My Last Hall of Fame
MADE IT
Geoffery Browning, C
Career Stats (87-106): 1696-4627 (.367), 265 2B, 60 3B, 381 HR, 1023 RBI, 2 SB, .697 SLG
Teams: Peoria Destroyers (87), Palm Bay Windjammers (88-91), Philadelphia FISH TOWN (92-95, 97-98, 100-106), Allentown The Queen City (96), New York Skyscraper (99)
Accolades: 6x All-Star
What a legend Browning is, and crazily enough, he didn’t get a full-time job until the age of 27, as he spent 2 years in someone’s queue and then had 4 underwhelming seasons as a reserve/failed starter. When he got to Philly, however, everything changed, as he kicked off an 8-season streak of 100 hit campaigns and made 4 All-Star teams in the course of them. FISH TOWN had him for 6 of those 8 seasons and controlled him most of his career. Even after he stopped hitting 100 hits/year in 100, he was still elite and made another All-Star team in 103, after which point he ceased to be dominant. Still, an amazing career that saw him finish in the top 5 in multiple categories (and hit .367 in the process) must be rewarded.
Liam McNeil, 2B
Career Stats (89-106): 1135-3796 (.299), 165 2B, 36 3B, 307 HR, 686 RBI, 99 SB, .604 SLG
Teams: Yonkers Cardinals (89), Manchester Maniacs (90), Ventura Dark Knights (91), Buffalo Bisons (92-93), Boston Red Sox 1 (94-106)
After his first 3 seasons, Liam McNeil didn’t appear to be the track to being a starter, let alone a Hall of Famer. After not playing in his first 2 seasons, he was given a chance on his 3rd team in 3 seasons… And went 5-33. However, he got his big break with the Bison, where he hit over .320 in both seasons and had 46 HR and 15 steals, leading to his shipment to Boston, where he hit .300 for 7 straight seasons, on top of the 2 he had with the Bison. McNeil’s production dipped after 101, but 103 (.322, 27 HR, 10 SB) and 105 (24 HR, 16 SB) were still very good. Despite having a career that was much more mundane than some of the inductees, McNeil used his incredible consistency to get in.
Jamison Heflin, SS
Career Stats (88-106): 1404-4641 (.303), 212 2B, 72 3B, 383 HR, 988 RBI, 37 SB, .627 SLG
Teams: Windsor Wind Surge (88), Kansas City Royals0 (89-103, 105-106), Cincinnati Reds (104)
Accolades: World Series
Heflin jumped out the gate quick, hitting 28 homers (one of which was the go-ahead homer in the 8th in Game 3 of the championships) and winning the World Series in his rookie season for Wind Surge. However, he went to Kansas City pretty quick, where he would spend 17 of his final 18 seasons, as an ill-spirited bid by the Reds forced him to leave for Season 104 (thankfully, though, he hit only .270 with 11 homers and came back in 105). During his time with the Royals, Heflin had a .300+ AVG 11 times and 20+ HR 10 times (including 30 in 101). His knack for dingers allowed him to hit 2 more than Browning did despite having approx. 200 fewer hits and 500 fewer ABs, and that pop in his bat powered him to the Hall.
Patrick Grantham, CF
Career Stats (85-106): 1581-5277 (.300), 269 2B, 96 3B, 295 HR, 822 RBI, 754 SB, .555 SLG
Teams: New Orleans Cajun Gamecocks (85-91), Calgary Fire Birds (92-94), Yonkers Renegades (95-99, 101), Dayton Daytona 500 (101, 102-104), Cincinnati Reds (105), New York NYMETS (106)
Accolades: 2x World Series, All-Star
Unlike all our other stars, who only established themselves with 1 team, Grantham managed to become a multi-season stat for 3 franchises. With New Orleans, he was a solid base stealing threat who could hit for average and a bit of power, best demonstrated by his torrid Season 88 (.398 AVG, 17 HR, 55 SB). With Calgary, his speed dropped, but his power and consistency went up, as he always hit at least .300 with 15 HRs and 30 SBs in his 3 years. It is with Yonkers, however, that we know him best for. After hitting “only” .290 with 14 dingers and 52 steals, Grantham upped his game, hitting .300 each year and lighting up the base paths as well as the scoreboard. In his 6 total seasons, Patrick had 101 homers and 292 steals, which is absolutely amazing. Even though his SLG was a bit low, Grantham had all the tools and used them well throughout his 22 seasons.
Jamal Nagel, RF
Career Stats (90-106): 1230-3613 (.340), 196 2B, 43 3B, 317 HR, 827 RBI, .627 SLG
Teams: hairlesslockness (90), San Diego Bombers (91-106)
Accolades: 3x World Series, 4x All-Star
After doing nothing for a year with a dead team, San Diego discovered him and brought Nagel to the West Coast, where he promptly hit .310 and played a big part in winning the World Series. After that, however, he went on a tear. Save for Season 93, the next 11 seasons where amazing for him, as he never hit below .304 and always had at least 21 HR and 64 RBI. On the way, he made 4 All-Star teams and won 2 more World Series, and played key roles in all 3 of their championship runs. Although he was some after hitting hitting 31 homers in 102, he remained competent in 103 before falling off in the final 3 seasons. However, his prime was so spectacular that his bad seasons barely show on the stat sheets, and another Bombers legend enters the Hall.
Roland Moyer, SP, Year 2
Career Pitching Stats (88-105): 148-45, 1718 IP, 692 ER, 1607 K, 150 BB, 3.63 ERA, 1.031 WHIP
Teams: Hartford HTFD_YANKEES (88), Yonkers River Rats (89-91), Columbus Average Joes (92-93), Honolulu Shimakaze (94-95), San Jose Panthers (96), Topeka Pineapples (97-99), St. John’s Raptors (100-105)
And we end the HOF class with a successful, albeit well-traveled and unaccoladed journeyman. After underwhelming with Hartford and Yonkers in 88 and 89, Moyer was brilliant in 54 innings in 90 before going berserk in 91, as he went 11-1 with 1 meager 1.56 ERA. Such a spectacular performance did not go unnoticed by the Average Joes, who picked him up and got 2 very good seasons, before Honolulu did the exact same, including a 13-0 campaign in 94. Playing for the Panthers in 96, Moyer did well, but he pitched under 100 innings for the first time since 91. His stint with the Pineapples featured 1 awesome season sandwiched between 2 bad ones before he arrived at his final destination, St. John’s. Although Season 101 could’ve gone better, Moyer still went 7-2, and over the next 4 seasons, he did amazing despite being over the age of 35. Although his final season wasn’t quite up to par to his norm (6-6, 4.58 ERA), it was an admirable effort from a 39-year old in his 18th season as he pitched for 100+ innings for the 11th and final time. That rubber arm allowed him to pile up the wins and innings, and his skill with the baseball makes him our final inductee.
GET ANOTHER TRY
Javon Kimball
Bembe Mejia
Vincent Coble
Jaron Granados
Eric Valera
Ginessa Negron, Year 2 (how dare y’all smh)
YEETED OFF THE BALLOT
Teodoro Lozada, Year 2
Reynaldo Castanellos, Year 3
Rafael Overstreet, Year 2
Since I will be leaving following the conclusion of this season, the HOF master person spot is open! If you or a group of people have any interest in running this, contact me so I can get you/you guys set up!
