Sully Baseball Salutes... Matty Alou

Matty Alou, the middle brother of the famed Alou brothers of San Francisco Giants lore, passed away. He began the 1962 pennant winning rally for the Giants and played well in the World Series.

But it was his time in Pittsburgh where he flourished. He won a batting title with the 1966 Pirates, played in the 1970 NLCS and made two All Star teams. He was dealt away before the 1971 season and missed his chance to win a World Series title in Pittsburgh.

But in 1972, he was dealt back to the Bay Area just before the September cut off. This time he was with the Oakland A's. He knocked in a key run in the A's Game 2 win over Detroit in the ALCS, hit a 10th inning double that looked like it would win the pennant. (The Tigers would tie and win the game.)

He would be the starting right fielder for the World Champion A's. His brother Jesus would join the A's for the 1973 and 1974 title teams.

Later Matty would finish his career in Japan.

The Alous are a regal baseball dynasty.
Not only were his brothers Felipe and Jesus big leaguers as well and his nephew Moises, but also his nephew Mel Rojas and cousin Jose Sosa all played in the show.

14+ years in the majors... a batting title... a World Series title... multiple All Star selections... and being a pioneer for Dominican players.

Matty Alou lived a life worth celebrating.

Teams that avoided the big collapse

One of two things are going to happen today at the Trop:

The Rays will complete a remarkable comeback in a series where they were 5 outs from elimination and looked dead from the neck up.

Or

The Rangers will have fought off a gigantic scare and win their first ever post season series.

Both are pretty dramatic.

We hear a lot about the teams that have come back from deep holes to win the final 3 games of a post season series.

Teams down 2-0 in a best of 5 series or down 3-1 in a best of 7 series who storm back and win. (Only one team pulled it off being down 3-0… I don’t remember which one.)

With all the big comebacks, doesn’t it always seem like the team that ties the series has the momentum and winds up winning it?

But what about the near misses?

What about the teams down 2-0 in a best of 5 or down 3-1 in a best of 7 and force a deciding game… only to lose it?

The comebacks that fall just short. Or for the other team, narrowly avoiding a gigantic choke.

If the Rangers win tonight, they will have dodged a massive bullet.

What other teams avoided an epic collapse when they let their opponent off the matt to force a deciding game, only to compose themselves and win the do or die finale?

The 1972 A's did it in BOTH the ALCS and World Series... not a bad showing.

We here at Sully Baseball don’t just ponder questions like that?
We list them:

THE TEAMS THAT AVOIDED A MASSIVE COLLAPSE

1912 BOSTON RED SOX
Red Sox had a 3-1-1 lead over New York Giants in the World Series. (One tie due to darkness.)
Giants won 2 in a row to force deciding 8th game.

FINAL GAME:
GAME 8: RED SOX win 3-2 in 10 innings.
2 outs away from losing the series, the Red Sox score 2 aided my Fred Snodgrass dropping a fly ball and win the World Series.

1967 ST LOUIS CARDINALS
Cardinals had a 3-1 lead over Boston Red Sox in the World Seres
Red Sox won 2 in a row to force deciding 7th game.

FINAL GAME:
GAME 7: CARDINALS win 7-2.
Bob Gibson is unstoppable and throws a complete game victory and hits a home run for good measure. Jim Lonborg is no match for him on only 2 days rest.

1972 OAKLAND A'S
A's had a 2-0 lead over Detroit Tigers in the ALCS.
Tigers won 2 in a row to force deciding 5th game.

FINAL GAME:
GAME 5: A'S win 2-1
Reggie Jackson steals home to tie the game in the second but tears his hamstring. Gene Tenace drives home the go ahead run in the 4th. Vida Blue throws 4 innings for the save, getting Tony Taylor, the potential pennant winning run, to fly out.

A's had a 3-1 lead over Cincinnati Reds in the World Series.
Reds won 2 in a row to force deciding 7th game.

FINAL GAME:
GAME 7: A'S win 3-2
The A's took the lead in the 6th while the Reds threatened with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 8th. They had the tying run on base and the World Series winning run at the plate in the 9th, but Rollie Fingers got Pete Rose to pop up to win the Series.

1981 MONTREAL EXPOS
Expos had a 2-0 lead over Philadelphia Phillies in the Divisional Playoff.
Phillies won 2 in a row to force deciding 5th game.

FINAL GAME:
GAME 5: EXPOS win 3-0
Steve Rogers out dueled Steve Carlton and the defending World Champion Phillies in Philadelpha with a 6 hit shut out. Rogers drove in 2 runs himself with an RBI single in the 5th.

1981 NEW YORK YANKEES
Yankees had a 2-0 lead over Milwaukee Brewers in the Divisional Playoff.
Tigers won 2 in a row to force deciding 5th game.

FINAL GAME:
GAME 5: YANKEES win 7-3
The Brewers took an early 2-0 lead on Ron Guidry who only lasted 4 innings. But Reggie Jackson and Oscar Gamble hit back to back homers to give the Yankees the lead for good.

1992 ATLANTA BRAVES
Braves had a 3-1 lead over Pittsburgh Pirates in the NLCS.
Pirates won 2 in a row to force deciding 7th game.

FINAL GAME:
GAME 7: BRAVES win 3-2.
Pirates ace Doug Drabek took a shutout into the 9th inning. But a Pendleton double and an error by Jose Lind knocked him out. With two outs, seldom used catcher Francisco Cabrera hit a two run pinch hit single to win the game and the series for Atlanta.

2008 TAMPA BAY RAYS
Rays had a 3-1 lead over Boston Red Sox in the ALCS.
Red Sox won 2 in a row to force deciding 7th game.

FINAL GAME:
GAME 7: RAYS win 3-1.
The Red Sox took an early 1-0 lead and carried that into the 4th. The Rays got to Jon Lester and Matt Garza shut down the potent Red Sox lineup. But when Boston loaded the bases in the 8th, it looked like they were going to pull ahead. Rookie David Price came out of the bullpen and struck out J. D. Drew and pitched the 9th for the save.



So there you have it...
7 teams avoided the ignominious fate of blowing a big post season lead.
Will the Rangers join them? Or will they be the latest team to shake their heads and say "We HAD this!"?

Sully Baseball Predicts...THE DIVISION WINNERS AND WORLD SERIES PICKS

1972 and 1990 were big years in the life of your pal Sully.

On May 14, 1972, the same day Willie Mays hit a home run to defeat the Giants in his first game as a Met, I was born in Willimantic, CT.

And in June of 1990, I graduated from high school in Atherton, CA and went off to NYU.

I predict there is going to be a very 1972 and 1990 feel to this year.

As I said in my 40 Fearless Predictions post, the days of a World Series pick being absurd is over.

And while everyone and their moose is picking the Cubs or Mets against the Red Sox or Angels or Yankees... I feel that a team filled with young talent taking a "Why not us?" attitude will be the ones who survive this season and October.

It might sound like I am sticking my neck out with my picks this year... but again, how is anything out of the question after seeing the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays.

SULLY BASEBALL'S OFFICIAL PICKS FOR THE YEAR

AL EAST: NEW YORK YANKEES

They are designed to beat up inferior teams in the regular season. However their lack of depth is startling. $200 million payroll and they don't have a jack of all trades infielder? That being said, they'll win 94 games.

AL CENTRAL: MINNESOTA TWINS

The White Sox are in transition, the Royals are a year away, the Indians have too many pitching question marks and the Tigers are a catastrophe. Meanwhile the Twins can pitch, hit, field and have some pop. This shouldn't be a close race.

AL WEST: OAKLAND A'S

Billy Beane knew when to fold 'em and dealt away Danny Haren, Rich Harden and Joe Blanton. Now the team is loaded with young arms and have injected (sorry) Giambi into the lineup with Holiday and Cabrera. Plus I think the Angels are going to take 2 steps back this year. This division is ripe for the taking by a less than perfect yet hungry team.

AL WILD CARD: BOSTON RED SOX

The Rays have talent, the Angels have experience and the Indians and White Sox will play hard. But the Red Sox pitching staff will be the difference.

NL EAST: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Sorry Mets... bringing in a closer with a penchant for blowing the big games isn't the answer. Plus Philly will have a little swagger and way too much young talent for the Mets to beat them. And did someone mention the Marlins?


NL CENTRAL: CINCINNATI REDS

Dynamic young sluggers... a surprisingly deep pitching staff... a fan base revived... it will be a fun year along the Ohio River. Meanwhile Cub fans will see a team that looks better on paper not gel and will end the season talking about year 102.



NL WEST: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Manny all year long will bring the fans in. Young arms like Broxton, Billingsley and Kershaw will win the games. And despite the best efforts of the Diamondbacks and Giants, the Dodgers finish in first with 96 wins.

NL WILD CARD: ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

How does Tony LaRussa do it? He has another Cut and Paste rotation and is banking on young Colby Rasmus and won't have Troy Glaus... and yet still pushes St. Louis to 90 wins past the Mets, Marlins, Diamondbacks and Cubs.

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

TWINS defeat YANKEES

3 games to 2

A'S  defeat RED SOX

3 games to 1

That's right... I am saying a dream ALCS rematch between the Red Sox and Yankees will be preempted by two low budget teams playing in football stadiums. FOX takes a big gulp.

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

DODGERS defeat CARDINALS

3 games to o

REDS defeat PHILLIES

3 games to 2

The Dodgers hold up their end of the bargain of providing star power to the LCS. More people start criticizing the Red Sox for dealing Manny. 

The Phillies take an early lead but the playoffs turn into a Joey Votto/Jay Bruce coming out party.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

A'S defeat TWINS 

4 games to 3

Nobody watches the game played in the two ugliest parks in the game... and it is a shame as some of the best young talent in the game squares off. The A's pitching staff is the difference in a 7 game thriller.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
REDS defeat DODGERS
4 games to 2

Fox Execs pull their hair out as they have yet another World Series matchup without a national following. Yet even they have to admit the Reds are exciting.

WORLD SERIES

A'S defeat REDS 

4 games to 3

Baseball has to party like it is 1972 or 1990. The Reds get big hits and Johnny Cueto and company look devastating. But in the end, the A's bats explode and clinch the big one. And Fox, forced to promote a series based on young exciting talent and hungry fan bases, will get a 7 game thriller that casual baseball fans will miss but loyal fans will cherish.

Billy Beane gets his World Series title as does Jason Giambi and Nomar Garciaparra.

Then in the off season, despite having a post season with low revenue teams triumphing, the Yankees will sign a big free agent and everyone will start screaming for a salary cap to keep the Yankees from winning every year!

SO THAT'S MY PICKS!

Again, I'm usually wrong... I hope I am because I want the Red Sox to win it all!

But if I am right, good times will be there for Reds and A's fans.

It will be just like the year that The Godfather came out... or the year that The Godfather Part III came out... take your pick!