They teased us last year, but this time it’s finally going to happen. Yes, barring an almost complete collapse, the Pittsburgh Pirates will indeed break the longest streak of futility in the history of the majors. Twenty seasons of losing baseball are coming to an end in the Steel City, and it could be official as early as Labor Day.

The last Pirates team to win more than it lost was back in 1992. How long ago was that? Consider:

• Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke were manning the Pirate outfield
• Miguel Batista debuted for Pittsburgh (he is the only player to appear that season who is still “active”)
• there were only two divisions in each league (and nary a wildcard to be found)
• the World Series had never been played outside the USA (although that was about to change)
• ballparks weren’t named after corporations
• Nationals, Rockies, Marlins, Diamondbacks, Rays (deviled or plain)? Never heard of ’em.
• 11 players would strike out at least 125 times (more have already done so in 2013)

More on the end of an era after the jump.

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The players in this quiz are the only outfielders with a particular season accomplishment since 1961. What is this unusual feat?

Hint #1: none of these players accomplished this feat more than once.

Congratulations to bstar! He correctly identified these players as the only outfielders since 1961 with both 25 WAR Batting Runs and 25 WAR Fielding Runs (using B-R WAR). In fact, these are the only outfielders since 1901 to meet both criteria.

The Brewers’ Carlos Gomez has a chance to join this group. He’s already at 27 WAR Fielding Runs and is sitting on 17 WAR Batting Runs, so he’ll need to get healthy and get really hot with the bat the rest of the way. Even if he doesn’t make this group, he stands an even better chance at joining even more exclusive company – becoming just the 8th player at any position with a season since 1901 of 8 WAR from fewer than 25 WAR batting runs (maybe I should have made that the quiz). The 25/25 seasons for our quiz players, and the exclusive group Gomez seems destined to join are after the jump.

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A quickie version of Thursday’s action from your substitute reporter. The real thing will return soon.

The 3-way NL Central race heated up with the Cardinals and Reds both gaining ground on the front-running Pirates, who saw their lead shrink to just two games. The AL East and AL West races also tightened with the closest pursuers in each division both gaining ground on the front-runners. In the AL Central, Detroit hosted Kansas City to begin a 5-game set that could be a make-or-break series for the upstart Royals and tell us if they really are for real.

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Alfonso Soriano has been in the news this week with his stellar play in his return to pinstripes. Appropriate then that he is included in this list of recent power hitters.

Really simple quiz. What is the career accomplishment shared by only these players over the past 25 seasons (since 1989)? Note for players active before 1989 that, to be included in this list, they must have achieved this career accomplishment only within the the 1989 to 2013 period.

Since I hit you with such a nasty quiz yesterday, here’s one I think will be easier.

Below are the 1982 season lines for 3 players. They are the only players from that season with a particular season batting accomplishment that can be described by (some of) the common batting totals shown. What is this seasonal batting feat?

Hint: among expansion-era players (seasons since 1961), the same feat was accomplished only 3 times before 1982, and also only 3 times after 1982, all by different players.

Congratulations to Bix! He identified the players in the quiz as those with a lot of sacrifice bunts, despite having a bit of pop in their bats – a rare combination indeed in the modern game. It wasn’t always thus – more after the jump.

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The players in this quiz all played their entire careers since 1946, including seasons in which they played primarily in the infield. They are also the only players from this era with a particular season accomplishment.

What is this unusual seasonal feat? The HHS panel was stumped on this one. The solution is after the jump.

Hint: it is not a mistake that one of these players is included in a list of infielders.
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Caleb Gindl‘s heroics for Milwaukee in Sunday’s 13-inning 1-0 win over Miami inspired this post. For those who may not be aware, Gindl’s homer was the deciding run in the hometown Brewers walk-off win. It was also the first home run of Gindl’s career.

Gindl is a rookie this season and I have no idea how many home runs he may hit in his career. But, if he never hits another one he will join the group of players featured in this post. They are all retired players with two things in common: they hit exactly one home run in their careers; and it was a walk-off shot.

After the jump, a look at those players who had just one long fly, but made it count big time.

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After a flurry of 300 game winners in the first decade of this century, attention is focused again on who might be the next pitcher to reach this most celebrated of pitching milestones. As well, there has been as much or more speculation as to whether there will be another 300 game winner, what with the ever-increasing “care” with which pitchers are handled and the decline of the complete game to almost negligible levels.

Lost in the speculation about 300 wins is the fact that to reach that level a pitcher must obviously first pass 200 wins, a not insignificant accomplishment in itself. As there has been the unusual occurrence of 3 pitchers reaching 200 wins this season, it seems an opportune time to look a bit closer at that milestone.

After the jump, more on the 200 win club.

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While many of us are familiar with regular season and post-season records, the same may not be true for All-Star game feats. To correct this deficiency, I offer this post for your edification.

Some records to watch for tonight.

• Most players Age 20 or under, One team – 2, NL (Bryce Harper, Jose Fernandez), also ties record for both teams
• Most players Age 21 or under, Both Teams – 4, Mike Trout, Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Jose Fernandez, each team also ties record for one team
• Most games, Age 20 or under – 2, Bryce Harper (new record)
• Most games, Age 21 or under – 2, Bryce Harper, Mike Trout (tie with 11 others)
• Most AL teams represented, career – 3, Torii Hunter (tie with 12 others)

More All-Star Game records, P-I style, after the jump.

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The players in today’s quiz are the only catchers with a particular All-Star game accomplishment.

What is the feat achieved by no other catcher in the mid-summer classic?

Hint: one of these catchers achieved this feat twice

Congratulations to Nick Pain! With the first comment, he identified these players as the only losing catchers to call for the last pitch of the game, and not catch it (more commonly known as a walk-off win for the other team). Elston Howard has the distinction of doing this twice. The games are after the jump.

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