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FuzzyRussianHat · 07-16-2025, 04:33 PM

Chinese League Baseball nearly had a blank Hall of Fame ballot for 2032 with the best debut getting only 42.0%. On his third try, Bozhao Zhu sneaked across the 66% requirement at 66.9% as the lone inductee for 2032. 1B Xugang Zheng was next closest with 59.4% on his fifth ballot. RF Boyu Long had 58.0% on his third try and two-way player Likong Zhong saw 52.0% on his fourth go.

1B Yun Chang was the lone player dropped after ten ballots, peaking with a 37.5% debut and ending at 6.6%. He won two Silver Sluggers over 13 seasons with Shenzhen, getting 1887 hits, 827 runs, 283 doubles, 356 home runs, 927 RBI, 590 walks, .279/.338/.485 slash, 179 wRC+, and 80.2 WAR. Chang ranks 55^th in WAR among position players as of 2037, but he didn’t have the longevity or black ink to stand out more on the ballot. Chang also played four seasons in Europe with Dublin and might have made CLB’s HOF with those added totals. He goes down as a solid Hall of Pretty Good option.

Bozhao “Bumblebee” Zhu – First Base – Hong Kong Champions – 66.9% Third Ballot

Bozhao Zhu was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed first baseman from Jishu, a city of 409,000 people in Central China’s Hunan Province. Nicknamed “Bumblebee,” Zhu was one of the better home run hitters in the very low scoring world of Chinese baseball. Although he never led the league in homers, Zhu had three seasons with 50+. His 162 game average got you 38 homers, 26 doubles, and 3 triples.

Zhu was an above average-to-good contact hitter against both sides, but he did have more power facing right-handed pitching (186 wRC+, .879 OPS) compared to lefties (163 wRC+, .816 OPS). Zhu was merely decent at drawing walks and had a subpar strikeout rate. Like many sluggers, Zhu was also a very slow and sluggish baserunner.

Defensively, Zhu was a career first baseman and never started anywhere else using his glove. You could do worse, but he graded as a firmly mediocre defender. He had some bad luck with a few big bone breaks, but still managed a 17-year professional career. Zhu was a popular player with fans and well respected by his peers for his high character. He was a strong team captain with Hong Kong known for his leadership, work ethic, and intelligence.

Zhu was a high-rated prospect ahead of the 2010 CLB Draft and went sixth overall to Hong Kong. He spent all of 2011 in their training academy and only played 64 games with three starts in 2012. Zhu earned a full-time starting job in 2013 and held the job through 2024, generally only missing starts due to injuries.

Hong Kong made the playoffs in 2013, but lost in the round robin. They hovered around the middle tier for the next four seasons. Zhu lost a big chunk of 2016 to a fractured finger and part of 2017 to a sprained knee. The Champions were still pleased with his progress, signing Zhu to an eight-year, $53,380,000 extension after the 2016 campaign.

In 2018, Zhu led the Southern League in doubles (36), and RBI (115) to help Hong Kong end the four-year playoff drought. The Champions too the SL crown, but lost in the China Series to Nanjing. Zhu had an excellent postseason with 1.023 OPS, 1.3 WAR, 20 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 4 homers, and 14 RBI over 16 starts.

Zhu went from a strong starter to an MVP contender from 2019-22, posting 9+ WAR each year. He led in RBI in 2020 (114) and 2022 (142) and led in both hits (190) and total bases (394) in 2022. The 142 RBI were the second-most in CLB history behind only Peng Wang’s 150 from 2011. 2022 also had Zhu’s career best for home runs (57), and WAR (10.3).

Despite that effort, Zhu was second in MVP voting in all four seasons, never winning the top honor. With the tough competition at first base, he only won Silver Sluggers in 2021-22. However, Zhu was most proud of the team results as the Champions had a playoff streak through 2023. Hong Kong won the China Series in 2019 against Shenyang and in 2022 against Urumqi. They were the runner-up in 2021 with a defeat to the Unicorns.

Zhu was strong in the playoffs, winning semifinal MVP in 2019 and China Series MVP in 2022. For his playoff career, he started 78 games with 80 hits, 39 runs, 12 doubles, 16 home runs, 48 RBI, .265/.320/.483 slash, 153 wRC+, and 3.8 WAR.

In the 2019 Baseball Grand Championship, Zhu was unremarkable with .629 OPS and 0.1 WAR as HK finished 8-11. They went 7-12 in 2022, but Zhu was excellent despite the team struggles with 22 hits, 12 runs, 4 doubles, 7 homers, 13 RBI, 1.109 OPS, 225 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. He rightfully earned the reputation though as a big game hitter. He occasionally played in the World Baseball Championship for China with .723 OPS and 0.7 WAR in 34 games.

2024 was Zhu’s last year with Hong Kong, ending in calamity due to a broken bone in the elbow in early April. He only played eight games in that final season and HK’s playoff streak ended with a lackluster 71-91 mark. They would be bottom tier for the remainder of the 2020s. Zhu’s contract expired, becoming a free agent for the first time heading towards age 35

Many Chinese teams were leery after such a major injury with Zhu leaving for Russia. He joined EPB’s Novosibirsk on a four-year, $18,400,000 deal. Zhu notably hit for the cycle in 2025, but the Nitros run was largely forgettable between injuries and merely decent production. Zhu played 360 games with 274 hits, 119 runs, 41 doubles, 53 home runs, 132 RBI, .250/.295/.445 slash, 124 wRC+, and 4.0 WAR.

Zhu wanted to play in 2029, but went unsigned all year and retired that winter at age 39. Hong Kong quickly retired his #70 for his role in their dynasty run. For his combined pro career, Zhu had 2027 games, 1969 hits, 939 runs, 331 doubles, 478 home runs, 1186 RBI, .277/.329/.535 slash, 180 wRC+, and 84.5 WAR.

Just with the Champions, Zhu had 1667 games, 1695 hits, 820 runs, 290 doubles, 28 triples, 425 home runs, 1054 RBI, 406 walks, 1359 strikeouts, .282/.336/.551 slash, 190 wRC+, and 80.4 WAR. As of 2037, Zhu ranks 63^rd in runs, 74^th in hits, 36^th in total bases (3316), 46^th in doubles, 14^th in home runs, 15^th in RBI, and 54^th in WAR among position players.

Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Zhu’s .887 OPS ranks 28^th and his triple slash is 98^th/87^th/27^th. The challenge is that the very low scoring environment of Chinese League Baseball makes accumulations low even for the greats. The Hall of Fame voters were often stingy, seemingly holding guys to stat standards that make more sense for other leagues. This worked against Zhu, who also had lower tallies overall due to a relatively shorter career and the injuries.

Although he never won MVP, finishing second twice and captaining a team to a dynasty run goes a long way. Despite that, Zhu had to wait with 58.7% and 55.7% for his first two ballots. 2032 didn’t have any slam dunk debuts on the ballot, allowing Zhu’s resume to stand out a bit more comparatively. This pushed him to 66.9%, barely crossing the 66% requirement and earning a third ballot induction as 2032’s lone honoree.

07-16-2025, 04:33 PM	#2328
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,321	2032 CLB Hall of Fame Chinese League Baseball nearly had a blank Hall of Fame ballot for 2032 with the best debut getting only 42.0%. On his third try, Bozhao Zhu sneaked across the 66% requirement at 66.9% as the lone inductee for 2032. 1B Xugang Zheng was next closest with 59.4% on his fifth ballot. RF Boyu Long had 58.0% on his third try and two-way player Likong Zhong saw 52.0% on his fourth go. 1B Yun Chang was the lone player dropped after ten ballots, peaking with a 37.5% debut and ending at 6.6%. He won two Silver Sluggers over 13 seasons with Shenzhen, getting 1887 hits, 827 runs, 283 doubles, 356 home runs, 927 RBI, 590 walks, .279/.338/.485 slash, 179 wRC+, and 80.2 WAR. Chang ranks 55^th in WAR among position players as of 2037, but he didn’t have the longevity or black ink to stand out more on the ballot. Chang also played four seasons in Europe with Dublin and might have made CLB’s HOF with those added totals. He goes down as a solid Hall of Pretty Good option. Bozhao “Bumblebee” Zhu – First Base – Hong Kong Champions – 66.9% Third Ballot Bozhao Zhu was a 6’2’’, 195 pound right-handed first baseman from Jishu, a city of 409,000 people in Central China’s Hunan Province. Nicknamed “Bumblebee,” Zhu was one of the better home run hitters in the very low scoring world of Chinese baseball. Although he never led the league in homers, Zhu had three seasons with 50+. His 162 game average got you 38 homers, 26 doubles, and 3 triples. Zhu was an above average-to-good contact hitter against both sides, but he did have more power facing right-handed pitching (186 wRC+, .879 OPS) compared to lefties (163 wRC+, .816 OPS). Zhu was merely decent at drawing walks and had a subpar strikeout rate. Like many sluggers, Zhu was also a very slow and sluggish baserunner. Defensively, Zhu was a career first baseman and never started anywhere else using his glove. You could do worse, but he graded as a firmly mediocre defender. He had some bad luck with a few big bone breaks, but still managed a 17-year professional career. Zhu was a popular player with fans and well respected by his peers for his high character. He was a strong team captain with Hong Kong known for his leadership, work ethic, and intelligence. Zhu was a high-rated prospect ahead of the 2010 CLB Draft and went sixth overall to Hong Kong. He spent all of 2011 in their training academy and only played 64 games with three starts in 2012. Zhu earned a full-time starting job in 2013 and held the job through 2024, generally only missing starts due to injuries. Hong Kong made the playoffs in 2013, but lost in the round robin. They hovered around the middle tier for the next four seasons. Zhu lost a big chunk of 2016 to a fractured finger and part of 2017 to a sprained knee. The Champions were still pleased with his progress, signing Zhu to an eight-year, $53,380,000 extension after the 2016 campaign. In 2018, Zhu led the Southern League in doubles (36), and RBI (115) to help Hong Kong end the four-year playoff drought. The Champions too the SL crown, but lost in the China Series to Nanjing. Zhu had an excellent postseason with 1.023 OPS, 1.3 WAR, 20 hits, 9 runs, 4 doubles, 4 homers, and 14 RBI over 16 starts. Zhu went from a strong starter to an MVP contender from 2019-22, posting 9+ WAR each year. He led in RBI in 2020 (114) and 2022 (142) and led in both hits (190) and total bases (394) in 2022. The 142 RBI were the second-most in CLB history behind only Peng Wang’s 150 from 2011. 2022 also had Zhu’s career best for home runs (57), and WAR (10.3). Despite that effort, Zhu was second in MVP voting in all four seasons, never winning the top honor. With the tough competition at first base, he only won Silver Sluggers in 2021-22. However, Zhu was most proud of the team results as the Champions had a playoff streak through 2023. Hong Kong won the China Series in 2019 against Shenyang and in 2022 against Urumqi. They were the runner-up in 2021 with a defeat to the Unicorns. Zhu was strong in the playoffs, winning semifinal MVP in 2019 and China Series MVP in 2022. For his playoff career, he started 78 games with 80 hits, 39 runs, 12 doubles, 16 home runs, 48 RBI, .265/.320/.483 slash, 153 wRC+, and 3.8 WAR. In the 2019 Baseball Grand Championship, Zhu was unremarkable with .629 OPS and 0.1 WAR as HK finished 8-11. They went 7-12 in 2022, but Zhu was excellent despite the team struggles with 22 hits, 12 runs, 4 doubles, 7 homers, 13 RBI, 1.109 OPS, 225 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. He rightfully earned the reputation though as a big game hitter. He occasionally played in the World Baseball Championship for China with .723 OPS and 0.7 WAR in 34 games. 2024 was Zhu’s last year with Hong Kong, ending in calamity due to a broken bone in the elbow in early April. He only played eight games in that final season and HK’s playoff streak ended with a lackluster 71-91 mark. They would be bottom tier for the remainder of the 2020s. Zhu’s contract expired, becoming a free agent for the first time heading towards age 35 Many Chinese teams were leery after such a major injury with Zhu leaving for Russia. He joined EPB’s Novosibirsk on a four-year, $18,400,000 deal. Zhu notably hit for the cycle in 2025, but the Nitros run was largely forgettable between injuries and merely decent production. Zhu played 360 games with 274 hits, 119 runs, 41 doubles, 53 home runs, 132 RBI, .250/.295/.445 slash, 124 wRC+, and 4.0 WAR. Zhu wanted to play in 2029, but went unsigned all year and retired that winter at age 39. Hong Kong quickly retired his #70 for his role in their dynasty run. For his combined pro career, Zhu had 2027 games, 1969 hits, 939 runs, 331 doubles, 478 home runs, 1186 RBI, .277/.329/.535 slash, 180 wRC+, and 84.5 WAR. Just with the Champions, Zhu had 1667 games, 1695 hits, 820 runs, 290 doubles, 28 triples, 425 home runs, 1054 RBI, 406 walks, 1359 strikeouts, .282/.336/.551 slash, 190 wRC+, and 80.4 WAR. As of 2037, Zhu ranks 63^rd in runs, 74^th in hits, 36^th in total bases (3316), 46^th in doubles, 14^th in home runs, 15^th in RBI, and 54^th in WAR among position players. Among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Zhu’s .887 OPS ranks 28^th and his triple slash is 98^th/87^th/27^th. The challenge is that the very low scoring environment of Chinese League Baseball makes accumulations low even for the greats. The Hall of Fame voters were often stingy, seemingly holding guys to stat standards that make more sense for other leagues. This worked against Zhu, who also had lower tallies overall due to a relatively shorter career and the injuries. Although he never won MVP, finishing second twice and captaining a team to a dynasty run goes a long way. Despite that, Zhu had to wait with 58.7% and 55.7% for his first two ballots. 2032 didn’t have any slam dunk debuts on the ballot, allowing Zhu’s resume to stand out a bit more comparatively. This pushed him to 66.9%, barely crossing the 66% requirement and earning a third ballot induction as 2032’s lone honoree. __________________ 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)