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FuzzyRussianHat · 04-30-2025, 06:28 AM

Major League Baseball’s 2030 Hall of Fame class had three first ballot selections, co-headlined by former Omaha stars IF Graham Gregor (98.8%) and LF/DH Killian Fruechte (98.4%). SP Sunny Williams joined them at a rock solid 77.8%. CL Tyler Sattler was the best returner at 63.0% on his second ballot, just missing the 66% requirement. Fellow CL Etzel Urban got 60.7% for his third try. Also above 50% was C Dominick Hennessy with 57.2% for his second ballot, LF Lorenzen Campbell at 54.1% in his second attempt, and CL Stevie Ray Thornton debuting at 52.5%.

Dropped after ten failed ballots was OF Errol Jordan, who had a 16-year career between Cincinnati and San Diego. He peaked at 39.2% in his penultimate ballot before ending at a low of 13.2%. Jordan was a master at drawing walks, leading the league seven times and eight times in OBP. He had 2443 hits, 1410 runs, 343 doubles, 183 triples, 128 home runs, 841 RBI, 1574 walks, 717 strikeouts, 719 steals, .305/.419/.442 slash, 150 wRC+, and 66.6 WAR.

As of 2037, Jordan ranks 11^th in walks and 4^th in OBP among qualifying players, but it was always tough for leadoff guys to get noticed with voters loving power stats. Jordan was also a terrible fielder and didn’t have any Silver Sluggers. Still, he was one of MLB’s better leadoff guys and a big part of San Diego’s playoff success, including winning World Series MVP in 2007.

SP Archer Calloway fell off the ballot, debuting at 21.9% and ending with only 5.1%. He had a 14-year career almost exclusively with Austin and won Pitcher of the Year in both 2006 and 2011. Big injuries ultimately limited his longevity, finishing with a 169-118 record, 3.23 ERA, 2637 innings, 2439 strikeouts, 608 walks, 118 ERA+, and 59.1 WAR. Calloway needed a few more years to get the accumulations up and was perhaps overlooked being on some weaker Amigos teams. Still, few guys can say they won POTY twice.

Graham “Handyman” Gregor – Infield – Omaha Hawks – 98.8% First Ballot

Graham Gregor was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed infielder from Grand Forks, North Dakota; the state’s third-largest city with around 59,000 inhabitants. Gregor became best known for his remarkable longevity, playing 25 seasons and remaining a strong contributor into his 40s. He played for seven teams in his lengthy run and became beloved by the fans at each stop. The nickname “Handyman” came from his steady contributions.

Gregor was a five-star rated player in his prime and was a fantastic contact hitter against both sides. He also had a rock solid eye for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Gregor had reliable power in his bat with 35 home runs, 25 doubles, and 8 triples across his 162 game average. His power was never league leading, but he still smacked 40+ home runs in four seasons. Gregor also graded as a reliably average baserunner.

Defensively, Gregor bounced around the infield throughout his career and could go wherever needed. About half of his starts came at third base, where he graded as below average but passable. Gregor started around 30% of his games at first and was excellent there, winning two Gold Gloves. He also played some second base, but struggled in that spot. That versatility though helped prolong Gregor’s career despite dealing with recurring back and knee troubles.

Gregor attended Arizona State, playing 146 games in three years with 168 hits, 102 runs, 24 doubles, 41 home runs, 99 RBI, 64 walks, .302/.381/.577 slash, and 8.1 WAR. He won a Silver Slugger as a sophomore and was third in NCAA MVP voting. Gregor was a hot prospect for the 1999 MLB Draft and was picked #3 overall by Omaha. He was a full-time starter and a stud right away, winning 2000 Rookie of the Year.

In 2011, Gregor won his first Silver Slugger and Gold Glove at first base and took second in MVP voting, leading the National Association with 213 hits. He also had 9.6 WAR, 106 runs, 43 home runs, and 1.018 OPS. It was one of four seasons with an OPS above one and one of three with 100+ runs scored. Gregor won his second Slugger in 2003 at third base and his second Gold Glove at 1B in 2007.

Gregor’s stats were impressive, but not jaw dropping. It was also hard to earn attention as Omaha was a bottom-tier franchise during his tenure, averaging 73.3 wins per season. Gregor committed after the 2004 season to the Hawks with an eight-year, $79 million extension. 2005 would be his lone setback in Omaha as a torn meniscus knocked him out nearly the entire season.

In January 2005, Gregor had one of his career highlights as MVP of the World Baseball Championship for the United States, who swept Italy in the finale. For the event, Gregor had 22 starts, 28 hits, 19 runs, 6 doubles, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, 1.158 OPS, and 1.8 WAR. His run with the American squad helped make Gregor a beloved superstar nationwide despite starting in the small market of Omaha.

Gregor was also second in 2007’s WBC MVP voting and helped lead the US to world titles in 2003, 05, 07, 08, 10, 11, and 14. He played 229 WBC games from 2002-14 and posted 252 hits, 159 runs, 32 doubles, 6 triples, 67 home runs, 179 RBI, 100 walks, .283/.370/.558 slash, and 9.8 WAR. As of 2037, Gregor ranks 14^th in hits, 17^th in runs, 32^nd in homers, 12^th in RBI, and 43^rd in WAR among position players in the WBC.

With the arrival of Gregor’s Hall of Fame classmate Killian Fruechte, Omaha seemed to possibly be on the way up. In 2008, the Hawks were 82-80, their first winning season since 1992. To their disappointment though, Gregor opted out of his contract that winter, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 29. Certainly fans were sad to see him go, but he remained a beloved figure for years to come across Nebraska.

For Omaha, Gregor had 1280 games, 1480 hits, 735 runs, 206 doubles, 58 triples, 260 home runs, 737 RBI, 481 walks, 141 steals, .314/.383/.547 slash, 182 wRC+, and 60.4 WAR. It was his longest tenure by a good margin and he would be inducted in Hawks red. Omaha also eventually retired his #11 uniform for his efforts over nine years.

Gregor signed an eight-year, $144,800,000 deal with Las Vegas. His Vipers debut was his finest season, winning his lone MVP and third Silver Slugger. Gregor led the American Association in the triple slash (.361/.416/.707), OPS (1.123), wRC+ (204), WAR (10.2), total bases (429), and hits (219). His hits, average, wRC+, total bases, and WAR would be career bests as would his 119 runs, 50 homers, 128 RBI, 30 doubles, and 15 triples. Las Vegas ended an eight-year playoff drought and won the Southwest Division, but was ousted in the second round of the playoffs.

The Vipers had another round two exit in 2010, then spent the next few years above .500 but just outside of the playoffs. Gregor missed the 2010 playoff run and much of the season with strained abdominal muscles. A strained oblique kept him out much of 2011. Gregor was healthy in 2012 and won his fourth Silver Slugger, his only one as a second baseman.

With Las Vegas, Gregor played 526 games with 612 hits, 318 runs, 83 doubles, 128 homers, 352 RBI, .309/.370/.581 slash, 162 wRC+, and 23.6 WAR. He opted out of his deal after the fourth season, heading back to free agency for 2013 at age 33. Gregor inked a five-year, $128 million deal with San Francisco. After a respectable 2013, Gregor returned to the national conversation with a strong 2014.

Despite missing part of the spring to a fractured fibula, Gregor posted 47 home runs, 110 RBI, and 9.9 WAR. He led in the triple slash (.345/.424/.728) with career bests in OBP, slugging, OPS (1.154), and wRC+ (200). Gregor again led in slugging, OPS, and wRC+ in 2015. The Gold Rush were still just outside of the playoffs at this point, missing out by one win in 2015 at 96-66. That gave them a 16-year drought, one of the longer ones in franchise history.

San Francisco broke through at 100-62 in 2016, but lost in the second round. In 2017, the Gold Rush took the top seed at 107-55 and won their first pennant since 1994, falling in the World Series to Boston. Elbow issues kept Gregor out much of the regular season. In the playoff run, he was unremarkable with 15 hits, 7 runs, .749 OPS, and 0.3 WAR over 14 starts.

However, the 38-year old Gregor had one of his finest efforts in the Baseball Grand Championship. In 19 starts, he had 23 hits, 19 runs, 15 home runs, 23 RBI, .329/.427/.986 slash, 1.413 OPS, 281 wRC+, and 2.2 WAR. San Francisco finished 11-8, one of five teams tied for fourth and one game off the first place slot. As of 2037, Gregor is one of only 10 to hit 15+ homers in the event and one of 16 qualifiers with an OPS above 1.400.

That also capped his five year run in San Francisco on a positive note. Over 646 games, Gregor had 715 hits, 387 runs, 105 doubles, 34 triples, 168 home runs, 439 RBI, .306/.386/.595 slash, 163 wRC+, and 32.3 WAR. The next stop was a two-year deal at $43,200,000 with Detroit. He had just one year with the Tigers, who lost in the second round of the playoffs. In 128 games, Gregor at age 39 still posted 6.5 WAR and .905 OPS.

Gregor signed for two years and $41,200,000 with Austin and won a Silver Slugger in 2020 at third base. In 258 games, Gregor had 272 hits, 184 runs, 42 doubles, 65 homers, 174 RBI, 120 walks, .306/.396/.594 slash, 169 wRC+, and 13.8 WAR. The Amigos remained in the middle tier during his tenure. Those were strong numbers for anyone though and were especially impressive from a guy now in his 40s.

The longevity also placed Gregor into the 3000 hit and 600 home run clubs with Austin. For 2021, he signed a one-year, $20,400,000 deal with Chicago and won his seventh Silver Slugger, an award rarely given to a 42-year old. Gregor had 36 homers, 119 RBI, .949 OPS, and 7.3 WAR. The Cubs were a wild card, but lost in the first round.

For 2022, Gregor inked a one-year, $22 million deal with St. Louis. Numerous injuries limited him to only 67 games and 2.1 WAR. The final stop was Atlanta with a three-year, $60,000,000 deal. Gregor stayed largely healthy in two seasons with the Aces, but his production was merely average by this point. In 276 games, he had 236 hits, 136 runs, 28 homers, 105 RBI, .245/.333/.385 slash, 100 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR.

2023 was his last playoff trip, going 0-5 as a pinch hitter as Atlanta lost in the second round. Gregor’s playoff numbers were underwhelming but over a limited sample size with 33 games, 30 hits, 16 runs, 6 doubles, 4 home runs, 11 RBI, .270/.357/.450 slash, 126 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR. Any critic who tries to downplay Gregor for playoff results usually gets shouted down with his Baseball Grand Championship and World Baseball Championship stats.

Gregor in his final years became the 12^th MLB batter to 3500 hits, the 9^th to 700 home runs, and the 6^th to 2000 RBI. Some thought he might chase all-time marks, but age had finally caught up to him by his Atlanta run. Gregor retired after the 2024 season as one of the very few to play in MLB at age 45.

The final tallies had 3328 games, 3666 hits, 1956 runs, 507 doubles, 159 triples, 718 home runs, 2007 RBI, 1310 walks, 1660 strikeouts, 297 steals, .304/.378/.551 slash, 166 wRC+, and 148.0 WAR. As of 2037, Gregor is 3^rd in games played, 7^th in runs, 4^th in hits, 4^th in total bases (6645), 29^th in singles (2282), 33^rd in doubles, 12^th in home runs, 10^th in RBI, 36^th in walks, and 2^nd in WAR among position players. Among all MLB players, Gregor is third in WAR behind CF Morgan Short (170.5) and SP Ned Giles (151.7). His .929 OPS is 71^st among MLB batters with 3000+ plate appearances.

On the world leaderboards, Gregor is 22^nd in games, 48^th in runs, 30^th in hits, and 55^th in WAR among all players ever. He has the second-most WAR of any American behind only Short. Gregor certainly is an inner-circle level Hall of Famer and one of the true beloved immortals of the game.

However, it is a fierce debate as to how high you’d rank Gregor among MLB’s top position players. His tallies are outstanding with stellar longevity, but he didn’t have the huge dominance or playoff runs of some of the other legends. It comes down to how much one values peak and accolades compared to longevity and consistency. Many would place Gregor in the top five, but some slide him out of the top ten. In any event, Gregor co-headlined the three-player 2030 class for Major League Baseball at 98.8%.

04-30-2025, 06:28 AM	#2232
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,627	2030 MLB Hall of Fame (Part 1) Major League Baseball’s 2030 Hall of Fame class had three first ballot selections, co-headlined by former Omaha stars IF Graham Gregor (98.8%) and LF/DH Killian Fruechte (98.4%). SP Sunny Williams joined them at a rock solid 77.8%. CL Tyler Sattler was the best returner at 63.0% on his second ballot, just missing the 66% requirement. Fellow CL Etzel Urban got 60.7% for his third try. Also above 50% was C Dominick Hennessy with 57.2% for his second ballot, LF Lorenzen Campbell at 54.1% in his second attempt, and CL Stevie Ray Thornton debuting at 52.5%. Dropped after ten failed ballots was OF Errol Jordan, who had a 16-year career between Cincinnati and San Diego. He peaked at 39.2% in his penultimate ballot before ending at a low of 13.2%. Jordan was a master at drawing walks, leading the league seven times and eight times in OBP. He had 2443 hits, 1410 runs, 343 doubles, 183 triples, 128 home runs, 841 RBI, 1574 walks, 717 strikeouts, 719 steals, .305/.419/.442 slash, 150 wRC+, and 66.6 WAR. As of 2037, Jordan ranks 11^th in walks and 4^th in OBP among qualifying players, but it was always tough for leadoff guys to get noticed with voters loving power stats. Jordan was also a terrible fielder and didn’t have any Silver Sluggers. Still, he was one of MLB’s better leadoff guys and a big part of San Diego’s playoff success, including winning World Series MVP in 2007. SP Archer Calloway fell off the ballot, debuting at 21.9% and ending with only 5.1%. He had a 14-year career almost exclusively with Austin and won Pitcher of the Year in both 2006 and 2011. Big injuries ultimately limited his longevity, finishing with a 169-118 record, 3.23 ERA, 2637 innings, 2439 strikeouts, 608 walks, 118 ERA+, and 59.1 WAR. Calloway needed a few more years to get the accumulations up and was perhaps overlooked being on some weaker Amigos teams. Still, few guys can say they won POTY twice. Graham “Handyman” Gregor – Infield – Omaha Hawks – 98.8% First Ballot Graham Gregor was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed infielder from Grand Forks, North Dakota; the state’s third-largest city with around 59,000 inhabitants. Gregor became best known for his remarkable longevity, playing 25 seasons and remaining a strong contributor into his 40s. He played for seven teams in his lengthy run and became beloved by the fans at each stop. The nickname “Handyman” came from his steady contributions. Gregor was a five-star rated player in his prime and was a fantastic contact hitter against both sides. He also had a rock solid eye for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Gregor had reliable power in his bat with 35 home runs, 25 doubles, and 8 triples across his 162 game average. His power was never league leading, but he still smacked 40+ home runs in four seasons. Gregor also graded as a reliably average baserunner. Defensively, Gregor bounced around the infield throughout his career and could go wherever needed. About half of his starts came at third base, where he graded as below average but passable. Gregor started around 30% of his games at first and was excellent there, winning two Gold Gloves. He also played some second base, but struggled in that spot. That versatility though helped prolong Gregor’s career despite dealing with recurring back and knee troubles. Gregor attended Arizona State, playing 146 games in three years with 168 hits, 102 runs, 24 doubles, 41 home runs, 99 RBI, 64 walks, .302/.381/.577 slash, and 8.1 WAR. He won a Silver Slugger as a sophomore and was third in NCAA MVP voting. Gregor was a hot prospect for the 1999 MLB Draft and was picked #3 overall by Omaha. He was a full-time starter and a stud right away, winning 2000 Rookie of the Year. In 2011, Gregor won his first Silver Slugger and Gold Glove at first base and took second in MVP voting, leading the National Association with 213 hits. He also had 9.6 WAR, 106 runs, 43 home runs, and 1.018 OPS. It was one of four seasons with an OPS above one and one of three with 100+ runs scored. Gregor won his second Slugger in 2003 at third base and his second Gold Glove at 1B in 2007. Gregor’s stats were impressive, but not jaw dropping. It was also hard to earn attention as Omaha was a bottom-tier franchise during his tenure, averaging 73.3 wins per season. Gregor committed after the 2004 season to the Hawks with an eight-year, $79 million extension. 2005 would be his lone setback in Omaha as a torn meniscus knocked him out nearly the entire season. In January 2005, Gregor had one of his career highlights as MVP of the World Baseball Championship for the United States, who swept Italy in the finale. For the event, Gregor had 22 starts, 28 hits, 19 runs, 6 doubles, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, 1.158 OPS, and 1.8 WAR. His run with the American squad helped make Gregor a beloved superstar nationwide despite starting in the small market of Omaha. Gregor was also second in 2007’s WBC MVP voting and helped lead the US to world titles in 2003, 05, 07, 08, 10, 11, and 14. He played 229 WBC games from 2002-14 and posted 252 hits, 159 runs, 32 doubles, 6 triples, 67 home runs, 179 RBI, 100 walks, .283/.370/.558 slash, and 9.8 WAR. As of 2037, Gregor ranks 14^th in hits, 17^th in runs, 32^nd in homers, 12^th in RBI, and 43^rd in WAR among position players in the WBC. With the arrival of Gregor’s Hall of Fame classmate Killian Fruechte, Omaha seemed to possibly be on the way up. In 2008, the Hawks were 82-80, their first winning season since 1992. To their disappointment though, Gregor opted out of his contract that winter, becoming a free agent for the first time at age 29. Certainly fans were sad to see him go, but he remained a beloved figure for years to come across Nebraska. For Omaha, Gregor had 1280 games, 1480 hits, 735 runs, 206 doubles, 58 triples, 260 home runs, 737 RBI, 481 walks, 141 steals, .314/.383/.547 slash, 182 wRC+, and 60.4 WAR. It was his longest tenure by a good margin and he would be inducted in Hawks red. Omaha also eventually retired his #11 uniform for his efforts over nine years. Gregor signed an eight-year, $144,800,000 deal with Las Vegas. His Vipers debut was his finest season, winning his lone MVP and third Silver Slugger. Gregor led the American Association in the triple slash (.361/.416/.707), OPS (1.123), wRC+ (204), WAR (10.2), total bases (429), and hits (219). His hits, average, wRC+, total bases, and WAR would be career bests as would his 119 runs, 50 homers, 128 RBI, 30 doubles, and 15 triples. Las Vegas ended an eight-year playoff drought and won the Southwest Division, but was ousted in the second round of the playoffs. The Vipers had another round two exit in 2010, then spent the next few years above .500 but just outside of the playoffs. Gregor missed the 2010 playoff run and much of the season with strained abdominal muscles. A strained oblique kept him out much of 2011. Gregor was healthy in 2012 and won his fourth Silver Slugger, his only one as a second baseman. With Las Vegas, Gregor played 526 games with 612 hits, 318 runs, 83 doubles, 128 homers, 352 RBI, .309/.370/.581 slash, 162 wRC+, and 23.6 WAR. He opted out of his deal after the fourth season, heading back to free agency for 2013 at age 33. Gregor inked a five-year, $128 million deal with San Francisco. After a respectable 2013, Gregor returned to the national conversation with a strong 2014. Despite missing part of the spring to a fractured fibula, Gregor posted 47 home runs, 110 RBI, and 9.9 WAR. He led in the triple slash (.345/.424/.728) with career bests in OBP, slugging, OPS (1.154), and wRC+ (200). Gregor again led in slugging, OPS, and wRC+ in 2015. The Gold Rush were still just outside of the playoffs at this point, missing out by one win in 2015 at 96-66. That gave them a 16-year drought, one of the longer ones in franchise history. San Francisco broke through at 100-62 in 2016, but lost in the second round. In 2017, the Gold Rush took the top seed at 107-55 and won their first pennant since 1994, falling in the World Series to Boston. Elbow issues kept Gregor out much of the regular season. In the playoff run, he was unremarkable with 15 hits, 7 runs, .749 OPS, and 0.3 WAR over 14 starts. However, the 38-year old Gregor had one of his finest efforts in the Baseball Grand Championship. In 19 starts, he had 23 hits, 19 runs, 15 home runs, 23 RBI, .329/.427/.986 slash, 1.413 OPS, 281 wRC+, and 2.2 WAR. San Francisco finished 11-8, one of five teams tied for fourth and one game off the first place slot. As of 2037, Gregor is one of only 10 to hit 15+ homers in the event and one of 16 qualifiers with an OPS above 1.400. That also capped his five year run in San Francisco on a positive note. Over 646 games, Gregor had 715 hits, 387 runs, 105 doubles, 34 triples, 168 home runs, 439 RBI, .306/.386/.595 slash, 163 wRC+, and 32.3 WAR. The next stop was a two-year deal at $43,200,000 with Detroit. He had just one year with the Tigers, who lost in the second round of the playoffs. In 128 games, Gregor at age 39 still posted 6.5 WAR and .905 OPS. Gregor signed for two years and $41,200,000 with Austin and won a Silver Slugger in 2020 at third base. In 258 games, Gregor had 272 hits, 184 runs, 42 doubles, 65 homers, 174 RBI, 120 walks, .306/.396/.594 slash, 169 wRC+, and 13.8 WAR. The Amigos remained in the middle tier during his tenure. Those were strong numbers for anyone though and were especially impressive from a guy now in his 40s. The longevity also placed Gregor into the 3000 hit and 600 home run clubs with Austin. For 2021, he signed a one-year, $20,400,000 deal with Chicago and won his seventh Silver Slugger, an award rarely given to a 42-year old. Gregor had 36 homers, 119 RBI, .949 OPS, and 7.3 WAR. The Cubs were a wild card, but lost in the first round. For 2022, Gregor inked a one-year, $22 million deal with St. Louis. Numerous injuries limited him to only 67 games and 2.1 WAR. The final stop was Atlanta with a three-year, $60,000,000 deal. Gregor stayed largely healthy in two seasons with the Aces, but his production was merely average by this point. In 276 games, he had 236 hits, 136 runs, 28 homers, 105 RBI, .245/.333/.385 slash, 100 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. 2023 was his last playoff trip, going 0-5 as a pinch hitter as Atlanta lost in the second round. Gregor’s playoff numbers were underwhelming but over a limited sample size with 33 games, 30 hits, 16 runs, 6 doubles, 4 home runs, 11 RBI, .270/.357/.450 slash, 126 wRC+, and 0.8 WAR. Any critic who tries to downplay Gregor for playoff results usually gets shouted down with his Baseball Grand Championship and World Baseball Championship stats. Gregor in his final years became the 12^th MLB batter to 3500 hits, the 9^th to 700 home runs, and the 6^th to 2000 RBI. Some thought he might chase all-time marks, but age had finally caught up to him by his Atlanta run. Gregor retired after the 2024 season as one of the very few to play in MLB at age 45. The final tallies had 3328 games, 3666 hits, 1956 runs, 507 doubles, 159 triples, 718 home runs, 2007 RBI, 1310 walks, 1660 strikeouts, 297 steals, .304/.378/.551 slash, 166 wRC+, and 148.0 WAR. As of 2037, Gregor is 3^rd in games played, 7^th in runs, 4^th in hits, 4^th in total bases (6645), 29^th in singles (2282), 33^rd in doubles, 12^th in home runs, 10^th in RBI, 36^th in walks, and 2^nd in WAR among position players. Among all MLB players, Gregor is third in WAR behind CF Morgan Short (170.5) and SP Ned Giles (151.7). His .929 OPS is 71^st among MLB batters with 3000+ plate appearances. On the world leaderboards, Gregor is 22^nd in games, 48^th in runs, 30^th in hits, and 55^th in WAR among all players ever. He has the second-most WAR of any American behind only Short. Gregor certainly is an inner-circle level Hall of Famer and one of the true beloved immortals of the game. However, it is a fierce debate as to how high you’d rank Gregor among MLB’s top position players. His tallies are outstanding with stellar longevity, but he didn’t have the huge dominance or playoff runs of some of the other legends. It comes down to how much one values peak and accolades compared to longevity and consistency. Many would place Gregor in the top five, but some slide him out of the top ten. In any event, Gregor co-headlined the three-player 2030 class for Major League Baseball at 98.8%. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)