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FuzzyRussianHat

11-03-2024 05:59 PM

2017 Baseball Grand Championship

FuzzyRussianHat

11-04-2024 05:07 AM

2018 MLB Hall of Fame

Two players were added into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 20187. RF Monty Moody led the way as a strong first-ballot choice at 89.1%. SP Keifer Bobbins joined him on his fifth try, getting across the 66% requirement with 72.0%. SP Bob Gallagher came close on his eight ballot, but narrowly missed at 61.1%. Also above 50% was SS Robert Hightower (59.8%, 5th), C Sebastian Van Velzen (57.2%, 2nd), and C Brayan Varela (53.4%, 3rd). The second best debut was RF Jameson Hughes at 47.3%.

https://i.imgur.com/5h17xv6.png

Catcher Warwick Weah fell off the ballot after ten failed tries, debuting with a peak of 43.3% and ending at 34.1%. The Liberian had a 22-year career, but lost some accumulations since his first seven seasons came in West Africa Baseball. Weah won two Gold Gloves and was a seven-time MLB All-Star mostly with Detroit. In MLB, Weah had 1884 hits, 930 runs, 302 doubles, 342 home runs, 1049 RBI, a .271/.330/.467 slash, 137 wRC+, and 75.1 WAR.

As of 2037, Weah has the 11th most WAR among MLB catchers and even had Van Velzen and Varela beat despite finishing below them in 2018. It was always hard though with the low totals that come with the position, plus Weah lacked black ink and awards. Some might call him a compiler and with a number of other comparable catchers on the ballot, he couldn’t stand out.

Also falling off the ballot after ten tries was SP Frankie Benedict, who had a 14-year run with Las Vegas. He peaked at 22.0% on his second try and ended at 10.3%. Benedict didn’t have accolades and almost no black ink, but ended with a 215-174 record, 3.35 ERA, 3683 innings, 2634 strikeouts, 948 walks, 220 complete games, 42 shutouts, 118 ERA+, 93 FIP-, and 61.1 WAR. It was a fine career, but he needed either more dominance or more accumulations to get the nod.

https://i.imgur.com/tlz9H97.png

Monty Moody – Right Field – Boston Red Sox – 89.1% First Ballot

Monty Moody was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Monson, Massachusetts; a town of 8,000 people within the Springfield metropolitan area. Moody’s claim to fame was having a tremendous eye for the strike zone as few were better at drawing walks in MLB history. He was also solid at avoiding strikeouts and was a great contact hitter. Moody’s power was reliably solid, getting you 26 home runs and 33 doubles per his 162 game average.

Moody was a very smart and slick baserunner, although his speed was below average for most of his career. He had a strong arm though which made him a perfectly serviceable right fielder, grading as just below average defensively. Moody’s durability was solid, allowing him to play into his 40s. The main knock was his personality with many teammates calling him a lazy and selfish jerk. Even so, Moody’s natural talent made him one of MLB’s finest players of the 1990s and 2000s.

He left New England to play college baseball at Michigan State, taking second in NCAA MVP voting as a junior. Moody also had a Silver Slugger as a freshman. In three years for the Spartans, he had 146 games, 180 hits, 99 runs, 38 doubles, 38 home runs, 108 RBI, 109 walks, a .338/.450/.628 slash, 207 wRC+, and 11.2 WAR. This caught the attention of many teams, including Boston. The Red Sox picked Moody tenth overall in the 1990 MLB Draft, bringing him back to his home state.

Although some argued Moody was disloyal, he ended up playing 19 years in Boston. He started for most of his rookie year, but did miss a month to a sprained ankle. Still, Moody earned a third place in Rookie of the Year voting. He took third in MVP voting in his sophomore campaign, leading the National Association in RBI with a career best 111. The Red Sox ended a 12-year playoff drought and got to the NACS for the first time since 1967, but lost to rival Hartford. Moody struggled in his first postseason with -0.1 WAR.

1992 did mark the first of six consecutive seasons worth 7+ WAR, a mark he ultimately hit eight times in his career. Moody led in doubles (42), slugging (.630), and OPS (1.067) in 1993; all career highs. He was second in MVP voting, but Boston would narrowly miss the playoffs the next two years. Despite his impressive stats, Moody generally didn’t lead the league from here on out. He also never won a Silver Slugger, although much of that was because he shared a position with Nathaniel D’Attilo, who won nine.

1995 solidified Moody as a popular figure for many Boston fans, helping them earn only their third-ever World Series appearance. They would lose to Denver in the Fall Classic, but Moody had a big playoff run, posting 22 hits, 17 runs, 5 doubles, 5 homers, 15 RBI, and 14 walks in 18 starts with a 1.119 OPS and 1.7 WAR. Moody was never quite as dominant again, but he overall had solid playoff numbers in his career for the Red Sox. In 67 starts, he had 69 hits, 39 runs, 16 doubles, 9 homers, 39 RBI, 45 walks, a .291/.398/.473 slash, 163 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR.

Moody also but up big numbers for the United States in the World Baseball Championship, leading twice in runs scored and total bases, thrice in doubles, and once in hits, RBI, and WAR. He became the fifth player in WBC history to win Tournament MVP twice (1994, 2000). In 1994, he had 2.6 WAR, 32 hits, 12 doubles, 7 home runs, 20 RBI, and 20 walks. The doubles mark was a tournament record that has been matched, but not beaten since.

In addition, Moody was second in 1996’s WBC MVP voting and third in 1997. He was a part of America’s 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2007 World Champion teams. In 227 games and 204 starts, Moody had 256 hits, 188 runs, 57 doubles, 63 home runs, 156 RBI, 122 walks, a .332/.426/.658 slash, 214 wRC+, and 17.1 WAR. As of 2037, Moody ranks 6th in WAR among position players, 13th in hits, 7th in runs, 2nd in doubles, 39th in home runs, 18th in RBI, and 21st in walks. Among all WBC players with 250+ plate appearances, Moody’s 1.084 OPS ranks 38th.

After the 1995 World Series run, Boston gave Moody an eight-year, $27,280,000 extension. His last time as an MVP finalist was a second in 2007, leading the NA that year with a career-high 9.2 WAR. Moody also had 8.3 WAR in 1998 and led in runs scored with 107 in 2000 and walks with 99 in 2007. He settled more into being a 4-5 WAR player into his early 30s, but that was still very strong production. Boston had the top seed in 1996, but was upset by Indianapolis in the NACS. They had a second round exit in 1997, then fell into a six-year playoff drought.

The Red Sox gave Moody another five years and $52,500,000 after the 2003 season. Boston started to contend again, falling in the 2004 NACS to Winnipeg. They missed the playoffs in 2005, but had a five-year streak after that. From 2006-2009 though, they couldn’t get beyond the second round. 2009 seemed like their best shot with the top seed at 107-55, but they were upset by Milwaukee.

After generally being sturdy, Moody missed half of 2006 between a broken finger and rotator cuff strain. Back spasms and a hamstring strain cost him a big chunk of 2009, which would be his last year in Boston. Moody still had very solid numbers when healthy, but the Red Sox were worried that the 39-year old was starting to break down and let him leave for free agency.

In total for Boston, Moody had 2856 hits, 1597 runs, 543 doubles, 412 home runs, 1489 RBI, 1427 walks, 181 stolen bases, a .299/.390/.495 slash, 171 wRC+, and 117.9 WAR. Although he rubbed some in management the wrong way, Moody was still a popular figure for his nearly two decades with the Red Sox. Boston would retire his #95 uniform once his pro career was over.

Moody could still command big money and signed a three-year, $34,800,000 deal with Houston. The Hornets had first round playoff exits in both of his seasons there. 2010 was decent but a strained oblique cost him a month. Then in 2011, Moody missed most of the season to a severely strained hip muscle. Still, that autumn he joined the 3000 hit club. However, he didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the third year of his deal.

With Houston, Moody had 162 games, 169 hits, 114 runs, 30 doubles, 21 home runs, 95 RBI, a .290/.405/.467 slash, 147 wRC+, and 5.4 WAR. That would be a very good single season, but the injuries were a concern for most teams. Still, Calgary signed the 41-year old Moody to a one-year deal for 2012. It was his statistically weakest full season, but he did still manage 3.2 WAR. Moody became the fifth player in MLB history to reach 600 career doubles.

Moody wanted to continue on, but no MLB teams were interested. He didn’t get signed until May 2013, resigning himself to the European Second League with Stuttgart in a backup role. Moody was then a backup for Manchester in the 2014 E2L season and struggled, posting a .169/.354/.214 slash during his two years in Europe. He finally realized it was time to retire at age 44.

The final MLB stats for Moody: 2935 games, 3157 hits, 1794 runs, 609 doubles, 48 triples, 444 home runs, 1647 RBI, 1637 walks, 189 stolen bases, a .297/.390/.488 slash, 167 wRC+, and 126.5 WAR. As of 2037, Moody ranks 4th in doubles, 46th in hits, 27th in runs, 78th in RBI, 7th in walks, 30th in games played, and 12th in WAR among position players. His OBP ranks 39th among all MLB batters with 3000+ plate appearances. In world history as of 2037, he ranks 17th in walks drawn and is one of only 22 guys with 1600+ career walks.

Some voters were shocked Moody ranked so high on the WAR lists, especially since he wasn’t a huge home run guy. The reliable doubles and walks went a long way towards an excellent career. There were still a few voters that held out because of the lack of accolades and because Moody was a jerk. However, his resume was no-doubt headliner worthy. It was fitting that a long-time Boston legend got inducted only a few months after the Red Sox won the World Series. At 89.1%, Moody led the way for MLB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class.

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

Keifer “Powder” Bobbins – Starting Pitcher – Winnipeg Wolves – 72.0% First Ballot

Keifer Bobbins was a 6’4’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Newcastle upon Tyne, a city of 300,000 inhabitants in northeast England. He would be the third Englishman added into the MLB Hall of Fame, joining CL Kelly Hughes (1982) and SP Dirk Hughes (2013). Bobbins joined Hughes as the only inductees wearing Winnipeg’s red and grey.

Bobbins had strong stuff, very good movement, and above average to good control. His velocity peaked in the 96-98 mph range with a slider, sinker, and changeup. The changeup especially was known to be his most devastating pitch. Bobbins fared noticeably better against right-handed hitters (2.82 ERA) versus lefties (3.37 ERA).

Early in his career, Bobbins had excellent stamina. His durability was also terrific, starting 30+ games with 200+ innings in all 16 of his MLB seasons. Bobbins did struggle with holding runners and with his defense. He wasn’t considered the brightest guy or a locker room leader, but he put up reliably solid numbers for three teams.

After high school, Bobbins left England for the United States and the University of Notre Dame. He spent three years in South Bend and posted a 21-6 record over 287.1 innings, a 2.38 ERA, 297 strikeouts, 85 walks, 151 ERA+, and 10.4 WAR. Because of the regional restrictions, Bobbins wasn’t available until the fourth round of the 1992 MLB Draft. He was the first pick of the round and 173rd overall, selected by Oklahoma City.

Bobbins was a full-timer immediately and led the American Association in innings pitched (297.2) and quality starts (25). The innings and his 8.0 WAR would both be career highs and it was one of the higher WAR seasons ever by a rookie. Yet somehow, Bobbins wasn’t a Rookie of the Year finalist. OKC being a terrible team cost him some recognition, as their best season with him there was 77-85 in 1993.

In 1996 and 1997, Bobbins led in complete games with 24 both years. He otherwise wasn’t generally a league leader and he was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist. He still put up regular and reliable innings in five years and chance with Oklahoma City posting a 91-84 record, 2.99 ERA, 1632 innings, 1131 strikeouts, 131 ERA+, and 39.3 WAR. Statistically, this was his strongest run with a team. Bobbins also had his lone no-hitter on May 9, 1998 against New Orleans with nine strikeouts and three walks.

At the 1998 trade deadline, OKC sent him to New York for RF Carter Hilburn and SP Shawn Hoffler. Bobbins had a nice second half for the Yankees, but he gave up four runs over seven innings in his one playoff start as they fell in the first round. New York was happy with his addition and gave Bobbins a three-year, $16,480,000 extension after the 1999 season. NY won division titles again in 2000 and 2002, but lost in the first round both years. Bobbins had a 3.71 ERA in his three playoff starts for the Yankees.

In total in the Bronx, Bobbins had a 60-55 record, 1166.1 innings, 1027 strikeouts, 306 walks, 113 ERA+, and 24.5 WAR. He led in quality starts in 1999 with 28 and had his career best ERA in 2000 at 2.53. New York let Bobbins leave for free agency after the 2002 season heading towards age 31. He ended up signing a six-year, $49,800,000 deal with Winnipeg. This is the colors he’d be inducted into the Hall with, despite having bigger final totals with OKC.

Bobbins maintained his steady production for most of the run and even led in WHIP in 2003 with a career best 0.96. He wasn’t a big strikeout guy, but his career high saw 241 in 2004. One of the 1982 expansion teams, Winnipeg got their first-ever National Association pennant in 2004. They missed the playoffs in 2005, but then won back-to-back pennants in 2006 and 2007. The Wolves ultimately lost in all three World Series tries falling to Phoenix, Nashville, and San Diego.

In the 2004 playoff run, Bobbins was iffy with a 4.66 ERA over 19.1 innings. He was excellent in 2006 though, which is what cemented his primary association with Winnipeg. Bobbins had three quality starts with a 1.54 ERA over 23.1 innings and 20 strikeouts. Despite being healthy, he wasn’t used at all in the 2007 playoff run.

Bobbins saw his production drop to career lows in 2008, the last year of his Winnipeg. He was still able to eat innings and was passable, but he decided to retire that winter at age 36. With the Wolves, Bobbins had a 85-69 record, 3.16 ERA, 1428.1 innings, 1203 strikeouts, 320 walks, 107 ERA+, and 27.2 WAR. While not dominant in Winnipeg, fans were very happy with the three pennants during his tenure.

Bobbins retired with a 236-208 record, 3.04 ERA, 4226.2 innings, 3361 strikeouts, 1085 walks, 363 quality starts, 206 complete games, 47 shutouts, a 117 ERA+, and 90.9 WAR. As of 2037 in MLB, he ranks 79th in wins, 54th in innings, 52nd in strikeouts, 84th in complete games, and 53rd in WAR among pitchers. Bobbins had hit some solid tallies through his longevity, but the lack of awards and dominance had critics dismissing him as a compiler.

This brought up the debate yet again between guys who sustained above average to good production versus those who had brief dominance. Bobbins was rarely incredible, but he rarely gave you bad outings either. In 2014, Bobbins debuted on the ballot at 50.9%. He slightly bumped to 52.5% in 2015, then fell just short of the 66% requirement with 64.1% in 2016 and 61.4% in 2017. Bobbins won over just enough doubters on his fifth try in 2018, getting to 72.0%. With that, he was the second member of MLB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-04-2024 11:16 AM

2018 CABA Hall of Fame

Two players from Haiti’s dynasty run secured first ballot Hall of Fame slots for 2018 in the Central American Baseball Association. SP Sal Meza was a slam dunk at 97.6%, while closer Vicente Gonzalez had a solid 82.2%. 1B Yonder Aguirre nearly joined them in his debut, but missed the 66% mark at 64.7%. Also close were pitchers Julio Sandoval in his fifth ballot and the debuting Ian Paniagua both at 61.9%. No one else was above 40%.

https://i.imgur.com/jV9mZ75.png

1B Gonzalo Juarez was dropped after ten failed ballots, peaking at 49.1% in 2011 and ending with 33.9%. He had 14 years with Salvador and won three CABA titles with the Stallions, stepping up big in the postseason. Juarez was the 1997 finals MVP and CLCS MVP in 1998 and 1999. His regular season numbers saw 2114 hits, 1151 runs, 244 doubles, 584 home runs, 1487 RBI, a .278/.316/.546 slash, 132 wRC+, and 49.2 WAR. Juarez was a solid power hitter, but wasn’t a league leader and only had one Silver Slugger. A “Hall of Pretty Good” type and still an important piece in a dynasty run.

Also part of the Salvador run was SP Angel Tobar, who played 14 years between the Stallions and Bahamas. He got as high as 59.2% in 2015, but ended only at 14.0%. Tobar had a 199-116 record, 3.31 ERA, 3079.2 innings, 2712 strikeouts, 121 ERA+, and 63.8 WAR. There had been inducted starters with similar or arguably weaker resumes, but Tobar lacked black ink or awards. Either more dominance or a few more years of accumulations were needed to get him across the line. Although he won two titles with Salvador, Tobar did notably have a lackluster 5.28 ERA in the playoffs.

https://i.imgur.com/T83L6LH.png

Sal “Speedy” Meza – Starting Pitcher - Haiti Herons – 97.6% First Ballot

Sal Meza was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Mexico City. The nickname “Speedy” was a sarcastic one, as he was a comically slow runner. Luckily, that wasn’t an important skill as a pitcher. Meza had quite solid stuff and movement with above average control. His fastball peaked in the 97-99 mph range and was mixed in with a splitter and changeup.

Although Meza had good stamina, numerous nagging injuries limited his innings and ability to go deep in games. Still, he managed to post an 18-year run thanks to a tireless work ethic. Meza was excellent at holding runners, but below average defensively. He ended up being one of the more popular pitchers both at home and aboard.

Coming up through the amateur ranks, Meza was considered the top prospect coming out of Mexico for the 1994 CABA Draft. With that, Mexicali grabbed him with the #1 overall pick. Meza was a full-timer immediately and debuted with 5.6 WAR for the Maroons, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting. He had a great pace in 1996, but various injuries kept him out roughly half the season. Meza bounced back with a solid 1997.

In 1998, Meza led the Mexican League with 274 strikeouts. Mexicali reached 90 wins for the first time since 1972, but narrowly missed the playoffs. They were just above .500 in 1999, which was still an improvement from the awful outings early in Meza’s career. He missed the final chunk of 1999 to an oblique strain. Meza and Mexicali couldn’t come to terms on a long-term deal and he entered free agency heading towards 2000 and his age 28 season.

In five years for Mexicali, Meza had a 59-42 record, 2.95 ERA, 992.2 innings, 1089 strikeouts, 201 walks, 124 ERA+, and 26.7 WAR. The rest of his pro career would be in the Caribbean League, although Meza still did represent his country in the World Baseball Championship. He was primarily a reliever for Mexico and a fantastic one with an 0.75 ERA over six tournaments and 48 innings, striking out 68 with 2.1 WAR.

Meza began his most famous run in 2000, signing a seven-year, $20,460,000 deal with Haiti. While the Herons had already started their playoff streak three years prior, Meza helped turn them into a dynasty. Haiti won three straight Caribbean League titles from 2000-02, setting up their classic CABA Championship battles with Ecatepec. The Explosion won in 2000, but the Herons took it in 2001 and 2002.

All seven of Meza’s seasons with Haiti were worth 6.5 WAR or better, leading in FIP- four times and WAR twice. He won Pitcher of the Year in 2001 and 2002, was third in 2005, and was second in 2006. Meza’s best season by WAR (8.9) and strikeouts (322) was 2004, although it was his worst by ERA. He had a full season career best 2.26 ERA in 2002 and led the CL matching that 2.26 in in 2006.

Haiti fell in the first round of the 2003 and 2004 playoffs, then had a CLCS loss in 2005 to Salvador. The Herons returned to the CABA perch in 2006 over Juarez, giving Meza his third CABA ring. Over 89.1 playoff innings with Haiti, Meza had a 5-2 record, 2.82 ERA, 102 strikeouts, 7 walks, 140 ERA+, and 2.3 WAR. In total for the Herons, he had a 120-52 record, 2.70 ERA, 1628.2 innings, 1899 strikeouts, 260 walks, 147 ERA+, and 54.2 WAR.

His contract expired after 2006 and even heading towards age 35, Meza was at the top of his game. He entered free agency and signed a four-year, $28,000,000 deal with Honduras. He delivers immediately with his third Pitcher of the Year in 2007, winning back-to-back ERA titles (2.41). Meza also led in wins for the first time with a career best 21-5 record. The Horsemen got the #1 seed, but fell to Haiti in the CLCS despite Meza’s 2.31 ERA in 23.1 playoff innings.

That was Meza’s last great season unfortunately. He was having a decent 2008, but suffered a torn labrum in August and was never quite the same. Other injuries kept him from building momentum, including a torn meniscus and shoulder inflammation in 2010. The inflammation began September 2010 and setbacks carried that into the summer of 2011. Meza then missed much of that year with an elbow strain.

Honduras kept him around on qualifying offers and then signed Meza to a three-year, $20,000,000 deal in January 2011. The Horsemen fell to around .500 from 2008-2010, but got back into the 2011 playoffs as a wild card. Honduras had a surprising run to the CABA Championship over Chihuahua, giving Meza his fourth ring. He showed that old greatness in the 2011 playoffs with a 1.70 ERA and 4-1 record over 37 innings. For his playoff career, Meza had a 2.47 ERA, 11-4 record, 149.2 innings, 143 strikeouts, 160 ERA+, and 3.4 WAR.

Meza continued that strong effort into the Baseball Grand Championship in 2011 with a 1.42 ERA over 12.2 innings, although they finished 7-12. He managed to keep that momentum going with a 4.1 WAR effort in 2012, his best since 2008. Honduras lost in the CLCS that year, but Meza wasn’t used in the playoffs. He decided to retire there at age 40, finishing his six-year Honduras run with a 54-38 record, 3.37 ERA, 855 innings, 741 strikeouts, 167 walks, 119 ERA+, and 19.0 WAR.

The grand totals for Meza: 233-132 record, 2.94 ERA, 3476.1 innings, 3729 strikeouts, 628 walks, 72 complete games, 20 shutouts, 132 ERA+, and 100.1 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 10th in WAR among pitchers, 24th in strikeouts, and 27th in wins. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, Meza’s opponent’s OPS of .577 ranks 35th and his ERA ranks 44th. He also ranks 22nd in WHIP (0.92). That plus his playoff heroics made Meza an easy Hall of Fame headliner in 2018 at 97.6%.

https://i.imgur.com/ty8MAvy.png

Vicente Gonzalez – Closer – Haiti Herons – 82.2% First Ballot

Vicente Gonzalez was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed relief pitcher from Soyapango, El Salvador; a satellite city of the capital San Salvador with more than 284,000 residents. Gonzalez had electric stuff along with above average control and movement. He had the one-two punch of a 99-101 mph fastball and a circle change that looked the same out of his hand. Gonzalez had good stamina and excellent durability relative to other relievers. He was an excellent defensive pitcher and was adaptable to his circumstances.

Gonzalez certainly drew plenty of attention locally in San Salvador as he progressed through the amateur ranks. Known relievers weren’t often first round draft picks, but the Stallions selected Gonzalez 21st overall in the 1997 CABA Draft. He only had a part-time role in the 1998 regular season for a loaded Salvador squad that repeated as CABA champs and won their third straight Caribbean crown. Gonzalez was moved to the closer role by the postseason and had five saves over 5.2 innings.

For the next five years, Gonzalez was Salvador’s full-time closer. He led the league with a career best 44 saves in 2003. Gonzalez won Reliever of the Year in 2000, while posting a third place finish in 1999 and a second place in both 2002 and 2003. Salvador won a fourth straight Caribbean pennant in 1999, but the fledgling Ecatepec dynasty denied the Stallions’ CABA Championship three-peat hope. Gonzalez was great again with six saves and a 1.74 ERA over 10.1 innings.

Salvador had first round playoff exits in 2000 and 2001 with Gonzalez struggling in his two appearances. He tossed seven scoreless innings in 2003 as the Stallions dropped the CLCS to Honduras. In only six years, Gonzalez had a 2.63 playoff ERA over 27.1 innings, 12 saves, and 39 strikeouts; playing an important role for their late 1990s dynasty.

In total with Salvador, Gonzalez had a 37-31 record, 186 saves and 194 shutdowns, 2.11 ERA, 419 innings, 654 strikeouts, 94 walks, 190 ERA+, and 15.2 WAR. He continued to play regularly for El Salvador in the World Baseball Championship, even though he left the Stallions after the 2003 season. From 1999-2014, Gonzalez was a WBC regular and often saw use as a starter. He tossed 175 innings with a 3.13 ERA, 9-12 record, 5 saves, 262 strikeouts, and 4.0 WAR.

A free agent at age 28, Gonzalez signed a four-year, $14,480,000 deal with Haiti for 2004. It was rare for relievers to get longer term deals and despite this, Gonzalez saw limited use in middle relief in his first three years. He did well in this role and tossed 6.2 scoreless innings between the 2005 and 2006 postseasons. Haiti had a first round exit in 2004 and CLCS loss to Salvador in 2005. The Herons started the second chunk of their dynasty by winning the 2006 CABA title over Juarez.

Gonzalez was back to a full-time closer role in 2007 and led the Caribbean in saves with 40, winning his second Reliever of the Year. Haiti repeated as CABA champ by beating Mexicali, although Gonzalez struggled with six runs allowed over seven postseason innings. He never allowed an earned run in any other postseason run while a Heron, posting a 1.95 ERA over 27.2 innings, 7 saves, 41 strikeouts, 212 ERA+, and 1.1 WAR. Haiti extended Gonzalez for three years and $14,840,000 after the 2007 campaign.

2008 was his third Reliever of the Year and saw career highs in ERA (1.57), innings (103), games (76), strikeouts (157), and WAR (5.3). Gonzalez was third in 2010’s ROTY voting and led in saves for the third time. Haiti had first round exits in 2008 and 2009. In 2010, they won their sixth Caribbean title of their playoff run, but fell to Ecatepec in the CABA finale. They earned a spot in the inaugural Baseball Grand Championship with Gonzalez allowing one run in four innings over five games.

In total for Haiti, Gonzalez had a 37-30 record, 155 saves and 183 shutdowns, 2.34 ERA, 454 innings, 707 strikeouts, 93 walks, 175 ERA+, and 17.7 WAR. He played one more year there and had a few more innings than Salvador, although you could argue he was equally associated between the two teams. Now 35-years old, Gonzalez signed a two-year, $12,200,000 deal with Honduras.

The Horsemen had missed the playoffs in the prior three years, but made a surprise run to the CABA Championship in 2011 as a wild card. They lost in the 2012 CLCS to Santo Domingo. Gonzalez was the closer both years and took third in 2011 Reliever of the Year voting. He also became the third closer in CABA history to earn 400 career saves.

Gonzalez was again strong in the playoffs, posting a 0.45 ERA and nine saves over 20 innings for the Horsemen. He posted a 2.70 ERA over 6.2 innings in the 2011 Baseball Grand Championship. Gonzalez’s reputation for stepping up in the playoffs was deserved in CABA, finishing with 28 saves over 75 innings and 53 games, a 1.80 ERA, 102 strikeouts, 18 walks, 225 ERA+, and 2.9 WAR. As of 2037, he is the CABA playoff leader in saves (and the only one with more than 20) and games pitched. Gonzalez’s playoff ERA is 37th among any pitcher with 30+ playoff innings.

In two seasons for Honduras, Gonzalez had 61 saves, a 2.53 ERA, 156.1 innings, 212 strikeouts, 152 ERA+, and 5.8 WAR. His velocity and strikeouts had dipped in his second year, thus some CABA teams were weary of adding him in free agency. Gonzalez’s CABA career and run as a closer was officially done, but he would carry on in Brazil. He signed a two-year, $10,980,000 deal with Fortaleza.

Gonzalez was unremarkable in two seasons with the Foxes, posting a 3.76 ERA over 67 innings and 0.3 WAR. He only faced two batters in the 2013 postseason, but earned a Copa Sudamerica ring with the Foxes. This gave Gonzalez five championship rings between four teams and two different world leagues; almost certainly a unique accomplishment in professional baseball history.

Gonzalez also tossed 21.1 innings with a 3.80 ERA in the 2013 Grand Championship. That gave him another unique distinction, playing in three of the first four BGCs. Gonzalez may be the only guy in Grand Championship history that competed in it for three different franchises.

In 2015, he signed with Brasilia and struggled to a 6.75 ERA in 16 innings. Gonzalez also gave up six runs over two playoff innings. For his Beisbol Sudamerica career, he had a 4.34 ERA over 83 innings, 81 strikeouts, and 0.2 WAR. Gonzalez retired after the 2015 campaign at age 40.

In CABA, Gonzalez retired with an 81-73 record, 402 saves, 444 shutdowns, 2.27 ERA, 1029.1 innings, 1573 strikeouts, 223 walks, 176 ERA+, and 38.7 WAR. As of 2037, Gonzalez is 4th in saves and he’s fifth in WAR among Hall of Fame relievers. He didn’t have the most pure dominance among CABA’s great relievers, but he often stepped up in big moments for contenders. Gonzalez received 82.2% for a first ballot nod as the second member of CABA’s 2018 Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-04-2024 05:36 PM

2018 EAB Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

11-05-2024 05:30 AM

2018 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 1)

FuzzyRussianHat

11-05-2024 04:30 PM

2018 BSA Hall of Fame (Part 2)

https://i.imgur.com/eT8JP9j.png

Luis Calderon – Third Base – Montevideo Venom – 75.0% First Ballot

Luis Calderon was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Santa Rosa del Monday, a district of southeastern Paraguay’s Alta Parana department. Calderon was an excellent contact hitter who regularly put the ball into play. He struck out far less than most Beisbol Sudamerica batters, but also didn’t draw many walks. Calderon’s gap power was very good with 33 doubles per his 162 game average. While not a prolific home run hitter, he also topped 20+ dingers in nine straight seasons.

Unlike many high contract guys, Calderon was comically slow and sluggish on the basepaths. He had a cannon arm, which served him well as he played third base exclusively. Calderon was an excellent defender, winning four Gold Gloves. He had good durability early in his career, but his body began breaking down into his early 30s.

Calderon was picked fifth overall by Montevideo in the 1999 BSA Draft and played his entire Beisbol Sudamerica career in Uruguay. He would still play for his native Paraguay in the World Baseball Championship, even after leaving for the United States. From 2002-2016, Calderon had 127 WBC starts with 119 hits, 55 runs, 28 doubles, 20 home runs, 59 RBI, a .252/.319/.443 slash, 120 wRC+, and 3.4 WAR.

Montevideo only used Calderon in 16 games in 2000 and not at all in 2001, as they tried to develop their young prospect. He was a part-timer in 2002, then took the full-time gig from 2003-2011. All of Calderon’s full seasons for the Venom were worth 6.5 WAR or better, even with injuries knocking him out a few weeks in 2004, 2008, and 2009. Calderon won Silver Sluggers in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010. He took Gold Gloves in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011.

Calderon didn’t win MVP, but was third in 2007’s voting and second in 2010. He won a batting title and led in hits in 2005. In 2010, he had Southern Cone League and career bests in hits (243), doubles (46), and WAR (10.3). Calderon also had a career best .393 batting average, although he shared a league with Francisco Magellan’s record-breaking .420. Calderon led in doubles and average then in 2011 and again topped 10 WAR. He also had a six-hit game in 2007 against Sao Paulo.

Despite his efforts, Montevideo never made the playoffs in his run, averaging 78.5 wins per season. The franchise’s struggles made getting a long-term deal difficult. Plus, a 32-year old Calderon off back-to-back 10+ WAR seasons was primed to make bank in free agency. He decided to leave Montevideo and ultimately South America. He would remain popular in both Uruguay and Paraguay and did see his #31 uniform eventually retired by the Venom.

Calderon had worldwide suitors and moved to Major League Baseball on a five-year, $93,000,000 deal with Tampa, who was coming off both a World Series win and a Baseball Grand Championship title. Calderon was a full-time starter in 2012, but struggled to adjust with below average batting tallies. His glove still allowed him to have positive value at 2.9 WAR. The Thunderbirds kept him as a starter for the contract, but injuries took him out for bits of the next four years.

Tampa made four straight playoff berths from 2012-15, but couldn’t get beyond the second round. Calderon’s playoff stats were mediocre over 19 starts with a .197/.264/.348 slash and 75 wRC+. By his final year, his hitting went from subpar to actively awful. With Tampa, Calderon had 527 hits, 228 runs, 86 doubles, 53 home runs, 242 RBI, a .246/.284/.370 slash, 81 wRC+, and 6.9 WAR. He ultimately didn’t live up to the award-winning hopes the Thunderbirds had for him.

Calderon wanted to play somewhere, but his value had tanked with his last MLB season. After going unsigned in 2017, he retired at age 38 that winter and returned to South America. For his combined pro career, he had 2446 hits, 1026 runs, 417 doubles, 283 home runs, 1097 RBI, a .325/.354/.502 slash, 142 wRC+, and 83.6 WAR.
Just with Montevideo, Calderon had 1919 hits, 798 runs, 313 doubles, 230 home runs, 855 RBI, a .356/.382/.555 slash, 166 wRC+, and 76.8 WAR. Because of the short tenure, he doesn’t crack the top 100 in any accumulations. However among all hitters with 3000+ plate appearances, Calderon’s batting average ranks 11th, his OBP ranks 42nd, and his .937 OPS ranks 87th. His contact stats still hold up even as hits spiked in Beisbol Sudamerica in the coming decades.

Because he left when he did, was underwhelming in MLB, and lacked team success, Calderon had plenty of detractors. Supporters noted though that he was clearly a top three level third baseman for his entire run as a starter. Calderon got to 75.0% in his ballot debut, earning his spot in BSA’s 2018 Hall of Fame class.

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Eli Lee – Outfielder – Rio de Janeiro Redbirds – 71.7% First Ballot

Eli Lee was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from Sao Goncalo, Brazil; a city with just under 900,000 within the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region. Lee wasn’t incredible at any one thing as a hitter, but in his prime he graded out as having good to occasionally great contact and power. His ability to draw walks and avoid strikeouts were average. Lee did get extra base hits with regularity, posting 34 home runs, 26 doubles, and 10 triples per his 162 game average.

Lee’s baserunning skills and stealing ability were both excellent despite having just good speed. He was notably stronger against right-handed pitching (.916 OPS, 160 wRC+) compared to lefties (.798 OPS, 130 wRC+). The front half of Lee’s career came as a right fielder, where he graded as a very solid defender. As he aged and his range dipped, Lee played more in right field with some first base at the end. He graded as delightfully average in those spots.

Few players were considered smarter or better leaders than Lee, who became a popular figure in the clubhouse and with fans. He dealt with some major injuries, but still managed to have a 20-year career. Helping his popularity was spending most of it in Rio de Janeiro. Lee grew up near Rio and was a childhood Redbirds fan. He was picked 17th overall by Rio de Janeiro in BSA’s 1992 draft.

Lee was a part-time starter as a rookie with good results, posting 3.4 WAR over 111 games. His second year saw 8.7 WAR, which would be the second-best of his career. Lee regressed a bit but was still quite good in 1995. He then had setbacks with a torn abdominal muscle costing him the second half of 1996 and a broken kneecap that needed a nine month recovery in 1997.

In 1998, Lee bounced back expertly with his finest season. It was his only time leading the Southern Cone League in a stat, posting a .627 slugging percentage, 1.001 OPS, and 204 wRC+. Lee career highs in WAR (9.2), 44 home runs, hits (193), and in the triple slash for a full season. He won his lone Silver Slugger and took third in MVP voting. In July 1999, Rio de Janeiro gave Lee a seven-year, $25,800,000 extension.

Despite his efforts, Rio had been stuck in the middle tier since Lee’s arrival. They ended a seven-year playoff drought in 1999 with a division title, but lost in the first round. Lee missed that postseason run with a strained hamstring in late September. The next three years saw losing seasons. Lee still played at a high level, winning his lone Gold Glove in 2000. For his career, he had nine seasons worth 5+ WAR.

Although he hadn’t gotten playoff experience in his prime, Lee did play for Brazil with good results in the World Baseball Championship. From 1995-2007, he had 115 games and 95 starts with 103 hits, 70 runs, 14 doubles, 28 home runs, 57 RBI, 39 stolen bases, a .270/.359/.558 slash, 165 wRC+, and 5.1 WAR. Lee helped Brazil to final four runs in 1995 and 1999.

Rio earned a wild card in 2003 and went on a playoff tear, winning their second-ever Copa Sudamerica with a finals win over Caracas. That had been a strong regular season for Lee, although he had a lousy .627 OPS in the playoff run. Still, his leadership played a big role in finally getting them some success. The Redbirds won the division title the next three years. They lost in the first round in 2004 and had LCS defeats in 2005 and 2006.

For his playoff career with Rio de Janeiro, Lee had 37 starts, 43 hits, 26 runs, 5 doubles, 5 home runs, 9 RBI, 16 stolen bases, a .301/.329/.455 slash, 118 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR. An oblique strain kept him out part of 2004, then he contended with a sprained knee and a torn abdominal muscle in 2005. Lee bounced back in 2006 and at age 35, had a career high 47 home runs. He also tied the BSA single-game record with 10 RBI in a three-homer game on July 23 against Rosario.

That would be his final season with Rio de Janeiro, as they couldn’t come to terms on an extension. With the Redbirds, Lee had 1988 hits, 1081 runs, 323 doubles, 116 triples, 400 home runs, 1116 RBI, 578 stolen bases, a .297/.345/.559 slash, 161 wRC+, and 76.9 WAR. He’d remain popular and returned home after his playing career was done. Rio would retire his #7 uniform in 2012.

Lee signed a three-year, $11,680,000 deal with Salvador and helped the Storm post a mini dynasty. Salvador won Copa Sudamerica in 2007 and 2009, while falling to Rio in the 2008 LCS. Lee was instrumental in the 2007 playoff run with 23 hits, 11 runs, 8 doubles, 6 homers, and 15 RBI in 16 starts. For his Storm run, he had 43 playoff starts, 46 hits, 19 runs, 10 doubles, 13 homers, 33 RBI, a .284/.322/.611 slash, 161 wRC+, and 1.6 WAR.

In total for Salvador, Lee saw 480 hits, 253 runs, 71 doubles, 96 home runs, 295 RBI, a .285/.340/.525 slash, 140 wRC+, and 14.7 WAR. He was still a hot property even heading towards age 39 and signed a three-year, $19,500,000 deal with Buenos Aires. Lee had a nice first season, but saw his power dip a bit in year two. With the Atlantics, he picked up his 1500th RBI and 1500th run scored.

Buenos Aires was stuck in the middle tier and traded Lee with one year on his deal to Cordoba for two prospects. With BA, Lee had 7.5 WAR over 297 games with a 139 wRC+. He would struggle in his one year with the Chanticleers and got benched, posting -0.6 WAR and a .569 OPS over 107 games and 18 starts. Lee retired that winter at age 41.

In total, Lee had 2801 hits, 1515 runs, 434 doubles, 159 triples, 564 home runs, 1602 RBI, 630 walks, 793 stolen bases, a .292/.341/.547 slash, 153 wRC+, and 98.5 WAR. As of 2037, Lee ranks 40th in WAR among position players, 36th in hits, 24th in runs, 38th in home runs, 59th in doubles, 22nd in RBI, and 54th in stolen bases.

Despite those tallies, there were a group of voters that dismissed Lee as a compiler, citing his lack of black ink and awards. Thus, he debuted with a surprisingly low 71.7%. However, that got him across the 66% requirement for a first ballot induction to cap off BSA’s 2018 Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-05-2024 08:21 PM

2018 EBF Hall of Fame

Two were added into the European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame for 2018. 1B/OF Romano Piredda was the headliner with a first ballot 84.9%. Meanwhile SP Geza Sebstyen grabbed a big boost on his third try at 77.0%. Third-ballot closer Elias Blomqvist barely missed joining them at 64.7%, within 2% of the 66% requirement. Also above 50% was 1B Ulf Alstrom at 59.9% in his debut and 3B Isaad Dorgham at 51.2% for his third ballot.

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Dropped after ten failed ballots was 3B Rich Grausam, who won three Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove with Vienna. He had a 20-year pro career, but had late career stints in OBA and AAB to dent his totals. Grausam had 3026 hits for his combined pro career, but in just EBF he had 2299 hits, 1118 runs, 369 doubles, 145 triples, 354 home runs, 1233 RBI, a .294/.327/.513 slash, 132 wRC+, and 70.2 WAR.

Grausam didn’t stand out at any one thing and never was a league leader. He was also hurt by being on mostly bad teams that didn’t make the playoffs. If his full run was EBF, he might have had enough pure accumulations to make it without the big accolades. Grausam debuted at 29.5% but never got higher, ending at 13.1%.

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Romano Piredda – First Base/Outfield – Rome Red Wolves – 84.9% First Ballot

Romano Piredda was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman and outfielder from Partanna, Italy, a town of 10,000 on the island of Sicily. Piredda’s biggest asset was booming home run power, topping 40+ each year from 2000-2011 with four seasons in the 50s. He was much better against right-handed pitching (1.013 OPS, 172 wRC+), but wasn’t bad versus lefties (.828 OPS, 130 wRC+). Piredda was generally above average in terms of contact and walks, but below average at avoiding strikeouts.

Piredda’s gap power was respectable, getting 28 doubles per his 162 game average. He was a decent baserunner, but his subpar speed meant you weren’t going to get extra bases out of him too often. Piredda bounced around defensively with about half of his career starts at first base and the rest split between left and right field. He was lousy at each spot, but was the most playable at first. Piredda’s durability made him versatile and he basically never missed time to injury.

In the 1998 EBF Draft, Piredda was picked 11th overall by Rome. He quickly became very popular in the Italian capital with a following throughout the country. Piredda would play regularly for Italy in the World Baseball Championship. From 2000-12, he had 127 games and 108 starts, 77 this, 63 runs, 9 doubles, 35 home runs, 78 RBI, a .194/.314/.482 slash, 132 wRC+, and 3.5 WAR. Piredda helped Italy to a runner-up finish in 2005 and fourth place in 2006.

Piredda was a full-time starter almost immediately and won 1999 Rookie of the Year honors for Rome, debuting with 34 home runs and 102 RBI. He smacked 40+ homers each of the next 11 years and topped 6+ WAR in seven seasons. Piredda also had 100+ RBI in all but two of his full seasons. He led in slugging in his second season with a career best .668. Piredda also had a career best 7.3 WAR and hit for the cycle in June against Malta. The Red Wolves got a wild card in 2000, but lost in the first round. They’d be generally stuck in the middle tier for the next six seasons.

In 2001, Piredda led the Southern Conference with a career-best 55 home runs and saw career bests in OPS (1.070) and wRC+ (183). He won his first Silver Slugger at first base and was third in MVP voting. After the 2003 season, Rome gave Piredda a five-year, $20,160,000 extension. He won his second Silver Slugger (in RF) in 2006 with a career high and conference best 123 runs scored. Piredda also had 51 homers and a career-best 131 RBI. The year prior, he led with 48 home runs and matched his WAR best at 7.3.

Despite his efforts, Rome began to falter with a 66-96 season in 2005. They bounced back to 83-79 in 2006, but plummeted to 53-109 in 2007. This led to the Red Wolves’ relegation to the European Second League. Piredda stayed loyal and didn’t exercise his opt-out clause, but he did only have one year left on his deal. Figuring he’d leave to return to the EBF Elite, Rome traded him back to the top tier, getting three prospects from Budapest.

With Rome, Piredda had 1488 hits, 908 runs, 262 doubles, 416 home runs, 996 RBI, a .303/.372/.621 slash, 165 wRC+, and 51.5 WAR. He remained a fan favorite with Roman fans, but never saw his uniform number retired. Piredda had one strong year with the Bombers, posting 6.0 WAR, 48 homers, and 109 RBI. Budapest won a division title, but lost in the second round of the playoffs. With that, Piredda entered free agency for the first time at age 33.

He ended up in England, signing a five-year, $32,500,000 deal with Birmingham. Piredda hit 52 homers in his debut season for the Bees and maintained his usual solid production for three seasons. Birmingham lost in the second round of the 2010 playoffs. They won the division and got to the Northern Conference Championship in 2011, but fell there to Dublin. The Bees had a first round exit in 2012 and second round exit in 2013.

Piredda did fine for Birmingham in the playoffs after being unremarkable in his other limited tries. He finished with 25 playoff starts, 0.9 WAR, 139 wRC+, and an .822 OPS. In his fourth season with the Bees, Piredda’s production dropped to middling levels, leading to his benching. He decided to retire from the game that winter at age 37. With Birmingham, Piredda had 534 hits, 323 runs, 80 doubles, 154 home runs, 380 RBI, a .281/.341/.570 slash, 156 wRC+, and 16.3 WAR.

Piredda’s final tallies had 2188 hits, 1340 runs, 369 doubles, 618 home runs, 1485 RBI, 751 walks, a .298/.365/.608 slash, 163 wRC+, and 73.8 WAR. In 2011, he became the 13th member of the 600 home run club. As of 2037, Piredda ranks 20th in homers, 38th in RBI, 59th in runs, and 87th in doubles. He does fall outside the top 100 in WAR among position players. However, among all hitters with 3000+ plate appearances, Piredda is one of only 56 with a slugging above .600. His .973 OPS ranks 51st.

While he wasn’t generally in the MVP conversations in his career, you knew year-in and year-out that you’d get very good reliable power out of Piredda. He won’t come up in any GOAT-level conversations, but there was a solid consensus that he was a deserving Hall of Famer. Piredda got 84.9% on his first ballot to lead EBF’s 2018 class.

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Geza Sebestyen – Starting Pitcher – Lisbon Clippers – 77.0% Third Ballot

Geza Sebestyen was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Hungary, Budapest. Sebestyen was known for having absolutely incredible stuff and excellent movement, although his control was mediocre at best. He had a three-pitch arsenal of a 96-98 mph fastball, curveball, and changeup. Sebestyen also had top flight stamina when healthy, but various injuries greatly limited his production.

Sebestyen was poor at holding runners, but he fielded the position expertly, winning a Gold Glove in 1999. He was incredibly humble and quiet, but led by example. Sebestyen’s leadership, work ethic, and selflessness were greatly lauded by his teammates and coaches.

Growing up in the 1980s and early 1990s, Sebestyen’s native Hungary was Eurasian Professional Baseball territory. Even as the Iron Curtain faded away, EBF scouts rarely looked that far east for prospects. Sebestyen was an exception for one Portuguese scout, who convinced him to sign a developmental deal with Lisbon as a teenager in November 1992. Sebestyen spent three years in their academy before debuting at age 21 for the Clippers in 1996.

Sebestyen had a respectable rookie season for the Clippers, who were coming off winning the European Championship in 1995. He took third in Rookie of the Year voting. Lisbon suffered a first round exit as a wild card in 1996. Sebestyen became a full-time starter after that and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting, leading the Southern Conference in his sophomore campaign with 323 strikeouts.

Lisbon won the conference crown in 1997, but lost the European Championship to Paris. Sebestyen was a stud in the playoffs, posting a 0.79 ERA over 22.2 innings with 34 strikeouts. The Clippers had a first round exit in 1998, but injuries knocked Sebestyen out most of the year. Most notably in July, forearm inflammation cost him the second half of the season.

Sebestyen bounced back in 1999 and led in Ks again at 364, although he did also lead in walks at 81. This season had his career best WAR (8.7), ERA (2.30), and ERA+ (165), winning Pitcher of the Year and his lone Gold Glove. Lisbon got back to the conference final, but lost to Madrid. Sebestyen was solid again in the playoffs with a 2.86 ERA over 22 innings. This would end Lisbon’s nine-year playoff streak with a decade-long drought to follow. The Clippers were routinely just above .500 in the drought and only had one losing season, but they couldn’t get over the hump.

In 2000, Sebestyen repeated as Pitcher of the Year with a career best 21-7 record. This season saw four shutouts, including his lone no-hitter on June 14 with 14 strikeouts and one walk against Zagreb. Sebestyen stayed loyal to the squad that gave him a chance, inking a five-year, $16,240,000 extension after the 2000 season. He wasn’t a POTY finalist again, but was still very good in his late 20s. Sebestyen led in strikeouts for a third time in 2002 (300). From 1997-2005, all but his injury-riddled 1998 season were worth 6+ WAR.

Unfortunately for Sebestyen, things began to break down shortly before his 30th birthday. In August 2004, he suffered radial nerve compression, putting him out seven months. Still, Lisbon gave Sebestyen a four-year, $21,740,000 extension. This injury tanked his stuff, which had been rated 10/10 by scouts at his peak down to a 6/10. Even worse, his 4/10 control soon was a 2/10. The pure stuff had been enough to overcome the weak control in his prime, but now that wasn’t an option.

Sebestyen was actively bad from 2005-2008 with ERAs consistently above four. While he did have some small injuries, Lisbon ultimately had to reduce his role to a part-time starter. By his last year, Sebestyen was almost exclusively out of the bullpen, although he did at least look passable as a reliever. The Clippers let him enter free agency after the 2009 season at age 35.

Seville gave Sebestyen a chance on a one-year deal in 2010, where he managed to throw four complete games despite only 56.1 innings all year. Not satisfied though with his lesser ability, Sebestyen retired that winter at age 36. Lisbon quickly brought him back to retire his #10 uniform for his 14 years of service in the Portuguese capital.

Sebestyen finished with a 155-111 record, 3.32 ERA, 2559 innings, 2800 strikeouts, 930 walks, 196/319 quality starts, 69 complete games, 115 ERA+, and 57.3 WAR. Because of his sudden decline, Sebestyen’s final tallies are on the low end compared to other Hall of Famers. As of 2037, he ranks 88th in strikeouts, but he’s outside of the top 100 in most counting stats. On the bad side, Sebestyen managed to rank 12th in walks.

Detractors will point to the tallies simply not being enough for induction and point to Sebestyen’s wildness. Supporters note the two Pitcher of the Year wins, three strikeout titles, and his quiet leadership. They also argue for sympathy arguing that the big injury is what derailed his 30s. Sebestyen’s 20s were certainly excellent and had him on the Hall of Fame track.

On his 2016 ballot debut, Sebestyen just missed the 66% requirement at 63.0%. He dropped to 56.7% in 2017, but received notable new support on his third try at 77.0%. With that, Sebestyen was the second member of EBF’s 2018 Hall of Fame class. He was also notably the first Hungarian to earn a spot into EBF’s HOF.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-06-2024 05:14 AM

2018 EPB Hall of Fame

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SP Markiyan Konoplya headlined the 2018 Eurasian Professional Baseball Hall of Fame class as a no-doubter at 98.7%. OF Oleg Ivashko narrowly joined him at 69.3%, just crossing the 66% threshold finally on his seventh ballot. RP Elgiz Alisher barely missed the cut at 64.5% in his fifth attempt. No one else was above 50% and no players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

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Markiyan Konoplya – Starting Pitcher – Minsk Miners – 98.7% First Ballot

Markiyan Konoplya was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Bila Tserkva, a city with around 207,000 inhabitants in central Ukraine. Konoplya had good-to-great stuff and movement along with average control. His 98-100 mph fastball was quite solid, but his splitter, changeup, and curveball were each potent. Konoplya was good at holding runners and was a strong defensive pitcher, winning two Gold Gloves.

Konoplya’s stamina and durability were perhaps his most impressive quality. He tossed 240+ innings each year from 1996-2011. Konoplya led his league four times in innings pitched, twice in complete games, and seven times in shutouts. He mostly kept to himself, but became a superstar with his remarkable talent and longevity.

Initially coming out of college, Konoplya wasn’t a tip-top prospect. He was picked late in the second round by Warsaw in the 1994 EPB Draft; 68th overall. Konoplya opted to return to college and decline the offer, hoping to improve his ability and stock. The next year, Konoplya was selected 28th overall by Minsk, beginning his pro career in Belarus.

The Miners at that point had earned 15 consecutive playoff berths with six European League titles and four EPB titles in that stretch. However, they had three first round exits and one ELCS loss in the prior four years. Konoplya was a full-time starter immediately and thrived, taking second in Rookie of the Year honors. His depth paid off big in five postseason starts with a 4-1 record and 2.33 ERA over 38.2 innings. With that, Minsk returned to the perch with an EPB Championship win over Irkutsk.

For the next nine seasons with Minsk, Konoplya had 7.5+ WAR each year. In this stretch, he won five ERA titles and led in wins thrice. From 2000-2004, he led the EL in WAR and strikeouts each year. He also led thrice in WHIP, thrice in quality starts, four times in shutouts, and four times in FIP- with the Miners.

Konoplya secured back-to-back Triple Crown seasons in 2000 and 2001. There had only been four total EPB pitching Triple Crowns before that and the last one had come in 1983. 2000 had his career bests in strikeouts (372), and WAR (12.5). Konoplya’s best ERA was 1.60 in 2003 and his highest win total was 25-6 in 1999.

From 2000-04, Konoplya earned five consecutive Pitcher of the Year awards. He was second in 1998’s voting, third in 1999, and second in 2005. Konoplya won a Gold Glove in 2001 and was second in MVP voting in 2000, 2001, and 2003. In 2002, he tossed his lone no-hitter with 17 strikeouts and one walk against Volgograd. Konoplya’s dominance and the exodus of teams from EPB in 2000 helped Minsk carry on its dynasty.

The Miners lost in the first round of 1997 and in the 1998 and 1999 ELCS. From 2000-04 though, they won five straight European League pennants. Minsk three-peated as EPB champ from 2000-02, but was denied in 2003 and 2004 by Yekaterinburg. Konoplya’s excellence carried into the playoffs, including winning 2001 ELCS MVP. 2002 was his strongest run by far though with an 0.67 ERA over 26.2 innings. With Minsk, Konoplya had an 18-7 record, 2.09 ERA, 223.2 innings, 218 strikeouts, 132 ERA+, and 4.8 WAR.

Konoplya became a beloved baseball icon in Belarus for his role in the dynasty. He was also a superstar back home in Ukraine, even after his country’s teams left for EBF in the 2000 exodus. From 1997-2013, Konoplya pitched 226.1 innings for Ukraine in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 12-9 record, 255 strikeouts, 4.0 WAR, and 3.81 ERA.

In total for Minsk, Konoplya had a 195-91 record, 1.81 ERA, 2818 innings, 3363 strikeouts, 571 walks, 168 complete games, 153 ERA+, and 91.0 WAR. The Miners would later retire his #23 uniform for his role in the dynasty. Konoplya opted to leave for free agency after the 2005 season at age 32. Minsk’s playoff streak had ended that year after a world record 24-year run. He did disappoint some Minsk fans by staying in the division, inking a five-year, $27,000,000 deal with St. Petersburg.

Konoplya’s excellence continued with the Polar Bears, leading thrice in wins and twice in strikeouts, innings, shutouts, and WHIP. He also led in ERA and WAR in the 2007 season and topped 8+ WAR in his first two years there. Konoplya won back-to-back Pitcher of the years to start with the Polar Bears, becoming the European League’s only seven-time winner. The only EPB pitcher with more was Matvey Ivanov, who at the same time would win a bonkers 11 POTYs with Yekaterinburg. Konoplya was also second in 2009 voting.

St. Petersburg was the #1 seed in 2006, but lost to Moscow in the ELCS. Konoplya gave up two runs over 6.1 innings in his one playoff start. The Polar Bears would be just outside of the playoffs for the rest of Konoplya’s tenure. In four seasons, he had an 81-37 record, 2.15 ERA, 1059 innings, 1141 strikeouts, 192 walks, 145 ERA+, and 30.2 WAR.

Entering the final year of his deal in 2010, the 36-year old was traded before the season to Omsk in a five-player deal. Konoplya had his weakest year since his rookie season, although he was still an excellent starter. Most importantly, the Otters ended a seven-year playoff drought and won it all, beating Moscow in the EPB Championship. Konoplya was 3-0 in the playoffs with a 1.78 ERA over 25.1 innings.

With that run, Konoplya passed Fredi Tamasi’s 20 wins for the most playoff wins in EPB history. Omsk re-signed Konoplya for two years and $10,200,000. He led in wins in 2011 and the Otters earned repeat Asian League pennants, although Minsk beat them in the EPB final. 2011 also saw Konoplya become the fourth EPB pitcher to 300 career wins and the fifth to 5000 strikeouts.

Konoplya had an iffy 3.86 ERA in his final playoff run. He’d still go down as one of the finest playoff pitchers in league history. Konoplya ended with a 22-9 record, 2.23 ERA, 278.2 innings, 266 strikeouts, 48 walks, 14 complete games, 129 ERA+, and 5.6 WAR. As of 2037, he’s the EPB playoff leader in wins, third in innings, sixth in strikeouts, and seventh in WAR. At retirement, 22 playoff wins was a world record. Only two pitchers have passed him as of 2037. He also had a 2.63 ERA in two starts for Omsk in the inaugural Baseball Grand Championship in 2010.

In 2012, Omsk narrowly missed the playoffs. Konoplya won a Gold Glove, but was merely above average and had career lows across the board. The ironman finally looked mortal, missing the final two months of the season to shoulder inflammation. In three years for the Otters, Konoplya had a 47-24 record, 2.92 ERA, 712 innings, 709 strikeouts, 112 ERA+, and 15.9 WAR. This marked the end of his EPB career.

Konoplya still wanted to pitch somewhere, but EPB teams thought he might be done and didn’t want to pay the big salary for someone of his resume. Konoplya ended up in Brazil with Sao Paulo, but looked merely average over 129.1 innings. He stayed in Beisbol Sudamerica for two more years, posting subpar stats with Salvador in 2014 and Barquisimeto in 2015. Konoplya retired after the 2015 season at age 42. In BSA, he had a 21-37 record, 3.98 ERA, 517.1 innings, 363 strikeouts, 95 ERA+, and 2.2 WAR.

For his combined pro career, Konoplya had a 344-189 record, 2.25 ERA, 5106.1 innings, 5576 strikeouts, 1013 walks, 465/605 quality starts, 285 complete games, 78 shutouts, 136 ERA+, and 139.3 WAR. Among all of pro baseball history as of 2037, Konoplya is ninth in wins, 17th in strikeouts, 20th in innings, 22nd in complete games, 4th in shutouts, 11th in quality starts, and 27th in pitching WAR. He’s one of only 25 pitchers in world history to toss 5000+ innings, one of 44 with 5000 strikeouts, and one of 13 with 340+ wins.

Just in EPB, Konoplya had a 323-152 record, 2.06 ERA, 4589 innings, 5213 strikeouts, 884 walks, 439/540 quality starts, 268 complete games, 75 shutouts, 143 ERA+, and 137.1 WAR. As of 2037 on the EPB leaderboards, Konoplya ranks 3rd in wins, 4th in innings, 4th in strikeouts, 7th in complete games, 2nd in shutouts, and 6th in pitching WAR. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, Konoplya’s ERA ranks 20th and his .544 opponent’s OPS ranks 23rd.

His contemporary Matvey Ivanov often ranks above Konoplya when discussing the best pitcher of his ERA in EPB. However, any top ten or top five conversation should feature Konoplya prominently. He was a no-doubt Hall of Fame headliner and topped the 2018 class at 98.7%.

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Oleg Ivashko – Left Field – Kazan Crusaders – 69.3% Seventh Ballot

Oleg Ivashko was a 6’3’’, 200 pound right-handed hitting outfielder from Borovichi, a town of 53,000 people in northwestern Russia’s Novgorod Oblast. Ivashko was known for being an above average to good contact and power hitter. He was decent avoiding strikeouts, but below average at getting walks. Ivashko wasn’t a prolific slugger, but got you 22 home runs, 26 doubles, and 8 triples per his 162 game average.

On the basepaths, Ivashko had above average speed with excellent baserunning instincts. Around 2/3 of his career starts were in left field with the rest split between right field and designated hitter. Ivashko was a reliably solid defender and picked up Gold Gloves in 2001 and 2003. He had fantastic durability and was well respected as a team captain. Ivashko’s leadership, loyalty, and work ethic made him popular with teammates and fans alike.

Ivashko was picked 17th overall by Kazan in the 1991 EPB Draft. He started most of his rookie year with okay results, then was a full-time starter after. Ivashko’s power improved by his third year, which started a nine-year stretch of seasons at 4.9 WAR or better. Around this time, Kazan started to improve their fortunes. They got a wild card in 1994, but lost in the first round of the playoffs. They narrowly missed the playoffs in 1995 and 1996, but started a four-year playoff streak after that.

After the 1995 season, Ivashko signed an eight-year, $11,740,000 extension with the Crusaders. 1996 started a three-year streak for Ivashko leading the European League in RBI. In 1996, he also led In total bases (324) and posted career bests in home runs (33), WAR (9.3), OPS (.897), and wRC+ (186); taking third in MVP voting.

1997 saw league bests in RBI (100) and hits (175). It began Kazan’s playoff streak, although they were a wild card each year due to Minsk’s dominance. As a 107-55 wild card, the Crusaders went on a playoff tear and won the 1997 EPB Championship over Irkutsk. Ivashko had a strong playoff run over 16 starts with 16 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 2 homers, 7 RBI, and 5 stolen bases.

Kazan fell in the first round in 1998 and 1999, then lost in the 2000 ELCS to Minsk. Ivashko won his lone MVP and Silver Slugger in 2000, leading the EL in runs (89), and wRC+ (180). He also had 8.8 WAR and a career best .311 batting average. Ivashko won a Gold Glove in both 2001 and 2003. In 2002, he took second in MVP voting, leading in doubles (36) and RBI (97).

The Crusaders missed the playoffs narrowly in 2001 and 2003, while falling in the ELCS in both 2002 and 2004 to Minsk. Ivashko’s playoff stats were unremarkable outside of his big 1997 run. In 43 career starts, he had 36 hits, 16 runs, 9 doubles, 3 homers, 12 RBI, 8 stolen bases, a .229/.262/.357 slash, 97 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. Still, his role in Kazan’s title and general contention played a big role in Ivashko’s #8 uniform being retired.

Ivashko did also play for Russia in nine editions of the World Baseball Championship from 1995-2005. He had 66 games and 63 starts with 56 hits, 31 runs, 9 doubles, 9 home runs, 27 RBI, 12 stolen bases, a .265/.305/.436 slash, 116 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR. Ivashko helped the Russians take runner-up to the United States in 2001.

Soon to be 35-years old, Ivashko entered free agency for the first time, but ultimately returned to Kazan on a two-year, $6,560,000 deal with a team option. He had struggled in 2003 with 2.8 WAR, his worst since his rookie year. Ivashko bounced back in 2004 with 7.7 WAR, taking third in MVP voting. To his surprise, the Crusaders voided the option year of his contract, making Ivashko a free agent again.

With Kazan, Ivashko had 2060 hits, 929 runs, 326 doubles, 107 triples, 284 home runs, 1039 RBI, 482 stolen bases, a .277/.309/.465 slash, 151 wRC+, and 75.5 WAR. He switched sides in the rivalry and joined Minsk on a three-year, $13,080,000 deal. With Moscow improving, Minsk saw their world record 24-year playoff streak snapped, narrowly missing the field in 2005 and 2006.

Ivashko never reached his Kazan production while in Belarus. He was a below average bat in 2005 and poor in 2006. Ivashko posted a .226/.258/.339 slash, 86 wRC+, and 0.7 WAR in two seasons for Minsk. He retired after the 2006 campaign at age 37.

The final stats saw 2253 hits, 1013 runs, 356 doubles, 113 triples, 302 home runs, 1117 RBI, 405 walks, 527 stolen bases, a .272/.304/.452 slash, 144 wRC+, and 76.2 WAR. As of 2037, Ivashko ranks 77th in hits, 84th in doubles, 75th in RBI, and 59th in WAR among position players. He doesn’t crack the top 100 in other stats, making Ivashko a borderline candidate.

There were voters who thought his tallies and accolades were too low. Supporters noted his MVP (and a few times as a finalist) along with Kazan’s team success in his era and his being a respected team captain. Ivashko debuted at 48.0% in 2012 and slowly worked his way up. He finally cracked 60% on his sixth ballot with 63.4% in 2017. In 2018, Ivashko just crossed the 66% requirement at 69.3% to become a seventh-ballot Hall of Famer.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-06-2024 02:40 PM

2018 OBA Hall of Fame

FuzzyRussianHat

11-06-2024 07:14 PM

2018 APB Hall of Fame

Two starting pitchers earned spots into the 2018 Hall of Fame class for Austronesia Professional Baseball. Kan-Lin Tung was nearly unanimous at 98.8%, while Kan-Lin Ching crossed the line with 73.0% on his sixth ballot. CF Fransisco Hartati barely missed the 66% requirement on his seventh try at 63.4%. Also above 50% on their sixth tries were RF Sutanto Mangkoepradja at 59.9% and 1B Gavin Loh at 59.3%. SP Putra Andriani also notably had 54.0% in his debut.

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Dropped after ten failed ballots was LF Chih-Chang Chin, who won five Gold Gloves and one Silver Slugger in a 17-year career with Kaohsiung. Chin had 2366 hits, 907 runs, 292 doubles, 218 triples, 194 home runs, 911 RBI, a .279/.318/.433 slash, 142 wRC+, and 72.0 WAR. He wasn’t a dominant enough hitter to earn much consideration, although he did win three batting titles. Chin peaked on his second ballot at 29.5% and ended at 3.4%.

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Kan-Lin Tung – Starting Pitcher – Taichung Toucans – 98.8% First Ballot

Kan-Lin Tung was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Chungho, Taiwan; an inner-city district of 400,000 in New Taipei City. Tung had very good control with solid movement and above average stuff. His velocity peaked in the 92-94 mph range with a cut fastball, mixed in with a slider, curveball, and changeup. Tung was great at holding runners, but poor defensively otherwise. He had excellent stamina and led the Taiwan-Philippine Association four times in complete games. He had pretty good durability, but his work ethic could be questionable.

Tung attended Pu-Men High School and earned plenty of attention from scouts even without college experience. Taichung picked him #9 in the 1997 APB Draft and put Tung into their developmental system for two years. Tung debuted mostly as a full-time starter with iffy results in 2000, allowing the most home runs in the TPA at 27. He cut that nearly in half the next year, then emerged as a legit ace by his third year.

2002 started a run of nine straight seasons worth 6+ WAR for Tung, taking third that year in Pitcher of the Year voting. In May 2003, Taichung signed Tung to a seven-year, $27,720,000 extension. He led in WAR in back-to-back seasons in 2003-04, winning 2003 POTY and finished second in 2004. Tung tossed 10 shutouts in 2003 and led in wins at 21-8. He led in wins again in 2005, earning his second Pitcher of the Year. Tung had his career best in innings (294) and strikeouts (306).

Despite Tung’s efforts, Taichung was stuck in the middle tier. They were rarely outright bad, averaging 82.3 wins per season during his tenure. The Toucans topped 90+ wins thrice, but couldn’t claim the top spot in the Taiwan League. Tung had a weaker year in 2006, although still posted 6.1 WAR. Even so, he led the TPA in losses at 9-16.

Tung bounced back with his finest season in 2007 with career and TPA bests in ERA (1.12), WHIP (0.74), K/BB (18.0), quality starts (31), ERA+ (255), and WAR (11.6). Tung’s ERA is the 20th-lowest qualifying season in APB history as of 2037, but he lost out on Pitcher of the Year to Davao’s Bima Idris. His 2008 was also historic with APB’s 29th perfect game in an 11 strikeout effort against Taoyuan on May 1.

While a Taiwan League fixture, Tung was also a regular in the World Baseball Championship. From 2001-11, he pitched 176.2 innings for Taiwan with a 2.60 ERA, 11-9 record, 197 strikeouts, 30 walks, 138 ERA+, and 4.8 WAR. Taiwan earned a runner-up to Canada in the 2004 World Championship. He had some bad run support in that run with a 1-5 record and 3.35 ERA over 45.2 innings with a 105 ERA+. Five losses is an all-time WBC worst.

With Taichung, Tung finished with a 171-123 record, 2.03 ERA, 2901.1 innings, 2880 strikeouts, 374 walks, 136 ERA+, and 78.7 WAR. The Toucans would retire his #26 uniform for his efforts. Tung would leave for free agency heading towards the 2011 and age 32. He signed a four-year, $35,800,000 deal with Taipei, who had taken first in the TL the prior two years.

Tung lost a month to a strained hamstring in 2012 and had his weakest year since 2001, although he still provided positive value. Despite that, Taipei missed the playoffs narrowly. Tung’s already lower velocity plummeted and he soon peaked in the 85-87 mph range. The Tigercats only used him for 43.1 innings primarily in relief in 2012. Taipei made the playoffs, but Tung wouldn’t be used and never pitched a playoff inning. He remained under contract for both 2013 and 2014, but never saw the field, retiring in winter 2014 at age 35. With Taipei, Tung had 4.0 WAR over 267.1 innings.

In total, Tung had a 187-129 record, 2.06 ERA, 3168.2 innings, 3086 strikeouts, 410 walks, 305/370 quality starts, 199 complete games, 51 shutouts, 134 ERA+, and 82.7 WAR. Even with his sudden decline, Tung as of 2037 ranks 29th in pitching WAR, 44th in wins, 73rd in strikeouts, 8th in complete games, 19th in shutouts, and 52nd in innings. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, his ERA ranks 51st.

During his prime run, Tung was an impressive pitcher and often in the Pitcher of the Year conversations. That dominance and his two trophies made him a lock for most voters, even in he didn’t see team success or have a lengthy career. Tung easily headlined APB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class with 98.8%.

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Kan-Lin Ching – Starting Pitcher – Manila Manatees – 73.0% Sixth Ballot

Kan-Lin Ching was a 6’2’’, 205 pound right-handed pitcher from the capital of Taiwan, Taipei. Ching had solid stuff with above average movement and decent control. His velocity regularly hit 98-100 mph with his sinker, but Ching had five equally potent pitches including a slider, curveball, forkball, and changeup. Relative to other APB aces, his stamina was average and his defense was awful.

The biggest knock on Ching was his personality, as he considered was selfish, greedy, and lazy. Many argue this kept him from a more prominent and successful career. Still, he made his impact over a 17-year pro career. Ching caught the eye of a Filipino scout visiting a prospects camp in Taipei. They signed Ching in June 1985 to a developmental deal with Manila.

Ching spent most of six years in the Manatees’ academy. He debuted in 1991 at age 22 and pitched most of the season with average results, but still earned a third in Rookie of the Year voting. Ching had a full-time gig after that and reliably ate innings, although his overall production was merely above average compared to other APB aces. He did up his strikeout rate with 300+ Ks from 1996-1999.

1997 was Ching’s breakout season, winning his lone Pitcher of the Year. He led the Taiwan-Philippine Association and had career bests in wins (21-6) and quality starts (31). He also had a career-best 1.61 ERA, helping end a decade-long playoff drought for Manila. They had the top seed, but fell in the TPA Championship to Taoyuan. Ching struggled in his two playoff starts, allowing 12 runs in 13.2 innings. Still, the Manatees were generally happy with his production and gave Ching a four-year, $10,240,000 extension that winter.

Ching’s next two years were his best by WAR with both at 7.1. Manila dropped off in 1998, but surprised the field by winning the TPA pennant in 1999 despite being 83-79. They did fall to Surabaya in the APB Championship with Ching posting a 3.42 ERA in 23.2 playoff innings. This would be the last time he saw the postseason in his career.

2000 saw a notable regression and eventual demotion out of the full-time rotation. Ching had only 0.5 WAR over 146.2 innings, a career worst. He seemed to give up on Manila at that point and with a year left on his deal, Ching was traded in the offseason to Taoyuan. In total with Manila, Ching had a 136-124 record, 2.67 ERA, 2477 innings, 2686 strikeouts, 568 walks, 104 ERA+, and 46.8 WAR.

Taoyuan was bottom-rung at this point, but Ching bounced back and gave the Tsunami innings and average production in 2001. Now 33-years old, Ching signed a three-year, $6,480,000 deal to stay with Taoyuan. He maintained similar production in the next two years, finishing with a 32-46 record, 2.75 ERA, 774.2 innings, 760 strikeouts, 101 ERA+, and 9.4 WAR.

Ching was traded in the last year of his deal from Taoyuan to Bandung for two prospects. He would miss a month to elbow inflammation, but posted 2.3 WAR over 159.2 innings for the Blackhawks. Ching returned to Taiwan for 2004 with a three-year, $9,360,000 deal with Taichung.

He struggled as a part-time starter in 2005, then was demoted to the bullpen in 2006. Ching had a 3.37 ERA over 229.2 innings, 85 ERA+, and 0.1 WAR with the Toucans. After failing to reach the criteria for the third year of the Taichung deal, Ching was a free agent again. Tainan grabbed him for 2007 and used him for 99.1 innings with a 2.72 ERA and 0.9 WAR. After that, Ching retired from pro baseball at age 38.

Ching finished with a 196-199 record, 2.73 ERA, 3740.1 innings, 3927 strikeouts, 835 walks, 334/456 quality starts, 126 complete games, 102 ERA+, 93 FIP-, and 59.5 WAWR. His record was hurt by being on some bad teams, but even the Sabermetric stats suggested Ching was merely above average. As of 2037, he ranks 82nd in pitching WAR, 36th in wins, 16th in innings, and 27th in strikeouts. However, he was also third in losses, 12th in home runs allowed, and ninth in hits allowed.

He had longevity and one Pitcher of the Year award, but that was really it. Ching also had the benefit of APB voters being very friendly towards pitchers and also valuing longevity. Ching debuted at 47.7%, followed by 52.3% and 44.8%. He barely missed the cut in his fourth try at 64.2%, then dropped back to 49.5% in 2017. On his sixth ballot, Ching got the bump up to 73.0% and grabbed a spot in APB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class. Most scholars agree he’s one of the weaker starters in any league to make it into a HOF, but Ching is in regardless.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-07-2024 05:18 AM

2018 CLB Hall of Fame

Pitcher Lei Li was a strong choice to stand alone for Hall of Fame induction in 2018 for Chinese League Baseball at 99.2%. RF Hongbo Wan was the next closest to making the 66% cut, getting 62.8% on his eighth ballot. SP Xin Ruan had 58.9% in his ninth try. Also cracking 50% was LF Seok-Hyeon So’s 56.6% fifth ballot and RF Minghui Ruan’s 55.8% third ballot.

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Dropped after ten failed ballots was LF Ruilong Xu, who won five Silver Sluggers, one MVP and two Gold Gloves in an 18-year career. He won four championship rings with Dalian’s dynasty and won a fifth with a finals MVP for Harbin in 2003. Xu’s final four years came in MLB with Columbus, which slightly dented his final accumulations for CLB.

In China, Xu had 2058 hits, 859 runs, 383 doubles, 239 home runs, 836 RBI, a .283/.330/.452 slash, 160 wRC+, and 83.4 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 47th in WAR among position players. However, the notoriously harsh-on-batters CLB voters felt Xu lacked the tallies they wanted. He peaked at 52.0% on his fourth ballot in 2012 and ended with 40.7%. The Gold Dragons did retire his #4 uniform for his role in their dynasty and Xu remains a very popular figure around Dalian.

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Lei “Wasp” Li – Starting Pitcher – Changsha Cannons – 99.2% First Ballot

Lei Li was a 6’6’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Houpu, a city of 86,000 in China’s Guangdong province. Li had excellent stuff and movement along with very good control. He had a great 98-100 mph fastball, but his slider was his most dominant pitch. Li also had a changeup as a third option. He was especially dominant against right-handed bats (162 ERA+) compared to lefties (127 ERA+). The nickname “wasp” came from the sting batters felt when making contact as Li had an extreme groundball tendency.

Relative to other Chinese aces, Li stamina was quite good. He also managed to avoid major injuries in his 20s. He was poor defensively and wasn’t good at holding runners. The big knock on him was perceived selfishness and laziness. Li wasn’t going to take on a leadership role, but his raw dominance made him one of CLB’s all-time great pitchers. His potential was noticed even as a teenager, as Changsha gave him a developmental deal in August 1996.

After four years in the Cannons academy, Li was brought up to be a reliever in 2001 and 2002, struggling in that role. He was split between starting and closing in 2003 with strong results, including a Southern League best 0.76 WHIP. Changsha got to the semifinal and fell to Harbin, but Li tossed 11 innings with two runs allowed in the playoffs. The Cannons moved him to the rotation full-time after that, where he stayed for the rest of his run. He would still see bullpen use, but he was now good for 200+ innings each year.

This move paid off big time, as Changsha became a dynasty and Li became the best pitcher in China. For the next decade, he had 7+ WAR or better each year and led the league four times in WAR. Li led in FIP- eight times, complete games and shutouts thrice, WHIP twice, ERA twice, wins once, and strikeouts once. Li won four straight Pitcher of the Year awards from 2004-2007. He took second in 2008, then won POTY again in 2009 and 2010 and had another second place in 2011. As of 2037, Li is the only six-time Pitcher of the Year in CLB history.

Li topped double-digit WAR thrice, peaking with 11.2 in 2007. That year also had an ERA title at 1.40 and his career-best 325 strikeouts. His career best ERA and ERA+ came at 1.20 and 205 in 2009. Li’s best WHIP was 0.67 in 2006. He topped 300 strikeouts four times and had a nine year streak with an ERA below two. Even for the very low offense environment of CLB, that was a remarkable stretch.

Perhaps even more important, Li stepped up big in the playoffs. In 2004, he tossed 17.1 scoreless innings with 28 strikeouts in two postseason starts, pushing Changsha to a China Series victory over Macau. The Cannons repeated in 2005 over the Magicians with Li tossing 23 innings with a 0.78 ERA and 26 strikeouts. Changsha got back to the China Series in 2006, but had their three-peat bid thwarted by Xiamen. Li had a 1.41 ERA over 32 innings with 40 strikeouts.

After the 2005 title, Changsha inked Li to a seven-year, $36,840,000 extension. The Cannons fell in the 2007 semifinal, then narrowly missed the playoffs in 2008 and 2009. They started a three-year stretch as a wild card from 2010-12. Changsha lost in the 2010 semifinal and 2012 first round. However in 2011, the Cannons returned to the pole position, winning the China Series over Beijing. Li had another epic playoff run in 2011 with a 0.46 ERA over 39 innings with 50 strikeouts and 1.9 WAR. He was less dominant in the second Baseball Grand Championship with a 3.89 ERA over 34.2 innings.

For his playoff career, Li had a 15-5 record and 4 saves, 1.18 ERA, 183.2 innings, 228 strikeouts, 22 walks, 17/20 quality starts, 13 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 6.5 WAR. As of 2037, he is the all-time CLB playoff leader in wins, complete games, shutouts, innings, strikeouts, and WAR. Li makes a very strong case as being the best-ever playoff pitcher in CLB history and is one of the all-timers in all of baseball history.

Li also was successful for China in the World Baseball Championship from 2005-2011. He had a big run in their 2007 runner-up campaign, going 4-0 in five starts with a 1.65 ERA over 43.2 innings and 52 strikeouts. He tossed 149.1 WBC innings with a 15-3 record, 2.22 ERA, 178 strikeouts, 42 walks, 16 quality starts, and 4.5 WAR.

After the 2012 season, Li’s deal expired and he wanted to get the big payday in free agency heading towards age 33. This ended his time in China, as he had plenty of offers worldwide. Changsha would later retire his #33 uniform for his critical role in their dynasty. Even though he did rub some the wrong way personally, Li’s dominance couldn’t be denied, giving him a big fan base wherever he went.

Li ended up in Major League Baseball with a four-year, $86,400,000 deal with Hartford. He didn’t get run support in his first two years with a 17-29 record despite posting 12.9 WAR over the two seasons. The Huskies were just below .500 in 2013, then lost in the second round as a wild card in 2014. Li dealt with injuries that year though, missing six weeks in the summer to an elbow strain and then missing the postseason with shoulder inflammation.

In 2015, Li had a 20-9 record, 2.95 ERA, and 4.6 WAR with Hartford again getting a wild card. Unfortunately, the shoulder inflammation came back in a big way just before the postseason, ultimately costing Li ten months. Although Li had pitched quite solidly, the Huskies were worried that this recurring injury was going to be a problem. Thus, Hartford voided the fourth year of Li’s contract with a $3,800,00 buyout.

In MLB, Li had a 37-38 record, 2.90 ERA, 704.1 innings, 549 strikeouts, 153 walks, 65/90 quality starts, 35 complete games, 117 ERA+, and 17.5 WAR. He was now 36-years old and had trouble passing physicals with the inflammation. The Arab League’s Damascus finally gave him a shot in May 2016 to a one year deal. Li made three relief appearances in the summer, but quickly picked up a torn biceps to end his season. He would receive a championship ring as the Dusters won the Arab League title. Li opted for retirement that winter at age 36.

For his combined pro career, Li had a 203-124 record, 137 saves, 1.87 ERA, 3005.1 innings, 3487 strikeouts, 479 walks, 257/314 quality starts, 191 complete games, 144 ERA+, and 100.9 WAR. As of 2037 among all Hall of Fame starters in world history, Li’s ERA ranks 14th best and his .506 opponent’s OPS Is 10th. As for his Changsha and CLB run, Li had a 165-86 record, 137 saves, 1.56 ERA, 2298 innings, 2936 strikeouts, 325 walks, 192/224 quality starts, 156 complete games, 51 shutouts, 155 ERA+, and 83.4 WAR.

Even though he left China before his 33rd birthday, Li still as of 2037 ranks 11th in pitching WAR, 17th in wins, 20th in strikeouts, 73rd in innings pitched, 5th in shutouts, and 10th in complete games. Among all CLB pitchers with 1000+ innings, Li’s ERA ranks fifth, his WHIP (0.76) ranks sixth, and his opponent’s OPS (.470) sits fifth. Li’s batting average (.175) is 11th, OBP (.210) is 5th and slugging (.261) is 5th. He also ranks 12th in H/9 (5.53) and 25th in K/9 (11.5).

When you combine those rate stats with his playoff dominance, it is no surprise that Li’s name often comes up when discussing China’s all-time greatest pitcher. Had he not left for Hartford and gotten injured, he might have made a run at the top accumulation slots. Li’s raw dominance over a decade was among the best runs by any pro pitcher and his playoff stats were absurd, pushing Changsha to three titles. He was an obvious headliner and the lone inductee into CLB’s Hall of Fame in 2018 at 99.2%.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-07-2024 09:05 AM

2018 WAB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

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West African Baseball saw a strong three-player Hall of Fame class in 2018, each earning first ballot inductions. LF Ibrahima Bah (96.2%) and RF Luc Mariam (94.1%) led the way as co-headliners, but SP Zachary Owusu was no bum at 85.6%. Three returners were above 50%, but short of the 66% requirement. 3B Falaba Bah got 57.6% on his sixth ballot, 3B Awudu Haddad saw 56.2% for his fourth go, and LF Kely Ballard received 55.6% on his second try. No players were dropped from the ballot after ten failed attempts.

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Ibrahima “Skipper” Bah – Left Field – Kumasi Monkeys – 96.2% First Ballot

Ibrahima Bah was a 5’11’’, 205 pound left-handed left fielder from Aqjawajat, Mauritania; a small mining town of around 11,000 people in the country’s west. Bah was an elite contact hitter with outstanding gap power and speed. He was a traditional leadoff guy and his 162 game average got you 37 doubles, 21 triples, 84 stolen bases, and a .352 batting average. Bah was excellent at avoiding strikeouts, but rarely drew walks. He also very rarely hit home runs with only 23 for his career.

Bah was an incredible baserunner and base stealer with very good speed. He also had a strong arm and good glove work in left field. Bah’s later years brought his career fielding production to just above average, but he won four Gold Gloves in his 20s. Bah also had good durability in his 20s with some issues in his 30s. The nickname “Skipper” came from Bah being essentially another coach in the dugout. He was an impressive leader and team captain with a tireless work ethic. With that, few guys were more respected in the game as a person.

Rural Mauritania wasn’t exactly a baseball hotbed, but Bah’s potential still managed to catch the eye of a scout from Ghana. They signed him in July 1993 to a developmental amateur deal with Kumasi. Bah officially debuted with 26 games in 1997 at age 20, although he struggled. He was a part-time starter in 1998 with promising results, taking third in Rookie of the Year voting. Bah also got 11 hits, 5 runs, 4 doubles, and 2 triples that fall as the Monkeys ended a six-year playoff drought. They won the West League pennant, but lost in the WAB Championship to Kano’s dynasty.

Kumasi would be mid-tier the next three years, but Bah became a full-time starter. His breakout season was 2001, leading the WL in hits (232), doubles (52), triples (19), stolen bases (97), batting average (.368), and OBP (.408). The steals and doubles were a career best and he added 8.6 WAR, winning his first Silver Slugger and taking second in MVP voting. Bah also won four straight Gold Gloves from 2000-03 and signed an eight-year, $33,280,000 extension in May 2003.

Bah again won Sluggers and took second in MVP voting in 2002 and 2003, leading in hits, average, and OBP both years. Kumasi made it back to the playoffs but fell both seasons in the WLCS. Then in 2004 as a wild card, the Monkeys went on a tear, culminating in their first-ever WAB Championship win over Kano. Although they had seen a lengthy playoff streak from 1978-91, Kumasi couldn’t get over that final hump. In the 2004 playoffs, Bah had 24 hits and 19 runs over 12 starts with 4 doubles, 3 triples, and 9 steals. His 19 runs remain the WAB playoff record as of 2037.

Although Bah didn’t win awards in 2004, it was his statistically most impressive season. He and Kely Ballard both set the new WAB hits record that year at 258, while Bah’s 143 runs were the fourth-most in a season to that point. Bah’s .394 batting average would’ve been a new record if not for Ballard’s .412. Bah also had career bests in WAR (8.8), and OPS (.958) and posted a 33-game hitting streak.

Bah’s average was .393 the next year to win his fourth Silver Slugger. He led in triples for the third time with 22. Bah had a career-best 27 triples in 2006. Kumasi missed the playoffs in 2005, then lost to Monrovia in the 2006 WLCS. The Monkeys would fall to the bottom for the next five years, but Bah’s playoff success and leadership was remembered quite fondly, eventually leading to his #10 uniform getting retired.

In 40 playoff starts, Bah had 72 hits, 36 runs, 16 doubles, 9 triples, 17 RBI, 9 walks, 23 stolen bases, a .426/.453/.627 slash, 200 wRC+, and 3.1 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 18th in playoff hits, 24th in runs, 17th in doubles, and 10th in stolen bases. Having a .426 batting average over a significant sample also makes him one of the all-time great playoff contact hitters.

Although Kumasi fell off, Bah led again in hits, steals, and batting average in 2007. 2008 would see a notable setback though with a herniated disc knocking him out three months. Bah still had three years left on his deal, but the captain was disappointed that the team didn’t seem likely to contend anytime soon. It saddened Kumasi fans, but they later forgave him for opting out and leaving for free agency at age 32. With the Monkeys, Bah had 2244 hits, 1070 runs, 365 doubles, 212 triples, 601 RBI, 23 home runs, 832 stolen bases, a .357/.391/.493 slash, 145 wRC+, and 61.2 WAR.

Bah signed a five-year, $19,400,000 deal with Accra, who had seemed to be on the cusp of ending their playoff drought. They’d be mid-tier in his first few years, then fell off after that. Bah won his fifth Silver Slugger in 2009, leading for the fifth time in hits and batting average and the fourth time in steals. He led in steals and triples again in 2010.

His production would wane in 2011 and 2012 with injuries causing some issues. In August 2011, Bah suffered a torn ACL that put him out nine months. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fifth year of his deal, becoming a free agent for 2013. Bah wanted to play and had a shot to be the second WAB batter to 3000 career hits. He went unsigned in 2013 and retired that winter at age 37. With Accra, Bah had 681 hits, 333 runs, 112 doubles, 59 triples, 133 RBI, 262 stolen bases, a .338/.369/.452 slash, 130 wRC+, and 15.2 WAR.

Bah finished with 2925 hits, 1403 runs, 477 doubles, 271 triples, 23 home runs, 734 RBI, 452 walks, 1094 stolen bases, a .352/.386/.483 slash, 142 wRC+, and 76.4 WAR. When he retired, Bah was second-all time in hits and third in runs. He’d fall down the leaderboards as offensive numbers blew up in the later decades in WAB. However as of 2037, Bah still is 15th in hits, 34th in runs, 57th in doubles, 8th in triples, 8th in stolen bases, and 14th in WAR among position players.

Among all WAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Bah’s batting average ranks tenth, but only one of his direct contemporaries ranked higher (Amewu Murry at .353). Among all of the Hall of Famers and future HOFs in pro baseball history, Bah’s average ranks seventh best and he’s one of only 11 above .350. Very few in world history maintained such an average over a full career like Bah. Although he didn’t walk much, he still ranks 30th in WAB’s OBP list.

While Hall of Fame voters often are iffy on guys without home run power, Bah’s penchant for doubles and triples effectively filled that void. Plus, he had a tremendous batting average and was a clutch playoff performer, helping Kumasi win its lone WAB ring to date. Bah was a deserved headliner and earned his spot in WAB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class with 96.2%.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-07-2024 07:11 PM

2018 WAB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Luc Mariam – Right Field – Lagos Lizards – 94.1% First Ballot

Luc Mariam was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed right fielder from Abidjan, the largest city in Cote d’Ivoire. Mariam was a solid contact hitter with great home run power. He topped 40 homers in nine different seasons and cracked 50+ twice. Mariam also had strong gap power, getting 34 doubles and 9 triples per his 162 game average. Despite the power, Mariam was below average at drawing walks with an iffy strikeout rate.

Mariam wasn’t a burner on the basepaths, but he had above average speed and instincts, overall providing positive value with his legs. He was a career right fielder, but the speed didn’t translate to good range. Despite a strong arm, Mariam graded as a lousy defender. He managed a 15-year career despite some lingering knee and back troubles. Mariam’s tireless work ethic and his loyalty kept him going and made him one of the era’s more popular players.

As an amateur in Abidjan, Mariam quickly got on the radar of scouts across the region. The one that locked him up came from Lagos, signing Mariam to a developmental deal as a teenager in March 1993. He spent most of five years in their academy in Nigeria, although Mariam did officially debut with 11 games and 4 starts in 1997 at age 20. He did see five playoff games and four starts as well with three homers as Lagos lost in the Eastern League Championship Series to Kano.

For 1998, Mariam earned the starting job and hit 40+ homers in each of his first four years. He was second in 1998 Rookie of the Year voting and slowly improved his overall hitting ability. Lagos entered a rebuild though, winning a measly 56 games in 1999 and only 54 in 2000. The Lizards were back above .500 in 2002 and then had five playoff berths in six years from 2003-2008.

Mariam’s first Silver Slugger came in 2001, followed by additional wins in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Lagos wisely built around Mariam, giving him a six-year, $22,800,000 extension in February 2003. He would have a setback as he missed about half of 2004 between a knee sprain and torn hamstring. The Lizards lost in the ELCS in 2003 and 2005, then suffered first round losses in 2004 and 2006. In 2007, they missed the playoffs by one game.

He kept getting better though, posting his first of three cycles in 2005. Mariam did it again in 2008 and 2012. In 2005, he was an MVP finalist (2nd) for the first time. He led the EL in homers and slugging in 2006, his first time as a league leader. Then in 2007 and 2008, Mariam earned back-to-back MVP honors. Both years he led in home runs, total bases, slugging, OPS, and wRC+. He also had a career and league high 9.0 WAR in 2007. 2008 saw career highs in homers (61), RBI (142), slugging (.751), and OPS (1.121). The 61 homers fell one short of WAB’s then single-season record.

Lagos made it back to the playoffs in 2008 as the #2 seed and knocked off Kano in the ELCS to claim their first pennant since 1992. The Lizards would fall to Monrovia’s dynasty in the WAB Championship. Mariam was average in this playoff run with a .244/.326/.390 slash and 101 wRC+ For his career he had 25 games, 33 hits, 20 runs, 3 doubles, 3 triples, 8 home runs, 28 RBI, a .340/.385/.680 slash, 198 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. Mariam also played for his native Ivory Coast in the World Baseball Championship from 1998-2001 with 1.0 WAR over 30 games and a .235/.303/.561 slash.

Fresh off repeat MVPs, Lagos re-signed Mariam before the 2009 season to a four-year, $15,600,000 extension. The season was a disaster though with a broken kneecap in late April. This knocked Mariam out nine months and the Lizards collapsed to 65-97. They wouldn’t post another winning season until 2015. While not at his MVP peak, Mariam did look strong in his 2010 return from injury with 7.0 WAR and 40 home runs.

Age and injuries started to pick up after that. Mariam lost almost two months to an elbow strain in 2011 and posted merely above average results when healthy. A knee sprain kept him out early in 2012, but poor production also led to a benching. Lagos bought out the remainder of Mariam’s contract shortly after his 36th birthday. Mariam opted to retire instead of trying to find a new home. He would remain beloved in Nigeria’s largest city with his #31 uniform retired only a few months later.

Mariam retired with 2296 hits, 1282 runs, 422 doubles, 565 home runs, 1378 RBI, 448 walks, 429 stolen bases, a .296/.337/.597 slash, 156 wRC+, and 74.0 WAR. He was the seventh to join the 500 home run club in WAB and was fourth when he retired. As of 2037, Mariam ranks 19th in homers, 62nd in hits, 49th in runs, 97th in doubles, 45th in RBI, and 18th in WAR among position players.

Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, his .935 OPS ranks 63rd and his slugging ranks 38th. The resume for Mariam was rock solid with great power numbers, two MVPs, and a pennant. He was a co-headliner for WAB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class, although he narrowly had the second-highest percentage at 94.1%.

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Zachary Owusu – Starting Pitcher – Abidjan Athletes – 85.6% First Ballot

Zachary Owusu was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city. Owusu had excellent stuff, although his movement was average and he had okay to poor control. He had the very rare case of having a six-pitch arsenal with each option being solid. Owusu’s cutter peaked at 98-100 mph, although his strongest pitch was the knuckle curve. He also had a splitter, changeup, forkball, and curveball. Owusu’s ability to switch between the six options made him a premiere strikeout pitcher in his prime.

Owusu had excellent durability and didn’t miss many starts, but he threw far fewer complete games than your typical WAB ace. He was great at holding runners, but below average defensively. Owusu was a clubhouse leader as well and was a respected figure in each locker room he was in.

Many people don’t realize that Owusu’s career started with Port Harcourt, who picked him ninth overall in the 1997 WAB Draft. He only saw 2.1 relief innings for the Hillcats in 1998. Despite the very small sample size, PH traded Owusu in late June to Lome along with prospect Kolby Onuwa for SP Hugo Djimrangar The Lasers made Owusu a starter for the rest of the year with average results.

Owusu only saw part-time use in 1999 as his control issues still limited his utility. He then saw 169 innings in 2000 with a high strikeout rate, earning the full-time gig finally in 2001. Owusu then led the Eastern League in four of the next five seasons for Lome, topping 300+ Ks in each of the leading seasons.

Owusu peaked with 331 strikeouts in 2004, winning his lone Pitcher of the Year. He took third in 2002, second in 2003, and third in 2005. Owusu’s best ERA was 2005 at 2.67 with a 143 ERA+. His top WAR tally was 6.4 in 2002. Lome was stuck in the middle tier, but did earn a wild card in 2002. Owusu allowed one run over eight innings with 10 strikeouts in his lone start, although the Lasers lost in the first round.

Around this time, Owusu represented his native Ghana in the World Baseball Championship, although he never played for either Ghanaian pro team. From 2001-2010, Owusu had 102.2 innings with a 4-7 record, 3.07 ERA, 120 strikeouts, 36 walks, 118 ERA+, and 2.5 WAR.

Lome tried to negotiate a long-term deal with Owusu, but with his stock high just past his 31st birthday, he left for free agency. For the Lasers, Owusu had a 93-74 innings, 3.11 ERA, 1590 innings, 1940 strikeouts, 443 walks, 126 ERA+, and 31.2 WAR. It was the team he had the best rate stats and the most innings and WAR with, but Owusu opted to be inducted with his third squad in Abidjan. The Athletes inked him to a six-year, $25,440,000 deal and looked to return to the top. They had seen a Western League dynasty run in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Abidjan never missed the playoffs while Owusu was there. He didn’t hit his prime Lome dominance with the Athletes and didn’t lead the league in anything, but he was still reliably solid. His best effort was a third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2009 with 5.7 WAR. The strikeouts and innings were down slightly, but he was still a reliable force.

The Athletes had first round playoff exits in 2006 and 2007. They had the #1 seed in 2008, but were upset in the WLCS by Monrovia. Abidjan then claimed back-to-back pennants in 2009 and 2010. They won the WAB Championship in 2009 over Ibadan, but lost to Cotonou in 2010. Owusu’s best effort came in the 2009 run with a 2.95 ERA over 21.1 innings and 27 strikeouts. His playoff stats overall were a mixed bag with a 4-3 record over 67.1 innings, 3.21 ERA, 118 ERA+, 67 strikeouts, and 1.2 WAR.

Abidjan suffered an WLCS loss to Freetown in 2011 despite being the top seed. They were still happy with Owusu’s production and gave him a three-year, $9,680,000 extension. His rate stats were still good, but he saw lesser use with only 155.1 innings. Owusu had one relief appearance in the playoffs with 4.1 scoreless innings, but they lost again in the WLCS. He decided to retire that winter just past his 38th birthday. With Abidjan, Owusu had a 100-54 record, 3.25 ERA, 1364.1 innings, 1517 strikeouts, 319 walks, 120 ERA+, and 26.0 WAR. Being a part of contenders made Owusu opt for Abidjan red at induction instead of Lome purple.

In total, Owusu had a 193-129 record, 3.20 ERA, 2956.2 innings, 3462 strikeouts, 764 walks, 271/421 quality starts, 27 complete games, 9 shutouts, 122 ERA+, and 57.3 WAR. As of 2037, Owusu ranks 15th in wins, 16th in innings, 11th in strikeouts, 7th in walks, and 31st in pitching WAR. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, his ERA ranks 64th and his opponent’s OPS of .664 is 80th.

The control woes kept him from being truly the tip-top guy, but Owusu was regularly a top five level guy in his prime. He also almost quietly helped Abidjan become a contender again in his 30s. Owusu received 85.6% for the first ballot induction, the third member of a very solid 2018 WAB Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-08-2024 05:53 AM

2018 SAB Hall of Fame (Part 1)

South Asia Baseball’s 2018 Hall of Fame class was an impressive one with three guys getting in at above 90% of the vote. CL Taj Kamikaraja led at 97.1%, followed by 3B Manju Abbas at 95.9% and SP Suhrawadi Baisya at 91.1%. CL Sabuj Nath barely missed joining them in his debut at 65.4%, less than a percentage point shy of the 66% requirement. SP Pwint Moe Nyein also had a nice debut at 52.1%. No one else was above 50% with the top returner being RF Teerapat Siriyakorn’s 43.8% on his seventh try.

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Falling off the ballot after ten failed tries was 1B Sunil Lamichhane, who had an 11-year run with Visakhapatnam. The Nepali left won six Silver Sluggers and was 1994 MVP, posting 1762 hits, 875 runs, 307 doubles, 383 home runs, 946 RBI, a .298/.337/.550 slash, 185 wRC+, and 73.1 WAR. As a raw bat, few were better in his era.

Lamichhane certainly seemed to be on track, but he regressed notably in his age 33 season and didn’t get picked up after that as a free agent. He didn’t have the longevity, but his raw batting prowess got him very close. Lamichhane was above 60% thrice, including 64.0% in 2012 and 64.5% in 2017. He dropped to 36.8% in his last time, banished to the Hall of Pretty Good.

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Taj Kanikaraja – Closer – Surat Silver Sox – 97.1% First Ballot

Taj Kanikaraja was a 6’1’’, 205 pound relief pitcher from Ulhasnagar, India; a city of around 500,000 within metropolitan Mumbai. Kanikaraja had incredible stuff with strong movement and above average control. His 96-98 mph slider was an all-timer while he had a solid sinker as a counterpoint. Kanikaraja was especially strong against right-handed pitching (1.54 ERA) compared to against lefties (2.13 ERA).

Kanikaraja’s stamina and durability were both good, making him often available at a moment’s notice. He was a solid defensive pitcher and was decent at holding runners. Kanikaraja was a bit of a mercenary and you couldn’t expect leadership from him. However, few got the job done in relief better. His potential was so strong that despite being a known reliever, Kanikaraja was picked fourth overall by Surat in the 1997 SAB Draft.

Right away, Kanikaraja was the full-time closer for the Silver Sox and a strong one. He earned 1998 Rookie of the Year and finished third in Reliever of the Year voting. Kanikaraja took second in ROTY in 2000 and 2001. He then won three straight Reliever of the Year awards for Surat from 2002-04. He led in saves in both 2002 (43) and 2003 (47). Kanikaraja had a career-best 0.82 ERA in 2001, while his highest strikeout total was 215 in 2000. Kanikaraja’s top WAR tally was 6.6 in 2003, which was the third-best WAR total by a ROTY winner in SAB history.

Surat had a few okay seasons while Kanikaraja was there, but had no chance to competing in a division with Ahmedabad’s dynasty and a good Mumbai squad. It would be the team he was inducted with and easily his most dominant run. In seven seasons for the Silver Sox, Kanikaraja had 266 saves and 309 shutdowns, 1.61 ERA, 637.2 innings, 1197 strikeouts, 147 walks, 195 ERA+, and 32.6 WAR.

Kanikaraja was excited to get paid in free agency, but didn’t get the long-term deal he wanted right away. In February 2005, the soon-to-be 30-year old signed a one-year deal with Ho Chi Minh City, who had won back-to-back SAB Championships. Kanikaraja excelled right away and by May, the Hedgehogs gave him a four-year, $6,620,000 extension.

From 2005-2007, Kanikaraja won three straight Reliever of the Year awards, giving him six consecutive between the Indian League and Southeast Asia League. As of 2037, he’s the only SAB pitcher to win the award six times and is one of a select few in any world league to pull it off. Kanikaraja was also third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2006 with a SEAL-best 49 saves and 76 games. This was also his second time posting a 6+ WAR season.

Ho Chi Minh City completed the three-peat in 2005 at 121-41 with Kanikaraja posting six saves and a 2.77 ERA over 13 playoff innings with 21 strikeouts. He was surprisingly poor in his 2006 and 2009 playoff runs, finishing his HCMC tenure with a 4.39 ERA over 26.2 innings, 9 saves, 40 strikeouts, and 87 ERA+. The Hedgehogs lost in the LCS in 2006, then had first round exits in 2007 and 2008.

In 2008, Kanikaraja became the second to reach 400 career saves, joining Saroth Bora. However, his production fell off notably that year and he was demoted out of the closer role in 2009. Kanikaraja got his second SAB Championship ring with the Hedgehogs in 2009, but only saw 42.1 innings in the regular season. He also allowed five runs in six playoff innings that year. In total for HCMC, Kanikaraja had 158 saves and 171 shutdowns, a 1.87 ERA, 371.1 innings, 611 strikeouts, 212 ERA+, and 17.2 WAR.

Even while pitching in Vietnam, Kanikaraja still represented India in the World Baseball Championship from 1999-2008. He mostly saw relief, but did see starts most notably in 2007. That year, he tossed two complete games with a 1.21 ERA over 22.1 innings. In total, Kanikaraja had 100.2 innings, 20 saves, an 11-4 record, 186 strikeouts, a 1.69 ERA, and 3.8 WAR.

A free agent heading towards his age 35 season, Kanikaraja signed for 2010 on a one-year deal with Hanoi. He was the closer for the Hounds and had 37 saves, but also had a career-worst 3.68 ERA. He had five saves and a 3.09 ERA over 11.2 playoff innings as the Hounds went 121-41 and won SEAL. They would lose to Kolkata in the SAB Championship. Hanoi was happy enough though to give Kanikaraja another one-year deal.

Unfortunately in mid April 2011, Kanikaraja suffered a torn flexor tendon that ended his season. He still wanted to pitch and Ahmedabad gave him a one-year deal for 2012. Kanikaraja was still respectable in middle relief with a 2.08 ERA over 56.1 innings. He wanted to close though and realized that was likely done for him, retiring that winter at age 37.

Kanikaraja finished with a 78-72 record, 467 saves and 527 shutdowns, 1.85 ERA, 880 games, 1144.1 innings, 1999 strikeouts, 285 walks, 189 ERA+, and 51.7 WAR. Among all SAB pitchers with 1000+ innings as of 2037, Kanikaraja has the best ERA, as well as the best opponent’s OPS (.507) and opponent’s slugging (.278). He was second in saves at retirement in SAB and still ranks third as of 2037. His 0.85 WHIP, .172 AVG, and .229 OBP are each second only to Saroth Bora.

Among all relievers in world history, Kanikaraja ranks 24th in saves, 42nd in shutdowns, 34th in WAR, 38th in ERA+, 36th in opponent’s OPS, and 43rd in ERA. He’s also 19th in strikeouts among all-time relievers. Kanikaraja and Bora both had arguments as the GOAT reliever in SAB to that point, although Bora’s incredible playoff dominance usually won the day. Between SAB’s leagues, they were both considered the gold standard of the 2000s. Kanikaraja was a slam dunk for the 2018 Hall of Fame class and managed to even get the highest percentage of the three players at 97.1% despite stiff competition.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-08-2024 11:32 AM

2018 SAB Hall of Fame (Part 2)

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Manju Abbas – Third Base – Johor Bahru Blue Wings – 95.9% First Ballot

Manju Abbas was a 6’1’’, 200 pound switch-hitting third baseman from Ahmedabad, India. Abbas became legendary for his longevity and ironman status, starting 140+ games in all but one year from 1989-2010. On the whole, he was an above average contact hitter who was decent at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Abbas was notably better batting against right-handed pitching (.879 OPS, 149 wRC+) compared to against lefties (.739 OPS, 115 wRC+).

Abbas had sturdy gap power with 36 doubles and 7 triples per his 162 game average, while also being good for 23 homers. He was an excellent baserunner and sneaky base stealer despite never having better than average speed. Abbas’s lengthy career was exclusively as a third baseman. He was a tremendous defender, winning 15 Gold Gloves.

On top of those skills, Abbas was one of the finest humans to ever play the game. He was renowned as a team captain and few players in pro baseball history garnered more universal respect as a man. Abbas’s tireless work ethic and adaptability helped him become one of the longest tenured players in all of pro baseball history.

South Asia Baseball had only come into existence for the 1980 season and Abbas’s hometown Ahmedabad hadn’t yet become the hotbed that it would later become. His potential as a teenage amateur still garnered attention throughout the region, including as far away as Malaysia. A scout from Johor Bahru took a liking to Abbas and gave him a developmental deal in November 1983. He spent most of four seasons in the academy, but debuted at age 20 in 1987 with 26 games and 4 starts. Abbas was a part-timer in 1988, but hadn’t developed his bat fully yet.

By 1989, Abbas grabbed the full-time starting gig and became a fixture at third base for the next two decades. That year, he led the Southeast Asia League with a career-best 43 doubles. It was also the first of 14 consecutive seasons worth 5+ WAR. Abbas would top eight WAR in eight of those seasons. By 1990, he was the undisputed top defender at third base. Abbas won his first Gold Glove and won 15 years in a row.

As of 2037, Abbas is the only 15-time Gold Glover in SAB history. He’s one of only 11 with 15 Gold Gloves in any world league with only MLB’s Christopher Sollinger (1974-89) also doing it at third base. No third baseman in world history has more games started (3288), double plays (447), or innings (29880.2). Abbas is also the SAB all-time leader at 3B in assists (6006), putouts (1403), total chances (7491), fielding percentage (.989), and zone rating (114.8).

Abbas’s bat picked up by 1991, winning his first Silver Slugger with a SEAL-best 9.9 WAR, taking second in MVP voting. He wouldn’t lead in any other batting stats for the rest of his lengthy career, but the defense would help him earn the WARlord spot twice more. With Johor Bahru, he won additional Silver Sluggers in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1998.

The Blue Wings got three wild cards from 1989-91, but lost in the first round each year. They snuck in at 84-78 in 1993, but went on one of the most improbable championship runs ever. Johor Bahru shocked a record-setting 126-36 Ho Chi Minh City in the first round, beat Hanoi in the LCS, then denied Ahmedabad’s five-peat bid in the SAB Championship.

Abbas was the lynchpin of that Cinderella run, winning MVP of all three rounds of the playoffs. In 19 starts, he had 34 hits, 13 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs, 14 RBI, a .430/.471/.709 slash, and 2.0 WAR. The 34 hits remain the SAB playoff record as of 2037. That effort alone cemented the then 26-year old Abbas’s place in SAB history. Little did anyone know that he still had another 20 years of baseball left.

Earlier that year, Abbas had also put in 20 hits, 6 runs, 2 homers, and 13 RBI in the World Baseball Championship, helping India to a first-ever runner-up finish. Abbas was a regular for his country from 1990-2009 and posted 194 WBC games and 186 starts, posting 158 hits, 80 runs, 34 doubles, 15 home runs, 60 RBI, and 2.6 WAR. Although he struggled and was more a veteran presence by 2009, Abbas was there for India’s first-ever world title.

After their unexpected title run, Johor Bahru didn’t get back to the playoffs for the rest of Abbas’s tenure. He had signed an eight-year, $5,822,000 extension in September 1990, but became up for free agency after the 1998 season heading towards age 32. With the Blue Wings, Abbas had 1851 hits, 926 runs, 383 doubles, 235 home runs, 897 RBI, 284 stolen bases, a .294/.347/.493 slash, 137 wRC+, and 73.9 WAR.

He remained a beloved superstar everywhere he went, but some fans were annoyed that Abbas joined the “evil empire” of Ahmedabad. Abbas wasn’t just some front-runner joining the powerhouse team, as this was a homecoming for him. The Animals had won the Indian League pennant 11 times in the prior 13 years and had 10 SAB Championship rings in that stretch. Abbas signed to a five-year, $11,600,000 deal.

Abbas had some of his best seasons with Ahmedabad, posting a league and career-best 11.5 WAR in 2000 and a league-best 9.8 WAR in 2002. 2000 also had career highs in home runs (33), average 9.316), slugging (.561), OPS (.934), and wRC+ (201). Abbas won his lone MVP in 2000, while adding Silver Sluggers in 1999, 2000, and 2001.

The Ahmedabad dynasty rolled on with Abbas, winning four more Indian League pennants for a run of nine straight. The Animals won the 1999 and 2002 SAB Championships, but fell in 2000 to Ho Chi Minh City and 2001 to Yangon. Abbas was the 2000 ILCS MVP and had good numbers in all but the 2001 run. In total for Ahmedabad in the playoffs, Abbas had 58 hits, 29 runs, 11 doubles, 4 triples, 6 home runs, 23 RBI, a .258/.320/.422 slash, 139 wRC+, and 2.1 WAR.

In four seasons for Ahmedabad, Abbas had 706 hits, 407 runs, 136 doubles, 103 home runs, 377 RBI, 141 stolen bases, a .300/.361/.516 slash, 181 wRC+, and 38.1 WAR. Surprisingly, the Animals bought out the fifth year of Abbas’s deal, making him a free agent heading towards his age 36 season in 2003. He ended up switching to the other dynasty, but only with a one-year deal worth $2,840,000 for Ho Chi Minh City.

Abbas had a career-low 4.4 WAR season to that point with his bat faltering, although he kept the Gold Glove streak alive. He was respectable in the playoffs with 14 hits, 5 homers, and 11 RBI; helping the Hedgehogs win the SAB title over Bengaluru. This made Abbas a four-time SAB champion. With teams worried about a declining bat, the search for the next landing spot was tough for Abbas.

He ended up going to Da Nang, who joined SAB as an expansion team in 2004. Abbas had an impressive resurgence with 7.7 WAR and helped the Nailers made world history, making it to the LCS in their debut season. They ultimately lost to a 122-win HCMC in the LCS, but Abbas had 10 hits and 0.5 WAR in the playoff run.

Despite his efforts, Abbas’s age and price tag still scared some teams. He didn’t get signed until late July in 2005 by Kanpur. Abbas went to Dhaka in 2006 on a two-year, $3,880,000 deal. That year, he became the first SAB batter to reach 3000 career hits and the fourth to 1500 RBI. Abbas went on a long-term run with the Dobermans, inking a three-year, $8,800,000 extension in April 2007 and another three years at $22,000,000 in December 2009.

Abbas had three straight 6+ WAR seasons to start the Dhaka run in his early 40s and posted 4+ WAR in the following two seasons; remarkable production for someone his age. The Dobermans had become a regular wild card by this point, but had limited playoff luck with the powerhouse runs of HCMC, Yangon, and now Hanoi. After five straight first round exits, Dhaka fell in the 2010 LCS to the Hounds.

The impressive longevity for Abbas allowed him to rack up more accolades. He was the first to reach 2000 runs scored in SAB, reaching that in 2011. Abbas had reached 3500 hits in 2009, a mark only two others would reach. He also became the first in all of pro baseball history to earn 800 career doubles, crossing that in his final season in 2012.

The ironman finally got injured in 2011, missing just over a month to a fractured hand. Abbas’s bat dropped to average numbers that year, but his leadership was critical as Dhaka won the SAB Championship over Kolkata. He also played 5 games in the second-ever Baseball Grand Championship. For his playoff career, Abbas had 152 games, 168 hits, 82 runs, 28 doubles, 8 triples, 32 home runs, 78 RBI, a .284/.338/.520 slash, 151 wRC+, and 6.5 WAR. On SAB’s playoff leaderboards as of 2037, Abbas ranks 6th in games, 7th in runs, 4th in hits, 9th in home runs, and 8th in RBI.

In 2012, Abbas was firmly below average and moved to a bench role, posting -0.3 WAR that season over 119 games and 100 starts. He retired that winter as one of the select few in pro baseball history to play to age 45. Abbas was only the fifth player in world history to that point with 3500+ games played. With Dhaka, Abbas had 977 hits, 537 runs, 215 doubles, 125 home runs, 482 RBI, 203 stolen bases, a .279/.346/.466 slash, 119 wRC+, and 29.4 WAR.

The grand totals saw 3656 games, 3402 starts, 3897 hits, 2057 runs, 816 doubles, 155 triples, 514 home runs, 1934 RBI, 1127 walks, 675 stolen bases, a .289/.348/.488 slash, 139 wRC+, and 154.7 WAR. As of 2037, Abbas is still SAB’s all-time leader in games, at-bats (13,463), hits, singles (2412), and doubles. At retirement, Abbas was the leader in runs scored as well, although he ranks third as of 2037. He also still ranks 4th in WAR among position players, 37th in home runs, 5th in RBI, 27th in triples, and 11th in walks drawn.

On the world leaderboards as of 2037, Abbas has played the third-most games, only behind Prometheo Garcia’s 3784 and Gokhan Karatas’s 3682. Abbas was the world doubles king until the late 2020s and still sits third. He’s also tenth in hits, sixth in at-bats, 26th in runs, and 28th in WAR among position players. On the WAR leaderboard for every player ever, Abbas ranks 39th and is one of only 51 guys to breach 150 for their career.

Abbas wasn’t the most dominant hitter ever, but very few in world history had his longevity and consistency. Few also could consider themselves to be better or equal to Abbas in terms of defense at third base. On top of that, Abbas was a great guy and captain, making him one of baseball’s true inner-circle legends. It’s surprising that the Indian superstar only got 95.9% in his Hall of Fame ballot debut, joining SAB’s strong three-player 2018 class.

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Suhrawadi Baisya – Starting Pitcher – Chittagong Commandos – 91.1% First Ballot

Suhrawadi Baisya was a 6’11’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Khulna, the third-largest city in Bangladesh. Baisya is notably the tallest Hall of Famer in world baseball history and one of a very select few to ever play the game at 6’11’’. He had good stuff, excellent movement, and above average control. Baisya’s fastball peaked in the 96-98 mph range. He had a five pitch arsenal with his curveball, screwball, and sinker also quite potent. Baisya also had a rarely used changeup as the fifth option.

Relative to other SAB aces, Baisya’s stamina was below average. He had decent durability, but had some bad luck with major injuries at points. Baisya was good at holding runners and below average defensively. Some thought he was a bit dopey and unmotivated, but the lanky lefty still managed a very solid 15-year pro career.

Being tall and left handed will certainly catch the attention of scouts. Baisya sprouted up well before high school, becoming a very known commodity amongst Bangladeshi baseball scouts. Chittagong won the sweepstakes, signing Baisya to a developmental deal in April 1990. He spent most of five years in their academy, officially debuting in 1994 at age 20. Baisya had only six starts that year with iffy results.

Baisya was placed into the rotation full-time in 1995 and fared better. 1996 would be his finest year by WAR at 8.0 and his second-best in strikeouts (310). Baisya was solid again in 1997, but suffered a horrific setback in 1998. In a spring training game, he took a line drive to the face that fractured an eye socket, putting him out the entire season. Baisya narrowly managed to escape catastrophic vision damage and was able to return to form in 1999, leading the Southeast Asia League in quality starts (25).

Chittagong was a middling team at this point and wasn’t in a position to give Baisya a big deal approaching free agency. He finished his run there with a 73-47 record, 2.92 ERA, 1180.2 innings, 1342 strikeouts, 323 walks, 123 ERA+, and 28.1 WAR. It was his longest tenure anywhere and the colors he was inducted in, although Baisya’s Hanoi tenure was arguably more impactful. With many teams struggling financially in the early top-heavy years of SAB, Baisya ended up sitting out the 2001 season.

That also ended his time playing professionally in his native Bangladeshi. Baisya did continue to represent his country in the World Baseball Championship, including in his years out of the pro game. From 1997-2010, Baisya had 176.2 innings, an 8-12 record, 3.36 ERA, 196 strikeouts, 49 walks, 106 ERA+, and 3.1 WAR.

Baisya returned to SAB in 2002 on a two-year, $3,100,000 deal with Yangon, the defending SAB champion. This saw his lone Pitcher of the Year, posting a 2.46 ERA over 216 innings and 6.2 WAR. The Green Dragons lost in the first round of the playoffs with Baisya struggling in his one playoff start, allowing five runs in seven innings. He opted out of the second year of his deal and sat out for 2003.

He came back for 2004-05 with Ahmedabad on a two-year, $3,040,000 deal. Baisya would miss two months in 2004 to a strained hamstring, but posted his career best 2.44 ERA. Baisya led the Indian League in wins (19-9) and quality starts (29) in 2005, also posting a career-best 326 strikeouts. That earned him a third place in Pitcher of the Year voting.

The Animals’ playoff streak continued, but their title streak was done at this point with a first round loss in 2004 and LCS loss in 2005. Baisya held up his end in his four playoff starts with a 1.24 ERA over 29 innings and 36 strikeouts. With Ahmedabad, he had a 32-11 record, 2.50 ERA, 414.2 innings, 488 strikeouts, 130 ERA+, and 11.3 WAR. Baisya decided to leave the game after that, sitting out the 2006 season.

Now 33-years old, Hanoi lured him back in 2007 for a two-year, $6,720,000 deal. Led by Majed Darwish’s record-setting power, the Hounds became poised to be a SEAL dynasty. They won back-to-back SAB titles in 2007-08 with Baisya taking second in 2007’s POTY voting. He posted a 3.24 ERA in 33.1 innings in the 2007 run and a 3.09 ERA over 35 innings in the 2008 run, combining for 78 strikeouts. Hanoi would give Baisya a three-year, $9,480,000 extension after the 2008 campaign.

Baisya led the league in wins from 2007-2009 with Hanoi. The Hounds from 2007-10 won 111, 120, 122, and 121 games. They suffered a stunning first-round upset loss in 2009 with Baisya getting rocked in his one playoff start, allowing six runs in 3.2 innings. That would be his final playoff start of his career, although Hanoi would win the SEAL title in 2010, falling to Kolkata in the SAB Championship. For his playoff career, Baisya had a 6-8 record, 3.25 ERA, 108 innings, 124 strikeouts, 125 ERA+, and 2.3 WAR.

Baisya would suffer a torn flexor tendon in his elbow in late August 2010, putting him out eight months. A setback in February 2011 put Baisya out for another three months. He also dealt with elbow inflammation and tendinitis that year and only tossed 84 innings. For what it was worth, Baisya still looked great with a 2.79 ERA and 8-0 record. He again missed the playoffs as Hanoi lost in the LCS. In total for the Hounds, Baisya had an 84-23 record, 2.95 ERA, 925.1 innings, 1033 strikeouts, 142 ERA+, and 25.1 WAR.

He still wanted to play and Mumbai gave him a one-year deal in 2012. Baisya struggled to a 4.28 ERA over 134.2 innings with the Meteors. Then on August 1, he suffered a torn labrum to end his season. Baisya ultimately opted against trying to rehab back from that, retiring that winter at age 39.

Baisya ended with a 210-94 record, 2.90 ERA, 2871.1 innings, 3208 strikeouts, 667 walks, 264/396 quality starts, 40 complete games, 13 shutouts, 129 ERA+, and 72.2 WAR. His numerous sabbaticals did lower the grand totals, but as of 2037, Baisya still ranks 12th in wins, 37th in strikeouts, and 15th in pitching WAR. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, his ERA ranks 73rd and his opponent’s OPS of .624 ranks 76th.

While not generally the league’s leader, Baisya was a top ten to occasionally top five pitcher for almost his entire run. Helping Hanoi establish its dynasty run in the late 2000s also pushed Baisya over the top. He received 91.1% to cap off the impressive three-player Hall of Fame ballot for SAB in 2018.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-08-2024 06:04 PM

2018 ABF Hall of Fame

The 2018 Asian Baseball Federation Hall of Fame class added two players, led by OF Simin Arefi in his debut at 88.0%. His former Multan teammate 3B Faradur Khaled joined him on the first ballot at 73.0%. The next closest to the 66% requirement were 1B Altaf Aslam at 57.5% on his third try and SP Masruq Abbas with 53.7% for his sixth go. No one else topped 50%.

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Dropped after ten failed ballots was LF/DH Pouya Malek, who had a 13-year career between Tehran, Isfahan, and Karachi. He won one Silver Slugger and was twice WLCS MVP, helping the Imperials to their 1998 title. Malek had 2101 hits, 916 runs, 422 doubles, 169 triples, 187 home runs, 1003 RBI, 312 stolen bases, a .301/.334/.490 slash, 141 wRC+, and 54.0 WAR. He didn’t have the longevity or power needed and also lost some points as a DH. Malek peaked at 34.6% in 2010 and ended with 8.5%.

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Simin Arefi – Left/Center Field – Multan Mighty Cocks – 88.0% First Ballot

Simin Arefi was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed hitting outfielder from Chalus, a city of 65,000 in north central Iran near the Caspian Sea. Arefi gave you reliable home run power with 38 dingers per his 162 game average. His gap power brought you 24 doubles and 5 triples. Arefi dominated right-handed pitching (.907 OPS, 187 wRC+), but was only decent against lefties (.655 OPS, 109 wRC+). He had average running speed, but was a crafty and intelligent baserunner.

Arefi played center field at the very start of his career but struggled as didn’t have the speed or range needed there. He switched to left field full time in his fifth year and stayed there for the rest of his career, providing reliably above average results. Arefi had excellent durability, playing 150+ games in each of first 14 seasons. Few guys had a stronger work ethic, making Arefi a fan favorite throughout his career.

Despite growing up in Iran, it was a Turkish scout from Adana that signed Arefi up as a teenage amateur in October 1991. Many don’t realize he started there as he never played a game for the Axemen despite spending six years in their academy. In February 1998, Arefi and prospect SP Nadim Qadim were traded to Multan for CF Saif Santoyan and RP Iqbal Hayat. Thus, Arefi’s first professional games came in the Pakistan League for two years before it was rechristened as the East League with the addition of the Central Asian defectors from the 2000 EPB exodus.

The Mighty Cocks made Arefi a starter right away, a role he held in Multan for 11 years. Arefi was third in 1998 Rookie of the Year voting, then won his first Silver Slugger in 1999 (at CF). Multan quickly signed him to an eight-year, $18,870,000 extension after the 2000 season. From 2000-07, he posed 6.5+ WAR or better each year and topped 40 home runs six times. Arefi won his other Multan Silver Sluggers in left field in 2002, 03, 06 and 07.

Arefi helped make Multan a contender to start the 21st Century. They lost in the 1999 PLCS to Hyderabad, then had first round exits in 2001 and 2002 in the expanded league. 2003 then saw a franchise-record 113-49 season for the Mighty Cocks, winning the ABF Championship over Ankara. To that point, 113 wins was the most ever by an ABF champ, remaining the top mark until 116-win Tehran in 2017.

In the 2003 playoffs, Arefi forever became a Multan hero. In 12 playoff starts, he had 19 hits, 15 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, 16 RBI, a 1.254 OPS, and 1.4 WAR; winning finals MVP. Multan fell to 82-80 and missed the playoffs in 2004, then lost in the ELCS in 2005 to Lahore. Although defeated, Arefi had another big postseason with 15 hits, 8 runs, 4 doubles, 6 homers, and 11 RBI over 12 starts. Little did anyone know, 2005 would be Arefi’s final time playing in the postseason.

For his playoff career, Arefi had 37 starts, 46 hits, 30 runs, 10 doubles, 17 home runs, 37 RBI, a .322/.347/.748 slash, 270 wRC+, and 3.3 WAR. He also had strong numbers for his native Iran from 2000-12 in the World Baseball Championship. Arefi played 91 WBC games with 71 starts, posting 70 hits, 54 runs, 7 doubles, 5 triples, 32 home runs, 66 RBI, a .262/.319/.685 slash, 181 wRC+, and 4.1 WAR.

Multan would be stuck around .500 in 2006 and 2007, although these were Arefi’s most statistically impressive seasons. In 2006, he led the league in runs (105), home runs (53), RBI (128), total bases (367), slugging (.614), OPS (.950), wRC+ (202), and WAR (9.2). These were each career highs and his first time as a league leader in any stat, but he finished second in MVP voting. Arefi was second again in 2007, leading in homers with 50 and posting 8.3 WAR.

Arefi dropped off the next year with 4.5 WAR and a .798 OPS, his weakest effort since his sophomore campaign. It wasn’t the best contract year performance and he couldn’t come to terms long-term with Multan. In total for the Mighty Cocks, Arefi had 1708 hits, 935 runs, 253 doubles, 432 home runs, 1024 RBI, 280 stolen bases, a .267/.314/.527 slash, 170 wRC+, and 74.3 WAR. Arefi remained a popular figure in Multan for his role in their 2003 championship and his #7 uniform would later get retired.

A free agent for the first time at age 33, Arefi signed a five-year, $33,000,000 deal with Dushanbe. The Dynamo had been a contender when they joined ABF, but were rebuilding by Arefi’s arrival in 2009. He won his sixth Silver Slugger in 2010, leading that year in RBI with 114. Arefi was solid in his first three years, but was reduced to a platoon role in 2012, starting only 92 games. He also saw his first notable injury that year with a fractured wrist costing him a month.

Arefi didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fifth year of the deal, becoming a free agent at age 37. With Dushanbe, Arefi had 586 hits, 301 runs, 109 doubles, 118 home runs, 368 RBI, a .284/.323/.525 slash, 159 wRC+, and 21.1 WAR. This ended his ABF career, as he couldn’t find anyone to give him a suitable deal. Arefi ended up moving to the Arab League, getting a three-year, $13,280,000 deal with Tunis. Unfortunately, poor performance meant he saw little use with the Thunder Cats, playing only 83 games with 8 starts from 2013-14. Arefi was let go and went unsigned in 2015, finally retiring that winter at age 40.

For his ABF career, Arefi had 2294 hits, 1236 runs, 362 doubles, 550 home runs, 1392 RBI, 467 walks, 431 stolen bases, a .271/.316/.526 slash, 167 wRC+, and 95.4 WAR. He was the fourth to reach 500 career homers in ABF. As of 2037, Arefi sits 15th in homers, 40th in hits, 31st in runs, 24th in RBI, and 22nd in WAR among position players. His slugging also ranks 73rd amongst all ABF batters with 3000+ plate appearances.

Arefi was rarely considered THE top guy in the game, but he was a reliably strong power hitter with good defense for a long time. His playoff heroics and general fan favorite personality put him over the top with most of the few doubters. At 88.0%, Arefi headlined ABF’s two-player Hall of Fame class for 2018.

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Faradur Khaled – Third Base – Multan Mighty Cocks – 73.0% First Ballot

Faradur Khaled was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Amangarh, Pakistan; a town of 25,000 in the Nowshera District. Khaled had dual citizenship with an American father, but he spent essentially his entire life in Pakistan. He was known as a great contact hitter with excellent gap power, getting 40 doubles per his 162 game average. Khaled had respectable home run power with 24 per 162 games. He was solid at avoiding strikeouts, but weak at drawing walks.

Khaled wasn’t going to get extra bases with his legs with firmly subpar speed and baserunning. A strong arm placed him at third base for his entire career, but weak range and glove work made him a weak defender. The bat was plenty good though to overlook his iffy defense. Khaled had fairly good durability in his career. You couldn’t call on him to be a team leader, but he wasn’t going to cause any problems.

By the 1996 ABF Draft, Khaled had thrived in Pakistan’s college baseball scene and was a top prospect. He was picked #2 overall by Lahore, but couldn’t come to terms with the Longhorns. Khaled returned for one more year of college and was picked fourth by Multan in 1997. The Mighty Cocks gave him a three-year, $1,980,000 deal to start his career. Khaled was a part-time starter as a rookie, then took the full-time gig for the next five years.

From 1999-03 with Multan, Khaled had 6.9 WAR or better each year. He won Silver Sluggers in 2001, 2002, and 2003, although he wasn’t a league leader. 2003 saw his career best in WAR (9.1), wRC+ (193), OPS (.922), and home runs (30); finishing second in MVP voting. Multan lost in the 1999 LCS, then lost in the first round of 2001 and 2002’s playoffs. The Mighty Cocks would break through to win the 2003 ABF Championship at 113-49, beating Ankara in the final.

Like his Hall of Fame classmate Simin Arefi, Khaled stepped up big in the playoffs. He won the MVP of the Eastern League Championship Series, posting 19 hits, 8 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, 14 RBI, a 1.268 OPS, and 1.3 WAR over 12 playoff starts. He had 2.0 WAR and a 1.087 OPS over 25 playoff starts with Multan. With Khaled’s stock at an all-time high, he was excited to cash in as a 30-year old free agent.

In six years with Multan, Khaled had 983 hits, 394 runs, 187 doubles, 149 home runs, 472 RBI, a .305/.339/.513 slash, 174 wRC+, and 41.2 WAR. He remained popular with Mighty Cocks fans for his role in the title, but his departure rubbed some in the organization the wrong way. Although they were happy to see him in the Multan green and gold on his Hall of Fame plaque, Khaled’s #2 uniform was never retired.

Khaled signed a seven-year, $29,320,000 deal and joined Istanbul. He spent little time back home in Pakistan at this point, although he did see slight use in the World Baseball Championship. Khaled played 17 games with 4 starts in six editions. He was off to a great start in Turkey, but missed almost half of the 2004 season between a hamstring strain and intercostal strain. Still, he earned his fourth Silver Slugger. Khaled got his fifth and sixth Sluggers the next two seasons.

In 2006, Khaled was second in MVP voting again. It was his only time as a league leader, winning the batting title with a .340 average and leading with 210 hits. His 102 runs and 117 RBI were both career bests as well. Khaled saw a career-best 50 doubles in 2007. Istanbul was a regular playoff contender at this point, but had playoff woes early in Khaled’s run. They lost in the first round in 2004 and 2005, then fell in the 2006 WLCS to Shiraz.

In 2007, Istanbul finished 104-58 and won it all, beating Bishkek in the ABF Championship. In 14 playoff starts, Khaled had 17 hits, 8 runs, 8 doubles, and 5 RBI. The Ironmen won 112 games in 2008 and repeated as champs, topping Karachi in the final. Khaled had 12 starts, 17 hits, 10 runs, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, and 8 RBI. With those performances, he certainly lived up to his deal by helping the Ironmen to two titles.

The Istanbul run ended on a sour note though in 2009 as Khaled suffered a broken bone in his elbow in May, knocking him out for eight months. The Ironmen lost in the first round of the playoffs, then decided to buy out the final year of Khaled’s seven-year deal. With Istanbul, Khaled had 933 hits, 429 runs, 222 doubles, 108 home runs, 471 RBI, a .325/.358/.521 slash, 149 wRC+, and 33.8 WAR.

Khaled was now a 36-year old free agent coming off a major injury. Bishkek gave him a one-year, $3,960,000 deal and were rewarded with an excellent 7.3 WAR season. The Black Sox got the top seed in the Eastern League, but were upset in the LCS by eventual ABF champ Rawalpindi. Khaled had 8 hits, 2 runs, and 2 doubles in 10 playoff starts. For his playoff career, Khaled was excellent with 74 starts, 97 hits, 43 runs, 21 doubles, 16 home runs, 51 RBI, a .349/.391/.604 slash, 203 wRC+, and 4.8 WAR.

A free agent again for 2011, the reigning champ Red Wings gave him a three-year, $21,400,000 deal. Khaled had a solid 5.4 WAR effort in 2011 and posted a 29-game hit streak during the season. However, Rawalpindi missed the playoffs at 83-79 and went .500 the next year. Khaled notably regressed in 2012 as a full-time starter, posting 1.9 WAR and a .663 OPS. He met the criteria for the third year of the Red Wings deal, but decided to retire just after his 39th birthday. Khaled had 7.3 WAR over 288 games for Rawalpindi.

Khaled finished with 2411 hits, 998 runs, 512 doubles, 311 home runs, 1156 RBI, 355 walks, a .312/.345/.507 slash, 161 wRC+, and 89.7 WAR. As of 2037, Khaled ranks 29th in hits, 83rd in runs, 25th in doubles, 49th in RBI, and 29th in WAR among position players. Khaled ranks fifth in WAR accrued at third base.

Despite that resume, his totals weren’t eye-popping and he rarely was a league leader. Supporters noted his reliable production and excellent playoff numbers, winning three titles between Multan and Istanbul. Khaled debuted on the 2018 ballot at 73.0%, which was just enough to cross the 66% requirement for the first ballot Hall of Fame induction.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-09-2024 06:45 AM

2018 ALB Hall of Fame

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Two players made it into Arab League Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2018, led by a no-doubt headliner in 2B/3B Mustafa bin Nazim at 98.7%. LF/IF Hassan El Mubarak joined him on his seventh ballot but barely, scraping by the 66% requirement at 66.8%. SP Mohamed Abdou narrowly missed with a 62.6% debut and 1B Sultan Riaz saw 61.3% on his second go. Also topping 50% was SP Ali Al-Shakal with a 57.5% sixth ballot and LF Ibrahim Ahmed Raafat at 56.5% on his eighth go. No players were dropped from the ballot after ten failed attempts.

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Mustafa bin Nazim – Second/Third Base – Jerusalem Jets – 98.7% First Ballot

Mustafa bin Nazim was a 6’0’’, 205 pound switch-hitting infielder from the capital of Oman, Muscat. Ranked as a five-star player at his peak, few players in world history were as dominant hitting against right-handed pitching as bin Nazim. He had a career 1.111 OPS and 203 wRC+ against righties with outstanding power and contact skills. Bin Nazim wasn’t bad against lefties though with a .806 OPS and 125 wRC+.

In total, bin Nazim gave you 48 home runs and 36 doubles per his 162 game average. He posted a 15-year streak of 40+ home run seasons and topped 50+ five times in that stretch. Additionally, bin Nazim was solid at drawing walks, although his strikeout rate was below average. On the basepaths, he was quite slow and clumsy.

In the first 2/3s of his career, bin Nazim played second base, then moved to third base for the final third. At either spot, he was a lousy defender. He had reliably good durability though and bin Nazim’s incredible bat against righties guaranteed a prominent spot in the lineup. He was also a strong leader in the clubhouse, becoming one of the first megastars of the Arab League.

The amateur scene in his native Oman was quite limited in the early 1990s, but bin Nazim still flourished. A scout from Jerusalem locked him down to an amateur developmental deal in July 1992. In 1995, bin Nazim debuted at age 20 with 32 games and 5 starts. He was rostered close to full-time in 1996, but only started 36 games. Bin Nazim earned the full-time starting gig in 1997 and held it for the next 16 years in Jerusalem. 1997 would mark the start of his 15-year stretch of 40 home runs and also started a run of ten years with 100+ RBI.

In 1997, bin Nazim won the Western Conference MVP and a Silver Slugger, leading in total bases (385), slugging (.675), OPS (1.071), wRC+ (187), and WAR (10.1). He would post an OPS above one in ten different seasons and lead the conference six times. Eight times bin Nazim led in slugging, while he was the WARlord five times, wRC+ leader six times, OBP leader thrice, batting average leader twice, homer leader thrice, RBI leader thrice, and runs leader once.

In total, bin Nazim had 14 Silver Sluggers, a mark only he and home run king Nordine Soule reached in ALB. At second base, bin Nazim won in 1997-99, 2001, and from 2003-08. At third base, he won it from 2009-12. 1998 saw a third place in MVP voting, followed by bin Nazim’s second MVP win in 1999. He took second in MVP voting in 2001, 2002, and 2003. Jerusalem locked up their superstar in April 2001 to an eight-year, $13,040,000 extension. The Jets won the Levant Division in 1997, 2000, and 2001; but their deepest run was a conference finals loss in 2000. They missed the playoffs then from 2002-04.

2005 was bin Nazim’s third MVP and his strongest season by many metrics, posting the fifth Triple Crown hitting season in ALB history. He led the conference with 64 homers, 140 RBI, 122 runs, 432 total bases, a .338/.407/.741 slash, 1.148 OPS, 214 wRC+, and 11.2 WAR. The homers, RBI, runs, total bases, batting average, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR were each career bests, as were his 197 hits. That effort brought Jerusalem back to the playoffs, but they suffered another first round exit.

In 2006, bin Nazim picked up his fourth MVP, leading again in homers (57), RBI (109), and OPS (1.072). A fractured rib knocked him out at the end of the season and Jerusalem again lost in the first round of the playoffs. In 2007, bin Nazim lost six weeks to a strained hamstring. However, he was back for the stretch run and the Jets broke through, winning their first-ever conference pennant at 104-58. They would fall to Medina in the Arab League Championship. Bin Nazim won conference finals MVP and in nine playoff starts had 11 hits, 7 runs, 6 homers, and 12 RBI.

2008 saw a second place finish in MVP voting, but Jerusalem fell to 71-91. They had a few good seasons after that, but couldn’t make the playoffs with Amman building a dynasty in the Levant Division. After the 2009 season, the Jets extended bin Nazim for another four years and $13,440,000. In 2011 at age 36, bin Nazim led again in WAR (10.3) and smacked 57 home runs, taking second in MVP voting.

In 2011, bin Nazim was the second to reach 700 career home runs. He was the third to 2500 hits, the second to 1500 RBI, and the second to 1500 runs scored. Being a contemporary to Nordine Soule kept bin Nazim from ever having the top statistical spot despite his dominance. The ALB run came to an end with the 2012 season, as Jerusalem moved him to a platoon role after weak numbers against lefties. He became a free agent for the first time heading towards age 38.

After a worldwide search, bin Nazim ended up in Peru on a two-year, $26,000,000 deal with Callao, the reigning Copa Sudamerica winner. He had an excellent debut season with 5.6 WAR, 41 home runs, and a 1.024 OPS, but the Cats missed the playoffs. They got back in 2014, but lost in the first round. Bin Nazim dealt with a strained hamstring for much of 2014, but still managed 3.0 WAR and a .956 OPS over 94 games. In total with Callao, bin Nazim had a .325/.395/.605 slash, 159 wRC+, and 8.6 WAR.

His late career struggles against lefties and poor defense limited his utility, but bin Nazim could still rake against righties. MLB’s Montreal Maples gave him a shot for 2015 on a two-year, $37,600,000 deal. In 46 games, bin Nazim had 2.1 WAR and a .879 OPS. Unfortunately, he suffered a fractured elbow in mid May with an August setback forcing his abrupt retirement at age 40. That winter, Jerusalem announced the retiring of bin Nazim’s #26 uniform.

With the Jets in ALB, bin Nazim had 2766 hits, 1535 runs, 589 doubles, 777 home runs, 1834 RBI, 951 walks, a .308/.379/.643 slash, 182 wRC+, and 130.1 WAR. As of 2037, bin Nazim ranks 22nd in hits, 17th in runs, 26th in doubles, 8th in home runs, 8th in RBI, 15th in walks, and 2nd in WAR among position players. Among all betters with 3000+ plate appearances, bin Nazim’s 1.022 OPS ranks 13th best, his slugging is 15th, and OBP is 25th. His 5762 total bases also rank 7th.

For his combined pro career, bin Nazim had 3078 hits, 1691 runs, 639 doubles, 849 home runs, 2014 RBI, 1061 walks, a .309/.380/.638 slash, 180 wRC+, and 140.7 WAR. In all of pro baseball history as of 2037, bin Nazim ranks 37th in home runs and 45th in WAR amongst position players, and 76th in WAR among all players. Among Hall of Famers and surefire locks, bin Nazim’s OPS and slugging rank 28th.

He pulled off these feats despite being merely above average to good batting against lefties and with poor defense. The incredible dominance for bin Nazim against righties alone pushed him into an inner circle spot among baseball’s all-time legends. He was a superstar everywhere he went and his popularity helped grow the game in his native Oman, who got their first pro team in 2016 with the Muscat Threshers. At 98.7%, bin Nazim headlined ALB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class.

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Hassan El Mubarak – Left Field/Infield – Mosul Muskies – 66.8% Seventh Ballot

Hassan El Mubarak was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed left fielder from Omdurman, Sudan’s second most populous city. El Mubarak was a traditional leadoff man known for solid contact hitting, and impressive baserunning. He had very good speed and was incredibly adept at getting steals and extra bags. El Mubarak knew how to find the gap, getting 43 doubles and 9 triples per his 162 game average. You couldn’t expect many home runs, getting only 51 for his career. El Mubarak also rarely drew walks, but few were better at avoiding strikeouts and regularly putting the ball in play.

Left field was his primary spot defensively with more than half of his starts there. El Mubarak graded out as an excellent defender in left, but he would see a lot of starts in the infield with some utility chops. He graded as a subpar infielder, but was playable enough to see sporadic starts at second, shortstop, and third. El Mubarak’s sparkplug attitude meant he was always willing and able to give it his all in any role.

In the Arab League’s first-ever rookie draft in 1990, El Mubarak wasn’t a top ranked prospect. He went late in the third round, 70th overall, to Cairo. He saw only 46 games in his rookie season, but earned a starting role in 1992 and won his lone batting title with a .327 average. The Pharaohs were one-and-done in 1991, but won the Western Conference title in 1992. They lost in the ALB Championship to Medina with El Mubarak starting 10 games with 10 hits and 5 doubles.

El Mubarak’s Cairo run only lasted the two years with 214 hits, 79 runs, 48 doubles, 8 triples, 5 homers, 69 RBI, 76 steals, a .322/.337/.441 slash, 132 wRC+ and 6.8 WAR. His signature run came in Iraq with Mosul, who acquired El Mubarak in an offseason trade from Cairo for veteran SS Gari Salemanu and prospect Nathaniel Kepiniu. El Mubarak would be a regular starter for the Muskies for the next 14 years.

Although he spent the majority of his pro career in Iraq, El Mubarak did return home to Sudan for the World Baseball Championship regularly. From 1993-2006, he had 118 games and 114 starts, posting 125 hits, 34 runs, 21 doubles, 31 RBI, 42 stolen bases, a .299/.326/.371 slash, 99 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR.

In 1994, El Mubarak led the Eastern Conference in hits with 184. He led with 50 doubles in 1996, but otherwise wasn’t a league leader in his career. El Mubarak did top 5+ WAR in six different seasons for the Muskies and won his lone Silver Slugger in 1996 as a second baseman. Mosul gave him a five-year, $1,626,000 extension after the 1995 season.

Mosul emerged as a great dynasty with eight consecutive Iraq Division titles from 1995-2002. The Muskies had seven Eastern Conference Championship berths, winning the pennant in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2001. Mosul won it all in 1998, 1999, and 2001. 2000 saw a record-setting 121-41 season, although they suffered a stunning conference finals loss to Kuwait.

1996 was El Mubarak’s most impressive playoff run with 18 hits, 11 runs, 9 RBI, 7 doubles, and 9 steals in 10 starts. For his playoff career with Mosul, he had 58 starts, 74 hits, 34 runs, 24 doubles, 1 homer, 25 RBI, 36 stolen bases, a .319/.338/.435 slash, 119 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. El Mubarak got a two-year, $1,160,000 extension in March 2000, then a four-year, $4,400,000 extension in April 2002.

Mosul started to rebuild from 2003 onward, but El Mubarak still gave them a few more years of respectable production in his 30s. He was reduced to a part-time role in his final year in 2006. El Mubarak wanted to play in 2007, but went unsigned and later retired just past his 40th birthday. With Mousl, he had 2397 hits, 1187 runs, 518 doubles, 108 triples, 46 home runs, 679 RBI, 938 stolen bases, a .317/.345/.432 slash, 120 wRC+, and 63.0 WAR.

In total, El Mubarak had 2611 hits, 1266 runs, 566 doubles, 116 triples, 51 home runs, 748 RBI, 284 walks, a 5.0% strikeout rate, 1014 stolen bases, a .317/.344/.433 slash, 121 wRC+, and 69.8 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 31st in hits, 53rd in runs, 32nd in doubles, 15th in stolen bases, and 41st in WAR among position players. El Mubarak is also the only ALB Hall of Famer with fewer than 500 strikeouts and one of a select few in world history to pull that off.

However, El Mubarak’s lack of power numbers and accolades soured him with many voters. Sabermetric stats weren’t impressed and some felt he needed to be more exceptional as a contact hitter to make up for the lack of power stats. Supporters noted his sparkplug attitude and an important starting piece for an impressive Mosul dynasty.

El Mubarak had a lousy ballot debut at 38.5% in 2012 and didn’t do much better in 2013 at 38.7%. He made his way into the upper 40% range for the next few years and got to 56.5% in 2016. On his seventh try in 2018, El Mubarak made it across the 66% requirement by a tiny margin at 66.8%. That was enough to be the second member of ALB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-09-2024 11:20 AM

2018 AAB Hall of Fame

The African Association of Baseball added two debuting players into the Hall of Fame from the 2018 voting. LF Marley Mubiru was the clear headliner at 96.0%, but closer Mulumba Mwamba earned his own solid 78.0%. RF Gabriel Rakotomamonjy didn’t miss the 66% requirement by much, debuting at 61.6%. Also above 50% were 1B Abebe Chekol at 59.8% in his sixth ballot, SP Alemayehu Legesse at 57.8% on his seventh go, and CL Abba Abdul at 57.2% for his fifth go.

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Reliever Boni Kemaika fell off the ballot after ten failed tries, peaking at 43.9% in 2013 and ending at 9.5%. Kemaika was a Solomon Islander who pitched his first six years in OBA before joining the newly formed AAB in 1995. In nine AAB seasons, he won two Reliever of the Year awards with Ndjamena and won titles with Kinshasa in 1999 and 2002. Kemaika finished with 222 saves, 1.85 ERA, 570 innings, 914 strikeouts, 221 ERA+, and 33.4 WAR. It was an impressive run, but too brief to earn the nod.

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Marley Mubiru – Left Field – Luanda Landsharks – 96.0% First Ballot

Marley Mubiru was a 6’4’’, 200 pound switch-hitting left fielder from Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Mubiru was one of the first great power hitters in AAB, topping 40+ home runs seven times and 50+ homers thrice. He was especially potent against right-handed pitching with a 1.000 OPS and 170 wRC+ for his career. The downside was Mubiru was actively bad against lefties with a career .688 OPS and 82 wRC+. He had 34 doubles per his 162 game average.

Mubiru’s combined numbers left him rated with above average contact skills and an above average eye, although his strikeout rate was subpar. He was a good baserunner, but had below average speed. Mubiru primarily played left field and was a reliably strong defender there. He also got sporadic use in center with subpar results. Mubiru was very durable in his 20s, but did run into injury woes in his 30s. Still, he managed a 17-year career and was a popular player throughout the continent.

1995 saw AAB’s first-ever rookie draft and Mubiru was one of the most promising prospects. He was picked eighth overall by Luanda and spent the first eight years of his career in Angola. Mubiru missed six weeks in his rookie season to torn ankle ligaments, but still earned 1996 Rookie of the Year honors with 2.7 WAR over 124 games. Mubiru missed the playoffs to injury as Luanda fell in the Southern Conference Championship to Cape Town. While not actively bad, the Landsharks wouldn’t get back to the playoffs during Mubiru’s tenure.

Mubiru’s third season was his finest, earning his first MVP and Silver Slugger. He led the conference in runs (121), hits (178), total bases (395), triple slash (.320/.425/.710), OPS (1.135), wRC+ (220), and WAR (10.9). Mubiru’s WAR and wRC+ would be career highs, as were his 60 home runs. He repeated as MVP and won another Slugger in 1999, leading in homers (58), total bases (391), slugging (.742), OPS (1.173), wRC+ (196), and WAR (9.3). Mubiru’s slugging and OPS would be career highs, as were his 130 RBI, .332 average, and .431 OBP.

He led with 111 walks in 2000, but wouldn’t be a leader for the rest of his Luanda run. Mubiru won four more Silver Sluggers from 2000-03, but his struggles against lefties kept him out of MVP conversations. In total with Luanda, Mubiru had 1199 hits, 788 runs, 267 doubles, 319 home runs, 807 RBI, 640 walks, a.282/.378/.576 slash, 157 wRC+, and 47.7 WAR. He was the first star player for the Landsharks and they would retire his #15 uniform at the end of his career.

Mubiru opted for free agency after the 2003 season heading towards his age 31 season. He ended up in South Africa on a six-year, $14,640,000 deal with Durban. Mubiru’s first year was the weakest of his career to that point at 2.3 WAR, missing a month to a severe hip muscle strain. However in 2005, he returned to his peak form, winning his third MVP and seventh Silver Slugger. Mubiru became the third player in AAB history with three MVP wins.

In 2005, Mubiru led the Southern Conference in runs (128), homers (57), slugging (.708), OPS (1.115), wRC+ (209), and WAR (10.2). Durban earned their first-ever playoff berth, falling in the conference finals to Antananarivo. The Deer then put together a brief dynasty run, repeating as Africa Series champ in 2006 and 2007. Durban defeated Addis Ababa both years in the final.

Mubiru had missed almost half of 2006 to an oblique strain, but was back by the playoffs. He was merely okay in the 2006 run, but had a nice run in 2007 with 13 hits, 9 runs, 5 homers, and 12 RBI. For his playoff career, Mubiru had 27 starts, 25 hits, 18 runs, 6 doubles, 8 homers, 16 RBI, a .236/.283/.519 slash, 117 wRC+, and 0.6 WAR. Around this time, he also played for his native Uganda in the World Baseball Championship. Mubiru had 36 starts from 2004-2007 with 27 hits, 15 runs, 11 homers, 27 RBI, a .201/.287/.455 slash, 120 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR.

Durban collapsed in 2008 at 71-91 with Mubiru suffering a torn labrum in late May, putting him on the shelf ten months. The Deer voided the team option, sending Mubiru back to free agency just before turning 36. With Durban in total, Mubiru had 686 hits, 439 runs, 145 doubles, 198 home runs, 478 RBI, .271/.353/.572 slash, 152 wRC+, and 26.4 WAR. He stayed in South Africa for 2009 on a one-year deal with Johannesburg.

Mubiru was merely decent with 2.2 WAR over 112 games for the Jackalopes, but while there he became AAB’s fourth member of the 500 home run club. Durban brought him back for 2010 with a nice effort of 3.9 WAR and a .862 OPS. Mubiru then joined Bujumbura in 2011 with 2.9 WAR in a platoon role. Lastly, he had 0.5 WAR over 103 games in 2012 with Brazzaville, missing a chunk of the season to elbow inflammation. Mubiru retired after the 2012 campaign at age 39.

In total, Mubiru had 2168 hits, 1393 runs, 472 doubles, 580 home runs, 1463 RBI, 1092 walks, 244 stolen bases, a .273/.364/.558 slash, 150 wRC+, and 79.7 WAR. As of 2036, he ranks 31st in hits, 20th in runs, 35th in doubles, 16th in homers, 17th in RBI, 18th in walks, and 15th in WAR among position players. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Mubiru’s .921 OPS ranks 56th and he ranks 68th in slugging.

Mubiru won’t be in the inner circle or GOAT level conversations, but he was easily a top ten to top five level player in his prime years between Luanda and Durban. He was one of the first great sluggers in early AAB and a big part in back-to-back titles for the Deer. Mubiru was a strong headliner for AAB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class at 96.0%.

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Mulumba Mwamba – Closer – Kampala Peacocks – 78.0% First Ballot

Mulumba Mwamba was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Kinshasa; the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mwamba had incredible stuff with great movement along with average control. He boasted a strong 96-98 mph fastball and a great curveball, along with a rarely used changeup as a third pitch. Mwamba’s stamina, durability, and defense were respectable for a closer. He was a bit of a mercenary that cared first and foremost about his paycheck.

Mwamba was picked 13th overall by Kampala in the 1997 AAB Draft and was the Peacocks closer right away. Saves were hard to come by with Kampala averaging 72.5 wins per season during Mwamba’s six-year tenure. Still, this was his longest run with any one team. From 2000-02, Mwamba posted 5+ WAR and sub-two ERAs. He won Reliever of the Year in 2000 and took third in 2001.

Bizarrely in 2002, he took second in Reliever of the Year, yet Mwamba won Pitcher of the Year. As of 2037, he’s one of only two closers to win POTY in AAB. 2002 did see career bests in strikeouts (152), and WAR (5.5); posting 35 saves, a 1.23 ERA, and 12-3 record. In total with Kampala, Mwamba had 181 saves and 218 shutdowns, a 1.87 ERA, 491.2 innings, 718 strikeouts, 222 ERA+, and 26.0 WAR.

While Mwamba would bounce around in his later career, he did consistently pitch for his native DR Congo in the World Baseball Championship. He was split between starting and relief for his country from 1999-2010, posting 128.1 innings, 4 saves, a 5-6 record, 2.88 ERA, 201 strikeouts, and 4.8 WAR. Mwamba was third in Best Pitcher voting for the 2000 WBC, tossing 10.2 scoreless innings with 19 strikeouts and three hits allowed.

With free agency looming after the 2004 season, Kampala traded the 28-year old Mwamba to Lilongwe for four prospects. He was second in Reliever of the Year voting in his one year with the Lightning, posting 4.6 WAR. For 2005, Mwamba inked a one-year deal with Luanda. He won his second Reliever of the Year and led in saves for the first time at 37. That was a career best, as was his 0.99 ERA. As of 2037, that is one of four sub-one ERA seasons by an AAB ROTY winner.

Mwamba joined his hometown Kinshasa in 2006 with 4.0 WAR and a 2.11 ERA, although he lost a month to a strained triceps. The Sun Cats saw their 11-year playoff streak snapped that year with an 86-76 finish as their dynasty would be supplanted by Addis Ababa in the Central Conference. Mwamba had a second stint with Luanda in 2007, winning his third Reliever of the Year.

In 2008, Mwamba went to Addis Ababa and led in saves with 35, taking second in ROTY. He got his first playoff experience, posting a 1.35 ERA and 6 saves in eight appearances with 20 strikeouts over 13.1 innings. That helped the Brahmas win their first of six straight Africa Series titles. While there, Mwamba became the third AAB closer to reach 300 career saves.

Mwamba’s last year as a closer came with Lubumbashi in 2009, taking third in ROTY voting. He went back to Addis Ababa in 2010, but saw a reduced role as a setup man. Still, Mwamba had a 1.97 ERA over 50.1 innings and allowed one run in five playoff innings, getting his second championship ring. His velocity started to dip and he struggled in 14 innings with Kigali in 2011. Mwamba went to Cape Town in 2012 and only saw 9.1 innings, albeit with an 0.96 ERA. He retired that winter at age 36.

The final stats had 365 saves and 449 shutdowns, an 101-64 record, 1.99 ERA, 787 games, 1019.1 innings, 1533 strikeouts, 394 walks, 208 ERA+, and 55.5 WAR. As of 2037, Mwamba ranks fourth in saves, but still manages to be 25th in WAR among all AAB pitchers. Among all pitchers with 1000+ innings, his ERA is second only to his contemporary Rajab Hamadi’s 1.97. Mwamba’s .529 opponent’s OPS, .177 opponent’s AVG, and .266 slugging are each second only to Hamadi. His 1.00 WHIP ranks fifth.

Among all pro baseball history, Mwamba’s WAR is 27th among relievers and his ERA+ ranks 17th. Despite his success, Hamadi’s adjacent run and Tewderos Tadesse often overshadow Mwamba’s accomplishments. Either way, he was one of AAB’s most dominant relievers, which got him the first ballot induction in AAB’s 2018 Hall of Fame class at 78.0%.

FuzzyRussianHat

11-09-2024 04:26 PM

2018 African Second League Forms

FuzzyRussianHat

11-10-2024 04:22 AM

2018 World Baseball Championship

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