Baseball's Mixed Soup Trivia Quiz

Answer: Detroit Tigers

There were only nine playoff seasons in the decade with the 1994 season being cut short. The Braves appeared in seven postseason playoffs including five World Series. The Blue Jays went to three, including two World Series titles. Pittsburgh saw the playoffs in 1990, 1991, and 1992, but could not get past the NLCS.

The Tigers were in a slump. Their best season in the decade was a 1991 second place tie in the AL East with the Red Sox, finishing seven games back of the division winning Blue Jays.

Answer: Texas Rangers

Sosa was a Ranger rookie in 1989. After the all-star break, he was traded to the White Sox. In March 1992, Sammy was traded to the Cubs, where he stayed for 13 seasons. He was traded to the Orioles in 2005. Sosa then signed as a free-agent with the Rangers in 2007.

His four consecutive 50+ home run seasons set a record. They were 66 in 1998, 63 in 1999, 50 in 2000, and 64 in 2001. In 2002, he fell one short by hitting 49.

Answer: Nap Lajoie

Lajoie was a Philadelphia Athletic in 1901. His batting Triple Crown was still only good for the team's fourth place finish. The Chicago White Sox won the very first American League pennant in 1901.

Answer: 1-22

The Orioles started the season off by losing 21 consecutive games. They finished the season off with a 54-107 record, the worst of all MLB teams. It was the team's worst season since they moved from St. Louis in 1954. No pitcher won more than eight games.

They watched the Dodgers and Athletics go to the World Series. The Orioles would turn it around in 1989 with Frank Robinson's first full managerial season in Baltimore, with a 87-75 record.

Answer: 10-22

McLain was embroiled in drug and gambling allegations, so the Tigers traded the dead weight in October 1970 in a multi-player trade. It was McLain's and baseball's worst pitching season since 1966, when Dick Ellsworth of the Cubs went 8-22. Denny was on top of the heap at one point in his career, winning the 1968 MVP and Cy Young, then tying for the Cy Young in 1969.

He retired in 1972, then later found prison time due to his issues.

Answer: Oakland Athletics

Rickey played with all these teams, plus the Blue Jays, Mariners, Angels, and Red Sox. He played in 14 seasons with the Athletics. Henderson retired as the biggest thief in baseball, stealing 1406 bases. He retired in 2003.

Answer: Roy Sievers

The others were all winners of the Rookie of the Year award, but all were Brooklyn Dodgers in the National League. The award began in 1947 with another Dodger, Jackie Robinson, winning the inaugural award. Sievers was the only bright spot with his 1949 St. Louis Browns who went 53-101.

Answer: Ken Griffey Jr

2008 was Junior's 20th Major League season. He began it with 11 seasons in Seattle, then nine with the Reds. Frank Thomas joined the 500 club in 2007 as a member of the Blue Jays. Sosa reached the 600-mark in 2007 with the Rangers.

Answer: Connie Mack

Even after professional organized baseball began in 1871, the 21st century opened with Mack still being the only one to reach that milestone. He won an unreachable 3731 career games. This was mainly because he managed for 53 seasons. With all the wins came losses also, and he had plenty of those.

His career record was 3731-3948. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates for three seasons, then went on to manage the Philadelphia Athletics for 50. He retired in 1950. McGraw managed the Giants in four decades, leaving baseball with 2763 wins. McCarthy had 2125, and Huggins 1413. 2008 St. Louis Cardinal manager Tony LaRussa was in his 31st season of managing, and passed the 2400-win mark in the season.

In 2008, Tony was third on the all-time list behind Mack and McGraw. Also in 2008, Braves manager Bobby Cox passed the 2300-win mark after 27 seasons.

Answer: Wade Boggs

The others never won a batting title in the 1980s. Boggs of the Red Sox won five AL batting titles in the 1980s, batting .361, .368, .357, .363, and .366. Wade also played with the Yankees, and finished his career with Tampa Bay. He retired in 1999 after 18 seasons with a .328 career average. Padre Tony Gwynn was the runner-up for the decade by winning four batting titles.