We have not done this in a while online, even though we do it every Friday at 12:50pm on the radio (Sportsradio 1310 the Ticket - The Bob and Dan show :)), so let's answer a few sports questions and concerns:1) - Is Elvis Andrus the Youngest Player in Major League Baseball?
This one has been asked of me plenty in the last six weeks, and sometimes answering your question is as easy as heading to Google and entering "youngest players in MLB 2009". But, until I finish this entry, that search doesn't get you much information. But, as of last Friday morning, when I combed all 30 franchises' 25-man rosters, here are the 6 youngest players in the big leagues (I used 6 because #5 and #6 are seperated by 1 day, and all 6 are 1988 babies).
| Rank | Name | Pos | Team | Date of Birth |
| #1 | Rick Porcello | SP | Det | 12/27/1988 |
| #2 | Elvis Andrus | SS | Tex | 8/26/1988 |
| #3 | Clayton Kershaw | SP | LAD | 3/19/1988 |
| #4 | Trevor Cahill | SP | Oak | 3/1/1988 |
| #5 | Travis Snider | OF | Tor | 2/2/1988 |
| #6 | Brett Anderson | SP | Oak | 2/1/1988 |
Elvis is the youngest position player, and if you want even more impressive reading on the topic, make sure you read Scott Lucas' breakdown about his ranks in the minor leagues. His research indicates that Elvis would be the 2nd youngest player in the Texas League, too.
Rick Porcello is the youngest player in the big leagues, and he was a consideration of the Rangers in the 2007 MLB Draft . Of course, at the time, he was thought of as a typical Boras client who straight out of high school was asking for the moon. So, the Rangers passed on him twice (#17 Blake Beavan and #24 Michael Main) and the Tigers scooped him up at #27. And seeing his last 3 starts where he has allowed 2 Earned Runs in 18 innings indicates that perhaps the Rangers regret not having the 2 youngest players in the majors.
2. What was the longest shot ever made in NBA History?
This was one where there may not be a definitive answer. I have spent a few hours trying to chase down anything more official, but if you research the topic of who has taken and made the longest shot in NBA History, you will not find anything like the NFL tracking Tom Dempsey and Jason Elam kicking 63 yard Field Goals.
However, everyone agrees that it was Baron Davis who made the shot, and video shows that it was about 89 feet:
What people cannot agree on is what game it specifically happened in at the Bradley Center. Once again, the internet has settled on November 17, 2001 . Just one problem with this horrible rumor; The Hornets were playing Portland on that day so I am pretty sure that didn't happen.
USA Today wrote a quick blurb on this topic when Lebron hit a 83 footer a few years back:
Notes: James' 83-foot shot to end the third quarter against Boston on Wednesday night ranked as the third-longest in league history, behind Baron Davis (89 feet in 2001) and Norm Van Leer (84 feet in 1977). James, who appears in a commercial that's been digitally altered to show him hitting shots from the opposite baseline, joked about the make in reality. ``There were more people in the stands, so I had to put a little bit more up on it,'' James said. He said he thinks it was the longest shot he's ever hit. ...
3. Did Boston just have the worst 72 hours in Game 7 sports history?
I think the answer might be "yes".
Last Thursday, May 14, 2009 the Boston Bruins lost on home ice to the Carolina Hurricanes in a Game 7. Historically, NHL Teams win 63% of game 7's on home ice.
Then, on Sunday, May 17, 2009, the Celtics did something even more rare, lose a game 7 at home in the NBA .
In the NBA, home teams are over 80% in Game 7's. Here is the list of the all-time road winners in NBA History.
So, within 72 hours, in Boston, the Bruins and Celtics pulled off Game 7 losses in the same building! Remarkable. Had that ever been done before? The odds seem astronomical. I had intern TC run the numbers yesterday:
Bob,
In 1968, the city of Philadelphia suffered game seven losses in both
basketball and hockey. However, the Flyers lost on the road, and the
teams lost in different rounds. In 1982, the city of Boston had the
same thing, where the Celtics lost at home in the Eastern Conference
Finals while the Bruins lost in Quebec to the Nordiques in the
Division Finals.
Then in 1971, the New York Knicks lost game seven at home against the
Baltimore Bullets in the Eastern Conference Finals (the Bullets would
go on to lose to Milwaukee, as if I needed to remind you) just as the
Rangers were losing at home in game seven to the Chicago Blackhawks in
the NHL Semifinals. So if the questions is "Has a city had two teams
lose a game seven at home in the same level of the playoffs?" the
answer is yes. If, however, the question is "Has a city had two teams
lose a game seven at home in the same week?" the answer is no (except
for Boston in 2009). The Rangers lost on April 2nd while the
Knickerbockers lost on April 19th, more than two weeks apart.
TC Fleming
Phenomenal. If you have questions that require my attention of this nature, add them below on the comments.
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