Sunday, October 7, 2012

October 1-7, 2012 Players with an RBI in the 2002 All Star Game (7-7 tie)


01-Oct-2012

MONDAY
Q:         What player holds the career record for both bases on balls and intentional bases on balls?
Hint:     Despite the fact he surpassed 600 career home runs, he only led the league twice in single seasons.
Hint:     He has third best career at-bat-to-home run ratio, behind only those of Mark McGwire and Babe Ruth.
Twint:    He also holds the all-time record for the highest single season slugging percentage.
Twint:    Unlike his home run record, he led the league seven times in slugging percentage.
A.            Barry Bonds (2,558 BB, 688 IBB; Career HR 762, 43 HR in 1993 and 73 in 2001; AB/HR McGwire/Ruth/Bonds: 10.61/11.76/12.92; Slugging % 2001 .8634, led 1990, 92, 93, 2001, 02, 03 & 04)
FCR – Derek Norin, Arlington, VA

TUESDAY
Q:         Which player did Tommy Lasorda draft in the 62nd round in 1988, merely as a favor to the player’s father?
Hint:     Despite this, he won Rookie of the Year in 1993.
Hint:     Having hit over .300 ten times in his career, he is arguably the best offensive catcher in baseball history.
Twint:    He and Roger Clemens are not best friends.
Twint:    He coached for Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, the 2009 Baseball World Cup and the 2010 baseball European Championship.
A.            Mike Piazza (Mike Piazza’s father Vince childhood friends with Lasorda, Schwarz, Alan, "Piazza Calls It Quits After 16 Years and 427 Homers". New York Times 21-May-2008; Career highlights and milestones; Beaned by Clemens 08-Jul-2000 and avoided Clemens’ projectile 2000 WSCoaching history)
FCR – Steven Young, Middletown, MD

WEDNESDAY
Q:         Which “clubhouse problem” player was traded to the Dodgers in 2008 after helping Boston win two World Series after their championship drought of 86 years?
Hint:     He was also the 2004 World Series Most Valuable Player.
Hint:     He and David Ortiz were considered one of the most fearsome tandems during the Boston seasons of 2004-2007.
Twint:    In each of his 8 year stints with Boston and Cleveland, and his 3 year career with the Dodgers, he hit over .300.
Twint:    However, in his limited time at Tampa Bay in 2011, he only managed a .059 BA.
A.            Manny Ramirez (.312/.313/.322/.059 Cleveland/Boston/LA/TB http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ramirma02.shtml   Clubhouse problem, Ortiz battery mate: www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Manny_Ramirez)
FCR – Ron Kaufman, Thornhill,  ON

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q:         After the worst complete season of his career in 2010, which switch-hitter was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for their Championship 2011 season?
Hint:     Selected 16th overall in the 1997 amateur draft by the Astros, he signed for a $1 million bonus.
Hint:     In 2009, he matched teammates Carlos Lee and Alex Rodriguez as the only three players to hit 20 home runs per year from 2000-2009.
Twint:    In 2012 he a poked this jab at Selig: "I feel basically like the commissioner extorted Jim Crane into moving the Astros."
Twint:    He also criticized Selig for moving an Astros vs. Cubs game to Miller Field because of Hurricane Ike, where Carlos Zambrano blanked the Astros with a no hitter.
A.            Lance Berkman (.248 2010 BA HOU/NYY with career avg of .299 prior to this from http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/berkmla01.shtml .  Other hints/twints referenced from www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Lance%20Berkman)
FCR – Peter Cottrell, Gaithersburg, MD

THURSDAY
Q:         Who leads active players with a career OBP of .4189?
Hint:     In 2000 he led the majors in batting average (.372), slugging percentage (.698), OPS (1.162), doubles (59) and RBI (147), and the National League in hits (216).
Hint:     That same year, he missed the triple crown finishing 10th in the majors with “only” 42 home runs.
Twint:    In his fourteen complete seasons in the majors, he has only once failed to hit .300.
Twint:    He ended his 2012 season August 6th electing to have season- (and possibly career-) ending hip surgery.
A.            Todd Helton (OBP active leaders; .256 in 2010; Hip surgery)
FCR – David Matchett, Toronto

THURSDAY BONUS
Q:         In 2002 which player led the majors in plate appearances, at-bats, runs, stolen bases and total bases and hits?
Hint:     Despite 46 home runs in 2006, he had the unusual circumstance of having fewer than 100 RBI due his status as a lead-off hitter.
Hint:     His home run total that year still stands as a franchise record for one season.
Twint:    He is one of only four players to ever hit forty home runs and steal forty bases in a season.
Twint:    He also hit forty doubles that year, creating the first 40‑40‑40 club.
A.         Alfonso Soriano (Turns out he *only* led the NL in steals that year.  46 HR record for Montreal/Washington)
FCR – Judah Kaplan, Teaneck, NJ

FRIDAY
Q:         Who has the best fielding percentage for a shortstop in MLB history (with at least 10 years’ experience)?
Hint:     In 2007, passed Ozzie Smith for most career double plays.
Hint:     He won eleven Gold Gloves at shortstops, nine consecutively with the Indians, and three years later two consecutively with the San Francisco Giants.
Hint:     The White Sox allowed him to wear retired #11 with the permission of Luis Aparicio.
Twint:    In 2008, he passed Aparicio in career games at shortstop.
Twint:    In 2009, he also passed Aparicio for most career hits by a player born in Venezuela.
Twint:    Two days ago, he played the final of his 2,968 major league games.
A.            Omar Vizquel (Career Fielding % .9847 24 yrs.  Tulowitzki .9852 with 7 years play http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/fielding_perc_ss_career.shtml Other hints: http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Omar%20Vizquel)
FCR – Diane Firstman, Queens, NY

BEGINNING OF THE WEEKEND BONUS
Q:         Who is the only player to hit a Grand Slam this century in the World Series?
Hint:     On April 13, 2009, he and Jermaine Dye hit their 300th homers in the majors, the first teammates to do so in the same game.
Hint:     They managed the feat in back-to-back at-bats.
Twint:    On May 27th, 2012, he became the second player after his former teammate Frank Thomas to have hit 400 homers as a member of the White Sox.
Twint:    In 2004, he won the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award
FCR – Robert Workman, Ashburn, VA

SATURDAY
Q:         In his first home run of the 2007 season, which Brewer catcher hit an 11th inning walk off home run?
Hint      Born in LaCrosse, WI, he hit the home run on June 27th, LaCrosse Day at Miller Park.
Hint:     The next day, he tied a franchise record with 7 RBI in one game including a grand slam and a 2 run homer.
Twint:    He was a replacement player during the 1994 MLB strike and was barred from ever joining the player’s union.
Twint:    Also as a consequence, his name does not appear on any of the official merchandise from his 2001 Arizona Diamondback World Series winning team.
A.            Damian Miller (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damian_Miller
FCR – Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL
Q:         In 1995 which player finished 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting to Marty Cordova of the Twins?
Hint:     In 2003 he won All-Star Game MVP and won the Home Run Derby, the first to do so since Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1991.
Hint:     He is one of only seven players to have a 30 home run season with more home runs than walks.
Twint:    He established the Angels team record for grand slams with eight.
Twint:    He established the Angels team record for RBIs in a game with ten.
Twint:    He now works for Fox Sports West as an Angels pregaBillme and postgame reporter.
A.            Garret Anderson (2000 35 HR/ 24 BB; 8th GS 21-Aug-2007; 10 RBI, same game; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garret_Anderson)
FCR – Wayne McCombs,, Claremore, OK

SUNDAY
Q:         Who replaced Cal Ripken, Jr. after his last season in the majors?
Hint:     In 2001, after a dismal start, the Blue Jays put his name on waivers and were stunned when the Baltimore Orioles claimed him, putting him directly into their line-up.
Hint:     He then went three for four with a home run in his first game with his new team against his former teammates.
Twint:    He is perhaps best remembered for his highly unorthodox open batting stance where he stood at the back of the box almost directly facing the pitcher.
Twint:    In 2004 with the Expos and weakened by mononucleosis, he went into a severe slump that included a record tying major-league record five strike outs in a 9-inning game.
A.            Tony Batista (2001 taken off waivers by the Orioles, and he started at 3rd base 2002 after Ripken retired.  All hints/twints: http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Tony%20Batista)
FCR – Bill Kreifeldt, Midvale, UT

THEME:  Players with an RBI in the 2002 All Star Game (7-7 tie).

AL –
Ramirez      1 RBI 4th inning 1b off     Odalis Perez
Soriano       1 RBI 5th inning HR off     Eric Gagne
Anderson    1 RBI 7th inning FC off     Mike Remlinger
Batista        1 RBI 7th inning 1b off     Byung-Hyun Kim
Konerko      2 RBI 7th inning 2b off     Byung-Hyun Kim
Vizquel       1 RBI 8th inning 3b off     Robb Nen

NL –
Piazza         1 RBI 2nd inning FC off    Derek Lowe
Helton         1 RBI 3rd inning 1b off     Roy Halladay
Bonds        2 RBI 3rd inning HR off    Roy Halladay
Miller          1 RBI 5th inning 2b off     Mark Buehrle
Berkman     2 RBI 7th inning 1b off     Kazuhiro Sasaki

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

Horsehide Trivia blog has the questions and answers from this week as well as from previous weeks:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/

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