Remembering Mussina's Near-Moose
by Andrew GM on Jun 4, 2011 7:03 AM EDT
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I was originally going to type this in a comment on my fanshot regarding no-nos but I decided to just turn it into a fanpost. I can't believe that it's been almost ten years since the Yankees game of September 2, 2001. Mussina's GameScore that night was 98, tied for the best in Yankees history (with Boomer's perfecto and Clemens's 15 K, 1-hit shutout in the 2000 ALCS).
I remember this game so vividly.
2001 was the first year that I really got into baseball. I'd been a Yankees fan before but didn't really watch the game andhad become a little disillusioned by it because I sucked so badly at it. But I finally started watching the games in June and I was hooked.
I was at my cousin's birthday party and I put the game on, because I wasn't about to miss Yankees-Red Sox. It wasn't much of a race down stretch for the division title that year (Yanks were 8 games up at the time) because Nomar, Varitek & Pedro were injured most of 2001 and the Sox actually fired manager Jimy Williams, replacing him with pitching guru and general worm Joe Kerrigan. Mike Mussina was easily becoming my favorite starter on the Yankees, and part of me kind of thought that he was actually having a better season than Clemens (statistically, it would appear I was correct). I followed this game so intently and rarely left my seat except to grab dinner. My cousin had a 9-year old girl cousin on the other side of the family who was just being a giant pain in the ass, running around in front of the TV, trying to change the channel. I was so pissed off at that, and then when we had to leave, we listened to it in the car driving home. Moose was dealing that night, just absolutely filthy. He struck out 13 and just left the Red Sox with no chance. David Cone, now on the Red Sox, was also pitching great, probably in the last good start of his career. He held the Yankees scoreless into the 9th inning, until they FINALLY pushed across a run in support of use in the strangest fashion: Tino single, Posada flyout, O'Neill reaches on error by 2B Lou Merloni (haven't heard that name in years), Clay Bellinger (again, nostalgia!) pinch-runs for Tino on 3rd, ENRIQUE WILSON of all people gets the decisive hit, a double to right to score Clay. Derek Lowe (a relief pitcher then) came on to get the last 2 outs, but there's nothing bad with this Cone start at all.
Mussina kept doing his thing in the 9th, and I finally had gotten home and could watch it on TV. Troy O'Leary pinch-hit for Shea Hillenbrand and flew out. Moose struck out Merloni for his 13th K. I was so keen to see Moose clinch it and to witness a no-hitter. Carl Everett pinch-hit for Joe Oliver, and Moose got him to 2 strikes. Jurassic Carl wasn't doing well in his second season with the Sox, but he was still a good hitter, so I was on my toes. Next pitch- devastation. Everett lined it cleanly into left field in front of Chuck Knoblauch and it was over. Moose just kinda shook his head with a wry smile on the mound and finished his one-hit shutout a batter later on a Trot Nixon groundout. I was so bummed, but I'm happy to report that I had decided to tape the game before going to the party so I have Moose's perfecto on tape! (Which is awesome, because it's never been a Yankees Classic... probably because it was aired on ESPN, maybe there are legal issues). When I get home from down under, I think I'll watch this game again and relive the mastery ten years later. Here's to you, Moose, and one of the best-pitched games in Yankees history.
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Boomers!
It was on my Birthday… and he most likely did it on very little sleep.
Statistics are like a girl in a bikini. They show a lot, but not everything.
I would nominate Pettitte's 8.1 shutout innings in game 5 of the 96 WS
It wasn’t a CG and the peripherals don’t jump off the board, but considering the spot, it was maybe the most locked in I’ve seen a Yankee pitcher.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jun 4, 2011 9:49 AM EDT reply actions
that was a phenomenal game, and if the Yankees had a closer less reliable than John Wetteland in ’96, maybe he finishes the 9th and gets the shutout. (of course one of the reasons the Yanks did so well in ’96 was because they had a reliable closer)
Unless you're a pitcher or Gustavo Molina, kindly SWING THE BAT and ignore the Binder's bunt signal.
That was heartbreaking
He was my favorite pitcher too, and to see him get that close until freaking Carl Everett was just awful. It was a shit hit too. A bloop.
I still believe that if the Yankees actually had a real left fielder out there and not Chuck Knoblauch, that ball is caught. Or at least has a chance of being caught.
"God, I hope I wear this jersey forever."- Derek Jeter
true
If Brett Gardner, for example, is playing left that night, Moose has his perfect game. The second-biggest disappointment of the year.
by long time listener on Jun 4, 2011 7:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I dunno, that ball fell pretty damn quickly. Maybe there’s more of a chance, but I can’t blame someone for not catching that ball.
Unless you're a pitcher or Gustavo Molina, kindly SWING THE BAT and ignore the Binder's bunt signal.
don't interrupt some good Knoblauch hate with a reasonable interpretation of facts
by long time listener on Jun 5, 2011 12:55 AM EDT up reply actions
haha Knoblauch in LF was just so weird too. probably one of the least-productive outfielders in baseball in 2001. Actually looking it up now, by fWAR the Yanks had two of least valuable outfielders in 2001, it’s amazing they got to the World Series:
Roger Cedeno, DET: -0.3
Paul O’Neill, NYY: 0.6
Gabe Kapler, TEX: 0.7
Chuck Knoblauch, NYY: 0.8 (least valuable LF)
It’s only offset a little by Bernie’s team-leading 4.9 WAR and Shane Spencer actually accumulated 1.5 WAR in platoon duty.
Unless you're a pitcher or Gustavo Molina, kindly SWING THE BAT and ignore the Binder's bunt signal.
it feels like they made the World Series with smoke and mirrors in both 2000 and 2001
And yet they came within a couple of outs of winning both years. I believe it was Virgil, or maybe Sophocles, who said it best: “You can’t predict baseball.”
by long time listener on Jun 5, 2011 1:12 AM EDT up reply actions
it also probably helped to have Pettitte and Clemens taking the ball 40% of the time in both those years. Mussina just made them better. A bullpen of Rivera, Stanton & Mendoza also helps (and Nelson in ’00)
Unless you're a pitcher or Gustavo Molina, kindly SWING THE BAT and ignore the Binder's bunt signal.
true
It also helped that Jeter, Bernie and Posada were at their best.
by long time listener on Jun 5, 2011 1:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Now Carl Everett is in jail
and it serves him right, I remember that game like it was yesterday, It’s still a sore spot for me.
Clemens 15 K 1 hitter. If not for the ONE hit everybody here would probably be in complete agreement.
Mussina is my favorite pitcher of the past couple decades, too.
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Writer for Pinstripe Alley, where we may disgust you, anger you, traumatize you, and even make you feel we are absolutely insane, but we will certainly not bore you.
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
how much are those worth?
"Uh yeah, you don't execute down the stretch, you pay for it."- Adam Morrison (aka Greatest Athlete of All Time) giving some of his precious, valuable wisdom.
AMMO still had more rings than LeBron.
Very little
The rate of inflation on this site is huge!
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
@jscape2000
but he doesn’t have teh 300 winzzz!
Unless you're a pitcher or Gustavo Molina, kindly SWING THE BAT and ignore the Binder's bunt signal.
I think he’s got a better shot than Andy Pettitte does, but who knows.
"Nature never intended for you to survive here. But this fall, nature isn't the only thing to fear." September 10, 2011. Alabama vs. Penn State. White House.
by Chris McKeown on Jun 5, 2011 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Its debatable
but i think he gets in. Just my opinion, though.
WHEN YOU DESCRIBE the prototypical NBA center, he is not complete without superlative size, strength and athleticism. He’ll fight for the tough rebounds in the trenches, but is just as quick to burn you with a shot from 15 feet.
Johan Petro possesses all of these skills and more, and at a mere 23 years of age, he bears all the promise of fulfilling his vast potential.
We understand this
but the voters are pretty much clueless when you’re talking WAR. They’ll go by traditional stats, which are good enough to get him in, and, and this should not matter, by his post season performance (or lack thereof).
I bet it's good to be playing again, huh?
Even by traditional stats, he should be in
Like the fact that Mike was one of only like 20 pitchers to be 100 games over .500 for his career, and 17 straight seasons of 11+ wins. The ERA’s high for a HoF’er but the voters should be cognizant of the fact that he played in an era where the only players with the traditionally lower ERAs would be Maddux & Pedro. He ended only 187 K’s from 3000 which would’ve made him automatic. I do hope that they realize how good he was by advanced metrics though, that just clinches his case.
Also Moose was fine in the playoffs. When you start 21 playoff games, you’re bound to have a few clunkers in there, it’s the same type of playoff career Pettitte had (who was supposedly a playoff God). People also seem to forget how awesome he was in the playoffs for the Orioles. Check out his 1997 playoff numbers:
2-0, 4 GS, 29 IP, 1.24 ERA (including 0.60 in the ALCS), 41 K (including LCS record 15 in one start, 5.86 K/BB
He gave the Yanks a quality start in over half of his playoff starts, and that’s not including when he saved their rear in the ’03 ALCS Game 7 relieving Clemens.
Unless you're a pitcher or Gustavo Molina, kindly SWING THE BAT and ignore the Binder's bunt signal.
He should be in
I’ll admit, I was always one of those who felt he was on the fence at best. He wasn’t really overpowering or overwhelming. He didn’t go out of his way to call attention to himself like a Clemens or a Schilling and he was somewhat standoffish. But when you look back at his career objectively, especially considering that he pitched the entirety of it in the AL East, land of small ballparks and big bats, he should definitely get in.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jun 7, 2011 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions
I suppose so
But in terms of value he was well above average for over fifteen years
The level of consistency he performed at was a marvel in itself
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