MONDAY — 05-May-2025
Q. Which
former Cincinnati Red was the last twentieth-century player to hit for the
cycle for the New York Yankees?
Hint: #1
His value to the Yankees at shortstop may have delayed the rise of Derek
Jeter in their organization.
Hint: #2
He was the first Dominican to play two thousand games at shortstop in
the majors.
-
Ans. Fernandez had his cycle for
NYY on 03-Sep-1995. Only Melky Cabrera
has done it for them this century. Fernandez
played for CIN in 1994.
- #1 Fernandez
joined NYY in 1995. Jeter debuted that same season, but only
played 15 G for them.
-
#2 Fernandez’s 2,158 games at
shortstop were later surpassed by Miguel Tejada
(2,171) and Julio Franco (2,522, though many of Franco’s came at other
positions).
FCR - Brett
Moore, Studio City, California
Incorrect guesses: Mariano Duncan, Jose Fernandez, D’Angelo
Jimenez
TUESDAY — 06-May-2025
Q. Who
is the only Dirtbag with an unassisted triple play on his major league résumé?
Hint: #1
He’s also the only one with a cycle in the majors.
Hint: #2
His college uniform number has been retired, but not by the school he played
for.
A. TROY TULOWITZKI [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Tulo attended & played
for the Long Beach State University baseball team, officially called The Sharks
& when he played there, the 49ers. They
have been unofficially nicknamed "Dirtbags" since 1989 when
they advanced to the College World Series despite lacking a home park &
practicing on an all-dirt field. On 29-Apr-2007, the Rockies SS turned
the 13th of the 15 unassisted triple plays in MLB history.
-
#1 His cycle was on 10-Aug-2000. He remains the only major leaguer with both a
cycle & an unassisted triple play to his name.
-
#2 The U. of Texas, Austin
retired his # 2 in 2021. He became a
volunteer assistant coach for the Longhorns in 2019 after retiring from MLB
midseason. Despite his brief time on
staff, UT recognized his impact on its program.
FCR - Evan
Thompson, Mesa
Incorrect guesses: Len Dykstra, Randy Velarde, John Valentin, Bill
Wambsganss, Travis Hafner
WEDNESDAY — 05-Mar-2025
Q. Who is
the only player in MLB history to hit a walk-off home run in the final game of
the regular season that both clinched a playoff berth and eliminated another
team?
Hint: #1
In his first season, he was voted Rookie of Year unanimously, made the
All-Star team and got MVP votes.
Hint: #2
In his second season, he added a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger.
A. EVAN LONGORIA [B-R
Bio]
-
Ans. Game(s) 162 of the 2011
season was probably the wildest season
finish in MLB history.
Longoria's 12th-inning HR gave TBR the 8–7 win over the
NYY—clinching the AL Wild Card for his team & eliminating BOS, who had just
fallen to BAL mere minutes earlier. This
was only completing the drama that Longoria had ignited by homering in the 8th
inning to spark TBR’s comeback from a 7–0 deficit.
FCR - Jaime
Aron, Dallas
Incorrect guesses: Ichiro Suzuki, Fred Lynn, Benito Santiago, Francisco
Lindor, Cal Raleigh, Bobby Thomson, Nomar Garciapara, Sandy Alomar Jr.,
Steve Finley, Matt Kemp, Jim Thome
MIDWEEK BONUS — 08-May-2025
Q. Who is
one of the few Hall of Fame-eligible position players to lead the American
League in WAR during a full-length season and never appear on a Hall of Fame
ballot again after his first year?
Hint: #1
The year he led the majors in being hit-by-pitch, it was with a total
nearly three times higher than his next-highest of any of the seventeen years
of his career in The Bigs.
Hint: #2
Not since a certain Boston Red Sox pitcher did it has a batter won the
American League home run title with fewer than this guy hit in his only HR
title year.
A. BOBBY GRICH [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. In 1973, Grich led the AL in
WAR (7.8). Notwithstanding, Grich
received only 2.6% of the vote in his only year of Hall of Fame eligibility in
1992. Jason Giambi & Rico Petrocelli
followed similar paths.
-
#1 Grich was hit 20
X w/BAL in 1974. He never exceeded 8 in
any other season.
-
#2 Grich tied for the AL HR title
in strike-shortened 1981, hitting 22, as did Tony Armas,
Dwight Evans & Eddie Murray. Babe Ruth, still a full-time pitcher in 1918,
hit 11 HR, tying him with Tillie Walker, OF for PHA for the AL lead. Ruth then topped the AL in HRs in 11 out of
the next 13 seasons, leading majors outright in 8 of those years.
FCR - Mark
Haynes, Dumfries, Virginia
Incorrect guesses: Don Baylor, Tommy Holmes, Jason Giambi, Nick
Etten, Bill Melton,
THURSDAY — 08-May-2025
Q. Among
major leaguers native to the state of Arkansas, who is the only player ever to
hit thirty-five home runs in a season?
Hint: #1
He won World Series with two different franchises.
Hint: #2
His nickname is a piece of equipment.
A. PAT BURRELL [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Only Burrell. He hit 37 HR for PHI in 2008.
-
#1 He was on the squads, Phillies and Giants, who won World Series in
2008 & 2010.
-
#2 He was (is?) called “Pat the bat”,
evoking his prowess at the plate.
FCR - Doug
Greenwald, San Francisco
Incorrect guesses: Torii Hunter.
FRIDAY —
09-May-2025
Q. Of
whom was it said, “He has more friends than Leo Durocher has enemies!” ?
Hint: #1 He received Most Valuable Player votes in
eight consecutive seasons.
Hint: #2
During a straight five-year run, he led the majors in caught stealing but
also he led his league in stolen bases in two of those seasons.
-
Ans. Early in his career, his convivial
nature & positive attitude sometimes went too far. He was often carried home drunk by teammate
& drinking buddy Pat Malone.
-
#1 Hack was never a serious
contender for a league MVP, but the respect he had in the games showed when he
placed 7th, 15th, 8th, 12th, 20th, 19th, 26th & 11th 1938 through 1945.
-
#2 In an era known for fewer
stolen bases, Hack led the NL in SB w/16 & 17 in 1938 &
’39. He might have trying to revive the
importance of the stolen base single-handedly when he was thrown out 18,
19, 15, 18 & 22 X
from 1936-40.
FCR - Waker
Arnold, Jay, Vermont
Incorrect guesses: Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Eddie
Collins
M.C.N.S.V. SPECIAL — 09-May-2025
Q. Who
is the most recent player to lead his league in stolen bases for five
consecutive years?
Hint: #1
His career batting average is higher than Mickey Mantle’s, but still
below .300.
Hint: #2
He tied a nineteenth-century Hall of Famer when he scored in eighteen
straight games.
Hint: #3
Although he played a total of a decade for one MLB team, he also played
for ten additional teams before retiring after seventeen seasons.
A. KENNY LOFTON [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Lofton led the AL in SB 1992-’96
w/66, 70, 60, 54 & 75.
-
#1 Lofton his .299 over his career
compared to that slacker Mantle with his .298.
-
#2 Slidin’ Billy Hamilton got a R
in every G 06-Jul thru 02-Aug-1894.
Lofton got his string going 15-Aug thru 03-Sep-2000. The Yankees’ Red Rolfe had tied Hamilton in 1939,
9-25-Aug.
-
#3 Lofton was a Cleveland Indian
from 1992 to ’96 then 1998 to 2001 & finally retired in 2007, returning to
CLE to finish.
FCR - Benjamin
Chase, Huron, South Dakota
Incorrect guesses: Rickey Henderson, Juan Pierre,
SATURDAY — 10-May-2025
Q. Who
was the first National League Third Baseman to win the BBWAA Most Valuable
Award?
Hint: #1
He won the award the season after being traded away by a team that came
to regret it for decades.
Hint: #2
He played an important role in helping his team to reach the World
Series for the first time in thirty-four seasons.
A. BOB ELLIOTT [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. 1947 NL MVP. He had received MVP votes in other years, but
only in 1947 did he take home the award.
-
#1 Elliott had been traded to BSN
by PIT after their 1946 season. He won the MVP the very next year, making him
the first player traded away by the Pirates to win the award immediately
afterward—a move long regarded as one of the worst trades in Pittsburgh
franchise history.
-
#2 His 6.3 WAR in 1948 led all Braves’ position players by a
large margin. Jeff Heath was 2nd
with 4.8. That franchise won the NL
flag, the last time before that was 1914 when as underdogs they stunned baseball
& swept Connie Mack’s mighty Philadelphia A’s.
FCR - Jim
Cochran, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Incorrect guesses: Eddie Matthews, Ken Boyer, Terry Pendleton, Al
Rosen, Don Hoak, Jeff Bagwell
SUNDAY — 11-May-2025
Q. Who
has hit the most career home runs by an American League third baseman?
Hint: #1
He once held the record for the most career home runs without ever
having hit three in one game.
Hint: #2
He was the first Yankees captain after Thurman Munson's death.
A. GRAIG NETTLES [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Nettles did play for a time
in the NL but his AL total is 319. His
total of 390 is career 3rd among all third basemen.
-
#1 Nettles’ 390 HR were all pf
the 1-m& 2-RBI variety. The current
record holder is Rafael Palmeiro (569 HR).
-
#2 Nettles captaincy was
announced 29-Jan-1982. Munson had died
in 1979.
FCR - Stuart
Klugman, St. Charlies, Illinois
Incorrect guesses: Alex Rodriguez,
WEEK’S FINALE
— 11-May-2025
Q. When
Eric Karros set the Los Angeles Dodgers career home run record, whose mark did
he surpass?
Hint: #1
No one else drafted in the same round as this former Cougar even made
the majors."
Hint: #2
He recovered but, he once appeared in an episode of the television show “ER”.
-
Ans. Cey hit 228 HR before he
decamped for the Cubs in 1983. Karros
hit his 229th on 13-Jun-2000.
Karros finished with 270 HR for the west coast version of the Dodgers,
but Duke Snider is still the franchise record holder with his 389.
-
#1 Cey was drafted in the 19th round of the 1966 MLB June
Amateur Draft.
-
#2 He once appeared in S1.E22;
"A Change in Policy", aired 27-Feb-1985.
FCR - Scott
Morissey, Hamilton, Ontario
Incorrect guesses:
WEEK’S THEME – Select high-performing
players who wore uniform numbers 1-10, but who are neither in the HOF nor has
any team retired their uniform number
1-Fernandez.............................. TOR* (12)......................... 45.3
2-Tulowitzki................................ COL
(9)........................... 44.8
3-Longoria.................................. TBR
(10).......................... 58.9
4-Grich...................................... CAL*
(10)......................... 71.0
5-Burrell...................................... PHI
(8)........................... 18.9
6-Hack........................................ CHC
(11)......................... 55.2
7-Lofton...................................... CLE
(10).......................... 68.4
8-Elliott......................................... PIT
(9)........................... 50.9
9-Nettles.................................... NYY
(10).......................... 67.9
10-Cey........................................ LAD
(11).......................... 53.7
Others
who qualify: (Did I miss any?)
Lou
Whitaker.............................. DET
(18).......................... 75.1
Buddy
Meyer................................ WSH
(
Robin
Ventura.................................... ................................. 56.1
Bob
Johnson...................................... ................................. 55.7
3-Willie
Davis.............................. LAD
(13).......................... 60.8
6-Sal
Bando............................... OAK
(10)................................
10-Sheffield.................................. FLA
(6)..................................
*Is
in the team’s version of Hall of Fame
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – Skunked!
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Mon - Players
to play for the same franchise four or more times
Tues - Most
career home runs for a Blue Jay shortstop
Wed - Long Beach State players
Fri - Best
players *not* in the HOF
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