Great WS game and analysis. I still recall how painful it was watching this game that very night it unfolded as a huge Royals fan that year. I thought they were done after that night and no way they could come back against the Cards like they did the Jays. I do agree that Liebrandt shouldn't have been in the game as it was apparent he was losing it in the 9th. I still recall my Dad yelling at Howser through the TV. I remember Howser saying something after the game like, "It was Charlie's to win or lose". Ugh. But unfortunately, the decline of the once great Quisenberry was too apparent that year despite his low ERA and leading the league in saves. Internal numbers show he blew 12 saves and lefties batted .317 (!) against him. He also lost Game 2 to Toronto in the ALCS and got racked up a little in Game 5 of that series (another tough loss for Liebrandt!) and gave up a run in Game 1 of the WS (Interestingly he lost two WS games in 1980). Howser lost confidence in him at this point. But Steve Farr had been pitching extremely well (4.1 scoreless innings in game 3 of the ALCS winning and finishing it for them) so I don't know why he wasn't around? Farr became the Royals' best reliever in 1986 as they used a "bullpen by committee" and Quisenberry was only used in very select situations continuing his descension. I don't agree the umpire should have called those close pitches as strikes - they still look like balls to me on McGee and Clark. Good pick up on the foul ball that Sundberg missed. They definitely should not have had Brett on the line - that made little sense and cost them the game right there. All in all, Dick Howser lost that game with poor managing, but at least he helped win the series especially having Dane Iorg pinch hit in the infamous Game 6 9th inning.
DJ,
I do think 1985 was the best year of baseball I experienced as well. I also think Brett should have been MVP especially carrying the Royals to the division the last week of the season, but Mattingly's 145 RBIs in those days made it a no-brainer for most of the writers. I too remember those Strato-matic cards that year all too well! Brett's card was awesome as he hit about as great with righties vs lefties! I'm actually waiting for Strat to reprint those as I would love to pick them up again. George Brett is still my favorite player of all time.
I appreciate the content and will track down the 86 edition.
I was caught skipping in high school, and was punished with in school suspension for two straight days, soon after the 85 WS. You did homework, but couldn't bring anything in. Obviously, they wanted you to be miserable. I had a notebook, and wrote out lineups, kept score, and replayed the 85 WS in my head. Of course the Cards won it:) I was so stoked when the 85 SOM cards arrived. I rolled St. Louis over and over again, although seeing the SA features threw me off a bit, as it was news to me.
The 85 season may be the greatest baseball season I lived through. Seaver & Niekro win 300, Carew gets 3000, Rose breaks the record, McGee with the BA for a switch hitter, and of course an amazing postseason. What a year.
Great WS game and analysis. I still recall how painful it was watching this game that very night it unfolded as a huge Royals fan that year. I thought they were done after that night and no way they could come back against the Cards like they did the Jays. I do agree that Liebrandt shouldn't have been in the game as it was apparent he was losing it in the 9th. I still recall my Dad yelling at Howser through the TV. I remember Howser saying something after the game like, "It was Charlie's to win or lose". Ugh. But unfortunately, the decline of the once great Quisenberry was too apparent that year despite his low ERA and leading the league in saves. Internal numbers show he blew 12 saves and lefties batted .317 (!) against him. He also lost Game 2 to Toronto in the ALCS and got racked up a little in Game 5 of that series (another tough loss for Liebrandt!) and gave up a run in Game 1 of the WS (Interestingly he lost two WS games in 1980). Howser lost confidence in him at this point. But Steve Farr had been pitching extremely well (4.1 scoreless innings in game 3 of the ALCS winning and finishing it for them) so I don't know why he wasn't around? Farr became the Royals' best reliever in 1986 as they used a "bullpen by committee" and Quisenberry was only used in very select situations continuing his descension. I don't agree the umpire should have called those close pitches as strikes - they still look like balls to me on McGee and Clark. Good pick up on the foul ball that Sundberg missed. They definitely should not have had Brett on the line - that made little sense and cost them the game right there. All in all, Dick Howser lost that game with poor managing, but at least he helped win the series especially having Dane Iorg pinch hit in the infamous Game 6 9th inning.
DJ,
I do think 1985 was the best year of baseball I experienced as well. I also think Brett should have been MVP especially carrying the Royals to the division the last week of the season, but Mattingly's 145 RBIs in those days made it a no-brainer for most of the writers. I too remember those Strato-matic cards that year all too well! Brett's card was awesome as he hit about as great with righties vs lefties! I'm actually waiting for Strat to reprint those as I would love to pick them up again. George Brett is still my favorite player of all time.
I appreciate the content and will track down the 86 edition.
I was caught skipping in high school, and was punished with in school suspension for two straight days, soon after the 85 WS. You did homework, but couldn't bring anything in. Obviously, they wanted you to be miserable. I had a notebook, and wrote out lineups, kept score, and replayed the 85 WS in my head. Of course the Cards won it:) I was so stoked when the 85 SOM cards arrived. I rolled St. Louis over and over again, although seeing the SA features threw me off a bit, as it was news to me.
The 85 season may be the greatest baseball season I lived through. Seaver & Niekro win 300, Carew gets 3000, Rose breaks the record, McGee with the BA for a switch hitter, and of course an amazing postseason. What a year.