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MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 07:12 AM

Last night MLB Network introduced the nominees for its Top 20 Games of the Last 50 Years -- they (panel of experts, et al) picked 50 from which viewers are asked to vote for their top pick. The ballot, with video clips, is here. They'll have a countdown through 2011, 20 to 1, starting in early January. On the show, Bob Costas and Tom Verducci stressed over and over how hard it was to whittle it down to 50 nominees. The last 50 years were the parameter because, quite frankly, they needed video and you can't always get film from pre-1961 (seems they lacked video on two of their fifty anyway). They were all (certain MFY selections aside) fine choices -- including a few mostly forgotten gems -- but as you'll no doubt decide, there are plenty of "HOW DID THEY NOT INCLUDE...?" games omitted as well. The hosts mentioned "context" about 40 times, which is appropriate in that 40 of the games chosen were postseason (context!) and five others decided postseason participants. Two were regular-season pitching duels, three others were regular-season slugfests. As for our parochial interests, seven Mets games show up among the 50, five you'd want anything to do with: • Game 4, 1969 World Series • The Fourth and Fifth of July, 1985 • Game 6, 1986 NLCS • Game 6, 1986 World Series • Game 4, 1988 NLCS • Game 5, 1999 NLCS • Game 7, 2006 NLCS

Benjamin Grimm Dec 15 2010 07:20 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I was at two of those games! • Game 4, 1969 World Series • The Fourth and Fifth of July, 1985 • Game 6, 1986 NLCS • Game 6, 1986 World Series • Game 4, 1988 NLCS • Game 5, 1999 NLCS • Game 7, 2006 NLCS And I watched all of the others (except for the 1969 game) on television, and have vivid memories of them.

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 07:23 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Brief highlight package included for each nominee. The two Mets non-wins are still gut-punchy to watch.

metirish Dec 15 2010 07:34 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

G-Fafif wrote: On the show, Bob Costas and Tom Verducci stressed over and over how hard it was to not just pick 50 yankee games and dedicate the whole thing to The Boss • Game 4, 1969 World Series • The Fourth and Fifth of July, 1985 • Game 6, 1986 NLCS • Game 6, 1986 World Series • Game 4, 1988 NLCS • Game 5, 1999 NLCS • Game 7, 2006 NLCS

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 07:45 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

how hard it was to not just pick 50 yankee games and dedicate the whole thing to The Boss Yeah, that too. Thirteen MFY games on the ballot, four of them [crossout]tolerable[/crossout] orgasmic: • Game 7, 1962 WS • Game 4, 1963 WS • Game 5, 1976 ALCS • Game 5, 1977 ALCS • Game 6, 1977 WS • AL East tiebreaker, 1978 • Game 5, 1995 ALDS • Game 4, 1996 WS • Game 4, 2001 WS • Game 7, 2001 WS • Game 7, 2003 ALCS • Game 4, 2004 ALCS • Game 2, 2009 ALDS

Edgy DC Dec 15 2010 08:07 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Let me tell you, for back and forth drama in an otherwise low-leverage regular season game, the 1983 game in which Darryl Strawberry debuted was tremendous. Among the cool things were [list:3qusgwv4][*:3qusgwv4]they had one hit through seven,[/*:m:3qusgwv4] [*:3qusgwv4]they came back from down 3-0 after seven against one of the toughest draws in baseball at that time, Mario Soto[/*:m:3qusgwv4] [*:3qusgwv4]the two guys kicked to the bench that day --- Danny Heep and Hubie Brooks (Tucker Ashford came up along with Darryl and took Brooks' place in the lineup --- came off the bench as heroes,[/*:m:3qusgwv4] [*:3qusgwv4]Seaver did yeoman's work, striking out seven in getting a no-decision,[/*:m:3qusgwv4] [*:3qusgwv4]Jesse Orosco won the game with three gorgeous innings of spotless relief, as he tended to do that year[/*:m:3qusgwv4] [*:3qusgwv4]Strawberry got no hits, but he walked twice, stole a base and scored, and nearly won the game with a shockingly long foul drive in extra inings, when I just got it --- having spent two years thinking of Strawberry as a hitting prospect with power and suddenly realizing that he was a prodigious power hitter that could make jaws drop.[/*:m:3qusgwv4][/list:u:3qusgwv4] http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 5060.shtml Did this make G-Fafif's elimination tourney of great games?

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 08:24 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Edgy DC wrote: Let me tell you, for back and forth drama in an otherwise low-leverage regular season game, the 1983 game in which Darryl Strawberry debuted was tremendous. Among the cool things were [list][*]they had one hit through seven,[/*:m] [*]they came back from down 3-0 after seven against one of the toughest draws in baseball at that time, Mario Soto[/*:m] [*]the two guys kicked to the bench that day --- Danny Heep and Hubie Brooks (Tucker Ashford came up along with Darryl and took Brooks' place in the lineup --- came off the bench as heroes,[/*:m] [*]Seaver did yeoman's work, striking out seven in getting a no-decision,[/*:m] [*]Jesse Orosco won the game with three gorgeous innings of spotless relief, as he tended to do that year[/*:m] [*]Strawberry got no hits, but he walked twice, stole a base and scored, and nearly won the game with a shockingly long foul drive in extra inings, when I just got it --- having spent two years thinking of Strawberry as a hitting prospect with power and suddenly realizing that he was a prodigious power hitter that could make jaws drop.[/*:m][/list:u] http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 5060.shtml Did this make G-Fafif's elimination tourney of great games? Tucker Ashford's first game...IN The "Mr. November!" game...OUT

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 15 2010 08:31 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Edgy DC wrote: Let me tell you, for back and forth drama in an otherwise low-leverage regular season game, the 1983 game in which Darryl Strawberry debuted was tremendous. Among the cool things were [list][*]they had one hit through seven,[/*:m] [*]they came back from down 3-0 after seven against one of the toughest draws in baseball at that time, Mario Soto the two guys kicked to the bench that day --- Danny Heep and Hubie Brooks (Tucker Ashford came up along with Darryl and took Brooks' place in the lineup --- came off the bench as heroes,[/*:m] [*]Seaver did yeoman's work, striking out seven in getting a no-decision,[/*:m] [*]Jesse Orosco won the game with three gorgeous innings of spotless relief, as he tended to do that year[/*:m] [*]Strawberry got no hits, but he walked twice, stole a base and scored, and nearly won the game with a shockingly long foul drive in extra inings, when I just got it --- having spent two years thinking of Strawberry as a hitting prospect with power and suddenly realizing that he was a prodigious power hitter that could make jaws drop.[/*:m][/list:u] http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 5060.shtml Did this make G-Fafif's elimination tourney of great games? I think I've said here before that this game was on the night before I was to take my SATs (early Saturday morning!) and that's what I blame it on.

Edgy DC Dec 15 2010 08:36 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

The magic of of 1983 is that it connects Yogi's Mets (in the form of the returned Seaver, Staub, and Kingman -- and throw in Hodges for good measure) with Davey's Mets. A strangely thrilling identity-wrestling, two-manager, SAT-ruining 68-win team.

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 08:46 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

A tilde will put a smile on anybody's face.

HahnSolo Dec 15 2010 08:51 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

G-Fafif wrote: • Game 5, 1977 ALCS • Game 4, 2004 ALCS The Chambliss game is forever memorialized as a crushing loss to KC and a great win for the MFYs. But the 1977 loss in game five in Royals Stadium may have been worse...and it gets nearly none of the attention of the Chambliss game. Kudos to them for adding that game to this list. Regarding 2004, I'd argue that game 5, when the Sox trailed by 2 in the 8th and won it in 14 innings, was a better overall game than game 4, but I do realize the significance of game 4. G-Fafif wrote: • Game 4, 1988 NLCS The Scioscia game, really that is top 50?

attgig Dec 15 2010 08:54 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I was watching the highlights of those games, and i had to stop before heilman delivered the pitch on that last game....

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 09:03 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

The Scioscia game, really that is top 50? As the clip shows, it was the Scioscia game, the Gibson game (before there was another) and the Mets loading the bases in the twelfth with Shelby making a very good catch on McReynolds's blooper game. I mean eff the Scioscia game, absolutely...but for those without a vested interest, a helluva game. The one that intrigued me more than any other was the Tigers-A's game from 1972. Good call, but I barely remember it. Shows somebody did some homework. Mostly forgotten classic series. Five off the top of my head in the omission category, non-Mets segment: • Blue Monday (Dodgers beat Expos for pennant), 1981 • Pine Tar Game, 1983 • T#m Gl@v!ne's eight one-hit innings to clinch World Series 1-0, 1995 • Longest World Series Game (won on Geoff Blum's 14th-inning HR), 2005 • Armando Gallaraga's Perfect Game That Wasn't, 2010 I'd also throw in Game 6 from 1971 WS -- Clemente stars for Pirates, F. Robinson staves off elimination for Orioles with daring baserunning to win it in the bottom of the tenth.

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 09:08 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

attgig wrote: I was watching the highlights of those games, and i had to stop before heilman delivered the pitch on that last game.... A lot of looking away after that pitch -- and a lot of regret for checking back on the final pitch from Wainwright. Watching the Scioscia highlights was worse if only because I've seen them less.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Dec 15 2010 10:05 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I'd forgotten just what an ever-lovin', Denny-Martinez-sized pain in the rear Mario Soto could be.

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 10:40 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I'd forgotten just what an ever-lovin', Denny-Martinez-sized pain in the rear Mario Soto could be. Dennis Martinez vs. the Mets, 1987: 4 starts 4 wins 0.64 ERA 0.964 WHIP If he stays off the wagon and Doc Gooden stayed on, the Mets' wagon would have rolled down Lower Broadway a second consecutive year (quite possibly).

Edgy DC Dec 15 2010 10:44 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Speaking of Dwight's wagon. Could be anything, of course.

HahnSolo Dec 15 2010 10:46 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

The one that intrigued me more than any other was the Tigers-A's game from 1972. Good call, but I barely remember it. Shows somebody did some homework. Mostly forgotten classic series. There is probably a book to be written about the 1972 postseason. Twenty-five year anniversary of Jackie's first world series, he's there for game 1, and talks about the need for a black manager. Within weeks of the WS, Jackie is gone. Three years later the first African-American manager would happen. And for pure baseball? Wow. All three series went the distance. Of the 19 games, 11 were decided by one run. There were four walk-off wins, in which the home team trailed when they came up to bat, including the decisive game 5 of the NLCS. Then think of all the great personalities: Billy Martin, Reggie getting hurt, Catfish, Fingers, Rose, Bench, Sparky, Clemente, Pops. Toss in the Campy/Lerrin Legrow bat-throwing incident and the fact that a WS berth was decided on a wild pitch. An argument can easily be made that it was the best postseason ever.

Edgy DC Dec 15 2010 11:02 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Finley, Williams, and a seriously dysfunctional dynasty-quality A's team, also.

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 11:04 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

The one that intrigued me more than any other was the Tigers-A's game from 1972. Good call, but I barely remember it. Shows somebody did some homework. Mostly forgotten classic series. There is probably a book to be written about the 1972 postseason. Twenty-five year anniversary of Jackie's first world series, he's there for game 1, and talks about the need for a black manager. Within weeks of the WS, Jackie is gone. Three years later the first African-American manager would happen. And for pure baseball? Wow. All three series went the distance. Of the 19 games, 11 were decided by one run. There were four walk-off wins, in which the home team trailed when they came up to bat, including the decisive game 5 of the NLCS. Then think of all the great personalities: Billy Martin, Reggie getting hurt, Catfish, Fingers, Rose, Bench, Sparky, Clemente, Pops. Toss in the Campy/Lerrin Legrow bat-throwing incident and the fact that a WS berth was decided on a wild pitch. An argument can easily be made that it was the best postseason ever. Interesting thought. Read a book on the 1921 season this summer that asserted every season from the past fifty years had gotten a book of its own, but I don't remember one specific to 1972 -- though the Tigers recently got one. Joe Rudi made one of the great catches in WS history. Gene Tenace hit two home runs in his first two WS at-bats. Night WS games became the (midweek) rule. Hahn may be onto something.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 15 2010 12:19 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

One of my earliest, favorite baseball cards. This one and TENACE SINGLES IN THE 9TH

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 15 2010 12:20 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Edgy DC Dec 15 2010 12:21 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

How much foul ground is there between him and the front row?

seawolf17 Dec 15 2010 12:44 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Wasn't that the whole deal with the Oakland Coliseum, anyhow? A ton of foul ground?

batmagadanleadoff Dec 15 2010 01:01 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

The one that intrigued me more than any other was the Tigers-A's game from 1972. Good call, but I barely remember it. Shows somebody did some homework. Mostly forgotten classic series. There is probably a book to be written about the 1972 postseason. Twenty-five year anniversary of Jackie's first world series, he's there for game 1, and talks about the need for a black manager. Within weeks of the WS, Jackie is gone. Three years later the first African-American manager would happen. And for pure baseball? Wow. All three series went the distance. Of the 19 games, 11 were decided by one run. There were four walk-off wins, in which the home team trailed when they came up to bat, including the decisive game 5 of the NLCS. Then think of all the great personalities: Billy Martin, Reggie getting hurt, Catfish, Fingers, Rose, Bench, Sparky, Clemente, Pops. Toss in the Campy/Lerrin Legrow bat-throwing incident and the fact that a WS berth was decided on a wild pitch. An argument can easily be made that it was the best postseason ever. Interesting thought. Read a book on the 1921 season this summer that asserted every season from the past fifty years had gotten a book of its own, but I don't remember one specific to 1972 -- though the Tigers recently got one. Joe Rudi made one of the great catches in WS history. Gene Tenace hit two home runs in his first two WS at-bats. Night WS games became the (midweek) rule. Hahn may be onto something. Joel Oppeheimer's "The Wrong Season" was a stream of conscousness, unusual prose book about the 72 Mets. I believe that RChuck wrote that it was his favorite baseball book.

G-Fafif Dec 15 2010 01:17 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Joel Oppeheimer's "The Wrong Season" was a stream of conscousness, unusual prose book about the 72 Mets. I believe that RChuck wrote that it was his favorite baseball book. joel oppenheimer's the wrong season was one of my influences in writing faith and fear in flushing, except i used upper-case letters.

Benjamin Grimm Dec 15 2010 01:21 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I think that was one of the first books I ever read about the Mets. Actually, I think I had read some of those 1962-1969 histories that came out after the Mets won the World Series. I should probably say that that was the first contemporary book I read about the Mets. (I know... a book published in 1969 was hardly ancient in 1972, but from the perspective of a nine-year-old, 1969 was another era.) I remember thinking it was really cool to be able to read about the current Mets in a book. I haven't read "The Wrong Season" since I was in elementary school. I should definitely try to track down a copy.

Ashie62 Dec 15 2010 07:57 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

My favorite baseball book is Josh Hamilton's "beyond belief" On the top 50 games, I made 2, yippee!

Gwreck Dec 29 2010 08:15 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Strange but true: MLB Network was doing a "Top 15 Games of the Decade" countdown tonight. Yet of the 13 games nominated for the "50 best of the last 50 years," only 9 of them made their show tonight.

G-Fafif Dec 30 2010 10:01 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Gwreck wrote: Strange but true: MLB Network was doing a "Top 15 Games of the Decade" countdown tonight. Yet of the 13 games nominated for the "50 best of the last 50 years," only 9 of them made their show tonight. The inconsistencies among the MLBN countdown shows are harder to plow through than a Staten Island side street -- and like NYC, MLBN doesn't bother to try.

batmagadanleadoff Dec 30 2010 10:07 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Gwreck wrote: Strange but true: MLB Network was doing a "Top 15 Games of the Decade" countdown tonight. Yet of the 13 games nominated for the "50 best of the last 50 years," only 9 of them made their show tonight. None of the top 50 games of the last 50 years are required to have been played in the last decade. In theory. What did confuse me is why there were only 13 nominations to fill 50 slots.

G-Fafif Dec 30 2010 11:46 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Strange but true: MLB Network was doing a "Top 15 Games of the Decade" countdown tonight. Yet of the 13 games nominated for the "50 best of the last 50 years," only 9 of them made their show tonight. None of the top 50 games of the last 50 years are required to have been played in the last decade. In theory. What did confuse me is why there were only 13 nominations to fill 50 slots. I do believe 'Wreck refers to the 13 games among the Top 50 of the Past 50 years that were played in the 2000s, and how four of them weren't, somehow, among the Top 15 of the 2000s (featured in last night's show).

Gwreck Dec 31 2010 12:28 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Yes, that's right. Left a word or two out in that sentence. --- Apparently game #20 premieres on the MLB Network on Monday. For whatever reason, I see they are showing this program for 1 hour, and it will be "hosted" by Verducci and Costas. Actual email sent to the folks at MLB Network re: this decision When reviewing the broadcast information for the first game in the "Top 20 Games of the Last 50 Years" program, I note that the broadcast of game #20 on Monday is only allotted one hour, and that the broadcast will be "hosted" by Tom Verducci and Bob Costas. This decision is baffling. Given that this feature was specifically limited to the past fifty years, in large part because of the availability of video, it defies logic that the MLB network is not broadcasting these games in their entirety. It could not be that broadcast hours are being saved for more important games; these are the top twenty of the past fifty years. It's not as if the MLB Network has access to *better* games to broadcast. Nor are there any current games to broadcast; it's January, and Spring Training doesn't start for another 6 weeks. This decision calls into question the very reason for the existence of the MLB network. If the games themselves aren't going to be broadcast, why bother having a network devoted to the sport? As great as the "MLB Tonight" and "Hot Stove Live" programs are, there is only so much talking that can be done about the game without actually *showing* one or two...or twenty of the games, particularly if there's a conveniently available list of what the twenty best ones are.

HahnSolo Dec 31 2010 12:10 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Did they ever specifically say they would show the games in their entirety?

Gwreck Jan 01 2011 01:23 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Not that I found. My complaint is not one of a broken promise but rather of unfulfilled potential.

HahnSolo Jan 01 2011 01:32 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I hear you. I suspect they might not have full video of all 20 games.

G-Fafif Jan 03 2011 06:10 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 20, as chosen by you the fans, is airing RIGHT NOW! It's Phillies 23 Cubs 22 from 1979, presented as a chummy chat among Costas, Verducci and Larry Bowa while game video (with some original PBP) airs.

Edgy DC Jan 03 2011 07:20 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Q: Who was it who woke up in the morning and said, "You know, this project has got to have Verducci." A: Derek Jeter. That's who.

Gwreck Jan 03 2011 07:34 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

In fairness: Verducci was actually reasonably good in his commentary. A little too much Costas. Overall, better than I was expecting. Still wish they would broadcast the game in its entirety (say, from 12:00 AM to 4:00 AM or something).

Frayed Knot Jan 03 2011 07:57 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Verducci also works for the network so, as one of only a handful of one-time sports journalists NOT currently on the payroll of ESPN, they might as well put him to use while they're paying him.

G-Fafif Jan 10 2011 08:28 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 19 (as I understand it -- I didn't see it at 8 and it reairs at 11) is the deciding game of the 2003 NLDS between the Giants and Marlins, the one in which Pudge Rodriguez tags J.T. Snow at the plate to end it. A fan-fucking-tastic game as I recall it.

G-Fafif Jan 17 2011 07:30 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 18: The Phillies-Astros battle to the bone for the 1980 pennant (Game 5). Greatest Best-of-Five NLCS ever (certainly of a non-Met nature).

Edgy DC Jan 17 2011 07:32 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I'm surprised that's as high as all that. It has very much to do with me being 13, but what a post-season that was. Even with all that artficial turf.

Gwreck Jan 17 2011 07:45 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Interestingly, they upped the broadcast time for this one to 90 minutes. They were showing a good portion of the original broadcast (Keith Jackson - Howard Cosell - Don Drysdale is your broadcast team) but a little too much of Costas and guest Larry Bowa talking over them.

G-Fafif Jan 17 2011 11:11 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Verducci and Costas side by side look like Wayland Flowers and Madam.

G-Fafif Jan 24 2011 10:13 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

17. Game 4, 2004 ALCS, the game in which the Red Sox saved humanity I've noticed the parameters of selection have changed within the MLB Network's fine print. They said at first that you the fans were voting to select the Top 20. Now it's framed as their expert panel and you, too. I wonder if the fan vote was considered not up to snuff. I kind of figured it wasn't "the fans" who voted the Marlins-Giants NLDS Game 4 from 2003 into the Top 20.

HahnSolo Jan 25 2011 09:55 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

G-Fafif wrote: 17. Game 4, 2004 ALCS, the game in which the Red Sox saved humanity I've noticed the parameters of selection have changed within the MLB Network's fine print. They said at first that you the fans were voting to select the Top 20. Now it's framed as their expert panel and you, too. I wonder if the fan vote was considered not up to snuff. I kind of figured it wasn't "the fans" who voted the Marlins-Giants NLDS Game 4 from 2003 into the Top 20. With MLBN's Kevin Millar joining Verducci and Costas. You know, Mr. Cowboy Up's schtick is somewhat tolerable in small doses, but a full hour of him had me almost rooting for Dave Roberts to be called out. Almost.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 25 2011 11:18 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

HahnSolo wrote: G-Fafif wrote: 17. Game 4, 2004 ALCS, the game in which the Red Sox saved humanity I've noticed the parameters of selection have changed within the MLB Network's fine print. They said at first that you the fans were voting to select the Top 20. Now it's framed as their expert panel and you, too. I wonder if the fan vote was considered not up to snuff. I kind of figured it wasn't "the fans" who voted the Marlins-Giants NLDS Game 4 from 2003 into the Top 20. With MLBN's Kevin Millar joining Verducci and Costas. You know, Mr. Cowboy Up's schtick is somewhat tolerable in small doses, but a full hour of him had me almost rooting for Dave Roberts to be called out. Almost. LOL

G-Fafif Jan 31 2011 08:20 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

16. Twins top Tigers in tussle to determine AL Central winner, 2009. An absolute death match, but most memorable for Chip Caray screwing every pooch he could find.

G-Fafif Feb 07 2011 09:15 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

15. Mariners save baseball in Seattle, get Buck Showalter fired, 1995 ALDS. Great and exciting ending as MFYs go down in flames but I have to admit that even as I enjoyed it, I was thinking this wouldn't put an end to evil, it would just delay it. And thus came 1996.

Gwreck Feb 07 2011 09:26 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Still waiting for some Met content on this series (I figure we get one game in the top 5, plus probably one other representation in the list somewhere). They did have David Cone (starter in that game for the MFYs) mentioning how Davey affected his pitching style. Also commenting on the game was Lou Piniella, and the broadcast expanded to 90 minutes, all of which were good additions.

Gwreck Feb 14 2011 08:54 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Feb 14 2011 08:57 PM

#14 debuted tonight: 1993 World Series Game 6 (the Joe Carter game). Mitch Williams and Joe Carter joined Costas and Verducci for the commentary on this one, which I was not a fan of. Williams reminds me of Joe Morgan's style of analysis, in that it never fails to come off as if you're listening to a pompous blowhard. In some aspects, Williams is less annoying, perhaps because there hasn't been enough familiarity to build sufficent contempt. In some aspects, however, Williams is far more annoying, as listening to the pomposity of a marginal player is much more grating than when it comes from an all-time great. Carter was much more reserved, and I got the impression he just wanted to keep asking Mitch "where did that ball land again?" every time Williams went off. Lots of Met content in the game, with future Mets Olerud, Alomar and Henderson and former Met Tony Fernandez all in the Jays starting lineup. Al Leiter also makes a relief appearance. On the Phillies side, you have Dave West and Roger Mason in relief, and the much-more-familiar Lenny Dykstra as the leadoff batter. -- I enjoy the suspense of each game on the countdown being revealed one at a time, so it was a surprise to see a promo for next week's game (#13) already -- it will be 1997 World Series Game 7, also known as Al Leiter's last start for the Marlins before being traded to the Mets.

G-Fafif Feb 14 2011 08:56 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Funny, I found Carter and Williams two class acts in the act of recalling it, even if one wore a Phillies uniform at the time. Which didn't seem so bad to me for one October night, I must confess. Meanwhile, somebody hits a come-from-behind home run to win a World Series and it's No. 14. What they picked for the Top 13 must be pure gold! (As for next week, they've done some previewing of coming attractions along the way; kind of selective about building suspense.)

G-Fafif Feb 22 2011 08:50 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Al Leiter, as special guest talking head for Game No. 13 (an easy get since he works there), fell into his role as Florida Marlin a little too easily for my tastes. I think I'm still steamed at him for his nodding in another MLB Network segment when somebody referred to him growing up an MFY fan. Can't argue with an eleventh-inning resolution to the seventh game of the World Series, yet I recall the '97 Fall Classic as fairly uncompelling until Game Six. The weather had been miserable in Cleveland, the pitching was spotty for the first five games and I was rooting -- out of some combination of National League allegiance and consolation that if the Marlins won, we could say we finished a mere four games behind the eventual world champions -- for a team I'd been rooting against all summer. Revisiting those Marlins reminded me how much like a fantasy team they were constructed. Yet when they got to Renteria singling Counsell in with the winner, I found myself momentarily exhilarated all over again, just as I was (momentarily) in October 1997. Most interesting tidbit: Wayne Huizenga told Jim Leyland he could make a phone call and have Muhammad Ali fly in to wish the Marlins well before Game Seven. Leyland told Huizenga to not do that, we're trying to win a baseball game here.

Edgy DC Feb 22 2011 08:55 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

The 1997 series was awful. Weather and Fox kept every game lasting nine hours. That 11th inning ending was a mercy killing.

G-Fafif Feb 22 2011 09:06 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Edgy DC wrote: The 1997 series was awful. Weather and Fox kept every game lasting nine hours. That 11th inning ending was a mercy killing. It was an NBC series.

Edgy DC Feb 22 2011 09:57 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Yeah, I figured that was coming. I nonethlees recall deep dark AM-hour finsihes and freezing rain.

G-Fafif Feb 22 2011 11:00 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Whoever's telecasting it, the World Series could use some seventh games (unless the Mets are ahead or behind 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2, obviously). Seven-Gamers, by decade, in the past 70 years: 2002, 2001 1997, 1991 1987, 1986, 1985, 1982 1979, 1975, 1973, 1972, 1971 1968, 1967, 1965, 1964, 1962, 1960 1958, 1957, 1956, 1955, 1952 1947, 1946, 1945, 1940 What's with the endangered species progression? Randomness at work? Or is everybody tired after three rounds of playoffs? FWIW, we went 18 years, from 1959 to 1977, without a six-game World Series and then had four in five years -- then went ten years without one before the next four went exactly six games.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Feb 22 2011 11:13 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I'm not sure that we'll ever see another more dramatic 3-year postseason span than we did in '85-'87. (Considering the Cards losses flanking '86, I'm damn sure that we'll never see a more dramatically-satisfying conclusion.)

Frayed Knot Feb 22 2011 02:51 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

G-Fafif wrote: Edgy DC wrote: The 1997 series was awful. Weather and Fox kept every game lasting nine hours. That 11th inning ending was a mercy killing. It was an NBC series. What I remember most from NBC's WS coverage that year was that, in true Dick Ebersol style, they chose Jim Leyland as their 'let's make it all about him' personality. Even with the numbers of stars on both squads (although some were still stars-in-the-making) their whole focus was on Leyland the middle-class (and often lower) baseball lifer who had his chances with the early '90s Pirates but kept falling just short.

G-Fafif Feb 25 2011 02:28 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 12 will be Game 4 2001 WS -- let's move on.

Gwreck Feb 25 2011 02:32 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Thanks for the advance heads-up. Won't be watching that one.

Edgy DC Feb 26 2011 10:28 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Remember when Byung-Hyun Kim was the most ridiculed guy in America for two days? People who hadn't watched a game in two years were making Byung-Hyun Kim jokes.

G-Fafif Mar 07 2011 07:24 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

11. One-Game Playoff for AL East title, 1978. Played at Fenway Park. Result not instantly recalled.

Gwreck Mar 07 2011 07:34 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

They had guest commentators Lou Pineilla and some scrub shortstop for the MFYs who I can't remember the name of. Watched about 15 minutes and turned it off.

G-Fafif Mar 16 2011 07:59 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 10: Kirk Gibson game, 1988 WS -- or as I like to call it, the game that never should have been played.

Frayed Knot Mar 16 2011 09:06 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

G-Fafif wrote: No. 10: Kirk Gibson game, 1988 WS -- or as I like to call it, the game that never should have been played. And even if you don't happen to agree with that last comment (although I don't know anyone who doesn't) that was hardly a great game aside from the signature moment. I'd like to think a list like this would do more to take entire games into consideration rather than just one photogenic moment. #6 in '75, for instance, was a great game before Fisk ever stepped to the plate in the 12th.

G-Fafif Mar 22 2011 06:04 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 9: Game Seven, 2001 World Series, Diamondbacks perform Heavenly Father's work (as they might say on Big Love) and snuff out the evil dynasty. Thought this one would have ranked in the top three or so given that it was the climax of an instantly legendary series; that it was settled in come-from-behind fashion in the bottom of the ninth; and that perhaps the greatest lefty starter of his generation, Randy Johnson, came out of the bullpen on no days' rest, to throw 1-1/3 scoreless innings of relief to get the win. But the MFYs lost, so I guess it had to be tamped down. Or so it felt listening to the special guests, Joe Torre and Tim McCarver who, with hosts Bob Costas and Tom Verducci, made the world champion Diamondbacks sound like special guests at their own victory. I guess it was impossible to find Arizona starter Curt Schilling and get him to talk.

Ceetar Mar 22 2011 07:03 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 9: Game Seven, 2001 World Series, Diamondbacks perform Heavenly Father's work (as they might say on Big Love) and snuff out the evil dynasty. Thought this one would have ranked in the top three or so given that it was the climax of an instantly legendary series; that it was settled in come-from-behind fashion in the bottom of the ninth; and that perhaps the greatest lefty starter of his generation, Randy Johnson, came out of the bullpen on no days' rest, to throw 1-1/3 scoreless innings of relief to get the win. But the MFYs lost, so I guess it had to be tamped down. Or so it felt listening to the special guests, Joe Torre and Tim McCarver who, with hosts Bob Costas and Tom Verducci, made the world champion Diamondbacks sound like special guests at their own victory. I guess it was impossible to find Arizona starter Curt Schilling and get him to talk. Don't forget who got the loss in that game. The so-called 'greatest closer ever' in pretty much the highest leverage situation you can possibly get or that he'd ever be in (is there anything as close as game seven bot 9 up by 1 run?) blew the save, and while the winning hit was a bloop, the blown save hit was a solid double, but unearned thanks to an error (but wait!, it was RIVERA's error)

Edgy DC Mar 22 2011 07:15 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Yeah, this should be top three. Four of the greatest pitchers of their time locked in a game seven duel that would come to mean the end of a dynastay --- at least for another decade or so. If it ended with Derek Jeter singling just beyond the reach of Luis Gonzalez, instead of the other way around, it would be known as "The Game That Defined a Generation" or something.

The Second Spitter Mar 22 2011 07:20 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I guess there's little chance Game 6 will be shown then.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 22 2011 07:22 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

This game also laid the groundwork for further MFY humiliation: The complete failure of their Randy Johnson acquisition and the Bloody Sock incident with Schilling.

Frayed Knot Mar 22 2011 07:47 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 9: Game Seven, 2001 World Series, Diamondbacks perform Heavenly Father's work (as they might say on Big Love) and snuff out the evil dynasty. Thought this one would have ranked in the top three or so given that it was the climax of an instantly legendary series; that it was settled in come-from-behind fashion in the bottom of the ninth; and that perhaps the greatest lefty starter of his generation, Randy Johnson, came out of the bullpen on no days' rest, to throw 1-1/3 scoreless innings of relief to get the win. But the MFYs lost, so I guess it had to be tamped down. Or so it felt listening to the special guests, Joe Torre and Tim McCarver who, with hosts Bob Costas and Tom Verducci, made the world champion Diamondbacks sound like special guests at their own victory. I guess it was impossible to find Arizona starter Curt Schilling and get him to talk. Don't forget who got the loss in that game. The so-called 'greatest closer ever' in pretty much the highest leverage situation you can possibly get or that he'd ever be in (is there anything as close as game seven bot 9 up by 1 run?) blew the save, and while the winning hit was a bloop, the blown save hit was a solid double, but unearned thanks to an error (but wait!, it was RIVERA's error) Not that Rivera's post-season record isn't outstanding - better even than his regular season resume - but it's amazing how often YLDBs explain away that inning a solely as the product of the error, and not really an error because it was all caused by a wet field on account of a light mist coupled with the D'Backs refusal to close the roof. The fact remains that Mariano pitched to six batters that inning and retired ONE of them - and that's with two of them trying to make outs with sac bunts, both of which were lousy: SINGLE - SAC BUNT (error) - SAC BUNT (force play) - DOUBLE - HBP - SINGLE Also, not sure if they discussed it (I recorded this and will watch it probably tonight) but the other complaint is that Brosius had time for a DP on that second bunt but never looked for it. I never saw a camera angle that showed one way or the other if he did, but what I do remember is that when he decided to retire that winter the stories about how he blew that play suddenly surfaced the next day with both Rivera and Torre commenting on it. It was like they couldn't wait for him to retire so they could begin parking the bus on his chest over that incident.

Ceetar Mar 22 2011 08:13 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I get into the Rivera failures sometimes when I'm bored, but I think making excuses for them is actually detrimental to his entire career. We _know_ he's not an ultimate diety cut(tered) from the cloth of God into a reliever that can do no wrong, and acting like he is just makes him look fake and trumped up. if I recall he also had two chances to close out the Red Sox in 2004, which while probably not as big a failure as '01 was still a failure, and they'd likely have gone on to win that WS too. Or in an age where it's assumed that players playing into the 40s was almost exclusvely a result of steroids and HGH and all that but never to whisper or wonder if/what Rivera might be doing on the side?

G-Fafif Mar 28 2011 07:23 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

8. 1986 ALCS Game 5: Red Sox pull it out vs. Angels. So let's get some more 1986 action going.

Gwreck Mar 28 2011 07:39 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Costas noted that there are 3 games from the '86 postseason in the top 10. Presumably our two game sixes are the other ones.

Frayed Knot Mar 30 2011 12:31 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

8. 1986 ALCS Game 5: Red Sox pull it out vs. Angels. Great game and great series all around. It obviously got overshadowed in this town due to the even better concurrent NLDS, but it was still a gem. I still remember the Al Michaels call (which you can hear faintly in the replay underneath the cross-talk) after Brian Downing nearly took out the fence making that extra-inning catch; "Are we really seeing this game?!?" The only surprising thing here is that they didn't use Joe Torre as a commentator based on the idea that he used to broadcast Angels games. I thought they'd figure out a way to get him into all of them.

Edgy DC Mar 30 2011 12:36 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

It's also the dawn of the era of the closer cruelly taking the lion's share of the heat.

Frayed Knot Mar 30 2011 01:06 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Edgy DC wrote: It's also the dawn of the era of the closer cruelly taking the lion's share of the heat. Yeah, although Mauch didn't initially go to Moore or use him under the strict closer 'rules' we've come to know. Starter Mike Witt was pitching well so he started the ninth; that lasted until Baylor's 2R HR brought the Sox to within one. Mauch then went to a lefty-specialist to face Gedman who he had struck out all three times he faced him ... and promptly hit him with the first pitch. Then up came Henderson. After that HR, Moore got out of the inning and the Angels tied it up in their half of the ninth. Moore stayed in to throw the 10th and eventually became the losing pitcher when he got into trouble in the 11th.

G-Fafif Apr 04 2011 10:52 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

7. Marlins-Cubs, Game Six, 2003 NLCS. You know...Bartman.

Edgy DC Apr 05 2011 05:33 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Disgraceful performance by FOX and McCarver, if I recall.

Frayed Knot Apr 05 2011 06:29 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Apr 05 2011 06:56 AM

Thom Brennerman & Steve Lyons on the mikes. Once again the studio failed to land Joe Torre for the commentary so settled for the still-chipper though has to be nearing 80 y/o Jack McKeon*, Marlins' 3B Mike Lowell, and the Chicago half of the two Alex Gonzalez's who played SS in that game. The game itself featured a great cast of characters, some of whom looked almost in disguise compared to their today selves: Mark Prior was good and threw hard; Miguel Cabrera was skinny (and presumably sober); Sammy Sosa was still dark-skinned; Moises Alou wasn't injured at any point during the game; Derrick Lee was a Marlin not a Cub; Luis Castillo was good - y'know, things you wouldn't immediately think of now. Bartman was, of course, featured prominently although I still want to know how those other two guys who reached along with him escaped the same scrutiny. oe: McKeon just turned 80 in November

HahnSolo Apr 05 2011 06:30 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

It was interesting to hear Verducci talking about that 8th inning. If you take away one intentional walk, the whole 7-run outburst took only 12 pitches. Props to Alex Gonzalez (the Cub) for joining Costas, Mike Lowell, and Trader Jack in the studio, and describing what was going on.

Frayed Knot Apr 05 2011 06:48 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Yeah, it was amazing how quickly things came apart for Chicago after the Bartman/Moises incident - whether you believe the two were connected or not is up to you. - Juan Pierre got things off with a one-out double - Castillo ran the count to 3-2 and then starting fouling off a bunch. The Bartman ball was like the 3rd 3-2 pitch he wasted towards the LF stands; he then walked on the next one (1 post-popup pitch) - Pudge then hit an 0-2 pitch in LF for a single scoring Pierre (3 more pitches = 4 total) - Cabrerra hits a potential (though hardly guaranteed) DP ball on the first pitch he sees to Gonzlaez who flubs it (+1 = 5) - Derrick Lee doubles to LF on the first pitch he sees to tie the game (+1 = 6) ** Game tied - out goes Prior in comes Farnsworth ** - Intentional walk to Mike Lowell loads the bases (not going to count those as actual pitches) - Conine Sac Fly again on the first pitch puts the Marlins into the lead (+1 = 7) - Lefty-swinging Todd Hollandsworth hitting for Chad Fox is intentionally walked - Mike Mordecai (.213 hitter for the season, <.200 vs RHPs) drives a 2-1 into the gap for a bases-clearing double (+4 = 11) - Juan Pierre singles MM home on the first pitch for the 8th run of the inning (+1 = 12) - Castillo later popped out to end the inning So that's a 3-0 Cubs lead to an 8-3 deficit in a span of just 12 pitches (20 if you want to count the two IWs)

Benjamin Grimm Apr 05 2011 06:56 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

This was a very rare case where I was watching a post-season game and I remember thinking at the time that Alou's reaction may have been as much to blame as Bartman himself. I think Moises may have set a tone for his teammates; he made it clear that something devastating had happened, and the Cubs went into panic mode. They seemed to be playing with a desperation that I'd later see with the 2007 Mets. I wonder if Alou had non-chalantly returned to his position, if things would have turned out differently? I remember posting my thoughts about the game on the CPF back when it happened. It would be interesting to go back and read it now, if not for the ezBoard meltdown. We're so much better off now, not having to rely on those stooges who don't even know how to take a backup.

Frayed Knot Apr 05 2011 07:03 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I think - as did the panel - that the Alou reaction had a ton to do with the fan/media response to Bartman. Most of the crowd didn't have a good enough angle on things to know exactly what happened and how close it was to being interference. Alou's reaction certainly set the tone for all that. As for what it did to the Cubs ... who knows. The pitching and the Gozalez error were obviously the biggest things and it's hard to tie them directly to Moises's anger. Prior was pitching a gem up to that point but couldn't put Castillo away (but Luis was good at that sort of thing) and maybe was tiring. Farnsworth then threw gas on the fire but he has a reputation for never being good "in a big spot" although the rep was probably still being birthed on that night.

Edgy DC Apr 05 2011 07:54 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

An ounce of humanity should have told the producers to stop pointing a camera at Bartman and the announcers to stop ridiculing him. A bunch of people reached for that ball, and if Bartman never existed, Alou still wouldn't have caught the ball. It would have been an unlikely grab for Moises if the stands were empty. How much the Cubs were caught up in that narrative, it's hard to say, but as soon as you get it in your heads that your fate has been taken out of your hands, it becomes that much harder to focus and perform. Ask the '85 Cardinals. The Cubs had a job to do and didn't. That's the story.

G-Fafif Apr 10 2011 10:59 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

6. The last game of the 2003 ALCS. I forget what happened. Better MLB Network countdown development is one infers that the Top 5 have to be, chronologically: --1975 WS Game 6 --1986 NLCS Game 6 --1986 WS Game 6 --1991 WS Game 7 --1992 NLCS Game 7 Gwreck already related there'd be two more 1986es after Red Sox-Angels Game 5, and as the only other 1986 nominees are those listed above, this series should finally get eminently watchable.

Gwreck Apr 10 2011 11:05 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

They moved this series to Sunday nights now that the season has started. I see they have Pedro and a basketball star named Aaron Boone commenting. Nice job G-Fafif with the remainder of the series. I predict they'll be ranked as follows: 5. 1986 NLCS Game 6 4. 1992 NLCS Game 7 3. 1975 WS Game 6 2. 1986 WS Game 6 1. 1991 WS Game 7

G-Fafif Apr 14 2011 03:46 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Modest spoiler alert (modest in that MLB Network sent out a press release and Gwreck and I are the only ones who seem to be following this breathlessly): Mets will appear in the No. 5 Greatest Game of the Last Fifty Years this Sunday at 7:00 PM. Joe Torre not guesting, but I fully expect Costas and Verducci to dwell on the MFYs and apologize to viewers for their absence from the 1986 postseason. STRAWBERRY, OROSCO AND KNEPPER DISCUSS 1986 NLCS GAME SIX ON MLB’S 20 GREATEST GAMES ON SUNDAY, APRIL 17 Game Ranked Fifth in Series Countdown of the Best Games of the Last 50 Seasons Secaucus, NJ, April 14, 2011 - MLB Network’s MLB’s 20 Greatest Games continues on Sunday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET when Darryl Strawberry, Jesse Orosco and Bob Knepper join series hosts Bob Costas and Tom Verducci to discuss Game Six of the 1986 NLCS between the New York Mets and Houston Astros, which is ranked as the fifth best game of the series. In a game that lasted 16 innings and nearly five hours, Strawberry, Orosco and Knepper discuss the pressure on the Mets to win the series, how both teams rallied late to tie the score, the possibility of facing the Astros’ Mike Scott in Game Seven, and the legacy of the 1986 Postseason 25 years later. A clip of the episode detailing a confrontation on the mound between the Mets’ Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter and Orosco in the 16th inning can be viewed here. New episodes of MLB’s 20 Greatest Games, which counts down the best games of the last 50 seasons, will continue to air weekly through May 22. A list of the rankings to-date is available here. Highlights from the episode include: DARRYL STRAWBERRY ON FACING MIKE SCOTT IN GAME SEVEN: “I knew if we had to go to Game Seven, there was no way we were going to beat Scott. He had already got in our heads so bad, we were so frustrated with that fact that we were going to have to face him again and that challenge. We just knew we weren’t capable of beating Scott.” JESSE OROSCO ON FINISHING THE GAME IN THE 16TH INNING: “I was tired. I was just trying to make those pitches. In that time of the moment, you just have to reach back and get everything you have inside you and go for it.” BOB KNEPPER ON IF MIKE SCOTT WAS SCUFFING THE BASEBALL IN THE SERIES: “Everybody said everybody knew it. … I think you’d have to ask Mike to get the low-down, but I would say yeah he was.” KNEPPER ON LOSING THE SERIES: “The immediate aftermath was just a complete emotional bottom of the barrel-type of feeling. … The entire series was just an emotional roller coaster. To have it end, you realize just how quick the ending comes. Even though it’s a six hour game or 16 innings or whatever it was, the ending is so sudden. … It was definitely a carpet being pulled up underneath you. … For me, it took me a long time [to get over the loss]. For too many times after that, I let that game define me because it was such a disappointment not to have finished that game out.” STRAWBERRY ON WINNING THE SERIES: “That was the greatest time of my career to be able to be in a series like that because that’s what every kid dreams about, getting to the World Series. Getting to the World Series is not an easy to path. … People always ask me, ‘What were the great moments [of your career]?’ The great moments were playing in that series against the Astros because it was a nail-biter for us, it challenged us because we were the big bad [team] from the East. We were the Mets, we were the team that dominated, we were supposed to just run through it, but it wasn’t like that. It was baseball at its finest.”

Edgy DC Apr 14 2011 08:34 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Willets Point Apr 14 2011 09:51 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

G-Fafif wrote: BOB KNEPPER ON IF MIKE SCOTT WAS SCUFFING THE BASEBALL IN THE SERIES: “Everybody said everybody knew it. … I think you’d have to ask Mike to get the low-down, but I would say yeah he was.” Dang, that's the first time I've seen an admission from a teammate.

G-Fafif Apr 17 2011 09:07 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Bumping because it will be a great way to top off a Sunday when the Mets break a seven-game losing streak. (Or whatever). Mets-Astros, Game Six, 1986 NLCS, in the 90-minute spotlight on MLB Network's Greatest Games series, tonight at 7 PM EDT, repeated at midnight and 3:30 AM (technically Monday morning if you're recording). Orosco, Strawberry and Knepper guest.

Edgy DC Apr 17 2011 10:35 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Darryl's current strategy to keep himself on the straight and narrow seems to be to commit to being everywhere, and therefore too busy to relapse.

G-Fafif Apr 18 2011 05:41 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Worth watching for Knepper's ongoing regret that the game got away. Astrofreude and all that. One play I'd forgotten about, if I ever noticed it when it happened, was the 5-6 putout that ended the bottom of the fifth. Doran was on second with two out. Hatcher tapped a tricky bouncer toward third, which Knight had to charge. It was going to be difficult to throw out the runner at first. Meanwhile, behind Knight, Doran was racing toward and around third, but Santana trailed him. Instead of trying to get Hatcher, which almost certainly would have not worked and which just as almost as certainly allowed Doran to score and make it 4-0, Knight turned and threw to Santana. Doran slammed on the brakes past third and tried to dive back in, but Santana tagged him easily. In retrospect, it was a phenomenal play (for which other shortstops would be immortalized had they done it a generation later, but never mind that). Between that heads-up bit of defense (and Astro screwup) and the Ashby squeeze that went awry and caught Bass between third and home in the first, Knepper all but buried his head in his hands. Strawberry came off in this as Mr. Baseball, which always amuses me since during the entirety of his Met career, he never seemed particularly introspective about the fundamentals of the game nor conscious of its finer points. The Darryl who presents himself in these forums nowadays would make a helluva manager. Or restaurant owner. Nice to see Jesse, too. He still looks tired from those three innings. No. 4 on this countdown will be, as Gwreck predicted, Pirates-Braves Game 7 from 1992.

Edgy DC Apr 18 2011 01:24 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I think the popular image of Darryl was a little overfed to us by the Mets booth, presenting Hernandez as the guy who's always three pitches ahead, and Darryl as the guy who just saw the pitch and swung.

G-Fafif Apr 18 2011 02:25 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Eight years of following every utterance Darryl Strawberry made and the only time I ever heard him say anything remotely related to baseball, not just himself, was when he dismissed the notion he would hold against newly acquired Jeff Musselman the incident in which the then-Blue Jay hit him in Spring Training and Straw went after him. "You don't do that to a teammate," Straw said, and I thought, "Wow, I never heard Darryl hold forth on baseball etiquette or baseball anything before." Probably knew more than he was letting on. Probably knows more now than we could possibly imagine.

Ceetar Apr 18 2011 02:49 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

G-Fafif wrote: Eight years of following every utterance Darryl Strawberry made and the only time I ever heard him say anything remotely related to baseball, not just himself, was when he dismissed the notion he would hold against newly acquired Jeff Musselman the incident in which the then-Blue Jay hit him in Spring Training and Straw went after him. "You don't do that to a teammate," Straw said, and I thought, "Wow, I never heard Darryl hold forth on baseball etiquette or baseball anything before." Probably knew more than he was letting on. Probably knows more now than we could possibly imagine. I'm waiting for his Canseco-level expose on the late 90s Yankees.

G-Fafif Apr 18 2011 03:45 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Ceetar wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Eight years of following every utterance Darryl Strawberry made and the only time I ever heard him say anything remotely related to baseball, not just himself, was when he dismissed the notion he would hold against newly acquired Jeff Musselman the incident in which the then-Blue Jay hit him in Spring Training and Straw went after him. "You don't do that to a teammate," Straw said, and I thought, "Wow, I never heard Darryl hold forth on baseball etiquette or baseball anything before." Probably knew more than he was letting on. Probably knows more now than we could possibly imagine. I'm waiting for his Canseco-level expose on the late 90s Yankees. That would make his fleeting MFYness totally worth it.

Gwreck Apr 24 2011 10:21 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Next week's guests are Ojeda, Wilson and Buckner for game #3 on the countdown.

G-Fafif Apr 25 2011 10:49 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Apr 25 2011 11:08 AM

I figured No. 3 was where Game Six 1986 WS was headed. Too much adoration out there for Game Six 1975 WS for ours to overcome. Its climax continues to rank in the Top Three Moments of My Life. Anyway, No. 4 provided a fascinating presentation, with Sid Bream and Mark Lemke representing the victorious Braves and Andy Van Slyke sitting in for the losing Bucs. A few thing that struck me: 1. Andy Van Slyke is a deceptively bitter guy. I never did like him as an opponent. I guess I'm not supposed to like Met opponents. Enjoyed learning that when he tried to motion Barry Bonds to play shallow when Francisco Cabrera came up, Bonds flipped him off. Not much to choose from in that outfield in terms of for whom one might root. 2. Mets couldn't stop the Pirates of Bonds, Bonilla and Van Slyke in 1990 and fell helplessly behind them by the second week of August 1991. So we signed one-third of that triumvirate away for 1992 and what happens? Mets suck even more and Pirates are hardly deterred from their third consecutive N.L. East championship. Bonds leaves and the whole thing falls apart like the proverbial house of cards. If one needed a reason to dislike Bobby Bonilla a little more, this served as a good reminder. 3. Van Slyke described the sense of desperation that permeated the Pirates in terms of trying to extend a 2-0 lead to 3-0. It was most apparent when we see the Pirates' third base coach waving Orlando Merced home from first in the eighth with one out on Jeff King's double to right. It wasn't a crazy decision but I was taken aback by the Pittsburgh third base coach who did the waving: Rich Donnelly...same guy who, 14 years later, waved Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew home for the Dodgers against the Mets in Game One of the NLDS when Paul Lo Duca tagged them both almost simultaneously. I'm sure the old boy network in baseball would rally to Donnelly as a great third base coach the way everybody asserted Jim Joyce was an awesome umpire the moment he made one of the worst safe/out calls in baseball history, but man, nice way to show up in all the wrong places. 4. Stan Belinda, who allowed the Braves their three runs, was the Pirate closer but just barely. Even though Leyland could bullpen an opponent to death (I'll never forgive him for drawing out a Saturday night game at Shea that year when he used seven bleeping pitchers to nail down a 3-2 win...in three hours and forty-seven minutes), he never saw fit to keep his closer sharp. Circumstances hadn't called for Belinda to save any of the three Pirate wins in the NLCS, so he only pitched one mop-up inning, in Game Two. Suddenly he's on the mound trying to hold a tenuous lead in the ninth inning of Game Seven. Impossible to imagine today. 5. Bream's journey from second to home on Francisco Cabrera's pinch-hit, given his complete lack of speed and the practically perfect production values of the play at the plate, was lingered on generously in this show, which makes sense, since Bream was there and it was a historic slide (and the not-quite throw from left after Van Slyke received the finger was Bonds's last moment as a Pirate), but it seems Cabrera was almost an afterthought in the retelling. I mean, c'mon...Francisco Cabrera drove in the tying and winning run with two out and a pennant literally on the line. Ten plate appearances the entire season and then he pulls a reasonably effective impersonation of Bobby Thomson. Thomson had a genuinely strong ML career. Cabrera didn't accumulate 400 plate appearances in his whole career, and he won the NLCS for Atlanta. He (and Barry Bonds's agent) pulled the curtain down on a proud franchise's viability for the next two decades, and the denouement of the show was, "You're great, Sid!" 6. I don't know how severely this was edited, but Bob Costas's contempt for Bonds dripped through, per usual, and he couldn't resist taking a shot at Braves OF Deion Sanders for shuttling back and forth between football and baseball that month. I mention editing because neither Bream nor Lemke took the bait on Sanders. I recall every Brave in those days going on about what a fantastic teammate Deion was, and sure enough, Prime Time was on the top of the step as the top of the ninth ended, next to Bobby Cox (he had already pinch-hit), slapping butts and shaking hands and encouraging the hell out of everybody. He's not a sympathetic figure, and the football-baseball thing was probably not ideal, but Costas gets on my nerves with his holier-than-thou act. 7. Tom Verducci shared a stat that Bream had scored from second on an outfield single in the 1992 regular season exactly twice. And there he was doing with a championship in the balance. 8. Verducci (who's big on the innings pitched) pointed out Drabek never went on fewer than four days' rest in the regular season and now he was doing it twice in a row, and Leyland left him in there into the ninth. Van Slyke said, essentially, this was the postseason, it's all about adrenalin, you don't think about that spit. They both seemed like valid points, one from the dispassionate sidelines of hindsight, one from a guy who's been in the middle of it. 9. I remember Jose Lind as a marvelous second baseman, but, to put it unkindly, man did he choke in the ninth when he couldn't pick up Justice's grounder after Pendleton led off with a double. There had been a ground ball earlier where Lind had trouble and it was clear (then and in this presentation) that he was playing back on his heels, not charging, not doing whatever made him marvelous during the regular season. The more I stared at these Pirates (who made the Mets' lives so miserable for three years when the Mets weren't making their own lives miserable), the less likely they seemed to be in the position to go to a World Series. They were Bonds, Van Slyke, Drabek and a bunch of guys. 10. As the game went on, and I stopped nervously flipping between it and L.A. Law, I somehow knew the Braves were going to come back. It was an improbable ninth inning but the Pirates just looked ready to crack on some level. I was a big Braves fan (in that second-team sense) in those pre-realignment days and this was as gratifying a non-Mets win as I ever experienced. On some level, I felt bad for Leyland and Pittsburgh but watching this show reminded me how much I couldn't stand Leyland and Pittsburgh in those days. I wouldn't wish their post-1992 death spiral on anybody who isn't the MFYs, but I didn't really mind Van Slyke sitting in center field at the end, cap askew, nowhere to go but home. OTOH, I find it hard to believe I used to root in any capacity for the Braves. It was a long time ago, but baseball has a way of transporting you right back to where you were.

Gwreck Apr 25 2011 10:59 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I too was struck by Van Slyke's bitterness and willingness to blame Bonds. He also recalled a moment where Barry allegedly told the Pirates that he would start hitting better if his teammates could just get him to the World Series. One thing that I would have liked discussed was what would have happened had Bream been tagged out successfully. Justice had scored the tying run ahead of Bream and the game would have gone to extras. Problem was that Cox had used almost all of his bench and would have had to go with either Francisco Cabrera, Javy Lopez or Brian Hunter playing second base.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Apr 25 2011 11:01 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

It was a long time ago, but baseball has a way of transporting you right back to where you were. Yup. I was at the North Street Hotel, in Elkton, Md. (not a hotel anymore, just a bar). I also recall the Lind error looming large. And I've long been sick of Bob Costas. I know I told the room I once met Mike LaValliere's mother who said the final play was all the more devastating for the Pirates because they didn't have to lose Sid Bream to the Braves for more than a couple of bucks. Bream and LaValliere were very close friends.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 25 2011 11:18 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Gwreck wrote: I too was struck by Van Slyke's bitterness and willingness to blame Bonds. He also recalled a moment where Barry allegedly told the Pirates that he would start hitting better if his teammates could just get him to the World Series. Why the bitterness? One would think that whenever moments of darkness would encroach upon his mood, he could look at his '85 World Series Championship ring, and think happy thoughts. /I still kinda hat Andy Van Slyke I remember being in Boston; Mom and I were getting an early start on college visits, and since we were staying in a bed-and-breakfast (sans TV), we watched until the end in a bar down the street, with a bunch of very excitable elderly Braves fans (it didn't occur to me until much later how it was that these homegrown Bostonians were Tomahawk-choppers).

dgwphotography Apr 25 2011 11:27 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: It was a long time ago, but baseball has a way of transporting you right back to where you were. Yup. I was at the North Street Hotel, in Elkton, Md. (not a hotel anymore, just a bar). I also recall the Lind error looming large. And I've long been sick of Bob Costas. I know I told the room I once met Mike LaValliere's mother who said the final play was all the more devastating for the Pirates because they didn't have to lose Sid Bream to the Braves for more than a couple of bucks. Bream and LaValliere were very close friends. It was October 14, 1992. I was laying in a cot in Griffin Hospital next to my sleeping wife, who had just given birth to our first daughter a few hours before... As Greg as noted to me in the past, the Pirates haven't had a winning season since Ashley was born.

G-Fafif Apr 25 2011 11:35 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

And now that I think about it, I couldn't have been flipping between Game Seven and L.A. Law because this was a Wednesday, and L.A. Law was on Thursdays. Must have been something else distracting me between pitches. Perhaps CNN was doing a live remote from Griffin Hospital.

HahnSolo Apr 25 2011 11:58 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

The studio portion of this was on in the background at my sister's for Easter afternoon. I get Greg's point about Bream above. What's funny is that Van Slyke and Lemke had pretty long and good careers, but when I looked at the screen, I thought, who are those two guys surrounding Sid Bream? I didn't re-watch the ninth inning, but I seem to recall two things, and I wonder if they talked about either: 1. Wasn't there a batter or two that either Drabek or Belinda-or both-thought they had struck out on a close pitch? I thought there may have been some bitterness from Leyland and the Pirates about that. 2. Didn't the Braves score their first run on an absolute cannon of a shot by Ron Gant? One of those "that's gone" when it hits off the bat? I think Bonds must have been playing him on the warning track, as he casually caught the hard-hit liner at the wall.

G-Fafif Apr 25 2011 12:10 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I'd forgotten John McSherry had gone down from dizziness early in the game and had to be replaced as the home plate umpire by Randy Marsh (eerie foreshadowing of McSherry's Opening Day death in Cincinnati less than four years later). Marsh's amazing, movable strike zone was indeed a point of contention. And Gant's ball did momentarily look like it had a chance to render Francisco Cabrera completely unknown.

Frayed Knot Apr 25 2011 02:12 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

- I always liked Van Slyke as a ballplayer - never had much of an opinion on him as a person one way or the other. But if he's going to all but call Bonds a prima donna asshole on TV then that's A-OK with me. Also (and I think I've told this story before here) I kind of met him once. A guy I went to college with played American Legion ball against AVS back in their mutual hometown outside of Utica and knew him casually (said he was clearly the best player out there but also a HUGE hot-dog). We went to the rail during warmups at Shea one day as Van Slyke's Cards were throwing and my buddy tried engaging him in a conversation. Wasn't too successful and I think Slick was trying to remember where he knew this guy from. "Never was the sharpest knife in the drawer" was my friend's assessment. - Every report I ever heard either from baseball or from football was that Deion was extremely popular with his teammates. That fact always baffled me given his penchant for constant self-promotion but seemingly sensible guys in both sports claimed it was so. I remember when he did his high-stepping check-me-out dance on his way to a TD in the closing seconds of a game the Falcons were losing by about five touchdowns. I figured that his teammates would want to pummel him at that point but apparently that wasn't the case and it wouldn't be the first time I've failed to understand the NFL mentality. - SEVERAL pitches were either questionable or just flat-out unexplainable, and they all seemed to come at really crucial times. - Lind always struck me as one of those artificial turf Gold-Glovers who had problems on the real stuff.

Edgy DC Apr 25 2011 08:01 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I know plenty of Pirates fans who swear that Bonds never deserved his Gold Gloves because he couldn't throw. They'd tell you that this was their assessment well before the day he failed to throw out Bream. I doubt it, but...

G-Fafif Apr 28 2011 11:52 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Advance quotes provided by MLBN from this Sunday's No. 3 Game, 1986 World Series, Game Six (airing 7 PM). Buckner on feeling pressure from Red Sox fans to win the series: I hadn’t been in New England that long or with the Red Sox and I had no clue what was in those people’s minds and what they had been through and what they’re thinking. I was just out trying to have a good time and trying to win a championship but those people had a lot of other things on their mind. Buckner on Clemens: Roger was the best pitcher in baseball and I’d seen some of the things that he’d done that year, they were amazing. He always had a great arm but on top of that, he learned how to pitch. The 20-strikeout game, the whole package – I’d bet my bank account on that game. Ojeda on pitching on three days’ rest: Joe Garagiola said as far as [pitching on] three days’ rest, “This time of year, it means nothing,” and he was spot-on. It meant nothing to me. And at that time, no one knows, but I had two cortisone shots. Right after I threw the complete game in Houston [1986 NLCS Game 2], we came home – this is pre-9/11 – I went to the ballpark, I got the needles, I got the cortisone, put it in my pocket, went to LaGuardia, flew down to Washington, where [team physician] Dr. Parkes was. He shoots my elbow in the bathroom, I get back on a plane, fly back and I’m at the yard for [1986 NLCS Game 3] that night. So on the short rest, [Garagiola] couldn’t have been more correct. My arm was killing me, but I wasn’t gonna miss it. Everybody who gets to play in a World Series feels that same way. On Calvin Schiraldi replacing Clemens in the 8th inning: Wilson: We’d been very confident so far and, to tell you the truth, Schiraldi was a Met and we all knew Schiraldi very well. And, I’ll tell you what, it was like Christmas. We thought that we could get to Schiraldi. We really did. Ojeda: When Schiraldi came in – because they knew him as well as Boston knew me – they were fighting over the bat rack. No disrespect to Calvin Schiraldi, none meant, none intended, but these guys – getting Roger out and it happened to be Schiraldi – it was like the clouds had parted. They were ready. On the lack of lineup changes in the 8th inning: Wilson: Not watching this game until now, you don’t think about all these things. Normally as players, we’re sitting there trying to figure out what the manager’s going to do but in this game, I don’t think that was the case. Buckner: In McNamara’s defense, I was the best first baseman, defensively, that he had. Dave Stapleton, bless his heart, he wasn’t a great player by any means. He had his own issues. If I thought that Dave Stapleton was gonna do a better job than I was, then I’d have told McNamara. I wanted to win, so did everybody else. … I’d been in positions where my ankles were in better shape, where I could cover more ground but I wasn’t having an issue at this point. I was the best player we had to be out there. Was I Keith Hernandez? No. But I was the best that we had. Wilson on batting in the bottom of the 10th: I don’t even remember feeling anything, I was numb. The crowd was so loud. I mean, it was just so loud. You stand on the ground and you could just feel it generating through your bones, that’s how loud it was. Surprisingly I wasn’t nervous. I only thought one thing, ‘Just don’t make the last out.’ That’s the only thing I was thinking. Buckner on his reaction after losing Game 6: The fans in Boston were great to me. … People ask me how I feel now about it, I feel very blessed. I played 21 years in the Major Leagues, I got to play in two World Series. Would I have liked it for things to change differently in the sixth game? Obviously. But it didn’t. Would I do it again, with the same results? Heck yeah. I lived [in Boston] until 1993 and I moved to Idaho because that was a dream of mine since I was a little kid, since I watched “Bonanza” on TV. I wanted to buy a ranch in Idaho, which I did. People say I left Boston because of [Game 6]. That’s hardly the case.

HahnSolo Apr 28 2011 12:46 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I call hijinks on Ojeda's story. NLCS game 3 was a 12 noon Saturday start. I know its a short flight, but are we really to believe he did all that in one morning? More likely he flew down and back on the off day.

Edgy DC Apr 28 2011 12:49 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

That double account of the lift if gave the Mets to see Schiraldi in there really says a lot about the culture of the closer, doesn't it? I'm dubious about Buckner's account that he was the best choice they had, but if he wants to go with that... I thought Bonanza was set in Nevada. They were always going into Virginia City for supplies.

HahnSolo Apr 28 2011 12:57 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

They didn't kill Schiraldi either. He nearly went three innings, and the hardest hit ball was Carter's SF in the 8th. The Mets benefited from defensive miscues to score in both the 8th and (obviously) the 10th. As a rebuttal to Buckner regarding Stapleton, I offer games 1, 2, and 5. All Red Sox wins, all finished by Stapleton at 1B.

G-Fafif Apr 28 2011 01:03 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

HahnSolo wrote: I call hijinks on Ojeda's story. NLCS game 3 was a 12 noon Saturday start. I know its a short flight, but are we really to believe he did all that in one morning? More likely he flew down and back on the off day. At least he wasn't talking about going up Mount Bleeping Kilimanjaro the second the postseason ended.

G-Fafif Apr 30 2011 03:58 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

MLBN reran Angels-Red Sox from '86 and is again showing Marlins-Cubs from '03, two eps I hadn't seen much of on first run. In the interest of burning off my disgust from Mets-Phillies '11, I inadvertently sank into a whole new level of despair for the Angels, whom I nominally favored over the Red Sox but wasn't all that caught up in at the time. If there are postseason series I have few memories of, it's postseason series that were going on at the same time as any Met postseason series, so even though I remember that ALCS Game 5 fairly well (I was hanging a living room curtain or something at my mother's behest and recall climbing off the ladder several times to see what Al Michaels was exulting about), this was the first time I really and truly concentrated on how that game went down. And it was horrible. I felt awful for the Angels, and that's without a deep allegiance to them or having any idea how the course of history might have changed had they met the Mets one round later. I felt bad for Bobby Grich, the special guest loser. I felt bad for Gene Mauch, for whom I've never had more than the most perfunctory sympathy given his track record (and that I didn't much like him when he managed Montreal). It was weird. Maybe it was just the leftover annoyance from how the Mets lost today, but it really pissed me off 25 years after the fact. Just now tried to get into a little of the Cubs-Marlins game, a contest I did watch closely when it happened and a game whose outcome I ultimately approved, common human decency notwithstanding. Then I had to turn it off. I couldn't bear to watch the Cubs' Alex Gonzalez describe his pain...and I've always hated the Cubs. I look forward to Game Six being examined in great detail, and I will revel in Bill Buckner's agony, probably, but man, to a certain degree you have to be a stone sadist to withstand the discussion segments with the panelist whose team lost in agonizing fashion.

G-Fafif May 06 2011 08:02 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

No. 2, this Sunday, will be Game Seven, 1991 World Series, Braves at Twins, the 10-inning, 1-0 thriller in which old Jack Morris outlasted young John Smoltz. No shame in being tabbed the second-greatest game of the last fifty years, but boo on taking (quite obviously) Game Six, 1975 World Series, over this one. Seventh game, for crissake. Extra innings, scoreless, all kinds of short-circuited scoring attempts, beautiful display of baseball at its best and sometimes not so great. I guess it lost points for being in the Metrodome instead of Fenway Park and for not having Carlton Fisk gesturing his ball fair. And if we're picking nits, the Red Sox won to force a Game Seven and lost Game Seven. For Game Six impact, the Mets coming from behind in 1986 WS and going on to win the whole thing resonates more. Not that Game Six 1975 wasn't stupendous on many levels, but it feels as if they pussed out, taking the older game (oldest game in this entire countdown) in the more charming setting over the true pins-and-needles affair.

Gwreck May 10 2011 09:37 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

I finished up watching the '91 game during tonight's rain delay. Guests were Smoltz and Morris which were of course perfect. I was impressed by their insightful commentary, particularly in light of Costas (and Verducci's) open invitations for them to be overly self-congratulatory. Haven't watched the game Game 6 one yet (saving it). It was noted at the end of the show that Jack Morris was one of only six players in major league history to be on the world series winning team with 3 different clubs. I could guess two others but the remaining three were total mysteries to me. Then I looked it up and saw that each of those remaining three players were all on the '13 Athletics and '18 Red Sox and that explained why I didn't know the answer...

Frayed Knot May 11 2011 08:47 PM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Just watched this game for sort of the first time. The main thing I remember about this game is being stuck at a friend's house and being out-voted by guys who wanted to watch the Sunday Night football game. There weren't even any local teams involved but: a) they all had bets on the game and b) several in the crowd were ga-ga over the Chris Berman half-time schtick and would rather kill themselves than miss it I managed to get the channel changed for part of the time to catch pieces of the game here and there (probably less than half in total) and did manage to see the climatic inning. But mostly I spent the night being told by the ignorant bunch that the fact that the game was scoreless meant "you're not missing anything". I vowed after that night to never put myself in that position again.

G-Fafif May 12 2011 05:38 AM Re: MLB Network Top 20 Games Last 50 Years

Redskins @ Giants -- same Monday Night matchup that was on against Game Seven exactly five years earlier (though a different result...I still hate Ray Handley). I vaguely recall switching back and forth in the early innings, though not because that nothing-nothing baseball game had nothing happening. I was intensely aware that October 27, 1991 was the fifth anniversary of October 27, 1986 (a point Len Berman drove home on Channel 4, showing Jesse Orosco striking out Marty Barrett). The '91 Mets had gone completely down the toilet, so this was the first postseason since 1986 that I didn't watch with some sense of "that could have been us out there." Probably the fact that it was exactly the fifth anniversary made me admit it was a very long time ago that the Mets had been champs, and definitely why I adopted five years as my rule of thumb for a bitching and moaning grace period. That is, if your team has won the World Series in the last five years, you can bitch and moan all you want in the short term (as we did in '87, '88, '89, '90) but ultimately, you have to suck it up and say, "At least my team won the World Series within the last five years. I can only complain so much." White Sox fans, for example, are, after not winning in 2010, free to kvetch like the rest of us. Cardinal fans are still on the clock through this fall. Should the Mets win another World Series, I will test that theory in case it isn't the beginning of a dynasty.