Quiz: Junior-sized All-Star (stumped)

Ken Griffey Jr. a first ballot inductee last week into the Circle of Greats, is the only player of the past 35 years (since 1979) with four consecutive seasons (1996-99) of 40 HR, 120 Runs and 120 RBI (actually, Babe Ruth, with 7 consecutive seasons from 1926 to 1932, is the only other player to do this).

But, another Junior, rather less well-known, is the subject of today’s quiz. Like Griffey, Junior Spivey was an All-Star who also was the only retired position player active in the past 35 years to accomplish a certain feat. What is it?

Hint: among retired position players to play their entire careers since 1901, Spivey is the 13th to accomplish this feat.

Doesn’t happen often, but looks like I’ve stumped our HHS readers. The secret to this quiz was in noticing that Junior Spivey compiled a pretty fair WAR total of 8.2 in only 457 career games. That is the most since 1978 for retired players with careers of 500 or fewer games, and only the 13th time with WAR over 8 since 1901. Those careers are after the jump.

Here are those 13 players.

Rk Player G WAR From To Age PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS Pos Tm
1 Junior Spivey 457 8.2 2001 2005 26-30 1785 258 419 90 12 48 201 175 373 .270 .354 .436 .790 *4/H68 ARI-MIL-TOT
2 Ron Blomberg 461 9.4 1969 1978 20-29 1493 184 391 67 8 52 224 140 134 .293 .360 .473 .832 D3/H97 NYY-CHW
3 Jerry Kenney 465 9.1 1967 1973 22-28 1594 165 325 38 13 7 103 184 139 .237 .326 .299 .626 *5/6H84 NYY-CLE
4 Jack Hiatt 483 8.6 1964 1972 21-29 1387 110 287 51 5 22 154 224 295 .251 .374 .363 .737 *2H/37 LAA-SFG-TOT-HOU
5 Luke Easter 491 9.0 1949 1954 33-38 1931 256 472 54 12 93 340 174 293 .274 .350 .481 .830 *3/H9 CLE
6 Sam Jethroe 442 8.8 1950 1954 33-37 1974 280 460 80 25 49 181 177 293 .261 .337 .418 .755 *8/7H9 BSN-PIT
7 Bill Salkeld 356 8.9 1945 1950 28-33 1049 111 232 39 2 31 132 182 101 .273 .402 .433 .835 *2/H PIT-BSN-CHW
8 Les Fleming 434 9.2 1939 1949 23-33 1572 168 369 69 15 29 199 226 152 .277 .386 .417 .804 *3/H97 DET-CLE-PIT
9 Phil Weintraub 444 9.9 1933 1945 25-37 1630 215 407 67 19 32 207 232 182 .295 .398 .440 .838 *3/H798 NYG-TOT-PHI
10 Ray Grimes 433 10.4 1920 1926 26-32 1787 269 505 101 25 27 263 204 133 .329 .413 .480 .892 *3/H BOS-CHC-PHI
11 Joe Connolly 412 8.3 1913 1916 29-32 1468 202 358 65 31 14 157 168 131 .288 .380 .425 .805 *7/98 BSN
12 Dutch Zwilling 366 8.5 1910 1916 21-27 1443 167 364 76 15 30 202 128 155 .284 .351 .438 .789 *8/93 CHW-CHI-CHC
13 Ed Lennox 448 8.2 1906 1915 22-31 1615 138 379 70 25 18 185 174 143 .274 .361 .400 .760 *5 PHA-BRO-CHC-PBS
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/25/2013.

Why the lack of recent players on the list? Just a hunch but I’m guessing it has to do with a couple of factors: firstly, the huge sums invested in players today; and secondly, the short benches resulting from those 12 man pitching staffs. The players want to stick around to partake of those riches, and no longer can they do so as a pinch-hitting specialist (as did several of the players on this list).

Finally, for some holiday fun, here’s the All-Junior All-Star team, for players with a given name of Junior, or nicknamed Junior, or commonly known by that generational suffix.

Merry Christmas everyone!

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Chris C
Chris C
10 years ago

I was going to guess he was the best player ever from Cowley County Community College but apparently that distinction belongs to Travis Hafner.

I don’t have a guess yet but Spivey had a really nice 2nd season-even getting a few MVP votes, then he trailed off quickly. Did he get hurt that following season?

Insert Name Here
Insert Name Here
10 years ago

Complete shot in the dark here… is it that he played at least 5 years in the majors with the majority of his runs, hits, and RBIs in 2 consecutive seasons (02-03)?

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
10 years ago

Doug: Does it have anything to do with having just one qualifying season and playing in the All-Star game in that season?

nyyankeefanforever
nyyankeefanforever
10 years ago

He had two five-hit games as a rookie. Pretty sure that’s a rarity. Might that be it?

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
10 years ago

I ran HBP = HR, HR equal to or less than 20, R equal to or greater than 100, 2B equal to or greater than 30 and H equal to or greater than 160 and got 13 names, including Benny Kauff of the FL. Spivey was the only one after 1975.

John Autin
Editor
10 years ago

While we wait to see if Richard nailed it, I’ll chime in:

I searched on these minimums: 30 doubles, 5 triples, 15 HRs, 15 HBP and 100 runs. That’s only been done 10 times, first by Frank Robinson in ’65, the other nine since 1992.

But, not the answer…

Doug
Doug
10 years ago

Much, much simpler than all that. But, a true virtuoso performance Richard to find an alternative and completely unrelated solution. 🙂 Interesting names on Richard’s list, BTW. Rk Player Year H HR R 2B HBP Age Tm 1 Austin Jackson 2010 181 4 103 34 4 23 DET 2 Junior Spivey 2002 162 16 103 34 16 27 ARI 3 Ichiro Suzuki 2001 242 8 127 34 8 27 SEA 4 Derek Jeter 1997 190 10 116 31 10 23 NYY 5 Dave Cash 1975 213 4 111 40 4 27 PHI 6 Phil Rizzuto 1950 200 7 125 36… Read more »

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
10 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Doug: I was just waiting for you to say that it is much simpler. I’m retiring now, maybe someone else will come up with the answer.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
10 years ago

A new day has dawned and I am trying again. I don’t have the answer but I did discover that Spivey is the only player with HBP = HR, R and SO are 100+ and BA is .300+.

Chris C
Chris C
10 years ago

I’ll take a shot.

In 2003 and 2004 Spivey matched his exact HBP, CS, and GiDP totals. That’s the best I have on this.

RJ
RJ
10 years ago

Spivey’s HR log throws up some interesting stuff. He only hit 48, but 2 each off Randy Johnson, Johan Santana and Greg Maddux. His two off Santana were on consecutive Johan starts in his 2004 Cy Young year. His first 21 home runs produced 23 RBI.

John Autin
Editor
10 years ago

Thought I had a Spivey solution for a minute: Fewest career games (457) for a player with at least 435 games at one fielding position. But then I found Rey Quinones, with 444 of his 451 career games at SS.

Well done, Doug!

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
10 years ago

For your Junior all-star team you could also toss in P Joe Coleman, Jr., who had 142 career wins (the most for a Junior?).

BryanM
BryanM
10 years ago

No doubt the money even marginal players earn today explains why fellas who can generate 2+ WAR per 162 tend to have longer careers, but a number of players on your list had careers shortened for other reasons , Luke Easter and Sam Jethroe among them.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
10 years ago
Reply to  Doug

It doesn’t make sense with Jerry Kenney having more WAR than Luke Easster. For a few years Easter was one of the most feared hitters in the AL, forming part of the Doby-Rosen-Easter heart of the Indians great teams of the early 50s. Kenney did not accomplish much in his career, I was glad when he left the Yankees.

Luis G
Luis G
10 years ago

For your team, C Sandy Alomar.

oneblankspace
10 years ago

If you need a utility infielder on your bench, you could have Junior Kennedy.