Sporcle Saturday: Rookie dingers

May 12, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn (25) scores against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning!

One of the many delights of the White Sox season thus far has been the rather remarkable story of Andrew Vaughn. None of us here need a recapitulation of the highlights, but if you went back to early Spring Training and told me that Vaughn would not just be a rookie DH, but also be:

  • Andrew Vaughn, everyday outfielder
  • Andrew Vaughn, defensive outfield replacement
  • Andrew Vaughn, second baseman (for one game, but still)

…I would have assumed things went south in a hurry. And, in a way, they did; it’s just that for seemingly every hurdle thrown in their path (and Andrew Vaughn’s), the White Sox have navigated the obstacles admiringly.

Asked to learn a new position on the fly while simultaneously facing the best pitching of his career, all Vaughn has done entering Friday night’s game against the Rays? A slash line of .263/.335/.462 (118 OPS+), along with 37 extra base hits. 15 of those have been for home runs, which puts Vaughn firmly in the middle of the pack of White Sox rookie home run leaders and 6 weeks yet to go.

Today’s Sporcle will celebrate those rookie home run leaders: in franchise history, 37 players have knocked out 10 or more dingers in a season. How many can you name? Good luck!

Quiz Parameters

  • I’ve allotted 10 minutes for completion attempts.
  • For hints, I’ve provided the year, number of home runs, and position of the player in question.

Useless information to amaze, annoy, confuse, and/or confound your friends and family:

  • The average triple-slash of the players on this list: .270/.328/.458
  • Three players on this list ultimately won Rookie of the Year.

(Photo Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)

Direct link here

All data from stathead.com

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roke1960

35/37, but got the other 2 (2013 3b and 1998 of) before looking at the answers.

roke1960

Another great quiz, Ted!

asinwreck

Agreed!

Flitcraft

This wuiz? Fantastic.

Came here to write this, extra pleased to join in because others have already sent you plaudits.

FTR, I’m never in KenWoville — or his bro or VAIW, to name a few. I always click through to the main site, take the quiz there so I can see the stats. Always looking to get every name that 50% or more of us punters get correctly, plus some sweet bonus from the deeper depths. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy that, weighing myself out as an above-average Sox fan. Got the ones we all get, got a couple more.

Maybe I’m an easy get, but no doubt that level of success at these things gets me. I’m the king.

And today’s quiz that I love so much? Took a wee whomping. I am a below-average answerer, below below. And I don’t mind.

Fantastic quiz.

asinwreck

37/37 with 3:54 left. Some of the position designations threw me for a bit, but

the utility types who came to mind weren’t big power guys
I was able to deduce the 2005 2B/SS/OF was not Ozuna, and the Util was Jeff Liefer (who I think of as a corner outfield/1B/DH type). Shouldn’t Vaughn be listed as OF/1B/2B/3B?

Last edited 2 years ago by asinwreck
Joliet Orange Sox

I missed a bunch but the fact that I got

guy I never heard of before starting to do these quizzes
Smead Jolley

tells me I’ve done too many of these quizzes.