October 10-15, 2001 In a rematch of the previous year's ALDS, the Yankees rallied from a 2-0 series deficit to once again defeat the Athletics in five games, returning to the ALCS for the fifth time in the past six seasons Thanks @espn
This was the Yankees dynasty most impressive series win....even more than the Braves in 1996. The 2001 A's were nasty. Nasty. A better team than the 96 Braves. 3 great starters, an MVP in Giambi who at the time was the best hitter outside of Bonds, with a solid patient lineup.
Been an A's fan since 1987 (or I should say WAS, can't support the current carpetbagging owner). Most disappointing series I have ever experienced, even more so than the World Series losses. And believe me, there have been a LOT of disappointing series with this franchise in that time
Yup, airmailed it over Tino. I believe Shane's career ended when he was caught publicly urinating with a teammate a few years later. Fitting for a guy who was only really good for one month in 1998. He pissed away his career lol.
In all fairness given the pressure of the moment... The post season on the line only one loss away from elimination just weeks after 9/11... Chasing a well hit ball into the corner at Oakland of all places with a ridiculous amount of fowl territory... Then throwing it back as fast as he possibly could knowing the tying run was about to score... considering all that he didn't really miss Tino that badly. Always seen that play as a Jeter highlight more than a Spencer "Low light". O'Neill once in the subway series I believe really air mailed Knoblach and the ball landed in the opposing dug out. Bad throws happen but Spencer's wasn't really that bad all things considered. I'm wasn't a big Spencer fan back then but never heard of that incident your talking about. Have to look it up now. I'm pretty sure around the time Matsui signed with the Yankees Spencer signed a NPB contract and spent a few years playing in Japan before the official end of his career. I think he even played very well over there for a stretch before fizzling out similar to his MLB career. That was the last I ever heard of him.
Game 3 was one of the best games I ever saw Mussina pitch. As a Yankees fan, I was very doubtful since the A's got to both Pettite and Clemens. That A's lineup was absolutely stacked and Mussina held them at bay for 7 innings. What a performance!
To be fair A's didn't really hit Pettitte since they score just two runs, the Yankees were shut down in Game 2. Not much could have been done at the time and how the offense were in Game 3 weren't much different.
Last time Mike Mussina pitched in October, he was on the wrong end of a 1-0 playoff game (1997 ALDS G6 vs Cleveland). This time, he comes out on the winning side.
Oakland for a change of pace in the Big 3 era went with their 4th starter in a short series….. but even the white hot Cory Lidle couldn’t silence a team that has not experienced big game defeat save for a few bad innings 5 yrs ago against Cleveland.
The hottest team after the All Star break since the 1954 Indians, 67-20 since late June…. and somehow those old Yanks still found another way to find a way.
1999-2006 was a successful era for Oakland, but always ended in heartbreak, with either stumbling in September and missing the postseason (1999, 2004, 2005), or getting eliminated in the Division Series first round (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003). And when they finally broke the division series curse in 2006, they then go on to get swept by Detroit in the ALCS. If they hadnt gotten swept by Detroit, then maybe 2006 would have been remembered more positively in this era.
The worst was the 2002 Twins. They were SO much better than that team and would've been nice to see them against Angels in the true battle of the AL west. If Koch didn't choke miserably in the 9th, might've came back to win that game 5. Then they beat the far superior Twins team in 2006, go figure...
The dynasty Yanks won 11 postseason series in a row (were a bad inning away from 12) an absolutely "impossible" feat that no one will ever come anywhere close to again. Since then, the most is 4 in row, by four different teams. Houston twice, Texas last year, the Redsox in 2007-2008., and the Yanks in 2009-2010. And before then, the most was 6 in a row by the Oakland three peat in the 1970s. The Yankee dynasties of the 30s only played one postseason series, so they won 4 in a row, and the 1949 to 1953 squad won 5 in a row. As time passes, it becomes more clear that what the Torre Yankees did was so odds defying and special. You will never see anything like it again.
If you were going to make out a list of teams that could dethrone the Yankees, my Oakland A's have to be at the top of the list. Even though we had to settle for the Wild Card, we did go 102-60 on the season, 67-20 since late June, and we have a loaded staff and a potent offense. We were ready to give the New York Yankees (95-65, 13 game margin to win the AL East) a run for it. In Game 1 at the Bronx, Mark Mulder was superb, allowing only one run in his 7 innings of work. Terrence Long hit two home runs and Jason Giambi also went yard as my A's won, 5-3. Then, the next night, Tim Hudson's sinker kept the Yankees' bats at bay with 8 shutout frames. Ron Gant's 4th inning home run off Andy Pettitte was all we needed in a 2-0 A's victory. Now, we were up two games to none and headed home to Oakland, where the A's had won 16 straight at the Coliseum. On a warm 89 degree late afternoon, I went to Game 3 with my father and twin brother, anticipating a potential changing of the guard. Especially with Barry Zito going for the Green and Gold. And Zito allowed only one run on two hits in his 8 innings of work. Jorge Posada's 5th inning blast was the only offense the Yankees could muster. But Mike Mussina, the Yanks' most effective starter in 2001, kept the A's bats cold for 6 2/3 innings. Then, Jeremy Giambi singled. Terrence Long then hit one down the right field line that looked like it would tie the game. Especially when Shane Spencer overthrew the ball over the two cutoff men in Soriano and Tino. But Derek Jeter came swooping in like a Michigan quarterback, corralled the ball, and threw a shuffle pass to Jorge Posada to tag Je. Giambi on the foot before he could touch the plate. Mariano Rivera came on in the 8th and threw two scoreless innings to seal the Yankees' 1-0 win. Although we still led the series two games to one, the atmosphere leaving the Coliseum was almost funerial. Not one word was spoken among the crowd leaving the park, and I don't think any of us spoke at all the entire ride home. In Game 4, everything that could go wrong for the A's did go wrong. Key errors, misplayed fly balls and every break going the Yankees' way led to a 9-2 Yankees win to send it back to the Bronx. The nightmare game went on seemingly forever as it lasted over 4 hours. Even worse, Jermaine Dye fractured his leg on a foul ball in the third, which would sideline him for the rest of the season. For the Yankees, it was a short and happy flight back to New York. At the Bronx for Game 5, we jumped to a 2-0 lead early. But the Yankees quickly tied it. Then in the third, a wild throw on a third strike, a walk and an error led to a Yanks' run. Despite four hits from Jason Giambi, the Yankees won the ball game, 5-3. And with it, the Yanks became the first team ever to drop the first two games of a best-of-5 series at home and came back to win the series. It was on to Seattle for Joe Torre and his resilient Yankees. As for me, after the game, I broke down, tearing my room apart and being in tears. At that point, if my A's couldn't beat the Yankees, I was beginning to wonder if ANYONE was ever going to beat the Yankees in October ever again. It was the Yanks' 10th straight postseason series' win after all and 13 of their last 14, and now were eyeing a fourth straight title.
Oakland’s amazing offense just disappeared after game 1. In games 2, 3, 4, 5, Oakland scored zero to three runs; THAT IS BAD , considering that power lineup of theirs. And my goodness, did that game 3 changed everything. Oakland HAD NO BUSINESS losing that game 3, with the way that Zito was pitching, especially with the Yankees having lost the first two games at home. Just like in 2000, Oakland should be ashamed of themselves for not beating the Yankees in 2001. For the second consecutive season, we are denied an all AL-WEST-ALCS And I still say that Hudson should have started game 5 (given, Mulder is a stud who can shut-out any team) As for Oakland, three major huge losses in the offseason, as they have lost their stud clean-up hitter Giambi, their stud lead-off-man Damon, and their stud closer Isrinhausen.
I had to take a drive after that game to clear my mind. I had a classic car with a wooden steering wheel. I pounded on it so hard out of frustration that I broke it
The A's were LOADED that year. Had one of the best second halves of the season in MLB history. Just wet the bed over and over the final three games of the series
Jason Giambi will be a free agent in the offseason and he will sign with the Yankees Johnny Damon will be a free agent in the offseason and he will sign with the RSOX Jason Ishrinhausen will be a free agent in the offseason and he will sign with the Cardinals
As for the Yankees, Clemens lost his third consecutive game in that game 1 against Oakland and he was bad in game 5; Clemens might have started 20-1, but I thrust Mussina, Pettite, and El Duque more than Clemens. Clemens has now looked bad in his last 4 starts (two against Tampa and two against Oakland in the division series).
39 years old? Dude pitched nearly 5000 innings, and basically, the only arm trouble he ever had was that historic Dr Andrew's shoulder surgery (one of his 1st big athlete surgeries) in 1985. So while his arm held up forever, post age 35 Clemens had a ton of issues with groin and hammy. Went on the 15 day DL a few times, missed starts, and like we watched here he was rendered rather ineffective sometimes when he tried grinding it out.
Why was Game 5 in NY? Oakland had a better record. And I thought 5 game series were 2-3 back then not 2-2-1. The 1995 LDS was 2 in NY, 3 in the Kingdome.
Oakland got him in a big trade with the Royals and the Rays after the 2000 season. Damon was with the Royals Damon only played this 2001 season with the Athletics
After falling behind 2-0, the Yankees rally to keep the hopes of the New Yorkers alive. This was on the strength of their bats and two of the most incredible defensive plays you'll ever see, both delivered by Derek Jeter.
