Never throw a backdoor slider on a 3-2 count to a left-handed hitter

It's October, and that means the World Series is just around the corner.  Approximately 30 years ago (actually, 30 years ago this past October 15th to be exact), something happened in a World Series game that is truly the stuff  of legends, in everything sense of the phrase.  Kirk Gibson hit a game-winning home run in the first game of the 1988 World Series between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers.  It was his only appearance at bat in the entire Series.  It won the game for the Dodgers, and it has been played over and over again in highlight reels ever since. 


Here's the background.  The heavily favored Oakland Athletics, the American League Champions with a record of 104-58, were led by sluggers Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, and Dave Henderson and pitchers Dave Stewart and Dennis Eckersley, and manager Tony LaRussa.  Jose Canseco was the first player in major league history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases that year (though his record has since been tainted by his admission of steroid use).  The underdog (they had been picked to finish fourth in their Division) Los Angeles Dodgers, the National League Champions with a record of 94-67 were led by National League MVP Kirk Gibson, National League Cy Young Award winner Orel Hershiser, and manager Tommy Lasorda.  The Dodgers were the clear underdog, as they had not finished the regular season in the top 5 of any major offensive statistical category. 


Here's the set-up. The series began with game 1 in Los Angeles.  Dodgers slugger, Kirk Gibson (who had only been playing for the Dodgers for that year, having been signed as a free agent at the start of the season), had hurt his one good leg during game 7 of the NLCS and was not expected to play at all during the World Series.  Gibson was the de facto leader for the Dodgers, having played well enough for the entire season to be named the National League MVP.   Gibson had spent most of the night watching the game on television while undergoing physical therapy in the Dodgers clubhouse.  Legendary Dodgers sports commentator Vin Scully, working for NBC, commented on television that Gibson was "nowhere to be found."  Hearing this, Gibson next told Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda that he was available to pinch hit, after which he began to warm-up in the batting cage in the clubhouse.


The game went back and forth through 8 innings, but the Athletics led 4-3.  Oakland closer, Dennis Eckersley (who led the American League with 45 saves during the regular season and was considered, at  that time, to be the greatest closer in baseball) came in to finish the game.  Eckersley got two quick outs, and the Dodgers were down to their last out, still losing by one run.  Dodgers pinch-hitter Mike Davis got on base with a walk (Davis had played for the Athletics the previous season, and Eckersley didn't want to give up a home run), and the next spot in the batting order was the pitcher's spot.  There's a popular story that the Athletics catcher saw and pointed out to Eckersley that the Dodgers' Dave Anderson was in the "on deck" circle (who wasn't that great of a hitter).  Reportedly, the Athletics "pitched around" (i.e. didn't give Mike Davis anything to hit, essentially walking him purposely to get to Anderson). 


Here's the play.  Lasorda quickly pulled Anderson and sent Kirk Gibson to the plate to pinch hit.  As Gibson limped to home plate, Vin Scully commented, "And look who's coming up!"  Gibson quickly fell behind by two strikes for an 0-2 count, but then took the next two pitches to even the count at 2-2.  On the next pitch, he awkwardly swung at the ball for a foul down the first base line.  On the next pitch (a ball), Davis stole second base and the count was even 3-2.  Now that Davis was in scoring position, all Gibson had to do was hit a single and the Dodgers would tie the game.  Surely Gibson could manage a single, right?  As the next pitch came, Gibson swung almost entirely with his upper body and sent the ball over the right-field fence for a two-run HR, wining the game.  It would be his only plate appearance for the entire Series, but it would set the tone for the games to follow.  The Dodgers would end up winning the 1988 World Series 4-1. 


Now, here's the back-story.  Apparently, the Dodgers had scouted out Dennis Eckersley before the Series and noticed that Eckersley almost always threw a backdoor slider on a 3-2 count to a left-handed hitter.  Gibson knew this.  Gibson was also a left-handed hitter.  And the count was 3-2.  So, with the next pitch, Gibson was expecting Eckersley to throw a backdoor slider.  And he did.  And Gibson hit it out of the park.


I know what you are thinking.  What are the key takeaways here?  I think there are several from the two perspectives of the Athletics and the Dodgers. 


From the Dodgers' perspective:


1.  Never give up.  Ever.  You never know who will step up and deliver.


2.  Do your homework.  The Dodgers knew Dennis Eckersley always followed certain tendencies, and they made the critical adjustments and took advantage of one of those tendencies.


From the Athletics' perspective:


1.  Never count someone out, just because they are in a slump (or if they are injured).  On any given day, most major leaguers (if not all) can hit a home run, if given the chance to do so.  Similarly, we can expect any member of the team to be able to contribute and deliver, if given the chance to do so.  Don't count anyone out, and never, ever underestimate the potential for someone to hit a home run (literally for the Athletics, metaphorically outside of sports).


2.  Every once in a while, do the unexpected.  Tony LaRussa was always well known for keeping a large notebook on the statistical tendencies of every player on the opposing team (how they hit in certain situations, what kind of pitches they usually preferred, where they hit the ball, etc.).  Should he have been surprised that the Dodgers had the same kind of knowledge on his players?  No way.  If the Dodgers scouts knew that Dennis Eckersley usually preferred a backdoor slider on a 3-2 count to a left-handed batter, perhaps Tony LaRussa should have known that too.  Perhaps then he could have told Eckersley not to throw that pitch.


It's a great story.  And a great lesson (in my opinion).  Never, ever throw a backdoor slider on a 3-2 count to a left-handed hitter.  Especially if that hitter is Kirk Gibson.