Baseball: The World's Game (OOTP 22 Fictional World)

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Defending Japan League champion Sapporo posted the top record in 1998 at 101-61, earning a fifth consecutive North Division title. Kawasaki snapped a 13 year playoff drought by winning the Capital Division at 100-62. The Killer Whales’ success ended Tokyo’s six-year reign atop the division. The Tides were third in the division at 88-74, also behind 90-72 Yokohama. The West Division saw an opening emerge as Kitakyushu went from 109 wins in 1997 to a lousy 72 wins. Kumamoto took the opening at 92-70, earning their second-ever playoff berth along with the 1988 campaign. Hiroshima was a close second at 88-74. The weakest division winner was Kobe at 84-78, repeating in the Central. Nagoya finished two games back.

Yokohama’s Hyeon-Seong Yang won Japan League MVP. The mustachioed 25-year old first baseman led in runs (103), hits (207), doubles (48), home runs (60), RBI (142), total bases (435), slugging (.720), OPS (1.097), wRC+ (231), and WAR (10.3). Yang’s .343 batting average left him three points shy of a Triple Crown, which hasn’t been achieved by a batter in EAB since 1966. Sapporo’s Morikazu Ichikawa secured Pitcher of the Year, leading the JL in wins (22-6), strikeouts (314), complete games (15), and WAR (7.4). He added a 2.43 ERA in 266.2 innings. A two-way star who also played center field, he won his fourth Silver Slugger as a pitcher and added 4.9 WAR, 28 home runs, and 151 wRC+ offensively. The 27–year old Ichikawa had signed a five-year, $12,360,000 extension the prior spring with the Swordfish.

Sapporo beat Kobe 3-1 and Kawasaki survived 3-2 in a challenge by Kumamoto for the first round of the playoffs. The Killer Whales hadn’t been to the Japan League Championship Series since 1985, while the Swordfish were making a fourth consecutive appearance. Sapporo earned repeat pennants, claiming the JLCS 4-2 over Kawasaki. The Swordfish now had 14 Japan League crowns to their name, double the amount of their closest competitors.



The Korea League saw a notable shakeup with defending EAB champ Yongin, Busan, and Ulsan each missing the playoffs. All three teams had advanced in four consecutive seasons. The top seed in 1998 was 102-60 Daegu atop the South Division. This was the Diamondbacks’ first playoff berth in a decade. The Blue Jays (89-73) and Swallows (88-74) were well away in the division race and ultimately just short in the wild card hunt. Suwon at 95-67 was the only repeat playoff team, winning the North Division. The Snappers earned a third straight appearance and their sixth of the 1990s. Close behind were Bucheon (93-69) and Seongnam (91-71), taking the wild cards. The Bolts ended a four-year playoff drought and the Spiders snapped a six-year skid. The Gold Sox, who saw three KL pennants and two EAB titles in the prior four years, were delightfully mid at 80-82.

Ulsan may have missed the playoffs, but 1B Byung-Tak Wie became a three-time Korea League MVP. The 28-year old lefty led in runs (118), home runs (54), total bases (405), OBP (.421), slugging (.714), OPS (1.135), wRC+ (196), and WAR (9.5). Wie also added a .351 average and 120 RBI. Pitcher of the Year was Suwon’s Si-Hyeon Park. Nicknamed “Cheese” for his love of all things dairy, Park led in strikeouts (304), quality starts (23), and shutouts (5). The 29-year old added a 19-8 record, 2.84 ERA, 269.1 innings, and 5.9 WAR.

Both wild card teams advanced out of the first round. Seongnam stunned top seed Daegu in five games, while Bucheon earned a road sweep over Suwon. It was the third-ever Korea League Championship Series berth for the expansion Bolts, who were defeated in 1990 and 1993. The Spiders hadn’t gotten that far since 1991 and had been the one to best Bucheon in 1990. The 1998 KLCS lacked drama ultimately as the Bolts swept Seongnam for their first pennant. With Bucheon’s win, that leaves Daejeon as the only Korea League team without at least one title.



In the 78^th East Asian Championship, the perennial contender Sapporo beat the finals newcomer Bucheon 4-2. It was the first time taking the EAB title since 1981 for Sapporo, who are now 6-8 in their myriad finals appearances. Finals MVP was league MVP Morikazu Ichikawa, who set a playoff record with four complete games in five starts. He had a 1.48 ERA over 42.2 innings with 55 strikeouts and 1.8 WAR. Not only that, but Ichikawa offensively had 15 hits, 12 runs, 6 home runs, and 14 RBI in 16 playoff games. His two-way effort makes a case for one of the most impressive postseason runs in baseball history by one player.



Other notes: Osaka’s Kachi Ishii threw EAB’s 30^th Perfect Game on August 18 with 14 strikeouts against Yokohama. Ji-Hu Kim became the 18^th member of the 3000 hit club. He would play three more seasons and finish with 3295, retiring fifth all-time. Kim is still 11^th as of 2037. RF Do-Un Chi won his eighth Gold Glove.

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The Central American Baseball Association lowered its active roster size from 24 to 23 players. This matches MLB for the lowest roster size of any pro league, forcing teams to be more judicious with who they have active on any given day.



Monterrey continued its CABA record playoff streak, extending it to 11 seasons. The three-time reigning Mexican League champs again had the top record, winning the North Division at 101-61. Tijuana gave them chase at 98-64, which earned the Toros the wild card for the sixth time in seven years. Juarez (92-70) and Mexicali (90-72) also had nice seasons in the North, but couldn’t keep up with the perennial powers. Ecatepec won the South Division for the fifth time in six years, but they needed an extra game to do it. The Explosion tied with Leon at 95-67 atop the division, but Ecatepec claimed the tiebreaker game to advance again.

Tijuana’s Jacky Castillo repeated as Mexican League MVP and joined elite company as a four-time winner. The 31-year old third baseman led in home runs (61), RBI (144), total base (408), and WAR (11.4). Castillo added a .330/.388/.706 slash. It was the fifth time he led the ML in homers and the fourth time smacking 60+. Leon’s Hector Lopez repeated as well as Pitcher of the Year. The 31-year old lefty led in ERA (1.84), WHIP (0.86), and FIP- (62). Lopez added a 17-8 record over 220.1 innings with 260 strikeouts. Also notable was Tijuana’s Leonardo Perez winning a third consecutive Reliever of the Year. Sadly, he would suffer a torn flexor tendon in the postseason and miss the next 14 months. Perez would have some brief success later in MLB, but this effectively was the final time he was elite as a closer.

Tijuana overcame the one-game disadvantage and being on the road to take the wild card round 3-2 over Ecatepec. This was the Toros’ first Mexican League Championship Series appearance since falling to Monterrey in 1992. The Matadors meanwhile had been in the MLCS each year of the 1990s and had a 7-1 record. Monterrey would be denied a second four-peat though, as Tijuana shockingly upset them 4-1. This was the seventh Mexican League title for the Toros, but they hadn’t won it since all the way back in 1923; 75 years prior.



Salvador entered 1998 as the reigning Central American Baseball Association champ and winners of three of the last four Caribbean League titles. The Stallions again had the best record in the CL, taking the Continental Division at 101-61 for a fifth consecutive playoff berth. Honduras was close behind at 99-63, which earned the Horsemen the wild card. Honduras secured its seventh playoff berth of the 90s. In a competitive Island Division, Haiti narrowly repeated as champs. The Herons were 94-68, edging Bahamas by one game and Santo Domingo by three. Although just short of the playoffs, this was a new franchise record for the Buccaneers, who had largely stunk since joining CABA in the 1962 expansion.

Honduras slugger Stevie Montoya won Caribbean League MVP in what was only the second year as a starter for the 29-year old Mexican first baseman. He set a new CABA record with 148 runs scored, topping the previous mark of 144 by Kiko Velazquez in 1940. Montoya also had 164 RBI, tying the record set three years earlier by Pedro Enciso. His 469 total bases also broke Maikel Loya’s 463 record from 1995 and remained the top mark until 2024. Montoya also led in home runs (58), total bases (469), slugging (.746), OPS (1.148), wRC+ (196), and WAR (9.9). He had the second best batting average (.370) in all of CABA, but was denied the Triple Crown by Bahamas’ Tito Infante at .395. Infante posted the fifth highest average to that point by a CABA player.

Meanwhile, Salvador’s Rafael Perez earned a third straight Pitcher of the Year award. For the third consecutive year, the 30-year old Dominican righty won the ERA title (2.30) and was the WARlord (10.1). He also led in WHIP (0.97), quality starts (27), and FIP- (59) while adding 284 strikeouts in 274.1 innings with a 20-8 record.

Haiti rolled to a wild card round sweep of Honduras, giving the Herons repeat appearances in the Caribbean League Championship Series. They were denied again by Salvador, who took the CLCS in six games. The Stallions made it a Caribbean League three-peat and won their fourth pennant in five years. They were the fifth team to win three straight in CL history, joining Guatemala (1969-71), Santo Domingo (1960-62), Puerto Rico (1943-45), and Havana (1911-13).



Salvador carried on their dominance into the 88th CABA Championship, topping Tijuana 4-1. The Stallions repeated as overall champs and won their third ring in five years. The win also gave Salvador six titles overall (1915, 64, 65, 94, 97, 98). Pitcher of the Year Rafael Perez was also finals MVP, going 3-0 in 23.1 playoff innings with a 0.39 ERA and 32 strikeouts.



Other notes: Antonio Desir became the eighth pitcher to reach 250 wins and the 23rd to 3500 strikeouts. 2B Santiago Rosas won his seventh Gold Glove. MVP Jacky Castillo, 3B Adrian Tovar, and CF Leonardo Andrade both won their eighth Silver Sluggers.

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The #1 seed in the National Association for 1998 was Columbus at 100-62 atop the Lower Midwest Division. This gave the Chargers their fourth division title in five years. Chicago and Montreal were each one game short of the top seed at 99-63. The Northeast Division champion Maples had the tiebreaker to earn the first round bye, while the Upper Midwest Division Cubs had to play in the first round. Montreal earned repeat playoff appearances, while it was the first since 1991 for Chicago. Defending National Association champ Minneapolis was a non-factor in the Upper Midwest, falling to 82-80. Boston, winners of the Northeast the prior three years, also dropped to 84-78 and missed the cut.

Toronto at 96-66 was quite close to Montreal, but fell just short. Still, the Timberwolves picked up the first wild card for their fourth playoff appearance of the decade. Indianapolis at 92-70 was the second wild card for their third straight playoff berth. The Racers were three games ahead of Cleveland and seven better than the next closest competitor St. Louis. The weakest record for a playoff team was East Division champion New York at 87-75. The Yankees edged Washington by three games for the spot, while defending division winner Virginia Beach fell to 78-84. New York earned its seventh playoff berth in ten years.

National Association MVP went to Montreal shortstop Matteo Canetti. The 31-year old Italian was in his sixth season in Quebec after starting his career with EBF’s Milan Maulers. Canetti led with 114 RBI and 9.2 WAR and earned his sixth career Gold Glove. He also had 34 home runs and a .285/.315/.539 slash. Pitcher of the Year was Columbus’s Udugama Bandara. After going unnoticed in his native Sri Lanka, the Chargers spotted him in 1993 and signed him as a free agent at age 24. Now 29, he led in wins (20-9) and shutouts (6) while posting a 2.57 ERA over 276.1 innings, 201 strikeouts, and 6.1 WAR. Bandara delivered on the six-year, $21,520,000 extension the Chargers gave him the prior winter.

The first round of the playoffs had Toronto over New York 2-0 and Chicago over Indianapolis 2-1. Both the Timberwolves and Cubs carried forward impressive momentum with second round sweeps of the top seeds. Toronto rolled Columbus and Chicago mauled Montreal. It was the first time in the National Association Championship Series for Toronto since their 1993 pennant, while the Cubs last were there in their 1984 World Series season. The Timberwolves took care of business, clobbering Chicago 4-1. Toronto earned its seventh National Association crown (1903, 26, 54, 70, 85, 93, 98).



Vancouver and defending World Series champion Los Angeles earned the first round byes in the American Association, although both had to work hard just to win their divisions. The Volcanoes were the top seed at 101-61, fending off a 97-75 Seattle squad in the Northwest. The Angels won the Southwest at 99-63, beating San Diego by only one game. The Seals were the first wild card for their third straight playoff berth. The Grizzlies were the second wild card, ending a five-year playoff drought. Both divisions had five other teams between 87 and 92 wins, who missed out despite nice efforts.

Meanwhile in the Southeast Division, Nashville was on top at 95-67 for their second title in three years. They had tight competition led by 91-71 Orlando. That was the first-ever winning season for the Orcas since joining in the 1982 expansion. Charlotte and Atlanta were also in the mix. Dallas was the beneficiary of a weak South Central Division, winning by default as the only team above .500. The 87-75 Dalmatians got their second division win in three years, impressively rebounding from a not so nice 69 win 1997 effort.

American Association MVP went to San Diego CF Tyler Ryabenko. The 27-year old led in runs (117), hits (218), RBI (135), and WAR (9.9). Ryanbenko added 37 home runs and a .341 average. He was another guy who lived up to the big payday he had received the prior winter, extended by the Seals for eight years at $31,600,000.

Charlotte’s Chris Doyle won his first Pitcher of the Year at age 32. He led in WAR (10.3) for the fourth straight season and led in innings pitched (298.2) for the third time in four years. Doyle had 248 strikeouts, a 2.71 ERA, and 23-10 record. Deserving a mention also was San Francisco Rookie of the Year winner Leegan Shea. The LF led in home runs (53), and OPS (1.056) in his debut with 8.9 WAR. That was the second-most WAR ever by an AA ROY winner, only behind the 9.1 in 1925 by eventual Hall of Famer BJ Scott.

San Diego edged Dallas 2-1 and Seattle knocked off Nashville 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs. Both top seeds survived five game wars in the second round against their divisional rivals with Vancouver over Seattle and LA over SD. The Volcanoes hadn’t gotten to the American Association Championship Series since 1982 and although they had home field advantage, many viewed them as the underdog against the defending champ Angels. Vancouver proved any doubters quickly wrong by sweeping Los Angeles. This was only the third-ever pennant for the Volcanoes (1939, 1957).



The 98^th World Series was an all-Canadian one and one of the all-time great finales. It required all seven games and the seventh game needed 13 innings. Vancouver won the finale 8-7 over Toronto to take the series 4-3, becoming MLB champs for the second time (1957). LF Jimmy Wilcox was World Series MVP, posting 19 hits, 7 runs, 5 home runs, and 8 RBI in 16 playoff starts. The title also marked the sixth consecutive season that an American Association team finished on top.



Other notes: T.J. Nakabayashi became the eighth pitcher to 300 career wins and the fifth to 4500 strikeouts. Nakabayashi pitched one more year and ended with 4686 strikeouts, second only to Julius Jordan. He remains second all-time as of 2037 while his 317 wins sit sixth. Calgary’s Lindsey Vachon went 7-7 against Seattle on April 22, becoming the fourth player in MLB history with a seven-hit game. The feat wouldn’t be reached again until 2029. Ambrose Heidinger became the 52^nd MLB player to reach 3000 hits. Francis Saidi was the 39^th pitcher to 250 wins. CF Jonathon Valenzuela won his eighth Gold Glove.
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The 1999 ballot for the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame was a wide open one with no slam dunk debuts, opening up opportunities for returners on the ballot. Three players breached the 66% threshold to earn induction, each as returners on the ballot. None of them had massive numbers though. The leader was first baseman Aranha Carlos at 76.3% in his fourth try. He was joined by fellow 1B Kymani Massey at 67.9% on his seventh attempt and 2B Cade Parker with 67.6% for his third ballot. Two debutants crossed 50% with Closer Alex Cantos at 58.6% and 2B Rodrigo Badillo at 54.4%. Also crossing 50% was LF Xiandong He with 54.4% for his seventh ballot.



One player was dropped after ten failed ballots in two-way player Uriel Larking. He had a 17 year career, winning MVP in 1969 along with two Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers. As a pitcher, Larking had a 151-114 record, 3.72 ERA, 2409.2 innings, 1806 strikeouts, a 103 ERA+, and 46.1 WAR. Playing the infield (mostly first base), he had 1238 hits, 848 runs, 225 home runs, 728 RBI, a .237/.341/.434 slash, 111 wRC+, and 26.9 WAR. Being a two-way guy is impressive, but Larking was merely average to above average on both sides. Voters didn’t feel he was strong enough at either spot to get the nod. Larking peaked at 28.1% on his second ballot and ended at a low of 8.7%.



Aranha “Champagne” Carlos – First Base – Philadelphia Phillies – 76.3% Fourth Ballot

Aranha Carlos was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed infielder from Moji das Cruzes, Brazil; a city of around 450,000 within metro Sao Paulo. Carlos was a solid contact hitter with a strong pop in his bat, regularly averaging 30+ home runs and 30+ doubles per season. He had a respectable eye for drawing walks with a decent ability at avoiding strikeouts. Carlos was a fairly intelligent baserunner, but had below average speed. He was a career first baseman and graded out as very average defensively there. Carlos also had a few starts at second base, but struggled with poor range. Carlos was considered an ironman who played pro baseball in four different decades.

Carlos was viewed as an impressive prospect coming up in Brazil, getting drafted 11^th overall in the 1965 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Belo Horizonte. Carlos was never able to crack the lineup regularly during his eight years under contract with the Hogs. He played 439 games, but only had four starts with a .282/.315/.435 slash and 2.7 WAR. Annoyed with his lack of use, Carlos was traded by Belo Horizonte to Guayaquil after the 1973 season for SS Salvador Villarreal and 3B Boris Cervantez.

The Golds gave Carlos a shot at second base and although he was a poor defender there, he won a Silver Slugger. He was moved to designated hitter in his other two years with Guayaquil, leading the Bolivar League in hits in 1975 and winning a Silver Slugger in 1976. In three seasons with the Golds, Carlos had 605 hits, 297 runs, 104 doubles, 94 home runs, 282 RBI, a .324/.359/.552 slash, 154 wRC+, and 16.8 WAR. After the 1976 season, the 31-year old Carlos became a free agent for the first time.

His bat earned international attention and MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies were impressed. Carlos signed a seven-year, $3,710,000 deal to begin his MLB career. It wasn’t too uncommon for a foreign player to come to MLB for his later years, but beginning what would be a 14-year MLB career at age 31 was unique to Carlos. In the United States, Carlos earned the nickname “Champagne” for his enjoyment of the high life. Some criticized him for a lack of leadership and loyalty. However, his durability and bat were above reproach.

It was a down period for Philadelphia with only one playoff berth in his seven year tenure. However, Carlos couldn’t be blamed for their mediocrity. He actually got better as he aged, posting three 6+ WAR seasons in his final three years with the Phillies. Playing first base, Carlos led the National Association in home runs and total bases in 1982, winning a Silver Slugger that year. He would return home to Brazil for the World Baseball Championship, becoming a starter in his later From 1972-90, Carlos had 172 games and 124 starts in the WBC with 134 hits, 82 runs, 26 doubles, 35 home runs, 95 RBI, and a .285/.368/.568 slash. He was part of Brazil’s 1987, 1989, and 1990 World Championship teams.

In total with Philadelphia, Carlos had 1154 hits, 636 runs, 205 doubles, 247 home runs, 711 RBI, a .286/.345/.530 slash, 154 wRC+, and 36.9 WAR. He was a free agent again entering the 1984 season at age 38. Houston was interested, signing Carlos to a three-year, $3,180,000 deal. He maintained his same level of production with the Hornets, helping them to two playoff appearances, although they didn’t get beyond the second round. With Houston, Carlos had 534 hits, 305 runs, 107 doubles, 109 home runs, 350 RBI, a .302/.361/.558 slash, and 15.8 WAR.

Teams usually didn’t give long deals to guys in their 40s, but Carlos still looked great as a 41-year old free agent for 1987. Detroit signed him to a three-year, $5,160,000 deal. After a good 1987, Carlos shocked many with an outstanding 1988. He led the National Association in runs, RBI, total bases, slugging, OBP, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. He posted career bests in each of those stats and in homers and average. Carlos won his fourth Silver Slugger and made world history by becoming the oldest-ever MVP winner at age 42. Detroit made the playoffs, but were ousted in the first round.

Carlos regressed a bit in 1989, but still had 3.7 WAR in 111 starts. For his Tigers tenure, he had 491 hits, 292 runs, 96 home runs, 282 RBI, a .303/.380/.533 slash, and 19.0 WAR. Now age 44, Wichita gave Carlos a three-year, $4,140,000 deal. He finally looked pedestrian in his one year with the Wasps, posting 1.6 WAR and a 110 wRC+. Carlos was released after spring training 1991 by Wichita. After going unsigned that year, he finally retired at age 46; one of the longest tenured players in pro baseball history.

For his entire professional career, Carlos had 3032 hits, 1637 runs, 532 doubles, 572 home runs, 1750 RBI, a .296/.353/.528 slash, 152 wRC+, and 92.7 WAR. For his 14-year MLB tenure, he had 2296 hits, 1287 runs, 407 doubles, 466 home runs, 1397 RBI, a .290/.353/.528 slash, 153 wRC+, and 73.2 WAR. Those totals were especially remarkable since they all came after his 30^th birthday, but on their own, his tallies were borderline. Carlos missed out narrowly in his first three ballots with 56.8%, 64.3%, and 63.5%. His incredible story and MVP at age 42 made him a very popular player and one that would be hard to deny. With a weaker 1999 field, Carlos got the bump to 76.3% for a fourth ballot induction.



Kymani “Hands” Massey – First Base – Montreal Maples – 67.9% Seventh Ballot

Kymani Massey was a 6’6’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Montana Rey, Curacao; located within the capital Willemstad. Massey had the nickname “Hands” as his big frame meant he had very unusually long hands. He had great home run power and was excellent at drawing walks. However, Massey was a below average contact hitter with a poor strikeout rate. His gap power was decent, but he lacked the speed to get too many extra bases.

Massey played exclusively at first base and was considered pretty good defensively. He would win a Gold Glove in 1975. Massey was quite durable and reliable, starting 140+ games every year from 1971-84. His reliability, work ethic, and ability to mash dingers made Massey a very popular player in his era.

Massey left Curacao in his late teens and ended up in the United States, playing college baseball at Kentucky. He dominated the college ranks, winning Silver Sluggers in 1966 and 1968. Massey was the NCAA MVP in 1968 with a .364/.446/.892 slash in 48 games, 27 home runs, and 5.0 WAR. For his college career, Massey played 145 games with 166 hits, 109 runs, 65 home runs, 146 RBI, a .309/.395/.726 slash, 219 wRC+, and 11.3 WAR.

Many teams were quite interested, but as someone born outside of the US and Canada, Massey wasn’t eligible in the first three rounds of the 1969 MLB Draft due to regional restrictions. With the fifth pick in the fourth round, the 156^th overall pick, Massey was selected by Montreal. He spent his first two seasons with minor league Quebec City, although he did play 28 games in 1970 with the big league club. Massey became a full-time starter in 1971 and held that role for the next 14 years with the Maples.

In his rookie season, Massey led the National Association with 46 home runs. He posted career bests in runs, batting average, and WAR. Massey won Rookie of the Year and a Silver Slugger. He never exceeded that season, but he put up steady reliable numbers for the next decade. Massey had 30+ home runs in all but one of his full seasons with the Maples and posted six seasons of 100+ RBI. He won a second Silver Slugger in 1974.

Montreal won the National Association pennant in 1972 and 1973, although they lost both years in the World Series. Massey had 17 hits, 10 runs, 6 doubles, and 2 home runs in the 1972 run. A hamstring strain cost him most of the 1973 postseason. The Maples had a four-year playoff drought from 1975-78, but Massey carried on. Montreal committed long-term to Massey with an eight-year, $5,980,000 deal in spring 1976.

His native Curacao didn’t have enough players to field a team in the World Baseball Championship, but the island was part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Massey would be a regular for the Dutch team from 1970-88, playing 138 games with 110 starts. He had 93 hits, 75 runs, 45 home runs, 84 RBI, a .228/.343/.593 slash, 158 wRC+, and 5.1 WAR.

Massey helped bring Montreal back into the playoff fold with three straight playoff berths from 1979-81. He led the NA in home runs in 1979 as the Maples again made the World Series, falling to Las Vegas. Montreal lost in the NACS in 1980, but took another pennant in 1981. That year, the Maples won their first World Series since 1951 and Massey was named World Series MVP. He had 21 hits, 11 runs, 4 home runs, and 11 RBI in that playoff run. For his playoff career with Montreal, Massey had 71 starts, 76 hits, 45 runs, 15 home runs, 43 RBI, a .291/.371/.539 slash, 162 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR.

In 1983, Massey had a career best 47 home runs. But he struggled in 1984 with a career worst .192 batting average and 1.8 WAR. This was the final year of his big contract with Montreal, making Massey a free agent at age 37. For his Maples career, Massey had 1974 hits, 1235 runs, 320 doubles, 528 home runs, 1398 RBI, a .248/.331/.497 slash, 136 wRC+, and 58.5 WAR. He remained extremely popular in later years throughout Quebec, although Montreal never did retire his jersey number.

Massey wasn’t signed in 1985 until late May with a one-year deal with Kansas City. He still managed 25 home runs and 2.9 WAR in 101 games in his one year with the Cougars. That earned him a three-year deal in the offseason worth $4,020,000 from San Diego. With the Seals, Massey crossed the 600 home run and 1500 career RBI marks. However, he was only a part-time starter with SD with middling production. Massey had a .212/.307/.406 average, 55 home runs, 104 wRC+, and 2.1 WAR. Massey didn’t meet the vesting criteria in his contract for a third season, becoming a free agent again at age 40. He played in the 1988 WBC with the Netherlands, but couldn’t find a full-time job, retiring that winter.

For his career, Massey had 2220 hits, 1417 runs, 360 doubles, 608 home runs, 1604 RBI, 1135 walks, a .244/.329/.494 slash, 134 wRC+, and 63.4 WAR. He was the 17^th MLB slugger to reach 600 career home runs. The homers and walks were impressive, but Massey’s other stats were borderline compared to other MLB Hall of Famers. Many voters thought he was a Hall of Good type and he hovered in the 50-59% range for five years. Massey had a new high of 1998 in 61.7%, then narrowly crossed the line in 1999 at 67.9%. His popularity and role in multiple pennants for Montreal helped Massey earn a spot in the three-player 1999 class.



Cade Parker – Second Base – San Diego Seals – 67.6% Third Ballot

Cade Parker was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed second baseman from Seattle, Washington. Parker was an excellent contact hitter who was outstanding at avoiding strikeouts and putting the ball in play. He was great at finding the gap, averaging 34 doubles and 9 triples per 162 games. Parker’s speed was respectable and he could stretch extra bases, although he wasn’t a prolific thief. His home run power was subpar and he was decent at drawing walks. Parker made about 2/3s of his career starts at second base, where he was viewed as firmly average defensively. He also had some brief stints at shortstop, third base, and right field, but was awful in those spots with a poor arm. Parker was popular and didn’t miss much time in his prime to injury, but some felt he lacked drive and wasn’t the brightest.

Parker left the Pacific Northwest to play college baseball at Baylor. In three years with the Bears, he had 143 games, 159 hits, 97 runs, 26 doubles, 17 home runs, 71 RBI, a .286/.356/.425 slash, 131 wRC+, and 5.1 WAR. Guys with a solid bat that could competently field at second weren’t the easiest to come by, thus Parker was picked sixth overall by San Diego in the 1972 MLB Draft. He was a starter immediately and had a respectable rookie campaign, followed by a Silver Slugger 1974, along with his lone batting title with a .354 average. However, Parker struggled immensely in 1975 with a -3.2 WAR season, posting a shockingly bad 24.9% strikeout rate.

He corrected his approach in the offseason and had an outstanding 2.7% strikeout rate the next year, returning to form and winning his second Silver Slugger. Parker wasn’t a league leader for the rest of his run, but he regularly gave you an average above .300 and between 4-6 WAR. This was a dark era for San Diego, who didn’t make the playoffs during Parker’s entire run. He was popular though and holding his own, earning an eight-year, $5,310,000 extension after the 1977 season.

Later in his career, Parker also played in the World Baseball Championship for the United States. From 1980-87, he played 105 games with 95 starts, getting 97 hits, 60 runs, 16 doubles, 12 home runs, 51 RBI, a .289/.355/.467 slash, and 3.1 WAR. Parker was a part of world title winning American teams in 1981, 82, 84, and 85.

In his final season with San Diego, Parker won his third Silver Slugger in 1984. The Seals were close to snapping that playoff drought, but just short. Parker was still solid at age 33 heading into 1985, but it was the final year of his contract. The Seals didn’t expect to re-sign him and traded him in spring training to Calgary for prospects. For his San Diego tenure, Parker posted 2200 hits, 1004 runs, 352 doubles, 133 home runs, 893 RBI, a .323/.377/.463 slash, 129 wRC+, and 54.3 WAR.

His one season with the Cheetahs saw torn ankle ligaments cost him the second half of the year. Calgary won 109 games that year, but were upset in the second round of the playoffs. The Cheetahs would go onto win the next two World Series, but they were underwhelmed and didn’t keep Parker after his one year. A 34-year old free agent, some were surprised as Charlotte committed to a five-year, $7,400,000 contract with Parker.

Injuries cost him bits of his Canaries tenure, but Parker maintained respectable starter-quality production when healthy. He finally got to play in the postseason in 1986, as Charlotte lost to Calgary in the American Association Championship Series. This ultimately was his only time playing in the playoffs for his whole career. With the Canaries, Parker crossed 3000 career hits; the 46^th MLB player to do so. He also became the 29^th guy to reach 500 career doubles.

With Charlotte, Parker had 775 hits, 399 runs, 144 doubles, a .309/.363/.456 slash, 120 wRC+, and 15.7 WAR. Numerous injuries cost him about half of his final year with the Canaries, making many teams leery of signing him for 1991. Louisville gave him a shot in spring training and he was very middling as a part-time starter with the Lynx. While there, he would score his 1500^th career run. Parker retired that winter at age 40.

For his pro career, Parker had 3240 hits, 1529 runs, 544 doubles, 137 triples, 203 home runs, 1284 RBI, 375 stolen bases, a .320/.373/.461 slash, 127 wRC+, and 75.8 WAR. At induction, he was 12^th all-time in doubles and 24^th in hits. At the time as well, there were only 14 guys in the Hall of Fame that had a .320 or better batting average like Parker. However, he was never viewed as a top ten hitter in the league and although well liked, was overlooked on some mediocre teams. Parker debuted at 57.7% in 1997, then missed the cut by the slimmest margin in 1998 at 65.9%. He only needed to win over one more voter and in 1999, he won a few to get to 67.6%, rounding out the class as a third ballot inductee.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Two players earned spots into the Central American Baseball Association’s Hall of Fame in 1999. Pitcher Hugo Peguero led the way with a first ballot induction at 90.3%. Joining him was outfielder Franco Hernandez, getting across the 66% requirement on his second try at 70.8%. Two others were above 50%, but still short. Catcher Hansel Morel had 55.5% in his ninth attempt and 3B Pedro Pizarro received 54.5% on his fourth ballot. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots in 1999.



Hugo Peguero – Starting Pitcher – Santo Domingo Dolphins – 90.3% First Ballot

Hugo Peguero was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic. His hometown Cotui has just under 80,000 inhabitants in the center of the nation. Peguero had incredible stuff with respectable movement. His fastball hit 99-101 mph along with a stellar slider, great screwball, and rarely seen changeup. His control was subpar though with his wildness sometimes getting him into trouble. Relative to other CABA aces, Peguero’s stamina was weak as well. His leadership and work ethic were both tremendous, making him well known and respected throughout the DR.

Scouts in the capital were aware of Peguero’s potential from a very young age. Even as a 16-year old, Peguero was regularly hitting the upper 90s with his fastball. Santo Domingo thought he could be the next great star, signing him in 1974 as a teenage amateur. He spent parts of six years in the developmental system before debuting in 1980 at age 21. He struggled in his 73 innings as a rookie, but made the adjustments needed to shine the next year. Peguero took third in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1981, his first full season in the rotation.

He was also thrown into big games at a young age, as 1981 marked the start of Santo Domingo’s dynasty run in the Caribbean League. They won the pennant that year, but lost the CABA Championship to Juarez. Peguero was 4-1 in the playoffs with a 3.23 ERA in 39 innings. 1982 was his first of six seasons striking out 300+ batters. Peguero was third again in POTY voting and had a 2.61 ERA over 20.2 playoff innings. This time, the Dolphins won both the CL title and the CABA championship.

1983 was Peguero’s saw his first issue with injuries as a strained biceps cost him a month. The Dolphins had the best record in the Caribbean, but were upset by Puerto Rico in the CLCS. In 1984, Peguero fractured the coracoid bone in his shoulder, knocking him out the entire second half and the playoffs. Santo Domingo won the CABA championship, but Peguero had to watch in a sling.

Peguero bounced back in 1985 with his finest season, leading in wins at 24-5, and posting both league and career bests in strikeouts (376) and WAR (8.9). He earned Pitcher of the Year and had an excellent 1.87 ERA over 33.2 playoff innings with 40 strikeouts, helping Santo Domingo win its third CABA title in four years. The Dolphins began discussion an extension as Peguero entered his final year of team control, locking him in with a six-year, $6,240,000 extension in May 1986.

Peguero led the league in strikeouts the next two years, taking third in POTY voting in 1986. The Dolphins fell in the CLCS in 1986; which was Peguero’s last playoff chances. For an excellent playoff career, he had an 11-3 record, 2.36 ERA, 122 innings, 154 strikeouts, a 154 ERA+, and 3.5 WAR. After missing the postseason in 1987 and 1988, Santo Domingo made it back in 1989. However, in late September, Peguero suffered a partially torn UCL.

He again bounced back impressively, although an elbow strain would cost him the final month and the playoffs of 1990. Still, he led the league in ERA and WHIP that year with a 17-2 record, which nabbed Peguero his second Pitcher of the Year award. The Dolphins again made the playoffs in 1991, but fell short for the third straight year. Yet again, injuries kept Peguero from the postseason. This time, it would be a torn rotator cuff that he ultimately never bounced back from.

Peguero played in the 1992 World Baseball Championship for the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, his control and stamina were both shot from the injury. Although cleared to play, Santo Domingo didn’t use him at all in 1992. His contract expired that winter and Peguero signed for 1993 with Salvador. He only tossed 27.1 innings mostly in relief with the Stallions with unremarkable results. Thus, Peguero retired at only age 35 after the season. Still popular in the capital, Santo Domingo retired his #7 uniform that winter.

For his career, Peguero had a 181-90 record, 2.90 ERA, 2508 innings, 3341 strikeouts, 658 walks, 207/331 quality starts, 77 complete games, a 126 ERA+, 73 FIP-, and 67.6 WAR. Injuries kept him from more impressive accumulations, but his numbers weren’t out of line compared to some other guys who had made the cut in CABA. Peguero’s playoff success put him over the top; at induction he had the seventh most WAR of any playoff pitcher. He was the ace of a dynasty run in Santo Domingo, making him an easy choice on the first ballot at 90.3%.



Franco Hernandez – Right Field – Leon Lions – 70.8% Second Ballot

Franco Hernandez was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from the capital of Cuba, Havana. Hernandez was a very good contact hitter with an excellent eye and good knack at avoiding strikeouts. One of the absolute best at getting on base, he was the Mexican League’s leader in on-base percentage five times and walks four times in his career. Hernandez wasn’t a prolific slugger, but he averaged per 162 around 20-25 doubles, 20-25 home runs, and around 10 triples per season. He had solid speed and was one of the most efficient base stealers of his time. The majority of his career was in right field, where he graded out as a fairly lousy defender.

A Mexican scout noticed Hernandez during a showcase in Havana and kept an eye on him. This ultimately culminated in an amateur free agent signing with Leon in 1978 for the then 16-year old Hernandez. His entire CABA career would be as a Lion, debuting with a few pinch hit appearances in 1982 at age 20. Hernandez was a platoon guy in 1983, but still took third in Rookie of the Year voting. He then took over the starting job full-time from 1984 onward.

Hernandez won Silver Sluggers in 1984, 86, 87, and 88. 1984 saw him join the small group of guys with a six-hit game. In 1986, he had a career best 34 home runs and also posted career/league bests in slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. That earned him Mexican League MVP and helped Leon end a six-year playoff drought. The Lions won the ML pennant, but lost the CABA Championship to Costa Rica.

1987 saw a second MVP season, again leading in OPS, wRC+, and WAR. Leon regressed to below .500 despite his efforts that year, but they wanted to lock Hernandez up. After the season, he signed an eight-year, $12,180,000 extension. Hernandez was never quite as dominant, but he was still an excellent starter for the rest of his Leon tenure. He took third in 1991 MVP voting with a career best .435 on base percentage.

Leon made it back to the playoffs in 1991 and 1992 with division titles, but they were unable to make a notable run. Hernandez still had a few years left on his deal, but he also had an opt out clause. To the surprise and disappointment of Lions fans, he used it and entered free agency at age 31. The franchise would later retire his #28 uniform and he stayed popular, but some would hold a grudge against him.

Hernandez knew this was his chance to go to Major League Baseball and score a big payday. Orlando inked him to a six-year, $13,680,000 deal. His first year as an Ocra was solid, but MLB pitchers figured him out. Hernandez was middling the next two years, then firmly bad the two years after that. He missed some time to injury and eventually got benched. Orlando cut him in August 1997, effectively ending his career as he retired that winter at age 35. With Orlando, Hernandez had 521 hits, 324 runs, a .241/.323/.385 slash, 102 wRC+, and 4.8 WAR.

However in CABA with Leon, Hernandez had 1747 hits, 889 runs, 238 doubles, 246 home runs, 796 RBI, a .332/.405/.551 slash, 191 wRC+, and 72.9 WAR. His accumulations were very much on the lower end since he only played a decade in Mexico. However, he was CABA’s all-time leader in OBP, even besting the legendary Kiko Velazquez. Hernandez is still eighth as of 2037, only passed in finally with higher offense from the 2010s onward in CABA. His rate stats were excellent, which supporters pointed to when detractors noted the weak tallies. Hernandez barely missed the cut in his debut at 65.8%. The second ballot got him in at 70.8% as the second member of CABA’s 1999 class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Three guys received a first ballot induction into East Asia Baseball’s 1999 Hall of Fame class. SP Seung-Yu Woo was the only lock though, getting in at 95.6%. RF Jung-Woo Kim (72.4%) and 3B/SS Seung-Yu Moon (68.0%) only narrowly passed the 66% requirement, but were first ballot guys regardless. 2B Seong-Jae Kang was close with 62.1% on his fourth try. The only other guy above 50% was LF Jay-Hoon Cho with 59.2% for his fourth ballot. No players were dropped following ten ballots in 1999 for EAB.



Seung-Yu Woo – Starting Pitcher – Changwon Crabs – 95.6% First Ballot

Seung-Yu Woo was a 5’11’’, 205 pound right-handed pitcher from Jeonju, South Korea; home of the Jethawks expansion team. Woo had very good stuff with solid movement. His control was iffy at the start of his career, but he had excellent command in his later years. Woo had a great 97-99 mph fastball along with a good sinker and okay changeup. In his 20s, Woo had arguably the best stamina in Korea. His durability was solid and he had a great work ethic.

Woo excelled from a very young age, showing incredible potential while at Woosung High School. Not only was he drafted out of high school, Changwon made him the #1 overall pick in the 1974 EAB Draft. He spent two years in developmental working on his control before struggling in a partial debut season of 1977 at age 21. He was better the next year, then was the Crabs ace after that.

Woo led the Korea League in strikeouts four straight years from 1979-82. With the Crabs, he led in wins five times, innings pitched thrice, WHIP thrice, quality starts thrice, complete games twice, and WAR twice. 1981 and 1982 both saw 10+ WAR efforts.

Woo won Pitcher of the Year four times in Changwon (1980, 81, 82, 84) and took second in voting in 1983. 1984 also featured a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts and two walks against Daegu. He certainly lived up to the hype as the #1 overall pick and received a six-year, $2,722,000 extension after the 1980 season. Woo was a regular for South Korea in the World Baseball Championship, even coming back after later leaving for MLB. From 1980-93, he had 180.2 WBC innings with a 2.54 ERA, 257 strikeouts, 147 ERA+, and 6.2 WAR.

When Woo arrived, Changwon had been consistently terrible for a decade. He helped get them back to respectability with some winning seasons, but their only playoff appearance would be a first round exit in 1980. They seemed no closer to breaking through after the 1985 season and Woo was entering the last year of his deal. The Crabs decided to send him to Ulsan, getting five prospects back. Changwon would later retire his #2 uniform for his excellent run. While there, Woo had a 172-86 record, 2.84 ERA, 2359 innings, 2563 strikeouts, 133 ERA+, and 59.8 WAR.

Woo’s one season with Ulsan was the weakest he’d seen since his early days, posting merely above average numbers. He became a free agent for the first time at age 31 and accepted bids. MLB’s Columbus Chargers were hopefully they could get the prime Woo and signed him to a six-year, $8,040,000 deal. Unfortunately for them, it became clear that his prime was over and that MLB hitters could handle him.

Woo’s stats were largely average at best in five years with Columbus, but he did still eat innings. The Chargers tried him some in relief in 1988, but didn’t find much more luck there. Columbus bought out the final year of his contract after the 1991 season. For his MLB run, Woo had a 57-69 record, 3.86 ERA, 1104.2 innings, 739 strikeouts, 93 ERA+, and 13.8 WAR.

A free agent again at age 36, Woo came back to Korea hoping to revive his career, inking a three-year, $4,100,000 deal with Goyang. He was ultimately mid in two seasons with the Green Sox. Shoulder inflammation plagued him at the end of 1993 and he decided to retire that winter at age 37. Woo’s Goyang run saw a 15-23 record, 3.65 ERA, 103 ERA+, and 4.9 WAR.

For his full EAB career, Woo had a 198-120 record, 3.00 ERA, 2973 innings, 3128 strikeouts, 504 walks, 235/360 quality starts, 145 complete games, 126 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 69.5 WAR. Although his 30s was subpar, it is hard to argue against the four Pitcher of the Year awards he won in his 20s. His grand totals aren’t at the top of the Hall of Fame leaderboard, but you couldn’t argue against Woo as being Korea’s best pitcher in the early 1980s. That impressive peak was plenty for the EAB voters, giving him the first ballot induction at an excellent 95.6%.



Jung-Woo Kim – Right Field – Daejeon Ducks – 72.4% First Ballot

Jung-Woo Kim was a 6’3’’, 195 pound left-handed outfielder from the capital of South Korea, Seoul. Kim was a well-rounded hitter with solid contact, power, and eye. He wasn’t amazing at any one thing, but he got you good results across the board. Kim was also a pretty smart and effective baserunner despite having merely average speed. He played right field in the vast majority of his starts and was firmly above average defensively. Kim worked hard and was intelligent, becoming a popular player both in the clubhouse and with fans.

Kim attended Seoul’s Dongguk University for his collegiate career and was picked 15^th overall by Daejeon in the 1977 EAB Draft. He was a part-time starter in his first two years with the Ducks, then graduated to the full-time job in 1980. Kim won two Silver Sluggers in Daejeon (1983, 84) and led the Korea League in RBI in 1983 with 134. That season also had career bests in home runs, runs scored, and OPS. Kim took third in 1983’s MVP voting and second in 1984.

Prior to his arrival, Daejeon had consistently been one of the weakest franchises in Korean baseball. Kim helped the Ducks win five division titles from 1979-84; they had only two in the prior 58 years. His playoff numbers were decent, but Daejeon was plagued with playoff failure. The Ducks were ousted in the first round four times and fell once in the KLCS despite thrice having the league’s best record. Kim’s postseason stats saw 24 starts, 30 hits, 13 runs, 6 doubles, 3 home runs, 11 RBI, a .300/.320/.470 slash, and 0.7 WAR. Kim also became known throughout the nation as a regular on the World Baseball Championship team for South Korea. From 1980-92, he played 95 games with 77 starts, 63 hits, 50 runs, 13 doubles, 13 home runs, 36 RBI, a .211/.293/.385 slash, 97 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR.

After the 1984 season, Kim was 29-years old and fresh off his best-ever season by WAR at 8.5. He was frustrated by Daejeon’s lack of playoff success and the Ducks weren’t inclined to spend big to keep him. This ended his time there, although he would be inducted in Daejeon’s hat. For his time as a Duck, Kim had 1162 hits, 612 runs, 201 doubles, 191 home runs, 681 RBI, a .319/.366/.553 slash, 151 wRC+, and 40.8 WAR.

Many teams were quite interested in Kim’s services. Ulsan won the sweepstakes with a seven-year, $6,190,000 deal. He led the KL in WAR in 1986. Kim wasn’t as impressive statistically as his Daejeon tenure, but he was a strong starter for six seasons. Ulsan made the KLCS in 1985 and 1987 and won the pennant in the latter year. They lost to Chiba in the EAB Championship, but Kim provided 18 hits, 9 runs, 4 home runs, and 9 RBI over 17 playoff starts.

In total with Ulsan, Kim had 1021 hits, 515 runs, 169 doubles, 145 home runs, 557 RBI, a .298/.351/.495 slash, 131 wRC+, and 29.1 WAR. He declined the final year option in his contract, becoming a free agent again at age 35. Kim decided to return to his hometown of Seoul, inking a three-year, $3,900,000 deal with the Seahawks. He had a solid debut, winning his third Silver Slugger in 1991. Kim’s power noticeably dropped in his second year and the Seahawks decided to trade him. Defending EAB champ Niigata was interested and sent over five prospects for Kim and $17,440,000 cash.

He finished out the season with the Green Dragons, who lost in the first round of the playoffs. Kim was respectable in his second season in Niigata, but they fell below .500. He was still in good health and had proven quite durable throughout his career. However, Kim opted to retire after the 1993 campaign at age 38.

For his career, Kim had 2661 hits, 1362 runs, 435 doubles, 394 home runs, 1452 RBI, 350 stolen bases, a .306/.358/.512 slash, 140 wRC+, and 83.8 WAR. His stats weren’t eye-popping and he wasn’t one to lead the league, but Kim was consistently quite solid for a good 15 years. Plus, he was quite liked and respected by his peers. This allowed Kim to earn the first ballot induction, although narrowly at 72.4%.



Seung-Yu Moon – Third Base/Shortstop – Chiba Comets – 68.0% First Ballot

Seung-Yo Moon was a 6’1’’, 195 pound left-handed hitting infielder from Chuncheon, South Korea; a city of around 286,000 inhabitants in the northern part of the nation. Moon was a solid contact hitter with good speed and respectable baserunning ability. He had excellent gap power, averaging around 40-45 doubles/triples per season. Moon’s home run power was okay with around 15 dingers per year. He was firmly above average at drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Moon split his career between third base and shortstop, boasting a pretty strong arm. He made a few more starts at 3B and was considered quite good there, twice winning Gold Gloves. At SS, Moon graded out as consistently average. Despite the physical demands of the positions, Moon showed great durability and rarely missed time to injury. He was also known for being quite outspoken, which earned him both praise and scorn at points in his career.

Although he grew up in South Korea, nearly his entire baseball career would be in Japan. Moon was spotted and signed in November 1969 by a scout from Chiba. After nearly four years in their developmental system, he debuted with 50 games and 15 starts in 1973 at age 20. Moon saw more action as a part-time starter in 1974. By 1975, Moon was a full-time starter and held that role for the next 15 years with the Comets.

That 1975 season earned him plenty of attention, as he won his first Silver Slugger as a shortstop. Moon’s lone batting title came in 1976. He won two more Silver Sluggers, both at short, in 1977 and 1978. He led in hits in 1981, but otherwise wasn’t a league-leading guy. Moon did make history though by hitting for the cycle in 1976, 77, and 78; becoming the fifth player in EAB history to do it thrice in a career. Moon stayed steady for Chiba, who earned Capital Division titles in 1978 and 1980. Both years saw first round playoff exits for the Comets. Still, Chiba committed to Moon long-term with an eight-year, $5,390,000 extension signed in May 1979.

The Comets were around .500 for the early part of the 1980s. Moon moved to third base and won his two Gold Gloves in 1982 and 1983. He also made a couple appearances in the World Baseball Championship for South Korea with five berths from 1976-82. In 30 games, Moon had 26 hits, 11 runs, 4 doubles, 3 home runs, 7 RBI, and a .248/.275/.390 slash.

1986 saw Chiba at 89-73 and although they narrowly missed the playoffs, they felt like they were on the upswing. Moon was now 34 years old, but his production remained very consistent. The Comets gave him another five years and $4,860,000. It paid off, as he helped them win the East Asian Championship in 1987 over Ulsan. In the playoff run, Moon had 18 starts, 23 hits, 6 runs, 5 doubles, and 8 RBI. They got back to the JLCS in 1989, but were denied there by Osaka.

Injuries started to pile up in 1991, but Chiba did give him a qualifying offer for 1991 for another season. He only played the first month before suffering a torn ACL that knocked him out nine months. The Comets parted ways with him, but Moon wanted to still play. Daejeon signed him for 1993, but he stunk in his one season as a Duck. Moon retired that winter at age 40. Chiba immediately brought him back to retire his #1 uniform.

Moon’s career stats featured 3250 hits, 1494 runs, 570 doubles, 234 triples, 255 home runs, 1140 RBI, 661 stolen bases, a .306/.341/.476 slash, 141 wRC+, and 102.1 WAR. At retirement, he was fifth all-time in hits, sixth in doubles, and 16^th among position players in WAR. It was an impressive resume, although there were still some voters who dismissed him as a compiler. His outspoken nature also meant there were voters that left him off the ballot because they thought he was obnoxious. Those voters almost kept him from being a first ballot pick, but Moon did just cross the line at 68.0%. He was a fine candidate to round out the EAB 1999 Hall of Fame class.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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Two players picked up inductions into the Beisbol Sudamerica Hall of Fame for 1999. Pitcher Wilfredo Casacubierta was a no-doubter with 97.7% on the first ballot. Fellow pitcher Rio Santiago joined him, receiving 75.5% on his third ballot. Pitcher Robinson Moreira came painfully close at 64.2%, but was dropped from the ballot after ten tries. Also above 50% were RF Dani Manzanares at 59.2% in his fourth ballot, C Sancho Sanchez at 52.1% in his debut, and RF Oscar Linares at 51.3% on his second go.

For Moreira, this was his highest percentage in his tries, bouncing around from a low of 43.7% in his debut to this peak of 64.2%. The majority of his 14 year career was with Maracaibo, winning eight Gold Gloves with a 196-136 record, 2.88 ERA, 3344.2 innings, 3329 strikeouts, 769 walks, 123 ERA+, 86 FIP-, and 68.2 WAR. Moriera was consistently solid, but was never a Pitcher of the Year finalist. His lack of dominance ultimately just kept him banished to the Hall of Very Good.

Also dropped after ten ballots was pitcher Rex Oliveira, who had a 16-year run with four teams. He posted a 214-192 record, 3.28 ERA, 3794 innings, 3339 strikeouts, 449 walks, a 97 ERA+, 101 FIP-, and 46.3 WAR. Oliveira also lacked awards and although he had good longevity, advanced stats suggested sustained averageness. He got as high as 42.9% on his second ballot and was as low at 7.6% in 1998 before ending in 1999 at 34.7%.



Wilfredo “Mustache” Casacubierta – Starting Pitcher – Recife Retrievers – 97.7% First Ballot

Wilfredo Casacubierta was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Venacio Aires, Brazil; a city with around 72,000 people in the southern part of the country. He had the nickname “Mustache” for his distinctive and well-maintained facial hair. Casacubierta had great stuff with above average to good movement and control. His velocity peaked in the 97-99 mph range with a five pitch arsenal of fastball, slider, forkball, cutter, and changeup. The cutter was considered by most to be his most difficult pitch to hit. Casacubierta’s stamina was reliably good and he showed great durability for much of his career. He was humble and quiet, content to just keep his head down and work hard.

Casacubierta was an impressive prospect out of the amateur ranks and was picked 10^th overall by Recife in the 1976 BSA Draft. His entire pro career would be in Retrievers gold and he’d be a full-time starter from the beginning. Casacubierta pitched 200+ innings in all but his final season and tossed 250+ innings in each of his first 13 seasons. He also pitched for Brazil from 1979-90 in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 3.15 ERA and 21-9 record over 283 innings with 341 strikeouts and 5.5 WAR. Casacubierta was part of three world title winning Brazil teams (1987, 89, 90).

Casacubierta led the Southern Cone League four times in innings pitched, once in wins, thrice in quality starts, and thrice in shutouts. He took second in 1980’s Pitcher of the Year voting, then won the award for the only time in 1981. He took second in 1982, a season which featured a perfect game on April 1 against Salvador with 10 strikeouts. Casacubierta took second again in 1983 and 1985 with a third place in 1989. After the 1987 season, Recife signed him to a five-year, $5,180,000 contract extension.

The Retrievers were regularly above .500 in the 1980s, but only made the playoffs in 1982 and 1984. Casacubierta actually struggled in the 1984 postseason with a 5.56 ERA, although Recife would win the Southern Cone League title this year and fell to Ciudad Guayana in Copa Sudamerica. Recife’s next playoff appearance came in 1989, which saw an LCS upset loss to Concepcion. For his playoff career, Casacubierta had a 3.18 ERA over 62.1 innings, 68 strikeouts, and a 105 ERA+.

Casacubierta made history again with his second perfect game on 6/3/88 with 14 strikeouts against Montevideo. As of 2037, he’s the only pitcher in Beisbol Sudamerica history with two perfect games and one of a very select few to do it in any world league. He carried on into his 30s, becoming the 10^th pitcher to 250 wins and the 14^th to 4500 strikeouts, hitting both milestones in late August 1991.

He did start to see his production decline a bit in the later years, although he was still worthy of a spot in the rotation. Casacubierta was signed to a three-year, $4,220,000 extension after the 1992 season. 1993 would be his last season used, as his velocity and effectiveness both dropped steeply. Casacubierta remained under contract in 1994, but didn’t see the field. He retired that winter at age 40 and saw his #5 uniform quickly retired by the Retrievers.

For his career, Casacubierta posted a 278-169 record, 2.60 ERA, 4305 innings, 4885 strikeouts, 802 walks, 395/527 quality starts, 171 complete games, 128 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 101.2 WAR. At induction, he was ninth all-time in wins, seventh in strikeouts, and 16^th in pitching WAR. Casacubierta’s humble nature perhaps kept him from receiving more acclaim for his accomplishments. Still, the voters easily recognized his greatness and gave him the first ballot nod with an impressive 97.7%.



Rio “Domino” Santiago – Starting Pitcher – Brasilia Bearcats – 75.5% Third Ballot

Rio Santiago was a 5’11’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Sao Goncalo, Brazil; a municipality of nearly 900,000 within the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan region. He picked up the nickname “Domino” for his love of playing dominoes. Santiago had good stuff, great movement, and solid control. His 99-101 mph fastball was his best pitch, but he also had a good curveball, average slider, and rarely used changeup.

Santiago had respectable stamina and was viewed as a very good defensive pitcher. He’d win Gold Gloves in 1982 and 1990 for his defense. Santiago also won Silver Sluggers in 1980, 81, and 82 as a solid batter for a pitcher. He had a career .234/.245/.271 slash with 202 hits over 484 games. Santiago was a hard worker who tossed 200+ innings each year for the first 11 years of his career.

In the 1977 BSA Draft, Santiago went 17^th overall to Brasilia. He spent nearly his entire career as a Bearcat and was a full-time starter immediately, taking second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1978. Santiago never won Pitcher of the Year, but took third in 1979, and second in 1980. He led in wins in 1980, but otherwise wasn’t one to light up leaderboards. Santiago also pitched from 1980-89 for Brazil in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 2.91 ERA over 96 innings, 124 strikeouts, and a 128 ERA+. He received world title rings with the 1987 and 1989 Brazilian squads.

Despite his steady success, Brasilia never made the playoffs in Santiago’s tenure and more often than not was below .500. Their few solid seasons were overshadowed within the division. He chugged along and became attached to the capital city. With his contract coming due after the 1987 season, the Bearcats decided to extract trade value from the 32-year old. Santiago was sent to Caracas with a draft pick for 2B Gabriel Mesa and SS Cipriano Escobar.

Santiago would help Caracas win the Bolivar League title, although they fell to Concepcion in Copa Sudamerica. He was great in his lone playoff opportunity, posting a 1.59 ERA over 34 innings with 29 strikeouts. Santiago posted a 6.8 WAR season with the Colts, which was a career-best. But Caracas only wanted him as a rental. Thus, Santiago was a free agent at age 33. He wanted to go back to Brasilia and the Bearcats worked it out to bring him back on a five-year, $4,900,000 deal.

In August 1989, Santiago suffered a torn labrum. He managed to bounce back from that with a career and league best 1.68 ERA in 1990. Santiago’s velocity would drop the next year, a big concern for a power pitcher. Now tossing in the 95-97 mph range instead of the 99-101 mph range, Santiago had a very pedestrian 1991 season. He had one year left on his deal with Brasilia, but opted to retire that winter at age 36. At his retirement ceremony, the Bearcats announced they’d be retiring his #5 uniform.

Santiago had a 191-167 record, 2.87 ERA, 3270.2 innings, 3416 strikeouts, 616 walks, 287/417 quality starts, 102 complete games, 118 ERA+, 82 FIP-, and 70.3 WAR. He was another who quietly had a nice career, but he did lack the major awards or playoff notables outside of the one year with Caracas. Some felt Santiago’s tallies were borderline and he missed being a first ballot inductee by less than a point at 65.3%. He had a notable drop to 49.7% in 1998, but bounced back with 75.5% in 1999 to earn a third ballot induction.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

LF Zakaria Venetiaan and SP Jorn Kuhnel both earned first ballot inductions with the 1999 European Baseball Federation Hall of Fame voting. Venetiaan earned an impressive 91.1%, while Kuhnel made it on a respectable 73.0%. SP Johannes Soderberg barely missed joining them on his second try at 65.5%, less than a point short of the needed 66%. SP Cornelius Danner saw 60.9% on his sixth attempt, SP Jose Calderon got 54.1% in his ninth ballot, and LF Husnija Kojic grabbed 52.7% for his third go. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.



Zakaria “Troll” Venetiaan – Left Field – Marseille Musketeers – 91.1% First Ballot.

Zakaria Venetiaan was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed outfielder from the capital of Belgium, Brussels. Nicknamed “Troll,” Venetiaan had good contact ability with a strong pop in his bat. He regularly averaged around 40 home runs and around 35 doubles/triples per year. Venetiaan had a decent eye with average walk and strikeout tallies. He was a competent baserunner despite having below average speed. Venetiaan mostly played left field, although he had a few starts in right. His poor range meant he graded out as a mediocre defender. However, Venetiaan boasted a reliable bat and great durability, playing 130+ games each year except for his final season.

Venetiaan quickly emerged as the top amateur prospect coming out of Belgium. His hometown squad Brussels took notice and picked Venetiaan 22nd overall in the 1976 EBF Draft. They couldn’t come to terms on a deal though, and he went back for one additional year of college. In the 1977 EBF Draft, it would be Marseille getting Venetiaan with the ninth overall pick. He negotiated a four-year, $1,500,000 contract to begin his run with the Musketeers.

Venetiaan was a full-time starter immediately and considered elite by his third year. He posted 9.7 WAR in 1980 and 10.0 WAR in 1981, leading the latter season with career bests in home runs (52), and RBI (136). Fierce competition at the position meant that his only Silver Slugger came in that 1981 season. Venetiaan also took second in MVP voting and never again was a finalist. After the 1981 season, Marseille gave Venetiaan an eight-year, $5,458,000 extension.

Most importantly, 1980 marked the start of a decade of dominance for Marseille. They made the playoffs nine times in the 1980s, five times getting to the Southern Conference championship. The Musketeers won the European Championship in 1981, 1985, and 1986. Teammate Jacob Ronnberg received tons of accolades, but Venetiaan played a big role in the playoffs. Over 78 postseason starts, he had 99 hits, 56 runs, 12 doubles, 20 home runs, 54 RBI, a .325/.368/.593 slash, 169 wRC+, and 4.5 WAR.

Venetiaan continued his stay in south France with a five-year, $6,500,000 extension with Marseille after the 1988 season. He did sporadically appear with Belgium in the World Baseball Championship, competing in six editions in his career. His stats were underwhelming over 49 games and 36 starts with 32 hits, 25 runs, 15 home runs, 32 RBI, a .212/.276/.543 slash and 1.1 WAR.

Not long after that last extension, age began to catch up with Venetiaan. His batting average started to drop, as did his already poor defense. He would cross the 2500 hit, 500 home run, and 1500 RBI milestones. Marseille begin a rebuild though in the 1990s, as 1991 saw their first losing season since 1977. As part of the rebuild, he was traded to Lisbon with four prospects coming back that summer.

Venetiaan had a herniated disc keep him out most of the brief stay in Portugal. The Clippers would make it to the Southern Conference championship, falling to Zurich. Venetiaan’s final action came in the 1994 WBC for Belgium, as he was unsigned for the 1994 season. He retired that winter at age 39. Marseille soon brought him in to celebrate his career by taking his #36 out of circulation.

Venetiaan’s career statistics saw 2575 hits, 1425 runs, 438 doubles, 581 home runs, 1661 RBI, 249 stolen bases, a .296/.347/.565 slash, 152 wRC+, and 83.1 WAR. He was definitely overlooked by many as he shared an outfield with Ronnberg, who won multiple MVPs plus double-digit Silver Sluggers and Gold Gloves. Venetiaan was still a critical part of Marseille’s 1980s dominance and an easy choice for most Hall of Fame voters, leading off the 1999 EBF class at 91.1%.



Jorn “Sneezy” Kuhnel – Starting Pitcher – Berlin Barons – 73.0% First Ballot

Jorn Kuhnel was a 6’2’’, 190 pound right-handed pitcher from Berg, a town of 8,400 people in south Germany. Kuhnel had great stuff, very strong control, and above average movement. He hit 97-99 mph with a great slider and sinker, along with a good curveball and okay changeup. His stamina was much lower than most EBF starters and his 20 complete games would be the fewest of any Hall of Fame starter. Kuhnel still got you 200+ innings reliability with good durability. He was a good defensive pitcher and had an impressive work ethic, always willing to go above and beyond.

Many viewed him as Germany’s strong prospect entered into the 1978 EBF Draft. Berlin selected him eighth overall and Kuhnel would play his entire career in the capital. Kuhnel was okay as a rookie, but became a full-time good starter from 1980 onward. He also pitched for Germany from 1983-92 in the World Baseball Championship, posting a 2.27 ERA over 154.2 innings, 213 strikeouts, a 162 ERA+, and 5.0 WAR. Kuhnel had a 2.59 ERA in six starts helping the Germans take the 1983 world title.

Kuhnel never won the top award, but took third in 1984 Pitcher of the Year voting, second in 1986, and third in 1988. He led the Northern Conference in strikeouts twice, WHIP thrice, quality starts twice, FIP- twice, and WAR once. Berlin would lock him up on a six-year, $6,360,000 contract extension after the 1984 campaign.

Kuhnel also helped Berlin become a regular playoff contender. The Barons made the playoffs nine times from 1983-93, although the franchise was snake bitten. They got to the Northern Conference Championship five times, but were unable to advance beyond that. Some pointed to Kuhnel as a scapegoat, as he had a lousy 5.09 ERA over 86.2 career playoff innings with 93 strikeouts and a 75 ERA+.

The Barons gave Kuhnel another four years and $5,920,000 after the 1990 season. In 1991, he notably tossed a no-hitter with six strikeouts and two walks against Stockholm on September 17. Kuhnel still looked solid the next year, but injuries popped up, starting with a bone spur in his elbow costing him six weeks. Soon after coming back, a torn triceps required surgery and knocked him out seven months. He became the 22nd pitcher to 200 career wins in his 1993 comeback attempt, but looked middling in his limited action. Kuhnel retired that winter at age 37 and saw his #32 uniform retired by Berlin.

For his career, Kuhnel had a 202-126 record, 3.10 ERA, 3107.2 innings, 3436 strikeouts, 584 walks, 308/443 quality starts, 119 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 81.2 WAR. He was the steady ace in a decade of contention for the Barons, but some felt his lack of dominance and poor playoff numbers made Kuhnel worthy of exclusion. The accumulations weren’t overwhelming, but certainly not out of place compared to other Hall of Famers. Kuhnel received 73.0% on his ballot debut, earning the first ballot recognition to close out the 1999 class.