Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - A Classic Fall Classic: 1990

Episode Date: November 16, 2020

The 1990 World Series featured two teams who had very different seasons the year before. The Oakland Athletics won the World Series, and had also been in the 1988 Fall Classic. The Cincinnati Reds, meanwhile, finished 5th in the National League West the year before and had a brand new manager, Lou PIniella. The A's were heavily favored, and many experts predicted an Oakland sweep. The Reds would surprise the world, however. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Here's your host, D.C. Lundberg. Thank you very much, Joey Martin. It is Monday morning, and I think this is the first time in about five weeks that I'm actually publishing a show on time. I am D.C. Lundberg, and this is Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on podcast network, or T-L-O-P-N for short or for even shorter Tlopin. Follow us on Twitter. It's L-O-U-U-Sore Mariners. that yet. I'm supposed to say to download rate and subscribe to this program on whichever

podcasting, yep, that you personally care to use. Ask your smart device to play Locked-on Mariners podcast or any program here on Tloppin. Now is when I say to follow this program on Twitter at L-O-U-U-N-Sore Mariners. Follow me on Twitter. It's D.C. underscore Lundberg, L-U-N-D-B-E-R-G, if you're scoring at home. We are going to go back to talking about classic world series today on Locked-on Mariners, and I tease at the end of last. last stuff program that I was thinking about doing 1990 next, and that is exactly what we are going to talk about today. Admittedly, not the most exciting of World Series, as a matter of fact, it was a four-game

sweep, but it was very interesting because of its improbability. The participants were the Oakland Athletics who were in their third straight world series and considered by most to be the best team by far in Major League Baseball. They won the 1989 series in a four-game sweep against the San Francisco Giants, the famous earthquake series. The Cincinnati Reds, on the other hand, took a completely different path. In 1989, they finished fifth in the National League West with a 75 and 87 record. That season was marred by the banishment of their manager Pete Rose after 125 games. Rose had led them to a 59 and 66 record at the time of his banishment, and Tommy Helms skippered the

remaining games to a 16 and 21 record. They also did not have the most talent in the world, but they had, they were kind of like the Minnesota Twins of 1987 and 1991, who we talked about earlier. A solid team with a pretty good core led by future Hall of Famer, Barry Larkin. Their starting pitching was okay, nothing to write home about, but man, the back of that bullpen was something special. The nasty boys, Randy Myers, Rob Dibble, and Norm Charlton anchoring the back of the bullpen was a huge weapon for first year skipper Lou Penella.

Yes, this was Lou Panella's first year managing the Cincinnati Reds, and he had been hired to take them to the postseason. The Oakland Athletics had to play the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championships series this year, and by most accounts, it was pretty much no contest. Oakland steamrolled them in a four-game sweep with the ALCS MVP being dead. Dave Stewart. The National League Championship Series was pretty exciting. The Pittsburgh Pirates were in it, and this was the first of three seasons, which they would reach the National League Championship Series. These were very good Pittsburgh Pirates teams, ladies and gentlemen, even though they never made

the World Series. They kept just coming up short, and their window was a short one, as this was not a team with a lot of money, and Barry Bonds, their big star, was to be a free agent after the 1992 season and Bobby Bonilla left after the 1991 season. Not only that, Sid Breen left is a free agent after this season going to the Atlanta Braves. The Reds beat Pittsburgh in six games, four games to two in the National League Championship series, with the co-MvPs being two of the nasty boys, Rob Dibble and Randy Myers. That sets up this world series. Game one took place on October 16th, 1989, in River.

front stadium in Cincinnati, and Cincinnati made a statement early. Eric Davis belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Billy Hatcher ahead of him. Billy Hatcher is the Cincinnati number two place hitter, and he reached with a walk. Cincinnati would score two more runs in the third inning, an RBI double by Hatcher and an RBI ground out by Paul O'Neill. The Reds would extend their lead even further in the fifth inning. Derek Davis, once again, an RBI single to score, Hatcher, and Chris Sabo with a two-run single.

That brought the score to 7-0, which wound up being the final. The powerful Oakland offense was shut out by Jose Reho, Rob Dibble, and Randy Myers. Rejo pitched seven innings and allowed seven hits, no runs, obviously, two walks and five strikeouts. Rob Dibble and Randy Myers pitched a scoreless inning apiece. Dave Stewart, the usually invincible. Dave Stewart in the postseason did not have it this day. Four innings, three hits, four runs, three of them earned. He walked four, that's unusual for him, three strikeouts, and that home run. Todd Burns pitched two-thirds of an inning and allowed the other three Cincinnati runs. Gene Nelson,

Scott Sanderson, and Dennis Eckersley also working in that game for the Oakland Athletics. Game two would take place the very next day, still in Cincinnati. This was a much closer game, and Oakland was on the board first, an RBI groundout by the powerful Jose Kinseko. Cincinnati would answer back in the bottom of the inning and then some. Billy Hatcher once again, scoring Barry Larkin on an RBI double, and he would later score on an RBI groundout from Eric Davis. 2-1 is the score at this point. Oakland would go ahead in the third inning.

Jose Kinseko would hit a solo home run to tie up the game. Later on in the inning, Mark McGuire, the other back. brother would score on a Ron Hassee sacrifice fly. That gave the Oakland Athletics to lead three to two, and they would extend that lead to four to two in the very same inning with Ricky Henderson scoring on an RBI single from Mike Gallego. Danny Jackson, who had started for the Reds, was done at this point, and he was replaced by Scott Scudder.

The Reds would get one back, Ron Oster pinch hitting for Scott Scudder, in the bottom of the fourth inning. RBI singles in Joe Oliver. The score is now four to three at this point, and the Reds would tie it up in the eighth inning. Billy Hatcher leads off with a triple, which was his seventh World Series hit in seven World Series at-bats. That set a major league record. It was also his eighth consecutive time on base as he had a walk in game one. And his very next played appearance in this game was an intentional walk.

So nine consecutive times reaching base to begin. in a World Series. That is a record that still stands today. In any case, he is on third base to lead off the eighth inning. Next batters Paul O'Neill who walks. Eric Davis then flies out, and Rick Honeycutt comes into the ballgame to face the left-handed hitting Hal Morris, but right-handed hitting Glenn Braggs comes off the bench. He hits into a forceout to retire O'Neill, but Hatcher scores on the play to tie the game at four all. Rob Dibble comes in to pitch the ninth for the Reds, and he does what he did all season. Shut the opponents down this time in one, two, three fashion. And he had to get through Carney Lancford, Jose Kinseko, and Mark

McGuire to do so. Lancford actually led off with a single, but Jose Konseco grounded into a double play before Mark McGuire struck out. Reds do not score in their half of the ninth inning either, meaning game two went extra innings. A's were denied once again in their half of the 10th inning, bottom of the 10th, Eric Davis would lead off for the Reds by grounding out. Billy Bates, pinch hits for the pitcher Rob Dibble. Billy Bates was a reserve infielder known for his speed, not for his bat. He grounds a ball weakly down the third base line, but the fleet-footed bates reaches first base with an infield single.

Chris Sable then singles through the hole at shortstop moving bates along to second base. That brought up Joe Oliver, one out runners on first at second, and remember the runner at second base, can fly. He hits a groundball single of his own. Bates scores on the play with the winning run, five to four final in game two in Cincinnati's favor. They take the first two games of this 1990 World Series, putting them in good position as the series shifts to Oakland. I'll tell you about the remaining games of this World Series on the other side of this break, but right now, I'm going to tell you about Belt Bar. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Belt Bar, if you have not heard me talk about it on this show before, you probably even haven't been listening to

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All this can be found at builtbar.com. If you've got a question or comment, send it on over to Lockdown Mariners at gmail.com, and I'll read it on the air in a future mailbag episode. Questions or comments on any subject are welcome and encouraged. But just remember, it's a family show, so keep your comments and questions appropriate, please. Lockdown Mariners at gmail.com once again is the place to send those emails. This particular program, talking about the 1990 World Series, will continue on the other side of this commercial word. Now back to Lockdown Mariners and your host, D.C. Lundberg.

Thank you, Joey. Lockdown Mariners is back. Time to talk about the remaining games in the 1990 World Series. We've gone through games one and two, both of which were won by the Cincinnati Reds, seven to nothing the final in the first one, five to four in ten innings, the final in the second one. Game three would take place in the Oakland Coliseum on October 19th, and this one really was not much of a contest. Starting pitcher for the A's, Mike Mores, didn't have it.

Two and two-thirds innings, eight hits, six runs. Only two of them were earned, however, and he didn't walk anybody. He did, however, give up two home runs. Reds were first on the board in the second inning, Chris Sabo leading off that inning with a home run. In the bottom of the second inning, the A's would answer right back with a two-run home run by future Hall of Famer, Harold Baines. Top of the third inning, Reds get serious. Barry Larkin leads off by popping out foul to the catch. Billy Hatcher follows with a line drive single through the hole at shortstop.

Paul O'Neill then reaches on an error by first baseman Mark McGuire sending Hatcher to third base. Eric Davis comes up and hits a line drive single to center field, scoring Hatcher and sending O'Neill to third base. Davis would advance to second base on the throw to third. So there is now one out, one in, and runners on second and third base. Next batter, Hal Morris grounds out to the first baseman, but O'Neill scores. on the play to give the Reds a three to two lead. O'Neill's run is unearned and Morris is not credited with an RBI. Next batter, Chris Sabo hits another home run, this one of the two-run variety with Eric Davis

on board. All of these runs from here on out, by the way, are unearned runs. So with four runs in already, Todd Benson, your singles up the middle, and that's when Mike Moore's day ended. Scott Sanderson came in to replace him. but he immediately unleashed a wild pitch, sending Ben Singer to second base, who was driven in by Joe Oliver in that at bat with a double. Next batter was Red's second baseman Mariano Duncan,

who was replacing the injured Bill Doran. He singled up the middle as well to score Joe Oliver. Duncan then stole second base and was driven in by a Barry Larkin triple. Barry Larkin had let off the inning with a pop out to the catcher. Billy Hatcher was the next batter. He ends the inning with the game. ground up. The Reds send 11 men to the plate, plate seven runs, and take an 8 to 2 lead. Leading off the bottom of the inning for the A's, Ricky Henderson hits a home run to bring the

score to 8 to 3, and that winds up being the final score, ladies and gentlemen. Tom Browning started for the Reds did pretty well. Six inning, six hit three runs, all of them earned. Two home runs, two walks, two strikeouts. After Mike Moore's disastrous start, Scott Sanderson pitched two-thirds of an inning. He gave up three hits, two runs. Those were both earned, and he walked two. Joe Clink, Gene Nelson, Todd Burns, and Kurt Young also appearing in the game for the A's. Game 4 would take place the very next day, October 20th, with the A's in danger of being swept. Remember, the A's were very heavily favored and regarded by most as the best team in baseball, and the Reds really were not given much of the shot. As a matter of fact, Oakland was supposed to sweep this

series. Didn't turn out that way, did it? The A's would be on the board first, however, in this game, in the bottom of the first inning, an RBI single by Carney Lanceford, one of the better contact hitters of his era. This would prove to be a great pitcher's duel, as that one-to-nothing score would remain until the eighth inning. Barry Larkin would lead off the top of the eighth with the single through the hole at shortstop. The next batter would be Herm Winningham, and he would bunt out in front of the plate, and, and he would be safe at first base. Winningham could run.

Runners at second and first base, nobody out for Paul O'Neill, one of the better hitters on the Reds, their number three hitter. He would also bunt out in front of the plate, and he would reach base, but this would be a throwing error on the pitcher. Bases loaded now with nobody out,

and that brought up powerful Glenn Braggs, who would ground out to the shortstop. O'Neill would be forced at second base, but the tying run came around to score in Barry Larkin. Runners at the corners, run away, and designated hitter Hal Morris at the plate. He hit a deep fly ball to right field, which was caught for an out, which went for a sacrifice fly as Herm Winningham scored. Run was unearned, but nonetheless, the Reds have a two-to-one lead late in the ballgame. Chris Sable popped out to the first basement in

foul territory to end the inning, but the damage had been done. Two-to-one the score going into the bottom of the eighth inning, starting pitcher Jose Rejo still on the mound for the Cincinnati Reds, and he shut the A's down, one, two, three. Dave Stewart was still on the mound for the A's in his half of the ninth inning, and he would shut down the Reds, one, two, three. So going into the bottom of the ninth, with the A's facing elimination, they need one run to send it to extra innings, and two runs to force a game five, and start to get back in the series. Series. First batter was the former mariner, the late Dave Henderson, still facing Jose Reho. Rejo would strike out Henderson looking. Randy Myers would then come in from the bullpen to replace Jose Rejo, and he would induce a groundout from Jose Kinseko, and the final batter would be Carney Lansford, who would pop out in foul territory to first baseman Todd Benzinger, giving the Cincinnati Reds an improbable four-game sweep over the best team.

in baseball in the eyes of most experts. The A's had won 103 games in the regular season, were in their third straight World Series, and were coming off a World Series sweep the year before against San Francisco. Remember, Cincinnati was not even supposed to win one game in this series, and they did not lose a game of four-game sweep against the Bash Brothers, Oakland Athletics. World Series MVP, starting pitcher Jose Reho.

Kind of a bizarre footnote going back to game two. During one of Glenn Braggs's at bats, he swung so hard that the bat snapped against his shoulder muscle on his back swing. Announser Jack Buck was pretty impressed by this, and Glenn Braggs later said in an interview that that is not the first time that he had done that. As a matter of fact, he stated a time in the kingdom when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers as another time that he recalled snapping a bat on his back. very, very powerful dude. Later went on to play in Japan. That's going to do it for today's episode, ladies and gentlemen, we will be back tomorrow

talking about yet another classic world series, and here with me to do that will be Jonathan Bauer, Pikachu, and the Signal Flair. Please remember to download, rate, and subscribe to this program, so you never miss an episode. Look for us on any podcasting app that you can think of. Follow us on Twitter at L.O. underscore Mariners.

Follow me on Twitter at DC underscore Lundberg. Hope you enjoyed this look back the 1990 World Series gang. We'll be back tomorrow talking about another great fall classic. Talk to you then. This is Joey Martin speaking for Locked-on Mariners, part of the Locked-on podcast network.