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Fox is advertising this year's NLCS Game 1 as best pitching matchup ever!
PowderedH2O
Posts: 2,443 ✭✭
in Sports Talk
Fox says that this is the best game one NLCS pitching matchup ever. So, I decided to take a look. Here are the best that I saw (not how well they actually pitched, but their reputations going into the game).
1969 - Tom Seaver vs Phil Niekro - Seaver was a huge stud having an "Amazing" season. Not sure Niekro had that kind of rep in 1969, although he ended up in the HOF which makes this the only HOF matchup... well, until some other guys become eligible.
1986 - Mike Scott vs Dwight Gooden - Scott was the 1986 NL Cy Young Winner and was coming off of a no-hitter. Gooden was the 1985 NL Cy Young Winner and was #7 in the voting in 1986. I'd say that is one HUGE matchup!!!
1988 - Orel Hershiser vs Dwight Gooden - Hershiser was the unanimous NL Cy Young Winner in 1988, fresh off of breaking Drysdale's shutout record. Gooden was an 18 game winner in 1988 and still a huge star at this point. Ironically, Gooden never won a postseason game in his entire career.
1997 - Kevin Brown vs Greg Maddux - Brown was coming off of a Cy Young runner-up season and an ERA title, and he was 16-8 in 1997. Maddux was, well, Maddux (19-4, 2.20 ERA).
2001 - Randy Johnson vs Greg Maddux - Johnson was the 2001 NL Cy Young Winner (his third consecutive and fourth overall at that point). Maddux was still one of the top pitchers in baseball and had won four Cy Youngs of his own. And this pitching matchup lived up to it. 2-0 Arizona on a 3-hitter with 11 K's by the Big Unit.
So where does Lincecum vs Halladay fit in? I'd have to rank them like this:
1. 2001 2. 1988 3. 2010 4. 1986 5. 1997 6. 1969
Agree? Disagree?
Sam
1969 - Tom Seaver vs Phil Niekro - Seaver was a huge stud having an "Amazing" season. Not sure Niekro had that kind of rep in 1969, although he ended up in the HOF which makes this the only HOF matchup... well, until some other guys become eligible.
1986 - Mike Scott vs Dwight Gooden - Scott was the 1986 NL Cy Young Winner and was coming off of a no-hitter. Gooden was the 1985 NL Cy Young Winner and was #7 in the voting in 1986. I'd say that is one HUGE matchup!!!
1988 - Orel Hershiser vs Dwight Gooden - Hershiser was the unanimous NL Cy Young Winner in 1988, fresh off of breaking Drysdale's shutout record. Gooden was an 18 game winner in 1988 and still a huge star at this point. Ironically, Gooden never won a postseason game in his entire career.
1997 - Kevin Brown vs Greg Maddux - Brown was coming off of a Cy Young runner-up season and an ERA title, and he was 16-8 in 1997. Maddux was, well, Maddux (19-4, 2.20 ERA).
2001 - Randy Johnson vs Greg Maddux - Johnson was the 2001 NL Cy Young Winner (his third consecutive and fourth overall at that point). Maddux was still one of the top pitchers in baseball and had won four Cy Youngs of his own. And this pitching matchup lived up to it. 2-0 Arizona on a 3-hitter with 11 K's by the Big Unit.
So where does Lincecum vs Halladay fit in? I'd have to rank them like this:
1. 2001 2. 1988 3. 2010 4. 1986 5. 1997 6. 1969
Agree? Disagree?
Sam
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Comments
Steve Carlton against Jerry Reuss. The Phillies beat the Dodgers 1-0. Carlton gave up 7 hits in 7 2/3 innings and Reuss gave up 5 hits and 1 run (a 1st inning HR by Mike Schmidt) in 8 innings.
Steve
While it was a great match-up, I think the hype was a little over the top, but that's nothing new for News Corp.