Sunday, April 6, 2014

March 31-April 6, 2014 Pitchers voted All-Star Game MVP

MONDAY
Q.         What pitcher leads all others in career saves?
Hint:     Know this muss, he wasn’t born on a train.
Hint      "Sandman"
Twint:    5 rings
A.         Mariano Rivera (652 S; Born 29‑Nov‑1969 on the isthmus of Panama in a stationary edifice [probably his parents’ home] unlike his fellow countryman Rod Carew; Took the mound to "Enter Sandman" by Metallica, which also earned him the nickname "Sandman"; He was an integral part of 5 World Series champion teams, NYY in  1996, 98, 99, 2000 & 09)
FCR -    Alex Griffel, Great Neck, NY
Incorrect answers:  Trevor Hoffman

TUESDAY
Q.         What Hall of Fame pitcher took a no-hitter into the eighth (not ninth) inning in his major league debut?
Hint:     He became a minister.
Hint:     You could see his chin under his heel.
Twint:    He pitched more complete-game shutouts than any other pitcher in the 1960s.
Answer: Juan Marichal (Debut 19‑Jul‑1960, Clay Dalrymple pinch-hit for C Cal Neeman and singled for the Phillies' only hit that day; Minister of Sports and Physical Education for the Dominican Republic 1996-2000; During his delivery his left foot is elevated above his head; 45 ShO 1960-69
FCR -    Mike Massaroli, Staten Island, NY
Incorrect answers:  Preacher Roe, Deacon Phillippe, Warren Spahn, Scott McGregor, Ewell Blackwell, Dennis Eckersley, Bobo Newsom, Billy Rohr

WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who, according to the MLB television channel, put together the greatest season ever enjoyed by any pitcher?
Hint:     In a seven-year stretch, he won five ERA titles between two leagues.
Hint:     His cumulative ERA for that span, the heart of the PED era, was 2.20.
Hint:     Not many remember him with the Phillies.
Twint:    His cousin pitched for the Orioles, Royals, Rockies, Tigers, Pirates and Giants.
Twint:    His brother was second in the Cy Young Award voting one year.
A.         Pedro Martinez (Greatest*:  2000 season; 1997 w/MON, 1998-2003 vs. MLB ERA of 4.48; PHI in 2009; Cousin Denny Bautista; Brother Ramon Martinez 2nd  in CYA voting 1990)
FCR -    Alex Griffel, Great Neck, NY
Incorrect answers:  Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson, Roy Halladay, Roger Clemens, Ferguson Jenkins, Dave Stewart, Elroy Face, Cliff Lee

THURSDAY
Q.         Who is the most recent pitcher to receive the “Baseball Digest” Player of the Year Award?
Hint:     He is very close to Greg and Tim but is no longer friends with Brian.
Twint:    He knows the satisfaction of pitching to his son in a game.
A.         Roger Clemens (BD POY 1986; With 354, he’s just below Greg Maddux [355] & Tim Keefe [342] on the all-time pitching victories list.  Brian MacNamee is Clemens’ former trainer; He pitched 4.2 scoreless innings for the Sugar Land Skeeters 07‑Sep‑2012 with his son Koby as the catcher.)
FCR -    Daniel Solzman, Louisville, KY
Incorrect answers:  Pedro Martinez, Miguel Cabrera, Clayton Kershaw, Matt Cain, Justin Verlander, Freddy Freeman, Craig Kimbrel, Max Scherzer, Mel Rojas, Mike Trout, Lefty Grove, Denny McLain, John Smoltz

FRIDAY
Q.         What Alabama native was elected to the Hall of Fame the fifth time of the ballot, rising steadily with each vote?
Hint:     He compiled the most National League at-bats without ever hitting a home run there.
Twint:    He was the first pitcher to strike out 100 batters in twenty consecutive seasons.
Twint:    He is the only Los Angeles Dodger pitcher to win 200 games.
A.         Don Sutton (HOF voting: 1994 [56.8%], 1995 [57.4%], 1996 [63.8%], 1997 [73.2%], 1998 [81.6%]; 1,354 NL Abs; 100 K 1966-86 [He stuck out 99 in 1987.]; 233 W [22 of Drysdale’s 209 were w/Brooklyn.])
FCR -    Scott Matteson, Shawnee, KS
Incorrect answers:  Nolan Ryan, Ray Chapman, Ozzie Smith, Joe Sewell, William Holbert, Joe Adcock

SATURDAY
Q.         Who was invited to try out for the a major league team after serving a 45-day prison term, but was re-arrested before he could join the team?
Hint:     He tied the record originally set by Lefty Williams in 1917 by winning his first nine career decisions with this team.
Hint:     He led all American League pitchers in victories for two seasons running.
Twint:    He was a Cy Young Award winner in the second of those seasons.
A.         LaMarr Hoyt (CHW: re-arrested 21‑Feb‑1988; Erratum: Further research shows only 4 consec. Ws before a L; Led in Ws 1982-83, CYA 1983 )
FCR -    Andrew Distler, New York, NY
Incorrect answers:  Wilbur Wood, Denny McClain, Eddie Cicotte, Justin Verlander, Ozzie Smith, Joe Adcock, Ron LeFlore, Babe Ruth

SUNDAY
Q.         Which pitcher gave up Roberto Clemente's 3,000th and final hit?
Hint:     He was the first pitcher to surrender a World Series home run to Reggie Jackson.
Hint:     In his sophomore season, he helped take his team to the World Series, but not before having his skull fractured by a line drive.
Twint:    He is the only pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year Award and the All-Star Game MVP Award.
A.         Jon Matlack (Clemente's final H, a 2b 30‑Sep‑1972; 1973 WS, line drive off the bat of Marty Perez 08‑May‑1973; ROY 1972, ASG MVP 1975 shared w/Bill Madlock
FCR -    Charlie Vascellaro, Baltimore, MD
Incorrect answers:  Jerry Koosman, Jerry Reuss, Clay Carroll, Pat Darcy, J.R. Richard, Gary Nolan, Don Gullet, Tom Seaver, Gary Gentry


WEEKLY THEME – Pitchers voted All-Star Game MVP

Clemens  –   1986
Hoyt        –   1985
Marichal   –   1965
Martinez   –   1999
Matlack    –   1975
Rivera      –   2013
Sutton     –   1977


First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme:  Paul Moehringer Flanders, NJ

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday
               -  Something to do with Panama--the road-runner (Sanguillen) will be Wednesday's answer.
               -  Players who wore number 42

Tuesday
               -  Players with MLB Cousins
               -  Pitchers who have won an Opening Day game at Yankee Stadium

Wednesday
               -  Dominican born pitchers who won a Cy Young award
               - Caribbean-born pitchers with the best lifetime WAR
               -  Latin American pitchers who have won Opening Day games
               -  Foreign-born pitchers with at least 4 All-Star selections


We archive our questions here:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/


* Here's the list of seasons as they presented them on TV:

9)  Steve Carlton           –          1972; (27           –          10; 1.97 ERA; ERA+ 182; 30 CG, 8 SHO, 346 IP/ 257 H; 310 K/ 87 BB; 0.993 WHIP)

8)  Ron Guidry  –          1978:  (25          –          3; 1.74 ERA; ERA+ 208; 16 CG, 9 SHO; 273 IP/ 187 H; 248 K/ 72 BB; 0.946 WHIP)

7) Greg Maddux            –          1995:  (19          –          2; 1.63 ERA; ERA+ 262; 10 CG; 3 SHO; 209 IP/ 147 H; 181 K/ 23 BB; 0.811 WHIP)

6) Sandy Koufax           –          1965; (26           –          8; 2.04 ERA; ERA+ 160; 27 CG, 8 SHO: 335 IP/ 216 H; 382 K/ 71 BB; 0.855 WHIP)

5)  Christy Mathewson  –          1908; (37           –          11; 1.43; ERA+ 168; 34 CG; 11 SHO; 390 IP; 285 H; 259 K/ 42 BB; 0.837 WHIP)

4)  Dwight Gooden       –          1985; (24           –          4; 1.53 ERA; ERA+ 228; 16 CG, 8 SHO; 276 IP/ 198 H; 268 K/ 69 BB; 0.965 WHIP)

3) Bob Gibson  –          1968; (22           –          9; 1.12 ERA: ERA+ 258; 28 CG, 13 SHO, 304 IP/ 198 H; 268 K/ 62 BB; 0.853 WHIP)

2) Walter Johnson        –          1913; (36           –          7; 1.14 ERA; ERA+ 259; 29 CG, 11 SHO; 346 IP 232 H, 243 K, 38 BB; 0.780 WHIP)

1) Pedro Martinez         –          2000; (18           –          6; 1.74 ERA; ERA+ 291; 7 CG, 4 SHO; 217 IP/ 128 H; 284 K/ 32 BB; 0.737 WHIP)

Their disclaimer every time they do these lists is "...not meant to settle arguments, but to start them!"

Many readers pointed out that it's hard to keep Smokey Joe Wood's 1912 season off this list.  Take a look:  http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/woodjo02.shtml.  We indeed might have swung the pendulum the other way in valuing pitching performance in the Deadball era.



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