If and when the history of TheGreatestComebackInTeamSportsTM is written about the 2004 RedSux, it will begin and end with the fact that Mariano Rivera had the ball with three outs to go to a Yankees sweep and failed to hold a lead nine pitches later. Of Mo's four blown saves in the playoffs, this is far and away the worst because there is no mitigation: he walked Millar on five pitches and gave up a hit to Mueller on pitch #4 that tied the score.
In '97 Sandy Alomar made an adjustment, got a flyball in the wind heading out and it turned into a homer off Mo to turn the series.
In '01, Mo walked the first batter in the 9th on four pitches, fielded a crappy bunt, threw to Jeter to start a DP. Jeter stretched from the wrong foot, missed the ball and the otherwise easy DP and the Yanks honked another fielding play before losing.
In game 2 of the ALDS, Mo came on to clean up a pre-existing mess.
But in game 4 of the ALCS, he did the unforgiveable -- allowed a rally to start and end on his watch with a lead-off walk.
I don't want to hear about this series anymore on Thursday. I don't even want to hear about it on Wednesday. But I feel ill about the Yanks' prospects because they HAD THIS THING WON, and gave it back.
No comments:
Post a Comment