Monday, November 9, 2026

2026-11-02 Batters who Nolan Ryan struck out 25 times or more

MONDAY  — 02-Nov-2026

Q.  Who is the only player to be walked intentionally five times in one game?

Hint: #1  He was only the second player to finish his career with more than four hundred home runs and more than three hundred stolen bases.

Hint: #2  He won a Most Valuable Player Award in a season when he played for a last-place team.

A.  ANDRE DAWSON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  In a close game on 22-May-1990, Reds manager Lou Piniella took no chances with the Cubs’ Dawson & had him put on base in 5 of his 8 plate appearances that day.  Chicago won 2-1 in the bottom of the 16th inning.

-  #1  Dawson had 438 HR & 314 SB when he left the majors following the 1996 season.  At that time, only Willie Mays occupied that rare air w/660 HR & 339 SB.  Since then, they have been joined by Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez & Carlos Beltrán.  List is here.

-  #2  Dawson was the 1987 NL MVP, playing for CHC, who finished last in the NL East with a record of

FCR -  Jim Casey, Savannah, Georgia

Incorrect guesses:  Barry Bonds, Ernie Banks, Alex Rodriguez

 

 

IN MEMORIAM — 02-Nov-2026

Q.  Which pitcher got the last out for the World Series Champion Mets in 1969?

Hint: #1  He was later traded for another pitcher who got the last out of the Mets’ next World Championship.

Hint: #2  As a rookie, he struck out a Triple Crown winner to preserve a one-to-nothing win for the National League All-Stars.

Hint: #3  In his rookie season, he tied two future Hall of Famers the first time he received votes for Most Valuable Player.

Hint: #4  Before the White Sox in 2005, his was the last team to have three consecutive complete games in a League Championship Series.  He pitched the 3rd one of those complete games.

Hint: #5  He was the only pitcher active in the National League in 1985 over the age of forty.

Hint: #6  Two of the players he matches up with in Baseball-Reference.com’s Similarity Scores, are Hall of Famers.

Hint: #7  He is one of the few pitchers to be a twenty-game winner one season and a twenty-game loser the following year.

Hint: #8  The Mets have retired his uniform number, demonstrating his importance in the franchise’s history.

Hint: #9  Faith was central to his life.

A.  JERRY KOOSMAN  [SABR Bio]

 

-  Ans.  Koosman pitched a complete game 5 to clinch the WS for the “Miracle Mets”.  He won both his WS starts, allowing just 7 hits in 17⅔ innings, with a 2.04 ERA.

-  #1  Koosman was traded in December of 1978 by NYM to MIN for a player to be named later & Greg Field (minors). The Twins sent Jesse Orosco to the Mets before Spring Training in 1979 to complete the trade.  Orosco was on the mound for the final out of the 1986 WS.

-  #2  Carl Yastrzemski was the only batter Koosman faced in the 1968 ASG.

-  #3  Koosman tied with Willie Mays & Ernie Banks for 13th place with 14 points each in the 1968 NL MVP voting.  He was only the 3rd pitcher to receive votes in that MVP election.  Other pitchers below him also received votes.

-  #4  In the 1973 NLCS, the Mets stopped the Big Red Machine.  The pitchers in the 1st 3 games were Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack & Koosman.

-  #5  He was 42½ years old when he retired later that year.

-  #6  Koosman’s career compares favorably with those of Phil Niekro & Jim Bunning.

-  #7  Koosman won 21 games in 1976 and lost 20 in 1977.

-  #8  The Mets retired his jersey # 36 on 28-Aug-2021.

-  #9  He was a devoted member of Peace Lutheran Church in Dresser, Wisconsin.

FCR -  James Farrwell, Massapequa, New York

Incorrect guesses:  Nolan Ryan,. Jesse Orosco, Tug McGraw, Matt Loosen

 

 

WEDNESDAY  — 04-Nov-2026

Q.  Who has hit more home runs than any other player born in Jamaica?

Hint: #1  He switch-hit home runs in a game for four different teams in the majors.

Hint: #2  He was the hitting coach for four different teams in the majors.

A.  CHILI DAVIS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Davis hit 350 HR in his 19-year career, just ahead of George Foster on the career HR list..  Next closest Jamaican is Devon White with 208.

-  #1     On 05-Jun-1983, 27-Jun-1987 & 15-Sep-1987 Davis homered from each side for SFG;

            on 30-Jul-1988, 01-Jul-1989, 15-Sep-1993, 11-May-1994, 30-Jul-1994 & 21-Aug-1996 for CAL;

            on 02-Oct-1992 in his penultimate game for the Twins;

            on 07-Jun-1997 for KCR; but did not do it for NYY.  If he did, he would be tied with Nick Swisher & Carlos Beltran w/5.

-  #2  Davis coached hitting for OAK 2012-3014; BOS 2015-2017; CHC 2018; & NYM 2019-2021.

FCR -  Kevin Brazee, New Franken, Wisconsin

Incorrect guesses:  Elrod Hendricks, Devon White

 

 

MIDWEEK BONUS — 04-Nov-2026

Q.  Who was selected as an All-Star at one position for nine consecutive years then as an All-Star at another position for the next nine consecutive years?

Hint: #1  Only Nap Lajoie and Ichiro Suzuki have more career stolen bases among players with three thousand career hits who never appeared in a World Series.

Hint: #2  A utility veteran said of him, “He is the only guy I know who can go 4-for-3.”

A.  ROD CAREW  [SABR Bio].

 -  Ans.  Carew was the AL AS 2nd baseman 1967 to 1975 then first baseman 1976 to 1984.  The only season he did not make the All-Star team was 1985, his final MLB season.

-  #1  The totals are Suzuki 509, Lajoie 380 & Carew 353.

-  #2  Paradoxical but descriptive words from Alan Bannister.

FCR -  Robb Heugh, Troy, Michigan

Incorrect guesses:  Ernie Banks, Stan Musial, Robin Yount, Cal Ripken, Pete Rose, Gene Tenace

 

 

 

THURSDAY  — 05-Nov-2026

Q.  Who was the Toronto Blue Jays’ hitting coach when the team won back-to-back World Series Championships?

Hint: #1  The year after he won the league runs batted in title, he finished third in MVP voting.

Hint: #2  He was a basketball teammate of famed MLB hitter Al Oliver.  Both got Rookie of the Year votes the same season.

A.  LARRY HISLE  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Hisle was the TOR hitting coach 1992, 1993, 1994 & 1995, where he helped produce the franchise’s first batting champ.  John Olerud led the AL with .363 average after flirting with .400 for much of the season in 1993.

-  #1  In 1977, Hisle led the AL w/119 RBI for MIN, one of the few categories his MVP teammate Rod Carew didn’t capture that season.  In 1978, Hisle finished ahead of Carew in voting for that same award.

-  #2  Hisle & Oliver played basketball; & baseball for Portsmouth HS, Portsmouth, OH, also the HS alma mater of Del Rice & Rocky Nelson.  1969 NL ROY voting.

FCR -  Mark DeLodovico, Rockville,. Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Jeff Burroughs

 

 

FRIDAY  — 06-Nov-2026

Q.  Who hit the ball that Mariners third baseman Lenny Randle famously “blew” foul?

Hint: #1  It was his throw to the plate that put Ray Fosse in the perilous position to be bowled over by Pete Rose in the All-Star game.

Hint: #2  He was responsible for four of Steve Carlton’s record-setting nineteen strikeouts in one nine-inning game.

A.  AMOS OTIS  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  On 27-May-1981, Otis hit a chopper that rolled slowly along the 3rd base line.  Click here for the action.

-  #1  In the 12th inning of the1970 ASG on 14-Jul-1970 in Cincinnati, Pete Rose scored the winning run from 2nd base on Jim Hickman’s single to CF.  Otis fielded the ball & threw home.  Fosse moved up the third-base line to receive the throw as Rose arrived.  The collision knocked Fosse to the ground & fractured & separated his left shoulder.  Game over. Fosse felt the effects for the rest of his life.

-  #2  In 15-Sep-1969, Otis went ꓘ in the 1st, ꓘ in the 5th, ꓘ in the 7th & K in the 9th.  His 4th was the 19th, & record-setting strikeout.  Since then, 19K in a game has been accomplished several times.

FCR -  Jim Cochran, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Hickman, Rocky Calavito, Ken Berry

 

 

SATURDAY  — 07-Nov-2026

Q.  Who was the first American League shortstop to hit three home runs in a game?

Hint: #1  The first year he got MVP votes was the season he led the majors in triples.

Hint: #2  The following year he made the All-Star team for the first of his three times.

A.  FREDDIE PATEK  [SABR Bio]

 -  Ans.  Patek hit 3 HR in Fenway Park on 20-Jun-1980.  It would be another 15 years before another AL SS repeated the feat, interestingly also in Boston.  Tony Lazzeri hit 3 in one game in 1927, but he was a third baseman for the first HR.  Another 7 AL SS have also done it, all since Patek’s big day.

-  #1  Patek was 6th in MVP voting in 1971 & had 11 3B to lead both leagues.

-  #2  He was an AL AS in 1972, 1976 & 1978, with a career total of 1 for 3 in All-Star competition.

FCR -  Jim Cochran, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Incorrect guesses:  Joe Cronin, Cecil Travis, Vern Stephens, Tony Lazzeri, Nomar Garciaparra, Alex Rodriguez

 

 

WEEKEND BONUS — 07-Nov-2026

Q.  About whom are these Hall of Famers talking? … “There is virtually nothing he can’t do,” said Willie Stargell.”  “He’s the best player for his age I have ever seen or know,” said Reggie  Jackson.

Hint: #1  In his rookie season, he played all three outfield positions during the World Series, a Series that his team won.

Hint: #2  His second home run of the season one year was the ten thousandth in the history of the Yankees.

A.  CLAUDELL WASHINGTON  [SABR Bio]

-  Ans.  Teammate Gene Tenace added, “He’s going to be one hell of a player.”

-  #1  In the 1974 WS ,Washington played RF in games #1 & #3; PH & CF in game #2; & LF in games #4 & #5.

-  #2  In the 9th inning on 20-Apr-1988, Washington hit an upper-deck pull HR to RF off Jef Reardon.   Click here to watch.

FCR -  Pete Kerzel., Ocean City, Maryland

Incorrect guesses:  Jacoby Ellsbury, Roy White

 

 

SUNDAY  — 08-Nov-2026

Q.  Which one-time Los Angeles Dodger was called average by some of his teammates?

Hint: #1  His father played baseball professionally in Mexico and finished with a .300 career batting average.

Hint: #2  Umpire Don Denkinger called him safe.

A.  JORGE ORTA  [Wiki Bio]

 -  Ans.  “Orta” translates to “average” on English.  Orta himself played for LAD in 1982.

-  #1  His father was Pedro Orta who also played in the Cuban League,

-  #2  In the 6th game of 1985 World Series [All-Missouri, The Show-Me Series or the I-70 Series], Orta came to bat, well… read about it here.

FCR -  Brandon Boysen, Yukon., Oklahoma

Incorrect guesses: 

 

 

 

THEME:  Batters who struck out at least twenty-five times against Nolan Ryan

 

Name              Ks        Career WAR

Carew............. 29............ 81.2

 

Davis.............. 28............ 38.4

 

Dawson.......... 25............ 84.8

 

Hisle............... 29............ 25.0

 

Orta................ 30............ 14.9

 

Otis................. 27............ 42.8

 

Patek.............. 31............ 24.1

 

Washington... 39............ 19.6

 

 

First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Warren Kent, Whitehall, Michigan (after Otis)

 

 

Incorrect theme guesses:

 

Wed     -  Most career home runs by a switch-hitter

 

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