However, nothing belonging to Dave Roberts was asked for or donated.
Gwen Knapp (Sports on Earth) reports that the spikes Roberts wore when he pinch-ran in Games 4 and 5 of the ALCS against the Yankees - and stole perhaps the most famous base in baseball history - may be on their way to Cooperstown.
The steal does not lack for recognition. It never will. Padres prospects want to hear Roberts relive the moment that unraveled Rivera. When Joe Torre saw him years later, before a Dodgers-Giants game, they winked at each other and Torre wagged his index finger at the bandit who cost him a seventh Yankees pennant. "He said 'I remember you,'" Roberts recalled with a little laugh.
The steal dimmed the lights around many other great moments in that ALCS, and in the World Series sweep of St. Louis. Even Roberts' theatrics on the bases in Game 5, which should ride shotgun to the Game 4 steal, are largely forgotten. Down a run in the eighth inning, with elimination hovering again, Roberts came in for Millar one more time. Tom "Flash" Gordon, on the mound for the Yankees, could not focus on Trot Nixon, the batter. ...
"Flash's son, Dee, came up to me a few springs ago, and told me: 'Man I never saw my dad as nervous as he was when you were on first base in that Game 5,'" Roberts said.
Even better, Kevin Millar should send Cooperstown the bat he left on his shoulders for all but one pitch to draw the walk that put Roberts at first in the first place. "The Steal" never happens without "The Walk."
ReplyDelete:-)
Blue Jays played the Yankees today.
ReplyDelete9 in the 1st
6 in the 2nd
Toronto wins 17-5
I can read about and hear this story over and over and over. It still makes my heart pound even though I know how it ends. Oh, what a night that was!
ReplyDeleteIt will never get old.
ReplyDeleteStill think Jeter's going to get him every single time I watch it.
ReplyDeleteRoberts says the same thing. He says when he was running, he felt like he had it and then knew he was safe, but was shocked at how close it looked on replay. And he says the play looks closer and closer each time he watches it.
ReplyDeleteGreat tidbit from Francona's book: Mills timed Posada's catch and throw as the fastest he had ever seen. He actually went back into the clubhouse between innings to watch and re-time the replay because he didn't believe his stopwatch. So Posada made perhaps the quickest and strongest throw of his life - and Roberts (who came off the bench after not playing in 10 days) still beat it - though it did help that it was slightly to the shortstop side of the bag.
Plus Roberts's lead was so big that Rivera nearly picked him off with one of his throws to first. But as far as I know, Roberts did not shorten his lead at all. Good thing - he needed every inch in order to beat the throw and CI's swipe tag.
ReplyDelete"nothing belonging to Dave Roberts was asked"
ReplyDeleteFools.
Amy's right...I can sense my heart beating just thinking about it. All the images...Roberts dancing off first, Roberts's "O" face after almost getting picked off, Posada's "Newman" grimace when Roberts is called safe.
ReplyDeleteJonathan has that signed picture hanging in his room!
It will never be forgotten.
Did anyone watch Friday night's game? I saw the highlight of Salty's dong and the announcers seemed to be two guys I've never seen/heard before. I know Don/Remy had been doing games before this one so far this spring. Who were these mystery men? (It was NESN as per their logo on the screen so it wasn't like it was the other team's announcers. And they were talking to Jim Rice at the time of the dong.)
ReplyDeleteI had this weird, misplaced confidence as he was running. It was that sense you have when your team is desperate and coming from behind that calls just *have* to go your way. It seems to me that it was only on the replay that I understand how close it was.
ReplyDelete93 world series game 4 currently airing on rogers.....the amount of HORRIBLE calls that video replay could have easily fixed in 10 seconds is mind boggling. especially when you multiply over all of the other world series, playoffs, reg season!
ReplyDeleteGame 4 = a crazy 15-14 Blue Jays win. I vaguely remember watching that one late into the night. Was there a rain delay or did it snow during the game? I feel like there was some crazy weather that night.
ReplyDeleteThe box score mentions rain.
ReplyDeleteYup, think it rained before the game. Old vet stad had that crappy astroturf, slippery stuff.
ReplyDelete6 perfect from Lester today, now watching to see if the pen can finish off the perfect game vs. TB.
Eww, that knob cafardo is in the booth with D&J.
ReplyDeleteYargh, Sox come within two outs of a combined perfect game when Duarte gives up an infield single. Lester had six perfect innings versus Rays starters. I choose to feel encouraged.
ReplyDelete"Eww, that knob cafardo is in the booth with D&J."
ReplyDeleteIt was "media day"--three innings with Dishonest Abe, three with Bradford, three with Retahdo.
Yep, media day. We have NESN National, which gets me the preseason games, but not regular season. First game I'm able to watch and it's media day. Ugghh.
ReplyDeleteLester looked good, though.