World Series: Did You Know?

Both times the Yankees broke a long dry spell between World Championships, it ended in game six. With two men on. And on a pop-up to the third base side in the top of the ninth. And finally, both times it was after the opposition actually scored a run in the ninth. So New York would gladly take the pop-up for the final out.

But the New York Yankees of 1977 were seeking their first World Series win since 1962. The Yankees had lost in 1963, 1964, and 1976. They were up against the very team that had beaten them in the '63 Fall Classic, the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had Reggie Jackson going in game six. The Yankees were up three games to two and needed just one more win. A good setting was Yankee Stadium for this to happen. They'd be there in game seven if necessary.

Reggie made that not necessary. He walked on four pitches his first time up. Then he swatted three home runs in his next three trips to the plate. Off three different pitchers. And all on the first pitch. His final long ball in the bottom of the eighth off Charlie Hough made it 8-3 for the home team. Three more outs.

Mike Torrez got Ron Cey on a strikeout, as the top of the ninth started out on the right foot. Steve Garvey grounded to short, but beat the throw. Dusty Baker singled to left. The Dodgers still had life. Rick Monday then got a hold of one, and sent right fielder Jackson all the way to the warning track in right. Reggie made the catch, but Steve made it to third. Baker held at first. Two down.

Vic Davalillo was sent up by Tommy Lasorda to pinch hit for Los Angeles. The lefty wasted no time in dropping a perfect bunt down the third base line. Greg Nettles hustled in, and got off the throw to Thurmon Munson the catcher. Too late. Garvey scored. 8-4. Two runners on, two out. Billy Martin, Lasorda's counterpart as skipper of the Yankees, kept Torrez in. Another pinch hitter was sent by Lasorda. Right-handed hitting Lee Lacy batted for Charlie Hough. The count went to 1-1, and Lacy tried a bunt. He got too much under it. It went high in the air to the right of Torrez, who snared it. The Yankees had ended their 15-year drought!

But after winning it all again the next season, New York waited until 1996 to win it all again. In between, the Dodgers had their revenge in the 1981 Fall Classic. The '96 World Series would be against the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta had a World Series win the previous year, and were looking for the repeat.

It sure looked like it as the Braves took games one and two right there at Yankee Stadium. But the Yankees won all three games in Atlanta, and headed home for game six (And perhaps game seven) at the Stadium.

It was a close one. The home team lead 3-1 after eight innings. But soon, trouble emerged. The Braves didn't quit, just as the Dodgers didn't 19 years earlier. John Wettland was going for his fourth straight save for New York.

He started the ninth with a K of Andruw Jones. But then, Ryan Klesko singled. As did Terry Pendleton. Wettland bore down and fanned Luis Polonia for the second out, and John had his second K of the inning. One more out to go.

But any celebratory thoughts were cut short as Marquis Grissom singled. Klesko scored. 3-1. The tying run was at second, and the go-ahead run was at first. Anything that got past the outfielders would put Atlanta ahead.

Mark Lemke, a lefty, was the next batter. Wettland fell behind 2-1, then got him to swing and miss. One more strike. Wettland missed the strike zone on the next pitch, running the count full. Both runners would be off with the pitch. A long single could put the Braves ahead now. Lemke popped it foul to third. Charlie Hayes, a defensive replacement for Wade Boggs at third in the seventh inning, raced over to Atlanta's dugout to try and get it, only to fall into it. The Braves still had life. But not for long.

On another 3-2 pitch, Lemke popped it up, again in foul territory to third. This time, Hayes had a play on it. When he put the long-awaited squeeze on it, New York was on top of the world for the first time since 1978.

References

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990. Print. pp.365-270.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 04 July. 2016.

Youtube. Web. 04 July. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/>

Common Denominator: Faced The Atlanta Braves In Fall Classics in 1992 And '96!

That would be two of the finest members of the Jays and later Yankees, David Cone and Jimmy Key.

Cone was going to face them in 1992, you knew that. Toronto had acquired him late in the season, and he pitched well for them (4-3, 2.55 ERA). Cone added a crucial win in game two of the ALCS vs. Oakland. It got the Jays on track to their six game win.

Toronto still lost game five, 6-2. Cone was the losing pitcher and Jimmy Key made a three-inning relief stint. It proved to be his only appearance. When the World Series against the Atlanta Braves rolled around, what would Toronto do?

Well, they lost game one (In Atlanta), as they had in the ALCS. Cone pitched game two and was not sharp. That is, on the mound. But he found other ways to contribute. He got the Blue Jays first hit. Later, he knocked in a run in the top of the fifth. Toronto trailed 2-0 at that point, but some late-inning heroics made Toronto 5-4 victors.



It was off to the Skydome for games three, four and five.

Well, the home town boys took a thriller in walk-off fashion. And guess who would be on the mound for the Blue Jays in game four as Toronto looked for the 3-1 stranglehold?

Key looked a little unsure of himself. In the top of the first, the very first batter of the game, Otis Nixon singled. Then Key picked him off. The very next batter, Jeff Blauser, also singled. Jeff then did Nixon one better and stole second. Would this be a short night for Jimmy?

Well, Key got the next two batters out without Blauser getting to another base. And then he hit god-mode. Atlanta went down 1-2-3 in the next four innings. They got a hit in the sixth, but the other three batters went down. Toronto led 1-0 at this point. Key then went out and pitched a 1-2-3 seventh. He'd retired 23 of 24 batters since the Blauser single back in the first. A guess that answered any question on whether he belonged on the mound that night. Eventually, Atlanta scored a run on Jimmy in the eighth inning, but Toronto had added a run of their own in the bottom of the seventh. When the game ended the Braves had five hits and one run. Toronto was up three games to one.



But Atlanta won game five, 7-2, to send it back home. David Cone was the starter for game six, and was excellent. The teams scored one run each in the top of the first and third, but then Candy Maldonado's solo home run off Steve Avery gave the Blue Jays the lead. Cone protected it through six. The bullpen did the job and Toronto looked poised to win it when Tom Henke was on in the bottom of the ninth. Atlanta refused to surrender. They tied it on an Otis Nixon single. Jimmy Key came on with one out in the bottom of the tenth. Toronto scored twice in the top of the eleventh to go up 4-2, and Atlanta scored a run of their own before the third out was made. Cone got a second no decision, but had found ways to help Toronto both games. Key was 2-0.



Four years later, and Atlanta was looking for their second Fall Classic win. And they beat the New York Yankees twice at home to start the 1996 World Series. Key himself was beaten soundly, 4-0 in game two.

It was Cone himself who got the Yanks back on track in game three. He won a gutsy game, 5-2. New York never looked back from there. They came back from an early deficit in game four to tie the Fall Classic at two, then took a 3-2 advantage with a 1-0 win in game five behind Andy Pettitte and John Wettland's superb pitching! And guess who drove the final nail in the Braves' coffin in game six?

Jimmy Key took the mound at home for this game, and he wasn't about to let Atlanta get back on track. Staked to an early 3-0 lead, he faltered a bit, but not enough. The bullpen came in and eventually Atlanta got back to one run in the top of the ninth. But when it was all over, New York were 3-2 winners, and had the World Series, four games to two. A Cone and a Key had led Toronto (In 1992) and New York (In 1996) to victory!


References


1992 World Series. Narrated by Lou Cariou. Major League Baseball Productions, 1992. DVD.

1996 World Series. Narrated by Lou Cariou. Major League Baseball Productions, 1996.

Dan Diamond and Associates and Toronto Blue Jays Club. Toronto Blue Jays Official Guide 1987, 1993, 1994. Print.

Gamester, George, and Gerald Hall. On Top Of The World: The Toronto Star’s Tribute To The ‘92 Blue Jays. Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.

Retrosheet .Web. 26 Sept. 2015. <www.retrosheet.org>.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.

Youtube. Web. 26 Sept.2015. https://www.youtube.com>. 

World Series Did You Know?

David Cone collected just one other hit outside of game two of the 1992 Fall Classic. Subtract that game, he batted just 1-8 lifetime in the World Series. He even failed to collect a hit in his one National League appearance for the National League Mets in 1986, but that was due to not pitching at home. Still, you'd think if he could get two hits in one game.

Cone was knocked out early in game two of the '92 World Series by the Atlanta Braves. But he helped with his bat. He collected his Toronto Blue Jays' first hit. Then, with Toronto down 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning, Cone came out with two down, Pat Borders on second, Manny Lee on first.

Cone lined a shot way over short. Borders, off with the crack of the bat, scored. Devon White followed with an infield hit to score Lee and tie the game. Cone was 2-2. However, Atlanta didn't waste any time sending him to the shower in the bottom of the frame. They actually scored twice as Cone was lifted in favour of David Wells. Toronto rallied to win 5-4.

In game six, with Toronto up three games to two, and on the road in Atlanta, Cone was back pitching. Pitching well this time. But not hitting.

Cone erased eventual series MVP in the top of the second by hitting into an inning-ending double play. The score was 1-0 into the bottom of the third before Atlanta tied it. But in the top of the fourth, Candy Maldonado took Steve Avery out of the park for a 2-1 Toronto lead. The Jays then looked for more.

Pat Borders lined a one-out double. Manny Lee fanned. Cone came up for his second plate appearance. He walked to keep the inning alive. When Devon White followed with a line single to left, Borders tried to score. He was gunned out.

With two down in the top of the sixth, Cone got another chance at the dish. Lee singled. But all Cone could do was force Lee at second.

However, the big picture was Cone had pitched well. He left after six innings, allowing just that one run. While Atlanta did tie it, Toronto won it in eleven innings. Cone might not have gotten the win in either game, but he sure helped the Blue Jays win games two and six of the 1992 Fall Classic.

Cone was then on the 1996 New York Yankees who faced the Braves in 1996. Along for the ride was another Toronto Blue Jay on that '92 team, Jimmy Key. But it was Atlanta who won the first two games in 1996.

David got 'em back on track with another six inning gem. New York scored twice, but Cone didn't help that cause. He fanned to lead of the top of the third. Then he hit into a force play to end fourth, after New York had scored their second run.

Cone also walked his mound opponent, Tom Glavine, to start the bottom of the sixth. Glavine eventually scored and Cone's day was over when he was pinch-hit for in the top of the seventh. Of all guys to come in to pitch the seventh, Mariano Rivera. The good news was Cone left with another 2-1 lead. Unlike in 1992, Atlanta did not tie the game and Cone was the winning pitcher here. The Atlanta lead was two to one. New York didn't look back and won the next three games as well.

In game three of the 1998 Fall Classic, Cone was on the hill. He started the game and was looking to put his Yankees up 3-0 on the San Diego Padres. Since it was in San Diego, Cone had to bat.

Cone gave it quite the ride in the top of the third, but only a fly ball to left. But then, in the top of the sixth, with the game still scoreless, he singled. Another single and New York looked like they had a big inning going. However, despite another single with just one out, New York somehow failed to score, with David Cone just ninety feet away from breaking the deadlock.

Again it was a fine six inning effort. But Cone left with his team behind as the Padres got to him. They scored three times and Cone was pinch hit for the next inning. It worked as it came in the midst of an uprising that saw the Yankees score twice. They went on to win the game and eventually sweep the Padres.

Cone came full circle as he started game two of the 1999 World Series against, you guessed it, Atlanta. It was another fine outing. How do like this: 0 runs, one hit, seven innings?

Now for the negative. Cone was 0-4 at the dish. However, his team scored seven times to Atlanta eventual two. So Cone was the winning pitcher as the Yankees were on their way to another sweep.

Cone will always have a special place in Toronto Blue Jays history with his bat, however. In 1992, that was Toronto's big disadvantage. Obviously, it was the same case in 1993, but Cone was not there. Still, it had been something I hadn't seen before: A Jays pitcher batting in an official game! Obviously, I expected them to fail, not succeed. An RBI was a nice bonus. Cone did it, by the way, against John Smoltz, one of the Braves' finest pitchers. Toronto had a tough task against him. Cone helped make it a little easier. Even if he struggled at the dish the rest of his postseason career, Cone the hitter helped make the 1992 a one-of-a-kind for Toronto Blue Jays' fans.


References

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 28 August 2015.

World Series: Did You Know?

Andruw Jones tied a Fall Classic record in game one of 1996. He went out of the yard twice. And it didn't take him very long to do that.

Jones' Atlanta Braves were taking on the New York Yankees in the first game in the Big, Bad Bronx. But it would be the Braves' centre fielder with some surprises for the Yankee Stadium faithful in this contest. New York was hoping to see the Yankees win for the fist time since 1978. The days of Reggie Jackson and company.

But as pitcher Andy Pettitte learned early on, the best place to throw it to Andruw on this night was under the plate. Anything else, and the results were spectacular for Jones and the Braves.

The first inning was scoreless and Pettitte looked comfortable as he got Atlanta out 1-2-3 on just twelve pitches. But that did not carry over to the second inning.

Fred McGriff struck out, but Javier Lopez singled. Pettitte got Jermaine Dye out on a liner to deep left. But then Jones stepped in. And this inning wasn't over by a longshot. Pitching carefully, Pettitte got behind in the count 2-0. He battled back to 2-2, but the count was destined to go the distance. But on the payoff pitch, it was Jones that sent a rocket to left. It reached the seats and Atlanta was up for good. But the 2-0 lead was only the beginning.

Three more runs in the top of the third finished Pettitte, who departed with runners on first and second and just one out. Brian Boehringer got the first batter to face him, Dye, out. But then Jones was back at the dish, and trouble was brewing for Boehringer and the Yankees.

Jones again was going to a full count. And again he hit it out of the park. That made it 8-0 Atlanta and the game was essentially over. Fred McGriff got into the home run trot in the top of the fifth to make it 9-0. Jones was not done and singled the next inning. Andruw eventually scored. Before the inning was over Atlanta had scored twice more to make it a 12-1 game (New York had finally scored in the bottom of the fifth on a Wade Boggs double.

Jones ended the game 3-4 with three runs scored and five batted in. Two of those runs scored and RBIs were himself, of course. There was no further scoring the rest of the way by either team.



Jones didn't hit another home run in the 1996 World Series. Atlanta won game two, 4-0, and it looked like they were on the way to their second straight Fall Classic win. But it was not to be. With New York's John Wettland getting four straight saves, it was the Yankees who swept through the next four games and taking it in six. Jones had to be satisfied with tying a Fall Classic record for getting a home run in the first two plate appearances of a World Series. Only Gene Tenace in 1972 had done that.



References

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 14 August 2015.

Youtube. Web. 14 August 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/>

World Series: Did You Know?

Mariano Rivera did not get any saves in his first World Series.

The Yankees won the Series. And there were 4 save situations.

That's because Mariano was not the closer. John Wetteland was.

All Wetteland did in the 1996 World Series was record 4 saves to set a single World Series record!

Wetteland was one of the best relief pitchers of ever at this point. In 1993, John had one of the best relief seasons of all time. How would our boy fit into the picture? Or onto the pitcher's mound?

Rivera came aboard in 1995 with the Yankees and didn't do much as a spot starter. He did post a 5-3 record, but his ERA was high (5.51). 1996 saw Rivera go to the setup role. And boy, did he come through!

Mariano Rivera went 8-3 with a 2.09 ERA. He posted 26 holds. He only saved 5 of 8 games. Yep, he actually blew 3 saves. But his 26 holds led the American League. Rivera was also third in the Cy Young race.

He also finished 10th in the AL in WAR among pitchers. A 5.0 is quite prestigious. As to, is his 5.4 WPA (Win Probability Added). Only the Angels' Troy Percival had a higher WPA.

So in the World Series, of that season it was a rematch of the 1957 and '58 matchup: Braves and Yankees!

Rivera made it into game 2, but it was too late to make any difference. The Yankees were behind 4-0 in the top of the 9th. But, just to show you what he had to offer, it was a nice 1-2-3 inning. However, the Yankees lost and were down 2-0 in the Series.

It was off to Atlanta for game 3, where the Yankees lead 2-1 in the top of the 7th. It may seem a little early in hindsight, but it was Super Mario time!

He had his second hitless inning, despite issuing a walk. And the Yankees took the cue and added 3 more runs in the top of the 8th. Hey, now it's not a save situation for anyone else other than you-know-who! That is, the pitcher on the mound!

But a leadoff triple and then a single by pesky Mark Lemke scored a run for the Braves in the bottom of the frame. With this new threat, the Yankees pulled Rivera. But Mariano had picked up his first World Series hold. New York also ended up winning the game.

Rivera came into game 4, with the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 8th. Andruw Jones greeted him with a single. A bunt moved him to second. But Rivera was up to the task by fanning Luis Polonia. Eddie Perez bounced it back to Mariano. Whew!

New York failed to score in the top of the 9th. Winning run is always, at the very least, at the dish in the bottom of this inning. Rivera got Marquis Grissom out. Then, it was Lemke who again singled. Winning run on first. A walk to Chipper Jones moved the winning run to second. Rivera was pulled.

The Yankees managed to pull it out to square the Series. This ensured game 6 back at Yankee Stadium.

Andy Pettitte and John Smoltz hooked up in a real gem of a pitchers' duel. The Series' lead was on the line and Pettitte prevailed 1-0 as Wetteland got the save.

Rivera got to the hill in the top of the 7th inning of game 6. New York had a 3-1 lead. After walking leadoff hitter Terry Pendleton, Rivera got out of there without any damage.

In the top of the 8th, Mariano got through Chipper Jones, Fred McGriff and Javy Lopez, 1-2-3. Wetteland gave up a run in the 9th, but the Yankees won the game and the Series. Wetteland had his 4th (and last) save and Rivera had his 2nd (and last) World Series hold.

Rivera and the Yankees were back in 1998.

But this time, it was closer Rivera!

World Series: Did You Know?

John Wetteland set a World Series record in 1996 for most saves in a single World Series.

Well, he had one of the best single seasons of relief pitching in 1993, and continued on to be a true stopper for the rest of the decade.

1993 was in Montreal (43 saves), 1996 was in the Bronx (again, 43 saves). The Yankees hadn't won a World Series in 16 years. The Atlanta Braves were coming off a World Series win in 1995 and looking for back-to-back.

And it didn't look like 1996 was going to be this year for the Bronx Bombers. Atlanta took the first two games (right there at Yankees Stadium), despite a good 1-2-3, 1-inning relief stint from Wetteland in game 1.

Game 3 was in Atlanta. The Yankees extended a 2-1 lead to 5-1 in the top of the 8th.

But setup man Mariano Rivera faltered in the bottom of the frame, and the Braves got one back. Wetteland was needed in the 9th.

Javy Lopez reached on an error to lead things off. Wetteland, who had fanned 2 Braves in the 9th inning of game 1, settled down. He fanned two more here and the Yankees were right back in the Series.

And another fine performance by John tied the Series.

The Yankees themselves came back from 6 runs down to tie the score in game 4. In the 10th, 2 more runs set up a save situation for Wet.

He came in with one out, only to allow a single by Andruw Jones. But the next two men were retired. Save #2 for J.W.

Game 5 was a pitching duel for all time. Andy Pettitte for the Yanks and John Smoltz for the Braves.

The Yankees scored 1 run in the fourth off Smoltz. It was enough.

A double by Chipper Jones and a Fred McGriff groundout brought the tying run 90 feet away with just one out. Wetteland was needed, again!

Lopez grounded out to third, and things seemed easier.

But then Ryan Klesko was brought in to pinch-hit. Wetteland walked him intentionally.

Runners on the corner, two outs and Luis Polonia up at the dish. Polonia fouled off 2 pitches, then 4 more. On the 7th pitch of the at bat, Luis flied out to Paul O'Neil in deep right. It was a well hit ball.

But the Yankees had the win and New York was up, 3-2. And Wetteland had his third save of the Series. That tied him with a pair of Pirates, Ken Tekulve and Elroy Face.

Have I heard about those guys before? In any event, it was off to Atlanta for game 6. And game 7 if necessary.

The Yankees took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the 9th. Here comes that man again!

And he retired the leadoff batter. Two more outs.

But actually, the next two men singled.

Polonia was up again, but Wetteland fanned him. However, a single by Marquis Grissom scored a run. The tying run was now a single away from scoring. Mark Lemke, a contact (rather than power) hitter, was at the plate.

Right guy to do the job.

But isn't Wetteland the right guy to close it out?

Lemke popped up to third. The Yankees had come back to beat the Braves.

But lost in all that was John Wetteland's 4th save. Actually, this was Wetty's 4th save in the last 4 games. Both of those have never been accomplished before or since in a World Series.

As for what happened to John? Well, this was his last game as a Yankee.

The ended up going to the setup man of 1996. Remember him?

I do.

Rivera!

References

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. Dec 6, 2013.