Wednesday, May 17, 2017

2017-05-08 Pitchers with multiple Silver Slugger Awards

08-May-2017

MONDAY
Q.        Whose now-famous pitching motion included an ostensible celestial supplication on every pitch thrown?
Hint:     He accomplished an unprecedented awards combination that hasn’t yet been replicated.
Hint:     He became the first player to be awarded $1,000,000 through salary arbitration.
A.         FERNANDO VALENZUELA
-  Was awarded the 1981 National League Cy Young Award and 1981 National League Rookie of the Year Award.  Many other have won both awards.  No one else has won them for play in the same season.
-  $1 M arbitration in NYT
FCR -     Steven Coleman, Belleville, Illinois
Incorrect answers:  Luis Tiant, Andy Messersmith, Blue Moon Odom, Mark Fidrych, Hideo Nomo, Juan Marichal

TUESDAY
Q.        Who owns the lowest ERA of any World Series pitcher with at least 20 innings pitched?
Hint:     After 2,500+ days as a Double Unique, a 7-inning Dodger has kicked him off the list.
Hint:     He is regularly rumored to be a participant in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby.
Hint:     He once killed a snake and saved the rabbit inside.
A.         MADISON BUMGARNER
-  WS ERA 0.25, spoiled by a solo HR by Salvador Perez in G 1 in 2014
Madison Younginer debuted in 2016.
-  SFG management don’t want to see their star pitcher hurt by hitting a bunch of home runs, so they limit his batting exploits to his own games.  His 16 career HR is the most of any active pitcher.
-  As detailed in his 2014 Sports Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year” write-up, "One day during spring training this year in Scottsdale, Bumgarner and his wife were roping cattle when Madison was startled by a large snake he figured was a rattler.  He quickly grabbed an ax and hacked it to pieces.  When Ali, an expert field dresser, examined what was left of the snake, she found two baby jackrabbits inside pieces of it and extracted them.  A short while later the Bumgarners noticed that one of the rabbits had moved slightly.  It was alive."
FCR -  Scott Matteson, Shawnee, Kansas
Incorrect answers:  Orel Hershiser, Babe Ruth

WEDNESDAY
Q.        What combustible Venezuelan once led the National League in pitching victories for a team that ended the season thirty (30!) games under .500?
Hint:     In each of five of those victories he hit a home run.
Hint:     No other Venezuelan pitcher has ever led the NL in pitching victories.
A.         CARLOS ZAMBRANO
-  16-7 for the 66-96 CHC in 2006
-  He had 6 HR for the year
-  Venezuelans Johan Santana and Felix Hernandez have been league wins leaders in the AL.
FCR -  Joshua Flowerman, Flanders, New Jersey
Incorrect answers:  Johan Santana, Juan Marichal

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.        Who is the only pitcher to throw two no hitters for the St. Louis Cardinals?
Hint:     He also pitched two no-hitters in the minors.
Hint:     He passed away less than a week after throwing out the first pitch at Game 7 of the World Series.
Hint:     The Cardinals selected 25 other players before they picked him the year he was drafted.  Only one of those ever made the majors.
A.         BOB FORSCH
-  No-no’s 16-Apr-1978 & 26-Sep-1983
FCR -  Morris Buenemann, Florissant, Missouri
Incorrect answers:  Joaquin Andujar, Ken Forsch, Bob Gibson

THURSDAY
Q.        What Hall of Fame pitcher surrendered a record 7 consecutive hits in his 2nd All-Star Game start?
Hint:     After he gave up two hits in the next inning, he was replaced by a man who would become his teammate the following season.
Hint:     He once became so violently ill on a team flight that he broke a rib vomiting.
Hint:     His number was retired before a rain-delayed game in the presence of attendees from SABR’s 40th annual national convention.
A.         TOM GLAVINE
-  7 straight hits, 1st inning of the 1992 All-Star Game
-  Replaced in the 2nd inning by Greg Maddux.
- Redefining the phrase "star hurler," he broke a rib in 1992 after vomiting up airplane food.
-  ATL retired number 47 06-Aug-2010.
FCR -  Daniel Blumenthal, Falls Church, Virginia
Incorrect answers:  Roger Clemens, Atlee Hammaker, Ferguson Jenkins, John Smoltz

FRIDAY
Q.        What future Diamondback finished second to D-Back Randy Johnson the first time Johnson won the National League Cy Young Award?
Hint:     He was NLCS MVP for the Mets during the only season he pitched there.
Hint:     He missed two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Hint:     He now serves as a major league pitching coach for one of his former teammates.
A.         MIKE HAMPTON
-  2nd to Johnson in 1999 NL CYA
-  Pitched 10 games for 2010 ARI
2000 NLCS MVP
-  Missed 2006-07 seasons
-  P CO for SEA, 2016-
FCR -  Josh Flowerman, Flowers, NJ
Incorrect answers:  Mike Butcher, Cole Hamels, Jose Mesa, Brandon Webb

SATURDAY
Q.        Which former DH is the only eight-time winner of the American Century Championship?
Hint:     He was the Dodgers’ first-round pick, straight out of high school, in 1971.
Hint:     He was traded to the Pirates for Jerry Reuss in 1979.
Hint:     He fought an opposing coach (one of his former teammates) during a game in 1986.
A.         RICK RHODEN
-  Won American Century Celebrity Golf Championship 1991, 93, 95, 97, 99, 2003, 08-09
-  DH 11-Jun-1988
-  Traded for Reuss 07-Apr-1979
-  Fought Bill Robinson 06-Jun-1986 after an argument about ball scuffing
FCR -  Skip Carpenter (via Facebook)
Incorrect answers:  Ken Brett, Mike Easler, Lee Lacy, Rick Reuschel

SUNDAY
Q.        Which right fielder led the 1983 Florida Instructional League in home runs, with 9?
Hint:     He won the Fred Hutchinson Award the following season.
Hint:     He played three games for the Angels and eight games for the Phillies in his final major league season.
Hint:     He is currently a college coach.
A.         DON ROBINSON
-  1-0 record (3 starts) for 1992 CAL, 1-4 (8 starts) for 1992 PHI
-  State College of Florida (Bradenton) Manatees pitching coach
FCR -  Thomas Van Hook, Lindsay, TX
Incorrect answers:  Jim Eisenreich


WEEKLY THEME – NL pitchers who have won multiple Silver Slugger awards

Bumgarner   (2)     2014 & 2015
Forsch          (2)     1980 & 1987
Glavine         (4)     1991, 1995, 1996 & 1998
Hampton      (5)     1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2003
Rhoden        (3)     1984, 1985 & 1986
Robinson      (3)     1982, 1989& 1990
Valenzuela   (2)     1981 & 1983
Zambrano    (3)     2006, 2008 & 2009

FCR to Identify ThemeDavid Washburn, Marietta, GA (after Forsch)

Incorrect theme guesses:

Tues       -  LH Pitchers with either a) 3 HR in a season or b) 10 or more career HR
Wed        -  Silver Slugger pitchers who have thrown a no-hitter
               -  Pitchers since 1980 who have at least 10 home runs
               -  Silver Slugger pitchers with at least 3 home runs in a season
Thurs      -  Pitchers who lost potential clinching postseason games
Sunday   -  Pitchers who have hit the most home runs since 1990


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