[VanillaGorilla]

When I look at these posted lists, two quick thoughts come to mind:

1) The vast majority of these players are, to varying degrees, legendary baseball figures.

2) The surprises are at a pleasing rate, and makes the OOTP parallel universe experience extraordinary.

The list of RL HOFers is, well, a list of legends by it's definition. There is a higher rate of HOFers entered in this HOF, thus far, than in the previous two leagues. Whether or not that has anything to do with any changes in v14, or is just expected variance, I have no way to tell. But it is cool to look at the list in one shot.

The list of first ballot entries is very cool. There you find players like Don Mincher, Bill Skowron and Kent Hrbek, who did not have RL HOF careers, but certainly had a boat load of talent. It is not a stretch to think that if a few things had broke differently for them in their RL careers, that they could have found their way to Cooperstown.

Vin Campbell and Toad Ramsey, well, those are hard to to call. Guys from way back who did have super seasons, but short careers. That they are HOFers (and someone has to take the spots of the players, like Spahn, Bench and Hornsby, that enter the league at the beginning as older players, or like Mel Ott who was spectacular, but CEI'd 8 years in) also demonstrates the unique integration of real stats and the development engine of OOTP*. This aspect of OOTP is simply great, and the recalc + player development options work wonderfully to create this sort of output.

The All-Time great team is a fun thing to put together. There we find Toad Ramsey, again. There we also find Alex Serrano, who makes his second HOF appearance.

This league was started in v14. It was not a v13 import. Serrano's appearance in a v13 and v14 HOF is amazing, especially considering how few RPs get in. The OOTP development engine must simply love him. To have this particular cup-of-coffee player turn onto a HOFer twice at the most underrepresented position may be coincidence of astronomical odds against, or maybe OOTP just loves him.

Either way, a guy that gets 605 saves (170 more than anyone else), however little credence you want to put in the save stat, did his freaking job for a long time. He didn't luck his way to 600 saves. He didn't get 600 saves because of some favoritism by a manger that put him in easy situations over the course of 20 years. He got the job done that he was asked to do over and over and over again. While the name Alex Serrano appearing in a HOF (twice) is a fluke, his entry here based on his stats from this world is anything but flukey. It is completely deserved.

Kevin Mitchell as the starting SS on the best team ever....that is a shock, but again, it points to how cool OOTP is, and that recalc does NOT erase ratings. If it did, he wouldn't have played SS for as long as he did. He played there, developed there, and stayed there. Recalc did not negate his sim experience. VERY cool.

Don Mincher as best 1Bman ever is a surprise, but Mincher was a damn good player during a pitching era. No, he is not in any discussion of a RL HOF entry, but that doesn't mean he was not a quality ball player. That he got the chance to fulfill his potential here is cool.

Larry Doyle over Nap Lajoie?? THAT is a shock, but Larry Doyle IS in a discussion for guys that could be put into Cooperstown. Even though Lajoie is a name of legend, this isn't a death dealing shock.

But what makes all of these entries acceptable is the list of names that make up the majority of the All Time great team roster.

An OF of Bonds, Mantle, Aaron (and Joe Jackson) is about as good as it gets. There is no way that the OF from the second half will be better..it may be comparable, but you can't get better than this. This shows that OOTP works. Yes, it allows Mincher and Mitchell to develop into all time greats, but look at the other 7 starters...all of them are in the upper echelon (or can be argued by their supporters to that effect) of players at their position.

The pitchers here are amazing. Even if the RL Alex Serrano is on this staff, it doesn't matter. The 8 SP here do not need an ace closer.

The most exclusive list is that of the three-for-three HOFers. i touched on them in that post, but there is really not much more to say other than that the Bill Delancey watch (the biggest surprise of the group of players that made it into the first two HOF) is on*.

OK....this "All-Star Break" is over....it's time to get back to playing games. On with the Countdown....