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Jason Plautz
Lunchtime Quiz: Baseball Brainteasers
by Jason Plautz - May 7, 2009 - 11:30 AM

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Baseball’s rules can be quite quirky and difficult to figure out. So, with the help of Hal Lebovitz’s awesome book “Ask Hal,” we put together ten brainteasers based on baseball’s confusing rules. Get all ten right and you might actually be able to say that you could call the game better than the ump.

Take the Quiz: Baseball Brainteasers

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Comments (9)

  1. A number of emailers have rightly pointed out that there was a problem with the answers to question 10. The problem has been fixed and I’ve been charged with an error.

    posted by Jason Plautz on 5-7-2009 at 1:11 pm

  2. In question #10, the correct answer is not one of the choices.

    Not that it matters, that one would have brought me up to a not so impressinve 6/10, but still…

    posted by CAF on 5-7-2009 at 1:05 pm

  3. In regard to question #10, in the words of former President Ford, “I was told there would be no math.”

    9 out of 10!

    posted by Jonathan on 5-7-2009 at 2:29 pm

  4. Question #3 should not be included in the questions. ESPN’s observation of the rules, how many ways to get to first base, is different than an ump’s application of the rules.

    I am sure an ump would lose all credibility if he said, “According to ESPN, you can’t get to first base like that.”

    posted by Mike the non-ump on 5-7-2009 at 3:23 pm

  5. On the grand slam question, this is what I was thinking.

    Pitcher 1 puts three men on base and gets behind in the count to the batter. He is replaced by a relief pitcher who promptly gives up a home run. Aren’t all four runs then charged to the first pitcher?

    posted by Tom on 5-7-2009 at 3:49 pm

  6. Tom -
    That’s the same thing I thought of. I had no idea that if there’s an error on the last out that would have ended an inning none of the runs count. If that’s the case, couldn’t they then score say 9 runs and the pitcher not be charged for any?

    posted by k on 5-7-2009 at 4:39 pm

  7. Tom and k,

    Good point, the ump would not make a ruling except to call a home run. The OFFICIAL SCORER would make the call on which pitcher gets charged with the runs.

    If the runner on third does not step on the plate and commits the third out, none of the other runners can score, even if they did touch all the bases.

    posted by Mike the non-ump on 5-7-2009 at 4:55 pm

  8. Regarding the question about the pitcher who pitches 9 innings and has a no-hitter going, then the relief pitcher loses the game – there is no correct answer. The pitcher doesn’t get nothing. He gets credited with an appearance.

    I love these baseball quizzes.

    posted by jmb on 5-7-2009 at 6:57 pm

  9. I was tricked by question 10 because I thought the question was saying that a pitcher pitched 5 innings in the first game of the season and then pitched in the sixth game of the season. It made sense since there are usually 5-man rotations and his next appearance would most likely come in the 6th game of the season.

    posted by Jake on 5-8-2009 at 7:37 am

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