Saturday, December 31, 2011

How The Cleveland Indians Got Their Name

Today's baseball trivia question:  How did the Cleveland Indians get their name?

Hint to today's trivia question---It obviously has something to do with a native American who was called Chief.

Answer to the previous trivia question below---Cecil Fielder, who is Prince Fielder's father, played for the following five American League teams:   1- Blue Jays ('85-'88),  2-Tigers ('90-'95),  3-Yankees ('96-'97),  4-Angels ('98),  and 5-Indians ('98).  The elder Fielder's best season was 1990 when he clubbed 51 HRs and 132 RBIs for Detroit.

            Here's an interesting video clip of both Fielders from 1992:  

Friday, December 30, 2011

The Older Fielder

Today's baseball trivia question:  Can you name at least 3 of the 5 teams which Prince Fielder's father Cecil Fielder played for?

Hint to today's trivia question---They were all American league teams.

Answer to the previous question---The record for strikeouts in a season by a batter was set by Mark Reynolds of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 with 223 Ks.  Reynolds broke his own record from 2008 when he fanned 204 times.  In '09, he also belted 44 home runs and drove in 102 runs.   

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Swing-And-A-Miss! (Lots of Times)

Today's baseball trivia questionWhat hitter holds the record for striking out in a season?

Hint to today's question---It happened in 2009 by a National Leaguer who broke his own strikeout record from the previous season.


Answer to the previous trivia question---That pitcher was Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers.  He won 31 games in 1968.  Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended McLain for three months in 1970 for bookmaking and he was never the same pitcher after that.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Pitcher Suspended For Alleged Bookmaking

Today's baseball trivia question:  What ballplayer was suspended in 1970 for allegedly getting involved in bookmaking?

Hint to today's trivia question---What brought attention to this matter was that this player actually won 31 games as a pitcher just two years earlier.


Answer to the previous trivia question---Bob Feller actually took a 46% pay cut after going 15-14 in 1949, while making $70,000.  In 1950, his salary dropped to $37,500.  He improved to 16-11 that season.  Doesn't look like he had an agent.  

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

He Took A Pay Cut After A 15-14 Season?


Today's baseball trivia question:  What Hall of Fame pitcher gave himself a sizeable pay cut after a season when his record was 15-14?

Hint to today's question---This great American League righty missed three seasons due to World War 2.

Answer to the previous trivia question----That high leg-kicking, Hall of Fame pitcher was Juan Marichal. >>>>>  

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Pitchin' With A High Leg-Kick

Today's baseball trivia question:  Who was the San Francisco Giants' Hall of Fame pitcher with the noticeably high leg-kick during his pitching delivery?


Hint to today's question---He was a Dominican-born right-hander who won 20 or more games six times.



Answer to the previous trivia question below---Sandy Koufax won it in 1963 and 1965, Bob Gibson in '64 and '67, and Reggie Jackson won it while with Oakland in 1973 and the Yankees in 1977.  

Monday, December 19, 2011

Which Three Players Have Been World Series MVPs Twice?

Today's trivia question:  Since 1950, only three players have been named World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice.  Can you name at least one of them?

Hint to today's question---Two were National League pitchers, one was an American League hitter.


Answer to the previous trivia question---George Brett was the player who had his home run taken away by the umps because the pine tar on his bat was too high.  The date was July 24, 1983.  Click on this link below to see the video of that strange moment in baseball history--courtesy of MLB.com.      http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=3977861&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_3977861&v=3

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Too Much Pine Tar!--No Home Run!--Batter's Out!

Today's baseball trivia question:  Who was the Hall of Famer who once had a home run taken away by the umpires because he had pine tar too high on his bat?


Hint to today's trivia question:  This was no obscure player.  He was an American League left-handed hitter who played 21 seasons for the same team and had a lifetime batting average of .305.




Answer to the previous trivia question---The "Baby Bull" was Orlando Cepeda.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999.    

Friday, December 16, 2011

Who Was The Baby Bull?

 Today's trivia question: 
Who was nicknamed "The Baby Bull"?

Hint to today's trivia question---He was a right-handed hitting Hall of Famer who played in the National League in the 60s and 70s and was an all-star seven different times.


Martinez


Lowe
Answer to the previous trivia question---The 1-2 finishers in E.R.A. were from the 2002 Boston Red Sox.   Pedro Martinez had a 2.26 E.R.A. while going 20-4, and Derek Lowe ended up with a 2.58 E.R.A. and a 21-8 record.  Not bad for #1 and #2 starters.   

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Pitching Teammates Who Finished 1-2 in E.R.A.

Today's trivia question:  Who were the last pitching teammates to finish first and second in league E.R.A. in a season? 

Hint to today's trivia question---They were both right-handers.

Answer to the previous question---The four Cub Cy Young winners were:
---Ferguson Jenkins in 1971.  He went 21-13
---Bruce Sutter in 1979 as a reliever with 37 saves and a 2.22 E.R.A.
---Rick Sutcliffe in 1984 with a 16-1 record with Chicago
---Greg Maddux in 1992.  He had a 20-11 record with a 2.18 E.R.A.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The Cubs' Cy Young Winners

Today's trivia question:  In their storied history since 1902, the Chicago Cubs have had only four Cy Young award winners.  Can you name at least two of them?

Hint to today's trivia question---All four were right-handers who won the award between 1970 and 2000.


Answer to the previous trivia question---The American League's only 20-game winner in 2005 was Bartolo Colon of the Angels. 
 He went 21-8.    

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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Only AL 20-Game Winner in 2005


Today's trivia question:  Who was the only 20-game winner in the American League in 2005?


Hint to today's trivia question---This hard-throwing righty pitched in the A.L. West that year and he was the only 20-game winner in the A.L.


Answer to the previous trivia question>>>>>
Gary Carter was the last catcher elected to the Hall of Fame.  He caught mostly for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. 

Monday, December 12, 2011

Last Catcher Elected to Hall of Fame

Today's trivia question:  Who was the last catcher to be elected to the Hall of Fame?

Hint to today's question---He was elected in 2003 and played his
entire 18-year career in the National League.


Answer to the previous trivia question---Barry Bonds drew a total of 232 bases-on-balls in 2004 with the Giants.  120 of those were intentional walks.  

suggest a baseball trivia question to:  gamestats@consolidated.net

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Lots of Free Passes

Today's trivia question:  Barry Bonds holds the all-time record for drawing bases-on-balls in a season.  He did it in 2004.  How many did he draw that year?

Hint to today's trivia question---It was somewhere in the 200s.  Can you guess within 10 of the exact number?

Answer to the previous trivia question---Alex Johnson was the only Angel who won a batting title by hitting .329 with the Halos in 1970.  It was his best season in a 13-year career.

Friday, December 9, 2011

The Only Angels' Batting Champion

Today's trivia question:   Since they started play in 1961,  only once has an Angels' player won the American League batting title.  Can you name the player and the year which he won it?


Hint to today's question---He was an outfielder who played only two seasons with the Angels.  He played on 8 different teams in 13 seasons in the 60s and 70s and hit over .300 three times.

Answer to the previous trivia question---Josh Beckett was the pitcher.  In 2007 with the Red Sox, he had no complete game shutouts while winning 20.  

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Thursday, December 8, 2011

20-Game Winner With No Complete Game Shutouts

Today's trivia question:  What 2007 pitcher won 20 games, but did not have a complete game shutout all season?


Hint to today's question---This American League righty went 20-7 that season.

Hoyt Wilhelm



Answer to the previous trivia question---Hoyt Wilhelm was the first reliever to go to Cooperstown.  He entered the Hall of Fame in 1985.   


                                                                                       

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Hall of Fame Knuckleballer

Today's trivia question:  Who was the first relief pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame?

Hint to today's question---He was a knuckleballer who did most of his "saving" in the 60s.

Answer to the previous trivia question---The three players who hold the distinction of not hitting into any double-plays in a season when they had at least 500 at-bats were: 
 --Augie Galan of the 1935 Cubs in 646 at-bats
--Dick McAuliffe of the 1968 Tigers in 570 at-bats
--Craig Biggio of the 1997 Astros in 619 at-bats

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Avoiding The Double-Play

Today's trivia question:  Three players with at least 500 at-bats did not hit into any double-plays in an entire season.  Can you name at least one of them?


Hint to today's question---One is a 1930 Chicago Cub,  another is a 1960s Detroit Tiger, and the other is a 1990s Houston Astro.

Answer to the previous trivia question---Tony Gwynn won the National League batting title 8 times.  His best season was 1994 when he hit .394  

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Monday, December 5, 2011

Gwynn Had A Great Bat

Today's trivia question:  How many times did Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn win the National League batting title?

Hint to today's question---It was more than 5 times.  Out of his 20 seasons with the San Diego Padres, he hit under .300 only once.

Answer to the previous trivia question---That game was between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets.  The Cubs won it 5-3 before 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Baseball Kickoff in Japan

Today's trivia question:  At the beginning of the 2000 season, the first major league baseball game was played in Japan.  Who were the two competing teams?

Hint to today's question---This game was between two National League teams.

Answer to the previous trivia question---Randy "The Big Unit" Johnson was the latest pitcher to join the 300-win club.   

Suugest a baseball trivia question to:   gamestats@consolidated.net

Friday, December 2, 2011

The Latest 300-Win Pitcher

Today's trivia question:  Who was the last pitcher to reach the 300-win milestone?

Hint to today's question---He won his 300th in 2009 as a National League pitcher.

Answer to the previous trivia question---Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda was known as "Baby Bull".        

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Who Was The Baby Bull?

Today's trivia question:  What Hall of Famer had the nickname of "Baby Bull"?

Hint to today's trivia question---He was a Puerto-Rican born National League power hitter who primarily played first base in the 60s and early 70s.

Answer to the previous trivia question---Tom Glavine was the Cy Young award-winning hocket player.   

Suggest a baseball trivia question to:   gamestats@consolidated.net