Tagged: Yadier Molina
Unsung heroes: An October tradition
Does anybody remember Francisco Cabrera? I know you do if you live in Atlanta, and I bet you do if you’re from Pittsburgh, too. Here’s a quick reminder of who he is, in case you forgot:
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How about Yadier Molina? Do you recall what he did two years ago in New York?
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See what I’m getting at? Every Postseason has guys just like these: hard-working players who raise their game when everything is on the line in October.
For every Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Kirby Puckett and Big Papi, there are a bunch of scrappy role players like Bernie Carbo, Bucky Dent, Lenny Dykstra, Dan Gladden, Otis Nixon, Craig Counsell, Juan Uribe and David Eckstein who are instrumental in flat-out getting the job done.
Who’s it going to be this year? Well, we’ve got most of September to ponder that question.
I know I’ve got a few in mind already.
Here’s one who plies his trade just outside L.A.:
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And here’s another one in Boston, sizzling at the right time.
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There are almost too many to choose from, but the beauty of October is that the right players will choose the moments for all of us.
So who’s it going to be? Comment below and let’s talk about it.
O.G.
No black cats, no excuses
A little bit of bad luck can go a long way toward knocking teams right out of October — if they let it. And while it shouldn’t happen, history has the ability to make sure it does from time to time.
http://mlb.mlb.com/chc/fan_forum/y2008/october_gonzo_vote.jsp?poll_q=2
Just ask the Dodgers, who haven’t brought a title back to Chavez Ravine since 1988 but hope new outfielder Manny Ramirez can reverse results like this:
Just ask the Brewers, who couldn’t quite make it all the way when they won the pennant in 1982.
Just ask the Mets, who haven’t won a World Series since 1986, in part because of bad-luck moments like this:
And this:
And this:
Ask the Phillies, who haven’t won it all since the Tug McGraw days:
And don’t forget to ask the Cubs, still talking about billy goats 100 years later.
Bottom line is this: October is all about putting aside the excuses, ignoring the black cats and superstitions, and coming together at the right time. One of these teams might have the magic to finally pull it off this year.
And the beauty of it is that we’ll all be watching.
O.G.
October Gonzo 
