Horsehide Trivia: 2019-06-10 Former infielders who are currently broadcasters for MLB games

10-Jun-2019

Q. What AL ROY SS won the SS the same year?

Hint: A slugger with a perfect eye-sight home run stat line bumped him off the Double Unique list.

Hint: He is part owner of a business in his wife’s profession.

- Shortstop Garciaparra, known to adjust and re-adjust his batting gloves several times per at-bat, won the Silver Slugger Award in his rookie season when he also won the American League Rookie of the Year Award, 1997.

- When Nomar Mazara came to bat in the 1^st inning of 10-Apr-2018, Garciaparra was no longer MLB’s only Nomar and was relegated to the 2^nd tab. Mazara has hit exactly 20 HR in each of his previous three seasons in the majors. He’ll have to slow down a bit to repeat a fourth time this year.

- He is married to famous soccer star Mia Hamm and in November 2014, he became a minority investor in MLS franchise Los Angeles F.C.

FCR - Steven Harmon, Sacramento

Incorrect guesses: Alex Rodriguez

TUESDAY

Q. Who was the last American League second baseman to win a home run title?

Hint: He as the first player at any position to win one for his franchise.

Hint: He also led the league that season in slugging, OPS+ and won his only Silver Slugger Award, but couldn’t break the Top Ten in MVP voting.

Hint: He signed a letter of intent to play football at a major D-1 football university when their Hall of Fame football coach “…practically guaranteed him a clean shot at the Heisman Trophy his senior year.”

A. BOBBY GRICH [SABR Bio]

- 22 HR in the labor-strife-shortened season of 1981, tied with Eddie Murray, Tony Armas, Dwight Evans to lead the AL.

- 1^st Angel to be a league HR leader.

- .543 SLG 15 OPS+ and 14^th in MVP voting.

- Guarantee quote is from a newspaper account citing UCLA coach Tommy Prothro.

FCR - Paul Nielsen, Bowie Maryland

Incorrect guesses: Rogers Hornsby, Cal Ripken, Robinson Cano, Napoleon Lajoie, Bret Boone, Aaron Hill, Vern Stephens

WEDNESDAY

Q. Whose record for doubles in a season by a switch-hitter did Jose Ramirez tie in 2017?

Hint: The second year he made the All-Star team, he led the league in stolen bases.

Hint: He attended the north and south version of same-named schools.

Hint: He is second all-time in career stolen bases for his team; third for his franchise.

A. BRIAN ROBERTS

- 56 2b by Roberts in 2009.

- 50 SB in 2007

- Alumnus of University of North Carolina and the University of South Carolina.

- His 278 SB trails Brady Anderson’s 307, but also George Sisler’s 351 done with the Browns before they became the Orioles.

FCR - Mike Anderson, Maumelle, Arkansas

Incorrect guesses: Smokey Burgess, Mickey Mantle, Lance Berkman

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q. Who is the only player in the expansion era to hit two bases-loaded triples in one game?

Hint: He was the only player in the 20^th century who produced but a single home run in a career where he came to the plate at least 3,500 times.

Hint: He was drafted by the Yankees, the Pilots, the Pilots again, the White Sox, the Reds, the Red Sox and the Indians.

A. DUANE KUIPER [SABR Bio]

- 2 3b in 1 G = 27-Jul-1978 in Yankee Stadium, both off Bob Kammeyer.

- HR = 29-Aug-1977 off Steve Stone. It came in his 1,382^nd at-bat and afterwards he joked about having broken his “homerless streak”. He would never hit another.

- Drafted by NYY in the 12^th round of the 1968 MLB June Amateur Draft;

Drafted by SEP in the 9^th round of the 1969 MLB Jan. Draft-Secondary Phase;

Drafted by SEP in the 9^th round of the 1969 MLB June Amateur Draft;

Drafted by CHW in the 1^st round of the 1970 MLB Jan. Draft-Regular Phase;

Drafted by CIN in the 3^rd round of the 1970 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase;

Drafted by BOS in the 4^th round of the 1971 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase; and

Drafted by CLE in the 1^st round of the 1972 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase.

FCR - Alex Poterack, Providence

Incorrect guesses: Denard Span, Rafael Belliard

THURSDAY

Q. Who was the only Yankee shortstop to hit more than 15 home runs in a season between 1962 and 1996? (Min 90 G @ SS)

Hint: Some people believe that his aunt’s brother is the greatest major league manager not in the Hall of Fame.

Hint: He went two-for-four to help his franchise to their first championship ever.

Hint: He was recently inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

A. ROY SMALLEY III

- 1983 = 19 HR for NYY

- Son of Roy Smalley, Jr. whose sister married Gene Mauch (Managed 3,942 MLB G., 8^th all-time. Every manager who managed more than that is in the Hall.)

- Played (again) for MIN in 1965-87 and went 2/4 in their 1^st WS win. He had previously played for MIN 1986-82.

- CBHOF 2013.

FCR - Maxwell Kates, Toronto

Incorrect guesses: Bucky Dent, Tom Tresh, Tony Kubek, Dick Howser

FRIDAY

Q. Who was the first player to come to bat in umpire Ken Kaiser’s first MLB game?

Hint: His accent proudly announces his native region. (Not Kaiser’s)

Hint: He was the first player in the history of his eighty-year-old franchise to hit six singles in a game.

A. JERRY REMY

- Lead-off batter for visitors @ Seattle’s Kingdome on 06-Apr-1977. He became the first player w/BB, SB & R in that new venue. Kaiser worked behind 3b.

- Speaks with a distinctive Boston accent.

- 6 X 1b = 03-Sep-1981. He did it in 10 AB. Garciaparra did it 22 years later in an interleague G in 6 AB.

FCR - Rich Ottone, Sykesville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses: Cesar Tovar

SATURDAY

Q. Who did the Yankees take in the same draft where the Tigers chose Kirk Gibson?

Hint: He was a high school teammate of Dick Ellsworth’s son.

Hint: It has been said that his enthusiasm for baseball makes Sean Casey look like John Olerud.

A. REX HUDLER

- 1^st Round of the 1978 MLB June Amateur Draft

- Hudler and Steve Ellsworth are alumni of Bullard High School in Fresno.

- Casey is so well-known for his friendly, garrulous approach to teammates, opponents, coaches, media that his nickname is “The Mayor”. Olerud is classically taciturn. Hudler’s approach to the game (and to life) is practically manic.

FCR - Christopher LoVergine, White Plains, New York

Incorrect guesses: Don Mattingly

SUNDAY

Q. What New York City area-born second baseman went to high school, college and the majors on the other coast?

Hint: He debuted with a team that itself had only recently debuted.

Hint: The only season he got MVP votes is the same season he was traded mid-year.

Hint: In high school, he was a teammate of a Baltimore Ravens Super-Bowl-winning coach.

A. JULIO CRUZ [SABR Bio]

- Born 02-Dec-1954 in Brooklyn, NY; went to Redlands High School in Redlands, California; went to the majors w/SEA.

- His 1^st G was only 89 days after SEA ‘s 1^st G.

- Traded 15-Jun-1983 by SEA to CHC for Tony Bernazard.

- Played basketball with Brian Billick.