16. 1975 World Champion Cincinnati Reds v. 81. 1943 World Champion New York Yankees
The Reds already beat the '41 Yankees - this team is like that team but without DiMaggio (WW2)
Reds 108-54 (Pythag: 107-55) Mgr. Sparky Anderson
1st in NL West
d. Pirates 3-0 in NLCS
d. Red Sox 4-3 in World Series (MVP-Pete Rose)
d. #113 1934 Cardinals 2-1 (MVP-Ken Griffey)
d. #49 1941 Yankees 3-2 (MVP-Johnny Bench/Terry Crowley)
All-Stars: C Johnny Bench (4th NL MVP) SS Dave Concepcion, 2B Joe Morgan (NL MVP) 1B Tony Perez, 3B Pete Rose (5th NL MVP)
Hall of Famers: Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Sparky Anderson
It's the Big Red Machine, arguably the greatest lineup in baseball history. They finished 20 games up in the NL West. The Reds were 64-17 at home, best home record in NL history. They clinched a playoff birth on September 7. If the Reds win it becomes almost a rematch of the 1976 World Series. Like the Yanks - this is the front half of back to back Champs. Don Gullett is on both the '75 Reds and the '77 Yankees.
Yankees 98-56 (Pythag: 92-62) Mgr. Joe McCarthy
Won AL Pennant
d. Cardinals 4-1 in World Series
d. #48. 1935 Tigers 2-1 (MVP-Hank Borowy)
d. #17 1929 A's 3-0 (MVP-Nick Etten)
All-Stars: SP Tiny Bonham, SP Spud Chandler (AL MVP) C Bill Dickey, 2B Joe Gordon, OF Charlie Keller, OF Johnny Lindell
Hall of Famers: Bill Dickey, Joe Gordon, Joe McCarthy
They didn't have DiMaggio, Rizzuto or Ruffing due to WW2 - and still won the AL by 13.5 games.
Yankees Lineup
2B Gordon (28) 126 6.1
C Dickey (36) (LH) 173 4
LF Keller (26) (LH) 168 6.5
1B Etten (29) (LH) 125 2.2
3B Johnson (24) 107 3.5
CF Lindell (26) 102 1.2
RF Metheny (28) (LH) 112 .7
SS Stirnweiss (24) 82 1.3
P Chandler (35) 198 7.7
Bench
SS Crosetti (32) 74
CF Weatherly (28) (LH) 103 .7
OF Stainback (31) 77
C Sears (25) (LH) 97
C Hemsley (36) 83
SP2 Bonham (29) 142 4.6
SP3 Borowy (27) 115 1.1
Yankees platooning in center; they'll play the hot bat at short. All their starters are RH
Reds Lineup
3B Rose (34) (SH) 133 4.5
2B Morgan (31) (LH) 169 10.7
C Bench (27) 140 6.8
LF Foster (26) 139 4.8
RF Griffey (25) (LH) 119 2.1
1B Perez (33) 124 3.3
CF Geronimo (27) (LH) 90 3.8
SS Concepcion (27) 88 4.5
SP Gullett (LH) (24) 149 3.5
Bench
1B Driessen (23) (LH) 125
RF Rettenmund (32) 86
C Plummer (28) 49
SS Chaney (27) (SH) 59
2B Flynn (24) 85
SP2 Nolan (27) 114 3.2
SP3 Darcy (25) 101 .4
Sparky probably just throws the same 8 out there every day; there's pressure on Perez, Driessen hits just as well and he's a left handed bat - Yankees have all RH starters. Gullett's only lefty starter in the series.
Lineups:
C-Bench; two of the great all time catchers but it's a solid win for 27 year old Bench over 36 year old Dickey
1B-Perez, and Driessen right behind.
2B-Morgan, by a million miles he's the best player in the series.
SS-Concepcion - big year with the glove for Davey
3B-Rose
LF-Keller, Yanks first win here, over Foster, Keller and Gordon are the top Yankee position players
CF-Geronimo
RF-Griffey, Reds at 7 spots on the diamond and they're not that close
SP1-Chandler, best pitcher in the series is the Yankee ace, and he can throw twice if they make game 4
SP2-Bonham
SP3-Borowy - Yanks have the advantage at all 3 starters and solidly so
Bullpen: Reds, solidly so - Yanks have just one effective guy, Murphy, Reds have four solid bullpen arms they can turn to
Reds 8 Yankees 4: Reds have maybe the greatest lineup ever and they dominate their Yankee counterparts, but the Reds rotation isn't that good and that shows up here as well; Reds have the better pen, Reds have the better seed, Reds have the top player in the series. Reds are favored.
Winners will face the 1977 Yankees in the Regional Finals; yup - the same Don Gullett who just was co-MVP of the other Regional semi is the Reds ace here. If the Reds win - it's Gullett v Gullett.
GAME ONE
1st: Hey look, it's Don Gullett. Rewind 2 years, he's a 24 year old lefty with the Reds. 15-4, 2.42. It's his 5th big league season and it's his big year, 5th in the NL Cy Young. He got 3 starts in the '75 World Series, went 1-1, 4.34 ERA. Gullett walks Bill Dickey with one out - gets the second out and then Nick Etten doubles Dickey home. Billy Johnson follows with a run scoring double of his own and it is the Yankees who jump out to the lead. Yankees 2 Reds 0
1st: The Yankees are sizeable underdogs - but they were underdogs in both rounds 1 and 2 - and in round 2 they swept the '29 A's. Spud Chandler is a 35 year old RH, 20-4, 1.64. It's Chandler's 7th year in the major leagues and it is his best season - he's the AL MVP. Joe Morgan singles with one out and then steals second. Johnny Bench drives a single to center and the Reds are on the board. George Foster singles, Reds have men on the corners. Ken Griffey grounds out - it scores the tying run. Yankees 2 Reds 2
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Joe Gordon homers to left and the Yanks are back in front. Gordon's 28, it's his 6th year in the majors, he's about to miss the next two for the War. Gordon's big year was last year - but he still leads the league in intentional walks this year. He went 4 for 17 in the Series with a homer. Dickey draws another walk, Keller then walks, but Gullett's able to stem the tide. Yankees 3 Reds 2
3rd: Morgan singles again; the NL MVP is 31, it's his 13th big league season, 4th with the Reds. He led the league in walks, OBP, OPS, OPS+ and he won his 3rd straight Gold Glove. He steals second again. But Chandler strands them and the Yanks maintain the slim lead.
4th: Stuffy Stirnweiss draws a two out walk; he's a 24 year old rookie backup to Frankie Crosetti, but gets the first shot in the series because of a little better bat. He really takes advantage of the depleted wartime talent the next two seasons, with 2 top 5 MVP finishes and then immediately drops off. Gullett strands him.
4th: 1-2-3
5th: 1-2-3
5th: Concepcion and Gullett reach on back to back Yankee errors - this Reds offense has way too much horsepower to make mistakes. Rose walks and the bases are loaded with nobody out. Morgan singles for the third time today to tie the score. Bench reaches on the third error of the inning and it scores 2. Chandler gets one, walks Griffey, and the bases are loaded once again. A Perez sac fly scores another run. Big inning for the Reds, all with just one hit. Yankees 3 Reds 6
6th: 1-2-3, 7 straight for Gullett, the Yankees don't have a hit since Gordon's homer.
6th: Concepcion walks, and out later Rose triples and now it's 7-3. Rose is 34, in his 13th big league season. He was 5th in the NL MVP this year, led the league in runs and doubles. Yankees 3 Reds 7
7th: Chandler stays in to hit for himself and he doubles with 2 away. That's all.
7th: 1-2-3
8th: Bill Dickey homers and the Yankees cut the deficit. Dickey's 36 and it is his 17th season as a New York Yankee. He loses the next 2 years because of the War. Dickey finished 8th in the AL MVP. Nick Etten doubles with one out - how long a leash does Sparky give Gullett? He gers the second - then walks Johnny Lindell and ends it here. Yankees 4 Reds 7
8th: Concepcion hits a one out single. The Reds shortstop is 27, it's his 6th big league year, second All Star appearance, second Gold Glove. That's all.
9th: The Reds turn to 24 year old RH Rawly Eastwick to wrap this up; 2.60 and 22 saves. He gets one - then 28 year old left handed pinch hitter Ron Weatherly comes off the bench and homers. Eastwick gets the second - then he walks Dickey. He then walks Charlie Keller -- that puts the tying run on base - it's 7-5 Reds, two outs - tying run is on base -- and Nick Etten singles.
That's going to score Dickey -- and now it is 7-6 with the tying run just 90 feet away.
Billy Johnson comes to the plate, Eastwick gets ahead 0-2 - and Johnson bloops a single to right center -- Keller scores - Etten goes to third -- and this game is tied! The Yankees tie the score with 3 in the 9th inning and still - still runners are on the corners. That's it for Eastwick, 23 year old lefty Will McEnaney has 15 saves and a 2.47 ERA and he comes on.
He walks Johnny Lindell and the bases are loaded.
And Bud Metheny rips a single to right! That scores the go ahead run! The Yankees have shocked - they have shocked this sold out Riverfront crowd with 4 in the 9th inning! Yankees 8 Reds 7
9th: 32 year old RH Johnny Murphy has a dozen wins and a 2.51 ERA and if he can get these 3 outs it will complete and incredible come from behind game one win for New York that changes the whole complexion of this series.
Morgan reaches on an error- the 4th Yankee miscue of the day.
Morgan then steals second - his 3rd stolen base.
Bench flies to deep center - Morgan is into third standing up.
Tying run at third. One away. George Foster singles to right center and the Reds have tied this one up. The Reds blow the big 9th inning lead but the game is all tied again at 8.
Griffey reaches on the 5th Yankee error of the day and Joe McCarthy makes the call for Marius Russo, the Yankee 5th starter; he's a lefty with a 3.72 ERA. And he gets Perez with the huge 6-4-3 to end the inning. Yankees 8 Reds 8
10th: Our first extra inning game of the round. 31 year old RH pinch hitter Tuck Stainback comes off the bench with a leadoff double. Joe Gordon strikes out. McEnaney then gets Dickey to fly to right.
Sparky makes a gutsty call here - walk Charlie Keller to pitch to Nick Etten; that sets up a force play but puts another man on. 2 on, 2 out. McEnaney grounds to Perez...he's going to take it to the bag himself. And we head to the bottom.
10th: 39 year old RH Jim Turner gets the call for the Yanks - 3.53, Cesar Geronimo hits his first pitch for a double and the winning run is in scoring position. Concepcion flies to left. One away.
Off the bench comes Terry Crowley - 28 year old LH pinch hitter; he was co-MVP, just for pinch hitting, in the Reds round 2 victory over the '41 Yanks. He singles to right -- Geronimo is waved home -- Metheny throws home - Dickey applies the tag...
Safe
Yankees 8
Reds 9
WP McEnaney
LP Turner
5 Yankee errors are the story here; New York with the big 9th inning comeback, but still they lose in 10 - and Terry Crowley, one more time, comes through for the Reds.
Rose 2x/triple
Morgan 3x, 3 steals
Bench 1x
Foster 2x
Griffey 1x
Geronimo 1x/double
Concepcion 2x
Crowley 1x, game winner.
Gordon 1x/HR
Dickey 4x/HR
Keller 3x
Etten 3x/2 doubles
Johnson 2x/double
Lindell 2x
Metheny 1x
Stirnweiss 1x
Weatherly 1x/HR
LF Keller (26) (LH) 168 6.5
C Dickey (36) (LH) 173 4
1B Etten (29) (LH) 125 2.2
2B Gordon (28) 126 6.1
RF Metheny (28) (LH) 112 .7
CF Weatherly (28) (LH) 103 .7
3B Johnson (24) 107 3.5
SS Stirnweiss (24) 82 1.3
SP2 Bonham (29) 142 4.6
3B Rose (34) (SH) 133 4.5
2B Morgan (31) (LH) 169 10.7
C Bench (27) 140 6.8
LF Foster (26) 139 4.8
RF Griffey (25) (LH) 119 2.1
1B Perez (33) 124 3.3
CF Geronimo (27) (LH) 90 3.8
SS Concepcion (27) 88 4.5
SP2 Nolan (27) 114 3.2
GAME TWO
1st: Gary Nolan stands on the Riverfront mound looking to put the Reds home 2-0; 27 year old RH, 15-9, 3.16. It's his 7th big league year, he led the league in walks/9. He got two World Series starts this year and had a 6 ERA. He gives up a triple to Charlie Keller, he's 26, he's an All Star in his 5th big league season. He misses next year for the War. This year he led the league in walks, OPS, OPS+. Dickey walks, he's reached 5 times - Nick Etten hits into a double play, that scores a run. Yankees 1 Reds 0
1st: 29 year old RH Tiny Bonham is going for Joe McCarthy's Yankees. 15-8, 2.27. Bonham's an All Star in his 4th season. It's the second best year he'll ever have. He started once in this World Series, went 8, gave up 4 earned including 2 homers. Morgan walks with one out, that's all.
2nd: Bud Metheny doubles, he's a 28 year old rookie, it's his only above average big league season and he's out of the league not after the end of the War. Nolan gets 2 - then Stuffy Stirnweiss doubles and the Yanks have another run. Yankees 2 Reds 0
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Keller walks, that's all.
3rd: 1-2-3, good start for Bonham, 8 straight retired.
4th: Gordon walks, that's all.
4th: Joe Morgan singles, it's the first Reds hit. Bonham gets two and then Ken Griffey triples to give the Reds a run. Griffey's 25, it's his 3rd season, he'll spend 5 years with the Yankees in the 80s, he hit .269 in the '75 Series. Yankees 2 Reds 1
5th: 1-2-3, Nolan hasn't allowed a hit since the 2nd.
5th: Cesar Geronimo singles. He's 27, in his 7th season, he won his 2nd straight Gold Glove. He hit .280 in the Series. Concepcion singles and the Reds have them on the corners. Bonham gets a Nolan double play but that scores the tying run. Rose doubles, Morgan then walks -- Bonham wanted nothing to do with the NL MVP in that spot -- but that's a mistake; Johnny Bench launches a 3 run homer and now the Reds are up 5-2. Bench was co-MVP of the round 2 win; he's 27, in his 9th season, it's his second straight 4th place MVP finish, 8th straight All Star apperance, 8th straight Gold Glove. He struggled in the '75 Series, hitting .207. 30 year old RH Bill Zuber is the new Yankee pitcher, 3.89, he ends it. Yankees 2 Reds 5
6th: 1-2-3, 8 straight from Nolan and the Reds have grabbed hold of this one.
6th: Griffey singles. He was MVP in Round 1 for this club. Perez singles. Perez is 33, in his 12th season, he's an All Star for the 6th time. He struggled in the World Series, hit .179. Zuber gets an out, then Concepcion singles home a run. Johnny Murphy enters for New York - gets the second out then gives up a run scoring single to Rose, the World Series MVP and the Reds are rolling. Yankees 2 Reds 7
7th: Gordon walks. Metheny singles Just the 4th Yankee hit today. Nolan escapes.
7th: This sold out crowd does not expect to see another home game until Game 1 of the Regional Final; 1-2-3
8th: Will McEnaney won game 1 out of the pen and Sparky calls on him here. 1-2-3.
8th: The 23 year old lefty Tommy Byrne enters, he's got a 6.54 ERA - he gets 2, walks Concepcion, and ends the inning.
9th: After an out - Joe Gordon homers - his second homer of the series. Sparky brings on Pedro Borbon, he's a 28 year old RH with a 2.95 ERA and he ends the game.
Yankees 3
Reds 7
WP Nolan
LP Bonham
7 strong for Nolan, the big 3 run homer from Bench and the heavily favored Reds take both games at home.
Rose 4x/triple, double
Morgan 6x, 3 steals
Bench 2x/3 run HR
Foster 2x
Griffey 3x/triple
Perez 1x
Geronimo 2x/double
Concepcion 5x
Crowley 1x, game winner.
Gordon 4x/2HR
Dickey 5x/HR
Keller 5x/triple
Etten 3x/2 doubles
Johnson 2x/double
Lindell 2x
Metheny 3x/double
Stirnweiss 2x
Weatherly 1x/HR
3B Rose (34) (SH) 133 4.5
2B Morgan (31) (LH) 169 10.7
C Bench (27) 140 6.8
LF Foster (26) 139 4.8
1B Driessen (23) (LH) 125
RF Griffey (25) (LH) 119 2.1
CF Geronimo (27) (LH) 90 3.8
SS Concepcion (27) 88 4.5
SP3 Darcy (25) 101 .4
LF Keller (26) (LH) 168 6.5
C Dickey (36) (LH) 173 4
1B Etten (29) (LH) 125 2.2
2B Gordon (28) 126 6.1
RF Metheny (28) (LH) 112 .7
CF Weatherly (28) (LH) 103 .7
3B Johnson (24) 107 3.5
SS Crosetti (32) 74
SP3 Borowy (27) 115 1.1
GAME THREE
1st: Hank Borowry was MVP of the Yankees round 1 win; 27 year old RH, 14-9, 2.82. He's in his second season, a year away from his only All Star selection, two years away from a top 10 MVP finish. He started once in the '43 World Series and he won, 8 innings, 2 earned. He gives up a one out Morgan single, Morgan's reached 7 times - but that's all.
1st: 25 year old RH Pat Darcy is going for the Reds sweep today. 11-5, 3.58. This is a second year of a 3 year big league career - Darcy retired with 28 career starts and 22 of them were in '75. He threw 4 innings in the '75 Series and gave up 2 earned. Nick Etten walks with 2 out, that's all.
2nd: Dan Driessen walks with one out - Perez is on the bench today, Driessen getting a shot against all these right handed Yankee arms. Driessen's 23, third year in the bigs. He was 0-2 in the '75 Series. Griffey singles and the Reds have them on the corners. Geronimo grounds to the right side and the Reds plate the first run. Reds 1 Yankees 0
2nd: Ron Weatherly walks, Billy Johnson singles - he's a 24 year old rookie and finished 4th in the MVP. Strong series, he hit .300. Darcy stifles them though - holding onto that lead.
3rd: Darcy singles, he had 4 hits all year. Borowy gets two - but here comes the game 2 hero Bench, he doubles down the line to score the run Reds 2 Yankees 0
3rd: Keller walks and out later Nick Etten walks. Etten was Yanks MVP in the prior round; he's 29, 5th year in the bigs, first in New York, he was 7th this year in the AL MVP. Really bad World Series, hit .105, just walked once and it's the only postseason action he'd ever see. Again, Darcy escapes.
4th: 1-2-3
4th: Johnson singles with one out - that's all.
5th: 1-2-3
5th: Keller walks with one out - that's it.
6th: Bench singles with one out - that's all. Quiet bats today - but the Yanks can't afford a long slumber.
6th: Sparky goes to the pen for Will McEnaney, Darcy has a shutout, but Sparky is looking to end this series right now 1-2-3
7th: 1-2-3, Borowy really strong today, but will it be just short?
7th: 1-2-3, Yanks have just 2 hits.
8th: Rose singles with one away, but that's all.
8th: McEnaney walks Keller and that brings on Pedro Borbon - Reds 6 outs from the series sweep. He ends the inning.
9th: Borowy gets 2 - then Ken Griffey homers to right center -- that could be the insurance - celebration in the Reds dugout - this Reds team appears to be on their way to the Regional Final to meet the '77 Yankees. Geronimo singles, that's where it ends. Reds 3 Yankees 0
9th: Rawly Eastwick takes the ball looking to end the series.
He strikes out Gordon.
Metheny flies to Geronimo.
Weatherly grounds to Driessen...he's going to take it to the bag himself and it is done.
Reds 3
Yankees 0
WP Darcy
LP Borowy
4 Reds pitchers combine on a 2 hitter and the Reds sweep the Yankees.
Rose 5x/triple, double
Morgan 7x, 3 steals
Bench 4x/3 run HR, double
Griffey 5x/triple, HR
Crowley 1x, game winner.
MVP is tough - Bench won game 2, Crowley's hit won game 1 but Morgan really set the tone - today was all about Reds pitching and McEnaney is worth considering for the work he did throughout the series. We'll say its Bench - the 3 run homer is the big blow of the series and he added that run scoring double today.
And so - we reach the end of Region 1.
The 1977 Yankees will take on the 1975 Reds - winner advances to the final 8 -- the final 8! - of the tournament.
