48-team Random Debut League

[Dukie98]

Frontier League: The Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas won their second straight Northeast Division title, taking the crown with 93 wins. Star shortstop Barry Larkin hit .348 with 15 homers, 75 RBI's, and 26 steals, despite being limited to 113 games due to a torn quadriceps. Third baseman Willy Adames hit .299 with 20 dingers and 69 RBI's, and replaced Larkin at shortstop following his injury. Veteran centerfielder Albert Almora hit .321, belting 18 homers and plating 97 runs. Pittsburgh's pitching staff ranked fourth in the league in runs allowed, led by southpaw Mark Buehrle, who went 16-5 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP, while yielding only 11 homers in 200 innings. Righthander Murry Dickson posted a 10-7 with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Closer Bill Slayback saved a league-high 40 games, while sporting a 2.58 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. The Baltimore Robins rallied late to make the division race appear close, winning 90 games, led by a powerful offense. First baseman Bill Skowron starred, hitting .313 and slugging .581, drilling 43 dingers and knocking in 135 runs. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman hit .318, launching 35 longballs and driving in 115 runs. Star second baseman Keston Hiura was limited to just 95 games, but he hit a robust .399 with 18 homers and drove in 92 runs. Center fielder Don Lock posted a .307/ .450/ .599 slash line, with 31 homers, 97 RBI's, and drew 104 walks. Veteran righthander Ed Heusser was one of the few bright spots for a subpar staff, going 15-8 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Southpaw David Purcey saved 34 games with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. The Philadelphia Hawks jumped from 64 wins to 88 victories, and nearly ended a 14-year playoff drought, but they lost 9-8 to the Milwaukee Raccoons in a one-game playoff; the Hawks trailed 9-2 entering the ninth inning, but scored six runs and had the tying run on third base. Slugging first baseman Andres Galarraga led the Hawks, posting a .370/ .427/ .620 slash line with 43 doubles, 34 homers, 136 RBI's, and 117 runs scored. Righthander Melido Perez went 11-11 with a 3.73 ERA, despite a bloated 1.53 WHIP.

The London Werewolves won 101 games to take the Great Lakes Division title, making the postseason for the sixth straight season and the tenth time in eleven years. London led the league with 252 homers, led by shortstop Eddie Joost, who rebounded from an off season to hit .304 and slug .607, with 52 homers, 120 RBI's, 129 runs scored, and 127 walks. Right fielder Al Kaline hit .327, launching 27 longballs, driving in 102 runs, and scoring 115 runs. 38-year-old first baseman Tony Perez rebounded from a poor season, hitting .322 and slugging .584, with 85 extra-base hits, including 37 homers, 125 RBI's, and he scored 116 runs. Third baseman Austin Riley, who was stunningly traded by their division rival Ottawa Parliamentarians, hit .275 with 32 dingers and 102 RBI's. Veteran southpaw JA Happ went just 10-11 despite a 3.50 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Righthander Bob Lemon sported an 11-11 mark with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. Righthander Scott Sanderson notched a 16-9 record despite a mediocre 5.00 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. The Ottawa Parliamentarians won 97 games, making the postseason for the fifth straight season. Third baseman Edgar Martinez posted a .356/ .479/ .597 slash line, ripping 28 homers and driving in 95 runs, while drawing 109 walks. Left fielder Howard Johnson hit .294 and slugged .584, bashing 48 homers, driving in 124 runs, and scoring a franchise-record 141 runs. Powerfule right fielder Tim Salmon hit .318 with 38 jacks and 132 RBI's. Southpaw Jim Merritt nearly doubled his career victories total, going 21-4 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Fellow portsider Jack Pfiester notched a 15-10 mark with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP, while leading the league with 167 strikeouts. Veteran reliever John Franco notched 31 saves in his first season as a full-time closer at age 37, while posting a 3.16 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP, yielding just 2 homers in 83 innings. The Cleveland Rocks snapped a seven-year postseason drought, finishing in a 3-way tie for the final wild card spot with 88 wins, and then ousting the Milwaukee Raccoons 12-3 to advance, with catcher Tom Haller homering and driving in 7 runs. Shortstop Kevin Newman set the table, hitting .356 with 17 homers, 9 triples, 75 RBI's, 112 runs scored, and 21 steals. Left fielder Mack Jones hit .311, popping 34 dingers and driving in 98 runs, while scoring 113 times. Second sacker Joe Wood hit .317 with 12 longballs and 60 RBI's. Veteran southpaw Rudy May was one of the few bright spots for a subpar staff, going 13-7 with a 4.59 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Righthander Dixie Walker went 8-5 with a 4.44 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP.

The Kansas City Mad Hatters stumbled to a 19-21 start, and took a middling 38-37 record into the All-Star break, but they rallied down the stretch to take the Great Plains Division title with 94 wins. Center fielder Barney McCosky led the HRDL with a sparkling .391 average, along with 46 doubles, 7 homers, 70 RBI's, and 125 runs scored. Journeyman first baseman Pancho Herrera had a career season, hitting .339 with 17 homers and 128 RBI's. Catcher Carl Taylor hit .305 with 10 dingers and 76 RBI's. Righthander Ken Johnson sported a 16-8 record with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Fellow righthander Ernie Shore went 11-11 with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Righthander Russ Ford posted a 13-7 mark despite a 4.63 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. The Omaha Falcons led the division for most of the year, but finished in second place with 90 wins, earning their ninth straight postseason spot. Second baseman Joe Morgan had a career-worst season, hitting .265 with 23 homers, 92 RBI's, 107 runs scored, and stealing 28 bases. Center fielder Kenny Lofton hit a career-best .328, with 13 homers, 8 triples, 57 RBI's, 114 runs scored, and swiped 42 bags. Shortstop Cal Ripken hit .259 with 21 homers and 90 RBI's, and provided dominant defense, setting an all-time record with a +40.3 Zone Rating. Omaha's pitching staff led the league, led by southpaw Justin Thompson, who went 13-7 with a league-best 2.21 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Righthander Clay Kirby went 9-10 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. Righthander Tejay Antone notched 5 wins and 24 saves, along with a 1.42 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. The Milwaukee Raccoons improved by 25 wins after a disastrous 2074 campaign, but their 88 wins was only good enough for a three-way tie for the final wild card spot, and they were ousted by the Cleveland Rocks in the playoff. Center fielder Trent Grisham hit .282 with 42 homers, 96 RBI's, and a league-leading and franchise record 149 runs scored. Third baseman Bob Brenly hit .276, powering 42 longballs, driving in 135 runs, and scoring 113 runs.

The Portland Skunks dominated offensively, scoring 1119 runs with a team batting average of .300 while finishing second in the league with 242 homers. Shortstop Fernando Tatis, Jr. hit .368 and slugged .597, pounding 31 homers, 9 triples, 125 RBI's, 145 runs scored, and swiping 42 bags. Right fielder Hank Aaron posted a .349/ .413/ .656 slash line, with 50 homers, as he led the HRDL and set a franchise record with 171 RBI's and scored 141 runs. Veteran left fielder Tommy Pham hit .314 and slugged .628, mashing 46 homers, driving in 142 runs, scoring 141 runs, and drawing 117 walks. First baseman Guy Zinn hit .294 and slugged .621, drilling 39 dingers and driving in 124 runs. Righthander Sam Gray sported a 16-5 record with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Righthander Dave Stenhouse notched an 11-7 mark with a 4.43 ERA and a hefty 1.52 WHIP. The San Francisco Longshoremen won 86 games, falling just shy of the last wild card spot by 2 games and missing the playoffs for the first time in five years. Third baseman Buddy Bell led San Francisco, hitting .297 with 22 dingers and 90 RBI's. Southpaw Johnny Schmitz starred, going 16-5 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.

Continental League: The Jacksonville Gulls won 96 games to take the Atlantic Division title, earning their fourth straight postseason spot. Right fielder Ross Youngs led a potent offense, hitting .370 and slugging .593, rapping 52 doubles, 25 homers, driving in 98 runs and scoring 111 runs. First baseman Dave Hostetler hit .281 and slugged .544, belting 46 dingers, driving in 115 runs, and scoring 118 runs. Shortstop Roger Peckinpaugh hit .277, while launching 25 longballs , driving in 92 runs, scoring 112 runs, and providing Gold Glove-caliber defense. Third baseman Anthony Rendon hit .304, smacking 26 homers and driving in 85 runs. Veteran righthander Red Faber carried a solid, if unspectacular, staff, going 17-9 with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Closer Cody Allen led a deep bullpen, going 8-8 with 32 saves, a 2.62 ERA, and a 1.11 WHIP. The Charlotte Aviators won 93 games, clinching their fourth straight postseason appearance. The Aviators led baseball with 303 homers. Veteran third baseman Bob Bailey hit .296 and slugged .544, ripping 37 homers, driving in 100 runs, and scoring 124 runs. Shortstop Eric McNair hit .285 and slugged .569, launching 43 longballs and driving in 111 runs. Ageless center fielder Andrux Jones hit .269, belting 42 jacks, driving in 104 runs, scoring 113 runs, and stealing 24 bases. Second sacker Marty McManus hit .311 and slugged .571, smacking 36 jacks, driving in 92 runs, and scoring 107 runs. Backup rightfielder Justin Maxwell put up one of the most unique stat lines in HRDL history, hitting .346 and slugging an incredible .855, with 27 homers and 54 RBI's in just 179 at bats. Righthander Claude Passeau notched a 13-11 record with a 4.65 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Fellow righthander Boardwalk Brown went 10-5 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

The Birmingham Steelers ran away with the Southeast Division crown, winning 96 games to return to the postseason after a one-year absence. Birmingham's offense tied for the league lead with 1004 runs scored, led by second sacker Robinson Cano, who hit .368 and slugged .585, ripping 41 doubles, 28 homers, driving in 137 runs, and scoring 121 runs. First baseman Gary Redus hit .291, smacking 41 doubles, 28 homers, driving in 100 runs, scoring a franchise-record 156 runs, and leading the HRDL with 75 steals. Center fielder Bob Allison hit .284 with 38 jacks and 107 RBI's in just 134 games. Left fielder Dwight Smith hit .374 and slugged .580, ripping 19 homers and driving in 89 runs in 111 games. Veteran southpaw Dickie Kerr sported a 21-6 mark with a 3.37 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Crafty lefthander Daniel Norris went 12-11 with a 4.36 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. The New Orleans Crawfish won 87 games, finishing two games out of the last wild card spot. Second baseman TJ Rivera won the batting title, hitting .379 with 20 homers and 102 RBI's. Lefthander Jim Abbott posted a 17-6 mark with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP.

After an unexceptional 18-15 start to the season, the defending champion El Paso Armadillos dominated the rest of the way to 114 wins, easily taking the Texas Division title. First baseman Albert Pujols rebounded from an injury-ravaged season to hit .327 and slug .619, pounding 48 homers, driving in 125 runs, and scoring 136 runs. Center fielder Sammy Sosa hit .311, launching 33 longballs and driving in 110 runs. Third baseman Adrian Beltre had a career season, hitting .313 with 29 dingers and 99 RBI's. Right fielder Harry Hooper slipped to hit just .262 with 29 homers, 83 RBI's, 118 runs scored, and 40 steals. The Armadillos led the Continental League in pitching, led by righthander Jaret Wright, who went 20-4 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. Righthander Bill Gullickson notched a 14-10 mark with a career-worst 4.76 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Closer Deivi Garcia led the deepest bullpen in the league, going 7-4 with 40 saves, a 2.91 ERA, and a 1.10 WHIP. Lefty reliever Rafael Perez starred, going 8-2 with 11 saves, a 1.45 ERA, and an 0.90 WHIP. The Oklahoma City Otters won 93 games, returning to the postseason after a two-year absence. The top-heavy Otters relied on star power, as Miguel Cabrera had the best season of his illustrious career, hitting .362 and slugging .693, with 45 doubles, 52 homers, a league-high and franchise record 170 RBI's, and 140 runs scored. Left fielder Yordan Alvarez starred, posting a .347/ .448/ .643 slash line, with 40 homers, 154 RBI's, 132 runs scored, and 111 walks. DH Nelson Cruz hit .283 with 42 dingers, 118 RBI's, and 106 runs scored. Catcher Ted Easterly hit .357 with 5 homers and 84 RBI's. Righthander Derek Lowe led a below-average pitching staff, going 20-8 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Southpaw Fernandeo Valenzuela, the defending Cy Young winner, went 13-6, but his season was otherwise a disaster, as he posted a 5.95 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP, and his strikeout rate collapsed by more than half. The Austin Mustangs looked to snap the longest postseason drought in the HRDL, but fell just short, winning 87 games. Third baseman Graig Nettles hit .278 with 41 homers and 116 RBI's. Shortstop Bill Hinchman hit .329, belting 32 jacks and plating 89 runs.

The San Diego Zookeepers repeated as Southwest Division champions, winning 94 games. Right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, a free agency addition, hit .277 with 33 dingers and 141 RBI's. Second baseman Eddie Collins, another free agency signee, hit .292 with 12 homers, 73 RBI's, and 31 steals. Journeyman third baseman Don Money, playing on his eighth team in eight years, hit .261 with 30 jacks and 91 RBI's. Junkballer Carl Mays went 12-11 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP, while yielding just 9 homers in 205 innings. Southpaw Bill Krueger sported a 14-11 record with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Lefty closer Jack Doscher went 11-3 with 37 saves, a 2.51 ERA, and a 1.04 WHIP. The Zookeepers narrowly held off the 93-win Phoenix Lizards, who led baseball with a teamwide .306 average and tied for the league lead in runs scored. Right fielder Harold Baines had a marvelous sophomore campaign, hitting .310 and slugging .606, drilling 49 homers, knocking in 153 runs, and scoring 129 runs. Veteran first baseman Reggie Jefferson hit .366 and slugged .586, ripping 46 doubles, 29 homers, driving in 111 runs, and scoring 116 runs. DH Magglio Ordonez hit .336, pounding 28 longballs, plating 108 runs, and scoring 113 runs. Star catcher Roy Campanella hit .283 and drilled 31 dingers, knocking in 100 runs. Righthander Bill Lee went 16-6 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Righthander Dutch Leonard sported a 15-8 mark despite a bloated 5.11 ERA, notwithstanding a solid 1.29 WHIP. The Anaheim Antelopes returned to the postseason after a one-year absence, winning 89 games. Center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr. hit .309, belting 36 homers and driving in 107 runs. Catcher Carson Kelly had a breakout season, hitting .280 with 29 longballs and 88 RBI's. Left fielder Mikie Mahtook hit just .255, but drilled 29 longballs and knocked in 117 runs. Southpaw Terry Mulholland led a mediocre rotation, going 12-7 with a 4.23 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Fellow portsider Erik Bedard went 10-8, yielding a 4.00 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.

Best record in team history: Portland Skunks (116 wins)

Worst record in team history: Miami Flamingos (103 losses)

Best seasons for non-contenders: Alex Rodriguez, SS, NY: .346/ .418/ .616, 210 hits, 22 doubles, 2 triples, 46 HR, 141 RBI, 132 runs, 76 BB, 8 SB, +30.0 Zone Rating, 166 OPS+, 11.6 WAR
Dode Paskert, LF, MON: .379/ .449/ .703, 221 hits, 45 doubles, 3 triples, 46 HR, 122 RBI, 129 runs, 77 BB, 18 SB, 195 OPS+, 10.2 WAR
John Smoltz, RHP, DAL: 20-4, 2.72 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 231 IP, 149 K, 2 CG, 188 ERA+, 7.9 WAR

[Dukie98]

Frontier League: The 89-win Cleveland Rocks were no match for the powerful 116-win Portland Skunks and their league-leading offense. Portland jumped out to a quick 3-0 series lead before finally pounding the Rocks in six games. Portland shortstop Fernando Tatis, Jr. earned MVP honors, hitting .560 with 2 homers, 6 RBI's, 7 runs scored, and an incredible 14 hits. Left fielder Tommy Pham hit .375 with 2 dingers and 8 RBI's, while first baseman Guy Zinn hit .316 with 4 longballs and 8 RBI's. Reliever Al Worthington led a surprisingly strong Portland bullpen with a victory in five shutout innings, yielding just two hits. Left fielder Mack Jones led Cleveland, hitting .458 with a homer, 5 doubles, 3 RBI's, and 7 runs scored, while first baseman Jim Spencer hit .409 with 2 jacks and 7 RBI's. The Ottawa Parliamentarians dominated the Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas, outscoring Pittsburgh 37-7 in a four-game sweep. Ottawa left fielder Howard Johnson was tabbed MVP after hitting .438 with 4 longballs, 8 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Shortstop Vern Stephens hit .533 with a homer and 9 RBI's. Center fielder Amos Otis hit .400 with 2 dingers, 6 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Lefthander Jack Pfiester set the tone in a Game 1 victory, allowing one run and four hits in 7 innings. First baseman Walt Dropo was one of the few bright spots for Pittsburgh, hitting .312 with an RBI. In a fierce matchup of division rivals, the Omaha Falcons edged the Kansas City Mad Hatters in seven games. Omaha first baseman Kevin Youkilis was named MVP after hitting .462 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's. Shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. hit .385 with 4 doubles and 2 RBI's. Reliever Steve Foucault went 2-0, including the Game 7 victory, posting a 2.70 ERA in 6.2 innings. Southpaw Al Gerheauser pitched 8.2 scoreless innings in two starts, but did not register a decision. Second baseman Heinie Groh led the Mad Hatters, hitting .406 with 13 hits, including 3 doubles, 2 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Righthander Russ Ford went 2-1, allowing just one earned run and five hits in 14 innings. The London Werewolves overpowered the Baltimore Robins in five games. London first baseman Tony Perez earned MVP honors after hitting .524 with 2 dingers, 4 doubles, and 7 RBI's. Third baseman Austin Riley hit .400 with 2 jacks, 5 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Left fielder Augie Galan hit .312 with a homer, 4 doubles, 4 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. Righthander Bob Lemon went 2-0 with a 3.29 ERA in 14 innings. Second sacker Keston Hiura led Baltimore, hitting .429 with 4 extra-base hits and 6 RBI's.

The Ottawa Parliamentarians upset Portland in a seven-game classic. Ottawa jumped out to a 3-1 lead, but Portland forced a seventh game after an extra-inning win in Game 6. Ottawa jumped out to a 6-0 lead in Game 7 due to four homers, but Portland chipped away and cut the deficit to 6-5 in the eighth inning and brought the tying run to second base, before Portland reliever Derek Thompson got the final six outs for a pressure-packed save. Ottawa right fielder Tim Salmon took home the hardware after hitting .393 with 3 homers, 9 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. Catcher Phil Masi hit .391 with a dinger and 3 RBI's. Left fielder Howard Johnson hit .345, belting 2 homers, plating 5 runs, and scoring 6 runs. Southpaw Jim Merritt went 1-0, hurling 10.1 shutout innings. Shortstop Fernando Tatis, Jr. led Portland, hitting .333 with 4 homers and 10 RBI's, while righthander Sam Gray went 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 15 innings. The London Werewolves ousted the Omaha Falcons for the second straight season, clipping the Falcons in five games. London right fielder Al Kaline had a monster series to take MVP honors, hitting .550 with 5 jacks, 3 doubles, and 12 RBI's. First baseman Tony Perez hit .381 with a homer and 5 RBI's. Left fielder Augie Galan hit .318, belting 3 longballs, driving in 5 runs, and scoring 7 runs. Righthander Bill Zuber hurled 5 shutout innings in Game 2, allowing only 1 hit, but did not register a decision. Third baseman Joe Sewell led Omaha, hitting .429 with 2 longballs and 3 RBI's, while right fielder Earl Webb hit .312, with 2 jacks and 8 RBI's. In a divisional matchup in the League Championship Series, London ousted Ottawa in 6 games. Werewolf third baseman Austin Riley hit .364 with a homer, 3 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. Second sacker Bill Mazeroski hit .304 with 2 homers and knocked in 10 runs. Righthander Bob Lemon went 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA in 10.1 innings, while reliever Randy Dobnak went 2-0, allowing one earned run in 7 innings. Ottawa catcher Phil Masi earned MVP honors in a losing effort, hitting .609 with 2 homers and 8 RBI's, rapping a series-high 14 hits, while southpaw Jim Merritt went 1-0, hurling 8.1 shutout innings in Game 3 , allowing just 4 hits.

Continental League: The defending champion El Paso Armadillos overwhelmed the Anaheim Antelopes, outscoring the Antelopes 32-12 in a 5-game romp. El Paso left fielder Austin Meadows took MVP honors after hitting .409 with 2 homers, 3 doubles, and 7 RBI's. Right fielder Harry Hooper hit .304, smacking 2 homers and plating 4 runs, while scoring 7 times. Righthander Jaret Wright went 1-0 with an 0.93 ERA, yielding just 1 run and 6 hits in 9.2 innings. Reliever Eric Eckenstahler went 1-0, hurling 4.2 hitless innings. Anaheim righthander Trevor Bauer provided one of the Antelopes' few bright spots, going 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA, allowing just 2 hits in 6.2 innings. The San Diego Zookeepers erased a 3-2 deficit to edge the Charlotte Aviators in 7 games. San Diego right fielder Giancarlo Stanton was tabbed MVP after hitting .269 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Infielders Eddie Collins and Don Money each hit .333, with Money pounding a homer and knocking in 3 runs. Lefty junkballer Bill Krueger went 1-0, hurling 13 shutout innings. Charlotte first baseman Tony Horton hit .393 with 2 dingers and 7 RBI's, while shortstop Eric McNair pounded 4 longballs and drove in 10 runs. After dropping Game 1 to the Jacksonville Gulls, the Phoenix Lizards won four straight, led by catcher Roy Campanella, who hit .500 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's. Center fielder Roberto Kelly hit .476 with 3 doubles and 4 RBI's. Second baseman Riggs Stephenson hit .467, popping a homer and knocking in 7 runs. Jim Bouton earned a Game 3 win, allowing just 1 run in 6 innings, while Jesus Luzardo hurled 5.1 shutout innings. First baseman Dave Hostetler led Jacksonville, hitting .368 with a homer and 3 RBI's. The Oklahoma City Otters edged the 96-win Birmingham Steelers in 7 games. Left fielder Yordan Alvarez had a monster series, rapping 16 hits while hitting .571 with 2 homers, 8 RBI's, and 10 runs scored. Catcher Ted Easterly smacked 14 hits of his own, batting .483 with a homer, 4 RBI's, and 6 runs scored. First baseman Miguel Cabrera hit .333, belting 2 longballs and knocking in 7 runs. Veteran junkballer Charlie Smith went 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 14 innings. Second baseman Joe Sargent led Birmingham, hitting .435 with a homer and 7 RBI's.

El Paso eliminated San Diego in 5 games. El Paso center fielder Sammy Sosa took MVP honors after hitting .350 with 2 homers and 3 RBI's. Catcher Ivan Rodriguez hit .389, ripping one homer and knocking in 2 runs. Third baseman Adrian Beltre hit just .227, but smashed 3 homers and knocked in 5 runs. Righthander Jaret Wright went 1-0, yielding a 2.25 ERA and just 6 hits in 12 innings. Righthander Aaron Harang hurled 6 shutout innings in Game 3, but did not register a decision. San Diego first baseman hit .267, belted 2 longballs, and knocked in 4 runs. Oklahoma City ousted Phoenix in 6 games. Otter left fielder Yordan Alvarez continued his spectacular postseason, hitting .462 with a homer and 7 RBI's. Second baseman Jose Peraza hit .435, while knocking in 5 runs. Southpaw Fernando Valenzuela was brilliant, earning the win in Game 3 with 8 shutout innings, yielding just 4 hits. Phoenix junkballer Bill Lee went 2-0 in a losing effort, posting a 2.57 ERA in 14 innings. In another divisional showdown in the League Championship Series, El Paso ousted Oklahoma City in five games. El Paso center fielder Sammy Sosa added another trophy to his mantel, hitting .368 with 2 dingers, 5 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Shortstop Bobby Crosby hit .333 with a homer and knocked in 3 runs. Jaret Wright won both of his starts, allowing a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings, while John Burkett earned the Game 2 win with 7 innings of 2-hit ball, yielding 2 runs. The Otters were led by left fielder Pat Lennon, who hit .353 with a homer, 3 doubles, and 2 RBI's.

World Series: The Fall Classic was a repeat matchup from last year, when El Paso swept London. El Paso was a moderate favorite this year, partly due to London's loss of right fielder Al Kaline to a back injury. Both teams had substantial star power throughout their lineups, and during the regular season, their offenses scored a nearly identical number of runs. But El Paso featured the stingiest pitching staff in the Continental League, allowing nearly half a run less per game than London.

El Paso took a tight Game 1 by a 4-2 tally. The game was tied 2-2 in the seventh inning when El Paso third baseman Adrian Beltre hit a tie-breaking homer. All four runs scored by El Paso were attributable to solo homers, by Beltre, Sammy Sosa, Bobby Crosby, and Harry Hooper. DH Augie Galan provided the offensive spark for London, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer. Jaret Wright brought his postseason record to 5-0, going 7 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, and fanning 5. Deivi Garcia earned the save with 2 shutout innings. For London, Scott Sanderson allowed 2 runs in 5.2 innings, but did not figure in the decision. Reliever Andres Munoz took the loss, yielding 2 runs in 1.2 innings. Game 2 was even tighter, as El Paso prevailed by 1-0 score. Catcher Ivan Rodriguez led the Armadillos, going 2-for-3 and driving in the game's lone run on a second-inning single. Sosa went 1-for-3 with a walk. Centerfielder Fernando Perez led the Werewolves with 2 singles. John Burkett notched the victory, hurling 5.1 shutout innings, allowing 2 hits, and Rafael Perez earned the save with a shutout ninth inning. Bob Lemon took the loss for London, allowing one run in 5.1 innings. El Paso won Game 3 in an 8-3 romp, scoring 8 runs in the first three innings. Sammy Sosa and Albert Pujols each had two hits, including a homer apiece, and starting pitcher Luis Castillo chipped in with a three-run dinger. Adrian Beltre smacked three hits and drove in a run. London shortstop Edide Joost had two hits, including a 2-run homer, and third baseman Austin Riley smacked a solo shot. Castillo lasted 4.1 innings, allowing 4 hits and one run, but did not register a decision. Dick Selma was credited with the win in relief for the Armadillos, despite yielding 2 runs in 2 innings. London's Bill Zuber took the loss, yielding 5 runs on 4 hits in 2.1 innings, including all three homers.

Facing the spectre of a second straight series sweep at the hands of the Armadillos, London took Game 4 by a 4-3 count, as Tony Perez smacked a tie-breaking single in the sixth inning. Riley went 3-for-3 for London, and backup second baseman Harry Damrau went 2-for-4 with a 2-run homer after entering the game as an injury replacement. Beltre had two hits for El Paso, and Bobby Crosby and Carlos Santana smacked solo homers. London opener Turk Farrell lasted just 3.2 innings, allowing 2 runs and 4 hits. Rawly Eastwick earned the win in relief, hurling 1.1 perfect innings, and Darwinzon Hernandez notched the save with 2 hitless innings. Aaron Harang allowed 3 runs (2 earned) in 4 innings for El Paso, and reliever John Gelnar took the loss after allowing a run on 3 hits in 1.1 innings. El Paso clinched their second straight World Series with a 6-3 victory in Game 5. Armadillos first baseman Albert Pujols went 4-for-4, including a double, and drove in a run. Left fielder Austin Meadows had 3 hits and drove in 2 runs, while Sosa singled, doubled, and drove in a run. London was led by Perez and second baseman Matt Tuiasosopo, who had two hits and a homer apiece. Jaret Wright brought his postseason mark to a perfect 6-0, earning the win after allowing 3 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings. Rafael Perez earned the save with a perfect ninth inning. Scott Sanderson took the loss for London, allowing 5 runs on 9 hits in 5 innings.

Sosa was named World Series MVP -- his third straight MVP trophy -- after hitting .375 with 2 homers and 3 RBI's. Third baseman Adrian Beltre hit .316 with a homer and 2 RBI's, while Pujols hit .300 with a dinger and 2 RBI's. Shortstop Bobby Crosby went just 3-for-18, but two of the hits were homers, and he drove in 3 runs. Wright went 2-0 with a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings, and came in second all-time with 6 wins in a single postseason. Rafael Perez notched 2 saves with 2 shutout innings. Shortstop Eddie Joost led London, hitting .353 in a losing effort with a homer and 2 RBI's. Left fielder/DH Augie Galan hit .316 with a homer and knocked in 2 runs. Righthander Bob Lemon was the Werewolves' most effective pitcher, goint 0-1 despite a 1.69 ERA in 5.1 innings, fanning 6. Reliever Randy Dobnak allowed one run and 3 hits in 5.2 innings.

Remarkably, with El Paso's win, the Continental League won its twelfth straight World Series.

[Dukie98]

Frontier League MVP- Fernando Tatis, Jr., SS, POR (40): .368/ .433/ .597, 234 hits, 35 doubles, 9 triples, 31 HR, 125 RBI, 145 runs, 70 BB, 42 SB, +10.8 Zone Rating, 166 OPS+, 11.6 WAR
Second place- Dode Paskert, LF, MTL (5): .379/ .449/ .703, 221 hits, 45 doubles, 3 triples, 46 HR, 122 RBI, 129 runs, 77 BB, 18 SB, 195 OPS+, 10.2 WAR
Third place- Hank Aaron, RF, POR (3): .349/ .413/ .656, 213 hits, 35 HR, 1 triple, 50 HR, 171 RBI, 141 runs, 73 BB, 6 SB, 174 OPS+, 7.9 WAR
Fourth place- Eddie Joost, SS, LON: .304/ .430/ .607, 177 hits, 18 doubles, 1 triple, 52 HR, 120 RBI, 129 runs, 127 BB, 3 SB, +10.1 Zone Rating,163 OPS+, 9.4 WAR
Fifth place- Babe Ruth, LF, BUF: .311/ .467/ .672, 147 hits, 22 doubles, 1 triple, 49 HR, 121 RBI, 135 runs, 143 BB, 201 OPS+, 8.8 WAR

Frontier League Cy Young Award: Mark Buehrle, PIT (29): 16-5, 2.70 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 200 IP, 72 K, 29 BB, 171 ERA+, 6.6 WAR
Second place- Johnny Schmitz, SF (17): 16-5, 2.86 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 217 IP, 143 K, 58 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 161 ERA+, 7.5 WAR
Third place- Ken Johnson, KC (2): 14-8, 3.03 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 199 IP, 105 K, 62 BB, 2 CG, 1 shutout, 154 ERA+, 6.5 WAR
Fourth place- Justin Thompson, OMA, 13-7, 2.21 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 163 IP, 71 K, 55 BB, 209 ERA+, 4.7 WAR
Fifth place- Jim Merritt, OTT: 21-4, 3.56 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 210 IP, 90 K, 35 BB, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 133 ERA+, 5.5 WAR

Frontier League Rookie of the Year: Wally Westlake, LF/RF, SEA (46): .248/ .307/ .452, 119 hits, 26 doubles, 3 triples, 22 HR, 77 RBI, 62 runs, 42 BB, 98 OPS+, 0.6 WAR
Second place- George O'Donnell, RHP, CAL (1): 4-3, 4.03 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 96 IP, 31 BB, 14 K, 6 holds, 115 ERA+, 1.6 WAR
Third place- Matt Williams, SS/3B, MIL: .221/ .272/ .340, 107 hits, 18 doubles, 2 triples, 12 HR, 59 RBI, 48 runs, 33 BB, 8 SB, 60 OPS+, 0.1 WAR

Continental League MVP- Alex Rodriguez, SS, NY (28): .346/ .418/ .616. 210 hits, 22 doubles, 2 triples, 46 HR, 141 RBI, 132 runs, 76 BB, 8 SB, +30.0 Zone Rating, 166 OPS+, 11.6 WAR
Second place- Miguel Cabrera, 1B, OKC (19): .362/ .420/ .693, 222 hits, 45 doubles, 1 triple, 52 HR, 170 RBI, 140 runs, 67 BB, 1 SB, 178 OPS+, 8.3 WAR
Third place- Robinson Cano, 2B, BIR (1): .368/ .412/ .585, 226 hits, 41 doubles, 4 triples, 28 HR, 137 RBI, 121 runs, 51 BB, 4 SB, 153 OPS+, 8.1 WAR
Fourth place- Albert Pujols, 1B, BIR: .327/ .405/ .619, 200 hits, 29 doubles, 3 triples, 45 HR, 125 RBI, 136 runs, 86 BB, 3 SB, 175 OPS+, 6.7 WAR
Fifth place- Juan Gonzalez, LF/RF, NY: .332/ .369/ .639, 209 hits, 30 doubles, 2 triples, 53 HR, 152 RBI, 119 runs, 34 BB, 3 SB, 157 OPS+, 6.6 WAR

Continental League Cy Young Award- John Smoltz, DAL (43): 20-4, 2.72 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 231 IP, 149 K, 63 BB, 2 CG,188 ERA+, 7.9 WAR2
Second place- Dickie Kerr, BIR (5): 21-6, 3.37 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 222 IP, 93 K, 49 BB, 4 CG, 2 shutouts, 155 ERA+, 5.2 WAR
Third place- Red Faber, JAX: 17-9, 3.22 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 207 IP, 99 K, 43 BB, 1 CG, 163 ERA+, 6.7 WAR
Fourth place- Jaret Wright, ELP: 20-4, 3.12 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 190 IP, 87 K, 62 BB, 158 ERA+, 4.1 WAR
Fifth place- Carl Mays, SD: 12-11, 3.61 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 205 IP, 52 K, 51 BB, 5 CG, 2 shutouts, 139 ERA+, 5.5 WAR

Continental League Rookie of the Year- Bernie Allen, 2B/DH, ATL (48): .297/ .365/ .549, 145 hits, 34 doubles, 7 triples, 25 HR, 86 RBI, 82 runs, 53 BB, 136 OPS+, 3.8 WAR
Second place- Len Madden, LHP, AUS: 6-8, 4.60 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 121 IP, 53 K, 58 BB, 112 ERA+, 0.9 WAR
Third place- Arnold Carter, LHP, LA: 7-2, 3 saves, 2.37 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 61 IP, 9 K, 20 BB, 11 holds, 214 ERA+, 1.4 WAR

Top draft picks: 1. Heinie Zimmerman, 3B, Cincinnati Spiders
2. Gavvy Cravath, RF, Virginia Beach Admirals
3. Ray Herbert, RHP, Albuquerque Conquistadors
4. Ricky Gutierrez, SS, Seattle Whales
5. Marcell Ozuna, LF/RF, Miami Flamingos
6. Wil Cordero, LF/ 1B, Chicago Mules
7. Quilvio Veras, 2B, Washington Ambassadors
8. Hank DeBerry, C, Calgary Cattle Rustlers
9. Cavan Biggio, 2B, San Antonio Marksmen
10. Al Woods, LF, Nashville Blues
Draft pick who slipped later than expected: 49. Mariano Rivera, RHP, Cincinnati Spiders

[Dukie98]

Last year's election of five Hall of Famers, coupled with an underwhelming batch of ballot newcomers, allowed for the voters to turn their attention back to several qualified holdover candidates. Although there were nineteen newcomers to the ballot, there were only a few viable candidates. As a result, the average number of votes-per-ballot dropped sharply to 10.00 -- the lowest in 45 years. Nonetheless, four candidates were elected, with three other firmly on the verge of immortality. First baseman John Jaha, the 2058 Continental League MVP who ended his career with 583 homers, was elected on the first ballot with a robust 95.8% of the vote. Third baseman Whitey Kurowski, a five-time All-Star with 519 career homers, drew 88.0% in his third appearance on the ballot, after coming up short by just a handful of votes in his prior appearances. Southpaw Mike Hampton, a 212-game winner with a career ERA of 3.15 and the 2063 Continental League Cy Young Award winner, jumped over the threshold with 79.0% on his third appearance on the ballot. Catcher Carlton Fisk, an eight-time All-Star with 469 career homers and four Gold Gloves, drew 76.9% in his initial appearance on the ballot.

Jaha was selected fourth overall by the Virginia Beach Admirals following the 2056 season. As a 25-year-old rookie in 2057, Jaha debuted with a bang, hitting .309 and slugging .590, belting 42 homers, driving in 121 runs, scoring 103 runs, and stealing 21 bases. Jaha won a close MVP vote in 2058, hitting .294 and slugging .629, with a league-leading 56 homers, 132 RBI's, 111 runs scored, and 22 steals. The following year, he hit .308 and slugged .567, smacking 37 longballs, driving in 121 runs, scoring 110 runs, and swiping 23 bags. In 2060, Jaha hit. 301 and slugged .569, drilling 44 dingers, plating 119 runs, scoring 118 runs, and stealing 26 bases. Jaha finished third in the MVP voting in 2061, posting a .304/ .449/ .614 slash line, scoring 173 runs (the second-highest single season total in history), bashing a league-high 57 homers, driving in 145 runs, stealing 44 bases, and drawing a league-leading and franchise record 150 walks. Jaha earned a second-place MVP finish in 2062 with a near-duplicate season, posting a .305/ .429/ .647 slash line, leading the league with 56 homers, plating 152 runs, stealing 24 bases, and leading the league with 142 runs scored and 119 walks. He finished fourth in the 2063 MVP voting, hitting .280 and slugging .593, smacking 51 dingers, knocking in 122 runs, scoring 121 runs, stealing 24 bases, and drawing 110 walks. Following the season, he signed with the Buffalo Fighting Elk in free agency. In Jaha's inaugural 2064 campaign in Buffalo, he hit .292 and slugged .541, smacking 40 jacks, driving in 105 runs, and scoring a league-high 137 runs. Over the next two years, Jaha's batting average dipped below .250, but he averaged 36 homers and 93 RBI's per year. In 2068, he rebounded to hit .276, drilling 33 dingers, driving in 92 runs, scoring 111 runs, and drawing 126 walks. Jaha signed with the Detroit Purple Gang in free agency prior to the 2069 campaign. In his first season in Detroit, Jaha hit .252, launching 26 longballs, driving in 102 runs, and drawing 113 walks. His power vanished the following season, as he hit .276, but smacked just 9 homers and drove in 54 runs in 124 games. Jaha spent an ineffective season with the Atlanta Ducks, where he hit just .210 with 18 dingers and 57 RBI's, and after a one-year return to Buffalo as a part-timer, he retired. For his career, Jaha posted a slash line of .274/ .403/ .521, with 2358 hits, including 362 doubles, 11 triples, 583 homers, 1625 RBI's, 1757 runs scored, 277 steals, 1657 walks, an OPS+ of 145, and 83.1 WAR. Jaha made five All-Star teams, won three Silver Slugger awards, led the league three times in homers and runs scored, twice in walks, and once in OPS. He struggled in the postseason, hitting just .216 in 75 postseason games spread out over 7 seasons, with 17 homers and 34 RBI's.

Kurowski was selected 8th overall by the Washington Ambassadors following the 2052 season. As a 22-year-old rookie in 2053, Kurowski hit .274, smacking 24 homers, 40 doubles, driving in 81 runs, and scoring 100 runs, as he finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting. The following year, Kurowski hit .257, drilling 32 dingers, knocking in 81 runs, and stealing 21 bases. The following season, Kurowski hit .277 with 20 homers, knocking in 81 runs for the third straight year. In 2056, he hit .301 with 17 homers and 52 RBI's, as he was limited to 127 games due to a foot contusion. Kurowski blossomed into stardom in 2057, hitting .337 and slugging .586, pounding 31 homers, driving in 103 runs, and scoring 101 runs. The next season, he hit .329 and slugged .581, belting 36 dingers, driving in 112 runs, and scoring 113 runs. In 2059, Kurowski hit .283, smacking 42 jacks, plating 108 runs, and scoring 119 runs. Over the next two seasons, he was limited to 184 games due to a ruptured MCL, and he hit a combined 42 homers and drove in 129 runs. He returned to form in 2062, hitting .329 and slugging .563, setting franchise records with 54 homers and 140 runs scored, and knocking in 148 runs, finishing third in the MVP voting. Following the season, he left Washington for the St. Louis Pilots in free agency. In his first season in St. Louis, he hit .333 and slugged .609, with 29 homers and 99 RBI's in just 125 games, as he suffered a season-ending torn hamstring. Kurowski was not hamstrung by that injury the following year, as he posted a .318/ .432/ .650 slash line, with 49 longballs, 136 RBI's, and 114 runs scored, and finished second in the MVP voting. In 2065, Kurowski hit .293 and slugged .559, smacking 41 homers and knocking in 114 runs. He spent two more uneventful seasons in St. Louis, hitting a combined 37 homers without topping .270 either year. He signed with the Calgary Cattle Rustlers and enjoyed a brilliant, if injury-shortened, 2068 campaign, hitting .288 and slugging .611 with 38 homers and 100 RBI's despite being limited to 126 games due to a broken wrist. He struggled the next season, hitting just .237 with 22 dingers and 67 RBI's, and after an ineffective season of part-time play with the Jacksonville Gulls, Kurowski retired after the 2070 season. For his career, Kurowski maintained a slash line of .292/ .380/ .534, with 2578 hits, including 504 doubles, 35 triples, 519 homers, 1575 RBI's, 1596 runs scored, 1035 walks, 58 steals, a 141 OPS+, and 79.7 WAR. He made five All-Star teams and won two Silver Slugger awards. In 46 postseason games spread out over five seasons, Kurowski hit .273 with 10 homers and 27 RBI's.

Hampton was drafted 56th overall by the Birmingham Steelers following the 2052 season. As a 19-year-old rookie in 2053, Hampton came out of the bullpen, posting a 2-4 record with 5 saves, a 3.15 ERA, and a 1.21 WHIP in 69 innings. The following season, he became the Steelers closer, going 6-5 with 21 saves, but a middling 4.31 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 2055, Hampton split his time between the bullpen and the rotation, as he went 6-8 with 4 saves, a 4.61 ERA, and a 1.33 WHIP. Hampton missed most of the 2056 campaign with a torn finger tendon, but was brilliant upon his return, going 7-0 in 11 starts with a 2.28 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He continued to dominate throughout 2057, but his season was interrupted in mid-August with shoulder inflammation, as he went 9-6 with a 2.17 ERA and an 0.92 WHIP in 25 starts and made his first All-Star team. In 2058, Hampton finally pitched a full season, going 15-10 with a 3.47 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 219 strikeouts in 200 innings. Before the 2059 campaign, Hampton signed with the New York Emperors in free agency, and he went 14-4 with a 3.06 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 210 strikeouts, as he led the Emperors to the Continental League pennant. In 2060, he finished fourth in the Cy Young voting, going 20-7 with a 2.52 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 211 strikeouts, yielding just 8 homers in 196 innings. The next season, Hampton struggled, going 9-13 with a 4.61 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP, despite 203 strikeouts. In 2062, Hampton returned to form, going 10-9 despite a 2.78 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Hampton won the Cy Young Award in 2063, going 15-7 with a league-leading 2.36 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 215 strikeouts. The next year, he notched an 18-7 mark with a 3.14 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and whiffed 208 enemy batsmen. Hampton sported an 13-10 record in 2065, along with a 2.93 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and whiffed 221 batters, finishing third in the Cy Young voting. Following the season, he signed with the Minneapolis Penguins as a free agent. In his first year in the Twin Cities, Hampton went 17-9 with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and struck out 223 batters. In 2067, Hampton finished fourth in a very competitive Cy Young vote, as he went 15-9 with a 2.56 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and struck out 209 batters. The next year, he notched a 17-7 mark with a 3.32 ERA, despite an increasing 1.32 WHIP and declining velocity. Hampton went 13-10 in 2069, yielding a 3.18 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Hampton suffered a shoulder injury in early 2070, and was unexpectedly released upon his return; he signed with the Milwaukee Raccoons for the rest of the season, but was only marginally effective, and retired after the season. For his career, Hampton sported a 212-128 record with 30 saves, including a 3.15 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in 3040 innings, including 2758 strikeouts, 939 walks, a 146 ERA+, and 77.8 WAR. Hampton made five All-Star teams, won one ERA title, as well as the 2063 Cy Young Award. In 19 postseason starts over eight seasons, he posted a 6-7 record with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, fanning 99 batters in 118 innings.

Fisk was drafted 4th overall by the Ottawa Parliamentarians following the 2051 season. As a 20-year-old rookie in 2052, Fisk hit just .229 in 41 games, with 3 homers and 12 RBI's. The next season, he hit .253 with 23 homers and knocked in 61 runs and made his first All-Star team. In 2054, Fisk burst into stardom, hitting .329 and slugging .614 while smacking 37 longballs, driving in 115 runs, scoring 104 runs, and winning a Gold Glove. The next season, he hit .304 and slugged .604, drilling 37 homers and plating 104 runs while winning his second Gold Glove. In 2056, Fisk hit .337 and slugged .644, drilling 38 longballs, knocking in 118 runs, scoring 108 runs, and finishing fourth in the MVP voting. Fisk posted another fourth place MVP finish the following year, hitting .341 and slugging .657, with 42 round-trippers, 119 RBI's, 103 runs scored, and he earned another Gold Glove. In 2058, Fisk hit .310 and slugged .609, ripping 37 longballs, knocking in 106 runs, and winning his fourth Gold Glove in five years. Following the 2058 season, Fisk signed as a free agent with the San Francisco Longshoremen. In his first season in San Francisco, he hit .322 and slugged .617, smacking 29 homers and knocking in 86 runs in just 123 games due to back and finger injuries. In 2060, Fisk hit .304 with 29 longballs, 89 RBI's, and 101 runs scored. His 2061 campaign was shortened by a broken wrist and a broken finger, as he hit just .261 with 11 homers and 48 RBI's in 83 games. Fisk signed with the St. Louis Pilots prior to the 2062 season. That year, he hit just .244 with 23 homer and 78 RBI's. In 2063, Fisk rebounded to hit .278 and slug .543, ripping 30 homers and 92 RBI's. Over the next two seasons, Fisk slipped below .250, averaging 19 homers and 77 RBI's. Fisk tore his ACL early in the 2066 campaign, limiting him to just 16 games. In 2067, he hit just .224, but smacked 21 homers and knocked in 70 runs. The next season, he hit .252, but was limited to just 74 games, and he hit 11 dingers and knocked in 39 runs. The next two seasons, Fisk failed to hit above .221, as he averaged 18 homer and 66 RBI's. Fisk signed with the Vancouver Viceroys before the 2071 season, but he hit just .197 with 22 homers and 62 RBI's. After a brief, ineffective stint with the Nashville Blues the next season, he retired. For his career, Fisk sported a slash line of .272/ .355/ .512, with 2183 hits, including 457 doubles, 33 triples, 469 homers, 1499 RBI's, 1333 runs scored, 867 walks, 64 steals, 133 OPS+, and 84.1 WAR. Fisk made eight All-Star teams, won four Gold Gloves, and four Silver Sluggers. In six postseasons, Fisk hit .238 with 9 homers and 34 RBI's in 52 games, but only made it out of the first round once.

Leading vote recipients include: John Jaha, 1B, VB/ BUF/ DET/ ATL - 95.8%
Whitey Kurowski, 3B, WAS/ STL/ CAL - 88.0%
Mike Hampton, LHP, BIR/ NY/ MIN - 79.0%
Carlton Fisk, C, OTT/ SF/ STL/ VAN - 76.9%
Johnny Evers, 2B, SD/ HOU - 74.8%
Justin Upton, LF, MIN/ ATL/ SD/ LV - 73.0%
Fred Beck, RF, WAS/ OTT - 70.9%
Fred Luderus, 1B, MIN/ MON - 52.0%
Nub Kleinke, RHP, PHI/ MIL/ ANA - 51.7%
Mike Mowrey, 3B, PHO/ LON/ CHI - 50.2%
John "Chief" Wilson, RF, MIN/ MIL/ ATL/ MEM - 36.9%
Dutch Ruether, LHP, SF/ HOU/ SD/ LA - 33.6%

Notable players who fell off the ballot include: shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, a three-time All-Star with 331 career home runs; left fielder Randal Grichuk, a two-time home run champion with 500 career homers; shortstop/ third baseman Cory Snyder, who belted 459 homers and won three Silver Sluggers; and righthander Ryan Dempster, who won 184 games and made two All-Star teams.

Here's a look at the newest Hall of Famers:

[majormet]

Originally Posted by Dukie98

Last year's election of five Hall of Famers, coupled with an underwhelming batch of ballot newcomers, allowed for the voters to turn their attention back to several qualified holdover candidates. Although there were nineteen newcomers to the ballot, there were only a few viable candidates. As a result, the average number of votes-per-ballot dropped sharply to 10.00 -- the lowest in 45 years. Nonetheless, four candidates were elected, with three other firmly on the verge of immortality. First baseman John Jaha, the 2058 Continental League MVP who ended his career with 583 homers, was elected on the first ballot with a robust 95.8% of the vote. Third baseman Whitey Kurowski, a five-time All-Star with 519 career homers, drew 88.0% in his third appearance on the ballot, after coming up short by just a handful of votes in his prior appearances. Southpaw Mike Hampton, a 212-game winner with a career ERA of 3.15 and the 2063 Continental League Cy Young Award winner, jumped over the threshold with 79.0% on his third appearance on the ballot. Catcher Carlton Fisk, an eight-time All-Star with 469 career homers and four Gold Gloves, drew 76.9% in his initial appearance on the ballot.

Jaha was selected fourth overall by the Virginia Beach Admirals following the 2056 season. As a 25-year-old rookie in 2057, Jaha debuted with a bang, hitting .309 and slugging .590, belting 42 homers, driving in 121 runs, scoring 103 runs, and stealing 21 bases. Jaha won a close MVP vote in 2058, hitting .294 and slugging .629, with a league-leading 56 homers, 132 RBI's, 111 runs scored, and 22 steals. The following year, he hit .308 and slugged .567, smacking 37 longballs, driving in 121 runs, scoring 110 runs, and swiping 23 bags. In 2060, Jaha hit. 301 and slugged .569, drilling 44 dingers, plating 119 runs, scoring 118 runs, and stealing 26 bases. Jaha finished third in the MVP voting in 2061, posting a .304/ .449/ .614 slash line, scoring 173 runs (the second-highest single season total in history), bashing a league-high 57 homers, driving in 145 runs, stealing 44 bases, and drawing a league-leading and franchise record 150 walks. Jaha earned a second-place MVP finish in 2062 with a near-duplicate season, posting a .305/ .429/ .647 slash line, leading the league with 56 homers, plating 152 runs, stealing 24 bases, and leading the league with 142 runs scored and 119 walks. He finished fourth in the 2063 MVP voting, hitting .280 and slugging .593, smacking 51 dingers, knocking in 122 runs, scoring 121 runs, stealing 24 bases, and drawing 110 walks. Following the season, he signed with the Buffalo Fighting Elk in free agency. In Jaha's inaugural 2064 campaign in Buffalo, he hit .292 and slugged .541, smacking 40 jacks, driving in 105 runs, and scoring a league-high 137 runs. Over the next two years, Jaha's batting average dipped below .250, but he averaged 36 homers and 93 RBI's per year. In 2068, he rebounded to hit .276, drilling 33 dingers, driving in 92 runs, scoring 111 runs, and drawing 126 walks. Jaha signed with the Detroit Purple Gang in free agency prior to the 2069 campaign. In his first season in Detroit, Jaha hit .252, launching 26 longballs, driving in 102 runs, and drawing 113 walks. His power vanished the following season, as he hit .276, but smacked just 9 homers and drove in 54 runs in 124 games. Jaha spent an ineffective season with the Atlanta Ducks, where he hit just .210 with 18 dingers and 57 RBI's, and after a one-year return to Buffalo as a part-timer, he retired. For his career, Jaha posted a slash line of .274/ .403/ .521, with 2358 hits, including 362 doubles, 11 triples, 583 homers, 1625 RBI's, 1757 runs scored, 277 steals, 1657 walks, an OPS+ of 145, and 83.1 WAR. Jaha made five All-Star teams, won three Silver Slugger awards, led the league three times in homers and runs scored, twice in walks, and once in OPS. He struggled in the postseason, hitting just .216 in 75 postseason games spread out over 7 seasons, with 17 homers and 34 RBI's.

Kurowski was selected 8th overall by the Washington Ambassadors following the 2052 season. As a 22-year-old rookie in 2053, Kurowski hit .274, smacking 24 homers, 40 doubles, driving in 81 runs, and scoring 100 runs, as he finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting. The following year, Kurowski hit .257, drilling 32 dingers, knocking in 81 runs, and stealing 21 bases. The following season, Kurowski hit .277 with 20 homers, knocking in 81 runs for the third straight year. In 2056, he hit .301 with 17 homers and 52 RBI's, as he was limited to 127 games due to a foot contusion. Kurowski blossomed into stardom in 2057, hitting .337 and slugging .586, pounding 31 homers, driving in 103 runs, and scoring 101 runs. The next season, he hit .329 and slugged .581, belting 36 dingers, driving in 112 runs, and scoring 113 runs. In 2059, Kurowski hit .283, smacking 42 jacks, plating 108 runs, and scoring 119 runs. Over the next two seasons, he was limited to 184 games due to a ruptured MCL, and he hit a combined 42 homers and drove in 129 runs. He returned to form in 2062, hitting .329 and slugging .563, setting franchise records with 54 homers and 140 runs scored, and knocking in 148 runs, finishing third in the MVP voting. Following the season, he left Washington for the St. Louis Pilots in free agency. In his first season in St. Louis, he hit .333 and slugged .609, with 29 homers and 99 RBI's in just 125 games, as he suffered a season-ending torn hamstring. Kurowski was not hamstrung by that injury the following year, as he posted a .318/ .432/ .650 slash line, with 49 longballs, 136 RBI's, and 114 runs scored, and finished second in the MVP voting. In 2065, Kurowski hit .293 and slugged .559, smacking 41 homers and knocking in 114 runs. He spent two more uneventful seasons in St. Louis, hitting a combined 37 homers without topping .270 either year. He signed with the Calgary Cattle Rustlers and enjoyed a brilliant, if injury-shortened, 2068 campaign, hitting .288 and slugging .611 with 38 homers and 100 RBI's despite being limited to 126 games due to a broken wrist. He struggled the next season, hitting just .237 with 22 dingers and 67 RBI's, and after an ineffective season of part-time play with the Jacksonville Gulls, Kurowski retired after the 2070 season. For his career, Kurowski maintained a slash line of .292/ .380/ .534, with 2578 hits, including 504 doubles, 35 triples, 519 homers, 1575 RBI's, 1596 runs scored, 1035 walks, 58 steals, a 141 OPS+, and 79.7 WAR. He made five All-Star teams and won two Silver Slugger awards. In 46 postseason games spread out over five seasons, Kurowski hit .273 with 10 homers and 27 RBI's.

Hampton was drafted 56th overall by the Birmingham Steelers following the 2052 season. As a 19-year-old rookie in 2053, Hampton came out of the bullpen, posting a 2-4 record with 5 saves, a 3.15 ERA, and a 1.21 WHIP in 69 innings. The following season, he became the Steelers closer, going 6-5 with 21 saves, but a middling 4.31 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. In 2055, Hampton split his time between the bullpen and the rotation, as he went 6-8 with 4 saves, a 4.61 ERA, and a 1.33 WHIP. Hampton missed most of the 2056 campaign with a torn finger tendon, but was brilliant upon his return, going 7-0 in 11 starts with a 2.28 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He continued to dominate throughout 2057, but his season was interrupted in mid-August with shoulder inflammation, as he went 9-6 with a 2.17 ERA and an 0.92 WHIP in 25 starts and made his first All-Star team. In 2058, Hampton finally pitched a full season, going 15-10 with a 3.47 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 219 strikeouts in 200 innings. Before the 2059 campaign, Hampton signed with the New York Emperors in free agency, and he went 14-4 with a 3.06 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and 210 strikeouts, as he led the Emperors to the Continental League pennant. In 2060, he finished fourth in the Cy Young voting, going 20-7 with a 2.52 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 211 strikeouts, yielding just 8 homers in 196 innings. The next season, Hampton struggled, going 9-13 with a 4.61 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP, despite 203 strikeouts. In 2062, Hampton returned to form, going 10-9 despite a 2.78 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Hampton won the Cy Young Award in 2063, going 15-7 with a league-leading 2.36 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 215 strikeouts. The next year, he notched an 18-7 mark with a 3.14 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and whiffed 208 enemy batsmen. Hampton sported an 13-10 record in 2065, along with a 2.93 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and whiffed 221 batters, finishing third in the Cy Young voting. Following the season, he signed with the Minneapolis Penguins as a free agent. In his first year in the Twin Cities, Hampton went 17-9 with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and struck out 223 batters. In 2067, Hampton finished fourth in a very competitive Cy Young vote, as he went 15-9 with a 2.56 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP, and struck out 209 batters. The next year, he notched a 17-7 mark with a 3.32 ERA, despite an increasing 1.32 WHIP and declining velocity. Hampton went 13-10 in 2069, yielding a 3.18 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Hampton suffered a shoulder injury in early 2070, and was unexpectedly released upon his return; he signed with the Milwaukee Raccoons for the rest of the season, but was only marginally effective, and retired after the season. For his career, Hampton sported a 212-128 record with 30 saves, including a 3.15 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in 3040 innings, including 2758 strikeouts, 939 walks, a 146 ERA+, and 77.8 WAR. Hampton made five All-Star teams, won one ERA title, as well as the 2063 Cy Young Award. In 19 postseason starts over eight seasons, he posted a 6-7 record with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, fanning 99 batters in 118 innings.

Fisk was drafted 4th overall by the Ottawa Parliamentarians following the 2051 season. As a 20-year-old rookie in 2052, Fisk hit just .229 in 41 games, with 3 homers and 12 RBI's. The next season, he hit .253 with 23 homers and knocked in 61 runs and made his first All-Star team. In 2054, Fisk burst into stardom, hitting .329 and slugging .614 while smacking 37 longballs, driving in 115 runs, scoring 104 runs, and winning a Gold Glove. The next season, he hit .304 and slugged .604, drilling 37 homers and plating 104 runs while winning his second Gold Glove. In 2056, Fisk hit .337 and slugged .644, drilling 38 longballs, knocking in 118 runs, scoring 108 runs, and finishing fourth in the MVP voting. Fisk posted another fourth place MVP finish the following year, hitting .341 and slugging .657, with 42 round-trippers, 119 RBI's, 103 runs scored, and he earned another Gold Glove. In 2058, Fisk hit .310 and slugged .609, ripping 37 longballs, knocking in 106 runs, and winning his fourth Gold Glove in five years. Following the 2058 season, Fisk signed as a free agent with the San Francisco Longshoremen. In his first season in San Francisco, he hit .322 and slugged .617, smacking 29 homers and knocking in 86 runs in just 123 games due to back and finger injuries. In 2060, Fisk hit .304 with 29 longballs, 89 RBI's, and 101 runs scored. His 2061 campaign was shortened by a broken wrist and a broken finger, as he hit just .261 with 11 homers and 48 RBI's in 83 games. Fisk signed with the St. Louis Pilots prior to the 2062 season. That year, he hit just .244 with 23 homer and 78 RBI's. In 2063, Fisk rebounded to hit .278 and slug .543, ripping 30 homers and 92 RBI's. Over the next two seasons, Fisk slipped below .250, averaging 19 homers and 77 RBI's. Fisk tore his ACL early in the 2066 campaign, limiting him to just 16 games. In 2067, he hit just .224, but smacked 21 homers and knocked in 70 runs. The next season, he hit .252, but was limited to just 74 games, and he hit 11 dingers and knocked in 39 runs. The next two seasons, Fisk failed to hit above .221, as he averaged 18 homer and 66 RBI's. Fisk signed with the Vancouver Viceroys before the 2071 season, but he hit just .197 with 22 homers and 62 RBI's. After a brief, ineffective stint with the Nashville Blues the next season, he retired. For his career, Fisk sported a slash line of .272/ .355/ .512, with 2183 hits, including 457 doubles, 33 triples, 469 homers, 1499 RBI's, 1333 runs scored, 867 walks, 64 steals, 133 OPS+, and 84.1 WAR. Fisk made eight All-Star teams, won four Gold Gloves, and four Silver Sluggers. In six postseasons, Fisk hit .238 with 9 homers and 34 RBI's in 52 games, but only made it out of the first round once.

Leading vote recipients include: John Jaha, 1B, VB/ BUF/ DET/ ATL - 95.8%
Whitey Kurowski, 3B, WAS/ STL/ CAL - 88.0%
Mike Hampton, LHP, BIR/ NY/ MIN - 79.0%
Carlton Fisk, C, OTT/ SF/ STL/ VAN - 76.9%
Johnny Evers, 2B, SD/ HOU - 74.8%
Justin Upton, LF, MIN/ ATL/ SD/ LV - 73.0%
Fred Beck, RF, WAS/ OTT - 70.9%
Fred Luderus, 1B, MIN/ MON - 52.0%
Nub Kleinke, RHP, PHI/ MIL/ ANA - 51.7%
Mike Mowrey, 3B, PHO/ LON/ CHI - 50.2%
John "Chief" Wilson, RF, MIN/ MIL/ ATL/ MEM - 36.9%
Dutch Ruether, LHP, SF/ HOU/ SD/ LA - 33.6%

Notable players who fell off the ballot include: shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, a three-time All-Star with 331 career home runs; left fielder Randal Grichuk, a two-time home run champion with 500 career homers; shortstop/ third baseman Cory Snyder, who belted 459 homers and won three Silver Sluggers; and righthander Ryan Dempster, who won 184 games and made two All-Star teams.

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Wow definitely a different John Jaha here. At some point he became less of a free swinger I guess

[Dukie98]

Originally Posted by majormet

Wow definitely a different John Jaha here. At some point he became less of a free swinger I guess

Well, he still had 150+ strikeouts every year, with a few seasons over 200... not quite sure how you can hit over .300 with 200 strikeouts, but he did it one season.

[Dukie98]

As has been the case every five years, the Commissioner declared that the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee would reconvene. As with the prior Veterans Committee classes, the Committee could induct up to three players, provided that their eligibility expired at least five years earlier. The Committee would reconvene every five years. The Committee addressed a backlog of starting pitchers, inducting righthander Bill Singer, a 202-game winner with a career 2.83 ERA, control ace Jordan Zimmermann, a 234-game winner who had eight seasons with WHIP's below 1.00, and righthander Glenn Liebhardt, a four-time All-Star who finished in the top three of the Cy Young voting three times.

Singer was drafted 39th overall by the Milwaukee Raccoons following the 2038 season. As a 20-year-old rookie in 2039, Singer appeared in only 7 games, notching 2 saves but failing to register a decision, as he posted a 3.52 ERA. The next season, he went 1-0 with 7 saves, posting a 2.25 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP in 20 innings. Singer moved into the rotation in 2041, going 5-4 with a 3.27 ERA and a hefty 1.51 WHIP in 12 starts before tearing his UCL. Singer returned the next season better than ever, going 17-8 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. In 2043, Singer went 20-5, leading the league in victories and with 239 innings pitched, as he posted a 2.98 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and fanned 233 batters. The next season, he slipped to a 13-12 record despite a 2.88 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and 251 strikeouts. Singer finished third in the Cy Young voting in 2045, going 15-8 with a microscopic 2.03 ERA (second in the Continental League) and a 1.05 WHIP, whiffing 257 batters while allowing only 9 homers in 230 innings. In 2046, Singer notched a 12-7 mark as his ERA jumped to 3.27, while he sported a 1.10 WHIP and fanned 237 batters. Singer notched a 21-6 mark in 2047, along with a 2.88 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and struck out 237 enemy batsmen. He went 15-8 the following season, yielding a 2.58 ERA, an 0.97 WHIP, and whiffed 203 batters. In 2049, Singer posted a 16-9 mark with a 2.08 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, 201 strikeouts, and he allowed just 11 homers in 225 innings. Singer's 2050 campaign was ruined after 10 starts by another torn UCL, but he rebounded in 2051 to go 12-9 with a 2.44 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. The next season, he notched a 12-5 mark with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, as he yielded just 7 homers in 170 innings. In 2053, Singer went 13-11 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, fanning 198 batters. The next season, a hard-luck Singer went just 8-10 despite a 2.77 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Following the season, he left Milwaukee to sign with the Buffalo Fighting Elk in free agency. In 2055, Singer went 14-7 for Buffalo with a 2.72 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP, but tore an elbow ligament late in the season. Singer returned midway through 2056, only to a suffer a back injury. He went just 5-5 with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in 17 starts, and he retired after the season. For his career, Singer sported a record of 202-118 with 9 saves, including a 2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 2839 strikeouts, 715 walks, a 148 ERA+, and 80.0 WAR. In 18 starts over eight postseasons, he went 9-4 with a 2.80 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP, fanning 102 batters in 109 innings. Singer made three All-Star teams, finished in the top 10 in victories 6 times, and in the top 10 in ERA 3 times.

Ziimmermann was drafted 13th overall by the El Paso Armadillos following the 2025 season. As a 22-year-old rookie in 2026, Zimmermann sported a 16-7 record with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, finishing third in the Rookie of the Year voting. Zimmermann won the Cy Young Award in his sophomore campaign, as he went 19-7 with a 2.56 ERA and a league-leading 0.95 WHIP, posting an incredible 191:24 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 2028, Zimmermann went 20-8 with a 3.17 ERA and an 0.98 WHIP. He notched a 19-7 mark in 2029 with a 2.27 ERA, a league-leading 0.87 WHIP, and 199 strikeouts. Zimmermann finished third in the 2030 Cy Young Award voting, going 23-6 with a 2.89 ERA and an 0.99 WHIP. He had an off year in 2031, going 13-13 with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, while fanning 201 batters. Zimmermann rebounded to go 18-9 with a 2.87 ERA and an 0.99 WHIP, as he walked just 30 batters in 254 innings and finished fifth in the Cy Young Award voting. Zimmermann struggled over the next three seasons, finishing with a sub-.500 record each season with ERA's over 4.00. In 2036, Zimmermann sported a 14-9 mark with a 4.02 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Following the season, he signed with the Buffalo Fighting Elk. Zimmermann returned to form in 2037, finishing third in the Cy Young Award balloting after going 17-5 with a 2.87 ERA, an 0.94 WHIP, and a 200:22 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 219 innings. Zimmermann led Buffalo to the 2038 World Series title, going 17-5 once again with a 3.11 ERA and an 0.96 WHIP, and hurling a 4-hit shutout in Game 5 of the World Series. In 2039, Zimmermann went 10-10 with a 3.21 ERA and an 0.97 WHIP. His 2040 campaign was interrupted by bone chips in his elbow, but he went 8-2 with a 3.13 ERA in 12 starts. Zimmermann returned to El Paso for the 2041 campaign, but was limited to 11 starts due to a recurring elbow injury, going 4-1 with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Zimmermann spent his final season with the Minneapolis Penguins, going 7-7 with a 4.64 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in 27 starts, and retiring at the end of the year. For his career, Zimmermann posted a 234-137 record, with a 3.38 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, 2645 strikeouts, 467 walks, a 131 ERA+, and 76.3 WAR. He ranked third all-time with just 1.25 walks per nine innings, and 27th all-time in WHIP. Zimmermann also led the league five times in strikeout-to-walk ratio, and finished in the top ten seven other times. He led the league in WHIP twice, and finished in the top 3 six other times. Zimmerman finished in the top five in victories seven times, and in the top five in winning percentage six times. Despite winning a Cy Young Award and having three other top-five finishes, he somehow only made one All-Star team. In 28 postseason starts over ten postseasons, Zimmermann notched a 13-9 mark with a 3.38 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and he fanned 154 batters in 187 innings.

Liebhardt was drafted 26th overall by the Albuquerque Conquistadors following the 2044 season. As a 22-year-old rookie reliever in 2045, he went 6-3 with 8 saves, posting a 3.31 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 54 innings. Liebhardt moved into the rotation the next season, and he sported a 13-4 mark with a 2.36 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP, allowing just 7 dingers in 194 innings, and going 4-2 in the postseason as Albuquerque won the World Series. He finished second in the Cy Young Award voting in 2047, going 21-7 with a 2.78 ERA , a 1.02 WHIP, 233 strikeouts, and surrendering just 8 round-trippers in 233 innings. Liebhardt finished third in the Cy Young Award balloting the next season, going 20-5 with a 2.33 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and whiffed 254 batters. He finished second in the Cy Young Award voting in 2049, going 17-7 with a 2.25 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and yielded just 6 homers in 228 innings. In 2050, Liebhardt posted an 18-7 mark with a 2.71 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 262 strikeouts. He finished fourth in the 2051 Cy Young voting, going 12-8 with a 2.24 ERA, an 0.88 WHIP, and whiffed 245 batters. He had a hard-luck 2052 campaign, going just 8-10 despite a 2.29 ERA and an 0.94 WHIP, fanning 193 batters in just 161 innings, undergoing a season-ending shoulder surgery His 2053 campaign was interrupted after just 13 starts after tearing an elbow ligament. He signed with the Charlotte Aviators in free agency after the season. In 2054, Liebhardt went 14-6 with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and whiffed 202 batters. The following season, he went 11-6 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, but his season ended in mid-August after bone chips developed in his elbow. Liebhardt signed with the Buffalo Fighting Elk before the 2056 season, when he posted a 15-4 mark with a 3.16 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and fanned 197 batters. The next year, he sported an 11-10 record with a 2.94 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. He struggled in 2058, going 7-10 with a bloated 4.49 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP, and retired at the end of the season. For his career, Liebhardt sported a 177-91 mark with 8 saves, along with a 2.78 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, 2665 strikeouts, 721 walks, a 156 ERA+, and 80.1 WAR. A four-time All-Star, Liebhardt ranked in the top ten in the league in wins 6 times, in ERA 4 times, and in strikeouts 5 times. He led the league twice in allowing the fewest homers per nine innings, and had two other seasons in the top ten. In 18 starts over seven postseasons, Liebhardt went 10-6 with a 2,92 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 118 strikeouts in 126 innings.

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