NASBL Hall of Fame adds Three!

The NASBL Hall of Fame doubled in size today, as 3 all-time greats joined the exclusive club.  The players elected to the 2012 class by 75% vote of the 16 members of the NASBL Writers Association of America are:

Barry Bonds:  A 5-time Less Filling MVP, Bonds was drafted out of Arizona State in 1986 by Dallas Fort Worth Spurs GM Red Robbins.  Bonds never wore another uniform, retiring as a Spur following the 2008 season.  Bonds hit an other-worldly .319/.480/.708 for his NASBL career.  His career OBA and SLG marks are all-time NASBL records, and his 1287 career walks remain an all-time record 3 years after his retirement.  Bonds is the only player ever to hit .400 in a full NASBL season (.402 in 2005.)  He is one of only 2 players ever to exceed a .500 OBA in a full season - and he has done it 3 times, including a record .603 mark in '05!  Twice he has slugged nearly .900, including a record .897 in 2002.  He holds the all-time single-season NASBL records for runs scored (186,) walks (256,) and homeruns (80,) setting all the marks in 2002.  Bonds was instrumental in making DFW owner Red Robbins the first 2-time NASBL champion ever, earning rings in 2002 and 2007.

Mike Piazza:  A member of Bill Anderson's Pocono Woodsmen (now Chin Music) squad for the largest and best parts of his storied career, Mike Piazza burst onto the scene with a Rookie of the Year award in 1994.  In 1998, he won the MVP award on the strength of perhaps the greatest offensive season ever by an NASBL catcher, a .366/51/131 mark for the ages.  Piazza compiled a .298/.365/.571 career slash line, the best ever by a catcher.  He drove in nearly 1000 runs (977), also a league record for catchers.  Piazza was the driving force behind owner Bill Anderson's 1998 NASBL World Championship.

Pedro Martinez:  The second member of Bill Anderson's Pocono Chin Music to gain election to the NASBL Hall of Fame this year, Pedro Martinez, was as strong on the mound as fellow battery-mate Mike Piazza was at the plate.  Pedro's 3.66 career ERA is 2nd only to fellow HOF'er Kevin Brown's 3.27 mark.  A noted strikeout artist, Martinez finished his career with 2,319 K's - 2nd only to NJT's Randy Johnson.  Pedro was twice voted Less Filling Cy Young, in 1998 and 2001.  Pedro's 1998 season stands as one of the all-time greats:  his 6 shutouts and 5.81 hits/9ip that season have stood for over a decade as single-season records, and his .880 winning percentage that season (22-3) stood for 8 years before being eclipsed by GRK's Roger Clemens in 2006 (23-2.)  Like his teammate Mike Piazza and owner Bill Anderson, Pedro Martinez wears a 1998 NASBL World Series ring.

Others receiving votes:

Sammy Sosa - 63%

Jeff Bagwell - 63%

Roger Clemens - 44%

Roberto Alomar - 38%

Edgar Martinez - 25%

Rafael Palmeiro - 19%

Kenny Lofton - 19%

Nomar Garciaparra - 13%

Moises Alou, Bret Boone, Frank Thomas, Larry Walker, Mark McGwire, Tom Glavine - 6%