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FuzzyRussianHat · 10-19-2025, 07:00 AM

Svyatoslav “Rumble” Tyanhybok – Starting Pitcher – Volgograd Voyagers – 98.8% First Ballot

Svyatoslav Tyahnybok was a 6’4’’, 205 pound right-handed pitcher from Hlukhiv, Ukraine, a small city of around 32,000 people in the country’s northeast. Nicknamed “Rumble,” Tyahnybok had very strong stuff and control along with good movement. His velocity peaked in the 99-101 mph range with a fastball, slider, forkball, changeup arsenal.

Tyahnybok had nice stamina and great durability, avoiding the major arm issues that ruin many pitchers. He had an excellent pickoff move and graded as one of the stronger defensive pitchers in the league. Tyahnybok wasn’t a vocal leader, but he was adaptable and quickly became extremely popular throughout the entire league. He was especially beloved by Volgograd, where he spent his entire 16 year pro career.

By the 21^st Century, Ukrainian prospects were far more likely to opt for the European Baseball Federation. Tyahnybok opted for EPB though and soared up the prospect ranks, getting picked #1 overall in the 2015 draft by the Voyagers. Volgograd was one of the 2000 expansion teams and had been largely mid-grade to that point, apart from a European League Championship Series loss in 2007. The Voyagers were in the 80+ win range but outside of the playoffs for most of the 2010s, apart from bottoming out in the middle to get the #1 pick.

Tyahnybok was third in 2016 Rookie of the Year voting, debuting as a closer with 35 saves and a 1.99 ERA. He was a full-time starter for the rest of his career, but didn’t become an elite ace until his fourth season. Tyahnybok’s breakout 2019 earned him Pitcher of the Year with league bests in wins (21-6), ERA (2.12), complete games (15), and shutouts (6). It was his first of nine straight 300+ strikeout seasons, missing a Triple Crown by only 9 Ks. 2019 also had Tyahnybok’s lone no-hitter with nine Ks and one walk on September 11 against Samara.

While his entire pro career took place in Russia, Tyahnybok did regularly return home to Ukraine for the World Baseball Championship. He had decent results from 2017-31 with 224.1 innings, a 14-10 record, 3.49 ERA, 288 strikeouts, and 2.5 WAR. The Ukrainians were generally competitive with playoff berths in 2018, 20, 25, and 28. The deepest run with Tyahnybok was a third place finish in 2025.

Tyahnybok’s ascension to ace status helped begin what would become a dynasty run in the 2020s for Volgograd. He repeated as Pitcher of the Year in 2020 to end the Voyagers’ 12-year playoff drought. They set a franchise record at 106-56, but had to settle for a wild card finishing one back of Voronezh in the South Division. Volgograd had the last laugh by sweeping the Zephyrs in the ELCS to claim their first pennant. The Voyagers would be denied in the EPB Championship as Chelyabinsk earned a repeat in six games.

In his first postseason, Tyahnybok was shockingly poor with a 5.46 ERA over 31.1 innings. He fared better in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 2.58 ERA over 38.1 innings with 47 Ks. Volgograd earned the at-large spot for the event and finished 9-10. Tyahnybok would generally have solid playoff stats for the next few seasons as the Voyagers established an European League dynasty.

Tyahnybok three-peated as Pitcher of the Year in 2021 with EPB’s 13^th pitching Triple Crown with a 24-6 record, 1.59 ERA, 332 strikeouts, 0.73 WHIP, 37 FIP-, and 10.7 WAR. It was his first time as the WARlord and would be career bests for wins, ERA, WHIP, and FIP-. Volgograd got the top seed at 109-53, but suffered a stunning first round exit to Nizhny Novgorod. You couldn’t blame Tyahnybok, who had a 1.72 ERA over 15.2 playoff innings with 28 Ks in his two starts.

2022 was arguably Tyahnybok’s best season with career and league bests for strikeouts (378), and WAR (11.2), but he was denied a fourth-straight Pitcher of the Year by Nehor Pomerantz. Tyahnybok was second in POTY voting and third for MVP. Volgograd won the division at 100-62 and beat St. Petersburg in the ELCS for their second pennant. They would be denied their first EPB crown by Omsk in six games. Tyahnybok had a 3.03 ERA and 49 Ks in 38.2 playoff innings.

Now 29-years old, Tyahnybok signed a signed a six-year, $57,300,000 extension to stay with Volgograd. His 2023 was weaker by advanced metrics than his last few seasons, but Tyahnybok led with 22 wins and got his fourth Pitcher of the Year; one of only eight in EPB history to win 4+. The Voyagers won the division at 102-60 and beat 103-win Minsk to earn repeat EL titles. Volgograd then finally earned that first EPB title by knocking off Krasnoyarsk.

In 40 playoff innings, Tyahnybok had a 2.92 ERA with 59 strikeouts and a 3-1 record. He was subpar in the 2023 Baseball Grand Championship with a 3.71 ERA over 26.2 innings as Volgograd finished 7-12. The Voyagers would win the South Division each of the next three years, but couldn’t win a playoff series. Tyahnybok was third in 2024’s Pitcher of the Year voting and second in 2025.

Some thought the good times might be over as Volgograd finished 75-87 in 2027, ending a seven-year playoff streak. The now 34-year old Tyahnybok still was doing well and the Voyagers gave him a four-year, $72,800,000 extension. His stuff started to wane with fewer innings and strikeouts, but he remained a solid starter as Volgograd quickly bounced back.

The Voyagers earned the top seed in for 2028-29 and repeated as European League champs with 92 and 97 win seasons. Both seasons, they faced Vladivostok in the EPB Championship with a defeat in 2028 to the Shibas, but a victory in 2029. Tyahnybok was used in an opener role in his later playoff runs with lousy results. He also gave up nine runs in 7.2 innings in the 2029 BGC as Volgograd finished 10-11.

For his playoff career, Tyahnybok had a 3.43 ERA over 189 innings, 8-13 record, 242 strikeouts, 40 walks, 6 complete games, 95 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 5.2 WAR. The FIP- and WAR totals suggest he performed better than the ERA and record might suggest. Regardless, Tyahnybok was beloved for his role in Volgograd’s 2020s success and saw his #21 uniform later retired by the squad.

2030 saw a new franchise-best at 113-49 for Volgograd, but the season ended in failure with an ELCS upset loss to 86-win Moscow. The Voyagers fell to 76-86 in 2031, Tyahnybok’s last season. He was still a decent innings-eater at that point, but his contract was up and Volgograd wasn’t inclined to give him a new big contract. Instead of testing free agency, Tyahnybok retired that winter at age 38.

Tyahnybok finished with a 274-142 record, 2.56 ERA, 3721.2 innings, 4371 strikeouts, 502 walks, 306/468 quality starts, 199 complete games, 46 shutouts, 128 ERA+, 70 FIP-, and 104.4 WAR. Tyahnybok ranks 9^th in wins, 30^th in innings, 32^nd in complete games, 21^st in shutouts, 23^rd in strikeouts, and 18^th in pitching WAR. Among those with 1000+ innings, Tyahnybok’s 10.57 K/9 is 67^th.

Like his 2037 Hall of Fame classmates, Tyahnybok falls short of being a top-five level ace all-time against the loaded pitching greats in Eurasian Professional Baseball. Tyahnybok makes some top ten lists with his four POTY wins and Volgograd’s team success, but it is a crowded field. Like Ivan Nikolin and Yevgeni Lyubimov, Tyahnybok’s HOF credentials were iron clad, joining the three-pitcher crew with 98.8%.

Yevgeni “Hoot” Lyubimov – Starting Pitcher – Krasnoyarsk Cossacks – 98.8% First Ballot

Yevgeni Lyubimov was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Grodno, Belarus; a city 364,000 people near the borders of Poland and Lithuania. Nicknamed “Hoot,” Lyubimov had strong stuff with good control and above average movement. He had 97-99 mph peak velocity with a three-pitch arsenal of fastball, slider, and splitter. Each option was quite good, but the slider was usually considered Lyubimov’s best offering.

Relative to other EPB aces, Lyubimov’s stamina was average with fewer complete games than many of his elite contemporaries. His durability was above reproach and he never missed a single day to injury. Lyubimov’s defense and ability to hold runners both graded as rock solid. He had an impressive work ethic and was considered quite adapatable.

Lyubimov was picked fifth by Krasnoyarsk in the 2014 EPB Draft. He only had 26.1 innings as a rookie with poor results on a 4.78 ERA. Lyubimov became a part-time starter the next two years with mixed results. The Cossacks had an impressive turnaround from 68 wins in 2015 to 91 in 2016. Krasnoyarsk made the Asian League Championship Series as a wild card, falling to defending champ Ufa. The Cossacks dropped to 76-86 in 2017, but found their footing with an 11-year playoff streak starting in 2018.

It was the 2018 playoff run which cemented Lyubimov as a beloved favorite for Krasnoyarsk fans. They were a wild card at 93-69, but only one game behind top seed Ufa. The Cossacks survived a seven-game classic with the Fiends, then knocked off Krasnodar 4-2 to claim their first EPB Championship since 2005. Lyubimov won his three playoff starts with a 1.04 ERA and 24 strikeouts with two complete games. He was subpar in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 4.13 ERA in 28.1 innings as Krasnoyarsk finished 9-10.

Lyubimov was merely decent in 2019 and lost his one playoff start as the Cossacks had the top seed at 90-72, but lost the ALCS to Chelyabinsk. In 2020, he finally emerged as a true ace with a Pitcher of the Year win and a second place in MVP voting. Lyubimov earned the Triple Crown with a 22-6 record and career bests for ERA (1.46), strikeouts (355), WHIP (0.79), quality starts (28), shutouts (5), and WAR (11.6). The ERA was one of only 35 qualifying seasons in EPB history below 1.50.

Krasnoyarsk had one of EPB’s best-ever regular seasons at 116-46, but suffered an upset loss to Chelyabinsk in the ALCS. The Cossacks would win 102 games in 2021 and 106 in 2022, but suffer a first round loss in the former and ALCS upset loss to 86-win Omsk in the latter. Both years, Lyubimov was third in Pitcher of the Year voting with 9+ WAR. On August 30, 2022, Lyubimov tossed only the 33^rd perfect game in EPB history with 12 Ks facing Ufa.

After the 2022 season, Krasnoyarsk gave Lyubimov a five-year, $45,200,000 extension. He was the WARlord in 2023 and 2024 and was second in 2024’s POTY voting. The Cossacks again had the top seed in 2023 at 103-59 and this time avoided the playoff disappointment. They beat Yekaterinburg to win the AL pennant, but fell to Volgograd in the EPB Championship. Krasnoyarsk won a weak division at 87-75 in 2024, losing to the top-seeded Yaks in the ALCS.

Lyubimov was second in 2025’s Pitcher of the Year voting as the Cossacks got the top seed at 101-61 and their seventh straight East Division crown. They won the ALCS against Perm, then topped Moscow to claim their second EPB title of Lyubimov’s tenure. It was a strong playoff run for him with a 1.20 ERA over 30 innings and 35 Ks. Lyubimov carried on with a 1.91 ERA over 33 innings in the 2025 BGC, although the Cossacks were 8-11.

In 2026, Lyubimov won his second Pitcher of the Year by leading in Ks (351) and WAR (9.8). He was the WARlord again in 2027, leading five times in his career, although he didn’t get awards consideration. Krasnoyarsk had an ALCS loss in 2026 and first round exit in 2027, both courtesy of Yekaterinburg.

On the whole, Lyubimov was lauded for having excellent playoff results during Krasnoyarsk’s streak. In 232.1 innings, he had a 2.29 ERA, 15-9 record, 279 strikeouts, 51 walks, 144 ERA+, 60 FIP-, and 8.1 WAR. Lyubimov remained beloved by Cossacks fans and his #11 uniform would later be retired. However, they let him go into free agency after the 2027 season at age 34. Overall for Krasnoyarsk, Lyubimov had an 184-80 record, 2.39 ERA, 2608 innings, 3300 strikeouts, 482 walks, 63 complete games, 24 shutouts, 137 ERA+, 57 FIP-, and 93.8 WAR.

Lyubimov returned to his native Belarus on a four-year, $83,200,000 deal with Minsk, the defending EPB champs. They would be a one-and-done wild card in 2028, then fell into the abyss for the next four years. Lyubimov led in wins and was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in his 2028 debut and was solid the following two years. In three seasons for the Miners, Lyubimov had a 51-32 record, 2.47 ERA, 775.1 innings, 855 strikeouts, 105 walks, 136 ERA+, 69 FIP-, and 22.3 WAR.

With Minsk’s struggles to start the 2030s, they had a fire sale and traded Lyubimov to Samara for two infield prospects. He had a fine 2031 for the Steelers with a 2.57 ERA, 256 innings, 13-13 record, 254 strikeouts, 138 ERA+, 77 FIP-, and 6.4 WAR. The Steelers got a wild card with a first round exit with Lyubimov giving up six runs in 6.2 innings in his lone playoff start.

For his playoff career, Lyubimov had a 16-10 record, 2.44 ERA, 247 innings, 291 strikeouts, 54 walks, 135 ERA+, 64 FIP-, and 8.2 WAR. He ranks 7^th in playoff wins, 5^th in innings, 4^th in strikeouts, and 3^rd in pitching WAR. Apart from that bad playoff start, Lyubimov was still putting up strong stats to that point as he was due free agency following the 2031 campaign. He would’ve had suitors, but Lyubimov surprised many by announcing his retirement at age 38.

Lyubimov finished with a 248-125 record, 2.42 ERA, 3639.1 innings, 4409 strikeouts, 618 walks, 326/476 quality starts, 109 complete games, 33 shutouts, 137 ERA+, 61 FIP-, and 122.4 WAR. Lyubimov ranks 14^th in wins, 37^th in innings, 60^th in shutouts, 20^th in strikeouts, and 8^th in pitching WAR. Among those with 1000+ innings, Lyubimov is 91^st in ERA, 49^th in K/9 (10.90), 80^th in WHIP (0.95), and 79^th in opponent’s OPS (.578).

When looking at Sabermetrics and rate stats, Lyubimov jumps out as the strongest of the three 2037 Hall of Fame inductees by a solid margin. Still, some more traditionalist types might rate Svyatoslav Tyahnybok higher because of wins and more Pitcher of the Year awards. Meanwhile, Ivan Nikolin has the most strikeouts of the three and his backers argue he would’ve had the best numbers if not for being on far weaker clubs than the other two.

By WAR, Lyubimov comes closest to being a true “inner-circle” inductee of the three and his great playoff numbers also vault him into some of the top ten pitcher lists. As mentioned before, there’s been a lot of great aces and tough competition in Eurasian Professional Baseball history. By the HOF metrics, Lyubimov is arguably the top talent to come out of Belarus. He received 98.8% as part of the three-ace 2037 class for EPB.

10-19-2025, 07:00 AM	#2512
FuzzyRussianHat Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 3,659	2037 EPB Hall of Fame (Part 2) Svyatoslav “Rumble” Tyanhybok – Starting Pitcher – Volgograd Voyagers – 98.8% First Ballot Svyatoslav Tyahnybok was a 6’4’’, 205 pound right-handed pitcher from Hlukhiv, Ukraine, a small city of around 32,000 people in the country’s northeast. Nicknamed “Rumble,” Tyahnybok had very strong stuff and control along with good movement. His velocity peaked in the 99-101 mph range with a fastball, slider, forkball, changeup arsenal. Tyahnybok had nice stamina and great durability, avoiding the major arm issues that ruin many pitchers. He had an excellent pickoff move and graded as one of the stronger defensive pitchers in the league. Tyahnybok wasn’t a vocal leader, but he was adaptable and quickly became extremely popular throughout the entire league. He was especially beloved by Volgograd, where he spent his entire 16 year pro career. By the 21^st Century, Ukrainian prospects were far more likely to opt for the European Baseball Federation. Tyahnybok opted for EPB though and soared up the prospect ranks, getting picked #1 overall in the 2015 draft by the Voyagers. Volgograd was one of the 2000 expansion teams and had been largely mid-grade to that point, apart from a European League Championship Series loss in 2007. The Voyagers were in the 80+ win range but outside of the playoffs for most of the 2010s, apart from bottoming out in the middle to get the #1 pick. Tyahnybok was third in 2016 Rookie of the Year voting, debuting as a closer with 35 saves and a 1.99 ERA. He was a full-time starter for the rest of his career, but didn’t become an elite ace until his fourth season. Tyahnybok’s breakout 2019 earned him Pitcher of the Year with league bests in wins (21-6), ERA (2.12), complete games (15), and shutouts (6). It was his first of nine straight 300+ strikeout seasons, missing a Triple Crown by only 9 Ks. 2019 also had Tyahnybok’s lone no-hitter with nine Ks and one walk on September 11 against Samara. While his entire pro career took place in Russia, Tyahnybok did regularly return home to Ukraine for the World Baseball Championship. He had decent results from 2017-31 with 224.1 innings, a 14-10 record, 3.49 ERA, 288 strikeouts, and 2.5 WAR. The Ukrainians were generally competitive with playoff berths in 2018, 20, 25, and 28. The deepest run with Tyahnybok was a third place finish in 2025. Tyahnybok’s ascension to ace status helped begin what would become a dynasty run in the 2020s for Volgograd. He repeated as Pitcher of the Year in 2020 to end the Voyagers’ 12-year playoff drought. They set a franchise record at 106-56, but had to settle for a wild card finishing one back of Voronezh in the South Division. Volgograd had the last laugh by sweeping the Zephyrs in the ELCS to claim their first pennant. The Voyagers would be denied in the EPB Championship as Chelyabinsk earned a repeat in six games. In his first postseason, Tyahnybok was shockingly poor with a 5.46 ERA over 31.1 innings. He fared better in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 2.58 ERA over 38.1 innings with 47 Ks. Volgograd earned the at-large spot for the event and finished 9-10. Tyahnybok would generally have solid playoff stats for the next few seasons as the Voyagers established an European League dynasty. Tyahnybok three-peated as Pitcher of the Year in 2021 with EPB’s 13^th pitching Triple Crown with a 24-6 record, 1.59 ERA, 332 strikeouts, 0.73 WHIP, 37 FIP-, and 10.7 WAR. It was his first time as the WARlord and would be career bests for wins, ERA, WHIP, and FIP-. Volgograd got the top seed at 109-53, but suffered a stunning first round exit to Nizhny Novgorod. You couldn’t blame Tyahnybok, who had a 1.72 ERA over 15.2 playoff innings with 28 Ks in his two starts. 2022 was arguably Tyahnybok’s best season with career and league bests for strikeouts (378), and WAR (11.2), but he was denied a fourth-straight Pitcher of the Year by Nehor Pomerantz. Tyahnybok was second in POTY voting and third for MVP. Volgograd won the division at 100-62 and beat St. Petersburg in the ELCS for their second pennant. They would be denied their first EPB crown by Omsk in six games. Tyahnybok had a 3.03 ERA and 49 Ks in 38.2 playoff innings. Now 29-years old, Tyahnybok signed a signed a six-year, $57,300,000 extension to stay with Volgograd. His 2023 was weaker by advanced metrics than his last few seasons, but Tyahnybok led with 22 wins and got his fourth Pitcher of the Year; one of only eight in EPB history to win 4+. The Voyagers won the division at 102-60 and beat 103-win Minsk to earn repeat EL titles. Volgograd then finally earned that first EPB title by knocking off Krasnoyarsk. In 40 playoff innings, Tyahnybok had a 2.92 ERA with 59 strikeouts and a 3-1 record. He was subpar in the 2023 Baseball Grand Championship with a 3.71 ERA over 26.2 innings as Volgograd finished 7-12. The Voyagers would win the South Division each of the next three years, but couldn’t win a playoff series. Tyahnybok was third in 2024’s Pitcher of the Year voting and second in 2025. Some thought the good times might be over as Volgograd finished 75-87 in 2027, ending a seven-year playoff streak. The now 34-year old Tyahnybok still was doing well and the Voyagers gave him a four-year, $72,800,000 extension. His stuff started to wane with fewer innings and strikeouts, but he remained a solid starter as Volgograd quickly bounced back. The Voyagers earned the top seed in for 2028-29 and repeated as European League champs with 92 and 97 win seasons. Both seasons, they faced Vladivostok in the EPB Championship with a defeat in 2028 to the Shibas, but a victory in 2029. Tyahnybok was used in an opener role in his later playoff runs with lousy results. He also gave up nine runs in 7.2 innings in the 2029 BGC as Volgograd finished 10-11. For his playoff career, Tyahnybok had a 3.43 ERA over 189 innings, 8-13 record, 242 strikeouts, 40 walks, 6 complete games, 95 ERA+, 75 FIP-, and 5.2 WAR. The FIP- and WAR totals suggest he performed better than the ERA and record might suggest. Regardless, Tyahnybok was beloved for his role in Volgograd’s 2020s success and saw his #21 uniform later retired by the squad. 2030 saw a new franchise-best at 113-49 for Volgograd, but the season ended in failure with an ELCS upset loss to 86-win Moscow. The Voyagers fell to 76-86 in 2031, Tyahnybok’s last season. He was still a decent innings-eater at that point, but his contract was up and Volgograd wasn’t inclined to give him a new big contract. Instead of testing free agency, Tyahnybok retired that winter at age 38. Tyahnybok finished with a 274-142 record, 2.56 ERA, 3721.2 innings, 4371 strikeouts, 502 walks, 306/468 quality starts, 199 complete games, 46 shutouts, 128 ERA+, 70 FIP-, and 104.4 WAR. Tyahnybok ranks 9^th in wins, 30^th in innings, 32^nd in complete games, 21^st in shutouts, 23^rd in strikeouts, and 18^th in pitching WAR. Among those with 1000+ innings, Tyahnybok’s 10.57 K/9 is 67^th. Like his 2037 Hall of Fame classmates, Tyahnybok falls short of being a top-five level ace all-time against the loaded pitching greats in Eurasian Professional Baseball. Tyahnybok makes some top ten lists with his four POTY wins and Volgograd’s team success, but it is a crowded field. Like Ivan Nikolin and Yevgeni Lyubimov, Tyahnybok’s HOF credentials were iron clad, joining the three-pitcher crew with 98.8%. Yevgeni “Hoot” Lyubimov – Starting Pitcher – Krasnoyarsk Cossacks – 98.8% First Ballot Yevgeni Lyubimov was a 6’2’’, 200 pound left-handed pitcher from Grodno, Belarus; a city 364,000 people near the borders of Poland and Lithuania. Nicknamed “Hoot,” Lyubimov had strong stuff with good control and above average movement. He had 97-99 mph peak velocity with a three-pitch arsenal of fastball, slider, and splitter. Each option was quite good, but the slider was usually considered Lyubimov’s best offering. Relative to other EPB aces, Lyubimov’s stamina was average with fewer complete games than many of his elite contemporaries. His durability was above reproach and he never missed a single day to injury. Lyubimov’s defense and ability to hold runners both graded as rock solid. He had an impressive work ethic and was considered quite adapatable. Lyubimov was picked fifth by Krasnoyarsk in the 2014 EPB Draft. He only had 26.1 innings as a rookie with poor results on a 4.78 ERA. Lyubimov became a part-time starter the next two years with mixed results. The Cossacks had an impressive turnaround from 68 wins in 2015 to 91 in 2016. Krasnoyarsk made the Asian League Championship Series as a wild card, falling to defending champ Ufa. The Cossacks dropped to 76-86 in 2017, but found their footing with an 11-year playoff streak starting in 2018. It was the 2018 playoff run which cemented Lyubimov as a beloved favorite for Krasnoyarsk fans. They were a wild card at 93-69, but only one game behind top seed Ufa. The Cossacks survived a seven-game classic with the Fiends, then knocked off Krasnodar 4-2 to claim their first EPB Championship since 2005. Lyubimov won his three playoff starts with a 1.04 ERA and 24 strikeouts with two complete games. He was subpar in the Baseball Grand Championship with a 4.13 ERA in 28.1 innings as Krasnoyarsk finished 9-10. Lyubimov was merely decent in 2019 and lost his one playoff start as the Cossacks had the top seed at 90-72, but lost the ALCS to Chelyabinsk. In 2020, he finally emerged as a true ace with a Pitcher of the Year win and a second place in MVP voting. Lyubimov earned the Triple Crown with a 22-6 record and career bests for ERA (1.46), strikeouts (355), WHIP (0.79), quality starts (28), shutouts (5), and WAR (11.6). The ERA was one of only 35 qualifying seasons in EPB history below 1.50. Krasnoyarsk had one of EPB’s best-ever regular seasons at 116-46, but suffered an upset loss to Chelyabinsk in the ALCS. The Cossacks would win 102 games in 2021 and 106 in 2022, but suffer a first round loss in the former and ALCS upset loss to 86-win Omsk in the latter. Both years, Lyubimov was third in Pitcher of the Year voting with 9+ WAR. On August 30, 2022, Lyubimov tossed only the 33^rd perfect game in EPB history with 12 Ks facing Ufa. After the 2022 season, Krasnoyarsk gave Lyubimov a five-year, $45,200,000 extension. He was the WARlord in 2023 and 2024 and was second in 2024’s POTY voting. The Cossacks again had the top seed in 2023 at 103-59 and this time avoided the playoff disappointment. They beat Yekaterinburg to win the AL pennant, but fell to Volgograd in the EPB Championship. Krasnoyarsk won a weak division at 87-75 in 2024, losing to the top-seeded Yaks in the ALCS. Lyubimov was second in 2025’s Pitcher of the Year voting as the Cossacks got the top seed at 101-61 and their seventh straight East Division crown. They won the ALCS against Perm, then topped Moscow to claim their second EPB title of Lyubimov’s tenure. It was a strong playoff run for him with a 1.20 ERA over 30 innings and 35 Ks. Lyubimov carried on with a 1.91 ERA over 33 innings in the 2025 BGC, although the Cossacks were 8-11. In 2026, Lyubimov won his second Pitcher of the Year by leading in Ks (351) and WAR (9.8). He was the WARlord again in 2027, leading five times in his career, although he didn’t get awards consideration. Krasnoyarsk had an ALCS loss in 2026 and first round exit in 2027, both courtesy of Yekaterinburg. On the whole, Lyubimov was lauded for having excellent playoff results during Krasnoyarsk’s streak. In 232.1 innings, he had a 2.29 ERA, 15-9 record, 279 strikeouts, 51 walks, 144 ERA+, 60 FIP-, and 8.1 WAR. Lyubimov remained beloved by Cossacks fans and his #11 uniform would later be retired. However, they let him go into free agency after the 2027 season at age 34. Overall for Krasnoyarsk, Lyubimov had an 184-80 record, 2.39 ERA, 2608 innings, 3300 strikeouts, 482 walks, 63 complete games, 24 shutouts, 137 ERA+, 57 FIP-, and 93.8 WAR. Lyubimov returned to his native Belarus on a four-year, $83,200,000 deal with Minsk, the defending EPB champs. They would be a one-and-done wild card in 2028, then fell into the abyss for the next four years. Lyubimov led in wins and was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in his 2028 debut and was solid the following two years. In three seasons for the Miners, Lyubimov had a 51-32 record, 2.47 ERA, 775.1 innings, 855 strikeouts, 105 walks, 136 ERA+, 69 FIP-, and 22.3 WAR. With Minsk’s struggles to start the 2030s, they had a fire sale and traded Lyubimov to Samara for two infield prospects. He had a fine 2031 for the Steelers with a 2.57 ERA, 256 innings, 13-13 record, 254 strikeouts, 138 ERA+, 77 FIP-, and 6.4 WAR. The Steelers got a wild card with a first round exit with Lyubimov giving up six runs in 6.2 innings in his lone playoff start. For his playoff career, Lyubimov had a 16-10 record, 2.44 ERA, 247 innings, 291 strikeouts, 54 walks, 135 ERA+, 64 FIP-, and 8.2 WAR. He ranks 7^th in playoff wins, 5^th in innings, 4^th in strikeouts, and 3^rd in pitching WAR. Apart from that bad playoff start, Lyubimov was still putting up strong stats to that point as he was due free agency following the 2031 campaign. He would’ve had suitors, but Lyubimov surprised many by announcing his retirement at age 38. Lyubimov finished with a 248-125 record, 2.42 ERA, 3639.1 innings, 4409 strikeouts, 618 walks, 326/476 quality starts, 109 complete games, 33 shutouts, 137 ERA+, 61 FIP-, and 122.4 WAR. Lyubimov ranks 14^th in wins, 37^th in innings, 60^th in shutouts, 20^th in strikeouts, and 8^th in pitching WAR. Among those with 1000+ innings, Lyubimov is 91^st in ERA, 49^th in K/9 (10.90), 80^th in WHIP (0.95), and 79^th in opponent’s OPS (.578). When looking at Sabermetrics and rate stats, Lyubimov jumps out as the strongest of the three 2037 Hall of Fame inductees by a solid margin. Still, some more traditionalist types might rate Svyatoslav Tyahnybok higher because of wins and more Pitcher of the Year awards. Meanwhile, Ivan Nikolin has the most strikeouts of the three and his backers argue he would’ve had the best numbers if not for being on far weaker clubs than the other two. By WAR, Lyubimov comes closest to being a true “inner-circle” inductee of the three and his great playoff numbers also vault him into some of the top ten pitcher lists. As mentioned before, there’s been a lot of great aces and tough competition in Eurasian Professional Baseball history. By the HOF metrics, Lyubimov is arguably the top talent to come out of Belarus. He received 98.8% as part of the three-ace 2037 class for EPB. __________________ 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)