Baseball Quiz: July 2022

Inspired by the Baseball Quick Quiz in Baseball Digests of yesteryear, this quiz will test your MLB knowledge. Answers can be found below the second picture, so don’t scroll down until you’re ready to check. Test yourself and then leave your score in the comments below. Questions are worth 10 points unless noted otherwise. It’s out of 100, and according to Baseball Digest, “If you score 80 or better, you earn an expert’s rating; 70 or better, superior; between 60 and 70, good; and between 40 and 60, average.”

1. Two teams have had six All Star Game MVPs, a tie for the most from any franchise. Which NL West and AL East teams are they? HINT: Both teams had one player win twice. (10 points)
2. In 2017, the Washington Nationals became the eighth team ever to hit four consecutive home runs. In 2019, they did it for the ninth time in Major League history – with none of the same players performing the feat from two years before. Name one player from each lineup for five points each. 
3. Manager Terry Francona has lead the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Guardians. Which of those franchises did he play for during his ten year playing career? (10 points)
4. In 2020, both the NL leader in saves (13) and AL leader in saves (16) were left-handed. Name them both for ten points.
5. Which active plater currently ranks 5th all time in At Bats Per Home Run, behind Mark McGwire, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, and Jim Thome? (10 points)
6. From 2012-2021 (ten seasons), the St. Lous Cardinals had ten different team leaders in WAR. Name 6 of the 10, in any order, for 2 points each. No additional points for any more than six.
7. Name the two players the Yankees sent to Texas in return for Alex Rodriguez in 2004. Four points each. 
8. Which starting pitcher set the record this year for the largest gap between Opening Day pitching starts for the same team? He tossed Opening Day for them in 2022 after last doing it in 2010. (10 points)
9. Famous ballhawk Zack Hample has snagged over 11,000 balls since 1990. Which of these famous home runs did Zack not catch: Mike Trout’s first HR, Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit, or Alex Rodriguez’s 3,000 hit? (10 points)
10. Last month, Xander Bogaerts set the record for most games at shortstop in Red Sox history, taking over the top spot from whom? (10 points)

1. San Francisco (Willie Mays 2x, Juan Marichal, Willie McCovey, Bobby Bonds, Melky Cabrera) and Baltimore (Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr. 2x, Roberto Alomar, Miguel Tejada)
2. Brian Goodwin, Wilmer Difo, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman (2017). Howie Kendrick, Trea Turner, Adam Eaton and Anthony Rendon (2019).
3. Cleveland.
4. Josh Hader (MIL) and Brad Hand (CLE)
5. Giancarlo Stanton. 
6. Yadier Molina (2012), Matt Carpenter (2013), Adam Wainwright (2014), Jason Heyward (2015), Carlos Martinez (2016), Tommy Pham (2017), Miles Mikolas (2018), Jack Flaherty (2019), Paul Goldschmidt (2020), Tyler O’Neill (2021)
7. Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later – Joaquín Arias.
8. Zack Greinke. 
9. Derek Jeter’s 3,000th hit, a home run, was caught by Yankees fan Christian Lopez. 
10. Everett Scott.