The "Juan" Who Righted Baseball

[bigd51]

About a month ago, I discovered a phenom in my carry-over franchise from OOTPB '18 and asked the forums for suggestions on a nickname I could give him. After only 2 seasons into his career, I had a hunch this guy was going to go on to do some pretty great things, so I made it my goal right then and there I'd see his entire career played out, entirely unedited and by the book. I wanted to see just how high OOTP would take him... and damn if he didn't disappoint.

Juan Tover entered the league in 2023 as an International FA who signed a massive $13.3m contract w/ the Texas Rangers.

In April of '24, he was named the #80 prospect in baseball and was quickly promoted to their International Complex to their DSL league a year later, where he was named the #21 prospect in April of '25.

In April of '26, he quickly rose through A+ as the #3 prospect, and by April of '27 in AA, became #1.

Skipping AAA altogether, the Rangers decided (rightfully) to promote him to their main roster at the ripe age of 20, when he impresses enough to win AL Rookie of the Year. He then followed that up with winning his first AL MVP award w/ a 36 HR, 8.5 WAR season that started what would be an almost decade long streak of consecutive MVP award seasons.

In '29, at the age of 22, Tover would hit for a Triple Crown season, w/ 56 HR's, 153 RBI's, and a .336 AVG while also stealing 30 bases and producing an 11.7 WAR. He would obviously go on to win his 2nd straight AL MVP award.

For the next 4 seasons, Tover would win the AL MVP 4 more times, making it his 6th consecutive year in which he did. At the age of 26, Tover declines the option in his contract and the Rangers decide to let him hit FA. After seeing him at the top of the FA list, I decided I had to have this guy. So I traded my top pitcher and his 20m+ contract to make room for Tover's 40m demand and after a surprisingly short negotiating process, Tover was officially an Atlanta Brave. I was beyond elated.

He quickly rewarded me with a 13.7 WAR season w/ 191 hits, 42 HR's, 34 stolen bases, and a .329 AVG winning his 1st NL MVP award and 7th straight across both leagues. Two more MVP seasons would soon follow marking his 9th consecutive MVP award before his streak of dominance was finally snapped as he failed to follow up with his 10th straight in '37.

A true Iron Man, Tover would miss only 35 total days to injury in his first 11 seasons before having his 12th season cut short in June after tearing his labrum in his left shoulder which sidelined him for the next 5 months. At 33 years old, one would think this is where his career finally starts to turn downhill... but this is Juan Tover we're talking about here. He would follow up his injured season with 48, 44, and 28 HR's bringing his total to 620 for his career. Despite another season cut short due to injury, Tover would go on to easily pass The Kid, hitting 24 more HR's and bringing his total to 644.

Entering his 17th season in the league, at 37 years old, conventional wisdom would tell you this has to be when his power starts to spiral, but of course Tover has other things in mind, as always. After an incredible come back season, Tover ends the year w/ 39 HR's, bringing his total to 683, passing Willie Mays for 6th all time.

Next on the list was A-Rod at 696, so going into his 18th season, I'm thinking "Well, at least we'll top him because screw that guy." No problem for Tover, as he adds on 23 more in an injury-shortened season to become only the 4th player ever to join the 700 club. Now, w/ 706 HR's and showing very little drop in ratings, I'm now thinking he could actually do this. The chase for Aaron was officially on...

But first, there was Babe Ruth. Needing only 9 HR's to officially pass The Great Bambino, and despite a season once again cut short due to injury, Juan Tover adds another 24 HR's to the list to bring his total to 730. Entering his 20th season, 25 HR's seems like a lot to ask for a 40 year old. Maybe he hits 13 then hits another 13 the following year. Maybe he doesn't... but Tover don't care. Tover doesn't give a damn what you think. Another season cut short due to injury (his 3rd straight) and his body quickly wearing down, Tover unbelievably hits 26 HR's to officially pass Hank Aaron. #756. He actually did it. What a fantastic and thrilling way to end one's career... but there was still 762.

Now many baseball purists will tell you Barry Bonds, amid the steroid scandal of the late '90's, early 2000's, that Bonds record of 762 should forever have an asterisk beside it. Some don't count it at all and believe that Aaron was still the King... but unless someone knocked off Bonds, the debate would only continue, with a black flag still hanging over the record. Apparently, Tover thought the same thing. So w/ one more year left on his contract, Tover holds off retirement and chooses to come back for one final time. To right a wrong, so to speak, and end the debate once and for all. So at 41 years old, Juan enters his 21st season needing only 7 HR's to do so. No problem.

Only there was a problem. Because of his age and the injuries he had sustained over the past 3 years, Tover's power would drop significantly from 65 to 50 during the offseason and all of a sudden, 7 might not be as easy as it seemed. He would indeed struggle over the first two months of the season, but needless to say, he would hit 5 HR's to bring his total to 761. With 2 HR's to go and 4 months left in the season, it looked as though the question was no longer if he'd break it, but when. Then, on June 10th, Tover would suffer a sprained knee that would force him out of action for 7 weeks. Crap. Still sitting at 761, Tover would return in August w/ 2 months left. Plenty of time...

August ends... still at 761. Three weeks would go by in September... still at 761. Now, w/ only 15 games left in the season and Tover homerless since May, I was looking at a very real possibility of him ending just 1 HR behind Bonds.



But of course, he wouldn't go down like that. In the following game, Tover would hit his 6th HR of the season, #762 of his career and just 3 games later, in the top of the 7th in front of a sold out Washington Nationals crowd, Juan Tover would hit his 7th HR of the season.

#763. Tover is officially the undisputed HR King... by doing it the right way. The Hank Aaron way. He would go on to hit 2 more HR's in the final 12 games to end the season w/ 765 and officially announce his retirement from baseball after the postseason.

Tover's accomplishments were many:

2027 AL Rookie of the Year
12x All Star
11x Silver Slugger
8x Gold Glove
10x MVP
1x World Series Champion

2,259 Runs Scored
506 Stolen Bases
2,133 RBI's
3,241 Hits
164.2 Career WAR

And of course... 765 HR's.

Despite all of the suggestions for nicknames that were given to me before, in the end, I felt like there was only one that was fitting of the Greatest of All Time:

Juan "Neo" Tover.

"The Juan" Who Righted Baseball.

[Trent Booty]

Trout with 600 HRs, and Seager, Bellinger, MAZARA, and Seth Beer with over 500....crazy

[NoOne]

trout has a chance because he was ~20 his first full season.. even got 40 games at 19.

as long as he stays healthy, he'll easily clear 600. look how broke down griffey jr. got at end of his career and still got there.

[torpidbeaver]

Pretty epic!

I’m wondering how the fans didn’t vote Juan in as an all star more than 12 times though.

[Bunktown Ballers]

Originally Posted by torpidbeaver

Pretty epic!

I’m wondering how the fans didn’t vote Juan in as an all star more than 12 times though.

From what I can see he has some pretty low BA seasons, but lord that dont matter now a days bc popularity matters more than numbers or even playing time does. All in All a awesome story & career.
Thanks "Neo" Tovar
BB

[Déjà Bru]

This kind of thing is so cool, when somebody gets so immersed and engrossed in the game to write up a story like that. Thanks.

Interested in selling the movie rights?

EDIT: Reading it again, I pictured myself as experiencing the same feelings as you as the story unfolded. I too would be rooting the heck out of him pulling ahead of Bonds at the very end, just as I long to see it done IRL someday. And to see it done by somebody not blowing the number away but almost literally falling across the finish line must have been thrilling.

EDIT 2: I would have nicknamed Tovar "César" because I do that if I find a name that reminds me of somebody else. But this is definitely showing my age.

EDIT 3*: "Seth Beer," heh. It sounds like something I would say in response to a buddy asking me "What are you drinking?" after having had too many: "S'th beer!"

EDIT 4: My own league is too young yet to have a player like this with so many awards. This is the first close-up peek that I have had at how they are arranged on the profile using the truncate feature. Thank goodness Markus provided that feature! I see you used "Truncate at 1" which is what I think I will do.

EDIT 5*: Wait, there actually is a Seth Beer in real life. In your game, was he in the minors in the MLB quickstart that you apparently used? (If he is reading this, I apologize for making fun of his name. )

[bigd51]

Originally Posted by DéjÃ* Bru

This kind of thing is so cool, when somebody gets so immersed and engrossed in the game to write up a story like that. Thanks.

Interested in selling the movie rights?

EDIT: Reading it again, I pictured myself as experiencing the same feelings as you as the story unfolded. I too would be rooting the heck out of him pulling ahead of Bonds at the very end, just as I long to see it done IRL someday. And to see it done by somebody not blowing the number away but almost literally falling across the finish line must have been thrilling.

EDIT 2: I would have nicknamed Tovar "César" because I do that if I find a name that reminds me of somebody else. But this is definitely showing my age.

EDIT 3*: "Seth Beer," heh. It sounds like something I would say in response to a buddy asking me "What are you drinking?" after having had too many: "S'th beer!"

EDIT 4: My own league is too young yet to have a player like this with so many awards. This is the first close-up peek that I have had at how they are arranged on the profile using the truncate feature. Thank goodness Markus provided that feature! I see you used "Truncate at 1" which is what I think I will do.

EDIT 5*: Wait, there actually is a Seth Beer in real life. In your game, was he in the minors in the MLB quickstart that you apparently used? (If he is reading this, I apologize for making fun of his name. )

Yeah, it was fun watching it unfold. That last season, I was nervous as hell w/ his injuries piling up and his power dropping. I honestly don't know what I would've done if he fell 1 shy. I'm kinda glad he "fell across the finish line" too. It feels more real than if he had hit like 800 for instance. But so many things had to go right over the course of his 21 year career that seeing it play out like that was amazing to see.

And this league was just a New Standard league carried over from OOTPB '18. Beer was drafted in the '18 draft 1st overall by the White Sox. He had a nice 17 year career. Could've been better, but injuries wrecked him throughout. Still ended up a Hall of Famer, though.

[itsmb8]

Why'd you have to truncate the awards....

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by itsmb8

Why'd you have to truncate the awards....

Trick/sarcastic question? Mr. Tovar garnered no less than 43 total awards in his fabled career. If not truncated, he would appear to be floating in a bowl of various berries. Fortunately, the player pic is top layer so that he would not appear to be buried in berries!

EDIT: Actually, bigd51, if you were to show us how Mr. Tovar's profile would look without truncating all of those awards, that might be instructional/amusing.

[itsmb8]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Trick/sarcastic question? Mr. Tovar garnered no less than 43 total awards in his fabled career. If not truncated, he would appear to be floating in a bowl of various berries. Fortunately, the player pic is top layer so that he would not appear to be buried in berries!

EDIT: Actually, bigd51, if you were to show us how Mr. Tovar's profile would look without truncating all of those awards, that might be instructional/amusing.

Definitely sarcastic! Although, I'd love to see how the original layout would look.

[bigd51]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Trick/sarcastic question? Mr. Tovar garnered no less than 43 total awards in his fabled career. If not truncated, he would appear to be floating in a bowl of various berries. Fortunately, the player pic is top layer so that he would not appear to be buried in berries!

EDIT: Actually, bigd51, if you were to show us how Mr. Tovar's profile would look without truncating all of those awards, that might be instructional/amusing.

He's got bling for days

Those MVP's though...

[itsmb8]

Originally Posted by bigd51

He's got bling for days

Those MVP's though...

You know.... That looks very oddly satisfying.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by itsmb8

You know.... That looks very oddly satisfying.

You know, you're right! But I don't think when you hover over an award category, you get a count. That would be handy. Without truncating, and without that popup capability, you won't know how many of each award he's won. Some categories might be hidden altogether.

EDIT: Are all of Tovar's awards listed here?

[bigd51]

Originally Posted by itsmb8

You know.... That looks very oddly satisfying.

I know, right? I'm probably gonna switch it back to Show All and truncate when necessary.

Side note: I didn't even know the word "truncate" existed before playing this game. So not only is OOTP teaching me a lot about baseball, it's also helping improve my vocabulary

[bigd51]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

You know, you're right! But I don't think when you hover over an award category, you get a count. That would be handy. Without truncating, and without that popup capability, you won't know how many of each award he's won. Some categories might be hidden altogether.

EDIT: Are all of Tovar's awards listed here?

Yep, they're all listed under Accomplishments.

Funny thing is, you still get the pop-up even if the awards are hidden behind their picture. You can't see my mouse pointer in the screen shot, but the red arrow is where I hovered the pointer over his face. You just need to know where to look.

[Déjà Bru]

I tell you, this thread has been poignant, fun, and educational!

Thanks for confirming that you can see the count of ALL awards in a player's profile. If that is the case, and I can check on how many of each award the man has won, then I, too, like this "bed of berries" look!

Heh, it took a player of the caliber of Juan "Neo" Tovar to properly demonstrate this!

[bigd51]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I tell you, this thread has been poignant, fun, and educational!

Thanks for confirming that you can see the count of ALL awards in a player's profile. If that is the case, and I can check on how many of each award the man has won, then I, too, like this "bed of berries" look!

Heh, it took a player of the caliber of Juan "Neo" Tovar to properly demonstrate this!

Indeed.

Happy to help, man, and thanks for the love.

[Will_L]

This was a fun read, thanks for sharing "Neo's" story with us.

[Clavette]

I would like to know if he gets 100% of the HoF vote

[drhay53]

'Neo', the one, the juan, i get it. well done