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FuzzyRussianHat · 12-17-2024, 05:37 AM

Two players were added into the West African Baseball Hall of Fame for 2021. 1B Ahamad Mathew was the clear headliner at a nearly unanimous 98.4%. On his seventh try, 3B Awudu Haddad got an impressive boost up to 78.6%. RP Emma Markson came close to joining them on his fourth ballot, but his 61.7% was still shy of the 66% requirement. Two other debuts breached 50% with RP Francis Koomson at 53.7% and 1B Ikechukwu Onyia at 51.8%. No players were removed from the ballot after ten failed attempts.

Ahamad “Casino” Mathew – First Base – Ibadan Iguanas – 98.4% First Ballot

Ahamad Mathew was a 6’1’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from Maiduguri, Nigeria; a city with around 791,000 inhabitants in the northeastern Borno State. The nickname “Casino” came from his fondness of (non-baseball) gambling. Mathew’s eye for the strike zone was legendary with few players in baseball history more effective at drawing walks than him. He also had remarkably consistent and impressive home run power, hitting 39+ home runs in all but one of his fully healthy seasons.

Mathew was merely an above average contact hitter and struck out more than yo might expect, but his power and knack for walks still made him a very dangerous batter. His gap power was respectable with 26 doubles and 6 triples per his 162 game average in addition to his homers. Mathew graded as a slightly above average baserunner, providing more value than your prototypical slugger.

About ¾ of Mathew’s starts came at first base, where he graded as a reliably solid defender. He was a designated hitter primarily in three early seasons and sporadically played right field with lousy results. Mathew was viewed as an ironman for much of his career, starting 150+ games in each of his first 14 seasons. He was a clubhouse leader and was known to be quite adaptable, becoming one of WAB’s biggest superstars of his era.

Mathew was impressive even as a teenager, which led to him being snagged by Ibadan as an amateur in March 1993. He spent most of five years in their academy, officially debuting at age 19 in 1996 with 13 at-bats. Mathew was back on the reserve roster in 1997, then emerged as a full-time starter from 1998-onward. Mathew had a terrific debut with 7.0 WAR, 39 home runs, and an Eastern League best 105 walks. He won 1998 Rookie of the Year and his first Silver Slugger.

The Iguanas at this point earned an eighth consecutive playoff berth. Their streak lasted 12 seasons total, but they were thwarted in the ELCS by Kano’s dynasty each year from 1998-2001. Mathew emerged as a start though, starting a streak of 14 consecutive seasons worth 5+ WAR. During that run, he led in walks in all but one season. Mathew posted 100+ walks 12 times in his career, which is 1/3 of WAB’s 100+ walk seasons as of 2037. His best was 123 in 2001, falling three short of Robbie Oakes’ WAB record 126 from 1984.

Mathew was more than walks though, as during that same WAR streak he was above 40+ home runs 12 times, 100+ RBI 13 times, 100+ runs scored 11 times. In July 2000, Ibadan gave Mathew an eight-year, $16,190,000 extension. Mathew won additional Silver Sluggers in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2010; all at first base apart from the 2001 win (DH).

Mathew never won MVP, but was third in 2001, second in 2004, second in 2007, second in 2008, third in 2010, and third in 2011. He had the misfortune of sharing a league with WAB GOAT Darwin Morris for a good chunk of his career. Mathew led the league in runs thrice, home runs twice, walks 14 times, and on-base percentage six times. He had an OPS above one in ten different seasons and led the EL in 2004. Mathew was the WARlord in 2008, although his career best was 9.5 in 2010.

Ibadan’s playoff steak would end in 2002, but with Mathew they’d be back in the playoffs in 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. Five of those ended in ELCS losses with one first round defeat, but the Iguanas did finally break through. Despite being the bottom seed at 84-78 in 2009, they won the EL pennant, falling to Abidjan in the WAB Championship.

You couldn’t blame Mathew for their playoff woes as in 69 starts he had 69 hits, 38 runs, 11 doubles, 7 triples, 15 home runs, 41 RBI, 44 walks, a .284/.395/.572 slash, 152 wRC+, and 2.6 WAR. These efforts made him beloved by Ibadan fans, even if there was frustration that they seemingly couldn’t win the big one despite their regular playoff berths.

Mathew became beloved though throughout all of Nigeria for his remarkable dominance in the World Baseball Championship from 1999-2014. He played 179 games with 171 starts, getting 152 hits, 129 runs, 20 doubles, 63 home runs, 137 RBI, 121 walks, a .267/.412/.634 slash, 199 wRC+, and 11.3 WAR. As of 2037, he is Nigeria’s all-time leader in WAR, runs, hits, homers, and RBI.

The Nigerians started to get more worldwide attention with Mathew leading the way. They took runner-up to Indonesia in 1999, finished third in 2009, and fourth in 2011. Among all players of 2037, Mathew is 24^th in WAR for position players, 42^nd in runs, 39rd in home runs, 37^th in RBI, and 23^rd in walks. His OBP ranks 24^th among all batters with 250+ WBC plate appearances and his OPS (1.047) ranks 64^th. These efforts helped make Mathew one of the most endearing figures of Nigerian baseball.

In April 2008, Ibadan extended the now 31-year old Mathew for another five years at $21 million. In 2011, he became the second player to score 1500 career runs and the second to 600 home runs, feats only previously reached by Darwin Morris. Mathew that year also was the fourth to reach 1500 RBI. It was a season that saw his career-best 52 home runs and his second-best RBI mark at 131. Mathew became the third to earn 1000+ career walks and blew by Morris’s 1307 to become WAB’s walks leader.

The iron man finally ran into injury issues in 2012, starting with a fractured right thumb in spring training that required surgery. Mathew missed three months, only to return in the summer and miss another seven weeks with a fractured finger on his other hand. Ibadan would execute the option year to bring Mathew back for 2013.

Mathew showed he still had it, smacking 50 homers with 5.6 WAR in 2013 at age 36. He had a 1.071 OPS, the third best of his career behind only 2010 (1.077) and 2008 (1.072). Ibadan again fell in the ELCS, this time to Cotonou. Their legendary superstar’s deal ran out after the 2013 and they couldn’t come to terms, sending Mathew to free agency at age 37.

With Ibadan, Mathew had 2438 hits, 1674 runs, 392 doubles, 688 home runs, 1736 RBI, 1629 walks, a .289/.410/.601 slash, 171 wRC+, and 109.0 WAR. He was THE franchise hero and left with no hard feelings. Mathew’s #32 uniform would be retired immediately after his career ended and he would be a team ambassador for many years following his playing career.

Mathew still had high value and Abidjan snatched him up at $18,400,000 over two years. He left Nigeria for the first time in his illustrious career, making the move to the Ivory Coast. Mathew was a good starter in 2014, but it was easily his weakest full season with only 33 home runs and 3.8 WAR. That year, Mathew joined Morris as the only 700 home run players and was the sixth to reach 2500 hits. Abidjan would lose in the second round of the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Mathew, he fell off in 2015 with 0.0 WAR, a .739 OPS, and 19 home runs over 120 games. Abidjan again lost in the second round of the playoffs. Prior to that decline, some thought he might challenge Darwin Morris’s home run record, but Mathew realized he was cooked. He retired that winter at age 39, ending his Abidjan stint with 268 games, 250 hits, 161 runs, 47 doubles, 52 home runs, 151 RBI, 143 walks, a .259/.358/.482 slash, 116 wRC+, and 3.8 WAR.

At retirement, Mathew was second only to Darwin Morris in home runs, runs scored, RBI, and WAR. He finished with 2698 games, 2688 hits, 1835 runs, 439 doubles, 92 triples, 740 home runs, 1887 RBI, 1772 walks, 318 stolen bases, a .286/.405/.589 slash, 166 wRC+, and 112.8 WAR. As of 2037, Mathew is still WAB’s walks leader and has the eighth most in all of pro baseball history.

Even with offensive numbers spiking in WAB in the 2020s and 2030s, Mathew still ranks as of 2037 4^th in WAR, 9^th in home runs, 11^th in RBI, 9^th in runs scored, and 28^th in hits. Mathew ranks 10^th in OBP among any WAB batter with 3000+ plate appearances, 45^th in slugging, and 22^nd in OPS (.994). Amongst all of the world’s Hall of Famers, Mathew is 27^th in OBP and just outside of the top 50 in OPS.

If not for Morris, Mathew likely would’ve been widely considered the best player of his era in WAB. It’s hard to believe a guy as impressive as Mathew never snagged an MVP or a WAB title. Regardless, he certainly belongs in the inner circle of West Africa Baseball’s Hall of Fame and has an argument as being the best-ever to come out of Nigeria. At 98.4%, Mathew headlined WAB’s 2021 HOF class.

Awudu Haddad – Third Base – Abidjan Athletes – 78.6% Seventh Ballot

Awudu Haddad was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed hitting and right-handed throwing third baseman from Gbarnga, Liberia; a city of 34,000 people and the capital of Bong County. Gbarnga is also the birthplace of Tamba Hali, an all-pro NFL defensive lineman. On the whole, Haddad was a jack-of-all-trades type of hitter who didn’t grade as great at any one thing, but was generally above average to occasionally good across the board.

Haddad was notably stronger facing right-handed pitching (142 wRC+, .888 OPS) compared to lefties (101 wRC+, .722 OPS). His 162 game average got you 32 home runs, 34 doubles, and 5 triples. Haddad’s power was reliable, but not league-leading. He graded as above average in terms of both contact and eye with a middling strikeout rate relative to other WAB greats. Haddad was likely delightfully average in terms of baserunning speed and ability.

All of his starts in the field came at third base where he graded as; you guessed it, reliably above average to good. Haddad’s arm strength was notably great, a must for the position. Haddad started around ¾ of his games at 3B with the rest as a designated hitter. His durability was quite good over an 18-year career. Where Haddad excelled was character, considered one of the finest humans to play the game. He was a team selfless team captain with a tireless worth ethic and great loyalty. Haddad as a person was above reproach, making him one of the most popular and respected players of his era.

Haddad rated quite highly as a prospect and was picked third overall by Kumasi in the 1994 WAB Draft. The Monkeys didn’t rush him into the lineup, using him only 8 games in 1995. Haddad played 113 and started 64 in 1996 with unremarkable results. He was ready though for the full-time gig by 1997 and posted 4+ WAR over each of the next five seasons for Kumasi.

He breached 6+ thrice in that run, winning Silver Sluggers in 1998 (DH), 1999 (3B), and 2001 (3B). Haddad’s best year with Kumasi came without a Slugger, posting 7.7 WAR, 43 home runs, and 121 RBI in 2000. The Monkeys won the Western League pennant in 1998, but fell in the WAB Championship to the Kano dynasty. Haddad was unremarkable going 6-26 in the run with a 102 wRC+. Kumasi would be stuck right around .500 for the next three seasons.

With the Monkeys, Haddad had 908 hits, 517 runs, 217 doubles, 190 home runs, 574 RBI, a .283/.338/.545 slash, 142 wRC+, and 29.0 WAR. Kumasi couldn’t come to terms with Haddad, making him a free agent after the 2001 season at age 27. Abidjan would grab him at $21,440,000 over eight years, beginning what would be Haddad’s most famous run.

For the Athletes, Haddad breached 40+ home runs thrice and 4+ WAR six times. His finest effort was 2005, which had a career high 7.8 WAR and .985 OPS. He won Silver Sluggers in 2005, 2007, and 2008, giving him six for his career. Haddad’s lone Gold Glove also came with Abidjan in 2007.

When Haddad arrived, Abidjan was coming off three straight WL pennants. They fell off with three straight playoff misses from 2002-04, but then began an eight-year playoff streak in 2005. The Athletes were one-and-done from 2005-07. They had the top seed in 2008 at 106-56, but fell to Monrovia in a WLCS upset. Haddad’s playoff stats were poor over 13 starts with a .196/.268/.333 slash.

Abidjan did go onto win pennants in 2009 and 2010, but Haddad was gone by then as he declined his contract option after the 2008 season. Haddad finished with 1114 hits, 621 runs, 208 doubles, 233 home runs, 621 RBI, a .275/.334/.517 slash, 134 wRC+, and 34.3 WAR. This also marked the end of his WAB career at only age 34. Haddad opened up a global search in free agency and landed upon Argentina, signing a four-year, $21,200,000 deal with Buenos Aires.

Haddad was a reliably steady starter in his first three years in South America, although he fell off in his fourth year. For the Atlantics, he played 572 games with 537 hits, 254 runs, 108 doubles, 81 home runs, 261 RBI, a .273/.331/.474 slash, 119 wRC+, and 12.6 WAR. During his tenure, Buenos Aires was stuck in the bottom end of the standings.

A free agent again at age 38, Haddad went back to Africa, but not to WAB. He signed a two-year, $2,480,000 deal with Nairobi of the African Association of Baseball. Haddad was unremarkable in his one year in Kenya, playing 99 games with 98 wRC+ and 0.9 WAR. The Night Hawks let him go and Haddad was unsigned throughout 2014, retiring that winter at age 40.

For his combined pro career, Haddad had 2624 hits, 1429 runs, 551 doubles, 516 home runs, 1507 RBI, 793 walks, 253 stolen bases, a .275/.335/.513 slash, 132 wRC+, and 76.8 WAR. The combined resume was slightly borderline, but probably good enough for most Halls of Fame. However, five of those seasons came outside WAB and meant little or nothing to most WAB voters.

In WAB, Haddad saw 2022 hits, 1138 runs, 425 doubles, 61 triples, 423 home runs, 1195 RBI, 576 walks, 185 stolen bases, a .279/.335/.529 slash, 138 wRC+, and 63.3 WAR. As of 2037, Haddad is 43^rd in WAR among position players, but 94^th in hits, 79^th in runs, 92^nd in doubles, 58^th in home runs, and 78^th in RBI. The raw tallies were definitely on the low end, compounded by his lack of black ink or big seasons. Haddad never was an MVP finalist despite his efforts.

Supporters pointed to his WAR to show that he was more effective than the raw tallies might suggest. It also is generally tough for guys who weren’t exceptional at one specific skill to draw attention to themselves. Supporters also noted that Haddad was truly an exceptional human being. Fans loved him and no teammate or coach had a bad word about his character.

Haddad debuted on the 2015 ballot at 53.2% and dropped slightly to 51.5% in 2016, which would be his low. He bounced around the next few years to 61.1%, 56.2%, 63.8%, and 59.5%. On his seventh ballot, a groundswell of support emerged to get Haddad across the finish line. He received a sizeable bump to 78.6%, crossing the line with room to spare for a seventh ballot induction within WAB’s 2021 Hall of Fame class.

12-17-2024, 05:37 AM	#1892
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,841	2021 WAB Hall of Fame Two players were added into the West African Baseball Hall of Fame for 2021. 1B Ahamad Mathew was the clear headliner at a nearly unanimous 98.4%. On his seventh try, 3B Awudu Haddad got an impressive boost up to 78.6%. RP Emma Markson came close to joining them on his fourth ballot, but his 61.7% was still shy of the 66% requirement. Two other debuts breached 50% with RP Francis Koomson at 53.7% and 1B Ikechukwu Onyia at 51.8%. No players were removed from the ballot after ten failed attempts. Ahamad “Casino” Mathew – First Base – Ibadan Iguanas – 98.4% First Ballot Ahamad Mathew was a 6’1’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from Maiduguri, Nigeria; a city with around 791,000 inhabitants in the northeastern Borno State. The nickname “Casino” came from his fondness of (non-baseball) gambling. Mathew’s eye for the strike zone was legendary with few players in baseball history more effective at drawing walks than him. He also had remarkably consistent and impressive home run power, hitting 39+ home runs in all but one of his fully healthy seasons. Mathew was merely an above average contact hitter and struck out more than yo might expect, but his power and knack for walks still made him a very dangerous batter. His gap power was respectable with 26 doubles and 6 triples per his 162 game average in addition to his homers. Mathew graded as a slightly above average baserunner, providing more value than your prototypical slugger. About ¾ of Mathew’s starts came at first base, where he graded as a reliably solid defender. He was a designated hitter primarily in three early seasons and sporadically played right field with lousy results. Mathew was viewed as an ironman for much of his career, starting 150+ games in each of his first 14 seasons. He was a clubhouse leader and was known to be quite adaptable, becoming one of WAB’s biggest superstars of his era. Mathew was impressive even as a teenager, which led to him being snagged by Ibadan as an amateur in March 1993. He spent most of five years in their academy, officially debuting at age 19 in 1996 with 13 at-bats. Mathew was back on the reserve roster in 1997, then emerged as a full-time starter from 1998-onward. Mathew had a terrific debut with 7.0 WAR, 39 home runs, and an Eastern League best 105 walks. He won 1998 Rookie of the Year and his first Silver Slugger. The Iguanas at this point earned an eighth consecutive playoff berth. Their streak lasted 12 seasons total, but they were thwarted in the ELCS by Kano’s dynasty each year from 1998-2001. Mathew emerged as a start though, starting a streak of 14 consecutive seasons worth 5+ WAR. During that run, he led in walks in all but one season. Mathew posted 100+ walks 12 times in his career, which is 1/3 of WAB’s 100+ walk seasons as of 2037. His best was 123 in 2001, falling three short of Robbie Oakes’ WAB record 126 from 1984. Mathew was more than walks though, as during that same WAR streak he was above 40+ home runs 12 times, 100+ RBI 13 times, 100+ runs scored 11 times. In July 2000, Ibadan gave Mathew an eight-year, $16,190,000 extension. Mathew won additional Silver Sluggers in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2010; all at first base apart from the 2001 win (DH). Mathew never won MVP, but was third in 2001, second in 2004, second in 2007, second in 2008, third in 2010, and third in 2011. He had the misfortune of sharing a league with WAB GOAT Darwin Morris for a good chunk of his career. Mathew led the league in runs thrice, home runs twice, walks 14 times, and on-base percentage six times. He had an OPS above one in ten different seasons and led the EL in 2004. Mathew was the WARlord in 2008, although his career best was 9.5 in 2010. Ibadan’s playoff steak would end in 2002, but with Mathew they’d be back in the playoffs in 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. Five of those ended in ELCS losses with one first round defeat, but the Iguanas did finally break through. Despite being the bottom seed at 84-78 in 2009, they won the EL pennant, falling to Abidjan in the WAB Championship. You couldn’t blame Mathew for their playoff woes as in 69 starts he had 69 hits, 38 runs, 11 doubles, 7 triples, 15 home runs, 41 RBI, 44 walks, a .284/.395/.572 slash, 152 wRC+, and 2.6 WAR. These efforts made him beloved by Ibadan fans, even if there was frustration that they seemingly couldn’t win the big one despite their regular playoff berths. Mathew became beloved though throughout all of Nigeria for his remarkable dominance in the World Baseball Championship from 1999-2014. He played 179 games with 171 starts, getting 152 hits, 129 runs, 20 doubles, 63 home runs, 137 RBI, 121 walks, a .267/.412/.634 slash, 199 wRC+, and 11.3 WAR. As of 2037, he is Nigeria’s all-time leader in WAR, runs, hits, homers, and RBI. The Nigerians started to get more worldwide attention with Mathew leading the way. They took runner-up to Indonesia in 1999, finished third in 2009, and fourth in 2011. Among all players of 2037, Mathew is 24^th in WAR for position players, 42^nd in runs, 39rd in home runs, 37^th in RBI, and 23^rd in walks. His OBP ranks 24^th among all batters with 250+ WBC plate appearances and his OPS (1.047) ranks 64^th. These efforts helped make Mathew one of the most endearing figures of Nigerian baseball. In April 2008, Ibadan extended the now 31-year old Mathew for another five years at $21 million. In 2011, he became the second player to score 1500 career runs and the second to 600 home runs, feats only previously reached by Darwin Morris. Mathew that year also was the fourth to reach 1500 RBI. It was a season that saw his career-best 52 home runs and his second-best RBI mark at 131. Mathew became the third to earn 1000+ career walks and blew by Morris’s 1307 to become WAB’s walks leader. The iron man finally ran into injury issues in 2012, starting with a fractured right thumb in spring training that required surgery. Mathew missed three months, only to return in the summer and miss another seven weeks with a fractured finger on his other hand. Ibadan would execute the option year to bring Mathew back for 2013. Mathew showed he still had it, smacking 50 homers with 5.6 WAR in 2013 at age 36. He had a 1.071 OPS, the third best of his career behind only 2010 (1.077) and 2008 (1.072). Ibadan again fell in the ELCS, this time to Cotonou. Their legendary superstar’s deal ran out after the 2013 and they couldn’t come to terms, sending Mathew to free agency at age 37. With Ibadan, Mathew had 2438 hits, 1674 runs, 392 doubles, 688 home runs, 1736 RBI, 1629 walks, a .289/.410/.601 slash, 171 wRC+, and 109.0 WAR. He was THE franchise hero and left with no hard feelings. Mathew’s #32 uniform would be retired immediately after his career ended and he would be a team ambassador for many years following his playing career. Mathew still had high value and Abidjan snatched him up at $18,400,000 over two years. He left Nigeria for the first time in his illustrious career, making the move to the Ivory Coast. Mathew was a good starter in 2014, but it was easily his weakest full season with only 33 home runs and 3.8 WAR. That year, Mathew joined Morris as the only 700 home run players and was the sixth to reach 2500 hits. Abidjan would lose in the second round of the playoffs. Unfortunately for Mathew, he fell off in 2015 with 0.0 WAR, a .739 OPS, and 19 home runs over 120 games. Abidjan again lost in the second round of the playoffs. Prior to that decline, some thought he might challenge Darwin Morris’s home run record, but Mathew realized he was cooked. He retired that winter at age 39, ending his Abidjan stint with 268 games, 250 hits, 161 runs, 47 doubles, 52 home runs, 151 RBI, 143 walks, a .259/.358/.482 slash, 116 wRC+, and 3.8 WAR. At retirement, Mathew was second only to Darwin Morris in home runs, runs scored, RBI, and WAR. He finished with 2698 games, 2688 hits, 1835 runs, 439 doubles, 92 triples, 740 home runs, 1887 RBI, 1772 walks, 318 stolen bases, a .286/.405/.589 slash, 166 wRC+, and 112.8 WAR. As of 2037, Mathew is still WAB’s walks leader and has the eighth most in all of pro baseball history. Even with offensive numbers spiking in WAB in the 2020s and 2030s, Mathew still ranks as of 2037 4^th in WAR, 9^th in home runs, 11^th in RBI, 9^th in runs scored, and 28^th in hits. Mathew ranks 10^th in OBP among any WAB batter with 3000+ plate appearances, 45^th in slugging, and 22^nd in OPS (.994). Amongst all of the world’s Hall of Famers, Mathew is 27^th in OBP and just outside of the top 50 in OPS. If not for Morris, Mathew likely would’ve been widely considered the best player of his era in WAB. It’s hard to believe a guy as impressive as Mathew never snagged an MVP or a WAB title. Regardless, he certainly belongs in the inner circle of West Africa Baseball’s Hall of Fame and has an argument as being the best-ever to come out of Nigeria. At 98.4%, Mathew headlined WAB’s 2021 HOF class. Awudu Haddad – Third Base – Abidjan Athletes – 78.6% Seventh Ballot Awudu Haddad was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed hitting and right-handed throwing third baseman from Gbarnga, Liberia; a city of 34,000 people and the capital of Bong County. Gbarnga is also the birthplace of Tamba Hali, an all-pro NFL defensive lineman. On the whole, Haddad was a jack-of-all-trades type of hitter who didn’t grade as great at any one thing, but was generally above average to occasionally good across the board. Haddad was notably stronger facing right-handed pitching (142 wRC+, .888 OPS) compared to lefties (101 wRC+, .722 OPS). His 162 game average got you 32 home runs, 34 doubles, and 5 triples. Haddad’s power was reliable, but not league-leading. He graded as above average in terms of both contact and eye with a middling strikeout rate relative to other WAB greats. Haddad was likely delightfully average in terms of baserunning speed and ability. All of his starts in the field came at third base where he graded as; you guessed it, reliably above average to good. Haddad’s arm strength was notably great, a must for the position. Haddad started around ¾ of his games at 3B with the rest as a designated hitter. His durability was quite good over an 18-year career. Where Haddad excelled was character, considered one of the finest humans to play the game. He was a team selfless team captain with a tireless worth ethic and great loyalty. Haddad as a person was above reproach, making him one of the most popular and respected players of his era. Haddad rated quite highly as a prospect and was picked third overall by Kumasi in the 1994 WAB Draft. The Monkeys didn’t rush him into the lineup, using him only 8 games in 1995. Haddad played 113 and started 64 in 1996 with unremarkable results. He was ready though for the full-time gig by 1997 and posted 4+ WAR over each of the next five seasons for Kumasi. He breached 6+ thrice in that run, winning Silver Sluggers in 1998 (DH), 1999 (3B), and 2001 (3B). Haddad’s best year with Kumasi came without a Slugger, posting 7.7 WAR, 43 home runs, and 121 RBI in 2000. The Monkeys won the Western League pennant in 1998, but fell in the WAB Championship to the Kano dynasty. Haddad was unremarkable going 6-26 in the run with a 102 wRC+. Kumasi would be stuck right around .500 for the next three seasons. With the Monkeys, Haddad had 908 hits, 517 runs, 217 doubles, 190 home runs, 574 RBI, a .283/.338/.545 slash, 142 wRC+, and 29.0 WAR. Kumasi couldn’t come to terms with Haddad, making him a free agent after the 2001 season at age 27. Abidjan would grab him at $21,440,000 over eight years, beginning what would be Haddad’s most famous run. For the Athletes, Haddad breached 40+ home runs thrice and 4+ WAR six times. His finest effort was 2005, which had a career high 7.8 WAR and .985 OPS. He won Silver Sluggers in 2005, 2007, and 2008, giving him six for his career. Haddad’s lone Gold Glove also came with Abidjan in 2007. When Haddad arrived, Abidjan was coming off three straight WL pennants. They fell off with three straight playoff misses from 2002-04, but then began an eight-year playoff streak in 2005. The Athletes were one-and-done from 2005-07. They had the top seed in 2008 at 106-56, but fell to Monrovia in a WLCS upset. Haddad’s playoff stats were poor over 13 starts with a .196/.268/.333 slash. Abidjan did go onto win pennants in 2009 and 2010, but Haddad was gone by then as he declined his contract option after the 2008 season. Haddad finished with 1114 hits, 621 runs, 208 doubles, 233 home runs, 621 RBI, a .275/.334/.517 slash, 134 wRC+, and 34.3 WAR. This also marked the end of his WAB career at only age 34. Haddad opened up a global search in free agency and landed upon Argentina, signing a four-year, $21,200,000 deal with Buenos Aires. Haddad was a reliably steady starter in his first three years in South America, although he fell off in his fourth year. For the Atlantics, he played 572 games with 537 hits, 254 runs, 108 doubles, 81 home runs, 261 RBI, a .273/.331/.474 slash, 119 wRC+, and 12.6 WAR. During his tenure, Buenos Aires was stuck in the bottom end of the standings. A free agent again at age 38, Haddad went back to Africa, but not to WAB. He signed a two-year, $2,480,000 deal with Nairobi of the African Association of Baseball. Haddad was unremarkable in his one year in Kenya, playing 99 games with 98 wRC+ and 0.9 WAR. The Night Hawks let him go and Haddad was unsigned throughout 2014, retiring that winter at age 40. For his combined pro career, Haddad had 2624 hits, 1429 runs, 551 doubles, 516 home runs, 1507 RBI, 793 walks, 253 stolen bases, a .275/.335/.513 slash, 132 wRC+, and 76.8 WAR. The combined resume was slightly borderline, but probably good enough for most Halls of Fame. However, five of those seasons came outside WAB and meant little or nothing to most WAB voters. In WAB, Haddad saw 2022 hits, 1138 runs, 425 doubles, 61 triples, 423 home runs, 1195 RBI, 576 walks, 185 stolen bases, a .279/.335/.529 slash, 138 wRC+, and 63.3 WAR. As of 2037, Haddad is 43^rd in WAR among position players, but 94^th in hits, 79^th in runs, 92^nd in doubles, 58^th in home runs, and 78^th in RBI. The raw tallies were definitely on the low end, compounded by his lack of black ink or big seasons. Haddad never was an MVP finalist despite his efforts. Supporters pointed to his WAR to show that he was more effective than the raw tallies might suggest. It also is generally tough for guys who weren’t exceptional at one specific skill to draw attention to themselves. Supporters also noted that Haddad was truly an exceptional human being. Fans loved him and no teammate or coach had a bad word about his character. Haddad debuted on the 2015 ballot at 53.2% and dropped slightly to 51.5% in 2016, which would be his low. He bounced around the next few years to 61.1%, 56.2%, 63.8%, and 59.5%. On his seventh ballot, a groundswell of support emerged to get Haddad across the finish line. He received a sizeable bump to 78.6%, crossing the line with room to spare for a seventh ballot induction within WAB’s 2021 Hall of Fame class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)