The 2001 Oakland A's...AL Wild Card Champs
After ending the first month of the season 8-17, the A's and their fans, were disappointed to say the least. Talk started about where this team was going for the season. Would the team be in tact by the trading deadline, let alone by the end of the season? The team was not clicking. The bullpen was a wreck. Mecir losing games left and right. The starters weren't living up to the hype. The hitters were not hitting. Things started looking better at the end of May. The A's had ended the month with an over all 26-26 record, going 18-9 in the month of May. Things went down hill again in June. The A's first ten games of the month alternated wins and loses, when they went 5-5. The next ten were even worse...3-7. They finished the month off going 4-3, with an over all record of 12-15 for June, and bringing their season record to 38-41. That final week gave the A's hope, and they turned the teams they played in July into their person punching bags. The A's went 19-8 in July, proving to everyone they were no fluke during the 2000 season. The stormed into the Wild Card race after most people had counted them out. The did even better in August, going 22-7, and taking a commanding lead in the wild card chase. The A's were not to be denied. With the Sox and Twins fading fast, the A's raced into September.
September 23, 2001. The A's had already treated the Mariners to their first three game losing streak of the season and their first losing road series of the season. Mulder is on the mound, going for his 20th win. The opposing pitcher is Freddy Garcia, Cy Young candidate, and the league ERA leader. The A's made quick work of him, striking for three in the first, one in the second, and by the seventh, the A's were leading 5-1. The Mariners were not going down so quietly. They scored three in the top of the eighth, and looked to be going for more. With two on and no outs, Cameron was caught stealing, and following an Oakland error, the next batter struck out and the next flew to center to end the inning. The A's were not to be denied. They scored two more in the bottom of the inning. Chavez started the rally with a one out double. Tejada followed with a two out walk, and up came back up catcher Greg Myers. He smacked a two run double, upping the A's lead to 7-4. Izzy came in the 9th, and shut the Mariners down, clinching the Wild Card, and sending the crown into a frenzy! Congrats to the A's and their fans!
Heading into the 2001 ALDS, the A's were the clear favorites to take down the "Evil Empire," the aging dynasty of the New York Yankees. The A's headed to the Yanks place, with 21 game winner Mark Mulder going in game one against 20 game winner, Roger Clemens. Clemens, 0-3 against the A's lifetime in post season play would not get a win this day. Mulder went 6 2/3 in his playoff debut getting the win with Izzy shutting down the 9th and the A's winning 5-3. Long and Damon carried the offense, with Long contributing two homers, and Damon with 4 hits. Jason Giambi threw in a 7th inning 2 run jack to finish off the Yanks and Rocket, giving the A's a 1-0 lead in the series.
Game two in the Bronx, with staff ace Tim Hudson on the mound. Thought Mulder looked good in game one? They hadn't seen nothing yet. While the A's hitting with runners in scoring position was still no existent, it wasn't needed. Ron Gants 4th inning homer off Andy Pettite was the only run Hudson would need. He pitched a 8 inning shut out, with Izzy again closing out the 9th. Hudson gave up only 6 hits over 8. The A's won the game 2-0, and jumped out to a 2-0 series lead heading back to Oakland, hoping to close out the series and advance.
Game 3, Saturday, October 13. An excellent pitching match up with Zito facing NY's Mussina. Mussina had the better overall season, but Zito had been hot, with two straight pitcher of the month awards. The two didn't disappoints The game ended a 1-0 loss for the A's, with Zito going 8 and giving up two hits in the heartbreaking loss. But the game will forever be remembered by the play at the plate where Jeremy didn't slide. So sad, a great pitching duel comes down to that! The A's only managed 6 hits themselves, but none when it counted....the 0 for runners in scoring position curse continues. The A's couldn't capitalize, and were now leading the series 2-1, with the home team still having gone 0-3.
Game 4, Sunday, the day that A's fans were hoping for a clinching game at home. Could the bats break out of the slump? Would the great pitching hold up? Unfortunately, the answer to both questions was no. The A's starter of the day, Cory Lidle was drummed by the Yanks, with the A's losing 9-2 keeping the home teams winless. Lidle lasted only 3.1 innings giving up 6 runs (four earned), and creating a hole the A's couldn't climb out of. Horrible game, and frankly, I'd rather forget it.
Game 5, Yankee Stadium. Would it be as good to the A's as it was in game one and two? Could Mulder recreate his game one success? With Huddy in the pen, could the Yanks overcome this one two punch? Could the Rocket continue his horrible (well, wonderful to us)! streak against the A's? It looked good in the beginning for the A's. Taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning. But this was the beginning of the end for the A's, and they would leave the inning in a 2-2 tie. The A's would never again lead the game. The errors are really what cost the A's the game....three total, with several other sloppy plays. Mulder was saddled with the loss, but he deserved better. Going only 4.1 innings, he gave up only 2 earned runs, but left trailing 4-2 because of errors. Huddy then came in and gave up one more, with the A's lack of hitting, the A's couldn't come around. They lost the game 5-3, and the series to the NY Yanks. The A's became a statistic...the first team to go up 2-0 on the road, then lose a five game series.
Am I bitter? Hell yes. I hate the Yankees, Derick Jeter, Roger Clemens (the only good part of game 5, Roger still remains winless against the A's in the playoffs), and the punk Yank fans that IM'd me after the game rubbing in the loss. Congrats to the DBACKS! No team deserved the loss more than the Yank$.
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
SO |
SB |
OPB |
SLG |
AVG |
162 |
5573 |
884 |
1469 |
334 |
22 |
199 |
835 |
640 |
1021 |
68 |
.345 |
.439 |
.264 |
W |
L |
ERA |
G |
CG |
SHO |
SV |
SVO |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
HR |
BB |
SO |
102 |
30 |
3.59 |
162 |
13 |
9 |
44 |
67 |
1463.1 |
1384 |
645 |
583 |
153 |
440 |
1117 |