The Oakland A's

[Jordan4life_2007]

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.

 

 

Damn Steff. I love it when you throw out that knowledge. It gets me warm.

[YASNY]

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

 

I didn't get THAT specific with my post. I talked about big leads being choked away. I'll throw this one at you though. On the morning of September 21, 1964, the St. Louis Cardinals trailed the Phillies by 6.5 games. That is exactly one half of the 13 games you asked about, but the lead was chocked away in maybe 2 weeks, not 7 or 8 like the Sox would have to do. The point being that this type of thing has happened before, and it very well could happen again.

 

EDIT: I should have read the entire thread before posting this. Thanks, Steff, for saving me a lot of research to get the specifics.

Edited August 9, 2005 by YASNY

[YASNY]

thanks,  but I wasnt talking to you

 

If you think I didn't know what teams to look for to prove my point, you are sadly mistaken. Your point has been effectively quashed by Steff's excellent research and post.

Now, what was it you were saying about shutting your mouth?

[Flash Tizzle]

If they lose it... oye ve... I don't even want to think of what this place will be like. The server will likely blow up. 

 

We would have every right to crash this server. Soxtalk's own moderators would probably join in the bashing.

 

Absolutely no one can blame anyone other then our club if a collapse were to occur. It's all in our hands whether or not this team is destined to play in October. I may sound like Hawk here, but with Ozzie managing this club I'm confident he won't allow his team to blow this lead.

 

Looking at the research you've conducted, any possible collapse would be in line with the biggest chokes in MLB history. You have to consider looking at your teams core if that were to happen. Angels suffered through two nine game losing streaks and STILL took it to the last day. We're talking about either a slew of injuries or a monumental drop off in performance

 

I would find it rather telling if something like this were to occur with a team whose longest losing streak is three games. It would tell me this team is full of players who can't hand the pressure of September, much less October, baseball. Since this is basically the same club you'll see on the field next year, they better continue avoiding long losing streaks so these discussions won't have to exist.

Edited August 9, 2005 by Flash Tizzle

[Wedge]

Alright, let's try this one: in the history of MLB, no team has had a 10 game in their league/division (whichever it was at the time) prior to the All-Star Break and went on to not win that respective league/division.

 

The Sox had a 10+ game lead prior to the All-Star Break. There is no precedent for them not winning the division.

 

Also, thank God that Oakland is now tied wtih Anaheim for the West's division lead.

[JUGGERNAUT]

Despite their greatness in the regular season the A's under Beane are underperformed in the post-season. They have on more than one occasion tanked earlier & risen like a Pheonix come June. You have to believe that's the fundamental nature of the club for the A's to continue their success despite the great turnover on the team.

 

But those hot teams always seem to struggle in the post-season. If you had to ask why it's probably fatigue. It takes a lot out of any team to erase 15 gms under .500 to compete for the division. They are still facing tremendous pressure for both the ALW & the ALWC. By the time they get to the post-season they may have little left in the tank.

 

The White Sox on the other hand have the luxury of a 13 gm lead built on the best record in baseball since April. Ozzie's probably rested his players more than any other manager in baseball. They should have plenty left in the tank & a bat like Griffey Jr would be like a high octane boost.

[YASNY]

Alright, let's try this one: in the history of MLB, no team has had a 10 game in their league/division (whichever it was at the time) prior to the All-Star Break and went on to not win that respective league/division.

 

The Sox had a 10+ game lead prior to the All-Star Break.  There is no precedent for them not winning the division.

 

Also, thank God that Oakland is now tied wtih Anaheim for the West's division lead.

 

That's selective statistical analysis considering that teams have had 10+ game leads after the break and lost the lead.