Horsehide Trivia

Sunday, June 7, 2020

2020-06-01 Infielders who hit Ultimate Grand Slams

Q. Who owns the highest career Defensive WAR rating in the history of the Detroit Tigers franchise?

Hint: In his first year as a manager, his charges produced the lowest winning percentage of any team since the 1962 Mets.

Hint: He’s the only non-Yankees American League shortstop to win the World Series Most Valuable Player award.

Hint: Alfredo Griffin never wanted him to be injured but was grateful for the opportunity the injury provided.

A. ALAN TRAMMELL [SABR Bio]

- Trammell’s rating of 22.7 is almost 40% higher than the player in 2^nd place on that list, who happens to be Lou Whitaker.

- DET in 2003 finished 43-119 or .265, slightly ahead of the 1962 NYM at .250

- MVP for the 1984 WS. NYY SS’s won in 1978 & 2000. NL SS’s won it in 2006 & 2010.

- MLB pays the expenses for each player here and a guest. In most cases, players bring wives or girlfriends. Damaso Garcia, TOR’s 2b, brought his SS, Griffin. When Trammell hurt his arm and could not play, AL Mgr Joe Altobelli named Griffin to the team, “…partly because he's a fine player, but mostly because he was here.”

FCR - Alexander Brychta, Buford, Georgia

Incorrect guesses: Harvey Kuehn

TUESDAY - 02-Jun

Q. Which switch-hitting slugger did Babe Ruth have to pass to become the all-time career home run leader in major league history?

Hint: He began his career at third base even though he threw left-handed.

Hint: His size gave helped give rise to a team name that is still used today.

Hint: His brother played for two franchises each in their first years of existence, the Brewers and Blues.

A. ROGER CONNOR [SABR Bio]

- Connor retired w/138 HR, all hit between 1880 & 1897. Ruth’s 139^th on 18-Jul-1921, in his 2^nd year w/NYY.

- He played 3B in only 111 of his 1,998 MLB G. 1,759 were at 1B.

- Connor stood 6’3” and weighed +- 220 lbs., a virtual giant among players on the 1884 New York Gothams. He was instrumental in the team being called the New York Giants from 1885 forward.

- Brother Joe Connor played briefly at catcher with 2 American League teams in the first season of the AL, 1901, MLA (who became the Orioles) and CLE.

FCR - Frank Ittner, Atlanta

Incorrect guesses: Gavvy Cravath, Cy Williams, Home Run Baker, Mel Ott, Ken Williams, Dan Brouthers

WEDNESDAY - 03-Jun

Q. Who was with the Blue Jays in their World Series winning season, but did not play in that postseason due to a broken arm?

Hint: His nephew was an important part of a World Series championship team.

Hint: He and his father played a combined 33 MLB seasons without a single All-Star appearance.

A. DICK SCHOFIELD [B-R Bio]

- Was w/TOR in 1993

- Nephew Jayson Werth was on PHI in 2008. Werth is the son of Schofield’s sister.

- Father was Dick Schofield who won a WS w/PIT in 1960.

FCR - James Higgins, Bethesda

Incorrect guesses: Tony Fernandez, Dick s Holyfield, Todd Stottlemeyer

MIDWEEK BONUS - 03-Jun

Q. What player got his 2,500^th major league hit off Hall of Famer Jack Morris but symmetrically was also Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan’s 2,500^th strikeout victim?

Hint: Ryan would later be his teammate, on two different teams in two different leagues in back-to-back seasons.

Hint: He has won more Gold Glove awards playing third base in the American League than any player except Brooks Robinson.

A. BUDDY BELL [SABR Bio]

- Ryan’s K #2,500 12-May-1978; H #2,500 off Morris 04-Apr-1989; (Opening Day of Bell’s last season)

- Ryan & Bell were teammates on HOU (then in NL) in 1988 and on TEX in 1989.

- 6 GG, all w/TEX tied w/Eric Chavez who had 6 w/OAK.

FCR - John Rickert, Terre Haute

Incorrect guesses: Adrian Beltré, Gary Gaetti, Eric Chavez

THURSDAY - 04-Jun

Q. Which Ontario native and one-time Cleveland Indian finished behind Don Newcombe in Rookie-of-the-Year voting?

Hint: He won four Gold Gloves at his position in the first six years the award existed.

Hint: He was replaced at his position by a Hall of Famer.

A. DEL CRANDALL [SABR Bio]

- 1949 NL ROY = only Newk & Crandall received votes. Born in the town of Ontario, California.

- GG at C in 1958-60, ’62. Crandall finished his 16-year career w/CLE in 1966.

- Joe Torre took over as the Braves’ regular catcher in 1963.

FCR - John Michael Pierobon, Fort Lauderdale

Incorrect guesses: Adrian Fung, Toronto, Al Rosen, Sal Maglie, Ferris Fain, Vic Power, Jim Landis

FRIDAY - 05-Jun

Q. Who was the only catcher ever traded for Fred Lynn?

Hint: He spent his entire ten-year major league career with the same franchise.

Hint: He hit eight grand slams in his career, the final two in the same game.

A. CHRIS HOILES [B-R Bio]

- Lynn was traded on 31-Aug-1988 by BAL to DET for Hoiles & 2 PTBNL who never reached the majors.

- Played for BAL 1989-98.

- 2 GS 14-Aug-1998. He’d hit the 6^th GS of his career exactly one month earlier.

FCR - Raymond Luurs, Murray, Kentucky

Incorrect guesses: Justin Varitek, Rich Gedman

SATURDAY - 06-Jun

Q. What utility infielder attended four universities in the state of Texas before going pro?

Hint: His first hit in the majors was a solo home run in Yankee Stadium.

Hint: When his press agent told him he needed more ink, he thought he understood…

Hint: He was signed and released by two major league team after his last game in the majors.

A. RYAN ROBERTS [B-R Bio]

- Attended Eastfield College (Mesquite, TX), Galveston College, University of Texas at Austin, & University of Texas at Arlington. (Despite being born, raised and schooled in Texas, he had a grand total of one (1) career MLB AB playing for Texas teams — and struck out = 29-Jul-2008.

- 1^st H/HR = 03-Aug-2006 off Cory Lidle, one of the last of Lidle’s career.

- Roberts is called “Tatman” and sometimes referred to as having the most tattoos of any major leaguer. He has more than 30. (Perhaps they hadn’t had time to check out Eric Hinske.)

- Final game was 17-Apr-2014 for BOS.

~ 30-Sep-2014: Granted Free Agency by BOS;

~ 12-Nov-2014 signed as a Free Agent w/KCR;

~ 29-Mar-2015 Released by KCR;

~ April 26-Apr-2015 signed as a Free Agent w/OAK;

~ 06-Nov-015 granted Free Agency by OAK.

FCR - Ken Kirk, Corning, New York

Incorrect guesses: Josh Hamilton, Spike Owen

SUNDAY - 07-Jun

Q. Who was the first Venezuelan to play regularly as a big league catcher?

Hint: He made the All-Star game for teams in each league. (Not the same year. That would be a record.)

Hint: He played in the World Series in the majors but won six championships in the winter league in Venezuela.

A. BO DIAZ [SABR Bio]

- Began starting regularly in the early 1980s. 11 other Venezuelan natives have 500 or more games at catcher in the majors since then.

- AL AS for CLE in 1981. NL AS for CIN in 1987.

- Was in the WS w/PHI in 1983 (won by BAL). Won in Venezuela w/the Caracas Leones.

FCR - Mike Eisenbath, St. Charles, Missouri

Incorrect guesses: Manny Sanguillen

WEEKLY THEME – Infielders who have hit what are now called Ultimate Grand Slams. These are grand slams hit in the bottom of the ninth or later with the home team down by 3 runs and with two outs.

Infielder Pos. Team Date Off Of

Bell.................. 3B......... TEX......... 31-Aug-1984.......... Pete Ladd............ MIL

Connor............ 1B......... TRO........ 10-Sep-1881.......... Lee Richmond...... WOR

Crandall........... C.......... MLN........ 11-Sep-1955 (1)..... Herm Wehmeier...... PHI*

Diaz................. C.......... PHI......... 13-Apr-1983........... Neil Allen................. NYM

Hoiles............... C.......... BAL......... 17-May-1996......... Norm Charlton......... SEA*

Roberts........... 3B......... ARI......... 27-Sep-2011.......... Javy Guerra.............. LAD

Schofield......... SS......... CAL........ 29-Aug-1986.......... Willie Hernandez..... DET

Trammell........ SS......... DET........ 21-Jun-1988.......... Cecilio Guante........... NYY*

*3-2 count

Three additional players hit the same 9^th-inning grand slam, but with less than 2 outs: Eddie Joost (off Satchel Paige); Danny Kravitz (1^st career HR) and Tony Taylor. (Penultimate? Or w/1one out = antepenultimate??)

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Haardt, MacLean, Virginia (after Hoiles)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday - HoFers who never won an MVP but finished second at least once.

Tuesday - Players who have hit Ultimate Grand Slam Home Run.

- Players who've hit ultimate grand slams

- Hall of Fame players with the worst winning percentages as managers

Friday - Players who hit an Ultimate Grand Slam on a full count

- Players who hit an Ultimate Grand Slam with two strikes

- Right handed batters who hit Ultimate Grand Slams

- Right handed batters who hit Ultimate Grand Slams with two strikes

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Monday, June 1, 2020

2020-05-25 Players who hit for the cycle in 2009

MONDAY

Q. Who broke Ernie Banks’s record for home runs in a season by a National League rookie shortstop?

Hint: In four of his first six major league seasons, his individual WAR exceeded 6.0, averaging the best among all MLB shortstops over that period.

Hint: He is the only player in history to perform an unassisted triple play and hit for the cycle in a National League career

A. TROY TULOWITZKI [BR Wiki]

- Hit 24 HR in 2007, all while playing SS; Banks had 19 in 1954. (Neither was ROY.) Tulo’s replacement at SS in COL, Trevor Story, set the new mark at 27 in 2016.

- WAR: 2007 = 6.8;

2008 = 0.8;

2009 = 6.5;

2010 = 6.7; and

2011 = 6.2

- UTP = 29-Apr-2007; Cycle = 10-Aug-2009

FCR - Frank Stephenson, Mount Berry, Georgia

Incorrect guesses: Barry Larkin, Gary Sheffield, Garry Templeton, Javier Baez, Rafael Furcal, Dave Concepcion, Trevor Story, Ron Washington, Cal Ripken

TUESDAY

Q. What shortstop was drafted ahead of MLB stars Zack Greinke and Prince Fielder, among many others?

Hint: He has twice played on the same major league team as his brother. In one year on one of those teams, both were in the to 10 WAR contributors.

Hint: Before high school, he played in the same travel baseball league as several other players who became major leaguers.

A. MELVIN “The artist formerly known as B.J.” UPTON, Jr.* [BR Wiki]

- Drafted #2 overall in the 2002 MLB June Amateur Draft. (Click to see how many other stars were drafted that same year.)

- He and his brother Justin were both on ATL 2013-14 then in 2015 on SDP where both were in the to 10 WAR contributors on that Padres team. (Click for photo.)

- Mark Reynolds, David Wright, Michael Cuddyer, Ryan Zimmerman and Melvin’s brother Justin were in the same AAU travel program in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

- Click here for more on his name

FCR - Jeffrey Gaughn, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Incorrect guesses: Stephen Drew, Justin Upton

WEDNESDAY

Q. Who was the first Jewish player in major league baseball to join the 30/30 Club this century?

Hint: Before becoming a pro, he was a Vaquero, a Sun Devil and a Tiger.

Hint: He is the all-time career stolen base percentage leader for the Texas Rangers.

Hint: He has accepted a position with the San Diego Padres as advisor to baseball operations, but he has future Olympic plans as well.

A. IAN KINSLER [BR Wiki]

- 30/30 Club: 2009 = 31 HR + 31 SB; 2011 = 32 HR+ 30 SB, both times w/TEX. Coincidentally, these are the only times he’s reached 30 in either of these categories over his 14 year career.

- Attended Central Arizona College (Coolidge, AZ), Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ), University of Missouri (Columbia, MO)

- Successful on 80.37% of his 214 steal attempts.

- In March 2020, he obtained Israeli citizenship and joined Team Israel. The team has qualified to play baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo when they're held.

FCR - Sarah Grynpas, Toronto

Incorrect guesses: Shawn Green, Ryan Braun, Gabe Kapler, Corey Seager

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q. Whose franchise-best 27-game hitting streak lasted less than one season?

Hint: He won the only Silver Slugger Award of his fifteen-year career that same season.

Hint: Since the Colorado Rockies have existed, nine different players have won a National League batting title. He is the only one of them to be selected to the All-Star team fewer than three times.

Hint: He was nominated for the MLBPAA Heart and Hustle Award for his team one season.

Hint: He attended a high school not far from some of those of the players mentioned in Tuesday’s answer.

A. MICHAEL CUDDYER [BR Wiki]

- Hit in 27 straight G, ending on 01-Jul-2013, breaking Dante Bichette’s club record. However, with a 28-G streak ending 09-May-2014, his mark was exceeded by All-World teammate Nolan Arenado.

- AS in 2011 & 2013. (The other 8 Rockies win NL batting titles: Andres Galarraga 1993; Larry Walker 1998, 1999, 2001; Todd Helton 2000; Matt Holliday 2007; Carlos Gonzalez 2010; Justin Morneau 2014; DJ LeMahieu 2016; & Charlie Blackmon 2017.)

- Was honored in 2011 by MIN for MLBPAA’s Heart and Hustle Award. Won that year by ex-Twin Torii Hunter of LAA.

- Attended Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, whose alumni list actually includes Justin Upton.

FCR - Tom Lee, Nashville

Incorrect guesses: Larry Walker, Carlos Gonzalez. Derrek Lee, Ellis Burks

THURSDAY

Q. Who was the last second baseman to win a Gold Glove playing for Toronto?

Hint: He won the award playing for two other teams as well.

Hint: He was drafted first in the 33^rd round so decided to wait a year. The next year he was drafter ten rounds later.

Hint: He’s been an All-Star twice, but neither time for the team that drafted him twice.

A. ORLANDO HUDSON [BR Wiki]

- 2005 GG for TOR

- GGs in 2006-2007 playing for ARI; GG in 2009 playing for LAD

- Drafted by TOR in the 33^rd round of the 1996 June Draft out of high school. Attended instead Spartanburg Methodist College from where TOR took him in the 43^rd round the next year.

- AS for Ari in 2007 & LAD in 2009. Reached base in each game.

FCR - Tom Lee, Nashville

Incorrect guesses: Roberto Alomar, Darwin Barney, Jeff Kent, Manny Trillo

FRIDAY

Q. Who has the most career home runs and runs-batted-in of anyone born in his home state?

Hint: He has 140 more home runs than the only Hall of Famer born there.

Hint: Almost a Dirtbag, he chose instead to go with his 342^nd draft position.

Hint: His brother-in-law has no connection with a famous gulf.

A. JASON KUBEL [Wiki]

- Born in South Dakota w140 HR & 564 RBI.

- Sparky Anderson has 0 career HR in 572 plates appearances

- Drafted 2^nd in the 12^th round of the 2000 June Draft. Had signed a letter of intent to play at Long Beach State.

- Brother-in-law is Michael Tonkin. The Gulf of Tonkin is a famous Viet Nam War reference point.

FCR - Joe O’Neill, London, ON

Incorrect guesses: Harmon Killebrew, Roger Maris, Lloyd Moseby

SATURDAY

Q. What one-time Atlanta Brave was the first player since Rod Carew to reach base eight times in one game?

Hint: He was the first major leaguer in the 2010’s to have fifty hits in a calendar month, setting a new high mark for his team, but not his franchise.

Hint: He made no Facebook posts for more than eight years after winning the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award.

A. MELKY CABRERA [BR Bio]

- Playing for TOR, he reached base 8 X on 10-Aug-2014/ w10 PA, 3 H, 5 BB & 2 IBB in a 19-inning G. Amazingly he did not score that day and never even reached 3b. Played for ATL in 2010.

- Had 52 H in May-2012, breaking Randy Wynn’s SFG record set in 2005.

- Won the 2012 ASG MVP in his only AS appearance in his 15-year career. However, he was suspended by MLB in August of that year for PED usage and shied away from public contact for a considerable time.

FCR - Joe O’Neill, London, ON

Incorrect guesses: Brian McCann, Andrew Jones, Martin Prado

SUNDAY

Q. What one-time Roman’s name AND number could have been represented on the back of his uniform by a single Greek letter?

Hint: He got his first career hit in the majors off Greg Maddux while playing for Maddux’ old team.

Hint: He is the penultimate Orioles player to hit for the cycle and the penultimate entry in this week’s theme, chronologically speaking.

A. FELIX PIE [BR Bio]

- Though his last name is pronounced PEE-yay, it certainly looks like 🥧 to the untrained Anglo eye. His number ought to have been 3.14159 or something similar and his uniform could have just had π on the back. Born in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

- Playing for CHC, his 1^st H was a double off SDP’s Maddux on 17-Apr-2007.

- Since his cycle in 2009, the O’s Jonathan Villar hit for the cycle almost exactly 10 years later 05-Aug-2019. See week’s wrap-up for theme chronology.

FCR - Joe O’Neill, London, ON

Incorrect guesses: Pie Traynor

WEEKLY THEME – Players who hit for the cycle in 2009. No single season in the expansion has seen more.

Cabrera............ 02-Aug........... U.S. Cellular Field

Cuddyer........... 22-May........... Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Hudson............ 13-Apr............ Dodger Stadium

Kinsler............. 15-Apr............ Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

Kubel............... 17-Apr............ Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Pie................... 14-Aug........... Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Tulowitzki......... 10-Aug........... Coors Field

Upton............... 02-Oct............ Tropicana Field

1933 also saw 8 cycles recorded—5 of them by Hall of Famers!