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South Asia Baseball didn’t have any Hall of Fame inductees in 2012 or 2013. They made up for that with a record four-player 2014 class. All four were starting pitchers and all four did it on the first ballot. Three were slam dunks with Sikander Harija at 97.4%, Van Khang Nguyen at 93.8%, and Na Thinn at 93.0%. Sulakhan Tyagi joined them by barely crossing the 66% requirement at 68.9%.



SP Salim Islam also had a good debut but fell short at 59.5%. The top returner was SP Raja Ahmad Saari with 55.7% for his second ballot. Another SP Sandeep Koneru debuted at 50.1%. The leading non-pitcher was RF Han Kywe Khant at 48.1% in his second ballot. No players were dropped following ten failed tries in 2014.



Sikander “Sluggo” Harija – Starting Pitcher – Chennai Cows – 97.4% First Ballot

Sikander Harija was a 6’3’’, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Manoharpur, India; a village of just under one thousand people in northwestern India’s Rajasthan state. Harija had great stuff with very good control and above average movement. His 96-98 mph cutter was his strongest pitch, but his forkball and changeup were both quite potent as well. Harija also had a slider as a fourth option.

His stamina was pretty good in his prime, although major injuries did limit Harija’s full potential. He was incredibly intelligent and adaptable on the mound. Harija’s “sluggo” nickname came from being a very powerful hitter as well. He was one of SAB’s first notable two-way guys, although he never started in the field beyond the mound. Harija had no range or speed, which limited his possible uses as a true two-way guy. The designated hitter wasn’t an option in the Indian League either.

However during his Southeast Asia League tenure, Harija did see some starts at DH mostly in 2000 and 2001. He only had a handful of non-pitching starts in his career, but he was a regular pinch hitter against righties especially. He had a career .905 OPS and 164 wRC+ against RHP, but still had a .753 OPS and 121 wRC+ against LHP.

Harija notably hit the ball very hard with around ¼ of his hits being homers and another ¼ being doubles. He was an average contact hitter with a poor strikeout rate, but was adept at drawing walks. Harija’s power profile made him a very legitimate threat anytime he had a bat in his hand.

Teams were most enamored with Harija’s arm though and ranked him as a top prospect purely on his pitching merits. In the 1991 SAB Draft, a 19-year old Harija was picked #1 overall by Chennai. The Cows kept him in development in 1992, then only used him for 12 innings in 1993. He made his full debut pitching in 1994 in an opener role, only tossing 101.1 innings despite 41 starts. Harija struggled initially with a 4.00 ERA and 78 ERA+.

Control issues plagued him early and he led in walks in 1995, but he also posted 325 strikeouts, a 2.27 ERA, and 7.4 WAR despite that. Harija had 7.6 WAR in 1996 and took third in Pitcher of the Year voting. He also won a Silver Slugger, having posted 1.4 WAR and a .789 OPS. Harija’s bat had an incredible start in 1997 with 1.6 WAR over only 47 plate appearances with 6 home runs and a 1.361 OPS. He also had a 1.96 ERA over 73.1 innings. However, shoulder inflammation would keep him out for most of the season.

Harija in 1998 led the Indian league in strikeouts (349), complete games (16), and WAR (8.2), while adding a 1.055 OPS, 2.6 WAR, and 10 home runs offensively in 163 plate appearances. He got his second Silver Slugger, but no Pitcher of the Year attention. Chennai was a terrible franchise despite Harija’s best efforts, averaging 69.6 wins per season during his tenure.

Despite his popularity, there were some Cows fans that were disappointed that he didn’t reverse their fortunes. The franchise never retired his uniform, but he opted to wear Chennai colors at induction despite being perhaps more known from his second run with Ho Chi Minh City. Harija did also pitch for India from 1996-2008 in the World Baseball Championship with a 3.81 ERA over 137 innings, 177 strikeouts, 93 ERA+, and 2.5 WAR. He also was 10-49 with 4 homers batting in the WBC.

Recurring back spasms cost him about two months in 1999, his last year with the Cows. Harija finished with a 67-59 record, 2.46 ERA, 1063.2 innings, 1532 strikeouts, 287 walks, 128 ERA+, and 31.3 WAR on the mound. Hitting, he had a .275/.334/.517 slash, 32 home runs, 179 hits, 96 runs, 160 wRC+, and 7.3 WAR. He entered free agency heading into his age 28 season in 2000.

Like most big free agents of the era, the two options were the two competing dynasties; Ahmedabad and Ho Chi Minh City. Harija ended up with the Hedgehogs on a six-year, $10,980,000 deal. The availability of the DH in SEAL was a major selling point for Harija going to HCMC. They had won nine league titles since 1987, although 1997 had been their only SAB title due to the Animals standing in their way.

Harija’s 2000 was an all-timer, earning Pitcher of the Year with league and career-bests with 380 strikeouts and 10.5 WAR. The 380 Ks fell 16 short of the SAB single-season record and still ranks 12^th best as of 2037. Ho Chi Minh City also gave him 98 games and 89 starts as a DH, where he posted a blistering 31 home runs, 65 RBI, 92 hits, 59 runs, 19 doubles, .957 OPS, 165 wRC+, and 3.7 WAR. The combined 14.2 WAR was a single-season SAB best and still ranks third as of 2037.

Back tightness cost him part of the postseason, but Harija still allowed one run over 10 innings on the mound as the Hedgehogs won the SAB title over Ahmedabad. Harija led in wins (24-6) and strikeouts (364) in 2001 to take second in POTY voting. He also had 92 games batting with 21 homers, 49 runs, 84 hits, a .838 OPS, 137 wRC+, and 2.1 WAR. This would be his last season with significant time hitting for HCMC. Harija would only hit in 79 games with 47 starts over the following four years.

Harija shockingly struggled with a 7.66 ERA in three playoff starts in 2001, although he did go 5-18 offensively with 4 runs, 2 homers, and 6 RBI. HCMC won 115 games, but lost the SEAL Championship to Yangon. He would miss the 2002 postseason after suffering a torn flexor tendon in his seventh start with a 13 month recovery time. Ho Chi Minh City was upset in the SEAL final that year by Dhaka.

Harija made it back for part of 2003 with still good pitching results, but a herniated disc kept him out of that playoff run. HCMC would win 118 games and their third SAB Championship. This started an all-time dynasty run, winning three titles from 2003-2005 with a 361-125 record.

In 2004, Harija was back to being an ace, winning Pitcher of the Year with his lone ERA title at 2.04. He added a league-best 0.81 WHIP, 14 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 9.0 WAR. Harija had a 22-4 record and 303 strikeouts over 233.1 innings. He stepped up big in the playoffs as well with a 1.76 ERA over 30.2 innings with 53 strikeouts and 1.5 WAR. As of 2037, he’s one of only seven pitchers to strike out 50+ batters in a single SAB postseason. Harija also went 2-3 as a pinch hitter with two solo home runs, showing he could still mash.

In August 2005, Harija tore his flexor tendon yet again, putting his career in doubt. He would receive a fourth championship ring and be remembered fondly by Ho Chi Minh City fans for his brief brilliance. On the mound, Harija had a 92-27 record, 2.71 ERA, 1083.2 innings, 1515 strikeouts, 135 ERA+, and 38.5 WAR. As a hitter, he had 303 games and 215 starts, 233 hits, 139 runs, 54 doubles, 64 home runs, 149 RBI, a .260/.317/.538 slash, 140 wRC+, and 6.8 WAR.

Heading towards age 34, the opposing Ahmedabad dynasty gave Harija a four-year, $14,800,000 deal. He looked respectable still in 48.1 innings in 2006, but ulnar nerve entrapment ended his regular season in June 2006. Harija rehabbed back to be ready late in the playoffs, but he allowed two runs in 2.2 innings in his one start. The Animals lost to Jaipur in the ILCS.

Harija was excited for the 2007 World Baseball Championship with India, but there he suffered his third flexor tendon tear. This put him out for all of 2007 with another 11 months of rehab. Harija made it back in 2008, but was subpar on the mound with a 3.93 ERA over 119 innings. He could still hit though with a 1.407 OPS and 8 home runs in 50 plate appearances. Harija might have been able to carry on as a batter, but he seemed cooked as a pitcher. He decided to retire after the 2008 season at age 36.

For his pitching career, Harija had a 170-95 record, 2.66 ERA, 2314.2 innings, 3237 strikeouts, 515 walks, 129 ERA+, and 72.2 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 14^th in pitching WAR, 35^th in strikeouts, and 41^st in wins. His ERA is also 36^th among any pitcher with 1000+ career innings. He’s also 20^th in K/9 at 12.59, 26^th in WIHP at 0.99, and 30^th in opponent’s OPS at .592. Had he stayed healthy, Harija could’ve made a run as a top-five all-time pitcher.

At the plate, Harija had 903 games and 414 starts, 437 hits, 252 runs, 108 doubles, 106 home runs, 258 RBI, 139 walks, a .269/.327/.541 slash, 153 wRC+, and 15.8 WAR. Considering his combined talents, it is surprising that Harija never was an MVP finalist, not even in his incredible 2000 season.

You could almost argue he was somewhat under-rated in his time. Harija was one of the most uniquely talented guys in SAB history and a quiet part of the great Ho Chi Minh City dynasty. He was an obvious headliner even with a loaded four-player 2014 Hall of Fame class, leading the way at 97.4%.



Van Khang “Cooter” Nguyen – Starting Pitcher – Kathmandu Chaparrals – 93.8% First Ballot

Van Khang Nguyen was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Bac Ninh, Vietnam; a city of around 250,000 located an hour northeast of Hanoi. Nguyen was a well-rounded ace with very good stuff and control, plus excellent movement. His 94-96 mph sinker was his top pitch, regularly forcing weak ground balls from foes. Nguyen also had a changeup and slider in the arsenal and could get plenty of whiffs as well.

Nguyen was a pitcher notably stronger against right-handed bats (147 ERA+) compared to lefties (112 ERA+). He had excellent stamina, twice leading the league in both innings and complete games. Nguyen was also considered quite durable throughout his tenure. He was humble and quiet, content to show up, clock in, and clock out.

By the 1994 SAB Draft, Nguyen was considered by many to be the top pitching prospect available. He was picked #1 overall by Kathmandu and was a full-time starter immediately for the Chaparrals. Like his Hall of Fame classmate Sikander Harija, he couldn’t turn around a struggling franchise. It was especially tough for any other teams to gain a foothold during the very top-heavy early days of SAB. Kathmandu averaged 68.1 wins per season during Nguyen’s run.

As an extreme groundball pitcher too, Nguyen’s ERA was weaker than you might think with a weak defense behind him. Still, he had six seasons worth 5+ WAR in Nepal. He emerged as a Pitcher of the Year finalist in 2000, taking second with a league-best 20 wins despite Kathmandu’s 68-94 season.

By 2001, it seemed clear that Nguyen would leave for free agency when he time came after the 2002 campaign. To the surprise and confusion of many, Nguyen saw a limited role in his last two years despite being healthy. He only pitched 133 innings in 2001 and 167 in 2002, although he did win an ERA title in 2002 at 2.32. The humble Nguyen just kept his head down and didn’t raise a fuss, although he was excited to go to a more competent franchise.

With Kathmandu, Nguyen had a 95-104 record, 2.95 ERA, 1842.1 innings, 2043 strikeouts, 444 walks, a 122 ERA+, and 47.6 WAR. A later more competent management mended some fences with Nguyen, retiring his #27 uniform. He would be inducted in Chaparral colors as it was his longest tenure by a couple years. Nguyen’s most impactful seasons would come with the evil empire of Ho Chi Minh City.

Nguyen was a major signing, returning to his home country on a five-year, $14,520,000 deal. While in Nepal, he did still come home to Vietnam for the World Baseball Championship. From 1995-2008, Nguyen had a 12-10 record, 2.84 ERA, 209 innings, 236 strikeouts, 65 walks, 126 ERA+, and 4.9 WAR in the WBC.

With elite backing behind him, Nguyen thrived with the Pitcher of the Year in 2003. He had an 11.8 WAR, the best-ever effort by a SAB pitcher not named Zainal bin Aziz (5^th best all-time). Nguyen led in wins (23-5) and strikeouts (366). Both were career highs, as was his 2.20 ERA which ranked third in the league. Nguyen also made history on May 12 with a perfect game, striking out 11 against Hanoi.

During Ho Chi Minh City’s historic three-peat from 2003-05, Nguyen was lights out in the playoffs. In 12 starts, he was 8-0 with 3.5 WAR, 94.2 innings, 109 strikeouts, and 1.33 ERA. Nguyen took finals MVP in 2005, posting a 0.57 ERA over his four playoff starts. The Hedgehogs won 118, 122, and 121 games in those regular seasons. Nguyen was third in 2004’s POTY voting and second in 2005. He led in strikeouts for a second time in 2004.

Nguyen’s second Pitcher of the Year came in 2006 with an ERA title at 2.38. He would surprisingly struggle in the playoffs from 2006-2008 with a 6.84 ERA. The Hedgehogs continued their playoff streak, but had a SEAL Championship loss in 2006 and first round exits in 2007 and 2008. Still, Nguyen’s career playoff stats saw an 8-3 record, 2.49 ERA, 119.1 innings, 134 strikeouts, 153 ERA+, and 3.7 WAR.

HCMC gave Nguyen a three-year, $8,880,000 extension after the 2007 season. However, his velocity had dropped in 2007 and plummeted in 2008 down to the 86-88 mph range. Nguyen still had some value in an opener role, but opted to retire that winter at age 36. With HCMC, Nguyen had a 95-31 record, 2.73 ERA, 1345.1 innings, 1515 strikeouts, 216 walks, 140 ERA+, and 40.3 WAR.

Nguyen ended with a 190-135 record, 2.86 ERA, 3187.2 innings, 3558 strikeouts, 660 walks, 119 complete games, 129 ERA+, and 88.0 WAR. As of 2037, he’s eighth in pitching WAR, 22^nd in strikeouts, and 24^th in wins. Nguyen is also 11^th in pitching WAR in the postseason.

He was one of the most important pieces for Ho Chi Minh City’s epic three-peat and would be a headliner in most other Hall of Fame classes. Nguyen had the second most votes in the four-player group, taking his spot in SAB’s 2014 Hall of Fame class.