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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

1999 saw no additions into the Eurasian Professional Baseball Hall of Fame, the first blank ballot since 1994. The list had no debuts of note, with the top first-timer being closer Nodar Zarqua with only 35.4%. SP Maxim Aivazyan came closest to induction with 64.0% on his fourth ballot. SP Petr Bidzinashvili had 60.9% on his second go. Also above 50% were 1B Ilkin Hasanov with 57.4% for his seventh ballot and closer Valdislav Minev taking 52.0% for his third go.

Dropped after ten ballots was RF Aleksei Winchi, who had a 19-year career spread out between Krasnoyarsk, Bishkek, and Prague. He won five Silver Sluggers and one MVP, posting 2600 hits, 1108 runs, 429 doubles, 408 home runs, 1268 RBI, a .292/.321/.496 slash, 157 wRC+, and 82.1 WAR. He got to the finals with both the Cossacks and Black Sox. Despite a pretty good resume, the voters seemed underwhelmed by Winchi. He debuted at 43.6% and slowly dropped down the ballots, eventually ending at 15.4%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

The Oceania Baseball Association’s 1999 Hall of Fame ballot was the first since 1992 to see no players added. Coming closest to the 66% requirement was closer Lorenzo Amaru with 64.% on his fourth try. RF Dede Hayati got 60.5% in his eighth try and RF Ryan Whatley got 51.4% for his third go. The best debut was LF Adrian Delgado at a measly 20.7%.

1B Matthew Johnson fell off after ten failed tries. The Guamanian first baseman had a 14-year carer playing with Samoa, posting 1989 hits, 961 runs, 424 home runs, 1171 RBI, a .248/.289/.459 slash, and 52.9 WAR. He only won Silver Slugger once, but did help the Sun Sox win the 1973 Oceania Championship. Johnson was more of a “Hall of Good” fit though, debuting at 24.8% and ending at 7.1%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Austronesia Professional Baseball had two additions into the Hall of Fame from the 1999 ballot. Kuo-Long Tsai was nearly unanimous with the pitcher getting 98.8%. Fellow pitcher Ravi Peng saw 78.7% to gain entry on his second try. Closer Stallion Ricciardi nearly joined them on his second ballot, but narrowly missed at 63.9%. Also above 50% were closers Ting-Wei Ping (58.3%, third ballot), Hong Quinonez (57.4%, third ballot), and Afriza Bachdim (53.3%, third ballot).



RF Angelo “Razor” Mula fell off the ballot with a peak of 49.4% on his sixth try and a finish at 39.3%. He was a 13-time all-star, but only had one Silver Slugger over his 16 years in APB. He had 2517 hits, 1040 runs, 382 doubles, 329 triples, 173 home runs, 1007 RBI, 1104 stolen bases, a .290/.330/.469 slash, 149 wRC+, and 83.6 WAR. He retired as the all-time stolen bases leader and second all-time in triples. Mula still sits 5th in steals and 4th in triples as of 2037. Many scholars would point to Mula as one of the more notable and surprising snubs of his era.



Kuo-Long Tsai – Starting Pitcher – Semarang Sliders – 98.8% First Ballot

Kuo-Long Tsai was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Chiayi, a city of around 263,000 people in southwestern Taiwan. Tsai was a hard thrower with good stuff, excellent movement, and above average control. He had a five pitch arsenal with a 99-101 mph fastball mixed with a slider, curveball, splitter, and changeup. Tsai had stellar stamina, leading the Sundaland Association five times in both complete games and shutouts. He was also known for an outstanding pickoff move. Tsai also was considered quite durable for much of his run.

As a teenager in Taiwan, a scout visiting from Indonesia managed to notice Tsai at a camp. Even as a 16-year old, he was hitting the mid 90 mph range. The Semarang scout signed Tsai in late 1972 to an amateur deal. He spent most of the next six years in the Sliders’ developmental system. Tsai officially debuted with two relief appearances in 1978 at age 21. He was a part-time starter with promising results the next year, earning a full-time spot in the rotation from 1980 onward.

In 1980, Tsai led the SA in wins and helped Semarang win the pennant. He had a 2.28 ERA over 23.2 playoff innings, but the Sliders lost to Cebu in the Austronesia Championship. Tsai remained consistently good the next few years, even throwing a no-hitter in 1983 against Batam with eight strikeouts and one walk. 1983 also saw Tsai throw 29 complete games, one short of APB’s all-time record. The Sliders made it back to the playoffs in 1984, but went one-and-done despite a complete game effort in his one playoff start.

Although playing in Indonesia, Tsai did regularly return to Taiwan for the World Baseball Championship. He played with the squad from 1980-93, posting a 3.50 ERA over 239.1 innings with 259 strikeouts and 3.9 WAR. Tsai’s success with Semarang inspired the Sliders to keep him around. In April 1986, Tsai inked a four-year, $2,232,000 contract extension.

He lived up to the deal, winning both Sundaland Association Pitcher of the Year and MVP in 1986. Tsai had a career-best 1.27 ERA over 291 innings with 331 strikeouts, 27 complete games, and 8 shutouts. He wouldn’t win the POTY again, but took third in 1987, 1989, and 1990. Semarang won the SA pennant in both 1988 and 1990 and in the latter year, also won the APB Championship over Cebu. Tsai had an excellent 0.68 ERA in 26.1 innings of the 1990 run and posted a 1.75 ERA over 77 career playoff innings with 75 strikeouts.

Tsai had added another five years at $5,540,000 to his deal in spring 1990. He would see his velocity drop steeply in 1992 from 99-101 mph to 96-98 mph, then further down to 92-94 mph in 1993. Tsai still provided positive value in 1991 and 1992, but was worth negative WAR in 1993. He retired that winter at age 37 and saw his #12 uniform retired by Semarang immediately.

Tsai’s career stats included a 227-166 record, 1.95 ERA, 3860 innings, 4100 strikeouts, 700 walks, 360/439 quality starts, 251 complete games, 73 shutouts, 122 ERA+, 86 FIP-, and 72.8 WAR. At induction, he was second-all time in complete games and first in shutouts. Tsai was also ninth in strikeouts and ninth in wins, although only 15th in pitching WAR. He wasn’t the most dominant arm in APB history, but Tsai was one of the most sturdy and played a big role in multiple pennants for Semarang. He was an easy choice for the voters and got in at 98.8% to lead the 1999 ballot.



Ravi “Beagle” Peng – Starting Pitcher – Jakarta Jaguars – 78.7% Second Ballot

Ravi Peng was a 6’0’’, 190 pound left-handed pitcher from Singapore. Nicknamed “Beagle” for his love of the floppy eared dog, Peng was well rounded with good stuff, control, and movement. His velocity peaked in the 94-96 mph range, but he had three equal potent pitches with a cutter, curveball, changeup combo. Peng’s stamina was on the low end compared to most other APB greats. He was excellent and holding runners and was a great defensive pitcher, winning a Gold Glove in 1986. Peng also won Silver Sluggers in 1986 and 1989, posting a .188 career average. He was smart and a hard worker, becoming very respected in his time.

Peng showed potential as a teenager in Singapore and he caught the eye of a scout from Jakarta. He was signed as a teenage amateur in the summer of 1973 and made his debut in 1978 at age 21. He struggled split between relief and the rotation in his rookie year. Peng looked great to start his sophomore season, but suffered a catastrophic tear of the flexor tendon in his elbow. This knocked him out 14 months and put his future prospects in question.

Peng returned for the back half of 1980 and looked fairly average in his return. The next two years, he emerged as the ace Jakarta hoped he could be when they signed him. In 1982, he took third in Pitcher of the Year voting with a career best 10.4 WAR and 31 quality starts. The Jaguars ended a more than decade-long playoff drought and won the Sundaland Association title. They fell to Taoyuan in the Austronesia Championship with Peng posting a 2.05 ERA over 22 playoff innings with 27 strikeouts. That winter, Jakarta gave Peng a five-year, $1,412,000 extension.

Disaster struck again in 1983 as in his second start, he again tore his flexor tendon. Peng showed his incredible resilience again, bouncing back with the league-lead in wins and a 9.6 WAR 1984. He also put up good numbers in his career for Singapore’s squad in the World Baseball Championship. From 1979-93, he appeared in 12 WBCs and had a 2.08 ERA over 169 innings, 204 strikeouts, and 4.7 WAR.

Peng managed to stay largely healthy and consistent for the next few years. He led the Sundaland Association in ERA in 1988, although he never reached the top three in Pitcher of the Year voting. Jakarta made the playoffs in 1985, 86, and 87. The Jaguars won the SA pennant in 85 and 86 and took the Austronesian Championship in 1985. Peng was especially excellent in that run with a 0.41 ERA over 22 innings. For his whole playoff career, he had a 2.74 ERA over 65.2 innings, 73 strikeouts, and 2.2 WAR.

Jakarta gave him a five-year, $4,150,000 extension starting after the 1987 campaign. It would be back issues that started to plague Peng in 1989 and 1990, including a torn back muscle in September 1990. Both back spasms and shoulder inflammation cost him nearly the entire 1991 season. The Jaguars decided to move on that winter, trading Peng for prospects to Semarang.

Peng made it seven appearances with Semarang in 1992 and still looked effective when he pitched. In late April, severe shoulder inflammation would knock him out for the rest of the year. Peng still wanted to pitch, but his body disagreed. He would pitch in the 1993 WBC, but was unsigned for the season and retired at age 36. Well respected for his efforts by Jakarta, the Jaguars decided to retire his #30 uniform,

Peng’s career stats saw a 155-92 record, 1.76 ERA, 2523.2 innings, 3027 strikeouts, 434 walks, 279/333 quality starts, 44 complete games, 140 ERA+, 63 FIP-, and 77.3 WAR. Peng actually had more WAR than his Hall of Fame classmate Kuo-Long Tsai despite having around 1300 fewer innings pitched. His rate stats were impressive, but the accumulations were low due to the injuries. Peng never won the top award, but he did play a role in multiple pennants for Jakarta. He narrowly missed out in 1998 at 64.4%, but made it across the line on his second ballot at 78.7%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Chinese League Baseball didn’t add any players into the Hall of Fame with the 1999 voting. This was CLB’s first empty ballot since 1988. Debuting SP Lang Lu came the closest, but fell two points short at 64.0%. Closer Junwei Zhu (61.8%) and SP Xiabin Chen (61.5%) crossed the 60% mark on their second and third goes, respectively. Also above 50% were RF Zhengyu Peng (58.0%, third ballot), SP Baoxian He (53.7%, second ballot), and SP Pengju Xue (50.2%, third ballot).

Dropped after ten ballots was SP Ningqing Liong, who had a 12-year career with four teams. He won two titles with Kunming and had career stats of 159-122, 2.45 ERA, 2780.2 innings, 2522 strikeouts, 114 ERA+, and 53.6 WAR. Liong fell off quickly and was irrelevant by his early 30s and didn’t post dominating stats. He still managed to get as high as 40.5% on his second ballot, ending at 25.8%.

Also dropped after ten tries was reliever Lianbin Tan, who won Reliever of the Year in 1978. He pitched for five CLB teams and had 306 saves and 386 shutdowns, a 1.68 ERA, 835.2 innings, 1079 strikeouts, and 29.5 WAR. He was the first in CLB history to earn 300+ saves and get dropped from the ballot. His WAR totals and general dominance weren’t as impressive as most voters wanted. Tan was as high as 46.7% in 1991, but ended with a measly 5.7%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

West African Baseball’s 1999 Hall of Fame voting netted three new members. Leading the way was pitcher Dalanda Soumah with a first ballot induction at 83.5%. Fellow pitcher Moussa Sidi just narrowly passed the 66% threshold at 68.3% in his third ballot. CF Stephen Tshukudu on his tenth and final shot at glory made the cut at exactly 66.0%. SP Issaka Camara almost made it a four-player crew with 64.1% in his third try. The other player above 50% was 2B Endurance Jacob with 51.4% on his eighth ballot.



The lone player dropped after ten ballots was LF George Nandjou, who had a ten year career with three teams with one MVP and two Silver Sluggers. The Cameroonian had 1309 hits, 889 runs, 286 doubles, 415 home runs, 1002 RBI, a .239/.326/.524 slash, 147 wRC+, and 40.3 WAR. His official career began at age 27, so a few more years might have gotten him accumulations that would’ve swayed the voters. He debuted at 30.7% and ended at a low of 12.4%.



Dalanda Soumah – Starting Pitcher – Lagos Lizards – 83.5% First Ballot

Dalanda Soumah was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Conakry, the capital of Guinea. Soumah was a hard thrower known for having great stuff, very good control, and above average movement. His fastball was great with 99-101 mph velocity and was mixed with an outstanding slider, good splitter, and rarely seen changeup. Soumah’s stamina was average and his defense graded out the same, although he did win a Gold Glove in 1990. He was outspoken and polarizing, beloved by some and despised by others his lack of tact.

Soumah was picked 18^th overall in the 1978 WAB Draft by Lagos at age 19 and spent his entire African pro career with the Lizards. Lagos had just won the West African Championship and had a loaded lineup, thus they could keep Soumah in the developmental system for a bit. The Lizards again won the title in 1979. Soumah officially debuted in 1981 at age 21 with mostly relief appearances. He would be used as a starter by the postseason, posting a lousy 4.87 ERA in 20.1 innings. Regardless, Lagos continued their dynasty and Soumah received his first championship ring as an active roster player.

Soumah was a full-time starter from 1982 onward with Lagos, leading the Eastern League that year in strikeouts. It was officially his rookie season and he picked up Rookie of the Year honors. Lagos shockingly missed the playoffs for the first time in WAB’s short history that year. However, they would win three more WAB titles during the 1980s with Soumah playing a major role as the team’s ace.

They won it all in 1983, 85, and 88. In each of those title runs, Soumah went 3-0 and posted sub-one ERAs. For his playoff career, Soumah had a 1.99 ERA, 10-3 record, 104 innings, 112 strikeouts, and 1.9 WAR. During his Lagos run, Soumah led the league in wins three times, ERA once, innings once, strikeouts thrice, WHIP twice, quality starts twice, and WAR once. He claimed Pitcher of the Year honors in 1985 and 1988, while taking second in 1983 and 1984, plus third in 1986. Soumah also finished second in MVP voting in the 1988 campaign.

Soumah had signed a five-year, $1,504,000 contract extension after the 1984 season. When his deal came up again for the 1990 season, he was still only 30 years old and a hot commodity. It was hard to pass up the allure of MLB money and the outspoken Soumah wasn’t shy about boasting that he could hang with the best of the best. Thus, he ended his WAB career after nine seasons.

With Lagos, Soumah had a 132-77 record, 2.60 ERA, 1908 innings, 2745 strikeouts, 192/258 quality starts, 137 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 53.8 WAR. Lagos would later retire his #26 uniform as a huge part of the Lizards’ continued success in the 1980s. His short stay in WAB meant his accumulations are on the bottom end of the leaderboards, but his dominance in the 1980s was hard to deny. His 10 playoff wins are tied for the most by any WAB pitcher. Some held Soumah leaving and his personality against him, but his tenure was impressive enough to still get the first ballot induction into the WAB Hall of Fame at 83.5% in 1999.

That was only the first half of Soumah’s career. He took his talents next to Dallas, Texas; signing a six-year, $10,720,000 deal. Soumah was never the dominant elite force during his Dalmatians tenure, but he was a consistently solid starter. He had been quite durable in his 20s, but did miss half of 1992 to various injuries. Dallas only made the playoffs once during Soumah’s tenure with a first round exit.

Ultimately, Soumah played five and a half years with Dallas, posting a 79-63 record, 3.56 ERA, 1323.2 innings, 904 strikeouts, 113 ERA+, and 24.8 WAR. The Dalmatians traded him at the 1995 deadline to Atlanta for two prospects and a draft pick. The Aces hoped he’d help them continue their eight-year division title streak, but they came up five games short to Tampa. Soumah looked good in his 11 starts in Atlanta with a 2.77 ERA, giving him some shine heading back into free agency at age 36.

Portland picked up Soumah on a three-year, $10,920,000 deal. A dead arm cost him a month of the season, but he had his best MLB production this season with a 2.83 ERA and an American Association best 0.94 WHIP. The Pacifics were pleased with their investment, but trouble arose in 1997. A strained shoulder cost Soumah the first two months of the season. Then shortly after returning, a ruptured his UCL. That ended a promising Portland tenure with a 2.84 ERA over 250 innings, 21-9 record, 139 ERA+, and 6.0 WAR.

He was a free agent again, failing to meet the vesting criteria for his third year with Portland. The numbers were good enough that nearby Seattle was filling to give Soumah a look for 1998. He made four starts in minor league Spokane, but tore his UCL yet again. This officially ended Soumah’s career at age 38. For his MLB tenure, he had a 105-77 record, 3.41 ERA, 1661.1 innings, 1126 strikeouts, 118 ERA+, 88 FIP-, and 32.7 WAR.

For his entire pro career, Soumah had a 237-154 record, 2.98 ERA, 3569.1 innings, 3871 strikeouts, 733 walks, 315/472 quality starts, 127 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 86.4 WAR. He certainly proved his worth as one of the first great pitchers out of West Africa. His full line is certainly HOF caliber and his WAB tenure alone was enough to get him into their elite class.



Moussa Sidi – Starting Pitcher – Kano Condors – 68.3% Third Ballot

Moussa Sidi was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from the capital of Mauritania, Nouakchott. Sidi boasted great control with good stuff and above average movement. His fastball was solid at 97-99 mph and was mixed with a great curveball, good slider, and okay changeup. Sidi’s stamina was iffy though and he dealt with injury woes throughout his career. When he was at full strength though, he was one of WAB’s most impressive arms.
Sidi began a semi-pro career just as West Africa Baseball started, therefore missing out on the early drafts despite being near that age range. His first WAB contract came with Conakry in November 1976. Sidi made only five relief appearances that year, then missed all of 1978 with a partially torn UCL. An elbow strain cost him part of 1979, but he was able to pitch much of the season with promising results. Then in 1980, he looked like a true ace with 7.1 WAR.

1981 saw more injury trouble, this time to his knee as a torn meniscus cost him four months. Sidi was great though with a full 1982 season, taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting. He was entering his last year under contract with Conakry, who had struggled in their first decade as a WAB franchise. Lagos was looking to bounce back from their first-ever season missing the playoffs, so they got Sidi and SS Osvaldo Barbosa in a trade from Conakry for three prospects. For his Coyotes tenure, Sidi had a 34-33 record, 2.75 ERA, 698.1 innings, 842 strikeouts, a 128 ERA+, and 21.2 WAR.

The one-year rental paid off for Lagos as Sidi helped them back to the playoffs and to their fourth WAB Championship. He led the league in ERA, winning Pitcher of the Year honors. Sidi also posted a 1.69 ERA over 21.1 playoff innings with 30 strikeouts. This made him the top free agent entering 1984 season. The 29-year old would stay in Nigeria, moving to Kano on a seven-year, $2,940,000 contract. The Condors had been Lagos top competitor in WAB’s Eastern League; together they had taken seven of the first nine EL pennants.

Sidi won Pitcher of the Year in his Kano debut in 1984 with league and career bests in wins (19-8), ERA (1.71), quality starts (28), and WAR (9.1), along with a career-best 304 strikeouts. The Condors claimed the EL pennant, but fell in the WAB final Sidi’s hometown team Nouakchott. Although he was 0-2 in his three starts, Sidi was still great with a 1.66 ERA over 21.2 playoff innings and 25 strikeouts. The injury bug would rear its ugly head again in 1985, suffering his second torn meniscus to miss the second half and the playoffs.

Sidi looked merely above average in 1986, but he pitched most of the season and helped Kano win the WAB Championship over Bamako, posting a 2.50 ERA in 18 playoff innings. In 1987, Sidi for the third time tore his left knee’s meniscus. A setback meant he was out a total of 10 months dealing with the injury, But again, Sidi managed to bounce back. In 1988, he led the EL in ERA and WHIP. Kano got back to the playoffs, but lost in the first round.

Sidi looked subpar in 1989 and missed some time to a strained hamstring. Kano fell off a cliff that year to 64-98 and decided to blow it up completely, which would ultimately help set the stage for a dynasty run in the late 1990s. With one year left in Sidi’s contract, he was shipped straight up to Kumasi for 1B Atim Amoah. With the Condors, Sidi had a 71-33 record, 2.50 ERA, 964 innings, 1125 strikeouts, 128 ERA+, and 21.2 WAR.

Yet another injury befell Sidi in his one season with the Monkeys, suffering a torn labrum in the summer. This knocked him out 10 months and put his career in serious jeopardy. Now 36-years old, Lagos brought him back in to be a reliever. He was good in his limited use, and had one strong start in the 1991 postseason, allowing one run in 5.1 innings. The Lizards won another WAB Championship, giving Sidi the third ring of his career. He decided to retire that winter at age 36.

Sidi’s final stats saw a 130-79 record, 2.59 ERA, 1999.2 innings, 2343 strikeouts, 319 walks, 171/292 quality starts, 138 ERA+, 71 FIP-, and 54.9 WAR. Despite having almost twice as many years in WAB as his HOF classmate Dalanda Soumah, Sidi barely had more innings due to injuries. His rate stats looked remarkably similar. Both guys had two Pitcher of the Year awards and both had great playoff numbers. Sidi had a 1.74 ERA in 72.1 playoff innings with 94 strikeouts. Yet, the voters were more underwhelmed by Sidi’s resume compared to Soumah. Sidi missed out on his first two ballots at 57.4% and 51.0%. However, he won enough voters over in 1999 to squeak in at 68.3% as a third ballot inductee.



Stephen Tshukudu – Center Field – Kano Candors – 66.0% Tenth Ballot

Stephen Tshukudu was a 6’2’’, 200 pound switch hitting center fielder from Lobatse, a town of just under 30,000 people in southeastern Botswana. Tshukudu was an excellent home run hitter who had seven straight seasons with 40+ dingers. He did that despite being a lousy contact hitter that struck out a ton. Tshukudu’s gap power was solid and he could stretch out extra bases when the ball was in play, as he had very good speed and baserunning skills. Tshukudu was a career center fielder and while not Gold Glove caliber, he was considered quite good defensively with excellent range.

Tshukudu had already been a barnstorming pro throughout southern Africa for a few years when West Africa Baseball was formed. The 26-year old Motswana finally had a chance to make a more steady living on the continent and his power did attract suitors. His first WAB deal came for two years and $160,000 with Kano, sending Tshukudu to Nigeria.

A strained abdominal cost him about six weeks, but he still hit 38 home runs in 120 games for his debut season. Tshukudu smacked five homers with 11 RBI in the playoffs, helping Kano win the first-ever WAB Championship against Abidjan. The Condors repeated in 1976, beating Bamako in the final. Tshukudu had 4 home runs and 8 RBI in that postseason run. The next year would be his finest, although Kano was upset by Lagos in the ELCS. Tshukudu smacked 58 home runs and posted 9.0 WAR. He earned his first Silver Slugger and was second in MVP voting. That effort convinced the Condors to sign Tshukudu to a six-year, $1,326,000 contract extension.

He led the Eastern League in home runs twice in this stretch and had a career-best 59 dingers in 1979. Tshukudu’s batting average was still poor with a lot of strikeouts, but he became very popular for his power. He won additional Silver Sluggers in 1978, 79, 80, and 81. Tshukudu took third in 1979 MVP voting as well. Kano remained a contender, but wouldn’t get back to the final during Tshukudu’s tenure. He had a .186/.233/.504 playoff slash in 36 starts with the Condors, adding 25 hits, 17 runs, 13 home runs, and 26 RBI.

Tshukudu became a free agent after the 1983 season at age 35. In March, he signed a one-year deal with Kumasi. This was ultimately the weakest year of his career with a .172 average and 92 wRC+. Still, his reputation for towering homers and popularity reached across the Atlantic Ocean. MLB’s Denver Dragons signed Tshukudu to a two-year, $2,560,000 deal. He was abysmal in his one year as a part-time starter for the Dragons and retired that winter at age 37.

For his WAB career, Tshukudu had 1202 hits, 901 runs, 183 doubles, 452 home runs, 945 RBI, a .215/.279/.523 slash, 128 wRC+, and 52.2 WAR. Tshukudu was the first WAB slugger to 400 career home runs, but his accumulations were hurt both by starting at age 26 and because of his propensity for whiffing. Fans loved him, but many voters thought he was too limited of a player to belong. Tshukudu debuted at 44.6% and hovered around that range for his first few ballots, although he slowly climbed a bit.

By 1998, he reached a peak of 57.3%. For his final chance, supporters made it a point to highlight his role on Kano’s first two championship teams. Tshukudu won the exact number of voters over he needed to get exactly to the 66.0% threshold. He was only the sixth player in any world league to earn induction on the tenth and final ballot. Tshukudu proved yet again that chicks (and Hall of Fame voters) dig the long ball.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

South Asia Baseball didn’t add any players into the Hall of Fame for the second time in three years with the 1999 ballot. Closer Jason Mayekar was the closest with 52.1% on his eighth ballot. The only other player above 50% was catcher Krish Balvinder. He was the best to debut on the ballot at 51.8%. Everyone else received less than ¼ of the vote.



The Asian Baseball Federation continued voting in 1999 but still seemed far away from inducting its first Hall of Famer. SP Abbas Nadim had the highest mark with only 28.6% for his sixth. The best debut was 1B Ghantous Abbs at 16.9%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

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The 1999 World Baseball Championship was the 53^rd edition of the event and was the second to be centered around mainland China with Guangzhou as the host city. In Division 1, Colombia prevailed at 8-1, fending off 7-2 Puerto Rico. This was the second division title in three years for the Colombians and their 15^th time advancing overall. Canada, who had been impressive in the 1990s, was tied for third at 5-4.

Division 2 saw a stunner as Vietnam took first at 7-2, ousting the United States by one game. This was only the ninth time in WBC history that the Americans didn’t advance and it ended their hopes of four-peating as champs. This also was Vietnam’s first-ever division title. Taiwan, who was third the prior season, finished two back at 5-4.

Division 3 was very competitive as the Philippines and China tied for first at 6-3, while the Czech Republic, Romania, and Sweden were each 5-4. The tiebreaker went to the Filipinos, ending an 11-year division title drought for them. It was the 12^th division title overall of the Philippines. Division 4 had a first-time winner in Egypt at 8-1 with Australia their closest competitor at 6-3. In D5, England and Argentina tied at the top with 6-3 marks, while four others were one back. The English had the tiebreaker for their fifth division title and second in three years.

Division 6 needed a dig into tiebreaker procedures as Brazil, France, Germany, and Iraq were all 6-3. Denmark, Honduras, and South Korea each went 5-4, making that group a toss up. The tiebreakers went to the Brazilians, who ended up being the only team from the 1998 WBC Elite Eight to make it back in 1999. Brazil advanced for the 29^th time.

Division 7 had Nigeria first at 7-2, holding off 6-3 efforts from Paraguay, Spain, and Thailand. It was the fourth division title for the Nigerians and first since 1988. Mexico, last year’s runner-up, tied for fifth at 5-4. Lastly in Division 8, Indonesia rolled at 8-1 with Cuba (6-3) their closest foe. The Indonesians now have six division titles in seven years along with 15 total.

Indonesia was the leader in Round Robin Group A at 5-1, advancing to the semifinal for the third time in their recent run. Nigeria advanced with them at 3-3, while the Philippines and Vietnam both were 2-4. This was the second-ever final four for the Nigerians, who were the 1979 runner-up. Group B saw Colombia first at 5-1, moving forward along with 3-3 Brazil. England and Egypt were both 2-4. This was the ninth semifinal berth for the Colombians, who took third two years prior. The Brazilians got to the final four for the eighth time since 1987 and 17^th time overall.

In an intense semifinal, Indonesia edged Brazil 3-2, sending them to their third finals appearance (1986, 1997). On the other side, Nigeria bested Colombia 3-1 to earn their second finals berth (1979). Brazil officially was third and Colombia was fourth. The Colombians have the unfortunate distinction of being 0-9 in their semifinal efforts.



The 53^rd World Championship was guaranteed to crown the 11^th unique world champ. The series ended up lacking drama as Indonesia swept Nigeria 4-0. They’re the first Asian champ since China’s 1993-94 titles. They won many close games, setting a tournament record for saves recorded as 15 of their 19 wins ended with a save.



Leading Indonesia’s effort offensively was Tournament MVP Basuki Susanti. A 27-year old 1B/RF with Surabaya, Susanti played 23 games with 21 runs, 26 hits, 4 doubles, 12 home runs, 22 RBI, a .313/.402/.795 slash, and 2.0 WAR. Although ousted early, the United States had the Best Pitcher winner in Phoenix closer Nicky Loughborough. He tossed 10.1 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts and only two hits and two walks allowed.

Other notes: With Egypt and Vietnam both winning division titles in 1999, that now makes 69 nations that have advanced to the elite eight at least once. In the all-time standings, Indonesia’s championship vaulted them to seventh, passing both Russia and Japan.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Defending AAB Southern Conference champ Johannesburg vastly improved from their solid 98-64 mark the prior year, dominating the field at 110-52. The Jackalopes scored 1003 runs, which is still the AAB single-season record as of 2037. This was also the first time since 1921 in any world league that a team scored 1000+ runs in a season. Cape Town extended its playoff streak to four seasons, taking the second place slot at 91-71. Luanda was their only real competitor, finishing three back at 88-74.

The Landsharks had a shot thanks to Marley Mubiru, who repeated as Southern Conference MVP. The 26-year old Ugandan left fielder was the leader in home runs (58), slugging (.741), OPS (1.173), total bases (391), wRC+ (196), and WAR (9.3). He was also second in the conference in both batting average (.332) and RBI (130). Cape Town’s Adugna Mulugeta won Pitcher of the Year as the 24-year old Ethiopian righty led in ERA (2.30), WHIP (0.97), and FIP- (63). He added 182 strikeouts and 8.0 WAR over 230.2 innings with a 19-8 record. Sadly for Mulugeta, a very promising career was derailed by a torn flexor tendon in late August 1999. He would be out of the game three years later.



Two-time defending Africa Series champion Kinshasa took first in the Central Conference standings for the third time. The Sun Cats went 102-60 and have made the playoffs in all five of AAB’s seasons to date. There was a nine game gap to second place Bujumbura at 93-69, with the Bighorns earning their second playoff berth in three years. Four teams were within seven games of Bujumbura with solid efforts from Brazzaville, Addis Ababa, Ndjamena, and Lubumbashi.

Both top awards in the Central Conference saw historic performances. Brazzaville’s Mohau Sibiya won MVP with one of the finest offensive seasons in AAB history. The 26-year old South African lefty became the new leader in home runs with 69 (nice), runs (143), RBI (142), total bases (413), OPS (1.283) and WAR (13.3). He also led in OBP (.445), slugging (.838), and wRC+ (241). While the accumulation stats would get passed in later high offense era, as of 2037 Sibiya’s WAR amount is still the second-best ever season by an AAB position player and his OPS mark still sits fourth.

Bujumbura’s Henry Kibirige won his second Pitcher of the Year in three seasons and became the first-ever Triple Crown winner in AAB history. The 24-year old righty had a 22-10 record, 2.38 ERA, and 261 strikeouts. Kibirige also was the leader in WAR (9.7), innings pitched (287), quality starts (29), and FIP- (64).

Both conference finals were familiar matchups with the Southern Conference final being a rematch of the prior year and the Central Conference showdown a rematch from two years earlier. Both ended up going all seven games and ending in dramatic fashion. In the South, Johannesburg edged Cape Town with a 2-1 game seven victory in an 11 inning contest. The Central also saw game seven end 2-1 in extras, as Kinshasa walked off on Bujumbura. This gave the Jackalopes their third pennant and the Sun Cats their fourth.



The fifth Africa Series was a rubber match of sorts. Johannesburg had beaten Kinshasa in the inaugural final in 1995, but the Sun Cats earned revenge in 1998. In 1999, Kinshasa took the best-of-nine series 5-3 to win three AAB titles in a row. Finals MVP went to SS Abdulkadir Dahir, who had posted bad offensive stats with good defense during the season. In 14 playoff starts, the 25-year old Somali had 18 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 7 RBI. While briefly a hero, he’d get traded to Antananarivo during spring training next year.



Other notes: Johannesburg’s Jamal Sakar had a .466 on-base percentage. This set the single-season record and as of 2037, has only been passed once. 3B Jayson Vunakece, 1B Tony Pendry, and SS Ian Dube each won their fifth Gold Gloves.

Through the first five seasons of the African Association of Baseball, the league statistics were mixed. The league average ERA was at 4.01, which was the highest of any world league for the decade and above average on the greater historical scale. However, the league’s batting average was around .233, which is on the lower end historically and middle-of-the-road for all leagues in the 1990s. Offensive numbers would increase in AAB for the most part into the 21^st Century.