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FuzzyRussianHat · 09-11-2025, 07:22 PM

Christian “Cubby” Brunner – Third Base – Frankfurt Falcons – 89.2% First Ballot

Christian Brunner was a 6’4’’, 200 pound switch-hitting third baseman from Schwaz, Austria, a small town of just under 14,000 people. Nicknamed “Cubby,” Brunner was one of Europe’s finest home run hitters, smacking 40+ eight times and 50+ thrice. He was also a very good contact hitter with a good eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts. Brunner was notably equally potent from either side of the plate.

His power was very much focused on homers with 41 per his 162 game average, but only 18 doubles and 2 triples. Brunner was actually an incredibly savvy baserunner, but his utility was still extremely limited by poor speed. He had a cannon arm, but graded as a weak defender overall at third base. Brunner also made a few starts at first base and graded as effective there.

Brunner actually had some pitching potential with a nice fastball/splitter combo, but his control was lacking. In 2016, he made seven appearances on the mound and looked good with only two unearned runs over 13.2 innings and eight strikeouts. These would ultimately be his only pitching innings of his career, focusing instead on his bat. Injuries did cost Brunner some time, but he still managed a 19-year pro career. He was a true fan favorite know for an impressive work ethic and adaptability.

In the 2013 EBF Draft, Brunner went 12^th overall to Frankfurt. The Falcons were one of the first teams promoted out of the European Second League in 2007 and stayed among the EBF Elite ever since, although they only narrowly escaped relegation and didn’t contend notably until the mid 2010s. Brunner generally had strong batting results in his early years, but apart from 2017 spent his first five seasons as a part-time starter.

In 2017, Brunner won his first Silver Slugger and was third in MVP voting, leading the conference with 198 wRC+. He also had his career bests for OPS (1.016), WAR (10.6), runs (117), hits (197), and RBI (126) along with a 53 homer season. It surprised many that Brunner was a part-time starter the next two years before securing the full spot from 2020 onward. After the 2019 season, Brunner signed an eight-year, $114,400,000 extension to stay with the Falcons.

Frankfurt had their first team success in the top tier with division titles from 2018-20. They made the Northern Conference final in 2018 at 93-69, but lost to Birmingham. The Falcons had second round exits in 2019-20, although the latter did see a franchise-best 105-57 season. Frankfurt had a wild card and first round exit in 2022. The Falcons stayed generally above .500 for the rest of the 2020s, but wouldn’t make the playoffs again for the decade. Brunner’s limited playoff experience had 19 games, 7 starts, .923 OPS, 155 wRC+, and 0.4 WAR.

He started to thrive in the 2020s with five straight Silver Sluggers from 2020-25. Brunner was second in 2021’s MVP voting and third in 2022. In 2021, he led in slugging (.703), OPS (1.105), and wRC+ (204) and 9.8 WAR with a career-high 54 homers. Brunner wasn’t a conference leader after that, but he remained one of Europe’s most powerful bats even into his late 30s.

With three years left on an eight-year contact, Brunner opted out after the 2025 campaign. For Frankfurt, he had 1684 games, 1589 hits, 898 runs, 182 doubles, 411 homers, 967 RBI, 475 walks, .330/.392/.630 slash, 176 wRC+, and 72.7 WAR. He was the franchise’s first big star and his #9 uniform would be the first retired by the Falcons. Brunner was also only the second inductee representing a franchise that began in the E2L in 2005, joining Palermo great Jean-Paul Lafontaine of the 2033 class.

Now 35-years old, Brunner signed at $92 million over four years with Marseille. The Musketeers had just gotten promoted back to the big time after seven seasons in E2L. His numbers were strong for the Musketeers with his seventh Silver Slugger in 2028 on a 9.0 WAR effort. Marseille earned a division title upon their 2026 return, but suffered a first round playoff exit. They hovered in the middle-tier for the rest of Brunner’s tenure.

In four seasons, Brunner had 574 games, 669 hits, 403 runs, 72 doubles, 170 home runs, 409 RBI, .319/.380/.606 slash, 177 wRC+, and 29.6 WAR; impressive numbers for a guy in his mid-to-late 30s. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment while in France was playing for his native Austria in the World Baseball Championship. He had represented his country from 2018-20 and would again in 2022 and from 2024-26.

Austria surprised the world in 2026 by earning the world title, defeating France 4-2 in the finale. Brunner led the event in home runs (10) and RBI (25) and had 23 hits, 15 runs, 136 wRC+, and 1.0 WAR. That earned him great popularity with his fellow countrymen. Overall in 82 WBC games, Brunner had 70 hits, 41 runs, 15 doubles, 24 homers, 55 RBI, .231/.304/.518 slash, and 2.7 WAR.

Brunner was a free agent again for 2030 heading towards age 39, but hadn’t shown any notable signs on decline as he had smacked 50 homers in 2029. He couldn’t resist the big Major League Baseball payday as Houston signed him to a hefty three-year deal at $112,500,000. Thus, Brunner’s time playing in Europe came to an end.

Unfortunately, Brunner had a weak debut in 2030 with numerous injuries and -0.1 WAR with a .705 OPS in 54 games. Houston still got the American Association’s top seed at 111-51, but suffered a one-and-done in the playoffs. Brunner was mostly healthy in 2031 and was a passable starter with 28 homers, .801 OPS, 108 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR.

Brunner would be a backup in the playoff run with eight pinch hit appearances, but Houston finished 99-63 and ultimately beat Toronto to win the 2031 World Series. The Hornets finished tied for the top spot in the Baseball Grand Championship at 14-7, but were the runner-up with a 6-4 loss for the tiebreaker against ABF’s Hyderabad. Brunner did start in the BGC with mixed results with 10 hits, 9 runs, 6 homers, 12 RBI, .159/.232/.476 slash, 99 wRC+, and 0.3 WAR.

He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the third year with Houston, becoming a free agent for 2032. New Orleans signed him, but his limited big league time was abysmal with .370 OPS and -0.6 WAR in 25 games and 9 starts. Brunner’s MLB career had 210 games, 178 hits, 95 runs, 13 doubles, 37 homers, 102 RBI, .247/.320/.424 slash, 95 wRC+, and 0.7 WAR. He retired after the 2032 season at age 41.

Brunner’s EBF stats saw 2258 games, 2258 hits, 1301 runs, 254 doubles, 26 triples, 581 home runs, 1376 RBI, 666 walks, 931 strikeouts, .326/.388/.623 slash, 1.011 OPS, 176 wRC+, and 102.3 WAR. He ranks 75^th in games, 75^th in runs, 68^th in total bases (4307), 28^th in homers, 62^nd in RBI, and 26^th in WAR among position players.

Among EBF batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Brunner’s triple slash ranks 79^th/42^nd/24^th and his 1.011 OPS is 14^th. He’s one of only 22 EBF batters with a career OPS above one. The bad MLB run puts him below that for his combined career with 2468 total pro games, 2436 hits, 1396 runs, 267 doubles, 618 home runs, 1478 RBI, 739 walks, .319/.382/.604 slash, 168 wRC+, and 103.0 WAR.

You don’t expect a guy outside of his league’s top 100 in hits to be 26^th in WAR, but Brunner made the absolute most of his opportunities. Some voters were shocked how strong his advanced metrics were and he almost flew under the radar a bit. Brunner received 89.2% for the vote for the first ballot nod in the 2035 Hall of Fame class for the European Baseball Federation. Many view him as the second-best batter to ever come out of Austria behind Ben Springer, who offten gets cited as EBF’s best-ever third baseman period.

Oliver Schmitz – Second Base – Hamburg Hammers – 81.9% First Ballot

Oliver Schmitz was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed second baseman from Herbertingen, Germany; a tiny town of just under 5,000 people in the country’s south. Schmitz’s biggest asset was a very powerful bat against both sides with a 162 game average of 43 home runs, 23 doubles, and 9 triples. He had eight seasons with 40+ homers and twice hit 50+. Schmitz also had very impressive speed and baserunning skills.

On the downside, he was an average-at-best contact hitter who rarely drew walks and really struggled with strikeouts. You’d put up with the 29.4% strikeout rate though when almost half of Schmitz’s hits were for extra bases and he could fly around the basepaths. He also had very good durability, playing 140+ games in all but one season from 2015-29.

Schmitz also was an impressive defender as a career second baseman who was just a notch below Gold Glove level. Additionally, Schmitz was a team captain with a very high character, renowned for his leadership, loyalty, intelligence, and selflessness. He had a unique set of skills, but it propelled him to a very successful 16 year career.

Not many teenage prospects entered the EBF Draft, but Schmitz was an exception as a highly touted prospect in 2010. Hamburg picked him 24^th overall and gave him four years in their system to develop. He only played 11 games with two starts in that stretch in 2013. The Hammers brought Schmitz up in 2015 and he was a full-time starter for the next eight years.

Schmitz had immediate success as 2015 Rookie of the Year, although it was a few more seasons until he fully developed his home run power. In his rookie year, Hamburg ended a six-year playoff drought as the Northern Conference’s top seed at 109-53, but they were upset in the conference final by Antwerp. After a near miss in 2-16, the Hammers started a seven-year division title streak in 2017.

2019 was the breakout for Hamburg, who finished 99-63 and defeated Zurich to claim the European Championship. Schmitz was quite poor in the playoff run with -0.2 WAR and .548 OPS, but he bounced back with a powerful showing in the Baseball Grand Championship. Although the Hammers were a mere 9-10, Schmitz had 23 hits, 17 runs, 16 homers, 29 RBI, 233 wRC+, and 1.6 WAR. This is one homer and three RBI short of the event record.

Schmitz kept getting better and Hamburg set a franchise record in 2020 at 115-47, although they had a stunning second round playoff upset. The Hammers recovered for a conference title in 2021 at 108-54, but were denied the European Championship by Munich. That was Schmitz’s best playoff run by WAR at 0.7, although he had a .744 OPS and 105 wRC+. Hamburg was 11-8 in the BGC and officially sixth after tiebreakers with Schmitz posting a lackluster .659 OPS and 0.1 WAR.

2021 was his finest regular season and his only time as a conference leader in good stats, leading with career bests for homers (58) and total bases (402). Schmitz had his bests as well for hits (181) and RBI (126) and posted 9.8 WAR. He also hit for the cycle in June facing Kyiv. Schmitz earned MVP honors and his first Silver Slugger. That March, Hamburg had given Schmitz a four-year, $77 million extension.

Schmitz had a strong 2022, but 107-win Hamburg lost the conference final to 116-win Dublin. He had only one playoff start because of a strained oblique. Schmitz’s playoff stats were underwhelming overall for the Hammers with 43 starts, 42 hits, 27 runs, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 9 homers, 26 RBI, 23 steals, .240/.275/.469 slash, 104 wRC+, and 1.1 WAR. His strikeout issues became more pronounced when facing the federation’s best rotations.

Strikeouts also were a problem in the World Baseball Championship, although he was a regular for Germany from 2018-30. In 145 games, Schmitz had 255 Ks and a putrid 50% strikeout rate along with 92 hits, 64 runs, 10 doubles, 39 homers, 84 RBI, .182/.230/.433 slash, and 1.9 WAR. His leadership did still help the Germans to team success, including a runner-up finish in 2020 and third place in 2024.

After the 2022 season, the now 30-year old Schmitz surprised many by opting out of his Hamburg deal and leaving for free agency. With the Hammers, he had 1235 games, 1266 hits, 777 runs, 178 doubles, 81 triples, 308 homers, 759 RBI, 138 walks, 1428 Ks, 461 steals, .271/.296/.541 slash, 129 wRC+, and 50.0 WAR. Schmitz would remain very popular with Hamburg fans and his #49 uniform was eventually retired.

Schmitz moved to Scotland on a hefty six-year, $164,200,000 deal with Edinburgh. The Enforcers would get a wild card in 2023, but lost in the first round with Schmitz missing the series to injury. They dropped to 78-84 in 2024, but Schmitz posted his career highs for WAR (10.1), triple slash (.308/.339/.659), OPS (.999), and wRC+ (167) while hitting 51 homers. This earned his second and final Silver Slugger.

In 2025, Schmitz dropped off to a mere 3.2 WAR and .732 OPS and Edinburgh plummeted to 62-100, suffering relegation to the European Second League. Schmitz opted out of his deal due to the demotion, becoming a free agent again at age 33. In three seasons for Edinburgh, Schmitz had 451 games, 467 hits, 263 runs, 72 doubles, 31 triples, 129 homers, 300 RBI, 479 Ks, 166 steals, .277/.304/.587 slash, 141 wRC+, and 20.6 WAR.

Schmitz went back to his native Germany, this time on a four-year, $79,800,000 deal with Hanover. The Hitmen started what would become a decade-long playoff streak in 2023, although they wouldn’t get beyond the second round until 2028. Schmitz wouldn’t be award-winning with Hanover, but he still provided enough home run power and defensive value to be worth around 3-5 WAR each year.

Hanover won their first-ever European Championship in 2028 at 104-58, defeating Munich in the final. They would be one of four teams tied at 13-6 in the Baseball Grand Championship, officially second after the tiebreakers. Schmitz’s BGC stats were lousy with a .131/.172/.311 slash and -0.2 WAR. His overall playoff stats for Hanover weren’t anything special in 30 starts with 23 hits, 13 runs, 2 doubles, 8 homers, 18 RBI, 36 Ks, .225/.269/.500 slash, 103 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR. In 2029, Hanover improved to 108-54, but were ousted in the second round.

In four seasons with the Hitmen, Schmitz had 594 games, 506 hits, 339 runs, 75 doubles, 28 triples, 157 homers, 384 RBI, 147 steals, .239/.269/.524 slash, 112 wRC+, and 15.9 WAR. Schmitz was a free agent for 2030 and was on the cusp of 600 home runs and 1500 RBI in EBF, but he wouldn’t get the chance to reach those marks.

He did at least get to 600+ homers for his entire pro career, signing a two-year, $19,600,000 deal for 2030 with Honolulu in the Oceania Baseball Association. He only played 69 games for the Honu with 12 homers, .683 OPS, 83 wRC+, and 0.3 WAR. Schmitz retired that winter at age 38 with combined pro stats of 2349 games, 2273 hits, 1404 runs, 329 doubles, 142 triples, 606 homers, 1475 RBI, 275 walks, 2664 strikeouts, 789 steals, .263/.290/.544 slash, 126 wRC+, and 86.8 WAR.

In EBF, Schmitz finished with 2280 games, 2239 hits, 1379 runs, 325 doubles, 140 triples, 594 home runs, 1443 RBI, 267 walks, 2605 strikeouts, 774 steals, .264/.291/.546 slash, 127 wRC+, and 86.5 WAR. Schmitz ranks 72^nd in games, 51^st in runs, 52^nd in total bases (4626), 24^th in homers, 44^th in RBI, 3^rd in strikeouts, and 63^rd in WAR among position players.

Advanced stats weren’t exactly sure what to make of Schmitz. He scored high marks for great home run power, solid baserunner, and excellent defense; but he was a middling contact hitter with a terrible 29.4% strikeout rate and 3.0% walk rate. It is near impossible to have that kind of percentages, but still be an overall positive value offensive player. Schmitz’s intangibles such as his leadership went a long way as well.

In any case, Schmitz ranks 4^th in WAR accrued at second base, cementing a case as one of the best at the position even if he wasn’t overflowing with accolades. Schmitz also helped both Hamburg and Hanover win titles,, winning over many skeptics even with unremarkable playoff stats. Schmitz earned 81.9% for a first ballot nod to cap off a three-player 2035 Hall of Fame class for the European Baseball Federation.

09-11-2025, 07:22 PM	#2439
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,279	2035 EBF Hall of Fame (Part 2) Christian “Cubby” Brunner – Third Base – Frankfurt Falcons – 89.2% First Ballot Christian Brunner was a 6’4’’, 200 pound switch-hitting third baseman from Schwaz, Austria, a small town of just under 14,000 people. Nicknamed “Cubby,” Brunner was one of Europe’s finest home run hitters, smacking 40+ eight times and 50+ thrice. He was also a very good contact hitter with a good eye for walks and avoiding strikeouts. Brunner was notably equally potent from either side of the plate. His power was very much focused on homers with 41 per his 162 game average, but only 18 doubles and 2 triples. Brunner was actually an incredibly savvy baserunner, but his utility was still extremely limited by poor speed. He had a cannon arm, but graded as a weak defender overall at third base. Brunner also made a few starts at first base and graded as effective there. Brunner actually had some pitching potential with a nice fastball/splitter combo, but his control was lacking. In 2016, he made seven appearances on the mound and looked good with only two unearned runs over 13.2 innings and eight strikeouts. These would ultimately be his only pitching innings of his career, focusing instead on his bat. Injuries did cost Brunner some time, but he still managed a 19-year pro career. He was a true fan favorite know for an impressive work ethic and adaptability. In the 2013 EBF Draft, Brunner went 12^th overall to Frankfurt. The Falcons were one of the first teams promoted out of the European Second League in 2007 and stayed among the EBF Elite ever since, although they only narrowly escaped relegation and didn’t contend notably until the mid 2010s. Brunner generally had strong batting results in his early years, but apart from 2017 spent his first five seasons as a part-time starter. In 2017, Brunner won his first Silver Slugger and was third in MVP voting, leading the conference with 198 wRC+. He also had his career bests for OPS (1.016), WAR (10.6), runs (117), hits (197), and RBI (126) along with a 53 homer season. It surprised many that Brunner was a part-time starter the next two years before securing the full spot from 2020 onward. After the 2019 season, Brunner signed an eight-year, $114,400,000 extension to stay with the Falcons. Frankfurt had their first team success in the top tier with division titles from 2018-20. They made the Northern Conference final in 2018 at 93-69, but lost to Birmingham. The Falcons had second round exits in 2019-20, although the latter did see a franchise-best 105-57 season. Frankfurt had a wild card and first round exit in 2022. The Falcons stayed generally above .500 for the rest of the 2020s, but wouldn’t make the playoffs again for the decade. Brunner’s limited playoff experience had 19 games, 7 starts, .923 OPS, 155 wRC+, and 0.4 WAR. He started to thrive in the 2020s with five straight Silver Sluggers from 2020-25. Brunner was second in 2021’s MVP voting and third in 2022. In 2021, he led in slugging (.703), OPS (1.105), and wRC+ (204) and 9.8 WAR with a career-high 54 homers. Brunner wasn’t a conference leader after that, but he remained one of Europe’s most powerful bats even into his late 30s. With three years left on an eight-year contact, Brunner opted out after the 2025 campaign. For Frankfurt, he had 1684 games, 1589 hits, 898 runs, 182 doubles, 411 homers, 967 RBI, 475 walks, .330/.392/.630 slash, 176 wRC+, and 72.7 WAR. He was the franchise’s first big star and his #9 uniform would be the first retired by the Falcons. Brunner was also only the second inductee representing a franchise that began in the E2L in 2005, joining Palermo great Jean-Paul Lafontaine of the 2033 class. Now 35-years old, Brunner signed at $92 million over four years with Marseille. The Musketeers had just gotten promoted back to the big time after seven seasons in E2L. His numbers were strong for the Musketeers with his seventh Silver Slugger in 2028 on a 9.0 WAR effort. Marseille earned a division title upon their 2026 return, but suffered a first round playoff exit. They hovered in the middle-tier for the rest of Brunner’s tenure. In four seasons, Brunner had 574 games, 669 hits, 403 runs, 72 doubles, 170 home runs, 409 RBI, .319/.380/.606 slash, 177 wRC+, and 29.6 WAR; impressive numbers for a guy in his mid-to-late 30s. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment while in France was playing for his native Austria in the World Baseball Championship. He had represented his country from 2018-20 and would again in 2022 and from 2024-26. Austria surprised the world in 2026 by earning the world title, defeating France 4-2 in the finale. Brunner led the event in home runs (10) and RBI (25) and had 23 hits, 15 runs, 136 wRC+, and 1.0 WAR. That earned him great popularity with his fellow countrymen. Overall in 82 WBC games, Brunner had 70 hits, 41 runs, 15 doubles, 24 homers, 55 RBI, .231/.304/.518 slash, and 2.7 WAR. Brunner was a free agent again for 2030 heading towards age 39, but hadn’t shown any notable signs on decline as he had smacked 50 homers in 2029. He couldn’t resist the big Major League Baseball payday as Houston signed him to a hefty three-year deal at $112,500,000. Thus, Brunner’s time playing in Europe came to an end. Unfortunately, Brunner had a weak debut in 2030 with numerous injuries and -0.1 WAR with a .705 OPS in 54 games. Houston still got the American Association’s top seed at 111-51, but suffered a one-and-done in the playoffs. Brunner was mostly healthy in 2031 and was a passable starter with 28 homers, .801 OPS, 108 wRC+, and 1.3 WAR. Brunner would be a backup in the playoff run with eight pinch hit appearances, but Houston finished 99-63 and ultimately beat Toronto to win the 2031 World Series. The Hornets finished tied for the top spot in the Baseball Grand Championship at 14-7, but were the runner-up with a 6-4 loss for the tiebreaker against ABF’s Hyderabad. Brunner did start in the BGC with mixed results with 10 hits, 9 runs, 6 homers, 12 RBI, .159/.232/.476 slash, 99 wRC+, and 0.3 WAR. He didn’t meet the vesting criteria for the third year with Houston, becoming a free agent for 2032. New Orleans signed him, but his limited big league time was abysmal with .370 OPS and -0.6 WAR in 25 games and 9 starts. Brunner’s MLB career had 210 games, 178 hits, 95 runs, 13 doubles, 37 homers, 102 RBI, .247/.320/.424 slash, 95 wRC+, and 0.7 WAR. He retired after the 2032 season at age 41. Brunner’s EBF stats saw 2258 games, 2258 hits, 1301 runs, 254 doubles, 26 triples, 581 home runs, 1376 RBI, 666 walks, 931 strikeouts, .326/.388/.623 slash, 1.011 OPS, 176 wRC+, and 102.3 WAR. He ranks 75^th in games, 75^th in runs, 68^th in total bases (4307), 28^th in homers, 62^nd in RBI, and 26^th in WAR among position players. Among EBF batters with 3000+ plate appearances, Brunner’s triple slash ranks 79^th/42^nd/24^th and his 1.011 OPS is 14^th. He’s one of only 22 EBF batters with a career OPS above one. The bad MLB run puts him below that for his combined career with 2468 total pro games, 2436 hits, 1396 runs, 267 doubles, 618 home runs, 1478 RBI, 739 walks, .319/.382/.604 slash, 168 wRC+, and 103.0 WAR. You don’t expect a guy outside of his league’s top 100 in hits to be 26^th in WAR, but Brunner made the absolute most of his opportunities. Some voters were shocked how strong his advanced metrics were and he almost flew under the radar a bit. Brunner received 89.2% for the vote for the first ballot nod in the 2035 Hall of Fame class for the European Baseball Federation. Many view him as the second-best batter to ever come out of Austria behind Ben Springer, who offten gets cited as EBF’s best-ever third baseman period. Oliver Schmitz – Second Base – Hamburg Hammers – 81.9% First Ballot Oliver Schmitz was a 6’4’’, 200 pound right-handed second baseman from Herbertingen, Germany; a tiny town of just under 5,000 people in the country’s south. Schmitz’s biggest asset was a very powerful bat against both sides with a 162 game average of 43 home runs, 23 doubles, and 9 triples. He had eight seasons with 40+ homers and twice hit 50+. Schmitz also had very impressive speed and baserunning skills. On the downside, he was an average-at-best contact hitter who rarely drew walks and really struggled with strikeouts. You’d put up with the 29.4% strikeout rate though when almost half of Schmitz’s hits were for extra bases and he could fly around the basepaths. He also had very good durability, playing 140+ games in all but one season from 2015-29. Schmitz also was an impressive defender as a career second baseman who was just a notch below Gold Glove level. Additionally, Schmitz was a team captain with a very high character, renowned for his leadership, loyalty, intelligence, and selflessness. He had a unique set of skills, but it propelled him to a very successful 16 year career. Not many teenage prospects entered the EBF Draft, but Schmitz was an exception as a highly touted prospect in 2010. Hamburg picked him 24^th overall and gave him four years in their system to develop. He only played 11 games with two starts in that stretch in 2013. The Hammers brought Schmitz up in 2015 and he was a full-time starter for the next eight years. Schmitz had immediate success as 2015 Rookie of the Year, although it was a few more seasons until he fully developed his home run power. In his rookie year, Hamburg ended a six-year playoff drought as the Northern Conference’s top seed at 109-53, but they were upset in the conference final by Antwerp. After a near miss in 2-16, the Hammers started a seven-year division title streak in 2017. 2019 was the breakout for Hamburg, who finished 99-63 and defeated Zurich to claim the European Championship. Schmitz was quite poor in the playoff run with -0.2 WAR and .548 OPS, but he bounced back with a powerful showing in the Baseball Grand Championship. Although the Hammers were a mere 9-10, Schmitz had 23 hits, 17 runs, 16 homers, 29 RBI, 233 wRC+, and 1.6 WAR. This is one homer and three RBI short of the event record. Schmitz kept getting better and Hamburg set a franchise record in 2020 at 115-47, although they had a stunning second round playoff upset. The Hammers recovered for a conference title in 2021 at 108-54, but were denied the European Championship by Munich. That was Schmitz’s best playoff run by WAR at 0.7, although he had a .744 OPS and 105 wRC+. Hamburg was 11-8 in the BGC and officially sixth after tiebreakers with Schmitz posting a lackluster .659 OPS and 0.1 WAR. 2021 was his finest regular season and his only time as a conference leader in good stats, leading with career bests for homers (58) and total bases (402). Schmitz had his bests as well for hits (181) and RBI (126) and posted 9.8 WAR. He also hit for the cycle in June facing Kyiv. Schmitz earned MVP honors and his first Silver Slugger. That March, Hamburg had given Schmitz a four-year, $77 million extension. Schmitz had a strong 2022, but 107-win Hamburg lost the conference final to 116-win Dublin. He had only one playoff start because of a strained oblique. Schmitz’s playoff stats were underwhelming overall for the Hammers with 43 starts, 42 hits, 27 runs, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 9 homers, 26 RBI, 23 steals, .240/.275/.469 slash, 104 wRC+, and 1.1 WAR. His strikeout issues became more pronounced when facing the federation’s best rotations. Strikeouts also were a problem in the World Baseball Championship, although he was a regular for Germany from 2018-30. In 145 games, Schmitz had 255 Ks and a putrid 50% strikeout rate along with 92 hits, 64 runs, 10 doubles, 39 homers, 84 RBI, .182/.230/.433 slash, and 1.9 WAR. His leadership did still help the Germans to team success, including a runner-up finish in 2020 and third place in 2024. After the 2022 season, the now 30-year old Schmitz surprised many by opting out of his Hamburg deal and leaving for free agency. With the Hammers, he had 1235 games, 1266 hits, 777 runs, 178 doubles, 81 triples, 308 homers, 759 RBI, 138 walks, 1428 Ks, 461 steals, .271/.296/.541 slash, 129 wRC+, and 50.0 WAR. Schmitz would remain very popular with Hamburg fans and his #49 uniform was eventually retired. Schmitz moved to Scotland on a hefty six-year, $164,200,000 deal with Edinburgh. The Enforcers would get a wild card in 2023, but lost in the first round with Schmitz missing the series to injury. They dropped to 78-84 in 2024, but Schmitz posted his career highs for WAR (10.1), triple slash (.308/.339/.659), OPS (.999), and wRC+ (167) while hitting 51 homers. This earned his second and final Silver Slugger. In 2025, Schmitz dropped off to a mere 3.2 WAR and .732 OPS and Edinburgh plummeted to 62-100, suffering relegation to the European Second League. Schmitz opted out of his deal due to the demotion, becoming a free agent again at age 33. In three seasons for Edinburgh, Schmitz had 451 games, 467 hits, 263 runs, 72 doubles, 31 triples, 129 homers, 300 RBI, 479 Ks, 166 steals, .277/.304/.587 slash, 141 wRC+, and 20.6 WAR. Schmitz went back to his native Germany, this time on a four-year, $79,800,000 deal with Hanover. The Hitmen started what would become a decade-long playoff streak in 2023, although they wouldn’t get beyond the second round until 2028. Schmitz wouldn’t be award-winning with Hanover, but he still provided enough home run power and defensive value to be worth around 3-5 WAR each year. Hanover won their first-ever European Championship in 2028 at 104-58, defeating Munich in the final. They would be one of four teams tied at 13-6 in the Baseball Grand Championship, officially second after the tiebreakers. Schmitz’s BGC stats were lousy with a .131/.172/.311 slash and -0.2 WAR. His overall playoff stats for Hanover weren’t anything special in 30 starts with 23 hits, 13 runs, 2 doubles, 8 homers, 18 RBI, 36 Ks, .225/.269/.500 slash, 103 wRC+, and 0.5 WAR. In 2029, Hanover improved to 108-54, but were ousted in the second round. In four seasons with the Hitmen, Schmitz had 594 games, 506 hits, 339 runs, 75 doubles, 28 triples, 157 homers, 384 RBI, 147 steals, .239/.269/.524 slash, 112 wRC+, and 15.9 WAR. Schmitz was a free agent for 2030 and was on the cusp of 600 home runs and 1500 RBI in EBF, but he wouldn’t get the chance to reach those marks. He did at least get to 600+ homers for his entire pro career, signing a two-year, $19,600,000 deal for 2030 with Honolulu in the Oceania Baseball Association. He only played 69 games for the Honu with 12 homers, .683 OPS, 83 wRC+, and 0.3 WAR. Schmitz retired that winter at age 38 with combined pro stats of 2349 games, 2273 hits, 1404 runs, 329 doubles, 142 triples, 606 homers, 1475 RBI, 275 walks, 2664 strikeouts, 789 steals, .263/.290/.544 slash, 126 wRC+, and 86.8 WAR. In EBF, Schmitz finished with 2280 games, 2239 hits, 1379 runs, 325 doubles, 140 triples, 594 home runs, 1443 RBI, 267 walks, 2605 strikeouts, 774 steals, .264/.291/.546 slash, 127 wRC+, and 86.5 WAR. Schmitz ranks 72^nd in games, 51^st in runs, 52^nd in total bases (4626), 24^th in homers, 44^th in RBI, 3^rd in strikeouts, and 63^rd in WAR among position players. Advanced stats weren’t exactly sure what to make of Schmitz. He scored high marks for great home run power, solid baserunner, and excellent defense; but he was a middling contact hitter with a terrible 29.4% strikeout rate and 3.0% walk rate. It is near impossible to have that kind of percentages, but still be an overall positive value offensive player. Schmitz’s intangibles such as his leadership went a long way as well. In any case, Schmitz ranks 4^th in WAR accrued at second base, cementing a case as one of the best at the position even if he wasn’t overflowing with accolades. Schmitz also helped both Hamburg and Hanover win titles,, winning over many skeptics even with unremarkable playoff stats. Schmitz earned 81.9% for a first ballot nod to cap off a three-player 2035 Hall of Fame class for the European Baseball Federation. __________________ Baseball: The World's Game fictional world reports The Level Playing Field: Alternate MLB History From 1884-Onward Continental Baseball Federation world reports (8-tier promotion/relegation sim and college feeder)