A Long Time Ago in a League Far, Far Away... (GBC longread)

[jiminyhopkins]

For some weekend reading, I present to you a feature I wrote many, many years ago about the GBC, or Global Baseball Consortium. You may not know the players; and you may be puzzled by the conspicuous lack of WARs, VORPs, wOBA's and not a single Win Probability Added, but it's fascinating nonetheless.

So sit back and bask in the glory of the GBC at the height of its powers as the premier internet-based sim baseball league in the world. This feature captures the league after 18 seasons, just about the halfway mark of its history. What I wouldn't give to have the time to write like this again.



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GBC: From A to Z

Happy Labor Day! As a weekend project, we present to you a historical perspective on some of the best players the league has ever seen. Using the Player Encyclopedia, we decided to go through the entire history of the GBC Prime and choose the best player for every letter of the alphabet. The list will include the best player (based on stats), that player's best season, honorable mentions, and best names for each category. Remember, this list is not designed to be definitive. In fact, open debate is encouraged. Some letters were easy, and some definitely were not! Here we go!

A- Maury Alou, C, Retired
Recently elected to the GBC Hall of Fame, the now retired Alou was one of the best hitters of all time. The power hitting backstop led his team to the playoffs in 14 of his 17 seasons. He has recorded top 10 career marks in Hits, HR, RBI, Runs, and Walks, and even in the top 20 all time in stolen bases. His best season came in the twilight of his career in 2010, as he hit .332 with 35 homers, 120 RBI, and 19 steals for the Washington Bobwhites.

Hon. Mention: Archie Ayrault, SS, Phoenix; Willard Alexander, SP, Retired.
Best Name: Oyster Adams, 3B, Retired. Even more amazing than his name is the fact that the Oyster, with a PH rating of 48, slugged 27 homers in 1997.

B- Eric Beckmeyer, SP, California
It was a tough choice, but dominating starter Eric Beckmeyer comes out on top of the B's. Top ten in wins and top five in K's all time (in only 12 full seasons), Beckmeyer is still going strong and will be a lock for the HOF. Eric recorded his 3000th strikeout this past April. He'll reach 250 wins in early 2013, and by that time will be mentioned with Nebraska, Pump, and Schaffer as the best the GBC has ever seen. Beckmeyer's best season was in 2001 when he went 18-3 with a 1.09 ERA for the Washington Bobwhites.

Hon. Mention: Hank Baez, LF, Retired; Bob Blaisdell, SP, Jacksonville; Steve Blackburn, LF, Knoxville; Ron Budaska, CF, Retired; John Bockus, CF, Retired; Damon Bedgood, SP, Retired.
Best Names: Yim Baklava, C, Retired; Buzz Bliss, CF, retired; Payton Bigunz, 1B, Atlantic City; Adam Bomb, P, Retired

C- Tremaine Clemente, 2B, New Orleans
Tre Clemente will go down in history as one of the best players ever. He is currently 2nd all time in runs scored and stolen bases, and is very close to passing Ron Budaska for 1st place in both of those categories. Clemente and Crawdads SS Johnny Fever (who we'll see in a couple more paragraphs) have been teammates longer than any other pair of superstars in the GBC. As such, they help each other's stats, and they will enter the HOF together without a doubt. Tre's best season was in 2010, when he hit .355 with 20 homers, 86 RBI, and 87 Steals. Look for his 3000th hit in September, 2013.

Hon. Mention: Steve Collins, CF, Retired; Darius Campbell, SP, Yellow Springs; Tex Correia, 2B, Retired
Best Names: Truck Chakales, LF, Retired; Lew Cepherr, SP, Phoenix

D- Lee Dedeaux, SP, Retired
Lee Dedeaux barely edged out Dunn for the best of the D's, and only because Dunn took so long (7 seasons) to get his career on track. However, Dedeaux is nonetheless deserving, ranking 13th in Wins, 12th in QS, and 9th in IP on the all time list. He suddenly retired at the end of the 2008 season, just 7 wins shy of 200. Lee's best year was in 2000, when he pitched for--you guessed it, the Washington Bobwhites--and went 17-6 with a 2.60 ERA.

Hon. Mention: Ted Dunn, 2B, Las Vegas; Hank Daniels, SP, Retired; Roy Dillinger, SP, Birmingham
Best Name: James Durteesox, 2B, Charlotte

E- Jake Ens, SP, Retired
Jake Ens was a stud his entire career, from beginning to end. He averaged 200 IP per season for 17 years, and only once failed to record at least 11 wins in a season. He's the all time leader in innings pitched, at least until Nebraska catches him this year. Jake also stands at 6th in career wins and quality starts. In 1999 for Charlotte, Ens enjoyed a 19-7, 2.31 ERA season, his best. Really, there's no valid reason why Ens wasn't elected to the Hall of Fame. Maybe next year.

Hon Mention: Hal Eschen, CF, Retired
Best Name: Boomer Einstack, P, Retired

F- Johnny Fever, SS, New Orleans
No doubt about this one folks, its a no-brainer. Johnny Fever is the best player--past, present, or future--to ever put on a uniform in the Global Baseball Consortium. A freak of nature, Johnny is setting records that no one will ever touch. He's the Babe Ruth of his era, having won his record 7th Triple Crown title in 8 seasons in 2011. New Orleans has fielded contending teams the vast majority of his career here, and sometimes solely due to Fever's prodigious talent. Better sit down for this one: Fever's greatest season, and the greatest ever in the league, was in 2008, when he laid down these stats: .468 average, 70 home runs, 189 RBI, 276 Runs Created, and a 1.414 OPS....in only 142 games!!!

Hon. Mention: Elroy Futon Jr., LF, Jacksonville; Greg Freeman, CP, Retired; Mike Fields, LF, Retired; Sidd Finch, SP, Tijuana
Best Names: Joe and Guam Fantomhorsfli, Outfielders; Crash Franzblau, P, Free Agents

G- John Ganzel, SS, Louisville
John Ganzel is living proof that being known as the "Poor Man's Johnny Fever" is a very good thing. What's amazing is that the first half of his career was decidedly non-descript, as he never really turned it on until his 9th full season, in Tijuana of all places. From then on, Ganzel has been a perennial MVP candidate, and is approaching 400 HR and 1300 RBI. His best season came in 2008, when he smashed 53 homers with 148 RBI and a .339 average. Just imagine where he'd be if he hadn't taken so long to develop his power.

Hon. Mention: Carl Gainey, SP, Retired; Ed Galvin, 1B, Retired
Best Names: Lee Galizitt, 1B, Winnipeg; Creepy Gharrity, 3B, Washington; Stump Gumbert, RP, Retired

H- Jeremy Houseplant, SP, Jacksonville
Chosen for his future success as well as his numerous past accomplishments, Jeremy Houseplant is the franchise ace of his only team, the Monarchs. Saddled with a number of mediocre teams behind him throughout his career, especially recently, House has still managed to put up good numbers. Jeremy is blessed with near perfect control, walking less than 30 batters per season, on average, since 2005. He already has 147 career wins, and considering his age of 34, looks to add to that considerably before he retires. On a contending team, he would have at least five 20-win seasons; but with Jacksonville he has only one, as his best year resulted in a 21-7 campaign with a 3.48 ERA in 2004.

Hon. Mention: Guy Harrison, 2B, Retired; Frankie High, RP, Retired; Luke Hazelton, CF, Tijuana; Ed Hopper, CP, Phoenix
Best Names: Jamis Hillbilly, 3B, Free Agents; Damon Helraizor, P, Atlantic City; Lightnin' Hopkins, CF, California

I- Verdo Incaviglia, 2B, Retired
In the early days of the GBC, Verdo Incaviglia was a member of the feared 2B quintet that included Tex Correia, Rankin Johnson, Roberto Morehart, and Guy Harrison. He entered the GBC at his peak, and his ratings slowly eroded over the next 13 seasons. Although he faded badly at the end of his career, few middle infielders of his era matched Verdo's peak seasons of 1995-1997, where he averaged 42 home runs and 66 steals per season. His best season was in 1996, for Las Vegas, in which he hit .316 with 46 homers, 126 RBI, 77 steals, and 171 runs scored.

Hon. Mention: None
Best Names: None!

J- Dan Jackson, RF, Retired
In the GBC's first decade, Dan Jackson was one of the most feared power hitters in the game. Like so many players of the early era, Jackson signed with the GBC at the peak of his career. As a result, the totals of such players are proportionately less than a comparable player who enjoyed full career in the Consortium. Even so, like Incaviglia above, Dan Jackson's stats are worth noting. He hit 270 homers and approached 1000 RBI in his ten seasons, and torched lefties at a .335 clip. In 1999 for Alaska, Jackson enjoyed his finest season by far, swatting 42 homers, driving in 153, and hitting at a .322 pace.

Hon Mention: Rankin Johnson, 2B, Retired; Dennis Jarmain, RP, Knoxville; Jake Janowicz, SS, Retired
Best Names: Fuamato Jones, SS, Brooklyn

K- Pete Knight, 1B, Retired
It was a close race between Knight and RF John Krsnich, but the big 1B wins out because of his nearly identical production, compared to the right fielder, in four fewer seasons. Pete Knight was also well known for being one of the best defensive 1B's of all time, accumulating a .997 percentage. He was also durable, never missing more than 9 games in any of his 10 seasons. Pete's pinnacle performance was for the Idaho Marvels in 2001, when he hit .327 with 36 homers and 117 RBI.

Hon. Mention: John Krsnich, RF, Retired; Johnny Kyle, CP, Retired
Best Names: Cal Kelater, 3B, Atlantic City; and Jim Kaflutnshutn, C, Aspen, the second greatest name of all time!

L- Robert LaLoosh, SP, Las Vegas
Robert LaLoosh wins the battle of the L's in a squeaker over HOFer Alex Lamabe. Although one doesn't hear much about Nuke's younger brother in a world full of Nebraskas, Pumps, Beckmeyers, and Schaffers, a quick look at the sortable stats in the Player Encyclopedia reveals LaLoosh to be top-5 all time in wins, IP, strikeouts, ERA among starters, and quality starts. His best season was in 2000, when for DC (Washington) he went 22-4 with a 2.16 ERA and 25 quality starts in 237 innings. That campaign started a 12 year run (which is still ongoing) in which LaLoosh won less than 16 games only twice and never recorded an ERA above 3.23.

Hon. Mention: Alex Lamabe, 1B, Retired; Skeeter Lowdermilk, 1B, Retired; Tim Lashes, LF, Retired; and Red Lienenkugel, 1B, Manhattan gets an honorable mention because he will be one of the best ever by the time he retires. He is the only player in this article to be included strictly on future potential.
Best Names: Zed Leplin, RF, Free Agents; Bud Lyght, SP, Manhattan; Steve Lemongello, RF, Free Agents

M- Ed "E-Mil" Miller, SS, Manhattan
The sentimental choice here is Fred Mahaffey, the legendary first baseman who was the inaugural member of the GBC Hall of Fame. Fred played only 12 seasons, but the marks he set took most players 15 years or more to break. However, one cannot overlook the greatest all around player of all time, Ed Miller. Miller's blinding speed is what sets him apart from Mahaffey's and Fever's bone crushing power. Only four players have more than 700 career steals, and none of those approach Miller's power numbers. Perhaps the most telling measure of his value is the fact that E-Mil was the GBC's first and only 10 million dollar player, for better or worse. He is the GBC career leader in six offensive categories. Ed's greatest season was in 2006 for the Las Vegas Hustlers, Mahaffey's old team. That year he recorded this gem: .415 average, 40 doubles, 6 triples, 53 home runs, 160 RBI, 180 runs scored, 230 runs created, and 60 stolen bases. WOW!

Hon. Mention: Fred Mahaffey, 1B, Retired; Bobby Mason, RF, Retired; Joe Messitt, RF, Retired, Roberto Morehart, 2B, Retired; Tom Mohler, RF, New Orleans; Al Murphy, C, Retired; George McBob, LF, Marietta
Best Names: Oscar Meijer, P, Brooklyn; Darius McNothing, SP, Carolina; Cy Monsez, P, Birmingham

N- Steve Nebraska, SP, Charlotte
The Great One, and, just barely over the man two paragraphs down, the best pitcher all time in the GBC. The mound equivalent of Johnny Fever, setting records that no one will touch. Number one in every major category: wins, strikeouts, walks per nine innings, quality starts, and (later this year) innings pitched. Nebraska is an eight-time 20 game winner, including five seasons in a row from 1998-2002. What separates Nebraska from a guy like Chris Pump is the innings he eats, and the fact that he has walked about half the batters Pump has. And no one will ever touch his record of 352 strikeouts in 2002. Steve Nebraska doesn't have the best arm in the league, nor the best control, or even the best fastball, according to the ratings. But it all comes together in the man who was responsible for this 2001 season, his best: 25-1, with a 1.28 ERA, .190 OAvg, and 300 strikeouts in just 30 games started.

Hon. Mention: Roy Nevel, SP, Retired
Best Names: Crispus Nix, RP, Phoenix. The greatest name of all time.

O- Rafael Ostrin, CF, Retired
Rafael Ostrin was a fine center fielder and a stolen base threat during his 14 year career. Known for his wheels more so than his bat, Ostrin still managed a .300 career average while hitting over 100 triples and 200 home runs. He struck out too much and grounded into too many double plays to be a good leadoff hitter, but that didn't stop teams from trying him there. Thanks to his raw speed, he averaged more than 40 steals per full season. Raffy's best season was his 2008 performance for the Marquette Suns, when he stole 40 bases while hitting .330 with 16 HR, 80 RBI, and 136 runs scored.

Hon. Mention: Joe Ortiz, SP, Winnipeg
Best Names: Paddy O'Furnisure, LF, Phoenix; Ebenezer Ooo, 1B, Phoenix; Nick O'Teen, P, Tijuana

P- Christopher Pump, SP, Washington
Who's the best starting pitcher in the GBC? Off the cuff, you say Steve Nebraska, every time. However, over the next 3 seasons or so Chris Pump will begin to seriously challenge The Great One for the title of best of all time. It may actually come down to whomever retires first will be the one who finishes second. These guys are that close. While Steve has the advantage in Wins, Pump has the better ERA of 1.60 career, and unheard of figure for a starter with 14 seasons under his belt. Chris also has the better winning percentage, .831 to .816. The fact that Nebraska is better in many accumulative stats stems from the fact that he has thrown almost 600 more innings than Pump, but the Washington hurler has an opponent's average 22 points lower than his Charlotte counterpart. In five more seasons, when both are in the HOF, the argument of who was better may never end. But one thing Nebraska will never have: a season like the one Pump put up in 2000. A 28-1 record, 0.83 ERA, and an absurd .233 opponents slugging in 217 innings.

Hon. Mention: Dale Parks, RF, Marquette; Bugaloo Polinski, C, Retired
Best Names: Blackie Plunk, SS, Retired

Q- Jake Quantrill, SS, Retired
Washington SS Rodger Quicker's career is about halfway over, and he may end up the better player, but for now, the great SS/3B Jake Quantrill reigns supreme over the Q's (all three of them). Jake was a power hitting shortstop in a league full of such players, but he stands out due to the fact that he was a tremendous third baseman as well, playing nearly half his career at the hot corner. In fact, he made far less errors at third than he did at his "natural" position, so its a wonder why more teams didn't play him at the 5. Offensively, he was a tad inconsistent, going through a maddening, Bret Saberhagen-like even-odd syndrome during his peak years with the Talons. One of the good seasons, 2006, was his finest, at .298, 25 HR, and 124 RBI for Phoenix.

Hon. Mention: Rodger Quicker, SS, Washington
Best Names: Jeff Quick really isn't that good of a name, but he's the only other "Q" ever.

R- Theo Reckley, RF, Phoenix
Now a perennial .400 hitter, Theo will pass Billy Wilson for second all time in career batting average later this year. In only 9 full seasons, Reckley has already reached 2000 hits, 300 HR, and 1100 RBI. He is an excellent fielder, recording zero career errors at 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, and RF. The only knock against Reck is the fact that he took so long to develop, spending 6 seasons in the minors before even earning a cup of coffee in the bigs. That may impact his final career numbers, not allowing them to reach even Mahaffey territory, but few players match Theo for sheer offensive dominance in the years he has played. From 2006 to 2010, the RF won 4 AL MVP awards and two Triple Crowns in five seasons. One of those campaigns, 2009, stands as his finest: .424 batting average, 56 home runs, 185 RBI, and 237 runs created, all while striking out only 39 times.

Hon. Mention: Roy Raleigh, SP, Retired; Hank Rayman, 1B, Phoenix; Fluke Rogers, CP, Atlantic City; Billy Reed, SS, Birmingham; Domingo Rordras, 1B, Retired
Best Names: Mike Rotchichez, P, and Mike Rosoft, 1B, Vancouver; and ,,,,,,sp royer...valencia,,,he can really help your team.....

S- Charlie Schaffer, SP, Retired
Once derided for his lack of control very early in his career, Charlie Schaffer has emerged as one of the top 5 starting pitchers ever. Phoenix, Dearborn, and Oklahoma City all passed on this hard throwing lefthander until he landed in pitcher friendly Portland, where 80-90 walks a year doesn't mean as much. It was there that Schaffer blossomed into the ace for a perennial pennant contender. Only once has Charlie had a double digit loss season, and he ranks third in wins, third in starters' ERA, second in strikeouts, and fourth in innings pitched all time. Credit one of the best cut fastballs in the league, a biting curve, and just enough wildness to keep hitters off guard. Charlie's best season was for Portland in 2004, when he went 22-3 with a 1.86 ERA, 259 strikeouts, and only 5 home runs allowed.

Hon. Mention: Jerry Stryker, SP, Retired; Chad Sacasian, 3B, Portland; Charlie Scott, LF, Birmingham; Glenallen Sisk, LF, Atlantic City; Woody Stairs, SS, Retired
Best Names: Calvin Snorlax, LF, California; Shorty Stubbs, P, Retired; Joe Sixpack, 3B, Marquette; Sammy Shnifls, P, Free Agents

T- Walt Tappe, SP, Retired
Walt Tappe didn't remain in the league very long (he signed with the GBC at age 29), but while he was here the junkballing righthander was a dependable starter who routinely struck out 200 batters a season without a fastball to speak of. In 8 seasons, he finished with 116 wins and 1400 K's, all while averaging over 200 IP a year. Hitters' Hell in Manhattan unquestionably helped Tappe in his career, but he was still impressive in 1999, his best season. That year, he won 23 games, lost 8, and recorded a 2.47 ERA.

Hon. Mention: Rick Tonkin, SP, Retired. Hey, he won 200 games somehow. Give him a break!
Best Name: Shaggy Tudope, CF, Portland

U- Buck Upham, SP/RP/CP, Retired
Buck Upham was chosen over C Buck Urban because of his versatility as a pitcher. A crafty righthander who relied on a devastating changeup and a nasty slider, Buck is the only pitcher to record 20 holds in a season as a reliever, save 20 games in another season as a closer, and win 20 games in yet another season as a starter. He also is the only player to have 100 each of wins, saves, and holds in his career. Upham even holds the 4th best career ERA (2.46) in League history. Buck's finest seasons were thus: As a reliever for Phoenix in 1997, he was 9-2 with a 1.81 ERA and .166 OAvg in 114 IP. As a closer for Marquette in 2002, he notched 28 saves with a 1.95 ERA. And, as a starter for Washington in 2004, Buck was 21-3 with a 1.86 ERA. Incredible!

Hon. Mention: Buck Urban, C, Retired
Best Names: Hnat Usteriff, 1B, Retired

V- Ricky Vaughn, SP, Phoenix
The "Wild Thing" may not be at the level of a Bud Weiser or Eric Beckmeyer, but Vaughn has nonetheless put together a career worthy of this list. Later this season, he will win his 200th game, and perhaps even approach Weiser (208) for 10th on the all time Wins list. Much like his step brother Rock Varkville and his cousin Mack Milholm, Ricky Vaughn is a hard thrower, capable of bringing it at 100 MPH inning after inning. His control isn't the greatest, but he's only given up 103 home runs in over 2500 IP, so the opponents slugging stays low (.335 career). Ricky's finest season was just his second full year in 2000, when he won 20 games, lost 3, and posted a 2.34 ERA.

Hon. Mention: Bombo Vadeboncouer, 1B, Aspen
Best Names: Joey Vaselin, P, New Orleans

W- Billy Wilson, C, Retired
Billy Wilson was the quintessential #3 hitter. With 502 career home runs, a .421 career on base percentage, and even the occasional stolen base (117 career), Wilson defined greatness for his era. The fact that he was one of the best defensive catchers of all time (.992 percentage behind the dish) further elevates his status in the Consortium's history. Only once did the burly backstop strike out 100 times in a season, and he's second all time in batting average and slugging percentage. Citing family issues, Billy Wilson shocked the GBC by retiring in winter, 2009, a year after hitting 42 homers for Buffalo. His finest season was for New Orleans in 2003, when he hit .410 with 40 homers, 170 RBI, and a GBC record 57 doubles.

Hon. Mention: Bud Weiser, SP, Retired; Amos Walker, SP, Retired; Gerry Weaver, CP, Retired; Manny Winters, LF, Washington; Al Winfield, SP, Retired
Best Names: Pete Wiskey, 2B, Manhattan; Fats Wall, LF, Louisville

X- Xerrious McAllen, SP, Retired
Yes, we know Xerrious is his first name! But it was either him or nothing! Xerrious was a below average pitcher with below average stuff who managed to win 69 games in 13 seasons. Brace yourselves for his best year: It was in 2010, for pitcher's heaven Manhattan, when the X man went 13-4 with an unbelievable 4.06 ERA. McAllen received exactly zero Cy Young votes that year.

Hon. Mention: Xavier Jonah, LF, New Orleans--only because there was no one else. And Xavier is his first name, as well.
Best Names: Umm, None! Somebody please draft a player with a last name beginning with X!

Y- Gavin Young, SP, Winnipeg
Gavin Young, the veteran lefthander, is one of the most consistent big winners in the GBC. Bursting on the league in 2001 with 227 innings in his rookie season, Gavin has never failed to record double digit wins in any of his 11 seasons. He doesn't strike out a ton of batters, instead relying on changeups and sinkers and letting his defense do the work. Playing primarily for Portland early in his career, and more recently for Brooklyn, Young has always had great teams behind him, which is why he's already racked up 180 wins. Gavin Young's best season was for Portland in 2005, when he led the Rainiers to yet another AL West title with a 22-5 mark and a 2.72 ERA.

Hon. Mention: Mike Young, RF, Retired, only because he has 1000 RBI.
Best Names: Frosty Young, SP, Retired; Zoltan Youngpeter, RF, Louisville

Z- Luke Zalusky, 3B, Retired
One of the first, great superstars in the GBC, Luke Zalusky still ranks among the greatest third basemen of all time, and set the standard for leadoff hitters for years to come. He was the fastest man in baseball during his peak years with Phoenix and New Orleans, stealing 648 bases in only 8 seasons, and were it not for injury, he would have scored 1000 runs in the same period. Luke was also a tremendous fielder, recording only 13 career errors at the Hot Corner. Luke's best season was in 1996, when he led the Talons to their first and only world series appearance. That year, he hit .292 with 31 home runs, 94 RBI, and 65 steals (a low number for him!).

Hon. Mention: None!
Best Names: Steve Zitzman, C, Free Agents; Jack Zobumafu, 2B, Brooklyn; Joe Ziplock, 1B, Free Agents


So there we have it! Is Ricky Vaughn better than Bombo? Is E-Mil better than the great Fred Mahaffey? Lee Dedeaux over Ted Dunn? Do you agree? Disagree? Write about it, then! Let's see some debate!

What a great and storied history our league has amassed in 18 seasons. We encourage more owners to undertake projects and articles such as this, to further promote the GBC as a living, viable sim league. And the more real we can make the players, the more enjoyable the experience becomes for everyone. Special thanks to Terry Stapleton and his Player Encyclopedia for making this research much easier.

[trmmilwwi]

That was a trip down memory lane! Thanks!!

[recte44]

sp royer,,,,,

Sent from my LGLS450 using Tapatalk

[Ted]

Fun times