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FuzzyRussianHat

02-17-2024 05:40 AM

1994 CABA Hall of Fame

https://i.imgur.com/my93XZO.png

The Central American Baseball Association had a three-player Hall of Fame class for 1994. They very nearly had no inductees, as all three guys were below 70%, but just above the 66% requirement. CF Wilmer Mora had the top percentage at 69.2%, finally making it on his seventh time trying. SP Wilner Celestin had 66.9% for his second ballot and SP Bonito Benitez received 66.3% for his debut. The only other player above 50% was catcher Hansel Morel, missing the cut with 53.8% in his fourth ballot. The CABA ballot had no players dropped after ten failed tries.

https://i.imgur.com/7EcUGbb.png

Wilmer “Pigeon” Mora – Center Field – Hermosillo Hyenas – 69.2% Seventh Ballot

Wilmer Mora was a 6’0’’, 185 pound right-handed center fielder from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; a city of around 370,000 people on the other side of the southern border with Texas. His ability to quickly fly to the ball in center was compared to a homing pigeon, earning him the “Pigeon” moniker. Mora was an excellent defender that won six Gold Gloves with great range and an excellent arm. He was also one of the quickest and smartest base runners of his era.

That skill set gave Mora value despite generally not being viewed as an outstanding batter. He was an above average contact hitter with a solid enough pop in his bat, averaging around 35-40 doubles/triples and 20 home runs per year. However, Mora was criticized for having a poor eye and weak discipline; leading to a lousy strikeout rate and relatively few walks. He was fairly durable and reliable at a demanding position, which helped Mora have a fine career.

His natural athleticism made him one of the most prized Mexican prospects going into the 1963 CABA Draft. Mora was picked second overall by Queretaro, who had just completed their first season as an expansion franchise. Not wanting to rush him, Mora only played 31 games in 1964. His bat wasn’t quite there yet in 1965, but he earned a full-time starting spot and took second in Rookie of the Year voting.

Mora led the Mexican League in runs with 128 in 1967. The next year, he led in runs, hits, stolen bases, and WAR. He earned a third place finish in MVP voting and his first Silver Slugger. He won one more Slugger in 1970 with the Terriers, although he never posted league-leading offensive stats for the rest of his career. Mora did also play for Mexico from 1967-78 in the World Baseball Championship. Over 121 WBC games, he had 101 hits, 68 runs, 30 home runs, 54 RBI, 45 stolen bases, a .224/.280/.450 slash, and 2.8 WAR. He also earned a world title ring with Mexico in 1978.

The still-new Terriers had two 90+ win seasons while Mora was there, but never made the playoffs. In his seven seasons in Queretaro, Mora had 1071 hits, 551 runs, 178 doubles, 101 home runs, 432 RBI, 463 stolen bases, a .292/.320/.474 slash, and 42.0 WAR. The Terriers seemed committed to Mora, as he was signed on October 29, 1970 to an eight-year, $2,326,000 deal. Less than a week later on November 2, he was traded to Hermosillo for four prospects.

Hermosillo would be Mora’s signature run, as he’d spent his remaining 12 pro seasons as a Hyena. This is where he was acknowledged for his defense, winning six consecutive Gold Gloves from 1971-76. Mora also grabbed his third Silver Slugger in 1976, although he was never again an MVP finalist or league leader statistically.

The Pigeon was popular with Hermosillo fans and even though 1978 saw him miss time to injury, he was inked to a four-year, $1,304,000 contract extension. The Hyenas were generally lousy in the 1970s, but Mora was popular and a decent reason to come to the ballpark. He had two more seasons as a full-time starter and struggled at the plate in 1980. However, Mora got to see Hermosillo snap a 16-year playoff drought. The Hyenas won their first Mexican League title since 1947, although they dropped the CABA final to Jamaica. Mora had 17 starts in the playoff run with 16 hits, 6 runs, and 6 stolen bases.

His speed started to drop with age, which led to his reliable baserunning and defensive value dropping. He only made 59 starts in his final two seasons, which did see Hermosillo make the MLCS again in 1981. Mora retired after the 1982 campaign at age 38. For his Hermosillo rum, he had 1528 hits, 818 runs, 201 doubles, 219 home runs, 648 RBI, a .269/.303/.454 slash, and 48.3 WAR.

Mora’s final stats: 2599 hits, 1369 runs, 379 doubles, 190 triples, 320 home runs, 1080 RBI, 1035 stolen bases, a .278/.310/.461 slash, 126 wRC+, and 90.3 WAR. His defensive accolades and speed boosted his WAR to a spot that seemed very secure for the Hall of Fame, but his batting accumulations and rate stats were still borderline. Apart from the Hermosillo run at the end as well, he was typically stuck on bad teams. Mora didn’t have much support initially with a debut ballot of 44.0%. He steadily climbed up to 60.4% in 1992, but dropped back down to 47.1% in 1993. With no major standouts in 1994, the seventh ballot got Mora across the line and into the Hall of Fame barely at 69.2%.

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Wilner “Junkyard” Celestin – Starting Pitcher – Bahamas Buccaneers – 66.9% Second Ballot

Wilner Celestin was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. He was known for having terrific stuff with 97-99 mph peak velocity along with respectable movement and control. Celestin had a three-pitch mix of slider, splitter, and cutter with an extreme flyball tendency. Although his movement and control weakened as he aged, Celestin’s three pitches often looked the same to hitters out of the hand, getting a lot of whiffs when they inevitably broke a different direction than expected. Celestin did get criticized for a lack of work ethic and loyalty, which played a role in his career being shorter than most guys with such great stuff. The nickname “Junkyard” came from his fondness of collecting random junk in his locker.

Celestin’s stuff was noticed immediately by scouts throughout the Caribbean and his CABA arrival was highly anticipated. The Bahamas Buccaneers had the first overall pick in the 1976 CABA Draft and took Celestin with that spot. He was a full-time starter immediately and won Rookie of the Month four times in 1977, although he somehow only was third in Rookie of the Year voting. Celestin’s sophomore season saw a major setback with a torn rotator cuff in May knocking him out for six months.

Celestin came back in 1979 and his season was a mixed back. He led the Caribbean League with 301 strikeouts, but he also posted a mediocre 4.09 ERA. Celestin finally had a complete solid season in 1980, taking second in Pitcher of the Year voting. His fortunes also improved in the World Baseball Championship, where he played for his native Haiti from 1977-87. In 137.2 WBC innings, Celestin had a 3.86 ERA, 8-8 record, 137.2 innings, 195 strikeouts, and 2.3 WAR.

Since joining CABA as an expansion team in 1962, Bahamas had been consistently terrible. They fared no better during Celestin’s run and he made it fairly clear to management that he wasn’t interested in sticking around. The Buccaneers had a few years of team control left, but decided to trade Celestin in July 1981. They picked up four prospects and shipped Celestin to Santo Domingo, who were primed to begin a dynasty run. For his time in the Bahamas, Celestin had a 58-47 record, 3.41 ERA, 871.2 innings, 1105 strikeouts, and 23.3 WAR.

His combined efforts led the league in strikeouts and Celestin helped the Dolphins win the Caribbean League pennant, eventually falling in the CABA final to Juarez. Celestin spent two more seasons in Santo Domingo and posted a career best 357 strikeouts in 1982. The Dolphins won the CABA Championship in 1982, but were knocked out in the wild card round in 1983. Celestin had good playoff numbers with a 2.40 ERA over nine starts and 71.1 innings with 80 strikeouts and 1.9 WAR. In total with Santo Domingo, he had a 46-19 record, 3.21 ERA, 597.2 innings, 816 strikeouts, and 16.2 WAR.

The Dolphins were expected to keep contending, but Celestin at age 29 wanted to cash in via free agency. He stayed in the Island Division and signed a six-year, $3,700,000 deal with Puerto Rico. Celestin led in strikeouts in his Pelicans debut with a new career best of 361. 1985 was his best year, leading the league in ERA and WHIP for the only time, although he missed the final month to forearm inflammation. Celestin took second in Pitcher of the Year voting, an award he ultimately never won. He also missed the playoff run, although the Pelicans were ousted in the wild card round by his former squad Santo Domingo.

Celestin was back for a full and solid 1986, although his strikeout numbers did dip. In 1987 though, his velocity took a severe dip. He went from often hitting upper 90s to now having trouble reliably hitting the lower 90s. Celestin was below average in 1987, which was ultimately his final season pitching. He finished out the last two years of his contract with PR unused on their reserve roster. Celestin retired after the 1989 season at age 35. In his Pelicans tenure, he had a 57-32 record, 2.69 ERA, 888.2 innings, 1101 strikeouts, and 20.0 WAR.

Celestin’s final stats: 161-98 record, 3.09 ERA, 2358 innings, 3022 strikeouts, 507 walks, 210/319 quality starts, 77 FIP-, and 59.5 WAR. The strikeouts were impressive, as pretty much every other guy in the 3K club needed upwards of 3000 innings to hit the mark. His playoff success during Santo Domingo’s dynasty was definitely a plus too. However, Celestin wasn’t the most well-liked in clubhouses or with fans. He also never won the top honor and had both a higher ERA and lower accumulations than most CABA Hall of Fame pitchers. On his debut ballot, Celestin received 52.5% of the vote. He got the bump up to 66.9% in 1994, just crossing the line into the Hall of Fame. He did also earn the distinction of being the first HOFer in the Bahamas hat, despite his short and unheralded tenure.

https://i.imgur.com/CN76igI.png

Bonito “Bullet” Benitez – Starting Pitcher – Haiti Herons – 66.3% First Ballot

Bonito Benitez was a 6’1’’, 205 pound left-handed pitcher from the Cuban capital of Havana. He had the nickname “Bullet” mostly because it rolled well off the tongue. Benitez was well rounded with strong stuff despite only peaking at 93-95 mph velocity. He had very solid movement and respectable control on an arsenal of fastball, slider, changeup, curveball. Benitez had strong stamina when healthy and was loved by teammates for his scrappiness and work ethic.

Benitez was considered one of Cuba’s finest prospects in some time ahead of the 1975 CABA Draft. Haiti had the first overall pick and selected Benitez, who would be a part-time starter in his rookie season. He was a full-time starter from 1977 onward as well as a member of the Cuban National Team in the World Baseball Championship. From 1977-88 in the WBC, Benitez had a 3.76 ERA over 136.1 innings with 159 strikeouts and 2.2 WAR.

Benitez had a respectable sophomore season, then emerged as a star in his third year. He led the Caribbean League in at 24-5 as well as innings, strikeouts, and complete games. Benitez fell just short of Pitcher of the Year honors, taking second. However, Haiti was back above .500 after being abysmal in their prior four seasons. In 1979, Benitez led again in wins and improved his ERA and WAR. This time, he won Pitcher of the Year and also secured his lone Gold Glove.

Haiti made the playoffs in 1979, but would be eliminated in the wild card round. They suffered the same fate in 1980, which were Benitez’s only playoff starts with a 4.20 ERA in 15 innings. He would miss half of the 1980 campaign as well with a severe ankle sprain in the summer. Benitez wasn’t an awards finalist or league leader for the rest of his run, although he continued to put up solid production. The Herons were decent in this stretch, but consistently a few games out of the playoff race.

Haiti locked Benitez up to a six-year, $3,660,000 contract extension in May 1982. He had solid efforts that year and 1983, although he struggled in 1984. Benitez bounced back with a nice 1985, but lost much of 1986 on a torn meniscus. He looked good again in 1987, but had a subpar 1998. An elbow sprain cost him some time towards the end of the year as well. This marked the end of his contract with Haiti not expected to keep the aging lefty around. Benitez opted to retire at age 36 and the Herons honored him by retiring his #30 uniform.

Benitez’s career stats saw a 172-113 record, 3.07 ERA, 2801 innings, 2710 strikeouts, 587 walks, 223/348 quality starts, 84 FIP-, and 59.0 WAR. A nice career, but definitely borderline when looking at the other CABA pitchers to earn the distinction. Many voters appreciated his sparkplug work ethic and staying with one franchise for his whole career. With no major standouts in his debut ballot of 1994, he managed to earn the first ballot nod. It was by a razor thin margin at 66.3%, but it was enough to put Benitez in to round out CABA’s 1994 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-17-2024 09:45 AM

1994 EAB Hall of Fame

Pitcher Woo-Hyeok Ryon was East Asia Baseball’s only Hall of Fame inductee in 1994, securing a first ballot selection at 81.1%. Three others were above 50%, but short of the 66% requirement. SP Kunizo Tsuda was at 59.3% in his sixth ballot, CL Yeong-U Oum got 54.9% on his second go, and 1B Kenta Goto received 51.4% for his debut.

https://i.imgur.com/tp0Didv.png

Two players fell off the ballot after ten failed tries. RF Seung-Hyeok Jang had an 18-year career with four teams, winning two Silver Sluggers, plus a ring and finals MVP with Busan in 19771. He had 2696 hits, 1268 runs, 435 doubles, 384 home runs, 1287 RBI, a .306/.351/.512 slash and 80.4 WAR. Jang was never a league leader though and didn’t have the power numbers often expected from a corner outfielder. He debuted at 40.5% and peaked at 44.4% on his third ballot before ending at a lowly 14.5%. Jang is probably one of the better hitters to occupy the Hall of Very Good.

Also dropped was Santiago Reynoza, who had a 16 year run almost entirely with Goyang. He had a 194-181 record, 3.69 ERA, 3462.1 innings, 3457 strikeouts, and 55.4 WAR with a 101 ERA+. He did win Pitcher of the Year in 1974, but otherwise his career was largely sustained averageness. Reynoza’s HOF case never got much attention with a debut and peak of 22.9%. He finished at 10.4%.

https://i.imgur.com/7GXF3pH.png

Woo-Hyeok Ryon – Pitcher – Yokohama Yellow Jackets – 81.1% First Ballot

Woo-Hyeok Ryon was a 6’6’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Jeonju, a city of around 650,000 in southwestern South Korea. Ryon would develop stellar control, although he also had very good stuff and above average movement in his prime. His fastball peaked in the 95-97 mph range, but he was a master at changing speeds with that, a slider, and changeup. Ryon’s stamina was decent, but not amazing. He’d usually get above 200 innings per season despite at times being split between the starting rotation and relief.

Ryon would move north as a teenager, playing at Woosung High School in the capital region. He excelled as a high schooler and received a lot of attention from scouts. It was rare for draft picks out of high school in EAB, as teams usually opted to draft college prospects while signing teenage amateurs before they were draft eligible. Ryon was an exception, as he was picked 4<sup>th</sup> overall in the 1969 EAB Draft by Changwon. The Crabs were in the midst of a major rebuild, falling on hard times after their mid 1960s title run.

Ryon was on the reserve roster in 1970 and 1971 for Changwon. He debuted with sporadic relief appearances in 1972 and 1973, but looked lousy in those efforts. He hadn’t found his control yet, as that became his major calling card later in his career. Ryon became a starter for the next few seasons with the struggling Crabs, but he was above average at best in this run. With Changwon, he posted a 42-60 record, 3.62 ERA, 967 innings, 682 strikeouts, and 11.3 WAR.

By 1977, the 25-year old Ryon still hadn’t become the stud that the Crabs had expected. On July 1, they would trade him to Yokohama for pitchers Tomiyuki Shimazu and Toson Seike. This would begin Ryon’s signature run, as he’d spent more than a decade as a Yellow Jacket. The team was hopeful that he’d be worth the trade, signing Ryon to a four-year, $1,546,000 extension two weeks after acquiring him.

The move certainly paid off for Yokohama, as Ryon emerged as an ace. From 1978-81, he led the Japan League thrice in WHIP, thrice in WAR, and once in strikeouts. Ryon was a Pitcher of the Year finalist each of those years, but never won the top award. He was second in 1979 and 1981, while taking third in 1978 and 1980. While thriving in Japan, Ryon did return to South Korea for the World Baseball Championship from 1977-87. He posted a 15-6 record over 159.2 innings with a 3.49 ERA, 216 strikeouts, and 5.0 WAR.

Yokohama inked a seven-year, $4,530,000 extension with Ryon in the 1980 offseason. He wouldn’t be quite as dominant in his 30s, but his control kept him very effective. Ryon four times would have the best K/BB in the JL and led in WHIP in 1985. He didn’t have the strikeouts or innings to get awards consideration and also had occasional injuries at this point. The Yellow Jackets hadn’t been bad in the 1970s or 1980s, but had fallen short of the playoffs each year since 1966.

They got over the hump in 1986, winning the Japan League pennant. Yokohama would fall to Ryon’s hometown squad Jeonju in the finale. He had a lackluster postseason with a 4.55 ERA over 27.2 innings, but would be remembered fondly for helping them get back to relevance. The Yellow Jackets retired Ryon’s #19 uniform at the end of his career.

Ryon had a respectable 1987, although Yokohama just missed the division title to eventual EAB champ Chiba. 1988 would be his final season, suffering a torn flexor tendon in his elbow in July. The Yellow Jackets did again win the JL pennant, although Ryon had to watch in a sling. Coming off a major injury at age 37 with an expiring contract, Ryon decided to call it a career. With Yokohama, he had a 156-102 record, 2.74 ERA, 2424 innings, 2764 strikeouts, 252 walks, and 67.6 WAR.

For his career, Ryon had a 198-162 record, 2.99 ERA, 3391 innings, 3446 strikeouts, 426 walks, 0.98 WHIP, 281/428 quality starts, 78 FIP-, and 78.9 WAR. His accumulations didn’t leave him at the top of the EAB leaderboard, but his stats were solidly in the mid-tier compared to the other Hall of Fame pitchers. With a fairly weak 1994 ballot as well, Ryon debuted at the perfect time. He received 81.1% to secure his spot as the lone member of the 1994 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-17-2024 02:58 PM

1994 BSA Hall of Fame

https://i.imgur.com/0b1LcyY.png

Valencia fans celebrated as two of their franchise icons earned induction with the 1994 Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame class. Both were added with little argument with SP Lazaro Rodriguez at 98.7% and LF/DH A.J. Nunez at 94.3%. RF Jasper Saucedo barely missed joining them with 65.9% on his fourth ballot. The only other player above 50% was SP Robinson Moreira at 59.6% for his fifth try. No players were dropped following ten ballots in 1994.

https://i.imgur.com/6tW5kdE.png

Lazaro Rodriguez – Starting Pitcher – Valencia Velocity – 98.7% First Ballot

Lazaro Rodriguez was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Carayao, a town of only 3,000 people in southeastern Paraguay. Despite his humble beginnings, Rodriguez would emerge as one of the world’s most dominant pitchers of the 1970s and 1980s. He threw fire with a 99-101 mph fastball, but his stuff was electric with a remarkable mix. Rodriguez had a stellar cutter, great changeup, plus a good slider and splitter. His stuff graded out at 11/10 for many scouts for his career.

Rodriguez also had very good control for his career, much better than most other guys with similar velocity. He also had above average movement, which he improved as he aged. Rodriguez had outstanding stamina, leading the Bolivar League in complete games seven times. He was a poor defender, but didn’t have to use his glove too often with his strikeout prowess. Rodriguez was extremely popular, but also incredibly polarizing with a very outspoken nature. Either he was your favorite player, or you wanted to punch him in the face. Even those that disliked him had to admit that he was incredible.

An eagle-eyed scout for Valencia managed to notice Rodriguez at a youth camp in Paraguay. He was signed at age 15 and brought to Valencia’s developmental academy. To that point, the Velocity had been probably the least successful franchise in the Bolivar League with only one playoff appearance in their first four decades. Rodriguez would certainly be the single biggest reason that Valencia emerged as a powerhouse in the mid 1970s.

Rodriguez debuted at age 20 in 1971 and was a respectable starter in his first two seasons. By his third year, he was not only an ace, but an elite one. 1973 began an unprecedented streak of 12 seasons as the Bolivar League’s leader in pitching WAR. From 1974-84, he had 11 consecutive seasons as the BL’s strikeout leader. Eight times, he had 400+ strikeouts, a mark rarely
reached since the legendary reign of Mohamed Ramos. As of 2037, there have been only 26 seasons in Beisbol Sudamerica with 400+ Ks; 21 of those were by either Rodriguez or Ramos.

Rodriguez also would lead the league in wins five times, ERA four times, innings twice, WHIP eight times, K/BB eight times, complete games seven times, shutouts five times, and FIP- ten times. He twice earned Triple Crown honors with a 25-7 record, 2.29 ERA, and 442 strikeouts in 1975; plus a 20-8 record, 1.71 ERA, and 361 Ks in 1984. He also pitched for his native Paraguay in the World Baseball Championship from 1972-88 with a 3.06 ERA, 249.2 innings, 398 strikeouts, and 7.1 WAR.

Rodriguez won Pitcher of the Year nine times, besting even Ramos’ record of seven. At induction, the only pitcher in any world league to win nine POTYs was CABA’s Junior Vergara. As of 2037, he is one of only five pitchers in all of the world leagues to have won nine. Rodriguez won Pitcher of the Year in 1974, 75, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 83, and 84. He also took second in 1976 and third in 1982. 1981 also featured a third place in MVP voting.

Led by Rodriguez’s arm, Valencia put together a Bolivar League dynasty with five consecutive pennants from 1974-78. The Velocity fell in Copa Sudamerica in the first three seasons of the run, but came away with the cup in both 1977 and 1978. Rodriguez’s playoff numbers looked much like his regular season dominance, posting a 10-4 record over 132.1 innings with a 2.52 ERA, 194 strikeouts, only 17 walks, and 4.3 WAR.

Valencia locked him up with a seven-year, $2,372,000 contract extension after the 1975 campaign. Rodriguez’s dominance continued unabated, although the Velocity wouldn’t make the postseason again while he was there after their repeat Cup wins. They would stay consistently above .500, but a mini-dynasty from Barquisimeto kept them just outside the postseason. Rodriguez continued to have remarkable individual performances during this time.

For his career, Rodriguez had 11 games with 20+ strikeouts, behind only Ramos’ 13 such games. Six of those games were 21 strikeout games, tied for the record over nine innings. On September 17, 1980; Rodriguez had BSA’s 35<sup>th</sup> perfect game, striking out 15 against Santa Cruz. He tossed a second no-hitter with 17 strikeouts against Lima on June 9, 1982. Only a fielding error on that day kept him from a second perfecto.

Rodriguez signed a second extension just before the 1982 season worth $3,120,000 over six years. He didn’t seem to be aging with his dominance continuing into his 30s. In 1984 at age 33, Rodriguez had career bests in ERA (1.71), and WHIP (0.76), earning his second Triple Crown. This would be his last elite season. On April 19, 1985, Rodriguez would suffer a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, knocking him out for eight months.

He was determined to come back and did pitch two more full seasons with Valencia. He was still a good starter, but his velocity had dropped a couple miles per hour along with his strikeouts. This was also the first time the Velocity had won fewer than 80 games in 15 years. In his last year with Valencia, Rodriguez did earn his 300<sup>th</sup> win, the third BSA player to do so. He was also in striking distance of 6000 Ks, something only Ramos had done prior.

However, he wouldn’t get that mark with the Velocity. Looking to rebuild, Rodriguez was traded for 2B Amado Espinoza and SS Pedro Torres to Rio de Janeiro. He did hit the 6000 strikeout mark, but was otherwise mediocre in his one season with the Redbirds. Rodriguez had career worsts across the board and was having trouble even hitting the low 90s consistently. He decided to retire after the 1988 season at age 38. Valencia immediately brought him back to retire his #46 uniform.

The final stats for Rodriguez: 309-155 record, 2.60 ERA, 4261.1 innings, 6045 strikeouts, 712 walks, 359/515 quality starts, 257 complete games, 61 FIP-, and 148 WAR. As of 2037, Rodriguez still holds many prominent spots on the BSA leaderboards. He’s still second in strikeouts, seventh in wins, third in complete games, sixth in shutouts, and fourth in pitching WAR. When you compile a “Mount Rushmore” for South American pitchers, Rodriguez very much belongs in that conversation. No one in his era could match his strikeout ability and very few across the world reached 6000 career strikeouts.

https://i.imgur.com/j8jEGJg.png

A.J. Nunez – Left Field/Designated Hitter – Valencia Velocity – 94.3% First Ballot

A.J. Nunez was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Barranquilla, a city of around 1,200,000 on the northern coast of Colombia. Nunez was a well-rounded batter who hit well for contact and power. He also had a solid eye and could draw walks at a respectable clip. Nunez averaged around 40-45 homes and around 40 doubles/triples per 162 games. He also had much better speed than most sluggers his size, although he did get too aggressive sometimes on the basepaths. Despite his speed for his frame, Nunez didn’t have great range defensively. He was primarily a left fielder and firmly mediocre in the field. About 1/3 of his starts would come as a designated hitter.

Nunez was spotted as a teenage amateur playing in Colombia and signed by Valencia, bringing him east to Venezuela. He would debut with a few pinch hit appearances primarily in 1973 at age 20. Nunez was a full-time starter the next season and would be a starter for the next 15 years for the Velocity when healthy. His first full season came with the beginning of Valencia’s dynasty run as well. Nunez also was a star for his native Colombia in the World Baseball Championship from 1975-88, posting 115 hits over 134 games with 80 runs, 42 home runs, 90 RBI, and 5.5 WAR.

1975 was Nunez’s breakout season as he mashed 58 home runs with 151 RBI, 136 runs, and a 1.146 OPS. This broke the BSA record for runs scored and RBI, although both would get passed the next year. Both would remain top five seasons all-time until Beisbol Sudamerica’s offense exploded in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century. This gave Nunez his lone MVP and his first Silver Slugger as a DH.

His only other season as a league leader came in 1979, again leading in total bases, OPS, and wRC+. He would post four more seasons of 40+ home runs and five more with 100+ runs. Still, Nunez would take second in MVP voting in 1976, third in 1977, and third in 1979. He won five additional Silver Sluggers, each in left field (76, 77, 81, 82, 84).

Nunez played a big role in the dynasty, winning Bolivar League Championship Series MVP in 1976. The Velocity won the BLCS five consecutive years from 1974-78 and took Copa Sudamerica in 1977 and 1978. In 52 playoff starts, Nunez had 64 hits, 41 runs, 17 home runs, 41 RBI, a .318/.380/.687 slash, and 3.5 WAR. He was the star bat for the Velocity dynasty while his Hall of Fame classmate Lazaro Rodriguez was the star arm. Midway through 1976, Valencia signed Nunez to an eight-year, $2,626,000 contract extension.

In 1980, Nunez suffered a fractured ankle that put him on the shelf for five months. He was never nearly as dominant after this, but he was still a reliably solid hitter into his 30s. In May 1984, Valencia gave Nunez a five-year, $3,124,000 contract extension. Soon after, the Velocity needed to enter a rebuild as their window to compete had clearly closed.

Although he still hit 37 home runs, Nunez saw his production hit a career low in 1987. After a sluggish start to 1988, Valencia traded him and 2B Amado Espinoza in June to Cordoba for SP Ernesto Pichardo. He was only a part time starter for the remainder of the season with Cordoba. Although Nunez was still only 35 years old, it was clear finding a starting job somewhere would be difficult at this stage in his career. He decided to retire instead at the close of the 1988 season.

For his career, Nunez had 2269 hits, 1326 runs, 381 doubles, 557 home runs, 1453 RBI, 518 stolen bases, a .304/.357/.626 slash, 169 wRC+, and 73.7 WAR. His tallies aren’t as eye popping as a lot of the other sluggers of the era, but his 1975 campaign still goes down as one of the finest pure hitting seasons of the time. Nunez was very reliable in the middle of the lineup for a long while and an indispensable part of Valencia’s mid 1970s dynasty. The Velocity would retire his #1 uniform and he would take his place alongside Lazaro Rodriguez in the 1994 Hall of Fame class with 94.3% of the vote.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-18-2024 04:55 AM

1994 EBF Hall of Fame

https://i.imgur.com/fPDzWP8.png

Two first ballot picks earned their way into the 1994 Hall of Fame class for the European Baseball Federation. Second baseman Richard Rautenstrauch was nearly unanimous with 99.2%, while pitcher Uwe Deckers got in with a respectable 78.9%. No other players were above 50% and none were dropped after ten failed ballots.

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

Richard “Ace” Rautenstrauch – Second Base – Zagreb Gulls – 99.2% First Ballot

Richard Rautenstrauch was a 6’2’’, 200 pound switch-hitting second baseman from Brunswick, a city of around 250,000 people in central Germany. Nicknamed “Ace,” Rautenstrauch was an incredible power and contact hitter. He regularly hit above .300 with 40+ homers and around 40 doubles/triples per season. Rautenstrauch was also respectable at drawing walks with an average strikeout rate. In his 20s, Ace also had pretty good speed with decent baserunning skills. Rautenstrauch was a career second baseman and was considered one of the best-ever defenders at the position in European baseball history.

Rautenstrauch would emerge as one of the most beloved European baseball figures and a favorite of the German fan, despite never playing for a German team as a pro. He would be a prolific player for the national team despite his world travels. In the World Baseball Championship from 1977-92, Rautenstrauch had 190 hits, 146 runs, 33 doubles, 79 home runs, 142 RBI, a .266/.351/.658 slash, and 11.6 WAR. He was a big part of Germany’s world title in 1983.

However, his entire EBF career would be spent in the former Yugoslavia. As a teenage amateur, Rautenstrauch was spotted and signed by Zagreb. He made his debut at age 20 in Croatia as a pinch hitter in 1972. He was a part-time starter with decent results in 1973, then became a full-time starter for the next decade with the Gulls. 1974 would mark his first of eight Gold Gloves with Zagreb and his first of nine Silver Sluggers.

In 1975, Rautenstrauch posted only the second Triple Crown season to that point by an EBF batter with 62 home runs, a .385 average, and 133 RBI. He also had a remarkable 62-game on base streak during this season. Combined with his stellar defense, Ace posted a 14.7 WAR season, the second-best ever in EBF history to that point. He’d post 13.6 WAR in 1976 and 14.4 in 1980. As of 2037, those are the fourth, fifth, and ninth best seasons in EBF history.

Rautenstrauch led the Southern Conference in WAR six times and posted 9+ WAR in nine seasons. He would lead in average twice, OBP four times, slugging six times, OPS seven times, and wRC+ five times. He would also lead twice more in total bases, once more in RBI, and once in hits. Rautenstrauch’s only “down” seasons statistically usually were because he missed some games to injury. He had a broken kneecap in late 1977 and recurring herniated discs in his back. Still, Rautenstrauch won MVP four times (1975, 79, 80, 84). He was second in 1976 and 1978

Zagreb would make the playoffs from 1973-75 and again in 1978 during Rautenstrauch’s run. They were a conference finalist in 1973, then claimed the European Championship in 1975. He was conference finals MVP in that run and posted 42 hits, 24 runs, 11 home runs, 27 RBI, and 2.2 WAR in the playoffs with Zagreb. After the 1976 campaign, the Gulls gave Rautenstrauch an eight-year, $3,636,000 contract extension.

Rautenstrauch continued to be great into the 1980s, but Zagreb didn’t. They had their first losing season in his tenure in 1979, then bottomed out at only 56 wins in 1981. The Gulls weren’t expected to contend anytime soon and they knew Rautenstrauch would likely be leaving to take a massive contract somewhere. Indeed, his Zagreb run ended with the 1984 season. They would later retire his #5 uniform and he would remain a beloved figure in Croatia.

It also marked the end of his EBF run with a stat line of 2017 hits, 1165 runs, 310 doubles, 514 home runs, 1249 RBI, 430 stolen bases, a .324/.386/.674 slash, 201 wRC+, and 125.2 WAR. At induction, he had the sixth most offensive WAR of any EBF player. As of 2037, his 1.060 OPS is second among all EBF Hall of Famers behind only Jacob Ronnberg. Had Rautenstrauch stayed in Europe, he may have had a shot to compile GOAT-level numbers. His success made him a no-brainer at 99.2% for the 1994 class.

However, Rautenstrauch would still see an eight-year MLB run. The big buyer when the 33-year old hit free agency was Houston, signing a five-year, $7,700,000 deal. The deal seemed cursed initially though as he missed much of his Hornets debut with a torn meniscus in spring training. A fractured rib and plantar fasciitis cost him half of the 1986 campaign.

Rautenstrauch finally had full seasons from 1987-89 and looked like his old awesome self, posting 21.3 WAR over those seasons. He won three Silver Sluggers with Houston, giving him 12 for his entire career. The Hornets made the playoffs twice in his run, although couldn’t make a deep run. For his tenure, Rautenstrauch had 615 hits, 350 runs, 139 home runs, 382 RBI, a .290/.348/.557 slash, and 26.6 WAR.

He was a free agent again at 38, but had just come off three strong years. San Francisco signed him to a three-year, $5,880,000 deal. Rautenstrauch had a full 1990 and still gave them 43 home runs and 112 RBI, although he had a career worst .242 average. His remaining two seasons would be plagued by various injuries. With the Gold Rush, he had 8.0 WAR over 267 games. His deal was up and he wanted to play in 1993, but couldn’t find a home. Rautenstrauch had to retire at age 41.

For his MLB tenure, he had 884 hits, 508 runs, 210 home runs, 581 RBI, a .278/.332/.545 slash, and 34.6 WAR. This was still pretty impressive considering it came in his 30s and with a bunch of injuries. Rautenstrauch’s entire pro career had 2901 hits, 1673 runs, 455 doubles, 724 home runs, 1830 RBI, a .309/.368/.630 slash, 179 wRC+, and 159.8 WAR. They especially were impressive stats for a second baseman, as the position is often viewed as one of the weaker ones offensively. He had this power alongside excellent defense. Rautenstrauch ultimately is on the shortlist when discussing the all-time greatest second basemen in pro baseball history.

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Uwe Deckers – Starting Pitcher – Glasgow Highlanders – 78.9% First Ballot

Uwe Deckers was a 5’11’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Basel, Switzerland’s third most popular city with around 175,000 inhabitants. Deckers’ best strength was very good control, although his stuff was considered excellent for a short burst as well. He had 96-98 mph peak velocity with a fastball, slider, screwball, and changeup. Deckers was great at changing speed and spotting pitches, but his movement was considered weak and he had trouble with allowing home runs. He had respectable stamina and was good at holding runners.

Deckers was spotted as a teenage amateur and signed in 1970 by Glashow. He spent four years in their academy before making his debut at age 21 in 1975. He was a full-time starter immediately and held that role for 14 years in Scotland. Deckers’ rise to the rotation coincided with the Highlanders becoming the kings of the British Isles Division. Glasgow would win six consecutive division titles from 1976-81.

In 1976, Glasgow won the European Championship with the second-year Deckers playing a big role in the postseason. In 36.1 playoff innings, he had a 1.73 ERA, 50 strikeouts, and 1.3 WAR. He finished third that season in Pitcher of the Year voting. Deckers forever would have a place in the hearts of many Highlanders fans for that run specifically. He was less spectacular in other postseasons as Glasgow would go one-and-done three times and finish as conference runner-up twice. For his playoff career, Deckers had a 3.02 ERA, 5-5 record, 95.1 innings, 131 strikeouts, and 2.6 WAR.

He wasn’t one to dominate the statistical leaderboards. Deckers would manage to lead in ERA in 1980, as well as WHIP twice, K/BB twice, FIP- once, and quality starts once. Deckers wouldn’t take Pitcher of the Year in his career, although he did place second in 1980. He remained steady, signing a six-year, $4,140,000 extension in late spring 1981. Deckers also was a regular for his native Switzerland in the World Baseball Championship. From 1976-88 in the WBC, he had a 4.86 ERA over 155.2 innings with 235 strikeouts and 1.6 WAR.

A crowning achievement came on July 15, 1981 with Deckers tossing a perfect game against Brussels with eight strikeouts. That was really one of the last great moments for Deckers, as injuries and merely okay production marked his 30s. Shoulder inflammation ended his 1984, followed by radial nerve compression costing him five months in 1985. Glasgow fell towards the bottom of the standings as well. Deckers actually had a solid bounce back 1986 with 25 quality starts and 5.7 WAR, but he led the league in losses regardless. Deckers was alright in 1987 and Glasgow gave him a two-year extension. But after a middling 1988, he decided to retire at age 35. The Highlanders would retire his #85 uniform, not that it was a particularly common number choice.

The final stats for Deckers: 198-130 record, 3.02 ERA, 3123.2 innings, 3568 strikeouts, 517 walks, 261/403 quality starts, 111 complete games, 86 FIP-, and 62.6 WAR. His accumulations were towards the lower end of EBF Hall of Famers and he didn’t have the big awards or stats. However, Deckers quietly had a solid resume and played a very notable role in Glasgow’s 1976 championship. Many voters also appreciate guys who stick with one team for their entire run. Deckers secured a first ballot induction at 78.9% to round out the 1994 EBF class.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-18-2024 10:33 AM

1994 EPB Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

02-18-2024 03:36 PM

1994 OBA Hall of Fame

Two players received inductions in 1994 for the Oceania Baseball Association Hall of Fame. SP Jinhai Mo led the way as a first ballot selection with 90.1%. OF Kyle Jett joined him by finally getting across the line with 69.9% on his fifth attempt. The other player above 50% was RF Dede Hayati, missing the cut at 55.0% on his third ballot.

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Dropped after ten ballots was pitcher Dwight Castillo, who finished and peaked at 19.5%. The Palauan pitched 13 seasons with Tahiti and won Pitcher of the Year in 1971, but he was out of the rotation too often to get the accumulations. Castillo had a 133-112 record, 2.65 ERA, 2343 innings, 2255 strikeouts, and 35.7 WAR.

Another Tahiti pitcher, Dean Kysel, fell off after ten ballots. He ended at a low of 9.6% after debuting at 31.4%. Like Castillo, he had a Pitcher of the Year (1974), but lacked the longevity needed to get in. He had a 130-116 record, 2.72 ERA, 2264 innings, 2405 strikeouts, and 35.4 WAR.

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Jinhai Mo – Starting Pitcher – Perth Penguins – 90.1% First Ballot

Jinhai Mo was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Melbourne, Australia. He was a very well-rounded pitcher with solid stuff, movement, and control. Mo had 97-99 mph velocity on his fastball and mixed it with four other pitches; slider, curveball, forkball, and changeup. He had excellent durability, making 30+ starts reliably in all but three seasons. Mo was also a good defensive pitcher and considered a very intelligent worker.

Mo was picked fifth overall in the 1973 OBA Draft by Perth and was immediately a full-time starter with the Penguins, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting. His sophomore season was tremendous with a 26-4 record, 1.39 ERA, and 0.83 WHIP with 10.2 WAR and 39/41 quality starts. Mo earned Pitcher of the Year as Perth finished a game behind Adelaide for the Australasia League title. Mo also emerged as a very good pitcher for Australia in the World Baseball Championship from 1977-91. He had 237.2 WBC innings with an 18-9 record, 2.69 ERA, 306 strikeouts, and 8.3 WAR.

Mo posted five 9+ WAR seasons with Perth, winning a second Pitcher of the Year in 1978 with a second place in 1979 and third in 1981. The Penguins won the Oceania Championship in 1978 with an OBA-best 111-51 record. Perth won the pennant again in 1979, but lost to a 112-win Guam squad in the final. In 1978, he had an eight strikeout, one walk no-hitter against Christchurch. Mo posted a 3.32 ERA over five finals starts with 39 strikeouts. In total with Perth, he had a 119-64 record, 2.15 ERA, 1832.1 innings, 1924 strikeouts, and 50.0 WAR.

Perth struggled after their 1979 pennant and entered a major rebuild phase. 1982 was Mo’s last year under team control and the Penguins weren’t convinced they could lock him up long-term. Thus, he was sent to Guadalcanal for four players. In his one year as a Green Jacket, Mo led the Pacific League in ERA, WHIP, and WAR. He picked up his third Pitcher of the Year and was a very highly touted free agent at age 28. Although he had another decade of pro ball ahead, Mo moved on and made his way to the United States and MLB.

Mo inked a six-year, $5,950,000 deal with Chicago. He immediately slotted in very well with the Cubs, posting three seasons worth 6+ WAR and twice leading in quality starts. In his second year in the Windy City, the Cubs had a surprising World Series run. Mo was 4-2 with a 3.25 ERA over 39 playoff innings with 25 strikeouts and 1.4 WAR; a big part of their success. In 1985, he had an 8.5 WAR, 2.59 ERA season. This earned Mo National Association Pitcher of the Year, joining elite company with both a POTY in multiple leagues and with four in his career.

With Chicago, Mo had an 84-48 record, 2.90 ERA, 1232.2 innings, 990 strikeouts, and 32.2 WAR. 1987 saw his first major injury setback with a partially torn labrum requiring surgery and costing him five months. Mo had one year left in his Cubs deal, but the team decided to cut him loose four starts in the 1988 season. Mo decided to go to St. Louis for the rest of the campaign and had a great effort with the Cardinals, finishing with an 8.0 WAR season.

Mo was a free agent at age 34 and still viewed as someone with a lot to offer. He signed a five-year, $8,500,000 deal with Oakland. Mo’s first season with the Owls was very good, but he regressed in year two to league average numbers. In 1991, he was diagnosed with an arthritic elbow, knocking him out four months. With Oakland, Mo had a 35-27 record, 3.24 ERA, 602 innings, 346 strikeouts, and 12.1 WAR.

After spring training 1992, the Owls cut Mo loose with two years left on his deal. Indianapolis signed him to a minor league deal, although he would pitch 133 innings with the Racers. Mo still had good control, but his stuff was weak and his strikeout rates were lousy. After going unsigned in 1993, Mo retired at age 39. For his MLB career, he had a 143-89 record, 2.97 ERA, 2197 innings, 155 strikeouts, and 51.9 WAR.

For his entire pro career, Mo had a 285-163 record, 2.53 ERA, 4315.1 innings, 3840 strikeouts, 724 walks, 423/550 quality starts, 75 FIP-, and 112.6 WAR. That would be a lock resume in a single league, but his career was split. Mo only had seven OBA seasons, posting a 142-74 record, 2.08 ERA, 2118.1 innings, 2285 strikeouts, 348 walks, and 60.6 WAR. The OBA voters were more forgiving than some other leagues and gave him some credit for what he accomplished in MLB. His accumulations are obviously on the lower end due to the short time in OBA, but three Pitcher of the Year awards and a ring go a long way. Mo was a first ballot selection without much controversy at 90.1%.

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Kyle Jett – Outfielder – Gold Coast Kangaroos – 69.9% Fifth Ballot

Kyle Jett was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Sydney, Australia. Jett had a good pop in his bat, averaging around 30 home runs and 30 doubles/triples per year. He was merely an average to above average contact hitter. Jett had a respectable eye for drawing walks, but had a higher than average strikeout rate. He also boasted pretty good speed, although he could get over-aggressive as a base runner. Jett split his career almost evenly between right field and center with a few more starts in right. He was a pretty solid fielder in his 20s at both spots, although he lost range as he aged. For his entire run, he graded as good in right and just below average in center.

Entering the 1969 OBA Draft, scouts saw the potential for Jett to be elite. Gold Coast had the #1 overall pick and used it on Jett, who started 102 games with mixed results as a rookie. In his second year, he took second in MVP voting and helped the Kangaroos to their first-ever Oceania Championship. In the playoffs, he was 7-24 with 4 runs and 3 RBI. The next year, Gold Coast became the first-ever repeat OBA champ. Jett was second again in MVP voting and won his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. He would miss the postseason to a strained abdominal.

The Kangaroos were convinced they had struck gold and signed Jett to an eight-year, $921,000 extension to get him for a few years post arbitration at a low rate. He won Gold Glove and Silver Slugger again in 1973 with Gold Coast winning a third AL pennant, although they fell in an OBA finals rematch to Samoa. Jett also played for Australia from 1972-82 in the World Baseball Championship, playing 78 games with 63 hits, 47 runs, 29 home runs, 57 RBI, and 3.5 WAR.

Jett won five Silver Sluggers total with additional awards in 1974, 75, and 78. 1974 saw his third Gold Glove as well as a third place finish in MVP voting. He never won the top award and didn’t lead the league very often. He did have the high mark in both RBI and home runs in the low years of 1974 and 1978. Jett still had a nice reliable bat in his late 20s and into his 30s, but he wasn’t viewed as anything incredible at that point. Gold Coast had also fallen towards the bottom of the standings in the late 1970s.

Jett was still a popular player, but his Kangaroos run ended after the 1980 season that saw missed time from a fractured hand. For his run with Gold Coast, he had 1439 hits, 741 runs, 219 doubles, 303 home runs, 825 RBI, a .251/.304/.475 slash, and 50.5 WAR. Now 34 years old, Jett signed a four-year, $1,856,000 deal with Guadalcanal.

His hitting numbers actually improved a bit from his last few Gold Coast years, although injuries did cost him some time. A torn meniscus knocked him out the entire second half of the 1983 campaign. He failed to meet the vesting criteria in his contract and was a free agent after that. With the Green Jackets, Jett had 336 hits, 178 runs, and 12.4 WAR. Melbourne signed him in 1984, but he was a very middling hitter at that point. After going unsigned in 1985, Jett retired at age 38.

For his career, Jett hat 1872 hits, 963 runs, 273 doubles, 392 home runs, 1059 RBI, .252/.304/.474 slash, 141 wRC+, and 63.1 WAR. Even for the low offense era of OBA that he played in, Jett’s accumulations were pretty low for as many games as he played. Some viewed him as a disappointment as the latter parts of his career were unremarkable after being the #1 pick and his strong early years. Still, he played a big part in Gold Coast’s dynasty run of the early 1970s, giving that franchise its first taste of success. The voters didn’t give Jett much initially with 39.0% and 33.1% in his first two ballots. He jumped to 53.7% in 1992, but dropped back down to 43.0% in 1993. For whatever reason, a large group of voters were swayed in 1994 and gave Jett the push to receive a fifth ballot selection with 69.9%.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-19-2024 04:35 AM

1994 APB Hall of Fame

Austronesia Professional Baseball had two players inducted into the 1994 Hall of Fame class with both guys receiving 97.6% in their debut. Pitcher Cedric Fenny and RF Chun-Chia Lan made a pretty strong one-two punch. RF Lin Zulkifti had a nice debut but fell short at 56.1%. SP Ary Mustofa also just crossed the midpoint with 50.7% for his sixth ballot.

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Adrian Su was the lone player dropped after ten ballots. A three-time Gold Glove winner, he pitched 12 years between Taichung and Cebu with a 180-112 record, 2.35 ERA, 2853 innings, 2790 strikeouts, 447 walks, and 63.4 WAR. The rate stats were good, but the accumulations were underwhelming with no league-leading notables or big awards. Su came close early on with 52.3% on his debut and 57.6% in his third ballot. He steadily dropped from there before ending with a lousy 18.0% for his final try.

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Cedric Fenny – Pitcher – Singapore Sharks – 97.6% First Ballot

Cedric Fenny was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Curug, an Indonesian district with around 165,000 people on the western end of Java. Fenny was known for excellent control, which allowed him to remain very effective for many years. He also had respectable stuff and movement despite only seeing 93-95 mph velocity. Fenny had a fastball, curveball, changeup repertoire with an extreme groundball tendency. He was also quite good at fielding the position. Some questioned his work ethic, but it was hard to argue with the final results.

In early 1967, a 16-year old Fenny signed as an amateur free agent with Singapore. He made his official debut with a few relief appearances in 1971 at age 20. The Sharks moved him into the rotation full-time after that. They were largely uncompetitive in the 1970s, but Fenny showed potential as an ace. In 1974, he led the Sundaland Association in ERA (1.53), quality starts (32), FIP – (39), and WAR (10.8). Despite this, Fenny finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Singapore was solid on Fenny as the future and gave him a five-year, $657,000 contract extension after that. He also began pitching for Indonesia in the World Baseball Championship around this time with sporadic appearances from 1974-88. He pitched in eight WBCs with a 2.47 ER, 65.2 innings, 68 strikeouts, and 0.8 WAR.

A catastrophe struck Fenny in July 1975 with a torn rotator cuff knocking him out 14 months and putting his career in doubt. He returned in late 1976, although he looked very shaky with a 5.01 ERA in 50.1 innings. Fenny bounced back impressively though in 1977 with a 10.0 WAR season, placing third in Pitcher of the Year voting. He led in ERA the next year, although back troubles cost him around two months of the season.

Singapore was still committed to Fenny and gave him a six-year, $1,996,000 extension before the 1979 season. Three months into the year, he suffered radial nerve compression and was out six months. Showing remarkable versatility in the face of adversity, Fenny bounced back again and led the Sundaland Association in WAR for 1980 and posted a career best 1.29 ERA. He again placed second in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Fenny would put together a healthy stretch for the next five seasons with the Sharks. He didn’t have the dominance of his peak years, but he was a solid. He also helped Singapore earn its first-ever playoff berth in 1982, although they were ousted by Jakarta. For his Sharks tenure, Fenny had a 169-123 record, 1.95 ERA, 2801.1 innings, 3021 strikeouts, and 81.2 WAR. The franchise would retire his #25 uniform once his career was over.

At age 35, Fenny was a free agent for the first time. He signed a three-year, $2,370,000 deal with Bandung. It was a forgettable season that saw some injury woes and a move out of the starting rotation. In the offseason, the Blackhawks traded Fenny to Taichung for three prospects. In his Toucans debut, he had one of the most impressive bounce-back seasons ever.

At age 36, Fenny posted an incredible 27-2 record; the most wins in a season by an APB pitcher. His control became even more pinpoint with a 15.3 K/BB. Fenny posted a 1.38 ERA, along with a career high in innings with 281 and 8.8 WAR. He again fell painfully shy of that first Pitcher of the Year award, placing second. Fenny would have a stellar postseason as Taichung won the Taiwan-Philippine Association Championship. They lost to Medan in the final, but Fenny’s postseason run saw a 0.28 ERA over 32.2 innings with 32 strikeouts.

He had a pretty good start to his 1988, but his season and APB run would end in August with a partially torn labrum. In only two years with Taichung though, Fenny had a 36-13 record, 1.58 ERA, 491 innings, 478 strikeouts, and 13.8 WAR. A free agent again at age 38, he proved that he could still go when healthy. MLB’s Oklahoma City gave him a two-year, $3,340,000 contract. Sadly, Fenny tore his rotator cuff for the second time in his second MLB start, effectively ending his baseball career at age 39.

For his APB run, Fenny had a 213-146 record, 1.93 ERA, 3423.2 innings, 3623 strikeouts, 464 walks, 358/442 quality starts, 67 FIP-, and 96.4 WAR. It is amazing his accumulations were even as high as they were considering the number of major injuries he dealt with. Many would argue that Fenny was the best APB pitcher to never win Pitcher of the Year. The Hall of Fame voters didn’t need that hardware to be convinced of Fenny’s deservedness, giving him the first ballot not firmly at 97.6%.

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Chun-Chia “Garbage” Lan – Right Field – Kaohsiung Steelheads – 97.6% First Ballot

Chun-Chia Lan was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed right fielder from Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. He was one of the first prolific home run hitters in the low offense world of APB. Lan was a decent contact hitter who was around average for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. He also had nice gap power, averaging around 25-30 doubles/triples per year. Despite his big and powerful frame, Lan was pretty quick and was a surprisingly adept base stealer. He was very durable and spent the vast majority of his career in right field, although he played at first base some in his later years. Lan was a below average defender, but not atrocious.

Lan was a standout at Gubao High School in Taipei and many APB teams were looking at picking him straight out of the prep ranks. Kaohsiung did just that, selecting Lan second overall in the 1968 APB Draft. He officially debuted at age 18 in 1969, albeit with one at bat. Lan had a few pinch hit appearances in 1970 and a few more with some starts in 1971. By 1972, he was a full-time starter that would start 135+ games each year for the next 14 seasons for the Steelheads.

Lan’s powerful bat helped turn Kaohsiung into a dynasty in the mid 1970s. He led the Taiwan-Philippine Association in runs scored five times, home runs five times, RBI twice, total bases five times, slugging thrice, OPS twice, wRC+ thrice, and WAR once. He won four consecutive MVPs from 1974-77. The Steelheads won the APB Championship four times in five years with repeats in 1973-74 and 1976-77. This run remains the only one in APB history with a team winning four titles in five seasons.

Lan stepped up in the postseason as well. In 49 starts, he had 53 hits, 26 runs, 13 home runs, 26 RBI, a .283/.338/.540 slash, 179 wRC+, and 2.8 WAR. He was a beast in 1973 especially at only age 22, winning finals MVP and Association Finals MVP with 18 hits, 9 runs, 7 home runs, and 13 RBI. The seven homers were an APB playoff record until 2036. Lan’s role in this dynasty made him a legend in Taiwanese baseball and that stretch was in his early and mid 20s. Just before the 1978 season, the Steelheads signed him to an eight-year, $3,880,000 extension.

Lan remained excellent into his late 20s and 30s, but the glory days ended for Kaohsiung. They fell below .500 in 1981 and bottomed out at 56-106 in 1984. He won eight Silver Sluggers total with the Steelheads (1974-77, 79, 81, 82, 85). Lan was third in MVP voting in 1979, second in 1981, and second again in 1983.

Entering the 1986 season, Lan had one year left on his Kaohsiung deal. The Steelheads traded the 35-year old to Tainan for three prospects, ending a remarkable tenure. He remained beloved by Kaohsiung fans and came back as an ambassador and icon after retiring. The team would retire his #7 uniform and his career stats there saw 2185 hits, 1210 runs, 288 doubles, 564 home runs, 1253 RBI, and 96.4 WAR.

Lan won his ninth and final Silver Slugger in 1986 with Tainan. A free agent for the first time at age 36, he returned to his home city of Taipei on a three-year, $2,520,000 deal. At this point, Lan’s main focus was trying to pass Abracham Gumelar’s 604 home runs to become the all-time leader. He only hit 19 dingers with an unremarkable first season for the Tigercats, but he finished the season with 612 to claim the crown.

Lan had become the runs scored leader in his last year with Kaohsiung. He had hoped to make a run at the RBI and hits crowns, but he was relegated primarily to a bench role in 1988 and saw limited production when he played. He only had one postseason at bat, but Lan did get earn a ring with his hometown squad as Taipei took the 1988 APB Championship. He decided to retire on that at age 37.

Lan’s final stats: 2462 hits, 1361 runs, 328 doubles, 122 triples, 619 home runs, 1413 RBI, 627 stolen bases, a .258/.313/.512 slash, 160 wRC+, and 103.7 WAR. At induction, Lan was first in homers and runs scored, third in hits, second in RBI, and third in hitting WAR. He remained the home run and runs scored king until passed in the 2020s for both by Wil Tabaldo. Still, as of 2037, Lan is third in homers, fifth in runs, fifth in RBI, 14<sup>th</sup> in hits, and 17<sup>th</sup> in hitting WAR. He was one of the first great sluggers in APB history and the leader of arguably the greatest dynasty run in the league’s history. Lan earned the first ballot induction easily at 97.6%.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-19-2024 10:46 AM

1994 CLB Hall of Fame

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Three players picked up inductions into the Chinese League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. The highest mark went to OF Xinze Yan, who received a notable bump on his fifth ballot to get in at 78.2%. LF Chaoqing Yang was the only first-ballot inductee, receiving 71.4%. 1B Shenchao An rounded out the group, narrowly crossing the 66% threshold with 67.9% in his fourth ballot. Only one other player was above 50% with closer Huyi Gao at 60.3% for his debut. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

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Xinze “Goat” Yan – Outfielder – Tianjin Jackrabbits – 78.2% Fifth Ballot

Xinze Yan was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Chengdu, the fourth most populous city in China with more than 20 million people. Yan was nicknamed “Goat” for his fondness and ownership of multiple goats. He was one of CLB’s first solid power hitters, although he could also hit well for contact. Yan was also very good at drawing walks, although his strikeout rate was average. He had decent speed and was viewed as reliably durable. Yan made about half of his starts in right field with around 40% in left and the rest at first base. At each spot, he was a firmly mediocre defender.

Yan was already 25 years old and an established pro when Chinese League Baseball was officially christened for the 1970 season. He was one of the top available free agents and Tianjin scooped him up with an eight-year, $1,328,000 deal. This paid off as the Jackrabbits were one of CLB’s first Northern League contenders. In 1971, they had a record-setting 123-39 season, although they fell in the championship to Guangzhou. The next year, Tianjin went 102-60 and became the third CLB champion. Yan was great in the 1971 playoffs and actually subpar in 1972. Between the two, he had 25 starts, 30 hits, 11 runs, 2 home runs, and 10 RBI.

Yan led the Northern League in total bases, slugging, and OPS in 1971. He was the OPS leader again in 1972 and 1973 and also led in 1973 in OBP, slugging, and wRC+. Yan’s lone MVP win came in 1971, although he took second in 1972, 73, and 74. He would win nine consecutive Silver Sluggers from 1971-79. Yan also became popular in all of China as he helped them to the 1970 and 1979 world titles in the World Baseball Championship. From 1970-80, he had 200 WBC games with 189 hits, 142 runs, 77 home runs, 142 RBI, a .268/.380/.635 slash, and 11.9 WAR.

For his Tianjin tenure, Yan had 1296 hits, 703 runs, 237 doubles, 258 home runs, 726 RBI, a .305/.383/.553 slash, 187 wRC+, and 65.1 WAR By 1976, the Jackrabbits had fallen to the bottom of the standings and Yan was ready to move onto free agency. Tianjin would later retire his #34 uniform for his role in their early success. The 33-year old Yan would sign a five-year, $1,590,000 deal with Chongqing.

He won Silver Sluggers in his first two seasons with the Cavaliers, although his power dropped noticeably in his third year. A herniated disc also cost him about six weeks of that season. Yan didn’t turn around Chongqing as they hoped and the team wanted to move on. In total, Yan had three seasons there with 410 hits, 224 runs, 83 home runs, and 17.6 WAR. Before the 1981 season, he was moved to Beijing for five prospects who would later help the Cavaliers see success in the mid 1980s.

Yan was merely alright in his half season with the Bears, suffering a torn labrum in late July that knocked him out nine months. He was a free agent again at age 37 and Changsha signed him to a three-year, $1,434,000 deal. With the Cannons in 1982, Yan became the first CLB batter to 1000 runs scored and the second to 1000 career RBI. However, he hit .201 and was worth 1.3 WAR, which was not what Changsha was looking for out of him.

Yan was traded for two players before the 1983 season to Hong Kong. He had a bit of a revival with the Champions, leading the Southern League in both walks and OPS. He was respectable again in 1984 and helped Hong Kong to a playoff appearance. With the Champions, Yan was the second CLB batter to 2000 hits and the third to 400 home runs. He picked up 6.4 WAR over two seasons. Yan couldn’t find work in China for 1985, but oddly enough found interest from EPB’s Tirana Trojans. His one season in Albania was unremarkable. Yan went unsigned in 1986 and finally retired that winter at age 42.

For his CLB career, Yan had 2159 hits, 1147 runs, 359 doubles, 411 home runs, 1157 RBI, a .281/.364/.499 slash, 171 wRC+, and 93.0 WAR. The accumulations look low compared to other world leagues, but keep in mind the incredibly low offense atmosphere of CLB. As of 2037, Yan is still 14th in hits, sixth in runs, 18th in home runs, ninth in RBI, and 30th in offensive WAR. For the early CLB ballots, some voters looked to other leagues for standards and that hurt both Yan and a lot of 1970s-era Chinese batters. Yan was just outside on his first four ballots at 61.0%, 65.4%, 63.1%, and 56.9%. On the fifth ballot, he got a sizeable bump to 78.2%, earning his spot in the 1994 class.

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Chaoqing “The Warden” Yang – Left Field – Guangzhou Gamecocks – 71.4% First Ballot

Chaoqing Yang was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed left field from Guangzhou. It is China’s third largest city and is also known as Canton. Yang was a well-rounded player offensively who hit solidly for contact and power. His gap power was excellent, getting around 20 doubles and another 20 triples per season along with 30-35 home runs. He was respectable at drawing walks, but his strikeout rate was subpar. Yang also had solid speed and baserunning instincts. He was a career left fielder with occasional starts in center. In LF, he was considered above average defensively. Yang was a hard worker, very smart, and quite durable.

It lined up perfectly for the Guangzhou native, who was well known and liked as an amateur in his home town. He was a top prospect ahead of CLB’s 1976 Draft and the Gamecocks had the first overall pick. Yang’s hometown club made the pick and he’d be a full-time starter playing 140+ games each year for 12 years with them.

Yang provided great value from the beginning with 6.5 WAR and a Rookie of the Year in 1977. His first eight seasons were all worth 6+ WAR with three years topping 10+. He led the Southern League in WAR thrice, runs scored four times, hits once, triples twice, RBI once, total bases twice, slugging twice, and OPS twice. Yang also played from 1979-88 on the Chinese World Baseball Championship team with 91 games, 71 hits, 59 runs, 32 home runs, 80 RBI, and 2.7 WAR.

Yang won MVP twice in his career. In 1981, he led the league in the triple slash, runs, hits, and posted 11.9 WAR. In 1984, he posted a career-best 12.3 WAR. Yang also took second in 1979, 1980, and 1983’s MVP voting. He won five Silver Sluggers (79, 80, 81, 84, 86). Yang earned an eight-year, $2,524,000 contract extension after the 1980 season. Guangzhou would snap a six-year playoff drought in 1981, although they were ousted in the semifinal.

They wouldn’t get back to the playoffs again until 1986 with another semifinal exit. They finally broke through in 1987 and made it to the China Series, although the Gamecocks lost in the final to Beijing. In 22 career playoff starts, Yang had 22 hits, 15 runs, 7 home runs, 11 RBI, and 1.4 WAR. He spent one more season with his hometown team before seeing his contract expire after the 1988 campaign. Yang remained popular as a local hero and saw his #4 uniform retired by Guangzhou.

Yang’s 1988 was statistically the weakest of his career, although it looked like the 35-year old could still provide solid value. The asking price was too high for what he offered and Yang was unsigned in 1989 and into the 1990 season. Wanting to just play somewhere at that point, he went to newly formed Arab League Baseball and signed with Dubai. Yang was lousy in his one year with the Diamonds, leading the conference in strikeouts in only 120 games. He still wanted to play somewhere in 1991, but finally retired that winter at age 38 after failing to find work.

For his Guangzhou and CLB career, Yang had 1767 hits, 1033 runs, 243 doubles, 215 triples, 386 home runs, 10001 RBI, a .266/.337/.542 slash, 496 stolen bases, and 99.4 WAR. He was sixth in hitting WAR at induction and now sits 19th as of 2037. Yang doesn’t dominate leaderboards, but he was a great player for a decade with his hometown squad. He didn’t cross the threshold by a ton, but he was a first ballot inductee nonetheless at 71.4%.

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Shenchao An – First Base – Qingdao Devils – 67.9% Fourth Ballot

Shenchao An was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Yuancheng, a district within Heyuan of the southern Guangdong province. An was a great contact hitter with excellent gap power. He averaged around 30 doubles per 162 games, although rarely got triples as wasn’t particularly fast on the basepaths. He also was respectable at drawing walks and quite good at avoiding strikeouts. An didn’t hit many home runs, but still got you 10-15 per year. A career first basemen, An was an excellent defender that won 12 Gold Gloves. He was also an ironman, playing 149+ games in all but one season.

An was a young prospect when Chinese League Baseball started in 1970, but had begun his semi-pro career and was eligible as a free agent. At age 22, he signed his first big league deal worth $162,000 over two years with Qingdao. He would spend 12 seasons with the Devils, finally signing a five-year, $1,718,000 extension in 1977 after years of one-year add-ons.

An earned a full-time starting job immediately and took second in 1970 Rookie of the Year honors. He won Gold Gloves in all of his Qingdao seasons except for 1979. An also secured Silver Sluggers in 1972, 74, and 77. Those were hard to come by with first base being associated with big sluggers primarily. An was never an MVP finalist either with his lack of dingers, but he still led the Northern League statistically many times.

In six different seasons, An was the league leader in hits. He was the leader in doubles four times and batting average thrice. An twice played for China in the World Baseball Championship, starting for the 1974 and 1975 runner-up teams. He was beloved by Qingdao fans, although they never made the playoffs in An’s tenure. The Devils were the dirt worst at the start of the 1970s, although they were at least usually above .500 towards the end of the decade. Qingdao would later retire An’s #41 uniform.

An notably was the first CLB batter to 2000 career hits, a mark reached in 1980. His run ended somewhat surprisingly as he was traded to Changsha after the 1981 season for prospects. An won his 12th and final Gold Glove in his one year with the Cannons. As of 2037, he still holds the CLB position record for Gold Gloves and is the all-time leader at the position in Zone Rating, starts, put outs, assists, double plays, innings, and errors.

An was a free agent after the 1982 season and went unsigned in 1983. Qingdao brought him back in 1984 for one more season, although he did miss time to a fractured hand. While there, he became the first CLB batter to 2500 career hits. For his runs with the Devils he had 2362 hits, 871 runs, 390 doubles, 161 home runs, 881 RBI, a .307/.349/.430 slash, and 79.8 WAR.

An was a free agent again in 1985 and played his final CLB season with Macau. MLB’s Boston gave him a chance with a two-year, $2,720,000 deal. He was a decent reliable starter in his two seasons with the Red Sox, posting 4.9 WAR and 313 hits. An still wanted to play, but couldn’t find a buyer in 1988. He finally had to retire that winter at age 41.

For his CLB career, An had 2704 hits, 973 runs, 442 doubles, 183 home runs, 996 RBI, a .305/.347/.427 slash, 150 wRC+, and 90.0 WAR. Junjie Hsiung would pass hit as CLB’s hits leader by the end of the 1980s, but An is still second as of 2037 in CLB’s low offense environment. He’s also second all-time in doubles behind Hsiung’s 442. Among all CLB Hall of Famers as of 2037, his .305 batting average is third best. Still, the stingy CLB voters were dismissive due to his lack of MVPs and lack of playoff appearances. An came close but missed with 60.3% and 62.7% in his first two ballots. He dropped to 49.1% in 1993, but bounced just across the line in 1994 at 67.9%. That earned An his spot to round out CLB’s 1994 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-19-2024 04:37 PM

1994 WAB Hall of Fame

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Joseph Ambane was the lone member of the 1994 West African Baseball Hall of Fame class. On his fifth try, he received 80.0% to earn his spot. Closer Johnson Madu was close on his fifth go, but short at 61.6%. Also above 50% was SP Adul dos Sanots at 55.9% for his sixth ballot and CF Stephen Tshukudu at 52.4% on his fifth try. Only three players made a debut on the ballot with LF Oparaku Stone the best at a measly 16.5%. The other two were dropped after failing to reach 5%. No players fell off the ballot after ten tries.

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Joseph Ambane – Shortstop/Center Field – Kumasi Monkeys – 80.0% Fifth Ballot

Joseph Ambane was a 6’3’’, 205 pound switch hitting shortstop from Mutengene, a town in southwest Cameroon with around 64,000 people. Ambane was a very good power hitter and he was solid at drawing walks. His contact ability was middling and he did have issues with strikeouts. Ambane had above average speed and baserunning chops. He was very durable and was a scrappy sparkplug type who always gave a full effort and tried his best in any situation.

In a way, that attitude worked against him early in his official WAB career. Ambane was established in the semi-pro ranks of the region when West Africa Baseball was officially formed in 1975. He signed with Ouagadougou at age 28 on an eight-year, $996,000 deal. Ambane had a great debut season, winning a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in center field along with a second place finish in MVP voting. Although the Osprey had a weak season, Ambane was optimistic that good times were ahead in Burkina Faso.

However, 1976 and 1977 in Ouagadougou saw the most mismanaged and poorly run team in baseball history. The team was in financial chaos and couldn’t even field full rosters. Ambane kept his head down and powered through, forced to start 148 games at catcher despite not having the skills for the position. He was the only player willing to try it and he posted one of the worst seasons a player has ever had. He was moved to shortstop the next year and fared little better, struggling due to being horribly overworked.

In those two seasons, Ouagadougou went a cartoonishly bad 20-304. Ambane had -20.3 WAR with 652 strikeouts. Even the famously hard working Ambane had enough and had to opt out of his original eight-year deal with the Osprey. Now age 31, Douala signed him to a one-year, $75,000 deal.

Being able to properly rest now, Ambane reminded the WAB world that he was an elite player still. He split time between shortstop and centerfield with good defense at both. His career fielding numbers are skewed by the Osprey years, but Ambane was actually a pretty respectable defender at both spots. He led the league in slugging, OPS, and WAR; winning Eastern League MVP and a Silver Slugger. One year removed from a -10.3 WAR season, he posted a 12.3 WAR for one of baseball’s great comeback stories.

Now 32 years old, Ambane was a free agent again and signed a five-year, $1,772,000 deal with Kumasi. This began his most famous run with four straight Silver Sluggers at shortstop from 1979-82. Ambane won his second MVP in 1979 and took third place in 1980 voting, With the Monkeys, he led the Western League twice in RBI and WAR, once in runs, once in home runs, once in OPS, and once in walks drawn. He also played in 1979 and 1980 for his native Cameroon in the World Baseball Championship.

Kumasi made the playoffs five consecutive years while Ambane was there, as this was the early years of what would be a 14-year playoff streak. The Monkeys were league runner-up in 1979 and were unable to make the finals in the other seasons. In 23 playoff starts, Ambane had 22 hits, 9 runs, 8 doubles, 2 home runs, 10 RBI, and 0.2 WAR. For his Kumasi tenure, he had 689 hits, 493 runs, 199 home runs, 525 RBI, 33.5 WAR. His deal expired and he was a free agent again for 1984 at age 37. Ambane signed with Benin City, but was only a part-time starter in his one season as a Blue Devil. He was unsigned in 1985 and retired that winter at age 38.

Ambane’s final stats: 1195 hits, 805 runs, 182 doubles, 314 home runs, 794 RBI, 617 walks, a .220/.307/.443 slash, 115 wRC+, and 32.2 WAR. His case was very difficult to figure out. For one, his official career didn’t start until age 28, which made his accumulations low by default. Plus, the atrocious Ouagadougou tenure wrecked his rate stats, which look pretty solid in his other tenures. Ambane was well liked for his tireless work ethic and still had a very impressive trophy case despite the holes in the resume. In his first four ballots, he was as high as 63.8% in 1992 and as low as 49.3% in 1991. With no impressive debutants in the 1994 ballot, voters reevaluated Ambane’s unusual case and put him into the Hall of Fame at 80.0%.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-20-2024 04:28 AM

1994 SAB Hall of Fame

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1994’s Hall of Fame ballot for South Asia Baseball nearly came up blank with the limit options for the still fairly new league. However, 1B Yamin Thaw earned induction on his third ballot, just barely crossing the 66% requirement at 66.4%. SP Vannak Thai was the next closest with 57.2% for his third ballot. The best debut was SP Ramesh Kohinoor at 50.3%.

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Yamin “Enforcer” Thaw – First Base – Yangon Green Dragons – 66.4% Third Ballot

Yamin Thaw was a 6’3’’, 215 pound left-handed first baseman from Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar. The nickname “Enforcer” came from his prolific home run power. Thaw was also terrific at drawing walks and respectable at avoiding strikeouts. He was an above average contract hitter with nice gap power. Thaw was a slower baserunner and a career first baseman that was considered above average with his glove.

Thaw was already very well established in the limited pro baseball scene that existed in Myanmar in the 1970s. When South Asia Baseball was officially christened for the 1980 season, Thaw was already 31 years old. He stayed in his hometown of Yangon and signed a four-year, $1,464,000 deal to begin his SAB career. Thaw took second in MVP voting in 1980 and led the Southeast Asia League in walks and OBP. The Green Dragons were the first SEAL champ, falling in the SAB Championship to Hyderabad.

In 1981, Thaw exploded with the league lead in runs, homers, RBI, walks, total bases, OBP, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. His 66 home runs held as the single season record for a few years, although it would get passed numerous times as the offensive environment blossomed in later years. Yangon fell in the SEALCS with Thaw missing the postseason to a fractured finger. Thaw would earn MVP and Silver Slugger honors for the first time. Here, he decided to opt out of the remaining two seasons of his Yangon deal and shoot for a big payday. With the Green Dragons, Thaw had 309 hits, 217 runs, 107 home runs, 229 RBI, a 292/.410/.660 slash, and 18.5 WAR.

He played for his country in the World Baseball Championship from 1981-88. With Myanmar, Thaw had 72 starts, 53 hits, 40 runs, 20 home runs, 37 RBI, a .223/.375/.500 slash, and 2.9 WAR. He was a wanted free agent, but the still young SAB franchises didn’t have the funds to match his asking price. Thaw would barnstorm for all of 1982 unsigned. He would return to SAB for the 1983 season on a two-year, $812,000 deal with Dhaka.

In his Dobermans debut, Thaw again led in home runs, RBI, total bases, OBP, slugging, OPS, and WAR. He picked up his second SEAL MVP and Silver Slugger. Dhaka would fall against his former squad Yangon in the SEALCS. Thaw wasn’t as dominant in 1984, but was still excellent en route to a third MVP and Silver Slugger. He had a terrific postseason, leading the Dobermans to their first SEAL pennant as LCS MVP. They dropped the SAB final to Pune, but Thaw had a postseason line of 17 starts, 21 hits, 14 runs, 10 doubles, 5 home runs, and 14 RBI. The 10 doubles is still a SAB playoff record as of 2037.

In his two seasons in Bangladesh, Thaw had 331 hits, 213 runs, 91 home runs, 248 RBI, a .306/.403/.630 slash and 17.1 WAR. Now 36 years old and a free agent yet again, Thaw went to India and signed a two-year, $1,320,000 deal with Bengaluru. He had a strong 1985, winning his fourth Silver Slugger and taking second in MVP voting. Although his postseason stats were unremarkable, Thaw helped the Blazers take the SAB Championship. For his playoff career, Thaw had 57 games, 53 hits, 32 runs, 20 doubles, 11 home runs, 36 RBI, 31 walks, a .251/.343/.502 slash, and 2.5 WAR.

In April 1986, Thaw suffered a ruptured disc in his back that knocked him out for nine months. That ended his Bengaluru run, but in 190 games he still posted 179 hits, 111 runs, 57 home runs, 131 RBI, a .276/.391/.596, slash, and 10.1 WAR. He still wanted to play, but teams were not willing to commit MVP level money to a guy in his late 30s off a major injury. Thaw did more barnstorming and played in the WBC in 1987 and 1988, but he was still unsigned. He finally retired from the game at age 39.

Thaw’s final stats: 819 hits, 541 runs, 172 doubles, 255 home runs, 608 RBI, 498 walks, a .294/.403/.634 slash, 196 wRC+, and 45.7 WAR. Guys like him are very tough to judge as early days guys lack accumulations due to their late “official” start for their stats. The grand tallies are obviously way low in a vacuum. But his five full seasons were MVP level and he was extremely popular. As of 2037, he’s one of a very select group in the SAB HOF with an OPS above one and OBP above .400. Voters kept Thaw out on his first two ballots at 57.7% and 56.1%, but gave him the bump in 1994 at 66.4% to become South Asia Baseball’s third Hall of Famer.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-20-2024 11:01 AM

1994 ABF Hall of Fame

We would still be a few years out from the Asian Baseball Federation electing its first Hall of Famer. 1993 marked the first voting, but the three eligible guys each were below 5%. In 1994, SP Abbas Nadim became the first guy to hit double-digits. His 20.9% was a new high mark, but still well short of the 66% requirement.

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FuzzyRussianHat

02-20-2024 06:05 PM

1994 World Baseball Championship

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The 1994 World Baseball Championship was the 48<sup>th</sup> edition of the event and the first to be hosting in the Ivory Coast, centered around the largest city Abidjan. Taiwan took Division 1 at 8-1 with the closest competitor 6-3 Serbia. It is the fourth division title for the Taiwanese and second in three years. The United States won D2 at 8-1, although 7-2 Vietnam came close to its first-ever title. For the 40<sup>th</sup> time, the Americans advanced to the elite eight.

Both Division 3 and Division 4 had three-way ties at 6-3. D3 saw China, Australia, and Greece in the top spot while Argentina, Poland, and Portugal were all one back. The tiebreaker went to the defending world champion China, giving the Chinese a fourth consecutive division title and 17<sup>th</sup> overall. In D4, it was the Dominican Republic, Belarus, and Pakistan each tied for first, while one back were Ecuador and Turkey. The Dominicans advanced on the tiebreaker for what was surprisingly only their third-ever time advancing (1948, 1974).

In Division 5, 7-2 Russia edged 6-3 efforts from last year’s runner-up India and Iran. The Russians have advanced 12 times with their first division win since their 1990 runner-up campaign. In Division 6, Mexico prevailed at 8-1, two better than both Cuba and France. It is back-to-back division titles for the Mexicans and their 20<sup>th</sup> overall. Canada, who had made the final four five times in the last decade, limited to an unremarkable 4-5.

In a tough Division 7, South Korea (7-2) won despite 6-3 efforts from Germany and Nigeria, plus four others at 5-4. It was the Koreans’ first division win since 1989 and their 16<sup>th</sup> overall. And in D8, Indonesia led the way at 7-2, one ahead of both Hungary and Peru. It was a repeat title for the Indonesians and their 11<sup>th</sup> overall. 1994 was notable as the first time without an undefeated team in divisional play since 1986.

In Round Robin Group A, China finished first at 5-1 for a third successive semifinal berth and the 12<sup>th</sup> overall. 3-3 Taiwan was the other team to advance, while both Indonesia and Russia finished 2-4. It is the fourth semifinal appearance for the Taiwanese and second in three years. Group B had the USA on top at 5-1, while the Dominican Republic was second at 3-3 and both South Korea and Mexico were 2-4. It is the 35<sup>th</sup> time in the final four for the Americans, while it is only the second for the Dominicans (1948).

In the semifinals, the United States cruised to a 3-0 sweep of Taiwan for a 31<sup>st</sup> finals appearance. Defending world champ China survived a fierce challenge 3-2 from the Dominican Republic. The Chinese earned a seventh finals berth. The DR officially was third and Taiwan was fourth. This was the best-ever finish for the Dominicans.

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The 48<sup>th</sup> World Championship was the fourth time that the United States and China had met. They battled thrice in the 1970s with the Americans winning each time. However, the Chinese claimed the 1994 edition 4-2 to become the fourth nation to repeat as champs; joining the US, Mexico, and Brazil. It was the fourth title for China, who is now 4-3 all-time in the championship. The Americans have a 27-4 record in their finals appearances.

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Although they were runner-up, the US had the Tournament MVP and Best Pitcher. Monty Moody was MVP, a fourth-year RF for Boston. In 24 starts, he had 32 hits, 20 runs, 12 doubles, 7 home runs, 20 RBI, 20 walks, a .376/.500/.788 slash and 2.6 WAR. Moody’s Red Sox teammate Elijah Porter was Best Pitcher. A fourth-year reliever, he had 10 appearances and one start, posting a 0.47 ERA over 19.1 innings with a 4-0 record, 5 saves, 38 strikeouts, 4 hits allowed, and 1.1 WAR.

Other notes: There were two no-hitters in 1994, both on January 18. England’s Dirk Hughes had 15 strikeouts and one walk in his against Germany. Meanwhile, the Philippines’ Ricky Jungao fanned 15 with three walks versus Ireland. Looking at the overall stats for WBC history, China’s title has put them within striking distance of passing Mexico for the fourth most total points.

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FuzzyRussianHat

02-21-2024 04:36 AM

1994 in ALB

Arab League Baseball made some rule tweaks before the 1994 season. The offensive numbers in the first four seasons had been in the below average to low range. Officials wanted to boost that to closer to average tallied. From 1993 to 1994, the league’s batting average went from .230 to .245 and the ERA went from around 3.32 to around 3.72.

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Defending Western Conference champion Casablanca set a conference record with a 111-51 mark, winning a fourth Mediterranean Division title in five years. The Bruins pitching staff allowed 1127 hits and 474 runs, which are still conference records as of 2037. In the Nile Division, Alexandria broke Cairo’s grip on the top spot. The Astronauts took it at 93-69, while the Pharaohs finished 90-72 and had their four-year streak snapped. 87-75 Khartoum was also in the fight for most of the season. In the Levant Division, Beirut earned repeat titles with an 85-77 record. Amman was their closest foe at six games back.

Western Conference MVP went to Cairo center fielder Sahar Ahmdai. The 27-year old Afghan signed an eight-year, $9,740,000 deal with the Pharaohs in the offseason after playing his first seven seasons in the ABF with Mashhad. In his ALB debut, he led in runs (106), RBI (128), total bases (392), slugging (.648), OPS (.981), wRC+ (170), and WAR (8.3); while adding 54 home runs. Pitcher of the Year was Khartoum’s Mohamed Wael. The 24-year old Egyptian lefty led in wins (21-4), strikeouts (338), and WAR (10.5). Wael added a 1.83 ERA over 235.2 innings.

In the first round of the playoffs, Alexandria edged Beirut 2-1. It was the first Western Conference Finals berth for the Astronauts, while Casablanca was entering their fourth in five years. The Bruins prevailed 3-1 in the WCF to secure repeat pennants.

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Two-time defending Arab League champs Medina again had the top record in the Eastern Conference. At 111-51, the Mastodons took the Saudi Division for the fifth consecutive season and are the only team to make the playoffs in all of ALB’s seasons to date. Basra secured repeat Iraq Division titles at 96-66. The Bulldogs were eight games ahead of Baghdad and nine better than Sulaymaniya. In the Gulf Division, Dubai (86-76) edged defending champ Abu Dhabi (84-78). The Diamonds have three division crowns in four years.

Eastern Conference MVP went to Medina 1B Bilal Hamdan for the second time in three years. The 33-year old Lebanese lefty led in runs (115), home runs (53), walks (74), total bases (359), slugging (.615), OPS (.981), wRC+ (176), and WAR 8.2). Hamdan also won his second Gold Glove. It would be his last year with the Mastodons, as he’d sign a five-year, $8 million dollar deal with Casablanca in the offseason. Basra’s Abdullah Al-Muhafazat got his second Pitcher of the Year in three years as well. The 33-year old Saudi lefty led in wins (19-13), innings (270), strikeouts (399), quality starts (27), and WAR (9.5), while adding a 2.67 ERA.

Basra bested Dubai 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs to set up an Eastern Conference Finals rematch between the Bulldogs and Medina. The Mastodons continued their dominance by taking the series 3-1, becoming the first ALB team to three-peat as conference champs.

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Medina also wanted to be the first to win the Arab League Championship in three consecutive years. It was a highly anticipated rematch with Casablanca as both teams entered with 111-51 records. The Bruins would get their revenge and deny the three-peat, taking the series 4-1. 1B Karam Hashim was the postseason hero, winning WCF MVP and finals MVP. The 29-year old Yemeni had been acquired in a spring training trade with Jerusalem. In nine playoff starts, Hashim had 14 hits, 5 runs, 5 doubles 3 home runs, and 12 RBI.

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Other notes; On August 24, Baghdad’s Ahmed Daham Maslamah pitched ALB’s first-ever perfect game. He struck out 11 in the effort against Mosul. He was also the first ALB pitcher to have thrown multiple no-hitters, having done that in 1991. MVP Bilal Hamdan won his fifth Silver Slugger with two at first base and three in left field. He’s the only player to win the award in each of ALB’s first five seasons.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-21-2024 12:45 PM

1994 in ABF

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Defending Asian Baseball Federation champ Multan finished first in the Pakistan League standings for back-to-back seasons. The Mighty Cocks ran away from the competition at 98-64, 14 games better than second place. It was a tight race for the other playoff spot, as Hyderabad and Lahore tied at 83-79 and Peshawar was 82-80. The tiebreaker game saw the Horned Frogs best the Longhorns, ending a five-year playoff drought for Hyderabad. Falling one short, the Predators had their five-year playoff streak snapped.

Karachi’s Rizwan Qureshi took Pakistan League MVP and had the second Triple Crown season by an ABF batter. He led the league in runs (98), hits (197), doubles (47), home runs (51), RBI (109), total bases (401), triple slash (.349/.412/.710), OPS (1.122), wRC+ (296), and WAR (13.2). Peshawar’s Sa’id Farahani won repeat Pitcher of the Year honors. The 26-year old Iranian righty struck out 471 batters, which still stands as the ABF single-season record as of 2037. He also led in innings (283), K/BB (8.4), quality starts (29), complete games (15), FIP- (45), and WAR (11.8); while posting an 18-8 record and 1.78 ERA. Farahani would pitch one more year with the Predators, then leave for MLB and Atlanta.

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Ankara had the best record in the West Asia Association at 103-59. This gave them only their second-ever Turkish League title (1987). Defending TL winner Izmir was a distant second at 86-76. After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, Mashhad was back atop the Persian League at 97-65. It was the fourth PL win for the Mercury in five years. Tabriz was 11 back in second at 86-76, while defending WAA champ Tehran limped to a 76-86 campaign.

Izmir 1B Gokhan Karatas won a third straight West Asia Association MVP. The 25-year old Turkish lefty led in runs (123), hits (212), doubles (50), RBI (142), total bases (411), OBP (.448), slugging (.704), OPS (1.152), wRC+ (215), and WAR (12.6). He would have two more seasons with the Ice Caps before heading off to MLB for the big payday. Pitcher of the Year was Ankara’s Ertugrul Ornek. He led in wins (22-9), ERA (2.47), and complete games (16). Ornek added 269 strikeouts over 248 innings and 5.2 WAR.

The Pakistan League Championship needed all seven games with the home team winning each time. That favored Multan over Hyderabad, making the Mighty Cocks repeat champs. In the West Asia Association Championship, Mashhad upset Ankara 4-2. For the Mercury, this earned a third pennant in five years.

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In the 10th ABF Championship, Mashhad defeated Multan 4-2 to give the Mercury their second ring (1990) and deny the Mighty Cocks’ repeat bid. RF Hamza Muhtar won finals MVP, as he had 14 hits, 8 runs, 3 home runs, and 6 RBI over 12 playoff starts.

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Other notes: ABF’s third perfect game came on July 4 from Adana’s Vedat Unal, who struck out nine against Bursa. Catcher Erhan Buyukdemir won his seventh Silver Slugger.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-21-2024 05:16 PM

1994 in SAB

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For the fourth consecutive season, the Indian League had the same four playoff teams. Ahmedabad reclaimed the top record with a 116-46 mark atop the Western Division to earn a SAB-record tenth straight playoff appearance. Visakhapatnam finished 100-62 to secure a sixth successive South Division title. In the Central Division, defending IL champ and last year’s wild card Kanpur took first at 86-76 for a fifth straight playoff spot. Delhi, who won 111 games last year, was one back at 85-77. That was enough for the Drillers to narrowly take the wild card for a fourth straight berth. Bengaluru was one back on the wild card and Kolkata was four away.

Indian League MVP was Visakhapatnam 1B Sunil Lamichhane in his first full-time season as a starter. The 24-year old Nepali lefty led in the triple slash (.350/.392/.621), OPS (1.013), wRC+ (239), and WAR (10.3). Lamichhane added 39 home runs and 86 RBI. Janapati Sara became a three-time IL Pitcher of the Year winner. The 31-year old left Surat after the 1992 season and sat out 1993 before signing with Ahmedabad for 1994. Sara led in ERA (1.95) and FIP- (45). He added a 13-5 record with 17 saves over 198.2 innings, 310 strikeouts, and 7.9 WAR.

Ahmedabad outlasted Delhi 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs to send the Animals to their ninth consecutive Indian League Championship Series. Kanpur upset Visakhapatnam 3-1 to set up an ILCS rematch between Ahmedabad and the Poison. The Animals got revenge in six games over Kanpur to reestablish the Ahmedabad dynasty. Since 1986, the Animals have claimed seven IL pennants.

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Ho Chi Minh City picked up a playoff spot for the 11<sup>th</sup> time in 12 years. The Hedgehogs won the South Division for the sixth consecutive season and their fifth 100+ win year in a row. HCMC’s 112-50 was lower than their record-setting 126 wins in 1993, but was their second-best year ever. Both wild cards came from the South Division with Kuala Lumpur (99-63) and Bangkok (93-69). The Leopards earned a third straight wild card, while the Bobcats snapped a five-year playoff drought. After missing last year, Dhaka reclaimed the North Division title at 96-66. It was their third division win in four years. Last year’s winner Hanoi was 91-71, five games short of the division title and two away from the second wild card.

Kuala Lumpur’s Bunnath Soeung won the Southeast Asia League MVP. The 25-year old Cambodian DH led in hits (197), RBI (154), total bases (410), slugging (.651), OPS (1.019), and wRC+ (180). The 154 RBI tied the SAB single-season RBI record set in 1988 by Dhavalapaksa Dattatreya. The home run record came close to falling with Chittagong’s Pranaav Bhat smacking 65 dingers. This was two behind Andee Siddharth’s 67 in 1987.

Zainal bin Aziz continued his quest to be the greatest pitcher in SEAL history. The 34-year old lefty for Ho Chi Minh City won a historic seventh Pitcher of the Year award and his third consecutive. He was two wins short of his fourth Triple Crown with a 21-3 record, 1.64 ERA, and 376 strikeouts over 241.1 innings. The 0.72 WHIP and 13.1 WAR were career bests for bin Aziz, who also led the league in K/BB (13.4), and FIP- (30). The 13.1 WAR was also a single-season SAB record which only he himself would top. The Hedgehogs also set a SAB team strikeout record with 1947 as a pitching staff.

Ho Chi Minh City downed Bangkok 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs, while Dhaka edged Kuala Lumpur. The Hedgehogs earned a seventh Southeast Asia League Championship Series berth in eight years, while the Dobermans got their second in four years. HCMC was determined to not suffer the same disappointment as the prior year and took the pennant in a seven game thriller with Dhaka. The Hedgehogs now have five SEAL titles in in eight years.

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The 15<sup>th</sup> South Asian Championship was the fifth chapter in the finals rivalry between Ahmedabad and Ho Chi Minh City. They had met in 1987, 89, 90, and 92 with the Animals winning all four meetings. Ahmedabad did it once again, topping the Hedgehogs 4-2. The historic dynasty restarted for the Animals with their seventh SAB title in nine years. They’re only the second team in any world league to win seven in nine years, joining OBA’s Honolulu and their 1982-90 run.

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Finals MVP was slugger Andee Siddharth as the 32-year old lefty had 17 hits, 9 runs, 7 doubles, 4 home runs, and 12 RBI in 17 playoff starts. Two playoff records were also set in 1994 from the Pitcher of the Year winners. Ahmedabad’s Janapati Sara had a record five wins with a 5-0 record, 2.86 ERA, and 43 strikeouts over 28.1 innings. It was Zainal bin Aziz setting a playoff WAR record with 1.98. The HCMC ace was 3-1 over 40.1 innings with a 0.89 ERA and 56 strikeouts.

Other notes: Zainal bin Aziz also had SAB’s second-ever perfect game, striking out 14 on April 8 against Mandalay. He also became the first SAB pitcher to 200 career wins. Andee Siddharth became the third batter to 500 career home runs. 2B VJ Williams won his 12<sup>th</sup> Silver Slugger.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-22-2024 05:04 AM

1994 in WAB

FuzzyRussianHat

02-22-2024 02:05 PM

1994 in CLB

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Xi’an surprised many in Chinese League Baseball by finishing atop the Northern League in 1994 at 105-57. It was their first playoff berth since 1979, led by a pitching staff that set a CLB record with 1835 strikeouts. This is still the most Ks in a CLB season as of 2037. It was also the first time since 1988 that Dalian wasn’t atop the NL standings. The three-time defending China Series champs did still extend their postseason streak to six seasons, finishing second at 97-65. Harbin was the closest competitor at five games back.

The Hellcats had the Northern League MVP in 1B Xiaoyu Su. The 29-year old righty led in runs (93), RBI (93), total bases (324), stolen bases (83), and WAR (11.3). Su added 33 home runs and a .295 average. Dalian’s Jiancheng Jiao picked up Pitcher of the Year. The 31-year old led in ERA (1.70) while adding a 16-7 record over 227 innings, 252 strikeouts, and 5.3 WAR. Also of note, Hangzhou closer Zhiming Cao won his fourth Reliever of the Year. He had an impressive 0.87 ERA in 92.2 innings with 39 saves, 179 strikeouts, and 6.4 WAR.

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In the Southern League, Macau finished first at 105-57. This gave the Magicians a sixth playoff berth in seven years. Xiamen secured a third consecutive playoff berth with a second place finish at 96-66. Chengdu (95-67) was one game short of snapping a seven-year playoff skid. Wuhan, who was the China Series runner-up last year, dropped to fifth at 83-79.

Xiamen 1B Dehai Tai won Southern League MVP, leading the league in home runs (45), RBI (104), and total bases (320). Tai added 8.4 WAR and 202 wRC+. The Mutts also had Pitcher of the Year Guangjun Ma, who led in WHIP at 0.72. He had an 18-7 record and 12 saves over 238.1 innings with a 1.77 ERA and 6.8 WAR.

The semifinal playoff series saw the two Northern League teams prevail over their Southern League counterparts. Xi’an topped Xiamen 4-2, sending the Attack to their third-ever China Series (1974, 76). Dalian went on the road and easily dispatched Macau 4-1 to give the Gold Dragons a record sixth consecutive finals berth.

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The 25th China Series was a seven game classic. Dalian had to go on the road against their divisional foe Xi’an, but the Gold Dragons continued the dynasty and won it 4-3. Dalian became the first (and as of 2037, the only) CLB team to four-peat as champs. It was also the fifth title in six years for the Gold Dragons, putting them in rare territory in any world league. 3B Dexin Weng was finals MVP as the 31-year old had 12 hits, 5 runs, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, and 5 RBI in 12 playoff starts. This would mark the end of Dalian’s dynasty, but it still holds up as the most impressive sustained run in Chinese baseball history.

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Other notes: Lisheng Yang of Xi’an set a single-game CLB record, striking out 21 batters over 9.2 innings against Beijing. 1B/P Wei Qin won his tenth Silver Slugger. 2B Liang Shang Guan won his eighth Silver Slugger.

FuzzyRussianHat

02-22-2024 06:25 PM

1994 in APB

FuzzyRussianHat

02-23-2024 04:56 AM

1994 in OBA

FuzzyRussianHat

02-23-2024 10:55 AM

1994 in EPB

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Defending European League champ Warsaw and Kyiv were again their division’s leaders. The Kings this time had the top overall record at 103-59, earning a fourth consecutive South Division. The Wildcats finished 102-60 to repeat as North Division winners and extend their playoff streak to seven seasons. Minsk’s EPB-record playoff streak increased to 14 seasons as they took the first wild card at 98-64. Kazan at 96-66 secured the second wild card, topping Bucharest by three games and Kharkiv by six. The Crusaders snapped a six-year playoff drought.

Warsaw’s Mahammad Tagiyev won his second European League MVP. The 31-year old Ukrainian left fielder won his fifth Gold Glove and won the batting title at .311. Tagiyev also had 8.8 WAR, a .912 OPS, and 31 home runs. Kyiv’s Artem Makarevich earned repeat Pitcher of the Year honors and a was only a few strikeouts shy of a Triple Crown with 392 Ks, a 24-5 record, and 1.56 ERA The 31-year old Belarusian lefty also led the EL in WHIP (0.73), K/BB (10.6), quality starts (33), FIP- (42), and WAR (12.5).

The division champs prevailed in the first round of the playoffs as Kyiv swept Kazan and Warsaw topped Minsk 3-1. The Wildcats earned a third consecutive appearance in the European League Championship Series, while it was the third in four years for the Kings. Like their battle two years prior, the ELCS went all seven games. Unlike the 1992 edition, Warsaw came out on top and earned repeat pennants.

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Defending EPB champ and two-time defending Asian League champ Irkutsk improved their record to a franchise-best 109-53 atop the North Division. Almaty at 97-65 assumed the South Division for their fourth straight playoff berth and third division title in that stretch. Four teams fought over the two wild card spots with Bishkek (92-70) and Novosibirsk (91-71) advancing while Tashkent and Tbilisi were both one short at 90-72. The Nitros extended their playoff streak to four years with six appearances in seven seasons. The Black Sox ended a three-year postseason drought.

American right fielder Jonas Swiatkowski was the Asian League MVP. The 34-year old was in his third year with Bishkek after having a decade as a decent starter in MLB primarily with Boston. Swiatkowski led the league in walks drawn (68), OBP (.366), OPS (.986), and wRC+ (184). He added 7.2 WAR and 35 home runs. Tashkent’s Frantisek Kasa was Pitcher of the Year in only his second full season. The 23-year old Czech lefty led in ERA (1.59), FIP- (42) and WAR (11.8). He added 390 strikeouts over 266.2 innings with a 19-4 record; only one win and 20 Ks from a Triple Crown.

Irkutsk ousted Novosibirsk 3-1 in the first round, while Bishkek upset Almaty with a road sweep. The Ice Cats earned a chance to three-peat as Asian League champs, while the Black Sox got back to the ALCS for the first time since their impressive run of eight berths from 1980-90. Irkutsk was the heavy favorite, but Bishkek stunned them and earned the upset 4-2. It was the ninth pennant for the Black Sox, the most of any AL team.

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With the 40th Eurasian Professional Baseball Championship, the title came to Poland for the first time. Warsaw beat Bishkek 4-2 to get their first title, dropping the Black Sox to 2-7 all-time in the championship. Although Bishkek lost, Jonas Swiatkowski was finals MVP with 17 hits, 9 runs, 6 home runs, and 14 RBI over 15 playoff starts. With the Wildcats’ win, 17 of EPB’s 32 teams have taken the title.

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Other notes: Irkutsk’s Orel Mastinsky had a 22 strikeout game against Dushanbe on April 12. This tied Arutyun Lezjov’s single-game record from 1962, but notably Mastinsky’s came in nine innings compared to the 11.1 needed by Lezjov. Dushanbe’s Micah Hewitt became the eighth EPB batter to hit four home runs in a game. Both Igor Bury and Pavel Bely reached 4500 career strikeouts, making it 10 EPB pitchers to hit that mark. Bely also became the seventh pitcher to 250 wins. CF Jose Rodriguez won his seventh Gold Glove.

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