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East Asia Baseball’s 2005 Hall of Fame class was a hefty one with four players making the cut. EAB had seen three-player groups from 2002-04 and continued to load up the Hall. Voters were easily solid too with all four guys getting first ballot adds. 1B Byung-Il Jun (99.7%) and SP Ha-Ram Lee (98.3%), were absolute locks, while CF Yuma Akasaka (85.1%) and 1B Do-Yun En (78.1%) both had few doubters.



The other two guys above 50% were 2B Seong-Jae Kang at 57.3% in his tenth and final try, as well as LF Jin-Uk Song with 50.7% for his third go. For Kang, he had an 18-year career with five teams, winning five Silver Sluggers. He had 2816 hits, 1385 runs, 393 doubles, 348 triples, 152 home runs, 935 RBI, a .325/.363/.504 slash, 146 wRC+, and 66.2 WAR.

Kang’s WAR totals were sank by his cartoonishly abysmal defense though. At second, he finished with a career -183.9 zone rating and .882 EFF. Still, the offensive totals were worth a look, although the low home run/RBI stats as a lead-off guy also worked against him. Still, Kang got tantalizingly close, receiving 60% four times. In 2004, he was at 65.2%, less than a full point away. Kang would end at 57.3% though, forever getting banished to the Hall of Pretty Good.

Also dropped after ten ballots was reliever Dong-Myung Choy, who won both Reliever of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in 1978 with Chiba, posting 7.5 WAR in 94 innings with 169 strikeouts and 40 saves. He had a 17-year career between EAB and MLB with his EAB numbers being 322 saves over 957.2 innings, 2.67 ERA, 1305 strikeouts, 139 ERA+, and 31.3 WAR. Other relievers had gotten in with similar or arguably weaker stats in the EAB Hall, but Choy was only outstanding for a about 2/3 year stretch. He peaked at 50.0% in 1997 but ended at only 22.2%.

Another pitcher, Tae Oh, fell off the ballot after ten years as well. He peaked at 41.5% in 1997 but ended at only 7.6%. A 17-year veteran between EAB, MLB, and EPB, his EAB accolades split between starting and relief a 120-81 record, saw 164 saves and 191 shutdowns, a 3.04 ERA, 1720 strikeouts in 1691.1 innings, 125 ERA+, and 41.7 WAR. He wasn’t a closer long enough for a lot of voters and he was merely decent as a starter, leaving him on the outside.



Byung-Il Jun – First Base/Designated Hitter – Seongnam Spiders – 99.7% First Ballot

Byung-Il Jun was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Daejeon; South Korea’s fifth-largest metropolis with around 1.5 million people. Jun was an excellent contact hitter with great home run power and a solid eye. Eight times, Jun posted 40+ home runs in a season. He also was good for around 25-35 doubles most years. Jun scored a lot because he got on base a ton, but his baserunning skills were garbage.

Jun made all of his starts in the field at first base. He was a poor defender generally, but not atrocious. He made roughly 70% of his starts at 1B with the rest as a designated hitter. Jun was a sparkplug who worked very hard while also showing excellent durability much of his career. From 1980-98, he had 150+ games in all but three seasons. With his remarkable bat, it isn’t a surprise that Jun became one of Korea’s most adored baseball stars of the era.

After a very good amateur career at Busan’s Dong-A University, Jun was eligible in the 1977 EAB Draft. He was picked seventh overall by Seongnam and would spend his entire EAB career with the Spiders. Jun was a full-time roster guy in his first two years, but mostly pinch hit as he made only 88 starts between the years. 1980 marked a full-time move into the starting role, a spot he’d hold for the next 12 years for Seongnam. In April 1981, the Spiders gave Jun an eight-year, $3,706,000 deal, locking him up at a relatively bargain rate.

In 1981, Jun emerged as a star, leading the Korea League in RBI, total bases, triple slash, wRC+, and WAR. It was one of four seasons he’d have worth 8+ WAR and one of nine that he had 7+ WAR. Jun also smacked 50 home runs, falling one short of a Triple Crown season. This earned him KL MVP and his first Silver Slugger. Seongnam also won 92 games, but saw their postseason drought grow to ten seasons.

Jun repeated as MVP and Silver Slugger in 1982 by leading again in WAR, wRC+, and OPS. He also led in hits while smacking 44 home runs. Seongnam ended the playoff drought and won the Korea League for the first time in franchise history. Kawasaki beat them in the EAB final, but they were finally a contender after mostly mediocrity prior. In 15 playoff starts, Jun had 18 hits, 11 runs, 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 6 RBI.

The Spiders made the playoffs again in 1983, 1984, and 1985. They were the lowest wild card in 1983, but went on a tear, defeating Sapporo for the franchise’s first EAB title. Jun had 18 hits, 10 runs, 5 doubles, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI over 16 playoff starts. Seongnam would be one-and-done in the other two seasons, but did win division titles.

Jun was third in 1983 MVP voting, third in 1984, and second in 1985. He also won Sluggers in 1984 and 1985. He won his second and third batting titles in 83-84 and had a career-best 8.5 WAR in 1983. Jun would opt out of his contract after the 1984 season, but two weeks later signed a new eight-year, $6,420,000 deal with Seongnam.

The Spiders were respectable from 1986-89, but couldn’t make the playoffs any of those years. In 1987, Jun won his third MVP and fifth Silver Slugger, posting a career and league-best 51 home runs. He also led in RBI, total bases, OPS, and wRC+. 1988 would be Jun’s first major injury setback, as he suffered a broken kneecap in August. That knocked him out for ninth months, but he worked his way back in time for a full 1989 campaign.

In 1989, he had career and league highs in hits (220), RBI (150), and total bases (408). Jun was also the leader in runs for the first time, as well as both OPS and WAR for the third time. This earned a fourth MVP and a sixth Silver Slugger. He was only the eighth EAB player to have 150+ RBI in a season, a feat that hadn’t been reached in two decades.

Jun was outstanding again in 1990, leading in runs, hits, average, OBP, and OPS. It was his fourth batting title and earned his fifth MVP and sixth Silver Slugger. Jun became only the second player in EAB history to win five MVPs, joining all-time hit king Byung-Oh Tan.

This effort also got Seongnam back into the playoffs as a wild card, where they put together another playoff run. The Spiders won their second EAB title, this time defeating Niigata in the final. Jun again stepped up in the playoffs, getting 25 hits, 15 runs, 3 doubles, 8 home runs, and 15 RBI over 17 playoff starts.

Jun was absolutely beloved by Seongnam fans, but was extremely popular nationwide. He played for South Korea from 1981-97 in 14 editions of the World Baseball Championship. With 138 games and 121 starts, Jun had 126 hits, 83 runs, 17 doubles, 42 home runs, 92 RBI, a .273/.367/.582 slash, 163 wRC+, and 5.9 WAR.

Seongnam got back to the KLCS in 1991, but were denied by Goyang. This marked the end of Jun’s original run, where he had a career-best 120 runs and 40 doubles. He also led in walks for the first time, OBP for the fifth, and OPS for the fifth. To the surprise of many, the Spiders voided the team option year for a buyout of $150,000, making Jun a free agent after the 1991 season.

The 35-year old Jun had worldwide suitors and ended up making the move to America on a three-year, $5,700,000 deal with Wichita. He had two respectable years to start with the Wasps, but wasn’t elite. A strained abdominal cost him a chunk of 1994. Wichita did earn their first-ever playoff appearance this year, but lost in the wild card round.

Wichita gave him another two years and $5,440,000 just before the 1995 season. Disaster would strike though with a torn PCL in June. The original diagnosis was 9-10 months, but a setback forced an additional surgery and added another 12 months on top of that. Wichita let him go, giving him 10.0 WAR, 463 hits, 251 runs, 57 doubles, 90 home runs, 262 RBI, a .253/.314/.438 slash, and 127 wRC+ for the MLB run.

Jun was unemployed most of 1996, but didn’t want to end his career with the injury. Las Vegas signed him in late August 1996, but he was never cleared to participate for them. Most places figured he was done or at best, damaged goods. Jun went home to South Korea and angled for a return with Seongnam. He was still beloved by Spiders fans for his role in their two titles. They gave him a one-year, $2,240,000 deal for the 1997 season.

Jun triumphantly played the whole season at age 40 and while not outstanding, was still a good starter. That year, he passed the EAB milestones of 500 home runs, 2500 hits, and 1500 RBI. Seongnam brought him back for 1998 and he looked even better, leading the league in RBI for the fourth time in his career.

The Spiders hadn’t made the playoffs since he left, but snapped that drought in 1998, falling in the KLCS to Bucheon. A strained abdominal muscle would cost him much of the postseason run. For his playoff career, Jun had 69 starts with Seongnam with 81 hits, 44 runs, 15 doubles, 17 home runs, 41 RBI, a .319/.369/.587 slash, 160 wRC+, and 3.4 WAR.

Seongnam brought Jun back for one more year in 1999, but age finally caught up with him. He stunk with -0.5 WAR in 72 games and 14 starts, relegated to the bench. Jun retired that winter at age 43 and the Spiders immediately retired his #20 uniform.

For his entire pro career, Jun had 3277 hits, 1717 runs, 490 doubles, 658 home runs, 1956 RBI, 1062 walks, a .316/.378/.563 slash, 155 wRC+, and 104.1 WAR. The four years in Wichita did cost Jun slightly in terms of featuring at the top of the EAB leaderboard. Still, his Seongnam tenure was a slam dunk by itself.

For the Spiders, Jun had 2814 hits, 1466 runs, 433 doubles, 568 home runs, 1694 RBI, 904 walks, a .329/.391/.590 slash, 161 wRC+, and 94.2 WAR. As of 2037 among EAB Hall of Famers, he ranks ninth in batting average, tenth in OBP, and eleventh in OPS. Five MVPs and two championships helped make Jun a baseball superstar in his time, nearly unanimously getting in at 99.7%. He was an excellent choice to headline an impressive four-player EAB Hall of Fame class in 2005.



Ha-Ram Lee – Starting Pitcher – Incheon Inferno – 98.3% First Ballot

Ha-Ram Lee was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Busan, South Korea. Lee had absolutely electric stuff that graded out as a 10/10 in his prime. He had a 98-100 mph fastball and mixed it with a great cutter, strong slider, and weak changeup. Lee also had great control, although his movement graded out as merely above average.

He was considered great at holding runners, although his stamina were merely okay compared to most aces of EAB. Lee was a fan favorite, well liked due to a strong work ethic and great leadership skills. Big injuries would derail him in his early 30s, but Lee was reliably durable in the early part of his career.

Lee attended Chung-Ang University in Seoul and excellent as a college pitcher. When the 1987 EAB Draft came around, Incheon snagged him with the #2 overall pick. Lee was a full-time starter right away and an immediate success, leading the Korea League in strikeouts and quality starts as a rookie. He took second in both Rookie of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in that debut season.

That year also a turnaround year for the Inferno, who had won only 62 games in 1987. They hadn’t made the playoffs since 1973, but won a division title in 1988. They also were a wild card in 1989, but were one-and-done both years. In his two playoff starts, he had a 2.76 ERA over 16.1 innings. Despite Lee’s efforts, Incheon hovered in the middle-tier for the next few years before falling back to mediocrity in the mid 1990s.

Lee was far from mediocre though. From 1989-93 with Incheon, he led the league in wins twice, ERA twice, strikeouts thrice, WHIP thrice, quality starts once, and WAR once. All five seasons were above 6.5+ WAR. Lee won Pitcher of the Year in 1989 and 1991, while taking second in 1990.

1991 was especially special, as Lee threw the 12^th pitching Triple Crown season in EAB history. He had a 19-7 record, 1.83 ERA, and 342 strikeouts along with a career-best 9.6 WAR. Lee also had the very unique accomplishment of having two no-hitters in the same season. The first was August 10 with 11 strikeouts and two walks against Bucheon. Exactly one month later on September 10, he had 16 Ks and one walk versus Pyongyang.

By 1994, Incheon was terrible and they knew that 1995 was the last year they’d have Lee before free agent eligibility. The Inferno let it known that they were willing to shop him and found a buyer in 1994 in Busan in exchange for five prospects. With the Inferno, Lee had a 104-67 record, 2.65 ERA, 1599.2 innings, 2135 strikeouts, 295 walks, 143 ERA+, 68 FIP-, and 48.6 WAR.

Lee was excited to return to his hometown. Busan was pushing to end a ten-year playoff drought and succeeded with a wild card, although they were one-and-done. Lee’s split 1994 season saw him lead again in strikeouts and WHIP while posting 8.5 WAR, earning his third Pitcher of the Year. Quite pleased with their pickup, Busan locked Lee up in March 1995 with a seven-year, $19,320,000 extension.

In 1995, Lee posted his second Triple Crown season with career bests in wins (24-8), ERA (1.66), strikeouts (392), WHIP (0.73), innings (277), and quality starts (32). The 392 Ks fell only five short of the then single-season record and still ranks 12^th as of 2037. Lee won his fourth Pitcher of the Year, the fifth in Korea League history to reach the mark. The Blue Jays made the KLCS, but lost to Yongin.

Busan got back to the 1996 KLCS, but lost that time to Ulsan. For his six playoff starts there, Lee had a 3.13 ERA over 46 innings and 51 strikeouts. His ERA regressed to a career worst 3.56 in 1996, but he led in strikeouts for the seventh time in his career and still posted 6.1 WAR. The Blue Jays were one-and-done in 1997 as a wild card and began a playoff drought after that.

Lee had bigger problems in 1997. In the World Baseball Championship that January, he suffered a partially torn labrum. It was only the fourth time he had pitched for South Korea in the WBC, posting a 3.04 ERA over 53.1 innings with 81 strikeouts in his run. The recovery time was three months, meaning he’d be back in May to begin the year with Busan.

On June 19, he partially tore his labrum again and after a setback, was on the shelf for seven months total. Lee had to dramatically change up his game, as the injury lowered his velocity and meant he couldn’t overpower you with his stuff. Gone were the big strikeout numbers, but he still had a good full 1998 worth 4.5 WAR, evening leading the KL in quality starts.

Lee’s velocity dropped even more in 1999, now down to 92-94 mph after previously being 98-100 mph. He looked delightfully average for the season, which ended in early September due to bone chips in his elbow.

Lee remained under contract for 2000 with Busan, but wasn’t used. He decided to retire that winter at age 35. In total with the Blue Jays, he had an 83-34 record, 2.75 ERA, 1107 innings, 1278 strikeouts, 190 walks, 138 ERA+, 78 FIP-, and 27.2 WAR.

The career stats for Lee: 187-101 record, 2.69 ERA, 2706.2 innings, 3413 strikeouts, 485 walks, 249/355 quality starts, 141 ERA+, 72 FIP-, and 75.8 WAR. He didn’t have the longevity to climb up the leaderboards, but peak Lee was among the most dominant pitchers EAB had seen. The voters didn’t need much convincing, giving Lee the first ballot addition at 98.3%.