MONDAY — 25-Nov
Q. Which
former Rookie-of-the-Year was the first player in major league history to steal forty bases the same
season he hit forty home runs?
Hint: #1
He helped his team win their division by thirteen games the same year he
won his first Silver Slugger.
Hint: #2
He lined into a 9-2 double play right after Reggie Jackson's last career
triple.
-
Ans. In 1988, Canseco hit 42
HR, had 40 SB, SLG of .596 & OPS+ of 170. Was ROY in 1986.
-
#1 OAK won the AL West in 1988 by
13 G.
-
#2 On 19-Apr-1987, Jackson tripled w/1
out in the 6th. Next up was
Canseco who hit a line drive to Mike Kingery in RF. Kingery then threw a rocket to home plate where
Scott Bradley tagged out Jackson.
FCR - Dennis
Walls, Orrington, Maine
Incorrect guesses: Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds
TUESDAY — 26-Nov
Q. Which
BLTR MVP appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated at sixteen years
old?
Hint: #1
His first stolen base in the majors was a straight steal of home.
Hint: #2
He is the youngest position player ever selected for the All-Star
Game.
A. BRYCE HARPER [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Harper Bats Left but Throw
Right & has been NL MVP 2 X: 2015 & 2021. Check out the 08-Jun-2009 SI issue cover here.
-
#1 On 06-May-2012, Harper made it to 1st
on what looked like to most viewers an intentional HBP by PHI starter Cole
Hamels. Harper went to 3rd on
teammate Jason Werth’s single then stole home for the 1st R of the
G. Click here for a thorough telling
of the tale.
-
#2 He didn’t start the ASG in 2012, but he did play,
striking out once and walking once. He
was 19 years and 272 days old.
FCR - Mahnoor
Hissam, Lahore, Pakistan
WEDNESDAY — 27-Nov
Q. In the
second game of a double-header against the Philadelphia Athletics in the summer
of 1934, Cleveland Hall of Fame centerfielder Earl Averill had a day at the
plate that by itself, probably put HOF voters on notice: He had three doubles, a triple and stole two
bases. That feat (4 EXH + 2SB) was never
equaled in one game until the Expansion Era and it’s only been done once. Who is now in Averill’s proximity if not
company?
Hint: #1
He accomplished a baseball milestone only ever achieved by Hall of Famer
Frank Robinson.
Hint: #2
He was born ninety years to the day after the pitcher who threw the
pitch that ended Mickey Cochrane’s career.
A. SHOHEI OHTANI [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. On 18-Aug-1934(2), Averill had 4 XBH + 2
SB helping his ream overwhelm Philly’s A’s 10-0, a shutout for Mel Harder. However, on 19-Sep-2024, Shohei Ohtani had 5
XBH (3 HR, 2 2B) + 2 SB in a monumental display of offensive talent.
-
#1 Robinson won an NL MVP (1961)
& an AL MVP (1966*). Ohtani won AL MVPs (2021*, 2023*) & an NL MVP (2024*). Only they have been Most Valuable Players on
a team in each league.
-
#2 Ohtani was born 05-July-1994. Bump Hadley was born 05-Jul-1904.
*Unanimous
FCR - Waker
Arnold. Jay, Vermont
Incorrect guesses: Jose Ramirez
MIDWEEK BONUS — 27-Nov
Q. Whose
solo home run produced the only run ever scored on (off?) Madison Bumgarner in
World Series competition?
Hint: #1
There season where he led not just his league, but the majors in both
home runs and runs batted in, he only managed a frustratingly pedestrian
seventh place in Most Valuable Player voting.
Hint: #2
No player at his position has won more Gold Gloves for his
fifty-year-old franchise.
A. SALVADOR PEREZ [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. In the 7th inning
of the 1st G of the 2014 WS, Perez homered for his team’s only run. Bumgarner’s career (36.0 IP) WS ERA is the lowest
of all-time: 0.25.
-
#1 In 2021, Perez tied TOR’s Vlad
Guerrero, Jr’s 48 HR, but led all comers w/121
RBI. Here’s the MVP voting.
-
#2 Perez has won 5 GG at C for
KCR: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018. In 1989 Bob Boone won KCR’s only other
GG for a catcher.
FCR - Gabe
Kinstlinger, Reisterstown, Maryland
Incorrect guesses: Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre, Mike
Moustakas
THURSDAY — 28-Nov
Q. Who
is the only player to be voted World Series MVP twice while playing for teams
in different leagues?
Hint: #1
His offensive output as a rookie helped his team capture their division
title.
Hint: #2
He and his All Star, Gold Glove brother were major league contemporaries
for seven seasons, but only faced each other in games on six occasions.
A. COREY SEAGER [B-R
Bio]
- Ans. He was the NLCS MVP & WS MVP in 2020 as LAD beat TBR. WS MVP again in 2023 helping the Texas
Rangers win their first World Series Championship.
-
#1 In his first full season,
Seager, playing for LAD, was an All-Star, Silver Slugger, 3rd
in NL MVP voting & was a unanimous Rookie of the
Year. With him, LAD won
their highly competitive division, the NL West.
-
#2 Kyle Seager played for SEA from 2011 to 2021. He was AS & GG at 3B in 2014
& was even twice the AL Player of the Week, but his comparatively smaller
recognition stems partly from his loyalty to a franchise that did not see any
postseason action during his fealty there.
In the fust series where they faced each other, Corey & he played in
the same G in L.A. on 17- where they homered in consecutive innings &
18-Aug-2020 when they each doubled. The next year played in 19-Apr-2021, 20-Apr-2021, 11-May-2021 & 12-May-2021. Corey was 3 for 17 in those; Kyle was 1 for
15.
FCR - Jim
Casey, Savannah
Incorrect guesses: Frank Robinson, Mookie Betts, Roberto Alomar
FRIDAY — 29-Nov
Q. Who
is the only player to reach base in an All-Star game via catcher’s interference?
Hint: #1
He is the only player to finish the season at age forty and have more
than 210 hits.
Hint: #2
He once had five hits in a World Series game and did not win the WS MVP. Yet in another World Series he won the WS MVP,
but nobody believes he did!
A. PAUL MOLITOR [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. In the 1991 ASG in Toronto, Molitor
pinch-hit for Wade Boggs in the 7th inning & reached on catcher’s interference [Watch
at 2:34:35]. Craig Biggio was behind the plate.
-
#1 Molitor holds the record for
most hits in a season when he turned 40: He led the AL w/225 in 1996 w/MIN.
-
#2 Playing for Milwaukee in 1982,
Molitor had 5 H in the 1st G.
He also could have had another H, but he grounded out in his 1st
AB. The Brewers lost that WS to STL &
C Darrell Porter was named MVP. Eleven
years later in the 1993 WS, Molitor excelled for TOR, but most people still
believe that Joe Carter was the WS MVP.
Molitor was the runner on first base & scored the G’s winning R on
Carter’s HR.
FCR - Waker
Arnold. Jay, Vermont
Incorrect guesses: Ichiro Suzuki, Pete Rose, Paul Molotov, Paul
Monitor, Derek Jeter
SATURDAY — 30-Nov
Q. Who
is the only player appearing on these three lists?
a.) Players voted Rookie of the Year ahead of a six-time
All-Star player;
b.) Players who turned an unassisted triple play; and
c.) Players who hit three triples in a single game? (Not in the same game. That’d be a record!)
Hint: #1
He got his only World Series ring playing for his third team during his
antepenultimate season.
Hint: #1
At his peak, he was deemed to have one of the strongest throwing arms
ever for a shortstop.
A. RAFAEL FURCAL [Wiki Bio]
- Ans. a.) NL ROY
in 2000 w/Lance Berkman finished tied for 6th;
b.) Three triples 21-Apr-2002; &
c.) Triple play on 10-Aug-2003.
- #1 Was on STL in his next-to-next-to-last
season of 2011 w/new teammate…
Lance Berkman!
- #2 Furcal examples: Here.
FCR - Steve
Murfin, Olney, Maryland
Incorrect guesses: Ron Hansen, Shawon Dunston, Jimmy Rollins
WEEKEND BONUS — 30-Nov
Q. Which
outfielder, recruited to stay home and be a Cowboy, chose baseball and was only
one category short of a Triple Crown in his fourth season in the majors?
Hint: #1
He was a key factor (some day THE key factor) in helping his franchise
get to their first ever World Series.
Hint: #2
His son was in the Orioles minor league system for a time.
A. MATT HOLLIDAY [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Holliday was born & Bred
in Stillwater, Oklahoma, home of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys with their
perpetually strong football program*.
-
#1 In 2007, Holliday earned the NLCS
MVP, playing a pivotal role in leading the Rockies to their first WS.
-
#2 Jackson
Holliday is considered to have a strong future in the majors. The younger son, Ethan, is also considered quite the prospect.
*OSU suffered the worst
loss in school history Friday.
FCR - Michael
Berry, Culver City, California
Incorrect guesses: Josh Hamilton, Deion Sanders
SUNDAY — 01-Dec
Q. Whose
record for most career home runs by an Asian-born player did Shohei Ohtani break
in 2024?
Hint: #1
He was selected as the Most Valuable Player and Best Pitcher of the WBSC
Under-18 Baseball World Cup the year his country won the championship.
Hint: #2
His highest rank in MVP voting came when he led the majors in hit-by-pitch
playing for the Reds in Cincinnati.
A. SHIN-SOO CHOO [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Choo returned to Korea after
his 16-year MLB career with 218 HR and his double-unique status intact. Japan’s
Shohei Ohtani passed Choo’s HR total when he hit his 219th on 17-Sep-2024. Ohtani ended his MVP season with 54 for the
year & 225 total to date. No other
Asian native have hit more than 175 career HR in MLB.
- #1 South Korea won the U-18 WBSC in 2000 with Choo as the star.
-
#2 Choo as HBP 26 X in 2013, his only
NL season. He finished 12th in MVP voting.
FCR - Jon Putnam, Cary, North Carolina
Incorrect guesses: Hideki Matsui, ,Dave Roberts
WEEK’S
FINALE — 01-Dec
Q. Who
was the first player this century to steal three bases in consecutive games?
Hint: #1
He was the first player in franchise history to steal four bases and
score five times in a single game.
Hint: #2
He was offered scholarships to play basketball at a highly-ranked D-1
university and had offers to play football at several of the country’s
powerhouse football schools. He turned
down all in favor of a baseball career.
A. CARL CRAWFORD [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. SB X3 = 16- & 17-Aug-2006.
-
#1 SB X4 + R X5 = 24-May-2006 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Franchise began in 1998. The word “Devil” was dropped beginning in
2008.
-
#2 Crawford was offered
scholarships to play basketball as a point guard at UCLA. He also had an option to play college football
as an option quarterback at Nebraska, USC, Oklahoma, Florida & Tulsa. He even signed a letter of intent to play
football for Nebraska, but he turned down those offers in favor of baseball.
FCR - John
Rickert, Terre Haute, Indiana
Incorrect guesses: Trea Turner, Billy Hamilton, Vince Coleman
WEEK’S THEME
– Select position players who have had Tommy John surgery.
Player TJS date Surgeon Where
Canseco.............. 09-Jul-1993............ Dr. Frank Jobe.................................... KJOC
Choo................. 25-Sep-2007........... Dr. Lewis Yocum................................... KJOC
Crawford.......... 23-Aug-2012........... Dr. James Andrews................................ AL/FL
Furcal................ 07-Mar-2013........... Dr. James Andrews................................ AL/FL
Harper............... 23-Nov-2022........... Dr. Neal ElAttrache................................ KJOC
Holliday............. 24-Jul-2001............ Dr. James Andrews................................ AL/FL
Molitor.............. 21-May-1984........... Dr. Frank Jobe....................................... KJOC
Ohtani................ 01-Oct-2018............ Dr. Neal ElAttrache................................ KJOC
Perez.................. 06-Mar-2019........... Dr. Neal ElAttrache................................ KJOC
Seager............... 04-May-2018........... Dr. Neal ElAttrache................................ KJOC
KJOC = Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los
Angeles, California
AL/FL
= Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics
& Sports Medicine, Gulf Breeze, Florida…OR... Andrews Sports Medicine &
Orthopaedics Center, Homewood, Alabama.
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – Warren Kent, Whitehall, Michigan
(After Perez)
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Mon - Most
career strikeouts by a batter
Tues - Unanimous MVP winners
Wed - ROY
and unanimous MVP
-
Players
who have won both the rookie of the year award and the MVP
-
MVPs
who had Tommy John surgery
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=> THIS WEEK’s quiz, compete with
questions, answers and even the incorrect guesses.
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