Immaculate Grid: Show Off Your Useless Baseball Depth Knowledge!

[SoxJox]

Oh so close. I somehow entered a name from the Brewers in the Twins-40 save cell. And I picked George Scott over Robin Yount in the Brewer All-Star cell because, you know, laundry

Anywho 8/9 with rarity score of 140.

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[DanoooME]

9/9 Rarity 88 today. My Twins/Brewers and Twins/Marlins guesses were too common

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[Old Fart Tree]

My first 9/9 with a rarity of 90. 83 of that was the twins/saves tho.

 

[Stanley Steamer]

Also got my first perfect score today. Go Sox!

 

[Curt S Loew]

First one that didn't take forever. 9/9 200 but this game is cool because I got to use Gorman Thomas.

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[Deweys New Stance]

9/9 rarity score 44; another one that shows I'm stuck in the 70's. And the toughest square for me was Mariners/Cubs so of course I ended up with the most common answer

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[Old Fart Tree]

I got nuked on this one, multiple mistakes on a met who hit .300

 

[SoxJox]

This one wasn't so hard. Rarity score of 50, though. Roberto Alomar could have been used a couple of times.

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[SoxJox]

9/9 rarity score 44; another one that shows I'm stuck in the 70's. And the toughest square for me was Mariners/Cubs so of course I ended up with the most common answer

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View attachment 66945

Man, I somehow forgot about Milt Pappas. I got his autograph back in the mid-60's./ISPOILER]

 

[mikeford]

I got nuked on this one, multiple mistakes on a met who hit .300

I completely skated on a technicality for that but picking Robinson Cano who hit 300+ for the Mets once, in a season where he played like 45 games

Somehow that counted

 

[Rudi Fingers]

Got my first immaculate grid - was fun to get

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2/3 of the Lowe/Slocumb/Varitek

trade together side by side. Rarity was 128

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[DanoooME]

6/9 today. Once again, trying to get too cute looking for obscure choices

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Tried Lenny Dykstra for the .300 hitter, Rod Beck for Sea/Cubs, and got the wrong Orioles/Cubs pitcher I was thinking of (which should have been Jake Arrieta)

 

[pedro1918]

Immaculate Grid 93 9/9:

IMMACULATE!




Rarity of 51.

 

[Brand Name]

Personal best of 4. Very happy with that to say the least. Still need to do a game where a nine decades are repped and all nine are under 1 but this is damn near close.

Spoiler: FOUR BABY! LFG!

 

[glennhoffmania]

Two days in a row I clicked on the wrong box to answer a question so I couldn't finish. I'm an idiot.

 

[Rudi Fingers]

Two days in a row I clicked on the wrong box to answer a question so I couldn't finish. I'm an idiot.

You seem to be having a problem with premature immaculation

 

[LogansDad]

You all (especially @Brand Name ) are incredible at this. This thing makes me feel like I should have my main board posting rights revoked.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Who the FUCK is

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Bryan LaHair

?

I am amazed at some of the players you all remember.

 

[Hendu for Kutch]

I got hosed out of an immaculate grid because

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Jose Quintana has been a member of the Mets this year but hasn't pitched for them yet.

I'd like to speak to the manager.

 

[singaporesoxfan]

I’ll never beat @Brand Name but I’m pleased with my immaculate grid today (60 rarity score)

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[Old Fart Tree]

No shit, right?

 

[singaporesoxfan]

The two team ones are killing me. Especially when there's a team that didn't exist during the 80s.

I'm wondering if the way to at least get an answer for the two-team ones if you don't already have that baseline of knowledge is to find a few of those journeymen who've played for multiple teams and memorize who they've played for. Like maybe I should just remember who Edwin Jackson, Bruce Chen, and Octavio Dotel played for.

Here's a list of the MLB record holders for most teams.

 

[singaporesoxfan]

Who the FUCK is

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Bryan LaHair

?

I am amazed at some of the players you all remember.

Same reaction on that particular person. Super confusing that his photo was with him in Sox attire; turns out he was only a minor leaguer for the Sox

 

[Hambone]

I’ll never beat @Brand Name but I’m pleased with my immaculate grid today (60 rarity score)

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While I don't include you in the bunch, I'm assuming nearly 7.5% of the people that submitted bottom left are cheaters.

 

[SoxJox]

Should've gone with Immaculate Gord.

Or, Immaculate 5-Hole (Don't tell @Rick Burlesons Yam Bag I said that.)

 

[singaporesoxfan]

While I don't include you in the bunch, I'm assuming nearly 7.5% of the people that submitted bottom left are cheaters.

Curious - why so? I would assume the 8% score means he's actually pretty well-known, and not surprising since he closed out the Cubs' World Series win. I'm not sure I could name any of his other teams besides those two though!

Bottom middle, though, was one of my first tests of the strategy I mentioned of memorizing the teams of a few journeymen. Chose him because I at least had some familiarity with his career.

 

[Jake Peavy's Demons]

I'm wondering if the way to at least get an answer for the two-team ones if you don't already have that baseline of knowledge is to find a few of those journeymen who've played for multiple teams and memorize who they've played for. Like maybe I should just remember who Edwin Jackson, Bruce Chen, and Octavio Dotel played for.

Here's a list of the MLB record holders for most teams.

Chuck McElroy and LaTroy Hawkins have been my go-tos for this exact strategy. McElroy played for 9 teams, & Hawkins 11.

 

[SoxJox]

Or, the [relatively] rare: 271 players who played for 3+ teams in a single season (yes, + as some players enjoyed the good graces of front offices and fans for 4 teams in a single season. Guys like:

• Oswaldo Arcia: 2016
• Wes Covington: 1961
• Oliver Drake: 2018
• Mike Ford: 2022
• Ted Gray: 1955
• Willis Hudlin: 1940
• Mike Kilkenny: 1972
• Dave Kingman, The Grand Sultan of Swat: 1977 (442 career HRs). It's amazing that he went on to play another 9 years after being bounced around that year, his age 28 season.
• Paul Lehner: 1951
• Dave Martinez: 2000
• John MacDonald: 2013 with a penultimate stop on Boston
• Aldalberto Mejia: 2019, with the distinct pleasure of rekindling friendships with teammates from a previous visit earlier in the season with LAA, which I guess means he technically was with only 3 teams that year)
• Dan Miceli: 2005
• Or, even closer to home, Yu Chang, after having been with PIT, CLE, and TBR before joining the Red Sox in the 2022 season. He's currently on the 2023 Red Sox IL, having last played on 4/20/23, going 1-for-4 with a HR in a home win vs. the Twins.

Or, perhaps the most chameleon-like player, Bob Miller, who played for 3 different teams in 3 different seasons. 1970, 1971, and 1973

Tragically, one of the 3-team players was Joe Kennedy, the Tampa Bay Rays pitcher who died in 2007 at the age of 28 of hypertensive heart disease.

It's interesting how many of these guys (ALOT) started in, passed through, or ended their careers in Boston. Going through that list was a real time-travel trip for me, seeing the summary of who was included in the trades. I mean, some of these could clearly have been considered blockbuster, with some of these players included only as filler. Many including only journey players, but some very notable exceptions, often at the very beginning or end of a career, Dave Kingman being a notable outlier.

But the ding, ding, ding, ding winner is Frank Huelsman, who kept a suitcase packed at all time 'cause he never knew where in the world Carmen San Diego might see him next. 5 teams in 1904, but that was a very different era.

 

[Pablo's TB Lover]

In the category of "don't do the Grid right after waking up", I scanned the columns Cy Young and 200+K season Pitching and totally misread 200+K as "200+IP" which should have been a flag (which Cy Young pitcher DOESN'T throw 200IP except for the few relievers?). Going for a scarce answer I chose Bob Welch...whose top K season was 196 in 1987. Oops, don't make the same mistake kids.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Always fun when more than half the board is former Sox. 9/9, 75 rarity score. Nearly did it with all pitchers too.

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[singaporesoxfan]

More strong returns from the “let’s just memorise the careers of journeymen” strategy

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How is Jose Siri so popular? This game really does skew recent

 

[SoxJox]

I didn't find today's to be particularly challenging. 9/9 w/ rarity score of 139. On the LAD Cy Young, I went with Fernando because 1) Although having just a 13-7 record, he just had a phenomenal year in a shortened season, and 2) he also won ROY.

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[SoxJox]

More strong returns from the “let’s just memorise the careers of journeymen” strategy

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View attachment 67000

How is Jose Siri so popular? This game really does skew recent

Because he is a sirious kinda guy [ducks]

 

[glennhoffmania]

My first one. Score of 162. Not great but I'll take it.

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

8/9 today but I think that my answer of Bobby Abreu should have counted since he played for the Astros, was drafted by TB in the Expansion Draft before being traded to the Phils.

 

[PC Drunken Friar]

There's an NFL and NBA one as well. But you get to cheat if you want.

https://www.crossovergrid.com/nfl

 

[mikeford]

Anyone else always use Pedro Martinez if you can or is that just me?

 

[singaporesoxfan]

Anyone else always use Pedro Martinez if you can or is that just me?

I do, and I'm looking forward to using him as a National

 

[Deweys New Stance]

Or, the [relatively] rare: 271 players who played for 3+ teams in a single season (yes, + as some players enjoyed the good graces of front offices and fans for 4 teams in a single season. Guys like:

• Dave Kingman, The Grand Sultan of Swat: 1977 (442 career HRs). It's amazing that he went on to play another 9 years after being bounced around that year, his age 28 season

A few interesting things about Kingman in 1977:

• Free agency was still very new at that point and several team owners who thought the reserve clause would last forever were still pretty mad about it. The Payson family was undercapitalized and their reactionary old-school investment banker GM M. Donald Grant, who viewed players as ungrateful indentured servants, was in fire-sale mode. Kingman was traded to San Diego (for Bobby Valentine!) the same day that Tom Seaver was traded to the Reds for flotsam.
• He actually played for teams in all four divisions that season; I’m not aware of anyone else who ever accomplished that. And I can’t imagine anyone playing in all six divisions in a single season today.
• Kingman was an upcoming free agent, which explains a lot of the movement. Apparently the Padres couldn’t get anything for him because they actually put him on waivers in September and he was claimed by the Angels. He lasted nine days there before he was traded to the Yankees.
• I’ve always believed that the main reason the Yanks traded for him on Sept 15th was to have him for a series against the Sox in Fenway Sept 19th through the 21st. He had two plate appearances, and in one of those hit a towering home run over the monster (in my mind I think it cleared the net but I’ve never seen the replay). The Sox won the game though, although of course the MFYs won the division (with Kingman hitting 4 homers in 8 games).

 

[Eric1984]

8/9 today with rarity score of 236

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[DJnVa]

9/9, rarity of 42

 

[worm0082]

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I only got Garza because I looked up Matt Garza

 

[Curt S Loew]

9/9. My lowest rarity at 70. It figures that Crawford would screw it up.

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And poor Julio doesn't get a photo. Or they pulled it.

 

[DanoooME]

8/9 today, screwed up which Florida team my reliever choice played for.

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Thought my Jay Johnstone selection was inspired. Thought it would be a lot less than that.

 

[Daniel_Son]

7/9. Rarity score of 433. I screwed up by selecting the wrong Cliff Lee. Didn't read the active years. Boo.

 

[singaporesoxfan]

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I only got Garza because I looked up Matt Garza View attachment 67029

Putting that guy in the middle square is blasphemy (mostly because I'm still annoyed that when I Google him, a photo of him in a Phillies cap is the first image)

 

[cannonball 1729]

Putting that guy in the middle square is blasphemy (mostly because I'm still annoyed that when I Google him, a photo of him in a Phillies cap is the first image)

Counterpoint: that guy is the center of the baseball universe and hence should always be in the middle square, even if he did not play for either of the teams.

 

[Bozo Texino]

Another 9/9 - only my second. Rarity score of 207.

Used Billy Hatcher for my Astro/Philly.

EDIT: It's strange to me that only 2% of people picked Mike Scott for their Astros Cy Young Award winner. I guess I'm just the right age.

 

[johnmd20]

Only 1% took Dwight Gooden for 200ks plus Cy Young.

That is more surprising than only 2% taking Mike Scott. (although looking at it, Scott is 8%, not 2%)

 

[Deweys New Stance]

Another 9/9 - only my second. Rarity score of 207.

Used Billy Hatcher for my Astro/Philly.

EDIT: It's strange to me that only 2% of people picked Mike Scott for their Astros Cy Young Award winner. I guess I'm just the right age.

Well, I'm right there with you, so I guess I'm the right age too.

9/9 today for me, rarity score a high (I guess) 163 because I played it safe with several answers. Toughest square again TB/HOU. For a couple of franchises who've had a ton of of success over the past decade, they really just aren't that memorable to me. Again, I'm old.

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