Monday, April 16, 2018

Common Denominator: Davey And Cito!

"Played together on the San Diego Padres from 1973 to , together again, different circumstance, 1992."

That would be Cito Gaston and Dave Winfield. In 1973 the Padres won only 60 games despite 16 home runs from Cito. Dave didn't play much that year, hitting just 3 home runs in 56 games. The team  did not improve in 1974, as the two were joined by Hall-Of-Famer Willie McCovey. Winfield hit 20 home runs that year, Gaston only 6. It was their last year as teammates.

Cito Gaston moved on to the Atlanta Braves in 1975, staying there until 1978. The team was managed by Bobby Cox that last year. Soon, Cito and Bobby Cox were together on the coaching staff on the Toronto Blue Jays. Cox was the manager. But in 1989, Cito became skipper.

So when does Winfield come back into the equation? That would be 1992, as Toronto signed him. And did that ever play off! 26 home runs and 108 RBIs from their DH. And after beating Oakland in 6 games in the ALCS, it was off to the World Series. The Cito and Dave show!

There, the Atlanta Braves and Bobby Cox stood in their way. Winfield got the Blue Jays first hit in game 1, but it was the home squad, the Braves, that won it, 3-1. 

Winfield got Toronto to within a run in game 2. With the Jays trailing 4-2 against the Braves' John Smoltz in the top of the 8th, Dave singled home Roberto Alomar. Toronto was inspired. A pinch-hit, 2-run home run by Ed Sprague the next inning sent this to Toronto tied a game apiece.

Winfield lashed a single to centre off Steve Avery in the bottom of the 1st. The score was knotted 0-0. But John Olerud fanned and Candy Maldonado erased Dave Winfield by hitting into an inning-ending double play.

However, Winfield made an excellent contribution in the last of the ninth. Game tied, 2-2. Robbie Alomar on second, Joe Carter on first (Via an intentional walk). A bunt by Dave moved 'em over. Ed Sprague batter for Olerud and walked. Candy Maldonado came through this time with a single to centre for the win.

Winfield came up to bat in the bottom of the first in game four. Facing Tom Glavine (He'd singled off him in game one), the Atlanta left-hander, he hat a shot. Alomar was again on second. But Glavine fanned him.

There was better things to come. Leading off the bottom of the fourth, Winfield coaxed a four-pitch walk from Glavine. John Olerud singled to right. A big inning?

Candy Maldonado was retired on a fly and Kelly Gruber hit into a double play. Two innings later, it was Joe Carter on at first with one away. Dave forced him, but John Olerud again singled. Winfield motored to third! Okay! Alas, Maldonado fanned. The good news was that Toronto beat Atlanta 2-1 (Jimmy Key, the Toronto pitcher selected by Cito Gaston to start this game, was brilliant!) in this game four, and were up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Could Dave bring his former teammate his first World Series win? Actually, their first World Series win, as Dave was still looking for his first. They could clinch in game five at home!

Winfield led off the second inning of game with a fly to deep centre. Not matter, Toronto scored a run in the inning, and they would add another in the fourth. But did Atlanta ever have the bats going in this game. They'd tallied in the top of the first, the fourth, and then five time in the top of the fifth. Winfield singled in the last of the fifth and struck out in the eighth. It didn't matter. Toronto lost 7-2.

So in Atlanta for game five, Winfield was ready. Joe Carter drove in a run in the top of the first. Winfield followed that with a walk to keep the rally going. But both Candy Maldonado and Kelly Gruber hit into a force, and the inning ended with just the one run.

Maldonado atoned for that his next time out. He took Steve Avery out of the park for a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Winfield had failed to deliver the previous inning with two on. This was a good sign: Toronto was hitting!

Winfield lined out in the top of the fifth and popped out in the top of the seventh. He grounded out in the ninth. Toronto still led 2-1, but Atlanta tied it in the bottom of the frame. So, top of the 11th, tied 2-2, Dave delivered! A 2-run double put the visitors up 4-2! They needed 'em both, as the Braves scored another run before the last out. Cito and Dave had come full circle in this unforgettable World Series!


References


1992 World SeriesPerformance by Len Cariou, Major League Baseball Productions, 1992. DVD.

Dan Diamond and Associates and Toronto Blue Jays Club. Toronto Blue Jays Official Guide 1987, 1993, 1994. Print.

Gamester, George, and Gerald Hall. On Top Of The World: The Toronto Star’s Tribute To The ‘92 Blue Jays. Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.

Major League Baseball. World Series Official Programs 1992 & 1993. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.

Retrosheet. Web. 16 Apr. 2018. <www.retrosheet.org>.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 16 Apr. 2018.


Thorn, John, and Pete Palmer. Total Baseball. Vers. 1994. Portland, OR: Creative Multimedia Corp., 1994. Computer software. CD-ROM.

Youtube. Web. 16 Apr. 2018. <https://www.youtube.com/>.

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