World Series: Did You Know?

By game two of the 1992 Fall Classic, the Atlanta Braves had been involved in three straight games that had been decided by backup catchers. Atlanta went 2-1 in them. But they would not have even made it to the World Series without the first such occurrence.

It was game seven of the NLCS vs. Pittsburgh. And the Pirates, led by Barry Bonds, were looking for their first Fall Classic appearance since 1979. But thirteen years of bad luck was about to be extended...All the way to this very day and 35 consecutive seasons of no World Series appearances.

It had been 2-0 Pittsburgh after eight and a half, but the Braves would not go quietly into the night. A sacrifice fly by Ron Gant made it 2-1. Damon Berryhill, the Braves new regular catcher (With Greg Olson out), drew a walk. But then Brian Hunter popped out. There were runners on second and third. Dave Justice, the tying run, was ninety feet away. So Francisco Cabrera, who'd played just eleven games for Atlanta that season, stepped into the box to face the Pirates' Stan Belinda.

But Cabrera, who had caught only one game all season, was essentially the Braves' new backup catcher now with Olson out. Atlanta's hopes seemed dim with him up there. But he got ahead in the count 2-0. Then he fouled off a pitch.

And then he lined a single to left. Justice scored. Barry Bonds fired home to try and cut off Sid Bream at the plate. But Bream, slow, beat the throw! Atlanta had won the National League pennant in dramatic fashion.

From there, it was off to the Fall Classic, where the Toronto Blue Jays awaited them. Pitching in game one for Atlanta was Tom Glavine. Pitching for the Blue Jays was Jack Morris, who'd beaten them 1-0 in ten innings with the Minnesota Twins in game seven the previous year.

Jack looked tough. A Joe Carter home run gave him a 1-0 lead. Jack had the shutout going through five. In the sixth, he retired Terry Pendleton to start it. Justice went to a full count, and coaxed a walk from Morris. Bream came through with a single that only got Justice to second. Gant hit into a force, but stole second to get the go-ahead into scoring position. The batter was Berryhill.

Morris got ahead in the count two strikes, but then made a mistake with the forkball. Berryhill made him pay for that by taking him out of the park. It was 3-1, Atlanta. Glavine did a great job protecting it and ended up a 3-1 winner.

In game two, Toronto needed a split. They erased a 2-0 lead, only to see the Braves go up 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth. A run by the Blue Jays in the top of the ninth cut it to 4-3, but the Braves were just three outs away from a 2-0 lead in the Fall Classic of 1992. Toronto needed some help.

Pat Borders, who ended up the MVP, lined out to Justice in right. Two more outs. Atlanta had to feel confident. They were ahead. They were at home. And they had Jeff Reardon on the hill. Due up next was shortstop Manuel Lee. But it was Derek Bell who batted.

Reardon and Bell batted to 2-2. Bell fouled off the next pitch to stay alive. Bell had played just 61 games in the regular season. He appeared in just 18 games the season before that. He was playing in his first World Series game and hanging on. Reardon though, looked like he had Bell looking with a high pitch on his next delivery as it was just above the numbers. A ball. A ball called. But it was close as it sank. You couldn't have blamed the umpire for calling strike three. Instead, it was ball three. Bell stayed alive on the next pitch, fouling it off.

And then, if you can believe it, on two pitches, the Jays were ahead 5-4.

Reardon missed badly on the outside corner with his fastball on the next pitch, and Bell was aboard. Now it was Duane Ward's spot to bat. But of course he wouldn't. Ward was the Jays' pitcher when the third out was recorded in the bottom of the eighth. No way does he bat here.

Instead it was Ed Sprague, the Jays backup catcher. But Ed was going in the opposite direction of Bell, at least it seemed like it. Amazingly enough, come the 1993 World Series, it was Sprague still with the Jays, at third base, and making some huge contributions. Bell was traded in the spring.

However, all that was in 1993. Here, we are in game two of the 1992 Fall Classic. Sprague though, seemed like a forgotten man on the team at this point. He'd played 61 games for the Jays in 1991, but mostly at third for Kelly Gruber. He'd caught only two games. '92 saw him get into only 22 games, although 15 were as a catcher. He also played two games of the ALCS vs. Oakland, and batted 1-2 as a pinch hitter.

Only the very first pitch to Sprague, he got a great pitch to hit. It caught too much of the plate, and he hammered it to left. Deion Sanders went back, but it was way over his head. And it found the seats. Toronto 5, Atlanta 4.

The Braves, no strangers to heroics, mounted another comeback attempt in the bottom of the ninth. Tom Henke, the Blue Jay's closer, came on to try and put Atlanta away. He got Mark Lemke out, but then Lonnie Smith, the second batter like Bell in the top of the frame, made it to first. The painful way, as Henke hit him. Otis Nixon gave it quite a ride on the first pitch, but it was just a long out to his counterpart in centre, Devon White. The Braves were down to their last out again.

However, Deion Sanders was the batter. He stayed right in there with Henke, much like Bell had with Reardon. On a 2-2 pitch, Gant, as he had in game one, stole second. A single here and we're tied. Sanders ended up with a walk, but now the winning run was on first. An extra base hit and this game is over.

Terry Pendleton was just the kind of batter to do that. In 1991, he was given the National League's top honour, the MVP. But on the very first pitch from Henke, he popped up to Kelly Gruber at third in foul territory. Kelly put the squeeze on it, and Toronto had a dramatic 5-4 win.

It ended up being quite a Fall Classic. Toronto won, but all four games they triumphed in were decided by just a single run. Atlanta had a dramatic game one win of their own (And a blowout in game five). However, Atlanta pulled out a dramatic comeback in the National League Division Series just to get here, and gave Toronto all they could handle in the final showdown. Each team needed backup to win. Backup catchers.

References

1992 World Series. Performance by Len Cariou, Major League Baseball Productions, 1992. DVD.

Dan Diamond and Associates & 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 Stars Tribute To The '92 Blue Jays. Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.

Major League Baseball. World Series Official Programs 1992 & 1993. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 3 Oct. 2015.

Retrosheet. Web. 3 Oct. 2015. <http://www.retrosheet.org/>.

YouTube. Web. 3 Oct. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com>.

World Series: Did You Know?

Ed Sprague Jr. is the only player to win it all at the Collegiate, Olympic and MLB level!

Sprague, whose father, Ed Sprague Jr. was a pitched in the bigs from 1968 to 1976, went to Stanford University in the late 80s and helped them win back-to-back World Series in 1987 and '88. And it was in 1988 that he helped United States win gold at the Olympics with a 5-3 win over Japan. The good year of Sprague continued when the Toronto Blue Jays took him in the amateur draft.

He did not make the club until 1991. And even then, it was for only 61 games. But Ed hit .275, which showed some promise. 1992 was a step back, as got into only 22 games and batted just .234. The Jays, who used him at third. first, catcher and DH, kept him on the postseason roster.

Sprague might have also been given some consideration for stating some games in the postseason. The regular third basemen, Kelly Gruber (who's position Sprague played in college), was in slump that stretched from game 3 of the ALCS to game 3 of the Fall Classic. Also, John Olerud, hit just .222 that year vs. left-handed starters.

Sprague got a hit of Dennis Eckersley in game 1 of the American League Championship Series. Then, The Eck fanned him in his only other plate appearance of the ALCS, in game 5.

The World Series seemed to be more of the same. The Jays were up against an Atlanta Braves team that had the pitching and hitting you need to make you some stiff competition. Sprague did not get into game 1. Nor did John Olerud, as Joe Carter played first. No DH, you see. Dave Winfield, who occupied that position for most of the season, was in rightfield. Atlanta welcomed Toronto to A Brave New World and beat them, 3-1.

Sprague and Olerud did play in game 2. And in the top of the ninth inning, Eddie came to bat as a pinch hitter for pitcher Duane Ward. Pat Borders had lined out to start this fateful inning, which Toronto trailed 4-3. Derek Bell, batting for Manny Lee, coaxed a walk from Jeff Reardon. But Jeff had come in to pitch the eighth inning, with the Blue Jays threatening to tie it. He fanned Gruber to end that. Jeff, though, was one of those one-and-done closers of that (and to this day) time. Coming in early is usually a mistake.

One that Sprague exposed with a home run on the very first pitch of his very first Fall Classic plate appearance. 5-4, Toronto. That was the final score. Sprague had become (one of) the most unlikeliest of World Series heroes.

Sprague would see more action, again pinch-hitting in game 3. The Jays had tied the game in their home half of the eighth inning. It had been a wild, first World Series game ever on Canadian Soil. Devon White and Otis Nixon, the Braves' centerfielder, had both made great catches.

But Kelly Gruber's home run in the bottom of the eighth had squared this thing, and you kinda got the feeling the Jays were the team of destiny here. They were, indeed!

Roberto Alomar, quite so far in the World Series, led off with a single. The Braves removed starter, Steve Avery and brought in Mark Wohlers. Alomar didn't care who was pitching. He stole second. Carter was walked intentionally. Winfield laid down a bunt. Mike Stanton came in to set up a lefty-vs.-lefty matchup with Olerud. But Sprague trotted out to bat and Stanton walked him intentionally. Candy Maldonado's dramatic single scored Alomar with the winning run.

In game five, with Toronto up three games to one, the Braves took a 7-2 lead behind started John Smoltz. But it was one of those games where he had trouble finding the plate. And, up to four walks and up to 114 pitches, he was removed in the top of the seventh, leaving with no outs and a runner on first. Mike Stanton came in to get the Braves out of the inning. He did just that.

But in the eighth, it was Carter with a leadoff single and a stolen base. Winfield, who had singled his previous time up, fanned. Sprague was sent up to bat for Olerud again. This time, all he could do was fly out. Carter made it to third after tagging up. But Maldonado ended the inning by grounding out to third.

Sprague stayed in the game at first. and Atlanta threatened in the top of the ninth.. Todd Stottlemyre pitched the inning. He got just one batter out before Mark Lemke singled to centre. When Otis Nixon and Deion Sanders followed with singles of their own, the Braves had the bases loaded. Terry Pendleton was the batter and Toronto needed a double play. He sent a fly to left that Maldonaldo made the catch on. But when Lemke hesitated before heading home with hopes of an eighth run, The Candy Man nailed him at the dish on a nice throw. Sprague never touched the ball. Toronto went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame as the Braves forced a game six. So Eddie did not do a thing outside of pinch-hit and go to first with a glove. Toronto won game six in extras, 4-3. Eddie did not get into the game.

Sprague stayed with the Jays through 1998, and picked up another ring as a regular in 1993. But by winning a World Series in 1993, he had a nice "Big Three" in terms of winning it all.

World Series: Did You Know?

The Toronto Blue Jays of 1993 had five players who fathers played pro ball.

Roberto Alomar's father Sandy played 15 years in the bigs (1964 to 1978). Although not a great player, he certainly had something that would come in handy for Robbie years later!

Sandy played second base, a position that Alomar would play flawlessly years late. Also, he passed that base stealing skill of his from father to son.

Ed Sprague Sr. pitched in the big leagues from 1968 to 1976, mainly as a reliever. Again, he was no star. But again, he helped. Ed Jr. was brought up as a catcher. And who better to practice catching against then your own father. A big league father!

Dick Schofield Sr., played in the bigs for nearly 20 years (1953-1971). Although never a great player (here we go again!) he was a fine fielder. Also, like his son, he was a member of a team that won the World Series with a walk-off-homerun. Yep, the senior Schofield, also known as Ducky, was a member of the 1960 World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates, who won the Series on Bill Mazeroski. Schofield was frequently right next to Mazeroski, as he played shortstop. Like father, like son.

But neither Schofield played in the walk-off, win-the-World-Series-game!

1960 World Series was the first of 5 straight years that the Yankees played in. In 1964 they were back. They lost this one too, and again it was in 7. But rookie Mel Stottlemyre started 3 games for the Yankees in that Series. And he is one of only two pitchers to beat Bob Gibson in a World Series game.

Mel was brought up in August of '64 and went 9-3. He pitched 10 more seasons, winning 20 games in 1965, 1968 and 1969. He is the only pitcher to win 20 games 3 or more times with the Yankees without ever winning 20 games on a pennant winning Yankee team. The Yanks, sadly didn't play in the World Series again until 1976, so Mel never got another chance to pitch in the postseason.

Todd, his son (and he had another, Mel Jr., who pitched in the bigs), got to pitch in the postseason 7 times. I guess that makes up for that. But Todd never won a World Series game. His son played first base for over 2000 games in the bigs.

John Olerud's father, John Sr. pitched in the minor leagues from 1965 to 1971. He never reached the majors, and his top batting average in the minors was .286 in 1967 with the San Jose Bees of the California League. He reached as high as AAA. He was also involved in the very first MLB draft in June of 1965, as he was taken in the 4th round by the Los Angeles Angels (they would move to California in 1966).

The senior Olerud was primarly a catcher, playing just one game at first and one game at third. The junior Olerud would play over 2000 games at first. But the John Olerud I knew for the Jays, actually started out as a pitcher. And quite a pitcher.

In 1988, while attending Washington State Univercity, he became the first player to ever hit 20 homeruns and win 15 games in one NCAA season. There was even some talk about Olerud pitching and playing regularly for the Jays in 1990, his first full season. While that never happened, having a father as your catcher certainly made Olerud another Babe Ruth possibility!


References

Bingley, Phil, et al. Another World: the Toronto Stars Tribute To The’ 93 Blue Jays. Toronto Star for Doubleday Canada, 1993. Print.

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

Hersch, Hank. “A Gentleman And A Slugger.” SI.com / Sports Illustrated. <www.si.com/vault/1991/04/15/123996/a-gentleman-and-a-slugger-toronto-first-baseman-john-olerud-is-a-sweet-natured-22-year-old-who-talks-softly-but-carries-a-big-stick>.

Rutsey, Mike. "A Game For Fathers And Sons." Scorebook. June 1993: 47-56. Print. Toronto Blue Jays Program.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 22 Sept. 2013.

1992 World Series Game 2

VS.

Well, my world stayed down as the Canadian Flag was carried upside down by our southern friends.

David Cone started game two, but I was more excited about my boy John Olerud's first World Series game. Carter in left, Winfield in right. The starting first basemen was my favourite. The starting pitcher, meanwhile, joined the Jays in August and pitched well, winning 4 regular season games and another in the ALCS.

For the Braves, one of the their more colourful (and controversial) players, Deion Sanders took over in left for Ron Gant. Sanders, of course was with the NFL's at the time.

But the real story for me early on was the Braves' starter, John Smoltz, pitching like a 10 year veteran. But John had only having played half that time.

And he was making quick work of my Jays: White, Carter, Winfield, Olerud (on a beauty breaking ball) and Gruber, all struck out!

Cone made it through the first, no problem. But in the second Dave Justice, walked, watched Sid Bream fly out, and stole second (Yup, taking advantage of Cone's only weakness!). Dave then made it to third when Manny Lee took Jeff Blauser's grounder, threw to third, only to hit Justice in the back. A wild pitch to yesterday's hero, Damon Berryhill, scored Justice. After a walk to Berryhill, Cone got out of the inning, thanks to a double play.

The Jays could do nothing with Smoltz meanwhile. It was getting so bad that Cone, who singled, had gotten the Jays first hit.

After Cone escaped a jam in the bottom of the frame, Alomar tied the game thanks to Smoltz's wildness.

At least that's what I think.

Alomar led off the second with a walk. Robbie made it to second on a wild pitch. A Winfield groundout put Alomar on third.

Finally!

Smoltz's first pitch to my boy, Olerud, isn't handled by Berryhill. The ball bounces 15 feet to Damon's right, Alomar comes charging in...

...Berryhill gets the ball...

...tosses to Smoltz...

...Alomar slides under Smoltz, crosses the plate before the tag...

...this blogger (who was 12 at the time) pumps his fist, 1-1...

...home plate ump Mike Reilly calls him out! Huh? 1-0, still!

The Braves added to the lead in the bottom of the frame as Mark Lemke drove in Bream.

In the top of the 5th, my boy, Olerud pushed Justice way back for a flyball out. Gruber then grounded out.

Something had to be done.

So Cito Gaston trots out of the dugout and complains about this white bandage on Smoltz’s arm.

Hey, so that’s why the Jays have been having all these problems!

Smoltz removes it.

Borders walks.

Lee singles.

Cone makes it 2 for 2 (and becomes the first pitcher since Mickey Lolich in game 2 of the 1968 World Series) with a single to center to cut the lead in half.

White then beats out and infield chopper to score Lee, 2-2!

The fun times don’t last, however.

Deion Sanders, after Otis Nixon struck out, singled off Cone. This continues the two-sports star's mastery on his old National League friend (7 for 13 lifetime at this point). Of course, he stole second. Worse, when Borders’ throw went into center, Sanders was on third. Pendleton walked. First and third.

But not for long as Justice singled Sanders home. 3-2, and Atlanta wasn’t through. Pendleton made it to third on the play. When David Wells (who relived Cone) gave up a single to Brian Hunter, the Braves were back on top by 2!

Wells even walked Jeff Blauser before settling down. Finally getting the Jays out of that inning. Boomer then followed it up with a 1-2-3 6^th.

The Jays though, were back on the "Can’t-Solve-Smoltz mode." Guess that bandage wasn’t the only problem!

Borders hit a double in the 7th, and even made it to third on another Smoltz wild pitch. Alas, Maldonado, hitting for Wells, went down on strikes.

After Todd Stottlemyre held the Braves in check in the bottom of the frame, White led off the eight with a fly to fly ball out to center. But then Alomar hit a low Smoltz offering the other way for a double down the left field line.

Carter hit a single, which Alomar had to wait on to make sure it made it out of the infield. Winfield hit a bouncer that made it out of the infield for a single, scoring Alomar and sending Carter to third!

Exit Smoltz, enter Mike Stanton. The big intimidating lefty was in to face Olerud.

Olerud popped out, but Stanton would quickly be replaced by Jeff Reardon.

Reardon, I had watched get a save against the Jays on June 13^th of that year. It was career save #341, tying him with Rollie Fingers for the all-time career saves list leader. Two days later against New York, he passed Fingers.

The Braves got him in a one-sided deal on August 30, and Jeff had 27 saves on the season at that time. Reardon also had 354 lifetime saves at the time.

By the time he finished the season, he would have 30 saves on the season and 357 lifetime. He won 3 games for Altanta, as well. He was two saves ahead of Lee Smith, who also passed Fingers and finished that year with 43 saves. Dennis Eckersley, who finished the year with 51 saves, had only 239 career-wise at this point.

What about Rivera, you ask? Mariano Rivera was pitching in the minors for For Lauderdale in 1992, and hadn't reached the majors yet!

But Reardon’s ERA during his tenure with Atlanta was low, 1.15, and in the playoffs, he hadn’t as much given up a hit in 3 innings (3 games) in the NLCS. Hence the name, "The Terminator." Which, by the way, was also Tom Henke's nickname.

I'll have to deal with two closers with the same nickname? This was not going to be easy!

Gruber stepped in with a .500 (6-12) batting average lifetime vs. Reardon.

Reardon threw in inside curve way inside with the count 1-2, Gruber took it.

And was called out on strikes!

After Duane Ward (Brave at one time, traded for Doyle Alexander, who was then traded for Smoltz) pitched a scoreless bottom of the eight, Derek Bell pinch-hit for Lee to lead off the ninth.

After a long plate appearance, Bell drew a walk after fouling off two or Reardon’s 2 strike pitches. Bell appeared to have struck out at one point, but Reilly (Makeup call?) called it a ball.

Next was Ed Sprague, the backup catcher and another pinch hitter (for Ward).

There was something about backup catchers that postseason. Francisco Cabrera had played in only 12 games all year for the Braves, yet knocked in the tying and winning run in game 7 of the NLCS. Oh yeah, it was in the ninth inning, no less. Cabrera’s position? Backup catcher.

Berryhill in game 1, remember, backup catcher!

Ed Sprague had played in just 22 games all year. Backup catcher! See where I’m heading?

Could lightning strike three times in the same place (Yup, Fulton County Stadium)?

Readon’s first pitch was…a batting practice fastball!

Sprague smashed in over Sanders head and into the stands! 5-4 Jays!

So Derek Bell was Sarah Connor and Ed Sprague was Kyle Reese. Or the other way around! In an event, the Jays had stopped the Terminator from putting the Jays down 2-0 in the Series.

But the other Terminator (Guess we gotta call Henke, The T-1000!) was in to say, “Hasta La Vista” to the Braves.

And it would not be without a fight!

Lemke flew out, but Lonnie Smith was hit by a pitch. Ron Gant got into the game and ran for Smith, but Nixon lined out. One out to go!

But Gant again stole second, and Sanders fouled off three two strike pitches before drawing a walk.

Oh no. Terry Pendleton is up.

Pendleton’s batting average with runners in scoring position in the 1992 regular season? .391! Add to that 8 home runs and 86 RBI under those conditions.

First pitch…Pop up in foul territory, Gruber snares it, and adds an explanation mark to this big win.

A mock tomahawk chop!

Series tied 1-1!

Back to my Canadian Flag, which is upright!

References

Gamester, George, and Gerald Hall. On Top Of The World: The Toronto Stars Tribute To The '92 Blue Jays. Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.

Kostel, Mike and Rich Domich, directors. 1992 World Series. Performance by Lou Carlou, Major League Baseball Productions, 1992. World Series Film. DVD.

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Retrosheet. Web. 19 Oct. 2012.  <www.retrosheet.org>

Sports Reference LLC. "(title of a particular page or blank for general citation)." Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 19 Oct 2012.