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FuzzyRussianHat · 01-08-2025, 01:17 PM

Major League Baseball’s 2023 Hall of Fame class had two slam dunk inductees with OF Bryant Packer at 99.7% and 3B Daniel Hecker at 97.9%. Two barely missed the 66% requirement with SP Rinat Khan at 64.2% on his second ballot and SS/3B Robert Hightower at 63.2% in his tenth and final chance. Also cracking 50% was 3B Jeanpaul Vick (58.0%, 4^th ballot), C Sebastian Van Velzen (57.6%, 7^th ballot), 2B Adrian Bega (53.5%, 2^nd ballot), CL Jeremy Dau (53.5%, 2^nd ballot), and SP Victor Burke (53.5%, 5^th ballot).

For Hightower, he fell painfully short with five ballots above 60% and a peak of 64.8% in 2020. He played 18 years between four teams with five Silver Sluggers, 2837 hits, 1288 runs, 539 doubles, 252 home runs, 1238 RBI, .320/.375/.475 slash, 135 wRC+, and 53.7 WAR. Hightower was the 1993 World Series MVP for Calgary and helped Edmonton to their 1999 title.

Hurting Hightower was truly putrid defense between shortstop and third base. At SS in 1224 games, he had -238.0 zone rating and .872 EFF. That greatly tanked his WAR value, plus he was a terrible baserunner for a leadoff type guy. He also lacked home run power, but he had two batting titles and an impressive 5.6% strikeout rate. Hightower’s downsides outweighed his positives just enough to keep him outside the Hall of Fame.

Bryant Packer – Outfield/Designated Hitter – Louisville Lynx – 99.7% First Ballot

Bryant Packer was a 6’2’’, 205 pound left-handed outfielder from Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. Packer was one of the better all-around batters of his era, but he was an especially impressive contact hitter. He had a knack for extra base hits with a 162 game average of 38 home runs, 26 doubles, and 14 triples. Packer was also excellent at avoiding strikeouts with an 8.9% K rate, although he was merely average at drawing walks. He was also one of MLB’s fastest and most adept baserunners.

Packer’s power was especially potent against right-handed pitching with a career 177 wRC+ and .982 OPS. Versus lefties, he was still quite solid with a 140 wRC+ and .846 OPS. Despite Packer’s athleticism, he was a lousy defender. He made just over half of his career starts in right field with terrible results. Packer saw limited time in left field and at first base with similarly poor results. Around ¼ of his career starts came as a designated hitter.

His offensive prowess and impressive durability made Packer a must start even with his defensive deficiencies. Packer was one of the hardest working and selfless players you’d find, although he did sometimes have more guts than sense. These unique skills made him one of MLB’s most beloved superstars despite playing almost exclusively for subpar teams.

Packer moved from Florida up to Indiana as he played three years in college at Notre Dame. In 144 games over three seasons, Packer had 173 hits, 98 runs, 19 doubles, 4 triples, 50 home runs, 115 RBI, .313/.370/.634 slash, 187 wRC+, and 8.9 WAR. Packer was one of the top prospects for the 2000 MLB Draft and went third overall to Louisville.

The Lynx made Packer a starter immediately with great results, winning 2001 Rookie of the Year with 5.7 WAR and a National Association best 18 triples. With Louisville, Packer had 11 seasons above 5+ WAR and seven seasons above 7+ WAR. He led in triples five times, total bases thrice, and once in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and slugging.

Packer won Silver Sluggers in 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009 with Louisville. The first was in left field with the rest in right. Packer finished second in 2003 and 2005’s MVP voting and third in both 2007 and 2009, ultimately never winning the top honor in MVP. He signed an eight-year, $97,600,000 extension after the 2006 season to keep his roots in Kentucky.

Despite his efforts, Louisville never made the playoffs in his tenure. They usually weren’t awful, averaging 78.3 wins per season in Packer’s tenure. The Lynx had four winning seasons with their best effort being 92-70 in 2007, falling three games short of a wild card. Still, Packer was beloved and the biggest draw at the ballpark. His #9 uniform would be the first number retired by Louisville with none joining him as of 2037.

Packer’s production would notably drop in 2012 with career lows in homers (17), OPS (.862), and WAR (3.8) to that point. The year ended with a herniated disc at the end of August. Packer surprised many that winter by opting out of the remainder of his Louisville deal, becoming a free agent at age 32. With the Lynx, Packer had 2251 hits, 1216 runs, 286 doubles, 179 triples, 401 home runs, 1148 RBI, 517 walks, 470 stolen bases, .319/.369/.582 slash, 188 wRC+, and 82.9 WAR.

Many teams still thought Packer had plenty to offer. Edmonton led this group, giving Packer a five-year, $107 million deal. Packer never hit his Louisville highs with the Eels, but he did give them 5+ WAR in his first two seasons. Packer dipped in his final two years and ultimately didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fifth year of the contract. With Edmonton, he did notably reach the 500 home run and 1500 runs scored thresholds. The Eels were a bottom-tier team in the 2010s and Packer would ultimately be one of the best-ever MLB players to never see a postseason game.

With Edmonton, Packer had 661 hits, 340 runs, 86 doubles, 59 triples, 104 home runs, 348 RBI, .296/.342/.528 slash, 136 wRC+, and 14.9 WAR. For 2017, the 36-year old Packer signed a two-year, $28,800,000 deal with Virginia Beach. There he joined the 3000 hit club, but he missed almost half the year to a herniated disc. Packer posted 0.8 WAR and .731 OPS over 100 games for the Vikings, who let him go for 2018.

That marked the end of Packer’s MLB career, although he still wanted to play somewhere. He found an unlikely home in the African Second League, which was making its debut season in 2018. The upstart league liked the idea of having name brand international stars and Packer signed a two-year deal at $14,400,000 with Bangui.

While Packer might not have been MLB starter caliber anymore, he wrecked the field in the new A2L. He won back-to-back MVPs for the Badgers, including a 70 home run, 186 RBI, 182 run effort in 2018 in the incredibly high scoring league. Packer helped set the tone for Bangui, who won the inaugural A2L title in 2018 and took runner up in 2019.

Packer stayed in Africa in 2020 signing with Bulawayo, although he was merely a decent starter for the Buzz. He was unsigned in 2021, retiring that winter at age 41. In three seasons in A2L, Packer had 594 hits, 463 runs, 107 doubles, 158 home runs, 463 RBI, 236 stolen bases, .328/.405/.678 slash, 144 wRC+, and 15.6 WAR.

For his MLB career, Packer ended with 3003 hits, 1610 runs, 380 doubles, 245 triples, 524 home runs, 1545 RBI, 686 walks, 607 stolen bases, .311/.360/.564 slash, 173 wRC+, and 98.6 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 73^rd in hits, 78^th in runs, 6^th in triples, 53^rd in stolen bases, and 58^th in WAR among position players. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Packer’s .923 OPS ranks 84^th.

While Packer’s resume doesn’t put him among the inner-circle greats, he almost quietly was one of the most efficient batters of his era. The Hall of Fame voters didn’t need any convincing for the beloved slugger, who became the first inductee in Louisville light blue. Packer was nearly unanimously inducted at 99.7% as part of MLB’s 2023 class.

Daniel “Coach” Hecker – Third Base – Albuquerque Isotopes – 97.9% First Ballot

Daniel Hecker was a 6’1’’, 200 pound switch-hitting third baseman from Paramount, California; a city of 54,000 people in Los Angeles County. Hecker was best known for his reliable home run power, hitting 30+ dingers in 13 seasons. He rated as above average to good in terms of his contact ability and eye for walks, although his strikeout rate was unremarkable. Hecker could find the gap with solid success and had a 162 game average of 36 homers, 24 doubles, and 7 triples.

Hecker didn’t have extreme splits, but did fare notably better facing right-handed pitching (.892 OPS) versus lefties (.783 OPS). He was a fantastic baserunner and base stealer and was among the fastest in the game at his peak. You might not expect a speedster at third base, but Hecker spent his entire career at the hot corner. He graded as remarkably average, finishing with a career zone rating of 0 and EFF of 1.000; literally as average as you can be.

Few players were more popular in his generation. Hecker was a true fan favorite, but he wasn’t one to take the leadership reigns in the clubhouse. He was ol’ reliable with outstanding durability in his career, playing 135+ games in all but the final three years of a 20-year career. Hecker ended up as the beloved face of the Albuquerque Isotopes, who picked his 13^th overall in MLB’s 1997 MLB Draft.

Before that, Hecker spent three college seasons at Penn State. He played 139 games for the Nittany Lions with 142 hits, 92 runs, 20 doubles, 45 home runs, 97 RBI, 61 walks, 17 stolen bases, .273/.356/.578 slash, 175 wRC+, and 7.6 WAR. That got him on Albuquerque’s radar, who made Hecker a full-time starter immediately after drafting him. He was a staple of the Isotopes lineup for 13 and a half seasons. Hecker debuted with 38 home runs and 6.5 WAR, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1998.

Hecker won Silver Sluggers in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011 with Albuquerque. He wasn’t generally a league leader, but he did notably lead in 2004 in RBI (133), total bases (38), and slugging (.639). That year had his career highs in hits (195), homers (45), average (.328), OPS (1.021), wRC+ (170), and WAR (9.0). Hecker was second in 2004’s MVP and took third in 2001, but never won the top honor. He would lead the American Association twice in stolen bases and had ten seasons above 6+ WAR for the Isotopes.

The fans in New Mexico quickly fell in love with Hecker. Albuquerque became a contender during his run, making the playoffs from 2001-06 and again from 2008-09. Thrice they won the Southwest Division against a tough field that included repeat pennants by both Phoenix and San Diego. In 2002 as a wild card, the Isotopes won the AA pennant over defending champ Nashville. Albuquerque would be defeated by Milwaukee in the World Series. Hecker had a solid playoff run with 22 hits, 17 runs, 4 doubles, 4 homers, 18 RBI, and 9 stolen bases.

In July 2003, Albuquerque signed Hecker to an eight-year, $71,800,000 extension. He had a solid run in the 2005 postseason, but had underwhelming stats in their other efforts. The Isotopes fell in the 2005 AACS to Seattle, but wouldn’t get beyond the second round in any of Hecker’s other seasons. In 15 playoff starts, he had 52 hits, 31 runs, 8 doubles, 12 home runs, 47 RBI, 19 stolen bases, .249/.326/.469 slash, 116 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. Far from dominant, but Hecker was still beloved for helping Albuquerque be regularly in the mix for a decade.

By 2011, Albuquerque needed to rebuild as that would be their first losing campaign since 1999. With one year left on his deal, the Isotopes surprised many by trading their long-time superstar. The 34-year old Hecker was set near the deadline to Tampa for four prospects. He maintained a great relationship with the organization and fans and would see his #23 uniform later retired. With the Isotopes, Hecker had 2299 hits, 1387 runs, 325 doubles, 95 triples, 504 home runs, 1417 RBI, 777 walks, 479 stolen bases, .285/.350/.537 slash, 138 wRC+, and 88.0 WAR.

Hecker helped Tampa’s playoff push as they grabbed the second wild card, then went on a stunning run to a World Series win over Brooklyn. The Thunderbirds ended the longest drought between championships in pro baseball history with their 2011 win, as their only other title had been MLB’s inaugural 1901 season. Hecker had 2.2 WAR in the final two months, but did struggle to -0.1 WAR and .617 in the playoffs.

He fared better in the second-ever Baseball Grand Championship, getting 17 hits, 19 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, 11 RBI, 12 walks, a .266/.405/.594 slash, 183 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. Tampa finished 15-4 to become the second-ever Grand Champion, giving Hecker two rings in three months of work. Now 35-years old, he entered free agency for the first time heading into 2012.

It was one of the bigger culture shifts you could find, going from a decade-plus in the desert Southwest to French Canada. Hecker signed a three-year, $55,400,000 deal with Montreal, where he quickly crossed the 2500 hit, 1500 run, and 1500 RBI milestones. He won a Silver Slugger in 2013, giving him nine for his career. Hecker led the National Association in doubles in 2012 and in runs scored in 2013. He averaged more than 6+ WAR per season in his three-year stint for the Maples.

Montreal would win division titles in 2013 and 2014, although they couldn’t get beyond the second round. Hecker did struggle in the small playoff sample size, going 4-30. In total though, Hecker was quite good for the Maples with 465 hits, 301 runs, 81 doubles, 82 home runs, 212 RBI, 95 steals, .272/.339/.484 slash, 152 wRC+, and 18.8 WAR.

Back to free agency, the now 38-year old signed for two years and $44 million with Philadelphia. 2015 would be rough as Hecker missed most of the year to a fractured ankle. He looked subpar prior to the injury and was used as a backup in 2016. In 186 games for the Phillies, he had 3.0 WAR, .717 OPS, and 106 wRC+.

Hecker still wanted to play and got a one-year deal for 2016 with Detroit. He fared better for the Tigers with 2.4 WAR and .826 OPS in 128 games and 81 starts. While there, Hecker was also able to join the 3000 hit club. Unfortunately by this point, teams could find equivalent players who were much younger and cheaper. Hecker was unsigned in 2018 and retired that winter not long after his 42^nd birthday.

In total, Hecker had 2933 games, 3033 hits, 1872 runs, 441 doubles, 118 triples, 649 home runs, 1787 RBI, 1056 walks, 614 stolen bases, .279/.345/.521 slash, 139 wRC+, and 114.4 WAR. As of 2037, Hecker ranks 33^rd in games, 65^th in hits, 15^th in runs, 35^th in home runs, 36^th in RBI, 48^th in stolen bases, and 20^th in WAR among position players. Specifically at third base, Hecker has the 2^nd-most WAR and leads in both runs and homers.

Like his Hall of Fame classmate Bryant Packer, Hecker almost quietly built up his stellar resume since he wasn’t usually atop leaderboards. Hecker ended up being on the shortlist for MLB’s best-ever third baseman and remains a beloved spokesman for the sport. At 97.9%, Hecker joined Packer for an impressive one-two punch for MLB’s 2023 Hall of Fame class.

01-08-2025, 01:17 PM	#1958
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,898	2023 MLB Hall of Fame Major League Baseball’s 2023 Hall of Fame class had two slam dunk inductees with OF Bryant Packer at 99.7% and 3B Daniel Hecker at 97.9%. Two barely missed the 66% requirement with SP Rinat Khan at 64.2% on his second ballot and SS/3B Robert Hightower at 63.2% in his tenth and final chance. Also cracking 50% was 3B Jeanpaul Vick (58.0%, 4^th ballot), C Sebastian Van Velzen (57.6%, 7^th ballot), 2B Adrian Bega (53.5%, 2^nd ballot), CL Jeremy Dau (53.5%, 2^nd ballot), and SP Victor Burke (53.5%, 5^th ballot). For Hightower, he fell painfully short with five ballots above 60% and a peak of 64.8% in 2020. He played 18 years between four teams with five Silver Sluggers, 2837 hits, 1288 runs, 539 doubles, 252 home runs, 1238 RBI, .320/.375/.475 slash, 135 wRC+, and 53.7 WAR. Hightower was the 1993 World Series MVP for Calgary and helped Edmonton to their 1999 title. Hurting Hightower was truly putrid defense between shortstop and third base. At SS in 1224 games, he had -238.0 zone rating and .872 EFF. That greatly tanked his WAR value, plus he was a terrible baserunner for a leadoff type guy. He also lacked home run power, but he had two batting titles and an impressive 5.6% strikeout rate. Hightower’s downsides outweighed his positives just enough to keep him outside the Hall of Fame. Bryant Packer – Outfield/Designated Hitter – Louisville Lynx – 99.7% First Ballot Bryant Packer was a 6’2’’, 205 pound left-handed outfielder from Tallahassee, the capital of Florida. Packer was one of the better all-around batters of his era, but he was an especially impressive contact hitter. He had a knack for extra base hits with a 162 game average of 38 home runs, 26 doubles, and 14 triples. Packer was also excellent at avoiding strikeouts with an 8.9% K rate, although he was merely average at drawing walks. He was also one of MLB’s fastest and most adept baserunners. Packer’s power was especially potent against right-handed pitching with a career 177 wRC+ and .982 OPS. Versus lefties, he was still quite solid with a 140 wRC+ and .846 OPS. Despite Packer’s athleticism, he was a lousy defender. He made just over half of his career starts in right field with terrible results. Packer saw limited time in left field and at first base with similarly poor results. Around ¼ of his career starts came as a designated hitter. His offensive prowess and impressive durability made Packer a must start even with his defensive deficiencies. Packer was one of the hardest working and selfless players you’d find, although he did sometimes have more guts than sense. These unique skills made him one of MLB’s most beloved superstars despite playing almost exclusively for subpar teams. Packer moved from Florida up to Indiana as he played three years in college at Notre Dame. In 144 games over three seasons, Packer had 173 hits, 98 runs, 19 doubles, 4 triples, 50 home runs, 115 RBI, .313/.370/.634 slash, 187 wRC+, and 8.9 WAR. Packer was one of the top prospects for the 2000 MLB Draft and went third overall to Louisville. The Lynx made Packer a starter immediately with great results, winning 2001 Rookie of the Year with 5.7 WAR and a National Association best 18 triples. With Louisville, Packer had 11 seasons above 5+ WAR and seven seasons above 7+ WAR. He led in triples five times, total bases thrice, and once in hits, stolen bases, batting average, and slugging. Packer won Silver Sluggers in 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009 with Louisville. The first was in left field with the rest in right. Packer finished second in 2003 and 2005’s MVP voting and third in both 2007 and 2009, ultimately never winning the top honor in MVP. He signed an eight-year, $97,600,000 extension after the 2006 season to keep his roots in Kentucky. Despite his efforts, Louisville never made the playoffs in his tenure. They usually weren’t awful, averaging 78.3 wins per season in Packer’s tenure. The Lynx had four winning seasons with their best effort being 92-70 in 2007, falling three games short of a wild card. Still, Packer was beloved and the biggest draw at the ballpark. His #9 uniform would be the first number retired by Louisville with none joining him as of 2037. Packer’s production would notably drop in 2012 with career lows in homers (17), OPS (.862), and WAR (3.8) to that point. The year ended with a herniated disc at the end of August. Packer surprised many that winter by opting out of the remainder of his Louisville deal, becoming a free agent at age 32. With the Lynx, Packer had 2251 hits, 1216 runs, 286 doubles, 179 triples, 401 home runs, 1148 RBI, 517 walks, 470 stolen bases, .319/.369/.582 slash, 188 wRC+, and 82.9 WAR. Many teams still thought Packer had plenty to offer. Edmonton led this group, giving Packer a five-year, $107 million deal. Packer never hit his Louisville highs with the Eels, but he did give them 5+ WAR in his first two seasons. Packer dipped in his final two years and ultimately didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fifth year of the contract. With Edmonton, he did notably reach the 500 home run and 1500 runs scored thresholds. The Eels were a bottom-tier team in the 2010s and Packer would ultimately be one of the best-ever MLB players to never see a postseason game. With Edmonton, Packer had 661 hits, 340 runs, 86 doubles, 59 triples, 104 home runs, 348 RBI, .296/.342/.528 slash, 136 wRC+, and 14.9 WAR. For 2017, the 36-year old Packer signed a two-year, $28,800,000 deal with Virginia Beach. There he joined the 3000 hit club, but he missed almost half the year to a herniated disc. Packer posted 0.8 WAR and .731 OPS over 100 games for the Vikings, who let him go for 2018. That marked the end of Packer’s MLB career, although he still wanted to play somewhere. He found an unlikely home in the African Second League, which was making its debut season in 2018. The upstart league liked the idea of having name brand international stars and Packer signed a two-year deal at $14,400,000 with Bangui. While Packer might not have been MLB starter caliber anymore, he wrecked the field in the new A2L. He won back-to-back MVPs for the Badgers, including a 70 home run, 186 RBI, 182 run effort in 2018 in the incredibly high scoring league. Packer helped set the tone for Bangui, who won the inaugural A2L title in 2018 and took runner up in 2019. Packer stayed in Africa in 2020 signing with Bulawayo, although he was merely a decent starter for the Buzz. He was unsigned in 2021, retiring that winter at age 41. In three seasons in A2L, Packer had 594 hits, 463 runs, 107 doubles, 158 home runs, 463 RBI, 236 stolen bases, .328/.405/.678 slash, 144 wRC+, and 15.6 WAR. For his MLB career, Packer ended with 3003 hits, 1610 runs, 380 doubles, 245 triples, 524 home runs, 1545 RBI, 686 walks, 607 stolen bases, .311/.360/.564 slash, 173 wRC+, and 98.6 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 73^rd in hits, 78^th in runs, 6^th in triples, 53^rd in stolen bases, and 58^th in WAR among position players. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Packer’s .923 OPS ranks 84^th. While Packer’s resume doesn’t put him among the inner-circle greats, he almost quietly was one of the most efficient batters of his era. The Hall of Fame voters didn’t need any convincing for the beloved slugger, who became the first inductee in Louisville light blue. Packer was nearly unanimously inducted at 99.7% as part of MLB’s 2023 class. Daniel “Coach” Hecker – Third Base – Albuquerque Isotopes – 97.9% First Ballot Daniel Hecker was a 6’1’’, 200 pound switch-hitting third baseman from Paramount, California; a city of 54,000 people in Los Angeles County. Hecker was best known for his reliable home run power, hitting 30+ dingers in 13 seasons. He rated as above average to good in terms of his contact ability and eye for walks, although his strikeout rate was unremarkable. Hecker could find the gap with solid success and had a 162 game average of 36 homers, 24 doubles, and 7 triples. Hecker didn’t have extreme splits, but did fare notably better facing right-handed pitching (.892 OPS) versus lefties (.783 OPS). He was a fantastic baserunner and base stealer and was among the fastest in the game at his peak. You might not expect a speedster at third base, but Hecker spent his entire career at the hot corner. He graded as remarkably average, finishing with a career zone rating of 0 and EFF of 1.000; literally as average as you can be. Few players were more popular in his generation. Hecker was a true fan favorite, but he wasn’t one to take the leadership reigns in the clubhouse. He was ol’ reliable with outstanding durability in his career, playing 135+ games in all but the final three years of a 20-year career. Hecker ended up as the beloved face of the Albuquerque Isotopes, who picked his 13^th overall in MLB’s 1997 MLB Draft. Before that, Hecker spent three college seasons at Penn State. He played 139 games for the Nittany Lions with 142 hits, 92 runs, 20 doubles, 45 home runs, 97 RBI, 61 walks, 17 stolen bases, .273/.356/.578 slash, 175 wRC+, and 7.6 WAR. That got him on Albuquerque’s radar, who made Hecker a full-time starter immediately after drafting him. He was a staple of the Isotopes lineup for 13 and a half seasons. Hecker debuted with 38 home runs and 6.5 WAR, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1998. Hecker won Silver Sluggers in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011 with Albuquerque. He wasn’t generally a league leader, but he did notably lead in 2004 in RBI (133), total bases (38), and slugging (.639). That year had his career highs in hits (195), homers (45), average (.328), OPS (1.021), wRC+ (170), and WAR (9.0). Hecker was second in 2004’s MVP and took third in 2001, but never won the top honor. He would lead the American Association twice in stolen bases and had ten seasons above 6+ WAR for the Isotopes. The fans in New Mexico quickly fell in love with Hecker. Albuquerque became a contender during his run, making the playoffs from 2001-06 and again from 2008-09. Thrice they won the Southwest Division against a tough field that included repeat pennants by both Phoenix and San Diego. In 2002 as a wild card, the Isotopes won the AA pennant over defending champ Nashville. Albuquerque would be defeated by Milwaukee in the World Series. Hecker had a solid playoff run with 22 hits, 17 runs, 4 doubles, 4 homers, 18 RBI, and 9 stolen bases. In July 2003, Albuquerque signed Hecker to an eight-year, $71,800,000 extension. He had a solid run in the 2005 postseason, but had underwhelming stats in their other efforts. The Isotopes fell in the 2005 AACS to Seattle, but wouldn’t get beyond the second round in any of Hecker’s other seasons. In 15 playoff starts, he had 52 hits, 31 runs, 8 doubles, 12 home runs, 47 RBI, 19 stolen bases, .249/.326/.469 slash, 116 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. Far from dominant, but Hecker was still beloved for helping Albuquerque be regularly in the mix for a decade. By 2011, Albuquerque needed to rebuild as that would be their first losing campaign since 1999. With one year left on his deal, the Isotopes surprised many by trading their long-time superstar. The 34-year old Hecker was set near the deadline to Tampa for four prospects. He maintained a great relationship with the organization and fans and would see his #23 uniform later retired. With the Isotopes, Hecker had 2299 hits, 1387 runs, 325 doubles, 95 triples, 504 home runs, 1417 RBI, 777 walks, 479 stolen bases, .285/.350/.537 slash, 138 wRC+, and 88.0 WAR. Hecker helped Tampa’s playoff push as they grabbed the second wild card, then went on a stunning run to a World Series win over Brooklyn. The Thunderbirds ended the longest drought between championships in pro baseball history with their 2011 win, as their only other title had been MLB’s inaugural 1901 season. Hecker had 2.2 WAR in the final two months, but did struggle to -0.1 WAR and .617 in the playoffs. He fared better in the second-ever Baseball Grand Championship, getting 17 hits, 19 runs, 3 doubles, 6 home runs, 11 RBI, 12 walks, a .266/.405/.594 slash, 183 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. Tampa finished 15-4 to become the second-ever Grand Champion, giving Hecker two rings in three months of work. Now 35-years old, he entered free agency for the first time heading into 2012. It was one of the bigger culture shifts you could find, going from a decade-plus in the desert Southwest to French Canada. Hecker signed a three-year, $55,400,000 deal with Montreal, where he quickly crossed the 2500 hit, 1500 run, and 1500 RBI milestones. He won a Silver Slugger in 2013, giving him nine for his career. Hecker led the National Association in doubles in 2012 and in runs scored in 2013. He averaged more than 6+ WAR per season in his three-year stint for the Maples. Montreal would win division titles in 2013 and 2014, although they couldn’t get beyond the second round. Hecker did struggle in the small playoff sample size, going 4-30. In total though, Hecker was quite good for the Maples with 465 hits, 301 runs, 81 doubles, 82 home runs, 212 RBI, 95 steals, .272/.339/.484 slash, 152 wRC+, and 18.8 WAR. Back to free agency, the now 38-year old signed for two years and $44 million with Philadelphia. 2015 would be rough as Hecker missed most of the year to a fractured ankle. He looked subpar prior to the injury and was used as a backup in 2016. In 186 games for the Phillies, he had 3.0 WAR, .717 OPS, and 106 wRC+. Hecker still wanted to play and got a one-year deal for 2016 with Detroit. He fared better for the Tigers with 2.4 WAR and .826 OPS in 128 games and 81 starts. While there, Hecker was also able to join the 3000 hit club. Unfortunately by this point, teams could find equivalent players who were much younger and cheaper. Hecker was unsigned in 2018 and retired that winter not long after his 42^nd birthday. In total, Hecker had 2933 games, 3033 hits, 1872 runs, 441 doubles, 118 triples, 649 home runs, 1787 RBI, 1056 walks, 614 stolen bases, .279/.345/.521 slash, 139 wRC+, and 114.4 WAR. As of 2037, Hecker ranks 33^rd in games, 65^th in hits, 15^th in runs, 35^th in home runs, 36^th in RBI, 48^th in stolen bases, and 20^th in WAR among position players. Specifically at third base, Hecker has the 2^nd-most WAR and leads in both runs and homers. Like his Hall of Fame classmate Bryant Packer, Hecker almost quietly built up his stellar resume since he wasn’t usually atop leaderboards. Hecker ended up being on the shortlist for MLB’s best-ever third baseman and remains a beloved spokesman for the sport. At 97.9%, Hecker joined Packer for an impressive one-two punch for MLB’s 2023 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)