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FuzzyRussianHat · 07-31-2025, 07:02 PM

The 2033 Hall of Fame class for East Asia Baseball was a stellar one with four inductees all on the first ballot. Three of them were absolute locks with SP Toshikuni Naikai at 97.8%, 1B Masaru Ochiai at 92.6%, and SP Yun-Jae Peak at 90.4%. LF Ji-Hwan Kim squeaked in as the fourth inductee at 67.2%, just breaching the 66% requirement. No one else was above 50% with the best returner being LF Jae-A Choi at 45.0% on his third ballot.

The one player removed from the ballot after ten failed tries was SP Seong-Won Oh, who peaked at 32.1% in his debut and ended at 4.8%. He had a 16-year career almost entirely with Goyang with a 206-157 record, 3.13 ERA, 3291.1 innings, 2853 strikeouts, 595 walks, 120 ERA+, 87 FIP-, and 60.5 WAR. Oh notably helped the Green Sox win the 2012 EAB title with a 2.64 ERA over 30.2 innings in the playoffs. He didn’t have the big awards or black ink though to stand out and probably needed another few years of raw tallies to make it despite that.

Toshikuni Naikai – Pitcher – Fukuoka Frogs – 97.8% First Ballot

Toshikuni Naikai was a 6’6’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Sadowara, Japan; a town on the southern island of Kyushu. It has since merged into the expanded city of Miyazaki with a population of 397,000. At his peak, Naikai may have been the most effective and efficient pitcher in all of baseball history. His raw stuff was absolutely insane and absolutely broke the scale, something almost never seen from a starter. If the scale was 1/10, many scouts rated Naikai’s stuff as a 12 or 13 in his prime.

Naikai had a stellar 98-100 mph fastball, an absolutely filthy curveball, and a solid changeup in his arsenal. He also had good-to-great control and movement, was a strong defender, and had one of the best pickoff moves in the game. The few runners that got on base against Naikai often got held in place. He was an absolute master at changing speeds and when healthy, had pretty good stamina. Naikai’s efficiency also meant he could go deeper into games with fewer pitches thrown than most aces needed.

The biggest issue for Naikai was durability, as his style took a heavy toll on his long, lanky frame. His career was limited to 14 seasons and he only had 200+ innings in eight of those. However, many people who saw Naikai work call him the best pitcher they’ve ever seen. He also stayed loyal to those who treated him well, helping him become a very popular player across Japan and in Fukuoka particularly.

Naikai’s entire career came with the Frogs, who picked him 13^th overall in the 2013 EAB Draft out of Koku Gakuin University in Yokohama. He debuted as a closer in 2014 with mixed results, leading the Japan League with 75 games pitched. Naikai had 40 saves and 2.9 ERA, but his 3.29 ERA and 98 Ks over 93 innings weren’t incredible.

He had a split starting-relief role the next year with stronger results with a 2.31 ERA, 5.2 WAR, and 258 Ks over 159.2 innings. For most of Naikai’s career, he had more of that split role than you’d expect from a traditional ace. In 2016, Naikai truly arrived with his first Pitcher of the Year season. He led the JL in ERA (1.10), strikeouts (386), WHIP (0.70), K/BB (16.8), FIP- (17), and WAR (14.3).

That season broke the EAB ERA record for a qualifying pitcher (162+ innings), besting Kazuhiro Kobayashi’s 1.31 which had held since 1924. It also broke the EAB record for WAR by a pitcher of 12.7 by Chikara Ohkubo in 1923 and tied the record for WHIP set in 1953 by Yeon-U Choo. At 18-4, Naikai missed the Triple Crown by one win. This season sometimes gets forgotten among EAB’s all-time best since Naikai would manage to do even better in later years.

Naikai had his first significant setback in mid-April 2017 with a torn meniscus in his knee, costing him 3-4 months. He only tossed 79 innings all season, but was still stellar with a 0.91 ERA. Earlier that year, he was third in Best Pitcher voting for the World Baseball Championship, allowing one run over two complete game wins with 39 strikeouts.

His dominance didn’t wane pitching for Japan in the WBC from 2016-25 with 170.2 innings, a 16-1 record, 1.37 ERA, 336 strikeouts, 40 walks, and 9.9 WAR. Among pitchers with 80+ innings in the WBC, Naikai ranks 13^th in ERA, 26^th in WHIP (0.69), 29^th in K/9 (17.7), and 24^th in opponent’s OPS (.446) as of 2037. Naikai also is 17^th in pitching WAR for the event and 66^th in strikeouts despite not being in the top 100 for innings. Japan’s deepest runs with Naikai was a third place in 2019.

Naikai’s 2016 was considered arguably EAB’s best-ever pitching season to date when it happened. In 2018, he topped it with arguably the best-ever in world history to that point. Naikai won his lone Triple Crown with a 21-6 record, 1.05 ERA, and 460 strikeouts. He broke his own EAB records for ERA, WHIP (0.62), and WAR (17.4), breaking EAB’s WAR record for any player. It was one of only 11 seasons in world baseball history of 17+ WAR by any player and was third-best among pure pitchers, only behind the 17.9 in 1936 and 17.6 in 1938 by world strikeout king Mohamed Ramos in Beisbol Sudamerica.

The 460 Ks was a new EAB record, passing Do-Kyun Lee’s 447 from three years prior. 460 Ks has only been met 38 times in world history as of 2037. Naikai’s 10 shutouts also was an EAB record and stands as also as one of only 38 seasons in world history of 10+ shutouts. Among them was EAB’s 36^th perfect game with 16 Ks facing Kitakyushu on May 8. Naikai easily won his second Pitcher of the Year and was second in MVP voting.

Naikai repeated as Pitcher of the Year in 2019 with what would be a stellar season for most, although it was down from his own prior peaks. He led again in ERA (1.93), strikeouts (397), WHIP (0.66), FIP- (34), and WAR (10.3). Naikai tossed his second no-hitter in a 21 strikeout, one walk performance facing Chiba. That set the record for most Ks in a no-no in EAB history and was one strikeout away from the regulation single-game record in EAB. Naikai would reach 21 Ks twice in 2020 and had seven other 20 strikeout games in his career.

Fukuoka had their best season of his run at 87-76, missing the West Division on a tiebreaker game to Kitakyushu. The Frogs had been aggressively mid in the 2010s with no playoff berths, but an average of 80.5 wins per season. Any chance at breaking out would come with Naikai’s help and they gave him a seven-year, $140 million extension in January 2020.

Naikai’s 2018 effort was in the conversation for the best-ever pitching season in world history. It quickly fell out of the conversation though, as his 2020 amazingly surpassed it. Some would argue it was the best single-season by any player ever in baseball history. The only player who had a higher WAR was Chinese League Baseball two-way star Chuchuan Cao at 21.6 in 2013, who had 12.0 pitching WAR and 9.6 batting WAR that year.

The final line for Naikai in 2020: 240 innings, 0.64 ERA, 19-1 record, 7 saves, 445 strikeouts, 22 walks, 20.2 K/BB, 0.53 WHIP, 7 shutouts, 528 ERA+, 0 FIP-, and 18.5 WAR. The ERA, winning percentage (.950), triple slash (.131/.155/.197), OPS (.352), WHIP, H/9 (3.98), K/9 (16.69), and WAR were all EAB single-season records. Naikai won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and his lone Most Valuable Player, but did miss the Triple Crown by one win. From July 31 to August 31, Naikai notably tossed 46 consecutive scoreless innings. He also had a 27-game undefeated streak from May 29, 2020 to May 25, 2021.

Such rate stats had only been seen in the extremely low-scoring leagues like CLB or Austronesia Professional Baseball; reaching them in a more average scoring environment like the Japan League was insanity. Naikai’s ERA was a world record by any qualifying starter ever, topping the previous best of 0.71 by CLB’s Zhiyuan Lai in 1975.

Naikai’s WHIP was also a world record, one point better than Ching-Chen Yao and Favian Frias both from APB in 2014. Naikai beat Yao’s record .156 opponent’s OBP from 2014. He was just behind Yao’s .322 OPS from the world record, while ranking as the 3^rd-best opponent’s slugging, 6^th-best opponent’s batting average, 2^nd-best K/9, and 5^th-best H/9.

On regular season performance alone, it is a rock solid case for the best-ever pitching season, but Naikai was a beast in the playoffs too. Fukuoka finished 89-73 to end a ten-year playoff drought and got to the JLCS, although they fell to 102-60 Osaka. In his four playoff starts, Naikai had a 0.34 ERA over 26.1 innings with 51 strikeouts and 2.0 WAR; one of only three 2+ WAR seasons by an EAB pitcher in the playoffs to that point and one of four 50 K efforts. He was let down with three unearned runs and little run support, getting one win and three no decisions.

Naikai never replicated that insanity, but he remained a complete beast. He won his fifth Pitcher of the Year and again led in ERA (1.06), strikeouts (358), WHIP (0.66), FIP- (30), and WAR (10.5). Fukuoka was 98-64 and lost in the first round of the playoffs with Naikai missing the final weeks to a strained triceps.

He won his sixth POTY (fifth consecutive) in 2022 and was second in MVP voting by again leading in ERA (1.53), strikeouts (415), WHIP (0.60), K/BB (21.8), FIP- (17), and WAR (12.5). Naikai’s 17.65 K/9 broke his own EAB record from 2020 and set the new world record among qualified starters, topping Ching-Chen Yao’s 16.9 from 2012 in APB. He tossed his third no-hitter in a 19 strikeout performance versus Kumamoto on May 10.

Finally, Fukuoka broke through with a 110-52 record, the second-best in Frogs history behind the 111-51 effort in 1929 that resulted in their only EAB title to that point. Fukuoka downed Daegu to win their second EAB crown in 2022 with Naikai unsurprisingly dominating in the playoffs. He had a 1.03 ERA over 35 innings with 64 strikeouts, 2.0 WAR, and a 3-0 record. That set the EAB playoff record for strikeouts, which still holds as of 2037. In the Baseball Grand Championship, Naikai was merely very good with a 2.43 ERA and 3-2 record, 59 strikeouts, 33.1 innings, and 1.1 WAR. Fukuoka finished 11-8, one of five teams at the mark, officially placing fourth after tiebreakers.

On April 6, 2023, Naikai had his fourth no-hitter with 17 strikeouts and one walk facing Hiroshima. This tied 1920s ace Zeshin Saito for the most no-nos in EAB history. The season had its challenges with a herniated disc and wrist soreness keeping him out essentially for the entire fall. Still, Naikai joined Yu-Geon Moon as the only seven-time Pitcher of the Year winners in EAB history, winning the honor for the sixth year in a row.

Naikai had a 1.04 ERA, although his 147.2 innings were too few to officially earn an ERA title. He struck out 282 and led in WAR for the seventh time at 10.3. Naikai missed the playoff run, but Fukuoka finished 95-67 and defeated Busan to repeat as EAB champs. He did make it back for the BGC, which saw the Frogs finish at 7-12. In 20.2 innings, Naikai had a 1.74 ERA with 38 Ks. Unfortunately for the now 31-year old Naikai, that was his last truly great season.

In 2024, he missed four months to a ruptured finger tendon, although he was still excellent in the 61.2 innings he did pitch with a 1.02 ERA and 116 Ks. Naikai did have two quality starts in the playoffs, which saw a first round exit for the Frogs despite the #1 seed at 104-58. Fukuoka made the playoffs the next two years, but couldn’t win a series. Naikai tossed eight scoreless innings in 2025, but was out for the 2026 run.

For his playoff career, Naikai had a 0.75 ERA over 84.1 innings, 6-1 record, 138 strikeouts, 9 walks, 450 ERA+, 30 FIP-, and 4.7 WAR. His ERA ranks 4^th among any EAB pitcher in the playoffs (minimum 30 innings). Naikai also ranks 7^th in pitching playoff WAR. He certainly stepped up in the big games in his relatively limited chances.

After the ruptured finger tendon, Naikai’s stuff fell off noticeably. While he didn’t lose any velocity, his legendary curveball had nowhere near as much bite moving forward. Still, his 2025 would be a great season for mortal pitchers, even if it was weak by his standards. Naikai had an 18-6 record, 2.68 ERA, 241.2 innings, 273 strikeouts, and 7.4 WAR.

In 2026, Naikai saw a 3.23 ERA in 231.1 innings, 264 strikeouts, and 6.3 WAR; again numbers most pitchers would love but were far away from his previous peaks. In late September, Naikai suffered bone chips in his elbow to put him out 5-6 months. In 2027, a strained abdominal muscle in spring training would limit him initially.

Naikai looked quite average in 2027 with a 3.36 ERA over 177 innings with 178 Ks and 3.0 WAR. He did become the 19^th to reach 4000 strikeouts and 69^th to 200 wins, but it seemed clear that he wasn’t going to re-write the accumulations leaderboards. Naikai wasn’t satisfied with being average and retired that winter at only age 35. Fukuoka immediately retired his #1 uniform, a fitting number for a guy who was arguably the best in the world at his peak.

The final tallies for Naikai saw a 202-67 record, 126 saves, 1.80 ERA, 2544.1 innings, 4054 strikeouts, 365 walks, 239/290 quality starts, 83 complete games, 37 shutouts, 188 ERA+, 36 FIP-, and 126.7 WAR. As of 2037 for counting stats, Naikai ranks 71^st in wins, 18^th in strikeouts, 12^th in shutouts, 3^rd in pitching WAR, and 11^th in WAR among all EAB players.

Naikai is 2^nd among all EAB pitchers with 1000+ innings in ERA, behind only legendary closer and EAB saves leader Oki Tanaka’s 1.77. Naikai is EAB’s career leader in winning percentage (.751), K/9 (14.34), WHIP (0.78), and opponent’s OBP (.213). His .492 opponent’s OPS is behind only Tanaka and Naikai ranks 4^th in batting average (.179), 4^th in slugging (.279), and 4^th in H/9 (5.71). In terms of single-season accolades in EAB, Naikai has the top three pitching seasons by WAR, the top four for ERA, and the #1, #3, #6, and #8 seasons for strikeouts.

When you compare Naikai’s rate stats to other starters in world history, he stacks up remarkably. Among world Hall of Famer starters, Naikai is 8^th in ERA, 2^nd in winning percentage, tied for 2^nd in ERA+, 2^nd in FIP, 6^th in WHIP, and 5^th in opponents’ OPS. He’s only being Ching-Chen Yao for FIP- (31) and is even with him for ERA+, behind only Bogdan Chirita’s 189 (who notably only had eight official years). Most of the few other guys ahead of Naikai in rate stats are like Yao in that they pitched in far lower-scoring leagues.

Within East Asia Baseball, many argue Naikai is the greatest pitcher of all time. The only guys with more or comparable WAR needed a lot more innings to get there. Naikai is one of two with 7+ POTY wins, one of two with four no-hitters, has two EAB championship rings, leads all starters in ERA, and has arguably the three-best seasons ever by an EAB pitcher. Not many scholars place him as EAB’s best player outright, as the more tenured top sluggers usually are believed to have more value.

Where does Naikai fit in the world conversation for greatest-ever pitcher? He ranks 52^nd in pitching WAR, but every other guy with 125+ WAR needed at least 3000+ innings to do it with the lion’s share above 4000+ innings. Naikai pulled it off in just over 2500 innings. Only one other pitcher who reached 100+ WAR had less than 3000 innings.

If you ask for the most efficient starting pitcher in baseball history, often Naikai or the before-mentioned Ching-Chen Yao are the first names to pop up. Yao got to 163.5 WAR in 3245.1 innings and was also a playoff beast for APB’s Zamboanga, often giving him the edge over Naikai for scholars. When weighing the great pitchers on the whole, guys who were studs and tossed 5000+ innings like Mohamed Ramos, Ulices Montero, and Akira Brady often take center stage in the rankings.

In any case, Naikai was one of baseball’s true immortals, often cited as East Asia Baseball’s best-ever pitcher and/or the best-ever Japanese ace. His 2020 and 2018 efforts will forever stand as examples of the most dominant single seasons by a pitcher in the entire history of the professional game. At somehow only 97.8%, Naikai headlined an impressive four-player 2033 Hall of Fame class for EAB.

Masaru Ochiai – First Base – Kobe Blaze – 92.6% First Ballot

Masaru Ochiai was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Tahara, Japan; a city of 60,000 in the Aichi Prefecture. Ochiai was one of the most reliable sluggers of his era, hitting 40+ home runs and 100+ RBI both nine different times. His 162 game average got you 41 dingers along with 23 doubles and 4 triples. Ochiai’s speed was lousy and baserunning was poor, so you weren’t going to get much value with his legs.

He graded as a very good contact hitter against both sides, although he was merely average for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Ochiai was equally dangerous against right-handed pitching (.907 OPS, 170 wRC+) and versus lefties (.925 OPS, 177 wRC+). His durability was mostly good over a 17-year career with all but one start at first base. Ochiai also graded as a reliably solid and positive value defender. Those skills and an impressive work ethic pushed him to an all-time great career.

Ochiai was a rare player to be drafted highly directly out of high school, thriving at Aichi Shogyo in Nagoya. His size and power were evident even as a teenager, getting picked fourth overall in the 2006 EAB Draft by Kobe. The Blaze kept him primarily in their developmental system for his first five years as a pro. From 2007-11, Ochiai started only 18 games and played in 87. He was a full-timer on the 2012 roster and started 106 games, although he was merely decent with 1.8 WAR and .726 OPS.

In 2013, Ochiai got the full-time gig and had his first of seven seasons worth 7+ WAR, earning his first Silver Slugger. 2014 was his first time as a league leader with a .659 slugging percentage. He won additional Sluggers in 2015 and 2016 for the Blaze. In 2015, Ochiai led the Japan League with 48 home runs, 355 total bases, and a career-high 136 RBI.

In 2016, Ochiai scored his lone MVP, leading the Japan League with career bests for homers (56), total bases (413), OBP (.391), slugging (.685), OPS (1.076), wRC+ (215), and WAR (10.5). Ochiai also had his career best for runs (104), and batting average (.335) while leading in RBI at 133. Kobe made it back above .500 from 2014-16 after mostly losing seasons in the prior decade, but never made the playoffs with Ochiai.

Following his banner year, Ochiai shockingly had what would be his worst year of his career as a full-time starter with 3.3 WAR, 122 wRC+, and .746 OPS. It was a bad time to struggle as it was a contract year. Worried that Ochiai might be cooked at only age 29, Kobe let Ochiai leave for free agency. He remained very popular though with Blaze fans and would later be inducted in the red and gold. Ochiai’s #31 uniform would also eventually be retired.

For Kobe, Ochiai played 1017 games with 1037 hits, 535 runs, 152 doubles, 261 home runs, 633 RBI, .294/.346/.574 slash, 172 wRC+, and 40.4 WAR. It was his longest tenure by games and years, but arguably his next run was his most famous. Ochiai was happy to get inducted with the Blaze though, since they gave him his big break. But he also would have fond memories with Kyoto, who signed him for 2018 on a six-year, $66 million deal.

The bad 2017 season certainly tanked his value, as he had been making above $20 million in his last two Kobe seasons from arbitration. The $11 million per year was a steal for Kyoto, as Ochiai returned to form. He won Silver Sluggers in 2019 and 2020, notably leading the league in the latter in hits (204), RBI (132), and total bases (390). That was also Ochiai’s best year for the Kamikaze for most stats including homers (50), runs (102), OPS (1.008), wRC+ (206), and WAR (8.8).

Kyoto had a dynasty run to start the decade with three EAB titles from 2010-14, but they had fallen into perpetual averageness since. In 2020, the Kamikaze had an impressive 100-62 season, but that was still not enough to dethrone eventual EAB champ Osaka (102-60) from the Central Division throne. The Orange Sox had gone on a six-year playoff streak since Kyoto’s 2014 title.

In 2021, the Kamikaze returned to form with the Japan League’s best record at 105-57. Kyoto went onto win the pennant and defeat Changwon for the EAB title. Ochiai cemented his legacy as finals MVP, getting 20 hits, 11 runs, 5 homers, and 15 RBI over 18 playoff starts. He also had a strong showing in the Baseball Grand Championship with 21 hits, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 9 homers, and 19 RBI over 19 starts. Kyoto finished 10-9 in the event, tying for ninth.

Kyoto got back to the JCLS in 2022, but couldn’t overcome a 110-win Fukuoka squad. Ochiai ended up missing the postseason run to plantar fasciitis. He earned his 500^th homer and 2000^th hit in 2023, but the Kamikaze missed the playoffs at 87-75. It was his weakest season of the six-year run, but was still rock solid with 43 homers, .851 OPS, and 4.8 WAR.

For Kyoto, Ochiai had 929 games, 1011 hits, 550 runs, 139 doubles, 260 home runs, 636 RBI, .296/.352/.579 slash, 180 wRC+, and 40.8 WAR. The deal was certainly a winner for the Kamikaze and Ochiai remained well-liked by Kyoto fans for years after. Now a free agent again and 35-years old, Ochiai signed for $40,200,000 over three years with Sapporo.

Ochiai maintained similar stats in all three years with the Swordfish to his final season with Kyoto, making him a very solid starter. He missed a month in the fall to a concussion in 2024, but was healthy and critical for the postseason. Sapporo won a weak North Division at 84-78, but went on a surprise playoff tear. They upset Tokyo in the JLCS, then defeated Busan for the EAB Championship; their first since 1998.

For the second time in his career, Ochiai was finals MVP. In 12 playoff starts, Ochiai had 19 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 10 RBI, and 1.303 OPS. In the Baseball Grand Championship, he had 19 hits, 13 runs, 11 homers, 20 RBI, and 1.8 WAR; although Sapporo struggled to 7-12 despite his efforts.

The Swordfish missed the playoffs by four wins in 2025, but made it back in 2026 with another surprise title run. Sapporo ousted Hiroshima in the JLCS and topped Incheon to win their second EAB Championship in three years. Ochiai only had four playoff games because of a hip strain and was unremarkable in the BGC with a .640 OPS and 0.3 WAR over 19 starts. The Swordfish finished 6-13 for the 2026 event.

In Ochiai’s limited playoff career though, he was excellent with 34 starts, 43 hits, 24 runs, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 26 RBI, .331/.387/.608 slash, 203 wRC+, and 2.1 WAR. In three seasons with Sapporo, Ochiai had 422 games, 412 hits, 225 runs, 65 doubles, 109 home runs, 259 RBI, .271/.326/.543 slash, 161 wRC+, and 15.2 WAR. In 2026, he joined the exclusive 600 home run and 1500 RBI clubs.

Ochiai’s production had been steady, earning a three-year, $34,800,000 deal with Osaka even at age 38. He declined sharply though and was used as a pinch hitter and backup in 2027 with .682 OPS, 87 wRC+, and 0.1 WAR. Ochiai opted to retire after one season with the Orange Sox at age 39.

The final stats for Ochiai: 2511 games, 2493 hits, 1324 runs, 360 doubles, 61 triples, 635 home runs, 1557 RBI, 655 walks, 1872 strikeouts, .290/.344/.568 slash, 172 wRC+, and 96.5 WAR. As of 2037, Ochiai ranks 83^rd in games, 89^th in runs, 55^th in total bases (4880), 32^nd in homers, 42^nd in RBI, and 38^th in WAR among position players. His .912 OPS is 94^th among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances and his slugging is a nice 69^th.

Ochiai probably falls just short of being an “inner-circle” level Hall of Famer, but few guys got you more reliable power throughout the 2010s and 2020s in East Asia Baseball. That and his role in titles for both Kyoto and Sapporo made Ochiai an easy choice for the Hall of Fame voters. Ochiai received 92.6%, the second of four additions in a very impressive 2033 class.

07-31-2025, 07:02 PM	#2357
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,037	2033 EAB Hall of Fame (Part 1) The 2033 Hall of Fame class for East Asia Baseball was a stellar one with four inductees all on the first ballot. Three of them were absolute locks with SP Toshikuni Naikai at 97.8%, 1B Masaru Ochiai at 92.6%, and SP Yun-Jae Peak at 90.4%. LF Ji-Hwan Kim squeaked in as the fourth inductee at 67.2%, just breaching the 66% requirement. No one else was above 50% with the best returner being LF Jae-A Choi at 45.0% on his third ballot. The one player removed from the ballot after ten failed tries was SP Seong-Won Oh, who peaked at 32.1% in his debut and ended at 4.8%. He had a 16-year career almost entirely with Goyang with a 206-157 record, 3.13 ERA, 3291.1 innings, 2853 strikeouts, 595 walks, 120 ERA+, 87 FIP-, and 60.5 WAR. Oh notably helped the Green Sox win the 2012 EAB title with a 2.64 ERA over 30.2 innings in the playoffs. He didn’t have the big awards or black ink though to stand out and probably needed another few years of raw tallies to make it despite that. Toshikuni Naikai – Pitcher – Fukuoka Frogs – 97.8% First Ballot Toshikuni Naikai was a 6’6’’, 195 pound left-handed pitcher from Sadowara, Japan; a town on the southern island of Kyushu. It has since merged into the expanded city of Miyazaki with a population of 397,000. At his peak, Naikai may have been the most effective and efficient pitcher in all of baseball history. His raw stuff was absolutely insane and absolutely broke the scale, something almost never seen from a starter. If the scale was 1/10, many scouts rated Naikai’s stuff as a 12 or 13 in his prime. Naikai had a stellar 98-100 mph fastball, an absolutely filthy curveball, and a solid changeup in his arsenal. He also had good-to-great control and movement, was a strong defender, and had one of the best pickoff moves in the game. The few runners that got on base against Naikai often got held in place. He was an absolute master at changing speeds and when healthy, had pretty good stamina. Naikai’s efficiency also meant he could go deeper into games with fewer pitches thrown than most aces needed. The biggest issue for Naikai was durability, as his style took a heavy toll on his long, lanky frame. His career was limited to 14 seasons and he only had 200+ innings in eight of those. However, many people who saw Naikai work call him the best pitcher they’ve ever seen. He also stayed loyal to those who treated him well, helping him become a very popular player across Japan and in Fukuoka particularly. Naikai’s entire career came with the Frogs, who picked him 13^th overall in the 2013 EAB Draft out of Koku Gakuin University in Yokohama. He debuted as a closer in 2014 with mixed results, leading the Japan League with 75 games pitched. Naikai had 40 saves and 2.9 ERA, but his 3.29 ERA and 98 Ks over 93 innings weren’t incredible. He had a split starting-relief role the next year with stronger results with a 2.31 ERA, 5.2 WAR, and 258 Ks over 159.2 innings. For most of Naikai’s career, he had more of that split role than you’d expect from a traditional ace. In 2016, Naikai truly arrived with his first Pitcher of the Year season. He led the JL in ERA (1.10), strikeouts (386), WHIP (0.70), K/BB (16.8), FIP- (17), and WAR (14.3). That season broke the EAB ERA record for a qualifying pitcher (162+ innings), besting Kazuhiro Kobayashi’s 1.31 which had held since 1924. It also broke the EAB record for WAR by a pitcher of 12.7 by Chikara Ohkubo in 1923 and tied the record for WHIP set in 1953 by Yeon-U Choo. At 18-4, Naikai missed the Triple Crown by one win. This season sometimes gets forgotten among EAB’s all-time best since Naikai would manage to do even better in later years. Naikai had his first significant setback in mid-April 2017 with a torn meniscus in his knee, costing him 3-4 months. He only tossed 79 innings all season, but was still stellar with a 0.91 ERA. Earlier that year, he was third in Best Pitcher voting for the World Baseball Championship, allowing one run over two complete game wins with 39 strikeouts. His dominance didn’t wane pitching for Japan in the WBC from 2016-25 with 170.2 innings, a 16-1 record, 1.37 ERA, 336 strikeouts, 40 walks, and 9.9 WAR. Among pitchers with 80+ innings in the WBC, Naikai ranks 13^th in ERA, 26^th in WHIP (0.69), 29^th in K/9 (17.7), and 24^th in opponent’s OPS (.446) as of 2037. Naikai also is 17^th in pitching WAR for the event and 66^th in strikeouts despite not being in the top 100 for innings. Japan’s deepest runs with Naikai was a third place in 2019. Naikai’s 2016 was considered arguably EAB’s best-ever pitching season to date when it happened. In 2018, he topped it with arguably the best-ever in world history to that point. Naikai won his lone Triple Crown with a 21-6 record, 1.05 ERA, and 460 strikeouts. He broke his own EAB records for ERA, WHIP (0.62), and WAR (17.4), breaking EAB’s WAR record for any player. It was one of only 11 seasons in world baseball history of 17+ WAR by any player and was third-best among pure pitchers, only behind the 17.9 in 1936 and 17.6 in 1938 by world strikeout king Mohamed Ramos in Beisbol Sudamerica. The 460 Ks was a new EAB record, passing Do-Kyun Lee’s 447 from three years prior. 460 Ks has only been met 38 times in world history as of 2037. Naikai’s 10 shutouts also was an EAB record and stands as also as one of only 38 seasons in world history of 10+ shutouts. Among them was EAB’s 36^th perfect game with 16 Ks facing Kitakyushu on May 8. Naikai easily won his second Pitcher of the Year and was second in MVP voting. Naikai repeated as Pitcher of the Year in 2019 with what would be a stellar season for most, although it was down from his own prior peaks. He led again in ERA (1.93), strikeouts (397), WHIP (0.66), FIP- (34), and WAR (10.3). Naikai tossed his second no-hitter in a 21 strikeout, one walk performance facing Chiba. That set the record for most Ks in a no-no in EAB history and was one strikeout away from the regulation single-game record in EAB. Naikai would reach 21 Ks twice in 2020 and had seven other 20 strikeout games in his career. Fukuoka had their best season of his run at 87-76, missing the West Division on a tiebreaker game to Kitakyushu. The Frogs had been aggressively mid in the 2010s with no playoff berths, but an average of 80.5 wins per season. Any chance at breaking out would come with Naikai’s help and they gave him a seven-year, $140 million extension in January 2020. Naikai’s 2018 effort was in the conversation for the best-ever pitching season in world history. It quickly fell out of the conversation though, as his 2020 amazingly surpassed it. Some would argue it was the best single-season by any player ever in baseball history. The only player who had a higher WAR was Chinese League Baseball two-way star Chuchuan Cao at 21.6 in 2013, who had 12.0 pitching WAR and 9.6 batting WAR that year. The final line for Naikai in 2020: 240 innings, 0.64 ERA, 19-1 record, 7 saves, 445 strikeouts, 22 walks, 20.2 K/BB, 0.53 WHIP, 7 shutouts, 528 ERA+, 0 FIP-, and 18.5 WAR. The ERA, winning percentage (.950), triple slash (.131/.155/.197), OPS (.352), WHIP, H/9 (3.98), K/9 (16.69), and WAR were all EAB single-season records. Naikai won his fourth Pitcher of the Year and his lone Most Valuable Player, but did miss the Triple Crown by one win. From July 31 to August 31, Naikai notably tossed 46 consecutive scoreless innings. He also had a 27-game undefeated streak from May 29, 2020 to May 25, 2021. Such rate stats had only been seen in the extremely low-scoring leagues like CLB or Austronesia Professional Baseball; reaching them in a more average scoring environment like the Japan League was insanity. Naikai’s ERA was a world record by any qualifying starter ever, topping the previous best of 0.71 by CLB’s Zhiyuan Lai in 1975. Naikai’s WHIP was also a world record, one point better than Ching-Chen Yao and Favian Frias both from APB in 2014. Naikai beat Yao’s record .156 opponent’s OBP from 2014. He was just behind Yao’s .322 OPS from the world record, while ranking as the 3^rd-best opponent’s slugging, 6^th-best opponent’s batting average, 2^nd-best K/9, and 5^th-best H/9. On regular season performance alone, it is a rock solid case for the best-ever pitching season, but Naikai was a beast in the playoffs too. Fukuoka finished 89-73 to end a ten-year playoff drought and got to the JLCS, although they fell to 102-60 Osaka. In his four playoff starts, Naikai had a 0.34 ERA over 26.1 innings with 51 strikeouts and 2.0 WAR; one of only three 2+ WAR seasons by an EAB pitcher in the playoffs to that point and one of four 50 K efforts. He was let down with three unearned runs and little run support, getting one win and three no decisions. Naikai never replicated that insanity, but he remained a complete beast. He won his fifth Pitcher of the Year and again led in ERA (1.06), strikeouts (358), WHIP (0.66), FIP- (30), and WAR (10.5). Fukuoka was 98-64 and lost in the first round of the playoffs with Naikai missing the final weeks to a strained triceps. He won his sixth POTY (fifth consecutive) in 2022 and was second in MVP voting by again leading in ERA (1.53), strikeouts (415), WHIP (0.60), K/BB (21.8), FIP- (17), and WAR (12.5). Naikai’s 17.65 K/9 broke his own EAB record from 2020 and set the new world record among qualified starters, topping Ching-Chen Yao’s 16.9 from 2012 in APB. He tossed his third no-hitter in a 19 strikeout performance versus Kumamoto on May 10. Finally, Fukuoka broke through with a 110-52 record, the second-best in Frogs history behind the 111-51 effort in 1929 that resulted in their only EAB title to that point. Fukuoka downed Daegu to win their second EAB crown in 2022 with Naikai unsurprisingly dominating in the playoffs. He had a 1.03 ERA over 35 innings with 64 strikeouts, 2.0 WAR, and a 3-0 record. That set the EAB playoff record for strikeouts, which still holds as of 2037. In the Baseball Grand Championship, Naikai was merely very good with a 2.43 ERA and 3-2 record, 59 strikeouts, 33.1 innings, and 1.1 WAR. Fukuoka finished 11-8, one of five teams at the mark, officially placing fourth after tiebreakers. On April 6, 2023, Naikai had his fourth no-hitter with 17 strikeouts and one walk facing Hiroshima. This tied 1920s ace Zeshin Saito for the most no-nos in EAB history. The season had its challenges with a herniated disc and wrist soreness keeping him out essentially for the entire fall. Still, Naikai joined Yu-Geon Moon as the only seven-time Pitcher of the Year winners in EAB history, winning the honor for the sixth year in a row. Naikai had a 1.04 ERA, although his 147.2 innings were too few to officially earn an ERA title. He struck out 282 and led in WAR for the seventh time at 10.3. Naikai missed the playoff run, but Fukuoka finished 95-67 and defeated Busan to repeat as EAB champs. He did make it back for the BGC, which saw the Frogs finish at 7-12. In 20.2 innings, Naikai had a 1.74 ERA with 38 Ks. Unfortunately for the now 31-year old Naikai, that was his last truly great season. In 2024, he missed four months to a ruptured finger tendon, although he was still excellent in the 61.2 innings he did pitch with a 1.02 ERA and 116 Ks. Naikai did have two quality starts in the playoffs, which saw a first round exit for the Frogs despite the #1 seed at 104-58. Fukuoka made the playoffs the next two years, but couldn’t win a series. Naikai tossed eight scoreless innings in 2025, but was out for the 2026 run. For his playoff career, Naikai had a 0.75 ERA over 84.1 innings, 6-1 record, 138 strikeouts, 9 walks, 450 ERA+, 30 FIP-, and 4.7 WAR. His ERA ranks 4^th among any EAB pitcher in the playoffs (minimum 30 innings). Naikai also ranks 7^th in pitching playoff WAR. He certainly stepped up in the big games in his relatively limited chances. After the ruptured finger tendon, Naikai’s stuff fell off noticeably. While he didn’t lose any velocity, his legendary curveball had nowhere near as much bite moving forward. Still, his 2025 would be a great season for mortal pitchers, even if it was weak by his standards. Naikai had an 18-6 record, 2.68 ERA, 241.2 innings, 273 strikeouts, and 7.4 WAR. In 2026, Naikai saw a 3.23 ERA in 231.1 innings, 264 strikeouts, and 6.3 WAR; again numbers most pitchers would love but were far away from his previous peaks. In late September, Naikai suffered bone chips in his elbow to put him out 5-6 months. In 2027, a strained abdominal muscle in spring training would limit him initially. Naikai looked quite average in 2027 with a 3.36 ERA over 177 innings with 178 Ks and 3.0 WAR. He did become the 19^th to reach 4000 strikeouts and 69^th to 200 wins, but it seemed clear that he wasn’t going to re-write the accumulations leaderboards. Naikai wasn’t satisfied with being average and retired that winter at only age 35. Fukuoka immediately retired his #1 uniform, a fitting number for a guy who was arguably the best in the world at his peak. The final tallies for Naikai saw a 202-67 record, 126 saves, 1.80 ERA, 2544.1 innings, 4054 strikeouts, 365 walks, 239/290 quality starts, 83 complete games, 37 shutouts, 188 ERA+, 36 FIP-, and 126.7 WAR. As of 2037 for counting stats, Naikai ranks 71^st in wins, 18^th in strikeouts, 12^th in shutouts, 3^rd in pitching WAR, and 11^th in WAR among all EAB players. Naikai is 2^nd among all EAB pitchers with 1000+ innings in ERA, behind only legendary closer and EAB saves leader Oki Tanaka’s 1.77. Naikai is EAB’s career leader in winning percentage (.751), K/9 (14.34), WHIP (0.78), and opponent’s OBP (.213). His .492 opponent’s OPS is behind only Tanaka and Naikai ranks 4^th in batting average (.179), 4^th in slugging (.279), and 4^th in H/9 (5.71). In terms of single-season accolades in EAB, Naikai has the top three pitching seasons by WAR, the top four for ERA, and the #1, #3, #6, and #8 seasons for strikeouts. When you compare Naikai’s rate stats to other starters in world history, he stacks up remarkably. Among world Hall of Famer starters, Naikai is 8^th in ERA, 2^nd in winning percentage, tied for 2^nd in ERA+, 2^nd in FIP, 6^th in WHIP, and 5^th in opponents’ OPS. He’s only being Ching-Chen Yao for FIP- (31) and is even with him for ERA+, behind only Bogdan Chirita’s 189 (who notably only had eight official years). Most of the few other guys ahead of Naikai in rate stats are like Yao in that they pitched in far lower-scoring leagues. Within East Asia Baseball, many argue Naikai is the greatest pitcher of all time. The only guys with more or comparable WAR needed a lot more innings to get there. Naikai is one of two with 7+ POTY wins, one of two with four no-hitters, has two EAB championship rings, leads all starters in ERA, and has arguably the three-best seasons ever by an EAB pitcher. Not many scholars place him as EAB’s best player outright, as the more tenured top sluggers usually are believed to have more value. Where does Naikai fit in the world conversation for greatest-ever pitcher? He ranks 52^nd in pitching WAR, but every other guy with 125+ WAR needed at least 3000+ innings to do it with the lion’s share above 4000+ innings. Naikai pulled it off in just over 2500 innings. Only one other pitcher who reached 100+ WAR had less than 3000 innings. If you ask for the most efficient starting pitcher in baseball history, often Naikai or the before-mentioned Ching-Chen Yao are the first names to pop up. Yao got to 163.5 WAR in 3245.1 innings and was also a playoff beast for APB’s Zamboanga, often giving him the edge over Naikai for scholars. When weighing the great pitchers on the whole, guys who were studs and tossed 5000+ innings like Mohamed Ramos, Ulices Montero, and Akira Brady often take center stage in the rankings. In any case, Naikai was one of baseball’s true immortals, often cited as East Asia Baseball’s best-ever pitcher and/or the best-ever Japanese ace. His 2020 and 2018 efforts will forever stand as examples of the most dominant single seasons by a pitcher in the entire history of the professional game. At somehow only 97.8%, Naikai headlined an impressive four-player 2033 Hall of Fame class for EAB. Masaru Ochiai – First Base – Kobe Blaze – 92.6% First Ballot Masaru Ochiai was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed first baseman from Tahara, Japan; a city of 60,000 in the Aichi Prefecture. Ochiai was one of the most reliable sluggers of his era, hitting 40+ home runs and 100+ RBI both nine different times. His 162 game average got you 41 dingers along with 23 doubles and 4 triples. Ochiai’s speed was lousy and baserunning was poor, so you weren’t going to get much value with his legs. He graded as a very good contact hitter against both sides, although he was merely average for drawing walks and avoiding strikeouts. Ochiai was equally dangerous against right-handed pitching (.907 OPS, 170 wRC+) and versus lefties (.925 OPS, 177 wRC+). His durability was mostly good over a 17-year career with all but one start at first base. Ochiai also graded as a reliably solid and positive value defender. Those skills and an impressive work ethic pushed him to an all-time great career. Ochiai was a rare player to be drafted highly directly out of high school, thriving at Aichi Shogyo in Nagoya. His size and power were evident even as a teenager, getting picked fourth overall in the 2006 EAB Draft by Kobe. The Blaze kept him primarily in their developmental system for his first five years as a pro. From 2007-11, Ochiai started only 18 games and played in 87. He was a full-timer on the 2012 roster and started 106 games, although he was merely decent with 1.8 WAR and .726 OPS. In 2013, Ochiai got the full-time gig and had his first of seven seasons worth 7+ WAR, earning his first Silver Slugger. 2014 was his first time as a league leader with a .659 slugging percentage. He won additional Sluggers in 2015 and 2016 for the Blaze. In 2015, Ochiai led the Japan League with 48 home runs, 355 total bases, and a career-high 136 RBI. In 2016, Ochiai scored his lone MVP, leading the Japan League with career bests for homers (56), total bases (413), OBP (.391), slugging (.685), OPS (1.076), wRC+ (215), and WAR (10.5). Ochiai also had his career best for runs (104), and batting average (.335) while leading in RBI at 133. Kobe made it back above .500 from 2014-16 after mostly losing seasons in the prior decade, but never made the playoffs with Ochiai. Following his banner year, Ochiai shockingly had what would be his worst year of his career as a full-time starter with 3.3 WAR, 122 wRC+, and .746 OPS. It was a bad time to struggle as it was a contract year. Worried that Ochiai might be cooked at only age 29, Kobe let Ochiai leave for free agency. He remained very popular though with Blaze fans and would later be inducted in the red and gold. Ochiai’s #31 uniform would also eventually be retired. For Kobe, Ochiai played 1017 games with 1037 hits, 535 runs, 152 doubles, 261 home runs, 633 RBI, .294/.346/.574 slash, 172 wRC+, and 40.4 WAR. It was his longest tenure by games and years, but arguably his next run was his most famous. Ochiai was happy to get inducted with the Blaze though, since they gave him his big break. But he also would have fond memories with Kyoto, who signed him for 2018 on a six-year, $66 million deal. The bad 2017 season certainly tanked his value, as he had been making above $20 million in his last two Kobe seasons from arbitration. The $11 million per year was a steal for Kyoto, as Ochiai returned to form. He won Silver Sluggers in 2019 and 2020, notably leading the league in the latter in hits (204), RBI (132), and total bases (390). That was also Ochiai’s best year for the Kamikaze for most stats including homers (50), runs (102), OPS (1.008), wRC+ (206), and WAR (8.8). Kyoto had a dynasty run to start the decade with three EAB titles from 2010-14, but they had fallen into perpetual averageness since. In 2020, the Kamikaze had an impressive 100-62 season, but that was still not enough to dethrone eventual EAB champ Osaka (102-60) from the Central Division throne. The Orange Sox had gone on a six-year playoff streak since Kyoto’s 2014 title. In 2021, the Kamikaze returned to form with the Japan League’s best record at 105-57. Kyoto went onto win the pennant and defeat Changwon for the EAB title. Ochiai cemented his legacy as finals MVP, getting 20 hits, 11 runs, 5 homers, and 15 RBI over 18 playoff starts. He also had a strong showing in the Baseball Grand Championship with 21 hits, 16 runs, 5 doubles, 9 homers, and 19 RBI over 19 starts. Kyoto finished 10-9 in the event, tying for ninth. Kyoto got back to the JCLS in 2022, but couldn’t overcome a 110-win Fukuoka squad. Ochiai ended up missing the postseason run to plantar fasciitis. He earned his 500^th homer and 2000^th hit in 2023, but the Kamikaze missed the playoffs at 87-75. It was his weakest season of the six-year run, but was still rock solid with 43 homers, .851 OPS, and 4.8 WAR. For Kyoto, Ochiai had 929 games, 1011 hits, 550 runs, 139 doubles, 260 home runs, 636 RBI, .296/.352/.579 slash, 180 wRC+, and 40.8 WAR. The deal was certainly a winner for the Kamikaze and Ochiai remained well-liked by Kyoto fans for years after. Now a free agent again and 35-years old, Ochiai signed for $40,200,000 over three years with Sapporo. Ochiai maintained similar stats in all three years with the Swordfish to his final season with Kyoto, making him a very solid starter. He missed a month in the fall to a concussion in 2024, but was healthy and critical for the postseason. Sapporo won a weak North Division at 84-78, but went on a surprise playoff tear. They upset Tokyo in the JLCS, then defeated Busan for the EAB Championship; their first since 1998. For the second time in his career, Ochiai was finals MVP. In 12 playoff starts, Ochiai had 19 hits, 9 runs, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 10 RBI, and 1.303 OPS. In the Baseball Grand Championship, he had 19 hits, 13 runs, 11 homers, 20 RBI, and 1.8 WAR; although Sapporo struggled to 7-12 despite his efforts. The Swordfish missed the playoffs by four wins in 2025, but made it back in 2026 with another surprise title run. Sapporo ousted Hiroshima in the JLCS and topped Incheon to win their second EAB Championship in three years. Ochiai only had four playoff games because of a hip strain and was unremarkable in the BGC with a .640 OPS and 0.3 WAR over 19 starts. The Swordfish finished 6-13 for the 2026 event. In Ochiai’s limited playoff career though, he was excellent with 34 starts, 43 hits, 24 runs, 5 doubles, 2 triples, 9 homers, 26 RBI, .331/.387/.608 slash, 203 wRC+, and 2.1 WAR. In three seasons with Sapporo, Ochiai had 422 games, 412 hits, 225 runs, 65 doubles, 109 home runs, 259 RBI, .271/.326/.543 slash, 161 wRC+, and 15.2 WAR. In 2026, he joined the exclusive 600 home run and 1500 RBI clubs. Ochiai’s production had been steady, earning a three-year, $34,800,000 deal with Osaka even at age 38. He declined sharply though and was used as a pinch hitter and backup in 2027 with .682 OPS, 87 wRC+, and 0.1 WAR. Ochiai opted to retire after one season with the Orange Sox at age 39. The final stats for Ochiai: 2511 games, 2493 hits, 1324 runs, 360 doubles, 61 triples, 635 home runs, 1557 RBI, 655 walks, 1872 strikeouts, .290/.344/.568 slash, 172 wRC+, and 96.5 WAR. As of 2037, Ochiai ranks 83^rd in games, 89^th in runs, 55^th in total bases (4880), 32^nd in homers, 42^nd in RBI, and 38^th in WAR among position players. His .912 OPS is 94^th among all batters with 3000+ plate appearances and his slugging is a nice 69^th. Ochiai probably falls just short of being an “inner-circle” level Hall of Famer, but few guys got you more reliable power throughout the 2010s and 2020s in East Asia Baseball. That and his role in titles for both Kyoto and Sapporo made Ochiai an easy choice for the Hall of Fame voters. Ochiai received 92.6%, the second of four additions in a very impressive 2033 class. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)