Tim Raines?

My first thought is Andre Dawson, as I'm fairly certain Raines didn't do that well in his very first call-up. A couple of others come to mind too, but that'll be my guess.

Not Dawson - he never had a 1000 OPS. In fact, he cracked 900 just once (not in '87 either)! Wow, that was a shock.

John, I had the same guess and the exact same reaction when I looked it up to see if I was right.

How about Joe Carter? (I don't know many CBBHOF members, but that's one I recall. Though if Dawson never hit 1.000, it's hard to imagine Carter did.)

Don't forget that Dawson played most of his career when the league-wide OPS was about 50 points lower than the levels we've seen since 1993 (except for the one year blip in 1987, of course).

Jeff Heath?

I was going to say Cito Gaston before I looked up the correct answer.

Interestingly, Cito did post an OPS of 1.000 right at the end of his career.  He went 1 for 2 with the 1978 Pirates.

Assuming Jeff Heath is in the Canadian Baseball HoF....

I was a right-handed pitcher. I had tossed two no-hitters, and there I was trying to become one of the very few pitchers ever to throw three no-hitters. I was three outs away... and my manager pinch-hit for me.

I made just four more starts, and won just one more game, after that fateful day.

Who was I, and why did this happen to me? And for bonus points, who was my manager?

Magpie: "Assuming Jeff Heath is in the Canadian Baseball HoF...."

Yessir, he is.  Inducted in 1988.

I don't know the answer to your question so I'll just guess: Addie Joss, and you only won one more game because you died unfortunately.

Good guess, but no.

The man who broke up the no-hitter (first pitcher faced by the reliever) was Tony Perez.

Well, that eliminates Johnny Van der Meer.

 

 

To make up a scenario with a guy who had 2 no hitters:  Allie Reynolds, pulled for a pinch hitter, by Casey Stengal, in a 0-0 game in a pennant race?

Or was it Prof. Plum in the conservatory with the rope?

I can tell you for sure that it wasn't Mr. Green with a knife in the kitchen, and also that it wasn't Allie Reynolds or Johnny Van Der Meer.  A clue is in order, and his name is Roger Metzger.

I can't believe this. Usually when I try posing one of these, six people are posting the correct answer within five minutes. I never stump the room, and frankly it's always been a little embarrassing for me.

And the fact that Tony Perez and Roger Metzger have both been mentioned as clues (and you know Tony Perez played in the game in question - OK, so did Metzger) also tells you that I'm not messing around with the 1906 Cubs or anything like that.

I'll throw a guess out there.  Not sure it fits the clues, but Bill Stoneman?

Umm...How about Tom Seaver? Pretty sure he had a bunch of no-nos though...

Don Wilson.
Threw no-hitters on June 18, 1967 and May 1, 1969.
The fateful game in question: Sept. 4, 1974.

I don't have the wherewithal to come up with a similar stumper at the moment, so I will defer to whomever can answer the second part satisfactorily.

Obviously I cheated, but even that wasn't easy. Hopefully this will get the ball rolling again. I love these threads...

Wow...no earned runs in the whole game...no wonder he was pulled.

Well done, paulf. Wilson committed suicide that off-season, which makes the tale even worse.

You're up!

You want someone to pinch-hit? Well then, the first person to name Don Wilson's manager. Who was managing the Astros in 1974? Cito Gaston always said he was one of the biggest influences on his approach to running a team....

sorry, im a lurker and couldnt help blurt out the answer.. preston gomez. im basically 100% sure that's right

this will probably be easy for you guys but i figure ill string together a question......

I am a pitcher. I signed my first MLB contract when I was 17 years old, and never had a losing season with an MLB club. I am unbeaten in the playoffs but unfortunately the one year my team made the playoffs with myself on the team, we didn't even make it past the first series. Who am I?

Tough one Alex - must be someone since 1969 since we've only had 2 rounds of playoffs since then. Has to be a very good pitcher on very good teams who probably had a shorter career than one would've hoped. At first I'd have said Ron Guidry then remembered he was on the '78 Yankees who won it all. Hrm... Mark Langston comes to mind but I'm certain he had a losing season or two in there. Dang, this is tough. Guess I'll stick with Langston as I can't think of anyone else who might fit the bill.

Dave Steib?

Stieb won a couple of World Series rings, so that eliminates him right there. That also eliminates Jimmy Key, who would have been my first guess on the "never had  a losing season" criterion. I have not a clue. You have a weird sense of what's "easy," sir!

 

MLB contract at 17 screams non-American to me, assuming the post-1969 conjecture was correct. Not too many others sign before high school is over, as far as I recall.

the one year my team made the playoffs with myself on the team...possibly implying the team made it again right after the player left/retired?
Never had a losing season is tough...not many pitchers retire before stinking for half a season, or don't post a losing record early on. The player only made the playoffs once, but was good enough never to have a losing record on a non-playoff team. So a good/great pitcher on, most likely, a good but not great team. Who apparently we've likely heard of, since Alex seemed to think this was simple.

Maybe Ramon Martinez or Jack MacDowell?

Hrm... Langston had a few losing seasons and did get to the World Series with San Diego.

What about a Blue Jay given how you said it should be easy for us... in 1985 we had the undefeated Tom Filer, in 1989 we had another undefeated guy in Goose Gozzo. Could either of them be it?

Dang, both of them had losing seasons (Gozzo did lose one game in his miracle season here - minor league rule 5 pick who went 4-1 for a playoff team, but had an ERA+ of 78).

I'm stumped.

I'm thinking it needs to be a reliever. It would easier to never have a losing season as a releiver. Also, both those Blue Jays listed don't fit the requirements, they both had at least 1 losing season.

Steve Avery?

I finally created a battersbox account because this question was driving me nuts.  I spent the entire afternoon thinking about this, and my best guess is C.C. Sabathia.  Born in 80, Signed in 98 an entire month before he turned 18.  Had a 12-11 season, and a 11-10 season, but no losing seasons.  Cleveland hasn't been back since, but had been there a tonne beforehand.  As this is my first time posting, please forgive me if i've managed to screwup the thread reply, or this has already been answered.

I am a pitcher. I signed my first MLB contract when I was 17 years old, and never had a losing season with an MLB club. I am unbeaten in the playoffs but unfortunately the one year my team made the playoffs with myself on the team, we didn't even make it past the first series. Who am I?

I could play stupid and say that Liriano is "unbeaten" in the playoffs. He'd seem to fit the mold fairly well.

Though I get the feeling this pitcher is feeling some frustration after quite a few years of futility. Maybe a member of the early Beane/Ryan days?

Looks to me like Sabathia is the winner as he has been in just one playoff and was 1-0 during it, plus has been a winner in all 6 seasons of his career so far (over a 100 ERA+ each season too with 180+ IP) and was 17 when drafted.  Huh. Figured the answer would be obvious when I saw it.

So topherkris you get the next question, nice first post!

John, i do not know enough about baseball to ask the questions, just enough to answer them.  So if someone else could throw out a question, that'd be appreciated..

Here's a legitimately easy one ...

Currently, just three players who have worn Blue Jay uninforms (as players) have been inducted into the Cooperstown Hall of Fame. Name them all (without looking it up!) ...

 

Geez Mick, now that is just too easy...
Phil Niekro - 1987 - I saw his first start at Exhibition Stadium
Dave Winfield - 1992 - led the Jays to the 92 series win
Paul Molitor - 1993-95 - led the Jays to the 93 series win

Now for a bit tougher one...
In honour of former 2 time MVP Frank Thomas (he isn't part of the answer as he hasn't technically played as a Jay yet) which Jays and Ex-Jays have won one or more of the big two awards - MVP & Cy Young, regardless of who they won it with?

MVP's - there are 2 NL MVP's and 5 AL MVP's
Cy Youngs - there are 2 NL Cy's and 7 AL Cy winners

Note: One player was counted multiple times (won awards in more than one league), but the totals by league are number of players (ie: there are 7 AL Cy's, 2 NL Cy's, 5 AL MVP's and 2 NL MVP's but just 13 players.)

NL MVPs: Dave Parker won one, I assume with Pittsburg. Jeff Kent won one in San Fran
NL Cy Youngs : Roger Clemens and ??? no one else jumps to mind. Neikro ?

AL MVP : George Bell, Rickey Henderson, Canseco, Clemens ...and one more.
AL Cy Young : Halladay, Hentgen, Clemens, Cone, drawing total blanks. Have there really been 7?

So I'm missing an NL Cy Young winner (I think), an AL MVP, and 3 AL Cy Young winners. But I have picked the low hanging fruit...

Nice start AWeb, I thought Clemens MVP would be forgotten but I should've know quite a few here are like me, grew up during that stretch.

Dave Parker and Kent are dead on for NL MVP's
Clemens for one of the NL Cy's the other one I'd have thought would be an easy pick.

The AL MVP's so far are solid.  I figured the one you missed would be challenging for most.
The AL Cy total surprised me as well.  The 4 listed are correct.  3 more to go. 

Clues for AL Cy's - one had his last 6 starts in Toronto, another was an original Blue Jay, and the third spent 3 and a bit years here but only had an ERA+ above 100 in his first (partial) season here.  Two are left handers, one is right handed.

Clue for AL MVP - spent just one season here at the end of his career.

Well, the other NL Cy Young just occurred to me...and it was easy as you said : Carpenter. Although it could be argued that Toronto Carpenter and St. Louis Carpenter were clearly different people.

AL Cy Young, I'll add Frank Viola to the list. I'm almost certain I recall him pitching a bit in Toronto, long after he was done as an effective pitcher.

AL MVP - Jeff Burroughs

AL Cy - Mike Flanagan

That's all I can remember...

Very good, Flanagan I had forgotten was a Cy Young winner until I double checked it. Burroughs was one of my favorites of the 85 team for some reason (must like big slow DH's or something, I loved watching Fielder that year too).

So, just one guy left. Someone who was here in '77 and then left to win a Cy Young award in the early 80's. Many feel he stole it from Dave Stieb, others felt it should've gone to Dan Quisenberry. 5 different pitchers had a first place Cy Young vote that season but in the end it went to the guy with the most wins and fewest losses (2 way tie for the win total). He had a 1.50 WHIP vs no other Cy vote getter than year being above 1.30.

AL Cy Young: Pete Vuckovich (1982, I think...)

 

Oh, Viola was correct btw. I remember Ash talking like he aquired a key piece of the 'new Jays' for the mid-90's despite Viola having pitched just 45 innings the last two years combined.

One more clue for the last Cy winner - he won just 8 games after getting the award and the year he won his BB-SO ratio was nearly 1-1 (3 more K's than walks).

Congrats Doom Service you got it! I'm certain Gillick took some heat from the local media over that one at the time, but had it taken off by Pete going 0-2 over 3 starts the entire next season.

So, Doom Service is up!

So, final totals...
NL MVP's...
Dave Parker - won in 78, ended as a Jay in 91
Jeff Kent - won in 2000, started as a Jay in 92

AL MVP's...
Rickey Henderson - won in 90, was a Jay in 93
Jose Canseco - won in 88, was a Jay in 98
George Bell - won in 87 as a Jay, was a Jay from 81-90
Roger Clemens - won in 86, was a Jay in 97/98
Jeff Burroughs - won in 74, retired as a Jay in 85

NY Cy's...
Clemens - won in 04
Chris Carpenter - won in 05, was a Jay from 97-02

Al Cy's...
Roy Halladay - won in 03, lifetime Jay
Clemens - won in 86/87/91/97/98/01, two of those as a Jay
Pat Hentgen - Won in 96 as a Jay, was a Jay from 91-99,04
David Cone - won in 94, was a Jay for parts of 92 & 95
Frank Viola - won in 88, was a Jay at the end in 96
Vuckovich - won in 82, was a Jay in 77
Flanagan - won in 79, was a Jay from 87-90

Phew, quite a few eh?

Mondesi and Canseco are correct. The other two were Benito Santiago and Dave Righetti.

The bonus question: Chris Chambliss was a RoY for sure, and the Jay acquired him from the Yankees and traded him to Atlanta a few weeks later in the off-season of 79 or 80.

But didn't Cesar Cedeno get a spring training look with the Jays one year near the end?

Ah, Cedeno wasn't the RoY.