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FuzzyRussianHat · 04-22-2023, 03:04 PM

The 1954 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame had three players earn induction. 3B Feris Adam and RF Rodrigo Reta were both first ballot selections with Adam at 89.4% and Reta at 85.4%. SP Andy Cowan was the third inductee, crossing the threshold on his fifth attempt with a big boost up to 79.1%. C Hernan Ortega and CF Luke Murray each just missed the 66% threshold on their third tries at 63.1% and 60.1%, respectively. Five others finished above 50%.

One of those above 50% was closer Otto Thurston at 53.5%, dropped after his 10^th ballot. Over 21 seasons with 11 teams, he had 332 saves, a 2.84 ERA, and 38.4 WAR; but he never won Reliever of the Year or had a signature run with a team. His best percentage on the ballot was 58.6% on his fifth try. 2B/SS Jim Hernandez also was dropped after a 10^th attempt, peaking at 43.1% on his second attempt. He was a five-time Gold Glover and had 2880 hits, 1366 runs, 381 home runs, 1497 RBI, and 88.2 WAR with Vancouver, Milwaukee, and Memphis. Advanced stats give him a bump as someone perhaps unfairly overlooked, but such is the plight of someone with great defensive numbers to boost the WAR.

Feris “Stump” Adam – Third Baseman – Toronto Timberwolves – 89.4% First Ballot

Feris Adam was a 5’10’’, 180 pound right-handed third baseman from Toronto. Nicknamed “Stump,” Adam was known for being a great contact hitter with incredible durability. He was not a prolific power hitter, but had solid pop in his bat, reliably putting him around roughly 25 home runs and 30 doubles each ear for around 15 years. He had a respectable eye for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Adam was a very slow baserunner who played defensively exclusively at third base, thought of as around average in his best years. He was sometimes thought of as lazy, but you could count on steady production from him year in and out, putting up 12 seasons of 6+ WAR.

After growing up in Toronto, Adam went to the University of Georgia for his collegiate career. He returned back home when the Timberwolves picked him 42^nd overall in the 1928 MLB Draft. Adam spent 1929 in minor league Hamilton and was a bench player for Toronto in 1930 and 1931. It was 1932 where he became a full-time starter and he’d start 140+ games every year from then through to 1947.

The Timberwolves were largely forgettable in the 1930s and early 1940s, but Adam was an incredibly popular local guy. He was a Silver Slugger winner in 1934 and 1941. He was a five-time all-star and helped Toronto to playoff appearances in 1932 and 1936. His #18 uniform would be retired and to date, he’s the only player to have his jersey retired by the Timberwolves franchise. In total from 1930-41, Adam had 1948 hits, 953 runs, 322 doubles, 274 home runs, 987 RBI, a .316/.372/.510 slash and 68.2 WAR.

After being the reliable hometown favorite, Adam finally entered free agency and signed a five-year, $148,000 deal to more than double his yearly salary. The 34-year old joined up with Philadelphia for the 1942 season with the Phillies fresh off the World Series title. For the next six seasons, he was the consistent starter at 3B as Philadelphia put together their dynasty. Adam earned his third Silver Slugger in 1943 with a career best 8.0 WAR. The next year, he placed third in MVP voting.

The Phillies rolled in the 1940s, making it to the World Series seven straight years from 1941-47 and winning it all in 41, 42, 43, 44, and 47. In the playoffs, Adam had a .302/.360/.462 slash in 87 games for Philadelphia, posting 100 hist, 54 runs, 58 RBI, 15 doubles, and 12 home runs. In 1943, Adam was the World Series MVP, putting up 20 hits and 13 runs in that postseason. The dynasty ended after 1947 as did Adam’s run, as his production dropped at age 40 in 1948. Adam retired with 37.1 WAR, 1181 hits, 598 runs, 209 doubles, 192 homers, and 673 RBI with the Phillies.

For his entire career, Adam had 3129 hits, 1551 runs, 531 doubles, 466 home runs, 1660 RBI, a .312/.366/.512 slash and 105.3 WAR. He was as reliable and consistent as you can be, playing a key role in Philly’s dynasty and being a reason to visit the ballpark for a decade in his native Toronto. One of only an elite few with 3000+ hits, 1500+ runs, and 1500+ RBI for a career and at the time, only the ninth MLB hitter with 100+ career WAR. It’s somewhat surprising that Adam got in on the first ballot at only 89.4%.

Rodrigo Reta – Right Fielder – Columbus Chargers – 85.4% First Ballot

Rodrigo Reta was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed outfielder from the small southern Wisconsin town of Lake Mills. Reta was a solid slugger with good contact and power ability, smacking 30+ home runs in 12 different seasons. He had a good eye and drew 1000+ walks in his career, although he still struck out 2000+ times. He was a poor baserunner who spent almost his entire defensive career in right field, where he was considered a mediocre defender.

Reta went to Arizona State and had a tremendous college career. The Sun Devils were the 1925 and 1927 national champions with Reta winning a Silver Slugger in 1926 and 1927, as well as a second place finish in college MVP voting. With this success, Reta was a highly touted prospect and was picked fifth overall in the 1927 MLB Draft by Columbus. Reta was part-time starter in his first two seasons, then became a full-time starter in RF for the Chargers throughout the entire 1930s.

Reta won his two Silver Sluggers with Columbus in 1930 and 1937. He wasn’t a league leading guy, but was a solid spot in the lineup for a decade. He had a career best 119 runs in 1931, 142 RBI in 1933, and 7.0 WAR in 1937. He had more than 50+ WAR in his first run with the Chargers and was very popular in an era that saw only one playoff berth in 1931. Reta left for free agency and signed with Jacksonville for the 1940 season at age 32.

In three years and change with the Gators, Reta had 468 hits, 104 home runs, and 7.0 WAR. In the early summer of 1943, he was traded to Omaha as they tried for a playoff push. They made it but were one-and-done, Reta’s second and final chance at the postseason. He spent 1944 with the Hawks, then returned to Columbus for 1945 and 46. He went back to Omaha for 1947 and 1948, then played his final season in CABA for Ecatepec at age 41. After going unsigned in 1950, Reta retired at age 43.

His final MLB stats: 3073 hits, 1744 runs, 485 doubles, 653 home runs, 1887 RBI, 1002 walks, a .285/.348/.522 slash and 77.2 WAR. He quietly made his way up the leaderboards as a consistent performer, At retirement, he was third all-time in home runs, 10^th in runs scored, and fourth in RBI. His #25 uniform was the third retired by Columbus. These totals led to Reta earning first ballot induction at 85.4%.

Andy Cowan – Starting Pitcher – Montreal Maples – 79.1% Fifth Ballot

Andy Cowan was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Toronto. Cowan was a hard thrower with 98-100 mph velocity on his fastball, while also boasting very good movement on a changeup and curveball. He had respectable control by the end of his career and was known as a good defensive pitcher. Among pitchers, he was a decent batter as well, winning one Silver Slugger and posting 330 hits, a .238 average, and 109 runs in his career.

Cowan played college baseball at Kentucky and like his HOF classmate Feris Adam, he was drafted by his hometown Toronto Timberwolves. Cowan went 21^st overall in the 1924 MLB Draft and had a solid rookie season split between starting and the bullpen. He not only finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, but third in Pitcher of the Year voting. Cowan never won the top award, but was a solid full-time starting pitcher from 1926 through 1941, posting 11 seasons of 5+ WAR.

The Timberwolves had some success in the mid to late 1920s with Cowan helping them get to the National Association Championship Series in his first two years and winning it in 1926. In 8 career playoff starts, he had a 2.98 ERA with 48 strikeouts over 63.1 innings. Unfortunately for Cowan, his 1929 playoff start would be the last of his career. In seven seasons with Toronto, he had a 117-62 record, 3.02 ERA, 1344 strikeouts, and 40.6 WAR.

In February 1932, Toronto traded Cowan to Montreal for three players. The now 27-year old Cowan would play the rest of his career with the Maples. He was a reliable starting pitcher for many years, although rarely considered elite. He had a 148-132 record, 3.74 ERA, 1767 strikeouts, and 55.9 WAR. In 1942, Cowan suffered a torn meniscus in his knee, knocking out the durable lefty for most of the season. He struggled over the next two years in limited action, retiring after the 1944 season at age 40.

The final stats for Cowan: 265-194, 3.45 ERA, 4420 innings, 3111 strikeouts, 1171 walks, 359/591 quality starts, 163 complete games, and 96.6 WAR. He ended up with nice totals in a lot of spots, but wasn’t thought of as a Hall of Fame guy to many and more of a compiler. Still, having close to 96.6 WAR is hard to ignore and longevity has value. Cowan fell short in his first four tries on the ballot, being above 60% in the first three. In his fifth go, he received a solid boost with a thinner field and earned his spot at 79.1%.

04-22-2023, 03:04 PM	#259
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,918	1954 MLB Hall of Fame The 1954 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame had three players earn induction. 3B Feris Adam and RF Rodrigo Reta were both first ballot selections with Adam at 89.4% and Reta at 85.4%. SP Andy Cowan was the third inductee, crossing the threshold on his fifth attempt with a big boost up to 79.1%. C Hernan Ortega and CF Luke Murray each just missed the 66% threshold on their third tries at 63.1% and 60.1%, respectively. Five others finished above 50%. One of those above 50% was closer Otto Thurston at 53.5%, dropped after his 10^th ballot. Over 21 seasons with 11 teams, he had 332 saves, a 2.84 ERA, and 38.4 WAR; but he never won Reliever of the Year or had a signature run with a team. His best percentage on the ballot was 58.6% on his fifth try. 2B/SS Jim Hernandez also was dropped after a 10^th attempt, peaking at 43.1% on his second attempt. He was a five-time Gold Glover and had 2880 hits, 1366 runs, 381 home runs, 1497 RBI, and 88.2 WAR with Vancouver, Milwaukee, and Memphis. Advanced stats give him a bump as someone perhaps unfairly overlooked, but such is the plight of someone with great defensive numbers to boost the WAR. Feris “Stump” Adam – Third Baseman – Toronto Timberwolves – 89.4% First Ballot Feris Adam was a 5’10’’, 180 pound right-handed third baseman from Toronto. Nicknamed “Stump,” Adam was known for being a great contact hitter with incredible durability. He was not a prolific power hitter, but had solid pop in his bat, reliably putting him around roughly 25 home runs and 30 doubles each ear for around 15 years. He had a respectable eye for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Adam was a very slow baserunner who played defensively exclusively at third base, thought of as around average in his best years. He was sometimes thought of as lazy, but you could count on steady production from him year in and out, putting up 12 seasons of 6+ WAR. After growing up in Toronto, Adam went to the University of Georgia for his collegiate career. He returned back home when the Timberwolves picked him 42^nd overall in the 1928 MLB Draft. Adam spent 1929 in minor league Hamilton and was a bench player for Toronto in 1930 and 1931. It was 1932 where he became a full-time starter and he’d start 140+ games every year from then through to 1947. The Timberwolves were largely forgettable in the 1930s and early 1940s, but Adam was an incredibly popular local guy. He was a Silver Slugger winner in 1934 and 1941. He was a five-time all-star and helped Toronto to playoff appearances in 1932 and 1936. His #18 uniform would be retired and to date, he’s the only player to have his jersey retired by the Timberwolves franchise. In total from 1930-41, Adam had 1948 hits, 953 runs, 322 doubles, 274 home runs, 987 RBI, a .316/.372/.510 slash and 68.2 WAR. After being the reliable hometown favorite, Adam finally entered free agency and signed a five-year, $148,000 deal to more than double his yearly salary. The 34-year old joined up with Philadelphia for the 1942 season with the Phillies fresh off the World Series title. For the next six seasons, he was the consistent starter at 3B as Philadelphia put together their dynasty. Adam earned his third Silver Slugger in 1943 with a career best 8.0 WAR. The next year, he placed third in MVP voting. The Phillies rolled in the 1940s, making it to the World Series seven straight years from 1941-47 and winning it all in 41, 42, 43, 44, and 47. In the playoffs, Adam had a .302/.360/.462 slash in 87 games for Philadelphia, posting 100 hist, 54 runs, 58 RBI, 15 doubles, and 12 home runs. In 1943, Adam was the World Series MVP, putting up 20 hits and 13 runs in that postseason. The dynasty ended after 1947 as did Adam’s run, as his production dropped at age 40 in 1948. Adam retired with 37.1 WAR, 1181 hits, 598 runs, 209 doubles, 192 homers, and 673 RBI with the Phillies. For his entire career, Adam had 3129 hits, 1551 runs, 531 doubles, 466 home runs, 1660 RBI, a .312/.366/.512 slash and 105.3 WAR. He was as reliable and consistent as you can be, playing a key role in Philly’s dynasty and being a reason to visit the ballpark for a decade in his native Toronto. One of only an elite few with 3000+ hits, 1500+ runs, and 1500+ RBI for a career and at the time, only the ninth MLB hitter with 100+ career WAR. It’s somewhat surprising that Adam got in on the first ballot at only 89.4%. Rodrigo Reta – Right Fielder – Columbus Chargers – 85.4% First Ballot Rodrigo Reta was a 6’2’’, 195 pound left-handed outfielder from the small southern Wisconsin town of Lake Mills. Reta was a solid slugger with good contact and power ability, smacking 30+ home runs in 12 different seasons. He had a good eye and drew 1000+ walks in his career, although he still struck out 2000+ times. He was a poor baserunner who spent almost his entire defensive career in right field, where he was considered a mediocre defender. Reta went to Arizona State and had a tremendous college career. The Sun Devils were the 1925 and 1927 national champions with Reta winning a Silver Slugger in 1926 and 1927, as well as a second place finish in college MVP voting. With this success, Reta was a highly touted prospect and was picked fifth overall in the 1927 MLB Draft by Columbus. Reta was part-time starter in his first two seasons, then became a full-time starter in RF for the Chargers throughout the entire 1930s. Reta won his two Silver Sluggers with Columbus in 1930 and 1937. He wasn’t a league leading guy, but was a solid spot in the lineup for a decade. He had a career best 119 runs in 1931, 142 RBI in 1933, and 7.0 WAR in 1937. He had more than 50+ WAR in his first run with the Chargers and was very popular in an era that saw only one playoff berth in 1931. Reta left for free agency and signed with Jacksonville for the 1940 season at age 32. In three years and change with the Gators, Reta had 468 hits, 104 home runs, and 7.0 WAR. In the early summer of 1943, he was traded to Omaha as they tried for a playoff push. They made it but were one-and-done, Reta’s second and final chance at the postseason. He spent 1944 with the Hawks, then returned to Columbus for 1945 and 46. He went back to Omaha for 1947 and 1948, then played his final season in CABA for Ecatepec at age 41. After going unsigned in 1950, Reta retired at age 43. His final MLB stats: 3073 hits, 1744 runs, 485 doubles, 653 home runs, 1887 RBI, 1002 walks, a .285/.348/.522 slash and 77.2 WAR. He quietly made his way up the leaderboards as a consistent performer, At retirement, he was third all-time in home runs, 10^th in runs scored, and fourth in RBI. His #25 uniform was the third retired by Columbus. These totals led to Reta earning first ballot induction at 85.4%. Andy Cowan – Starting Pitcher – Montreal Maples – 79.1% Fifth Ballot Andy Cowan was a 6’1’’, 200 pound left-handed starting pitcher from Toronto. Cowan was a hard thrower with 98-100 mph velocity on his fastball, while also boasting very good movement on a changeup and curveball. He had respectable control by the end of his career and was known as a good defensive pitcher. Among pitchers, he was a decent batter as well, winning one Silver Slugger and posting 330 hits, a .238 average, and 109 runs in his career. Cowan played college baseball at Kentucky and like his HOF classmate Feris Adam, he was drafted by his hometown Toronto Timberwolves. Cowan went 21^st overall in the 1924 MLB Draft and had a solid rookie season split between starting and the bullpen. He not only finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, but third in Pitcher of the Year voting. Cowan never won the top award, but was a solid full-time starting pitcher from 1926 through 1941, posting 11 seasons of 5+ WAR. The Timberwolves had some success in the mid to late 1920s with Cowan helping them get to the National Association Championship Series in his first two years and winning it in 1926. In 8 career playoff starts, he had a 2.98 ERA with 48 strikeouts over 63.1 innings. Unfortunately for Cowan, his 1929 playoff start would be the last of his career. In seven seasons with Toronto, he had a 117-62 record, 3.02 ERA, 1344 strikeouts, and 40.6 WAR. In February 1932, Toronto traded Cowan to Montreal for three players. The now 27-year old Cowan would play the rest of his career with the Maples. He was a reliable starting pitcher for many years, although rarely considered elite. He had a 148-132 record, 3.74 ERA, 1767 strikeouts, and 55.9 WAR. In 1942, Cowan suffered a torn meniscus in his knee, knocking out the durable lefty for most of the season. He struggled over the next two years in limited action, retiring after the 1944 season at age 40. The final stats for Cowan: 265-194, 3.45 ERA, 4420 innings, 3111 strikeouts, 1171 walks, 359/591 quality starts, 163 complete games, and 96.6 WAR. He ended up with nice totals in a lot of spots, but wasn’t thought of as a Hall of Fame guy to many and more of a compiler. Still, having close to 96.6 WAR is hard to ignore and longevity has value. Cowan fell short in his first four tries on the ballot, being above 60% in the first three. In his fifth go, he received a solid boost with a thinner field and earned his spot at 79.1%. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)