202r-05-06 Mems of the 300/300 club (HR/SB)

MONDAY  — 06-May

Q.  Which avian-nicknamed five-tool player stayed and starred on the team that drafted him for eleven seasons then left to join a less successful team but won the league Most Valuable Player in his first year with the new team?

Hint: #1  In spite of a career that included being Rookie of the year, MVP, eight times an All-Star, eight times a Gold Glove winner, four times a Silver Slugger and a Home Run Derby winner, he was not elected to the Hall of Fame until his ninth (9^th!) year on the ballot.

Hint: #2  He once received five (5!) intentional bases-on-balls in a single game.

A.  ANDRE DAWSON   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Dawson played for MON 1976-86; CHC 1987-92; BOS 1993-94; & FLA 1995-96.  NL MVP in 1987 w/CHC.

-  #1  Elected to the Hall in 2010 receiving 77.1% of votes possible after not having the 75% required each year 2002-2009 with percentages ranging from 45.3% in 2002 to 67.0% in 2009.

-  #2  In a 16-inning G on 22-May-1990, CIN manager Lou Piniella chose to put Dawson on 5 X &.  Neither Ted Williams, nor Barry Bonds nor anyone else ever received that many in 1 G.  Excellent write-up here.

FCR -  D.J. Kuzma, Alpharetta, Georgia

Incorrect guesses:  Joe Medwick, Chick Hafey, Birdie Tebbetts, George Crowe, Robin Roberts, Frank Robinson

 

 

TUESDAY  — 07-May

Q.  Who, in his thirteenth season as a major leaguer, hit two home runs in one inning, the second one a grand slam, against the team he would be playing for the very next season?

Hint: #1  He was the batter hit by pitch to end the possibility of  a perfect game for Pedro Martinez.

Hint: #2  He was the first player to collect ten RBI in a National League Division Series.

A.   REGGIE SANDERS   [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  In a G on 20-Aug-2003, PIT embarrassed STL in St. Louis 14-0, Sanders hit a solo HR after the 1^st 2 batters had done the same.  Then with those same 2 teammates plus another on base, Sanders homered again.  Watch it here.  Sanders played for  STL 2004 & 2005 helping them reach the postseason both years.

-  #1  In the 8^th inning on 13-Apr-1994, Pedro Martinez’ bid for a perfect game was ended when a pitch struck Sanders.  Wrongly thinking the HBP had been intentional, Sanders charged at Martinez on the mound.

-  #2  Sanders had 10 RBI in his career’s last LDS in 3 G in 2005.

FCR -  David Ramsden, Barcelona, Spain

Incorrect guesses:  Paul Molitor, Jim Thome Bip Roberts, Gary Sheffield

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 08-May

Q.  Which batter struck out more times in one season than anyone else in the history of the Giants franchise?

Hint: #1  In the Expansion Era, for a single Giants season, he tops the lists for most runs scored, not to mention at-bats and plate appearances.

Hint: #2  By the time he had racked up his fifth thirty/thirty season, only four other players had even done it once.

A.  BOBBY BONDS   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Bonds. Sr. had 189 K in 1970.  He’s also in 2^nd, 4^th, 10^th (tied with himself) & 12^th place on that list.

-  #1  In spite of spending only 7 of his 14 major league seasons w/SFG, Bonds Sr. had 134 R in 1970, & had 663 AB & 745 PA the same season

-  #2  Stealing 30 bases & hitting 30 HR in the same season was first done in 1922 by Ken Williams of the Browns.  Willie Mays did it twice.  Hank Aaron & Tommy Harper each added one.  Bonds Sr did in 1969, 1973, 1975, 1977 & 1978.

FCR -  Chris Betsch, New Albany, Indiana

Incorrect guesses:  Barry Bonds, Willie Mays

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  — 08-May

Q.  Who is the only player to win MVPs in consecutive seasons playing for different teams?

Hint: #1  He is the only player to homer in six consecutive games twice in one season.

Hint: #2  He was the third runner out in Mickey Morandini’s unassisted triple play.

Hint: #3  Few remember that he won the Gold Glove award eight times.

A.  BARRY BONDS   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Bonds was NL MVP for PIT in 1992 then for SFG in 1993.

-  #1  In 2001, Bonds hit 6 HR on April 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 & 18 then on May 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 & 22.  (Looks like it was shaping up to be pretty good year for him, eh?)

-  #2  On 20-Sep-1992 in Philadelphia in the 6^th inning, PIT’s Jeff King lined out to 2B Morandini who tagged 2^nd base to get Andy Van Slyke and then Bonds as he arrived from first.

-  #3  Won NL OF GG 1990-1994, 1996-1998.

FCR -  Rich Lerner, Silver Spring, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Eddie Murray, Alex Rodriguez, Frank Robinson

 

 

THURSDAY  — 09-May

Q.  Tony LaRussa, Robin Yount and who played shortstop at eighteen years old for an American League team in the Expansion Era of the 20^th century?  [Played all Gs @ SS.]

Hint: #1  He is the only American League shortstop to hit more than forty home runs in a season.

Hint: #2 After his playing career he (and a partner) attempted to purchase a franchise in the WNBA.

A.  ALEX RODRIGUEZ   [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  LaRussa played for KCA in 1963; Yount played for MIL in 1974; A-Rod played SS for SEA in 1994.

-  #1  He hit 42 HR in 1999 & 41 in 2000 for SEA.  He hit 57 HR for TEX in 2002.

-  #2  Rodriguez & billionaire Marc Lore attempted to purchase the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves.  After extended negotiations Rodriguez & Lore each now own 20% of the Timberwolves franchise with 60% remaining with the original owner.

FCR -  Tom Nealis, Baltimore

Incorrect guesses:  Rico Petrocelli, Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken

 

 

FRIDAY — 10-May

Q.  Whose legacy has special places for Joe Nuxhall, Warren Spahn, Jack Curtis, Curt Simmons, Dob Nottebart and Mike Corkins?

Hint: #1  Of the seventeen players with more than 1,835 career runs batted in, he is the only one who never led his league in RBI for a season.

Hint: #2  He is the only player ever traded for Charlie Williams.

A.  WILLIE MAYS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  These 6 pitchers were, in order, the ones who surrendered Mays’s 100^th, 200^th, 300^th, 400^th, 500^th & 600^th career HRs.

-  #1  Although finishing in the Top Ten in RBI production in the majors 11 X, he never was #1 in any year.  He did, however, lead the Giants in RBI in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958t, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 & 1966.

-  #2  11-May-1972: Traded by SFG to NYM for Charlie Williams & $50,000.

FCR -  David Skelton, Woodway, Texas

Incorrect guesses:  Rafael Palmeiro

 

 

SATURDAY — 11-May

Q.  Which one-time Angel twice led the Senior Circuit in triples, but for different teams?

Hint: #1  Only he and Willie Mays have 120+ career triples, 2,500+ hits and five or more Gold Gloves in centerfield.

Hint: #2  Bell’s Palsy nearly derailed his athletic career.

Hint: #3  He has twice been the coach of the Brazilian National Baseball team.

A.   STEVE FINLEY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Finley led the NL in 3B in 1993 for SDP w/13 & in 2003 for ARI w/10.  He played for LAA in 2005.

-  #1  Finley = 124 3B; 2,548 H & CF GG in 1995, 96, 99, 2000 & 2004.  Mays = 141 3B; 3,293 H & beaucoup CF GG.  Only Mays & Tris Speaker played more G in CF.

-  #2  In spring training of 1993, Finley was diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a viral infection of a nerve in his upper neck, resulting in numbness that prevented him from closing his left eye.

-  #3  Finley coached the Brazilian national team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers and managed them in the 2023 WBC Qualifiers.

FCR -  Fred Worth, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Incorrect guesses:  Fred Lynn, Jim Edmonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Devon White, Don Baylor

 

 

 

SUNDAY  — 12-May

Q.  Who followed his father’s advice and gave up a promising volleyball career to focus on baseball?

Hint: #1  The year he played for the Rangers, he was a teammate of a player with whom he was (and is) often confused.

Hint: #2  He is listed as one of the twenty wealthiest baseball players of all time, based on his net worth.

A.   CARLOS BELTRAN  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Beltran was 17 years old when he began to focus on baseball.

-  #1  Playing for TEX in 2016, he was a teammate of Adrian Beltre.  Both are very likely candidates for HOF induction.

-  #2  Figures from Celebrity Net Worth, Forbes & The Richest, WealthyGorilla.com created a compilation that included Beltran.

FCR -  Tony Monti, Whitestone, New York

Incorrect guesses:  Scott Servais!

 

 

 

WEEK’S THEME – Members of the Career 300/300 “Club”, 300+ HR & 300+ SB.

 

Player                 HR      SB                    Joined

Beltran........... 435..... 312........... w/SB 15-Jun- 2012

 

Bonds Jr......... 762..... 514........... w/HR 27-Apr-1996

 

Bonds Sr......... 332..... 461........... w/HR 02-May-1979

 

Dawson.......... 438..... 314........... w/SB 23-May-1991

 

Finley............. 304..... 320........... w/HR 14-Jun-2006

 

Mays.............. 660..... 339........... w/SB 08-Apr-1969

 

Rodriguez....... 696..... 329........... w/SB 14-Aug-2010*

 

Sanders.......... 305..... 304........... w/HR 10-Jun-2006

*Pitcher also hit a HR in that G.

 

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Warren Kent, Whitehall, MI (after Sanders)

 

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