Talk Back Fans own Danny Boyce has been working on a baseball project for some time now. When asked if it will amount to anything his answer is always “Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know.” But periodically writes about some of his research, usually when a name leads him down a rabbit hole. Here is a sampling. Hope you enjoy!
Today’s Random Postseason Game From The Baseball Project That May Or May Not Amount To Anything is Game 3 of the 1985 American League Championship Series.
In 1977 Major League Baseball made their second stop in Canada, this time in the American League with the Toronto Blue Jays. Though they would lose 107, 102, 109, and 95 games in their first four seasons, the guys behind the scenes were in the midst of building a team that would contend for the second half of the 1980’s. A couple of years ago I developed a method to figure out who some of the best steals there have been in the history of the draft. It’s not a complicated method – I simply exported every team’s draft history from baseball-reference.com and multiplied the round the player was drafted by their career fWAR. In 1977 they drafted Jesse Barfield (Steal Score of 354.6), in 1978 they picked Dave Stieb (283.5), and in 1982 they picked Jimmy Key (147.3). In the 1977 Rule 5 Draft they plucked Willie Upshaw out of the Yankees organization. Catcher Ernie Whitt was picked in the 1976 expansion draft. George Bell was taken from the Phillies in the 1980 Rule 5 Draft. Veteran Doyle Alexander was signed in 1983 after the Yankees let him go. After back-to-back 89-win seasons, the Blue Jays took over first place for good on May 12, though it took until the next to last day of the season to finally clinch the AL East over the Yankees, finishing 99-62 with the league’s best pitching staff (3.31 ERA, league low 588 runs allowed) and fourth best offense (4.71 runs per game). Managed by future Hall of Famer Bobby Cox, the Blue Jays looked like prohibitive favorites to be the first to represent Canada in the World Series.
The Royals were a decade earlier what the Blue Jays were in the 80’s. They built a perennial contender, winning the AL West in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, and 1984, with an additional appearance in the strike season of 1981. But by 1985 the team was an aging shadow of what they once were. Frank White was 34. Hall of Famer and greatest player in franchise history George Brett was 32. Willie Wilson was 29. Hal McRae was 39. Dan Quisenberry was 32. This was looking like some down years on the horizon. In 1984 they won the AL West with only 84 wins and were swept out of the playoffs by the 104-win Tigers. An aging lineup is not a good sign, but the Royals had two things going for them.
- Their biggest threat (the Angels) were actually older, and
- They had three young pitchers enter the rotation and all pitched well
Danny Jackson was a first round pick of the Royals in the 1982 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase* and at 23 years old gave the Royals 208 innings with a 3.42 ERA (120 ERA+) and a 3.21 FIP with a 2.1 K/BB ratio. Mark Gubicza** was a second round pick in the 1981 draft out of William Penn Charter School (just wanted to note that). At 22 years old he pitched 177.1 innings with a 4.06 ERA (101 ERA+). The two of them combined for a 28-22 record, a winning percentage that coincided with the team’s overall won-loss record. But the biggest gem was a 6’-1”, 160-pound, 19th round pick out of Grover Cleveland High School in Reseda, California named Bret Saberhagen. His wiry frame and a shoulder injury his junior year made many scouts lose interest, but one Royals scout, Guy Hansen, kept his eye on him. After Hansen finally convinced the Royals to take Saberhagen, the kid went on vacation, not having to worry about working through the pain in his shoulder. The next year he was sent to the Instructional League and put under the best conditions – fantastic infielders, spacious outfields, closely monitoring coaches – to get him healthy. At 20 years old he was the youngest pitcher to start an LCS game. In 1985 he pitched 235.1 innings with a 2.87 ERA (143 ERA+), a 2.89 FIP, and a 4.2 K/BB ratio, and had a 20-6 record to boot, winning his first Cy Young Award and finished 10th in the MVP voting. Those three kids along with veterans Charlie Liebrandt and Bud Black guided the Royals right behind the Jays in both ERA and runs allowed.
*-Major League Baseball reminds me a lot of what the ABA was like in the 70’s. They ABA held drafts just for the sake of holding drafts.
**-Stupid fact: Mark Gubicza’s major league debut and final major league game were both loses to the Indians.
The Royals struggled despite the pitching staff because the ranked 13th in the league in scoring out of 14 teams. Now it is true that they were closer to the league average than they were to dead last, but 13 our of 14 is still 13 out of 14 and at the All-Star Break the Royals were in third place, seven and a half games back. But they got hot after the break and were 42-27 in the second half. A serious setback in Minnesota (swept in three games) led to the Royals hosting the first place Angels for four games in what baseball fans love – a late season series to determine the title. The Royals took three of four to take a one game lead. Two straight wins for KC over Oakland gave them the division title
In Game 1 of the ALCS Dave Stieb went eight strong innings, striking out eight and walking only one in a 6-1 Blue Jays win. Game 2 was decided in extra innings as low ball hitting specialist (and lefty) Al Oliver drove in the winning run off of Dan Quisenberry to give the Blue Jays a 6-5 win and a 2-0 series lead. In previous years this put the Royals in a win or go home situation. 1985 was the first year the LCS was a best-of-seven affair, so while not a must win, a loss would make it a must win.
The Royals sent the phenom Bret Saberhagen to the hill against Jays’ veteran Doyle Alexander with the hopes of getting back into the series. All the while, Saberhagen had something else on his mind as he and his wife were expecting their first child any day. Quite a bit to have on your mind while pitching in the biggest game of your life up to that point. The kid issued a one out walk to Lloyd Moseby, but erased him on a double play. In the bottom of the first, Willie Wilson reached with a single up the middle, bringing up the incomparable George Brett*.
*-Bob Costas brings up a great point about Brett and his 112 RBI despite the Royals having the lowest OBP in the AL. Back then smart people knew things like this.
Wilson was caught stealing almost immediately (though replay showed he was probably safe; thank science this was 1985 and not 2019. The game might still be going on). Right after that Brett took an inside pitch and turned on it, sending it into the right field seats for a 1-0 Royals lead. Alexander struck out McRae to finish the inning.
The Jays came right back in the top of the second with back-to-back one out singles from Oliver and Bell. Saberhagen fanned both Whitt and Barfield to escape the threat and keep it at 1-0 Royals.
After the Royals went quietly in the bottom of the second, Demasco Garcia lined a one out double down the left field line and when Lonnie Smith bobbled it, Garcia went to third. Then Lloyd Moseby slapped a 2-2 pitch down the third base line. Brett snagged it and with his momentum taking him into foul ground threw a perfect strike to home for Sundberg to apply the tag and get Garcia to preserve the lead. After that Moseby was picked off at first, causing Moseby to go irate – it was the second call of the series that went against Moseby and umpire Ted Henry was involved with both of them. To be honest, Moseby looked out to me in real time).
After the Royals went in order in the bottom half of the third Willie Upshaw (Gene Upshaw’s cousin) hit a one out double, but Saberhagen was able to pitch around it to get out of the top of the fourth. Brett led off the bottom half with a double, narrowly missing his second homer of the night. McRae then drove a ball into the right center alley and though it was caught by Barfield, Brett advanced to third. Barfield then robbed Frank White* of extra bases but it was still more than enough to drive in Brett for the Royals second run. Sheridan then also flew out to Barfield to end the fourth.
*-Important note, at least to me, about Frank White. A KC native, he came up through Ewing Koffman’s Royals Baseball Academy. Though it provided the Royals with a few useful players, White was easily the brightest star. In his 18-year career he collected 2,006 hits, and eight Gold Gloves. He, like most everyone who has ever come through the Royals system, didn’t walk so he had a dismal .293 OBP, but his glove was fantastic. Why this was abandoned is beyond me.
Ernie Whitt led the fifth off with a single and Jesse Barfield followed that with an opposite field homerun to tie the game at 2-2. After getting Fernandez Saberhagen then allowed another double to Garcia (this time in the right field corner). Lloyd Moseby then shot one right back up the box and caught Saberhagen on the ankle. It caromed into the outfield, allowing Garcia to score the go ahead run. Saberhagen tried to stay in the game, Rance Mulliniks was able to fight off a few pitches before sending one into the seats in right and it was 5-2 Blue Jays and Saberhagen was heading to the showers. The Jays dugout looked really confident and why wouldn’t you? You have five runs against a team that struggles to score five runs. Bud Black came in to get the first out, then loaded the bases, but a key thing happened. Because Black is a lefty, Bobby Cox pulled Al Oliver in favor of the righty Cliff Johnson. However, he still loaded the bases and the Jays had batted around. Royals manager Dick Howser came out and NBC showed this ominous stat:
0-11 as a manager in post-season play
OK, Farr got Barfield to ground out to White and the inning was finally over. Eleven men went to bat, seven hits, one walk, two homers.
And we’re back. After Costas and Kubek talk about how the Royals drew the blue print for the Jays to follow, Alexander gave up a one out homerun to Jim Sundberg that barely cleared the wall in left, but nonetheless pulled the Royals to within two runs. Alexander avoided further damage and kept the Jays up two after five.
Tony Fernandez led off the sixth with a single just underneath Frank White’s glove, but a fielder’s choice and a double play ball got Farr out of the inning on just five pitches.
Willie Wilson led off the bottom of the frame with a single up the middle, bringing up George Brett. Brett drove a 1-1 pitch over the left center field wall to tie the game at 5-5, changing a somber crowd into a raucous one. As he rounded first Brett jump up and swung his right fist joyously in the air, adding to the moment. Hal McRae followed that up with a double on the very next pitch and Alexander’s night was over. Dennis Lamp was able to come in and pitch around it and we had a tie game at 5-5.
Farr got the side in order in the seventh and Lamp was just as effective in the bottom half. Farr shut down the Jays in the eighth, but not without controversy. After George Bell singled, he attempted to steal on a 1-2 count. Whitt struck out and Sundberg threw to second. The throw was high and the tag was late, but second base umpire Vic Voltaggio called Bell out. This didn’t need replay; it was obvious. Regardless, it led to more George Brett.
Brett led off the bottom of the eighth, so you can’t just walk the guy and put him on. Cox brought in veteran Jim Clancy. Brett somehow found the outfield past a diving Garcia for a leadoff single. McRae bunted him over to second (12 points). Brett then advanced to third on a Frank White ground out (great break from the bag helped; the ball was a bouncer to short). Clancy was then ordered to intentionally walk Sheridan in order to pitch to Steve Balboni. It backfired as Balboni blooped a 2-0 pitch in between Moseby, Garcia, and Tony Fernandez for a single, scoring Brett – his fourth run scored in the game – and giving the lead back to the Royals. Sundberg flied out to end the inning, but the damage was already done.
Steve Farr came on in the ninth, got two ground outs and when Moseby’s pop foul dropped appropriately into George Brett’s glove the Royals were back in the ALCS. As the Royals congratulated each other, Brett handed the ball to Dick Howser, congratulating him for his first postseason win as a manager.
Well, as you all know, the Royals would lose Game 4 but come back to the last three games and then came back from down 3-1 again against the Cardinals to win their first World Series Championship.
The key to winning the ALCS, though, was a lesson learned in Game 3. Oliver beat Quisenberry twice in the series, Game 2 and Game 4; a left handed, low ball hitter was Quiz’s kryptonite. After seeing Bobby Cox pull Al Oliver when he brought left handed Bud Black in, he played the card again in Game 6. In the sixth inning he brought Black in and like clockwork Cox pulled Oliver for Cliff Johnson. Then, in the seventh and deciding game Howser started Saberhagen and Cox put his lefties in the lineup. An apparent “injury” led to Howser pulling Saberhagen in favor of lefty Charlie Liebrandt, putting the ball in Cox’s court. Trailing 2-0, Cox decided to pull Oliver in favor of Cliff Johnson instead of risking a couple of at-bats against the lefty. The ploy worked and Quiz was able to come in to get the final two outs while Oliver sulked on the bench. It was the last game Al Oliver played in the majors.
George Brett was named the ALCS MVP, hitting .348/.500/.826 with three homers. But let’s start with the lesser famed hero of this game.
Steve Farr was 28 years old but was looking like a career minor leaguer after going 3-11 with a 4.73 ERA for the Indians the year before and starting in the Royals organization in AAA Omaha. But he came up mid-August and pitched effectively, with a 3.11 ERA in 37.2 innings. Getting called on with the bases loaded, down three and one of the best team’s best players at the plate, Farr was not given the greatest of opportunities. But he pitched 4.1 scoreless innings, walking none and allowing only two hits. His effort was as important as just about anyone’s in a Royals uniform. Ok, now to what we all know is coming.
George Brett is obviously an all-time great. But you know, all-time greats aren’t always great.
Willie Mays hit .247/.323/.337 with one homerun in 99 postseason plate appearances.
Ty Cobb hit .262/.314/.354 in 71 postseason plate appearances.
Ted Williams hit .207/.324/.207 in the 1946 World Series and the 1948 one game playoff against Cleveland.
Dave Winfield hit .208/.304/.337 in 116 postseason plate appearances.
Don Drysdale in his career 13 times face the team they were trying to beat in the heat of a pennant race and was 0-13.
Eddie Mathews hit .200/.385/.360 in 66 postseason plate appearances.
Rogers Hornsby hit .245/.288/.327 in 53 postseason plate appearances.
Greg Maddux was 11-14 with a 3.27 ERA in his postseason career.
Tom Glavine was 14-16 with a 3.30 ERA in his postseason career.
Dennis Eckersley, Goose Gossage, and Lee Smith have all given up memorable postseason homeruns, only Gossage gave one up to a Hall of Famer (and another to a non-Hall of Famer).
You get the point. But I think Brett goes beyond just what his career postseason numbers tell us. In 1985 the Royals featured the following regulars:
| Player | OBP | Slg | OPS | OPS+ |
| Onix Concepcion | 0.255 | 0.245 | 0.500 | 39 |
| Darryl Motley | 0.257 | 0.413 | 0.670 | 81 |
| Lonnie Smith | 0.321 | 0.366 | 0.687 | 89 |
| Jim Sundberg | 0.308 | 0.381 | 0.689 | 89 |
| Frank White | 0.284 | 0.414 | 0.698 | 90 |
| Willie Wilson | 0.316 | 0.408 | 0.724 | 98 |
| Steve Balboni | 0.307 | 0.477 | 0.783 | 112 |
| Hal McRae | 0.349 | 0.45 | 0.799 | 118 |
| George Brett | 0.436 | 0.585 | 1.022 | 179 |
Not exactly Involuntary Manslaughter’s Row. George Brett in his postseason career hit .337/.397/.627 with 10 homeruns eight doubles, five triples, 30 runs scored, and 23 RBI. In 43 postseason games, only five of them did he fail to reach base. In 16 of those games he had at least two hits. In 1976 his homerun in the top of the eighth tied Game 5, only for Chris Chambliss to ruin that moment. In 1980 his moonshot off of Goose Gossage silenced Yankee Stadium and earned the Royals their first pennant. In 1978 he homered three times in Game 4, only for the Yankees to top them because all three homers were solo shots. In 1977 his RBI triple in Game 5 almost started a riot when he jumped up at took a few swings at Graig Nettles (neither guy was ejected, ah the 70’s), only to watch the bullpen implode in the ninth. For a team that has not had a whole lot of great postseason moments, George Brett has had a ton.
As for this particular game, there are very few individual performances from the 1980’s that can compare to it:
Lenny Dykstra, Game 3, 1986 World Series (4-5, leadoff HR, 2 R)
Will Clark, Game 1, 1989 NLCS (4-4, 2 HR (1 GS), 6 RBI, 4 R, 1 BB)
Jeffrey Leonard, Game 2, 1987 NLCS (3-4, HR, 2 R)
George Brett, Game 3, 1985 ALCS (4-4, 2 HR, 2B, 4 R, 3 RBI, run saving play at 3B)
Orel Hershiser, Game 2, 1988 World Series (CG ShO, 8 SO, 2 BB, 3 H, 87 Game Score, 3-3, 2 2B, RBI, R)
Well, those are my top five of the 1980’s. I’ll let you guys decide yours.
Unfortunately, the full story is not entirely a happy one. The following year he managed the American League All-Stars but it was clear something was wrong. When he went out to change pitchers he would signal for the wrong one, among other things. He later said that he was not feeling well before the game. The American League won the game, but later on Howser was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had surgery to remove it. The 1986 All-Star Game was the last game he managed, and he went out a 3-2 winner. He died about a year later in June of 1987. He was only 51 years old.
It would take the Royals 30 years to reach postseason play again. And a year later, after an agonizing Game 7 loss in KC, they came out victorious in five games over the Mets. But anyone of the right age will always remember that 1985 team. And they most certainly remember George Brett’s Game 3.