MONDAY
Q. Who recently retired rather than face another drug-related suspension?
Hint: His 28 postseason home runs are the most all-time.
Hint: He trails only Lou Gehrig and Alex Rodriguez in career grand slams.
SABR Hint: He was the first player after World War II with 160 RBI in a season.
Twint: He once famously said, when asked if he and his team had been tested for Attention Deficit Disorder, "If they did, I don't remember it."?
A. Manny Ramirez (21 GS; 165 RBI in 1999)
First Correct Respondent - John Van Cleve, New York
TUESDAY
Q. Whose nickname is derived from a sugary children’s cereal?
Hint: He has been on ten minor league team and four major league teams in his thirteen-year professional baseball career.
SABR Hint: His defensive stats place him among the best outfielders in baseball.
Twint: One major league club claims that he is the best defensive centerfielder in the majors and by a wide margin.
A. Coco Crisp (Coco Krispies, birth name Covelli Loyce Crisp; Defensive claim)
FCR - Prisco Panza, Milford, CT
WEDNESDAY
Q. Who, according to Bobby Cox catches the ball as well as Andruw Jones did in his prime?
Hint: He was named the Pittsburgh Pirates organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2006.
Hint: He was the first Pirate rookie to hit three home runs in a game.
SABR Hint: He went to Fort Meade, but never worked at NSA.
Twint: He has a teammate with the same last name, although they’re not related.
A. Andrew McCutchen (31-Jul-2009; Fort Meade High School, Daniel McCutchen, U.S. Census Bureau ranks the name as the 7,797th most common in the country.)
FCR - Joe Gavaughn, Philadelphia
MIDWEEK BONUS
Q. Who earned the Golden Spikes Award as the best amateur baseball player in the U.S. in 2003?
Hint: He won the Dick Howser Trophy the same year.
SABR Hint: He set an NCAA Division I record with a .473 career batting average.
Twint: His grandfather Victor played in the Negro League with the Newark Eagles.
Twint: His younger brother plays AAA ball. [now in the majors]
A. Rickie Weeks (Golden Spikes Award 2003; Dick Howser Trophy; Victor & Jemile)
FCR - Kenny Fink, Ocala, FL
IN MEMORIAM
Q. Who drove in the winning run for the Pirates in the deciding game of the 1971 World Series?
Hint: His surprise bunt in Game One of the 1962 World Series drove in Willie Mays, ending Whitey Ford's World Series consecutive scoreless World Series innings streak at 33.2.
Hint: He had the highest batting average (among non-pitchers) in the ’62 Series.
SABR Hint: He guided three teams to Puerto Rican Winter League championships.
Twint: He led the National League in pinch-hits in 1969, falling one short of the league record.
A. Jose Pagan, who passed away on Tuesday (8th inning RBI 2B in 1971 WS Game 7; .368 [7-19] 1962 WS AVG, Jack Sanford led all batters with .429 AVG in 7 AB; PRWL champs Bayamon Cowboys 1975-76, Arecibo Wolves, Ponce Lions; 19 PH in 1969)
FCR - Matt Gibson, Barboursville, WV
THURSDAY
Q. What former All-Star, now in his ninth season in the majors, has never played for another big league team?
Hint: He led the league in steals for three consecutive seasons, including leading the majors in two of those.
SABR Hint: He has led the majors in triples three times and is among the leaders again this year.
Twint: He is his franchise’s career leader in stolen bases and triples, even though only ninth on their games played list.
Twint: His is also their single season record holder for stolen bases.
A. Jose Reyes (NY Mets; Mets leaders; SB 2005-07; 983 G; )
FCR - Alan Work, White Plains, NY
FRIDAY
Q. Who holds the all-time record for runs batted in on Opening Day with nineteen?
Hint: He won the Most Valuable Player Award following his first season in the American League, after four All-Star seasons in the National League.
SABR Hint: His older brother was a major leaguer for eight seasons.
Twint: If you take the odd statistical grouping of four years of 200 hits, six years of 100 runs and nine year with 100 RBI, only he, Hall of Famers Al Simmons, Lou Gehrig and Stan Musial qualify.
A. Vladimir Guerrero (AL MVP 2004; Wilton Guerrero)
FCR - Phillip Oppenheim, Sacramento
SATURDAY
Q. Who was his team’s lone All-Star representative in his first year with the team, won the team’s award for most outstanding pitcher, and then had to undergo “Tommy John” surgery the next season?
Hint: He tied a teammate for the league lead in hit batters in his first year in the league.
SABR Hint: He has only faced eleven batters in the postseason and carries an ERA of 21.60.
Twint: He was once traded for Josh Hamilton.
A. Edinson Volquez (T in HBP w/Johnny Cueto; traded 21-Dec-2007 for Hamilton with Danny Herrera)
FCR - Steven Young, Middletown, MD
WEEKEND BONUS
Q. Who is the only player currently in the majors whose uniform number once matched his birth year?
Hint: After playing for three teams in the National League, he now plays in the AL and has switched to a single-digit uniform number.
Hint: He was the youngest player in the National League in his rookie season with the Mets.
SABR Hint: He was oldest youngest player in National League history.
Twint: He was a three-time all-Florida high school basketball player.
A. Lastings Milledge (#85, b. 1985; Mets, Nats, Bucs, now ChiSox; Youngest; 21 yrs old, Lakewood Ranch High School, Bradenton, FL)
FCR - No one
SUNDAY
Q. Who pitched the first no-hitter in the history of the A League Dayton Dragons?
Hint: He tied a teammate for the league lead in hit batters in his rookie season.
SABR Hint: He was named the Reds’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in consecutive seasons.
Twint: His hometown has produced more major leaguers than any other.
A. Johnny Cueto (Rain-shortened, 5-inning no-hitter 13-May-2006; T in HBP w/ Edinson Volquez; ML POY 2006-07; San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic)
FCR - Jim Moyer, Ellicott City, MD
END-OF-THE-WEEKEND BONUS
Q. Of what Cardinal rookie is it said that he could throw a ball through a wall, but only if he could hit the wall?
Hint: He had visa problems and was not allowed into the U.S. when he was called up.
SABR Hint: He went directly from AA ball to the majors, but gave up five earned runs, including two home runs in two innings in his major league debut.
Twint: He does not play in Jimmy Kimmel’s band.
A. Maikel Cleto (Debut 02-Jun-2011; Kimmel’s band is the Cletones)
FCR - David de la Fuente, San Francisco
WEEKLY THEME – Players with dreadlock in 2011. This list is probably not definitive and Volquez and Milledge now sport different dos.
First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara (after the Crisp question)
No comments:
Post a Comment