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Monday Mets Trivia or Line Up Quiz

cooby Sep 12 2005 07:48 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 13 2005 03:22 PM

After an exhaustive search of the UMDB, I have come up with two Mets players who have started at least one game batting in every spot in the batting order (1 through 9) Can you name them?

seawolf17 Sep 12 2005 07:53 AM

Ooh... good question, coob. Here are my assumptions: 1) He probably played during the interleague era, where the DH would allow a position player to bat ninth. 2) He would have to have a little speed to bat leadoff, a little power for the middle of the order, but also be a bit player, because Mike Piazza and Jose Reyes aren't batting ninth. So my guesses are: Benny Agbayani Jay Payton

Johnny Dickshot Sep 12 2005 07:56 AM

Roger Cedeno Jay Payton

cooby Sep 12 2005 08:01 AM

Good guesses all; Agbayani is correct.

Edgy DC Sep 12 2005 08:10 AM

Shinjo?

cooby Sep 12 2005 08:17 AM

Hmmph. I do an exhaustive search and it takes you folks 22 minutes. Nice job! :)

Edgy DC Sep 12 2005 08:32 AM

How do you get to start first through ninth? Display, at different times, a broad array of a surfeit of offensive skills, and a defeceit of offensive skills. Benny, Shinjo, and Timo fit that definition to a T. I guessed Shinjo over Timo because I remembered him batting fourth (but not third), but I don't recall an emergency that ever put Timo in the cleanup slot.

cooby Sep 12 2005 08:42 AM

Payton, Perez and Cedeno were good guesses too because Payton started at every position but ninth, Timo and Cedeno at every position except fourth. I'm thinking there are more than just the three of them though, with eighth slots

Yancy Street Gang Sep 12 2005 09:17 AM

Hmmm. Maybe through the magic of SQL I can find out who has started in all of the first 8 lineup slots. I'll have to think about that one.

seawolf17 Sep 12 2005 09:33 AM

Is there a way you can find out who's started the most games at each batting slot? That would be a fun quiz.

cooby Sep 12 2005 09:35 AM

Now, that would be an exhaustive search

Edgy DC Sep 12 2005 09:42 AM

My guess: First: Mookie Second: Harrelson. No, Taveras. Third: Keef Fourth: Piazza Fifth: Jones. Milner. Strawberry. Somebody black. Strawberry. Sixth: McReynolds Seventh: Ummm. Garrett. No, Payton. Garrett, definitely Garrett. Eighth: Ordonez Ninth: Seaver

Elster88 Sep 12 2005 09:43 AM

McReynolds got the majority of his ABs at the fifth slot. Methinks, or mehopes, that Reyes might have the most leadoff starts one day. _____________________________ This post had the designation 158) Mark Carreon

Yancy Street Gang Sep 12 2005 09:50 AM

How about this: Everybody place your guesses. At the moment, I'm unable to tell who's right and who's wrong, but sooner or later I will. Keep in mind that I only have box score data through the middle of the 2005 season. So the totals will be off, but not by much. Piazza's the only long-timer who has a chance at being affected by the few missing games, and it wouldn't be a large impact, if any.

seawolf17 Sep 12 2005 09:52 AM

Heck, I'll guess too, since it was my idea. 1: Mookie 2: Harrelson 3: Hernandez 4: Strawberry 5: McReynolds 6: Hundley 7: Grote (I have no idea where he batted in the lineup, but he was around a long time) 8: Elster 9: Seaver

Edgy DC Sep 13 2005 02:14 PM

Two entries?! Lame-o!

Johnny Dickshot Sep 13 2005 02:26 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 13 2005 03:00 PM

Sorry. This is such a great quiz it deserves its own thread. Occurs to me as I make my guesses that some guys could possibly occupy more than one slot. That's my edge in this competition. 1. Mookie 2. Harrelson 3. Hernandez 4. Strawberry 5. Staub 6. Kranepool 7. Harrelson 8. Harrelson EDIT: 9. SEAVER

Edgy DC Sep 13 2005 02:32 PM

It occurs to me that your lineup would suck.

seawolf17 Sep 13 2005 02:38 PM

Not to mention that Buddy would be exhausted from all that batting.

Edgy DC Sep 13 2005 02:46 PM

He also left out number nine. The bonus tie-breaker should be which non-pitcher has started in the nine-hole the most.

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:03 PM

Okay, I have answers. I won't post them just yet, unless we think this thread has run its course. Here are some clues, though. There are no repeaters in the list. (Unless you count only non-pitchers in the 9-hole. The leader in that category is also the overall leader in the 8-hole.) If we were to make a starting lineup of the nine winners, we'd have two first-basemen and two catchers. There are no primary left fielders or third basemen. We could put either of the catchers at third base, and one of the first basemen in left field; they actually played those positions as Mets. Since there's no suspense about the 9 slot, I'll post the top 20. Keep in mind that these totals do include post-season games, and are only complete through the middle of the 2005 season. (Thanks, USA Today, for switching your box score format on me!)

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:05 PM

NINTH Tom Seaver 402 Jerry Koosman 352 Dwight Gooden 308 Sid Fernandez 252 Ron Darling 246 Al Leiter 204 Jon Matlack 203 Bobby Jones 186 Craig Swan 184 David Cone 171 Al Jackson 138 Rick Reed 136 Jack Fisher 133 Gary Gentry 123 Steve Trachsel 116 Pat Zachry 113 Bob Ojeda 112 Jim McAndrew 105 Ed Lynch 98 Pete Falcone 86

Elster88 Sep 13 2005 04:07 PM

1: Mookster 2: Buddy 3: Keith 4: Piazz 5: Mac 6: No Clue (Payton?) 7: No Clue (Payton?) 8: Ordonez (guessed b/c of Yancy's clue) 9: (nonpitcher) Ordonez (guessed b/c of Yancy's clue) 9: (pitcher) Seaver _____________________________ This post had the designation 157) Alex Ochoa

Edgy DC Sep 13 2005 04:09 PM

OK, clearly I'm RIGHT about the eight slot. And I'll safely guess that Rey is non-pitching answer for nine.

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:09 PM

Elster has five correct guesses.

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:14 PM

Edgy has four right. Seawolf has five, Johnny Dickshot 4. Nobody guessed the 2, 5, or 6 spot correctly. (5, to me, was the biggest surprise.) Since everyone got numbers 1 and 3, I'll post the top 20: LEADOFF Mookie Wilson 688 Bud Harrelson 517 Lenny Dykstra 391 Tommie Agee 357 Vince Coleman 218 Wayne Garrett 215 Lance Johnson 214 Roger Cedeño 200 Lenny Randle 200 Lee Mazzilli 197 Wally Backman 168 Rickey Henderson 153 Frank Taveras 133 Jose Reyes 127 Ron Hunt 112 Bobby Klaus 101 Roberto Alomar 95 Keith Miller 94 Richie Ashburn 92 Gregg Jefferies 90 THIRD Keith Hernandez 824 Cleon Jones 405 John Olerud 385 Lee Mazzilli 316 Mike Piazza 303 John Milner 223 Howard Johnson 213 Rusty Staub 192 Bernard Gilkey 186 Edgardo Alfonzo 185 Ed Kranepool 176 Steve Henderson 172 Gregg Jefferies 165 Eddie Murray 157 Tommie Agee 140 Dave Magadan 128 Ron Hunt 119 Joe Christopher 98 George Foster 93 Cliff Floyd 92

HahnSolo Sep 13 2005 04:23 PM

Are we allowed partial guesses? Wally Backman in the 2-hole? On edit: Oh, what the hell.... Mookie Wally Keith Piazza Straw Hundley Kranepool Ordonez Seaver

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:32 PM

Hahn has four correct. None of his correct guesses are new, though. They've all been entered previously. In other words, he got Mookie, Keith, Seaver, and our number 8 winner, Rey Ordóñez : EIGHTH Rey Ordóñez 847 Doug Flynn 590 Bud Harrelson 453 Rafael Santana 415 Jerry Grote 414 Kevin Elster 360 Al Weis 163 Chris Cannizzaro 154 Ron Gardenhire 153 Ted Martinez 139 Todd Hundley 135 Roy McMillan 131 Duffy Dyer 116 Charlie O'Brien 110 Jose Oquendo 106 Al Moran 103 Joe McEwing 100 Tim Bogar 88 Ryan Thompson 87 Dick Schofield 70 NINTH (in DH games) Rey Ordóñez 21 Jose Reyes 8 Roger Cedeño 8 Luis Lopez 7 Vance Wilson 5 Victor Diaz 4 Alberto Castillo 4 Jason Phillips 4 Rafael Santana 3 Melvin Mora 3 Joe McEwing 3 Here's what we know so far: 1. Mookie Wilson cf 2. 3. Keith Hernandez 1b 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Rey Ordóñez ss 9. Tom Seaver p Based on the clue I gave above, you can figure out which positions are still unfilled.

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:33 PM

Oh, and we do have at least one correct guess out there for 4 and 7. Nobody's gotten 2, 5, or 6 yet.

Edgy DC Sep 13 2005 04:38 PM

So, faw must be Straw.

seawolf17 Sep 13 2005 04:42 PM

Since you said I had five right, and we know who four of them are, I'll change my guess to (bold ones are ones we know are right): 1: Mookie 2: Alfonzo 3: Hernandez 4: Kingman 5: Strawberry 6: Grote 7: Stearns 8: Ordonez 9: Seaver Ordonez eliminates Buddy. Since there are no LFs, Kevin McReynolds is out. We need a 2B; I'll take Fonzie. Dave Kingman played some LF, so I'll stick him in the four. I'll move Grote up a slot. That leaves me with one catcher, so I'll stick John Stearns in the seven, even though I'm sure that's wrong.

HahnSolo Sep 13 2005 04:42 PM

If it's Edgy with four, Seawolf with five, Elster with five, and Johnny with four, then number seven must be Jerry Grote. And if I'm wrong, it proves I'm no Sherlock Holmes.

seawolf17 Sep 13 2005 04:43 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 13 2005 04:44 PM

Wait. Scratch that. I had five right. Leave Grote in the seven spot and put Hundley at the six. 1: Mookie 2: Alfonzo 3: Hernandez 4: Kingman 5: Strawberry 6: Hundley 7: Grote 8: Ordonez 9: Seaver

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:44 PM

I guess it does. We were missing a right fielder, and since Darryl had been guessed at number 5, it couldn't be him there. CLEANUP Darryl Strawberry 606 Mike Piazza 559 Dave Kingman 410 Rusty Staub 346 Bobby Bonilla 336 Gary Carter 315 Cleon Jones 302 Ed Kranepool 271 George Foster 246 Frank Thomas 221 Todd Hundley 206 Kevin McReynolds 195 Art Shamsky 182 Cliff Floyd 157 John Milner 124 Willie Montanez 123 Donn Clendenon 115 Eddie Murray 112 Steve Henderson 111 Ron Swoboda 107

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:46 PM

SEVENTH Jerry Grote 459 Howard Johnson 312 Jay Payton 162 Ray Knight 157 Ron Hodges 143 Butch Huskey 135 Hubie Brooks 127 Duffy Dyer 124 Alex Treviño 120 Todd Hundley 117 Mackey Sasser 108 Wayne Garrett 107 Roger Cedeño 106 Barry Lyons 103 Ed Kranepool 99 Elliott Maddox 97 Brian Giles 93 Vance Wilson 93 Joel Youngblood 91 John Stearns 84

seawolf17 Sep 13 2005 04:48 PM

Is the five Kranepool? He played some left, I think.

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 04:48 PM

Nice guessing by seawolf for the 7 slot. 1. Mookie Wilson cf 2. 3. Keith Hernandez 1b 4. Darryl Strawberry rf 5. 6. 7. Jerry Grote c 8. Rey Ordóñez ss 9. Tom Seaver p Still missing a catcher, a 1b, and a 2b. And no, the Alfonzo guess is incorrect. He's second among second baseman who have batted second.

Elster88 Sep 13 2005 04:59 PM

5 = Cliff Floyd? I'm guessing Cliff because you said 5 was a surprise and that we need a left fielder. Or did you say no left fielders? _____________________________ This post had the designation 156) Pete Harnisch

SI Metman Sep 13 2005 06:33 PM

I'm going to say Eddie K at the 5 hole because it'd be a surprise. He probably fits in based on longevity alone.

SI Metman Sep 13 2005 06:36 PM

Also, since you missing a catcher, and I assume thats the 6 spot, then I'm going to guess STOINS based on process of elimination. Can't be Grote if he's the 7 hitter. Can't be Piazza or Carter since they spent so much time higher in the lineup. Same for Hundley in his later years. Stearns is the only other Mets catcher with the longevity to do it.

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 09:26 PM

FIFTH Ed Kranepool 515 Kevin McReynolds 415 Darryl Strawberry 400 Robin Ventura 266 John Milner 220 Ron Swoboda 203 John Stearns 186 Cleon Jones 182 Howard Johnson 180 Jeff Kent 173 George Foster 149 Todd Zeile 138 Edgardo Alfonzo 133 Dave Kingman 126 Willie Montanez 105 Jim Hickman 104 Joel Youngblood 102 Carlos Baerga 89 Bobby Bonilla 81 Butch Huskey 79 SIXTH John Stearns 230 Hubie Brooks 225 Ed Kranepool 217 Ron Swoboda 192 Jerry Grote 185 Jeff Kent 183 Gary Carter 178 Howard Johnson 155 Ron Hodges 155 Wayne Garrett 155 Ken Boswell 139 Todd Zeile 126 George Foster 122 Jeromy Burnitz 110 Jim Hickman 103 Ty Wigginton 99 Carlos Baerga 98 Todd Hundley 96 Joel Youngblood 94 Dave Magadan 92

Yancy Street Gang Sep 13 2005 09:28 PM

1. Mookie Wilson cf 2. 3. Keith Hernandez 1b 4. Darryl Strawberry rf 5. Ed Kranepool lf 6. John Stearns 3b 7. Jerry Grote c 8. Rey Ordóñez ss 9. Tom Seaver p I know Stearns and Kranepool are out of their regular positions, but I want this to look like a real lineup. One more to go.

Valadius Sep 13 2005 10:00 PM

2 - Felix Millan?

Edgy DC Sep 13 2005 10:01 PM

Good call. That's got to be right.

Zvon Sep 13 2005 10:41 PM

Ron Hunt?

Yancy Street Gang Sep 14 2005 08:35 AM

SECOND Felix Millan 636 Edgardo Alfonzo 551 Wally Backman 372 Bud Harrelson 252 Dave Magadan 230 Frank Taveras 210 Ken Boswell 194 Ron Hunt 189 Jose Vizcaino 173 Wayne Garrett 163 Tim Teufel 154 Derek Bell 131 Roy McMillan 123 Hubie Brooks 122 Elliott Maddox 115 Mookie Wilson 113 Bob Bailor 109 Timo Perez 92 Tim Foli 91 John Stearns 78 Cleon Jones 78 1. Mookie Wilson cf 2. Felix Millan 2b 3. Keith Hernandez 1b 4. Darryl Strawberry rf 5. Ed Kranepool lf 6. John Stearns 3b 7. Jerry Grote c 8. Rey Ordóñez ss 9. Tom Seaver p Look at all the second basemen who have batted second: Millan, Alfonzo, Backman, Boswell, Hunt, Viscaino, Teufel, Bailor.

Frayed Knot Sep 14 2005 09:31 AM

Not to mention the updated version of that list which would include Matsui (grr) and Cairo (double grrr). "Right-ee-oh"

Elster88 Sep 14 2005 09:40 AM

KazMet's career stats: 196 G, 714 AB, 93 R, 189 H, 41 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 68 RBI, 20 SB, 4 CS, .265 AVG, .320 OBP, .378 SLG, .698 OPS. Not too good. He did have a .727 OPS in 2004 and was on pace to hit 42+ doubles over 150 games. I still say we shouldn't shut the door in his face. But then I'm a hopeless optimist. _____________________________ This post had the designation 155) David Segui