The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 25- Colorado Rockies

The look at the seasons of the playoff teams continues, as today's report card will be issued to the Colorado Rockies.

Colorado Rockies:
Record: 92-70 (NL Wild Card Champions. Second place in the NL West, three games behind Los Angeles).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Todd Helton (.325)
Home Runs: Troy Tulowitzki (32)
RBIs: Troy Tulowitzki (92)
On-base Percentage: Todd Helton (.416)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Jorge De La Rosa (16)
ERA: Ubaldo Jimenez (3.47)
Strikeouts: Ubaldo Jimenez (198)
Innings Pitched: Ubaldo Jimenez (218)
WHIP: Huston Street (0.91). Starters- Ubaldo Jimenez (1.23).
Saves: Huston Street (35)

Highlight of the Season: After defeating Milwaukee at home 9-2 on October 1, the Rockies clinched their second postseason appearance in three years.

Lowlight of the Season: Falling to the Phillies in the Division Series, three games to one.

The Lowdown:
The Rockies ride to the postseason went down a similar path as their 2007 team, as they both needed to get hot in order to make it. However, the road in 2009 had a slightly different twist to it, as the team caught fire in June and never looked back, as they stormed to their second Wild Card victory in three years, and their third overall as a franchise. The 92 wins the team recorded in '09 was also a franchise record. In fact, they nearly made a bid at unseating Los Angeles atop the NL West, as the two had to face each other in the last series of the regular season. The Rockies put the heat on L.A., as they took the first game of the series, before the Dodgers won the final two to ice the division championship.

Still, the fact that they nearly came back from a 15.5 game deficit on June 3 to win the division is very impressive. Their 72-38 record after that day was the second-best in all of baseball to only the New York Yankees, and that is obviously what led them to win the Wild Card pretty easily over the Giants. While a hot September and October can be just considered a fluke, this year's team wasn't; they were one of the best in baseball.

Offense:
The Rockies offense was strong once again in 2009, despite losing outfielder Matt Holliday in a trade with the Oakland A's before the start of the season. They featured four people who hit at least 20 home runs (Tulowitzki, Ian Stewart, Brad Hawpe and Clint Barmes), with "Tulo" leading the way with a career-high 32. Colorado also received some great years average-wise from their key players, including Todd Helton, Tulowitzki and Seth Smith, who hit .325, .297 and .293, respectively.

Youth was also served in this lineup in 2009, as outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler each made their own impacts on the team this season. Gonzalez only played in 89 games this season, but he made the most out of all of them, as he hit .284, with 13 home runs and 29 RBIs to go along with 16 stolen bases. Fowler received considerably more playing time this year (135 games), but he proved that he might become Colorado's lead-off hitter for good next year, as he got on base at a .363 clip, to go along with 27 steals.

The Rockies had one of the best offenses in MLB, as evidenced with their finish in the major statistical offensive categories. They finished sixth in runs scored (804), seventh in home runs (190), 16th in batting average, and tied for sixth in on-base percentage (.343). They also had a whopping 50 triples, which was second in baseball to only Kansas City. When you put it all together, Colorado had a damn good lineup this year.
Final Grade: A

Pitching:
Colorado's entire starting staff was perhaps one of the best kept secrets in baseball, as they were the biggest reason why the team won the Wild Card this year. They featured a solid five starters that made over 25 starts each, with Aaron Cook being the only one not to have at least 30. Plus, considering that Coors Field is still a big hitter's park even with the humidor in effect, all five starters managed to have an ERA under 4.50, and that is very impressive. Southpaw Jorge De La Rosa and flame-throwing righty Ubaldo Jimenez were clearly the aces of the staff this year, as De La Rosa finished 16-9, with a 4.38 ERA and Jimenez finished 15-12 with a 3.47 ERA. The other three starters (Jason Marquis, Jason Hammel and Aaron Cook) were all great as well, as they all garnered at least 10 wins themselves (Marquis- 15, Hammel- 10, Cook- 11).

The ace of the 'pen was none other than closer Huston Street. He came over as Oakland's centerpiece of the players they were trading to Colorado in exchange for Matt Holliday, and he did not disappoint, as he went 35 for 37 in saves, to go along with a 3.06 ERA and a nasty WHIP of 0.91. He replaced Manny Corpas as closer, and it was obviously the right thing to do, as Corpas registered an ERA of 5.88 in 35 appearances this season.

The Rockies would end up finishing 10th in ERA (4.22), 23rd in runs allowed (715), 22nd in walks (528) and tied for 13th in "batting average against"(.261). Having those numbers in Colorado makes that look even more impressive than what it already is. For that reason alone, I will give them a grade that I feel they truly deserve.
Final Grade: A+

Wild Card: Jim Tracy
Taking over as a manager midway through the season is never an easy thing to do. It's even more impressive if you manage to take a team that was in last place in early June to the playoffs, and that is what Hamilton native Jim Tracy pulled off this year. His work was good enough for him to earn a much-deserved National League Manager of the Year this year. Hats off to Jim, he really earned it!
Final Grade: A+

Overall:
As many people who follow baseball closely are starting to figure out, the Rockies will go only as far as their pitching will take them, as they will usually feature a decent-to-great offense that will keep them from being a pushover more often than not. However, their pitching is the difference-maker between them being a mediocre team or a great team. Since their pitching was clicking on all cylinders this year, the Rockies were a really great team. If their pitching continues to do the same next year, don't be surprised if they're back in the playoffs.
Final Grade: A-

Check back tomorrow for the report card on the Philadelphia Phillies!

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 24- St. Louis Cardinals

From the "City by the Bay," to the "Gateway to the West," we have reached the second playoff team in our series, as today's report card will be issued to the St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis Cardinals:
Record: 91-71 (First place in the NL Central).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Albert Pujols (.327)
Home Runs: Albert Pujols (47)
RBIs: Albert Pujols (135)
On-base Percentage: Albert Pujols (.443)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Adam Wainwright (19)
ERA: Chris Carpenter (2.24). Bullpen- Ryan Franklin (1.92).
Strikeouts: Adam Wainwright (212)
Innings Pitched: Adam Wainwright (233)
WHIP: Trevor Miller (0.96). Starters- Chris Carpenter (1.01).
Saves: Ryan Franklin (38)

Highlight of the Season: After nobody really believed in the Cardinals at the beginning of the season, they took their sixth division title of the decade on September 26, following a 6-3 victory over the Rockies.

Lowlight of the Season: A truly heart-breaking loss in Game Two of the Division Series in Los Angeles, when Matt Holliday's error with two outs helped pave the way for a comeback 3-2 victory for the Dodgers. Instead of going back to St. Louis tied at one game apiece, they were heading back home down 0-2 in the series.

The Lowdown:
The Cardinals proved everybody wrong once again this year, as they raced to their sixth division title of the decade, doing it the way they usually do, by featuring a strong offense supported by Albert Pujols, and by featuring a strong pitching staff. At the beginning of the season, many people believed that the division was all for the Cubs' taking once again. However, once the Cubs stumbled out of the gate, the door was left open for St. Louis to come storming through, and they did just that, as their 42-29 record after the All-Star break indicates. Their acquisition of outfielder Matt Holliday just before the trade deadline also helped push St. Louis across the finish line, as he would become a great compliment to Pujols in their lineup. Also, the return of a healthy Chris Carpenter helped the Cards out a great deal, as he returned to the form that helped him win a Cy Young in 2005. With that being said, let's take a look at how the Cardinals shaped up in 2009, beginning with their offense.

Offense:
As noted earlier, the Cardinals offense became much stronger and more potent with the arrival of Matt Holliday. Before he arrived, however, it was a considerably different story, as Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick each regressed from their 2008 production. Ludwick, who hit a whopping 37 home runs and drove in 113 in 2008, would hit just 22 this year, to go along with 97 RBIs. Ankiel also watched his power numbers drop, as he fell from 25 home runs and 71 RBIs in 2008 to 11 home runs and 38 RBIs this year. The Matt Holliday trade was obviously a vital one, since the Cards needed someone to replace the lost production of those two. Holliday proved to be up to the task once he arrived, as he hit .353, with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs in just 63 games with the team.

Certainly a big reason for Holliday's success has to be because he has the best hitter in baseball protecting him in the lineup. Albert Pujols was simply phenomenal once again in 2009, as he hit .327, with 45 home runs and 135 RBIs. Among all major-leaguers, Pujols would finish sixth in batting average, first in home runs, third in RBIs, and second in on-base percentage, as he would get on at a clip of .443. This fantastic season was good enough for him to earn his third-career MVP award, as he was elected unanimously this time around.

Overall, the Cardinals finished 18th in runs scored (730) and would tie for 16th in home runs with 160. They also tied for 11th in batting average (.263) and for 16th in on-base percentage (.332). If Holliday was in the lineup for the entire season, these numbers would definitely be much higher. However, he wasn't, so I have to give the Redbirds a grade for how they were during the whole season, and not just half of it.
Final Grade: B

Pitching:
Their staff was led by the strong performances of Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, who were both Cy Young candidates during the season. Wainwright was absolutely fantastic, as he would feature a 19-8 record, to go along with a 2.63 ERA and a solid 212 strikeouts. His win total tied CC Sabathia and Felix Hernandez for the major-league lead, and he would finish sixth in ERA and eighth in strikeouts. Since this season was following great performances in 2008 and 2007, Wainwright is certainly making a case for himself to enter the pitching elite of MLB. In fact, he may already be there.

Chris Carpenter also put together a great season, as he went 17-4, with an absolutely sick 2.24 ERA, which was the second-best in MLB behind only Zack Greinke. His 1.01 WHIP was also the second-best in MLB among starting pitchers, trailing only Dan Haren of Arizona. The only thing that possibly hurt his chances at winning a second Cy Young Award was the fact that he made only 28 starts, as he did not start on a regular basis until around the end of May, due to injury. Joel Piniero also had a fair year in the rotation, going 15-12 with a 3.49 ERA. However, his WHIP was actually one of the better ones in baseball though, coming in at 1.14.

Their bullpen also did a great job this past season, as Dennys Reyes, Trevor Miller and closer Ryan Franklin are all worth mentioning. Reyes made the most appearances on the staff this year with 75, and he made the most out of it, as he recorded a team-high 18 holds along with a 3.29 ERA. Miller also had a fantastic year out of the 'pen, as he was arguably the best pitcher out of the bullpen for St. Louis. In 70 appearances, he recorded a 2.06 ERA, to go along with a ridiculous 0.96 WHIP. He also received some work in the set-up role, as he recorded 13 holds as well. His performance in relief is only rivaled by closer Ryan Franklin, who recorded 38 saves in 43 chances, to go along with a WHIP of 1.20 and a 1.92 ERA.

The staff, as a whole, would go on to finish fourth in ERA (3.66), 28th in runs allowed (640), last in walks (460) and tied for ninth in opponents' batting average (.258). I think it goes without saying that this staff was pretty good in '09.
Final Grade: A

Wild Card: Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan
These two have been together since their days as a manager/pitching coach tandem for the White Sox in the early 1980s. While managers have a marginal influence in the outcome of games, there is no doubt that having Tony LaRussa as your manager will give you a better shot at reaching the postseason. I don't know if it is his managerial genius, or the fact that players play harder for him, or both. All I know is that he has managed consistent winners with the Cardinals this entire decade, along with a considerable amount of turnover on his roster. Also, kudos to pitching coach Dave Duncan, as the guy clearly knows how to turn pitchers around. Just look at the results for yourself. Heck, there are two on this year's staff alone in Carpenter (who was nothing more than a mediocre pitcher in Toronto in the early part of this decade) and Joel Piniero (who was pretty mediocre after two decent seasons in Seattle in '02 and '03). Even though it is the players who ultimately win the games, having these two on your coaching staff certainly makes things better.
Final Grade: A+

Overall:
Once they arrived in the playoffs, many people thought that this team was the favorite to win the NL Pennant, simply because they featured a stronger overall pitching staff than Philadelphia. However, Carpenter and Piniero were disappointing in their playoff starts against the Dodgers, and Wainwright had his good start ruined by an unfortunate ninth-inning rally that was largely the bullpen's fault. Put all three of those together, and you have an embarrassing three-game sweep. If the Cardinals decide to re-sign Holliday, and if Carpenter can stay healthy, there is no reason as to why they can't return to the NL Central penthouse in 2010. Maybe then they can make up for this year's disappointing finish.
Final Grade: A

Check back soon for the report card on the Colorado Rockies!

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 23- San Francisco Giants

We're "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" today, as the 23rd report card in our series will be issued to the San Francisco Giants. Let's see how things shook out for them in '09.

San Francisco Giants:
Record: 88-74 (Third place in the NL West, seven games behind Los Angeles).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Pablo Sandoval (.330)
Home Runs: Pablo Sandoval (25)
RBIs: Pablo Sandoval (90)
On-base Percentage: Pablo Sandoval (.387)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Tim Lincecum (15)
ERA: Tim Lincecum (2.48). Bullpen- Jeremy Affeldt (1.73).
Strikeouts: Tim Lincecum (261)
Innings Pitched: Tim Lincecum (225.1)
WHIP: Tim Lincecum (1.05)
Saves: Brian Wilson (38)

Highlight of the Season: Tie between Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter versus San Diego on July 10, and Randy Johnson's 300th career victory in Washington on June 4.

Lowlight of the Season: Losing four out of their last six games against the Dodgers in September, which cost them a shot at the division title.

The Lowdown:
The Giants, much like yesterday's Texas Rangers, made a big turnaround in 2009 themselves, as they improved from a paltry 72 wins in '08 to 88 this year. This was largely based off of the strength of their pitching staff, which was arguably the best in baseball this season. They received another Cy Young performance out of young starter and staff ace Tim Lincecum, as well as great performances out of Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Barry Zito, and to a lesser extent, Randy Johnson, who was 45 for most of the year. They definitely needed their pitching to come through, as their lineup was one of the most anemic ones in MLB this season.

Offense:
Perhaps the only bright spot in the Giants' lineup this past season was third baseman Pablo Sandoval. The 23-year-old switch-hitter- who is known affectionately as "Kung Fu Panda"- put together a spectacular breakout season in his second year in the bigs, as he hit .330, with 25 home runs and 90 RBIs. He also got on base at a solid clip of .387, and hit 44 doubles, as well. He was clearly the person who carried this lineup, as no other regular hit over .270 on the season. In fact, only him and catcher Bengie Molina hit at least 20 home runs this season, as Molina checked in at 20 on the spot.

The Giants would finish 26th in runs scored (657), 29th in home runs (122), 25th in batting average (.257) and dead last (30th) in on-base percentage (.309). Even though this team had a great year, their lineup certainly wasn't the biggest reason for their success.
Final Grade: F

Pitching:
Their pitching however, was the complete opposite of their hitting in 2009. The Giants put together arguably the best pitching staff in baseball, one that was led by the eventual back-to-back Cy Young Award winner, Tim Lincecum. Even though his win total was relatively low for a Cy Young Award winner (15), the wins do not tell the complete story with him, as he got virtually no run support from their weak lineup. All 15 wins of his were well-earned. He also recorded a 2.48 ERA on the season, which was the second-lowest in the NL and the third-lowest in MLB, to go along with a National League-leading 261 strikeouts. His minuscule 1.05 WHIP was also the fourth-best in the bigs. Despite having such a young arm, manager Bruce Bochy was not afraid to let him go deep into games, as evidenced with his 225.1 innings pitched, which was 10th in MLB. You can't really blame Bochy for working him hard though; Lincecum is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he showed everyone why once again this year.

Backing him up was a solid trio of Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Barry Zito. Cain put together the best year of his career to date, as he went 14-8, with a 2.89 ERA in 217.2 innings. Sanchez, despite the somewhat poor 8-12 record, fashioned a solid 177 strikeouts in 163.1 innings, to go along with twirling the Giants' first no-hitter in over 30 years on July 10 against San Diego. He was nearly perfect that evening, as the only thing that got between him and perfection was an error by Juan Uribe at third base in the eighth inning of that game.

Rounding out the great performances of the Giants' staff was former Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito. He was able to rebound from a truly horrendous 2008, as he went 10-13 this year with a 4.03 ERA, a great contrast from a 10-17 season in 2008, with a 5.15 ERA. His improved 2009 season was likely a result of him being dropped in the rotation, which enabled him to face more inferior starters. Still, the improved season from him has to have the Giants feeling more confident about him entering 2010.

Their bullpen also put together some great performances, even if they didn't have to pitch nearly as many innings as some of their rivals. The quartet of Jeremy Affeldt, Bob Howry, Brandon Medders and closer Brian Wilson all put together sparkling ERAs of 1.73, 3.39, 3.01 and 2.74, respectively. All four also appeared in over 60 games, with Affeldt leading the way with 74 appearances. Plus, despite a high total of seven blown saves, Wilson still proved to be pretty dominant closing out games, as evidenced in his 83 strikeouts in 72.1 innings.

Overall, the Giants finished second in ERA (3.55), first in complete games (11), first in shutouts (18), tied for the least amount of runs given up (611), had more strikeouts than anyone (1302), and opponents hit only .236 off of them, the second-lowest in MLB. In my opinion, this was the best pitching staff in baseball last year, especially when you take into account that nobody was getting any run support on this staff.
Final Grade: A+

Wild Card: Youth
While the Giants have been chastised in years past for fielding older teams, they have a great young nucleus in Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Pablo Sandoval. Having these four on your team has to give any Giants fan hope for the future.
Final Grade: A+

Overall:
Considering how bad their lineup was last year, it was quite remarkable that this team managed to stay in contention for all of that time. That just makes their pitching staff look all the more better, since they were the ones that kept the team in the race until the end. If their pitching continues their dominance of National League hitters next year, they should still be right there in the thick of contention.
Final Grade: B

Check back soon for the report card on the St. Louis Cardinals!

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 22- Texas Rangers

It's time to head "Deep in the Heart of Texas" for today's report card, which will be issued to the Texas Rangers! Let's go!

Texas Rangers:
Record: 87-75 (Second place in the AL West, 10 games behind Los Angeles).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Michael Young (.322)
Home Runs: Nelson Cruz (33)
RBIs: Marlon Byrd (89)
On-base Percentage: Michael Young (.374)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Scott Feldman (17)
ERA: Kevin Millwood (3.67). Bullpen- Darren O'Day (1.94).
Strikeouts: Kevin Millwood (123)
Innings Pitched: Kevin Millwood (198.2)
WHIP: Scott Feldman (1.28)
Saves: Frank Francisco (25)

Highlight of the Season: After thrashing the Athletics at home on May 30 by a score of 14-1, the Rangers extended their lead in the division to 5.5 games, in what would prove to be their biggest lead of the season.

Lowlight of the Season: Getting blasted by the Angels 11-0 on September 28, which effectively eliminated them from postseason contention.

The Lowdown:
It was another year of dashed dreams for Texas, as they saw their hopes for their first division title in 10 years thwarted by the Angels yet again. Things looked so bright for this team in the early part of the season, when, at one point, they were in first place for 65 days before finally falling out of the AL West penthouse on July 10. However, the season was not a complete disappointment for Texas, as they improved their win total by eight this season, and saw their best season since 2004. This was thanks in large part to a vastly improved pitching staff, as well as their high-octane offense, which, once again, was one of the better ones in baseball.

Offense:
The Texas Lumber Company was in full swing again in 2009, as their lineup featured a whopping six people with at least 20 or more home runs (Marlon Byrd, Chris Davis, Michael Young, Hank Blalock, Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz). They would be paced by 29-year-old Nelson Cruz in the home run department, as he hit a career-high 33, to go along with 76 RBIs, another career-high. This season proved to be a breakout one for Cruz, as he would play over 100 games for the first time in his career, and judging by his numbers, he obviously made the most of his opportunity.

When looking at the six people in the lineup who hit at least 20 home runs, did you notice someone missing? If you did not, then you probably weren't paying enough attention, as Josh Hamilton was the major player missing from that bunch. After enjoying a breakout season in 2008, Hamilton was hampered by injuries in '09, as he played in only 89 games. In the time that he did play though, he was likely still playing through injuries, as he hit .268, with just 10 home runs and 54 RBIs. It was quite impressive that Texas managed to stay in contention throughout the season despite being largely without the services of their best hitter. That just goes to show you the depth of their lineup.

As a whole, Texas finished 10th in MLB in runs scored (784), second in home runs (224), 24th in on-base percentage (.320) and tied for 17th in batting average (.260). Despite the low on-base percentage, Texas proved once again that they have one of the best offenses in baseball. This is probably one of my easiest grades yet.
Final Grade: A+

Pitching:
The biggest secret to Texas' resurgence in 2009 has to be their rejuvenated pitching staff. They were led surprisingly enough by Scott Feldman, a 26-year-old righty who had an ERA over five in 2008. This year was a much different story for him though, as he went 17-8, with a 4.08 ERA in nearly 200 innings. He was one of the biggest surprises in baseball this past season, and Texas will look for him to repeat his success in 2010, as they continue their quest for the AL West crown.

Of course, in order to have a successful pitching staff, Feldman could not do it all by himself. His brilliant performance was backed up by the solid performances of Kevin Millwood and Tommy Hunter. Millwood fashioned another solid season on the hill for the Rangers, as he went 13-10 with a 3.67 ERA. Hunter also put together a solid year for himself, as the 23-year-old rookie from Indianapolis went 9-6 in 19 starts, with a 4.10 ERA.

Texas' bullpen was also pretty solid in 2009, as their top three relievers were C.J. Wilson, Darren O'Day and closer Frank Francisco. Wilson and O'Day were especially great, as each appeared in over 60 games and featured ERAs of under three (Wilson- 2.81 in 74 games, O'Day- 1.94 in 64 games). They also both split time in the set up role, as O'Day recorded 20 holds and Wilson recorded 19. Frank Francisco also proved to be effective in the closer's role, as he went 25 for 29 in saves this year. Perhaps the most electric arm to come out of Texas' bullpen this year was not any of those three, though. Neftali Feliz only appeared in 20 games for Texas this past season, but the stuff he brought to those 20 appearances was something to behold, as he threw a fastball that reached up to around 100 miles per hour. The fastball proved to be effective, as he put together a 1.74 ERA in 31 innings of relief.

Overall, Texas finished 18th in ERA (4.38), 19th in runs allowed (740), 19th in bases on balls (531) and 12th in opponent's batting average (.260). Their staff also compiled an impressive 11 shutouts, which tied for sixth in MLB. This staff has certainly come a long way.
Final Grade: B+

Wild Card: Team Speed
The Rangers finished second in MLB in stolen bases with 149, and their 81 percent success rate in steals tied with Philadelphia for the best in the bigs. Rookie Elvis Andrus led the team with 33 swipes, and Ian Kinsler also checked in with over 30, as he pilfered 31 bags himself.
Final Grade: A-

Overall:
One has to wonder just where this team would have finished if Josh Hamilton was healthy? If they were able to win 87 games largely without his services, then I truly think that they would have been a playoff team had he been healthy and playing to his full potential in '09. This was a very good team this year, and it will be interesting to see if they can prove that 2009 was not a fluke next year.
Final Grade: B+

Check back tomorrow for the report card on the San Francisco Giants!

The Five Greatest Single-Game Performances of the Decade

Let's do this.


5.) Mariners @ White Sox, May 2, 2002. Mike Cameron blasts four home runs in one game.
All the signs were pointing to some sort of history being made in the first-inning of this game, when Mike Cameron and Bret Boone of the Mariners hit back-to-back home runs twice in a 10-run first inning. Cameron homered again in the third and fifth inning to tie the single-game record of four home runs in one game. He nearly made a bid at a record-setting fifth home run in the top of the ninth inning, when he flew out to the warning track in deep right field. He became the 13th player in MLB history to homer four times in one game, the first since Mark Whiten pulled off the trick in 1993, and the first AL player to do it since Cleveland's Rocky Colavito in 1959. The Mariners won the game easily, 15-4.


4.) Rangers @ Orioles, August 30, 2007. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Don't let the above picture fool you; this was not the score of a Texans/Ravens game in the NFL. The Rangers scored the most runs in a game in modern baseball history on this evening, as they went on to defeat the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader, 30-3. Remarkably enough, the Rangers actually trailed in this game 3-0 in the third inning, and even more remarkably, the the Rangers only led by a 5-3 score as late as the fifth inning. Then, they erupted for 25 more runs, scoring nine in the sixth, 10 in the eighth, and six more in the ninth. Also, the Rangers' number eight and nine hitters (Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez) each hit two home runs and drove in seven. Perhaps the most incredible stat to come out of this game was the fact that Rangers pitcher Wes Littleton actually got credited with a save for preserving a 27 run lead. The Rangers would go on to defeat Baltimore 9-7 in the second game, to set an all-time record of 39 total runs in a doubleheader.


3.) Dodgers @ Brewers, May 23, 2002. Shawn Green goes 6-6, with four home runs and 19 total bases.
The title says it all, as Dodgers outfielder Shawn Green put together an afternoon for the ages at Miller Park, as he hit a single, a double, four home runs and drove in seven in the Dodgers' 16-3 rout of the Brewers. His 19 total bases in this game set an all-time record that likely won't be broken anytime soon.


2.) Rays @ White Sox, July 23, 2009. A perfect day for Mark Buehrle and the White Sox.
Mark Buehrle became just the 18th pitcher in MLB history, and the second pitcher in White Sox history, to toss a perfect game, as he blanked the defending AL Champion Rays 5-0. Buehrle struck out six in this masterpiece that lasted a tidy two hours and three minutes. The play of the game came in the top of the ninth with nobody out, when Rays outfielder Gabe Kapler hit a deep fly ball to left-center field that looked like it would be a home run. However, Sox center fielder Dewayne Wise made a catch for the ages, robbing Kapler of the would-be home run and thus preserving perfection. Buehrle joined Charlie Robertson as the only two Sox pitchers to accomplish this feat, as Robertson blanked the Detroit Tigers 2-0 in 1922.


1.) Diamondbacks @ Braves, May 18, 2004. The Big Unit is perfect.
Before Buehrle's perfecto in 2009, Randy Johnson achieved perfection in 2004, as he absolutely dominated Atlanta to the tune of 13 strikeouts during his performance. He also became the oldest pitcher in MLB history to toss a perfect game, doing it at the age of 40.

Honorable Mention:
Reds @ Diamondbacks, May 8, 2001. Randy Johnson ties the MLB record for strikeouts over the course of nine innings, as he fanned 20 Reds hitters. Despite getting the no-decision, Arizona won 4-3 in 11 innings.

Devil Rays @ Blue Jays, September 25, 2003. Carlos Delgado became just the 15th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a game, as he led the Blue Jays to a 10-8 victory over Tampa Bay.

Angels @ Yankees, April 26, 2005. Alex Rodriguez hits three home runs and drives in 10 as the Yankees rout Los Angeles, 12-4.

Yankees @ Angels, August 21, 2007. The Angels' Garrett Anderson returns the favor, as he goes 4-6, with two home runs and 10 RBIs, to lead the Angels to an 18-9 victory over the Bronx Bombers.

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 21- Florida Marlins

Let's head down to sunny Miami, where today's report card will be issued to the Florida Marlins.

Florida Marlins:
Record: 87-75 (Second place in the NL East, six games behind Philadelphia).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Hanley Ramirez (.342)
Home Runs: Dan Uggla (31)
RBIs: Hanley Ramirez (106)
On-base Percentage: Hanley Ramirez (.410)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Josh Johnson (15)
ERA: Josh Johnson (3.23). Bullpen- Kiko Calero (1.95).
Strikeouts: Ricky Nolasco (195)
Innings Pitched: Josh Johnson (209.0)
WHIP: Josh Johnson (1.16)
Saves: Leo Nunez (26)

Highlight of the Season: Storming out to a 11-1 record to begin the season, their best start in team history, by far.

Lowlight of the Season: Losing two out of three to the Mets at home from September 25-27, which destroyed their postseason hopes. For the Mets however, it was sweet revenge, as it was the Marlins who destroyed their playoff chances at Shea in 2007 and 2008. Payback can really be a bitch sometimes.

The Lowdown:
After storming out to a ridiculous 11-1 start, the Marlins were unable to keep their stranglehold atop the NL East, as Philadelphia would eventually come back to take their third-consecutive division crown. Despite this, the Fish stayed in the thick of the division and Wild Card races, doing it they way they always do it; with a small payroll and with a ton of young talent. While their presence in the pennant race did not surprise nearly as many people this year, they still put together a very fine season. Ultimately, it was their lack of pitching that led to their downfall.

Offense:
For the second year in a row, the Marlins put together another good year offensively, and once again, they were led by star shortstop Hanley Ramirez. He ended up taking home the batting title in the National League, as he put together a spectacular average of .342. To go along with this, he put together great power numbers as well, hitting 24 homers and driving in 106. Obviously as a result of all of this, he was getting on base at a good rate, as his .410 on-base percentage finished in the top 10 in MLB. Once on base, he was also a stolen base threat, as he pilfered 27 bags in 35 chances. Simply put, this year was just another outstanding one for the all-star shortstop.

Other major contributors to Florida's lineup included Chris Coghlan, Dan Uggla and Cody Ross. Coghlan put together a fine rookie campaign by hitting .321 and getting on base at a clip of .390. His numbers impressed the baseball writers enough to where they voted him as the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year. Even though I did not necessarily agree with the selection (I thought that Pittsburgh's Garrett Jones should have won), I still thought his season was still pretty good for a rookie.

Uggla and Ross were the other two thumpers in the lineup as they hit 31 and 24 homers, respectively. While Uggla's power numbers as a second baseman are great, his free-swinging approach at the plate and his penchant for making errors in the field keep him from really joining the elite fraternity of second basemen in baseball. Ross' numbers also served as a good compliment to Uggla and Ramirez in the lineup, as he hit 24 homers and drove in 90.

Even though they have a tendency to be free swingers (their 1,226 strikeouts were the sixth-highest in baseball), they were still a pretty potent lineup altogether, as they finished 13th in runs scored (772), 19th in home runs (159), ninth in on-base percentage (.340) and tied for seventh in batting average (.268). For a young team with a small payroll, this is not bad at all.
Final Grade: B

Pitching:
While Josh Johnson put together a fine season for the Fish (15-5, 3.23 ERA), the rest of the staff struggled a bit, as the other three major starters (Ricky Nolasco, Chris Volstad and Sean West) all had ERAs over 4.50. Nonetheless, Nolasco's season came with a silver lining, as he recorded a solid 195 strikeouts in 185 innings. His signature pitching performance came on September 30 in Atlanta, when he recorded an impressive 16 strikeouts to just two walks in 7.2 innings. But that wasn't all. At one point in the game, he recorded nine strikeouts in a row, which fell one shy of the all-time record set by Tom Seaver in 1970. This would be the only real shining moment of the season for him though, as his ERA went up by over a run and a half from 3.52 in '08 to 5.06 this year. His season was the kind in which the won-loss record does not tell the complete story, as his 13-9 record was clearly the result of good run support.

There were some decent seasons put together by the pitchers in the bullpen, led chiefly by Kiko Calero. In 67 appearances, he put together a dazzling ERA of 1.95 in 60 innings. Reyel Pinto and Dan Meyer also put together good seasons, as each of them appeared in over 70 games and each of them recorded ERAs in the low-threes (Pinto- 3.23, Meyer- 3.09). The closer's role was mainly delegated between Leo Nunez and Matt Lindstrom, as they recorded 26 and 15 saves respectively. Nunez appeared to be the more adequate solution in the closer's role though, as he received more opportunities and put together a lower ERA (relatively speaking). Nunez featured an ERA of 4.06, while Lindstrom had an ERA hovering near six. Despite the fact that Nunez appeared to be the better option, he still blew seven saves.

Compared to the other teams in MLB, the Fish finished in the middle of the road in most pitching categories. However, the two biggest categories that caught my eye with them were their walks and strikeouts. They finished fifth in Ks with 1,248 and they finished with the fifth-highest total in walks with 601. While the strikeout total is nice, they may want to focus on walking less people next year. That way, the ERA of some of the starters in the rotation can go down as well.
Final Grade: C+

Wild Card: Front Office
The Marlins certainly get a lot of bang for their buck, as their opening day payroll of $36.8 million was by far the lowest in baseball. Comparatively speaking, the team with the next-highest opening day payroll, San Diego, had one that was $43.7 million, and they won only 75 games. While I was once very critical of the way they ran things, I am starting to soften my view on them just a little bit. While they do not spend money to keep their big-name players once they become free agents (sans Hanley Ramirez, who they actually signed to a six-year, $70 million extension in '08), they really put a lot of money into their scouting and player development, which keeps the team ready for a star player's departure. When one guy is gone, they can just fill in the void. It will be interesting to see how they approach their payroll once their new stadium opens in 2012, though.
Final Grade: B

Overall:
This is a team that was very good this past season, and they should be able to continue their success next year, barring a major roster shakeup. However, they really need to address their closer's role, as their starting pitching is still young and looks to improve. Perhaps signing a free-agent closer like Jose Valverde would provide a decent stop-gap for them at the end of ballgames. Otherwise, they had a great year, and don't be surprised to see them in contention next year.
Final Grade: B+

Check back tomorrow for the report card on the Texas Rangers!

The Five Best Division Series Games of the Decade

Here you go, the best of the LDS.


5.) 2003 NLDS Game 4: Giants @ Marlins, October 4, 2003. A collision at home plate ends the series.
With the Marlins on the brink of pulling off a huge upset against the defending National League Champion-Giants, they sent their ace Dontrelle Willis out to the mound for Game Four to slam the door. After the first five innings, the Marlins were ahead 5-1, and it looked like they were going to cruise to the NLCS. However, the Giants would not go down quietly, as they scored four times in the top of the sixth to tie the game. The youthful Marlins kept their composure though, as they took back the lead in the bottom of the eighth, by a score of 7-5. The Giants scored one more time in the top of the ninth to make it a one-run game, and they nearly tied the game again. However, Ivan Rodriguez managed to hold on to the ball after a home plate collision with J.T. Snow, thus preserving the final out of the series, and a trip to the NLCS.


4.) 2003 ALDS Game 5: Red Sox @ A's, October 6, 2003. Red Sox complete the comeback.
The Red Sox were down 2-0 at one point in the series, but they managed to fight back to force a deciding Game Five in Oakland. The game was a showdown between a pair of Cy Young Award winners, as Pedro Martinez for the Red Sox and Barry Zito of the A's squared off against each other. The A's held a slim one-run lead into the sixth inning, when the Red Sox scored four times to take a 4-1 lead. The A's slowly chipped away though, and by the bottom of the ninth, it was a 4-3 game. The A's had the bases loaded with two outs that inning, with the winning run in scoring position, when closer Derek Lowe struck out Terrence Long looking to end the series.


3.) 2001 NLDS Game 5: Cardinals @ Diamondbacks, October 14, 2001. Diamondbacks win their first-ever playoff series.
This game would prove to be a classic, as a pair of 22-game-winners squared off in Game Five. Matt Morris was on the hill for the Cardinals, and Curt Schilling was on the mound for Arizona, and the matchup lived up to the hype, as the game was tied at one entering the ninth inning. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the bullpen could not keep the Diamondbacks at bay, as they squeaked across the winning run on a Tony Womack single in the bottom of the ninth to win their first-ever playoff series.


2.) 2001 ALDS Game 3: Yankees @ A's, October 13, 2001. The flip.
The Yankees were down 2-0 in the series entering Game Three in Oakland, and they were facing the prospect of getting swept for only the fourth time in postseason history. With 17-game-winner Barry Zito taking the hill before a raucous crowd of 55,861 at the Coliseum, the three-time-defending-World Champions appeared to be doomed for certain. However, Yankees starter Mike Mussina proved to be a perfect opponent, as he threw up zeroes himself to keep the Yanks alive. They had a 1-0 lead entering the bottom of the seventh, when the A's mounted a minor threat by putting Jeremy Giambi on via a two-out single. The next hitter, Terrence Long, proceeded to hit a sharp double down the left-field line. It seemed like Giambi would definitely score from first, when Derek Jeter intercepted an errant throw from right fielder Shane Spencer. Jeter then flipped the ball to catcher Jorge Posada, who tagged out Giambi to end the inning. To me, the only thing that was more shocking than Jeter's awareness was the fact that Giambi didn't even bother to slide. The Yankees went on to win the game 1-0, to hold off elimination.


1.) 2005 NLDS Game 4: Braves @ Astros, October 9, 2005. An 18-inning thriller ends in dramatic fashion.
You could easily make a case for this game being one of the best in the decade in all of sports, let alone in baseball. The Braves were looking to avoid elimination and send the series back to Atlanta for Game Five, and entering the bottom of the eighth inning, that seemed to be the case. The Braves held a 6-1 lead with Tim Hudson on the mound, before he got into trouble and had to be relieved by Kyle Farnsworth. He proceeded to give up a grand slam to Lance Berkman to cut the lead to 6-5. He returned back to the mound in the bottom of the ninth, and quickly recorded the first two outs before facing Brad Ausmus. On the third pitch of the at-bat, Ausmus took him deep to tie the game. The game stayed this way deep into extra-innings, as Roger Clemens eventually had to pinch hit for reliever Dan Wheeler in the bottom of the 15th. Clemens came on the hill in the 16th inning, and proceeded to hold down the Braves for two innings, setting up the drama for the bottom of the 18th. With one out in that inning, Chris Burke took Braves reliever Joey Devine deep to end the marathon game, as well as the series.

Fun Facts: This game was the longest game in postseason history in innings (18) and in time (five hours and fifty minutes). This game broke the innings record formerly held by Game Six of the 1986 NLCS between the Mets and Astros, and it also broke the time record for a postseason game, formerly held by Game Five of the 2004 ALCS between the Yankees and Red Sox. This game broke their record by one minute. Thankfully, for the people watching at home and for the fans at the game, the Braves/Astros game was a day game.

Honorable Mention:
2000 NLDS Game 4: Giants @ Mets, October 8, 2000. Mets starting pitcher Bobby Jones pitched the game of his life, tossing a complete game one-hitter to send the Mets to the NLCS.

2002 ALDS Game 5: Twins @ A's, October 6, 2002. The Twins were able to take down the heavily-favored A's to advance to the ALCS, but it came with some high drama in the bottom of the ninth, as they nearly blew a four-run lead to Oakland. They held on by an eyelash, 5-4, to head back to the ALCS for the first time since 1991.

2003 NLDS Game 3: Giants @ Marlins, October 3, 2003. This 12-inning nail-biter was won by the Marlins 4-3, when an error by right fielder Jose Cruz, Jr. with nobody out in the bottom of the 12th sparked a Marlins rally.

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 20- Minnesota Twins

Welcome back, everybody! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas, and I hope you all received fantastic gifts as well! Today's team to receive a report card will be the AL Central Champions, the Minnesota Twins. Let's get started, shall we?

Minnesota Twins:
Record: 87-76 (American League Central Division Champions).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Joe Mauer (.365)
Home Runs: Michael Cuddyer (32)
RBIs: Jason Kubel (103)
On-base Percentage: Joe Mauer (.444)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Scott Baker (15)
ERA: Nick Blackburn (4.03). Bullpen- Joe Nathan (2.10).
Strikeouts: Scott Baker (162)
Innings Pitched: Nick Blackburn (205.2)
WHIP: Joe Nathan (0.93). Starters- Scott Baker (1.19).
Saves: Joe Nathan (47)

Highlight of the Year: After trailing in the division by seven games as late as September 6, the Twins stormed back to win the division, taking out the Tigers at home in a one-game playoff on October 6, 6-5 in 12 innings.

Lowlight of the Year: Getting blasted by the Yankees in a three-game sweep in the playoffs from October 7-11. The Twins now have nine consecutive losses in the postseason, dating back to 2004.

The Lowdown:
After coming so close in 2008, the Twins were determined to finish the job in 2009, and that job was to win the AL Central. They were bringing back everyone from the 2008 team, with a few key additions added to the mix. They strengthened their left side of their infield by adding shortstop Orlando Cabrera and third baseman Joe Crede, and they also had outfielder Michael Cuddyer healthy and producing for a full season again. Even though their pitching regressed a bit from '08, they were still solid, and they were kept afloat by an outstanding offense that knew how to drive in runners when it mattered the most. Minnesota also played fundamentally sound baseball during the season, which meant that they rarely lost a game in which they beat themselves. Despite this, the AL Central was still a tough three team race between them, Detroit and Chicago. In the end though, it was Minnesota that prevailed once again, as they caught fire in September to take their fifth division crown of the decade.

Offense:
The Twins featured another very efficient offense in 2009, as they finished fifth in the majors in runs scored with 817. Their offensive efficiency was further exemplified by their high team average of .274, which was third in MLB behind only the Yankees and Angels. They also proved that you do not need to hit a lot of home runs to have a successful offense, as their modest total of 172 home runs was good enough for 13th in MLB. They featured a lot of key parts in their lineup, the biggest of which was catcher Joe Mauer.

Despite missing the first month of the season, Mauer did not miss a beat once he returned, as he hit a home run in his first at-bat of the season on May 1 against Kansas City. The beat did not stop for Mauer, as he continued on a torrid pace throughout the summer, finishing with a major-league best .365 average, 28 home runs and 96 RBIs, all of which were also career-highs. This spectacular season was good enough for the St. Paul native to earn his first career AL MVP, likely the first of many to come.

Mauer's right-hand man in the lineup was of course, first baseman Justin Morneau. The big lefty from British Columbia put together another fine season at the plate, hitting 30 home runs and driving in 100 to go along with a .274 average. However, his numbers would have certainly been considerably better if he did not go down with a stress fracture in his lower back on September 15, an injury which obviously ended his season.

It would seem that if the Twins lost Morneau during the time they needed him the most, their season would be doomed to another near-miss. However, Jason Kubel and Michael Cuddyer stepped up in his void and carried the team (along with Mauer) to the postseason. Kubel had the best year of his career by far, as he hit .300, with 28 home runs and 100 RBIs. He was complimented by Cuddyer, who also put up an outstanding year, hitting a career-high 32 home runs while driving in 94. With the performances of Mauer, Morneau, Kubel and Cuddyer, the Twins barely missed becoming the first AL team to feature four 30-home run hitters since the White Sox turned the trick in 2006.

Altogether, this is a very outstanding and very underrated lineup that should get a lot more credit for what they do. They managed to score a lot of runs, but, despite the performances of their "big four," they did not hit a ton of home runs. They are like a well-run machine; they get the man in from third with a sac-fly, they go the other way with a pitch instead of trying to jack it out of the park, and they also have smart baserunning that keeps them from running themselves out of an inning. Fundamentals never take a day off, and that's what keeps this lineup churning.
Final Grade: A+

Pitching:
As mentioned earlier, their pitching staff collectively regressed a bit from their 2008 performance. Their team ERA rose from 4.16 in '08 (13th in MLB) to 4.50 this year (23rd in MLB). Kevin Slowey going down with a season-ending injury in July was certainly a reason for this, as he was one of their best starters in '08. He was also off to a nice 10-3 start this year as well, before going down. Also, the continuing struggles of Francisco Liriano did not help matters, either. Despite this, the staff did receive some solid performances this year, as they were led by Scott Baker. He put together a decent campaign, going 15-9, with a 4.37 ERA, which was just a tad below the AL average of 4.45. He also did a fair job in not allowing runners to get on, as his WHIP was a respectable 1.19. Nick Blackburn also put together a decent season, going 11-11 with a 4.03 ERA.

Their 'pen was led by closer Joe Nathan, as always. He continues to quietly put up some of the best numbers in baseball in the closer's role, as he went 47 for 52 in saves, with a 2.10 ERA. His WHIP this year was microscopic, as it was an absolutely sick 0.93. Lefty Jose Mijares and righty Matt Guerrier also put together great seasons out of the 'pen, as they each recorded ERAs under three (Mijares- 2.34 ERA in 71 appearances, Guerrier- 2.36 ERA in 79 appearances). Guerrier's WHIP was almost on the level of Nathan's, as he finished at 0.97 on the season.

Overall, the Twins' staff was okay, as they finished 12th in runs allowed with 765. The thing that they are able to do so well is throw strikes, as they allowed the second-least amount of walks in the bigs, issuing just 466 free passes. However, this can come at a cost, as teams are usually able to put the ball into play at a higher rate. Opponents were able to .272 clip, which tied for the sixth-worst in the majors. They were still a pretty decent staff in spite of this, but they really benefited from an outstanding offense and a slightly weaker AL Central this year.
Final Grade: C+

Wild Card: Defense
Want proof of how the Twins are fundamentally sound? They only committed 76 errors on the season, which tied for the second-least in the bigs. If you are going to have a pitching staff that lets the offense put the ball in play more often than not, you better have a good defense behind you.
Final Grade: A

Overall:
This team is a classic example of "being good enough to get there, but not good enough to win it all." The Twins usually put a competitive team out on the field more often than not, but once they get to the playoffs, they usually fold. Now I know that they don't exactly have enough money to go after a big name free agent. However, I think that the time has come for the Twins to make a splash at the trading deadline. They are basically one piece away from being capable of winning it all. Their penny-pinching ownership and front office needs to just say "the hell with it" and make a splash. So what if you're unable to sign the player in the offseason after making the trade? Nobody will fault you for trying too hard. Just look at the Brewers. Nobody is exactly casting stones at them for trading for Sabathia in '08, and failing to sign him in the offseason. The Twins have come to an organizational crossroads with the possibility of Joe Mauer becoming a free agent, and it will certainly be interesting to see what they do. Will they finally break the bank to sign their hometown hero, so they can continue to be competitive, or will they play it cheap and not sign him, thus keeping the status quo of the organization?

Ugh, heaping this much praise on a franchise that I truly abhor really makes me want to vomit, but they really do a lot of things the right way.
Final Grade: A-

Check back tomorrow for the report card on the Florida Marlins!

The Five Greatest League Championship Series Games of the Decade

This was probably the toughest list for me to compile, since there were so many great moments in the LCS during this decade. I know that I am definitely leaving some of them out, so don't rip me too badly if you don't see one you though should have been on there! Here we go:


5.) 2006 NLCS Game 7: Cardinals @ Mets, October 19, 2006. Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright slam the door on the Mets.
This game had a little bit of everything in it, as it featured a fantastic pitchers' duel between Jeff Suppan and Oliver Perez, and it featured an unreal catch in the sixth inning by Mets left-fielder Endy Chavez that defied logic and gravity. His robbery of a Scott Rolen home-run kept the game tied at one-all into the ninth, when things really became interesting. In the top of the ninth inning, with a man on and one out, Yadier Molina took Aaron Heilman deep for a two-run homer to give the Cards a 3-1 lead. The Redbirds weren't out of the woods yet, as the Mets loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning for Carlos Beltran. A National League pennant wasn't in the "cards" for the Mets though, as Beltran was called out on strikes on an absolutely filthy curveball from Adam Wainwright to end the series. A very, very underrated LCS game.


4.) 2004 NLCS Game 6: Astros @ Cardinals, October 20, 2004. Jim Edmonds sends the Series to a Game Seven.
After Houston swept the three games at home to take a 3-2 lead in the series, they needed only one more win to reach their first-ever Fall Classic. Even though Houston trailed 4-3 in the top of the ninth, they were undeterred, as they ended up tying the game on a Jeff Bagwell single. It would remain this way until the bottom of the 12th, when, with a man on, Jim Edmonds launched a majestic game-winning shot over the right field fence to force a Game Seven.


3.) 2004 ALCS Game 5: Yankees @ Red Sox, October 18, 2004. "Big Papi" does it again.
After their exhilarating victory from the previous night, the Red Sox engaged in another battle of epic proportions with their arch-enemy, the New York Yankees. They had some more comeback in them during this game, as they came back from a 4-2 deficit in the eighth inning to tie the game. The game remained tied until the 14th inning, when David Ortiz crashed the Yankees' pennant party once again by hitting a game-winning single off of Esteban Loaiza. The Red Sox, who were once just three outs away from being eliminated in Game Four, were now sending the series back to New York for Game Six. The comeback was on.

Fun Fact: This game lasted a whopping five hours and forty-nine minutes, which was at the time, the longest game in postseason history time-wise. The 14 innings they played were also the second-most in LCS history, trailing only the Mets/Astros 16-inning showdown in Game Six in 1986.


2.) 2004 ALCS Game 4: Yankees @ Red Sox, October 17-18, 2004.
If you're a baseball fan, you likely already know about this game. Boston was just three outs away from elimination, and trailing 3-0 in the series, when Kevin Millar drew a walk against the great Mariano Rivera. Dave Roberts pinch-ran for him, stole second, and scored on a base hit by Bill Mueller to tie the game at four. The game remained tied until the bottom of the 12th, when David Ortiz blasted a game-winning home run off of Paul Quantrill to keep the Red Sox alive in the series.

Fun Fact: This game also checked in at over five hours, as it lasted five hours and two minutes. A grand total of 10 hours and 51 minutes of baseball were played during Games Four and Five of this ALCS.


1.) 2003 ALCS Game 7: Red Sox @ Yankees, October 16, 2003. Aaron @#$%^*& Boone.
In 1978, Red Sox fans cursed Bucky @#$%^&* Dent for hitting the go-ahead home run in a one-game playoff that would ultimately send the Yankees to the American League East title. Well, 25 years later, Red Sox fans were cursing another Yankee, as this time it would be Aaron Boone. At one point in the game, the Red Sox were just five outs away from winning their first AL Pennant since 1986. However, fate would intervene as the Yankees rallied from a 5-2 deficit to tie the game. Many Boston fans blamed manager Grady Little for leaving starter Pedro Martinez in for too long. In any event, the game stayed tied until the bottom of the 11th, when Aaron Boone hit a Tim Wakefield knuckleball over the left field fence to win the game 6-5, and to send the Yankees to their 39th American League Pennant.

Honorable Mention:
2004 ALCS Game 6: Red Sox @ Yankees, October 19, 2004. The Bloody Sock Game.
Curt Schilling twirled seven innings of well-pitched ball on a badly-injured ankle to send the Red Sox to a 4-2 victory, which evened the series at three games apiece.

2004 NLCS Game 5: Cardinals @ Astros, October 18, 2004.
Brandon Backe and Brad Lidge combined on a one-hitter of the Cardinals, as Jeff Kent hit a walk-off, three-run homer to win the game 3-0, to put Houston up 3-2 in the series.

2004 NLCS Game 7: Astros @ Cardinals, October 21, 2004.
The Cardinals managed to take out Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt by a score of 5-2, to win their first pennant in 17 years.

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards- Day 19: Atlanta Braves

Welcome back everybody, and a pleasant Merry Christmas to you all! Today's report card will be issued to the Atlanta Braves. Let's take a look at how they did in 2009.

Atlanta Braves:
Record: 86-76 (Third place in the National League East, seven games behind Philadelphia).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Martin Prado (.307)
Home Runs: Brian McCann (21)
RBIs: Brian McCann (94)
On-base Percentage: Chipper Jones (.388)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez (15)
ERA: Jair Jurrjens (2.60). Bullpen- Mike Gonzalez (2.42)
Strikeouts: Javier Vazquez (238)
Innings Pitched: Javier Vazquez (219.1)
WHIP: Javier Vazquez (1.03)
Saves: Rafael Soriano (27)

Highlight of the Season: After being left for dead after a sweep at the hands of the Reds on September 4-6, the Braves (who were eight games back after being swept) went 16-9 to nearly make their first playoff appearance since 2005.

Lowlight of the Season: After losing to Washington at home 2-1 on October 1, the Braves were eliminated from the postseason for the fourth year in a row.

The Lowdown:
The Braves, from 1991-2005, were a model of consistency that every team tried their hardest to emulate. During that time frame, as many of you already know, they won an incredible 14 consecutive division titles, a remarkable feat that has not been accomplished by any other team in professional sports. Since 2005, however, the Braves have struggled to regain that consistency, as they have missed the postseason every year since then. During this time, the team has lacked a sense of direction, as it has not been clear as to whether or not they want to go in a youthful direction, or continue to stockpile themselves with veterans to get back to the mountain top. The result of this has been a bizarre mixture of young talent with moderately expensive free agents. The promotion of John Schuerholz from General Manager to club president in 2007 has no doubt hurt this team, mostly because current GM Frank Wren has not done nearly as great of a job maintaining Atlanta's success since then.

Offense:
The Braves featured several people who hit well for average this season, including the three biggest contributors, Matt Diaz, Martin Prado and Yunel Escobar. Diaz and Prado each hit over .300 (.313 and .307, respectively), while Escobar just missed the .300 barrier, coming in at a .299 average. The team did not hit for that much power in '09, as they collectively hit only 149 homers, which was good enough for 22nd in MLB. They were led by hard-hitting catcher Brian McCann in the power department, as he went deep 21 times and drove in 94. However, the most surprising thing to come out of Atlanta's lineup was the power outage from Chipper Jones.

Although his on-base percentage was still high (coming in at a .388 clip), he hit only 18 home runs and drove in 71 in just 143 games. His batting average was also an uncharacteristically-low .264, which was his lowest since 2004. The overall lack of power on this team still enabled him to finish second on the club in homers to McCann, but his power totals have been on a gradual decline since 2008. Since he will be 38 next year, this is perhaps just a sign of him getting older.

Collectively, the team finished 17th in runs scored (735) and tied for 11th in on-base percentage (.339) and in batting average (.263). With their lack of power, this offense is nothing more than merely average.
Final Grade: C+

Pitching:
Atlanta received strong pitching performances in 2009 from the arms of Jair Jurrjens and Javier Vazquez, who recorded 14 and 15 wins, respectively, to go along with ERAs under three (Jurrjens- 2.60, Vazquez- 2.87). Vazquez's performance was aslo buoyed by his high strikeout total; his 238 Ks were the second-highest in the National League, trailing only San Francisco's Tim Lincecum. Derek Lowe also put together a fair season in the Braves' rotation, as he also won 15 games, but his high ERA of 4.67 left him as only the third-best starter on the team, in my opinion. The Braves also received a fantastic rookie pitching performance from Tommy Hanson, who will be mentioned later in the "Wild Card" section of the post.

The Braves' bullpen was fantastic this past season, as three pitchers recorded ERAs under three in over 75 appearances (Peter Moylan- 2.84 ERA in 87 games, Mike Gonzalez- 2.42 ERA in 80 games, Rafael Soriano- 2.97 ERA in 77 games). Eric O'Flaherty also put together a great season in the bullpen, as he recorded a 3.04 ERA in 78 appearances himself. Moylan, Gonzalez and O'Flaherty all spent time in the set-up role as well, with each of them recording 15 holds or greater. Gonzalez even received some opportunities to close out games, as he recorded 10 saves during the season. He ended up finishing second on the staff in that category to Soriano's 27.

Overall, the Braves' pitching staff put up an impressive team ERA of 3.57, which was the third-best in all of baseball, trailing only the Giants and Dodgers. As a result of this, they surrendered the fourth-least amount of runs in MLB, giving up only 641 of them. They weren't letting many base runners on either, as they only surrendered 530 walks (tied for 10th-lowest in MLB), and held their opponents to a .254 batting average (sixth-lowest in MLB). Even though nobody is mistaking Vazquez, Jurrjens and Lowe for Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine, this staff's final numbers would have certainly made those three legends proud.
Final Grade: A+

Wild Card: Tommy Hanson
The 6-6, 220 pound righty from Tulsa, Oklahoma made his major league debut in the starting rotation in 2009, and he did not disappoint, as he put together a fine rookie season. In 21 starts, he went 11-4, with a 2.89 ERA in 127.2 innings. His WHIP was also a very impressive 1.18 during that time span as well. While he did receive some Rookie of the Year consideration, he ultimately did not win it, as the Marlins' Chris Coghlan took home the trophy. Despite not winning the award, nothing can tarnish the fantastic season put together by Hanson, and the Braves certainly have to be excited about him going into 2010.
Final Grade: A

Overall:
This was a pretty good team this past season, but they were nowhere near being on Philadelphia's level. Also complicating things were the Florida Marlins, who practically matched the Braves, piece-by-piece, during the '09 season. They are good enough to match the talent level of other middle-of-the-pack National League teams, but are they good enough to take it to the next level in 2010? We shall see.
Final Grade: B

Check back tomorrow for the report card on the Minnesota Twins!

The Five Best World Series Games of the Decade

Merry Christmas, everyone! Here is my list of the five best World Series games of the decade. I'm separating the World Series from the LCS and LDS because I feel that a lot of great postseason games would get slighted if I just did one general list of the best postseason games overall. Anyway, here we go:


5.) 2005 World Series Game 3: White Sox @ Astros, October 25-26, 2005. An unlikely hero steps up in the 14th inning.
This game would end up becoming the longest game ever played in World Series history in elapsed time (five hours and forty-one minutes), and would tie for the longest in innings (14) in Series history as well. The game- which was the first-ever World Series game played in the state of Texas- had all of the elements of compelling drama in it, as the Astros looked to avoid going down 3-0 in the Series. They took an early 4-0 lead with ace Roy Oswalt on the mound, but could not hold it, as the Sox scored five times in the top of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. The Astros tied the game at five-all in the bottom of the eighth, and that's when the fun began. The game continued on into the wee small hours of the morning, when, in the top of the 14th, little-used bench player Geoff Blum took Astros reliever Ezequiel Astacio deep for a solo home run to make the game 6-5. The Sox would add on one more run, before slamming the door on the Astros, 7-5, to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Series. Here's a fun side note about the game: The Astros left a whopping 15 men on base during that game, with 10 of the 15 coming from the ninth inning on. Now that hurts.


4.) 2001 World Series Game 5: Diamondbacks @ Yankees, November 1, 2001. Yankees walk 'em off again.
Arizona looked to regain their composure after a heartbreaking loss in Game Four, and it looked like they were going to be successful in their endeavor, as they held a 2-0 lead going into the ninth inning. In fact, D'backs manager Bob Brenly was so confident in his team's short-term memory that he sent out closer Byung-Hyun Kim (who blew the game the night before) to try to slam the door once again. He couldn't do it though, as he surrendered another two-out, game-tying home run, this time to third baseman Scott Brosius. Kim didn't stay in the game long enough to get the loss like the night before, as Albie Lopez eventually surrendered the game-winning single to Alfonso Soriano in the 12th inning. The victory gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the Series.


3.) 2002 World Series Game 6: Giants @ Angels, October 26, 2002. That @#$&*@# rally monkey strikes again!
The Giants were sitting pretty in Game Six, needing only eight more outs to be crowned as World Champions. Giants fans have waited a long time for this moment to come, as they were seeking their first title in 48 years. Making things even better was the fact that they had a commanding 5-0 lead in that game. Oh, how soon things change...

Giants starter Russ Ortiz was chased from the game after surrendering two singles with one out in the seventh. In came hard-throwing reliever Felix Rodriguez in his place to face Scott Spiezio, and in came the rally monkey, which came on the jumbotron in Anaheim whenever the Angels needed inspiration for a rally. There must have been something to that little creature, as Spiezio hit a three-run homer to cut the lead to two. The Angels would tack on three more runs in the very next inning, as Troy Glaus' go-ahead double off of Robb Nen proved to be the fatal blow to the Giants. The Angels hung on to win the game 6-5, and would even the Series up at three games apiece. Not surprisingly, they won Game Seven the very next night to win their first-ever championship. The Giants' title drought continues to this day, 54 years and counting.


2.) 2001 World Series Game 4: Diamondbacks @ Yankees, October 31-November 1, 2001. Tino ties it, and Jeter walks 'em off.
Before you had the drama of Game Five, you had the drama of Game Four, and oh boy, what a game it was. The Diamondbacks were just one out away from taking a commanding 3-1 series lead, when Tino Martinez stepped up to the plate with one man on. On the very first pitch he saw from closer Byung-Hyun Kim, he took him deep for a two-run homer. Game tied. In the bottom of the tenth, with Kim still in the game, Derek Jeter stepped up to the plate with two outs as well. Jeter worked Kim for eight pitches, before taking the ninth one he saw from him out over the right field fence. The Yankees won the game 4-3, evening the Series up at two games apiece. 'Twas here that the legend of Mr. November was born, as Jeter hit the home run just after the clock struck midnight on November 1.


1.) 2001 World Series Game 7: Yankees @ Diamondbacks, November 4, 2001. Luis Gonzalez ends a game for the ages.
The Diamondbacks regained their composure from the heartbreaking losses in New York by thrashing the Yankees 15-2 in Game Six, to set up the do-or-die Game Seven. This game would easily go down as one of the best World Series games of all time, as Yankees starter Roger Clemens and Diamondbacks starter Curt Schilling engaged in a scintillating pitching duel. The game was tied at one in the eighth inning, when Alfonso Soriano took Schilling deep to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead. They would hold on to this lead into the bottom of the ninth, when they sent out Mariano Rivera to try to close out their fourth consecutive World Series title. During this time, Rivera was practically invincible in the postseason, as he would get through nerve-racking postseason games with a cool demeanor and relative ease. Arizona was not fazed by this postseason legend however, as they rallied back to win the game, 3-2, to take their first-ever World Series title. Luis Gonzalez, who hit 57 home runs for Arizona during the season, proved to be the hero as he hit the Series-winning bloop single over Derek Jeter's head to win it all for the Diamondbacks.

Honorable Mention:
2002 World Series Game 7: Giants @ Angels, October 27, 2002. The Angels ride the momentum from their exhilarating Game Six win to take Game Seven, 4-1, to win it all.

2003 World Series Game 4: Yankees @ Marlins, October 22, 2003. Marlins shortstop Alex Gonzalez hits a walk-off homer to give the Marlins a 4-3, 12 inning victory. The Marlins would go on to win the next two games to take their second-ever World Series title.

2005 World Series Game 2: Astros @ White Sox, October 23, 2005. Scott Podsednik, who did not hit a single home run in 507 at-bats during the 2005 season, hits a walk-off shot off of Astros closer Brad Lidge to give the Sox a 7-6 victory, as well as a 2-0 lead in the World Series.

Fun fact: There have only been 14 walk-off home runs hit in World Series history.

The 30 Day/30 Team Report Cards: Day 18- Detroit Tigers

Hello everybody! I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas Eve, and I hope that you all have completed your Christmas shopping! Anyway, let's get to work. Here is today's report card on the Motor City Nine, the Detroit Tigers.

Detroit Tigers:
Record: 86-77 (Second place in the AL Central, one game behind Minnesota).

Batting Leaders:
Batting Average: Miguel Cabrera (.324)
Home Runs: Miguel Cabrera (34)
RBIs: Miguel Cabrera (103)
On-base Percentage: Miguel Cabrera (.396)

Pitching Leaders:
Wins: Justin Verlander (19)
ERA: Justin Verlander (3.45). Bullpen- Brandon Lyon (2.86).
Strikeouts: Justin Verlander (269)
Innings Pitched: Justin Verlander (240.0)
WHIP: Justin Verlander (1.18)
Saves: Fernando Rodney (38)

Highlight of the Season: Taking control of first place on May 16, after a 9-1 victory over Oakland. They would not fall out of first place until the very end of the season.

Lowlight of the Season: Losing to the Minnesota Twins in heartbreaking fashion in the one-game playoff, 6-5, on October 6. This was the culmination of a disastrous final month for Detroit, in which they blew a seven game lead as late as September 6.

The Lowdown:
Even though they won the Wild Card in 2006, Detroit was seeking to accomplish something that they have not done since 1987, and that was to finish in first place. It looked as if the Tigers would get it done though, as they took first place on May 16, and did not look back. The closest Detroit came to falling out of first (before September arrived) was on July 23, when they were tied with the White Sox after Buehrle's perfect game against Tampa. However, Detroit would face the Sox in a four-game series beginning on the very next day, and made their statement, as they took three out of four from Chicago. Once September rolled around, it seemed as if the Tigers could not be stopped, as they took a commanding seven game lead in the division on September 6.

If there is one thing that I have learned as a White Sox fan in the last decade, is to never, ever, ever count out the Twins until they are mathematically eliminated. The Twins put together a furious push in the final month, going 19-7, while the Tigers went a miserable 11-15 in that same time span, to force the one-game playoff in Minnesota. Even though Detroit put up a valiant fight in the one-game playoff, it was not enough to hold off a white-hot Minnesota team, as the Twins won 6-5 in 12 innings, to advance to the playoffs. A season that once seemed so promising, only ended in heartbreak for the Tigers.

Offense:
The Tigers featured a solid offensive attack in 2009, which was led by the hard-hitting trio of Miguel Cabrera, Curtis Granderson and Brandon Inge. Cabrera put together another typical "Miguel Cabrera" kind of season, which is outstanding more often than not. He hit well over .300 again (.324), and pounded 34 home runs to go along with 103 RBIs and a robust .396 on-base percentage. He has clearly shown that his numbers were not just a National League fluke, and that he is indeed one of the best hitters in baseball.

Granderson had a fine year at the plate power-wise, drilling 30 home runs himself, along with driving in 71. He also had 20 steals to his credit, as well. However, his abilities as a lead-off hitter are questionable, as he hit only .249 and had a dismal on-base percentage of only .327. His speed is obviously the biggest reason why manager Jim Leyland places him in the lead-off spot; however, you would certainly like for him to get on base more to set the table for Cabrera.

Brandon Inge had a great season power-wise at the plate, too, as he played in nearly every game for the Tigers this season (he played in 161 out of their 163 games this season). He clubbed 27 home runs, which tied his career-high, and he also drove in a career-best 84 runs. The only downside to his season was his dismal .230 average and .314 on-base percentage, but he has never really been a player who hit for average.

Three other guys who hit for a decent average were Magglio Ordonez (.310), left fielder Ryan Raburn (.291) and Placido Polanco (.285). Ordonez's decent average was the only silver lining to a horrendous season for him power-wise though, as he hit only nine home runs and drove in just 50. This is coming from someone who is usually capable of hitting 25-30 home runs a season, while driving in around 100. This power outage from him is certainly something that has to be alarming many Tigers fans, as he is supposed to be the "right-hand man" to Cabrera.

Overall, the Tigers scored 743 runs as a team, which was good enough for 15th in MLB. Along with this, they finished ninth in home runs (183), 19th in on-base percentage (.331), and tied for 17th in batting average (.260). When you put it all together, they weren't the most fearsome lineup in the bigs in '09, but they were pretty damn good nonetheless.
Final Grade: B

Pitching:
The Tigers featured fantastic pitching from their youthful starting trio of Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson and 20-year-old rookie Rick Porcello in 2009. All three pitchers made over 30 starts, and all three were the biggest reason why Detroit stayed in the pennant chase for most of the season. Verlander led the way in the Tigers' rotation, as he rebounded from a miserable 2008 campaign in which he went 11-17 with a 4.84 ERA. This year was a much different story for him, as he went 19-9, with a 3.45 ERA and a major-league best 269 strikeouts. His 1.18 WHIP was also among the major-league's best as well.

Right behind him was Edwin Jackson, who put together a solid campaign, going 13-9, with a 3.62 ERA and 161 strikeouts. The 26-year-old basically picked up right where he left off in 2008 with Tampa Bay, when he went 14-10 for the eventual American League Champions. This year, though, he saw his ERA go down significantly from 4.42 in '08 to 3.62 this year.

The biggest surprise in the rotation had to be the performance of rookie Rick Porcello. Many people were somewhat surprised that the Tigers were placing him in the starting rotation right out of spring training, considering that he was only 20 years old. Many people feared that they were rushing him up to the big leagues, and that he might suffer as a result. However, Porcello and the Tigers proved everybody wrong, as he put together a spectacular rookie campaign, going 14-9, with a 3.96 ERA in 170.2 innings. In fact, the season he put together was good enough for him to earn the trust of manager Leyland, who let him start in the one-game playoff against the Twins. Even though Detroit would end up losing the game, Porcello put together an admirable performance, giving up only two runs in 5.2 innings, to go along with an impressive eight strikeouts to just two walks. The bright lights clearly did not faze the young man from Morristown, New Jersey, and it is that aspect about him that gives the Tigers, and their fans, a lot of excitement about him in 2010.

Detroit's bullpen was solid in 2009, but there can certainly be some room for improvement in 2010. Fernando Rodney had a pretty good season as a closer, going 37 for 38 in save opportunities this year. However, he had a hefty ERA of 4.40 in the closer's role, and he also had a conspicuously-high walk total of 41 in 75.2 innings pitched. Although he got the job done closing out games this year, he would often give Tigers fans and Jim Leyland a considerable amount of heartburn while he was closing them out. Brandon Lyon also did a solid job in the 'pen in '09, putting together a 2.86 ERA in 78.2 innings. Other than that, the bullpen only received a fair performance from Ryan Perry (3.79 ERA in 61.2 innings), along with a couple of mediocre performances from Bobby Seay (4.25 ERA in 48.2 innings) and Zach Miner (4.29 ERA in 92.1 innings). However, in Miner's defense, some of those numbers were put up in the midst of the five starts he made during the course of the season.

Compared to other teams in MLB, the Tigers' pitching stacked up pretty well. They finished 13th in ERA (4.29), 18th in runs allowed (745), and tied for 15th in "batting average against" (.263). The only negative aspect about this staff was their high walk total of 594, which was the eighth-highest in baseball. However, since their top three starters were in such great form throughout the season, I'll let it pass.
Final Grade: B

Wild Card: Rick Porcello
With Armando Galarraga falling back to earth after an impressive '08 campaign, Dontrelle Willis forgetting how to pitch altogether, and with and with Jeremy Bonderman battling injuries, Porcello's emergence could not have come at a better time for Detroit. His poise on the mound is something that is usually only seen out of veterans instead of 20-year-old rookies. Perhaps the presence of Justin Verlander was of big help to Porcello, since he essentially went through the same thing in 2006, albeit at a slightly older age of 23 at the time. Make no mistake about it though: having him come through for the team like this is much, much bigger than what it seems to be on paper.
Final Grade: A-

Overall:
While this team is not on the level of the Yankees, Red Sox, or Angels, they are still a pretty good team. They are also very fortunate that they play in baseball's weakest division, the AL Central. The only problem that bit the Tigers in '09 was their inability to "finish."
Final Grade: B+

Check back tomorrow for the report card on the Atlanta Braves!

Top Five Regular Season Games of the Decade

Since this decade is coming to a close, I thought I would take a look back at the best and the worst of the decade in baseball. This will simply be just a modest look back at some of the standout events that took place on the field in MLB from 2000-2009. You may not agree with me on everything, but then again, what fun would baseball be if everybody agreed with each other? Without further adieu, here's my list of the top five regular-season games of the decade:


5.) The Comeback: Cleveland Indians rally from a 12-run deficit to defeat the Seattle Mariners at home, August 5, 2001.
In a game that was nationally televised on Sunday Night Baseball, the Cleveland Indians put together a comeback for the ages that no fan who was watching would soon forget. The Mariners were in the midst of their record-tying 116 win season, and they were in full steam on this night, coming into the game with a ridiculous 80-30 record. On the other hand were the Indians, who were seeking their sixth division title in seven years, albeit with a much more modest 61-48 record. In the beginning of the game, the Mariners announced their presence with authority, taking a 14-2 lead in the fifth inning.

Cleveland would start to claw back though, as they scored three times in the seventh, four times in the eighth and five times in the ninth to tie the game at 14-all. Jolbert Cabrera's game-winning single in the tenth inning off of Jose Paniagua sealed the deal for Cleveland, and sent the crowd at Jacobs Field into an absolute frenzy. The 12-run comeback tied for the largest in MLB history, as it was the first of its kind since 1925. Also, here's a little bit of hindsight for you: if the Mariners had won that game, they would have ultimately set the all-time record for wins in a season with 117.


4.) Padres @ Dodgers, September 18, 2006: Dodgers hit four consecutive homers to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.
This game at Dodger Stadium would prove to be one of the most memorable games ever played there, as this was a showdown for first place in the NL West. The Padres came into the day a half a game in first place ahead of the Dodgers, and by the ninth inning, they were about to extend their division lead. With a 9-5 lead, things seemed comfortably in control with reliever Jon Adkins on the mound. Then, Adkins suddenly faltered, surrendering back-to-back home runs to Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew respectively to make the game 9-7. Padres manager Bruce Bochy had seen enough, and he decided to take out Adkins in favor of his future Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman. If there was anybody who could slam the door on the Dodgers, it was Hoffman.

Unfortunately for him, and for the Padres, it wasn't his night, either. As soon as he entered the game, he surrendered back-to-back home runs on two pitches to Russell Martin and Marlon Anderson to tie the game at nine. Four home runs in a row to tie the game. Incredible.

The story doesn't end here, though. The Padres were able to get up off of the canvas in the 10th inning, as they took a 10-9 lead. However, the Dodgers weren't finished, either. After a lead-off walk to Kenny Lofton, Nomar Garciaparra hit a game-winning, two-run homer off of Rudy Seanez to win the game, 11-10. This remarkable game left even the hard-to-impress Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully in awe, as he was rendered silent in shock and awe for nearly a minute after the homer was hit. After the brief bit of silence, Scully, almost as if he was in such an excited state, nearly forgot to remind his viewers of the Dodgers' standing. He made up for this by simply stating at the close of the broadcast, "I forgot to tell you- the Dodgers are in first place." The two teams would end up tying each other atop the NL West at the end of the season with an 88-74 record, with the Padres getting awarded the division crown based on their head-to-head record with L.A. The Dodgers were awarded the National League Wild Card.


3.) Twins @ White Sox, one-game playoff, September 30, 2008.
The thrilling AL Central race in 2008 needed one more game added on to the regular season to decide it. After sweeping the Sox in Minnesota from September 23-25, the Twins needed to just take two out of three from lowly Kansas City at home to win the division. It wasn't to be though, as the Royals took two out of three from the Twins. Despite this, the Twins won the final game of the season against them to put the Sox in a tough bind. Since Chicago already lost the first two games of their series to Cleveland, they had to win their final game to force a make-up game against Detroit. They defeated the Indians 5-1 to survive.

The very next day, the Sox were in another do-or-die game, this time against the Tigers. It was a make-up game that had to be completed in order to decide the divisonal race. If the Sox lose- they go home. If they win- a one-game playoff against the Twins would be played the next day. The Sox thrashed the Tigers 8-2, to set up the one-game showdown with Minnesota.

The game was a true classic, as Sox pitcher John Danks and Twins pitcher Nick Blackburn exchanged zeroes through the first six and a half innings. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, Blackburn left a hanging change-up out over the plate to Jim Thome, who would crush the pitch for a 461-foot home run to center. The solo home run would be the difference in the game, as Danks and closer Bobby Jenks shut down the Twins in the final two innings to win the division, 1-0.


2.) Padres @ Rockies, one-game playoff, October 1, 2007.
The Rockies won nearly every game they had to, as they won 13 out of their final 14 games to force the one-game playoff with San Diego. The Padres had to do their part as well, because they lost their final two games against the Brewers to help Colorado get to that point. The game was an epic 13-inning, four-hour-and-forty-minute showdown between two teams battling for their postseason lives.

The Padres seemed to have the game in hand, when in the top of the 13th, Scott Hariston took Rockies reliever Jorge Julio deep for a two-run homer to take an 8-6 lead. With legendary closer Trevor Hoffman coming in to slam the door on the game, the Rockies improbable run seemed to be over.

The Rockies would not go quietly though, as Kaz Matsui led off the bottom of the 13th with a double. This was soon followed by a Troy Tulowitzki double and a Matt Holliday triple which would end up tying the game at eight. After Todd Helton was intentionally walked, Jamey Carroll hit a sacrifice fly that scored Holliday from third with the winning run.


1.) Tigers @ Twins, one-game playoff, October 6, 2009.
Despite holding a seven game lead as late as September 6, the Tigers could not hold on, as they went 11-16 after that day to ultimately lose the division to Minnesota. However, the game that the Tigers and Twins would play to decide the AL Central would be one for the ages, as the back-and-forth game went into extra innings to be decided. Alexei Casilla's game winning single in the bottom of the 12th off of Fernando Rodney would send the Twins to an improbable fifth division title of the decade. Any game that features two lead changes in extra-innings is tops in my book.

Honorable mention:
Cubs @ Brewers, Game 162, September 28, 2008. Brewers-3, Cubs-1: Ryan Braun's go-ahead, eighth inning home run would ultimately propel the Brewers to their first postseason appearance since 1982, and would send a jam-packed house at Miller Park into a frenzy. C.C. Sabathia was also excellent in this game, as he tossed a complete game against arguably the National League's best lineup.

The Tadahito Iguchi Show, Astros @ White Sox, June 25, 2006: With the Sox trailing 9-2 as late as the eighth inning, White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi would put on a performance that will live in Sox lore for years to come. He tied tied the game all by himself by hitting a three-run homer in the eighth, and a grand slam in the ninth with two outs. Unfortunately, the Sox lost the game 10-9 in 13 innings. Another Sunday Night Baseball classic.

Rockies @ Padres 22-inning marathon, April 17-18, 2008: The Rockies defeated the San Diego Padres, 2-1, in the longest game of the decade, by far. The game took six hours and sixteen minutes to be completed, and featured a whopping 15 pitchers used between the two teams. What's even more remarkable was that the game was scoreless until the 14th, when the Rockies and Padres each scored one run in their respective frames to prolong the game. Colorado was finally able to squeak one more run across in the top of the 22nd to win the game. The game ended at 1:21 am, Pacific Standard Time.