While the 84 wins/Arizona Diamondbacks again scored early and often to beat 100 wins L.A. (Dodgers) to go up (2-0) in their “div” series, the Atlanta Braves for the 33rd time in their last 38 post-season series, (that includes a loss in 2 straight games to the Dodgers in an unscheduled playoff for the N.L. Pennant) are at least (1-1), after overcoming a (4-0) deficit– {(4-1)} after 6, to (5-4) the Philadelphia Phillies, squaring that one eighth joke, I mean series. (Atlanta with 104 wins finished 14 games ahead of the Phillies in the N.L. East).
‘Zona seeking just their third NLCS appearance, put LA. in a (2-0) hole for the second time in the last 3 series.
In a span of 34 seasons from (’55-’88), the Dodgers in Brooklyn for the first two and in L.A. for the next 18 such, were (19-1) either to be at least (1-1) or as happened four times , thrice in World Series play, (’55,’65 and ’81), and in a strike marred season extra round best of 5 vs the then N.L. Houston Astros, overcoming a (2-0) series deficit to win that entity. That record also includes their above referenced 2 games to none triumph vs Milwaukee (Braves) in the ’59 playoff for the N.L. crown.
In their first 7 post-season series, all World Series and as the Brooklyn Dodgers, they were at least (1-1) four times. (Not in 1916,1947 and 1953 and (1-1) in 1920, 1941, 1949 and 1952 and they lost all 7 series).
Currently in their last 29 post-season series, L.A. is just (19-10) to be at least (1-1) or overcome a (2-0) series deficit as they did vs Atlanta in the 2020 true joke/bubble tournament. (18-11) to be at least (1-1)
After being at least (1-1) in all 4 World Series, two each as Boston and Milwaukee– and then being swept in 2 straight in an unscheduled ‘off for the ’59 pennant, both the ’69 Mets and ’82 Cardinals swept Atlanta in 3 straight NLCS games.
Thus the Atlanta Braves franchise, again (33-4) to be at least (1-1), after ’82 — has been at least (1-1) in 37 of their 44 (ode to Henry Aaron) post-season series. (Again counting the Dodgers 2 game sweep of the then Milwaukee Braves in an unscheduled ‘off for the 1959 National League Pennant.
Who but me?! There might be an error or two here, if so let me know.
Peace, but sadly do not hold your breath!!
Joe Adcock, pictured above. He was a member of excellent (’56-’59) Braves’ teams that won 1 title, lost in a 7 game W.S., 2 game ‘off and on the ’56 season’s last day.
At least and truly important to me those were real races, no wild cards.
Tomorrow in #3 of their “div” series vs 101 wins/top A.L. seed, Baltimore (Orioles), which they lead (2-0) after a pair of road wins, the Texas Rangers, the team that has gone the longest without ever winning a title, will play at home for the first time since Sunday September 24th (16 days).
After a “that” day (ode to Marlo Thomas and underappreciated Linda B. as “That Girls”) win/sweep of Seattle (Mariners, by the way the only one of the 30 big league teams to have never made a World Series appearance), Texas had a magic # of 5 to win the A.L. West and become the A.L. “2” seed.
They did not get it, losing (1-0) on Sunday October 1, the final day of the so diminished baseball “reg.”
However, under manager, Bruce Bochy (40-17) in ‘offs tilts starting with the first of his 3 title seasons with the S.F. Giants in 2010 (Bochy’s record in Post-season with the San Diego Padres was (8-16) with a pennant in ’98 only to be swept in the subsequent World Series by a Yankees’ team that amassed 114 “reg” and the required 11 in post-season to win their 25th crown) Texas ripped both Tampa Bay and Baltimore in 2 road games apiece.
They eliminated the “2” seed, 99 wins/I am afraid never to be (never is a long time) Rays and lead the O’s (2-0) in the best of 5/”bast” with the next 2 tilts, the second if necessary, in Texas.
Bruce Bochy, the aforementioned, 3 time title winning manager S.F. is pictured above.
Cue “The Mamas and Papas,” and I will “link” “I Saw Her Again” within this post, which cites the fact only the defending champion Houston Astros, among the 4 home team favorites, won their “div” series opener yesterday.
Houston has now won 12 straight home division series games since an excruciating loss to eventual champion Kansas City in #4 of their “bast” (have to use that at least once because this exponential disrespect for the true test, 162 game “reg,” in an anything can happen sport such as baseball is galling!!) in 2015.
The ‘Stros opponent in this “div” series is Minnesota (Twins), whose Carlos Correa, a key Houston player and a title winner with them in ’17, made a key error in that real Columbus Day tilt on October 12, 2015.
I could/did not contact John “Dusty” Baker to among other things, congratulate him on finally winning a managerial, or for that matter, non strike season title and now with a ways to go (obviously) he might join Clearance “Cito” Gaston, as having guided a team to back to back crowns, 30 years apart.
Certainly Justin Verlander, whom I do not like and Yord Alvarez, who I do, join Jose Altuve another I “dig” as standout performers.
Altuve homered, leading off the Houston home first, Alvarez parked 2 home runs while Verlander hurled 6 shutout innings.
Alas a long way to go but Houston is a nice “fave” vs Minne and if Texas, which “opened” the O’s at Baltimore, prevails and it is an all Texas teams ALCS, Houston will be a decent sized “fave.”
I will have more notes on the N.L. where again both the Braves and L.A. (Dodgers) lost, for each a 4th straight such loss in this ridiculous extra round.
Good news for each is some past history regarding these teams, especially Atlanta for #2 and through 2 games, that I hope to research.
I lived, ate and breathed this and the fact they did what they did starting in ’94 and ’95 plus other yields, some really negative thoughts.
Just in case: know I like the Astros, certainly think they have achieved “mucho.”
A helluva of a good pitcher, albeit a 6 or 7 innings one, Justin Verlander, pictured above.
Whether the guy who thought (wrong, by the way) he would teach Nick Nolte’s Tom Jordache in “R.M.P.M.” a lesson or the name of Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky’s” dog, Dick Butkus, who sadly died at age 80 days back, epitomized toughness.
More important, he was an all-time great player, both in college at Illinois and with the “Chi” Bears, a now (1-4) team that “honored” Butkus, doubling (2-3) “Wash” on the day Butkus died.
What a draft for the Bears in ’65, though even getting Butkus and the great Gale Sayers never produced an ‘offs appearance, in those far better days of one team, from each conference in the ‘offs.
I met Mr. Butkus once and he was a friendly great, (not all are).
“Silly” talked of him yelling all night at Fran Tarkenton, another great who never titled though in more than his share of ‘offs games and I recall the Sunday night CBS News, then classy with little if any sports, showing Butkus scoring on a botched extra point to win a game vs you guessed it, Washington.
Great memories of a truly great player with whom I had a nice meeting.
Left to right, the great Dick Butkus and Andy B. some, now pretty many, years back.
Click below to view Pat Summerall’s narration on “This Week In Pro Football” of another Bears/Wash game (the two franchises have had so many big ones) in which Butkus and quarterback Bobby Douglass made great plays on the go ahead to stay extra point play in ’71.
The season long and slightly beyond (once the Liberty became the “loaded Liberty”) anticipated final between the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the aforementioned New York Liberty has manifested.
Las Vegas finished (34-6), the Liberty (32-8) each over the 29 plus win total. Las Vegas started the year rated virtually even with the Liberty before moving to about 220/260 and now are say 170/200 to win the series.
Who knows? I do care, but perhaps, for the wrong reasons.
It starts Sunday on of course a full day of NFL and two “div series” MLB games.
A one time winner was on the “bdcst,” he being Alex Rodriguez, on 3 different Yankees’ teams that ‘off’d the Twins during their 12 series loss skein, and the streak is over, (now the losing team, Blue Jays have lost 7 straight ‘offs games) as “Minne” advances to play defending champion, Houston (Astros) in a “quarter,” beginning Saturday in Houston.
In 17 post-season series of a minimum 2 games, one team, be it the Twins or their opponent, has won the first two games 12 times. (In 3 World Series as the original Washington Senators, speaking of the Washington Senators, the Texas Rangers nee Washington Senators 1961 expansion (not so good) “vintage,” took Tampa Bay (Rays) also in 2 straight and will face the Baltimore Orioles. (Lowenfish/”Balti” vs Bochy/Texas, only in ’33 when the N.Y. Giants (link to Lowenfish, Bochy but I like neither theirs nor the bigger “society”) won 1 and 2 en route to a 5 game W.S. win, did a team go up (2-0).
In their now 6 post-season series victories, the Twins won the first two games four times. Those occurrences were in the ’87 ALCS, ’87 World Series, ’91 World Series and the “b.S.” “12 to 8 round,” best of 3, just completed.
In the ’65 World Series, with Sandy Koufax NOT pitching game 1 due to his observance of Yom Kippur and actually losing #2, Minne at home, as was the case in the 4 series in which they won the first two or in the 12 to 8 case, only two, won the first two games.
However, L.A. with Sandy pitching shutouts in #’s 5 and 7 (only he and Lew Burdette have done so in World Series play) (Claude Osteen and Don Drysdale had the other Dodgers’ pitching wins) won the crown.
The Twins lost the first two and all 3 to the O’s in both the ’69 and ’70 ALCS and also the first two games in best of 5 “quarters” (I will be polite) in ’06 (vs the A’s), and in ’09,’10 and ’19 vs the Yankees.
In the only previous post-season Houston vs Minnesota baseball clash, if you can call it that, the ‘Stros took Minne in 2 straight in the ridiculous “bubble” playoffs in 2020.
In the only other two Houston/Minne ‘offs series, the Houston Rockets won both vs the Minnesota Timberwolves.
They (4-1’d) and (3-0’d) Minne in first round series in ’18 and ’97 respectively. Houston is (9-1) vs Minne in ‘offs games.
Rodriguez, surely, largely a “bow-wow” in ‘offs, was just as surely superb for the Yankees in their 2009 title season including their playoffs run.
He was supposedly dating Goldie Hawn’s (pictured above) daughter Kate Hudson at the time.
Seems during #2, ’09 “quarters” vs Minne, I watched Hawn, liking her, thought negatively and the super talented Rodriguez, hit a game tying homer (B9).
Rodriguez and the Yankees lost #1 to the Twins in the ’04 “quarters” and as was the case in ’03 before Rodriguez ventured to New York, won the next 3, the ’04 wins starting an 18 game(s), 19 years, Twins’ ‘offs loss skein.
In the ’91 ALCS Minne and Toronto split the first two before the Twins won the last 3 and eventually a second title. In ’02 Minne and Oakland split the first two before David Ortiz and Minne won a decisive #5.
The lone Angels’ crown/”halo?” came after they dropped the first game, but won the last 4 vs the Twins in the ’02 ALCS. They followed that 7’ing those Giants.
One other, a one game, also “b.S.” (not as bad as 12 to 8) “10 to 8’er,” manifested in a Yankees’ win vs Minne in ’17.
Who but me?!!
Today a —–, that eventually, in the next days will set the 4 division series that begin on Saturday with 4 games to be followed by 2 games each on the next 2 days, commences.
Thus: In ’67, on aforementioned October 1, 1967, Boston won the A.L. Pennant with details in the previous post.
Surely, it capped an incredible pennant race, the likes of which, are gone, seemingly with as much chance (20 game winner Dean Chance was the Twins’ starter and took the loss) of returning, as the dinosaurs.
The starting lineups, 18 players, (no designated hitter) that last game (Minne at Boston on 10/1/67, exactly 56 years ago last Sunday) had 9 players, whose last name started with one of the last 12 letters of the 26 letter alphabet.
Far more unusual, there were “Z” (Twins’ catcher Jerry “Z”immerman), “Y” (the great player, Boston left fielder, Carl “Y”astrzemski), “V” (Minne shortstop, Zoilo Versailles, 2 years earlier the A.L. MVP) and “U” (Twins center fielder, Ted “U”hlaender), starting last names.
Add Minne right fielder, Pedro “Tony” “O”liva, (I believe in the watered down Hall, not that he was not a great hitter), and third baseman, Cesar “T”ovar, giving the Twins players with the 26th, 22nd, 21st and 15th letters at the start of their surnames.
Boston’s lineup adds two “S’s” first sacker George “Great” Scott and rookie center fielder, Reggie Smith plus shortstop, Americo “Rico” Petrocelli.
Eventually, Boston starting pitcher, Jim Lonborg notched his 22nd win.
He started the Boston 3rd with visiting Minne up (2-0) with a single but was erased on a double play.
However, in the 6th, again “Lonny” led off with a hit and this time Boston scored 5 runs in an eventual (5-3) win.
Ken Coleman, narrating the start and I believe Mel Parnell on the two plays shown including the last, are the broadcasters.
Sunday past marked the exact 56 year anniversary of the last day of the 1967 season which produced an epic 3 teams alive and essentially in control of their destiny true one half entity pennant race.
You can keep yesterday, though John “Dusty” Baker somehow guided the Astros to another one eighth “div” crown and as the A.L. “2” –the ‘Stros are a viable “repeat” threat.
In ’67 Boston led by Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Lonborg (5-2’d) Minne and when the Tigers split a double header vs the Angels for a second straight day, it was a first Boston Red Sox pennant since ’46, denying Detroit which had not won one since ’45.
The Red Sox, Tigers, and Angels all are out while Minne seeking to end an incredible 18 game ‘offs loss skein, faces Toronto in a 12 to 8 series, best of 3, with all games, whether 2 or 3 to be in Minne.
I say Minne, this time , the winner of that series to face the Astros, who will be bidding for a 7th straight ALCS appearance.
Dick McAuliffe , an excellent player, pictured above, had not grounded into a double play all season.
When he did on that fateful “Oct” 1, exactly 56 years ago yesterday, the Red Sox had the ’67 A.L. Pennant.
They lost in 7 to St. Loo and went 86 years sans a title (‘1918-2004).
Detroit got in and 7’d the Cards for a first title in “23/Willie Horton” years in ’68.
This is the tenth “3” year in which an NFL Title Game (now called the Super Bowl) will be played.
One THIRD of the 9 titles won in those “THREE Year seasons,” were annexed by the Chicago Bears, often evoking that war like term, with their hard, hard hitting play.
Those crowns were won in ’33, ’43 and ’63.
The (not the ridiculous “DA,” though other terms namely the one for greatest player is much worse) Bears have started 2023, with losses in all THREE tilts.
On the seemingly “flip side,” two previous “3” year title franchises, the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins already have THREE wins, the Lions, sans even an appearance in a game for the NFL crown in 66 years, are (3-1), while the Dolphins, whose last crown was in ’73, are (3-0).
Detroit won the ’53 crown, defeating the Cleveland Browns, as a late Bobby Layne to Jim Doran touchdown pass was decisive.
The Browns, who last titled in 1964 take a (2-1) record into a home tilt vs the (2-1) Baltimore Ravens, whom I will say again, really are the Browns’ franchise.
The ’83 champion Raiders are (1-2), as are the ’03 champion Patriots are also (1-2).
Dallas, which won it all in ’93 is (2-1), as is the 2013 winner, the Seattle Seahawks.
A great runner and a member of the ’63 title winning Bears’ team, sadly Willie Galimore died in a car accident before the ’64 season began.
Often calming and needed now: “Here’s a groundball to third, Robinson to Powell and the Orioles win,” was Jim McIntyre’s call as the Baltimore Orioles led by Brooks Robinson, who sadly died days back at age 86, “5’d” the Cincinnati Reds in the 1970/AKA “Brooks Robinson Series,
It was a routine play on a ball hit by Reds’ pinch hitter, Pat Corrales, who both recently died and was benefitted by money raised by the Orioles’ “Kangaroo Court,” after his wife died, now so many years ago.
There were so many great defensive plays made by Brooks in that W.S. including one on John Bench 2 outs before the end and another on “The Big Bopper,” Lee May (there seemingly is always “sad news” and idiots “on the doorstep,” but the music and thoughts of Brooks’ play on May, and other plays help) in game 1, that defies belief.
He also starred at the plate and his and Roberto Clemente’s performances in back to back World Series, all but one of the 12 games in the day, in the ’70 and ’71 Fall Classics, also help.
I could field a little bit and to practice, now away from immediate grass, (alas it was a Tom Goode, pronounced Goud, who snapped, Earl Morrall held and from my #, 32, Jim O’Brien kicked, giving Baltimore a Supe crown following the Brooks led World Series crown in ’70 and another with a deformed mouth, whose magnitude I was too immature to grasp, who so often chased us when there was grass, with “there is no ball playing on the grass”) I threw the softer ball against a wall and I was “Great” aka George Scott or Wes Parker at first, I think Rod Carew, better known for great hitting at second, Bud Harrelson at “short,” and always Brooks-he could come in, stay back, was prepared and anticipated at third.
There were so many clutch hits and when one adds that regarding fielding, I think only Clete Boyer or Billy Cox could perhaps match at “The Hot Corner,” I put Brooks at the head of any great third sacker’s list, adding my Dad’s Harold “Pie” Traynor, along with Ed Mathews and Mike Schmidt.
After his great play on May, Brooks homered to break a (3-3) tie in the Orioles’ key (4-3) win in the ’70 opener.
In ’66, when his O’s swept my Dodgers, Brooks followed Frank Robinson’s home run with one of his own T1/#1 and that is just two of so many, big Brooks hits.
I do not need stats, but check those of Brooks Robinson vs the Twins in the ’70 ALCS and his .429 batting average vs the Reds, in that aforementioned ’70 W.S.
Before the 1969 Mets, a tremendous 100 wins team with great pitching and a Gil Hodges managed, effective “platoon lineup,” got breaks and used great skill to “5” a truly great 109 wins O’s team, they had to overcome a series opening loss and the fact a 2 out, B7, clutch hit by Mr. Robinson, Brooks, tied # 2.
It is certainly noteworthy that Brooks Robinson, who made so many great defensive plays in his 4 World Series appearances, was himself “robbed” of a hit, on a catch by Ron Swoboda, (T9, #4, Mets up (1-0) and 2 games to 1) that also truly defied belief.
In 1992, I interviewed Brooks and he loved the fact, I knew that his 2,000th big league hit was also his 200th such home run.
An incredible player and man, Brooks Robinson! He is pictured and almost certainly above.
Andy B Sports 