Mock World Series, 2006 Phillies v 1961 Yankees
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by user Kelsdad
Our esteemed colleague Harold Friend, aka User:LouGehrig, posted an interesting article Sunday in which he referenced to the 1961 New York Yankees being "great then, but not anymore." He compared the Yankees to the 2006 Philadelphia Phillies, a team who numbers-wise compares favorably with the Yanks, but in terms of 2006 they were a league average team. We had exchanged some comments and thought with things being as they are, the Yankees were still the far superior team and had agreed only Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, at first and second respectively, would have started for the '61 Yanks.
Now we know these teams couldn't actually play each other, but thanks to computer and/or board games such as Strat-o-matic and Diamond-Mind Baseball, replays between two teams in different eras, or even seasons, are now possible. There are known intangibles built into these replays, such as field conditions and so on, but the end result is unless we as users manually replay these games the computer spits out a result within seconds, and while I believe them to be pretty accurate I also know to take them with a grain of salt. But I also love these comparisons, and doing them manually is a lot of work, but to punch in some pitching match-ups or line-ups and play around for the results, is a lot of fun. A great site for this kind of thing, an actual award winner for best sports web-site is www.whatifsports.com. All major sports are available for simulated replays, and they have recently begun adding College Basketball. So, last night, after thinking about what Harold had said, I ran a “World Series” between the ’61 Yankees and ’06 Phillies. With the Yankees, since they actually made the World Series, I ran their starting lineups exactly as they were according to the actual game boxscores. For the Phillies, lineups were off the most common lineups used for the season.
GAME 1: at New York, Whitey Ford v. Brett Myers
Yankees go up 1-0 with a 6-4 win. Whitey Ford pitched a complete game six-hitter with 12 strikeouts. For the Yankees, catcher Elston Howard was 4-4 with a homer, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. Bobby Richardson, Tony Kubek and Mickey Mantle also had two hits each, with Richardson and Mantle homering. Roger Maris reached base four times on one hit and three walks. For the Phillies, Myers allowed 12 hits and six earned runs in 6 2/3 IP, with nine strikeouts. Offensively, Chase Utley was 2-5 with a run scored and an RBI, Jimmy Rollins was 1-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and chipped in a stolen base. Ryan Howard was 0-5 with four strikeouts.
GAME 2: at New York, Ralph Terry v Jon Lieber
Phillies tie series at 1-1 with 6-5 win. Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the second which included a Yogi Berra HR. Phillies tied in the third on two-run homer by Ryan Howard. Yankees scored single runs in the fourth, fifth (Mantle HR) and sixth, Phillies took a 6-5 lead in the eighth on back to back homers by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, with Utley’s a two run job. Yankees tied in the bottom on single and an error by Pat Burrell, the Phils scored the winning run in the top of the ninth on singles by Burrell, David Bell and a pinch single by Shane Victorino. Rollins had three hits, scored three runs and contributed a HR. Chase Utley was 2-5 including a HR, and Howard was 2-4 with two HR and 3RBI. For the Yankees, Yogi Berra was 4-5 with a homer, pitcher Ralph Terry was 2-2 at the plate although allowed four homers in his 7 2/3 innings pitched, and both closers suffered blown saves with one eventually the winning pitcher and one the loser.
GAME 3: at Philadelphia, Bill Stafford v Cole Hamels
Yankees take 2-1 Series lead with 5-3 win. Yankees overcome 3-2 deficit in ninth inning, after two outs, Bobby Richardson singled, Elston Howard walked and Mickey Mantle hit a three-run homer. Chase Utley was 3-4 with a solo HR. Bill Stafford pitched 6IP allowing no earned runs, Cole Hamels pitched seven innings allowing three hits, no earned runs, walked five and struck out 6.
GAME 4: at Philadelphia, Whitey Ford v Cory Lidle
Yankees go up 3-1 with 12-5 win. Mickey Mantle was 3-4 with a homer, two runs scored and 2 RBI. Roger Maris was 2-4 with 2 runs, 3 RBI and a homer. Tony Kubek 2-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI, and Clete Boyer 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. For the Phillies, Jimmy Rollins was 2-4 with a homer, Bobby Abreu 1-4 with 2 RBI, Chris Coste 2-4 with 2 runs scored.
GAME 5: at Philadelphia, Rollie Sheldon v Brett Myers
Phillies stay alive with 6-5 win. Phillies score three in bottom of eighth to win. Shane Victorino hit by pitch, Jimmy Rollins single, Chase Utley sac fly, Ryan Howard double, intentional walk to Bobby Abreu followed by game winning single by Pat Burrell. Chase Utley was 2-4, Ryan Howard 3-3 with two walks, two runs and 3 RBI for the Phillies, for the Yankees, Tony Kubek went 3-4, and Roger Maris 2-4 with 2 runs, 3 RBI and a homer.
GAME 6: at New York, Ralph Terry v. Jon Lieber
Yankees win Series, 4-2 with 10-7 win. Yankees led 10-0 after 6 behind two run homers by Roger Maris and Yogi Berra, and a grand slam by Maris. Phillies came back with two in the eighth and five in the ninth highlighted by a three run homer by Ryan Howard. In addition to Howard’s homer and three RBI, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley each went 2-6, Bobby Abreu 3-4 with two runs scored, Pat Burrell with 2 runs scored. For the Yankees, Maris ended up 3-5 with two homers, six RBI and three runs scored, Yogi Berra and Clete Boyer each 3-4 with Berra having a homer, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.
Overall, Jimmy Rollins scored eight runs, had nine hits and three homers, Chase Utley was 11-23 with three homers, Ryan Howard chipped in with three homers and nine RBI, albeit with eleven strikeouts, and Bobby Abreu had the same number of walks.
On the Yankees side, Bobby Richardson had seven hits, Tony Kubek nine, Roger Maris four homers and 12 RBI, Mickey Mantle four homers and 9 RBI.
Maybe if I ran this again, the result would be different, and maybe it wouldn't. But either way its fun to see the numbers, even though they're on paper.
And the 1985 Bears beat the 2003 Patriots 24-0 at Chicago, and 17-9 at New England.
