100 win teams bounced in the Division Series (updated for 2011)

Last year I wrote about the 100 win teams who couldn't make it to the LCS.

This year I never imagined that I would add to the list... but alas the Phillies need to be here. 100 wins is still a magical number for a regular season but evidently it sometimes has a burden with it as well.

The weight of 102 wins made Ryan Howard collapse in the batters box.

So here we are... updated for 2011.

1998 HOUSTON ASTROS
102-60 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to San Diego Padres. (98-64).

Manager:
LARRY DIERKER

Ringless Veterans Include:
BRAD AUSMUS
JEFF BAGWELL
CRAIG BIGGIO
MIKE HAMPTON
DOUG HENRY
RICHARD HIDALGO
JOSE LIMA
SHANE REYNOLDS
BILLY WAGNER

1999 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
100-62 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to New York Mets. (97-66)

Manager:
BUCK SHOWALTER

Ringless Veterans Include:
OMAR DAAL
BERNARD GILKEY
GREGG OLSON

2001 OAKLAND A’S
102-60 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to New York Yankees (95-65)

Manager:
ART HOWE

Ringless Veterans Include:
CHAD BRADFORD
ERIC BYRNES
ERIC CHAVEZ
RON GANT
JASON GIAMBI
TIM HUDSON
TERRENCE LONG
MARK MULDER
F. P. SANTANGELO
MIGUEL TEJADA
BARRY ZITO

2002 ATLANTA BRAVES
101-59 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to San Francisco Giants (95-66)

Manager:
BOBBY COX (Won Ring as manager in 1995)

Ringless Veterans Include:
HENRY BLANCO
DARREN BRAGG
VINNY CASTILLA
JULIO FRANCO
MATT FRANCO
RAFAEL FURCAL
CHRIS HAMMOND
ANDRUW JONES
KEVIN MILLWOOD
B. J. SURHOFF

2002 NEW YORK YANKEES
103-58 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to Anaheim Angels (99-53)

Manager:
JOE TORRE (Won Rings as manager in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000)

Ringless Veterans Include:
RON COOMER
JASON GIAMBI
NICK JOHNSON
STEVE KARSAY
RAUL MONDESI
MIKE MUSSINA
JUAN RIVERA
ALFONSO SORIANO
ROBIN VENTURA

2002 OAKLAND A’S
103-59 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to Minnesota Twins (94-67)

Manager:
ART HOWE

Ringless Veterans Include:
CHAD BRADFORD
ERIC BYRNES
ERIC CHAVEZ
RAY DURAM
MARK ELLIS
SCOTT HATTEBERG
RAMON HERNANDEZ
TIM HUDSON
BILLY KOCH
TED LILLY
JOHN MABRY
MARK MULDER
MIGUEL TEJADA
RANDY VELARDE
BARRY ZITO

2003 ATLANTA BRAVES
101-61 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to Chicago Cubs (88-74)

Manager:
BOBBY COX (Won Ring as manager in 1995)

Ringless Veterans Include:
DARREN BRAGG
VINNY CASTILLA
ROBERT FICK
JULIO FRANCO
MATT FRANCO
RAFAEL FURCAL
MIKE HAMPTON
ROBERTO HERNANDEZ
ANDRUW JONES
RUSS ORTIZ
JARET WRIGHT

2003 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
100-61 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to Florida Marlins (91-71)

Manager
FELIPE ALOU

Ringless Veterans Include:
EDGARDO ALFONZO
RICH AURILIA
BARRY BONDS
JOSE CRUZ, Jr.
RAY DURHAM
ANDRES GALARRAGA
JEFFRYE HAMMONDS
JOE NATHAN
SIDNEY PONSON
KIRK RUETER
BENITO SANTIAGO
JASON SCHMIDT
J. T. SNOW
TIM WORRELL

2008 LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
100-62 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to Boston Red Sox (95-67)

Manager:
MIKE SCIOSCIA (Won Ring as manager in 2002)

Ringless Veterans Include:
VLADIMIR GUERRERO
TORII HUNTER
HOWIE KENDRICK
GARY MATTHEWS, Jr.
KENDRY MORALES
DARREN OLIVER
ERVIN SANTANA
JERED WEAVER

2011 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
102-60 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to St. Louis Cardinals. (90-72).

Manager:
CHARLIE MANUEL

Ringless Veterans Include:
BEN FRANCISCO
ROY HALLADAY
RAUL IBANEZ
CLIFF LEE
ROY OSWALT
HUNTER PENCE
PLACIDO POLANCO


Man, you'd think Cliff Lee and Raul Ibanez would have one by now!

Alas, baseball remains a sport where 3 loss can negate 102 wins. Think anyone will call the Phillies the greatest team in their franchise?

Ahhh cruel October.

BIGGEST POST SEASON SERIES UPSETS OF WILD CARD ERA - Updated to include 2011 Division Series

There are upsets and then there are games like this weekend when the prohibitive favorite gets knocked off.

The Cardinals eliminating the Phillies has to be one of the great upsets in the history of the Wild Card era. In September when St. Louis was languishing 8 games out of a playoff spot and the Phillies were coasting, if I told you the Cardinals would be in the NLCS while Philadelphia sat home, you'd put me in a padded room.

But here we are.

Last year I wrote a blog post about the biggest post season upsets in the Wild Card Era.

This one belongs in the update.
There's no other colossal mismatch left in the playoffs.

Nobody can top St. Louis over Philadelphia.
Let's look at the other Wild Card era upsets.

BIGGEST POST SEASON UPSETS OF WILD CARD ERA


1997 ALCS
INDIANS defeat ORIOLES

The Orioles led wire to wire and won 98 games. The Indians won only 86 games and barely squeaked past the Yankees in the Division Series.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Orioles shut out the Indians in Game 1 and had a 2 run lead in the 8th inning of Game 2.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Marquis Grissom hit a 3 run shot off of Armando Benitez in Game 2. Then the Indians won in 12 for Game 3 and finished Game 4 with a walk off win.

THE DAGGER
The Indians overcame a brilliant Mike Mussina outing in Game 6 to win in 11 innings and stunned Baltimore.

1997 NLCS
MARLINS defeat BRAVES

The Braves had won 4 of the last 5 pennants. With a 101 win season, a 5th pennant in 6 years looked all but assured. The Marlins won 92 games and the wild card, but they were playing the varsity team and looked over matched.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Marlins won a pair early but the Braves tied the series when Denny Neagle threw a complete game shutout in Game 4. With Maddux and Glavine looming in Games 5 and 6, it looked bleak for Florida.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
The late Eric Gregg called any pitch that Livan Hernandez threw a strike as long as it didn't hit the ground. He struck out 15, giving the Marlins the lead.

THE DAGGER
Tom Glavine imploded in the first inning of Game 6, letting the first four batters read base and having them all score before the Braves even came to bat. It would be all Kevin Brown would need to clinch the pennant.

2002 American League Division Series
ANGELS defeat YANKEES

The Yankees were in full dynasty mode. The Angels had never won a post season series and looked like a bunch of inexperienced kids heading into Yankee Stadium. No doubt this would be a forgettable series much like the Yankees manhandling the Rangers all of those years.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Yankees rallied to win game 1 in the 8th and took a lead late into Game 2. It was going to be a sweep a la the Yankees/Texas series of the past.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Garret Anderson and Troy Glaus hit back to back 8th inning homers off of El Duque to take the lead in Game 2. Then in Game 3, the Yankees blow an early 6-1 lead and the Angels break the tie with a Tim Salmon home run in the 8th.

THE DAGGER
David Wells melts down in the 5th inning of Game 4 as the Angels score 8 times and go on to win their first ever playoff series.

2002 American League Division Series
TWINS defeat A'S

Thanks to a 20 game winning streak, an MVP season from Miguel Tejada, a Cy Young season from Barry Zito and 103 wins, the A's looked poised to stampede into the ALCS. The Twins, who were rumored to be contracted just the year before, were just happy to be there.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
A series of Twins blunders gave the A's a 5-1 lead in Game 1, making it clear that this series was Men versus Boys. Later, the A's were up 2-1 with Hudson and Mulder ready for games 4 and 5.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
The Twins came back to win that Game 1 and scored 11 unanswered runs in Game 4.

THE DAGGER
A. J. Pierzynski's homer and David Ortiz's double broke open a tense Game 5 in the 9th. The Twins would need every run as Mark Ellis homered to bring the A's to within 1 but Ray Durham, the potential series winning run, popped up to give the upstart Twins a most unlikely series win.

2006 American League Division Series
TIGERS defeat YANKEES

The Tigers slumped badly down the stretch and went from a lock for the Division title, home field in the Division Series and playing the A's to claiming the Wild Card and going to New York to face a stacked and eager to wipe away 2004 from their memories Yankee team. They were no match.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Yankees torched Nate Robertson for 5 runs in the third and cruised to an 8-4 Game 1 win. Then Johnny Damon hit a three run shot in Game 2 and it looked like the sweep was on.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Carlos Guillen hit a game tying homer off of Mike Mussina but Curtis Granderson drove the Yankees crazy. He got a run scoring sacrifice fly in Game 2 and gave the Tigers the lead with an RBI triple. In Game 3, former Yankee Kenny Rogers out pitched Randy Johnson in what turned out to be the Big Unit's final game for New York.

THE DAGGER
Joe Torre dropped the slumping Alex Rodriguez to 8th in the fourth game and gave the starting assignment to Jaret Wright. He was bombed and the Tigers finished the Yankees in 4.

2006 NLCS

CARDINALS defeat METS

With the Yankees eliminated in the Division Series, the Mets looked poised to capture the city's baseball heart. Neither American League team (the Tigers nor the A's) looked dominating and all they had to do for the pennant was beat an injured and underachieving Cardinals team who won only 83 games.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Mets shut out the Cardinals in Game 1, scored 3 in the first of Game 2 and were tied going into the 9th of Game 2. The Mets were clearly in control.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
So Taguchi hit a go ahead 9th inning homer off of Billy Wagner to give the Cardinals a Game 2 win. Then, behind Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver, took a 3-2 series lead back to Shea.

THE DAGGER
The Mets forced a Game 7 which was an all time classic. Endy Chavez preserved a tie with a mindboggling catch that turned a go ahead homer into an inning ending double play. Yadier Molina homered in the 9th to give St. Louis the win and rookie Adam Wainwright got Carlos Beltran to strikeout looking with the bases loaded in the 9th to win the pennant. The Mets have never recovered.

2010 NLCS
GIANTS defeat PHILLIES

The 2 time defending National League Champion Phillies had the best record in baseball and steamrolled over the Reds in the Division Series. Roy Halladay threw a no hitter, Cole Hamels pitched a complete game shutout to clinch the series and Roy Oswalt was no slouch. The Giants, saddled with a stagnant offense, barely squeaked by a Braves team that was battered with injuries.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Phillies responded from a Game 1 loss with an offensive explosion in the 7th inning of Game 2. The Phillies bats were back and they knew Roy Halladay wasn't losing twice!

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Matt Cain out dueled Cole Hamels in Game 3 and Juan Uribe won Game 4 with a walk off sacrifice fly.

THE DAGGER:
Uribe again was the hero, this time with an 8th inning home run to give the Giants the lead in Game 6. And with the tying and winning runs on base, Brian Wilson struck out Ryan Howard looking to win the pennant.

2011 National League Division Series
CARDINALS defeat PHILLIES

The Phillies won 102 games, more than any in team history. They had assembled the best pitching staff since the Braves of the 1990s. Adding Cliff Lee to Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt almost didn't seem fair. The Cardinals came back from 8 1/2 back in September to win the Wild Card over Atlanta on the last day of the season.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:

The Phillies took an early 4-0 lead in Game 2 and looked like they were going to cruise to a 2-0 series lead with Cliff Lee on the mound. In Game 3, Cole Hamels won with the help of a pinch hit homer by Ben Francisco making the end inevitable.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:

The Cardinals rallied off of Cliff Lee who was not sharp in Game 2. Jimmy Rollins getting caught stealing was a key blow against the Phillies.

In Game 4, David Freese doubled and homered, giving the Cardinals a come from behind win.

THE DAGGER:

The Phillies handed the ball to Roy Halladay for the Game 5 finale and he was superb, letting up only a first inning run. But Chris Carpenter made that run stand up as he threw a complete game shutout to clinch the series. The game ended when Ryan Howard ripped his Achillies running out of the box... a fitting end to the collapsing Phillies.

So with no prohibitive favorite left, this entry is done for another year... kind of like the Phillies!

BIGGEST POST SEASON SERIES UPSETS OF WILD CARD ERA - Updated to include 2010 NLCS

Last Friday I wrote a blog post about the biggest post season upsets in the Wild Card Era.

And I implied that if the Giants somehow could beat the mighty Phillies that they would have to be included in that list of upsets.

Well guess what?
The Giants did... and they SHOULD be included.

Want to read something creepy?
When proposing that the Giants COULD pull off the upset in the NLCS, I tried to make a comparison with the end of the 2006 NLCS with Carlos Beltran taking strike three.

I wrote:
"Maybe one of the Giants pitchers will get Ryan Howard looking to end the series!"

Eeerie!

BIGGEST POST SEASON UPSETS OF WILD CARD ERA


1997 ALCS
INDIANS defeat ORIOLES

The Orioles led wire to wire and won 98 games. The Indians won only 86 games and barely squeaked past the Yankees in the Division Series.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Orioles shut out the Indians in Game 1 and had a 2 run lead in the 8th inning of Game 2.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Marquis Grissom hit a 3 run shot off of Armando Benitez in Game 2. Then the Indians won in 12 for Game 3 and finished Game 4 with a walk off win.

THE DAGGER
The Indians overcame a brilliant Mike Mussina outing in Game 6 to win in 11 innings and stunned Baltimore.

1997 NLCS
MARLINS defeat BRAVES

The Braves had won 4 of the last 5 pennants. With a 101 win season, a 5th pennant in 6 years looked all but assured. The Marlins won 92 games and the wild card, but they were playing the varsity team and looked over matched.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Marlins won a pair early but the Braves tied the series when Denny Neagle threw a complete game shutout in Game 4. With Maddux and Glavine looming in Games 5 and 6, it looked bleak for Florida.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
The late Eric Gregg called any pitch that Livan Hernandez threw a strike as long as it didn't hit the ground. He struck out 15, giving the Marlins the lead.

THE DAGGER
Tom Glavine imploded in the first inning of Game 6, letting the first four batters read base and having them all score before the Braves even came to bat. It would be all Kevin Brown would need to clinch the pennant.

2002 American League Division Series
ANGELS defeat YANKEES

The Yankees were in full dynasty mode. The Angels had never won a post season series and looked like a bunch of inexperienced kids heading into Yankee Stadium. No doubt this would be a forgettable series much like the Yankees manhandling the Rangers all of those years.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Yankees rallied to win game 1 in the 8th and took a lead late into Game 2. It was going to be a sweep a la the Yankees/Texas series of the past.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Garret Anderson and Troy Glaus hit back to back 8th inning homers off of El Duque to take the lead in Game 2. Then in Game 3, the Yankees blow an early 6-1 lead and the Angels break the tie with a Tim Salmon home run in the 8th.

THE DAGGER
David Wells melts down in the 5th inning of Game 4 as the Angels score 8 times and go on to win their first ever playoff series.

2002 American League Division Series
TWINS defeat A'S

Thanks to a 20 game winning streak, an MVP season from Miguel Tejada, a Cy Young season from Barry Zito and 103 wins, the A's looked poised to stampede into the ALCS. The Twins, who were rumored to be contracted just the year before, were just happy to be there.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
A series of Twins blunders gave the A's a 5-1 lead in Game 1, making it clear that this series was Men versus Boys. Later, the A's were up 2-1 with Hudson and Mulder ready for games 4 and 5.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
The Twins came back to win that Game 1 and scored 11 unanswered runs in Game 4.

THE DAGGER
A. J. Pierzynski's homer and David Ortiz's double broke open a tense Game 5 in the 9th. The Twins would need every run as Mark Ellis homered to bring the A's to within 1 but Ray Durham, the potential series winning run, popped up to give the upstart Twins a most unlikely series win.

2006 American League Division Series
TIGERS defeat YANKEES

The Tigers slumped badly down the stretch and went from a lock for the Division title, home field in the Division Series and playing the A's to claiming the Wild Card and going to New York to face a stacked and eager to wipe away 2004 from their memories Yankee team. They were no match.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Yankees torched Nate Robertson for 5 runs in the third and cruised to an 8-4 Game 1 win. Then Johnny Damon hit a three run shot in Game 2 and it looked like the sweep was on.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Carlos Guillen hit a game tying homer off of Mike Mussina but Curtis Granderson drove the Yankees crazy. He got a run scoring sacrifice fly in Game 2 and gave the Tigers the lead with an RBI triple. In Game 3, former Yankee Kenny Rogers out pitched Randy Johnson in what turned out to be the Big Unit's final game for New York.

THE DAGGER
Joe Torre dropped the slumping Alex Rodriguez to 8th in the fourth game and gave the starting assignment to Jaret Wright. He was bombed and the Tigers finished the Yankees in 4.

2006 NLCS

CARDINALS defeat METS

With the Yankees eliminated in the Division Series, the Mets looked poised to capture the city's baseball heart. Neither American League team (the Tigers nor the A's) looked dominating and all they had to do for the pennant was beat an injured and underachieving Cardinals team who won only 83 games.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Mets shut out the Cardinals in Game 1, scored 3 in the first of Game 2 and were tied going into the 9th of Game 2. The Mets were clearly in control.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
So Taguchi hit a go ahead 9th inning homer off of Billy Wagner to give the Cardinals a Game 2 win. Then, behind Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver, took a 3-2 series lead back to Shea.

THE DAGGER
The Mets forced a Game 7 which was an all time classic. Endy Chavez preserved a tie with a mindboggling catch that turned a go ahead homer into an inning ending double play. Yadier Molina homered in the 9th to give St. Louis the win and rookie Adam Wainwright got Carlos Beltran to strikeout looking with the bases loaded in the 9th to win the pennant. The Mets have never recovered.

2010 NLCS
GIANTS defeat PHILLIES

The 2 time defending National League Champion Phillies had the best record in baseball and steamrolled over the Reds in the Division Series. Roy Halladay threw a no hitter, Cole Hamels pitched a complete game shutout to clinch the series and Roy Oswalt was no slouch. The Giants, saddled with a stagnant offense, barely squeaked by a Braves team that was battered with injuries.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Phillies responded from a Game 1 loss with an offensive explosion in the 7th inning of Game 2. The Phillies bats were back and they knew Roy Halladay wasn't losing twice!

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Matt Cain out dueled Cole Hamels in Game 3 and Juan Uribe won Game 4 with a walk off sacrifice fly.

THE DAGGER:
Uribe again was the hero, this time with an 8th inning home run to give the Giants the lead in Game 6. And with the tying and winning runs on base, Brian Wilson struck out Ryan Howard looking to win the pennant.



There is no great favorite in this World Series, ergo no chance of an upset as large as any chronicled here.

Just goes to show you... you never know which team lead by cast off from Florida and Tampa can derail a potential dynasty.

BIGGEST POST SEASON SERIES UPSETS OF WILD CARD ERA

I admit, it doesn't look good for the Giants.

I am rooting for them to win the National League Pennant and any team that has Tim Lincecum pitching twice in a series can't be counted COMPLETELY out.

But it will be a longshot.

There is NOTHING the Phillies can't do now and their lineup is a little more fearsome than the Braves.

A safe bet would be the Phillies winning in 5 games.

But every once in a while there is a playoff match up that looks like a total mismatch (even worse than this Phillies/Giants NLCS) that turns out to raise a middle finger to all of the predictions.

Obviously there are some great historical upsets... like the 1926 Cardinals, the 1954 Giants, the 1969 Mets and 1988 L. A. Dodgers come to mind.

But let's look just at the Wild Card era (1995 to present) and see which series looked like no brainers and it turned out the experts had no brain.

BIGGEST POST SEASON UPSETS OF WILD CARD ERA


1997 ALCS
INDIANS defeat ORIOLES

The Orioles led wire to wire and won 98 games. The Indians won only 86 games and barely squeaked past the Yankees in the Division Series.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Orioles shut out the Indians in Game 1 and had a 2 run lead in the 8th inning of Game 2.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Marquis Grissom hit a 3 run shot off of Armando Benitez in Game 2. Then the Indians won in 12 for Game 3 and finished Game 4 with a walk off win.

THE DAGGER
The Indians overcame a brilliant Mike Mussina outing in Game 6 to win in 11 innings and stunned Baltimore.

1997 NLCS
MARLINS defeat BRAVES

The Braves had won 4 of the last 5 pennants. With a 101 win season, a 5th pennant in 6 years looked all but assured. The Marlins won 92 games and the wild card, but they were playing the varsity team and looked over matched.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Marlins won a pair early but the Braves tied the series when Denny Neagle threw a complete game shutout in Game 4. With Maddux and Glavine looming in Games 5 and 6, it looked bleak for Florida.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
The late Eric Gregg called any pitch that Livan Hernandez threw a strike as long as it didn't hit the ground. He struck out 15, giving the Marlins the lead.

THE DAGGER
Tom Glavine imploded in the first inning of Game 6, letting the first four batters read base and having them all score before the Braves even came to bat. It would be all Kevin Brown would need to clinch the pennant.

2002 American League Division Series
ANGELS defeat YANKEES

The Yankees were in full dynasty mode. The Angels had never won a post season series and looked like a bunch of inexperienced kids heading into Yankee Stadium. No doubt this would be a forgettable series much like the Yankees manhandling the Rangers all of those years.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Yankees rallied to win game 1 in the 8th and took a lead late into Game 2. It was going to be a sweep a la the Yankees/Texas series of the past.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Garret Anderson and Troy Glaus hit back to back 8th inning homers off of El Duque to take the lead in Game 2. Then in Game 3, the Yankees blow an early 6-1 lead and the Angels break the tie with a Tim Salmon home run in the 8th.

THE DAGGER
David Wells melts down in the 5th inning of Game 4 as the Angels score 8 times and go on to win their first ever playoff series.

2002 American League Division Series
TWINS defeat A'S

Thanks to a 20 game winning streak, an MVP season from Miguel Tejada, a Cy Young season from Barry Zito and 103 wins, the A's looked poised to stampede into the ALCS. The Twins, who were rumored to be contracted just the year before, were just happy to be there.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
A series of Twins blunders gave the A's a 5-1 lead in Game 1, making it clear that this series was Men versus Boys. Later, the A's were up 2-1 with Hudson and Mulder ready for games 4 and 5.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
The Twins came back to win that Game 1 and scored 11 unanswered runs in Game 4.

THE DAGGER
A. J. Pierzynski's homer and David Ortiz's double broke open a tense Game 5 in the 9th. The Twins would need every run as Mark Ellis homered to bring the A's to within 1 but Ray Durham, the potential series winning run, popped up to give the upstart Twins a most unlikely series win.

2006 American League Division Series
TIGERS defeat YANKEES

The Tigers slumped badly down the stretch and went from a lock for the Division title, home field in the Division Series and playing the A's to claiming the Wild Card and going to New York to face a stacked and eager to wipe away 2004 from their memories Yankee team. They were no match.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Yankees torched Nate Robertson for 5 runs in the third and cruised to an 8-4 Game 1 win. Then Johnny Damon hit a three run shot in Game 2 and it looked like the sweep was on.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
Carlos Guillen hit a game tying homer off of Mike Mussina but Curtis Granderson drove the Yankees crazy. He got a run scoring sacrifice fly in Game 2 and gave the Tigers the lead with an RBI triple. In Game 3, former Yankee Kenny Rogers out pitched Randy Johnson in what turned out to be the Big Unit's final game for New York.

THE DAGGER
Joe Torre dropped the slumping Alex Rodriguez to 8th in the fourth game and gave the starting assignment to Jaret Wright. He was bombed and the Tigers finished the Yankees in 4.

2006 NLCS

CARDINALS defeat METS

With the Yankees eliminated in the Division Series, the Mets looked poised to capture the city's baseball heart. Neither American League team (the Tigers nor the A's) looked dominating and all they had to do for the pennant was beat an injured and underachieving Cardinals team who won only 83 games.

IT LOOKED BAD WHEN:
The Mets shut out the Cardinals in Game 1, scored 3 in the first of Game 2 and were tied going into the 9th of Game 2. The Mets were clearly in control.

THINGS TURNED AROUND WHEN:
So Taguchi hit a go ahead 9th inning homer off of Billy Wagner to give the Cardinals a Game 2 win. Then, behind Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver, took a 3-2 series lead back to Shea.

THE DAGGER
The Mets forced a Game 7 which was an all time classic. Endy Chavez preserved a tie with a mindboggling catch that turned a go ahead homer into an inning ending double play. Yadier Molina homered in the 9th to give St. Louis the win and rookie Adam Wainwright got Carlos Beltran to strikeout looking with the bases loaded in the 9th to win the pennant. The Mets have never recovered.



Interestingly, there are 6 upsets but only 3 different years. They've come in pairs.

Are the Giants as unlikely to win as the 2006 Cardinals or Tigers?
Probably not.

So there is hope.

Maybe one of the Giants pitchers will get Ryan Howard looking to end the series!

100 win teams bounced in the Division Series

100 wins is still a magical mark for a season. It means you are an elite team and chances are one of the great teams in your franchise’s history.

And when a team wins 100 in the regular season, there is no doubt they are thinking beyond the Division Series. They are thinking they are a legit World Series contender… a pennant will have to be beaten from them.

But there have been teams that have won 100 games that were cruelly bumped out of the playoffs early and shown the exit in the Division Series.

The staff at Sully Baseball has compiled a list of the teams that reached the century mark but couldn’t make the LCS… and also listed the players on those teams who remain ringless and probably thought that was their year.

There have been 9 different teams… a few franchises have multiple entries.

And one year, 2002, saw three (count em, THREE teams!) that fell short.

1998 HOUSTON ASTROS
102-60 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to San Diego Padres. (98-64).

Manager:
LARRY DIERKER

Ringless Veterans Include:
BRAD AUSMUS
JEFF BAGWELL
CRAIG BIGGIO
MIKE HAMPTON
DOUG HENRY
RICHARD HIDALGO
JOSE LIMA
SHANE REYNOLDS
BILLY WAGNER

1999 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
100-62 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to New York Mets. (97-66)

Manager:
BUCK SHOWALTER

Ringless Veterans Include:
OMAR DAAL
BERNARD GILKEY
GREGG OLSON

2001 OAKLAND A’S
102-60 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to New York Yankees (95-65)

Manager:
ART HOWE

Ringless Veterans Include:
CHAD BRADFORD
ERIC BYRNES
ERIC CHAVEZ
RON GANT
JASON GIAMBI
TIM HUDSON
TERRENCE LONG
MARK MULDER
F. P. SANTANGELO
MIGUEL TEJADA
BARRY ZITO

2002 ATLANTA BRAVES
101-59 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to San Francisco Giants (95-66)

Manager:
BOBBY COX (Won Ring as manager in 1995)

Ringless Veterans Include:
HENRY BLANCO
DARREN BRAGG
VINNY CASTILLA
JULIO FRANCO
MATT FRANCO
RAFAEL FURCAL
CHRIS HAMMOND
ANDRUW JONES
KEVIN MILLWOOD
B. J. SURHOFF

2002 NEW YORK YANKEES
103-58 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to Anaheim Angels (99-53)

Manager:
JOE TORRE (Won Rings as manager in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000)

Ringless Veterans Include:
RON COOMER
JASON GIAMBI
NICK JOHNSON
STEVE KARSAY
RAUL MONDESI
MIKE MUSSINA
JUAN RIVERA
ALFONSO SORIANO
ROBIN VENTURA

2002 OAKLAND A’S
103-59 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to Minnesota Twins (94-67)

Manager:
ART HOWE

Ringless Veterans Include:
CHAD BRADFORD
ERIC BYRNES
ERIC CHAVEZ
RAY DURAM
MARK ELLIS
SCOTT HATTEBERG
RAMON HERNANDEZ
TIM HUDSON
BILLY KOCH
TED LILLY
JOHN MABRY
MARK MULDER
MIGUEL TEJADA
RANDY VELARDE
BARRY ZITO

2003 ATLANTA BRAVES
101-61 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-2 to Chicago Cubs (88-74)

Manager:
BOBBY COX (Won Ring as manager in 1995)

Ringless Veterans Include:
DARREN BRAGG
VINNY CASTILLA
ROBERT FICK
JULIO FRANCO
MATT FRANCO
RAFAEL FURCAL
MIKE HAMPTON
ROBERTO HERNANDEZ
ANDRUW JONES
RUSS ORTIZ
JARET WRIGHT

2003 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
100-61 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to Florida Marlins (91-71)

Manager
FELIPE ALOU

Ringless Veterans Include:
EDGARDO ALFONZO
RICH AURILIA
BARRY BONDS
JOSE CRUZ, Jr.
RAY DURHAM
ANDRES GALARRAGA
JEFFRYE HAMMONDS
JOE NATHAN
SIDNEY PONSON
KIRK RUETER
BENITO SANTIAGO
JASON SCHMIDT
J. T. SNOW
TIM WORRELL

2008 LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
100-62 regular season record.
Lost Division Series 3-1 to Boston Red Sox (95-67)

Manager:
MIKE SCIOSCIA (Won Ring as manager in 2002)

Ringless Veterans Include:
VLADIMIR GUERRERO
TORII HUNTER
HOWIE KENDRICK
GARY MATTHEWS, Jr.
KENDRY MORALES
DARREN OLIVER
ERVIN SANTANA
JERED WEAVER


There are some heart breakers on this list… and a few players who might have a more compelling Hall of Fame resume if they lead these teams to October glory.

Right now, no teams in baseball are on pace to win 100. (The Rays and Yankees are on pace to win around 97 or 98 wins.) If they win 100, that is a great achievement. But don’t think you are guaranteed a spot even in the LCS. Just ask the teams above.

It's a big series! (Or is it?)

On the surface, the Rays vs. the Yankees looks like a clash of Titans. The two best teams in baseball going head to head... whoever wins tonight will be in first place by themselves with the best record in the bigs.

Each team is throwing their Cy Young candidate. Sabathia vs. Price.

Each team is coming off of recent losses where their bullpen coughed it up and will be looking to right the ship.

This is an EPIC showdown... right?

I'm not sure. It will be fun, no doubt, but what is on the line?

Neither team is going home for October... at least not without an epic collapse. And even WITH an epic collapse, it will take a big winning streak from the Sox to take advantage of it. (Red or White, it doesn't matter.)

So basically this is a battle for pride of winning the Division.

Remember how or the Braves beat the Mets for the 2000 Division?

Or the A's beat the Angels for 2002 Division?

Or the Diamondbacks beat the Giants for their 2002 Division?

Or the Braves beat the Marlins for the 2003 Division?

Or the Red Sox beat the Yankees for the 2004 Division?

Or the Astros beat the Cardinals for the 2005 Division?

Or the Twins beat the Tigers for the 2006 Division?

Or the Diamondbacks beat the Rockies for the 2007 Division?

OF COURSE YOU DON'T!

Because the team that lost the Division in each of those years won the pennant. Which would you rather see? A Division Title or a World Series appearance?

Maybe this is a series to determine momentum going into the playoffs and get the match up you want.

I remember in 2002, the New York papers showed a special standings following how the A's and Yankees compared. The Yankees were the 4 time defending A.L. Champs. The A's were a dynamic team that won 20 straight at one point.

It was clear that the ALCS was going to be an Oakland/New York showdown.

The two teams had met in the Division Series the previous two years and they were both 5 game thrillers.

Giambi defected to New York but the A's were somehow stronger.

The A's/Yankees ALCS was shaping up to be one of the great match ups... and the question in the regular season was which team was going to have home field advantage.

The Yankees finished the season with one fewer loss than the A's and captured home field for the clash. The Division Series that year were a mere formality. (The Yankees were playing the anonymous Wild Card Angels and the A's took on the "Happy to be there after being threatened with contraction the year before" Twins).

Do you remember what happened in the ALCS that year?

Neither the A's nor the Yankees made it out of the first round... and the Angels and Twins played for the AL Pennant.

All the posturing was for naught.

So have fun watching the series this week.

It should be fun... but this match up won't be meaningful until it is played NEXT month.

Sully Baseball Honors GARRET ANDERSON

Garret Anderson was designated for assignment today by the Los Angeles Dodgers and unless a team that needs a veteran bat (White Sox? Giants? Red Sox?) picks up Anderson, his wonderful career might be over.

And like my salute to Jermaine Dye, whose career unceremoniously ended this last off season, I felt the need to pay tribute to Anderson. His career wasn't Hall of Fame worthy, but he should always be loved by a fan base. Like Dye, Anderson drove in the World Series winning run.

He is a native of Los Angeles who played for the California Angels, Anaheim Angels AND the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

In his 14 years (plus a few games) in the many incarnations of the Angels, he played more games, collected more hits, doubles and RBI and hit more grand slams than anyone in franchise history.

He was part of the 1995 Angels that came so close to a Division Title...
And he was a key member of the 2002 team that won it all...
And also was part of the 2005, 2007 and 2008 Division winners.

And he came up big in many big games.
He clocked an 8th inning game tying homer off of El Duque Hernandez in Game 2 of the 2002 Dvision Series that turned the tide of the series in favor of the underdog Angels.

And, much to my dad's dismay, he crushed a 3 run double in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series that gave the Angels a 4-1 lead over the Giants... which turned out to be the final score.

In 2005, again against the favored Yankees, he homered in Game 3 of the Division Series off of Randy Johnson that turned a Yankee advantage into an Angels slugfest. In the clinching Game 5, he homered off of Mike Mussina and drove in another as the Yankees again finished off the Yankees.

The very next day, he homered in Game 1 of the ALCS, sending the '05 White Sox to their lone defeat in the post season.

He was a great Angel... one of the best and #16 should be retired.

His career is worth a solid sendoff.

Perhaps he can finish the season (and his baseball tenure) back in Anaheim... or Los Angeles... OK in California where he belongs.