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FuzzyRussianHat · 11-18-2024, 05:13 AM

The European Baseball Federation had a hefty four-player Hall of Fame class in 2019. Even though three of the additions were first ballot guys, only SP Steffen Neumann got in handily at 85.6%. The two other first ballot guys and one returner narrowly crossed the 66% requirement. Still, this gave the EBF its largest class since inducting five players in 2012.

In their debuts, 1B Joseph Doran (68.5%) and SP/OF Atanas Kalkanov (67.9%) just crossed the line. SP Jarand Dahl joined them on his ninth ballot at 66.9%. Three players missed the cut but were above 50% with 1B Ulf Alstrom (58.0%, 2^nd ballot), 3B Isaad Dorgham (54.1%, 4^th), and CL Elias Blomqvist (53.4%, 4^th). No players fell off the ballot after ten failed tries.

Steffen Neumann – Starting Pitcher – Vienna Vultures – 85.6% First Ballot

Steffen Neumann was a 5’11’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Dreieich, Germany; a town of roughly 40,000 in the central Hesse state. The stout Neumann had outstanding stuff with solid control and good movement. His fastest pitch was a 94-96 mph sinker, but his most dangerous offerings were his curveball and circle change. Neumann was a master at changing speeds and making each pitch look the same out of his hand. This arsenal led to a lot of whiffs and an extreme groundball tendency without having overpowering speed.

Neumann was an ironman who never missed a start to injury, tossing 215+ innings in all 18 of his full seasons. His stamina was merely average compared to other starters, but his efficiency allowed him to go deep in games especially later in his career. Neumann was excellent at holding runners, but mediocre defensively. Some criticized him for being a mercenary type who cared primarily about himself ahead of the team. However, that laser focus helped turn Neumann into one of the most impressive pitchers of his era.

In the 1999 EBF Draft, Neumann was picked 18^th overall by Vienna and his entire European career came in Austria. He was able to get a much larger payday than most rookies, signing a five-year, $13,200,000 deal right away with the Vultures. Neumann struggled in relief as a rookie with a 5.10 ERA over 90 innings. Neumann improved significantly in his second year as a full-time starter. By year four, he was a top level ace.

In 2003, Vienna snapped a 20-year playoff drought, as they had been stuck in the middle of the standings. The Vultures went 108-54 and won the European Championship over Warsaw. This started a run of five straight 100+ win seasons. Vienna got back to the finals in 2005, but lost to Copenhagen. The other three berths saw disappointing round two defeats. One critique of Neumann was mixed results in the playoffs for Vienna, posting a 3-4 record, 3.51 ERA, 92.1 innings, 122 strikeouts, 112 ERA+, and 2.1 WAR.

Neumann was a huge reason why they went on that streak though. From 2004-2007, he led the Southern Conference each year in WAR, strikeouts, and wins. Neumann also won three ERA titles, giving him Triple Crowns in 2004, 2006, and 2007. As of 2037, he’s the only EBF pitcher with three Triple Crowns. Neumann also led four times in FIP-, thrice in WHIP, and thrice in quality starts. This earned him four consecutive Pitcher of the Year awards., becoming the sixth four-time winner in EBF history.

2004 saw career bests in wins (24-7) and strikeouts (332). Neumann’s top ERA (1.99), WHIP (0.90), and WAR (10.6) were in 2006. 2007 would have his most quality starts at 28. At this point, Neumann was viewed by most as Europe’s best pitcher and in his mind, he was the best in the world. Wanting to prove himself on the highest stage (and get paid), Neumann left for free agency after the 2008 season at age 29.

With Vienna, Neumann had a 138-52 record, 2.75 ERA, 1819.1 innings, 2040 strikeouts, 342 walks, 142 ERA+, and 55.6 WAR. The totals are very low compared to other Hall of Famers since it was only an eight-year run. Still, as of 2037 his ERA ranks 70^th among all pitchers with 1000 innings while his .626 opponent’s OPS ranks 92^nd.

Many European fans wondered if Neumann would’ve cemented himself among the GOAT conversations had he stuck around. Even with the low accumulations, four Pitcher of the Year awards, three Triple Crowns, two pennants, and an European Championship was more than enough for most voters. Neumann received 85.6% in his ballot debut to headline EBF’s 2019 Hall of Fame class.

Although he was done in Europe, he did return to Germany for the World Baseball Championship from 2008-2017 with 101.1 innings, a 6-6 record, 3.91 ERA, 138 strikeouts, 24 walks, 94 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. 2008 would mark the start of his MLB career, signing a seven-year, $86,600,000 deal with Los Angeles.

While not THE top pitcher right away with the Angels, Neumann was very successful with the Angels, posting 5+ WAR each season. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2011. Then in 2013, he won the top award, joining the short list of guys to win POTY in multiple world leagues and the short list of five-time winners. Neumann led the American Association in wins (25-5) and ERA (2.18) while posting his MLB career-best 9.9 WAR.

Los Angeles became a contender again, starting a six-year playoff streak from 2010-15. The Angels couldn’t get over the playoff hump, losing in the first round of 2010-11 and the second round of 2012-13. They approached the MLB wins record in 2013 at 119-43, but were upset by Phoenix. LA made it to the AACS in 2014 and 2015 with 100+ win seasons, but were denied the pennant both times. In Neumann’s seven playoff starts, he had a 3.09 ERA over 55.1 innings, but had bad luck for a 1-5 record. He struck out 44 with 12 walks, a 121 ERA+, and 1.3 WAR.

Neumann led the association with 280 strikeouts and 23 complete gamesin 2014, his MLB career bests, although he did have an MLB career low 3.43 ERA. This marked the end of his Angels run with a 120-83 record, 2.92 ERA, 1916.1 innings, 1770 strikeouts, 411 walks, 129 ERA, and 50.7 WAR. A free agent again now at age 36, Neumann joined the Hartford Huskies on a three-year, $65,400,000 deal.

In his Hartford debut, Neumann led in innings pitched (280) and complete games (18), while posting a 2.35 ERA, 248 strikeouts, 20-10 record, and 8.4 WAR. This gave Neumann his second MLB Pitcher of the Year and his sixth overall. Now Neumann had a POTY in both of MLB’s associations and another world league, an incredible feat likely not seen before. He would take third in 2017’s POTY voting.

Hartford had a first round playoff loss in 2015 with Neumann not pitching, then lost in round two in 2017. He had a 4.15 ERA in 13 playoff innings in his only starts for the Huskies. In total for Hartford, Neumann had a 51-24 record, 2.38 ERA, 801.2 innings, 692 strikeouts, 146 ERA+, and 21.2 WAR. He was still a very hot property even at age 39 and returned to free agency. Neumann inked a two-year, $42,000,000 deal with Nashville. This guaranteed he would be one of the first guys with more than $200 million in career earnings.

While Neumann wasn’t bad in 2018, his velocity dropped notably and he now had trouble hitting 90 mph. He had 3.6 WAR and only 125 strikeouts; both career lows. He was iffy in his one playoff start allowing four runs in 7.2 innings as the Knights lost in the first round. Neumann’s combined playoff career was unremarkable statistically with a 4-11 record, 3.48 ERA, 168.1 innings, 172 strikeouts, 27 walks, 110 ERA+, and 3.4 WAR. He decided to retire after the 2018 season at age 40.

Just in MLB, Neumann had a 190-117 record, 2.82 ERA, 2966.1 innings, 2587 strikeouts, 640 walks, 251/359 quality starts, 188 complete games, 39 shutouts, 132 ERA+, and 75.5 WAR. Once any Hall of Fame adds you, OOTP counts them as in for any league the played in. If this wasn’t the case, Neumann might have legitimately gotten into the MLB Hall on his own merit.

For his combined pro career, Neumann had a 328-169 record, 2.79 ERA, 4785.2 innings, 4627 strikeouts, 982 walks, 419/587 quality starts, 222 complete games, 45 shutouts, 136 ERA+, and 131.1 WAR. As of 2037 in world history, Neumann ranks 19^th in wins, 35^th in innings pitched, 39^th in quality starts, and 44^th in pitching WAR. Neumann undoubtedly was an inner-circle HOF level talent and one of the most reliably solid arms in baseball history.

Joseph Doran – First Base – Milan Maulers – 68.5% First Ballot

Joseph Doran was a 6’6’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from Swords, Ireland; a town of 40,000 people located just 10 kilometers north of Dublin. Doran was a good contact hitter with reliably strong power. He averaged 40 home runs per his 162 game average, while also giving you 30 doubles and 11 triples. Doran also had above average speed and baserunning chops, allowing him to leg out extra bases. Doran had an average eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts.

Doran played right field in his first two seasons, but was atrocious defensively there. He moved to first base for the rest of his career and was merely bad there. Some coaches were annoyed that Doran never tried to get much better at fielding. He was generally criticized for selfishness and laziness. However, Doran’s strong durability and bat still made him a very valuable starter.

An Italian scout visiting Ireland happened to notice Doran and ink him as a teenager to a developmental deal with Milan in September 1993. He spent around six years in the Maulers’ academy, then debuted at age 22 in 1999 with 58 games and 9 starts. Doran earned a full-time starting gig for the next seven years with Milan, posting 5+ WAR in each season. He had an OPS above one in five seasons, scored 100+ runs each year, and topped 45 home runs thrice.

Doran won his lone MVP and his first Silver Slugger in 2001, leading the Southern Conference in runs (123), total bases (427), and slugging (.695). Those were each career highs, as was his 51 homers, 211 hits, and 8.3 WAR. Milan had lost in the first round of the 2000 playoffs. They were a wild card again and made it to the conference final for the first time since the 1950s, although they were defeated by Munich.

Doran stunk in his limited playoff outings with Milan with a .208/.228/.358 slash in 14 starts. The Maulers remained above .500 each of his remaining years in Italy, but couldn’t quite get back to the playoffs. Doran won Silver Sluggers again in 2002 and 2003 and took third in 2002’s MVP voting. In 2002, Doran led the conference in runs (121), total bases (410), slugging (.683), OPS (1.088), and wRC+ (186). He led in total bases in 2003 and RBI in 2004.

In total for Milan, Doran had 1439 hits, 800 runs, 254 doubles, 298 home runs, 883 RBI, 189 stolen bases, a .336/.385/.648 slash, 175 wRC+, and 46.7 WAR. He was impressive enough in his short tenure that the Maulers later retired his #8 uniform. However, Doran made it clear he wanted to cash in big with free agency coming after the 2006 season. Heading towards his 30^th birthday, Doran drew MLB attention and signed a five-year, $51,000,000 deal with Tampa.

Doran played two seasons with the Thunderbirds with respectable results, posting 321 hits, 166 runs, 44 doubles, 23 triples, 74 home runs, 201 RBI, a .271/.307/.534 slash, 133 wRC+, and 7.6 WAR. Tampa just missed the playoffs in 2007, then fell below .500 in 2008. Doran didn’t care for his time in Florida and ended up opting out of his deal after only two seasons.

Even while playing in Italy and the United States, Doran still regularly represented his native Ireland in the World Baseball Championship. From 2000-13, he had 121 games, 111 starts, 111 hits, 71 runs, 29 doubles, 37 home runs, 79 RBI, and 5.4 WAR. Doran wanted to return home to the great Dublin area and returned to EBF on a five-year, $40,900,000 deal with the Dinos.

Dublin had become a contender in recent years with four division titles from 2005-09, although they couldn’t get beyond the second round. 2010 marked the start of the Dinos’ dynasty run with Doran playing a notable role. Although he wasn’t a league leader at this point in his career, Doran’s first three seasons in Dublin saw 3.5+ WAR, 100+ RBI, and 35+ homers reach year.

The Dinos repeated as European Champion in 2010 and 2011, defeating Zurich and Barcelona in the finals. Doran had an especially good 2011 playoff run, winning conference finals MVP with 23 hits, 13 runs, 9 extra base hits, and 13 RBI in 15 starts. Dublin was upset in the second round in 2012, then won the 2013 EBF title over Zaragoza with a historic 115-47 run. In the playoffs for the Dinos, Doran overall was solid with 48 games, 33 starts, 46 hits, 22 runs, 7 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs, 19 RBI, a .317/.336/.531 slash, 147 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR.

Doran also notably had a strong showing in the first Baseball Grand Championship in 2010 for Dublin, leading all players in OBP (.500), slugging (.963), OPS (1.463), and wRC+ (323). He posted 0.5 WAR and a .805 OPS in 2011, then struggled with a .502 OPS in 2013. The Dinos were 5-4 in the inaugural BGC, then went 12-7 for fifth in 2011 and 7-12 in 2013.

Doran was reduced to a part-time role in 2012 and 2013, playing 198 games but only starting 62 games with 1.9 WAR. In total for Dublin, he had 565 hits, 318 runs, 92 doubles, 138 home runs, 406 RBI, a .285/.329/.576 slash, 153 wRC+, and 14.9 WAR. Doran’s deal expired for the 2014 season, but he couldn’t find a home despite wanting to play. He retired that winter at age 37.

In Europe, Doran had 2004 hits, 1118 runs, 346 doubles, 126 triples, 436 home runs, 1289 RBI, 260 stolen bases, a .320/.367/.625 slash, 168 wRC+, and 61.7 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 76^th in RBI and 99^th in home runs, but doesn’t rank in the top 100 in any other counting stats. However, among all batters with 3000 plate appearances, his .992 OPS is 29^th and his slugging percentage is 22^nd.

Those rate stats showed how efficient of a hitter he was, however Doran’s tallies were definitely borderline between his two year MLB run and relatively early retirement. The WAR tally was also on the low end, hurt by his abysmal defense. However, Doran’s success in establishing the Dublin dynasty late in his career helped him immensely, along with his MVP win with Milan. Doran debuted on EBF’s 2019 ballot at 68.5%, which just got him beyond the 66% requirement for a first ballot addition into the Hall of Fame.

11-18-2024, 05:13 AM	#1803
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,424	2019 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 1) The European Baseball Federation had a hefty four-player Hall of Fame class in 2019. Even though three of the additions were first ballot guys, only SP Steffen Neumann got in handily at 85.6%. The two other first ballot guys and one returner narrowly crossed the 66% requirement. Still, this gave the EBF its largest class since inducting five players in 2012. In their debuts, 1B Joseph Doran (68.5%) and SP/OF Atanas Kalkanov (67.9%) just crossed the line. SP Jarand Dahl joined them on his ninth ballot at 66.9%. Three players missed the cut but were above 50% with 1B Ulf Alstrom (58.0%, 2^nd ballot), 3B Isaad Dorgham (54.1%, 4^th), and CL Elias Blomqvist (53.4%, 4^th). No players fell off the ballot after ten failed tries. Steffen Neumann – Starting Pitcher – Vienna Vultures – 85.6% First Ballot Steffen Neumann was a 5’11’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Dreieich, Germany; a town of roughly 40,000 in the central Hesse state. The stout Neumann had outstanding stuff with solid control and good movement. His fastest pitch was a 94-96 mph sinker, but his most dangerous offerings were his curveball and circle change. Neumann was a master at changing speeds and making each pitch look the same out of his hand. This arsenal led to a lot of whiffs and an extreme groundball tendency without having overpowering speed. Neumann was an ironman who never missed a start to injury, tossing 215+ innings in all 18 of his full seasons. His stamina was merely average compared to other starters, but his efficiency allowed him to go deep in games especially later in his career. Neumann was excellent at holding runners, but mediocre defensively. Some criticized him for being a mercenary type who cared primarily about himself ahead of the team. However, that laser focus helped turn Neumann into one of the most impressive pitchers of his era. In the 1999 EBF Draft, Neumann was picked 18^th overall by Vienna and his entire European career came in Austria. He was able to get a much larger payday than most rookies, signing a five-year, $13,200,000 deal right away with the Vultures. Neumann struggled in relief as a rookie with a 5.10 ERA over 90 innings. Neumann improved significantly in his second year as a full-time starter. By year four, he was a top level ace. In 2003, Vienna snapped a 20-year playoff drought, as they had been stuck in the middle of the standings. The Vultures went 108-54 and won the European Championship over Warsaw. This started a run of five straight 100+ win seasons. Vienna got back to the finals in 2005, but lost to Copenhagen. The other three berths saw disappointing round two defeats. One critique of Neumann was mixed results in the playoffs for Vienna, posting a 3-4 record, 3.51 ERA, 92.1 innings, 122 strikeouts, 112 ERA+, and 2.1 WAR. Neumann was a huge reason why they went on that streak though. From 2004-2007, he led the Southern Conference each year in WAR, strikeouts, and wins. Neumann also won three ERA titles, giving him Triple Crowns in 2004, 2006, and 2007. As of 2037, he’s the only EBF pitcher with three Triple Crowns. Neumann also led four times in FIP-, thrice in WHIP, and thrice in quality starts. This earned him four consecutive Pitcher of the Year awards., becoming the sixth four-time winner in EBF history. 2004 saw career bests in wins (24-7) and strikeouts (332). Neumann’s top ERA (1.99), WHIP (0.90), and WAR (10.6) were in 2006. 2007 would have his most quality starts at 28. At this point, Neumann was viewed by most as Europe’s best pitcher and in his mind, he was the best in the world. Wanting to prove himself on the highest stage (and get paid), Neumann left for free agency after the 2008 season at age 29. With Vienna, Neumann had a 138-52 record, 2.75 ERA, 1819.1 innings, 2040 strikeouts, 342 walks, 142 ERA+, and 55.6 WAR. The totals are very low compared to other Hall of Famers since it was only an eight-year run. Still, as of 2037 his ERA ranks 70^th among all pitchers with 1000 innings while his .626 opponent’s OPS ranks 92^nd. Many European fans wondered if Neumann would’ve cemented himself among the GOAT conversations had he stuck around. Even with the low accumulations, four Pitcher of the Year awards, three Triple Crowns, two pennants, and an European Championship was more than enough for most voters. Neumann received 85.6% in his ballot debut to headline EBF’s 2019 Hall of Fame class. Although he was done in Europe, he did return to Germany for the World Baseball Championship from 2008-2017 with 101.1 innings, a 6-6 record, 3.91 ERA, 138 strikeouts, 24 walks, 94 ERA+, and 2.0 WAR. 2008 would mark the start of his MLB career, signing a seven-year, $86,600,000 deal with Los Angeles. While not THE top pitcher right away with the Angels, Neumann was very successful with the Angels, posting 5+ WAR each season. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2011. Then in 2013, he won the top award, joining the short list of guys to win POTY in multiple world leagues and the short list of five-time winners. Neumann led the American Association in wins (25-5) and ERA (2.18) while posting his MLB career-best 9.9 WAR. Los Angeles became a contender again, starting a six-year playoff streak from 2010-15. The Angels couldn’t get over the playoff hump, losing in the first round of 2010-11 and the second round of 2012-13. They approached the MLB wins record in 2013 at 119-43, but were upset by Phoenix. LA made it to the AACS in 2014 and 2015 with 100+ win seasons, but were denied the pennant both times. In Neumann’s seven playoff starts, he had a 3.09 ERA over 55.1 innings, but had bad luck for a 1-5 record. He struck out 44 with 12 walks, a 121 ERA+, and 1.3 WAR. Neumann led the association with 280 strikeouts and 23 complete gamesin 2014, his MLB career bests, although he did have an MLB career low 3.43 ERA. This marked the end of his Angels run with a 120-83 record, 2.92 ERA, 1916.1 innings, 1770 strikeouts, 411 walks, 129 ERA, and 50.7 WAR. A free agent again now at age 36, Neumann joined the Hartford Huskies on a three-year, $65,400,000 deal. In his Hartford debut, Neumann led in innings pitched (280) and complete games (18), while posting a 2.35 ERA, 248 strikeouts, 20-10 record, and 8.4 WAR. This gave Neumann his second MLB Pitcher of the Year and his sixth overall. Now Neumann had a POTY in both of MLB’s associations and another world league, an incredible feat likely not seen before. He would take third in 2017’s POTY voting. Hartford had a first round playoff loss in 2015 with Neumann not pitching, then lost in round two in 2017. He had a 4.15 ERA in 13 playoff innings in his only starts for the Huskies. In total for Hartford, Neumann had a 51-24 record, 2.38 ERA, 801.2 innings, 692 strikeouts, 146 ERA+, and 21.2 WAR. He was still a very hot property even at age 39 and returned to free agency. Neumann inked a two-year, $42,000,000 deal with Nashville. This guaranteed he would be one of the first guys with more than $200 million in career earnings. While Neumann wasn’t bad in 2018, his velocity dropped notably and he now had trouble hitting 90 mph. He had 3.6 WAR and only 125 strikeouts; both career lows. He was iffy in his one playoff start allowing four runs in 7.2 innings as the Knights lost in the first round. Neumann’s combined playoff career was unremarkable statistically with a 4-11 record, 3.48 ERA, 168.1 innings, 172 strikeouts, 27 walks, 110 ERA+, and 3.4 WAR. He decided to retire after the 2018 season at age 40. Just in MLB, Neumann had a 190-117 record, 2.82 ERA, 2966.1 innings, 2587 strikeouts, 640 walks, 251/359 quality starts, 188 complete games, 39 shutouts, 132 ERA+, and 75.5 WAR. Once any Hall of Fame adds you, OOTP counts them as in for any league the played in. If this wasn’t the case, Neumann might have legitimately gotten into the MLB Hall on his own merit. For his combined pro career, Neumann had a 328-169 record, 2.79 ERA, 4785.2 innings, 4627 strikeouts, 982 walks, 419/587 quality starts, 222 complete games, 45 shutouts, 136 ERA+, and 131.1 WAR. As of 2037 in world history, Neumann ranks 19^th in wins, 35^th in innings pitched, 39^th in quality starts, and 44^th in pitching WAR. Neumann undoubtedly was an inner-circle HOF level talent and one of the most reliably solid arms in baseball history. Joseph Doran – First Base – Milan Maulers – 68.5% First Ballot Joseph Doran was a 6’6’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from Swords, Ireland; a town of 40,000 people located just 10 kilometers north of Dublin. Doran was a good contact hitter with reliably strong power. He averaged 40 home runs per his 162 game average, while also giving you 30 doubles and 11 triples. Doran also had above average speed and baserunning chops, allowing him to leg out extra bases. Doran had an average eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts. Doran played right field in his first two seasons, but was atrocious defensively there. He moved to first base for the rest of his career and was merely bad there. Some coaches were annoyed that Doran never tried to get much better at fielding. He was generally criticized for selfishness and laziness. However, Doran’s strong durability and bat still made him a very valuable starter. An Italian scout visiting Ireland happened to notice Doran and ink him as a teenager to a developmental deal with Milan in September 1993. He spent around six years in the Maulers’ academy, then debuted at age 22 in 1999 with 58 games and 9 starts. Doran earned a full-time starting gig for the next seven years with Milan, posting 5+ WAR in each season. He had an OPS above one in five seasons, scored 100+ runs each year, and topped 45 home runs thrice. Doran won his lone MVP and his first Silver Slugger in 2001, leading the Southern Conference in runs (123), total bases (427), and slugging (.695). Those were each career highs, as was his 51 homers, 211 hits, and 8.3 WAR. Milan had lost in the first round of the 2000 playoffs. They were a wild card again and made it to the conference final for the first time since the 1950s, although they were defeated by Munich. Doran stunk in his limited playoff outings with Milan with a .208/.228/.358 slash in 14 starts. The Maulers remained above .500 each of his remaining years in Italy, but couldn’t quite get back to the playoffs. Doran won Silver Sluggers again in 2002 and 2003 and took third in 2002’s MVP voting. In 2002, Doran led the conference in runs (121), total bases (410), slugging (.683), OPS (1.088), and wRC+ (186). He led in total bases in 2003 and RBI in 2004. In total for Milan, Doran had 1439 hits, 800 runs, 254 doubles, 298 home runs, 883 RBI, 189 stolen bases, a .336/.385/.648 slash, 175 wRC+, and 46.7 WAR. He was impressive enough in his short tenure that the Maulers later retired his #8 uniform. However, Doran made it clear he wanted to cash in big with free agency coming after the 2006 season. Heading towards his 30^th birthday, Doran drew MLB attention and signed a five-year, $51,000,000 deal with Tampa. Doran played two seasons with the Thunderbirds with respectable results, posting 321 hits, 166 runs, 44 doubles, 23 triples, 74 home runs, 201 RBI, a .271/.307/.534 slash, 133 wRC+, and 7.6 WAR. Tampa just missed the playoffs in 2007, then fell below .500 in 2008. Doran didn’t care for his time in Florida and ended up opting out of his deal after only two seasons. Even while playing in Italy and the United States, Doran still regularly represented his native Ireland in the World Baseball Championship. From 2000-13, he had 121 games, 111 starts, 111 hits, 71 runs, 29 doubles, 37 home runs, 79 RBI, and 5.4 WAR. Doran wanted to return home to the great Dublin area and returned to EBF on a five-year, $40,900,000 deal with the Dinos. Dublin had become a contender in recent years with four division titles from 2005-09, although they couldn’t get beyond the second round. 2010 marked the start of the Dinos’ dynasty run with Doran playing a notable role. Although he wasn’t a league leader at this point in his career, Doran’s first three seasons in Dublin saw 3.5+ WAR, 100+ RBI, and 35+ homers reach year. The Dinos repeated as European Champion in 2010 and 2011, defeating Zurich and Barcelona in the finals. Doran had an especially good 2011 playoff run, winning conference finals MVP with 23 hits, 13 runs, 9 extra base hits, and 13 RBI in 15 starts. Dublin was upset in the second round in 2012, then won the 2013 EBF title over Zaragoza with a historic 115-47 run. In the playoffs for the Dinos, Doran overall was solid with 48 games, 33 starts, 46 hits, 22 runs, 7 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs, 19 RBI, a .317/.336/.531 slash, 147 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR. Doran also notably had a strong showing in the first Baseball Grand Championship in 2010 for Dublin, leading all players in OBP (.500), slugging (.963), OPS (1.463), and wRC+ (323). He posted 0.5 WAR and a .805 OPS in 2011, then struggled with a .502 OPS in 2013. The Dinos were 5-4 in the inaugural BGC, then went 12-7 for fifth in 2011 and 7-12 in 2013. Doran was reduced to a part-time role in 2012 and 2013, playing 198 games but only starting 62 games with 1.9 WAR. In total for Dublin, he had 565 hits, 318 runs, 92 doubles, 138 home runs, 406 RBI, a .285/.329/.576 slash, 153 wRC+, and 14.9 WAR. Doran’s deal expired for the 2014 season, but he couldn’t find a home despite wanting to play. He retired that winter at age 37. In Europe, Doran had 2004 hits, 1118 runs, 346 doubles, 126 triples, 436 home runs, 1289 RBI, 260 stolen bases, a .320/.367/.625 slash, 168 wRC+, and 61.7 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 76^th in RBI and 99^th in home runs, but doesn’t rank in the top 100 in any other counting stats. However, among all batters with 3000 plate appearances, his .992 OPS is 29^th and his slugging percentage is 22^nd. Those rate stats showed how efficient of a hitter he was, however Doran’s tallies were definitely borderline between his two year MLB run and relatively early retirement. The WAR tally was also on the low end, hurt by his abysmal defense. However, Doran’s success in establishing the Dublin dynasty late in his career helped him immensely, along with his MVP win with Milan. Doran debuted on EBF’s 2019 ballot at 68.5%, which just got him beyond the 66% requirement for a first ballot addition into the Hall of Fame. __________________ 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)