Dbacks vs Yankees World Series - Game 7 - 2001

[Milkyway!]

One of the most dramatic games to ever occur in baseball history. I have one simple question.

I have to think the 3rd baseman Scott David Brosius would have been more comfortable at his home field to make a throw from 3rd to 1st to grab the double play off the bunt. Tapes have shown he was only halfway to the bag when he got the ball in the first place.

I was watching a segment on the MLB Network with Joe Torre, in which he said if they were at Yankee's Stadium they would have likely called the outfielders in, and went for the double play. The unlikely hit, would have been a double play to end the game.

The entire city was behind the Yankees at the time. Obviously the attacks on the Twin Towers had occurred, and most everyone tuned in to see the Yankees rally an entire city in utter chaos. It would have been a VERY tough crowd for the Dbacks to play against the Yankees in.

Would the Dbacks had won the World Series against the Yankees had that game been at Yankee stadium?

 

[Stormtrooper]

First of all, that World Series in itself might be one of the best World Series' in recent years. It had all the drama, all the moments, 3 walkoffs (including Game 7), virtually everything you can ask for. Now onto your question.

This question about the Brosious play is nearly impossible to answer. What you're basically assuming is that those plays would be made if they were in New York. For all we know that is true, except there's one major problem with that logic. If the Yankees were home, virtually the entire game is different. The Yankees have the home field advantage, the home crowd on their side, and bat last in each inning, providing different scenarios for each and every at bat.

If you look at the specific plays in a bubble, and teleport those plays to a Yankee Stadium, then maybe Scott Brosious, a solid defensive 3rd baseman, would have made the play (apparently the weather was pretty good for a November night in the Bronx, I looked it up and there was no precipitation with a high in the 50's that day, so weather wouldn't be a factor).


Now, do I personally think the D-Backs would have been able to win a Game 7 in Yankee Stadium that series (if the first 6 games went the way they did)? Hell no. There was too much emotion, and the way Games 3-5 went, Arizona wasn't winning a Game 7 in New York.

But in following playoff formatting, if Game 7 was in Yankee Stadium, then games 1, 2, and 6 would have been there, while 3, 4, and 5 would be in Arizona. The whole series could play out differently, and for all we know the D-Backs manage to steal game 2 (the emotions likely would carry the Yanks to Game 1), then win all 3 at home. Or the Yankees win the first 2, and the D-Backs are running on empty entering Game 3, and the Yankees sweep.

As a Yankee fan, I'm not discounting anything the D-Backs did. They deserved the championship that year, they won 4 games fair and square. It might have been the most shocking finish in recent years, with Mariano Rivera blowing the save in Game 7, but it was 100% clean.

And if you're looking for a culprit to blame that Yankee Series loss, don't blame the defense, Rivera, or Torre, or even anything in Game 7. If Andy Pettitte didn't tip his pitches in Game 6, then for all we know there wouldn't be a Game 7. Or if the Yankees hit the baseball in Game 2, they might not have been a need for Game 7.