Red Sox Win Decisive Fifth Game in Oakland
What was most impressive about the Red Sox win last night was they did it in Oakland where the A’s are a very tough team to beat.
The pitching matchup played out just as I expected. The A’s had their few chances to break the game open against Pedro Martinez, who did not have the career defining performance everyone looked for, rather it was a duplicate of game one with the aid of a twilight start.
Barry Zito, with the same help from the setting sun, breezed through five innings before clearly running out of gas.
Here’s where the game turned in my opinion.
Zito, who had not pitched on three days rest before, had to be watched very carefully. It was obvious to me and about 49,000 other people in the park, that Zito had reached his endurance point after he hit lefty swinging Todd Walker with a pitch to put runners at first and second with Manny Ramirez coming up in the sixth inning.
Forget the pitch count, Zito had lost command of his outpitch, his curveball, earlier in the inning. Jason Varitek homered to start the sixth on a fastball, tying the score 1-1, Zito struggled throwing strikes after the homer.
Now, Zito and Manny got into a classic battle. What makes great sluggers special is they do not miss their pitch if they get it. Barry Bonds comes to mind first. Ramirez fouled off a fastball at 2-2. Zito has been plagued by inside fastballs that don’t make the desired spot all season (Bobby Kielty in Minnesota). Without his curve, Zito threw another 86 MPH fastball, almost in the indentical spot, and Manny didn’t miss this one and the Red Sox were on their way, it was just a question of how far Pedro would take them and who would close the game.
To me this was the moment that the A’s needed to go to the pen, and make sure Manny didn’t do what he is paid to do and that is drive in big runs.
Great players come through in the clutch and great managers do too, this time the manager let his pitcher stay in a game when he should have gone to the pen like he had done all season long. Ramirez wouldn’t have homered off of Chad Bradford, I’ll guarantee that.
The A’s wouldn’t quit and the game got very tense quickly.
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First, let me say, I’ve seen baseball close up for about 50 years and this game was the most dramatic baseball game I have ever seen in person, bar none.
The noise of the crowd in the ninth inning was the loudest I have ever heard at a baseball game.
So, Pedro gives up a run in the sixth closing the gap to 4-2.
The A’s knock him out in the eighth, why he started the eighth is another story for Grady Little.
Little has a poor touch for gauging the right moment to change pitchers. Pedro was through after the seventh, you could just sense his weariness.
With runners on Little finally goes to the pen taking Pedro out, Alan Embree comes in and blows away Erubiel Durazo, who simply was overmatched by Embree’s fresh 96 MPH heat. Eric Chavez was next and he too couldn’t compete with Embree. Now, Little goes to Mike Timlin to face Miguel Tejada. In perhaps his last at bat as an Athletic, Timlin gets Tejada easily on a grounder to short.
Three more outs to go, the toughest outs in baseball. This is why Mariano Rivera potential hall of famer, he gets them routinely without creating heart failure for the fans or his employers.
With the score 4-3 Sox, Little brought Scott Williamson in to pitch the ninth, even though Timlin had only faced one batter and hadn’t come close to allowing a hit or even a baserunner to the A’s in the entire series.
Williamson couldn’t throw a strike to Scott Hatteberg who wouldn’t have swung the bat until the last possible moment under any circumstances anyway. Hatteberg walked. Jose Guillen, who in my opinion is a player the A’s need next season (not a taker, but a hitter), worked a walk too. The place went nuts.
Now, Little goes to Derek Lowe to bail the Sox out. Ramon Hernadez bunts the runners to second and third giving up one of the A’s GM’s precious 27 outs.
Jermaine Dye strides confidently to the plate starting to dig in, amidst sudden confusion, he is quickly called back to the bench. Adam Melhuse, a little used sub who has been hot lately is asked to hit for the 11 million dollar per year Dye, in the biggest spot of the year.
I love the way Melhuse has swung the bat, but Dye has been in the world series, might have been walked by Lowe intentionally, and would have battled Lowe for all he was worth and is one scary hitter. All the things Melhuse isn’t.
With the infield playing in, Melhuse strikes out after hitting a couple of weak ground ball fouls. Two out.
Chris Singleton walks, one well placed grounder will send the A’s to NY and Boston home.
Fans are loudest I have ever heard right now. Terrence Long pinch hits for Frank Menechino.
In game one, Little walked Long intentionally to bring up the noted bunter Ramon Hernandez. We know how that worked out for Little. Can’t do that here because the bases are loaded.
Long has been in the A’s dog house for most of the summer, privately confiding to his close friends in the media that it would be best if he played elsewhere next season.
Lowe throws strikes, Long fouls one off down the left field line. Lowe throws his best running fastball and freezes Long with two strikes. Long takes the pitch, and the Curse of the Bambino takes a right to the jaw.
You could hear the relief in New England all the way in Oakland.
So what happened? The Red Sox won a great baseball game as they had the right pitchers in the game, save for Scott Williamson, when the game was on the line.
The A’s didn’t and Manny Ramirez didn’t miss his pitch.
Some after the game bemoaned the disparity in payroll between these two teams.
I don’t buy it.
Put Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, Ted Lilly, Keith Foulke, Eric Chavez, and Miguel Tejada on the open market at the same time that Nomar, Manny, and Pedro signed their 15 million dollar per year contracts and the A’s would have a payroll of 90 million.
The A’s have big time players, they just didn’t come through when it counted (see Ellis, Tejada, and Chavez for starters). Mulder’s injury changed the playoffs, but Lilly did as well as Mulder could have done.
The A’s could have signed David Ortiz, the Red Sox did instead. The A’s could have signed Bill Mueller, instead the Red Sox took him as a spring training back up.
The Red Sox didn’t beat themselves, the A’s did in game three. Ortiz, Nomar, and Manny didn’t miss their pitches in the eighth inning of game four, the A’s Keith Foulke did.
Zito and Pedro both were very good, are they pitchers for the ages, not off last night’s game, but they didn’t choke.
Did the A’s choke? They certainly played like an inexperienced team, something they hadn’t done over the last two months of the season. Was it playoff pressure? Sadly to say, I think for Chavez and Tejada it was.
There is no room for error in the five game series, for players or managers. Not pulling Zito cost the A’s the game. Grady Little tried to give it back with Williamson in the ninth. The Red Sox dodged a big bullet in Oakland, they might not have room for these kinds of mistakes against the NY Yankees.
Derek Lowe saved the Sox, he’s the MVP of the series.
The Bambino took a shot to the stomach, but he is far from hitting the canvas.
Maybe next year when the A’s are here again in the playoffs with their three 20 game winners (yes, they will be back next year), they too will have a slogan like the Red Sox did (Cowboy Up) to keep them going.
How about “This year we play real baseball”.
Playing hardball 24/7 is what they need to do and it is what they didn’t do often enough.
Carlos Zambrano hasn’t thrown well in his last three starts, perhaps the Marlins will get the first one tonight in Wrigley. Josh Beckett is awfully good and shouldn’t be rattled at all on the big stage.
Take it from me, the Red Sox Nation got the Bambino’s attention with the win over the A’s.
They deserve to face the the Yanks. It should be something to watch.
0 comments
great analysis as usual,marty. I caught the last
2 innings on the way home and saw the fantastic 9th inning. Williamson had nothing left in his tank and was wild high and violated the carinal rule of baseball not only once but twice by walking the 1st 2 batters that he faced. The A’s squandered
a golden opportunity. The Red Sox were giving them a chance to not only tie the game but win it.
All the A’s had to do was put the ball in play.
Melhuse and Long took called strike 3 and the fat lady came out to sing.
The A’s had a remarkable season and overcame
a lot of adversity. Ted Lilly, who I did not like when he came here from the Yankees, stepped up and did a great job. He now has my vote.
Ramon Hernandez was solid all year as was
Tejada and Chavez, Tejada had a slow start
but still played well. The other player who impressed me was Jose Guillen who never quit.
The outfield was average for the most part and
the A’s will be okay if Guillen returns and Dye remains healthy. Who knows where the other guys will be playing.
the off season should be interesting
Let me sum up what we’re looking at from here on in for the A’s. Terrance Long–Gone. Jermaine Dye—Gone (so sad to see him pinch hit for in the ninth as he was definetely the man to have up instead of melhuse, and so sad to see him end his career with the A’s like that when it could have been in glory). I like Dye but he’s gone with his $11 mil (see $55 mil payroll). Guillen–Resigned (solid hitter with guts A’s need). Tejada—Gone (doesn’t have leadership qualities for postseason). Foullke–Gone (Sadly). Beane will trade for a big bat. Knowing the A’s window is rapidly closing he will finally be willing to part with star prospects (Bobby Crosby will go) for the right bat. Pitching will remain largely the same. Harden is your # 5. One or two more dependable bats will be a must either in the offseason or mid season and they can do it with Dye’s contract gone (again, that is depressing the way he went out being pinch hit for). The A’s situation is absolutely excruciating if you’re a fan. Year after year the lose in the most painful of ways. Personally right now I am very down about the results of the latest A’s attempt at acheiving what they are long over due for, a pennant, a world series, a world championship.
Next season the A’s will be a playoff team once again. I don’t see anyone in the AL West knocking them out. Hudson, Mulder, and Zito will each win 20 and that is no stretch. Lilly if healthy, will win 15 with any luck. I’d consider putting Harden into the bullpen to close. The lineup: Hatteberg at first, Ellis second, Who’s on short?, Chavez third, Guillen left, he can hit and won’t beg for a walk. Somebody in center and leading off (not Byrnes), Dye in right (contract year, so he makes it back), Hernandez catching, Jeremy Brown one year away, Durazo DH. So, the offense won’t be too bad and you know the two open spots will be filled with people who can play the A’s way. Bradford, Rincon, Harville, and a new lefty setting up. I still think Hentgen would have made a difference on this staff, that type of fifth starter is necessary if Harden can close.
Everyone is freaked out by Dye not hitting, I don’t think he should have been pulled, but if he would have been walked as the Red Sox seemed to have wanted to do, then having Melhuse hit with the infield in and second and third occupied, and no force should have produced at least a tie game. Would you rather have Singleton with the bases loaded or Melhuse with the infield in, swinging the bat? Not so clear to me which would have been better, but pulling Dye deflated the team on the bench and was a distraction since players today are “Me first” kind of guys.
Next year this will be a playoff team and be a world series favorite because of the pitching. Remember this series because there won’t be any three day starts next October to muck things up.
Marty
Hey Marty,
Just some quick thoughts. Great thoughts, by the way. Unfortunately, Tejada and Chavez did choke, like you said. I was really expecting them to produce considering how well they hit the 2nd half. And Chavez actually hit well in the playoffs last season. His mechanics and confidence sure are fragile. Hopefully, he matures soon and in Oakland. Yea, even if Tejada leaves, their offense can’t be much worse than it was this season. And I expect Beane too get some quality offensive help. They will compete again. (Tejada’s defense will sure be missed. Some fans take it for granted. I hear these ridiculous claims about how Crosby is just as good.) In regard to last night: I would rather have seen Singleton with the bases loaded. He is a veteran and would have put the ball in play. And, given his speed, he more than likely would not have hit into a double play. Macha blew it big time.
-Mike
Do the A’s ever use the services of a sports psychologist? It seems the team, regardless of personnel, falls into certain trends–a slow start, fast end, troubled first round that ends unsuccessfully for the past several years. The mental errors/blocks around Game 3 and the increasing pressure each year to try to avoid the “choker” label seems tailormade for sports psychology.
The A’s are made up to win in a 162 game season. What fun it has been to watch them. In a 5 game playoff, they don’t have that one guy who will come through–though I think Guillen can be that guy. Tejada has so much heart that it overwhelms him in this short series. And Chavez has no heart which has the same effect. I really think if they could get to the 2nd round, these 2 would come alive.
I hope that Tejada remains. His heart carried us through 162 games. His reaction to Lowe last night shows how much the A’s mean to him. Crosby should be used as trade bait and sign Miggy to a long-term deal. Yeh, it will be expensive next year if Dye remains, but not after that. Miguel is a special soul whom I want to keep.
My Tough as Nails Awards this year go to Jose Guillen and Ted Lilly. These guys came to play. They were studs out there. The A’s must sign them so we can return to the playoffs next year.
Thanks to the A’s for many great memories. I’m sure they will fill our minds the next few months.
Being drilled in the fundamentals of the game in the minors would help too. Also, not rushing players to the big leagues, giving them an extra year in AAA would also be a benefit.
Resigning Tejada would be a major, wise investment for this franchise, I think it would guarantee the playoffs for the next four years.
Chavez’s defense took a major leap this season, perhaps next season, his contract year will help his bat, too.
Marty
Marty
Thanks for all your great A’s commentary this year.
I will be looking forward to following the remainder of the playoffs with you and your insights during the offseason.
Regarding the game last nite:
I agree that Macha stayed with Zito too long.
The decision to pull Dye for Melhuse was horrible in so many ways and ruins the Macha/Dye relationship next season as well.
I think Beane will package either Lilly or Crosby with JD (depending on a re-sign of Miggy) to entice someone to take on Dye’s salary.
I fully expect Long to be traded (rightfully) and if the A’s get lucky and Mecir retires, we might have a shot at re-signing Foulke and Guillan.
Like you said, our hitting will be better next year. Mainly because it can’t get much worse.
Our pitching will hinge on who closes, but should be great again.
Ken Macha managed last nite like his players played in game 3, poorly. With a season’s worth of experience including playoffs, hopefully Macha, who I feel managed well this year, will not repeat his failings.
Have a great rest of 2003.
Reno Bill
Hey Marty,
Can you believe Macha’s reasons for pinch hitting for Dye? He didn’t want to go extra innings? I can’t believe that. Anything can happen in extra innings. And, apparently, he didn’t shake Long’s hand after last night’s game. He isn’t winning any respect in the clubhouse. That’s for sure.
-Mike
Management never had confidence in Harville, Halama, or Mecir, and lost confidence in Harden out of the pen in the playoffs. With Foulke out with a bad back, Macha wouldn’t pull the plug on Zito in the sixth and I still say that cost them the game. This was game five, there was no tomorrow, did they play like this was it? Tough to have it come down to Adam Melhuse, Chris Singleton, and Terrence Long, three bench players who didn’t get much respect all season from the front office. It was a fabulous game with the wrong result for A’s fans. The offseason should be interesting, many players non tendered, the market for players will be full, meaning lower salaries and a better chance for a team like the A’s to pick up a David Ortiz or a Bill Mueller if they will just look for players who swing the bat aggresively (that’s how they got Hatteberg wasn’t it?). I think the Giants are thinking the same way when they say they will lower the payroll 10 million, they are banking on a buyers market for their fillins.
Marty
Great article on a heart-breaking game. I turned the tv sound off just to hear the stadium noise and Bill King. It must have been deafening. The fans showed that Oakland can really count on great support. The move to put Melhuse in for Dye will be lamented for years to come. I wonder what that kind of rejection will do to Dye’s attitude next season.
I guess there’s a Boston fan who feels like he contributed to Boston’s ALDS win. Way to go Huddy.
Marty, thanks again for a season full of insights and analysis. You called them like you saw them and I thoroughly enjoyed your objectivity.
I attended all three playoff games in Oakland and you’re right — the last game was unbelievable from a fan support standpoint. I’ve never heard a louder, more supportive crowd at an A’s game — including their World Series games. I didn’t know Oakland crowds could be so noisy. It was terrific.
I agree with your assessment about pinch hitting Melhuse for Dye. Not only was it a bad decision at the moment, but it could have a big impact on Dye’s relationship with Macha going forward. I do think Macha did a fine job this year…he had a real challenge with this team offensively. When you carefully study this team’s offensive performance it’s really a minor miracle that they did as well as they did.
Finally, I’d like to say something about the ownership — particularly Steve Schott. I think he’s one of the worst owners in the league. Not because he won’t spend any money — that’s his prerogative; I’m a businessman and I understand what his top priority is — making money (nothing wrong with that). What I don’t like are his comments that “the A’s future is not in Oakland”, the Giambi fiasco, the manner in which he treated Tejada in spring training (the hug and announcement that no offer would be made…even Billy Beane said that situation could have been handled better), the playoff ticket fiasco last year, and now his seeming inability to understand that Miguel Tejada is a very, very special leader and athlete…the heart and soul of this team. If he does allow Tejada to leave Oakland, Schott’s legacy will be chiseled in baseball history along with Frazee (the guy who sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees) and his namesake Marge. He’s truly a sorry owner who has a tin ear and concrete touch when it comes to appreciating the game of baseball. – Rich P.
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