David Cone and, surprisingly, Tommy Greene.

It is indeed surprising -- I thought he got shelled so quickly that he wouldn't even get a turn at bat. Nevertheless, he went 1-for-1 with a run scored.

Over to you, Craig B, Esq.

I am a Hall of Famer, but my brother isn't, even though he was a better hitter than I was and played in the bigs for 15 years.

Who am I?

It's the Ferrell brothers, I think - Wes Ferrell was the one in the Hall of Fame. Am I right?

Not quite, Dave.

Now, I've gone and looked up the correct answer, so now I'm ineligible... :-)

Is it the Boyer brothers? Ken and Clete, I believe.

Well, if it's not the Boyers', I guess the Ferrell brothers, except the other way around (i.e, Rick Ferrell is the HOFer). That would explain the "not quite" comment anyway

Hey, my ripping off of a previous answer seems to be correct, so I'll ask one to keep it going:

What player was an All-Star the most consecutive years, but did not get into the Hall of Fame?

Yes, it was the Ferrells. Wes, although he was a pitcher, was a better hitter than his catcher brother Rick, but Rick's in the Hall and Wes isn't.

For some reason.

Neither of the Boyer brothers is in the Hall.

Hmm...No idea on this one. Maybe Jim Rice?

Nope, Rice was an allstar 4 consecutive times twice though. The guy I have in mind managed 10 straight all-star appearances, 5 gold gloves, and two MVP top three finishes.

Is this a trick question? Pete Rose?

Sorry, not a trick question. I missed Pete Rose, it looks like he had ten in a row as well. So Pete Rose is a valid answer to the original question, ask away. I was thinking of Bill Freehan, Detroit catcher in the 60s and 70s.

Hmm, all right, well I'll take the next question.

A year after the First World Series was played, I declared my team too good to play in the upstarts from the American League, and so there was no World Series played in this season.

John McGraw, manager of the NY Giants

And the year he refused to play was 1904.

OK, since I am 99.99999% sure that my answer is correct, I'll ask the next question. How about another who am I:

I hit over .300 in 8 out of 9 full seasons, including 7 straight. I finished with a .322 career average. I led National League outfielders in assists on three occasions. I have 42 career HR and 1,491 career hits. I am in the Hall of Fame. A kidney disorder ended my career at the age of 29 and I died the following year at only 30 years old. Who am I?

I think this one is tough but I don't underestimate Batter's Box readers.

Nick, you must be Ross Youngs.

I am. Very nice, Craig. You're up.

A little belatedly, but yes Nick that was the correct answer.

Great game tonight eh? Wasn't expecting we'd be able to break out against Johan like this.

What is the date of the earliest ever World Series game? (That is, earliest in the calendar, in the sense that April is earlier than October).

It was for World War I, though I'd have to look up the exact date. I'd estimate something like September 14, 1917.

I don't know the date, but I suspect the year was either 1917 or 1918, the game was in September due to WWI.

I'm off to bed, so in the unlikely event that my hypothesis proves correct, I forfeit my turn to whomever wishes the privilege.

Wait, actually, I think it was in the infamous series of 1918 -- something with the Red Sox sticks in my mind there.

1918, sure, but we're looking for a date.

So my estimate of Sept. 14 was wrong? Can we go high/low or something?

Let's say August 30.

It was Sept. 5. Go, Mick.

Okay, I really like the who am I approach above, so how about this ...

I'm not in the Hall of Fame, but my brother is; unlike the Ferrells, we were both pitchers, and while not the Niekros or the Perrys, we did combine for 373 big league victories. We were even teammates for two seasons. We were both righties, and he was six years older; we both attended what was at the time a college very famous for churning out big league ballplayers, though my brother was easily the best ball-playing alumnus ever. Who am I?

God, that's a stumper. It sounds a lot like Pedro and Ramon Martinez, but clearly that's not possible. Shot in the dark: was Robin Roberts the HOFer? For some reason I feel like he may have had a little brother.

Sorry, Simon, nope ... good guess, but I don't think Roberts had a ball-playing sibling.

Here's one final hint and I'm going to bed.

I was too subtle in pointing this out earlier but my BIG brother was SIX years older than me. Got it?

God, it was hard to find, but I finally managed to look it up. Very interesting.

You are Christy Mathewson's brother? I didn't know your name without looking it up, but the 373 win total does seem familiar.

Yes, AWeb, you are Henry Mathewson. You're up.

What pitcher won the most games in his career without ever winning 20 in a season?

Milt Pappas? I would've said Don Sutton, but I think he got to 20 once.

I think Jim Bunning also won 20 once or twice.

How about Frank Tanana?

I don't remember Tommy John winning 20, so I'll guess him.

John did win 20 (three times to my embarrassment), while Pappas and Tanana did not. Tanana won almost 250 games in his career, so he might very well be right.

I don't think I'm right, but I'll guess Dennis Martinez? He had pretty good run, but I don't remember him ever having 20 win season... so... that's my guess...

AWeb seems to have left the building, so I looked it up. As far as I can tell, it's Dennis Martinez with 245, edging out Tanana with 240.

Your question, Hamboy.

I wasn't sure I had correct answer, but since next question was given to me...

Who was last lefty hitter to lead the major in at bats, before Ichiro did it last year?

Lance Johnson?

Would it be the one-year wonder Darin Erstad?

Hitter in question is neither Johnson or Erstad

Kenny Lofton?

Dennis Martinez was right, BTW. He never even managed to win 17 games in a year, but ended up with 245 total.

No on Lofton.

Okay... upon reading my original question... I realized that it became a trick question... so I'll hand in my answers and give up my right to ever pose question.

Answer I was looking for was Matty Alou, and question should've been "who was the lefty hitter to lead single season at-bat record before Ichiro supplanted him last year?"

The answer to my original question is Ichiro at 2003.

Sorry for the confusion... boo is me...

In that case, I'll jump in with another question:

Among Toronto hitters with at least 2000 PAs with the club, who has the best strikeout to at-bat ratio? No peeking!

Clarification: You mean on the current roster, and by best you mean lowest, correct?

I mean all-time, and fewest K's per at-bat.

I don't think anyone on the current roster has 2000 PA with Toronto anyway (maybe Wells?). My guess for this one is Tony Fernandez.

Lucas has Left the Building. But I'm here to tell you... no, not Tony Fernandez.

Barry Bonds? Bobby Bonilla? Brett Butler? Bret Boone? Bert Blyleven? (Yes. I know those are all wrong. But some alert Batter's Box reader will alertly pick up on the pattern.)

Hmmm, it appears this thread has left the building.

Nevertheless, I'll throw out another to keep you thinking until morning.

The Jays have allowed over 900 runs once in franchise history. What year? (Hint: it wasn't last year.)

My guess...1978?

No, the Jays allowed 775 runs in '78, just avoiding last place in the AL (Seattle with 834).

1999, perhaps? That year saw Joey bleepin' Hamilton start at least 15 times and Kelvim Escobar struggle through his first season of full-time work at the peak of the juiced-ball era.

I think I meant '79. Couldn't remember which of the two was the year they were absolutely abysmal.

As for the other question...I would have to guess, Stewart? He was around for a while, didn't strike out that much, if i recall correctly.

Best K ratio: Bob Bailor

900 runs allowed (actually 908): 2000

Yes, Scott, it was 2000. (And yes, it was Bailor).

They never would have hit 900 without Halladay.

Wake up the trivia thread.

How many stolen bases, career, was Babe Ruth credited with?

I'm guessing (this one would be too easy to pull out _Total Baseball_) and I'll say 141.

The Babe, incidentally, liked to run, even once he got huge and couldn't really run much anymore.

Ruth's dumb running was directly responsible for the worst play in World Series history (worse even, I'd say, than Hank Gowdy tripping over his catcher's mask, Mickey Owen dropping strike three, or Buckner misplaying the infamous grounder), though it's not much remembered now. In Game 7 of the 1926 World Series at Yankee Stadium, the Yanks were down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth when Ruth worked a walk from Grover Cleveland Alexander (who had come on in relief) with two already out. With Bob Meusel up and Lou Gehrig due to follow him, and one out away from losing the series, Ruth decided insanely to try to steal second, and was gunned down to end the Series.

You're close, and yes I was thinking about that horrendous play when I posted the question. Legend has it he was so irritated about having the bat taken out of his hands, he wanted to stick one on the pitcher, and wildly took off running.

Not quite correct though. I know it's an easy question, but I just wanted to revive the thread. Anyone else, feel free to throw something else out there.

Here is a question that I made up myself after doing a little research following Mike Piazza's rookie season in 1993. That season Piazza hit .318 with 35 homers and 112 RBI's. I have been a big Dodger fan since 1973, and I was totally stoked that my team had such a great hitter behind the plate. I didn't realize just how great he was until I started searching the Baseball Encyclopedia for comparable offensive seasons by catchers. Specifically, I was looking for any seasons in which a catcher topped Piazza in all three Triple Crown categories. To my shock, there was only one such season in baseball history up until that point. Which finally leads me to my question: who is the only catcher in baseball history (up until 1993) to have higher single season totals than the rookie Mike Piazza in all three Triple Crown categories and in which season did he do it?

Campenella?

No, Campanella hit 41 homers and drove in 142 in his second MVP season in '53, but he "only" hit .312.

I thought Javy Lopez had done it since '93 (so not the answer to the question) but he didn't hit the RBI number in 2003.

I guessed Joe Torre, but he didn't quite match the avg. and RBI numbers in his best year.

Gabby Hartnett's one big season pops into my head as possible...no clue what year that was.

It's easy to knock out a lot of the big HR hitting catchers. So few of them hit that far into .300. I don't believe Johnny Bench ever did.

I haven't checked, but I'll bet that it was 1930. I will check.

We have a winner, Spicol. Hartnett in the hitter's bacchanalia, 1930. It's your turn.

Bench topped the .300 mark once for a full season, but it was the strike-split 1981 season and he only had about 175 AB.

All right, I'll take it in Spicol's absence. This one's tougher than you might have thought. Name 7 of the inactive 9 pitchers with over 1000 IP and an ERA+ over 140. There are 6 Hall of Famers on the list.

No guesses after an hour. Time for a clue. Four of them were Jim Devlin, Al Spalding, Lefty Grove and Walter Johnson. Name four of the remaining five; two were relievers, one of the starters is not in the Hall of Fame.

I'm thinking that four of the five are active! -- Unit, Rocket, Pedro and the no-nicknamed Greg Maddux.

Sorry, Mick. I asked for inactive pitchers. Clemens, Martinez and the Big Unit would be on the list. Maddux is at 138.

No guesses after an hour. The answers are: Quiz, Wilhelm, Joss, Ed Walsh and Smokey Joe Wood. It's an illustration of the principle that as OPS+ deviate more in high-offence eras, so do ERA+ deviate more in low-offence eras, although short career length and high IP/season in the deadball era has a lot to do with it.

I go back and forth over whether Walter Johnson or Roger Clemens was/is a better pitcher. How much to weight the era is one of the tricky points.

No guesses after an hour. The answers are: Quiz, Wilhelm, Joss, Ed Walsh and Smokey Joe Wood. It's an illustration of the principle that as OPS+ deviate more in high-offence eras, so do ERA+ deviate more in low-offence eras, although short career length and high IP/season in the deadball era has a lot to do with it.

I go back and forth over whether Walter Johnson or Roger Clemens was/is a better pitcher. How much to weight the era is one of the tricky points.

I think it's really cool that my question resulted in so many replies so quickly. I honestly didn't think anybody would see my question since it's been months since the previous post. I just became a member here and am still learning how everything works, but am really looking forward to corresponding more with you guys in the future.

Anyway, confirming Mike Green's reply, Spicol is correct that the answer is Gabby Harnett in 1930: he finished the season with a .339 batting average and 37 homers and 122 RBIs. I know it's technically Spicol's turn to ask a question now, but I can't resist asking one more:

Who is the only player in major league history who hit over 200 career home runs without ever hitting as many as 20 in a single season? Looking forward to the responses on this one. Talk to you guys soon.

Pete Rose?

I'm positive Rose didn't get to 200 homers. Maybe Mark Grace? (goes and looks it up) Nope -- not Grace, either, at 173. Rose, incidentally, had 160. Neither ever hit 20 in a single season.

Is it Paul Molitor?

Molitor hit 20 once.

Lou Brock?

Wait! Tim Raines?

Brock didn't get to 200.

Enos Slaughter?

Raines had 170, Slaughter 169 ... I'm pretty much out of ideas here. Chet Lemon? No, looks like he barely cracked 20 two or three times ...

Yes, we need a hint. Is he a HOFer?

Lou Whitaker?

Damn. It's not Whitaker. And don't bother guessing Joe Rudi, either.

Luke Appling?

Ha! Appling hit 45 home runs in his career. OK, I give up. Good luck, everyone.

How about Al Oliver?

I looked up the answer and was shocked. He was a Blue Jay!

But not Al Oliver. Think original Blue Jay.

Bob Bailor.

Nope.

(Yes, that was a joke. I sucked at this question.)

I couldn't do it, not even with the hint. (No fair asking about players who retired nine years before I was born.)

Though I did look up the answer, and it shocked me as well. It was fairly hard, I don't think anyone will get it soon...

Doug Ault!

Seriously, I give up. I'm going to go look it up now because the question has been bothering me all morning. :)

I'm quite sure that it wasn't Phil Roof. Old Blue Jay, eh? John Mayberry, perhaps, although I was sure that he hit 20 a bunch of times.

I should have known this, as I was aware of it at the time, but time passes and the memory fades. I am embarrassed.

By the way, Buddy Bell comes VERY close to being the answer for this. 201 homers and 20 homeruns (on the dot) once. Subtract one homerun in 1986 and he'd be at exactly 200 dingers with the highest being 19. Would have been cool, but alas not the answer.

OK, with the hint, it's easy, my little Bobby Bailor crack notwithstanding.

Ron Fairly. Thank God that's over. Great, great question.

Hey guys, what's up?

Now, this is what I was looking for when I became a member here. I believe the true sign of a good sports trivia question is that it is challenging but accessible enough that it actually bothers some of you guys if you cannot get it. The previous hint was a good one: he was an original Blue Jay. I will go one step further with this hint. He was the Blue Jays' lone representative in the all-star game in their 1977 expansion season. I still remember the young and exciting Ruupert Jones representing the Mariners that game. Now, Blue Jay fans, who was your very first all-star?

The next trivia question comes straight from the pages of The Hardball Times Baseball Annual, 2006 (which you can buy here).

What player led the majors last year in hitting the ball on the ground? (i.e. highest percentage of plate appearances resulting in a ground ball). Minimum of 400 plate appearances.

Bonus question : what current free agent finished second?

Turns out Craig B answered this question while I was writing my last post. Thank you for the compliment Craig B. Now that the cat is out of the bag on this one, my previous post looks a little silly, but oh well. I'm having alot of fun with you guys already. I'll try my best to keep thinking of good, challenging questions for you guys to tackle.

Here's one more in the same vein as the previous one: Jeromy Burnitz has had six 30 home-run seasons in his career, and with his first home run of 2006 will have exactly 300 career home runs. Who is the only other player in major league history to have had at least six individual seasons of 30 or more home runs but FEWER than 300 career home runs. The only "hint" I will give any of you guys at this time is that I know all of you guys have heard of him. If nobody gets this one then I will post the correct answer by tomorrow night. Have fun trying to answer this one guys.

Ichiro is the obvious answer, so instead I'll guess Luis Castillo.

As for the Free Agent? Hmmm. Jacque Jones?

Luis Castillo is correct! In 48% of his PAs, Castillo hit the ball on the ground.

As for Ichiro, he actually tied for 2nd with the free agent I am thinking of.

It's not Jacque Jones, though Jones was also very high at 41%. The MLB average is 32%. Lowest was Jonny Gomes at 17%, followed by Burrell, Wilkerson and Giambi at 19%.

Jonny Gomes led the league in F/G % and put up a sterling BABIP. There might be some connection there, although most of the BABIP leaders in the AL are quick infielders like Jeter, Young, Roberts and Figgins. Travis Hafner is the exception.

Jeter was a BABIP and hit grounders in 43% of his PA, right up with the league leaders! I guess just as we've seen with pitchers for years, G/F doesn't matter a whole lot.

As for the 6x30hr, less than 300 total question, I guess Cecil Fielder

Oh, that's a good guess, but I remember Cec hitting his 300th home run -- as a Yankee, much to the chagrin of Detroit baseball fans for whom he racked up most of his 30+ (and one 50+) seasons ...

But no, I still have not a clue what the right answer is. Let's see ... Gorman Thomas??

Nope, I'm wrong (as with before, once I've made a gues I feel compelled to see if I'm right) ... Thomas "only" had five 30+ seasons in getting to 268 homers. He probably would have reached 30 if no strike period in 1981, but it was not to be.

Nope, Thomas made it 268. I'm pretty sure Bobby Bonds made it to 300...since we're all supposed to have heard of him, could it be an active player, like Burnitz?

I guess Pujols (but I don't think he's made it 6 seasons), and Jay Buhner in the retired category.

Mo Vaughn might not have made it to 300 before his knees gave out...I'm guessing it's someone with Blue Jays ties though,

Nope. Mo made it to 328. Pujols is a good guess, but it's only been five seasons with him.

How about our old friend Tony Batista?

Well, my last guesses were wrong (Pujols only 5 seasons in, Buhner missed on both counts), and Batista didn't make it to 30 HRs 6 times. I managed to find someone right after my last guess, but I already looked it up. I'm so weak. So I can give another hint : active player.

Damn. Only four 30-HR seasons for Tony.

Jason Giambi?

Damn! Giambi recently passed 300. I was going to guess Vinny Castilla but I remember him passing 300 recently as well.

Brian Giles had a few big seasons in Pittsburgh. Don't think he had six though.

Ooo...how about another off-season target: Paul Konerko? No, he hasn't even had six healthy seasons I don't think.

OK, how about Vladimir Guerrero?

I assume Atlanta's Jones boys are both with six-plus in hand but I imagine both are over 300; I think I recall Andruw's 50th last year also being his 300th career, and Larry is certainly already past 300, right?

I don't like the "active player" angle -- it sort of rings of "this is true now but might not be on July 17 next year" whereas for a retired player, it's a cool stat.

The someone I found has occasionally been mentioned on this site as a possible pickup to fill a lineup weakness, but only once in a while. He's more of a doubles hitter, with more doubles than HRs every year.

Oh, and it might be true that's there's a retired player too, I just happened to find an active one...

Sorry guys,

I should have pointed out that this player was retired. I tried to imply that with the Jeromy Burnitz set-up, but unfortunately didn't make myself clear. So I will now tell all you guys that this player is indeed retired, and there is no doubt in my mind that all of you guys have heard of him because you all seem as fanatical about baseball as I am.

Here is another hint for all of you guys. Think about why a player with the talent to have six separate 30 HR seasons would wind up with less than 300 lifetime. I'm sure most of you would figure the most likely scenario to be that of a young phenom whose career crashed and burned. My hint is that this player did NOT have this type of Hal Trosky/Tony Conigliaro like career.

As I said, If nobody can get this one, I will post the correct answer later today. In fact I will post it by 5 PM EST today. I still hope one of you guys get it though, because I think the answer to this one is pretty cool as this player's career story is partially told by this stat.

The opposite of a Tony Conigliaro-type career is a Hank Sauer-type career.

Well done Brett. Hank Sauer is the correct answer.

Brett, it's your question. But to tide everyone over, I'll throw in a question of my own.

Before the 1977 season, Reggie Jackson signed a 5-year, $2.9 million deal. In addition to his $580,000 annual salary, Reggie also got a Rolls-Royce and an interest-free loan of $1 million from the Boss.

The Yankees signed Reggie to the highest annual salary in baseball history. That said, he spurned the Padres' offer of 5 years, $3.4 million. He also turned down an owner who publicly offered Reggie 5 years, $5 million -- an unheard-of $1 million annually.

Name that owner.

Bronfman of the Expos.

Right you are, Matthew.

Well done once again gentleman. The answer is indeed Hank Sauer, who had an opposite type of career to that of Tony Conigliaro. AWeb still hasn't shared with us the active player other than Jeromy Burnitz who also qualifies. I've been wracking my brain as to who it may be. The only name which came to mind was Carlos Delgado, although I think he is past 300 career home runs already. I know he's had more than six 30 HR seasons. One of us needs to get this answer, wouldn't you guys agree?

Todd Helton.

Bingo, it is indeed Todd Helton. I just looked it up myself (I guess I'm pretty weak also). Anyway, if Craig B doesn't have a question for us to ponder then I guess I'll fill the airwaves again for a while. Here's one I really like: who was the last major league pitcher to exceed 300 innings pitched during the regular season and in what year did he do it?

Just a stab in the dark, but I'll throw out Wilbur Wood as a guess. Some time in the early/mid 70's...I'll say 1974.

Not a bad guess, but you are incorrect and off by several years. Here is a fair hint: This pitcher was unquestionably a better pitcher than Wilbur Wood was over the course of his career.

Not a bad guess, but you are incorrect and off by several years. Here is a fair hint: This pitcher was unquestionably a better pitcher than Wilbur Wood was.

Steve Carlton?

Oh, and Todd Helton is the guy I found for the previous question, well done Craig...

Alright, I think I got that one (Carlton in 1980, he had 304 IP), so I'll ask one now.

Since 1920, someone has led the league in runs scored with a total of less than 100 only 6 times (excluding 1981). The last time this happened was also the lowest league-leading total in the period. Name the player who managed this.

First of all, yes AWeb, Steve Carlton 1980 is the correct answer to my last question. I believe the answer to your question is Glenn Beckert in 1968 with a mere 83 runs scored. Let me know if I am correct.

Nope, Glen Beckert scored 98 runs in 1968 to lead the league. The guy I'm looking for led a league before that, and then later led with the low total.