O'Neill's Hit And Run: NLCS Game 5 Edition

10/18/2005
HOUSTON — Umpire Phil Cuzzi appears to have secured a place as a villainous figure in Cardinals lore.At the same time, it is difficult to directly connect the dots of the Cardinals' gut-wrenching 2-1 loss in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series to Cuzzi. Had the home-plate arbitrator been involved in a safe or out call at a base, or made an incorrect rule interpretation, his role might be more clearly defined.Technically, there is no way of pinning an umpire down on calling balls and strikes or issuing ejections. Still, there were some few clear-cut signs that Cuzzi crossed the line of propriety in Game 4 in which he ejected Tony La Russa and Jim Edmonds. Here are the top 10 indicators:
1. Cuzzi tossed La Russa after hearing the words, "Naa-naa, boo-boo!"
2. Data indicate Cuzzi's strike zone changed positions more often than Larry Brown.
3. You thought to yourself, "I haven't seen someone run the floor like that since Bob Cousy."
4. He told Edmonds, "Johnny Fontane will never get that movie, now get the hell out of here!"
5. Told David Eckstein, "The strike zone isn't bigger, you're just smaller."
6. Minute Maid crowd changed the "Deep in the Heart of Texas" sing-along lyrics to "The stars at night, are big and bright, but not as big as Phil Cuzzi's strike zone."
7. Asked "Debit or credit?" before ringing up La Russa.
8. The initials "WWDD" on his shoes stood for, "What Would Denkinger Do."
9. Asked Astros officials before the game if he could throw out the ceremonial first player.
10. Was heard exclaiming "Slamma lamma ding dong!" after each ejection.MORE BUSCH MEMORIESPeter Gammons offered his favorite Busch Stadium memories: "I just remember talking baseball with Whitey Herzog," Gammons said. "He'd let me in through the back door to his office and we'd talk baseball. That was just very special."As for on the field, Gammons, a longtime columnist in Boston, said he most remembers John Tudor's five-hit shutout in Game 4 of the 1985 World Series. Tudor pitched in Boston before coming to St. Louis."That was just a marvelous pitching performance, and Tudor was one of my favorites," Gammons said. "People didn't understand him, but he was a hockey player. If you got too close, he'd hit you with his stick."BACK PAGESOn this day in 1977, Reggie Jackson came to plate in the fourth inning of Game 6 of the World Series. He jumped on the first pitch from Dodgers hurler Burt Hooten and yanked it into the right-field stands for a two-run homer, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead.The following inning, Jackson batted again and pounded the first pitch he saw from Elias Sosa into an identical location for another two-run homer. In the eighth, "The Straw That Stirs the Drink" slammed the first pitch from knuckleballer Charlie Hough into the bleachers, becoming the first player besides Babe Ruth to homer three times in a Series game.Ruth did it twice, both times against the Cardinals, both times in St. Louis, both times in Game 4 - in the 1926 World Series and the 1928 World Series.Jackson homered in two other games in the '77 Series, becoming the first to hit five home runs in one World Series. He had a .357 career average in World Series play, nearly 100 points higher than his regular-season average, and his World Series slugging average was .755.Hence, the nickname, "Mr. October."POP QUIZThree players have hit as many as three home runs in a League Championship Series game. George Brett and Bob Robertson are two. Who is the third?A. Gino CimoliB. Terry KennedyC. Adam KennedyD. George KennedyThe correct answer is "C." Former Cardinals prospect Adam Kennedy hit three in one game for the Angels in 2002.QUOTEWORTHY"In the 17 years I've been playing, he's the best closer I've faced. He's got a 97 mph fastball, 92 slider. He's kind of like John Smoltz-like, when he was in his day."

Source: http://www.stltoday.com/

AROUND THE HORN: Price spurns Tigers, joins D'backs

October 18, 2005
PHOENIX -- Bryan Price accepted a one-year contract as pitching coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday after determining he wasn't a serious candidate for the job to manage the Florida Marlins.
"It didn't look like I would be considered for the managerial position," Price said.
Price, who lives in nearby Scottsdale, said he also spoke with Tigers manager Jim Leyland about the pitching coach job there, but decided the Diamondbacks were the best fit. He will be reunited with manager Bob Melvin -- they were together for two years in Seattle.
Price, 43, spent 18 years with the Mariners organization, the past six as pitching coach.
Price said his relationship with Melvin was a major factor in his decision to join Arizona.
"I know what I'm getting into here. I know what Bob's expectations are of me as a pitching coach," he said. "I know how badly he wants to win and how he prepares to win. We work well together that way. Beyond that, we're great friends, and I think great friendships are built on great trust. We've established that in our two years together in Seattle."
Baltimore: Bullpen coach Elrod Hendricks will be given another job in the organization because of a mild stroke in April that forced him to miss 18 games. The team said it has not decided on the new position for Hendricks, 64. His 28-year coaching tenure is the longest in club history. He was an Orioles catcher for 11 seasons.
L.A. Angels: Despite winning the 2002 World Series and the past two AL West titles, general manager Bill Stoneman has a lot to consider in the off-season. Starting pitchers Jarrod Washburn and Paul Byrd are eligible for free agency, along with catcher Bengie Molina. It'll help that Tim Salmon's $10-million salary comes off the books, freeing up money. Against the White Sox, the Angels hit .175 and scored 11 runs in five games. "It looks to me like we're going to try to help the offense by adding a bat," Stoneman said. During the regular season, they hit .270 with 147 homers to rank 10th in the AL. Their 761 runs ranked sixth.
N.Y. Yankees: The Yankees asked and received permission from the Atlanta Braves to speak with pitching coach Leo Mazzone. Mel Stottlemyre, who has held the job since Joe Torre took over after the 1995 season, said last week he did not plan to return. Mazzone rebuffed interest from the Mets after the 2002 season, signing a new deal with the Braves that included a significant pay increase. Mazzone, 57, has been with the Braves since 1979. He had a brief stint as Atlanta's co-pitching coach in 1985, then returned as the sole pitching coach in June 1990 after Bobby Cox was hired as manager. The Braves have perennially been among the NL leaders in ERA, but they dropped to sixth this season (3.98).
Oakland: The Athletics exercised their $4-million contract option for outfielder Jay Payton for 2006. He was acquired in a July trade with the Red Sox that sent right-hander Chad Bradford to Boston. Payton batted .269 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs in 69 games with Oakland. Overall, he hit .267 with 18 home runs and 63 RBIs. ... The A's declined to exercise their option on right-hander Keiichi Yabu, who signed a $1-million, one-year contract last January. He was 4-0 with a 4.50 ERA in 40 relief appearances.
Obituary: Al Widmar, pitching coach of the Blue Jays for 10 seasons, died of colon cancer Saturday in Tulsa, Okla. He was 80. Widmar became pitching coach in 1979. Six years later, he guided a rotation of Dave Stieb, Doyle Alexander, Jim Clancy and Jimmy Key. Widmar became special assistant to the vice president and GM in 1991.
San Francisco: Six players were designated for assignment: right-handers Brian Cooper and Matt Kinney, catcher Yamid Haad, and outfielders Doug Clark, Julio Ramirez and Adam Shabala. Cooper refused his designation and became a free agent.
St. Louis: Right-hander Al Reyes will have reconstructive surgery on his pitching elbow today. Reyes was injured on the final day of the regular season, and this will be his second reconstruction on an elbow that was repaired in 1995. Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Dodgers' team physician, did the first surgery and Reyes wanted him to do it again. But Yocum was booked until Nov. 8, so Reyes opted for former Cardinals team doctor George Paletta. "Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to start my rehab," Reyes said. "I just want this done so I can come back."

Source: http://www.freep.com/

Go west, young Manny?

October 18, 2005.

Has Los Angeles now become a possible destination for Manny Ramirez?
One day after Gordon Edes brought the possibility up, the Los Angeles Times today also indeed floats Ramirez’s name as part of the franchise’s offseason puzzle of generating offense for 2005, an aspect of the game clearly lacking in the Angels' five-game demise against Chicago in the ALCS.
The Angels hit just .175 over five games against the White Sox, who were buoyed by an unprecedented four straight complete game wins in earning their first trip to the World Series since 1959.
Paul Konerko, currently starring in the nightmares of Angels fans, figures to be the top free agent target for LA this season, although Torii Hunter and Carlos Delgado have also been mentioned as possible trade targets. Boston, of course, has been rumored to want the Chicago first baseman as well, although Konerko told the Globe earlier this year he really wasn’t interested in playing in his hometown New England and would rather stay in Chicago or go to the west coast.
Which is a story we’ve supposedly heard from Manny Ramirez. Or is it the other way around? Wait, which day is it?
Only Manny knows what Manny wants, and frankly most of the time that’s not even enough of a barometer. The slugger requested a sit down with Red Sox brass to discuss the future of the ball club, a sign that he might want to stay in Boston. This just a week after a report stated that Ramirez told members of the White Sox he might want to play for them. Tomorrow, it might be the New York Mets again.
We can expect the Manny for Carlos Beltran rumors to dominate the tabloids in New York, but you have to think Theo Epstein, or whoever is general manager, is intelligent enough to realize that this is a deal certainly not progressive for a franchise in dire need of pitching. Nor does it even come remotely close to accomplishing a goal that would make you think about trading Ramirez in the first place: Freeing up cash.
Yes, next season, when Beltran is due to make $12 million, the Red Sox would save $7 million, but in the final year of Ramirez’s deal, when he is to make $20 million, Beltran is due $18.5, a number he will make through 2011. So, exactly why would you take $57 million off the books only to receive $98 million back in return, never mind it is in addition to a player, albeit five years younger than Ramirez, who is a far inferior offensive threat?
By examination, the deal makes no sense for the Red Sox, and no matter how much pining Pedro Martinez does for his buddy Manny, it’s hard to imagine that this will be the way he gets to Queens.
Meanwhile, the Angels possibility is enticing in that Los Angeles might be willing to deal prospects in exchange for Ramirez. Pitchers Joe Saunders, Chris Bootcheck, Steven Shell, and infamous holdout Jered Weaver, would certainly head that Christmas list for Boston.
With an Opening Day average age of 36, the starting rotation is an area in which the Red Sox desperately need to get younger, and while such a deal makes them weaker offensively, it would significantly upgrade an area where Boston’s 1-2-3 starters are 38 (Curt Schilling), 42 (David Wells), and 39 (Tim Wakefield) years of age respectively. The addition of Jonathan Papelbon certainly helps, while the possibility of some Angels prospect becoming another Joe Blanton isn’t absurd. On the flip side, while Weaver may be one of the top prospects in baseball, brother Jeff certainly didn't have the makeup to play in New York with the Yankees, and one has to wonder if such a trait might be synonymous with his younger brother in a pressure city like Boston.
With a strong starting staff of Bartolo Colon, John Lackey, Kelvin Escobar and Ervin Santana, the Angels just might be willing to deal one or two of their top pitching prospects for an offensive presence like Ramirez, and the lure of playing with Vladimir Guerrero might be enough for Manny to agree to such a trade with his 10/5 rights. One obvious downside for LA is that in taking on Ramirez’s salary, it opens the door for the Red Sox to make a bigger push for Konerko, and ends their own pursuit for the slugger. With the money it will take to pay Ramirez, Konerko is still a cheaper option, and won’t cost any prospects except in the form of draft picks.
For that reason, we might expect both Boston and Los Angeles to make a hard push for Konerko’s services. In the case the Red Sox do sign him, they then could offer the Angels option No. 2 in Ramirez, and have a decent offensive replacement in place while plucking a few pitchers off the LA vine as a bonus.
Of course, the general consensus among Red Sox fans is that you don’t trade a special talent like Ramirez just in order to free up salary or because he doesn’t run to first base in some mid-July contest in Tampa. Hard to argue with that. But if the opportunity comes to significantly improve a needy area for the long-term financial and competitve future of your club, well you contemplate it at least, don’t you?

Source: http://www.boston.com/

Girardi gone, Rays move on in manager search

October 20, 2005
ST. PETERSBURG - Joe Girardi went to the Marlins on Wednesday and the Devil Rays went on with their search for a manager, receiving permission to talk to Angels bench coach Joe Maddon and acknowledging that an announcement won't be made until after the World Series.
Both teams had serious interest in Girardi, though the Marlins appeared to want him more, identifying the Yankees bench coach immediately as their frontrunner and pursuing him aggressively.
The Rays' talks with Girardi were more advanced than with their other candidates, including a discussion of contract parameters, but they are not believed to have made a formal offer and did not seem especially surprised, or particularly disappointed, that he went to the Marlins.
"We thought he was a candidate who might fit with our organization and that's why he was on our list. He made his decision and we'll continue our search," Rays president Matt Silverman said.
"We didn't have any frontrunners in mind when we got into this process. Joe was someone we knew we needed to speak to early in our first round because of the Marlins' interest. I wouldn't characterize him as a frontrunner."
The Marlins, who will introduce Girardi at a news conference today in Miami, felt more strongly.
"Joe was known as an intelligent player with great leadership skills and he will bring those traits to his new position," Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria said in a statement. "He is the right man to lead our team and I'm proud that he will start what will be a long, successful managerial career here in south Florida."
The Rays received permission from the Angels to contact Maddon, who could emerge as a strong candidate, and are in the process of arranging an interview. Silverman said they also plan to talk with Bobby Valentine, but will wait until his Chiba Lotte team completes play in the Japan postseason. They have interviewed six others - internal candidates Bill Evers, Tom Foley, Billy Hatcher and John McLaren, former Tigers manager Alan Trammell and Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton.
Maddon, 51, a member of the Angels organization for 31 years, including 12 on the major-league coaching staff, has hoped for a chance to manage and is intrigued by the Rays' opportunity. "Absolutely," he said. Valentine, former manager of the Rangers and Mets, has also expressed interest.
While the Rays were poised to make a quick decision on Girardi if necessary, they now sound like they will take their time. "Until we get to talk to Maddon and probably Valentine we're not going to make any decisions about the current group or bringing in any other candidates," Silverman said.
While the Rays may continue talks, teams are barred from making major announcements during the World Series. The Rays may also use that time to start formal interviews for a senior front office official, with White Sox farm director Dave Wilder joining former Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker, former Angels GM Mike Port and Yankees executive Gene Michael as likely candidates.
Also:
Don Zimmer, despite a close association with Girardi, said he has no plans to join him in South Florida and plans to stay with the Rays as a senior adviser as long as they want him.
Former manager Lou Piniella, who worked the ALCS as an analyst for Fox TV, was rehired for the World Series, though he said he may not go if Hurricane Wilma threatens his bay area homes. "They were pleased with the work I did," Piniella said.
Top 2005 draft pick Wade Townsend is expected to undergo Tommy John elbow surgery this week and be sidelined about 12 months.

Source: http://www.sptimes.com/

Yankees brass heading back to drawing board

10/19/2005
They didn't know until yesterday that manager Joe Torre would stay. They are still waiting for GM Brian Cashman to tell them whether he is packing his bags or not. And they will be watching the World Series for the second straight year.
This is the dire state of the Yankees.
The Braves can make 14 postseason appearances, win only one Series and call their run a dynasty. The Yankees can make the playoffs 11 years in a row, capture six pennants, win four World Series in five years and be called Bronx Bums.
So what's owner George Steinbrenner to do? Increase his payroll to $2.03 billion? Buy every free agent on the market? The Yankees already have $144.5 million committed to 11 players for next season, but they won't raise their $203 million payroll. They will also make a serious attempt to get younger, knowing that their average age of 33.7 made them the oldest team in baseball.
While Steinbrenner and his mouthpiece Howard Rubenstein, Cashman and Torre declined to discuss plans for themselves or the Yankees, top team officials, who did not want to be indentified because they don't want to be fired, laid out their plans. Their top 10 objectives:
1. Get a center fielder: The Yankees would love to get the Twins' Gold Glove center fielder, Torii Hunter. The Twins, who will listen to offers for Hunter this winter, can have Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and anyone in the bullpen outside of Mariano Rivera.
The Yankees will do virtually anything it takes to land Hunter, knowing that he not only will catch everything from Monument Park to Battery Park, but he will also become a much better hitter with protection in the lineup. Yankees scouts have told Steinbrenner that free agent Johnny Damon simply is no longer a good defensive center fielder. Let the Red Sox spend $50 million to keep him. Milton Bradley of the Dodgers has also been mentioned in the Yankees' inner circles. If they don't nab Bradley, they might take Angels center fielder Steve Finley and the $7 million on his contract. The Yankees have also talked about trading for Marlins center fielder Juan Pierre.
Bernie Williams won't return, not even in a part-time role. The Yankees simply don't want him around, knowing that Torre would start playing him every day.
2. Sign Hideki Matsui: Corner outfielders are easier to find than center fielders, but Matsui has been a rock in this lineup. He is batting .297 and averaging 23 homers and 110 RBI over three seasons. He becomes a free agent Nov. 15, but the Yankees won't let him escape. They have already offered him a three-year, $31.5 million deal. They're not going to be outbid.
3. Shore up the bullpen: Rivera needs help. The Yankees plan to bring back Tom Gordon, ignoring talk that he wants to close. But Felix Rodriguez and the rest of the middle corps are gone. The Yankees want to bring in Orioles free agent B.J. Ryan and at least two others.
4. Get a defensive first baseman: Jason Giambi, who looked a whole lot like the Giambi of old from an offensive standpoint, will stay on as DH. But the Yankees need someone who can play defense at first. Once upon a time, they had a guy named J.T. Snow. If Snow wants to trek East, the Yankees will gladly have him back. If not, they'll try to acquire Lyle Overbay from the Brewers or take John Olerud from the Red Sox.
5. Find a backup catcher: Jorge Posada can't be productive when he catches more than 110 to 120 games. The Yankees need a bona fide backup, and they're not talking about John Flaherty. Would it surprise anyone for them to grab a free agent such as A.J. Pierzynski, who can DH on the days he doesn't catch?
6. Hire a pitching coach: The Yankees need a strong-minded pitching coach who can handle New York. Don't you think Steinbrenner would love to have Dave Righetti from the Giants? If not Righetti, they've talked about another former Yankees lefty, Ron Guidry. And if not an ex-Yankee, Braves guru Leo Mazzone and Joe Kerrigan top the list.
7. Hire a bench coach: Joe Girardi likely is gone, unless he's promised the Yankees job when Torre eventually gets bounced. The Yankees need an energetic man who has managerial experience whom Torre can trust. (No, it won't be Lee Mazzilli.) Former Red Sox managers Grady Little and Jimy Williams would be ideal candidates.
8. Acquire one more starter: The Yankees have seven starters: Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Shawn Chacon, Chien-Ming Wang and Aaron Small. But each had injuries in the past year.
The Yankees believe that Indians starter Kevin Millwood, who averaged 18 pitches an inning but was saved by his bullpen, can't handle New York. And A.J. Burnett reminds them too much of Pavano, a guy who can win in the NL but is shaky at best in the AL. They'll look around, but the Yanks won't get a marquee name.
9. Find a younger Gary Sheffield: The veteran outfielder is 38 and in the last year of his contract. The Yankees worry about his aching shoulder. Yet, how can they replace his production of 34 homers and 123 RBI last season?
10. Find a prized infield backup: The Yankees' biggest fear is that shortstop Derek Jeter will get hurt. Alex Rodriguez could slide over from third, but there's no one to replace him. Neifi Perez of the Cubs would be a perfect fit. And, although the Yankees worry about Nomar Garciaparra's defense, don't you think Steinbrenner would love to have a rejuvenated Garciaparra?
The Yankees will be back. And, once again, they'll be the team to beat in the AL East. But this is Steinbrenner. Every winter following a failure to win the Series is a crisis.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/

Manny deal may have life

October 21, 2005
The wheels are back in motion for a trade of Manny Ramirez from the Red Sox after his agent yesterday mentioned Anaheim, Cleveland and Arizona as suitable destinations for the gifted, quirky slugger if he decides he wants to be dealt at all.
Ramirez' agent, Greg Genske, made comments on ESPN.com that ``(Ramirez') preference would be Anaheim. He also still loves Cleveland, and would go back there.''
Genske did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
The report said Genske and Red Sox owner John Henry will meet in Florida next week to discuss Ramirez' options and opinions. Ramirez gained 10-5 rights as soon as the season ended and can veto any trade the Red Sox arrange, so the sides will have to be on the same page before trade talks can progress.
Genske shot down a popular theory that Ramirez would be traded to the Mets. Ramirez was offered straight up to the Mets for Carlos Beltran before the July 31 trading deadline, Genske said, a deal declined by the Mets, who tried to work out a different deal with the Devil Rays also involved.
``The ironic thing is that by the end of the weekend, Manny said he would not go to the Mets,'' Genske said. ``I know people have speculated about (former Red Sox ace) Pedro (Martinez) and his influence, but Manny does not want to be traded to the Mets.''
Clement waits on knee
After performing an MRI on right-hander Matt Clement's left knee, the Red Sox want him to have an arthroscopic procedure performed, but the pitcher wants at least one more medical opinion before deciding on what to do.
The exact nature of the injury is unknown, but it is minor according to Clement's agent, Barry Axelrod. The knee flared up during spring training and never bothered Clement again. Only during a year-end medical review did the team note the problem and ask Clement to have the MRI.
Keith Foulke's situation likely is having an effect on the team's suggestion of surgery for Clement. Foulke had knee problems during the season that stemmed from a problem during spring training.

Source: http://redsox.bostonherald.com/

Ramirez Has Interest in Angels

October 21, 2005
The agent for Manny Ramirez said Thursday that if the Boston slugger asks to be traded this winter, or if the Red Sox decide to pursue a trade of the outfielder, Ramirez's first choice will be to go to the Angels."As long as he's under contract, his loyalty is to the Red Sox," Greg Genske said. "But if the Red Sox do want to trade him, the Angels are the most attractive option. Manny has a lot of respect for Orlando Cabrera and Vladimir Guerrero and for that organization."
Genske also said Ramirez would welcome a trade to Cleveland. As a player with 10 years in the majors and five with the same team, Ramirez can veto any deal.Ramirez, who hit .292 with 45 home runs and 144 runs batted in this season, asked to be traded in July, but the Red Sox, after trying to construct trades involving New York Met center fielder Carlos Beltran, failed to make a deal.Genske plans to meet with Boston owner John Henry next week in Florida, and some time after that meeting, Ramirez will determine whether he will repeat his request to be traded."We're just looking to understand what the plans are for the club and whether or not they will pursue trade opportunities for Manny as they have in the past," Genske said.Ramirez, 33, has three years left on a contract that will pay him about $19 million a year.The Angels would prefer to fill their needs through free agency, but they are also one of a handful of teams with a surplus of top prospects that teams covet, so they could swing a deal for a player such as Ramirez.Ramirez has a quirky personality and can be as unpredictable as a knuckleball, but he was never considered a divisive force in the Red Sox clubhouse. Because Ramirez is under contract with the Red Sox, the Angels cannot comment about him.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/

Hernandez exits Rays for sure job in Detroit

October 22, 2005
CHICAGO - Having grown up in Tampa and having grown with the Devil Rays over the last nine years, Chuck Hernandez wanted to stay with his hometown team and see how things worked out.
But without knowing who would replace Lou Piniella and whether the new manager would want to retain him as pitching coach, Hernandez took the opportunity to be part of new Tigers manager Jim Leyland's coaching staff and the security of a three-year contract.
"Sure, you have mixed emotions," Hernandez said Friday. "I've been here a long time and I wanted to see this thing through. I wanted to see this team become a winner. I'm going to miss that part of it. There's some good kids there I'm going to miss. I'm going to be watching how they progress."
Hernandez is the first member of Piniella's staff to take a job elsewhere. All are signed through 2006, but were told they could look for other opportunities or wait to see how things work out with the Rays. Coaches Tom Foley, Billy Hatcher and John McLaren are all candidates for the manager's job as well.
"They gave us an opportunity to look," Hernandez said. "At no point did they step in and say we don't want you to do this or that. They left us free to make our own decision."
Team president Matt Silverman said the Rays wanted to be fair to their new manager by not dictating his staff as well as to the existing coaches by allowing them to explore other opportunities. "We don't want to restrict them," he said.
Meanwhile, Silverman and baseball operations chief Andrew Friedman plan to be in Houston next week during the World Series games, busy in their searches for a manager and for a senior front office executive.
A formal interview with Angels bench coach Joe Maddon, who could emerge as a strong candidate for the manager's job, is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, pending the status of Hurricane Wilma. And they may seek to arrange a conference call with former Rangers and Mets manager Bobby Valentine, whose Chiba Lotte team is playing in the Japanese championship round.
The Rays are likely to meet again with former Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker, who looks to be the top candidate for a front office position but is also in the running for the Philadelphia GM job. They are also expected to request permission to talk to Yankees executive Gene Michael.
The Rays called the White Sox to get permission to talk to farm director Dave Wilder, but Wilder, according to the Chicago Tribune, does not have interest in the position and is not likely to interview.
MAZZONE JOINS ORIOLES: After being wooed by the New York Yankees, Atlanta pitching coach Leo Mazzone agreed to terms on a three-year deal with Baltimore, the team managed by his best friend, Sam Perlozzo. The move unites Perlozzo with Mazzone, who served as best man at his wedding.
"The reason I'm coming to Baltimore is because Sam Perlozzo is the manager," Mazzone said.
Although terms of the contract were not released, Mazzone will receive a significant raise over the reported $250,000 he was making under his year-to-year arrangement with the Braves.
Mazzone replaces Ray Miller, who is recuperating from surgery for an aortic aneurism.
DODGERS: Orel Hershiser, one of the key members of the team's 1988 World Series championship roster, will interview for the club's vacant managerial job. General manager Paul DePodesta confirmed Friday the club had requested and been granted permission by the Rangers to speak with Hershiser, who was among baseball's top pitchers from 1983-2000, compiling a career record of 204-150 with a 3.48 ERA.
An interview will take place early next week in the Los Angeles area, DePodesta said.
RED SOX: The team announced its 2006 schedule, along with an average ticket price increase of 5 percent. Boston will open next season April 3 at Texas. The first Red Sox-Yankees series startsMay 1 in Boston.

Source: http://www.sptimes.com/

Piazza prefers to be a starting catcher, so he's unlikely to return

October 22, 2005
The Mets recently made Mike Piazza an offer he can and will refuse, all but closing the book on his Mets tenure after a storied seven-plus-year run.After recently hearing that the Mets view him as a part-time player, Piazza has decided to pursue other options, just about ensuring that the Cooperstown-bound catcher will play elsewhere next season.

Shortly after the season, Mets general manager Omar Minaya phoned Piazza's agent, Dan Lozano, to tell him the Mets would consider bringing Piazza back, but only in a limited role. Minaya said he might speak again with Lozano and Piazza, but most everyone else close to the situation privately acknowledges that Piazza has played his last game as a Met."I think he wants to look around, and I understand that. But we're not closing the door," Minaya said. "If he wants to come back, we may have some interest."That possibility is extremely unlikely because Piazza's interest is in remaining a starting player, something the Mets will not promise. Lozano expressed faith that Piazza will have options to catch in either league if he decides he's not ready to be a DH. Lozano also said he sees Piazza playing "two or three more years.""After the World Series, we'll take a look at how many teams want him to catch and how many want him to DH. We're going to move forward based on the responses we get from the teams," Lozano said. The factors, according to the agent, will be role, team and dollars.The part-time role the Mets have in mind is only one obstacle to Piazza's return; the dollars undoubtedly would be another, considering part-time jobs pay far less. Piazza just completed his seven-year, $91-million Mets deal. Piazza, who began last year as the starter but ended it by sharing the job with Ramon Castro after returning from a broken hand, hit .251 with 19 home runs and 61 RBIs.Regarding his conversation with Lozano, Minaya said, "We talked about how we'd best use him to keep him strong, and how it would probably be in a similar role to what it was [at the end of] last year. We didn't say he'd play every day."Though Minaya said he's still open to hearing what Piazza wants, there's no reason to think their thoughts match. Piazza, who has a .311 lifetime batting average with 397 home runs, envisions a more prominent role.Lozano asserted that as many as three National League teams will have interest in Piazza as a catcher. "A lot of people have expressed their opinion that he might have to DH. But he will have options," Lozano said. "A lot of people mention he doesn't throw well now. But you have to look around and see what the catching is like out there." The Mets will have to do just that. Castro probably will return, but the Mets will be in the market for another catcher. The top free-agent options include Bengie Molina and Ramon Hernandez, as well as Kenji Jojima of the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of the Japanese League.

Source: http://www.newsday.com/

Odd man out

The Red Sox were stunned when the White Sox left rookie pitcher Brandon McCarthy off the Division Series roster. Chicago won without him. In the ALCS, the Sox again won without McCarthy. Is there a spot for him on the World Series roster?
"I'd much rather see [Luis] Vizcaino in the game if I were facing the White Sox,'' said one AL GM of McCarthy, who was 3-2 with a 4.03 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 67 innings this season. "McCarthy is special. He disguises his changeup as well as anybody in the game."
Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said he kept Vizcaino on the postseason roster "because he's done it all year for me" pitching out of the bullpen. McCarthy made only two relief appearances for the White Sox and has only four bullpen appearances in his pro career. He'd be the perfect guy to slot into a game in which a Sox starter is forced to leave early, but Chicago doesn't seem to worry about such a contingency the way its starters are throwing. In either case, McCarthy, 22, will begin next season as one of the next dominant pitchers in the game, along with Felix Hernandez of Seattle and Francisco Liriano of the Twins.
By the way, McCarthy very nearly wound up in the Boston rotation this season. When the Red Sox agreed to trade Nomar Garciaparra to the White Sox for Magglio Ordonez after the 2003 season -- contingent on getting a deal done with Texas for Alex Rodriguez -- Boston asked for two low-level minor leaguers. One of them was McCarthy, a former 17th-round pick who had 125 strikeouts and 15 walks in rookie ball. The Red Sox didn't know much about him but were impressed by those stats. The White Sox easily agreed to put him in the deal.

• Albert Pujols redefined himself as the best hitter in baseball with his season-salvaging home run in Game 5 of the NLCS. But let's not forget David Eckstein and his inspirational tenacity. The man was down 1-2 to uber-closer Brad Lidge with two outs in the ninth and the city of Houston ready to explode in celebration of the Astros' first pennant. What were the odds Eckstein could keep the game alive? Hitters against Lidge this season in 1-and-2 counts were 2-for-59, a .034 batting average. Eckstein made the comeback possible with a single. Amazing.
• Did you catch Chicago pitcher Jon Garland staring down Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera as Cabrera ran out his two-run homer in Game 3? "He was [ticked] off because he thought Cabrera pimped him," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "I went out there and calmed him down." The incident was a window into the competitiveness of Garland -- who typically keeps a SoCal cool exterior -- and the maturity of Pierzynski. Make what you want of Cabrera taking a good long Reggie-sized look at a dinger with his team down 5-0.
• How close were the White Sox to pulling off a blockbuster deal at the July trading deadline? (Ken Griffey Jr. was the most mentioned target.) GM Kenny Williams now admits it was so close he called the team's public relations department to put a news release together.
• No one can accuse Guillen of sophisticated signs. After Jermaine Dye reached base in Game 3, Guillen flashed two fingers against his body to third base coach Joey Cora, halfway concealing them with his left hand. Dye stole second on the second pitch.
• Yes, a seven-game series is a lot of baseball, but how big is Game 1 in the World Series? The Game 1 winner has gone on to win the series 60 out of 100 times.
• Forget any rumors about Vernon Wells going to the Yankees. Yes, New York may need a centerfielder, but Toronto sees the gap closing on Boston and New York in the AL East and is looking to add players, not move a centerpiece such as Wells.
• The name Josh Paul will be remembered in Angels infamy, and not just because he assumed a third strike in Game 2 when he should have left the umpiring to the umpires. The Angels protected the third-string catcher on their 40-man roster rather than Bobby Jenks, now the Chicago closer with the 98-mph fastball. They also protected journeyman catcher Wil Nieves and pitcher Tim Bittner, who was traded for a player they released. In addition to Jenks, they also elected not to keep Derrick Turnbow, who took his high-90s fastballs to Milwaukee to close for the Brewers. Imagine if the Angels had Jenks, Turnbow, Scot Shields, Kelvim Escobar and Frankie Rodriguez in the same bullpen? "We'd cut the game to four innings," said one Angel. "Our starters would never get a win."
• Can Cardinals manager Tony La Russa get through the rest of the NLCS without going Capt. Queeg on his team? His premature calling out of umpire Wally Bell before Game 4 was out of line, no matter how much he thinks complimenting Bell after the game justifies his comments. His lack of self-control the next night on umpire Phil Cuzzi was over the top. And his refusal to answer questions about how he made a spectacle of himself on the field in a league championship game showed a poor understanding of accountability.
Cuzzi, by the way, was let go by the NL years ago, took a job at a New Jersey hotel, where one day he camped outside the door to the room of then-NL president Leonard Coleman after finding out the time of his wakeup call. Cuzzi talked himself into a second chance, going all the way down to Class A in his 40s to start over.
• And speaking of umpires, next to the double play, a pitcher's best friend is Doug Eddings, the umpire in the rally-starting strikeout in Game 2. For home-plate work among all regularly assigned umpires this year, Eddings ranked last in hits and walks per inning (1.16, or 15 percent below MLB average), last in walks per nine innings (1.90, 34 percent below MLB average) and first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.29, or 58 percent higher than MLB average).
• Hate to spoil a nice little legend, but you know those "Go-Go" Sox that won the pennant in 1959? They stole only 113 bases -- 24 fewer than Ozzie's boys did this year -- and had only two players with more than seven stolen bases.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/

Yankees should deem season a success

October 23, 2005
CHICAGO
In between pickup hoops with MJ and group therapy with Oprah, some World Series ramblings:Among all of the hand-wringing about the Yankees - and please, Joe Torre was never quitting or getting fired - it's easy to forget what transpired this past season. The Yankees' 2005 campaign marked their best since 2001, in these eyes, and the lessons they learned must be applied, moving forward.What the Yankees tried to pull off this year was the equivalent of Keanu Reeves trying to dismantle a bomb from a moving bus in "Speed." In the middle of the schedule, they attempted to make their team younger, more athletic and stronger mentally.If you remember "Speed," the bus ultimately blew up, just like the Yankees' season in the American League Division Series. But the primary characters survived.From their horribly rated farm system, the Yankees found a frontline starting pitcher, Chien-Ming Wang, and a starting second baseman, Robinson Cano. That's a successful year for any organization. The Yankees need to take more chances on homegrown guys, regardless of what Baseball America or competing organizations think of them.From Shawn Chacon and Aaron Small, the Yanks saw the value of low-risk acquisitions. Incredible, isn't it, that the team spent something like 100 times more to invest in Carl "Why smile when you can scowl?" Pavano than they did to land the season-saving Small?Can the Yankees apply this knowledge, given George Steinbrenner's inclination for stars? They have to. If they experience another winter like last year's - spending stupid money on Pavano, Jaret Wright and Tony Womack, thinking that Felix Rodriguez and Mike Stanton would solidify the bullpen - no last-minute overhaul will rescue them.Saw Pete Rose on HBO's "Costas Now," still defiant about his baseball betting. Can't handle it anymore.One last time, Pete: Drug users get second chances because they didn't tamper with the game's integrity. Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, et al, hurt only themselves. When you bet on the games you managed, you put your intentions up for question. Were you managing to win the Reds a pennant, or to win money that day? Would you overuse closer John Franco to ensure personal gain?Whatever you want to say about steroid users, even they cheated to help their team as much as themselves. That's not the case with a gambling manager.In the catching market, keep an eye on what the Braves do with Johnny Estrada. An All-Star in 2004, Estrada's playing time and statistics dipped this season; he injured his back in a June home-plate collision with the Angels' Darin Erstad. He's eligible for arbitration, and given the development of youngster Brian McCann, the cost-conscious Braves will likely see what they can get in return for Estrada. Catcher could prove to be the most intriguing position this winter, given the free agency of Bengie Molina, Ramon Hernandez and Japan's Kenji Jojima.Speaking of Japanese players, righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka's future is uncertain. He wants to come to the major leagues - the Yankees think highly of him - but he isn't eligible for free agency, so he would have to be posted by his club, the Seibu Lions, the way the Orix BlueWave posted Ichiro Suzuki five years ago. The Lions, hurting financially, are deciding whether they would make more money posting the pitcher or bringing him back for 2006.Pop quizWhich former Rookie of the Year appeared on "V.I.P.," the Pamela Anderson show?Rambling some moreA few months ago, White Sox reliever Damaso Marte told team officials he was quitting immediately. He was talked out of it, but you can expect the AL champs to put the lefthander on the trading block this winter.Josh Byrnes, the highly regarded Red Sox assistant general manager, interviewed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for their GM opening. Byrnes should hold out for the Washington GM job, especially now that it looks as if Brian Cashman will return to the Yankees.More job plugs: To replace Leo Mazzone, the Braves should consider former Yankees and Red Sox pitching coach Tony Cloninger, who is especially good with relievers. And this isn't happening, but Luis Sojo should have received consideration for the Yankees' bench coach job. Yes, Sojo was a bad third-base coach. But he is a student of the game, and his aggressive thinking would have been a nice resource alongside Torre.The likely Ron Guidry hiring as pitching coach exemplifies, again, that the Yankees' universe is more complex than "New York versus Tampa." This is entirely Steinbrenner's decision. Many Tampa people oppose the appointment of Guidry as pitching coach; Torre seems comfortable with it. According to TicketsNow.com, Game 1 seats behind the White Sox dugout were going as high as $8,440. Just imagine how much higher they'd be if baseball weren't a dying sport.Pop quiz answerEric Karros. Thanks to Chiba Lotte Marines director of promotions Larry Rocca for the suggestion.

Source: http://www.newsday.com/

Rangers consider small-ball approach

Home runs alone don't bring happiness.
The Rangers got that message loud and clear in 2005. Their 260 homers brought them close to a Major League record, but all that bashing from the top of the lineup to the bottom didn't prevent the Rangers from dropping 10 games off their 2004 pace en route to a 79-83 finish.
"We'd trade some of those homers for some wins," first baseman Mark Teixeira aptly noted as the season was winding down.
If the Rangers are going to make significant improvement in 2006, the pitching -- both from a rotation and bullpen standpoint -- has to get markedly better. Early indications are that the club will try to add a couple of experienced starters and a couple of experienced bullpen arms to what is already in place. But there's also a sense that for Texas to be all it can be in the American League West, the Rangers need to mix in some small ball to go with the long ball.
"There's a game you play to beat the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 starters and the middle of the bullpen," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "But there's also a game you play to beat the No. 1 and No. 2 starters and the eighth-inning and ninth-inning relievers. That's something we have to get better at."
In other words, you can't just sit back and wait to crank out homers against the elite pitchers. You've got to move runners over, take walks, show some aggressiveness on the base paths and manufacture a run here or there while hoping your own pitching holds up.
A check of the final statistics illustrates Showalter's point. The Rangers' success is largely based on what they can get done against the Angels and A's in the AL West. Against the premium pitching on those two clubs, Texas didn't do much in 2005.
Bartolo Colon was 4-0 against Texas in four starts with a 2.28 ERA. The Rangers hit just .231 against him. The Rangers did manage a .287 batting average against Jarrod Washburn, but that didn't resonate in the win column -- the left-hander was 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA against Texas.
Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez converted all six save opportunities against Texas, holding the Rangers to a .237 batting mark.
Oakland's Rich Harden was 2-1 with a 1.48 ERA in three starts against Texas. The A's right-hander held the Rangers to a .165 average. Barry Zito was 2-0 with a 4.29 ERA and limited Rangers' hitters to a .184 batting average.
Oakland closer Huston Street converted all five of his save chances against Texas, while compiling a 2.45 ERA and holding the Rangers to a .244 batting mark.
Because it's so tough to pound the ball and string together hits against the top-line pitchers in the AL West, the notion of adding a small-ball element and adding a different dimension to the offense, particularly against No. 1 and No. 2 starters and closers, takes on credence.
"I think our overall hitting approach is really good," center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. said. "But there are times when all of us have to do a little more to make sure we're scratching out runs somehow and some way when the power game isn't there." The Rangers had only nine sacrifice bunts in 2005 and their .267 batting average ranked eighth among 14 AL clubs. Perhaps they could steal a page from the White Sox, who traded home run hitter Carlos Lee to Milwaukee for speedy outfielder Scott Podsednik before the 2005 season. Podsednik gave Chicago a go-go element at the top of the lineup, and the White Sox landed in the World Series.
A leadoff hitter with great speed and a keen eye would figure to score a siege of runs batting ahead of Michael Young, the consummate No. 2 hitter.
But even if the Rangers can't acquire such a player this winter, they figure to emphasize to the existing players that it's important to have a small-ball element to go with all their power.
"You aren't going to have many big innings against the top pitchers, and you can't have an ego when you are facing those guys," Showalter said. "You have to put the ball in play, move runners [up]. You have to beat the real good ones to go where you want to go."

Source: http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/

Series Scouting

Houston Astros' Radar guns or spreadsheets? Batting average or on-base percentage? Scotch on the rocks or Red Bull? There are two occasionally interchangeable schools of thought when it comes to analyzing baseball, and to kick off the World Series, here is a breakdown of the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros by position, throwing a bone to those seated on either side of baseball's analytical aisle:
STARTING PITCHER
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: Houston has to like its chances when it could get four starts from Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens, who can dominate with their power. Andy Pettitte's presence has solidified the staff. Although Brandon Backe is a serviceable No. 4, he won't scare anybody. You can't say the same about Chicago's Jose Contreras, who's been dominant this postseason. Mark Buehrle just flat-out knows how to pitch.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: There's no logical explanation for how Contreras could walk 5.06 batters per nine innings for the Sox in '04 and cut that to 3.30 in 2005. Or how Garland could lop nearly 1 1/2 runs off his ERA. RELIEF PITCHER THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: Chicago's Bobby Jenks is pure power, and when he added that 12-to-6 curveball with a late bite, it made him close to unhittable. But the big boy has to throw strikes. Houston's Brad Lidge's workload was lighter this year, but he has been far from invincible in the postseason, and looks like he's second-guessing himself.

THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: White Sox GM Ken Williams made one of the worst deals of all time when he shipped Keith Foulke for Billy Koch. Now give him credit for finding a closer on waivers making minimum wage, even though Jenks' 15 walks in 39 innings is scary. Why pay top dollar for relief pitching? Chicago's Dustin Hermanson is the only full-time reliever on these staffs making at least $2 million.
CATCHER
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: There are few who handle pitchers and manage a game better than Brad Ausmus. The Astros had a 3.15 ERA with Ausmus catching, baseball's best. Ausmus allowed 39 steals, second best among regular NL catchers. But A.J. Pierzynski also handles pitchers well (3.74 ERA) and hits for power (18 homers in 2005 and three in the playoffs). In addition, he showed in the ALCS he does what it takes to win, helping the White Sox win Game 2 by running out a controversial third strike in the ninth, and avoiding a catcher's interference call in a crucial Game 4 spot.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: Ausmus is an unusual offensive player, and that's putting it nicely. He managed a higher on-base percentage (.351) than slugging percentage (.331). A superior defensive player, Ausmus is too much of a liability on offense. - USA Today
FIRST BASE
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: But an offseason knee injury and some extra weight made him a liability on the basepaths. After years of perceived underachievement, the White Sox's Paul Konerko reached his ceiling the past two seasons, hitting 41 and 40 home runs.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: Konerko embarrassed himself in 2003, when he cut his strikeouts to 50 but had a putrid .305 OBP and a .399 SLG, weak for a first baseman. But his .905 OPS (on-base plus slugging) this season will make him an attractive free agent after the Series. Berkman's OPS peaked at 1.051 in 2001.
SECOND BASE
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: Houston's Craig Biggio plays the game the right way and can catch the ball no matter which position he's playing. His range is not what it was, but he still gets by. Chicago's Tadahito Iguchi spent eight years playing in Japan but has not been spooked by the big stage of the playoffs in his first big-league season.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: Biggio's VORP (value over replacement player) has been tumbling as precipitously as his on-base percentage (.388 in 2000, .325 in 2005). Only sentiment keeps the Astros from moving a younger, cheaper player in there. Iguchi's .438 slugging percentage makes him a highly valued second baseman.
THIRD BASE
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: The White Sox have waited four years for Joe Crede to put it all together, but it might never happen.His playoff surge and age (27) are somewhat encouraging. The Astros' Morgan Ensberg is a good-year, bad-year kind of guy but can carry you (36 homers, 101 RBIs in 2005) when he's hot.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: Now that Crede is in the heart of his arbitration years, it's harder for the White Sox to swallow his "growing pains." But maybe he's come into his own.
SHORTSTOP
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: It seemed Juan Uribe would never be anything more than a utility player for the Sox, but he played a solid shortstop and added some decent pop (16 homers). He's aggressive within the strike zone. The Astros' Adam Everett won't wow you unless you see him play every day. Eleven homers and 21 steals? Not bad out of the shortstop position.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: Do either of these glorified slap hitters ever bother taking a pitch? With OBPs of .290 (Everett) and .301 (Uribe), both must play stellar defense to justify their existence. For the most part, they do.
LEFT FIELD
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: Chicago's Scott Podsednik knows how to set a table. He had 59 steals and goes from first to third as well as anyone. He's a deluxe defensive left fielder. Houston's Chris Burke, a middle infielder by trade, is a nice little player who has had two unforgettable weeks.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: Do the 23 times Podsednik was caught stealing justify the 59 bases he did steal? Can any team justify getting no home runs - zero, zip, nada - out of the supposed power position of left field? Burke, foolishly blocked for years in the Astros system, is finally getting a chance to shine.
CENTER FIELD
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: The White Sox's Aaron Rowand is a hard-nosed player brought up to play the game the right way. Hit third earlier this season but now down in the lineup, where he belongs. Willy Taveras covers a lot of ground in center for the Astros and was instant offense for them at times.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: Rowand peaked in 2004, when he hit 24 home runs and posted a .361 OBP, and what we saw this year is probably as good as it gets, such as it is. Taveras' strikeout-walk ratio of 103-25 is laughable for a player who produces so little power (three home runs).
RIGHT FIELD
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: It seemed Jermaine Dye would never be the same player after breaking his leg in the 2001 playoffs. But his 31 homers this season were the most since 2000, a nice little revival for a once-feared player.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: This season confirmed what we knew all along: it was a crime for the Astros to limit Jason Lane to 232 major league at-bats entering this season. The playoffs proved that his 26-homer, 78-RBI season was no fluke. Dye did what seemed to be impossible - reverse the law of diminishing returns on the wrong side of 30. Kudos to him.
DESIGNATED HITTER
THE OLD SCHOOL SAYS: The White Sox would be lying if they expected this kind of production out of Carl Everett. He finished 2004 fat and injured and with seven home runs; he finished 2005 with 23 home runs, the most since he hit 34 and drove in 108 in 2000. In the previous four years, his RBI high was 62; he drove in 87. The Astros shouldn't let sentiment get in the way; Jeff Bagwell is done and Mike Lamb should be playing.
THE NEW SCHOOL SAYS: Bagwell's $15 million 2005 salary is another example of Houston sentiment gone wild. Everett's season is one of those glorious aberrations that seem to strike playoff teams.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/

A series of great Series

Two years ago, news editor Bob Mayes and I had a showdown of sorts.
OK, it just sounded fancy to say “showdown.” We named our 10 greatest World Series moments, and Bob ever so keenly guessed I would name Don Larsen’s perfect game in 1956 as the greatest moment.
On occasion, I will do an Elite Eight list, which I introduced during the summer. And with the Chicago White Sox battling the Houston Astros in this year’s Fall Classic starting tonight, I felt it was time to unveil the eight greatest World Series of all time.
My apologies beforehand to Bob for not suggesting another “showdown.”
8. 1926, St. Louis Cardinals vs. New York Yankees: The Cardinals held a 2-1 lead in games, when in Game 4, Babe Ruth belted three home runs to lead the Yankees to a 10-5 rout. In Game 5, Tony Lazzeri’s sacrifice fly brought home the winning run in the 10th inning a 3-2 win, putting the Yankees one win from winning the title.
But the Cardinals stormed back for a 10-2 win in Game 6, and in Game 7 at Yankee Stadium, the Cardinals held a 3-2 lead until the seventh inning. Jesse Haines tired, and was replaced by future Hall of Famer Pete Alexander. With Earle Combs, Bob Meusel and Lou Gehrig on base and two outs, Alexander struck out Lazzeri. The Cardinals would hold on for the 3-2 win and their first World Series title.
7. 2002, Anaheim Angels vs. San Francisco Giants: The teams split the first four games, then in Game 5, the Giants unloaded for 16 hits to win 16-4, taking the series back to Anaheim up 3-2.
In Game 6, Russ Ortiz and the Giants held a 5-0 lead when manager Dusty Baker came out to relieve Ortiz and told him he could take the ball as a “keepsake” for what he thought was going to be the deciding victory. But the Angels got to relievers Felix Rodriguez, Scott Eyre and Tim Worrell as Scott Spiezio hit a three-run home run in the seventh, Darin Erstad hit a home run in the eighth and Troy Glaus delivered a two-run double in the eighth to complete a 6-5 comeback win.
In Game 7, Garrett Anderson’s three-run double broke a 1-1 tie in the third and that was all John Lackey, Brendan Donnelly, Francisco Rodriguez and Troy Percival needed to bring home the Angels’ first and only Series title.
6. 1955, Brooklyn Dodgers vs. New York Yankees: For years, Dodger fans lived by the motto, “Wait ‘til next year.”
The first six games went to the home team, and by that pattern, it looked as if the Yankees would claim another title, playing Game 7 in Yankee Stadium. But pitcher Johnny Podres, a 23-year-old left-hander, had other ideas. Podres scattered eight hits, walked two and struck out four, and was aided by a fourth-inning RBI single by Gil Hodges and a wild pitch that brought home Carl Furillo in the sixth.
In the sixth, the Yankees threatened with one out and two on. Yogi Berra hit a fly ball to left field near the corner. Sandy Amoros, who had just been put in the game, raced over to make a one-handed catch, wheeled around and fired back to shortstop Pee Wee Reese, who fired to first to get Gil McDougald. The Dodgers held on for the 2-0 win and next year had finally arrived.
5. 1960, Pittsburgh Pirates vs. New York Yankees: The Pirates won their first three games by 6-4, 3-2 and 5-2 scores. The Yankees, managed for the last time under Casey Stengel, won their games 16-3, 10-0 and 12-0, setting up arguably the greatest Game 7 ever at Forbes Field.
The Pirates jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but the Yankees came back to lead 5-4 in the sixth. They added two more runs in the eighth to take a three-run lead, but the Pirates rallied for five runs, the final three on a Hal Smith home run, to take a 9-7 lead into the ninth. The Yankees battled back on a Mickey Mantle RBI single and a Berra RBI groundout to send the game into the bottom of the ninth tied at 9.
But facing Ralph Terry, Bill Mazeroski belted a shot over the left-field fence to give the Pirates their first Series title in 35 years.
4. 1986, New York Mets vs. Boston Red Sox: OK, you know about the famous Game 6 and the Bill Buckner error on Mookie Wilson’s grounder that allowed Ray Knight to score the winning run in the 10th inning after the Mets fell behind 5-3 in the top of the inning on Dave Henderson’s home run.
But the Red Sox still had Game 7, and actually took a 3-0 lead into the sixth before the Mets tied it, then scored three more in the seventh, sparked by Ray Knight’s home run. The Red Sox cut the lead to 6-5 in the eighth before Darryl Strawberry’s home run off Al Nipper in the eighth put away the 8-5 win and the Mets’ second Series title.
3. 2001, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Yankees: People remember many things about this World Series, mostly due to the games being played in New York a month after the Sept. 11 tragedies.
The Yankees rode ninth-inning home runs by Tino Martinez (Game 4) and Scott Brosius (Game 5), both off Byung-Hyun Kim, to eventual extra-inning victories to take a 3-2 series lead back to Phoenix.
But the Diamondbacks pounded the Yankees in Game 6, 15-2, setting up the dramatic Game 7 finish that saw Alfonso Soriano’s home run off Curt Schilling in the eighth inning give the Yankees a 2-1 lead for Mariano Rivera to protect. But the Diamondbacks rallied against the reliable Rivera and won it with two in the bottom of the ninth. Luis Gonzalez’s RBI single knocked in Jay Bell for the game-winner.
2. 1991, Minnesota Twins vs. Atlanta Braves: Little-known second baseman Mark Lemke was one victory away from being named the MVP of the series.
But thanks to Kirby Puckett’s 11th-inning home run off Charlie Liebrandt in Game 6, the Twins forced what may be one of the greatest finales of all time.
There was Lonnie Smith stopping at second base thanks to Chuck Knoblauch’s fake double-play deke on Terry Pendleton’s double that might have gotten the Braves on the board in the eighth inning against Jack Morris. There was Morris getting big out after big out in going all 10 innings and battling John Smoltz. And in the 10th with the Metrodome crowd going crazy, it was Gene Larkin’s single to left field that scored Dan Gladden with the winning run that gave the Twins their second title in five years.
1 1975, Cincinnati Reds vs. Boston Red Sox: Plenty of storylines throughout the series made this the most memorable of all the Fall Classics.
Luis Tiant’s Game 1 shutout with his father watching him pitch for the first time ever. Ed Armbrister’s infamous blocking of Carlton Fisk in Game 3 that led to the Reds winning in the ninth inning. Bernie Carbo’s two pinch-hit home runs that made him an instant Sox hero.
And, of course, there was Game 6, maybe the greatest World Series game ever, capped in the 12th inning with Carlton Fisk’s line drive hitting the left-field foul pole at Fenway to force Game 7. In Game 7, the Red Sox took a 3-0 lead, only to watch Tony Perez’s home run off Bill Lee cut the lead to 3-2 in the sixth and spark the Reds’ comeback, which culminated in Joe Morgan’s RBI single in the ninth that scored Ken Griffey. The Reds held on for the 4-3 win and first title in 35 years.

Source: http://www.palatkadailynews.com/