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FuzzyRussianHat · 07-31-2024, 06:36 AM

Peter Brinkmann – First Base – Lisbon Clippers – 68.6% First Ballot

Peter Brinkmann was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Kaufungen, Germany; a town of 12,000 in the center of the country. Brinkmann was a tremendous home run hitter that hit 50+ in seven EBF Elite seasons and 40+ in 10 seasons. He was a good contact hitter against right-handed pitching with a .962 OPS and 162 wRC+, while iffy against lefties with a .718 OPS and 106 wRC+.

Brinkmann didn’t get many doubles or triples, using with around 10-20 per year. He was merely okay at drawing walks and below average at avoiding strikeouts. Brinkmann was painfully slow and a clumsy baserunner. He was a career first baseman and was mediocre defensively, but not abysmal. Brinkmann had good durability and became very popular between socking dingers and his great leadership. He was a team captain and considered a great man with a tireless work ethic and loyalty.

Brinkmann was picked coming out of high school in Germany, as his home run power potential was spotted from a young age. He was picked 20^th overall by Vienna in the 1987 EBF Draft. The Vultures kept him in developmental from 1988-90, debuting him in 1991 at age 22. Brinkmann was primarily a pinch hitter in his first two seasons with only 45 starts. He earned the starting job in 1993, posting 51 home runs and a 1.040 OPS to earn his first Silver Slugger.

Brinkmann hit 51 homers and led the Southern Conference in 1994, winning another Silver Slugger. With Vienna, he had four seasons with 45+ homers. The Vultures were stuck in the mid-tier during this point with no playoff berths. In six seasons, Brinkmann had 705 hits, 393 runs, 78 doubles, 229 home runs, 501 RBI, a .299/.342/.631 slash, 157 wRC+, and 21.9 WAR.

1997 was Brinkmann’s last year under Vienna’s control. Figuring they wouldn’t keep him, he was traded to Birmingham for two prospects and a draft pick. Brinkmann led the Northern Conference with 54 home runs, but posted a career-worst 129 wRC+ and 3.3 WAR. He struggled in three playoff starts as the Bees went one-and-done in the playoffs. Brinkmann was now a free agent at age 29 heading into 1998.

Lisbon saw Brinkmann’s potential and gave him a six-year, $12,720,000 deal. This became his signature run with an incredible debut season with 72 home runs, 130 RBI, 414 total bases, 1.089 OPS, 197 wRC+, and 8.1 WAR. That was only the fourth 70+ homer season in EBF history to that point, falling three short of Mattias Stole’s record of 75 from 1994. Brinkmann won his third Silver Slugger and was second in MVP voting.

The Clippers were on a playoff streak when Brinkmann arrived, having won conference titles in 1992, 1995, and 1997. They won the Southwest Division in his debut season, but lost in the first round. The Clippers lost in the conference final in 1999, then missed the playoffs in his remaining seasons as they hovered just above .500.

In 1999, Brinkmann topped himself and became EBF’s single season home run king with 76. This remained the EBF Elite record until 2036 and still ranks second all-time. Brinkmann also led in RBI, total bases, slugging, and wRC+ while posting a career-best 8.7 WAR. He won his lone MVP and his fourth Silver Slugger.

Brinkmann led again in home runs in 2000 and 2002 with 59 and 55, respectively. 2000 saw a career-best 155 RBI and his fifth Silver Slugger. His towering homers made his very popular in Portugal. Brinkmann was also popular back home in Germany for his work in the World Baseball Championship. From 1992-06, he played in 12 WBCs with 82 games, 64 starts, 76 hits, 53 runs, 29 home runs, 55 RBI, a .304/.375/.684 slash, 201 wRC+, and 4.2 WAR.

Brinkmann’s contact ability waned into his mid 30s. He posted a mere 1.8 ERA and 113 wRC+ in 2003, then was benched in 2004. His final season saw only 42 starts in 113 games with a 104 wRC+ and 0.7 WAR. In total with Lisbon, he had 1021 hits, 602 runs, 92 doubles, 356 home runs, 785 RBI, a .290/.324/.623 slash, 155 wRC+, and 32.7 WAR.

That marked the end of his EBF Elite career, although he was able to find a home in the newly formed European Second League. Brinkmann went to France at age 36 on a three-year, $9,600,000 deal with Lyon. The lower competition gave him more life, hitting 57 homers in 2005 and 44 in 2006. With the Lords, he had 14.9 WAR and 150 wRC+ over three years with a .249/.327/.502 slash.

Brinkmann hoped to get back to the top tier, but couldn’t. Livv signed him for 2008, but he struggled to a .187 average over 106 games and 32 starts. Brinkmann retired after the 2008 season at age 40. He had 15.7 WAR and a .816 OPS over four seasons in the Second League.

In his EBF Elite career, Brinkmann had 1875 hits, 1077 runs, 184 doubles, 639 home runs, 1398 RBI, a .289/.327/.618 slash, 153 wRC+, and 57.9 WAR. As of 2037, he’s still 15^th all-time in home runs and 31^st in slugging among all batters with 3000 plate appearances. Outside of dingers though, Brinkmann’s totals were on the low end and he lacked playoff accolades.

Crushing homers goes a long way though, especially when you become the single-season home run king. Brinkmann barely crossed the 66% line with 68.6%, but he got enough to earn a first ballot addition to join the 2010 EBF Hall of Fame class.

Bernard Martin – Right Field – Brussels Beavers – 67.4% Sixth Ballot

Bernard Martin was a 6’2’’, 200 pound switch-hitting right fielder from Brebieres, France; a commune of 5,000 people near the northern border. Martin had a strong bat, hitting 30+ home runs in 13 seasons and 40+ in five seasons. He was respectable at finding the gap with around 25 doubles per season. Martin was good at drawing walks, but he was merely an above average contact hitter with a subpar strikeout rate. He was also firmly below average on the basepaths with unimpressive speed.

Martin played exclusively in right field and was known for having an absolute cannon of an arm. However, his range and glove work were both mediocre, leading to a poor grade for his career. Martin stayed fairly durable, playing 120+ games in all but his rookie season. He was outspoken, but in a less abrasive way than most who get that label. Some could argue it contributed to his popularity during his run.

Despite growing up in a small area, Martin’s potential was noticed by scouts even in high school. He was picked 17^th overall in the 1980 EBF Draft by Brussels. He didn’t play in 1981 or 1982, debuting in 1983 at age 22. He only saw 61 games and 18 starts that first year with iffy results. Martin was a full-time starter in 1984 and emerged as a good starter by 1985.

Martin wasn’t a league leader, but he had six seasons worth 4+ WAR for Brussels. His strong effort came in 1987 with 7.8 WAR, a 1.028 OPS, 47 home runs, and 124 RBI; all career highs. Martin shared a position and conference with Sean Houston, meaning he never won a Silver Slugger in his best years as Houston won 11 straight from 1982-92. The Beavers were content with the results, giving Martin a three-year, $3,680,000 extension after the 1988 season.

Brussels wasn’t great for most of the 1980s, but found some competitiveness to start the 1990s. The Beavers earned playoff spots in 1990 with a one-and-done and 1991 with a conference finals defeat to Amsterdam. These would be Martin’s only playoff appearances. He stunk over 14 starts with a .125/.276/.250 slash. 1991 was also Martin’s weakest season with Brussels since his first full year in 1984.

The Beavers were worried Martin peaked and didn’t re-sign him after the 1991 campaign, making him a first time free agent entering his age 31 season. With Brussels, Martin had 1264 hits, 726 runs, 209 doubles, 288 home runs, 787 RBI, a .285/.359/.541 slash, 150 wRC+, and 39.1 WAR. At this point, Martin wanted to return home to his native France.

He had come home for the World Baseball Championship starting in 1987, playing through 1999 for the French team. In 95 games and 81 starts, Martin had 58 hits, 49 runs, 9 doubles, 26 home runs, 51 RBI, a .194/.294/.485 slash, 128 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR.

Martin couldn’t find a long-term deal, but inked a one year, $1,380,000 contract in 1992 for Paris. He earned an all-star game appearance with a 4.6 WAR effort in his one season for the Poodles. That effort made Marseille interested when he circled back to free agency. The Musketeers gave Martin a six-year, $10,620,000 contract.

He held down the starting gig during a down period for Marseille, who averaged 76.8 wins per season in his tenure. Martin topped 4+ WAR thrice and led the Southern Conference in 1994 with 68 walks. He also had a nice 46 home run effort in the 1995 season. In total, Martin had 871 hits, 520 runs, 122 doubles, 219 home runs, 547 RBI, a .268/.339/.520 slash, 134 wRC+, and 23.1 WAR.

Martin’s last year was his weakest with a career worst .235 batting average, although he still had 31 homers. A free agent again at age 38, he signed in 1999 with Munich. Martin fared a bit better in a part-time role with 1.8 WAR and a 134 wRC+ over 124 games and 53 starts. He was unsigned in 2000 and retired that winter at age 39.

Martin finished with 2365 hits, 1376 runs, 365 doubles, 560 home runs, 1475 RBI, 935 walks, a .278/.351/.531 slash, 143 wRC+, and 68.6 WAR. He was the 17^th to reach 500 home runs, but his stats otherwise were very borderline when compared to other EBF Hall of Famers. Martin wasn’t a league leader, lacked awards, and lacked team success. The resume on the surface reads to many as a “Hall of Good” guy.

Martin debuted at 52.8% in 2005 and fluctuated for five years, getting as close at 63.5% in 2009. 2010 had no “can’t miss” debuts, leaving an opening for Martin to just cross the 66% requirement. He did just that at 67.4% to earn a sixth ballot induction. Martin is probably one of the weakest additions in EBF’s Hall, but the man has his plaque regardless and won’t be shy in telling you about it.

07-31-2024, 06:36 AM	#1476
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,531	2010 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 2) Peter Brinkmann – First Base – Lisbon Clippers – 68.6% First Ballot Peter Brinkmann was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Kaufungen, Germany; a town of 12,000 in the center of the country. Brinkmann was a tremendous home run hitter that hit 50+ in seven EBF Elite seasons and 40+ in 10 seasons. He was a good contact hitter against right-handed pitching with a .962 OPS and 162 wRC+, while iffy against lefties with a .718 OPS and 106 wRC+. Brinkmann didn’t get many doubles or triples, using with around 10-20 per year. He was merely okay at drawing walks and below average at avoiding strikeouts. Brinkmann was painfully slow and a clumsy baserunner. He was a career first baseman and was mediocre defensively, but not abysmal. Brinkmann had good durability and became very popular between socking dingers and his great leadership. He was a team captain and considered a great man with a tireless work ethic and loyalty. Brinkmann was picked coming out of high school in Germany, as his home run power potential was spotted from a young age. He was picked 20^th overall by Vienna in the 1987 EBF Draft. The Vultures kept him in developmental from 1988-90, debuting him in 1991 at age 22. Brinkmann was primarily a pinch hitter in his first two seasons with only 45 starts. He earned the starting job in 1993, posting 51 home runs and a 1.040 OPS to earn his first Silver Slugger. Brinkmann hit 51 homers and led the Southern Conference in 1994, winning another Silver Slugger. With Vienna, he had four seasons with 45+ homers. The Vultures were stuck in the mid-tier during this point with no playoff berths. In six seasons, Brinkmann had 705 hits, 393 runs, 78 doubles, 229 home runs, 501 RBI, a .299/.342/.631 slash, 157 wRC+, and 21.9 WAR. 1997 was Brinkmann’s last year under Vienna’s control. Figuring they wouldn’t keep him, he was traded to Birmingham for two prospects and a draft pick. Brinkmann led the Northern Conference with 54 home runs, but posted a career-worst 129 wRC+ and 3.3 WAR. He struggled in three playoff starts as the Bees went one-and-done in the playoffs. Brinkmann was now a free agent at age 29 heading into 1998. Lisbon saw Brinkmann’s potential and gave him a six-year, $12,720,000 deal. This became his signature run with an incredible debut season with 72 home runs, 130 RBI, 414 total bases, 1.089 OPS, 197 wRC+, and 8.1 WAR. That was only the fourth 70+ homer season in EBF history to that point, falling three short of Mattias Stole’s record of 75 from 1994. Brinkmann won his third Silver Slugger and was second in MVP voting. The Clippers were on a playoff streak when Brinkmann arrived, having won conference titles in 1992, 1995, and 1997. They won the Southwest Division in his debut season, but lost in the first round. The Clippers lost in the conference final in 1999, then missed the playoffs in his remaining seasons as they hovered just above .500. In 1999, Brinkmann topped himself and became EBF’s single season home run king with 76. This remained the EBF Elite record until 2036 and still ranks second all-time. Brinkmann also led in RBI, total bases, slugging, and wRC+ while posting a career-best 8.7 WAR. He won his lone MVP and his fourth Silver Slugger. Brinkmann led again in home runs in 2000 and 2002 with 59 and 55, respectively. 2000 saw a career-best 155 RBI and his fifth Silver Slugger. His towering homers made his very popular in Portugal. Brinkmann was also popular back home in Germany for his work in the World Baseball Championship. From 1992-06, he played in 12 WBCs with 82 games, 64 starts, 76 hits, 53 runs, 29 home runs, 55 RBI, a .304/.375/.684 slash, 201 wRC+, and 4.2 WAR. Brinkmann’s contact ability waned into his mid 30s. He posted a mere 1.8 ERA and 113 wRC+ in 2003, then was benched in 2004. His final season saw only 42 starts in 113 games with a 104 wRC+ and 0.7 WAR. In total with Lisbon, he had 1021 hits, 602 runs, 92 doubles, 356 home runs, 785 RBI, a .290/.324/.623 slash, 155 wRC+, and 32.7 WAR. That marked the end of his EBF Elite career, although he was able to find a home in the newly formed European Second League. Brinkmann went to France at age 36 on a three-year, $9,600,000 deal with Lyon. The lower competition gave him more life, hitting 57 homers in 2005 and 44 in 2006. With the Lords, he had 14.9 WAR and 150 wRC+ over three years with a .249/.327/.502 slash. Brinkmann hoped to get back to the top tier, but couldn’t. Livv signed him for 2008, but he struggled to a .187 average over 106 games and 32 starts. Brinkmann retired after the 2008 season at age 40. He had 15.7 WAR and a .816 OPS over four seasons in the Second League. In his EBF Elite career, Brinkmann had 1875 hits, 1077 runs, 184 doubles, 639 home runs, 1398 RBI, a .289/.327/.618 slash, 153 wRC+, and 57.9 WAR. As of 2037, he’s still 15^th all-time in home runs and 31^st in slugging among all batters with 3000 plate appearances. Outside of dingers though, Brinkmann’s totals were on the low end and he lacked playoff accolades. Crushing homers goes a long way though, especially when you become the single-season home run king. Brinkmann barely crossed the 66% line with 68.6%, but he got enough to earn a first ballot addition to join the 2010 EBF Hall of Fame class. Bernard Martin – Right Field – Brussels Beavers – 67.4% Sixth Ballot Bernard Martin was a 6’2’’, 200 pound switch-hitting right fielder from Brebieres, France; a commune of 5,000 people near the northern border. Martin had a strong bat, hitting 30+ home runs in 13 seasons and 40+ in five seasons. He was respectable at finding the gap with around 25 doubles per season. Martin was good at drawing walks, but he was merely an above average contact hitter with a subpar strikeout rate. He was also firmly below average on the basepaths with unimpressive speed. Martin played exclusively in right field and was known for having an absolute cannon of an arm. However, his range and glove work were both mediocre, leading to a poor grade for his career. Martin stayed fairly durable, playing 120+ games in all but his rookie season. He was outspoken, but in a less abrasive way than most who get that label. Some could argue it contributed to his popularity during his run. Despite growing up in a small area, Martin’s potential was noticed by scouts even in high school. He was picked 17^th overall in the 1980 EBF Draft by Brussels. He didn’t play in 1981 or 1982, debuting in 1983 at age 22. He only saw 61 games and 18 starts that first year with iffy results. Martin was a full-time starter in 1984 and emerged as a good starter by 1985. Martin wasn’t a league leader, but he had six seasons worth 4+ WAR for Brussels. His strong effort came in 1987 with 7.8 WAR, a 1.028 OPS, 47 home runs, and 124 RBI; all career highs. Martin shared a position and conference with Sean Houston, meaning he never won a Silver Slugger in his best years as Houston won 11 straight from 1982-92. The Beavers were content with the results, giving Martin a three-year, $3,680,000 extension after the 1988 season. Brussels wasn’t great for most of the 1980s, but found some competitiveness to start the 1990s. The Beavers earned playoff spots in 1990 with a one-and-done and 1991 with a conference finals defeat to Amsterdam. These would be Martin’s only playoff appearances. He stunk over 14 starts with a .125/.276/.250 slash. 1991 was also Martin’s weakest season with Brussels since his first full year in 1984. The Beavers were worried Martin peaked and didn’t re-sign him after the 1991 campaign, making him a first time free agent entering his age 31 season. With Brussels, Martin had 1264 hits, 726 runs, 209 doubles, 288 home runs, 787 RBI, a .285/.359/.541 slash, 150 wRC+, and 39.1 WAR. At this point, Martin wanted to return home to his native France. He had come home for the World Baseball Championship starting in 1987, playing through 1999 for the French team. In 95 games and 81 starts, Martin had 58 hits, 49 runs, 9 doubles, 26 home runs, 51 RBI, a .194/.294/.485 slash, 128 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR. Martin couldn’t find a long-term deal, but inked a one year, $1,380,000 contract in 1992 for Paris. He earned an all-star game appearance with a 4.6 WAR effort in his one season for the Poodles. That effort made Marseille interested when he circled back to free agency. The Musketeers gave Martin a six-year, $10,620,000 contract. He held down the starting gig during a down period for Marseille, who averaged 76.8 wins per season in his tenure. Martin topped 4+ WAR thrice and led the Southern Conference in 1994 with 68 walks. He also had a nice 46 home run effort in the 1995 season. In total, Martin had 871 hits, 520 runs, 122 doubles, 219 home runs, 547 RBI, a .268/.339/.520 slash, 134 wRC+, and 23.1 WAR. Martin’s last year was his weakest with a career worst .235 batting average, although he still had 31 homers. A free agent again at age 38, he signed in 1999 with Munich. Martin fared a bit better in a part-time role with 1.8 WAR and a 134 wRC+ over 124 games and 53 starts. He was unsigned in 2000 and retired that winter at age 39. Martin finished with 2365 hits, 1376 runs, 365 doubles, 560 home runs, 1475 RBI, 935 walks, a .278/.351/.531 slash, 143 wRC+, and 68.6 WAR. He was the 17^th to reach 500 home runs, but his stats otherwise were very borderline when compared to other EBF Hall of Famers. Martin wasn’t a league leader, lacked awards, and lacked team success. The resume on the surface reads to many as a “Hall of Good” guy. Martin debuted at 52.8% in 2005 and fluctuated for five years, getting as close at 63.5% in 2009. 2010 had no “can’t miss” debuts, leaving an opening for Martin to just cross the 66% requirement. He did just that at 67.4% to earn a sixth ballot induction. Martin is probably one of the weakest additions in EBF’s Hall, but the man has his plaque regardless and won’t be shy in telling you about it. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)