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FuzzyRussianHat · 11-30-2024, 05:43 PM

Julio Sandoval – Starting Pitcher – Honduras Horsemen – 73.3% Seventh Ballot

Julio Sandoval was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Las Vegas, Honduras, a town of around 11,000 people. Sandoval had very good stuff and movement, although his control was never better than average. His 97-99 mph sinker was his strongest pitch, but his curveball, changeup, and splitter were each potent options. Sandoval’s stamina was good compared to most CABA aces and he had good durability, tossing 200+ innings in all but his final season. He was average defensively and was generally a well-liked guy in the clubhouse.

Sandoval emerged as a top pitching prospect ahead of CABA’s 1997 Draft and was picked ninth overall by Panama. The Parrots made him a full-time starter right away with 219 innings and 2.2 WAR in his rookie season. Sandoval got more effective after that and topped 6+ WAR in three of his five seasons with the Parrots. He led the Caribbean League in innings in 2000 (289.2) and unfortunately led in walks (101) in 2001. Sandoval was a good starter at this point, but wasn’t in awards conversations.

Panama was subpar during this era, averaging 74.6 wins per season in Sandoval’s tenure. With that, they weren’t able to match the contract value that Sandoval would get on the free agent market after the 2002 season. In five seasons for the Parrots, Sandoval had a 75-64 record, 3.59 ERA, 1285 innings, 1245 strikeouts, 401 walks, 112 ERA+, and 26.0 WAR.

Heading towards his age 28 season, Sandoval returned to his home country and signed a four-year, $17,280,000 deal with Honduras. This became his most famous and notably run. The Horsemen had been a regular contender recently, earning nine playoff berths in the prior ten years. However, they had struggled in the postseason since their 1993 CABA title with four CLCS defeats and four losses in the first round.

Sandoval helped Honduras get back to the mountaintop, winning the CABA Championship over Ecatepec in 2003 with a 110-52 record. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting with a 7.2 WAR effort and went 3-0 in the playoffs with a 25.4 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 28.1 innings. Honduras repeated as Caribbean champ in 2004, but lost the CABA finale in a rematch with the Explosion. Sandoval had a 3.90 ERA over 27.2 playoff innings with 33 strikeouts in the 2004 run.

2004 was Sandoval’s finest season, winning his lone Pitcher of the Year by posting the first Triple Crown pitching season in CABA since 1996. He had a 24-3 record, 2.11 ERA, and 351 strikeouts; all career highs. Sandoval also hit his career best WAR at 8.6. He led in WAR at 8.4 in 2005 and took second in POTY voting. He allowed 4 runs in 8.1 innings in his lone playoff start as Honduras was a wild card with a first round defeat.

Sandoval posted 6.5 WAR in 2006 and Honduras got back to the CLCS, although they were ousted by Haiti. He had a 1.93 ERA over 14 playoff innings. For his postseason career, Sandoval had a 3.10 ERA and 5-1 record over 78.1 innings, 81 strikeouts, 18 walks, 127 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. While his tenure was only four years, Sandoval played a big role in getting Honduras over the hump for two pennants and one CABA title. With the Horsemen, he had a 76-26 record, 2.72 ERA, 1021 innings, 1174 strikeouts, 255 walks, 146 ERA+, and 30.7 WAR.

Soon to be 32-years old, Sandoval was a free agent again for 2007. Jamaica inked him to a six-year, $37,900,000 deal which ended up being a big bust. His velocity had dipped from the upper 90s to mid 90s in his last year with Honduras, but Sandoval declined rapidly with the Jazz. In his Jamaica debut, Sandoval was peaking in the 90-92 mph range and struggled to a 4.40 ERA and 1.5 WAR over 256 innings.

For 2008, Sandoval now was topping out in the 85-87 mph range. He was actively bad over 187.1 innings with a 4.37 ERA and was taken out of the rotation. Sandoval remained under contract for 2009 and 2010, but Jamaica didn’t use him in either season. With the Jazz, he had a 4.18 ERA over 443.1 innings, 17-32 record, 233 strikeouts, 98 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. Sandoval officially retired after the 2010 season at age 35.

Sandoval finished with a 168-122 record, 3.36 ERA, 2749.1 innings, 2652 strikeouts, 757 walks, 186/335 quality starts, 115 complete games, 119 ERA+, and 58.6 WAR. As of 2037, he falls outside the top 100 in all of the counting stats except for the bad one of walks (39^th). Sandoval’s quick and sudden decline kept him from reaching accumulations that most figured he’d reach easily based on how his 20s went. Because of that, many voters felt he didn’t have the tenure to deserve a Hall of Fame spot. Supporters noted his window of dominance with Honduras, the Triple Crown season, and two Caribbean pennants.

In 2014, Sandoval debuted on the ballot at 47.8%. He bounced between the 40-55% range for his next three ballots, then came close to the 66% requirement in 2018 at 61.9%. Sandoval dropped back to 54.6% in 2019, but got the benefit of weak debuts for 2020. He bumped across the line at 73.3% for induction with the 2020 class on his seventh ballot.

Ian Paniagua – Starting Pitcher – Juarez Jesters – 69.3% Third Ballot

Ian Paniagua was a 6’6’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico; a town of 75,000 within the San Juan metropolitan area. Despite his size, Paniagua wasn’t a power pitcher as his velocity peaked at only 89-91 mph. However, he had solid stuff with a diverse six-pitch arsenal mixed with great control and strong movement. Paniagua had a fastball, slider, forkball, changeup, cutter, and circle change on offer.

Paniagua’s stamina was good relative to other CABA aces and he had reliable durability for most of his run. He was mediocre at holding runners and fielding the position. The main knock on Paniagua was that he was a selfish jerk. Many teammates and coaches noted his lack of effort and intelligence. Even if he coasted at times on his natural talent, Paniagua still managed to post a 17-year professional career.

In November 1990, a teenaged Paniagua was spotted by a visiting Mexican scout from Juarez, giving him a developmental contract. He spent five years in the Jesters’ academy before debuting in 1996 at age 22, posting a 4.25 ERA over 118.2 innings. He started much of 1997, then was a full-time fixture in the rotation from 1998-2009 with Juarez. During that run, Paniagua topped 5+ WAR in nine different seasons. His production and innings were steady, although he rarely was a league leader and was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist. Paniagua did have the most complete games in 2003 and quality starts in 2007.

Juarez gave Paniagua a five-year, $13,360,000 extension after the 1998 season, followed by a seven-year, $40,760,000 extension just before the 2003 campaign. They knew what to expect from Paniagua, which helped the Jesters become a contender in the 2000s. From 2000-06, Juarez had six playoff berths. They fell in the Mexican League Championship Series in 2000 and 2002, then had first round exits as a wild card in 2003 and 2004.

The Jesters broke through and won back-to-back Mexican League titles in 2005-06. Juarez failed to win the CABA Championship though, falling to Salvador in 2005 and Haiti in 2006. Paniagua was excellent in the 2006 run with a 2.37 ERA over 38 innings. However, he struggled in his other playoff opportunities. For his career, Paniagua was a lackluster 7-10 with a 4.67 ERA over 115.2 playoff innings with 98 strikeouts, 13 walks, 80 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. He did fare better in his sporadic World Baseball Championship appearances for Puerto Rico with 111 innings, a 2.59 ERA, 8-3 record, 1.3 WAR, and 112 strikeouts.

Juarez fell just outside the playoffs for the remainder of Paniagua’s run. He saw his first injury setback in late summer 2008 with a torn rotator cuff. Paniagua bounced back though with a career-best 2.80 ERA in 2009. Still, the Jesters bought out the remainder of his deal, making Paniagua a free agent at age 36. Despite his personality clashes, Juarez would later retire his #30 uniform. Paniagua had a 213-142 record, 3.56 ERA, 3255 innings, 3104 strikeouts, 609 walks, 104 ERA+, and 69.1 WAR.

Tijuana signed Paniagua to a three-year, $17,100,000 deal. He ate innings, but otherwise struggled with his worst production in his two seasons for the Toros. Paniagua posted a 21-30 record, 4.14 ERA, 461 innings, 378 strikeouts, 89 ERA+, and 4.2 WAR. Tijuana would trade him in the offseason to Santo Domingo for three prospects.

Paniagua was a back-end starter with passable results in his one year with the Dolphins with 2.9 WAR over 170 innings and a 4.24 ERA. He wasn’t used in the playoffs, but he earned a ring as Santo Domingo won the CABA Championship against his former squad Juarez. Paniagua did see 15 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship, but struggled to a 7.20 ERA. He wanted to play somewhere in 2013, but teams weren’t interested. Paniagua retired in the winter at age 39.

In total, Paniagua had a 245-177 record, 3.66 ERA, 3886 innings, 3595 strikeouts, 771 walks, 295/500 quality starts, 130 complete games, 22 shutouts, 101 ERA+, and 76.2 WAR. As of 2037, Paniagua ranks 18^th in wins, 16^th in innings, 31^st in strikeouts, 44^th in complete games, 34^th in walks, and 44^th in WAR among pitchers. The 101 ERA+ and 3.66 ERA suggested sustained averageness, although his 86 FIP- suggested Paniagua may have been stronger than the ERA stats would suggest.

There were voters who were underwhelmed by his overall production, playoff struggles, and lack of awards. Paniagua’s ERA would be the worst of any Hall of Fame inductee in CABA. Plus, he was an unlikeable jerk. However, Paniagua’s longevity got him to milestones though as to that point, every eligible pitcher with 230+ wins and/or 3500+ strikeouts made the cut. He narrowly missed the 66% requirement in his first two ballots at 61.9% and 62.6%. Paniagua didn’t cross the line by much, but 69.3% in 2020 earned him a third ballot induction into CABA’s HOF.

11-30-2024, 05:43 PM	#1842
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,952	2020 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 2) Julio Sandoval – Starting Pitcher – Honduras Horsemen – 73.3% Seventh Ballot Julio Sandoval was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Las Vegas, Honduras, a town of around 11,000 people. Sandoval had very good stuff and movement, although his control was never better than average. His 97-99 mph sinker was his strongest pitch, but his curveball, changeup, and splitter were each potent options. Sandoval’s stamina was good compared to most CABA aces and he had good durability, tossing 200+ innings in all but his final season. He was average defensively and was generally a well-liked guy in the clubhouse. Sandoval emerged as a top pitching prospect ahead of CABA’s 1997 Draft and was picked ninth overall by Panama. The Parrots made him a full-time starter right away with 219 innings and 2.2 WAR in his rookie season. Sandoval got more effective after that and topped 6+ WAR in three of his five seasons with the Parrots. He led the Caribbean League in innings in 2000 (289.2) and unfortunately led in walks (101) in 2001. Sandoval was a good starter at this point, but wasn’t in awards conversations. Panama was subpar during this era, averaging 74.6 wins per season in Sandoval’s tenure. With that, they weren’t able to match the contract value that Sandoval would get on the free agent market after the 2002 season. In five seasons for the Parrots, Sandoval had a 75-64 record, 3.59 ERA, 1285 innings, 1245 strikeouts, 401 walks, 112 ERA+, and 26.0 WAR. Heading towards his age 28 season, Sandoval returned to his home country and signed a four-year, $17,280,000 deal with Honduras. This became his most famous and notably run. The Horsemen had been a regular contender recently, earning nine playoff berths in the prior ten years. However, they had struggled in the postseason since their 1993 CABA title with four CLCS defeats and four losses in the first round. Sandoval helped Honduras get back to the mountaintop, winning the CABA Championship over Ecatepec in 2003 with a 110-52 record. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting with a 7.2 WAR effort and went 3-0 in the playoffs with a 25.4 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 28.1 innings. Honduras repeated as Caribbean champ in 2004, but lost the CABA finale in a rematch with the Explosion. Sandoval had a 3.90 ERA over 27.2 playoff innings with 33 strikeouts in the 2004 run. 2004 was Sandoval’s finest season, winning his lone Pitcher of the Year by posting the first Triple Crown pitching season in CABA since 1996. He had a 24-3 record, 2.11 ERA, and 351 strikeouts; all career highs. Sandoval also hit his career best WAR at 8.6. He led in WAR at 8.4 in 2005 and took second in POTY voting. He allowed 4 runs in 8.1 innings in his lone playoff start as Honduras was a wild card with a first round defeat. Sandoval posted 6.5 WAR in 2006 and Honduras got back to the CLCS, although they were ousted by Haiti. He had a 1.93 ERA over 14 playoff innings. For his postseason career, Sandoval had a 3.10 ERA and 5-1 record over 78.1 innings, 81 strikeouts, 18 walks, 127 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. While his tenure was only four years, Sandoval played a big role in getting Honduras over the hump for two pennants and one CABA title. With the Horsemen, he had a 76-26 record, 2.72 ERA, 1021 innings, 1174 strikeouts, 255 walks, 146 ERA+, and 30.7 WAR. Soon to be 32-years old, Sandoval was a free agent again for 2007. Jamaica inked him to a six-year, $37,900,000 deal which ended up being a big bust. His velocity had dipped from the upper 90s to mid 90s in his last year with Honduras, but Sandoval declined rapidly with the Jazz. In his Jamaica debut, Sandoval was peaking in the 90-92 mph range and struggled to a 4.40 ERA and 1.5 WAR over 256 innings. For 2008, Sandoval now was topping out in the 85-87 mph range. He was actively bad over 187.1 innings with a 4.37 ERA and was taken out of the rotation. Sandoval remained under contract for 2009 and 2010, but Jamaica didn’t use him in either season. With the Jazz, he had a 4.18 ERA over 443.1 innings, 17-32 record, 233 strikeouts, 98 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. Sandoval officially retired after the 2010 season at age 35. Sandoval finished with a 168-122 record, 3.36 ERA, 2749.1 innings, 2652 strikeouts, 757 walks, 186/335 quality starts, 115 complete games, 119 ERA+, and 58.6 WAR. As of 2037, he falls outside the top 100 in all of the counting stats except for the bad one of walks (39^th). Sandoval’s quick and sudden decline kept him from reaching accumulations that most figured he’d reach easily based on how his 20s went. Because of that, many voters felt he didn’t have the tenure to deserve a Hall of Fame spot. Supporters noted his window of dominance with Honduras, the Triple Crown season, and two Caribbean pennants. In 2014, Sandoval debuted on the ballot at 47.8%. He bounced between the 40-55% range for his next three ballots, then came close to the 66% requirement in 2018 at 61.9%. Sandoval dropped back to 54.6% in 2019, but got the benefit of weak debuts for 2020. He bumped across the line at 73.3% for induction with the 2020 class on his seventh ballot. Ian Paniagua – Starting Pitcher – Juarez Jesters – 69.3% Third Ballot Ian Paniagua was a 6’6’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico; a town of 75,000 within the San Juan metropolitan area. Despite his size, Paniagua wasn’t a power pitcher as his velocity peaked at only 89-91 mph. However, he had solid stuff with a diverse six-pitch arsenal mixed with great control and strong movement. Paniagua had a fastball, slider, forkball, changeup, cutter, and circle change on offer. Paniagua’s stamina was good relative to other CABA aces and he had reliable durability for most of his run. He was mediocre at holding runners and fielding the position. The main knock on Paniagua was that he was a selfish jerk. Many teammates and coaches noted his lack of effort and intelligence. Even if he coasted at times on his natural talent, Paniagua still managed to post a 17-year professional career. In November 1990, a teenaged Paniagua was spotted by a visiting Mexican scout from Juarez, giving him a developmental contract. He spent five years in the Jesters’ academy before debuting in 1996 at age 22, posting a 4.25 ERA over 118.2 innings. He started much of 1997, then was a full-time fixture in the rotation from 1998-2009 with Juarez. During that run, Paniagua topped 5+ WAR in nine different seasons. His production and innings were steady, although he rarely was a league leader and was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist. Paniagua did have the most complete games in 2003 and quality starts in 2007. Juarez gave Paniagua a five-year, $13,360,000 extension after the 1998 season, followed by a seven-year, $40,760,000 extension just before the 2003 campaign. They knew what to expect from Paniagua, which helped the Jesters become a contender in the 2000s. From 2000-06, Juarez had six playoff berths. They fell in the Mexican League Championship Series in 2000 and 2002, then had first round exits as a wild card in 2003 and 2004. The Jesters broke through and won back-to-back Mexican League titles in 2005-06. Juarez failed to win the CABA Championship though, falling to Salvador in 2005 and Haiti in 2006. Paniagua was excellent in the 2006 run with a 2.37 ERA over 38 innings. However, he struggled in his other playoff opportunities. For his career, Paniagua was a lackluster 7-10 with a 4.67 ERA over 115.2 playoff innings with 98 strikeouts, 13 walks, 80 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. He did fare better in his sporadic World Baseball Championship appearances for Puerto Rico with 111 innings, a 2.59 ERA, 8-3 record, 1.3 WAR, and 112 strikeouts. Juarez fell just outside the playoffs for the remainder of Paniagua’s run. He saw his first injury setback in late summer 2008 with a torn rotator cuff. Paniagua bounced back though with a career-best 2.80 ERA in 2009. Still, the Jesters bought out the remainder of his deal, making Paniagua a free agent at age 36. Despite his personality clashes, Juarez would later retire his #30 uniform. Paniagua had a 213-142 record, 3.56 ERA, 3255 innings, 3104 strikeouts, 609 walks, 104 ERA+, and 69.1 WAR. Tijuana signed Paniagua to a three-year, $17,100,000 deal. He ate innings, but otherwise struggled with his worst production in his two seasons for the Toros. Paniagua posted a 21-30 record, 4.14 ERA, 461 innings, 378 strikeouts, 89 ERA+, and 4.2 WAR. Tijuana would trade him in the offseason to Santo Domingo for three prospects. Paniagua was a back-end starter with passable results in his one year with the Dolphins with 2.9 WAR over 170 innings and a 4.24 ERA. He wasn’t used in the playoffs, but he earned a ring as Santo Domingo won the CABA Championship against his former squad Juarez. Paniagua did see 15 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship, but struggled to a 7.20 ERA. He wanted to play somewhere in 2013, but teams weren’t interested. Paniagua retired in the winter at age 39. In total, Paniagua had a 245-177 record, 3.66 ERA, 3886 innings, 3595 strikeouts, 771 walks, 295/500 quality starts, 130 complete games, 22 shutouts, 101 ERA+, and 76.2 WAR. As of 2037, Paniagua ranks 18^th in wins, 16^th in innings, 31^st in strikeouts, 44^th in complete games, 34^th in walks, and 44^th in WAR among pitchers. The 101 ERA+ and 3.66 ERA suggested sustained averageness, although his 86 FIP- suggested Paniagua may have been stronger than the ERA stats would suggest. There were voters who were underwhelmed by his overall production, playoff struggles, and lack of awards. Paniagua’s ERA would be the worst of any Hall of Fame inductee in CABA. Plus, he was an unlikeable jerk. However, Paniagua’s longevity got him to milestones though as to that point, every eligible pitcher with 230+ wins and/or 3500+ strikeouts made the cut. He narrowly missed the 66% requirement in his first two ballots at 61.9% and 62.6%. Paniagua didn’t cross the line by much, but 69.3% in 2020 earned him a third ballot induction into CABA’s HOF. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)