The All "Welcome Back!" Sentimental Yankee Team - A 25 Man Roster

The Yankees love to bring stars to the Bronx, but do you know what they love more?
Bringing back Yankees!

As I wrote before, the Yankees are underrated in their gooey sentimentality and nostalgia. But I wondered about the Steinbrenner era and how many former Yankees came back for a second tour of duty.

How many times have the Yankees got fans cheering by bringing back a hero of old with the implied promise of "It's Going To Be Just Like Before!"

George kept triumphantly bringing back old heroes. Hank and Hal seem ready to continue the tradition.

And I created a 25 man roster of Yankee heroes who had an encore... often times an anticlimactic one.

As always, my 25 man roster will have a starter at each position, 5 starting pitchers, 5 relievers, 2 reserve infielders, 2 reserve outfielders, a backup catcher and a 25th player.

The All "Welcome Back!" Sentimental Yankee Team

Starting Catcher – MIKE STANLEY

First Tour (1992-1995) Became an All Star and Silver Slugger Award winner when he crushed 26 homers, batted .305 and posted a .923 OPS in 1993. He was a key part of the 1994 team whose Division Title hopes were dashed by the strike. In the 1995 Division Series he homered, batted .313 and slugged .500. Super popular, he was passed over for Joe Girardi and headed to Boston.

Second Tour (1997) For the August stretch run, the Yankees traded Tony Armas Jr. to the Red Sox to bring Stanley back. He played 28 games with the 1997 Yankees, the only team between 1996 and 2000 to NOT win the World Series! What rotten luck.


Starting First Baseman – TINO MARTINEZ

First Tour (1996-2001) Took over for Don Mattingly and became one of the best big game players on the Yankees. The AL MVP runner up in 1997, he slugged a game turning grand slam in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series and homered off of Tom Glavine in the Yankees come from behind Game 3 victory in the 1999 World Series. But most famously launched a 2 out 2 run Game Tying homer in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series. When the Yankees let him walk to St. Louis to make room for Jason Giambi, many Yankee fans were disgusted.

Second Tour (2005) In the wake of the 2004 ALCS collapse and Giambi being linked to steroids, the Yankees needed some positive old time Yankee feeling in the clubhouse. Fans cheered the return of Tino Martinez. He had some pop left in his bat but he was no longer the elite first baseman. He was hitless in the 2005 Division Series and retired.


Starting Second Baseman – LUIS SOJO

First Tour (1996-1999) Picked up on waivers for the stretch run, Sojo contributed to the 1996 World Series title, collecting 3 hits in 5 at bats. He was a fan favorite, batting .307 as a part time player in 1997. He looked like a regular guy, played every position and embodied the selflessness image of the Joe Torre Yankees.

Second Tour (2000-2001) Sojo went to the Pirates for the start of the 2000 season but was rescued by his old team when the Yankees dealt for him in the stretch run. With Chuck Knoblauch's fielding woes regulating him to DH, Sojo started Game 5 of the 2000 World Series and with 2 outs in the top of the 9th, drove in the winning run. He also played in the 2001 World Series and came out of retirement to play in 3 games in 2003.


Starting Shortstop – RANDY VELARDE

First Tour (1987-1995) Velarde played through some of the lean years in the Bronx. He played all over the infield and wasn't flashy but steady. In the 1995 Division Series, he drove in the 11th iining go ahead run in the decisive Game 5 off of Randy Johnson. Alas, Edgar Martinez drove in the winning runs, negating Velarde's heroism. He left the team for the Angels in the off season.

Second Tour (2001) The Yankees traded for Velarde in August in a deal with Texas. He finally got to play in the World Series. He went 1-9 in the post season and played 2002 with the "Moneyball" Oakland A's. He has become a key witness in the Bonds trial as Velarde was evidently a juicer. That would explain his 100 career homers over 16 seasons.


Starting Third Baseman – CHARLIE HAYES

First Tour (1992) In the last truly rotten year in Yankee history, Hayes gave New York some stability and pop at third base and played hard for an also ran team and in front of small crowds.

Second Tour (1996-1997) Even though the Yankees had future Hall of Famer Wade Boggs at third, they dealt for Charlie Hayes for the 1996 stretch run. In the World Series, he started 3 games and caught the final out of the Game 6 clincher.


Starting Left Fielder - OSCAR GAMBLE

First Tour (1976) The left handed slugger with a huge afro (but reduced in the Bronx) was a favorite of manager Billy Martin. He slugged 17 homers and helped the Yankees reach the World Series for the first time since 1964. But the arrival of Reggie Jackson made his spot on the roster unnecessary and was dealt to the White Sox for Bucky Dent during spring training 1977.

Second Tour (1979-1984) Gamble returned to the Bronx in a trade that sent Mickey Rivers to Texas. Reunited with Martin, he batted .358 with a 1.065 OPS in 1979. He would have won the batting title if he had enough at bats. He powered the Yankees past the Brewers in the Divisional Playoff Series of 1981.


Starting Center Fielder - ROBERTO KELLY

First Tour (1987-1992) In the Yankees last horrible stretch, Kelly was the hope of the future. He seemed like he was going to be a multiple tool star. He had power. He had speed. He had defense. And he represented the Yankees at the All Star Game. His numbers were good, but not great. But what else did the Yankees have? Suddenly they dealt him to the Reds for Paul O'Neill. And we all know how THAT ended up.

Second Tour (2000) The two time defending World Champion Yankees brought back their one time star in 2000. He played 10 games in April but that was it. He was done for the year and never played in the bigs again.


Starting Right Fielder – JIM LEYRITZ

First Tour (1990-1996) The King toiled on the wretched early 1990s Yankees squads to become an outspoken and unusually clutch post season hitter. He never played more than 95 games in a season and always was a platoon or part time player, he smashed two of the most dramatic homers in recent Yankee history. His 2 run 14th inning walk off shot ended Game 2 of the 1995 Division Series against Seattle. But it was his 3 run shot off of Mark Wohlers in Game 4 that turned the tide of the 1996 World Series for the Yankees. The Braves never led again in the series.

Second Tour (1999-2000) After stops in Anaheim, Boston, Texas and San Diego (where he continued to club post season homers) Leyritz returned to the Bronx for the 1999 stretch run. Surprise! He picked up another World Series homer in Game 4 against the Braves. He was traded to the Dodgers the next year and retired. He was mainly a catcher but that position was plentiful in creating this roster.

Designated Hitter – BOBBY MURCER

First Tour (1965-1966, 1969-1974) When Murcer was first called up from the minor leagues, the Yankees were still the defending AL Champs and on a run stretching back to the late 1940s. His teammates were Whitey Ford, Elston Howard, Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson, Roger Maris and another slugger from Oklahoma named Mickey Mantle. By 1969, Murcer was the new face of the franchise and put up All Star numbers toiling for some truly bad teams. He had the AL's highest on base percentage in 1971 (and had the best OPS and OPS+, but nobody knew that.) The next year he had the most total bases in the league. But after 1974 he was sent packing to San Francisco for Bobby Bonds, a trade that helped neither player.

Second Tour (1979-1983) Murcer returned to the Yankees, missing the two World Championship seasons of 1977 and 1978. He famously delivered the eulogy for Thurman Munson and then hit a 3 run homer and 2 run walk off single to lead the Yankees that night against the Orioles. A connection to past Yankee glory, he finally played in a World Series when the Yankees lost to the Dodgers in 1981. He retired in 1983 and became an announcer until he passed away in July of 2008. He was mourned as one of the most beloved figures in Yankee history.

Starting Rotation

ROGER CLEMENS

First Tour (1999-2003) The fading former Red Sox ace magically became great again with back to back Cy Young seasons in Toronto and found himself in the Bronx. Yankee fans were slow to embrace him, especially after a pair of subpar seasons in 1999 and 2000. But he helped win a pair of World Series, getting the victory in 1999 clincher and firing a bat at Piazza during his Game 2 win in 2000. He won another Cy Young Award in 2001 and won a critical game against the Diamondbacks in the World Series and pitched well in the Game 7 finale. He won his 300th game as a Yankee and walked off the mound in Game 4 of the 2003 World Series, presumably the last game of his career.

Second Tour (2007) Surprise! He stuck around and went to Houston, picking up yet another Cy Young Award and pitched in another World Series. Then, with the Yankees in desperate need for pitching in 2007, made a mid game announcement from the Steinbrenner box that he was returning with the assumption he still had his Cy Young stuff. Suzyn Waldman loved it. But alas the magic was gone. He went 6-6 and lasted only 2 1/3 innings in his last ever start in the 2007 Division Series. His retirement has been one ugly scandal after another.


ORLANDO “EL DUQUE” HERNANDEZ

First Tour (1998-2002) The mysterious and ageless Cuban star joined the Yankees during the 1998 season. He was good in the regular season but special in the post season. He won his first 8 post season decisions, usually posting a sub 2.00 ERA and won the 1999 ALCS MVP against the Red Sox. He would finish 9-3 over 102 post season innings with the Yankees.

Second Tour (2004) El Duque was traded first to the White Sox and then the Expos but played for neither team in 2003 as injuries wiped out his season. The pitching strapped Yankees brought him back for 2004. When healthy he pitched well and Joe Torre gave him the ball for Game 4 of the ALCS. If Rivera had held onto the lead, El Duque would have been credited with the victory, no doubt adding to his legend. He joined the White Sox the next year and helped them win a World Series.


ANDY PETTITTE

First Tour (1995-2003) The 22nd round draft pick skyrocketed through the Yankees system and was one of the top rookies in 1995. By 1996 he was a Cy Young contender and won a critical World Series game when he outdueled John Smoltz 1-0 in Game 5. He piled up wins and continued to perform well in the post season, winning the 2001 ALCS MVP and winning three games in the 2003 post season after a Yankee loss. But the Yankees nickle and dimed him after the 2003 World Series and he left for Houston.

Second Tour (2007-2010) After experimenting with one flop pitcher after another, the Yankees corrected their past mistake and brought Pettitte (and Clemens) back for the 2007 season. He continued to win games and log innings, even though his mediocre ERA indicated that he benefited from the Yankees explosive offense. He was so loved by the fans that even his PED use didn't dent their affection for him. He won the 2009 World Series clincher and retired an All Star after the 2010 season. He is the best home grown Yankee starter since Ron Guidry.


DAVID WELLS

First Tour (1997-1998) Signed to replace his former Blue Jays teammate Jimmy Key, the larger than life Wells embraced the Yankees from the start and the fans loved him. And in those two years he showed he was more than a boisterous beer guzzling chicken wing eating lovable lug. He threw 5 complete game shutouts in 1998 including a perfect game. He had the best winning percentage and WHIP that year as well, finishing third in the Cy Young vote. In the post season, he went 5-0 and won the 1998 ALCS MVP. But after the season he was sent back to Toronto in the Roger Clemens trade.

Second Tour (2002-2003) Wells returned to the Yankees for 2002 and continued to pile up wins, winning 19 in 2002 and 15 the next year. But his overgrown frat boy image was losing its charm in the dugout and he alienated himself from the team with his over the top biography published in 2003. But his biggest sin was his two post season failures. The Angels bombarded him in the clinching game of the 2002 Division Series. And his conditioning finally caught up with him when he could only throw a single inning in the critical Game 5 of the 2003 World Series. It was his last game as a member of the Yankees.


DWIGHT GOODEN

First Tour (1996-1997) George Steinbrenner pulled his Father Flanagan act by bringing the Mets biggest but most troubled stars from the 1986 title over to the Bronx. Gooden's drug problems cost him the 1995 season and his Mets career. But he rebounded with the Yankees, throwing a no hitter on May 14, 1996. He started the season 10-2 but faltered down the stretch and was left off of the post season roster. He wound up going 20-12 in the two seasons in the Bronx.

Second Tour (2000) After a few years in Cleveland and quick stops in Tampa Bay and Houston, Gooden returned to the Yankees and pitched well as a spot starter and middle reliever. He pitched in the playoffs for that Yankee squad and finished his career as a World Champion. Sadly his retirement has been one drug related scandal after another.

Bullpen

RICH GOSSAGE

First Tour (1978-1983) Gossage was already a 3 time All Star before he arrived in New York. The Yankees already had a Cy Young Award winning reliever in Sparky Lyle, but the idea of a Lyle and Gossage bullpen would make the defending World Champs unstoppable. Lyle tailed off but Gossage responded to new manager Bob Lemon and became the best reliever in the league. He closed out the Bucky Dent Game, the ALCS and the World Series to clinch the repeat. Goose had three top 5 Cy Young finishes and won the 1978 Rolaids Relief Award. He built the bulk of his Hall of Fame career in the Bronx but left for San Diego after the 1983 season.

Second Tour (1989) Gossage was on the eventual National League champion Giants in 1989 and pitching rather well, but the Yankees claimed him off of Waivers. He finished the season in the Bronx with a truly mediocre Yankee squad. On August 21st, he struck out Red Sox centerfielder Ellis Burks to record his final save in a Yankee uniform. The Yankees manager? Bucky Dent.


JEFF NELSON

First Tour (1996-2000) Nelson came over with Tino Martinez from Seattle after Buck Showalter was not retained. He provided a reliable arm in middle relief as Torre created a bridge first to John Wetteland and later to Mariano Rivera. Nelson was an often overlooked but vital member to four World Series titles. When he returned to Seattle for the 2001 season, Torre named him to the All Star team.


Second Tour (2003) The Yankees were so desperate for middle relief in 2003 that they actually traded for Armando Benitez. They needed a Jeff Nelson type and decided to go for the real McCoy, sending Benitez packing for Nelson. At age 36 his All Star stuff was no longer there. He did throw 4 shutout innings in the 2003 World Series, but he was gone the next season.


RAMIRO MENDOZA

First Tour (1996-2002) The ultimate Jack of All Trades pitcher, Mendoza could start, close or throw long relief. In 1998 he won 10 games and threw both a shutout and saved a game. And his durable arm was vital in the post season. He should have won the ALCS MVP in 1999 as he shut down the Red Sox in two key rallies and picked up the pennant winning save.


Second Tour (2005) Mendoza played for the 2004 World Champion Red Sox and picked up his ring wearing a Sox uniform on opening day... then turned around and went back into the Yankees dugout. He recovered from shoulder surgery all year and pitched one game in September. Despite many comeback attempts, he never pitched in the big leagues again.


MIKE STANTON

First Tour (1997-2002) A veteran of many Bobby Cox Braves playoff teams, Stanton joined the Yankees for the World Series defense in 1997. He gave Joe Torre depth in the pen and an unstoppable bridge to Mariano Rivera and made the All Star team in 2001. He wound up being the winning pitcher in two games in the 2000 World Series.

Second Tour (2005) The Yankees needed bullpen depth after the 2004 ALCS collapse. They brought Stanton back to be a old reliable arm to link to Mariano. Unfortunately he was only old. His 7.07 ERA wasn't going to cut it and was cut by July. By the end of the year, he was with the Red Sox.


STERLING HITCHCOCK

First Tour (1992-1995) Hitchcock was one of the Yankees top pitching prospects during their lean years. In 1994, his Columbus teammates included Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada. Who knows? If he wasn't included in the Tino Martinez trade, he might have been an all time beloved Yankee as well!

Second Tour (2001-2003) Hitchcock was part of the 1998 Padres who were swept by the Yankees in the World Series. He returned to the Bronx in 2001 to add depth to the rotation. He was the winning pitcher out of the bullpen for Game 5 of the 2001 World Series. He was dealt to the Cardinals midway through 2003.


The Bench

Reserve Infielder – MIGUEL CAIRO

First Tour (2004) Cairo was brought in from St. Louis to give the Yankees infield depth. He provided a surprisingly potent bat, batting .292 and only striking out 49 times in 408 plate appearances. He also got a key walk to start the Yankees come from behind rally in Game 2 of the 2004 Division Series.

Second Tour (2006-2007) Cairo spent 2005 with the Mets and came back to the Yankees for 2006. There was no pop in his bat this time. He was let go by the Yankees midway through the 2007 season.



Reserve Infielder – REY SANCHEZ

First Tour (1997) When Luis Sojo couldn't play second base during the stretch of 1997, the Yankees dealt with the Cubs for Sanchez. He responded by batting .312 and helping the Yankees get back into the post season. In the off season, the Yankees dealt for Chuck Knoblauch and made Sanchez expendable.

Second Tour (2005) In the wake of the 2004 collapse, the Yankees assembled a strange combination of former Yankees and players who had once beaten the Yankees. Sanchez returned but was not a factor in his 23 games.


Reserve Outfielder – LUIS POLONIA

First Tour (1989-1990) The Yankees dealt Rickey Henderson back to the A's back when New York had the crappy team and Oakland had the juggernaut. The Yankees were thinking long term and Polonia was the spark plug for the future. That is until they dealt him a year later for veteran Claudell Washington.

Second Tour (1994-1995) OK... We're serious. THIS time, the Yankees were going to have Polonia be their long term solution in the outfield. A commitment that lasted a year and a half.

Third Tour (2000) The Tigers cut Polonia who was an awful defensive outfielder and got caught stealing a lot. So naturally the Yankees brought him back to be a defensive replacement and pinch runner. This time he played for a World Champion. He made his final big league appearance in the 2000 World Series.


Reserve Outfielder – RUBEN SIERRA
First Tour (1995-1996) The Yankees swapped surly DH's with the A's when Danny Tartabull was sent packing for Ruben Sierra. He homered twice in the 1995 Division Series and hit a 2 out game tying double in the bottom of the 12th inning to save Game 2. But he famously clashed with Joe Torre in 1996 and was traded for Cecil Fielder. When leaving he tried to insult the Yankees by saying "All they care about is winning."
Second Tour (2003-2005) Sierra returned to the Yankees as a humble former star who realized he may have squandered a Hall of Fame career. He mended his fences with Torre and became a stable veteran in the clubhouse and a productive part time player. He hit a dramatic 3 run game tying home run in the 8th inning of Game 4 of the 2004 Division Series that set up the extra innings clincher.

Reserve Catcher – RICK CERONE

First Tour (1980-1984) The Yankees dealt Chris Chambliss to Toronto for Cerone, a New Jersey native and Seton Hall Graduate. He had the impossible task of becoming the Yankees full time catcher after the death of Thurman Munson. He did well his first season, playing in 147 games and finishing 7th in the MVP vote. He would pass the 100 game mark as a Yankee only one more time as the team went on to employ a Merry Go Round of part time catchers.

Second Tour (1987) The Yankees catching situation was a mess in 1986. Butch Wynegar, Ron Hassey, Joel Skinner and Juan Espino all split time behind the plate. Manager Lou Piniella had played with Cerone and brought him back for 1987. He started 86 games behind the plate and even pitched 2 innings.

Third Tour (1990) Bucky Dent, another former teammate turned manager, brought Cerone back in 1990, presumably to mentor the young and inept Yankees. If he provided any leadership, it wasn't reflected in the standings. The Yankees lost 95 games and he only played in 49 of them. To be fair, he hit .302 as a part time player that year. After his retirement, he was one of the founders of the independent Newark Bears.


25th Man – TOMMY JOHN

First Tour (1979-1982) By 1979, John was already a Cy Young contender and a pioneer in receiving the experimental surgery that bears his name. The Yankees signed him as a free agent before the 1979 season and he continued his winning ways in the Bronx. He won 21 games in 1979 was the Cy Young runner up. He won 22 in 1980 and led the league in shutouts. He was traded back to Southern California when the Yankees and Angels worked out a deal during the 1982 season.

Second Tour (1986-1989) With the Yankees desperately in need for young pitchers, they brought back the 43 year old John in 1986. In 1987 he had his last solid year, logging 13 wins and throwing 187 2/3 innings. In his final season, he was teammates with many players who weren't born when he made his big league debut.



Doesn’t even include Chris Chambliss’ bizarre “coming out of retirement pinch hit appearance” in 1998, nor the return of Nick Johnson Claudell Washington and Javier Vazquez

So when people call the Yankees "The Evil Empire" don't believe it!
They are a gooey and sentimental.

Who didn't deserve a post season MVP? Who should have won it instead?

Edgar Renteria very well may have ended his long and solid career as a World Series hero. He showed his class by refusing to have a parade in his Colombian home town, wanting those resources to go people who NEED it after a series of floods in the region.

(A ballplayer REFUSING adoration? What a concept!)

He certainly deserved his MVP award with his unexpected heroics at the plate. But sometimes the MVP goes to a real head scratcher.

This is how I define a playoff series MVP. Who is the person that if you replaced with a mediocre substitute would change the result of the series?

Which is why, no matter what the numbers are, I could NEVER give a playoff MVP to someone on the losing team.

This got me thinking… What World Series or LCS MVP selections do I just not agree with?

Since the World Series MVP was established in 1955, there have been a few players who I don’t think deserved October hardware (including one for my beloved Red Sox.) I am not saying anyone who got the award had a BAD series… but they give out the trophy pretty quickly… and sometimes the most valuable player wasn’t the flashiest one.

The NLCS started handing out MVPs in 1977.
The first ALCS MVP was in 1980.

And one year... 1987... I think they got ALL THREE post season MVPs wrong!

So you know what happens when I have an idle thought: I write a list.


Here are…

THE PLAYOFF MVPs WHO DIDN’T DESERVE THE AWARD AND THE PLAYERS WHO SHOULD HAVE WON INSTEAD

1960 World Series

ACTUAL WINNER: BOBBY RICHARDSON


DESERVING WINNER: BILL MAZEROSKI

Richardson had a tremendous series, batting .367 with a 1.054 OPS. He got 11 hits in the 7 games and drove in 12 runs. But many of those runs game in the Yankee blow out wins in Games 2, 3 and 6. And the Yankees LOST THE SERIES!

Mazeroski had a wonderful series at the plate, batting .320, having an OPS of .960 at the second base position and slamming a pair of homers. The last homer was memorable.

1969 World Series

ACTUAL WINNER: DONN CLENDENON



DESERVING WINNER: JERRY KOOSMAN

There is no doubt that Clendenon had a remarkable series at the plate. He homered 3 times in 5 games, betting .357 with an OPS of 1.509. Al Weis, who won The Babe Ruth Award that October, also put on an unexpected show, batting .455 and an OPS of 1.290 and homering along side Clendenon in the final game.

But Koosman threw the critical game 2 victory in Baltimore after the Orioles beat Tom Seaver in the opener. And after the Game 4 thriller, Koosman threw the complete game victory to hold off the Birds and clinch the World Series. He finished with a 2-0 record, an 2.04 ERA over 17 2/3 innings with a WHIP of 0.623.

1978 World Series

ACTUAL WINNER: BUCKY DENT


DESERVING WINNER: REGGIE JACKSON

Perhaps there was lingering hero worship after Dent’s home run in the one game playoff against Boston. Maybe his RBIs in the Game 6 finale padded his stats.

But the colossus that was Reggie Jackson towered over this series. The year before his homers sunk Los Angeles. And when Bob Welch struck him out after a million pitches to end Game 2, there was the sense that they were going to slay the giant. Reggie won games with power, with singles to prolong rallies and with his hip, that he stuck in the way of a relay to second base and kept a Game 4 rally alive. Jackson finished the series with a .391 average, an OPS of 1.196, homered 2 times with 8 RBI. (And blamed Bucky Dent’s stolen base attempt for his famous Game 2 strike out.)

1982 ALCS



ACTUAL WINNER: FRED LYNN


DESERVING WINNER: PAUL MOLITOR

I love Fred Lynn. Fred Lynn is one of my all time favorite players. And Fred Lynn’s numbers in the 1982 ALCS were OBSCENELY good. He batted .611 with a 1.539 OPS. But, say it with me… THE ANGELS LOST!

Paul Molitor batted .316 with a 1.065 OPS and knocked in as many runs as Lynn. Molitor’s homer off of Mike Witt broke open Game 3 and helped Milwaukee hold off elimination. He drove in a run in the series tying Game 4. And he went 2-3 with a run scored in the pennant clinching Game 5.

1982 NLCS

ACTUAL WINNER: DARRELL PORTER

DESERVING WINNER: WILLIE McGEE

When a player hits .556 in a 3 game series, it is easy to put the M, V and P next to their name. That’s why Porter won it in ’82. But Willie McGee, who hit .308 with an OPS of 1.154 got productive hit after productive hit.

It was Willie McGee’s triple off of Pascual Perez that led to the first run in the Cardinals 7-0 Game 1 win. His run scoring grounder tied Game 2 in the 8th inning, setting up the winning rally in the 9th. And in the Game 3 clicher, he collected 2 hits, driving in 3 and hitting the back breaking home run in the top of the 9th.

1986 NLCS

ACTUAL WINNER: MIKE SCOTT

DESERVING WINNER: LENNY DYKSTRA

This is the great test case for my inability to give a playoff MVP to a member of the losing team. I get this one. Mike Scott won the first and fourth games and the specter of him pitching Game 7 hung over all 16 innings of the Game 6 marathon. The Mets knew they HAD to win or face Scott in Houston for a do or die showdown.

But here’s the thing… the Mets DID win. And they did it in 6. Which means SOMEONE must have been valuable for the Mets. And in three of the wins, Dykstra came up strong. He got 2 hits and a run scored as the Mets won Game 2 against Nolan Ryan. And he came off the bench and got 2 hits including a much needed 16th inning insurance run in the Game 6 clincher. But with one swing of the bat, he changed the entire complexion of the series. His 2 run bottom of the 9th come from behind walk off homer in Game 3 kept the Mets from falling behind 2-1 and facing Scott in Game 4. That’s pretty valuable.

1987 ALCS

ACTUAL WINNER: GARY GAETTI

DESERVING WINNER: TOM BRUNANSKY

Gaetti homered twice in the opener and the Twins were in business. They stunned the Tigers in that first game and went on to win the series in 5.

But when the Series moved to Detroit, Gaetti’s bat cooled down and Brunansky’s heated up. Brunansky matched Gaetti’s home run total (2) and out hit him (.412 to .300), topped him in OPS (1.524 to .998) and drove in more runs (9 to 5). And in the clinching game 5, Brunansky started the scoring with an RBI double in the second and added on with a homer in the 9th.

1987 NLCS

ACTUAL WINNER: JEFFREY LEONARD

DESERVING WINNER: DANNY COX

I know my many Giant fan friends will give me grief about this, but I don’t care how many homers the Hackman hit. The Giants lost the series and there must be a Cardinal worthy of the award.

Danny Cox is as good a recipient as any. Sure he lost Game 4, but he pitched a complete game giving the Cardinals pen a much needed night off. And with the two teams in a tense back and forth series (including a 1-0 nail biting win for St. Louis in Game 6) Cox took total control of Game 7, throwing a complete game shutout to clinch the pennant. Every Giant was stymied… including Jeffrey Leonard.

1987 World Series

ACTUAL WINNER: FRANK VIOLA



DESERVING WINNER: KIRBY PUCKETT

There is no denying Frank Viola was dominating in the Twins Game 7 victory over St. Louis. But there would have been no NEED for a 7th game if Viola didn’t get ROCKED in Game 4 in St. Louis. I understand sometimes a hard luck loser in a game can still be post season MVP material (Josh Beckett in 2003 comes to mind.) But a World Series MVP shouldn’t get hammered in a game where he leaves in the 4th.

Puckett hit .357 in the series with 10 hits. His 5th inning double off of Danny Cox tied Game 7… thus taking Frank Viola off the hook of his SECOND World Series loss.

1990 World Series

ACTUAL WINNER: JOSE RIJO


DESERVING WINNERS: BILLY HATCHER and CHRIS SABO

I am not a big fan of Co-MVPs, but 1990 was a case where 2 deserved it… and naturally neither won. It is difficult to determine which was more startling about the Reds sweep of the powerhouse A’s: That the bats clobbered the A’s pitching staff or that the arms shut down the Bash Brothers line up.

Rijo went 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA over 15 1/3 innings… clearly awesome stats. But Game 1 was a game where the bats caught Dave Stewart off guard and Game 4 the A’s were already down 3-0 and reeling. No offense, but the series was won with the startling Games 2 and 3 victories for Cincinnati.

Hatcher’s numbers were jaw dropping. He set a World Series record with seven consecutive hits and batted .750, beating Babe Ruth’s 4 Game World Series record of .625. His OPS was 2.050. The first number is a 2. That isn’t a typo.

And Chris Sabo’s 2 homers in Game 3 shattered the idea that the A’s would regroup in Oakland and make it a series. He finished with a .563 average and a 1.611 OPS.

1997 World Series

ACTUAL WINNER: LIVAN HERNANDEZ

DESERVING WINNER: MOISES ALOU

Arguably the worst World Series MVP decision of all time. It can be argued that not only did Hernandez NOT deserve the MVP, but he didn’t even have a GOOD series. Sure he won 2 games and pitched 8 innings in Game 5. But his Game 1 outing was mediocre and his final ERA of 5.27 showed that he got some SERIOUS run support.

He did. And a lot of it came from Alou, who batted .321 with an OPS of 1.101. He slammed 3 homers and drove in 9 runs during the 7 game series against Cleveland. His 3 run shot won Game 1, drove in a critical run in Game 5 and hit the single that sparked the Marlins 9th inning comeback rally in Game 7.

1998 NLCS

ACTUAL WINNER: STERLING HITCHCOCK

DESERVING WINNER: KEN CAMINITI

It’s funny. If the Padres had won Game 4 of the NLCS and swept the Braves, Kevin Brown would have won the MVP on the strength of his Game 2 shutout. And Bruce Bochy clearly wanted to end the series in 5 when he brought Brown out of the bullpen in the 7th. But he let up a go ahead homer to Michael Tucker, losing the game and any chance at hardware.

Sterling Hitchcock won the MVP based on his 2-0 record. But he couldn’t get through the 6th in either start and needed a lot of help from the bullpen.

The late Caminiti homered in the 10th to give the Padres a surprising 1 game lead in the series. He drove in a run in the Game 3 victory and went 2-5 with a run scored in the Game 6 clincher. He finished the series with 2 homers and a .953 OPS.

1999 ALCS

ACTUAL WINNER: EL DUQUE HERNANDEZ

DESERVING WINNER: RAMIRO MENDOZA

I swear I have nothing against the brothers Hernandez and their post season heroics. El Duque obviously had a fine ALCS. He pitched 8 innings in the opener and threw 7 innings, striking out 9 and letting up only 1 run in the Game 5 clincher.

But there were two points in the series where the Red Sox had a legit shot to beat the Yankees. And in both instances they were stymied by Ramiro Mendoza. With the bases loaded and one out in the 8th inning and the Yankees clinging to a 1 run lead in Game 2, Mendoza came out of the pen to face Butch Huskey and Jose Offerman. He struck out Huskey and got Offerman to fly out, ending the threat and preserving the win. In the Game 5 clincher, he once again came in with the bases loaded and the Red Sox threatening. He got Scott Hatteberg to strike out and Trot Nixon to pop up. Torre let Mendoza finish the game and clinch the pennant, making it one of the few times a post 1996 Yankee series was ended by someone other than Mariano Rivera.

2001 NLCS

ACTUAL WINNER: CRAIG COUNSELL


DESERVING WINNER: RANDY JOHNSON

Look, nobody is saying Craig Counsell didn’t have a good series. He did. Nobody is saying his .381 average and .905 OPS wasn’t terrific. It was.

But COME ON! Johnson, who stumbled through subpar post seasons in 1997, 1998, 1999 and in the 2001 Division Series, broke through in the NLCS. He threw a complete game shutout in Game 1, beating Greg Maddux 2-0. Then in the clincher he went 7 strong, beating Tom Glavine and the Diamondbacks clinched the pennant. When you beat Maddux AND Glavine in tight games in the same series, you deserve hardware.

2004 World Series

ACTUAL WINNER:MANNY RAMIREZ

DESERVING WINNER: MARK BELLHORN

If I had told you when Game 1 of the 2004 World Series ended that Manny Ramirez, who had committed two mind numbing errors in left field on back to back plays, would be selected the series Most Valuable Player, you’d think I was insane. Besides, obviously the post season hero was Bellhorn, whose tie breaking homer in the 8th inning set up the victory. And in Game 2, Bellhorn’s 4th inning double broke up what looked like would be a tight game.

Sure Manny’s homer in Game 3 took the air out of St. Louis’ balloon in Game 3 and Manny’s .412 average was sexier. Bellhorn batted .300 for the Series and out slugged Ramirez, finishing with a 1.263 OPS to Manny’s 1.088. And Bellhorn got the two biggest hits of the series.

2005 ALCS

ACTUAL WINNER: PAUL KONERKO



DESERVING WINNER: JOE CREDE

Konerko had many heroics in the Division Series, ALCS and World Series for the White Sox, including first inning homers in Games 3 and 4 that put the White Sox in control. But Crede, who topped Konerko in virtually every category, also was clutch.

It was Crede’s walk off double that won the bizarre Game 2 against the Angels, in the wake of A. J. Pierzynski’s reaching first on the supposed dropped third strike.

He hit a 2 run single in the 8th inning to help put Game 4 out of reach. And in the clinching Game 5, he got a go ahead RBI in the second, a game tying homer in the 7th and drove in the pennant winning run in the 8th. He hit .368 with an OPS of 1.139, homered 2 times and drove in 7. Konerko didn’t top any of those stats nor the heroics in the clincher… but still won the MVP.

2008 ALCS

ACTUAL WINNER: MATT GARZA


DESERVING WINNER: B. J. UPTON

Matt Garza beat Red Sox ace two times, including the Game 7 clincher to send the Rays to the 2008 World Series. It is a pretty solid argument to give him the Series MVP. I get it. But the main reason the Rays toppled the defending World Champs was NOT their pitching staff. It was their bats that went berserk in Games 2, 3, 4 and 5… putting Boston in a hole that their great heroics and come from behind skills just couldn’t overcome.

Upton hit .321 with an OPS of 1.180, homered 4 times and drove in an amazing 11 runs in the 7 game series. Along with Willy Aybar, Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena, Upton led the offensive charge and gave Tampa Bay its greatest baseball moment.

2009 World Series

ACTUAL WINNER: HIDEKI MATSUI


DESERVING WINNER: JOHNNY DAMON

Here’s why you sometimes need a moment or two to give these post season awards some thought. Matsui won the MVP, mainly on the back of his 6 RBI performance in the clinching Game 6 and his 2 go ahead homers off of Pedro Martinez. But I have a hard time giving the MVP to someone who didn’t even start in two of the Yankees win.

Initially I felt the award belonged to Mariano Rivera, whose presence hung over the entire post season as closer after closer failed while the great Rivera was flawless.

But in retrospect, three of the biggest turn around moments in the World Series were the result of Damon’s bat, patience and intelligence. In Game 3, a game the Yankees needed to have in order to avoid a 2-1 hole, Damon hit a go ahead double in the 5th to give the Yankees the lead for good. In Game 4, after the Phillies tied the game in the 8th, Damon fouled off 2 strike 2 out pitch after pitch from Brad Lidge and finally singled. Then he stole second and in the series most memorable play, realized that third base wasn’t covered due to the shift on Mark Teixeira. He scored the go ahead (and eventual winning run) on A-Rod’s double. In that critical inning, Matsui popped up to short.



So there you have it… I am sure I offended someone by saying their favorite player shouldn’t have won the award.

Let me know what you think and if you vehemently disagree with me.

Post below or e mail me at info@sullybaseball.com