Sunday, June 12, 2022

2022-06-06 Middle infielders voted the All-Star Game MVP

MONDAY  —06-Jun

Q.  Who played more games in any major league season than anyone else?

Hint: #1  He didn’t get the chance to play in the postseason that year.

Hint: #2  In one home game toward the end of that season, he stole four bases in one game.

A.  MAURY WILLS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Wills played in 165 regular season games that year.

-  #1  Wills’s Dodgers lost a 3-G playoff at the end of the year.

-  #2  And was thrown out in a 5th attempt to boot.  07-Sep-1962.

FCR -  Thomas Howell, Reno

Incorrect guesses:  Cal Ripken, Jackie Robinson, Cesar Tovar, Rod Carew, Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, Rickey Henderson, Omar Moreno

 

TUESDAY  —07-Jun

Q.  Who was the first player to win the Baseball Digest “Player of the Year Award” twice?

Hint: #1  He had a hit in seven consecutive All-Star games.

Hint: #2  Among National Leaguers, only Barry Bonds has more career bases on balls.

A.  JOE MORGAN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  POY = 1975, 76

-  #1  ASG H = 1970-77 (Did not play in 1971)

-  #2  NL BB = 1,865

FCR -  Rob Visconti, Milford, Michigan

Incorrect guesses:  Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Rickey Henderson, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Willie McCovey, Mike Schmidt

 

TOOZDAY  —07-Jun

Q.  Who hit the first ever major league home run in the month of November?

Hint: #1  He was the first shortstop to have two-hundred-hit seasons in consecutive years.

Hint: #2  In his first year in the majors, he listened to Mariah Carey CDs as part of his pre-game routine. During his second year, he was dating Mariah.

A.  DEREK JETER  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Nicknamed “Mr. November” for his shot with 2 out in the bottom of the 10th of G 4 of the 2001 WS.  The G began at 8:23 P.M. on 31-Oct-2001, but the clock struck midnight while Jeter was in the batter’s box.

-  #1  In 2006 & 2007 he had 216 & 204 H respectively.

-  #2  Jeter has also been linked to Scarlett Johansson, former Miss Universe Lara Dutta, Jordana Brewster, Vanessa Minnillo, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel and Minka Kelly.

FCR -  Evan Wologodzew, New Milford, Connecticut

Incorrect guesses:  Alex Rodriguez, Cal Ripken, Tino Martinez, Steve Finley

 

WEDNESDAY  —08-Jun

Q.  Which BLTR Padre once signed a very large, very long contract with a new team, only to have a knowledgeable baseball person opine, “He got him a big raise, but he got him an extra 30-day vacation—and it’s called October.”?

Hint: #1  It is very likely that he will soon become the all-time leader for doubles hit by a player with 90% of his games played at that position, IF he gets picked up.  He may be too expen$ive.

Hint: #2  His single broke up a no-hit bid in the ninth inning by a six-foot-seven-inch fellow countryman.

A.  ROBINSON CANO  [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Pete Rose said that. Cano left the Yankees for a 10-year, $240 Million contract.  Cano bats left & throws right and now plays for SDP.

-  #1  His 571 career doubles trails only Charlie Gehringer’s 574.

-  #2  On 28-Sep-2006 Cano’s single spoiled the no-hit bid by fellow Dominican Daniel Cabrera with 1 out in the 9th inning.  The next batter hit into a double play to end the game.

FCR -  Terry Sloope, Cartersville, Georgia

Incorrect guesses:  Manny Machado, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez

 

MIDWEEK BONUS  —08-Jun

Q.  Whose streak of what would have been eleven consecutive years winning a Gold Glove at his position was broken after the sixth season by a player who developed throwing problem?

Hint: #1  He was a key player in an historic major league trade.

Hint: #2  He is a member of an elite “club” comprised only of Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Ichiro Suzuki and himself.

A.  ROBERTO ALOMAR  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Alomar won GG 1991-96 & 1998-2000, ten in all.  In 1998, however the GG for 2nd basemen went a certain Yankee, Chuck Knoblauch, when his mental blauch when throwing was soon to be in evidence.  In fairness, he could throw, just not like a major leaguer.

-  #1  In 1991

-  #2  These 4 have GGs in double figures & lifetime BAs over .300.  Alomar is the only infielder.

FCR -  Tom Cleary, Macungie, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses:  Frank Robinson, Andruw Jones, Willie Randolph, Don Mattingly, Al Kaline, Keith Hernandez

 

THURSDAY  —09-Jun

Q.  Excepting Alex Rodriguez, who was the last American League player to bat in at least one hundred and fifty teammates in one season?

Hint: #1  The year he won his Most Valuable Player Award, this one-time Kansas City Royal, didn’t lead his league in any offensive category.  In fact was not even in the MLB’s Top Ten in two of the three Triple Crown categories.

Hint: #2  He once completed a cycle with a grand slam.

A.  MIGUEL TEJADA  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Had 150 ERBI in 2004, setting a new high in the history of his team, BAL.  (A-Rod had 156 RBI in 2007.)  He played for KCR for 53 G in 2013 to end his career in the majors.  [NOTE:  The question didn’t say his teammates and he is certainly one of the teammates on that team.  Why write an awkward sentence like “… team members” when there’s not one of my 4,700 readers who didn’t understand what the question was asking on the first reading?]

-  #1  AL MVP in 2002 for OAK.  Finished 3rd in the AL (& MLB) in RBI w/131.

-  #2  On 29-Sep-2001 Tejada came to bat needing only a HR to complete a cycle.  He hit Jose Paniagua’s 1st pitch over the LF fence in Seattle’s Safeco Field.  All 3 previous H were off SEA starter Jamie Moyer.

FCR -  Joe Cohen, Holden, Massachusetts

Incorrect guesses:  Miguel Cabrera, Juan Gonzalez, Jim Thome, Eric Hosmer, Manny Ramirez, Hack Wilson

 

FRIDAY  —10-Jun

Q.  Which former Phillie did Vladimir Guerrero pass to become the all-time Dominican hits leader?

Hint: #1  He has managed professional baseball in Japan, Mexico, the U.S. and Venezuela.

Hint: #2  He became a U.S. citizen shortly after winning his only batting title in the majors.

A.  JULIO FRANCO  [Wiki Bio]

-  Ans.  Franco ended w/2,513 H in 2007; Vlad Sr. passed him ij 2011 and ended w/2,590.  Robinson Cano, Adrian Beltre & Albert Pujols  have left them both behind.

-  #1     - In 2009 he managed the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Mets.

            - In 2010 he managed the Caribes de Anzoategui in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.

            - He was the manager of the Pericos de Puebla for the 2012 Mexican League.

            - He was the player/manager of the Ishikawa Million Stars of Japan's Independent Baseball Challenge League.

-  #2  Led MLB in 1991 w/.334.

FCR -  Mark DeLodovico, Rockville, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Juan Samuel, Manny Ramirez, Felipe Alou, Bobby Abreu, Ruben Amaro, Manny Trillo

 

SATURDAY  —10-Jun

Q.  Who replaced Willie Stargell as captain of the Pirates?

Hint: #1  He is the only Chicago Cub to win National League batting titles in consecutive seasons.

Hint: #2  He was once ejected when he handed the umpire his bat & told him, "You take this & try to hit that pitch."?

A.  BILL MADLOCK  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Stargell retired from the Pirates (and baseball) on 03-Oct-1982.

-  #1  BA titles = .354 in 1975 & .339 in 1975-76 for CHC.

-  #2  Facing Charlie Hough’s knuckleball on 03-Jul-1977, Madlock was tossed by home plate umpire Art Williams

FCR -  Tom McLaughlin, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania

Incorrect guesses: 

 

WEEKEND BONUS  —11-Jun

Q.  Who was the first player to compile four thirty/thirty seasons in a five-year span?

Hint: #1  He holds the record for the most American League leadoff home runs in a season.

Hint: #2  He once hit a game-winning, first-inning, leadoff home run in a game whose final score was 1-0.

A.  ALFONSO SORIANO   [B-R Bio]

-  Ans.  Had 30/30 seasons 2002-2006, but fell short to 28/18 in 2004.  In 2002-03 played for NYY; in 2005 played for TEX; in 2006 played for WSN.

-  #1  His 13 leadoff HR in 2003 for NYY.  He also holds the NL record w/12 in 2007 for CHC.

-  #2  HR = 09-May-2007

FCR -  Joe O’Neill, London, Ontario

Incorrect guesses:  Mike Trout, Bobby Bonds, Ricky Henderson

 

SUNDAY  —12-Jun

Q.  Which nine-time All-Star player came to the defense of sports writer Steve Rushin after umpire Dave Pallone spit in the writer’s face?

Hint: #1  His number one in career defensive WAR ranking in the most in the history of his very long-time franchise.

Hint: #2  He is called "Mague" by his close friends.

A.  DAVE CONCEPCION  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Article by Rushin.

-  #1  Concepcion’s 21.4nnings

-  #2  Probably a corruption of “mago” which means magician.

FCR -  Joseph Cohen

Incorrect guesses:  Ryne Sandberg, Cal Ripken

 

WEEK’S FINAL QUESTION  —12-Jun

Q.  Which member of the 3,000-hit club has the lowest career batting average?

Hint: #1 Who was the first shortstop in American League history to hit 30 HR, bat .300 and have 100 RBI in a season?

Hint: #2  Among shortstops, only he and Honus Wagner ever posted a season’s WAR score of at least 11.0.

A.  CAL RIPKEN  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  3,184 H; .276 career BA; Hit .305 or better.  He hit .300 or better 5 X; Had 100> RBI 5 times; A batting average5 X & A betting average 5 X.

-  #1  In 1991 Cal hit 34 HR, 114 BI and hit .323 and won the AL MVP.  Ernie Banks was the first to do it in MLB in 1958.

-  #2  Wager = 11.5 in 1908; Ripken = 11.5 in 1991.  No one SS did it at 80% of G at SS.  They each played 100% of their G at SS in those years.

FCR -  Michael Schneider,

Incorrect guesses:  Bobby Smith

 

 

 

WEEKLY THEME – Middle infielders voted the All-Star Game MVP

 

1962a - Wills.............. DC Stadium................................... 39.6

1972 - Morgan........... Atlanta Stadium........................... 100.4

1975 - Madlock......... Milwaukee County Stadium........... 38.2

1982 - Concepcion... Olympic Stadium........................... 40.2

1990 - Franco............ Wrigley Field.................................. 43.6

1991 - Ripken............ SkyDome....................................... 95.9

1998 - Alomar........... Coors Field.................................... 67.0

2000 - Jeter............... Turner Field................................... 71.3

2004 - Soriano.......... Minute Maid Park........................... 28.6

2005 - Tejada............ Comerica Park............................... 47.1

2017 - Cano............... Marlins Park................................... 68.5

 

 

First Correct Respondent identifying themeSteve Berman, Bergenfield, New Jersey (after Jeter)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Mon     -  Players who had 200 or more hits while batting under .300

            -  Players with the most times leading the league in caught stealing

            -  MVP's whose sons have played in the majors

 

Tue      -  Most stolen bases in a career in the NL

-   Best stolen base percentage of players with 500 or more stolen bases in the NL

-   Position players who have won league MVP, world series, and gold glove

-   Most times leading off an inning

 

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