American League
Boston Red Sox (94-68) v Seattle Mariners (85-78)
The BoSox just keep getting it done in this timeline and it never ceases to amaze me how the roles have inverted for them and the Yanks.
They will have their hands full here with another one of the league’s real improvers but what effect will that draining stretch fade have on this young group?
That for mine, particularly without the experienced hand of the injured Hawk Dawson to guide them, will prove the main stumbling block for the M’s in a series that I’ll like their chances in the longer it goes.
Clemens gets the Sox away strongly with a 6-2 Game 1 win and they double their lead the following day with a tight 3-2 victory before the series moves to Seattle for the city’s first-ever playoff game.
A wild 9-7 win to the visitors puts the home side on the precipice and the Sox fairly kick them over the edge with a 10-4 win to complete a ruthless sweep.
Veteran Sox SS Jose Uribe is named MVP.
National League
Pittsburgh Pirates (97-65) v Houston Astros (93-69)
Well that strong second half has gone some way to reviving my faith in this group, which showed that on their day they can beat anyone.
Key three words in that statement:
on their day.
Our opponents are undeniably a club on the rise. With young guns Justice, Biggio and Bagwell terrorising pitchers and an underrated rotation that makes you work hard for your runs, they look set for a sustained run and will be super tough to handle here.
A poor start sees us drop the opener 10-8 despite Carlos Baerga running amok as Jose De Leon’s playoff woes continue and we’re lucky to escape another poorly-pitched game the next day with an 8-7 win in 13 on a walkoff solo shot by Darnell Coles as Baerga has another 4-hit game and Bonds knocks in 3.
The lads hold their nerve with a late score for a comeback 4-2 win in Houston but yet another dodgy pitching performance in Game 4 lets them level it up again with an easy 9-2 win.
The inconsistency I touched upon in the intro is brought to bear as Avery limits us to just 2 hits and they take a 3-1 series lead with a win by that scoreline as we head home deep in the hole.
It is a hole from which we never emerge as they finish us off with a 5-3 win in 10 to stretch our dry run another season at least.
On the topic of inversions, it seems we have somehow morphed from the historical Yankees to the historical Brooklyn Dodgers at some point along this timeline.
David Justice wins the MVP.