Having come to the A's in 1987, they changed him from a starter to a closer. Before that, he watched many an October come and go. He was on the 1978 Boston Red Sox, who might have gone all the way but lost to New York in a one-game playoff.
He made two early starts and also pitched some long relief that season. But the A's had an idea: convert him to a 1-inning closer and Dennis will dominate.
He sure did. That year opponents batted just .215 against him from innings 7 to 9. Then, in the 9th inning, opponents batted .192! The A's had it made for him.
Eck saved 16 games that year. But how about 1988?
Eckersley topped the AL in saves with 45 and he permitted just 11 walks in 72 2/3 innings. But it only seemed to get better in the postseason.
The A's beat the Red Sox in 4 straight, but it was a close 4. Indeed, Oakland needed Eckerlsey to slam the door.
All he did was get 4 saves.
So it was on to the World Series, but as we all know, Kirk Gibson ruined Dennis' attempt for a save in game 1. Too bad, as it would have been 5 saves in 5 postseason games. But this was one Los Angeles Dodgers team that had a flair for the dramatic. Poor Dennis was just one strike away, and then Gibby took it all away.
Orel Hershesier completely dominated Oakland in game 2, and the A's struggled to get their high-octang offence going in game 3. Tied going into the bottom of the nine, Dennis' chances for a save disappeared. Eck never got into the game. Mark McGwire's dramatic home run (but it proved to be his only hit of the Series) got the Athletics right back into the Fall Classic.
It also appeared this hom erun would lift the A's spirits like Gibson's did to the Dodgers'. They played a spirited 4th game, which is always a crucial game in the Series. The Series was a home-team-wins-every-game so far, but that changed.
The A's had been out-hit in evey game, including 10-3 in game 2 and even 8-5 in game 3. Game 1, if it matters, had 7 hits a side.
Oakland got 9 hits in this game. Los Angeles got 8. But guess who won?
The Dodgers scored 3 runs early off Oakland starter Dave Stewart, but the man with The Stare settled down and Oakland scored twice to pull within a run. The Dodgers' magic was fading.
But in the 7th, LA scored again. All it took was a walk, a single and a groundout. But it was enough.
A Dave Henderson double in the bottom of the frame got the A's right back to within a run. A walk and an error got McGwire back up. One swing here, and it's 6-4 Oakland. Then in comes Eckersley, and this Series is tied!
But, alas, it was not to be.
Jay Howell, who gave up the longball to Mark the previous game, got him to pop out this time.
The Atheltics got a runner on in the 8th but failed to score. Eckersley did pitch the 9th.
A fine job he did, as he stranded the only hit he allowed. Plus, he fanned Steve Sax.
Oakland put the tying run on first with just 1 out in the 9th, but Howell again settled down. Canseco fanned and Dave Parker popped out.
Hershiser finished off Oakland in game 5. Dennis would have to wait another year.
In 1989, Oakland won the West again. Eckersley had 33 saves and walked 3 batters in 57 2/3 innings.
Oh, and my Jays felt his full wraith in the ALCS. All Dennis did was save 3 games and post an ERA of 1.59.
Now comes the problem. The World Series opponents this year were not the Dodgers, but another team out in the West. Not far for Oakland to go. Justa across the Bay Bridge. But crossing the bridge would soon be difficult.
The San Franciso Giant were playing in their first World Series since 1962. They were sort of in over their heads, as you will soon see.
Stewart got the ball rolling on a shutout in game 1. Oakland took game 2, 5-1. Eckersley got the final 2 outs, but no save. Oakland was up 4 runs by the end of the 4th inning. Eckerlsey would have needed to come in and get the last 9 batters out to get the save.
Game 3 saw the Bay Bridge and the whole area rattled by The Quake. That was October 17, 1989. And it happened just before game 3, so the game was not played at all.
So 10 days later (it must have felt like an eternity for most baseball fans) game 3 got going. The A's were up 13-3 going into the 9th. A sort-of rally saw the Giants score 4 times. But Eck never made it in.
Oakland was up 3-0 in the Series, and in danger of a sweep. However, could Eckersley would go 2 straight World Series without a save? What a baseball world we live in!
Oakland kept strafing the Giants pitching in game 4. By the bottom of the 6th, it was 8-0 Oakland.
But San Francisco did not go away quietly.
A Kevin Mitchell 2-run home run broke the shutout bid of Oakland starter Mike Moore. Then 4 more runs the very next inning cut the lead to 8-6. Never say die.
The A's got a much-needed insurance run in the top of the 8th on a Terry Steinbach walk with the bases loaded.
Todd Burns, now pitching for Oakland, retired the Giants 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame. Steve Bedrosian did the same to Oakland in the top of the 9th. The A's were three outs away from a World Series sweep!
Oh, yeah! And it's a save situation!
So Eckersley was in to get the save!
He wasted no time, as 2 pitches later there were two outs. Bret Butler would be the last Giant batter of the game.
On Eckersley's second pitch, he hit a roller to second. Mark McGwire, the first basemen, was out of position to cover first.Dennis himself covered first for the final out.
Dennis must have been happy to get that stigma off his back. But he knew this Series was not going to be remembered for its one-lopsidedness, or his first Fall Classic save. It would be about only the quake.
Nothing more need be said.
References
Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. Dec 8, 2013.
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