About This Quiz
Baseball is one of the older sports in American history, and the MLB is the oldest of the "Big Four" leagues that includes the NBA, NHL, NFL and, of course, MLB. Baseball is America's pastime and has been enjoyed for well over 100 years by hundreds of millions of fans. The holy grail of the baseball world is the World Series, the culmination of a 162- game season and grueling playoff series.
It takes a lot for a team to win a World Series. You need great hitting, good defense and quality leadership to keep everyone on the same page. However, arguably, the essential aspect of winning comes down to pitching. From fastballs to sliders to change-ups, pitching is incredibly important to a team's success. Without good pitching, it can be tough to win a game, let alone a World Series. All the hitting in the world can't compensate for lackluster pitching.Â
Throughout history, there have been some truly legendary pitchers who have helped their teams reach new heights that they would never have reached otherwise. But how much do you know about these pitchers and the teams they helped to succeed? Do you have what it takes to name the team if we give you three of their best pitchers ever? If so, get your arm warmed up in the bullpen, and head out to the mound to test yourself against our quiz.
The New York Yankees are one of the most successful MLB franchises of all time. They have won 27 World Series titles and some of the best players on the planet have played for them, including the three iconic pitchers listed.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the most successful and valuable teams in the history of the MLB. Interesting fact: The Dodgers have produced 18 Rookie of the Year award winners, and no other team has even gotten 10.
While the St. Louis Cardinals might not get as much attention as some other teams in the big leagues, they are one of only two teams to ever win double-digit World Series championships (they have 11). The other is the New York Yankees (27).
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Since 1901, the team has been called the Detroit Tigers, making them the oldest one-name team in the AL and one of the oldest ever. While they have made it to the World Series 11 times, they have only won four of them.
While the Chicago Cubs have had amazing pitchers like the three listed throughout their history, they had a World Series drought of over 100 years. But finally, in 2016, they ended that and have been one of the best MLB teams since.
After being around in the MLB since 1962, the Astros finally secured their first-ever World Series win in 2017. Another fun fact about the team is that they were originally known as the Houston Colt .45s.
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While the Phillies have been a successful team, they played 77 seasons in the World Series-era MLB before they finally got their shot at the World Series in 1980. They would go on to win another World Series in 2008.
The Washington Nationals are one of the newest teams in the MLB as the Montreal Expos picked up and moved to the nation's capital in 2005. In recent years, they have found a lot of success in Washington and won division titles many times.
The three pitchers mentioned were all incredibly successful hurlers for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers were initially established as the Washington Senators in 1961, before becoming the Texas Rangers in 1972.
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While they have never won a World Series, the Seattle Mariners are the owners of the most wins in a single season, with 116. Unfortunately, that happened in 2001, which was also the last time they made the playoffs.
Founded in 1993, the Rockies are one of the newer teams in the MLB. They haven't yet won a World Series, but they made it to one in 2007 after they won 14 of their final 15 games of the regular season to make it into the playoffs.
The Athletics are one of the oldest teams in the big leagues and have enjoyed a lot of success. In particular, the 1970s were quite kind to them as they won three World Series titles in a row from 1972 to 1974.
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While they are often seen as the "little brother" to the New York Yankees, the Mets have found some success during their 50+ years in the majors. This success includes two World Series wins in 1969 and 1986.
The Boston Red Sox are without a doubt one of the most storied teams in history. Some of the best players ever have suited up for the club, and the team has won nine World Series championships. The most recent was in 2018.
The Blue Jays are unique as they are the only remaining Canadian MLB team after the Montreal Expos left in 2004. The Jays have had a successful history since joining the MLB in 1977 and even won back to back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.
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While the Miami Marlins are one of only two teams to never win a division title, the team has taken home two World Series wins, in 1997 and 2003. They have only made the playoffs twice, winning the World Series both times.
The first season in the MLB for the Los Angeles Angels, who are actually based in Anaheim, California, was in 1961. During their history, they have won one World Series, when they turned a Wild Card berth into a championship victory in 2002.
The Giants are one of the most established and oldest professional baseball teams, and they have more wins than any other club. The three pitchers mentioned are responsible for hundreds of those wins.
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Not only are the Atlanta Braves old, but they are recognized as the oldest continuously operating baseball team in history, having been founded in 1871. Throughout their storied history, they have won only three World Series titles.
Despite being tied for the title of newest MLB team (only being founded in 1998), the Diamondbacks have already found a lot of success. In fact, they won a World Series in 2001, being the quickest expansion team in MLB history to win a title.
While the Padres are sometimes forgotten among California teams, they are actually one of only two California-based teams that originated in the state. Also, since the Chargers moved to L.A., the Padres are the only pro sports team left in the city of San Diego.
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A member of the MLB since 1901, the White Sox have been around for well over 100 years. They have won three World Series championships and were a part of the biggest scandal in baseball history, the Black Sox scandal of 1919.
With the Cubs finally winning the World Series in 2016, the Indians now own the largest championship drought in the league, not having won a World Series since 1948. Many thought they were primed to win it in 2017, especially during their AL-record 22-game win streak.
The Royals have had a lot of ups and downs throughout their history. The franchise came on strong soon after its creation, only to miss the playoffs over 25 straight seasons, and then went on to go to back to back World Series.
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Early on in their history, the Pirates were incredibly successful and even played in the first-ever World Series. However, in recent decades, it has been a bit more difficult, and they haven't been to a World Series since 1979.
The Baltimore Orioles have been a team in the MLB since 1901 and have accumulated three World Series championships in their history. However, they haven't won one since 1983, so they are due.
The Tampa Bay Rays came into the MLB in 1998, but their first decade in the majors didn't go well. However, the team rallied and added some pieces, and in their next decade, began making the playoffs fairly regularly and enjoyed some success.
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The Twins have a unique history in the MLB. They entered the league as the Kansas City Blues in 1894, before becoming the Washington Senators in 1901. They stayed there until 1961 when they officially became the Minnesota Twins.
When they first entered the league in 1969, the Milwaukee Brewers were known as the Seattle Pilots. However, after only a single season, the team moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers.
The Cincinnati Reds were one of the very first teams to join the NL and have remained in the same city for well over 120 years. They have won five World Series titles, most recently in 1990.
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