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FuzzyRussianHat · 06-18-2025, 06:58 AM

East Asia Baseball had one Hall of Fame inductee in 2031, but LF Hitoshi Kubota certainly was worthy to stand alone. The seven-time MVP was a near unanimous 98.4%. LF Jae-A Choi was the next closest, missed the 66% cut with a debut of 62.8%. CL Sadaharu Chiba was the best returner at 62.5% for his second ballot. 1B Kyu-Seong Lee was the only other guy above 50%, posting 53.4% on his sixth attempt.

The one player to fall off the ballot after ten failed tries was OF Bit-Garam Jung, who peaked at 47.6% on his debut and ended with 26.1%. He won MVP honors for Hiroshima in 2001, but otherwise was out of awards chat. Jung had a 22-year run between four teams with 2818 games, 2627 hits, 1458 runs, 386 doubles, 150 triples, 574 home runs, 1554 RBI, 851 stolen bases, .277/.312/.531 slash, 141 wRC+, and 80.6 WAR.

Jung hit a lot of statistical bench marks for his longevity, but many voters dismissed him as a compiler. His postseason numbers on the whole were decent at best, which also helped condemn Jung to the Hall of Pretty Good. Jung has the second-most home runs by an EAB player that fell off the ballot without an induction.

Hitoshi “Virus” Kubota – Left Field – Hiroshima Hammerheads – 98.4% First Ballot

Hitoshi Kubota was a 6’6’’, 200 pound switch-hitting left fielder from Nagoya, Japan. Kubota was one of the most efficient hitters to ever grace East Asia Baseball and arguably a top 10 hitter in all of baseball history specifically facing right-handed pitching. Against RHP, Kubota had an absurd career OPS of 1.058 and wRC+ over 213. He was by no means bad facing lefties with a .816 OPS and 145 wRC+. Pitchers gave him the nickname “Virus” for how they often felt after having faced Kubota.

Kubota was a stellar contact hitter and could both avoid strikeouts and draw walks quite effectively. He also was a premiere home run hitter, socking 40+ homers in 14 seasons and 50+ in seven campaigns. Kubota’s gap power got you 21 doubles and 7 triples per his 162 game average along with 44 dingers. Unlike many big boppers, Kubota also had above average to good speed and baserunning chops.

His one real flaw was his defense, which graded as mediocre as a career left fielder. Kubota’s arm was pretty good, but his poor range tanked his metrics. You’d certainly put up with it for a generational bat over a 24-year career. Kubota had some occasional injuries from his mid 30s onward, but rarely missed time prior. He was also intelligent and adaptable to his situation. It should be no surprise Kubota became a beloved megastar and arguably the best-ever player to come out of Japan.

Kubota’s potential was obvious even as a teenager with numerous clubs clamoring for his services. Hiroshima won the day with a developmental contract signed in July 1998, one week after his 16^th birthday. Kubota was one of a small group in baseball history to debut at age 18, although he saw very limited use as a teenager. Kubota played eight games in 2001 and 33 in 2002 with weak results. The Hammerheads had him on roster most of 2003 and 2004 with 221 games played, although he only started 12.

By 2004, it was clear Kubota was becoming ready, posting a 1.026 OPS and 2.5 WAR over a small sample size. It wasn’t easy to crack the roster as Hiroshima was amidst a playoff streak that started in 1999. They hadn’t been able to get over the hump, suffering first round exits from 1999-2002. Hiroshima made the Japan League Championship Series in 2003-04, but lost both years to Niigata. 2004 was especially heartbreaking with a franchise-best 110-52 record.

Hiroshima had additional 100+ win seasons in 2005, 06, and 08; but lost in the first round each year. In 2005, Kubota had arrived as a full-time starter, leading the Japan League with 188 hits for his first Silver Slugger and a third place in MVP voting. It was his first of 15 straight years of 6.5+ WAR and his first of 12 seasons with an OPS above one, That winter, Hiroshima secured Kubota to a team-friendly extension at $49,780,000 over eight years.

From 2006-09, Kubota led the league each year in home runs, peaking with 54 in both 2007 and 2009. In 2008, he posted only the seventh hitting Triple Crown in EAB history with 51 homers, 127 RBI, and his lone batting title at .325. Kubota was the WARlord in 2007 and 2009 and led in slugging and OPS for both 2008-09. Kubota won Silver Sluggers each year and won three straight MVPs from 2007-09.

Kubota had quickly become a nationwide superstar after his performance for Japan in their World Baseball Championship run, defeating Germany in the final for their second world title. Kubota finished second in tournament MVP voting starting 24 games with 30 hits, 18 runs, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs, 16 RBI, 1.111 OPS, and 1.9 WAR. He remained a regular force for the Japanese team through 2022 with the squad taking third place in both 2012 and 2019.
He shined on the world stage from 2005-22 with 175 games, 168 hits, 106 runs, 25 doubles, 5 triples, 45 home runs, 105 RBI, 41 stolen bases, .290/.386/.583 slash, and 9.1 WAR. As of 2037, Kubota ranks 3^rd in WAR among Japanese position players in the WBC. He also ranks 3^rd in hits, 3^rd in games, 3^rd in runs, 6^th in home runs, and 4^th in RBI.

Hiroshima had a downswing from 2009-11, missing the playoffs each year. Kubota remained excellent, but was just outside of the awards conversations these years. The Hammerheads returned to prominence in 2012, starting a seven-year streak atop the West Division. In 2012-13, Kubota led both years in homers, total bases, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. He won MVPs and Silver Sluggers both year, giving him five MVPs on his shelf.

By many metrics, 2012 was Kubota’s finest season with career highs in total bases (408), OBP (.413), slugging (.716), OPS (1.129), wRC+ (246), and WAR (11.0). Kubota had good playoff stats both years as Hiroshima won back-to-back Japan League titles. The Hammerheads were unable to claim the EAB crown, falling to Goyang in 2012 and Daegu in 2013.

In the Baseball Grand Championship, Hiroshima finished 9-10 in 2012 and 6-13 in 2013. Kubota shined against the world’s best though, winning Tournament MVP in 2012. Between the two runs, Kubota started 38 games with 48 hits, 32 runs, 19 home runs, 30 RBI, .345/.404/.791 slash, and 3.0 WAR. Between EAB, WBC, and BGC, Kubota had certainly established himself as a world class player.

In July 2013, Hiroshima locked Kubota up to a hefty six-year, $128,200,000 extension. Many figured he and the Hammerheads would soon be back to the top spot, but it wasn’t to be. Hiroshima had four straight JLCS exits from 2014-17, then had a first round loss in 2018 despite the top seed. Unfortunately for Hammerheads fans, that restarted the long-term historical trend of playoff disappointments.

You certainly couldn’t blame Kubota for any of the failings, as his career playoff stats were excellent as expected. Over 99 games and 80 starts, Kubota had 100 hits, 47 runs, 11 doubles, 22 home runs, 58 RBI, .318/.387/.576 slash, 186 wRC+, and 4.3 WAR. As of 2037, Kubota ranks 8^th in playoff homers, 7^th in RBI, 9^th in hits, and 16^th in runs scored.

Kubota was again MVP and Slugger winner in 2014-15, leading both years in OPS and wRC+. He became the first-ever seven-time MVP in EAB history and only the second to win four consecutively. Kubota wasn’t an MVP finalist after that, but he’d win one more Silver Slugger in his original Hiroshima run in 2016. In 2018, he ran into his first major injury setback with a torn meniscus in late August. This was also the final season of the Hammerheads’ playoff streak.

Hiroshima voided the team option year for the now 36-year old Kubota, but wanted to keep the superstar around. He officially tested free agency, but ultimately signed a new two-year, $29,800,000 deal with the Hammerheads. In 2019, he missed two months to injury, but still managed 5.9 WAR over 128 games. That year, Kubota became the 13^th EAB slugger to 700 career home runs and the 32^nd to score 1500 runs.

Kubota didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the second year and was back to free agency at age 37. For the first time, he would be playing somewhere other than Hiroshima for 2020. Kubota returned to his home city Nagoya on a two-year, $27,700,000 deal with the Nightowls. He won his 11^th Silver Slugger and led the league with 112 runs for Nagoya, posting 7.2 WAR and 1.013 OPS. Kubota couldn’t reverse the losing trend though for the Nightowls, who finished 74-88.

Nagoya traded Kubota in the offseason to Chiba for two prospects. A strained abdominal among other injuries kept him out for a chunk of 2021, but he still had 4.6 WAR and .902 OPS over 120 games for the 70-92 Comets. Kubota was back to free agency for 2022 at age 39 and to the delight of many, he made a triumphant return to Hiroshima. The Hammerheads gave him a two-year, $26,600,000 deal to once again don the blue and gold and return to his famous #11 uniform.

Kubota won his 12^th Silver Slugger in 2022, becoming one of six in EAB history to do so and the second as a left fielder. He led in OPS for the seventh and final time and led in slugging for the sixth time. That year, he also became the fifth member of the 800 home run club and the 23^rd to reach 3000 hits. April 24 also saw the lone cycle of his career against Fukuoka. Hiroshima had a nice 94-68 record, but couldn’t compete in the division with the eventual champion Frogs at 110-52. The Hammerheads gave him a new two-year, $41,600,000 deal to keep him around a bit longer.

In 2023 at age 40, Kubota was still rock solid with 6.5 WAR and .926 OPS, although Hiroshima was back below .500. Unfortunately in mid-September, Kubota suffered a torn PCL that knocked him out ten months. He made it back for 2024 and became the fifth to 2000 career RBI. In 119 games, Kubota still managed 5.0 WAR, 37 home runs, and .954 OPS.

That was ultimately his final season of a remarkable run with Hiroshima that saw 2960 games, 3066 hits, 1751 runs, 378 doubles, 128 triples, 827 home runs, 1905 RBI, 1027 walks, 1186 strikeouts, 508 stolen bases, .312/.378/.629 slash, 199 wRC+, and 141.6 WAR. Kubota obviously remained a franchise and Japanese cultural icon for many years to come with his #11 uniform retired by the Hammerheads.

He seemed ageless and many thought he’d take the top spots on the all-time leaderboards. After 2024, Kubota was at 895 home runs, 2074 RBI, 3359 hits, 1934 runs, and 153.5 WAR. Soo-Geun Yim had retired as the home run king in 2018 with 921, passing Lei Ming’s 897 that had stood since 1971. Kubota was second only to Yim in RBI (2279) and second to Byung-Oh Tan for runs scored (2010). Kubota was also just behind Sosuke Hoshizawa for the all-time WARlord title (156.87).

Kyoto signed Kubota to a one-year, $11 million deal for 2025. However, the decline came suddenly, made worse by recurring back spasms. Kubota only played 75 games and struggled to a .211/.263/.405 slash and -0.2 WAR. His 10 home runs did get him past Meng and into the elusive 900 club, but he’d fall short of the prestigious #1 spots. He did get to first in games played at 3304, passing Tan’s 3274. Kubota retired after the 2025 season at age 43.

The final tallies for Kubota: 3304 games, 3408 hits, 1956 runs, 435 doubles, 147 triples, 905 home runs, 2098 RBI, 1136 walks, 1398 strikeouts, 571 stolen bases, .309/.375/.621 slash, .996 OPS, 196 wRC+, and 153.3 WAR. As of 2037, Kubota ranks 2^nd in WAR among all EAB players, 2^nd in games, 6^th in hits, 3^rd in runs, 4^th in total bases (6852), 68^th in doubles, 3^rd in home runs, 3^rd in RBI, and 13^th in walks. Among EAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Kubota’s OPS is 14^th while ranking 43^rd in OBP and 13^th in slugging.

On the world leaderboards as of 2037, Kubota is 22^nd in home runs, 40^th in RBI, 48^th in runs scored, 24^th in games played, and 31^st in WAR among position players. Among all players ever, he ranks 43^rd in WAR and has the second-most of any Japanese born player behind only Hoshizawa. Among world Hall of Famers, Kubota’s 196 wRC+ is 13^th best, which leads all EAB players. He also barely misses the top 50 for both OPS and slugging percentage.

Is Hitoshi Kubota the greatest player in EAB history? You could certainly make a compelling case considering his spots on the leaderboards. He’s just short of the WARlord title and everyone agrees he was a better batter than Hoshizawa, although the latter’s defensive value at center field gave him the bump. Kubota is the only guy with seven MVPs

In the Hall of Fame metrics as of 2037, Kubota ranks 3^rd in JAWS, 16^th in black ink, 2^nd in grey ink, 5^th in standards, and 4^th in HOF monitor. It is certainly a fierce debate with so many stellar players over more than a century of history for East Asia Baseball. When discussing the all-timers, Kubota makes almost every top ten list and the lion’s share of the top five lists. Many who saw him play, especially in Hiroshima, would call him the GOAT. Somehow, Kubota only got 98.4% of the vote, but he fittingly stood alone for Hall of Fame induction in 2031.

06-18-2025, 06:58 AM	#2281
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,728	2031 EAB Hall of Fame East Asia Baseball had one Hall of Fame inductee in 2031, but LF Hitoshi Kubota certainly was worthy to stand alone. The seven-time MVP was a near unanimous 98.4%. LF Jae-A Choi was the next closest, missed the 66% cut with a debut of 62.8%. CL Sadaharu Chiba was the best returner at 62.5% for his second ballot. 1B Kyu-Seong Lee was the only other guy above 50%, posting 53.4% on his sixth attempt. The one player to fall off the ballot after ten failed tries was OF Bit-Garam Jung, who peaked at 47.6% on his debut and ended with 26.1%. He won MVP honors for Hiroshima in 2001, but otherwise was out of awards chat. Jung had a 22-year run between four teams with 2818 games, 2627 hits, 1458 runs, 386 doubles, 150 triples, 574 home runs, 1554 RBI, 851 stolen bases, .277/.312/.531 slash, 141 wRC+, and 80.6 WAR. Jung hit a lot of statistical bench marks for his longevity, but many voters dismissed him as a compiler. His postseason numbers on the whole were decent at best, which also helped condemn Jung to the Hall of Pretty Good. Jung has the second-most home runs by an EAB player that fell off the ballot without an induction. Hitoshi “Virus” Kubota – Left Field – Hiroshima Hammerheads – 98.4% First Ballot Hitoshi Kubota was a 6’6’’, 200 pound switch-hitting left fielder from Nagoya, Japan. Kubota was one of the most efficient hitters to ever grace East Asia Baseball and arguably a top 10 hitter in all of baseball history specifically facing right-handed pitching. Against RHP, Kubota had an absurd career OPS of 1.058 and wRC+ over 213. He was by no means bad facing lefties with a .816 OPS and 145 wRC+. Pitchers gave him the nickname “Virus” for how they often felt after having faced Kubota. Kubota was a stellar contact hitter and could both avoid strikeouts and draw walks quite effectively. He also was a premiere home run hitter, socking 40+ homers in 14 seasons and 50+ in seven campaigns. Kubota’s gap power got you 21 doubles and 7 triples per his 162 game average along with 44 dingers. Unlike many big boppers, Kubota also had above average to good speed and baserunning chops. His one real flaw was his defense, which graded as mediocre as a career left fielder. Kubota’s arm was pretty good, but his poor range tanked his metrics. You’d certainly put up with it for a generational bat over a 24-year career. Kubota had some occasional injuries from his mid 30s onward, but rarely missed time prior. He was also intelligent and adaptable to his situation. It should be no surprise Kubota became a beloved megastar and arguably the best-ever player to come out of Japan. Kubota’s potential was obvious even as a teenager with numerous clubs clamoring for his services. Hiroshima won the day with a developmental contract signed in July 1998, one week after his 16^th birthday. Kubota was one of a small group in baseball history to debut at age 18, although he saw very limited use as a teenager. Kubota played eight games in 2001 and 33 in 2002 with weak results. The Hammerheads had him on roster most of 2003 and 2004 with 221 games played, although he only started 12. By 2004, it was clear Kubota was becoming ready, posting a 1.026 OPS and 2.5 WAR over a small sample size. It wasn’t easy to crack the roster as Hiroshima was amidst a playoff streak that started in 1999. They hadn’t been able to get over the hump, suffering first round exits from 1999-2002. Hiroshima made the Japan League Championship Series in 2003-04, but lost both years to Niigata. 2004 was especially heartbreaking with a franchise-best 110-52 record. Hiroshima had additional 100+ win seasons in 2005, 06, and 08; but lost in the first round each year. In 2005, Kubota had arrived as a full-time starter, leading the Japan League with 188 hits for his first Silver Slugger and a third place in MVP voting. It was his first of 15 straight years of 6.5+ WAR and his first of 12 seasons with an OPS above one, That winter, Hiroshima secured Kubota to a team-friendly extension at $49,780,000 over eight years. From 2006-09, Kubota led the league each year in home runs, peaking with 54 in both 2007 and 2009. In 2008, he posted only the seventh hitting Triple Crown in EAB history with 51 homers, 127 RBI, and his lone batting title at .325. Kubota was the WARlord in 2007 and 2009 and led in slugging and OPS for both 2008-09. Kubota won Silver Sluggers each year and won three straight MVPs from 2007-09. Kubota had quickly become a nationwide superstar after his performance for Japan in their World Baseball Championship run, defeating Germany in the final for their second world title. Kubota finished second in tournament MVP voting starting 24 games with 30 hits, 18 runs, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs, 16 RBI, 1.111 OPS, and 1.9 WAR. He remained a regular force for the Japanese team through 2022 with the squad taking third place in both 2012 and 2019. He shined on the world stage from 2005-22 with 175 games, 168 hits, 106 runs, 25 doubles, 5 triples, 45 home runs, 105 RBI, 41 stolen bases, .290/.386/.583 slash, and 9.1 WAR. As of 2037, Kubota ranks 3^rd in WAR among Japanese position players in the WBC. He also ranks 3^rd in hits, 3^rd in games, 3^rd in runs, 6^th in home runs, and 4^th in RBI. Hiroshima had a downswing from 2009-11, missing the playoffs each year. Kubota remained excellent, but was just outside of the awards conversations these years. The Hammerheads returned to prominence in 2012, starting a seven-year streak atop the West Division. In 2012-13, Kubota led both years in homers, total bases, slugging, OPS, wRC+, and WAR. He won MVPs and Silver Sluggers both year, giving him five MVPs on his shelf. By many metrics, 2012 was Kubota’s finest season with career highs in total bases (408), OBP (.413), slugging (.716), OPS (1.129), wRC+ (246), and WAR (11.0). Kubota had good playoff stats both years as Hiroshima won back-to-back Japan League titles. The Hammerheads were unable to claim the EAB crown, falling to Goyang in 2012 and Daegu in 2013. In the Baseball Grand Championship, Hiroshima finished 9-10 in 2012 and 6-13 in 2013. Kubota shined against the world’s best though, winning Tournament MVP in 2012. Between the two runs, Kubota started 38 games with 48 hits, 32 runs, 19 home runs, 30 RBI, .345/.404/.791 slash, and 3.0 WAR. Between EAB, WBC, and BGC, Kubota had certainly established himself as a world class player. In July 2013, Hiroshima locked Kubota up to a hefty six-year, $128,200,000 extension. Many figured he and the Hammerheads would soon be back to the top spot, but it wasn’t to be. Hiroshima had four straight JLCS exits from 2014-17, then had a first round loss in 2018 despite the top seed. Unfortunately for Hammerheads fans, that restarted the long-term historical trend of playoff disappointments. You certainly couldn’t blame Kubota for any of the failings, as his career playoff stats were excellent as expected. Over 99 games and 80 starts, Kubota had 100 hits, 47 runs, 11 doubles, 22 home runs, 58 RBI, .318/.387/.576 slash, 186 wRC+, and 4.3 WAR. As of 2037, Kubota ranks 8^th in playoff homers, 7^th in RBI, 9^th in hits, and 16^th in runs scored. Kubota was again MVP and Slugger winner in 2014-15, leading both years in OPS and wRC+. He became the first-ever seven-time MVP in EAB history and only the second to win four consecutively. Kubota wasn’t an MVP finalist after that, but he’d win one more Silver Slugger in his original Hiroshima run in 2016. In 2018, he ran into his first major injury setback with a torn meniscus in late August. This was also the final season of the Hammerheads’ playoff streak. Hiroshima voided the team option year for the now 36-year old Kubota, but wanted to keep the superstar around. He officially tested free agency, but ultimately signed a new two-year, $29,800,000 deal with the Hammerheads. In 2019, he missed two months to injury, but still managed 5.9 WAR over 128 games. That year, Kubota became the 13^th EAB slugger to 700 career home runs and the 32^nd to score 1500 runs. Kubota didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the second year and was back to free agency at age 37. For the first time, he would be playing somewhere other than Hiroshima for 2020. Kubota returned to his home city Nagoya on a two-year, $27,700,000 deal with the Nightowls. He won his 11^th Silver Slugger and led the league with 112 runs for Nagoya, posting 7.2 WAR and 1.013 OPS. Kubota couldn’t reverse the losing trend though for the Nightowls, who finished 74-88. Nagoya traded Kubota in the offseason to Chiba for two prospects. A strained abdominal among other injuries kept him out for a chunk of 2021, but he still had 4.6 WAR and .902 OPS over 120 games for the 70-92 Comets. Kubota was back to free agency for 2022 at age 39 and to the delight of many, he made a triumphant return to Hiroshima. The Hammerheads gave him a two-year, $26,600,000 deal to once again don the blue and gold and return to his famous #11 uniform. Kubota won his 12^th Silver Slugger in 2022, becoming one of six in EAB history to do so and the second as a left fielder. He led in OPS for the seventh and final time and led in slugging for the sixth time. That year, he also became the fifth member of the 800 home run club and the 23^rd to reach 3000 hits. April 24 also saw the lone cycle of his career against Fukuoka. Hiroshima had a nice 94-68 record, but couldn’t compete in the division with the eventual champion Frogs at 110-52. The Hammerheads gave him a new two-year, $41,600,000 deal to keep him around a bit longer. In 2023 at age 40, Kubota was still rock solid with 6.5 WAR and .926 OPS, although Hiroshima was back below .500. Unfortunately in mid-September, Kubota suffered a torn PCL that knocked him out ten months. He made it back for 2024 and became the fifth to 2000 career RBI. In 119 games, Kubota still managed 5.0 WAR, 37 home runs, and .954 OPS. That was ultimately his final season of a remarkable run with Hiroshima that saw 2960 games, 3066 hits, 1751 runs, 378 doubles, 128 triples, 827 home runs, 1905 RBI, 1027 walks, 1186 strikeouts, 508 stolen bases, .312/.378/.629 slash, 199 wRC+, and 141.6 WAR. Kubota obviously remained a franchise and Japanese cultural icon for many years to come with his #11 uniform retired by the Hammerheads. He seemed ageless and many thought he’d take the top spots on the all-time leaderboards. After 2024, Kubota was at 895 home runs, 2074 RBI, 3359 hits, 1934 runs, and 153.5 WAR. Soo-Geun Yim had retired as the home run king in 2018 with 921, passing Lei Ming’s 897 that had stood since 1971. Kubota was second only to Yim in RBI (2279) and second to Byung-Oh Tan for runs scored (2010). Kubota was also just behind Sosuke Hoshizawa for the all-time WARlord title (156.87). Kyoto signed Kubota to a one-year, $11 million deal for 2025. However, the decline came suddenly, made worse by recurring back spasms. Kubota only played 75 games and struggled to a .211/.263/.405 slash and -0.2 WAR. His 10 home runs did get him past Meng and into the elusive 900 club, but he’d fall short of the prestigious #1 spots. He did get to first in games played at 3304, passing Tan’s 3274. Kubota retired after the 2025 season at age 43. The final tallies for Kubota: 3304 games, 3408 hits, 1956 runs, 435 doubles, 147 triples, 905 home runs, 2098 RBI, 1136 walks, 1398 strikeouts, 571 stolen bases, .309/.375/.621 slash, .996 OPS, 196 wRC+, and 153.3 WAR. As of 2037, Kubota ranks 2^nd in WAR among all EAB players, 2^nd in games, 6^th in hits, 3^rd in runs, 4^th in total bases (6852), 68^th in doubles, 3^rd in home runs, 3^rd in RBI, and 13^th in walks. Among EAB batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Kubota’s OPS is 14^th while ranking 43^rd in OBP and 13^th in slugging. On the world leaderboards as of 2037, Kubota is 22^nd in home runs, 40^th in RBI, 48^th in runs scored, 24^th in games played, and 31^st in WAR among position players. Among all players ever, he ranks 43^rd in WAR and has the second-most of any Japanese born player behind only Hoshizawa. Among world Hall of Famers, Kubota’s 196 wRC+ is 13^th best, which leads all EAB players. He also barely misses the top 50 for both OPS and slugging percentage. Is Hitoshi Kubota the greatest player in EAB history? You could certainly make a compelling case considering his spots on the leaderboards. He’s just short of the WARlord title and everyone agrees he was a better batter than Hoshizawa, although the latter’s defensive value at center field gave him the bump. Kubota is the only guy with seven MVPs In the Hall of Fame metrics as of 2037, Kubota ranks 3^rd in JAWS, 16^th in black ink, 2^nd in grey ink, 5^th in standards, and 4^th in HOF monitor. It is certainly a fierce debate with so many stellar players over more than a century of history for East Asia Baseball. When discussing the all-timers, Kubota makes almost every top ten list and the lion’s share of the top five lists. Many who saw him play, especially in Hiroshima, would call him the GOAT. Somehow, Kubota only got 98.4% of the vote, but he fittingly stood alone for Hall of Fame induction in 2031. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)