MONDAY — 15-Dec-2025
Q. In
1987, Benito Santiago set a record for the most consecutive games with a hit by
a catcher, by a Padre and by a rookie.
He did not, however, have the longest streak of games with a hit that season
in the majors that. Who did that?
Hint: #1
He trails only Ty Cobb for players with 3,000+ hits and a hitting streak
of more than thirty -five games in the American League.
Hint: #2
Became the first player to hit a triple for his 3,000th career
hit.
A. PAUL MOLITOR [SABR
Bio]
-
Ans. “The Molly Watch” as it was
dubbed by the media, followed Molitor’s climb until he reached 39 consecutive
games with a hit, a streak now 7th on the all-time list. Santiago’s streak stretched to 34 games.
-
#1 Molitor has 3,319 AL hits for
his career to go with his 39-game streak in 1997. Cobb had a 40-game streak to go with
his 4,189 hits.
-
#2 On 09-Sep-1996, Molitor hit a triple of The Royals’ Jose Rosado. It was his 8th triple of the year, but it was the 3,000th
hit of his career. He added 319 more to
his hit total before hits before retiring and had a career total of 114
triples.
FCR - Chris
Engebo, Kelso, Washington
Incorrect guesses: Pete Rose, Wade Boggs, Ichiro Suzuki, George
Brett
TUESDAY — 16-Dec-2025
Q. Whose
aggressive base-running ploy led to a major league rule that considerably
modifies a formerly time-honored tradition?
Hint: #1
After Tommy Holmes, he was the next left-handed batter to compile a thirty-five
consecutive game hitting streak.
Hint: #2
He was one of the former teammates who attended Cory Lidle’s funeral.
A. CHASE UTLEY [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. The “Utley Rule” (officially
MLB Rule 6.01(j)) requires a runner to make a bona fide attempt to slide
directly into a base on a potential double play, explicitly prohibiting the
roll block maneuvers previously commonly used to inhibit a double play. The rule was adopted in 2016 in response to
Utley’s wide slide, the one that that broke the leg of NYM’s SS Ruben Tejada
during Game 2 of the 2015 NLDS. Video
here & here.
-
#1 Holmes had a 37-game streak in
1945. Utley’s was 35 in 2106.
-
#2 Lidle died immediately after
playing the 2006 season for NYY, a year after being traded from PHI. Full story here.
FCR - Brian
Barris, Oneida, New York
Incorrect guesses: Ty Cobb, Luis Gonzalez, Luis Castillo, Johnny
Damon
WEDNESDAY — 17-Dec-2025
Q. Which
Gold Glove and Silver Slugger-winning center fielder, active in 2025, went first
round, second pick overall the year he was drafted?
Hint: #1
He has made some of the most spectacular catches in recent memory.
Hint: #2
He owns coffee a franchise near his home in Georgia.
A. BYRON BUXTON [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Buxton won a Gold Glove in 2017, his first full season in the majors. His Silver Slugger designation came with his
4.9 WAR & 35 HR in 2025. He was
selected out of high school by the Twins, the second player chosen in the 2012
MLB June Amateur Draft.
- #1 His
prowess as an outfielder produces outs where most observers thought a batted
ball was a hit right up until Buxton caught it.
See some examples here.
-
#2 Buxton owns an Ellianos Coffee franchise in Baxley,
Georgia.
FCR - Katherine
Emley, Minneapolis
Incorrect guesses: Mike Trout, Corbin Carroll
THURSDAY — 18-Dec-2025
Q. Which
Rookie-of-the-Year runner-up won a World Series ring three years later with his
team as they took the top prize for the first time since their creation, a half
century before?
Hint: #1
He played for three major league teams and led each one at least once in
stolen bases, twice even leading the league in that category.
Hint: #2
He thrice has hit for the cycle, making him only the fourth MLB player
to accomplish the feat.
A. TREA TURNER [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Turner finished 2nd
in voting behind 2016’s ROY winner, LAD’s Corie Seager. Turner’s team, the Washington Nationals took
advantage of their talent assembled in 2019, the franchise’s 51st season, & won the World Series.
-
#1 Turner, referred to regularly
as “the fastest man in the majors”, led WSH in SB 7 X; LAD 1 X; & PHI 1 X. Led the NL in 2018 w/43 & in 2021
w/32.
-
#2 The other players with 3
cycles are Bob Meusel, Babe Herman & Adrian Beltre. Christian Yelich later became a member
of this elite gathering. NOTE: Further research has revealed that Cincinnati
Red John Reilly also hit for three
cycles in the 19th century.
Yelich was then the 4th, but in the Modern Era.
FCR - Andrew
Jett, Waxahachie, Texas
Incorrect guesses: Juan Soto, Adrian Beltre
FRIDAY — 19-Dec-2025
Q. Which
one-time Kanas City Royals player had been drafted in the first round, the sixth
overall?
Hint: #1
He had been drafted much lower out of high school three years earlier,
but decided that playing for the University of Arkansas held more promise.
Hint: #2
During his career in the majors, he was traded for a two-time Cy Young
Award winner and later for a base-stealing champion.
A. KEVIN McREYNOLDS [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. McReynolds was originally
drafted out of Sylvan Hills HS by MIL in 1978 in the 19th round, but
enrolled in school instead.
-
#1 Three years later, San Diego took
him in the 1st round. He signed with them for $115,000.
-
#2 In December 1991, NYM traded
McReynolds to KCR for Bret Saberhagen. Two
seasons later, he was traded back to the Mets for Vince Coleman. Other payers & cash were involved in the
trades.
FCR - Randall
Chandler, Germantown, Tennessee
Incorrect guesses: Zack Greinke, Lou Piniella, Andrew Benintendi,
Jeff King, Keith Miller
SATURDAY — 20-Dec-2025
Q. Which
Venezuelan shortstop had six (6!) cousins and an uncle who also played in the
majors? One of those cousins won an ROY
and MVP.
Hint: #1
The season he was a starter on the All-Star team, he also won a Gold
Glove.
Hint: #2
That same year, his team won the World Series, their first in thirty
years.
A. ALCIDES ESCOBAR [Wiki
Bio]
-
Ans. Alcides’ 13-year career was 2008-2018,
2021-2022. His cousins:
Luisangel Acuna (2024~ w/NYM);
Ronald Acuna Jr. (2018~ 2018 NL ROY, 2023 unanimous NL MVP);
Jose
Campos (2015 w/PIT);
Edwin Escobar (2014 w/BOS, 2016 w/ARI);
Kelvim Escobar (1997-2007, 2019 [w/TOR, ANA, LAA]); and
Maikel Garcia (2022~ w/KCR).
His uncle:
Jose Escobar (1991 w/Cle)
-
#1 In 2015, Escobar was the
shortstop starter on the AL AS team and was awarded the SS GG for the AL at the end of the year.
-
#2 The Royals defeated the Mets in the 2015 Fall Classic after losing it just
the previous year to Madison Bumgarner.
FCR - Ken
Davidoff, New York City
Incorrect guesses: Omar Vizquel, Dave Concepcion, Carlos Guillen
SUNDAY — 21-Dec-2025
Q. Who
qualified for this week’s theme in his first year in the majors?
Hint: #1
Tony Gwynn was his college coach.
Hint: #2
He (not Gwynn) coached third base for the Cubs in 2025.
A. QUINTIN BERRY [Wiki
Bio]
-
Ans. Berry played for DET in 2012. For theme, see
below.
-
#1 Berry played for San Diego State after being drafted so
low by The Braves in the 25th round in 2003. He was the 757th player chosen
that year
-
#2 He left the Brewers to take
the CHC spot.
FCR - John
Michael Pierobon, Fort Lauderdale
Incorrect guesses:
WEEK’S THEME
– Modern Era players with 20 steals in a year without being caught
Player SB CS Season Games
Berry......................... 21......... 0.......... 2012............ 94
Buxton...................... 24......... 0.......... 2025.......... 126
Escobar.................... 22......... 0.......... 2013.......... 158
McReynolds............ 21......... 0.......... 1988.......... 147
Molitor...................... 20......... 0.......... 1994.......... 115
Turner....................... 30......... 0.......... 2023.......... 155
Utley.......................... 23......... 0.......... 2009.......... 156
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – John Haeussler, Hancock, Michigan
(after Turner)
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Tues - Players with 35+ game hitting streaks.
-
Players
with 35+ (or 30+) game hitting streaks in seasons in which they hit .300+.
-
Players
with 35+ (or 30+) game hitting streaks who never won a batting title.
-
Players
with 35+ (or 30+) game hitting streaks who were first-round draft picks.
-
Post-WWII
players with 130+ runs scored in a season
-
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