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Trivia Challenge Batters' Box Trivia Challenge (roughly) #7
"Hey, who's up for a Trivia Challenge?," reads the first line of an ancient (in the online world, May 17 of this year is "ancient") thread that has been getting some action here on Batter's Box recently.

So before we go much further and take a trivia thread over the span of a new year, it's time for (what I think is) Batters' Box Trivia Challenge #7!

Here's a reminder of the rules, as crafted by former Batter's Box original staffer Craig Burley:

    "As always, the rules are simple. A question is posed; the first person to get the correct answer (once the original questioner or a third party confirms that it is the correct answer) then gets to ask the next question.

    "The honour system is in effect. That means NO looking the answer up via any internet sources (or Lee Sinins' Encyclopedia!), and you are asked on your honour to abide by that. The extensive use of skull sweat and old-fashioned paper books is allowed.

    "The asker of the question is allowed to vary these rules as s/he wishes."

So, to kick things off, here's the first question ... remember, no cheating!

In the last 10 years, Carlos Delgado led or tied for the lead in Blue Jay season home runs seven times. Name the other four men who have led or tied for the team lead in dingers in a season during the period from 1996-2005.

Posted by Mick Doherty on Friday, December 09 2005 @ 02:57 PM EST.
Batters' Box Trivia Challenge (roughly) #7 | 172 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
VBF - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:09 PM EST (#135827) #
Random Guess: Carter, Batista, Canseco and what the heck, Fullmer.
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Paul D - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:09 PM EST (#135828) #
Tony Batista, Vernon Wells, Shawn Green.... hm...Hillenbrand?
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Craig B - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:11 PM EST (#135829) #
Canseco, Carter, Batista, Wells?
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braden - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:11 PM EST (#135830) #
Wells, Batista, Canseco and Sprague (?).
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Craig B - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:13 PM EST (#135832) #
Braden has the righht answer!
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VBF - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:13 PM EST (#135833) #
It definitely wasn't Wells, guys. The only time Vernon broke 30 was in 2003, Carlos' massive season.

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VBF - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:14 PM EST (#135834) #
Oops nevermind.
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braden - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:16 PM EST (#135836) #
Nice! I couldn't decide between Sprague and Green.

Alright, alphabetically speaking, who are the first and last players to ever play a Major League game for the Jays?

One should be obvious right off the bat.
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Paul D - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:16 PM EST (#135837) #
Who lead the team in homers last year?

I was thinking Hillenbrand last year, and Wells the year Delgado was hurt. Totally forgot about Canseco though.
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braden - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:21 PM EST (#135838) #
Just to clarify my question, though it should be obvious, I'm going by last name.
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Michael - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:22 PM EST (#135839) #
Alpha: Acker

Omega: Zaun

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braden - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:26 PM EST (#135840) #
Close on both, but alas, 0-for-2.
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Mike Green - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:27 PM EST (#135841) #
Abernathy, Zosky?
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braden - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:33 PM EST (#135843) #
1-for-2.

Zosky takes care of the back end.

Abernathy was still a minor-leaguer when he was dealt.
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braden - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 03:49 PM EST (#135846) #
Alright, it looks like I killed the fun.
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Rob - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 04:14 PM EST (#135851) #
I couldn't think of anyone (I kept getting Alan Ashby and Robbie Alomar) and looked it up. Acker was very, very close.

I actually forgot that this player was a Blue Jay. I now wish that I didn't remember...
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joemayo - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 04:17 PM EST (#135853) #
Juan Acevedo?
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Craig B - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 04:45 PM EST (#135861) #
Yes, The Horrible Memory Of Juan Acevedo.
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braden - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 04:50 PM EST (#135862) #
Sure thing, Joe Mayo.

You're up.
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joemayo - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 04:54 PM EST (#135863) #
ok, we all know it was (the now infamous) Lonnie Smith who hit the grand slam. but, just prior to that, who scored the go ahead and eventual winning run for the visiting Atlanta Braves in game 5 of the 1992 WS?
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Mike D - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:00 PM EST (#135864) #
"Neon" Deion Sanders?
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SimonB - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:01 PM EST (#135865) #
yeh, beat me to the punch...i was going to throw out deion's name...
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joemayo - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:02 PM EST (#135866) #
"Neon" Deion Sanders?

so close...

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Mike D - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:03 PM EST (#135867) #
I was so close. Deion drove in the go-ahead run, but didn't score it...
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6-4-3 - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:08 PM EST (#135869) #
Wild guess, because I have no recollection of this game: Jeff Blauser?
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Mosely - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:10 PM EST (#135870) #
Nixon?
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Rob - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:10 PM EST (#135871) #
Lemke?
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VBF - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:11 PM EST (#135872) #
Berryhill!
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joemayo - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:12 PM EST (#135873) #
Nixon?

yup. 2 down, Nixon singled, stole 2nd, Deion drove him in. i may or may not have cried at the dome that day (i can't remember).

you're up.

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Mosely - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:14 PM EST (#135874) #
Oh man - I'm just about to leave work.

Somebody take over for me...
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King Ryan - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:30 PM EST (#135875) #
Name the five players who have higher career OBP's than Barry Bonds.
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SimonB - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:35 PM EST (#135876) #
Ruth, Cobb, Lajoie, Speaker, Hornsby?
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Craig B - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:41 PM EST (#135877) #
McGraw, Ruth, Williams, Hornsby, Mantle?
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King Ryan - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:48 PM EST (#135879) #
Simon: 1/5
Craig: 3/5
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Poincare - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:49 PM EST (#135880) #
I believe they are, in order, Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, John McGraw, Sliding Billy Hamilton, and Lou Gehrig.
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Anders - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:53 PM EST (#135881) #
Ruth/Williams/Mantle/Wagner/ and uh.. Musial?
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Anders - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 05:57 PM EST (#135883) #
Well Poincare is correct, upon checking BR. But I am shocked that he was able to guess, in order, all the players -

The point is not to look it up.
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Craig B - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 06:14 PM EST (#135885) #
Actually, you're allowed to look it up in a book. Just not on the net. The top OBPs are easy to find in Total Baseball, for example.
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Anders - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 06:15 PM EST (#135886) #
Fair enough.

Mayhaps a little less fun though.
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Craig B - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 06:18 PM EST (#135888) #
Indeed. And I'm going to rudely barge in here with another question.

What player led all major leaguers in Home Runs to Outfield Flies ratio? In other words, we're looking for the player who hit home runs on the greatest percentage of his fly balls to the outfield.
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Craig B - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 06:21 PM EST (#135889) #
Batting title qualifiers only, by the way. A guy who went 1-for-2 with a homer and a strikeout doesn't count. And by the way, yes, the answer to this question comes from the THT Annual 2006 order six copies for yourself today...
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birdwatcher - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 06:50 PM EST (#135892) #
So, you can look it up in the THT book, but we can't use the data tables published at the THT website ? Seems unfair !! And the answer is.... OK, I'll wait for an official ruling !
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bobbycola - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 06:52 PM EST (#135893) #
I'm just gonna take a completely wild guess and say Canseco.
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AWeb - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 08:51 PM EST (#135896) #
Andruw Jones?
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david wang - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 10:13 PM EST (#135900) #
I'd say a big guy, Thome, Sexson or Dunn?
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smcs - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 10:39 PM EST (#135903) #
im going to go with Manny Ramires
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Twilight - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 10:53 PM EST (#135904) #
Wild guess with some idea

Richie Sexson?
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Twilight - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 10:58 PM EST (#135905) #
Since that was already guessed, I'm going to try A-Rod.
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AWeb - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 11:11 PM EST (#135907) #
According to the hardball times website, Manny Ramirez is the right answer here, with 28% of his fly balls being homers.

smcs is up
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Anders - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 11:12 PM EST (#135908) #
I'm gonna guess Pujols.

Because he is so awesome.
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smcs - Friday, December 09 2005 @ 11:18 PM EST (#135909) #
Which manager who is not in the Hall of Fame or is an active manger has the most career wins?
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superdevin - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 12:07 AM EST (#135914) #
i think i remember hearing when he passed away this summer that gene mauch has the most wins for a non-active coach that isn't in the hall.

i'm going to be away from my computer most of the rest of the weekend so if i'm right, whom ever confirms it can pose the next question.
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6-4-3 - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 12:33 AM EST (#135915) #
Gene Mauch is correct, so I'll take over.
In 2004, Dave Maurer and Kerry Ligtenberg combined to give up 9 runs (and 3 HRs) in the top of the 9th inning of a game against the Yankees.

1) Ligtenberg was relieved by Frank Menechino who retired the final Yankee batter, leading to the "Menechino for closer" campaign of '04. Which Yankee did Frank get out?

2) Which Yankee hit three homers in that game?
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Rob - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 12:34 AM EST (#135916) #
I believe Menechino retired Posada, and the three homers came from...A-Rod?
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Rob - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 12:36 AM EST (#135918) #
Well, I was close, but had the wrong answers.

Posada did face Menechino but he singled.

Rodriguez hit a homer earlier that inning, but it was his only one in the game.
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King Ryan - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 12:51 AM EST (#135919) #
I know Tony Clark hit three dongs against the Jays once. Was it that game? I think Menechino retired Bernie Williams?
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smcs - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 01:01 AM EST (#135920) #
Tony Clark did hit the three homeruns but part 2 is not correct
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King Ryan - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 01:11 AM EST (#135921) #
Bah, I just retrosheeted it. I had that player the first time, but changed my mind after previewing the post. Damn you, mandatory preview!
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Zao - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 02:21 AM EST (#135922) #
Bubba Crosby?
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Poincare - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 09:08 AM EST (#135932) #
Anders and anybody else interested,

I swear to you I did not look it up. I remember looking at a list of the all-time OBP and Slugging Percentage leaders a while back, and I remembered the top five OBP guys in exact order when I saw your question. I know the point is not to look it up; I wish to honor the rules of Trivia Challenge.

Anyway, if nobody has answered the Home Run to Fly Ball ratio question yet, my guess is Adam Dunn. Also, since I have earned the right to post my own question, here it is: who is the only player since 1900 to have four .390 seasons in his career?

Talk to you guys again soon, I hope.
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VBF - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 09:31 AM EST (#135933) #
I'm going to guess Ruben Sierra because I think he hit a special homer that game too (something hundred) and there was some controversy because just as Captain Intangibles decided it was his right to jump out of the dugout and get Sparky's attention to give him the ball, Reeder looked at him, turned around and threw it into the stands.

Good ole Sparky.
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CeeBee - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 09:34 AM EST (#135934) #
Hornsby?
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VBF - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 09:44 AM EST (#135936) #
I'm off to a Gregg Zaun signing, so if I am right, I forfeit my vote elsewhere.
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smcs - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 09:45 AM EST (#135937) #
Hornsby is correct...but I have also found two other players that have hit .390 4 times in their career.
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6-4-3 - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 01:28 PM EST (#135954) #
Yes, Menechino did get Ruben Sierra to line out to end the 9th. Someone else can ask the new question.
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Matthew E - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 01:49 PM EST (#135957) #
I'll jump in.

This is one of my favourite questions, just because it's so hard to look up. I don't *think* I've asked it on here before, but if I'm wrong, I apologize.

In 1988, Todd Stottlemyre won the last spot on the roster heading north out of spring training. The guy he was competing with was a veteran lefthander trying to extend his career. He never did pitch in a major league game with the Jays, and he didn't pitch again in the majors for anyone else either. Who was he?
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Kieran - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 02:50 PM EST (#135965) #
Hmmm...trying to think of whom that veteran lefthander could be...not Candelaria, he pitched for the Jays...not Bannister, I think he lasted longer.

I don't remember Steve Carlton ever linked with the Jays spring camp, was he?
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Craig B - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 02:53 PM EST (#135966) #
Thanks for picking me up there, AWeb... yes it was Manny Ramirez.
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Craig B - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 03:03 PM EST (#135967) #
Matthew, was it Gary Lavelle?
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Matthew E - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 03:05 PM EST (#135968) #
Not Lavelle. We're looking for someone who never actually pitched for the Jays.
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Matthew E - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 03:06 PM EST (#135969) #
And not Bannister or Carlton.
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Kieran - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 03:14 PM EST (#135970) #
Ron Guidry?
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Matthew E - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 04:29 PM EST (#135983) #
Nope.
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kinguy - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 06:21 PM EST (#135995) #
Bob Shirley
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birdwatcher - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 07:12 PM EST (#136004) #
Al Holland was a dominant LH relief pitcher from the mid-70's to the mid-80's, and was a key part of the Phillies' 1983 WS team. The Baseball Encyclopedia shows him finishing up with the Yankees in 1986-87. Could he perhaps have received a spring training invitation from the Jays in 1988 ?
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Stanny Bronx - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 07:18 PM EST (#136005) #
Could it be Vida Blue?
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Matthew E - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 09:50 PM EST (#136022) #
kinguy is correct with Bob Shirley.
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Jeffrey - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 10:23 PM EST (#136027) #
Which Jay set the MLB record for most career pinch-hit homeruns? (1984)

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Craig B - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 10:42 PM EST (#136031) #
Cliff Johnson?
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kinguy - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 10:44 PM EST (#136032) #
Cliff Johnson
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Jeffrey - Saturday, December 10 2005 @ 10:50 PM EST (#136033) #
Yeh it was Johnson
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Craig B - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 12:07 AM EST (#136044) #
OK, next question:

Canadian pitcher Russ Ford, a career minor leaguer, suddenly became a dominant pitcher in 1908 while with Atlanta in the Southern League. By 1910, he was going 26-6 with the New York Highlanders.

The reason was that he had discovered a secret about pitching that no one else knew. Later, after a minor league teammate named George Kahler made the majors, he said he had learned Ford's secret because he told him while in his sleep. Soon after, Ford's secret became publicly known.

What was the secret?
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6-4-3 - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 12:30 AM EST (#136047) #
Ford had learned how to doctor the ball, giving his pitches extra movement.
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Zao - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 12:40 AM EST (#136049) #
he invented the curveball?
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Mick Doherty - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 01:26 AM EST (#136053) #
I was going to guess the same thing as 6-4-3, but he got there first. Generally, though perhaps incorrectly depending on what you believe, HOF RHSP Candy Cummings is credited with inventing the curveball.
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Anders - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 01:53 AM EST (#136057) #
Im gonna go more specific on the ball doctoring - he either came up with the shine ball or the emery ball.
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6-4-3 - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 01:55 AM EST (#136058) #
Bob Elliot wasn't that specific. He wrote that Ford scuffed or doctored the ball. I think he used an emery board.
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Skinner - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 02:45 AM EST (#136059) #
Ford was the first to disover that doctoring the ball gave it more movement. He began intentionally doctoring the ball using emery paper, and disguised his pitches as spitballs, which were legal. So whoever said that first is right.
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Craig B - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 10:43 AM EST (#136070) #
The first person to get it in a single guess was 6-4-3. Nicely done! Ford discovered the scuffball or "emery ball".

Ford discovered the emery pitch in Atlanta in 1908. According to Bill James, while Ford was warming up he overthrew the catcher and the ball hit a post of some sort. Ford noticed that one side of the ball has a rough or scuffed patch. When he started warming up again, the catcher asked what he was throwing - the ball was "shooting" (curving) a lot. Ford started monkeying around with scuffing or roughening the ball and pretty soon he was darned near unhittable. He did, as Skinner mentioned, disguise the pitch by licking his fingers, pretending he threw a spitball, and kept up that ruse for a couple of years.

However, after Kahler made the majors throwing the emery ball, and told everyone how Ford had spilled his secret while in a dream, pretty soon Ford owned up to what he was doing and from there the emery ball took off.
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Craig B - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 10:46 AM EST (#136072) #
Incidentally, although it took some 60 years after Russ Ford to discover it, and even longer to become truly popularized, cricket is currently involved in its own love affair with the emery ball, or "reverse swing" as it is known in cricket. There, because the ball usually stays in play for at least 450 deliveries, the ball can get pretty roughed up and if the fielding side keeps one side smooth, you can get some real good movement.
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6-4-3 - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 12:42 PM EST (#136078) #
See, it's funny because when I saw the question I immediately thought "emery board", but I didn't know where I'd read that. I first thought it was in the Canadian baseball publication that I got at the SABR convention, but I couldn't find that. I then thought it was in Bob Elliott's book, and it was, but i t turns out that it also was in the latest Box piece, 1920 in review. So it's possible that I read the answer to that question in 3 different places.

Okay, on to the question. In a 1915 interview, Walter Johnson said "I deserve the blame for what I have done, and I admit in the light of experience that I did not act wisely, I make no excuses and ask no consideration. I am willing to accept whatever blame is due me."

What had the Big Train done?
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Fawaz - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 12:53 PM EST (#136079) #
The details elude me, but I think he's talking about signing (and then begging out of) a contract with the Federal League.
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6-4-3 - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 01:19 PM EST (#136081) #
Yeah, that's it. Johnson had asked for a contract of either 1/$15000, 3/$36000, or 5/$50000. Spurned by Clark Griffith, he signed with Chicago of the Federal League for a $20000 one year contract. Griffith claimed that the reserve clause prevented this deal from being legitimate, threatened to sue, then gave Johnson a raise. Johnson never threw a pitch in the Federal League.

You're up.
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Fawaz - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 02:25 PM EST (#136086) #
Here's one, though someone else will have to look it up because I'm out of commission for the rest of the day.

Who was the first pitcher to be tossed for throwing a spitball?
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Craig B - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 03:48 PM EST (#136098) #
Browns righty Nels Potter during their pennant year of 1944. Potter's renaissance during (and even after) the war was essentially due to the wet one which he always denied using, claiming that he threw a screwball.

Weirdly enough, even though several non-grandfathered players continued to use the wet one after 1920, it took 24 years for an umpire to get up the gumption to run someone for it!

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Craig B - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 04:10 PM EST (#136101) #
OK, since I *know* I'm right about Potter, I'll ask another question.

Which two of the following players did NOT pursue the postseason activity listed after their name?

Pedro Ramos, cigar manufacturer
Dean Chance, carny
Ernie Banks, finance student at Northwestern University
Leon Wagner, film actor
Irv Noren, trophy shop owner
Vic Power, adviser to the Puerto Rican House of Representatives
Mickey Lolich, donut baker
Willie McCovey, fashion designer
Vinegar Bend Mizell, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development in the Ford Administration
Mudcat Grant, soul singer
Leo Cardenas, gas station attendant
Jay Hook, vice-president of Rockwell Aerospace
Bobby Shantz, soda jerk
George Altman, commodities trader
Bernie Carbo, ladies' hairdresser
Boog Powell, insurance executive
Jim Rivera, cafe owner
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Craig B - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 04:13 PM EST (#136102) #
And by "postseason" I mean "post-career". Mental lapse...
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costanza - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 06:22 PM EST (#136107) #
What's a "former Batter's Box original staffer", anyways? :)
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Zao - Sunday, December 11 2005 @ 10:42 PM EST (#136117) #
wild guess: Ramos & McCovey
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Brian W - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 12:46 AM EST (#136118) #
Another wild guess: Powell & Banks.
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Zao - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 01:01 AM EST (#136119) #
I want to get one right, I have a good question.
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VBF - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 07:26 AM EST (#136125) #
Random: Lolich and Carbo.
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Craig B - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 08:32 AM EST (#136126) #
Zao and Brian W. each got one right! Nice job, guys.

Someone ought to be able to zoom in on the right answer now...

A former Batter's Box original staffer? Why that's me! I'm now horribly unoriginal.

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costanza - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 12:59 PM EST (#136160) #
By saying "*former* Batter's Box original staffer", does that mean you did something to have your original staffer status revoked?
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Mike Green - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 01:12 PM EST (#136161) #
Don't worry, Costanza. Craig was not involved in the infamous Batter's Box sponsorship scandal, and has no knowledge, intimate or otherwise, of Monica Lewinsky.:)
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6-4-3 - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 01:18 PM EST (#136162) #
I have a question I want to ask, so I may as well grasp at these straws: Powell and McCovey.
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Craig B - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 02:27 PM EST (#136173) #
does that mean you did something to have your original staffer status revoked?

Can we let the cat out of the bag? I guess it's been long enough.

I've taken an indefinite leave of absence to focus on other projects, like work, babies and writing two books. Nothing earth-shattering and I am still hoping to contribute in the future (I keep meaning to get around to that "Wait 'Til Next Year" project about the free agent market).

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Craig B - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 02:28 PM EST (#136174) #
By the way, this happened like six months ago so that'll give you an idea of how much I am missed - less than none. The quality of the original material here is stronger than ever!
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Craig B - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 02:30 PM EST (#136175) #
6-4-3 gets it! Willie McCovey and Boog Powell is the correct answer. Boog operates (I think he still does) a marina in Florida, and Willie McCovey went into the sheet and towel business, and now owns a restaurant/sports bar.
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6-4-3 - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 02:58 PM EST (#136179) #
Okay, that is the one that I meant to ask last time.

By average speed, what pitcher had the fastest fastball in the MLB last year? And, for a bonus question: who had the slowest fastball in the MLB?
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Craig B - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 04:22 PM EST (#136198) #
Fastest? I'd say Guillermo Mota. Slowest? Tim Wakefield.
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Brian W - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 04:28 PM EST (#136199) #
Fastest: Billy Wagner (probably a few years too late for this to be right)
Slowest: Jamie Moyer
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Zao - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 04:28 PM EST (#136200) #
Slowest: Jamie Moyer?
Fastest: gee I dunno... Billy Wagner?
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Zao - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 04:30 PM EST (#136202) #
heh... crap even if I'm right I lose.
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6-4-3 - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 04:41 PM EST (#136207) #
Wakefield was the slowest, his fastball averaged 76 mph (Moyer rang in at 81 mph). Wagner threw the most pitches over 100 mph (18), but he wasn't the fastest pitcher in the majors.
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birdwatcher - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 05:40 PM EST (#136222) #
Brad Lidge ?
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6-4-3 - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 05:46 PM EST (#136223) #
No, not Lidge. It's not a reliever.
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birdwatcher - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 07:03 PM EST (#136233) #
One last try, based on something I thought I heard amongst all the chatter in the past month. Could it possibly be our 55 million dollar man - AJ Burnett ???
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6-4-3 - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 07:14 PM EST (#136236) #
Yes, according to the Bill James 2006 handbook Burnett averaged 95.6 mph, one mile faster than CC Sabathia. Burnett threw 17 pitches that were 100 mph or faster.
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birdwatcher - Monday, December 12 2005 @ 07:34 PM EST (#136241) #
Well, if this post is still alive, here’s another question. I think everyone would agree that a top ten list of the most historic events in baseball history would include Roger Maris hitting his 61st home run in 1961 to surpass the Babe’s single season record, and Henry Aaron hitting his 715th home run in 1974 to surpass the Babe’s career mark. There was in fact one player who was active and in uniform on both of those days, so had the privilege to witness in person the toppling of these titanic records. Can you name him ?
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Zao - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 03:28 AM EST (#136269) #
The answer to your question is no, I cannot name him.
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Craig B - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 08:33 AM EST (#136273) #
I sorta cheated on this one, because I had to look at the 1961 Red Sox and Yankee rosters (my first guess was Gary Geiger, since he played with the Red Sox and Braves, but I was way off) and that made it too easy. Someone else answer this one.
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Fawaz - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 10:59 AM EST (#136295) #
I'm a little surprised this question still hasn't been done before. That's some popular baseball trivia right there...

Al Downing, the man who actually gave up Aaron's 715th.
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birdwatcher - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 11:46 AM EST (#136301) #
Yes. Al Downing was a 20 year old rookie and late season call-up with the Yankees in 1961. He doesn’t show up in the boxscore because he didn’t play that day, but he was sitting in the Yankee bullpen as Maris connected with his 61st home run. Thirteen years later, in a splendid example of baseball irony, Downing was certainly much more visible. As noted by Fawaz, he was pitching with the Dodgers and, in fact, served up Aaron’s 715th dinger.
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Zao - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 03:45 PM EST (#136343) #
Alright since no one else is asking a question let me ask one before this thread dies.

September 14, 1987, the Blue Jays set a major league record with 10 home runs in one game. Home Runs were hit by 6 different players, 5 of whom were in the starting lineup (Whitt, Mullinicks, Bell, Moseby, McGriff). Can you name the 4 players in the Jays starting 9 who did NOT hit a home run.
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Mike Green - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 03:53 PM EST (#136346) #
Upshaw. Barfield. Manny Lee (Fernandez hurt shortly before, if I recall correctly). Damaso Garcia was, let's hope, still around in 87.
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Zao - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 04:14 PM EST (#136351) #
Barfield & Upshaw are correct. The other 2 are wrong.
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Jonny German - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 04:25 PM EST (#136354) #
Let's try Fernandez and Nelson Liriano.
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smcs - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 06:00 PM EST (#136366) #
jonny german gets the last two
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Mike Green - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 08:52 PM EST (#136383) #
Since I got 1/2 the question and Jonny's left the room, I'll pose the next one. Give me 2 of the 3 best seasons by a pitcher as measured by ERA+, both the pitcher and the year (min. 1 IP/G).

Hint: one's a Hall of Famer, one's an active pitcher, and one is notorious.
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Rob - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 09:53 PM EST (#136385) #
The active pitcher is easy -- Pedro in 2000. Let's say Bob Gibson (1968, natch) for the Hall of Famer.
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Fawaz - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 09:53 PM EST (#136386) #
Pedro's 2000 is a lock to account for the active player. I guess that means no Greg Maddux. Koufax probably suffers massive contextual adjustments and falls out of the top three. The others must be dead-ballers. Walter Johnson in 19somethingteen?
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Rob - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 09:55 PM EST (#136387) #
I'm 1-for-2. (It's not Gibson -- he's actually 7th.)
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Mike Green - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 09:57 PM EST (#136388) #
No guesses for an hour, and then two at the precise same minute, just as I was about to post the answer.

Pedro in 2000 is indeed the active pitcher. Neither Bob Gibson nor Walter Johnson is the Hall of Famer. Johnson's 1913 was 5th; Gibson's 1968 was 7th. Good guesses.
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Mike Green - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 10:00 PM EST (#136390) #
Second hint. The notorious one is indeed a deadball era lefty.
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Fawaz - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 10:11 PM EST (#136393) #
Might this player have effectively ended the playing careers of Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb?
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Fawaz - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 10:13 PM EST (#136394) #
Well, I was thinking of the right guy, but I didn't guess a year, so I won't spill it.
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Mike Green - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 10:16 PM EST (#136395) #
Fawaz, the ball is in your court. Pedro's season is in my view clearly the best of the three. His ERA+ of 285 was over double that of the 2nd best in the league, Clemens.
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Fawaz - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 10:29 PM EST (#136397) #
Thank you, Dutch Leonard.

The top 12 single season OPS numbers belong to Barry Bonds, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. Who's got number 13?

Bonus: How many Red Bulls have I put back in the last 48 hours? #$^&* exams...
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Rob - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 11:05 PM EST (#136401) #
Frank Thomas and...nine?
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Fawaz - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 11:28 PM EST (#136406) #
No...and yes!
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6-4-3 - Tuesday, December 13 2005 @ 11:28 PM EST (#136407) #
Lou Gehrig and 12?
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Craig B - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 08:46 AM EST (#136431) #
Mark McGwire and I'm guessing that Fawaz is up to 14 Red Bulls?

Don't go too hard on that stuff, man... 6 hours sleep and 2 hours studying is usually better than 8 hours of crazed studying.
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Fawaz - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 09:28 AM EST (#136436) #
Close.

Gehrig in 1927 (14th)
McGwire in 1998 (16th)
Thomas in 1994 (18th)

Hint: He was a middle infielder.

I stopped at 9 red bulls and got some sleep. I retained nothing. I don't care.
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Craig B - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 09:46 AM EST (#136439) #
Hornsby!
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Craig B - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 09:46 AM EST (#136440) #
And yes, I forgot that I shouldn't guess twice. OK, someone else ask the next question.
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Shaker Mo - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 11:32 AM EST (#136462) #
This one is a little different. You can look up this guy's page at baseballreference.com to help figure out the answer.

What is the claim to fame of Art Hoelskoetter?
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Rob - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 01:12 PM EST (#136478) #
Was he the last player to play all nine positions in one game/season?
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Shaker Mo - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 01:20 PM EST (#136482) #
On the right track, but not quite correct.
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Craig B - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 01:28 PM EST (#136486) #
First player to play all nine positions in his career with one team? King Kelly had played all nine positions in his career, but with different teams...
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Shaker Mo - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 02:07 PM EST (#136490) #
Again....you two have sniffed out the gist of the answer, and since it is unlikely that will come up with the exact response that I was going for, here it is:

"Only MLB player since 1901 to play at least 15 games at every position"

The feat also includes the "position" of pinch hitter, btw.

Looks like it's back to you, Burley.
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Craig B - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 04:26 PM EST (#136514) #
OK then...

In 1985, the Hanshin Tigers (the second-most popular team in Japan) won their only ever Japan Series. In celebration, Tigers fans dressed as various players on the team jumped off a bridge into the Dotonbori River, which is apparently a disgusting little canal full of scum and garbage.

Gaijin Randy Bass was the Tigers' biggest home-run hitter, but no one resembling him could be found to make the leap. So the fans liberated a statue from a local business that they thought looked like Bass, and threw it into the river instead. It's widely believed now that until the statue is retrieved from the river's murky depths, the Tigers will never win another Japan Series. (They made the Series this year and got swept). It's never been found.

Who was it a statue of?

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Craig B - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 04:29 PM EST (#136516) #
(Once again, you could fine the answer if only you had a copy of The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2006, available from finer online retailers and also in stores now or soon! Ask for it at your local bookseller...)
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Fawaz - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 04:33 PM EST (#136517) #
After a brutal exam, that's a finger-lickin' good question.
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smcs - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 05:32 PM EST (#136524) #
okay absolutely random guess
Jesus
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smcs - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 05:38 PM EST (#136526) #
okay having just looked up the answer...wow
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6-4-3 - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 05:40 PM EST (#136527) #
Question: is it impressive or disturbing that all I needed to read was "statue" "canal" "Japanese baseball" and "curse" to recognize that the answer was Colonel Sanders?
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smcs - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 06:04 PM EST (#136528) #
a little of column A and a little of column B
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Craig B - Wednesday, December 14 2005 @ 10:19 PM EST (#136545) #
I think both, 6-4-3.

Fawaz, of course, gets it. You're up, Fawaz! Please ask the invigilator if you need to use the bathroom.
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King Ryan - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 03:17 AM EST (#136694) #
Nobody's posted a question in a day, so I'll ask another statistical-based one:

Name me the only hitter (AFAICT) who, in his career, amassed 1000+ career walks, 1000+ career strikeouts, but less than 100 career homeruns.
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Mike D - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 07:37 AM EST (#136697) #
How about (in my best Adam Sandler voice) "Hall of Famer R-O-O-O-D Carew."

Incidentally, Sandler's next line -- "He converted" -- is not quite true. Carew's wife, and therefore children, are Jewish, but he never did himself convert. So technically, he ought not to be in the Hanukkah song. Still a good song, though.

I think I've got this one, so I'll throw in a not-terribly-difficult question. Who's won the most World Series as a starting third baseman?

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Craig B - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 09:08 AM EST (#136701) #
Red Rolfe?
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Craig B - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 09:09 AM EST (#136702) #
By my count it's Rolfe with 4, and Brosius, Baker and Brown each have 3.
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Craig B - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 09:11 AM EST (#136703) #
Even if I'm right, I'm only half right. Interesting.
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Mike Green - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 09:46 AM EST (#136711) #
Yankees of 50s and early 60s? Hmm. Clete Boyer or Gil McDougald. I'll guess McDougald.
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Mike D - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 12:47 PM EST (#136733) #
The answer is Red Rolfe with 5. Good instincts, Craig!
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Craig B - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 01:28 PM EST (#136738) #
Larry Gardner of the deadball-era Red Sox and Indians won four World Series at third base, but I missed Rolfe's fifth WS somehow. New question up momentarily.
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Craig B - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 01:37 PM EST (#136739) #
Hall of Famer George Kelly set two records in one day in 1923. Not only did "Highpockets" hit home runs in three consecutive innings, establishing a record, but each of the home runs were hit off the Cubs' Vic Aldridge, giving Kelly six dingers off of Aldridge for the season (out of a total of just 16), which also set a record.

What other link did George Kelly and Vic Aldridge have in common?

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smcs - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 02:03 PM EST (#136744) #
judging by the gap around 1919 in both of their careers, they were both in the army?
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Rob - Friday, December 16 2005 @ 02:38 PM EST (#136751) #
I think smcs is right, but just to be sure, I'll make my guess more specific...were they in the same platoon or unit (or whatever grouping of soldiers you wish to define)?
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