RJ Hamster
Answered and Theme for the Week of February 9,…
| Peter, MONDAY — 09-Feb-2026Q. Which active player has a higher career WAR than any of these MVPs/Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell, Johnny Bench, Rod Carew, Joe Dimaggio, Ken Griffey Jr, Chipper Jones and Robin Yount?Hint: #1 Ten years ago he tied a record first set by Willie Mays.Hint: #2 He led the league in WAR for each of five consecutive seasons, beginning as a twenty-year-old, four times also leading the majors.A. MIKE TROUT [B-R Bio]– Ans. For comparisonPlayer WAR MVP(s) HOF Vote %Bagwell* 79.9 NL 1993 2017 86.2Bench* 75.1 NL 1970, 72 1989 96.4Carew* 81.2 AL 1977 1991 90.5DiMaggio 79.1 AL 1939, 41, 47 1955 88.8Griffey 83.8 AL 1995** 2016 99.3Jones 85.3 NL 1999 2018 97.2Yount 77.4 AL 1982, ‘89 1999 77.5Trout** 87.5 AL 2014**, 16, 19 ~*Also ROY; **Unanimously- #1 When Trout won his 2nd All-Star Game MVP in 2015, he joined Mays (1963, 68), Steve Garvey (1974, 78), Gary Carter (1981, 84) & Cal Ripken (1991, 2001) as a 2-time winner.- #2 From 2012 thought 2016, Trout led with: 10.5, 8.9. 7.7, 9.5 & 10.4. Led MLB 4X. Only Led the AL in 2015.FCR – Lawrence Adams, Oxford, England, UK TUESDAY — 10-Feb-2025Q. In 2014, Anthony Rizzo became the final recipient of the Branch Rickey Award, but who was the first?Hint: #1 He was third in MVP voting the year there was a tie for the award in the National League. He took the ‘bronze’ in spite of leading the league in runs-batted-in, OPS, total bases and intentional bases-on-balls.Hint: #2 He had the World-Series-winning hit for the Toronto Blue Jays.A. DAVE WINFIELD [SABR Bio]– Ans. Winfield was honored as the first recipient of the Rickey Award in 1992.- #1 In 1979, playing for the Padres, Winfield came in 3rd behind Willie Stargell & Keith Hernandez. He led in RBI (118), OPS (166), TB (333) & IBB (24).- #2 In Game 6 of the 1992 WS, he became “Mr. Jay” (shedding his previous “Mr. May” epithet) as he delivered the game-winning 2-run double in the 11th inning.FCR – Brian Baris, Oneida, New York WEDNESDAY — 11-Feb-2025Q. Which San Francisco native was the major league manager for a future Hall of Fame player he had once been traded for?Hint: #1 A former Pirate, he was in uniform in Toronto for the “Joe Carter game”.Hint: #2 He and Barry Bonds attended the same high school.A. JIM FREGOSI [SABR Bio]– Ans. Fregosi was born in San Francisco 04-Apr-1942. When he managed the California Angels in 1978 & 1979, the ace of his pitching staff was Nolan Ryan for whom he, as a player, had been traded in December 1971. The trade sent Fregosi from his original team, the Angels, to the Mets in exchange for Ryan, Leroy Stanton & 2 prospects.- #1 Fregosi was the manager of PHI 1991-1996, including the 1993 WS & the oft-referenced game 6. He finished his playing career as a shortstop for PIT in 1977–78.- #2 Both are alumni of Junipero Serra HS, San Mateo*, California, but a full generation apart.FCR – Dave Williams, Glastonbury, Connecticut*The city surprisingly not named after Matty Alou! THURSDAY 12-Feb-2025Q. Who is the only major leaguer to win a league Most Valuable Player Award unanimously more than once?Hint: #1 He was also voted Rookie of Year. That vote was overwhelming, but not unanimous.Hint: #2 One season when he did not win he MVP, he got enough Cy Young Award votes for fourth place.A. SHOHEI OHTANI [B-R Bio]– Ans. Playing for the Angels, Ohtani won the AL MVP in 2021 & 2023. After signing with LAD, he won the NL MVP in 2024 & 2025. All 4 times, no other nominee ever got even a single first-place vote!- #1 He was ROY with LAA in 2018 with 25 of the available 30 first-place votes.- #2 Pitching for LAA in 2022,he finished 4th behind Justin Verlander’s unanimous vote.FCR – Waker Arnold, Jay, Vermont IN MEMORIAM — 12-Feb-2025Q. Which pitcher holds the record for highest winning percentage in a season? (Min. 15 decisions)Hint: #1 Who was the first pitcher to save three games in a single World Series.Hint: #2 He was the first major leaguer to save twenty games in a season more than once.Hint: #3 He was drafted twice by Branch Rickey.Hint: #4 His dominant stat became official during his last season in the majors.Hint: #5 He had one dominant pitch most hitter found hard to handle.Hint: #6 Only Walter Johnson matched him in career pitching appearances with one franchise.A. ROY FACE [SABR Bio]– Ans. For the 1959 Pirates, Face’s record was 18-1 (with 0 starts), resulting in a .947 W-L%- #1 Face preserved wins in Gs 1, 4 & 5 of the Pirates’ 1960 upset WS win over the Yankees. John Wetteland surpassed Face in 1996 setting a record that is unlikely ever to be broken: 4 saves in a single WS.- #2 Face compiled his first two 20+ save seasons in 1958 (20) & 1960 (24). His career-best was 28 saves in 1962.- #3 Branch Rickey’s Brooklyn Dodgers selected Face in the annual winter draft in 1950. Two years later, Rickey drafted Face again, this time for the Pirates- #4 Saves were tallied by most teams even though the “save” wasn’t officially acknowledged by MLB until 1969, Face’s final season. Retroactively, he was credited being the NL saves leader in 1958, 1961 & 1962.- #5 Face’s signature pitch was a forkball, learned in the minors after watching former Yankee star reliever Joe Page throw the pitch in 1954 while both were in Spring Training with the Pirates. Face said his own forkball acted like a cross between a knuckler and a sinker. “How do you know which way it will go?” he was once asked. “I don’t,” he said, “but neither does the batter.”- #6 Face appeared 802 times as a pitcher for PIT. Johnson had reached the same number with WSH.FCR – Dave Huners, Herndon, Virginia FRIDAY — 13-Feb-2025Q. Who was the first Los Angeles Angel to lead the majors in stolen bases for a season?Hint: #1 No Angels player ever led the league in bases-on-balls before he did.Hint: #2 The only major leaguer born in Viet Nam and he are alumni of the same high school.A. CHONE FIGGINS [Wiki Bio]– Ans. Figgins had 62 SB in 2005. Mike Trout is the only other one to do it.- #1 He walked 101 times in 2009.- #2 Figgins and Danny Graves were both Brandon High Eagles.FCR – Brett Moore, Studio City, California SATURDAY — 14-Feb-2025Q. Who hit the first home run in refurbished Yankee Stadium?Hint: #1 His nickname reflected a music genre.Hint: #2 Five major league All-Stars attended his high school.A. DAN FORD [SABR Bio]– Ans. Ford, the venue’s 2nd batter ever, homered in Yankee Stadium II, as it come to be called, on 15-Apr-1976. That put the visiting Twins up 2-0 before the first out of the game had been made.- #1 He was called Disco Dan. The Disco Era was began to peak as he entered the majors in 1975.- #2 Although Ford never made an All-Star team he transferred to Fremont HS ( not to be confused with Fremont HS in Sunnyvale, California, 350 miles to the north) because he admired the baseball players that he knew some recent Fremont graduates Bobby Tolan, Willie Crawford & Bob Watson who had made the majors. For 60 years, Fremont had been a source a talented baseball recruits.FCR – Quentin Wittrock, Coon Rapids, Minnesota SUNDAY — 15-Feb-2025Q. Which owner of a thirty-three home-run, eight-year major league career, once had multiple home runs in each of three consecutive games?Hint: #1 He was born in San Diego because his father had grown up in San Diego and had played for the Padres.Hint: #2 After his playing career, he became the development manager for a wellness and fitness company.A. JEFF DaVANON [Wiki Bio]– Ans. In 3 straight road games in 2003, DaVanon hit 2 HR on 01-Jun vs. TBD. The Angels’ schedule then took them so Montreal. On 03-Jun & 04-Jun, he homered twice in each game as hie team dominated. In doing so, he tied Ralph Kiner (7–9Jun-1947), Darryl Strawberry (4–6-Sep-1987) & Albert Belle (3–5-Sep-1995).- #1 His father, Jerry DaVanon, played in the majors for parts of 8 MLB seasons.- #2 In 2020, DaVanon joined Carnosyn® Brands as their Health & Wellness Business Development Manager.FCR – Terry Gans, San Carlos, California WEEK’S FINALE — 15-Feb-2025Q. Which Badger-born major league All-Star was a two-way player and a four-year letterman for the Bulldogs?Hint: #1 He hit for the cycle almost exactly two years after his more famous teammate also did for the same team.Hint: #2 He remembers pausing just a fleeting moment watching the ball clear the fence of his first career grand slam off Gibson.A. JARED WALSH [B-R Bio]– Ans. Walsh was born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, but attendedAtlanta’s Peachtree Ridge HS & the University of Georgia, the Bulldogs. He as an All-Star for the Angels in 2021.- #1 See dates below. No Angles player has “cycled” since Walsh did.- #2 On 21-Sep-2020, Walsh knocked in 3 teammates & himself when he homered off Kyle Gibson of TEX. Walsh paused a moment to watch his grand slam sail out of the park, even though he still felt a bit of doubt about a no-doubt homer: “I probably would have looked like an idiot had it not gone out.”FCR – Randall Chandler, Germantown, Tennessee THEME: [Los Angeles, Anaheim, etc.] Angels who have hit for the cycle DaVanon…………… 25-Aug-2004 Watch………….. 5.2 Figgins..……………. 16-Sep-2006 Watch…………. 22.0 Ford…………………. 10-Aug-1979…………………… 11.8 Fregosi..……………. 28-Jul-1964 &…………………. 48.7……………………….. 20-May-1968 Ohtani………………. 13-Jun-2019 Watch…………. 51.5 Trout………………… 21-May-2013 Watch………… 87.5 Walsh.………………. 11-Jun-2022 Watch…………… 1.5 Winfield……………. 24-Jun-1991 Watch…………. 64.2 First Correct Respondent identifying theme – Randall Chandler, Germantown, Tennessee (after Fregosi). If you know someone who would enjoy receiving daily Horsehide Trivia questions, have them click here: Horsehide Trivia or do it on their behalf. Click here => THIS WEEK’s quiz, compete with questions, hints, answers & even incorrect guesses. Scroll back to see previous Horsehide Trivia posts as far back as 2010. Quizzes before that may also be available upon request. Horsehide Trivia encourages independent research. ⚾️ ~ D. Bruce Brown |
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