I thought Ibanez was going to hit another one out

 

 Admit it. You did too. I was screaming to the radio listening to the game. "Do NOT take Verlander out! Don't do it!"

I don't care if he pet up the Nunez homer.

It doesn't matter. I would take a sleepwalking Justin Verlander over anyone else in baseball right now.

When they took him out, of course the Yankees started to rally. 

And of course Ibanez was at the plate.

And the Yankees, dead from the neck up three batters earlier, suddenly had a wild scenario in their favor.

Verlander out and their 9th inning secret weapon at the plate. Another Ibanez homer with the count full would give the Yankees the lead.

If they held on, Sabathia would pitch the next day.

Suddenly the series could be 2-2 and the Yankees would have pulled off the most incredible shifts of momentum since... well since the Giants just last week.

Admit it. You thought of that scenario.

It didn't happen.

Sabathia pitches today and if he replicated what the Yankees pitching did in game 3, everyone would be satisfied.

A win or go home game where the starter goes 8 innings letting up 2 runs would be a solid performance.

That is exactly what the Yankees pitching did and it was not enough.

The Yankees needed Ibanez's heroics.

Then again, it would behoove the Yankees to have someone other than Ibanez be the hero. He's filled his dramatic quota.

By this time tomorrow, the Yankees season might be over.

That scenario wasn't going through my head earlier.

We have ourselves an NLCS

After the Division Series got off to such a rousing start, the prospects of an LCS to match it seemed remote.

Sure the Tigers and Yankees played a thrilling Game 1 extra inning affair, but it has been overshadowed by Jeter's injury and the Yankees inept hitting and the fact that Verlander will probably put the Yankees in an 0-3 hole.

And the Cardinals put the Giants in an 0-1 hole with Chris Carpenter on the mound.

Well the Marco Scutaro show began.

First of all, I do not think Matt Holliday's slide was dirty. I think it may have been overly aggressive but not dirty. And this is the NLCS. Things are going to get rough.

The problem for Holliday was that it came back to bite him when he let Scutaro's hit roll between his legs to let a fifth run score. And when Scutaro had to leave, Ryan Theriot contributed with a two run single of his own.

But the hero was Ryan Vogelsong. If he stubbed his toe on the mound, then this series would be as good as done.

Now the Giants are heading to St. Louis with Matt Cain on the hill and evidently (and brilliantly) Tim Lincecum on the bump for Game 4.

I am clearly rooting for the Giants so I want them to win in five. But if they can make sure they at least come back to San Francisco up 3-2, then they are in great shape.

Either way, the clash of the last two World Series champs should be more interesting than the rise of the Tigers and the collapse of the Yankee dynasty.

On to St. Louis. Let's make this fun.

Fly balls to Matt Holliday in the post season are always interesting

Things get really exciting in a Cardinals post season game when someone hits a fly ball to left field. Matt Holliday has become the most unpredictable trouble magnet in left since Manny Ramirez played with the Red Sox.

In last night's 7-1 blow out by the Giants, the game was blown open when Marco Scutaro hit a two out bases loaded single to left field. (Earlier Holliday slid hard into Scutaro and eventually causing him to leave. Karma would strike Holliday.)

Two runs were going to score to make it 4-1. But the ball rolled through Holliday's legs and another run came in.

And his strange day did not end there. In the 8th, Aubrey Huff hit a fly ball that hung in the air about about a week and a half. The infielder ran all the way out to left field while Holliday stood there. It dropped in.

Now Sam Holbrook would have called that an infield fly, but it was another adventure in left.

In last year's World Series Game 6, he had a "I got it! I got it! YOU got it!" moment that dropped in between Holliday and Rafael Furcal.

Only the great Cardinals comeback put that into the background and made it an obscure footnote.

And of course there was the mother of left field miscues.

Game 2 of the 2009 Division Series. 2 outs and nobody on with St. Louis holding to a one run lead. With 2 strikes on the Dodgers' James Loney, he hit a pop up to left field to end the game.

Except of course it didn't.

Holliday dropped the ball and the Dodgers went on to rally for two runs and win the game.

The way the Cardinals were so invincible in 2006 and 2011 despite not having home field advantage, I can't help but wonder if the 2009 team would have done the same if they went back to St. Louis 1-1 rather than 0-2.

We will never know.

Something else we will never know is what will happen when a fly ball is hit to Matt Holliday.

It makes the post season a little more exciting.

His fielding highlights should be edited to Yackety Sax, the Benny Hill theme

Cardinals Are Becoming the Strangest Dynasty in MLB History - A Bleacher Report Article

The Cardinals are like a B- student who turns around and aces the final.
They play just well enough to get into the post season and then it seem like nobody can stop them.

In my latest article for Bleacher Report, I brought up their great recent success and how history will be very kind to the team that looks like a budding dynasty from afar.

You can read the whole article HERE.

The 2007 and 2009 World Champion reunions will be awkward

During the course of the 2012 season, the Boston Red Sox trotted out every living former player who didn't hate the team to try and drum up some good will with the fans.

Every year, the Yankees invite their beloved living stars in the best old timers day in baseball. And inevitably there are reunions for great teams of the past.

Somewhere down the line, the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox and the 2009 World Champion New York Yankees will have a reunion on the field.

And frankly it is hard to figure out which one will be embraced by their fans LESS.

The Red Sox showed that the 2004 title was no fluke by picking up a second one for good measure.

2007 seems like a long time ago and frankly many of the players have left and not exactly on good terms.

The most enduring image of the 2007 postseason was Manny Ramirez standing at home plate, arms in the air, after launching his walk off shot in Game 2 of the Division Series against the Angels.

Ramirez left the Red Sox on what is safe to say not exactly beloved terms.

As the years went by, more and more players from that team left the Red Sox in a huff. Starting shortstop Julio Lugo was never loved by the fans, even though he made some great plays in the World Series against Colorado.

Jonathan Papelbon left for the Phillies last year with nasty things to say about the organization. Kevin Youkilis' days ended badly, but not as much with the fans as with the front office.

J. D. Drew hit the grand slam that broke open Game 6 of the ALCS early and provided later heroics in the World Series. Boston fans could not wait to see him go.

Same can be said for Daisuke Matsuzaka, who won the clinching Game 7 of the ALCS and drove in 2 runs in Game 3 of the World Series.

The biggest hero of 2007 was Josh Beckett, who shut down the Angels, Indians and Rockies and did with a cool dominant style. By the time he was sent off to the Dodgers, he was as vilified a Red Sox player had been in recent memory.

Will Boston fans politely applaud this team or will they straight out boo them.

Speaking of booing, no World Champion since 1997 Florida Marlins had a World Series title mean so little to a fan base as the 2009 title had for the Yankees.

Their lone title since Bill Clinton was in office, the 2009 championship seemed to have bought no good will to many of the participants.

A. J. Burnett pitches a critical Game 2 victory in the World Series. He was hated by the fans.

Fans are now fed up with Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher for their subpar post seasons and inability to deliver again like Jeter and company did.

And of course public enemy number one, Alex Rodriguez has been treated like he is a bum. This is despite being the single best performer while delivering as many titles to New York as Tom Seaver, Willie Mays, Joe Namath and Michael Strahan.

The fact that he has delivered "only one" is almost a stigma instead of a credit.

Maybe time and nostalgia will make fan bases realize how magical those seasons were.
Time and nostalgia seems to smooth over lots of wounds.

But for now, the number of villains the fan bases perceive from the 2007 and 2009 squads would make a reunion quite awkward.

Giants fans... THIS is why I was rooting for the Nationals

Before Game 5 of the Division Series between the Washington Nationals and the St. Louis Cardinals, I called up my dad, who is a rabid San Francisco Giants fan.

I told him I was rooting for the Nationals in the game because I thought they were a better match up with the Giants.

My dad wanted the Giants to play the Cardinals. They would have home field advantage and the Giants had a better record against the Cardinals. "We can beat them."

I said "That's what everyone said in 2006 and last year as well."

The Cardinals are an unstoppable force. They are unbeatable. And in the last two seasons, they had every reason to be completely shut out before the World Series was even near.

Last year they were lumbering behind the Braves for the Wild Card and played out the string. That was until the Braves collapsed and the Cardinals backed in.

Then the Phillies were the invincible team getting ready to steamroll through to the World Series. But they lost 1-0 in the deciding game.

Then the Division Champion Brewers sighed a relief that they didn't have to face the mighty Phillies. But the Cardinals outslugged them and as they did in 1982, broke Milwaukee's heart.

Then the Rangers had the Cardinals down to the last strike twice and couldn't close out the World Series.

This year the Dodgers couldn't get their act together even after trading for Hanley Ramirez, Shane Victorino, Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett and lost the Wild Card in the last week.

Then the Braves got hosed on an infield fly rule. Then the Nationals had the second biggest meltdown of a game where Davey Johnson was one of the managers in history.

Every one of those teams thought the Cardinals were easy pickings.
Same with the 2006 Padres, Mets and Tigers.

Now look where we are.

Subpar Cardinals teams had World Championship Parades in 2006 and 2011 while the fan bases in San Diego, New York, Detroit, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Texas, Los Angeles and Washington spent an off season wondering "How the hell did they beat us?"

And in San Francisco, the Giants fell 6-4 and gave up home field advantage to the defending World Champions.

And they will be facing Chris Carpenter, one of the best big game pitchers of the past decade.

This would NOT have happened with a young Washington team not throwing all of their best pitchers.

The Giants would have picked the Nationals apart for lunch.
Now I am about to lose my lunch at the thought of another OK but not great Cardinals team being crowned champions.

Get your act together, Giants.
My dad is rooting for you.

So is every other team that the Cardinals have clotheslined in the past six seasons.


 

A fact about the Yankees offense

Through 3 in Game 2 of the ALCS here is how the Yankees scoring has broken down.

In the Division Series and ALCS the Yankees have scored 10 runs in 6 innings against the closers Johnson and Valverde and 10 runs in 55 innings against everyone else.

If the Orioles and Tigers closers could have closed out their innings, the Yankees offense would be historically bad.

Here's a tip. Leave in the 8th inning pitcher against the Yankees.

How did the Giants allow Madison Bumgarner to jump from space today?

Seriously. I thought players had clauses in their contracts preventing them from skiing and playing basketball and things that can risk serious injury.

But today, San Francisco Giants starter Madison Bumgarner put all those daredevils to shame with his amazing leap. From a capsule in space, the All Star left hander jumped 128,000 feet, roughly 24 miles from the atmosphere to the ground.

As impressive as the jump was, the fact that he did it on a day where he had a start in the NLCS is mindboggling.

That puts to shame Deion Sanders playing an NFL game and being in uniform for the 1992 NLCS on the same day.

I wonder if Tim McCarver will have harsh words for Bumgarner and his start.

So it was impressive, but a tip from your pal Sully. Next time you jump from space, do it on an off day.

I may hate the Yankees, but Jeter breaking his ankle sucks

I am no Yankee fan. I get some sick pleasure in seeing Derek Jeter at the end of a Yankee series loss where he stares off and looks angry.

I took no pleasure in seeing Derek Jeter's ankle give out on him.
This stinks. I like seeing the Yankees at full strength lose.

But seeing a player get hurt is awful.

This loss would have been devastating for the Yankees had Jeter played the whole game. They would have wasted Pettitte's outing and the Ibanez home run.

The loss at home put the Yankees in a 0-1 hole knowing that Justin Verlander will be waiting for them in Detroit for Game 3.

Game 2 became a must win for the Yankees and one they will be playing tomorrow afternoon, their fifth straight day with a game.

But now the shadow of Jeter will cast a pall over the game.

The team can't hit. And now they lost their leader. And this was the same year that they lost Mariano Rivera.

The cruel irony is this would not have happened had Ibanez struck out.
If the Yankees lost in 9 innings, Jeter would be ready to play tomorrow.

Instead he is gone and who knows if he will ever play shortstop again.

Someone needs to take the leadership role of the team.

But the 2012 season might be over for the Yankees.
I take glee in seeing the Yankees eliminated.

I take no pleasure in seeing their fallen captain taken off the field.

SULLY BASEBALL AWARDS THE DIVISION SERIES MVP - Updated for 2012

Before the ALCS and NLCS start up, there is one last bit of business to take care of regarding the Division Series: The staff at Sully Baseball needs to hand out the Division Series MVP Awards.

Of course there is no official Division Series Most Valuable Player, which is bonkers. The hero of a post season series should be celebrated. And this year that is more obvious than ever.

With all four series going the full five games, the top player surely helped their team win a series that could have gone either way.

They hand out an MVP in a four game World Series. Why not a five game Division Series?

We've been doing this for a few years now.

In 2009 I included the MVPs for the 1981 Divisional Playoffs as well. Why not?

And now there are four new Division Series MVPs, whose post season heroics will NOT go unnoticed here!

THE DIVISION SERIES MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

2011

American League

CC SABATHIA, New York Yankees

The Yankees starting rotation was supposed to be a weakness. But they excelled in the five game thriller against the Baltimore Orioles.

Sabathia led the way, winning both of his starts. He pitched 8 2/3 innings and won the opener which was closer than the final 7-2 score would indicate.

Then with the bullpen exhausted after back to back extra innings game, Sabathia pitched the deciding game and pitched a complete game in the Yankees 3-1 victory. He wiggled out of trouble in the 8th inning and clinched the series. He finished with a 2-0 record and a 1.53 ERA with 16 strikeouts and 3 walks over 17 2/3 innings.

JUSTIN VERLANDER, Detroit Tigers

The defending Cy Young winner and MVP let up a lead off homer by Coco Crisp. After that let up no runs, 7 hits,  5 walks, 22 strike outs in the next 16 innings. That includes his Game 5 complete game shutout that sent the Tigers back to the ALCS for the second straight here.

National League

CARLOS BELTRAN, St. Louis Cardinals

Beltran went on a tear as the defending World Champion Cardinals stunned the Washington Nationals. He batted .444 with an OPS of 1.486, two homers and four runs batted in. His lead off double in the 9th inning of Game 5 sparked the startling comeback that gave St. Louis the series.

He won the award with the 2004 Houston Astros.

SERGIO ROMO, San Francisco Giants

A series where the Giants got subpar performances from their starters  and lineup, nobody came up bigger than Romo.

Filling in for injured closer Brian Wilson, Romo came up huge. He faced three batters in the 9th inning of Game 3 where any one of them could have won the series for Cincinnati with one swing of the bat. He retired all three. He closed out the Reds in the 10th for the win.

He pitched 1 1/3 innings in the final game and twice faced batters who could have clinched the series for the Reds. He retired them, got the save and sent the Giants to the NLCS.

2011
American League

DELMON YOUNG, Detroit Tigers

Young batted .316 and hit 3 homers, including the game winning shot in Game 3 and a crucial homer in the first inning of the clinching Game 5.

His OPS of 1.170 led the team as the Tigers eliminated the Yankees.




MIKE NAPOLI, Texas Rangers

Sure, Adrian Beltre's 3 homers in the clincher were amazing. But Napoli's 2 run homer in Game 3 turned the tide of the series for good in favor of the Rangers.

Napoli also drove in 2 runs in the Rangers come from behind win in Game 2.

In all, Napoli batted .357 with an OPS of .971 and helped take the momentum away from the surging Rays.


National League

YOVANI GALLARDO, Milwaukee Brewers

Won Game 1 with a solid 8 inning performance where he struck out 9 while letting up only 4 hits, 1 run and 1 walk.

Then pitched 6 innings of 1 run ball in the Game 5 clincher and would have received the win if Axford hadn't blown the save.

In all he pitched 14 innings to a 1.29 ERA, walking only 3 while striking out 14.

CHRIS CARPENTER, St. Louis Cardinals

He pitched poorly in his game 2 start and nearly put the Cardinals in an 0-2 hole. But he redeemed himself in the deciding Game 5.

Facing Roy Halladay in a do or die game, Carpenter faced borderline impossible odds. And Halladay was up to the task with his 8 innings 1 run performance. But Carpenter gave the Cardinals one more inning and one fewer run. His 3 hit complete game shutout stunned the Phillies and pulled off one of the great upsets in Division Series history.

He also won this fake award in 2006.

2010
American League

CURTIS GRANDERSON, New York Yankees

Was the spark plug in the Yankees 3 game sweep of the Twins. Smacked a go ahead 2 run triple in Game 1, went 3-4 with an RBI in Game 2 and set up a key run in Game 3 with a walk and a steal.

He finished the series with a .455 average and an OPS of 1.227.

Joins Edgar Martinez, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez as a recipient of my fake award twice and the first to do it with two different franchises.


CLIFF LEE, TEXAS RANGERS

Beat the Rays and David Price twice, posting a 2-0 record with a 1.12 ERA, 22 strikeouts and no walks in 16 innings of work.

He threw a complete game masterpiece in the final Game 5 in Tampa Bay to clinch the Rangers first ever post season series.

Like Granderson, he becomes a second time winner and the first to do it in both leagues.

National League

ROY HALLADAY, Philadelphia Phillies

Pitched his way into baseball history by throwing the second no hitter in post season history with his 4-0 masterpiece in Game 1 against the Reds.

The Reds would score only 4 runs all series as Halladay set the tone.


TIM LINCECUM, San Francisco Giants

Threw a complete game 2 hit shutout in Game 1 and pitched under pressure against the Braves all game.

The Giants bats were dead but "The Franchise" made sure their 1-0 lead was enough.


2009
American League

ALEX RODRIGUEZ, New York Yankees

Twins fans have no clue what people are referring to when A-Rod is called an October choker. After almost single handily eliminating Minnesota in 2004, A-Rod dominated once again in 2009.

He batted .455 with an OPS of 1.500 in the three game sweep, driving in 6 runs. But also showed a flair for the dramatic. He crushed a 9th inning game tying homer off of All Star closer Joe Nathan in the wild Game 2. And then hit another game tying shot in the 7th inning of the clinching Game 3.

All this after driving in 1 run in his previous 16 playoff games combined!



BOBBY ABREU, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Abreu's numbers were eye popping enough in the Angels' sweep over the Red Sox.

He batted .556 with an OPS of 1.470. But his 2 out 2 strike RBI double in the 9th inning of Game 3 brought the Angels to within 1 run and set up the dramatic Vlad Guerrero 2 run single.


National League

CLIFF LEE, Philadelphia Phillies

As I wrote earlier, Lee's Game 1 was a tour de force. He threw a complete game, got a hit and stole a base.

And while he didn't get the win in the Game 4 clincher, he pitched into the 8th inning holding the Rockies to 3 runs in Coors Field... no small feat.

ANDRE ETHIER, Los Angeles Dodgers

Ethier hit an even .500 with a 1.905 OPS in the Dodgers startling three game sweep of the Cardinals.

He homered in the Game 2 come from behind win and hit a 2 run homer in the Game 3 clincher that helped break the Cardinals' back.

2008
American League


JASON BAY, Boston Red Sox
Bay batted .412 with a .882 slugging, 2 homers and 5 runs batted in during his first post season. But that only tells part of his impact in the Red Sox 4 game victory over the favored Angels.

His 6th inning 2 run homer put the Angels on their heels seemingly for the rest of the series.
His 3 run shot in the first inning gave the Red Sox a 4-1 cushion early.
And he scored the series winning run after his 1 out 9th inning flair bounced into the stands for a ground rule double.


AKINORI IWAMURA, Tampa Bay Rays

Yes, Evan Longoria's home runs were almost as sexy as Eva Longoria. But Iwamura hit a key triple in game 1, hit the go ahead homer in game 2, gave the Rays an early lead with a single in game 3 and went 2-5 in the game 4 clincher against the White Sox.

In all, Iwamura batted .389 with a .722 slugging in the series.





National League

MANNY RAMIREZ, Los Angeles Dodgers
As if his numbers weren't gaudy enough (2 homers, a .500 average and a 1.743 OPS in the stunning three game sweep of the Cubs) his presence was even a bigger threat.

With 2 outs and a 2 run lead, Ryan Dempster walked Ramirez in the 5th inning... which set up the James Loney grand slam.

Manny simply changed the series by being Manny.




BRETT MYERS, Philadelphia Phillies
Any hope for the Milwaukee Brewers winning the Division Series hinged on the left arm of CC Sabathia. Not only did he beat Sabathia in the 5-2 Phillies win in game 2, but his gritty at bat in the second inning where he kept fouling off two out two strike pitches to ultimately coax a walk set up Shane Victorino's game winning grand slam.

Myers 7 inning, 2 hit performance loomed even larger when the Brewers won the next game but were eliminated in game 4.






2007
American League

DAVID ORTIZ, Boston Red Sox
Everyone remembers Manny standing at home plate after his walk off homer in game 2... but that was set up by the intentional walk to Big Papi.

Ortiz hit .714 with an OPS of 2.417 in the three game sweep of the Angels. Plus he hit homers in games 1 and 3.




GRADY SIZEMORE, Cleveland Indians
Batted .375 with an OPS of 1.212 from the lead off spot.
Scored the tying run on Joba Chamberlain's insect inspired wild pitch and hit the lead off home run in game 4 that sunk the Yankees 3 games to 1.





National League


STEPHEN DREW, Arizona Diamondbacks
Hit a key homer off of Carlos Zambrano in game 1 and doubled and scored in the heart breaking first inning at Wrigley.

Finished the three game sweep of the Cubs at an even .500 with an OPS of 1.643 and 4 RBI




KAZ MATSUI, Colorado Rockies
Matsui erased a 1 run deficit with a 2 out 4th inning grand slam in game 2. The Phillies never recovered and were swept away in 3.
He also hit a 2 out RBI triple in the clinching third game.
In the end he batted .417 with a 1.583 OPS.






2006
American League



FRANK THOMAS, Oakland Athletics
With his 2 home runs in game 1 (including one off of Johan Santana) Thomas crushed the Minnesota Twins' late season momentum and turned the series into a surprising 3 game sweep.

In the end, Thomas batted .500 with an OPS of 1.783




CURTIS GRANDERSON, Detroit Tigers
An o-fer in the fourth and final game of the Tigers upset over the Yankees made his numbers less eye popping than some of his teammates. (Especially Carlos Guillen's .571 average and 1.625 OPS.) But make no mistake, it was Granderson who hit the key home runs, started the key rallies and basically drove the Yankees nuts.

By the time he went 0-5 in the finale, the Yankees were already reeling.


National League

CARLOS DELGADO, New York Mets
Delgado went 4-5 in his first ever post season game, including a home run and the game winning hit in the 7th inning.

He finished the series with a .429 Average and a 1.072 OPS.










CHRIS CARPENTER, St. Louis Cardinals
Went 2-0 in the 4 game upset of San Diego.
Pitched 7 strong innings in the game 4 clincher












2005
American League

BENGIE MOLINA, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Hit the game tying single and then a key home run in game 2 and then homered off of Randy Johnson in the game 3 win in Yankee Stadium.

In all he batted .444 with an OPS of 1.418 with 3 homers and 5 RBI in the Angels 5 game win over the Yankees.






A. J. PIERZYNSKI, Chicago White Sox
Pierzynski homered twice in the 14-2 game 1 rout of the Defending Champion Red Sox.
Doubled to lead off the 9th inning of game 3 and scored a critical insurance run to complete the 3 game sweep.

Finished with a .444 average and a 1.878 OPS.




National League


LANCE BERKMAN, Houston Astros
Batted .357 with 5 RBI in Houston's 4 game victory over the Braves.

Brought the Astros back to within one in game 4 with an 8th inning grand slam. The Astros would tie the game in the 9th and go on the 18 inning marathon before clinching on Chris Burke's homer.







REGGIE SANDERS, St. Louis Cardinals
Sanders drove in an incredible 10 runs in the three game sweep of the San Diego Padres.
6 of those runs were driven in game 1 with a 2 run single and a grand slam.









2004
American League


DAVID ORTIZ, Boston Red Sox
Pretty cut and dry choice here.
Ortiz hit .545 with a 1.688 OPS for the three game sweep of the Angels... and ended the series with a dramatic 2 out 2 run walk off 10th inning home run that sent Fenway into a frenzy.









ALEX RODRIGUEZ, New York Yankees
A-Rod's first foray into Yankee playoff baseball was an unqualified success.

He batted .421 with an OPS of 1.213 in the 4 game victory over the Twins. He drove in 3 runs in the extra inning game 2 victory including a one out game tying double in the 12th. In the clinching game 4, he doubled in the 11th, stole third and scored what would be the series winning run on a wild pitch.

Between his heroics against the Twins and his .368 average with a 1.244 OPS in the first 4 games against Boston, A-Rod's post season legacy in New York looked down right heroic. He never found his playoff mojo again until 2009.





National League

EDGAR RENTERIA, St. Louis Cardinals
In a line up full of power threats like Pujols, Walker, Rolen, Edmonds and Sanders, it was Renteria who put up the biggest numbers. He batted .455 in the 4 game victory over Los Angeles with a 1.236 OPS.

Hit key RBI double in game 1, a big RBI single in the clincher and seemed to be involved in rallies throughout the series.




CARLOS BELTRAN, Houston Astros
Beltran's spectacular cameo in Houston included blasting 4 home runs in the Astros' 5 game victory over Atlanta. 2 of those homers took place in the do or die game 5.

In all, Beltran's amazing salary drive included a .455 average, a 1.591 OPS, 4 home runs and 9 RBI





2003
American League

ANDY PETTITTE, New York Yankees
Down 1-0 to the Twins, Pettitte pitched a solid game 2 and held Minnesota off long enough for the Yankees to rally for 3 7th inning runs to win the game.

The Yankees responded by winning the next two games in Minneapolis, but who knows how the series would have unfolded if New York was down 0-2?




TODD WALKER, Boston Red Sox
Smashed 3 home runs in the 5 game series with Oakland, including one in a possible elimination game 4 that brought the Red Sox to within 1.

He picked up the slack for the slumping Ortiz and Ramirez with a .313 average and a 1.228 OPS.
Now someday I'll understand why Grady kept pulling him in the late innings.


National League


IVAN RODRIGUEZ, Florida Marlins
Sure his numbers in the Marlins 4 game victory over the heavily favored Giants were great (.353, 6 RBI, 1.038 OPS) but his flair for the dramatic was even better.

His 2 out 2 run walk off single capped a come from behind rally to win a critical game 4 in 11 innings. His collision at the plate with Yorvit Torreabla allowed himself to score the go ahead run and let an important insurance run come home as well.

And the series ended with J. T. Snow crashing into home with the potential tying run, but Pudge held onto the ball and ended the series.





KERRY WOOD, Chicago Cubs
Facing the 101 win Atlanta Braves, Kerry Wood pitched road victories for game 1 and the clinching game 5.

He pitched into the 8th inning striking out 11 in game 1.
He then threw 8 innings letting up only 1 run in the clincher... the only post season series victory for the Cubs since 1908.





2002
American League

TIM SALMON, Anaheim Angels
Drove in 7 runs in the shocking 4 game upset of the Yankees. His 2 run double started the Angels come back rally from a 6-1 game 3 deficit.









BRAD RADKE, Minnesota Twins
Won game 1 and the clinching game 5 in Oakland as the Twins stunned the heavily favored A's.

Finished the series with a 2-0 record with a 1.54 and only one walk in his two starts.




National League


FERNANDO VINA, St. Louis Cardinals

Gave the Cardinals unbelievable production from the top of the order as they swept the defending champion Diamondbacks in 3 games.

He finished with a .600 average and an OPS of 1.225 and was always on base as sluggers like Pujols and Edmonds slugged the Cardinals past Johnson and Schilling.

RUSS ORTIZ, San Francisco Giants
Won the opener of the series on the road in Atlanta by pitching 7 solid innings letting up only 2 runs and 5 hits.

Came back to win the clinching game 5, pitching into the 6th inning letting up a single run as the Giants upset the Braves.






2001
American League


DEREK JETER, New York Yankees
His .444 average and .976 OPS would be enough for consideration... but his miracle flip play to nail Jeremy Giambi at the plate probably prevented an Oakland sweep.

He made a crashing catch into the stands for good measure.







ICHIRO SUZUKI, Seattle Mariners
Batted .600 with a 1.269 OPS in the 5 game victory over Cleveland. Got 12 hits in the short series including a key RBI hit in the series saving 7th inning rally in game 4.








National League
CURT SCHILLING, Arizona Diamondbacks
Schilling threw complete game victories in game 1 and the clinching game 5 over the St. Louis Cardinals. He let up a total of 9 hits and only 2 walks while striking out 18 to a 0.50 ERA.







CHIPPER JONES, Atlanta Braves
Jones' 3 run 8th inning homer gave the Braves the lead in game 1 and they never looked back in their sweep of the Houston Astros.

Jones finished the series with a .444 average, a 1.694 OPS, 2 homers and 5 RBI/










2000
American League

MARIANO RIVERA, New York Yankees
With the Yankees stumbling into the 2000 playoffs, the 2 time defending champs looked vulnerable to the upstart A's. Joe Torre needed to call on Rivera to come into the 8th inning three different times.

In game 2, Rivera came in the 8th with the tying run at the plate and got out of the jam.
In game 3, started the 8th and pitched 2 shut out innings for the save.
In the game 5 clincher, Rivera came in with the tying run at the plate and only one out and finished the game without letting up a run.

In all, Rivera let up no runs, no walks and only 2 hits in 5 innings as he saved all 3 wins.



EDGAR MARTINEZ, Seattle Mariners
Martinez hit a 2 run game winning 10th inning home run off of White Sox pitcher Keith Foulke.
In all, Martinez hit .364 with a 1.189 OPS in the three game sweep of the White Sox.







National League



JIM EDMONDS, St. Louis Cardinals
Batted .571, homered twice, drove in 7 runs and finished with an OPS of 1.886 as the Cardinals massacred the Braves in 3 games.












BOBBY JONES, New York Mets
With the Mets up 2-1 in the series after two thrilling extra inning wins over San Francisco, Jones shut down the Giants once and for all in the game 4 clincher.

Jones let up a double to Jeff Kent and a walk to J.T. Snow in the 5th inning... but was perfect in the other 8 as his 1 hit complete game shutout crushed the Giants and propelled the Mets to the NLCS.






1999
American League

ORLANDO HERNANDEZ, New York Yankees
Blink and you would miss the 1999 division series between the Rangers and the Yankees. The tone of the series was set early by El Duque who shut down the mighty Rangers to only 2 hits over 8 shut out innings in the opener.

The Rangers would score a single run in the SERIES as they were swept in 3.


PEDRO MARTINEZ, Boston Red Sox
Yes Nomar got some big hits... and Valentin drove in 12 runs in the 5 game series against the Indians... and O'Leary's 2 homers sealed the deal.

But the spectre of Pedro loomed over this entire series.
When Pedro got hurt in game 1 after throwing 4 shut out innings, it gave the Indians a fighting chance.
And when he came in the 4th inning as a reliever in the deciding 5th game, their fate was sealed.

Pedro threw 6 no hit innings to finish the series and combined for 10 innings, only 3 hits and 11 strikeouts.


National League


KEVIN MILLWOOD, Atlanta Braves
Millwood let up a second inning home run to Houston's Ken Caminiti in game 2. He didn't allow a hit nor a walk for the rest of the game as he threw a complete game one hitter.

That performance would be enough for consideration but the next game, he came out of the bullpen and threw a 1-2-3 12th for the save.

The Braves would clinch the next day.



EDGARDO ALFONZO, New York Mets
"Fonzie" homered 3 times in the 4 game victory over the Diamondbacks. His second one was a 9th inning grand slam that put the Mets ahead and set the tone for the series.

He would finish the series with a 1.243 OPS and helped turn 5 double plays.







1998
American League

SHANE SPENCER, New York Yankees
Spencer didn't even start the first game of the three game sweep of the Rangers.
But he hit the go ahead homer in game 2 and put the clinching game 3 away with a three run shot...
giving him a .500 average and a 2.000 OPS.


KENNY LOFTON, Cleveland Indians
Lofton finished the series with a .375 average and a 1.225 OPS including 2 homers in the 4 game series win over the Red Sox.
His single and stolen base set up the 2 run rally that gave the Indians the 2-1 series ending victory in game 4.

He also hit the go ahead run in Cleveland's game 2 victory and homered to put the Indians ahead for good in game 3.



National League


JOHN SMOLTZ, Atlanta Braves
Smoltz threw into the 8th inning, letting up only 1 run, 5 hits and walking none as the Braves slowed down the Cubs momentum and took control of the series early.

Despite a scare in game 2, the Braves would go on to sweep.






KEVIN BROWN, San Diego Padres
Out dueled Randy Johnson in a thrilling game 1 showdown. Brown went 8 innings letting up only 2 hits and no runs while striking out 16 in the Padres 2-1 victory.

Combined with his game 3 start where he threw into the 7th inning, Brown had a 0.61 ERA in 14 2/3 innings while striking out 21 as the Padres beat the Astros in 4.






1997
American League

SANDY ALOMAR, JR, Cleveland Indians
Batted .316 with 2 homers, 5 RBI and an OPS of 1.000 in the Indians tense 5 game victory over the Yankees.

But no hit was bigger than his game tying home run off of Mariano Rivera with the Indians just 4 outs from elimination in game 4.
Cleveland would go on to win games 4 and 5 by one run each.



MIKE MUSSINA, Baltimore Orioles
Out pitched Randy Johnson at the Kingdome for game 1 and then beat him again in the clinching game 4 in Camden Yards.

Finished the 4 game series with a 2-0 record, a 1.93 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14 innings as the Orioles beat the star studded Seattle team for a trip to the ALCS.



National League

GREG MADDUX, Atlanta Braves
Astros pitcher Darryl Kile held the mighty Braves to only 2 hits and 2 runs in the opening game in Atlanta.
And it wasn't good enough as Greg Maddux threw a complete game and held the Astros to a single run. Having avoided the Astros biggest threat, the Braves swept Houston in 3.






GARY SHEFFIELD, Florida Marlins
Finished the 3 game sweep of the Giants with a .556 average, an OPS of 1.714.
Homered in the game 2 win and always seemed to be on base as the Marlins won 3 heart stopping games.











1996
American League


BERNIE WILLIAMS, New York Yankees
Truth be told, I almost gave this to Juan Gonzalez... who hit 5 homers in 4 games for the Rangers and was a one man wrecking crew. But I couldn't give it to a player on the losing team! I just couldn't.

Besides, Bernie did his share of damage... including scoring the tying run in game 2, driving home the tying run in the 9th inning of game 3 and homering twice in the come from behind game 4 clincher.



B. J. SURHOFF, Baltimore Orioles
Surhoff homered twice in game 1 and finished the series with 3 homers, a .385 average and an OPS of 1.462 as the Orioles stunned the defending AL Champion Indians in 4 games.







National League


JOHN SMOLTZ, Atlanta Braves
In a series dominated by pitching, nobody pitched better than Smoltz who shut the Dodgers down to 1 run over 9 innings in the opening game. Smoltz would get the victory as the Braves won in 10 and would sweep Los Angeles despite hitting only .180 for the series.



DENNIS ECKERSLEY, St. Louis Cardinals
In a tight series where all three games could have gone either way, Eck came through with 3 save, letting up no runs in 3 2/3 innings as the Cardinals swept the Padres.









1995
American League
EDDIE MURRAY, Cleveland Indians
Batted .385 in the three game sweep of the Red Sox.

In game 1 hit a go ahead single in the 8th.
In game 2, his 2 run shot put the game away.
In game 3, he singled twice, walked twice and scored twice in the clincher






EDGAR MARTINEZ, Seattle Mariners

Yes Griffey homered 5 times in 5 games and yes Big Unit won 2 of the Mariners 3 games against the Yankees... but it was Edgar Martinez's grand slam that set up the mind boggling game 5... and it was Edgar Martinez's 2 run double that won the series for the Mariners.

His numbers, .571 average, 1.000 slugging, an OPS of 1.667, 10 RBIs in 5 games, would merit the award even without his flair for the dramatic.


National League

CHIPPER JONES, Atlanta Braves

Marquis Grissom had gaudier numbers, but Jones' home run won game 1 against the Rockies... and he seemed to be driving in runs or scoring runs in every big Braves rally in a series that was a lot closer than it had any business being.





HAL MORRIS, Cincinnati Reds
Batted an even .500 in the three game sweep of the Dodgers.
He drove in the first 2 runs of a 4 run first inning outburst in game 1 that set the tone for the series.
Started the rally in the 6th inning of game 3 that knocked Nomo out of the game and put the game (and the series) out of reach.

And now for the MVPs for the 1981 Division Series held after the strike.

1981

American League

OSCAR GAMBLE, New York Yankees

Gamble batted .556 with a 1.933 OPS in the 5 game victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

His homer off of Moose Haas tied Game 1.

Then in the clinching Game 5, Gamble homered off of Haas again to put the Yankees up for good, sending them back to the ALCS.

STEVE McCATTY, Oakland A's

Billy Martin had his starters work out of their own jams... and his #2 starter got into a whopper of a jam against the Defending A.L. Champion Royals in Game 2.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead in the 8th, McCatty let the first two batters reach. Instead of going to the pen, Martin let McCatty face Amos Otis, Hal McRae and Clint Hurdle. He worked out of the jam and then finished his complete game victory giving the A's a 2-0 series lead.

National League

JERRY REUSS, Los Angeles Dodgers

With the Dodgers down 0-1 to the Astros, Reuss came up big in Game 2 throwing 9 shutout innings scattering 5 hits. Unfortunately for Reuss, Joe Niekro shut down the Dodgers as well and the Astros won it in 11 innings.

In the deciding Game 5, Reuss got the ball again. He threw 9 shutout innings again, but this time the Dodgers pulled off a 6th inning rally to take the lead. His complete game shutout clinched the series that he finished with 18 scoreless innings.

STEVE ROGERS, Montreal Expos

Rogers had the daunting task of facing the era's best pitcher, Steve Carlton, in Game 1 of the Division Series. Rogers let up 10 hits but only 1 run over 8 2/3 innings to get the win.

In the do or die on the road Game 5 against the defending World Champs, Rogers was again matched up against Carlton.

He was up for the task, throwing a complete game shut out, getting Mike Schmidt, Gary Matthews and Manny Trillo out in order to clinch the series and end the Phillies' dreams of repeating as World Champions.

Another year, another update.

I need to find a way to get these guys their award!