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Hall of Names QOTD: Hall of Names All-Scrabble Team
It's been all over Da Box recently ... Mientkiewicz, Grudzielanek, Catalanotto, Menechino, now Schoeneweis, which by my count has been spelled nine hundred and four different ways on this site since yesterday.

It's time to see if we can't mix it up a bit, draw the right tiles and spell it out ... a full roster for the Batter's Box All-Scrabble team. (Today's Honourary Team Captain is Mike Denyszyn, also known as "3141 21141(10)41" who scores a 33!)

To post and read "Make Your own Roundup" news, please visit yesterday's old and now-ironically-named New for the sake of new QOTD thread, which was posted late in the day when the original thread asploded.

But first, play the game!



Here's your "cheat sheet" ...




Consider any player who made an All-Star team a Double Word Score.
Consider any player elected to the Hall of Fame a Triple Word Score.

Given the above scoring, it's probably safe to assume that our target (and starting left fielder) will be ...

CARL YASTRZEMSKI
3111 41111(10)13151

SCORE: 35
HOF TRIPLE: 105

If you can't find someone to surpass or even approach Yaz, don't worry, we have a 25-man roster to fill, in these positions:

Lineup: C 1B 2B SS 3B LF CF RF DH
Bench: C CORIF MIDIF OF OF PH/DH
Rotation: RHSP LHSP RHSP LHSP #5SP (R or L)
Bullpen: CL RHSET LHSET RHLONG LHLONG
Plus a manager, coaches and front office!

Early odds are on a "Quiz" of a closer and maybe a spot for William VanLandingham. Please include the player's full name and position (and depending on potential obscurity, when and for whom he played) -- and of course, his "score." Oh, an here are a few rules to help avoid confusion ...

Normal nicknames are fine; if you want to score "Scooter Rizzuto" instead of "Phil Rizzuto" or "Goose Gossage" instead of "Rich Gossage," that's fine. But don't stretch for "Frankie The Fordham Flash Frisch" and Bermanisms such as "Bert Be Home Blyleven" are flat out illegal.

So ... who's up (or on) first?
Posted by Mick Doherty on Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 12:45 PM EST.
QOTD: Hall of Names All-Scrabble Team | 45 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
_CaramonLS - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 01:50 AM EST (#3672) #
3411114 311414111 = 32 x 3 = 96

Christy Mathewson (RHSP).

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mathech01.shtml

34111113411 311414111 = 38 x 3 = 114 points

This is using his Given name - Christopher, Not sure if it counts.
[ Reply to This ]
Gitz - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 02:23 AM EST (#3673) #
Wasn't there a KWIJYBO on the expansion Mariners? That ought to be worth a few points, which I would gleefully add up if 1) I knew how to add; 2) I wasn't a lazy SOB; 3) see (2).
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_J.D. Clubbie - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 02:29 AM EST (#3674) #
Jimmie Foxx at 1B
813311 4188=(38x3)=114 points

Dazzy Vance at LHP
21(10)(10)4 41131=(37x3)=111 points
[ Reply to This ]
_J.D. Clubbie - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 02:30 AM EST (#3675) #
Sorry, I meant Vance as RHP.
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Gitz - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 02:36 AM EST (#3676) #
J.D., I like you mention Dazzy Vance but didn't mention Dizzy Dean! It's funny how the mind works sometimes.

So like any good writer, I'll steal Dizzy Dean, and claim 96 points, which, come to think of it, is fewer than the 111 for Dazzy Vance. Ah-ha! So that's why you didn't mention Dizzy Dean. I should amend my comment above to "It's funny how Gizzi's mind works." Not ha-ha funny, mind you.
[ Reply to This ]
Gitz - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 02:41 AM EST (#3677) #
And for the record, Mick, "John Gizzi" claims 38 points to Mike D.'s piddly 34. Clearly, Mike D. won his captain's position because of the Dreaded Intangibles and not because of his merits. And on a sabertmetrically-oriented blog/pena/Web site/whatevertheheckwewantitobewhymusteverythingbenamed! For shame.
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_JackFoley - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 02:57 AM EST (#3678) #
http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mackife01.shtml
Felix Mackiewicz (COMN), an outfielder from the 40's, comes in with a natural 47 [41118 313511413(10)].
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_Jdog - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 03:12 AM EST (#3679) #
My buddy Billy Madison helped me think of

Phil Rizzuto = 34 X 3 = 102

But Rizzuto aint a word he's a baseball player!!
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_Nolan - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 03:50 AM EST (#3680) #
1B- Willie McCovey (84)
2B- Bill Mazeroski (90)
3B- Mike Schmidt (75)
SS- Phil Rizzuto (102)/Ozzie Smith (99)
C- Johnny Bench (93)/A.J. Pierzynski (74)/Mike Piazza (72)
Middle Infielder- Tony Lazzeri (96)/Travis Jackson (87)
LF/Back-up OF- Zack Wheat (90)
CF- Kirby Pucket (87)
RF- Ichiro Suzuki (60)
All 3 OF Spots- Jaun Gonzalez (76)
LHSP- Sandy Koufax (87)
LHSP- Lefty Gomez (84)
RHSP- Grover Cleveland Alexander (126)
RHSP- Walter Johnson (78)
LHSP- Johnny Vander Meer (70)
RHSP- Ferguson Jenkins (90)
RHRP- Jeff Zimmerman (82)
RHRP- Dennis Eckersley (75)
RHRP-Dan Quisenberry (58)
Pioneer- Alexander Cartwright (108)

*Joe Jackson has a 90 assuming he's a HoF [which he should be]
**Jose Jimenez would have 72 had he made an AS team, which I thought he had...oh well
[ Reply to This ]
_Nolan - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 04:32 AM EST (#3681) #
Manager:

Joe McCarthy (90)
Tommy McCarthy (90)
John McGraw (84)
Bill McKechnie (84)
Sparky Anderson (72)

Front Office:

Henry Chadwick (102)
Branch Rickey (84)

Owner:

Charlie Comiskey (93)
Clark Griffith (87)
[ Reply to This ]
_Fawaz K - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 08:09 AM EST (#3682) #
Alas, half of these guys would score significantly fewer points in a real game when you consider that 0-point blanks would be needed to fill in for the mythical second Zs, Xs, Js, etc.

You can tell that my folks are scrabble players, they gave me a 31 point name with just 9 letters (first and last). Unfortunately, my triple word score for the HoF may have to wait...
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_James W - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 08:10 AM EST (#3683) #
For shame, for nobody to mention the (likely) before-bonus champion, Javier Vazquez:

814111 41(10)(10)11(10) = 53 x 2 = 106
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_Mick - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 09:56 AM EST (#3684) #
Nolan, you're awesome. Are you still employed?

I love the idea of a "natural" score without the AS/HOF bonuses. I bet we could come up with two teams, one in each category.

So our "natural score" leaders so far are position player Mackiewicz with 47 and pitcher Vazquez with 53.

Let's try out old Yankee fave Andy Stankiewicz:
1124 1111511413(10) = a natural 37. A good score, but he's no Felix Mackiewicz!
[ Reply to This ]
_Mick - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 10:10 AM EST (#3685) #
RHSP Zack Greinke (31)
RHSP Victor Zambrano (32)
RHRP (1913-1915) Zip Zabel (30)

And what about ...
C Gregg Zaun (21) ... he's no match for AJP!
[ Reply to This ]
_Mick - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 10:24 AM EST (#3686) #
Aw, geez, if I'm gonna go with a Blue Jay catcher, what am I thinking?

Guillermo Quiroz = 35
[ Reply to This ]
_Ryan C - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 10:31 AM EST (#3687) #
Guillermo Quiroz = natural 36, not bad at all.
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_Ryan C - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 10:32 AM EST (#3688) #
Dang and just when I thought I had one that no one else had written yet.
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_Mick - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 10:50 AM EST (#3689) #
Wow, we have contributions from Nolan AND Ryan today ... of course, Nolan Ryan = natural 12, so, we just use him to get rid of tiles at the end of the game.

Ed Ott = natural 6. Anyone "beat" that?
[ Reply to This ]
Mike D - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 11:03 AM EST (#3690) #
And for the record, Mick, "John Gizzi" claims 38 points to Mike D.'s piddly 34.

But "Michael Denyszyn" matches your 38, and if I add "Esq." or even "J.D." afterwards, the tie is broken.

Now get back to short. You don't need to participate in every mound conference!
[ Reply to This ]
Mike Green - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 11:06 AM EST (#3691) #
Juan Beniquez would do pretty well on the natural list with a 39; Guillermo Velasquez tops that with a 42. Neither has a "blank problem". Harmon Killebrew scores a cool 87 as a DH. If nicknames are allowed Ducky Wucky Medwick would do pretty well, actually an amazing 153. Joe Medwick's nickname was indeed Ducky Wucky, but it was shortened to Ducky by kind historians. Too bad that there are only 2 Ks in the box.
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_Brian W - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 11:16 AM EST (#3692) #
Among former Blue Jays we have:

Juan Beniquez - 39
Xavier Hernandez - 38
Alex Gonzalez - 38
Dave Lemanczyk - 37 (x2 = 74)
Jose Cruz Jr -35
Ozzie Virgil - 33 (x2 = 66)
Aquilino Lopez - 33
Lee Mazzilli - 31 (x2 = 62)
[ Reply to This ]
Dave Till - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 11:43 AM EST (#3693) #
Ha! My last name is worth a piddly four (4) Scrabble points. My full name is 12 (13 if you use "David" rather than "Dave"). That's impressively low (though not as low as "Ed Ott").
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_Rob - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 12:09 PM EST (#3694) #
LHRP Mark Lukasiewicz:
3115 1151111413(10) = 39
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Joe - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 12:21 PM EST (#3695) #
http://me.woot.net
Joe Drew = 811 2114 = 18.

Significantly higher than I thought. Stupid J.
[ Reply to This ]
Gitz - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 12:28 PM EST (#3696) #
Mike D., don't make me start piling on my graduate degrees, or calling myself Johnny Gizzi. Nobody wants that. And a shortstop is the quarterback and free safety of a baseball team; I participate in every meeting, mound or otherwise.
[ Reply to This ]
Gitz - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 12:29 PM EST (#3697) #
Please tell me that worked.
[ Reply to This ]
Gitz - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 12:29 PM EST (#3698) #
Now?
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_Tom - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 12:56 PM EST (#3699) #
Al Tate is another natural six...but he only played one season.

I wonder which player can score the highest in the fewest letters.
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Gerry - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 01:09 PM EST (#3700) #
The original "eyechart" doesn't measure up. Doug Gwosdz was a catcher who played 69 games over four years for the Padres, and earned the nickname eyechart, which is listed on baseball reference after his name.

Doug Gwosdz scores only 24 but deserves honourable mention.
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_gp - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 01:09 PM EST (#3701) #
If you are doing an all Jays team, don't forget Edward James Zosky - 46
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_Donkit R.K. - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 01:23 PM EST (#3702) #
My full (first and last) name scores only a 24 despite having 15 letters... I found that strange.
[ Reply to This ]
_Nolan - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 07:32 PM EST (#3703) #
Donkit: I get a blistering 23 points from my 15 letter name...
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_Jeremy - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 08:35 PM EST (#3704) #
I thought Fernando Valenzuela would do better than 68

(4,1,1,1,1,1,2,1) (4,1,1,1,1,10,1,1,1,1) 34x2=68

Darned vowels.
[ Reply to This ]
_Hartley - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 09:08 PM EST (#3705) #
How many points would these players name be worth in scrabble

Former Giants Pitcher William VanLandingham
Former Cardinals Outfielder Joe Cunningham
Former Tigers infielder in the 80's Jim Walewander

Someone tell me the totals of the 3 players
[ Reply to This ]
_Andrew - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 09:30 PM EST (#3706) #
Mark Grudzielanek gets 74 points. Someone should induct him into the Hall sometime soon.

(3,1,1,5) (2,1,1,2,10,1,1,1,1,1,1,5) = 37 x 2 = 74
[ Reply to This ]
_Mick - Wednesday, January 12 2005 @ 11:26 PM EST (#3707) #
Hartley, the key is up above for you to sum the totals.

I'll give you VanLandingham, since he's mentioned in the original article up above -- only 32. He'd have done better to use his middle name and go by Billy Joe.
[ Reply to This ]
_Ryan Lind - Thursday, January 13 2005 @ 02:17 AM EST (#3708) #
Nobody here thought of Joaquin Andujar! Scores a 74.

Who do you think would score the highest score/letter rating? That is, their natural score divided by the amount of letters it takes.

I can't think of anyone for baseball, but Wayne Gretzky scores a 35 with only 12 letters.
[ Reply to This ]
_James W - Thursday, January 13 2005 @ 08:53 AM EST (#3709) #
Javier Vazquez has 53 with 13 letters.
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_Mick - Thursday, January 13 2005 @ 09:14 AM EST (#3710) #
So that's hockey and baseball -- I'd think Quinn Buckner, for basketball.
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_Matthew E - Thursday, January 13 2005 @ 12:08 PM EST (#3711) #
Speaking of Scrabble, check out the book 'Word Freak' by Stefan Fatsis (who also wrote a decent book about the Northern League). It's a look into the world of competitive Scrabble, which apparently is not for the faint of heart.
[ Reply to This ]
Gitz - Thursday, January 13 2005 @ 12:22 PM EST (#3712) #
It just occurred to me that the one person who can legitimately claim to be a Scrabble authority -- Lucas -- has yet to offer anything. Scott, pluck your head from your Austin bubble and give us something!
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_Mick - Thursday, January 13 2005 @ 02:10 PM EST (#3713) #
I concur with Matthew ... it's an awesome book and feels very much like a sports book as you read it.
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_Hartley - Friday, January 14 2005 @ 11:57 AM EST (#3714) #
Could this be correct former Cardinals player Joe Cunningham
has a score of 180 points

JOE (8+1+1) Cunningham (3+1+1+1+1+1+2+4+1+3)
10 X 18 = 180

Former Tigers player Jim Walewander
JIM (8+1+3) Walewander (4+1+1+1+4+1+1+2+1+1)
12 x 17 =204

Let me know if the math is correct!
[ Reply to This ]
_Mick - Friday, January 14 2005 @ 02:33 PM EST (#3715) #
Hartley .. um, no, it's not. You multiplied the first name by the last name instead of adding them together. Cunningham is at 28, Walewander at 29.

Ooh, what about a guy who was the Yankees closer for about 10 minutes:

Xavier Hernandez = natural 38

He's no Javier Vazquez, of course.
[ Reply to This ]
_Ryan Lind - Saturday, January 15 2005 @ 12:57 AM EST (#3716) #
Izzy Hoffman scores a 43.

Yes, I did do a BR search for "Izzy." I have no idea why I enhoy this so much.
[ Reply to This ]
QOTD: Hall of Names All-Scrabble Team | 45 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.