Game 1 of the World Series (it was played tonight, despite what people led you to believe) matched up teams that had the winning the winning and losing pitchers from the same season's All-Star Game (you know, the one that counts, it was 4-3 AL in 15 innings.)
Scott Kazmir, as you might remember, received the win the All-Star game for the American League (they had the white uniforms) and Brad Lidge was the losing pitcher for the National League (they had the gray uniforms, except the teams that wore solid colors. And I hate them).
This situation has happened before, but not all that often.
1942 - Spud Chandler of the Yankees gets the win for the AL and Mort Cooper of the Cardinals takes the loss at the Polo Grounds. In the World Series though, Cooper's Cardinals would take the series in five games.
1951 - Sal Maglie of the Giants is the winner against Ernie Lopat of the Yankees at Briggs Stadium. Lopat's Yankees would win the World Series in six games.
1960, Game 2 - Back during the ill-conceived double All-Star Game era, Vern Law of the Pirates got a win over Whitey Ford of the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. And Law's Pirates won the World Series in seven games.
1978 - Don Sutton of the Dodgers gets the win as Rich Gossage of the Yankees coughs up four runs in the eighth inning at San Diego Stadium. The Yankees will win the World Series in six games.
1986 - Roger Clemens of the Red Sox gets a win while Dwight Gooden of the Mets takes the loss in what proves to be the last game for AL manager Dick Howser. The game is played at the Astrodome. The Mets win the World Series in seven games.
This is fitting, as prior to this year, the NL starter in every All-Star Games played at Yankee Stadium went on to start Game One of the World Series against the Yankees (Reds' Paul Derringer in 1939, the Pirates' Vern Law in 1960, and the Dodgers' Don Sutton in 1977). So, since neither the NL starter (the injured Ben Sheets of the NLDS losers from Milwaukee) nor the Yankees made it to the Series this year, why not simply have the winning and losing pitchers from the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium both pitch in Game 1 of the World Series. I think if you had asked me the day after the All-Star Game to pick the more likely World Series scenario (Sheets starting for the Brewers against the Yankees or Kazmir starting against the Phillies), I would have thought it was a toss up. Then again, I'm a Yankee fan.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.