5. 1998 World Champion New York Yankees v. 69. 1910 NL Champion Chicago Cubs
We kick off Region 5 with the top remaining overall seed, the '98 Yankees. They look to become the 5th Yankees team to advance to the Round of 32. The 1909 Cubs have already advanced.
Yankees 114-48 Mgr. Joe Torre (AL MoY)
1st in AL East
d. Rangers in ALDS
d. Indians in ALCS
d. Padres in WS
d. #124 2004 Cardinals (MVP: Bernie Williams/Tino Martinez)
All-Stars 3B Scott Brosius, SS Derek Jeter (3rd AL MVP) OF Paul O'Neill, SP David Wells (3rd AL Cy Young) OF Bernie Williams
Hall of Famers: Derek Jeter, Tim Raines, Mariano Rivera, Joe Torre
Cubs 104-50 Mgr. Frank Chance
Won NL Pennant
lost to A's in WS
d. #60 1930 A's (MVP-Orval Overall/Three Finger Brown)
Hall of Famers: Three Finger Brown, Frank Chance, Johnny Evers, Joe Tinker
Cubs-Frank Chance
2B Evers (28) (LH) 115 3.5
DH Beaumont (33) (LH) 110
RF Schulte (27) (LH) 137 3.5
CF Hofman (27) 154 5.1
1B Chance (33) 131 2.9
LF Sheckard (31) (LH) 114 3.5
3B Zimmerman (23) 111 1.1
SS Tinker (29) 110 4.2
C Kling (34) 109 2.8
P Brown (33) 153 5.2
Bench:
3B Steinfeldt (34) 88
C Archer (27) 94
SP2 Cole (24) 158 4.1
SP3 Overall (29) 107 2.4
First two Yankee starters are RH, so this is the lefty lineup for the Cubs. Likely the bench players remain on the bench.
Yankees-Joe Torre
LF Raines (38) (SH) 107 1.1
CF Williams (29) (SH) 160 5.6
RF O'Neill (35) (LH) 130 5.4
DH Strawberry (36) (LH) 132 1.5
1B Martinez (30) (LH) 124 3.6
SS Jeter (24) 127 6.3
C Posada (26) (SH) 115 3.4
3B Brosius (31) 121 5
2B Knoblauch (29) 102 3.8
P Hernandez (32) 132 3.7
Bench:
LF Curtis (29) 90 2.9
DH Davis (38) 116
C Girardi (33) 85
IF Sojo (33) 37
SP2 Cone (35) 125 5.3
SP3 Wells (35) (LH) 127 5.2
Reducing how many bench players I'm showing now to just those who are eligible to start; so, Shane Spencer, for example, is on the Yankee bench but only as a pinch hitter. Cubs have all RH starters so the lefty heavy Yankee lineup is likely to go every day.
WAR Advantage:
C-Yankees
1B-Yankees
2B-Yankees
SS-Yankees
3B-Yankees
LF-Cubs
CF-Yankees
RF-Yankees
DH-Yankees
SP1-Cubs
SP2-Yankees
SP3-Yankees
Bullpen-Yankees
WAR: Yankees 11 Cubs 2, so, in the first 16 series of this round the WAR battle has been fairly close - this is a blowout. The Yanks also have a seed advantage and they have the best player (Jeter). Yankees are heavy favorites here; this is the biggest disparity thusfar in Round 2 and by a wide margin.
GAME ONE
1st: Sold out Yankee Stadium crowd is expecting to roll right into the Round of 32. Orlando Hernandez starts it off for New York. 12-4, 3.13. Hernandez is a 32 year old rookie, he finished 4th in the AL Rookie of the Year. He won't play for another big league club until 2005, when he signs with the White Sox. He finishes his career as a Met in '07. He gives up a one out walk to Ginger Beaumont, that's all.
1st: If the Cubs have any chance, you think they need a big effort from their round one co-MVP Three Finger Brown. 33 years old, 25-14, 1.86. We saw Brown on the 1909 team that has already advanced (they'll meet the '53 Yankees next round). Brown pitched in 9 postseason games with a 2.97 ERA. He struggled this year, giving up 11 earned in 18 innings in the 1910 World Series. Tim Raines singles. That's it.
2nd: Heinie Zimmerman singles with 2 out. Zimmerman's part of last year's Cub team. He had a rough postseason career, .163 in 43 at bats. That's it.
2nd: Derek Jeter singles with one out. Jeter's 24, came up in '95, Rookie of the Year in '96, was third in the MVP this year. He'll have 7 more top 10 MVP finishes in his career; his last season is '14. Scott Brosius singles after the second out, but that's all.
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: Tim Raines singles again. Raines is 38 years old; he was just 19 when he broke in with the Expos back in '79. 2nd in NL Rookie of the Year in '81. 5th in the MVP in '83. Led the league in steals from '81-'84. 6th in MVP in '86, 7th in '87. He's dealt to the White Sox for Ivan Calderon before the '91 season and is dealt to the Yankees before the '96 season. This is his last year in New York, he's off to Oakland and will finish his career in Miami in '02. Two outs later, he's standing on third and then scores on a Cub error that allows Strawberry to reach - Tino Martinez then makes the Cubs pay for that mistake with a 2 run bomb to right. Cubs 0 Yankees 3
4th: After two outs, Jimmy Sheckard singles. Sheckard was with the '09 Cubs. He scuffled in the postseason, hitting .195 in 77 at bats. This year, however, he was 5-14 in the 1910 World Series. Zimmerman then singles, but that's all.
4th: 1-2-3
5th: Johnny Evers singles with one out. He was the second baseman on last year's team. Strong postseason career, .316 in 76 at bats. The second out later, Beaumont singles - but the Cubs can't capitalize.
5th: Raines walks. Paul O'Neill singles an out later and they're on the corners. O'Neill came up with the Reds in '85, the Yanks got him for Roberto Kelly before the '93 season. 5th in the AL MVP in '94. His last year is '01. Strawberry grounds to first, there's only the play at first and Raines scores. Cubs 0 Yankees 4
6th: Frank Chance, the player- manager, leads off with a walk. Chance spends the last two seasons of his career with the Yankees; strong postseason career - hit .300 in 70 at bats. That's it.
6th: Brosius walks with 2 out, this is Brosius's first year as a Yankee, they got him from Oakland for Kenny Rogers - his last year, like O'Neill's, is '01. Knoblauch singles, that's all.
7th: Torre got all he wanted from Il Duque and goes to the pen. 31 year old lefty Mike Stanton is first, he's the worst arm they have, 5.47. 1-2-3
7th: Bernie Williams doubles. Up in '91, 7th in the AL MVP this year, 10th in '02, finishes in '06. O'Neill singles him home and you'd expect that's it. An out later Martinez singles and Jeter walks, that's all. Cubs 0 Yankees 5
8th: Solly Hofman walks with one out, that's all.
8th: Chuck Knoblauch walks with one out; Rookie of the Year with the Twins in '91, this is his first year with the Yankees, Christian Guzman/Eric Milton went the other way - his last year in New York is also '01 and he finishes the next season in KC. Raines singles/Williams walks and the bases are loaded - Cubs bullpen is limited and Brown is still in there- O'Neill singles to score two. Strawberry singles home a run and it's 8-0 and the Cubs go to the pen for 23 year old lefty Rube Kroh. He gives up a run scoring single to Martinez - Jeter grounds out, it scores another run. It's the game we expected. Cubs 0 Yankees 10
9th: 26 year old RH Ramiro Mendoza is on to end this one, 1-2-3
Cubs 0
Yankees 10
WP Hernandez
LP Brown
Yikes. 4 hits for the Cubs in a game where they had easily the superior pitcher.
For New York:
Raines reached 4x
Williams 2x
O'Neill 3x
Martinez 3x w/HR
Jeter 2x
Brosius 2x
Knoblauch 2x
For the Cubs:
Zimmerman reached 2x
One more at Yankee Stadium. Cubs in trouble.
2B Evers (28) (LH) 115 3.5
DH Beaumont (33) (LH) 110
RF Schulte (27) (LH) 137 3.5
CF Hofman (27) 154 5.1
1B Chance (33) 131 2.9
LF Sheckard (31) (LH) 114 3.5
3B Zimmerman (23) 111 1.1
SS Tinker (29) 110 4.2
C Kling (34) 109 2.8
SP2 Cole (24) 158 4.1
LF Raines (38) (SH) 107 1.1
CF Williams (29) (SH) 160 5.6
RF O'Neill (35) (LH) 130 5.4
DH Strawberry (36) (LH) 132 1.5
1B Martinez (30) (LH) 124 3.6
SS Jeter (24) 127 6.3
C Posada (26) (SH) 115 3.4
3B Brosius (31) 121 5
2B Knoblauch (29) 102 3.8
SP2 Cone (35) 125 5.3
GAME TWO
1st: 35 year old David Cone gets the ball, 20-7, 3.55. Up with the Royals in '86, 3rd in NL Cy Young with the Mets in '88, Cy Young winner in '94 with Kansas City, Yankees got him mid year '95 for prospects and he finished 4th in the Cy Young. He finished 4th again this year, 6th next year which is his last season with the Yankees, he's back with the Mets at the age of 40 in '03 for his final season. 1-2-3
1st: 24 year old RH King Cole has the daunting task of shutting down these Yankees. 20-4, 1.80. Cole came up last year, led the league in ERA this year, heads to the Pirates in '12 and finishes with the Yankees in '15. With one out, Williams singles, O'Neill walks, that's all.
2nd: Chance doubles with one out, that's it.
2nd: Jorge Posada draws a one out walk. Up in '95 he'll be 3rd in the MVP in '03, 6th in '07. He finishes at age 40 in '11. Brosius singles. After the second out, Raines walks and they're loaded...but nothing.
3rd: Joe Tinker doubles. He was Cub shortstop last year, finished 4th in the MVP in '12, his last year is '16. That's it.
3rd: O'Neill doubles. Strawberry walks. Yankees putting a ton of men on base. This time they capitalize, after an out, Jeter doubles both men home. Cubs 0 Yankees 2
4th: Frank Schulte walks. He was with the Cubs last year, he'll be the MVP next year. Solid postseason career. .321 in 81 at bats. Nothing results.
4th: Williams walks with 2 out, that's all.
5th: 1-2-3
5th: Darryl Strawberry walks. He's 36. Rookie of the Year in '83 with the Mets, 6th in NL MVP in '87, 2nd in '88. 3rd in '90. Signs with the Dodgers in '91, comes to New York in '95, next year will be his last. That's all.
6th: Evers singles and an out later Cone hits Schulte. After the second out leaves Evers at third - a Cone wild pitch scores a run. Cone then hits Chance -- wildness suddenly for Cone, the inning ends. Cubs 1 Yankees 2
6th: Brosius singles, that's it.
7th: Cubs have just 3 hits, Yankees 5. Zimmerman singles, but that's all. Tight one here in game two.
7th: Strawberry singles with one out, that's it.
8th: Evers singles - an out later Cone hit Schulte - that's going to knock Schulte out of the series; tough break for a Cubs team that can't afford to lose offense. Cone's now hit 3 Cubs today. Hofman singles and now the bases are loaded with just one out. Cubs only down a run - big spot here in game 2. Torre decides to leave Cone in the game -- and he gets out of it.
8th: Jeter walks, that's it.
9th: Mariano Rivera is 28. 1.91 ERA and 36 saves. Up in '95, 3rd in the Cy Young in '96, he'll finish 3rd again next year. 3rd again in '04, 2nd in '05, 5th in '08, 8th at the age of 41 in 2011. He stops after '13.
Jimmy Sheckard greets him with a double and the Cubs have the tying run at second.
Zimmerman grounds to first - Sheckard goes to third. 90 feet from the tie.
Tinker lines hard to short - Jeter makes a tremendous leaping stab to snare the ball for the second out.
And then Kling hits an easy grounder to third -- Brosius to first. And it's done.
Cubs 1
Yankees 2
WP Cone
LP Cole
They only got 6 hits today, but the Yanks take both games at home.
For New York:
Raines has reached 5x
Williams 4x
O'Neill 5x
Martinez 3x w/HR
Strawberry 4x
Jeter 4x, winning game 2 with bat and glove.
Brosius 4x
Knoblauch 2x
For the Cubs:
Zimmerman reached 3x
Evers 2x
We head to Chicago. Cubs need to win both of them.
LF Raines (38) (SH) 107 1.1
CF Williams (29) (SH) 160 5.6
RF O'Neill (35) (LH) 130 5.4
1B Martinez (30) (LH) 124 3.6
SS Jeter (24) 127 6.3
C Posada (26) (SH) 115 3.4
3B Brosius (31) 121 5
2B Knoblauch (29) 102 3.8
SP3 Wells (35) (LH) 127 5.2
CF Hofman (27) 154 5.1
1B Chance (33) 131 2.9
3B Zimmerman (23) 111 1.1
SS Tinker (29) 110 4.2
2B Evers (28) (LH) 115 3.5
LF Sheckard (31) (LH) 114 3.5
RF Beaumont (33) (LH) 110
C Archer (27) 94
SP3 Overall (29) 107 2.4
GAME THREE
1st: 29 year old RH Orval Overall was co-MVP in the Cubs round one win and they rely on him today to stay alive. 12-6. 2.68. He was on last year's team, led the league in strikeouts. His last year will be '13. He gives up a 2 out single to O'Neill, that's all.
1st: 35 year old lefty David Wells looks for the sweep. There hasn't been a sweep yet in Round 2. 18-4, 3.49. Wells came up with the Jays in '87, the Yankees signed him last year as a free agent, he was 3rd in the Cy Young this year and then he's sent to the Jays for Roger Clemens. He comes back to the Yankees in '02, stays two seaons - he will finish his career in 2007 with the Dodgers. Hofman singles, an out later so does Zimmerman. That's all.
2nd: Brosius walks with 2 outs, that's it.
2nd: After an out, Beaumont and Archer single -- we've seen a series where Overall hit 3 triples -- he singles home a run here and the Cubs have their first lead of the series. After the second out - Frank Chance hits a 3 run homer and look at this, it's the Cubs who have jumped all over Wells in this one. Yankees 0 Cubs 4
3rd: Raines singles with one out, that's it.
3rd: 1-2-3
4th: Martinez singles with one out, after the second out, Posada walks. That's it.
4th: Beaumont walks, nothing else.
5th: 1-2-3
5th: Zimmerman singles with one out, that's it.
6th: Bernie singles. Nothing else.
6th: 1-2-3
7th: To the pen Chicago goes for lefty Jack Pfiester, he's got a 1.79 ERA - Posada doubles with one out, that's all.
7th: After an out, Hofman singles and Chance walks - Wells gets the second, but then Tinker ends this one with a double that clears the bases. There still hasn't been a round 2 sweep, Yankees 0 Cubs 6
8th: Shane Spencer pinch singles. Raines singles. The shutout continues.
8th: Ramiro Mendoza comes on, 1-2-3
9th: Rube Kroh looks to wrap this up. 1-2-3
Yankees 0
Cubs 6
WP Overall
LP Wells
So - the Yankees hit everything in game 1 but nothing since and now the Cubs have a chance to pull even if they can get a big game from Brown. Nice outing for Overall, who added a base hit.
For the Cubs:
Zimmerman reached 5x
Evers 2x
Hofman reached twice in game 3
Chance reached twice in game 3 with the big homer
For New York:
Raines has reached 7x
Williams 5x
O'Neill 6x
Martinez 4x w/HR
Strawberry 4x
Jeter 4x, winning game 2 with bat and glove.
Posada twice in game 3
Brosius 5x
Knoblauch 2x
Game one starters return. One more in Chicago.
LF Raines (38) (SH) 107 1.1
CF Williams (29) (SH) 160 5.6
RF O'Neill (35) (LH) 130 5.4
1B Martinez (30) (LH) 124 3.6
SS Jeter (24) 127 6.3
C Posada (26) (SH) 115 3.4
3B Brosius (31) 121 5
2B Knoblauch (29) 102 3.8
P Hernandez (32) 132 3.7
2B Evers (28) (LH) 115 3.5
RF Beaumont (33) (LH) 110
CF Hofman (27) 154 5.1
1B Chance (33) 131 2.9
LF Sheckard (31) (LH) 114 3.5
3B Zimmerman (23) 111 1.1
SS Tinker (29) 110 4.2
C Kling (34) 109 2.8
P Brown (33) 153 5.2
GAME FOUR
1st: Three Finger Brown struggled in game one - but he is the best pitcher in the series and now has a chance to force a game 5. Raines opens with a single - 38 year old future Hall of Famer Raines got the leadoff spot in this series against the RH Cubs rotation and he continues to get on base. The innings ends here. Brown strikes out 2.
1st: Il Duque was strong in winning game one and he gets the ball here. He walks Evers, 2 outs later he walks Hofman - that's all.
2nd: 1-2-3, 3 Ks now for Brown.
2nd: Sheckard walks, that's all.
3rd: 1-2-3, 5 Ks for Brown.
3rd: Kling doubles, that's the Cubs first hit. Nothing results.
4th: Scoreless through 3 here in game 4. 1-2-3
4th: 1-2-3, Hernandez matches the future Hall of Famer Brown.
5th: 1-2-3, whew -- Brown retires 15 straight Yankees and has 6 punchouts. Whew.
5th: 1-2-3, 8 straight for Hernandez. Stride for stride here in game 4.
6th: 1-2-3, Raines opened with a single and then not a single thing since then. 18 straight for Brown.
6th: 1-2-3, 11 straight - Orlando Hernandez has yet to give up a run in two starts to the Cubs. We go to the 7th inning. Game 4. Each club has just one hit.
7th: 1-2-3, 21 in a row set down by Three Finger Brown with 7 Ks.
7th: 1-2-3, Hernandez has retired 14 in a row - we are seeing an all time great pitchers duel here in Chicago today.
8th: Brown strikes out the first two - that's 9 Ks and 23 straight - but then he walks Brosius. And then he walks Knoblauch. Torre sends Shane Spencer to the plate to hit for Hernandez. Big spot here. 2 on. 2 out. Scoreless game. And Spencer singles to left -- it scores Brosius and the Yankees go up 1-0. Raines then follows with a run scoring single and it's 2-0. That ends Brown's day - such a great effort for Brown today; Jack Pfiester enters and ends the threat - but now the Yankees are 6 outs away from advancing. Yankees 2 Cubs 0
8th: Mike Stanton gets the call from Torre. He walks Tinker with one out, then Johnny Kling singles. Just the second Cub hit. It ends here.
9th: 26 year old RH Lew Richie has 11 wins and a 2.70 ERA and he enters; he walks O'Neill and an out later Jeter singles. That's all though - we head to the bottom.
9th: Mariano River needs 3 outs to move the Yankees to the next round.
He walks Ginger Beaumont. Tying run to the plate.
Hofman pops up..Jeter has it. One away.
Rivera strikes out Chance. Two away.
Sheckard fly ball...left...Raines squeezes it and it's done.
Yankees 2
Cubs 0
WP Hernandez
LP Brown
Yankees really struggled offensively after game 1 - but the pitching held up, Stanton/Mendoza/Rivera from the bullpen and the MVP is Il Duque - he beat Brown twice and didn't allow a run in either game. The Yankees are the 17th team to advance.
