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FuzzyRussianHat

06-22-2024 05:56 PM

2006 in EBF

https://i.imgur.com/3G7KP4h.jpg

The Northern Conference was very competitive in 2006 with only seven wins separating the top division winner from the weakest. Luxembourg was a shocking #1 seed, as the Lancers hadn’t been a playoff team since 1982. They won the Northwest Division at 97-65, beating Paris by five games and Rotterdam by nine. At 92-70, the Poodles very narrowly took the first wild card, earning a second playoff berth in three years.

The battle for the #2 seed and the second wild card was in the North Central Division. Last year’s conference finalist Kyiv took first at 93-69 to repeat as division champ and earn a fourth playoff berth in five years. Hamburg and Warsaw both finished at 91-71, two behind the Kings and one back on Paris for the first wild card. The Hammers took the tiebreaker game and the second wild card to end a three-year playoff drought. That also snapped a three-year playoff streak for the Wildcats.

Dublin repeated in the British Isles Division at 90-72. Glasgow was 88-74, two off the division title and three from the second wild card. Meanwhile, two-time defending European Champion Copenhagen earned an eighth straight Northeast Division title. The Corsairs were 90-72, besting Stockholm by three games.

There was a tie for the worst record between Krakow and London at 60-102. The tiebreaker formula meant the Canines were to be relegated. The Monarchs were lucky as it would be the next year that the rule was changed so that any 100+ loss team would be demoted. Prague was also in danger for much of the year, but survived at 64-98.

Northern Conference MVP was Kyiv’s Nick Hudson. The 29-year old American had been an eight-year MLB veteran who surprised many by leaving for Ukraine in the offseason on a five-year, $34,400,000 deal. In his EBF debut, Hudson led in runs (121), RBI (135), total bases (415), OBP (.443), slugging (.745), OPS (1.188), wRC+ (229), and WAR (11.3). His .373 average was eight points from first and his 56 home runs fell one short of the top spot.

Pitcher of the Year was Dublin’s Kazimierz Lipinski. The 25-year old Polish righty led in wins (18-5), ERA (2.04), quality starts (27), and shutouts (5). Lipinski had 215 strikeouts over 246.2 innings and 6.5 WAR. This would be his one standout season in a journeyman career that spanned 14 teams between EBF, CABA, and OBA.

Paris swept Copenhagen in the first round, ending any chance of a Corsairs three-peat. Dublin edged Hamburg on the other side of the bracket, but dropped their second round series 3-1 to Kyiv. Meanwhile, the Poodles upset Luxembourg 3-2 in round two. The Kings were making a repeat appearance in the Northern Conference Championship, while Paris was making its second in three years. Kyiv won the series 4-1 for its first pennant since joining EBF. Counting their EPB days, it was their 12<sup>th</sup> subleague title and first since 1992.

https://i.imgur.com/19d7L7Z.jpg

Barcelona and defending Southern Conference champ Vienna dominated the field, easily getting the first round byes. The Bengals repeated as Southwest Division champs at 111-51, setting a franchise record. The Vultures won a fourth consecutive East Central Division at 104-58 and posted a fourth consecutive 100+ win season. Barcelona won its division by 23 games and Vienna took its by 17. The Bengals had 291 doubles as a team, a conference record that held until 2028.

The South Central Division had an intense battle with four teams within three games of first and all six at .500 or better. By one game, Munich extended its division title streak to six seasons, finishing 90-72. Naples and Zurich were both 89-73, while Malta was 87-75, Rome was 83-79, and Zabreb was 81-81. Ultimately, the Mountaineers and Nobles got the two wild cards, giving Zurich its third straight wild card and Naples its second in three years.

Also right behind Naples and Zurich in the wild card race was Milan at 88-74, Bratislava at 87-75, and Budapest at 86-76. Tbilisi’s bid for a fourth straight Southeast Division was thwarted with a 75-87 finish. Yerevan won the weak group at 83-79. It was the only second-time the Valiants have ever been a playoff team, joining their 1977 division title from EPB.

Thessaloniki and Valencia were the first teams to have earned promotion the prior year. For the Tritons, they were immediately relegated right back at 62-100, finishing two games worse than Sofia and four worse than Odessa. The Vandals had a respectable debut at 75-87. Also at 75-87 was Madrid, which ended a seven-year playoff streak for the Conquistadors. It was their first losing record since 1996.

Malta fell two games short of their first-ever playoff appearance. Leading their effort was Southern Conference MVP Fabian Lindauer, who joined the Marvels in a 2004 offseason trade with Hamburg. The 25-year old Swiss third baseman led in home runs (60), RBI (153), total bases (412), slugging (.701), OPS (1.073), and wRC+ (195). Lindauer added 8.5 WAR and a .333 average. Sadly, later knee troubles would plague him in his 30s.

Vienna’s Steffen Neumann won his third straight Pitcher of the Year and earned a second Triple Crown. The 27-year old German had a 22-8 record, 1.99 ERA, and 318 strikeouts over 248.1 innings. He joined legendary aces Jean-Luc Roch and Lindsey Brampton as the only multiple-time Triple Crown winners in EBF. Neumann also led in WHIP (0.90), FIP- (48), and WAR (10.6).

Yerevan swept Zurich and Munich edged Naples 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs. Barcelona cruised to a sweep of the Valiants in round two, but the Mavericks shocked Vienna 3-2. It was the Bengals’ first Southern Conference Championship berth since winning it all in 1996, while the Mavericks were making a repeat appearance. In a seven-game thriller, Barcelona won it in dramatic fashion. Game seven finished 2-1 on a walk-off solo home run by Per Berg. The Bengals became seven-time conference champs.

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

In the 57<sup>th</sup> European Championship, Kyiv defeated Barcelona 4-2 to win their first EBF title. The Kings were no strangers to the throne, having won the EPB crown eight times, although this was their first overall ring since 1992. Conference MVP Nick Hudson was also finals MVP, posting 19 hits, 13 runs, 6 home runs, and 12 RBI in 15 playoff starts. The Bengals are now 4-3 in their finals berths.

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

Other notes: Cologne’s Nat Lecomte became the second-ever EBF player to record a seven hit game, going 7-8 against Krakow on April 12. He was the 11<sup>th</sup> player in any world league to achieve the feat. Budapest’s Jiri Lebr had 246 hits, the third-most in a season. That would be the best single-season for the eventual hit king, whose later longevity eventually made him EBF’s only 4000 hit club member. He also had a 27-game and 25-game hit streak during the summer. For the first time since 1990, there wasn’t a no-hitter thrown all season.

Villum Kleist became the sixth member of the 700 home run club, while he and Roberto Baccin became the ninth and tenth to reach 1500 runs scored. Remy Morel, Mattias Stole, and Giordano Dupuis all reached 2500 hits, making 23 batters to do so in EBF. Elias Blomqvist became the eighth reliever to 300 saves. Two-way player Atanas Kalkanov won his seventh Silver Slugger and sixth as a pitcher.

Promotion/Relegation: Thessaloniki and Krakow were both relegated into the Second League’s Eastern Conference. Palermo was switched from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference to maintain the balance. Riga went right back into its Northeast Division slot, replacing the Canines.

For Seville, it reclaimed its spot in the Southwest Division. Valencia, who took the Stingrays place in 2006, remained in the division with their fellow Spanish clubs. Milan was switched from the Southwest to the South Central, reuniting with the other Italian teams. Zagreb was shifted out of the South Central to the East Central, taking up the spot vacated by Thessaloniki.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-23-2024 03:34 AM

2006 in BSA

https://i.imgur.com/0mlcg9i.jpg

The top three records in the Bolivar League all came out of the Colombia-Ecuador Division. Two-time defending Copa Sudamerica winner Bogota won the division and the top seed at 93-69, but they were only two games from being out of the playoff entirely. Regardless, the Bats extended their postseason streak to four seasons and they earned their 14<sup>th</sup> playoff appearance since 1991.

One game back was Quito at 92-70, followed by Guayaquil at 91-71. The Thunderbolts got the wild card and a repeat playoff berth, while the Golds had to stay home. At 90-72, Caracas won the Venezuela Division for the fifth straight season and the 11<sup>th</sup> time in 12 years. No one else in that division was above .500.

Santa Cruz was the lone team from the 1974 expansion that had never earned a playoff berth. The Crawfish changed that in 2006, wining the Peru-Bolivia Division at 89-73. Santa Cruz edged Lima by only one game. La Paz had won a terrible division the prior year at 75-89. The Pump Jacks pitching staff set BL worsts with only 919 strikeouts and a 5.79 K/9.

Guayaquil’s Hector Correa made history as the first five-time Bolivar League MVP. Only home run king Valor Melo in the Southern Cone League had won MVP five times in Beisbol Sudamerica. The 33-year old Ecuadoran LF led in runs (125), RBI (142), total bases (424), average (.360), OBP (.422), OPS (1.131), wRC+ (187), and WAR (9.6). Correa also had 49 home runs and 215 hits. This would conclude his run with his hometown Golds after 11 seasons, leaving for MLB in the offseason and signing a five-year, $61,500,000 deal with Atlanta. Correa would return to BSA though for his final six seasons from 2011-16.

Pitcher of the Year and Reliever of the Year went to Caracas’ B.J. Ward. The only other time a BSA reliever won POTY was Pedro Heredia in 1979. The 29-year old American lefty had merely been a decent MLB reliever for nine seasons with four teams. Ward came to BSA in 2005 with Brasilia, then joined the Colts for 2006. He had 110 innings, 36 saves, a 1.79 ERA, 121 strikeouts, 224 ERA+, and 4.3 WAR.

Wild card Quito knocked out Bogota 3-1 in the Divisional Series, ending the Bats’ three-peat bid. This was the Thunderbolts’ first Bolivar League Championship Series berth since winning Copa Sudamerica in 1994. Caracas outlasted Santa Cruz 3-2 on the other side, giving the Colts their third BLCS in five years. Caracas claimed the crown 4-1 over Quito for their second pennant in four years. It was the 13<sup>th</sup> BL title for the Colts, which leads all teams.

https://i.imgur.com/fqm0fSP.jpg

Rio de Janeiro earned the #1 seed in the Southern Cone League at 99-63. The Redbirds won a third straight Southeast Division title and a fourth straight playoff berth. Buenos Aires, last year’s wild card, dropped to 78-84. After a shocking 64-win 2005, Asuncion reclaimed the South Central Division at 87-75. The Archers were eight ahead of Santiago, earning their eighth playoff berth and seventh division title in a decade. The Saints fell short despite having a payroll worth $100 million more than Asuncion.

Belo Horizonte won a stacked North Division at 97-65, ending a four-year playoff drought. Salvador was one back at 96-66 for their fourth wild card in six years. Brasilia at 93-69 and reigning league champ Fortaleza at 91-71 both missed the cut.

After 11 seasons with Brasilia, 1B Bernaldo Lagasse signed a four-year, $29,600,000 deal with Rio. His Redbirds debut saw him earn his third Southern Cone League MVP. The 32-year old Brazilian switch hitter led in runs (125), doubles (41), walks (98), OBP (.470), slugging (.725), OPS (1.195), wRC+ (234), and WAR (11.2). He added a .371 average, 46 home runs, and 109 RBI.

Belo Horizonte’s Juliao Costa became the sixth pitcher in BSA history to win Pitcher of the Year five times. The 30-year old Brazilian righty led in ERA (2.25), K/BB (13.9), shutouts (5), and FIP- (42). Costa added 10.1 WAR, 305 strikeouts, and a 16-6 record with 13 saves over 224 innings.

Rio de Janeiro survived 3-2 over Salvador and Asuncion upset Belo Horizonte 3-1 in the Divisional Series. The Redbirds earned repeat appearances in the Southern Cone Championship and their third in four years. The Archers hadn’t made it since their four pennants from 1997-01. Rio was the favorite, but Asuncion earned their fifth title 4-2. It was an impressive bounce back from a shocking 64-98 in 2005.

https://i.imgur.com/NiFrUV6.png

In the 76<sup>th</sup> Copa Sudamerica, Asuncion defeated Caracas 4-2 to earn their second-ever overall title (2001). The Colts have now lost in their last five Cups and sit at 4-9 all-time in the championship. Catcher R.J. Noriega was finals MVP in his second season. In 16 playoff starts, the Paraguayan had 18 hits, 10 runs, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, and 3 RBI.

https://i.imgur.com/YzK58I9.png

Other notes: Caracas slugger Milton Becker had just passed Valor Melo the prior year as the all-time RBI leader in BSA. In 2006, he became the first BSA player to cross 2000 RBI. He’d retire after the 2008 season with 2226, holding the top spot until 2027. Becker would pass Melo as the home run king in 2007. Becker also became the seventh member of the 3000 hit club in 2006 and won his 11<sup>th</sup> Silver Slugger.

For the first time in BSA history, back-to-back seasons passed without a single no-hitter. Mefisto Rodrigues was the 13<sup>th</sup> pitcher to 250 career wins and the 28<sup>th</sup> to 4000 strikeouts. 1B D.J. Del Valle won his 13<sup>th</sup> Gold Glove.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-23-2024 11:10 AM

2006 in EAB

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

After seeing their playoff streak snapped the prior year, 2003 and 2004 Japan League champ Niigata had the top seed in 2006 at 101-61. They rolled to the North Division as Saitama fell to 75-87. The Green Dragons picked up their fifth division title in six years. They were one game ahead of Hiroshima for the top overall seed.

The Hammerheads extended their West Division streak to eight seasons, but it did not come easy. Hiroshima was 100-62, two games better than 98-64 Kumamoto and five better than 95-67 Fukuoka. With no wild card spots in the JL, the Monsters and Frogs are both stuck at home again despite having 10+ more wins than the other two division champs. Fukuoka has the longest active playoff drought in East Asia Baseball at 26 seasons.

Tokyo won the Capital Division at 84-78 for a second berth in three years. Chiba, who won 97 games the prior year, was a distant second at 74-88. Defending JL champ Osaka narrowly won the Central Division at 84-78, edging Nagoya by one game. The Orange Sox picked up their fifth division title in six years.

Despite Chiba’s struggles, their two-way star Junichi Muto was Japan League MVP. The 29-year old lefty on the mound led in innings (283.2), and complete games (18), adding a 15-13 record, 2.95 ERA, 309 strikeouts, and 8.6 WAR. At the plate and in the outfield he had 123 games and 108 starts with 5.4 WAR, a .312/.335/.577 slash, 171 wRC+, and 29 home runs. Muto played one more year for Chiba, then was traded to Tokyo.

Kawasaki’s Soo Moon became a four-time Pitcher of the Year winner. He led in wins (20-7), strikeouts (356), WHIP (0.81), K/BB (14.2), FIP- (44), and WAR (10.3). The 29-year old also had a 2.23 ERA over 241.2 innings. Moon had two more years with the Killer Whales before leaving for MLB and a five-year, $63,000,000 deal with Toronto. Injury would knock him out of the game after the 2011 campaign.

Niigata downed Osaka 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs, while Tokyo upset Hiroshima 3-2. The bad times continued for the Hammerheads with no pennants and six first round exits in their eight-year playoff streak. The Tides hadn’t gotten to the Japan League Championship Series since 1995. They couldn’t keep the upset magic going against the Green Dragons, as Niigata took the JLCS 4-2. The Green Dragons won their third pennant in four years and their fifth overall (1990, 1991, 2003, 2004, 2006).

https://i.imgur.com/321kwf4.jpg

Last year’s Korea League runner-up Yongin again had the top overall seed and the South Division title. The Gold Sox were 100-62, 14 games better than second place Changwon. Incheon won the North Division at 94-68, earning their fifth playoff berth in six years. Two-time defending EAB champ Seoul was one back at 93-69, picking up a third straight wild card.

For the second wild card, Changwon (86-76) edged out Busan (85-77), Gwangju (85-77), Ulsan (83-79), Daegu (82-80), and Suwon (82-80). Entering the season, the Crabs were tied with the JL’s Fukuoka for the longest active playoff drought, dating back to 1980. This was only the third winning season in the last 20 years for Changwon. Seongnam was 79-83, which ended their playoff streak at five seasons.

Incheon 1B Kyu-Seong Lee won his second Korea League MVP. The 29-year old led in runs (116), total bases (392), slugging (.658), OPS (1.049), and WAR (8.5). Lee added 51 home runs, 121 RBI, and a .332 average. Like many others, the allure of MLB money would be too great for Lee, as he’d leave the Inferno in the offseason. He would ink a seven-year, $84,900,000 deal to join the Detroit Tigers.

Seoul’s Dan-U Lim won Pitcher of the Year honors. The 28-year old righty led in quality starts (23) and innings (264). Lim had a 19-10 record, 2.59 ERA, 240 strikeouts, and 5.3 WAR. This effort earned him a nice six-year, $33,400,000 extension in the offseason with the Seahawks, although he’d be merely mid throughout that run.

Changwon shocked top seed Yongin 3-1 in the first round, sending the Crabs to the Korea League Championship Series for the first time since 1965. Seoul outlasted Incheon 3-2 to earn a third straight KLCS berth. The Seahawks completed the three-peat, downing Changwon 4-2. They’re the first team to win three straight Korean titles since Daegu in the 1970s. Notably unique for Seoul is that they’ve done it as a wild card each year. It was their seventh title overall.

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

The 86<sup>th</sup> East Asian Championship was a rematch of 2004, which saw Seoul win 4-3 in dramatic fashion over Niigata. The Seahawks were now looking to win a third straight title, but the Green Dragons ended up spoiling that hope in six games. This was Niigata’s second title, joining their 1991 sweep over Goyang. 2B Jae-Min Hwang was finals MVP in his ninth season for the Green Dragons. In 16 playoff starts, he had 23 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 11 RBI.

https://i.imgur.com/JuLqUR3.png

Other notes: SS Tokuei Kato won his 12<sup>th</sup> and final Gold Glove, holding the EAB record for the position.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-23-2024 05:28 PM

2006 in CABA

https://i.imgur.com/6RTOhKa.jpg

The power in the Mexican League was concentrated in the North Division. Defending ML champ Juarez took first at 98-64, extending their playoff streak to five years. The Jesters set a new league record offensively with 1701 hits, which still stands as the top mark as of 2037. Still, they only won the division by one game over Hermosillo at 97-65. The Hyenas ended a 16-year playoff drought dating back to 1989.

For the second wild card, Mexicali (93-69) just beat out Monterrey (92-70), and Torreon (89-73). The Maroons ended their own 21 year playoff drought and brought an end to the Matadors’ historic streak. Monterrey had made the playoffs a CABA-record 18 consecutive seasons, although they had been a wild card and one-and-done in six straight years. Still, this was a changing of the guard after the Matadors had dominated throughout the 1990s.

Another massive change was Ecatepec falling to 80-82, ending their South Division title streak at ten years. The Explosion had been the ML’s powerhouse in the 2000s with six straight titles from 1999-04. Winning the division was Merida, whose playoff drought dated back to 1982. The Mean Green hadn’t been a division champion since 1977.

Mexicali’s Iwan Valen became a three-time Mexican League MVP. The 29-year old lefty from Curacao won his eighth Gold Glove in center field and led in WAR (11.5), total bases (407), slugging (.679), and OPS (209). Valen also had 48 home runs and 126 RBI with a .331 average. He finally ended a playoff drought for the Maroons, but they knew they couldn’t keep their superstar. Valen would sign one of the richest deals in baseball history in the offseason, heading to MLB’s Cincinnati Reds at seven years and $95,900,000.

Pitcher of the Year was Hermosillo’s Simon Leal. The 29-year old Mexican led in wins (20-9), and strikeouts (312). He added a 2.50 ERA over 244.1 innings and 6.9 WAR. The Hyenas were able to keep him locked up, inking a seven-year, $66,500,000 extension in May 2007.

Juarez survived 3-2 over Mexicali in the first round, while Hermosillo outlasted Merida 3-2. The Hyenas hadn’t gotten to the Mexican League Championship Series since their 1989 title. They took the Jesters to the limit, but Juarez repeated as ML champs after a seven game war. Juarez was now 11-time Mexican League champs.

https://i.imgur.com/8nBCS3m.jpg

Haiti again was the top seed in the Caribbean League, taking the Island Division at 106-56. The Herons grew their playoff streak to a decade with nine division titles in that run. Over in the Continental Division, Honduras took first at 98-64 to grow their own playoff streak to nine years. It was also the 15<sup>th</sup> playoff berth since 1990 for the Horsemen.

Defending CABA champ Salvador was second at 95-67, taking the first wild card. The Stallions’ playoff streak was at four with and they saw a 12<sup>th</sup> berth in 13 years. There was a big gap to the second wild card with Santo Domingo and Nicaragua tying at 84-78. Havana was right behind at 83-79, as was Santiago (81-81), Costa Rica (80-82), and Guatemala (80-82). The Dolphins beat the Navigators in the tiebreaker game, ending an eight-year playoff drought for SD.

Salvador LF Darion Gaudi won Caribbean League MVP with historic power, tying CABA’s single-season home run record of 72 set by Yohnny Galaz in 1988. No one would top this mark in CABA until 2034. Gaudi also had 159 RBI, the third-most in a season. The 25-year old Jamaican switch hitter also led in total bases (461), and slugging (.752) while adding a .336 average and 8.2 WAR. Gaudi would earn a six-year, $48,900,000 extension before the 2008 season largely from this season. Knee issues ultimately kept Gaudi from excelling beyond this one remarkable season.

Salvador also had the Pitcher of the Year in second-year lefty Mateo Ramirez. The 23-year old Dominican led in strikeouts (340), innings (265.1), WHIP (0.99), quality starts (21), and WAR (9.1). Ramirez also had a 2.61 ERA and 19-7 record. Also of note, Haiti’s Alejandro Valadez became CABA’s first five-time Reliever of the Year winner, earning them consecutively. He would leave for a relatively unremarkable MLB run the next year.

Division champs won in round one 3-1 with Haiti over Santo Domingo and Honduras over Salvador. Despite the playoff streaks for both, it was only the third time in that run that the Herons and Horsemen met in the Caribbean League Championship Series. Haiti cruised to a sweep to reclaim the throne for the first time since the 2000-02 three-peat. The Herons became seven-time CL champs.

https://i.imgur.com/4X94ZmX.png

In the 96<sup>th</sup> Central American Baseball Association Championship, Juarez seemed on their way to a sweep initially. The Jesters won the first three games, but Haiti made the stunning comeback to win the series 4-3. The only other time in CABA Championship history to see a 3-0 rally was the very first final in 1991 with Merida over Havana.

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

The Herons became four-time CABA champs and won their third title of the 2000s. (1938, 2001, 2002, 2006). Finals MVP was 1B Ivan Moran with the 26-year old Honduran making 14 starts with 25 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, and 14 RBI.

Other notes: Mexicali’s Ernesto Rincon had 246 hits, the second most in a CABA season to date. Only Prometheo Garcia’s 252 from 1949 were better. Havana had 294 doubles as a team, the second-most in CL history to that point. Honduras’ Jose Cardenas had a 32-game hit streak and Trinidad’s Augusto Jaen had a 31-game one.

Hugh Boerboom became the fifth to reach 2000 career RBI. He would retire after 2006 with 2008 RBI, fifth on the all-time chart. Boerboom would also finish at 866 home runs, easily holding the top spot there until Noah Breton passed him in the late 2020s. As of 2037, Boerboom is still second in CABA homers and seventh in RBI.

Maikel Loya became the 13<sup>th</sup> member of the 600 home run club and the 13<sup>th</sup> to reach 1500 runs scored. Loya played three more years, getting to 689 dingers and 1796 runs. SS Rafino Piloto won his tenth Gold Glove. David Davila won his 11<sup>th</sup> Silver Slugger at shortstop. Davila also became the 43<sup>rd</sup> player to cross 2500 career hits.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-24-2024 04:48 AM

2006 in MLB

https://i.imgur.com/kNFQ3mI.jpg

Last year’s National Association Championship Series runner-up Quebec City had the top seed in 2006 at 102-60. This was a franchise record for the Nordiques, who won the Northeast Division. The #2 seed went to Winnipeg at 99-63 atop the Upper Midwest Division. It was the second division title in three years for the Wolves, who won the pennant in 2004. They fended off tough competition from Cleveland (95-67), Detroit (93-69), and Minneapolis (90-72).

The Cobras ended up getting the first wild card for their third playoff berth in four years. The Tigers tied with Boston for the second wild card at 93-69, while the Moose fell three games short. The one-game tiebreaker went to the Red Sox, giving them their second berth in three years. In the Lower Midwest Division, Indianapolis ended a three-year playoff drought by taking it at 91-71. It was their first division title since 2000. Columbus was second, four back at 87-75.

In the East Division, Pittsburgh prevailed at 91-71, edging Brooklyn by three games. While the Pirates were a wild card in 2003, this was their first division title since 1967. Reigning National Association champ Philadelphia fell off hard, dropping to 74-88. The Phillies had won the division four of the last five years and hadn’t posted a losing season since 1998.

Boston 1B Joran Mallery won his second National Association MVP in three years. The 24-year old from New Hampshire led in doubles (41), and WAR (9.4) in only his fourth season. Mallery added 35 home runs, 93 RBI, a .334/.402/.585 slash, and 206 wRC+. The Red Sox wanted him as the face of the franchise long term and signed him after the 2007 campaign to an eight-year, $98,700,000 deal.

Louisville’s Joshua Williams won his second Pitcher of the Year in only his third season. The 23-year old righty from Raleigh, North Carolina led in ERA (1.87), innings (270), strikeouts (327), walks (98), quality starts (30), FIP- (48), and WAR (11.4). His WAR total was the 15<sup>th</sup> highest single-season by a MLB pitcher.

The first round of the playoffs had Cleveland sweep Pittsburgh and Indianapolis sweep Boston. The Cobras rolled on, upsetting top seed Quebec City 3-0. This gave Cleveland its first National Association Championship Series since winning it all in 2000. Winnipeg stopped the Racers 3-1 to set up a shot at their second pennant in three years. The Wolves took the series 4-1 over the Cobras to earn their second pennant.

https://i.imgur.com/F0Qwoku.jpg

The fight for the top seed was intense in the American Association with the top three teams all within one game of each other. Nashville ended up taking it at 101-61, bouncing back after only 76 wins in 2005. The Knights earned their fourth Southeast Division title in six years. For the other bye, Northwest Division champ Salt Lake City and South Central Division champ Austin both finished 100-62. The tiebreaker gave the Loons the bye.

For SLC, this was a third straight playoff berth. They were 10 games ahead of Portland in the division. Defending World Series champion Seattle was a distant third at 82-80, missing the playoffs for only the second time in nine years. For the Amigos, it was their second berth in three years. They had to fend off a fierce challenge from 98-64 Houston. The Hornets earned the first wild card and extended their playoff streak to five seasons.

Albuquerque and San Diego tied for the Southwest Division title at 95-67. The tiebreaker game went to the Isotopes for back-to-back division titles. Albuquerque’s playoff streak grew to six seasons, the longest active streak in MLB. The Seals were the second wild card, five games better than their closest foe Portland. San Diego ended a two-year playoff drought.

Salt Lake City CF Morgan Short won his third consecutive American Association MVP. He won his second Gold Glove as well, leading in WAR (11.9), doubles (48), average (.378), OBP (.449), and OPS (1.061). This was Short’s fourth straight batting title and third straight year with 11.9 WAR, giving him the fourth, fifth, and sixth best single-seasons by an MLB position player. Short also added 20 home runs and 102 RBI. The Loons had given Short an eight-year, $76,800,000 extension the prior winter.

Austin’s Archer Calloway won Pitcher of the Year in his fifth season. The lefty from San Antonio led in wins (23-7), quality starts (25), and shutouts (5). Calloway added 2.52 ERA, 288 strikeouts, and 7.2 WAR over 268 innings. He would sign a five-year, $41,280,000 extension with the Amigos in the offseason.

Houston edged Albuquerque 2-1 and San Diego upset Austin 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs. The Hornets went onto shock Salt Lake City 3-1 in round two. Despite their playoff streak, Houston hadn’t gotten to the American Association Championship Series since 1995. On the other side, Nashville survived 3-2 against the Seals. The Knights last played in the AACS in 2002 and won the pennant in 2001. Nashville cruised to a sweep of Houston to become five-time AA champs (1944, 1947, 1954, 2001, 2006).

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The 106<sup>th</sup> World Series saw Nashville defeat Winnipeg 4-1, giving the Knights their second MLB title of the 2000s. It was their third overall, as they also won back in 1954. World Series MVP was SS Mohammed Mohamed. The 32-year old Saudi was a five-time Arab League MVP with Mosul who signed with Nashville in 2005 at six years and $67,000,000. Mohamed missed almost all of 2005 with a torn PCL, but had a Silver Slugger 2006 season. In 14 playoff starts, he had 17 hits, 10 runs, 3 home runs, and 7 RBI.

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Other notes: MLB’s 20<sup>th</sup> Perfect Game came on May 20 from San Diego’s Johnny Aschenbrenner, who struck out 10 against Oakland. Cincinnati’s Ivor Schneider had a 30-game hit streak. Bryson Wightman became the 55<sup>th</sup> member of the 3000 hit club.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-24-2024 10:42 AM

2007 MLB Hall of Fame

Major League Baseball’s lone Hall of Fame inductee in 2007 was SS Bernd Sprenger, who earned a first ballot nod at 73.6%. RF Brian Ostrovskaya came close to the 66% requirement, but missed it with 61.5% on his third try. Five other returners were above 55%, but short of 60%. CL Alex Cantos had 59.5% on his ninth try, CL Brendan Gordon got 58.9% for his second, CF Will Kemme had 57.2% on his third, RF Mike Castaneda had 56.9% on his sixth and SP Ollie Husband was at 56.0% on his ninth.

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Just above 50% was CL Christopher Fournier on his second ballot, CL Isaac Porter on his third, and RF Xavier Chojnacki on his fourth. The second best debut on the ballot was CL Jordan Neveau at a mere 32.2%.

The only player dropped after ten ballots was 1B Roy Cote, who played 19 seasons for Calgary. He had 3157 hits, 1639 runs, 550 doubles, 478 home runs, 1775 RBI, 997 walks, a .290/.351/.480 slash, 123 wRC+, and 57.0 WAR. Cote’s longevity got him some key accumulations and he won two World Series rings with the Cheetahs.

However, he had only one Silver Slugger and the advanced stats suggest he was an above average guy with tenure. Poor defense and baserunning meant he had surprisingly low WAR when considering his finally tallies. Still, Cote remains 12<sup>th</sup> all-time in doubles, 38<sup>th</sup> in RBI, and 46<sup>th</sup> in hits. Cote got as high as 60.1% on the 2004 ballot, but was usually in the 40s, ending at 46.8%.

Jayden Slater also notably fell off after nine ballots, falling below 5% and peaking at 19.2%. He had 2116 hits, 1230 runs, 304 doubles, 564 home runs, 1441 RBI, a .252/.328/.493 slash, 129 wRC+, and 52.5 WAR over 16 years. Slater was at that point the fourth guy to miss the MLB HOF despite having 560+ dingers. He also only had one Silver Slugger and largely played for subpar teams.

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Bernd “Noodle” Sprenger – Shortstop – Denver Dragons – 73.6% First Ballot

Bernd Sprenger was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting shortstop from Badbergen, Germany; a small town of around 5,000 in Lower Saxony. He was nicknamed “Noodle” for his love of pasta. Sprenger was the rare shortstop who was excellent at hitting both for contact and power. Eight different seasons, Sprenger hit 40+ homers. He could find the gap too with around 30 walks per 162 game average. Sprenger’s eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts were both average. He was a smart baserunner, but his speed was lousy.

Despite poor straight line speed, Sprenger had solid range and glovesmanship. He was a career shortstop and graded out as above average to good, even winning two Gold Gloves in his early years. Sprenger had some nagging elbow, knee and back troubles, but held up pretty well at a demanding position for 23 years. He was a great leader and became a beloved international baseball figure.

Sprenger holds a very unique distinction as being a Hall of Famer in MLB despite beginning his career in a different league. Growing up in Germany, he caught the attention of a scout from Belfast. In June 1976, he signed a developmental deal and moved to Northern Ireland. Sprenger also was a rare player to debut at age 19, seeing only a few appearances in 1979. He was a full-time starter the next six years with the Brewers, although he did miss some time in 1981 and 1983 with elbow injuries.

In his third full season, Sprenger emerged as an absolute stud. From 1982-85, he posted four straight seasons with 11+ WAR, leading the Northern Conference in 1982, 1984, and 1985. Great defense played a role, winning Gold Gloves in 1982 and 1983. Sprenger also won Silver Sluggers each of those four seasons. He led in batting average and OBP in 1984 with career bests at .363 and .424, respectively. Sprenger also smacked 37, 44, 54, and 57 home runs in those seasons.

Even stuck on some abysmal Belfast teams, Sprenger was hard to miss. However, the Brewers’ best season during his tenure was 75-87, which may have kept him from winning MVP. Still, Sprenger took second in four consecutive seasons from 1982-85. He soon became a national hero back in Germany from the World Baseball Championship. Sprenger had started with the squad in 1981 and played 212 games and made 207 starts over the next two decades.

In 1983, Sprenger led the Germans to their first-ever world title, defeating Ukraine in the championship. He won tournament MVP with 33 hits, 20 runs, 15 home runs, 28 RBI, a .314/.342/.790 slash, and 2.0 WAR over 25 starts. Germany made it back to the 1991 final, falling to Canada. Sprenger was second in MVP voting that year with 30 hits, 16 runs, 8 doubles, 9 homers, and 17 RBI over 25 starts.

In total for the German team, Sprenger had 210 hits, 143 runs, 46 doubles, 78 home runs, 166 RBI, a .263/.325/.619 slash, 164 wRC+, and 10.5 WAR. As of 2037, he’s played more games than anyone for Germany and sits second in WAR by position players, first in hits, first in RBI, second in runs, and second in homers. Among all position players, Sprenger is 30<sup>th</sup> in WAR as of 2037, as well as 17<sup>th</sup> in homers, 16<sup>th</sup> in RBI, and 26<sup>th</sup> in hits.

With that, Sprenger was known across the baseball world and was a very hot commodity entering free agency at only age 26. Belfast showed no signs of climbing from the cellar and likely had no chance of matching his expected offers. Thus ended Sprenger’s EBF run after only seven seasons. As a Brewer, Sprenger had 1016 hits, 500 runs, 170 doubles, 223 home runs, 571 RBI, a .323/.376/.609 slash, 179 wRC+, and 55.2 WAR.

It would be Denver who signed Sprenger to an eight-year, $12,500,000 deal to start his MLB run in 1986. In this era, the Dragons reached out to a number of international stars, including EAB Hall of Fame arm Aiya Kodama and former Chinese League MVP Haojian Yu. The signings paid off, as the Dragons became a regular American Association contender in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Injuries cost Sprenger almost half of his debut season of 1986, but he was still so good that he won a Silver Slugger anyway. He won the Slugger in all eight of his Denver seasons, giving him 12 total counting the Belfast run. All of his seasons had 5.5+ WAR with two being worth 9+ WAR. Sprenger led in WAR in 1987 with 9.4. His MLB best was 9.6 in 1990, which also saw an AA-best 142 RBI, 392 total bases, and .624 slugging. He hit 40+ homers five straight years from 1987-91. Sprenger’s 52 homers in 1990 was his MLB best, leading him to his lone MVP.

From 1988-93, Denver had five playoff appearances and four division titles. The Dragons won the American Association in 1989 and 1991 and fell in the 1993 AACS. In 1989, Denver defeated Hartford in the World Series with Sprenger getting 19 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 3 home runs, and 13 RBI in the playoff run. His Dragons career playoff stats were surprisingly underwhelming though with 47 starts, 48 hits, 23 runs, 11 home runs, 30 RBI, a .257/.281/.481 slash, 105 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR.

Regardless, Sprenger was a beloved superstar in the Mile High City and his #7 would be the first-ever uniform number retired by the Dragons. His contract expired after the 1993 season, becoming a free agent at age 34. Sprenger would sign a four-year, $12,600,000 deal with San Francisco.

Sprenger was less dominant in this stage of his career, but was still a very solid starter. He stepped up and won AACS MVP in 1994, helping the Gold Rush to a World Series title over Cleveland. In that run, he had 19 hits, 13 runs, 8 doubles, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI. San Francisco earned first round byes the next two seasons, but went one-and-done in the playoffs. Sprenger missed big chunks of 1996 to a knee sprain and to a dislocated shoulder in 1997.

He was a free agent again at age 38 and Denver brought him back for two years and $8,400,000. He had a resurgence with 5.2 WAR in the 1999 season. Between the two Denver runs, Sprenger had 1535 hits, 849 runs, 239 doubles, 383 home runs, 995 RBI, a .295/.345/.568 slash, 144 wRC+, and 63.7 WAR.

After that, San Francisco brought him back for $13,000,000 and two years. Elbow troubles kept him out much of 2000, although he was unremarkable when healthy. Sprenger was relegated to a bench role in 2001, struggling to a .189 average and -0.6 WAR.

Between the runs with the Gold Rush, he had 482 hits, 290 runs, 85 doubles, 104 home runs, 311 RBI, a .250/.302/.461 slash, 109 wRC+, and 13.9 WAR. Sprenger hoped to play in 2002, but was clearly cooked at this point. He retired that winter at age 43.

For his MLB career, Sprenger had 2017 hits, 1139 runs, 324 doubles, 487 home runs, 1306 RBI, a .283/.334/.539 slash, 135 wRC+, and 77.6 WAR. Starting off in Europe did lower his grand accumulations a bit within MLB, which did distance some voters. His immense popularity and role in World Series wins for two franchises though got him across the line for most voters.

Sprenger earned 73.6%, enough for a first ballot nod as the lone MLB Hall of Famer in 2007. For his full pro career, he had 3033 hits, 1639 runs, 494 doubles, 710 home runs, 1877 RBI, a .295/.347/.561 slash, 148 wRC+, and 132.8 WAR. Those combined totals and his WBC heroics prove that for much of the 1980s and 1990s, there were very few better shortstops in the world than Bernd Sprenger.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-24-2024 05:18 PM

2007 CABA Hall of Fame

Only LF Luis Martinez earned induction into the Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 2007. He barely did it too, just crossing the 66% requirement with 67.0% on his fifth ballot. The only debuting player above 50% was RF Dion Juarez at 56.3%. CF Manuel Rodriguez was the one other guy above 50% with 50.6% on his fifth try.

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The ballot got purged a bit with four players getting dropped after ten failed tries. SP Simon Pech led this group, ending at 14.2% and peaking at 26.6% in 1999. He had only 11 years and won 1981 Pitcher of the Year, posting a 163-117 record, 3.20 ERA, 2687 innings, 2566 strikeouts, 113 ERA+, and 51.9 WAR. He lacked the longevity or dominance beyond one strong year to get any traction.

Fellow SP Jeronimo Talavarea pitched 15 years and got as high as 47.8% in 2006 before plummeting to a low of 13.0% in 2007. His CABA run was all with Nicaragua and saw a 178-126 record, 3.09 ERA, 2797.2 innings, 2691 strikeouts, 118 ERA+, and 50.9 WAR. Another fairly firm “Hall of Good” type guy.

Likewise was SP Sergio Mendoza, who had 12 seasons with six teams. He had a 156-102 record, 2.91 ERA, 2528 innings, 2245 strikeouts, 116 ERA+, and 44.3 WAR. He debuted at 18.0% and never got higher, ending at 9.2%.

Lastly was Tonto Lorenzo, who was at least notable for winning six Gold Gloves and titles with both Juarez and Monterrey. In 11 CABA seasons, he had a 135-110 record, 2.84 ERA, 2365 innings, 2107 strikeouts, 116 ERA+, and 44.5 WAR. Lorenzo peaked with his debut ballot at 15.1% and ended at 7.3%. Each guy had fine careers, but was correctly kept outside of the Hall of Fame.

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Luis Martinez – Left Field – Ecatepec Explosion – 67.0% Fifth Ballot

Luis Martinez was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting left fielder from Mexico City. At his peak, Martinez had a strong bat that could reliably get you 30+ home runs and 25+ doubles a season. He was an above average contact hitter with a decent eye for walks, but his strikeout rate was subpar. Martinez was a much stronger bat against righties (172 wRC+, .936 OPS) compared to lefties (114 wRC+, .726 OPS). Martinez’ speed was abysmal, making him struggle as a baserunner and a defender.

He was a career left fielder and graded out as a lousy defender. Martinez had a cannon arm that graded as a 10/10, but his range and glove work were hot garbage. He was an ironman though and played in 150+ games each year from 1985-96. Martinez was scrappy and always gave it his all, making him a very popular player with Ecatepec.

Although nearly his entire career was with the Explosion, many fans forget that Martinez started his career elsewhere. In the 1981 CABA Draft, Leon picked him with the ninth overall pick. Martinez only saw six at-bats in 1982, then played 30 games with six starts in 1983. In June 1983, he was traded along with prospect SP Vicente Zafra to Ecatepec for veteran SP Carlos Xochitl and $1,710,000.

Martinez remained in primarily a pinch hitter role for the rest of 1983 and through 1984. He earned a starting spot in 1985 for Ecatepec and held it for the next 12 years. In 1986 and 1988, he led the Mexican League in both RBI and total bases, winning Silver Sluggers both years. 1986 had a career best 8.6 WAR. 1988 also saw a league-leading .597 slugging, .947 OPS, and 197 wRC+. In both seasons, Martinez was second in MVP voting.

Ecatepec gave him a four-year, $5,080,000 extension after the 1987 campaign. They had three straight playoff appearances from 1986-88, but lost in the wild card round each time. The Explosion fell into the mid-tier for the next four years. Martinez was reliably solid, but didn’t provide quite as much power as they’d hoped in those middle years. Still, he was well liked for his work ethic and grit, which earned him a seven-year, $10,640,000 extension in May 1991.

1993 marked the start of Ecatepec’s dominance of the South Division, winning 12 division titles from 1993-2005. The Explosion won the Mexican League pennant in 1994, but lost in the MLCS in 1993, 95, and 96. Although well liked, Martinez’ playoff numbers weren’t good. In 50 games and 36 starts, he had 29 hits, 17 runs, 5 doubles, 5 home runs, 15 RBI, a .209/.257/.381 slash, 78 wRC+, and 0.0 WAR.

Martinez would be gone before Ecatepec’s true dynasty began in the early 2000s. He did have an impressive resurgence in 1996 at age 34, socking a career best 48 home runs with a .326 average. That got him his third Silver Slugger. Martinez was relegated to a bench role though in 1997 and the team bought out his final year in 1998. After going unsigned that season, Martinez retired at age 37.

Martinez finished with 2085 hits, 1077 runs, 333 doubles, 436 home runs, 1249 RBI, a .293/.348/.533 slash, 157 wRC+, and 61.6 WAR. His tallies were definitely borderline at best and he debuted on the 2003 ballot at 43.5%. Martinez did slowly climb up to 53.4% in 2005, but seemed to plateau at 53.0% in 2006.

2007 was a very weak Hall of Fame ballot for CABA with only one debut getting above 50%. Those that didn’t want to leave a ballot blank gave Martinez another look. He was a reliably solid power hitter for a decade and helped Ecatepec become a regular playoff team, even if he wasn’t the main piece. That got him the bump to 67.0%, crossing the line by one percent for a fifth ballot nod as 2007’s lone CABA inductee.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-25-2024 04:08 AM

2007 EAB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

2007 was a mammoth year for the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame with five players earning induction. They were all first ballot nods as well, led by SP Kwang-Woon Ryu (94.3%), 1B Tsukasa Kato (93.3%), and 3B/DH Hyeon-Seong Lim (90.8%). Joining them was 2B/DH Ji-Hu Kim at 81.0% and SP Liang Ran at 69.8%. No one else above 50% and only LF Jin-Uk Song was even above 1/3, getting 44.4% on his fifth ballot.

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LF Yeo-Min Kwan was dropped after ten failed ballots. He had a 15-year run with Sapporo and earned 11 Gold Gloves, plus one Silver Slugger and an EAB championship in 1981. Kwan had 2483 hits, 1222 runs, 306 doubles, 254 triples, 141 home runs, 790 RBI, 1048 stolen bases, a .313/.344/.469 slash, 141 wRC+, and 85.4 WAR. Leadoff guys always have an uphill climb though with many voters favoring homers and RBI while putting limited value on defense and steals. Kwan debuted at 34.0% in 1998, but eventually fell down to 8.3% at the end.

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Kwang-Woon Ryu – Starting Pitcher – Fukuoka Frogs – 94.3% First Ballot

Kwang-Woon Ryu was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Seosan, South Korea; a city of 176,000 inhabitants on the west central coast. Ryu had pinpoint control and was considered an all-timer at placing his pitches. He needed it to make up for merely average to above average stuff and movement. Ryu’s fastball only peaked in the 91-93 mph range, but his sinker was similar, plus he had a great changeup. Changing speed and placing pitches perfectly made Ryu successful despite lacking overpowering stuff.

Ryu also had excellent stamina and was quite good at going deep into games. He also had strong durability, allowing him to rack up 4000+ innings in his career. Ryu was generally quiet and didn’t draw attention to himself, meaning he was perhaps underappreciated by many fans of his era.

In February 1980, a 16-year old Ryu signed as a teenage amateur with Fukuoka, making the move from South Korea to Japan. He debuted in 1984 at age 20 with 50 innings, showing solid promise. The Frogs made him a full-time starter after that and he was a fixture for the next nine years. Ryu usually was a starter, although they did experiment with him in a split starter/relief role at points.

Twice with Fukuoka, he led in K/BB. He also had a league best 58 FIP- in 1988, getting his highest WAR total with the Frogs at 7.8. Ryu signed a three-year, $5,000,000 extension after the 1990 season. He was reliably solid, but the lack of big strikeout numbers meant Ryu wasn’t in awards conversations. Fukuoka never made the playoffs in his tenure either, generally hovering a few games below .500.

Ryu did see his production wane a bit in his last two years with the Frogs. In 1993, he had a 91 ERA+ and only 2.7 WAR as he spent more time out of the bullpen than starting. Fukuoka decided to let him try free agency at age 30, ending his run after a decade. Ryu had a 121-117 record, 3.21 ERA, 2122.1 innings, 1918 strikeouts, 314 walks, 105 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 46.6 WAR.

He was liked enough by Frogs management that they eventually retired his #13 uniform. Ryu also had more innings and games there, leading to being inducted in green. It was his next stop though where he had his most impressive years. Ryu signed a four-year, $8,300,000 deal with Ulsan for 1994. He added another four years and $10,320,000 after the 1996 season.

Ryu’s game aged very well and the Swallows took more advantage of his stamina. He led the Korea League thrice in complete games and twice in innings pitched. In 1996, Ryu led the league with 8.6 WAR and had career bests in ERA (2.71) and strikeouts (265), earning his lone Pitcher of the Year. He led in wins (26-10) and WAR (7.1) in 1998, earning a second place in POTY.

Ulsan was a wild card four straight seasons from 1994-97. In 1996, the Swallows put together a playoff run, winning the EAB Championship over Hiroshima. Ryu ate innings, but his playoff stats were poor with Ulsan. He had a 4-6 record, 5.02 ERA, 80.2 innings, 64 strikeouts, 11 walks, 76 ERA+, 92 FIP-, and 1.4 WAR. In the 1996 run though, he had a 4-1 record and tossed 41.2 innings with a 3.46 ERA.

Ryu looked more average in 1999 and Ulsan decided to trade him. For his time with the Swallows, Ryu had a 112-71 record, 3.38 ERA, 1655.1 innings, 1418 strikeouts, 168 walks, 113 ERA+, and 5.8 WAR. In February 2000, Ulsan sent him to Yongin for three prospects.

He was respectable with 3.9 WAR in 159 innings for the Gold Sox, but did miss much of the season to bone chips in his elbow. Yongin opted to let him go after a poor playoff start. Ryu signed for 2001 with Daegu and again was perfectly serviceable with 3.9 WAR and a 3.46 ERA in 195.1 innings. However, Ryu tore his rotator cuff late in the 2001 campaign. Instead of trying to rehab such a major injury, Ryu retired that winter at age 38.

Ryu’s career stats saw a 254-205 record, 3.29 ERA, 4132 innings, 3585 strikeouts, 525 walks, 302/506 quality starts, 163 complete games, 109 ERA+, 81 FIP-, and 90.2 WAR. His reliability meant he was the 12<sup>th</sup> pitcher to reach 250 wins and the 32<sup>nd</sup> to 3500 strikeouts. As of 2037, he’s 22<sup>nd</sup> all-time in pitching WAR. Ryu quietly built up impressive tallies and the voters were easily swayed, giving him a first ballot nod at 94.3% to lead the five-player 2007 EAB Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-25-2024 11:14 AM

2007 EAB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Tsukasa Kato – First Base – Kitakyushu Kodiaks – 91.3% First Ballot

Tsukasa Kato was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Kashihara, Japan a city of roughly 125,000 people in the Nara Prefecture. Quite simply, Kato socked dingers. His home run power was graded as a 10/10 for most of his career (sometimes even 11/10), sending towering shots into the grandstands regularly. Kato’s 162 game average was 55 homers per year and on seven occasions, he smacked 60+. Kato was also quite good at drawing walks as many pitchers felt it was better just to give him a free pass.

That said, Kato’s contact skills were average at best and he had a lousy strikeout rate. He didn’t get many doubles either, very much opting for the “three true outcomes.” Almost 44% of his plate appearances ended in a homer, strikeout, or walk. Kato was also a very slow and clumsy baserunner, so you weren’t going to see any value there.

Despite that sluggishness, Kato was considered a reliably good defender at first base, where he played every inning of his career in the field. Kato also had excellent durability, making 140+ starts in all but one season from 1985-1997. He wasn’t a leader in the clubhouse, but he got along generally well with everyone. Kato’s home run power would make him a popular figure throughout Japanese baseball.

Kato attended the University of Tokyo and his power was quickly on display in the college game. With the 11<sup>th</sup> pick in the 1981 EAB Draft, he was picked by Hiroshima. Kato wasn’t fully formed yet and the Hammerheads didn’t use him at all in 1982. He saw mostly pinch hitting in 1983 and 1984. Hiroshima finally gave him a full-time job in 1985, which he held for the next six seasons with the Hammerheads.

His second full season started a stretch where Kato smacked 50+ home runs in 11 out of 12 seasons. The 11 seasons with 50 homers matched EAB home run king Lei Meng for the most in EAB history. Kato led Japan in homers 11 times in that stretch. Specifically with Hiroshima, he was the leader from 1986-1990. Kato also led once in total bases, thrice in slugging, once in OPS, once in wRC+, and once in WAR.

1987 saw the lead in WAR (9.5), wRC+ (213), and OPS (1.059), earning Kato his first MVP. He also took third in 1991 with the Hammerheads. Kato won Silver Sluggers in 1986, 87, and 88 with Hiroshima. The Hammerheads committed to Kato with an eight-year, $6,620,000 contract extension after the 1986 season.

Hiroshima contended with four division titles from 1985-89. However, they couldn’t get over the hump with their deepest runs being JLCS defeats in 1986 and 1987. In the playoffs for the Hammerheads, Kato had 30 starts, 24 hits, 19 runs, 12 home runs, 21 RBI, a .226/.287/.604 slash, 168 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR.

Hiroshima fell below .500 in 1990 and seemed to be entering a rebuilding phase. To the disappointment of many fans, Kato decided to opt out of his deal and enter free agency. For his Hammerheads tenure, Kato had 886 hits, 564 runs, 111 doubles, 326 home runs, 635 RBI, a .258/.325/.583 slash, 172 wRC+, and 39.7 WAR.

Kato’s most famous run began in 1991 after signing a seven-year, $10,240,000 deal with Kitakyushu. The Kodiaks had just taken runner-up in the JLCS and hoped Kato could get them over the hump. This was a great spot for him with the Kodiaks’ field known as one of the most homer-friendly parks in Japan. The dimensions were 315-405-309; very ripe for exploitation by a guy like Kato.

He smacked 50+ in all seven seasons with the Kodiaks, leading the league six times. He also had 110+ RBI each season in Kitakyushu. Over that run, Kato led in RBI four times, runs once, walks twice, total bases, thrice, slugging thrice, OPS thrice, wRC+ thrice, and WAR thrice. Kato won six Silver Sluggers, giving him nine total. 1993 was his only miss during the tenure.

Kato was the missing piece to start a dynasty. Kitakyushu lost in the 1991 JLCS, but then won three straight EAB Championships from 1992-94. They were the second-ever EAB franchise to three-peat, joining Pyongyang’s 1960s dynasty. Kato played a mammoth role, winning EAB Championship MVP in 1992 and 1994; plus 1994 JLCS MVP.

In 67 playoff starts, Kato had 52 hits, 40 runs, 25 home runs, 45 RBI, 20 walks, a .211/.274/.538 slash, 141 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR. For his EAB career, he had 76 hits, 59 runs, 37 home runs, 66 RBI, a .215/.278/.558 slash, 149 wRC+, and 3.6 WAR. Kato fell one homer short of Ki-Tae Yun’s career playoff record. He still sits second in playoff homers and fourth in RBI in EAB as of 2037.

Kato also made regular season history in 1994 when he crushed 72 home runs, passing Carl Valdes’ single-season record of 71 from 1972. That earned him his second MVP. Then in 1997 at age 36, Kato smacked 72 homers yet again, winning a third MVP. He also had a career-best 147 RBI and 9.5 WAR that year. Kato also finished second in MVP voting in 1991 and third in 1992. 72 held as EAB’s homer record until 2005 and still sits third most as of 2037.

Kato’s contract was up after the 1997 season. Kitakyushu narrowly missed the playoffs in 1995 and 1996, then was upset in the 1997 JLCS by Sapporo. Although coming up on age 37, Kato just had his best year by WAR. At 759 home runs, some thought he could make a run at Lei Meng’s all-time record of 897. However, Kato decided to leave for the allure of Major League Baseball.

With Kitakyushu, he had 1010 hits, 685 runs, 433 home runs, 856 RBI, a .259/.332/.630 slash, 190 wRC+, and 53.5 WAR. After leaving, the Kodiaks dropped from 109 wins to 72 and ended up stinking for the next decade. Some higher-ups with Kitakyushu held some bitterness over that and opted not to retire Kato’s jersey despite his remarkable accomplishments and role in the dynasty. He’d remain very popular though with most fans for his unforgettable tenure.

Kato joined MLB and the Vancouver Volcanoes on a three-year, $11,520,000 deal. He missed the first few months of his debut season to a fractured finger and struggled in his debut season with -0.1 WAR and a .186 average. His strikeout rate was still awful in the next two years, but he did hit enough power to provide positive value. Kato had 345 games, 279 hits, 192 runs, 93 home runs, 222 RBI, a .224/.295/.492 slash, 118 wRC+, and 5.8 WAR with Vancouver.

He served his purpose though in 1998, as Vancouver won the World Series over Toronto. This put Kato on a very short list with championship rings in two different leagues. In 16 playoff starts, he had 12 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, 5 RBI, a .222/.288/.444 slash, and 110 wRC+.

Kato was a free agent again for 2001 and was now 40 years old. He decided to return to Japan and found a long-term deal worth $12,120,000 over three years with Kobe. Some thought he might still have a shot to chase Meng’s records, but Kato was abysmal in his EAB return. The Blaze quickly benched him as he had a .163 average, 43.9% strikeout rate, 47 wRC+, and -0.5 WAR over 64 games. Kato retired that winter at age 41.

For his EAB career, Kato had 1916 hits, 1257 runs, 220 doubles, 762 home runs, 1506 RBI, 775 walks, a .257/.328/.602 slash, 179 wRC+, and 92.7 WAR. As of 2037, he’s seventh in EAB in homers and 47<sup>th</sup> in RBI. Some wonder if he hadn’t left for Vancouver if he could’ve made the run at Lei Meng’s record. Kato did get to 855 homers for his entire pro career, a tally very few have achieved.

Kato’s full pro career had 855 homers, 1728 RBI, 2195 hits, 1449 runs, 894 walks, a .252/.323/.586 slash, 171 wRC+, and 98.5 WAR. He wasn’t a complete hitter, but few boasted more power or saw the championship success Kato saw. He was an easy first ballot pick for the 2007 EAB class at 93.3%, the second highest percentage in the five player group.

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Hyeon-Seong Lim – Third Base/Designated Hitter – Busan Blue Jays – 90.8% First Ballot

Hyeon-Seong Lim was a 6’0’’, 205 pound switch-hitting third baseman from the capital of South Korea, Seoul. Lim was an outstanding contact hitter that regularly put the ball into play. He was excellent at avoiding strikeouts, but very rarely drew walks. Lim’s splits were notably lopsided as well, posting a .346 average and 154 wRC+ against righties compared to a .292 average and 102 wRC+ against lefties.

Lim wasn’t a singles slap hitter though, boasting an excellent pop in his bat. His 162 game average saw 35 doubles, 6 triples, and 27 home runs per year, meaning a solid slugging percentage accompanied his high batting average. Although he could find the gap regularly, Lim wasn’t going to get extra bases with his legs. He was known as a laughably bad and clumsy baserunner.

Lim had a rifle arm, which placed him at third base defensively. His range and glove were both poor though, thus he made only about 2/5s of his starts at 3B with the rest as a designated hitter. Lim had great durability and played 140+ games in all but one season from 1989-2001. He was a spark plug known for his work ethic and scrappiness. That made him absolutely beloved by Busan fans, as he spent his entire pro career as a Blue Jay.

Lim was a rare player picked in the EAB Draft out of high school, attending Woosung High in Uiwang. In 1985, Busan picked him with the #10 selection, although they gave him time to develop. He debuted in 1987 at age 20, but played only 21 games with one start. Lim saw 93 games and 26 starts the next year, then earned the full-time job in 1989. He held a starting spot through 2001 and outside of injuries in 1992, was a consistent regular.

Lim got his first Silver Sluggers in 1990 and 1991, both at 3B. He then got it in 1994 as a DH, signing an eight-year, $18,840,000 extension that winter. 1994 also saw Busan end a 10-year playoff drought, although they were one-and-done as a wild card. The Blue Jays made the Korea League Championship Series in 1995 and 1996, but lost both times. After a one-and-done in 1997, they began another playoff drought for the rest of Lim’s time.

Lim did his darnedest in the playoffs over 27 starts, getting 35 hits, 15 runs, 2 doubles, 7 home runs, 18 RBI, a .337.366/.577 slash, 158 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR. He also played for South Korea from 1991-2000 in the World Baseball Championship, although usually as a reserve. Lim was unremarkable on that stage as he had 48 games and 15 starts with 22 hits, 9 runs, 2 homers, 12 RBI, a .229/.262/.323 slash, and 65 wRC+.

Lim led Korea in hits from 1995-97 and won two more Silver Sluggers in 1996 and 1997. Those years also him become a two-time MVP. In 1996, he led with 139 RBI and 392 total bases while adding 8.8 WAR. Then in 1997, Lim made history by leading and posting career highs in hits (257), runs (117), doubles (44), total bases (404), average (.398), OBP (.414), OPS (1.040), wRC+ (185), and 9.8 WAR.

257 hits not only broke Si-Hun Lee’s EAB record of 252 from 1993, but also tied the then world record set by Beisbol Sudamerica’s Caco Gallegos in 1989. This remains EAB’s record as of 2037, although it would get matched once. Lim’s .398 average was also the second-best in EAB history at that point and still ranks fourth as of 2037. He also had a 27-game hitting streak during the season.

This was the peak of Lim’s career, as he didn’t top 4+ WAR in his next four seasons. His power and average both diminished, although he was still a fine starter. Lim became a free agent after the 2001 season and couldn’t find a suitor in 2002, retiring that winter at age 35. Busan immediately brought him back to retire his #22 uniform for his impressive service.

Lim finished with 2650 hits, 1154 runs, 441 doubles, 336 home runs, 1371 RBI, a .333/.354/.533 slash, 141 wRC+, and 67.5 WAR. At induction, he was one of only five EAB Hall of Famers with a batting average above .330 and is one of only seven as of 2037.

He didn’t stick around long enough to really rack up the accumulations though. As a DH much his run, Lim’s WAR also ended up towards the bottom of the Hall of Fame leaderboard. That said, two MVPs, a record-setting season, and a full career with one team all resonate strongly with Hall of Fame voters. Lim got in easily in his debut at 90.8% to join the five-player 2007 EAB class.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-25-2024 04:41 PM

2007 EAB Hall of Fame (Part 3)

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Ji-Hu Kim – Designated Hitter/Second Base – Goyang Green Sox – 81.0% First Ballot

Ji-Hu Kim was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed hitter from Seoul, South Korea. Kim was a strong contact hitter with outstanding gap power, regularly getting 40-50 doubles/triples per season. He wasn’t a prolific home run guy, but he still was reliable for 15-25 most seasons. Kim was solid at avoiding strikeouts and average at drawing walks. Although he regularly got extra bases, his speed was average at best and his baserunning ability was abysmal.

Kim was a career designated hitter, making more than half of his starts there. About 1/3s of his starts were at second base, where he graded out as being atrocious. He did see a few starts at first base and was passable there. Kim was a hard working guy though and rarely missed starts to injuries, giving him plenty of value over a 21 year career.

Kim was the 7<sup>th</sup> overall pick by Jeonju in the 1980 EAB Draft. The Jethawks only used him in 87 games with 27 starts in 1981, but gave him a full-time starting gig from 1982 to 1988. Kim led in triples in both 1982 and 1987, including a record-setting 40 triples in 1987. This still is EAB’s all-time record as of 2037. Kim had four straight seasons worth 5+ WAR to end his Jeonju run and won Silver Sluggers in 1986 and 1987, both at second base. 1986 also saw a third place in MVP voting.|

Jeonju was an expansion team in 1978 and Kim helped them to their first success. The Jethawks earned four straight playoff appearances from 1985-88. In both 1986 and 1988, Jeonju won the EAB Championship. Kim was the 1988 KLCS MVP and in 38 playoff starts with the Jethawks posted 51 hits, 18 runs, 8 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs, 25 RBI, a .333/.368/.582 slash, 160 wRC+, and 1.9 WAR.

It wasn’t his longest tenure or the hat he’d wear at induction, but Jeonju and Kim would hold a longtime bond for his role in their titles. With the Jethawks, he had 1362 hits, 631 runs, 183 doubles, 168 triples, 139 home runs, 653 RBI, a .311/.353/.525 slash, 139 wRC+, and 30.3 WAR. After the 1988 title though, the soon to be 30-year old decided to give free agency a look. Kim ended up inking a five-year, $6,100,000 deal with Goyang. He ultimately played nine years with the Green Sox, adding another five years and $8,140,000 in the spring of 1993.

Kim won a Silver Slugger in 1989 as a DH and finished third in MVP voting in 1990. Goyang earned playoff berths from 1991-93 and took the Korea League title in 1991, although they fell to Niigata in the EAB Championship. Still, this was their first-ever pennant and Kim was an important piece. In 18 playoff games for the Green Sox, he had 26 hits, 8 runs, 9 extra base hits, a .426/.444/.705 slash, and 218 wRC+.

A major setback happened in the 1993 playoffs as Kim suffered a broken kneecap. It was a nine month recovery, costing him much of 1994. He had a good 1995, but looked pedestrian the next two years as the Green Sox faded into mediocrity. For his tenure, Kim had 1583 hits, 741 runs, 206 doubles, 169 triples, 204 home runs, 752 RBI, a .310/.354/.537 slash, 145 wRC+, and 36.0 WAR. Goyang would later retire his #11 uniform.

The Green Sox run ended as the 39-year old Kim was traded in the last year of his deal to Tokyo for the 1998 campaign. He was a pinch hitter in the capital and while there became the 18<sup>th</sup> EAB member of the 3000 hit club. Still hoping to start somewhere, Kim ended up leaving Japan and signing with OBA’s Christchurch for 1999.

In his one season in New Zealand, Kim picked up a Silver Slugger at second base. He came back to EAB in 2000 with Yongin and was respectable with 2.8 WAR despite missing some time to injury. Kim played 2001 with Busan and again still provided a starting quality bat. These final two seasons allowed him to breach the 1500 runs and 1500 RBI milestones. As just a DH, it was tough to find work at his age. Kim wanted to play in 2002, but couldn’t find a home. He finally retired that winter at age 43.

In EAB, Kim had 3295 hits, 1530 runs, 447 doubles, 359 triples, 377 home runs, 1584 RBI, a .310/.353/.527 slash, 141 wRC+, and 73.1 WAR. As of 2037, he’s 11<sup>th</sup> all-time in hits, 4<sup>th</sup> in triples, and 20<sup>th</sup> in games played at 2903. As of 2037, he’s also one of only two Hall of Famers with 400+ doubles, 300+ triples, and 300+ home runs in a career.

There were some voters that disliked giving career DHs the nod. But Kim had great longevity and helped two franchise earn their first-ever Korea League pennants. Kim picked up 81.0% for a first ballot induction, the fourth highest percentage in the five-player 2007 EAB class.

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Liang Ran – Starting Pitcher – Kobe Blaze – 69.8% First Ballot

Liang Ran was a 6’0’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Shanghai, China; the third largest city in the world. Ran was a fireballer with terrific stuff and 99-101 mph peak velocity. His control was merely average though and his movement was often below average. Ran had a fastball, slider, changeup, and circle change arsenal. He was considered very good at holding runners that got on.

Ran’s stamina was unremarkable compared to the typical top tier aces. However, his durability was quite good in his 20s, allowing for plenty of innings each year. Ran was complimented for his leadership and work ethic, but some thought he was a bit of a dummy. His strategy was often just “throw ball hard,” but that can still get you a lot of outs with the right stuff.

It was very rare for a Chinese amateur to defect due to political difficulties. Plus, most didn’t want to leave even if presented the option. Scouts from Korea and Japan didn’t often search China for prospects, but Ran stood out in the big city scene of Shanghai. A Bucheon scout thought he was worth the work and inked him in February 1982 as a teenage amateur. Despite starting with the Bolts, Ran ultimately spent little game time there.

Ran debuted at age 21 in 1987 as a part-time starter, looking delightfully average. He was a full-timer the next year and looked about the same. In July, Bucheon sent Ran and four other prospects to Kobe for veteran 2B Isamu Nakamura and perhaps most importantly, for $18,860,000. Ran had 2.9 WAR over 293.1 innings with a 3.96 ERA with the Bolts. He continued to look average to finish the year in the Blaze’s rotation.

In 1989 though, Ran emerged as a strong starter for Kobe and posted six straight seasons with an ERA below three. In 1991, he led the Japan League in strikeouts (321), WHIP (0.81), and WAR (6.5); all career bests. Ran was second in Pitcher of the Year voting, the only time he was a finalist. Kobe also ended a six-year playoff drought, but lost in the first round of the playoffs.

The Blaze gave Ran a four-year, $8,640,000 extension in the summer of 1994. He had five seasons worth 6+ WAR for Kobe and led twice more in strikeouts and once more in WHIP. The Blaze won four more division titles during Ran’s run, but only once got out of the first round (a JLCS loss in 1994). Ran had a 3.26 ERA, 49.2 innings, 45 strikeouts, 100 ERA+, and 0.7 WAR in his playoff career.

1997 was a rollercoaster year for Ran. On April 22, he tossed a no-hitter with 15 strikeouts and 4 walks against Tokyo. A month later, he suffered a torn triceps that knocked him out four months. Ran made it back for the playoffs, but got rocked in his one start. Still, Kobe signed him for another four years and $10,080,000 in August 1998.

Ran looked respectable in 1999 and 2000 and had a strong start to 2001. Unfortunately on May 26, 2001; Ran suffered a partially torn UCL with an 11 month recovery time. Kobe bought out the last year of his deal and Ran decided to retire with that injury at age 35. The Blaze would immediately retire his #35 uniform for his lengthy service.

Ran had a 180-153 record, 2.82 ERA, 3113.1 innings, 3539 strikeouts, 590 walks, 276/411 quality starts, 119 ERA+, 82 FIP-, and 67.1 WAR. The injury cost him a few more years to make his accumulations more impressive. When looking at the leaderboards, Ran’s resume is very much right on the borderline. Not having a Pitcher of the Year also hurt him with many of the stingier voters.

However, Ran was one of the better strikeout pitchers of his era. Many voters also appreciate someone who had a long run with one team. It was hard to get noticed in a loaded field, but Ran still managed to get 69.8% on his debut. That got him across the line as the fifth and final member of EAB’s impressive 2007 Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-26-2024 03:46 AM

2007 BSA Hall of Fame

Two pitchers were added in 2007 into Beisbol Sudamerica’s Hall of Fame. Felipe Castaneda was a slam dunk first ballot choice at 96.9%. Gonzalo Argueta just barely breached the 66% requirement, getting 67.2% on his third try. The top position player efforts saw RF Jairo Vicente at 59.8% on his eighth try and 2B Leonardo Salvador with 57.8% for his third ballot. No one else was above 50% and the next best debut was down at 35.9%.

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Falling off the ballot after ten tries was RF Oscar Linares. He had a 19-year career, but did leave for Eurasian Professional Baseball for four years, hurting his tallies. Primarily with Sao Paulo, Linares won three Silver Sluggers, three Copa Sudamerica rings, and the 1983 finals MVP.

Linares totals saw 2329 hits, 1125 runs, 300 doubles, 144 triples, 326 home runs, 1069 RBI, 957 stolen bases, a .325/.374/.544 slash, 168 wRC+, and 60.2 WAR. Adding the EPB years, he had 69.9 WAR and 2945 hits. Linares was just borderline enough though in tallies and wasn’t a league leader apart from one batting title and three times atop the steals list. He debuted at 51.6% in 1998, which made many figure he’d eventually make the cut. Linares would hover in the low 40s to upper 30s though most of the time on the ballot, ending at 43.6%. A fine member of the Hall of Pretty Good.

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Felipe Castaneda – Starting Pitcher – Lima Lobos – 96.9% First Ballot

Felipe Castaneda was a 6’4’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from San Estanislao, Paraguay; a city of around 52,000 people. Castaneda had excellent stuff with great movement, although his control was subpar. His velocity peaked in the 95-97 mph range with a cutter, splitter, screwball, slider, changeup arsenal. The screwball and cutter especially were his best pitches and were very tough to solve when Castaneda was on form.

Compared to most Hall of Fame pitchers in BSA, Castaneda’s stamina was considered weak. However, he had excellent durability and reliably pitched 30+ starts each year from 1990-2001. Castaneda also had an excellent work ethic, which allowed him to compete at a high level.

Despite coming from relatively humble beginnings in a smaller town in Paraguay, Castaneda was spotted by a visiting Peruvian scout. In March 1983, the 16-year old Castaneda was signed to an amateur deal with Lima. He spent the majority of six years in the developmental academy, officially debuting with three relief appearances in 1988 at age 21.

Castaneda was a part-time starter in 1989 with decent results, earning him a full-time slot in the rotation for the next decade. The Lobos had started what would be a Beisbol Sudamerica record 14-year playoff streak in 1988 and Castaneda would be around for basically all of it. 10 of his seasons with the Lobos were worth 6+ WAR with eight seasons at an ERA below 3.00 and seven seasons with 300+ strikeouts.

Castaneda was a reliable playoff arm over this streak, which saw Lima make it to the Bolivar League Championship Series seven times. The Lobos won the pennant in 1990, 1991, and 1993, but fell each of those years. They finally got over the hump and won Copa Sudamerica in 1997 and 1998. The last year of the streak in 2001 saw another pennant, but defeat in the final.

In 37 playoff games, Castaneda had an 18-13 record, 3.31 ERA, 272 innings, 303 strikeouts, 80 walks, 23/36 quality starts, 110 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 6.8 WAR. His most impressive run was the 1993 season with a 1.64 ERA over four starts, earning LCS MVP. Castaneda wasn’t the most dominant playoff pitcher, but he was incredibly steady.

With his two wins in 2001, he passed Danilo Patricio for the all-time BSA lead in playoff wins. He’d only get passed once in later years. Castaneda is also second all-time in playoff strikeouts and WAR behind only the world strikeout king Mohamed Ramos. The longevity does also mean he holds two bad playoff records; losses and walks. Either way, Castaneda was a massive reason why Lima was a regular contender for a decade.

Castaneda wasn’t often a regular season statistical leader though. He did lead in strikeouts twice, peaking with 368 in 1997. He also led once in WAR, once in quality starts, and twice in wins. 1997 was Castaneda’s lone Pitcher of the Year with the 368 Ks and career bests in both ERA (2.21) and WAR (9.4). He also took third in 1998’s voting.

Despite being a success in Peru, Castaneda did retain a fondness for his native Paraguay. He pitched for his country from 1990-2003 in the World Baseball Championship, posting an 9-11 record over 168 innings, 3.38 ERA, 201 strikeouts, 75 walks, 107 ERA+, and 2.6 WAR.

In March 1997, Castaneda signed a four-year, $11,040,000 extension to stay with Lima. He continued to look good into his 30s, even posting 6.0 WAR in his last Lima season of 2001. Castaneda was due to become a free agent at age 35 and to the surprise of most, decided to not only leave Lima, but leave South American baseball altogether. The Lobos would later retire his #26 uniform for his role in their dynasty run.

Castaneda stunned many observers by ending up in South Africa, signing a three-year, $4,620,000 deal with AAB’s Durban Deer. He had two decent years there, but did miss some time in 2002 to an elbow injury. Castaneda had 5.0 WAR over 327.1 innings with Durban, posting a 3.63 ERA, 20-16 record, 313 strikeouts, and 112 ERA+. He was let go after the 2003 campaign and opted to retire with that at age 37.

For his BSA career, Castaneda had a 2.99 ERA, 232-118 record, 3249 innings, 3787 strikeouts, 947 walks, 298/427 quality starts, 77 complete games, 123 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 85.7 WAR. He won’t come up in conversations with the absolute top tier, but Castaneda run was a no-doubter for Hall of Fame induction. He received 96.9% to headline BSA’s 2007 voting.

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Gonzalo Argueta – Starting Pitcher – Maracaibo Mariners – 67.2% Third Ballot

Gonzalo Argueta was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from San Fernando, a city of 165,000 in central Venezuela. In his prime, Argueta had solid stuff, great control, and average movement. His fastball only peaked in the 93-95 mph range, but he countered it with an incredible 10/10 circle change. That pitch often had even great hitters whiffing wildly. Argueta also had a strong knuckle curve and a decent regular curve in his arsenal.

Argueta had very good stamina, leading the Bolivar League twice in both innings pitched and complete games. He was good at holding runners, but below average defensively. A few major injuries prevented Argueta from having a longer and more storied career. He stayed loyal to Maracaibo for much of run, despite the squad historically being bottom rung.

Despite being known for his run with the Mariners, Argueta’s career started with Recife. He was spotted and signed in January 1980 as a teenage amateur. Argueta never made it to the Retrievers roster though and was part of a six-player trade in November 1984 with Maracaibo. This trade did give Recife 1991 Hall of Famer Goito Palominos, although he only gave them 74 games the next year.

Argueta was a part-time starter in 1985 at age 21, but he showed some potential. The Mariners made him a full-time starter for 1986, but disaster struck in May with a ruptured UCL. A later setback meant this cost Argueta 14 months total, missing the rest of 1986 and half of 1987. He did look good in his return though and would stay healthy from 1988-1993.

From 1989-91, Argueta led the Bolivar League each time in strikeouts. He also led twice in WHIP and twice in complete games. In 1990, Argueta also led in ERA (2.19) and WAR (9.0) to earn his lone Pitcher of the Year. His 20-9 record left him only one win short of a Triple Crown. Argueta also took third in 1991’s POTY voting.

Most importantly in 1990, Maracaibo ended a playoff drought that dated back to 1953. They made it to the BLCS, but lost to Lima. Argueta had a mediocre 4.22 ERA over 21.1 playoff innings. He was better with a 1.59 ERA in 11.1 innings in 1994, but the Mariners suffered a first round defeat. These were his only playoff games with Maracaibo, but Argueta helped get them there for the first time in a generation.

On September 26, 1991, Argueta threw a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts and one walk against Ciudad Guayana. A month later, Maracaibo gave him a four-year, $6,260,000 extension. Injuries would pop up towards the end of that run starting with elbow inflammation costing him half of 1994. In July 1995, a torn labrum put Argueta on the shelf for the next 13 months.

That ultimately ended his Maracaibo tenure at age 32. With the Mariners, Argueta had a 137-97 record, 2.79 ERA, 2292.2 innings, 2465 strikeouts, 367 walks, 130 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 54.5 WAR. His #19 would be the second number retired by the franchise, joining the Goito Palominos’ #39. Ironically, Palominos was part of that trade that brought him to the Mariners in the first place.

It was unknown if Argueta could even make it back from the injury and if he’d be any good still. In late May, Belo Horizonte gave him a one-year deal. He made it back for the last few weeks and was below average at best, posting an 88 ERA+ in 95.2 innings. Now 33-years old, Argueta expanded his search worldwide to find a home. This led him to England of all places, signing a three-year, $6,480,000 deal with Birmingham of EBF.

Argueta would still pitch for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Championship even as he went to Europe. From 1988-99, he had 106.1 WBC innings with a 7-6 record, 3.22 ERA, 136 strikeouts, 22 walks, 111 ERA+, and 1.6 WAR.

Argueta posted a remarkable 28.2 K/BB in his Bees debut with 169 strikeouts and only six walks over 186.1 innings. His overall production was fairly average, but he filled a spot for Birmingham. In two years in England, Argueta had 432.2 innings, a 28-17 record, 3.29 ERA, 363 strikeouts, 38 walks, 108 ERA+, and 5.6 WAR. The Bees would buy out his team option year though, making Argueta a free agent again at age 35.

That showed South American teams though that he could still go and Bogota was interested. Argueta signed a three-year, $6,840,000 deal with the Bats and had an impressive return. He led in K/BB at 9.1 and posted a 2.69 ERA over 277.2 innings, 22-7 record, 255 strikeouts, and 5.3 WAR. Bogota was very pleased with the results, but was then disappointed when Argueta retired after only one season. After successful comeback, the now 36-year old Argueta said he felt he had nothing left to prove.

Argueta’s BSA tenure had a 165-110 record, 2.81 ERA, 2666 innings, 2807 strikeouts, 414 walks, 228/338 quality starts, 124 complete games, 128 ERA+, 81 FIP-, and 60.8 WAR. The rate stats didn’t look out of place at all when compared to other BSA Hall of Famers. The accumulations were low though, hurt by his injuries and relatively early retirement. With that, Argueta found himself with a borderline case.

Argueta’s legendary circle change and helping Maracaibo snap their playoff drought were the major plusses to his supporters. Still, he missed the cut with 57.6% and 58.8% in his first two ballots. Third time was the charm though as Argueta just barely crossed the 66% requirement with 67.2%. That earned him the second spot in Beisbol Sudamerica’s 2007 Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-26-2024 11:37 AM

2007 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 1)

Three players were first ballot additions into the European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame in 2007. Two-way star Daniel Ramires and 1B Robin Morrison were both no-doubters at 98.5% and 97.8%, respectively. Joining them was SP Frank Edel with 76.5%. SP Joe Faulkner was a heartbreaking miss, falling just short of the 66% requirement in his tenth and final try at 65.8%.

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Both RF Bernard Martin (61.0%, 3<sup>rd</sup> ballot) and 3B Thomas Indiani (60.3%, 8<sup>th</sup>) were above the 60% mark. Four other returners were above 50% with CF Luca Wouterson (56.6%, 8<sup>th</sup>), 1B Luigi Cuttone (54.0%, 3<sup>rd</sup>), SP Reggie Hobart (54.0%, 4<sup>th</sup>), and LF Kenneth Hammer (51.1%, 6<sup>th</sup>).

For Joe Faulkner, he had a rollercoaster ride with a debut at 44.1% in 1998. He got to 55.2% in 2005, but then dropped to 16.6% in 2006. There was a big push in 2007 to get him in on his last chance, but alas, he ended up two points short at 65.8%. He had a 14-year career between London and Madrid, posting a 198-138 record, 3.26 ERA, 3088.1 innings, 2907 strikeouts, 115 ERA+, and 64.3 WAR.

Faulkner didn’t have awards, league leading stats, or major longevity, He did win two titles with Madrid and had a 2.79 ERA and 7-0 record in 58 playoff innings But that wasn’t enough to get the Englishman across the line, forever banishing him to the Hall of Pretty Good.

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Daniel Ramires – Pitcher/Left Field – Lisbon Clippers – 98.5% First Ballot

Daniel Ramires was a 6’0’’, 200 pound pitcher and outfielder from Leiria, a city of 128,000 in central Portugal. Ramires was one of the all-time great two-way guys and showed remarkable durability and adaptability in his career. He had excellent stamina on the mound, leading the Southern Conference four times in innings pitched and thrice in complete games. He tossed 235+ innings each year from 1986-1999, while also remarkably getting 400+ at-bats in all but one of those seasons.

As a pitcher, Ramires had solid stuff, excellent movement, and very good control. His fastball peaked in the 95-97 mph range, but he mixed it with a great splitter, good slider, and occasional changeup. Ramires was also an outstanding defensive pitcher, winning seven Gold Gloves over the course of his career. He regularly went deep into games and was a Hall of Fame level guy just on his pitching alone.

At the plate, Ramires was a good contact hitter with a great eye and decent strikeout rate. He had very good gap power, averaging 26 doubles and 9 triples per his 162 game average. Ramires also had 27 homers per 162 games, showing plenty of pop in his bat. He was especially good against lefties with a .959 OPS and 159 wRC+, compared to his .840 OPS and 132 wRC+ versus righties.

Ramires didn’t have blistering speed, but he was an above average baserunner and stealer in his prime. The vast majority of his non-pitching starts were in left field, although he did see games at almost every spot. In left, Ramires was considered a reliably average to above average defender. Few players in all of baseball history had the versatility of Ramires.

The two-way talent was evident as Ramires worked his way to the college ranks. In the 1984 EBF Draft, Barcelona picked him with the #1 overall pick. Ramires was a full-timer in the field as a rookie and part-timer on the mound, posting unremarkable results. He was a full-timer both ways after that. With the Bengals, his pitching stats were quite unremarkable. Over five seasons, he had a 61-59 record, 4.09 ERA, 1062 innings, 786 strikeouts, 97 ERA+, and 13.9 WAR. Ramires would win his first Gold Glove in 1988.

Ramires was a starter quality bat with the Bengals with 11.3 WAR, 634 hits, 309 runs, 109 doubles, 53 triples, 92 home runs, 353 RBI, a .279/.320/.494 slash, and 118 wRC+. However, Barcelona was disappointed that he wasn’t particularly elite at either side. This was during a major down period for the Bengals, who averaged 66.6 wins per season during Ramires’ short run there.

Many weren’t quite sure what to make of Ramires, who was due for free agency in 1991. Before the 1990 season, Barcelona traded him to Munich for SS Luc Boulet and 1B Lionel Wackerlin. In his one year with the Mavericks, Ramires emerged as the force that many had expected he would be when he was drafted first overall.

On the mound, he posted a 23-7 record, 2.62 ERA, 295 innings, 254 strikeouts, and 8.5 WAR; taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting. At the plate, he had 4.7 WAR in 125 games, 26 home runs, a .970 OPS, and 164 wRC+. Ramires was second in MVP voting and helped Munich extend its postseason streak to eight years, although Madrid upset them in the Southern Conference Championship. He also won his first Silver Slugger as a pitcher.

Now a free agent at age 28, Ramires returned to his native Portugal with a six-year, $10,280,000 deal with Lisbon. The country really hadn’t had a mega-star player with the lone Portuguese Hall of Famer to date being closer Ringo Barros in 1982. Ramires would very quickly become the face of baseball for the entire country.

He had already been a regular for the World Baseball Championship dating back to 1986, playing each year for Portugal through 2006. On the mound, Ramires had a 3.18 ERA, 254.2 innings, 14-14 record, 262 strikeouts, 87 walks, 113 ERA+, and 6.0 WAR. At the plate, he had 112 games, 82 hits, 50 runs, 19 doubles, 23 home runs, 46 RBI, 16 stolen bases, a .214/.315/.448 slash, 118 wRC+, and 2.9 WAR.

Lisbon had lost in the European Championship in 1989, then narrowly missed the playoffs in 1990. They were already ready to contend, but Ramires helped them become a regular force. The Clippers had nine straight playoff appearances with seven Southwest Division titles during his nine years with the team. Lisbon had six Southern Conference Championship appearances and won the pennant in 1992, 1995, and 1997. In 1995, the Clippers beat Dublin to earn the franchise’s second-ever European Championship.

Ramires really excelled as a pitcher during the Lisbon run, leading the conference four times in wins, three times in innings pitched, twice in strikeouts, and once in WAR. He had 5+ WAR on the mound all nine seasons and topped 7+ WAR six times. Ramires had a career best 9.3 WAR, 313 strikeouts, and 25-10 record in 1994, winning his lone Pitcher of the Year. He was also third in POTY in 1993 and second in 1996. Ramires also picked six straight Gold Gloves as a pitcher from 1993-98.

At the plate, Ramires won Silver Sluggers in 1991, 96, 97, 98, and 99. From 1991-97, he had above 4+ WAR each season, peaking with 5.9 WAR, 32 home runs, a .344 average, and 1.051 OPS in 1995. That won Ramires his first MVP with a repeat in 1996. His combined WARs of 13.7 in 1994, 14.1 in 1995, and 14.0 in 1996 were among the all-time bests in EBF history. Ramires was third in 1993’s MVP voting, second in 1994, and third in 1997.

Most impressively, Ramires was elite in the playoffs for Lisbon, especially at the plate. He was named conference finals MVP in both 1992 and 1995. In 84 games offensively, Ramires had 102 hits, 47 runs, 19 doubles, 8 triples, 20 home runs, 62 RBI, 19 stolen bases, a .334/.365/.646 slash, 178 wRC+, and 4.5 WAR. On the mound, he had a 14-8 record, 3.48 ERA, 213.2 innings, 191 strikeouts, 22 walks, 111 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 5.9 WAR.

Lisbon had extended Ramires in April for $10,080,000 and four seasons. He didn’t slow down as a pitcher at all into his mid 30s, but his power did wane a bit offensively. Still, in his last year he posted 7.0 WAR as a pitcher and 2.3 WAR offensively. Ramires did surprise many by declining his contract option, becoming a free agent at age 37. Some Clippers fans were disappointed and their playoff streak promptly ended, keeping them around .500 for the next decade.

Ramires was beloved though in Portugal and Lisbon would retire his #30 uniform. On the mound for the Clippers, he had a 183-85 record, 3.14 ERA, 2518.2 innings, 2413 strikeouts, 441 walks, 122 ERA+, and 65.1 WAR. At the plate, he had 1208 hits, 674 runs, 207 doubles, 208 home runs, 709 RBI, a .315/.373/.572 slash, 158 wRC+, and 42.1 WAR. Although he still had seven more years of pro baseball ahead, his time in Europe ended with the 1999 season.

Ramires signed a three-year, $13,680,000 deal with Virginia Beach to begin his MLB career. 2000 was injury ridden, although he looked good when healthy, still winning his seventh Silver Slugger. Ramires was a strong batter in 2001 with 4.0 WAR, but had negative WAR on the mound. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the third year of his deal, becoming a free agent at age 39.

2002 was spent in Tampa with lackluster results and ended with a forearm strain in August. Ramires then bounced around in Montreal in 2003, Charlotte in 2004, Tampa again in 2005, and Oklahoma City in 2006. At this point, he was mediocre at best on both sides. Ramires retired after the 2006 season at age 43.

For his MLB years, Ramires on the mound had a 38-40 record, 3.85 ERA, 708.2 innings, 358 strikeouts, 95 ERA+, and 3.3 WAR. At the plate, he had 512 games, 348 hits, 206 runs, 56 doubles, 69 home runs, 183 RBI, a .231/.314/.416 slash, 115 wRC+, and 5.7 WAR.

In his entire pro career, Ramires the pitcher had a 305-191 record, 3.44 ERA, 4584.1 innings, 3811 strikeouts, 1004 walks, 352 quality starts, 187 complete games, 112 ERA+, 87 FIP-, and 90.8 WAR. Ramires the batter had 2424 games, 2239 hits, 1262 runs, 392 doubles, 146 triples, 395 home runs, 1318 RBI, 377 stolen bases, a .290/.347/.522 slash, 139 wRC+, and 63.7 WAR. His combined 154.5 WAR was the third-most of any two-way guy to that point, behind only EPB great Igor Bury (180.0), and EBF’s Edgar Miranda (157.6). Ramires still ranks fourth as of 2037.

Just in EBF, Ramires had a 267-151 record, 3.36 ERA, 3875.2 innings, 3453 strikeouts, 774 walks, 309/500 quality starts, 164 complete games, 115 ERA+, 82 FIP-, and 87.5 WAR. As of 2037, he’s 20<sup>th</sup> in pitching WAR, seventh in wins, and 34<sup>th</sup> in strikeouts. Based on only his pitching resume, Ramires was likely a slam dunk Hall of Famer.

At the plate in EBF, he had 1991 hits, 1058 runs, 336 doubles, 138 triples, 326 home runs, 1135 RBI, 349 stolen bases, a .304/.355/.546 slash, 145 wRC+, and 58.0 WAR. Plus, he led Lisbon to a nine-year playoff streak, three conference titles, and one EBF title. Ramires was one of the most dynamic players in pro baseball history and was an easy Hall of Famer, headlining EBF’s 2007 class at 98.5%.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-26-2024 04:52 PM

2007 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Robin Morrison – First Base – Belfast Brewers – 97.8% First Ballot

Robin Morrison was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from East Kilbride, Scotland; a town of 75,000 just southeast of Glasgow. Morrison was a strong power hitter that hit 30+ homers in ten different seasons and 40+ in four. He was an above average contact hitter that was respectable at drawing walks but below average at avoiding strikeouts. Morrison’s gap power was excellent, averaging 33 doubles and 15 triples per his 162 game average. 46% of his career hits ended up going for extra bases.

Despite being a career first baseman, Morrison had very good speed and was an outstanding baserunner. He successfully stole on nearly 72% of his career attempts. Morrison was an excellent defender at first, winning six Gold Gloves in his career. He was also an ironman, playing in 157+ games in all but his rookie season. Morrison worked hard, was intelligent, and was adaptable. This skillset made him a successful and popular player in his era.

Morrison was one of the most prominent prospects coming out the United Kingdom. He was eligible out of high school and was picked fifth overall in the 1983 EBF Draft by Belfast. The Brewers took their time developing him, keeping him off the main roster in 1984 and 1985. Morrison had 50 games and 33 starts in 1986. After that, he started 148+ games each year for the next 15 years.

All seven of Morrison’s full seasons with Belfast were worth 6+ WAR. His first taste of awards came in 1988 with a Silver Slugger and a second place in MVP voting. That year, he led the conference with a career-best 47 doubles and posted 8.7 WAR. He emerged as truly elite by leading the Northern Conference in runs from 1991-93, winning Silver Sluggers each of those seasons.

1992 was his finest season and lone MVP, seeing career and conference bests in runs (131), RBI (144), total bases (434), slugging (.698), OPS (1.089), wRC+ (200), and WAR (11.0). Morrison also had 51 home runs and a career-best .344 average and .391 OBP that year. Morrison also smacked a career best 53 homers the prior year. 1993 would mark his first and only Gold Glove with Belfast.

Despite his efforts, Morrison couldn’t turn Belfast around. The Brewers had consistently been a loser in their existence, although he did get them just above .500 a few times. Morrison was well liked in Northern Ireland and would see his #30 uniform retired by Belfast. He was also popular back home in Scotland, playing from 1987-94 and in 2002 in the World Baseball Championship. In 67 games, Morrison had 50 hits, 34 runs, 11 doubles, 15 home runs, 29 RBI, a .201/.278/.434 slash, 106 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR.

As expected, Morrison entered free agency after the 1993 season. For his Belfast tenure, he had 1408 hits, 855 runs, 259 doubles, 105 triples, 283 home runs, 852 RBI, 453 stolen bases, a .307/.360/.595 slash, 166 wRC+, and 56.7 WAR. Now 30 years old, Morrison went to the Netherlands on a six-year, $16,360,000 deal with Rotterdam.

Morrison had a strong start offensively with 8.1 and 6.9 WAR in his first two seasons with Rotterdam. He was never quite as dominant in the later years with his home run power dropping, but Morrison was still a very good starter. He also won Gold Gloves in 1994, 1995, and 1999. He wouldn’t be a conference leader in any stats with the Ravens.

The timing was bad for Morrison, as Rotterdam entered a down period. They had made the playoffs eight times from 1985-93, but entered a drought during his tenure. Sadly, Morrison never played a single playoff game in his career. In his six years with the Ravens, he had 1016 hits, 597 runs, 201 doubles, 95 triples, 187 home runs, 609 RBI, 323 stolen bases, a .283/.332/.548 slash, 144 wRC+, and 34.4 WAR.

Morrison’s last year with the Ravens saw 6.5 WAR, his best in a few years. That bumped his stock back up as he entered free agency again at age 36. Cologne entered EBF as an expansion team for 2000 and brought in Morrison on a two-year, $6,160,000 deal to help the new franchise out. He would reach the 2500 hit, 500 home runs, 1500 runs, and 1500 RBI milestones with the Copperheads.

Morrison also won Gold Gloves in both years there, giving him six for his career. However, his batting began to wane and Morrison had a mere 102 wRC+ and .238 average in his second season. With Cologne, he had 5.6 WAR, 111 wRC+, and a .245/.288/.471 slash. No one would sign Morrison for the 2002 season and he retired that winter at age 39.

Morrison’s final stats saw 2712 hits, 1632 runs, 500 doubles, 229 triples, 528 home runs, 1637 RBI, 701 walks, 847 stolen bases, a .290/.340/.561 slash, 151 wRC+, and 96.7 WAR. As of 2037, he’s 40<sup>th</sup> in WAR among position players, eighth in doubles, and 34<sup>th</sup> in hits. Morrison was perhaps underappreciated since he played almost exclusively for bad teams in his career. However, his resume was nearly spotless for Hall of Fame consideration, receiving 97.8% and a first ballot nod with the 2007 EBF class.

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Frank Edel – Starting Pitcher – Vienna Vultures – 76.5% First Ballot

Frank Edel was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Ringsheim, a village of 2,000 people in southeast Germany near the French border. Edel was a hard thrower with great stuff, solid control, and average movement. His fastball was regularly 98-100 mph, but his most deadly pitch was a stellar circle change. Edel also had a cutter and regular changeup in his arsenal.

Edel’s stamina was solid and he had great durability for most his career, tossing 225+ innings in all but two of his 14 seasons in pro baseball. He was a hard worker and loyal, which endeared him to his teammates. Edel wasn’t the flashiest guy in the game, but he was well respected throughout it.

Edel was picked 25<sup>th</sup> overall in the 1986 EBF Draft by Vienna. The Vultures kept him in development in 1987, then used him in a part-time role in 1988. Edel was a full-time starter from 1989 onward. His second full season in 1990 was arguably the finest of his career, posting a Northern Conference and career best 2.45 ERA. Edel had six shutouts with 6.7 WAR, but wasn’t a Pitcher of the Year finalist. He ultimately never finished in the top three in POTY voting.

Edel led in strikeouts with 292 in 1993, but otherwise wasn’t a league leader. He was steady for Vienna, who were stuck in the mid-tier. The Vultures didn’t make the playoffs in his run but weren’t awful, averaging 79.4 wins a season in his tenure. Edel’s efforts though were appreciated by the franchise, who later retired his #4 uniform despite only about seven seasons of play.

Edel did get to see the world stage for Germany from 1990-2000 in the World Baseball Championship. He was unremarkable though with a 4.11 ERA over 149 innings, 9-8 record, 207 strikeouts, 29 walks, 88 ERA+, and 1.7 WAR. Edel led all players with 48 strikeouts in the 1991 WBC, but that was a function of innings, as he posted a lousy 5.35 ERA. That year, the Germans lost in the championship to Canada.

In total with Vienna, Edel had a 116-79 record, 3.33 ERA, 1856.1 innings, 1766 strikeouts, 383 walks, 118 ERA+, and 36.5 WAR. 1995 was his last year under contract and it wasn’t clear if he was going to stick around. At the deadline, the Vultures traded Edel to Paris for three prospects and a draft pick. The Poodles weren’t looking for a rental though, quickly giving Edel a six-year, $17,160,000 contact.

Paris ended a 10-year playoff drought in 1995, although they were one-and-done in the playoffs. They missed the field in 1996, but earned four straight Northwest Division titles from 1997-2001. Edel gave them reliable production during this run, only missing three months in 1999 to an undisclosed injury.

In 1997, Paris won the European Championship against Lisbon. Edel actually struggled in that run with a 6.75 ERA in 36 innings. He fared better in other postseasons, although the Poodles only got to the conference finals once more in 1999. In total, Edel’s playoff stats were a 6-4 record, 4.45 ERA, 83 innings, 67 strikeouts, 15 walks, 84 ERA+, and 1.6 WAR.

In 2001, Edel’s velocity suddenly plummeted from the upper 90s to a 92-94 mph peak. He still got through the season with passable results, but figured he wouldn’t be in demand as his contract was coming up. Edel retired that winter at age 37. In his Paris run, he had a 105-53 record, 3.23 ERA, 1545.1 innings, 1412 strikeouts, 291 walks, 116 ERA+, and 28.8 WAR.

Edel ended with a 221-132 record, 3.29 ERA, 3401.2 innings, 3178 strikeouts, 674 walks, 285/434 quality starts, 111 complete games, 117 ERA+, 87 FIP-, and 65.3 WAR. He was the 26<sup>th</sup> to reach 200 wins and the 39<sup>th</sup> to 3000 strikeouts; two milestones the voters like. Still, his rate stats put him very much towards the weaker side compared to other pitchers in the EBF Hall of Fame.

Edel also didn’t have big awards or good playoff stats, but he had a lot of respect throughout the game. That and his longevity got him a first ballot addition at 76.5%, rounding off the three-player 2007 class for the European Baseball Federation.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-27-2024 07:01 AM

2007 EPB Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

06-27-2024 12:42 PM

2007 OBA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

Three players were added in 2007 into the Oceania Baseball Association Hall of Fame. Each were first ballot guys, led by pitcher Corbin Acupan at 86.8%. SP Ricardo Antonio was close behind at 81.3%. Meanwhile, 3B Thomas Silverhawk barely made it in at 66.1%, just breaching the 66% requirement. No one else was above 50% and no one was dropped after ten ballots.

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A special mention goes to Adrian Delgado, who fell below 5% on his ninth ballot. His OBA run was only six years with Guam between CABA stints, but he did win an MVP, two Silver Sluggers, and four batting titles in that run. He had 37.3 WAR, 1120 hits, 501 runs, 191 doubles, 79 home runs, 424 RBI, 426 stolen bases, a .315/.350/.474 slash, and 161 wRC+. Six years just isn’t enough, although the Cuban did debut at 20.7% and last nine ballots.

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Corbin Acupan – Starting Pitcher – Guam Golden Eagles – 86.8% First Ballot

Corbin Acupan was a 6’1’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Davao, the third most populous city in the Philippines. Acupan had excellent control on his pitches with very good movement, although his stuff was considered average at best. His fastball his 96-98 mph and was part of a five-pitch arsenal that included a forkball, cutter, curveball, and changeup. The forkball and cutter were generally viewed as his top pitches and he had an extreme groundball tendency.

Compared to other OBA aces, Acupan’s stamina was quite average. He was good at holding runners, but below average defensively. Acupan’s pinpoint control really blossomed in his later years, helping him to become a successful and popular pitcher in his time.

A visiting scout from New Zealand noticed Acupan as a teenage amateur at a prospects camp in Davao. Christchurch signed him in January 1982, removing the young man from the Philippines. He would later pitch for his country from 1991-2001 in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 3.14 ERA over 43 innings, 31 strikeouts, and 117 ERA+.

Acupan spent four full years in Christchurch’s academy, then debuted with 14 promising starts in 1986 at age 21. He was only used for six starts in 1987, ending that season with a disaster. On September 16, 1987; Acupan suffered a partially torn UCL. This put his career in doubt and cost him nearly all of the 1988 season, although he would make it back for five starts late in the year. The Chinooks made it to the OBA Championship and lost to Honolulu with Acupan not seeing any playoff innings.

Acupan was a full-time starter in 1989, but looked average at best. In 1990, a hamstring strain cost him two months late in the year. In 1991, Acupan finally had a full season where he looked like he could be more than a back of the rotation guy. That would be his last year with Christchurch though, finishing his time there with a 44-48 record, 3.18 ERA, 799.1 innings, 648 strikeouts, 105 ERA+, and 12.5 WAR.

During spring training 1992, the Chinooks traded the 27-year old Acupan to Guam for SP Emmett Kasahara and LF Darcy Danielson. This began what would be his signature run with the Golden Eagles. Guam was Pacific League champ in 1991, but lost to Brisbane in the final. They hoped Acupan could strengthen the rotation as they tried to take the PL mantle from Honolulu.

The deal paid off for the Golden Eagles, who became THE team in the Pacific League of the 1990s. From 1992-01, they won PL pennants in 1992 and 1994, then five straight from 1997-01. The misses for Guam still saw 90+ win seasons, but defeats for the top spot against the Honu. The Golden Eagles earned OBA rings in 1992, 1997, 1999, and 2000.

In his debut season for Guam, Acupan won his lone Pitcher of the Year in 1992, leading the PL with 34 quality starts. This also saw a career best 306 strikeouts. Acupan saw a career best 8.7 WAR in 1993, taking third in POTY voting. He finished second in 1994 and third in 1999, leading the latter season with career bests in ERA (2.08) and WHIP (0.79).

In February 1993, Guam gave Acupan a six-year, $6,960,000 extension. 1998 saw a major setback with radial never compression, putting him out for six months. Acupan bounced back with his excellent 1999 season at age 34 and the Golden Eagles gave him another three years and $3,900,000.

Acupan’s playoff starts were merely average and he did miss a few of the finals to injuries. Over 8 playoff games, he had a 3.35 ERA, 2-3 record, 53.2 innings, 45 strikeouts, 97 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. Still, Acupan was a popular player for his role in making Guam a Pacific League powerhouse. The Golden Eagles retired his #37 uniform after his career ended.

Acupan’s control kept improving and his game seemed to be aging well. However, 2001 saw his body break down. Acupan had a ruptured finger tendon in April that cost him four months. When he came back, it was elbow inflammation putting him out six weeks. Then in late September, it was the big one with a torn rotator cuff.

He didn’t meet the criteria for the final year of his contract, becoming a free agent for 2002. Acupan decided not to try to rehab and make a return, retiring at age 36. For his Guam tenure, Acupan had a 161-94 record, 2.70 ERA, 2475.2 innings, 2116 strikeouts, 119 ERA+, and 55.5 WAR.

The career stats saw a 205-142 record, 3275 innings, 2764 strikeouts, 401 walks, 284/409 quality starts, 116 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 68.0 WAR. Acupan’s injuries and forgettable early years meant his accumulations were somewhat underwhelming compared to some of the other all-time great OBA pitchers. But a decade of solid production for a dynasty run was plenty for most voters. Acupan received 86.8% for a first ballot induction, the top mark in OBA’s 2007 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-27-2024 05:25 PM

2007 OBA Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Ricardo Antonio – Starting Pitcher – Perth Penguins – 81.3% First Ballot

Ricardo Antonio was a 5’10’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Willemstad, the capital and largest city of Curacao. Antonio had strong stuff and decent movement, but he struggled with control issues. He was able to make his control passable enough as he aged to succeed.

Antonio’s fastball hit 96-98 mph and was countered by a strong slider and changeup. Antonio’s stamina was average, but he had excellent durability and didn’t see any injury issues until his final years. He learned how to hold runners quite well, often getting out of jams caused by his wildness.

He took a very unusual path to end up as a pro in Australia. Antonio picked up the game and thrived as a youngster in Curacao. Instead of going the CABA route, he moved to the United States and earned a scholarship at Michigan State University. As a Spartan, Antonio was merely decent with a 16-12 record over 239 innings, 4.10 ERA, 190 strikeouts, 86 ERA+, and 3.9 WAR.

Antonio was picked in the 1987 MLB Draft late in the fifth round, going 269<sup>th</sup> overall to Tampa. The Thunderbirds staff hoped maybe they could fix his control and get value out of him. However, they were underwhelmed by Antonio’s performance in spring training. He pitched one inning in the minor leagues, then was cut in April 1988.

Only a few days later, Perth decided to give Antonio a shot, bringing him to Western Australia. They also saw him as a project and only pitched him 1.2 innings in 1988 and 43 innings in 1989. Antonio earned a full-time rotation spot in 1990 and would be a fixture atop their staff for the next decade. He would have eight seasons worth 5+ WAR.

Antonio got innings and strikeouts, even leading the Australasia League with 356 Ks in 1991. He did also lead in walks in 1990 with 106, but would slowly improve upon that. That year, he still managed to earn second in Rookie of the Year voting. Antonio led in quality starts in both 1991 and 1993.

Antonio never won Pitcher of the Year, but was a regular finalist. He took third in 1993, third in 1994, second in 1997, and second in 1998. In the summer of 1995, Perth gave him a six-year, $13,200,000 contract extension.

The Penguins found success in the 1990s with Antonio atop the rotation. They won back-to-back OBA Championships in 1993 and 1994 and were the runner-up in 1997. Antonio’s playoff stats saw a 3.14 ERA in 43 innings and six starts, 2-2 record, 46 strikeouts, 104 ERA+, and 0.9 WAR. 1997 was his best season by WAR at 8.2. Antonio led in wins in both 1997 and 1998.

Perth fell towards the mid-tier to close out the 1990s. Antonio dealt with a sprained ankle in 2000 and a strained abdominal in 2001, both costing him six weeks. Antonio’s velocity also started to dip in these final years, leading to below average production.

In his last year, he did become the 12<sup>th</sup> OBA pitcher to 200 career wins and the 10<sup>th</sup> to 3500 strikeouts. Antonio’s deal was up after 2001 though and he struggled to a 4.47 ERA that year. He decided to retire that winter shortly after his 35<sup>th</sup> birthday. Perth quickly honored him by retiring his #29 uniform.

Antonio had a 200-148 record, 2.97 ERA, 3411.1 innings, 3593 strikeouts, 870 walks, 111 ERA, 90 FIP-, and 60.4 WAR. Like his HOF classmate Corbin Acupan, Antonio didn’t have the dominance or longevity of a lot of other OBA greats. They have similar tallies and both helped their franchises win multiple titles. Most voters put them on fairly equal footing and most thought that was enough for the first ballot induction. Antonio got 81.3% to join Acupan in the 2007 OBA class.

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Thomas Silverhawk – Third Base – Melbourne Mets – 66.1% First Ballot

Thomas Silverhawk was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Brisbane, Australia. Silverhawk had a strong bat, regularly getting 30+ home runs and around 30 doubles/triples per his 162 game average. He was a great contact hitter briefly in his early days, but was well below average for much of his career. Silverhawk’s eye and ability to avoid strikeouts were both mid. He was a pretty smart baserunner, but his speed was below average.

Silverhawk had an absolute cannon of an arm, serving him well as a career third baseman. His range and glove were both respectable and he graded as a reliably solid defender. Silverhawk had some sporadic injuries, but held up pretty well at a demanding spot for 18 years. He was a fan favorite and viewed as one of the most likeable guys in the game. Silverhawk was also known for his loyalty and work ethic.

Silverhawk very quickly was one of the top Australian prospects entered into the 1983 OBA Draft. He was picked fifth overall by Melbourne and started 62 games his rookie year. Silverhawk was the full-time starter by 1985 and generally held that spot for the rest of the Millennium, although he was briefly benched in 1992 and 1995.

In 1986, Silverhawk bust onto the scene with 7.0 WAR in only 123 games, earning his first Silver Slugger. He won his second in 1987 and had an impressive MVP season with the Australasia League led in hits (188), home runs (50), average (.313), and WAR (10.5). This effort led Melbourne to their first AL title since 1970, getting defeated by Samoa in the OBA Championship.

Silverhawk seemed to be on pace for a similar season in 1988, but missed some time to a fractured finger. He was strong again in 1989, but became wildly inconsistent in the next few seasons. Melbourne wouldn’t make it back to the finals during his tenure, but they went from a consistent stinker in the late 1970s-early 1980s to a regular winner in Silverhawk’s time. The Mets averaged around 83 wins per season during his tenure.

Silverhawk did also play a bit for Australia in the World Baseball Championship with 33 games and 23 starts over eight editions. He had 20 hits, 14 runs, 4 doubles, 9 home runs, 22 RBI, a .213/.288/.543 slash, 134 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR.

Silverhawk struggled to make contact in his early 30s and even was benched for parts of 1992 and 1995. When he was on, he still looked like a fine bat, eventually getting four seasons worth 5+ WAR in his 30s. Everyone wanted Silverhawk to succeed as he was so likeable. Melbourne gave him a two-year, $1,480,000 extension in March 1994. Silverhawk officially became a free agent after the 1996 campaign, but the Mets brought him back at four years and $5,920,000.

Silverhawk had an impressive late stage power surge in 2000 at age 38, spending most of that year as a DH. He led the league in homers (49), RBI (109), runs (93), and total bases (315). Melbourne gave him another two years and $4,640,000 solely based on that run. That year also saw Silverhawk cross 2000 career hits and 1000 runs.

He must have stopped eating a balanced breakfast though, as Silverhawk was abysmal the next year. In 2001, he had a .152 average and -1.4 WAR. He retired that winter at age 39. Melbourne quickly announced that Silverhawk’s #28 uniform would be taken out of circulation.

Silverhawk had 2170 hits, 1101 runs, 394 doubles, 472 home runs, 1226 RBI, a .249/.285/.471 slash, 126 wRC+, and 76.0 WAR. As of 2037, he’s 7<sup>th</sup> in WAR among third basemen. His totals were borderline though and at that point, there had been only one OBA inductee with a sub .250 batting average. That guy though, Ping Janer, made up for it with Gold Glove defense and stellar baserunning. As of 2037, no OBA HOFer has a lower on-base percentage than Silverhawk.

That said, Silverhawk was one of the most likeable guys in the game. Plus, sticking with one franchise for your whole career is a major plus for some voters. A borderline candidate fittingly crossed the 66% line by the thinnest margin at 66.1%. Regardless, Silverhawk can say he was a first ballot Hall of Famer, rounding out OBA’s 2007 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-28-2024 03:48 AM

2007 APB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

2007 was a chance for returners on the ballot to get some attention for the Austronesia Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. After six first-ballot additions the prior year, the best debut got a mere 26.6% in 2007. Despite that, three players managed to earn spots in 2007.

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SP Hong-Hui Tseng led the way at 83.3% on his second ballot. Closer Wen-Yang Kuo bumped up to 77.3% for his fourth try. RF Min-Yi Lu just made it across the finish line at 68.1% for his second ballot. The only other player above 50% was CL Ming-Han Hsia with 52.5% on his second go. No one was dropped after ten failed attempts.

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Hong-Hui Tseng – Starting Pitcher – Taoyuan Tsunami – 83.3% First Ballot

Hong-Hui Tseng was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Homei, Taiwan; a township of 88,000 people in Changhua County. Tseng had good stuff, excellent movement, and above average control. His fastball regularly hit 97-99 mph and was mixed in with a great curveball, good slider, and occasional changeup.

Tseng’s stamina was below average relative to most APB aces. However, he was very durable and avoided major injuries until the very end of his career. Tseng was great at holding runners and was considered a good defensive pitcher, winning a Gold Glove in 1996. Tseng was a loyal guy and generally viewed positively among his peers.

Tseng attended Meiho University and was among the top Taiwanese prospects for the 1987 APB Draft. Taoyuan selected him 4<sup>th</sup> overall and his entire APB career would be with the Tsunami. Tseng was a part-time starter as a rookie in 1988, showing promising results. He placed third in Rookie of the Year voting and was moved into the rotation full-time after that.

Tseng was fairly average in his first two full seasons. He looked like an ace with 7.2 WAR in 1991, but followed that up with a very average 1992. From 1993-2000, Tseng was firmly an ace, posting 5+ WAR in each of those seasons. This also marked a turnaround for Taoyuan, who missed the playoffs from 1984-93. The Tsunami would win the Taiwan League four years in a row from 1994-97.

In 1994 and 1995, Tseng led the Taiwan-Philippine Association in both ERA and wins. He took second in 1994 Pitcher of the Year voting, but won the award in 1995. That season had career bests in ERA (1.69), strikeouts (318), quality starts (31), wins (22-7), and WAR (7.9).

Taoyuan won the TPA in 1994, but lost in the APB Championship to Bandung. They were defeated in the Association final in 1995 by Davao. With that, Tseng was 30 years old and coming off his best season. He decided to give free agency a shot, but still hoped to get the money he wanted with the Tsunami.

In the end, Tseng re-signed with Taoyuan for six years and $17,120,000. Tseng pitched four solid seasons in that deal and helped Taoyuan to a mini dynasty. The Tsunami repeated as APB champs in 1996 and 1997, beating Batam both years in the final.

Tseng’s playoff career stats were merely okay though with a 3.00 ERA in 66 innings, 5-4 record, 59 strikeouts, 91 ERA+, and 1.1 WAR. He did win the association finals MVP in 1994. Tseng did fare better on the national stage, pitching for Taiwan from 1991-2001 in the World Baseball Championship. Over 164.2 WBC innings, he had a 10-8 record, 2.57 ERA, 168 strikeouts, 53 walks, 140 ERA+, and 4.4 WAR.

Taoyuan was just above .500 to close the 1990s and began to rebuild in the early 2000s. Tseng still looked good, but had a sore shoulder cost him the final few weeks of the 2000 season. Then in spring training 2001, disaster struck with a stretched elbow ligament. Tseng missed the entire 2001 season and didn’t meet the criteria for the last year of his Taoyuan deal, becoming a free agent.

Tseng worked hard to make a comeback, but most teams feared that he was done with the injury. His velocity post injury only barely saw 90+ after previously being an upper 90s guy. EBF’s Stockholm gave him a shot in 2002, but only used him for 7.2 innings all season with poor results. Tseng retired that winter at age 37. Taoyuan quickly brought him home to honor him by retiring his #13 uniform.

With Taoyuan, Tseng had a 181-136 record, 2.22 ERA, 3119.2 innings, 3232 strikeouts, 647 walks, 320/399 quality starts, 72 complete games, 125 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 70.1 WAR. APB voters are generally very pitcher friendly and Tseng’s tallies were firmly in the middle compared to other HOFers. Still, there were some voters who thought he didn’t have quite enough sustained dominance or accumulations.

If not for six other guys getting in in 2006, he probably would’ve been a first ballot guy. But, that loaded field with stronger pitchers meant Tseng just missed the cut at 63.1%. With those players out of the way in 2007, Tseng’s resume saw a big jump to 83.3%, plenty for a second ballot nod and the top spot in the 2007 class.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-28-2024 02:02 PM

2007 APB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Wen-Yang “Blackjack” Kuo – Closer – Jakarta Jaguars – 77.3% First Ballot

Wen-Yang Kuo was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Tungkang, Taiwan; a township of 45,000 on the western coastline. His fondness for cards earned him the nickname “Blackjack,” although this was often used derisively. Kuo was viewed by many teammates as a selfish mercenary type that only cared about the next payday. He didn’t stay any one place too long.

That said, Kuo had outstanding staff with terrific movement and great control. His one-two punch was a 97-99 mph cutter and a curveball, both of which were often unhittable. If you didn’t whiff, you probably grounded out. Kuo’s stuff at his peak was rated as a 13/10 with 9/19 movement. Only having two pitches and Kuo’s poor stamina meant he was always going to be a reliever.

Kuo was picked 37<sup>th</sup> overall in the second round of the 1988 APB Draft by Taichung. He had good results in middle relief as a rookie and earned the closer role for the next four years. Save opportunities were limited as the Toucans were rebuilding at this point, but Kuo was dominant. He posted three seasons worth 5+ WAR, not the easiest feat out of the bullpen.

Kuo’s second season saw his first of three Reliever of the Year award wins. With Taichung, he also took second in 1991 and second in 1993. In total for the Toucans, Kuo had a 1.26 ERA, 128 saves and 178 shutdowns, 365.1 innings, 664 strikeouts, 91 walks, 224 ERA+, and 21.3 WAR. Kuo wasn’t liked in the clubhouse though and Taichung was ready to entertain offers. He was traded after the 1993 season to Jakarta for prospects.

The Jaguars had just won back-to-back APB titles and hoped Kuo could solidify a dynasty. He held up his end, although Jakarta would be just outside of the playoffs all four years of Kuo’s tenure. In his Jaguars debut, Kuo had an all-time season with 44 saves, a 0.29 ERA in 93 innings, 184 strikeouts, and 6.8 WAR.

Kuo won his second Reliever of the Year with that and made history, as that was the lowest ERA by an APB ROTY winner. The only closers in any world league that had done better were both in Beisbol Sudamerica with Nils Luis’s 0.12 for Cordoba in 1955 and Medellin’s Vitorio Paolini with a 0.28 ERA in 1934. Kuo’s record held in APB until Marten Hasan’s 0.19 ERA in the 2030 season.

Kuo led in saves in both 1995 and 1997, winning his third ROTY in 1995 and taking second in 1997. He would miss about half of 1996 to a strained hamstring. Kuo had some remarkable streaks during these prime years, tossing 59 consecutive scoreless innings from June 1995 to August 1996. That also saw a 56 game scoreless streak. In 1995, he also struck out 14 consecutive batters over an 11-day period. 1994 had a 49 game shutdown streak and from late 1993 to late 1994, Kuo had a 50 game saves streak.

In four seasons with Jakarta, Kuo had a 0.85 ERA, 158 saves, 306.1 innings, 608 strikeouts, 299 ERA+, 1 FIP- (yes, one), and 22.0 WAR. Kuo was a free agent after the 1997 season and opted to seek out MLB money, ending his APB career.

At age 31, Kuo signed a two-year, $5,760,000 deal with Atlanta of Major League Baseball. He was the closer for only part of 1998 and proved far less dominant against MLB hitters. In 1999, he missed three months with forearm inflammation. With the Aces, Kuo had 21 saves in 80.1 innings, a 2.69 ERA, 106 strikeouts, 146 ERA+, and 3.8 WAR.

For the next four years, Kuo bounced around MLB in middle relief roles. He pitched for San Francisco in 2000, New York in 2001, both St. Louis and Virginia Beach in 2002, and Phoenix in 2003. Kuo wasn’t bad in MLB, but he was just another face in the bullpen. For his MLB career, he had a 2.46 ERA over 245.1 innings, 24 saves, 205 strikeouts, a 152 ERA+, and 6.3 WAR.

In August 2003 with Phoenix, Kuo suffered a torn flexor tendon that effectively ended his career. He would earn a World Series ring that winter with the Firebirds, although he had struggled in his 25 innings of work. Kuo retired from the game at age 37. Most importantly to ol’ Blackjack, he had made around $25 million just from his MLB run.

In APB, Kuo had 286 saves and 359 shutdowns, a 1.07 ERA, 671.2 innings, 1272 strikeouts, 253 ERA+, 13 FIP-, and 43.3 WAR. The only Hall of Famer who had a lower career ERA specifically in one league were CABA’s B.J. Medina at 0.87 and BSA’s Pedro Heredia at 1.04. The rate stats reflected that prime Kuo was one of the most unhittable closers in baseball history. That said, he only pitched nine years in APB with many voters shunning his lack of accumulations. A lot of voters just didn’t like him as a person and figured his rate stats would’ve come down to earth a bit had he stayed.

Kuo came close with 59.5% and 63.4% in his first two ballots. With the loaded 2006 field, he dropped to 29.2%. With things opened back up in 2007, Kuo’s raw dominance got another look and won over enough voters to get him to 77.3%. With that, he picked up a fourth ballot addition into the 2007 APB Hall of Fame class.

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Min-Yi Lu – Right Field – Kaohsiung Steelheads – 68.1% Second Ballot

Min-Yi Lu was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Shulin, Taiwan; an inner city district of 180,000 within New Taipei City. Lu was an outstanding home run hitter, leading his association five times in his career. He averaged 40 over his 162 game average, a very impressive number in the extremely low offensive environment of APB. Lu became a very popular player for his towering shots.

Lu could draw walks respectably, but he was a subpar contact hitter who struck out a ton. He was a ‘three true outcomes’ guy with more than 48% of his plate appearances ending in homer, walk, or strikeout. Lu’s gap power was good though and nearly half of his hits were for extra bases. His speed and baserunning skills were both around league average, but better than you’d get from many big boppers.

Lu was a right fielder primarily, although he had a few stints in left. He was considered a reliably good defender and even won a Gold Glove in 1996. Lu showed great durability for most of his career and rarely missed time to injury. He was quite intelligent, which also endeared him to teammates and fans alike.

Lu attended Kaohsiung University for college, which certainly drew the attention of that city’s pro franchise. The Steelheads picked him ninth overall in the 1985 APB Draft and put him into the starting lineup right away. Lu was third in Rookie of the Year voting, but wasn’t quite there yet offensively in his earliest years. He soon found that power stroke and posted nine straight 6+ WAR seasons from 1989-96.

In 1988, Lu led in homers for the first time with 35. He’d lead twice more with Kaohsiung, posting a career best 53 in 1990. Lu also had a career best 114 RBI and 320 total bases that year. In 1991, he won his first Silver Slugger during a stint as a designated hitter and placed third in MVP voting with a TPA best 7.4 WAR.

1992 was Lu’s lone MVP and his first Silver Slugger in right field, leading the Taiwan-Philippine Association with 43 homers. Kaohsiung ended a 14-year playoff drought that year, but lost the TPA final to Cebu. Lu won his third Silver Slugger in 1993, which would be his last year with the Steelheads.

In total, Lu had 958 hits, 560 runs, 150 doubles, 308 home runs, 647 RBI, a .220/.287/.481 slash, 143 wRC+, and 46.7 WAR with Kaohsiung. Steelheads fans would fondly remember his homers and his #2 uniform would later be retired by the team. The Steelheads fell off in 1993 and were looking to do a full rebuild. With Lu entering the last year under team control, Kaohsiung started entertaining trade offers.

In January 1994, Lu was sent to Batam for three prospects. The Blue Raiders wanted him long-term and signed him to a six-year, $14,400,000 extension before the season started. Batam had become a regular playoff team in the 1990s and hoped Lu’s power could get them across the line to a championship.

Batam made the playoffs five times from 1994-99, winning the Sundaland Association in 1997 and 1998. They lost the 1997 APB final to Taoyuan, but won it all in 1998 over Quezon. Lu was the 1998 finals MVP and critical in that run, posting 13 hits, 7 runs, 3 doubles, 6 homers, and 10 RBI over 12 playoff starts. For his whole playoff career though, Lu had 45 starts, 31 hits, 17 runs, 8 doubles, 10 homers, 23 RBI, a .174/.207/.388 slash, and 100 wRC+ with a 44.7% strikeout rate.

Lu had the most strikeouts in the Sundaland Association twice with Batam, but also led in homers twice and RBI once. He had a career-best 8.0 WAR in 1996, winning his fourth and final Silver Slugger. That season also saw his lone Gold Glove.

While playing in Indonesia, Lu still came home to Taiwan for the World Baseball Championship. From 1988-99, he had 121 games and 106 starts in the WBC, posting 90 hits, 64 runs, 7 doubles, 44 home runs, 84 RBI, a .229/.330/.583 slash, 156 wRC+, and 4.6 WAR.

In addition to getting a ring in 1998, Lu became the fifth APB hitter to reach 500 career home runs. He peaked here though and was relegated to a part-time role in 1999 and 2000. Lu’s power dipped and 2000 had a career worst .160 batting average. He retired that winter at age 38. For Batam, he had 694 hits, 430 runs, 102 doubles, 242 home runs, 518 RBI, a .212/.277/.476 slash, 158 wRC+, and 35.3 WAR.

Lu ended with 1652 hits, 990 runs, 252 doubles, 550 home runs, 1165 RBI, 701 walks, 2817 strikeouts, a .216/.283/.479 slash, 149 wRC+, and 82.0 WAR. He retired fifth in homers and still sits 11<sup>th</sup> as of 2037. He’s also 43<sup>rd</sup> in WAR among position players as of 2037. Lu was well liked and helped Batam to a title, but many voters couldn’t get over his 33.5% strikeout rate or .216 batting average. As of 2037, he has the fifth most Ks of any APB hitter.

Even by APB’s very low offense standards, a .216 career average was lousy. Lu would have the lowest by a good margin of any APB Hall of Famer and only two others in any world league were below him. Still, he made his few hits count and was well liked, plus Lu was a good defender. He missed the cut at 57.3% on his debut against the loaded 2006 class, but made it across the line on his second try. At 68.1%, Lu was the third member of APB’s 2007 Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-28-2024 10:30 PM

2007 CLB Hall of Fame

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In his tenth and final chance, pitcher Baoxian He finally got the phone call he was dreaming of. He received 74.4% to finally earn induction into the Chinese League Baseball Hall of Fame. He was the only addition in the 2007 voting with only two others getting above 50%. Both were debuting pitchers with Jun Tang at 59.9% and Martin Cui at 59.2%. No one was dropped after ten failed tries.

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Baoxian “Blackjack” He – Dalian Gold Dragons – 74.4% Tenth Ballot

Baoxian He was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Wuhan, China. He loved to play cards with his teammates, earning the nickname “Blackjack.” Baoxian was known for having pinpoint control which graded as a 9/10 for the majority of his career. His ability to spot pitches gave him great longevity despite having merely average-at-best stuff and movement.

Baoxian’s velocity topped out at 95-97 mph on his fastball. He had a five-pitch arsenal that included a cutter, slider, curveball and changeup. Baoxian had excellent durability and had 30+ starts and 235+ innings in all but three of his 15 seasons. His stamina was considered good and his defense below average.

Many fans wouldn’t realize that He started his pro career with Hong Kong. Freshly removed from high school, Baoxian was picked 14<sup>th</sup> overall by the Champions in the 1976 CLB Draft. He spent two years in their developmental system, but never made it to the big league club. In January 1979, He and three prospects were traded to Dalian for veteran OF and 1992 Hall of Fame inductee Hao Lan, plus $431,000.

Baoxian debuted as a part-timer in 1979 at age 22 for the Gold Dragons. He was mediocre as a rookie and didn’t look much better the next year as a full-timer. The patience paid off as Baoxian emerged as a reliable starter in t he 1980s. He led the league thrice in innings pitched, twice in quality starts, and once in shutouts. Baoxian was never dominant though was never a finalist for Pitcher of the Year. He would toss a no-hitter on July 15, 1985 with 8 strikeouts and no walks.

Dalian was happy with the results and gave He a six-year, $4,230,000 contract extension in May 1987. That would be his best season by WAR at 7.2. Baoxian led in wins in 1988 and his great control allowed him to age pretty effectively into his 30s. He tossed a second no-hitter with 10 Ks and 1 walk on June 29, 1989 versus Shanghai.

The Gold Dragons had a 13-year playoff drought from 1976-88, but emerged on the other side with a dynasty. Dalian made it to the China Series six straight years from 1989-94 and won it all in 1989, 91, 92, 93, and 94. He was around for the first three of those rings, chugging along.

In 1992, Baoxian was the China Series MVP with a 2.65 ERA over four playoff starts and 34 innings that year. For his entire playoff career, he was average with a 7-4 record in 14 starts, 103.2 innings, 2.69 ERA, 89 strikeouts, 14 walks, 95 ERA+, and 1.4 WAR. Sometimes though, just having a guy who can get reliable innings is enough. Baoxian was appreciated enough by Dalian to see his #86 uniform retired.

However, despite winning finals MVP in 1992, Dalian voided the team option year in his contact that winter. He was a free agent for the first time at age 36 and had trouble finding suitors with his velocity dropping into the low 90s. Baoxian ended up moving to Australia and signing with OBA’s Adelaide, but he’d only toss 18.1 innings for them in 1993. He retired that winter at age 37.

The final stats saw a 179-174 record, 2.35 ERA, 3610.1 innings, 3376 strikeouts, 482 walks, 354/448 quality starts, 146 complete games, 109 ERA+, 93 FIP-, and 58.4 WAR. Sticking with one team, helping them establish a dynasty, and two no-hitters were big plusses for He. However, Baoxian lacked the dominance expected of a Hall of Famer. Even the pitcher-friendly CLB voters were skeptical. Only two players with a weaker ERA had gotten the nod into CLB’s HOF.

Baoxian debuted at 49.0% and never dropped lower than 46%. He hovered between the 40s and 50s for his first seven ballots, seemingly peaking there. Then, He came painfully close at 64.4% and 65.1% in 2005 and 2006. 2007 was his last chance and Baoxian was helped by a relatively unremarkable group of newcomers. He finally crossed the finish line at 74.4%, becoming the first-ever CLB inductee to make it on the tenth ballot. Baoxian finally got his flowers as the lone addition in 2007.

FuzzyRussianHat

06-29-2024 06:37 AM

2007 WAB Hall of Fame

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