MLB Replay....A new History

[George_Bell]

2002 MLB Regular Season

Here are baseball's top prospects heading into the 2002 season.


Well, Montreal’s playoff window appears to have closed very quickly. Too bad, I really wanted them to have some success before their eventual move. The Expos start the season in 5^th place, and by June, have the worst record in baseball, 16-38. Meanwhile in Oakland, the window appears to still be open for them to win their first title. They are tied for first place with a 31-22 record.

On June 1^st, Todd Greene has 29 home runs. WOW! That’s a pace for 87 home runs on the season. He seems to keep getting better. Greene shares the single season home run record with Lou Gehrig. The magic number is 65.

Greene

This stat popped up so i thought i would share it.


Career slugging percentage leaders clearly shows the difference in ERAs. Mule Suttles and Lou Gehrig are two of the greatest sluggers to ever play. They are joined 3 current players, who are definitely having great careers, but are they a product of the 90's?!

Here are the first half trades


Todd Greene easily led the league in all-star voting this year. He collected 3.9 million votes. 100,000 for each of his 39 first half home runs!!

AHHHH Damn…


Im hurt, very hurt, crushed. My favourite current player in the league, Bo Jackson, has been traded by the Montreal Expos. He hasn’t been starting this year, which is insane, as he’s still got that raw power to hit 30 homers. Bo is a NY Met now, he’ll be in a pennant race, even though they got some work to do. He’s also penciled into the starting lineup, so I will look at this as a good thing. Lets get Bo some playoff games!!

Another interesting note popped up. Lets take a quick look at the oldest players in MLB.



Here are the 2nd half trades


Entering September, the Yankees and Orioles are battling for the AL east again. The loser will be fighting with the A’s for the wildcard. Cleveland and Anaheim have double digit leads. In the NL, the wild wild west is up for grabs. SF, LA and Colorado are separated by 1 game. 2^nd place will probably win the wild card, while third place goes golfing. Pittsburgh and Philly are both safely in.

Todd Greene has 57 home runs, but suffered a minor injury which has him out for 3-4 weeks. That probably ends any record chase unless we goes crazy when he gets back.

Well, all the pennant races pretty much fizzled out. Baltimore ran away with the AL east, and Oakland wrapped up the wildcard fairly early. The NL west goes to the Giants, while the Dodgers captured the wild card.







Bo Jackson hits 9 home runs in 40 games with the Mets, proving he can still play, but breaks his elbow which ended his season prematurely. Hopefully that doesn’t end his career. He’s got more left!

Home Runs appear to be down. Only Todd Greene and Jason Wood hit more than 40 homers this year. They both happen to approach 60. Being 20 up on the rest of the crowd is very impressive!

[HerbertMcHoover]

Losing Ramon Martinez and Bob Geren hurt for the Expos.

Not much else went on, but I liked the Casey and Matsui deals.

[darnoff]

Originally Posted by George_Bell

Cool to see the Martinez brothers going head-to-head. Looks like Pedro got rocked in the first inning, but his NL team came out on top.

[George_Bell]

[George_Bell]

[George_Bell]

The Oakland Athletics have never played in a World Series before. The Philadelphia Athletics played in played in 3, and none in 54 years!! History is being made in 2002. The A’s franchise has played 102 years, since the beginning and has never won a World Series. The last 3 season is without a doubt, the greatest stretch in franchise history.

Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki at the top of the order is dangerous. Elite speed and contact. Todd Helton anchors a solid power hitting lineup that all contribute. On the mound, Doc Gooden is nearing the end of an amazing career, but still has enough left to be a legit number one! I hate the bullpen. Closer Matt Miller has a 5.36 era. They have one reliable arm in Jason Grimsley. If the solid starting staff gets into trouble, it will be very tough.

Pittsburgh was a World Series regular a decade ago, winning twice, but lost 5 times in 8 years. The Pirates have successfully rebuilt their roster to take another shot. Jim Thome is a stud. He’s the best hitter in the series and provides most of Pittsburgh’s power. The rotation is steady, not really spectacular. They kind of sneak up on you, but get the job done. The bullpen is far better then Oakland’s. John Wetteland is a HOF closer with 516 career saves.

The Pirates have the better team. Does it matter though? Is this finally the year the A’s taste victory, or is it just another bookmark in a long line of failure?

[HerbertMcHoover]

Athletics.

[George_Bell]

Oakland’s worst fears come to fruition early in game 1. Doc Gooden gives up a run in the first and second inning and trail 2-0 before they can get their feet wet. Fighting history and early deficits won’t be easy. Ichiro gets a single, steals a base and scores on a Todd Helton single to ease some Oakland nerves and get them on the board in the third. Shane Halter doubles in 2, in a 3 run Oakland 4^th, and just like that, the A’s now lead 4-2. We move to the 7^th. Oakland up 4-3, they load the bases. 2 out, and Jacque Jones comes through. He doubles, which clears the bases. That would be enough. The A’s win game one, 7-4!

The Pirates scores in the first again. Andres Torres triples in Marvin Bernard for the early lead. Ichiro ties it up going deep in the third. Todd Helton would hit a 5^th inning home run, and Matt LeCroy goes deep in the ninth. The Long ball helps Oakland win game two, 6-3. Oakland leads the series 2-0.

The city of Oakland hosts it’s first ever World Series game, and the home team immediately falls behind 2-0. In the third, the fans get something to cheer about. Bob Smith, Shane Halter and Ichiro Suzuki get 3 doubles in a row, which plates 3 runs, and gives Oakland the 3-2 lead. Up 4-3 in the sixth, Shane Halter and Ichiro again come through, combining for 3 more RBI’s, and the game is pretty much out of reach. The A’s win it 7-5, and take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

For the 4^th consecutive game, Pittsburgh scores in the first inning when Jim Thome triples home Esteban German. Just like each other game though, the A’s respond. Todd Helton hits a 2 run shot, and Ichiro singles home a 3^rd run, and the A’s lead 3-1. The Pirates are playing desperate baseball today, and take the lead back with a 3 spot of their own in the 3^rd. They score 3 again in the 5^th to grab a 7-4 lead after Julio Zuleta homers. It stays that way until the ninth. A Damian Jackson home run keys a huge Pittsburgh inning. They score 6 and leave nothing to chance. Pirates win game four with a dominant 13-4 win.

The A’s send Doc Gooden to the mound with a chance to win their first World Series, and in front of their own fans. Gooden shuts the door in inning one, something no A’s pitcher has been able to do. In the third, Pittsburgh uses and abuses Gooden. They load the bases with the first 3 hitters. Jim Thome draws the RBI walk, and Andres Torres doubles them all home. Pittsburgh continued to pour it on. Jason Phillips scored Torres on a double, and then scored on a John Vander Wal double. Marvin Bernard caps off the inning with a 3 run shot. After the dust settles, it’s a 9 run inning, and this game is pretty much over. Pittsburgh wins game five, 14-4.

After allowing 27 runs in 2 games, the pressure was on the A’s pitching staff. Steve Trachsel gets the start for Oakland, and is good in not allowing a first inning Pirates run. For the first time, the A’s score first. Jason Larue leads off inning 2 with a homer, and Trachsel is able to single in a 2^nd run later in the frame. Trachsel waits until the fifth inning to allow his 2^nd hit of the game, a obvious sign he is on and the Pirates are in trouble. Trachsel cruises through 6, then 7 untouched. Todd Helton hits a solo bomb in the 8^th. Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the A’s lead 3-0 with a chance to make history.



For the first time in the 102 years history of this story, the Oakland Athletics are World Series Champions!!!

[George_Bell]

[rjl518]

Yeayyyy moneyball!!!

[reds1]

Always nice to see a team finally win it all after so many years. And yay for Ichiro!

[HerbertMcHoover]

This has to be one of my favorite World Series ever. Great job.

[darnoff]

Congrats Athletics!

How many World Series has Doc Gooden won?

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by darnoff

Congrats Athletics!

How many World Series has Doc Gooden won?

This is the only the good Doctor's 2nd title. 1996 with Detroit, and 2002 with Oakland!

[rjl518]

Originally Posted by george_bell

this is the only the good doctor's 2nd title. 1996 with detroit, and 2002 with oakland!

probably the best pitcher in the history of your league

[Grandbudda]

I have just finished reading the entire history since 1901 and found it to be the most interesting work on this forum. Thank you for all of your work on this and I love your graphics and images. Will be waiting eagerly for your next entry !

[George_Bell]

Originally Posted by Grandbudda

I have just finished reading the entire history since 1901 and found it to be the most interesting work on this forum. Thank you for all of your work on this and I love your graphics and images. Will be waiting eagerly for your next entry !

Thanks man. I appreciate it and am glad you have enjoyed it. Updates aren't as quick as they once were, as im just better at starting things then finishing them, but they are still coming!

[George_Bell]

[George_Bell]

2002-03 MLB Offseason News and Notes

The Montreal Expos select Tim Lincecum with the top pick in the draft. Odds are Tim will never play a game in Montreal unless he advances through the system quickly. It's a star studded top 10 which features Troy Tulowitzki, Prince Fielder and Felix Hernandez, who coincidentally, goes to Seattle!




Bob Knepper, in his 8^th year of eligibility, is elected into the baseball HOF. I finally came on board and approved his entry.



Knepper is a 3 time Rube Waddell award winner, and a 6 time all-star. He won 100 games more then he lost, and posted a league leading WAR 7 years in a row. When I dug a big deeper, I decided he was worthy.

Here is a look at the strike out leaders, both single season and career, in MLB history.

Single Season K Leaders


Every member of this elite group accomplished this feat within a 21 year span in the middle of the 20th century. Its kind of amazing noone else has been able to sneak in there. Sandy Koufax appears 7 times!

Here's a look at the most recent seasons to appear on the top 100 list.


Most Career K's


Amazing to see Bob Feller fell just 1 short of 6000. Sandy Koufax is 2nd by just 31! Doc Gooden is the only active player on the list and has a chance to move up.



Charles Johnson was the big prize of the free agent season, and he cashed in in LA. The Dodgers spent the money on him rather then resign Vaughn and Williams, who remain unsigned heading into spring training. Former Rockies Bobby Hughes and Jason Wood clearly benefited from the thin air in Denver. Ill watch those two to see if they can duplicate their fantastic power numbers of 2002.

Here are trades made this offseason.

[rjl518]

The mets get scherzer and headley...and the marlins get kazmir and flores...nice!