September 12-18, 2011 Players representing the most common nicknames in baseball history.

MONDAY

Q.         Which Hall of Famer's hold the record for World Series losses at eight?

Hint:     His 2.74 career ERA, however, is the best since the end of the deadball era.

SABR:  His .690 winning percentage is the best in the 20^th century.

Twint:    He played his whole 18-year career for a team in the city of his birth.

A.         Whitey Ford ([The Hint is incorrect.  Mariano Rivera and Hoyt Wilhelm both rank ahead of Ford.] WS record 10-8; New York Yankees, b. 21-Oct-1928 in New York)

First Correct Respondent – John Shiffert, Morrow, GA

TUESDAY

Q.         Which Hall of Fame pitcher holds the career record for seasons with 300 innings?

Hint:     His first five seasons were over 400 innings each.

SABR:  He notched his 300^th career win when he was still 30 years old.

Twint:    He was elected to the Hall of Fame thirteen years after he was first on the ballot.

A.         Kid Nichols (12 seasons; 1890-94; 300^th W 07-Sep-1900, b. 14-Sep-1869; HOF 1949)

FCR -    Matt Gibson, Barboursville, WV

WEDNESDAY

Q.         What Hall Famer and former Yellow Jacket managed a Chicago team to 110 wins one season?

Hint:     Many of those who saw both play rated him a better pitcher than Satchel Paige.

Hint:     Legend has it that he taught Christy Mathewson how to throw a screw ball.

SABR:  He spent his last days in and died in a mental asylum in Kankakee, Illinois.

Twint:    He is often referred to as the "Father of Negro Baseball".

A.         Rube Foster (Waco Yellow Jackets, 1907 Chicago Leland Giants; d. 09-Dec-1930)

FCR -    Kevin Johnson, Broken Arrow, OK

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who is the only person to be in uniform for the Mets in their first nineteen World Series games?

Hint:     Though a National Leaguer, he batted ninth 01‑Jun‑1979.

Hint:     To add to the insult, his manager pinch hit for him with a batter who finished at .204 for the year.

SABR:  He was the first switch-hitter in New York Mets history to collect 1,000 hits.

Twint:    He appeared as himself on Everybody Loves Raymond.

A.         Bud Harrelson (12 WS G as a player in 1969 & 73, 7 G as coach in 1986; hits; Steve Carlton batted 8^th that day; Dave Rader; ; ELR 01‑Mar‑1999)

FCR -    Frank DiPrima, Morristown, NJ

THURSDAY

Q.         Who is the only starting pitcher to lose three games in a single World Series?

Hint:     Pitching in the minors one season in Salt Lake City, he pitched 418.2 innings, struck out 294 and had 33 wins—all league-leading marks.

SABR:  He married a manicurist he met that year in Salt Lake City.

Twint:    He personally delivered $5,000 of ill-gotten gains to Shoeless Joe Jackson.

A.         Lefty Williams (1919 WS; 1915 Salt Lake City Bees; wife nee Lyria Wilson)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

THURSDAY BONUS

Q.         Which Hall of Famer holds the major league record with six extra-base hits in a doubleheader?

Hint:     He was one of the first major leaguers to wear eyeglasses regularly.

SABR:  He hit over .300 for seven consecutive seasons.

Twint:    His eyesight varied so much on a daily basis that he carried glasses with three different prescriptions with him wherever he went.

A.         Chick Hafey (28-Jul-1928, bis)

FCR -    Paul Hirsch, Danville, CA

FRIDAY

Q.         Who holds the record for fewest pitches in a complete-game victory with 58?

Hint:     Within a nine-month period, he twice came within a single toss of a perfect game.

SABR:  Only fantastic offensive seasons by Phil Cavarretta and Tommy Holmes kept him from winning the Most Valuable Player Award in 1945.

Twint:    In a season where he was traded, he led the league in wins, complete games, innings pitched and batters faced.

Twint:    After the next season, he was purchased back to the team that had traded him.

A.         Red Barrett (58-pitch G 10-Aug-1944; Almosts 02-Sep-1945 & 08-Jun-1946; 1945 MVP voting; 23-May-1945 Traded from the Braves w/ $60,000 to the Cards for Mort Cooper; 09‑Dec‑1946 bought back by the Braves)

FCR -    John Rickert, Terre Haute

END-OF-THE-WEEK BONUS

Q.         What Hall of Famer was Monte Irvin referring to when he called him: “… the equal of any first baseman who ever lived.”?

Hint:     He turned down a chance to play in the majors because it came after his skills were in decline.

SABR:  He played eight games against major league competition until the commissioner ordered the games to stop.

Twint:    In The New Bill James Historical Abstract, Bill James ranked him as the best first baseman in the Negro leagues and as the 65^th greatest baseball player of all time.

A.         Buck Leonard (After age 40, he was offered a contract by Bill Veeck)

FCR -    Skip Nipper, Nashville

SATURDAY

Q.         With whom did Ted Williams collide in the outfield, knocking both players out, fracturing Williams' jaw?

Hint:     He led the league seven times in at-bats, but only once in plate appearances.

Hint:     He is still the only player to lead the league in at-bats more than five times.

SABR:  Spot-pitching in the Blue Ridge League, on the last day of the 1929 season, he walked Joe Vosmik four times to preserve his own slim lead in the batting race.

Twint:    He was nicknamed "Flit" after the insecticide of the same name because he was "death on flies".

A.         Doc Cramer (Collision 23-Jun-1940)

FCR -    Steve Van Wagener, Bethesda

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who is the only rookie to pitch three complete-game victories in a single World Series?

Hint:     Still on the same team, he helped them win the World Series again sixteen years later.

SABR:  In the modern era (1901 forward) he ranks second in career bases-on-balls allowed.

Twint:    Two of the four pitchers he is most closely matched with by Similarity Scores, are Hall of Famers.  The other two probably should be.

A.         Babe Adams (1909 WS; 1.292 BB/9 Innings behind only his old teammate Deacon Phillippe; Similarity:  Jack Chesbro [921], Stan Coveleski [906], Jesse Tannehill [922], Guy Hecker [907])

FCR -    Peter Beagle, Oakland

SUNDAY

Q.         Who played for three major league teams with a total of four team names in three different major leagues all in the same city?

Hint:     He led the league in home runs one season and led in runs batted in the next.

SABR:  He is the polar opposite of David Aardsma.

Twint:    He is the Federal League career leader in home runs, a lead he is not likely to relinquish soon.

A.         Dutch Zwilling (Chicago White Sox AL, Chi-Feds FL, Whales FL, Cubs NL; HR 16 in 1914, 94 RBI in 1915; Listed last in player registers.  Aardsma is first; 29 FL HR)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

WEEK-ENDING BONUS

Q.         What former Bulldog was the first Red Sox player to lead the league in stolen bases?

Hint:     He was the first native of Mississippi to receive a Hall of Fame vote.

SABR:  Bill James has speculated that he might be in the Hall of Fame had he stayed on to coach after his playing career.

Twint:    He won his only major league batting title by going four-for-five on the last day of the season.

A.         Buddy Myer (30 SB 1928; HOF vote 1949 [a single vote]; 29-Sep-1935)

FCR -    Kenny Fink, Ocala

WEEKLY THEME – Players representing the most common nicknames in baseball history.

Babe (30)             Adams           Bio

Red (160)             Barrett           Bio

Doc (83)              Cramer           Bio

Whitey (35)           Ford

Rube (38)             Foster            Bio

Chick (36)            Hafey            Bio

Bud (43)               Harrelson       Bio

Buck (60)             Leonard         Bio

Buddy (31)           Myer              Bio

Kid (30)                Nichols

Lefty (181)           Williams         Bio

Dutch (70)            Zwilling

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara

September 5-11, 2011 Position players whose batting average led all offensive players in a World Series despite being on the losing side.

This week’s theme and questions were submitted by Rev. Gerry Beirne of Narragansett, Rhode Island.

MONDAY

Q.         Who clouted .408 in his first full season and .382 in his last?

Hint:     Babe Ruth called his swing "the perfectest."

SABR:  He married Katie but loved Black Betsy.

Twint:    Ray Liotta (backwards) and D. B. Sweeney portrayed him in the movies.

A.         Joe Jackson (Katie was his wife for over 40 years.  Black Betsy was his bat; Liotta in Field of Dreams” and Sweeney in Eight Men Out)

First Correct Respondent – Ron Henry, Minneapolis, MN

TUESDAY

Q.         Who is the only league Most Valuable Player who also led his league in sacrifice bunts?

Hint:     It was also his only season to bat .300.

Hint:     Ty Cobb (with typical hyperbole) said that "Only this man and Stan Musial could have handled their own in the old days."

SABR:  He was the very first mystery guest on the popular TV show What's My Line?

Twint:    His voice is featured in Meatloaf's Paradise by the Dashboard Light.

A.         Phil Rizzuto (1950; WML 28-Jul-1957; Song)

FCR -    Ken Auerbach, New York

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was the first man to steal 50 bases and hit 20 home runs in a season?

Hint:     He was the first man to come to bat in a major league game in Canada.

SABR:  He is the only major leaguer to have an award named after him while still an active player.

Twint:    He is one of only three men to homer into the Polo Grounds center field bleachers in a major league game.

A.         Lou Brock (50/20 1967, his only year with 20 HRs; 14-Apr-1969; Lou Brock Award, awarded for the NL SB leader, est. 1978; PG HR 17-Jun-1962 Other two were Joe Adcock & Hank Aaron.  Luke Easter did it in a Negro League game in 1948.)

FCR -    Ron Kaufman, Pickering, ON

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Whose name was deliberately misspelled on the back of his uniform?

Hint:     In three separate, consecutive seasons, he hit 40 home runs but never struck out more than 40 times.

SABR:  He was a late season pickup by a contending team (only 32 games remained) in the opposite league.

SABR:  He shone by helping them win the pennant and by clouting two home runs with five RBIs in his first World Series game.

Twint:    Despite "holding the bat like a fly swatter," he smashed 279 career round trippers.

Twint:    He hit two of those career home runs in the Los Angeles Angels’ very first game.

A.         Ted Kluszewski (“Kluzuski”; HR/K seasons 1953-55; ChiSox 1959, G #1; Angels G1 11‑Apr‑1961)

FCR -    Michael Frank, Horsehead, NY

THURSDAY

Q.         Who co-authored "Few and Chosen?"

Hint:     He was a high school All-State in four sports where he was a classmate of Chub Feeney.

SABR:  He had four hits and stole home off Allie Reynolds in his first World Series game.

Twint:    He spent seventeen years as a public relations specialist for the commissioner's office.

A.         Monte Irvin (Book; Orange HS; WS G 04-Oct-1951; PR 1968-84)

FCR -    Randall Chandler, Germantown, TN

FRIDAY

Q.         What former Met threw the ball from the outfield on the play in which Pete Rose collided with Ray Fosse in an All-Star Game?

Hint:     He and Steve Hovley had a famous mid-air collision which resulted in a Paul Blair inside-the-park home run.

SABR:  The Red Sox drafted him in the as short stop in the first-ever major league draft.

Twint:    They might name a cookie after him.

A.         Amos Otis (ASG 14-Jul-1970; Collision 26-Aug-1973; 1965 MLB Amateur Draft)

FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

SATURDAY

Q.         Who scored the winning run in baseball's Longest Game?

Hint:     He successfully pulled the hidden ball trick three times, twice in two weeks against the Angels.

SABR:  His brother played for the Phillies.

Twint:    He set a record for base hits in a post season that he himself ended by striking out for the final out of the World Series.

A.         Marty Barrett (Game Rochester/Pawtucket 33 innings 18-Apr… 23-Jun-1981; Brother Tom; 24 H 1986)

FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who played and managed in his home city for 22 straight seasons?

Hint:     He set an All-Star Game record by reaching base five straight times.

SABR:  He was a war-time MVP.

Twint:    When his team of 21 years thought he was no longer productive, he took his services across town.

A.         Phil Cavarretta (Chicago; ASG 11-Jul 1944; MVP in 1945; Cubs to White Sox 1954)

FCR -    No one

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the first modern player to tie for the league home run title in consecutive seasons?

Hint:     After Honus Wagner in 1912 he was the next Pirate to hit for the cycle.

SABR:  The New York Times falsely reported that he (and others) had been traded for Zack Wheat at the outset of the 1915 season.

Twint:    He refused the Giants' $7,500 offer in 1918, opting instead to remain in "government service".

A.         Dave Robertson (tied Cy Williams 1916, Gavvy Cravath 1917 for NL HR title [Mike Tiernan tied in 1890-91]; cycle 30-Aug-1921; NYT false scoop 28-Apr-1915; left Giants after 1917 season for gov't svc in Norfolk, rejoined team in 1919)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

WEEKLY THEME – Position players whose batting average led all offensive players in a World Series despite being on the losing side.

Barrett              1986           .433

Brock               1968           .464

Cavarretta         1945           .423

Irvin                  1951           .458

Jackson            1919           .375

Kluszewski        1959           .391

Otis                  1980           .478

Rizzuto             1942           .381

Robertson         1917           .500

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – No one 

August 29-September 4, 2011 Players with 1,000 games with each of two franchises

MONDAY

Q.         Who is the only player to win four consecutive Most Valuable Player Awards?

Hint:     In fact, he is the only player to win four total.

Hint:     Or five...

Hint:     Or six...

Hint:     Or seven.

SABR:  He recently lost a high-profile legal appeal.

Twint     He holds both the single-season and career home run records.

A.         Barry Bonds (MVPs 1990, 1992-93, 2001-04; lost appeal to overturn conviction on obstruction of justice charge; 73 HR in 2001, 762 career HR)

First Correct Respondent – Dave Matchett, Toronto

TUESDAY

Q.         Which Hall of Famer unveiled the 1992 Toronto Blue Jays World Series championship banner?

Hint:     He was the first player to receive the Branch Rickey award.

SABR:  He was the only player to hit his 400^th career home run while playing for the Angels.

Twint:    He was an honorary coach for the 2000 All-Star game.

A.         Dave Winfield (BRA 1992; HR 14-Aug-1991)

FCR -    Will McCracken, Bradenton, FL

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Among Hall of Famers, who has the fourth highest career batting average?

Hint:     Among Hall of Famers, only five find themselves ahead of him on the career triples list.

Hint:     Among Hall of Famers, nobody has more career doubles.

SABR Hint:       He was born as a right-hander, but threw and batted lefty throughout his baseball career.

Twint:    He was an active member of the Ku Klux Klan in his home state, far from major league baseball.

A.         Tris Speaker (.345; 222 3b; 792 3b [not a typo]; Began throwing lefty after a broken arm in his youth.)

FCR -    Jim McCoy, Melrose, MA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who became only the fourth member of the exclusive 500-home run/3,000-hit club?

Hint:     He won a Gold Glove Award in a season where he played only 28 games at the position for which the award was, um… awarded.

Hint:     In fairness, it was his third straight season winning the award, totaling over 300 games at that position in the two seasons prior.  Perhaps momentum just carried him.

SABR:  He had three Bulldog teammates who also became major league All-Stars.

Twint:    His high school has sent four other players to the majors.

A.         Rafael Palmeiro (GG 1997-99; Mississippi State University:  Will Clark, Jeff Brantley & Bobby Thigpen; Andrew Jackson High School, Miami, FL, alma mater of Fred Norman, Warren Cromartie, Bobby Ramos & Lenny Harris)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

THURSDAY

Q.         Before Dick Groat in 1960, who was the last position player to win the NL MVP Award while hitting fewer than five home runs that season?

Hint:     He won a World Series championship in his first full season as a manager, but never again reached the Series in his 16-year managerial career.

SABR:  After a falling-out with John McGraw, he was traded for Rogers Hornsby who had his own falling out with Cardinals owner Sam Breadon.

Twint:    He was the chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee on Baseball Veterans.

A.         Frankie Frisch (4 HR in 1931; Frisch-Hornsby trade [with Jimmy Ring joining Frisch going to the Cardinals] 20-Dec-1926)

FCR -    Dave Williams, Glastonbury, CT

FRIDAY

Q.         Which player was named the Greatest Athlete from Vermont by USA Today, and also New Hampshire’s Most Outstanding Athlete by Sports Illustrated?

Hint:     On 02-Aug-1985 he made both putouts in an 8-6-2 double play.

SABR:  He started the 1974 season late after taking a foul tip to the groin in spring training, then had his season ended early after a home plate collision in June.

Twint:    Most historians agree he hit the second most famous home run ever.

A.         Carlton Fisk (2 PO DP: Rickey Henderson hit a long fly ball to center field, and Luis Salazar missed the ball.  He recovered to throw to Ozzie Guillen who relayed to Fisk.  Yankees base runner Bobby Meacham tripped approaching the plate and he was quickly followed by Dale Berra, who had run through the stop sign at third base.  Fisk tagged out Meacham only to turn around to see Berra coming so he tagged him for an 8-6-2 double play.; 1975 WS HR; Joe Torre spring training foul tip cost 3 weeks recovery, Leron Lee collision 28-Jun-1974 ended Fisk’s season; His HR 21-Oct-1975 sent the WS to a 7^th game, which his team lost.)

FCR -    Jim Casey, Savannah

SATURDAY

Q.         Who is the only player to hit two home runs on his 40^th birthday?

Hint:     The Astros traded him because manager Harry Walker considered him a troublemaker.

SABR:  Nellie Fox suggested he flap his back arm like a chicken to keep his elbow up while batting.

Twint:    His franchise record for most home runs in a season by a second baseman was broken by Brandon Phillips.

A.         Joe Morgan (2 HR 19-Sep-1983; traded to Cincinnati 29-Nov-1971; Reds 2B HR record 27 in 1976, Phillips hit 30 in 2007)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Which 1984 US Olympic Team member was chosen first overall in the 1985 draft?

Hint:     A Major League third baseman by 1988, he moved to the outfield in 1995.

SABR:  His high school home run, launched over Route 139, is still lauded as “The Killer,” and the spot where the ball landed is marked to this day.

Twint:    By the time he retired he had played every position in the majors except pitcher.

A.         B. J. Surhoff (“The Killer” bounced off a firehouse wall and killed a small squirrel in 1985.)

FCR -    J.J. McCoy, Washington            , DC

SUNDAY

Q.         Which player led the White Sox in batting during the 1917 World Series (minimum 10 PA), then missed the last portion of the 1918 season due to military service?

Hint:     His career .333 batting average notwithstanding, he never won a batting title.

SABR:  His son Eddie became a Phillies executive.

Twint:    Ty Cobb called him the best second baseman ever to play the game, an assertion confirmed by Bill James’ win shares.

A.         Eddie Collins (.409 in 1917 WS; Eddie Collins Jr. supervisor of PHI minor league organization ca. 1945-55)

FCR -    Frank DiPrima, Morristown, NJ

WEEKLY THEME – Players with 1,000 games with each of two franchises

Bonds           Pirates      1,010         Giants          1,976

Collins           A’s           1,156         White Sox    1,670   Bio

Fisk               Red Sox   1,078         White Sox    1,421   Bio

Frisch            Giants       1,000         Cardinals     1,311   Bio

Morgan          Houston    1,032         Reds           1,154

Palmeiro        Rangers    1,573         Orioles         1,000

Speaker         Red Sox   1,065         Indians         1,516   Bio

Surhoff          Brewers    1,102         Orioles         1,001

Winfield         Padres      1,117         Yankees      1,172   Bio

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

August 22-28, 2011 Two-time High School All-Americans, according to the “Baseball America Almanac”.

This week’s theme is from reader Brad Fox of Erie, PA.

MONDAY

Q.         Which World Series Most Valuable Player Award winner has been on the Disabled List 12 times since his debut in 2001?

Hint:     He was part of a seven-player blockbuster trade two years after winning the World Series MVP.

SABR:  He was voted Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year.

Twint:    He played for the USA team in the Futures game in 2000.

A.         Josh Beckett (Minor League Player of the Year 2001; Traded 24-Nov-2005 by the Florida Marlins with Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota to the Boston Red Sox for Jesus Delgado, Harvey Garcia, Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez; First Team High School All American Pitcher, 1998, 99)

First Correct Respondent - Derek Norin, Arlington, VA

TUESDAY

Q.         Who, in 2007, was a single shy of being the youngest ever to hit for the cycle?

Hint:     His brother and he were both first round draft picks, although in different years.

SABR:  Peter Gammons stated that a Major League general manager had told him that "[He] was the best 20-year-old he's ever seen."

Twint:    He was the youngest player in the majors the year when Julio Franco was the oldest.

A.         Justin Upton (19 yrs 347 days on 07-Aug-2007; Justin pick #1 in 2005, brother B.J. #2 in 2002; 2007)

FCR -    Alan Monarchi, Red Hook, NY

WEDNESDAY

Q.         Who was often overlooked playing alongside four MVPs, two Rookies of the Year and a Cy Young Winner in his thirteen seasons in Oakland?

Hint:     Now, in his first year on another team, plays with almost as many such winners.

SABR:  It’s hard to overlook his six Gold Glove Awards and one Silver Slugger Award.

Twint:    He hit the last cycle in the American League in the 20^th century.

A.         Eric Chavez (MVPs, ROYs & CYA winners on the A’s 1998-2010: Jason Giambi, Rickey Henderson, Miguel Tejada, Barry Zito, Frank Thomas, Mike Piazza, Nomar Garciaparra. 2011 Yankees have Alex Rodriguez, Bartolo Colon, Derek Jeter, CC Sabathia; GG 2001-06, SS 2002; Cycle 21-Jun-2000)

FCR - Derek Norin, Arlington, VA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         What two-time All-Star and former American League strikeout champion was given his unconditional release earlier this year, seven career strikeouts shy of 1,000?

Hint:     As a high school senior, he struck out 172 batters in 75 innings and had an ERA of 0.37.

Hint:     He was the youngest pitcher to start an Opening Day game since Dwight Gooden.

SABR:  He was drafted ahead of Matt Cain and Cole Hammers.

Twint:    He was also a starting quarterback in high school and verbally committed to play football for the University of Texas.

A.         Scott Kazmir (Release by the Angels 15-Jun-2011; Cypress Fall High School, Houston, TX; 03‑Apr‑2006 @ 22 years, 2 months and 10 days; Drafted by the Mets 1^st round [15^th pick] 2002.)

FCR -    Dave MacEntee, Beacon, NY

IN MEMORIAM

Q.         Who was the last Orioles lefty to win more than twenty games in a season?

Hint:     He won the American League Cy Young Award that same year.

Hint:     He was on the mound for the last out recorded at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium twelve years later.

Hint:     He twice served as the Orioles pitching coach, both times under men who were more famous as pitching coaches.

Hint:     He has also served three separate stints as the Orioles broadcaster.

SABR:  He coined the term "Horn" for a six-strikeout performance by teammate Sam Horn.

SABR:  His father, Ed, was a minor league pitcher from 1944-52.

Twint:    His eldest daughter was the first non-Caesarian test tube baby born in the United States.

Twint:    To make room for him on their roster, the Blue Jays released Phil Niekro.

A.         Mike Flanagan Story Another story Story #3 (23 W in 1979; 06-Oct-1991; PC under Phil Regan 1995 & Ray Miller 1998; Broadcaster 1996–97, 1999-2002 & 2010; Horn’s 6 Ks 17‑Jul‑1991; Ed Flanagan; Daughter born 09‑Jul‑1982; Niekro released by Toronto 31-Aug-1987)

FCR -    J.R. Richardson, Clarksville, MD

THURSDAY

Q.         Who received a fifty-game suspension while playing for AAA Durham for throwing a bat at the home plate umpire?

Hint:     His older brother was an All-Star in the American League and the National League.

SABR:  He was the Most Valuable Player of the AA Southern League although he only played in 84 games.

Twint:    He twice played for Team USA in the Futures Game.

Twint:    He was traded last week.

A.         Delmon Young (Throwing incident 26-Apr-2006; Brother Dmitri Young; SL MVP 2005; Traded from the Twins to the Tigers 16-Aug-2011)

FCR -    Tony Kostello, Troy, MI

FRIDAY

Q.         What Blue Jays’ starting pitcher was given uniform #4?

Hint:     He was traded for a Cy Young Award winner.

Hint:     He is currently in AAA for “seasoning” (not, one would assume, basil or garlic).

SABR:  In high school he hit 27 home runs and amassed a 30-1 pitching record.

Twint:    His father won a Cy Young Award with the Pirates.

A.         Kyle Drabek (Traded [with other players] from the Phillies for Roy Halladay; Father Doug Drabek CYA 1990)

FCR -    David Krassin, New York

SATURDAY

Q.         Which player was expelled three days after his team lost the 2002 Florida state high school championship game?

Hint:     In 2007 he was called up from the minors to replace a player who was 26 years his senior.

SABR:  He’s a “double unique”.

Twint:    He played for the U.S. in the Futures Game in 2005.

A.         Lastings Milledge (expelled by Northside Christian HS [St. Petersburg, FL] for having “marital relations outside of marriage”; No other major league has ever been named “Lastings”, no other has ever been named “Milledge”; replaced 48-year-old Julio Franco in ’07)

FCR -    Michael Bender, Derwood, MD

WEEKEND BONUS

Q.         Who was the only American Leaguer to appear in 30 or more games at each OF position during the 2010 season?

Hint:     He went to the same high school (though not at the same time) as David Aardsma and Brad Lidge.

SABR:  His brother and cousin both played in the Majors.

Twint:    He was given a 50-game suspension in 2005.

A.         S (30 G LF, 69 G CF, 34 G RF; Cherry Creek HS [Greenwood Village, CO]; brother Donzell & cousin James; suspended for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program)

FCR -    Rod Nelson, Detroit

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the only player drafted ahead of Todd Helton and Roy Halladay to play fewer than 100 games above AA?

Hint:     Although his family name is the third most common in the history of the majors, he has not yet added to that total.

SABR:  The year after he was drafted, Baseball America ranked him as the 31^st-best prospect in baseball, but he never again cracked the top 100.

Twint:    He tried to revive his career as a pitcher, but gave up after one season of independent minor league play.

A.         Jaime Jones (drafted 6^th overall in 1995 [Helton 8^th, Halladay 17^th], played 99 career AAA games, 0 ML games; “Jones” ranks behind only “Smith” and “Johnson”; 0-2, 1 SV 5.25 ERA as a P for 2006 Kansan City T-Bones)

FCR -    Bill Garrod, Edgewood, WA

WEEKLY THEME – Two-time High School All-Americans, according to the “Baseball America Almanac”.

Beckett             1998-99

Chavez             1995-96

Drabek             2005-06

Jones               1994-95

Kazmir              2001-02

McDonald         1996-97

Milledge            2002-03

Upton               2004-05

Young              2002-03

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme – Joe Ullian, Santa Barbara