The 1995 New York Mets were one of the best teams in baseball. Let’s get that out of the way. They won 101 games, finished 2nd in the East, led the league in batting average, slugging, and total runs, and boasted a rotation that featured three 15-game winners and a bullpen with a sub-3.30 ERA. And yet, their season ended short of the World Series. Again. Now, as they enter the offseason, the question isn’t whether the Mets were good. They...
WASHINGTON — Behind another lights-out performance from Andy Pettitte and a clutch pinch-hit by Félix José, the Washington Senators edged the San Francisco Giants 2–1 in Game 5 of the League Championship Series at RFK Stadium. With the win, the Senators now lead the best-of-seven series 3 games to 2, pushing the Giants to the brink of elimination. Pettitte, the 23-year-old lefty, delivered 7 innings of one-run baseball, striking out 8 and...
CINCINNATI — With their backs against the wall and a season on the brink, the Cincinnati Reds turned to Mike Mussina—and the veteran right-hander delivered. Mussina struck out 12 and held the Kansas City Royals to just one run over eight brilliant innings, lifting the Reds to a 3–2 victory in Game 5 of the League Championship Series at Riverfront Stadium. The win cuts Kansas City’s series lead to 3–2 and sends the series back to...
WASHINGTON — The rain fell. The winds blew. But Rafael Palmeiro stayed hot. With a soaked RFK Stadium crowd of 46,102 roaring behind him, Palmeiro went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double to lead the Washington Senators to a 7–3 win over the San Francisco Giants in Game 4 of the League Championship Series. The victory ties the series at 2–2 and guarantees a return trip to San Francisco. Palmeiro Leads the Charge After going hitless in...
CINCINNATI — One swing from Orlando Merced may have ended the Cincinnati Reds’ season. With the Royals already leading 5–1 in the seventh, Merced stepped to the plate with the bases loaded—and launched a grand slam into the chilly October night at Riverfront Stadium. It was his second homer of the game and capped a five-run inning that silenced the home crowd and put Kansas City up 10–1. Final score: Royals 10, Reds 2. The win gives...
The 1995 San Diego Padres finished a forgettable season at 79–83, good for fourth place in the UL West and 14 games back of the division-winning Giants. But don’t let the sub-.500 record fool you—there are reasons for optimism in San Diego. With an offense still struggling to find its identity and a bullpen that quietly became one of the best in the league, the Padres head into the offseason needing to sharpen their rotation, reinforce...
WASHINGTON — Carl Everett brought the fireworks, but the San Francisco Giants walked away with the win. Despite a grand slam from Everett that sparked a five-run fifth inning, the Washington Senators came up just short in a 7–6 loss in Game 3 of the United League Championship Series. With the win, San Francisco takes a 2–1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Back-and-Forth Battle The Giants jumped out to a 4–0 lead by the middle of the...
Riverfront Stadium shook with renewed energy on Monday night as the Cincinnati Reds clawed their way back into the League Championship Series. Trailing the series 2–0, the Reds leaned on Omar Vizquel’s all-around brilliance and a late offensive surge to power past the Kansas City Royals 9–5 in Game 3. Vizquel, who entered the game hitting .333 in the postseason, turned in one of the finest performances of his Reds tenure. He went 3-for-4...
Offseason Preview Series – Part 2 of 24 The 1995 Minnesota Twins finished the season 77–85 — just good enough to convince nobody of anything. Not quite contenders, not quite rebuilders, and definitely not inspiring confidence among fans. After years of treading water, the front office enters the winter needing to decide: Is it time to push chips in… or start over? Bright Spots: Who’s Worth Keeping? Despite the murky identity, there...
Royals Stadium was rocking on Saturday night, and for good reason — Kansas City turned Game 2 of the League Championship Series into a statement. With Barry Larkin setting the tone on both sides of the ball, the Royals dismantled the Cincinnati Reds 11–0 to take a commanding 2–0 lead in the best-of-seven showdown. Larkin put on a clinic, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two singles, three runs scored, and three driven in. He set the table,...