History of Baseball - OOTP19 version

[Tiger Fan]

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 1969

The Athletics are on a 12 game winning streak and now lead Minnesota by 14.5 games in the American League West. The San Francisco Giants are 13.5 ahead of Los Angeles in the National League West. It was the two East Division's that had a key weekend ahead.

Cleveland is set to begin a 3 game set in Baltimore looking to deliver a huge blow to their American League East Division rivals. The Indians enter the series riding a 7 game winning streak and enjoying a 6.5 game lead on the second place Orioles. The Orioles really need a sweep to have a serious shot at the pennant.

The story was similar in the National League East as the first place Mets, at 79-65, enjoy a 4 game lead on St Louis and are 4.5 up on Pittsburgh. The Mets, fresh off winning a pair of games at home from Montreal, face a crucial 5 game road trip beginning tonight that sends them first to Pittsburgh for 3 games followed by 2 games in St Louis. The following week will see them entertain the Pirates for 4 and the Cardinals for 2 games before ending the season in Philadelphia.

Other stories to follow include the San Diego Padres, at 39-104 with a .273 winning percentage, are on pace to have the worst record in National League history. It presently belongs to the 1962 Houston Colt 45s, who were 45-117 for a .278 winning percentage. The Major League mark is a dismal .240 (37-117) by the 1956 Kansas City Athletics while the loss record is 118 set by the 1966 Washington Senators.

I had stated in the all-star break report it was highly unlikely that Giants outfielder Pete Rose would win another batting title. At the time he was well back of Houston's Bob Watson but thanks to hitting at a .371 clip since August 1st, Rose has closed to with .007 of co-leaders Watson and the Reds Tony Perez.

Boog Powell continues to slow his homer pace. The Baltimore slugger has hit just 1 homerun so far in September and is now at 45 on the season.

We did get a second no-hitter this season as Cardinals ace Bob Gibson tossed his first career no-hitter in a win over San Diego. Detroit's Dick Drago had the first no-hitter.

[Tiger Fan]

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 1969

A week later not much has changed. The Mets took 2 of 3 from Pittsburgh last weekend and split their 2 game set in St Louis before finishing their road trip with a pair of wins in Montreal. After losing the final two games of their series against the Mets, the Pirates won 4 straight including a pair in St Louis to move past the Cardinals and into second place in the National League East.

Pittsburgh has 4 games at Shea Stadium vs the Mets this weekend and they need a sweep to pull even in the standings as the Bucs since 4 games back and the Cardinals are 5.5 off the pace.

Cleveland's lead on Baltimore in the American League East shrank by two games over the past week and is now at 4.5 ahead of the Orioles. Baltimore took two of three from the Indians at home last weekend and have won 8 of their last 11 games. Next up for the Orioles is a 3-game set at home against the Yankees over the weekend before they head to Cleveland for another 3 game series. The Indians, who have dropped 4 of their last 7, visit Washington for two games this weekend before the big series with Baltimore.

[Tiger Fan]

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 1969
METS MAKE A STATEMENT AGAINST BUCS

The miracle season of the New York Mets just got a lot closer to continuing with the first ever playoff berth for the franchise after the Mets swept a big 4 game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. With 5 games remaining in their season the Mets have a 6.5 game lead on St Louis and are 8.5 up on the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cardinals have 8 games remaining so they could still conceivably catch the Mets but with 6 straight wins and 11 victories in their last 13 games the Mets must be feeling pretty confident.

This will be the first time the franchise has ever finished over .500 and the club has never placed higher than 6th (in a 10 team league) prior to this year.

Everything went right in the 4 games with the Pirates. Friday night, veteran Gary Bell went the distance improving to 3-2 with a 6-2 victory. It was only Bell's third start of the season since he replaced Nolan Ryan in the rotation. Dick McAuliffe, an off-season pickup from Detroit, and 20 year old John Mayberry led the offense for the Mets. Mayberry doubled and homered while McAuliffe also homered and hit a run scoring sacrifice fly.

On Saturday, 24 year old Tom Seaver (15-11, 2.12) pitched what was likely his best game of the season. Seaver shutout the Pirates on 6 hits while fanning 7 as he was locked in a pitcher's duel with Bucs veteran Bob Veale. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the ninth when Bud Harrelson drew a lead-off walked and moved to third on a Paul Blair single. Tommie Sisk came on to relieve Veale but pinch-hitter Mike Fiore delivered a game winning sacrifice fly to give the Mets the 1-0 victory.

In the opener of Sunday's doubleheader Jerry Koosman (20-8) tossed a 7-hit shutout as the Mets won 5-0. Ed Charles hit a 2-run homer and Cleon Jones had 2 hits and 2 rbi's for the Mets. The Pirates looked to have salvaged the nightcap as Bob Bailey hit two-homers giving Pittsburgh a 5-4 lead entering the bottom of the ninth but the Mets rallied and got their second walk-off win of the series thanks to rbi singles from Ken Singleton and McAuliffe.

In the American League East the Cleveland Indians hold a 4-game lead on Baltimore with the two clubs set to begin a 3-game series in Cleveland starting tomorrow.

[Tiger Fan]

1969 SEASON RECAP

The New York Mets did not take long to clinch the division, beating St Louis in the opener of their two game set to join the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics and Cleveland Indians in the post-season. Already a historic event as this season will feature an additional round of playoff games before the World Series due to the creation of divisions in each league, it is even more historic because 2 of the 4 franchises are playing their first post-season game since the late 1930's and one is in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Before we get to the post-season lets tie up a couple of loose ends. Baltimore Orioles first baseman Boog Powell (.291,51,138) homered in the final game of the season to end the year with 51 round-trippers, equalling the American League record established by Washington's Johnny Mize in 1947. He fell well short of Joe Adcock's major league mark of 64 homers set with Milwaukee in 1959.

37 year old Mickey Mantle hit just .094 in 32 at bats with Seattle after being released in July from San Diego, where he hit just .200. As a result Mantle finished the year with 2993 career hits and 588 career homeruns so the 3000 hits/ 600 HR milestones will likely end up just beyond his reach. Mantle has not officially announced his retirement but it would be a great surprise if he is in the major leagues next year.

The expansion San Diego Padres finished 44-118, equalling a record for losses in a season set by the 1966 Washington Senators. Meanwhile the San Francisco Giants won 111 games this year. Only 3 teams have won more in a season: The 1965 Reds lead with 115, while the 1905 Phillies won 113 and the 1962 Reds enjoyed 111 victories.

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

The San Francisco Giants are in the playoffs for the first time since 1938. The Giants are one of three non-expansion teams to never win a World Series - joining the Pirates and Orioles. Their opponents, the New York Mets have never finished higher than 6th place before this season. Unlike in real life when it was a best of five, the game defaulted to set this as a best of seven series, same as the World Series.

The American League series will have the Oakland Athletics meeting the Cleveland Indians. The Athletics have had a long playoff drought, going back to 1939 when the franchise last played a post-season game. The Indians are the only team with recent playoff experience- having defeated Cincinnati in the 1966 series.

Three of the four teams come into the League Championship Series very healthy. The lone exception is the Oakland Athletics, who were suddenly and very recently decimated with injuries. Pitcher Vida Blue (13-5, 2.19) suffered an oblique strain on September 10th and may be back for the World Series if the A's advance but it is highly unlikely he will pitch in the ALCS. A week later 31 year old reliever Ron Taylor (11-6, 12 sv) suffered a serious injury that will sideline him about 9 months. The A's were already missing Steve Hargan, a 16 game winner a year ago, who has been sidelined all year. The injury bug was not exclusive to pitchers as catcher Gene Tenace and outfielder Joe Rudi also went down. The 22 year old Tenace (.236,24,66) suffered a concussion on September 30th and is out for at least the ALCS. Earlier in September, rookie Joe Rudi (.283,15,81) was lost for the rest of the season with a broken hand. Cleveland would be a tough opponent even if the A's were healthy but missing those key players make Oakland a real underdog in the playoffs

Here are the final standings and a look at the playoff matchups:

[Tiger Fan]

If the drama provided by the two LCS is any indication of what is to come, we will be in for an incredible World Series. Here is a game by game recap of the ALCS which included 3 walk-off victories, an extra-innings game and 4 games decided by just 1 run. The NLCS will follow in my next update.

1969 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
OAKLAND VS CLEVELAND (best of seven)

GAME 1- The series opens in Cleveland with a thrilling slugfest that the hometown Indians win 10-7 thanks to walk-off 3 run homer off the bat of outfielder Bob Allison with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Allison, who also tripled and singled in the game, driving in 4 runs, hit his dramatic shot after Oakland had rallied from a 7-2 deficit with 5 runs in the 8th inning. Starting pitchers Jim Nash of the A's and Cleveland's Sam McDowell, a 2-time Cy Young Award winner, both got hit pretty hard and neither was around for the decision.

The loss would go to Oakland reliver Diego Segui and ruined a 4-hit, 3 rbi game from Oakland third baseman Sal Bando. Felix Millan also drove in 2 runs for the A's while Cleveland catcher Duke Sims had a big game- getting 3 hits and 4 rbi's. Former Athletic Clete Boyer had a 2-for-4 game for the Tribe.

GAME 2 -Another tight game that featured some late heroics but the A's prevailed 5-4 in this one. Cleveland took a 3-2 lead on a 2-run Don Lukaszewski homer in the bottom of the 7th but Oakland replied with 3 runs in the top of the 8th to go ahead by a 5-2 count. Reggie Jackson, who had 3 hits in the game, doubled to get the 8th inning rally going. Catcher Ellie Rodriguez, filling in for the injured Gene Tenace, had a big RBI single to plate Jackson and Tommy Reynolds -replacing the injured Joe Rudi - drove in the other two runs in that inning.

Cleveland got 1 run back off of Game One loser Segui but 23 year old rookie Rollie Fingers came on to put an end to a Cleveland rally and preserve the win. Fingers made it dramatic by loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth on a single and two walks before striking out Duke Sims to end the game.

GAME 3 - Oakland faces former A's pitcher Blue Moon Odom - who was traded to Cleveland in the off-season - in the first playoff game ever played in Oakland. The A's win by the same score as game two - rallying for a 5-4 victory after starter Lew Krausse Jr spotted the Indians an early 3-0 lead. Sal Bando and George Hendrick each had 2 hits and 2 rbi's for the Athletics while Reggie Jackson got his third double of the series and scored a pair of runs. Dick Bates got the win in relief while Odom went the distance for Cleveland and was tagged with the loss.

GAME 4- Cleveland ties the series with a thrilling 7-6 victory in a game the needed 11 innings to decide. Once more the Indians took an early lead, 3-0 in the first and 5-1 after 3 innings, but Oakland rallied with 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extras.

Rollie Fingers took the loss, pitching 2 innings of relief. After Don Lukaszewski worked Fingers for a walk to lead off the top of the 11th, he moved to third on a Duke Sims double and scored on a sac fly from pinch-hitter Elrod Hendricks to provide the margin of victory for the Indians. Mudcat Grant pitched the bottom of the 11th and retired the A's in order for a save.

Sal Bando hit a 9th inning homer, his second of the series to help Oakland tie the game. Reggie Jackson had 3 hits, including a homer and a 9th inning double while Rick Monday chipped in with 2 hits and 2 rbi's for the A's. Duke Sims continues to swing the hot bat for Cleveland - going 3-for-5 with 2 rbi's and a run scored.

GAME 5 - Every game seems to be more dramatic than the previous one. This time Cleveland scored three times in the top of the ninth inning to take a 4-2 lead only to see the hometown Athletics come back with 3 of their own in the bottom of the ninth to pull out a 5-4 victory and take a 3 games to two series lead.

Starters Sam McDowell and Jim Nash both lasted until the 8th inning but just like in game one, neither was around to factor in the decision. Oakland reliever William Hirzel blew the save by allowing Jim Fregosi to hit a bases loaded double in the top of the ninth to score 3 runs and give Cleveland their temporary lead. However, Hirzel emerged as the winning pitcher when Oakland got 3 off Mudcat Grant in the bottom of the ninth. Tommie Reynolds started things off with a rbi single and Bill McNulty followed with a double to score Reynolds. The next batter, Bert Campaneris delivered a 2-out rbi single to plate McNulty with the game winning run.

GAME 6- We finally got a pitchers duel as Oakland's Chuck Dobson and Denny Lemaster of the Indians hooked up. Lemaster would go the distance, allowing just 6 hits but he also gave up 3 runs - two on an Ellie Rodriguez homerun - and the Athletics won the series with a 3-1 victory. Dobson gave up 1 run on 5 hits through 6 2/3 before giving way to Diego Segui, who pitched the final 2 1/3 to get his first save of the series.

Sal Bando of the A's, who hit .370 (10-for-27) with 2 homers and 6 rbi's was named the Series MVP. For the first time since 1939 the Athletics are in the World Series.

Believe it or not, the NLCS was equally as dramatic.

[Tiger Fan]

1969 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
SAN FRANCISCO vs NEW YORK METS (best of seven)

GAME 1 - The series began with a great pitching matchup that saw Tom Seaver take the mound for the visiting Mets in San Francisco against Gaylord Perry.

After Perry set the Mets down in order in the top of the first the Giants got their lead-off man on board due to an error on a routine grounder by Mets third baseman Ed Charles which allowed Matty Alou to reach base. Seaver then walked Dick Dietz and allowed Bobby Bonds to single. To compound matters the Mets playoff jitters continued as centerfielder Paul Blair's throw on the Bonds single sailed over the cut-off man and allowed Alou to score the game's first run. San Francisco would get another run as Dietz crossed the plate on a Willie McCovey ground out and the inning ended with the Giants up 2-0 thanks to a hit, a walk and a pair of errors.

After that the Mets settled down and were the beneficiary of a San Francisco error by shortstop Tito Fuentes in the third inning. It led to a New York run on a Bud Harrelson single to cut the Giants lead to 2-1. The score remained 2-1 as Perry and Seaver both cruised along until the Mets evened the score in the top of the 8th on an rbi single from Paul Blair.

Seaver was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 9th inning and Dick Selma took over on the mound for the Mets. He would allow 3 singles in the 9th, from Pete Rose, Mike Andrews and the game winning walk-off rbi single from Matty Alou to give the Giants a 3-2 win in the series opener.

Perry allowed just 3 hits and 1 run, unearned, over 7 innings while Seaver gave up 5 hits allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, and fanned 8 over 8 innings.

GAME 2- Another pitching gem as Juan Marichal and reliever Phil Regan, the game one winner, combined to beat the Mets 2-1. Marichal was outstanding, holding New York off the scoresheet for 7 innings while allowing just 4 hits and leaving with the game scoreless. New York starter Jerry Koosman went 6 shutout innings and allowed just 2 hits before exiting for a pinch-hitter.

The Mets took the lead in the top of the 8th off of Regan when Paul Blair singled with 2 out and stole second. He would score on an rbi single from John Mayberry. The lead was short lived as Mets reliever Dick Selma, the game one loser, surrendered a 2-run homer to Bobby Bonds in the bottom of the 8th inning to put the Giants up 2-1. The game would end 2-1 as the Mets, despite benefiting from another Tito Fuentes error, could not get the equalizer in the 9th inning.

GAME 3 - The series shifted to New York, where if we exclude neighbouring Brooklyn, a National League club had not hosted a playoff game since 1938 when the New York Giants lost to Washington in the World Series. Unlike the first two games of the series this one was not close as the Giants plated 3 runs in each of the 4th and 5th innings and coasted to a 7-3 victory and a 3 games to nothing series lead.

Pete Rose led the San Francisco attack with 3 hits, 2 runs and 2 rbi's. Winning pitcher Bill Hands helped his own cause with a 2-run double in the 5th. It was a rough outing for New York starter Jim Hardin, who gave up 6 runs - but just 3 earned - on 7 hits in 6 innings. The normally sure-handed Mets committed two more errors in this game.

GAME 4 - The Giants looked to complete the sweep with a game four win but Mets starter Gary Bell had other ideas. Bell pitched 9 1/3 innings before giving way to Nolan Ryan - making his first career post-season appearance. The only mark on Bell's record was a solo homerun from Bobby Bonds - his second of the series - in the 6th inning. Bell allowed 6 hits and struck out 6 Giants.

While San Francisco could just get the 1 run the Mets batters were having similar troubles with Giants starter Gene Brabender and reliever Regan. New York had taken a 1-0 lead in the second inning thanks to an rbi double from Mets catcher Hank McGraw but that was all the offense they could generate and after 9 innings the game was tied at 1.

Bell, clearly tiring, retired Fuentes to lead off the San Francisco 10th but he then allowed a single to pinch-hitter Jim Ray Hart. Nolan Ryan replaced Bell and was quickly greeted by a Matty Alou single to move the go ahead run in Hart to second base. Ryan then bore down and fanned Dick Dietz before getting Bobby Bonds to lift a harmless fly ball to end the threat.

To the bottom of the 10th we go and the Giants put Bob G Allen on the mound. He gets the first out but then surrenders back to back infield singles to Ken Singleton and Bud Harrelson. Paul Blair hits into a fielders choice which allows Singleton to move to third, putting runners on the corners with 2 out and John Mayberry at the plate. Allen's first offering only goes about 55 feet in the air, bouncing past catcher Dietz which allows Singleton to trot home with the game winning run as the Mets take a 2-1 victory in 10 innings and now trail 3 games to one in the series.

GAME 5 - Seaver and Perry do battle once again and this time, unlike game one when the Giants stake Perry to an early lead, the Mets score 4 times in the first inning with the big blow being a John Mayberry 3-run single. That is more then enough offense for Seaver, who allows 2 runs over 6 innings before giving way to Selma and finally Nolan Ryan in a 5-2 Mets victory. Mayberry was the offensive star for the Mets with a 3-hit game.

After losing the first 3 games of the series the Mets rally with back to back wins and send the series back to the west coast.

GAME 6 - The Mets are fired up and start the game with 5 runs in the first inning off of Juan Marichal. Ron Swoboda hit a 2-run triple and Hank McGraw delivered a 2-run double in New York's big inning. When Mets starter Jerry Koosman took the mound he did so with a 5-0 lead and Koosman would go the distance, winning by a 6-2 score.

The Mets were one victory away from an incredible comeback as they attempt to overcome losing the first 3 games of the series. The Giants were clearly the ones feeling the pressure heading into the decisive seventh game.

GAME 7 - After a strong outing in Game Five the Mets decide to again give the ball to Seaver for the seventh game. San Francisco counters with Bill Hands, who was the game three winner. The Mets go down in order in the top of the first and Seaver takes the mound for the bottom half. After watching two outside pitches go by, Giants lead-off man Matty Alou hits a line drive single. The next pitch is also lined, this time a double from Dick Dietz to score Alou and 4 pitches into the game Seaver finds himself and the Mets down 1-0.

Seaver does settle down by fanning Bobby Bonds and then retiring the next two hitters to keep the damage at just 1 run. Meanwhile, Hands is doing a number on the Mets hitters. He does not allow a baserunner until John Mayberry singles to lead off the fifth but Mayberry is caught stealing on a strikem out, throw-em out when Ron Swoboda whiffs at a 3-2 pitch with Mayberry off and running.

The game remains 1-0 until the bottom of the 8th when the Giants light up reliever Nolan Ryan for 3 runs, the big blow being a 2-run double from Willie McCovey - and take a 4-0 lead. Phil Regan pitches a 1-2-3 ninth to end the game and the series with the Giants winning 4-0. The only hit the Mets got in the game was the Mayberry single as Bill Hands allowed just the one baserunner in 7 innings of work. Phil Regan walked a man in the 8th but did not allow any hits by the Mets.

I would have given Hands, who was 2-0 with a 1.93 era, the series MVP award but it instead went to the Giants young slugger Bobby Bonds, who hit .280 with 2 homers and 5 rbi's in the series.

For the Mets it was an outstanding effort to almost complete the comeback from being down 3 games to none and I am sure that as their pitching staff matures there will be plenty of opportunities for a World Series ahead.


We now turn our attention towards the first ever All- West Coast World Series. With Oakland-San Francisco in this one we have to go back to 1955 for the only New York Yankees-Brooklyn Dodgers World Series ever played to have one with 2 teams in such close proximity. We have had some in state rivals meet in World Series action like the Cleveland-Cincinnati matchups of 1966 and 1940, or the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia Athletics 1933 series but other then the 55 Yankees-Dodgers the only other series between two teams sharing an area are dominated by the City of Brotherly Love (which of course has a connection to this year's series in the A's.

LOCAL AREAS TO HOST WORLD SERIES RIVALS
1969   San Francisco Giants vs Oakland Athletics
1955   New York Yankees defeat Brooklyn Dodgers
1930   Philadelphia Phillies defeat Philadelphia Athletics
1926   Philadelphia Phillies defeat Philadelphia Athletics
1907   Philadelphia Phillies defeat Philadelphia Athletics
1906   Philadelphia Phillies defeat Philadelphia Athletics
1905   Philadelphia Athletics defeat Philadelphia Phillies
1904   Philadelphia Athletics defeat Philadelphia Phillies
1903   Philadelphia Athletics defeat Philadelphia Phillies
1902   Philadelphia Phillies defeat Philadelphia Athletics
1901   Philadelphia Phillies defeat Philadelphia Athletics


GIANTS VS ATHLETICS WORLD SERIES HISTORY
1909   Philadelphia Athetics defeat New York Giants

The Giants have never won a World Series, losing each of their four previous appearances. Two of those four were actually pre-World Series as they lost the first two years of my sim by falling to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1894 and the Columbus Solons the following year. Other than the 1909 loss to the A's, the only other Giants Series appearance came in 1938 when they lost to Washington.

The Athletics were once the greatest team in baseball- winning 11 straight pennants and 16 of 18 to go with 10 World Series titles between 1896-1913. In all the franchise has won 24 pennants including this year and 13 World Series titles however, before this year the most recent pennant came in 1939.

Next up is the Bay Area World Series but first here is the NLCS stats report.

[Tiger Fan]

1969 WORLD SERIES - GAME ONE
BIG INNING, OAKLAND ERRORS GIVE GIANTS WIN IN SERIES OPENER

Thanks to a pair of Oakland errors the San Francisco Giants scored 5 runs in the 5th inning and rode the arm of Gaylord Perry to a 5-2 victory in the opener of the 1969 World Series. Perry pitched 7 innings allowing just 4 hits to earn player of the game honours.

The game started very poorly for Perry and the Giants as Oakland scored both it's runs in the top of the first inning. Bert Campaneris led off with a single and scored on a 1 out triple by George Hendrick. Perry struck out Reggie Jackson and got Sal Bando to fly out, but not before Perry uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Hendrick to come in with the second Athletics run. After that Perry would settle down and allow just 2 more hits in his 7 innings.

The score remained 2-0 Oakland until the bottom of the fifth when defensive miscues got the A's in trouble. With one out, Matty Alou singled off Oakland starter Jim Nash and moved to second when Nash walked Dick Dietz. Bobby Bonds hit a fly ball the Oakland outfielder Rick Monday easily tracked down for out number two. Monday would not do so well on the next play as he dropped a fly ball from Willie McCovey that would have been the third out of the inning. The play allowed Alou to score and Dietz to advance to third.

With runners on the corners Pete Rose hit a ground ball to Sal Bando that also should have been the final out of the inning but Bando's throw to first was wild and it allowed Dietz and McCovey to both score. Mike Andrews then hit a 2-run homer and the score was suddenly 5-2 San Francisco.

Both starting pitchers would leave the game following a 47 minute rain delay in the seventh inning. Perry allowed 4 hits and fanned 4 without issuing a walk. Oakland's Jim Nash lasted 6 1/3, surrendering 6 hits and allowing 5 runs, but none of them earned.

Phil Regan would relieve Perry and pitch a 1-2-3 8th before giving the ball to Frank Linzy for the ninth inning. Linzy made things interesting, allowing the A's to load the bases with one out but the Giants got out of the jam when Felix Millan hit into a game ending doubleplay.

NOTES: The A's defense, tops in the AL West and ranked fourth in the American League overall, let them down in the series opener. Gene Tenace returned to the lineup after missing the ALCS with a concussion. He was 0-for-3 in the game. There is hope Vida Blue may be healthy enough to return for Game Four.

[Tiger Fan]

1969 WORLD SERIES - GAME TWO
SUDAKIS IS 'GRAND' IN GIANTS WIN

A 6th inning grand slam from third baseman Bill Sudakis proved the difference as the San Francisco Giants survived a late Oakland rally to beat the A's 4-3 and take a two games to none lead in the World Series. The blast by Sudakis, his first hit of the series, snapped a scoreless tie and made a winner out of Giants starter Juan Marichal.

Marchical and Oakland's Chuck Dobson were locked in scoreless duel for the first 5 and a half innings as each had allowed just 3 hits and no base runner had advanced past second. That changed in the bottom of the sixth when the Giants got back to back singles from Dick Dietz and Barry Bonds to start the inning. After Willie McCovey ground into a fielders choice that retired Bonds for the first out, Pete Rose worked Dobson for a walk to load the bases. The Oakland starter struck out Mike Andrews for the second out but left an 0-1 pitch to Sudakis over the middle of the plate and the Giants third baseman made him pay, sending the ball 434 feet, enough to easily clear the right field wall and give the Giants a 4-0 lead. It was the first career major league grand slam for the 23 year old Sudakis, who hit 17 homeruns during the season.

Oakland immediately got one run back as George Hendrick hit a solo homer to lead off the 7th inning. The score remained 4-1 entering the bottom of the ninth when Marichal quickly got the first two outs but then allowed back to back doubles to Hendrick and Reggie Jackson to cut the Giants lead to 4-2.

Phil Regan took over in relief of Marichal and quickly surrendered another double - this one by Sal Bando - to cut the Giants lead to 1 run. After Felix Millan drew a walk, Regan and Rick Monday endured a long at bat that saw Monday foul off 5 consecutive pitches on a full count. Finally Regan got the best of Monday, getting the young A's outfielder to top a grounder that San Francisco second baseman Mike Andrews easily gobbled in and threw out Monday to end the game and get Regan his second save of the series.

NOTES: Today was the 20th birthday for Oakland outfielder George Hendrick. The rookie, who hit .327 with 9 homers and 25 rbi's in 104 regular season at bats after getting called up from AA, continues to have a great October. He has started 4 playoff games and pinch-hit in 3 others and is batting .409 with a 4 extra base hits and 5 rbi's. Hendrick is another of the great young offensive pieces the A's have - both in the major leagues and still in their minor league system.

[Tiger Fan]

1969 WORLD SERIES - GAME THREE
GIANTS HURLER HANDS A'S ANOTHER LOSS

Bill Hands had another outstanding outing as the San Francisco Giants pitcher helped his club take a 3 games to nothing lead on the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. For the 29 year old righthander, who was the hero of game seven in the NLCS, it improves his post-season record to 3-0 with a 2.01 era.

Hands would pitch 8 and a third innings before giving the ball to closer Phil Regan, who recorded the final two outs for his third save of the post-season. It was Hands, who fanned 5 while walking one and allowing 6 hits on the day that everyone was talking about after the game but in truth the Giants offense made it easy for him, scoring 4 times in the third inning and building a 6-0 lead before the A's finally got on the scoreboard in the 8th inning.

San Francisco threatened in the first inning when Matty Alou and Dick Dietz started the game with back to back singles off of Oakland starter Lew Krausse Jr. Bobby Bonds hit a sacrifice fly attempt to center field but Rick Monday fired a rocket to catcher Gene Tenace to tag Alou and prevent the Giants from taking an early lead.

Hands allowed just 1 hit, a single to George Hendrick, in the first two innings while the Giants, on the other hand threatened with 2 more hits in the second but Krausse worked out of the jam. It was the third inning jam the Oakland starter was unable to escape as Dietz drew a lead-off walk and scored on a Bobby Bonds triple. Willie McCovey was then walked and moved to second on a Pete Rose rbi single that plated Bonds with the second run of the inning. Mike Andrews followed by doubling both McCovey and Rose in and when the dust settled the Giants had a 4-0 lead after 3 innings.

Meanwhile Hands kept the sold out crowd at the Oakland Coliseum quiet as he refused to allow the A's to get anything going. San Francisco added another run in the 6th on a Tito Fuentes triple to score Bill Sudakis and manufactured another run in the 7th as Bobby Bonds was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on a bloop single off the bat of Pete Rose.

The only Oakland offense came in the 8th when, trailing 6-0, Clarence Jones hit a 2-run homer to cut the deficit to 6-2. Hands struck out George Hendrick to start the ninth but then allowed back to back singles to Reggie Jackson and Sal Bando which prompted the San Francisco skipper to go to the bullpen. Phil Regan faced just one batter, getting Felix Millan to ground into his second game-ending double play of the Series.

NOTES- It looks like Vida Blue will not be healthy enough to start game four of the series. It is not over yet for the A's but certainly looking that way. One can't help but wonder if things would have gone different with a healthy Vida Blue, Steve Hargan and Joe Rudi. You have to respect this Giants team though. With all the talk about Cincinnati and Los Angeles in the NL the past few years the Giants have stayed under the radar. With Bonds, McCovey and Rose along with youngsters George Foster, Gary Matthews and Gary Maddox on the way up plus Perry, Marichal and Hands still in their prime they are certainly a team to fear.

[Tiger Fan]

1969 WORLD SERIES - GAME FOUR
A'S FANS BACK ON THE BAND(O) WAGON

With their World Series dreams on the line, trailing 3 games to none in the Series, the Oakland Athletics got a jolt of energy from the team's unofficial captain. 25 year old third baseman Sal Bando ripped a 2-run double off of Giants starter Gaylord Perry in the first inning to help his club take the lead in a game for the first time since the fifth inning of game one. In all the A's scored 4 times in the opening frame and went on to enjoy a 6-2 victory over the Giants in game four of the World Series.

Bando also had an rbi single in the sixth inning as the A's had 10 hits, including 3 off the bat of Rick Monday. Jim Nash went 8 solid innings, striking out 8 while walking 2 and allowing 6 hits with 1 earned run. Meanwhile Perry, who pitched so well for the Giants in the series opener, lasted just 4 innings before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.

[Tiger Fan]

1969 WORLD SERIES - GAME FIVE
LONG BALL HELPS A'S PROLONG SERIES

George Hendrick and Reggie Jackson hit first inning homeruns to help the Oakland Athletics win their second straight World Series game, topping the San Francisco Giants 4-1. Hendrick hit a 2-run shot off of Giants starter and losing pitcher Gene Brabender, for his second homer of the Series and Jackson followed with a solo shot to allow the A's to take an early 3-0 lead. Catcher Gene Tenace would add insurance with a solo shot of his own in the 6th inning.

Meanwhile, surprise Oakland starter Steve Barber, tossed a complete game 3-hit gem allowing just 1 run. Barber got the start when the A's decide not to risk rushing Vida Blue back from an injury. The win cuts the Giants series lead to 3 games to two with the clubs heading to San Francisco for game six and, if necessary, game seven.

This series is starting to mirror the NLCS for the Giants, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the New York Mets before losing 3 straight before winning Game Seven to advance to the World Series.

NOTES - Quite a nice story to see mid-season pickup Steve Barber pitch such a great game after being released by the California Angels at mid-season. Oakland signed him as a free agent and he went 4-3 with a 3.14 era down the stretch for the A's. He got 1 start in the ALCS, allowing 5 runs -3 earned - in 5 innings of a 7-6 loss to Cleveland. He did not factor in the decision in that game. He was American League rookie of the year in 1961 when he went 10-5 for Baltimore. After 7 seasons with the Orioles, Barber moved to the Angels in 1968 where he went 7-13. He was 6-6 in 20 starts this season when they decided to release him, allowing the A's to sign him as a free agent. Overall the 31 year old is 103-78 with a career 2.89 era.

[BadluckinOOTP]

Let’s go A’s!

[Tiger Fan]

1969 WORLD SERIES - GAME SIX
7TH HEAVEN! A'S WIN TO FORCE GAME 7

The way the playoffs have gone this season with plenty of late inning heroics and comebacks is there any reason why you would not have expected the World Series to go the distance? Even after the Giants won the first three games of the World Series? Well, just like the NLCS when San Francisco ultimately prevailed over the pesky New York Mets, the World Series will go to a 7th game following Oakland's 2-1 victory over the Giants in Game Six.

This one had great pitching and plenty of drama. Let's start with the pitching as Oakland's Chuck Dobson and San Francisco's Juan Marichal held their opponents off the scoresheet for the first six innings. That changed in the bottom of the seventh when the Giants broke through.

Matty Alou, the San Francisco lead-off hitter who has ignited many a rally all season long, ripped a 1-out double. Up to this point the Giants only had 1 batter, Pete Rose in the second inning reach as far as third base. Dobson got Dick Dietz to fly out for the second out but then Bobby Bonds smacked a double in the gap to plate Alou with the game's first run.

Marichal now had a 1-0 lead and the Giants were 6 outs away from winning the World Series. In the 8th, Bert Campaneris hit a one out single and moved to second on a Darrell Evans groundout but he was stranded there as Marichal got George Hendrick to fly out to end the inning.

After Dobson set the Giants down in order in the bottom of the 8th, Marichal trotted back out to the mound 3 outs away from a Series win. He struck out Reggie Jackson on a full count pitch. Marichal then got Sal Bando to pop out to first baseman Rick Renick, who had replaced Willie McCovey for defensive purposes, and the Giants were now 1 out away from a series win.

Marichal got ahead of Clarence Jones 0-2 but the Oakland pinch-hitter lined a single to left field and the A's were still alive. Rick Monday followed with a single of his own allowing the tying run in Jones to move to third base. Once again Marichal got within 1 strike of winning the series but on the 1-2 pitch to Gene Tenace the ball skipped past Giants catcher Dick Dietz and Jones broke for home. Marichal rushed to the plate to try and make the tag but the throw from Dietz was a little too late and Jones slid in safely to tie the game at 1 while Monday advanced to second base.

Tenace then worked Marichal to a full count before hitting a bouncer between Renick and second baseman Mike Andrews. Right fielder Bobby Bonds charged towards the ball, picking it up on the run. Knowing that Rick Monday was off on contact from second base, Bonds knew he needed his throw to Dietz needed to be perfect. It was a close play at the plate but the speedy Oakland outfielder beat the tag and suddenly the A's, one pitch away from elimination just moments before, were carrying a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning and looking to force a seventh game after trailing in the series 3 games to none.

Diego Segui replaced Dobson, who had been pinch-hit for in the top of the inning. The Giants number 8 hitter Tito Fuentes led off with an easy fly ball that Reggie Jackson hauled in. Pinch-hitter Jim Ray Hart grounded weakly back to Segui for out number two and Matty Alou hit a fly ball that Jackson barely had to move for...ending the game and giving the A's a comeback victory. We will do it all again tomorrow as Candlestick Park will be the site of a 7th game in this World Series.

[Tiger Fan]

Originally Posted by BadluckinOOTP

Let’s go A’s!

I am sure you will enjoy reading about the game six finish. Now to see if the A's can do what the Mets couldn't the previous round, win 4 straight against the Giants.

I am not sure how much having the extra round of playoffs has impacted my thinking but this has to be one of the most exciting post-seasons I have ever followed in one of my historical sims, and certainly the best since I slowed down the pace of this replay in 1965.

If the A's manage the comeback I will have to go back and revisit my league history to see how many (if any) other teams were successful in rallying from a 3-0 deficit to win the World Series.

It is not just the fact that we now have a game seven that makes this addictive for me to play- and hopefully also in a small way for those of you who follow along to read - but it is all the twists and turns, the rallys and comebacks that have made this post-season so interesting.

Going in to this postseason if I was cheering for any team I think it would have been the Mets to see them duplicate the real life Miracle Mets season but watching these young A's rally - even without Blue and Rudi - has made me a fan of the team.

The whole dynasty has become so addictive. I had never really focused this heavily on the late 60s-early 70s ….the time when I was child falling in love with the sport. I think all of us older folks (I am 54) always say the game was never better than it was when we were growing up. Seeing all these great players in action that I witnessed first hand in the 1970s just further adds to my belief that the game was so much better back then that it is now. I still love baseball of course, and there are tons of great players now, but seeing Seaver, Carlton, Bench, Rose, McCovey, Stargell, Reggie, Munson, Fisk, Perez, Carew, Aaron and so many more in their prime or just approaching it reaffirms my belief baseball was so much better back then.

Now on to game seven!

[Tiger Fan]

1969 WORLD SERIES - GAME SEVEN
GIANTS WIN SERIES

After all the thrilling games and see-saw affairs I guess we were due for a blowout, and boy did we get one. The San Francisco Giants led 11-1 after 4 innings and cruised to a 12-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics in Game Seven of the World Series. The victory is the first World Series ever for the Giants, who had previously been on the losing end four times with the most recent one being back in 1938.

The evening started well for the Oakland Athletics as lead-off man Bert Campaneris was perched on second place after Giants catcher Dick Dietz, picked up a slow roller that Campaneris hit about 5 feet. The only issue for Dietz was his thrown to first base ended up in right field. Darrell Evans, who hit just .120 in the playoffs, sacrificed Campaneris to third and Campy came home with the game's first run on a George Hendrick single.

With the quick 1-0 lead A's starter Lew Krausse Jr retired the first 6 batters he faced but his success came to an end in the third inning when the Giants scored 5 runs on 5 hits including a 3-run homer from Willie McCovey. An inning later the Giants chased Krausse as they added 6 more runs on 3 hits and 3 Oakland errors to take an 11-1 lead. Oakland got 3 runs late in the game but everyone in the ballpark knew the game was over after the fourth inning fiasco for Oakland.

McCovey was the star of the game for the Giants. In addition to his 3-run homer in the 4th he added 3 more rbi's in the 5th with a bases loaded double. It was a positive end to what really was a brutal showing by McCovey in his first post-season experience. He ended up batting just .173 in 14 playoff games.

Pete Rose, who already owned 2 World Series rings from his days in Cincinnati, was named the World Series MVP. Rose was 11-for-26 (.423) in the series with 5 rbi's and 4 runs scored. Counting the NLCS, Rose hit .358 to bring his career post-season batting average in 30 games to .346.

They made it easy for him this time but lost in all of the excitement about the Giants blowout win was the fact that pitcher Bill Hands pitched another solid game - winning his second straight Game Seven and going 4-0 with a 2.15 era in 4 playoff starts.

[Tiger Fan]

OFF-SEASON MOVES

Before I get to the awards there were a number of deals made in the weeks immediately after the World Series. The biggest saw the Atlanta Braves part with 30 year old Phil Niekro as they dealt him to Baltimore for 26 year old Mike Epstein. The last thing the Orioles needed was to trade a bat for more pitching but Niekro will be a nice fit in the Baltimore rotation after going 18-10 with a 2.93 era a year ago. Epstein, a first baseman, was never going to get much playing time in Baltimore as long as Boog Powell was around so the move makes sense for the Orioles in that regard. Epstein hit .325 in 83 at bats a year ago. In his 4 year career in Baltimore he is batting .268 with 19 homers and 88 rbi's in 605 at bats. His acquisition will allow Joe Torre to return to catching duties for the Braves


He won't be the first DH in this universe as the Yankees send 21 year old Ron Blomberg and 21 year old Steve Braun to San Diego for 33 year old pitcher Jim Perry and 17 year old Mike Ivie. Perry, who has a career record of 114-99, was acquired by the Yankees prior to the 1968 season but dealt to San Diego last winter. He was 10-17 with a 3.50 era in his year with the Padres. Ivie will likely start next season with Oneonta of the NY-Penn League. Blomberg made his major league debut this year with the Yankees, batting .298 with 7 homers in 158 at bats. He will likely get a spot in the Padres outfield to start the season while Braun, who has already been traded 3 times but has yet to play in the major leagues, will likely begin the year at Class A Lodi of the California League.

The Dodgers have reacquired 37 year old shortstop Maury Wills in a trade with Milwaukee. The price was high to get Wills back, who was selected by Seattle in the expansion draft as LA had to part with 19 year old pitcher Doyle Alexander. Alexander made his MLB debut, pitching 3 games in relief for the Dodgers this past season. He will be given a shot to make the Brewers rotation. Wills hit .264 in Seattle and returns to the starting shortstop job in Los Angeles, a position he held for 9 years.

In a swap of pitchers the Chicago White Sox trade 32 year old pitcher Joe Grzenda and 23 year old Al Fitzmorris to California for 18 year olds Sid Monge and Andy Hassler and in a similar move Kansas City deals 31 year old Jim Brewer and 21 year old Clay Kirby to San Francisco for 23 year old outfielder Ken Henderson.

[BadluckinOOTP]

Anti-climatic end for the A's, but they've got to be the favorite in the West for the next 4-5 years.

[JaBurns]

Are you not bringing in the DH?👏
Or did you make the comment because Blomberg is going to the NL?

[Tiger Fan]

Originally Posted by JaBurns

Are you not bringing in the DH?��
Or did you make the comment because Blomberg is going to the NL?

Because he went to the NL. Using all default settings so the AL will get the DH. I, too, am not a big fan of the DH but since it exists in real life it wil exist in this replay. Still have a few more years of real baseball in the AL though

[JaBurns]

Damn, I thought, good for him, no AL DH.