Sunday, January 27, 2013

January 21-27, 2013 Houston Astros 20 game winners


MONDAY
Q.         Who was the first modern National League right-hander to strike out 300 batters in a season?
Hint:     He did it two seasons in a row.
Hint:     His modern National League record for most strikeouts in a season by a right-hander has been eclipsed only by Curt Schilling.
Hint:     Stephen Strasburg came within one K of matching his (shared) record for most strikeouts in his first major league game.
Twint:    Only future MVP Jeff Burroughs was selected before him in the 1969 June draft.
A.         J.R. Richard (303 K in 1978, 313 K in 1979; Schilling 319 K in 1997, 316 K in 2002; 15 K in 1st G on 05-Sep-1971, record shared w/Karl Spooner)
FCR -    David Ramsden, Barcelona, Spain

TUESDAY
Q.         Who was the second modern National League right-hander to strike out 300 batters in a season?
Hint:     Officially Roger Craig’s tutelage turned him into a star, but according to opponents he only became great after he started scuffing the ball.
Hint:     In a 2002 ESPN poll he was labeled the third-biggest cheater in baseball history, ahead of admitted cheats such as Joe Niekro and Gaylord Perry.
Hint:     He was the first player to win the NLCS MVP Award while playing for the losing team.
Twint:    He pitched a perfect game for Pepperdine four months before becoming a second-round draft pick.
A.         Mike Scott (306 K in 1986; 2002 ESPN poll; 1986 NLCS MVP while losing to the Mets; College perfect game 17-Feb-1976, chosen in second round of 1976 June draft)
FCR -    Mark Pattison, Washington, DC

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who finished second to Albert Pujols in the 2001 National League Rookie of the Year balloting?
Hint:     He was named NL Rookie Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News that year.
Hint:     He pitched the first inning of a combined no-hitter against the Yankees.
Hint:     He won a gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Twint:    After publicly complaining about being demoted to the bullpen in 2012, manager Ron Washington pulled him from his next start, one out before he would have received credit for a win.
A.         Roy Oswalt (82 points in 2001 NL RoY voting; combined w- Peter Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel & Billy Wagner on 11-Jun-2003; pulled @ 4.2 IP on 18-Aug-2012)
FCR -    David Ramsden, Barcelona, Spain

THURSDAY
Q.         What pitcher had the most career victories among brothers whose sibling had more wins?
Hint:     He only led the league in wins one time, and then he had to share the title with his brother.
Hint:     He finished a close second to Bruce Sutter in the Cy Young voting that year, while his brother finished a distant sixth.
Hint:     He had to wait more than 21 years for his first chance to pitch in the World Series. His brother never made it that far in 24 major league seasons.
Twint:    He was one of two pitchers in the no-risk free agent class of 1988.
A.         Joe Niekro (221 career W to Phil’s 318 [Jim Perry had 215]; 21 W, tied w- Phil in 1979; 1979 NL CYA voting; Donnie Moore was the other pitcher, along with position players Juan Beniquez, Tom Brookens, Carlton Fisk, Kirk Gibson & Butch Wynegar)
FCR -    Jason Schmidt, New York, NY

FRIDAY
Q.         Who was the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter against the Expos?
Hint:     Only Bob Forsch, Tommy Greene & David Cone matched his feat.
Hint:     He made his Major League debut on his 18th birthday, finishing the first inning by striking out Willie Mays, but then opened the second inning by giving up a home run to Orlando Cepeda and ended up taking the loss.
Hint:     He jumped from the Astros broadcast booth to become the team’s manager, never managing at any other level before or after.
Twint:    His number was retired the year after he retired from managing.
Twint:    The Houston, Texas-area chapter of SABR is named for him.
Twint:    He is also an active SABR member.
A.         Larry Dierker (no-hitter vs. Expos 09-Jul-1976; Forsch 26-Sep-1983, Greene 23-May-1991, Cone 18-Jul-1999; debut 22-Sep-1964; Astros broadcaster 1979-1996, manager 1997-2001; #49 retired by Astros in 2002)
FCR -    Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, MO

SATURDAY
Q.         Whose $121 million contract signed during the 2000-01 off-season was, at the time, the largest contract in baseball history?
Hint:     He held the record for two days.
Hint:     He was the first Major League pitcher to throw a regular-season pitch in Japan.
Hint:     He was the first pitcher to win the Gold Glove Award and Silver Slugger Award in the same season.
Twint:    He only received Cy Young Award votes once, finishing second to former teammate Randy Johnson.
A.         Mike Hampton (signed 09-Dec-2000, A-Rod [$252M] & Manny [$160M] signed 11-Dec; Opening Day starter for the Mets in Tokyo 29-Mar-2000; GG/SS 2003; 2nd in 1999 NL CYA voting)
FCR -    David Krassin, New York, NY

SUNDAY
Q.         Who was the next Dodgers pitcher to win a postseason game after the team won the 1988 World Series?
Hint:     He holds the National League record for most home runs surrendered in a season.
Hint:     He gave up the home run that moved Mark McGwire ahead of Reggie Jackson on the career home run list.
Hint:     He was the first active player to sing the National Anthem before a game in the 21st Century.
Twint:    After retiring as a player he focused on his musical career as a bachata singer.
A.         Jose Lima (NLDS W 09-Oct-2004; 48 HR in 2000; McGwire’s 564th HR 14-Jul-2001; Anthem 13-May-2004; Bachata)
FCR -    Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA


WEEKLY THEME – Houston Astros 20 game winners

Dierker        1969 (20)
Hampton     1999 (22)
Lima           1999 (21)
Niekro         1979 (21), 1980 (20)
Oswalt        2004 (20), 2005 (20)
Richard       1976 (20)
Scott          1989 (20)

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Paul Sekula, Arlington, VA


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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