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FuzzyRussianHat · 12-29-2024, 05:05 AM

Eurasian Professional Baseball saw two Hall of Fame inductees on their debut ballots in 2022 with OF Jov Sakharov at 84.0% and SP Serghei Perenyi at 72.4%. Only one returner was above 50%, but still short of the 66% requirement. That was SP Nijat Statsky at 56.5% on his third attempt.

SS Gleb Khassanov was the lone man to fall off the ballot after ten failed tries. He got as high as 53.6% in 2015 and ended at 44.6%. Khassanov had a 17-year career with Kazan and was well decorated, winning 12 Silver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves, and one MVP. He had 2085 hits, 1074 runs, 326 doubles, 120 triples, 299 home runs, 911 RBI, 687 stolen bases, a .249/.299/.424 slash, 130 wRC+, and 100.5 WAR.

Khassanov is one of only four EPB players with 12+ Silver Sluggers as of 2037 and also still ranks 16^th in WAR among position players. Poor playoff numbers (.611, 95 wRC+) hurt his case and he had -0.3 WAR in Kazan’s 1997 title win. Khassnaov also wasn’t a home run hitter and was a leadoff guy, which lowered him with some voters.

Still, purely based on accolades and WAR, Khassanov has to be one of the biggest-ever snubs in EPB history. Even stranger is that the EPB voters seemingly have a bias against shortstops with none inducted as of 2037. Leonard Szuster and Javid Zaripov both notably had 100+ WAR careers from the mid 1950s to early 1970s and both missed out as well.

Jov Sakharov – Outfield – St. Petersburg Polar Bears – 84.0% First Ballot

Jov Sakharov was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia’s sixth-largest city with over 1.2 million residents. At his best, Sakharov was a rock solid contact hitter with a very strong pop in his bat. His gap power was especially potent with 29 doubles and 11 triples per his 162 game average, leading the league thrice in both stats. Sakharov also could leg out extra bases with very good speed and outstanding baserunning chops.

Sakharov didn’t have prolific home run power, but he managed 26 per his 162 game average. He was considered average to below average in terms of drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Sakharov had solid durability for most of his career, playing 130+ games in 14 of his 17 pro seasons. His loyalty and work ethic were both top notch, making him one of Russia’s most beloved players of the era. Despite that, Sakharov wasn’t the guy to look at for vocal leadership.

Around 55% of Sakharov’s career starts came in right field, where he graded as a reliably good-to-great defender. His strong arm was his biggest asset in gunning down baserunners. About 30% of his starts were in center where he was below average, but passable. Sakharov moved to left field in his final three seasons with below average metrics. On the whole, he provided positive value defensively to go along with a great bat.

By the 1999 EPB Draft, Sakharov was arguably the top Russian prospect. He was picked second overall by St. Petersburg, where he’d play 14 years. As a rookie in 2002, Sakharov was iffy in 66 games and 46 starts for the Polar Bears. He became a full-time starter the next year and fared quite well. In 2002, Sakharov earned his first Silver Slugger in right field.

Sakharov jumped from good to great in 2003 with another Slugger and a third place in MVP voting. That would be his first of seven consecutive seasons worth 7+ WAR. Sakharov would lead the European League in WAR from 2004-09 and was above 9.5+ WAR in all but 2009. With that, he went from great to outstanding. From 2004-08, Sakharov won five consecutive MVPs and five Sluggers. As of 2037, he’s the only five-time MVP in EPB history.

During the run, Sakharov led in runs four times, hits thrice, doubles, thrice, triples thrice, home runs once, RBI once, total bases five times, stolen bases once, batting average twice, OBP once, slugging four times, OPS thrice, and wRC+ thrice. Sakharov’s 2006 was the gold standard at 14.18 WAR, setting EPB’s single-season record by a non two-way player. Even when adding Igor Bury’s two-way exploits, Sakharov’s mark still ranks fourth best in EPB history. As of 2037 among all position players in world history, Sakharov’s WAR mark ranks as the 27^th-best single season.

Sakharov’s 2006 also had his career bests in runs (126), hits (207), triples (18), home runs (47), total bases (419), batting average (.329), slugging (.665), OPS (1.019), and wRC+ (219). The 126 runs were a new EPB single-season record that would only finally be passed in 2036. His 110 RBI kept him eight short of the Triple Crown behind teammate Jermija Chernogorov. Sakharov’s total bases was the third-best single season to that point and ranks fifth as of 2037. It would be one of two seasons for Sakharov with 40+ homers and 100+ RBI, joining the 2008 campaign.

Worth adding, Sakharov’s 11.93 WAR in 2004 ranks as the third-best single season by a position player in EPB as of 2037. As of 2037, he’s also one of four EPB position players to hit 10+ WAR in three or more seasons. These exploits made Sakharov arguably the biggest superstar in Russian baseball as EPB tried to rebuild following the great exodus of teams in 2000.

He also played from 2002-2014 in 97 games for Russia in the World Baseball Championship. Sakharov’s combined tournament stats had 95 hits, 57 runs, 23 doubles, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 46 stolen bases, a .275/.349/.512 slash, 148 wRC+, and 4.3 WAR. It was a relatively down period for the Russians in the WBC with their lone division title with Sakharov coming in 2008.

Despite his efforts, St. Petersburg was generally stuck around third or fourth in the European League behind the likes of Moscow and Minsk. The Polar Bears finished first in both 2005 and 2006, but were upset by the Mules both years in the ELCS. Sakharov was notably disappointing in those playoff efforts with a .200/.208/.356 slash, 72 wRC+, and 0.0 WAR. Still, Sakharov earned an eight-year, $32,760,000 extension signed in May 2006.

Although the MVP streak stopped after 2008, Sakharov still won Silver Sluggers in 2009 and 2010. His final three Sluggers came in center field while his first six were in right. 2011 would be Sakharov’s first major setback with a concussion that kept him out from late April through the rest of the season. This also started a down period for the Polar Bears, who fell to 67-95 for their first losing season since 2002.

He bounced back for two more solid seasons as a starter for St. Petersburg, although he was now out of the awards conversations and the Polar Bears were out of the playoff hunt. Sakharov had one year left on his deal entering 2014 at age 35. With the rebuild on, St. Petersburg traded their longtime icon in spring training to Omsk for three prospects.

With the Polar Bears, Sakharov had 2001 hits, 1076 runs, 363 doubles, 141 triples, 329 home runs, 992 RBI, 419 walks, 911 stolen bases, a .277/.321/.504 slash, 159 wRC+, and 98.1 WAR. While disappointed to leave, Sakharov maintained a good relationship with St. Petersburg and his #26 uniform would remain a common sight at the ballpark for decades to come. The Polar Bears would take that number out of circulation at the end of his career.

Sakharov had a good 5.6 WAR debut for Omsk in 2014, who went all the way to the EPB Championship and defeated Rostov. This quelled some of the old criticism about Sakharov’s weak playoff runs, as he had 13 hits, 10 runs, 4 doubles, 4 homers, 8 RBI, 4 steals, .980 OPS, 193 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR in 12 starts. The trade was certainly a win for the Otters since it netted them a championship. Happy with Sakharov’s results, Omsk extended him for two years and $19 million in the offseason.

Age caught up though as Sakharov posted only 2.9 WAR in 2015, easily his lowest full-season tally. He also was terrible in the Asian League Championship Series as the Otters fell to Ufa. Even with his strong 2014 performance, Sakharov’s career playoff numbers were underwhelming over 30 starts with 24 hits, 17 runs, 9 doubles, 5 home runs, 11 RBI, 9 steals, a .218/.246/.455 slash, 112 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR.

In 2016, Sakharov was actively bad and reduced to a bench role with .592 OPS and 73 wRC+ over 80 games and 34 starts. He retired that winter at age 38, finishing his Omsk tenure with 293 hits, 165 runs, 53 doubles, 22 triples, 46 home runs, 158 RBI, 122 steals, a .248/.297/.447 slash, 122 wRC+, and 8.5 WAR. Most importantly though, he had a championship ring from 2014.

Sakharov finished at 2294 hits, 1241 runs, 416 doubles, 163 triples, 375 home runs, 1150 RBI, 492 walks, 1033 stolen bases, a .273/.318/.496 slash, 154 wRC+, and 106.6 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 7^th in WAR among position players, 69^th in hits, 34^th in runs, 32^nd in doubles, 69^th in triples, 67^th in RBI, and 14^th in stolen bases.

While EPB is a low scoring environment generally, Sakharov’s accumulations do rank lower than you’d expect from the only five-time MVP. That does keep him out of the GOAT-level conversations and a few sticklers voted against him between that and weak playoff stats. That said, his five year MVP run was arguably the best-ever five year run for any EPB position player. Common sense prevailed for most Hall of Fame voters, giving Sakharov a first ballot selection at 84.0% to headline the 2022 class.

Serghei “The Tornado” Perenyi – Starting Pitcher – Samara Steelers – 72.4% First Ballot

Serghei Perenyi was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Arad, a city of 145,000 in western Romania. He earned the nickname “The Tornado” for his unusual spinning windup. Perenyi was well rounded with good-to-great stuff, movement, and control. His fastball was excellent with 97-99 mph peak velocity and was mixed in with a good forkball, along with a decent screwball and slider.

Compared to most EPB aces of the era, Perenyi’s stamina was average. He often had lingering smaller injuries that cost him innings, although he avoided the big season-enders for most of his run. Perenyi was good at holding runners but weak defensively. He was viewed as a very adaptable and intelligent pitcher and was appreciated in the clubhouse for his loyalty.

Perenyi was viewed as the top pitching prospect by many for the 2001 EPB Draft and was selected accordingly. He went #1 overall to Samara and inked a six-year, $11,460,000 deal from the start. The Steelers were one of the four expansion franchises chartered in 2000 to fill the void of the departing teams in the exodus. Perenyi was thrown into the rotation full-time immediately in the ace role. Although he had the most losses in the league in his debut, Perenyi still had a respectable showing and took third in Rookie of the Year voting.

In 2004, Perenyi tossed his lone no-hitter on May 15, striking out 14 with one walk versus Volgograd. 2004 would be the first of 11 consecutive seasons worth 5+ WAR. He had three 300+ strikeout seasons for Samara, peaking with a career and league best 332 in 2006. That season earned a third place in Pitcher of the Year voting, Perenyi’s only time as a finalist for the Steelers. It was hard to get attention for a new and struggling franchise, as Samara averaged 71 wins per season during his tenure.

Samara didn’t expect to be able to keep Perenyi once he was due free agency. Thus shortly after the 2008 season, he was traded to Minsk for five prospects and a third round draft pick. With Samara, Perenyi had a 97-83 record, 2.45 ERA, 1735.1 innings, 1902 strikeouts, 349 walks, 113 ERA+, 76 FIP-, and 42.1 WAR. He would be the first-ever player inducted in Steelers colors and the second inducted representing an expansion team.

Perenyi had more innings and games with Samara, although his Minsk tenure was arguably more impactful. They wanted him long-term and not as a rental, giving Perenyi a four-year, $22,940,000 in late April. In his Miners debut, the now 30-year old Perenyi won his lone ERA title at 1.98 and had career and league bests in WHIP (0.89), and K/BB (12.3).

He won his lone Pitcher of the Year and Minsk had the top seed at 106-56, although they were ousted in the European League Championship Series by Moscow. Perenyi was 0-2 in his ELCS starts, allowing 11 runs (8 earned) in 15 innings. He wasn’t an awards finalist for the rest of his career despite his next two seasons being his best by WAR, getting league bests in 2010 at 8.0 and 9.9 in 2011. Perenyi had garbage run support in 2011 with an 8-11 record even with a 47 FIP- and 139 ERA+.

Minsk missed the playoffs narrowly in 2010 but got back as a wild card in 2011 with 96 wins. The Miners got revenge on Moscow in the ELCS and won the EPB Championship over Omsk. Perenyi got his ring, although he was merely decent in his three playoff starts with a 3.00 ERA over 24 innings with 22 strikeouts. In the Baseball Grand Championship, Perenyi had a 3.06 ERA over 32.1 innings with 39 strikeouts, a 1-3 record, 134 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. The Miners would take last place in the event at 5-14.

While Perenyi’s playoff stats were underwhelming, he did post quite solid numbers for his native Romania in the World Baseball Championship. From 2002-2015, he had 194.1 innings with an 11-9 record, 2.22 ERA, 249 strikeouts, and 5.5 WAR. Perenyi was third in 2005’s Best Pitcher voting with 11.1 scoreless innings. Then in 2012, he was outstanding as the Romanians stunned many by winning the World Championship over Italy. In 35 innings, Perenyi had a 4-0 record, 0.51 ERA, 42 strikeouts, 718 ERA+, and 1.2 WAR. Romania was the second smallest country by population to win the title at that point behind only the Czech Republic (1980).

2011’s title marked the end of Minsk’s seemingly unending EPB dominance. They fell to 86-76 in 2012, then started a seven year run of losing seasons. Still, Perenyi got a four-year, $41 million extension after the 2012 season. He remained a solid piece in 2013 and 2014, then struggled for parts of 2015. That season ended with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in early September, putting Perenyi’s future in doubt.

He was determined to make it back and succeeded in 2016, although he had to retool his game with his velocity down to the 92-94 mph range. Perenyi had eight respectable starts, but suffered bone chips in his elbow in June. An August setback caused doctors to pull the plug on any further comeback hopes and Perenyi retired just after his 38^th birthday. With Minsk, he had a 77-80 record, 2.74 ERA, 1537.1 innings, 1548 strikeouts, 197 walks, 118 ERA+, and 44.4 WAR.

In total, Perenyi had a 174-163 record, 2.59 ERA, 3272.2 innings, 3450 strikeouts, 546 walks, 182 complete games, 39 shutouts, 115 ERA+, 73 FIP-, and 86.6 WAR. As of 2037, Perenyi is 42^nd in pitching WAR, 65^th in strikeouts, 75^th in innings pitched, 49^th in complete games, and 38^th in shutouts. Even by the pitcher-friendly voting standards of EPB, Perenyi’s tallies were on the lower end.

His excellent FIP- made those who favored newer metrics argue that Perenyi was stronger than the older metrics would suggest. Supporters also said he was underappreciated due to being on some poor Samara teams. Those supporters outweighed the detractors for 72.4% of the vote, narrowly crossing the 66% requirement for induction. Perenyi was the second member of EPB’s 2022 Hall of Fame class and continued the tradition of strong Romanian pitchers. He was the seventh to make EPB’s HOF (and as of 2037, the last one).

12-29-2024, 05:05 AM	#1927
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,895	2022 EPB Hall of Fame Eurasian Professional Baseball saw two Hall of Fame inductees on their debut ballots in 2022 with OF Jov Sakharov at 84.0% and SP Serghei Perenyi at 72.4%. Only one returner was above 50%, but still short of the 66% requirement. That was SP Nijat Statsky at 56.5% on his third attempt. SS Gleb Khassanov was the lone man to fall off the ballot after ten failed tries. He got as high as 53.6% in 2015 and ended at 44.6%. Khassanov had a 17-year career with Kazan and was well decorated, winning 12 Silver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves, and one MVP. He had 2085 hits, 1074 runs, 326 doubles, 120 triples, 299 home runs, 911 RBI, 687 stolen bases, a .249/.299/.424 slash, 130 wRC+, and 100.5 WAR. Khassanov is one of only four EPB players with 12+ Silver Sluggers as of 2037 and also still ranks 16^th in WAR among position players. Poor playoff numbers (.611, 95 wRC+) hurt his case and he had -0.3 WAR in Kazan’s 1997 title win. Khassnaov also wasn’t a home run hitter and was a leadoff guy, which lowered him with some voters. Still, purely based on accolades and WAR, Khassanov has to be one of the biggest-ever snubs in EPB history. Even stranger is that the EPB voters seemingly have a bias against shortstops with none inducted as of 2037. Leonard Szuster and Javid Zaripov both notably had 100+ WAR careers from the mid 1950s to early 1970s and both missed out as well. Jov Sakharov – Outfield – St. Petersburg Polar Bears – 84.0% First Ballot Jov Sakharov was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed outfielder from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia’s sixth-largest city with over 1.2 million residents. At his best, Sakharov was a rock solid contact hitter with a very strong pop in his bat. His gap power was especially potent with 29 doubles and 11 triples per his 162 game average, leading the league thrice in both stats. Sakharov also could leg out extra bases with very good speed and outstanding baserunning chops. Sakharov didn’t have prolific home run power, but he managed 26 per his 162 game average. He was considered average to below average in terms of drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Sakharov had solid durability for most of his career, playing 130+ games in 14 of his 17 pro seasons. His loyalty and work ethic were both top notch, making him one of Russia’s most beloved players of the era. Despite that, Sakharov wasn’t the guy to look at for vocal leadership. Around 55% of Sakharov’s career starts came in right field, where he graded as a reliably good-to-great defender. His strong arm was his biggest asset in gunning down baserunners. About 30% of his starts were in center where he was below average, but passable. Sakharov moved to left field in his final three seasons with below average metrics. On the whole, he provided positive value defensively to go along with a great bat. By the 1999 EPB Draft, Sakharov was arguably the top Russian prospect. He was picked second overall by St. Petersburg, where he’d play 14 years. As a rookie in 2002, Sakharov was iffy in 66 games and 46 starts for the Polar Bears. He became a full-time starter the next year and fared quite well. In 2002, Sakharov earned his first Silver Slugger in right field. Sakharov jumped from good to great in 2003 with another Slugger and a third place in MVP voting. That would be his first of seven consecutive seasons worth 7+ WAR. Sakharov would lead the European League in WAR from 2004-09 and was above 9.5+ WAR in all but 2009. With that, he went from great to outstanding. From 2004-08, Sakharov won five consecutive MVPs and five Sluggers. As of 2037, he’s the only five-time MVP in EPB history. During the run, Sakharov led in runs four times, hits thrice, doubles, thrice, triples thrice, home runs once, RBI once, total bases five times, stolen bases once, batting average twice, OBP once, slugging four times, OPS thrice, and wRC+ thrice. Sakharov’s 2006 was the gold standard at 14.18 WAR, setting EPB’s single-season record by a non two-way player. Even when adding Igor Bury’s two-way exploits, Sakharov’s mark still ranks fourth best in EPB history. As of 2037 among all position players in world history, Sakharov’s WAR mark ranks as the 27^th-best single season. Sakharov’s 2006 also had his career bests in runs (126), hits (207), triples (18), home runs (47), total bases (419), batting average (.329), slugging (.665), OPS (1.019), and wRC+ (219). The 126 runs were a new EPB single-season record that would only finally be passed in 2036. His 110 RBI kept him eight short of the Triple Crown behind teammate Jermija Chernogorov. Sakharov’s total bases was the third-best single season to that point and ranks fifth as of 2037. It would be one of two seasons for Sakharov with 40+ homers and 100+ RBI, joining the 2008 campaign. Worth adding, Sakharov’s 11.93 WAR in 2004 ranks as the third-best single season by a position player in EPB as of 2037. As of 2037, he’s also one of four EPB position players to hit 10+ WAR in three or more seasons. These exploits made Sakharov arguably the biggest superstar in Russian baseball as EPB tried to rebuild following the great exodus of teams in 2000. He also played from 2002-2014 in 97 games for Russia in the World Baseball Championship. Sakharov’s combined tournament stats had 95 hits, 57 runs, 23 doubles, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 46 stolen bases, a .275/.349/.512 slash, 148 wRC+, and 4.3 WAR. It was a relatively down period for the Russians in the WBC with their lone division title with Sakharov coming in 2008. Despite his efforts, St. Petersburg was generally stuck around third or fourth in the European League behind the likes of Moscow and Minsk. The Polar Bears finished first in both 2005 and 2006, but were upset by the Mules both years in the ELCS. Sakharov was notably disappointing in those playoff efforts with a .200/.208/.356 slash, 72 wRC+, and 0.0 WAR. Still, Sakharov earned an eight-year, $32,760,000 extension signed in May 2006. Although the MVP streak stopped after 2008, Sakharov still won Silver Sluggers in 2009 and 2010. His final three Sluggers came in center field while his first six were in right. 2011 would be Sakharov’s first major setback with a concussion that kept him out from late April through the rest of the season. This also started a down period for the Polar Bears, who fell to 67-95 for their first losing season since 2002. He bounced back for two more solid seasons as a starter for St. Petersburg, although he was now out of the awards conversations and the Polar Bears were out of the playoff hunt. Sakharov had one year left on his deal entering 2014 at age 35. With the rebuild on, St. Petersburg traded their longtime icon in spring training to Omsk for three prospects. With the Polar Bears, Sakharov had 2001 hits, 1076 runs, 363 doubles, 141 triples, 329 home runs, 992 RBI, 419 walks, 911 stolen bases, a .277/.321/.504 slash, 159 wRC+, and 98.1 WAR. While disappointed to leave, Sakharov maintained a good relationship with St. Petersburg and his #26 uniform would remain a common sight at the ballpark for decades to come. The Polar Bears would take that number out of circulation at the end of his career. Sakharov had a good 5.6 WAR debut for Omsk in 2014, who went all the way to the EPB Championship and defeated Rostov. This quelled some of the old criticism about Sakharov’s weak playoff runs, as he had 13 hits, 10 runs, 4 doubles, 4 homers, 8 RBI, 4 steals, .980 OPS, 193 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR in 12 starts. The trade was certainly a win for the Otters since it netted them a championship. Happy with Sakharov’s results, Omsk extended him for two years and $19 million in the offseason. Age caught up though as Sakharov posted only 2.9 WAR in 2015, easily his lowest full-season tally. He also was terrible in the Asian League Championship Series as the Otters fell to Ufa. Even with his strong 2014 performance, Sakharov’s career playoff numbers were underwhelming over 30 starts with 24 hits, 17 runs, 9 doubles, 5 home runs, 11 RBI, 9 steals, a .218/.246/.455 slash, 112 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. In 2016, Sakharov was actively bad and reduced to a bench role with .592 OPS and 73 wRC+ over 80 games and 34 starts. He retired that winter at age 38, finishing his Omsk tenure with 293 hits, 165 runs, 53 doubles, 22 triples, 46 home runs, 158 RBI, 122 steals, a .248/.297/.447 slash, 122 wRC+, and 8.5 WAR. Most importantly though, he had a championship ring from 2014. Sakharov finished at 2294 hits, 1241 runs, 416 doubles, 163 triples, 375 home runs, 1150 RBI, 492 walks, 1033 stolen bases, a .273/.318/.496 slash, 154 wRC+, and 106.6 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 7^th in WAR among position players, 69^th in hits, 34^th in runs, 32^nd in doubles, 69^th in triples, 67^th in RBI, and 14^th in stolen bases. While EPB is a low scoring environment generally, Sakharov’s accumulations do rank lower than you’d expect from the only five-time MVP. That does keep him out of the GOAT-level conversations and a few sticklers voted against him between that and weak playoff stats. That said, his five year MVP run was arguably the best-ever five year run for any EPB position player. Common sense prevailed for most Hall of Fame voters, giving Sakharov a first ballot selection at 84.0% to headline the 2022 class. Serghei “The Tornado” Perenyi – Starting Pitcher – Samara Steelers – 72.4% First Ballot Serghei Perenyi was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Arad, a city of 145,000 in western Romania. He earned the nickname “The Tornado” for his unusual spinning windup. Perenyi was well rounded with good-to-great stuff, movement, and control. His fastball was excellent with 97-99 mph peak velocity and was mixed in with a good forkball, along with a decent screwball and slider. Compared to most EPB aces of the era, Perenyi’s stamina was average. He often had lingering smaller injuries that cost him innings, although he avoided the big season-enders for most of his run. Perenyi was good at holding runners but weak defensively. He was viewed as a very adaptable and intelligent pitcher and was appreciated in the clubhouse for his loyalty. Perenyi was viewed as the top pitching prospect by many for the 2001 EPB Draft and was selected accordingly. He went #1 overall to Samara and inked a six-year, $11,460,000 deal from the start. The Steelers were one of the four expansion franchises chartered in 2000 to fill the void of the departing teams in the exodus. Perenyi was thrown into the rotation full-time immediately in the ace role. Although he had the most losses in the league in his debut, Perenyi still had a respectable showing and took third in Rookie of the Year voting. In 2004, Perenyi tossed his lone no-hitter on May 15, striking out 14 with one walk versus Volgograd. 2004 would be the first of 11 consecutive seasons worth 5+ WAR. He had three 300+ strikeout seasons for Samara, peaking with a career and league best 332 in 2006. That season earned a third place in Pitcher of the Year voting, Perenyi’s only time as a finalist for the Steelers. It was hard to get attention for a new and struggling franchise, as Samara averaged 71 wins per season during his tenure. Samara didn’t expect to be able to keep Perenyi once he was due free agency. Thus shortly after the 2008 season, he was traded to Minsk for five prospects and a third round draft pick. With Samara, Perenyi had a 97-83 record, 2.45 ERA, 1735.1 innings, 1902 strikeouts, 349 walks, 113 ERA+, 76 FIP-, and 42.1 WAR. He would be the first-ever player inducted in Steelers colors and the second inducted representing an expansion team. Perenyi had more innings and games with Samara, although his Minsk tenure was arguably more impactful. They wanted him long-term and not as a rental, giving Perenyi a four-year, $22,940,000 in late April. In his Miners debut, the now 30-year old Perenyi won his lone ERA title at 1.98 and had career and league bests in WHIP (0.89), and K/BB (12.3). He won his lone Pitcher of the Year and Minsk had the top seed at 106-56, although they were ousted in the European League Championship Series by Moscow. Perenyi was 0-2 in his ELCS starts, allowing 11 runs (8 earned) in 15 innings. He wasn’t an awards finalist for the rest of his career despite his next two seasons being his best by WAR, getting league bests in 2010 at 8.0 and 9.9 in 2011. Perenyi had garbage run support in 2011 with an 8-11 record even with a 47 FIP- and 139 ERA+. Minsk missed the playoffs narrowly in 2010 but got back as a wild card in 2011 with 96 wins. The Miners got revenge on Moscow in the ELCS and won the EPB Championship over Omsk. Perenyi got his ring, although he was merely decent in his three playoff starts with a 3.00 ERA over 24 innings with 22 strikeouts. In the Baseball Grand Championship, Perenyi had a 3.06 ERA over 32.1 innings with 39 strikeouts, a 1-3 record, 134 ERA+, and 0.8 WAR. The Miners would take last place in the event at 5-14. While Perenyi’s playoff stats were underwhelming, he did post quite solid numbers for his native Romania in the World Baseball Championship. From 2002-2015, he had 194.1 innings with an 11-9 record, 2.22 ERA, 249 strikeouts, and 5.5 WAR. Perenyi was third in 2005’s Best Pitcher voting with 11.1 scoreless innings. Then in 2012, he was outstanding as the Romanians stunned many by winning the World Championship over Italy. In 35 innings, Perenyi had a 4-0 record, 0.51 ERA, 42 strikeouts, 718 ERA+, and 1.2 WAR. Romania was the second smallest country by population to win the title at that point behind only the Czech Republic (1980). 2011’s title marked the end of Minsk’s seemingly unending EPB dominance. They fell to 86-76 in 2012, then started a seven year run of losing seasons. Still, Perenyi got a four-year, $41 million extension after the 2012 season. He remained a solid piece in 2013 and 2014, then struggled for parts of 2015. That season ended with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in early September, putting Perenyi’s future in doubt. He was determined to make it back and succeeded in 2016, although he had to retool his game with his velocity down to the 92-94 mph range. Perenyi had eight respectable starts, but suffered bone chips in his elbow in June. An August setback caused doctors to pull the plug on any further comeback hopes and Perenyi retired just after his 38^th birthday. With Minsk, he had a 77-80 record, 2.74 ERA, 1537.1 innings, 1548 strikeouts, 197 walks, 118 ERA+, and 44.4 WAR. In total, Perenyi had a 174-163 record, 2.59 ERA, 3272.2 innings, 3450 strikeouts, 546 walks, 182 complete games, 39 shutouts, 115 ERA+, 73 FIP-, and 86.6 WAR. As of 2037, Perenyi is 42^nd in pitching WAR, 65^th in strikeouts, 75^th in innings pitched, 49^th in complete games, and 38^th in shutouts. Even by the pitcher-friendly voting standards of EPB, Perenyi’s tallies were on the lower end. His excellent FIP- made those who favored newer metrics argue that Perenyi was stronger than the older metrics would suggest. Supporters also said he was underappreciated due to being on some poor Samara teams. Those supporters outweighed the detractors for 72.4% of the vote, narrowly crossing the 66% requirement for induction. Perenyi was the second member of EPB’s 2022 Hall of Fame class and continued the tradition of strong Romanian pitchers. He was the seventh to make EPB’s HOF (and as of 2037, the last one). __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)