Your Sunday Sporcle: Closing time

First, let’s look at the results from last week, where you had to name the 26 active players with 1,400 hits or more. 179 people took a shot, and the average score was exactly at the half-way mark, 50%. No great surprise that Albert Pujols led the way, being the only player named by more than ninety percent of participants (93%, to be precise). Miguel Cabrera just missed out on joining him, by one-tenth of one percent. Was a bit surprised Robinson Cano - third by hits - was only tenth, at 63%. But I guess, missing the entire 2021 season due to suspension factored in. Out of sight... Still better than Ian Desmond, Carlos Santana and Alcides Escobar, who all finished below 20%.

And now, onto this week’s quiz. There weren’t many save opportunities for the D-backs this year. Our save leader had just six (Joakim Soria and Tyler Clippard tied there), which is the lowest figure for any team’s top closer over a full MLB season since the 2003 Tigers, and the lowest in the National League since the 1975 Astros. But there were saves elsewhere, and the signing of Mark Melancon tells us the team may finally have been convinced about the value of a recognized, active closer. But who are the best closers currently active? There are 26 with eighty or more saves to their credit. You now have the chance to name as many as you can...

This is a little harder than starting pitchers or hitters, I think: closers generally seem less well-known outside their teams, with a couple of exceptions. There are 3¹⁄₂ with Arizona connections, the half being Melancon who has not yet pitched for the team. I’ll confess to having forgotten one of the three ever played for us. If you can get ten here, I think I’ll call that a decent showing. Here’s the link or it’s embedded below.