MONDAY
Q. Who was the first reliever to convert 40 consecutive save opportunities?
SABR Hint: He was the first pitcher to save fifteen post-season games.
Twint: He was the first pitcher to pitch 100 career complete games while earning 100 career saves.
A. Dennis Eckersley (Save 1991-92; 100 CG, 390 Saves)
First Correct Respondent - David Krassin, New York
MONDAY BONUS
Q. Who will likely soon become the Twins’ career saves leader?
Hint: He and Francisco Rodriguez share a 943 Similarity Score, as listed on Baseball-Reference.
Twint: He went to high school in Orange County.
A. Joe Nathan (8 save behind franchise leaders Rick Aguilera; Pine Bush High School, Circleville, NY)
FCR - David Girdany, Bedford, PA
TUESDAY
Q. Which pitcher earned the most career wins without ever pitching a shutout?
Hint: More than 100 of his wins were in relief.
Twint: He was the first pitcher to save 150 games for the Yankees.
A. Rich Gossage (124 W; 151 Saves for NYY)
FCR - David Krassin, New York
TUESDAY BONUS
Q. Who was drafted as a catcher, but made his major league debut three seasons later as a relief pitcher?
Hint: He earned the first of his 168 career victories three seasons after that.
SABR Hint: He was the last pitcher to toss MORE THAN ten innings in a game in the 20th century.
Twint: He was the last pitcher to win 20 games for each of four consecutive seasons.
A. Dave Stewart (Drafted 1975, debut ’78, 1st W 81; 20 W 1987-90; 11 IP on 01-Aug-1990)
FCR - Phil Oppenheim, Sacramento
WEDNESDAY
Q. What starting pitcher was removed so quickly that the pitcher who relieved him set the record for World Series strikeouts by a reliever?
Hint: He holds the record for World Series runs-batted-in by a pitcher.
SABR Hint: He was the first native of his state to receive a Hall of Fame vote.
Twint: A bat he once borrowed to hit with now resides in the Hall of Fame.
A. Dave McNally (Moe Drabowsky 11K 05-Oct-1966; 6 WS RBI; 5 HOF votes in 1981, Montana; HOF bat lent to him by teammate Curt Motton. McNally hit the only WS GS hit by a pitcher 13-Oct-1970)
FCR - John Rickert, Terre Haute
WEDNESDAY BONUS
Q. Who was the last pitcher to record the final out in 75 games in a season?
Hint: He never spent a single day on the disabled list in his twelve seasons in the majors.
Hint: His college alma mater has campuses in eleven different cities.
SABR Hint: His only career hit came off Tim Belcher.
Twint: Only Mariano Rivera has won as many Rolaids Relief Awards.
A. Dan Quisenberry (76 in 1985; University of La Verne; 5 RRAs)
FCR - Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, PA
MIDWEEK BONUS
Q. What pitcher led his league in win/loss percentage the year his team swept the Yankees in the World Series?
Hint: He was Frank Robinson’s teammate on two different teams.
SABR Hint: He lead the American League in saves the first two seasons it was an official stat.
Twint: He was the first pitcher to appear in 50 games for ten consecutive seasons.
A. Ron Perranoski (16-3, .842% in 1963; Robinson’s teammate on ’72 Dodgers & ’73 Angels; Saves leader 1969-70; 50 G 1961-70)
FCR - Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA
THURSDAY
Q. Who was the pitching coach for the Chinese National Team in the 2010 Asian Games?
Hint: He received exactly zero Hall of Fame votes the only time his name appeared on the ballot.
Hint: Dave LaRoche was a high school teammate.
SABR Hint: He was the keynote speaker on SABR Day in America at the largest chapter meeting held that day.
Twint: George Brett was also a high school teammate.
A. Scott McGregor (HOF vote 1994; Bob Davids Chapter 30-Jan-2010; El Segundo [CA] High School)
FCR - Al Blumkin, Brooklyn
FRIDAY
Q. Who was the last player named the Sporting News Man of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year in the same season?
Hint: After his final 20-win season, it was a full decade before any pitcher on his team again won 20 games in a season.
Twint: Following his career, he was the Executive Vice-President for Munro Oil Tool, Inc. in Lafayette, Louisiana.
A. Ron Guidry (1978; 22 W in 1985, 22 W for Andy Pettitte in 1996)
FCR - Andrew Milner, Bryn Mawr, PA
IN MEMORIAM
Q. Who is the last player traded during a season in which he won a home run title?
Hint: He also led the league in RBI and strikeouts that year.
Hint: He only played four games that year for the team that traded him away.
SABR Hint: He played the most games with the Philadelphia A's without ever having played for Connie Mack.
Twint: He was nicknamed "Ozark Ike" when he played for the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League in 1948.
A. Gus Zernial (1951, traded from the White Sox to the A’s; 528 G)
FCR - Dave Serota, Kalamazoo
FRIDAY BONUS
Q. Who was the starting pitcher of the victorious team in the famous “Denkinger” game?
Hint: His team was once eliminated from the postseason when he lost a 3-hit complete game 1-0 on a fielder’s choice.
Hint: He surrendered one of the most famous walk-off home runs in World Series history.
SABR Hint: In spite of a fourteen-year career in the majors, he was never named to an All-Star team.
Twint: He attended university in Oxford.
A. Charlie Leibrandt (1985 WS G6; CG FC 1984 ALCS G3; WS HR to Kirby Puckett, G 6 1991; Miami U., Oxford, OH)
FCR - Jim Casey, Savannah
IN MEMORIAM 2
Q. Who was the Toronto Blue Jays first ever manager?
Hint: He saw his team draw over 1,000,000 fans each of their first three years in a market known better for hockey.
SABR Hint: He played for the Braves before they moved to Milwaukee and coached for them after they moved from Milwaukee.
Twint: He was traded to the Dodgers for Andy Pafko.
Twint: He never played for the Dodgers, but coached for them in the majors for four seasons.
A. Roy Hartsfield (1977; ’77-’79; Boston Braves 1950-52, Atlanta Braves coach 1973; Pafko trade 1953, L. A. Dodgers coach 1969-72)
FCR - Peter Beagle, Oakland
IN MEMORIAM 3
Q. Who was the first player to collect ten career pinch-hit home runs?
Hint: He was Indiana’s first “Mr. Basketball”.
Hint: He was the only player on the Cincinnati Redlegs not elected to start the 1957 All-Star game.
SABR Hint: He was an All-Star the next season.
Twint: His brother coached Oscar Robertson at Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis to two state basketball titles.
A. George Crowe ([Home run maven David Vincent tells us that Crowe was actually the first to hit 12, 13 & 14 PH HRs. Cy Williams was actually the first to hit 10 & 11.] Crowe broke Williams’ record 16-Jul-1960; 1939; 1955-56)
FCR - Chuck Durante, Dover, DE
IN MEMORIAM 4
Q. Who was the last Detroit Tiger to hit three home runs in a game until Bill Freehan did it in 1971?
Hint: He succeeded Billy Martin and Dick Williams.
Hint: He was the Most Valuable Player of the American Association just before coming to the majors.
SABR Hint: He was a personal friend of reader Dave Raglin.
Twint: Teammate Paul Foytack nicknamed him “Wheatie” for his strapping physique and healthy lifestyle.
A. Steve Boros (3 HR game 06-Aug-1962; Succeeded Martin as mgr of the A’s in 1983, succeeded Williams as Mgr of the Padres in 1986)
FCR - Phillip Oppenheim, Sacramento
SATURDAY
Q. Who was the last American League pitcher IN THE 20TH CENTURY to lead the league in winning percentage in consecutive seasons? [Pedro Martinez has done it in the 21st.]
Hint: He was the first Blue Jays pitcher to strike out MORE THAN ten batters in a game.
Hint: He played Clu Hayward in the movie Major League.
SABR Hint: He was the last pitcher to give up a post-season home to Reggie Jackson.
Twint: He was known for such odd behavior as fidgeting and pacing around the mound, crossing his eyes and sticking his tongue out at batters.
Twint: He occasionally dry-heaved at the back of the mound, and would scream at umpires while he was in the stretch.
A. Pete Vuckovich (W% 1981-82; 12 K game 26-Jun-1977; Hayward role; Jackson HR ALCS 06-Oct-1982; Save 07-Apr-1977)
FCR - Phillip Oppenheim, Sacramento
SATURDAY BONUS
Q. What former Giant was the first pitcher born in Puerto Rico to win 20 games in a season in the majors?
Hint: He wasn’t, however, the first to win 18. That was done 35 years earlier.
Hint: He was also not the first to win 19. That was done 14 years earlier.
Hint: He is, as of this writing, the ONLY native Puerto Rican to win 20 games in a season.
SABR Hint: He was the Yankee staff's biggest winner over their three AL championship seasons from 1976-78.
Twint: He was the first pitcher to be traded for Bobby Bonds.
A. Ed Figueroa (20-9 1978; Hiram Bithorn 18-12 in 1943, Juan Pizarro 19-9 in 1964; 55 W; trade w/Mickey Rivers 11-Dec-1975)
FCR - John Rickert, Terre Haute
WEEKEND BONUS
Q. Who was an All-Star only once, in spite of being one of the first pitchers to make $1,000,000 in a season?
Hint: Only 12 pitchers have thrown more career innings for the White Sox.
Hint: He was the first pitcher to be traded with Bobby Bonds.
SABR Hint: He is the currently pitching coach for the Charlotte Knights.
Twint: After Reb Russell in 1913, he was the next White Sox P to earn 20 victories in a season before turning 25.
A. Richard Dotson (AS 1984, $1,075,000 1987; 1,606 IP; trade w/Thad Bosley 05-Dec-1977; 22 W in 1983 @ age 24)
FCR - Rod Nelson, Detroit
SUNDAY
Q. Who signed the first ten-year contract after the advent of free agency?
Hint: He led his league in losses the first year of the contract.
SABR Hint: He was released halfway through the contract.
Twint: In his penultimate season, he pitched a two-hit shutout in front of 73,000 fans—the largest crowd in seven years in the majors.
A. Wayne Garland (10 years, $2.5M in 1976 w/Cleveland; 19 L 1977; SHO 03-Jul-1980)
FCR - John Sours, Smyrna, GA
SUNDAY BONUS
Q. What former All-Star had accumulated 107 wins over nine seasons for his team, but was traded straight-up for an outfielder with a .242 career average?
Hint: That outfielder would only hit .233 over the next two seasons for them.
Hint: His son Jeff was USA Hockey Junior Player of the Year for the 2006-07 and now plays for the Edmonton Oilers.
SABR Hint: He was tagged with his team’s only loss in their first seventeen games of the season.
Twint: He was the only pitcher to suffer a loss for the Tigers in the 1984 World Series.
A. Dan Petry (Traded for Gary Pettis; Jeff Petry; 1st L 19-Apr-1984; WS L 10-Oct-1984)
FCR - Dave Raglin, McLean, VA
WEEK-ENDING BONUS
Q. What pitcher, despite having only one career save, and that in Rookie-A ball, was anointed closer of his major league team?
Hint: Five years later and still pitching in the majors with 118 appearances, he still doesn’t have a major league save.
Hint: During his two weeks as closer he earned no saves, had three blown saves and four losses.
SABR Hint: He was the first major leaguer who had been a starter on the Lake County Captains.
Twint: He has twice won 15 games for his team since taking the spot in the rotation opened up by the departure of Cliff Lee.
Twint: His namesake made a deal with the devil.
A. Fausto Carmona (Indians 2006; Captains; Close career 23-Jul- to 05-Aug-2006)
FCR - Neil Cohen, Brooklyn
WEEKLY THEME – American League pitchers who received votes, but finished behind their own Cy-Young-Award-winning teammates.
Pitcher Year Placed Teammate Team
Carmona 2007 4th C. C. Sabathia Indians
Dotson 1983 4th LaMarr Hoyt White Sox
Figueroa 1978 7th Ron Guidry Yankees
Garland 1976 8th Jim Palmer Orioles
Gossage 1978 5th Ron Guidry Yankees
Guidry 1977 7th Sparky Lyle Yankees
Leibrandt 1985 5th Bret Saberhagen Royals
McGregor 1980 6th Steve Stone Orioles
McNally 1969 4th Mike Cuellar Orioles
Nathan 2004 4th Johan Santana Twins
Nathan 2006 5th Johan Santana Twins
Perranoski 1970 7th Jim Perry Twins
Petry 1984 5th Willie Hernandez Tigers
Quisenberry 1985 3rd Bret Saberhagen Royals
Vuckovich 1981 4th Rollie Fingers Brewers
First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one
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