Tonight marks the 21st anniversary of the Angels game 7 win over the Giants in the 2002 World Series. Yep, a kid born that night is legally able to buy a drink. I’d like to think a few of those kids might’ve gotten their start from celebrating Angels fans ha ha.
Sit back and reminisce about where you were when this moment happened:
The fact this was the last World Series to be broadcast in standard rather than high definition makes it feel vintage. And at 21 years old, I guess it is.
One of the key figures in that World Series was Dusty Baker who announced his retirement yesterday. Baker leaves the game as the 7th winningest manager of all time and finally got his World Series ring with the Astros last year.
The 2023 Fall Classic kicks off tonight and it is a network’s nightmare: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Texas Rangers.
Yahoo kicked out a very nice “everything you need to know” piece about the contestants. While I think this is an exciting Series they are not the media darlings casual fans know.
Fangraphs delivers a solid preview piece.
Really, in a 7 game series the question is who has the hot bats and whose bullpen puts out fires rather than making them worse. We shall see.
Speaking of managers, the Rangers manager Bruce Bochy is one of my all time favorites and should be a cinch for the Hall of Fame.
Take a look at Bochy getting soaked by his players after they clinched the pennant.
In the other dugout is the Angels manager who never was, Torey Lovullo. He dropped a couple of F bombs before he got soaked.
I do really like the D’backs social media folks. There were quite a few good ones to link, and I went with this:
Outside of the Giants hiring Bob Melvin there hasn’t been a ton of baseball news this week. MLB likes to keep things. I wonder if he sold his house in the Bay Area after he left Oakland.
As for my crew, I’m wrapping up one of the most stressful work weeks I’ve ever had and will spend as much time with my son as possible. Grandma and Grandpa are driving up to watch his game this weekend so he’s stoked. He’s growing and needs a new bat. I’m thinking sporting goods store and lunch will make a great Father/Son outing.
Enjoy your weekend and link what I missed.
Dont want to get 5th Starter too excited but this wouldn’t be a bad idea either. https://twitter.com/BillShaikin/status/1718304167196807476
You’ve found us a new manager and pitching coach, all before noon…
Interesting, where do I sign?
What about this dude as our next manager? There’s an Angel connection and he game plans batter pitching match ups like a football game and has had some real success this year with that strategy.
https://twitter.com/Jared_Tims/status/1718080820374909114
Shohei’s mom are you listening? Stay away from the Doyers, they are evil, and they cheat.
United Airlines flight attendants allege racism on charters for LA Dodgers
https://www.dailynews.com/2023/10/26/united-airlines-flight-attendants-allege-racism-on-charters-for-la-dodgers/
2002….Erstad caught the ball and I was absolutely dazed. Like “is this real?” Game 7 had a lot less drama than Game 6 so there wasn’t that tension after GA’s hit. I remember this hazy, floating feeling, knowing all was well with the world.
Now when I see the replay of the last out I am thankful Ochoa gave Ersty room to make the catch. Ochoa looks way too close.
MLB Now just did a whole segment with Brent Strom on EV. A great watch to understand more of some of the matchups you’ll see in the Series and what D-Backs did to the Phillies lineup.
I’ve been thinking about EV, but the charging time and range isn’t practical for me. I think I’ll just stick with gas till charging time is under 10min universal.
I was never a Pearl Jam fan, preferring Nirvana
But did you know that Jeremy spoke in… class today
EV was pretty powerful, but she was really emotionally cold and didn’t warm up to WALL-E until he croaked, so I’m not so sure…
the Coyotes never stood a chance in Glendale… heading to see them and the Kings tonight at Mullet.
EV is where they belong and so much more convenient.
#GKG
Probable Hitter Effective Velocity (PHEV) is far superior to just regular EV. You can run on gas when needed and just plug in at night so the long charge times don’t matter. The time saved not going to the gas station all the time is absolutely wonderful.
Game 7 – was in my seats watching frenetically trying to do anything I could to avoid jinxing the team. I got up and paced in the concourse at least 20 times. My lucky horseshoe was shifted from my right pocket to my left pocket and then back and repeat.
Found out the New Era rep was sitting directly in front of me. Our section was cheering and slapping high-5’s all game and included him. After the game he told us all to stay put – he ran to the dugout and brought up a box of official World Series champions hats and gave one to each of us. We were the first to have them other than the players.
Then to the Catch where my buddies and I bought tons of Champagne and turned the bar into a mini-locker room celebration.
After that everything is a blur but I know there was a late night stop in a cab at Wendy’s.
Woke up the next day after having attended all of the home playoff games with no voice left, totally exhausted but exhilarated.
It will probably never happen again so I’m glad I left everything on the field!
cool story with the hat man!
I have one of the hats, but didn’t get it for free!
I was at my own 40th birthday party (my Bday is on the 30th). I would not budge from the TV until Erstad said he’s got it and made the catch.
Fortunately, everybody understood.
I later got a chance to thank Tim Salmon for the best 40th birthday present a man could ask for.
What is this Cab thing you speak of?
Eat it Uber!
Back in my day, we rode in Cabs, had to call them on a landline and tell them where to pick us up. Most of the drivers were serial killers….we didn’t care 😀
https://youtu.be/T5IligQP7Fo?si=g43kG0W0mbPZ-j8R
Absolutely love this movie. One of my all time favorites.
That’s awesome.
I really encourage you to write a fan post about your 2002 post season experiences this off season. I think it would make great reading.
I’ll do that. I went to every game so that will be fun!
Since it was Monday in Sydney, I had to work (stupid time zones). I had the MLB ticker going in the corner of my monitor. After the 8th, I ran across the street to Hyde Park, called my wife and told her to put the phone next to the TV so I could listen to the T9th.
Yep, I got a bit nervous when SF brought the tying run the to plate (1986 PTSD).
When Erstad made the catch, I started crying. People stopped and asked me if I was OK.
I composed myself and went back to work. Had to keep all the excitement bottled up cuz no one in my office gave two shits about baseball, and would not understand the significance of what just happened.
Went home and watched the recording. Celebrated all over again.
reading Dusty’s announcement, he’s just taking a step back.
And that means one thing – he is the new 2024 Angels manager – oh my!
(nah, it can’t happen and won’t happen, right?)
Arizona vs Texas
If the Super Bowl were the Cardinals vs the Cowboys it’d be hyped up plenty so it’s not geography that’s the problem.
MLB keeps showcasing the Skanks and Red Sux and ignoring the Diamondbacks or Brewers or Royals and then wonders why there’s less interest in the World Series
Screw the media! This Series is a classic match-up of a team built from the ground up vs. the “Best team money could buy”. I’ll go with the Dbacks’ kids against the Texas millionaires all the way. Go Snakes!
I know where I watched Game 7 …
likewise
honestly i enjoyed ALCS Game 5 (a big party) and WS Game 6 (a miracle) more …. till the last out was made. Felt like i was sitting on pins and needles the whole time.
You too. I thought I was the only one. The after-game celebration was sweet, though. I do remember thinking at the time it probably won’t happen again, and reminded myself to really enjoy the moment, which I did.
Waiting for someone to say,
“I wasn’t born yet.”
I get that line when some youts at my office ask me when I started working here.
October 27th, 2002. I watched game 7 at a place called Yankee Doodles in Long Beach, since closed. Place was loud as hell and I was hugging and high fiving complete strangers afterwards. I remember thinking now I can die in peace, but the current regime has taken that peace away a bit.
Was ay my best Blue fans house.
With my lucky red tennis shoes on.
Afterward Blue friends were gracious.
So your blue fan friends weren’t blue ?
The morning of the game, I got my Angels jacket out. My parents bought it for me when I was about 16. It is not an official jacket but it is blue with red stripes and says Angels on the back. I will wear it again for a game 7 someday. I also bought a stuffed monkey and put my Angels sweat bands on it to make it a rally monkey.
For the game, I was at home watching on TV. I literally jumped to the ceiling when GA hit the bases clearing double. I spent the top of the 9th inning pacing up and down the hallway occassionally looking in at the TV and asking my wife was what going on. Memories of 1982, 1986, 1995 were spilling through. I could not look. When Erstad made the final out, I jumped up and down like the players. It was pure joy. I think that I cried. Thank you for asking us to share our memories.
Matt Wise moves to bullpen coach for White Sox. So there will be a new pitching coach too in 2024.
Anybody else notice who the Snakes bullpen coach is…ex Halo Mike Fetters.
Whoever we get, I hope it’s a big EV guy. Look at Brent Strom and what his different pitching staffs have been doing. Astros and Strom are huge EV proponents, and it’s working. EV destroys today’s swings. While he wouldn’t be my pitching coach, hiring Perry Husband as a consultant would be a great start.
Here’s a great video I saw Perry do a few weeks ago. He’s got better stuff with graphics out there too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23OEhbsYUXQ
By the way, Tim Hyers, Rangers hitting coach is a big EV guy too. For me, it will be very interesting watching the D-Backs pitching to the Rangers hitting. There will be a lot of cat and mouse for sure. The game within the game.
We need less BP.
https://x.com/Super70sSports/status/1717567763005251598?s=20
Unfortunately, Frank was never the same again after the 1977 season. He became something of a junk ball artist starting in 1978 and then did that for another 15 seasons or so. That photo of Frank is among my favorite baseball photos.
Looks a little like Chuck Finley’s older brother there.
Except he didn’t marry crazy Julie
Joe Namath threw a football to Bobby Brady.
Frank Tanana took on 30 foot shot on my backyard BB court.
SoCal sportscaster Jim Hill and Mike Tyson stood right next to me…………….at a strip club in Las Vegas.
And I met Rob Wilfong at a girlfriend’s neighbor’s BBQ. We was eating a hotdog.
Enjoy that trip to choose a new bat with your son, Jeff. Hopefully it is the first trip of many. I too will be making one of those trips this weekend for new metal cleat baseball shoes for my son. After taking a year off after aging out of Little League, he is back playing on a local travel club, mainly south OC games, preparing for high school next year and his goal to make the HS Varsity team by his sophomore year.
Thanks. This is the second trip. We got him all fitted up for tee ball last February.
Time is definitely flying by. I’m trying to soak in as much as possible.
It’s an amazing journey. My kid now plays on fields with 90’ between bases and is thriving.
World Serious Game 1 tonight…GO SNAKES!!