While we wait for MLB Championship Series’ to begin, here is a look at the five biggest flops from the Divisional Round.
5. Derek Jeter | NY Yankees – Jeter, Captain Clutch himself, was anything but clutch in the 2007 playoffs. Jeter grounded into three double plays in the last two games while batting a measly .176 with one RBI and no extra base hits.
4. Vladimir Guerrero | LA Angels – Although he was not 100-percent healthy, Guerrero failed to deliver in the postseason again. In the 2005 ALCS, Vlad was just 1-for-20. In this year’s ALDS he went 2-for-10 with zero RBIs in the sweep by the Red Sox.
3. Alfonso Soriano | Cubs – Chicago won the free agent sweepstakes last year when they landed Soriano. The leftfielder belted 14 home runs and 25 extra-base hits in September. Soriano, who was terrible against Arizona this season (just 1-for-11), continued to struggle as he went 2-for-14 with four Ks and zero extra-base hits as the Cubs were swept.
2. Philadelphia | Phillies – Philly flopped hard in the NLDS, as they failed to win against Colorado. Chase Utley, the All-Star second baseman, went 2-for-11 with five strikeouts, no home runs and zero RBIs. Outfielder Aaron Rowand went 1-for-12 with one solo home run after hitting a career-high 27 home runs and batting .309 in the regular season. And first baseman Ryan Howard faired only slightly better batting 3-for-12 with one home run, but also striking out seven times.
1. Alex Rodriguez | NY Yankees – A-Rod stopped his postseason hitless streak at 18 at-bats with a second-inning single in Game 3. Then in Game 4, Rodriguez drove in his first postseason run since 2004 with a meaningless seventh inning solo home run. A-Rod went just 4-for-15 and failed to help the Yankees win a playoff series, again.
2 comments:
I want to point out that the first two flops already have world series rings, so they have less to play for. Jeter's honestly been on cruise control since 2001--make the all-star team, bat .318, hit 20 jacks, 35 doubles, 89 rbi--you see what I'm saying, no playoff heroics except the play at home plate against the A's and no fiery outbursts to help his team (especially A-rod) break out of the "I'm comfortable" cacoon and atually win a couple of big games. If you're going to blame anyone for the Yankees loss, blame it on their rancid pitching staff led by a guy named WANG.
I can't say that the Phillies were a flop. More like at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Rockies were a 200 ton boulder rolling down a hill and the Phillies were the guy trying to stop that boulder. Wasn't happening.
Is anybody shocked that Soriano flopped in the playoffs? After his payoff from the Cubs, he might have a little bit of A-Rod-itis. AKA the weight of the price tag attached to his leg.
Obviously I disagree, the Phillies were a flop. Philadelphia had won 13 of their last 17 games entering the Divisional Series, not shabby, not quite as hot as Colorado. During the regular season Philadelphia had the second-best offense in the majors (behind the Yankees). But in the playoffs Philly had the worst team batting average (.172) and the big-bats of Utley, Howard and Rowand were quiet. Credit Colorado’s pitching and the Phillies being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Philly flopped hard.
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