Baseball's Worst Moments Anaheim Angels -- The Angels were just one strike away from reaching the World Series in the 1986 ALCS when Boston's Dave Henderson hits a go-ahead home run off Donnie Moore. Arizona Diamondbacks -- We all felt the pain as Byung-Hyun Kim crouched on the mound at Yankee Stadium, unable to comprehend giving up a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of the World Series for the second straight game. Atlanta Braves -- Mark Wohlers' hanging slider to Jim Leyritz, Game 4, 1996 World Series. Braves blow 6-0 lead to the Yankees and eventually lose in 10 innings -- and lose the Series after winning the first two games. Baltimore Orioles -- The O's started the 1988 season with a 12-0 loss to the Brewers. And things got worse -- 21 consecutive losses worse. Boston Red Sox -- Mookie. Buckner. Ball. Glove. Under. Knight. Pain. Misery. Agony. Torture. Chicago Cubs -- You kids may know only of Steve Bartman, but real Cubs fans know the pain of the ball rolling through the long legs of Leon Durham, Chicago's 3-0 lead over San Diego in Game 5 of the 1984 NLCS evaporating quicker than you can say "Let's play two." Chicago White Sox -- On July 31, 1997, the White Sox trailed the Indians by 3 1/2 games in the AL Central, when penurious owner Jerry Reinsdorf raised the white flag by trading pitchers Wilson Alvarez, Roberto Hernandez and Danny Darwin to the Giants for prospects. (Close second: uniforms with collars. Close third: Disco Demolition Night.) Cincinnati Reds -- Hey, Reds fans: He did it. Get over it and move on. Tony Fernandez did his best to help the Marlins win their first championship. Cleveland Indians -- It's a routine groundball to Tony Fernandez ... Colorado Rockies -- Even fans knew that signing Mike Hampton -- a good but overrated pitcher who had pitched in two great pitchers' park (Astrodome, Shea Stadium) -- for eight years at $121 million was a bold but reckless move. Detroit Tigers -- 2003. Florida Marlins -- Four hours after the Marlins win the 1997 World Series, owner Wayne Huizenga sells off Kevin Brown, Moises Alou, Al Leiter, Jeff Conine and Robb Nen for a month's worth of free rentals at Blockbuster. Houston Astros -- The most underrated of misery-inducing franchises, with October 12, 1980 absorbing the biggest shot to the abdomen: Nolan Ryan fails to hold a 5-2 lead in the 8th inning of Game 5 of the NLCS against the Phillies, who win the game and a trip to the World Series in the 10th. Kansas City Royals -- The Tony Muser Era finishes a strong second to any highlight of Willie Wilson batting in the 1980 World Series. Los Angeles Dodgers -- Tom Niedenfuer, meet Jack Clark. Milwaukee Brewers -- You mean besides the past 11 years? Let's try Game 7 of the '82 World Series, Brewers leading the Cardinals 3-1 in the bottom of the 6th. Starter Pete Vuckovich is replaced by Bob McClure after giving up two singles. McClure gives up a walk, single, single ... game over, Series lost. Minnesota Twins -- A week after the 2001 World Series, the Twins are one of two teams earmarked for contraction by commissioner Bud Selig. Montreal Expos -- The Expos actually made the playoffs once, back in 1981. The deciding game of the NLCS was tied 1-1 when manager Jim Fanning replaces starter Ray Burris with Steve Rogers in the 9th. Rick Monday homers to send the Dodgers to the World Series. New York Mets -- Following the utter joy of Robin Ventura's 15th-inning grand-slam single to win Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS against the Braves and then Mike Piazza's homer in Game 6 to help the Mets rally from a 5-0 deficit, Kenny Rogers had Mets fans cursing for weeks after he walked in the series-winning run with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th. New York Yankees -- Before the dynasty, the Yankees were just another franchise. When Edgar Martinez doubled in Ken Griffey Jr. in the 1995 playoffs, fans everywhere rejoiced. Yankee fans, bless them, cried big, fat tears of misery. Oakland Athletics -- Gibson's homer still hurts, that '90 Series sweep still causes cold sweats, the McGwire trade still induces strange rashes, but Jeremy Giambi's failure to slide makes A's fans feel a numbness in the brain which forces them to curl up into a fetal position. Philadelphia Phillies -- Why the hell was Mitch Williams in the game? Pittsburgh Pirates -- In the endless string of the space-time continuum, when the play happens over and over and over, Sid Bream gets thrown out at home plate. Every time. Except one. St. Louis Cardinals -- Sure, Don Denkinger is the convenient scapegoat, but maybe if Jack Clark catches that foul pop or Darrell Porter doesn't allow that passed ball, then maybe the Royals don't score two runs to win the game and for sure Whitey don't blow his top in Game 7. San Diego Padres -- What happens when an opponent (Tino Martinez) hits a grand slam in the World Series after he taken what-should've-been-called strike three (from Mark Langston) on the previous pitch? The misery index goes up. Way up. This pic will make San Fran fans resent Scott Spiezio even more. San Francisco Giants -- Giants fans are quiet about their misery, but they too have suffered mightily, having never a won a World Series in San Francisco. Just like they didn't win in 2002 when they blew a 5-0 lead in the 7th inning of Game 6. Just like when you mention the name "Scott Spiezio" to Giants fans, they just stare at you in silence. Seattle Mariners -- Teams which win a record 116 games are supposed to win the World Series. When you don't, when a rookie named Alfonso Soriano wins the crucial game of a playoff series with a 9th-inning home run off your Japanese closer, your gut cries out in pain like you've just eaten some bad sushi. Tampa Bay Devil Rays -- March 29, 2004: General manager Chuck Lamar is given a two-year contract extension. Texas Rangers -- Ahh, you're thinking of the time Lenny Randle punched out manager Frank Lucchesi, but that happened in 1977. So we're going with the trade that sent Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees and punched a big hole in the hearts of Rangers fans. Toronto Blue Jays -- In one of the biggest collapses of all time, the Blue Jays lose their last seven games of 1987, including the final three to Detroit (all by one run) as the Tigers win the pennant with Frank Tanana's 1-0 shutout in the season's final game.
I'd have to go with Game 6 against the mets. We had Mike Scott scheduled to pitch Game 7 so we most likely would have gone to the World Series had we won Game 6.
Me too. I remember the 80 series, but I was young so I do not remember it that well. I recall there was a triple play, but the commisioner overruled it or something like that. Anybody else remember that?
Being 6 outs away from the World Series is a little different from being 30 outs away. It's gotta be 1980.
The Black Sox isn't in the top 3 White Sox worst moments? Who the hell god... anyway, I like how the worst moment of the Dbacks history is in the middle of their World Series triumph.
If you navigate to ESPN's website, it shows the list as Baseball Franchise's Worst Moments in the last 25 years, therefore, no 1919 World Series.
I'll disagree with this one. From the attitude I'm getting on all the sports-talk radio and the big crowds the Rangers drew over the weekend, I think most of the fans here are glad A-Rod is gone. I'd say a worse moment was probably signing the guy to such a ridiculous contract to begin with.
It doesn't seem like people miss A-Rod, especially since, despite his playing very well, the team itself didn't do anything but lose since he arrived. It is amazing what separates a "ridiculous" contract from a regular contract. To me, the $21 million per season is not all that out of line when compared to the $20 million or so that Manny Ramirez makes, etc. Take $2 million or $3 million off the A-Rod contract per year, and the Rangers don't get any better. If I were picking a worst moment for the Rangers, I would consider letting Pudge go for nothing or the 1996 playoffs when the Rangers won Game 1 and held their own until the 12th inning of Game 2 before losing and eventually losing the series. It was hard to be too disappointed, though, since that was the first time the Rangers had ever made the playoffs.
so wait, in 1980 the nlcs was best of 5 and not best of 7? i knew it was supposed to be painful b/c i think 4 of the games went to extra innings, but i didn't know that lead in game 5 would've sent us to the WS and not just extended the nlcs. damn, i guess i should be glad that was before i was born and i was too young to know what happened in 86 (3-0 lead in the 9th with Mike Scott in game 7!!! dammit). houston is definitely underrated on the misery-inducing scale, especially since we seem to cross all sports except pro basketball. UH losing the title game, the oilers endless chokes culminating in the greatest of them all, the stros multiple times. i mean damn, at least boston has 16 basketball titles and 2 football titles to fall back on and cubs' fans have the 85 bears and 6 bulls titles. we're living on 2 bball titles over here.
That right there says a lot. You always hear of the Sox and Cubs curses, but least they've been able to win a playoff series. I saw in another thread the Astros have the 55h best win % since '79, but no playoff luck. That says to me that the Astros tease the fans a lot because they have good teams, but are never able to get it done.....until now.....
Yeah, at least with the Rangers, they hardly ever even came close to being good. The Astros are often teasing... getting very close only to not break through in the end. And the Oilers were often the same way.
