Author Topic: Paging Elias ... (Read 4941 times)

ValpoCory · « **on:** June 03, 2007, 01:36:53 pm »

The Astros starting lineup today contains 0 last names that start with the letter "B". When was the last time that happened?

ValpoCory · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2007, 08:56:46 am »

I thought for sure I'd find one in 2000 in Biggio's DL stint. But with Bogar and Barker joining Berkman and Bagwell, I didn't find one.

This may go back pre-Berkman and maybe pre-Bell.

BUWebguy · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2007, 09:10:24 am »

Keep looking, Valpo.

Amy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2007, 09:26:14 am »

I would say sometime maybe in '93 or '94 when Bagwell was out with his broken hand, if Biggio had a day off. But I think that was during Biggio's consecutive games streak. You might have to go back to when Bidge was catching.

T. J. · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:04:23 am »

I've already spent way too much time looking for this. If somebody can find one later than the last day of the season in 1991, I'll be impressed at your searching ability.

Box score: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1991/B10060ATL1991.htm

Amy · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:07:39 am »

Send it in to Jayson Stark and maybe he'll choose it for one of his useless info articles and get Elias to do the research on it.

Rebel Jew · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:16:22 am »

Quote from: T. J. on June 04, 2007, 10:04:23 am

I've already spent way too much time looking for this. If somebody can find one later than the last day of the season in 1991, I'll be impressed at your searching ability.

Box score: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1991/B10060ATL1991.htm

Andy Mota? Jose Tolentino? Gary Cooper???

Curly · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:19:13 am »

Quote from: T. J. on June 04, 2007, 10:04:23 am

I've already spent way too much time looking for this. If somebody can find one later than the last day of the season in 1991, I'll be impressed at your searching ability.

Box score: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1991/B10060ATL1991.htm

Lofton and Schilling...ugh

MusicMan · « **Reply #8 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:21:52 am »

Quote from: Curly on June 04, 2007, 10:19:13 am

Lofton and Schilling...ugh

Dont' shed any tears for Schilling. He's flat-out stated he never would have become that pitcher in Houston.

Curly · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:28:25 am »

Quote from: MusicMan on June 04, 2007, 10:21:52 am

Dont' shed any tears for Schilling. He's flat-out stated he never would have become that pitcher in Houston.

No, I shed tears for the team that wouldn't have developed him to be the pitcher that he became.

Astroholic · « **Reply #10 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:30:46 am »

Quote from: Curly on June 04, 2007, 10:28:25 am

No, I shed tears for the team that wouldn't have developed him to be the pitcher that he became.

Santana was also a very large loss for this team. What about protecting Derek 'DoublePlay' Bell instead of Abreu.

MusicMan · « **Reply #11 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:31:06 am »

Quote from: Curly on June 04, 2007, 10:28:25 am

No, I shed tears for the team that wouldn't have developed him to be the pitcher that he became.

Horse to water. He had a big-time attitude problem here.

MusicMan · « **Reply #12 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:31:42 am »

Quote from: Astroholic on June 04, 2007, 10:30:46 am

Santana was also a very large loss for this team. What about protecting Derek 'DoublePlay' Bell instead of Abreu.

It must be an off day.

Astroholic · « **Reply #13 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:32:23 am »

Quote from: MusicMan on June 04, 2007, 10:31:42 am

It must be an off day.

Yep, stupid 'what if' post.

BudGirl · « **Reply #14 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:35:15 am »

Quote from: Astroholic on June 04, 2007, 10:30:46 am

Santana was also a very large loss for this team. What about protecting Derek 'DoublePlay' Bell instead of Abreu.

I would wager most teams have a Rule 5 player they lost and wish they could get back. It's part of the game.

Curly · « **Reply #15 on:** June 04, 2007, 10:40:48 am »

Quote from: Astroholic on June 04, 2007, 10:32:23 am

Yep, stupid 'what if' post.

Yea, wasn't going there...just a friendly reminder to myself to go vomit.

ValpoCory · « **Reply #16 on:** June 04, 2007, 11:03:42 am »

Of course, the Baltimore Orioles went a long time with a starting nine player's last name beginning with the letter "R".

ValpoCory · « **Reply #17 on:** June 04, 2007, 11:09:33 am »

Quote from: Amy on June 04, 2007, 10:07:39 am

Send it in to Jayson Stark and maybe he'll choose it for one of his useless info articles and get Elias to do the research on it.

Done.

ValpoCory · « **Reply #18 on:** June 04, 2007, 01:00:28 pm »

Good advice Amy. Thanks.

Jayson's reply:

"Cory,
Great note, man. I missed that. Now you've really done it. I'm going to have to spend hours trying to figure this out. So stay tuned.
Hey, if you like this kind of useless info, I'd bet you'd really enjoy my new underrated-overrated book. Check it out.
Thanks for writing,.
Jayson"

Amy · « **Reply #19 on:** June 04, 2007, 06:00:52 pm »

Quote from: ValpoCory on June 04, 2007, 01:00:28 pm

Good advice Amy. Thanks.

Jayson's reply:

"Cory,
Great note, man. I missed that. Now you've really done it. I'm going to have to spend hours trying to figure this out. So stay tuned.
Hey, if you like this kind of useless info, I'd bet you'd really enjoy my new underrated-overrated book. Check it out.
Thanks for writing,.
Jayson"

That's great! I just thought it sounded like the kind of thing Stark likes. Great job on your part noticing it and doing the preliminary research.

HudsonHawk · « **Reply #20 on:** June 04, 2007, 06:10:12 pm »

Quote from: Astroholic on June 04, 2007, 10:30:46 am

Santana was also a very large loss for this team.

Santan never played for the Astros. He was a Single A player when they lost him.

Quote

What about protecting Derek 'DoublePlay' Bell instead of Abreu.

*Sigh*! For the Gazillionth time...they protected Richard Hidalgo instead of Abreu.

dirty steve · « **Reply #21 on:** June 04, 2007, 06:13:52 pm »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on June 04, 2007, 06:10:12 pm

Santan never played for the Astros. He was a Single A player when they lost him.

*Sigh*! For the Gazillionth time...they protected Richard Hidalgo instead of Abreu.

wait, i thought he was traded with kenny lofton for eddie taubensee!

Noe · « **Reply #22 on:** June 04, 2007, 06:17:35 pm »

Quote from: dirty steve on June 04, 2007, 06:13:52 pm

wait, i thought he was traded with kenny lofton for eddie taubensee!

Are you joking? It's hard to tell.

dirty steve · « **Reply #23 on:** June 04, 2007, 06:21:13 pm »

Quote from: Noe in Austin on June 04, 2007, 06:17:35 pm

Are you joking? It's hard to tell.

joking.
-i know abreu went to TB and then was subsequently traded for Kevin Stocker and lofton was moved with dave rohde for taubensee/willie blair.

Frobie · « **Reply #24 on:** June 04, 2007, 08:26:43 pm »

Quote from: ValpoCory on June 04, 2007, 01:00:28 pm

Good advice Amy. Thanks.

Jayson's reply:

"Cory,
Great note, man. I missed that. Now you've really done it. I'm going to have to spend hours trying to figure this out. So stay tuned.
Hey, if you like this kind of useless info, I'd bet you'd really enjoy my new underrated-overrated book. Check it out.
Thanks for writing,.
Jayson"

Awesome. I thought his book was pretty decent, FWIW.

But to prove that I am not a Jayson Stark spambot, I'd wait for the paperback version if I had it to do over again.

Astroholic · « **Reply #25 on:** June 05, 2007, 07:50:09 am »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on June 04, 2007, 06:10:12 pm

Santan never played for the Astros. He was a Single A player when they lost him.

*Sigh*! For the Gazillionth time...they protected Richard Hidalgo instead of Abreu.

Remember the part about it being a slow day; just thought I would add a sports 610 type post to add to the delight.

BUWebguy · « **Reply #26 on:** June 28, 2007, 03:23:35 pm »

Quote from: ValpoCory on June 04, 2007, 01:00:28 pm

Good advice Amy. Thanks.

Jayson's reply:

"Cory,
Great note, man. I missed that. Now you've really done it. I'm going to have to spend hours trying to figure this out. So stay tuned.
Hey, if you like this kind of useless info, I'd bet you'd really enjoy my new underrated-overrated book. Check it out.
Thanks for writing,.
Jayson"

Did Stark ever answer this in a column? If so, I missed it. Or did anyone else here ever finish the research?

Frobie · « **Reply #27 on:** June 28, 2007, 04:13:16 pm »

Quote from: BUWebguy on June 28, 2007, 03:23:35 pm

Did Stark ever answer this in a column? If so, I missed it. Or did anyone else here ever finish the research?

Dunno about Stark's column, but I believe T. J.'s answer above was correct. I looked into it using baseball-reference.com's lineups tool when this thread was originally going and couldn't find anything more recent. It took about 10 minutes of research, not hours and hours. They've done a lot of improvements to that site this year. So instead of merely being awesome it's now super, duper awesome.

Great piece of trivia.

Oh, and I don't know what I was thinking before... it was Kirkjians's book I was commenting on above, not Stark's. I always get them confused.

JackAstro · « **Reply #28 on:** June 28, 2007, 04:39:35 pm »

Quote from: ValpoCory on June 03, 2007, 01:36:53 pm

The Astros starting lineup today contains 0 last names that start with the letter "B". When was the last time that happened?

It was September 7, 1992. I think.

Frobie · « **Reply #29 on:** June 28, 2007, 04:49:30 pm »

Ah, good catch. Fortunately I work in a profession where attention-to-detail is not that important. (I'm a pharmacist.)