Appetite For Reconstruction Trivia Quiz

Answer: David Wells

Among the options only Wells was a pitcher.
Wells pitched a perfect game in 1998 for the Yankees.
He also pitched for the Blue Jays, Padres, Tigers, Reds, Orioles, Red Sox, White Sox and Dodgers over his career.
He retired with 211 career victories.
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Tommy John played 26 seasons over a 27 year span, missing the 1975 season due to the surgery which now bears his name.
The surgery is officially known as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. Prior to it being conducted on Tommy John in late 1974, no player had ever returned to a career in the majors.
John not only returned, but thrived, pitching until age 46 (14 seasons after the surgery) and making three all star teams.
The surgery, which takes a tendon from elsewhere in the body and places it in the elbow, has become commonplace within the world of baseball.

Answer: John Smoltz

Among the options only Smoltz was a pitcher.

Smoltz pitched most of his career with the Atlanta Braves, winning 158 games prior to his injury. He was a 4-time all star prior to the injury and had won a Cy Young Award.

After the injury, and missing an entire season, he returned as a reliever. He saved 154 games in three and a partial season as a reliever, making the all star team twice.

After transitioning back to a starter he won the rest of his 213 career victories, lead the national league in victories one season and made another all star team before calling it a career.

In all he pitched 21 seasons, 20 of which were in Atlanta. He split his final season with St. Louis and Boston.

Answer: Kerry Wood

Among the options only Wood was a pitcher.

After winning the 1998 rookie of the year award Wood missed the entire 1999 season with the injury.

He returned to the majors in 2000 and eventually lead the National League in strike outs, and innings pitched once each.

After a series of other injuries Wood transitioned into a relief pitcher and made an all star team as a reliever five years after making the team as a starter.

Wood pitched 14 seasons, retiring in 2012.

Answer: Anibal Sanchez

Among the options only Sanchez was a pitcher.

After having the Tommy John surgery, Sanchez successfully pitched in the majors from 2006-2015 without suffering another injury to his throwing arm, and was a top performer both the Marlins and Tigers over that decade.

Answer: Ryan Dempster

Among the options only Dempster was a pitcher.

In three years as a reliever following his surgery Dempster saved 87 games, but also served as a spot started six times.

Over those six starts he proved he could still perform as a starter and returned to the rotation in 2008, becoming an all star in his first season back as a starter.

He pitched a total of 16 seasons and retired in 2013 with 132 career victories.

Answer: Tim Hudson

Of the players, only Hudson was an all-star in 2010.

Hudson was an all-star twice in Oakland prior to his injury, once in Atlanta in 2010 and again for San Francisco in 2014.

In 2010 he had an era that was under 3 for the first time in his career since 2003.

Answer: Rafael Soriano

Of the options, only Soriano is a baseball player.

Soriano had his Tommy John surgery while a member of the Mariners, and returned to pitch several more years as a set up man.

Eventually he turned into a closer, and lead the majors in saves in 2010 during his first season with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Answer: Joakim Soria

Among the options available, only Soria played for all three teams mentioned.

In 2010 Soria had 43 saves and the Royals won just 67 games. In 2008 he had 42 saves and the Royals had just 75 wins.

Answer: A.J. Burnett

Burnett was the only pitcher among the options.

Burnett recorded a no-hitter in 2001. He led the National League in shutouts in 2002, and the American League in strikeouts in 2008.

He was a member of the 2009 World Series champion Yankees.

Answer: Rick Ankiel

Ankiel made his debut in 1999 for the St. Louis Cardinals at age 19, and pitched parts of three seasons with the team.

He won just 13 career games, 11 of them in one season.

After an abysmal performance in the 2000 playoffs, he was sent back to the minors, and eventually was demoted all the way back to rookie level baseball as he couldn't locate his pitches.

He made one more attempt at the big leagues in 2004, pitching in just 5 games and was again demoted due to control issues.

Eventually after his injury he retired.

He decided to make a comeback as an outfielder. He was assigned to a single-A team and played a season in the low minors while being paid the rest of his multi-million dollar deal.

He quickly rose through the minors and returned to the majors in 2007, hitting 11 home runs in 47 games.

He played another seven seasons as an outfielder after his failed pitching career.