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Former Gold Glove and All Star outfielder Andy Van Slyke joins the podcast. He shared memories of his days with the great Pirate teams of the 1990’s and other thoughts.
Chatting with an All Star on this episode of Sully Baseball.
Check out his new podcast, View from Centerfield.
Neither winning nor losing on this episode of Sully Baseball.
While we are at it, enjoy the In Memoriam video.
First of all, I love this card. Leyland looks like an old school “I take no shit” manager in this pic and he is wearing my all time favorite Pirates uniform in the process. Seeing him in the classic flat top “We Are Family” Pirates hat in their last year is a sight to behold.
He just looks better in that kind of uniform.
Compare that to when he wore the “Flash Forward” uniforms the Colorado Rockies wore for a game.
I would like to think the day he put that uniform on was the day he chose to resign from the Rockies.
I am a Leyland fan. The Bonds/Bonilla/Drabek/Leyland Pirate teams of the early 1990’s were one of my favorite Non Red Sox teams of all time.
In my humble opinion, Jim Leyland belongs in the Hall of Fame. He has the resume to back it up and won as many World Series titles as Leo Durocher, Whitey Herzog and Earl Weaver did in their long careers.
He went to the World Series 3 times as a manager in 3 different decades, winning in 1997 with Florida. He also won division titles in 1990, 1991, 1992, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
There were a few at bats that if they went just slightly differently, then his Hall of Fame candidacy would not even be in question.
GAME 6, 1990 NLCS. Carmello Martinez hit a line drive that looked like a game tying, potential elimination avoiding home run. Glenn Braggs leaped above the line to bring it back in. Had that ball cleared the fence, the Pirates would have tied Game 6 and had a chance to force a Game 7.
GAME 6, 1991 NLCS. With the tying run on third in the bottom of the 9th of a 1-0 game against Atlanta, Andy Van Slyke hit a deep drive to right field. It hooked foul. He then struck out to end the game. If the ball didn’t go foul, it would have been a 2 run homer and the Pirates would have won the pennant.
GAME 7, 1992 NLCS. Francisco Cabrera, third string catcher, came up against Stan Belinda with 2 outs. If he did ANYTHING else, like pop up or ground out, the Pirates would have won the pennant. Instead… well… you know.
GAME 2, 2013 ALCS. The Tigers had won Game 1 against Boston and held a 5-1 lead in the 8th inning of Game 2 and had Verlander ready to go in Game 3. Then Big Papi tied the game with the grand slam and Saltalamacchia (sic) won the game with a walk off single. Had they taken the 2-0 lead back to Detroit, the 2013 pennant would have been in the bag.
GAME 6, 2013 ALCS. Another late lead, another sloppy inning. This time it was Shane Victorino who hit the grand slam that put the Red Sox up for good. Winning that game would have forced a Game 7.
A Pirate pennant and a Tiger World Series title would have made his resume undeniable.
There is another aspect of his career that is interesting. Consider about once a decade, a complete fluke World Series winner takes home the trophy. By that I mean a team that is slapped together with parts of other clubs and within a few years the team is disassembled. The 1987 Twins are an example of that. So would be the 2001 Diamondbacks.
Once Leyland was benefited from one of those teams and another time he was the victim of one.
The 1997 Marlins were cobbled together for a quick win. Even Leyland being brought in from Pittsburgh was part of the quick fix. They gobbled up Kevin Brown, Bobby Bonilla, Moises Alou, Darren Daulton, Al Leiter and a bunch of other veterans for one run at it. It worked. They beat San Francisco, upset Atlanta and won the wild 7 game series over Cleveland and won it all.
When Craig Counsel scored on Edgar Renteria’s hit, Leyland poured out of the dugout, gave a long emphatic point at his wife, jumped in Bobby Bonilla’s arms (his star from 1990 and 1991) and marched around the field waving the Marlins flag.
By the next year, virtually the entire team was playing elsewhere and by the end of 1998, Leyland himself was gone.
In 2013, he was on the bad end of it. The Tigers, consistently one of the super powers in the AL but without a World Series title, had their best shot. But a Red Sox team cobbled together with short term contracts and vagabonds, shocked them with a pair of grand slams and domination from Koji Uehara.
The one year wonders giveth and they taketh away. But all that being said, Leyland is an all time great and should eventually be enshrined in Cooperstown.
Let’s see his greatest moment.
Did you notice during the final Dodgers and Nationals game that there were a few moments where either team could have clinched when a pitch was thrown? A double play or an out would seal the deal for Los Angeles. A home run or an extra base hit would send Washington to the NLCS. A single pitch had the polar opposite fates for two teams.
How many times has this happened? How many times has a post season series come down to a moment where a single pitch could have clinched for either side?
I originally did this post for the Giants and Royals finishing the 2014 World Series. I am updating it for last night’s game.
While figuring this out, I picked a team where a hit, including a homer, would yield a walk off clincher for the home club.
I also took a visiting team where an out or a realistic double play would end the series. If a runner is on third with 1 out, the chances of a double play would be slim at best.
The list will not include memorable series like the 1960 World Series, 1975 World Series, 1980 NLCS, 1986 World Series, 2004 ALCS nor 2011 World Series. Oddly enough those years did not yield this scenario. The losing team and winning team were never on the verge of clinching at the same time in any of those years.
So lets find them, the ultimate post season at bats. This list will include One Game Playoffs, Wild Card Games, Division Series, League Championship Series and of course World Series.
1912 World Series
New York Giants at Boston Red Sox
Game 8 (Series included 1 tie.)
Bottom 10. Giants 2 – Red Sox 1.
1 out. Runners at first and third.
Double Play would win World Series for Giants.
Extra Base Hit would win World Series for Red Sox.
Giants Pitcher – Christy Mathewson.
Red Sox Batter – Tris Speaker.
Result – Speaker singled to right field to tie the game 2-2.
Red Sox would win the World Series two batters later when Larry Gardner hit a walk off sacrifice fly to drive home the winning run.
1926 World Series
St. Louis Cardinals at New York Yankees
Game 7
Bottom 9. Cardinals 3 – Yankees 2.
2 outs. Runner at first.
Out would win World Series for Cardinals.
Home Run would win World Series for Yankees
Cardinals Pitcher – Grover Cleveland Alexander.
Red Sox Batter – Bob Meusel.
Result – Babe Ruth, the runner at first, is caught stealing to end the game and clinch the World Series for the Cardinals.
1951 National League Playoff
Brooklyn Dodgers at New York Giants
Game 3
Bottom 9. Dodgers 4 – Giants 2.
1 out. Runners at first and third.
Double play would win Pennant for Dodgers.
Home Run would win Pennant for Giants.
Dodgers Pitcher – Ralph Branca.
Giants Batter – Bobby Thomson.
Result – Thomson homers to left field. The Giants Win the Pennant (The Giants win the Pennant.)
1962 World Series
New York Yankees at San Francisco Giants
Game 7
Bottom 9. Yankees 1 – Giants 0
2 outs. Runner at first.
Out would win World Series for Yankees.
Home Run would win World Series for Giants
Yankees Pitcher – Ralph Terry.
Giants Batter – Willie Mays.
Result – Mays doubles to right field. Baserunner Matty Alou is held at third base.
Bottom 9. Yankees 1 – Giants 0
2 outs. Runners at second and third.
Out would win World Series for Yankees.
A single or an error would win World Series for Giants
Yankees Pitcher – Ralph Terry.
Giants Batter – Willie McCovey.
Result – McCovey lines out to second baseman Bobby Richardson to clinch World Series for the Yankees.
1972 American League Championship Series
Oakland A’s at Detroit Tigers
Game 5
Bottom 9. A’s 2 – Tigers 1
1 out. Runner at first.
Double Play would win Pennant for A’s.
Home Run would win Pennant for Tigers.
A’s pitcher – Vida Blue.
Tigers batter – Mickey Stanley.
Result – Stanley grounds to shortstop. Runner is forced out but Stanley reaches first.
Bottom 9. A’s 2 – Tigers 1
2 outs. Runner at first.
Out would win Pennant for A’s.
Home Run would win Pennant for Tigers.
A’s pitcher – Vida Blue.
Tigers batter – Tony Taylor.
Result – Taylor flies out to center field. A’s win the pennant.
1972 World Series
Oakland A’s at Cincinnati Reds
Game 7
Bottom 9. A’s 3 – Reds 2
2 outs. Runner at first.
Out would win World Series for A’s.
Home Run would win World Series for Reds.
A’s pitcher – Rollie Fingers.
Reds batter – Pete Rose.
Result – Rose flies out to left center field. A’s win World Series.
American League East Division One Game Playoff
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
Bottom 9. Yankees 5 – Red Sox 4
1 out. Runner at first.
Double play would win Division for Yankees.
Home Run would win Division for Red Sox.
Yankees pitcher – Rich Gossage.
Red Sox batter – Jerry Remy.
Result – Remy singles to right field. Rick Burleson moves to second.
Bottom 9. Yankees 5 – Red Sox 4
1 out. Runners at first and second.
Double play would win Division for Yankees.
Extra base hit would win Division for Red Sox.
Yankees pitcher – Rich Gossage.
Red Sox batter – Jim Rice.
Result – Rice flies out to right field.
Bottom 9. Yankees 5 – Red Sox 4
2 outs. Runners at first and second.
Out would win Division for Yankees.
Extra base hit would win Division for Red Sox.
Yankees pitcher – Rich Gossage.
Red Sox batter – Carl Yastrzemski.
Result – Yastrzemski pops up to third baseman Graig Nettles. Yankees win Division.
1981 National League Championship Series
Los Angeles Dodgers at Montreal Expos
Game 5
Bottom 9. Dodgers 2 – Expos 1
2 outs. Runner at first.
Out would win Pennant for Dodgers.
Home Run would win Pennant for Expos.
Dodgers pitcher – Fernando Valenzuela.
Reds batter – Larry Parrish.
Result – Parrish walks. Pinch runner Jerry Manuel moves from first to second.
Bottom 9. Dodgers 2 – Expos 1
2 outs. Runners at first and second.
Out would win pennant for Dodgers.
Extra base hit would win Pennant for Expos.
Dodgers pitcher – Bob Welch.
Reds batter – Jerry White.
Result – White grounds out to second. Dodgers win pennant.
1992 National League Championship Series
Pittsburgh Pirates at Atlanta Braves
Game 7
Bottom 9. Pirates 2 – Braves 1
1 outs. Runners at first and second.
Double Play would win Pennant for Pirates.
Extra base hit would win Pennant for Braves.
Pirates pitcher – Stan Belinda.
Braves batter – Damon Berryhill.
Result – Berryhill walks. David Justice moves to third. Sid Bream moves to second.
Bottom 9. Pirates 2 – Braves 1
1 outs. Bases Loaded.
Double Play would win Pennant for Pirates.
Single would win Pennant for Braves.
Pirates pitcher – Stan Belinda.
Braves batter – Brian Hunter.
Result – Hunter pops up to second baseman.
Bottom 9. Pirates 2 – Braves 1
2 outs. Bases Loaded.
Out would win Pennant for Pirates.
Single would win Pennant for Braves.
Pirates pitcher – Stan Belinda.
Braves batter – Francisco Cabrera.
Result – Cabrera singles to left. Justice scores the tying run. Sid Bream somehow scores the winning run. Braves win NLCS.
(AP Photo/Hans Deryk)
1997 World Series
Cleveland Indians at Florida Marlins
Game 7
Bottom 9. Indians 2 – Marlins 1
1 outs. Runner on First.
Double Play would win World Series for Indians.
Home Run would win World Series for Marlins.
Pirates pitcher – Jose Mesa.
Braves batter – Charles Johnson.
Result – Johnson singles to right field. Moises Alou runs from first to third.
Bottom 9. Indians 2 – Marlins 1
1 outs. Runner on First and third.
Double Play would win World Series for Indians.
Extra base hit would win World Series for Marlins.
Pirates pitcher – Jose Mesa.
Braves batter – Craig Counsell.
Result – Counsell lines to right field. Alou tags and scored to tie the game.
Marlins would win World Series in bottom of the 11th.
2001 World Series
New York Yankees at Arizona Diamondbacks
Game 7
Bottom 9. Yankees 2 – Diamondbacks 1
1 outs. Runners on First and Second.
Double Play would win World Series for Yankees.
Triple or Home run would win World Series for Diamondbacks.
Pirates pitcher – Mariano Rivera.
Braves batter – Tony Womack.
Result – Womack doubles to right field. Pinch runner Midre Cummings scores to tie the game.
Diamondbacks would win the World Series two batters later on Luis Gonzalez’s single.
2002 American League Division Series
Minnesota Twins at Oakland Athletics
Game 5
Bottom 9. Twins 5 – Athletics 4
2 outs. Runner on First.
Out would win Division Series for Twins.
Home Run would win Division Series for Athletics.
Twins pitcher – Eddie Guardado.
Athletics batter – Ray Durham.
Result – Durham hits a foul pop to the second baseman. Twins win Division Series.
2002 National League Division Series
San Francisco Giants at Atlanta Braves
Game 5
Bottom 9. Giants 3 – Braves 4
1 out. Runners on First and third.
Double play win Division Series for Giants.
Home Run would win Division Series for Braves.
Giants pitcher – Robb Nen.
Athletics batter – Chipper Jones.
Result – Jones hits into a double play to the first baseman. Giants win Division Series.
2003 American League Division Series
Boston Red Sox at Oakland Athletics
Game 5
Bottom 9. Red Sox 4 – Athletics 3
2 outs. Runners on Second and third.
Out would win Division Series for Red Sox.
Single would win Division Series for Athletics.
Red Sox pitcher – Derek Lowe.
Athletics batter – Chris Singleton.
Result – Singleton walks.
Bottom 9. Red Sox 4 – Athletics 3
2 outs. Bases loaded.
Out would win Division Series for Red Sox.
Single would win Division Series for Athletics.
Red Sox pitcher – Derek Lowe.
Athletics batter – Terrence Long.
Result – Long strikes out looking. Red Sox win Division Series.
2006 National League Championship Series
St. Louis Cardinals at New York Mets.
Game 7
Bottom 9. Cardinals 3 – Mets 1.
1 out. Runners on Second and third.
Double play would win Pennant for Cardinals.
Home run would win Pennant for Mets.
Cardinals pitcher – Adam Wainwright.
Mets batter – Jose Reyes.
Result – Reyes lines out to centerfield.
Bottom 9. Cardinals 3 – Mets 1.
2 outs. Runners on Second and third.
Out would win Pennant for Cardinals.
Home run would win Pennant for Mets.
Cardinals pitcher – Adam Wainwright.
Mets batter – Paul LoDuca.
Result – LoDuca walks to load the bases.
Bottom 9. Cardinals 3 – Mets 1.
2 outs. Bases loaded.
Out would win Pennant for Cardinals.
Extra base hit would win Pennant for Mets.
Cardinals pitcher – Adam Wainwright.
Mets batter – Carlos Beltran.
Result – Beltran strikes out looking. Cardinals win pennant.
2009 American League Central Division Playoff
Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins.
Bottom 10. Tigers 5 – Twins 4.
1 out. Runners on first and third.
Double play would win Division for Tigers.
Extra base hit would win Division for Twins.
Tigers pitcher – Fernando Rodney.
Twins batter – Matt Tolbert.
Result – Tolbert singles, scoring Michael Cuddyer to tie the game. Alexi Casilla moves to third.
Twins would win game, and Division, in the bottom of the 12th.
2012 National League Division Series
San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds.
Game 5
Bottom 9. Giants 6 – Reds 4.
1 out. Runners on first and second.
Double play would win Division Series for Giants.
Home run would win Division Series for Reds.
Giants pitcher – Segio Romo.
Reds batter – Jay Bruce.
Result – Bruce flies out to left.
Bottom 9. Giants 6 – Reds 4.
2 out. Runners on first and second.
Out would win Division Series for Giants.
Home run would win Division Series for Reds.
Giants pitcher – Segio Romo.
Reds batter – Scott Rolen.
Result – Rolen strikes out. Giants win Division Series.
2014 American League Wild Card Game
Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals
Bottom 9. Athletics 7 – Royals 6.
1 out. Runner on second.
Double play would win Wild Card for Athletics.
Home run would win Wild Card for Royals.
Athletics pitcher – Sean Doolittle.
Royals batter – Nori Aoki.
Result – Pinch runner Jarrod Dyson steals third. Aoki hits game tying sacrifice fly.
Royals win Wild Card in bottom of 12.
2014 World Series
San Francisco Giants at Kansas City Royals
Game 7
Bottom 9. Giants 3 – Royals 2.
2 out. Runner on third.
Out would win World Series for Giants.
Home Run would win World Series for Royals.
Giants pitcher – Madison Bumgarner.
Royals batter – Salvador Perez.
Result – Perez pops up to the third baseman. Giants win the World Series.
2014 National League Division Series
Los Angeles Dodgers at Washington Nationals
Game 5
Bottom 9. Dodgers 4 – Nationals 3.
1 out. Runner on first.
Double Play would win Division Series for Dodgers.
Home Run would win Division Series for Nationals.
Dodgers pitcher – Kenley Jansen.
Nationals batter – Jayson Werth.
Result – Werth walks. Bryce Harper moves to second base.
Bottom 9. Dodgers 4 – Nationals 3.
1 out. Runner on first and second.
Double Play would win Division Series for Dodgers.
Extra Base Hit would win Division Series for Nationals.
Dodgers pitcher – Clayton Kershaw.
Nationals batter – Daniel Murphy.
Result – Murphy pops up to second base. Runners do not advance.
Bottom 9. Dodgers 4 – Nationals 3.
2 outs. Runner on first and second.
Out would win Division Series for Dodgers.
Extra Base Hit would win Division Series for Nationals.
Dodgers pitcher – Clayton Kershaw.
Nationals batter – Wilmer Difo.
Result – Difo strikes out. Catcher Carlos Ruiz throws to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez after the ball was dropped. Dodgers win the Division Series.
It has happened 34 times in 20 different games.
7 times, the game continued when a batter reached base. 6 times the second out of the inning was recorded.
11 times, the clinching out was recorded.
6 times, the game was tied. In each of those 6 instances, the team that tied the game would go on to win the series.
2 times, the Thomson homer and the Cabrera single, the home team got a walk off game winning hit.
So when BOTH teams face a situation where they can clinch, it has gone 12-8 in favor of the pitching team.
Five Hall of Fame batters came up in the situation (Speaker, Mays, McCovey, Rice and Yaz) not including Pete Rose and Chipper Jones, who hit into the only series ending double play from this scenario.
Four Hall of Fame pitchers were on the mound in these moments (Mathewson, Alexander, Fingers and Gossage.) Mariano Rivera will eventually make it five Hall of Fame pitchers. Madison Bumgarner could very make it six. Clayton Kershaw will probably make it seven.
Mathewson faced Speaker, Fingers faced Rose and Gossage faced Rice and Yaz in the ultimate match ups of greatness.
And Babe Ruth was the only player caught stealing to end it, spoiling Bob Meusel’s chance at immortality.
So this October, take a look to see if we get to see another match up like this, one where a single pitch could mean glory or never ending agony for both teams.
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