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FuzzyRussianHat · 08-01-2025, 08:28 AM

Yun-Jae Paek – Starting Pitcher – Seongnam Spiders – 90.4% First Ballot

Yun-Jae Paek was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Gwangju, South Korea; the country’s sixth-largest metropolis with 1,411,000 people. Excellent pinpoint control was Paek’s biggest skill, carrying him to great success despite having merely above average-to-good stuff and movement. Paek did reach 97-99 mph with his sinker and splitter, although his curveball was his strongest pitch. He also had a decent changeup for a fourth option.

Compared to most EAB aces, Paek’s stamina was considered fairly average, but his ironman durability more than made up for that. He missed a combined three days in his career to injury and tossed 200+ innings in all 15 of his pro seasons. Paek was solid at holding runners, but weak defensively otherwise. He wasn’t book smart, but he was an impressive pitcher and one of South Korea’s more well-known aces of his era.

Part of the notoriety nationwide came from his appearances in the World Baseball Championship from 2015-26. Paek’s stats on the world stage were merely okay though with a 3.65 ERA in 69 innings, 4-4 record, 89 strikeouts, and 0.8 WAR. He would earn a reputation though as a big game pitcher through his run with Seongnam. After a fine tenure at Seoul’s Hongik University, Paek was picked third overall by the Spiders in the 2012 EAB Draft.

Paek was a full-time starter right away and held that role 13 seasons with Seongnam. He helped turn things around for the Spiders, who had posted back-to-back 100 loss seasons prior to his arrival. They still stunk his rookie year, but became a contender with playoff berths in 2014-15, then from 2017-20. In 2014, the Spiders as the second wild card at 89-73 stunned the field by winning the Korea League Championship Series against Gwangju. They would take the L to Kyoto in the EAB Championship.

Paek had a solid postseason in his sophomore campaign with a 2.87 ERA over 37.2 innings with 41 strikeouts. He was then excellent in the Baseball Grand Championship despite Seongnam’s 8-11 finish, posting a 1.87 ERA over 33.2 innings with 32 Ks. The Spiders got back to the KLCS in 2015 as the #1 seed, but were upset by Ulsan. Seongnam missed the 2016 field by one win, but Paek emerged as a top ace by taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting on an 8.5 WAR effort. This also saw his career bests for ERA (2.33) and strikeouts (299).

In May 2016, Seongnam signed Paek to a five-year, $52,900,000 extension. He took third in 2019’s Pitcher of the Year voting, then earned his only award win in 2020. 2019 had seen his career-best 8.6 WAR with a 2.48 ERA, but 2020 saw him lead in wins (21-10) while posting a 2.63 ERA and 7.8 WAR. The Spiders lost in the first round of the 2017 playoffs, then won back-to-back pennants in 2018-19. They dropped the 2018 EAB Championship to Osaka, but won it all in 2019 facing Kawasaki.

Paek had nice playoff runs with a 2.45 ERA over 33 innings in 2018 and 2.48 ERA over 40 innings in 2019. He also kept rolling in the BGC with a 1.71 ERA over 31.2 innings in 2018 and 2.27 ERA in 31.2 innings for 2019. Seongnam was 11-8 in 2018, officially sixth after tiebreakers. They struggled to 7-12 in 2019, but Paek’s career stats against the world’s best were stellar. He had a 7-0 record, 1.95 ERA, 97 innings, 107 strikeouts, and 3.3 WAR in the BGC.

Seongnam lost in the first round in 2020, then had a three-year playoff drought despite remaining above .500. Paek declined his contract option after the 2020 campaign, but inked a new six-year, $115,800,000 deal with Seongnam. In 2024, Paek took second in Pitcher of the Year voting, leading for the only time in WAR (8.1) and for the first time in FIP- (63). He led in FIP- again in 2025 with a career-best 58.

The Spiders got back to the playoffs in 2024, but Paek got rocked in his one start and they lost in the first round. Seongnam then fell off a cliff to 68-94 in 2025, marking the start of a rebuild. Paek’s playoff numbers for the Spiders were respectable, albeit less dominant than his BGC stats. In 21 starts, he had a 3.40 ERA, 8-8 record, 156.1 innings, 139 strikeouts, 23 walks, 112 ERA+, and 2.7 WAR.

With the rebuild on after the dismal 2025 season, Seongnam traded Paek in the offseason for three prospects to Busan. One of them, Seung-Gin Youn, would be a decent starter in the 2030s for the Spiders. For Paek, his Spiders stats saw a 207-135 record, 2.97 ERA, 3189 innings, 3224 strikeouts, 127 ERA+, 74 FIP- and 84.6 WAR. He remained a popular figure for his role in multiple pennants and his #28 uniform would soon be retired.

The Blue Jays were in the midst of a six-year playoff streak, having won the KL pennant in 2023 and 2024. Busan had an all-time season upon Paek’s arrival in 2026 at 119-43, but suffered a shocking divisional series upset loss to Gwangju. The Blue Jays again were the #1 seed in 2027 with 97 wins, but again went one-and-done.

Paek did his job in the two seasons with a 30-21 record, 3.32 ERA, 455.1 innings, 419 strikeouts, 29 walks, 112 ERA+, 76 FIP-, and 11.5 WAR. He also had a quality start in the 2026 playoffs, but didn’t get used in 2027. Busan had given Paek a three-year, $66,600,000 extension after the 2026 season. His strong control made him still viable in 2027, but his velocity had plummeted from an upper 90s peak to the 88-90 mph range. Paek opted to retire after the 2027 campaign at age 36.

In total, Paek had a 237-156 record, 3.01 ERA, 3644.1 innings, 3643 strikeouts, 435 walks, 296/462 quality starts, 111 complete games, 24 shutouts, 125 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 96.1 WAR.. As of 2037, Paek ranks 25^th in wins, 40^th in innings, 94^th in complete games, 74^th in shutouts, 35^th in strikeouts, and 16^th in pitching WAR. His 1.07 BB/9 ranks 16^th among all pitchers with 1000+ innings.

Paek likely comes up just short of the Hall of Fame’s inner-circle, but very few doubted his credentials for a spot. He was rock solid-to-great over 15 years and a key reason Seongnam won three Korea League titles and an EAB title. Paek received 90.4% for a first ballot induction, the third of four in the 2033 class for East Asia Baseball.

Ji-Hwan “Bump” Kim – Left Field – Jeonju Jethawks – 67.2% First Ballot

Ji-Hwan Kim, was a 6’3’’, 205 pound switch-hitting left fielder from Nonsan, South Korea; a city with around 109,000 people. Nicknamed “Bump,” Kim was known for having a steady pop in his bat with a 162 game average of 35 home runs, 25 doubles, 10 triples, and 95 RBI. He was generally an above average contact hitter, but his ability to draw walks and avoid strikeouts were both merely okay.

Kim fared much better against right-handed pitching with a career .931 OPS and 150 wRC+. Against lefties, he was middling with a .733 OPS and 103 wRC+. Kim had good speed and was a very skilled baserunner and thief. He made almost all of his starts in left field, apart from occasional play as a designated hitter. On the whole, Kim graded as a reliably average defender.

His durability was ironman level, playing 139+ games each year from 2015-27. Kim only missed games in his initial years due to talent/performance, not to injury. Few guys worked harder, becoming a fan favorite through his strong work ethic, great intelligence, loyalty, and selflessness.

Kim attended Woosung High School and earned lots of attention even then, getting picked fourth overall by Jeonju in the 2009 EAB Draft. He signed with the Jethawks instead of leaving for college, spending all of 2010 in their academy. Kim debuted in 2011 at age 19, but wasn’t ready with -0.5 WAR and .613 OPS in 66 games and 26 starts. He was rostered full-time the next four years, but his starts were limited mostly to platoon duty with decent production.

In 2016 at age 24, Kim finally earned the full-time starting job and held it through 2021 for Jeonju. 2016 saw 114 runs, 51 homers, 131 RBI, 1.045 OPS, and 10.1 WAR, earning his first Silver Slugger and a second place in MVP voting. That June, the Jethawks gave Kim a five-year, $59,300,000 extension. Kim won additional Sluggers for Jeonju from 2019-21. Jeonju was mostly mid-tier during his time, averaging 82.9 wins per season in Kim’s tenure. Their lone playoff trips were wild cards and first round exits in 2016 and 2021.

Kim’s best season by most metrics was 2011, his first MVP win. It was his first time as a league leader with career bests in runs (138), RBI (129), slugging (.683), OPS (1.082), and WAR (10.4). Kim also had his career high 52 home runs, .326 average, and .399 OBP. The 138 runs scored rank tied for the 6^th-best single season in EAB history as of 2037. This was also a contract year for Kim, who ultimately couldn’t come to terms on a new deal with Jeonju.

For the Jethawks, Kim played 1498 games with 1382 hits, 852 runs, 214 doubles, 82 triples, 322 home runs, 862 RBI, 506 steals, .286/.339/.565 slash, 142 wRC+, and 50.1 WAR. Although the era was forgettable for Jeonju, fans remembered Kim fondly and he maintained a good relationship with the organization. His #9 uniform would be retired at the end of his career.

Now 30-years old, Kim signed a six-year, $112,800,000 deal with Incheon. He repeated as Korea League MVP in his Inferno debut and won another Slugger, leading in runs (125), and total bases (366). Kim didn’t reach those heights in his later years, but he remained a solid starter for the next four years, winning Silver Sluggers in both 2023 and 2024.

Incheon ended a seven-year playoff drought in 2022 at 94-68 and got to the KLCS, although they were defeated by Daegu. Incheon stayed above .500 the next two years, but fell short of the playoffs. They then fell to 70-92, making some wonder if a rebuild was imminent. The Inferno surprised many by winning a weak North Division at 88-74. They upset 105-win Ulsan in the divisional series, then beat Gwangju for a surprise KL pennant. Incheon fell to Sapporo in the EAB Championship.

Kim had struggled for much of 2026 with only 0.9 WAR and .716 OPS as a full-time starter. He hadn’t fared better in the playoffs with a putrid .390 OPS and -0.5 WAR in 14 games. Kim was less lousy but still unimpressive with .624 OPS and 0 WAR in the Baseball Grand Championship as Incheon took last outright at 4-15. His early successes earned Kim the benefit of the doubt to remain a starter for 2027.

He bounced back from his lousy 2026, but was merely decent at .792 OPS, 122 wRC+, and 2.5 WAR. Incheon finished 97-65 and repeated as Korea League champs, falling to Niigata for the EAB title. Kim fared better in the playoffs with .855 OPS and 0.4 WAR in 12 games and 6 starts. For his limited playoff career, he had 42 games, 35 starts, 38 hits, 19 runs, 3 doubles, 7 triples, 5 homers, 18 RBI, 17 steals, .270/.329/.496 slash, 125 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR.

Kim’s deal was set to expire and it seemed his time as a starter was likely at or near the end. He opted to retire at age 36 and didn’t participate in the 2027 BGC. For Incheon, Kim finished with 919 games, 931 hits, 545 runs, 166 doubles, 68 triples, 198 home runs, 548 RBI, 269 steals, .271/.318/.532 slash, 132 wRC+, and 26.0 WAR.

The final stats for Kim had 2417 games, 2313 hits, 1397 runs, 380 doubles, 150 triples, 520 home runs, 1410 RBI, 589 walks, 2107 strikeouts, 775 stolen bases, .280/.331/.551 slash, 138 wRC+, and 76.1 WAR. As of 2037, Kim ranks 64^th in runs, 81^st in total bases (4553), 69^th in home runs, 77^th in RBI, and 76^th in steals. He misses the top 100 in WAR for position players.

Kim’s accumulations were admittedly a bit borderline and his advanced stats weren’t overwhelming either. However, two MVPs and seven Silver Sluggers were accolades not many guys could lay claim to. Kim was also such a likeable guy, which helped him get the benefit of the doubt with some skeptical voters. He debuted at 67.2%, which was just barely beyond the 66% induction requirement. Regardless, Kim could say he was a first ballot Hall of Fame, capping off an impressive four-player 2033 class for East Asia Baseball.

08-01-2025, 08:28 AM	#2358
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,011	2033 EAB Hall of Fame (Part 2) Yun-Jae Paek – Starting Pitcher – Seongnam Spiders – 90.4% First Ballot Yun-Jae Paek was a 6’2’’, 200 pound right-handed pitcher from Gwangju, South Korea; the country’s sixth-largest metropolis with 1,411,000 people. Excellent pinpoint control was Paek’s biggest skill, carrying him to great success despite having merely above average-to-good stuff and movement. Paek did reach 97-99 mph with his sinker and splitter, although his curveball was his strongest pitch. He also had a decent changeup for a fourth option. Compared to most EAB aces, Paek’s stamina was considered fairly average, but his ironman durability more than made up for that. He missed a combined three days in his career to injury and tossed 200+ innings in all 15 of his pro seasons. Paek was solid at holding runners, but weak defensively otherwise. He wasn’t book smart, but he was an impressive pitcher and one of South Korea’s more well-known aces of his era. Part of the notoriety nationwide came from his appearances in the World Baseball Championship from 2015-26. Paek’s stats on the world stage were merely okay though with a 3.65 ERA in 69 innings, 4-4 record, 89 strikeouts, and 0.8 WAR. He would earn a reputation though as a big game pitcher through his run with Seongnam. After a fine tenure at Seoul’s Hongik University, Paek was picked third overall by the Spiders in the 2012 EAB Draft. Paek was a full-time starter right away and held that role 13 seasons with Seongnam. He helped turn things around for the Spiders, who had posted back-to-back 100 loss seasons prior to his arrival. They still stunk his rookie year, but became a contender with playoff berths in 2014-15, then from 2017-20. In 2014, the Spiders as the second wild card at 89-73 stunned the field by winning the Korea League Championship Series against Gwangju. They would take the L to Kyoto in the EAB Championship. Paek had a solid postseason in his sophomore campaign with a 2.87 ERA over 37.2 innings with 41 strikeouts. He was then excellent in the Baseball Grand Championship despite Seongnam’s 8-11 finish, posting a 1.87 ERA over 33.2 innings with 32 Ks. The Spiders got back to the KLCS in 2015 as the #1 seed, but were upset by Ulsan. Seongnam missed the 2016 field by one win, but Paek emerged as a top ace by taking third in Pitcher of the Year voting on an 8.5 WAR effort. This also saw his career bests for ERA (2.33) and strikeouts (299). In May 2016, Seongnam signed Paek to a five-year, $52,900,000 extension. He took third in 2019’s Pitcher of the Year voting, then earned his only award win in 2020. 2019 had seen his career-best 8.6 WAR with a 2.48 ERA, but 2020 saw him lead in wins (21-10) while posting a 2.63 ERA and 7.8 WAR. The Spiders lost in the first round of the 2017 playoffs, then won back-to-back pennants in 2018-19. They dropped the 2018 EAB Championship to Osaka, but won it all in 2019 facing Kawasaki. Paek had nice playoff runs with a 2.45 ERA over 33 innings in 2018 and 2.48 ERA over 40 innings in 2019. He also kept rolling in the BGC with a 1.71 ERA over 31.2 innings in 2018 and 2.27 ERA in 31.2 innings for 2019. Seongnam was 11-8 in 2018, officially sixth after tiebreakers. They struggled to 7-12 in 2019, but Paek’s career stats against the world’s best were stellar. He had a 7-0 record, 1.95 ERA, 97 innings, 107 strikeouts, and 3.3 WAR in the BGC. Seongnam lost in the first round in 2020, then had a three-year playoff drought despite remaining above .500. Paek declined his contract option after the 2020 campaign, but inked a new six-year, $115,800,000 deal with Seongnam. In 2024, Paek took second in Pitcher of the Year voting, leading for the only time in WAR (8.1) and for the first time in FIP- (63). He led in FIP- again in 2025 with a career-best 58. The Spiders got back to the playoffs in 2024, but Paek got rocked in his one start and they lost in the first round. Seongnam then fell off a cliff to 68-94 in 2025, marking the start of a rebuild. Paek’s playoff numbers for the Spiders were respectable, albeit less dominant than his BGC stats. In 21 starts, he had a 3.40 ERA, 8-8 record, 156.1 innings, 139 strikeouts, 23 walks, 112 ERA+, and 2.7 WAR. With the rebuild on after the dismal 2025 season, Seongnam traded Paek in the offseason for three prospects to Busan. One of them, Seung-Gin Youn, would be a decent starter in the 2030s for the Spiders. For Paek, his Spiders stats saw a 207-135 record, 2.97 ERA, 3189 innings, 3224 strikeouts, 127 ERA+, 74 FIP- and 84.6 WAR. He remained a popular figure for his role in multiple pennants and his #28 uniform would soon be retired. The Blue Jays were in the midst of a six-year playoff streak, having won the KL pennant in 2023 and 2024. Busan had an all-time season upon Paek’s arrival in 2026 at 119-43, but suffered a shocking divisional series upset loss to Gwangju. The Blue Jays again were the #1 seed in 2027 with 97 wins, but again went one-and-done. Paek did his job in the two seasons with a 30-21 record, 3.32 ERA, 455.1 innings, 419 strikeouts, 29 walks, 112 ERA+, 76 FIP-, and 11.5 WAR. He also had a quality start in the 2026 playoffs, but didn’t get used in 2027. Busan had given Paek a three-year, $66,600,000 extension after the 2026 season. His strong control made him still viable in 2027, but his velocity had plummeted from an upper 90s peak to the 88-90 mph range. Paek opted to retire after the 2027 campaign at age 36. In total, Paek had a 237-156 record, 3.01 ERA, 3644.1 innings, 3643 strikeouts, 435 walks, 296/462 quality starts, 111 complete games, 24 shutouts, 125 ERA+, 74 FIP-, and 96.1 WAR.. As of 2037, Paek ranks 25^th in wins, 40^th in innings, 94^th in complete games, 74^th in shutouts, 35^th in strikeouts, and 16^th in pitching WAR. His 1.07 BB/9 ranks 16^th among all pitchers with 1000+ innings. Paek likely comes up just short of the Hall of Fame’s inner-circle, but very few doubted his credentials for a spot. He was rock solid-to-great over 15 years and a key reason Seongnam won three Korea League titles and an EAB title. Paek received 90.4% for a first ballot induction, the third of four in the 2033 class for East Asia Baseball. Ji-Hwan “Bump” Kim – Left Field – Jeonju Jethawks – 67.2% First Ballot Ji-Hwan Kim, was a 6’3’’, 205 pound switch-hitting left fielder from Nonsan, South Korea; a city with around 109,000 people. Nicknamed “Bump,” Kim was known for having a steady pop in his bat with a 162 game average of 35 home runs, 25 doubles, 10 triples, and 95 RBI. He was generally an above average contact hitter, but his ability to draw walks and avoid strikeouts were both merely okay. Kim fared much better against right-handed pitching with a career .931 OPS and 150 wRC+. Against lefties, he was middling with a .733 OPS and 103 wRC+. Kim had good speed and was a very skilled baserunner and thief. He made almost all of his starts in left field, apart from occasional play as a designated hitter. On the whole, Kim graded as a reliably average defender. His durability was ironman level, playing 139+ games each year from 2015-27. Kim only missed games in his initial years due to talent/performance, not to injury. Few guys worked harder, becoming a fan favorite through his strong work ethic, great intelligence, loyalty, and selflessness. Kim attended Woosung High School and earned lots of attention even then, getting picked fourth overall by Jeonju in the 2009 EAB Draft. He signed with the Jethawks instead of leaving for college, spending all of 2010 in their academy. Kim debuted in 2011 at age 19, but wasn’t ready with -0.5 WAR and .613 OPS in 66 games and 26 starts. He was rostered full-time the next four years, but his starts were limited mostly to platoon duty with decent production. In 2016 at age 24, Kim finally earned the full-time starting job and held it through 2021 for Jeonju. 2016 saw 114 runs, 51 homers, 131 RBI, 1.045 OPS, and 10.1 WAR, earning his first Silver Slugger and a second place in MVP voting. That June, the Jethawks gave Kim a five-year, $59,300,000 extension. Kim won additional Sluggers for Jeonju from 2019-21. Jeonju was mostly mid-tier during his time, averaging 82.9 wins per season in Kim’s tenure. Their lone playoff trips were wild cards and first round exits in 2016 and 2021. Kim’s best season by most metrics was 2011, his first MVP win. It was his first time as a league leader with career bests in runs (138), RBI (129), slugging (.683), OPS (1.082), and WAR (10.4). Kim also had his career high 52 home runs, .326 average, and .399 OBP. The 138 runs scored rank tied for the 6^th-best single season in EAB history as of 2037. This was also a contract year for Kim, who ultimately couldn’t come to terms on a new deal with Jeonju. For the Jethawks, Kim played 1498 games with 1382 hits, 852 runs, 214 doubles, 82 triples, 322 home runs, 862 RBI, 506 steals, .286/.339/.565 slash, 142 wRC+, and 50.1 WAR. Although the era was forgettable for Jeonju, fans remembered Kim fondly and he maintained a good relationship with the organization. His #9 uniform would be retired at the end of his career. Now 30-years old, Kim signed a six-year, $112,800,000 deal with Incheon. He repeated as Korea League MVP in his Inferno debut and won another Slugger, leading in runs (125), and total bases (366). Kim didn’t reach those heights in his later years, but he remained a solid starter for the next four years, winning Silver Sluggers in both 2023 and 2024. Incheon ended a seven-year playoff drought in 2022 at 94-68 and got to the KLCS, although they were defeated by Daegu. Incheon stayed above .500 the next two years, but fell short of the playoffs. They then fell to 70-92, making some wonder if a rebuild was imminent. The Inferno surprised many by winning a weak North Division at 88-74. They upset 105-win Ulsan in the divisional series, then beat Gwangju for a surprise KL pennant. Incheon fell to Sapporo in the EAB Championship. Kim had struggled for much of 2026 with only 0.9 WAR and .716 OPS as a full-time starter. He hadn’t fared better in the playoffs with a putrid .390 OPS and -0.5 WAR in 14 games. Kim was less lousy but still unimpressive with .624 OPS and 0 WAR in the Baseball Grand Championship as Incheon took last outright at 4-15. His early successes earned Kim the benefit of the doubt to remain a starter for 2027. He bounced back from his lousy 2026, but was merely decent at .792 OPS, 122 wRC+, and 2.5 WAR. Incheon finished 97-65 and repeated as Korea League champs, falling to Niigata for the EAB title. Kim fared better in the playoffs with .855 OPS and 0.4 WAR in 12 games and 6 starts. For his limited playoff career, he had 42 games, 35 starts, 38 hits, 19 runs, 3 doubles, 7 triples, 5 homers, 18 RBI, 17 steals, .270/.329/.496 slash, 125 wRC+, and 1.5 WAR. Kim’s deal was set to expire and it seemed his time as a starter was likely at or near the end. He opted to retire at age 36 and didn’t participate in the 2027 BGC. For Incheon, Kim finished with 919 games, 931 hits, 545 runs, 166 doubles, 68 triples, 198 home runs, 548 RBI, 269 steals, .271/.318/.532 slash, 132 wRC+, and 26.0 WAR. The final stats for Kim had 2417 games, 2313 hits, 1397 runs, 380 doubles, 150 triples, 520 home runs, 1410 RBI, 589 walks, 2107 strikeouts, 775 stolen bases, .280/.331/.551 slash, 138 wRC+, and 76.1 WAR. As of 2037, Kim ranks 64^th in runs, 81^st in total bases (4553), 69^th in home runs, 77^th in RBI, and 76^th in steals. He misses the top 100 in WAR for position players. Kim’s accumulations were admittedly a bit borderline and his advanced stats weren’t overwhelming either. However, two MVPs and seven Silver Sluggers were accolades not many guys could lay claim to. Kim was also such a likeable guy, which helped him get the benefit of the doubt with some skeptical voters. He debuted at 67.2%, which was just barely beyond the 66% induction requirement. Regardless, Kim could say he was a first ballot Hall of Fame, capping off an impressive four-player 2033 class for East Asia Baseball. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)