Let's see...you have a bunch of 70s-era Orioles there, but then Smoltz comes out of nowhere. So it's not "all played under Earl Weaver" or something like that.

I'll say that they were all All-Stars at least once. It's not the right answer (I have the feeling this is going to be insanely obscure), but I have a question in mind, so I'm hoping for a default win here.

No, though I am glad to see someone at least guess at an answer. (Related to nothing, I note the irony above, which I didn't realize as I wrote it, of referring to guys named Larvell, Pepe and Royle as "Regular Joes.")

Okay, here's a hint, sort of ... it is possible to find ALL these players' names on one single page at BaseballReference.com. I can't tell you which page because that would give away the answer!

I see a few names there that have been repeated on the backs of other jerseys and a few who have relatives in the game. I'm going to say that all of those players have at least one relative playing pro-ball somewhere.

I can't answer this question now that I've looked up more of these players, but it must have something to do with the 1970s*, Baltimore, and Atlanta. And Royle Stillman is definitely not an All-Star.

* Except John Smoltz. How the hell does he fit in here?

You're focusing on Smoltz, when Ward is on the list, too?

You're sort of on the right track with the 1970s BAL and ATL ... VBF, as for your guess, I don't think that's true, and if it is, it's not what I was looking for.

I'm heading home in a few minutes so can't promise I will respond right away, but if someone gets the right answer, it'll be pretty obvious. Okay, one more hint ... when the answer is revealed, many people on this site will slap their foreheads and say something like "Oh, 1987 should've been OUR year!"

Duane Ward was not the player to miss on this question. You're safe to go home, Mick, as I just smacked my forehead after figuring out what the answer was.

I'm hesitant to answer, becaue I think that I may be correct, and yet I'm not sure that I have a question to ask (maybe I can open it for anyone with an interesting challenge). 

In any case, it seems that all of these players were, at one time or another, traded for Doyle Alexander.

I have to apologize, as I was unaware of the rules guiding the trivia challenge.  My answer was not without aid, so I must apologize to Mick, and others who I may have spoilt it for.

Well, since I'm a newbie, cheated on the previous question, and am ear-deep in term papers, I've decided to make an attempt at asking a good trivia question.  This spring, one of the things that I will be most interested in watching is the degree of success some of J.P.'s 'plan B' acquisitions pan out.  One of the most important of these appears to be Royce Clayton.  Some research has led me to his appearances on league leaderboards, one of the earliest of which was as the fifth youngest player appearing in the National League during the 1991 season, playing for the Giants (who surely have no twenty-one year olds this year, and might wish they had a few).

Interestingly, of the other nine players who made up the remainder of ten youngest in the NL that year, none are currently active, and only four played major league ball in the twenty-first century.  Three of these four were all stars at one point or another in their careers, and collectively would have provided a decent battery in the mid 1990's.  My challenge is to name the three future all stars (other than Royce Clayton) who appeared on the 1991 list of the ten youngest players in the NL, and continued to play in the twenty-first century. 

I don't know if this is good, bad, or mediocre, but its my first attempt, so feel free to let me know.

In any case, it seems that all of these players were, at one time or another, traded for Doyle Alexander.

Ironically, that's not quite correct -- the actual answer is that at  one time or another, all of these players were involved in a trade for or with Doyle Alexander. But close enough, and seeing how you've already asked a question that  seems even more difficult than mine,  by all means, feel free to drop a hint or three (as I did earlier) ...

On a related note, here's a trivia challenge ... can anyone build an entire roster of players who all were traded for or with one guy? That's what started me down the Alexander path, but we were lacking position players, specifically a third baseman and enough outfielders (if F. Robby played 1B or DH that is) ... so, can anyone come up with such a playert? Bobby Bonds was traded, like, 46 times, so off the top of my head, maybe him, but I haven't looked that up to confirm or deny it. Anyone else?

Okay - here's three then. 

1.  I mentioned that they would have provided a decent battery - to be more specific, of the three players in question, two were pitchers, and the third was primarily a catcher.

2. The two pitchers share some interesting parallels:  they were drafted by the same National League team, in the same draft year, and both pitched at some point for the Cincinnati Reds before switching over and finishing their careers in the American League (one in 2002, the other in 2003).

3. The catcher actually made his major league debut in 1990, at the age of 21, and never played for an American League team.

Of course, there are bonus marks for the identity of the fourth player from that NL ten youngest in 1991 who continued to play in the 21st century (the one who was NOT an all-star).  He was, incidentally, a pitcher, drafted by the same team that drafted the catcher in this question (actually, drafted in that very same draft).

On a related note, here's a trivia challenge ... can anyone build an entire roster of players who all were traded for or with one guy?

Ken Brett, George's brother, made a valiant effort. It helps when you get traded in multiple blockbuster trades. Anyhow, I can put together a roster with a complete lineup, 4 bench players, 6 starting pitchers, and four relievers for Mr. Brett.

I would imagine that one of those pitchers is Steve Avery.

Hmm, could the other pitcher be Mark Wohlers?

Sheesh... I really need wait until I'm finished thinking before I actually post. Could that catcher be Tom Pagnozzi?

Calig - you've nailed the two pitchers - Avery and Wohlers - both drafted in 1988 by Atlanta.  However, Tom Pagnozzi is not the catcher in question (Pagnozzi was 28 in 1991, while catcher "x" was only 22).

Could it be Mike Lavalle (hrm... bad spelling - guy who was with Pittsburgh and iirc replaced Tony Pena).

Ugh, was I off, he was 30 in 1991. (LaValliere)

Hrm... who else could it be... inactive, NL only, all-star, 22 in 1991... my first though was Benito Santiago but he played for the Jays and I think he was a rookie in 89. My gut says it was a Met or Dodger but for the life of me I can't recall who they used in 1991 (Piazza didn't show up until later). Dang, going to kick myself later but I just can't think of it.

Oh! How about Todd Hundley?

How about Todd Hundley?

Ding ding ding. Nice work Calig. 

Any ideas about the bonus pitcher? He was drafted in 1987, along with Hundley, by the Mets.  He made his major league debut for them in 1991, and also pitched for the Reds, Astros, and Pirates, before finishing his career in 1991 with the Red Sox (actually - he finished his career following his second stint with the Red Sox, the first being sandwiched between time with the Astros and Pirates).  He was a southpaw, and although he was never an All Star, he did have one fantastic season, in which he recorded 18 wins with a 128 ERA+,  finished second in voting for the NL Cy Young award, and also received some MVP attention (albeit only 0.01 share).

Sadly, following that season, he was only able to post 25 more wins, never pitching more than 124 innings in a season due to a variety of injury problems.

Sounds like Pete Schourek, who had one great year with the Reds when they won the division in '95 and a whole bunch of DL time on either side of that.

Sounds like, and is, Pete Schourek.

Well, I suppose that I am up next. How about a St. Patrick's Day themed question:

There have been three players who played for Toronto, plus another notable person once affiliated with the Blue Jays, who were born on March 17th.

Who are these four?

Some starting hints: One was was 2B/3B primarily, but did play a bit of OF, one was a relief pitcher, one was mostly a reliever but started frequently, and the fourth was an outfielder during his playing career (which is another hint in itself).