The Oakland A's

[Greg Hibbard]

While we're looking at recent history, look at the A's performance in the playoffs during this span...

 

Since this thread is comparing the media perception of the A's vs. the media perception of the Sox, I think the fact that the White Sox haven't won a playoff game since 1993 pretty much disqualifies our fan base from attempting to ridicule any other team's playoff performance....

Edited August 8, 2005 by Greg Hibbard

[IndplsSoxFan]

Since this thread is comparing the media perception of the A's vs. the media perception of the Sox, I think the fact that the White Sox haven't won a playoff game since 1993 pretty much disqualifies our fan base from attempting to ridicule any other team's playoff performance....

 

I was chimin' in on the talk about who/where you'd rather face Oakland. Get your panties outta a knot.

[Steff]

I was chimin' in on the talk about who/where you'd rather face Oakland.  Get your panties outta a knot. 

 

 

 

Looks to me like he was just making a general comment and not addressing you specifically. Sometimes people here err in using the quote feature.

 

 

Maybe take some of your own advice.

[DukeNukeEm]

Werent not a story anymore.

 

Its that simple. They cant be like "Can you believe these suprise White Sox" night in, night out. They have to have something new, so they talk about the A's.

 

If our name was Boston Red Sox, we'd get the coverage you all want. But we arent, and we'll be the underdogs who dont belong the entire playoffs. Not a fair distinction but oh well, what you gonna do?

[the People's Champ]

QUOTE(YASNY @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 02:54 PM)

No, it wouldn't be impossible.  Are some of you not familiar with the history of baseball and some  of the big leads that have been choked away?  It has happened before and it WILL happen again.  Hopefully, not in 2005.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Hey Peter Gammons since you are so up on baseball history, Why dont recall one instance when a team has choked away a 13 game lead past Aug 8th and I will apologize for this thread and shut my mouth about it from here on

[Steff]

Hey Peter Gammons  since you are so up on baseball history,  Why dont recall one instance when a team has choked away a 13 game lead past Aug 8th and I will apologize for this thread and shut my mouth about it from here on

 

 

Good grief you are ignorant.

[the People's Champ]

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 04:00 PM)

Good grief you are ignorant.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

careful now, that almost sounds like a personal attack

[Iwritecode]

Hey Peter Gammons  since you are so up on baseball history,  Why dont recall one instance when a team has choked away a 13 game lead past Aug 8th and I will apologize for this thread and shut my mouth about it from here on

 

Ask any Cubs fan about 1969...

[Steff]

Here's some memorable ones..

 

1998 Mets

The Mets needed just one win in their final five games to force a tie for the wild-card spot. They lost all five -- two to Montreal and three to Atlanta. They were shut out twice and scored just 10 runs in the five games. Sound familiar?

 

1995 Angels

The Angels led the AL West by 11 games in August, but two separate nine-game losing streaks between late August and late September, combined with a furious finish by the Mariners, dropped the Angels three back with five left to play. They actually won their final five games to force a one-game playoff, only to lose 9-1 to Randy Johnson.

 

"We gave it away," outfielder Jim Edmonds said at the time. "It's not like we got beat. It's not like they beat us out of first place. We just gave it away."

 

1987 Blue Jays

The Tigers held first place for 33 consecutive days in August and September but then the Blue Jays rallied and took a 3½-game lead with eight games left to play. Never before had an American League team lost such a big lead with so few games left.

 

The Brewers swept three straight from Toronto, but the Jays still led the Tigers by one game entering the final weekend when the two teams met at Tiger Stadium. Detroit won all three games by one run, with Frank Tanana outdueling Jimmy Key 1-0 to complete the "choke."

 

1987 Reds

The Reds jumped out early to a commanding lead and in August still led the Giants by five games and the Astros by 3½. However, the Reds went into San Francisco and lost four straight -- and dropped 10 games in the standings to the Giants in three weeks. Down the stretch, the Reds fired GM Bill Bergesch. Scouting director Larry Doughty quit. The hitting coach got forced out. The Giants won by six games.

 

1978 Red Sox

The Sox led the Yankees by 14 games on July 19. They still led the Yankees by 7½ entering September. But then came the "Boston Massacre" when the Yanks walloped the Sox four straight at Fenway Park. The Red Sox had to win their final eight games to force a tie. But you know what Bucky Dent did to Mike Torrez ...

 

1964 Phillies

This wasn't a choke, this was a total collapse. The Phillies led the National League by 6½ games with only 12 left. They lost 10 in a row, the Reds won nine straight, the Cardinals won eight straight and all three teams had a chance for the pennant on the final day. The Phillies bombed the Reds 10-0 but the Cards captured the pennant with an 11-5 win over the Mets.

 

1962 Dodgers

The Dodgers were up four over the hated Giants with seven games left. They blew it, losing their final four games. On the next-to-last day, St. Louis' Ernie Broglio beat Don Drysdale 2-0. The Dodgers still led by one game. Curt Simmons then beat Johnny Podres 1-0 while Willie Mays' eighth-inning homer gave the Giants a 2-1 victory over Houston. A three-game playoff was necessary.

 

Billy Pierce won the opener 8-0 (Sandy Koufax lasted just one inning). The Dodgers won the second game. The Dodgers led the deciding contest 4-2 entering the ninth. Three relievers then combined to allow four (there were four walks, including Stan Williams walking in the go-ahead run). Giants 6, Dodgers 4. Cough. Gag.

 

1938 Pirates

The Pirates held a comfortable lead at the beginning of September. The Cubs sat in fourth place, seven games back. Chicago quickly moved into second and then reeled off nine straight wins -- including three in a row over Pittsburgh. The final win was Gabby Hartnett's game-winning ninth-inning home run in the growing darkness, known as the "home run in the gloaming."

 

1934 Giants

New York led St. Louis by 5½ games entering the final month. On September 16, the Giants held the same lead when the clubs met for a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds before a record crowd of 62,573. Dizzy Dean won the opener 5-3 for the Cardinals and then brother Paul pitched 11 innings to win the nightcap. The Giants faded during the final two weeks as the Cards won the pennant by two games.

 

 

But my favorite...

 

1951 Dodgers

They were in Brooklyn this time, and held a 13-game lead over the New York Giants on August 11. But the Giants won 52 of their final 63 games, the Dodgers lost six of their final 10 and a three-game playoff took place. You may have heard of this one. Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard 'Round the World capped off a four-run bottom of the ninth in the third game, giving the Giants a 5-4 victory.

 

 

[the People's Champ]

QUOTE(Iwritecode @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 04:04 PM)

Ask any Cubs fan about 1969...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

who are the Cubs?

[the People's Champ]

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 04:05 PM)

Here's some memorable ones..

 

1998 Mets

The Mets needed just one win in their final five games to force a tie for the wild-card spot. They lost all five -- two to Montreal and three to Atlanta. They were shut out twice and scored just 10 runs in the five games. Sound familiar?

 

1995 Angels

The Angels led the AL West by 11 games in August, but two separate nine-game losing streaks between late August and late September, combined with a furious finish by the Mariners, dropped the Angels three back with five left to play. They actually won their final five games to force a one-game playoff, only to lose 9-1 to Randy Johnson.

 

"We gave it away," outfielder Jim Edmonds said at the time. "It's not like we got beat. It's not like they beat us out of first place. We just gave it away."

 

1987 Blue Jays

The Tigers held first place for 33 consecutive days in August and September but then the Blue Jays rallied and took a 3½-game lead with eight games left to play. Never before had an American League team lost such a big lead with so few games left.

 

The Brewers swept three straight from Toronto, but the Jays still led the Tigers by one game entering the final weekend when the two teams met at Tiger Stadium. Detroit won all three games by one run, with Frank Tanana outdueling Jimmy Key 1-0 to complete the "choke."

 

1987 Reds

The Reds jumped out early to a commanding lead and in August still led the Giants by five games and the Astros by 3½. However, the Reds went into San Francisco and lost four straight -- and dropped 10 games in the standings to the Giants in three weeks. Down the stretch, the Reds fired GM Bill Bergesch. Scouting director Larry Doughty quit. The hitting coach got forced out. The Giants won by six games.

 

1978 Red Sox

The Sox led the Yankees by 14 games on July 19. They still led the Yankees by 7½ entering September. But then came the "Boston Massacre" when the Yanks walloped the Sox four straight at Fenway Park. The Red Sox had to win their final eight games to force a tie. But you know what Bucky Dent did to Mike Torrez ...

 

1964 Phillies

This wasn't a choke, this was a total collapse. The Phillies led the National League by 6½ games with only 12 left. They lost 10 in a row, the Reds won nine straight, the Cardinals won eight straight and all three teams had a chance for the pennant on the final day. The Phillies bombed the Reds 10-0 but the Cards captured the pennant with an 11-5 win over the Mets.

 

1962 Dodgers

The Dodgers were up four over the hated Giants with seven games left. They blew it, losing their final four games. On the next-to-last day, St. Louis' Ernie Broglio beat Don Drysdale 2-0. The Dodgers still led by one game. Curt Simmons then beat Johnny Podres 1-0 while Willie Mays' eighth-inning homer gave the Giants a 2-1 victory over Houston. A three-game playoff was necessary.

 

Billy Pierce won the opener 8-0 (Sandy Koufax lasted just one inning). The Dodgers won the second game. The Dodgers led the deciding contest 4-2 entering the ninth. Three relievers then combined to allow four (there were four walks, including Stan Williams walking in the go-ahead run). Giants 6, Dodgers 4. Cough. Gag.

 

1938 Pirates

The Pirates held a comfortable lead at the beginning of September. The Cubs sat in fourth place, seven games back. Chicago quickly moved into second and then reeled off nine straight wins -- including three in a row over Pittsburgh. The final win was Gabby Hartnett's game-winning ninth-inning home run in the growing darkness, known as the "home run in the gloaming."

 

1934 Giants

New York led St. Louis by 5½ games entering the final month. On September 16, the Giants held the same lead when the clubs met for a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds before a record crowd of 62,573. Dizzy Dean won the opener 5-3 for the Cardinals and then brother Paul pitched 11 innings to win the nightcap. The Giants faded during the final two weeks as the Cards won the pennant by two games.

But my favorite...

 

1951 Dodgers

They were in Brooklyn this time, and held a 13-game lead over the New York Giants on August 11. But the Giants won 52 of their final 63 games, the Dodgers lost six of their final 10 and a three-game playoff took place. You may have heard of this one. Bobby Thomson's Shot Heard 'Round the World capped off a four-run bottom of the ninth in the third game, giving the Giants a 5-4 victory.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

thanks, but I wasnt talking to you

[Rowand44]

As weird as it sounds the Indians don't scare me, the Twins don't scare me yet I don't consider anything over yet. IMO the division isn't wrapped up until the magic number hits 0.

[Steff]

careful now, that almost sounds like a personal attack

 

 

Na.. ignorant is pretty harmless..

 

A personal attack would be maybe something like... calling him a dumbass stupid idiot for not looking up baseball history before flapping his gums....

 

But I would never do that... :rolly

 

Pot stirrer..

[Greg Hibbard]

"the giants win the pennant! the giants win the pennant! the giants win the pennant! the giants win the pennant!"

[Iwritecode]

thanks,  but I wasnt talking to you

 

Does that mean the facts she provided don't count?

[Steff]

thanks,  but I wasnt talking to you

 

 

 

I don't care who you were talking to. There is no excuse to be rude and ignorant for no reason. Perhaps you were taught "special" math, but until the division is clinched nothing is guaranteed and that's a fact. Don't like it, tough s***, but it's the truth not any of this "why don't the Sox get media coverage" conspiracy theory bulls***.

[the People's Champ]

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 04:09 PM)

Na.. ignorant is pretty harmless..

 

A personal attack would be maybe something like... calling him a dumbass stupid idiot for not looking up baseball history before flapping his gums....

 

But I would never do that...  :rolly

 

Pot stirrer.. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Except I never said that it never happened. I merely requested that the person making the claim state some facts with his claim. There is nothing I dislike worse than someone who makes statements claiming them true without evidence to back them up. thats all.

[Steff]

Does that mean the facts she provided don't count?

 

 

IWC.. don't bother.. the people's chump..errr... champ isn't worth it.

[Steff]

Except I never said that it never happened.  I merely requested that the person making the claim state some facts with his claim.  There is nothing I dislike worse than someone who makes statements claiming them true without evidence to back them up.  thats all.

 

 

 

Yea.. sure.

 

 

Nothing I dislike more than a liar.

 

 

That's why you were offering an apology for ONE instance of a team blowing a 13 game lead.

[the People's Champ]

QUOTE(Steff @ Aug 8, 2005 -> 04:20 PM)

Yea.. sure.

Nothing I dislike more than a liar.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

now look who is being "rude and ignorant"

[Iwritecode]

Except I never said that it never happened.  I merely requested that the person making the claim state some facts with his claim.  There is nothing I dislike worse than someone who makes statements claiming them true without evidence to back them up.  thats all.

 

 

I've always thought that huges chokes towards the end of the seaon was common knowledge among most baseball fans.

 

What's next? You're going to want somebody to dig up the records that proves Hank Aaron is the all-time home-run leader?

[Steff]

now look who is being "rude and ignorant"

 

 

 

Oh dear.. my sincerest apologies for calling a spade a spade.

 

 

In case I forgot to intorduce myself... I'm Steff.. the resident b**** around here who tells it like it is and calls out idiot behavior.

 

 

Have a lovely day.

[the People's Champ]

not mentioning any names but someone posting here needs some Mydol

[Greg Hibbard]

Let's compare apples to apples, guys.

 

Since divisional play began, what's the largest lead blown? In particular, since the three division format was introduced, what's the biggest lead blown?

 

My point? Back in 1951 it was perfectly reasonable for an elite team like the Giants to overtake another team that had a helluva season, even though the Dodgers had a 13 game lead. There were only two leagues and no divisions.

 

Oh yeah, and my other point is that again, if the Sox blow this I will eat a car.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Let's compare apples to apples, guys.

 

Since divisional play began, what's the largest lead blown? In particular, since the three division format was introduced, what's the biggest lead blown?

 

My point? Back in 1951 it was perfectly reasonable for an elite team like the Giants to overtake another team that had a helluva season, even though the Dodgers had a 13 game lead. There were only two leagues and no divisions.

 

Oh yeah, and my other point is that again, if the Sox blow this I will eat a car.

 

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! :rolly