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FuzzyRussianHat

03-25-2023 03:59 PM

1948 World Baseball Championship

https://i.imgur.com/qkgwfD4.jpg

The second World Baseball Championship in 1948 would be held in Mexico City and would see the same two nations at the top of the two 12-team divisions. The defending champion United States took Division 1 at 10-1, finishing two games better than Mexico at 8-3. Canada claimed Division 2 at 9-2, finishing two better than both the Dominican Republic and Brazil at 7-4. Officially, the bronze medal for the event went to Mexico and the fourth place to the DR, as they beat Brazil for the tiebreaker.

As in the first edition, the United States prevailed in the best-of-seven championship in five games over Canada. America’s Vinny Elliott earned Best Pitcher honor. The 30-year old Houston Hornet was 4-0 his starts with a 0.79 ERA over 34 innings with 50 strikeouts. The MVP of the tournament went to Argentina’s Bernardo Gallegos. The 36-year old first baseman in his twilight years with MLB’s Nashville had 14 hits, 12 runs, 6 HR, and 9 RBI with a .389 average over 10 games.

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FuzzyRussianHat

03-26-2023 06:21 AM

1948 in BSA

https://i.imgur.com/lV8YEZp.jpg

Valencia won the Bolivar League North Division in 1948 for their first-ever playoff berth. The Velocity had a 98-64 record, finishing five games ahead of Bogota. Defending Copa Sudamerica champ Medellin fell to a distant third at 79-83. With Valencia's berth, that leaves Quito, Guayaquil, and Montevideo as the only Beisbol Sudamerica teams without at least one playoff berth in the organization's first 18 seasons. In the South Division, Cali claimed first at 97-65, their second straight title. La Paz was second at 88-74.

Quito’s Carlos Vargas won the Bolivar League MVP. The 28-year old Bolivian 1B led the league in hits (208), doubles (42), average (.357), OBP (.407), OPS (.910), wRC+ (170), and WAR (7.9). Barry Hernandez picked up the Pitcher of the Year split between Callao and Bogota. The 31-year old Peruvian had a league-best 1.74 ERA, 10.8 WAR and 31/34 quality starts with 340 strikeouts.

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The Liga Cono Sur division champs for the third straight season were Belo Horizonte and Buenos Aires. The Hogs had the best overall BSA record at 104-58; a franchise record, to take the Brazil Division. The Atlantics only narrowly extended their postseason streak to eight seasons, tying La Paz for the longest streak. BA was first in the South Division at 89-73 with Santiago two back, Cordoba six back, and Asuncion seven back.

Southern Cone MVP went to Asuncion 1B Adrian Calvo. The 23-year old in his third full season had a monster season leading the league in home runs (56), RBI (118), runs (102), OBP (.385), slugging (.642), OPS (1.026), wRC+ (253) and WAR (11.9). The WAR total was the third highest single-season total for a BSA hitter to date. Buenos Aires’s Rolando Salva won his first Pitcher of the Year. The 28-year old in his second season with the Atlantics posted a league-best 11.2 WAR, 372 strikeouts, and 0.73 WHIP.

In the Bolivar League Championship Series, Cali defeated Valencia 4-1 to give the Cyclones their first league title in six finals appearances. After dropping the last two, Belo Horizonte finally overcame Buenos Aires by winning the Southern Cone Championship in five games. This would end an impressive 1940s run for the Atlantics, as they wouldn't make the final again until 1963. In Copa Sudamerica, the Hogs won in five games over the Cyclones for their first overall title. They're the first Brazilian team to take the cup since Brasilia in 1938.

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Other notes: On June 14, Lauro Almeida of Buenos Aires threw a perfect game with eight strikeouts against Fortaleza. Three pitchers crossed 4000 career strikeouts, making it six who have done it. Timoteo Caruso, Pascal Aguirre, and Evan Yho each crossed that threshold in 1948. All three also made it to 200 career wins. Jonathan Iglesia became the third reliever to 400 saves. Offensively, Matias Amaro made it to 400 home runs, the seventh to do so. Diego Pena became the ninth to 1000 RBI and Julio Cesar Galindo became the ninth to 1000 runs scored. SS Diego Pena became the third BSA player to win 10 Silver Sluggers.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-26-2023 12:00 PM

1948 in EAB

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Defending Japan League champ Sapporo claimed its fifth North Division title in six seasons in 1948. The Swordfish were first at 94-68 with the fewest runs allowed (470). Tokyo was second at 89-73. In a competitive South Division, Nagoya claimed first for the first time since 1941. The Nightowls finished 87-73, passing defending champ Kobe (87-75), Osaka (86-87), and Fukuoka (84-78).

Fukuoka’s Takashi Ishihara won his third MVP in four years and was a record setter in the process. The 28-year old RF smacked 64 home runs, tying the single-season record set by Danzu Min in 1932. He had a 14.3 WAR season, which would hold as the EAB single-season record until 2028. He led Japan in runs (125), hits (192), RBI (144), OBP (.362), slugging (.731), OPS (1.093), and wRC+ (260. Saitama’s Seung-Bin Jeong won Pitcher of the Year in a split season between starting and the bullpen for the 24-year old lefty. He had a league-best 1.39 ERA and 55 FIP-, posting a 15-6 record with 18 saves over 206.2 innings for 6.9 WAR.

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For the first time in franchise history, Seoul won the Korea League North Division. The Seahawks had the best record in East Asia Baseball at 103-59, 11 ahead of Seongnam. Defending Korean champ Hamhung fell hard to fifth at 73-89. With Seoul's berth, that leaves Chiba and Sendai as the only EAB teams without a playoff appearance in the organization's 28 seasons. The Seahawks were the last Korean team to get in. In the South Division, Changwon was first at 93-69, eight games ahead of Daegu.

Leading Seoul to their success was 26-year old LF Chong-Chun Pak, the 1948 Korea League MVP. Pak led the league in RBI (117), slugging (.645), OPS (1.027), and WAR (8.0). Daejeon’s Ji-Yoon Park earned back-to-back Pitcher of the Year. He lead the league in ERA again at 1.79 and also led in strikeouts (353), quality starts (27), WHIP (0.79), and WAR (8.9).

The Japan League Championship Series was a sweep for Nagoya over Sapporo, denying the Swordfish the back-to-back. The Nightowls are tied with Sapporo for the most Japan League titles at five with their first since 1940. In a classic for the Korea League Championship, Seoul won its first league title in seven games over Changwon. The Seahawks went on to take the East Asian Championship as well in six games over Nagoya.

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Other notes: Goyang's Byung-Oh Tan would be the first EAB hitter to record 3000 career hits. Tan is the active leader in all-time hits, runs scored, and RBI. He would finish the 21st Century as the all-time leader in both hits and runs scored, as he'd continue to add to his tallies into 1953. Osaka's Yu-Jin Kim became the fifth EAB hitter to 500 career home runs. Ha-Min Park won his eighth and final Silver Slugger at CF.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-27-2023 06:16 AM

1948 in CABA

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The top three teams in the Mexican League in 1948 battled for the North Division title. 1946 league champ Chihuahua took first at 102-60, beating last year’s champ Hermosillo at 100-62 and Mexicali at 95-67. In the South Division, Guadalajara earned its first division title since their 1920s dynasty. The Hellhounds were 87-75, three games better than Leon. Last year’s division winner Mexico City fell to fourth at 71-91.

Mexicali’s Timmy Ramirez won back-to-back MVPs in a record-setting season. The 26-year old first baseman became the new CABA single-season home run king with 61, passing Emmanuel Reyes’ 1939 record of 60. Ramirez was also the Mexican League leader in RBI (127), slugging (.705), OPS (1.081), and wRC+ (240) with a 10.8 WAR. Chihuahua’s Danny Ledo won his second Pitcher of the Year in three seasons. The 28-year old led the league in wins (20), innings (279.2), strikeouts (329), walks (70), quality starts (27), and complete games (15) with a 2.48 ERA and 7.9 WAR.

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The Caribbean League Island Division went to Jamaica at 93-69, two games ahead of Haiti and three over defending champ Santiago. For the Jazz, it is their first playoff berth since 1934. In the Continental Division Costa Rica and Panama tied for the top spot at 85-77. The Rays won the one-game playoff over the Parrots to earn back-to-back playoff spots.

Panama’s Alejandro Encinas earned the league MVP. The 32-year old 1B was in his final season with the Parrots before leaving for America. He earned a Triple Crown with a .332 average, 51 home runs, and 147 RBI. The 147 RBI was a new CABA single-season record. He also led the Caribbean in hits (210), runs (114), slugging (.641), OPS (1.006), and wRC+ (177). Guatemala’s Edgar Andunvar won his first Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. He led in WAR (7.7), quality starts (26), and FIP- (67) with a 2.66 ERA and 250 strikeouts.

In the Mexican League Championship Series, Chihuahua defeated Guadalajara in six games to give the Warriors their second title in three years and fourth overall. The Caribbean League Championship Series was a seven game classic for the third straight year. Costa Rica upset Jamaica for their fourth league title and first since their mid 1930s run. In the CABA Championship, the Rays defeated the Warriors in six games. This is Costa Rica’s second overall title, joining 1935.

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Other notes: Santo Domingo’s Felipe Morales joined the legendary Ulices Montero as the only CABA pitchers to 4500 career strikeouts. Juarez’s Jeong-Hyeon Pin became the 10<sup>th</sup> to 500 career home runs. Puerto Rico’s Yves Jean became the third CABA player to 1500 RBI.

Haiti’s Alban Angulo won his third straight Reliever of the Year. RF Augustin Gabaldon and LF Markel Calderon both became nine time Gold Glove winners. SS Emmanuel Zavala won his 14<sup>th</sup> Silver Slugger, tying Hall of Famer Kiko Velazquez for the most by a CABA player. For the third straight season, there was not a single no-hitter in CABA.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-27-2023 02:03 PM

1948 in MLB

https://i.imgur.com/pXAo7JL.jpg

Hartford won the Eastern League for the second straight season and earned a fifth playoff berth in six seasons with a 102-60 mark in 1948. Toronto took second at 95-67 for their second wild card in three years. Philadelphia’s dynasty was officially broken up after seven straight National Association titles, but they still had a solid third place season at 91-71. In the Midwest League, five teams finished within four games of first. Columbus took first for the second straight season by going 95-67. Milwaukee and Indianapolis tied for second at 94-68 with both Chicago and St. Louis just behind at 91-71. In a one-game playoff for the wild card spot, the Mustangs defeated the Racers, giving Milwaukee a second wild card in three seasons.

Hartford RF Noah O’Dell earned a second MVP award. The 26-year old led the National Association in batting average (.363), slugging (.601), OPS (1.006), and WAR (8.5). Indianapolis lefty Rayan Orozco was the Pitcher of the Year in his sophomore season. The Puerto Rican led the NA in ERA (2.31), WHIP (1.03), quality starts (28), FIP- (60), and WAR (9.6).

In the First Round, Columbus swept Toronto and Hartford survived in five games against Milwaukee. In the National Association Championship Series, the Huskies defeated the Chargers in five games. For Hartford, it is their third NA title and first since 1920. For Columbus, they are now 0-6 in the NACS in their history.

https://i.imgur.com/SC4fcwk.jpg

Defending American Association champ Nashville earned a fourth playoff berth in five seasons, winning the Southern League for the first time in that stretch at 98-64. In joins 1924 as their only SL titles. Jacksonville at 91-71 grabbed their second playoff spot in three years.

The Western League was loaded meanwhile with four teams winning 100+ games. Calgary took the title at 110-52, scoring 1007 runs (only 17 runs behind Houston’s 1913 record of 1024). It was a franchise record for the Cheetahs in wins and first title since 1942. Last year’s WL champ Albuquerque narrowly took second at 102-60, one game better than Los Angeles and two better than Las Vegas.

San Antonio DH Sebastian Lunde won his third straight MVP award. The 26-year old led the American Association in hits (228), home runs (52), RBI (159), and slugging (.629). San Diego’s Spencer Emond won his first Pitcher of the Year in what would be an all-time great career. In his third season at age 23, Emond led the AA in ERA (2.37), innings pitched (296.2), quality starts (29), and WAR (10.1).

In the first round of the playoffs, Jacksonville stunned Calgary with a road sweep and Albuquerque knocked off Nashville with a road sweep. The American Association Championship Series went to the Isotopes over the Gators in six games. It is the third AA title for Albuquerque and first since 1934. In the 1948 World Series, Hartford dropped the Isotopes in six games. This is the second MLB championship for the Huskies, who also won it all in 1916.

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Other notes: Pitcher Ned Giles became the first MLB pitcher to 350 career wins and the second to 4500 strikeouts, joining Newton Persaud. Giles would retire next season as the all-time wins leader at 357 and second to Persaud in strikeouts with Giles at 4561 and Persaud at 4655. Giles also finished with 1517 WAR, the all-time MLB mark for any pitcher as of 2036 and would be the leader of all players until passed in 2022 by CF Morgan Short.

Houston’s Aubin Shrauger became the 10<sup>th</sup> MLB player to 600 career home runs and also crossed 2500 hits. Rayan Laubenheimer crossed 1500 runs scored and 1500 RBI. Stan Provost also crossed the 1500 run threshold. Omaha’s Rodrigo Reta became the 21<sup>st</sup> MLB player to 3000 career hits.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-28-2023 06:13 AM

1949 MLB Hall of Fame

The 1949 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inducted only one player in 1949 and barely. 1B Balta Llama on his fourth attempt just crossed the 66% threshold, getting in at 68.9%. 2B BJ Scott barely fell short on his second try at 65.4%. RF Jake Nicholson (64.2%), CL Noah Pugliese (63.9%), and 2B Kenny Goldman (60.7%) all were above 60%. Goldman was on his ninth attempt. Four others finished above 50%.

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Of those four was Rush Anest, dropped after his 10<sup>th</sup> ballot at 59.8%. The 17-year Albuquerque veteran pitcher had a 237-195 record, 3.56 ERA, 92.6 WAR, and 2828 strikeouts. About as high of a WAR as you can get without earning a Hall of Fame spot, but Anest was never a dominant player or award winner. His 59.8% on his 10<sup>th</sup> try was his highest HOF tally.

Two other players were dropped after 10 seasons. 1B Larry Donoway over 19 years had 2689 hits, 1373 runs, 390 home runs, 1410 RBI, a .306 average, and 69.2 WAR. He lacked any major awards and played on a small struggling Omaha team, peaking on his debut at 31.5%. Closer Kijuan Smith was also dropped after peaking at 38.8% on his ballot debut. In 17 years, he had a 2.74 ERA, 285 saves, 32.4 WAR and was the 1919 Reliever of the Year.

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Balta Llama – First Baseman – Washington Admirals – 68.9% Fourth Ballot

Balta Llama was a 5’9’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Kings Park, on Long Island in New York. Llama was a well-rounded bat with solid contact, power, and eye. He wasn’t much of a baserunner and spent his entire career at first base, generally thought of as a below average defender. He attended Indiana and had a tremendous college career, winning the college MVP award in 1921 and helping the Hoosiers to the National Championship. This earned him the 33<sup>rd</sup> overall draft pick in the 1921 MLB Draft by Washington.

Llama spent seven seasons with the Admirals, his longest tenure with any team. He was only a part-time starter his first four years before becoming the main starter his last three seasons. His best year with Washington saw 46 home runs, 114 RBI, and 6.0 WAR in 1926. In his run there, he had 22.9 WAR, 808 hits, 434 runs, 180 home runs, and 505 RBI.

Llama left for free agency in 1929 and signed at age 28 with Houston. He had a solid season in 1929 with the Hornets and got his first taste of postseason play. However, Houston opted to trade him in April 1930 to Tampa. Llama would spent four years with the Thunderbirds and won his lone Silver Slugger in 1933, posting 7.0 WAR, 39 home runs, and 120 RBI. That season, he finished third in MVP voting.

Fresh off that, he signed in free agency with Milwaukee and spent the next five seasons with the Mustangs. In 1934 at age 33, he finished third in MVP voting again with a 7.1 WAR, 40 home run, 131 RBI, 109 run season. The Mustangs were the National Association champ in both 1934 and 1935, falling in the World Series both years. Llama had a solid 1934 playoffs, but missed the 1935 run with a fractured thumb. With Milwaukee, he had 25.3 WAR, 822 hits, 481 runs, 183 home runs, and 529 RBI. By raw stats, that was his strongest run of his career.

Llama left in 1939 at age 38 and finished his MLB career with Houston. In his 40s, he went south and spent three seasons in CABA. He had a respectable 1941 with Santo Domingo. He was traded to Leon for 1942 and then played in Haiti in 1943 in a reserve role, finally retiring at the age of 42.

His MLB stat line: 2732 hits, 1503 runs, 399 doubles, 588 home runs, 1739 RBI, 1035 walks, a .286/.356/.516 slash, and 73.1 WAR. A very solid and consistent bat for two decades, but not someone generally at the top of leaderboards or MVP conversations. Still, his resume was enough that the voters eventually got him over the hump in his fourth ballot, just passing the 66% threshold at 68.9%.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-28-2023 04:05 PM

1949 CABA Hall of Fame

Nobody made the cut in the 1949 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame ballot. It was a heartbreaker for 2B Junior Mota, who on his 10<sup>th</sup> and final attempt fell short at 62%. SP Dusty Louis was at 61.6% on his third try, 1B Mason Mick at 59.2% on his first, and SP Rayan Montes at 57.65 on his fourth.

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For Mota, he was less than one percent short the prior season at 65.3%. He spent 14 years with Jamaica, went to MLB for six seasons, then ended with two years in Guadalajara. Between the two organizations, he had 3184 hits and 98.8 WAR. In CABA, he had 2181 hits, 957 runs, 137 home runs, 834 RBI, .308 average, and 81.7 WAR with eight Silver Sluggers. He often is sighted on the biggest snubs list, but being a second baseman and lacking power meant Mota was left out.

Two others were dropped after their 10<sup>th</sup> ballot. SP Luis Ochoa spent 13 years between Hermosillo and Puerto Rico, throwing 66.7 WAR with a 2.72 ERA, 186-146 record, and 2856 strikeouts. His best ballot was his first at 32.5%. Also dropped was catcher Oscar Rodriguez, who had a 22 year career with a peak at 25.0% on his second ballot. He won three Silver Sluggers and with seven teams had 2020 hits, 770 runs, 226 homers, 920 RBI, and 53.0 WAR. High numbers for a catcher, but the position is underappreciated. Plus, he had a .227 average and 2348 strikeouts.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-29-2023 05:41 AM

1949 EAB Hall of Fame

The East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame inducted one player in the 1949 class as SP Joon-Kyu Cho was a no-doubt first ballot pick at 98.5%. The only other player to cross 50% was SP Ping’an Xie at 50.6% on his seventh try.

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Getting dropped after his 10<sup>th</sup> ballot was closer Takanori Uenuma, who peaked at 47.9% on his second try. He pitched with 10 teams between EAB and MLB and won Korea League Reliever of the Year twice, posting 274 EAB saves and 37.9 WAR. Also dropped after 10 tries was SP Naotake Yo****ake who spent 14 seasons with Ulsan with a 179-152 record, 3.13 ERA, 2995 strikeouts and 87.1 WAR. He peaked at 34.4% on his first try.

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Joon-Kyu “Skippy” Cho – Starting Pitcher – Sapporo Swordfish – 98.5% First Ballot

Joon-Kyu Cho was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Kimchaek, a coastal city in the northeastern part of modern North Korea. Nicknamed “Skippy,” he had 94-96 mph velocity but still had great stuff, mixing a fastball with a strong changeup and knuckle curve. Cho was also generally thought of as a solid defensive pitcher. Cho was signed as an amateur by Sapporo at age 16 and after hanging around on the reserve roster, debuted at age 21 in 1928.

His first season was 1929 and Cho was excellent, earning the Japan League Rookie of the Year on a 1.93 ERA, 303 strikeout, 6.0 WAR season. He would become an ace from there, leading his league in strikeouts six times in a seven year stretch. He won three Pitcher of the Year awards with the Swordfish; 1932, 34, and 35. He took second in 1931 and third in 1933. Sapporo became a contender in the early 1930s, winning the Japan League title in 1932 & 33 and the EAB title in 1932. His stats with the Swordfish was 126-56, 1.92 ERA, 2327 strikeouts in 1703.2 innings, and 52.6 WAR; along with two no-hitters. His #1 jersey would be retired in 1942.

Fresh off winning Pitcher of the Year, the 29-year old Cho opted for free agency and moved back to Korea, signing with Pyongyang. He was third in Pitcher of the Year in his first year with the Pythons, but that would be his last outstanding year. He remained a good starter with Pyongyang, putting up 27.4 WAR and a 65-63 record with a 2.97 ERA and 1502 strikeouts over 5 ½ seasons.

Cho was traded in late June 1941 to Saitama and finished the season with the Sting. He then signed with Hamhung, the team closest to where he grew up, and pitched two seasons with the Heat. He earned his 200<sup>th</sup> win with Hamhung and became the second pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts. He had a solid first year, but began to struggle in his second season and suffered a torn meniscus in the late summer. Cho opted to retire at age 37.

His final statistics: 219-143, 2.59 ERA, 3350.1 innings, 4369 strikeouts, 311/458 quality starts, and 90.3 WAR. At the time of retirement, Cho was second all-time in EAB in strikeouts and third in WAR. One of the dominant strikeout pitchers of the 1930s, Cho was an easy fist ballot pick at 98.5%.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-29-2023 03:26 PM

1949 BSA Hall of Fame

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Two players earned induction into Beisbol Sudamerica’s 1949 Hall of Fame Class. 3B Mohammed Jimenez became the first non-pitcher inducted, getting in on his first ballot at 86.1%. Closer Aitor Rangel became the second reliever to get in on his third try at 79.7%. SP Rey Parisi was the only other above 50%, getting 54.9% on his first attempt. No one was dropped after a 10<sup>th</sup> ballot in the still new HOF.

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Mohammed “Riot” Jimenez – Third Baseman – Rosario Robins – 86.1% First Ballot

Mohammed Jimenez was a 5’9’’, 195 pound right-handed third baseman from Caracas, Venezuela. Jimenez had very good power and contact ability with decent baserunning ability and a decent eye. He played exclusively at third base and was generally an average to below average defender. Jimenez was known as a hard worker and good leader in the clubhouse.

He was a solid amateur and semi-pro player in his native Venezuela in his early 20s with Beisbol Sudamerica forming when Jimenez was 26 years old. For the inaugural season, he was signed by Argentina’s Rosario, where he spent the next 11 seasons. He led in RBI in the first BSA season at 136 and helped the Robins to the first Copa Sudamerica, where they fell to Medellin. Jimenez was the Southern Cone League Championship series MVP. They only made the playoffs once more in his run, eventually becoming a bottom-tier team by the late 1930s.

Jimenez remained top tier, winning the Southern Cone MVP in 1935 and 1936, as well as Silver Sluggers in 34, 35, and 36. In 1936, he was the first ever BSA Triple Crown winner with a .316 average, 48 home runs, and 105 RBI. He also led in WAR (10.5), hits (185), and runs (93). Jimenez also took second in MVP voting in 1931 and third in 1932.

He finished in Rosario with 1827 hits, 401 home runs, 902 runs, 1000 RBI, and 81.8 WAR. He was the first BSA player to reach both 400 homers and 1000 RBI. The Robins retired his #22 in 1943, making him the first in franchise history to earn the honor. At age 37, he returned home to Venezuela and signed with Valencia for the 1942 season. He had a solid debut there and became the first to 2000 career hits, but struggled in 1943 and retired at age 38.

The final statistics: 2100 hits, 1023 runs, 458 home runs, 1165 RBI, a .275/.320/.497 slash and 86.8 WAR. These numbers were especially impressive given the context of the very defensive early days of Beisbol Sudamerica and with his stats starting at age 26. He’d fall down leaderboards over time, but will forever be the first to have reached 2000 hits, 1000 runs, 1000 RBI, and 400 home runs. A fitting first ballot Hall of Famer at 86.1%, the first batter into the BSA Hall.

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Aitor Rangel – Closer – Bogota Bats - 79.7% Third Ballot

Aitor Rangel was a 6’0’’, 190 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Guayaquil, Ecuador. His velocity was only 93-95, but he had incredible movement with his two pitches; a slider and sinker. His control was at times erratic, but when he was on, he was un-hittable. Rangel bounced around Ecuador until Beisbol Sudamerica was formed when he was 25 years old. In 1931, he signed with Bogota, where he’d spend seven of his 11 years in BSA.

He was the closer for the Bats during that entire run, leading the Bolivar League in saves twice. He earned Reliever of the Year in 1935 with a 0.68 ERA, 49 saves, and 5.0 WAR. He was second in voting in 1934 and third in both 1933 and 1936. With Bogota, he picked up 245 saves with a 1.33 ERA, 976 strikeouts over 580.1 innings, 284 shutdowns, and 32.6 WAR.

In February 1938, the 32-year old Rangel was traded by Bogota to Brasilia, where he spent his final four seasons. He finished second in Reliever of the Year in 1938 and helped the Bearcats to a Copa Sudamerica title. He won his second Reliever of the Year in 1939. In 1940, a partially torn labrum in late spring ended his season and when he came back in 1941, he struggled. Rangel opted to retire at age 35.

His final line, 325 saves, 403 shutdowns, a 1.46 ERA over 862 innings with 1437 strikeouts, 280 walks, and 45.1 WAR. A short burst of a career, but he was consistently considered an elite closer throughout the entire 1930s. He was the first reliever to 300 saves and on his third attempt on the ballot, made it into the BSA Hall of Fame at 79.7%.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-30-2023 05:43 AM

1949 World Baseball Championship

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The third World Baseball Championship took place in Sao Paulo, Brazil and would be the final edition under the original format as the field and postseason would expand the next season. The United States would be denied a three-peat as they took second in Division 1. Mexico prevailed at 9-2 for the top spot, one ahead of the Americans and two better than Argentina.

In Division 2, Canada’s bid for a third straight finals appearance was foiled by South Korea. Both nations finished at 9-2, but the Koreans had the tiebreaker having beaten the Canadians in their meeting. Colombia was third in the division at 8-3 with Brazil at 7-4. Canada officially got the third place medal overall with the US fourth.

The championship series ultimately wasn’t competitive as Mexico swept South Korea for their first world championship. Mexico’s Prometheo Garcia was the event MVP as the Guadalajara 1B had 20 hits, 17 runs, 9 home runs, and 1.4 WAR over 15 games. Colombia’s Fernando Guitard was named the Best Pitcher. He had made his Beisbol Sudamerica debut with Bogota only last season with the 24-year old in two starts throwing two complete games with only three hits and two runs allowed.

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FuzzyRussianHat

03-30-2023 01:59 PM

1949 in BSA

Beisbol Sudamerica had been consistently the lowest offense organization of the Major Leagues worldwide in its short history. In 1948, the Bolivar League had a combined .232 batting average and 2.93 ERA, while the Southern Cone League had a .216 average and 2.60 ERA; even lower as that league lacked the DH compared to the Bolivar League. While the game had grown in popularity, many leaders within BSA thought the pitching-dominated environment was a negative.

They compared notes with the other leagues in the Global Baseball Alliance and made a few changes for the 1949 season to increase offense. Most notably, they limited the pitcher’s ability to scuff up the balls, something that they had more agency over than their contemporaries. They also lowered the mound, both with the hope of fewer strikeouts and more balls in play. It worked, as both leagues saw boosts that put their average numbers more in line with CABA or EAB. In the Bolivar League, the batting average went from .232 to .245 and the ERA went from 2.93 to 3.24. For Liga Cono Sur, the average soared from .216 to .235, while ERA went from 2.60 to 3.09.

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Bogota won the Bolivar North Division for their first-ever playoff berth, The Bats had the best record in the league at 104-58. Defending league champ Cali won the South Division for the third straight season, finishing 98-64.

Cali’s R.J. Correa won his first MVP. The 29-year old 1B had a Triple Crown season with a .325 average, 47 home runs, and 114 RBI. He also led the league in runs (110), OBP (.378), slugging (.608), OPS (.985), wRC+ (188), and WAR (9.7). Bogota veteran Alonso Guzman won his first Pitcher of the Year. The 31-year old led in wins (20), and WHIP (0.90), posting a 1.83 ERA and 7.6 WAR with 269 strikeouts.

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In the Southern Cone, Salvador won the Brazil Division at 98-64. This is their first playoff berth, leaving only Guayaquil, Quito, and Montevideo as the franchises without a playoff appearance. Rio de Janeiro was second at 93-69, while defending Copa Sudamerica champ Belo Horizonte fell to third at 84-78. The South Division went to Santiago for their first playoff appearance since 1938. The Saints had the best record in the league at 101-61. The Buenos Aires postseason streak was snapped at eight years, as the Atlantics and Cordoba were tied for second at 86-76.

Leading the Storm to their playoff appearance was LF Santiago Fernandez, who won league MVP. The 31-year old veteran was the league leader in WAR (10.8), OPS (1.019), slugging (.628), wRC+ (217), doubles (40), and runs (110). Pitcher of the Year went to Belo Horizonte’s Silvestre Azambuja. The hometown fourth-year lefty was the leader in wins (21), posting a 1.84 ERA, 263 strikeouts, and 8.8 WAR.

The Bolivar League Championship Series was a swept for Cali over Bogota, giving the Cyclones back-to-back titles. In the Southern Cone Championship, Salvador won their first-ever title by defeating Santiago in six games. In Copa Sudamerica, the Storm bested Cali in six games to give Salvador their first-ever overall title.

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Other notes: Salvador’s Luccas Rodriguez threw a perfect game on April 12 against Rosario, striking out nine. Four batters crossed 2000 career hits; Yuri Assuncao, Theo Raposa, David Anacoreta, and Angel Gabriel Cornejo. Diego Pena and Eduardo Santana crossed 400 home runs. TJ Figueroa became the second pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts, while Tilson Garcia became the eighth to 4000 career strikeouts. Italio Lopez crossed 200 career wins. Shortstop Diego Pena won his record-tying 11<sup>th</sup> Silver Slugger. Fellow shortstop Jamie Escoto became a nine-time Gold Glove winner.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-31-2023 06:13 AM

1949 in EAB

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Sapporo won the Japan league North Division for the sixth time in seven years, finishing at 103-59. Sendai and Tokyo both finished seven games behind. In the South Division, Kobe took their second title in three seasons. The Blaze ended at 101-61, 21 games ahead of second place Osaka.

The Swordfish had the league MVP in 26-year old 3B Nariyuki Yanagisawa. He led the league in home runs (39), slugging (.589), OPS (.955), and wRC+ (204) while posting 10.1 WAR. Sapporo also had the Pitcher of the Year in Fumio Fujino, his second time winning the honor (1943). The 32-year old lefty led Japan in ERA (1.81) with 6.4 WAR and 230 strikeouts. The Swordfish also had Oki Tanaka win his record fifth Reliever of the Year with 51 saves, a 0.85 ERA and 5.9 WAR. Tanaka became the fourth EAB pitcher to 400 saves.

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Defending EAB champion Seoul won the Korea League North Division again with the league’s best record at 104-58. Incheon and Pyongyang were both next at 91-71. Changwon won back-to-back South Division crowns by going 92-70, five games better than Daejeon and eight over Daegu.

Seahawks LF Chong-Chun Pak won his second straight league MVP. The 27-year old led the league in the triple slash (.351/.396/.659), OPS (1.055, wRC+ (198), WAR (9.9), runs (114), triples (28), and RBI (140). Gwangju’s Min-Chin Park was the Pitcher of the Year, finishing seven strikeouts short of a Triple Crown. The 27-year old had a 23-9 record, 2.07 ERA, league-best 0.70 WHIP, 12.4 K/BB and 30 quality starts.

Sapporo swept Kobe in the JCLS to give the Swordfish their fourth league title in six seasons. Sapporo now has seven titles overall, the most of any Japanese team. In the KLCS rematch, Seoul again defeated Changwon, this time in six games. The East Asian Championship was a sweep for the first time since 1940. Sapporo smacked Seoul to give the Swordfish a third overall championship and second in three seasons.

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Other notes: Changwon’s Yeo Kim on April 12 threw a perfect game against Daejeon, striking out eight. Daegu’s Eun-Seok Kan on April 30 set a single-game EAB record with 20 strikeouts against Seongnam. Worth noting that it came over 13.1 innings. 19 Ks over nine innings had been achieved five times prior.

Byung-Oh Tan became the second batter to 600 career home runs. Tan also earned his 13<sup>th</sup> and final Silver Slugger, the most any EAB player had gotten. Ha-Jun Cho became the sixth to 500 dingers and also the fifth to 2500 career hits. Taiji Makino crossed the 200 win and 3500 strikeout thresholds.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-31-2023 03:29 PM

1949 in CABA

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Mexicali took the Mexican League North Division in 1949, giving the Maroons their third-ever playoff berth and first since 1927. Mexicali ran away with it at 101-61. Defending league champ Chihuahua fell to third at 81-81. In a competitive South Division, Puebla prevailed at 92-70, three games ahead of both Leon and Merida. It’s also the first playoff berth for the Pumas in a long while, having to go back to 1928. Last year’s division champ Guadalajara fell to last at 71 wins.

Although the Hellhounds stunk, Prometheo Garcia posted the greatest offensive season in league history by WAR at 14.18, a record that still stands nearly 100 years later. The 26-year old 1<sup>st</sup> baseman won his second MVP and set a handful of records. He became the first CABA player to have an average above .400 (.406), a record only passed once later. He also had 252 hits, which would only get matched again in 2027. The previous record of 229 by Kiko Velazquez pales in comparison. His 1.179 OPS and .740 slugging percentage were also single-season records, along with his 459 total bases. Garcia also had the league lead in runs (117), home runs (55), RBI (140), OBP (.439), and wRC+ (269). This season, plus his role in helping Mexico win the 1949 World Baseball Championship, cemented Garcia as a baseball legend even with another two decades to go in his career.

Pitcher of the Year went to Mexicali’s Rolando Pena, his first of four. It was the 27-year old’s breakout year, leading the league in wins (20), strikeouts (333), quality starts (29), FIP- (60), and WAR (9.5).

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Havana took the Caribbean Island Division at 94-68, their first division title since 1936. Defending division champ Jamaica fell to 81-81. In the Continental Division, Salvador took first at 90-72, three games ahead of defending CABA champ Costa Rica and four better than Guatemala. It is the first playoff berth since 1944 for the Stallions.

Leading Salvador’s efforts was league MVP Renato Ortivez, his second MVP and first since 1944. The 30-year old RF had been traded by Havana to the Stallions and rewarded them with league bests in runs (99), home runs (51), RBI (146), slugging (.639), OPS (1.005), and WAR (8.2). The RBI tally was one behind the single-season record set last year. It would be Ortivez’s only year with Salvador, as he left for MLB and signed with Los Angeles next season. Guatemala’s Edgar Andunvar won his second straight Pitcher of the Year with the league lead in wins (19), ERA (1.90), FIP- (59), and WAR (8.0).

The Mexican League Championship Series was a seven game classic with Puebla defeating Mexicali. It is the third title for the Pumas and first since 1928. The Caribbean final was less exciting as Havana swept Salvador, the first Caribbean League title for the Hurricanes since winning the first three from 1911-13. Havana continued to roll by pounding Puebla in five games in the CABA Championship, giving the Hurricanes their second title (1912).

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Other notes: Puerto Rico’s Felix Hernandez crossed the 200 win and 4000 strikeout thresholds. He’s only the fifth to reach 4000Ks. Mexicali’s Markel Calderon won his 10<sup>th</sup> Gold Glove in left field. Shortstop Emmanuel Zavala won his 15<sup>th</sup> straight Silver Slugger, passing Kiko Velazquez for the most by a CABA hitter.

FuzzyRussianHat

04-01-2023 05:51 AM

1949 in MLB

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The Eastern League was incredibly competitive in 1949 with Montreal taking the top spot narrowly at 94-68 for their first playoff berth since 1931 and first league title since 1928. In the wild card battle, defending World Series champ Hartford and Toronto tied for second at 93-69, while Philadelphia was fourth at 90-72. In a one-game playoff, the Timberwolves topped the Huskies to eliminate Hartford and give Toronto its third wild card in four seasons. The best overall record in the National Association went to Chicago, taking the Midwest League at 101-61. It is the Cubs first-ever league title and only second playoff appearance, with the other all the way back in 1912. Columbus made it three straight years in the playoffs by taking second at 93-69, three games ahead of Milwaukee.

Hartford CF Jess Lewis was the NA MVP. The 30-year old led the NA in runs (114) while adding 199 hits, a .343 average, and 8.4 WAR. The Pitcher of the Year went to 23-year old Columbus lefty J.R. Lester. He didn’t lead the National Association in anything, but had a solid 18-8 record, 2.63 ERA, 245 strikeouts, and 7.1 WAR. Each of these would be career bests ultimately for Lester.

In the first round of the playoffs, Toronto upset Chicago in four games and Montreal knocked off Columbus in four. For the first time since 1925, the National Association Championship Series had two Canadian teams. It was a classic battle with the Maples edging the Timberwolves in seven games. It was the fourth NA title for Montreal and first since 1928.

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In the Southern League, Jacksonville took first at 92-70 to get their third playoff berth in four seasons. New Orleans was second at 86-76 to earn their first wild card since 1941. They finished one game ahead of San Antonio for the spot. In a strong Western League, Los Angeles took first at 102-60, putting the 1945-46 champs back into the playoffs after missing the last years despite strong seasons. Defending American Association champ Albuquerque got the wild card at 100-62 for their third straight playoff appearance. The Isotopes were two games better than 98-64 Oakland.

It was an historic season for San Antonio DH Sebastian Lunde, who won his fourth straight MVP. The 28-year old lefty hit 62 home runs, breaking the single-season record of 61 set by Elijah Cashman in 1923. Lunde also had 242 hits, one better than the previous all-time single-season mark of Max Pohorence in 1914. He shattered his own total bases record with 476, well ahead of the 435 he had in 1946. This would remain the total bases record as of 2036. Lunde also led the AA in runs (131), RBI (155), slugging (.707), OPS (1.096), and wRC+ (184). The Oilers also had the Pitcher of the Year in 24-year old Edward Milsom. The young Australian led in WAR (9.8) and quality starts (27), posting a 17-6 record and 2.55 ERA.

Albuquerque got a road sweep of Jacksonville in the first round and Los Angeles beat New Orleans 3-1. The American Association Championship Series went the distance with the Angels defeating the Isotopes in seven games, giving LA its third title in five seasons. In the 1949 World Series, Montreal bested the Angels in five games to give the Maples their first-ever MLB overall championship.

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Other notes: Hunter Pride won his 10<sup>th</sup> Gold Glove at second base, the first to do at the position. Albuquerque’s Angelo Leblanc became the third MLB pitcher to 300 career wins and the seventh to 3500 strikeouts. Stan Provost passed 1500 RBI. Eliot Cote and Erich Fleischmann each reached 500 home runs.

FuzzyRussianHat

04-01-2023 11:37 AM

1950: European Baseball Federation Formed

As baseball's reach expanded in the early 20th century, many in Europe started to take a liking to the game. Countries with strong ties to the United States or other Western Hemisphere nations especially came to appreciate baseball. Like their counterparts in the Americas and East Asia, there were those who saw the potential for large scale European professional baseball that could compete and compare. However, two World Wars derailed even the best laid plans. There were scattered semi-pro and amateur teams on the continent, but nothing of substance was sustained as the entire continent was reeling from war.

When World War II ended in 1945 and things began to recover and stabilize, the idea of professional baseball began to regain traction in major cities and governments across Europe. Some thought a multi-national baseball federation in the vein of CABA or Beisbol Sudamerica would work great in Europe. Not only did leaders see the financial possibilities evidenced by the other successes worldwide, but they hoped that baseball could help mend some of the wounds of war and could help on the path to a more integrated and unified Europe.

However, another obstacle was the divide in Europe between the US/NATO-aligned capitalist states against the Soviet-aligned communist states. Baseball had seen more adoption on the western half of the continent, but the Eastern Bloc had taken a liking to the great game as well. There were initial discussions to have a league that combined the whole of Europe, but as the political divide grew, that plan was viewed as unfeasible. Western leaders were worried that the regular interaction with the Eastern bloc could spread and promote communist ideas, while Eastern leaders had the inverse concerns over capitalism. Ultimately, the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact comrades would form Eurasian Professional Baseball in 1955.

The negotiations continued between the rest of Europe and eventually the European Baseball Federation was created. It was an eclectic mix of teams throughout the continent made up of the Western-aligned states as well as many officially neutral or unaligned states. The EBF ultimately began in 1950 with 30 teams based out of 20 nations. Bucking the usual West-East trend, they opted for a Northern Conference and a Southern Conference; each with three divisions with five teams each. Unlike the other Major Leagues to date, they would feature interleague play with neither conference using the designated hitter rule. The postseason would feature the three division champions and one wild card with a 2-2-1 first round playoff series and best of seven 2-3-2 conference championships and European Championship.

The Northern Conference had the British Isles Division with England's London and Birmingham, Glasgow (Scotland), Belfast (Northern Ireland), and Dublin (Ireland). The Northwest had Amsterdam and Rotterdam (Netherlands), along with Paris (France), Brussels (Belgium), and Luxembourg. The North Central Division had Berlin and Hamburg (Germany), Oslo (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Stockholm (Sweden)

In the Southern Conference, the Southwest Division had Spain's Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, plus Lisbon (Portugal) and Marseille (France). The South Central Division was Italy's Rome, Naples, and Milan; along with Zurich (Switzerland) and Malta. The Southeast Division was Athens (Greece), Vienna (Austria), Munich (Germany), Zagreb (Yugoslavia/Croatia) and Belgrade (Yugoslavia/Serbia). This would be the EBF lineup until the 2000 expansion and EPB exodus.

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FuzzyRussianHat

04-02-2023 03:59 AM

1950 MLB Hall of Fame

The 1950 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Class welcomed three players into the fraternity. 2B B.J. Scott on his third ballot led the way at 83.2%. Closer Noah Pugliese on his seventh attempt received 74.6% and RF Jake Nicholson on his eight go got 72.3%. On his first attempt, SP Andy Cowan was close to the 66% threshold but was just short at 62.7%. Four others were above 50%.

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It was the last try for 2B Kenny Goldman, dropped after ten tries with 58.7% on his last opportunity. In 16 years primarily with Buffalo, he won six Silver Sluggers with 2839 hits, 1284 runs, 218 home runs, 1123 RBI, a .317 average, and 76.8 WAR. He was one of the best second baseman of the era, but being at an underappreciated position without power numbers on a struggling franchise kept him out. The closest he got was 62.5% on the sixth ballot.

Also getting dropped after his third ballot was Joe “Balls” Boretsky. The SP in 17 years between Pittsburgh and Milwaukee had a 229-193 record, 3.43 ERA, 2811 strikeouts, and 82.6 WAR. A solid career, but never dominant and also on lower-end teams. His peak was 23.4% on the second ballot.

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B.J. ”Hands” Scott – Second Base – Calgary Cheetahs – 83.2% Third Ballot

B.J. Scott was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed infielder from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Scott was a solid contact hitter with respectable power and consistent discipline and production. He was primarily a second baseman, although he did play a bit of first base early in his career. Scott was viewed as a generally average defender and an okay baserunner. But it was his reliability and work ethic that made him a fan favorite at each stop.

Scott moved to America to attend college at North Carolina and was viewed as the best second baseman in college baseball, winning both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in his sophomore and junior seasons. In the 1924 MLB Draft, he returned home to Canada as Calgary picked him 25<sup>th</sup> overall. He had an incredible debut, becoming the first player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. He led the American Association in average (.365), slugging (.640), OPS (1.077), wRC+ (180) and WAR (9.1) with career bests in home runs (38), hits (209), runs (132), and RBI (120).

Scott would never have a season that good again, but remained a solid hitter in his decade with the Cheetahs. He was second in MVP voting in 1929, the batting champion (.335) in 1927, and a winner of the Silver Slugger from 1925-1929. Nagging injuries would start hurting his totals in his late 20s, but he posted 54.7 WAR with Calgary on 1683 hits, 871 runs, 290 doubles, 208 home runs, 869 RBI, with a .320/.382/.506 slash. Calgary had some decent seasons in Scott’s tenure, but never made the playoffs. He’d never play a postseason game in his HOF career. The Cheetahs would retire his #7 though after retirement.

Scott entered free agency in 1935 and signed with Boston at age 31. He had his last great season in his Red Sox debut, but struggled the next season. Scott signed in 1937 with the New York Yankees and spent two seasons there. He was traded to Las Vegas for the 1939, then spent 1940-41 with Milwaukee and 1942 with Denver. Recurring injuries in his 30s meant he never played even half a season with those latter teams. In 1943 at age 39, he went to the Dominican Republic and played his final three professional seasons with Santiago.

His final MLB stats: 2512 hits, 1273 runs, 438 doubles, 335 home runs, 1308 RBI, a .305/.363/.491 and 74.9 WAR. He was fourth in WAR at retirement among second basemen. His numbers are solid, especially so at an undervalued position, but low enough that he just missed the cut in his first two times on the ballot. His lack of postseason play and unremarkable 30s also played against him, but his decade with Calgary was about as strong of a decade any second baseman has had. Thus, B.J. Scott was inducted on his third try on the ballot at 83.2%.

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Noah Pugliese – Closer – Washington Admirals – 74.6% Seventh Ballot

Noah Pugliese was a 5’8’’, 190 pound left-handed closer from Long Beach, California. He would develop a 98-100 mph fastball that was expertly placed, mixed in with an incredibly deceptive changeup. His control of these two pitches was considered elite. Pugliese was also known as a legendary prankster, fond of hijinks, shenanigans, and tomfoolery.

Pugliese played college baseball at Northern Illinois and wasn’t a highly sought out prospect. He was picked in the 1921 MLB Draft in the sixth round, 275<sup>th</sup> overall, by Albuquerque. When Pugliese got inducted, he was the second-latest draft pick to earn the honor, behind 3B Chris Barnett (340<sup>th</sup>). The Isotopes were unimpressed by Pugliese in spring training, cutting him before opening day. Phoenix signed him and had him in the minor league Tucson affiliate for a year. The Firebirds cut him in May 1923, then Washington signed him for what would be the signature run.

He spent most of 1923 in the minors, then assumed the closer role with the Admirals starting in 1924. By 1928, he won his first Reliever of the Year award. Pugliese won it again in 1929, 1930, 1931, and 1933; the first five-time winner and as of 2036, one of only two. He led in saves in 1928, 1929, and 1933. Pugliese was a huge part of Washington’s 1930 World Series title. In that postseason, he had a 0.00 ERA with six saves over 19.2 innings with six hits, one unearned run, and 19 strikeouts. His #28 would ultimately be retired by the Admirals.

1933 saw his career best WAR at 5.0, but the 33-year old Pugliese saw an elbow strain in 1934 that limited his effectiveness and saw him lose his closer role. He’d be a rarely-used reliever in his final seasons. The Admirals traded Pugliese for prospects to Memphis for the 1935 season. Pugliese played with Toronto in 1936, Houston in 1937, then came back for one final season with Washington in 1938.

The final stats: 302 saves, 1.98 ERA, 869 innings, 940 strikeouts, 387 shutdowns, and 34.2 WAR. He accumulated numbers are actually lower than most of the other closers in the hall and as such, he had to wait seven tries on the ballot to get in. Still, five Reliever of the Year awards is something no one else could claim in MLB in the 21<sup>st</sup> century and thus, Noah Pugliese was inducted in 1950 at 74.6%.

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Jake “Undertaker” Nicholson – Outfielder – Vancouver Volcanoes – 72.3% Eighth Ballot

Jake Nicholson was a 5’9’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Rocky View County in rural Alberta, Canada. Nicholson had a very unique skillset as a tremendous contact hitter and great speedy baserunner. He had a great eye, very rarely striking out and solid at drawing walks. He had decent gap power, using his speed to leg out doubles and triples. However, he had no home run power as his seven career homers would be by far the lowest tally of any hitter in the MLB Hall. He played defensively roughly 40% at right field, 40% in left, and 20% in center and was considered a very good corner outfielder defensively and average in center. He was a hard worker and leader in the clubhouse, well-liked in every stay.

Nicholson played for the Texas Longhorns in college and his unique skillset got the attention of Vancouver, who drafted him fifth overall in the 1919 MLB Draft. He became a starter right away and spent his first eight seasons with the Volcanoes, where he won three Gold Gloves and one Silver Slugger. He led the American Association in stolen bases five times and in 1924, won the batting title with a .362 average and league-best .426 OBP. With Vancouver, he had 1575 hits, 757 runs, a .333 average, and 34.7 WAR.

Nicholson left for Brooklyn in free agency at age 29 and spent 1928-32 with the Dodgers as a solid starter, although he didn’t win any awards or lead in any statistics. With the Dodgers, he had 20.2 WAR, 965 hits, 404 runs, and a .321 average. He signed with Washington in 1933 at age 34 and spent four seasons there, then played his final year with Baltimore in 1937. Nicholson became the 11<sup>th</sup> hitter to 3000 career hits, but unfortunately never had a chance to play postseason baseball.

His final stat line: 3278 hits, 1504 runs, 505 doubles, 140 triples, 7 home runs, 755 RBI, 958 walks, only 521 strikeouts, 800 stolen bases, a .318/.378/.396 slash and 66.5 WAR. His numbers presented a very unique case as many felt the hits, runs, and steals should put him in, although even 3000 hits hadn’t been a guarantee in the past. His HR and RBI totals were by far the lowest of any HOF hitter and that, plus his lack of postseason runs and major awards, meant many thought he was at best, a good hand. Nicholson hovered around the 50s in his first few ballots, but eventually gained momentum into the 60s in 1948 and 1949. On his eighth try in 1950, the hard-working Nicholson finally got his due and earned Hall of Fame honors at 72.3%.

FuzzyRussianHat

04-02-2023 05:09 PM

1950 CABA Hall of Fame

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Two players were added in the 1950 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame class. SP Ernesto Urbina was a no-doubter at 99.3% on his first ballot. Another pitcher, Rayan Montes, made the cut on his fifth try at 77.7%. 1B Mason Mick barely missed the 66% cut on his second ballot at 65.7%. SP Dusty Louis was the only other player above 50%. Nobody on the CABA ballot was dropped on a 10<sup>th</sup> try.

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Ernesto Urbina – Starting Pitcher - Monterrey Matadors - 99.3% First Ballot

Ernesto Urbina was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from the small Honduras town of Santa Barbara. Urbina had 97-99 mph velocity with very solid control and movement with a fastball, curveball, and slider. Urbina had a great work ethic and was known as a solid defensive pitcher. His amateur success earned the attention of the Panama Parrots, who picked Urbina fifth overall in the 1926 CABA Draft out of high school. He saw very limited action initially, becoming a full-time starter at age 22 in 1930.

Urbina emerged as a solid starter for a struggling Panama franchise, leading the Caribbean League in ERA (2.15) in 1932, earning him his first Pitcher of the Year. In his Parrots tenure, he had a 83-62 record, 2.73 ERA, 1261 innings, 1106 strikeouts, and 28.1 WAR. In late 1934, Panama traded him to Monterrey for five prospects, beginning what would be Urbina’s signature run.

The Matadors were a contender in the late 1930s, winning the Mexican League title in 1935, 37, and 38 and the overall CABA title in 1937. Urbina was the Mexican League Pitcher of the Year in 37, 38, and 41; giving him four for his career. He finished third for the award in 1935 and 1940 and was third in MVP voting in 1941. Urbina led in wins thrice, ERA once, strikeouts once, WHIP four times, quality starts three times, and WAR once. In the postseason, he had a 2.68 ERA in 104 innings. With Monterrey, Urbina had a 168-91 record, 2.36 ERA, 2471.2 innings, 2367 strikeouts to only 372 walks, and 55.1 WAR. He retired at age 37 after his 1944 season was ended with an elbow injury.

The final overall stats for Urbina: 251-153, 2.49 ERA, 3732.2 innings, 3473 strikeouts, 613 walks, 338/456 quality starts, and 83.2 WAR. He was the fourth CABA pitcher to 250 career wins and at the time, only he and Ulices Montero had won the Pitcher of the Year four times. His #48 was retired by Monterrey, where he’s fondly remembered as an ace during their late 1930s title runs. Ernesto Urbina was an obvious choice for a first ballot Hall of Famer at an impressive 99.3%.

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Rayan Montes – Starting Pitcher –Ecatepec Explosion – 77.7% Fifth Ballot

Rayan Montes was a 6’2’’, 190 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Ensenada, a city in Baja California, Mexico. Montes was a fireballer with 99-101 mph velocity behind his fastball, which he mixed with a solid forkball, curveball, and rarely used changeup. He was also a good defensive pitcher, once earning a Gold Glove. After a solid amateur and college career, he was picked fourth overall in the 1927 CABA Draft by Ecatepec.

Montes came in right as Ecatepec built up a dynasty, making playoff appearances from 1929-1933 and winning the CABA Championship in 1929, 1931, and 1932. In his second season, Montes was second in Mexican League Pitcher of the Year voting. He would win the award in 1930 and 1931, leading in WAR (9.4, 9.0) and strikeouts (350, 320) in both seasons. He actually had unremarkable playoff numbers with a 4.02 ERA and 7-5 record in 17 appearances, but still was a big part of the Explosion getting their three rings. His #17 would be retired by the team in 1945.

After eight seasons leading Ecatepec, Montes left Mexico and CABA entirely. At age 30, he signed with Charlotte for the 1936 season. He spent three seasons with the Canaries as a solid starter and helped them win the World Series in 1937 with 2.48 ERA over four postseason starts. That would mark the end of him being a top of the rotation guy, but he would remain in MLB for another seven seasons. He spent 1939-41 with Denver, then 1942-43 with Toronto. He struggled in 1944 and was cut by Toronto, finishing the year with Milwaukee where he saw a brief resurgence. The 39-year old briefly under contract with four different teams in 1945, but never made it back to the big leagues, retiring at age 40.

Between MLB and CABA, Montes had a 254-182 record, 3.45 ERA, 3478 strikeouts, and 74.1 WAR for a solid overall career. However, for the CABA Hall of Fame, it was just his eight years with Ecatepec that really mattered. He had a 136-77 record, 2.91 ERA, 2132 strikeouts over 1927 innings, and 50.0 WAR. It was an impressive eight years with three CABA rings, but many voters thought he didn’t stay in CABA long enough to deserve a look. Others felt that his 20s were excellent and that had he stayed in his 30s, that Montes would’ve finished with the pre-requisites. It took five seasons, but his resume got him into the CABA Hall in 1950 with 77.7% of the vote.

FuzzyRussianHat

04-03-2023 05:33 AM

1950 EAB Hall of Fame

The East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame inducted two into the 1950 class, both on the first ballot around 85%; Closers Tokugoro Takahashi and Kazuo Ogiwara. Coming close but just short on his first attempt was SP Shinji Miizuguchi. Two others were above 50%; Ji-Hyun Kim and Kazuo Udagawa.

https://i.imgur.com/faLRKoL.png

Kim was dropped after his 10<sup>th</sup> ballot at 54.2% on the final go. In a field with a lot of closers, he was left out and peaked at 54.9% on his eighth ballot. The 1929 Reliever of the Year had 328 saves, 2.00 ERA, 1204 strikeouts, and 37.0 WAR over his EAB career with Chiba and Yongin. Combined with four seasons in MLB, he had 392 saves, but the two guys ahead of him in the class both had 400+ EAB saves. Also dropped after 10 tries was LF Toma Dobashi, who in 15 seasons with Pyongyang had five Silver Sluggers, 2561 hits, 1308 runs, 247 home runs, 1083 RBI, and 77.8 WAR. Solid numbers, especially since he started his EAB career at age 29. Yet, the lack of power numbers still kept him to no better than 34.8%.

https://i.imgur.com/x38zNWf.png

Tokuguro Takahashi – Closer – Kyoto Kamikaze – 85.8% First Ballot

Tokugoro Takahashi was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Yao, part of Japan’s Osaka Prefecture. Takahashi threw hard with a stellar fastball regularly in the 99-101 mph range. He mixed it with a solid curveball and above average control and movement. He attended the University of Tokyo and was picked 30<sup>th</sup> overall in the 1931 EAB Draft by Kyoto, where he’d spend his entire pro career.

Takahashi became the Kamikaze closer in his second season and maintained that role for the rest of his career. Although Kyoto struggled as a franchise and only made the playoffs once in his run, Takahashi was a solid constant and was beloved by the fans. His #12 would be the first jersey retired by the Kamikaze and he’d remain an ambassador for the franchise for many years after his playing career ended.

In 1938, he led Japan in saves at 44 and won his lone Reliever of the Year with a 1.23 ERA, 147 strikeouts, and 5.6 WAR. He was second for the award in 1939 and 1943 and took third in 1942. He became the second EAB pitcher to hit 400 career saves and would be one of seven to achieve the feat in the 20<sup>th</sup> Century. He showed no signs of slowing down and many thought he could be the first to 500 saves, but a catastrophic torn labrum in August 1944 forced his retirement at age 35.

The final numbers for Takahashi; 416 saves and 484 shutdowns, a 1.81 ERA, 1037 innings, 1556 strikeouts, 212 walks, and 39.2 WAR. He was about as reliable as you could be out of the bullpen and was a bright light for a struggling franchise. Even those who generally shrug at relievers agreed that he was a worthy Hall of Fame choice, getting the nod at 85.8% on his first ballot.

https://i.imgur.com/Yg5RbOj.png

Kazuo “Condor” Ogiwara – Closer – Hiroshima Hammerheads – 85.4% First Ballot

Kazuo Ogiwara was a 5’10’’, 190 pound left-handed closer from Nagareyama, a city in the northwestern corner of Japan’s Chiba Prefecture. He was known as an incredibly hard worker and well respected in the clubhouse. Ogiwara’s velocity topped out at 95-97 mph, but he had solid movement on both a fastball and slider, along with a rarely used changeup. He played college baseball at Tokyo’s Meiji University and was drafted by Hiroshima in the third round, 83<sup>rd</sup> overall, in the 1930 EAB Draft.

Ogiwara spent a decade with the Hammerheads and was the closer in that entire run. Four times, he was deemed the best, winning Reliever of the Year in 1932, 36, 37, and 39. Ogiwara took second in 1938 and third in 1940. He led the league in saves twice and was a big part in Hiroshima’s first EAB title in 1939. He had five saves and a flawless ERA with 35 strikeouts over 15.1 postseason innings. In total with the Hammerheads, he had 362 saves, a 1.76 ERA, 1399 strikeouts over 875 innings, and 39.4 WAR. His #3 jersey would be the first retired by the franchise.

Hiroshima fell off after the 1939 title and began to rebuild, trading Ogiwara to Kawasaki at age 32 for the 1941 season. He again was a big playoff performer, picking up six saves with a 0.64 ERA over 14 innings as the Killer Whales won the 1941 EAB title. Disaster struck in spring training 1942 as Ogiwara suffered a torn UCL, putting him out for the entire season. He was a shell of himself in 1943 when he returned and was done as the closer. In 1944, he showed a resurgence as a setup man, but opted to retire at the end of that year at age 35.

His final statistics: 411 saves and 498 shutdowns, a 1.85 ERA, 1067.2 innings, 1670 strikeouts, and 45.3 WAR. By many metrics, a better player than his HOF classmate Takahashi. Both were excellent closers who were in the elite few to have 400+ EAB saves and both guys who saw injuries end their careers in their mid 30s. Ogiwara got in similarly on the first ballot at 85.4%.

FuzzyRussianHat

04-03-2023 05:26 PM

1950 BSA Hall of Fame

https://i.imgur.com/6L719Ji.png

Closer Chano Angel was the only inductee in Beisbol Sudamerica’s 1950 Hall of Fame Class at 91.7% on his first ballot. Only one other player was above 50%, starting pitcher Rey Parisi at 57.6% on his second try. No one made it to a 10<sup>th</sup> ballot.

https://i.imgur.com/4YrwEnK.png

Chano “Steady” Angel – Closer – Salvador Storm – 91.7% First Ballot

Chano Angel was a 6’0’’, 190 pound left-handed reliever from the Venezuelan capital Caracas. He was known for having incredible movement on a 97-99 mph fastball which he mixed with an unexpected changeup. The nickname “Steady” was appropriate for a guy who could reliably come in from the bullpen in any situation and get the job done. He was 26-years old when Beisbol Sudamerica formed, signing with Salvador for the debut season.

He was instantly elite for the Storm, winning the Reliever of the Year in 1931, 35, and 36, while taking second in 1932 and third in 1934. In those six seasons alone he posted 39.0 WAR, which is a great career for a lot of relievers. After this run, he went home to Venezuela and signed with Maracaibo, winning Reliever of the Year in his one season with the Mariners. In 1938, Angel joined with Valencia, but was traded in late June to Cali. He finished second in Reliever of the Year voting, then won the award for the fifth time in 1939 at age 34 in his one season with Barquisimeto.

He signed with Maracaibo again and won his record sixth and final Reliever of the Year in 1940. Angel played for his hometown Caracas briefly in 1941, getting traded in the summer back to where it all started with Salvador. Fittingly, he picked up his 2000<sup>th</sup> career strikeout with the storm and was third in Reliever of the Year voting. A free agent again, he went back to Valencia and was second in Reliever of the Year voting in 1942, getting his 400<sup>th</sup> save; the first BSA player to do so. He then had a third stint with Maracaibo and finally fell off in his final two seasons, retiring at age 39 after the 1944 season.

Angel finished with an incredible sub one ERA at 0.99, which would stand as the all-time record for any Beisbol Sudamerica pitcher with 1000+ innings pitched. His BB/9 (0.78), H/9 (3.67), K/9 (17.33), WHIP (0.63), average against (.122), OBP against (.183), slugging against (.184), and OPS against (.368) are each all-time records. He picked up 411 saves and 533 shutdowns over 1124.2 innings with 2165 strikeouts, only 252 walks, and 79.0 WAR. His career FIP- was 10 and he had nine seasons with ZERO FIP-. Angel achieved dominance that very few relievers in professional baseball history came close to and was an obvious first ballot choice at 91.7%.

FuzzyRussianHat

04-04-2023 05:10 AM

1950 World Baseball Championship

The 1950 World Baseball Championship was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil with the fourth edition seeing significant expansion. The concept had proved a success and with the game expanding its reach in Europe and Asia; it was time to adjust the format. The field was expanded to 40 teams in four divisions of 10 teams each. The four division champs would meet in a three round robin and the top two from that round robin advanced to a best-of-seven championship. This postseason format lasted two years ultimately.

https://i.imgur.com/zICM4vm.png

Division 1 saw the United States dominate at 10-1, three games ahead of second place Peru at 7-4. Division 2 ended up in a four-way tie between Colombia, France, Italy, and South Korea. The tiebreaker ultimately sent Colombia forward as the first South American team in the final four. Canada claimed Division 3 at 10-1, besting Venezuela by two games. Defending world champ Mexico picked up Division 4 at 9-2, one better than Bolivia and two ahead of Japan.

In the Round Robin format, the Americans were the best team at 7-2, advancing to their third championship in four years. The Mexicans were second at 6-3, while Colombia took the bronze at 3-6 and Canada was fourth at 2-7. In the championship series, Mexico prevailed for the second straight season. The Mexicans defeated the United States in five games, giving both nations two titles over the first four editions of the tournament.

Although they were the silver medalist, the MVP and Best Pitcher both went to Americans. 25-year old Baltimore CF Adam Lewis posted 42 hits, 26 runs, 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 20 RBI, and a .412 average over 24 games. Second-year Phoenix pitcher Oliver Henke, who struggled with a 5.26 ERA in his rookie season, had a 0.48 ERA over 18.2 tournament innings with 36 strikeouts.

https://i.imgur.com/LZNbTdc.png

https://i.imgur.com/T4ZIRcj.png

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