Sunday, November 15, 2015

November 9-15, 2015 Kansas City Royals Who have hit home runs in a World Series

MONDAY
Q.         Who was the first player voted by the writers (BBWAA) into the Hall of Fame as a Kansas City Royal?
Hint:     No American League MVP ever played fewer games during their award year (excluding pitchers and strike years).
Twint:    He once said “I’m the pine tar guy.  And it’s not a bad thing to be remembered as.”
A.         GEORGE BRETT
- HOF 1999.  He is, in fact, the only player representing the Royals in the HOF.  Gaylord Perry, Orlando Cepeda and Harmon Killebrew were Royals, but entered the Hall with other teams.  Whitey Herzog was inducted as a manager.
- 117 Games 1980 MVP year due to various injuries.  Frank Thomas 113 G 1994 AL MVP strike year.  Gabby Hartnett 116 G 1935 NL MVP.
- Pine tar incident video with him delivering the quote at 25-29 seconds.
FCR -    Jonathan Glass, Cross River, NY
Incorrect answers:

TUESDAY
Q. Who holds the record for most AL Gold Gloves won for the same team by a second baseman?
Hint: He is also the only second baseman for that team with more than 100 career home runs.
Hint: For this same team, he has by far the highest career defensive WAR.
Twint: Undrafted, he was developed by his team’s controversial Baseball Academy.
A. FRANK WHITE
- 8 GG at 2B, all for the Royals. Roberto Alomar divided 10 GG among TOR, BAL & CLE.
- 160 career HR 1973-1990
- Career defensive WAR 21.4, Freddie Patek a distant second at 11.2
- B-Ref Bullpen for Frank White: The Kansas City Royals Baseball Academy honed skills for players neglected by other MLB teams because they had not played much in high school or college.
FCR - Blake Sherry, Dublin, OH
Incorrect answers:  Joe Morgan, Ryne Sandberg, Roberto Alomar, Dustin Pedroia, Steve Sax (sic), Bill Mazeroski, Bobby Grich, Omar Vizquel, Joe Morgan, Charlie Gehringer, Lou Whitaker, Davey Johnson


WEDNESDAY
Q.         Who made the throw to home attempting to putout Pete Rose that resulted in a devastating injury to catcher Ray Fosse?
Hint:     In that game, he represented the first player from his franchise to ever take the field in an All-Star Game.
Hint:     When he took centerfield in the game, they moved a Triple Crown winner and future Hall of Famer to first base.
Twint:    Since 1954 he is the only player to hold by himself the single season percent stolen base record for a full decade.
A.         AMOS OTIS
- 1970 ASG video of Rose-Fosse collision, CF, bottom of the 12th RBI game winning single Jim Hickman off Clyde Wright.
- Kansas City Royal All-Star Game history. 
- Otis entered in the 7th inning moving Carl Yastrzemski from CF to 1st.
- 1970-79 he held the SB% record with a 94.29% success rate with no other player even tying him.  The current record of 100% is held by several players. 1954 is used as a reference since it includes reliable stats for “caught stealing” by all fielding positions.
FCR -    Eric Stone, Los Gatos, CA
Incorrect answers:  Jim Hickman, Willie Wilson, Dave Parker, Tommy Harper, Lou Piniella, Paul Blair


MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.         Who is the most recent player to get 9 RBI in a single game?
Hint:     Just two weeks prior, another major leaguer achieved the same feat.
Hint:     He and Dewey are the only players from their high school to play in the All-Star Game.
Hint:     He and a fellow high school teammate were the highest two draft picks who ever played high school ball together.
Twint:    He shares a nickname with the only Yankee pitcher to retire after throwing a 20W season.
A.         MIKE MOUSTAKAS     
- He (1ASG) and Dwight “Dewey” Evans (3ASG) both attended Chatsworth High School, Chatsworth, CA.
- Moustakas (2nd pick) and Matt Dominguez (12th pick) were both selected in the first round of the 2007 draft.
- He and Mike Mussina, who pitched the only 20W season of his career in 2008, are both affectionately called “Moose”.
FCR -    Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, MO
Incorrect answers:  Eric Davis, Daryl Strawberry, Edwin Encarnacion, Lucas Duda, Doug DeCinces, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Greenwell, Dave Kingman, Lonnie Chisenhall, Mike Trout

THURSDAY
Q.         Who is the only Venezuelan-born American League Championship Series MVP?
Hint:     Though he hit only 24 career regular season home runs, one of those home run balls sold for over $19,000.
Hint:     In 31 postseason games and 135 at bats, it was only his second postseason homer.
Twint:    His first major league plate appearance, he got a single, unfortunately followed, by Rickey Weeks hitting into a game-ending double play.
Twint:    He is a cousin of Kelvim Escobar, Edwin Escobar, Elvis Escobar and Jose Campos and a nephew of Jose Escobar.
A.         ALCIDES ESCOBAR
- Born 16-Dec-1986 La Sabana, Vargas, Venezuela, not far from Caracas
- On 27-Oct-2015 Game 1 of 2015 WS, first pitch: inside-the-park HR off Matt Harvey
The ball fetched $19,200 from an MLB website auction.
- His other homer was his first postseason hit in Game 1 2014 ALDS against Chris Tillman.
- First major league AB, 03-Sep-2008 9th inning single with one out, off Scott Schoeneweis.
FCR -    Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, MO
Incorrect answers:  Magglio Ordonez, Omar Vizquel, Luis Aparicio, Edgar Renteria, Salvador Perez, Cookie Rojas, Orlando Cabrera

FRIDAY
Q.         Who was the first player to have two multiple-home run games in the same World Series?
Hint:     He once hit grand slams on consecutive days.
Twint:    A decade after his major league playing days, he was convicted for selling crack cocaine.
Twint:    He was released early and in November 2008, he apologized to Royals fans and the people of Kansas City in the Kansas City Star.
A.         WILLIE AIKENS
- 1980 WS, HR’s in G 1 & 4
- 13-Jun-1979 and 14-Jun-1979 against TOR.
- His conviction came mere days after the 1994 players' strike began.
FCR -    Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, MO
Incorrect answers:  Lou Gehrig, Duke Snider, Gene Tenace, Chase Utley

END-O’WEEK SPECIAL
Q.         Whose season ending injury helped open a postseason spot for a player who would then, for the first time in MLB history, make his MLB debut in the World Series?
Hint:     The day prior to the injury, he drove in 7 of his teams’ 8 runs.
Hint:     He was the first to set off a display of flashing lights and dolphins when he hit a home run in his team’s new ballpark.
Twint:    In a tragic incident, his older brother – like him a top prospect with the Tigers - was killed in a drive-by shooting in their native Venezuela.
A.         OMAR INFANTE
- Infante suffered an oblique strain.  Infante was a reserve infielder and it opened a spot for Raul Mondesi who made his MLB debut in the 5th inning of Game 3, 2015 WS.
- Injured 18-Sep-2015, he was a triple shy of the cycle with 7RBI against Cleveland the night before.
- He was the first Marlin to hit a home run in Marlin Park, setting off the “sculpture” in centerfield, 15-April-2012
FCR -    Kellen Nielson, Blanding, UT
Incorrect answers:  Terrance Gore, Wilmer Flores, Timo Perez, Babe Ruth, Giancarlo Stanton, Gene Tenace

SATURDAY
Q.         Who is the only catcher born outside the U.S. to take World Series MVP honors?
Hint:     He once made the last out of a World Series by popping out to a fellow countryman who himself had been a World Series MVP.
Hint:     His award represents a 23-year gap for catchers.
Hint:     That same season he led all American League catchers with 25 doubles.
Twint:    He is the only catcher with a plate appearance in each of the past three All-Star Games.
A.         SALVADOR PEREZ
- 2014 WS, Game 7 he popped out to Pablo Sandoval, that year’s series MVP.
- The last catcher was Pat Borders, 1992 WS MVP
- 2015 he hit 25 doubles.  Two NL catchers hit more: Derek Norris 33 SDP, Buster Posey 28 SFG
- 1 PA each 2013-14, and 2 PA 2015 ASG
FCR -    Dan Silverberg, Aventura, FL
Incorrect answers:  Ivan Rodriguez, Gene Tenace, Darrell Porter, Dave Nilsson

WEEKEND BONUS
Q.         Which player has hit the most home runs in the 21st century for the Kansas City Royals?
Hint:     He is the first Royal in 35 years to lead his league in doubles with more than 50.
Hint:     Through 2014, he is the only Cornhusker to win the Golden Spikes Award (GSA).
Twint:    The same year he won the GSA he was picked second in the Amateur Draft.
A.         ALEX GORDON
- 134 HR from 2007-15Billy Butler (2007-14) and Mike Sweeney (2001-07) each with 127.
- Led with 51 doubles 2012; Hal McRae led with 54 2B in 1977.
- 2005 Amateur Draft, Justin Upton selected first by ARI.
FCR -    Jake Hopper, Houston, TX
Incorrect answers:  Hal McRae, Billy Butler, Eric Hosmer, Darin Erstad

SUNDAY
Q.         What former General was the Royals’ pick in the second round of the 1978 draft?
Hint:     A future teammate of his was the very next pick.
Hint:     Unfortunately, the only time he led the league, it was in errors committed.
Hint:     Fortunately, it was a relatively low total.
Hint:     And he only tied for the lead, because four others had the same total, including a Hall of Famer.
Twint:    Born in one O, attended high school in a different O.
Twint:    He played for teams in Canada, Mexico and Japan
Twint:    You know very well what kind of crew they were.
A.         DARRYL MOTLEY
- 2nd round, 1978 Draft; Played for the Grant High School Generals
- Steve Balboni was chosen next by the Yankees
- 7 E by a RF in 1985
- Born in Oklahoma; went to high school in Oregon
FCR -    Larry Hayes, San Francisco, CA
Incorrect answers:  Bo Jackson, U.L. Washington, Willie Wilson


WEEKLY THEME – Kansas City Royals who have homered in World Series Competition

Royal             WS        G        Off                            of…
Aikens           1980      1      Bob Walk                    PHI
                       1980      1      Bob Walk                    PHI
                       1980      4      Larry Christenson        PHI
                       1980      4      Dickie Noles                PHI
Brett              1980      3      Dick Ruthven              PHI
Escobar        2015      1      Matt Harvey                 NYM
Gordon         2015      1      Jeurys Familia              NYM
Infante           2014      2      Jake Peavy                   SFG
Motley           1985      7      John Tudor                  STL
Moustakas    2014      6      Jake Peavy                   SFG
Otis               1980      1      Bob Walk                    PHI
                       1980      3      Dick Ruthven              PHI
                       1980      5      Marty Bystrom             PHI
Perez             2014      1      Madison Bumgarner    SFG
White             1985      3      Joaquin Andujar          STL

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, MO (After Escobar)


Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday   -  Players who had brothers who played on the same team

Tuesday   -  1985 Royals
               -  Royals who played entire career in KC
               -  Starting lineup of last KC Royals World champs
               -  Starting position players for the World-Series-winning ’85 Royals

Wed        -  Starting lineup for Royals first pennant winners
               -  Guys with statues at Kaufman Stadium
               -  All members of KC Royals Circle of Excellence
               -  Royals who played in WS in 1980
               -  Royals who have homered in a postseason game
               -  Homegrown Royals to win the World Series

Thursday  -  KC Royals players who have won post-season MVP Awards
               -  Shortstops for the GO-GO White Sox
               -  Shortstops for the Orioles

Friday      -  Royals' leading post-season batting average leaders

Saturday  -  KC Royals with rings
               -  Weekly theme: members of KC Royals World Series teams, non pitchers by position (1 for each position)




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