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FuzzyRussianHat · 08-23-2024, 08:22 AM

The 2012 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame ballot was a historic one with five players receiving first ballot inductions. This was the second time that had happened, joining the 2010 class. Home run king Hugh Boerboom and SP Tyson Flowers were the co-headliners of the group with both earning 98.5%.

Pitcher Vicente Chung was next at 84.0%. 1B Stevie Montoya (72.8%) and OF Pedro Nugent (67.8%) had thinner margins, but still made it across the 66% requirement. No one else was above 50% and only one returner on the ballot cracked 1/3 of the vote. There also weren’t any players dropped following ten failed ballot tries.

Hugh Boerboom – Center Field – Santo Domingo Dolphins – 98.5% First Ballot

Hugh Boerboom was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed center fielder from Savaneta, Aruba; a town of around 11,000 and the oldest village on the island. Boerboom was known for his excellent and reliable home run power, posting 13 consecutive seasons with 45+ homers and topping 50+ five times. He always made hard contact, although his overall contact skills were average at best. Boerboom’s eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts were both generally considered merely decent.

Boerboom was quite quick and known as a solid baserunner with above average stealing ability. His ability to find the gap was surprisingly poor though with a 162 game average of only 14 doubles and 7 triples. Boerboom was very much a flyball hitter, but his ability to send those over the fence made him a Caribbean superstar.

Defensively, Boerboom played exclusively in center field and graded for his whole career as above average. He was considered an excellent defender in his early career and thrice won Gold Gloves. However, his career totals were weakened by staying out there in his twilight years even as his range and arm strength diminished with age.

Many considered Boerboom to be an ironman, especially considering the physical toll of center field. He started 138+ games each year from 1986 to 2003. It’s no surprise that an ironman that socked dingers became an absolutely beloved figure among CABA fans.

Despite his obvious talents, Boerboom wasn’t among the absolute top prospects in the 1984 CABA Draft. Some scouts thought his middling contact skills would limit him, while others just missed him since he grew up in Aruba. Santo Domingo took notice though and grabbed Boerboom with the 25^th pick of the second round and 54^th overall. The Dolphins kept him on the reserve roster for all of 1985, then debuted Boerboom as a full-time starter in 1986.

Boerboom would spend 13 seasons starting in center field in the Dominican capital, although he hadn’t developed the power stroke in his first two seasons. In fact, Boerboom graded as a well below average batter in his first two years. Great defense still made him valuable, winning his first Gold Glove in 1987. He repeated as a Gold Glover in 1988 and 1989.

He found his power stroke in 1988, starting his streak of 45+ homer seasons. Santo Domingo missed the playoffs narrowly in 1987 and 1988 after having posted a dynasty run earlier in the decade. The Dolphins made it back with five playoff berths from 1989-94. However, they couldn’t make it beyond the Caribbean League Championship Series, falling in 1989, 1991, and 1994.

A lack of playoff success would be a critique against Boerboom. In 36 playoff starts for Santo Domingo, he had 32 hits, 17 runs, 4 doubles, 3 triples, 13 home runs, 27 RBI, a .241/.266/.609 slash, 140 wRC+, and 1.1 WAR. Dolphins fans hoped for another dynasty run, but had no luck. Still, Boerboom was beloved for his power and signed an eight-year, $18,900,000 extension after the 1990 season.

Boerboom was second in MVP voting in both 1989 and 1990. 1989’s 8.6 WAR would be the highest he’d post in his career. In 1991, he led in home runs for the first time (56) and led in runs (117), total bases (365), and slugging (.629). That finally got him his first Silver Slugger and the MVP. It’d be his first of four consecutive Slugger winners.

1993 saw a career and league-best 134 RBI and his second 8+ WAR season. This also had his best OPS at 1.025. 1994 was Boerboom’s second MVP, leading again in homers, total bases, and slugging. His third MVP came in 1996 with a career and league best 57 home runs. Boerboom also led in RBI for the second time and in both slugging and total bases for the third time.

His power showed no signs of slowing into mid 30s, although his overall value was dropping slightly due to less defensive value. Boerboom won two more Silver Sluggers with SD in 1996 and 1997. His big Santo Domingo deal expired after the 1998 season and heading into his age 36 season, Boerboom opted to leave for free agency. He’d remain beloved by Dolphins fans and his #32 uniform would later be retired.

Boerboom finished in Santo Domingo with 2113 hits, 1215 runs, 189 doubles, 94 triples, 594 home runs, 1374 RBI, 533 stolen bases, a .282/.322/.570 slash, 141 wRC+, and 73.6 WAR. He ended up signing a three-year, $8,240,000 deal with Honduras. The Horsemen had been a playoff regular in the 1990s, but had suffered early exits in their most recent appearances.

1999 was an impressive debut in Tegucigalpa with 55 home runs, 133 RBI, and 7.7 WAR. Boerboom also had a career high 118 runs scored, taking second in MVP voting and winning his seventh Silver Slugger. He struggled in the playoffs though as the Horsemen last in the CLCS. Honduras fell again in the 2000 and 2001 CLCS, then lost in the first round in 2002. Boerboom’s lackluster playoff stats disappointed many in the area.

His 45+ homer streak ended after the 2000 season, but he still topped 30+ four more times and won an eighth Silver Slugger in 2002. Boerboom signed a two-year extension before the 2001 season worth $6,800,000. Fans were excited to see if Boerboom could catch Solomon Aragon’s all-time home run record of 772. In 2001, he became the only the fourth CABA slugger to reach the 700 club.

Boerboom hit 41 home runs in 2002 at age 39 to tie Aragon’s 772 at the end of the season. He bested the mark early in 2003 to become the all-time CABA leader and shortly after crossed the 800 mark. 2003 would also be significant as Boerboom earned his first-ever championship ring with Honduras, who beat Ecatepec in the CABA Championship.

The Horsemen made it back in 2004, but fell in a rematch with the Explosion. Boerboom struggled in the 2003 run, but had a nice 2004 campaign and won that year’s CLCS MVP. For his playoff tenure with Honduras, Boerboom was unremarkable in 49 starts with 40 hits, 24 runs, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 7 home runs, 17 RBI, a .227/.284/.420 slash, 94 wRC+, and 0.4 WAR.

Still, he finally got that elusive ring. For his combined playoff career, Boerboom had 85 starts, 72 hits, 41 runs, 11 doubles, 20 home runs, 44 RBI, a .233/.276/.502 slash, 113 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. Age would finally catch up to the ironman, who missed parts of 2004 and 2005 to injury.

Boerboom provided negative value in 2005, but became the ninth to join the 3000 hit club. He was actively bad and benched in 2006 with only 48 games and 8 starts, but was able to become the fifth to reach 2000 career RBI. Boerboom retired that winter at age 43. For his Honduras run, he had 970 hits, 593 runs, 70 doubles, 272 home runs, 634 RBI, a .257/.297.511 slash, 120 wRC+, and 22.9 WAR.

For his entire career, Boerboom had 3023 games, 3083 hits, 1808 runs, 259 doubles, 130 triples, 866 home runs, 2008 RBI, 676 walks, 751 stolen bases, a .274/.313/.550 slash, 134 wRC+, and 96.5 WAR. Noah Breton would eventually pass Boerboom as the home run king in the late 2020s, but Boerboom still is #2 as of 2037.

He also still ranks 13^th in hits, 7^th in RBI, and 6^th in runs scored. Despite his defensive value, Boerboom is only 36^th in WAR among position players as of 2037. His lack of all-around hitting value beyond the homers keeps him out of conversations for CABA’s GOAT hitter despite being the home run king. Plus, his unremarkable playoff stats ding him when discussing the absolute inner circle.

That said, being the home run king makes you a stone cold Hall of Fame lock and a superstar. Few players in baseball history provided such reliable power. Boerboom received 98.5% to co-headline the impressive five-player 2012 CABA Hall of Fame class.

08-23-2024, 08:22 AM	#1545
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,092	2012 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 1) The 2012 Central American Baseball Association Hall of Fame ballot was a historic one with five players receiving first ballot inductions. This was the second time that had happened, joining the 2010 class. Home run king Hugh Boerboom and SP Tyson Flowers were the co-headliners of the group with both earning 98.5%. Pitcher Vicente Chung was next at 84.0%. 1B Stevie Montoya (72.8%) and OF Pedro Nugent (67.8%) had thinner margins, but still made it across the 66% requirement. No one else was above 50% and only one returner on the ballot cracked 1/3 of the vote. There also weren’t any players dropped following ten failed ballot tries. Hugh Boerboom – Center Field – Santo Domingo Dolphins – 98.5% First Ballot Hugh Boerboom was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed center fielder from Savaneta, Aruba; a town of around 11,000 and the oldest village on the island. Boerboom was known for his excellent and reliable home run power, posting 13 consecutive seasons with 45+ homers and topping 50+ five times. He always made hard contact, although his overall contact skills were average at best. Boerboom’s eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts were both generally considered merely decent. Boerboom was quite quick and known as a solid baserunner with above average stealing ability. His ability to find the gap was surprisingly poor though with a 162 game average of only 14 doubles and 7 triples. Boerboom was very much a flyball hitter, but his ability to send those over the fence made him a Caribbean superstar. Defensively, Boerboom played exclusively in center field and graded for his whole career as above average. He was considered an excellent defender in his early career and thrice won Gold Gloves. However, his career totals were weakened by staying out there in his twilight years even as his range and arm strength diminished with age. Many considered Boerboom to be an ironman, especially considering the physical toll of center field. He started 138+ games each year from 1986 to 2003. It’s no surprise that an ironman that socked dingers became an absolutely beloved figure among CABA fans. Despite his obvious talents, Boerboom wasn’t among the absolute top prospects in the 1984 CABA Draft. Some scouts thought his middling contact skills would limit him, while others just missed him since he grew up in Aruba. Santo Domingo took notice though and grabbed Boerboom with the 25^th pick of the second round and 54^th overall. The Dolphins kept him on the reserve roster for all of 1985, then debuted Boerboom as a full-time starter in 1986. Boerboom would spend 13 seasons starting in center field in the Dominican capital, although he hadn’t developed the power stroke in his first two seasons. In fact, Boerboom graded as a well below average batter in his first two years. Great defense still made him valuable, winning his first Gold Glove in 1987. He repeated as a Gold Glover in 1988 and 1989. He found his power stroke in 1988, starting his streak of 45+ homer seasons. Santo Domingo missed the playoffs narrowly in 1987 and 1988 after having posted a dynasty run earlier in the decade. The Dolphins made it back with five playoff berths from 1989-94. However, they couldn’t make it beyond the Caribbean League Championship Series, falling in 1989, 1991, and 1994. A lack of playoff success would be a critique against Boerboom. In 36 playoff starts for Santo Domingo, he had 32 hits, 17 runs, 4 doubles, 3 triples, 13 home runs, 27 RBI, a .241/.266/.609 slash, 140 wRC+, and 1.1 WAR. Dolphins fans hoped for another dynasty run, but had no luck. Still, Boerboom was beloved for his power and signed an eight-year, $18,900,000 extension after the 1990 season. Boerboom was second in MVP voting in both 1989 and 1990. 1989’s 8.6 WAR would be the highest he’d post in his career. In 1991, he led in home runs for the first time (56) and led in runs (117), total bases (365), and slugging (.629). That finally got him his first Silver Slugger and the MVP. It’d be his first of four consecutive Slugger winners. 1993 saw a career and league-best 134 RBI and his second 8+ WAR season. This also had his best OPS at 1.025. 1994 was Boerboom’s second MVP, leading again in homers, total bases, and slugging. His third MVP came in 1996 with a career and league best 57 home runs. Boerboom also led in RBI for the second time and in both slugging and total bases for the third time. His power showed no signs of slowing into mid 30s, although his overall value was dropping slightly due to less defensive value. Boerboom won two more Silver Sluggers with SD in 1996 and 1997. His big Santo Domingo deal expired after the 1998 season and heading into his age 36 season, Boerboom opted to leave for free agency. He’d remain beloved by Dolphins fans and his #32 uniform would later be retired. Boerboom finished in Santo Domingo with 2113 hits, 1215 runs, 189 doubles, 94 triples, 594 home runs, 1374 RBI, 533 stolen bases, a .282/.322/.570 slash, 141 wRC+, and 73.6 WAR. He ended up signing a three-year, $8,240,000 deal with Honduras. The Horsemen had been a playoff regular in the 1990s, but had suffered early exits in their most recent appearances. 1999 was an impressive debut in Tegucigalpa with 55 home runs, 133 RBI, and 7.7 WAR. Boerboom also had a career high 118 runs scored, taking second in MVP voting and winning his seventh Silver Slugger. He struggled in the playoffs though as the Horsemen last in the CLCS. Honduras fell again in the 2000 and 2001 CLCS, then lost in the first round in 2002. Boerboom’s lackluster playoff stats disappointed many in the area. His 45+ homer streak ended after the 2000 season, but he still topped 30+ four more times and won an eighth Silver Slugger in 2002. Boerboom signed a two-year extension before the 2001 season worth $6,800,000. Fans were excited to see if Boerboom could catch Solomon Aragon’s all-time home run record of 772. In 2001, he became the only the fourth CABA slugger to reach the 700 club. Boerboom hit 41 home runs in 2002 at age 39 to tie Aragon’s 772 at the end of the season. He bested the mark early in 2003 to become the all-time CABA leader and shortly after crossed the 800 mark. 2003 would also be significant as Boerboom earned his first-ever championship ring with Honduras, who beat Ecatepec in the CABA Championship. The Horsemen made it back in 2004, but fell in a rematch with the Explosion. Boerboom struggled in the 2003 run, but had a nice 2004 campaign and won that year’s CLCS MVP. For his playoff tenure with Honduras, Boerboom was unremarkable in 49 starts with 40 hits, 24 runs, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 7 home runs, 17 RBI, a .227/.284/.420 slash, 94 wRC+, and 0.4 WAR. Still, he finally got that elusive ring. For his combined playoff career, Boerboom had 85 starts, 72 hits, 41 runs, 11 doubles, 20 home runs, 44 RBI, a .233/.276/.502 slash, 113 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. Age would finally catch up to the ironman, who missed parts of 2004 and 2005 to injury. Boerboom provided negative value in 2005, but became the ninth to join the 3000 hit club. He was actively bad and benched in 2006 with only 48 games and 8 starts, but was able to become the fifth to reach 2000 career RBI. Boerboom retired that winter at age 43. For his Honduras run, he had 970 hits, 593 runs, 70 doubles, 272 home runs, 634 RBI, a .257/.297.511 slash, 120 wRC+, and 22.9 WAR. For his entire career, Boerboom had 3023 games, 3083 hits, 1808 runs, 259 doubles, 130 triples, 866 home runs, 2008 RBI, 676 walks, 751 stolen bases, a .274/.313/.550 slash, 134 wRC+, and 96.5 WAR. Noah Breton would eventually pass Boerboom as the home run king in the late 2020s, but Boerboom still is #2 as of 2037. He also still ranks 13^th in hits, 7^th in RBI, and 6^th in runs scored. Despite his defensive value, Boerboom is only 36^th in WAR among position players as of 2037. His lack of all-around hitting value beyond the homers keeps him out of conversations for CABA’s GOAT hitter despite being the home run king. Plus, his unremarkable playoff stats ding him when discussing the absolute inner circle. That said, being the home run king makes you a stone cold Hall of Fame lock and a superstar. Few players in baseball history provided such reliable power. Boerboom received 98.5% to co-headline the impressive five-player 2012 CABA Hall of Fame class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)