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FuzzyRussianHat · 12-29-2025, 08:22 AM

Two made it into Beisbol Sudamerica’s Hall of Fame in 2039 with 90% of the vote. SP Agostino Cortez was a nearly unanimous nod at 99.2% with DH Santino Garza getting a strong 90.5%. C Cruz Pereira got 60.2% on his second ballot, just missing the 66% requirement. LF R.J. Zavaleta was the only other player above 50%, receiving 52.7% in his fourth attempt.

Removed from the ballot after ten failed attempts was CL Luciano Lozano, who was as high as 59.2% in his second ballot before ending at only 16.7%. In 14 years, Lozano had 361 saves and 422 shutdowns, 76-96 record, 2.66 ERA, 1002 innings, 1239 strikeouts, 140 ERA+, 68 FIP-, and 29.5 WAR. Lozano ranks 19^th in saves, 13^th in games, but his dominance was lower than the other HOF closers for BSA. He also only won Reliever of the Year once and struggled in his limited playoff innings, thus Lozano ended up as a Hall of Pretty Good guy.

Agostino Cortez – Starting Pitcher – Concepcion Chiefs – 99.2% First Ballot

Agostino Cortez was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Arica, Chile; the country’s northernmost city with around 222,000 people. Cortez was known for having outstanding movement on his pitches along with very strong stuff. The downside was average-at-best control, but the quality of the arsenal usually covered for that.

Cortez’s fastball peaked in the 98-100 mph range, although his slider and forkball were generally his most dangerous pitches. He also had a curveball and changeup in the arsenal and had an extreme groundball tendency. Cortez’s stamina was good and he lasted 18 seasons despite having a couple major injuries along the way.

He graded as an above average defensive pitcher and was strong at holding runners. Cortez was considered loyal and a team-player, but he was a bit dumb and outspoken. He generally meant well, but his lack of filter occasionally alienated him in the clubhouse. Cortez was a popular pitcher though in Chile as he helped Concepcion continue its success in the 2010s.

The Chiefs picked Cortez 33^rd overall in the 2014 BSA Draft and kept him in the developmental system all of 2015. Concepcion was the 2012 Southern Cone League champ and was regularly in the playoff hunt in the 2010s. Cortez had part-time innings in 2016 and 2017 with mixed results.

He helped out in the playoffs though as Concepcion won the pennant in 2017 as a 92-70 wild card. The Chiefs beat Recife 4-3 in the LCS, but lost Copa Sudamerica in seven to Ciudad Guayana. Cortez had only 2.1 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship, but they were scoreless. The Chiefs, Juarez, and Bamako tied for the top record at 12-7. Concepcion had bested the Bullfrogs, but lost to the Jesters to finish second place after tiebreakers.

Cortez became a full-time starter in 2018 and won Pitcher of the Year with a league and career-best 1.88 ERA. He also was the WARlord at 8.2. Concepcion won the South Central Division at 98-64 and knocked off Asuncion 4-2 to repeat as Southern Cone champs. The Chiefs then downed Maturin 4-2 to claim Copa Sudamerica.

It was a masterful postseason for Cortez, who was 5-0 in six appearances with a 1.89 ERA, 38 innings, 48 strikeouts, and 1.3 WAR. He’s one of only seven BSA pitchers to record 5+ wins in a playoff run. Cortez had a solid showing in the BGC with a 2.56 ERA over 31.2 innings with 39 Ks, 3-1 record, and 0.8 WAR. The Chiefs stood alone in second at 12-7, behind only 14-5 Jeddah for the top spot.

The next three seasons, Cortez was second in Pitcher of the Year voting each time. He won his second ERA title in 2021 at 2.48 and led that year with a career-high 9.1 WAR. Cortez posted his highest strikeout total of 316 in 2019. He would be good for 6+ WAR in each of his full-time starting seasons for Concepcion. The Chiefs remained competitive, but couldn’t immediately follow up on the 2018 title. They had a first round exit in 2019, second round losses in 2020 and 2022, and missed the playoffs in 2021.

In August 2022, Cortez signed a five-year, $39,500,000 extension to stay with Concepcion at a pretty low price. He was happy staying in Chile and regularly pitched for his country in the World Baseball Championship. From 2017-32, Cortez had a 2.90 ERA in 220 innings, 10-12 record, 266 strikeouts, and 4.7 WAR.

Concepcion won the 2023 pennant as a 96-66 wild card, but lost Copa Sudamerica to Caracas. Catastrophe struck Cortez just before the playoffs though with a damaged elbow ligament in late September. This ultimately kept him out more than a calendar year, missing the entire 2024 season. It also put his future in doubt full stop.

Cortez made a remarkable return by winning 2025 Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (19-9), ERA (2.25), complete games (15), and FIP- (65). He had a solid showing in 2026 as well, although he wasn’t an awards finalist. Concepcion had a divisional series exit in 2025, then fell to 74-88 in 2026 for their first losing campaign since 2010.

The Chiefs weren’t entirely sure what the competitive window looked like moving forward and Cortez’s contract was coming due. Many were surprised as they did a sign-and-trade with him. On December 4, 2026; Concepcion gave Cortez a five-year, $95 million extension. The next day, he was traded to Sao Paulo for two pitching prospects; neither of which amounted to anything.

For Concepcion, Cortez finished with a 148-88 record, 2.67 ERA, 2170.2 innings, 2304 strikeouts, 462 walks, 138 ERA+, 68 FIP-, and 64.6 WAR. In the playoffs, he had a 6-1 record, 2.32 ERA, 73.2 innings, 85 strikeouts, 157 ERA+, 83 FIP-, and 1.7 WAR. For his role in their run of success, the Chiefs later retired his #41 uniform.

He was now with the Padres, who were amidst their own run of contention and trying to get over the hump. Sao Paulo won the Southern Cone League in 2024, but had LCS losses the next two years and a second round exit in 2027. Cortez didn’t reach his Chiefs production, but he was a very solid starter from 2027-29 for the Padres. Cortez was mixed in the playoffs with a 3.64 ERA over 47 innings for Sao Paulo.

The Padres got back to the LCS in 2028 and 2029, but fell to Buenos Aires in the former and Belo Horizonte in the latter. Their six-year playoff streak ended in 2030 with an 84-78 season. Injuries started to pop up for Cortez with elbow inflammation and a strained abdominal limiting him to 85 innings in 2030. He stayed mostly healthy the next two years with a solid 2.73 ERA in 2031. Sao Paulo was a division champ again with a first round exit in 2031.

They were happy enough with Cortez ‘s production to give him a three-year, $33,300,000 extension that winter. His ERA did rise to 4.24 in 2032 over 216.2 innings. In 2032, they took the top seed at 100-62 and won the pennant against Santiago, but were defeated by Caracas in Copa Sudamerica. However, Cortez missed the entire postseason run with a ruptured UCL on September 15.

Cortez didn’t want that to be the end of his career and rehabbed back, making his return on September 8, 2033. Sadly, he suffered a ruptured disc in his first inning back with another eight months of rehab expected. Cortez decided to retire that winter at age 40. For Sao Paulo, he finished with an 86-37 record, 2.94 ERA, 1302.2 innings, 1157 strikeouts, 295 walks, 66 complete games, 10 shutouts, 122 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 27.7 WAR.

In total, Cortez had a 234-125 record, 2.77 ERA, 3473.1 innings, 3461 strikeouts, 757 walks, 291/432 quality starts, 144 complete games, 31 shutouts, 131 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 92.2 WAR. Cortez ranks 29^th in wins, 50^th in innings, 60^th in complete games, 56^th in shutouts, 58^th in strikeouts, and 30^th in pitching WAR.

While Cortez won’t make the top 10 lists for Beisbol Sudamerica’s greatest pitchers, his Hall of Fame case was an absolute slam dunk. He had two Pitcher of the Year awards, three ERA titles, multiple pennants between Concepcion and Sao Paulo, 200+ wins, and 3000+ Ks. Cortez was a near unanimous selection at 99.2% to headline BSA’s 2039 ballot.

Santino Garza – Designated Hitter – Valencia Velocity – 90.5% First Ballot

Santino Garza was a 6’4’’, 205 pound right-handed slugger from Guarenas, Venezuela; a city with about 200,000 people just 39 miles from Caracas. Garza was an impressive slugger with 47 home runs, 38 doubles, 3 triples, and 127 RBI per his 162 game average. He was especially impressive facing left-handed pitching with a career 1.051 OPS and 171 wRC+. Facing righties, Garza had a respectable 135 wRC+ and .903 OPS.

Garza graded as a good contact hitter and his knack for walks and avoiding strikeouts were around average for the league. His baserunning ability was decent, but his speed was abysmal. That sluggishness made Garza a career designated hitter. He had only 146 career starts defensively playing left field and was truly putrid. Garza’s durability was generally strong over a 16-year career. He wasn’t a malcontent, but Garza was quite outspoken and never shy to share his opinion.

Even before beginning his college career, Garza’s batting potential jumped out to many scouts. In the 2015 BSA Draft, he was the fifth overall pick by Barquisimeto. Garza declined signing with the Black Cats and began his collegiate career. Three years later in the 2018 draft, Garza was the #6 pick to Valencia. He joined the Velocity and played 89 games with 21 starts as a rookie with promising results. Garza was a full-timer for the next 11 seasons for Valencia.

By his third season, Garza was regularly good for 40+ homers and generally 100+ RBI. Valencia ended an eight-year playoff drought as the final wild card in 2021 at 90-72. They went on a shocking playoff run, edging top seed Caracas 3-2 in the divisional series, followed by a 4-2 win over Ciudad Guayana in the Bolivar League Championship Series. Both the Colts and Giants had finished well ahead of the Velocity in the Venezuela Division during the regular season.

Valencia capped it off with a 4-1 win over Fortaleza in Copa Sudamerica. Garza was okay in the playoffs with 20 hits, 14 runs, 9 doubles, 1 homer, 13 RBI, .830 OPS, and 106 wRC+ in 19 games. However, he was excellent in the Baseball Grand Championship in 19 games with 24 hits, 12 homers, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 1.287 OPS, 244 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. Despite his efforts, the Velocity finished 7-12 in the event.

In 2022, Valencia was again a wild card, but this time 114-win Caracas swept them in the divisional series. The Velocity missed the cut in 2023, then won a tiebreaker game over the Colts to claim the division at 90-73. It was a quick first round exit though for Valencia. Garza won his first Silver Sluggers in 2023 and 2024.

2024 was Garza’s lone MVP win, as he led the league with career highs for hits (235), doubles (49), homers (61), RBI (161), total bases (479), slugging (.731), and WAR (9.7). He also had his bests for runs (123), average (.359), OBP (.395), OPS (1.126), and wRC+ (187). Garza fell one point short of a Triple Crown season. The RBI rank as the 6^th-best single-season in BSA history and the total bases rank 4^th. The MVP win earned Garza an eight-year, $105,400,000 extension in the offseason.

Valencia spent the next four seasons right around the .500 mark. They did get a wild card in 2027 at 85-77, but were quickly ousted. Garza remained solid, but couldn’t replicate the MVP effort. He won additional Silver Sluggers in 2027 and 2028. The latter was his only other year as a league leader, posting the most homers (58) and RBI (130).

The Velocity officially bottomed out with 69 and 71 wins in Garza’s final two seasons there. He did notably hit for the cycle in 2029 facing Barquisimeto. Frustrated by the team’s lack of contention, Garza used his contract opt-out following the 2030 campaign. He was a free agent for the first time heading into his age 35 season.

With Valencia, Garza had 1756 games, 2075 hits, 1084 runs, 367 doubles, 515 home runs, 1337 RBI, .317/.362/.618 slash, 151 wRC+, and 61.3 WAR. For his service, his #12 uniform would eventually be retired. Garza picked up and moved to Colombia on a four-year, $52,200,000 deal with Medellin. The Mutiny had been stuck around .500 recently and hoped Garza could get them over the hump.

He did play one more year with Venezuela in the World Baseball Championship, representing his country from 2022-31. In 93 games, Garza had 72 hits, 48 runs, 16 doubles, 25 home runs, 56 RBI, .225/.303/.516 slash, and 2.7 WAR. Garza dealt with a sprained knee early in his Medellin debut and put up career lows to that point. He fared better in the next two seasons, but was still well below his previous levels with Valencia.

The Mutiny remained in the middle-tier before falling to 68-94 in 2033. Garza didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fourth year of his deal, finishing the Medellin run with 419 games, 391 hits, 204 runs, 70 doubles, 87 home runs, 235 RBI, .271/.314/.511 slash, 114 wRC+, and 5.4 WAR. While there, Garza was able to reach 600 career home runs and 1500 RBI. He wanted to still play in 2034, but could only find work in European Tier Three with Lille. Garza retired that winter at age 38.

In Beisbol Sudamerica, Garza had 2175 games, 2466 hits, 1288 runs, 437 doubles, 39 triples, 602 home runs, 1572 RBI, 532 walks, 1531 strikeouts, 4787 total bases, .308/.353/.598 slash, 144 wRC+, and 66.8 WAR. Garza ranks 80^th in runs, 57^th in doubles, 25^th in homers, 29^th in RBI, and 60^th in total bases. He misses the top 100 for WAR with the DH penalty playing a big role. Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Garza is 47^th in slugging and his .912 OPS is 72^nd.

A smattering of Hall of Fame voters was critical of the low WAR and skeptical towards a career DH. The vast majority though saw 600+ homers as a magic number; only Cy Cavazos (639) had hit 600+ in BSA and fell off the ballot. Garza also had an MVP and near-Triple Crown season along with a Cup win for Valencia. He made the cut firmly at 90.5% for induction as part of BSA’s two-man class in 2039.

12-29-2025, 08:22 AM	#2649
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,200	2039 BSA Hall of Fame Two made it into Beisbol Sudamerica’s Hall of Fame in 2039 with 90% of the vote. SP Agostino Cortez was a nearly unanimous nod at 99.2% with DH Santino Garza getting a strong 90.5%. C Cruz Pereira got 60.2% on his second ballot, just missing the 66% requirement. LF R.J. Zavaleta was the only other player above 50%, receiving 52.7% in his fourth attempt. Removed from the ballot after ten failed attempts was CL Luciano Lozano, who was as high as 59.2% in his second ballot before ending at only 16.7%. In 14 years, Lozano had 361 saves and 422 shutdowns, 76-96 record, 2.66 ERA, 1002 innings, 1239 strikeouts, 140 ERA+, 68 FIP-, and 29.5 WAR. Lozano ranks 19^th in saves, 13^th in games, but his dominance was lower than the other HOF closers for BSA. He also only won Reliever of the Year once and struggled in his limited playoff innings, thus Lozano ended up as a Hall of Pretty Good guy. Agostino Cortez – Starting Pitcher – Concepcion Chiefs – 99.2% First Ballot Agostino Cortez was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Arica, Chile; the country’s northernmost city with around 222,000 people. Cortez was known for having outstanding movement on his pitches along with very strong stuff. The downside was average-at-best control, but the quality of the arsenal usually covered for that. Cortez’s fastball peaked in the 98-100 mph range, although his slider and forkball were generally his most dangerous pitches. He also had a curveball and changeup in the arsenal and had an extreme groundball tendency. Cortez’s stamina was good and he lasted 18 seasons despite having a couple major injuries along the way. He graded as an above average defensive pitcher and was strong at holding runners. Cortez was considered loyal and a team-player, but he was a bit dumb and outspoken. He generally meant well, but his lack of filter occasionally alienated him in the clubhouse. Cortez was a popular pitcher though in Chile as he helped Concepcion continue its success in the 2010s. The Chiefs picked Cortez 33^rd overall in the 2014 BSA Draft and kept him in the developmental system all of 2015. Concepcion was the 2012 Southern Cone League champ and was regularly in the playoff hunt in the 2010s. Cortez had part-time innings in 2016 and 2017 with mixed results. He helped out in the playoffs though as Concepcion won the pennant in 2017 as a 92-70 wild card. The Chiefs beat Recife 4-3 in the LCS, but lost Copa Sudamerica in seven to Ciudad Guayana. Cortez had only 2.1 innings in the Baseball Grand Championship, but they were scoreless. The Chiefs, Juarez, and Bamako tied for the top record at 12-7. Concepcion had bested the Bullfrogs, but lost to the Jesters to finish second place after tiebreakers. Cortez became a full-time starter in 2018 and won Pitcher of the Year with a league and career-best 1.88 ERA. He also was the WARlord at 8.2. Concepcion won the South Central Division at 98-64 and knocked off Asuncion 4-2 to repeat as Southern Cone champs. The Chiefs then downed Maturin 4-2 to claim Copa Sudamerica. It was a masterful postseason for Cortez, who was 5-0 in six appearances with a 1.89 ERA, 38 innings, 48 strikeouts, and 1.3 WAR. He’s one of only seven BSA pitchers to record 5+ wins in a playoff run. Cortez had a solid showing in the BGC with a 2.56 ERA over 31.2 innings with 39 Ks, 3-1 record, and 0.8 WAR. The Chiefs stood alone in second at 12-7, behind only 14-5 Jeddah for the top spot. The next three seasons, Cortez was second in Pitcher of the Year voting each time. He won his second ERA title in 2021 at 2.48 and led that year with a career-high 9.1 WAR. Cortez posted his highest strikeout total of 316 in 2019. He would be good for 6+ WAR in each of his full-time starting seasons for Concepcion. The Chiefs remained competitive, but couldn’t immediately follow up on the 2018 title. They had a first round exit in 2019, second round losses in 2020 and 2022, and missed the playoffs in 2021. In August 2022, Cortez signed a five-year, $39,500,000 extension to stay with Concepcion at a pretty low price. He was happy staying in Chile and regularly pitched for his country in the World Baseball Championship. From 2017-32, Cortez had a 2.90 ERA in 220 innings, 10-12 record, 266 strikeouts, and 4.7 WAR. Concepcion won the 2023 pennant as a 96-66 wild card, but lost Copa Sudamerica to Caracas. Catastrophe struck Cortez just before the playoffs though with a damaged elbow ligament in late September. This ultimately kept him out more than a calendar year, missing the entire 2024 season. It also put his future in doubt full stop. Cortez made a remarkable return by winning 2025 Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (19-9), ERA (2.25), complete games (15), and FIP- (65). He had a solid showing in 2026 as well, although he wasn’t an awards finalist. Concepcion had a divisional series exit in 2025, then fell to 74-88 in 2026 for their first losing campaign since 2010. The Chiefs weren’t entirely sure what the competitive window looked like moving forward and Cortez’s contract was coming due. Many were surprised as they did a sign-and-trade with him. On December 4, 2026; Concepcion gave Cortez a five-year, $95 million extension. The next day, he was traded to Sao Paulo for two pitching prospects; neither of which amounted to anything. For Concepcion, Cortez finished with a 148-88 record, 2.67 ERA, 2170.2 innings, 2304 strikeouts, 462 walks, 138 ERA+, 68 FIP-, and 64.6 WAR. In the playoffs, he had a 6-1 record, 2.32 ERA, 73.2 innings, 85 strikeouts, 157 ERA+, 83 FIP-, and 1.7 WAR. For his role in their run of success, the Chiefs later retired his #41 uniform. He was now with the Padres, who were amidst their own run of contention and trying to get over the hump. Sao Paulo won the Southern Cone League in 2024, but had LCS losses the next two years and a second round exit in 2027. Cortez didn’t reach his Chiefs production, but he was a very solid starter from 2027-29 for the Padres. Cortez was mixed in the playoffs with a 3.64 ERA over 47 innings for Sao Paulo. The Padres got back to the LCS in 2028 and 2029, but fell to Buenos Aires in the former and Belo Horizonte in the latter. Their six-year playoff streak ended in 2030 with an 84-78 season. Injuries started to pop up for Cortez with elbow inflammation and a strained abdominal limiting him to 85 innings in 2030. He stayed mostly healthy the next two years with a solid 2.73 ERA in 2031. Sao Paulo was a division champ again with a first round exit in 2031. They were happy enough with Cortez ‘s production to give him a three-year, $33,300,000 extension that winter. His ERA did rise to 4.24 in 2032 over 216.2 innings. In 2032, they took the top seed at 100-62 and won the pennant against Santiago, but were defeated by Caracas in Copa Sudamerica. However, Cortez missed the entire postseason run with a ruptured UCL on September 15. Cortez didn’t want that to be the end of his career and rehabbed back, making his return on September 8, 2033. Sadly, he suffered a ruptured disc in his first inning back with another eight months of rehab expected. Cortez decided to retire that winter at age 40. For Sao Paulo, he finished with an 86-37 record, 2.94 ERA, 1302.2 innings, 1157 strikeouts, 295 walks, 66 complete games, 10 shutouts, 122 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 27.7 WAR. In total, Cortez had a 234-125 record, 2.77 ERA, 3473.1 innings, 3461 strikeouts, 757 walks, 291/432 quality starts, 144 complete games, 31 shutouts, 131 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 92.2 WAR. Cortez ranks 29^th in wins, 50^th in innings, 60^th in complete games, 56^th in shutouts, 58^th in strikeouts, and 30^th in pitching WAR. While Cortez won’t make the top 10 lists for Beisbol Sudamerica’s greatest pitchers, his Hall of Fame case was an absolute slam dunk. He had two Pitcher of the Year awards, three ERA titles, multiple pennants between Concepcion and Sao Paulo, 200+ wins, and 3000+ Ks. Cortez was a near unanimous selection at 99.2% to headline BSA’s 2039 ballot. Santino Garza – Designated Hitter – Valencia Velocity – 90.5% First Ballot Santino Garza was a 6’4’’, 205 pound right-handed slugger from Guarenas, Venezuela; a city with about 200,000 people just 39 miles from Caracas. Garza was an impressive slugger with 47 home runs, 38 doubles, 3 triples, and 127 RBI per his 162 game average. He was especially impressive facing left-handed pitching with a career 1.051 OPS and 171 wRC+. Facing righties, Garza had a respectable 135 wRC+ and .903 OPS. Garza graded as a good contact hitter and his knack for walks and avoiding strikeouts were around average for the league. His baserunning ability was decent, but his speed was abysmal. That sluggishness made Garza a career designated hitter. He had only 146 career starts defensively playing left field and was truly putrid. Garza’s durability was generally strong over a 16-year career. He wasn’t a malcontent, but Garza was quite outspoken and never shy to share his opinion. Even before beginning his college career, Garza’s batting potential jumped out to many scouts. In the 2015 BSA Draft, he was the fifth overall pick by Barquisimeto. Garza declined signing with the Black Cats and began his collegiate career. Three years later in the 2018 draft, Garza was the #6 pick to Valencia. He joined the Velocity and played 89 games with 21 starts as a rookie with promising results. Garza was a full-timer for the next 11 seasons for Valencia. By his third season, Garza was regularly good for 40+ homers and generally 100+ RBI. Valencia ended an eight-year playoff drought as the final wild card in 2021 at 90-72. They went on a shocking playoff run, edging top seed Caracas 3-2 in the divisional series, followed by a 4-2 win over Ciudad Guayana in the Bolivar League Championship Series. Both the Colts and Giants had finished well ahead of the Velocity in the Venezuela Division during the regular season. Valencia capped it off with a 4-1 win over Fortaleza in Copa Sudamerica. Garza was okay in the playoffs with 20 hits, 14 runs, 9 doubles, 1 homer, 13 RBI, .830 OPS, and 106 wRC+ in 19 games. However, he was excellent in the Baseball Grand Championship in 19 games with 24 hits, 12 homers, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 1.287 OPS, 244 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. Despite his efforts, the Velocity finished 7-12 in the event. In 2022, Valencia was again a wild card, but this time 114-win Caracas swept them in the divisional series. The Velocity missed the cut in 2023, then won a tiebreaker game over the Colts to claim the division at 90-73. It was a quick first round exit though for Valencia. Garza won his first Silver Sluggers in 2023 and 2024. 2024 was Garza’s lone MVP win, as he led the league with career highs for hits (235), doubles (49), homers (61), RBI (161), total bases (479), slugging (.731), and WAR (9.7). He also had his bests for runs (123), average (.359), OBP (.395), OPS (1.126), and wRC+ (187). Garza fell one point short of a Triple Crown season. The RBI rank as the 6^th-best single-season in BSA history and the total bases rank 4^th. The MVP win earned Garza an eight-year, $105,400,000 extension in the offseason. Valencia spent the next four seasons right around the .500 mark. They did get a wild card in 2027 at 85-77, but were quickly ousted. Garza remained solid, but couldn’t replicate the MVP effort. He won additional Silver Sluggers in 2027 and 2028. The latter was his only other year as a league leader, posting the most homers (58) and RBI (130). The Velocity officially bottomed out with 69 and 71 wins in Garza’s final two seasons there. He did notably hit for the cycle in 2029 facing Barquisimeto. Frustrated by the team’s lack of contention, Garza used his contract opt-out following the 2030 campaign. He was a free agent for the first time heading into his age 35 season. With Valencia, Garza had 1756 games, 2075 hits, 1084 runs, 367 doubles, 515 home runs, 1337 RBI, .317/.362/.618 slash, 151 wRC+, and 61.3 WAR. For his service, his #12 uniform would eventually be retired. Garza picked up and moved to Colombia on a four-year, $52,200,000 deal with Medellin. The Mutiny had been stuck around .500 recently and hoped Garza could get them over the hump. He did play one more year with Venezuela in the World Baseball Championship, representing his country from 2022-31. In 93 games, Garza had 72 hits, 48 runs, 16 doubles, 25 home runs, 56 RBI, .225/.303/.516 slash, and 2.7 WAR. Garza dealt with a sprained knee early in his Medellin debut and put up career lows to that point. He fared better in the next two seasons, but was still well below his previous levels with Valencia. The Mutiny remained in the middle-tier before falling to 68-94 in 2033. Garza didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the fourth year of his deal, finishing the Medellin run with 419 games, 391 hits, 204 runs, 70 doubles, 87 home runs, 235 RBI, .271/.314/.511 slash, 114 wRC+, and 5.4 WAR. While there, Garza was able to reach 600 career home runs and 1500 RBI. He wanted to still play in 2034, but could only find work in European Tier Three with Lille. Garza retired that winter at age 38. In Beisbol Sudamerica, Garza had 2175 games, 2466 hits, 1288 runs, 437 doubles, 39 triples, 602 home runs, 1572 RBI, 532 walks, 1531 strikeouts, 4787 total bases, .308/.353/.598 slash, 144 wRC+, and 66.8 WAR. Garza ranks 80^th in runs, 57^th in doubles, 25^th in homers, 29^th in RBI, and 60^th in total bases. He misses the top 100 for WAR with the DH penalty playing a big role. Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Garza is 47^th in slugging and his .912 OPS is 72^nd. A smattering of Hall of Fame voters was critical of the low WAR and skeptical towards a career DH. The vast majority though saw 600+ homers as a magic number; only Cy Cavazos (639) had hit 600+ in BSA and fell off the ballot. Garza also had an MVP and near-Triple Crown season along with a Cup win for Valencia. He made the cut firmly at 90.5% for induction as part of BSA’s two-man class in 2039. __________________ 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)