Sunday, October 10, 2010

Answers for the Week of October 4, 2010

MONDAY
Q.         Who was the first New York Yankee shortstop to hit 20 home runs in a season?
Hint:     He was the first Yankee to win the All-Star Game MVP award.
Twint:    He was the first high school player selected in the 1992 amateur draft.
A.         Derek Jeter (24 HR in 1999; AS MVP 2000)
First Correct Respondent - Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, MD

TUESDAY
Q.         Who is the only player active in 2010 to turn an unassisted triple play AND have a cycle to his credit?
Hint:     He is the only player in major league history whose last name ends with zki.
Twint:    One of his teammates hit for the cycle in 2010.
Twint:    He was the victim of a triple play the same year he turned one.
A.         Troy Tulowitzki (UTP 29-Apr-2007, cycle 10-Aug-2009; No longer true of his last name since the debut of the Padres’ Lance Zawadzki on 02-May-2010; Carlos Gonzales’ cycle 31-Jul-2010 including a walk-off HR; TP 12-Sep-2007)
FCR -    Alex Swingle, New York

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who holds the records for most at-bats in a season?
Hint:     He also holds the record for the most plate appearances.
Hint:     Yes, it was the same year.
Twint:    He owns the music label Bay Sluggas, Inc.
Twint:    As a teenager, he appeared in MC Hammer music videos.
A.         Jimmy Rollins (716 AB, 778 PA, both in 2007)
FCR -    David Serota, Kalamazoo, MI

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         Who was the first National League shortstop to hit 40 doubles, 10 triples and 20 home runs in the same season?
Hint:     Led his team in batting during the 2007 NLDS.
Twint:    He set a record by being the third sibling chosen in the first round of the major league draft.
Twint:    He signed just minutes before the deadline for the next draft.
A.         Stephen Drew (2008 44 2b, 11 3b, 21 HR; .500 7/14; Signed in 2005, brother J.D. drafted in 1997 and 1998 and brother Tim in 1997)
FCR -    David Krassin, New York

THURSDAY
Q.         Who earned American a free taco at Taco Bell by stealing a base in the 5th inning of Game One of the 2008 World Series?
Hint:     He was named the Rays MVP in his first year with the team.
Twint:    After finishing 2nd to Derek Jeter in the fan voting, he was voted to the 2009 All-Star team by his fellow players.
A.         Jason Bartlett (Team MVP in 2008)
FCR -    Bob Stonehouse, Carmichael, CA

THURSDAY EXTRA
Q.         Who was rated as the best defensive infielder with the best infield arm and best strike zone discipline among his franchise’s prospects in 2008?
Hint:     His rise to the majors was facilitated by the trade of veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera.
Twint:    This former Aggie was leading all of minor league baseball in walks when he was called up to the majors.
A.         Cliff Pennington (93 BB on 12-Aug-2008)
FCR -    Jake White, Fontana, CA

FRIDAY
Q.         Who, according to TBS had 2010’s lowest percentage of first pitches swung at in the American League?
Hint:     He won a silver medal in Canada in 2001.
Hint:     He was the shortstop on the 2003 Futures All-Star team.
Twint:    He was National League Player of the Week June 30-July 6, 2008.
Twint:    His mother was a professional tennis player
A.         J. J. Hardy (6.8%)
FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute, IN

FRIDAY EXTRA
Q.         Who played in 100 games for one team the first time for his 6th team in only four major league seasons?
Hint:     His father Mike was the last baseball coach at Duquesne University.
Twint:    Mike Sweeney dubbed him “The Paperboy” because of his youthful appearance.
A.         Josh Wilson (100+ G in 2010; Duquesne recently announced it was terminating its baseball program)
FCR -    Terry Walters, Mechanicsburg, PA

SATURDAY
Q.         After Ted Kazanski in 1953, who was the next shortstop to four runs batted in during his major league debut?
Hint:     He was drafted by a team in one country, but made his major league debut five years later for the same team, but in a different country.
Twint:    After his second major league game he was batting .750 with a slugging pct. of 1.500.
Twint:    No, Kazanski’s nickname was NOT “The Unabomber”.  (He only had 14 career bombs.)
A.         Ian Desmond (Debut 10-Sep-2009;Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals; 3 2b and HR)
FCR -    Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

SATURDAY EXTRA
Q.         Who was the first position player drafted in 2003 by the St. Louis Cardinals to make the team?
Hint:     He played for Notre Dame in the championship game at Dodger stadium in 2000.
Twint:    His father nicknamed him Boog and the name has stuck.
Twint:    Cardinals fans call him “Twitch”.
A.         Brendan Ryan (Notre Dame High School vs.
FCR -    Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

SUNDAY
Q.         What former Conference USA standout was the Round Rock Express Most Valuable Player in 2009?
Hint:     He was the Green Wave male athlete of the year in 2005.
Twint:    His father Jim holds the Loyola Marymount season record for hits in a season with a wood bat.
A.         Tommy Manzella (Tulane University Green Wave)
FCR -    Terry Walters, Mechanicsburg, PA


WEEKLY THEME – This year’s starting shortstops who were born in the United States (37%)

Bartlett           Mountain View, CA
Desmond       Sarasota, FL
Drew              Hahira, GA
Hardy            Tucson, AZ
Jeter              Pequannock, NJ
Manzella        Chalmette, LA
Pennington    Corpus Christi, TX
Rollins           Oakland, CA
Ryan              Los Angeles, CA
Tulowitzki       Santa Clara, CA
Wilson           Pittsbrugh, PA


First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara (in the wee hours of Saturday morning)

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