2025-09-29 Position players in the Cy Young Award era (1955- ) who would have won the MVP had pitchers not been MVP-eligible
MONDAY — 29-Sep-2025
Q. Who
is the only switch-hitter with more career doubles than Carlos Beltran?
Hint: #1
He was the first Cincinnati Reds player to receive a salary of at least $75,000
per season.
Hint: #2
He was the last player-manager to collect a stolen base.
-
Ans. Rose has 746 doubles—2nd
all-time. Beltran finished with 565.
-
#1 Rose made $85,000 in 1969;
Frank Robinson had the previous highest at $68,000 in 1964.
-
#2 Rose stole 2nd in
the game 06-Aug-1986, the last of his 1988
& at age 45.
FCR - Dan
McLaughlin, Floral Park, New York
Incorrect guesses: Frank Robinson, Joe Morgan
TUESDAY — 30-Sep-2025
Q. Who was
the first basketball player from Duke University to have his jersey number 10 retired?
Hint: #1
He was a crucial part of the franchise that won its first World Series
in thirty-five years and then pat of another that won its first in eighteen
years.
Hint: #2
He had a timely six-for-six day with three doubles.
A. DICK GROAT [SABR
Bio]
-
Ans. #10 hangs from the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium.
#1 Groat
was with PIT in their WS year of 1960 (PIT had last won in 1925.) He played 161 games for STL in 1964 as the
Cards ended that version of Yankee dynasty.
STL’s previous championship had been in 1946.
-
#2 On 13-May-1960 in Milwaukee, Groat overwhelmed Braves pitching with 6
hits, 2 runs & 9 TB in 9 innings.
FCR - Matt
Van Hoose, Springfield, Virginia
Incorrect guesses:
WEDNESDAY — 01-Oct-2025
Q. Which
Gold Glove winning infielder won the Sporting News AL Player of the Year award
three years straight?
Hint: #1
No Yankee hitter has ever had more hits in a single season.
Hint: #2 It was once determined that he was too
barbate to compete.
A. DON MATTINGLY [SABR
Biov]
-
Ans. SN POY 1984, 1985, 1986.
-
#1 Mattingly’s 238 H in 1986 is the
NYY best & 18th all-time in MLB.
-
#2 Mattingly, appearing as
himself in an episode of “The Simpsons”, was accused of having sideburns by team
owner, that exceeded established standards. The response is pure “Simpsons”.
FCR - John
Burbridge, Timonium, Maryland
Incorrect guesses: Alex Rodriguez
THURSDAY — 02-Oct-2025
Q. The
trade of which MVP slugger was decried by the local press as not anything fair,
but a “liquidation of assets”?
Hint: #1
His career high in runs-batted-in, also the best in the majors in his
MVP season, was tied this year by a player who also led the league in home runs.
Hint: #2
A graduate of Notre Dame, he would like to become the fifth member of
the Hall of Fame—and the first on his team—to have his particular uniform
number retired.
A. GIANCARLO STANTON [B-R Bio]
-
Ans. Stanton had just won the NL MVP & his 2nd Hank Aaron Award in 2017 when he was
dealt to NYY for 3 Dominican infielders, only one of whom had any experience or
promise.
-
#1 Stanton’s 132
RBI in 2017 for MIA were accompanied by 59 HR. In 2025, PHI’s Kyle Schwarber matched his 132 RBI and led
the NL w/56 HR. Stanton is an
alumnus of Notre Dame HS in Sherman Oaks, California.
-
#2 The only uniform number
Standon has worn in the majors is 27, matching the number worn by Hall of
Famers Juan Marichal, Catfish Hunter & Carlton Fisk.
FCR - Bill
Deane, Cooperstown
Incorrect guesses:
FRIDAY — 03-Oct-2025
Q. Which
Minnesota Twins All-Star retired for good when the players went on strike,
ending that season?
Hint: #1
He was the first rookie to hit as many as eight home runs in the calendar
month of April.
Hint: #2
Which player had to miss the final week of the season one year when he
sprained his ankle wrestling with the clubhouse attendant?
A. KENT HRBEK [SABR
Bio]
-
Ans. Hrbek’s last game in the
majors was on 10-Aug-1994. No further MLB
games were played until 25-Apr-1995. He was an AL All-Star
in his rookie season, 1982.
-
#1 He hit 8 HR in April 1982.
-
#2 In 1990, Hrbek’s season ended 22-Sep. The rest of the league ended on 03-Oct.
FCR - Brian
Barris, Oneida, New York
Incorrect guesses:
SATURDAY — 04-Oct-2025
Q. Which
All-Star, Gold Glove catcher played in fifteen seasons for exactly one major
league team?
Hint: #1
He caught an All-Star game record fifteen innings in one mid-summer classic.
Hint: #2
He served as a color commentator for Seattle Mariners broadcasts
following his playing days.
A. BILL FREEHAN [SABR Bio]
-
Ans. Freehan played 1961,
1963-1976 for DET.
-
#1 Freehan started and finished the
15-inning 1967 MLB ASG even through Andy Etchebarren & Paul Casanova were available. It
was Casanova’s sole ASG selection, Etchebarren’s 1 of 2 (1966) but neither man
ever saw All-Star action.
-
#2 Behind the mic for SEA 1979-1980
alongside Mariner favorites Dave Niehaus and Ken Wilson.
FCR - Chris
Betch, Albany, Indiana
Incorrect guesses: Joe Mauer, Kirby Puckett, Dan Wilson, Johnny
Bench, Jason Varitek, Dave Valle
SUNDAY — 05-Oct-2025
Q. Who
hit ten home runs in Spring Training in “The Year of the Pitcher”?
Hint: #1
On the team he belonged to for his first eleven years in the majors, he
ranks highest in WAR of any non-Hall of Famer.
Hint: #2
He was captain of his team when they won five straight division titles.
-
Ans. In the team’s first year as the
Oakland A’s, Bando had a great preseason but came back to earth, nevertheless
helping the them achieve a winning record in 1968 for the first time since
Bobby Shantz won the MVP in 1952.
-
#1 Bando’s 52.1 WAR rating,
places him just behind Eddie
Collins, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Rickey Henderson & Eddie Plank.
-
#2 The A’s won the AL West 1971-1975,
winning the World series 1972-1974.
FCR - Jim
Conrey, Chesterton, Indiana
Incorrect guesses: Matty Alou, Jim Wynn, Bert Campaneris
WEEK’S
FINALE — 05-Oct-2025
Q. Who was the first Boston Red Sox player to
join the thirty-thirty ‘club’?
Hint:
#1 No one else this century has stolen more bases
in one season in the American League.
Hint:
#2 He ended his playing days as the
single season and career record holder for reaching base via catcher’s interference.
A. JACOBY
ELLSBURY [B-R Bio]
- Ans. In
2011, Ellsbury hit 32 HR (A career high by 2 X) & stole 39 bases. In 2018 BOS player Mookie Betts joined
him.
- #1 Ellsbury
stole 70 bases in 2009 for BOS.
- #2 In
2016, he reached base because of catcher’s interference an MLB record 12
times. He passed Pete Rose and now holds
the career record at 30.
FCR - Andrew Jett, Waxahachie, Texas
Incorrect
guesses:
WEEK’S THEME – Position players in
the Cy Young Award era (1955- ) who would have won the MVP had pitchers not
been MVP-eligible.
Suggested
by Mark O'Keefe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
First
Correct Respondent identifying theme – One reader came close, but failed to note the crucial CYA angle.
Year Lg Pitcher WAR Runner-up WAR
1963 NL Koufax........... 10.7 Groat............................ 7.1
1968 AL McLain............ 7.4 Freehan....................... 6.9
1968 NL Gibson.......... 11.2 Rose............................. 5.5
1971 AL Blue................. 9.0 Bando.......................... 6.4
1984 AL Hernandez...... 4.8 Hrbek........................... 5.6
1986 AL Clemens.......... 8.8 Mattingly...................... 7.2
2011 AL Verlander........ 8.6 Ellsbury....................... 8.3
2014 NL Kershaw.......... 8.2 Stanton........................ 6.8
Those who also qualify for this theme, but
became Hall of Famers, so… less
sympathy:
1956 NL Newcombe...... 4.5 Henry Aaron................. 5.6
1981 AL Fingers............ 4.2 Rickey Henderson........ 6.7
1992 AL Eckersley........ 4.5 Kirby Puckett................ 7.1
Groat, Rose & Stanton all won MVP’s in
other years.
Incorrect
theme guesses:
Tues - Position
players who hit the fewest HR in their MVP seasons
- Position players
who hit 5 HR in their one MVP seasons
Wed - Players
who finished first and second in MVP voting once each
- MVP's who had a
final season with a negative WAR
- MVP winners who
also had at least one 200+ hit season and led the league in double
- Batting champions
who struck out less than 50 times in a season
Thu - MVPs who are not in the Hall of Fame
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