I admit to being astonished and dismayed at the Red Sox 8-run outburst in the last three innings of last night's game. If my team's out of contention I root for the underdogs, and Tampa Bay is a compelling story.
After some research it's been concluded by sportswriters that it was the second-largest comeback in postseason history, behind Game Four of the 1929 World Series, Cubs v. Athletics. The difference, besides the number of runs, was that the Athletics, down 8-0, did it in one inning.
ATHLETICS 7TH: Simmons homered; Foxx singled to right; Miller
singled to center [Foxx to second]; Dykes singled to left [Foxx
scored, Miller to second]; Boley singled to right [Miller
scored, Dykes to third]; BURNS BATTED FOR ROMMEL; Burns popped
to shortstop; Bishop singled to center [Dykes scored, Boley to
third]; NEHF REPLACED ROOT (PITCHING); Haas hit an inside the
park homer to center [Boley scored, Bishop scored]; Cochrane
walked; BLAKE REPLACED NEHF (PITCHING); Simmons singled to left
[Cochrane to second]; Foxx singled [Cochrane scored, Simmons to
second]; MALONE REPLACED BLAKE (PITCHING); Miller was hit by a
pitch [Simmons to third, Foxx to second]; Dykes doubled to left
[Simmons scored, Foxx scored, Miller to third]; Boley struck
out; Burns struck out; 10 R, 10 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Cubs 8,
Athletics 10.
Pity there was no videotape back then, huh?
Update: Cubs fans might say that this game, played on October 12, was actually the precipitating event of the Great Depression, not Black Thursday two weeks later.
Posted by Linkmeister at October 17, 2008 08:33 AM | TrackBackIf my team's out of contention I root for the underdogs
It seems to me, then, that no matter who wins the AL, you should actually be rooting for the Phillies. They'll be facing either the defending World Series champions or the media-anointed heroes.
And they play in the league where they still play real baseball.
Posted by: N in Seattle at October 17, 2008 01:36 PMGrins. Good point about the DH. I dunno, though; I'll have to wait and see once the opponents are set. I'm tired of the Red Sox (or the ESPN bias towards them), and some of their fans appear to be acquiring the arrogance that was once the sole province of the Yankees' fans.
The Rays' starting pitching looks a lot stronger than that of the Phillies.
Posted by: Linkmeister at October 17, 2008 03:14 PM