Sunday, July 7, 2019

2019-07-01 Pitching leaders for every qualifying country, based on years of MLB service


Q.        What Hall of Fame hurler led his league in bases-on-balls surrendered, a record eight times?
Hint:     Three of the first five batters he faced in his career are now Hall of Famers.
Hint:     He led the American League in strikeouts nine times, another of his records.
A.         NOLAN RYAN  [SABR Bio]
-  He is also the leader in career BB.
-  Replaced Dick Selma in the 6th on 11-Sep-1966 and faced Pat Jarvis, Felipe Alou & Eddie Mathews.  In the 7th, his first 2 opponents were Hank Aaron & Joe Torre.
-  Led AL in K in 1972, 73, 74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 89 & 90.
FCR -  David Paulson, Columbia, Maryland
Incorrect guesses:  Bob Feller, Bert Blyleven, Randy Johnson

MONDAY BONUS
Q.        Which Hall of Famer was the last National League pitcher to post six consecutive twenty-win seasons in the same six years he had twenty complete games?
Hint:     He surrendered home runs to all three Alou brothers.
Hint:     Baseball is not the only sport that he played professionally.
A.         FERGIE JENKINS  [SABR Bio]
-  20+ W & CG 1967-72.
-  HRs to the Alous...to Felipe:  25-Apr-1968; to Matty:  05-Sep-1971; to Jesus:  23‑Jul‑1967, 01-May-1973.
-  Played for the Harlem Globetrotters in the off-seasons 1967-69.
FCR -  Mark Hayne, Dumfries, Virginia
Incorrect guesses:  Bob Gibson Warren Spahn, Robin Roberts, Steve Carlton, Juan Marichal, Greg Maddux

TUESDAY
Q.        Who was the first native of continental Europe named to an All-Star team?
Hint:     He was voted into the Hall after 13 years on the “almost” list.
Hint:     His yakker seriously yakked.
A.         BERT BLYLEVEN  [SABR Bio]
-  B. 06-Apr-1951 in Zeist, Netherlands.  AS first time in 1973.
-  His curveball was legendary.
FCR -  Benjamin Chase, Huron, South Dakota
Incorrect guesses: 

TUESDAY BONUS
Q.        What pitcher converted multiple, regular-season, save opportunities on the same day, but in different stadiums?
Hint:     His cousin played nine seasons in the majors.
Hint:     He was abandoned by his teammates at a critical time.
A.         MARIANO RIVERA
-  In early July of 2000, NYM & NYY played a home-and-home double header.  Rivera saved the wins for NYY in both G:  08-Jul-2000(1) & 08-Jul-2000(2).  That fall, those same teams met in the WS.
-  Cousin Ruben Rivera toiled in the outfield for 5 teams 1995-2003.
-  In the 2013 ASG in the Mets’ Citi Field, Rivera took the mound replacing Steve Delabar to begin the bottom of the 8th inning.  All 8 of his defensive AS teammates remained in the dugout for several minutes so that he alone could receive the roaring adulation of the 45,186 fans in attendance.
FCR -  Victor Piacentile, Yorktown Heights, New York
Incorrect guesses: 

WEDNESDAY
Q.        Which one-time Mariner threw the second of the only two perfect games ever thrown against the Dodgers franchise during the regular season?
Hint:     It was the 20th century’s last perfect game thrown by a National Leaguer.
Hint:     CC Sabathia (who is scheduled to pitch on Saturday, July 6) is only two behind him on the all-time home runs surrendered list.
A.         DENNIS MARTINEZ  [SABR Bio]
-  Perfecto 28-Jul-1991; first was by Tom Browning 16-Sep-1988
-  Martinez gave up 372 HR; Sabathia is holding steady at 370.
FCR -  Andy Milner, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Incorrect guesses:  Jamie Moyer, Phillip Humber, Randy Johnson

MIDWEEK BONUS
Q.        Which modern day port-sider had over thirty career plate appearances combined facing eight different Hall of Famers, never striking out against any of them?
Hint:     He led the majors in (throwing) strikeouts in his rookie season.
Hint:     He was the first player to be awarded $1M through salary arbitration.
A.         FERNANDO VALENZUELA
-  180 K in strike-shortened 1981
-  Record-breaking arbitration year was 1983, $ awarded by LAD
FCR -  Dennis Bartel, La Verne, California
Incorrect guesses:  Nolan Ryan, Catfish Hunter, Mark Langston

THURSDAY
Q.        After Nolan Ryan in 1974, who was the next Angels’ pitcher to earn twenty wins in a season?
Hint:     He threw the 20th century’s last one-hitter.
Hint:     He once had ten wins for teams in each league in the same season.
Hint:     He has played for eleven major league teams and has hit a home run for all but ten of them.
A.         BARTOLO COLON
-  21-8 for LAA in 2005.
-  1 H = 18-Sep-2000
-  Exactly 10 W ea. for CLE & MON in 2002
-  HR 07-May-2016 for NYM
FCR -  David Krassin, Los Angeles
Incorrect guesses:  Frank Tanana, Andy Messersmith, Mark Clear, Chuck Finley 

THURSDAY BONUS
Q.        What one-time Detroit Tiger threw a no-hitter in Denver?
Hint:     He was the author of the first no-hitter ever thrown at OPACY.
Hint:     This one-time Milwaukee Brewer is the only pitcher to throw a no-hitter before and after he played for the New York Mets.
Hint:     He led the majors in wild pitches as a rookie.
A.         HIDEO NOMO  [SABR Bio]
-  Only no-hitter ever thrown at the major league level in Denver 17-Sep-1996.  Played for DET in 2000.
-  Played for MIL in 1999.  Played for NYM in 1998.
-  Had 19 WP for LAD in 1995 where he was also the 1995 NL ROY.
FCR -  J.P. Wanamaker, Binghamton, New York
Incorrect guesses: 

FRIDAY
Q.        Whose nickname was a Greek god?
Hint:     That he was ambidextrous is unambiguous.
Hint:     He has more career pitching wins than Hall of Famers Red Ruffing, Burleigh Grimes, Mike Mussina, Jim Palmer, Ted Lyons, Red Faber, Carl Hubbell or Bob Gibson, but he is not yet in the Hall.
A.         TONY MULLANE  [SABR Bio]
-  “Apollo of the Box”.  He was also called “The Count”.  He did NOT lack self-confidence.
-  On 18-Jul-1882, Mullane twirled pitches from both sides
-  Many feel he’s been overlooked for Hall enshrinement.
FCR -  Sarah Grynpas, Toronto
Incorrect guesses:  Adonis Terry, Jim Kaat, Milt Pappas

FRIDAY BONUS
Q.        Who surrendered more hits that any pitcher in the history of the Federal League?
Hint:     He got the only MVP votes of his 23-year career in his 21st season.
Hint:     He led his league in games finished in seasons twenty years apart.
A.         JACK QUINN  [SABR Bio]
-  Pitching for the Baltimore Terrapins 1914-15, he gave up 624 hit to opposing batters.
-  Received 6.0 voting points to tie w/Jumbo Elliott for 17th in the 1931 NL MVP race, the season before the writers began awarding he MVP as we know it today.
-  Had 19 GF for NYY in 1911 to lead the AL as did his 29 in 1931.  His 32 in 1932 led MLB.
FCR -  Damian Begley, New York City
Incorrect guesses:  Phil Niekro, Mordecai Brown

TGIF BONUS
Q.        Who was the first Caribbean-born player to receive Hall of Fame votes?
Hint:     The year he won the most games of any pitcher in the majors was the season immediately after he had lost more games than any other pitcher in the majors.
Hint:     He once surrendered home runs to Hall of Fame brothers in the same inning.
A.         DOLF LUQUE  [SABR Bio]
-  Got 1 HOF vote in 1937
-  Won 27 in ’23 after losing 23 in ’22.
-  Lloyd Waner & Paul Waner homered of Luque top of the 5th 04-Sep-1927.
FCR -  Bill Deane, Cooperstown
Incorrect guesses:  Juan Marichal, Luis Tiant, Fergie Jenkins

SATURDAY
Q.        Who surrendered the home run that broke the record for most home runs in a season the last time it was broken?
Hint:     He switched agents from Boras to Borris.
Hint:     The season he had his best total of pitching wins, he compiled the National League’s best mark of fewest hits per nine innings.
Hint:     He passed Hideo Nomo for most wins in an increasingly large category.
A.         CHAN HO PARK  [SABR Bio]
-  HR #71 to Barry Bonds, bottom of the 1st on 05-Oct-2001, to break the record set by Mark McGwire in 1998.  He surrendered #72 to Bonds 2 innings later.  The 73rd broke the record of 72, and 72nd broke 71, but Park gets used here too because the 71st broke McGwire's record.  Sorry, Dennis Springer, you don’t fit the theme.
-  Scott Boras was his agent.  It is now Jeff Borris.
-  In 2000 w/LAD, he racked up 18 W to lead the team and had 6.9 H/9 to lead the NL.
-  His victory win total is 124, one more than Nomo’s for most by an Asian-born pitcher.
FCR -  Kevin Mix, Chicago
Incorrect guesses:  Shayne Bennett, Al Downing, Camilo Pascual, Kenta Maeda

SATURDAY BONUS
Q.        Who holds the Oakland A’s record for consecutive saves?
Hint:     He is known to shout at himself while on the mound and use “colourful language” to fire himself up.
Hint:     Some have interpreted his dour demeanor on the mound as his response to the universe having saddled him with a most unfortunate last name for anyone in his particular profession.
Hint:     He is the all-time leader in saves and career strikeouts for a player born below the equator.
A.         GRANT BALFOUR
-  44 straight saves
-  84 sv & 571 K
-  He swears in Australian (pronounced “strine”).
-  Born in Glenwood, New South Wales, Australia
FCR -  Lewis Rubman, Oakland
Incorrect guesses:  Mike Blowers, Sean Doolittle, Al Hrabosky, Dennis Eckersley 

WEEKEND BONUS
Q.        Which former Cubs pitcher played for a record fourteen major league teams without ever pitching in the Federal League?
Hint:     His birthplace is less than 10 minutes from that of Albert Einstein.
Hint:     He was the youngest player in the National League in his first two seasons.
Hint:     He was drafted as an outfielder, based much on a throw to home plate that scouts saw him make.
A.         EDWIN JACKSON
-  Now w/TOR, he has labored for LAD, TBD/TBR, DET, ARI, CHW, STL, WSN X2, CHC, ATL, MIA, SDP, BAL, & OAK.  Has seen playoff action w/3 of them and WS w/TBR in 2008 & STL in 2011
-  The cities in Germany are Neu-Ulm for Jackson and Ulm for Einstein
-  The youngest player in the NL in 2003 and 2004 at ages 19 & 20.
-  Jackson's high school coach Brian McCall remembers the throw: “It was close to the wall—close to 400 feet!” he said.  “Edwin threw a dart to home plate.  There was no bounce, no nothing.  It was a straight line drive probably at 95 miles per hour.  It was incredible.”  Shortly after the game, the Jacksons received a phone call from a major league scout saying they wanted to draft Jackson.
FCR -  Mike Sparks, Sarasota
Incorrect guesses:  Mike Morgan, Terry Mulholland,

SUNDAY
Q.        Who is the most recent player to be ejected in a World Series game?
Hint:     He pitched a game seven League Championship Series shutout.
Hint:     He got into the playoffs twice with one avian team but got a ring with another.
A.         DANNY COX
-  Ejection 25-10-1987, G 6 of WS.
-  ShO G 7 of the 1987 NLCS for STL vs. SFG.
-  Postseason w/STL in 1985 & 87; WS w/TOR in 1993.
FCR -  Evan Thompson, Mesa
Incorrect guesses:  Joaquin Andujar, John Tudor, Roy Halladay, Chris Carpenter, Jimmy Key

THE WEEK’S FINALE
Q.        What starter turned reliever was nicknamed “The Ebony Whip“?
Hint:     He couldn’t get past the six-win hurdle his first four years in the majors so was traded and didn’t get fewer than ten wins in each of the next four seasons.
Hint:     At twenty years old, he won his first World Series ring his first season in the Bigs.
A.         JUAN PIZARRO  [SABR Bio]
-  Nickname was originally in Spanish: “El Látigo de Ébano” because of his outstanding play in the Puerto Rican Winter League.  When the PCWL inducted its first class Hall of Fame class in 1991, Pizarro was one of the 10 in that original group.
-  Won 5, 6, 6 & 6 then won 14, 12, 16 & 19.
-  Champ w/1957 MLN.
FCR -  S.R. Wright, Naperville, Illinois
Incorrect guesses:  Ewell Blackwell



WEEKLY THEME – Pitching leaders for every qualifying country, based on years of MLB service.  Countries are not included if they had no pitcher with at least ten seasons played.  (Please!—No lectures on whether Puerto Rico is a country.  Even THEY do not now.)

Balfour................ Australia.............. 12
Blyleven.............. Netherlands........ 22
Colon.................. D. R..................... 21
Cox..................... UK....................... 11
Jackson.............. Germany............. 17
Jenkins............... Canada............... 19
Luque.................. Cuba................... 20
Martinez.............. Nicaragua........... 23
Mullane............... Ireland................. 13
Nomo.................. Japan.................. 12
Park.................... Korea.................. 17
Pizarro................ Puerto Rico......... 17
Quinn............... Slovakia*........... 23
Rivera................. Panama.............. 19
Ryan................... USA..................... 27
Valenzuela.......... Mexico................ 17
*Was called Austria-Hungary.at the time of his birth.

First Correct Respondent to Identify ThemeTom Lee, Nashville (after Park [and after many tries])

Incorrect theme guesses:

Monday  -  Members of 1969 Mets
               -  Questions from the SABR 49 trivia contest


Tuesday -  Hall of Fame pitchers who pitched for the Texas Rangers
               -  Pitchers who led their leagues in hrs allowed, yearly, or career.
               -  HOFers who played for Rangers
               -  Hall of Fame Texas Rangers pitchers of the 70s
               -  Career strikeout leaders by country        
               -  Pitchers with over 3000 career K’s and over 500 in each league
               -  Pitchers who have most career strikeouts from their country of birth
               -  Pitchers who pitched on opening day for the Rangers
               -  Pitchers with most base on balls from their country of origin

Wed.       -  Pitchers from countries represented in the 2018 U-18 World Baseball Cup with the most career strikeouts from their birthplace nation.
               -  Pitchers with most career strikeouts from various countries.
               -  The first pitcher from each country to something. Maybe involving strikeouts
               -  Season leaders pitching strikeouts
               -  The leading strikeout pitchers from every country to birth a major league pitcher
               -  The most no-hitters by pitchers born in various countries
               -  The most career bases on balls, or lowest hits/9 innings for pitchers from various countries

Thurs      -  Nine highest strikeout totals by pitchers from different nationalities
               -  Players who pitched into their 40s and all had 200+ wins

Friday     -  The pitchers with the most career strikeouts born in each nation that has birthed a major league pitcher.

Sat          -  Most career wild pitches by pitchers from various countries.

Saturday -  Theme must be winningest pitchers from various countries.
               











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