The Grinder: 64-team Historical Xibition Tourney!

[webrian]

Hi, gang ~

I have begun a 64-team Historical Exhibition tournament. I've hand-picked 64 of MLB's greatest single-season teams from 1919 to the present. I mostly skipped the "deadball era" because I wanted to break the 64 teams into 8 brackets and pick the teams almost evenly from 8 different decades/eras.

I intentionally steered clear of selecting too many teams from one franchise from the same decade. So, there's only two Yankees teams from the 1930s (1936, 1939), only one Dodgers team from the 1950s ... etc. I didn't want the 1932 Yankees playing the 1936 Yankees, or the 1953 Dodgers playing the 1955 Dodgers. Whenever possible, I tried to eliminate the possibility of a player having to play against his own self. Mostly, I succeeded.

I selected my "top" (or most interesting) 8 teams from each decade. I combined the 30s and 40s into one decade grouping and skipped teams from the WWII years (sorry, 1942 Cardinals fans).

I randomly put one team from each of the 8 decades into each bracket. Therefore, each bracket will have a representative from the 20s, 30s/40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00's. When you see my brackets, you'll know what I mean.

After randomly putting the eight 8-team brackets together, I divided them in two sections: 4 "old-timer teams" (20s-60s) and 4 "modern" teams (70s-00s) and then seeded the teams in each section 1-4.

Teams were seeded thusly: Number of wins + No. of playoff wins minus No. of playoff losses + 5 for winning the World Series and + 5 more for sweeping the World Series. For example, the 1976 Reds won 102 games, then went 7-0 in the postseason (109 points) and then won the World Series (114 points) and by a sweep as well (119 points).

No. 4 seeds start out against No. 1 seeds in a Best-of-Five format. No. 3 seeds take on No. 2 seeds also in a Best-of-Five.

After that, the winners play Best-of-Seven to determine which "old-timer" team and which "modern" team emerge to face each other for the Bracket Championship.

After all eight bracket championships are determined, I will then place those final eight champions into an All-Time Champions Bracket where every series will be Best-of-Seven.

See my next post for teams and brackets!

[webrian]

Here are the brackets.

Bracket A
Old-timers
No. 4 1933 Giants vs. No. 1 1929 Athletics
No. 3 1965 Dodgers vs. No. 2 1956 Yankees
Modern
No. 4 1994 Expos vs. No. 1 2005 White Sox
No. 3 1977 Dodgers vs. No. 2 1983 Orioles

Bracket B
Old-timers
No. 4 1927 Pirates vs. No. 1 1954 Indians
No. 3 1967 Cardinals vs. No. 2 1931 Athletics
Modern
No. 4 1975 Red Sox vs. No. 1 1998 Yankees
No. 3 2001 Diamondbacks vs. No. 2 1984 Tigers

Bracket C
Old-timers
No. 4 1934 Cardinals vs. No. 1 1927 Yankees
No. 3 1954 Giants vs. No. 2 1968 Tigers
Modern
No. 4 1985 Royals vs. No. 1 1978 Yankees
No. 3 1990 Athletics vs. No. 2 2004 Red Sox

Bracket D
Old-timers
No. 4 1926 Cardinals vs. No. 1 1969 Mets
No. 3 1934 Tigers vs. No. 2 1953 Dodgers
Modern
No. 4 1986 Red Sox vs. No. 1 1976 Reds
No. 3 2008 Phillies vs. No. 2 1991 Twins

===================================

Bracket E
Old-timers
No. 4 1919 White Sox vs. No. 1 1936 Yankees
No. 3 1962 Giants vs. No. 2 1946 Cardinals
Modern
No. 4 1990 Reds vs. No. 1 2001 Mariners
No. 3 1988 Dodgers vs. No. 2 1973 Athletics

Bracket F
Old-timers
No. 4 1935 Cubs vs. No. 1 1961 Yankees
No. 3 1920 Indians vs. No. 2 1946 Red Sox
Modern
No. 4 2002 Giants vs. No. 1 1986 Mets
No. 3 1979 Pirates vs. No. 2 1993 Braves

Bracket G
Old-timers
No. 4 1960 Pirates vs. No. 1 1939 Yankees
No. 3 1922 Giants vs. No. 2 1948 Indians
Modern
No. 4 2010 Giants vs. No. 1 1995 Indians
No. 3 1977 Phillies vs. No. 2 1985 Cardinals

Bracket H
Old-timers
No. 4 1924 Senators vs. No. 1 1970 Orioles
No. 3 1957 Braves vs. No. 2 1940 Reds
Modern
No. 4 1982 Brewers vs. No. 1 1971 Pirates
No. 3 2015 Royals vs. No. 2 1992 Blue Jays

For the most part, I'm happy with these brackets. Some are tougher than others — Bracket C, for example, is unbelievably tough, especially in the old-timer section, which in addition to the Murderer's Row 1927 Yankees has 30-game winners Dizzy Dean and Denny McLain as well as Willie Mays and the 1954 Giants.

I've already spent the past week and a half playing through Brackets A & B and will post updates soon. The winners of each bracket would have completely surprised me before I played the games out (I play every at-bat, no speed-simming for me!) but not so much after gaming my way through. The first two bracket champions are pretty hands-down legit, no matter what I thought of them going in.

One more thing: I really really want to encourage more folks to do this. Historical Exhibition mode is, I believe, the greatest thing to happen to OOTP and it's long overdue. I am so thankful for Marcus and Matt for doing the work to make it possible for us.

[Coltrane]

I really like your set up. My only issue is with the 2015 Royals entry. I believe they should be replaced with the 2015 Astros squad (You know, the better team )

[webrian]

Originally Posted by Coltrane

I really like your set up. My only issue is with the 2015 Royals entry. I believe they should be replaced with the 2015 Astros squad (You know, the better team )

Ha! I'm a Royals fan, don't you know? And I do remember that strange week in October of last year when I lived in total fear of Colby Rasmus.

The 2016 Astros could be better than the 2015 Astros. But now, I feel chagrined for not getting any Astros teams into the mix. 1980, 1986, 1998, 2005 (well, but still ...) 2015. And I'm probably missing a couple more that were pretty good.

[Coltrane]

Originally Posted by webrian

Ha! I'm a Royals fan, don't you know? And I do remember that strange week in October of last year when I lived in total fear of Colby Rasmus.

The 2016 Astros could be better than the 2015 Astros. But now, I feel chagrined for not getting any Astros teams into the mix. 1980, 1986, 1998, 2005 (well, but still ...) 2015. And I'm probably missing a couple more that were pretty good.

I think it would be reasonable to have a "play-in" game between the '15 Royals and '15 Astros. Just to make sure we get this tourney as historically accurate as possible

[webrian]

Originally Posted by Coltrane

I think it would be reasonable to have a "play-in" game between the '15 Royals and '15 Astros. Just to make sure we get this tourney as historically accurate as possible

They did play a 5-game series last October. The Astros kinda blew it.

Of all the great Astros teams you'd want to see, why the 2015 bunch over, say, 1986 or 1998?

[Coltrane]

Originally Posted by webrian

They did play a 5-game series last October. The Astros kinda blew it.

Of all the great Astros teams you'd want to see, why the 2015 bunch over, say, 1986 or 1998?

...because the 2015 bunch is about to win the 16 WS. Something the 86 and 98 bunch could never do

[webrian]

Originally Posted by Coltrane

...because the 2015 bunch is about to win the 16 WS. Something the 86 and 98 bunch could never do

They'll have the talent, no doubt about that. Correa is going to be the next Derek Jeter, I think. But Correa might be even better.

Then again, there's the DEFENDING World Champs to consider. The Royals aren't going away just yet.

[royalflush]

This Royals team is pretty much the same team that started the year last year. They ain't going no where.

[webrian]

It's UPDATE time. This post will deal with the first round Bracket A, which was arranged thusly:

Bracket A
Old-timers
No. 4 1933 Giants vs. No. 1 1929 Athletics
No. 3 1965 Dodgers vs. No. 2 1956 Yankees
Modern
No. 4 1994 Expos vs. No. 1 2005 White Sox
No. 3 1977 Dodgers vs. No. 2 1983 Orioles

** (4) 1933 Giants vs. (1) 1929 Athletics (Best of 5)

The '29 Athletics won this series, 3 games to 1.
Game 1 (at PHI): Athletics 5, Giants 1 (Lefty Grove out dueled Carl Hubbell)
Game 2: (at PHI): Giants 11, Athletics 3 (Giants show they CAN hit after all ...)
Game 3: (at NYC): Athletics 14, Giants 13 (back-and-forth, wildly entertaining game)
Game 4: (at NYC): Athletics 14, Giants 2 (Carl Hubbell gets shelled ... Grove wins again)

NOTES: It went as expected. The 1929 A's just had too much firepower. Philly's Al Simmons (10-for-18, 6 RBI) got Series MVP honors but they could just as easily have gone to Jimmy Foxx (8-for-20, 2 HR, 11 RBIs) or Bing Miller (11-of-18, 2 RBI, hitting near top of lineup).

** (3) 1965 Dodgers vs. (2) 1956 Yankees (Best of 5)

The 1965 Dodgers routed the Yankees, 3 games to 0.
Game 1 (at NYC): Dodgers 6, Yankees 3 (Koufax out-pitches Whitey Ford)
Game 2 (at NYC): Dodgers 7, Yankees 0 (Claude Osteen, CG shutout)
Game 3 (at LAD): Dodgers 4, Yankees 3 (Don Drysdale wins too!)

NOTES: I thought Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and the Yankees would put up more of a fight since they were slightly favored. But no. The 1965 Dodgers have incredible pitching, but their hitting is — to put it gently — unimpressive. This was a case where the stats didn't tell the tale. The Dodgers were scrappy, active and opportunistic at the bat and on the bases, playing their mid-60s brand of ball. The Yankees were still stuck in the 50s. Wes Parker of the Dodgers was Series MVP after going 7-for-11 at the plate with 2 homers and 3 RBI. Jim Lefebvre's stat line was more indicative of the way the Dodgers played: 2-of-9, 1 HR, 6 RBIs. They pounced on every chance they got.

MODERN BRACKET

(4) 1994 Expos vs. (1) 2005 White Sox (Best of 5)

The 1994 Expos won this series, 3 games to 1
Game 1 (at CHI): Expos 10, White Sox 2 (Expos snap 1-1 tie with 5-run 6th)
Game 2 (at CHI): White Sox 8, Expos 2 (Sox strike back with 16-hit barrage)
Game 3 (at MON): Expos 8, White Sox 6 (Walk-off win! Moises Alou 3 HRs, 6 RBI!)
Game 4 (at MON): Expos 6, White Sox 5 (Expos rally from 5-1 deficit)

NOTES: Can't call it an upset. The Expos were the best team in baseball in the strike-shortened 1994 season, at 74-40 when the lights went out. The Series MVP was Moises Alou. He went 9-for-18 with 4 HRs and 7 RBI -- 3 of those homers and 6 of those ribbies came in Game 3 where Alou delighted the Olympic Stadium fans with a 3-run jack in the 7th to tie the score at 6-6, then won it with a 2-run blast in the bottom of the 9th. The Sox had a 5-1 lead after 6-1/2 innings of Game 4, but Montreal rode its previous night's momentum to another comeback win, again in walk-off fashion with Freddie Benavides scoring on a single by Rondell White to snap a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the 9th.

(3) 1977 Dodgers vs. (2) 1983 Orioles (Best of 5)

1983 Orioles won this series, 3 games to 2
Game 1 (at BAL): Orioles 3, Dodgers 2 (A walk-off win for Baltimore to start it off)
Game 2 (at BAL): Orioles 13, Dodgers 4 (18 hits by Orioles, and an 8-run 4th inning)
Game 3 (at LAD): Dodgers 3, Orioles 0 (Don Sutton pitches 3-hit shutout)
Game 4 (at LAD): Dodgers 7, Orioles 2 (Burt Hooton, 11 Ks in 7 IP)
Game 5 (at BAL): Orioles 5, Dodgers 1 (Mike Boddiker 13 Ks in 8 IP)

NOTES: Orioles stars Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray were a combined 10-for-37 with just 1 RBI between them, but many others came through. SP Mike Boddiker went 2-0 (beating Tommy John both times) and struck out 23 Dodgers in 15 innings of work ... Series MVP was Orioles OF Gary Roenicke: 7-for-19, 3 HR, 9 RBIs.

NEXT ROUND: (Best of 7)
Old-timers: (1) 1929 Athletics vs. (3) 1965 Dodgers
Modern: (2) 1983 Orioles vs. (4) 1994 Expos

In coming updates, I'll share the results of the Class A Bracket's semifinals and finals.

[webrian]

BRACKET A SEMIFINALS

(1) 1929 Athletics vs. (3) 1965 Dodgers (Best of 7)

Game 1 (at PHI): Dodgers 3, Athletics 0
Notes: The pitching matchup between the Dodgers’ Sandy Koufax and the A’s Lefty Grove didn’t disappoint. Grove walked 1, struck out 12 and went the distance. Koufax walked 4, struck out 13 and pitched a 1-hit shutout to earn his third win (3-0) in as many starts. Jim Gilliam hit a solo HR for the Dodgers in the first inning and L.A hustled 2 more runs across the plate in the second. The A’s powerful lineup looked helpless against Koufax.

Game 2 (at PHI): Dodgers 5, Athletics 3
Notes: Los Angeles led 4-0 after three innings, with the big blow a 2-run double by Willie Davis in the top of the third. Claude Osteen (8 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 6 K) improved to 2-0 in the tournament while the 1929 version of A’s starter George Earnshaw slipped to 0-2 (his 1931 version will do better). Dodgers’ SS Maury Wills hit a double and a triple. Bing Miller went 2-for-3 with a HR and 2 RBIs for Philly, which lost its first two home games to fall into an 0-2 hole.

Game 3 (at LA): Dodgers 10, Athletics 5
Notes: The A’s bats finally came to life, but the Dodgers still out-hit them 18-11 while pushing twice as many runs across. Jim Gilliam and Willie Davis, batting No. 2 and No. 3 in the lineup, went a combined 8-for-9 with 6 runs scored and 4 driven in. Gilliam launched another homer. Davis had a homer and two more doubles, putting the lie to his .238 batting average in the actual 1965 Dodgers season. Al Simmons and Jimmy Foxx both homered for the 1929 A’s. L.A pitcher Don Drysdale won to go to 2-0 in the tourney.

Game 4 (at LA): Athletics 2, Dodgers 1
Notes: The Dodgers led 1-0 into the sixth inning when Al Simmons and Mule Haas smacked separate solo homers off Sandy Koufax (3-1) to give the A’s a 2-1 lead. Connie Mack had started Jack Quinn instead of Lefty Grove this time and Quinn came through, allowing just 4 hits and 0 walks while striking out 4 over 8 innings. Clay Yerkes picked up the save. Koufax allowed 7 hits over 8 innings, with 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.

Game 5 (at LA): Dodgers 4, Athletics 3 (11 innings)
Notes: Lou Johnson and Ron Fairly hit back-to-back, 2-out RBI singles in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Dodgers walked off and strode on to the Bracket A finals. The Athletics led 2-1 heading to the bottom of the 9th, but Jim Gilliam singled home pinch-hitter Jeff Torborg (who had walked) with two outs to tie the game. The A’s got the lead again, 3-2, in the top of the 11th when Cy Perkins singled home Max Bishop, but that lead didn’t hold up either.

1965 Dodgers win the series, 4 games to 1
Series MVP: Jim Gilliam, who was 8-for-19 with 2 homers and 3 RBIs. Ron Fairly and Willie Davis drove in 5 runs apiece in the series.

BRACKET A SEMIFINALS

(2) 1983 Orioles vs. (4) 94 Expos (Best of 7)

Game 1(at BAL): Orioles 7, Expos 3
Notes: Orioles leadoff man Al Bumbry went 4-for-4 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs and Cal Ripken Jr., Eddie Murray and John Lowenstein (3 RBIs) each had two hits in the relatively easy win. Storm Davis (1-1) got the win for Baltimore, though he did give up a double and a homer to red-hot Expos hitter Moises Alou. Young Expos hurler Pedro Martinez, who was not yet PEDRO MARTINEZ, got knocked around pretty good in his 3 innings of work as the Montreal starter.

Game 2 (at BAL): Orioles 6, Expos 4
Notes: Baltimore’s Jim Dwyer hit a GRAND SLAM during a 6-run third inning as the Orioles moved to a 2-0 series lead over the Expos. Al Bumbry stayed hot, going 3-for-5 with another double to improve to 7-for-9 in the series. The Expos briefly had a 1-0 lead after catcher Lenny Webster homered in the second inning, but the Orioles’ big 3rd inning buried that. The Expos’ Moises Alou smacked another round-tripper, giving him 6 (!!) in the tournament so far. Mike Boddiker (3-0) got the win with seven strong innings of work.

Game 3 (at MON): Expos 4, Orioles 0
Notes: All the 1994 Expos needed was a return to “The Big Owe” and Ken Hill (1-1) on the mound. He was masterful, allowing just 2 singles over 8 innings; he walked 1, struck out 9. The Expos scored single runs in the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th innings and SS Wil Cordero homered. John Wetteland struck out the side in the ninth inning. He didn’t earn the save, but he sure gave the Orioles a lot to think about.

Game 4 (at MON): Expos 4, Orioles 3
Notes: Marquis Grissom scored on a Sean Berry sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 8th inning to snap a 3-3 tie and lift 1994 Montreal to a 4-3 win and even the Best-of-7 series at 2 games apiece. This time, John Wetteland did get the save. In the 9th, he struck out Eddie Murray and Gary Roenicke on nine total pitches, then HIT Rick Dempsey with an 0-2 pitch, and then fell behind Lenn Sakata 3 balls, 1 strike before coming back to strike him out too. Pedro Martinez got the start and showed flashes of the pitcher he’d become, fanning 8 Orioles batters in four innings. But with an OOTP stamina rating of 7, Pedro couldn’t stick around long enough to get the win.

Game 5 (at MON): Expos 5, Orioles 0
Notes: The 1994 Expos shut out the 1983 Orioles for the second time in three games to wrap up the Montreal portion of the series. Jeff Fassero, who allowed Jim Dwyer’s Game 2 grand slam, pitched 6-2/3 scoreless innings this time, striking out seven and walking two. Larry Walker went 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs, Moises Alou slammed his third homer of the series (7th of the tournament) and Marquis Grissom tripled and scored — all against Baltimore starter Mike Boddiker (3-1) who took his first loss of the tourney.

Game 6 (at BAL): Expos 4, Orioles 3
Notes: When John Lowenstein doubled home Eddie Murray with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 3-3, Baltimore fans went crazy, believing this might be the turning point in a series that had somehow shifted against them.
But with two outs in the top of the ninth, Marquis Grissom sent a Tippy Martinez pitch over the left field wall and into the night, giving 1994 Montreal a sudden 4-3 lead. Dramatic, eh? But here’s the incredible part: John Wetteland retired three Orioles hitters in a row in the bottom of the ninth — on THREE pitches.



WTH? Like, hey guys, this is kind of a crucial moment, maybe take a pitch or two? So after one flyout and two pop-ups, the 1994 Expos, who never got to play in the postseason they were destined for, clinched a berth into the Bracket A Championship Series, which is a heck of a lot more prestigious than it sounds.

Expos RF Larry Walker was named Series MVP after going 9-for-21 with 1 HR and 3 RBIs. Of course, that’s wrong. Moises Alou went 7-for-24 with 3 HRs and 5 RBI.

Now the 1994 Expos and the 1965 Dodgers will play for the bracket title and the opportunity to advance to the ULTIMATE EIGHT bracket where all the bracket winners will decide the overall champion.

[webrian]

BRACKET A FINALS
Tale of the Tape

Old-time finalist: 1965 LOS ANGELES DODGERS
* 97-65
* Won World Series vs. Twins, 4 games to 3
* Scored 3.8 runs per game, allowed 3.2 runs per game
* Tournament Record: 7-1 (3-0 vs. 1956 Yankees, 4-1 vs. 1929 Athletics)
* Tournament Margin: Dodgers 5.0 runs per game, Opps. 2.4 runs per game

Modern time finalist: 1994 MONTREAL EXPOS
* 74-40 (strike-shortened season)
* No World Series was played in 1994
* Scored 5.1 runs per game, allowed 3.9 runs per game
* Tournament record: 7-3 (3-1 vs. 2005 White Sox, 4-2 vs. 1983 Orioles)
* Tournament margin: Expos 5.0 (rpg), Opps. 4.0 (rpg)

(3) 1965 Dodgers vs. (4) 1994 Expos — (Best of Seven)

GAME ONE (at LAD)— Dodgers 7, Expos 0: The Expos’ 4-game winning streak ran into a ditch named Sandy in the first game of the bracket finals. Koufax (2-1) was vintage: 9 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 12 K. The Expos had to feel they’d been made to take the place of some other unlucky team in a classic Sandy Koufax highlight film. The Dodgers’ cap-gun offense continued to thrive in this tournament. Willie Davis, batting 7th for a change, went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run — a 2-run shot in the second inning that made it a 3-0 lead for the Dodgers, who tacked more runs on during the game as the Expos did absolutely nothing.

GAME TWO (at LAD) — Dodgers 4, Expos 2: Montreal out-hit the Dogers 8-5 in this one, but it hardly mattered. LAD’s Ron Fairly belted a 3-run homer off Jeff Fassero in the bottom of the first inning to give the hosts their second 3-0 lead in as many games. Don Drysdale (3-0) made it stand up, striking out 9 Expos in 7 innings of work. He gave up solo homers to Sean Berry (in the 5th inning) and to Cliff Floyd (in the 6th) but that was it. Relievers Bob Miller and Ron Perranoski finished it up, with Perranoski earning the save. Dodgers head to Montreal with a 2-0 series lead.

GAME THREE (at MON) — Expos 1, Dodgers 0: Marquis Grissom singled, stole second and then scored on a one-out single by Moises Alou in the bottom of the first inning. The Expos clung to that run for dear life against Dodgers’ starter Claude Osteen (2-1), who made no more mistakes the rest of the game: (8 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K). Montreal pitcher Ken Hill (2-0) subdued the Dodgers with 8 shutout innings (4 H, 0 BB, 4 K) and then turned matters over to John Wetteland, who struck out two in the ninth to earn the save. Few victories were ever as hard-earned or urgently needed.

GAME FOUR (at MON) — Dodgers 3, Expos 1: The Stade Olympique throng roared in the bottom of the 4th inning when tournament hero Moises Alou broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run off Dodgers’ starter Sandy Koufax. Expos starter Pedro Martinez (1-2) kept that 1-0 lead standing through 6 innings. But L.A broke through in the seventh, tying the score on a single (off Mel Rojas) by catcher John Roseboro and then snapping it with a bases-loaded, 2-run bloop single off the bat of Maury Wills. Koufax (3-1) never let the Canadians cheer again: 8 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 7 K). Ron Perranoski finished it off for his second save of the series, moving the 1965 Dodgers to within a game of winning the bracket.

GAME FIVE (at MON) — Expos 2, Dodgers 0: Moises Alou and Larry Walker (3-for-3) each singled home a run against Dodgers’ starter Don Drysdale (3-1) and Jeff Fassero (2-2) had his best outing of the tournament: 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, before giving way to John Wetteland, who had to work around a pair of 1-out singles by Ron Fairly and Wes Parker in the ninth to earn the save. When John Roseboro popped out in foul territory on the 8th pitch of the at-bat, Montreal could afford one more careful exhale of relief. The Expos are going back to Los Angeles, down 3-2 — but still fighting.

GAME SIX (at LAD) — Dodgers 6, Expos 3: Montreal’s Larry Walker went 3-for-4 with a double, two homeruns and 3 RBIs, but the man couldn’t do it all himself. The Dodgers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after 4 innings (Willie Davis’ 4th double of the series, a 2-run hit in the 4th inning was the big blow) and starter Claude Osteen (3-1) drove it home: 8 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 9 K. — Ron Perranoski worked a 1-2-3 9th inning for his 3rd save of the series and was mobbed at the mound after Expos catcher Lenny Webster popped out to shortstop to end it all.



*Fantastic job, guys! Now let's all get loaded and go listen to some Beach Boys records!*

Series MVP -- Sandy Koufax, SP, 1965 Dodgers





NEXT: ------> BRACKET B

* Can the 1931 Athletics get done what the 1929 A's couldn't?
* Can SPs Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling do for the 2001Diamondbacks in Bracket B what Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale did for the 1965 Dodgers in Bracket A?
* Can ANYBODY stop the powerful, multi-faceted wonder that is the 1998 Yankees?

It's coming up next ....

[webrian]

THE GRINDER: THE DRAWING OF THE EIGHT
Already drawn: 1965 Dodgers (Bracket A Champions)

BRACKET B
Old-timers
No. 4 1927 Pirates (94-60) vs. No. 1 1954 Indians (111-43)
No. 3 1967 Cardinals (101-60) vs. No. 2 1931 Athletics (107-45)
Modern timers
No. 4 1975 Red Sox (95-65) vs. No. 1 1998 Yankees (114-48)
No. 3 2001 Diamondbacks (92-70) vs. No. 2 1984 Tigers (104-58)

OLD-TIMER BRACKET

(4) 1927 Pirates vs. (1) 1954 Indians (Best of 5)

The 1927 Pirates won this series, 3 games to 2
Game 1 (at CLE): Pirates 6, Indians 4 — Pirates snap 3-3 tie with 3 runs in top 7th
Game 2 (at CLE): Indians 1, Pirates 0 — Larry Doby solo HR is only run; SP Early Wynn CG shutout for Indians
Game 3 (at PITT): Indians 3, Pirates 1 — SP Bob Lemon 8 strong innings: HRs by Bob Avila, Larry Doby (2)
Game 4 (at PITT): Pirates 7, Indians 0 — SP Lee Meadows 3-hit CG shutout; Harris, Grantham 2 RBIs apiece
Game 5 (at CLE): Pirates 2, Indians 1 — Paul Waner Sac Fly in top of 9th snaps 1-1 tie after Indians had tied it in 8th inning.
NOTES: Strange matchup of teams that each got swept 4-0 in their respective World Series. It was a huge shock in one team’s case, no surprise at all for the other. Long-suffering Indians fans burying their faces in their hands once again after blowing 2-1 series lead while scoring just 1 run in last two games …. CLE’s Al Smith named Series MVP for going 7-for-19 with 1 HR, 1 RBI, even though 1B Joe Harris of 1927 Pirates had series-high 5 RBIs.

(3) 1967 Cardinals vs. (2) 1931 Athletics (Best of 5)

The 1967 Cardinals won this series, 3 games to 2
Game 1 (at PHI): Cardinals 6, Athletics 3 — Young Steve Carlton gets W; Tim McCarver 3-run HR in 1st inning
Game 2 (at PHI): Athletics 2, Cardinals 0 — George Earnshaw (8.1 IP, 11 Ks) outpitches STL’s Bob Gibson
Game 3 (at STL): Athletics 6, Cardinals 2 — Mule Haas, Jimmy Foxx belt HRs in 6-run 3rd inning
Game 4 (at STL): Cardinals 2, Athletics 1 — Lou Brock RBI single in Bot. 8th snaps 1-1 tie; Ray Washburn WP
Game 5 (at PHI): Cardinals 6, Athletics 4 (10 ings) — Lou Brock 2-run HR in top of 10th lifts STL in great game!
NOTES: The most exciting series of the entire tournament so far, it’s a shame it was in an early round. Cardinals show grit and a true flair for the dramatic in knocking off the favored Athletics. Cards’ C Tim McCarver (series MVP) set the tone in Game 1, launching a 3-run homer off A’s starter Lefty Grove (31-4 in 1931) in the 1st inning … The A’s won’t get the credit due them, but they battled all the way. For example, Cardinals led 4-1 after 7 innings in Game 5 at Philly and the Athletics rallied to tie it with 1 run in the 8th (Haas RBI single) and 2 more in the 9th (Dib Williams 2-run single with 2 outs) that must have delighted the home crowd. So imagine how deflating when Lou Brock belted a 2-run HR off A’s reliever Eddie Rommel in the top of the 10th inning … And the pitching! The Cardinals went 4 starters deep in the 5-game series (only Bob Gibson pitched twice, and he went 0-1 with a ND despite just a 2.25 ERA); meanwhile, Athletics aces Lefty Grove and George Earnshaw pitched a combined 28.1 innings, walking just 4 and striking out 36 between them, but went a combined 1-2 in the series.

MODERN-TIMER BRACKET

(4) 1975 Red Sox vs. (1) 1998 Yankees (Best of 5)

The 1998 Yankees won this series, 3 games to 1
Game 1 (at NYC): Yankees 4, Red Sox 2 — NY’s Bernie Williams 2-run HR in 7th; David Cone WP, Rivera Sv.
Game 2 (at NYC): Yankees 13, Red Sox 0 — Yep. 16 total hits for Yankees; HR, 5 RBIs for Tino Martinez; David Wells CG shutout.
Game 3 (at BOS): Red Sox 7, Yankees 6 — Red Sox get 6 runs in 6th inning, then hold off late Yankees rally
Game 4 (at BOS): Yankees 17, Red Sox 15 — 47 hits. 16 doubles. 2 HRs (both by NY). 6 lead changes. 14 pitchers.
NOTES: Bernie Williams’ 3rd HR of the series was a 2-run shot in the Top of the 9th inning of Game 4, snapping a 15-15 tie and sending the heavily-favored Yankees to the next round … As in 1998, these Yankees showed they can beat you any way you make them do it. They can out-pitch you, they can out-hit you, they can out-hustle you … Boston’s Jim Rice was 5-for-14 with 1 HR, 7 RBIs. On the 1998 Yankees’ side, everyone looks like a stud for this series: Derek Jeter was 10-for-21 with 1 HR, 4 RBIs … Bernie Williams 6-for-18, 3 HR, 8 RBIs … Scott Brosius 8-for-18, 3 RBIs … Tino Martinez 6-for-20, 1 HR, 9 RBIs … and Series MVP: Chuck Knoblauch, 10-for-18, 1 HR, 5 RBIs and 7 runs scored.

(3) 2001 Diamondbacks vs. (2) 1984 Tigers (Best of 5)

The 1984 Tigers won this series, 3 games to 1
Game 1 (at DET): Tigers 7, D-Backs 4: Randy Johnson 14 K in 5.2 IP, but Ruppert Jones 3-run HR in 8th wins it for Detroit
Game 2 (at DET): D-Backs 3, Tigers 1: Curt Schilling (0 BB, 13 K) out-pitches Dan Petry (1 BB, 8 K)
Game 3 (at ARZ): Tigers 11, D-Backs 8: Tigers out-slug D-Backs in crucial non-Johnson/Schilling game
Game 4 (at ARZ): Tigers 4, D-Backs 1: Jack Morris beats Randy Johnson (4 BB, 12 K); Kirk Gibson 2-run HR
NOTES: The deep and versatile 1984 Tigers went 2-1 vs the Johnson/Schilling combo that destroyed opponents in the 2001 postseason, proving their mettle to anyone whose forgotten in the past 31 years. Tigers got two clutch, pinch-hit homers in the series — from Ruppert Jones in Game 1 (snapping a 4-4 tie in the 8th inning) and a 3-run jack from Barbaro Garbey in Game 3. 1984 Cy Young/MVP/Rolaids Relief Ace winner Willie Hernandez had 3 saves, nailing down each win in the series …. D-Backs’ Luis Gonzalez (57 homers in 01) went 8-for-16 with 5 RBIs, but no homers … Ruppert Jones was 4-for-11 with 2 HR and 7 RBIs … Pinch-hitter extraordinaire Garbey was 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs, garnering Series MVP honors.

COMING NEXT:
1967 Cardinals vs. 1927 Pirates

and

1998 Yankees vs. 1984 Tigers

In the Bracket B Semifinals

[webrian]

BRACKET B SEMIFINALS

(4) 1927 Pirates vs. (3) 1967 Cardinals (Best of 7)

Game 1 (at STL): Cardinals 4, Pirates 3
Notes: Cardinals’ starter Steve Carlton (2-0) turned in his second sparkling performance of the tourney, out-dueling Pirates ace Lee Meadows over 8 innings before turning it over to Joe Hoerner for the save. OF Mike Shannon drove in 3 of STL runs. Cardinals led 4-1 before Pirates tacked on a pair of late runs to make it close.

Game 2 (at STL): Cardinals 7, Pirates 4
Notes: It wasn’t as close as the score. Cardinals scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th to make it a 7-1 lead with starter Bob Gibson (1 BB, 8 K) strong on the mound. Pittsburgh scratched three runs across the plate in the top of the ninth, but the game never felt in doubt. Mike Shannon continued to drive in runs, going 2-for-4 with a HR and 3 more RBIs. Orlando Cepeda 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored for STL. Cards head to Forbes Field in Pittsburgh with 2-0 lead.

Game 3 (at PITT): Pirates 9, Cardinals 3
Notes: Finally, the Cardinals got a taste of what NL foes got in that summer of 1927. The Pirates jumped all over SP Dick Hughes. They whacked 14 hits and seemed to be on the basepaths all day. Paul Waner went 4-for-5 with a triple, 3 runs scored and an RBI while Pie Traynor, George Grantham and Joe Harris drove in 2 runs apiece. Carmen Hill got the win, scattering 10 Cardinals hits over 9 innings.

Game 4 (at PITT): Cardinals 4, Pirates 2
Notes: Steve Carlton improved to 3-0 in the tourney with yet another solid outing, though the Pirates were much scrappier this time around, drawing 4 walks and getting 6 hits off him in 7 innings. Lou Brock sparked the Cardinals offense, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles from the top of the lineup. Cardinals led 4-1 going to the bottom of the ninth. Joe Hoerner gave up a run but still picked up his third save of the series. Cards moved within one win of the Bracket B Finals.

Game 5 (at PITT): Cardinals 2, Pirates 1
Notes: Roger Maris rocketed a 2-run homer into the second deck in RF in the top of the 1st inning off Ray Kremer and STL ace Bob Gibson frightened the Pirates into submission the rest of the way. He went 8 innings, allowed 4 hits (3 were singles), struck out 5 and walked nobody. The Pirates pushed a run across the plate (on a groundout) in the bottom of the 5th. They loaded the bases, with two outs, in the bottom of the ninth against closer Joe Hoerner, but then he got Glenn Wright to tap into a harmless forceout at second to end the series and send the 1967 Cardinals to the Bracket B Finals.

1967 Cardinals win the series, 4 games to 1. Series MVP: Steve Carlton, who went 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA over 15 IP in the series, improving to 3-0 for the tourney. Bob Gibson also went 2-0 with 2 walks and 13 Ks in 16.1 IP … Orlando Cepeda and Julian Javier both went 9-for-19 in the series; Mike Shannon went 5-for-19 with 1 HR and 7 RBIs … For the 1927 Pirates, Pie Traynor went 7-for-19 with 2 RBIs and Joe Harris was 4-for-17 with 4 RBIs.



Bob Gibson (pictured) and Steve Carlton each went 2-0 in the series against the Pirates.

BRACKET B SEMIFINALS

(2) 1984 Tigers vs. (1) 1998 Yankees (Best of 7)

Game 1 (at NYC): Yankees 3, Tigers 2
Notes: The resourceful Yankees won despite getting out-hit 9-3. The Yanks just made theirs count. Jorge Posada went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI, including a solo HR in the 4th inning and a double in the bottom of the 6th that broke a 2-2 tie. The Yankees’ bullpen held that lead, allowing just 1 hit while striking out 3 over the last 2 innings, with Mariano Rivera nailing down the save … SP David Cone (7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K) got the win, outdueling Dan Petry (6 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 5 BB, 7 K) in front of just under 58,000 screaming fans at Yankees Stadium.

Game 2 (at NYC): Yankees 4, Tigers 3
Notes: The Yankees scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 3rd against Tigers SP Milt Wilcox (who lasted only 4 innings) to take a 4-1 lead. Tigers fought back the best they could, but Yankees lefty David Wells (2-0) stayed in control, striking out 6 and walking 1 while scattering 7 hits. Still, Yankee fans had to sit through a tense 9th inning as Detroit loaded the bases with 1 out against Mariano Rivera with SS Howard Johnson (who’d homered earlier) coming to the plate. But Rivera induced a 6-2-3 double play to end the game and give the Yanks a 2-0 series advantage heading to Detroit.

Game 3 (at DET): Yankees 9, Tigers 6
Notes: The Yanks took charge early and didn’t let up until the ninth, when the Tigers scored 4 runs to pull within 9-6. NY manager Joe Torre shrugged, sent in Mariano Rivera, and that was that. Yankees piled up 15 hits — including homers by Paul O’Neil and Tino Martinez in the 3rd inning — and led by as much as 9-2 after 8 innings. Andy Pettitte got the win.

Game 4 (at DET): Yankees 6, Tigers 4
Notes: Detroit C Lance Parrish smacked a 2-run homer off SP David Cone in the 1st inning and that lead held until the 6th, when Tigers starter Dan Petry ran into a mess of trouble and gave up 4 runs, including a 2-run single by SS Derek Jeter, who was 3-for-5. Detroit’s Ruppert Jones tagged Cone for another 2-run jack in the bottom of the 7th to pull the hosts within 5-4, but the Yankees tacked on another run in the top of the 8th and then Rivera came on in the ninth to nail down his 4th save of the series and 6th of the tournament.

1998 Yankees sweep the series, 4 games to 0. Series MVP: Derek Jeter, 7-for-18 with 4 RBI and 6 runs scored. Five different Yankees had at least 3 RBIs, led by Jorge Posada, who had 5. Yankees pitching held 1984 Tigers vaunted top-of-lineup tandem of 2B Lou Whitaker and SS Alan Trammell to 6-for-32 with just 2 combined RBIs.


3B Scott Brosius embodies the competitive fire of the 1998 Yankees.

NEXT: The 1967 Cardinals and the 1998 Yankees will battle for the Bracket B Championship and a berth into The Ultimate Eight.

[webrian]

BRACKET B FINALS
Tale of the Tape

Old-time finalist: 1967 St. Louis Cardinals
* 101-60
* Won World Series vs. Red Sox, 4 games to 3
* Scored 4.3 runs per game, allowed 3.5 runs per game
* Tournament record: 7-3 (3-2 vs. 1931 Athletics, 4-1 vs. 1927 Pirates)
* Tournament margin: Cardinals 3.6 runs per game, Opps. 3.5 runs per game (+0.1)

Modern-time finalist: 1998 New York Yankees
* 114-48
* Won World Series vs. Padres, 4 games to 0
* Scored 5.9 runs per game, allowed 4.0 runs per game
* Tournament record: 7-1 (3-1 vs. 1975 Red Sox, 4-0 vs. 1984 Tigers)
* Tournament margin: Yankees 7.8 runs per game, Opps. 4.8 runs per game (+3.0)

(1) 1998 Yankees vs. (3) 1967 Cardinals (Best of 7)

GAME ONE (at NYC) — Cardinals 5, Yankees 4: The 1967 Cardinals weren’t intimidated. They took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st when Orlando Cepeda got an RBI single off Yanks SP David Cone (3-1) and increased it to 4-0 when Julian Javier mashed a 3-run homer in the top of the 4th inning. The Yankees fought back against Cards SP Steve Carlton (4-0). Scott Brosius hit a solo homer in the 5th and he and Paul O’Neil had extra-base hits for RBIs in a 3-run 6th inning to pull the Yanks within 5-4. But the Cardinals’ bullpen (Lamabe, Willis, Briles, Hoerner) held on, with Hoerner notching the save.

GAME TWO (at NYC) — Cardinals 5, Yankees 1: Cardinals’ SP Bob Gibson (3-1) pitched a complete-game, scattering 9 hits while walking 1 and striking out 9. Curt Flood and Orlando Cepeda each went 3-for-5 (Cepeda with 2 doubles) in STL’s 15-hit attack — 13 of them off SP David Wells (2-1). Cardinals struck for 3 runs in the 3rd inning, then two more in the 6th to build a 5-0 lead before the Yanks even got on the board. Now the mighty 1998 Yankees are down 2 games to none after losing twice at home!

GAME THREE (at STL) — Yankees 2, Cardinals 1: Cardinals SP Dick Hughes (0-3) whacked a solo homer off Yanks starter Andy Pettitte (2-1) in the 3rd inning, firing up the Busch Stadium crowd and giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. But the Yanks wouldn’t be denied this time. Bernie Williams tied it with a solo jack in the 4th inning. New York took the lead in the top of the 7th when Scott Brosius got hit by a pitch and eventually scored from third when Cardinals’ C Tim McCarver misplayed a squibbed ground ball. Pettitte went 8 strong innings (6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) and then turned it over to Mariano Rivera, who worked a 1-2-3 9th to get the save. Hughes also pitched well, allowing just 5 hits (4 singles) over 7 IP while striking out 8.

GAME FOUR (at STL) — Cardinals 1, Yankees 0: You could cut the tension with a knife. David Cone (3-2) and Steve Carlton (5-0) put on a fabulous pitching duel. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the 6th, when Lou Brock scored on a double by Curt Flood. Carlton, who has been masterful in this tournament, made that single tally stand up. He allowed just 3 hits (all singles) over 7 innings while walking 4 and striking out 8. Then the Cards’ pen (Lamabe, Hoerner, Briles) worked the final two innings, allowing 0 hits while striking out 3. Cone pitched a complete game, allowing just 4 hits while striking out 5 and walking nobody. The Yanks, who were heavy favorites to win the bracket, are down 3 games to 1.

GAME FIVE (at STL) — Yankees 10, Cardinals 5: Their backs to the edge of a cliff, the 1998 Yankees came out swinging — and connecting — against STL pitcher Ray Washburn. They plated 3 runs in the 1st, then added single tallies in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings to build a 6-3 lead and coasted from there. The first 3 hitters in the Yanks’ lineup, Chuck Knoblauch, Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams, went a combined 9-for-15 with 7 runs scored and 5 driven in. Tino Martinez (batting in the No. 5 slot), went 4-for-6 with a double, a HR and 4 RBIs. Cardinals’ LF Curt Flood went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs. Yanks SP David Wells (3-1) didn’t pitch great, but was solid enough to get the win. Washburn lasted only 3 innings for STL. Yankees go back to the Bronx, down 3-2.

GAME SIX (at NYC) — Yankees 5, Cardinals 4 (10 innings): The fourth 1-run game in the series was the most gripping yet. The Yankees led the Cardinals 4-2 going into the 8th inning when Ed Spiezio singled and then Lou Brock followed with a double off SP Andy Pettitte to put Cards on second and third with nobody out. Spiezio then scored on a groundout (with Brock hustling to 3rd) to make it 4-3, and then Roger Maris punched an opposite-field line drive straight to OF Chad Curtis in left field. Brock took off from third and just beat Curtis’ throw home to tie the game at 4-4, casting a new pall of gloom over the Bronx. The powerhouses reeled into the 10th inning where Tim Raines emerged the hero. In the bottom of the 10th, Raines drew a 4-pitch walk from STL reliever Nelson Briles to lead off. Then after an out, Homer Bush drew a full-count walk. With Jeter batting next, Raines and Bush pulled off a successful double steal. The Cards responded by walking Jeter intentionally to load the bases. Then, with a 2-2 count on Bernie Williams, Briles threw a wild pitch and Raines streaked home and then danced into a mob of joyous teammates. The Yanks had gone from down 3-1 to having home field advantage and momentum heading into a decisive Game Seven.

GAME SEVEN (at NYC) — Cardinals 9, Yankees 2: Pffffffft. So much for momentum. The Yankees had managed to fend off STL ace Bob Gibson in Game Six only to learn their true nemesis was Steve Carlton, who beat them for the third time in this series and won his sixth game (6-0) of this tournament. The Yankees did lead 1-0 after the first inning, but it was all downhill after that. The Cardinals got 3 runs in the top of the second (Julian Javier had an RBI double), one more run in the 4th and then blew the game open with a 5 spot in the top of the 6th (Dal Maxvill had a 2-run double & Roger Maris hit a solo HR). Yankees’ ace David Cone (3-3, 0-3 this series) lasted just four innings. Yanks pushed a run across in the 9th against Hal Woodeshick but it didn’t matter. The 1967 Cardinals are Bracket B Champs and they are moving on.



Mike Shannon enjoys a well-earned cold one.

Final hitting statistics from the series, below:



Final pitching stats:



NEXT: Bracket C

* Can Murderers' Row slug the 1927 Yankees into the Ultimate Eight? Can they even get past their first-round foe, the 1934 "Gashouse Gang" Cardinals led by Dizzy and Paul Dean?

* How will the Curse-Killing 2004 Red Sox fare in a bracket that includes both the 1927 and the 1978 Yankees? Can they even get past the 1990 Athletics and the "Bash Brothers?"

* What kind of impact can Willie Mays and the 1954 Giants make?

[webrian]

THE GRINDER: THE DRAWING OF THE EIGHT
Already drawn: 1965 Dodgers (Bracket A champion); 1967 Cardinals (Bracket B champion)

BRACKET C
Old-timers
(4) 1934 Cardinals (95-58) vs. (1) 1927 Yankees (110-44)
(3) 1954 Giants (97-57) vs. (2) 1968 Tigers (103-59)
Modern timers
(4) 1985 Royals (91-71) vs. (1) 1978 Yankees (100-63)
(3) 90 Athletics (103-59) vs. (2) 2004 Red Sox (98-64)

OLD-TIMER BRACKET

(4) 1934 Cardinals vs. (1) 1927 Yankees (Best of 5)

The 1927 Yankees won this series, 3 games to 2
Game 1 (at NYC): Cardinals 4, Yankees 2 — STL C Bill Delancey’s 2-run homer in 8th snaps 2-2 tie; Dizzy Dean 14 Ks
Game 2 (at NYC): Yankees 3, Cardinals 1 — Yankees SP George Pipgras 2-hitter over 8 innings; Yanks score 3 in 2nd inning
Game 3 (at STL): Cardinals 9, Yankees 1 — Cardinals get 13 hits, including a grand slam HR by Delancey; Paul Dean 14 Ks
Game 4 (at STL): Yankees 4, Cardinals 1 — Lou Gehrig goes 3-for-4 with a 2-run HR; SP Waite Hoyt 4-hitter
Game 5 (at NYC): Yankees 5, Cardinals 3 — Bob Meusel 3-run double in Bot. 9th saves Yanks from elimination
NOTES: If Murderers’ Row was a world famous rock and roll band, this series would have been one lame concert. Iconic Hall of Famers Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig EACH struck out 9 times in the five games and rarely came through in the clutch. Somehow, Gehrig (6-for-20, 2 HR, 4 RBIs) earned Series MVP honors, but he didn’t deserve it near as much as LF Bob Meusel did. Meusel hit .368 (7-for-19) and drove in 5 runs, including 3 with a bases-clearing double with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 5 to rescue the top-seeded Yanks. Then again, the 1934 Cardinals weren’t an easy draw. They’re pretty intimidating in their own right. Pitchers Dizzy and Paul Dean were spectacular, each with 14 Ks in his first start of the series. Dizzy Dean struck out 9 in 7.1 innings of Game 5 and should have won if only RP Flint Rhem held it. STL C Bill Delancey had 2 homers and 6 RBIs in the series … LF Joe Medwick went 6-for-18 with 4 RBIs and 1B Ripper Collins had a HR and drove in 5 more runs for the Gashouse Gang … Babe Ruth hit .176 (3-for-17) with 1 HR and 1 RBI. He hit a solo bomb in the 7th inning of Game 3 with the Yanks already losing 9-0. “There ya go, kids, now scram, will ya?”

(3) 1954 Giants vs. (2) 1968 Tigers (Best of 5)

The 1954 Giants swept this series, 3 games to 0
Game 1 (at DET): Giants 5, Tigers 4 — NYG C Ray Katt’s 2-run HR in 4th snaps 2-2 tie; RP Hoyt Wilhelm holds off late Tigers rally
Game 2 (at DET): Giants 6, Tigers 3 — SS Alvin Dark hits 2nd HR in as many games as Giants build 6-0 lead
Game 3 (at NYG): Giants 13, Tigers 2 — Party at the Polo Grounds as Giants leave Tigers in the dust.
NOTES: The 1968 Tigers put up a real fight in Game 1 and spent the other two games going down like a doomed torture victim. Game 3 was a total romp. Willie Mays blasted 2 HRs. Ray Katt, the catcher, had two triples. All told, it was an impressive display of prowess for a team that did similar work to the 1954 Indians in that real-life World Series. Mays got the Series MVP award: 6-for-11, 2 HR, 4 RBIs. The Giants out-homered the Tigers 7 to 1 in the three games. Giants pitchers Johnny Antonelli, Sal Maglie and Ruben Gomez all notched wins.


Murderers’ Row awaits Willie Mays and the 1954 Giants in the Bracket B semifinals.

MODERN TIMER BRACKET

(4) 1985 Royals vs. (1) 1978 Yankees (Best of 5)

The 1978 Yankees swept this series, 3 games to 0
Game 1 (at NYC): Yankees 4, Royals 2 — SP Ron Guidry 7.2 IP, 2 BB, 14 K; Royals 1B Steve Balboni solo HR
Game 2 (at NYC): Yankees 7, Royals 3 — RF Reggie Jackson 3-for-4 with 2 HRs, a double, 2 runs and 3 RBIs
Game 3 (at KC): Yankees 4, Royals 0 — SP Jim Beattie and RP Sparky Lyle combine on 3-hit shutout
NOTES: The 1978 Yankees demonstrated how a No. 1 seed is supposed to handle its first-round foe. Then again, the 1985 Royals (much as I love ‘em) are not the 1934 Cardinals. Steinbrenner’s gang swept KC aside with ease. In fact, the Royals held just one lead (1-0 in Gm. 2) and only for an inning at that. OF Reggie Jackson gets Series MVP honors for going 4-for-12 with 2 HR and 4 RBIs in the short series. SS Bucky Dent went 7-for-10 but didn’t drive in any runs. LF Lou Piniella went 5-for-12 with 4 RBIs.

(3) 1990 Athletics vs. (2) 2004 Red Sox (Best of 5)

The 2004 Red Sox won this series, 3 games to 1
Game 1 (at BOS): Athletics 5, Red Sox 3 (10) — Stan Javier’s 2-run triple in 10th inning lifts Athletics; Eck gets win.
Game 2 (at BOS): Red Sox 14, Athletics 4 — Red Sox explode for 7 runs in 1st after going down 3-0 and cruise on.
Game 3 (at OAK): Red Sox 19, Athletics 2 — Another total rout. David Ortiz 3-for-5, 2 HR, 4 runs, 8 RBIs!
Game 4 (at OAK): Red Sox 15, Athletics 4 — Oh for crying out loud!
NOTES: The Tony LaRussa Athletics had made the BoSox their whipping boys in 4-game ALCS sweeps in 1988 and 1990 — which might account for the mojo the Curse Killers displayed in this series, outscoring the A’s 48-10 over the last three games. The 2004 Red Sox were the real “murderers’ row” of this round. It was like something snapped. The A’s won a tense Game 1 in extra innings, then took a quick 3-0 lead in Game 2. Then the Sox snapped, erupting for 7 runs in the bottom of the 1st and never letting up until the A’s were eliminated. Series MVP was SS Orlando Cabrera (8-for-17, 3 HR, 6 RBIs) but his selection was arbitrary. The Sox crushed 10 HRs in the series and seven different players had at least 5 RBIs — led by Big Papi (Ortiz) with 9.


The 1990 Athletics met the REAL “Bash Brothers” in Bracket C.



Ok, Curse Killers. Whatcha gonna do about this? 10.02.78

[webrian]

UPDATE COMING SOON!!

(it's been a crazy week)

[webrian]

BRACKET C SEMIFINALS

(3) 1954 Giants vs. (1) 1927 Yankees (Best of 7)

Game 1 (at YANKS): Giants 5, Yankees 1
NOTES: Johnny Antonelli limited the mighty Yankees to just 3 hits over 8 innings while striking out 4 and walking 4. Yankees’ starter Waite Hoyt matched him for 5 innings. But in the top 6th, Giants got 4 unearned runs: Willie Mays (3-for-4) had an RBI single to break the scoreless tie, and then Hank Thompson belted a 3-run homer. Earle Combs had an RBI double for Yankees’ only run, in 8th inning.

Game 2 (at YANKS): Yankees 9, Giants 7
NOTES: Hank Thompson smacked a 2-run homer in the top of the 1st inning as the Giants grabbed a quick 3-0 lead. But the Yankees had more fight in them this time. Babe Ruth hit an INSIDE-THE-PARK homer in the bottom of the first inning (LF-CF gap was 490 feet in 1927) and then C Pat Collins hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 2nd to tie the game at 3-3. The Yanks took the lead with a 3-run 4th inning that included a 2-run single by Bob Meusel, finally chasing Giants’ SP Sal Maglie from the mound. OF Dusty Rhodes led a Giants’ comeback with a 2-run double in the 6th and then a 2-run single in the 7th to pull his side within 8-7. But in the 8th, Earle Combs found that 490-foot gap and circled the bases for another INSIDE-THE-PARK HR. Wilcy Moore closed it out and evened the series, 1-1, as action shifts to The Polo Grounds.

Game 3 (at POLO): Yankees 4, Giants 3 (11 innings)
NOTES: Reserve infielder Ray Morehart was the hero in this one. Pinch-hitting for the pitcher, Morehart worked Giants’ RP Marv Grissom for a walk in the top of the 11th inning, then stole second base, then stole third, and scored on a sacrifice fly by SS Mark Koenig to give the Yankees the lead. Bob Shawkey then came on and shut the Giants down in the bottom of the 11th to preserve the win. Yanks had led 3-1 going to the bottom of the 8th when the Giants scored 2 runs off SP Herb Pennock to tie it.

Game 4 (at POLO): Yankees 5, Giants 0
NOTES: Now the 1927 Yankees appear to have hit their stride. SP Waite Hoyt was even sharper than he’d been in Game 1 (7 IP, 0 R, 8 H, 1 BB, 6 K), outdueling Johnny Antonelli, who struck out 10 and walked 2 but gave up 11 hits over 7 innings — including a 2-run single by Babe Ruth in the third. Tony Lazzeri went 3-for-5 with a HR, a double and 2 RBIs as Murderers’ Row moved to within a game of clinching a berth in the Bracket C finals.

Game 5 (at POLO): Yankees 6, Giants 4
NOTES: The Giants fought back from an early 2-0 deficit and led 4-2 after superstar Willie Mays slammed a solo homer off SP George Pipgras in the bottom of the 5th. But the 1927 Yanks were as relentless as their reputation, scoring a run in the 6th to pull within 4-3 and then taking the lead with 3 runs in the 7th, including a 2-run, tie-breaking single by Tony Lazzeri. Murderers’ Row came through, with Babe Ruth (3-for-3, 1 run), Bob Meusel (2-for-4, 3 RBIs) and Lazzeri (2-for-5, 2 RBIs) leading the charge. Giants’ 3B Don Mueller (4-for-5) hit a 1-out double in the bottom of the 9th to give his team one more glimmer of hope. But then Yanks RP Bob Shawkey struck out Willie Mays and induced Hank Thompson into an easy groundout. Ever confident, the 1927 Yankees strode off the field, doffing their caps and smiling, but not quite erupting in celebration. They knew it’d end like this.

The 1927 Yankees win the series, 4 games to 1. Series MVP: Babe Ruth, who went 9-for-20 with a HR (inside-the-park) and 4 RBIs. Ruth shook off his sluggish performance from the series against the 1934 Cardinals and made himself a consistent thorn in the side of the 1954 Giants’ pitchers. 2B Tony Lazzeri and LF Bob Meusel were a combined 12-for-40 with 1 HR and 11 RBIs between them and even 3B Joe Dugan got into it, going 7-for-19 with 3 RBIs. Lou Gehrig practically disappeared in this series, going a dismal 2-for-21 with zero runs batted in. Scary to think, the 1927 Yankees have gone 7-3 against the likes of the 1934 Cardinals and the 1954 Giants with either Ruth or Gehrig slumping. If they both start to crank it up, look out! For the Giants, Willie Mays was 9-for-22 with a HR and 4 RBIs while Hank Thompson was 5-for-16 with 2 HR and 6 RBIs and Don Mueller went 8-for-22 with an RBI.


Herb Pennock, SP of the 1927 Yankees, looking mighty proud of himself.

BRACKET C SEMIFINALS

(2) 2004 Red Sox vs. (1) 1978 Yankees (Best of 7)

Game 1 (at NYC): Yankees 1, Red Sox 0 (10 innings)
NOTES: The bats that roared for the Red Sox against the 1990 Athletics fell totally silent against the 1978 Yankees and SP Ron Guidry, who dueled Boston SP Curt Schilling to a 0-0 draw through 9 innings. Guidry K’d 11 and walked 1 over his 9 innings. Schilling struck out 6, walked 1. In the bottom of the 10th, the Yankees loaded the bases with nobody out against Red Sox RP Keith Foulke and then CF Mickey Rivers walloped a high drive over the drawn-in outfield for what would have been a triple. Instead, pinch runner Gary Thomasson calmy trotted home with the winning run as the stadium cheered. Yanks’ relief ace Goose Gossage got the win.

Game 2 (at NYC): Red Sox 6, Yankees 2
NOTES: Red Sox CF Johnny Damon greeted Yanks starter Ed Figueroa with a solo home run to open a 4-run 1st inning for the Curse Killers. C Jason Varitek added a 2-run jack to that inning and the Sox cruised from there with SP Pedro Martinez allowing just 3 hits (including a Reggie Jackson solo HR) while going the distance. The Red Sox tied the series 1-1 heading north to Fenway.

Game 3 (at BOS): Yankees 8, Red Sox 5
NOTES: Reggie Jackson reminded fans why he was called “Mr. October.” He went 4-for-4 and HIT FOR THE CYCLE as the Yankees retook the lead in the series. Jackson hit a double in the 2nd inning, a solo HR off Bronson Arroyo in the 3rd, a 2-run triple in the 6th and a single in the 8th inning. He scored 3 times and drove in 3 runs. But it was other Yankees whose hits really turned the momentum in the back-and-forth game. Graig Nettles gave the New Yorkers a 2-1 lead with a 2-run homer in the 2nd inning. Chris Chambliss hit a 2-run homer in the 5th to snap a 3-3 tie. Catfish Hunter got the win for the Yankees and Goose Gossage picked up the save.

Game 4 (at BOS): Yankees 8, Red Sox 0
NOTES: SP Ron Guidry ran his scoreless innings streak to 17.1 in this shutout of the 2004 Red Sox. The dominant lefty pitched 8.1 innings, allowed just 1 hit (a Kevin Millar double), walked 2 and struck out 10. Graig Nettles continued his binge, going 4-for-5 with 2 more homers and 5 RBIs. The Yankees out-hit the Sox 17-3 in the game, leaving the tens of thousands of New Englanders at Fenway feeling almost dead inside.

Game 5 (at BOS): Yankees 9, Red Sox 5
NOTES: David Ortiz smashed a 2-run homer off Ed Figueroa during a 3-run 1st inning for the Red Sox, but they couldn’t sustain that momentum against a Yankees’ squad that raked 20 hits against five different Boston pitchers. LF Lou Piniella and C Thurman Munson each went 4-for-5 for the Yanks, who took the lead (5-4) on a 2-run single by Graig Nettles in the top of the 4th inning and then piled it on with 4 more runs in the top of the 8th. Ortiz and Manny Ramirez drove in all 5 runs for the Curse Killers, whose charm finally wore off in this series.

The 1978 Yankees win this series, 4 games to 1. Series MVP: Reggie Jackson, a.k.a “Mr. October” — he went 8-for-20 in the series with 2 homers, 5 RBIs and hit for the cycle in the pivotal Game 3 … What stood out in this series was the talent of the 1978 Yankees’ lineup … In every game, it seemed that two different Yankee players would get hot and carry the offense; 7 of the 9 Yankees who started all four games hit over .300 in the series, led by Graig Nettles, who had 3 homers and 9 RBIs. Even SS Bucky Dent hit .350, going 7-for-20 with a pair of RBIs … On the flip side, 8 of the Red Sox everyday players hit under .250 in the series, though six of them did homer.


Reggie Jackson hit for the cycle in Game 3 and earned Series MVP honors.

So …. It will be Murderers’ Row vs. The Bronx Zoo for the Bracket C title and a berth into the Ultimate Eight. Very much in character, 1978 Yankees’ superstar Reggie Jackson (much to the consternation of his teammates) is already stirring this drink, telling a reporter: “Don’t let it be said that I got no respect for any of the great players who came before, because I do. But hear me now: I will hit more home runs in this coming series than Babe Ruth. I will out-homer him. You can put it down in ink.”

[webrian]

BRACKET C FINALS
Tale of the Tape

Old-time finalist: 1927 New York Yankees
* 110-44
* Won World Series vs. Pirates, 4 games to 0
* Scored 6.3 runs per game, allowed 3.9 runs per game
* Tournament record: 7-3 (3-2 vs. 1934 Cardinals, 4-1 vs. 1954 Giants)
* Tournament margin: 27 Yankees — 4.0 runs per game, Opps. 3.7 runs per game (+0.3)

Modern-time finalist: 1978 New York Yankees
* 100-63
* Won World Series vs. Dodgers, 4 games to 2
* Scored 4.5 runs per game, allowed 3.6 runs per game
* Tournament record: 7-1 (3-0 vs. 1985 Royals, 4-1 vs. 2004 Red Sox)
* Tournament margin: 78 Yankees — 5.4 runs per game, Opps. 2.6 runs per game (+2.8)

(1) 1927 Yankees vs. (1) 1978 Yankees (Best of 7)

GAME ONE (at 27 NYY) — 27 Yankees 4, 1978 Yankees 3: It figures to be an exhilarating series and it began with an exhilarating game. 27 Yanks 1B Lou Gehrig broke a 3-3 tie with a solo home run in the bottom of the 6th inning against 78 Yanks starter Ron Guidry (lefty vs lefty). The Bronx Zoo took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Mickey Rivers got to second on a throwing error and later scored on Graig Nettles’ sac fly. But Murderers’ Row came back with a 2-run single by Bob Meusel in the bottom of the first. The Bronx Zoo re-took the lead in the top of the 5th on an RBI triple (down the RF line) by SS Bucky Dent, who then scored on a kicked ground ball. The 27 Yanks tied it again in the bottom of the 5th when SP Waite Hoyt singled and eventually scored on SS Mark Koenig’s sac fly. After Gehrig’s 439-foot solo blast gave 27 Yanks a 4-3 lead, Hoyt and RP Bob Shawkey retired 9 of the next ten 78 Yankee batters to preserve it.

GAME TWO (at 27 NYY) — 27 Yankees 7, 78 Yankees 2: This wasn’t close at all. Murderers’ Row led 7-0 after 3 innings and George Pipgras cruised from there, striking out 11 and walking three in a complete-game victory. 27 Yanks 3B Joe Dugan went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and 2 RBIs. LF Bob Muesel and CF Earle Combs had a pair of hits each for the 27-ers. 78 Yanks RF Reggie Jackson went 0-for-4 with 4 strikeouts. Ouch. The Babe also went 0-for-4 but he never struck out.

GAME THREE (at 78 NYY) — 27 Yankees 6, 78 Yankees 5 (10 innings): The most action-packed, most dramatic, most ICONIC game of this series was this one. Some flashpoints:
* Top 1st inning: Lou Gehrig swats a 2-run homer off 78 Yanks’ SP Catfish Hunter (2-0, 27 Yanks)
* Top 3rd inning: Babe Ruth crushes a 410-foot 2-run homer to deep RF, his first of series (4-0, 27 Yanks)
* Bottom 8th inning: 78 Yanks’ Reggie Jackson belts a 2-run homer (393 ft) to RF, tying the game, 5-5.
* Top 10th inning: Facing Goose Gossage, Gehrig cracks his second homer of the game, a 354-ft jack to RF. (6-5, 27 Yanks)
The 1978 Yankees did all they could to not fall into this 3-0 hole. They used 6 different pitchers, they fought back from a 4-0 deficit to tie it on a dramatic Reggie Jackson HR. Lou Piniella went 3-for-3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. But it’s hard to beat the 27 Yankees when Lou Gehrig is awake and on fire and especially when Babe Ruth gets in on the act.

GAME FOUR (at 78 NYY) — 27 Yankees 3, 78 Yankees 1: The unkindest cut of all.
1978 SP Ron Guidry had a NO-HITTER going until he surrendered a 2-out single to Earle Combs in the top of the 8th inning. The Bronx Zoo was protecting a 1-0 lead (and fighting for survival) since the bottom of the 5th, when Chris Chambliss scored on a Bucky Dent sac fly off Waite Hoyt. The hit by Combs in the 8th came on Guidry’s 129th pitch of the game, so nervous manager Bob Lemon used the hook right then. Ed Figueroa got the last out of the 8th and Goose Gossage came on for the 9th to try and nail down the save.
Nope.
Babe Ruth walked to lead off the ninth and Gehrig flew out to left. Then Gossage walked Bob Meusel on 4 straight pitches and fell behind 2B Tony Lazzeri 3 balls to 1 strike. Gossage’s fifth pitch to Lazzeri ended up in the left-field seats while the 27 Yankees congregated and whooped it up at home plate. They suddenly led 3-1.
In the bottom of the ninth, Roy White led off with a single and Reggie Jackson drew a walk. But then RP Bob Shawkey settled down. He got Lou Piniella to ground out. He struck out Graig Nettles. He induced Thurman Munson into a can-of-corn fly ball to CF for the final out.

The 1927 Yankees win this series, 4 games to 0. After a shaky opening series against the 1934 Cardinals, the Murderers’ Row Yankees got their legs under them and clicked off 8 consecutive victories to win Bracket C and ascend to the Ultimate Eight. I wondered if the OOTP17 version of them would be true and, even if it was, if this iconic team would live up to the mystique. In fact, they’re even better than I thought.
I hoped that the 1978 Yankees (a very strong team in its own right) would give Murderers’ Row a tough series. I believed they would. I thought the myriad of lefty-righty combos the Bronx Zoo could put together might give the 1927 Yankee pitchers the same trouble they gave the 85 Royals and 04 Red Sox, not to mention the real-life teams they beat. In hoping for the 78 Yanks, I came to appeciate the constant pressure the 27 Yankees put on their opponents. Even the less-famous hitters (Joe Dugan, Mark Koenig, Pat Collins) are tough, scrappy outs who will kill you with a single here, a double there or a timely RBI triple when there’s two outs and a pitcher dares himself the luxury of a moment’s relief. Bob Meusel and Tony Lazzeri aren’t as flashy as Ruth and Gehrig, but they possess even more of a killer instinct — and they come to hit right after a pitcher has either gotten past or walked Ruth and or Gehrig.
And their pitching and defense, of course, are solid. Not air-tight, but always good enough to keep these Yankees in the game, which is all they need with this lineup.

Waite Hoyt gets Series MVP honors for going 2-0 and beating 1978 Yanks’ ace Ron Guidry both times. Hoyt allowed just 4 hits in 16 innings pitched and had a 0.56 ERA for the series. He went 4-2 in the bracket overall, including 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA in the series against the 1954 Giants.


Hoyt out-dueled Ron Guidry twice in this series. That'll make a good rain-delay story wherever Hoyt's at now.

Reggie Jackson’s pre-series boast that he’d out-homer Babe Ruth came out to a draw. Jackson was 2-for-13 in the series with 1 HR. Ruth was 1-for-13 in the series, but his hit was a home run. Lou Gehrig, though, was 4-for-16 with 3 homers and 5 RBIs and Earle Combs was 7-for-15 to lead all hitters in the series. Nobody for the 1978 Yankees had more than 2 RBIs in the series.





The 1927 Yankees came in as top seeds. They left on top by sweeping the other No. 1 seed in the bracket. Will we see an equally dominant performance from any other team in the five brackets ahead?



"We won Bracket C, Lou! We won some random person's OOTP17 Bracket C! They'll never take this away from us!"

"I'm the luckiest man on the face of the — Hey, Gidge, you're hugging me a little too hard ... "

COMING NEXT: Bracket D

* Is the Big Red Machine — the 1976 version — good enough to assume its place in the Ultimate Eight?

* Will Duke Snider and Jackie Robinson work their magic and get the 1953 Dodgers through the Old-timers bracket — or will another pitching-rich team of destiny, the 1969 Miracle Mets this time, steal the thunder?

* Can Kirby Puckett and the 1991 Minnesota Twins find their magic again in this tournament?

[webrian]

THE GRINDER: Drawing of The Eight
Already drawn: 1965 Dodgers; 1967 Cardinals; 1927 Yankees

BRACKET D
Old-timers
(4) 1926 Cardinals (89-63) vs. (1) 1969 Mets (100-62)
(3) 1934 Tigers (101-53) vs. (2) 1953 Dodgers (105-49)
Modern timers
(4) 1986 Red Sox (96-66) vs. (1) 1976 Reds (102-60)
(3) 2008 Phillies (92-70) vs. (2) 1991 Twins (95-67)


OLD-TIMER BRACKET

(4) 1926 Cardinals vs. (1) 1969 Mets (Best of 5)

Game 1 (at NYC): Cardinals 3, Mets 2 — STL’s Flint Rhem out-pitches Jerry Koosman in tight opener
Game 2 (at NYC): Cardinals 9, Mets 5 — Cards rough up Tom Seaver; Les Bell and Tom Thevenow with big homers.
Game 3 (at STL): Mets 3, Cardinals 2 — Tommy Agee’s RBI triple in top 9th breaks 2-2 tie as Mets win.
Game 4 (at STL): Mets 8, Cardinals 1 — Mets get 11 hits to win easily; Art Shamsky HR, Wayne Garrett 2 hits, 3 RBIs
Game 5 (at NYC): Cardinals 6, Mets 2 — Jim Bottomley with HR, 3 RBIs as SP Pete Alexander (2-0) wins again.


Crafty veteran Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander ... thinking up something crafty.

The 1926 Cardinals win the series, 3 games to 2: For the first time in this tournament, the home teams were winless all the way through … STL catcher Bob O’Farrell gets Series MVP for going 8-for-21 with 2 RBIs but Tommy Thevenow was 4-for-14 with a HR and 7 RBIs …. It was a team effort for the underdog Cardinals, who had 9 different players drive in at least 1 run in the series … Mets made some strange pitching choices, going with LHP Jerry Koosman for Games 1 and 5 and using 25-7 ace Tom Seaver just once (he got shellacked).





(3) 1934 Tigers vs. (2) 1953 Dodgers (Best of 5)

Game 1 (at BRO): Dodgers 3, Tigers 2 — Gil Hodges is the hero for Brooklyn: 3-for-4 with walk-off HR in bot. 9th. Duke Snider also homers for the Dodgers.
Game 2 (at BRO): Dodgers 4, Tigers 2 — PeeWee Reese, Duke Snider and Jackie Robinson with 2 hits apiece as Bums take 4-0 lead and hold on.
Game 3 (at DET): Tigers 5, Dodgers 3 — Tigers bang out 12 hits, including 3-for-4 by 2B Charlie Gehringer
Game 4 (at DET): Dodgers 1, Tigers 0 — Gil Hodges RBI single in 4th is only run. Schoolboy Rowe 7 IP, 10 K effort wasted as Tigers eliminated.


Roy Campanella and the 1953 Dodgers had no chill for the 1934 Tigers.

The 1953 Dodgers win the series, 3 games to 1: Detroit 2B Charlie Gehringer goes 9-for-20 with 2 HR and 3 RBIs to become the first member of the losing team to win Series MVP. When two great teams match up, it’s the ability to win the close games that matters and the Dodgers were just better at it. It was a lower-scoring series than could have been expected between two teams that both averaged at least 6.2 runs per game in their actual seasons.



MODERN BRACKET

(4) 1986 Red Sox vs. (1) 1976 Reds (Best of 5)

Game 1 (at CIN): Reds 3, Red Sox 2 — BOS SP Roger Clemens gets 13 K in CG, but Reds get HRs from Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion and save by Rawly Eastwick to hang on.
Game 2 (at CIN): Reds 7, Red Sox 3 — 6 different Reds players with at least 2 hits apiece, with HRs by Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench
Game 3 (at BOS): Red Sox 3, Reds 2 (11 inngs) — Rich Gedman RBI double in bottom of 11th keeps Sox alive.
Game 4 (at BOS): Reds 8, Red Sox 5 — Each team with 14 hits, but Big Red Machine gets the last laugh.


It always seems to end in tears for Wade Boggs and the 1986 Red Sox.

The 1976 Reds win the series, 3 games to 1: The Red Sox made a tactical blunder in Game 4, starting creaky old Tom Seaver over young gun Roger Clemens with a chance to even the series in front of a fired-up home crowd. The Sox hoped to deal Clemens like an ace card for Game 5 if only Seaver could come through. He couldn’t …. The bullpens were a huge factor. The Red Sox pen just didn’t have what it took to hold back The Big Red Machine, especially in games 2 and 4. The Reds’ pen, meanwhile, protected every lead, but Manny Sarmiento did give up back-to-back hits to the Sox in the 11th inning of Game 3.





(3) 2008 Phillies vs. (2) 1991 Twins (Best of 5)

Game 1 (at MIN): Phillies 14, Twins 3 — 1B Ryan Howard 3-for-5 with HR and 5 RBIs in a total rout.
Game 2 (at MIN): Philles 13, Twins 6 — Incredible. Another 20 hits for Philly. Another HR and 4 more ribbies for Howard.
Game 3 (at PHI): Phillies 4, Twins 3 — Greg Dobbs (who??) with a 2-run double in bottom of 6th gives Phils the lead for good.


On to the next round for the melodramatic 2008 Phillies. It was a sweep, guys.

Phillies sweep the series, 3 games to 0: Ryan Howard, 5-for-12 with 2 HR and 9 RBIs is Series MVP. Huge no-brainer there. I don’t know what happened to the 1991 Twins. Did their pitching melt down or are the 2008 Phillies really that much better? If the Phils stay that hot, then the 1976 Reds are going to have a major problem on their hands.