Can You Knock This Baseball Knowledge Quiz Out of the Park?

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Knock This Baseball Knowledge Quiz Out of the Park?
Image: Sam Edwards / OJO Images / Getty Images

About This Quiz

If you're a sports fan in America, you probably grew up playing or at least watching baseball. There's a reason that it's America's pastime, after all. The sport attracts thousands of fans to ballparks all around the country from the little leagues where kids play tee-ball to the majors where the best players in the world compete.

With such high interest in the game, it's probably not a bad idea to dive into the various aspects of the sport that are both interesting and necessary when it comes to understanding how it works. From the rules to field positions to areas of the field, there is so much baseball knowledge to be absorbed that many casual fans have a difficult time remembering it all. 

Which type of baseball fan are you? Do you have a deep understanding of the ins and outs of the game, an understanding that you carry with you as you coach your kid's baseball teams throughout their childhood? Maybe your knowledge is much more limited than that, and you're OK with just enjoying an afternoon at the ballpark. Either way, this quiz will allow you to find out which side of the spectrum you stand on. 

When you're ready, step up to the plate and see if you can run up the score.

14 2016_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game
Wiki Commons by U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Chad M. Trudeau
A typical MLB game has how many innings?
4
6
9
11
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1919, the New York Yankees played the Philadelphia Phillies in the shortest nine-inning game ever played. The Yankees managed to walk away with the victory in a game that only lasted 51 minutes.

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17 Flying baseball pitch
DustyPixel / E+ / Getty Images
Are you familiar with the number of outs a defense needs to get off the field?
Two
Three
Four
Five
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A baseball pitcher completes an immaculate inning when they get three straight outs with every pitch resulting in a strike. The last player to achieve an immaculate inning was Stephen Strasburg on July 3, 2019, against the Miami Marlins.

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6 Baseball run
Matt_Brown / E+ / Getty Images
Are you familiar with how many points a run is worth?
One
Three
Six
Seven
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Hall of Fame slugger Hank Aaron holds the MLB record for the most runs batted in during a career. The 25-time All-Star finished his career with 2,297 runs batted in and also set the career home run record which has since been broken.

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5 Baseball designated hitter
Fancy/Veer/Corbis / Corbis / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
Who comes into the game on offense to bat but doesn't play defense?
Power hitter
Main hitter
Designated hitter
Lead hitter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After joining the Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz eventually settled into the role of a designated hitter, becoming one of the greatest in the game. In this role, Ortiz set the Red Sox single-season home run record when he slammed 54 homers in the 2006 season.

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7 Baseball pitch outside strike zone
David Madison / DigitalVision / Getty Images
When a pitcher throws the baseball outside of the strike zone, it's called what?
Out
Miss
Foul
Ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

No player in the history of the game has given up more bases on balls than Nolan Ryan, who played from 1966 until 1993. Throughout that lengthy career, Ryan allowed 2,795 batters to reach base.

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1 Home run
Donald Miralle / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Do you know what it's called if the baseball is hit over the back fence?
Home run
Single
Out
Touchdown
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The home run era started with Babe Ruth when he was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees. Ruth first eclipsed 50 home runs in the 1920 season and would go on doing it three more times in his career.

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18 Jeter Error
Wiki Commons by Flickr user Keith Allison
If a fielder misses a ground ball that allows a runner to advance, the fielder has committed what?
A penalty
A foul
An error
An out
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A single error on a play is enough to get bad looks from fans and analysts, but when a team commits multiple errors on a play, it can look like a complete disaster. That's exactly what happened to the Los Angeles Dodgers when they committed three errors on one game in 2014 against the San Diego Padres.

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13 Baseball pitcher
Matt_Brown / E+ / Getty Images
Can you remember what a pitcher who comes in to replace the starter in a game is called?
Relief pitcher
Backup pitcher
Secondary pitcher
Finishing pitcher
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mariano Rivera became a legend for the New York Yankees as a relief pitcher on a skilled roster that won five World Series. Nicknamed "Sandman," Rivera even won the World Series MVP in 1999 after obtaining a win and two saves.

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10 Strike out
RBFried / E+ / Getty Images
A batter is called out after how many strikes?
Two
Three
Four
Five
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Reggie Jackson is a Hall of Fame player, but he also holds the MLB record for the most strikeouts by a batter. Finishing his career with a .262 batting average and 563 home runs, he was known as a player who truly swung for the fences.

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23 Stealing base
hh5800 / E+ / Getty Images
A runner has accomplished what if they make it from one base to another without the batter hitting the ball?
Dunk
Progression
Assist
Steal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rickey Henderson was by far the greatest player ever when it came to stealing bases, finishing his career with a total of 1,406 stolen bases. The next closest player is Lou Brock with 938.

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19 Catcher
quavondo / E+ / Getty Images
Which position kneels behind a batter to receive a pitch?
Catcher
Center fielder
Baseman
Receiver
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yogi Berra was a Hall of Fame catcher for the New York Yankees who helped the team win 10 World Series titles. Other accomplishments from the Yankees great include three AL MVPs and 18 All-Star appearances.

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12 Baseball home plate
jgareri / E+ / Getty Images
If you want to score a run in baseball, what point on the field do you have to reach?
Fourth base
Home plate
Scoring plate
End zone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1931 New York Yankees hold the MLB record for the most runs ever scored in a single season with 1,067 runs. That team included Hall of Fame players like Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth and Earl Combs.

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24 Baseball batter ball
Sam Edwards / OJO Images / Getty Images
Where does a batter go if they're hit with the baseball?
Dugout
Home plate
First base
Second base
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's not uncommon for a pitcher, particularly in a rivalry, to hit an opposing player with the baseball on purpose, often in revenge for a past argument. Of course, this often results in a brawl where benches from both teams run onto the field.

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16 Bullpen
Wiki Commons by User laffy4k on Flickr
Where does a pitcher who is about to come into the game go to warm up their arm?
Pitcher's cage
Pitcher's mound
Dugout
Bullpen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1990 Cincinnati Reds had one of the best trios of bullpen pitchers the game has ever seen. Made up of Norm Charlton, Rob Dibble and Randy Myers, they were called the "Nasty Boys," and they were just that, racking up 44 saves with 351 strikeouts.

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2 Shortstop
David Madison / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Which position on the field stands between second and third base?
Center fielder
Left fielder
Catcher
Shortstop
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cal Ripken Jr., who spent his entire 21-year career with the Baltimore Orioles, split time between shortstop and third base. Ripken was known for his durability, starting 2,632 straight games before finally taking himself out of the lineup in 1998.

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30 Major League Baseball
Wiki Commons by Coastal Elite from Halifax, Canada
Are you familiar with what the top league in professional baseball is called?
Majors
Minors
Premiers
Top tiers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Major League Baseball is comprised of 30 teams split between the American League and the National League. Twenty-nine of those teams are located in the United States, and one, the Toronto Blue Jays, is located in Canada.

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9 Runner sliding into base
RBFried / E+ / Getty Images
Where must a runner be if they don't want to get tagged out?
Pitcher's mound
On the baseline
In the infield
On base
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the modern game, baseball bases are made of rubber, which is measured 15 inches by 15 inches. These bases are anchored into the ground by a metal tube that is attached to concrete inside the ground.

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28 Baseball bunting
Randy Faris / Corbis / Getty Images
Which term describes a ball that is barely tapped by a batter to make fielding it difficult?
Bunt
Crack
Single
Base hit
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ichiro Suzuki, who retired in 2019, was one of the best bunters during his time in the majors. His bunting ability is one of the reasons he finished his career with a .353 batting average and 1,278 hits.

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25 Pitcher grand slam
MichaelSvoboda / E+ / Getty Images
A grand slam results in how many points?
Two
Three
Four
Five
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2016, the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series since 1908, which was the longest drought in MLB history at the time. Part of the reason they won was thanks to a grand slam hit by Addison Russell in Game 6, which the Cubs needed to extend the series to a seventh game.

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3 Batters box
Donald Miralle / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Geared up and ready to go, where does an offensive player stand to bat?
Batter's box
Batter's circle
Batter's plate
Batter's cage
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pete Rose was a master in the batter's box, where he would change his stance depending on the pitcher and where he wanted to place the ball. Throughout his career, Rose had 4,246 hits with a .303 batting average.

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15 Baseball pitcher
RBFried / E+ / Getty Images
What do you call a pitch that looks like a fastball but is actually much slower?
Curveball
Change-up
Slider
Knuckleball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tom Glavine was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball history, mostly thanks to his ability to throw a change-up. This pitch was a major reason he won at least 20 games in five different seasons.

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21 Tie game
Will & Deni McIntyre / Photodisc / Getty Images
Do you know what happens if a game is tied after the ninth inning?
Extra innings
Additional innings
Overtime
Ends in a tie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

During a 1981 game in the minor leagues, the Pawtucket Red Sox played the Rochester Red Wings in a contest that lasted 33 innings. The game spanned three different days and finally ended with a score of 3-2.

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33 Baseball dugout
Donald Miralle / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Where do players wait while their teammates are batting on offense?
Sideline
Penalty box
Dugout
Stands
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dugouts can be both a place for celebration and a place where feuds run high, resulting in arguments between teammates. In 2015, the Washington Nationals watched two of their players, Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon, go at it in the dugout after they were eliminated from the playoff race.

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38 Baseball player standing on base
Stocktrek / Stocktrek / Getty Images
Who comes into a game to replace a runner on base?
Lead runner
Star runner
Power runner
Pinch runner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Herb Washington, a track star, was one of the first players whose only purpose on a team was to pinch run for players who reached base. Washington only played baseball for two seasons with the Oakland Athletics, but he did win a World Series in 1974.

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4 Baseball team
bruceman / E+ / Getty Images
How many defensive players take the field for a team?
Five
Seven
Nine
11
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Each year, the best defensive players in both leagues at each of the nine positions on the field receiver a Gold Glove Award. Greg Maddux has the most Gold Glove Awards overall with 18. He won 13 of those awards consecutively.

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26 Baseball line drive
Matt_Brown / E+ / Getty Images
What's it called when a batter hits a ball with a level trajectory?
Fly ball
Ground ball
Speedball
Line drive
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A line drive can be one of the most dangerous hits in baseball because they come unexpectedly in any direction at an extremely high speed. Line drives into the stands have become a concern in recent years, as they have resulted in several injuries to fans.

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11 umpire
RBFried / E+ / Getty Images
Who is responsible for calling a game to make sure the rules are enforced?
Referee
Official
Umpire
Judge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

For the first time in professional baseball, a robotic umpire called a game during a 2019 minor league All-Star bout. The decision to use the robotic umpire is part of baseball's desire to have a faster game to increase fan support.

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31 Baseball batter
Mike Powell / Stockbyte / Getty Images
In a batting lineup, who bats first?
Starting hitter
Leadoff hitter
First hitter
Position one
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Leadoff hitters are responsible for setting the tone of the game, not by necessarily knocking a homer, but by getting on base. One of the best at this was Rickey Henderson, who reached base 40 percent of the time.

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40 Playing baseball
David Madison / Photodisc / Getty Images
An at bat has reached which mark when there are three balls and two strikes?
Full count
Last pitch
End count
Swing pitch
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The best pitchers and batters will use the pitch count to determine how they will handle the next pitch that occurs. Batters, for example, may give up an early strike to gauge how the pitcher is going to attack them.

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32 Batter striking ball
RBFried / E+ / Getty Images
What is it called when a batter wins the game on their last at bat?
Go ahead
Finishing hit
Walk off
Mega slam
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates were the first team to win a World Series with a walk-off home run when they defeated the New York Yankees in seven games. The Yankees were heavily favored in the series, but the Pirates won four close games to clinch the win.

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34 Swinging bat
RUNSTUDIO / DigitalVision / Getty Images
A batter should never do what with the bat?
Tap the base with it
Throw it
Break it
Swing it
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Baseball, more so than other sports, has a tradition of sportsmanship that players are supposed to follow. Aside from not throwing the bat, players are also not expected to showboat after they hit a home run unless they want to face the fury of the opposing team.

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37 Slugger
RBFried / E+ / Getty Images
How many hits does it take to complete a hit for the cycle?
Two
Three
Four
Five
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

On June 14, 2019, Jake Bauers became the 327th player and the most current batter to complete a hit for the cycle. He accomplished the feat against the Detroit Tigers in only his first full season in the majors.

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35 running past base
David Madison / Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images
Do you know which base on the field a runner is allowed to run past without being called out?
First
Second
Third
None
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Few players defended first base quite as well as Lou Gehrig, who played for the New York Yankees during their early dynasty years. Gehrig wasn't just a great defender, though, as he proved to be one of the most lethal batters in New York's "Murderers' Row."

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8 Baseball field
David Madison / Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images
The outside of the first base and third base mark which part of the field?
Outfield
Foul lines
Infield
End zone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Two large polls mark foul lines on the back fence to help determine if a ball is still in play. That doesn't mean that there still aren't controversial calls, which have become a center of debate as video replay gets more popular.

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22 Curve ball
Willowpix / E+ / Getty Images
Can you name the pitch where a ball rotates outside the strike zone before reentering it near the batter?
Splitfinger fastball
Knuckleball
Curveball
Slider
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sandy Koufax, who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, possessed one of the most lethal curveballs in MLB history. He used the pitch to throw a perfect game and four no-hitters during his career.

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20 Pitcher
Paul Bradbury / OJO Images / Getty Images
A pitcher has achieved what accomplishment if no batter reaches base throughout an entire game?
Triple crown
Complete game
Shutout
Perfect game
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first player in the modern era of baseball to throw a perfect game was Cy Young in 1904 against the Philadelphia Athletics. The game helped cement Young's place as one of the best pitchers of all time, which is why the Cy Young Award is named after him.

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39 Bases loaded
Wiki Commons by Cygnusloop99
When every base has a runner on it, it's called what?
Heavy
Loaded
Full
Packed
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Occasionally, power hitters are walked on purpose to load the bases in the hopes that the next batter won't fair as well. This play sometimes pays off until a batter hits a home run to give their team four points.

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29 Baseball pitcher mitt
Image Source / DigitalVision / Getty Images
The best pitcher on a team is often referred to by what name?
King
Starter
Closer
Ace
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Randy Johnson spent his Hall of Fame career as an ace pitcher on six different teams across the league. His five Cy Young Awards and 10 All-Star appearances are evidence of just how great he was on the mound.

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36 Baseball action
jgareri / E+ / Getty Images
A pitcher and a catcher make up what?
Relay
Lead
Load
Battery
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Beginning in 1925, Lefty Grove and Mickey Cochrane formed one of the best batteries that the baseball world has ever seen. The two players had Hall of Fame careers where they won two World Series together with the Philadelphia Athletics.

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27 Bruce_Bochy_2007
Wiki Commons by dennis on Flickr
Who is responsible for overseeing a baseball team in their on-field endeavors?
Head coach
Field manager
General manager
President of operations
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Currently, Bruce Bochy is the longest-tenured manager who has been with the same team in MLB. Bochy has managed the San Francisco Giants since 2006, leading the team to three World Series titles.

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You Got:
/40
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