Sunday, February 16, 2025

2025-02-10 Players enshrined in both the Canadian Baseball HoF in St. Mary’s , Ontario & in the National Baseball HoF & Museum in Cooperstown

MONDAY  — 10-Feb-2025

Q.  Who had the most years of major league service of any Dominican Hall of Fame pitcher?

Hint: #1  He was the first pitcher to appear in sixty games in his rookie season in his franchise’s history.

Hint: #2  He was the first pitcher to accumulate three thousand career strikeouts in fewer than three thousand innings.*

Hint: #3  He and his brother were the first Sawks Siblings to be on the BOS roster at the same time since the Conigliaro brothers.

A.  PEDRO MARTINEZ  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Martinez played for 18 yrs; Marichal for 16.

-  #1  In 1993, Martinez pitched in 75 G for LAD, the most of any pitcher on their staff.

-  #2  His 3,000th K came k 2007 w/NYM.  He finished with 3,154 K & 2,827⅓ innings.  Max Scherzer will finish with the same statistical distinction. *Further research shows that both Nolan Ryan & Randy Johnson accomplished this before Pedro did.

-  #3  Billy & Tony Conigliaro both played for BOS in 1970.  Ramon & Pedro Martinez both played for the Red Sox in the 1999 & 2000 seasons.

FCR -  Thomas Nester, Fort Myer, Florida

Incorrect guesses:  Juan Marichal, Bartolo Colon

 

 

TUESDAY  — 11-Feb-2025

Q.  Which Rookie of the Year led both National and American Leagues in WAR three out of his first six years in the majors?

Hint: #1  He won a league batting title and led the league in steals the same season.

Hint: #2  He was the last player for whom the Pittsburgh Pirates retired a uniform number in the twentieth century.

A.  JACKIE ROBINSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Robinson’s first year in the NL was 1947 when he won MLB ROY.  He led MLB in WAR in 1949 (9.3) when he was NL MVP,  1951 (9.7) & 1952 (8.4), outpointing Stan Musial each time.

-  #1  In 1949, he hit .342 & had 37 SB.

-  #2  PIT retired #42 12-Jul-1997.

FCR -  Tony Escobedo, Springfield,  Virginia

Incorrect guesses:  Dave Parker, Paul Waner

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 12-Feb-2025

Q.  Which former A’s pitcher tossed three wild pitches in the first inning of his first major league start?

Hint: #1  He was on a major league team the year they won their first World Series title in the Modern Era.

Hint: #2  Pitching for the Blue Jays in the minors, he struck out twenty-five batters in a fifteen-inning game.

A.  TOMMY LASDORDA  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  On 05-May-1955, Lasorda started for BRO vs. STL & gave up 3 WP & 1 R before his team had even come to bat.  What he remembers, however, is that he struck out Stan Musial.  It was his only inning that day.  He pitched for KCA in 18 g, w/5 starts in 1956.

-  #1  Lasorda made 4 pitching appearances with BRO in 1955 but never played in the postseason.

-  #2  On 31-May-1948, playing for the Schenectady Blue Jays of the Canadian–American League, Lasorda struck out 25 Amsterdam Rugmakers in a 15-inning game, setting a (since exceeded) professional record.  He also drove in the winning run with a single.

FCR -  Stephen Klatsky, Washington, DC

Incorrect guesses:  Chief Bender, Hooks Iott, Rube Waddell, Gio Gonzalez, Tom Zachary

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS — 12-Feb-2025

Q.  Who played in the most career games of any major leaguer who only played one season?

Hint: #1  He was the batboy for the University of southern California during the 1948 college World Series.

Hint: #2  It is unlikely that he will be joined anytime soon by another member of the Hall of Fame native to his state.

A.  SPARKY ANDERSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Anderson only saw action in 1959 for last-place PHI, but he played in 152 of the scheduled 154 games.  PHI was also last in attendance in the NL that season.

-  #1  USC won that Series, the first of their 12 NCAA D-1 championships.

-  #2  Anderson is alone in HOF designation among natives of Dakota, North or South.

FCR -  Bill Deane, Cooperstown

Incorrect guesses:  Ken Hubbs, Jim Baxes

 

 

THURSDAY  — 13-Feb-2025

Q.  Of which player was his manager Felipe Alou commenting when he said, “[He] was the best I had ever seen.  He was a natural and definitely had the instincts that you just don’t teach.”?

Hint: #1  He was the youngest player in the National League on Opening Day, 1989, even though it was his second full season as a major leaguer.

Hint: #2  Counterintuitively, the only year he led the league in runs scored was the same season he led the majors in sacrifice flies.

A.  ROBERTO ALOMAR  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Alou was Alomar’s manager on Criollos de Caguas when 17-year-old Roberto played with them in 1985.

-  #1  O.D. 1989 (03-Apr), Alomar was 20 years + 2 months.

-  #2  In 1999, Alomar’s 1st year w/CLE, he scored 138 X and had 13 SF.

FCR -  Sean Smith, Elkridge, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Larry Walker, Ken Griffey, Jr., Kevin Mitchell, Jose Oquendo, Will Clark, Marquis Grissom

 

 

FRIDAY  — 14-Feb-2025

Q.  Which one-time Texas Ranger was the last player to compile a consecutive-game hitting streak of more than thirty games in the twentieth century?

Hint: #1  His Hall of Fame manager, when asked for an evaluation, responded without hesitation, “Every day I find myself saying, ‘I can't believe he just did that!’  He hits balls harder than anyone I've ever seen.  No pitcher can ever feel safe or comfortable releasing the ball toward him.  He doesn't take a back seat to anyone I've ever seen play this game.  Ever.”

Hint: #2  His fielding error allowed Rickey Henderson to score his 2,200th career run, on his way to being the all-time runs scored leader.

A.  VLADIMIR GUERRERO  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Guerrero hit in 31 straight games from 27-Jul to 26-Aug-1999.  He played for TEX in 2010.

-  #1  Those superlative comments were offered by Frank Robinson who took over as manager of MON in 2002.

-  #2  E in 7th inning on 19-May-2001 in Montreal.

FCR -  Barry Lipinski, Piscataway, New Jersey

Incorrect guesses:  Benito Santiago, Juan Gonzalez, Al Oliver, Ivan Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre, Gabe Kapler

 

 

SATURDAY  — 15-Feb-2025

Q.  Who was the last pitcher to lead the majors in complete games in consecutive seasons?

Hint: #1 He did it each time on a team in a different league, also leading the majors in pitchers’ WAR both years.

Hint: #2  He finished in the top five in Cy Young Award voting an impressive seven times.

Hint: #3  He is the only native of the Mountain Time Zone to win a Cy Young Awards in each league.

A.  ROY HALLADAY  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  He led the AL in CG w/TOR in 2009 (9 tied) & led the NL in CG w/PHI in 2010 (9).

-  #1  Had PWARs of 8.5 & 8.8 in those seasons.

-  #2  CYA top 5 vote-getter in 2003 (1st),

2006 (3rd),

2007 (5th),

2008 (2nd),

2009 (5th),

2010 (1st)*, &

2011 (2nd).

-  #3  Born in Denver, Colorado 14-May-1977.  Won the AL CYA in 2003 w/TOR & the NL w/ PHI in 2010*.

*Unanimous

FCR -  Chris Pesqueira, Medford, New York

Incorrect guesses:  Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer

 

 

WEEKEND BONUS/SUNDAY  — 16-Feb-2025

Q.  Who is the only Hall of Famer to play in major league game with this son?

Hint: #1  He was the first player in the Live Ball Era to steal seventy bases and knock in seventy runs in the same season?

Hint: #2  He was at the plate for Dave Dravecky's last pitch.

A.  TIM RAINES  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Raines played in the same Orioles games with Junior on 03-Oct, 04-Oct, 05-Oct(2), & 06-Oct-2001.

-  #1  In 1983, Raines had 71 RBI and 90 SB.

-  #2  Last pitch on 15-Aug-1989 (PG-rating).  Dravecky story.

FCR -  Andy Knobel, Columbia, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Rickey Henderson, Ken Griffey, Tony Gwynn

 

 

WEEK’S THEME – Players enshrined in both the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Mary’s , Ontario & in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

 

Player                       Canadian         Cooperstown            WAR

Alomar........................ 2010................ 2011........................ 67.0

 

Anderson.................... 2007................ 2000......................... -1.2

 

Guerrero..................... 2017................ 2018........................ 59.5

 

Halladay..................... 2017................ 2019........................ 64.2

 

Lasorda...................... 2006................ 1997......................... -1.3

 

Martinez..................... 2018................ 2015........................ 83.9

 

Raines........................ 2013................ 2017........................ 69.4

 

Robinson.................... 1991................ 1962........................ 63.9

 

Also qualifying, but who have been in recent questions, so they sat this one out.

Gary Carter.................. 2001................ 2003........................ 70.2

Andre Dawson............. 2004................ 2010........................ 64.9

Fergie Jenkins.............. 1987................ 1991........................ 84.2

Larry Walker................ 2009................ 2020........................ 72.7

First Correct Respondent identifying themeDavid Matchett, Toronto (After Vlad)

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

Wed     -  Members Canadian Hall of Fame

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