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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in WAB

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For the second time in franchise history, Kumasi claimed first place in the WAB Western League standings. The defending WLCS champion Monkeys finished 104-58 to extended their record postseason streak to nine seasons. Conakry finished second at 99-63 to give the Coyotes their first-ever playoff berth. Bamako took third for the final playoff spot at 93-69, extending their postseason streak to four years. Nouakchott, WAB champs two seasons earlier, missed out by two games at 91-71. Abidjan went from 100 wins in 1985 to a fifth place 84-78 in 1986.

Night Riders 3B Epule Fongang won his third Western League MVP in four years. The 26-year old Cameroonian led in hits (207), runs (107), doubles (49), triples (23), total bases (368), triple slash (.344/.392/.612), OPS (1.004), wRC+ (195), and WAR (11.3). This allowed him to beat teammate Blaise Diawara for the top award despite Diawara’s league-best 53 home runs and 152 RBI. Kumasi’s Anthony Moses won the Pitcher of the Year with the 23-year old Nigerian posting a 24-3 record with a WL best 1.73 ERA, 271 innings, 27 quality starts, 64 FIP-, and 8.6 WAR. Moses also had 317 strikeouts.

In the wild card round, Bamako upset Conakry on the road 2-0. In the Western League Championship Series, the Bullfrogs carried their momentum into a 3-1 upset over the defending champion Kumasi. Bamako now has three WL pennants, having also won in 1976 and 1983.



Defending West African Champion Lagos had the top spot in the Eastern League at 93-69. The Lizards have made the playoffs ten times in WAB’s first 12 years and they’ve finished first in the standings four times. Kano took second at 90-72 for their fourth straight playoff berth and ninth in total. Niamey was third at 89-73 to earn a third straight postseason appearance. Close behind were Lome (85-77), and Cotonou (84-78), but they fell short of the second wild card.

Cotonou’s Bello Stephen had one of the most impressive debuts in professional baseball history. The first overall pick in the 1985 draft, Stephen won Eastern League MVP, Pitcher of the Year, and Rookie of the Year all in one. The righty from Kano, Nigeria led in ERA (1.54) WHIP (0.72), complete games (14), and FIP- (60), posting 6.4 WAR and 260 strikeouts over 192.2 innings. His ERA mark was just behind Albert Kamara’s 1.49 in 1980 as the WAB single-season mark and it still sits third best all time as of 2037. Stephen’s success came despite missing about six weeks to injury.

Kano outlasted Niamey 2-1 in the wild card round and like Bamako in the Western League, carried that momentum through the Eastern League Championship Series. The Condors upset Lagos 3-1 to deny the Lizard repeat bid and give Kano its second EL pennant in three years. The Condors are now four time Eastern League champs.



The 12^th West African Championship saw Kano defeat Bamako 4-2. The Condors now have three WAB titles to their name, having also won the first two seasons of WAB of 1970 and 1971. Closer Uche Olajide won the finals MVP as the 27-year old Reliever of the Year winner had five saves over eight postseason appearances with 14.2 innings, 20 strikeouts, and one walk.



Other notes: Bamako’s Addise Assefa had a great postseason with a 1.11 ERA over four starts with 51 strikeouts over 32.1 innings. His 51 strikeouts and 1.43 WAR remain WAB postseason records as of 2037. Nouakchott’s Blaise Diawara had 152 RBI, only the second 150+ RBI season in WAB to date. Endurance Jacob became the third to reach 400 career home runs. Power Bonou became the first pitcher with 3500 career strikeouts. He’d retire after 1987 with 3639 and wouldn’t stay the all-time leader long because of Assefa. Still, Bonou is seventh on the WAB leaderboard as of 2037.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in CLB

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Tianjin and Beijing again were the class of the Chinese Northern League. The Jackrabbits earned a fourth consecutive playoff berth and took first in the standings at 110-52. The two-time defending CLB champion Bears took second at 103-59. Beijing allowed only 347 runs, which is the second fewest in NL history still as of 2037 behind only their 337 the prior season. The Bears also set a new record for strikeouts by a pitching staff with 1808. Tianjin’s pitching was strong too, setting a record for fewest walks allowed at 205. The only other remotely competitive NL team was Nanjing at 92-70, still a distant 11 games behind Beijing for the second playoff spot.

Northern League MVP went to Tianjin’s Mingqi Dai, his second time earning the honor. The 28-year old right fielder led the league in runs (92), RBI (93), total bases (323), OBP (.358), slugging (.574), OPS (.932), and wRC+ (215). He added 11.0 WAR and 32 home runs. Beijing’s Youpeng “Cash” Yin was Pitcher of the Year. The right-handed 24-year old was the WARlord (9.9) and leader in wins (19-10) and quality starts (31). Yin added a 1.57 ERA and 315 strikeouts over 253 innings.



The Southern League had a bit of a shakeup with Dongguan going from 84 wins in 1985 to a first place 98-64 in 1986. This snapped a 12-year playoff drought for the Donkeys. Taking second was Guangzhou at 95-67, ending a four-year playoff skid for them. The Gamecocks were three games ahead of both Chengdu and defending SL champ Chongqing. Hong Kong, winners of 102 games the prior season, fell to a seventh place 78-84.

Although Macau was below .500, they boasted the Southern League’s MVP in leadoff CF Sijing Wang. Nicknamed “Iceman,” the 26-year old posted an impressive 12.5 WAR season, also leading in hits (194), triples (30), stolen bases (81), average (.337), OBP (.384), and stolen bases (81). “Pooky” Ping Nong of Kunming was the Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. Nong led in WHIP (0.82), and K/BB (9.6), adding a 17-11 record and 11 saves over 238.1 innings. Nong had a 1.85 ERA, 316 strikeouts and 6.9 WAR.

The powerhouses in the Northern League prevailed over their Southern League counterparts in the playoff semifinals. Tianjin rolled to a 4-1 win over Guangzhou, while Beijing survived in a seven game classic over Dongguan. This set up a 1984 China Series rematch between the NL rivals.



The 17^th China Series was the fourth finals berth for Beijing, who was trying to be the first team to three-peat. For Tianjin, it was their fifth finals appearance and third in four years. The Jackrabbits prevailed in the rematch 4-2 to earn their third Chinese League Baseball title, joining the 1983 and 1972 campaigns. NL MVP Mingqi Dai was also the star of the playoffs for Tianjin, winning finals and semifinal MVP honors. Dai had 14 hits, 12 runs, 5 home runs, and 12 RBI over 11 playoff starts. The Jackrabbits and Bears are tied with three CLB rings apiece, the most of any franchise thus far.



Other notes: CLB’s 17^th perfect game was thrown on August 24 by Xiamen’s Yan Tan, striking out 10 against Guangzhou. Zhiyuan Lai became the second CLB pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. He would pass Zhijan Dong and retired after the 1987 season with 4367 Ks, which remains the CLB all-time mark as of 2037. Yin Yang and Libo Li both reached 1000 runs scored. 3B Chantha Thepsenavong became the first 11-time Gold Glove winner. C Yuanyi Sun won his 10^th Gold Glove and CF Faqing He won his eighth Gold Glove. 3B Liang Yehya and SS Junjie Hsiung became nine time Silver Slugger winners.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in APB

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In the Taiwan-Philippine Association, Manila and Taichung were on top again. The defending TPA champion Manatees earned a third Philippine League title in four years with their 93-69 finish, besting Quezon by four games and Davao by seven. The Toucans earned a third straight Taiwan League title, but needed a tiebreaker game with Tainan to do so. Taichung ended up at 87-76 with the win, while the Titans were 86-77.

Taipei was 78-84, but they had the TPA MVP in Eli Cheng. The 24-year old RF had the sixth APB Triple Crown season for a hitter with 44 home runs, 102 RBI, and a TPA-best triple slash of .305/.404/.602. Cheng also led in runs (95), walks (91), total bases (337), OPS (1.005), wRC+ (198), and WAR (8.8). Pitcher of the Year was Taichung’s Abu Hamid, who led in wins at 18-13 and quality starts with 29. The 27-year old lefty had 308 strikeouts over 294 innings with a 2.33 ERA and 6.9 WAR.



Defending Austronesia Champion Jakarta earned the Java League crown for the fourth time in five years. The Jaguars were 92-70, seven games ahead of Semarang. Malacca League champ Pekanbaru had the best record in the Sundaland Association at 96-66. For the Palms, it is only their second-ever playoff berth with the other way back in the inaugural 1965 APB season. Medan finished second at 92-70, while last year’s Malacca League winner Batam fell to only 75 wins.

Semarang pitcher Kuo-Long Tsai was awarded Sundaland Association MVP and Pitcher of the Year. He led in innings (291) with 27 complete games and 8 shutouts. Tsai posted a 17-12 record, 1.27 ERA, 331 strikeouts, and 7.1 WAR; a fine season, but honestly not as dominant as you’d expect in winning both big awards. Jakarta’s Hadi Ningsih was the overall WARlord with 10.1, a 1.47 ERA, and 379 strikeouts.

The Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship went to Manila 4-2 over Taichung, giving the Manatees back-to-back pennants and their fourth in franchise history. Jakarta also made it back-to-back, claiming the Sundaland Association Championship 4-2 over Pekanbaru. The Jaguars now have six SA pennants to their name, the most of any franchise.



The 22^nd Austronesia Championship was a rematch and the third finals meeting between Manila and Jakarta. After going 0-3 in their previous appearances, the Manatees earned their first overall title and denied the Jaguar repeat with a sweep. The postseason leader was 31-year old 3B Sylvester Moira, who returned to his original squad after four years with Davao. Moira won finals and TPAC MVP, posting 14 hits, 5 runs, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 11 RBI, and 6 stolen bases in 10 playoff starts.



Other notes: D.J Licerio became the seventh to 1000 runs scored. Afriza Bachdim was the third to earn 300 career saves. CF Ying-Cheih Tsai won his ninth and final Gold Glove. Chung-Chia Lan won his ninth and final Silver Slugger. It was his second since moving to first base with the other seven in right field.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in OBA

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The 1986 Australasia League race was incredibly tight with six of the eight teams having a real shot at the crown in the final weeks. Perth prevailed in the end at 87-75, their first AL pennant since 1979. Brisbane and Melbourne were both only one game back. Defending champ Christchurch was four behind with Adelaide five back and Sydney six back.

Gold Coast LF Neville Ryan became a three time Australasia League MVP, even though his Kangaroos finished seventh. The 30-year old Australian did his best though, leading in triples (24), home runs (49), RBI (117), total bases (381), slugging (.651), OPS (.988), wRC+ (181), and WAR (9.3). Adelaide’s Tarzan Rao became the first six-time winner of the Pitcher of the Year and earned his third Triple Crown with a 22-14 record, 1.97 ERA, and 464 strikeouts. The 33-year old from Vanuatu was the WARlord (14.4) for the ninth straight season and strikeout leader (464) for the seventh. He also led in innings (337.2), K/BB (16.0), quality starts (35), complete games (26), and FIP- (48).



After taking second place last year, Honolulu found itself on top of the Pacific League for the fifth time in six years. The Honu finished 95-67, edging defending OBA champ Port Moresby by one (94-68) and Guam by two (93-69). Honolulu needed historic pitching to prevail, as their 2.12 team ERA and 352 earned runs allowed were both the second-best seasons in PL history behind only Tahiti’s 1974 effort.

Leading the Honu pitching staff was Pitcher of the Year Randol Smith. The 29-year old Solomon Islander was the WARlord (9.2), posting a 1.97 ERA and 21-12 record over 301.2 innings with 334 strikeouts. Smith also won his fourth Gold Glove and threw a 14-strikeout, one walk no hitter against Guam on April 26. Also playing a big role for Honolulu was second year 1B Vavao Brighouse, who had a breakout season to win Pacific League MVP. The 6’8’’, 23-year old Samoan lefty became the new OBA single-season home run king with 60 dingers, breaking Sione Hala’s record of 59 from 1968. Brighouse also led in RBI (116), total bases (351), slugging (.635), OPS (.949), and wRC+ (218); the first great season in what would become an impressive slugging career.

Brighouse carried his power into the 27^th Oceania Championship as Honolulu reestablished their dynasty and defeated Perth 4-2. As finals MVP, Brighouse had 7 home runs, 9 hits, 8 runs, and 9 RBI over 6 starts. Four of those home runs came in one game, making him second-ever OBA player with a 4 HR game and the only one as of 2037 to do it in the postseason. The 7 homers, 1.409 slugging and 1.825 OPS are still OBA postseason records as of 2037. The Honu became the first team in OBA history to win four rings in five years.





Other notes: Nigel Chalmers became the first OBA pitcher to 300 career wins. He would pitch one more season and retire with 313. He’d lose the #1 spot by the end of the 1980s to Tarzan Rao, but still sits third best as of 2037. Rao became the fourth pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts. SP Durant Lindly won his ninth Gold Glove, a record for the position. 3B Jarrod Stacy won his eighth.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in EPB

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Defending Soviet Series champion Minsk won the North Division for the sixth straight season and had the EPB European League’s best record at 105-57. The Miners have made the playoffs 29 times in the first 32 seasons of Eurasian Professional Baseball. In the South Division, Kyiv took first at 102-60, edging defending champ Bucharest by two games. It is the eighth playoff berth in nine years for the Kings and the fifth in six for the wild card Broncos. The second wild card went to Kharkiv at 90-72 for their fourth wild card in five years. Vilnius was close at 88-74, but fell short of their first-ever playoff berth. Warsaw, who won 100 the prior year, was three back at 87-75. Budapest, Kazan, and St. Petersburg were all in the mix at various points, but couldn’t pull it all together.

Kyiv designated hitter Ilkin Hasanov made history and won European League MVP. The 31-year old Kazakh lefty became EPB’s home run king with 71, beating the mark of 65 set in 1971 by Zina Gigolashvili. As of 2037, Hasanov is the only player with 70+ in EPB history. He also led the EL in RBI (124), total bases (391), slugging (.647), OPS (.950), and wRC+ (197). Pitcher of the Year was Vilnius’ Dana Bancu. In his second full season, the 23-year old Romanian righty led in ERA (1.57), WHIP (0.72), and strikeouts (399). He had a 20-8 record over 258.2 innings with 9.9 WAR. Also of note, Kharkiv closer Maksym Badlo became a four-time Reliever of the Year winner, posting 6.8 WAR and 152 strikeouts in 89.2 innings with 1.00 ERA and 33 saves.

Minsk cruised to a first round sweep of Kharkiv and Kyiv downed Bucharest 3-1. Yet again, the European League Championship Series featured Miners versus Kings, the eighth time they’d met in the finals. It was another classic battle and went seven games. Kyiv denied Minsk’s repeat effort, giving the Kings their third EL pennant in five years and fifth in nine years. Kyiv has nine EL titles total, the most of any team with the Miners next with seven.



Defending Asian League champion Omsk had the best record in the AL again, taking the North Division at 98-64. They had to fend off Yekaterinburg at 96-66, with the Yaks earning back-to-back wild cards. Over in the South Division, Almaty, Bishkek, and Dushanbe all tied at the end of the season with a 90-72 record. A series of tiebreaker games would be required to determine the division winner and the second wild card. The Assassins got two wins to take back-to-back division titles. The Black Sox bested the Dynamo, giving Bishkek a fourth berth in five years and keeping Dushanbe out.

Novosibirsk was in the glut of middling teams despite the efforts of two-way star Igor Bury, who won both Asian League MVP and Pitcher of the Year. His pitching alone was an all-time season, the fourth most pitching WAR in an EPB season with 13.8. He led with 424 strikeouts, 32 quality starts, and 36 FIP-, adding a 1.79 ERA over 281 innings with a 13-12 record. At the plate and in the outfield, Bury played 92 games with a .287/.331/.537 slash, 3.7 WAR, 19 home runs, 92 hits, and 50 runs. The 17.5 total WAR by Bury was a EPB single-season best.

Bishkek stunned Omsk with a road sweep in the first round while Yekaterinburg upset Almaty 3-1; sending both wild cards to the Asian League Championship Series. It was the first ALCS for the Yaks since 1970, while it was the fifth of the 1980s for the Black Sox. Bishkek won the series 4-2 over Yekaterinburg for their third AL pennant in four years. The seven Black Sox titles leads all Asian League teams.



The 32^nd Soviet Series was a rematch of the 1983 final which saw Kyiv sweep Bishkek. The Black Sox were hoping to reverse their fortunes, having gone 0-3 in their 1980s finals berths. Kyiv was crowned EPB champs though for the sixth time, taking the series in six. Catcher Valeriy Tukhaev was the finals MVP, posting 18 hits, 6 runs, 4 RBI, and three walks in 17 postseason starts. The Kings six titles (1958, 59, 63, 65, 83, 86) is the most of any EPB team to this point.



Other notes: Bucharest’s Konrad Mazur became the second hitter to reach 700 home runs and passed Zina Giglashvili’s career mark of 720. Mazur would retire after 1987 with 740 and remains the EPB HR king as of 2037. Mazur also became the 15^th batter to 2500 hits. Riga’s Anatoli Ryazanov had a 19 strikeout, one walk no-hitter against Moscow on May 14; tying the EPB record for most Ks in a no-no. Nurlan Rahmonov became the third pitcher to 250 wins.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in EBF

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Last year’s EBF Northern Conference champion Copenhagen fell off hard, dropping from 106 wins to 73 in 1986. This allowed Berlin to reclaim the North Central Division throne at 95-67, their third title in four years. The best overall record in the conference belonged to Amsterdam at 97-65 atop the always tough Northwest Division. The Anacondas offense was potent with their .308 batting average and 1772 total hits still standing as EBF all-time records as of 2037. Amsterdam’s team OBP of .350 and 929 runs were also conference records, although those would later be passed. The Anacondas earned a fifth straight playoff berth with four division titles in that stretch. Rotterdam took the wild card at 92-70 for back-to-back playoff berths. Birmingham at 94-68 was British Isles Division champ for the fourth consecutive season.

The big Northern Conference awards belonged to Bees. RF Sean Houston won his third straight MVP with the 27-year old Scot leading the conference in home runs (57), RBI (134), total bases (423), slugging (.689), OPS (1.062), and wRC+ (192). Oliver Churchley won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year, having joined Birmingham in an offseason trade from London. He led in strikeouts (292) and had a 2.96 ERA and 17-12 record over 252.2 innings with 7.5 WAR. Churchley would leave for a MLB excursion in the next two seasons, then return home to England to end his run with London.

Amsterdam outlasted Rotterdam 3-2 in a first round thriller and Berlin bested Birmingham 3-1. This set up a Northern Conference Championship rematch from two years prior. The Anacondas prevailed once again in six games, giving Amsterdam three NC pennants in four years. Amsterdam now have five conference titles (1951, 54, 83, 84, 86), the most of any NC squad.



The top heavy Southern Conference saw many of the usual suspects at the top. Zurich had the best record at 111-51 to extend its historic playoff and South Central Division title streak both to 14 seasons. The Mountaineers tied their own conference record from the prior year with 1717 hits and scored 950 runs, second in SC history behind 1951 Madrid’s 958. Munich at 109-53 cruised to a fourth consecutive Southeast Division. Vienna had a nice 94-68 season, but was ultimately short of the wild card by a few games. The Conquistadors tied with defending European Champion Marseille at 99-63 atop the Southwest Division. Madrid won the tiebreaker game for the division crown and their third playoff berth in four years. The Musketeers earned the wild card for their sixth playoff appearance in seven seasons. Seville, the wild card last year, was 82-80.

Southern Conference MVP went to Zurich 1B Daniel Galonopoulas. The 25-year old Greek righty led with 138 runs and 162 RBI, posting the second most RBI in a EBF season behind Sean Houston’s 167 in 1984. Galonopoulas also had 57 home runs, 8.5 WAR, and a 1.048 OPS. His homer tally was behind the big 69 dingers from Athens LF Josip Stojanovic, which was third most in a season to date behind his own 71 the prior season and Houston’s 72 in 1984. Munich’s Marlon Hoffman won Pitcher of the Year as the 28-year old German posted a 19-6 record, 2.62 ERA, and 301 strikeouts in 261 innings with 9.1 WAR.

Both first round playoff series were sweeps with Marseille upsetting Zurich and Madrid ousting Munich. It set up a battle between division rivals in the Southern Conference Championship. It was the first appearance since 1975 for the Conquistadors, while the Musketeers were making their fifth appearance of the 1980s. Despite being the road team, Marseille rolled to the title 4-1 to claim back-to-back pennants. The Musketeers are four-time conference champs (1966, 1981, 1985, 1986).



Marseille became repeat champions, taking the 37^th European Championship 4-2 over Amsterdam. Three-time conference MVP Jacob Ronnberg was finals MVP, posting 22 hits, 14 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, and 16 RBI in 14 playoff starts. The Musketeers are the second franchise to earn repeat titles, joining the Anacondas from 1983-84. Marseille now has three titles, having also won in 1981.



Other notes: Amsterdam’s Mats Love became the first EBF player to have a seven hit game. He went 7-10 with three home runs and 5 RBI against Zurich on September 23. For only the second time in EBF history (1951), EBF had zero no-hitters thrown. There wouldn’t be another no-no until 1989. Christophoros Zarkadis became the second to reach 1500 runs scored and the fifth batter to 1500 career RBI. He’d retire with 1903 RBI and 1831 runs after the 1989 season, briefly holding the top marks until passed in the 1990s. RF Jacob Ronnberg won his ninth Gold Glove and ninth Silver Slugger.

In his final season, legendary eight-time Pitcher of the Year Jean-Luc Roch would finish with exactly 300 wins (300-127), the first to reach the mark. His 5757 strikeouts and 151.4 WAR would also be all-time marks at retirement. As of 2037, he’s still the WARlord while sitting second in wins and strikeouts. At retirement, Roch is one of eight pitchers in any world league with 150+ pitching WAR for a career.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in BSA

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For the first time since their 1965-71 run of dominance in the Bolivar League, Medellin was North Division champ. The Mutiny finished 98-64, seven games ahead of their only real competition in Ciudad Guayana. Last year’s division winner Caracas dropped to sixth at 74-88. Defending Bolivar League champ Cali won the South Division for back-back-seasons. The Cyclones were 95-67, fending off a solid challenge from 93-69 Guayaquil and 87-75 La Paz. Cali easily had the best offense in the Bolivar League with 803 runs scored; only two other teams were even above 700.

League MVP went to Santa Cruz designated hitter Lincoln Ruvalcaba. The fifth year Bolivian switch hitter led in home runs (56), total bases (420), slugging (.647), OPS (.992), and wRC+ (170), adding 6.9 WAR and 123 RBI. The Crawfish would trade Ruvalcaba to his hometown squad La Paz in the offseason. Medellin’s Casimiro Salgado was Pitcher of the Year in his debut with the Mutiny, having been traded from Maracaibo in the offseason. The 29-year old Honduran was the WARlord (9.4) and leader in WHIP (0.83), quality starts (26), and wins (22-5). He added a 2.21 ERA over 269.1 innings with 279 strikeouts.



The Southern Cone League saw a turnover at the top of the standings in 1986. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Cordoba fell off hard from 96 wins to only 70, while defending Brazil Division champ Belo Horizonte dropped from 102 wins to a third place 89-73. Sao Paulo won the Brazil Division at 99-63, finishing eight better than Recife. The Padres had taken third twice since their 1983 championship season. In the South Division, Concepcion ran away with it at 94-68 for their second berth in three years.

Belo Horizonte RF Yago Prata had another powerful season, winning back-to-back MVPs. His .353 average was only seven points shy of getting a Triple Crown thanks to 65 home runs and 137 RBI. Prata became only the third Beisbol Sudamerica hitter to hit 65+ dingers in a season. The fifth-year Brazilian lefty also led in runs (113), total bases (447), slugging (.738), OPS (1.121), wRC+ (234), and WAR (11.1). Rosario’s Pepito Cortina snagged Pitcher of the Year with the 27-year old Argentinian leading in ERA (1.90), and strikeouts (381). He added 9.3 WAR and a 17-7 record over 246 innings. Cortina also provided positive value as a hitter with a .293 average and 0.6 WAR. The highlight of the season came on August 5 when Cortina threw BSA’s 38^th perfect game, striking out 11 against Sao Paulo.

Cali claimed back-to-back Bolivar League Championship Series wins, defeating Medellin 4-1 in the final. It was the sixth pennant for the Cyclones, who also won the title in 1948, 1949, 1950, and 1952. In the Southern Cone Championship, Sao Paulo swept Concepcion to put the Padres on top for the second time in four years. Sao Paulo now has 12 pennants, the most of any team in either league.



The 56^th Copa Sudamerica saw Cali finally get over the hump after going 0-5 in their previous finals appearances, including the prior season’s defeat to Cordoba. The Cyclones topped Sao Paulo 4-2. Catcher Sancho Sanchez was the finals MVP, posting 13 hits, 6 runs, 3 home runs, and 7 RBI over 11 playoff starts. Cali is the first Colombian team to win the cup since Medellin in 1969.



Other notes: In addition to Pepito Cortina’s perfecto, Recife’s Norberto Qartim was perfect on September 23. He had the 39^th perfect game and struck out 11 against Rosario. Lazaro Rodriguez became the third pitcher to reach 5500 career strikeouts.

1986 also was the final season of the two-division set up for both BSA leagues. Expansion in 1987 would add two more teams for 15 in each league, leading to realignment to three divisions of five teams each. This would also lead to a playoff expansion for the first time in BSA history as the field going forward would have the three division champs and one wild card.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in EAB

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Three of the four division champions in the Japan League were repeat winners in 1986. The one that wasn’t was Yokohama, who won the Capital Division at 94-68 for their first playoff berth since 1966. It was a tight race, edging out Kawasaki at 91-71 and Chiba at 89-73. The Killer Whales see their five-year postseason streak and four-year JLCS streak end. The best overall record in the JL was Hiroshima, winning the West Division at 98-64. Defending East Asian Champion Osaka cruised to the Central Division title at 91-71. Sapporo claimed the North Division at 91-71, giving the Swordfish seven division titles in eight years.

Hiroshima’s Aiya Kodama won his fifth consecutive Pitcher of the Year and also claimed Japan League MVP. He’s the first pitcher to win JL MVP since Zeshin Saito in 1923 (not counting two-way players). Kodama became the first five-time Pitcher of the Year in Japan and EAB’s only three-time Triple Crown winner, posting a 22-4 record, 1.41 ERA, and 370 strikeouts. The ERA mark was the fifth lowest in a season for a EAB starter. The 27-year old lefty also led in WAR (11.5), FIP- (44), WHIP (0.85), K/BB (14.2), and complete games (16), adding 268.1 innings.

Hiroshima swept Sapporo in the first round, while Yokohama ousted defending champ Osaka 3-1. This gave the Hammerheads their first Japan League Championship Series appearance since their 1972 title and the Yellow Jackets their first since taking the crown in 1966. Yokohama capped off their turnaround with the pennant, winning the JCLS 4-2. The Yellow Jackets are now six-time Japan League champs, although it has been a while (1924, 26, 27, 65, 66, 86).



Daejeon had the Korea League’s top record and set a franchise record with a 111-51 mark atop the South Division. The Ducks have made the postseason six times in eight years after posting only two berths in their first 55 seasons. Jeonju was a distant second place in the division at 92-70, but that was enough to get the first wild card and back-to-back playoff appearances. Hamhung ended a seven-year playoff drought, winning the North Division at 92-70. Seongnam was two games back at 90-72 and tied with the South Division’s Yongin for the final wild card. The tiebreaker favored the defending KL champ Gold Sox, ending the Spiders’ playoff streak at four seasons.

Korea League MVP went to Jeonju RF Seon-Yul Go. The 25-year old lefty leadoff man led in runs scored with 116 and posted 7.0 WAR, 201 hits, a .333/.385/.502 slash, and 87 stolen bases. Daejeon veteran Eun-Chan Uhm picked up Pitcher of the Year. In his 12^th season with the Ducks, he led in WAR (8.5) and FIP- (51), adding 248 strikeouts and a 2.23 ERA over 209.1 innings with a 17-6 record.

Yet again, Daejeon suffered an early postseason exit despite their regular season dominance, falling 3-1 to Yongin. This gave the Gold Sox a chance to three-peat in the Korea League Championship Series. Jeonju topped Hamhung 3-1 in the other series, making the Jets the first of the 1978 expansion teams to get to its league semifinal. Jeonju ousted Yongin 4-1 in the KLCS, giving the Jets the pennant in their ninth year of existence.



In the 66^th East Asian Championship, Jeonju downed Yokohama 4-2 to claim the overall title for the young franchise. 1B Min-Seong Ahn was finals MVP with 13 hits, 10 runs, 5 home runs, and 10 RBI over 13 playoff games. The win also continues an impressive streak of parity with 12 different EAB Championship winners in 12 years.

Other notes: Yokohama’s Kitahachi Kawamoto, the JLCS MVP, set a postseason record with eight doubles. Osaka’s Fumihiko Ueda struck out 21 in a complete game win against Nagoya, becoming the third EAB pitcher to fan 21+ in a game. 1986 had two impressive hitting streaks with Ji-Hu Kim of Jeonju getting 38 and Ulsan’s Sumiya Kumagai getting 37. These rank third and fourth longest in EAB history with the record being 42, set in 1921 by Sang-Hyun Kang. LF Ki-Chun Park won his 15^th and final Gold Glove. This is a EAB record for any position and wouldn’t be matched until 2034.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in CABA

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Defending Mexican League champ Hermosillo had the top record in 1986 at 99-63, giving them their fifth playoff appearance of the decade. They earned back-to-back North Division titles, finishing nine ahead of Torreon. Ecatepec ended a five-year postseason drought to win the South Division at 95-67. Leon was second at 91-71, narrowly taking the wild card by one game over both Puebla and the Tomahawks. The Lions ended a six-year playoff skid. Monterrey, a league finalist the prior season, dropped to 78-84.

Mexican League MVP went to Leon’s Franco Hernandez. The 24-year old Cuban right fielder was the WARlord at 10.9 and led in runs scored (108), slugging (.623), OPS (1.052), and wRC+ (221). He added 34 home runs and 92 RBI. Monterrey’s Antonio Desir was the Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (19-10), ERA (1.87), WHIP (0.87), quality starts (30), FIP- (67), and WAR (7.6). The 26-year old Haitian lefty struck out 274 over 254.2 innings.

Leon outlasted their divisional foe Ecatepec 3-2 in the wild card round to give the Lions their first Mexican League Championship Series appearance since 1979. They were the underdog against defending ML champ Hermosillo, who had already won three titles in the 1980s. However, Leon won a thrilling series in seven to take their first pennant since 1964. The Lions are now eight-time Mexican League champs. It is the fifth time in six years that the MLCS went all seven.



The Caribbean League was very competitive with the top five records being separated by two games to close the regular season. The Continental Division had Costa Rica and Nicaragua both at 92-70, while Salvador was 90-72 and Guatemala was 86-66. Both the Rays and Navigators ended eight year playoff droughts, but needed a one-game playoff to determine who got the division title and who was the wild card. Ultimately, it was Costa Rica on top. In the Island Division, two-time defending CABA champ Santo Domingo very narrowly took first at 91-71, extending their division title streak to six seasons. Bahamas was 90-72, only one back from the division and two from the wild card. It was only the third winning season in the Buccaneers’ mediocre 25 year history, setting a franchise best and getting them the closest they’d been to a playoff spot.

Leading the Bahamas efforts was 1B Romeo Verguet, who won Caribbean League MVP. A 27-year old from Martinique, he led the league in runs (99), hits (203), RBI (125), total bases (352), average (.328), and OBP (.368). Verguet added 6.6 WAR and 40 home runs. Costa Rica’s Estanislao Luna won Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old lefty from Guatemala had a 21-10 record and 2.23 ERA over 270.1 innings with 323 strikeouts and 7.8 WAR.

Santo Domingo cruised to a sweep of Nicaragua in the wild card round, giving the Dolphins a shot at a Caribbean League title three-peat and a fifth ring in six years. Costa Rica used the home field advantage they narrowly earned and ousted Santo Domingo 4-2 in the CLCS. It was the sixth pennant for the Rays and first since 1977.



The 76^th Central American Baseball Association Championship went to Costa Rica 4-1 over Leon to give the Rays their third-ever overall ring (1935, 1948). Pitcher of the Year Estanislao Luna was the finals MVP and in four postseason starts went 25.2 innings with a 2.10 ERA, 34 strikeouts, two walks, and 1.5 WAR.



Other notes: Ecatepec’s Jagger Sweebe Jr. set a world record with a .415 batting average, doing it over 122 games. The son of a journeyman reliever from New York City, Sweebe bounced around the MLB minor leagues for a decade before winning three batting titles with the Explosion in his mid 30s.. Other leagues would see better single season marks, but Sweebe’s .415 average remains the CABA record as of 2037.
Solomon Aragon became the third CABA hitter to 3500 career hits, retiring second all-time with 3619 behind only Prometheo Garcia’s 3871. Aragon also narrowly passed Wesley Dubar’s 2104 RBI to retire the RBI king with 2137. Aragon also retired as the home run king (772) and fourth in runs scored (1780). As of 2037, he’s third in homers, fourth in hits, ninth in runs, and second in RBI. Rafioby Barajas became the seventh hitter to 3000 hits. LF Julio Santana won his 10^th Gold Glove and LF Nic Bruyn won his eighth. Ricardo Dias won his ninth Silver Slugger. It was his first as a DH, the previous eight were at second base.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1986 in MLB

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The strength in the National Association in 1986 was concentrated in the east. Northeast Division champ Ottawa and East Division champ Baltimore shared the NA’s best record at 101-61. Both teams extended their postseason streaks to five seasons, while the Orioles were division champs each of those seasons. Montreal was only two games back on the Elks, earning the first wild card at 99-63. The Maples earned their fifth playoff appearance of the 1980s. Philadelphia was four behind Baltimore at 97-65 and earned the second wild card. Hartford was the only other team in the mix, falling four short of the wild card. Toronto, last year’s National Association champ, dropped from 104 wins to 85.

In the Lower Midwest Division, Louisville was 92-70 to secure a fifth consecutive division title. Kansas City (86-76) gave them a run, but faded late. In the Upper Midwest, Omaha (91-71) bounced back from a losing season and grabbed a second division title in four years. Chicago, World Series champs two seasons prior, finished second at 87-75. The Cubs and Cougars were both well short of the wild card spots though.

National Association MVP went to Montreal 1B Ben Kelly, who was a massive international signing for the Maples. After winning three MVPs with EBF’s Dublin, Kelly signed a five-year, $7,000,000 deal with the Maples starting in 1986. The 29-year old Englishman delivered, joining a very small group with MVPs in multiple leagues. Kelly led the NA with 46 home runs, 124 RBI, 358 total bases, and a .587 slugging percentage. He added 7.8 WAR and a .295 average.

Kansas City’s Ethan Brazille exploded for Pitcher of the Year honors, falling two strikeouts short of a Triple Crown. The 26-year old righty had a 20-12 record, 2.25 ERA, and 302 strikeouts over 264 innings. He led in WHIP (0.88), K/BB (12.1), FIP- (46), and WAR (11.6), posting to that point the fifth-best MLB pitching season by WAR. A torn rotator cuff the next season and other major injuries down the line saw Brazille fall into relative obscurity soon after; but his 1986 goes down as one of MLB’s finest seasons.

Omaha used home field advantage to edge Montreal 2-1 in the first round, while wild card Philadelphia picked up a sweep at Louisville. Ottawa outlasted a fierce challenge in five from the Phillies, sending the Elks to the National Association Championship Series for the second time in four years. The Hawks would stun Baltimore 3-2 to give Omaha its first NACS appearance since 1974. The Hawks hoped the magic would continue and deliver their first-ever pennant, but they ran out of gas. Ottawa won 4-1 in the NACS to earn a second World Series trip in four years. It was the 10^th title for the Elks, which passes Philadelphia for the most pennants by any National Association team.



The American Association’s Southeast Division hadn’t had a wild card team in the first four years post-expansion, but it had both in 1986. Tampa and Jacksonville tied for the division title at 97-65; the best mark in the entire AA, while Charlotte was one back at 96-66. The tiebreaker game gave the Thunderbirds the title for the fourth time in five years. The Gators bounced back from a 67-win 1985 for their second playoff berth in three years, while the Canaries snapped an eight year playoff drought.

The other divisional races were tight as well. Calgary won the Northwest Division at 96-66 for a fourth straight playoff appearance. Vancouver finished 94-68 and Denver was 93-69, putting both teams just short of the division and a wild card. In the Southwest, San Diego squeaked out back-to-back division wins at 93-69. Defending World Series champion Phoenix fell one game short and San Francisco was two shy. Houston claimed the South Central Division by one game at 90-72, edging out Oklahoma City. The Hornets got their third division title in four seasons.

Miami’s Armand Whipple won back-to-back American Association MVPs. The 29-year old third baseman led in home runs (51), runs scored (114), total bases (360), slugging (.624), OPS (.993), and wRC+ (165). He added 120 RBI and 7.9 WAR.

Austin third-year lefty Chris Greer won Pitcher of the Year and managed to be even more impressive than his National Association counterpart. The 24-year old was one win short of a Triple Crown with a 21-10 record, 1.96 ERA, and 292 strikeouts. Greer posted 11.9 WAR, setting a new MLB all-time single season mark for a pitcher. This would only get topped five times in the next 50 years. Greer also led in innings pitched (302.2), quality starts (31), and FIP- (56).

In the first round of the playoffs, Charlotte got the road upset 2-1 over San Diego and Houston swept Jacksonville. Calgary survived in five over the Hornets, while the Canaries stunned Tampa 3-1. This gave Charlotte their first American Association Championship Series appearance since 1963, while it was the third in four years for the Cheetahs. Calgary claimed the pennant in six over the Canaries, earning their second title in four years and fifth pennant overall.



The 86^th World Series was a rematch of the 83^rd, which had Ottawa defeat Calgary in a seven game classic. The Elks also defeated the Cheetahs in the 1940 World Series. Calgary finally got the better of Ottawa in 1986 and won their first-ever MLB ring, taking the series 4-2. 3B Brody Olson was the World Series MVP, posting 27 hits, 12 runs, 6 doubles, 2 home runs, and 7 RBI in 17 playoff starts. The Cheetahs are the first team to be a first-time World Series winner since Dallas in 1977.



Other notes: There wasn’t a single no-hitter in 1986, which is the first season without a MLB no-no since 1961. 3B Christopher Sollinger won his 12^th Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1987 MLB Hall of Fame

For the first time since 1975, Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame didn’t induct a single player with the 1987 voting. 1B Braylen Nelson was the closest, falling short of the 66% mark at 60.8% on his tenth and final try. Four others were above 50% with catcher Gavin Geogham at 59.0% on his fifth attempt, closer Angelo Kiernan at 54.6% in his debut, C Earl Tucker at 52.2% on his fifth ballot, and another catcher Russ Spratt at 51.0% on his second try.

Nelson finished just above 60% thrice with a peak of 61.0% in 1980 and never was below 50%, but never could get the bump across the line. He played 22 years with five teams and had 3242 hits, 1922 runs, 500 doubles, 451 home runs, 1569 RBI, 1126 walks, 756 stolen bases, a .282/.353/.471 slash, and 90.8 WAR. He was fifth all-time in runs scored at retirement and is still 11^th as of 2037, but enough voters dismissed him as a compiler. He won two Silver Sluggers and one Gold Glove, but never was an All-Star or a MVP finalist. He was the only player dropped after ten ballots in 1987.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1987 CABA Hall of Fame

Only one player was inducted in the 1987 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame Class, but it was an inner-circle guy in Wesley Dubar. The legendary CF was nearly unanimous with 99.1% on his debut. 1B Carlos De La Fuente barely missed the 66% cut, receiving 65.4% on his fifth ballot. One other was above 50% with pitcher Barnabe Sanchez at 56.6% on his fourth go.



One player was dropped after ten ballots in 1B Trevor Phipps. He had a 19-year career between MLB and CABA, winning four Silver Sluggers. Phipps peaked at 35.9% on his fourth ballot and ended at 17.6%. For his full pro career, he had 3140 hits, 1653 runs, 575 home runs, 1748 RBI, and 79.0 WAR. Just in CABA, he had 1973 hits, 1023 runs, 296 doubles, 361 home runs, 1110 RBI, a .293/.363/.506 slash and 49.5 WAR. A respectable run, but not the tallies needed just in CABA to deserve the spot.



Wesley “Four Eyes” Dubar – Center/Right Field – Guatemala Ghosts – 99.1% First Ballot

Wesley Dubar was a 5’10’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from La Chorrera, a city with around 160,000 people in central Panama. In his prime, Dubar was the prototypical “five-tool” player that was good to great across the board. He was a very solid contact hitter that could draw walks with average strikeout rates. Dubar had a strong bat, averaging around 35-45 home runs per year with another 35-40 doubles/triples per season. He was quick and was both an intelligent baserunner and one of the smartest in the game generally. Dubar was an ironman played 135+ games in all but his final three seasons, especially impressive as a career centerfielder. He was considered a rock solid defender in center as well, playing there until moving to right at the end due to age. It is no surprise that Dubar is one of the most beloved Central American baseball players of all time.

His incredible potential was noticed at a very young age by a scout for Guatemala, signing him as an amateur free agent at age 16. Dubar joined a very select group of guys who made his professional debut before turning 20. Even more rare was that he was a full-time starter at 19 and showed flashes of potential, although he had some growing pains in the first two seasons. By his third season, Dubar was at an all-star level and soon after, he’d be a perennial MVP candidate for the Ghosts.

Dubar would lead the Caribbean League in both runs scored and WAR nine times from 1965-74. He was the leader in triples thrice, home runs twice, RBI six times, walks drawn three times, total bases six times, batting average once, OBP five times, slugging eight times, OPS eight times, and wRC+ eight times. 1966 to 1974 saw nine straight MVP awards for Dubar, a total only matched in CABA history by fellow Hall of Famer Kiko Velazquez (10). He was also third in 1965’s MVP voting. Oddly enough, Dubar won more MVPs than Silver Sluggers, winning only seven Sluggers (1967, 69-74). He also took home a Gold Glove in 1970.

This success made Dubar an absolute superstar in Central American baseball. He was beloved in his native Panama, making 160 starts from 1964-83 for the national team in the World Baseball Championship with 142 hits, 88 runs, 19 doubles, 51 home runs, 89 RBI, and 8.1 WAR. He also turned Guatemala into a consistent Caribbean League contender, turning around a Ghosts franchise that had never won the pennant in their 50+ seasons before he arrived. During his two decades with Guatemala, the Ghosts made the playoffs 12 times with 10 division titles. They had a dynasty from 1967-71 with four Caribbean League titles in five years, including a franchise record 118-44 season in 1969.

However, each of those runs ended with a defeat in the CABA Championship due to the Mexico City dynasty on the other side. The Ghosts were runner-up in 1967, 69, 70, and 71. Guatemala and Dubar finally got over the hump as they won the 1974 CABA Championship over Juarez. In 97 postseason games in his career, Dubar had 95 hits, 58 runs, 17 doubles, 11 triples, 20 home runs, 48 RBI, 39 walks, 21 stolen bases, a .265/.342/.540 slash and 3.8 WAR.

As he entered his 30s, Dubar’s speed fell off noticeably, but he still was a strong bat. He hit 35+ home runs each year from 1966-77 and topped 50+ four times. Guatemala continued to contend throughout the rest of the 1970s and early 1980s, but wouldn’t get another league title while Dubar was there. He had signed a seven-year, $2,096,000 contract extension in 1974 and finished out that deal, although he wasn’t elite in the final few seasons. Still, Ghosts fans and fans throughout CABA watched with anticipation as Dubar climbed the leaderboards and chased milestones.

In 1980, he joined the legendary Prometheo Garcia as the only CABA players with 2000+ career RBI and passed him later that season as CABA’s all-time RBI leader. He passed him for the runs scored lead as well and became the first to reach 2000. Dubar was the fifth member of the 3000 hit club and was fourth at retirement. In his last season, he narrowly passed Kiko Velazquez to be second in all-time batting WAR at 147.9, behind only Garcia’s 166.8 WAR. However, Dubar’s batting had become merely middling in that last season and despite being healthy, he only made 112 starts. He finished five home runs short of becoming the third CABA hitter to reach 700 dingers.

His contract expired after the 1981 season and the now 39-year old still wanted to play, although Guatemala was ready to move on. They parted with no hard feelings and his #32 uniform would soon be retired. Dubar would remain a franchise icon for decades to come. Wanting to cash in on his popularity, MLB’s Louisville decided to sign Dubar to a one-year, $1,240,000 deal. Dubar was happy to get the bag, this one season would net him as much as his last four seasons with Guatemala. He only had part-time use with the Lynx in 1982, then finished out his career in a bench role in 1983 with the expansion Orlando team. Dubar retired at age 40.

Dubar’s final CABA stats had 3362 hits, 2028 runs, 398 doubles, 330 triples, 695 home runs, 2104 RBI, 1070 walks, 661 stolen bases, a .296/.359/.572 slash, 151 wRC+, and 147.9 WAR. At induction, he was first all-time in runs scored, fourth in hits, fourth in triples, fourth in home runs, first in RBI, and second in batting WAR. As of 2037, Dubar is still second in runs scored, third in RBI, second in WAR, sixth in hits, and tenth in home runs. He’s an inner-circle level Hall of Famer and one of the true legends of Central American baseball. The 99.1% he received for induction was frankly too low.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1987 EAB Hall of Fame

The 1987 ballot for the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame saw two players get inducted, although both only thinly crossed the 66% threshold to make it in. Pitcher Yun-Jin Lee did receive the first ballot nod with 71.8%. 3B Hiromichi Ono on his fourth go got the bump just across the line at 68.0%. Only one other was even above 50% in this group with closer Kyeong Pyo at 60.2% on his second attempt.



Two fell off the ballot after ten failed attempts. 1B Katsutaka Saito’s career was brief with 13 seasons total and only around nine years worth of starts, posting three Gold Gloves, one Silver Slugger, 1510 hits, 910 runs, 409 home runs, 1054 RBI, and 56.2 WAR. He definitely lacked the longevity and wasn’t dominant enough to get more than 24.4% on his second ballot, ending at 9.7%.

LF Ji-U Shin also fell off the ballot, ending at 5.0% after peaking at 25.7% on his second go. He had a 21-year career primarily with Busan and was notable for being the all-time leader in walks drawn at retirement with 1549, leading the league nine times. He had one Silver Slugger, 2535 hits, 1525 runs, 465 home runs, 1487 RBI, a .253/.352/.470 slash and 64.3 WAR. Although he still is second all-time in walks as of 2037 and won two titles, he lacked other accolades or dominance. Shin also had lower accumulations than one might expect over 20 years.



Yu-Jin Lee – Starting Pitcher – Seongnam Spiders – 71.8% First Ballot

Yu-Jin Lee was a 5’9’’, 165 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Bucheon, South Korea. He had very good stuff with 95-97 mph peak velocity, along with above average movement and decent control. Lee’s curveball was incredible and his slider was great too, mixed with a respectable fastball and okay changeup. He was a very smart pitcher who knew how to expertly pick his spots. Lee was very good at holding runners, but was otherwise terrible defensively. Injuries would plague his career, but he managed to still put together an impressive resume.

At age 16, Lee was signed by Seongnam as an amateur free agent. After a few years in the developmental academy, he debuted in 1967 at age 21 with 124.2 okay innings. He only saw nine starts the next season as the Spiders wanted to develop him more. Lee was ready to be a full-timer in 1969, but elbow inflammation cost him half the season. Still, he posted 5.0 WAR in only 23 appearances, showing his potential to be an ace. However, Lee’s career would be in doubt with a partially torn UCL in late May 1970.

He had an impressive return season in 1971, leading the Korea League in ERA and WHIP and taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Seongnam even managed to end an 18-year playoff drought this season. But in late August, Lee suffered a full tear of his UCL and went on the shelf another ten months. He came back in the spring of 1972 and was still great, leading again in ERA and taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting.

1973 finally saw Lee put it all together with a full excellent season. He posted the seventh Triple Crown season by an EAB pitcher and the first since 1952 with a 20-4 record, 1.99 ERA, and 360 strikeouts. Lee was also the WARlord at 9.4 and won Pitcher of the Year. He finally had a streak of good health for the next few seasons, although he never matched that peak production. Lee didn’t lead the league again or earn award looks, but he earned a five-year contract extension and gave the Spiders consistent solid production. In total with Seongnam, Lee had a 144-94 record, 2.93 ERA, 2270 innings, 2770 strikeouts, and 57.2 WAR. The Spiders would later retire his #1 uniform.

Seongnam had a few decent seasons in the 1970s, but ultimately Lee never had a chance to throw a playoff pitch. The Spiders had fallen back into mediocrity at the end of the decade and opted to trade Lee to Saitama before the 1979 season. The 33-year old Lee was a alright back-end starter for the Sting that year, but missed most of 1980 to a torn back muscle. Elbow inflammation cost him much of 1981, although he was relegated to the bullpen when healthy for a good chunk. He retired after the 1981 season at age 35. Lee’s stats with the Sting had a 3.84 ERA, 22-19 record, 368.1 innings, 381 strikeouts, and 4.0 WAR.

In total, Lee had a 166-113 record, 3.06 ERA, 2638.1 innings, 3151 strikeouts to 712 walks, 230/356 quality starts, 81 FIP-, and 61.2 WAR. He’s one of the more surprising inductees when you compare his stats to other pitchers that earned the nod. Lee didn’t have the longevity to accumulate and his peak was very short, although leading in ERA three straight seasons is impressive. A very unremarkable 1987 ballot helped his cause too, but either way, Lee can say he was a first ballot inductee with 71.8%.



Hiromichi Ono – Third Base – Kawasaki Killer Whales – 68.0% Fourth Ballot

Hiromichi Ono was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Imabari, Japan; a city with around 150,000 people in the southwestern Ehime Prefecture. Ono was a very solid contact hitter who was good at avoiding strikeouts, although he was below average at drawing walks. He had good gap power and usually got you around 30 doubles per year while also providing around 20-25 home runs per season. Ono was a slower baserunner and often was criticized for a lack of hustle and drive. He was a career third baseman with a very strong arm, but poor range. Statistically, Ono graded out as a reliably average defender.

Ono attended Keio University in Yokohama and drew much attention ahead of the 1960 East Asia Baseball Draft. Sendai selected him second overall and would serve a bench role with the Samurai in 1961. Ono earned the starting job the next year and held it for the next four years with Sendai, winning Silver Sluggers in 1963 and 1965. In total with his original team, Ono had 761 hits, 295 runs, 140 doubles, 98 home runs, 341 RBI, a .308/.342/.491 slash, and 25.2 WAR.

Although very solid on the field, Ono didn’t get along with Sendai’s staff and was vocal about the team’s lack of success. He had two years left before he’d be eligible for free agency, but the Samurai decided a trade was in their best interest. Ono was moved for the 1966 season to Tokyo for three prospects. His Tides debut saw a league and career best 42 doubles, earning his third Silver Slugger. He fell off a bit though in 1967, hampered by back troubles. In two years with Tokyo, Ono had 10.1 WAR, 333 hits, 123 runs, and a .821 OPS.

Ono became a free agent at age 29 and signed a six-year, $1,122,000 deal with defending Japan League champ Kawasaki to begin his most famous run. He delivered a career year in his Killer Whales debut, leading in hits (214) and winning a batting title (.346) and his fourth Silver Slugger. Ono had a nice postseason, but Kawasaki fell in the JLCS to Hiroshima. He was on track for an even better season in 1969, but suffered a ruptured MCL in August. Ono still won his fifth Silver Slugger despite playing only 99 games, posting a career best 1.021 OPS and 202 wRC+.

They only made the playoffs one other time in Ono’s tenure, but he’d win additional Silver Sluggers in 1970 and 71. Ono was second in 1971 MVP voting, his only time as a finalist. That year, he won his second batting title and led again in hits while posting career bests in runs and WAR. Ono still had a solid 1972 and earned a five-year contract extension, but a concussion knocked him out much of 1973. Other injuries cost him time in the rest of his Kawasaki run, including a torn PCL to start 1976. His final year with the Killer Whales was 1977, where he earned his 1000^th run scored and 2500^th hit.

In total with Kawasaki, Ono had 1412 hits, 615 runs, 223 doubles, 184 home runs, 671 RBI, a .321/.362/.509 slash, and 51.8 WAR. He was well liked enough that his #19 uniform would later be retired. Ono’s bat was merely average though in his final season and the 39 year old was traded to Yokohama for the 1978 season. He rode the bench most of the year and retired at age 39.

Ono’s final stats: 2540 hits, 1049 runs, 430 doubles, 323 home runs, 1192 RBI, a .314/.354/.497 slash, 148 wRC+, and 87.8 WAR. They were solid totals, but nothing that really stood out among the field of other Hall of Famers. Ono was viewed as a top batting third baseman of the era, but his lack of playoff notables or gaudy power numbers put him on the borderline. He was never below 56%, but stayed in the upper 50% range for his first three ballots. With a quieter 1987 group, Ono got just enough of a bump to get across the 66% threshold and earn a fourth ballot induction at 68.0%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1987 BSA Hall of Fame

Beisbol Sudamerica added two players into the Hall of Fame in 1987 with both earning a first ballot induction. SP Raphael Grieco led the way with 92.6% and was joined by OF Tito Poma at 82.6%. Two others were above 50%, but short of the 66% requirement. SP Franklin Flor had 58.7% on his tenth and final chance, while fellow pitcher Manuel Gonzalez had 51.0% on his seventh ballot.



Flor had gotten as close as 62.% on his fifth ballot, but never got the nod. He won three Copa Sudamerica rings between Buenos Aires and Santiago, but he was rarely dominant and never won Pitcher of the Year. Over 16 seasons, Flor had a 202-137 record, 3.00 ERA, 2999 innings, 3258 strikeouts, 96 FIP-, and 41.9 WAR. The advanced stats suggested sustained averageness and as such, he couldn’t find a spot.

Also dropped was 1B Marco Angeles, who won eight Silver Sluggers and the 1963 MVP with Buenos Aires. He was hurt by leaving BSA after the 1963 season and bouncing around between MLB and OBA. Angeles’ BSA tenure had him on track with 1397 hits, 686 runs, 261 home runs, 875 RBI, a .300/.363/.538 slash, 186 wRC+, and 59.3 WAR over around nine full seasons. But leaving kept his official tallies low, meaning he peaked at 43.4% on the third ballot and ended at 13.4%. His hometown Atlantics did retire his #15 uniform though, so he is still fondly remembered locally.



Raphael Grieco – Starting Pitcher – Buenos Aires Atlantics – 92.6% First Ballot

Raphael Grieco was a 6’4’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Salta, a city of around 600,000 people in northern Argentina. Grieco was a power pitcher with 99-101 mph velocity and stellar stuff with a terrific fastball. He also had good movement and decent control along with a five pitch arsenal that included a great forkball, decent splitter, curveball, and changeup. Grieco had good stamina and the ability to go deep in games when healthy, although injuries plagued him for much of his career. He was a good defensive pitcher and considered very intelligent, although his work ethic was iffy at times.

Grieco emerged as one of Argentina’s most impressive prospects ahead of the 1967 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft. He was picked 22^nd overall by Buenos Aires and ultimately played his entire career in the capital. He saw part time use in his rookie year with promising results, but missed a large chunk of his sophomore season to a herniated disc. Grieco’s third season was his first full one and he led the Southern Cone League in innings pitched and complete games, although he also led in walks. His control improved in later years, allowing Grieco to assume the role of staff ace. He also pitched from 1970-79 in the World Baseball Championship for Argentina with a 3.77 ERA over 167 innings with 239 strikeouts and 4.1 WAR.

From 1972-76, he had five seasons worth 8+ WAR and three that hit double digits. During this stretch, Grieco led in ERA thrice, strikeouts twice, WHIP four times, and WAR thrice. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting despite league and career bests of 438 strikeouts and 12.8 WAR. Rotator cuff inflammation cost him half of 1974, but he bounced back to win his lone Pitcher of the Year in 1975 with a league-best 1.85 ERA and 10.9 WAR.

1975 also marked Grieco’s first shot at the postseason, as Buenos Aires had been on a decade-long drought. The Atlantics went 111-51 and won Copa Sudamerica with Grieco posting a 1.87 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 33.2 playoff innings. This was the first of six straight playoff appearances for Buenos Aires, although they’d fall in the LCS for the next four. In 1980, they broke through again to win Copa Sudamerica, although Greico missed the playoff run due to injury.

The injury bug plagued Grieco for the rest of his career as he didn’t pitch a full season after 1975. 1976 and 1977 still at least got 200+ innings, getting second in Pitcher of the Year voting both seasons. Both years had a no-hitter as well with an impressive 17 strikeouts against Santiago on July 4, 1976 and a 16 strikeout no-no on May 2, 1977 versus Concepcion. Grieco maintained his effectiveness when he took to the mound, but he would miss the 1977, 79, and 80 postseasons entirely.

He saw the field less and less in his 30s, whether it be from a herniated disc in 1977, bone spur in his elbow in 1978, or a torn meniscus in 1979. Back trouble was his biggest issue though and in 1981, it finally caused Grieco to lose his effectiveness. Realizing his time had come, Grieco retired after the 1981 season at age 36. Immediately, Buenos Aires retired his #39 uniform.

Grieco’s final stats: 164-128 record, 2.39 ERA, 2604.1 innings, 3317 strikeouts to 521 walks, 244/331 quality starts, FIP- of 64, and 84.3 WAR. The injuries meant his accumulations are on the lower end, but as of 2037, he’s one of only three Hall of Famers to post 80+ WAR in fewer than 3000 innings pitched. His rate stats show Grieco was elite when healthy and he played an important part in making Buenos Aires a contender again. The voters didn’t hesitate and Greico became a first ballot selection at 92.6%.



Tito Poma – Left Field – La Paz Pump Jacks – 82.6% First Ballot

Tito Poma was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed hitting left fielder from Achacachi, Bolivia; a town of around 8,000 people located about two hours northwest of La Paz. Poma was an excellent power hitter who hit 35+ home runs in season 13 times. He also had nice gap power and averaged around 30-35 doubles/triples per year. Poma was a solid contact hitter and respectable at drawing walks, although his strikeout rate was average at best. In his younger days, Poma had above average speed, but his baserunning aggressiveness could get him in trouble. He was a career left fielder and provided reliably steady defense. Poma was also a very smart and adaptable player who became one of the most beloved in Bolivian baseball history.

It helped that he was picked 18^th overall in the 1967 BSA Draft by La Paz and played his entire South American career fairly close to home. Poma was a regular for the national team with 131 games played in the World Baseball Championship from 1968-85, posting 116 hits, 96 runs, 59 home runs, 122 RBI, and 7.2 WAR. He remains Bolivia’s all-time home run leader in the WBC as of 2037. Poma was a regular in the lineup from the beginning for the Pump Jacks, although he had only middling production in his first two seasons.

Poma’s first of six Silver Sluggers came in 1971. He won it again in 1972, 73, 75, 78, and79. 1971 also saw him lead in home runs for the first time with 48, which earned him a third place in MVP voting. Poma was third again in 1972 and settled in until popping up with another third place in 1976. That year, La Paz ended a nearly 30 year playoff drought, as they had fallen into irrelevancy following their 1940s dynasty run. It began a streak of four straight division titles for the Pump Jacks. There was concern for Poma though in the 1977 season as a fractured ankle put him on the shelf for seven months,

Poma bounced back better than ever in 1978 and at age 33, had a career season. He smacked 58 home runs and led in runs (121), RBI (134), total bases (418), OPS (1.092), and WAR (10.6). Poma earned Bolivar League MVP, but he struggled in the postseason and the Pump Jacks fell in the BLCS to the Valencia dynasty. He was determined though to get La Paz over the hump, winning MVP again in 1979 with another 10+ WAR season. Poma won BLCS MVP and helped the Pump Jacks win the Bolivar League title, posting 15 hits, 8 runs, 4 home runs and 9 RBI. They lost in Copa Sudamerica to Salvador, but he succeeded in returning them to the final for the first time in 30+ years.

1979 was also a contract year for Poma, who knew a big paycheck was coming from somewhere. He opted to leave for MLB and signed a four-year, $2,640,000 deal with Boston. There was some initial animosity from some La Paz fans as the team fell into the mid-tier after this, but he ultimately remained a beloved local hero. Poma’s #37 uniform would be retired at the end of his professional career.

Poma’s power skills served him well in the United States, as he hit 39+ home runs in all four years with the Red Sox. Boston was a mid-level team and Poma didn’t win awards while there, but he was very good, especially for a guy in his mid 30s. With the Red Sox, Poma had 634 hits, 394 runs, 170 home runs, 427 RBI, a .280/.347/.570 slash and 27.2 WAR.

He was a free agent again at age 39 and signed a three-year, $3,240,000 deal with San Antonio. Poma had 41 home runs in his Oilers debut, but his overall productivity had dropped still. He struggled in 1985 and was reduced to a platoon role, then finally a full-time bench rider in 1986. Poma retired after the 1986 season at age 41 with 3.1 WAR in his San Antonio tenure. For his MLB career, he had 863 hits, 520 runs, 226 home runs, 582 RBI, a .271/.335/.545 slash and 30.4 WAR.

For his entire pro career, Poma had 2713 hits, 1505 runs, 423 doubles, 124 triples, 666 home runs, 1635 RBI, a .292/.352/.580 slash, 164 wRC+, and 107.9 WAR. For just his BSA and La Paz run, he had 1850 hits, 985 runs, 283 doubles, 440 home runs, 1053 RBI, a .304//.361/.599 slash, 171 wRC+, and 77.5 WAR. Leaving when he did meant his accumulations aren’t at the top of the leaderboard and some voters disliked guys who left South America for the allure of MLB. But plenty realized Poma was an elite power hitter of the 1970s and a great representative for Bolivian baseball. Perhaps most importantly, he had a stellar mustache. He earned the first ballot induction at 82.6%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1987 EBF Hall of Fame

Three first ballot Hall of Fame selections made up the 1987 class for the European Baseball Federation. Pitcher Joseph Wilson was the star with a nearly unanimous selection at 99.0%. Fellow pitcher Kevin Grandjean earned 85.3% and outfielder Giampietro Di Liviio got in on 72.9%. No other players were above 50%.



Dropped after ten failed ballots included CF Lars Vogtland, a two-time MVP. His tallies were hurt by leaving for MLB at age 32, but his decade between Munich and Vienna was impressive with 62.7 WAR, 1281 hits, 739 runs, 149 doubles, 173 triples, 241 home runs, 727 RBI, and a .298/.379/.581 slash. The accumulations just weren’t there though and Vogtland peaked at 38.7% on his debut before falling to 7.5% at the end.

CF/LF Emanuele Kernstock also fell after ten ballots, peaking at 38.6% on his ninth try and ending at 6.5%. By WAR, he’s the biggest snub in EBF Hall of Fame history and the only player to fall from the ballot with 100+ career WAR. Between Stockholm and Malta, he had 20 seasons with four Silver Sluggers, two Gold Gloves, 2419 hits, 1241 runs, 396 doubles, 165 triples, 374 home runs, 1246 RBI, 852 walks, 613 stolen bases, a .294/.359/.519 slash and 108.7 WAR. He even won a ring with the Swordsmen in 1957, but for whatever reason, the voters just weren’t sold on him. Perhaps it was the lack of black ink and MVPs and an under appreciation of defensive value. But by WAR, he’s an all-time oversight.



Joseph “Tiny” Wilson – Starting Pitcher – Birmingham Bees – 99.0% First Ballot

Joseph Wilson was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Glasgow, the capital of Scotland. He was a fireballer with excellent stuff and solid control, although his movement was considered below average. Wilson had a great fastball and forkball, plus a cutter and changeup. He had very good stamina and was considered a great defensive pitcher that was excellent at holding runners. Wilson was a perfectionist and considered a “sparkplug,” known for a great work ethic and ability to get out of a jam.

He attended the Open University in Milton Keynes, England. Wilson caught the attention of Birmingham, who selected him 11^th overall in the 1967 EBF Draft. He saw immediate use as a rookie split between the rotation and bullpen, then was a full-time starter in year two. Wilson’s third season was the breakout one, leading the Northern Conference in strikeouts. He’d lead in strikeouts four times in his career. In 1971, he posted a conference and career best 1.97 ERA with a 0.78 WHIP to earn Pitcher of the Year. That season, he tossed an 11-strikeout no-hitter against his hometown Glasgow. Wilson followed that up with another Pitcher of the Year in 1972 with a career best 378 strikeouts, 25 wins, and 8.9 WAR. He also won a Gold Glove this year.

1972 was also Birmingham’s first playoff appearance in almost a decade, although they fell to eventual EBF champ Rotterdam in the conference final. Wilson’s productivity fell off a bit in 1973 and the team had a losing record, but both bounced back in 1974. Wilson won his second Gold Glove this year and led in strikeouts for the fourth and final time. The Bees won their first-ever conference championship, falling in the EBF Championship to Belgrade.

Wilson had another three seasons in Birmingham and saw his numbers dip a bit in 1976. In the summer of 1977, the usually durable Wilson had a big setback with a torn UCL, knocking him out for 11 months. His pitching future was in doubt at this point, as the Bees let him enter free agency at age 32. His #31 uniform would later get retired in Birmingham for his efforts, which included a 156-108 record, 2.68 ERA, 2459 innings, 2906 strikeouts, and 53.4 WAR.

Wilson’s native Scotland remained close to his heart all his time with the Bees. He pitched for the Scottish national team from 1968-82 in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 3.77 ERA over 198.1 innings with 271 strikeouts and 3.0 WAR. Wanting to return home, he signed with Glasgow to a five-year, $1,860,000 deal. Wilson managed to find some of his old form with the Highlanders, including a 7.0 WAR season in 1979. They made the playoffs thrice and conference finals twice, although Wilson wasn’t able to push Glasgow to the championship. In four seasons, he had a 60-25 record, 2.52 ERA, 838.2 innings, 1025 strikeouts, and 18.7 WAR.

Elbow inflammation kept him out the second half of 1981, which proved to be the final season with Glasgow as he didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fourth year. At age 36, Wilson still had suitors and was able to find a big payday in America. MLB’s Louisville signed him to a three-year, $2,730,000 deal. Unfortunately in May 1982, he suffered a partially torn UCL to knock him out 13 months. Wilson struggled in a brief comeback attempt in 1983 with the Lynx and had to retire after the season at age 38.

For his EBF career, Wilson had a 216-133 record, 2.64 ERA, 3297.2 innings, 3931 strikeouts, 598 walks, 291/411 quality starts, 142 complete games, a FIP- of 82, and 72.1 WAR. Despite relatively few innings compared to many other Hall of Famers, Wilson was fifth all-time in strikeouts at induction. He’s still 15^th all-time as of 2037. Wilson was remembered very fondly both as a proud representative of Scottish baseball and as a great pitcher with Birmingham, which led to a near unanimous induction into the Hall of Fame at 99.0%.



Kevin Grandjean – Starting Pitcher – Rotterdam Ravens – 85.3% First Ballot

Kevin Grandjean was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Alfortville, France; a southeastern Paris suburb with around 44,000 people. He was great at changing speeds, allowing him to boast solid stuff despite only having 91-93 mph peak velocity. Grandjean had a great changeup that he mixed with a cutter and slider. His movement was considered average, but he had reliably good control and above average stamina. Grandjean was a hard worker and stayed loyal throughout his career.

Grandjean was a rare high school draft pick, drawing attention playing for Lycee des Francs Bourgeois in Paris. In the 1963 EBF Draft, Grandjean was selected by Rotterdam with the seventh overall pick. He spent his entire EBF career in the Netherlands, although he spent his first two pro seasons in the developmental academy. Grandjean debuted with a mix of starts and relief in 1966 at age 20. 1967 saw elbow tendinitis cost him two months, but people still saw the high ceiling despite his unremarkable first two seasons.

Grandjean would emerge as a very important part of sustained success for Rotterdam, who made 12 playoff appearances over his 15 year tenure with the squad. Small injuries cost him starts here and there and that and his lack of dominance kept him off the leaderboards. Still, Grandjean was steady, eventually posting a 2.02 ERA season in 1973 that earned a second place finish in Pitcher of the Year voting. He also made some starts for France from 1972-77 in the World Baseball Championship with a 4.31 ERA over 71 innings with 91 strikeouts.

It was the postseason where Grandjean seemed to shine the brightest. Rotterdam won four European Championships during his tenure (1969, 72, 77, 80). Over 165.1 playoff innings in his career, he boasted an impressive 1.63 ERA with a 12-6 record, 175 strikeouts, 26 walks, and 6.0 WAR. Grandjean was especially impressive in the 1980 run, going 4-0 with a 0.91 ERA over 29.2 innings. His best success came into his early 30s as Grandjean improved his control. In 1979, he led the Northern Conference with a 1.63 ERA and posted career bests in strikeouts, wins, innings, and WAR. This earned Grandjean his lone Pitcher of the Year award and a second place in MVP voting.

Sadly, Grandjean suffered shoulder inflammation in May 1981, knocking him out for eight months and effectively ending his EBF career. Rotterdam opted to let him enter free agency at age 36, but they still kept good relations with him and retired his #29 uniform shortly after. Grandjean wasn’t ready for retirement yet but had to defect to Russia to find a suitor, signing with EPB’s Yekaterinburg. He pitched a full season worth 2.6 WAR for the Yaks, but had middling rate stats. Grandjean was a free agent again in 1983 and signed with Novosibirsk, but he never threw an inning for the Nitros. He retired after the 1983 season at age 38.

For his EBF and Rotterdam career, Grandjean had a 220-119 record, 2.62 ERA, 3097.1 innings, 3318 strikeouts to 518 walks, 276/387 quality starts, a FIP- of 75, and 77.5 WAR. It was a good solid career, but the postseason success and four rings put him over the top. At induction, he had the third most postseason pitching WAR and still has the fifth most as of 2037 even with other players having the benefit of expanded postseasons. Thus, Grandjean secured his place in the Hall of Fame with a 85.3% first ballot nod.



Giampietro Di Livio – Center Field – Naples Nobles – 72.9% First Ballot

Giampietro Di Livio was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Bologna, Italy’s seventh largest city located in the northern part of the country. Yes, it is the city that the meat product Bologna was named for. Di Livio’s talents weren’t baloney though (why are you booing? ok, I’ll stop!) as he was a very well rounded hitter that wasn’t amazing at anything, but above average to good across the board.

He hit for contact and drew walks well while being better than most at avoiding strikeouts. Di Livio wasn’t a prolific home run guy, but still got you around 20 per year while adding another 20-30 doubles and 20-30 triples per year. He was quick and was a major threat on the basepaths. Di Livio was also an ironman that started 134+ games in 18 straight seasons. This was especially impressive since most of his starts were in center field, although he did play some left and limited right. Although reliable, Di Livio was considered a below average defender in center, but slightly above average in the corners. He was a sparkplug and scrapper though, which helped him have a lengthy and successful career.

Di Livio left Italy to play college baseball in England like many others, enrolling at the University of Cambridge. He returned to his home country in the 1961 EBF Draft, although to the South instead of the North with the 11^th overall selection from Naples. Di Livio was a full-time starter immediately and a successful one with a 5.1 WAR debut season, earning the 1962 Southern Conference Rookie of the Year. He won Silver Sluggers in 1963, 64, 69, 70, 71, and 73. 1964 saw a career high 10.5 WAR season.

Di Livio wasn’t often a league leader, although he did lead in runs once, doubles once, triples twice, and RBI once. He didn’t ever win MVP, but was second in 1969 and third in 1970. Naples snapped a decade-long playoff drought in this stretch and won the division in 1969, 70, and 81; but they were one-and-done each year. Di Livio struggled with a .154 average in 10 playoff games He performed stronger for the Italian national team with 164 games in the World Baseball Championship from 1963-80. In that stretch, Di Livio had 166 hits, 101 runs, 27 doubles, 37 home runs, 100 RBI, 67 stolen bases, a .273/.369/.507 slash, and 6.4 WAR.

Naples hung around .500 in Di Livio’s final seasons there with free agency coming after the 1973 season. The 33-year old would leave Italy, but still be remembered fondly in Naples, later having his #5 uniform retired. With the Nobles, Di Livio had 2173 hits, 1133 runs, 325 doubles, 310 triples, 207 home runs, 1046 RBI, 533 stolen bases, a .304/.363/.523 slash, and 84.7 WAR. It was hard to turn down American money though and he signed a five-year, $1,910,000 deal with MLB’s New Orleans Mudcats.

Di Livio didn’t have elite production in the Bayou, but he was still a reliable starter for five years as the Mudcats rebuilt from their dynasty. With New Orleans, he posted 822 hits, 437 runs, 104 doubles, 60 triples, 93 home runs, 409 RBI, and 15.6 WAR. When his contract was up, the 38-year old Di Livio returned home to Italy, signing for 1979 on a three-year, $1,680,000 deal with Rome. He had a respectable first year as a starter for the Red Wolves, but was relegated to a bench role in the final two seasons. Di Livio opted to retire at 41 after the 1981 season. With Rome, he had 4.7 WAR and 243 hits.

For his entire pro career, Di Livio had 3238 hits, 1687 runs, 453 doubles, 392 triples, 332 home runs, 1586 RBI, 713 stolen bases, a .295/.354/.499 slash and 105.0 WAR. That would be a slam dunk resume, but his EBF tallies subtracted his five years in New Orleans. In EBF, Di Livio had 2416 hits, 1250 runs, 349 doubles, 332 triples, 239 home runs, 1177 RBI, 585 stolen bases, a .301/.360/.516 slash, 155 wRC+, and 89.4 WAR. Some voters shun guys who leave their original league, but Di Livio’s resume just on his EBF tenure alone was still quite solid. He earned first ballot induction at 72.9% as the third member of the 1987 Hall of Fame class.