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FuzzyRussianHat · 08-23-2024, 04:06 PM

Tyson Flowers – Starting Pitcher – Ecatepec Explosion – 98.5% First Ballot

Tyson Flowers was a 5’11’’, 165 pound right-handed pitcher from Belize City, the country’s largest city. Flowers made history as the first-ever Hall of Fame inductee from Belize. With his relatively smaller size, he wasn’t an overwhelming power pitcher and only had 92-94 mph peak velocity. Still, Flowers had very solid stuff and movement along with average control.

Flowers had a four-pitch arsenal with a sinker, curveball, changeup, and knuckle curve. The knuckle curve was considered his most deadly pitch and drew whiffs-a-plenty. Compared to most other aces of the era, Flowers’ stamina was considered average. His durability was excellent though and he tossed 210+ innings each year from 1992-2005.

Defensively, Flowers was excellent, winning four Gold Gloves. He was also a fantastic athlete overall that was quick and dynamic on the basepaths. Especially for a pitcher, Flowers was also a reliably above average hitter. He wasn’t considered a true two-way guy, as he only played one inning ever defensively off the mound. Still, Flowers would get some pinch hitting opportunities on off days. He was a very hard worker and was a popular fan favorite of his era.

Flowers wasn’t an immediate success though and as a prospect, some teams weren’t sure if made sense more as a pitcher or hitter. He was picked 28^th overall by Salvador in the 1985 CABA Draft, but didn’t debut with the Stallions until the 1990 season at age 24. Flowers looked lousy in his rookie season with a 4.85 ERA, but he fared much better in 1991. That also marked the first of four consecutive Gold Gloves.

The 1992 playoffs were the first time he got stronger attention after posting a 1.64 ERA over 11 innings. Salvador had an impressive bounce-back from a terrible 64-win 1991, losing in the 1992 Caribbean League Championship Series to Trinidad. They missed the playoffs in 1993, but Flowers looked like a legitimate ace. A 7.1 WAR, 2.75 ERA effort earned him a third place in Pitcher of the Year voting.

1994 would begin a dynasty run for Salvador, who won five Caribbean and three CABA titles in the next six years. The Stallions beat Monterrey for the 1994 CABA Championship with Flowers leading the league in wins that year at 23-10. Salvador fell in an upset CLCS loss in 1995 to Santiago. For his part, Flowers had a 2.13 ERA over 50.2 playoff innings with the Stallions with 53 strikeouts and a 182 ERA+.

Flowers was second in POTY voting in 1994 and third in 1995. In 1995, he led in strikeouts for the first time and led in WHIP the only time in his career. Although Salvador soon had a dynasty run, Flowers wouldn’t be there for the entirety. After the 1995 season, he opted for free agency heading into his age 30 season.

With Salvador, Flowers had a 94-61 record, 3.33 ERA, 1437 innings, 1402 strikeouts, 347 walks, 117 ERA+, and 33.8 WAR. It would be a different dynasty run Flowers participated, inking a six-year, $14,960,000 deal with Ecatepec. The Explosion won the 1994 Mexican League title, but suffered a surprisingly 71-91 campaign in 1995. Ecatepec hoped Flowers could stabilize the rotation and get them back on track.

It worked, as 1996 started a decade-long streak of division titles. Flowers led the ML in strikeouts (306) and WAR (8.5) in his debut season, although his higher ERA kept him from awards conversations. Flowers ultimately never won Pitcher of the Year. He would take second once more in 1999, posting league and career bests that year in strikeouts (330), innings (278.1), quality starts (27), complete games (17), and WAR (9.0). Flowers’ best ERA in CABA also came in 1999 at 2.59.

In the playoffs with Ecatepec, Flowers’ had unremarkable stats, although the FIP- suggested he might have had bad luck. He had a 4.12 ERA over 18 starts with a 4-9 record, 126.2 innings, 136 strikeouts, 91 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 3.5 WAR. For his CABA playoff career, he had a 3.38 ERA over 186.1 innings with 197 strikeouts, 112 ERA+, and 5.6 WAR.

Ecatepec lost in the 1996 and 1997 MLCS, but would win six straight Mexican League titles from 1999-2004. They won the CABA title with Flowers in both 1999 and 2000, including in a 1999 showdown with Flowers’ former Salvador squad. Many say that was the passing of the torch moment between one great CABA dynasty to the next.

1997 was Flowers’ best offensive season with an impressive .392/.409/.704 slash over 137 plate appearances. That year had 6 home runs, 15 runs, 22 RBI, a 209 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR. For his offensive career, Flowers had a .287/.323/.453 slash, 112 wRC+, 10.3 WAR, 383 hits, 163 runs, 70 doubles, 30 home runs, 160 RBI, and 106 stolen bases.

With the Explosion, Flowers had a 2.99 ERA, 107-55 record, 1567.1 innings, 1753 strikeouts, 344 walks, 138/196 quality starts, 59 complete games, 126 ERA+, and 41.5 WAR. His contract expired after the 2001 season at age 36. Flowers was still effective in CABA, but he ultimately couldn’t land the deal he wanted. He would surprise many by leaving the Western Hemisphere altogether to continue his baseball career.

Flowers ended up in the Asian Baseball Federation, signing a three-year, $9,160,000 contract with Turkey’s Ankara Alouettes. He had three strong seasons there and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2002. Ankara was a playoff team in all three of his years, but injuries kept Flowers out of the 2002 and 2004 runs.

In 2003, he was iffy with a 4.07 ERA over 24.1 playoff innings. Still, Flowers helped Ankara won the East League championship, falling to Multan in the ABF Championship. With the Alouettes, Flowers had a 52-27 record, 2.59 ERA, 714.2 innings, 877 strikeouts, 139 walks, 132 EERA+, and 20.6 WAR. Flowers was a free agent again after the 2004 season heading into his age 39 season.

Flowers returned to CABA and signed a two-year, $5,360,000 deal with Havana. He had a solid 5.0 WAR return season in 2005 as the Hurricanes made it to the playoffs. Flowers would fall off in 2006 and be relegated to only 77.1 innings with a 4.54 ERA. He had a 3.77 ERA over 295.2 innings with 6.1 WAR with Havana. Flowers retired after the 2006 campaign at age 40.

For his entire pro career, Flowers had a 271-159 record, 3.10 ERA, 4014.2 innings, 4333 strikeouts, 898 walks, 343/515 quality starts, 122 ERA+, and 101.9 WAR. Just in CABA, Flowers had a 219-132 record, 3.20 ERA, 3300 innings, 3456 strikeouts, 759 walks, 275/420 quality starts, 105 complete games, 120 ERA+, and 81.4 WAR.

As of 2037, Flowers ranked 35^th in pitching WAR, 36^th in strikeouts, and 40^th in wins. He wasn’t at the tip-top of leaderboards, but his excellent offensive and defensive value also boosted his resume. Flowers had a role with two dynasty runs and was a fan favorite, making him an easy choice. He co-headlined Hugh Boerboom with 98.5% atop CABA’s 2012 Hall of Fame class.

Vicente Chung – Starting Pitcher – Ecatepec Explosion – 84.0% First Ballot

Vicente Chung was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Alvinopolis, Brazil; a town of 15,000 in the southeastern Minas Gerais state. Chung was a fireballer with great stuff and very good control along with decent movement. His fastball regularly hit the 98-100 mph range, but his forkball, changeup, and curveball were all equally potent.

Chung’s stamina was below average compared to most aces of the era and he had some injury issues. He was a good defender and could hold runners effectively. Chung was a very hard worker and stayed loyal in his career with Ecatepec, garnering much respect in the clubhouse.

It was unusual for South American players to end up in CABA and not the Beisbol Sudamerica umbrella. Chung was spotted though at a camp in 1985 as a teenager by a visiting scout for Ecatepec. They signed Chung in late November, bringing him to Mexico. He spent six seasons in their developmental system before debuting as a part-time starter in 1992 at age 22.

Chung struggled as a rookie, but made the full-time roster for 1993. He had a respectable second season, but it ended with a torn meniscus at the end of the season. Chung was healthy for 1994 and 1995, but wasn’t used at all by the Explosion. He missed out on the 1994 Mexican League pennant season. Ecatepec fell off in 1995 though and gave Chung another look, bringing him up for 1996.

That was a winning decision as Chung led the league in wins, quality starts, and K/BB. With a 2.67 ERA in 236.1 innings, 297 strikeouts, and 7.9 WAR, Chung received Pitcher of the Year honors. He also posted a 1.23 ERA in his two playoff starts as the Explosion lost in the MLCS to Monterrey. Still, this started a ten-year division title streak for Ecatepec. Chung had a 1.38 ERA in 1997’s playoffs, but the Explosion again fell to the Matadors in the MLCS.

Chung signed a four-year, $11,680,000 extension in April 1997. He had a good 1997, but missed the second half of 1998 to an elbow strain. Chung bounced back with a career and league best 1.99 ERA in 1999. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting, only pitching 194 innings due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament. This put Chung out for 10 months. He earned his first CABA championship ring that fall while in a sling.

Ecatepec won six straight Mexican League titles from 1999-2004 and won the CABA title in 1999, 2000, and 2004. Chung had some trouble post-injury in 2000 and was used as a reliever in the playoffs, but his 13.2 scoreless innings in relief helped the Explosion to the title. In 2001, Chung had a league and career best 8.4 WAR and had a career-high 300 strikeouts. He struggled in that playoff run though with a 5.90 ERA in 29 innings.

Still, a 32-year old Chung earned a five-year, $19,600,000 extension in March 2001. He had a strong 2002, then won his second ERA title in 2003 at 2.26. Chung also led in wins (22-5) and WHIP (0.82) to win his second Pitcher of the Year award. He would look solid the next two years and do just enough in the playoffs to help keep the dynasty rolling.

For his playoff career, Chung had a 3.23 ERA over 147.2 innings, 11-4 record, 159 strikeouts, 16 walks, 10/18 quality starts, 114 ERA+, and 4.9 WAR. He also pitched in five editions of the World Baseball Championship from 1999-2005 for his native Brazil with a 2.22 ERA over 44.2 innings, 61 strikeouts, 165 ERA+, and 1.3 WAR.

Late in the 2005 season, Chung suffered ulnar nerve entrapment. Ecatepec voided the team option in his deal, but ultimately re-signed him to a new three-year, $12,360,000 deal. The injury helped weaken Chung’s velocity down to the mid 90s after previously being able to hit triple digits. Chung looked very average in 2006, a season which saw Ecatepec’s playoff streak end at 80-82. Chung retired that winter at age 37 and immediately had his #9 uniform retired by the Explosion.

Chung ended with a 183-95 record, 2.97 ERA, 2664.2 innings, 2911 strikeouts, 355 walks, 1.04 WHIP, 237/355 quality starts, 126 ERA+, and 71.0 WAR. Chung didn’t quite have the longevity or innings to rank very high on the leaderboards. As of 2037, he’s 60^th in WAR among CABA pitchers.

Still, there were other Hall of Famers who made the cut with similar stats. Plus, Chung had two Pitcher of the Year awards and a prominent role in Ecatepec’s great 1990s-2000s dynasty. That was plenty to give Chung a first-ballot nod at 84.0% as the third of five in the 2012 CABA class.

08-23-2024, 04:06 PM	#1546
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,116	2012 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 2) Tyson Flowers – Starting Pitcher – Ecatepec Explosion – 98.5% First Ballot Tyson Flowers was a 5’11’’, 165 pound right-handed pitcher from Belize City, the country’s largest city. Flowers made history as the first-ever Hall of Fame inductee from Belize. With his relatively smaller size, he wasn’t an overwhelming power pitcher and only had 92-94 mph peak velocity. Still, Flowers had very solid stuff and movement along with average control. Flowers had a four-pitch arsenal with a sinker, curveball, changeup, and knuckle curve. The knuckle curve was considered his most deadly pitch and drew whiffs-a-plenty. Compared to most other aces of the era, Flowers’ stamina was considered average. His durability was excellent though and he tossed 210+ innings each year from 1992-2005. Defensively, Flowers was excellent, winning four Gold Gloves. He was also a fantastic athlete overall that was quick and dynamic on the basepaths. Especially for a pitcher, Flowers was also a reliably above average hitter. He wasn’t considered a true two-way guy, as he only played one inning ever defensively off the mound. Still, Flowers would get some pinch hitting opportunities on off days. He was a very hard worker and was a popular fan favorite of his era. Flowers wasn’t an immediate success though and as a prospect, some teams weren’t sure if made sense more as a pitcher or hitter. He was picked 28^th overall by Salvador in the 1985 CABA Draft, but didn’t debut with the Stallions until the 1990 season at age 24. Flowers looked lousy in his rookie season with a 4.85 ERA, but he fared much better in 1991. That also marked the first of four consecutive Gold Gloves. The 1992 playoffs were the first time he got stronger attention after posting a 1.64 ERA over 11 innings. Salvador had an impressive bounce-back from a terrible 64-win 1991, losing in the 1992 Caribbean League Championship Series to Trinidad. They missed the playoffs in 1993, but Flowers looked like a legitimate ace. A 7.1 WAR, 2.75 ERA effort earned him a third place in Pitcher of the Year voting. 1994 would begin a dynasty run for Salvador, who won five Caribbean and three CABA titles in the next six years. The Stallions beat Monterrey for the 1994 CABA Championship with Flowers leading the league in wins that year at 23-10. Salvador fell in an upset CLCS loss in 1995 to Santiago. For his part, Flowers had a 2.13 ERA over 50.2 playoff innings with the Stallions with 53 strikeouts and a 182 ERA+. Flowers was second in POTY voting in 1994 and third in 1995. In 1995, he led in strikeouts for the first time and led in WHIP the only time in his career. Although Salvador soon had a dynasty run, Flowers wouldn’t be there for the entirety. After the 1995 season, he opted for free agency heading into his age 30 season. With Salvador, Flowers had a 94-61 record, 3.33 ERA, 1437 innings, 1402 strikeouts, 347 walks, 117 ERA+, and 33.8 WAR. It would be a different dynasty run Flowers participated, inking a six-year, $14,960,000 deal with Ecatepec. The Explosion won the 1994 Mexican League title, but suffered a surprisingly 71-91 campaign in 1995. Ecatepec hoped Flowers could stabilize the rotation and get them back on track. It worked, as 1996 started a decade-long streak of division titles. Flowers led the ML in strikeouts (306) and WAR (8.5) in his debut season, although his higher ERA kept him from awards conversations. Flowers ultimately never won Pitcher of the Year. He would take second once more in 1999, posting league and career bests that year in strikeouts (330), innings (278.1), quality starts (27), complete games (17), and WAR (9.0). Flowers’ best ERA in CABA also came in 1999 at 2.59. In the playoffs with Ecatepec, Flowers’ had unremarkable stats, although the FIP- suggested he might have had bad luck. He had a 4.12 ERA over 18 starts with a 4-9 record, 126.2 innings, 136 strikeouts, 91 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 3.5 WAR. For his CABA playoff career, he had a 3.38 ERA over 186.1 innings with 197 strikeouts, 112 ERA+, and 5.6 WAR. Ecatepec lost in the 1996 and 1997 MLCS, but would win six straight Mexican League titles from 1999-2004. They won the CABA title with Flowers in both 1999 and 2000, including in a 1999 showdown with Flowers’ former Salvador squad. Many say that was the passing of the torch moment between one great CABA dynasty to the next. 1997 was Flowers’ best offensive season with an impressive .392/.409/.704 slash over 137 plate appearances. That year had 6 home runs, 15 runs, 22 RBI, a 209 wRC+, and 2.3 WAR. For his offensive career, Flowers had a .287/.323/.453 slash, 112 wRC+, 10.3 WAR, 383 hits, 163 runs, 70 doubles, 30 home runs, 160 RBI, and 106 stolen bases. With the Explosion, Flowers had a 2.99 ERA, 107-55 record, 1567.1 innings, 1753 strikeouts, 344 walks, 138/196 quality starts, 59 complete games, 126 ERA+, and 41.5 WAR. His contract expired after the 2001 season at age 36. Flowers was still effective in CABA, but he ultimately couldn’t land the deal he wanted. He would surprise many by leaving the Western Hemisphere altogether to continue his baseball career. Flowers ended up in the Asian Baseball Federation, signing a three-year, $9,160,000 contract with Turkey’s Ankara Alouettes. He had three strong seasons there and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2002. Ankara was a playoff team in all three of his years, but injuries kept Flowers out of the 2002 and 2004 runs. In 2003, he was iffy with a 4.07 ERA over 24.1 playoff innings. Still, Flowers helped Ankara won the East League championship, falling to Multan in the ABF Championship. With the Alouettes, Flowers had a 52-27 record, 2.59 ERA, 714.2 innings, 877 strikeouts, 139 walks, 132 EERA+, and 20.6 WAR. Flowers was a free agent again after the 2004 season heading into his age 39 season. Flowers returned to CABA and signed a two-year, $5,360,000 deal with Havana. He had a solid 5.0 WAR return season in 2005 as the Hurricanes made it to the playoffs. Flowers would fall off in 2006 and be relegated to only 77.1 innings with a 4.54 ERA. He had a 3.77 ERA over 295.2 innings with 6.1 WAR with Havana. Flowers retired after the 2006 campaign at age 40. For his entire pro career, Flowers had a 271-159 record, 3.10 ERA, 4014.2 innings, 4333 strikeouts, 898 walks, 343/515 quality starts, 122 ERA+, and 101.9 WAR. Just in CABA, Flowers had a 219-132 record, 3.20 ERA, 3300 innings, 3456 strikeouts, 759 walks, 275/420 quality starts, 105 complete games, 120 ERA+, and 81.4 WAR. As of 2037, Flowers ranked 35^th in pitching WAR, 36^th in strikeouts, and 40^th in wins. He wasn’t at the tip-top of leaderboards, but his excellent offensive and defensive value also boosted his resume. Flowers had a role with two dynasty runs and was a fan favorite, making him an easy choice. He co-headlined Hugh Boerboom with 98.5% atop CABA’s 2012 Hall of Fame class. Vicente Chung – Starting Pitcher – Ecatepec Explosion – 84.0% First Ballot Vicente Chung was a 6’3’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Alvinopolis, Brazil; a town of 15,000 in the southeastern Minas Gerais state. Chung was a fireballer with great stuff and very good control along with decent movement. His fastball regularly hit the 98-100 mph range, but his forkball, changeup, and curveball were all equally potent. Chung’s stamina was below average compared to most aces of the era and he had some injury issues. He was a good defender and could hold runners effectively. Chung was a very hard worker and stayed loyal in his career with Ecatepec, garnering much respect in the clubhouse. It was unusual for South American players to end up in CABA and not the Beisbol Sudamerica umbrella. Chung was spotted though at a camp in 1985 as a teenager by a visiting scout for Ecatepec. They signed Chung in late November, bringing him to Mexico. He spent six seasons in their developmental system before debuting as a part-time starter in 1992 at age 22. Chung struggled as a rookie, but made the full-time roster for 1993. He had a respectable second season, but it ended with a torn meniscus at the end of the season. Chung was healthy for 1994 and 1995, but wasn’t used at all by the Explosion. He missed out on the 1994 Mexican League pennant season. Ecatepec fell off in 1995 though and gave Chung another look, bringing him up for 1996. That was a winning decision as Chung led the league in wins, quality starts, and K/BB. With a 2.67 ERA in 236.1 innings, 297 strikeouts, and 7.9 WAR, Chung received Pitcher of the Year honors. He also posted a 1.23 ERA in his two playoff starts as the Explosion lost in the MLCS to Monterrey. Still, this started a ten-year division title streak for Ecatepec. Chung had a 1.38 ERA in 1997’s playoffs, but the Explosion again fell to the Matadors in the MLCS. Chung signed a four-year, $11,680,000 extension in April 1997. He had a good 1997, but missed the second half of 1998 to an elbow strain. Chung bounced back with a career and league best 1.99 ERA in 1999. He took third in Pitcher of the Year voting, only pitching 194 innings due to a torn ulnar collateral ligament. This put Chung out for 10 months. He earned his first CABA championship ring that fall while in a sling. Ecatepec won six straight Mexican League titles from 1999-2004 and won the CABA title in 1999, 2000, and 2004. Chung had some trouble post-injury in 2000 and was used as a reliever in the playoffs, but his 13.2 scoreless innings in relief helped the Explosion to the title. In 2001, Chung had a league and career best 8.4 WAR and had a career-high 300 strikeouts. He struggled in that playoff run though with a 5.90 ERA in 29 innings. Still, a 32-year old Chung earned a five-year, $19,600,000 extension in March 2001. He had a strong 2002, then won his second ERA title in 2003 at 2.26. Chung also led in wins (22-5) and WHIP (0.82) to win his second Pitcher of the Year award. He would look solid the next two years and do just enough in the playoffs to help keep the dynasty rolling. For his playoff career, Chung had a 3.23 ERA over 147.2 innings, 11-4 record, 159 strikeouts, 16 walks, 10/18 quality starts, 114 ERA+, and 4.9 WAR. He also pitched in five editions of the World Baseball Championship from 1999-2005 for his native Brazil with a 2.22 ERA over 44.2 innings, 61 strikeouts, 165 ERA+, and 1.3 WAR. Late in the 2005 season, Chung suffered ulnar nerve entrapment. Ecatepec voided the team option in his deal, but ultimately re-signed him to a new three-year, $12,360,000 deal. The injury helped weaken Chung’s velocity down to the mid 90s after previously being able to hit triple digits. Chung looked very average in 2006, a season which saw Ecatepec’s playoff streak end at 80-82. Chung retired that winter at age 37 and immediately had his #9 uniform retired by the Explosion. Chung ended with a 183-95 record, 2.97 ERA, 2664.2 innings, 2911 strikeouts, 355 walks, 1.04 WHIP, 237/355 quality starts, 126 ERA+, and 71.0 WAR. Chung didn’t quite have the longevity or innings to rank very high on the leaderboards. As of 2037, he’s 60^th in WAR among CABA pitchers. Still, there were other Hall of Famers who made the cut with similar stats. Plus, Chung had two Pitcher of the Year awards and a prominent role in Ecatepec’s great 1990s-2000s dynasty. That was plenty to give Chung a first-ballot nod at 84.0% as the third of five in the 2012 CABA 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)