OOTP Developments Forums - Baseball: The World's Game

Page 55 of 113

« First

105

Last »

Show 50 post(s) from this thread on one page

OOTP Developments Forums (https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com//index.php)

- OOTP Dynasty Reports (https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com//forumdisplay.php?f=12)

- - Baseball: The World's Game (https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com//showthread.php?t=335179)

FuzzyRussianHat

03-21-2024 10:52 AM

1997 in OBA

https://i.imgur.com/K6Yf630.jpg

Following second place finishes in the prior two years, Perth was back on top of the Australasia League at 94-68. It was their third title in five years and their eighth pennant total, more than any other AL team. Sydney was second at 88-74, while reigning Oceania Champion Adelaide was third at 87-75.

Australasia League MVP went to Perth 3B Dane Molitor. The 30-year old switch hitter led in runs (85), total bases (319), and WAR (7.3). He added a .310/.356/.540 slash and 26 home runs. Sydney’s Jim DeRossi grabbed Pitcher of the Year honors in his fourth season. He was the WARlord (10.2) and leader in K/BB (9.2), complete games (20), shutouts (7), FIP- (66), and innings (328.2). DeRossi added 366 strikeouts and a 2.38 ERA with a 21-14 record.

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

The Pacific League title race was a three-team one. Guam took the title at 95-67 for their fourth of the 1990s (91, 92, 94). Samoa was one game short at 94-68, while two-time defending PL champ Honolulu was third at 91-71. The Golden Eagles grabbed their ninth league pennant, second only to the Honu’s 13.

Guadalcanal was fourth in the standings, but had the Pacific League MVP in CF Damien Patton. The 27-year old righty led in WAR (8.6) and runs (11), while adding 38 home runs. He denied Honolulu’s Vavao Brighouse his eighth MVP despite Brighouse smacking 68 home runs and 131 RBI. This was one homer short of the record 69 Brighouse set in 1995 and 1988.

Guam’s Timothy Manglona was the Pitcher of the Year in his third season. The 23-year old lefty from the Northern Marianas led in ERA (2.43), WHIP (0.84), quality starts (32), FIP- (73), and WAR (9.2). He added 411 strikeouts over 333.2 innings with a 15-18 record. Manglona also had a no-hitter on May 1 against Tahiti with 13 strikeouts and two walks. Manglona had no run support, while teammate Scott Webster had it all with a 28-8 record and league-best 441 strikeouts.

https://i.imgur.com/GeC3G7O.png

The 38th Oceania Championship wasn’t the first finals meeting between Guam and Perth. The Penguins won in the inaugural final in 1960. The Golden Eagles earned the win in 1979, then Perth got it back in 1994. The 1997 edition evened the series back up as Guam swept the Penguins for their fourth OBA title (1979, 80, 92, 97). CF Anthony Lehoux was finals MVP in his debut OBA season, having joined the Golden Eagles after eight years in EBF’s Luxembourg. He went 6-17 with four runs, four extra base hits, and six RBI.

https://i.imgur.com/KfF1CzU.png

Other notes: Vavao Brighouse passed Sione Hala’s 691 to become the OBA all-time home run king. Brighouse became the first to cross 700 homers. He also won his ninth Silver Slugger at first base. Graham Chapman was the third to reach 600 homers. SS Jay Lawrence won his seventh Gold Glove. Quentin Basa won his ninth Silver Slugger in left field.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-21-2024 04:56 PM

1997 in EPB

FuzzyRussianHat

03-22-2024 04:59 AM

1997 in EBF

FuzzyRussianHat

03-22-2024 10:21 AM

1997 in BSA

FuzzyRussianHat

03-22-2024 03:48 PM

1997 in EAB

FuzzyRussianHat

03-23-2024 04:35 AM

1997 in CABA

FuzzyRussianHat

03-23-2024 09:45 AM

1997 in MLB

FuzzyRussianHat

03-23-2024 03:25 PM

1998 MLB Hall of Fame

The 1998 Hall of Fame voting for Major League Baseball was an interesting one as there wasn’t any standouts making their debut. No one was above 75% and it wasn’t too far from being a blank class. However, with seven players above 60%, it very nearly was a massive group crossing the 66% requirement for induction. In the end, it was three players who made the cut. The lone debutant was 3B Armand Whipple who received 74.3%. He was joined by DH Aiden Hertlein at 69.2% on his fourth ballot and 1B Jonah Mabile at 66.5% in his fifth.

https://i.imgur.com/fpi9hiM.png

2B Cade Parker missed the cut by the slimmest possible margin at 65.9% for his second go. LF Xiandong He picked up 64.1% for his sixth ballot. 1B Aranha Carlos had 63.5% for his third attempt and 1B Kymani Massey snagged 61.7% in his sixth try. One other was above just above 50% with catcher Peter Wacker taking 50.6% on his sixth chance.

Only one player was dropped from the ballot after ten failed attempts. LF Jaxson Caldwell had a 16 year career primarily with Seattle and won the 1973 MVP and led in batting average thrice. His tallies saw 2272 hits, 1062 runs, 387 doubles, 273 home runs, 1160 RBI, a .319/.368/.498 slash, and 54.3 WAR. The accumulations weren’t quit high enough and a broken kneecap in his early 30s ruined his potential longevity. Caldwell peaked with 23.3% in his debut ballot before ending at 11.4%.

https://i.imgur.com/RBZJK16.png

Armand Whipple – Third Base – Miami Mallards -74.3% First Ballot

Armand Whipple was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Tucker, Georgia; a small city of around 35,000 people within metropolitan Atlanta. Whipple was a strong hitter who regularly hit 30+ home runs and around 25 doubles per season. He was a respectable contact hitter with an good eye, although his strikeout rate was very mid. Whipple was slow and sluggish both on the basepaths and defensively. He was a career third baseman and had a strong arm, but he had terrible range and glovesmanship. Whipple graded out for his career as a lousy defender, faring no better in brief stints at first base and second. Still, he was a fan favorite known for a tireless work ethic, loyalty, and durability.

Whipple played college baseball for Kentucky, playing 142 games over three years with 156 hits, 104 runs, 38 doubles, 45 home runs, 118 RBI, a .309/.413/.651 slash, and 10.0 WAR. He won a Silver Slugger in his freshman year and took third that year in college MVP voting. Whipple was one of the top batting prospects entering the 1977 MLB Draft. Miami took notice and selected him second overall. Whipple’s entire pro career would come with the Mallards, entering the starting lineup full-time as a rookie.

He looked great in his second season, winning a Silver Slugger with 5.1 WAR and 39 home runs. Whipple was abysmal in his third year with a .158 batting average and -6.9 WAR. He kept his head down and stayed in the lineup even when he should’ve rested for an atrocious Mallards squad. At 43-119 that year, the 1980 Miami team had the second worst season in American Association history. Whipple recovered in 1981 to post league average numbers. In 1982, he would return to the elite form that believers felt he could still reach. Whipple took his second Silver Slugger and led the AA with 49 home runs.

1982 was also the start of a brief run for the United States team in the World Baseball Championship. He played in five editions from 1982-87 and posted 64 hits, 47 runs, 14 doubles, 21 home runs, 58 RBI, a .302/.393/.665 slash, and 3.9 WAR. Whipple earned world title rings with the 1982 and 1985 American squads.

Whipple’s 1983 was good, but down from the prior year. 1984 would see him back at elite levels with a career-best 8.8 WAR and .329 average. This earned him his third Silver Slugger and a third place finish in MVP voting. Miami was now at least around .500 as opposed to the very bottom. Many observers wondered if Whipple would leave for free agency. At age 27, the fan favorite stayed loyal and inked an eight-year extension with the Mallards worth $10,720,000.

The next two seasons, Whipple repeated as American Association MVP and Silver Slugger, smacking 51 home runs and 120+ RBI both seasons. He was also the WAR leader in 1985 and led in runs, total bases, and OPS in 1986. Miami posted their first winning seasons in more than a decade, but they still couldn’t make the playoffs. They fell back down into the below .500 range for the rest of Whipple’s run, leaving him without a single playoff appearance in his career. He won his sixth and final Silver Slugger in 1987.

Whipple remained a respectable starter into his 30s, but his time as an elite hitter were done. His big contract ran out after the 1992 season, leaving him a free agent at age 36. Whipple hoped to stay play somewhere, but he had negative defensive value and wasn’t quite good enough anymore as a hitter to justify the spot for most teams. He decided to retire in winter 1993. Miami immediately brought him in to retire his #29 uniform, the second number to be retired by the Mallards.

Whipple’s final stats: 2303 hits, 1277 runs, 369 doubles, 539 home runs, 1401 RBI, a .271/.335/.511 slash, 130 wRC+, and 57.6 WAR. It was a fine career and two MVPs carry a lot of weight, but his tallies and advanced stats were definitely towards the bottom of the Hall of Fame leaderboard. Never making the playoffs was a mark against him, but Whipple was still very well liked overall. Sticking with one team for your entire career, even through some bad years, resonates with some voters. With no slam dunk standouts debuting on the 1998 ballot, Whipple’s resume was enough to lock in a first ballot selection at 74.3%.

https://i.imgur.com/oEHwz2y.png

Aiden Hertlein – Designated Hitter – Oakland Owls – 69.2% Fourth Ballot

Aiden Hertlein was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed hitter from Los Angeles. He was one of the premiere contact hitters of his era and was a master at putting the ball in play and avoiding strikeouts. Hertlein still had a reliably solid pop in his bat, averaging around 30-35 doubles and 30-35 home runs per 162 games. He was decent at drawing walks, but pretty sluggish on the basepaths. Hertlein was primarily a DH in his career with about ¾ of his career starts there. He saw the most time defensively in left field and was pretty lousy there.

Hertlein was a star in high school at Orange Lutheran High School, drawing the attention of those throughout the area. It was rare in MLB that a prospect was drafted straight out of high school, but many felt Hertlein had that level of potential. Some hoped he could be a two-way player, as he a respectable fastball/curveball/changeup combo. In the 1968 MLB Draft, Oakland would pick Hertlein with the 40<sup>th</sup> overall pick. He began his pro career the next year in minor league Sacramento.

Hertlein spent the first three years of his career in the minors honing his craft. He made a few relief appearances, but wouldn’t ever pitch beyond the minors. Hertlein’s bat developed nicely though as he won a Silver Slugger in 1971 and helped the Surge win the minor league championship. He made his MLB debut for the Owls in 1972 at age 22. He was a part-time starter with okay results in his rookie year.

1973 marked the beginning of Hertlein as a full-time starter. He won a Silver Slugger in 1974 as a DH, one in 1975 as a left fielder, and one in 1977 back at DH. In 1975, Hertlein had the best OPS in the American Association at 1.041, earning the MVP. He won a second MVP in 1977, leading in hits, runs, RBI, OPS, and WAR.

Hertlein also was second in MVP voting at the 1975 World Baseball Championship with 37 hits, 29 runs, 7 doubles, 12 home runs, and 25 in 26 games for the United States team. He played on the American team from 1974-78 and won world titles in all but 1978, posting 73 hits, 55 runs, 24 home runs, 50 RBI, a .317/.395/.687 slash, and 4.7 WAR over 76 games and 59 starts.

That was Hertlein’s peak, as he wasn’t an award winner or league leader after the 1977 MVP His 1978 was solid until injuries cost him more than a 1/3 of the season. Hertlein was still a good bat after this for the next few years and Oakland gave him a seven-year, $7,070,000 extension in June 1979. The Owls were regularly above .500 during his prime and made the playoffs five times. However, Oakland never advanced beyond the second round. Hertlein had a .311/.343/.492 slash over 16 playoff starts for his career.

It would be hamstring issues that severely limited Hertlein in his final years in Oakland. Strains or tears cost him significant chunks of the 1983, 1984, and 1985 seasons. That ultimately marked the end of a 14 year run in the majors for the Owls, who would later retire his #6 uniform. For his Oakland tenure, Hertlein had 2193 hits, 1147 runs, 372 doubles, 397 home runs, 1308 RBI, a .317/.373/.549 slash, 150 wRC+, and 62.3 WAR.

Hertlein declined his contract option after the 1985 season, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 36. Calgary signed him on a three-year, $4,100,000 deal, but more hamstring issues meant he only played 63 games. Hertlein did earn a World Series ring this season with the Cheetahs, although he was not able to play at all in the postseason. Calgary would cut their losses, releasing Hertlein late in 1987 spring training.

Dallas gave Hertlein a shot in 1987, but traded him in July to Louisville. He had merely middling offensive numbers at this point. Hertlein started 1988 with Salt Lake City, but was cut in August. He finished out the season with Orlando. Hertlein played 1989 with Boston primarily as a pinch hitter against only right-handed pitching. He was unsigned in 1990, finally retiring that winter at age 41.

Hertlein’s career stats: 2451 hits, 1271 runs, 419 doubles, 441 home runs, 1438 RBI, a .310/.367/.537 slash, 146 wRC+, and 66.0 WAR. His accumulations were on the lower end compared to previous Hall of Famers, but not out of place. Injuries and his porous defense dinged him with many voters, while others are reluctant to select a DH unless their offensive stats are otherworldly. Still, two MVP awards do win over many detractors. Hertlein missed the cut in his first two ballots at 59.4% and 59.7%. In 1997, he was less than a point away at 65.8%. With a wide open 1998 field, Hertlein won just enough voters over to get to 69.2%, putting him into the Hall of Fame.

https://i.imgur.com/XyMpb8B.png

Jonah Mabile – First Base – Milwaukee Mustangs – 66.5% Fifth Ballot

Jonah Mabile was a 6’1’’, 200 pound first baseman from Lapeer, Michigan; a small city of around 9,000 in Michigan’s Thumb. Mabile was a very good contract hitter with a keen eye. He was quite strong at getting on base and putting the ball in play. Mabile also provided steady home run power, regularly giving you 30+ dingers a year. He had nice gap power with around 25-30 doubles per year, although he was very slow and wasn’t going to stretch out extra bases with his legs. Mabile was a career first baseman and graded out as a respectable defender. He would receive some criticism for a poor work ethic.

Mabile went to Arkansas for his college career and won a Silver Slugger as a designated hitter as a sophomore. In three seasons as a Razorback, Mabile had 150 starts, 183 hits, 115 runs, 50 home runs, 106 RBI, a .320/.405/.622 slash, 198 wRC, and 10.1 WAR. His bat was among the most impressive in the college ranks, which earned him the third overall pick by Milwaukee in the 1971 MLB Draft.

It took some time for Mabile to crack the lineup as he was limited to 1B and the DH wasn’t available in the National Association. He dominated the minor leagues in Madison, winning MVP honors in 1972 and 1973. The Mutts won the 1972 Minor League Championship as well. Mabile finally debuted in 1974 and even though he only had 104 starts and 130 games, he posted 5.6 WAR. This earned him the Rookie of the Year.

He was only a part-time starter in 1975, but earned the full-time role from 1976 onward. Mabile also played with the United State from 1975-84 in the World Baseball Championship. In 150 games and 125 starts in the WBC, Mabile had 132 hits, 85 runs, 33 doubles, 39 home runs, 92 RBI, a .283/.381/.608 slash, and 7.2 WAR. He came away with six world titles (1975, 76, 77, 81, 82, 84).

Mabile won five Silver Sluggers with Milwaukee (1976, 77, 80, 81, 83). He twice led the National Association in total bases and posted seven seasons worth 6+ WAR. 1977 saw a career and NA best 1.043 OPS and 204 wRC+, which was good for third in MVP voting. He also took third in 1980 and second in 1981, but never won the top award. Hurting Mabile’s award hopes was Milwaukee’s general mediocrity. The Mustangs never made the playoffs during his entire run. They were just above .500 a few times in his prime, but never won more than 85 games in a season.

Despite that, Mabile decided to stick around with Milwaukee, inking an eight-year, $7,490,000 extension after the 1979 season. He continued to perform at a reliably solid level throughout that time. Mabile’s deal ran out after the 1987 season, making him a free agent for the first time at age 37. Oklahoma City gave him a three-year, $4,200,000 deal. However, Mabile struggled immensely in his limited time with the Outlaws in 1988. He retired that winter at age 38.

Mabile’s final stats saw 2243 hits, 1191 runs, 361 doubles, 463 home runs, 1272 RBI, a .302/.372/.545 slash, 170 wRC+, and 81.6 WAR. The advanced rate stats suggest a stronger bat perhaps than many fans realized, although his grand accumulations are on the lower end among other MLB Hall of Famers. Being stuck on some bad Milwaukee teams worked against him and Mabile hovered around the low 50% range for his first four ballots. 1998 provided an opening and sabremetric arguments helped sway some skpetics in Mabile’s favor. He only narrowly crossed the 66% requirement, but 66.5% earned him a fifth ballot nod as the final member of the 1998 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-24-2024 03:10 AM

1998 CABA Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

03-24-2024 09:22 AM

1998 EAB Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

03-24-2024 02:59 PM

1998 BSA Hall of Fame

Beisbol Sudamerica’s 1998 Hall of Fame voting saw three selections, each on the first ballot. SP Benjamim Alegre and CL Carlos Rodriguez were both slam dunks, getting 99.3% and 96.4%; respectively. 1B/DH Tobias Condori was less of a lock, but still got across the 66% requirement at 72.0%. Also above 50% were RF Dani Manzanares at 56.6% for his third try and RF Oscar Linares with a 51.6% debut.

https://i.imgur.com/icxTSG5.png

Dropped after ten ballots was 3B Saul Puerta, who had a 21-year career with Valencia that saw three Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove. He had 2930 hits, 1413 runs, 517 doubles, 498 home runs, 1513 RBI, a .267/.319/.461 slash, 125 wRC+, and 89.6 WAR. The accumulations seemed like more than enough, but he didn’t dominate leaderboards. Some voters dismissed him as a compiler and others were tired of guys from Valencia’s dynasty. Puerta debuted at 53.6% and peaked at 55.6% in his ninth try before ending at 32.2%. By hits and WAR, Puerta jumps out as one of the most notable BSA snubs.

Two others made it ten ballots, although both dropped below 3% on their last try. Closer Gilberto Sanchez won three Reliever of the Year awards, but left for MLB and hurt his accumulations. His BSA stats had 295 saves, 2.53 ERA, 698 innings, 816 strikeouts, and 19.8 WAR. Meanwhile, LF Salvador Argandona had a 19-year run mostly with Barquisimeto. He won two Silver Sluggers and had 2903 hits, 1193 runs, 451 doubles, 213 triples, 230 home runs, 1153 RBI, a .316/.339/.486 slash, and 64.5 WAR. Argandona lacked the power numbers or playoff accolades to get much attention despite some very solid tallies.

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

Benjamim Alegre – Starting Pitcher – Belo Horizonte Hogs – 99.3% First Ballot

Benjamim Alegre was a 6’1’’ 185 pound right-handed pitcher from Piracaia, Brazil, a small city of around 27,000 people in the state of Sao Paulo. Alegre had incredible stuff with excellent control and very good movement. He only had three pitches, but was a master at changing speeds. Alegre had a 97-99 mph cutter, a devastating changeup, and a good curveball. He had solid stamina and was a great defensive pitcher, winning a Gold Glove in 1979. Alegre also won a Silver Slugger in 1983 and was a decent bat for a pitcher with a .212 batting average. He was a very hard worker and became one of Brazil’s most beloved based icons.

Alegre’s pro career began after being drafted in the second round of the 1976 BSA Draft, selected by Belo Horizonte with the 44<sup>th</sup> overall pick. He was a part-time starter in 1977, looking okay as a rookie. Alegre was a full-time starter the next year and quickly emerged as elite. He would light up the leaderboards in the next decade for the Hogs. From 1979-86, he led the Southern Cone League in pitching WAR eight straight seasons. Five of those seasons, he posted double-digit WAR.

In that stretch, Alegre also led the league in wins twice, ERA four times, strikeouts thrice, WHIP four times, K/BB twice, FIP- seven times, and shutouts thrice. He became the first pitcher in Beisbol Sudamerica history to earn two Triple Crowns, doing it in 1982 and 1983. As of 2037, he and Lazaro Rodriguez are the only two to earn that feat. Alegre tossed two no-hitters in his career with the first on 7/28/1980 with 17 strikeouts and one walk against Rosario. Two years later on 7/14/82, he did it again versus the Robins, fanning 15 with no walks.

Naturally, this dominance made Alegre a regular in the Pitcher of the Year ranks. He won the award for the first time in 1980, then took it four consecutive years from 1982-85. Alegre was the third pitcher in Southern Cone League history to win it five times. His Triple Crown 1982 was so good (career bests in ERA at 1.62 and strikeouts at 382) that he also took league MVP. Alegre was also second in 1979 POTY voting, third in 1981, and second in 1986.

Alegre became nationally beloved from his time with the Brazilian national team in the World Baseball Championship. He tossed 234.2 WBC innings between a 1979-83 run and 1986-91 tenure, posting a 19-11 record, 3.38 ERA, 298 strikeouts, and 4.5 WAR. Alegre claimed world titles with Brazil in 1987, 1989, and 1990.

Despite his dominance, it didn’t translate into team success with Belo Horizonte. The Hogs were decidedly mid towards the start of his run. They hoped to change that led by Alegre, signing him to a seven-year, $5,850,000 contract extension after the 1983 season. BH posted some winning seasons in the mid 1980s, but only made the playoffs twice during his time. He had two good starts in 1985 and two weak ones in 1988. Both times, Belo Horizonte was unable to win a series.

Elbow inflammation would become a recurring issue in his final seasons with Belo Horizonte, costing him a couple starts each year. Alegre’s strikeout numbers started to wane a bit, but he was still quite good. Even though the Hogs made the playoffs in the 1988 campaign and seemed to be on an upswing, Alegre decided to opt out of the remainder of his contract. It disappointed many fans, but he still remained a beloved figure for years after. Alegre’s #32 uniform would get retired after the 1992 season.

Entering the 1989 campaign, the 33-year old was a free agent for the first time. Alegre’s past successes had worldwide attention and he found his way to America. MLB’s Indianapolis Racers signed him to a five-year, $8,600,000 contract. He had an impressive debut, leading the National Association in WAR, wins, and quality starts. Alegre took second in Pitcher of the Year voting, although Indy remained a middling squad.

Sadly, that would be Alegre’s last hurrah. His velocity took a notable dip by a few miles per hour and he had more elbow issues, looking merely above average in 1990. Alegre tore his meniscus in early 1991 and looked lousy when he returned late in the season. He made only three relief appearances at the start of 1992 before being released by Indianapolis. For his Racers run, Alegre had a 35-26 record, 2.86 ERA, 528.1 innings, 418 strikeouts, 123 ERA+, and 13.9 WAR.

Toronto signed him soon after getting cut, but he was sparingly used in relief. The Timberwolves cut him in August and Alegre decided to return home to Brazil. Sao Paulo gave him a shot to finish the season, looking okay in seven starts. He made one playoff start for the Padres, fittingly against his old team Belo Horizonte. Alegre opted to retire that winter at age 37.

For his BSA run, Alegre had a 194-107 record, 2.25 ERA, 2770.1 innings, 3809 strikeouts, 434 walks, 257/334 quality starts, 153 ERA+, 56 FIP-, and 103.3 WAR. His Hogs tenure was one of the finest decades any pitcher in the league had ever seen. Alegre didn’t have the longevity to be at the top of the accumulations, but he’s still 16<sup>th</sup> in pitching WAR as of 2037. For his entire pro career, he had a 231-133 record, 2.36 ERA, 3332.2 innings, 4246 strikeouts, 509 walks, 147 ERA+, 59 FIP-, and 117.6 WAR. Alegre was very much the pitcher of the 1980s in Brazilian baseball and was an easy first ballot choice at 99.3% for the 1998 class.

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

Carlos Rodriguez – Closer – La Paz Pump Jacks – 96.4% First Ballot

Carlos Rodriguez was a 6’1’’, 205 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Potosi, Bolivia; a city of around 350,000 within its metro area. It is also one of the highest cities in the world at more than 13,400 feet above sea level. Rodriguez had very good control with solid stuff and above average movement. He had the one-two punch of a 94-96 cutter and an absolutely filthy curveball. Rodriguez was an ironman with a very high inning tally for someone who was exclusively a reliever. He was also a team captain, known for his great leadership and loyalty.

Rodriguez received some attention even as a teenage prospect. In the 1970 BSA Draft, Maracaibo picked him in the fourth round with the 86<sup>th</sup> overall pick. Rodriguez decided to begin a college career instead, next becoming eligible in the 1973 BSA Draft. The second time around, he was selected late in the second round, 53<sup>rd</sup> overall, by La Paz. Rodriguez made his official debut in 1974 with two relief appearances, although he only saw a total of 13.1 innings in his first two years.

Rodriguez graduated to middle relief in 1976 and 1977. He took over the closer role in 1978 and held it for the next four seasons with the Pump Jacks. Rodriguez placed third in 1979 Reliever of the Year voting. He really made his mark that year in the playoffs, posting a 0.77 ERA and four saves over 11.2 innings with 13 strikeouts, helping La Paz to its first Bolivar League pennant since their 1940s dynasty. The Pump jacks would fall to Salvador in Copa Sudamerica.

Rodriguez always had love for his home country and played with Bolivia’s World Baseball Championship squad from 1976-93. He was split between starting and relief in his WBC tenure, posting a 14-10 record and 2.88 ERA over 178 innings, 218 strikeouts, 129 ERA+, and 6.0 WAR. Rodriguez would be disappointed to leave home though when La Paz traded him for the 1982 season to Salvador in exchange for prospect Martin Galvan and a draft pick.

In his debut with the Storm, he took third in Reliever of the Year voting. He was moved out of the closer spot the next year though, posting a 2.39 ERA over 146.2 innings and 1.6 WAR during his time there. A free agent for the first time at age 32, Rodriguez returned to La Paz. Whereas many relievers bounce around sporadically in their 30s, Rodriguez would spend the next eight seasons as the Pump Jacks closer.

He finally won his lone Reliever of the Year in 1986 with a career best 1.68 ERA and 4.0 WAR. He led the league in saves for the only time in 1987 with a career-best 45, taking second in ROTY voting. La Paz was stuck in the middle tier in his return, but he stayed steady in the closer role. The Pump Jacks would retire his #28 uniform at the end of his career for his lengthy service. His longevity helped him become the fourth reliever in Beisbol Sudamerica history to make it to 450 career saves.

Rodriguez’s production stayed remarkably steady through his 30s, but he finally started to regress as he turned 40. La Paz decided to trade him in the summer of 1992 to Concepcion for catcher Silvano Villarreal. Rodriguez finished the season with the Chiefs and looked for work in 1993. He was just short of becoming the second pitcher to reach 500 career saves. He pitched in that year’s WBC, but couldn’t find a buyer. He retired at age 42 in the winter of 1993.

Rodriguez finished with 496 saves and 560 shutdowns, 2.52 ERA, 1110 games, 1345 innings, 1468 strikeouts, 294 walks, 142 ERA+, 73 FIP-, and 34.8 WAR. He retired second all-time in both saves and games pitched, behind only Jonathan Iglesias’s 579 saves and 1256 games. Compared to other Hall of Fame relievers in BSA, Rodriguez was less dominant with a weaker ERA, WAR, and strikeout rate than most of them. But longevity and reliability go a long way, plus not many guys in any world league have gotten that close or beyond the 500 save threshold. The BSA voters didn’t need to think twice with Rodriguez, giving him 96.4% for a first ballot selection within the 1998 class.

https://i.imgur.com/7xGAA48.png

Tobias Condori – First Base/Designated Hitter – Callao Cats – 72.0% First Ballot

Tobias Condori was a 6’0’’, 190 pound right-handed first baseman from the capital of Peru, Lima. Condori was a well-rounded hitter who combined good contact skills, solid power, and a reliable eye. He averaged 40+ home runs per 162 games over his career. Condori also got you around 20 doubles per year. He was a smart baserunner, but was limited by subpar speed. Condori split his career fairly evenly between first base and designated hitter and graded out as a lousy defender. His bat was plenty good though to always have a spot somewhere in the lineup. Condori worked hard and was loyal, becoming a fan favorite that was very popular with Peruvian baseball fans.

Condori was drafted as a teenager based on his immense potential as a bat. Callao selected him eighth overall in the 1975 BSA Draft. He officially debuted in 1978 at age 22 with one at-bat (a strikeout). Condori was a part-time starter in 1979 for his actual rookie season. He was decent in his first two seasons, then missed the front half of his third campaign with a severely strained hip muscle. That would be Condori’s only significant injury, as he started 130+ games each year for the next 12 years.

Condori really burst into relevance by leading the Bolivar League with 50 home runs in 1982. That success got him paid, as Callao inked an eight-year, $3,980,000 contract extension in spring 1983. He would remain steady for the next few seasons, but he didn’t win any major awards early in his career. Condori also didn’t get a ton of attention as Callao was consistently one of the worst teams in the league during his tenure. The Cats posted a losing record each season of the 1970s and 1980s.

Condori would shine though for Peru in the World Baseball Championship. From 1980-94, he played 123 games with 121 hits, 81 runs, 26 doubles, 43 home runs, 109 RBI, a .277/.366/.632 slash, and 6.9 WAR. Condori was still a fan favorite and one of the only redeeming parts of that era’s Callao Cats. But his Hall of Fame potential really appeared when he hit his 30s.

In 1988 at age 32, Condori led the league in home runs (50) and RBI (123) and posted a career best 7.8 WAR. That won him his first Silver Slugger as a DH. The next year, he socked 61 dingers with 7.2 WAR, which nabbed him a third in MVP voting. Condori was less dominant in 1990, but posted a league-best 123 RBI in 1991 to win his second Silver Slugger (this one at 1B). Callao also finally posted a winning season at 85-77, but even despite his loyalty, Condori opted for free agency. He’d still be loved by Cats fans and his #16 uniform would later be retired.

He stayed nearby though, remaining in Peru and signing a one year deal with Lima. The Lobos were the two-time defending Bolivar League champ and Condori thought this would be his best shot to get that elusive ring. He won his third Silver Slugger in his lone season with the Lobos, hitting 49 home runs with 122 RBI. Lima improved their record to 103-59, but suffered a first round playoff upset to Medellin. It would be Condori’s only time playing in the postseason for his career. It also ended his South American career.

Condori loved his native Peru, but it was hard to say no when MLB money came calling. For 1993, the 37-year old signed a three-year, $7,040,000 deal with Oakland. Condori started that year, but was firmly below average at the plate. After a mediocre start to 1994, the Owls released him in late June. Condori was unsigned for the rest of the season and retired that winter at age 38.

For his Beisbol Sudamerica career, Condori had 2246 hits, 1195 runs, 270 doubles, 552 home runs, 1333 RBI, 658 walks, a .295/.353/.553 slash, 150 wRC+, and 66.6 WAR. The rate stats were certainly solid, but his grand tallies were on the lower end compared to other Hall of Famers. Condori also lacked big awards and was exiled on some truly awful teams. But he was very well liked and respected, which certainly boosted his case. Condori didn’t cross the 66% requirement by much, but 72.0% on his ballot debut got him in to round out the BSA 1998 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-25-2024 03:21 AM

1998 EBF Hall of Fame

https://i.imgur.com/nPk7vmA.png

The European Baseball Federation saw a solid three player group added for the 1998 Hall of Fame class. Each was first ballot picks, led by OF Franco Gilbert at an impressive 98.1%. IF Ben Kelly snagged 84.4% and 1B/LF Fredrik Malm received 79.1%. SP Johannes Soderberg almost joined them in his debut at 62.0%, falling four points short. No one else was above 50% with the top returning being LF Husnija Kojic at 44.5% for his second try. There also weren’t any players removed from the ballot after ten failed attempts.

https://i.imgur.com/8IvV76Z.png

Franco “Tuna” Gilbert – Outfield – Zurich Mountaineers – 98.1% First Ballot

Franco Gilbert was a 6’5’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from St. Moritz, Switzerland; an Alpine resort town of about 5,000 people. Nicknamed “Tuna,” Gllbert was a legendary leadoff man and has very few peers in baseball history in terms of contact ability, grading as 11/10 in his prime. He was okay at drawing walks, but few more reliably put the ball into play. Gilbert wasn’t just a singles hitter though, providing stellar gap power. He averaged upward of 60-70 extra base hits per season, getting just as many triples as doubles. Despite his larger frame, Gilbert wasn’t one to hit home runs with a career best of seven.

His frame also surprised you considering how lightning quick he was. Gilbert was an excellent baserunner and one of the most efficient ever at swiping bags. He made roughly 2/3s of his starts in right field with the rest in left. Defensively, Gilbert graded out as reliably average. He was incredibly scrappy and hard-working, making him very popular and successful. Gilbert’s sparkplug nature possible worked against him though as his body started to break down relatively early.

Despite his Swiss roots and being best known for his time with Zurich, Gilbert’s pro career started in Portugal. He was signed in April 1975 as a teenage amateur free agent with Lisbon. Gilbert’s contact ability was impressive even in his youth and he made his EBF debut at only age 19 in 1978. He had only 10 games that season, then was a part-time pinch hitter and runner in 1979. 1980 saw Gilbert moved into the lineup full time at only age 21.

In this first full season, he led the Southern Conference in hits, batting average, and stolen bases. His 124 steals tied the then EBF single season record and still sits seventh best as of 2037. The season also featured a 32-game hitting streak, the longest of his career. Lisbon made the playoffs, but fell in the first round. This scrappy star though became a favorite to watch.

While in Portugal, he began playing for Switzerland in the World Baseball Championship. From 1979-89, Gilbert played 94 WBC games with 101 hits, 45 runs, 22 doubles, 9 triples, 47 RBI, 43 stolen bases, a .289/.344/.411 slash, and 2.0 WAR. Injuries kept Gilbert from full seasons in the next three campaigns, including a broken bone in his elbow that cost him the second half of 1982. In 1983, he still led in triples, won his second batting title, and led in OBP. Gilbert impressively pulled off a 1.003 OPS despite having a mere four home runs.

1984 was historic for Gilbert as he posted a .408 batting average. He became the first EBF batter to hit above .400 and as of 2037, still holds the single-season record. He also led in hits, doubles, triples, steals, and OBP while posting 10.1 WAR. Gilbert would only take third in MVP voting and again be denied his first Silver Slugger. He had the misfortune of sharing a position and conference with Jacob Ronnberg, who won 14 Silver Sluggers, 11 Gold Gloves, and four MVPs.

Lisbon made it back to the playoffs as a wild card after a three-year postseason drought, falling in the conference championship to Zurich. This also marked the end of Gilbert’s time with the Clippers, as he was a very highly touted free agent at only age 26. For his Lisbon tenure, Gilbert had 957 hits, 428 runs, 139 doubles, 150 triples, 450 stolen bases, a .373/.412/.567 slash, 177 wRC+, and 37.9 WAR.

Gilbert received many offers, but he greatly wanted to return home to Switzerland. It didn’t hurt that Zurich had won four conference titles in five years and were 12 years into their historic 21 year division title streak. It also didn’t hurt that the Mountaineers gave him $8,640,000 over eight years. Gilbert signed with Zurich and hoped he could get them over the hump, as despite their conference pennants, the Mountaineers had yet to claim the European Championship during their streak.

His first four seasons with the Mountaineers were each worth 8+ WAR. He led in OBP in 1985 and Zurich set a franchise record at 117-45. However, Ronnberg’s Marseille squad upset the Mountaineers in the conference final. The next three years, Gilbert led each time in hits, triples, and batting average, while leading in OBP twice and runs once. His 44 doubles in 1987 fell one short of EBF’s single-season record. 1986 also featured a 44-game on base streak.

1987 saw more records fall as Gilbert had 254 hits, beating the previous record of 242 set by Ronnberg two years earlier. This was also a world record at the time and although it would be passed in other leagues, it holds in 2037 as the EBF record. Gilbert also scored 140 runs, which was only four short of EBF’s record at the time. That remains tied for sixth-best as of 2037.

Gilbert played well in the postseason as well, but Zurich would be snake bitten in his prime. They were one-and-done in 1986 despite a 111-win season, then lost in the conference finals of both 1987 and 1988. The next four seasons all saw division titles, but first round exits. Between Zurich and Lisbon, Gilbert’s playoff career had 63 games, 93 hits, 44 runs, 10 doubles, 18 triples, 44 stolen bases, a .366/.401/.583 slash, and 3.6 WAR.

1988 was his last outstanding season as a Mountaineer as injuries started to pile up. He missed three months in 1989 to ulnar nerve entrapment. Back spasms and a hamstring tear cost him a month in each of the next two seasons. He led in batting average and OBP one last time in 1990, giving him six times in his career leading each. Gilbert also led in hits five times, triples five times, and stolen bases four times.

In 1992, Gilbert’s physical deterioration started to greatly limit his gap power, speed, and defensive ability. He was demoted to a backup role, although he did still post a .348 average. Gilbert’s contract expired after the 1992 season and he was left without a home in 1993. Heartbreakingly, that would be the year Zurich finally won it all. Gilbert would retire that winter at age 35. The Mountaineers would quickly bring him in to retire his #43 jersey and present him with an honorary championship ring. For his Zurich run, Gilbert had 1505 hits, 776 runs, 228 doubles, 206 triples, 299 stolen bases, a .373/.410/.560 slash, 163 wRC+, and 51.3 WAR.

Gilbert’s career stats saw 2462 hits, 1204 runs, 367 doubles, 356 triples, 56 home runs, 756 RBI, 1110 stolen bases, a .373/.410/.562 slash, 168 wRC+, and 89.2 WAR. The injuries kept him from getting bigger accumulations on the stat leaderboards, but his career .373 batting average is unmatched. As of 2037, the next closest in EBF is at .355. Only three players in any world league with 3000+ plate appearances are ahead of him as of 2037. Gilbert was also fifth all-time in EBF triples at retirement and second in stolen bases. In 2037, he sits ninth and seventh, respectively. Gilbert also was second in OBP in EBF history at retirement and remains fifth in 2037. Very few players in pro baseball history were his peer at making contact and Gilbert rightfully was a slam dunk first ballot inductee with 98.1%.

https://i.imgur.com/yP33Zl0.png

Ben “Cannon” Kelly – Infielder – Dublin Dinos – 84.4% First Ballot

Ben Kelly was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting infielder from South Shields, England; a coastal town of 75,000 in the country’s northeast. He had dual heritage with an English father and Scottish mother. Kelly had prolific slugging ability while also being a very solid contact hitter. The nickname “Cannon” was fitting for how hard Kelly hit the ball. He was good at drawing walks, but did still strike out quite a bit. Per 162 games, Kelly averaged 48 home runs, plus 25 doubles and 8 triples per season. Although known as a big bopper, Kelly had deceptively good speed. He could get steals, but was sometimes too aggressive on the basepaths.

With his bat and solid durability, there was also a spot in the lineup for Kelly. However, he made starts in his career in each spot of the infield and outfield. He made the most starts, about 1/3, at third base. Around a ¼ of his starts were at first and another ¼ at second, with less frequent stays elsewhere. He was adaptable and graded as above average at first and left field. Kelly was firmly below average to poor in the other spots.

Kelly attended the University of Birmingham for his college career and excelled, quickly becoming the United Kingdom’s top prospect for the 1978 EBF Draft. With the second overall pick, Kelly was picked by Dublin, where he’d spend his entire European career. He would choose to use his second nationality to play for Scotland in the World Baseball Championship though. From 1979-88, he played in seven WBCs with 63 starts, 62 hits, 33 runs, 21 home runs, 45 RBI, a .259/.331/.594 slash, and 2.4 WAR.

He’d become a baseball icon from his time in Ireland with the Dinos. Kelly had one of the finest rookie seasons in EBF history with 7.7 WAR, 47 home runs, and the Northern Conference lead in slugging, OPS, and wRC+. He won Rookie of the Year easily and his first of five Silver Sluggers with Dublin, each at third base. With the Dinos, Kelly led the conference in runs scored, home runs, RBI, and total bases in 1980, 1982, and 1983. He also won a batting title in 1982 and led in slugging, OPS, and wRC+ four times. Kelly also was the 1980 and 1983 WARlord with a career best 12.6 in 1983. Although second, he had a stellar 12.2 WAR in 1982.

Those eye-popping numbers led to Kelly winning MVP in 1980, 82, and 83. He had career bests in home runs (63) and RBI (156) in 1982. The 156 RBI was a single-season record, although he’d get passed two years later. Kelly followed that season with 133 runs, 59 home runs, and 143 RBI. Dublin snapped a seven-year playoff drought in 1982, although they lost in the first round. Despite his efforts, the Dinos were typically below average during his run.

Kelly’s time in Dublin, and time in the European Baseball Federation, only lasted seven seasons. His numbers were less incredible in his last two years in Ireland, but still outstanding. In total, he had 1241 hits, 771 runs, 170 doubles, 82 triples, 363 home runs, 840 RBI, a .310/.366/.665 slash, 193 wRC+, and 62.8 WAR. Had he stayed, Kelly could’ve had a shot at some impressive spots on the EBF leaderboard. At induction, he had the second best OPS of any Hall of Famer and is still fifth best as of 2037. Kelly’s Dublin run was so dominant that he couldn’t be denied and he received a first ballot nod at 84.4%.

His Dublin tenure was only about 1/3 of his pro career, as Kelly was a hot commodity as a 29 year old free agent. He left Europe for Major League Baseball and ended up in Quebec, signing a five-year, $7,000,000 deal with Montreal. Kelly immediately lived up to the billing, leading the National Association in home runs, RBI, total bases, and slugging. This earned him MVP, joining a very select group to win MVP in MLB and another pro league. Kelly also was among another select group with four MVPs in a career. That effort also earned him a Silver Slugger at third base. The Maples would get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.

Torn ankle ligaments cost him a month of the 1987 season, but Kelly helped Montreal win the National Association pennant. They lost the World Series to Calgary in what would be Kelly’s last time playing in the postseason. He had a mixed bag with 16 hits, 11 runs, 5 home runs, 11 RBI, but a .203/.267/.430 slash. He won a Silver Slugger in 1988 at second base and was decent in 1989, but had more injury issues. Over a four year tenure in Montreal, Kelly had 594 hits, 332 runs, 148 home runs, 384 RBI, a .279/.329/.547 slash and 20.8 WAR.

The Maples regressed to below .500 to close out the 1980s and looked to trade Kelly in the last year of his five-year deal. He was shipped to Milwaukee for reliever Logan Waldow and SP Ignacio Tamez. Kelly’s one year as a Mustang was solid, leading in slugging and winning a Silver Slugger at 2B. It was the final honor of his career, giving him eight Silver Sluggers between MLB and EBF. Kelly was a free agent at age 34 and still had plenty of suitors. Philadelphia inked him to a four year, $8,800,000 deal.

His Phillies debut was marred by a broken hand costing him half the season. Kelly managed to stay healthy in the next three seasons and still provided steady power and value. Philadelphia was above .500 each year he was there, but never made the playoffs. With the Phillies, Kelly had 526 hits, 316 runs, 144 home runs, 331 RBI, a .258/.318/.519 slash, and 17.4 WAR. That would mark the end of his nine year MLB career, finishing with 1257 hits, 740 runs, 335 home runs, 811 RBI, a .269/.325/.538 slash and 44.0 WAR.

Entering 1995, the 38-year old Kelly still wanted to play, but many teams were iffy on an aging slugger. The newly formed African Association of Baseball was hoping to establish itself and lured Kelly to Uganda. He signed a two-year, $3,000,000 deal with Kampala. Injuries cost him roughly half of 1995, but he would lead the conference in walks drawn in 1996. In two seasons as a Peacock, Kelly had 217 hits, 145 runs, 58 home runs, 170 RBI, a .254/.363/.526 slash, and 7.7 WAR.

He still provided positive value despite his age, but Kelly couldn’t find a home for the 1997 season. He retired that winter at age 41, finishing his entire pro career with 2715 hits, 1656 runs, 390 doubles, 125 triples, 756 home runs, 1821 RBI, 527 stolen bases, a .285/.346/.590 slash, 167 wRC+, and 114.5 WAR. Kelly was one of the absolute best sluggers of the 1980s and 1990s and certainly earned recognition in some fashion. His Dublin brilliance was bright enough to make him the second member of EBF’s 1998 Hall of Fame class.

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

Fredrik Malm – First Base/Left Field – Madrid Conquistadors – 79.1% First Ballot

Fredrik Malm was a 5’11’’, 200 pound left-handed hitter from Bergen, Norway; the second largest city in the nation with around 289,000 people on the west coast. Malm was a very good contact hitter who had a fairly strong pop in his bat. He averaged around 37 home runs per 162 games while also giving you around 45 doubles/triples per season. Malm had good speed and was very intelligent at base stealing. He had an above average eye and strikeout rate. Defensively, Malm made around 2/3s of his starts at first base and the rest in left field. He was delightfully average with his glove in both spots.

Malm was spotted as a teenager amateur by a Spanish scout from Madrid. In March 1973, he inked a developmental deal with the Conquistadors. Malm officially debuted at age 20 with mostly pinch hit appearances in 1976. Madrid made Malm a full time starter the next year and he held that role for the next 15 years, only missing time when injured. From 1978-88, he posted 11 consecutive seasons worth 6+ WAR. Malm also appeared from 1977-93 with Norway in the World Baseball Championship, making 150 starts with 164 hits, 94 runs, 28 doubles, 50 home runs, 106 RBI, a .294/.367/.634 slash, and 8.9 WAR.

Maln was reliably quite good, although he very rarely was a conference leader. 1982 was his only time atop the leaderboards, winning a batting title at .341 and leading with 201 hits. With the competition at his positions, he only won three Silver Sluggers in his career, coming in 1982, 83, and 87. Madrid was stuck in the mid-tier in Malm’s earliest seasons, but they were convinced he could help them reach the next level. The Conquistadors gave Malm an eight-year, $3,816,000 extension in May 1980.

Madrid found success in the mid 1980s despite being in a tough Southwest Division against a powerhouse Marseille squad. The Conquistadors made the playoffs four times from 1983-87. They suffered first round exits in 1983 and 1984, then lost to the Musketeers in the 1986 Southern Conference Championship. In 1987, Madrid put it all together and won the European Championship over Amsterdam. Malm had 14 hits, 8 runs, 6 extra base hits, and 11 RBI in 11 playoff starts.

Fresh off the title season and very popular with the fans, the 32-year old Malm was extended for another five years at $6,780,000 total. 1988 was on pace to be maybe his finest season, but Malm lost more than two months to a strained groin. Other injuries cost him significant time in the next three years. After missing the postseason in 1988 and 1989, Madrid bounced back and won the EBF title over Hamburg in 1990. Malm was conference finals MVP and posted 15 hits, 8 runs, 3 doubles, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI in 19 playoff starts. For his career, Malm had 46 playoff starts, 45 hits, 24 runs, 15 extra base hits, 26 RBI, and 0.9 WAR.

in 1992, Malm suffered a broken kneecap in spring training. He only made it back in the final weeks of the season and got 7 hits in 8 games, allowing him to cross 2500 career hits. Madrid brought out the final year of his contract, making Malm a free agent at age 37. He played in the 1993 WBC, but went unsigned for the season. Malm decided to retire that winter with the Conquistadors bringing him in to retire his #28 uniform.

Malm’s career saw 2502 hits, 1363 runs, 419 doubles, 159 triples, 477 home runs, 1355 RBI, 714 stolen bases, a .321/.368/.600 slash, 170 wRC+, and 98.5 WAR. He almost quietly put up an impressive career, sitting 13<sup>th</sup> at induction in hitting WAR. Malm’s not an inner-circle level guy, but he was reliably excellent in the 1980s and a big part of two championship seasons for Madrid. He earned 79.1% for a first ballot induction to round out the fine 1998 EBF class.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-25-2024 10:07 AM

1998 EPB Hall of Fame

1998’s Eurasian Professional Baseball Hall of Fame class featured three inductees, each taking very different paths to their spot. The lone slam dunk was pitcher Andrey Fisyuk with a debut at 98.0%. Fellow pitcher Maksim Ekstrem finally crossed the finish line with 75.4% on his tenth and final opportunity. 1B Vyacheslav Afonin rounded out the group at 67.7% in his second ballot, narrowly breaching the 66% requirement. The only other player above 50% was SP Maxim Aivazyan at 54.9% in his third go.

https://i.imgur.com/gYbvF7F.png

Dropped after ten attempts was SS Daurenbek Zeynalov, who had a 20 year career between seven teams. He won MVP once and had two Silver Sluggers, finishing with 2711 hits, 1148 runs 453 doubles, 361 triples, 178 home runs, 1018 RBI, a .269/.300/.438 slash, 126 wRC+, and 94.5 WAR. Zenynalov retired as EPB’s triples king, a distinction he still holds as of 2037. He also won a title in 1975 with St. Petersburg. However, he didn’t dominate leaderboards outside of triples and for whatever reason, didn’t get much traction. Zeynalov peaked at 37.4% on his second ballot before ending at 7.4%. He’s still 17<sup>th</sup> in offensive WAR as of 2037, but the EPB voters proved stingy yet again.

SP Oleg Yaremchuk also made it ten ballots before being dropped, although he was far less of a snub. In 16 seasons, he had a 198-213 record, 2.95 ERA, 3825.2 innings, 3675 strikeouts, 212 complete games, 100 ERA+, and 63.4 WAR. The advanced stats suggested sustained averageness for him while also being overlooked due to stints with bad teams. He still got as high as 31.9% on the 1990 ballot before ending at 5.4%.

https://i.imgur.com/4pE6bcs.png

Andrey Fisyuk – Starting Pitcher – Omsk Otters – 98.0% First Ballot

Andrey Fisyuk was a 6’5’’ 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Baranovichi, Belarus, a city of around 172,000 in the southwestern Brest Region. He was a hard thrower with very good stuff and movement, but below average control. Fisyuk had 99-101 mph peak velocity with his best pitch being an excellent screwball. He also had a good slider and sinker, plus a rarely used changeup. Fisyuk didn’t go the distance as often as most other EPB Hall of Famers, but he was incredibly durable and gave you 200+ innings reliably.

Fisyuk was spotted at a camp by a scout from Omsk, who signed him as a teenager in January 1971 and brought him from Belarus to Siberia. He spent five years in development for Omsk, finally making his debut in 1976 at age 21. Fisyuk was a part-time starter and had some growing pains initially. He was moved to the full-time rotation the next year and looked solid, even throwing a no-hitter against Tashkent on July 12 with 11 strikeouts and one walk. It was his first of 13 straight seasons with 300+ strikeouts.

In 1978, he led the Asian League with a career best 356 strikeouts. This was Fisyuk’s only time leading in strikeouts. He also led with 8.9 WAR, taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting. Fisyuk never won the top honor, but was third again in 1979 and 1980, then second in both 1985 and 1987. He was a bright light for an Omsk franchise that didn’t make the playoffs once from 1972-84. Fisyuk was also well respected in his native Belarus, pitching for his country from 1977-91 in the World Baseball Championship. He had 183 WBC innings with a 12-6 record, 2.66 ERA, 249 strikeouts, 140 ERA+, and 5.3 WAR.

After the 1979 season, Fisyuk signed a six-year contract extension worth $1,508,000. He would add another four years for $3,160,000 after the 1984 campaign. Fisyuk seemed to improve in his 30s, leading in ERA for the only time in 1985 at 1.52. He had 12 straight seasons worth 7+ WAR, but posted three worth 9+ in his final three seasons with the Otters, including a career and league-best 10.9 in 1989. 1987 also featured a second no-hitter, coming on May 4 with 11 strikeouts versus Irkutsk.

Omsk finally found success in the mid 1980s, making the playoffs four times from 1985-89. The Otters were Asian League champs in 1985 and 1987, although both times they lost in the Soviet Series. Fisyuk was great in the 1987 run with a 1.86 ERA over four starts, but his career playoff numbers were unremarkable with a 3-7 record, 3.47 ERA, 85 ERA+, and 96 strikeouts in 80.1 innings. Still, he was popular with Otters fans and recognized as a big reason they returned to relevance. His #8 uniform would get retired once his professional career was over.

Fisyuk’s time in Omsk ended with the 1989 season, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 35. With the Soviet Union beginning to disintegrate, Fisyuk jumped at the chance to head to the United States and MLB. Dallas signed him to a three-year, $4,660,000 contract. Oddly enough, the Dalmatians cut him after only four starts. Fisyuk finished the season in Omaha as a part-time starter with okay results.

A free agent again at age 36, San Francisco gave him a one –year deal. However, Fisyuk was subpar as a part-time starter. For his brief MLB run, he had a 3.43 ERA over 278.1 innings, 175 strikeouts, 111 ERA+, and 1.4 WAR. Fisyuk returned to EPB for one final season, signing with Yekaterinburg. He was a full-time starter for the Yaks and ate innings. But he was no longer elite. Fisyuk did become the seventh pitcher to reach 4500 career strikeouts in EPB in this return. He would retire in the winter at age 38.

For his EPB tenure, Fisyuk had a 227-136 record, 2.21 ERA, 3726.2 innings, 4667 strikeouts, 901 walks, 368/480 quality starts, 132 ERA+, 67 FIP-, and 111.6 WAR. At induction, he was seventh all-time in EPB pitching WAR and still sits 11<sup>th</sup> as of 2037. Despite never winning Pitcher of the Year in his career, Fisyuk was consistently one of the finest pitchers in Russian baseball in the 1980s. He earned a no-doubt induction at 98.0% to lead the 1998 EPB Hall of Fame class.

https://i.imgur.com/yiHea3Z.png

Maksim “Toxin” Ekstrem – Starting Pitcher – 75.4% Tenth Ballot

Maksim Ekstrem was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed pitcher from St. Petersburg, Russia. Ekstrem was known for having solid stuff and movement along with above average control. His velocity peaked in the 97-99 mph range with an arsenal of fastball, slider, changeup, and splitter. Ekstrem also had excellent stamina, regularly sitting towards the top of the complete games list. He was also viewed as a strong defensive pitcher. Ekstrem was considered a team captain with great loyalty and leadership skills, becoming very respected in the clubhouse.

Ekstrem had an excellent amateur career and had a lot of exposure being in a major city like St. Petersburg. In the 1972 EPB Draft, he was the #1 overall pick by Ufa. The Fiends had just finished 59-103 in the prior season and would be even worse in 1973 at 57-105. Ekstrem led the Asian League in losses as a full-time starter and also led in walks. He also led for the first of four seasons in complete games.

In his second season, Ekstrem was more firmly Ufa’s ace. He won Pitcher of the Year in both 1979 and 1980, leading in ERA in 1979 at 1.66. He was the WARlod both seasons at 10.0 and 9.9 respectively. His 1977 actually saw a career best 11.3 WAR and 367 strikeouts, although he didn’t get any awards consideration. In 1978, Ekstrem had 15 strikeouts in a no-hitter on August 25 against Tbilisi. Ekstrem garnered nationwide respect playing for Russia from 1975-84 in the World Baseball Championship. He posted a 3.69 ERA over 156 innings with 185 strikeouts and 4.5 WAR.

Ufa signed Ekstrem to a five-year, $1,444,000 contract extension in April 1978. He stayed loyal to the Fiends and wanted to see them succeed, but they were generally abysmal during his tenure. They only had two winning seasons during Ekstrem’s run with the best being 84 wins in 1982. After seeing dominance in the prior few seasons, Ekstrem’s first issue with injuries came with forearm inflammation in 1981 costing him half the season. He bounced back with a very respectable 1982.

In 1983, Ekstrem entered the final year of his contract. Despite the respect everyone had for him, it appeared likely that he’d be on the way out. Ufa decided to get some trade value, sending him to Dushanbe near the deadline for three players. With the Dynamo, Ekstrem had his lone playoff start, giving up one run in three innings. That also marked the end of his time in EPB.

Ekstrem still had offers from throughout professional baseball and ended up inking a four-year, $2,520,000 with Leon of the Mexican League. He saw his velocity drop significantly, down to the 92-94 mph range after being upper 90s most his run. He stunk in 1984 with the Lions and lost time to shoulder inflammation. The team only used him for 40.1 innings in 1985 and kept him on the reserve roster for all of 1986. Ekstrem retired that winter at age 37. He would return to Russia and see his #22 uniform retired by Ufa.

For his EPB career, Ekstrem had a 156-169 record, 2.40 ERA, 3028.2 innings, 3232 strikeouts, 594 walks, 258/343 quality starts, 250 complete games, 122 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 77.3 WAR. Many traditionalist voters saw the losing record as a non-starter, although it wasn’t his fault Ufa stunk during his prime. The sabremetric stats and two Pitcher of the Year awards gave him his supporters. However, Ekstrem also didn’t have the longevity that many other Hall of Famers boasted and had lower accumulations as a result.

His candidacy was a roller coaster, starting at 52.7% and getting to 60.1% the next year. He fell down to 46.8% in 1991, then back up to 57.1% in 1992. Ekstrem hit a low in 1993 at 34.0%, but bounced back in 1994 at 59.8%. He was down to 40.3% in 1995, then fell less than a point short in 1996 at 65.2%. With 36.2% on his ninth try though, Ekstrem told friends and family that he had accepted that he’d miss the cut. But the well-respected righty saw his supporters put together a campaign for one last push. In EPB’s Hall, no one had been inducted beyond a seventh ballot. Ekstrem bucked that trend with a boost to 75.4% and took his seat among the all-time greats.

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

Vyacheslav Afonin – First Base – Kharkiv Killer Bees – 67.7% Second Ballot

Vyacheslav Afonin was a 6’4’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from Novyi Buh, Ukraine; a town of around 15,000 people in the southern Mykolaiv Oblast. Afonin was one of the great sluggers of his era, averaging around 40 home runs and 30 doubles per 162 games. He was an above average contact hitter, but he didn’t draw many walks despite his power and had strikeout issues. Afonin was quite slow and sluggish on the basepaths. He was a career first baseman and graded out as fairly average defensively. Afonin was quiet and humble, not looking to draw attention to himself. That attitude, plus dingers, made him extremely popular throughout Ukrainian baseball.

He spent his entire pro career in his home country, picked 15<sup>th</sup> overall by Kharkiv in the 1979 EPB Draft. Afonin also was a regular for Ukraine in the World Baseball Championship with 141 starts from 1980-92. In the WBC, he had 126 hits, 79 runs, 31 doubles, 44 home runs, 96 RBI, a .240/.306/.561 slash and 5.3 WAR. Afonin was a full-time starter immediately for the Killer Bees and was considered an ironman, starting 145+ games in all 12 of his pro seasons.

He debuted with 41 home runs and 6.4 WAR in 1980, taking Rookie of the Year honors. Kharkiv had the best record in the European League that year at 103-59 and went onto win their first-ever EPB Championship. Afonin had 14 hits, 5 runs, 2 home runs, and 5 RBI in the postseason. The Killer Bees were a contender with eight straight winning seasons after this. They made the playoffs four times but couldn’t make it back to the final, with their deepest runs ending in the conference championship in both 1982 and 1984.

Afonin thrived during this time. He led the European League in RBI four times, home runs once, runs twice, total bases four times, slugging four times, and WAR twice. Afonin won MVP in 1983 with career bests in RBI (130), total bases (373), and WAR (9.3). He took second in 1981’s MVP voting and third in 1985 and 1990. Afonin won five Silver Sluggers (1981, 83, 87, 89, 90). After the 1984 season, he signed a seven-year, $2,708,000 extension with Kharkiv.

Afonin seemed to be aging gracefully, leading in both home runs and RBI in 1990 at age 33. The Killer Bees made it back to the playoffs after missing in three straight years, although they fell in the first round. For his playoff career, Afonin had 47 starts, 42 hits, 15 runs, 7 doubles, 7 home runs, 19 RBI, a .235/.266/.391 slash, and 1.1 WAR.

In 1991, Afonin saw a notable decline with a career worst slash of .231/.268/.428. He still hit 30 home runs, but it was the worst season of his career. His contract ended and Kharkiv wasn’t looking to extend him. Afonin wanted to play and saw his last action in the 1992 WBC. He was unsigned in 1992 and resigned himself to retirement that winter at age 36. The Killer Bees would quickly bring him home to retire his #28 uniform and he remained a popular franchise figure in the decades to follow.

For his career, Afonin had 1907 hits, 952 runs, 350 doubles, 471 home runs, 1190 RBI, a .268/.303/.524 slash, 163 wRC+, and 70.6 WAR. It was a very impressive 12 year run, but the shortness of his career meant his accumulations were on the low end. To that point, only one other batter was in EPB’s Hall of Fame without having 2000+ career hits. His slugging stats were favorable though and he had great popularity especially in Ukraine. Afonin just missed the cut at 64.4% on his debut, but got just enough of a bump in his second shot to get in at 67.7%, rounding out the 1998 crew.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-25-2024 04:51 PM

1998 OBA Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

03-26-2024 01:51 AM

1998 APB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

1998 was the largest Hall of Fame class in the history of Austronesia Professional Baseball with five players earning induction. Previously, 1989 was the only time APB even had a three-player class. Impressively as well, all five selections were on the first ballot and earned more than ¾ of the vote. Pitchers and teammates Vhon Lasam and Dave Hermillo both led the way with 99.2% apiece. Two other starting pitchers got in with Ryco Bujang at 85.4% and Poh Tan at 81.8%. The fifth player in was closer Edhie Dalem at 79.4%.

https://i.imgur.com/25sMt9P.png

Four others were above 50%. SP Ravi Peng nearly made it a six player class as he got 64.4% for his debut. Closer Stallion Ricciardi had a respectable 57.3% for his debut. Closer Hong Qinonez had 53.8% in his second go and closer Ting-Wei Ping saw 52.2% for his second ballot. No players fell off the ballot after ten tries.

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

Vhon Lasam – Starting Pitcher – Zamboanga Zebras – 99.2% First Ballot

Vhon Lasam was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Bongabon, Philippines, a municipality of around 66,000 people in the Nueva Ecjia province. Lasam was known for having excellent stuff with above average to good movement and control. His fastball regularly was in the 98-100 mph range and was mixed with a great slider and good changeup. Lasam had solid stamina and excellent durability during his career. He was also considered very defensively sound. On top of that, Lasam was a team captain with great leadership skills and a strong work ethic.

All of these traits were evident even when Lasam was an amateur. Zamboanga had the #1 overall pick in the 1976 APB Draft and used it on Lasam, hoping he could reverse their fortunes. The Zebras had just come off a franchise worst 60-102 season. Lasam was split between the rotation and relief as a rookie, performing well enough to take second in Rookie of the Year voting. He was a full-time starter for the remainder of his career, tossing 230+ innings each year for the next 15 seasons.

Lasam emerged as an ace with his third season, beginning a streak of seven streak seasons worth 9+ WAR. He had 11 consecutive seasons striking out 300+ batters. With Zamboanga, he led the Taiwan-Philippine Association in wins twice, ERA thrice, innings once, strikeouts five times, WHIP four times, FIP- six times, and WAR four times. His 1.50 ERA in 1979 earned Lasam his first Pitcher of the Year award.

In 1981, Lasam tossed two no-hitters. The first came on May 28 with 12 strikeouts and four walks against Tainan. Then on June 16, he fanned 15 with two walks versus Taoyuan. Lasam won his second Pitcher of the Year this season and posted career bests in strikeouts (417), innings (289), and WAR (12.8). He took second in 1982 Pitcher of the Year voting, then won the award for a third time in 1983 and fourth time in 1984. 1984 also was a Triple Crown season with a 20-7 record, 1.72 ERA, and 377 strikeouts. Lasam also set an APB record with 23 strikeouts over 10.1 innings on July 6 against Cebu. That tied the world record for strikeouts in a game.

Lasam was also a popular player throughout the entirety of the Philippines for his work in the World Baseball Championship from 1978-91. He tossed 147 WBC innings with a 2.27 ERA, 255 strikeouts, 165 ERA+, and 7.6 WAR. Lasam was WBC Best Pitcher in 1983 with 16 scoreless innings. He took second for the award in 1988. Lasam was also dominant in his limited playoff appearances with Zamboanga, going4-0 in four starts with a 0.98 ERA over 36.2 innings, 51 strikeouts, and 1.4 WAR.

Despite his dominance, the Zebras were mostly below .500 in his run. They won the Philippine League in 1979 and 1981, but fell in the Association Championship both seasons. Still, he was a great leader and was committed to seeing Zamboanga succeed. They signed him to a six-year, $4,540,000 contract extension after the 1984 season. However, he was surprisingly traded the next summer.

For his Zamboanga run, Lasam had a 135-96 record, 1.96 ERA, 2259 innings, 2958 strikeouts, 142 ERA+, 59 FIP-, and 76.0 WAR. The Zebras would fall below .500 in1985 and decided to blow it all up, even though Lasam was only 30 and had just signed the big extension. He was traded on July 19 to Bandung for four prospects.

Lasam wasn’t as dominant with the Blackhawks, but he was still excellent. He took third in 1986 Pitcher of the Year voting and second in 1988. In 1987, he threw two more no-hitters, one on June 26 with 13 Ks and 1 walk against Pekanbaru and the other on July 20 with 14 Ks and 1 BB versus Semarang. He joined Muljadi Suwandi as the only APB pitchers to that point to have thrown four no-nos in a career. Lasam also led in strikeouts and quality starts in 1988. Bandung was generally mid during his tenure and never made the playoffs.

In 1989, Lasam made more history by throwing a perfect game against Depok, striking out 19 of the 27 batters he faced. This also set a world record for most strikeouts in a perfect game, which amazingly enough was matched the very next day by Dana Bancu in Eurasian Professional Baseball. On April 12, 1990, Lasam threw a second perfect game with 15 strikeouts against Palembang. As of 2037, he’s the only APB pitcher with six no-hitters and one of four with two perfect games.

Lasam became the first APB pitcher to reach 5000 career strikeouts in 1991. That was his final year in Bandung, as his contract expired that winter. For his Blackhawks tenure, Lasam saw a 1.63 ERA, 94-70 record, 1609.1 innings, 2164 strikeouts, 149 ERA+, 63 FIP-, and 48.2 WAR. A free agent for the first time at age 37, Lasam returned to the Philippines on a three-year, $3,340,000 deal with Quezon.

Unfortunately, Lasam’s velocity dropped to the 94-96 range by this point, rendering his stuff far less impressive. He only pitched one season with the Zombies, leading in losses and posting a subpar 88 ERA+. Lasam opted to retire at age 38. Soon after, Zamboanga announced that they would be retiring his #47 uniform.

Lasam’s career line had a 237-184 record, 1.91 ERA, 4137.2 innings, 5365 strikeouts, 735 walks, 0.86 WHIP, 410/497 quality starts, 170 complete games, 46 shutouts, 139 ERA+, 64 FIP-, and 126.5 WAR. At induction, he was APB’s strikeout king, third In pitching WAR, and fourth in wins. Lasam’s K mark would fall in the early 2010s to Dedi Dewi, but as of 2037, he’s still second in strikeouts all-time and seventh in WAR. His spot as an inner-circle level Hall of Famer was assured, getting 99.2% in the loaded 1998 class.

https://i.imgur.com/H9NZpFu.png

Dave “Shoebox” Hermillo – Starting Pitcher – Zamboanga Zebras – 99.2% First Ballot

Dave Hermillo was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Caliling, Philippines; a small town of around 5,000 in the Western Visayas region. Hermillo was best known for having excellent control, although he also boasted very good stuff with decent movement. His fastball reached 99-101 mph regularly and was part of a five-pitch arsenal that included a forkball, slider, curveball, and changeup. Hermillo had outstanding stamina, leading seven times in complete games and four times in innings pitched. He was also an ironman, tossing 240+ innings in all but his rookie season.

Hermillo was picked 10<sup>th</sup> overall by Zamboanga in the 1975 APB Draft. He was a part-time starter as a rookie, but a full-timer from year two onward. Hermillo began his seven year streak of having the most complete games in the Taiwan-Philippine Association with the 1978 season. He generally wasn’t as dominant as his teammate Vhon Lasam, but Hermillo was still excellent with 5+ WAR in each of his full seasons as a Zebra. In 1979, he posted an impressive 53 inning scoreless streak. Despite their one-two punch in the rotation, Zamboanga’s team success was limited with only two playoff appearances in Hermillo’s tenure.

Hermillo and Lasam were also regular teammates for the Philippines in the World Baseball Championship. From 1978-91, Hermillo had 167.2 innings, a 2.52 ERA, 199 strikeouts, a 149 ERA+, and 5.1 WAR. He would be overshadowed often in Pitcher of the Year voting, taking third in 1979 and 1980. Hermillo also won his lone Gold Glove in 1980. He would ink a five-year contract extension after the 1981 season worth $1,700,000.

1982 was his finest season with a TPA best 1.44 ERA and 10.7 WAR. He also led in wins, innings, and shutouts, while posting a career-high 339 strikeouts. Hermillo won his lone Pitcher of the Year and was third in MVP voting. He took second in POTY in 1983, third in 1984, and second again in 1985. On June 23, 1984, Hermillo tossed a perfect game against Quezon, striking out 11 batters.

Like Lasam, Hermillo was traded in 1985. However, his trade came after the season as opposed to at the deadline. For his Zamboanga run, Hermillo had a 159-123 record, 2.23 ERA, 2711.2 innings, 2916 strikeouts, 126 ERA+, and 64.4 WAR. He also remained popular with Zebras fans and his #34 uniform would be retired at the end of his career. Zamboanga was looking to blow it all up and figured Hermillo was gone after his contract expired with the 1986 season. He was traded for three prospects to Pekanbaru.

The Palms quickly locked him up long-term with a six-year, $4,660,000 extension that summer. Hermillo was never as dominant with the Palms and wasn’t a POTY finalist, but he still provided reliable steady innings. Having to bat for the first time in the Sundaland Association, he also was decent for a pitcher, winning a Silver Slugger in 1987. Pekanbaru made the playoffs twice in his tenure, but couldn’t win the Association title. For his entire playoff career, Hermillo had a 3.48 ERA over 51.2 innings, 61 strikeouts, and 76 ERA+. Most of the bad numbers though came from an abysmal two starts with Zamboanga in 1981.

Hermillo’s innings and durability helped him reach some big milestones. In 1991, he was the first APB pitcher to reach 250 career wins. He was also the second to reach 4500 strikeouts, behind Lazam who had done it two years earlier. His strikeouts went down in his later years, but Hermillo was still a respectable starter in his final season. He opted for retirement after the 1992 campaign at age 38. With Pekanbaru, Hermillo had a 110-68 record, 1.94 ERA, 1816.2 innings, 1869 strikeouts, 125 ERA+, and 31.2 WAR.

The career stats were a 269-191 record, 2.11 ERA, 4528.1 innings, 4785 strikeouts, 758 walks, 423/535 quality starts, 249 complete games, 65 shutouts, 125 ERA+, 83 FIP-, and 95.6 WAR. Hermillo lost the wins mark by the end of the 1990s, but still sits fourth all-time as of 2037. He’s also still third in innings, fourth in complete games, tenth in strikeouts, and 19<sup>th</sup> in pitching WAR. Hermillo wasn’t the most dominant pitcher of his era, but he was remarkably reliable and steady for 17 years. He was another easy first ballot choice, getting 99.2% alongside his teammate Lasam atop the five-player 1998 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-26-2024 11:20 AM

1998 APB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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

Ryco Bujang – Starting Pitcher – Medina Marlins – 85.4% First Ballot

Ryco Bujang was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Klaten, Indonesia; a regency in Central Java with around 1,260,000 inhabitants. Bujang was very well rounded with solid stuff, movement, and control. He had a hard 99-101 mph fastball along with a circle change, splitter, and curveball. Bujang had decent stamina, but had noticeably fewer complete games compared to other APB Hall of Famers. He was excellent at holding runners.

Bujang was steady and loyal, ultimately playing his entire pro career with Medan. He was a top prospect ahead of the 1979 APB Draft, selected second overall by the Marlins. Bujang was a full-time starter immediately and took second in Rookie of the Year voting with 5.7 WAR in his debut. He suffered a torn labrum in September that year, missing out on Medan’s first postseason berth since 1969.

Medan became a Sundaland Association powerhouse in the 1980s with Bujang leading the way. They had seven playoff appearances in the decade and won the SA pennant in 1981, 83, 84, 87, and 89. The Marlins won the Austronesia Championship as well in 1987 and 1989. Bujang was outstanding in his playoff career with an 8-3 record in 16 starts, a 1.57 ERA, 120.1 innings, 144 strikeouts, 156 ERA+, and 2.5 WAR.

Bujang won Pitcher of the Year three times (1981, 83, 84). He was second in 1982 and third in 1983 MVP voting. During the 1981-84 stretch Bujang led the Sundaland Association in wins thrice, ERA once, K/BB thrice, quality starts thrice, and WAR twice. 1982 also marked Bujang’s start in the World Baseball Championship for Indonesia with 92.2 innings between 1982-92. He had a 9-0 record, 2.53 ERA, 116 strikeouts, a 146 ERA+, and 2.2 WAR.

In January 1987, Bujang signed a seven-year, $6,020,000 extension with Medan. That July, he tossed a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts against Depok. Bujang started to decline towards the end of the contract, although he still provided innings. In 1992, Bujang struggled in the front half of the season and missed the back half with radial nerve compression. That was enough for Bujang to call it quits at only age 35. Medan would immediately retire Bujang’s #18 uniform for his important role in their 1980’s dominance.

Bujang’s final stats: 186-130 record, 2.06 ERA, 3112.2 innings, 3547 strikeouts, 419 walks, 323/407 quality starts, 87 complete games, 120 ERA+, and 88.5 WAR. He wasn’t as dominant as Lasam or as tenured as Hermillo, but Bujang’s resume was plenty strong for induction. Bujang had the third highest vote total of the five-player 1998 APB Hall of Fame class at 85.4%.

https://i.imgur.com/BaboGC0.png

Poh Tan – Starting Pitcher – Jakarta Jaguars – 81.8% First Ballot

Poh Tan was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Singapore. Excellent control was Tan’s calling card, which kept him relevant as he aged and his stuff diminished. He had average movement and above average stuff in his peak with his fastball only topping out at 93-95 mph. However, Tan had a five pitch arsenal with a good curveball and splitter, plus an okay slider and circle change. He was an ironman with amazing durability and very good stamina. Tan had 200+ innings in all 17 years of his career and had 250+ in all but two years.

Tan was signed as a teenage amateur in April 1971, spotted in Singapore by a scout from Jakarta. He made his debut in the Indonesian capital with 213.1 innings in 1976 at age 21, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting.

The Jaguars were a weak franchise in his earliest years and Tan didn’t get awards attention, despite leading in WAR in 1979 and quality starts in 1977. He wasn’t regularly atop the leaderboards in his tenure, but Tan did lead in wins twice, innings twice, WHIP once, quality starts twice, and shutouts twice.

Tan was a regular in the World Baseball Championship for his native Singapore. From 1977-93, he tossed 250.2 innings with 40 games and 32 starts, posting a 16-12 record, 3.99 ERA, 252 strikeouts, 56 walks, 93 ERA+, and 1.6 WAR. He also had a no-hitter in the 1977 WBC with nine strikeouts and two walks in a game against Belarus.

Jakarta started to contend in the 1980s with six playoff berths from 1982-89. The Jaguars won Sundaland Association titles in 1982, 1985, and 1986 and won the Austronesia Championship in 1985. Tan signed a three-year extension worth $922,000 in the summer of 1983. He took second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1983. In 1984, Tan tossed a no-hitter on June 17 with 14 strikeouts and two walks.

Tan won his lone Pitcher of the Year in 1985 and took third in MVP voting. He led the SA in WHIP at 0.71 and had a career-best 8.1 WAR. This was also his best postseason with a 1.20 ERA in two starts and 15 innings, helping Jakarta win the title. Tan’s career playoff numbers though would be surprisingly underwhelming with a 4-5 record, 3.82 ERA, 63 ERA+, and 69 strikeouts over 75.1 innings.

His award-winning 1985 season earned Tan a six-year, $4,440,000 extension in February 1986. Tan wasn’t an awards finalist after the 1985 season, but his durability and control allowed him to stick around with decent results. He was the third APB pitcher to reach 200 career wins and the third to reach 4000 strikeouts.

1991 was his final year with Jakarta, as they traded him after the season to Tainan for 2B Charith Balachander. He still tossed 285 innings in his one year with the Titans, but was firmly below average at this point. He would cross the 250 win and 4500 strikeout thresholds with Tainan. Tan went unsigned in 1993 and retired that winter at age 39. Jakarta would recognize him soon after by retiring his #21 uniform.

Tan’s final stats was a 259-230 record, 2.49 ERA, 4545.1 innings, 4693 strikeouts, 699 walks, 426/555 quality starts, 220 complete games, 100 ERA+, 89 FIP-, and 80.5 WAR. At induction, he was third all-time in wins and first in innings pitched. However, he also had more losses and hits allowed than any other pitcher, two marks his still holds as of 2037. Tan remains fifth in wins, second in innings pitched, 12<sup>th</sup> in strikeouts, and 31<sup>st</sup> in WAR. Advanced stats like a 100 ERA+ suggest Tan sustained averageness moreso than excellence. However, Tan’s longevity and role in Jakarta’s pennants was plenty for most voters. He might be the worst of the four starters in the 1998 Hall of Fame class, but Tan was still a firm first ballot pick at 81.8%.

https://i.imgur.com/r4yeBrE.png

Edhie Dalem – Closer – Taichung Toucans – 79.4% First Ballot

Edhie Dalem was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Padalarang, Indonesia; a district of around 180,000 people within the West Bandung Regency. Dalem had great stuff with incredible movement and decent control. He had 96-98 mph velocity on his fastball and mixed it with a great slider. Dalem had very good stamina for a reliever and was quite durable early in his career. He wasn’t the most popular guy in the clubhouse, considered by many to be greedy, lazy, and disloyal.

In September 1975, a teenaged Dalem was noticed by a Taiwanese scout from Taichung that was visiting Indonesia. They signed him as an amateur free agent and had him in their developmental system for five years. Dalem debuted in 1981 at age 22 and was immediately thrown into the closer role. He thrived in his role, leading the Taiwan-Philippine Association in saves in his first three seasons. He led in saves five times in his career.

Dalem was third in Rookie of the Year voting in 1981 and had a 1.54 ERA in 11.2 playoff innings, helping Taichung win the Austronesia Championship. The Toucan would make the playoffs again four straight years from 1984-87, taking the TPA pennant in 1987. For his career, Dalem had a 2.49 playoff ERA in 43.1 innings with 7 saves and 62 strikeouts. He also was Indonesia’s closer from 1983-90 in the World Baseball Championship. In 86 WBC innings, Dalem had a 1.99 ERA, 21 saves, 123 strikeouts, 189 ERA+, and 3.3 WAR.

Dalem won Reliever of the Year three straight seasons from 1985-87. He also was second in 1982, and third in 1983, 1984, 1988, and 1989. Dalem was the fourth closer to reach 300 career saves in APB. With Taichung over nine seasons, he had 348 saves and 388 shutdowns, 1.37 ERA, 797 innings, 1099 strikeouts, 207 ERA+, and 38.1 WAR. The Toucans would retire his #9 uniform for his excellence and role in their 1980s success.

The 31-year old Dalem was a free agent for the first time entering 1990. His dominance earned international attention, leading to MLB’s Indianapolis giving him a two-year, $3,520,000 deal. Before he even got to the Circle City, disaster struck with a partially torn UCL suffered during the World Baseball Championship. He missed nine months, only making it back at the very end of the season for one appearance.

Dalem saw 18 innings in the back of the bullpen in 1991 for the Racers, struggling in his limited use. His velocity dropped upon his return, posting a 5.28 ERA in his brief MLB tenure. Indianapolis would release Dalem in July. He returned to APB with Batam and looked okay in his return, although shoulder inflammation cost him a month as well.

Dalem wanted to still play in America, signing a minor league deal in 1992 with Chicago. He was released after a month in the minors and went back to Batam. He tossed 52.2 innings with the Blue Raiders, but struggled in what would be his final APB season. In 1993, he bounced between Oakland, Brooklyn, and Miami’s minor league systems. Knowing his goose was cooked, Dalem retired in the winter of 1993 at age 35.

For his APB career, Dalem had 358 saves and 405 shutdowns, a 1.57 ERA, 875.2 innings, 1169 strikeouts, 219 walks, 174 ERA+, 50 FIP-., and 36.4 WAR. Considering that came over only a decade of use, it was impressive dominance. Even without the longevity of other relievers, Dalem’s resume was still impressive. The voters gave him the first ballot nod at 79.4% as the fifth and final member of APB’s loaded 1998 Hall of Fame Class.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-26-2024 03:40 PM

1998 CLB Hall of Fame

Two players were added into the Chinese League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998. Right fielder Mingqi Dai was the star of the ballot with 86.1% and a first ballot nod. Closer Huyi Gao joined him with 72.6%, making the cut in his fifth ballot. Fellow closer Junwei Zhu was close in his debut, but short at 59.5%. Also above 50% was RF Zhengyu Peng at 55.1% for his second go.

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

Dropped after ten ballots was SP Guicaho Li, who was a three-time Pitcher of the Year winner with Xi’an. Injuries derailed his career with two torn labrums and a partially torn UCL, giving him roughly six or seven full seasons worth of production in 13 seasons. Li had a 109-48 record, 1.92 ERA, 1591 innings, 1877 strikeouts, 146 ERA+, and 57.4 WAR. His rate stats were certainly HOF worthy, but the injuries meant Li just didn’t have the totals. He debuted at 44.8% in 1989, but was down at 9.1% by his last chance.

Also dropped was Wei Gao, who won seven Silver Sluggers at third base and an MVP. He played 12 seasons with Macau, retiring surprisingly early despite being in good health and still being a top player. He had 1832 hits, 778 runs, 347 doubles, 264 home runs, 893 RBI, a .269/.320/.449 slash, 154 wRC+, and 89.2 WAR. By WAR, he’s one of the more notable snubs, still leading all CLB third basemen in career WAR as of 2037. However, he peaked with 37.3% in his debut and plummeted to 4.1% by the end. The CLB voters remained particular harsh against batters with the deflated stats in the low offense environment.

https://i.imgur.com/jk616cg.png

Mingqi “Bumblebee” Dai – Right Field - Tianjin Jackrabbits – 86.1% First Ballot

Mingqi Dai was a 6’0’’, 195 pound left-handed outfielder from Tai’an, a city of around five-and-a-half million people in East China’s Shandong Province. Dai was a very solid contact and power hitter with an above average eye. He had a tremendous pop in his bat, averaging 28 doubles, 13 triples, and 30 home runs per 162 games. Dai had good speed and was an intelligent baserunner who knew how to stretch out for extra bags. He was considered an ironman, playing 145+ games in all but his final season. Dai was a career right fielder and considered reliably above average defensively. His impressive talent and work ethic made Dai one of the most beloved figures of Chinese baseball.

Dai’s talent was unmistakable during his amateur career ahead of the 1979 CLB Draft. Tianjin picked him fourth overall and he would be a full-time starter for the next 13 years for the Jackrabbits. Dai had some growing pains as a rookie, but was very good by his second year and elite by his third. 1982 would be the first of six seasons with double-digit WAR and the start of nine straight seasons of 7+ WAR.

During his remarkable career, Dai led the Northern League five times in runs scored, once in hits, once in doubles, twice in home runs, thrice in RBI, five times in total bases, once in batting average, thrice in OBP, five times in slugging, five times in OPS, five times in wRC+, and once in WAR. In 1983, he was one RBI short of a Triple Crown season. That season also had career bests in runs, hits, total bases, triple slash, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. Remarkably, his 13.3 WAR was second to Libo Li that season. It sits as the 12<sup>th</sup> best as of 2037.

Dai became the second player in CLB history to win four MVPs. As of 2037, only nine players have reached that mark. Dai took the top honor in 1983, 86, 88, and 90. Dai was second in 1984 and 1985 and third in 1989. He won eight Silver Sluggers (1982-86, 88-90). After the 1984 season, the Jackrabbits locked him up long term with an eight-year, $5,142,000 extension.

The mid 1980s in Chinese League Baseball was defined by the rivalry between Tianjin and Beijing. These two teams won the CLB title thrice each between 1983-88. The Jackrabbits made the playoffs six straight seasons in that stretch with finals berths in 1983, 84, 86, and 88. Tianjin won it all in 1983, 86, and 88; beating the Bears in 1986 and falling in 1984. Dai was a two-time China Series MVP, taking the award in 86 and 88. In his playoff career, Dai had 60 starts, 63 hits, 40 runs, 8 doubles, 11 triples, 15 home runs, 48 RBI, a .284/.355/.622 slash, 221 wRC+, and 4.3 WAR.

Dai continued to look great into his 30s, but Tianjin would fade as the 1990s dawned. 1990 was their first losing season in a decade and they hovered around .500 in his last two years. In his last season with the Jackrabbits, Dai posted 9.2 WAR. With Tianjin looking to rebuild for the immediate future, he and the franchise opted to part ways. Dai would remain a beloved franchise icon for decades to come and his #13 uniform would be retired after the 1996 season.

His dominance in China was noticed worldwide, despite Dai not participating in the World Baseball Championship outside of the 1994-95 editions. Dai left for Major League Baseball with a four-year, $9,120,000 contract with Calgary. The Cheetahs had just won the American Association pennant the prior season and wanted to start a new run of dominance comparable to their 1980s success.

Dai had an excellent debut season in MLB with 6.7 WAR and 34 home runs. Calgary won the pennant again, this time winning the World Series over Toronto. Dai was solid again in 1994 and the Cheetahs won 106 games, but suffered an upset loss in the second round. Age started to catch up to Dai, as he had below average offensive numbers in 1995. For 1996, Dai was only a part-time starter. As his Calgary contract expired, he opted to retire at age 38. For his MLB run, Dai had 541 hits, 358 runs, 93 home runs, 290 RBI, a .265/.328/.478 slash, 116 wRC+, and 14.0 WAR.

For his Tianjin and CLB career, Dai had 2009 hits, 1065 runs, 359 doubles, 177 triples, 389 home runs, 1095 RBI, a .278/.338/.539 slash, 194 wRC+, and 114.7 WAR. As of 2037, Dai is eighth in hitting WAR, 12<sup>th</sup> in runs scored, and 11<sup>th</sup> in RBI. For his entire pro career, Dai saw 2550 hits, 1423 runs, 458 doubles, 206 triples, 482 home runs, 1385 RBI, a .275/.336/.525 slash, 176 wRC+, and 128.7 WAR. Dai was one of the finest players not only in China in the 1980s, but in any world league. The strict CLB voters gave him only 86.1%, but he still easily secured his deserved first ballot induction.

https://i.imgur.com/7Nrme9z.png

Huyi Gao – Pitcher – Xi’an Attack – 72.6% Fifth Ballot

Huyi Gao was a 6’5’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher. Like his Hall of Fame classmate Mingqi Dai, Gao was also from Tai’an. He had excellent stuff with terrific control, although his movement was subpar. Gao had a dangerous 99-101 mph fastball and an incredible changeup, along with a great screwball and a decent curveball and knuckle curve. His stamina was terrible though, which led to him being primarily a reliever even though five-pitch guys usually were effective starters. Gao was a good defensive pitcher as well. He often clashed with teammates though and was viewed as a mercenary type.

Gao was signed as a teenage amateur in 1973 by Xi’an. The Attack brought him up in 1977 at age 21, where he largely struggled in relief. He would toss four scoreless innings in relief, although the defending champ Xi’an fell in the semifinal. The Attack would make the playoffs again the next two seasons with Gao posting a 1.97 ERA over 32 playoff innings, but they were unable to advance. Xi’an remained good into the 1980s, but not good enough for playoff berths.

In his second season and third seasons, Gao was used as a starting pitcher. He had nice results, leading the league in WHIP both years. Gao was a starter again to start 1980, but suffered a torn flexor tendon in late April, knocking him out nine months. The next year in spring training, a torn triceps cost him three months. These injuries also took a huge toll on his already iffy stamina. Thus, the decision was made that Gao would be a reliever for the rest of his career.

Gao was respectable in middle relief in 1981, then was moved to the closer role for his remaining three seasons with the Attack. He led the league with 45 saves in 1983. Then in 1984, Gao finished third in Reliever of the Year voting. Xi’an struggled though in 1984, posting their first losing season since 1971. The Attack looked to rebuild and in the process traded Gao to Beijing for 3B Zhifeng Li and SP Qing Hu. For his Xi’an tenure, Gao had a 52-43 record, 135 saves, 2.14 ERA, 1206 strikeouts, 836 innings, 124 ERA+, and 24.2 WAR. The franchise would later retire his #31 uniform as well.

Only a few weeks after acquiring Gao, Beijing gave him a three-year, $1,414,000 extension. The Bears were the defending China Series champion and in their arms race against Tianjin. Gao spent four years as Beijing’s closer, earning his lone Reliever of the Year in 1986. He took second in 1987 and 1988.

The Bears made it to the championship each year from 1985-87, winning the title in 1985 and 1987. In 21 playoff appearances for Beijing, Gao had a 1.36 ERA, 8 saves and 15 shutdowns, 33 innings, 48 strikeouts, and a 187 ERA+. For his Beijing tenure, Gao posted 158 saves and 204 shutdowns, a 1.57 ERA, 400.2 innings, 591 strikeouts, a 161 ERA+, and 13.0 WAR.

Gao’s contract expired after the 1988 season and the 33-year old became a free agent for the first time. No team in China would match the money or contract length Gao was looking for, so he opened up his search internationally. He found a buyer in the Oceania Baseball Association, signing a three-year, $1,860,000 deal with Auckland. Gao was decent with the Avengers, but his one season saw shoulder bursitis and a partially torn labrum plague him.

Auckland decided to move on, trading Gao to Tahiti in November 1989 for two prospects. He was alright in two seasons with the Tropics, but he missed notable time in both seasons to injury. He posted a 2.48 ERA and 119 ERA+, 116 innings, 149 strikeouts, and 2.8 WAR with Tahiti. Gao decided to retire that winter at age 35,

For his entire pro career, Gao had a 110-94 record, 353 saves, 2.04 ERA, 1423.1 innings, 2038 strikeouts, 132 ERA+, and 41.5 WAR. For just his time in China, he had 293 saves and 370 shutdowns, a 91-72 record, 1.96 ERA, 1236.2 innings, 1797 strikeouts, 187 walks, 134 ERA+, 64 FIP-, and 37.2 WAR. Gao’s accumulations were somewhat comparable to other CLB Hall of Fame relievers, but a good chunk of his value was in his initial stint as a starter. Removing or minimizing those innings made his case much more borderline. Gao’s playoff success with Beijing helped him though, keeping him above 50% for his entire run on the ballot. He narrowly missed out on his third try with 64.2% in 1996. Gao dropped to 59.3% in 1997, but made it across the line in 1998 at 72.6% for a fifth ballot induction.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-27-2024 03:37 AM

1998 WAB Hall of Fame

Two players earned inductions for West African Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1998. Pitcher Addise Assefa was nearly unanimous at 99.7%, while RF Vincent Langat picked up a first ballot induction with 74.5%. SP Issaka Camara was one percentage point short of joining them, getting 65.0% in his second ballot. CF Stephen Tshukudu received 57.3% in his ninth try, a new high in his slow climb. SP Moussa Sidi was the other player with more than half of the vote, getting 51.0% in his second go.

https://i.imgur.com/Fp5CEqQ.png

Dropped after ten ballots was LF Mario Duc, who was hurt by having his official WAB career start when he was already 31 years old. In nine seasons, he won one MVP, four Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, and helped both Port Harcourt and Lagos win WAB titles. Duc had 948 hits, 776 runs, 136 doubles, 87 triples, 361 home runs, 817 RBI, a .228/.318/.563 slash, and 50.9 WAR. The low accumulations and high strikeout rate hurt him, although Duc would’ve probably been a lock had he been able to record stats in his 20s. He got as high as 44.4% on his sixth ballot and ended at 31.8%.

https://i.imgur.com/4kYIzk1.png

Addise Assefa – Starting Pitcher – Bamako Bullfrogs – 99.7% First Ballot

Addise Assefa was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Boditi, Ethiopia; a small city of around 60,000 in the country’s southwest. Assefa had very good stuff with solid control and above average movement. His fastball regularly hit 99-101 mph and was part of a five-pitch arsenal featuring a slider, curveball, slider, and splitter. Pitchers in WAB typically don’t go as deep in games as other leagues, but Assefa bucked that trend. He led his league in innings pitched five times and complete games thrice. For much of his career, Assefa was viewed as very durable. He was a fan favorite, popular for his intelligence and work ethic.

When Assefa was growing up, the baseball scene in his native Ethiopia was very limited. It wouldn’t be until the African Association of Baseball was formed in 1995 that his country had affiliated pro baseball. His skill was obvious though, so he went westward for his amateur career. Assefa quickly established himself as a top prospect and was picked ninth overall by Bamako in the 1978 WAB Draft. He was kept on the reserve roster in 1979, then made his debut as a full-time starter in 1980.

There were some growing pains, but quickly Assefa emerged as one of the most dominant pitchers in West Africa. From 1982-88, he led the Western League in strikeouts each year. That stretch also saw him lead in wins thrice, innings four times, WHIP four times, quality starts thrice, ERA once, shutouts three times, and WAR three times. Assefa had a stretch of eight consecutive seasons worth 6.5 WAR or more.

Four times Assefa won Pitcher of the Year, taking the award in 1983, 84, 87, and 89. He finished second in voting in 1985 and 1986 with a third place in 1988. Assefa was also second in MVP voting in 1984. He was the first WAB pitcher to strike out 400+ batters in a season. Since 2037, there have been seven such seasons; three by Assefa. His 427 strikeouts in 1984 remains the single-season record. That season also saw a 22 strikeout game against Accra, which was the WAB record until 2022. .

Assefa was a huge reason Bamako was a contender in the mid 1980s. He signed a six-year contract extension to stay in Mali in April 1985 worth $3,580,000. The Bullfrogs had five playoff berths in a row from 1983-87. They took the Western League pennant in 1983 and 1986, although both times they were defeated in the WAB Championship. Assefa was excellent in his 11 playoff starts for Bamako with a 1.90 ERA over 85.1 innings, 5-2 record, 125 strikeouts, 182 ERA+, and 2.8 WAR. The 1986 run saw 51 strikeouts and 1.43 WAR, which are still WAB playoff records.

Bamako’s era of success ended as the 1980s closed, dropping to 65-97 by 1990. Assefa remained solid, but suffered his first major setback with a torn rotator cuff in April 1990. He decided to decline his contract option that winter, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 34. Assefa remained popular with Bullfrogs fans and his #1 uniform would be retired later. With Bamako, Assefa had a 184-105 record, 2.57 ERA, 2701.1 innings, 3599 strikeouts, 553 walks, 138 ERA+, 73 FIP-, and 73.3 WAR.

Assefa went to Nigeria with a two-year, $1,660,000 deal with Lagos. He won his lone Gold Glove in 1991 with the Lizards and pitched solidly, although not as dominantly as before. Still, Assefa played a big role as Lagos won the WAB Championship in both of his seasons there. He was terrific again in the postseason, posting a 0.89 ERA in 30.1 innings with 38 strikeouts. In total with Lagos, he had a 24-21 record, 3.18 ERA, 463.2 innings, 548 strikeouts, 115 ERA+, and 9.8 WAR.

Notable milestones were also reached during the Lizards run. Assefa became the third WAB pitcher to pass 200 career wins and was the first to 4000 strikeouts. For his playoff career, he had 3.56 WAR, which is still the career high in WAB as of 2037. He had an 8-3 record, 1.63 ERA, 115.2 innings, 163 strikeouts, and a 213 ERA+. Assefa is second all-time in playoff Ks, behind only Power Bonou’s 173.

This would be the end of his WAB career, as he received MLB offers as a 36-year old free agent. Assefa joined Columbus on a three-year, $5,820,000 contract. A ruptured finger tendon cost him three months of the 1993 campaign, which saw below average production. He rebounded and looked respectable in 1994 for Columbus. Assefa had a 3.38 ERA in 16 playoff innings as the Chargers got to the National Association Championship Series. In total with the Chargers, he had a 3.05 ERA, 20-12 record, 318.2 innings, 192 strikeouts, 117 ERA+, and 4.7 WAR.

1995 marked the first time his native Ethiopia qualified for the World Baseball Championship, with Assefa pitching for them in 1995 and 1996. Columbus cut him in 1995 and he ended up signing with Tampa. He still gave you innings, but with very middling production as his velocity had dropped off significantly. Assefa pitched poorly in one final season with Phoenix in 1996. He retired at 40 after going unsigned in 1997. For his MLB run, Assefa had a 34-37 record, 3.67 ERA, 672.1 innings, 331 strikeouts, 103 ERA+, and 7.6 WAR.

For his WAB run, Assefa had a 208-126 record, 2.66 ERA, 3165 innings, 4147 strikeouts, 613 walks, 288/397 quality starts, 109 complete games, 134 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 83.2 WAR. His ERA is among the best for any eventual WAB Hall of Famer. As of 2037, he’s still second all-time in strikeouts, sixth in wins, first in shutouts (34), and third in pitching WAR. Assefa certainly deserves a mention when considering who WAB’s GOAT pitcher is, especially when you look at his postseason dominance. He was nearly unanimously inducted into the 1998 class with 99.7%.

https://i.imgur.com/RVKk6oG.png

Vincent Langat – Right Field – Cotonou Copperheads – 74.5% First Ballot

Vincent Langat was a 6’6’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting right fielder from Lamu, Kenya; a small town of 25,000 inhabitants on the southeastern coast. Langat was an excellent power hitter who averaged around 40-45 home runs and 25-30 doubles per season. He was great at drawing walks, but he was a subpar contact hitter and had a horrible strikeout rate. Langat was one of the first “three-true outcomes” guys in West African Baseball. He was very slow on the basepaths, but still was intelligent about picking his spots.

Langat was viewed as an ironman, starting 147+ games in all but his rookie season (where he still started 136). He was a career right fielder and viewed as a mediocre defender. He had an incredibly strong arm, but lousy range. Langat was a team captain, becoming of the most respected players in the league with his work ethic and leadership. That personality, plus dingers, made Langat extremely popular and one of WAB’s first superstars.

Like his Hall of Fame classmate Langat, he had to move west to chase an amateur career. Langat’s native Kenya didn’t have much in the way of organized baseball in the 1970s and would not have proper pro teams until AAB’s formation in 1995. His big frame and power earned him plenty of attention, getting picked sixth overall in the 1978 WAB Draft by Cotonou. Langat made his debut in Benin and struggled with strikeouts quite a bit early on. He got marginally better as he aged at avoiding Ks, but he improved greatly at making hard contact.

Langat was third in 1979 Rookie of the Year voting. He won three Silver Sluggers with the Copperheads (1981, 82, 84). 1984 was his first time leading the league in home runs with 43, although it was his third straight season with 40+. From 1982 through his final season in 1992, Langat hit 40 or more homers each season. 1984 also saw him lead the Eastern League in slugging for the first time.

Despite Langat’s best efforts, Cotonou was terrible during his tenure, rarely sniffing a winning record. Langat entered 1985 with one year left on his contract and Copperheads officials weren’t expecting him to stick around beyond that. They opted to trade him to Kano in exchange for four prospects. With Cotonou, he had 771 hits, 486 runs, 228 home runs, 531 RBI, a .238/.342/.502 slash, 137 wRC+, and 24.1 WAR. Langat was inducted in the Copperheads hat as it was his longest run, although many fans would remember him in different colors.

1985 saw Langat win his fourth Silver Slugger. The Condors were ousted in the wild card round, but it was Langat’s first postseason experience. He had 47 home runs and 4.9 WAR in his one year there. Langat became a free agent for the first time at age 30. Abidjan ended up being the buyer, bringing Langat to the Ivory Coast on a five-year, $3,150,000 deal.

It ended up being a weak era for the Athletes sandwiched between two eras with multiple pennants. Abidjan didn’t make the postseason in Langat’s tenure, generally hovering around .500. His best season was 1989, which saw a Silver Slugger and a third place in MVP voting. Langat smacked 62 home runs this year to tie the single-season record, which held until 2003. It was his third time leading in homers and his only time also leading the league in RBI, OPS, total bases, and wRC+.

For his time with Abidjan, Langat had 639 hits, 493 runs, 226 home runs, 519 RBI, a .232/.324/.527 slash, and 20.1 WAR. While there, he also became the career home run leader and the first to reach 500. Langat also was the first to 1000 runs scored and the second to 1000 RBI. A free agent again at age 35, he signed a two-year, $1,820,000 deal with Port Harcourt.

Langat led in runs and homers in his first year with the Hillcats, winning his sixth and final Silver Slugger. Port Harcourt would make the playoffs in both of his seasons there, but were unable to advance both times. In two years, Langat posted 265 hits, 189 runs, 83 home runs, 200 RBI, a .233/.321/.511 slash, and 7.3 WAR. He was also the first player to reach 1000 walks drawn in a career. Langat’s bat still seemed respectable, but he went unsigned in 1993 and retired that winter at age 37.

For his career, Langat had 1815 hits, 1254 runs, 371 doubles, 584 home runs, 1351 RBI, 1068 walks, 2765 strikeouts, a .236/.332/.516 slash, 139 wRC+, and 56.4 WAR. At retirement, he was the all-time leader in the young league in runs, homers, RBI, walks, and strikeouts. Langat fell down those leaderboards into the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, especially as offense exploded in WAB. He does remain ninth in walks and strikeouts as of 2037. Advanced stats aren’t too favorable and he ranks low on later comparisons due to his high strikeout rate, poor average, lack of team success, and lousy defense. However, Langat was one of the first great sluggers of West African Baseball, worthy of his Hall of Fame spot. The 74.5% isn’t high, but it was enough to get him in on the first ballot with the 1998 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

03-27-2024 10:06 AM

1998 SAB Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

03-27-2024 03:36 PM

1998 ABF Hall of Fame

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:50 PM.

Page 55 of 113

« First

105

Last »

Show 50 post(s) from this thread on one page