The added best 2of 3 round enabled both World Series qualifiers to end up with the same number of post-season wins, likely (have to? check it) for the first time in baseball annals.
Houston went (11-2) to claim the franchise’s second title tying them with 3 other expansion teams (the Mets, Royals and Marlins) and also with two more or less original teams the Phillies and Guardians nee Indians.
Philadelphia under Rob Thomson, who replaced Joe Girardi as manager, when the team struggled to a (22-29) start, went (11-6) in P.Season play, however, as was the case when another Thomson (Bobby) was an integral part of a pennant winner (the New York Giants in 1951), the team lost the World Series in 6 games, in the last road/home/home/road/road/home wins World Series before the just completed 2022 version.
There will be plenty more, for now this one—With the Phils denied a first title since 2008, the Yankees despite a record tying drought for them of only 1 pennant in 19 seasons (2004-2022, they had one pennant win from 1903-1921, there was no World Series in 1904 but again as the Highlanders the Yankees franchise, still the greatest achiever in major North American sports league annals and trust me they are not my team, were denied that pennant and hence just the franchise’s first of 40, that in 1921 for that “similar” 19 season span), still have a more recent title than 20 of the other 29 teams in big league baseball.
That (20-9) “record” evokes their World Series record of (20-9) after losing a second straight World Series in 1964.
One more and again, nowhere near what Hamlet pondered but “to research or not to research?!” One team other than the Yankees who clearly did so a number of times to do what the (2017-2022) Astros have done, namely win 4 A.L. pennants in 6 seasons and as is the case with the ‘Stros, go (2-2) in that year’s World Series are the 1966-1971 Baltimore Orioles.
The ’66 Orioles title team was managed by the tremendous clutch player on 5 straight Yankees’ title teams from (’49-’53) Hank Bauer.
In the aforementioned same configuration 1951 World Series, Bauer starred in the last game with a 3 run triple that yielded a (4-1) Yankees’ lead in an eventual (4-3) title clinching Yankees’ win.
Bauer preserved that lead and series clinching win with a fine catch on a low line drive hit by Sal Yvars (his phone # ended 1951, a year he is famously, perhaps somewhat infamously, associated with).
I can name 3 title winning managers whose last names start with “B’ and contain 5 letters. Perhaps you can name more. Let me know.
Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy, each to manage Texas teams in 2023 if Dusty returns as Champion Astros’ manager, join Bauer in that category. Bochy had 3 title wins with the Giants (2010, 2012 and 2014).
Hank Bauer, who holds the World Series record of having hit safely in 17 such games, is pictured above.
Mr. Bauer gratefully acknowledged to me in one of the team dugouts at the ’85 World Series I “ABC’d” that Mr. Clemente would have broken his record if afforded another World Series opportunity.
The Houston Astros rode Yordan Alvarez’ 1 out, 3 run home run/ B6, that yielded a (3-1) lead, to a World Series clinching (4-1) win in game 6,k to take the 2022 World Series vs the Philadelphia Phillies, who dropped to (2-6) in World Series play.
Houston, the city has/had 4 teams with two titles apiece, but 2 of the teams no longer play there and both their former leagues no longer exist. (The Oilers the ’60 and ’61 AFL champs are the Tennessee Titans, who now play the last of the “2” year AFL or AFC title redux games, “unopposed” tomorrow night).
I actually watched all of #6 and am happy for ‘Stros manager John “Dusty” Baker, who gained his first managerial title 41 years, after his only one as a player in strike marred 1981, doing so in this year that the man who inspired his wearing #12, the great Tommy Davis passed away.
It is the first WS clincher win by a home team since the Red Sox clinched a title at home for the first time in 95 years in 2013.
Jeremy Pena, whose single sent Jose Altuve to third (a key play was the questionable hit by pitch drawn by Martin Maldonado to start the frame and then Altuve hit into a force play), before Alvarez’ 450 home run to center, was named World Series MVP. He was also the ALCS “most valuable.”
Many more notes, some truly esoteric, will follow in the subsequent days.
The game 4 winner of a Phillies’ LCS or World Series is now (14-1). Consider that an “appetizer.”
Astros’ manager, John “Dusty” Baker hugs Jose Altuve after their ‘Stros clinch what is Baker’s first managerial crown.
A true lesson in enduring by Mr. Baker, a man I first called 50 plus years ago, asking for the better known, Ralph Garr.
Dusty Baker is a truly good man.
NEW YORK — UFC 28I features middleweight champion Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira in the main event grudge match on Saturday night, November 12.
Hoops Cabaret (48 West 33 Street), called the wold’s sexiest sports bar, will be showing the fight on its numerous HD TVs and huge Video Wall. The Hoops Cabaret girls also host the After-Party performing on stage, and also up close and personal.
Located just one block from Madison Square Garden, Hoops Cabaret combines the fun of a sports bar with the excitement of a gentlemen’s club. It’s a great place to watch all sporting events.
“Come make it rain and visit our VIP Man Cave,” said Hoops girl Diane. “The after-party is going to be wild.”
***Next door to the world famous Rick’s Cabaret NYC
The Houston Astros, now (4-0) in games 5 of the World Series, won game 5 in Philadelphia last night, (3-2), to take a 3 games to 2 lead in the 2022 World Series.
Five years ago, the ‘Stros won a home #5, (1″3″-1″2″) to also take a 3 games to 2 W.S. lead. Then they went to L.A. and lost #6, (the 4th of 6 Verlander W.S. losses before his 1 run/5 innings, but gave (1-0) lead right back to first batter Kyle Schwarber’s solo homer), win last night).
However, they won #7 behind Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers, the latter I guess would be the Houston starter if there is a 7th. (He was the losing pitcher in #3).
What a shame: I watched none last night and so little, actually almost no baseball this season and thus cite ALCS MVP Jeremy Pena, a bit “late” in this post.
This is the first time, either as a player or manager in his 6 World Series, that ‘Stros manager, Dusty Baker goes home with his team up 3 games to 2.
Last night Baker went to his “closer” Ryan Pressly (finishing the usual tangent, Baker teams, down (3-2) in his 3 other World Series lost all of them in 6, as a manager with Houston vs the Braves last year and as a player, both ’77 at New York and in ’78 at L.A. vs the Yankees. Need I add, as/since Pressly was successful with help by big defensive plays from (inserted) Trey Mancini to end the 8th and Chas McCormick, 1 out none on, as he leaped against the wall to rob first game star, J.T. Realmuto, of at least a 1 out double, that ’77 which has the same calendar as 2022, was the year Elvis Presley died and this year, 2022 a fine movie about him was released) with Phils’ runners at the corners and only 1 out and “Hous” clinging to a (3-2) lead.
Pressly fanned Brandon Marsh and got Kyle Schwarber on a hot smash to Mancini, who was at the bag and fielded the fair ball and from there, easily retired Schwarber.
Since the 1962 game 5 winner was the home team Yankees, as Tom Tresh, who hit some really clutch World Series home runs, had the decisive 3 run homer (adding/editing roughly 2 years later), the current road/home/home/road/road W.S. configuration/results had not manifested since 1951.
The 2022 World Series is tied at 2 games apiece after a World Series record tying 5 home runs Phils output won #3 (7-0), but Christian Javier hurled 6 of the Astros’ 9 pitched, hitless innings in a series squaring, (5-0) win in #4.
What can I say, once I loved this, however, situations such as last night as there is no real drama in a combined no hit bid or achievement, are among the many, as to why, I, who once fully immersed myself in every World Series play, watch so little.
Tonight is game 5 with #6 scheduled to be played Saturday night in Houston. Let’s hope not, but I fear Fox and first World Series announcer, Joe Davis will get a 7th and if so, it would go, (rhyme) vs Sunday night pig, a ’62 AFL Title tilt redux of Dallas at Houston in the form of Tennessee at K.C. (rhyme).
Speaking of Houston football, that city’s (1-5-1) Texans face Philly’s (yes Philadelphia vs Houston) (7-0) Eagles “opposite” but on something called Amazon, #5 W.S. Houston Astros at Philadelphia Phillies tonight.
The road/home/home/road configuration through the first 4 games is the first such since 1962 and before that 1951. Each of those World Series resulted in New York Yankees’ victories vs Giants’ teams, the ’51 version still in New York while the ’62 Team had San Francisco, where rain caused 3 postponements between #’s 5 and 6, as its home.
Maybe and clearly it lacked the drama and greatness of Don Larsen’s game 5 of a (2-2) World Series, FULL 9 innings, perfect game in 1956, however, praise indeed for Christian Javier, pictured above.
Before seeing Gabriel Byrne’s beyond superb performance in “Walking With Ghosts,” I considered him a great say the equivalent of a really good futbol/soccer player.
After seeing his performance, which an unknown in the elevator told me was a “primer on how to do a one person show,” when I said I was about to attend it, Mr. Byrne might appreciate his top flight goaltender for the famed Manchester United team equivalency. In other words, he is that good!
He rains down humor and pathos as he walks us through his life, which has been ripe with trauma and challenge, but also great artistic and personal triumph.
Both he and the show are truly inspirational!
The superb actor, Gabriel Byrne, pictured above.
The scheduled Sunday off day in the World Series meant/means in all likelihood there will be no Sunday World Series game for the first time since 1990 when there was a Sunday game 5 scheduled, but the Cincinnati Reds swept the heavily favored, defending champion, Oakland Athletics, clinching the crown on Saturday night in Oakland. (I remember reaching Billy Hatcher and perhaps Lou Piniella, respective World Series hitting and managerial excellence entities for a Cincy team that stayed in Oakland for at least part of that Sunday after winning what is to this point their last title).
This year no Sunday World Series tilt was scheduled. Last night’s game 3 postponement due to rain means the teams could play 5 straight days (tonight Tuesday-Saturday), and one more postponement likely would mean a Sunday game.
Assured is the fact that game 5 scheduled for Thursday night in Philadelphia will be played opposite another Philadelphia/Houston sports clash, that one matching the (7-0) Philadelphia Eagles, the lone NFL unbeaten team against the Houston Texans, whose (1-5-1) record is the league’s second worst (The Lions, sans an all the way title tilt game since 1957 are (1-6).
Houston manager Dusty Baker is in his 16th LCS or World Series as a player or manager. In half (8) of those entities, his team lost the series opener.
Only in the most recently completed such entity, the 2022 ALCS when Baker’s “Stros” swept the 3 time Baker as a player World Series opponent Yankees, was there a sweep. Thus 15 of 16 Baker LCS or World Series, both as a player or manager did not result in series sweeps.
In ’81 Baker’s lone title season to this point, that as a player, his Dodgers, beaten by the Yankees in both the ’77 and ’78 World Series, lost the first two games of that World Series but won the series. 6 of the 7 other times a Baker team lost either an LCS or WS opener, his team won game 2. The only time they did not was in the never should have been played 50 game neutral site ‘offs season of 2020 and in that ALCS in which Baker’s team lost the first two games, they lost the first three, only to become the only team to win the next 3 but lose the decisive 7th game.
Billy Hatcher, pictured above, as cited above, had a great 1990 World Series for the Lou Piniella managed Cincinnati Reds.
In 1986, playing in a classic NLCS for the Astros against the Mets that ended with a heartbreaking Astros’ loss in the last game 16 inning great game, Hatcher increased the intensity/glory of that tilt with a game tying extra innings home run.
The Houston Astros scored 3, more than enough, frst inning runs for Framber Valdez, who eased in a “V” vs “W” World Series pitching matchup, (others? I doubt it, but …) vs Zack Wheeler on 3 consecutive doubles to start and an error with 2 outs, led (5-0) and won (5-2) to square the 2022 World Series.
After the game 1 loss, Houston was (1-7) in their last 8 home World Series games, now of course (2-8) and just (4-10) all-time (5 “apps” those being in ’05,’17,’19,’21 and 2022).
Meanwhile the Phillies dropped to the same (1-7) mark, all-time in Saturday World Series games. They lost Saturday W.S. tilts in 1915, 1980, 1983 and 2009 while losing 2 in 1993, the second one on Joe Carter’s World Series ending 3RHR (now is not that better and more informative than saying w-lk o-f ?!) before last night’s loss.
Only in 2008, en route to their second crown, did they win a Saturday World Series tilt while in ’80 they won their first crown despite a Saturday World Series game 4 loss at Kansas City (Royals), a game in which Willie Mays Aikens cracked 2 home runs for K.C.
1915 had a much different home/away configuration (it ended in 5 games, the first two and Boston title clinching 5th games at Baker Bowl (seems there is a Baker managing the Phils’ 2022 World Series opponent) in Philly, however it played out on Friday, Saturday and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday as this one will, weather permitting. I do not know where a 6th or 7th would have been 107 years ago and doubt I ever will) however, the other 4 previous (1-1) Phils’ World Series had the current 2-3-2 configuration.
The World Series teams went to Philadelphia for games (3-5) all 4 times (as I was writing this a WNYC, just before “The Puzzle” yielded regarding Drexel University in Philadelphia) with one of the teams winning both games 3 and 4 and eventually the series.
Thrice it was the Phils’ opponent (in ’83 the Orioles won games (3-5) and clinched in Philly while the ’93 Blue Jays and 2009 Yankees won #’s 3 and 4 in Philly, lost game 5 there but titled in game 6 at home), that won games 3 and 4 and the series and once in 2008 it was the Phillies and they won their second crown with home wins in games (3-5), enabling the late, great Phillies’ broadcaster, Harry Kalas, denied such in ’80 as local announcers could not broadcast the W.S. to call the end of game 5.
The great player, Paul Molitor, pictured above, (Paul was primarily a designated hitter, but before this year such players were not allowed to play a W.S. tilt without playing in the field when the contests were in a National League park) played first base and delivered a big hit early in #3 at Philly in ’93 and later as a designated hitter, got a hit putting 2 on with one out before Carter’s incredibly dramatic World Series ending home run.
Despite being down (5-0), the 87 “reg” wins, Philadelphia Phillies (10-2) in this baseball tournament, rode J.T. Realmuto’s tying 2 run double (T5) and solo homer top 10, to (6-5) the Astros (Houston is 0-5 in World Series opening games and have lost 7 of 8 home World Series games since winning 1″3″-1″2″ to take a “3”-“2”, 2017 World Series lead, en route to their lone crown) in the 2022 World Series opening game.
Once again, Houston starter, Justin Verlander (this was a no decision for the (0-6) in World Series play, pitcher) failed, this time, truly, big time!
The Phillies playing on a 4th consecutive Friday, all in different post-season entities, are (4-0) in such games and are now (6-2) in World Series opening games.
As cited in an earlier post, thrice the Phils have won the World Series opener only to lose the series, including the entity held 107 years ago in 1915, when after Grover Cleveland Alexander and the Philly beat Boston in the “opener,” in a game played on a Friday, the Philly team lost the last 4 games of that World Series.
J.T. Realmuto, pictured above.
Tonight, certainly for the first time in a long time and perhaps ever, the World Series begins on a Friday. It matches the Houston Astros, still the only team to play in the World Series representing both the National and American Leagues and the Philadelphia Phillies.
It is a redux of arguably the greatest post-season entity of all (late in game 5, in what is a treasured memory, my father who had seen baseball for say 55 years at that point (he got 13 more, Joe Carter’s World Series ending homer vs the Phils his last and to me after that, with the wild card presence and eventual other c-ap, baseball has taken a precipitous drop. Yet this is W.S. time and I I am looking forward to it. I might even watch it, albeit with the sound off), the 1980 NLCS won by the Phils in an extra inning, decisive 5th game.
Neither franchise has experienced much World Series success as the Phillies are (2-5), the ‘Stros (1-3) in such entities. In World Series games, the Phils are (14-23), the 23 losses evoking their modern baseball record losing streak of 23 consecutive games, 61 years ago in 1961, while the Astros are (9-15).
None of the seven previous Phillies’ World Series have gone 7 games while half of Houston’s 4 have gone to a decisive 7th (a Houston title in ’17 and a loss in ’19). The 7 Phils World Series have averaged 5.28 games in length while Houston’s 4 have averaged exactly 6.
The teams were swept in World Series play 55 years apart. The Phillies were swept by the Yankees, that 1950 title was the second of what was to be a still record and long to be such, 5 straight crowns for the Yankees. Conversely the White Sox title bearing sweep of the Astros in 2005 gave the South Side Chicago team its first title in 88 years. (only the same city Cubs’ 108 year title drought was longer).
Houston (Astros) are (0-4) in World Series opening games while the Phillies are (4-3). The game 1 winner has failed to title in 4 of the combined 11 World Series of the two teams (the Phils won the 1915, 1983 and 2009 openers, the 1915 opening game behind the great Grover Cleveland Alexander, but lost the World Series. The Astros lost the 2017 World Series opener at L.A. vs the Dodgers but won game 7 there and the title.)
There are 3 links to Ronald Wilson Reagan involving Phillies’ World Series play that come to mind and likely only my mind.
“Dutch,” as Reagan was called, among other names (I can think of a few) played Grover Alexander the aforementioned 1915 W.S. opening game winner in a movie called “The Winning Team” opposite Doris Day and gave a nice performance.
The Phillies finally won the title in 1980 less than a month before Reagan was elected U.S. President.
In 1983, Reagan came on camera, before top 8 and after the delay, Garry Maddox, who had the decisive hit and caught the last out in the classic 1980 NLCS, homered on Scott MacGregor’s first pitch, accounting for the game’s final run in the Phils’ (2-1) win.
However, as was the case in 1915, the Phillies lost the last 4 games of the series. In ’09, the Phils won the opener at the Yankees but lost the next 3 games and the series in 6 games.
Bake McBride (is this the year “Bake” (Astros manager Dusty Baker, his team nearly a 2:1 favorite finally wins a title as a manager?) had a key home run in game 1/1980 World Series, the only time either the Phils or Astros won both the W.S. opening game and the series.
Andy B Sports 