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Thursday, July 18, 2019

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 7-18-2019

Pittsburgh Gazette Times, July 18, 1919:

The strike of the Boston Elevated employees was responsible for the third successive day of idleness for the Pirates today. The Pittsburghers arrived at the center of culture just in time to become involved in the unpleasantness. The day was satisfactory for a ball game, but the Brave management figured that the number of fans reaching the park would not be sufficient to make the game worth while.

Elsewhere in unusual Pirates scheduling news, the board of directors of the National League has upheld a protest by the Giants, who claimed the Pirates-Reds game on July 6 violated the league constitution by ending early so the Pirates could catch a train. The ruling throws out a Reds win and forces the two teams to replay the game. In response, Reds president Gerry Herrmann flipped out, saying the league constitution requires this sort of decision to be made by the league president (and not the board of directors), and that the rules also give him five days to respond to the complaint.

Jefferson Manship (Dan Lee) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 10:04 AM | 72 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: dugout, history, labor stoppage

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1. Jefferson Manship (Dan Lee) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 10:05 AM (#5862828)

Pretty good Birthday Team today. I went a little crazy with the anagram generator, but I regret nothing.

C: Larry McLean (12.9 WAR)
1B: Harry Davis (38.6 WAR)
2B: Derek Dietrich (6.5 WAR)
3B/Manager: Joe Torre (57.6 WAR)
SS: Eugenio Suarez (11.8 WAR)
LF: Mike Greenwell (25.8 WAR)
CF: Torii Hunter (50.1 WAR)
RF: Johnny Hopp (22.8 WAR)

SP: Ben Sheets (23.2 WAR)
SP: Rudy May (20.3 WAR)
SP: Rolando Arrojo (9.4 WAR)
SP: Ad Brennan (5.1 WAR)
SP: Jaime Barria (2.8 WAR)
RP: Windy McCall (1.9 WAR)

Last name is a palindrome: Eddie Kazak
Name is an anagram of Lamented Loins, Molten Denials, Damn Loneliest, and Deal Me Lint, Son: Dinelson Lamet
Fun names: Butch Edge, Hod Kibbie, Razor Shines
Reggie Cleveland All-Star: Antone Williamson

2. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:03 AM (#5862841)

1B: Harry Davis (38.6 WAR)

I usually look up the best player I don't know, and Harry Davis has a rare achievement. He led the AL in HR 4 straight years, 1904-07.

A player has only led his league in HR for 4+ consecutive seasons 5 times. Can you name the other 4?

In addition, there have been 8 instances of a player leading the league exactly 3 straight years, can you name them?

League here means AL or NL, and it has to be the same league all the years (I didn't check for cross-over leaders).

3. Kiko Sakata

Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:13 AM (#5862844)

A player has only led his league in HR for 4+ consecutive seasons 5 times. Can you name the other 4?

Ralph Kiner - I'm sure of this one
Babe Ruth - I'm not 100% sure; he had a couple of seasons in the 1920s where he missed some time, but he seems like an obvious guess

4. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:22 AM (#5862847)

Ralph Kiner - I'm sure of this one
Babe Ruth - I'm not 100% sure; he had a couple of seasons in the 1920s where he missed some time, but he seems like an obvious guess

Yes on both. Kiner 7 times, from '46-'51. Ruth actually did it twice, 4 in a row 1918-21, and then 6 in a row from '26 to '31.

So that's 4 of the 5. Kiner (7), Ruth x2 (6,4), and Davis (4).

5. Jefferson Manship (Dan Lee) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:36 AM (#5862849)

It's not Dave Robertson, is it? I'm pretty sure he had a couple/few years where he led the league.

Other names that come to mind: Gavvy Cravath, Frank Schulte

6. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:42 AM (#5862850)

Other names that come to mind: Gavvy Cravath, Frank Schulte

Cravath is correct for part b, he did 3 in a row twice, '13-'15, '17-19.

Robertson and Schulte maxed at 2.

Still missing a 4 in a row guy, and 6 more 3 in a a row. They are all unique players at this point, no more repeats.

7. Dag Nabbit at ExactlyAsOld.com Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:43 AM (#5862853)

Killebrew?

8. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:46 AM (#5862855)

Killebrew is a three-timer.

So far:

4+ seasons: Kiner (7), Ruth (6,4), Davis (4), ???? (4)
3 seasons: Cravath (3,3), Killebrew (3), and 5 more (3)

The remaining are all big name players.

9. Nasty Nate Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:47 AM (#5862856)

Mike Schmidt?

10. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:49 AM (#5862857)

Mike Schmidt?

Yup. 3 in a row '74-'76.

11. Cris E Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:50 AM (#5862859)

I looked it up and duh. I was thinking of guys in helpful parks like Mel Ott or Gavvy Cravath, but that wasn't the missing guy.

12. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 11:54 AM (#5862863)

I looked it up and duh. I was thinking of guys in helpful parks like Mel Ott or Gavvy Cravath, but that wasn't the missing guy.

Ott is a three-timer ('36-'38), so you weren't totally wrong.

4+ seasons: Kiner (7), Ruth (6,4), Davis (4), ???? (4)
3 seasons: Cravath (3,3), Killebrew, Schmidt, Ott, and 3 more.

13. Rennie's Tenet Posted: July 18, 2019 at 12:03 PM (#5862868)

Hack Wilson's a 3.

14. Steve Parris, Je t'aime Posted: July 18, 2019 at 12:30 PM (#5862875)

I was thinking of guys in helpful parks like Mel Ott or Gavvy Cravath, but that wasn't the missing guy.

Chuck Klein?

15. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 12:30 PM (#5862876)

Hack Wilson's a 3.

Oooh, I missed him because of the two ties. Yes, '26-'28

Still 3 more 3's, and a 4.

16. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 12:31 PM (#5862878)

Chuck Klein?

Yes. '31-'33.

The two remaining 3's are modern. The 4 is obvious if you think about it, as 11 says.

17. Jefferson Manship (Dan Lee) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 12:33 PM (#5862879)

Is the 4 Barry Bonds?

18. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 12:36 PM (#5862881)

Is the 4 Barry Bonds?

No. Only led the league twice, non-consecutively.

The 4 has a very apropos nickname for this question.

19. Kiko Sakata

Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:32 PM (#5862908)

League here means AL or NL, and it has to be the same league all the years (I didn't check for cross-over leaders).

He's not an answer here as the most consecutive times he led a single league was twice (1998-99), but Mark McGwire led MLB in home runs four consecutive seasons from 1996 - 1999. In 1996, he led the AL. In 1997, he hit 34 HR in the AL and 24 in the NL, leading neither league, but his 58 overall led MLB. And I'm sure most of you remember what he then did in 1998-99.

And given the clue in #18, I'm going to guess that the other 4-time leader was Frank "Home Run" Baker.

20. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:35 PM (#5862910)

And given the clue in #18, I'm going to guess that the other 4-time leader was Frank "Home Run" Baker.

Correct!

21. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:35 PM (#5862911)

Home Run Baker?

EDIT: Beverage choice, Kiko?

22. Rennie's Tenet Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:37 PM (#5862912)

ARod is a 3.

23. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:39 PM (#5862914)

ARod is a 3.

Correct!

4+ seasons: Kiner (7), Ruth (6,4), Davis (4), Baker (4)
3 seasons: Cravath (3,3), Killebrew, Schmidt, Ott, Klein, Wilson, Rodriguez, ???.

Last one is a contemporary of ARod.

24. Born1951 Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:42 PM (#5862918)

Relievers have 4.54 ERA this season compared to 4.48 for starters. Relievers ERA hasn't been higher than starters since 1969. The 4.54 would be the 3rd highest since 1937; it was 4.58 in 2000 and 4.55 in 1950.

25. Tom Nawrocki Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:42 PM (#5862919)

Sorry to interrupt the trivia question, but I wanted to list the ways that Birthday Boy Derek Dietrich has reached first base this season:

Via single: 18
Via hit by pitch: 21
Via base on balls: 23

26. What did Billy Ripken have against ElRoy Face? Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:50 PM (#5862924)

Is it bad that part of me kind of hopes Dietrich gets injured on one of his bullshit HBPs? Like, not seriously or anything that would have long-term effects, but something that would give him enough discomfort that he would think twice about getting in the way of the pitch as his primary strategy for reaching base?

Obviously I would prefer for the umpires to just enforce the damn rule, but apparently that's somehow impossible.

27. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 01:52 PM (#5862928)

Sorry to interrupt the trivia question, but I wanted to list the ways that Birthday Boy Derek Dietrich has reached first base this season:

Via single: 18
Via hit by pitch: 21
Via base on balls: 23

No worries.

There has never been a season before where a batter had >10 HBP, and HBP>1B. The previous low was 32 1b (18 HBP) by Kelly Shoppach in 2009.

28. The Mighty Quintana Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:02 PM (#5862933)

3 seasons - Sosa?

29. Tom Nawrocki Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:12 PM (#5862934)

ARod is a 3.

J-Lo disagrees.

30. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:18 PM (#5862935)

3 seasons - Sosa?

Negative. Only twice. None of his 3 60+ HR seasons led the league.

31. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:19 PM (#5862936)

Hint on the last guy. He was a teammate of ARod at one point.

32. JJ1986 Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:28 PM (#5862938)

Juan Gonzalez?

33. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:29 PM (#5862940)

Juan Gonzalez?

Nope. Two in a row ('92-'93) and never again.

34. stanmvp48 Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:31 PM (#5862941)

Griffey JR?

35. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:34 PM (#5862943)

Griffey JR?

Ding, ding, ding! '97-'99

The complete list

4+ seasons: Kiner (7), Ruth (6,4), Davis (4), Baker (4)
3 seasons: Cravath (3,3), Killebrew, Schmidt, Ott, Klein, Wilson, Rodriguez, Griffey, Jr.

Davis is really the outlier in that group. You could have given me 1000 guesses and I wouldn't have gotten to him.

36. stanmvp48 Posted: July 18, 2019 at 02:58 PM (#5862953)

Never more than 12 in a season and a career total of 75

37. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:01 PM (#5862954)

Never more than 12 in a season and a career total of 75

Baker is similar (max 12, career total of 96), but he was a much better, and more famous player. Nickname probably helped :-)

38. Dag Nabbit at ExactlyAsOld.com Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:17 PM (#5862960)

HONORARY MENTION:
Mark McGwire led all of MLB in home runs for straight years (1996-1999), BUT didn't lead the league in it four years in a row because in the middle of 1997 he was traded from the AL (Oakland) to the NL (St. Louis)

39. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:26 PM (#5862969)

3 seasons - Sosa?

Negative. Only twice. None of his 3 60+ HR seasons led the league.

If anyone is up for another HR trivia question, Sosa's best league leading HR total was merely the 4th best of his career. There are 4 other players in history who's best league leading total is 4th best or worse. Who are they?

40. Tom Nawrocki Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:31 PM (#5862971)

I'll toss out Eddie Murray and Dwight Evans, with an asterisk.

41. Crispix Attacksel Rios Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:31 PM (#5862972)

As part of their quest to prove that home runs are not inherently entertaining, the Padres currently have 2 of the top 10 seasons of all time in homers without RBI.

The record for most homers in a season, with less than twice as many RBI as homers, is....73.

73/137 Barry Bonds 2001
41/80 Joey Gallo 2017
30/59 Kyle Schwarber 2017
30/59 Curtis Granderson 2016
30/59 Jedd Gyorko 2016
27/49 Hunter Renfroe 2019
26/44 Franmil Reyes 2019
24/45 Matt Olson 2017
22/43 Chris Duncan 2006
21/41 Kevin Maas 1990
18/36 Russell Branyan 2006
etc

Franmil Reyes currently has 42 homers and 75 RBI for his career. The CAREER record is 10, held by someone named Luis Medina.

Medina had 10 homers and 16 RBI with the 1988-91 Indians. He also had 76 homers and 251 RBI with the 1988-91 Colorado Springs SkySox.

42. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:34 PM (#5862973)

Murray (13th best) and Evans (7th best) are correct. The other 2 players did it with their 4th best. each have somewhat extenuating circumstances of their own.

43. The usual palaver and twaddle (Met Fan Charlie) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:46 PM (#5862978)

someone named Luis Medina.

That's Luis "Funky Cold" Medina to you, bub.

44. The usual palaver and twaddle (Met Fan Charlie) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:47 PM (#5862979)

Murray (13th best) and Evans (7th best) are correct. The other 2 players did it with their 4th best. each have somewhat extenuating circumstances of their own.

Dave Kingman?

45. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:52 PM (#5862984)

No on Kingman. He led the NL in 1979 with his career best 48

46. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:56 PM (#5862988)

It's not a 19th century guy, though I believe none of them did it either. Neither is a HOFer, neither is really a household name, though one is a lot better known than the other. One tied for the lead with a HOFer.

47. stanmvp48 Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:57 PM (#5862989)

Possibly strike/lockout years.

48. Dag Nabbit at ExactlyAsOld.com Posted: July 18, 2019 at 03:59 PM (#5862991)

Dolph Camili?

49. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:00 PM (#5862992)

Dolph Camili?

No. Like Kingman, he led with his career high.

50. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:02 PM (#5862998)

Possibly strike/lockout years.

No. But one was a shortened season. However, it doesn't fully explain why it was this guy's 4th best. Had it been a full season, it probably still would have been his 4th best.

51. Mike Webber Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:06 PM (#5863002)

Gavvy Cravath in one of the WW1 years?

52. Cris E Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:10 PM (#5863003)

My guess is one of the old guys who led the league pre-21 but continued to hit in the new style without catching Ruth: Cy Williams, Gavvy Cravath, Ken Williams, etc.

53. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:11 PM (#5863006)

No. But one was a shortened season. However, it doesn't fully explain why it was this guy's 4th best. Had it been a full season, it probably still would have been his 4th best.

Bagwell in 1994? He was already out for the year with injury.

54. Cris E Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:12 PM (#5863007)

McGriff?

55. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:12 PM (#5863008)

No. Remember, this is a guy who's best league leading total is merely the 4th best seasonal total of his career. Many players led with their 4th best, but they also led with the best, 2nd best, etc. In Gavvy's case, his top 5 seasons were league leaders.

56. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:14 PM (#5863009)

My guess is one of the old guys who led the league pre-21 but continued to hit in the new style without catching Ruth: Cy Williams, Gavvy Cravath, Ken Williams, etc.

Yes. One guy fits this description

McGriff?

No. 2nd best.

Bagwell

No. Bagwell never led the league

57. Mike Webber Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:22 PM (#5863011)

Wally Pipp?

58. Dag Nabbit at ExactlyAsOld.com Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:23 PM (#5863012)

Ty Cobb?

59. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:40 PM (#5863018)

Pipp? No. He led with his best

No on Cobb. Good guess though. his one HR title came with his 3rd best season total. Oh, and the answers are not HOFers.

60. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 04:56 PM (#5863022)

For both players, it was their only title, and both did it in war seasons.

61. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: July 18, 2019 at 05:04 PM (#5863024)

For both players, it was their only title, and both did it in war seasons.

Sauer? Nicholson?

62. Walt Davis Posted: July 18, 2019 at 05:05 PM (#5863025)

It's not Pujols (or Frank Howard) but he's an interesting one with 7 seasons of 40+, leading the league only with his 2nd and 5th best.

EDIT: Currently leading the AL, this could be Trout's first league-leading season (but it ain't gonna be his 4th-best season).

63. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 05:09 PM (#5863027)

Sauer? Nicholson?

No. Sauer led with his second best, and Swish with his top 2

64. Walt Davis Posted: July 18, 2019 at 05:10 PM (#5863029)

I cheated and know the answer to one of them now. Impressively, he led the league in RBI 3 times ... but not in his league-leading HR season. Yet you probably don't think of him as a big RBI guy (I didn't).

65. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 05:19 PM (#5863037)

EDIT: Currently leading the AL, this could be Trout's first league-leading season (but it ain't gonna be his 4th-best season).

Right. Either Trout improves on his now 4th best, or he doesn't win the title.

66. Walt Davis Posted: July 18, 2019 at 05:28 PM (#5863043)

Huh ... from 1946 to 1976, the NL HR title was won by a HoFer all but 1.5 times. The one I already mentioned -- Klu -- and Sauer tied Kiner once. Kiner was tied two other times but by HoFer Mize and Aaron and McCovey tied once. The AL has a similar run from 1918-42 thanks mainly to Ruth but it is interrupted by Meusel and K Williams and has Tillie Walker at the start.

67. Walt Davis Posted: July 18, 2019 at 05:32 PM (#5863047)

Furthering my hint in #64 ... the reason you might not think of him as an RBI guy is the position he played.

68. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 05:34 PM (#5863048)

The AL has a similar run from 1918-42 thanks mainly to Ruth but it is interrupted by Meusel and K Williams and has Tillie Walker at the start.

Hmmm.

69. Eric J can SABER all he wants to Posted: July 18, 2019 at 06:01 PM (#5863053)

Furthering my hint in #64 ... the reason you might not think of him as an RBI guy is the position he played.

Vern Stephens?

70. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 06:05 PM (#5863056)

Vern Stephens, YES!

he led the AL in 1945 with 24, and after the war had seasons of 29, 30, and 39. His extenuating circumstance is that all the big AL sluggers: DiMaggio, Williams, Greenberg...were in the Army. he likely would not have won if not for that. Also, due to war shortages, the balls in 1944-45 were significantly deader, and likely would have hit more otherwise.

71. Misirlou gave her his Vincent to ride Posted: July 18, 2019 at 06:13 PM (#5863057)

I've gotta run to my Thursday poker game. The other answer is Tillie Walker, who tied Ruth in 1918 with 11, and after 1920 had 3 seasons of significantly more, culminating with a season of 37.

72. Walt Davis Posted: July 18, 2019 at 08:40 PM (#5863078)

Huh, I stumbled across an answer without even thinking about it. Never heard of Tillie Walker but should know by now that doesn't mean he didn't top 11 HR a few times. Still I was openly cheating so deserve no credit.

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