6 WAR to earn the 1983 Rookie of the Year. He helped the Ntiros end a 25-year postseason drought, falling to Bishkek in the ALCS.

1984 didn’t see a full load because of personal issues, but Nikiforovich looked like a beast in 26 appearances. He led the Asian League with a career-best 1.30 ERA and posted seven shutouts. Nikiforovich took second in Pitcher of the Year voting. 1985 would see a career-best 9.2 WAR.

Novosibirsk would win their first-ever Asian League pennant in 1988. Nikiforovich posted a 1.54 ERA over 35 playoff innings with 34 strikeouts. The Nitros signed Nikiforovich to a three-year, $2,890,000 extension in spring 1989. A month later, Nikiforovich tossed a no-hitter striking out eight with two walks against Tashkent on June 29. In 1989, Nikiforovich led in wins at 24-4 with a 1.86 ERA and 8.0 WAR. This gave him another second in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Novosibirsk would start making the playoffs more regularly with six berths from 1988-94. Apart from their 1988 AL pennant, the Nitros usually went one-and-done with an ALCS loss in 1991. Nikiforovich had mixed playoff numbers in 13 starts and 105.1 innings. He had a 3-9 record, but 2.56 ERA, 106 strikeouts, and 113 ERA+. Nikiforovich continued solid numbers into the early 1990s, inking a two-year extension $2,320,000 in April 1992.

In June 1994, Nikiforovich suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee. That ended his run with Novosibirsk, who didn’t re-sign him at the end of the season. The Nitros would retire his #1 uniform once his playing career was over. Before the injury, Nikiforovich still looked pretty good at age 35. Almaty gave him a four-year, $5,120,000 contract. He only played one season with Assassins, posting average results. Nikiforovich opted to retire that winter at age 35.

Nikiforovich had a 198-125 record, 2.31 ERA, 3118.2 innings, 3183 strikeouts, 474 walks, 286/380 quality starts, 157 complete games, 126 ERA+, 81 FIP-, and 69.1 WAR. His stats weren’t as dominant of his 2001 Hall of Fame classmates Harrell and Bely, but still had rate stats that looked worth. Nikiforovich wasn’t appreciated perhaps in his time, but he had a fine career and helped Novosibirsk become a regular contender for the first time. Nikiforovich received a first-ballot induction at 81.0% as the third of four pitchers in the 2001 class.



Vasif Agharahimov – Starting Pitcher – Bishkek Black Sox – 68.2% First Ballot

Vasif Agharahimov was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Ryskulov, Kazakhstan; a village of around 3,000 people in the Almaty region. Agharahimov was known for excellent movement on his pitches with solid stuff and above average control. His fastball peaked at 95-97 mph and was mixed with a great slider, good curveball and knuckle curve, and okay changeup. Agharahimov’s stamina was considered weak compared to most EPB starters, but strong durability meant he still gave you plenty of innings. He was very outspoken, making Agharahimov a polarizing figure in the clubhouse.

Agharahimov managed to draw attention to himself as an amateur despite growing up in obscurity. At age 19, he was picked 18^th overall by Bishkek in the 1979 EPB Draft. The Black Sox kept him in developmental for 1980 and 1981, calling him up in 1982 at age 22. Agharahimov had a nice rookie campaign with 3.9 WAR in only 22 starts. He also tossed 8 shutout innings in the playoffs, although the Black Sox fell in the Asian League Championship Series. He would be a regular starter for the next 12 seasons for Bishkek.

Agharahimov’s second season was arguably his best with career highs in ERA (1.65), WAR (8.5), and FIP- (54). 1983 also featured a 38 inning scoreless streak in the spring. He finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting; the only time he was a finalist. Agharahimov would be steady with 10 straight seasons worth 6+ WAR. He also pitched for Kazakhstan from 1983-97 in the World Baseball Championship, although his stats weren’t great with a 4.51 ERA, 149.2 innings, 178 strikeouts, and 81 ERA+

However, Agharahimov ended up being a terrific postseason pitcher for Bishkek. The Black Sox made the playoffs nine times from 1980-90 with eight ALCS appearances. Bishkek never won the EPB Championship, but they won Asian League pennants in 1980, 83, 84, 86, and 90. Agharahimov had a 10-8 record over 196 playoff innings with a 2.39 ERA, 217 strikeouts, 122 ERA+, and 5.1 WAR. He earned ALCS MVP honors in 1994.

Agharahimov tossed a no-hitter on May 13 against Almaty with nine strikeouts and one walk. He signed a four-year, $3,010,000 extension in the summer of 1988. After more sustained success, Agharahimov inked another four years at $3,700,000 in September 1992. 1993 would see the first major setback of his career with severe shoulder inflammation, putting him out for six months.

Agharahimov bouced back for two more seasons with Bishkek, although he wasn’t quite as strong as his prime years. The Black Sox voided the team option year in his contract, making Agharahimov a free agent for the first time at age 36. Although he clashed with team officials at points with his outspoken nature, Bishkek would later retire his #27 uniform.

That would end his EPB career, as he ended up leaving for Venezuela. Agharahimov signed a three-year, $4,720,000 deal with Caracas. He had a very good debut year, leading the Bolivar League in FIP- (62) and posting 6.2 WAR. His velocity dropped a little bit for 1997 and he offended the wrong person, getting benched despite being healthy. He only had one weak relief appearance for all of 1997, retiring that winter at age 37.

Agharahimov’s EPB and Bishkek stats were a 206-129 record, 2.24 ERA, 3083.2 innings, 3494 strikeouts, 576 walks, 326/419 quality starts, 54 complete games, 129 ERA+, 70 FIP-, and 85.8 WAR. He quietly put up great numbers that were overshadowed by people like his 2001 Hall of Fame classmates. His lengthy tenure with Bishkek and playoff success was plusses, but some voters shunned him for being a loudmouth jerk. Agharahimov barely became a first ballot guy, but pulled in 68.2% to round out the four-pitcher 2001 class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 OBA Hall of Fame

With no new standouts on the ballot, closer Lorenzo Amaru was the lone inductee into the Oceania Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 2001. On his sixth try, Amaru got the notable bump to 78.5%. RF Dede Hayati came close on his tenth and final try, but fell short at 61.1%. The only other player above 50% was RF Ryan Whatley at 56.3% in his fifth try. The top debut was 1B Netani Mohammed at only 29.3%.



For Dede Hayati, 61.1% on his final ballot was the highest number he got. He usually hovered somewhere between 45-60% in his tries. He had a 19 year career mostly with Auckland, winning five Silver Sluggers with 2885 hits, 1370 runs, 454 doubles, 368 triples, 216 home runs, 952 RBI, 1083 stolen bases, a .281/.327/.459 slash, 139 wRC+, and 76.3 WAR. Hayati retired as the all-time triples leader in OBA, only getting passed once. He also won a title with Auckland in 1981. As of 2037, he’s also seventh in stolen bases. However, Hayati’s lack of home run power and porous defense sunk him with enough voters to banish him to the Hall of Pretty Good despite a solid resume.



Lorenzo Amaru – Closer – Sydney Snakes – 78.5% Sixth Ballot

Lorenzo Amaru was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Faaa, a commune of around 30,000 people on the island of Tahiti. He became the first and as of 2037 only Tahitian member of the OBA Hall of Fame. Amaru had a legendary 99-101 mph cutter and a great curveball as a counter pitch. His stuff graded as outstanding with very good movement and control.

Amaru was noticed at a camp as a 16-year old in fall 1974 a scout from Sydney. They brought him to Australia on a developmental contract, keeping him in system until 1979 at age 21. He debuted largely in middle relief in 1979, but looked promising. He was third in both Reliever of the Year and Rookie of the Year voting. Amaru became the full-time closer for the next six years for the Snakes.

Sydney had some of the best years yet in Amaru’s run, but still couldn’t earn that first-ever pennant. He was widely viewed as the best reliever in OBA in this time, leading in saves thrice and games twice. Amaru won Reliever of the Year in 1980, 83, and 85. He was third in 1981, second in 1982, and second in 1984. Amaru was also third in 1983’s Pitcher of the Year voting and third in 1985. He had a streak of 40 successful save opportunities from May 4, 1983 to April 30, 1984. That stretch also had a 28-inning scoreless streak and a 23-inning streak mixed in.

After this run, Amaru decided to leave Australia and enter free agency at age 28. Multiple teams worldwide were interested and MLB’s Kansas City Cougars won the bidding war with a three-year, $2,740,000 deal. Amaru had a good 1986, then a stellar 1987 with a career best 0.95 ERA and 5.5 WAR. This earned him the fourth Reliever of the Year of his career. He also had two saves in the playoffs, although the Cougars lost in the second round.

Amaru also was a stellar pitcher in the World Baseball Championship from 1980-94. Tahiti is a part of French Polynesia, making Amaru a French citizen. He mostly pitched in relief, but he occasional started, including a 22 strikeout game in 1987 against the Czech Republic. Amaru also was the 1986 Best Pitcher, tossing 18 scoreless innings with 33 strikeouts. Over 139 WBC innings, Amaru had a 11-3 record, 22 saves, 1.55 ERA, 269 strikeouts, 19 walks, a 233 ERA+, 18 FIP-, and 8.8 WAR.

Kansas City regressed in 1988 and traded Amaru at the deadline to Baltimore for four prospects. After finishing the year with the Orioles, Amaru signed a two-year, $3,320,000 deal with Oakland. He wouldn’t be a full-time closer for the rest of his career. Amaru had only 32.1 innings with the Owls, declining his contract option after one year. He then signed a three-year, $5,520,000 deal with Philadelphia.

Amaru did middle relief in 1990, then got the closer job back in 1991. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn UCL in July 1991, costing him the rest of that season and part of 1992. In total over three seasons, Amaru had 2.12 ERA and 21 saves in 118.2 innings. He had looked solid in his limited innings, which led to New York singing him for the 1993 season on a one-year deal at age 35.

Amaru was decent in 46.2 innings with the Yankees. He signed with Toronto in 1994 with 47.2 innings with poor results. Montreal picked Amaru up for 1995, but he looked no better, getting cut in August. Toronto signed him back for a minor league deal to finish out the season. Amaru would retire that winter at age 38. For his MLB stints, he had 126 saves and 200 shutdowns, a 2.47 ERA, 520.2 innings, 550 strikeouts, a 143 ERA+, 61 FIP-, and 17.2 WAR.

For his entire pro career, Amaru had 362 saves and 468 shutdowns, 2.07 ERA, 1100 innings, 1500 strikeouts, 172 walks, 164 ERA+, 52 FIP-, and 43.2 WAR. That line would get him into just about any Hall of Fame, but his OBA tenure was only seven seasons with Sydney. As a Snake, he had 236 saves, 1.71 ERA, 579.1 innings 950 strikeouts, 95 walks, a 189 ERA+, 43 FIP-, and 26.1 WAR.

It was very impressive over a short burst, but the accumulations were quite low with the other Hall of Famers having 400+ saves apiece in OBA. The rate stats were outstanding and as of 2037, he’d have the third best ERA of any Hall of Famer. He just wasn’t around long enough for many voters, leaving Amaru in the 40-50% range his first few ballots. He got a big jump to 64.3% in 1999, but fell back to 52.6%. In 2001, no one stood out on the ballot and some voters reconsidered Amaru. Enough gave him credit for his WBC dominance and decade in the MLB, bumping him up to 78.5% for a sixth ballot induction.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 APB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

Three pitchers picked up additions for the 2001 Austronesia Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. The standout was starter Samuel Dau at 83.5% in his debut. The other two spots went to relievers who just barely crossed the 66% threshold after multiple tries. Stallion Ricciardi earned 69.5% on his fourth ballot and Afriza Bachdim had 66.9% for his fifth go. Two other relievers were above 50% on their fifth tries with Hong Quinonez at 59.4% and Ting-Wei Ping at 57.9%.



Dropped after ten ballots was starter Mahdi Rohmah, who won three Gold Gloves in a 12 year career between Davao and Semarang. He had a 156-148 record, 2.92 ERA, 2773.2 innings, 3094 strikeouts, a 97 ERA+, 92 FIP-, and 47.3 WAR. A torn labrum ended his career after his age 33 season, but he still posted respectable tallies. However, he was merely consistently average, not elite. He debuted at 30.0% on the 1992 ballot and ended at 7.9%, but does get credit for making it ten years.



Samuel Dau – Starting Pitcher – Quezon Zombies – 83.5% First Ballot

Samuel Dau was a 5’11’’, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Semarang, Indonesia; the capital of the Central Java province. Dau wasn’t amazing at anything, but was above average to good in terms of stuff, movement, and control. He wasn’t a hard thrower with only 92-94 mph on his fastball, but he was effective at switching between the fastball, forkball, and changeup. Dau had outstanding stamina and was quite good at holding runners.

Dau was signed as a teenage amateur in fall 1975 by Quezon. He was a late bloomer, staying in the Zombies’ developmental system until 1981. Dau officially debuted with a few relief appearances in 1981 at age 24. He would see one start in 1982 and nine starts in 1983. In 1984 at age 27, Dau was moved to the rotation full-time for the first time.

He had an impactful debut as a full-timer, leading the Taiwan-Philippine Association in wins at 20-10. Dau had a tremendous postseason with a 0.36 ERA in three starts, going 3-0 in 25.1 innings with 25 strikeouts. Dau was MVP of the TPA Championship and helped Quezon win their first-ever Austronesia Championship over Medan. Dau also had two solid starts in the 1987 playoffs for the Zombies, although they lost to Taichung in the TPA Championship.

Dau led the TPA in innings pitched in 1987 and took third in Pitcher of the Year voting. Quezon gave him a four-year, $1,604,000 extension that fall. 1988 saw an 8.5 WAR effort by Dau, his best during his Zombies tenure. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting. Dau looked solid the next two years, but Quezon began to struggle, falling to 74-88 in 1990. With that, the Zombies decided to be sellers and traded Dau in early July to Semarang for RF Mahisa Anam and CF Galih Rahayu.

For his time with Quezon, Dau had a 114-80 record, 2.55 ERA, 1911 innings 1883 strikeouts, a 111 ERA+, and 40.4 WAR. His part in their title in 1984 left a big impact though and Dau’s #5 uniform would eventually get retired. He would leave a playoff impact for his new squad Semarang as well. Dau had a great second half and finished the season with a career-best 8.9 WAR between both stops. The Sliders would claim the Austronesia Championship over Cebu, giving Dau his second ring. He posted a 1.57 ERA in 23 playoff innings with 23 strikeouts.

Semarang was more middling for the rest of Dau’s run. They would commit to him though with a five-year, $6,000,000 extension just before the 1991 season. Dau had respectable 1991 and 1992 efforts, although he struggled in 1993 and led the Sundaland Association in losses. Dau would bounce back with a solid 1994, but he suffered a torn labrum in September to end the season.

Dau was determined to come back from the injury and made it back for a full 1993 campaign at age 38. However, his production was below average. He also suffered biceps tendinitis to cost him the final few weeks of the season. Dau decided retire with that, having posted a 76-68 record, 2.19 ERA, 1406.2 innings, 1381 strikeouts, and 20.0 WAR with Semarang.

Dau’s career stats saw a 190-148 record, 2.40 ERA, 3317.2 innings, 3264 strikeouts, 514 walks, 302/399 quality starts, 195 complete games, 111 ERA+, 89 FIP-, and 60.4 WAR. On the surface, his stats were borderline compared to other eventual APB Hall of Famers. He didn’t win Pitcher of the Year or generally post big stats. However, Dau’s role in titles for two franchises and great playoff success went a long way. He had a 1.10 ERA over 65.2 playoff innings with 69 strikeouts, 235 ERA+, and 2.1 WAR. The big game performances, plus a fairly unremarkable batch of newcomers on the 2001 ballot, helped push Dau to the first ballot selection with 83.5%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 APB Hall of Fame (Part 2)



Stallion Ricciardi – Closer – Quezon Zombies – 69.5% Fourth Ballot

Stallion Ricciardi was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed from Parts Unknown. Little is known about Ricciardi’s early life, other than that he was an American. He also was very guarded about his past with many assuming he was living under a fake name. But to be fair, “Stallion Ricciardi” does sound pretty cool, right?

As a pitcher, Ricciardi had incredible stuff that graded out as 11/10 with a terrific 98-100 mph fastball and a strong slider. He had good movement and control as well along with solid defense. Ricciardi was also generally liked among teammates, making the questions about his background more baffling. What is known is that he ended up in the Philippines in his 20s playing independent baseball. His velocity was impossible to miss even playing in obscurity. A scout from Quezon ended up signing him at age 25 to join the team for the 1982 season.

Ricciardi had an impressive debut for the Zombies, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting and third in Reliever of the Year voting. He was second in Reliever of the Year the next season, posting a career-best 0.95 ERA. In 1984, he joined his Hall of Fame classmate Samuel Dau in helping Quezon win the Austronesia Championship. Ricciardi was second in Reliever of the Year and stepped up in the playoffs, getting six saves with a 0.79 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 11.1 innings.

Ricciardi continued to pitch at a high level for Quezon, although he never could win the top honor. He was second in 1985, second in 1986, and third in 1987. In total with the Zombies, Ricciardi had 266 saves and 320 shutdowns, 1.37 ERA, 635.1 innings, 1209 strikeouts, a 205 ERA+, 18 FIP-, and 42.4 WAR. Ricciardi’s #8 uniform would eventually be retired as well for his role in Quezon’s first title.

Ricciardi did get a two-year extension in May 1990 with Quezon, but he was gone a month later. Like Dau, Ricciardi was part of the Zombies’ fire sale in 1990 as they looked to rebuild. He was traded in late June to Depok for three prospects. In 1991 with the Demons, Ricciardi finally earned Reliever of the Year at 34. He would look pedestrian the next season though and was not re-signed.

In his two and a half seasons with Depok, Ricciardi had 72 saves, a 1.99 ERA, 185 innings, 300 strikeouts, 123 ERA+, and 8.0 WAR. He did return home to the United States, signing a two-year, $4,080,000 deal with Chicago. After a poor spring training, Ricciardi was cut before the 1993 season started. St. Louis picked him up, but he struggled in his 19 innings with the Cardinals. Ricciardi started 1994 in the minors for Kansas City, but was released in April. Miami grabbed him and he spent the season in minor league Fort Myers. Ricciardi retired in the winter at age 38.

For his APB tenure, Ricciardi had 338 saves and 410 shutdowns, a 1.51 ERA, 820.1 innings, 1509 strikeouts, 171 walks, a 179 ERA+, 23 FIP-, and 50.4 WAR. At induction, he was the only APB reliever with 50+ WAR and third in saves. The later relievers to pass 50+ would do so in upwards of 1000 innings, while Ricciardi got there with 820.1. His rate stats were certainly impressive, but he also was on the ballot with multiple relievers each cannibalizing each other’s votes. Ricciardi debuted at 57.3%, then had 63.9% and 59.5% the next two ballots. He just got the bump to 69.5% on his fourth try, making his way in with the 2001 Hall of Fame class.



Afriza “Cranky” Bachdim – Closer – Surabaya Sunbirds – 66.9% Fifth Ballot

Arfiza Bachdim was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed closer from the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta. He was nicknamed “Cranky” for his occasional saltiness towards umpires when he didn’t get calls. Bachdim had great movement with a one-two punch of curveball and sinker. The sinker hit the 97-99 mph range, but his stuff was graded out as average with above average control. For a reliever, he was considered to have good stamina and durability.

Bachdim was picked 40^th overall by Surabaya in the second round of the 1974 APB Draft. He didn’t get used in 1975 and made his debut at age 21 in 1976. He saw limited use that season, but posted a 0.92 ERA, earning the closer job the next year. Bachdim had an impressive postseason in 1977 as the Sunbirds won the Sundaland Association pennant, falling to the Kaohsiung dynasty in the Austronesia Championship. In six appearances, he tossed 11.2 scoreless innings with five saves and eight strikeouts.

Bachdim was back to middle relief in 1978, but reclaimed the closer role after that for the rest of his time with Surabaya. He struggled in the 1979 playoffs, but still played a role in the Sunbirds winning it all. 1980 would be his finest season by ERA at 0.85 and by strikeouts at 101. Bachdim took second in Reliever of the Year voting, his only time as a finalist. Surabaya would retreat into the middle tier for the remainder of his run.

With the Sunbirds, Bachdim had 189 saves and 254 shutdowns, a 1.68 ERA, 577.2 innings, 555 strikeouts, 140 walks, a 146 ERA+, and 10.4 WAR. They would eventually retire his #21 uniform as well. However, his tenure ended with a four-player trade in July 1983 to Manila. Bachdim would be tenured with the Manatees, holding the closer role through the 1987 season. He led the Taiwan-Philippine Association in saves in both 1985 and 1986.

Manila won the TPA pennant in both 1985 and 1986, taking the APB title in the later year over Jakarta. With the Jaguars, Bachdim had a 1.80 ERA over 20 playoff innings with 8 saves and 21 strikeouts. For his playoff career, he had 16 saves, a 1.88 ERA, 38.1 innings, 34 strikeouts, and 1.3 WAR. His 16 saves are second-most in APB playoff history behind Abdul Rizki’s 17.

The Manatees gave Bachdim a three-year, $948,000 extension starting with the 1984 season. He became the third to reach 300 career saves, then became the first to reach 350 for a career. Manila extended Bachdim for three-years and $1,522,000 in spring 1987, but would be phased out of the closer role in his later years. Bachdim had a ruptured finger tendon cost him the end of the 1988 season.

With Manila, he had 173 saves and 211 shutdowns, a 2.34 ERA, 557 innings, 493 strikeouts, 121 ERA+, and 9.0 WAR. A free agent for the first time at age 36, he inked a one-year deal with his hometown team Jakarta. Bachdim stunk in 22 innings with the Jaguars and retired that winter.

Bachdim’s final stats included a 2.05 ERA, 365 saves and 470 shutdowns, 1156.2 innings, 1060 strikeouts, 294 walks, a 130 ERA+, 83 FIP-, and 19.4 WAR. He was the APB saves leader at retirement and held that distinction until the late 2010s, still placed seventh as of 2037. The advanced stats are not kind to him as most elite relievers had very high strikeout rate by comparison. His 19.4 WAR is the worst of anyone in the APB Hall with all of the later reliever entries at least above 30.

The lack of relative dominance and a glut of relievers on the ballot at the same time forced Bachdim to wait. He debuted at 55.1%, then dropped to 43.9%, up to 53.3%, and down to 48.9%. Being the saves leader helped win over more traditionalist voters, while sabremetric guys weren’t impressed. Bachdim’s playoff successes helped him get enough look, making the cut on his fifth ballot just barely at 66.9% to join the 2001 APB Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

2001 CLB Hall of Fame

Chinese League Baseball very nearly had a blank 2001 Hall of Fame ballot. One pitcher sneaked in just beyond the 66% requirement with Xiabin Chen at 66.2% on his fifth ballot. RF Shichao Zhang missed by the thinnest margin at 65.9% for his second attempt. Closer Junwei Zhu had 60.3% for his fourth ballot. Three others were above 50% with RF Zhengyu Peng at 57.9% on his fifth try, SP Pengju Zue at 54.6% for his fifth ballot, and SP Baozian He at 52.3% on his fourth attempt. The best debut was closer Ryan Tarancon at 48.0%.



Two players fell off the ballot after ten failed tries. SP Bin Zhu had a 15 year career split between CLB and CABA. In China, he had a 151-106 record, 2.00 ERA, 2359.1 innings, 2562 strikeouts, 132 ERA+, and 51.4 WAR. A solid effort, but he lacked big awards and playoff stats and didn’t quite have the accumulations to overcome that. He debuted at a peak of 21.9% and ended at 11.6%.

Fellow SP Shaolei Li fell off having debuted at 38.6% but ended at 10.9%. His entire CLB run was with Foshan, followed by OBA and CABA efforts. With the Flyers though, he had a 165-138 record, 2.18 ERA, 2934.1 innings, 2805 strikeouts, 124 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 76.1 WAR. His rate stats were more impressive, but he also lacked accolades and had no black ink. Li ended up condemned to the Hall of Pretty Good, despite having a better WAR total than the lone 2001 inductee Chen.



Xiabin Chen – Starting pitcher – Wuhan Wolverines – 66.2% Fifth Ballot

Xiabin Chen was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Meizhou, a prefecture-level city in south China’s Guangdong province with just under four million people. Chen had solid stuff, great control, and above average movement in his career. He had an excellent 97-99 mph fastball mixed with a good forkball, sturdy change up, and decent slider. Chen had strong stamina and durability for much of his career. He was also viewed as a very intelligent pitcher that knew how to pick his spots.

Chen was a highly touted prospect entering the 1980 CLB Draft, picked third overall by Wuhan. His entire Chinese career was with the Wolverines, who used him as a reliever in his first two seasons. Chen was split between relief and starting in 1983, then finally was moved full-time in the rotation in 1984. That was his first of three seasons leading the Southern League in most innings pitched.

Wuhan was up-and-down during Chen’s tenure, although he never had a chance to pitch in the postseason for the Wolverines. He would take third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1986. 1988 would be Chen’s finest season, taking the top honor with league and career bests in wins (21-10), ERA (1.39), WHIP (0.73), quality starts (32), shutouts (9), and WAR (8.7). He also had a career-high 307 strikeouts, falling only nine Ks short of a Triple Crown season.

Chen had a great 1989 as well, which was his final season in China. At age 31, he entered free agency and had international attention. Chen would be remembered fondly by Wolverines fans, as they would eventually retire his #7 uniform in 1996. Chen would begin his MLB career with a five-year, $8,000,000 deal with Las Vegas.

He didn’t live up to the billing with the Vipers, struggling with a 4.80 ERA in two seasons in Sin City. Las Vegas cut their losses, cutting Chen in spring training 1992. He would sign a one year deal at age 33 with St. Louis and regained some of his form with a 4.3 WAR season. The Cardinals gave Chen a two-year extension and he had similar results in 1993, although they eventually took him out of the rotation full-time. Chen had a 3.27 ERA, 107 ERA+, and 6.2 WAR in two seasons with the Cardinals.

A free agent again at age 35 after being let go by St. Louis, Chen pitched for Boston in 1994. He was delightfully average with the Red Sox, but did well enough for Las Vegas to try again with him. The Vipers signed Chen to a three-year, $7,640,000 deal, but he again struggled in the desert. Chen had a poor 1995, then was cut after one relief appearance in 1996. Between the two runs with Las Vegas, he had a 4.80 ERA over 699.1 innings, 84 ERA+, and 3.9 WAR.

Denver picked him up and he spent the year as a back-end starter for the Dragons. Chen opted to retire after the season at age 38. For his MLB tenure, he had an 81-87 record, 4.17 ERA, 1480 innings, 91 strikeouts, 92 ERA+, 109 FIP-, and 13.0 WAR.

For his Wuhan and CLB career, Chen had a 119-86 record, 1.98 ERA, 1980.1 innings, 1994 strikeouts, 328 walks, 180/214 quality starts, 109 complete games, 129 ERA+, 78 FIP-, and 44.4 WAR. His rate stats in CLB were very good, but he was very low on accumulations since he left for MLB. The fact that Chen was lackluster in MLB didn’t help his cause, but some voters gave him credit assuming he would’ve looked good had he stayed in China.

Chen debuted at 52.1%, then bounced around with a high of 61.5% in 1999 and low of 43.4% in 2000. The 2001 ballot was wide open with no standouts. Enough voters reexamined Chen and thought his brief dominance was worthy. He barely passed the 66% requirement, but 66.2% got him in on the fifth ballot as the lone addition to CLB’s Hall of Fame in 2001.