Re: WEEI - Must they...

[DonKelley@aol.com]

Actually, it was not Calvin Schiraldi who lost the game.  Nor was it Bob 
Stanley.  Yes, Schiraldi had no stuff that night, but he never should have 
been put in the position of World Series closer in the first place.  Way too 
inexperienced.

The game was blown by... 1) John MacNamara: poor lineup decisions;  2) Don 
Baylor.  He set an all-time MLB record that year for getting hit by a pitch 
more than anyone who ever played the game.  So when he came up as DH in the 
8th inning...two outs, bases loaded, tie game...he should have taken one for 
the team.  The 10th inning would never have happened;   3) Rich Gedman.  It 
was a passed ball, not a wild pitch.  Just look at the video.  Easily 
catchable pitch.  Stanley's job was to throw a sinker and get a ground ball 
for the final out.  He did that.  Gedman let it get by him, allowing the 
tying run to score;   4) Yes, Buckner.  Yes, he was cheating over to second 
and didn't get to the ball quickly, but he was right here when it went 
between his legs.  A 12 year-old Little League player would be expected to 
get that ball.

To be fair, as Dan Shaughnessy likes to point out, Buckner did not lose the 
World Series.  He and Gedman made errors that ruined an opportunity to win it.