Image: Wiki Commons by Arturo Pardavila III
About This Quiz
Baseball players work their entire lives for a shot at playing the sport on the professional level. The players who started playing at an early age probably received numerous awards and trophies growing up, from game balls in Little League to high school All-County selections. Of course, none of those honors are as valuable as receiving one of MLB's most prestigious awards, recognizing the greatest players on the planet.Â
Two of the highest honors a player can receive in MLB are the Most Valuable Player award, given to the best player in each league throughout a season, and the Cy Young Award, given to the best pitcher in each league across a season. These awards separate the athletes between those who are roster fillers needed to complete a professional team and all-time greats who will probably end up in the Hall of Fame when all is said and done.Â
Now, here's your chance to test your knowledge on those all-time greats who have defined the new millennium. Will you be able to identify them from an image, or are those early 2000s stars going to be your downfall?
It's time to see how well your knowledge stacks up against the competition. Get enough questions right, and you just might get your own MVP award.
Jeff Kent
Chipper Jones
Vladimir Guerrero
A nine-time All-Star and eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Vladimir Guerrero was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. He was a second ballot selection, receiving 92.9 percent of the vote.
Joe Mauer
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Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez earned a spot in the All-Star Game for three different teams during his lengthy career. He finished that career with 14 All-Star appearances, with his final selection coming in 2011.
Jeff Kent
Jason Giambi
Miguel Tejada
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Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw has not only won three NL Cy Young Awards but also won the 2014 NL MVP. That season, Kershaw led the National League in wins and ERA while also pitching a no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies.
Jake Peavy
Brandon Webb
R.A. Dickey
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Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard exploded onto the scene after his MLB debut in 2004, becoming one of the fastest players to hit 100 home runs and earn 1,000 runs batted in. However, injuries eventually took their toll on the slugger, and he was out of the league by 2016.
Jeff Kent
Jason Giambi
Ivan Rodriguez
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Jimmy Rollins
Jeff Kent
Dustin Pedroia
Dustin Pedroia had an outstanding rookie season in 2007 where he put together a 13-game hitting streak among other accomplishments. His play that season earned him the AL Rookie of the Year award.
Chipper Jones
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Dennis Eckersley
Greg Maddux
Pedro Martinez
Pedro Martinez helped the Boston Red Sox win the 2004 World Series, the team's first World Series title since 1918. The losing streak was known as the "Curse of the Bambino" because the Red Sox hadn't won a title since trading Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees.
John Smoltz
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Roger Clemens
After winning his first Cy Young Award in 1986, Roger Clemens went on to win six more by 2004. His accomplishments, however, have been tainted by his association with the steroid era in baseball, which has kept him out of the Hall of Fame so far.
Pedro Martinez
Roy Halladay
CC Sabathia
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Barry Zito
Felix Hernandez
Nicknamed "King Felix," the Seattle Mariners named a section of their stadium at Safeco Field "King's Court" to honor their star pitcher. The section is located in foul territory on the left-field side of the stands.
Jake Arrieta
Rick Porchello
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Barry Zito
Bartolo Colon
Though he hasn't officially retired, Bartolo Colon's career has been one of considerable length with accomplishments spread throughout. Debuting in 1997, the gifted pitcher made his first of four All-Star Games in 1998, but he didn't hit his first home run until 2016 when he was 42 years old.
Pat Hentgen
Johan Santana
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C.C. Sabathia
C.C. Sabathia has been one of the best left-handed pitchers in the game for nearly 20 years. A member of the 3,000 strikeout club, he has twice led the majors in wins while also earning six All-Star nods.
Barry Zito
Johan Santana
Bartolo Colon
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Johan Santana
The winner of two AL Cy Young Awards, Johan Santana completed a Triple Crown in 2006, the year he won his second award. A pitcher earns a Triple Crown when they lead the league in wins, strikeouts and earned run average.
Barry Zito
Felix Hernandez
David Price
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Rick Porcello
David Price
David Price put up his best numbers during his time with the Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers, but he wasn't able to capture a World Series title until he joined the Boston Red Sox. In 2018, Price helped the Red Sox defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in a five-game World Series.
Blake Snell
Dallas Keuchel
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Justin Morneau
Jimmy Rollins
After earning the NL MVP in 2007, Jimmy Rollins helped the Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series in 2008. During the series, he recorded five hits and scored four runs, though his batting average was only .227.
Jason Giambi
Juan Gonzalez
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Juan Gonzalez
Ivan Rodriguez
Jason Giambi
Miguel Tejada
In 2002, Miguel Tejada helped the Oakland Athletics reach the playoffs by winning the Western Division title after hitting 34 home runs. The Athletics roster, which supposedly had no stars on it, was featured in a book titled "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game."
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Chipper Jones
Jeff Kent
Sammy Sosa
Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds was the first player to beat the career home run record previously held by Hank Aaron. He also set the single-season home run record when he knocked 73 out the park in 2001, but this record is clouded by the steroid scandal.
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Barry Bonds
Alex Rodriguez
Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki finished his career with an incredible batting average at .353. Considering he played until he was 45, he probably would have beaten the all-time hit record if he hadn't spent the first half of his professional career in Japan.
Ken Griffey Jr.
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Miguel Cabrera
Miguel Cabrera is a home run threat anytime he steps up to the plate for an at-bat. During his career, he knocked over 450 balls over the back fence while helping his team score over 1,600 runs.
Manny Machado
Francisco Lindor
Nolan Arenado
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Bryce Harper
Mike Trout
Leading into the 2019 season, Mike Trout became the highest-paid player in baseball history when he signed a 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels. The contract was worth $426 million.
Joe Mauer
Jason Giambi
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Joe Mauer
Jeff Kent
Buster Posey
Joey Votto
Joey Votto has been a member of the Cincinnati Reds since he debuted in 2007. Prior to entering the majors, Votto was drafted with the 44th overall pick in the 2002 MLB draft by his current team.
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Buster Posey
After a devastating injury in 2011 from a home plate collision with Scott Cousins, Buster Posey was forced to miss most of the season. However, he was able to return in 2012 better than ever, earning both the NL MVP and NL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Kris Bryant
Jeff Kent
Chipper Jones
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Greg Maddux
Randy Johnson
Carrying the nickname "The Big Unit," Randy Johnson towered from the pitching mound at 6 feet, 10 inches. His size benefited his game, as he consistently threw over 100 miles per hour.
Tom Glavine
Roy Halladay
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Corey Kluber
Greg Maddux
Justin Verlander
justin Verlander's 2011 season was one for the ages. The right-handed pitcher won both the AL MVP and Cy Young Award after earning a Triple Crown by leading the league in wins, strikeouts and ERA.
Brandon Webb
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Greg Maddux
Zack Greinke
David Cone
Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay is one of a select group of players to pitch a perfect game by getting 27 straight outs without allowing a batter to reach base. He accomplished the feat in 2010 while playing against the Florida Marlins.
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Joey Votto
Ryan Braun
Joe Mauer
Josh Hamilton
Josh Hamilton fell from the top of MLB as quickly as he rose. After five straight All-Star appearances, which included an AL batting championship and AL MVP, Hamilton never made another All-Star Game and was out of the league three years later.
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Brandon Webb
Jake Peavy
Jacob deGrom
Max Scherzer
Max Scherzer joined an exclusive group of pitchers on May 14, 2017, when he pitched an immaculate inning against the Miami Marlins. He followed it up a year later by throwing another immaculate inning on June 5, 2018.
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Kris Bryant
Nolan Arenado
Bryce Harper
Bryce Harper had his eyes on the majors from a young age, and scouts recognized his talent, as he was taken with the number one overall draft pick in 2010 by the Washington Nationals. His dream finally came true when he debuted for the Nationals in 2012.
Paul Goldschmidt
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Blake Snell
Barry Zito
Corey Kluber
Corey Kluber helped the Cleveland Indians reach the 2016 World Series for the first time since 1997. Kluber won two games for the Indians in the series, but they ultimately lost in seven games.
Cliff Lee
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Carlos Correa
Mookie Betts
Mookie Betts' 2018 season was one for the ages. Not only did the young right fielder earn the AL MVP, but he also won the AL batting championship, the Gold Glove Award, the Silver Slugger Award and a World Series.
Aaron Judge
Robinson Cano
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Jacob deGrom
Jacob deGrom was only one first-place vote away from being selected unanimously as the NL Cy Young Award Winner in 2018, partly because he only had 10 wins on the season. He also finished fifth in MVP voting.
Tom Glavine
Brandon Webb
Jake Peavy
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R.A. Dickey
Jake Peavy
Jake Arrieta
Jake Arrieta pitched his first no-hitter during his NL Cy Young Award-winning season in 2015. The no-hitter was one of his 22 wins that season, which led MLB. He also finished the season with a 1.77 ERA.
Tom Glavine
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Sammy Sosa
Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols has been a star in the majors since 2001, primarily playing first base and designated hitter. As a power hitter, Pujols has batted .301 while racking up over 600 home runs during his career.
Ken Griffey Jr.
Barry Larkin
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Manny Machado
Carlos Correa
Aaron Judge
Giancarlo Stanton
After his MVP season in 2017, Giancarlo Stanton was traded by the Miami Marlins to the New York Yankees. The trade came only a few seasons after Stanton signed a 13-year contract in Miami.
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Blake Snell
Brandon Webb
Dallas Keuchel
Dallas Keuchel can do it all from the mound and not just when it comes to pitching. The 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner also has excellent fielding skills, earning four Gold Glove Awards between 2014 and 2018.
Jake Peavy
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Nolan Arenado
Carlos Correa
Manny Machado
Jose Altuve
Jose Altuve has earned five Silver Slugger Awards so far in his career. On top of that, he's been named the AL batting champion three times and has led the American League in stolen bases twice.
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John Smoltz
Tom Glavine
Eric Gagne
Eric Gagne was one of the rare closers to win a Cy Young Award. During a three-year stint as a closer, he strung together 84 straight saves, earning three All-Star appearances and two NL Rolaids Relief Man Awards.
Clayton Kershaw
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Jake Peavy
Brandon Webb
Eric Gagne
Chris Carpenter
A member of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame, Chris Carpenter helped the team win two World Series. His first championship with the team came in 2006 when they defeated the Detroit Tigers in five games.
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Chris Sale
Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant followed up his NL Rookie of the Year season in 2015 with an NL MVP season in 2016. However, he missed the All-Star Game in 2017 for the first time in his career and wouldn't return again until 2019.
Anthony Rizzo
Alex Bregman
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Christian Yelich
Kris Bryant
Mike Trout
Ryan Braun
Not long after his MVP season in 2011, Ryan Braun got caught up in the steroid scandal that has damaged baseball since the early 2000s. Since coming back from suspension, Braun has only made one All-Star Game.
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Brandon Webb
Tim Lincecum
Tim Lincecum was a central piece of the San Francisco Giants' three championships in the 2010s. He left the Giants in 2015, signing a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels in 2016, but he hasn't seen any action in the majors since then.
Roy Halladay
R.A. Dickey
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Rick Porcello
After joining the Boston Red Sox at the end of the 2014 season, Rick Porcello struggled throughout most of the 2015 season due to a nagging injury. However, once the injury healed, he was back to form, earning the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2016.
Cliff Lee
Barry Zito
Blake Snell
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