Sunday, September 7, 2025

2025-09-01 Pitching careers (15 yrs min) ended by (or with) the 1994-95 strike

MONDAY  — 01-Sep-2025

Q.  Which American League pitcher is the only one to win more than twenty-five game in a year since Denny McLain won 31 in 1968?

Hint: #1  He had the honor of surrendering Mike Schmidt’s four hundredth home run.

Hint: #2  He was the pitching coach for a expansion team the year they won their first World Series.

A.  BOB WELCH  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Welch had a 27-6 season for OAK in 1990, complementing the team’s Bash Brothers offense approach.

-  #1  Pitching for LA, he gave up #400 to Schmidt on 15-May-1984.

-  #2  Welch coached the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001.  It was his only season as a major league coach.

FCR -  Willis Kern, Ft. Myers, Florida

Incorrect guesses:  Fergie Jenkins, Steve Stone, Mario Soto, Dave Stewart, Ron Guidry, Mickey Lolich

 

 

TUESDAY  — 02-Sep-2025

Q.  Who was the only pitcher from a team in the Central Time Zone to earn two wins in both the League Championship Series and two from the World Series in the same season?

Hint: #1  He led the American League in Wild Pitches six times and was twelve times in the Top Ten.

Hint: #2  This former Tiger was a Cougar.

A.  JACK MORRIS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Pitching for his hometown MIN, Morris won games #1 & #4 of the 1991 ALCS vs TOR.  The following week, he won games #1, & #7 of the WS vs ATL.

-  #1  Morris led the AL in 1983, ‘84, ’85, ‘87, ‘91 & ‘94 w/18, 14, 15, 24, 15 & 13 WP respectively.

-  #2  Morris played for the Tigers 1977-1990.  He played for Brigham Young University (BYU) during the 1975 & 1976 seasons where he was 2 X All-WAC.  He only played 32 games in the minors before joining DET for good.

FCR -  .J. Pisano, Cape Town, South Africa

Incorrect guesses:  Mickey Lolich, Max Scherzer, Orel Hershiser, Nolan Ryan, Bret Saberhagen

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 03-Sep-2025

Q.  Which Hall of Famer was the first player to represent four different teams in major league All-Star competition?

Hint: #1  Although he also pitched well for the Cubs, Giants, Rangers, A’s and Mariners, he never represented any of them in the All-Star game.

Hint: #2  Playing for nine major league franchises over the course of more than two decades, he played with or for no fewer than twenty-four future Hall of Famers.

Hint: #3  His popular nickname became a source of consternation for him, but finally helped keep a certain Hall of Famer on the Double-Unique muster.

A.  RICH GOSSAGE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Gossage was an All-Star 9 X in 11 years for…

…the White Sox in 1975 & ’76;

…the Pirates in 1977;

…the Yankees in 1978, ’80, ’81 & ’82 and

… the Padres in 1984, ’85.

-  #1  Gossage as… CHC (1988), SFG (1990), TEX (1991), OAK (1992-93) & SEA (1994).

-  #2  Gossage HOF teammates:  Dick Allen, Jim Kaat, Ron Santo, Minnie Minoso, Dave Parker, Willie Stargell, Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Dave Winfield, Tony Gwynn, Greg Maddux, Andre Dawson, Ryne Sandberg, Rickey Henderson, Deion Sanders, Dennis Eckersley, Harold Baines, Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson & Edgar Martinez.  He was also coached and/or managed by Bob Lemon, Yogi Berra, Dick Williams & Tony La Russa.

-  #3  He has alternated between “Rich” & “Goose” several times, making good use of each.  The HOFer mentioned, Goose Goslin, actually was booted off the list well before Gossage when Goose Tatum became acknowledged as a major leaguer.  Tatum was a rookie in 1941.

FCR -  Dr. Lincoln Mitchell, New York City

Incorrect guesses:  Gaylord Perry, Jaime Moyer, Mike Morgan, Randy Johnson, Hoyt Wilhelm, Billy Wagner

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS — 04-Sep-2025

Q.  Which one-time Colorado Rockies pitcher is the only player born in the state of Utah ever to make a major league All-Star team?

Hint: #1  He gave up Don Mattingly's record-breaking sixth grand slam.

Hint: #2  During his career in the majors, he was known to shoot around in practices with the Boston Celtics.

A.  BRUCE HURST  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Hurst was in the 1987 ASG, representing BOS.  He saw no action.  He played for COL in 1993.

-  #1  Mattingly’s grand slam off Hurst was his sixth such of 1987 and broke the record of 5 set by Ernie Banks’s in 1955 & tied by Jim Gentile in 1961.  Travis Hafner tied Mattingly in 2006.

-  #2  The Boston Globe reported that Hurst would “shoot hoops” at Boston Celtics practices during his BOS days, a result of his friendship with Celtics guard Danny Ainge.

FCR -  Bill Gemmell, York, Maine

Incorrect guesses: 

 

 

THURSDAY  — 04-Sep-2025

Q.  Who was the first winning pitcher at Oriole Park?

Hint: #1  He is the last pitcher to steal home in a major league game.

Hint: #2  He surrendered Carl Yastrzemski's final career home run.

A.  RICK SUTCLIFFE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Oriole Park at Camden Yards (OPACY) opened 06-Apr-1992.  In his first game for BAL, threw a complete-game shutout, defeating CLE 2-0.

-  #1  In the 7th inning on 29-Jul-1988, as part of a double steal Sutcliffe stole home off the battery of Kevin Gross & Lance Parrish.

-  #2  In the 3rd inning of a loss to CLE on 10-Aug-1983, Boston’s Yaz hit his 452nd & last career HR.  Sutcliffe was the pitcher.

FCR -  Jim Casey, Savannah, Georgia

Incorrect guesses:  Ben McDonald, Curt Simmons, Jim Palmer

 

 

FRIDAY  — 05-Sep-2025

Q.  Which passenger survived the boat accident that killed Steve Olin and Tim Crews?

Hint: #1  He was the winning pitcher in the longest professional game ever played.

Hint: #2  In the best year of his career, he led the league in winning percentage, received All-Star votes for the only time, got MVP votes for the only time and won a World Series championship.

A.  BOB OJEDA  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Three CLE teammates were gator hunting in a small boat on 22-Mar-1993 in Little Lake Nellie in central Florida.  Tim Crews, 31, and Steve Olin, 27, died after their bass boat tore into an unlighted wooden pier on a moonless night.  Bob Ojeda survived.  Full account here.

-  #1  Ojeda was sent down to AAA Pawtucket from BOS after a bad start in his first full season.  The long game, played over 2 days, in over 2 months, is worth reading about here.

-  #2  In 1986, had a .723, Winning %; was an AS; and was on NYM for the WS win.

FCR -  Gabe Kinstlinger, Reisterstown, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Tom Seaver, Ron Guidry, Stever Grilli, Jesse Orosco, Bruce Hurst

 

 

IN MEMORIAM  — 06-Sep-2025

Q.  Who set the record for home runs in a season by a second baseman when he broke Rogers Hornsby’s fifty-one-year-old record?

Hint: #1  His record then lasted an impressive forty-eight years.

Hint: #2  He managed a New York team to a World Series Championship.

Hint: #3  He was teammates with both Hank Aaron & Sadaharu Oh.

Hint: #4  He played in four World Series, winning two.

Hint: #5  He was four times an All-Star at second base:  Thrice in the American League and once in the National.

Hint: #6  He won the American League Gold Glove for his play at second base three year running.

Hint: #7  He managed five major league teams over seventeen years, all five to winning records, twice being honored as the Manager of the Year.

A.  DAVEY JOHNSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Hornsby’s 42 led the NL in 1922, but Johnson’s 43 in 1974 was at least the most on his own HR-famous team.  Braves teammates Darrell Evans & Hank Aaron finished with 41 & 40, but Willie Stargell led the NL & MLB that year with 44.

-  #1  TOR;s Marcs Semien hit 45 HR in 2021 for the current MLB record.  However, purists take narrower view.  You be the judge:

Player                  Team  Lg  Sesn   HR     G   HR as 2B                        &

Marcus Semien...... TOR... AL... 2021.... 45... 162.......... 41................. 4 HR as 3B

Davey Johnson...... ATL.... NL.. 1973.... 43... 157.......... 42....................1 HR as PH

Brian Dozier........... MIN... AL... 2016.... 42... 155.......... 40.................. 2 HR as PH

Rogers Hornsby..... STL.... NL.. 1922.... 42... 154.......... 42..... ~

Ryne Sandberg...... CHC... NL.. 1990.... 40... 155.......... 40..... ~

-  #2  Johnson was the manager of the New York Mets in 1986 when they defeated Boston Red Sox for the biggest prize in baseball.

-  #3  Johnson was with Hank Aaron on ATL in 1973 & 1974.  He and Sadaharu Oh played together on the  Yomiuri Giants in 1975 & 1976.

-  #4  Playing with BAL, Johnson got WS rings in 1966 & 1970.  He played for the AL pennant winners (also  BAL) in 1969 & 1971.

-  #5  Was an AS for BAL in 1968, 1969 & 1970; for ATL in 1973.

-  #6  His Gold Glove years were for the pennant-winning Orioles in 1969, 1970 & 1971.

-  #7  Johnson managed:        NYM    1984-1990       .588 winning %

CIN      1993-1995       .543 winning %

BAL     1996-1997       .574 winning %

LAD     1999-2000       .503 winning % &

WSN   2011-2013       .550 winning %

     He was the AL Mgr of the Year in 1997 & the NL MOY in 2012.

FCR -  Matthew Van Hoose, Springfield, Virginia

Incorrect guesses: 

 

 

SUNDAY  — 07-Sep-2025

Q.  Which one-time New York Yankee closer was the first pitcher to earn thirty saves in each of five consecutive seasons and seven times in eight years?

Hint: #1  For each of eleven straight seasons he saved at least twenty games at the end of which he became the majors’ all-rime saves leader.

Hint: #2  He appeared in more than eight hundred major league games but never once did he start.

A.  JEFF REARDON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In 1985-1989, pitching for MON & MIN, Reardon was a model of consistency, saving 41, 35, 31, 42 & 31 games.  Reardon Finished his 16-year major league career w/NYY in 1994.

-  #1  He saved 20+ from 26 in 1982 to 27 in 1992.  In 1992, Reardon racked up his 342nd save passing the record set by Rollie Fingers.  Reardon’s final saves total is 367.  The current leader in career saves in Mariano Rivera w/652.

-  #2  He remained in relief roles throughout his entire career—no spot starts, no filler innings—truly a bullpen lifer.

FCR -  Mike Sparks, Sarasota, Forida

Incorrect guesses:  Mariano Rivera, Lee Smith, Sparky Lyle, Rich Gossage, Aroldis Chapman

 

 

 

WEEK’S THEME – Pitching careers (15 yrs min) ended by (or with) the 1994-95 strike

 

Pitcher                  Years                ERA            Etc.

Gossage.................. 22................... 41.2........... HOF, AS, WS

Hurst...................... 15................... 34.1........... AS

Morris.................... 18................... 43.5........... HOF, WS, AS

Ojeda..................... 15................... 24.0........... WS

Reardon................ 16................... 18.6........... AS,. WS

Sutcliffe................. 18................... 33.9........... ROY, CYA, AS,

Welch..................... 17................... 43.7........... CYA, WS, AS

 

Also qualifying:

Larry Anderson...... 17................... 13.9........... Traded for Bagwell

Charlie Hough........ 25................... 38.4........... AS

Jay Howell............. 15................... 15.0........... AS, WS

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Many came close, but no one acknowledged the part that the strike played in their departure

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Pitchers who won World Series titles in both the AL and the NL

 

Tues    -  Pitchers who won World Series titles with two or more teams

 

Wed     -  6'3" Pitchers who all retired in 1994 and won at least one World Series

-   Pitchers with the most wins in the 1980s

-   Pitchers who appeared on the HOF ballot for first time in 2000

 

Thur        Pitchers over 6' who made at least 1 All-Star roster and retired in 1994

 

Fri        -  6’+ tall Pitchers with at least 1 All Star appearance

 

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