George Springer’s very first brush with the postseason, a single-game elimination affair in the 2015 AL Wild Card Game, occurred – somewhat appropriately, it now seems – in New York against the Yankees; for over the next 10 years, as the outfielder/DH has piled up an extraordinary amount of playoff […]
As if he hadn’t already generated enough thrills during his mania-inducing season, Fernando Valenzuela took the Dodger Stadium hill on October 10, 1981 with his club down 2-1 in the best-of-five opening series, one more loss to the Astros away from having the rest of the year off. So the […]
“Sandy Koufax for two weeks …” For nearly 20 years, that’s how I’ve thought of (and described to others) what Kenny Rogers did from October 6 through October 22 in 2006. That was, and is, overstating the case a little bit, but somehow the hyperbole seems appropriate, for what that […]
In 2001, Randy Johnson – author of 21 regular season wins, an MLB-best 2.49 ERA and a universe-vibrating 372 strikeouts – had the chance to continue his otherworldliness into the postseason. Chance received, challenge accepted, opportunity knocked outta the park. In six appearances that October and early November, the southpaw […]
On July 6, 2025, Tarik Skubal and his Tigers were in Cleveland to take on Gavin Williams and his Guardians. Detroit’s southpaw was in complete – cruising beautifully – control, logging seven scoreless innings in which he fanned 10 with no walks. Williams nearly matched the reigning AL Cy Young […]
In 1978, J.R. Richard became just the fourth different right-handed hurler since 1893 to rocket to 300 strikeouts: a 303-K campaign that placed him alongside Walter Johnson (1910, 1912), Bob Feller (1946) and Nolan Ryan (1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977). It was an explosive outcome for the 28-year-old who, before […]
When Arizona hosted San Diego on August 7, 2010, the visitors were clearly the superior team: first in the NL West, a full 22 games ahead of the cellar-dwelling Diamondbacks. But, at least for this particular day, the Padres had little shot, for they didn’t have Chris Young (at least […]
Rather famously, Willie Mays’ introduction with the Giants in 1951 started with a few too many zeroes: 0-for-5, 0-for-3, 0-for-4. That 0-for-12 start was, also rather famously, put to rest by a swing and a drive in the first inning on May 28: a solo homer to left against Warren […]
In the bottom of the first at Crosley Field on July 6, 1949, Reds cleanup hitter Walker Cooper singled with two outs to move a runner to third. The inning-extending knock turned out to be both a consequential moment for the club and for the 34-year-old who had been acquired […]