World Series: Did You Know?

Mike Stanton matched his win total (2) from the regular season over the course of just five games in 2000. The lefty on the New York Yankees was a surprisingly strong performer in that year's Fall Classic vs. their crosstown rivals the New York Mets.

There was no doubt great hype for the World Series of 2000, as it marked the first Fall Classic where both teams were from New York. The Mets and Yankees would be tightly contested contests. Plenty of room for outstanding relief work. That's where Mike Stanton comes into play. Or, to the mound.

But it had been one disappointing season for Mike. He won just two games, lost three and had an earned run average over four. The great thing about pitching for the Yankees during that time was the playoffs offered a shot at redemption. Stanton had been no stranger to the postseason. He'd pitched in the playoffs every year since 1991 (The 1994 season had been cancelled in August). 

Stanton, for his part, won a game vs. Oakland in the American League Division Series. But, against Seattle in the American League Championship Series, Mike just stayed in the bullpen, never getting into a single game. Though Mike had been on the winning New York Yankees in 1998 and 1999, he had yet to find any pitching success in the World Series for them. But Stanton had sure been a force to be reckoned with in 1991 and 1992 when he was with the Atlanta Braves.

So when the World Series started, it looked more likely that manager Joe Torre would ride the arms of Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens and perhaps Orlando Hernandez deep into all the games, then turn the ball over to someone not named Mike Stanton. From there, Mariano Rivera, the star closer, would mop up.

In game one at Yankee Stadium, the Mets were rude visitors. Overcoming an early 2-0 lead, the National League Champions had a great seventh: They scored three times and pitcher Al Leiter held the fort!

The Yankees relied on Jeff Nelson to keep them in the ballgame, holding off Mariano Rivera for later (And possibly a save situation). Nelson was certainly a better pitcher than Mike Stanton in 2000. During the regular season, Jeff went 8-4 and posted an earned run average of just 2.45. So in the opening tilt, Nelson had to keep his team in the ballgame.

Things didn't exactly start out on the right foot for the excellent reliever. Nelson came on in the top of that fateful seventh with the game tied (2-2), two on and two out. Edgardo Alfonzo greeted him with a run-scoring single.

From there, Nelson did the job. Mike Piazza was then retired. Plus Jeff had a nice 1-2-3 top of the eighth. Mariano Rivera would not get a save in this game, but took over from there. After a shaky top of the ninth, Mariano put up a "0" on the scoreboard to keep his team in it. His efforts that inning were rewarded as the home team tied it in the bottom of the frame. Rivera found his range and got the side 1-2-3 (Two strikeouts) in the tenth.

The problems for the New York Yankees was their National League counterparts stayed right with them. The Yankees didn't score in the bottom of the inning. Rivera could not keep going.

So, here's where Joe Torre turned to Mike Stanton. The lefty got the side out in order in the top of the eleventh. Once again, the Yankees could not score, though. So Stanton went right back out there for the top of the twelve inning. Again, the Mets went down 1-2-3. And, it was time for the home team to send the crowd home happy. Jose Vizcaino played hero, hitting a walk-off single to win it for the Yankees and Mike Stanton. But I'll bet few took notice of the lefty reliever's contributions in this contest. Nelson was Nelson, Rivera was Rivera. But the Yankees had needed more innings from their bullpen and Mike Stanton had provided 'em with it.

The first game sure set the tone for the rest of the 2000 Fall Classic. Every contest seemed to come down to the final at-bat. However, Jeff Nelson and Mariano Rivera almost failed to protect a huge lead in the second game. The never-say-die Mets nearly erased a 6-0 Yankees lead. Perhaps, good as Nelson and Rivera were, the Yankees needed that "one more" great reliever to help them?

Down 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning at Shea Stadium in the third contest, Mike Stanton was needed again, indeed. There were runners on the corners and one out. However, Bubba Trammell hit a sacrifice fly to give the New York Mets a nice, two-run cushion. Chuck Knoblauch tried to get things going for the Yankees in the top of the ninth, as he led off with a single. Luis Polonia, Derek Jeter and Dave Justice were all retired, and the Mets were right back in this World Series.

Game four was a big one. The Yankees started out great. A run in the top of the first. Another in the second. Still another tally in the third. However, that was it for their offence. And the Mets got a two-run home run by Mike Piazza in the bottom of the third to make it a 3-2 ballgame.

Denny Neagle, David Cone and Jeff Nelson settled things down for the Yankees after that. At least, all seemed to be going along just fine until the seventh inning.

Lenny Harris walked with one out. Joe Torre couldn't bring Marino Rivera in this early. So, here came Mike Stanton. And did he ever shine. First, he struck out pinch hitter Bubba Trammell. Then, he fanned another pinch hitter, Kurt Abbott, to get the New York Yankees out of that inning still ahead. Rivera was needed to get six outs. He did just that.

So Jeff Nelson got the win. And Mariano Rivera got the save. Mike Stanton had to settle for just a hold. Things went smoothly again for Mike in the fifth contest. Only this time, he'd figure into the decision.

The Yankees were up three games to one, but no one should have been counting the Mets out. The Yankees scored first in the top of the second, only to then see the Mets get two themselves in the bottom of the frame.

The New York Yankees tied it in the top of the sixth as Derek Jeter hit a solo home run. But starter Andy Pettitte was removed after seven pretty good innings. The Mets managed eight hits off him. Mike Stanton came in to pitch the top of the eight. Well, the Senior Circuit champs got not one hit off Mike. Better still, it was Luis Sojo who hit a dramatic two-run single in the top of the ninth. Two runs ahead was more than enough when you have Mariano Rivera in the bullpen.

Rivera did the job, pickup up his second save. However, good as Mariano was, his earned run average in the 2000 World Series was 3.00. Jeff Nelson's was 10.13. Mike Stanton? Well, he had to settle for just two wins, a hold and an ERA of 0.00. He'd put his so-so regular season performance behind him.



References

Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York, 2005.

Nemec, et al. The Baseball Chronicle: Year-By-Year History of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd., 2008. 

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 10 Mar. 2022.

Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/. 10 Mar. 2022.

World Series: Did You Know?

The Toronto Blue Jays didn't score a run from the 5th to 9th inning of games 1, 5 and 6 in 1992. They still won the Fall Classic. And Joe Carter did all he could.

Facing the Atlanta Braves, Carter hit a home run in the top of the 4th inning of game 1. The contest was a pitcher's duel between Tom Glavine and Jack Morris. Glavine was the Braves' pitcher who surrendered the long bomb. Morris held the Atlanta at bay through five.

But how good was Glavine? Get this: He retired the next 3 batters in the fourth inning, and Toronto did not get another man to 2nd to speak of the rest of the game! Yes, Tommy faced just 18 batters the rest of the game. Glavine got Dave Winfield and Candy Maldonado out on grounders, following Carter's home run. Then Kelly Gruber struck out.

Pat Borders and Manny Lee made quick outs in the fourth, not getting it out of the infield. Then Morris struck out. I'm seeing a pattern here. Carter broke the spell in the sixth when he flied out to left. He'd hit hit solo shot in the fourth there. Joe would fly out to Dave Justice in right to end the game.

When did Toronto finally get a man to first? Why Pat Borders (MVP of the Fall Classic), singled to start the top of the 8th. The Atlanta Braves had scored 3 runs off Jack Morris in the bottom of the sixth at this point, and that was the only scoring they'd get. Manny Lee hit into a double play, and PH Pat Tabler was out on a fly to very short centre. Toronto pitchers David Wells and Todd Stottlemyre held the fort for Toronto the rest of the way. However, while the Jays held Atlanta to four hits, Glavine, going all the way, did the same all by himself!



Don't feel too bad for the Blue Jays. Toronto took gamme 2, 5-4, game 3, 3-2, and game 4, 2-1. Could the Jays become the first team from Canada to win the World Series?

Game 5 was back and forth through four. Atlanta scored in the top of the 1st and 4th, Toronto getting even via Pat Borders' RBIs in the bottom of the 2nd and 4th (Both times, driving in John Olerud). Atlanta seemed to stuff out any World Series parade plans the next inning, however, as they touched home 5 times in inning #5. The last four coming in on Lonnie Smith's grand slam. John Smoltz was clearly getting the better of Jack Morris (Who exited with 2 outs in the 5th after Smith's blast) and now was opposed on the mound by Wells.

Smoltz had a high pitch count on him, but got the Jays out in the 5th, allowing just a 2-out single by Winfield. The 6th inning was easier, as John had a nice 1-2-3 frame. The top of the 7th spelled the end for him, as he walked Manny Lee to start. In hopped in Mike Stanton, the lefty. He got Devon White out, then induced Roberto Alomar to ended the inning with a double play ball to second. Joe Carter singled to start the next inning, but Mike the next three Jays' batters out, leaving Joe at third. The 9th inning was Mike's first 1-2-3 inning (The Braves loaded the bases in the top of the frame, proceeding to run themselves out of that when Mark Lemke tried to score on Terry Pendleton's fly to short left) as Atlanta won, 7-2. Toronto had just 6 hits but also 4 walks. Atlanta had 13 hits alone.



So, it was off to Atlanta four game six. Toronto scored first on a Joe Carter sac fly. Back came Atlanta in the bottom of the 3rd. Candy Maldonado homered of Steve Avery in the top of the fourth. Toronto couldn't be done scoring, could they.

For a while, yes. And that that was crucial, as Atlanta hung on.

Pat Borders doubled and David Cone, the pitcher, walked. Devon White singled to left, only to have Borders nailed at the dish. That ended the fourth. Some insurance was not on the horizon.

Pete Smith came in to pitch the top of the 5th. Joe Carter had a double. Joe was hitting the ball well. 2 home runs to his name, so far. There was only one out, but Dave Winfield and Candy Maldonado couldn't get him home. Manny Lee singled with two out in the sixth, but was stranded.

Roberto Alomar singled in the top of the sixth with one out. He was stranded. Todd Stottlemyre and David Wells continued what Cone had started. They held the Braves at bay. Could Toronto just score 'em a run?

Enter Mike Stanton. Entering to shut out Toronto.

Well, Maldonado greeted him with a line shot to left of a single. Kelly Gruber bunted him to second. Borders was walked intentionally. With runners on 1st and 2nd, it was time for Mike to bear down.

He sure did.

Stanton had defused many a Toronto rally in this 1992 World Series. And he did again here.

Lee popped to 1st. Derek Bell batted for Wells and grounded out. Phew!

Top of the 9th, 2-1 Toronto. A two quick outs by Stanton. One more out to give Atlanta a chance in the bottom of the frame. Joe Carter put a pause on those thoughts with a 2-out double. There's the showers, Mike. So Mark Wohlers came in, and got Dave Winfield to ground out.

The excellent bullpen work for the 2nd straight game paid off! Otis Nixon singled home the tying run with two away in the last of the ninth. Charlie Leibrandt got Maldonaldo to ground out to start the 10th frame. Gruber singled...Uh oh.

Borders flied to left. Leibrandt then caught PH Pat Tabler's liner. To the bottom of the 10th. And all that happened there was a 1-2-3 inning via Tom Henke and Jimmy Key.

Key was forced to bat for himself to start the 11th, and Leibrandt got him to pop to first.

And then the wheels came off the chariot.

White was hit by a pitch. Alomar singled. Carter was out on a fly to centre. Dave Winfield ended the suspense with a double to left. Both runners scored. Atlanta got one back in the last of the 11th, but Nixon was retired with the tying run at third.



A grand show, really, both bullpens in this Fall Classic. Both teams had great starters, and with Jack Morris' recent Hall Of Fame induction, let's take a look:

Smoltz, HOF
Glavine, HOF
Cone, 190 + wins
Key, 180 + wins

But as good as all those above were (Plus Steve Avery and Juan Guzman won 90 + games, too...That's 3 pitchers on each team, 4 in Toronto's case...) where would they be without a healthy bullpen? The Braves were able to stay alive and be in every game because of the 'pen.

References

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).

Retrosheet. <www.retrosheet.org>. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).

Youtube. <https://www.youtube.com/>. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).

World Series: Did You Know?

Joe Carter got the last hit for the Blue Jays at home in both 1992 and 1993. The one in '93 was a dramatic three-run walkoff home run. It won the Fall Classic for the second straight year for Toronto.

Toronto figured to have in game five in 1992. They were up three games to one on Altanta, and had were looking strong. Their pitching had held the Braves in check. In particular, at home. Juan Guzman was excellent in game three, despite a no decision. Jimmy Key was awesome in game four. Toronto won each, as their starting pitching gave up just one earned in seven plus innings in each outing.

So it was Jack Morris, who'd lost game one in Atlanta, looking to end it for the second straight year vs. the same team. He'd beaten 'em 1-0 in ten innings in game seven of 1991. The Braves had sent out John Smoltz to win it all for them then. A year later, he was needed to keep Atlanta alive.

But Smoltz, who'd gotten a no decision of his own in game two of '92, looked like the better of the two titans of the hill from the get-go. Morris struggled in the top of the first. Two doubles and a run against. Smoltz? No such problems. Devon White, he struck out to start the inning. Carter came out one out later, and was sent back to the bench on a called third strike.

Toronto managed to tie in the bottom of the second. But what about Carter? He came up again because Smoltz walked Roberto Alomar with one out in the bottom of the third. The game was still tied at one. Would Joe put the home team ahead at the SkyDome? No, He flied out to right as Smoltz got through that inning without letting the Jays get in front.

Then, Dave Justice put Atlanta back up with a solo blast of Jack Morris in the top of the fourth. Amazingly, it was the home team coming right back in the bottom of the frame with a run that tied it at two. But Joe did not get to bat. Devon White was the last out of the inning. Joe would have to wait.

And by the time he came back up again, the visitors had taken a five-run lead!

Morris just came undone with two down and the bases empty in the top of the fifth. Otis Nixon singled, stole second, and then scored on a Deion Sanders' singled. An intentional walk and a grand slam put the Braves up, 7-2. Carter and company were looking at a steep hill to climb.

Both Alomar and Carter flied out. Dave Winfield kept the inning alive with a single, but John Olerud also flied out. The game was now in the Toronto bullpen, as David Wells had gotten the last out in the top of the fifth. He also got the Blue Jays through the sixth without any further damage. Smoltz, who'd breezed through the sixth in 1-2-3 fashion, found himself out of the game as he walked Manuel Lee to start the bottom of the seventh. Mike Stanton came in and got out of that situation via a force and an inning-ending double play.

The Braves went 1-2-3 themselves in the top of both the seventh and eighth, and Joe Carter was eager to get the Jays back in it. He singled off Stanton to start the bottom of the eighth. Showing the wheels, he stole second. But Winfield fanned not long after. Ed Sprague, pinch-hitting, sent a long fly to right. Carter motored into third after the catch. But the inning ended when Candy Maldonado grounded out. Stanton had no such problems in the bottom of the ninth as he got the side, 1-2-3. This was heading back to Atlanta.

Carter drove in the first run of the ballgame for good measure with a sac fly. He'd hit a home run in Atlanta in game one, adding another at home in game three. He didn't do much the rest of the game as far as RBIs were concerned, although he doubled twice. The offence, which won the game and the series for the Jays, came via a solo home run by Candy Maldonado and a dramatic two-out double from Dave Winfield in the eleventh inning. Toronto won, 4-3! World Series Champions!

The next year, Toronto lost game five, again. But wouldn't you know it, they were heading home up 3-2 on the Philadelphia Phillies. Carter was primed to contribute. After Paul Molitor tripled home Devon White in the bottom of the first, Carter drove 'em home with a fly to left. John Olerud doubled and Roberto Alomar singled.

Carter would have to just watch again as others contributed to widening the margin for the home team. Joe had hit a home run in game two off Philly starter Terry Mulholland. Here, he was facing him again. Toronto sent Dave Stewart to finish the job off. He was pitching amazing. Carter could only ground out in the bottom of the third as the Jays went down 1-2-3.

Philadelphia finally scored a run off Stewart in the top of the fourth to make it 3-1, but Toronto wasn't through with Terry. Ed Sprague hit a sacrifice fly of his own, right there in the bottom of the inning. Stewart got out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth. Molitor hit a solo home run in the bottom of the frame. 5-1. Philly went down 1-2-3 in the sixth against Stewart. You could taste the champagne as it was getting closer to the end.

Philly though, put those plans on hold. Lenny Dykstra, having a terrific series, ended Stewart's night in the top of the seventh with a three-run home run. 5-4. Danny Cox came in and the visitors got two more, and had the lead!

Roger Mason, now pitching for the Phillies, got the Jays in order in the seventh. Al Leiter, who'd been the third pitcher in the seventh for Toronto, held Philadelphia at bay in the top of the eighth. Carter led off the bottom of the frame, but could only fly out to left.

But the Blue Jays were about to have Carter bat again in the ninth. This could have all been avoided had the Phillies taken care of the Jays in the bottom of that eighth inning. See, Olerud followed with a walk off David West, taking over for Mason. Larry Andersen came in to pitch. Alomar grounded out. So there were two outs. Tony Fernandez was the batter. Andersen hit him. Then Sprague coaxed a walk to load 'em up. Though Pat Borders ended the inning by popping up, the home team would send some pretty good guys to bat in the next inning. They trailed 6-5, but they had the guys, believe me.

Duane Ward, the Toronto closer, blew 'em away on just seven pitches in the ninth. Philly ended the game with just seven hits. They needed more, and more runs, as the home team was hungry. No game seven for you, Philadelphia.

Ricky Henderson led off against closer Mitch Williams. Four pitches later, he won on first as Mitch walked him. Mitch then went 3-2 on Devon White, before he flew out. But Paul Molitor stroked a single to centre, and our man was now at the dish.

The count went to 2-2 on Joe. On the next pitch, he hit it to left like last time. Only this time, it was above the head of left fielder Pete Incaviglia. Pete had put Philly in front with a sac fly in the top of the seventh. But that was the last run they'd scored. Now, he watched helplessly as Joe Carter's blast left the park. The Jays had won it 8-6 in dramatic fashion.

Joltin' Joe had done it for Toronto. The SkyDome was a ballpark built for his power (He'd hit 30 + home runs every year, so it seemed), and Joe always made sure to remind everyone why. Here, Carter had put an exclamation mark on his stay in Toronto. He'd be remembered not for all his 30 home runs and 100 RBI seasons (And he didn't just do that for the Jays, believe me), but rather his majestic swing in 1993. Though they'd lost game five here the year before, Joe was always out there, even in hopelessly lost games, pushing his team to comeback, keep going. Of course, with his last swing of '93, it was going, going, GONE!


References

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

1993 World Series. Performance by Len Cariou, Major League Baseball Productions, 1993. DVD.

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

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 22 Sept. 2016.

Youtube. Web. 22 Sept. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/>