2011 WS Game 6 in perpetuum

[Vidor]

Something I thought about later: Beltre could have thrown out Descalso at the plate on Theriot's grounder. It would have been a routine play. I realize you want an out and don't want to take any chances, but that would have kept the tying run out of scoring position, which is a big deal. Surprised it was never mentioned.

I was surprised when it happened, but then I thought "I guess since Descalso isn't the tying run, they just need to focus on outs". Afterall, it's a tag play at home, a play that can easily be botched, and if they throw it away, they're in serious trouble (even though they ended up losing).

Yeah, Descalso's run didn't matter for squat. The tying run was Jay, and they did what they had to do--get an out while keeping Jay at second base. Taking a risk by throwing home would have been foolish.

[Vidor]

At least Laird got into a WS game. Back in 1982, there were three guys on the 25 man roster who didn't get into a WS game - Julio Gonzalez, John Martin, and Steve Mura - and Glenn Brummer only got to catch one inning (the 9th inning of Game 6). Imagine that - we used only 8 pitchers in 7 WS games that year; nowadays, we use 8 pitchers in *one* game.

In 2006, neither Josh Hancock nor Gary Bennett appeared.

[Vidor]

it took me a while to find this again....it's my favorite fan reaction video.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Kuq89G ... re=related][/youtube]

funny from the crack of the bat on Freese's triple, "GO BALL, GO BALL!!!!"

at 0:40, someone near the camera can't stand it anymore and says, HOLY [expletive]!!!, immediately followed by the guy with the camera shouting GODAMMIT!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! First time I heard that, I thought it was a Rangers fan, but it's clearly the same guy who's so excited it hurts, and he had to say that to get it out of his system.

It cracks me up every time.

My quote from my living room?

"SON OF A B---H!"

[Vidor]

I re-watched it today.

In the 10th inning when Albert came up with 2 outs and the score 9-8 with Jay on 2nd...Watching it this time around, I think Washington should have pitched to Albert there instead of walking him to get to Berkman. Even if it backfires and Albert gets a big hit (or even wins it with a HR), Wash could have written it off as just not wanting to put the winning run on base with Berkman up. Berkman was on a tear. Pitching to Albert there would have been 100% justifiable, IMO.

Plus if you believe at all in the mental game, maybe it would have been a vote of confidence in his pitcher (and his team) that he felt they could get Albert out there. And what better way to end the series than to get the other team's best hitter out? Albert's 9th inning double was well placed but he didn't exactly crush it. And that was his 1st hit since game 3. He definitely looked like he was favoring his leg during the game. It would have taken big stones to pitch to Albert there, but that's what winning the World Series is about.

The other thing I missed the 1st time around was how bonkers Nolan Ryan & Company went after Hamilton hit that HR in the top of the 10th. I think I was throwing something at the time so I missed it the 1st time around. But yeah, Ryan & friends pretty much exploded. They clearly thought they had won it there.

To go back to the bottom of the 10th though...One of my favorite moments watching the 2nd time around was the Berkman hit to tie it up. Both he and Jay both did it so matter-of-factly. Berkman hit a single and went to first without raising his arm or giving a claw or a beast mode or even saying anything. And Jay just trotted home and high-fived the on-deck batter. He maybe "hooted" or something when he touched home, but really not too much of a celebration. By just looking at Jay and Berkman, you would have had a hard time telling if it was the 11th inning of game 6 or the 6th inning on May 11th. It was a nice contrast from Nolan Ryan & friends' outburst in the top of the 10th.

There was tons and tons of second-guessing of Wash after that game, but the things that I've read the most, at least from Rangers fans, is sending 78-year-old Darren Oliver out for the tenth rather than Feliz, and then pinch-hitting for Feldman with a man on first and two out in the top of the 11th, thus requiring him to send Mark Lowe out there. Buck and McCarver even doubted that second move while it was happening.

[Gashouse]

I read something a day or two after Game 6 where Washington said Feliz wasn't mentally able to go back out for the 10th. That wasn't the exact quote, but that was the gist.

Wow, I knew Newcombe had several awards, so I assumed he was in the HOF. According to the Summer of 49, the Dodgers were bringing in one black player per year, and that's what held Newk up a bit - but like you said, being a 23 yo rookie, he didn't miss much. But he was pissed he didn't get called up in '48 because he was ready and dominating AAA. '47 was Jackie. '48 was Campanella and then '49 was Newcombe - IIRC.

[Jmodene]

I read something a day or two after Game 6 where Washington said Feliz wasn't mentally able to go back out for the 10th. That wasn't the exact quote, but that was the gist.

Wow, I knew Newcombe had several awards, so I assumed he was in the HOF. According to the Summer of 49, the Dodgers were bringing in one black player per year, and that's what held Newk up a bit - but like you said, being a 23 yo rookie, he didn't miss much. But he was pissed he didn't get called up in '48 because he was ready and dominating AAA. '47 was Jackie. '48 was Campanella and then '49 was Newcombe - IIRC.

There was another fellow besides Jackie on the Dodgers in 1947, at least for a while, but I've forgotten his name. I'll need to dig out Golenbock's "Bums" one of these days and see.

[pioneer98]

I re-watched it today.

In the 10th inning when Albert came up with 2 outs and the score 9-8 with Jay on 2nd...Watching it this time around, I think Washington should have pitched to Albert there instead of walking him to get to Berkman. Even if it backfires and Albert gets a big hit (or even wins it with a HR), Wash could have written it off as just not wanting to put the winning run on base with Berkman up. Berkman was on a tear. Pitching to Albert there would have been 100% justifiable, IMO.

Plus if you believe at all in the mental game, maybe it would have been a vote of confidence in his pitcher (and his team) that he felt they could get Albert out there. And what better way to end the series than to get the other team's best hitter out? Albert's 9th inning double was well placed but he didn't exactly crush it. And that was his 1st hit since game 3. He definitely looked like he was favoring his leg during the game. It would have taken big stones to pitch to Albert there, but that's what winning the World Series is about.

The other thing I missed the 1st time around was how bonkers Nolan Ryan & Company went after Hamilton hit that HR in the top of the 10th. I think I was throwing something at the time so I missed it the 1st time around. But yeah, Ryan & friends pretty much exploded. They clearly thought they had won it there.

To go back to the bottom of the 10th though...One of my favorite moments watching the 2nd time around was the Berkman hit to tie it up. Both he and Jay both did it so matter-of-factly. Berkman hit a single and went to first without raising his arm or giving a claw or a beast mode or even saying anything. And Jay just trotted home and high-fived the on-deck batter. He maybe "hooted" or something when he touched home, but really not too much of a celebration. By just looking at Jay and Berkman, you would have had a hard time telling if it was the 11th inning of game 6 or the 6th inning on May 11th. It was a nice contrast from Nolan Ryan & friends' outburst in the top of the 10th.

There was tons and tons of second-guessing of Wash after that game, but the things that I've read the most, at least from Rangers fans, is sending 78-year-old Darren Oliver out for the tenth rather than Feliz, and then pinch-hitting for Feldman with a man on first and two out in the top of the 11th, thus requiring him to send Mark Lowe out there. Buck and McCarver even doubted that second move while it was happening.

Yeah, I caught their second guessing there, too.

Oliver had to face Descalso and Jay (both lefties), and then TLRs goof of Ejax/Lohse to bunt. He didn't do too well there.

Another thing was that I had forgotten how tense the bottom of the 8th was. After Craig's HR, they loaded the bases with 2 outs, but Furcal grounded out weakly to end it. Pretty anticlimactic, but just another tense inning of baseball.

[Vidor]

The other thing that got a lot of second-guessing was letting Lewis bat in the 5th with the bases loaded.

Of course, that game is a cautionary tale about putting too much importance on the manager. Letting Lewis bat, yanking Feliz, yanking Feldman, throwing Lowe b/f C.J. Wilson--Washington still had his, team one strike away from victory twice.

[jagtrader]

Something I thought about later: Beltre could have thrown out Descalso at the plate on Theriot's grounder. It would have been a routine play. I realize you want an out and don't want to take any chances, but that would have kept the tying run out of scoring position, which is a big deal. Surprised it was never mentioned.

I was surprised when it happened, but then I thought "I guess since Descalso isn't the tying run, they just need to focus on outs". Afterall, it's a tag play at home, a play that can easily be botched, and if they throw it away, they're in serious trouble (even though they ended up losing).

Yeah, Descalso's run didn't matter for squat. The tying run was Jay, and they did what they had to do--get an out while keeping Jay at second base. Taking a risk by throwing home would have been foolish.

Of course Descalso's run mattered. You have to get eight before you get nine. Having first and second down 9-7 is much different than having a runner at second down 9-8. Beltre could make that throw with his eyes shut and if it was the tying run he would have thrown out Descalso. Beltre played it safe. We saw how that turned out. A bloop singled tied it.

[Vidor]

Having first and second down 9-7 is much different than having a runner at second down 9-8. Beltre could make that throw with his eyes shut and if it was the tying run he would have thrown out Descalso. Beltre played it safe. We saw how that turned out. A bloop singled tied it.

He took the easy out, which is what he should have done.