27-Sep-2010
MONDAY
Q. After John Montefusco in 1975, who was the next Giants rookie pitcher to strike out 12 batters in a game?
Hint: He is often referred to in a new refrain that rhymes with refrain.
Twint: He earned USA Today’s Organizational Player of Year honors for the Giants farm system in back-to-back seasons.
Twint: He earned the nickname “Big Sugar” pitching for Houston High School.
A. Matt Cain (12 K 06-Aug-2006; “Lincecum and Cain and pray for rain.”; OPY 2004-05; Houston HS in Germantown, TN)
First Correct Respondent - Peter Beagle, Oakland
TUESDAY
Q. Who leads all active pitchers in shutouts with almost a 50% lead, despite being 10 years younger than some of his closest competitors?
Hint: He lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning in his second career start on a solo home run by Bobby Higginson.
Twint: His nickname comes from a famous dentist.
A. Roy Halladay (19 ShO, Chris Carpenter is 2nd with 13 and 47-year-old Jamie Moyer has 10; No-hit bid 27-Sep-1998; “Doc”, from John Henry Holliday, who was involved in law enforcement in 1880s Arizona.)
FCR - Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, MD
WEDNESDAY
Q. What first-round draft pick is ranked by Baseball-Reference to have a career that, to date, most closely matches that of Barry Bonds?
Hint: He was named Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, Sporting News and his franchise’s organization.
Twint: He was born in the same city as a Hall of Famer who once starred for the team he now plays for.
A. Jay Bruce (965 correlation in B-R; awards in 2007; Beaumont, TX, Frank Robinson for the Cincinnati Reds)
FCR - Gregg Gaylord, Champaign, IL
THURSDAY
Q. Who was only the second athlete to earn first-team All-Ivy League honors in both baseball and basketball?
Hint: He hit a triple in his first at-bat in the big leagues.
Twint: His father played for four team in the majors, but ended his career as a Marine.
A. Will Venable (Princeton, fellow alum and teammate Chris Young was the first doubly honored; 3b 29-Aug-2008; Max Venable played for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League)
FCR - Phil Oppenheim, Santa Barbara
THURSDAY THE TWICE
Q. Phil Nevin was the first college world series Most Outstanding Player to be chosen first over-all in the MLB draft. Who was the second?
Hint: He played football against Tom Brady in high school.
Twint: He is the active career leader in outfield assists by a left-fielder.
A. Pat Burrell (NCAA WS MOP & draft in 1998, Nevin in 1992; Brady played for a school rival, Junipero Serra High School. Burrell played for Bellarmine College Preparatory High School in San Jose; 90 assists and counting)
FCR - Joe Ullian, Sacramento
THURSDAY THE THRICE
Q. What BLTR player won the state championship when at Liberty?
Hint: His 15 victories is the fewest by a starter in a full season where he won the Cy Young award.
Twint: His follow-through has enabled him to pick up a few more dollars.
A. Tim Lincecum (Lincecum attended Liberty Senior High School in Renton, Washington, where he played two seasons of varsity baseball. As a senior, he won state player of the year and led his school to the 2003 AAA state championship; CYA 2009 15-7; His father taught him to follow through close to the ground by placing dollars bills on the pitcher’s mound near the point where the follow-through should finish. The young Lincecum was allowed to keep those he could collect in a smooth motion after releasing the ball.)
FCR - Joe Merrill, Brunswick, ME
FRIDAY
Q. Who was originally drafted by the Pirates but didn’t play for them until four years later, after doing stints with three other teams?
Hint: He now toils for his fifth team in the majors.
Hint: Last year, he homered in four consecutive games from Sept. 28-Oct. 2 and hit five over the season’s final seven games.
Twint: He has only hit one of his 54 home runs this year to right field.
A. Jose Bautista
FCR - Al Blumkin, Brooklyn
SATURDAY
Q. Who player ended the 2005 season with a 36-game hitting streak intact?
Hint: He was married earlier this year to his former trainer.
Twint: He has led the National League four times in at-bats, including in his MVP season.
Twint: He grew up in Oakland and his childhood hero was Rickey Henderson.
A. Jimmy Rollins (Streak was extended to 38 the next season; Johari Smith; MVP 2007)
FCR - Tom Zocco, Rocky Hill, CT
SATURDAY BONUS
Q. Whose first career hit was off Jason Marquis?
Hint: He immediately then thole his first base.
Hint: It is said that after viewing him in spring training, Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen gushed about his catcher skills.
Twint: He had allowed a passed ball in the previous half inning.
Twint: The kids might say that his performance last night was “to’lly” awesome.
A. Josh Thole (Pronounced “TOE-lee”; 03-Sept-2009)
FCR - Dave MacEntee, Beacon, NY
SUNDAY
Q. Who was the first American Leaguer to be award the Player of the Month award for the first two months of the season?
Hint: At the start of his professional career in the minors, his parents quit their jobs to follow him on the road.
Hint: In 2009, he led all players with runs batted in during spring training.
Twint: He made his major league debut against the club that had selected him in the Rule Five draft the prior season.
A. Josh Hamilton (April & May 2008; 27 RBI; Playing for the Reds against the Cubs)
FCR - Matthew Repplinger, Denver
WEEKLY THEME – Outstanding players of the prior day.
Cain Sunday Hurled three-hit complete game against Colorado in tight NL West match, where he had a no-hitter into the 8th inning
Halladay Monday Shut out Nationals for 21st win and clinched NL East title
Bruce Tuesday Walk-off home run clinched NL Central for the Reds
Venable Wednesday Made two tremendous outfield catches against the Cubs to help insure a victory for the Padres in a tight division race in the NL West
Burrell Wednesday Hit a towering three-run home run to provide all the scoring in the win over the D’Backs, reducing the Giants’ magic number to three
Lincecum Wednesday Struck out 11 in a seven-inning performance, allowing only one earned run (and none after the game’s first batter)
Bautista Thursday Hit his major-league-leading 53rd and 54th home runs, including a third deck grand slam
Rollins Friday Crushed a grand slam off Michael Dunn that broke open the game against the Braves for the Phillies in the top of the 6th, helping reduce the Braves’ National League Wild Card to one game.
Thole Friday Hit a game winning-home run in the 10th inning for the Mets against the Nationals.
Hamilton Saturday Hit a home run in a dramatic return to action. It was also was his 100th RBI for the season.
First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one.
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