Monday, February 10, 2025

2025-02-03 All-Star position-players with the high WAR ratings who received exactly zero (0) Hall of Fame votes

MONDAY  — 03-Feb

Q.  Who has the highest career WAR for any player born in Jamaica?

Hint: #1  He was the first player in the history of his expansion franchise to homer from both side of the plate.

Hint: #2  At the time of his retirement, he trailed only Rickey Henderson and Bobby Bonds in career lead-off home runs.

A.  DEVON WHITE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  White’s WAR is 47.3.  Chili Davis is a strong 2nd place at 38.31.

-  #1  HR X 2 = 23-Jun-1987 for the Angels.

-  #2  Has 34 lead-off HRs.

FCR -  Barry Gogel, Baltimore

Incorrect guesses:  Chili Davis, Christian Guzman, Curtis Granderson, Dexter Fowler, Eddie Murray, Andre Rodgers

 

 

TUESDAY  — 04-Feb

Q.  Who was the first non-Hall of Farmer to strike out 110+ times for 10+ consecutive seasons?

Hint: #1  He is a member of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame.

Hint: #2  One season, he and a teammate combined for more than a hundred home runs.

A.  RAY LANKFORD  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Struck out 110+ X from 1991 through 2001.

-  #1  STL HOF.

-  #2  In 1998, Lankford added his 31 HR to his 1st baseman’s record-breaking 70.

FCR -  Erik Lundegaard, Seattle

Incorrect guesses:  Mark McGwire Albert Pujols, Rod Carew, Roger Maris, Fernando Tatis, Sr.

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 05-Feb

Q.  Who was the next American League player after Rocky Colavito did it in 1959, to hit four home runs in one game?

Hint: #1  He led the majors in putouts by an outfielder one season.

Hint: #2  In his career, he had 201 more strike outs than hits, yet he only led the league in strikeouts once.

Hint: #3  His leadoff home run in the nineteenth inning gave his team a one-run victory.

A.  MIKE CAMERON  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Cameron went deep 4 X on 02-May-2002 off White Sox pitching:  2X in the 1st (different pitchers), 1 X in the 3rd & 1 X in the 5th.  The next time up, he was HBP!  He finally made an out in the 9th.  No other player had hit a 4th HR before the 6th inning.

-  #1  His 485 PO for SEA in 2003, led all MLB outfielders.  He also led the AL w/404 in 2009.

-  #2  Finished in 2011 w/1,700 H & 1,901 K.  K’ed 176 X for SEA in 2002.

-  #3  SEA got a 5-4 W over the BOS on 01-Aug-2000.

FCR -  Jeff Epstein, Dallas

Incorrect guesses:  Josh Hamilton, Shawn Green, Mark Whiten, Carlos Delgado, Willie Mays, Jim Gentile, Charley Maxwell

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  — 05-Feb

Q.  Which outfielder was drafted first-round, second overall one year and then first-round, fifth overall the following draft?

Hint: #1  He had college baseball's first 30-30 season.

Hint: #2  He was the first right fielder to start a triple play this century.

Hint: #3  Playing for STL, he was pelted with batteries when the Cardinals visited PHI in 1999.

A.  J.D. Drew  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  PHI took him 2nd overall in 1997 but he could not come to terms on a contract, so he returned to school at FSU and had a record-setting junior season.

-  #1  As a junior in 1997 at Florida State University, Drew hit 31 HR & stole 32 bases.  He was also the 3rd player in NCAA history to record a triple-triple (100 hits, 100 runs, 100 RBI) after closing his 3-year Seminole career with 267 hits, 254 runs and 257 RBI.

-  #2  On 01-Aug-2002, Drew caught a line drive it by Eric Owens off Chuck Finley.  Drew rifled a throw to SS Edgar Renteria who tagged Derek Lee too far from 2nd base then relayed the ball to Tino Martinez at 1st, who caught Mike Lowell,.

-  #3  Phillie fans felt Drew had spurned their fair city in ’97 & they demonstrated their displeasure.

FCR -  Jim Casey, Savannah

Incorrect guesses:  Jordan Walker

 

 

THURSDAY  — 06 Feb

Q.  Which one-time Baltimore Oriole outfielder’s feud with Barry Bonds has lasted more than thirty years?

Hint: #1  His son played for the Dodgers for seven seasons.

Hint: #2  He was the middle out in Mickey Morandini's unassisted triple play.

A.  ANDY VAN SLYKE  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Van Slyke played alongside Bonds in PIT’s outfield 1987-1992.  Van Slyke was not shy about sharing his feeling about Bonds’s then sub-par work ethic.  Van Slyke played 17 games for the O’s in 1995.

-  #1  Son Scott Van Slyke splayed OF & 1B for LAD 2012-2017.

-  #2  PHI’s Morandini turned the unassisted TP on 20-Sep-1992, the first in the NL UTP since 1927.

FCR -  Jesse Asbury, Norman, Oklahoma

Incorrect guesses:  Tim Raines, Eric Davis,

 

 

FRIDAY  — 07 Feb

Q.  Who was the first player to rack up at least twenty home runs in a season for six separate teams.  He did at least ten a season for an additional two.

Hint: #1  He finished his career in a special—yea—elite offensive club of eight members, two of whom are Hall of Famers.

Hint: #2  He was once hit by a pitch in the eighth inning of a game and charged the mound, without regard to the fact that the HBP had ended a perfect-game bid

A.  REGGIE SANDERS  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Sander had 20+ HR seasons for:  ARI, CIN, PIT, SDP, SFG & STL.  11 ea. For ATL & KCR.

-  #1  With his 304 SB & 304 HR, Sanders made the 300/300 “Club”.

-  #2  On 13-Apr-1994, Pedro Martinez had pitched 7⅓ inning without a single CIN player reaching base, but hit Sanders with a pitch.  Without taking the game situation into account, Sanders took umbrage & charged at Martinez.  There was some history behind it, but it’s one of the most famous in-game mound assaults.

FCR -  Michael Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware

Incorrect guesses:  Barry Bonds Gary Sheffield

 

 

SATURDAY  — 08 Feb

Q.  Who is the only Braves shortstop voted National League Rookie of the Year?

Hint: #1  A BB/TR player, he once tripled thrice in a game.

Hint: #2  He pays the medical bills of the most vulnerable residents of his hometown.

A.  RAFAEL FURCAL  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  ROY (2000).  Alvin Dark, w/BSN in 1948, won the MLB ROY.

-  #1  Furcal’s 3B X 3 = 21-Apr-2002.

-  #2  Furcal, known for his generosity & philanthropy, has used his baseball wealth to pay medical expenses for those in need in his hometown of Loma de Cabrera, Dominican Republic.  He also arranged for the Dodgers to donate a fire engine to the small town (Pop. 20K) which had never had one.

FCR -  Terry Sloope, Cartersville, Georgia

Incorrect guesses:  Alvin Dark, Dansby Swanson, Sunny Jackson, Walt Weiss, Chipper Jones

 

 

SUNDAY  — 09-Feb

Q.  Who led the American League in home runs with the highest total ever for an Angel?

Hint: #1  The following season, he was an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger and had more extra-base hits than singles.

Hint: #2  Although his ancestors are German, his name in English is a Swedish product used in almost every home worldwide.

A.  TROY GLAUS  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Glaus hit 47 HR in 2000.

-  #1  In 2001, Glaus, an AS & SS for the 2nd straight year, had 147 hits of which 81 (38 2B+2 3B+, 41 HR) were EBH.

-  #2  Glaus = glass in Swedish

FCR -  Jim Casey, Savannah

Incorrect guesses:  Mark Trumbo, Mike Trout

 

 

WEEK’S FINALE  — 09-Feb

Q.  Who, in addition to Willie Stargell, hit twenty-four home runs in a season at Three River Stadium?

Hint: #1  He once took away a home run from Brandon Phillips with a catch neither of them will soon forget.

Hint: #2  He retrieved the base stolen by a Pirates manager to keep as a souvenir.

A.  BRIAN GILES  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Stargell hit 24 HR at 3 Rivers in 1973, Giles in 1999.

-  #1  Catch of CLE’s Phillips’ fly ball was in Pittsburgh in the 8th inning on 21-Jun-2003.

-  #2  PIT manager Lloyd McClendon is one of the greatest managerial tantrums ever, tore out first base.  Alert to the possibility, Giles took possession of the purloined, discarded base.

FCR -  Brett Moore, Studio City, California

Incorrect guesses:  Barry Bonds, Reggie Sanders

 

 

WEEK’S THEME – All-Star position-players with the high WAR ratings who received exactly zero (0) Hall of Fame votes

 

Player            HOF Vote           WAR

Cameron............... (2017)............. 46.7

Drew..................... (2001)............. 44.9

Furcal.................... (2020)............. 39.5

Giles...................... (2015)............. 51.1

Glaus..................... (2016)............. 28.1

Lankford............... (2010)............. 38.2

Sanders................ (2013)............. 39.8

Van Slyke............. (2001)............. 41.3

White..................... (2007)............. 47.3

 

Also qualified for the theme:

Carl Crawford         (2022)              39.1

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Jesse Asbury, Norman, Oklahoma (after Van Slyke)

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 Tues    -  Centerfielders with 200 or more career home runs and 200 or more career stolen bases 

            -  CFs who lead the league in Putouts without winning a gold glove

 

If you know someone who would enjoy receiving daily Horsehide Trivia questions, they need only drop an email request to horsehidetrivia@aol.com.

 

Click here => THIS WEEK’s quiz, compete with questions, answers and even the incorrect guesses.

 

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Horsehide Trivia encourages independent research.  ⚾️

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

2025-02-02 Players who won multiple accolades but who were honored with exactly one (1) and only one, Gold Glove Award

MONDAY  — 27-Jan

Q.  Who is the only Los Angeles Dodger pitcher to win three National League Cy Young Awards?

Hint: #1  The year he was awarded the title of league’s Most Valuable Player, he led the majors in WAR, W/L%, ERA, ERA+, Complete Games, Strikeouts per 9 innings, not to mention FIP and WHIP.

Hint: #2  He was the first major league pitcher to lead the majors in ERA in four consecutive years.

A.  CLAYTON KERSHAW  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  CYA in 2011, 2013, 2014*

-  #1  His 2014 season is here.  MVP vote.

-  #2  ERA leader in 2011-2014 w/2.28, 2.53, 1.83 & 1.77 respectively.

*Unanimous

FCR -  John Michael Pierobon, Fort Lauderdale

Incorrect guesses:  Sandy Koufax, Don Newcombe, Greg Maddux

 

 

TUESDAY  — 28-Jan

Q.  Who is the only A’s player to hit a grand slam and an inside-the-park home run in the same game?

Hint: #1  His consecutive-year MVP wins were not enough to gain induction to the Hall of Fame. He is a candidate who certainly has the “fame” part down pat.

Hint: #2  He had the good fortune of playing during what many refer to as The Golden Age of Baseball. Contributing evidence of that might be that he played for and with eighteen eventual Hall of Famers.

A.  ROGER MARIS  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  On 03-Aug-1958(1), Maris hit a solo inside-the-park HR off WSH’s Russ Kemmerer in the 3rd.  In the 6th, he homered to deep RF, scoring teammates Baxes, Carrasquel & Tuttle ahead of him.

-  #1  Maris was AL MVP in 1960 & 1961.  In the nineteen times he has been voted on for Hall of Fame induction, he received a low of 16.6% and a high, six years later, of 43.1%.

-  #2  HOF associates-

w/CLE:  Joe Gordon,. Bob Lemon, Minnie Minoso, Hoyt Wilhelm, Dick Williams, Early Wynn, Hank Greenberg (GM);

w/KCA:  Whitey Herzog, Dick Williams (redux)

w/NYY:  Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey (Coach), Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, Casey Stengel (Mgr)

w/STL:  Lou Brock, Steve Carlton, Orlando Cepeda, Bob Gibson. Red Schoendienst (Mgr.)

{Note:  MLB’s Official Historian, John Thorn, wryly suggests that baseball’s Golden Age is whenever YOU were 12 years old.  [IMHO, he’s not wrong.  ~ Ed.]}

FCR -  Lou Charlip, Rockville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Jose Canseco, Joe Morgan Jimmie Foxx, Frank Thomas, Ferris Fain

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 29-Jan

Q.  Who was the first post-expansion player to collect more RBI than the number of games he played that season (minimum 100 RBI)?

Hint: #1  He is in a very select group of players who have 3,000 hits, 300 home runs and who retired with a .300+ batting average.

Hint: #2  His Hall of Fame vote fell just nine votes short of unanimity.

A.  GEORGE BRETT  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In 117 games in 1980, Brett drove in 118.

-  #1  Here are the 5 players with those stats.

-  #2  Brett’s election -to the Hall in 1999 was by 98.2% when he was named on 488 of a possible 497 ballots.

FCR -  Chris Connor, Allen, Texas

Incorrect guesses: 

 

 

THURSDAY  — 30-Jan

Q.  Who was the first batter to break Roger Connor’s decades-old record of 138 career home runs for a switch-hitter?

Hint: #1  As rookie, he underperformed under high expectations and was sent down to the team’s AAA minor-league affiliate.

Hint: #2  The next season, he became the youngest batter to homer in a World Series game.

A.  MICKEY MANTLE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Ripper Collins came close w/135, retiring in 1941, but on 29-May-1956, on his way to a triple  crown, Mantle hit his 18th of the year, but the 139th of his career and became the all-time leader in career home runs by a switch-hitter, a record he still holds (536).

-  #1  He came back up after 6 weeks & shed his uniform number 6 for 7 which seemed to play at least a small part in restoring his confidence.

-  #2  Mantle’s WS HR was in G #6 of he 1952 Fall Classic.  He is still the youngest AL batter, but Andruw Jones holds the NL record for youngest NL WS HR.

FCR -  Dave Sloan, Florissant, Missouri

Incorrect guesses:  Andruw Jones, Babe Ruth

 

 

FRIDAY— 31-Jan

Q.  Which four-time All-Star has the highest won/loss percentage of any of the two-hundred forty-eight major league pitchers born in Venezuela (25 W min)?

Hint: #1  His pitching Triple Crown was a key element in his team’s winning their division that year.

Hint: #2  None of his Triple Crown measures that season was a career best.

A.  JOHAN SANTANA  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Santana’s record is 139-78 or .641%.

-  #1  In 2006, MIN topped the AL Central by 1 G over DET.  Santana’s stats didn’t just lead the AL: 19 W, 2.77 ERA, 245 K.  He was also the best in the Bigs in WAR (7.6), ERA+ (162) & WHIP (.997).

-  #2  In 2004 alone he had 20 W, 265 K, a WAR of 8.7, an ERA+ of 182 & a WHIP of 0.921.  In 2008, 2.53 ERA was his best ever.

FCR -  Daniel O'Connor, Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Bartolo Colon, Mike Cuellar, Anibal Sanchez

 

 

FRIDAY AGAIN — 31-Jan

Q.  Who was the first starting pitcher to rack up four Cy Young Awards?

Hint: #1  He owns one of baseball’s roundest baseball records.

Hint: #2  He took the adjective “Taciturn” to a whole new level.

A.  STEVE CARLTON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Lefty won the CYA in 1972*, 1977, 1980 & 1982.

-  #1  Carlton holds the career National League strikeout record:  4,000 exactly.

-  #2  He famously refused to speak to the media for 12+- years, beginning in 1979, continuing through his career with the Philadelphia Phillies & beyond.  His media silence lasted partially even after his 1991 retirement, but there are a few quotes to be had.

FCR -  Andrew Jett, Waxahachie, Texas

*Unanimous

Incorrect guesses:  Greg Maddux,. Randy Johnson, Sandy Koufax Roger Clemens, Nolan Ryan, Max Scherzer

 

 

T.G.I.F.  — 31-Jan

Q.  Which one-time Colorado Rockies pitcher was the first teenager to appear on the mound in a game for the Kansas City Royals?

Hint: #1  He was the first pitcher to surrender three home runs to one player on Opening Day.

Hint: #2  Look out Slim Shady!

A.  BRET SABERHAGEN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Saberhagen came into the G against NYY in the 4th on 04-Apr-1984. He was only 19 years & 359 days old.  He only played one more G as a teenager, 10-Apr-1984.  He was 37 when he retired.

-  #1  Performing like the reigning MVP he was, on O.D. 04-Apr-1988 in K.C., TOR’s George Bell squared up Saberhagen 3 X.  They were the only earned runs Saberhagen gave up that day,

-  #2  Saberhagen has an unexpected talent… rapping, which he put to good use after the 1985 WS where he was voted Series MVP.

FCR -  Andy Knobel, Columbia, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Jeremy Affeldt, Mike Morgan

 

 

SATURDAY   01-Feb

Q.  Who was the second* American Leaguer to win the Most Valuable Player award playing for a team without a winning record?

Hint: #1  He was the first player to collect four hits in a World Series game twice in the same Series.

Hint: #2  His older brother had a major league experience that remains, to this day, unique.

A.  ROBIN YOUNT  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Yount won his 1st MVP in 1989, but his Brewers could only manage a .500 record that year.

-  #1  In 1982, Yount had 4 H in each of G #1 & G# 5.

-  #2  No one ever had a shorter major league career than Larry Yount.  Read it here.

FCR -  Evan Thompson, Mesa

Incorrect guesses:  Jackir Jensen, Alex Rodriguez, Cal Ripken, George Brett, Roger Peckinpaugh

 

 

SUNDAY  — 02-Feb

Q.  Who is the only batter to hit more than fifty doubles in a season in the 1960s?

Hint: #1  He is the only black player to win the Triple Crown in the American League or the National League.

Hint: #2  He hit a home run in his first at-bat as a player-manager.

A.  FRANK ROBINSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Hit 51 2B in 1962 for CIN.  From 1954 through 1976, only he had a season w/50+ 2B.

-  #1  TC in the AL in 1966:  49 HR, 122 RBI, .316 BA.  He never led his league in any of the TC categories in any other season of his career.

-  #2  As player/manager of CLE n 1975, Robinson homered in the 1st inning off NYY’s Doc Medich on 08-Apr-1975.

FCR -  Robert Osman, Great Neck, New York

Incorrect guesses:  Billy Williams,

 

 

WEEK’S FINALE  — 02-Feb

Q.  Who was once thrown out forty-two times in one season while trying to steal?

Hint: #1  One season he scored exactly as many times as he got a hit.

Hint: #2  He was born on Christmas Day in the back seat of a taxi.

A.  RICKEY HENDERSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Catchers stopped him 42 X in 1982.  They also didn’t catch him 130 X that year when he set the  Modern Day single season record.

-  #1  In 2002 for BOS, Henderson got 40 H and scored 40 X.

-  #2  Born in Chicago 25-Dec-1958.

FCR -  Dan Schoenholz, Walnut Creek, California

Incorrect guesses:  Ben Chapman

 

 

WEEK’S THEME – Players who won multiple accolades but who were honored with exactly one (1) and only one, Gold Glove Award

 

Player                     GG Year        Accolades                               WAR

Brett............................... 1985.......... 13 X AS, MVP, 3 x BA.......... 88.6

 

Carlton........................... 1981........... 4 CYA, 10 X AS................... 90.2

 

Henderson..................... 1981........... 10 AS, MVP........................ 111.1

 

Kershaw........................ 2011........... 3 CYA, etc.................................... 79.4

 

Mantle............................ 1962........... 3 X MVP, TC...................... 110.2

 

Maris.............................. 1960........... 2 X MVP, 7 X AS.................. 38.3

 

Robinson....................... 1958........... 2 X MVP TC....................... 107.2

 

Saberhagen................... 1989........... 2 CYA, 3 X AS...................... 58.9

 

Santana.......................... 2007........... 2 CYA, 4 X AS, 3X ERA...... 51.7

 

Yount.............................. 1982........... 2 X MVP............................... 77.4

 

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme –

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Pitchers who were Sport Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year”.

            -  Bonus Babies who made the Hall of Fame

 

Wed     -  Won ML Player of the Year by The Sporting News and MVP the same year

 

Sun      -  Players with multiple MVP/Cy Young awards

-   Players with one Gold Glove

 

If you know someone who would enjoy receiving daily Horsehide Trivia questions, they need only drop an email request to horsehidetrivia@aol.com.

 

Click here => THIS WEEK’s quiz, compete with questions, answers and even the incorrect guesses.

 

Scroll back to see previous Horsehide Trivia posts as far back as 2010.  Quizzes before that may also be available upon request.

 

 

Horsehide Trivia encourages independent research.  ⚾️