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FuzzyRussianHat · 10-11-2024, 03:27 PM

Jose Cardenas – First Base/Left Field – Honduras Horsemen – 80.7% First Ballot

Jose Cardenas was a 6’3’’, 205 pound right-handed hitter from San German, Cuba; a town in eastern Cuba’s Urbano Noris municipality. Cardenas was an excellent contact hitter with an average eye and strikeout rate. He was a great power hitter who topped 40+ home runs four times. Cardenas’s gap power was also reliably good with 32 doubles and 33 home runs per his 162 game average. He was a decent baserunner technically, but his speed was lousy.

Cardenas made roughly half of his defensive career at first base and graded out as lousy there. He had around ¼ of his starts in left and was even worse there. The other ¼ of his starts were as a designated hitter. Cardenas generally had strong durability over a 20 year pro career.

In September 1985, a teenaged Cardenas was signed to an amateur developmental deal with Leon. He made his Mexican League debut in 1991 at age 21 with 70 games and three starts. Cardenas remained mostly a pinch hitter in 1992, then saw 108 starts in 1993. Cardenas earned the full-time role in 1994, which saw league bests in OBP (.417), OPS (1.065), and wRC+ (203). He won his first Silver Slugger (in LF) and finished third in MVP voting.

Cardenas had four straight 5+ WAR years for the Lions. They won division titles in 1991 and 1992 before Cardenas was a starter, then just missed the playoffs in his later years. In total with Leon, Cardenas had 858 hits, 409 runs, 143 doubles, 146 home runs, 446 RBI, a .345/.395/.594 slash, 181 wRC+, and 30.1 WAR. The Lions wanted to lock him up, but couldn’t come to terms. At age 27, Cardenas would spend the next six years outside of CABA.

MLB teams took notice and Houston gave Cardenas a five-year, $19,440,000 deal. He didn’t live up to his CABA standards with the Hornets with merely decent production in his first three years. Houston made him a part-time starter in 2000, then only used him in 74 games with 39 starts in 2001 despite being healthy. With the Hornets, Cardenas had 683 hits, 340 runs, 124 doubles, 113 home runs, 393 RBI, a .278/.327/.469 slash, 116 wRC+, and 8.7 WAR. Houston made the playoffs twice, but had first round exits in 1997 and 1999.

While in MLB, Cardenas did still return to his native Cuba for the World Baseball Championship. From 1996-2003, he had 77 starts, 79 hits, 36 runs, 18 doubles, 18 home runs, 49 RBI, a .271/.334/.526 slash, 149 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR. Despite unremarkable MLB results, Buffalo gave him a one-year deal for 2002. This was easily his best MLB season with 3.7 WAR and a 152 wRC+ over 147 games. Despite that, MLB teams weren’t looking to give a 33-year old Cardenas a long-term deal.

However, CABA’s Honduras gave him a five-year, $17,400,000 deal, which began his most famous run. The Horsemen won back-to-back Caribbean League titles in 2003 and 2004 with Cardenas earning 2003 CLCS MVP. Honduras won the 2003 CABA Championship in Ecatepec, then lost in a rematch in 2004. The Horsemen had a one-and-done in 2005, then lost in the 2006 and 2007 CLCS to Haiti.

Cardenas had a strong career playoff run over 46 starts with 69 hits, 31 runs, 11 doubles, 8 home runs, 25 RBI, a .369/.389/578, 160 wRC+, and 2.4 WAR. His stats were subpar in the 2004 run, but excellent in 2003 with 24 hits, 11 runs, and a 1.357 OPS. He won a Silver Slugger in 2003 and took third in MVP voting. 2004 had a 31-game hit streak, then 2006 saw a 32-game hit streak.

In 2006, Cardenas had career and league bests in runs (128), hits (222), OBP (1.137), and WAR (8.0). At age 36, he also exploded for 58 home runs and 135 RBI, by far career bests. Cardenas finished second in MVP voting, the closest he came to the top award. In March 2007, Honduras gave him a three-year, $24,500,000 extension.

Cardenas had a good 2008, but his power fell off notably in the next two years. Honduras’s decade-long playoff streak also ended with middling finishes from 2008-2010. After an iffy 2010, he retired at age 41. With Honduras, Cardenas had 1550 hits, 762 runs, 250 doubles, 295 home runs, 901 RBI, a .330/.371/.579, 154 wRC+, and 40.6 WAR. His eight year run was strong enough for the Horsemen to retire his #96 uniform.

For his full pro career, Cardenas had 3249 hits, 1582 runs, 551 doubles, 581 home runs, 1836 RBI, 739 walks, a .319/.365/.552 slash, 151 wRC+, and 83.2 WAR. That line probably gets anyone in, but his CABA accumulations were hurt by the six-year MLB excursion. In CABA, Cardenas had 2408 hits, 1171 runs, 393 doubles, 441 home runs, 1347 RBI, a .336/.379/.584 slash, 164 wRC+, and 70.7 WAR. He falls outside of the top 100 in most counting stats.

Cardenas’s rate stats are strong though amongst all CABA hitters with 3000+ plate appearances. He ranks 35^th in batting average, 42^nd in OBP, 66^th in slugging, and 43^rd in OPS. Cardenas’s best years coming in his 30s also left recent positive memories with voters. He played a big role in two Caribbean League titles for Honduras, which allowed him to overcome any accumulation worries. At 80.7%, Cardenas was a first-ballot inductee and the second player in CABA’s 2016 Hall of Fame class.

Yusdet Remo – First Base – Tijuana Toros – 78.6% First Ballot

Yusdet Remo was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Tipitapa, Honduras; a city of around 150,000 in the greater Managua area. Remo was a solid contact hitter with great home run power, topping 35+ home runs each year from 1999-2009. He had nice gap power as well with 22 doubles and 10 triples per his 162 game average.

Despite his power, Remo didn’t draw many walks and he struggled with strikeouts. Remo was excellent against right-handed pitching (184 wRC+, .981 OPS) and merely above average against lefties (120 wRC+, .761 OPS). He had average speed and was often overly aggressive on the basepaths with only a 43.7% success rate on steals. Remo played left field his rookie year with lousy defense. He played first base for the rest of his run and was a reliably good gloveman there. Remo was a true ironman who never missed time to injury.

Even as a teenager, Remo was a big kid and drew a lot of attention around Nicaragua’s capital. A visiting scout from Tijuana grabbed him in May 1992 to a developmental deal and he debuted in the Mexican League at age 19 in 1995. Remo only saw pinch hit use in his first three years with 21 starts in 198 games. The Toros were regularly a wild card in the 1990s, but most years fell victim to Monterrey’s dynasty.

Remo became a full-time starter in 1998 and held this rule through 2004 for Tijiuana. He had a good 1998, but emerged as a star with a big postseason. In 14 starts, Remo had 20 hits, 12 runs, 7 home runs, and 14 RBI, helping Tijuana to their first pennant since 1923 as MLCS MVP. The Toros upset the Matadors in the MLCS, but couldn’t win it all as Salvador repeated as CABA Champion. Tijuana lost in the first round in 1999, then fell towards the middle of the standings generally for the next few years.

In 1999, Remo won his lone MVP and Silver Slugger, leading the league in runs (115), total bases (416), and wRC+ (212). The total bases and wRC+ were career bests, as were his 57 home runs, 131 RBI, .684 slugging, and 1.053 OPS. Remo fell off notably in 2000, but bounced back with 5+ WAR efforts in each of the next four seasons for Tijuana.

He saw a career high 8.3 WAR and 118 runs in 2003, also posting 53 homers and a 1.005 OPS. Remo was third in MVP voting, but an emerging Donald Gonzalez made Silver Sluggers a tough proposition at first base. In 2004, Remo had a six-hit game against Torreon. In total with Tijuana, Remo had 1392 hits, 711 runs, 179 doubles, 321 home runs, 799 RBI, .306/.341/.589 slash, 172 wRC+, and 41.1 WAR.

Tijuana had signed Remo to an eight-year, $33,160,000 extension after the 1999 season. He surprised and disappointed many in the organization by exercising his opt-out after the 2004 campaign, becoming a 29-year old free agent. Remo would stay popular years later and eventually made good with the Toros, getting his #17 retired.

Remo got a big payday as Torreon signed him at eight years and $53,100,000. Torreon had been the MLCS runner-up in the prior two years and hoped Remo could get them across the line. He put up solid numbers initially for the Tomahawks, including a league-best 49 home runs in 2006. However, they had first round losses in the 2005 and 2008 postseasons while missing the cut in 2006 and 2007.

While his entire pro career was in Mexico, Remo regularly returned to his native Nicaragua for the World Baseball Championship. He had 118 games and 107 starts from 1996-2011 with overall average production. Remo posted 86 hits, 44 runs, 16 doubles, 21 home runs, 47 RBI, a .218/.278/.419 slash, 99 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR.

After the 2009 season, a now 34-year old Remo opted out of the final three years of his Torreon deal. In five years with the Tomahawks, Remo had 893 hits, 468 runs, 105 doubles, 214 home runs, 539 RBI, a .311/.343/.604 slash, 170 wRC+, and 27.3 WAR. The Tomahawks had moved him more to a platoon role against righties in his last year, but he still posted a 160 wRC+. Remo had hoped to get another big long-term teal, but his bet was a bust.

Remo was unsigned in spring training, then finally got a one year, $3,160,000 deal with Juarez. He was still a passable starter in 132 games with a 123 wRC+ and .790 OPS, but his power saw a career low 25 home runs. Remo was unsigned in 2011 and only played in that year’s WBC. With no suitors, Remo retired at age 35.

The final stats saw 2420 hits, 1252 runs, 294 doubles, 130 triples, 560 home runs, 1404 RBI, 359 stolen bases, a .306/.340/.588 slash, 168 wRC+, and 70.9 WAR. As of 2037, Remo ranks 41^st in home runs, 67^th in RBI, 84^th in hits, and 90^th in runs. He does miss the top 100 in WAR, but does rank 61^st in slugging among all CABA hitters with 3000+ plate appearances.

Remo’s accumulations were on the lower end compared to a lot of Hall of Famers. However, he hit a lot of homers in a short run, had an MVP, and played a big role in Tijuana’s 1998 Mexican League title. Those perks got him a first ballot induction at 78.6% as the third member of a rock solid 2016 CABA Hall of Fame class

10-11-2024, 03:27 PM	#1691
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,107	2016 CABA Hall of Fame (Part 2) Jose Cardenas – First Base/Left Field – Honduras Horsemen – 80.7% First Ballot Jose Cardenas was a 6’3’’, 205 pound right-handed hitter from San German, Cuba; a town in eastern Cuba’s Urbano Noris municipality. Cardenas was an excellent contact hitter with an average eye and strikeout rate. He was a great power hitter who topped 40+ home runs four times. Cardenas’s gap power was also reliably good with 32 doubles and 33 home runs per his 162 game average. He was a decent baserunner technically, but his speed was lousy. Cardenas made roughly half of his defensive career at first base and graded out as lousy there. He had around ¼ of his starts in left and was even worse there. The other ¼ of his starts were as a designated hitter. Cardenas generally had strong durability over a 20 year pro career. In September 1985, a teenaged Cardenas was signed to an amateur developmental deal with Leon. He made his Mexican League debut in 1991 at age 21 with 70 games and three starts. Cardenas remained mostly a pinch hitter in 1992, then saw 108 starts in 1993. Cardenas earned the full-time role in 1994, which saw league bests in OBP (.417), OPS (1.065), and wRC+ (203). He won his first Silver Slugger (in LF) and finished third in MVP voting. Cardenas had four straight 5+ WAR years for the Lions. They won division titles in 1991 and 1992 before Cardenas was a starter, then just missed the playoffs in his later years. In total with Leon, Cardenas had 858 hits, 409 runs, 143 doubles, 146 home runs, 446 RBI, a .345/.395/.594 slash, 181 wRC+, and 30.1 WAR. The Lions wanted to lock him up, but couldn’t come to terms. At age 27, Cardenas would spend the next six years outside of CABA. MLB teams took notice and Houston gave Cardenas a five-year, $19,440,000 deal. He didn’t live up to his CABA standards with the Hornets with merely decent production in his first three years. Houston made him a part-time starter in 2000, then only used him in 74 games with 39 starts in 2001 despite being healthy. With the Hornets, Cardenas had 683 hits, 340 runs, 124 doubles, 113 home runs, 393 RBI, a .278/.327/.469 slash, 116 wRC+, and 8.7 WAR. Houston made the playoffs twice, but had first round exits in 1997 and 1999. While in MLB, Cardenas did still return to his native Cuba for the World Baseball Championship. From 1996-2003, he had 77 starts, 79 hits, 36 runs, 18 doubles, 18 home runs, 49 RBI, a .271/.334/.526 slash, 149 wRC+, and 3.2 WAR. Despite unremarkable MLB results, Buffalo gave him a one-year deal for 2002. This was easily his best MLB season with 3.7 WAR and a 152 wRC+ over 147 games. Despite that, MLB teams weren’t looking to give a 33-year old Cardenas a long-term deal. However, CABA’s Honduras gave him a five-year, $17,400,000 deal, which began his most famous run. The Horsemen won back-to-back Caribbean League titles in 2003 and 2004 with Cardenas earning 2003 CLCS MVP. Honduras won the 2003 CABA Championship in Ecatepec, then lost in a rematch in 2004. The Horsemen had a one-and-done in 2005, then lost in the 2006 and 2007 CLCS to Haiti. Cardenas had a strong career playoff run over 46 starts with 69 hits, 31 runs, 11 doubles, 8 home runs, 25 RBI, a .369/.389/578, 160 wRC+, and 2.4 WAR. His stats were subpar in the 2004 run, but excellent in 2003 with 24 hits, 11 runs, and a 1.357 OPS. He won a Silver Slugger in 2003 and took third in MVP voting. 2004 had a 31-game hit streak, then 2006 saw a 32-game hit streak. In 2006, Cardenas had career and league bests in runs (128), hits (222), OBP (1.137), and WAR (8.0). At age 36, he also exploded for 58 home runs and 135 RBI, by far career bests. Cardenas finished second in MVP voting, the closest he came to the top award. In March 2007, Honduras gave him a three-year, $24,500,000 extension. Cardenas had a good 2008, but his power fell off notably in the next two years. Honduras’s decade-long playoff streak also ended with middling finishes from 2008-2010. After an iffy 2010, he retired at age 41. With Honduras, Cardenas had 1550 hits, 762 runs, 250 doubles, 295 home runs, 901 RBI, a .330/.371/.579, 154 wRC+, and 40.6 WAR. His eight year run was strong enough for the Horsemen to retire his #96 uniform. For his full pro career, Cardenas had 3249 hits, 1582 runs, 551 doubles, 581 home runs, 1836 RBI, 739 walks, a .319/.365/.552 slash, 151 wRC+, and 83.2 WAR. That line probably gets anyone in, but his CABA accumulations were hurt by the six-year MLB excursion. In CABA, Cardenas had 2408 hits, 1171 runs, 393 doubles, 441 home runs, 1347 RBI, a .336/.379/.584 slash, 164 wRC+, and 70.7 WAR. He falls outside of the top 100 in most counting stats. Cardenas’s rate stats are strong though amongst all CABA hitters with 3000+ plate appearances. He ranks 35^th in batting average, 42^nd in OBP, 66^th in slugging, and 43^rd in OPS. Cardenas’s best years coming in his 30s also left recent positive memories with voters. He played a big role in two Caribbean League titles for Honduras, which allowed him to overcome any accumulation worries. At 80.7%, Cardenas was a first-ballot inductee and the second player in CABA’s 2016 Hall of Fame class. Yusdet Remo – First Base – Tijuana Toros – 78.6% First Ballot Yusdet Remo was a 6’4’’, 200 pound left-handed first baseman from Tipitapa, Honduras; a city of around 150,000 in the greater Managua area. Remo was a solid contact hitter with great home run power, topping 35+ home runs each year from 1999-2009. He had nice gap power as well with 22 doubles and 10 triples per his 162 game average. Despite his power, Remo didn’t draw many walks and he struggled with strikeouts. Remo was excellent against right-handed pitching (184 wRC+, .981 OPS) and merely above average against lefties (120 wRC+, .761 OPS). He had average speed and was often overly aggressive on the basepaths with only a 43.7% success rate on steals. Remo played left field his rookie year with lousy defense. He played first base for the rest of his run and was a reliably good gloveman there. Remo was a true ironman who never missed time to injury. Even as a teenager, Remo was a big kid and drew a lot of attention around Nicaragua’s capital. A visiting scout from Tijuana grabbed him in May 1992 to a developmental deal and he debuted in the Mexican League at age 19 in 1995. Remo only saw pinch hit use in his first three years with 21 starts in 198 games. The Toros were regularly a wild card in the 1990s, but most years fell victim to Monterrey’s dynasty. Remo became a full-time starter in 1998 and held this rule through 2004 for Tijiuana. He had a good 1998, but emerged as a star with a big postseason. In 14 starts, Remo had 20 hits, 12 runs, 7 home runs, and 14 RBI, helping Tijuana to their first pennant since 1923 as MLCS MVP. The Toros upset the Matadors in the MLCS, but couldn’t win it all as Salvador repeated as CABA Champion. Tijuana lost in the first round in 1999, then fell towards the middle of the standings generally for the next few years. In 1999, Remo won his lone MVP and Silver Slugger, leading the league in runs (115), total bases (416), and wRC+ (212). The total bases and wRC+ were career bests, as were his 57 home runs, 131 RBI, .684 slugging, and 1.053 OPS. Remo fell off notably in 2000, but bounced back with 5+ WAR efforts in each of the next four seasons for Tijuana. He saw a career high 8.3 WAR and 118 runs in 2003, also posting 53 homers and a 1.005 OPS. Remo was third in MVP voting, but an emerging Donald Gonzalez made Silver Sluggers a tough proposition at first base. In 2004, Remo had a six-hit game against Torreon. In total with Tijuana, Remo had 1392 hits, 711 runs, 179 doubles, 321 home runs, 799 RBI, .306/.341/.589 slash, 172 wRC+, and 41.1 WAR. Tijuana had signed Remo to an eight-year, $33,160,000 extension after the 1999 season. He surprised and disappointed many in the organization by exercising his opt-out after the 2004 campaign, becoming a 29-year old free agent. Remo would stay popular years later and eventually made good with the Toros, getting his #17 retired. Remo got a big payday as Torreon signed him at eight years and $53,100,000. Torreon had been the MLCS runner-up in the prior two years and hoped Remo could get them across the line. He put up solid numbers initially for the Tomahawks, including a league-best 49 home runs in 2006. However, they had first round losses in the 2005 and 2008 postseasons while missing the cut in 2006 and 2007. While his entire pro career was in Mexico, Remo regularly returned to his native Nicaragua for the World Baseball Championship. He had 118 games and 107 starts from 1996-2011 with overall average production. Remo posted 86 hits, 44 runs, 16 doubles, 21 home runs, 47 RBI, a .218/.278/.419 slash, 99 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR. After the 2009 season, a now 34-year old Remo opted out of the final three years of his Torreon deal. In five years with the Tomahawks, Remo had 893 hits, 468 runs, 105 doubles, 214 home runs, 539 RBI, a .311/.343/.604 slash, 170 wRC+, and 27.3 WAR. The Tomahawks had moved him more to a platoon role against righties in his last year, but he still posted a 160 wRC+. Remo had hoped to get another big long-term teal, but his bet was a bust. Remo was unsigned in spring training, then finally got a one year, $3,160,000 deal with Juarez. He was still a passable starter in 132 games with a 123 wRC+ and .790 OPS, but his power saw a career low 25 home runs. Remo was unsigned in 2011 and only played in that year’s WBC. With no suitors, Remo retired at age 35. The final stats saw 2420 hits, 1252 runs, 294 doubles, 130 triples, 560 home runs, 1404 RBI, 359 stolen bases, a .306/.340/.588 slash, 168 wRC+, and 70.9 WAR. As of 2037, Remo ranks 41^st in home runs, 67^th in RBI, 84^th in hits, and 90^th in runs. He does miss the top 100 in WAR, but does rank 61^st in slugging among all CABA hitters with 3000+ plate appearances. Remo’s accumulations were on the lower end compared to a lot of Hall of Famers. However, he hit a lot of homers in a short run, had an MVP, and played a big role in Tijuana’s 1998 Mexican League title. Those perks got him a first ballot induction at 78.6% as the third member of a rock solid 2016 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)