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FuzzyRussianHat · 06-22-2025, 07:52 AM

Johan Almgren – Third/First Base – Birmingham Bees – 90.4% First Ballot

Johan Almgren was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed corner infielder from Tibro, Sweden; a town of 8,000 people. Almgren was a rock solid contact hitter with reliable home run power against both sides. He was better than most at avoiding strikeouts, but weaker than you’d expect at drawing walks. Almgren’s power was mostly focused on home runs with a 162 game average of 37 dingers, 23 doubles, and 4 triples.

Almgren was a highly skilled baserunner and a deceptive thief despite having subpar speed. He made about 2/3 of his career starts at third base, primarily early in his career. Most of the remaining starts came at first base, especially later in his career. Almgren graded as a lousy defender at third, while merely being below average at first.

Coaches were willing to sacrifice defense though for Almgren’s reliably strong bat. Part of his issue was coasting on his natural batting talent, while not caring enough to work on his glove. Almgren was criticized by coaches for a poor work ethic, weak adaptability, and lacking intelligence. His bat couldn’t be denied though and his durability was good enough to push Almgren to a 22-year career.

In February 2000, a teenaged Almgren left Sweden for England on a developmental deal with Birmingham. He spent four full years in their academy before debuting in 2004 at age 20. Almgren saw use primarily as a pinch hitter in his first five seasons though with 450 games and only 80 starts. His 42 home runs and 5.5 WAR over that small sample size though made the Bees want to find a spot for Almgren somewhere in the lineup full-time. The coaches lamented EBF’s lack of a designated hitter.

Almgren still earned a starting gig in 2009 and held it largely uninterrupted through 2018. 2009 was his first of seven seasons with 40+ home runs and his first of ten with 100+ RBI. Almgren won his first Silver Slugger in 2010, helping Birmingham end a 12-year playoff drought and start a four-year streak, although they fell in the second round as a wild card.

In 2011, Almgren won his second Slugger and was second in MVP voting, leading the Northern Conference with 134 runs. He also had career highs in hits (207), home runs (58), RBI (141), wRC+ (202), and WAR (9.9). Birmingham finished 102-60 and beat Dublin for the division title, although the Dinos got their revenge in the Northern Conference Championship. Although defeated, Almgren was a beast in the playoff run with a 1.253 OPS and 1.1 WAR over 11 starts. With that, the Bees inked him to an eight-year, $92,800,000 extension the following March.

Almgren was merely good in 2012 with closer to his 2010 production. In 2013, he was again second in MVP voting and won a Slugger thanks to a 48 home run, 9.8 WAR, 1.052 campaign. Birmingham had a first round exit in 2012 and second round defeat in 2013, both as wild cards thanks to Dublin’s continued dominance. Almgren was out of the awards conversations although still solid the next few years. The Bees were stuck in the mid-tier from 2014-17 with only a first round playoff exit in 2016.

In 2018, Birmingham finished 91-71 and beat out Dublin by one game for the division title. The Bees went on a surprise run, ousting Frankfurt for the Northern Conference crown and upsetting Munich for the European Championship. It was the third title for Birmingham, who also did it in 1991 and 1994. Almgren’s playoff numbers were merely decent with a .785 OPS and 0.4 WAR over 17 starts. On the whole, he was a great playoff performer for the Bees over 45 starts with a .346/.360/.637 slash, 188 wRC+, 2.7 WAR, 14 home runs, 39 RBI, 63 hits, and 29 runs.

Fans remember Almgren’s tear in the 2018 Baseball Grand Championship though, taking third in Tournament MVP voting with a .306/.354/.639 slash, 182 wRC+, 1.2 WAR, 22 hits, 17 runs, 7 home runs, and 11 RBI. Despite that, Birmingham finished in the middle at 9-10. Almgren had been established though as a solid hitter on the world state, having been a regular for his native Sweden in the World Baseball Championship.

From 2007-23, Almgren played 161 games for the Swedish team with 162 hits, 83 runs, 35 doubles, 36 home runs, 86 RBI, .276/.330/.527 slash, and 6.3 WAR. He was especially potent in 2021, taking third in Tournament MVP voting as the Swedes finished fourth; their best effort since 1961. Almgren also helped Sweden earn division titles in both 2009 and 2018.

Birmingham’s 2018 title was a one-and-done, as the Bees began a decade-plus playoff drought after that. In 2019, Almgren missed almost the entire second half to knee sprains. He was now in his mid 30s with one year left on his deal and a likely rebuild imminent. In the offseason, Birmingham traded Almgren surprisingly to their fierce rival Dublin for two prospects.

In total with the Bees, Almgren played 2078 games with 2171 hits, 1125 runs, 282 doubles, 469 home runs, 1343 RBI, 363 walks, 947 strikeouts, 114 stolen bases, .321/.356/.587 slash, 165 wRC+, and 79.0 WAR. For his efforts and role in a championship, Almgren’s #3 uniform would later get retired. He would go onto consider Birmingham and England his second home, spending his retirement days alternating between there and his native Sweden.

Almgren was healthy in 2020 and had an impressive debut for the Dinos with a 1.013 OPS and 6.9 WAR. Dublin had been the dynasty of the early 2010s, but had fallen into the middle tier to end the decade. The Irish capital started a new dynasty run with the 2020s, taking the Northern Conference pennant in 2022 at 109-53. They’d be denied the European Championship by Zurich with Almgren faring surprisingly poorly in the playoffs with a .485 OPS and -0.3 WAR in 15 starts.

He didn’t fare much better in the Baseball Grand Championship with a .595 OPS, 85 wRC+, and 0.2 WAR as Dublin finished 8-11. Almgren’s regular season though had been impressive enough for the 37-year old to secure a two-year, $28,400,000 extension in the offseason. Almgren won his fourth Silver Slugger (and lone at first base) in 2021, leading the conference for the first time with 133 RBI. He also had his second 50+ dinger season, smacking 52.

The Dinos barely made the playoffs at 87-75, but still got to the conference final where they fell to 108-win Hamburg. In 2022, Dublin set a new franchise record at 116-46, avenging their conference finals loss in a rematch with the Hammers. The Dinos defeated Naples for an EBF record sixth European Championship ring. Almgren was mostly good in those playoff runs, although he stunk in the 2022 BGC to a .581 OPS. Still, Dublin placed third in the event at 12-7, one win behind both Kampala and Caracas.

In three years for Dublin, Almgren played 454 games with 514 hits, 272 runs, 80 doubles, 130 home runs, 351 RBI, .318/.346/.618 slash, 167 wRC+, and 19.6 WAR. At age 39, Almgren still was a highly touted free agent and signed a three-year, $53,400,000 deal with Manchester. His debut season was fraught with knee troubles though, only playing 83 games.

Almgren was healthy in 2024, but put up unremarkable numbers for the subpar Crushers with a .692 OPS and 0.4 WAR. He was actively bad in 2025 and quickly benched with only 35 games and a putrid -0.9 WAR. Overall for Manchester, Almgren played 268 games with a .267/.300/.411 slash, 94 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. He fell just short of 3000 career hits, but became the 19^th member of the 600 home run club and the 21^st to 1500 runs scored while with the Crushers. Almgren retired after the 2025 season at age 42.

In total, Almgren had 2800 games, 2935 hits, 1508 runs, 391 doubles, 61 triples, 633 home runs, 1830 RBI, 480 walks, 1313 strikeouts, 147 stolen bases, .315/.349/.575 slash, 158 wRC+, and 99.4 WAR. As of 2037, Almgren is 13^th in games played, 19^th in hits, 27^th in runs, 19^th in total bases (5347), 61^st in doubles, 17^th in home runs, 15^th in RBI, and 31^st in WAR among position players.

Almgren was one of the most consistent power bats of his era and depending on your definition probably straddles the borderline of the Hall of Fame’s inner circle. Not many guys have a European Championship ring with two different teams with Almgren playing an important role for both Birmingham and Dublin’s successes. He earned a first ballot nod at 90.4%, the fourth of five in the impressive 2031 class for the European Baseball Federation.

Horst Jahne – Starting Pitcher – Munich Mavericks – 77.8% First Ballot

Horst Jahne was a 6’4’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher Uslar, Germany; a town of around 14,000 in the center of the nation. Jahne had absolutely filthy stuff that some scouts graded as a 10/10 at his peak. He also had outstanding movement on his pitches with above average control. Jahne’s arsenal led to an extreme groundball tendency and a lot of strikeouts.

His fastball peaked in the 98-100 mph range, but Jahne’s most dangerous offerings were a similarly fast sinker and forkball. He also had a curveball and a changeup as options. The incredible effort needed for Jahne’s pitching meant he used up a lot of energy and didn’t go the distance nearly as often as most great aces. Despite that, he generally avoided major injuries despite having a relatively abrupt career. Jahne was also known for an impressive pickoff move and very good defense.

Jahne quickly dominated the amateur ranks in Germany, drawing plenty of attention ahead of the 2012 EBF Draft. He was picked 17^th overall by Munich, who gave him the rare long-term big money right off the bat with a six-year, $37,980,000 contract. Jahne spent all of 2013 in the developmental system, then only saw 44.1 innings in 2014 as he honed his stuff. The Mavericks made him a full-time starter from 2015 onward.

He became an instant success, posting his first of seven consecutive seasons with 250+ strikeouts and 5.5+ WAR. Jahne led the Southern Conference in strikeouts from 2016-18 with 303, 300, and 314. He was also the WARlord in 2017 (8.6) and in 2018 (11.1), taking second in 2018’s Pitcher of the Year voting. 2018 was Jahne’s career bests for WAR, wins (19-5), strikeouts, and FIP- (42).

Munich ended a seven-year playoff drought in 2018, taking the top seed at 104-58. The Mavericks won the pennant, falling in the European Championship to Birmingham. Unfortunately for Jahne, he missed the entire postseason due to rotator cuff inflammation in late September. After four straight years with a sub-three ERA, Jahne was above three in 2019 and 2020, leading some to worry that his 2018 was a one-off.

Jahne earned his Munich lore starting in 2020, helping start off a decade-long dynasty run. After missing the 2019 playoffs, the Mavericks won the pennant in 2020 as a 99-63 wild card. Munich defeated Dublin for their first European Championship since 1988 with Jahne posting a 2.43 ERA, 3-1 record, 37 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR over 29.2 playoff innings.

In the 2020 Baseball Grand Championship, Jahne had one of the best-ever performances in event history, although he shockingly wasn’t a Best Pitcher finalist. Perhaps he was hurt by Munich finishing 11-8 in a three-way tie for fourth. However, Jahne set the BGC record for WAR at 3.02 and as of 2037 is the only player to reach 3+ WAR. He won his four starts with two runs allowed over 35.1 innings for a 0.51 ERA with 55 strikeouts, nine hits, four walks, and two shutouts. Jahne also holds the BGC record for WHIP (0.37) among anyone with 21+ innings.

That effort earned him a three-year, $40,200,000 extension with Munich. The Mavericks repeated as European Champion with a 101-61 record, defeating Hamburg in the final. In the playoff run, Jahne had a 1.80 ERA and 3-0 record over 30 innings with 43 strikeouts and four walks. That season had his career best ERA at 2.01 and a career and conference best 0.86 WHIP. Jahne was also the WARlord for the third time (9.8), taking second again in Pitcher of the Year voting.

Jahne wasn’t as crazy dominant in the 2021 Baseball Grand Championship, but he was still excellent over 30 innings with a 2.40 ERA, 52 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR. Munich again finished 11-8, this time part of a five-way tie for fourth. The Mavericks improved their record to 107-55 in 2022, but were upset in the Southern Conference Championship by Naples. Jahne led in strikeouts for the fourth time that year with 295, although his playoff stats were merely solid with a 3.27 ERA and 28 Ks in 22 innings.

Now 31-years old, Jahne inked a six-year, $133,200,000 extension with Munich. Unfortunately, his velocity started to drop significantly even without a big injury. Jahne still had a solid 2023 with a 2.86 ERA, but his strikeouts fell noticeably to a career low 209. Jahne also got rocked in the playoffs, allowing 25 runs (22 earned) with a putrid 9.14 ERA over 21.2 innings. Munich won another conference title regardless, but lost to Dublin’s dynasty in the European Championship.

Jahne did still manage one last solid BGC performance in 2023 with a 2.54 ERA over 28.1 innings, although he only struck out 27 and walked 15. The Mavericks remained consistent, again going 11-8 in a three-way tie for fifth. Jahne’s career BGC stats had a 1.73 ERA and 7-4 record in 13 appearances with 134 strikeouts over 93.2 innings, 224 ERA+, 33 FIP-, and 5.4 WAR. As of 2037, Jahne ranks sixth in WAR among all pitchers in BGC history.

In 2023 though, Jahne had gone from a guy regularly hitting triple-digits to someone peaking in the 95-97 mph range. By 2024, his velocity had plummeted down to a 90-92 mph peak. His movement also fell off significantly, greatly limiting both his strikeouts and ground ball outs. In 2024, Jahne was relegated to a part-time role, struggling to a 4.68 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 134.2 innings.

In one relief appearance in the playoffs, he gave up three runs and got only one out. Munich finished 106-56, but was upset in the second round. That and Jahne’s abysmal 2023 postseason really tanked his career playoff numbers despite his great efforts early on. He finished with a 10-5 record, but a 4.08 ERA over 103.2 innings with 130 strikeouts, 24 walks, 95 ERA+, 65 FIP-, and 3.6 WAR.

Jahne looked no better in 2025 and was unable to reinvent himself at age 33, posting a 5.44 ERA over 43 innings of mostly relief. He wasn’t used in the playoffs as Munich fell in the conference final to Zurich. Jahne was still under that big contract in 2026, but never saw the field as he couldn’t even reach 90 mph anymore. He retired that winter just after his 35^th birthday with the Mavericks quickly honoring him and retiring his #10 uniform.

In total, Jahne had a 150-87 record, 2.86 ERA, 2268.2 innings, 2666 strikeouts, 497 walks, 205/286 quality starts, 24 complete games, 7 shutouts, 133 ERA+, 65 FIP-, and 70.4 WAR. His brief run keeps him out of the top 100 in most counting stats, although he’s still good for 49^th in pitching WAR as of 2037. Among pitchers with 1000+ innings, he ranks 45^th in K/9 at 10.58 and 84^th in opponent’s OPS at .621.

A few voters felt Jahne simply didn’t stick around long enough to deserve the Hall of Fame nod, but most felt his brief brilliance was plenty. The great playoff and BGC runs easily made up for the lack of an ERA title or Pitcher of the Year win. Jahne was a big reason Munich emerged as THE Southern Conference powerhouse of the 2020s. He earned 77.8% and was a fine capper for the loaded five-player 2031 class for the European Baseball Federation.

06-22-2025, 07:52 AM	#2285
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,279	2031 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 3) Johan Almgren – Third/First Base – Birmingham Bees – 90.4% First Ballot Johan Almgren was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed corner infielder from Tibro, Sweden; a town of 8,000 people. Almgren was a rock solid contact hitter with reliable home run power against both sides. He was better than most at avoiding strikeouts, but weaker than you’d expect at drawing walks. Almgren’s power was mostly focused on home runs with a 162 game average of 37 dingers, 23 doubles, and 4 triples. Almgren was a highly skilled baserunner and a deceptive thief despite having subpar speed. He made about 2/3 of his career starts at third base, primarily early in his career. Most of the remaining starts came at first base, especially later in his career. Almgren graded as a lousy defender at third, while merely being below average at first. Coaches were willing to sacrifice defense though for Almgren’s reliably strong bat. Part of his issue was coasting on his natural batting talent, while not caring enough to work on his glove. Almgren was criticized by coaches for a poor work ethic, weak adaptability, and lacking intelligence. His bat couldn’t be denied though and his durability was good enough to push Almgren to a 22-year career. In February 2000, a teenaged Almgren left Sweden for England on a developmental deal with Birmingham. He spent four full years in their academy before debuting in 2004 at age 20. Almgren saw use primarily as a pinch hitter in his first five seasons though with 450 games and only 80 starts. His 42 home runs and 5.5 WAR over that small sample size though made the Bees want to find a spot for Almgren somewhere in the lineup full-time. The coaches lamented EBF’s lack of a designated hitter. Almgren still earned a starting gig in 2009 and held it largely uninterrupted through 2018. 2009 was his first of seven seasons with 40+ home runs and his first of ten with 100+ RBI. Almgren won his first Silver Slugger in 2010, helping Birmingham end a 12-year playoff drought and start a four-year streak, although they fell in the second round as a wild card. In 2011, Almgren won his second Slugger and was second in MVP voting, leading the Northern Conference with 134 runs. He also had career highs in hits (207), home runs (58), RBI (141), wRC+ (202), and WAR (9.9). Birmingham finished 102-60 and beat Dublin for the division title, although the Dinos got their revenge in the Northern Conference Championship. Although defeated, Almgren was a beast in the playoff run with a 1.253 OPS and 1.1 WAR over 11 starts. With that, the Bees inked him to an eight-year, $92,800,000 extension the following March. Almgren was merely good in 2012 with closer to his 2010 production. In 2013, he was again second in MVP voting and won a Slugger thanks to a 48 home run, 9.8 WAR, 1.052 campaign. Birmingham had a first round exit in 2012 and second round defeat in 2013, both as wild cards thanks to Dublin’s continued dominance. Almgren was out of the awards conversations although still solid the next few years. The Bees were stuck in the mid-tier from 2014-17 with only a first round playoff exit in 2016. In 2018, Birmingham finished 91-71 and beat out Dublin by one game for the division title. The Bees went on a surprise run, ousting Frankfurt for the Northern Conference crown and upsetting Munich for the European Championship. It was the third title for Birmingham, who also did it in 1991 and 1994. Almgren’s playoff numbers were merely decent with a .785 OPS and 0.4 WAR over 17 starts. On the whole, he was a great playoff performer for the Bees over 45 starts with a .346/.360/.637 slash, 188 wRC+, 2.7 WAR, 14 home runs, 39 RBI, 63 hits, and 29 runs. Fans remember Almgren’s tear in the 2018 Baseball Grand Championship though, taking third in Tournament MVP voting with a .306/.354/.639 slash, 182 wRC+, 1.2 WAR, 22 hits, 17 runs, 7 home runs, and 11 RBI. Despite that, Birmingham finished in the middle at 9-10. Almgren had been established though as a solid hitter on the world state, having been a regular for his native Sweden in the World Baseball Championship. From 2007-23, Almgren played 161 games for the Swedish team with 162 hits, 83 runs, 35 doubles, 36 home runs, 86 RBI, .276/.330/.527 slash, and 6.3 WAR. He was especially potent in 2021, taking third in Tournament MVP voting as the Swedes finished fourth; their best effort since 1961. Almgren also helped Sweden earn division titles in both 2009 and 2018. Birmingham’s 2018 title was a one-and-done, as the Bees began a decade-plus playoff drought after that. In 2019, Almgren missed almost the entire second half to knee sprains. He was now in his mid 30s with one year left on his deal and a likely rebuild imminent. In the offseason, Birmingham traded Almgren surprisingly to their fierce rival Dublin for two prospects. In total with the Bees, Almgren played 2078 games with 2171 hits, 1125 runs, 282 doubles, 469 home runs, 1343 RBI, 363 walks, 947 strikeouts, 114 stolen bases, .321/.356/.587 slash, 165 wRC+, and 79.0 WAR. For his efforts and role in a championship, Almgren’s #3 uniform would later get retired. He would go onto consider Birmingham and England his second home, spending his retirement days alternating between there and his native Sweden. Almgren was healthy in 2020 and had an impressive debut for the Dinos with a 1.013 OPS and 6.9 WAR. Dublin had been the dynasty of the early 2010s, but had fallen into the middle tier to end the decade. The Irish capital started a new dynasty run with the 2020s, taking the Northern Conference pennant in 2022 at 109-53. They’d be denied the European Championship by Zurich with Almgren faring surprisingly poorly in the playoffs with a .485 OPS and -0.3 WAR in 15 starts. He didn’t fare much better in the Baseball Grand Championship with a .595 OPS, 85 wRC+, and 0.2 WAR as Dublin finished 8-11. Almgren’s regular season though had been impressive enough for the 37-year old to secure a two-year, $28,400,000 extension in the offseason. Almgren won his fourth Silver Slugger (and lone at first base) in 2021, leading the conference for the first time with 133 RBI. He also had his second 50+ dinger season, smacking 52. The Dinos barely made the playoffs at 87-75, but still got to the conference final where they fell to 108-win Hamburg. In 2022, Dublin set a new franchise record at 116-46, avenging their conference finals loss in a rematch with the Hammers. The Dinos defeated Naples for an EBF record sixth European Championship ring. Almgren was mostly good in those playoff runs, although he stunk in the 2022 BGC to a .581 OPS. Still, Dublin placed third in the event at 12-7, one win behind both Kampala and Caracas. In three years for Dublin, Almgren played 454 games with 514 hits, 272 runs, 80 doubles, 130 home runs, 351 RBI, .318/.346/.618 slash, 167 wRC+, and 19.6 WAR. At age 39, Almgren still was a highly touted free agent and signed a three-year, $53,400,000 deal with Manchester. His debut season was fraught with knee troubles though, only playing 83 games. Almgren was healthy in 2024, but put up unremarkable numbers for the subpar Crushers with a .692 OPS and 0.4 WAR. He was actively bad in 2025 and quickly benched with only 35 games and a putrid -0.9 WAR. Overall for Manchester, Almgren played 268 games with a .267/.300/.411 slash, 94 wRC+, and 0.9 WAR. He fell just short of 3000 career hits, but became the 19^th member of the 600 home run club and the 21^st to 1500 runs scored while with the Crushers. Almgren retired after the 2025 season at age 42. In total, Almgren had 2800 games, 2935 hits, 1508 runs, 391 doubles, 61 triples, 633 home runs, 1830 RBI, 480 walks, 1313 strikeouts, 147 stolen bases, .315/.349/.575 slash, 158 wRC+, and 99.4 WAR. As of 2037, Almgren is 13^th in games played, 19^th in hits, 27^th in runs, 19^th in total bases (5347), 61^st in doubles, 17^th in home runs, 15^th in RBI, and 31^st in WAR among position players. Almgren was one of the most consistent power bats of his era and depending on your definition probably straddles the borderline of the Hall of Fame’s inner circle. Not many guys have a European Championship ring with two different teams with Almgren playing an important role for both Birmingham and Dublin’s successes. He earned a first ballot nod at 90.4%, the fourth of five in the impressive 2031 class for the European Baseball Federation. Horst Jahne – Starting Pitcher – Munich Mavericks – 77.8% First Ballot Horst Jahne was a 6’4’’, 195 pound right-handed pitcher Uslar, Germany; a town of around 14,000 in the center of the nation. Jahne had absolutely filthy stuff that some scouts graded as a 10/10 at his peak. He also had outstanding movement on his pitches with above average control. Jahne’s arsenal led to an extreme groundball tendency and a lot of strikeouts. His fastball peaked in the 98-100 mph range, but Jahne’s most dangerous offerings were a similarly fast sinker and forkball. He also had a curveball and a changeup as options. The incredible effort needed for Jahne’s pitching meant he used up a lot of energy and didn’t go the distance nearly as often as most great aces. Despite that, he generally avoided major injuries despite having a relatively abrupt career. Jahne was also known for an impressive pickoff move and very good defense. Jahne quickly dominated the amateur ranks in Germany, drawing plenty of attention ahead of the 2012 EBF Draft. He was picked 17^th overall by Munich, who gave him the rare long-term big money right off the bat with a six-year, $37,980,000 contract. Jahne spent all of 2013 in the developmental system, then only saw 44.1 innings in 2014 as he honed his stuff. The Mavericks made him a full-time starter from 2015 onward. He became an instant success, posting his first of seven consecutive seasons with 250+ strikeouts and 5.5+ WAR. Jahne led the Southern Conference in strikeouts from 2016-18 with 303, 300, and 314. He was also the WARlord in 2017 (8.6) and in 2018 (11.1), taking second in 2018’s Pitcher of the Year voting. 2018 was Jahne’s career bests for WAR, wins (19-5), strikeouts, and FIP- (42). Munich ended a seven-year playoff drought in 2018, taking the top seed at 104-58. The Mavericks won the pennant, falling in the European Championship to Birmingham. Unfortunately for Jahne, he missed the entire postseason due to rotator cuff inflammation in late September. After four straight years with a sub-three ERA, Jahne was above three in 2019 and 2020, leading some to worry that his 2018 was a one-off. Jahne earned his Munich lore starting in 2020, helping start off a decade-long dynasty run. After missing the 2019 playoffs, the Mavericks won the pennant in 2020 as a 99-63 wild card. Munich defeated Dublin for their first European Championship since 1988 with Jahne posting a 2.43 ERA, 3-1 record, 37 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR over 29.2 playoff innings. In the 2020 Baseball Grand Championship, Jahne had one of the best-ever performances in event history, although he shockingly wasn’t a Best Pitcher finalist. Perhaps he was hurt by Munich finishing 11-8 in a three-way tie for fourth. However, Jahne set the BGC record for WAR at 3.02 and as of 2037 is the only player to reach 3+ WAR. He won his four starts with two runs allowed over 35.1 innings for a 0.51 ERA with 55 strikeouts, nine hits, four walks, and two shutouts. Jahne also holds the BGC record for WHIP (0.37) among anyone with 21+ innings. That effort earned him a three-year, $40,200,000 extension with Munich. The Mavericks repeated as European Champion with a 101-61 record, defeating Hamburg in the final. In the playoff run, Jahne had a 1.80 ERA and 3-0 record over 30 innings with 43 strikeouts and four walks. That season had his career best ERA at 2.01 and a career and conference best 0.86 WHIP. Jahne was also the WARlord for the third time (9.8), taking second again in Pitcher of the Year voting. Jahne wasn’t as crazy dominant in the 2021 Baseball Grand Championship, but he was still excellent over 30 innings with a 2.40 ERA, 52 strikeouts, and 1.7 WAR. Munich again finished 11-8, this time part of a five-way tie for fourth. The Mavericks improved their record to 107-55 in 2022, but were upset in the Southern Conference Championship by Naples. Jahne led in strikeouts for the fourth time that year with 295, although his playoff stats were merely solid with a 3.27 ERA and 28 Ks in 22 innings. Now 31-years old, Jahne inked a six-year, $133,200,000 extension with Munich. Unfortunately, his velocity started to drop significantly even without a big injury. Jahne still had a solid 2023 with a 2.86 ERA, but his strikeouts fell noticeably to a career low 209. Jahne also got rocked in the playoffs, allowing 25 runs (22 earned) with a putrid 9.14 ERA over 21.2 innings. Munich won another conference title regardless, but lost to Dublin’s dynasty in the European Championship. Jahne did still manage one last solid BGC performance in 2023 with a 2.54 ERA over 28.1 innings, although he only struck out 27 and walked 15. The Mavericks remained consistent, again going 11-8 in a three-way tie for fifth. Jahne’s career BGC stats had a 1.73 ERA and 7-4 record in 13 appearances with 134 strikeouts over 93.2 innings, 224 ERA+, 33 FIP-, and 5.4 WAR. As of 2037, Jahne ranks sixth in WAR among all pitchers in BGC history. In 2023 though, Jahne had gone from a guy regularly hitting triple-digits to someone peaking in the 95-97 mph range. By 2024, his velocity had plummeted down to a 90-92 mph peak. His movement also fell off significantly, greatly limiting both his strikeouts and ground ball outs. In 2024, Jahne was relegated to a part-time role, struggling to a 4.68 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 134.2 innings. In one relief appearance in the playoffs, he gave up three runs and got only one out. Munich finished 106-56, but was upset in the second round. That and Jahne’s abysmal 2023 postseason really tanked his career playoff numbers despite his great efforts early on. He finished with a 10-5 record, but a 4.08 ERA over 103.2 innings with 130 strikeouts, 24 walks, 95 ERA+, 65 FIP-, and 3.6 WAR. Jahne looked no better in 2025 and was unable to reinvent himself at age 33, posting a 5.44 ERA over 43 innings of mostly relief. He wasn’t used in the playoffs as Munich fell in the conference final to Zurich. Jahne was still under that big contract in 2026, but never saw the field as he couldn’t even reach 90 mph anymore. He retired that winter just after his 35^th birthday with the Mavericks quickly honoring him and retiring his #10 uniform. In total, Jahne had a 150-87 record, 2.86 ERA, 2268.2 innings, 2666 strikeouts, 497 walks, 205/286 quality starts, 24 complete games, 7 shutouts, 133 ERA+, 65 FIP-, and 70.4 WAR. His brief run keeps him out of the top 100 in most counting stats, although he’s still good for 49^th in pitching WAR as of 2037. Among pitchers with 1000+ innings, he ranks 45^th in K/9 at 10.58 and 84^th in opponent’s OPS at .621. A few voters felt Jahne simply didn’t stick around long enough to deserve the Hall of Fame nod, but most felt his brief brilliance was plenty. The great playoff and BGC runs easily made up for the lack of an ERA title or Pitcher of the Year win. Jahne was a big reason Munich emerged as THE Southern Conference powerhouse of the 2020s. He earned 77.8% and was a fine capper for the loaded five-player 2031 class for the European Baseball Federation. __________________ 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)