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FuzzyRussianHat · 06-23-2025, 09:37 AM

Eurasian Professional Baseball had two rock solid first ballot inductees for their 2031 Hall of Fame class. OF Evgeny Kiselev led the way with a nearly unanimous 99.4% and was joined by SP Dzimtry Poldnikov at 83.3%. 1B Sergei Stoev and 3B Tayyar Abdualiyev both had nice debuts at 59.6% and 54.9% respectively, but fell short of the 66% requirement. Three returners were above 50% with 1B Roman Stanchinsky at 54.3% on his fourth ballot, 3B Vladyslav Chychykov at 52.5% for his fourth try, and SP Yuri Sabitov with 51.9% for his sixth attempt.

Dropped after ten failed ballots was 2B Elemer Papp, who peaked at 47.8% in 2030 and finished at a low of 30.9%. He was hurt by playing most of the second half of his career in either MLB or WAB, but his prime run with Volgograd was excellent. In a decade, Papp won six Silver Sluggers and one MVP. In EPB, Papp had 1535 games, 1588 hits, 829 runs, 248 doubles, 340 home runs, 800 RBI, .275/.337/.502 slash, 161 wRC+, and 53.7 WAR.

Papp certainly seemed to be on pace and played until age 42, but his MLB excursion was largely subpar mostly as a backup. He had a solid return to EPB in 2016 with Omsk, then had two good years in West Africa before finishing in MLB. Papp’s grand totals across pro baseball was 2465 games, 2366 hits, 1275 runs, 390 doubles, 516 home runs, 1265 RBI, .270/.333/.497 slash, 147 wRC+, and 67.6 WAR. That could have been enough if all in one league, but the split second half confined Papp to the Hall of Pretty Good.

Evgeny Kiselev – Left/Right Field – Kazan Crusaders – 99.4% First Ballot

Evgeny Kiselev was a 6’3’’, 195 pound right-handed outfielder from the capital of Russia, Moscow. Kiselev was a well-rounded bat with good-to-great talents across the board against both sides. He was an especially solid contact hitter with a reliable pop in his bat, posting 30 doubles, 4 triples, and 32 home runs per his 162 game average. Kiselev was above average at drawing walks and at avoiding strikeouts relative to his peers.

Although he got a good number of extra base hits, Kiselev wouldn’t get many with his legs due to poor speed and baserunning instincts. He played right field some in his early years before moving to left for the rest of his run. The range issues meant Kiselev graded as a lackluster defender overall, but you could definitely do worse. He made around 60% of his starts in LF and had close to 25% of his starts as a designated hitter.

His durability was mostly good over a 20-year run. Perhaps most importantly, Kiselev had a very high character and was known for strong leadership, loyalty, and an impressive work ethic. With that, he emerged as one of the most universally beloved Russian players of his era. When you’re a high level amateur in a city like Moscow, you’ll get plenty of suitors. Kazan ultimately won the day, inking Kiselev in October 2002 to a developmental contract.

Little did anyone know that he’d eventually play all 2693 games of his professional career with the Crusaders. Kiselev spent almost all of four years in Kazan’s academy, apart from two pinch-hit at-bats in 2006 at age 21. Kiselev debuted with 135 games and 117 starts in 2007, earning Rookie of the Year honors and leading the European League in doubles (44), batting average (.331), OBP (.348), OPS (.886), and wRC+ (178).

Kiselev started every game in 2008 at DH and won a Silver Slugger while taking third in MVP voting, leading in hits (219), average (.354), and OBP (.399). In 2010, Kiselev won MVP and his lone Slugger in RF with his third batting title. He led the triple slash (.344/.400/.615) and OPS (1.015), along with his first WARlord title (9.0) and his second time leading in hits (201).

Kazan had been just above .500 for a few years, but earned a wild card in 2010 at 99-63 before ultimately falling to Moscow in the European League Championship Series. Kiselev was on a similar pace in 2011, but lost some tallies with a forearm strain in the spring. The Crusaders fell one game short of the playoffs to eventual EPB champ Minsk. Still, Kazan felt compelled to lock up Kiselev and gave him an eight-year, $54,700,000 extension the following spring.

They were rewarded immediately as he won 2012 MVP honors and a Silver Slugger as a DH. Kiselev led in homers for the only time in his career with 44 and posted both league and career bests in runs (109), hits (221), and WAR (10.9). He also had his career best triple slash of .358/.407/.650 and a 1.057 OPS, but was denied a triple crown thanks to a league record season by Yuriy Isakov of .410/.476/.697. Kazan led the EL standings at 100-62, but was upset by Rostov in the ELCS.

The Crusaders took second in 2013, but again were ousted by Rostov in the ELCS. Kiselev’s career playoff numbers were merely decent over 18 starts with 13 hits, 11 runs, 3 doubles, 5 home runs, 11 RBI, .200/.293/.477 slash, 125 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR. He’d never play in the postseason after 2013. Kazan was rarely outright awful for the rest of Kiselev’s career, but wouldn’t get beyond the mid-tier again.

Kiselev did play on the world stage at points for Russia in the World Baseball Championship. His results were decent from 2008-19 with 80 games, 68 starts, 60 hits, 28 runs, 10 doubles, 17 home runs, 37 RBI, .233/.307/.471 slash, 119 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. Still, Kiselev emerged as one of the most universally respected and appreciated figures in Russian baseball over the rest of his career.

In 2014, Kiselev was third in MVP voting on an 8.1 WAR, .940 OPS campaign. In 2015, he managed to win a Gold Glove in left field despite generally grading as a weaker defender in his career. Kiselev opted out of his contract after the 2017 season, but signed a new five-year, $61,500,000 deal to remain with Kazan. 2018 was his final awards season, winning a Silver Slugger with a second place in MVP voting. Kiselev led in runs, RBI, total bases, and slugging that year.

Kiselev was never outstanding again after that, but he remained a consistently solid starter and presence through his late 30s for Kazan. He signed another three year, $18,400,000 extension after the 2021 campaign. In 2023, Kiselev became the 9^th in EPB history to reach 1500 career RBI. In 2024, he became the 20^th member of the 500 home run club.

With his consistency, it looked like Kiselev had a shot to become EPB’s all-time hits king as well. Igor Urban had been the only EPB player to crack the 3000 club to that point, retiring with 3044 in 2002. Kiselev’s production had dipped in his later years, but he entered 2025 with 2994 hits. Unfortunately, his bat weakened further and Kiselev only saw 30 games and 21 starts. He did crack the 3000 mark, but fell 31 hits short of Urban. Kiselev retired that winter shortly after his 41^st birthday and immediately had his #2 uniform retired by the Crusaders.

Kiselev finished with 2693 games, 3013 hits, 1368 runs, 505 doubles, 71 triples, 530 home runs, 1584 RBI, 760 walks, 1527 strikeouts, .300/.351/.524 slash, 162 wRC+, and 105.1 WAR. As of 2037, Kiselev is 21^st in games, 3^rd in hits, 12^th in runs, 7^th in total bases (5250), 7^th in singles (1907), 4^th in doubles, 21^st in homers, 8^th in RBI, 53^rd in walks, and 10^th in WAR among position players.

Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances in EPB, Kiselev is one of only 39 to maintain a batting average above .300. He also ranks 43^rd in OBP, 38^th in slugging, and his .875 OPS ranks 28^th. Kiselev was one of the most consistently reliable bats in EPB history, although Kazan’s lack of big team success often lowers his spot in the all-time rankings. Still, Kiselev is generally considered an inner-circle Hall of Famer and earned a near unanimous 99.4% to captain the 2031 class for Eurasian Professional Baseball.

Dzmitry Poldnikov – Starting Pitcher – Rostov Rhinos – 83.3% First Ballot

Dzmitry Poldnikov was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Kirzhach, Russia; a town of around 30,000 people in the Vladimir Oblast. Poldnikov wasn’t amazing at any one skill, but was considered consistently above average to good in terms of stuff, movement, and control. His velocity peaked in the 96-98 mph range with an arsenal of fastball, slider, knuckle curve, and changeup.

Poldnikov’s stamina was consistently strong and his durability was outstanding, tossing 235+ innings in all 14 years in the rotation. Perhaps his biggest flaw was struggling to hold runners, although he was a decent defensive pitcher otherwise. Although he grew up in a smaller town, Poldnikov’s brief college career earned him attention ahead of the 2009 EPB Draft. He was picked 10^th overall by Rostov, although he’d spend most of two years in their academy honing his craft.

After three poor relief outings in 2011, Poldnikov earned a full-time rotation spot in 2012 at age 22. He was a staple for the Rhinos for seven seasons, leading the European League twice in wins and once in innings, quality starts, and complete games. Although he didn’t have the overwhelming strikeout dominance of some other aces, Poldnikov earned second in 2013’s Pitcher of the Year voting and third in 2014.

Poldnikov played a big role in Rostov’s first-ever team success and a dynasty run. The Rhinos were a 2000 expansion team, but didn’t post a winning season in 2011. From 2012-14, they won three straight European League titles. Rostov was denied by Yekaterinburg in the 2012 EPB Championship. Then in 2013, they became the first expansion team to win it all with the 103-59 Rhinos defeating Ulaanbaatar in the final. In 2014, Rostov at 102-60 was ousted in the finale by Omsk.

Rostov made it back to the ELCS in 2015-16, but lost both years to Moscow. Poldnikov was an impressive playoff pitcher for the Rhinos over 97.2 innings with a 1.94 ERA, 8-3 record, 84 strikeouts, 9 walks, 167 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 2.4 WAR. He had a respectable outing in the 2013 Baseball Grand Championship with a 3.41 ERA over 34.1 innings, 2-3 record, 33 strikeouts, and 110 ERA+. Rostov finished 8-11 in the event.

With the Rhinos, Poldnikov had a 115-73 record, 3.11 ERA, 1803.2 innings, 1612 strikeouts, 305 walks, 91 complete games, 104 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 36.9 WAR. Although the run was brief, Poldnikov was a key ace in Rostov’s only pennant wins as of 2037. The Rhinos would later retire his #1 uniform and he’d be the first Hall of Fame inductee in Rostov red and black. The team’s success was fleeting, falling to 76-86 in 2017. They hovered around .500 the next two seasons before ending up a consistent loser for the 2020s.

Poldnikov still had a few years left under team control, but Rostov was in full sell mode after the 2018 season. They traded Poldnikov to Moscow in the offseason for two prospects, neither of which ever made the Show. Poldnikov maintained his consistent steady production with the Mules four seasons, although he wasn’t in awards conversations. With Moscow, Poldnikov had a 58-48 record, 2.66 ERA, 1011.2 innings, 993 strikeouts, 164 walks, 123 ERA+, 77 FIP-, and 24.5 WAR.

The Mules earned playoff berths from 2019-21 and won the EL pennant in 2019 and 2021. Moscow would be denied the EPB Championship by Chelyabinsk in 2019 and Perm in 2021. Poldnikov’s playoff stats were underwhelming while in the capital with a 3.86 ERA over 35 innings, 36 strikeouts, 6 walks, 86 ERA+, and 0.6 WAR. Still, it was definitely a positive acquisition that bolstered the rotation for Moscow.

Poldnikov finally reached free agency for the 2023 season at age 33 and signed a five-year, $54,100,000 deal with Omsk. The Otters were the defending EPB champ, having made a surprise run to the title as a 86-76 wild card. Poldnikov was his usual self in 2023 with a 2.79 ERA, 257.2 innings, 239 strikeouts, and 5.1 WAR. However, the Otters struggled to 70-92 as their offseason spending didn’t pay off. After one year, Omsk traded Poldnikov to St. Petersburg straight up for OF Vadims Pastaris. He would start seven seasons for the Otters, although he was most notable for leading the league in strikeouts thrice.

The Polar Bears were in a position to contend and Poldnikov had a fine debut season in 2024 with a 2.89 ERA over 277.1 innings, 252 strikeouts, and 5.7 WAR. St. Petersburg won a division title, but was upset in the first round by Nizhny Novgorod with Poldnikov allowing four runs over 7.1 innings in his lone playoff start.

2025 was Poldnikov’s weakest season by WAR at 2.2, although he still ate 271 innings with a 3.09 ERA and 210 strikeouts. He had two quality playoff starts with a 1.65 ERA in 16.1 innings as St. Petersburg lost to Moscow in the ELCS. On the whole, Poldnikov was a rock solid playoff pitcher with a 12-6 record over 156.1 innings, 2.48 ERA, 141 strikeouts, 21 walks, 130 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 3.8 WAR.

In two seasons for St. Petersburg, Poldnikov had a 29-29 record, 2.99 ERA, 548.1 innings, 462 strikeouts, 84 walks, 101 ERA+, 97 FIP-, and 7.9 WAR. He had been close to league average in 2025 and didn’t wish to overstay his welcome, although Poldnikov was still in solid physical health. He opted to retire after the 2025 season, making the announcement shortly after his 36^th birthday.

Poldnikov ended with a 212-166 record, 2.95 ERA, 3621.1 innings, 3306 strikeouts, 592 walks, 298/430 quality starts, 192 complete games, 29 shutouts, 109 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 74.4 WAR. As of 2037, Poldnikov ranks 50^th in wins, 65^th in losses, 40^th in innings, 82^nd in strikeouts, 37^th in complete games, and 73^rd in WAR among pitchers.

He didn’t have the raw dominance to be considered THE guy in his prime or an inner-circle level inductee. However, Poldnikov remarkable consistency won over many voters. His role in Rostov’s first sustained success and five pennants between there and Moscow put him over the top for most other doubters. At 83.3%, Poldnikov was a first ballot selection as part of a two-player 2031 class for Eurasian Professional Baseball.

06-23-2025, 09:37 AM	#2286
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 2,893	2031 EPB Hall of Fame Eurasian Professional Baseball had two rock solid first ballot inductees for their 2031 Hall of Fame class. OF Evgeny Kiselev led the way with a nearly unanimous 99.4% and was joined by SP Dzimtry Poldnikov at 83.3%. 1B Sergei Stoev and 3B Tayyar Abdualiyev both had nice debuts at 59.6% and 54.9% respectively, but fell short of the 66% requirement. Three returners were above 50% with 1B Roman Stanchinsky at 54.3% on his fourth ballot, 3B Vladyslav Chychykov at 52.5% for his fourth try, and SP Yuri Sabitov with 51.9% for his sixth attempt. Dropped after ten failed ballots was 2B Elemer Papp, who peaked at 47.8% in 2030 and finished at a low of 30.9%. He was hurt by playing most of the second half of his career in either MLB or WAB, but his prime run with Volgograd was excellent. In a decade, Papp won six Silver Sluggers and one MVP. In EPB, Papp had 1535 games, 1588 hits, 829 runs, 248 doubles, 340 home runs, 800 RBI, .275/.337/.502 slash, 161 wRC+, and 53.7 WAR. Papp certainly seemed to be on pace and played until age 42, but his MLB excursion was largely subpar mostly as a backup. He had a solid return to EPB in 2016 with Omsk, then had two good years in West Africa before finishing in MLB. Papp’s grand totals across pro baseball was 2465 games, 2366 hits, 1275 runs, 390 doubles, 516 home runs, 1265 RBI, .270/.333/.497 slash, 147 wRC+, and 67.6 WAR. That could have been enough if all in one league, but the split second half confined Papp to the Hall of Pretty Good. Evgeny Kiselev – Left/Right Field – Kazan Crusaders – 99.4% First Ballot Evgeny Kiselev was a 6’3’’, 195 pound right-handed outfielder from the capital of Russia, Moscow. Kiselev was a well-rounded bat with good-to-great talents across the board against both sides. He was an especially solid contact hitter with a reliable pop in his bat, posting 30 doubles, 4 triples, and 32 home runs per his 162 game average. Kiselev was above average at drawing walks and at avoiding strikeouts relative to his peers. Although he got a good number of extra base hits, Kiselev wouldn’t get many with his legs due to poor speed and baserunning instincts. He played right field some in his early years before moving to left for the rest of his run. The range issues meant Kiselev graded as a lackluster defender overall, but you could definitely do worse. He made around 60% of his starts in LF and had close to 25% of his starts as a designated hitter. His durability was mostly good over a 20-year run. Perhaps most importantly, Kiselev had a very high character and was known for strong leadership, loyalty, and an impressive work ethic. With that, he emerged as one of the most universally beloved Russian players of his era. When you’re a high level amateur in a city like Moscow, you’ll get plenty of suitors. Kazan ultimately won the day, inking Kiselev in October 2002 to a developmental contract. Little did anyone know that he’d eventually play all 2693 games of his professional career with the Crusaders. Kiselev spent almost all of four years in Kazan’s academy, apart from two pinch-hit at-bats in 2006 at age 21. Kiselev debuted with 135 games and 117 starts in 2007, earning Rookie of the Year honors and leading the European League in doubles (44), batting average (.331), OBP (.348), OPS (.886), and wRC+ (178). Kiselev started every game in 2008 at DH and won a Silver Slugger while taking third in MVP voting, leading in hits (219), average (.354), and OBP (.399). In 2010, Kiselev won MVP and his lone Slugger in RF with his third batting title. He led the triple slash (.344/.400/.615) and OPS (1.015), along with his first WARlord title (9.0) and his second time leading in hits (201). Kazan had been just above .500 for a few years, but earned a wild card in 2010 at 99-63 before ultimately falling to Moscow in the European League Championship Series. Kiselev was on a similar pace in 2011, but lost some tallies with a forearm strain in the spring. The Crusaders fell one game short of the playoffs to eventual EPB champ Minsk. Still, Kazan felt compelled to lock up Kiselev and gave him an eight-year, $54,700,000 extension the following spring. They were rewarded immediately as he won 2012 MVP honors and a Silver Slugger as a DH. Kiselev led in homers for the only time in his career with 44 and posted both league and career bests in runs (109), hits (221), and WAR (10.9). He also had his career best triple slash of .358/.407/.650 and a 1.057 OPS, but was denied a triple crown thanks to a league record season by Yuriy Isakov of .410/.476/.697. Kazan led the EL standings at 100-62, but was upset by Rostov in the ELCS. The Crusaders took second in 2013, but again were ousted by Rostov in the ELCS. Kiselev’s career playoff numbers were merely decent over 18 starts with 13 hits, 11 runs, 3 doubles, 5 home runs, 11 RBI, .200/.293/.477 slash, 125 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR. He’d never play in the postseason after 2013. Kazan was rarely outright awful for the rest of Kiselev’s career, but wouldn’t get beyond the mid-tier again. Kiselev did play on the world stage at points for Russia in the World Baseball Championship. His results were decent from 2008-19 with 80 games, 68 starts, 60 hits, 28 runs, 10 doubles, 17 home runs, 37 RBI, .233/.307/.471 slash, 119 wRC+, and 1.7 WAR. Still, Kiselev emerged as one of the most universally respected and appreciated figures in Russian baseball over the rest of his career. In 2014, Kiselev was third in MVP voting on an 8.1 WAR, .940 OPS campaign. In 2015, he managed to win a Gold Glove in left field despite generally grading as a weaker defender in his career. Kiselev opted out of his contract after the 2017 season, but signed a new five-year, $61,500,000 deal to remain with Kazan. 2018 was his final awards season, winning a Silver Slugger with a second place in MVP voting. Kiselev led in runs, RBI, total bases, and slugging that year. Kiselev was never outstanding again after that, but he remained a consistently solid starter and presence through his late 30s for Kazan. He signed another three year, $18,400,000 extension after the 2021 campaign. In 2023, Kiselev became the 9^th in EPB history to reach 1500 career RBI. In 2024, he became the 20^th member of the 500 home run club. With his consistency, it looked like Kiselev had a shot to become EPB’s all-time hits king as well. Igor Urban had been the only EPB player to crack the 3000 club to that point, retiring with 3044 in 2002. Kiselev’s production had dipped in his later years, but he entered 2025 with 2994 hits. Unfortunately, his bat weakened further and Kiselev only saw 30 games and 21 starts. He did crack the 3000 mark, but fell 31 hits short of Urban. Kiselev retired that winter shortly after his 41^st birthday and immediately had his #2 uniform retired by the Crusaders. Kiselev finished with 2693 games, 3013 hits, 1368 runs, 505 doubles, 71 triples, 530 home runs, 1584 RBI, 760 walks, 1527 strikeouts, .300/.351/.524 slash, 162 wRC+, and 105.1 WAR. As of 2037, Kiselev is 21^st in games, 3^rd in hits, 12^th in runs, 7^th in total bases (5250), 7^th in singles (1907), 4^th in doubles, 21^st in homers, 8^th in RBI, 53^rd in walks, and 10^th in WAR among position players. Among batters with 3000+ plate appearances in EPB, Kiselev is one of only 39 to maintain a batting average above .300. He also ranks 43^rd in OBP, 38^th in slugging, and his .875 OPS ranks 28^th. Kiselev was one of the most consistently reliable bats in EPB history, although Kazan’s lack of big team success often lowers his spot in the all-time rankings. Still, Kiselev is generally considered an inner-circle Hall of Famer and earned a near unanimous 99.4% to captain the 2031 class for Eurasian Professional Baseball. Dzmitry Poldnikov – Starting Pitcher – Rostov Rhinos – 83.3% First Ballot Dzmitry Poldnikov was a 6’0’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Kirzhach, Russia; a town of around 30,000 people in the Vladimir Oblast. Poldnikov wasn’t amazing at any one skill, but was considered consistently above average to good in terms of stuff, movement, and control. His velocity peaked in the 96-98 mph range with an arsenal of fastball, slider, knuckle curve, and changeup. Poldnikov’s stamina was consistently strong and his durability was outstanding, tossing 235+ innings in all 14 years in the rotation. Perhaps his biggest flaw was struggling to hold runners, although he was a decent defensive pitcher otherwise. Although he grew up in a smaller town, Poldnikov’s brief college career earned him attention ahead of the 2009 EPB Draft. He was picked 10^th overall by Rostov, although he’d spend most of two years in their academy honing his craft. After three poor relief outings in 2011, Poldnikov earned a full-time rotation spot in 2012 at age 22. He was a staple for the Rhinos for seven seasons, leading the European League twice in wins and once in innings, quality starts, and complete games. Although he didn’t have the overwhelming strikeout dominance of some other aces, Poldnikov earned second in 2013’s Pitcher of the Year voting and third in 2014. Poldnikov played a big role in Rostov’s first-ever team success and a dynasty run. The Rhinos were a 2000 expansion team, but didn’t post a winning season in 2011. From 2012-14, they won three straight European League titles. Rostov was denied by Yekaterinburg in the 2012 EPB Championship. Then in 2013, they became the first expansion team to win it all with the 103-59 Rhinos defeating Ulaanbaatar in the final. In 2014, Rostov at 102-60 was ousted in the finale by Omsk. Rostov made it back to the ELCS in 2015-16, but lost both years to Moscow. Poldnikov was an impressive playoff pitcher for the Rhinos over 97.2 innings with a 1.94 ERA, 8-3 record, 84 strikeouts, 9 walks, 167 ERA+, 80 FIP-, and 2.4 WAR. He had a respectable outing in the 2013 Baseball Grand Championship with a 3.41 ERA over 34.1 innings, 2-3 record, 33 strikeouts, and 110 ERA+. Rostov finished 8-11 in the event. With the Rhinos, Poldnikov had a 115-73 record, 3.11 ERA, 1803.2 innings, 1612 strikeouts, 305 walks, 91 complete games, 104 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 36.9 WAR. Although the run was brief, Poldnikov was a key ace in Rostov’s only pennant wins as of 2037. The Rhinos would later retire his #1 uniform and he’d be the first Hall of Fame inductee in Rostov red and black. The team’s success was fleeting, falling to 76-86 in 2017. They hovered around .500 the next two seasons before ending up a consistent loser for the 2020s. Poldnikov still had a few years left under team control, but Rostov was in full sell mode after the 2018 season. They traded Poldnikov to Moscow in the offseason for two prospects, neither of which ever made the Show. Poldnikov maintained his consistent steady production with the Mules four seasons, although he wasn’t in awards conversations. With Moscow, Poldnikov had a 58-48 record, 2.66 ERA, 1011.2 innings, 993 strikeouts, 164 walks, 123 ERA+, 77 FIP-, and 24.5 WAR. The Mules earned playoff berths from 2019-21 and won the EL pennant in 2019 and 2021. Moscow would be denied the EPB Championship by Chelyabinsk in 2019 and Perm in 2021. Poldnikov’s playoff stats were underwhelming while in the capital with a 3.86 ERA over 35 innings, 36 strikeouts, 6 walks, 86 ERA+, and 0.6 WAR. Still, it was definitely a positive acquisition that bolstered the rotation for Moscow. Poldnikov finally reached free agency for the 2023 season at age 33 and signed a five-year, $54,100,000 deal with Omsk. The Otters were the defending EPB champ, having made a surprise run to the title as a 86-76 wild card. Poldnikov was his usual self in 2023 with a 2.79 ERA, 257.2 innings, 239 strikeouts, and 5.1 WAR. However, the Otters struggled to 70-92 as their offseason spending didn’t pay off. After one year, Omsk traded Poldnikov to St. Petersburg straight up for OF Vadims Pastaris. He would start seven seasons for the Otters, although he was most notable for leading the league in strikeouts thrice. The Polar Bears were in a position to contend and Poldnikov had a fine debut season in 2024 with a 2.89 ERA over 277.1 innings, 252 strikeouts, and 5.7 WAR. St. Petersburg won a division title, but was upset in the first round by Nizhny Novgorod with Poldnikov allowing four runs over 7.1 innings in his lone playoff start. 2025 was Poldnikov’s weakest season by WAR at 2.2, although he still ate 271 innings with a 3.09 ERA and 210 strikeouts. He had two quality playoff starts with a 1.65 ERA in 16.1 innings as St. Petersburg lost to Moscow in the ELCS. On the whole, Poldnikov was a rock solid playoff pitcher with a 12-6 record over 156.1 innings, 2.48 ERA, 141 strikeouts, 21 walks, 130 ERA+, 79 FIP-, and 3.8 WAR. In two seasons for St. Petersburg, Poldnikov had a 29-29 record, 2.99 ERA, 548.1 innings, 462 strikeouts, 84 walks, 101 ERA+, 97 FIP-, and 7.9 WAR. He had been close to league average in 2025 and didn’t wish to overstay his welcome, although Poldnikov was still in solid physical health. He opted to retire after the 2025 season, making the announcement shortly after his 36^th birthday. Poldnikov ended with a 212-166 record, 2.95 ERA, 3621.1 innings, 3306 strikeouts, 592 walks, 298/430 quality starts, 192 complete games, 29 shutouts, 109 ERA+, 84 FIP-, and 74.4 WAR. As of 2037, Poldnikov ranks 50^th in wins, 65^th in losses, 40^th in innings, 82^nd in strikeouts, 37^th in complete games, and 73^rd in WAR among pitchers. He didn’t have the raw dominance to be considered THE guy in his prime or an inner-circle level inductee. However, Poldnikov remarkable consistency won over many voters. His role in Rostov’s first sustained success and five pennants between there and Moscow put him over the top for most other doubters. At 83.3%, Poldnikov was a first ballot selection as part of a two-player 2031 class for Eurasian Professional Baseball. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)