There is a hot new game show sweeping Angels Nation: Know Your Generic Angel Infielder!
Do you consider yourself a true Angel fan? Do you think you’re pretty smart? Do you think you know all that there is to know about the Halos?
Well, it is time to put your knowledge to the test by taking this simple (or is it?) quiz to see if you can tell all the seemingly generic Angel infielders apart. Are you up to the challenge?
How am I supposed to tell you guys apart when you stand right next to each other like that?
1) Let’s start easy. We all know the Angels have one of the shortest lineups in all of baseball, but which Angel infielder is the shortest of them all?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: a-Alexi Amarista. Technically, both he and Izturis are listed at 5’8″, but if Amarista is even 5’8″, then I’m 6’11”. The guy is a veritable dwarf and more than likely closer to 5”5″ than 5’8″.
2) The Angels like their infielders with a little Venezuelan flavor, as three of them were born in the country. Which one was born in the state of Aragua?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: c-Callaspo.
3) Which of the infielders has the most career at-bats?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: e-Kendrick. Izturis is the longest tenured Angel and has played in more games than Howie, but thanks to Izturis’ role as a utility player and frequent DL visits, Kendrick has more ABs. Maicer actually has a handful more plate appearances though since he walks more than Kendrick does.
4) Mike Scioscia prides himself on his infielders versatility, so much so that all of his five infielders have logged time in the outfield during their career, but only one of them has never actually started a game in the outfield?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: d-Izturis. Amazingly, Izturis is probably the most versatile defender of them all, but he has only logged a grand total of one inning in the outfield.
5) None of the infielders have ever won any major MLB awards, but one of them will live on in infamy for once swinging and missing at a pitch that ended up hitting him in the groin. Who was it?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: b-Aybar. Yup, this actually happened.
6) Which Angel infielder is apparently unaware that the Angels have a comprehensive dental insurance benefit offering?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: b-Aybar. I hate to be mean, but dude has some jacked up chompers.
7) Who is the only Angel infielder to finish a season with an OPS over .800?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: c-Callaspo. So much for Kendrick and his future batting champ fanfare or Aybar’s status as franchise cornerstone. Callaspo entered the season as the odd man out, but his .813 OPS in 2009 suggests that he shown the highest offensive ceiling so far (and arguable the lowest floor too). Let’s just hope Howie Kendrick keeps his strong season going and take the mantle from Callaspo.
8) One thing that this versatile group of players is not is technology-friendly. In fact, only one of them has joined Twitter. Who might that be?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: e-Kendrick. Sorry, I just am a big Twitter advocate and wanted to see if I could somehow shame the others into joining, even if it means I have to dust off that 8th grade Spanish book lying in the back of my closet.
9) Break out your crystal balls for this one because I want you to look into the future. Which Angel infielder will be the first to make the All-Star team?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: e-Kendrick. Or at least that is my guess. I actually think both Izturis and Aybar have good chances at making the team, but the competition at second base is pretty weak this year, so Kendrick has the clearest path All-Stardom.
10) Which Angel infielder is frequently mistaken for a horse jockey, garden gnome, bat boy and Smurf?
- Alexi Amarista
- Erick Aybar
- Alberto Callaspo
- Maicer Izturis
- Howie Kendrick
ANSWER: a-Amarista. What can I say? I love making short jokes. I really hope the Halos never send Amarista down.
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