[Giants]

Kansas hosted ESPNs College Game Day yesterday for the first time.  There are now 7 Power 5 schools that have never hosted.  Which schools?  Bonus question - Which is the only one of the 7 to never host either the football OR basketball version of College Game Day?

Given the length of time since they have been ranked, I would guess Illinois and Rutgers.  Add to that one that I know has never hosted, Cal.  

Both hoops and football?  Rutgers?

[Giants]

Kansas hosted ESPNs College Game Day yesterday for the first time.  There are now 7 Power 5 schools that have never hosted.  Which schools?  Bonus question - Which is the only one of the 7 to never host either the football OR basketball version of College Game Day?

Given the length of time since they have been ranked, I would guess Illinois and Rutgers.  Add to that one that I know has never hosted, Cal.  

Both hoops and football?  Rutgers?

[skip75]

All of your answers are correct, Giants!
Four to go - 3 from the ACC and 1 more from the Big 10.

[skip75]

All of your answers are correct, Giants!
Four to go - 3 from the ACC and 1 more from the Big 10.

[Mick]

Two baseball questions - since my football rooting interests, Stanford & the Denver Broncos, have made this season one to forget:

1) This season, J.T. Realmuto became the 2nd MLB catcher to hit 20 or more home runs AND steal 20 or more bases.  Who was the first?

2) Also this season, future Giant Aaron Judge became the 3rd player to hit 50 or more home runs, lead MLB in slugging, AND play 75 or more games in center field.  The two others both did it twice.  Who are they?

Just a guess...

1) Joe Mauer

2) Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle

---

Prince Fielder and Cecil Fielder were father-and-son sluggers.  Which one hit more regular season career home runs?

Neither.  They both hit exactly 319 home runs.

And just looking for a general opinion: who was the worst, most overrated MVP in Major League Baseball history?

Zoilo Versalles, the Minneapolis shortstop, in 1965. His .273 average was the third lowest, all-time for an MVP and just 15th in the league that year. His on-base percentage was .319, 29th in the league, but led the league in triples, doubles, runs scored and strikeouts. He was 8th among AL shortstops in fielding, leading the league in errors...and double plays. Had just 12.6 WAR in his career, of it in 1965. Had negative WAR after 1965. And he wasn't the slickest fielder of his day, that was Luis Aparicio. His OPS+ was 115 in 1965 and never went above 83 after that.

I thought MVP was an acronym for Most Valuable Player.  Given the Versalles was a vital cog on the Twins AL Championship team, I would suggest that he was deserving of the award.  

Note:  I do not think his performance warranted Player of the Year recognition.

I think everyone knows what the acronym means. Just so I understand, you believe it means Most Valuable Player to a team, and not Most Valuable Player to the league?  It is, after all, an award designated by the league, not by an individual team.  Steve Carlton went 27-10 in 1972 for a 59-97 Phillies team that finished last in its division. In so doing, he won 45.8% of his team's ballgames, by far the highest percentage in the modern era. And he had 12.5 WAR compared with Johnny Bench (ultimate MVP) who had 8.6 WAR.  Shouldn't he have won the MVP award? (In fairness, he finished 5th in the voting).

In fairness, Zoilo had the second highest WAR in the league that year (7.2), behind Sudden Sam McDowell, who led the league in ERA, strikeouts, walks and was just 17-11. That gave Zoilo the 31st best WAR among AL MVPs in the 56 years the award has been granted.

With that in mind, Dennis Eckersley's 2.9 WAR in 1992 was the lowest AL WAR for an MVP, and Willie Stargell's 2.3 WAR was the lowest WAR for an NL MVP.

[Mick]

Two baseball questions - since my football rooting interests, Stanford & the Denver Broncos, have made this season one to forget:

1) This season, J.T. Realmuto became the 2nd MLB catcher to hit 20 or more home runs AND steal 20 or more bases.  Who was the first?

2) Also this season, future Giant Aaron Judge became the 3rd player to hit 50 or more home runs, lead MLB in slugging, AND play 75 or more games in center field.  The two others both did it twice.  Who are they?

Just a guess...

1) Joe Mauer

2) Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle

---

Prince Fielder and Cecil Fielder were father-and-son sluggers.  Which one hit more regular season career home runs?

Neither.  They both hit exactly 319 home runs.

And just looking for a general opinion: who was the worst, most overrated MVP in Major League Baseball history?

Zoilo Versalles, the Minneapolis shortstop, in 1965. His .273 average was the third lowest, all-time for an MVP and just 15th in the league that year. His on-base percentage was .319, 29th in the league, but led the league in triples, doubles, runs scored and strikeouts. He was 8th among AL shortstops in fielding, leading the league in errors...and double plays. Had just 12.6 WAR in his career, of it in 1965. Had negative WAR after 1965. And he wasn't the slickest fielder of his day, that was Luis Aparicio. His OPS+ was 115 in 1965 and never went above 83 after that.

I thought MVP was an acronym for Most Valuable Player.  Given the Versalles was a vital cog on the Twins AL Championship team, I would suggest that he was deserving of the award.  

Note:  I do not think his performance warranted Player of the Year recognition.

I think everyone knows what the acronym means. Just so I understand, you believe it means Most Valuable Player to a team, and not Most Valuable Player to the league?  It is, after all, an award designated by the league, not by an individual team.  Steve Carlton went 27-10 in 1972 for a 59-97 Phillies team that finished last in its division. In so doing, he won 45.8% of his team's ballgames, by far the highest percentage in the modern era. And he had 12.5 WAR compared with Johnny Bench (ultimate MVP) who had 8.6 WAR.  Shouldn't he have won the MVP award? (In fairness, he finished 5th in the voting).

In fairness, Zoilo had the second highest WAR in the league that year (7.2), behind Sudden Sam McDowell, who led the league in ERA, strikeouts, walks and was just 17-11. That gave Zoilo the 31st best WAR among AL MVPs in the 56 years the award has been granted.

With that in mind, Dennis Eckersley's 2.9 WAR in 1992 was the lowest AL WAR for an MVP, and Willie Stargell's 2.3 WAR was the lowest WAR for an NL MVP.

[Giants]

Two baseball questions - since my football rooting interests, Stanford & the Denver Broncos, have made this season one to forget:

1) This season, J.T. Realmuto became the 2nd MLB catcher to hit 20 or more home runs AND steal 20 or more bases.  Who was the first?

2) Also this season, future Giant Aaron Judge became the 3rd player to hit 50 or more home runs, lead MLB in slugging, AND play 75 or more games in center field.  The two others both did it twice.  Who are they?

Just a guess...

1) Joe Mauer

2) Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle

---

Prince Fielder and Cecil Fielder were father-and-son sluggers.  Which one hit more regular season career home runs?

Neither.  They both hit exactly 319 home runs.

And just looking for a general opinion: who was the worst, most overrated MVP in Major League Baseball history?

Zoilo Versalles, the Minneapolis shortstop, in 1965. His .273 average was the third lowest, all-time for an MVP and just 15th in the league that year. His on-base percentage was .319, 29th in the league, but led the league in triples, doubles, runs scored and strikeouts. He was 8th among AL shortstops in fielding, leading the league in errors...and double plays. Had just 12.6 WAR in his career, of it in 1965. Had negative WAR after 1965. And he wasn't the slickest fielder of his day, that was Luis Aparicio. His OPS+ was 115 in 1965 and never went above 83 after that.

I thought MVP was an acronym for Most Valuable Player.  Given the Versalles was a vital cog on the Twins AL Championship team, I would suggest that he was deserving of the award.  

Note:  I do not think his performance warranted Player of the Year recognition.

I think everyone knows what the acronym means. Just so I understand, you believe it means Most Valuable Player to a team, and not Most Valuable Player to the league?  It is, after all, an award designated by the league, not by an individual team.  Steve Carlton went 27-10 in 1972 for a 59-97 Phillies team that finished last in its division. In so doing, he won 45.8% of his team's ballgames, by far the highest percentage in the modern era. And he had 12.5 WAR compared with Johnny Bench (ultimate MVP) who had 8.6 WAR.  Shouldn't he have won the MVP award? (In fairness, he finished 5th in the voting).

In fairness, Zoilo had the second highest WAR in the league that year (7.2), behind Sudden Sam McDowell, who led the league in ERA, strikeouts, walks and was just 17-11. That gave Zoilo the 31st best WAR among AL MVPs in the 56 years the award has been granted.

With that in mind, Dennis Eckersley's 2.9 WAR in 1992 was the lowest AL WAR for an MVP, and Willie Stargell's 2.3 WAR was the lowest WAR for an NL MVP.

Most Valuable Player in the league not Player of the Year in the league.

Yeah, I know this is an annual argument - whether to give the award to the player with the best stats (in my opinion, Player of the Year) or the player that had the greatest influence on the outcome of the pennant race (in my opinion, MVP).

I stand in the latter camp…..

[Giants]

Two baseball questions - since my football rooting interests, Stanford & the Denver Broncos, have made this season one to forget:

1) This season, J.T. Realmuto became the 2nd MLB catcher to hit 20 or more home runs AND steal 20 or more bases.  Who was the first?

2) Also this season, future Giant Aaron Judge became the 3rd player to hit 50 or more home runs, lead MLB in slugging, AND play 75 or more games in center field.  The two others both did it twice.  Who are they?

Just a guess...

1) Joe Mauer

2) Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle

---

Prince Fielder and Cecil Fielder were father-and-son sluggers.  Which one hit more regular season career home runs?

Neither.  They both hit exactly 319 home runs.

And just looking for a general opinion: who was the worst, most overrated MVP in Major League Baseball history?

Zoilo Versalles, the Minneapolis shortstop, in 1965. His .273 average was the third lowest, all-time for an MVP and just 15th in the league that year. His on-base percentage was .319, 29th in the league, but led the league in triples, doubles, runs scored and strikeouts. He was 8th among AL shortstops in fielding, leading the league in errors...and double plays. Had just 12.6 WAR in his career, of it in 1965. Had negative WAR after 1965. And he wasn't the slickest fielder of his day, that was Luis Aparicio. His OPS+ was 115 in 1965 and never went above 83 after that.

I thought MVP was an acronym for Most Valuable Player.  Given the Versalles was a vital cog on the Twins AL Championship team, I would suggest that he was deserving of the award.  

Note:  I do not think his performance warranted Player of the Year recognition.

I think everyone knows what the acronym means. Just so I understand, you believe it means Most Valuable Player to a team, and not Most Valuable Player to the league?  It is, after all, an award designated by the league, not by an individual team.  Steve Carlton went 27-10 in 1972 for a 59-97 Phillies team that finished last in its division. In so doing, he won 45.8% of his team's ballgames, by far the highest percentage in the modern era. And he had 12.5 WAR compared with Johnny Bench (ultimate MVP) who had 8.6 WAR.  Shouldn't he have won the MVP award? (In fairness, he finished 5th in the voting).

In fairness, Zoilo had the second highest WAR in the league that year (7.2), behind Sudden Sam McDowell, who led the league in ERA, strikeouts, walks and was just 17-11. That gave Zoilo the 31st best WAR among AL MVPs in the 56 years the award has been granted.

With that in mind, Dennis Eckersley's 2.9 WAR in 1992 was the lowest AL WAR for an MVP, and Willie Stargell's 2.3 WAR was the lowest WAR for an NL MVP.

Most Valuable Player in the league not Player of the Year in the league.

Yeah, I know this is an annual argument - whether to give the award to the player with the best stats (in my opinion, Player of the Year) or the player that had the greatest influence on the outcome of the pennant race (in my opinion, MVP).

I stand in the latter camp…..

[Mick]

Two baseball questions - since my football rooting interests, Stanford & the Denver Broncos, have made this season one to forget:

1) This season, J.T. Realmuto became the 2nd MLB catcher to hit 20 or more home runs AND steal 20 or more bases.  Who was the first?

2) Also this season, future Giant Aaron Judge became the 3rd player to hit 50 or more home runs, lead MLB in slugging, AND play 75 or more games in center field.  The two others both did it twice.  Who are they?

Just a guess...

1) Joe Mauer

2) Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle

---

Prince Fielder and Cecil Fielder were father-and-son sluggers.  Which one hit more regular season career home runs?

Neither.  They both hit exactly 319 home runs.

And just looking for a general opinion: who was the worst, most overrated MVP in Major League Baseball history?

Zoilo Versalles, the Minneapolis shortstop, in 1965. His .273 average was the third lowest, all-time for an MVP and just 15th in the league that year. His on-base percentage was .319, 29th in the league, but led the league in triples, doubles, runs scored and strikeouts. He was 8th among AL shortstops in fielding, leading the league in errors...and double plays. Had just 12.6 WAR in his career, of it in 1965. Had negative WAR after 1965. And he wasn't the slickest fielder of his day, that was Luis Aparicio. His OPS+ was 115 in 1965 and never went above 83 after that.

I thought MVP was an acronym for Most Valuable Player.  Given the Versalles was a vital cog on the Twins AL Championship team, I would suggest that he was deserving of the award.  

Note:  I do not think his performance warranted Player of the Year recognition.

I think everyone knows what the acronym means. Just so I understand, you believe it means Most Valuable Player to a team, and not Most Valuable Player to the league?  It is, after all, an award designated by the league, not by an individual team.  Steve Carlton went 27-10 in 1972 for a 59-97 Phillies team that finished last in its division. In so doing, he won 45.8% of his team's ballgames, by far the highest percentage in the modern era. And he had 12.5 WAR compared with Johnny Bench (ultimate MVP) who had 8.6 WAR.  Shouldn't he have won the MVP award? (In fairness, he finished 5th in the voting).

In fairness, Zoilo had the second highest WAR in the league that year (7.2), behind Sudden Sam McDowell, who led the league in ERA, strikeouts, walks and was just 17-11. That gave Zoilo the 31st best WAR among AL MVPs in the 56 years the award has been granted.

With that in mind, Dennis Eckersley's 2.9 WAR in 1992 was the lowest AL WAR for an MVP, and Willie Stargell's 2.3 WAR was the lowest WAR for an NL MVP.

Most Valuable Player in the league not Player of the Year in the league.

Yeah, I know this is an annual argument - whether to give the award to the player with the best stats (in my opinion, Player of the Year) or the player that had the greatest influence on the outcome of the pennant race (in my opinion, MVP).

I stand in the latter camp…..

I don't think I recall a Player of the Year award...

[Mick]

Two baseball questions - since my football rooting interests, Stanford & the Denver Broncos, have made this season one to forget:

1) This season, J.T. Realmuto became the 2nd MLB catcher to hit 20 or more home runs AND steal 20 or more bases.  Who was the first?

2) Also this season, future Giant Aaron Judge became the 3rd player to hit 50 or more home runs, lead MLB in slugging, AND play 75 or more games in center field.  The two others both did it twice.  Who are they?

Just a guess...

1) Joe Mauer

2) Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle

---

Prince Fielder and Cecil Fielder were father-and-son sluggers.  Which one hit more regular season career home runs?

Neither.  They both hit exactly 319 home runs.

And just looking for a general opinion: who was the worst, most overrated MVP in Major League Baseball history?

Zoilo Versalles, the Minneapolis shortstop, in 1965. His .273 average was the third lowest, all-time for an MVP and just 15th in the league that year. His on-base percentage was .319, 29th in the league, but led the league in triples, doubles, runs scored and strikeouts. He was 8th among AL shortstops in fielding, leading the league in errors...and double plays. Had just 12.6 WAR in his career, of it in 1965. Had negative WAR after 1965. And he wasn't the slickest fielder of his day, that was Luis Aparicio. His OPS+ was 115 in 1965 and never went above 83 after that.

I thought MVP was an acronym for Most Valuable Player.  Given the Versalles was a vital cog on the Twins AL Championship team, I would suggest that he was deserving of the award.  

Note:  I do not think his performance warranted Player of the Year recognition.

I think everyone knows what the acronym means. Just so I understand, you believe it means Most Valuable Player to a team, and not Most Valuable Player to the league?  It is, after all, an award designated by the league, not by an individual team.  Steve Carlton went 27-10 in 1972 for a 59-97 Phillies team that finished last in its division. In so doing, he won 45.8% of his team's ballgames, by far the highest percentage in the modern era. And he had 12.5 WAR compared with Johnny Bench (ultimate MVP) who had 8.6 WAR.  Shouldn't he have won the MVP award? (In fairness, he finished 5th in the voting).

In fairness, Zoilo had the second highest WAR in the league that year (7.2), behind Sudden Sam McDowell, who led the league in ERA, strikeouts, walks and was just 17-11. That gave Zoilo the 31st best WAR among AL MVPs in the 56 years the award has been granted.

With that in mind, Dennis Eckersley's 2.9 WAR in 1992 was the lowest AL WAR for an MVP, and Willie Stargell's 2.3 WAR was the lowest WAR for an NL MVP.

Most Valuable Player in the league not Player of the Year in the league.

Yeah, I know this is an annual argument - whether to give the award to the player with the best stats (in my opinion, Player of the Year) or the player that had the greatest influence on the outcome of the pennant race (in my opinion, MVP).

I stand in the latter camp…..

I don't think I recall a Player of the Year award...

[Giants]

Of the official trophies awarded each year by MLB, the Hank Aaron Award comes the closest, it is voted upon by the media and fans and is given to the top hitter in each league.

[Giants]

Of the official trophies awarded each year by MLB, the Hank Aaron Award comes the closest, it is voted upon by the media and fans and is given to the top hitter in each league.

[Phogge]

As is the AP College Football Player of the Year. Writers vote for it who actually see some of the games unlike the Voldemort which is a popularity contest with way too many voters. Ergo, McCaffrey in 2015.

I don't like mays personally for reasons when I was with the club but if the award was for best player he could have won it 10 times. Same for Ruth who I believe was MVP just once.

---

Who finished fifth in the 1912 Olympic's Modern Penthalon?

[Phogge]

As is the AP College Football Player of the Year. Writers vote for it who actually see some of the games unlike the Voldemort which is a popularity contest with way too many voters. Ergo, McCaffrey in 2015.

I don't like mays personally for reasons when I was with the club but if the award was for best player he could have won it 10 times. Same for Ruth who I believe was MVP just once.

---

Who finished fifth in the 1912 Olympic's Modern Penthalon?

[Phogge]

George S Patton Jr.

[Phogge]

George S Patton Jr.

[Mick]

Of the official trophies awarded each year by MLB, the Hank Aaron Award comes the closest, it is voted upon by the media and fans and is given to the top hitter in each league.

Top hitter as determined by...what, exactly?  Highest batting average?  Highest OPS?  OBP?  Most HRs?  Highest offensive WAR?

---

Who finished fifth in the 1912 Olympic's Modern Penthalon?

In the recent Tokyo Olympics, there were 16 members of the American military among the athletes, representing sports that included both men's and women's pentathlons, boxing, air pistol, skeet shooting, rifle, Greco-Roman wrestling, steeplechase, pole vault, and sailboat.

[Mick]

Of the official trophies awarded each year by MLB, the Hank Aaron Award comes the closest, it is voted upon by the media and fans and is given to the top hitter in each league.

Top hitter as determined by...what, exactly?  Highest batting average?  Highest OPS?  OBP?  Most HRs?  Highest offensive WAR?

---

Who finished fifth in the 1912 Olympic's Modern Penthalon?

In the recent Tokyo Olympics, there were 16 members of the American military among the athletes, representing sports that included both men's and women's pentathlons, boxing, air pistol, skeet shooting, rifle, Greco-Roman wrestling, steeplechase, pole vault, and sailboat.

[skip75]

Kansas hosted ESPNs College Game Day yesterday for the first time.  There are now 7 Power 5 schools that have never hosted.  Which schools?  Bonus question - Which is the only one of the 7 to never host either the football OR basketball version of College Game Day?

Given the length of time since they have been ranked, I would guess Illinois and Rutgers.  Add to that one that I know has never hosted, Cal.  

Both hoops and football?  Rutgers?

Others are Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, & Virginia.

[skip75]

Kansas hosted ESPNs College Game Day yesterday for the first time.  There are now 7 Power 5 schools that have never hosted.  Which schools?  Bonus question - Which is the only one of the 7 to never host either the football OR basketball version of College Game Day?

Given the length of time since they have been ranked, I would guess Illinois and Rutgers.  Add to that one that I know has never hosted, Cal.  

Both hoops and football?  Rutgers?

Others are Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, & Virginia.

[Giants]

Kansas hosted ESPNs College Game Day yesterday for the first time.  There are now 7 Power 5 schools that have never hosted.  Which schools?  Bonus question - Which is the only one of the 7 to never host either the football OR basketball version of College Game Day?

Given the length of time since they have been ranked, I would guess Illinois and Rutgers.  Add to that one that I know has never hosted, Cal.  

Both hoops and football?  Rutgers?

Others are Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, & Virginia.

Hmmm.  After you posted your clue, I should have checked to see which schools are strong in hoops and so-so in football.  :)

[Giants]

Kansas hosted ESPNs College Game Day yesterday for the first time.  There are now 7 Power 5 schools that have never hosted.  Which schools?  Bonus question - Which is the only one of the 7 to never host either the football OR basketball version of College Game Day?

Given the length of time since they have been ranked, I would guess Illinois and Rutgers.  Add to that one that I know has never hosted, Cal.  

Both hoops and football?  Rutgers?

Others are Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, & Virginia.

Hmmm.  After you posted your clue, I should have checked to see which schools are strong in hoops and so-so in football.  :)

[Phogge]

Who is the latest non-baseball player hired by the Giants?

What non-baseball playing executive controls the Giants on-field performance?

What is my point?

[Phogge]

Who is the latest non-baseball player hired by the Giants?

What non-baseball playing executive controls the Giants on-field performance?

What is my point?

[Giants]

Who is the latest non-baseball player hired by the Giants?

What non-baseball playing executive controls the Giants on-field performance?

What is my point?

“Non-baseball playing” - at what level?   High school, college, semi-pro, pro or all of these?

[Giants]

Who is the latest non-baseball player hired by the Giants?

What non-baseball playing executive controls the Giants on-field performance?

What is my point?

“Non-baseball playing” - at what level?   High school, college, semi-pro, pro or all of these?

[Phogge]

He was student manager in college.

The point being that guys who never played are running the show. Analytic geniuses who never started down a hitter or tried to move a runner along. High school doesn't count.

[Phogge]

He was student manager in college.

The point being that guys who never played are running the show. Analytic geniuses who never started down a hitter or tried to move a runner along. High school doesn't count.

[Giants]

He was student manager in college.

The point being that guys who never played are running the show. Analytic geniuses who never started down a hitter or tried to move a runner along. High school doesn't count.

I knew the latest hire was a student manager in college (Wikipedia).  I was thinking of Scott Harris. However, he did not play at the college level.

[Giants]

He was student manager in college.

The point being that guys who never played are running the show. Analytic geniuses who never started down a hitter or tried to move a runner along. High school doesn't count.

I knew the latest hire was a student manager in college (Wikipedia).  I was thinking of Scott Harris. However, he did not play at the college level.

[BostonCard]

Who holds the career record for walk off home runs?

BC

[BostonCard]

Who holds the career record for walk off home runs?

BC

[Giants]

Who holds the career record for walk off home runs?

BC

Don’t know.  However, my question would be…. Did they track that stat in the pre-WWII era?

[Giants]

Who holds the career record for walk off home runs?

BC

Don’t know.  However, my question would be…. Did they track that stat in the pre-WWII era?

[BostonCard]

Yes!  Babe Ruth and Jamie Fox are tied (with other) for second. First place is post-ww2, though.

BC

[BostonCard]

Yes!  Babe Ruth and Jamie Fox are tied (with other) for second. First place is post-ww2, though.

BC

[Phogge]

Jamie Foxx won an Oscar but never hit an MLB HR.

Jimmie Foxx.

[Phogge]

Jamie Foxx won an Oscar but never hit an MLB HR.

Jimmie Foxx.

[BobK]

Jamie Fox? Really


Post WW2. McCovey?

[BobK]

Jamie Fox? Really


Post WW2. McCovey?