Quiz – Rare Breed (solved)

26 Replies

Quite a mixture of players on this list. But there is a common thread connecting this group. In the post-war period (seasons since 1946), what is the unusual career accomplishment achieved only by these players?

Rk	Player
1	Brooks Robinson
2	Ted Simmons
3	Joe Torre
4	Roberto Clemente
5	Buddy Bell
6	Ken Singleton
7	Wade Boggs
8	Dick Groat
9	Lou Piniella
10	Carl Furillo

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 10/11/2013.

Hint: there is one active player who is likely to join this group next season.

Congratulations to Richard Chester who correctly identified that these are the only post-war players with 200+ GIDP, more GIDP than home runs, and more triples than stolen bases. Despite being obviously speed-challenged, this group fared pretty well – all were All-Stars, all had at least one qualifying .300 batting season, all but Groat were better than 100 career OPS+, and all but Piniella compiled at least 35 WAR.

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nightfly

11 years ago

Bummer. I thought I was onto some combination involving career CS > SB, but Clemente screwed me up. I do note, however, that they all have more than 200 career GDP. I will therefore guess that they are the only players post-WW@ with 200+ GDP in their career.

mosc

11 years ago

Reply to nightfly

Konerko has 275 GDP, Same as Clemente.

Richard Chester

11 years ago

I think it has something to do with more than 200 GIDP and more triples than SB. There are 22 players since 1946 who have done that, including the players on the list

Doug

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

On the right track.

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Doug: I don’t know if this is what you’re looking for but less than 270 HR and more than 10 triples works along with my post #3.

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

And A. J. Pierzynski would be the player to join the list next year.

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Doug

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

That is correct.

Most of these guys played mainly in the 60s and 70s. Then 10 years between the end of Bell’s and Boggs’ careers. And, now 15+ years between Boggs and Pierzynski.

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

I should have said triples more than 20.

koma

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

Spanning Multiple Seasons or entire Careers, From 1946 to 2013, (requiring GIDP>=200, HRSB), sorted by greatest Double Plays Grounded Into

gives you the list plus John Olerud coming in 8th.

So reducing it by the triples to more than 13 will give you the 10 players.

koma

11 years ago

Reply to koma

GIDP >= 200,
HR SB

html does weired things to my posts

Author

Doug

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

It’s simpler than that. No arbitrary constants (other than the GIDP qualifier).

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to Doug

They all had more GDP than HR.

Author

Doug

11 years ago

Reply to Richard Chester

That’s it.

Richard Chester

11 years ago

Reply to Doug

Summarizing: More GDP than 200 and more GDP than HR. Also More 3B than SB.

koma

11 years ago

Joe Torre is the only Player to make 8 outs with 4 PA.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197507210.shtml

Editor

John Autin

11 years ago

Carlos Beltran adds a big-time *defensive* highlight to his postseason trophy case — a killer throw to stop the lead run in the 10th.

Doug

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Now into the 12th inning, this is the longest Game 1 in NLCS history.

Editor

John Autin

11 years ago

Just one postseason series opener has gone beyond the 12th inning — the 1995 ALDS between Cleveland and Boston, won by the Tribe on Tony Pena’s HR in the 13th off Zane Smith. (Wow — I’d forgotten Tony’s time in Cleveland.)

Doug

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

Now it’s two openers into the 13th.

Unless they get up over 20 pitches, I think I’d be sending out my pitchers to throw two frames instead of just one.

Editor

John Autin

11 years ago

Reply to Doug

Descalso is STL’s 3rd bench player to see action tonight. BTW, do you think they have the worst bench in LCS history?

Editor

John Autin

11 years ago

So it’s official — Carl Crawford just isn’t a base-stealer any more. I thought for sure he’d run after that leadoff single.

Editor

John Autin

11 years ago

Gee … Beltran again.

Editor

birtelcom

11 years ago

Reply to John Autin

For all his post-season success, it’s his his first post-season walk-off hit.

Editor

John Autin

11 years ago

Reply to birtelcom

… giving Beltran one more postseason walk-off hit than Babe or Lou. I know that you’re just pointing out a curious fact; I’m just adding a bit more context. There are now 134 postseason walk-off events: — David Ortiz has 3, out of 70 games. — Six others have 2: Edgar Renteria out of 66 games, Alfonso Soriano 44 games, Goose Goslin 32 games, Bernie Williams 121 games, Paul Blair 52 games, Denny Walling 11 games. If you want to call Goslin the greatest WS clutch hitter, that’s OK with me. — 127 guys have one each, including Beltran, out… Read more »

Editor

birtelcom

11 years ago

Puig the 32rd hitter, but the first Dodger, with a .000 OBP in a 6 PA post-season game. Only Robinson Cano has done that twice — both within a three game stretch in last year’s post-season, as you may remember.

Voomo Zanzibar

11 years ago

Well, at least the Dodgers saved Jansen for a more important game later in the season…