2022-02-14 Players with 4 grand slams in a single season in the 2000s

MONDAY  —14-Feb

Q.  Who was the first designated hitter to hit a home run in an All-Star Game?

Hint: #1  He was the first player to collect seven runs-batted-in in a single postseason game.

Hint: #2  He is the only batter since WWII to lead the American League in batting playing for a last-place team.

A.  EDGAR MARTINEZ  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Martinez homered off Greg Maddux in Cleveland in the 3^rd inning of the 1997 ASG.

-  #1 He had 7 RBI in a 1995 ALDS, G 4.

-  #2  In 1992, SEA finished 7^th in a 7-team division.  Martinez not only led MLB in batting w/.343, but he also led the majors in doubles (46).  He also had a pretty great year in 1995.

FCR -  Michael Ageno, San Francisco

Incorrect guesses:  Rod Carew, Tony Olivia, Mo Vaughn

 

TUESDAY  —15-Feb

Q.  In the history of the Philadelphia, Kansas City, Oakland A’s franchise, who owns the single-season highest on-base percentage?

Hint: #1  He’s also second on the same list.

Hint: #2  Playing for the Yankees, he twice led the American League in being hit by pitches.

A.  JASON GIAMBI  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  OBP = .477 in 2001

-  #1  OPB = .476 in 2000      

-  #2  HBP = 21 X in 2003 & 22 X in 2008.

FCR -  John Laycock, Sykesville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Ferris Fain, Reggie Jackson, Rickey Henderson, Eddie Joost, Vic Power, Max Bishop, Bert Campaneris

 

WEDNESDAY  —16-Feb

Q.  Who broke the Robins’ Johnny Frederick’s National League 1929 record of 82 extra-base hits by a rookie?

Hint: #1  He led the majors in runs scored five times.

Hint: #2  He passed Cal Ripken in one key statistic and is not likely to be caught any time soon.

A.  ALBERT PUJOLS  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  In 2001, Pujols had 47 doubles, 4 triples & 37 HR for a total of 88 EBH as a rookie.  It appears that Hal Trosky is the AL record hold with 89 EBH in 1934.

-  #1  Led MLB in R w/STL in 2003 (137), 2004 (133), 2005 (129), 2009 (124) & 2010 (115).

-  #2  Pujols is the all-time leader in grounding into double plays, having done so 413 times

FCR -  Elliott Frankfother, Rock Falls, Illinois

Incorrect guesses:  Babe Herman, Pete Alonso, Ichiro Suzuki, Hal Trosky, Dale Alexander, Alex Rodriguez, Babe Ruth

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  —16-Feb

Q.  Who is the only player to hit six grand slams in a single season in the twenty-first century?

Hint: #1  His team won the NJCAA College World Series with him leading the way.

Hint: #2  His nickname is a portmanteau and became the name of a candy bar.

A.  TRAVIS HAFNER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  6 GS = 2006, Tying Don Mattingly’s 1987 performance.

-  #1  He attended and played for Cowley College, a community college in Arkansas City, Kansas.

-  #2  His nickname “Pronk” is a combination of “Project” and “Donkey”.  Indians teammate Bill Selby solidified it for hm.  Hafner prefers it to his given name, Travis.  The candy bar bearing his nickname sold in Cleveland during the 2006 season, his best in the majors.

FCR -  Joe O’Neill, London, Ontario

Incorrect guesses:  Don Mattingly, Reggie Jackson, Alex Rodriguez, Bryce Harper, Robin Ventura, Touki Toussaint, Brandon Crawford, Lou Gehrig

 

THURSDAY  —17 Feb

Q.  Which slugger wore #44 on his Cleveland Indians uniform?

Hint: #1  He had a wide choice of professional athletic careers.

Hint: #2  He was the first Milwaukee Brewer to appear in the All-Star Home Run Derby twice.

A.  RICHIE SEXSON  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  He was 44 for CLE from 1997-2000.

-  #1  At Prairie High School in Brush Prairie, Washington, Sexson was All-Washington State in baseball, basketball & football.

-  #2  HRD = 2002, 2003

FCR -  Joe Cohen, Holden, Massachusetts

Incorrect guesses:  Gorman Thomas, Glenallen Hill, Prince Fielder, Jim Thome, Cory Snyder

 

FRIDAY  —18-Feb

Q.  Which BLTR infielder and Cincinnati native was an All-Star for the Reds?

Hint: #1  His All-Star performance was brief but memorable.

Hint: #2  His Hall-of-Fame-bound teammate did well too.

A.  SCOOTER GENNETT  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  B. 01-May-1990 in Cincinnati, OH.  At Left/throws Right.  CIN AS in 2018.

-  #1  He homered in the 9^th to tie the G for the NL.  It is, to date, his only AS PA.

-  #2  CIN’s Joey Votto homered in the 10^th of the same G, but the AL prevailed.

FCR -  Rob McBride, Cheswick, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Ron Oester, Barry Larkin, Dan Driessen, Pete Rose, Brandon Phillips, Bip Roberts

 

SATURDAY  —19-Feb

Q.  Whose choice in the draft by an expansion franchise was so controversial that it caused a former Hall of Famer pitcher to resign his position as a scout for them?

Hint: #1  His son was a rookie with Baltimore.

Hint: #2  His at bats at home were introduced by “Symphony of Destruction” by Megadeath.

A.  PHIL NEVIN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Draft story here:  Nevin before Jeter.

-  #1  Son Tyler Nevin played a mere 6 G w/BAL in 2021 and so will still be considered an MLB rookie in the upcoming season.

-  #2  “Symphony of Destruction” by Megadeath.

FCR -  Mike Sparks, Sarasota

Incorrect guesses:  David Segui, Hal Newhouser, Dave Dellucci

 

SUNDAY  —19-Feb

Q.  Which recent Cuban defector, in only his second year in the majors, led his team in batting, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS and OPS+?

Hint: #1  He snapped his older brother’s Double-Unique status when he debuted.

Hint: #2  His namesake father, a legendary player and manager in his native Cuba, has a nickname roughly equivalent to “The Human Highlight Film”.

A.  LOURDES GURRIEL, Jr.  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Gurriel established himself on a team of stars w/TOR in 2019.

-  #1  Yuri Gurriel basked on the D-U list for 607 days.

-  #2  Lourdes Gurriel, Sr. was called, “Hombre de los Grandes Momentos”.  They have been called Cuba’s pre-eminent baseball family.

FCR -  Elliott Frankfother, Rock Falls, Illinois

Incorrect guesses:  Yoenis Cespedes, Yuniesky Betancourt, Jose Abreu, Yuri Gurriel, Tony Oliva, Yordan Alvarez

 

WEEK’S FINALE  —20-Feb

Q.  Which middle infielder holds the major league record for grand slams by a rookie?

Hint: #1  When he arrived in the U.S., he announced that he was not defecting.

Hint: #2  He became an All-Star in the majors and twice won the Silver Slugger Award.

A.  ALEXEI RAMIREZ  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.   4 GS in 2008 (see below).  He broke the record set by NYY’s Shane Spencer in 1998.

-  #1  He moved from Cuba to the Dominican Republic because his wife, a Dominican native, was there studying medicine.  The nick name was very apt because of Ramirez’ his tall, slim physique & combination of speed, power & throwing arm.  His non-defecting announcement, many think, shortened his career.

-  #2  AS in 2014.  SS in 2010 & 2014.

FCR -  Patrick Roth, Chicago

Incorrect guesses:  Carlos Correa, Alfonso Soriano

 

 

 

 

WEEKLY THEME – Players with 4 grand slams in a single season in the 2000s.

 

Gennett............... (4 in 2017)      06-Jun*..................... Adam Wainwright........ 7.1

                                                    10-Aug..................... Brad Hand

                                                    19-Aug..................... Jim Johnson

*1 of 4 HR in that G                    22-Sep...................... Rick Porcello

 

Giambi................ (4 in 2000)      09-Apr...................... Tanyon Sturtze.......... 50.5

                                                    21-May..................... Sean Bergman

                                                    07-Jun...................... Matt Clement

                                                    15-Sep...................... Albie Lopez

 

Gurriel................. (4 in 2021)      24-Jun...................... Dean Kremer............... 5.8

                                                   18-Jul(2).................... Mike Foltynewicz

                                                   03-Sep..................... Yusmeiro Petit

                                                   12-Sep..................... Zac Lowther

 

Hafner................. (6 in 2006)      01-May..................... Brandon McCarthy.... 24.8

                                                   17-May..................... Jeremy Affeldt

                                                    03-Jun...................... Brendan Donnelly

                                                    01-Jul....................... Joe Mays

                                                    07-Jul....................... Kris Benson

                                                    13-Aug..................... Luke Hudson

 

Martinez.............. (4 in 2000)      15-Apr...................... Pedro Borbon............ 68.4

                                                    22-Jun...................... Buddy Groom

                                                    08-Aug(1).................. Bill Simas

                                                    29-Aug..................... Jeff Nelson

 

Nevin.................. (4 in 2001)      14-Jun...................... Chad Bradford........... 15.9

                                                   28-Jul....................... Curt Leskanic

                                                   27-Sep..................... Kane Davis

                                                   06-Oct...................... Chris Nichting

 

Pujols.................. (5 in 2009)      11-Apr...................... Roy Oswalt................ 99.6

                                                    15-Apr...................... David Patton

                                                    21-Jun...................... Gil Meche

                                                    03-Jul....................... David Weathers

                                                    04-Aug..................... Johan Santana

 

Ramirez............... (4 in 2008)      22-Jul....................... Dustin Nippert........... 21.4

                                                   17-Aug..................... Dan Meyer

                                                   19-Sep..................... Brian Bannister

                                                   29-Sep..................... Gary Glover

 

Sexson................. (5 in 2006)      12-Apr...................... Danny Graves........... 18.0

                                                   10-Jun...................... Erik Bedard

                                                    21-Jun...................... John Lackey

                                                    08-Aug**................... Seth McClung

**10^th inning                                08-Sep...................... Rick Bauer

Pitcher underlined = All-Star

Pitcher in bold = Cy Young Award winner

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Warren Kent, Whitehall, Michigan (after Sexson)

 

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Native Puerto Ricans who have their number retired

 

Tues    -  DH that has hit 2 home runs in a single post season game

 

Wed     -  All stars who played at a junior college

            -  500 games at DH with an average OPS+ of 134 or higher

            -  DH's who had the most RBI in season

            -  DH's with 30 or more homers and 100 or more RBI in a season

 

Sat       -  Players since 2000 to lead the league in Grand Slams in a season and have hit 3 HRs in a game in their career.

 

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