Living and Dying By the Sword

Not this time for World Series Hero Jon Papelbon

Francona and Tracy: Live and Die by the Sword

by Norm Kent

Terry Francona is a World Series winner.

Jim Tracy took the Rockies to the mountaintop this season.

Both managers were on the verge of elimination in a key playoff game in the Division Series.

Each team, down at home in the bottom of the 8th, rose to the occasion and saw their team take the lead.

How does not matter, really, does it? Bottom line is that home in the cold Yorvit Torrealba, Mr. Rocktober, drove a shot to the wall that gave the Rockies a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the 8th inning of a decisive game, which led to Tracy handing the ball to Huston Street in the 9th. Huston, 35 of 37 saves, Street. Game in the bag?

At Fenway, a few days before, a similar scene. Faced with elimination and extinction, the Sox rise from the ashes in the home 8th. They go to the 9th and Papelbon is on the mound to protect a two run lead. Game in the bag?

In both instances, one thinks of course. But this is October. This is the playoffs. And this is never say die for all the money. And these are guys who know no defeat. Who will not quit. Who will not yield.

Not even with two strikes two outs and the game on the line in 25 degree Colorado cold. Then Rollins singles. Utley walks. Howard ropes a rocket off the wall. And Werth follows with a game breaker, all off Street.

Two days before, Paps on the mound. Two outs. Two strikes, a pitch away from victory. Aybar slaps one to center. Figgins works a 3-2 pitch walk. Abreu raps it off the left field wall. Hunter is walked. Guerrero lines a game winner to center, all off Paps.

And I am thinking, watching both games, how both closers were off the mark, struggling, not finding home plate. Both outside and high on close pitches they needed to win. As a fan, you said: "God, get that guy out of the game. He is blowing it." But I am the fan and the manager has his guy on the mound and he shall not be moved.

But you got the feeling they were not going to get the last out; that the Angels were too good to be denied, and the Phils were defending World Champs for a reason. What a lineup. Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Ibanez, and Werth. Not an easy out anywhere. No reason to give up. And Street was clearly on the wrong intersection. Paps was wild high.

The Angelos started their year with their entire pitching staff on the DL, and one dies in an auto accident. On July 4, they lose Guerrero, Hunter, and Rivera for a month and proceed to win 18 of 20. These teams were just not going to lose. And they did not.

Ironically, in each instance, Francona and Tracy did not budge. They did not remove their ace reliever, though the options were many in the bullpen. Guys like Okajima or Marquis. Loyalty to a fault? What do you think?

Both defeats saw the home team lose leads in the top of the ninth and fail to come back in the bottom half. Both defeats saw crowds lifted into 8th inning ecstasy only to be doomed by 9th inning agony. Only to see their ace closers aced.

Of this, baseball legends and stories are made. Monday morning quarterbacking? Of course. Why not? On the subway home, I am sure that is what all the Rockies fans and Red Sox fans were thinking.

Why did we not make the switch? This was not 2007 anymore. This was a new year. Move with the tide. The managers did not, and the waters sucked them underneath. The Rockies and Red Sox went down to defeat, and so it goes. So it goes.

Back to the Division series. Will the Phils top LA again, to go back to the World Series? Will the Yanks make their first season at their new stadium a World Series endeavor? Can they top the Angels who seem to jinx them? Will their be a first ever Angels-Dodgers crosstown World Series?

Lots of questions, no answers, just some fun baseball ahead.

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