OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

FuzzyRussianHat · 06-27-2025, 04:34 PM

Two earned induction for the Asian Baseball Federation Hall of Fame in 2031, captained by a near unanimous 97.3% for 1B/RF Rafkat Kudaybergenov. Closer Ananthakrishnan Khan joined him by a very slim margin at 66.8%, just crossing the 66% requirement on his third try. SP Ahour Sabbari barely missed out with a 64.5% debut. Also above 50% was 3B Eser Haspolatli at 56.9% in his second ballot and CL Raghid Yazdani debuting at 53.1%.

No one was dropped after ten failed ballots, although 1B Mark Mkrtchyan deserves a brief mention after falling below 5% in his eighth try. He peaked at 35.7% and retired as ABF’s leader in walks drawn at 1214, although he ranks fourth as of 2037. Mkrtchyan played 17 years with 2529 games, 2108 hits, 1299 runs, 349 doubles, 97 triples, 457 home runs, 1128 RBI, .237/.341/.452 slash, 153 wRC+, and 84.6 WAR. Mkrtchyan is also 34^th in WAR among position players, but only had one Silver Slugger and wasn’t dominant enough in his peak to earn more traction.

Rafkat Kudaybergenov – First Base/Right Field – Faisalabad Fire – 97.3% First Ballot

Rafkat Kudaybergenov was a 5’11’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman and right fielder from Tashkent, the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. Kudaybergenov was known as an excellent contact hitter, especially facing right-handed pitching. He had strong gap power and respectable home run power with 40 doubles and 27 home runs per his 162 game average. Kudaybergenov was above average at drawing walks and average at avoiding strikeouts.

Facing RHP, Kudaybergenov had an outstanding career 193 wRC+ and .948 OPS. He was still plenty capable against lefties with a .772 OPS and 141 wRC+. Kudaybergenov was an incredibly skilled and crafty baserunner, proving a capable threat despite mediocre top speed. He split his career almost evenly between first base and right field, playing RF mostly in the front end of his career and 1B in the back end.

Kudaybergenov’s speed and range were too poor to succeed in the outfield, grading as a poor defender in RF. Despite height usually being valued at first base, the stocky lefty graded as rock solid there, winning Gold Gloves in 2020, 22, and 23. Kudaybergenov did run into various injuries, but still persevered for a two decade career thanks to a fantastic work ethic. Kudaybergenov became extremely popular in the region and is considered by many to be the best player to ever come out of Uzbekistan.

Prior to the 21^st Century, Uzbek players were typically in the domain of Eurasian Professional Baseball. Tashkent was among the teams that left EPB for ABF in 2000, which was around when a teenaged Kudaybergenov was dominating Central Asia’s amateur ranks. The expansion led to the Pakistani teams more extensively scouting the region with Faisalabad taking notice of Kudaybergenov specifically. Shortly after his 16^th birthday, Kudaybergenov inked a developmental deal with the Fire in June 2002.

Although his whole career would be in Pakistan, Kudaybergenov was still an excellent regular for his native Uzbekistan in the World Baseball Championship. From 2007-26, he played 201 games with 229 hits, 110 runs, 44 doubles, 45 home runs, 121 RBI, .315/.376/.565 slash, and 10.0 WAR. Kudaybergenov is one of only 41 position players in WBC history with 10+ WAR as of 2037 and ranks 17^th in hits and 9^th in doubles.

Kudaybergenov also helped the Uzbek team punch well above its weight with a division title in 2010 and a shocking runner-up finish to England in 2019. He leads all Uzbeks in the WBC in games, starts, runs, hits, doubles, RBI, and WAR and ranks 4^th in homers. This helped Kudaybergenov become a huge baseball star back home even as his made his way in ABF for Faisalabad.

In 2004, Kudaybergenov was a rare 18-year old debut, although he went hitless in ten at-bats. He struggled over 116 games and 42 starts in 2005, leading to him being sent back to the academy for all of 2006. Kudaybergenov was back in 2007 and ready to start full-time, a role he held for most of the next 19 years with Faisalabad.

2008 saw Kudaybergenov win the batting title at .317, but 2009 had a setback due to a sprained thumb and strained back keeping him out two months. He was mostly healthy and excellent in 2010, taking second in MVP voting with league bests in average (.357), OBP (.402), OPS (1.017), and wRC+ (220). The average, OPS, and wRC+ would be career highs. This ended a 12-year stretch of losing seasons for Faisalabad, who lost in the first round of the playoffs. The Fire finally had reason to think they could compete, signing Kudaybergenov to a four-year, $20,760,000 extension in June 2010.

Kudaybergenov’s best year was 2011, winning his lone MVP along with his first Silver Slugger in RF. He led the East League in runs (107), hits (204), doubles (52), total bases (352), OBP (.407), slugging (.602), OPS (1.009), wRC+ (215), and WAR (10.3). The runs, hits, doubles, OBP, and WAR were all career bests. Faisalabad finished 96-66, earning the top seed for the first time in franchise history. They carried that to their first-ever ABF Championship win, defeating Tehran in the final.

In the ELCS against Almaty, Kudaybergenov earned series MVP honors. Across 14 playoff starts, he posted 14 hits, 9 runs, 6 homers, 11 RBI, 1.080 OPS, 223 wRC+, and 1.0 WAR. Kudaybergenov had a respectable showing in the 2011 Baseball Grand Championship with 23 hits, 11 runs, 6 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBI, .984 OPS, 128 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR. Faisalabad finished 8-11 in the event, but it was clear they had a shot to compete regularly for the next few years.

2012 was a setback for Kudaybergenov, who suffered bone chips in his elbow in spring training and missed more than half the season. Faisalabad narrowly got the final wild card, but lost in the first round to Almaty. The Fire bounced back for the top seed again in 2013 at 100-62, but was stunned in a first round upset loss against Dushanbe.

Despite the disappointing finish, Kudaybergenov was a beast again with a Silver Slugger and second place in MVP voting. He led in the triple slash (.340/.402/.576), OPS (.978), wRC+ (212), and hits (194). Faisalabad was yet again the top seed in 2014 at 99-63, this time prevailing for their second pennant. The Fire won their second ABF Championship as well, topping Mashhad in the finale.

Kudaybergenov was finals MVP with an impressive playoff run with 20 hits, 13 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, 14 RBI, 1.031 OPS, 228 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR. He again was merely decent in the BGC with a .830 OPS, 122 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR as the Fire again finished 8-11. That summer, the Fire extended the now 28-year old Kudaybergenov for the long haul on a hefty eight-year, $97,100,000 deal.

Faisalabad had one more first round exit in 2015 before beginning a rebuild with back-to-back losing seasons. Kudaybergenov still held up his end, leading in doubles in 2016 and winning a Silver Slugger in 2017 in RF. The Fire had geared back up by 2018, falling one win short of the playoffs and a division title at 89-73. They did that despite Kudaybergenov missing most of the season to a torn hamstring.

Kudaybergenov lost some time in 2019 to a fractured rib, but still managed a third place in MVP voting with an EL-best .914 OPS and 189 wRC+ over 127 games. Faisalabad started a six-year playoff streak, although they were ousted in the 2019 ELCS by Dushanbe. Kudaybergenov got his first Silver Slugger at first base and a Gold Glove in 2020, but the Fire fell in the first round of the playoffs.

Faisalabad returned to the top spot in 2021 with a franchise-best 106-56 season en route to an ABF Championship win over Izmir. Kudaybergenov was finals MVP for the second time and earned his third ring, posting a .957 OPS, 196 wRC+, and 1.1 WAR in 16 starts. He led the EL with 52 doubles in the regular season, earning third in MVP voting.

2021 would be his most impressive showing in the Baseball Grand Championship with 24 hits, 16 runs, 4 doubles, 7 home runs, 14 RBI, 1.045 OPS, 185 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR. Despite that, it was Faisalabad’s worst showing at 6-13. That winter, Kudaybergenov inked a new three-year, $36,800,000 extension. The Fire remained a contender for the next three years with three more division titles and a 105-win 2022, but they suffered three straight ELCS defeats from 2022-24.

Kudaybergenov still performed well, taking third in 2022’s MVP voting with his fifth and final Silver Slugger. His playoff stats were weak in 2022 and 2024, but were quite solid over the entirety of his career. In 108 starts, Kudaybergenov had 106 hits, 54 runs, 24 doubles, 20 home runs, 65 RBI, 13 steals, .262/.313/.469 slash, 136 wRC+, and 3.9 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 11^th in ABF playoff hits, 10^th in runs, and 4^th in RBI.

In 2024, Kudaybergenov hit for the cycle against his hometown Tashkent in an important milestone. In 2025, he became only the second member of ABF’s 3000 hit club, a feat first achieved by Mehmet Fatih Canaydin the prior year. Age finally caught up though and Kudaybergenov struggled in 2025 with only 101 games, 71 starts, .722 OPS, 116 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR.

He hoped to still play in 2026, but went unsigned and didn’t see the field apart from two plate appearances in the World Baseball Championship for Uzbekistan. Kudaybergenov retired that winter at age 40 and Faisalabad immediately honored their longtime superstar by retiring his #15 uniform.

Kudaybergenov finished with 2719 games, 3065 hits, 1477 runs, 667 doubles, 34 triples, 458 home runs, 1497 RBI, 821 walks, 1668 strikeouts, 324 stolen bases, .315/.368/.531 slash, 179 wRC+, and 117.4 WAR. As of 2037, Kudaybergenov ranks 8^th in games, 4^th in hits, 7^th in runs, 5^th in total bases (5174), 3^rd in doubles, 32^nd in home runs, 12^th in RBI, 21^st in walks, and 2^nd in WAR among all players. Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Kudaybergenov’s .899 OPS ranks 44^th and his triple slash is 29^th/30^th/68^th.

Nizami Aghazade is the undisputed ABF GOAT with nine MVPs and 183.1 career WAR, but the #2 spot is very much up for grabs with a number of guys in the 100-110 WAR range. You could make a fair case for Kudaybergenov, although his lower home run tallies are often cited to favor other players. Longevity definitely helped his tallies over raw dominance.

However, Kudaybergenov’s playoff successes can’t be overstated, leading Faisalabad to their first successes. Very few guys in ABF’s competitive field can claim three rings with one team. He usually makes most top 10 and several top 5 lists when discussing the Asian Baseball Federation’s best-ever position players. Kudaybergenov was a clear inner-circle Hall of Famer in any case, headlining the 2031 class at 97.3%.

Ananthakrishnan Khan – Closer – Peshawar Predators – 66.8% Third Ballot

Ananthakrishnan Khan was a 6’3’’, 205 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Kochi, India; a metropolis with over two million in its greater area on the country’s southwestern coast. Khan had absolutely filthy overpowering stuff in his prime, although his movement and control both graded as above average at best. He had a 99-101 mph fastball along with an excellent curveball and was a master at changing speeds.

Khan’s stamina was excellent, especially for a reliever. He also showed very good durability on the whole as one of the few closers to boast a 20+ year career. Khan was good at holding runners, but weaker defensively otherwise. His work ethic was also top notch and played a big role in his longevity. Khan would be the first Indian added into ABF’s Hall of Fame.

Indian players rarely entered ABF’s sphere, generally because of the political tensions with neighboring Pakistan. ABF scouts rarely even bothered despite India’s massive population, but Peshawar made an exception for Khan. They convinced him to come west on a developmental deal signed in September 1997. He spent five years in the Predators’ academy, debuting in 2003 at age 21 with 37.1 respectable innings. Khan earned the closer role the next year and held it five seasons for Peshawar.

Khan had remarkable dominance for Peshawar, who was firmly a mid-to-lower rung team during his tenure. He won four consecutive Reliever of the Year awards from 2005-08, leading the East League with 39 saves in 2005. This year also had his highs in games (77), innings (104), strikeouts (199), and WAR (7.3). It ranks as one of only 49 seasons in world history where the ROTY winner posted 7+ WAR. Nearly getting 200 strikeouts as a closer was also unheard of.

From June 30, 2005 to June 2, 2007; Khan had an incredible 74 save streak. Editor’s note: there’s no easy way to search if this is a world record, but it probably is. During that streak were 42 consecutive scoreless innings from 8/2/06 to 5/29/07. Khan also tossed 16.2 straight hitless innings from 4/23/07 to 5/29/07. You’d be hard pressed in all of baseball history to find a better nearly two year stretch by a closer.

His best ERA and highest save total were both 2006 at 40 saves and a 0.71 ERA. For Peshawar, Khan had 182 saves and 227 shutdowns, 1.33 ERA, 486 innings, 923 strikeouts, 113 walks, 234 ERA+, and 28.4 WAR. The franchise was going nowhere though, finishing 64-98 in 2008. With Khan entering his last season under team control, the Predators traded him in the offseason to Istanbul for two prospects.

Khan’s dominance continued in Turkey with his fifth consecutive Reliever of the Year, becoming the only five-time winner in ABF history. He had a 1.10 ERA, 34 saves, 145 strikeouts, 73.2 innings, and 4.6 WAR. He also in July struck out 11 consecutive batters across a few appearances. The Ironmen had won back-to-back ABF titles in 2007-08 before Khan arrived. They fell off in 2009, narrowly claiming the second wild card at 87-75. Istanbul fell in the first round and Khan didn’t get a chance to make an appearance.

Now 28-years old, Khan was a free agent and had plenty of worldwide attention. He had also been successful for India in the World Baseball Championship, where he split time between starting and relief. From 2005-19, Khan had a 13-7 record and 9 saves in 169 innings with a 2.66 ERA, 342 strikeouts, 75 walks, and 6.2 WAR. His 18.21 K/9 ranks 22^nd among all WBC pitchers with 80+ innings. In 2009, Khan had helped India to its first World Championship, upsetting the United States in the final.

American teams liked what they saw and Tampa ultimately brought Khan to Major League Baseball on a two-year, $19,900,000 deal. Despite being healthy, Khan was used only for seven appearances in all of 2010, although he allowed only one unearned run and struck out 12 in 7.1 innings. In 2011, Khan took over the closer role and finished third in Reliever of the Year voting with a 1.35 ERA over 73.1 innings, 25 saves, 112 strikeouts, and 4.9 WAR.

Tampa had won the first World Series back in 1901, but hadn’t made it back since. The Thunderbirds ended that long drought in 2011 with an upset run and finals win over Brooklyn. Khan had a stellar postseason with 10 games, 18 innings, 5 saves, and 3-1 record, 0.50 ERA, 22 strikeouts, four walks, and 1.2 WAR. Amazingly, he was arguably more impressive in the second-ever Baseball Grand Championship.

Khan had 12 scoreless innings in nine appearances in the BGC with four saves, two wins, 27 strikeouts, five walks, and four hits. Tampa finished 15-4 to become the second-ever Grand Champion. Although the time with the Thunderbirds was brief, Khan certainly was quite impactful to get them to the top spot in the world. He was back to free agency after that and signed for one year and $9,500,000 with Hartford.

He had some trouble for the Huskies with a 4.18 ERA over 32.1 innings, leading to a July trade with Ottawa. Khan fared better with a 2.56 ERA over 31.2 innings for the Elks, and gave up a solo homer in his one playoff inning. He joined Detroit in 2013, but had his first major injury setback in spring training with a torn rotator cuff. Khan did look good in the two appearances he made in late September with the Tigers with three scoreless innings.

Khan’s longest MLB tenure came with Montreal, who signed him for 2014 at $15,600,000 over two years. They gave him a two-year, $14,800,000 extension in June 2015. While Khan wasn’t in the awards conversations, he had a very solid run with the Maples with 88 saves and 102 shutdowns over 235.2 innings, a 2.18 ERA, 393 strikeouts, 79 walks 158 ERA+, and 10.6 WAR. Khan also had two shutout playoff innings in 2014, although Montreal couldn’t get out of the first round.

After the 2016 season, Khan was traded to Brooklyn for prospects and gave the Dodgers a solid 2017 with 34 saves, 1.90 ERA, 80.1 innings, 103 strikeouts, and 1.9 WAR. Khan gave up one run over eight playoff innings with 11 strikeouts as Brooklyn fell in the National Association Championship Series to Boston. This ultimately was the end of his MLB tenure, returning to free agency and ABF at age 36.

Between the MLB stints, Khan had a 46-39 record, 2.12 ERA, 171 saves, 197 shutdowns, 463.2 innings, 733 strikeouts, 145 walks, 162 ERA+, 48 FIP-, and 20.7 WAR. It was a very impressive brief tenure and he managed to even get 6.0% in 2024 and 3.7% in 2025 for MLB’s Hall of Fame voting. Khan’s ABF return came on a two-year, $10,800,000 deal with Kabul. The Black Knights had been largely unsuccessful since joining in the 2009 expansion.

With Kabul in 2018, Khan had a 2.54 ERA, 27 saves, 92 innings, 144 strikeouts, and 2.8 WAR. They traded him in the winter to Tabriz, who had lost in that year’s West League Championship Series. The Tiger Sharks got over the hump in 2019 with a 107-55 record, earning their first-ever ABF Championship win over Dushanbe.

Khan again proved to be a beast in the postseason. He tossed 16.1 scoreless innings over nine appearances with seven saves, one win, and 25 strikeouts. He allowed only three hits and three walks. Khan’s scoreless innings run continued through the Baseball Grand Championship with 9.1 no-hit innings over nine appearances, seven saves, 16 strikeouts, and three walks. Tabriz shocked the world with a 15-4 finish, becoming the first ABF team to win the Grand Championship. Khan also became one of the very few to have two BGC rings to his name.

Tabriz extended Khan for two years and $5,520,000 that winter and he ultimately stayed through 2023 with the Tiger Sharks. His regular season stats were less incredible than his Peshawar days, but he was still quite solid and took third in Reliever of the Year voting. Tabriz remained a playoff contender with three more 100+ win seasons and #1 seeds. They couldn’t get back over the hump with ELCS losses in 2020 and 2022, along with a first round exit in 2021.

Khan remained steady when called upon in the playoffs, finishing with a 0.29 ERA, 10 saves, 31.1 innings, 20 games, and 38 strikeouts for Tabriz. Adding his MLB totals, Khan had a 0.60 ERA over 60.1 playoff innings with 17 saves, a 6-3 record, 79 strikeouts, 10 walks, 604 ERA+, and 2.9 WAR. When you add in 21.1 scoreless innings in the BGC with 43 strikeouts and 11 saves, it is clear that Khan is among the best postseason closers in baseball history.

His velocity started to dip with age and he missed much of 2023 to a strained oblique, only pitching 12 innings with a 4.50 ERA. However, he had 1.1 scoreless playoff innings as Tabriz won another ABF Championship. Khan retired after that at age 42, electing to skip the 2023 BGC. Overall for Tabriz, Khan had 79 saves, a 1.87 ERA, 269 innings, 381 strikeouts, 43 walks, 208 ERA+, and 8.4 WAR.

In ABF, Khan finished with 322 saves and 409 shutdowns, 73-53 record, 1.59 ERA, 695 games, 920.2 innings, 1593 strikeouts, 205 walks, 212 ERA+, 40 FIP-, and 44.2 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 71^st in WAR among all pitchers, 5^th in saves, and 8^th in games. Khan doesn’t quite qualify for rate stats (1000 innings needed), but his ERA, 15.58 K/9, and .469 opponent’s OPS would each be ABF records if he was included.

The voters for the Asian Baseball Federation were less forgiving to closers compared to other Halls of Fame. There were only two previous inductees and Khan had them both beat in innings, ERA, strikeouts, and WAR. Still, some voters felt Khan just wasn’t around long enough and others were just generally anti-closer. He barely missed the 66% requirement in his first two ballots with 65.0% and 62.9%.

Khan only slightly bumped up in 2031 to 66.8%, but that got him across the line as a third ballot inductee. His five Reliever of the Year awards and playoff exploits certainly earned him a spot among ABF’s greats. But Khan’s combined stats with MLB ranks him among the best-ever closers in all of world history. He finished with 493 saves and 606 shutdowns, a 119-92 record, 1.77 ERA, 1084 games, 1384.1 innings, 2326 strikeouts, 350 walks, 193 ERA+, 43 FIP-, and 64.9 WAR.

As of 2037 among all closers in world history, Khan is 16^th in saves, 6^th in strikeouts, 11^th in WAR, 14^th in games, and 7^th in shutdowns. Among Hall of Fame relievers, Khan is 33^rd in ERA, 29^th in ERA+, 29^th in FIP-, and 24^th in opponent’s OPS. He’s easily on the shortlist for all-time great closers and has to be strongly considered when discussing the best-ever postseason closers.

06-27-2025, 04:34 PM	#2292
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,401	2031 ABF Hall of Fame Two earned induction for the Asian Baseball Federation Hall of Fame in 2031, captained by a near unanimous 97.3% for 1B/RF Rafkat Kudaybergenov. Closer Ananthakrishnan Khan joined him by a very slim margin at 66.8%, just crossing the 66% requirement on his third try. SP Ahour Sabbari barely missed out with a 64.5% debut. Also above 50% was 3B Eser Haspolatli at 56.9% in his second ballot and CL Raghid Yazdani debuting at 53.1%. No one was dropped after ten failed ballots, although 1B Mark Mkrtchyan deserves a brief mention after falling below 5% in his eighth try. He peaked at 35.7% and retired as ABF’s leader in walks drawn at 1214, although he ranks fourth as of 2037. Mkrtchyan played 17 years with 2529 games, 2108 hits, 1299 runs, 349 doubles, 97 triples, 457 home runs, 1128 RBI, .237/.341/.452 slash, 153 wRC+, and 84.6 WAR. Mkrtchyan is also 34^th in WAR among position players, but only had one Silver Slugger and wasn’t dominant enough in his peak to earn more traction. Rafkat Kudaybergenov – First Base/Right Field – Faisalabad Fire – 97.3% First Ballot Rafkat Kudaybergenov was a 5’11’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman and right fielder from Tashkent, the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. Kudaybergenov was known as an excellent contact hitter, especially facing right-handed pitching. He had strong gap power and respectable home run power with 40 doubles and 27 home runs per his 162 game average. Kudaybergenov was above average at drawing walks and average at avoiding strikeouts. Facing RHP, Kudaybergenov had an outstanding career 193 wRC+ and .948 OPS. He was still plenty capable against lefties with a .772 OPS and 141 wRC+. Kudaybergenov was an incredibly skilled and crafty baserunner, proving a capable threat despite mediocre top speed. He split his career almost evenly between first base and right field, playing RF mostly in the front end of his career and 1B in the back end. Kudaybergenov’s speed and range were too poor to succeed in the outfield, grading as a poor defender in RF. Despite height usually being valued at first base, the stocky lefty graded as rock solid there, winning Gold Gloves in 2020, 22, and 23. Kudaybergenov did run into various injuries, but still persevered for a two decade career thanks to a fantastic work ethic. Kudaybergenov became extremely popular in the region and is considered by many to be the best player to ever come out of Uzbekistan. Prior to the 21^st Century, Uzbek players were typically in the domain of Eurasian Professional Baseball. Tashkent was among the teams that left EPB for ABF in 2000, which was around when a teenaged Kudaybergenov was dominating Central Asia’s amateur ranks. The expansion led to the Pakistani teams more extensively scouting the region with Faisalabad taking notice of Kudaybergenov specifically. Shortly after his 16^th birthday, Kudaybergenov inked a developmental deal with the Fire in June 2002. Although his whole career would be in Pakistan, Kudaybergenov was still an excellent regular for his native Uzbekistan in the World Baseball Championship. From 2007-26, he played 201 games with 229 hits, 110 runs, 44 doubles, 45 home runs, 121 RBI, .315/.376/.565 slash, and 10.0 WAR. Kudaybergenov is one of only 41 position players in WBC history with 10+ WAR as of 2037 and ranks 17^th in hits and 9^th in doubles. Kudaybergenov also helped the Uzbek team punch well above its weight with a division title in 2010 and a shocking runner-up finish to England in 2019. He leads all Uzbeks in the WBC in games, starts, runs, hits, doubles, RBI, and WAR and ranks 4^th in homers. This helped Kudaybergenov become a huge baseball star back home even as his made his way in ABF for Faisalabad. In 2004, Kudaybergenov was a rare 18-year old debut, although he went hitless in ten at-bats. He struggled over 116 games and 42 starts in 2005, leading to him being sent back to the academy for all of 2006. Kudaybergenov was back in 2007 and ready to start full-time, a role he held for most of the next 19 years with Faisalabad. 2008 saw Kudaybergenov win the batting title at .317, but 2009 had a setback due to a sprained thumb and strained back keeping him out two months. He was mostly healthy and excellent in 2010, taking second in MVP voting with league bests in average (.357), OBP (.402), OPS (1.017), and wRC+ (220). The average, OPS, and wRC+ would be career highs. This ended a 12-year stretch of losing seasons for Faisalabad, who lost in the first round of the playoffs. The Fire finally had reason to think they could compete, signing Kudaybergenov to a four-year, $20,760,000 extension in June 2010. Kudaybergenov’s best year was 2011, winning his lone MVP along with his first Silver Slugger in RF. He led the East League in runs (107), hits (204), doubles (52), total bases (352), OBP (.407), slugging (.602), OPS (1.009), wRC+ (215), and WAR (10.3). The runs, hits, doubles, OBP, and WAR were all career bests. Faisalabad finished 96-66, earning the top seed for the first time in franchise history. They carried that to their first-ever ABF Championship win, defeating Tehran in the final. In the ELCS against Almaty, Kudaybergenov earned series MVP honors. Across 14 playoff starts, he posted 14 hits, 9 runs, 6 homers, 11 RBI, 1.080 OPS, 223 wRC+, and 1.0 WAR. Kudaybergenov had a respectable showing in the 2011 Baseball Grand Championship with 23 hits, 11 runs, 6 doubles, 3 homers, 8 RBI, .984 OPS, 128 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR. Faisalabad finished 8-11 in the event, but it was clear they had a shot to compete regularly for the next few years. 2012 was a setback for Kudaybergenov, who suffered bone chips in his elbow in spring training and missed more than half the season. Faisalabad narrowly got the final wild card, but lost in the first round to Almaty. The Fire bounced back for the top seed again in 2013 at 100-62, but was stunned in a first round upset loss against Dushanbe. Despite the disappointing finish, Kudaybergenov was a beast again with a Silver Slugger and second place in MVP voting. He led in the triple slash (.340/.402/.576), OPS (.978), wRC+ (212), and hits (194). Faisalabad was yet again the top seed in 2014 at 99-63, this time prevailing for their second pennant. The Fire won their second ABF Championship as well, topping Mashhad in the finale. Kudaybergenov was finals MVP with an impressive playoff run with 20 hits, 13 runs, 4 doubles, 6 home runs, 14 RBI, 1.031 OPS, 228 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR. He again was merely decent in the BGC with a .830 OPS, 122 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR as the Fire again finished 8-11. That summer, the Fire extended the now 28-year old Kudaybergenov for the long haul on a hefty eight-year, $97,100,000 deal. Faisalabad had one more first round exit in 2015 before beginning a rebuild with back-to-back losing seasons. Kudaybergenov still held up his end, leading in doubles in 2016 and winning a Silver Slugger in 2017 in RF. The Fire had geared back up by 2018, falling one win short of the playoffs and a division title at 89-73. They did that despite Kudaybergenov missing most of the season to a torn hamstring. Kudaybergenov lost some time in 2019 to a fractured rib, but still managed a third place in MVP voting with an EL-best .914 OPS and 189 wRC+ over 127 games. Faisalabad started a six-year playoff streak, although they were ousted in the 2019 ELCS by Dushanbe. Kudaybergenov got his first Silver Slugger at first base and a Gold Glove in 2020, but the Fire fell in the first round of the playoffs. Faisalabad returned to the top spot in 2021 with a franchise-best 106-56 season en route to an ABF Championship win over Izmir. Kudaybergenov was finals MVP for the second time and earned his third ring, posting a .957 OPS, 196 wRC+, and 1.1 WAR in 16 starts. He led the EL with 52 doubles in the regular season, earning third in MVP voting. 2021 would be his most impressive showing in the Baseball Grand Championship with 24 hits, 16 runs, 4 doubles, 7 home runs, 14 RBI, 1.045 OPS, 185 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR. Despite that, it was Faisalabad’s worst showing at 6-13. That winter, Kudaybergenov inked a new three-year, $36,800,000 extension. The Fire remained a contender for the next three years with three more division titles and a 105-win 2022, but they suffered three straight ELCS defeats from 2022-24. Kudaybergenov still performed well, taking third in 2022’s MVP voting with his fifth and final Silver Slugger. His playoff stats were weak in 2022 and 2024, but were quite solid over the entirety of his career. In 108 starts, Kudaybergenov had 106 hits, 54 runs, 24 doubles, 20 home runs, 65 RBI, 13 steals, .262/.313/.469 slash, 136 wRC+, and 3.9 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 11^th in ABF playoff hits, 10^th in runs, and 4^th in RBI. In 2024, Kudaybergenov hit for the cycle against his hometown Tashkent in an important milestone. In 2025, he became only the second member of ABF’s 3000 hit club, a feat first achieved by Mehmet Fatih Canaydin the prior year. Age finally caught up though and Kudaybergenov struggled in 2025 with only 101 games, 71 starts, .722 OPS, 116 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. He hoped to still play in 2026, but went unsigned and didn’t see the field apart from two plate appearances in the World Baseball Championship for Uzbekistan. Kudaybergenov retired that winter at age 40 and Faisalabad immediately honored their longtime superstar by retiring his #15 uniform. Kudaybergenov finished with 2719 games, 3065 hits, 1477 runs, 667 doubles, 34 triples, 458 home runs, 1497 RBI, 821 walks, 1668 strikeouts, 324 stolen bases, .315/.368/.531 slash, 179 wRC+, and 117.4 WAR. As of 2037, Kudaybergenov ranks 8^th in games, 4^th in hits, 7^th in runs, 5^th in total bases (5174), 3^rd in doubles, 32^nd in home runs, 12^th in RBI, 21^st in walks, and 2^nd in WAR among all players. Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Kudaybergenov’s .899 OPS ranks 44^th and his triple slash is 29^th/30^th/68^th. Nizami Aghazade is the undisputed ABF GOAT with nine MVPs and 183.1 career WAR, but the #2 spot is very much up for grabs with a number of guys in the 100-110 WAR range. You could make a fair case for Kudaybergenov, although his lower home run tallies are often cited to favor other players. Longevity definitely helped his tallies over raw dominance. However, Kudaybergenov’s playoff successes can’t be overstated, leading Faisalabad to their first successes. Very few guys in ABF’s competitive field can claim three rings with one team. He usually makes most top 10 and several top 5 lists when discussing the Asian Baseball Federation’s best-ever position players. Kudaybergenov was a clear inner-circle Hall of Famer in any case, headlining the 2031 class at 97.3%. Ananthakrishnan Khan – Closer – Peshawar Predators – 66.8% Third Ballot Ananthakrishnan Khan was a 6’3’’, 205 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Kochi, India; a metropolis with over two million in its greater area on the country’s southwestern coast. Khan had absolutely filthy overpowering stuff in his prime, although his movement and control both graded as above average at best. He had a 99-101 mph fastball along with an excellent curveball and was a master at changing speeds. Khan’s stamina was excellent, especially for a reliever. He also showed very good durability on the whole as one of the few closers to boast a 20+ year career. Khan was good at holding runners, but weaker defensively otherwise. His work ethic was also top notch and played a big role in his longevity. Khan would be the first Indian added into ABF’s Hall of Fame. Indian players rarely entered ABF’s sphere, generally because of the political tensions with neighboring Pakistan. ABF scouts rarely even bothered despite India’s massive population, but Peshawar made an exception for Khan. They convinced him to come west on a developmental deal signed in September 1997. He spent five years in the Predators’ academy, debuting in 2003 at age 21 with 37.1 respectable innings. Khan earned the closer role the next year and held it five seasons for Peshawar. Khan had remarkable dominance for Peshawar, who was firmly a mid-to-lower rung team during his tenure. He won four consecutive Reliever of the Year awards from 2005-08, leading the East League with 39 saves in 2005. This year also had his highs in games (77), innings (104), strikeouts (199), and WAR (7.3). It ranks as one of only 49 seasons in world history where the ROTY winner posted 7+ WAR. Nearly getting 200 strikeouts as a closer was also unheard of. From June 30, 2005 to June 2, 2007; Khan had an incredible 74 save streak. Editor’s note: there’s no easy way to search if this is a world record, but it probably is. During that streak were 42 consecutive scoreless innings from 8/2/06 to 5/29/07. Khan also tossed 16.2 straight hitless innings from 4/23/07 to 5/29/07. You’d be hard pressed in all of baseball history to find a better nearly two year stretch by a closer. His best ERA and highest save total were both 2006 at 40 saves and a 0.71 ERA. For Peshawar, Khan had 182 saves and 227 shutdowns, 1.33 ERA, 486 innings, 923 strikeouts, 113 walks, 234 ERA+, and 28.4 WAR. The franchise was going nowhere though, finishing 64-98 in 2008. With Khan entering his last season under team control, the Predators traded him in the offseason to Istanbul for two prospects. Khan’s dominance continued in Turkey with his fifth consecutive Reliever of the Year, becoming the only five-time winner in ABF history. He had a 1.10 ERA, 34 saves, 145 strikeouts, 73.2 innings, and 4.6 WAR. He also in July struck out 11 consecutive batters across a few appearances. The Ironmen had won back-to-back ABF titles in 2007-08 before Khan arrived. They fell off in 2009, narrowly claiming the second wild card at 87-75. Istanbul fell in the first round and Khan didn’t get a chance to make an appearance. Now 28-years old, Khan was a free agent and had plenty of worldwide attention. He had also been successful for India in the World Baseball Championship, where he split time between starting and relief. From 2005-19, Khan had a 13-7 record and 9 saves in 169 innings with a 2.66 ERA, 342 strikeouts, 75 walks, and 6.2 WAR. His 18.21 K/9 ranks 22^nd among all WBC pitchers with 80+ innings. In 2009, Khan had helped India to its first World Championship, upsetting the United States in the final. American teams liked what they saw and Tampa ultimately brought Khan to Major League Baseball on a two-year, $19,900,000 deal. Despite being healthy, Khan was used only for seven appearances in all of 2010, although he allowed only one unearned run and struck out 12 in 7.1 innings. In 2011, Khan took over the closer role and finished third in Reliever of the Year voting with a 1.35 ERA over 73.1 innings, 25 saves, 112 strikeouts, and 4.9 WAR. Tampa had won the first World Series back in 1901, but hadn’t made it back since. The Thunderbirds ended that long drought in 2011 with an upset run and finals win over Brooklyn. Khan had a stellar postseason with 10 games, 18 innings, 5 saves, and 3-1 record, 0.50 ERA, 22 strikeouts, four walks, and 1.2 WAR. Amazingly, he was arguably more impressive in the second-ever Baseball Grand Championship. Khan had 12 scoreless innings in nine appearances in the BGC with four saves, two wins, 27 strikeouts, five walks, and four hits. Tampa finished 15-4 to become the second-ever Grand Champion. Although the time with the Thunderbirds was brief, Khan certainly was quite impactful to get them to the top spot in the world. He was back to free agency after that and signed for one year and $9,500,000 with Hartford. He had some trouble for the Huskies with a 4.18 ERA over 32.1 innings, leading to a July trade with Ottawa. Khan fared better with a 2.56 ERA over 31.2 innings for the Elks, and gave up a solo homer in his one playoff inning. He joined Detroit in 2013, but had his first major injury setback in spring training with a torn rotator cuff. Khan did look good in the two appearances he made in late September with the Tigers with three scoreless innings. Khan’s longest MLB tenure came with Montreal, who signed him for 2014 at $15,600,000 over two years. They gave him a two-year, $14,800,000 extension in June 2015. While Khan wasn’t in the awards conversations, he had a very solid run with the Maples with 88 saves and 102 shutdowns over 235.2 innings, a 2.18 ERA, 393 strikeouts, 79 walks 158 ERA+, and 10.6 WAR. Khan also had two shutout playoff innings in 2014, although Montreal couldn’t get out of the first round. After the 2016 season, Khan was traded to Brooklyn for prospects and gave the Dodgers a solid 2017 with 34 saves, 1.90 ERA, 80.1 innings, 103 strikeouts, and 1.9 WAR. Khan gave up one run over eight playoff innings with 11 strikeouts as Brooklyn fell in the National Association Championship Series to Boston. This ultimately was the end of his MLB tenure, returning to free agency and ABF at age 36. Between the MLB stints, Khan had a 46-39 record, 2.12 ERA, 171 saves, 197 shutdowns, 463.2 innings, 733 strikeouts, 145 walks, 162 ERA+, 48 FIP-, and 20.7 WAR. It was a very impressive brief tenure and he managed to even get 6.0% in 2024 and 3.7% in 2025 for MLB’s Hall of Fame voting. Khan’s ABF return came on a two-year, $10,800,000 deal with Kabul. The Black Knights had been largely unsuccessful since joining in the 2009 expansion. With Kabul in 2018, Khan had a 2.54 ERA, 27 saves, 92 innings, 144 strikeouts, and 2.8 WAR. They traded him in the winter to Tabriz, who had lost in that year’s West League Championship Series. The Tiger Sharks got over the hump in 2019 with a 107-55 record, earning their first-ever ABF Championship win over Dushanbe. Khan again proved to be a beast in the postseason. He tossed 16.1 scoreless innings over nine appearances with seven saves, one win, and 25 strikeouts. He allowed only three hits and three walks. Khan’s scoreless innings run continued through the Baseball Grand Championship with 9.1 no-hit innings over nine appearances, seven saves, 16 strikeouts, and three walks. Tabriz shocked the world with a 15-4 finish, becoming the first ABF team to win the Grand Championship. Khan also became one of the very few to have two BGC rings to his name. Tabriz extended Khan for two years and $5,520,000 that winter and he ultimately stayed through 2023 with the Tiger Sharks. His regular season stats were less incredible than his Peshawar days, but he was still quite solid and took third in Reliever of the Year voting. Tabriz remained a playoff contender with three more 100+ win seasons and #1 seeds. They couldn’t get back over the hump with ELCS losses in 2020 and 2022, along with a first round exit in 2021. Khan remained steady when called upon in the playoffs, finishing with a 0.29 ERA, 10 saves, 31.1 innings, 20 games, and 38 strikeouts for Tabriz. Adding his MLB totals, Khan had a 0.60 ERA over 60.1 playoff innings with 17 saves, a 6-3 record, 79 strikeouts, 10 walks, 604 ERA+, and 2.9 WAR. When you add in 21.1 scoreless innings in the BGC with 43 strikeouts and 11 saves, it is clear that Khan is among the best postseason closers in baseball history. His velocity started to dip with age and he missed much of 2023 to a strained oblique, only pitching 12 innings with a 4.50 ERA. However, he had 1.1 scoreless playoff innings as Tabriz won another ABF Championship. Khan retired after that at age 42, electing to skip the 2023 BGC. Overall for Tabriz, Khan had 79 saves, a 1.87 ERA, 269 innings, 381 strikeouts, 43 walks, 208 ERA+, and 8.4 WAR. In ABF, Khan finished with 322 saves and 409 shutdowns, 73-53 record, 1.59 ERA, 695 games, 920.2 innings, 1593 strikeouts, 205 walks, 212 ERA+, 40 FIP-, and 44.2 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 71^st in WAR among all pitchers, 5^th in saves, and 8^th in games. Khan doesn’t quite qualify for rate stats (1000 innings needed), but his ERA, 15.58 K/9, and .469 opponent’s OPS would each be ABF records if he was included. The voters for the Asian Baseball Federation were less forgiving to closers compared to other Halls of Fame. There were only two previous inductees and Khan had them both beat in innings, ERA, strikeouts, and WAR. Still, some voters felt Khan just wasn’t around long enough and others were just generally anti-closer. He barely missed the 66% requirement in his first two ballots with 65.0% and 62.9%. Khan only slightly bumped up in 2031 to 66.8%, but that got him across the line as a third ballot inductee. His five Reliever of the Year awards and playoff exploits certainly earned him a spot among ABF’s greats. But Khan’s combined stats with MLB ranks him among the best-ever closers in all of world history. He finished with 493 saves and 606 shutdowns, a 119-92 record, 1.77 ERA, 1084 games, 1384.1 innings, 2326 strikeouts, 350 walks, 193 ERA+, 43 FIP-, and 64.9 WAR. As of 2037 among all closers in world history, Khan is 16^th in saves, 6^th in strikeouts, 11^th in WAR, 14^th in games, and 7^th in shutdowns. Among Hall of Fame relievers, Khan is 33^rd in ERA, 29^th in ERA+, 29^th in FIP-, and 24^th in opponent’s OPS. He’s easily on the shortlist for all-time great closers and has to be strongly considered when discussing the best-ever postseason closers. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)