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FuzzyRussianHat · 12-15-2024, 06:30 AM

Geoffrey “Toast” Hebert – Starting Pitcher – Luxembourg Lancers – 84.8% First Ballot

Geoffrey Hebert was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Dudelange, Luxembourg; a town of roughly 22,000 people. Hebert was the first Luxembourger to earn induction into EBF’s Hall of Fame. He was nicknamed “toast” due to his steadfast toast breakfast every day. Despite his talents, teammates often criticized Hebert for his selfishness, poor work ethic, and general lack of intelligence.

On the mound though, Hebert had excellent stuff and control along with above average movement. His fastball was quite solid, peaking at 95-97 mph. It was Hebert’s “Bugs Bunny changeup” that garnered most of his whiffs, rated among the best-ever changeups in the game. He also had a good curveball and forkball, plus an alright changeup, making Hebert a tough pitcher to solve when he was on his game.

Compared to most EBF aces, his stamina was considered average. Hebert was an ironman though who never got hurt, leading to a regular 230+ innings in every year that he was a full-time starter. He was considered good at holding runners and average defensively. Still, some detractors thought Hebert’s general lack of dedication prevented him from having an even more successful career.

In a small country like Luxembourg, the few promising prospects get a lot of attention domestically. The nation’s franchise took notice and signed Hebert to a developmental deal in January 1997. He spent four full years in the Lancers’ academy before debuting in 2001 at age 20 with 12 iffy starts. He started most of 2002 with average results, then was moved into the rotation full-time after that.

From 2004-06, Hebert led the Northern Conference each season in WAR. He peaked with 8.1 WAR in 2006, a year that also saw a conference-best 18-8 record and 0.87 WHIP. Hebert led in 2005 in K/BB (11.4), and quality starts (27). He didn’t lead in the other big counting stats, thus he didn’t get strong awards consideration. Hebert was a Pitcher of the Year finalist only once, taking second in 2006.

It was also hard to get attention in Luxembourg, one of EBF’s smallest markets and member countries. The Lancers had been lousy for the 1990s and most of the 1980s. In 2006, they did end a 23-year playoff drought and won a division title, but they were ousted in the second round. Hebert had a 1.80 ERA over 15 innings in his only postseason starts for Luxembourg. The Lancers were around .500 in the following two seasons.

Hebert’s production dipped notably in 2007, but he bounced back in 2008 with a 2.33 ERA; his best with Luxembourg. He didn’t have any particular loyalty though to his home country team and opted for free agency once able after the 2008 season. With the Lancers, Hebert had a 99-80 record, 3.01 ERA, 1745 innings, 1806 strikeouts, 305 walks, 123 ERA+, and 42.8 WAR. This run and his next were roughly even in terms of tenure, although he did decide to get inducted in Lancers’ orange. There is some pride in the country for Hebert being their first HOF, but he isn’t a celebrated icon.

Now 28-years old, Hebert signed a five-year, $35,700,000 deal with Birmingham. All of his seasons with the Bees were above 4+ WAR and he topped 7+ WAR in both 2010 and 2012. Hebert led twice in K/BB and once in quality starts. He had a sub-three ERA thrice, including a career-best 2.17 in 2010. Still, Hebert wasn’t in awards conversations or at the tip-top of leaderboards. Regardless, his production helped the Bees find some success to start the 2010s.

Birmingham had four consecutive playoff berths from 2010-13. 2011 was their best effort, falling in the Northern Conference Championship to Dublin. Hebert was great in that run with a 1.87 ERA over 33.2 playoff innings. He struggled in their other playoff runs, giving him a 4.31 ERA over 54.1 innings for his Bees tenure. Their other berths all ended in either first or second round defeats. Counting Luxembourg, Hebert had a career 3.76 playoff ERA over 69.1 innings.

Generally happy with his production, Birmingham extended Hebert for five years at $53,700,000 in May 2013. His production remained steady through the 2015 season. Despite still having time left on his deal and being productive, Hebert decided he was ready to move on from the game after the 2015 season at age 35. With Birmingham, Hebert had a 113-67 record, 2.95 ERA, 1715.1 innings, 1730 strikeouts, 233 walks, 123 ERA+, and 38.4 WAR.

Hebert finished with a 212-147 record, 2.98 ERA, 3460.1 innings, 3536 strikeouts, 538 walks, 312/447 quality starts, 88 complete games, 24 shutouts, 123 ERA+, and 81.3 WAR. As of 2037, Hebert ranks 30^th in WAR among pitchers, 35^th in wins, and 30^th in strikeouts. He quietly put up a very solid resume, even if wasn’t one to post eye-popping stats.

Some wonder what Hebert’s tallies could’ve looked like if he was more motivated and/or kept playing a few more years. The numbers show he was much better than many realized during his time. Upon confirming those tallies and his resume, most voters were sold, giving Hebert a first ballot induction at 84.8% within EBF’s 2021 Hall of Fame class.

Sergio Cipolla – Left Field – Dublin Dinos – 83.2% First Ballot

Sergio Cipolla was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Paola, a commune of 15,000 inhabitants in southern Italy. Cipolla was a well-rounded hitter who had good-to-great contact and eye skills. He did strikeout a bit more than you’d like, but he got on base regularly and made those opportunities count. Cipolla got plenty of extra base hits with a 162 game average of 24 doubles, 19 triples, and 28 home runs. He was also a fantastic baserunner with excellent speed, leading the conference six times in stolen bases.

Cipolla spent the vast majority of his career in left field, where he graded as a reliably good defender. He did see brief forays in center and right, but struggled in both spots. Cipolla had excellent durability, playing 147+ games in each of his first 14 seasons. His work ethic, loyalty, and exciting skillset made him a fan favorite throughout an 18-year professional career.

Despite the skillset mentioned above, Cipolla came up through the amateur ranks as a starting pitcher. In four college seasons, he had a 3.23 ERA, 448.1 innings, 481 strikeouts, and 100 ERA+. Most scouts were underwhelmed by his pitching prospects, forecasting his talent as borderline. Cipolla wasn’t taking advantage of his incredible athleticism in that role, a fact Dublin noticed. In the 2001 EBF Draft, Cipolla was a late third round pick, going 136^th to the Dinos.

While most teams dismissed him as a weak pitching prospect, Dublin saw his potential elsewhere. Cipolla was a full-time outfielder from the jump and an immediate success, winning 2002 Rookie of the Year honors. He debuted at 5.1 WAR and would hit 6.5+ WAR each year for the next decade in Ireland. From 2004-08, Cipolla was the Northern Conference leader in stolen bases. He swiped 133 bags in 2007, two shy of the EBF record set by his Hall of Fame classmate Carsten Dal.

Cipolla would post a 20-20-20 doubles/triples/homers mark in seven different seasons for the Dinos. Despite that, he surprisingly never hit for the cycle. He earned Silver Sluggers in 2004, 05, 07, 09, 11, and 12. Cipolla was the WARlord twice, posting 9.7 in 2005 and 10.3 in 2007. He was third in MVP voting, but it was hard to gain ground without big home run power.

2007 was a record-setting campaign for Cipolla. Along with his 133 stolen bases, he broke the EBF on-base percentage single-season record at .462, a mark that held until 2023 and still ranks third as of 2037. This season also had a conference-best 101 walks drawn. It was one of five seasons with an OPS above one for Cipolla. He also maintained a remarkable ten-year streak with Dublin scoring 105+ runs.

Cipolla’s efforts helped turn Dublin into a consistent contender. They didn’t immediately begin the dynasty, but did earn four division titles from 2005-09. All of those seasons ended in a second round effort, even in 2009 despite a franchise-record 111-51. Cipolla was holding up his end and the Dinos knew they were close to breaking through. They would ink him to a seven-year, $74,100,000 extension in spring training 2010.

Dublin’s dynasty began there, winning back-to-back European Championships in 2010-11. Cipolla was the finals MVP in 2011, getting 21 hits, 13 runs, 5 triples, 5 homers, 14 RBI, 10 steals, and 1.2 WAR in 15 playoff starts. He had similar stats the prior year with 19 hits, 13 runs, 4 doubles, 5 homers, 10 RBI, and 1.1 WAR.

In the inaugural Baseball Grand Championship in 2010, Dublin was 5-4 and finished fourth in their division. In 2011, they were fifth overall at 12-7. Cipolla was strong as well in the 2011 BGC with 17 hits, 19 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, 12 RBI, 11 steals, a 166 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR over 19 starts. For his Dublin EBF playoff career, Cipolla started 58 games with 74 hits, 43 runs, 6 doubles, 9 triples, 17 home runs, 44 RBI, 24 walks, 35 steals, a .336/.405/.677 slash, 199 wRC+, and 4.1 WAR.

By many metrics, 2012 was Cipolla’s strongest season. He led the conference in runs (132), OBP (.411), OPS (1.112), and wRC+ (210). The runs, OPS, and wRC+ were career highs, as were his 40 home runs and 11.1 WAR. Cipolla was second in MVP voting as Oslo SS Harvey Coyle posted a 13.7 WAR, 61 homer effort en route to his fifth MVP. Despite going 107-55, Dublin was upset in the second round by Paris.

Now 33-years old, Cipolla’s stock was at an all-time high. He surprised and disappointed many by opting out of his contract despite being two years into the extension. Dublin expected him to be a centerpiece for a continued dynasty, although they would win a third title and go 115-47 in 2013 without him. Cipolla remained popular in Ireland for his role in turning the Dinos into a powerhouse and saw his #8 uniform eventually retired.

With Dublin, Cipolla had 1986 hits, 1256 runs, 264 doubles, 261 triples, 322 home runs, 1030 RBI, 699 walks, 1057 stolen bases, a .319/.396/.601 slash, 175 wRC+, and 94.7 WAR. This would be the entirety of his EBF career. As of 2037, he ranks 43^rd in WAR for position players, 84^th in runs, 36^th in triples, 12^th in stolen bases, and 96^th in walks drawn.

Cipolla’s earlier departure kept him from soaring up EBF leaderboards and lowered his rankings among Europe’s best. He was undoubtedly a stud though and a big reason Dublin became a regular Northern Conference powerhouse. Those accolades were enough to receive 83.2% and the third spot in EBF’s impressive 2021 Hall of Fame class.

While popular in Ireland for helping turn the capital into a baseball hotbed, Cipolla was also a favorite back home in Italy. From 2003-2018, he was a regular in the World Baseball Championship. Cipolla played 185 games and started 171, posting 163 hits, 125 runs, 22 doubles, 13 triples, 35 home runs, 95 RBI, 126 stolen bases, a .256/.370/.497 slash, and 9.6 WAR.

As of 2037, Cipolla ranks second among all Italian position players in WAR in the WBC. He’s also 2^nd in runs scored, 5^th in hits, 1^st in triples, and 5^th in RBI. Cipolla ranks 6^th among all players in stolen bases and 3^rd in triples. Italy had some of its strongest showings with Cipolla’s leadership, including runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2012, and a fourth place in 2006. He was especially a beast in 2005 over 22 starts with 22 hits, 17 runs, 3 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 21 RBI, 14 steals, a 1.138 OPS, and 2.0 WAR.

Cipolla did play another seven professional seasons after leaving Ireland. It was hard to turn down the big MLB payday, signing a five-year, $128,000,000 deal with MLB’s Brooklyn Dodgers for 2013. This deal more than doubled his peak Dublin salary, which was nothing to sneeze at in its own right. Cipolla debuted in center field for Brooklyn and won his lone MLB accolade, a Silver Slugger. His 5.8 WAR was his best effort there.

He was a good starter for the Dodgers, although less active MLB basepaths dulled his value somewhat. Brooklyn won a division title in 2013, but lost in the second round. They fell just outside of the playoffs in the next three seasons. With the Dodgers (between two stints), Cipolla had 583 hits, 395 runs, 92 doubles, 29 triples, 99 home runs, 263 RBI, 257 walks, 168 stolen bases, a .247/.334/.436 slash, 136 wRC+, and 19.2 WAR.

Cipolla didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fifth year of his Dodgers deal, becoming a free agent for 2017 at age 37. Kansas City signed him to a one-year deal where he was a decent part-timer with 2.0 WAR over 101 games and 78 starts. Brooklyn brought him back in 2018 on a two-year deal at $18,400,000. However, Cipolla missed almost the entire season with a fractured knee suffered in spring training.

Brooklyn let him go, but he wanted to comeback in 2019. San Antonio gave Cipolla a shot in 2019, but he struggled to -0.6 WAR over 36 games and 17 starts. He was unsigned for all of 2020 and finally retired that winter at age 41. For his MLB career, Cipolla had 769 games, 674 hits, 452 runs, 105 doubles, 39 triples, 111 home runs, 294 RBI, 197 stolen bases, a .243/.330/.430 slash, 132 wRC+, and 20.6 WAR.

For his combined pro career, Cipolla finished with 2498 games, 2660 hits, 1708 runs, 369 doubles, 300 triples, 433 home runs, 1324 RBI, 999 walks, 1254 stolen bases, a .296/.375/.548 slash, 162 wRC+, and 115.3 WAR. When looking at the best-ever position players to come out of Italy, Cipolla ranks near or at the top after a tremendous career.

12-15-2024, 06:30 AM	#1886
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,369	2021 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 2) Geoffrey “Toast” Hebert – Starting Pitcher – Luxembourg Lancers – 84.8% First Ballot Geoffrey Hebert was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Dudelange, Luxembourg; a town of roughly 22,000 people. Hebert was the first Luxembourger to earn induction into EBF’s Hall of Fame. He was nicknamed “toast” due to his steadfast toast breakfast every day. Despite his talents, teammates often criticized Hebert for his selfishness, poor work ethic, and general lack of intelligence. On the mound though, Hebert had excellent stuff and control along with above average movement. His fastball was quite solid, peaking at 95-97 mph. It was Hebert’s “Bugs Bunny changeup” that garnered most of his whiffs, rated among the best-ever changeups in the game. He also had a good curveball and forkball, plus an alright changeup, making Hebert a tough pitcher to solve when he was on his game. Compared to most EBF aces, his stamina was considered average. Hebert was an ironman though who never got hurt, leading to a regular 230+ innings in every year that he was a full-time starter. He was considered good at holding runners and average defensively. Still, some detractors thought Hebert’s general lack of dedication prevented him from having an even more successful career. In a small country like Luxembourg, the few promising prospects get a lot of attention domestically. The nation’s franchise took notice and signed Hebert to a developmental deal in January 1997. He spent four full years in the Lancers’ academy before debuting in 2001 at age 20 with 12 iffy starts. He started most of 2002 with average results, then was moved into the rotation full-time after that. From 2004-06, Hebert led the Northern Conference each season in WAR. He peaked with 8.1 WAR in 2006, a year that also saw a conference-best 18-8 record and 0.87 WHIP. Hebert led in 2005 in K/BB (11.4), and quality starts (27). He didn’t lead in the other big counting stats, thus he didn’t get strong awards consideration. Hebert was a Pitcher of the Year finalist only once, taking second in 2006. It was also hard to get attention in Luxembourg, one of EBF’s smallest markets and member countries. The Lancers had been lousy for the 1990s and most of the 1980s. In 2006, they did end a 23-year playoff drought and won a division title, but they were ousted in the second round. Hebert had a 1.80 ERA over 15 innings in his only postseason starts for Luxembourg. The Lancers were around .500 in the following two seasons. Hebert’s production dipped notably in 2007, but he bounced back in 2008 with a 2.33 ERA; his best with Luxembourg. He didn’t have any particular loyalty though to his home country team and opted for free agency once able after the 2008 season. With the Lancers, Hebert had a 99-80 record, 3.01 ERA, 1745 innings, 1806 strikeouts, 305 walks, 123 ERA+, and 42.8 WAR. This run and his next were roughly even in terms of tenure, although he did decide to get inducted in Lancers’ orange. There is some pride in the country for Hebert being their first HOF, but he isn’t a celebrated icon. Now 28-years old, Hebert signed a five-year, $35,700,000 deal with Birmingham. All of his seasons with the Bees were above 4+ WAR and he topped 7+ WAR in both 2010 and 2012. Hebert led twice in K/BB and once in quality starts. He had a sub-three ERA thrice, including a career-best 2.17 in 2010. Still, Hebert wasn’t in awards conversations or at the tip-top of leaderboards. Regardless, his production helped the Bees find some success to start the 2010s. Birmingham had four consecutive playoff berths from 2010-13. 2011 was their best effort, falling in the Northern Conference Championship to Dublin. Hebert was great in that run with a 1.87 ERA over 33.2 playoff innings. He struggled in their other playoff runs, giving him a 4.31 ERA over 54.1 innings for his Bees tenure. Their other berths all ended in either first or second round defeats. Counting Luxembourg, Hebert had a career 3.76 playoff ERA over 69.1 innings. Generally happy with his production, Birmingham extended Hebert for five years at $53,700,000 in May 2013. His production remained steady through the 2015 season. Despite still having time left on his deal and being productive, Hebert decided he was ready to move on from the game after the 2015 season at age 35. With Birmingham, Hebert had a 113-67 record, 2.95 ERA, 1715.1 innings, 1730 strikeouts, 233 walks, 123 ERA+, and 38.4 WAR. Hebert finished with a 212-147 record, 2.98 ERA, 3460.1 innings, 3536 strikeouts, 538 walks, 312/447 quality starts, 88 complete games, 24 shutouts, 123 ERA+, and 81.3 WAR. As of 2037, Hebert ranks 30^th in WAR among pitchers, 35^th in wins, and 30^th in strikeouts. He quietly put up a very solid resume, even if wasn’t one to post eye-popping stats. Some wonder what Hebert’s tallies could’ve looked like if he was more motivated and/or kept playing a few more years. The numbers show he was much better than many realized during his time. Upon confirming those tallies and his resume, most voters were sold, giving Hebert a first ballot induction at 84.8% within EBF’s 2021 Hall of Fame class. Sergio Cipolla – Left Field – Dublin Dinos – 83.2% First Ballot Sergio Cipolla was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Paola, a commune of 15,000 inhabitants in southern Italy. Cipolla was a well-rounded hitter who had good-to-great contact and eye skills. He did strikeout a bit more than you’d like, but he got on base regularly and made those opportunities count. Cipolla got plenty of extra base hits with a 162 game average of 24 doubles, 19 triples, and 28 home runs. He was also a fantastic baserunner with excellent speed, leading the conference six times in stolen bases. Cipolla spent the vast majority of his career in left field, where he graded as a reliably good defender. He did see brief forays in center and right, but struggled in both spots. Cipolla had excellent durability, playing 147+ games in each of his first 14 seasons. His work ethic, loyalty, and exciting skillset made him a fan favorite throughout an 18-year professional career. Despite the skillset mentioned above, Cipolla came up through the amateur ranks as a starting pitcher. In four college seasons, he had a 3.23 ERA, 448.1 innings, 481 strikeouts, and 100 ERA+. Most scouts were underwhelmed by his pitching prospects, forecasting his talent as borderline. Cipolla wasn’t taking advantage of his incredible athleticism in that role, a fact Dublin noticed. In the 2001 EBF Draft, Cipolla was a late third round pick, going 136^th to the Dinos. While most teams dismissed him as a weak pitching prospect, Dublin saw his potential elsewhere. Cipolla was a full-time outfielder from the jump and an immediate success, winning 2002 Rookie of the Year honors. He debuted at 5.1 WAR and would hit 6.5+ WAR each year for the next decade in Ireland. From 2004-08, Cipolla was the Northern Conference leader in stolen bases. He swiped 133 bags in 2007, two shy of the EBF record set by his Hall of Fame classmate Carsten Dal. Cipolla would post a 20-20-20 doubles/triples/homers mark in seven different seasons for the Dinos. Despite that, he surprisingly never hit for the cycle. He earned Silver Sluggers in 2004, 05, 07, 09, 11, and 12. Cipolla was the WARlord twice, posting 9.7 in 2005 and 10.3 in 2007. He was third in MVP voting, but it was hard to gain ground without big home run power. 2007 was a record-setting campaign for Cipolla. Along with his 133 stolen bases, he broke the EBF on-base percentage single-season record at .462, a mark that held until 2023 and still ranks third as of 2037. This season also had a conference-best 101 walks drawn. It was one of five seasons with an OPS above one for Cipolla. He also maintained a remarkable ten-year streak with Dublin scoring 105+ runs. Cipolla’s efforts helped turn Dublin into a consistent contender. They didn’t immediately begin the dynasty, but did earn four division titles from 2005-09. All of those seasons ended in a second round effort, even in 2009 despite a franchise-record 111-51. Cipolla was holding up his end and the Dinos knew they were close to breaking through. They would ink him to a seven-year, $74,100,000 extension in spring training 2010. Dublin’s dynasty began there, winning back-to-back European Championships in 2010-11. Cipolla was the finals MVP in 2011, getting 21 hits, 13 runs, 5 triples, 5 homers, 14 RBI, 10 steals, and 1.2 WAR in 15 playoff starts. He had similar stats the prior year with 19 hits, 13 runs, 4 doubles, 5 homers, 10 RBI, and 1.1 WAR. In the inaugural Baseball Grand Championship in 2010, Dublin was 5-4 and finished fourth in their division. In 2011, they were fifth overall at 12-7. Cipolla was strong as well in the 2011 BGC with 17 hits, 19 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, 12 RBI, 11 steals, a 166 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR over 19 starts. For his Dublin EBF playoff career, Cipolla started 58 games with 74 hits, 43 runs, 6 doubles, 9 triples, 17 home runs, 44 RBI, 24 walks, 35 steals, a .336/.405/.677 slash, 199 wRC+, and 4.1 WAR. By many metrics, 2012 was Cipolla’s strongest season. He led the conference in runs (132), OBP (.411), OPS (1.112), and wRC+ (210). The runs, OPS, and wRC+ were career highs, as were his 40 home runs and 11.1 WAR. Cipolla was second in MVP voting as Oslo SS Harvey Coyle posted a 13.7 WAR, 61 homer effort en route to his fifth MVP. Despite going 107-55, Dublin was upset in the second round by Paris. Now 33-years old, Cipolla’s stock was at an all-time high. He surprised and disappointed many by opting out of his contract despite being two years into the extension. Dublin expected him to be a centerpiece for a continued dynasty, although they would win a third title and go 115-47 in 2013 without him. Cipolla remained popular in Ireland for his role in turning the Dinos into a powerhouse and saw his #8 uniform eventually retired. With Dublin, Cipolla had 1986 hits, 1256 runs, 264 doubles, 261 triples, 322 home runs, 1030 RBI, 699 walks, 1057 stolen bases, a .319/.396/.601 slash, 175 wRC+, and 94.7 WAR. This would be the entirety of his EBF career. As of 2037, he ranks 43^rd in WAR for position players, 84^th in runs, 36^th in triples, 12^th in stolen bases, and 96^th in walks drawn. Cipolla’s earlier departure kept him from soaring up EBF leaderboards and lowered his rankings among Europe’s best. He was undoubtedly a stud though and a big reason Dublin became a regular Northern Conference powerhouse. Those accolades were enough to receive 83.2% and the third spot in EBF’s impressive 2021 Hall of Fame class. While popular in Ireland for helping turn the capital into a baseball hotbed, Cipolla was also a favorite back home in Italy. From 2003-2018, he was a regular in the World Baseball Championship. Cipolla played 185 games and started 171, posting 163 hits, 125 runs, 22 doubles, 13 triples, 35 home runs, 95 RBI, 126 stolen bases, a .256/.370/.497 slash, and 9.6 WAR. As of 2037, Cipolla ranks second among all Italian position players in WAR in the WBC. He’s also 2^nd in runs scored, 5^th in hits, 1^st in triples, and 5^th in RBI. Cipolla ranks 6^th among all players in stolen bases and 3^rd in triples. Italy had some of its strongest showings with Cipolla’s leadership, including runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2012, and a fourth place in 2006. He was especially a beast in 2005 over 22 starts with 22 hits, 17 runs, 3 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 21 RBI, 14 steals, a 1.138 OPS, and 2.0 WAR. Cipolla did play another seven professional seasons after leaving Ireland. It was hard to turn down the big MLB payday, signing a five-year, $128,000,000 deal with MLB’s Brooklyn Dodgers for 2013. This deal more than doubled his peak Dublin salary, which was nothing to sneeze at in its own right. Cipolla debuted in center field for Brooklyn and won his lone MLB accolade, a Silver Slugger. His 5.8 WAR was his best effort there. He was a good starter for the Dodgers, although less active MLB basepaths dulled his value somewhat. Brooklyn won a division title in 2013, but lost in the second round. They fell just outside of the playoffs in the next three seasons. With the Dodgers (between two stints), Cipolla had 583 hits, 395 runs, 92 doubles, 29 triples, 99 home runs, 263 RBI, 257 walks, 168 stolen bases, a .247/.334/.436 slash, 136 wRC+, and 19.2 WAR. Cipolla didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fifth year of his Dodgers deal, becoming a free agent for 2017 at age 37. Kansas City signed him to a one-year deal where he was a decent part-timer with 2.0 WAR over 101 games and 78 starts. Brooklyn brought him back in 2018 on a two-year deal at $18,400,000. However, Cipolla missed almost the entire season with a fractured knee suffered in spring training. Brooklyn let him go, but he wanted to comeback in 2019. San Antonio gave Cipolla a shot in 2019, but he struggled to -0.6 WAR over 36 games and 17 starts. He was unsigned for all of 2020 and finally retired that winter at age 41. For his MLB career, Cipolla had 769 games, 674 hits, 452 runs, 105 doubles, 39 triples, 111 home runs, 294 RBI, 197 stolen bases, a .243/.330/.430 slash, 132 wRC+, and 20.6 WAR. For his combined pro career, Cipolla finished with 2498 games, 2660 hits, 1708 runs, 369 doubles, 300 triples, 433 home runs, 1324 RBI, 999 walks, 1254 stolen bases, a .296/.375/.548 slash, 162 wRC+, and 115.3 WAR. When looking at the best-ever position players to come out of Italy, Cipolla ranks near or at the top after a tremendous career. __________________ 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)