MONDAY  — 09-Sep

Q.  Which former Cy Young Award winner signed what was then the largest major league contract ever given to a pitcher to change teams, but stayed in his same television market?

Hint: #1  His new team won the world Series twice when he was there.

Hint: #2  His father composed for Duke Ellington and conducted the London Symphony Orchestra.

A.  BARRY ZITO  [SABR Bio]

–  Ans.  Zito won the CYA in 2002 w/OAK & signed a 7-year deal w/SFG before the w2007 season for $126 million, plus an $18 million option for 2014 with a $7 million buyout, the highest for any pitcher in MLB history at the time.

–  #1  SFG won the WS in 2010 & 2012.  Zito didn’t play in the 2010 postseason & while he only pitched 5⅔ innings in 1 G of the 2012 Series, his ERA was an impressive 1.59.

–  #2  Zito had a complicated relationship with his father, Joe Zito, but Barry inherited a good portion of musical talentfrom him.

FCR –  D.J. Pisano, Cape Town, South Africa

Incorrect guesses:  David Cone, Dwight Gooden, Kevin Brown, Andy Messersmith

IN MEMORIAM — 09-Sep

Q.  Who holds the record for most games played in a New York Mets uniform?

Hint: #1  He was the first New York Mets player to hit one hundred career home runs.

Hint: #2  He owns the highest single-season batting average for a pinch-hitter. (Min. 30 AB)

Hint: #3  He was the only Mets position player to be named to an All-Star team, but never saw any All‑Star playing time.

Hint: #4  When he first came up, he was the youngest player in the majors and only dropped to 3^rd youngest in his second season.

Hunt: #5  He was the first major leaguer to appear on “Saturday Night Live”.

A.  ED KRANEPOOL  [SABR Bio]

–  Ans.  Kranepool played in 1,853 G, well ahead of 2^nd-place David Wright’s 1,585.

–  #1  Kranepool hit the 100^th of his career 118 HR on 03-Aug-1976.

–  #2  He hit .486 in 1974 as a pinch hitter.

–  #3  He made the 1965 NL AS squad, but did not play.

–  #4  He joined the Mets 22-Sep-1962 at 17 years & 318 days old as a left-handed pinch hitter for future Hall of Famer Gil Hodges.  He was part of the team’s 116^thloss that year.

–  #5  Kranepool never hosted the show, but on 07-Apr-1979, Season 4, Episode 16,he appeared in an SNL skit during spring training, where former “Met great” Chico Escuela (Garrett Morris) was attempting to return with the Mets after writing his tell-all memoir, Bad Stuff About The Mets.

FCR –  Douglas Greenwald, San Francisco

Incorrect guesses:  Rusty Staub

TUESDAY  — 10-Sep

Q.  What pitcher holds the record for the most strikeouts in a season by a twentieth-century National League righty?

Hint: #1  He was the first pitcher since Luis Tiant in 1969 to allow ten extra-base hits in one game.

Hint: #2  “Sports Illustrated” magazine once called him the “Father of the Year”.

A.  CURT SCHILLING  [SABR Bio]

–  Ans.  Schilling’s 319 K in 1997 for PHI led MLB.

–  #1  10 EBH on 10-Aug-2006.  Tiant had done it on 18-Apr-1969.  Jake Peavy tied the mark in 2016.

–  #2  SI article.

FCR –  Tony Hughes, Woodbridge, Virginia

Incorrect guesses:  Jim Bunning, Pedro Martinez, Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Tom Seaver, J.R. Richard, Phil Niekro

WEDNESDAY  — 11-Sep

Q.  Which one-time Colorado Rockies pitcher surrendered Don Mattingly’s record-breaking sixth grand slam of the 1987 season?

Hint: #1  In his second year with only his second team in the majors, he led the league in complete games.   The next season he tied for the lead the majors in shutouts.

Hint: #2  He became the first pitcher of the DH Era to strike out thirteen while allowing only one hit.

A.  BRUCE HURST  [SABR Bio]

–  Ans.  Mattingly’s 1987 6^th grand slam was on 29 Sep, just 4 days after his 5^th.  Mattingly hit no grand slam in any other season of his 14-year MLN career.  Hurst pitched for COL for 8⅔ innings over 3 G in 1993.

–  #1  W/SDP, Hurst had 10 CG in 1989 (tied with LAD’s Tim Belcher) & 4 SHO in 1990 (in a 4-way tie w/Dave Stewart, Mike Morgan & Roger Clemens).

–  #2   On 10-Apr-1979, in only his 2^ndstart wearing any other uniform than that of BOS, he had 13 Ks and gave up only 1H.  It hadn’t been done since Bob Gibson did it in 1970.

FCR –  Michael Schneider, Wilmington, Delaware

Incorrect guesses:  Bret Saberhagen, Jose Mesa, Pat Perry

MIDWEEK BONUS  — 11-Sep

Q.  Who played for the Israeli national baseball team in the Olympics and was Team Israel’s manager in the World Baseball Classic?

Hint: #1  He is a four-time All-Star, a two-time Gold Glove winner and has a World Series title ring.

Hint: #2  He twice had a 30/30 season.

A.  IAN KINSLER  [B-R Bio]

–  Ans.  He played for the Israeli in the 2020 Summer Olympics.  He was the manager of Team Israel at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

–  #1  Kinsler was AS 3 X for TEX & once for DET.  His GG were 1 X for DET & 1 X for LAA.  He was with BOS in 2018 when they won their 4^th WS this century.

–  #2  Kinsler was 30/30 for TEX in 2009 (31/31) & 2011 (32/30).

FCR –  Adam Balutis, Arlington, Virginia

Incorrect guesses:  Gabe Kapler, Brad Ausmus, Shawn Green

THURSDAY  — 12-Sep

Q.  Which centerfielder, along with Billy Hamilton and Harry Stovey, retired with more runs scored than games played?  (Min. 1,000)

Hint: #1  In his sophomore season in the majors, he led the National League in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS and OPS but none of it was official.

Hint: #2  He is recorded as the first holdout in major league history.

A.  GEORGE GORE  [SABR Bio]

–  Ans.  Hamilton (1,591 G, 1,690 R); Gore (1,310 G, 1,327 R); Stovey (1,486 G, 1,492 R)

–  #1  Gore’s 1880 year w/CHC was one for the ages.  His BA (.360); OBP (.399); SLG (.463); OPS (.862); & OPS+ (185) led the NL & therefore the majors.  Batting averages weren’t official until 1887.  The others followed at various dates.

–  #2  Prior to the 1879 season Chicago owner Albert G. Spalding offered Gore a contract for $1,200.  Gore countered with $2,500 and became a “hold-out” by refusing to play or report to team facilities until the contract was properly negotiated. Eventually the 2 sides agreed to $1,900 for that year.

FCR –  Bill Carle, Lee’s Summit, Missouri

Incorrect guesses:  Honus Wagner, Willie Keeler, Edd Roush, Tim Raines, Curt Flood, Sam Thompson

FRIDAY — 13-Sep

Q.  Who went from being drafted by the Mets in the thirteenth round to going first pick in the first round (first overall) three years later?

Hint: #1  He spent those three seasons playing college baseball and college football.

Hint: #2  He is the first player to win a Gold Glove at different positions.A.  ??

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(A/K/A ~ Bruce)