September 17-23, 2012 Active Tweeters who debuted in 2012

MONDAY

Q.         Who is the only Rangers pitcher with 200 strikeouts this season?

Hint:     During his first spring training he was caught smoking and gambling, both illegal due to his age.

Hint:     He was named to the All-Star team this year, but did not appear.

Hint:     He was named Asia Series MVP in 2006.

Twint:    His father played college soccer for Eckerd College.

A.         Yu Darvish (205K)

FCR -    Mark Kanter, Portsmouth, RI

TUESDAY

Q.         Whom did the Red Sox call up when Kevin Youkilis went on the Disabled List with a back injury in 2012?

Hint:     He filled in admirably, leading to Youk’s trade to Chicago.

Twint:    His first Major League home run was a game-tying grand slam over the Green Monster.

A.         Will Middlebrooks (HR 06-May-2012)

FCR -    Michael Daponde, Sacramento

WEDNESDAY

Q.         With Chase Utley injured, whom did the Phillies turn to as their starting second baseman on Opening Day 2012?

Hint:     In June he tested positive for a banned steroid, earning a 50 game suspension.

Twint:    He was given the 2011 Paul Owens Award as the best position player in the Phillies’ minor league system.

A.         Freddy Galvis

FCR -    Greg Gosselin, Arlington, VA

MIDWEEK BONUS

Q.         Who was the first native of Canada’s Province of Quebec chosen in the first round of the Major League draft?

Hint:     As a minor leaguer he was traded for Cliff Lee.

Twint:    He pitched for Team Canada in the 2006 World Jr. Championship, 2007 World Cup & 2009 WBC.

Twint:    During his lone WBC appearance he escaped a bases-loaded jam by retiring Kevin Youkilis, Curtis Granderson & David Wright in order.

A.         Phillippe Aumont (11^thoverall pick in the 2007 draft; traded [with J.C. Ramirez and Tyson Gilles] for Lee16-Dec-2009)

FCR -    Frank Workman, Lake Forest Park, WA

THURSDAY

Q.         Whose first Major League hit, after an 0-6 start, was a game-winning 3-run home run against Jonathan Papelbon on 07-May?

Hint:     With that homer he became the first player whose first major league hit was a home run off of a pitcher with over 200 career saves.

Twint:    His iron glove caused the Mets to move him from second base to the outfield at the start of the season.

A.         Jordany Valdespin

FCR -    Leanne Rohrbach, Minnapolis, MN

FRIDAY

Q.         Who was the first player called up under the 24-hour taxi squad roster extension included in the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement?

Hint:     After Dennis Tankersley in 2002, he was the next pitcher to get his first major league win and hit his first major league home run on the same day.

Hint:     The Pirates claimed him off waivers after the 2011 season, then waived him days later when they signed Erik Bedard.

Hint:     He was twice drafted by the Mets, but did not sign either time.

Twint:    He was the Padres’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2008.

A.         Jeremy Hefner (CBA; taxi squad 23-Apr-2012; W & HR 29-May-2012; picked up by PIT 18‑Nov‑2011, waived by PIT 09-Dec-2011; drafted by NYN 2004 [46^th round] & 2005 [48^th round])

FCR -    Mike McCroskey, Sugar Land, TX

SATURDAY

Q.         What pitcher was the key to the trade bringing Adrian Gonzalez to Boston?

Hint:     He got a hit in his first game in the majors and got his second one last (Friday) night.

Hint:     Upon completion of the Boston trade, he immediately became the top player in the Padres’ minor league system.

Hint:     He gave up a football scholarship at University of Tennessee to sign with the Red Sox.

Hint:     Even though he was only the 30^th overall pick, he received a $3M signing bonus.

Twint:    His father is a former major league catcher.

A.         Casey Kelly (traded BOS-to-SDN 06-Dec-2010; 1^st H 27-Aug-2012; 2^nd H 21‑Sep‑2012; Drafted & signed by BOS 2008; son of Pat Kelly)

FCR -    Mark Kanter, Portsmouth, RI

EQUINOX EXTRA

Q.         Who was the first UCLA player to be named Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball magazine?

Hint:     He holds the school record for most career innings pitched, wins and strikeouts.

Hint:     He struck out seventeen batters in his first nine professional innings pitched.

Twint:    He was the first player from the 2011 draft class to make his major league debut.

A.         Trevor Bauer (CBPoY 2011; 373.3 IP, 34 W, 460 K; debut 28-Jun-2012)

FCR -    Mitchell Below, Oakland

SUNDAY

Q.         Who was the top-ranked Diamondbacks prospect in the 2011 Baseball America mid-season prospect rankings?

Hint:     He was the player to be named later in the trade that brought Dan Haren to the Angels.

Twint:    He was named Diamondbacks Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2011.

A.         Tyler Skaggs (19^th-ranked prospect)

FCR -    Jeff Fink, Howell, NJ son of Lefty Fink

GRAND FINALE

Q.         Which minor leaguer was traded straight-up for Orlando Cabrera at the 2011 trading deadline?

Hint:     He was a draft-and-follow pick in 2005, signing in 2006 for $220K.

Hint:     He missed all but 10 games of the 2007 season when he dislocated his throwing shoulder, requiring reconstructive surgery.

Twint:    In 2009 he was named the best outfield arm and best hitting prospect in the California League.

A.         Thomas Neal (traded for Cabrera 30-Jul-2011)

FCR -    Paul Rupright, Cleveland

WEEKLY THEME – Active Tweeters who debuted in 2012

Aumont             @P_Aumont17

Bauer                @BauerOutage

Darvish             @FaridYu

Galvis               @Tooc13FG

Hefner              @JeremyHefner17

Kelly                 @IamCaseyKelly

Middlebrooks    @16WMBrooks

Neal                  @TdaddyNeal

Skaggs             @TylerSkaggs23

Valdespin         @Jordany023

First Correct Respondent to Identify Theme– No one

Horsehide Trivia blog has the questions and answers from this week as well as from previous weeks:  http://horsehidetrivia.blogspot.com/

Horsehide Trivia home page:  https://sites.google.com/site/tnfotobbpics/home/horsehide-trivia