OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

FuzzyRussianHat · 03-21-2025, 09:12 AM

The European Baseball Federation’s Hall of Fame added two guys on very different paths in 2028. 1B Pavel Pajitnov led the way as a first ballot pick at 84.5%, while 3B Kyle Evrard got the big bump up to 79.1% on his tenth and final try. SP Johannes Jol fell painfully short of the 66% requirement at 65.9% in his last shot. Two second ballot guys also cracked 50% with RF Dylan Fitzpatrick at 55.6% and SP Lorenzo Rotella at 52.1%.

For Jol, he also got incredibly close the prior year at 64.6%, slowly climbing after starting at only 37.7%. He pitched 15 years between Luxembourg and Athens and won Pitcher of the Year in 2004. Jol had a 180-152 record, 3.39 ERA, 3076 innings, 2658 strikeouts, 110 ERA+, and 49.4 WAR. He generally lacked black ink or crazy dominance and needed maybe another year or two to make it just on accumulations. It was painful though to come up a mere 0.1% short of making it in.

Also falling after ten failed ballots was CL Zachary Berg, who peaked in his final ballot at 38.1%. He led in saves thrice with Amsterdam and once won Reliever of the Year, but his EBF totals were hurt by MLB excursions in his 30s. In EBF, Berg had 325 saves and 250 shutdowns, 2.81 ERA, 829 innings, 935 strikeouts, 134 ERA+, and 24.4 WAR.

Berg’s combined pro totals saw 465 saves, 544 shutdowns, 2.56 ERA, 1110 games, 1376.2 innings, 1424 strikeouts, and 34.7 WAR. As a function of longevity, Berg ranks 11^th in games, 25^th in saves, and 30^th in shutdowns in world history as of 2037. If that was all in one league, he probably makes it in. But he was far less dominant than the other famous closers, putting his resume in a tough spot.

SP Lucio de Jesus also made it ten ballots, ending at only 3.4% after peaking at 24.4%. He was an odd one as his first seven years were split between CABA and MLB with mixed results. He came to Munich in 2006 at age 31 and won two Pitcher of the Year awards and two ERA titles. De Jesus’s EBF run was only eight years with a 102-49 record, 2.70 ERA, 1583.1 innings, 1601 strikeouts, 143 ERA+, and 41.0 WAR.

That’s an excellent stretch, especially in your 30s, but it wasn’t long enough tenure to get much attention even with the POTY wins. The combined pro totals for de Jesus had a 214-136 record, 2.96 ERA, 3394.1 innings, 3380 strikeouts, 766 walks, 126 ERA+ and 75.5 WAR. Those stats all in one league probably get him across the line. Even though he fell short though, Munich fans will still remember the 6’7’’ lefty from Mexico.

Pavel Pajitnov – First Base – Cologne Copperheads – 84.5% First Ballot

Pavel Pajitnov was a 6’3’’, 190 pound switch-hitting first baseman from Azov, Russia; a city of around 82,000 near the Black Sea. Pajitnov was known for his reliably strong home run power, topping 40+ in seven seasons and 50+ in four campaigns. Against right-handed pitching, he was a very good contact hitter and had a career .997 OPS and 180 wRC+. Pajitnov’s results were middling against lefties with .720 OPS and 102 wRC+.

Pajitnov was decent at drawing walks, but below average at avoiding strikeouts. His gap power was nice with 23 doubles and 9 triples per his 162 game average. Pajitnov’s speed was average, but his baserunning skills were abysmal and he’d get himself in trouble with poor decision making. His durability was outstanding, playing 150+ games each year from 2010-22.

Defensively, Pajitnov played first base almost exclusively with reliably average production. He did randomly play left field in 2019 and a bit at the start of his career, but was terrible there. Independent of his strengths and flaws, Pajitnov was a scrappy sparkplug type. His work ethic and adaptability were both world class, allowing Pajitnov to overachieve throughout his run.

Even for the ones wanting to branch out, it was rare for Russian prospects to get much attention beyond Eurasian Professional Baseball. Pajitnov was an exception and was noticed by Cologne, who brought him to Germany in February 2004 on a developmental deal. Pajitnov debuted officially with four games in 2007 at age 21. He only played 27 games in his first two years, then was a regular pinch hitter in 2009 with 111 games and 29 starts. With some promising results, Pajitnov was moved into a full-time starting role from 2010 onward.

From 2010-15 with the Copperheads, Pajitnov was good each year for 5+ WAR, 35+ home runs, and OPS above .950. He won Silver Sluggers in 2012 and 2013, leading the Northern Conference in the former with a career high 219 hits. Pajitnov’s 2011 had his career bests in runs (121), RBI (140), OPS (1.031), and WAR (8.1). He was also good for 8+ WAR and 1.012 in 2013. In 2010, Pajitnov hit for the cycle in a game against Stockholm.

Pajitnov was an important fixture in the middle of the lineup as Cologne began what would become an eight-year playoff streak in 2010. They had back-to-back second round exits to start, even despite a 110-52 record in 2011. The Copperheads went 107-55 in 2012 and broke through for their first European Championship, defeating Vienna in the final. Pajitnov was excellent in that run over 14 starts with 18 hits, 12 runs, 3 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, 14 RBI, and 1.084 OPS. He was decent in the Baseball Grand Championship with 17 hits, 10 runs, 8 homers, 18 RBI, and .792 OPS over 19 starts. Cologne finished 11-8 in a four-way tie for sixth, but only one win short of the log jam for first.

Cologne again was 107-55 in 2013, but lost in the first round. They had a second round exit in 2014 and first round loss in 2015, never able to recapture 2012’s magic. Pajitnov’s overall playoff numbers were good with 40 games, 45 hits, 23 runs, 5 doubles, 5 triples, 10 home runs, 31 RBI, .308/.331/.616 slash, 169 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. His time in Germany ended after the 2015 campaign as they couldn’t come to terms for an extension, sending Pajitnov to free agency at age 30.

With the Copperheads, Pajitnov played 1084 games with 1244 hits, 695 runs, 170 doubles, 67 triples, 272 home runs, 772 RBI, .326/.369/.619 slash, 182 wRC+, and 45.5 WAR. It was certainly his most impactful run, although he would play roughly the same number of games in his Thessaloniki run. Pajitnov was rightly inducted in Cologne’s green and gold and would later see his #21 uniform retired by the Copperheads.

Pajitnov went to Greece next on a seven-year, $121,600,000 deal with Thessaloniki. He had career lows to that point in his Tritons debut, but bounced back and led the Southern Conference in home runs thrice from 2017-20. Pajitnov’s overall hitting was less efficient with Thessaloniki, but he was still a very solid slugger for the Tritons, who were a contender in the late 2010s.

Thessaloniki won the conference crown in 2017, but fell to Brussels in the European Championship. Pajitnov was conference finals MVP and had 18 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 6 homers, 11 RBI, and 1.071 OPS over 14 playoff starts. He was even stronger in the Baseball Grand Championship with 19 starts, 19 hits, 17 runs, 12 homers, 15 RBI, 1.193 OPS, and 1.4 WAR. The Tritons were 11-8 in a five-way tie for fourth, but only one win short of the top spot. During this era, Pajitnov did also make some appearances for his native Russia in the World Baseball Champion ship, although he had limited success there.

Both 2018 and 2019 had division titles and second round exits for Thessaloniki. The following two years saw the Tritons in the middle of the standings. On the whole, Pajitnov had strong playoff stats in his career with 66 total games, 78 hits, 43 runs, 10 doubles, 6 triples, 22 home runs, 54 RBI, .310/.331/.659 slash, 181 wRC+, and 3.5 WAR.

Thessaloniki collapsed in 2022 and ultimately was relegated after a 59-103 finish. With Pajitnov in his final year of his contract, the Tritons traded the 36-year old at the deadline to Zurich for prospects. With Thessaloniki, Pajitnov finished with 1058 games, 1074 hits, 622 runs, 139 doubles, 61 triples, 293 home runs, 724 RBI, .272/.326/.562 slash, 146 wRC+, and 29.5 WAR.

Pajitnov was iffy in the second half for the Mountaineers with .774 OPS and 0.6 WAR over 50 games. Zurich finished 90-72, just short of the playoffs to end a six-year streak. Pajitnov was a free agent again at age 37 and received limited interest from European teams. He ultimately left EBF and ended up in Australia on a two-year, $11,200,000 deal with Brisbane of the Oceania Baseball Association.

He was used as a part-time starter in 2023 with okay results, then was used only 75 games with 40 starts in 2024. For the Black Bears, Pajitnov had 184 games with 116 hits, 60 runs, 19 doubles, 30 home runs, 77 RBI, .242/.278/.498 slash, 114 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR. Pajitnov hoped to play somewhere in 2025, but had little left to offer. After going unsigned, he retired at age 39.

In EBF, Pajitnov had 2192 games, 2360 hits, 1339 runs, 313 doubles, 129 triples, 578 home runs, 1529 RBI, 615 walks, 1618 strikeouts, .297/.346/.588 slash, 162 wRC, and 75.6 WAR. As of 2037, Pajitnov ranks 78^th in hits, 60^th in runs, 31^st in home runs, 46^th in total bases (4665), and 34^th in RBI. He narrowly doesn’t crack the top 100 in WAR for position players. Pajitnov does rank 75^th in slugging among EBF batters with 3000+ plate appearances.

Pajitnov wasn’t one with tons of awards and wasn’t ever an MVP finalist. However, he was one of the most reliable power hitters of his time with 550+ homers and 1500+ RBI getting the attention of most Hall of Fame voters. Pajitnov also had great playoff stats and played an important role in pennants for both Cologne and Thessaloniki. That won over most voters to get Pajitnov to 84.5% for a first ballot induction as part of the European Baseball Federation’s 2028 class.

Kyle “Boo” Evrard – Third Base – Malta Marvels – 79.1% Tenth Ballot

Kyle Evrard was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Amilly, a town of around 13,000 people in north-central France. Evrard was a leadoff man who was a great contact hitter with a nice eye for walks and a strong knack for avoiding strikeouts. He was also one of the fastest and most skilled baserunners of his era. The nickname “Boo” came from how often Evrard would spook opposing pitchers with his threats to steal.

Evrard had nice gap power and wasn’t a mere singles slap hitter, posting 25 doubles, 14 triples, and 13 home runs per his 162 game average. He was a career third baseman, but did grade as a mediocre defender overall. Recurring back problems did also cost him some games as points. Evrard was generally a steady presence and was usually liked at his various stops.

In September 1993, Evrard signed a developmental deal with Malta. He spent much of the next five years in their academy, but he did see occasional action with 90 games and one start from 1996-98. Evrard had 106 games and 15 starts in 1999 at age 23, then earned a full-time starting job after that. From 2000-04, Evrard had four seasons worth 8+ WAR and led in stolen bases thrice, peaking with 119 in 2003. As of 2037, that ranks as the 14^th-best single-season in EBF history.

Evrard won a Silver Slugger in 2004, but otherwise didn’t get much awards consideration since those were usually reserved for big power hitters. He did notably lead the Southern Conference with 128 runs in 2003 and had his career best 8.8 WAR in 2000. It was also hard to get attention broadly in Malta, as the Marvels were a perennial loser. Their best season during his run was 77-85 in 2001.

Many of the other greats who started in Malta were quick to leave for free agency, but Evrard signed a five-year, $22,680,000 extension after the 2002 season. However, he also got the itch to leave and opted out of his deal after the 2004 campaign. For the Marvels, Evrard had 962 games, 1055 hits, 575 runs, 154 doubles, 79 triples, 80 home runs, 347 RBI, 297 walks, 517 steals, .343/.403/.522 slash, 157 wRC+, and 39.8 WAR.

Evrard never played for a French team in his pro career, but he was a regular for his country from 2000-12 in the World Baseball Championship. He had 118 games with 107 hits, 80 runs, 17 doubles, 6 triples, 11 homers, 36 RBI, 47 walks, 81 steals, .248/.343/.391 slash, 119 wRC+, and 4.5 WAR. France earned division titles with Evrard in 2000, 2004, and 2011.

The second stop of Evrard’s pro career was Germany as the now 29-year old joined Munich at $53,700,000 over seven years for 2005. Injuries limited him at points with the Mavericks, including a fractured fibula in 2006 and fractured foot in 2008. Still, Evrard had four seasons above 5 WAR for Munich and led the conference in on-base percentage in 2007 at .427. He also had a career high 1.005 OPS in the injury shortened 2008 campaign.

Munich was in the midst of a playoff streak when Evrard joined which lasted through 2010. The Mavericks were denied in the 2005 and 2006 Southern Conference Championship and wouldn’t get beyond the second round in the later tries. Evrard’s playoff starts were good with 43 games, 56 hits, 22 runs, 6 doubles, 4 triples, 19 RBI, 18 walks, 26 steals, .381/.446/.476 slash, 157 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR.

Evrard declined the contract option seventh year and entered free agency for 2011 at age 35. With Munich, he had 707 games, 836 hits, 430 runs, 114 doubles, 69 triples, 64 homers, 369 RBI, 278 walks, 406 steals, .344/.412/.527 slash, 155 wRC+, and 29.0 WAR. Evrard next signed a four-year, $40,400,00 deal with Kyiv and had a nice 2011 with 4.5 WAR over 150 games. However, the Kings struggled and were relegated with Evrard opting out to avoid the European Second League.

He joined Thessaloniki for 2012 at $27,400,000 over three years. Evrard was moved to a part-time role, but still looked good in 2012 with 3.3 WAR and .870 OPS over 119 games and 61 starts. Evrard struggled though in 2013 and was benched, ultimately posting -0.4 WAR over 63 games and 6 starts. He retired that winter shortly after his 38^th birthday.

Evrard ended with 2001 games, 2171 hits, 1143 runs, 303 doubles, 167 triples, 161 home runs, 808 RBI, 649 walks, 670 strikeouts, 1033 steals, .337/.400/.511 slash, 152 wRC+, and 76.1 WAR. As of 2037, Evrard ranks 14^th in stolen bases, but misses the top 100 in all of the other counting stats. His batting average does rank 36^th among all hitters with 3000+ plate appearances and his on-base percentage sits 18^th. Evrard is one of only 38 world Hall of Famers as of 2037 with an OBP above .400 and ranks 39^th in that group in batting average.

Most agreed he was one of the better leadoff guys of his era, but they always have some trouble with Hall of Fame voters due to the lack of home runs and RBI. Evrard also didn’t have the longevity to rack up the big hit/run totals many of the great leadoff guys got. His best years being on forgettable Malta teams didn’t help his case either, making his candidacy a tough one.

Evrard debuted at only 40.7% in 2019, but never fell lower. He came very close to the 66% threshold in 2020 (61.5%), 2024 (62.3%), and 2026 (65.7%). 2028 was his tenth and final chance and many voters reevaluated Evrard’s case. Many felt he was better than the raw tallies might indicate, giving Evrard a big boost up to 79.1%. With that, he made it into the European Baseball Federation’s 2028 HOF class and became the fifth in EBF history to get in on their tenth ballot.

03-21-2025, 09:12 AM	#2161
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,096	2028 EBF Hall of Fame The European Baseball Federation’s Hall of Fame added two guys on very different paths in 2028. 1B Pavel Pajitnov led the way as a first ballot pick at 84.5%, while 3B Kyle Evrard got the big bump up to 79.1% on his tenth and final try. SP Johannes Jol fell painfully short of the 66% requirement at 65.9% in his last shot. Two second ballot guys also cracked 50% with RF Dylan Fitzpatrick at 55.6% and SP Lorenzo Rotella at 52.1%. For Jol, he also got incredibly close the prior year at 64.6%, slowly climbing after starting at only 37.7%. He pitched 15 years between Luxembourg and Athens and won Pitcher of the Year in 2004. Jol had a 180-152 record, 3.39 ERA, 3076 innings, 2658 strikeouts, 110 ERA+, and 49.4 WAR. He generally lacked black ink or crazy dominance and needed maybe another year or two to make it just on accumulations. It was painful though to come up a mere 0.1% short of making it in. Also falling after ten failed ballots was CL Zachary Berg, who peaked in his final ballot at 38.1%. He led in saves thrice with Amsterdam and once won Reliever of the Year, but his EBF totals were hurt by MLB excursions in his 30s. In EBF, Berg had 325 saves and 250 shutdowns, 2.81 ERA, 829 innings, 935 strikeouts, 134 ERA+, and 24.4 WAR. Berg’s combined pro totals saw 465 saves, 544 shutdowns, 2.56 ERA, 1110 games, 1376.2 innings, 1424 strikeouts, and 34.7 WAR. As a function of longevity, Berg ranks 11^th in games, 25^th in saves, and 30^th in shutdowns in world history as of 2037. If that was all in one league, he probably makes it in. But he was far less dominant than the other famous closers, putting his resume in a tough spot. SP Lucio de Jesus also made it ten ballots, ending at only 3.4% after peaking at 24.4%. He was an odd one as his first seven years were split between CABA and MLB with mixed results. He came to Munich in 2006 at age 31 and won two Pitcher of the Year awards and two ERA titles. De Jesus’s EBF run was only eight years with a 102-49 record, 2.70 ERA, 1583.1 innings, 1601 strikeouts, 143 ERA+, and 41.0 WAR. That’s an excellent stretch, especially in your 30s, but it wasn’t long enough tenure to get much attention even with the POTY wins. The combined pro totals for de Jesus had a 214-136 record, 2.96 ERA, 3394.1 innings, 3380 strikeouts, 766 walks, 126 ERA+ and 75.5 WAR. Those stats all in one league probably get him across the line. Even though he fell short though, Munich fans will still remember the 6’7’’ lefty from Mexico. Pavel Pajitnov – First Base – Cologne Copperheads – 84.5% First Ballot Pavel Pajitnov was a 6’3’’, 190 pound switch-hitting first baseman from Azov, Russia; a city of around 82,000 near the Black Sea. Pajitnov was known for his reliably strong home run power, topping 40+ in seven seasons and 50+ in four campaigns. Against right-handed pitching, he was a very good contact hitter and had a career .997 OPS and 180 wRC+. Pajitnov’s results were middling against lefties with .720 OPS and 102 wRC+. Pajitnov was decent at drawing walks, but below average at avoiding strikeouts. His gap power was nice with 23 doubles and 9 triples per his 162 game average. Pajitnov’s speed was average, but his baserunning skills were abysmal and he’d get himself in trouble with poor decision making. His durability was outstanding, playing 150+ games each year from 2010-22. Defensively, Pajitnov played first base almost exclusively with reliably average production. He did randomly play left field in 2019 and a bit at the start of his career, but was terrible there. Independent of his strengths and flaws, Pajitnov was a scrappy sparkplug type. His work ethic and adaptability were both world class, allowing Pajitnov to overachieve throughout his run. Even for the ones wanting to branch out, it was rare for Russian prospects to get much attention beyond Eurasian Professional Baseball. Pajitnov was an exception and was noticed by Cologne, who brought him to Germany in February 2004 on a developmental deal. Pajitnov debuted officially with four games in 2007 at age 21. He only played 27 games in his first two years, then was a regular pinch hitter in 2009 with 111 games and 29 starts. With some promising results, Pajitnov was moved into a full-time starting role from 2010 onward. From 2010-15 with the Copperheads, Pajitnov was good each year for 5+ WAR, 35+ home runs, and OPS above .950. He won Silver Sluggers in 2012 and 2013, leading the Northern Conference in the former with a career high 219 hits. Pajitnov’s 2011 had his career bests in runs (121), RBI (140), OPS (1.031), and WAR (8.1). He was also good for 8+ WAR and 1.012 in 2013. In 2010, Pajitnov hit for the cycle in a game against Stockholm. Pajitnov was an important fixture in the middle of the lineup as Cologne began what would become an eight-year playoff streak in 2010. They had back-to-back second round exits to start, even despite a 110-52 record in 2011. The Copperheads went 107-55 in 2012 and broke through for their first European Championship, defeating Vienna in the final. Pajitnov was excellent in that run over 14 starts with 18 hits, 12 runs, 3 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers, 14 RBI, and 1.084 OPS. He was decent in the Baseball Grand Championship with 17 hits, 10 runs, 8 homers, 18 RBI, and .792 OPS over 19 starts. Cologne finished 11-8 in a four-way tie for sixth, but only one win short of the log jam for first. Cologne again was 107-55 in 2013, but lost in the first round. They had a second round exit in 2014 and first round loss in 2015, never able to recapture 2012’s magic. Pajitnov’s overall playoff numbers were good with 40 games, 45 hits, 23 runs, 5 doubles, 5 triples, 10 home runs, 31 RBI, .308/.331/.616 slash, 169 wRC+, and 1.8 WAR. His time in Germany ended after the 2015 campaign as they couldn’t come to terms for an extension, sending Pajitnov to free agency at age 30. With the Copperheads, Pajitnov played 1084 games with 1244 hits, 695 runs, 170 doubles, 67 triples, 272 home runs, 772 RBI, .326/.369/.619 slash, 182 wRC+, and 45.5 WAR. It was certainly his most impactful run, although he would play roughly the same number of games in his Thessaloniki run. Pajitnov was rightly inducted in Cologne’s green and gold and would later see his #21 uniform retired by the Copperheads. Pajitnov went to Greece next on a seven-year, $121,600,000 deal with Thessaloniki. He had career lows to that point in his Tritons debut, but bounced back and led the Southern Conference in home runs thrice from 2017-20. Pajitnov’s overall hitting was less efficient with Thessaloniki, but he was still a very solid slugger for the Tritons, who were a contender in the late 2010s. Thessaloniki won the conference crown in 2017, but fell to Brussels in the European Championship. Pajitnov was conference finals MVP and had 18 hits, 10 runs, 3 doubles, 6 homers, 11 RBI, and 1.071 OPS over 14 playoff starts. He was even stronger in the Baseball Grand Championship with 19 starts, 19 hits, 17 runs, 12 homers, 15 RBI, 1.193 OPS, and 1.4 WAR. The Tritons were 11-8 in a five-way tie for fourth, but only one win short of the top spot. During this era, Pajitnov did also make some appearances for his native Russia in the World Baseball Champion ship, although he had limited success there. Both 2018 and 2019 had division titles and second round exits for Thessaloniki. The following two years saw the Tritons in the middle of the standings. On the whole, Pajitnov had strong playoff stats in his career with 66 total games, 78 hits, 43 runs, 10 doubles, 6 triples, 22 home runs, 54 RBI, .310/.331/.659 slash, 181 wRC+, and 3.5 WAR. Thessaloniki collapsed in 2022 and ultimately was relegated after a 59-103 finish. With Pajitnov in his final year of his contract, the Tritons traded the 36-year old at the deadline to Zurich for prospects. With Thessaloniki, Pajitnov finished with 1058 games, 1074 hits, 622 runs, 139 doubles, 61 triples, 293 home runs, 724 RBI, .272/.326/.562 slash, 146 wRC+, and 29.5 WAR. Pajitnov was iffy in the second half for the Mountaineers with .774 OPS and 0.6 WAR over 50 games. Zurich finished 90-72, just short of the playoffs to end a six-year streak. Pajitnov was a free agent again at age 37 and received limited interest from European teams. He ultimately left EBF and ended up in Australia on a two-year, $11,200,000 deal with Brisbane of the Oceania Baseball Association. He was used as a part-time starter in 2023 with okay results, then was used only 75 games with 40 starts in 2024. For the Black Bears, Pajitnov had 184 games with 116 hits, 60 runs, 19 doubles, 30 home runs, 77 RBI, .242/.278/.498 slash, 114 wRC+, and 1.4 WAR. Pajitnov hoped to play somewhere in 2025, but had little left to offer. After going unsigned, he retired at age 39. In EBF, Pajitnov had 2192 games, 2360 hits, 1339 runs, 313 doubles, 129 triples, 578 home runs, 1529 RBI, 615 walks, 1618 strikeouts, .297/.346/.588 slash, 162 wRC, and 75.6 WAR. As of 2037, Pajitnov ranks 78^th in hits, 60^th in runs, 31^st in home runs, 46^th in total bases (4665), and 34^th in RBI. He narrowly doesn’t crack the top 100 in WAR for position players. Pajitnov does rank 75^th in slugging among EBF batters with 3000+ plate appearances. Pajitnov wasn’t one with tons of awards and wasn’t ever an MVP finalist. However, he was one of the most reliable power hitters of his time with 550+ homers and 1500+ RBI getting the attention of most Hall of Fame voters. Pajitnov also had great playoff stats and played an important role in pennants for both Cologne and Thessaloniki. That won over most voters to get Pajitnov to 84.5% for a first ballot induction as part of the European Baseball Federation’s 2028 class. Kyle “Boo” Evrard – Third Base – Malta Marvels – 79.1% Tenth Ballot Kyle Evrard was a 6’1’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Amilly, a town of around 13,000 people in north-central France. Evrard was a leadoff man who was a great contact hitter with a nice eye for walks and a strong knack for avoiding strikeouts. He was also one of the fastest and most skilled baserunners of his era. The nickname “Boo” came from how often Evrard would spook opposing pitchers with his threats to steal. Evrard had nice gap power and wasn’t a mere singles slap hitter, posting 25 doubles, 14 triples, and 13 home runs per his 162 game average. He was a career third baseman, but did grade as a mediocre defender overall. Recurring back problems did also cost him some games as points. Evrard was generally a steady presence and was usually liked at his various stops. In September 1993, Evrard signed a developmental deal with Malta. He spent much of the next five years in their academy, but he did see occasional action with 90 games and one start from 1996-98. Evrard had 106 games and 15 starts in 1999 at age 23, then earned a full-time starting job after that. From 2000-04, Evrard had four seasons worth 8+ WAR and led in stolen bases thrice, peaking with 119 in 2003. As of 2037, that ranks as the 14^th-best single-season in EBF history. Evrard won a Silver Slugger in 2004, but otherwise didn’t get much awards consideration since those were usually reserved for big power hitters. He did notably lead the Southern Conference with 128 runs in 2003 and had his career best 8.8 WAR in 2000. It was also hard to get attention broadly in Malta, as the Marvels were a perennial loser. Their best season during his run was 77-85 in 2001. Many of the other greats who started in Malta were quick to leave for free agency, but Evrard signed a five-year, $22,680,000 extension after the 2002 season. However, he also got the itch to leave and opted out of his deal after the 2004 campaign. For the Marvels, Evrard had 962 games, 1055 hits, 575 runs, 154 doubles, 79 triples, 80 home runs, 347 RBI, 297 walks, 517 steals, .343/.403/.522 slash, 157 wRC+, and 39.8 WAR. Evrard never played for a French team in his pro career, but he was a regular for his country from 2000-12 in the World Baseball Championship. He had 118 games with 107 hits, 80 runs, 17 doubles, 6 triples, 11 homers, 36 RBI, 47 walks, 81 steals, .248/.343/.391 slash, 119 wRC+, and 4.5 WAR. France earned division titles with Evrard in 2000, 2004, and 2011. The second stop of Evrard’s pro career was Germany as the now 29-year old joined Munich at $53,700,000 over seven years for 2005. Injuries limited him at points with the Mavericks, including a fractured fibula in 2006 and fractured foot in 2008. Still, Evrard had four seasons above 5 WAR for Munich and led the conference in on-base percentage in 2007 at .427. He also had a career high 1.005 OPS in the injury shortened 2008 campaign. Munich was in the midst of a playoff streak when Evrard joined which lasted through 2010. The Mavericks were denied in the 2005 and 2006 Southern Conference Championship and wouldn’t get beyond the second round in the later tries. Evrard’s playoff starts were good with 43 games, 56 hits, 22 runs, 6 doubles, 4 triples, 19 RBI, 18 walks, 26 steals, .381/.446/.476 slash, 157 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. Evrard declined the contract option seventh year and entered free agency for 2011 at age 35. With Munich, he had 707 games, 836 hits, 430 runs, 114 doubles, 69 triples, 64 homers, 369 RBI, 278 walks, 406 steals, .344/.412/.527 slash, 155 wRC+, and 29.0 WAR. Evrard next signed a four-year, $40,400,00 deal with Kyiv and had a nice 2011 with 4.5 WAR over 150 games. However, the Kings struggled and were relegated with Evrard opting out to avoid the European Second League. He joined Thessaloniki for 2012 at $27,400,000 over three years. Evrard was moved to a part-time role, but still looked good in 2012 with 3.3 WAR and .870 OPS over 119 games and 61 starts. Evrard struggled though in 2013 and was benched, ultimately posting -0.4 WAR over 63 games and 6 starts. He retired that winter shortly after his 38^th birthday. Evrard ended with 2001 games, 2171 hits, 1143 runs, 303 doubles, 167 triples, 161 home runs, 808 RBI, 649 walks, 670 strikeouts, 1033 steals, .337/.400/.511 slash, 152 wRC+, and 76.1 WAR. As of 2037, Evrard ranks 14^th in stolen bases, but misses the top 100 in all of the other counting stats. His batting average does rank 36^th among all hitters with 3000+ plate appearances and his on-base percentage sits 18^th. Evrard is one of only 38 world Hall of Famers as of 2037 with an OBP above .400 and ranks 39^th in that group in batting average. Most agreed he was one of the better leadoff guys of his era, but they always have some trouble with Hall of Fame voters due to the lack of home runs and RBI. Evrard also didn’t have the longevity to rack up the big hit/run totals many of the great leadoff guys got. His best years being on forgettable Malta teams didn’t help his case either, making his candidacy a tough one. Evrard debuted at only 40.7% in 2019, but never fell lower. He came very close to the 66% threshold in 2020 (61.5%), 2024 (62.3%), and 2026 (65.7%). 2028 was his tenth and final chance and many voters reevaluated Evrard’s case. Many felt he was better than the raw tallies might indicate, giving Evrard a big boost up to 79.1%. With that, he made it into the European Baseball Federation’s 2028 HOF class and became the fifth in EBF history to get in on their tenth ballot. __________________ 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)