MONDAY
Q. What overall first-round draft pick starred for both the Dodgers and Padres?
Hint: He won Gold Glove Awards at first base for both teams.
Hint: He led the majors in hits, bases-on-balls and RBI, but in three separate seasons.
Hint: Five times did he ground into double plays more than 20 times in a season and has over 200 such for his career.
Hint: He was born in the U.S., but 4 times has represented the country of his ancestors in the World Baseball Classic.
- GG for SPD in 2008, 2009 & 2011; for LAD in 1014
- 213 H in 2011; 119 BB in 2009 & 116 RBI in 2014
- 201 GIDP so far in career
- Played for Mexico in WBC in 2006, 2009, 2013 and the 2017.
FCR - Derek Granger, Chandler, Arizona
Incorrect answers: Steve Garvey, Mike Piazza, Logan Forsythe
TUESDAY
Q. Who was the first teenager to hit a home run in a League Championship Series game?
Hint: He was the first native of Curaçao to be selected to an All-Star team.
Hint: No other member of his 140-year-old franchise ever hit more home runs in a season.
- 51 HR in 2005 for the Braves (Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron are next highest, both with 47 in 1953 & 1971 respectively.)
FCR - Fred Worth, Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Incorrect answers: Xavier Bogaerts
WEDNESDAY
Q. Who holds the American League record for most total bases in one game?
Hint: He shares a last name with a Hall of Famer and was once projected to be a can’t-miss Hall of Famer himself.
Hint: He set a record a decade ago that might never be broken.
- On 8-May-2012 Hamilton hit four home runs and racked up 18 bases in one game in Baltimore against the Orioles. Each HR was with 1 man on.
- Josh’s record of 28 home runs in the opening round of the 2008 Home Run Derby seems out of reach. The next highest is Bobby Abreu’s 24 in 2005.
FCR - Jim Turner, Tallahassee
Incorrect answers: Fred Lynn, Shawn Green, Barry Bonds, Jim Bottomley, A-Rod
MIDWEEK BONUS
Q. What teammate of Derek Jeter’s stole and sold Jeter’s playing glove?
Hint: The fact that he returned it quickly did not stop the Yankees from giving him his unconditional release.
Hint: He played 7 more seasons in the majors and even faced the Yankees in the World Series.
Hint: He represented his native country in the World Baseball Classic twice.
- He sold the glove to a memorabilia dealer for $2,500.
- Played for Panama in the WBC in 2006 & 2009.
FCR - Adam Fund, Toronto
Incorrect answers: Gerald Williams, Ben Rivera, Bombo Rivera, Jim Rivera
THURSDAY
Q. Who did Houston call up to replace the recently departed Hunter Pence?
Hint: He was the first alum in the majors who got to go to “Doesn’t go” University.
Hint: His name might indicate his college degree. (It doesn’t.)
Hint: He homered in each of his first two postseason games, the 1st DET to do that.
Hint: He was raised with 5 sisters.
- Had attended Nova Southeastern University. In Spanish, “no va” means it doesn’t go. (Yes. Yes. I know it means “new” in Latin.)
- J.D. = Juris Doctor, the degree granted by most U.S. law schools
- Born and raised in Florida of Cuban parents
FCR - Bill Carle, Lee’s, Summit, Missouri
Incorrect answers: George Springer
IN MEMORIAM
Q. What Oklahoma native is the only person to play on a MLB World-Series-winning team and an NBA title-winning team?
Hint: He was the first player to earn Minor League Player of the Year honors twice.
Hint: He attended high school in the Tri-Cities and college very close by.
Hint: He was also the winning pitcher in the 1955 All-Star Game for his hometown Milwaukee Braves.
Hint: In addition to playing for the Braves, he was proud of his Amerind heritage.
Hint: He was the losing pitcher of record in the ’54 game.
Hint: After striking out Ted Williams and Yogi Berra in yet a 3rd All-Star game, he was voted the BBWAA Comeback Player of the Year.
Hint: He and his wife Katie established and operated an industrial supplies company for 35 years after his playing days.
- With MLN in 1957 and with the Boston Celtics for their NBA championships in 1959, 1960 & 1961. When he played with the Celtics in their championship years, only Bill Russell was taller. Click here to see him trying to defend Wilt Chamberlain.
- “Sporting News” Minor League POY in 1951 when he was MVP of the Eastern League and then again in 1953 when he was also the American Association’s MVP.
- Attended Columbia High School (now Richland HS) in Richland, Washington and then Washington State University in Pullman.
- He was part Cherokee Indian.
- 1959 ASG; Named CPOY by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. After the season he signed two contracts, one with the Phillies and another with the Celtics.
- They ran the Foxboro Paper Company.
FCR - Mary Shea, Milwaukee
Incorrect answers: Clint Hurdle, Warren Spahn
FRIDAY
Q. What Georgian ginger grew up halfway between Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, but attended neither?
Hint: Last season was the first in the last five that he has not played in the postseason.
Hint: He was the American League Player of Week 3 separate times in three different seasons, the last of these likely influencing his selection on the All-Star team (where Craig Kimbrell struck him out in his only plate appearance).
Hint: He hit his first major league home run in Japan.
Hint: He is one of 48 players to homer against every single team currently in MLB.
- From Loganville, about 45 minutes from both Tech and UGA. Instead, he was drafted out of high school.
- Made the postseason with the A’s 2012-14 and with STL in 2015.
FCR - Benjamin Chase, Huron, South Dakota
Incorrect answers: Josh Reddick, Brian McCann
SATURDAY
Q. Who has played in the Little League World Series (twice, winning it all once), the world Baseball Classic and in the MLB postseason?
Hint: When the MLB Channel ranked all the major league prospects, he came in at #1.
Hint: Now used almost exclusively as a utility substitute, he hasn’t yet played 100 games in any of his 4 seasons in the majors.
Hint: His 1 double play turned as a left fielder this season puts him tied for the lead in the American League.
- 2004 & 2005 LLWS, WBC for The Netherlands in 2013 & 2017 and for the Rangers in the 2012 AL Wild Card game.
- Participated in a DP on Opening Day 03-Apr-2017. Tied with 10 other AL left fielders with one each.
FCR - David Krassin, Los Angeles
Incorrect answers: Todd Frazier, Leury Garcia, Eddie Rosario
WEEKEND BONUS
Q. Whose first home runs in the majors was a grand slam off future teammate Mike Hampton?
Hint: He suffered a concussion a week prior to the only All-Star game he was ever selected to.
Hint: In his best season, he had a streak of hits in nine consecutive at-bats, one short of the National League record.
Hint: His 145 doubles between 2003 and 2006 were the most of any NL second baseman.
Hint: His older brother, a two-time All-Star, had a career in the majors that started earlier and lasted longer.
FCR - Benjamin Chase, Huron, South Dakota
Incorrect answers: Bret Boone, Aaron Boone, Danny Valencia, Ronnie Belliard, Freddy Sanchez
SUNDAY
Q. Whose nicknames were “3TO” and “…The Muscle”?
Hint: He was the last 20th Century player to hit at least 15 home runs in a season during which he had 200 or fewer at-bats.
Hint: Though he only stole 16 bases in his 14-year career, after his playing days, he was convicted of trespassing.
Hint: On 21-Aug-2010, he christened the 4th deck of Yankee Stadium with an impressive home run.
- 3TO stands for three true outcomes, for his propensity to either draw a walk, strike out, or hit a home run. “Russell The Muscle” is obvious once one has seen his physique.
- In 2000, his had 193 AB and 16 HR.
- On 30-Oct-2015, Branyan was arrested for breaking into the home of his ex-wife, Jill, in Tennessee while she was asleep. The warrant also accuses him of tampering with the home’s thermostat, making it extremely cold.
- Yankee Stadium HR
FCR - Barry Nelson, Guilderland, New York
Incorrect answers: Mike Simms
Player MVP Yr Team
Gonzalez 2001 Uh-Oh! (Should not be on that list !)
Jones 1995 Macon Braves
Moss 2004 Augusta GreenJackets
Profar 2011 Hickory Crawdads
Rivera 1994 Greensboro Bats
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