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Old 02-12-2013, 02:22 PM   #25
VanillaGorilla
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Class of 2018 (1946) Pitchers, Part 2: Hughson, Branca, Kilroy

This is the first time I have played OOTP into a "future" in many versions. Houston did not move into the AL. I read a thread regarding this on the main board and learned they should have, if I had league evolution on. Well, I had league evolution on. I wanted league evolution on (I didn't want 70 years of static game modifiers), but Houston didn't move...why?!?!

Well, I checked, and, NOPE!, I didn't have league evolution checked. User error is again the culprit. I considered how to handle this. I decided to engage league evolution now. If Houston switches, cool. If they don't, fine, it's a make believe world. But I didn't want to get into anything more involved (which gives me more opportunity for user error) that might truly screw up the league.

We will see what happens when the upcoming season is run. I do the inductions at the beginning of the pre-season, so if they move, they should move for 2019, I think. It's a small item, but it is worth noting.

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Tex Hughson is another repeat entrant. He was inducted into the previous Hall in 1946, the same class as this one.

Hughson was taken with 6th overall pick in 1978 by the Angels. In 1979 he posted a record of 24-11 with an OOTP ERA of 2.58 (npa ERA+ 165). He tossed a career high 7 shutouts (tied for 9th most all time in a season) and his 20 complete games was one shy of what would be his career best.

5 times he posted 20 or more wins in a season. He led the league in wins 3 times. In 1983 he led the league in wins and ERA going 21-11 with a 2.15 OOTP ERA (npa ERA+ 190).

He retired following the 1989 season with a career record of 188-124 and an OOTP ERA of 3.39 (npa ERA+ 124). He struck out 1857 batters while walking 781. His 33 career shutouts ties him for 6th most all time. His 151 career CGs is also 6th most.

Hughson appeared in 4 All Star games, but never in a post season.

Hughson enters the Hall by virtue of his Black Ink number being above the Hall average.

Black Ink: 40
Gray Ink: 158
HOFm: 92
HOFs: 37

Gorilla Composite: 3.0

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Ralph Branca was the second player taken in the 1974 Inaugural Draft. Selected by the Mets, he pitched in the Majors through 1989 and compiled a record of 208-159 and an OOTP ERA of 3.22 (npa ERA+ 126).

With a shortage pf quality pitching in the eary years of the league, Branca put up some incredible single season marks. His rookie year, he struck out 422 batters in 322 1/3 IP. He struck ut over 300 batters each of the next 3 seasons, also.

Proving he just wasn't a freak talent distribution phenom, in 1981 he won the CY Young Award by going 18-9 with an OOTP ERA of 2.74 (npa ERA+ of 127). He struck out 210 batters in 282 1/3 IP while walking 64. He tossed 15 CGs (tied career high).

Branca threw 33 career shut outs, which ties him for sixth plce on the All-Time list with fellow classmate Tex Hughson.

Branca appeared in 4 AS games. He was also on 4 WS winning teams, all with different clubs. In 14 post season starts he had a record of 9-2 and an OOTP ERA of 1.90.

He won with the Mets in 1975. He joined the Brewers as a Free Agent in 1980 and won there with a squad that also featured HOFers Count Campau and Adrian Gonzalez.

As a Red Sox in 1986, he won with fellow HOFers Jim Wynn and Matt Cain. The next season, 1987, he pitched the Cardinals to WS glory.

From 1974 through 1978, Branca struck out 3040 batters (16th) while walking 1154.

Branca enters on the Veteran Standard.

Black Ink: 20
Gray Ink: 181
HOFm: 127.5
HOFs: 43

Gorilla Composite: 3.0

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Matt Kilroy put together the most extraordinary seasons I have ever seen in a post 19th Century environment.

An incomplete highlight listing includes:

Most career CGs, 188
Most career shutouts, 38
Lowest single season ERA, 0.85
Most wins in a season, 31
Highest season win%, .938
Most strikeouts in a season, 591
Fewest H/9 in a season, 4.14
Most K/9 in a season, 15.46
Season VORP, 142.7
Season WHIP, 0.60
OPP BA season, .135
OPP SLG season, .176
OPP OPS season, .374
WAR season, 24.7

All of the season records came from 1974 and 1975.

In 1974 he was 30-2 with an OOTP ERA of 0.85. That's good for an npa ERA+ of 433(!!!).

In 1975 he was 31-4 with an OOTP ERA of 1.23. That was good for a npa ERA+ of 313(!!).

In those two seasons he struck out a combined 1137 batters while walking only 95 men in 681 IP. He surrendered 19 HRs total in these two seasons.

As I noted on the General Discussion board, at the time, the league totals were dead on. The quality pitchers, of whom there were very few, put up incredible numbers because they were simply that much better than their competition. It was like the hitters were seeing borderline Class A pitchers 90% of the time, then they faced a legit ML All Star, and they had no chance. As far as this league goes, since baseball started in 1974, the hitters had never seen anything like Kilroy or Branca until they saw Kilroy and Branca. As the league evolved and more pitchers joined who were of their calliber, the hitters became more accustomed to seeing this level of pitching and they adjusted and the pitching ouptuts leveled off.

For his career, Kilroy was 222-146 with an OOTP ERA of 3.11 which made for a npa ERA+ of an incredible 166 for his career. His 222 wins are 15th most All-Time. His 2771 strikeouts are 23rd most.

Kilroy pitched in 4 All Star games. He won the second ever WS with the Brewers in 1974. He was the first player taken in the first amateur draft (1973).

He also won with them in 1980, when a newly acquired Ralph Branca made for a wicked 1-2 punch from the rotation.

Kilroy won 2 CYAs. He enters this HOF, like Hughson, in tfe same class he entered the previous one. He enters on the Veteran Standard.

Black Ink: 35
Gray Ink: 145
HOFm: 149.9
HOFs: 48

Gorilla Composite: 3.4

Last edited by VanillaGorilla; 02-14-2013 at 01:42 AM. Reason: Corrected Kilroy's draft status. Was not the first pick of the Inagural Draft. Count Campau was the first taken there.
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