71. 2009 World Champion New York Yankees v. 122. 1999 NL Champion Atlanta Braves
7 Yankee teams have advanced, but none from this century, this is the last 21st century Yankee team standing. And speaking of last stands - there is not a Brave team which has moved on - not Boston or Milwaukee or Atlanta. This is the last one left. Who will be team #25 to advance to the round of 32? These Braves lost to the Yankees in the World Series, can they get a semblance of revenge?
Yankees 103-59 Mgr. Joe Girardi (3rd AL MoY)
1st in AL East
d. Twins in ALDS
d. Angels in ALCS
d. Phillies in WS
d. #58 1905 Cubs (MVP-Jorge Posada/AJ Burnett)
All-Stars: SS Derek Jeter (3rd AL MVP) RP Mariano Rivera, 1B Mark Teixeira (2nd AL MVP)
Hall of Famers: Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera
Braves 103-59 Mgr. Bobby Cox (2nd NL MoY)
1st in NL East
d. Astros in NLDS
d. Mets in NLC
lost to Yankees in WS
d. #7 1909 Pirates (MVP-John Smoltz/Kevin Millwood)
All-Stars OF Brian Jordan, SP Kevin Millwood, (3rd NL Cy Young)
Hall of Fame: Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones (NL MVP) Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Bobby Cox
Braves-Bobby Cox
3B Jones (27) (SH) 169 6.4
C Lopez (28) 128 2
CF Jones (22) 114 7.4
1B Klesko (28) (LH) 128 1.2
RF Jordan (32) 104 2.5
DH Hunter (31) 101
LF Williams (32) 99 1.3
2B Boone (30) 83 1.3
SS Hernandez (29) 71 .3
P Millwood (24) 167 6.5
Bench
2B Lockhart (34) (LH) 67 .3
DH Simon (24) (LH) 109 .2
SS Weiss (35) (SH) 63
SS Guillen (35) (LH) 54
LF Nixon (40) (LH) 41
C Perez (31) 70
SP2 Maddux (33) 126 5.6
SP3 Smoltz (32) 141 6.2
Platoons at DH, 2nd, Short for the Braves. No Glavine, he's the 4th starter.
Yankees-Joe Girardi
SS Jeter (35) 125 5.9
3B Rodriguez (33) 138 5
1B Teixeira (29) (LH) 141 5.6
C Posada (37) (SH) 125 1.8
DH Matsui (35) (LH) 123 2.6
RF Swisher (28) (SH) 122 3.1
2B Cano (26) (LH) 121 4.9
LF Damon (35) (LH) 118 3.4
CF Cabrera (24) (SH) 93 1.4
P Sabathia (28) (LH) 137 6.2
Bench
CF Gardner (25) (LH) 87 2
C Molina (34) 46
3B/SS Pena (23) 80
C Cervelli (23) 75
SP2 Pettitte (37) (LH) 111 3.2
SP3 Burnett (32) 114 3.5
Probably, there won't be any changes in the NYY lineup, other than losing Matsui in Atlanta. Gardner is available if Cabrera doesn't hit. This Yankee lineup is really built to hit RH and that's all the Braves will throw.
WAR:
C: Braves
1B: Yankees
2B: Yankees
SS: Yankees
3B: Braves
LF: Yankees
CF: Braves
RF: Yankees
DH: Yankees
SP1: Braves
SP2: Braves
SP3: Braves
Bullpen: Push
WAR: Braves 6 Yankees 6 -- Yanks have the better lineup, Braves the better pitching; the best position player is Andruw Jones (and Chipper's number 2) the Yankees have the best reliever but the Braves have more bullpen depth. The Yanks are the better seed. Should be a tight one, let's lean, ever so slightly, so Atlanta.
GAME ONE
1st: We are in the Bronx for Game One - all the way to Region 7 here in round 2. Lefty CC Sabathia takes the mound. 19-8, 3.37. Sabathia was 20 when he finished 2nd in the AL Rookie of the Year with the Indians in '01. 6 years later he won the Cy Young and in '08 he finished 6th in the NL MVP race after being dealt to Milwaukee. This is his first year with the Yankees; he finished 4th in the Cy Young. He'll have top 5 finishes each of the next two seasons and make his last All Star team in 2012. He finishes in 2019. He walks Chipper Jones, who then steals second. After the first out, Andruw Jones singles him home and the Braves are first on the board. Braves 1 Yankees 0
1st: The Braves have 3 Hall of Fame starters - but their best pitcher this year is 24 year old RH Kevin Millwood. 18-7, 2.68. Millwood broke in two years prior, this is the best year he'll have in a 16 year career, 3rd in the NL Cy Young. He's going to leave Atlanta for the Phillies in '03 and he and Sabathia are teammates in Cleveland in '05, Millwood was 6th in the Cy Young that year. Millwood finishes with the Mariners in '12. 1-2-3
2nd: Brian Jordan singles. After 3 years as a DB with the Atlanta Falcons, Jordan debuted in MLB in '92 with the Cards and finished 8th in the MVP in '96. He's now 32, in his first year with the Braves, and he made his only All Star team. He's dealt to the Dodgers for Gary Sheffield in '02 and will finish as a Brave in '06. An out later Gerald Williams singles, That's it.
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: With one out, Javy Lopez homers to left and the Braves are up 2-0. We've seen Lopez with last year's Braves team that lost to the '16 Cubs in a wild, wild series. Javy played just 65 games in '99. Andruw Jones doubles, that's all. Braves 2 Yankees 0
3rd: Robinson Cano singles. Cano finished 2nd in the Rookie of the Year as a 22 year old back in '05 and made the All Star team in '06. It's really next year when he busts out - between '10 and '14 he finishes in the top 6 for MVP every season. '13 is his last year in New York, he goes to the Mariners as a free agent; and in '19 goes to the Mets with Jay Bruce headed the other way. He's now 37 in 2020, still a Met. 2 outs later Jeter singles, that's all.
4th: Brian Hunter triples. Hunter's technically platooning at DH, but with the Yankees going lefty/lefty, he's likely to start both games in New York. Hunter was 4th in the Rookie of the Year with the Braves back in '91, he's sent to Pittsburgh in '94 and came back to Atlanta this year. He'll be released next year and play the final 85 games of his big league career in Philadelphia. Bret Boone walks an out later - and Jose Hernandez makes it 3-0 with a base hit. Braves 3 Yankees 0
4th: Mark Teixeira singles. Teixeira was a 23 year old rookie in '03 with the Rangers, finishing 5th in the Rookie of the Year; 2 years later he was 7th in the MVP. He spent '07 and most of '08 with these Braves and this is his first year in New York; he'll be a Yankee the rest of his career, retiring in '16. Teixeira was 2nd in the AL MVP this year. An out later, Hideki Matsui walks, but that's all.
5th: Ryan Klesko singles. This is Klesko's last year in Atlanta; he and Bret Boone go to San Diego for Reggie Sanders and Wally Joyner. That's it.
5th: Johnny Damon singles. Damon's 35; he broke in with the Royals back in '95, led the league in steals in '00, made his first All Star team in '02 with the Red Sox and signed with the Yanks in '06. This is his last season in New York, he's off to Detroit and finishes up in Cleveland in '12. Nothing results.
6th: Bret Boone singles. Since the bottom of the third, the leadoff man has reached for both teams in every turn. Boone broke in with the Mariners back in '92, makes the NL All Star team with the Reds in '98, this is his only season in Atlanta, he and Mike Remlinger came over for Michael Tucker and Denny Naegle. Boone is 3rd in the AL MVP in '01 back with Seattle and finishes with the Twins in '05. That's all.
6th: 1-2-3
7th: New York goes to the pen - solid start for Sabathia, but he trails here. 24 year old RH Dave Robertson has a 3.30 ERA; 1-2-3
7th: 1-2-3. 8 straight for Millwood, he's given up just 4 hits and the Braves are poised to take game one.
8th: Brian Jordan homers to left center -- that sure looks like a wrap on game one. 2 outs later Bret Boone walks, Joe Girardi comes back out, calling on Phil Hughes, 23 year old RH with a 3.03 ERA. He ends it. Braves 4 Yankees 0
8th: 1-2-3, 11 straight for Millwood.
9th: With one out, Lopez singles and then Andruw Jones nails the coffin shut with a 2 run bomb to left. The Braves have come into Yankee Stadium and whipped New York here in game one. 28 year old RH Jose Veras comes on to mop up, he gets an out -- but then gives up back to back jacks from Jordan and Hunter and now it's 8-0 Atlanta and we'll see you tomorrow. Gerald Williams singles, that's all. Braves 8 Yankees 0
9th: 25 year old RH Justin Speier looks to end this one; he walks Matsui with 2 out, that's all.
Braves 8
Yankees 0
WP Millwood
LP Sabathia
Millwood giving up 4 hits in 8 innings isn't a shock; the Braves pitching staff is loaded up, but if Atlanta's also going to bomb a mess of home runs they will be tough to stop. 5 Atlanta homers today. Millwood strikes out 10, gives up just one walk. A dominant, dominant effort for the Braves ace - and Maddux and Smoltz are still to come.
For the Braves...
Lopez 3 x/HR
Andruw Jones 3x/HR
Jordan 3 x/2HR
Hunter 2x/HR/triple
Williams 2x
Boone 3x
For the Yanks...
Matsui 2x
Game 2. Greg Maddux.
3B Jones (27) (SH) 169 6.4
C Lopez (28) 128 2
CF Jones (22) 114 7.4
1B Klesko (28) (LH) 128 1.2
RF Jordan (32) 104 2.5
DH Hunter (31) 101
LF Williams (32) 99 1.3
2B Boone (30) 83 1.3
SS Weiss (35) (SH) 63
SP2 Maddux (33) 126 5.6
SS Jeter (35) 125 5.9
3B Rodriguez (33) 138 5
1B Teixeira (29) (LH) 141 5.6
C Posada (37) (SH) 125 1.8
DH Matsui (35) (LH) 123 2.6
RF Swisher (28) (SH) 122 3.1
2B Cano (26) (LH) 121 4.9
LF Damon (35) (LH) 118 3.4
CF Gardner (25) (LH) 87 2
SP2 Pettitte (37) (LH) 111 3.2
GAME TWO
1st: 37 year old lefty Andy Pettitte takes the ball for game 2. 14-8, 4.16. Pettitte was 3rd in the Rookie of the Year back in '95, 2nd in the Cy Young in '96, 5th in '97. Next year - he finishes 4th and then he's 6th in '03, that ends his first Yankees stint and he heads to Houston. He comes back in '07 and he'll finish is career in New York in 2013. He gives up a Chipper Jones base hit and then throws a pick off attempt to right field. Javy Lopez then doubles to center and scores a run. Two outs later Brian Jordan singles home the second run. Braves 2 Yankees 0
1st: 33 year old RH Greg Maddux looks to put the Braves up 2-0 and take this series back to Atlanta. 19-9, 3.57. From '92-00, Maddux missed the All Star team in just 2 seasons, 1993, when he led the league in ERA+, and this year. This is the only year in that stretch he wasn't top 5 in the Cy Young. So, you do not get top end Greg Maddux with the only Braves team still alive. In 198 career post season innings, Maddux was 11-14 with a 3.27 ERA. In 38 World Series innings he had a 2.09 ERA. With 2 outs, Teixiera singles, that's all.
2nd: Walt Weiss singles with 2 outs, Weiss is in the lineup today; it's his second to last season in the bigs. Chipper follows with a single but that's it.
2nd: Maddux gets 2 - but then gives up a homer to Johnny Damon and the Yanks draw closer. Braves 2 Yankees 1
3rd: Andruw Jones singles; Jones will be a teammate with many of these Yankees, he spends his final 2 seaons in New York, '11 and '12. That's all.
3rd: Teixeira singles with 2 out, he played with both Jones's in Atlanta and was managed by Cox. Posada then singles - but that's it.
4th: Hunter is aboard via error and 2 outs later Weiss reaches by error - Chipper then walks to load the bases and Javy comes through with a base hit that scores 2. Braves again, solidly out in front, Braves 4 Yankees 1
4th: 1-2-3, big inning there for Maddux - the Braves in command.
5th: 1-2-3
5th: Brett Gardner walks; Yankees inserted Gardner in the lineup today, looking for any answer. Gardner was 25 in '09, it's his second season. FF to 2020, he's stil a Yankee. Two outs later ARod gets hit and Teixiera walks - nothing else.
6th: 1-2-3
6th: Matsui singles. Matsui was 29 when he broke in back in '03, was 2nd in the Rookie of the Year, this is his final season in New York, he signs with the Angels and finishes with the Rays in '12. That's all.
7th: Andruw Jones singles with 2 out - but that's it.
7th: 1-2-3
8th: Dave Robertson is back on for New York. 1-2-3
8th: Yanks need some real urgency; ARod singles. Rodriguez was just 18 when he came up with Seattle back in '94. 2nd in the MVP in '96. 9th in '98. 3rd in '00, his last year in Seattle, 6th in '01 as a Ranger, 2nd in '02, he wins it in '03 and is dealt to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano. He wins it again in '05, wins it again in '07. He finished 8th last year and 10th this year. He'll play until he's 40, in '16. But Maddux shuts it down.
9th: Weiss singles with one out, Chipper walks. Phil Hughes enters for New York and Javy Lopez clears the bases with a double that almost certainly ends it. Braves 6 Yankees 1
9th: 33 year old lefty Mike Remlinger is on to finish up; he gets 2 - then Cano singles, Damon walks, Gardner singles. Bases loaded - and Jeter walks. That means the tying run comes to the plate - just the faintest breath for the Yankees, John Rocker is the Braves closer, 24 year old lefty - and he walks ARod -- that makes it 6-3, all of this has happened with 2 out - there's a slight stirring -- but Teixeira flies to right and it's over.
Braves 6
Yankees 3
WP Maddux
LP Pettitte
Maddux goes 8, holds the Yanks to a run, strikes out 5, gives up 6 hits.
For the Braves...
Chipper 4x in game 2
Lopez 6 x/HR and 5 game 2 RBI
Andruw Jones 5x/HR
Jordan 4 x/2HR
Hunter 2x/HR/triple
Williams 2x
Boone 3x
Weiss 2x
For the Yanks...
Matsui 3x
ARod 3x in game 2
Teixeira 3x in game 2
Damon 2x in game 2 w/HR
Gardner 2x
The Braves take 'em both in New York - the series shifts to Atlanta, Matsui hits the bench, Smoltz takes the ball for the Braves. All the Braves need is one more to advance their first team to the next round.
SS Jeter (35) 125 5.9
3B Rodriguez (33) 138 5
1B Teixeira (29) (LH) 141 5.6
C Posada (37) (SH) 125 1.8
RF Swisher (28) (SH) 122 3.1
2B Cano (26) (LH) 121 4.9
LF Damon (35) (LH) 118 3.4
CF Gardner (25) (LH) 87 2
SP3 Burnett (32) 114 3.5
3B Jones (27) (SH) 169 6.4
LF Klesko (28) (LH) 128 1.2
C Lopez (28) 128 2
1B Simon (24) (LH) 109 .2
CF Jones (22) 114 7.4
RF Jordan (32) 104 2.5
2B Lockhart (34) (LH) 67 .3
SS Guillen (35) (LH) 54
SP3 Smoltz (32) 141 6.2
GAME THREE
1st: Hall of Famer Maddux won game 2 - Hall of Famer John Smoltz goes for the sweep today. He's 32, 11-8, 3.19. After '99 it'll be 6 years before Smoltz moves back to the rotation full time. He gives up a 2 out single to Teixeira, that's all.
1st: The Yanks turn to 32 year old RH AJ Burnett. 13-9, 4.04. He pitched against these Braves, Burnett came up with the Marlins in '99. Led the league in shutouts in '02, last year, he led the league in strikeouts with the Jays. This is the first of 3 seasons in New York; Burnett walked more batters than any pitcher in baseball this season. He'll finish as a Pirate in '15. Burnett strikes out the side.
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: 1-2-3, 5 Ks for Burnett.
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: Ozzie Guillen singles. 3 games, 3 shortstops for the Braves. Guillen's 35. He broke in back in '85 with the White Sox and won the Rookie of the Year. Guillen made All Star teams in '88, '90, '91. After 13 years, Guillen left the Sox, spent 12 games in Baltimore, they released him and he hooked up with the Braves, that was last year. The Braves release him after the season and he finishes next year in Tampa. An out later, Chipper singles and Burnett hits Klesko to load them up - Burnett strikes out Lopez - but a wild pitch (Burnett led the league in wild pitches) scores the game's first run. Burnett adds his 7th K to end the inning. Yankees 0 Braves 1
4th: Teixeira singles with one out, that's all.
4th: Burnett strikes out his 8th man - but then gives up a homer to Brian Jordan, that's his third homer of the series. An out later Guillen singles again and Smoltz works a walk. That's all. Yankees 0 Braves 2
5th: Gardner singles with 2 outs, that's it.
5th: Klesko walks. That's it.
6th: Smoltz gets one - then strikes ARod out looking -- ARod just blows up at the plate umpire -- and he gets tossed from the game! ARod might have just played his last moment of this tournament if the Yankees aren't able to crawl their way back today.
6th: Brian Jordan walks with one out, that's it - 9 Ks for Burnett.
7th: Robinson Cano doubles with 2 out, and when Johnny Damon doubles him home, the Yankees close the gap. Yankees 1 Braves 2
7th: Burnett's done, Dave Robertson is on again. He walks Smoltz, hitting for himself in this spot, but that's it.
8th: Yanks are 6 outs from going home; Smoltz gets two, but then Eric Hinske - who replaced ARod at third after the ejection - homers to left center to tie the score. The Yankees are out of the dugout and pounding Hinske's helmet as he reaches. Huge home run by Hinske to keep the Yankees alive - this is his only season in New York, next year, Hinske will be a Brave. Yankees 2 Braves 2
8th: Phil Hughes, like Robertson, has pitched in every game. He gets two - then Brian Jordan singles - that's it.
9th: Mike Remlinger is on for Smoltz. He gives up a one out double to Nick Swisher - Swisher broke in with the A's in '04, 6th in the Rookie of the Year in '05, this is his first year in New York via a trade with the White Sox. He'll spend four seasons here, including his only All Star appearance in '10, before heading to Cleveland. Swisher finishes as a Brave in '15. Robinson Cano follows with a base hit -- Swisher just beats Jordan's throw home and the Yankees have come back to take the lead -- the Yankees are fired up - a huge celebration in front of the dugout. Yankees 3 Braves 2
9th: Mariano Rivera is 39 years old. 44 saves and a 1.76 ERA. He spends all 19 of his big league seasons in New York. Only one year after his rookie season did he have an ERA north of 3.00.
Guillen is first - pops to Hinske. Brian Hunter comes on to pinch hit -- and Hunter hits an 0-2 pitch over the left field wall to tie the score. This Braves crowd explodes -- a curtain call for Hunter -- Brian Hunter homers off Mariano Rivera, only 7 homers all year off of Rivera -- and the score is tied. That's it. Yankees 3 Braves 3
10th: 22 year old RH Kevin McGlinchey has a 2.82 ERA and he enters. After an out, Jeter walks, but McGlinchey strikes out 3 and we are onto the bottom of the 10th.
10th: 27 year old RH Brian Bruney is the new Yankee pitcher; he gives out a 2 out single to Andruw Jones -- who then swipes second. Winning run in scoring position for the Braves and the Tomahawk Chops are out. But that's it.
11th: 30 year old RH Russ Springer is the next Braves pitcher. With one out he walks Swisher and after the second out he hits Damon. Go ahead run in scoring position. But that's all.
11th: Bruney stays on - he gets an out, but Guillen singles again, 35 year old Ozzie Guillen raps three hits today - Gerald Williams started in left in New York, but is on the bench today, he comes on to hit -- and he laces a double right down the left field line-- Guillen was running on the pitch -- he rounds third -- Damon hits the cutoff man -- Jeter throws to the plate...
Safe.
35 year old Ozzie Guillen scores the winning run and the Braves sweep the Yankees.
Yankees 3
Braves 4
WP Springer
LP Bruney
Super fun one here in Atlanta, the Braves, in their final shot - moving on to the round of 32.
For the Braves...
Lopez 6 x/HR and 5 game 2 RBI
Andruw Jones 6x/HR
Jordan 7 x/3HR
Hunter 3x/2HR/triple
We're going to say co MVPs, Brian Jordan and Brian Hunter - Hunter didn't have the raw numbers, but he hit a bottom of the 9th homer off of Mariano Rivera to tie this one up and that gets him a nod. It took a decade - but the Braves have beaten the Yankees.
