Only The Biggest Baseball Fan Will Remember All These 2000s MLB Stars
- by Dylan Jacob
- – on
- in Sports
Opening Day has come and there's already so many major injuries in baseball. Madison Bumgarner may not be back until June, Justin Turner's loss will hurt the Dodgers, and the Yankees may not know if they can trust Greg Bird long-term after another devastating injury. Maybe Bryce Harper will want to play first base if he signs there?
To celebrate the new baseball season and the never-changing seasons in Florida, let's talk baseball from the 2000s. As is customary with these quizzes, no active players so no Dustin Pedroia, no Felix Hernandez, etc. A new wrinkle here is that the cutoff for most recent big-league game is 2015, so Carlos Beltran, Alex Rodriguez, and David Ortiz are all ineligible for this quiz.
If you're enough of a baseball fan to where you buy the MLB.TV package and you're going to rock all your gear for the next six months, you won't have any problems here. If you're a casual fan who really only got into the game a few years ago, this will be a fun quiz for you too as you test your knowledge and see what you can learn about what the game was like when Bud Selig was commissioner.
As baseball is a sport where players can play overseas rather than the big leagues, there are no currently active players on this list in any capacity. We promise.
If you don't remember this ex-Yankee, it's probably closing time
We want you to take this quiz, we promise. We just think that this is the easiest question on here and you should know the answer without even reading the description. Are the Yankee pinstripes not enough? What about the pun in the intro? You and I both know that you know who this is, so why are you still reading this description? Are you expecting us to leak the answer? Please, just answer this and move onto the hard questions.
Potential future Hall of Famer best remembered for his Texas days
While the Rangers didn't make the postseason during the 2000s, they had plenty of All-Star positional players. It was the pitching that did them in. Just ask Alex Rodriguez. But when the Rangers were a constant last place contender in the AL West, this All-Star Game MVP was a reliable bat that could keep the team in the games both with his hits and his defense. It's just too bad he never won a title in Texas. Who was this?
Gold Glove defense with some power
You'll be surprised at how many Padres wind up here, but don't forget that this team was mostly competitive from 2004-07. Part of their better seasons came when they had this Gold Glove outfielder taking hits away with...well, his glove...and providing a steady bat in the lineup. He was also one of those players that Yankees fans seemingly always wanted because he was seemingly always rumored to wind up in pinstripes. Have you figured out just who this is yet?
We might see this former Cardinal in the Hall of Fame...
There's some momentum generating for this former Cardinals All-Star to wind up in the Hall of Fame, though incoming strong classes may limit his chances. Next year is going to have Mariano Rivera and Roy Halladay likely making it as first-balloters with Edgar Martinez nearly a lock in his final year on the ballot. Can we get this fan favorite in St. Louis his own plaque? Maybe not anytime soon, but I think it'll happen one day. Who was this?
The porn stache and a power bat too
This first baseman was more dirty than you'll remember, what with the porn stache and him rocking the "rally thong" in the Yankees locker room. There also was the whole thing with BALCO, but who are we to (Aaron) judge when we're writing about baseball players from a decade ago in hopes of reliving nostalgia? In all seriousness, this former All-Star gets a bad rep that should be erased when he gets a managerial job in the coming years. Who is this?
Underrated (and sometimes overrated) Red Sox pitcher
How is it possible to be overrated and underrated? Maybe it's the sabermetrics movement talking, but I feel like this pitcher didn't get his dues when he was still really good, but got accused of living off his old days when he was struggling. It ain't easy making all those millions and carrying the World Series to a World Series win, I guess. And no, CC Sabathia winning a Cy Young over him wasn't a mistake. Who was this ace?
Hall of Fame caliber pitcher, but plagued by other problems
Those "other problems" and the answers may have already tipped you off to who this is, but I genuinely think we're going to see this former Diamondbacks All-Star in the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later. Yes, he's had some post-baseball controversies and he has a knack for saying the wrong thing, but his stats are much more appreciated in the sabermetric area and the "character clause" only goes so far to this point. Who was this All-Star pitcher?
A bright spot in Tampa Bay before Evan Longoria and friends...
There really weren't many bright spots in Tampa Bay prior to 2008, we know. Carl Crawford and Scott Kazmir each had their moments and you had guys like Aubrey Huff shine too, but you really had players like this who were acceptable, but also good enough to get the job done for a team which couldn't really do much of anything. And no, this guy is not any of the above three players as you probably already figured out. Who is this?
If only this Gold Glover could stay healthy...
We talk about careers being in the balance, but what's worse than seeing a player with the skills to make the Hall of Fame struggle with injuries and never regain his old form? It sucks, to put it bluntly. At least we did get to see this former All-Star make a comeback a few years ago and show flashes of his old self in other stops, but he certainly wasn't the player he was in Cleveland a decade ago. Who was this?
An all-around utility man who could do it all for everyone
With football players, some say it's easy to make a living on the practice squad. Baseball is more or less the same if you're a utility man who can play all sorts of positions and chime in with the bat too. Ronald Torreyes isn't far from being traded by the Yankees to hold down an infield spot for a rebuilding team in need of some depth just because of how versatile he is. Who was this former Mariner who excelled at that?
A really easy one, even if you don't want to remember his Mets tenure
Some Mets fans might want to remember his tenure in orange and blue, but those two collapses in 2007 and 2008 still sting...which raises questions as to why the Mets clubhouse plays songs from those two years. Is it an attempt at humor? Does anyone know the answer? Anyways, the Mets got two strong years from this Hall of Famer with the other two involving injuries, though he did look semi-sharp when he returned to action in 2007. Who was this?
Powerful home run hitter for the Royals and others
I thought this former Royal was closer to 300 home runs than his 214 show, but health issues and him playing his last game at 34 might be the reason for that. Baseball stats only recently started making sense! This guy was a journeyman who ended his career as part of those ragtag, veteran-filled 2010 San Francisco Giants which somehow won a World Series in what was the start of a dynasty, but that was it. Interesting. Who was this?
A rare bright spot in post-Ripken Baltimore
If you're an Orioles fan only now becoming frustrated with the organization and what's going to happen with Manny Machado, you should have been there a decade ago. The Orioles were usually a second division team to the Yankees and Red Sox with basically nothing to cheer about - aside from when this second baseman was healthy, which he usually was until we got to the 2010s. He could hit, he could steal bases, and he was a fan favorite. What more could you ask for? Aside from wins.
Former Cubbie currently hated by Yankees fans
Yankees fans hate a lot of players, this much is true and I know it because I am indeed a Yankees fan, but this former Cub has a special place in their hearts for intentionally hitting Alex Rodriguez. (Though I love A-Rod, I'm indifferent because A-Rod got him back with a home run.) Try that holier than thou someplace else, all the Yankees fans said, but we'd have been fine if he landed in pinstripes. You remember who this was, right?
Don't forget how crafty this lefty could be
I'm sure you've seen this former Mets star plenty of times since his retirement following the 2005 season, but let's think back to his playing days as a solid No. 2 starter who could occasionally be the ace when his team needed him to be. We all remember what he did against the Cincinnati Reds in that 1999 one-game playoff for the Wild Card, right? You've probably figured out who this crafty lefty is, so go and answer the question already.
This lifelong Phillie (and Giant) had quite the bat
Before making the playoffs in 2007 and winning the World Series in 2008 because the Mets collapsed both years, there were oh so many highlights for Phillies fans. Having an All-Star like this who had serious pop in his bat helped, but it was tough when the Braves and Mets were always competing for playoff spots. At least this Philadelphia fan favorite got to win that World Series in 2008 before departing for greener pastures. Do you remember who this was?
A forgotten Dodger with an L.A. personality
Having an L.A. personality isn't an insult, we promise. It just means that it's someone who has starpower and embraces their celebrity status without being a Charles Dickens about it. This Dodger's time in L.A. was brief in part because he was getting older and in part because the Dodgers had a ton of prospects coming through the ranks but fans seemed to really like him. Maybe who his wife was helped. Do you remember who this celebrating Dodger is?
Twins fans would love to see this former ace come back
I seem to be in the minority of thinking the Twins will have a winning year this year, though part of that is because they're going to beat up on the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox a combined 38 times from March to October. But if the Twins had this former ace still in the rotation at his peak, they might even be American League Central fronturnners. We don't talk about this Twins star as much as we should. Who was this?
A World Series champion with the Angels
Yes, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim once won the World Series, all the way back in 2002. Mike Trout was seven years away from being drafted, nine from making his big-league debut, and ten from winning Rookie of the Year. Oh, and 12 from actually winning an MVP, which he definitely should have more of. When Trout was still reading comic books, Angels fans depended on this fan favorite to bring them happiness and clutch hits. Who was this?
Perennial Cy Young contender in Arizona
Are the Diamondbacks going to be as good as they were last year in 2018? Losing J.D. Martinez hurts and there's questions in the rotation, but they should at least having another winning season. That division is the Dodgers' to lose, even in 2018. Back when the Dodgers were mediocre to barely good enough, the Diamondbacks had this star pitcher leading their rotation and making a Cy Young case each year. You have to remember who this tall guy was, right?
You deserve that curtain call
Discussing the moment that led to this curtain call would spoil too much, so let's try to simplify it. This was a player drafted by the Cardinals who had personal issues that kept him away from the game a bit before he came back. When he did make it back, he hit a long three-run home run in his first game back at Busch Stadium. Really heartwarming stuff that gets even better when you read his book. Who was this?
Another annual Cy Young contender (and winner)
Because this Cardinals ace lasted into the early 2010s, you shouldn't have any issues remembering who this was. He's a former Cy Young winner who helped the Cardinals to a World Series in 2006 and carried them in 2011, even though he battled injuries for a fair portion of his tenure in St. Louis. When the Cardinals wind up honoring him in some form, you shouldn't be anything close to surprised. Do you remember who the 2005 NL Cy Young winner was?
All-Star third baseman with a brief stay in Toronto
For a time in the mid-to-late 2000s, it seemed like more and more veterans were going north of the border and the Blue Jays were relying on them as opposed to young players. Frank Thomas did it. Lyle Overbay did it. Omar Vizquel even did it in 2012! So we shouldn't have been surprised that this four-time All-Star third baseman did it, either. His time there wasn't too memorable as he was there only a season and a half, but do you remember him?
Speedy, agile outfielder notably for the Giants
Barry Bonds had all of the hype surrounding him in San Francisco for good reason, but the Giants had some other good players too. Take this veteran journeyman outfielder who was better than we credit for and had field days in AT&T Park, especially with his knowledge of when to take the extra base. If you're a Giants fan who was on board before the dynasty, you should have no issues getting this one right. If you're not, just try it.
Why isn't this ex-Cardinal in the Hall of Fame?
I'm not going to say too much because I'll wind up spoiling it, but that this perennial Gold Glover and National League MVP candidate has gotten no support from voters is ridiculous. He first hit the ballot when the sabermetric movement was first taking off, so what's the deal? I know it's not Ballot Season, but this is a reminder to all voters that when he's next on the ballot, he deserves a spot in Cooperstown. Who was this star Cardinal?
The legendary knuckleballer himself
Legendary may not be the right word, but this longtime Red Sox pitcher certainly hung around longer than people expected to thanks to that floating knuckler. The pitch even helped him make the 2009 All-Star Game out of nowhere, but it also cost the Red Sox a chance at the 2003 World Series. Wait, Grady little was mainly responsible for that. You should have figured out who this former Red Sox pitcher was, so we'll let you answer it. Slowly. Like a knuckler.
Every Yankees fan is glaring at me
Look, there were years when this former Yankees bust looked like an actual star and someone who would perfectly represent the 2000s. In a way, this former All-Star did exactly that as the Yankees bought highly on him and it blew up in his face, injured butt and all. It's not good when Brian Cashman, who is slightly passive-aggressive, bluntly calls you a liar and says it's hard to trust you. Wonderful. Every Yankee fan should get this one right.
Fan favorite in Pittsburgh, even in the losing years
There weren't many highlights for Pirates fans from 1993-2012 unless you were a fan of the Steelers, Penguins, or 76ers. But this star gave fans something to root for in those years before he finished his career in other spots. You may not even remember him coming up and rising to prominence with the Pirates, though that's called memory repression if you're a fan of the black and yellow. Is it coming back to you yet who this might be?
Left-handed ace who couldn't stay healthy
Injuries are no fun, especially when they make a bright young left-handed pitcher lose everything he had and force him to retire early. At least this former Cardinal found his calling in TV and became a popular analyst in the years after, but we want to think about when he was healthy and mowing hitters down with ease. I think you'll be able to get this one right, but this also might be one of the harder ones. Try your luck!
Former Royals captain and one of their lone highlights
Like the Pirates and Rays, the Royals were mostly disappointing for the 2000s...although the Rays did make the 2008 World Series and the Royals at least had a winning season in 2003. Lost in the future gang of Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain, and friends was this designated hitter that was often their lone All-Star representative. At least the Cardinals were winning across Missouri and the Chiefs were competitive? This is the one you might have the most challenge with, so good luck!
And now all the Mets fans are glaring at me
We're not allowed to talk about this former Mets outfielder in the state of New York because of how bad a bust he was, but is it possible he just struggled in year one and never regained his previous form because of that nasty concussion in July 2010? Before he wound up in Queens, this All-Star outfielder had almost a cult following among major market teams who thought their team would be the one to trade for him. Who was this?
Remember this durable Indians starter?
From 2000-09, this veteran right-hander averaged 30 starts a season with a 12-10 record and a 4.18 ERA in 186 innings. There were some seasons where the ERA was higher than others, but he was durable and could make every start the team needed him to while soaking up much-needed innings. There will always be a place for pitchers like that, even if free agency isn't what it once was. Just ask C.C. Sabathia and Bartolo Colon. Who was this?
Don't pitch to this pitcher. Seriously.
Say what you want about there being a time for the National League to just add the designated hitter and that time being now, but pitchers like this former Cubs All-Star could hit with the best of them. He'd strikeout and look silly plenty of times, but when he did make contact, there was a legitimate chance of the ball leaving the park. Can we see one more homer from CC Sabathia this season? Who was this tempered Cubs pitcher?
Underrated outfielder who battled injuries
There are plenty of players on this quiz who had prolonged careers, but could have had such better numbers and personal - and even team - success had they been able to stay healthy. This longtime outfielder did stay healthy and played 15 seasons in the big leagues, though had limited playoff experience because he played for the Pirates and Padres. At least the Padres were somewhat competitive in the 2000s, part of that because they had his reliable bat in the lineup. Who was this?
"El Caballo" himself
You know why they called this heavy outfielder "El Caballo", which is Spanish for the horse? Put your dirty jokes away because there's two meanings. First, this All-Star would carry the team on his back like a horse. Yeah, we don't get it either. The other meaning actually comes from him raising horses to race and compete for competitions. Pitchers could at least relax knowing they could throw without having to worry about him running like a horse. Who was this?