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

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

---

Ottawa led the National Association in 1956, winning the Eastern League with a 101-61 record. It is the third straight playoff berth for the Elks and their first EL title since 1940. All four wild cards came out of the EL, led by Hartford at 95-67. The Huskies also earned a third straight playoff berth. Toronto and Washington both moved on with 89-73 records and Buffalo took the last spot at 88-74. Defending NA champ Boston was short by two games. The Timberwolves earned a third straight playoff berth, while the Admirals earned their first berth since 1931 and the Blue Sox getting their first since 1937. In the Midwest League, Omaha at 88-74 took the title for their first playoff berth since 1943 and first ML crown since 1940. Detroit, Louisville, and Minneapolis all finished 85-77, finishing three games out of both the league title and a wild card.

Winning the National Association MVP was Herve Bouchard of Ottawa. The 24-year old 1B led in the triple slash with a .343/.443/.620 mark, 1.063 OPS, wRC+ of 210, and 9.7 WAR. He also led in runs at 114 and was second in both home runs (42) and RBI (121). Baltimore’s Max Murray was the Pitcher of the Year. The 26-year old righty from Brampton, Ontario led in ERA (2.10), WAR (8.9), and WHIP (0.96), posting 281 strikeouts over 265.2 innings.

In the first round playoff matchups, Washington swept Toronto 2-0 and Hartford topped Buffalo 2-1. In round two, Ottawa swept the Admirals in three and Omaha downed Hartford in four. This sent the Hawks to the National Association Championship Series for the first time in the franchise’s 56 year history. In the NACS, The Elks prevailed in six games to give Ottawa their sixth NA title.



Defending World Series champion San Diego set a franchise record in 1956 with a 112-50 mark, giving them the Western League title. All four wild cards came from the WL with Las Vegas (101-61), Los Angeles (99-63), Oakland (97-65), and Albuquerque (94-68) moving on. The Vipers and Isotopes both bounced back after their playoff streaks were ended with rough 1955s. Meanwhile, Nashville cruised to the Southern League title for the third straight season. The Knights at 105-57 were 16 games better than their closest competition San Antonio.

The American Association MVP and Pitcher of the Year went to the same guy for the second time in three years. Nashville’s Patrick Froemke at age 25 had an all-time great season with a 28-3 record, 1.76 ERA, 306 innings, 233 strikeouts, 0.90 WHIP, 6.7 K/BB, 30 quality starts, 25 complete games, 59 FIP- and 11.6 WAR. The WAR total was second all-time in MLB behind Domingo Martinez’s 11.7 in 1940. Froemke seemed poised to become an all-time great with this season, but a torn labrum in spring 1958 would ultimately force his retirement at only age 27. Still, his 1956 forever ranks among the best pitching seasons in MLB history.

The first round playoff matchups both went all three games with Los Angeles beating Oakland and Albuquerque upsetting Las Vegas. In the second round, San Diego swept the Isotopes in three and Nashville outlasted the Angels in five, setting up a rematch in the American Association Championship Series. The Seals made it back-to-back AA titles as they defeated the Knights in six games. San Diego became the first franchise to win back-to-back World Series titles in a decade, defeating Ottawa in a seven game thriller. It is the third overall ring for the Seals.





Other notes: Stan Provost played his final season in 1956 with Portland and became the first (and to date, only) MLB player to 4000 career hits. Provost was also the first player in any pro league to reach 4000+. He finished with 2348 runs, still the MLB all-time mark as of 2037 and at retirement, he was the world professional leader. His 682 doubles was also a MLB record still standing decades later. He also retired with the RBI world lead at 2271.

In other statistical milestones, Nashville’s Jason Morrissey became the fourth MLB pitcher to reach 300 career wins. Bill Tan and Matthew Verdery both crossed 1500 runs scored. RF Madaleno Anziani won his ninth Gold Glove.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Two players were inducted for the 1957 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Class. Both only barely crossed the 66% threshold with 1B Maxwell Redmond at 69.4% on his fourth ballot and 1B Eliot Cote making it on hus second ballot at 68.2%. Only three others were above 50% in a weak year; all at 52.9%; SP Jacob Gosselin on his sixth go, SP Patrick Iannazzo on his eighth, and LF John Roberts on his first.



Getting cut after his 10^th ballot was 1B Ryan Gray, who spent 18 years between Miami, Tampa, Calgary, and Jacksonville. Gray peaked on his final attempt at 47.5%, but was viewed behind the other 1B in the group. He had 2791 hits, 1515 runs, 529 home runs, 1669 RBI, a .290 average, and 54.2 WAR. Another 1B was cut after 10 tries in Balthasar Sharp, who peaked at 29.9% on his second go. In a 22 year career, he had 2662 hits, 1561 runs, 593 home runs, 1604 RBI, a .270 average, and 77.8 WAR.



Maxwell Redmond – First Baseman – Montreal Maples – 69.4% Fourth Ballot

Maxwell Redmond was a 6’0’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Redmond was considered a solid all-around bat in his time with good contact and at times great power numbers. He was pretty good at drawing walks, but did strike out a bit more than average. He was a decently smart baserunner, but lacked natural speed. Redmond played exclusively defensively at first base and was generally viewed as just below average with his glove. He was a fan favorite, a hard worker, and a durable and reliable player.

Redmond went west for college and played at Stanford. After a solid college career, he went home to Tennessee as he was picked 25^th overall by Memphis. He was immediately an effective power bat with 41 home runs in his rookie season, earning him second place in Rookie of the Year voting. Unfortunately, his only chance at the postseason came in his first two seasons with the Mountain Cats. In 1937 and 1938, he won his two Silver Sluggers and in 1938, he was second in MVP voting; the closest he’d come to the award with career bests in WAR (6.8), homers (44), and average (.328). In seven seasons in Memphis, he had 1253 hits, 697 runs, 229 doubles, 265 home runs, 802 RBI, a .292/.356/.538 slash, and 33.5 WAR.

He left home and tested free agency at age 28, signing an eight-year deal with Montreal. He’d ultimately wear the Maples M in the Hall of Fame and would have his #9 retired by the franchise, as Redmond was a bright spot in a down period for the franchise. In his time there, he had 1272 hits, 686 runs, 201 doubles, 226 home runs, 722 RBI, a .281/.346/.479 slash, and 30.9 WAR. His overall numbers with Montreal were a little weaker than Memphis, as Redmond’s power started to diminish in his 30s, going from a year 30+ dinger guy to someone hitting in the teens.

Montreal didn’t re-sign Redmond and he signed in 1948 with Louisville for his final MLB season, where he was able to cross 500 career homers. He continued his professional career for two more years, playing in 1949 with Honduras and getting traded for 1950 to Chihuahua. A number of injuries caused him to see little action in those final three seasons, retiring at age 39.

Redmond’s final MLB stats: 2618 hits, 1441 runs, 446 doubles, 508 home runs, 1575 RBI, a .287/.352/.508 slash, and 67.3 WAR. A solid, respectable bat throughout, but someone on the borderline of the Hall of Fame. He debuted at 56.5% and slowly gained steam, missing by one percent in 1956. With a weaker 1957 field, Redmond was able to just get over the 66% hump and qualify on his fourth ballot at 69.4%.



Eliot Cote – First Baseman – Buffalo Blue Sox – 68.2% Second Ballot

Eliot Cote was a 5’10’’, 205 pound right-handed first baseman from Mount Forest, Ontario; a small unincorporated community about two hours west of greater Toronto. Cote was known for having an incredible eye and ability to draw walks, leading his association five times in his career. Cote added reliable consistent power with 13 seasons of 30+ home runs, although he never had more than 39. He was an above average contact hitter with weak speed and baserunning ability. He played almost exclusively at first base and was viewed as a below average defender. Cote was a hard worker and viewed as a very durable and reliable player.

Cote went south to play college baseball with LSU, winning the 1928 College World Series with the Tigers. As a junior, he was picked in 1930 the second round, 95^th overall, by Toronto. However, Cote was unable to come to terms with the Timberwolves and returned for his senior season with LSU. In the 1931 MLB Draft, he was again picked by Toronto, this time 82^nd overall. Cote came to terms with the Timberwolves and was ready to contribute to his home province squad. He spent his first two pro seasons in minor league Hamilton, showing solid potential. Before the 1934 season, Toronto traded him and fellow prospect Dan Jordan to Buffalo for veteran 2B Kenny Goldman.

His most prominent run in the majors came with the Blue Sox, where Cote spent1934-1940. He was a bench player in his first year, then found his way into a regular starting role at age 25. With Buffalo, he had 1006 hits, 591 runs, 211 home runs, 570 RBI, a .294/.395/.538 slash and 35.0 WAR. Cote had a solid postseason in 1937, helping Buffalo to their first ever National Association Championship Series appearance. That was their only playoff berth in his run.

After the 1940 season, the now 31-year old Cote opted for free agency and signed a seven-year deal with Houston. He only played three seasons with the Hornets, but had a solid run, including career bests in 1943 in OBP (.433), runs (125), RBI (119), and WAR (7.4). This earned him his only Silver Slugger, coming as a DH. He opted out of his Hornets contract and signed at age 34 with Denver. He spent four solid seasons with the Dragons.

Cote was traded to Calgary for the 1948 season, then went signed for his final two MLB seasons with Philadelphia. With the Phillies, he crossed the 500 career home run mark, 1500 RBI mark, and 1500 career runs. He also played for the Canadian national team in the 1949 and 1950 World Baseball Championships. At age 41, his MLB career was over, but Cote went to the newly formed European Baseball Federation and played his final two professional seasons for Rotterdam.

The final MLB stats for Cote: 2475 hits, 1530 runs, 413 doubles, 527 home runs, 1535 RBI, 1525 walks, a .281/.391/.514 slash and 77.7 WAR. He quietly built a very solid resume, although he wasn’t an award winner or someone who caught a lot of attention relative to the other big bats at first base. Drawing walks doesn’t earn attention either, although his .391 OBP remains among the top of those inducted into the MLB Hall. He only barely crossed the 66% threshold, but Cote earned induction on his second attempt at 68.2%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

The Central American Baseball Association inducted one player in the 1957 Hall of Fame class, adding LF Jeong-Hyeon Pin on the first ballot at 98.5%. 2B Ray Reyes barely missed the 66% cut on his fifth try on the ballot, finishing at 65.3%. Two others were above 50%; closer Leroy Morillo at 55.0% on his sixth go and RF Willy Samuel at 50.5% on his ninth.



Two players were dropped after a 10^th ballot. SP Ryder McCollin spent his entire 14 year pro career with Santiago, posting a 161-119 record, 3.02 ERA, 2497 strikeouts, and 55.2 WAR. A solid career, but too short to get big accumulations and without any major awards. He peaked on his third ballot at 35.8%. Closer Honoro Guzman was dropped as well, peaking on his debut ballot at 34.3%. With Salvador and three others, he had 338 saves, a 2.67 ERA, and 14.4 WAR. He won Reliever of the Year in 1930 and 1940 and won two rings with Mexico City, but the advanced stats showed a lack of dominance needed to get the nod.



Jeong-Hyeon Pin – Left Fielder – Juarez Jesters – 98.5% First Ballot

Jeong-Hyeon Pin was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed left fielder from Busan, South Korea. Pin was one of the great power hitters of the 1930s and 40s in CABA, combining strong home run and gap power with solid contact ability. Pin didn’t walk often and struck out more than you’d like, but made up for it by making hits count. He was a slow baserunner and spent the vast majority of his career defensively in left field, where he was generally thought of as a poor fielder. Pin was a good teammate though and loyal, making him an extremely popular player in his career.

He had an unusual path as a Korean player whose nearly entire career was in Mexico. As a teenager, he was spotted by scouts from Juarez and signed as an amateur free agent. He made his debut as a pinch hitter at age 19 in 1932. Pin’s first full season was 1934 and despite only starting 80 games, he earned Rookie of the Year. He missed half of 1935 with a partially torn labrum, but from then forward, he was a full-time starter in the Jesters lineup.

Pin was a consistent contributor with Juarez, posting 13 seasons of 5+ WAR and seven with 40+ home runs, In 1939, he won league MVP, leading Mexico in runs (111), doubles (36), RBI (115), slugging (.629), OPS (.992), and wRC+ (200). That was also his first Silver Slugger season of seven. He added additionally sluggers in 1943, 44, 45, 46, 48, and 49. Pin’s second MVP came in 1943 at age 30, leading the league in OPS (.947) and wRC+ (191). He was second in MVP voting in 1941

He aged remarkably, continuing his production into his 30s. At age 35, he set career highs in home runs (54) and RBI (127), earning third in MVP voting in 1948. Pin was one of the lone bright spots for Juarez, who only made the playoffs once in his tenure. With the Jesters, he had 2480 hits, 1316 runs, 493 doubles, 584 home runs, 1428 RBI, a .295/.343/.574 slash and 93.1 WAR. His #23 uniform would be retired at the end of his career.

At the end of the 1949 season, Pin was traded for two prospects to Merida. In his one season with the Mean Green, he crossed 600 career CABA home runs and 2500 hits. At the time, he was the second CABA player to cross 600 dingers and the tenth to get to 2500 hits. He joined with Leon in 1951 in his final CABA season with limited production. Still, this last season got him to 634 career home runs, passing Diomar Glas for the all-time CABA lead. He returned home to Korea for his final two professional seasons, playing 1952 for Seongnam and 1953 for Goyang. He also played from 1947-49 for the South Korean national team in the World Baseball Championship. After going unsigned in 1954, Pin retired at age 42.

The final CABA stats for Pin, 2664 hits, 1421 runs, 524 doubles, 634 home runs, 1546 RBI, a .289/.337/.564 slash and 96.0 WAR. At retirement, he was the all-time CABA leader in home runs and doubles, although Prometheo Garcia would pass him in both within a decade. Oddly enough, despite that accolade, Pin never led the league in home runs in a single season, although he was second on six occasions. Few players brought the power that Pin had in CABA’s early years and he was a no-doubt Hall of Fame pick at 98.5%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

The 1957 East Asian Baseball Hall of Fame class had three first ballot inductees. Starting pitcher Taiji Makino was the star of the group at 94.3%, followed by RF Ha-Jun Cho at 86.2%. Just crossing the 66% threshold as well was catcher Sang-Sik Bom at 69.25. No one else was above 50% in the group.



One player was dropped after a 10^th ballot in SP Hyeong-Jun Sim. In 19 years with nine teams, he had a 239-233 record, 3.68 ERA, 4037 strikeouts, and 53.7 WAR. He was only the third EAB pitcher to 4000 Ks, but that was more a function of longevity than dominance. He had 44.1% on his first ballot but was down to the teens by the end.

Two other pitchers, Cheol-Jung Park and Mun Soo, were dropped on their ninth ballot after falling below 5%. Park had brief brilliance but had to retire early after destroying his elbow. He was the 1938 Pitcher of the Year and led in strikeouts from 1938-40, ending with a 138-88 record, 3.19 ERA, 2311 Ks, and 46.7 WAR. His career was effectively about eight years long though due to the injuries, peaking at 34.9% on his ballot debut. Soo was a two time Reliever of the Year winner with 257 saves and a 2.24 ERA, but didn’t have the accumulated numbers to draw attention after peaking at 42.7% on his second ballot.



Taiji Makino – Starting Pitcher – Fukuoka Frogs – 94.3% First Ballot

Taiji Makino was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Tokorozawa, a city in Japan’s Saitama Prefecture. Makino was known as a consistent and reliable pitcher that was primarily a starter and occasionally a reliever. He wasn’t dominant or outstanding, but generally well-rounded. Makino had 95-97 mph velocity and had a four-pitch arsenal of a fastball, curveball, changeup, and splitter; each of which were equally potent. His durability was a key to his longevity, as he tossed 200+ innings in all 16 of his professional seasons.

Makino attended Rikkio University and was highly touted after much success in the college ranks. Fukuoka would draft Makino second overall in the 1935 EAB Draft and he would spend his entire pro career with the Frogs. He immediately lived up to the high selection, earning the 1936 Japan League Rookie of the Year, leading the league in wins with 20. He led in wins three times in his career, impressive considering the Frogs were a bottom-tier franchise in his whole run. Makino never had a chance to play in the postseason and Fukuoka had only five winning seasons in his 16-year tenure.

Still, he reliably showed up each and every day for the franchise. 14 of his 16 seasons were 5+ WAR, although he never was the leader in ERA or strikeouts. He was often thought of as a top 10 pitcher, but not often viewed at the highest echelon. In 1941, he was third in Pitcher of the Year voting. In 1946 at age 32, he won It for the only time. That year, he had a career-best 2.03 ERA over 217.2 innings for 5.6 WAR. He had higher WAR seasons with 8.9 in both 1939 and 1940.

As time went on, he gathered up some statistical accolades. He was the 11^th EAB pitcher to 200 career wins and the sixth to 4000 strikeouts, despite not generally being though of as a dominant Ks guy. At retirement, his 3996 innings pitched was the most of any EAB player and he was fourth in career WAR for a pitcher at 98.4 Makino was also a veteran presence on the first five national teams for Japan in the World Baseball Championship. In 104 tournament innings, he had a solid 2.77 ERA, 111 strikeouts, and 2.3 WAR. In 1951 at age 37, his production dropped a bit, although he was still statistically good enough for a spot in the rotation. Having met the vesting criteria in his contract, Makino opted to retire after the 1951 season.

His final stats: 233-189, 95 saves and 115 shutdowns, a 2.83 ERA, 3996 innings, 4009 strikeouts, 736 walks, 336/505 quality starts, a FIP- of 75 and 98.0 WAR. His #14 uniform was the second retired by Fukuoka and he is remembered fondly by Frogs fans as a reliably positive player in a weak time for the franchise. Had he been flashier and on more dominant teams, Makino would be perhaps more remembered among the truly top tier of EAB pitchers. Still, his 16 consistent years of strong production earned him a first ballot spot in the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame.



Ha-Jun Cho – Right Fielder – Changwon Crabs – 86.2% First Ballot

Ha-Jun Cho was a 5’9’’ 200 pound left-handed right fielder from Ulsan, South Korea. Cho was known as a well-rounded and very durable hitter in his career. He was an above average to good contact and power hitter with a solid eye and ability to draw walks. He was a below average baserunner and a career right fielder, generally viewed as a below average to weak defender. However, Cho was a fan favorite known for a tireless work ethic and loyalty, along with excellent durability and reliability.

Cho was signed as an amateur as a teenager by Changwon in 1928 and spent nearly his entire professional baseball career with the Crabs. He made his debut in 1932 and saw limited action in his first two seasons. In 1934, he became the full-time starter in right and would start 144+ games every year for 17 straight seasons. He would post 11 consecutive 5.5 WAR seasons to open his career as a starter. Cho won his first Silver Slugger in 1936 and won eight total, also winning in 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 44, and 46.

Changwon throughout the 1930s and 40s were generally above .500, but wouldn’t make the playoffs in Cho’s tenure until the 1945 season. That year, they came away with the EAB Championship, despite that year being a down one for Cho. He bounced back in 1946 at age 34, leading Korea in RBI (106) and posting a career high .399 OBP, getting him second place in MVP voting. This would be his final great season, although he had four more seasons as a starter with the Crabs. He played for South Korea in the first World Baseball Championship in 1947.

After the 1950 season, Changwon traded Cho to Nagoya for catcher Susumu Iwasa. Cho spent one season primarily as a bench player for the Nightowls, but while there he crossed 1500 RBI and 1500 run scored for his career. He was the second EAB player to cross both marks, joining the legendary Byung-Oh Tan. After the 1951 season, Cho retired at age 39. His #14 would be retired the next season by the Crabs.

The final stats for Cho, 2764 hits, 1505 runs, 466 doubles, 527 home runs, 1504 RBI, 1054 walks, 1855 strikeouts, a .289/.360/.516 slash and 89.9 WAR. In the 1930s and 40s, he was someone you could count on starting a full season and giving you reliable strong production. Like his HOF classmate Taiji Makino, he maybe is forgotten for not having record-setting single seasons. But few were as consistent with the bat in the 1930s and 1940s in Korea than Cho, making him deserving of the first ballot selection.



Sang-Sik Bom – Catcher – Nagoya Nightowls – 69.2% First Ballot

Sang-Sik Bom was a 6’3’’, 195 pound right-handed catcher from Daegu, South Korea. He was the first catcher inducted into the EAB Hall of Fame and as of 2037, the only catcher inducted with the position so undervalued among voters. He was an excellent hitter and not just as a catcher, boasting solid power and contact ability at his peak. He was decent at drawing walks and did strike out more than you’d like and was a slow baserunner. Defensively, he was average to below average behind the plate, but he had a far better bat than his contemporaries and was durable.

Bom was signed as an amateur free agent by Nagoya and spent his prime EAB seasons with the Nightowls. He debuted in 1929 at age 19 and made six starts. He became a part-time starter in 1930 and full starter when healthy in the rest of his 12 seasons with Nagoya. Bom won his first Silver Slugger at age 22 in 1932 and won nine in the Japan League, also taking it in 1933, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41. He led Japan in WAR in 1935 with 8.2 and had a career high 10.4 in 1934; the single-season record for an EAB catcher. Bom was second in MVP voting in 1933, 34, and 35, third in 1937 and 1941.
Nagoya was a regular contender in the 1930s and Bom earned four Japan League titles and three EAB titles in his time with Nagoya. In 52 playoff starts, he had 52 hits, 26 runs, 12 doubles, 8 home runs, 31 RBI, and 1.5 WAR. With the Nightowls, Bom finished with 1658 hits, 833 runs, 252 doubles, 321 home runs, 912 RBI, a .286/.340/.503 slash, and 80.7 WAR.

At the end of the 1941 season, the 32-year old Bom defected to the United States and signed a five-year deal with the Denver Dragons. He was successful in MLB as well, winning Silver Sluggers for Denver in 1943 and 44. He had 491 hits, 278 runs, 109 home runs, 326 RBI, and 18.0 WAR in four seasons with the Dragons.

In 1946, Bom signed with Montreal and played his final three MLB seasons as a respectable starter with the Maples. Bom also returned to his native South Korea post-war and played with the national team in the World Baseball Championship from 1947-50. He went back to East Asia Baseball in 1949, playing his final three pro seasons with Daegu. This allowed him to be the first EAB catcher to reach 1000 career RBI. At age 43, he retired and his #24 uniform was retired as well by Nagoya.

For his entire pro career, Bom had 2673 hits, 1394 runs, 424 doubles, 532 home runs, 1554 RBI, and 113.7; among the most impressive of any catcher in pro baseball history. In EAB alone, he had 1898 hits, 970 runs, 368 home runs, 1058 RBI, a .278/.334/.489 slash and 89.2 WAR. He remains the catcher leader in EAB in career total bases, runs, home runs, RBI, and WAR. Still, the bias against catchers against HOF voting and the fact that he left mid-career for the US hurt Bom in the eyes of many Hall of Fame voters. The grand totals are low relative to other players due to his position and his split career, but his accolades were undeniable, getting Bom a HOF induction on the first ballot at just above the 66% threshold with 69.2%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Two players were inducted into Beisbol Sudamerica’s Hall of Fame in the 1957 class. Both were first ballot no-doubt picks with CF Saul Vargas at 98.9% and SP Tilson Garcis at 98.2%. Two others; SP Daniel Rosado and SP Aldemar Ramires, were just above the 50% mark.



Two were dropped after their 10^th time on the ballot. SP Hernan Trevino pitched with six teams and had a 142-128 record, 2.44 ERA, 3078 strikeouts, and 62.9 WAR. His career started officially at age 27, hurting his tallies. Trevino peaked at 45.8% on his second try. Carson Hernandez also started at age 27 and finished with 145-83 record, 2.51 ERA, 2190 strikeouts, and 48.8 WAR, peaking at 28.1% on his second try.



Saul Vargas – Centerfielder – Cali Cyclones – 98.9% First Ballot

Saul Vargas was a 5’10’’, 195 pound left-handed centerfielder from Dos Quebradas, a city in west central Colombia. Vargas was an all-time great contact hitter and baserunner, leading the Bolivar League in hits five times, runs six times, average four times, and stolen bases 10 times. He was great at putting the ball in play and okay at drawing walks. Vargas had solid gap power and used his speed to turn many doubles into triples. He wasn’t a slugger, but still got you around 20 homers a year. He spent his entire career defensively at CF and was considered decent early in his career, but overall below average with the glove.

Vargas was picked 14^th overall in the 1932 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Cali and would spend his entire career with the Cyclones. Vargas would post 13 seasons of 7+ WAR and would lead the Bolivar League in WAR six times, starting in his third season in 1935. His first Silver Slugger came in 1936, with 10 more coming in 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, and 47. He became the first Bolivar League player to win 11 Silver Sluggers in his career.

Vargas won his first league MVP in 1936, his second in 1938, third in 1945, and fourth in 1947. He was second in 1937, 39, and 44. In 1938, the 25-year old Vargas had a 12.0 WAR season, at the time second-most in a season by a BSA hitter. His 114 stolen bases was a single-season record at the time. Cali made the playoffs in 1933, 34, 36, and 37, but couldn’t advance to Copa Sudamerica. After being mid-tier in the early 1940s, the Cyclones became a contender at the end of the decade.

Vargas’s last great year was in 1947 at age 34, posting 8.8 WAR. His production fell off hard in his final four seasons, but Vargas was there to see Cali won the Bolivar League title in 1948, 49, and 50. He still stepped up come postseason time in 48 and 50 to help the Cyclones advance to Copa Sudamerica, although they were unable to take the crown. In the postseason in 61 career games, Vargas had 52 hits, 26 runs, 9 doubles, 3 home runs, 13 RBI, and 1.0 WAR. He became the first player to 1000 career stolen bases and 1500 runs and would be only 52 hits short of being the first BSA player to 3000 hits. Vargas retired at age 39 after the 1951 season

The final stats for Vargas, 2948 hits, 1514 runs, 377 doubles, 262 triples, 338 home runs, 1179 RBI, 1191 stolen bases, a .290/.340/.479 slash and 115.6 WAR. At retirement, he was the Beisbol Sudamerica all-time hit king and leader in runs, triples, and steals. His #5 uniform was immediately retired by Cali after he was done. One of the undisputed great beats of South American baseball in the 1930s and 40s, Vargas was an easy first-ballot inductee at 98.9%.



Tilson Garcia – Starting Pitcher – Barquisimeto Black Cats- 98.2% First Ballot.

Tilson Garcia was a 5’9’’, 195 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Petare, Venezuela, part of metropolitan Caracas. Garcia was a balanced pitcher with respectable stuff, control, and movement. His velocity range was 96-98 mph with a five pitch arsenal of a fastball, curveball, forkball, changeup, and cutter. He was an expert at switching pitches and coaxing groundballs. Garcia was incredibly durable and was a workhorse, throwing 235+ innings in all 16 years of his career. He was a solid defender and once won a Gold Glove. Despite his positives, he clashed with teammates in the clubhouse, as he was viewed as disloyal, greedy, and lazy.

Garcia was a highly touted prospect and picked fifth overall in the 1935 Beisbol Sudamerica Draft by Barquisimeto. The Black Cats were a bottom-tier team when he arrived and despite having an alright debut, would lead the Bolivar League in losses in his first two seasons. He’d come into his own with 6+ WAR seasons in 1938-40 and a 27-7 season with 8.2 WAR and 2.05 ERA in 1939. He had 371 strikeouts and finished second in Pitcher of the Year voting, helping Barquisimeto to their first-ever playoff berth. His run would be short though, as the Black Cats traded Garcia for prospects in the summer of 1941 to Rio de Janeiro.

The Redbirds were division champs in 1941 and Garcia would play two more years with Rio. He left for free agency in 1944 and Barquisimeto gave him another chance. The now 29-year old had a career best 1.93 ERA in 1944 and career best 9.3 WAR in 1945, finishing second in Pitcher of the Year in 1944. Garcia clashed again with some in the organization and was traded to Cali for the 1946 season. Still, his #18 uniform would get retired by Barquisimeto years later and he’d go into the Hall of Fame in the Black Cats hat. In his seven and a half seasons, he had a 132-111 record, 2.53 ERA, 2359 strikeouts, and 49.8 WAR.

Now 31-years old, Garcia had two okay years with Cali and would move close to home by signing with Caracas for 1948. Garcia’s last great season came in his Colts debut, finishing third in Pitcher of the Year. After two seasons with Caracas, he was traded to Lima and spent his final two years with the Lobos. With Lima, he passed 250 career wins and 4500 career strikeouts, becoming the fourth BSA pitcher to both milestones. Garcia retired after the 1951 season at age 37. In his final years, he also pitched for the Venezuela national team, posting a 3.58 ERA and 1.6 WAR over 73 innings with 83 strikeouts.

The final stats for Garcia: 263-212 record, 2.71 ERA, 4415 innings, 4578 strikeouts, 1.04 WHIP, 392/535 quality starts, 244 complete games, and 86.9 WAR. He never won Pitcher of the Year or was the most dominant pitcher in Beisbol Sudamerica, but he was incredibly durable and solid for 16 years. Thus, even without a long run with one team or any accolades, Garcia was not only inducted, but added on the first ballot at 98.2%.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

---

The 1957 World Baseball Championship was held in Guadalajara, Mexico. The United States took Division 1 with a 6-1 record, finishing one game ahead of France and Hungary. Italy advanced went a 7-0 run in Division 2, one game ahead of an upstart Uzbekistan. Canada claimed Division 3 at 6-1, one better than England. Division 4 went to Romania at 6-1, who were a game better than the Czech Republic. D5 went to the Netherlands at 6-1 with Mexico, Ecuador, and Paraguay all one game behind. Poland picked up D6 at 6-1, one better than Brazil and Haiti. Division 7 saw Argentina take it at 5-2, who edged out defending champ Russia, Peru, Georgia, and Kazakhstan. And in D8, there was a three-way tie for first at 5-2. Switzerland advanced to the Round Robin with the tiebreaker over both Chile and Colombia.

In the Double Round Robin Group A, Canada took the top mark at 5-1, advancing along with 3-3 Italy. The Swiss and Poles both were eliminated at 2-4. In Group B, the Americans prevailed at 4-2. Romania and Argentina tied for second at 3-3 with the tiebreaker going to the Romanians. The Dutch were last at 2-4.

For Romania, it was their first-ever semifinal appearance and they gave Canada a challenge, but the Canadians prevailed in seven games to advance to their fifth championship appearance. On the other side, Italy made their second semifinal appearance, but the powerhouse USA moved forward in six games. The World Championship saw the Americans against the Canadians for the fourth time. The US won the series 4-1, giving the Americans their sixth world title in the WBC’s first 11 editions.





Both the tournament MVP and Best Pitcher went to Americans. MVP was 24-year old 3B Steven Mautner of Tampa. In his first tournament appearance, Mautner in 22 starts had 29 hits, 14 runs, 5 doubles, 3 home runs, and 13 RBI with a .349/.432/.542 slash.

32-year old Oakland closer Nick Hedrick was the Best Pitcher winner. He was used as a starter and excelled with a 5-0 record in seven starts, 55.1 innings, a 0.65 ERA, 109 strikeouts, and a stellar 4.7 WAR. The WAR and strikeout tallies were both tournament records that still hold even as of 2037 and through expanded tournament formats in later years. Hedrick had a record-setting 25 strikeout game against Norway in nine innings early on.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Defending Eurasian Professional Baseball champion Minsk set a league record with a 123-39 mark atop the European League North Division. This beats Warsaw’s 122 wins in the 1955 debut season and stands as the winningest season in EPB history decades later. Kyiv took the South Division for the second straight season with a 109-53 record. Wild cards went to Warsaw at 104-58 and Bucharest at 97-65. The Wildcats are in the playoffs for the second time in three years and the Broncos have made it three straight.

League MVP went to Miners LF Eldar Vdovichenko. The 25-year old Russian led the European League in runs (122), hits (208), stolen bases (88), average (.339), slugging (.611), OPS (.997), wRC+ (176),and WAR (9.6). Pitcher of the Year went to Warsaw’s Alexandru Spinu. The 28-year old left-handed Moldovan was the league leader in innings (281.1), strikeouts (342), K/BB (11.0), complete games (22), FIP- (52), and WAR (11.4). He had a 21-9 record and 2.50 ERA.



The best record in the Asian League was Almaty at 116-46 atop the South Division, putting the Assassins into the playoffs for the third straight year. After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, 1955 Soviet Series champ Yekaterinburg won the North Division at 106-56. The wild card race was tight with Novosibirsk and Dushanbe advancing both at 101-61; the first playoff berth for the Nitros and third for the Dynamo. Defending Asian League champ Irkutsk missed by one game at 100-62 with Krasnoyarsk only two out of the last wildcard and Tashkent five games away.

The Asian League MVP and Pitcher of the Year were the same player for back-to-back seasons. Dushanbe pitcher Sergei Filatov won his second Pitcher of the Year and his first MVP. The 28-year old left-handed Russian from Kazan led the league in ERA (1.94), WHIP (0.87), K/BB (7.33), FIP- (47), and WAR (11.9), adding a 19-8 record over 274.1 innings and 312 strikeouts.

Just like with Warsaw’s record 122-win season, 123-win Minsk were upset in the first round. Bucharest bested the Miners in 3-1, while the Wildcats upset Kyiv in four. Almaty took care of business by sweeping Dushanbe and Novosibirsk upset Yekaterinburg in four. The ELCS was a seven game classic with the Broncos edging Warsaw. The ALCS went to the Assassins in five against the Nitros. In the Soviet Series, Bucharest bested Almaty in six games, sending the title to Romania for the first time.

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

---

Leading the European Baseball Federation’s Northern Conference in 1957 was Stockholm, getting their seventh straight playoff berth. The Swordsmen finished 104-58 atop the North Central Division. In the Northwest Division, Rotterdam took first 100-62 for back-to-back playoff berths and their first division title. Amsterdam finished one behind at 99-63, getting the wild card easily and their seventh playoff appearance in the EBF’s first eight seasons. Birmingham picked up back-to-back British Isles Division crowns, taking it easily at 92-70. Defending conference champ Paris fell off to 75 wins.

Stockholm’s Pietro Ribsi was the conference MVP and Pitcher of the Year. He won his third Pitcher of the Year, beating out a field that had two other pitchers with 12+ WAR seasons. The 32-year old Italian was the Northern Conference leader in wins (24), innings (301.2), and quality starts (33). He had a 24-8 record, 1.79 ERA, 339 strikeouts, and 12.5 WAR. He beat out stellar seasons by Hamburg’s Peter Plattner and Rotterdam’s Trent Addams, who also had outstanding seasons on the mound.




The top record in the Southern Conference and overall in the EBF went to Madrid, taking the Southwest Division title at 107-55. The Conquistadors are the only team to make the playoffs in each of the first eight years of the EBF. Defending European Champion Lisbon was second at 94-68, but still moved forward as a wild card. In a competitive South Central Division, Naples earned their first-ever playoff berth with a 91-71 mark. Zurich’s title streak was snapped with an 88-74 record for them. The Southeast Division stunk with all five teams below .500. Munich was the best of the bad at 79-83, sending them to the playoffs for the sixth time. Athens finished two games back and last year’s division champ Zagreb fell hard to 68 wins.

Madrid CF Brainslav Mikusiak won back-to-back MVPs and the third of his career. The 31-year old Slovak led the conference in runs (133), hits (195), triple slash (.336/.422/.675), OPS (1.097), wRC+ (214), and WAR (12.6). He also added 46 home runs and 125 RBI. Seville’s Armando Rojas won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards. The 25-year old Spaniard was the SC leader in ERA (1.72), innings (282.1), strikeouts (351), WHIP (0.88), quality starts (29), shutouts (7), and WAR (10.1).

All four first round playoff series went all five games. Stockholm survived Amsterdam and Rotterdam edged Birmingham in the Northern Conference. Lisbon upset division foe Madrid and Naples knocked off Munich in the Southern Conference. In the NCC, the Swordsmen topped the Ravens in six games. The SCC saw the Nobles outlast the Clippers in seven games. The European Championship saw two franchises in their first finals appearance. Stockholm cruised to a 4-1 win over Naples, sending the title to Sweden for the first time.





Other notes: On August 27, Barcelona’s Cosimo Rozzi had the sixth EBF perfect game, striking out six against Seville. Pietro Ribsi and Elih Cruz became the first pitchers to reach 2000 career strikeouts. CF Mercury Hand won his record seventh Gold Glove. LF Gabriel Staudt won his sixth Silver Slugger, as did SC MVP Brainslav Mikusiak. They’re the first in the EBF to get to six.