Sunday, February 25, 2018

2018-02-19 Second Picks who Outperformed First Picks of the same Draft


Q.        What former Oriole is the only position player to win a World Series MVP award more than once?
Hint:     He is also the only multiple winner to do it playing for different teams.
Hint:     His cousins have racked up a total of ten 30-30 seasons in the majors.
Hint:     He never even had one.
A.         REGGIE JACKSON  [SABR Bio]
-  WS MVPs in 1973 for OAK and in 1977 for NYY.  Played for the O’s in 1976.
-  The other two multiple WS MVP’s are Sandy Koufax, pitcher for the Dodgers in 1963 & 65 and Bob Gibson, pitcher for the Cardinals, in 1964 & 68.
-  Cousin Bobby Bonds of SFG (2); NYY (1); CAL (1); & CAL+CHW (1).  Cousin Barry Bonds, son of Bobby, for PIT (2) and for SFG (3).
FCR -  Scott Matteson, Shawnee, Kansas
Incorrect guesses:  Frank Robinson, Eddie Murray, Brooks Robinson, Pat Borders, Rick Dempsey

TUESDAY
Q.        What player followed his Rookie-of-the-Year season immediately with an MVP and a World Series championship season?
Hint:     It looked at first as though he were after Reggie’s career strikeout title, leading the league in strikeouts as a rookie, but his K numbers have calmed down since his first year.
Hint:     By eschewing his draft by the Blue Jays, he was able to qualify later for the Dick Howser Award, the same award won by Robin Ventura, Buster Posey, Mark Teixeira and Todd Helton, among others.
A.         KRIS BRYANT
-  2015 = 199 K; 2016 = 154 K; 2017 = 128 K
-  TOR had chosen him 11th in the 18th round in the 2010 draft.  Instead he attended and played for the University of San Diego and was taken by the Cubs in the 1st round of 2013.  Seems now like the right choice.
-  He did indeed become the 27th recipient of the Dick Howser Trophy in 2013.
FCR -  Richard Noonan, Central Islip, New York
Incorrect guesses:  Cal Ripken, Dustin Pedroia, Jose Canseco, Ryan Howard, Buster Posey, Mike Trout

WEDNESDAY
Q.        What former Phillies catcher, nicknamed “Bad Dude”, was four times an All-Star?
Hint:     He was the first National League catcher to steal 25 bases in a season.
Hint:     He ended Greg Minton's record streak of 269.1 consecutive innings without surrendering a home run.
Hint:     He managed Tim Raines and Tony Armas one season in the minors.
A.         JOHN STEARNS
-  Played exactly one (1) game for PHI before being traded to NYM for Tug McGraw, among others.  AS for NYM in 1977, 79, 80 & 82.
-  Stole 25 bases in 1978.  91 in his career.
-  Minton HR 02-May-1982.  Minton later said, “I thought about tackling him as he rounded third, but then I remembered that he's strong and once played football.”  Minton still holds the record.
-  Managing the Harrisburg Senators in 2006, he had both Tim Raines, Jr. and Tony Armas, Jr. on his roster.
FCR -  Mark Linneman, Sacramento
Incorrect guesses:  Bob Boone, Darren Daulton, Ted Simmons

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.        Who was the first pitcher in over half a century to win the Rookie of the Year Award and later win league MVP?
Hint:     Six times he finished in the top 5 in Cy Young Award voting.
Hint:     In his no-hitter’ against Milwaukee Brewers, he struck out 12, walked four and recorded a fastest ball of 102 mph.
Hint:     His 30 consecutive scoreless postseason innings against one team broke the record held by Christy Mathewson.
A.            JUSTIN VERLANDER
-  2006 AL ROY; 2011 AL MVP [Only other pitcher to do so was Don Newcombe.]
-  One of the 6 times he came in first, 2011.
-  No-hitter 12-Jun-2007
-  30 Inn. vs. OAK in ALDS play in 2012 & 2013 [Matty’s record came in the 1905 & 1911 WS.]
FCR -  Jeff Kallman, Las Vegas
Incorrect guesses:  Vida Blue, Sandy Koufax, Madison Bumgarner, Clayton Kershaw, Orel Hershiser, Fernando Valenzuela

THURSDAY
Q.        Whose nickname growing up was a reflection of his leadership at a young age?
Hint:     Even if he had never been caught attempting a steel one season, he wouldn’t have led the league.  He did manage, however, to lead in times caught stealing.
Hint:     He and his brother have played for a total of 12 major league franchises since 2007 and yet his similarity score that is the closest belongs to multiple Gold Glove, multiple All-Star Alex Gordon.
A.         MELVIN UPTON
-  B. J. Upton for “Bosman Junior”.  “Senior” was of course his father.
-  Led league with 16 CS in 2008 w/TBR.
-  Alex Gordon’s production
FCR -  Chaunce Venuto, Tooele, Utah
Incorrect guesses:  Jeff Francoeur, Justin Verlander

FRIDAY
Q.        Who was the first 21st-century right fielder to start a triple play?
Hint:     During the half dozen years he was with the Cardinals, his ‘walk-up’ song was “Sky Falls Down”.
Hint:     Two of his brothers have played in the majors, but of the three, only he has been on an All-Star team.
A.         J.D. DREW
-  TP 01-Aug-2002 9-6-3!  Mike Lowell had hit a single to RF off pitcher Chuck Finley.  Finley walked the next batter, Derek Lee. Up next was the 3rd batter, Eric Owens, who stung a line drive to RF that nobody thought would be caught.  Drew, however, got there, caught it and immediately throw to Renteria at 2nd to get Lowell.  Renteria then whipped a throw to Tino Martinez at 1st to get Lee.  Finley was, as you might imagine, elated.
-  Sky Falls Down” by OceanLab.  [It’ll get ya goin’!]
-  Brothers Stephen, currently under contract with the Nats and Tim, who played for 3 teams in 5 years for in the  majors.
FCR -  Barry Nelson, Guilderland, New York
Incorrect guesses:  Jason Heyward

SATURDAY
Q.        When A.J. Burnett threw a wild pitch to Adam Kennedy in a game late in the 2011 season, he became the Yankees’ all-time franchise leader for wild pitches in a single season.  Whose record did he break?
Hint:     The next inning, facing Kennedy again, he added another to establish the Yankee record that still stands.
Hint:     He was Comeback Player of the Year the same season his teammate won the Cy Young Award.
Hint:     He was MVP in the Texas League when he was in the Mets’ system.
A.         TIM LEARY
-  Bottom of the 2nd (and then 3rd) on 13-Sep-2011. 
-  COPY 1988.  Hershiser was the CYA winner.
FCR -  Mike Sparks, Sarasota
Incorrect guesses:  Ryne Duren, David Cone, Whitey Ford, Al Downing, Dwight Gooden, Kenny Rogers, Nolan Ryan, Tommy Byrne, Dave Righetti

SUNDAY
Q.        Who has suffered the anonymity of having more than 20 other players of professional baseball use the same first and last name?
Hint:     His production was steady if not spectacular… He played in the majors for 6 years on 4 teams.
Hint:     On his first team he played with and for 6 who are now Hall of Famers.
Hint:     On his second team, he played for a World Series MVP and two teammates who had been MVPs and one would enter the Hall without playing for any other team.
Hint:     On his third team, he played alongside a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Hint:     On his fourth team, he played alongside the player who holds the all-time record for most pinch-hits in the majors.
A.         MIKE KELLY
There have been multiple people named Michael Kelly and Mike Kelly in baseball history.
·        Mike Kelly (kellymi01) - Michael J. Kelly, major league player from 1926-1926
·        Mike Kelly (kellymi02) - Michael Raymond Kelly, major league player from 1994-1999
·        King Kelly - Michael Joseph Kelly, major league player from 1878-1893
·        Mike Kelly (minors01) - Bernard Francis Kelly, minor league player from 1916-1929 and major league coach
·        Mike Kelly (minors02) - H. Elwood Kelly, minor league player from 1934-1940
·        Mike Kelly (minors03) - Mike Kelly, minor league player from 2000-2000
·        Mike Kelly (minors04) - Mike Kelly, minor league player from 2011-2011
·        Michael Kelly (minors01) - Michael Kelly, minor league player from 1886-1886
·        Michael Kelly (minors02) - Michael B. Kelly, minor league player from 1893-1893
·        Michael Kelly (minors03) - Michael J. Kelly, minor league player from 1900-1901
·        Michael Kelly (minors04) - Michael S. Kelly, minor league player from 1966-1966
·        Michael Kelly (minors05) - Michael Lee Kelly, minor league player from 1978-1979
·        Michael Kelly (minors06) - Michael Joseph Kelly, minor league player from 1987-1990
·        Michael Kelly (minors07) - Michael A. Kelly, minor league player from 1996-1996
·        Michael Kelly (minors08) - Michael Kelly, minor league player from 2010-2010
·        Michael Kelly (minors09) - Michael Joseph Kelly, minor league player from 2012-
·        Mike Kelly (college) - Capital University coach, 1987-1990
·        Mike Kelly (college02) - Monroe Community College coach, 2008-2013
·        Mike Kelley - Michael Joseph Kelley, major league player from 1899-1899
·        Mike Kelley (minors01) - Michael Patrick Kelley, minor league player from 1979-1982
·        Michael Kelley - Michael J. Kelley, minor league player from 1964-1964

-  Played for HOFers Bobby Cox and John Shuerholz and with 1994-95 Braves of John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and Chipper Jones also former MVP Terry Pendleton.  He played again with Pendleton in Cincinnati.
-  Played for WS MVP Ray Knight on the 1996-97 Reds and with former MVP’s Kevin Mitchell and Barry Larkin, the latter being a future HOFer.
-  Played with first-ballot HOFer Wade Boggs while with the 1998 Devil Rays.
-  On the 1999 Rockies, his teammate was Lenny Harris, career pinch hit leader as well as former NL MVP Larry Walker.


FCR -  Richard Giovanoni, Morton Grove, Illinois

Incorrect guesses:  Hal Smith, Bob Johnson, Bob Miller, Lee May, Joe Smith, Bill White



WEEKLY THEME – Number #2 draft choices who probably should have been taken #1.

Year      Drafted #2     By            MLB Yrs            #1                    By          MLB G’s

1966..... Jackson........ A’s.................. 21...... Steve Chilcott........ Mets............. 0
1973..... Stearns......... Phillies............ 11...... David Clyde........... Rangers..... 84
1979..... Leary*........... Mets................ 13...... Al Chambers.......... Mariners..... 57
1991..... Kelly*............ Braves.............. 6...... Brien Taylor........... Yankees....... 0
1997..... Drew............. Phillies............ 14...... Matt Anderson....... Tigers....... 257
2002..... Upton............ Devil Rays...... 12...... Bryan Bullintgon.... Pirates........ 26
2004..... Verlander...... Tigers............. 13...... Matt Bush.............. Pirates........ 93
2013..... Bryant........... Cubs................. 3...... Mark Appel............ Astros........... 0
*Had been drafted in previous rounds.
Yrs. In Italics = Still in the majors

First Correct Respondent to Identify ThemeJoe Ullian, Santa Barbara (after Verlander)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Wed        -  College All - Americans who won World Series & were multiple MLB All‑Stars.

Sun        -  players who were the 2nd Overall Pick, Who played for Team USA at some level (Olympic Theme)
               -  #2 overall pick, who were Award Winners at some level of professional baseball    









Sunday, February 18, 2018

2018-02-12 Dodgers Cycles


Q.        Whose election as MLB Rookie of the Year was not warmly celebrated by some individuals, and even whole teams, in each league?
Hint:     The uniform number he chose was the transposition of a well-known uniform number.
Hint:     His resulting number became the better known.  Now all MLB players and many coaches wear it on their uniforms on U.S. income tax reporting deadline day.
Hint:     A major movie celebrating his life, used those digits as its title, eschewing any text there.
Hint:     Not many know that he excelled in golf, tennis and swimming scholastically.
A.         JACKIE ROBINSON  [SABR Bio]
-  1947 MLB ROY voting  (Baseball historian Phil Wood tells us that the Dodgers assigned him No. 42.   He didn’t choose it. Phil also said top players used to receive much lower uniform numbers, suggesting maybe the equipment folks might have been slighting him.)
-  42., reversing 24, worn by Willie Mays.  On 15-Apr, every year, for one day, all uniforms in the majors bear the number “42”, honoring the day of Robinson’s debut major league game.
-  42, starring Chadwick Bosman was released by Warner Brothers in 2013.
FCR -  Doug Greenwald, San Francisco
Incorrect guesses:  Ichiro Suzuki, Thurman Munson

TUESDAY
Q.        Who was the last National League batter to lead the league in strikeouts with fewer than 100? (150 G minimum)
Hint:     He was the first Los Angeles Dodger to win a Gold Glove.
Hint:     He was the first 20th-century player to collect 17 total bases in a single game.
A.         GIL HODGES  [SABR Bio]

-  99 K 1951
-  GG @ 1st 1958
-  17 TB 31-Aug-1950.  Shawn Green holds the current record at 19.
FCR -  Jeff Kallman, Las Vegas
Incorrect guesses:  Ron Cey, Maury Wills, Charlie Neal, Duke Snider, Shawn Greene, Tommy Davis, Vince DiMaggio, Wally Moon, Jackie Robinson

WEDNESDAY
Q.        Who passed his father’s four-year career home run total in the 43rd game of his rookie year?
Hint:     That home run was the first of 10 he hit in 10 straight games.
Hint:     He set a record for reaching 21 home runs faster than anyone in MLB history.
Hint:     His sister played college volleyball and his brother pitched last year in the Padres’ minor league system.
A.         CODY BELLINGER
-  Passed his father’s total of 12 with his 13th on 10-Jun-2017.
-  10-20 Jun-2017 = 10 HR
-  On 19-Jun-2017, against NYM, he hit 2 HRs in the first 2 innings.  Those ran his season-long total up to 21 in just 51 games. For good measure, he hit another one the following night.  The previous record was held by Wally Berger, who hit 21 in 55 G in 1930.)
-  Sister Ashli played volleyball at Vanguard University.  Brother Cole was drafted by SDP, 3rd in the 15th round June 2017.
FCR -  David Krassin, Los Angeles
Incorrect guesses:  Rhys Hoskins, Clay Bellinger, Ken Griffey, Jr., Terry Francona

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.        Who performed the batting scenes as Lou Gehrig in the movie “Pride of the Yankees”?
Hint:     He led the majors in triples in his first year with his second team.  It didn’t help.  They finished last.
Hint:     The year prior, his 77 extra-base hits led the league.  He was also 3rd on his team in WAR.  Neither of those accomplishment could prevent him from being traded.
Hint:     In spite of a career .324 batting average, his votes for the Hall of Fame never rose above 6%.
Hint:     His exposure to Hall-of-Fame levels of play was extensive, having been on teams with Pie Traynor, Honus Wagner, Dan Bancroft, Al Lopez and Leo Durocher and more than two dozen others.
A.         BABE HERMAN..[ SABR Bio]
-  Pride of the Yankees (Look near the bottom under ‘Other crew’)
-  19 3b in 1932 w/CIN who finished 60-94, 30 G out in the NL.
-  Hall of Famers played with include: Wilbert Robinson, Burleigh Grimes, Dazzy Vance, Zach Wheat, Rabbit Maranville, Max Carey, Dave Bancroft, Iron Man McGinnity, Joe Kelley, Ernie Lombardi, Al Lopez, Chick Hafey, Eppa Rixey, Jim Bottomley, Gabby Harnett, Billy Herman, Kiki Cuyler, Arky Vaughan, Paul Waner, Lloyd Waner, Waite Hoyt, Pie Traynor, Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer, Mickey Cochrane, Honus Wagner and Leo Durocher.
FCR -  Joseph Cosgriff, New York City
Incorrect guesses:  Lefty O’Doul, Tip O’Neill, Gary Cooper

THURSDAY
Q.        Who was the first player to win 5 Gold Gloves in a row for a team in Southern California?
Hint:     He was the anchor of the majors’ first all-switch-hitting infield.
Hint:     He hosted a radio talk show in the mid-1980s.
A.         WES PARKER
-  Won 6 consecutive GG 1967-72, all for LAD.  Willie Mays was the 1st w/5 GG for a team on the West Coast.
-  Infield of Parker, Jim Lefebvre@ 2nd, Maury Wills, @ SS and Junior Gilliam @ 3rd for the 1965 LAD.
-  [Radio reference lost.]
FCR -  Frank Workman, Escondido, California
Incorrect guesses:  Steve Garvey, Ron Fairly, Ozzie Smith, Bill Russell, Maury Wills, Roy Sievers

FRIDAY
Q.        Which Pirates outfielder can be seen in the bottom left corner of the Norman Rockwell painting “Bottom of the Sixth”?
Hint:     He was born in a log cabin in rural town originally named “Hixville”.
Hint:     His father, uncle and brother all played in the majors.
A.         DIXIE WALKER  [SABR Bio]
-  Bottom of the Sixth”.  Official sources say that this figure is Danny Murtaugh.  Many doubt this, including me.  Murtaugh wasn’t that svelte even then.
-  B. 24-Sep-1910 in Villa Rica, Georgia.
-  Father was also called Dixie
FCR -  Kellen Nielson, Blanding, Utah
Incorrect guesses:  Lloyd Waner, Danny Murtaugh, Barry Bonds, Ralph Kiner, Johnny Hopp, Harry Walker, Honus Wagner

SATURDAY
Q.        What four-time Gold Glove South Carolinian began his professional career in Medicine Hat?
Hint:     He was once traded for a World Series MVP.
Hint:     He founded the C.A.T.C.H., which provides resources and a support system for youth coping with autism.
A.         ORLANDO HUDSON
-  33rd Round; 1998 Medicine Hat [Alberta] Blue Jays
-  Traded for Troy Glaus 27-Dec-2005 (other players were involved)
FCR -  Rick Tharp, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Incorrect guesses:  Milt Pappas

WEEKEND BONUS
Q.        Who was the first pitcher to earn more than a single save in a season in the major league American Association?
Hint:     He had led the league the year before as well, but alas… ‘twas not a plural number.
Hint:     The year he led the league with 19 triples (as a batter), he was tied with no fewer than five (5!) other players.  His league-leading home run total in a different year was only tied by 2 others.
Hint:     Playing for the team we now call the Dodgers, in their first year in the National League, he collected more than 120 RBI in fewer than 120 games.
Hint:     He ended his major league career in he National League playing under a Hall of Fame player/manager.
A.         OYSTER BURNS
-  He had 3 saves in 1885 with the original Baltimore Orioles; only one the year prior.
-  He had 19 3b for them in 1887, but was tied in the NL that season by John Kerins, Tom Poorman, Triple Crown winner that year Tip O’Neill, Hall of Famer Bid McPhee and teammate Jumbo Davis.
-  His 13 NL HR in 1890 were matched by Mike Tiernan & Walt Wilmot.
-  In 1890 he had 128 RBI in 119 games for BRO.
-  His last season was 1895 playing for the New York Giants under the under‑appreciated George Davis.
FCR -  Joe Haardt, McLean, Virginia
Incorrect guesses:  Tony Mullane, Dan Brouthers

SUNDAY
Q.        Who was the first 20th-century player to increase his batting average for 8 consecutive seasons?
Hint:     He then proceeded to decrease that same stat in nearly as orderly a fashion.
Hint:     In his career, he played 448 games at third base, 354 in the outfield, 243 at second, 178 at shortstop and 49 at first base.
Hint:     His brother also played more than a decade in the majors.
Hint:     They were the first brothers to oppose each other in a modern World Series.
Hint:     All five of his managers in the majors are now in the Hall of Fame.
A.         JIMMY JOHNSTON
-  BA   1914.... .228           1922... .319
           1916.... .252           1923... .325
           1917.... .270           1924... .298
           1918.... .280992     1925... .297
           1919.... .281481     1926... .238
           1920.... .291           1927... .246 w/BSN
           1921.... .325           1927... .232 w/NYG

-  Doc Johnson 1909, 1912-16, 1918-22
-  Faced each other in the 1920 WS, won by Doc’s Indians.
-  Hugh Duffy managed him in 1911; then Hank O'Day in 1914; Wilbert Robinson in his Brooklyn days; Dave Bancroft in Boston and John McGraw in New York..
FCR -  Joe Haardt, McLean, Virginia
Incorrect guesses:  Ken Boyer, Dave Stapleton, Doc Johnston, Dane Iorg, Guy Hecker


WEEKLY THEME – Dodgers who hit for the cycle.

Dodgers Hitting For The Cycle

Player  Date

Wes Parker............ 07-May-1970
Gil Hodges............. 25-Jun-1949
         ".................... 24-Jul-1931

First Correct Respondent to Identify ThemeMark Decker, Hudson, Iowa (after Bellinger)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tuesday -  Players featured in The Boys of Summer

Wed        -  First basemen for the Dodgers in their World Series appearances.
               -  Dodgers