Editor’s Note: As the overlord of The Skippers View, I often find myself digging into our analytics and seeing what blogs have performed best over the last few years. You would probably assume it is all me and you are close, but Greg has snuck a few into the Top 10 over the last year or so. Surprisingly, his trivia blogs rank very high. They have hit the Google algorithm and now pop up in Google searches pretty often. Kind of crazy to think that some father and son are quizzing each other using Greg Monroe’s blog that takes about 30 seconds to make.
Moving on, when I saw that all the trivia blogs drive thousands of views to our website, I had to tie Greg up (simmer down, ladies, he’s my cousin) and make sure we got another one of these bad boys out. Happy to report that these will now be weekly on our website.
-Dean Ciriaco
Hey everyone, I wanted to write my first blog in a while about the Yankees, but Dean explicitly told me to write another trivia blog. So, well, here is Part III of 21st Century MLB Trivia. Apparently, I will be doing this for the rest of my life, per Dean.
Question 1:
During the Seattle Mariners’ historic 116-win season in 2001, which outfielder hit 25 home runs while also stealing 34 bases?
Question 2:
Chris Carpenter won the 2005 National League Cy Young Award. Which 23-year-old Marlins pitcher finished second in the voting despite leading the NL with 22 wins?
Question 3:
Hanley Ramirez won the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year Award, with Ryan Zimmerman finishing second. Which other Marlins rookie finished third?
Question 4:
The 2009 Angels won 97 games and reached the ALCS. Which third baseman led the team with 7.7 bWAR despite hitting just five home runs?
Question 5:
The 2010 Giants won the World Series despite not having a single player reach 30 home runs. Which player led the team with 26?
Question 6:
Which Orioles closer recorded 51 saves in 2012 and 50 more in 2013, becoming just the second reliever in MLB history to record back-to-back 50-save seasons?
Question 7:
The Kansas City Royals swept the Baltimore Orioles in the 2014 ALCS. Which Royals outfielder hit .533 in the series and was named ALCS MVP?
Question 8:
Max Scherzer won the 2016 NL Cy Young Award, but two Cubs starting pitchers finished directly behind him in second and third place. Who were they?
Question 9:
Which 25-year-old third baseman led the 2018 Oakland Athletics in bWAR, won a Gold Glove, and finished seventh in AL MVP voting?
Question 10:
The 2021 San Francisco Giants shocked baseball by winning 107 games. Which veteran first baseman led the team with 29 home runs despite playing only 97 games?
Editor’s Note: I know you are scrolling to the bottom for answers, but before you do, make sure to subscribe. We will be putting out weekly trivia.
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ANSWER KEY
1: Mike Cameron — Cameron hit 25 home runs and stole 34 bases for the 116-win Mariners.
2: Dontrelle Willis — Willis went 22-10 and finished runner-up to Chris Carpenter in the 2005 NL Cy Young voting.
3: Dan Uggla — Uggla finished third behind Hanley Ramirez and Ryan Zimmerman in the 2006 NL Rookie of the Year vote.
4: Chone Figgins — Figgins produced 7.7 bWAR, stole 42 bases, hit only five home runs, and finished 10th in AL MVP voting.
5: Aubrey Huff — Huff led the eventual World Series champions with 26 home runs.
6: Jim Johnson — Johnson saved 51 games in 2012 and 50 in 2013, giving him consecutive 50-save seasons.
7: Lorenzo Cain — Cain hit .533 in Kansas City’s four-game ALCS sweep and earned series MVP honors.
8: Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks — Lester finished second and Hendricks third behind Scherzer in the 2016 NL Cy Young voting.
9: Matt Chapman — Chapman was Oakland’s defensive superstar at third base, won a Gold Glove and finished seventh in AL MVP voting.
10: Brandon Belt — Belt hit a career-high 29 home runs in only 97 games to lead the 107-win Giants.