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FuzzyRussianHat · 03-26-2025, 06:19 AM

For the second time, Arab League Baseball had a four-player Hall of Fame class. The 2028 group was loaded with four inductees above 85% on their first ballot. Starting pitchers Fawaz Hussein and Herdi Wahib were co-headliners with both at 98.9%. CL Nour Al-Haj got 89.3% and OF Raed Falahen had 86.8%. The top returner and only other player above 50% was LF Abduwali Suleiman, getting 54.6% on his eighth ballot. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots.

Fawaz Hussein – Starting Pitcher – Casablanca Bruins – 98.9% First Ballot

Fawaz Hussein was a 5’10’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Damar, Yemen; a city of 146,000 in the country’s southwest. Hussein had great stuff and control along with solid movement. His fastball regularly hit 99-101 mph, but his knuckle curve and splitter were just as dangerous. Hussein also had a changeup as a fourth option.

Hussein’s stamina was solid relative to other ALB aces and he had ironman durability, making 32+ starts with 200+ innings each year from 2009-22. He had an excellent pickoff move and was a Gold Glove winner in 2019. Some thought he could be thick-headed, but Hussein’s talent and reliability made him a popular player over a 16-year run with Casablanca.

His entire pro career came with the Bruins, who signed him to a developmental deal in October 2003. Hussein debuted with 11 starts in 2007 at age 2007 with okay results. He also had 0.2 scoreless innings of relief in the playoffs as Casablanca lost the Western Conference Final to Jerusalem. Hussein saw more use in 2008, but wasn’t quite ready with -0.4 WAR over 134.2 innings. He gave up three runs in six innings of relief in the playoffs as the Bruins won the conference title, ultimately losing to Basra in the Arab League Championship.

Hussein became a full-time starter in 2009 and was a bonafide ace by 2010 who started up a 11-year streak of 6+ WAR seasons. He was third in 2010’s Pitcher of the Year voting and signed a seven-year, $17,280,000 extension that winter. Casablanca had conference final losses from 2009-11, then suffered a three-year stretch of losing seasons. Prior to that, the Bruins had never seen back-to-back losing campaigns.

You couldn’t blame Hussein though, as he was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2012 and 2013. In 2015, he won the award for the first time with conference bests in WAR (9.5) and strikeouts (305). Casablanca returned to the playoffs and beat Sulaymaniyah for the ALB title. Hussein had a 0.77 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 23.1 playoff innings. The Bruins were last in the Baseball Grand Championship at 5-14 with Hussein posting a 3.41 ERA over 31.2 innings with 37 strikeouts.

Hussein was the WARlord from 2015-18. He took second in 2016’s Pitcher of the Year voting, then won back-to-back in 2017-18. 2018 saw career bests in wins (22-7), strikeouts (339), WHIP (0.92), and WAR (10.5). Casablanca lost in the first round in 2016, but won another ALB title in 2017 over Abu Dhabi. Hussein had another great playoff run with a 1.50 ERA and 40 Ks over 30 innings. He did better in the BGC with a 2.64 ERA over 30.2 innings with 35 strikeouts. The Bruins finished 9-10.

In June 2017, Hussein signed a new six-year, $87,200,000 extension with Casablanca at age 30 to stay in Morocco for the long haul. He would regularly represent his native Yemen in the World Baseball Championship from 2008-22 with a 3.30 ERA, 6-13 record, 158.1 innings, 177 strikeouts, and 2.4 WAR.

Casablanca remained at 89+ wins from 2018-21, but fell just short of the playoffs each year in part due to a strong run by Tripoli in the Mediterranean Division. Hussein became less dominant during this point with fewer strikeouts, but he was still a rock solid starter. Age finally caught him in 2022 with dipping velocity leading to a terrible 5.64 ERA over 204.1 innings. Still, he became the third ALB pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts and fell only 13 Ks short of the then top spot.

The Bruins got back to the playoffs and Hussein had one last decent postseason run in him. He only struck out two over 22 innings, but he had a 2.86 ERA to help Casablanca win the ALB title over Jeddah. The day after the series ended, Hussein opted to retire at age 35 and was a spectator for the Baseball Grand Championship.
For his playoff career, Hussein had a 6-3 record, 122.1 innings, 2.72 ERA, 124 strikeouts, 25 walks, 141 ERA+, and 3.7 WAR. As of 2037, Hussein ranks 7^th in pitching WAR and 12^th in strikeouts.

Casablanca immediately retired Hussein’s #53 uniform for his 16 years of service and role in three championship seasons. He finished with a 241-139 record, 3.19 ERA, 3537.1 innings, 4022 strikeouts, 665 walks, 328/485 quality starts, 61 complete games, 24 shutouts, 123 ERA+, 76 FIP-, and 93.3 WAR.

As of 2037, Hussein ranks 5^th in wins, 5^th in innings, 18^th in complete games, 5^th in shutouts, 6^th in strikeouts, and 9^th in pitching WAR. Among pitchers with 1000+ innings, Hussein’s ERA is 59^th. His .671 opponent’s OPS is 72^nd and his 1.09 WHIP is 69^th.

While he isn’t usually in the discussion for Arab League Baseball’s GOAT pitcher, Hussein makes almost all top ten lists and many top five lists. He was a reliable force who kept Casablanca as a consistent contender and multiple time champion. At 98.9%, Hussein was a slam dunk co-headliner in the loaded 2028 Hall of Fame class.

Herdi Wahib – Starting Pitcher – Jeddah Jackals – 98.9% First Ballot

Herdi Wahib was a 6’5’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Al-Magazi, Palestine; a refugee camp of around 33,000 in the Gaza Strip. Wahib had impressive overpowering stuff that compensated for having merely above average movement and control. He had a strong 98-100 mph fastball and an almost equally fast splitter as his main offerings. Wahib also had a slider and curveball in the arsenal for balance.

Wahib’s stamina was elite, leading the conference four times in both innings and complete games. His durability was also excellent through his 20s, but major injuries derailed his career in his mid 30s. Wahib had an excellent pickoff move with generally average glove work. Wahib became beloved by fans and peers alike as his character was beyond reproach. He was a team captain known for leadership, loyalty, selflessness, and hard work. You couldn’t find anyone with a bad word about Wahib.

Despite coming from humble beginnings, Wahib’s talent was unmistakable. Jeddah spotted him and signed him in October 2004 to a developmental deal. His entire pro career came in Saudi Arabia, debuting in 2009 at age 22 with 78.1 innings in relief. Wahib earned a full-time rotation spot in 2010 and held it uninterrupted for a decade.

In 2011, Wahib earned his first Pitcher of the Year in 2011, leading the Eastern Conference in wins (19-10), ERA (2.11), innings (268.2), quality starts (28), complete games (14), shutouts (3), FIP- (60), and WAR (9.7). This would be Wahib’s career bests for ERA, innings, quality starts, and complete games. It was his first of eight seasons with 300+ strikeouts. Jeddah also ended a nine-year playoff drought, although they fell in the first round. That would mark the beginning of an ALB-record 14 year playoff streak for the Jackals.

In 2013, Wahib was second in Pitcher of the Year voting with his second ERA title at 2.45. Jeddah earned their first ALB title, defeating Alexandria in the finale. Wahib had a great playoff run with a 1.21 ERA over 22.1 innings with 29 strikeouts. In the Baseball Grand Championship, he went 0-4 with a 4.75 ERA over 30.1 innings and 48 strikeouts, although his 52 FIP- suggested some bad luck. The Jackals finished 8-11 in the event.

Wahib secured his second Pitcher of the Year in 2014 with a career and league-best 389 strikeouts. As of 2037, that is the 7^th-best single-season in ALB history. He also posted his career best for WAR at 10.1, helping Jeddah repeat as ALB champs with a finals victory over Damascus. Wahib had an okay 3.63 ERA over 22.1 playoff innings, but posted a strong 2.41 ERA with 45 Ks over 33.2 innings in the BGC. The Jackals finished 11-8, standing alone in 7th place.

He took second in 2015’s POTY voting, leading again in both strikeouts and WAR. Wahib had the Ks lead again in 2016 and the WARlord crown in 2017. Jeddah lost in the first round 2015. They had a historic 117-45 record in 2016, but were ousted in a conference finals showdown with 114-win Abu Dhabi. Prior to the 2016 season, Jeddah extended Wahib at seven years and $104 million, one of the richest contracts to date in the Arab League.

Jeddah lost in the first round of 2017, then returned to the top spot in 2018 with an ALB Championship win over Tripoli. Wahib was second in Pitcher of the Year voting and tossed his lone no-hitter on July 7 with 12 strikeouts and one walk against Bahrain. He had his third ring, but he was surprisingly terrible in the playoffs with a 11.88 ERA and only 8.1 innings in two starts.

Wahib looked more like himself in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 2.61 ERA and 41 Ks over 31 innings. The Jackals shocked the world by going 14-5 and claiming the Grand Championship. They were the first Arab League team to win the world’s top honor and are the only one as of 2037.

In 2019, Wahib became a three-time Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (21-4), Ks (312), and WAR (8.3). He led in strikeouts for the fourth time and WAR for the fifth time. Jeddah won another conference title, but lost the ALB Championship against Tripoli. Wahib had a good playoff showing with a 2.00 ERA over 27 innings.

For his playoff career, Wahib had a 7-5 record in 17 starts, 3.07 ERA, 117.1 innings, 138 strikeouts, 23 walks, 128 ERA+, and 3.2 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 7^th in playoff wins, 7^th in strikeouts, and 9^th in pitching WAR. Little did he know that the 2019 postseason would be his final ALB playoff innings despite Jeddah’s streak continuing.

Wahib was second in 2020’s Pitcher of the Year voting and won his third ERA title. However in mid-September, Wahib suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament that threatened his career. Jeddah lost in the conference final as Wahib watched on in a sling. The recovery time ended up being 14-15 months, keeping him out for the entire 2021 season.

That year, Jeddah won it all for the fourth time, defeating Cairo in the final. Although Wahib wasn’t cleared during the ALB season, he got the thumbs up in November and made his first start back in the Baseball Grand Championship. He looked alright with two runs allowed over 4.2 innings. The Jackals were tied for the last place spot at 6-13.

In 2022, Wahib looked much like his old dominant self and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting. He had adjusted his delivery a bit post UCL tear, which led to a torn rotator cuff in late August. Wahib was originally told nine months and looked to be back in the summer of 2023. Unfortunately, he suffered a setback in March 2023 that forced his retirement shortly before his 36^th birthday. Jeddah immediately retired his #1 uniform and it was a heartbreaking end for one of the game’s good guys.

Wahib finished with a 200-108 record, 2.70 ERA, 2922 innings, 3817 strikeouts, 608 walks, 283/380 quality starts, 91 complete games, 31 shutouts, 148 ERA+, 67 FIP-, and 92.7 WAR. As of 2037, Wahib ranks 18^th in wins, 21^st in innings, 4^th in complete games, 2^nd in shutouts, 11^th in strikeouts, and 10^th in pitching WAR. Among those with 1000+ innings, Wahib’s ERA ranks 13^th and his .614 opponent’s OPS is 16^th.

Additionally, Wahib ranks 15^th in WHIP (1.00), 14^th in K/9 (11.76), and 19^th in H/9 (7.16). His triple slash of .218/.264/.349 ranks 19^thin all three. Among all Hall of Fame starting pitchers in the world, Wahib’s 148 ERA+ is 32^nd. If not for the injuries, many think Wahib could’ve ended up in the running as Arab League Baseball’s greatest-ever pitcher.

Although the injury costs him the GOAT spot, Wahib makes many top 10 lists for good reason. He was dominant, won three Pitcher of the Years, three ERA titles, and helped turn Jeddah into a multi-time champ and perennial contender. Wahib was an inner-circle level talent and at 98.9% co-headlined the four-player 2028 Hall of Fame class.

03-26-2025, 06:19 AM	#2171
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,094	2028 ALB Hall of Fame (Part 1) For the second time, Arab League Baseball had a four-player Hall of Fame class. The 2028 group was loaded with four inductees above 85% on their first ballot. Starting pitchers Fawaz Hussein and Herdi Wahib were co-headliners with both at 98.9%. CL Nour Al-Haj got 89.3% and OF Raed Falahen had 86.8%. The top returner and only other player above 50% was LF Abduwali Suleiman, getting 54.6% on his eighth ballot. No players were dropped after ten failed ballots. Fawaz Hussein – Starting Pitcher – Casablanca Bruins – 98.9% First Ballot Fawaz Hussein was a 5’10’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher from Damar, Yemen; a city of 146,000 in the country’s southwest. Hussein had great stuff and control along with solid movement. His fastball regularly hit 99-101 mph, but his knuckle curve and splitter were just as dangerous. Hussein also had a changeup as a fourth option. Hussein’s stamina was solid relative to other ALB aces and he had ironman durability, making 32+ starts with 200+ innings each year from 2009-22. He had an excellent pickoff move and was a Gold Glove winner in 2019. Some thought he could be thick-headed, but Hussein’s talent and reliability made him a popular player over a 16-year run with Casablanca. His entire pro career came with the Bruins, who signed him to a developmental deal in October 2003. Hussein debuted with 11 starts in 2007 at age 2007 with okay results. He also had 0.2 scoreless innings of relief in the playoffs as Casablanca lost the Western Conference Final to Jerusalem. Hussein saw more use in 2008, but wasn’t quite ready with -0.4 WAR over 134.2 innings. He gave up three runs in six innings of relief in the playoffs as the Bruins won the conference title, ultimately losing to Basra in the Arab League Championship. Hussein became a full-time starter in 2009 and was a bonafide ace by 2010 who started up a 11-year streak of 6+ WAR seasons. He was third in 2010’s Pitcher of the Year voting and signed a seven-year, $17,280,000 extension that winter. Casablanca had conference final losses from 2009-11, then suffered a three-year stretch of losing seasons. Prior to that, the Bruins had never seen back-to-back losing campaigns. You couldn’t blame Hussein though, as he was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 2012 and 2013. In 2015, he won the award for the first time with conference bests in WAR (9.5) and strikeouts (305). Casablanca returned to the playoffs and beat Sulaymaniyah for the ALB title. Hussein had a 0.77 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 23.1 playoff innings. The Bruins were last in the Baseball Grand Championship at 5-14 with Hussein posting a 3.41 ERA over 31.2 innings with 37 strikeouts. Hussein was the WARlord from 2015-18. He took second in 2016’s Pitcher of the Year voting, then won back-to-back in 2017-18. 2018 saw career bests in wins (22-7), strikeouts (339), WHIP (0.92), and WAR (10.5). Casablanca lost in the first round in 2016, but won another ALB title in 2017 over Abu Dhabi. Hussein had another great playoff run with a 1.50 ERA and 40 Ks over 30 innings. He did better in the BGC with a 2.64 ERA over 30.2 innings with 35 strikeouts. The Bruins finished 9-10. In June 2017, Hussein signed a new six-year, $87,200,000 extension with Casablanca at age 30 to stay in Morocco for the long haul. He would regularly represent his native Yemen in the World Baseball Championship from 2008-22 with a 3.30 ERA, 6-13 record, 158.1 innings, 177 strikeouts, and 2.4 WAR. Casablanca remained at 89+ wins from 2018-21, but fell just short of the playoffs each year in part due to a strong run by Tripoli in the Mediterranean Division. Hussein became less dominant during this point with fewer strikeouts, but he was still a rock solid starter. Age finally caught him in 2022 with dipping velocity leading to a terrible 5.64 ERA over 204.1 innings. Still, he became the third ALB pitcher to 4000 career strikeouts and fell only 13 Ks short of the then top spot. The Bruins got back to the playoffs and Hussein had one last decent postseason run in him. He only struck out two over 22 innings, but he had a 2.86 ERA to help Casablanca win the ALB title over Jeddah. The day after the series ended, Hussein opted to retire at age 35 and was a spectator for the Baseball Grand Championship. For his playoff career, Hussein had a 6-3 record, 122.1 innings, 2.72 ERA, 124 strikeouts, 25 walks, 141 ERA+, and 3.7 WAR. As of 2037, Hussein ranks 7^th in pitching WAR and 12^th in strikeouts. Casablanca immediately retired Hussein’s #53 uniform for his 16 years of service and role in three championship seasons. He finished with a 241-139 record, 3.19 ERA, 3537.1 innings, 4022 strikeouts, 665 walks, 328/485 quality starts, 61 complete games, 24 shutouts, 123 ERA+, 76 FIP-, and 93.3 WAR. As of 2037, Hussein ranks 5^th in wins, 5^th in innings, 18^th in complete games, 5^th in shutouts, 6^th in strikeouts, and 9^th in pitching WAR. Among pitchers with 1000+ innings, Hussein’s ERA is 59^th. His .671 opponent’s OPS is 72^nd and his 1.09 WHIP is 69^th. While he isn’t usually in the discussion for Arab League Baseball’s GOAT pitcher, Hussein makes almost all top ten lists and many top five lists. He was a reliable force who kept Casablanca as a consistent contender and multiple time champion. At 98.9%, Hussein was a slam dunk co-headliner in the loaded 2028 Hall of Fame class. Herdi Wahib – Starting Pitcher – Jeddah Jackals – 98.9% First Ballot Herdi Wahib was a 6’5’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Al-Magazi, Palestine; a refugee camp of around 33,000 in the Gaza Strip. Wahib had impressive overpowering stuff that compensated for having merely above average movement and control. He had a strong 98-100 mph fastball and an almost equally fast splitter as his main offerings. Wahib also had a slider and curveball in the arsenal for balance. Wahib’s stamina was elite, leading the conference four times in both innings and complete games. His durability was also excellent through his 20s, but major injuries derailed his career in his mid 30s. Wahib had an excellent pickoff move with generally average glove work. Wahib became beloved by fans and peers alike as his character was beyond reproach. He was a team captain known for leadership, loyalty, selflessness, and hard work. You couldn’t find anyone with a bad word about Wahib. Despite coming from humble beginnings, Wahib’s talent was unmistakable. Jeddah spotted him and signed him in October 2004 to a developmental deal. His entire pro career came in Saudi Arabia, debuting in 2009 at age 22 with 78.1 innings in relief. Wahib earned a full-time rotation spot in 2010 and held it uninterrupted for a decade. In 2011, Wahib earned his first Pitcher of the Year in 2011, leading the Eastern Conference in wins (19-10), ERA (2.11), innings (268.2), quality starts (28), complete games (14), shutouts (3), FIP- (60), and WAR (9.7). This would be Wahib’s career bests for ERA, innings, quality starts, and complete games. It was his first of eight seasons with 300+ strikeouts. Jeddah also ended a nine-year playoff drought, although they fell in the first round. That would mark the beginning of an ALB-record 14 year playoff streak for the Jackals. In 2013, Wahib was second in Pitcher of the Year voting with his second ERA title at 2.45. Jeddah earned their first ALB title, defeating Alexandria in the finale. Wahib had a great playoff run with a 1.21 ERA over 22.1 innings with 29 strikeouts. In the Baseball Grand Championship, he went 0-4 with a 4.75 ERA over 30.1 innings and 48 strikeouts, although his 52 FIP- suggested some bad luck. The Jackals finished 8-11 in the event. Wahib secured his second Pitcher of the Year in 2014 with a career and league-best 389 strikeouts. As of 2037, that is the 7^th-best single-season in ALB history. He also posted his career best for WAR at 10.1, helping Jeddah repeat as ALB champs with a finals victory over Damascus. Wahib had an okay 3.63 ERA over 22.1 playoff innings, but posted a strong 2.41 ERA with 45 Ks over 33.2 innings in the BGC. The Jackals finished 11-8, standing alone in 7th place. He took second in 2015’s POTY voting, leading again in both strikeouts and WAR. Wahib had the Ks lead again in 2016 and the WARlord crown in 2017. Jeddah lost in the first round 2015. They had a historic 117-45 record in 2016, but were ousted in a conference finals showdown with 114-win Abu Dhabi. Prior to the 2016 season, Jeddah extended Wahib at seven years and $104 million, one of the richest contracts to date in the Arab League. Jeddah lost in the first round of 2017, then returned to the top spot in 2018 with an ALB Championship win over Tripoli. Wahib was second in Pitcher of the Year voting and tossed his lone no-hitter on July 7 with 12 strikeouts and one walk against Bahrain. He had his third ring, but he was surprisingly terrible in the playoffs with a 11.88 ERA and only 8.1 innings in two starts. Wahib looked more like himself in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 2.61 ERA and 41 Ks over 31 innings. The Jackals shocked the world by going 14-5 and claiming the Grand Championship. They were the first Arab League team to win the world’s top honor and are the only one as of 2037. In 2019, Wahib became a three-time Pitcher of the Year, leading in wins (21-4), Ks (312), and WAR (8.3). He led in strikeouts for the fourth time and WAR for the fifth time. Jeddah won another conference title, but lost the ALB Championship against Tripoli. Wahib had a good playoff showing with a 2.00 ERA over 27 innings. For his playoff career, Wahib had a 7-5 record in 17 starts, 3.07 ERA, 117.1 innings, 138 strikeouts, 23 walks, 128 ERA+, and 3.2 WAR. As of 2037, he ranks 7^th in playoff wins, 7^th in strikeouts, and 9^th in pitching WAR. Little did he know that the 2019 postseason would be his final ALB playoff innings despite Jeddah’s streak continuing. Wahib was second in 2020’s Pitcher of the Year voting and won his third ERA title. However in mid-September, Wahib suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament that threatened his career. Jeddah lost in the conference final as Wahib watched on in a sling. The recovery time ended up being 14-15 months, keeping him out for the entire 2021 season. That year, Jeddah won it all for the fourth time, defeating Cairo in the final. Although Wahib wasn’t cleared during the ALB season, he got the thumbs up in November and made his first start back in the Baseball Grand Championship. He looked alright with two runs allowed over 4.2 innings. The Jackals were tied for the last place spot at 6-13. In 2022, Wahib looked much like his old dominant self and took second in Pitcher of the Year voting. He had adjusted his delivery a bit post UCL tear, which led to a torn rotator cuff in late August. Wahib was originally told nine months and looked to be back in the summer of 2023. Unfortunately, he suffered a setback in March 2023 that forced his retirement shortly before his 36^th birthday. Jeddah immediately retired his #1 uniform and it was a heartbreaking end for one of the game’s good guys. Wahib finished with a 200-108 record, 2.70 ERA, 2922 innings, 3817 strikeouts, 608 walks, 283/380 quality starts, 91 complete games, 31 shutouts, 148 ERA+, 67 FIP-, and 92.7 WAR. As of 2037, Wahib ranks 18^th in wins, 21^st in innings, 4^th in complete games, 2^nd in shutouts, 11^th in strikeouts, and 10^th in pitching WAR. Among those with 1000+ innings, Wahib’s ERA ranks 13^th and his .614 opponent’s OPS is 16^th. Additionally, Wahib ranks 15^th in WHIP (1.00), 14^th in K/9 (11.76), and 19^th in H/9 (7.16). His triple slash of .218/.264/.349 ranks 19^thin all three. Among all Hall of Fame starting pitchers in the world, Wahib’s 148 ERA+ is 32^nd. If not for the injuries, many think Wahib could’ve ended up in the running as Arab League Baseball’s greatest-ever pitcher. Although the injury costs him the GOAT spot, Wahib makes many top 10 lists for good reason. He was dominant, won three Pitcher of the Years, three ERA titles, and helped turn Jeddah into a multi-time champ and perennial contender. Wahib was an inner-circle level talent and at 98.9% co-headlined the four-player 2028 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)