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FuzzyRussianHat

08-13-2023 03:51 AM

1972 EAB Hall of Fame

https://i.imgur.com/kMIe6EH.png

Four players ended up indicted into East Asia Baseball’s Hall of Fame from the 1972 voting. The standout was pitcher Yutaro Tachibana as the lone first ballot selection, receiving 82.8%. The other three were all returners who only narrowly got beyond the required 66% to earn a spot. LF Chong-Chun Pak on his eighth attempt made it at 68.3%. 1B Ju-An Pak and SP Young-Gwon Shin both earned it on their fourth go at 68.0% and 67.2%, respectively. Just missing the cut above 50% were closer Hyeon-Jae Seo at 58.7% on his eighth attempt and SP Katsuya Watanabe at 57.0% in his debut. There were no players dropped after a tenth ballot in 1972.

https://i.imgur.com/3B0Xpen.png

Yutaro Tachibana – Pitcher – Yokohama Yellow Jackets – 82.8% First Ballot

Yutaro Tachibana was a 6’1’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher from Ishioka, a city of around 70,000 people in the Ibaraki Prefecture of east central Japan. He was viewed as having very good movement with respectable stuff and above average control. Tachibana’s velocity peaked in the 94-96 range and he had a fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup. The slider and changeup were considered his most impressive pitches. He was viewed as an ironman with great durability, although his stamina was unremarkable and he very rarely threw complete games. Tachibana was very well liked in the clubhouse, considered a very smart and hard working player.

Tachibana attended Urawa Gakuin High School in Saitama and was one of the rare players selected straight out of high school. Yokohama was so enamored that they chose him second overall in the 1945 East Asia Baseball Draft. Tachibana played almost his entire pro career with the Yellow Jackets. He didn’t see the field in 1946 and only had 5.1 innings in 1947. He was used as a reliever in 1948 and 1949, then became a full-time starter in 1950 at age 22. In 1951, he began pitching for Japan in the World Baseball Championship. From 1951-64, he had 38 appearances and 13 starts in the WBC, posting a 11-3 record, 3.14 ERA, 123.1 innings, 137 strikeouts, and 2.5 WAR.

His second season in the rotation was the one that saw Tachibana emerge as an ace, posting 6.9 WAR and earning third in Pitcher of the Year voting. He finished second in 1955, but ultimately never won the award. In 1955, he had a league-best 2.05 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and 7.1 WAR. He led in ERA again in 1960 with a career best 1.96, although he typically didn’t get enough innings to be at the top of the rankings. Tachibana was consistently solid and helped the Yellow Jackets to a number of strong seasons, although they fell just consistently of the North Division title throughout the 1950s.

At age 33, Tachibana was traded for the 1961 season to Kobe in a five-player deal. He had one solid year with the Blaze and made his first playoff start. Tachibana became a free agent and returned home to Yokohama for the rest of his career. He remained quite effective into his 30s and finally got to see team success with the Yellow Jackets, who won the Japan League title in 1965 and 1966, falling in the EAB final both years to Pyongyang. A shoulder injury meant he only had one start in the 1965 playoffs.

1966 would be his final season and his weakest as a pro with only 1.3 WAR. He made four playoff starts in the run, but had a lousy 6.65 ERA in 23 innings. Yokohama opted not to re-sign him for 1967 and after going unsigned that year, Tachibana retired at age 40. He had no hard feelings against the Yellow Jackets and the franchise retired his #18 uniform in 1967.

Tachibana’s final stats: 230-179 record, 2.77 ERA, 3792 innings, 3611 strikeouts, 692 walks, 351/518 quality starts, FIP- of 80 and 85.2 WAR. He wasn’t the most dominant pitcher, but was reliably constant for the better part of two decades and a loyal company guy. This resonated with the Hall of Fame voters, giving Tachibana the first ballot honor at 82.8%.

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

Chong-Chun Pak – Left Field – Seoul Seahawks – 68.3% Eighth Ballot

Chong-Chun Pak was a 5’10’’, 200 pound right-handed hitting left fielder from Incheon, South Korea’s third most populous city. In his prime, Pak was a great contact hitter with terrific gap power and solid speed. He was great for stretching doubles into triples, leading the league in triples three times. Pak averaged around 20-30 doubles and 20-30 triples per year while also providing around 30 home runs. Pak was unremarkable in terms of drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He spent the vast majority of his defensive time in left field and was viewed as a delightfully average defender.

Pak attended went to Japan for college and played for Doshisha University in Kyoto, one of the most prestigious in the country. In 175 college games, he had 250 hits, 216 runs, 43 doubles, 36 triples, 50 home runs, 196 RBI, and 10.2 WAR. This made Pak the top prospect in the 1943 EAB Draft and he was the first overall pick by Seoul. He immediately was a starter for the Seahawks and won the 1944 Rookie of the Year. He had similar good numbers in years two and three and even won a Gold Glove in year four.

Pak’s fifth season is when he truly arrived, earning Korea League MVP and a Silver Slugger. He led in WAR, RBI, slugging, OPS, and total bases; and would lead those stats as well in 1949 and 1950. 1948 was the first-ever playoff berth for Seoul and they won the EAB Championship. Pak won MVP and Silver Slugger again in both 1949 and 1950, leading in runs and batting average in 1949 along with a career-best 9.9 WAR and 140 RBI. The Seahawks won the Korea title again in 1949 and 1951, although they fell in the EAB final both years to Sapporo. Pak was the KLCS MVP in 1949 and 1959 and in 30 playoff games with the Seahawks, he had 33 hits, 14 runs, 7 home runs, 18 RBI, and 1.0 WAR.

1948 marked the beginning of Pak playing for the South Korean national team in the World Baseball Championship. He’d be on the squad from 1948-59 even as he left EAB, posting 98 hits, 67 runs, 30 home runs, 68 RBI, and 3.1 WAR in 105 games. He led the tournament in RBI in 1949 as well. 1952 saw his fourth EAB Silver Slugger, despite missing two months to various injuries. This ultimately was the end of his time in Seoul which had 55.6 WAR total. Now age 31, Pak cashed in with MLB’s Minneapolis, joining the Moose for 1953 with a six-year, $444,000 contract.

Pak won a Silver Slugger in Minneapolis in 1954 and was very solid in his first two seasons, helping the Moose to a National Association Championship Series appearance in 1953. He was less elite in the following seasons, but was still a very solid starter in the lineup. In six seasons, Pak had 918 hits, 483 runs, 146 home runs, 502 RBI, a .289/.337/.511 slash and 24.9 WAR. When his contract ended, the now 37-year old returned to South Korea on a three-year, $242,000 deal with Changwon. His return season of 1959 was unimpressive and Pak retired at season’s end at age 38.

For his entire pro career, he had 2606 hits, 1341 runs, 403 home runs, 367 doubles, 304 triples, 1488 RBI, .300/.347/.552 slash, 152 wRC+ and 81.9 WAR; more than enough. However, his EAB totals were much lower with the six MLB seasons subtracted: 1688 hits, 858 runs, 242 doubles, 234 triples, 257 home runs, 986 RBI, a .307/.353/.576 slash and 57.0 WAR.

Everyone would agree his nine year Seoul run was elite with the Seahawks retiring his #20 uniform and he was essential in bringing the team its first success. But his overall numbers were at the bottom among Hall of Famers because he had only a decade in EAB, and many voters held that against him. Enough thought his run and what he would’ve done had he stayed was still plenty worthy, but Pak bounced around the ballot. He got as high as 64.0% in 1970, but fell as low as 43.6% the next year. His eighth attempt in 1972 saw a bump back up and pushed the three-time MVP to the hallowed grounds at 68.3%.

https://i.imgur.com/HC8FrKE.png

Ju-An Pak – First Baseman/Designated Hitter – Suwon Snappers – 68.0% First Ballot

Ju-An Pak was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed first baseman from the South Korean metropolis of Daegu. He had one of the most bizarre profiles of any player and was the definition of the “three true outcomes.” Pak had incredible home run power, was solid at drawing walks, and had reliable gap power. However, Pak was a human windmill that led Korea in strikeouts in 13 different seasons. He was a generally below average contact hitter and had weak baserunning speed. Pak played about 60% at first base and the rest as a DH and was an absolutely abysmal defender. Despite his many drawbacks, he was a hard worker that stayed loyal.

Pak attended Woosung High School in Uiwang and was a high school draft selection, picked 17<sup>th</sup> overall by Suwon in the 1942 EAB Draft. He spent his first three years under contract as a reserve roster guy, making his debut with 29 games in 1946. Pak became a full-time starter for the rest of his Snappers run when healthy. Suwon stunk his entire time there and never made it to the playoffs, but Pak’s dingers provided a reason to go the ballpark.

Pak won the 1947 Rookie of the Year with his first full season having 42 home runs and 93 RBI. Pak had 14 seasons with 40+ home runs and three with 50+, although he only led the league in 1951 with 53. His career high was 55 with a career-best 135 RBI in 1960. He won two Silver Sluggers, in his rookie year of 1947 and in 1952. Despite the homers, he was never an MVP finalist as his career-best WAR season was 5.0 in 1952. Pak racked up the strikeouts and was the league leader in 1947, 49, 50, and then from 1954-63.

Pak was rarely out of the lineup from injuries and never lost his power even into his late 30s. Fans got excited as he and Takashi Ishihara both seemed to have a shot at Byung-Oh Tan’s career homer record of 718. Ishihara retired in 1959 with 703. Pak passed him in his final season with Suwon, getting to 711.

The Snappers didn’t re-sign him though and Pak went to Goyang for 1963. At age 39, he had a career-worst .198 average and 232 strikeouts, but Pak still pounded 49 home runs, passing Tan and becoming EAB’s home run king. Even with that power, he had enough drawbacks that he went unsigned in 1964, retiring after the season at age 40. Pak wasn’t the home run king ling with Lei Meng passing him later in the decade and Young-Hwan Sha matching him at 760, but he stills sits tied for eighth on the all-time leaderboard as of 2037. He also is the all-time whiff king with 3493 strikeouts and remains EAB strikeout leader as of 2037; one of only two with 3000+.

The final stats for Pak: 2249 hits, 1440 runs, 393 doubles, 760 home runs, 1722 RBI, 843 walks, 3493 strikeouts (33.0% K rate), .235/.300/.524 slash, wRC+ of 126 and WAR 47.4. In theory, retiring as the home run king would make you a Hall of Fame lock, but even with his power, advanced stats said the copious strikeouts and terrible defense really diminished that value. That, no big accolades, and no playoff appearances with a bad franchise meant there were plenty of voters against his induction. By WAR, he’d have the lowest career total of any EAB hitter in the Hall. Pak’s first three attempts fell short, albeit by small margins with 58.5%, 63.4%, and 62.9%. The fourth ballot was the one that finally saw just enough of a boost to put Pak in just barely at 68.0%.

https://i.imgur.com/e6zIHzq.png

Young-Gwon “Nomad” Shin – Starting Pitcher – Daegu Diamondbacks – 67.2% Fourth Ballot

Young-Gwon Shin was a 6’0’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher from Yeongcheon, a city of around 100,000 people in South Korea located 220 miles southeast of Seoul. Shin threw gas with an outstanding 99-101 mph fastball overpowering foes in his peak. His stuff was terrific with the steallar fastball, a great forkball, along with an alright slider and rarely-used changeup. His movement was merely above average with average-at-best control. Shin was also a well-rounded batter and saw sporadic two-way action as an occasional first baseman, designated hitter, or pinch hitter. Ultimately, injuries kept Shin from quite reaching the two-way potential of a guy like Tadasumi Tanabe.

Shin’s incredible potential was noticed though while he attended Masan High School in Changwon. In the 1946 EAB Draft, Daegu selected Shin first overall. He was kept on the reserve roster though until making his debut as a reliever in 1949 at age 21. Shin became a full-time starting pitcher in 1950 and finished third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1951, leading Korea in strikeouts.

In 1952, Shin had an incredibly dominant season with a then-EAB record 380 strikeouts, posting the sixth EAB pitching Triple Crown with a 21-6 record, 2.08 ERA, and 11.8 WAR. This earned Shin Pitcher of the Year and a second place finish in MVP voting. The Diamondbacks also made the playoffs for the second straight year and got to the EAB final, falling to Chiba in the championship. Shin seemed on his way to similar success in 1953, which was the first year he got some use as a hitter; as the Korea League uses the DH. However, midseason he suffered a torn rotator cuff. This kept him out of the playoffs, although he earned a ring as Daegu went on to win it all.

Shin bounced back and nearly got another Triple Crown in 1954, posting a career-best 1.84 ERA and leading with 363 strikeouts and 11.4 WAR. He also made 72 starts as a batter worth 1.0 WAR, getting his second Pitcher of the Year and a third place in MVP voting. 1955 saw an impressive 21 strikeout game in April against Seongnam, but in May, he was injured for ten months with a partially torn UCL.

Again, he bounced back better than you’d expect and led in ERA for the third time and still posted 261 strikeouts in only 184.2 innings. 1956 also saw 73 games as a hitter and was by far his best offensive season with 3.5 WAR, 22 home runs, and 72 RBI. Shin got his second ring as Daegu won the EAB Championship and this time he got to play in the postseason run. In total in the playoffs, he had a 5-3 record in 10 starts with 104 strikeouts over 75 innings and 2.9 WAR. He also had 10 hits, 7 runs, 3 home runs, and 6 RBI in the 1956 title run. He was the LCS MVP and finished second in Pitcher of the Year.

Shin also pitched for South Korea from 1951-1960 in the World Baseball Championship and was rarely used as a hitter. He posted a 3.27 ERA in 104.2 innings with 164 strikeouts and 3.2 WAR. 1957 was his last year with Suwon and a torn rotator cuff in the summer ended his season prematurely. The Diamondbacks would eventually retire his #28 uniform for his efforts in helping them to their 1950s titles. Despite his injury issues, Shin was still incredibly electric when he was on. MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies were impressed and decided to sign the 30-year old to a seven-year, $667,000 contract starting in 1958.

The contract was cursed as only once did he even get halfway through a season without major setbacks. A hamstring strain, elbow inflammation, shoulder inflammation, and a torn flexor tendon meant that Shin had only 51 starts over four-and-a-half seasons in Philadelphia. Despite the big money, the Phillies finally cut him in summer 1962. Shin went to Australia with OBA’s Sydney, but only pitched 22 innings before he suffered another torn flexor tendon. Yongin gave him a chance in 1963 although his arm was fried, struggling in his one appearance on the mound, although his bat was good in 14 games. Minor League Quebec City gave him a brief look in 1964, but Shin ultimately retired after that season at age 36.

Shin’s final EAB pitching stats: 116-48, 2.44 ERA, 1529.2 innings, 2133 strikeouts, 385 walks, 134/191 quality starts, a FIP- of 59, and 55.7 WAR. In 244 EAB games as a hitter, he had a career .311/.362/.558 slash with 10.7 WAR, 56 home runs, 277 hits, 152 runs, and 182 RBI. Shin was one of EAB’s all-time “what ifs?” and many from the era say he had the best fastball they’d ever seen. His pitching numbers are great in a small sample size, but his totals are at the very bottom of leaderboards due to a very short peak. That peak was remarkable though and he was a huge part of Daegu’s dynasty run, leading many voters to favor his candidacy even if the overall numbers are way lower than you’d expect. The batting value and the potential was just enough to get him close on the first three tries, above 60% each time. He was one percent short at 65.2% in 1971, then got the bump needed to make it on the fourth try at 67.2%.

FuzzyRussianHat

08-13-2023 11:04 AM

1972 BSA Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

08-13-2023 04:41 PM

1972 EBF Hall of Fame

Two players earned induction to the European Baseball Federation’s Hall of Fame in the 1972 voting. 3B Fragiskos Fakas was a firm first ballot pick at 95.3%. Closer Richard Hackl joins him in the class, getting across the 66% threshold on his seventh try at 69.3%. 3B Orion McIntyre was close but short on his seventh go at 61.0%. Also above 50% were SP Karlo Godina at 56.7% on his first attempt, closer Ken Jacob at 51.0% on his eighth, and 1B Fabian Wittkowski at 50.0% even on his second attempt.

https://i.imgur.com/t8dEgUm.png

Joe Ramet became the first EBF player to last ten ballots and not earn eventual induction. He was the first player that got serious attention when Hall of Fame voting began, debuting at 58.6% and getting as high as 60.8% before ending at 44.7%. The French centerfielder played seven years with Amsterdam and Paris, posting 1084 hits, 705 runs, 260 home runs, 716 RBI, a .290/.364/.948 slash and 52.6 WAR, winning two MVPs and three Silver Sluggers. Had his EBF career not started at age 32, he almost certainly would’ve gotten enough totals to get the nod. But the small sample size wasn’t enough despite being excellent and helping the Anacondas to two European Championships.

https://i.imgur.com/d9Np1hc.png

Fragiskos Fakas – Third Base – Zagreb Gulls – 95.3% First Ballot

Fragiskos Fakas was a 5’10’’, 180 pound right-handed third baseman from Ammoudia, a village in the Serres regional unit in northern Greece. Fakas was a solid power hitter that could reliably get 35-40 home runs and around 35-40 doubles/triples per season. He was a solid contact hitter in his peak years as well and was respectable at avoiding strikeouts, although he was fairly average at drawing walks. Fakas had above average to good speed and baserunning skills despite being a career third baseman. He was considered a pretty solid defender and was thought of as fairly durable.

Fakas left Greece to play college baseball in England at the University of Liverpool. After his sophomore season, he was picked third overall in the 1952 EBF Draft by his home country team Athens, but he ultimately didn’t sign with the Anchors. He returned for his junior year of college and finished in 160 college games with 247 hits, 219 runs, 50 home runs, 176 RBI, and 12.1 WAR. Fakas improved his stock and was the first overall pick of the 1953 EBF Draft by Zagreb. He’d ultimately spend his entire EBF career with the Gulls.

Fakas became a full-time starter as a rookie, although he missed six weeks in his debut season with a fractured rib. The next year, he won the first of eight Silver Sluggers, also taking it in 1956, 58, 59, 60, 61, 64, and 66. After having some small injuries in his first three years, Fakas would play in 145+ in all but one of his remaining Zagreb seasons. 1958 was his first year in the MVP conversation, taking third with a Southern Conference best 143 RBI. In 1959, Fakas won the award with a batting title (.343), WARlord status at 11.7, and leading in OPS (1.044), hits (214), and runs (126), adding 43 home runs and 116 RBI. He had another incredible 11.7 WAR 1960, but took second in MVP voting.

Zagreb made the playoffs in 1956, 1959, and 1960. In 1960, the Gulls broke through and won their first European Championship. Fakas was the finals MVP and had a tremendous playoff run with 26 hits, 15 runs, 15 extra base hits, and 20 RBI in 18 playoff games. The Gulls fell off for the next few years, but Fakas remained excellent, although not in the MVP race. He also continued to play for Greece in the World Baseball Championship. From 1956-68, he made 91 starts with 64 hits, 48 runs, 26 home runs, and 44 RBI.

At age 36, he became a free agent for the first time and went to MLB’s Milwaukee for the 1967 season. He was respectable in his first year, but missed some time with a separated shoulder. More injuries and age meant he was reduced to a bench role in 1968, opting to retire at season’s end at age 38.

Fakas’ line in EBF: 2085 hits, 1177 runs, 247 doubles, 234 triples, 445 home runs, 1300 RBI, a .292/.348/.579 slash, 164 wRC+ and 98.5 WAR. Zagreb would retire his #28 uniform as he was a key player in their early days and in their first title season. An elite third baseman of the 1950s and 1960s, Fakas was an easy first ballot pick at 95.3%; the first Greek Hall of Famer.

https://i.imgur.com/2nH8JRi.png

Richard Hackl – Closer – Stockholm Swordsmen – 69.3% Seventh Ballot

Richard Hackl was a 6’0’’, 195 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Mittersill, a tiny town of around 5,000 people on the Salzach River in central Austria. Hackl had excellent stuff and movement with solid control and 96-98 mph peak velocity. He had two pitches; a fastball and a splitter, with the combo owing to an extreme groundball tendency. Hackl was considered a strong leader and a good defender as well.

Hackl picked up the game in his mid 20s in post World War II Austria and had honed his craft significantly by the time the European Baseball Federation was formed. At age 29, he signed with his home country team Vienna for the 1951 and spent his first three EBF teams with the Vultures. He took third in Reliever of the Year voting in 1952 and in three seasons, had 105 saves, a 1.37 ERA, 236 innings, 308 strikeouts, and 11.0 WAR. For the 1954 season, the 32-year old Hackl was traded to Stockholm for 2B Ben Storessund and CF Johnan Karlsson.

Hackl was best known as the closer for the Swordsmen, who were a consistent contender in the 1950s. He won his lone Reliever of the Year award in 1955 and took third in 1958. He led in saves twice and had a spectacular 0.56 ERA in 96 innings in 1955, posting 6.1 WAR. Hackl had a 1.30 ERA in 34.2 playoff innings, including 13.1 scoreless innings in 1957. Stockholm was the European Champion in 1957 and runner-up in 1959.

Although playing in Sweden, Hackl still went home to Austria for the World Baseball Championship from 1956-60. He made six starts and three relief appearances with a 2.20 ERA in 45 innings with 56 strikeouts and only two walks. 1959 saw him become the second EBF closer to 300 saves in April, followed by a partially torn labrum later that month, although he was back by the playoffs. Hackl was less effective and moved out of the closer role in 1960, opting to retire after that season at age 38. With the Swordsmen, he had a 1.51 ERA, 207 saves and 235 shutdowns, 501 innings, 596 strikeouts, and 22.7 WAR.

Hackl’s overall stats: 312 saves and 349 shutdowns, 1.47 ERA, 737 innings, 904 strikeouts, 150 walks, a FIP- of 44 and 33.7 WAR. Very strong accumulations considering his EBF career started at age 29 and he only had a decade of production. He has the best ERA of any EBF Hall of Famer by a good margin, but it is still a tough climb sometimes to get noticed by voters as a reliever. He was around the 54% mark for his first three years, then was around 62-63% the next three years. Hackl’s seventh try finally got him just above the 66% mark with 69.3%, becoming the first Austrian Hall of Famer.

FuzzyRussianHat

08-14-2023 03:34 AM

1972 EPB Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

08-14-2023 11:23 AM

1972 World Baseball Championship

FuzzyRussianHat

08-14-2023 05:40 PM

1972 in CLB

FuzzyRussianHat

08-15-2023 04:04 AM

1972 in APB

FuzzyRussianHat

08-15-2023 11:02 AM

1972 in OBA

FuzzyRussianHat

08-15-2023 04:38 PM

1972 in EPB

FuzzyRussianHat

08-16-2023 04:23 AM

1972 in EBF

FuzzyRussianHat

08-16-2023 05:24 PM

1972 in BSA

FuzzyRussianHat

08-17-2023 04:52 AM

1972 in EAB

FuzzyRussianHat

08-17-2023 12:39 PM

1972 in CABA

FuzzyRussianHat

08-17-2023 06:33 PM

1972 in MLB

https://i.imgur.com/s5j5YyW.jpg

Montreal and Pittsburgh finished tied atop the National Association’s Eastern League at 98-64 with the Maples winning the one-game playoff to tiake the title. Both teams earned back-to-back playoff berths, while Montreal got their first league title since 1952. St. Louis won their third straight Midwest League crown with a 98-64 mark. The Cardinals have made the playoffs eight times in the last ten years. Columbus was a distant second at 86-76, ultimately two games short of the final wild card. Last year’s NA champ Minneapolis fell off a cliff, the worst team in the NA at 61-101.

Each of the wild cards came from the Eastern League. Philadelphia was third in the EL at 96-66 and took the second wild card, their third straight playoff spot. Brooklyn at 92-70 took the third wild card, snapping a decade-long drought. The final spot saw Toronto and Baltimore tied at 88-74 with the Timberwolves advancing in a one-game playoff. The 1970 NA champ, Toronto now has three playoff spots in four years.

National Association MVP went to Montreal RF Charlie Arsenault. The 26-year old lefty didn’t lead in any stats, but had 203 hits, 106 runs, 35 home runs, 117 RBI, a .332 average, .934 OPS, and 6.7 WAR. Hartford’s Ugo Musacci won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year and his sixth straight counting his four with EBF’s Malta. The 28-year old Italian was the WARlord (10.3), strikeout leader (298) and leader in WHIP (0.85), quality starts (28), and K/BB (8.3). He added a 2.36 ERA over 27.0.1 innings with a 13-11 record. Counting EBF, he has led his league in both strikeouts and WAR in six consecutive seasons.

The wild card round had Philadelphia over Brooklyn in two and Pittsburgh over Toronto in three. Montreal survived 3-2 in a strong challenge from the Phillies, while the Pirates upset St. Louis in four. The National Association Championship Series was the first appearance for Pittsburgh since 1963 and since 1952 for the Maples. It was a seven-game thriller with game seven going 10 innings; Montreal won it in a walkoff 4-3 to take the series 4-3. The Maples are now six-time NA champs (1901, 1915, 1928, 1949, 1951, 1972).

https://i.imgur.com/v5LS45f.jpg

Two-time defending World Series champion New Orleans improved with a franchise-record 107-55 mark, atop the Southern League for the third straight season. There was a 13-game gap to second place Atlanta (94-68) and 14 to Miami (93-69). The Aces earned a fourth straight playoff berth with their wild card, while the Mallards snapped a five-year drought. Albuquerque ended a 15-year playoff absence, winning the Western League at 99-63. The Isotopes had a team ERA of 2.84, which was the American Association single-season record and remained the record until 2019.

The battle for the remaining two wild card spots had half the association in the mix. Dallas and Jacksonville ended up getting the spots, both at 88-74. Houston and Phoenix were one behind, Seattle two back, Nashville three back, Memphis four back, and four teams were seven back. The Gators earned back-to-back berths, while the Dalmatians ended a drought that stretched back to 1945. At 26 years, that was tied with Cincinnati for the longest active drought in MLB. Los Angeles saw a four-year playoff streak end, which was the longest active in the AA entering 1972.

New Orleans had the MVP and Pitcher of the Year in the American Association. RF Jaxson Gatewood won the MVP with the AA lead in the triple slash (.365/.435/.734), OPS (1.169), wRC+ (202), and WAR (9.9), adding 46 home runs, 116 RBI, and 116 runs. Brit Mooney won PotY with the lead in wins at 26-5. He had a 2.25 ERA over 288 innings with 252 strikeouts and 8.1 WAR.

Also of note was Tampa’s Will Brenneisen, the Rookie of the Year. He became the second Rookie of the Year winner in MLB history to lead the league in both home runs and RBI in his debut season; Brenneisen smacked 55 and 132, respectively. Cleveland’s Billy Rodriguez did it in 1922, but oddly enough his skill completely plummeted without injuries and he was out of the game by age 26. Last year, NA Rookie of the Year Kymani Massey led in homers, but not RBI.

The wild card round had Jacksonville sweep Miami and Atlanta edge Dallas in three. The New Orleans dynasty cruised to a sweep of the Gators, while Albuquerque bested the Aces in 3-1. It was the first American Association Championship Series berth for the Isotopes in 20 years, but nothing was going to stop the Mudcats. New Orleans took the series 4-2 and become the third AA team to three-peat, joining 1910-12 Houston and 1913-16 Memphis.

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

In the 72<sup>nd</sup> World Series, the Mudcats completed the Fall Classic three-peat as well, defeating Montreal in six games. AA MVP Jaxson Gatewood also won World Series MVP, posting 19 hits, 12 runs, 11 RBI, and 0.8 WAR in 15 playoff games. It is the fourth title for New Orleans, who also won 1935, and would be the high watermark for a franchise that ultimately retreated into relative obscurity soon after. They are one of only three MLB franchises to this point to win three consecutive World Series rings with Houston (1910-12) and Philadelphia (four-peat from 1941-44). Manager Emmanuel Twellman becomes the third MLB manager with three rings, joining Houston’s Eric Stockman with four and Philadelphia’s Cory Ellis with their first three of the 1940s dynasty.

https://i.imgur.com/SHMN4QL.png

Other notes; Miami’s Parker Harpaz became the second MLB pitcher to 350 career wins. He’d close the year and his career with 361, passing Ned Giles (356) for the all-time top mark. Harpaz remains both MLB’s win leader and the win leader in all of professional baseball as of 2037. Harpaz also became the third MLB pitcher to 4500 career strikeouts, finishing the season and his career with 4586. That put him second at retirement, just ahead of Giles (4561) but still behind Newton Persaud (4655). Harpaz finished with 141.84 career WAR, retiring third behind Giles (151.70) and Persaud (145.86). Harpaz also retired ahead of both in innings pitched at 5606; Persaud had 5356 and Giles 5346. Harpaz also finished with 355 complete games, still the MLB record as of 2037.

On August 13, Houston’s Roberto Fennebeumer had a historic no-hitter against Las Vegas, setting a no-hitter record with 19 strikeouts. He was a Dutch pitcher who had come from EBF that year to the Hornets and only a hit-by pitch denied a perfect game. The previous MLB record for strikeouts in a no-no was 17 in Jeremiah Rutledge’s 1959 perfect game. In another pitching notable, eventual strikeout king Julius Jordan became the 15<sup>th</sup> to reach 3500 strikeouts.

FuzzyRussianHat

08-18-2023 04:19 AM

1973 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

The 1973 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame class was a big one with four players earning the nod. It was very unusual for a large class in that no one was above 75% and that all four guys were players from the backlog. Closer Vicente Guerrero had the highest mark at 74.4% on his fifth ballot. 1B Tiger Novak became the first-ever inductee to get in on his 10<sup>th</sup> and final chance, crossing the 66% threshold with 71.8%. Close behind was outfielder Estefan Salinas at 68.4% in his third attempt. The final member was starting pitcher Abraham Reiner at 68.0% for his sixth attempt. Two others were above 50% with catcher Gray Caraway at 58.5% in his third attempt and pitcher Jeremiah Rutledge at 50.9% in his second go.

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Two players were dropped after ten attempts, led by catcher Joe Frid. In 20 years in the Bay Area between Oakland and San Francisco, he had two Silver Sluggers, 1976 hits, 1076 runs, 338 home runs, 1132 RBI, a .253/.328/.431 slash and 56.8 WAR. With the massive barrier for catchers generally, he needed more accolades to get a good luck. Frid peaked at 470% on his debut and ended at 40.8%.

Another catcher, Samuel Pineda, was dropped at 17.7% after peaking with 48.7% in his debut. In 16 years between Boston, St. Louis, and Albuquerque, he had six Silver Sluggers, 1992 hits, 902 runs, 180 home runs, 926 RBI, a .314/.374/.465 slash and 63.8 WAR. Injuries in his 30s kept him out of the lineup for big chunks of time and again, the voters are inclined to give catchers no benefit of the doubt for the lower accumulations that naturally come with the position.

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Vincente “Salesman” Guerrero – Relief Pitcher – Chicago Cubs – 74.4% Fifth Ballot

Vicente Guerrero was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Nueva Concepcion, a municipality of around 30,000 people in northwestern El Salvador. The first Salvadoran member of MLB’s Hall of Fame, Guerrero was known for having filthy stuff with good to sometimes great movement and control. He had a one-two combo of a fastball and slider with 97-99 mph peak velocity.

Guerrero moved to the United States as a teenager and would play college baseball at the University of Michigan. He was a starting pitcher in his first two seasons, then in the bullpen in his junior season, winning NCAA Reliever of the Year. In the 1942 MLB Draft, he’d be picked in the fourth round, 168<sup>th</sup> overall, by Chicago. He’d be best known as a Cub, spending 11 years of his 19 year career in the Windy City.

Guerrero bounced around between the closer role and middle relief in his Chicago tenure. He led the National Association with 39 saves in 1949 and had a career high 43 saves in 1946. He was third in Reliever of the Year voting in 1949 and 1951, but ultimately never won the big award. The Cubs had four straight playoff berths during his run, but were unable to advance beyond the second round. Guerrero had a 0.60 ERA in 15 playoff innings. For his entire Chicago run, he had 268 saves and 320 shutdowns, a 2.47 ERA, 722 innings, 737 strikeouts, and 23.5 WAR. He was well liked enough by the franchise that his #34 uniform would eventually be retired.

In the summer of 1953, the 31-year old Guerrero was traded to Jacksonville. He’d stay with the Gators through 1958 with off-and-on innings between the closer role and middle relief. Guerrero also pitched for his country El Salvador in the World Baseball Championship from 1950-63, often used as a starter. In 189 innings, he had a 12-8 record, 2.29 ERA, 297 strikeouts, and 7.6 WAR. In the 1957 tournament, he had a 20 strikeout, one-hit shutout against Croatia. Guerrero had 17 scoreless innings for the event and finished third in Best Pitcher voting.

Guerrero became a free agent at age 37 and went unsigned in the 1959 season, although he wasn’t ready to retire. He pitched 1.2 innings in late 1960 with Hartford, then was signed as the closer with Oklahoma City in 1961. That stint allowed him to cross the 350 save threshold, one of 24 to do it as of 2037. Guerrero went back to Jacksonville as middle relief in 1962, then saw eight total innings in 1963 between Hartford and Washington. He suffered bone chips in his elbow in the summer and retired at age 41.

Guerrero’s final stats: 357 saves and 437 shutdowns, 2.61 ERA, 1084.1 innings, 907 games, 1055 strikeouts, 317 walks, a FIP- of 69 (nice), and 31.9 WAR. 350 saves had been generally the magic number for MLB Hall of Fame voters, but it wasn’t a lock. He was far less dominant than some of the others to make it and lacked major awards or playoff notables. He debuted at 54.6%, then dropped to 49.7%. A big boost put him at 62.5% on try three, but he dropped slightly to 57.6% in his fourth attempt. The fifth ballot got Guerrero the jump needed with no major standouts in the field, becoming a Hall of Famer at 74.4%.

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Tiger Novak – First Baseman – San Francisco Gold Rush – 71.8% Tenth Ballot

Tiger Novak was a 5’10’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Los Angeles. He was a very good contact hitter with a respectable pop in his bat, a decent eye, and ability to avoid strikeouts. Not amazing at anything, but well-rounded across the board as a hitter. He was good for around 30 home runs and 30 doubles per year on average. Novak had above average speed despite being a career first baseman and occasional designated hitter. Defensively, he wasn’t atrocious, but was below average.

Novak stayed local for college, becoming a USC Trojan. In 148 college games, he had 166 hits, 84 runs, 40 home runs, 111 RBI, and 7.6 WAR. Novak would get picked 36<sup>th</sup> overall in the 1940 MLB Draft by San Francisco and had an excellent debut season, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. His second year was arguably his best with a career-high 6.9 WAR, 39 home runs, 211 hits, and 130 RBI. His lone Silver Slugger came in 1945, leading the American Association with 119 runs. Novak was third in MVP voting in 1945, his only time as a finalist. He was the batting average champ at .343 in 1944, but typically wasn’t a league-leader in his career.

San Francisco was good in the 1940s, but never quite good enough to make it to the playoffs. They finally broke through in 1950 after a nearly 20-year postseason drought and won the World Series. The 30-year old Novak was a playoff hero, winning World Series MVP and first round MVP. In 16 games, he had 30 hits, 14 runs, 5 doubles, 7 home runs, 17 RBI, and 1.7 WAR. The next year, the usually durably Novak suffered a ruptured MCL. He bounced back with a respectable 1952, his final season with the Gold Rush. In total, he had 2055 hits, 1082 runs, 327 doubles, 321 home runs, 1206 RBI, a .318/.370/.539 slash and 52.7 WAR.

Novak became a free agent at age 33 and signed with Memphis for the 1953 season. He was a respectable bat with the Mountain Cats, but various injuries kept him from full seasons. In Memphis, he had 413 hits, 214 runs, a .296/.358/.478 slash and 8.4 WAR. The Mountain Cats traded Novak to Las Vegas for 3B Tyler Sousa for the 1956 campaign. He was merely okay with the Vipers, then signed with Phoenix in 1957. Novak had eight at-bats with Atlanta in 1958 and opted to retire after the season at age 39.

Novak’s final stats: 2704 hits, 1424 runs, 426 doubles, 418 home runs, 1549 RBI, a .309/.365/.521 slash, 140 wRC+, and 64.8 WAR. He was very much on the borderline with a few guys getting in and some getting left out who had fairly similar resumes. He debuted at 51.3%, then dropped to a low of 42.1%. He bounced around and got very close a few times, above 60% four times including a 65.1% mark in 1968. It came down to his very last chance on the ballot and no one to that point in MLB had made it in on the tenth try. Novak changed that with 71.6%, snatching a spot in the Hall of Fame at the buzzer.

FuzzyRussianHat

08-18-2023 12:05 PM

1973 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Estefan “Hammerhand” Salinas – Right Field – Indianapolis Racers – 68.4% Ninth Ballot

Estefan Salinas was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from West Chester, Ohio; a township of around 60,000 located 18 miles north of Cincinnati. Salinas was both a solid contract hitter and someone with an excellent eye who was very adept at getting on base. He was among the best of the era at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He had terrific speed and used that to turn doubles into triples. Salinas’ power wasn’t outstanding, but he’d occasionally hit 20+ homers. Salinas was a career right fielder and despite his speed, was an absolutely abysmal defender. He was a hard worker though and very durable for most of his career.

Salinas went to Kansas for college and in four seasons and 192 games with the Jayhawks, he had 209 hits, 126 runs, 24 home runs, 110 RBI, and 8.3 WAR. Indianapolis was enamored and selected Salinas first overall in the 1941 MLB Draft, but were unable to come to terms with him. He returned to Kansas for his senior year and was picked again by the Racers in 1942, this time second overall. Salinas inked the deal and would be a full-time starter for Indy for the next 12 years.

Salinas won two Silver Sluggers, in 1949 and 1950, but was never in the MVP conversation. He’d steadily give you around 4-6 WAR per season though. Salinas led the National Association in stolen bases thrice with Indianapolis and led in runs (116) and OBP (.418) in 1952. The Racers made playoff runs in 1951 and 1952, making it to the NACS in the former and taking World Series runner-up in the latter. Salinas struggled in the playoff runs, but was still liked enough to see his #9 uniform retired after 12 years of service. With Indy, Salinas had 2180 hits, 1164 runs, 260 doubles, 162 triples, 182 home runs, 844 RBI, 879 walks, a .314/.391/.477 slash and 58.6 WAR. He also was a starter in 1947 and 1954 for the United States in the World Baseball Championship, winning a world title in both seasons.

1954 saw a noticeable drop in his productivity and Indianapolis traded the now 34-year old Salinas that offseason to Baltimore. After one unremarkable season with the Orioles, he signed a four-year deal with Montreal. Salinas saw a resurgence with the Maples, leading in stolen bases three times and posted career highs in 1957 with 72 steals and 7.2 WAR. He posted 581 hits, 297 runs, a .318/.397/.451 slash and 15.9 in Montreal. There, he crossed 2500 career hits and 1500 runs scored

In his fourth year with the Maples, he was benched and eventually traded to Tampa in the summer. That concluded his MLB tenure, although he’d head down under in 1960, signing at age 39 with OBA’s Melbourne. He led the Australasia League in OBP and stolen bases that year, but would be traded the next summer to Honolulu. Salinas finished out 1961 with the Honu and retired at age 40. He crossed 3000 career professional hits, ending with 3198, but fell short of the line in MLB.

Salinas’ final MLB stats: 2944 hits, 1577 runs, 364 doubles, 209 triples, 228 home runs, 1086 RBI, 1195 walks, 860 stolen bases, a .311/.389/.467 slash, 145 wRC+, and 76.1 WAR. At retirement, he was fourth all-time in stolen bases and eighth in triples. But lower power guys often have trouble standing out to the voters and without many major awards, Salinas hung around the 50-59% range consistently for years. He got to 61.9% and 62.0% in 1971 and 1972, then on his ninth attempt in 1973, converted just enough non-believers to cross the line at 68.4%.

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Abraham Reimer – Starting Pitcher – Portland Pacifics – 68.0% Sixth Ballot

Abraham Reimer was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Springfield, Oregon; a city of around 60,000 located just west of Eugene. Reimer had solid stuff with average to slightly above average control and movement. He had 96-98 mph peak velocity and a four-pitch arsenal of a fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup. The slider was typically viewed as his premiere pitch. Reimer had terrific stamina and durability and you knew were getting consistent innings from him.

Reimer attended the University of Houston and in three seasons with the Cougars, had a 26-10 record in 39 starts with a 2.11 ERA, 323.2 innings, 343 strikeouts, and 12.0 WAR. The impressive college resume earned him the 18<sup>th</sup> overall pick by Portland in the 1944 MLB Draft. Reimer was a part-time starter as a rookie, then a full-time member of the rotation onward. He had mixed results though and struggled in 1948, allowing an American Association worst 48 home runs. He bounced back with respectable stats in his next few years with the Pacifics, including a career-best 2.54 ERA in 1952. Reimer was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist though and Portland didn’t make the playoffs in his eight year tenure. In total, he had a 110-127 record, 3.79 ERA, 2036 innings, 1554 strikeouts, and 31.0 WAR. His biggest moment with the Pacifics was a no-hitter on May 28, 1947 against Los Angeles with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Reimer tested free agency after a good 1952 and at age 29, signed with San Diego. Reimer was a back of the rotation guy though, posting a 4.73 ERA and 9.6 WAR in 645.1 innings over three years. He did earn a World Series ring in 1955 as the Seals begin their 1950s dynasty, posting middling numbers in three playoff starts with a 4.35 ERA. Reimer entered free agency again and at age 32, joined Toronto for the 1956 season.

Interestingly enough, his mid 30s saw his best statistical production. In two years with the Timberwolves, he had a 3.00 ERA over 509.2 innings with 11.2 WAR. Reimer then signed a five-year, $470,00 deal with Phoenix and had four respectable years with the Firebirds, posting a 3.35 ERA and 72-47 record with 21.3 WAR over 1076 innings. Reimer had a 3.26 ERA in 30.1 innings in the 1960 postseason as Phoenix won the World Series. The Firebirds cut him before the 1962 campaign and he spent one forgettable year with Memphis, retiring at age 38.

Reimer’s final stats: 262-241 record, 3.76 ERA, 4448.2 innings, 3265 strikeouts to 1343 walks, 309/577 quality starts, 260 complete games, a FIP- of 93, and 74.4 WAR. His ERA was worse than any other pitcher in the MLB Hall of Fame at that point and advanced stats suggested Reimer was merely an above average pitcher that happened to stick around for ages. He compiled enough totals though to sway the voters who value longevity greatly and hovered in the 50% range for five years. In 1973 with no standout starting pitchers on the ballot, enough tossed Reimer an extra vote to get him to 68%, enough for sixth ballot induction.

FuzzyRussianHat

08-18-2023 05:47 PM

1973 CABA Hall of Fame

Three first ballot selections were made for the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 1973. By far the standout was ace pitcher Jaime Rivas, earning 98.9% of the vote. The other two only narrowly got above the 66% threshold, but were first ballot regardless. LF Kiwi Tato had 70.6% and 2B Luis Miranda had 68.3%. Three others were above 50% with 3B Diego Sierra on his fourth go at 55.0%, C Hector Santana at 51.1% on his debut, and SP Wilner Christian at 50.4% on his sixth attempt.

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Cut after 10 failed attempts was reliever Placido Florez. In 14 years primarily with Havana, he had 298 saves, a 2.55 ERA, 989 strikeouts, 18.9 WAR, and one Reliever of the Year. Nice career, but definitely someone who should’ve missed the cut. He peaked at 36.9% and ended at 11.5%. Another closer, Luca Aguilar, notably was dropped on his ninth try after falling below 5%. He had 257 saves, a 2.69 ERA, 969 strikeouts, and 17.3 WAR. Again, a respectable career, but not worthy of enshrinement.

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Jaime Rivas – Starting Pitcher – Juarez Jesters- 98.9% First Ballot

Jaime Rivas was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed starting pitcher from San Isidro, a district with 16,000 people in Costa Rica’s San Jose province. Rivas was best known for having incredible control of his pitches, making up for the act that his stuff was good, not great; and that his movement was considered average. Rivas’ velocity peaked in the 91-93 mph range with a fastball, curveball, and changeup; but his efficiency made him very tough to hit. Rivas had excellent stamina and durability, although his work ethic was sometimes questioned.

Rivas was noticed as a teenage amateur by scouts for the Salvador Stallions, signing at age 16 in 1947. He never played a game for Salvador, getting traded before the 1950 season with another prospect to Puerto Rico for outfielder Manuel Robles. Rivas was a part-time player at age 20 in 1950, then moved into the rotation full-time for the rest of his Pelicans run. He spent eight years in Puerto Rico and emerged as an elite pitcher towards to end.

Rivas was third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1955, then won the award in 1956, leading the Caribbean League in innings and WHIP. The Pelicans won the league title and CABA Championship that year with Rivas posting a 3.68 ERA in three playoff starts. His final line with Puerto Rico was 120-85, 3.26 ERA, 1902 innings, 1774 strikeouts, and 34.7 WAR. He also pitched for his native Costa Rica from 1951-70 and posted a 3.69 ERA over 253.1 innings with 303 strikeouts and 5.6 WAR.

Rivas led in strikeouts and innings in his final season with Puerto Rico, earning him a lot of attention in free agency for the 1958 campaign. The 28-year old signed a six-year, $470,000 deal with Juarez and would become best known for his time with the Jesters. He led Mexico in WAR five of his six seasons, strikeouts thrice, K/BB five times, and wins four times. Rivas also had a career-best 1.94 ERA in 1963 and career best 9.7 WAR in 1962. He was the 1963 Pitcher of the Year, but fell just short in the other seasons, taking second in 1958, third in 1959, and second again in 1962.

Juarez made the playoffs twice in Rivas’ tenure, getting to the CABA Championship in 1962 and falling to Santo Domingo in the final. In total, he had a 113-60 record, 2.75 ERA, 1650 innings, 1621 strikeouts to only 163 walks, and 47.1 WAR. Word of his success made its way across the border and the 34-year old Rivas got MLB attention as he became a free agent in 1964. He ultimately ended his CABA career and began a new one with Louisville on a four-year, $648,000 deal.

Rivas was respectable, but not dominant, in his first two years with the Lynx. He finished with a 9.9 WAR and 3.57 ERA over two seasons and change. After a tough start to 1966, Louisville traded him to Vancouver. Rivas spent the rest of 1966 and 1967 with the Volcanoes, bouncing back the latter year to more solid numbers. Hartford signed him at age 38 for 1968, but he stunk as a Husky. Cleveland gave him a chance in 1969, his final MLB season. He had 18.9 WAR, 3.78 ERA, 60-76 record, and 861 strikeouts in five MLB seasons. Not yet ready to retire, he went to Austronesia Professional Baseball and played 1970-72 mostly as a weak reliever with Pekanbaru. Rivas retired after the 1972 campaign at age 43.

For his entire pro career, Rivas had a 3.23 ERA, 304-242 record, 4340 strikeouts in 5113.1 innings, and 98.3 WAR. For CABA specifically, he had a 3.03 ERA and 233-143 record, 3395 strikeouts to 473 walks for a 7.2 K/BB, 293/442 quality starts, a FIP- of 81, and 81.8 WAR. At his peak, Rivas was dominant even without overpowering stuff and his CABA tenure was more than enough to get the first ballot nod.

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Kiwi Tato – Left Field – Leon Lions – 70.6% First Ballot

Kiwi Tato was a 5’9’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Lazaro Cardenas, a small town of around 8,000 people in the Mexican state Chihuahua. Tato was a very good contact hitter with a respectable pop in his bat, good for around 30 doubles/triples and around 20-30 home runs per year. Tato didn’t draw walks too terribly often, but he was still solid at avoiding strikeouts. He had solid speed and was an incredibly intelligent baserunner that made the most of when he got on. Tato was a career left fielder and generally viewed as below average defensively, but not awful. He was a team leader, durable, and had a great work ethic, making him a very popular player in his time.

Tato emerged as a top high school prospect in Mexico and was picked 12<sup>th</sup> overall in the 1950 CABA Draft by Leon. He was on the reserve roster for two years, then debuted mostly off the bench in 1953 at age 22. Tato was a part-time starter in 1954, then a full-time starter from thereafter. He was a very solid starter in his first few years, but really got notice in 1958 when he led the Mexican League with 119 runs, adding a career-high 9.2 WAR and .366 batting average. This earned Tato a second place finish in MVP voting.

This also started a run of success for the Lions with seven North Division titles from 1958-65. Leon won the Mexican League title in 1959, 60, and 64; and the overall CABA title in 1959. Tato was there for the first two and posted 54 hits, 30 runs, 8 home runs, 28 RBI, and 2.3 WAR in 46 playoff games from 1958-63. Tato was third in MVP voting in 1959 and second in 1960, getting career bests with 35 home runs and 115 RBI in 1960. 1960 was his first Silver Slugger with the second in 1961; sharing a league and position with Vicente Gutierrez limited his awards despite his success. In total with Leon, Tato had 1803 hits, 931 runs, 246 doubles, 251 home runs, 813 RBI, a .316/.362/.518 slash and 64.1 WAR. The team also retired his #10 uniform down the line.

Tato’s production dropped a bit as he entered his 30s, but he was still a strong starter. He entered free agency at age 33 and signed for the 1964 season with Salvador on a four-year, $526,000 deal. The Stallions were fresh off a Caribbean League Championship Series berth and Tato helped put them over the top. Salvador was the 1964 and 1965 CABA Champion made the CLCS in 1966. Tato was the 1964 LCS MVP and posted 40 hits, 15 runs, 13 RBI, and 1.4 WAR in 32 playoff games with the Stallions.

He led the league in runs with 112 in his second year, but saw a noticeable drop in year three. In his fourth and final season, Tato was relegated mainly to the bench, although he still provided strong leadership. He retired at age 36 after the 1967 season, posting 536 hits, 293 runs, a .304/.344/.463 slash and 12.1 WAR with Salvador.

Tato’s final stats: 2339 hits, 1224 runs, 330 doubles, 84 triples, 311 home runs, 1026 RBI, a .313/.358/.505 slash, 505 stolen bases, 151 wRC+, and 76.1 WAR. A very solid career and a notable role with championship seasons for two franchises. Still, the lack of big awards and good but not eye popping accumulations meant while Tato was a first ballot pick, it was only at 70.6%. Either way, he’s found his spot among the greats.

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Luis Miranda – Second Base/Shortstop – Monterrey Matadors – 68.3% First Ballot

Luis Miranda was a 5’11’’, 195 pound left-handed hitting middle infielder from Lopez Mateos, a city of around 490,000 people within the Mexico City metro. Miranda was a solid contact hitter who was well rounded with the bat. He wasn’t great at any one facet, but was viewed as above average at most things. His power was mid-tier, averaging around 25 home runs and 30 doubles/triples per season. He did have very good speed and excellent baserunning instincts, making him a menace when he got on. Miranda made about 3/4s of his starts at second base and the rest at shortstop; he was considered a good to sometimes great defender. Miranda was also very durable at a physically demanding position, rarely down with injuries.

After a very solid amateur career, Miranda was picked fifth overall by Monterrey in the 1950 CABA Draft. He started about 2/3 of the season in his first two seasons and earned his first of 11 Silver Sluggers in his second season. Miranda’s first two were at shortstop with the remainder at second base, getting the award in 52, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, and 64. He’d start 130+ games in every season for the Matadors from 1953-66. In 12 seasons, he had 6+ WAR, although he never was a league-leader in any stat.

Miranda never won MVP, but did finish second in voting in 1955 and third in 157. Both seasons were 8+ WAR with a career-best 9.6 WAR and 106 runs coming in 1958. During this stretch, Monterrey won four straight Mexican League titles and took the CABA crown in 1955 and 57. They dropped off from 1959-62, but were back in the hunt with three league titles from 1963-66. In 84 playoff games, Miranda had 78 hits, 45 runs, 14 doubles, 6 triples, 9 home runs, 46 RBI, 34 stolen bases, and 3.1 WAR. He also was the MLCS MVP in 1956. He also played in the back end of his career with the Mexican national team in the World Baseball Championship, posting 60 hits, 39 runs, 20 home runs, and 45 RBI in 81 games.

After 16 years of consistent excellence, Miranda at age 39 had his first major injury, a broken kneecap. This ended his 1967 season and ultimately his run with Monterrey, although he maintained a great relationship with the franchise and saw his #22 uniform retired. Miranda wasn’t ready to call it quits yet and MLB’s New Orleans signed him to a three-year, $596,000 deal. He wasn’t the same post-injury and struggled in his limited action in 1968 and 1969. A torn PCL ended his 1969 in late April and after going unsigned in 1970, Miranda retired at age 43.

Miranda’s final CABA stats: 2469 hits, 1310 runs, 347 doubles, 144 triples, 367 home runs, 1164 RBI, 867 stolen bases, a .286/.337/.487 slash, wRC+ of 144 and 109.6 WAR. At retirement, he was eighth in WAR among all CABA batters and was second only to Luis Miranda in WAR generated at second base. Despite all of this, he only received 68.3% on his first ballot, which seems shockingly low considering the resume. Either way, he’s a first ballot Hall of Famer.

FuzzyRussianHat

08-19-2023 03:59 AM

1973 EAB Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

08-19-2023 02:13 PM

1973 BSA Hall of Fame

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The 1973 Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame class was an impressive one with three first ballot picks with each receiving more than 94% of votes. LF Ishmael Perla (98.7%), SP Ralph Jung (98.4%), and SP Diego Pimentel (94.3%) made up the impressive group. Only one other player was above 50% with SP Jon Mancilla at 51.6%. No players were dumped in 1973 after ten failed tries.

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Ishmael “Lucifer” Perla – Left/Center Field – Buenos Aires Atlantics – 98.7% First Ballot

Ishmael Perla was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He became one of the most popular players of the era as one of the most exciting ever on the basepaths. Perla had generational speed and base stealing instincts, leading the Southern Cone League in stolen bases 13 times. Perla was also excellent at getting on base with great contact skills and a unbelievable eye for the ball. He wasn’t a big home run guy, averaging around 10-15 per year, but he got you around 20-30 doubles and 20-30 triples per year, sometimes getting even more 3Bs than 2Bs with his incredible speed. Perla made about 4/5s of his starts in left field and was considered an excellent defender there, winning seven Gold Gloves. His other starts came in center and was viewed as an average glove there. On top of all of this, Perla was one of the most durable players of the rea, allowing him to compile an incredible career.

Perla was an impressive prospect from his amateur days and his hometown club Buenos Aires took notice. They were able to snag him with the 19<sup>th</sup> pick in the 1951 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft and he’d spend his entire South American career with the Atlantics. Perla was an immediate starter and only took second in Rookie of the Year voting because of P.J. Parra’s powerful 7.4 WAR season for Brasilia. He’d go on to have 12 seasons worth 9+ WAR.

The amount of times he topped leaderboards is staggering. He led the Southern Cone League in runs scored eight times, hits four times, triples 11 times, walks drawn 12 times, total bases once, stolen bases 12 times, batting average seven times, on-base percentage in 14 consecutive seasons, slugging twice (despite not being a home run guy), OPS four times, wRC+ five times, and WAR 10 times. This earned Perla 13 Silver Sluggers (1953, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66). He also won five Gold Gloves in BSA (54, 55, 59, 60, 61).

Perla won MVP in 1954 and 1959, and took second in 1953, third in 1955, second in 1956, third in 1958, third in 1960, second in 1961, third in 1963, and second in 1966. The two seasons he won it, he had 13+ WAR, which had never been done by a BSA hitter to that point. His 13.76 WAR in 1959 remains the single-season record and his 13.25 WAR in 1954 remains fourth best as of 2037. He set other single-season records in his career that would later be passed; a .461 OBP in 1966 and 122 stolen bases in 1954. As of 2037, there has been 44 seasons by a Beisbol Sudamerica hitter worth 11+ WAR; Perla has six of them.

The heartbreaking thing for much of Perla’s career is that he just missed out on the 1940s Buenos Aires dynasty. The Atlantics were up and down in the 1950s and 1960s, but only made the playoffs once in that entire stretch. In 1963, they had a breakout 100-62 and went onto win Copa Sudamerica. This was Perla’s only playoff action in his BSA career, but he had 12 hits, 10 runs, 11 walks, and 9 steals in 13 games and most importantly, got the ring. He also played for Argentina’s World Baseball Championship team for two decades. From 1952-72, he made 198 starts in 200 games with 177 hits, 141 runs, 27 doubles, 9 triples, 39 home runs, 101 RBI, 143 stolen bases, a .250/.378/.479 slash and 9.7 WAR. At retirement, his 143 stolen bases was a WBC record and he remains third-most as of 2037.

After 15 years in his home town, Perla became a free agent for the first time at age 38. He was obviously still elite too, but didn’t want to play against the Atlantics if he didn’t have to. Perla’s #31 uniform would be retired and he’d remain a beloved icon in Buenos Aires, but he opted to play his final five seasons in Major League Baseball. Kansas City signed him to a two-year, $456,000 contract; almost doubling his best yearly make with the Atlantics.

In his debut season of 1967 with the Cougars, he led the National Association with 103 walks and a .406 OBP. He won a Gold Glove the next year, although some minor injuries kept him out a month or two both years. Perla became a free agent for 1969 and signed at age 40 with Toronto to a two-year, $492,000 deal. He won his seventh total Gold Glove in 1969 and put up two more all-star worthy seasons. In 1970, he got to play in the World Series with the Timberwolves, who fell in the final to New Orleans. At age 42, he went to Vancouver for the 1971 and for the first time, saw his production plummet. No one wanted to sign him in 1972 and after playing one more WBC that year, he retired from the game at 44.

Perla’s final stats for his entire professional career: 3280 hits, 1881 runs, 474 doubles, 383 triples, 219 home runs, 1185 RBI, 1659 walks to only 1517 strikeouts, a .318/411/.501 slash, wRC+ of 183, and 170.0 WAR. At retirement, the only batter with more career WAR throughout multiple pro leagues was Prometheo Garcia from CABA and MLB. At retirement, Perla also had more stolen bases than any pro player ever and he maintained that distinction through the rest of the 20<sup>th</sup> Century.

In just South America, he had 2641 hits, 1462 runs, 402 doubles, 341 triples, 177 home runs, 989 RBI, 1203 walks, 1031 strikeouts, 1519 stolen bases, a .332/.419/.536 slash, 201 wRC+, and 152.1 WAR. He retired second in WAR among BSA hitters behind only Diego Pena’s 153.64 and still sits third as of 2037. Perla is still the stolen bases king as of 2037. He retired with the best career OBP and still sits fourth decades later. Perla was second in triples at retirement, two behind Felipe Delgado’s 343; and is fourth as of 2037. He was third in walks drawn at retirement and is eighth as of 2037. Perla’s accolades make him a beloved figure in Buenos Aires and in Argentine baseball history and he was a no-doubt Hall of Famer at 98.7%.

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Ralph Jung – Starting Pitcher – Quito Thunderbolts – 98.4% First Ballot

Ralph Jung was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Sao Jose dos Campos, a major Brazilian city with over 700,000 people located 50 miles from Sao Paulo. Jung was known for having very solid movement on his pitches with above average control and stuff. His velocity only peaked around 93-95 mph, but he fooled hitters with five different pitches and an extreme groundball tendency. His arsenal was fastball, slider, changeup, sinker, and cutter. Jung was very durable and had strong stamina early in his career. He was a team captain who brought great leadership, work ethic, and intelligence to any clubhouse he was in.

Jung wasn’t considered a “can’t miss” prospect, although he was picked out of high school. Quito selected him to start the fifth round of the 1945 BSA Draft; the 101<sup>st</sup> overall pick. As of 2037, he’s the second-latest draft pick to earn BSA Hall of Fame induction. The Thunderbolts debuted him at age 21 in 1947 with struggles over a partial season. Jung became a full-time starter after that, but still was iffy in his early seasons, leading the Bolivar League in walks in both 1948 and 1949.

1950 was his first truly notable season and the first of nine worth 6+ WAR. He became Quito’s ace, although the Thunderbolts wouldn’t make the playoffs during his tenure. In 1954, he won his lone Pitcher of the Year award with a league and career best 10.5 WAR and 28 quality starts. He also led the league in innings pitched and strikeouts that year. 1956 saw a second place in PotY voting, the last time he’d be a finalist in his career. He’d lead with a career-best 318 Ks in 1957. Jung also went home to Brazil and pitched for them in the World Baseball Championship from 1950-58, posting a 3.19 ERA over 124 innings with 136 strikeouts.

In a decade in Ecuador, Jung had a 164-134 record, 3.05 ERA, 2729.2 innings, 2722 strikeouts, and 61.9 WAR. Quito would also go onto retire his #94 uniform. #94 is an odd choice and not one highly sought after, but it showed respect for his efforts with the team. He became a free agent for the 1958 season and at age 32, signed a five-year, $335,000 deal with Salvador.

Jung never was as dominant with the Storm as his peak Thunderbolt days, but he gave Salvador eight solid seasons of effort. They made the playoffs once in his tenure with a 1962 Copa Sudamerica appearance, but Jung would retire without ever playing a playoff game. That spring, he suffered a torn labrum, his first major injury. After previously being very durable, injuries and age caught up. He suffered a stretched elbow ligament in late Auust 1963, ending that season and costing him a chunk of 1964. Other injuries cost him much of 1965. Jung’s final Salvador stats saw a 111-70 record, 2.59 ERA, 1599 innings, 1650 strikeouts, and 39.0 WAR.

At age 40, Sao Paulo signed him to a three-year, $398,000 deal for the 1966 season. Jung struggled in two years with the Padres when healthy, retiring after the 1967 season at age 42. He fell just short of becoming the second BSA 300-win pitcher. He did cross 4500 strikeouts in his last year, the 10<sup>th</sup> to do so.

Jung’s final stats: 297-216 record, 2.86 ERA, 4657.2 innings, 4598 strikeouts to 1085 walks, 422/607 quality starts, 139 complete games, a FIP- of 83 and 101.6 WAR. He was the 10<sup>th</sup> pitcher to reach 100+ WAR in BSA and retired second in wins at 297. Jung sits eighth all-time as of 2037. He also retired with the second most innings pitched and sits fifth as of 2037; and had more starts than anyone at retirement. Jung put up an impressive tenure and was considered a no-doubt Hall of Famer with a strong 98.4%.

https://i.imgur.com/Q6rhPm1.png

Diego Pimentel – Starting Pitcher – Salvador Storm – 94.3% First Ballot

Diego Pimentel was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Guarapari, a coastal city of around 125,000 people in the southeastern Brazilian state of Espirito Santo. At his peak, Pimentel had overpowering stuff with 97-99 mph velocity, making up for merely above average movement and average control. His best pitch was his cutter, although his forkball, changeup, and curveball could all get outs. Pimentel had excellent stamina and durability in his 20s and was considered a good defensive pitcher, winning Gold Glove in 1961.

Pimentel was a top prospect out of college and was selected second overall in the 1953 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Salvador. He spent his entire career with the Storm and was immediately in the rotation, starting regularly when healthy. He won Rookie of the Year in 1954, then followed it up with a second place in Pitcher of the Year in his sophomore season, leading the league in innings. Pimentel surprisingly wasn’t a finalist in 1956, despite a league-best 355 strikeouts. He’d have seven straight seasons with 6+ WAR.

1958 saw Pimentel lead the Southern Cone League with a career best in strikeouts (363) and 10.0 WAR, but he still was second in the voting. He bested the WAR total with 10.4 in 1959 and finally took home the top honor. In 1961, he won it for the second time in his only season as the ERA leader. Pimentel also pitched for Brazil in the World Baseball Championship from 1956-62, posting a 3.23 ERA in 111.1 innings with 130 strikeouts.

1962 was Salvador’s only playoff appearance in his tenure, falling in Copa Sudamerica to Caracas. Pimentel would never pitch a playoff inning sadly with a torn rotator cuff in July. This knocked him out 14 months, missing much of 1963 as well. Pimentel was never the same pitcher after that, although he’d remain with the Storm through 1967. He was below average when he played and tore the rotator cuff again in late 1966. Pimentel retired at age 35 after the 1967 season with the team retiring his #3 uniform that winter.

Pimentel’s final stats: 186-127 record, 2.45 ERA, 3055.2 innings, 3320 strikeouts to 685 walks, 277/365 quality starts, a FIP- of 78, and 70.5 WAR. He’s a bit of a “what if?” guy since injuries derailed his 30s, but he was undoubtedly elite in his 20s. That run resonated with the Hall of Fame voters, who made Pimentel a first ballot pick at 94.3%.

FuzzyRussianHat

08-19-2023 05:23 PM

1973 EBF Hall of Fame

For the first time in its Hall of Fame’s short history, the European Baseball Federation had a three-player class in 1973, bringing the total to 13 inducted players. All three were first ballot guys two with the first two being slam dunks; LF Gabriel Staudt at 98.9% and SP Loris Eichelberger at 97.4%. SP Trent Addams was lower, but still a solid 79.0% to earn his spot. Two other long-tenured names finished with 51.7%, closer Ken Jacob on his ninth try and 3B Orion McIntyre on his eighth.

https://i.imgur.com/AZ2KwVr.png

Dropped after ten failed attempts was LF Joel Ullmark, who was damaged by starting at age 30 and only playing eight EBF seasons. With Milan in that stretch, he had 1459 hits, 734 runs, 251 home runs, 811 RBI, a .325/.384/.556 slash, and 47.6 WAR. With a full official career, the Swede probably makes the cut. He debuted at 51.1% before plummeting to 9% at the end. Also worth noting was closer Jasa Pavlovic, who fell below 5% on his ninth try. In nine seasons mostly with Zagreb, he won two Reliever of the Year awards with a 1.39 ERA, 279 saves, 930 strikeouts, and 37.9 WAR. His EBF career started at age 28 and he’s another that with a few years of production in his 20s may have had a strong shot. He peaked at 40.4% on his fourth ballot.

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Gabriel Staudt – Left/Right Field – Paris Poodles – 98.9% First Ballot

Gabriel Staudt was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Aadorf, a small municipality of around 9,000 people in northern Switzerland. Staudt was a prolific power hitter who had 15 seasons with 40+ home runs and six with 50+. He also had excellent gap power and with solid speed, was good for around 25-35 doubles per year also. In his best years, Staudt was a solid contact hitter and was excellent at drawing walks with an average strikeout rate. He spent 5/6 of his defensive career in left field with the rest mostly in right and was considered above average defensively. Remarkably durable as well, you couldn’t ask for much more in a complete hitter than what you got with Staudt.

The timing worked out perfect for Staudt as he was in his early 20s when the European Baseball Federation was formed, having established himself even as a teenager in Switzerland’s amateur ranks. He signed a five-year, $151,000 first EBF contract with Paris and would ultimately spend his first nine pro seasons with the Poodles. In his debut season, Staudt was Rookie of the Year, second in MVP voting, and a Silver Slugger winner. He had a career-best 11.3 WAR and 151 RBI, which stayed the EBF single-season RBI record until 1982.

With Paris, he won Silver Sluggers in 1951, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, and 58. Staudt was second in MVP voting again in 1952, 1956 and 1957. In 1958, he finally won the award with a career-best 54 home runs, along with a Northern Conference best 1.046 OPS, 9.3 WAR, 115 runs, and 136 RBI. The Poodles were early days contenders and were conference champs in 1952 and 1956. Staudt in 39 playoff games had 39 hits, 25 runs, 12 home runs, and 27 RBI. With Paris, he led in RBI four times, WAR, runs, and total bases thrice, and OPS twice. Staudt’s fina stats there saw 1550 hits, 988 runs, 399 home runs, 1061 RBI, a .295/.366/.617 slash, and 80.8 WAR. The Poodles would also retire his #2 uniform; the first retired by the franchise.

Staudt remained proud of his Swiss heritage and spent two decades on the Switzerland World Baseball Championship squad. From 1952-72, he started 177 games with 158 hits, 112 runs, 70 home runs, 135 RBI, and 7.6 WAR. He became a free agent at age 32 for the 1960 season and was compelled to return to his country, signing a six-year, $558,000 deal with Zurich.

He was a beast with the Mountaineers, hitting 50+ dingers in five of his six years (with the worst being 47). He led in homers, slugging, OPS, and wRC+ three times, and led in runs and WAR twice. Staudt had Silver Sluggers in 1960, 62, 63, 64, and 65, giving him 12 for his career. He was third in MVP voting in 1960, then three-peated as MVP from 1962-64, giving him four in his career. Staudt also was second in MVP in 1965, his final EBF season.

Zurich had some solid seasons in the 1950s and would make the playoffs thrice in Staudt’s tenure. He helped deliver their first European Championship in 1965, earning finals MVP. In 25 playoff games, he had 29 hits, 15 runs, 6 home runs, and 17 RBI. Staudt’s final stats with the Mountaineers saw 1045 hits, 676 runs, 302 home runs, 733 RBI, a .312/.397/.667 slash, and 55.5 WAR. He was the undisputed top hitter of EBF’s first 15 years, becoming the first batter to reach 700 home runs, 2500 hits, 1500 runs, and 1500 RBI.

For his European career, Staudt had 2595 hits, 1664 runs, 430 doubles, 177 triples, 701 home runs, 1794 RBI, 1092 walks, 485 stolen bases, a .301/.378/.636 slash, 192 wRC+ and 136.3 WAR. When he left EBF, he was the leader in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, and hitting WAR. He’d fall down as more players came in and offensive numbers rose generally, but as of 2037, he’s still seventh in hitting WAR, 10<sup>th</sup> in home runs, 16<sup>th</sup> in RBI, and 18<sup>th</sup> in runs. Staudt was a no-doubt Hall of Famer at 98.9% as EBF’s first stud hitter and may still be at the top of the leaderboards had he not left for MLB.

Staudt still had six more pro baseball seasons after leaving Europe and although he didn’t win awards, he continued as a strong power hitter. He spent 1966-67 with Las Vegas, 1968-69 with Toronto, 1970 with Denver, and 1971 with Houston, putting up 20.9 WAR, 197 home runs, 816 hits, 508 runs, and 558 RBI He finally opted for retirement after the 1971 season at age 44.

For his entire pro career, Staudt finished with 3411 hits, 2172 runs, 537 doubles, 207 triples, 898 home runs, 2352 RBI, 1464 walks, a .289/.366/.598 slash and 157.2 WAR. He fell just short of joining CABA legend Prometheo Garcia as the only players with 900+ home runs across their entire pro career. At that point, only Garcia had more homers or RBI, and only Garcia and Stan Provost had more runs scored across a pro career. Staudt firmly goes down as one of the top power hitters in the entire history of the game.

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

Loris Eichelberger – Pitcher – Berlin Barons – 97.4% First Ballot

Loris Eichelberger was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Wangen-Bruttisellen, a municipality of about 8,000 people in northern Switzerland. He threw hard with 98-100 mph velocity and was known for incredible movement on his pitches. Eichelberger had a three-pitch of fastball, slider, and curveball; with the slider especially eliciting fear. His control was merely above average, but he had solid stamina and excellent durability in his career.

He joined Gabriel Staudt as the first Swiss Hall of Famers and crossed paths with him in the teenage years, although Eichelberger was three years younger. He ended up leaving Switzerland for college baseball at England’s University of Cambridge and was part of the first EBF first-player draft in 1951. Eichelberger was picked third overall by Berlin and ultimately spent his entire career with the Barons. He would still represent Switzerland in the World Baseball Championship, pitching 230.1 innings from 1952-67 with a 2.58 ERA, 271 strikeouts, and 7.5 WAR.

Eichelberger immediately was a starter for Berlin and won Rookie of the Year in 1952. In 1954 and 1955, he finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting with career bests of 10.8 and 11.4 WAR. He had eight seasons of 8+ WAR, although wasn’t typically a conference leader. He led in WAR just in 1955, wins twice, ERA once, innings once, and quality starts twice. 1956 was his lone Pitcher of the Year, led by a career-best 1.79 ERA. Eichelberger finished third in 1958’s voting and took his lone Gold Glove in 1959.

Berlin made the playoffs five times in Eichelberger’s tenure. They won the Northern Conference in both 1955 and 1958 and took European Champion honors in 1958. In 82.2 playoff innings, Eichelberger had a 7-3 record, 2.07 ERA, 79 strikeouts, and 2.9 WAR. This playoff success helped massively in seeing his #36 uniform retired by the Barons.

Eichelberger continued to pitch well into his early 30s. He’d be the second in EBF history to reach both 200 career wins and 4000 career strikeouts and the third to 100+ pitching WAR. Despite never leading the conference in Ks, he’d sit eighth on the all-time strikeout leaderboard as of 2037. In 1966 at age 35, he saw his first notably down year. In 1967, a ruptured finger tendon ultimately forced him to retire at age 37.

Eichelberger’s final stats: 248-155 record, 2.45 ERA, 3868.2 innings, 4068 strikeouts to 791 walks, 360/487 quality starts, a FIP- of 66, and 119.1 WAR. As of 2037, he sits ninth all-time in EBF pitching WAR and 11<sup>th</sup> in wins. One of the premiere pitchers of the first two decades in EBF and well deserving of 97.4% and a first ballot selection.

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Trent Addams – Starting Pitcher – Rotterdam Ravers – 79.0% First Ballot

Trent Addams was a 5’11’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from Saltcoats, a town with around 12,000 people on the west coast of Scotland. Addams had incredible stuff with great movement and above average control. His velocity peaked at 96-98 mph with an absolutely filthy splitter and sinker leading the arsenal, along with a curveball and changeup. This led to an extreme groundball tendency. Addams was a poor defensive pitcher who had trouble holding runners, but he was so dominant when on that guys just didn’t get on base. He was very outspoken, which made him a polarizing figure in his various stops.

Addams attended the University of Glasgow and stayed home in Scotland initially as he was picked second overall by Glasgow in the 1953 EBF Draft. He led the Northern Conferences in losses as a rookie, but bounced back to lead in strikeouts the next year at 347. In April 1956, he had a 19 strikeout, one walk no-hitter against Oslo; setting a record for most Ks in an EBF no-no which stood until 2001. He ultimately stayed only three years in his first Highlanders run, not being shy about the squad’s struggles at the time. Glasgow decided they had no choice but to trade him, moving him before the 1957 for prospects to Rotterdam.

He’d be best known for his six-year run of dominance with the Ravens. In his first three seasons, he led the conference in ERA. Addams led in strikeouts twice and had 300+ in five straight years. He led in FIP- five straight years and had 8.5 WAR each season, including an incredible 12.7, 13.1, and 11.1 in his first three seasons. He was second in Pitcher of the Year in 1957, then won the award in both 1958 and 1959. Addams also was second in 1958 MVP voting. He’d go onto finish third in 1960 PotY voting as well. Addams tossed his second no-hitter in 1957 against London, striking out 13 with two walks.

Despite his efforts, Rotterdam only made the playoffs once in his tenure, falling in the 1957 conference final to Stockholm. In total with the Ravens, Addams had a 103-42 record and 50 saves, a 1.93 ERA, 1386 innings, 1984 strikeouts, and 64.5 WAR. He would continue to pitch for Scotland in the World Baseball Championship as well from 1956-67, posting a 3.10 ERA with 259 strikeouts in 174.1 innings for 5.5 WAR.

Addams became a free agent at age 31 and loudly declared his desire for big money. He found it with MLB’s Miami signing him to a six-year, $914,000 deal. Addams wanted to prove himself on the biggest stage, but disaster struck in his sixth start with the Mallards; a torn rotator cuff. This ended his 1963 season and he never returned to dominant form again, posting three-and-a-half middling seasons with Miami. He had a 4.53 ERA over 864.2 innings with only 570 strikeouts and 8.5 WAR. The Mallards cut their losses in June 1967 and Addams went back home to Scotland, signing with Glasgow again. He made one start with the Highlanders and blew out his elbow, ending his career at age 35.

Addams final EBF stats: 141-92 record and 50 saves, 2.33 ERA, 2111.2 innings, 2860 strikeouts, 504 walks, 209/273 quality starts, a FIP- of 51 and 82.5 WAR. His six year run with Rotterdam was one of the most dominant stretches ever seen and even with the injuries and departure in his 30s, his rate stats definitely fit well with the Hall of Fame group, even of the accumulations are lower. He could be a bit of a jerk, but the voters decided Addams was still deserving of the first ball induction at 79.0%, becoming the first Scottish Hall of Famer.

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