Only ONE team with homefield advantage won their LDS- St. Louis, who got lucky to get HFA thanks to Atlanta's 9th inning meltdown on the final Sunday vs Colorado.
Edgardo Alfonzo's 9th inning home run in game 2 turned out to be monumentally important. If he doesn't hit that HR, JT Snow's pinch-hit HR would have been a walkoff and I cannot see the Mets coming back from down 0-2 if that 3-run HR won the game rather than merely tying it up.
There's no guarantee that everything goes the same way if the Mets take a 2-1 lead instead of a 4-1 lead going into the bottom 9th. Pitch selections and hitting strategies tend to change according to the situation.
While the Yankees and A's were battling in Oakland, across the Bay Bridge, the Giants (97-65, NL West winners by 10 games) and Mets (94-68, won WC easily) matched wits in Pac Bell Park. Ellis Burks belted a three-run shot in Game 1 off starter Mike Hampton. Livan Hernandez and the Giants' bullpen made it stand up in a 5-1 SF triumph. The next night in Game 2, Edgardo Alfonzo's 9th inning shot extended the Mets' lead from 2-1 to 4-1. More than enough, it seemed, for lefty Al Leiter to get the win. But with two on and one out, PH J.T. Snow faced Armando Benitez and hit one just above the green grating above the RF wall and Pac Bell Park was rocking as Snow's blast tied the game. Problem was, when Snow hit the home run, all they did was TIE the game and not win it...yet, anyway. Well, in the 10th, the Mets recovered on a two out double by Darryl Hamilton and an RBI single from rookie Jay Payton. With a man on and 2 outs, 16 year veteran John Franco faced Barry Bonds. On a 3-and-2 pitch, Franco threw a curveball that was strike three and the Mets went home tied at 1 game apiece. Game 3 at Flushing would see the Giants waste one scoring opportunity after another. They stranded 18 runners on the basepaths as the Giants and Mets battled deep into the night and extra innings. Tied at 2 in the 13th, Benny Agbayani golfed a pitch from Aaron Fultz for a game winning home run. The Mets won, 3-2, to jump to the lead in the series. If the Giants had trouble getting clutch hits in Game 3, they had trouble getting runners on base.....PERIOD....in Game 4. That's because Bobby Jones pitched one of the greatest games in the history of the Mets' franchise, as he spun a one-hit shutout, 4-0. It was the first one-hit shutout in the playoffs since 1967. More importantly, the Mets knocked off San Francisco and headed to the NLCS. Next stop: St. Louis.
Edgardo Alfonzo's 9th inning home run in game 2 turned out to be monumentally important. Otherwise, Snow's pinch-hit HR is walkoff and I cannot see the Mets coming back from down 0-2
6:44 Dusty didnt go with a pinch hitter in the top of the 5th inning with the bases loaded and two outs because the Giants bullpen was depleted after games 2 and 3.
Barry Bonds is and always will be my favorite player of alltime. But other than 2002-03, he heavily struggled in the postseason. If he stepped up a little bit more, this could’ve been a different series. The Giants were just as good that season as the Mets. But Bonds going 3-17 when it mattered most ended the Giants season. All of this set up perhaps the greatest hitting season in baseball history in 2001, and arguably the greatest 3 year hitting stretch of any player from 01-04 roids or not.
Bonds hit just .220 in the 2003 postseason against Marlins, given, he was walked all the time. So Bonds now has gone silent in 1990 NLCS, 1991 NLCS, 1992 NLCS, 1993 game 162 against the Dodgers, 1997 NLDS, 1998 game 163 against the Cubs, and now the 2000 NLDS. But in 2002, he was the man. If GIants had held on, none of his postseason failures would have mattered.
Well Bonds didn't help his cause with that error in Game 6 of the World Series. Then again, I don't know why Dusty didn't have Bonds as the DH in the Anaheim games.
the teams with the two best records in baseball are out in the first round. And just like that, the World Series matchup probably not at the top of my list when the playoffs started is now a possibility- a Subway Series
In game 1, Livan Hernandez pitched another postseason gem. Livan has had an amazing 2000 season. In Game 2, drama drama, with Leiter, Benitez, Snow, and extra innings. What a surprise = Benitez with a blown save in game 2. Thankfully, September call-up Timo Perez and Jay Payton to the rescue. Seriously, so now Benitez has blown 3 postseason games for the Mets (game 4 against the Dbacks in 1999 ruining Al Leiter's gem, game 6 of the 1999 NLCS against Atlanta ruining the Mets dreams of a 3-0 comeback, and now game 2 against the Giants in the 2000 NLDS ruining another Al Leiter gem). Game 3 with a classic game of more Mets postseason extra innings drama. The Mets in 1999 and 2000 played SO MANY extra inning games. I mean, it's either an extra innings game or the decisive run being scored in the 9th inning. And then the one hitter by Bobby Jones (WHO?) in game 4. And Bonds once again didn't hit in the postseason. So Bonds now has gone silent in 1990 NLCS, 1991 NLCS, 1992 NLCS, 1993 game 162 against the Dodgers, 1997 NLDS, 1998 game 163 against the Cubs, and now the 2000 NLDS. Still, what an amazing NLDS between the Mets and the Giants. Shame that this NLDS didn't go 5 games.
Edgardo Alfonzo's 9th inning home run in game 2 turned out to be HUGE Otherwise, JT Snow's pinch-hit HR would have been a walkoff and Perez/Payton wouldn't have had a chance to take Benitez off the hook. I don't know if the Mets could have come back from down 0-2
Like the White Sox/Mariners- this was not a shocking LDS upset since the Mets won ONLY three fewer games than the Giants. But I don't think anyone saw NY winning 3 straight after getting rolled in game 1
Thanks for posting this gem
Fitting that Agbayani hit that big HR in game 3- remember, he won the Mets' first game of the season with a grand slam against the Cubs in Tokyo
I remember waking up 5am NY time to watch that game. I ended up late for school but it was worth it as a Mets fan. lol
Only ONE team with homefield advantage won their LDS- St. Louis, who got lucky to get HFA thanks to Atlanta's 9th inning meltdown on the final Sunday vs Colorado.
Edgardo Alfonzo's 9th inning home run in game 2 turned out to be monumentally important.
If he doesn't hit that HR, JT Snow's pinch-hit HR would have been a walkoff and I cannot see the Mets coming back from down 0-2 if that 3-run HR won the game rather than merely tying it up.
There's no guarantee that everything goes the same way if the Mets take a 2-1 lead instead of a 4-1 lead going into the bottom 9th. Pitch selections and hitting strategies tend to change according to the situation.
Edgardo Alfonzo has been postseason clutch in 1999 and 2000 for the Mets.
Esp. against the NL West:
9th inning Grand slam at Arizona in 99, an important 2 run HR this October at San Fran in 2000
While the Yankees and A's were battling in Oakland, across the Bay Bridge, the Giants (97-65, NL West winners by 10 games) and Mets (94-68, won WC easily) matched wits in Pac Bell Park.
Ellis Burks belted a three-run shot in Game 1 off starter Mike Hampton. Livan Hernandez and the Giants' bullpen made it stand up in a 5-1 SF triumph.
The next night in Game 2, Edgardo Alfonzo's 9th inning shot extended the Mets' lead from 2-1 to 4-1. More than enough, it seemed, for lefty Al Leiter to get the win. But with two on and one out, PH J.T. Snow faced Armando Benitez and hit one just above the green grating above the RF wall and Pac Bell Park was rocking as Snow's blast tied the game.
Problem was, when Snow hit the home run, all they did was TIE the game and not win it...yet, anyway. Well, in the 10th, the Mets recovered on a two out double by Darryl Hamilton and an RBI single from rookie Jay Payton. With a man on and 2 outs, 16 year veteran John Franco faced Barry Bonds. On a 3-and-2 pitch, Franco threw a curveball that was strike three and the Mets went home tied at 1 game apiece.
Game 3 at Flushing would see the Giants waste one scoring opportunity after another. They stranded 18 runners on the basepaths as the Giants and Mets battled deep into the night and extra innings. Tied at 2 in the 13th, Benny Agbayani golfed a pitch from Aaron Fultz for a game winning home run. The Mets won, 3-2, to jump to the lead in the series.
If the Giants had trouble getting clutch hits in Game 3, they had trouble getting runners on base.....PERIOD....in Game 4. That's because Bobby Jones pitched one of the greatest games in the history of the Mets' franchise, as he spun a one-hit shutout, 4-0. It was the first one-hit shutout in the playoffs since 1967. More importantly, the Mets knocked off San Francisco and headed to the NLCS. Next stop: St. Louis.
Edgardo Alfonzo's 9th inning home run in game 2 turned out to be monumentally important.
Otherwise, Snow's pinch-hit HR is walkoff and I cannot see the Mets coming back from down 0-2
Thank you for your labor
6:44 Dusty didnt go with a pinch hitter in the top of the 5th inning with the bases loaded and two outs because the Giants bullpen was depleted after games 2 and 3.
I know lol he let Mark Garner hit. I love Dusty but the guy made bad decisions in the playoffs.
A one hitter for the Mets' Bobby in game 4? BY JONES, HE DID IT!
Barry Bonds is and always will be my favorite player of alltime. But other than 2002-03, he heavily struggled in the postseason. If he stepped up a little bit more, this could’ve been a different series. The Giants were just as good that season as the Mets. But Bonds going 3-17 when it mattered most ended the Giants season. All of this set up perhaps the greatest hitting season in baseball history in 2001, and arguably the greatest 3 year hitting stretch of any player from 01-04 roids or not.
Bonds hit just .220 in the 2003 postseason against Marlins, given, he was walked all the time. So Bonds now has gone silent in 1990 NLCS, 1991 NLCS, 1992 NLCS, 1993 game 162 against the Dodgers, 1997 NLDS, 1998 game 163 against the Cubs, and now the 2000 NLDS.
But in 2002, he was the man. If GIants had held on, none of his postseason failures would have mattered.
To be fair, the Giants never gave Bonds many playoff chances compared to many other all time greats.
Well Bonds didn't help his cause with that error in Game 6 of the World Series. Then again, I don't know why Dusty didn't have Bonds as the DH in the Anaheim games.
the teams with the two best records in baseball are out in the first round.
And just like that, the World Series matchup probably not at the top of my list when the playoffs started is now a possibility- a Subway Series
Giants lost because of the ridiculous rules of NL pitchers having to bat
Last time I checked, the Mets pitchers also had to bat.
@@redpillfreedom6692 The NL was and remains the only baseball league where pitchers still bat. It is foolish and stupid and needs to end.
Save for the 98 Padres- winning the NL West since realignment has not carried over to October from 1995-2000
The 2021 Giants sadly would agree.
There’s three teams that would disagree with you
@@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly Maybe I should have specified up through 2000
Between the game 2 9th inning HR and the tying hit in game 3, you could argue the Giants might have swept the Mets if not for Edgardo Alfonzo
In game 1, Livan Hernandez pitched another postseason gem. Livan has had an amazing 2000 season.
In Game 2, drama drama, with Leiter, Benitez, Snow, and extra innings. What a surprise = Benitez with a blown save in game 2. Thankfully, September call-up Timo Perez and Jay Payton to the rescue. Seriously, so now Benitez has blown 3 postseason games for the Mets (game 4 against the Dbacks in 1999 ruining Al Leiter's gem, game 6 of the 1999 NLCS against Atlanta ruining the Mets dreams of a 3-0 comeback, and now game 2 against the Giants in the 2000 NLDS ruining another Al Leiter gem).
Game 3 with a classic game of more Mets postseason extra innings drama. The Mets in 1999 and 2000 played SO MANY extra inning games. I mean, it's either an extra innings game or the decisive run being scored in the 9th inning.
And then the one hitter by Bobby Jones (WHO?) in game 4.
And Bonds once again didn't hit in the postseason. So Bonds now has gone silent in 1990 NLCS, 1991 NLCS, 1992 NLCS, 1993 game 162 against the Dodgers, 1997 NLDS, 1998 game 163 against the Cubs, and now the 2000 NLDS.
Still, what an amazing NLDS between the Mets and the Giants. Shame that this NLDS didn't go 5 games.
Edgardo Alfonzo's 9th inning home run in game 2 turned out to be HUGE
Otherwise, JT Snow's pinch-hit HR would have been a walkoff and Perez/Payton wouldn't have had a chance to take Benitez off the hook.
I don't know if the Mets could have come back from down 0-2
@@chrisuncleahmad yeah and the giants would’ve probably won it all
Leiter 120 pitches in the 8th
My god Benitez was bad in the post season
The Giants essentially lost this series in game 3 by not taking advantage of so much RISP
Similar to 20201
@@sohumfotedar2389 Yup but the 2021 Dodgers had a much better pitching staff
Like the White Sox/Mariners- this was not a shocking LDS upset since the Mets won ONLY three fewer games than the Giants.
But I don't think anyone saw NY winning 3 straight after getting rolled in game 1
No one saw Bobby J. Jones throwing a masterpiece in game four to close out the series either.
@@JerseyNYC83 By Jones, what a performance for Bobby