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FuzzyRussianHat · 05-04-2023, 07:11 AM

The 1955 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame class was a four-player group. Two were no-doubt first ballot selections with both getting 97.8% of the vote; RF Pasqualino Yanez and LF Yves Jean. The other two inductees both got in just over the 66% threshold on their second ballots; 1B Egor Guzman and SP Jovan Williams. No one else was above 50% and there were no players dropped after a 10^th ballot.

Pasqualino “Weed” Yanez – Right Fielder – Puerto Rico Pelicans – 97.8% First Ballot

Pasqualino Yanez was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Camaguey in Central Cuba, the nation’s third largest city. Nicknamed “Weed” for his fondness of cannabis, Yanez boasted excellent reliable power and was rarely injured. He put up good contact numbers despite striking out quite a bit and rarely walking, often getting extra bases despite being an unremarkable baserunner. Yanez was a career right fielder and was generally thought of as an average to above average defender. Some teammates felt he could be lazy, but Yanez was an extremely popular player both at home in Cuba and in his career stops.

After an excellent amateur run, Yanez was picked fifth overall in the 1934 CABA Draft by Puerto Rico and would spend his entire CABA run in San Juan. In his rookie campaign, he was second in Rookie of the Year voting. By his third year, Yanez had emerged as an elite power hitter with the first of eight 40+ home run seasons. Apart from his rookie year, he had 35+ homers in each season with the Pelicans. In 1942, he had a career high of 52, one of the few 50+ seasons in the early more defensive-minded era of CABA. Yanez led in homers five times, RBI three rims, runs three times, and WAR four times with Puerto Rico.

He acquired nine Silver Sluggers in CABA and won Caribbean League MVP in 1942, 43, and 46. In 1942, he earned his lone batting title and had a career best in OPS (1.020) and WAR (9.2) along with his 52 homers. He also was third in MVP voting in 1939 and second in 1940, 41, and 45. By the 1940s, the Pelicans had become a contender and now in his 30s, Yanez played a big part. Puerto Rico had six straight playoff appearances from 1941-46, winning the Caribbean League title in 41, 43, 44, and 45. In 1944, they won the overall CABA crown. In 60 playoff stats, Yanez had 68 hits, 49 runs, 22 home runs, 48 RBI, a .301 average, and 3.6 WAR. When he left CABA, he was the all-time playoff home run leader and runs leader.

Now age 36, Yanez left for the big paycheck and joined MLB’s Dallas Dalmatians for the 1948 season. He spent three seasons in Dallas, then played his final three with Las Vegas. He was never an MVP level bat in MLB, but provided respectable power with 156 home runs and 749 hits in six seasons. CABA fans did get to see him again in his twilight as Yanez played from 1951-53 for his native Cuba in the World Baseball Championship. His 1953 tournament was especially impressive at age 41, hitting six home runs in 15 games. Torn ankle ligaments and numerous setbacks later in1953 ultimately ended his career at age 42.

For his entire professional career, Yanez ended up with 694 home runs, 3045 hits, 1690 runs, 1942 RBI, and 105.5 WAR. For just his CABA run, he had 2296 hits, 1285 runs, 367 doubles, 538 home runs, 1444 RBI, a .304/.349/.577 slash and 90.6 WAR. Had he played his final years in CABA, Yanez might have ended higher in the all-time leaderboards. Still, he was an undisputed great of the 1930s and 40s and a perennial MVP candidate, earning an easy first ballot induction.

Yves “Rocket” Jean – Left Fielder – Monterrey Matadors – 97.8% First Ballot

Yves Jean was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left fielder from Carrefour, a commune in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Jean threw left-handed, but was a right-handed hitter known for being a pretty well-rounded bat. He was a strong power hitter with good contact skills and the ability to draw walks well, although his strikeout tallies were sometimes high. He wasn’t much of a baserunner and was considered a terrible defender in left field, where he spent his entire career. Still, his bat value, excellent durability, and later playoff heroics made Jean a guy worth keeping around.

Jean was discovered as a teenager in Haiti by scouts from Monterrey and was signed as an amateur free agent. His official debut came with 10 pinch hitting appearances in 1931 at age 21, followed by a bench role the next year. He took over the starting job full time in 1933 and was a full-time starter for the rest of his career, sans his final season. He started to really hit his rhythm in his mid to late 20s, posting numerous 7+ WAR seasons. His first Silver Slugger with the Matadors came in 1936, followed by additional honors in 1937, 38, 40, 41, and 42. He led Meixco in runs twice, home runs twice, walks twice, and OPS twice. He never won league MVP, but was second in 1937, third in 1938, and second again in 1942. 1937 was a career peak with 10.0 WAR and a .323 average, both career bests. Jean had career-best 49 home runs in both 1938 and 1942.

Monterrey won six straight Mexican League North Division titles from 1934-39, won the Mexican League title in 35, 37, 38; and the overall CABA crown in 1937. Jean played a big role, earning MLCS MVP in 1935 and 1938. In 56 playoff games with the Matadors, he had 62 hits, 26 runs, 10 home runs, 25 RBI, and 2.2 WAR. For his regular season career in Monterrey, Jean had 1854 hits, 1001 runs, 398 home runs, 1055 RBI, a .298/.370/.543 slash and 74.8 WAR. His #46 uniform would get retired by the team in 1949.

The Matadors started to rebuild in the mid 1940s and midway through the 1943 season, they traded the 33-year old Jean for three prospects to Puerto Rico. The Pelicans were in the midst of their own dynasty and Jean contributed to Caribbean League titles in 1943, 44, and 45; plus the overall CABA title in 1944. Jean was the 1944 LCS MVP and won his seventh Silver Slugger in 1945. With the Pelicans in 44 playoff games, he had 50 hits, 11 home runs, 25 runs, and 31 RBI; even more impressive than his Monterrey playoff stats.

At retirement, his 112 hits were the most by any CABA player in the postseason, as he was the first to cross 100. His 51 runs scored was also the all-time mark, two ahead of fellow 1955 inductee Pasqualino Yanez. His career postseason stats in 100 games were 112 hits, 51 runs, 21 home runs, 56 RBI, a .281/.324/.494 slash, and 3.8 WAR. Puerto Rico began to fade into the end of the 1940s as did Jean, who retired at age 39 after the 1949 season. He was able to participate for his native Haiti in the first three World Baseball Championship tournaments, getting 25 hits, 17 runs, and nine home runs in 33 games.

The final overall statistics for Jean: 2723 hits, 1450 runs, 397 doubles, 554 home runs, 1528 RBI, 986 walks, .292/.366/.522 slash and 95.4 WAR. Those numbers alone make him a worthy inductee, but his playoff heroics and role in league titles for both Monterrey and Puerto Rico make Yves Jean a slam dunk, getting in on the first ballot at 97.8%.

Egor Guzman – First Baseman – Merida Mean Green – 69.7% Second Ballot

Egor Guzman was a 6’1’’, 190 pound left-handed first baseman from the city of La Paz in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Guzman was a powerful bat, hitting 30+ home runs in 15 different seasons. He was a good contact hitter who could draw walks, although he did strike out more than you’d like. He was an alright baserunner who played his entire career defensively at first base, where he was considered a very solid defender who won two Gold Gloves. Guzman was considered a team captain type, a great leader and very popular figure in each stop of his career. He was also a durable player who regularly could be counted on to play the whole season.

Guzman had an impressive amateur career and was picked sixth overall in the 1927 CABA Draft by Merida. He had nine at bats in 1928, then became a full-time starter. Guzman won his first Silver Slugger in 1930, followed by additional titles in 1932, 34, and 35. He added Gold Gloves in 1929 and 1930 and posted 5+ WAR in all of his full-time seasons with the Mean Green. Guzman was second in MVP voting in 1929, third in 1932, and third in 1934. He was a bright spot for a struggling franchise that didn’t post a winning season in his eight year tenure. His #14 uniform would get retired by the squad for this run where he posted 1134 hits, 605 runs, 277 home runs, 670 RBI, a .281/.343/.538 slash and 47.0 WAR.

Guzman opted out of his contract and signed with Nicaragua for the 1936 seaosn at age 29. He struggled in his first season, but bounced back and put up solid numbers in a seven-year run with the Navigators. They had a few decent seasons but again, Guzman was denied a chance to play in the postseason. He never would play a playoff game for any team. At age 36 entering 1943, Guzman went to American and signed with Chicago. He had three respectable seasons with the Cubs, then was a backup in 1946 with Louisville. He returned to Nicaragua In 1947 and then closed his career with Juarez in 1948, retiring at age 41.

The final statistics for his whole professional career saw 2672 hits, 1488 runs, 345 doubles, 639 home runs, 1627 RBI, and 86.1 WAR. His CABA stats were 2244 hits, 1216 runs, 295 doubles, 541 home runs, 1366 RBI, a .267/.329/.508 slash and 76.4 WAR. Solid numbers on their own, but he wasn’t noticed by many fans due to being stuck on bad teams throughout his career. Still, he was able to get 64.1% on his first try on the ballot and got over the 66% hump on his second try at 69.7%.

Jovan “Swami” Williams – Starting Pitcher – Santo Domingo Dolphins – 69.0% Second Ballot

Jovan Williams was a 5’10’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher from Spanish Town in south central Jamaica. Williams had 96-98 mph velocity with good stuff, movement, and control. His deadliest pitch was a changeup, which was hard to spot against the rest of his arsenal of a slider, forkball, and sinker. Although talented, Williams clashed in the clubhouse with teammates as times, considered to have poor work ethic and leadership skills. Despite the character concerns, his skills were undeniable, leading to being picked third overall by Santo Domingo in the 1934 CABA Draft.

He debuted in 1935 and became a full-time starter immediately for the Dolphins. The team struggled, but Williams was a solid contributor for eight seasons, posting a 112-88 record with a 3.27 ERA, 1970 strikeouts over 2007.1 innings, and 46.0 WAR. By the end of his run with Santo Domingo, he had become an elite pitcher, getting second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1940 and third in 1941. His #4 uniform would get retired ultimately by the Dolphins.

Williams was traded before the start of the 1943 season for prospects to Chihuahua. The 31-year old Williams had a career season in his Warriors debut, winning his lone Pitcher of the Year with career bests in wins (20), ERA (1.86), quality starts (30), and WAR (8.9). That season was his first taste of postseason play as well. Williams spent six seasons with Chihuahua, who on the Mexican League title in 1946 and 1948. He had a solid 1.88 ERA in 24 innings in the 1946 postseason run with 29 strikeouts. Williams was third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1946 and in his Chihuahua run had a 85-51 record, 2.73 ERA, 1255.1 innings, 1342 strikeouts, and 34.9 WAR. He began to struggle a bit in his final season, opting to retire at age 36 after the 1948 season.

The final stats for Williams: 197-139 record, 3.06 ERA, 3262.2 innings, 3312 strikeouts, 281/432 quality starts, 82 complete games, and 80.9 WAR. A very solid career with consistent performance over 14 seasons. Still, his unpleasant personality and short career relative to many other inductees meant Williams only got 58.8% on his first ballot. The second try gave him a good boost to 69.0%, putting Williams into the 1955 HOF class.

05-04-2023, 07:11 AM	#271
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,981	1955 CABA Hall of Fame The 1955 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame class was a four-player group. Two were no-doubt first ballot selections with both getting 97.8% of the vote; RF Pasqualino Yanez and LF Yves Jean. The other two inductees both got in just over the 66% threshold on their second ballots; 1B Egor Guzman and SP Jovan Williams. No one else was above 50% and there were no players dropped after a 10^th ballot. Pasqualino “Weed” Yanez – Right Fielder – Puerto Rico Pelicans – 97.8% First Ballot Pasqualino Yanez was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Camaguey in Central Cuba, the nation’s third largest city. Nicknamed “Weed” for his fondness of cannabis, Yanez boasted excellent reliable power and was rarely injured. He put up good contact numbers despite striking out quite a bit and rarely walking, often getting extra bases despite being an unremarkable baserunner. Yanez was a career right fielder and was generally thought of as an average to above average defender. Some teammates felt he could be lazy, but Yanez was an extremely popular player both at home in Cuba and in his career stops. After an excellent amateur run, Yanez was picked fifth overall in the 1934 CABA Draft by Puerto Rico and would spend his entire CABA run in San Juan. In his rookie campaign, he was second in Rookie of the Year voting. By his third year, Yanez had emerged as an elite power hitter with the first of eight 40+ home run seasons. Apart from his rookie year, he had 35+ homers in each season with the Pelicans. In 1942, he had a career high of 52, one of the few 50+ seasons in the early more defensive-minded era of CABA. Yanez led in homers five times, RBI three rims, runs three times, and WAR four times with Puerto Rico. He acquired nine Silver Sluggers in CABA and won Caribbean League MVP in 1942, 43, and 46. In 1942, he earned his lone batting title and had a career best in OPS (1.020) and WAR (9.2) along with his 52 homers. He also was third in MVP voting in 1939 and second in 1940, 41, and 45. By the 1940s, the Pelicans had become a contender and now in his 30s, Yanez played a big part. Puerto Rico had six straight playoff appearances from 1941-46, winning the Caribbean League title in 41, 43, 44, and 45. In 1944, they won the overall CABA crown. In 60 playoff stats, Yanez had 68 hits, 49 runs, 22 home runs, 48 RBI, a .301 average, and 3.6 WAR. When he left CABA, he was the all-time playoff home run leader and runs leader. Now age 36, Yanez left for the big paycheck and joined MLB’s Dallas Dalmatians for the 1948 season. He spent three seasons in Dallas, then played his final three with Las Vegas. He was never an MVP level bat in MLB, but provided respectable power with 156 home runs and 749 hits in six seasons. CABA fans did get to see him again in his twilight as Yanez played from 1951-53 for his native Cuba in the World Baseball Championship. His 1953 tournament was especially impressive at age 41, hitting six home runs in 15 games. Torn ankle ligaments and numerous setbacks later in1953 ultimately ended his career at age 42. For his entire professional career, Yanez ended up with 694 home runs, 3045 hits, 1690 runs, 1942 RBI, and 105.5 WAR. For just his CABA run, he had 2296 hits, 1285 runs, 367 doubles, 538 home runs, 1444 RBI, a .304/.349/.577 slash and 90.6 WAR. Had he played his final years in CABA, Yanez might have ended higher in the all-time leaderboards. Still, he was an undisputed great of the 1930s and 40s and a perennial MVP candidate, earning an easy first ballot induction. Yves “Rocket” Jean – Left Fielder – Monterrey Matadors – 97.8% First Ballot Yves Jean was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left fielder from Carrefour, a commune in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Jean threw left-handed, but was a right-handed hitter known for being a pretty well-rounded bat. He was a strong power hitter with good contact skills and the ability to draw walks well, although his strikeout tallies were sometimes high. He wasn’t much of a baserunner and was considered a terrible defender in left field, where he spent his entire career. Still, his bat value, excellent durability, and later playoff heroics made Jean a guy worth keeping around. Jean was discovered as a teenager in Haiti by scouts from Monterrey and was signed as an amateur free agent. His official debut came with 10 pinch hitting appearances in 1931 at age 21, followed by a bench role the next year. He took over the starting job full time in 1933 and was a full-time starter for the rest of his career, sans his final season. He started to really hit his rhythm in his mid to late 20s, posting numerous 7+ WAR seasons. His first Silver Slugger with the Matadors came in 1936, followed by additional honors in 1937, 38, 40, 41, and 42. He led Meixco in runs twice, home runs twice, walks twice, and OPS twice. He never won league MVP, but was second in 1937, third in 1938, and second again in 1942. 1937 was a career peak with 10.0 WAR and a .323 average, both career bests. Jean had career-best 49 home runs in both 1938 and 1942. Monterrey won six straight Mexican League North Division titles from 1934-39, won the Mexican League title in 35, 37, 38; and the overall CABA crown in 1937. Jean played a big role, earning MLCS MVP in 1935 and 1938. In 56 playoff games with the Matadors, he had 62 hits, 26 runs, 10 home runs, 25 RBI, and 2.2 WAR. For his regular season career in Monterrey, Jean had 1854 hits, 1001 runs, 398 home runs, 1055 RBI, a .298/.370/.543 slash and 74.8 WAR. His #46 uniform would get retired by the team in 1949. The Matadors started to rebuild in the mid 1940s and midway through the 1943 season, they traded the 33-year old Jean for three prospects to Puerto Rico. The Pelicans were in the midst of their own dynasty and Jean contributed to Caribbean League titles in 1943, 44, and 45; plus the overall CABA title in 1944. Jean was the 1944 LCS MVP and won his seventh Silver Slugger in 1945. With the Pelicans in 44 playoff games, he had 50 hits, 11 home runs, 25 runs, and 31 RBI; even more impressive than his Monterrey playoff stats. At retirement, his 112 hits were the most by any CABA player in the postseason, as he was the first to cross 100. His 51 runs scored was also the all-time mark, two ahead of fellow 1955 inductee Pasqualino Yanez. His career postseason stats in 100 games were 112 hits, 51 runs, 21 home runs, 56 RBI, a .281/.324/.494 slash, and 3.8 WAR. Puerto Rico began to fade into the end of the 1940s as did Jean, who retired at age 39 after the 1949 season. He was able to participate for his native Haiti in the first three World Baseball Championship tournaments, getting 25 hits, 17 runs, and nine home runs in 33 games. The final overall statistics for Jean: 2723 hits, 1450 runs, 397 doubles, 554 home runs, 1528 RBI, 986 walks, .292/.366/.522 slash and 95.4 WAR. Those numbers alone make him a worthy inductee, but his playoff heroics and role in league titles for both Monterrey and Puerto Rico make Yves Jean a slam dunk, getting in on the first ballot at 97.8%. Egor Guzman – First Baseman – Merida Mean Green – 69.7% Second Ballot Egor Guzman was a 6’1’’, 190 pound left-handed first baseman from the city of La Paz in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Guzman was a powerful bat, hitting 30+ home runs in 15 different seasons. He was a good contact hitter who could draw walks, although he did strike out more than you’d like. He was an alright baserunner who played his entire career defensively at first base, where he was considered a very solid defender who won two Gold Gloves. Guzman was considered a team captain type, a great leader and very popular figure in each stop of his career. He was also a durable player who regularly could be counted on to play the whole season. Guzman had an impressive amateur career and was picked sixth overall in the 1927 CABA Draft by Merida. He had nine at bats in 1928, then became a full-time starter. Guzman won his first Silver Slugger in 1930, followed by additional titles in 1932, 34, and 35. He added Gold Gloves in 1929 and 1930 and posted 5+ WAR in all of his full-time seasons with the Mean Green. Guzman was second in MVP voting in 1929, third in 1932, and third in 1934. He was a bright spot for a struggling franchise that didn’t post a winning season in his eight year tenure. His #14 uniform would get retired by the squad for this run where he posted 1134 hits, 605 runs, 277 home runs, 670 RBI, a .281/.343/.538 slash and 47.0 WAR. Guzman opted out of his contract and signed with Nicaragua for the 1936 seaosn at age 29. He struggled in his first season, but bounced back and put up solid numbers in a seven-year run with the Navigators. They had a few decent seasons but again, Guzman was denied a chance to play in the postseason. He never would play a playoff game for any team. At age 36 entering 1943, Guzman went to American and signed with Chicago. He had three respectable seasons with the Cubs, then was a backup in 1946 with Louisville. He returned to Nicaragua In 1947 and then closed his career with Juarez in 1948, retiring at age 41. The final statistics for his whole professional career saw 2672 hits, 1488 runs, 345 doubles, 639 home runs, 1627 RBI, and 86.1 WAR. His CABA stats were 2244 hits, 1216 runs, 295 doubles, 541 home runs, 1366 RBI, a .267/.329/.508 slash and 76.4 WAR. Solid numbers on their own, but he wasn’t noticed by many fans due to being stuck on bad teams throughout his career. Still, he was able to get 64.1% on his first try on the ballot and got over the 66% hump on his second try at 69.7%. Jovan “Swami” Williams – Starting Pitcher – Santo Domingo Dolphins – 69.0% Second Ballot Jovan Williams was a 5’10’’, 185 pound right-handed pitcher from Spanish Town in south central Jamaica. Williams had 96-98 mph velocity with good stuff, movement, and control. His deadliest pitch was a changeup, which was hard to spot against the rest of his arsenal of a slider, forkball, and sinker. Although talented, Williams clashed in the clubhouse with teammates as times, considered to have poor work ethic and leadership skills. Despite the character concerns, his skills were undeniable, leading to being picked third overall by Santo Domingo in the 1934 CABA Draft. He debuted in 1935 and became a full-time starter immediately for the Dolphins. The team struggled, but Williams was a solid contributor for eight seasons, posting a 112-88 record with a 3.27 ERA, 1970 strikeouts over 2007.1 innings, and 46.0 WAR. By the end of his run with Santo Domingo, he had become an elite pitcher, getting second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1940 and third in 1941. His #4 uniform would get retired ultimately by the Dolphins. Williams was traded before the start of the 1943 season for prospects to Chihuahua. The 31-year old Williams had a career season in his Warriors debut, winning his lone Pitcher of the Year with career bests in wins (20), ERA (1.86), quality starts (30), and WAR (8.9). That season was his first taste of postseason play as well. Williams spent six seasons with Chihuahua, who on the Mexican League title in 1946 and 1948. He had a solid 1.88 ERA in 24 innings in the 1946 postseason run with 29 strikeouts. Williams was third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1946 and in his Chihuahua run had a 85-51 record, 2.73 ERA, 1255.1 innings, 1342 strikeouts, and 34.9 WAR. He began to struggle a bit in his final season, opting to retire at age 36 after the 1948 season. The final stats for Williams: 197-139 record, 3.06 ERA, 3262.2 innings, 3312 strikeouts, 281/432 quality starts, 82 complete games, and 80.9 WAR. A very solid career with consistent performance over 14 seasons. Still, his unpleasant personality and short career relative to many other inductees meant Williams only got 58.8% on his first ballot. The second try gave him a good boost to 69.0%, putting Williams into the 1955 HOF class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)