[VanillaGorilla]

I am holding off on downloading my pre-ordered v14 until I finish this. That should be an incentive to move this along.

-------------------------------

Christy Mathewson was unshockingly the first player taken in the amateur draft of 2041. For some reason he didn't want to pitch in Safeco field and have an ERA around 0.51, So he declined to sign with the Mariners and went into the 2042 draft pool.

In 2042 he was taken with the first pick overall. Realising he was going to be stuck on the worst team from the previous season no matter how long he kept declining to sign, he signed with the Pirates.

Mathewson was not injured a lot, he just got injured big. Three arm/elbow surgeries shelved him for 38 months. A patrially torn labrum had him mis 2 months during the 2052 season. Inspite of all of this missed time, Mathewson gets in the HOF during his first year of eligibility (though not on the FBS).

Due to missing so much time in so many seasons, Mathewson only appeared in 3 All Star games. However, when he was healthy, he was a world beater.

Playing through the 2057 season, Mathewson won 154 games and lost 100 for a win % of .605 (t-41st). He struck out 2374 men in 2391 2/3. Hi career OOTP ERA of 3.38 is a npa ERA+ of 131.

After 5 years in Pittsburgh he was 45-47. He left as a free agent to play for a winning ball club. He signed with the Angels, and after making only 24 starts in 2048 and 2049 combined, he went 15-9 with an OOTP ERA of 2.66 in 32 starts (npa ERA+ 160). He struck out 254 batters in 247 1/3 IP and anchored the rotation throughout the post season and making Rally Monkies across the globe rejoice with an Angels WS win. Mathewsong is the first HOFer from this Angels squad.

He followed up in 2051 with a 20-3 mark and Cy Young Award honors. His 20 wins led the league, and his OOTP ERA of 2.51 (npa ERA+ 170) did also. His 273 Ks placed him 4th.

Mathewson is the 43rd RL HOFer to be enshrined. He enters the HOF with a Black Ink number above the Hall average.


Black Ink: 33 (92)
Gray Ink: 117 (350)
HOFm: 91.9 (303)
HOFs: 38 (84)

Gorilla Composite: 2.7 (7.4)

---------------------------------------

I will save the Selection Committee leadearboard debates for v 14. French enters from the leaderboard for being the highest ranking eligible pitcher on the WAR and VORP charts.

Larry French was selected by the Astros with the 3rd pick in the 2032 draft. He spent 21 years in the big leagues and compiled a career 260-176 record for a .596 win % before retiring in 2053. His win total places him 8th on the All Time list, 2 wins ahead of Bill Sweeney.

French carried a career OOTP ERA of 3.61 (npa ERA+ 128) and struck out 3472 men (25th, sandwiched between Doc McJames and Justin Verlander) in 4074 1/3 IP (11th).

He left the Astros as a free agent and signed with the Yankees before the 2039 season. In 2042 he put together a 14-11 record and was a big part of the Yankees 2042 championship season. Last year's HOF inductee Monte McFarland was French's closer.

French gets in the Hall differently from Mathewson. Mathewson was dominant when healthy French was solid over 21 years.

However, French's 2044 season (coincidentally, his free agent season with the Yankees) is his HOF defining season. If not for this season, French would not be the top ranked VORP/WAR eligible but not enshrined.

French put together an 18-5 mark and an OOTP ERA of 1.58. How does an ERA+ of 275 sound? This season earned him a CYA, and a place in the HOF.

French was named to 6 All Star teams in his career.

Black Ink: 19 (4)
Gray Ink: 130 (171)
HOFm: 123.9 (50)
HOFs: 49 (23)

Gorilla Composite: 2.8 (1.7)

-------------------------------------

No one struck out more men per 9 than Deke White. Every 9 innings, for his entire 19 year career, the relief specialist fanned 13.16 men.

Consider this: His single season high was 'only' 14.41 K/9. That means that each and every year he was fanning men like no other, ever. Only once in his career was his K/9 rate under 10, and that was year he only logged 7 1/3 IP. White struck out 1922 men in 1314 2/3 career IP. Except for 12 starts, all of his 1169 appearances were in relief. Almost 2000 career Ks for a reliever is madness.

White was late round gem. Taken in the 4th rd (there are 5 rds worth of players who enter the pool each year) as the 143rd overall pick in the 1995 draft, White went to the Rockies. He retired in 2016. 47 seasons have passed, and no one is close to his record.

In 2000 he was the stopper on the Rockies squad that rang in the new century with a victory party. Charlie Bennett was his teammate. He was inducted 55 years ago.

In 2003 he appeared in 79 games for the Mets, though not as the featured closer. He had a fine season and was a contributor to the Mets Championship season. Buck Ewing, Edgar Martinez and Camilo Pascual are previous HOF entrants from that squad.

He saved 265 games (49th). His K/W ratio is better than 4:1. His career OOTP ERA is a 4.05 (npa ERA+ 109). How can this be? White's Greek Warrior Heel was the Gopher ball. He threw hard and it flew far. 1.78 HRA per 9 IP. This is most likely why the selection committee passed on inducting him until he was 89 years-old. But as the years went by, they realized that there was no one like him, and most likely, no one ever would be.

A three time All Star, White is the second floorbreaker inducted in as many years.

Black Ink: 0
Gray Ink: 25
HOFm: 67.7
HOFs: 11

Gorilla Composite: 0.8

---------------------------

ADD: Bill White, Larry Walker, Max Lanier, and Jair Jurrjens are among the notables to join the league in 2064.