Mariners/Yankees...game 5...

[kerssens]

....from 1995 ALDS in the Kingdome is replaying on Fox Sports NW. Best game I've ever seen. I was 17 and watching it in a bowling alley bar. Probably the only Yankees playoff game to be seen this year.

[Voltron87]

That is my first specific game baseball memory. I cried.

[hoopsie44]

Great game. As I recall, Showalter had lost complete faith in John Wetteland and didn't even use him in relief.Jack McDowall I know pitched late inning relief and possibly Cone. Next year, 1996, Wetteland is World Series MVP.

[kerssens]

[ QUOTE ]
Great game. As I recall, Showalter had lost complete faith in John Wetteland and didn't even use him in relief.Jack McDowall I know pitched late inning relief and possibly Cone. Next year, 1996, Wetteland is World Series MVP.

[/ QUOTE ]

McDowell and Randy Johnson each pitched on two days rest in extra innings...I was a senior in high school and my literature teacher showed the bottom of the 12th the next day and tried to relate it to literature.

Cone started against Andy Benes.

[Voltron87]

I dont remember crap about this game. I wasn't even in the double digits agewise. I just remember the mariners guy getting a hit and the other two running home and us losing. The mariners all ran onto the field and I ran into my room to cry.

[kerssens]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont remember crap about this game. I wasn't even in the double digits agewise. I just remember the mariners guy getting a hit and the other two running home and us losing. The mariners all ran onto the field and I ran into my room to cry.

[/ QUOTE ]

The Mariners are hyping the hell out of the '95 season this year. The good thing for you is that this led to Joe Torre being hired. An interesting part of the broadcast is when they get down to the bench and Musberger starts talking about guys that are sitting on the bench but will be heard from in '96. Jeter and Posada for the Yankees and A-rod (who was on deck when Edgar doubled to end the game) for the M's.

[kerssens]

Surprise surprise...Buhner strikes out with two on and no outs in the 2nd. /images/graemlins/mad.gif I repeat /images/graemlins/mad.gif

[hoopsie44]

Another great Yankee trade: Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps.

[andyfox]

Even as a Yankee fan who had been waiting 14 years for them to make the play-offs and had to endure a painful two games to none come from ahead loss, I have to admit that it was indeed one of the greatest games ever played.

Showalter blew that game, first by staying with Cone too long, when Cone himself knew he had no fastball and wouldn't throw it with the bases loaded, wlaking in the tieing run (Showalter didn't trust the young Mariano Rivera, finally bringing him in when Cone could barely get the ball to the plate), and then by not trusting his closer, John Wetteland, who had gotten hit the day before, instead opting for Jack MacDowell.

[kerssens]

Its just in the bottom of the 8th....Griffey just homered to bring Seattle to within 1 and Cone is about to load the bases and eventually walk Doug Strange to force in the tieing run.

[Josh W]

Yes, it was an amazing game. A lot of people forgot that Randy Johnson was actually in line to lose the game, as he gave up a run in the top half of the 10th (11th?) inning...the M's needed two to win. It all started with a Joey Cora drag bunt, if I remember right.

Refuse to Lose, baby.

Not only was it a great game, but the best playoff series (except the last two Boston/NYY) series I've ever seen...Leyritz walkoff HR in the 15th, Edgars 8 RBI game, Griffey making the leap...

(this was all from memory...I may have something wrong...maybe it was 14th inning, I just know I got a 'bedtime exemption' to watch the end of the game...Gar may have only had 7 ribbies).

My Oh My.

Then Bob friggin Walcott started game 1 vs cleveland....

Josh

[kerssens]

Young Alex Rodriguez in to pinch run for Tino Martinez.

[tolbiny]

"Then Bob friggin Walcott started game 1 vs cleveland...."

Ahhhhh- the 1995 cleveland indians.

That was a beautiful team.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I got goosebumps watching the bottom of the 11th. Still the best game I have ever been too.

[Josh W]

I get goosebumps THINKING about the game.

Last October, when we started getting serious, I talked to my girlfriend about the history of the NYY/BOS rivalry. Then, last week, I discussed the finer points of NBA championships.

I think that we may be getting close enough to each other that I can start to explain to her why the words "Edgar Martinez" and "Dave Niehaus" are going to appear in our wedding vows...

Josh

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
I think that we may be getting close enough to each other that I can start to explain to her why the words "Edgar Martinez" and "Dave Niehaus" are going to appear in our wedding vows...

[/ QUOTE ] OMG, this is funny. Good luck man.

[andyfox]

Can you figure out why in the world Showalter let Cone throw so many pitches with absolutely nothing left? If he didn't trust a kid pitcher coming in with a one-run lead and the bases loaded, how could he trust him coming in with the score tied and the bases loaded?

[ThaSaltCracka]

I had forgotten just how many Cone pitched, wow, it was 150ish. Amazing.

[Emmitt2222]

Oh man this game was amazing. Plus that brings me back to that Angels/Mariners playoff tiebreaker game with that superb pitching performance by Randy. Good gosh, that was our year... well except for the lack of penant.

[andyfox]

Yup, Tino was slow even then.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh man this game was amazing. Plus that brings me back to that Angels/Mariners playoff tiebreaker game with that superb pitching performance by Randy. Good gosh, that was our year... well except for the lack of penant.

[/ QUOTE ]
LUIS SOJO, INSIDE THE PARK HOMERUN(sorta)

You from Seattle?

[andyfox]

When Valentine stayed with Leiter so long against the Yankees in the subway World Series, Leiter was still throwing well. But Cone absolutely refused to throw a fastball because he knew he didn't have anything left. Foolish. The mark of a scared manager. See Grady Chicken-little.

[ThaSaltCracka]

yeah, he blew it. But hey, it produced one of the best MLB playoff games of all time. Plus, Torre showed up a year later, and the rest is history.

[Josh W]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oh man this game was amazing. Plus that brings me back to that Angels/Mariners playoff tiebreaker game with that superb pitching performance by Randy. Good gosh, that was our year... well except for the lack of penant.

[/ QUOTE ]
LUIS SOJO, INSIDE THE PARK HOMERUN(sorta)

You from Seattle?

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean inside the park grandslam!!!

After the game, when the team ran on the field and the Units shoulder was wrapped heavily...that was awesome. Then, he was walking off the field with Buhner escorting him.

And it happened against the guy he was traded for...Langston. Weren't they like 13 back on August 21st? They made a few moves to hopefully get the wildcard slot, and I remember Buhner saying "Nah, we're gonna win the division".

In one postgame interview with Bone, he had an autographed bat he was going to give to "Dave the Beer guy" who was like a cheerleader in right field.

I know he struck out a lot and grounded into many double plays, but Jay had good (not amazing) seasons and was a crucial part of that team.

Josh

[Emmitt2222]

[ QUOTE ]

I know he struck out a lot and grounded into many double plays, but Jay had good (not amazing) seasons and was a crucial part of that team.



[/ QUOTE ]

Despite the fact that half of my memories are of him striking out, I would take a man with that sort of character over most the joe-shmoe slightly-above-average players today.

TSC, I am from NJ. When I was 7 or 8 I needed to pick a team to root for. I didn't pick the home teams because that wasn't orginal enough so I picked the Mariners. I was thinking about becoming a marine biologist so their name was cool and I really liked their colors. Once I pick a team they are my team. I will make it out to see a home game some day in my lifetime.

[ripdog]

I watched it until I had to put my kid down for bedtime--great game. When Cone was about to walk in the tying run, I saw one of my once-close friends on the tube putting the hex on him. Brought me all the way back to 1995 when I was only 29 years old and had the rest of my life ahead of me.

[plaster8]

[ QUOTE ]
Once I pick a team they are my team. I will make it out to see a home game some day in my lifetime.

[/ QUOTE ]

You NEED to get to Safeco. Great place to see a ballgame.

[Josh W]

This is a big reason why I say the 95 Mariners were so important. If they don't make the playoffs, they don't get a new stadium, they move.

I can't think of any other team (year/franchise) that saved a sport in a city like the 95 Ms


J

[andyfox]

All this Mariner celebration over minor victories makes me realize how lucky I am to have been a Yankee fan. No disrespect intended, but the Mariners haven't even made it to the World Series, despite a year where they won 116 games, and the great games you Mariners fans are talking about, while wonderfully exhilirating victories, ended up in defeat. It's all about pennants and World Series.

Of which, of course, there will be none for either Yankees or Mariners fans this year.

[kerssens]

[ QUOTE ]
All this Mariner celebration over minor victories makes me realize how lucky I am to have been a Yankee fan. No disrespect intended, but the Mariners haven't even made it to the World Series, despite a year where they won 116 games, and the great games you Mariners fans are talking about, while wonderfully exhilirating victories, ended up in defeat. It's all about pennants and World Series.

Of which, of course, there will be none for either Yankees or Mariners fans this year.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you to a point. The victories in '95 would have been that much sweeter had it eventually led to a World Series but I had grown up watching a franchise that wasn't just bad, they were the worst in baseball and possibly the worst franchise in sports. I remember being at the game in '91 when they clinched their first .500 season, 15 years after their inception! The '95 season let a lot of baseball fans blow off a lot of steam and finally celebrate and they've been competitive (more or less) since. Also led to Safeco Field, which is my favorite place in Seattle and one of the best stadiums in country.

[Josh W]

I concur with what Kerssens says. I mean, in a nutshell, we've had lower expectations. In 1991, when the M's were flirting with .500 ball, it was genuine excitement.

Andy, are you excited that the Yankees are flirting with a .500 season? Of course not.

Funny thing was, in '95, after they lost to Cleveland in 6....nobody in Seattle was disappointed. A teacher of mine was at the game, and he was soooo tired the next day because the Kingdome was overflowing with energy. Nobody left the game for over an hour after it ended. The M's came out as to a curtain call then went back in the dugout. Wash Rinse Repeat.

In short, the season didn't end in loss.

Josh

[andyfox]

Kerssens and you make good points.

[wayabvpar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
All this Mariner celebration over minor victories makes me realize how lucky I am to have been a Yankee fan. No disrespect intended, but the Mariners haven't even made it to the World Series, despite a year where they won 116 games, and the great games you Mariners fans are talking about, while wonderfully exhilirating victories, ended up in defeat. It's all about pennants and World Series.

Of which, of course, there will be none for either Yankees or Mariners fans this year.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you to a point. The victories in '95 would have been that much sweeter had it eventually led to a World Series but I had grown up watching a franchise that wasn't just bad, they were the worst in baseball and possibly the worst franchise in sports. I remember being at the game in '91 when they clinched their first .500 season, 15 years after their inception! The '95 season let a lot of baseball fans blow off a lot of steam and finally celebrate and they've been competitive (more or less) since. Also led to Safeco Field, which is my favorite place in Seattle and one of the best stadiums in country.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. I grew up with the Mariners. I saw Rupert Jones play. I was excited when they signed washed up vets like Willie Horton, Richie Zisk, Gorman Thomas, and Gaylord Perry. I remember when Tom Paciorek beat the Yankees 2 nights in a row with 9th inning homers (I was AT the first game!).

I suffered for almost 20 years before the 1995 season. Winning that game and series (after being down 0-2) was cathartic and exhilirating. The Mariners had finally grown up and joined the big leagues, and they did it against the most storied franchise in sports.

I had tears in my eyes watching the 11th inning last night. Hell, I am tearing up just writing this.

Sure, it is all about WS titles in the end. But when you are down and out for SO long, this felt like a World Series win. I'll get back to you if they ever actually win one so I can compare.

[andyfox]

Nice post.

[ThaSaltCracka]

The Mariners used to be your illegitimate stupid bastard child that seemed to never get anything right, then starting in 1991, you saw a glimmer of hope, and then they got a new mentor, and things started to change. 1995 they graduated from school, something which seemed impossible 10 years earlier. Next thing you know, that same bastard child was winning awards, beating up bullies, and pulling straight A's. Now we feel like proud parents, knowing that they can be successful with anyone.


1995, Game 5 of the ALDS was the best game I have ever been to or seen, followed closely by the 2003 ALCS. As Wayabvpar said, I too got goosebumps watching that replay last night, and if my roomie hadn't been there, I probably would have cried.

I AM SO PROUD OF YOU SON!!!!!!