What is the Biggest MLB Pennant-Race Choke Job of the last 25 years?
- Thread starter Say Hey Kid
- Start date
JS19
Legends Never Die
2004's Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees come to mind. Never saw a 3-0 comeback like that, especially when the Yankees were favoured to win the AL Pennant.
Say Hey Kid
Bathory
JS19
Legends Never Die
Oh my bad. I misread what you meant. 
As for what you really wanted. 2011's Red Sox comes to mind. The Sox had something like a 9-game lead in the AL East and had the best record in the AL, but went 7-20 in the final stretch. Nothing is more memorable than the final day when the Sox lost to Orioles and Rays lost to Yankees, which not only solidified the playoff chances for the Yankees, but completely decimated the Sox. There was also the 2009 Tigers who had a 3 game lead with 4 games left over the AL Central. Twins chased them to a tie and forced a playoff. Ultimately the Tigers lost and Twins made it. Of the two, the Sox collapse stands out because of how huge the collapse was, and how much the final game mattered.
As for what you really wanted. 2011's Red Sox comes to mind. The Sox had something like a 9-game lead in the AL East and had the best record in the AL, but went 7-20 in the final stretch. Nothing is more memorable than the final day when the Sox lost to Orioles and Rays lost to Yankees, which not only solidified the playoff chances for the Yankees, but completely decimated the Sox. There was also the 2009 Tigers who had a 3 game lead with 4 games left over the AL Central. Twins chased them to a tie and forced a playoff. Ultimately the Tigers lost and Twins made it. Of the two, the Sox collapse stands out because of how huge the collapse was, and how much the final game mattered.
Terry Yake
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GIN ANTONIC
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Oh my bad. I misread what you meant.
As for what you really wanted. 2011's Red Sox comes to mind. The Sox had something like a 9-game lead in the AL East and had the best record in the AL, but went 7-20 in the final stretch. Nothing is more memorable than the final day when the Sox lost to Orioles and Rays lost to Yankees, which not only solidified the playoff chances for the Yankees, but completely decimated the Sox. There was also the 2009 Tigers who had a 3 game lead with 4 games left over the AL Central. Twins chased them to a tie and forced a playoff. Ultimately the Tigers lost and Twins made it. Of the two, the Sox collapse stands out because of how huge the collapse was, and how much the final game mattered.
Rays beat Yankees on the final day. Longoria walk-off bro.
'95 Angels was interesting one. They choked a lead then made a mad scramble at the end to force a play in game. They were up 6 games with 16 remaining and proceeded to lose 9 in a row. They found themselves down 3 games with 5 games left and ran the table.
Haven't rewatched it, but I remember that play-in game being a tremendous pitchers' duel for the first six innings. If memory serves me correctly, Mark Langston was matching Randy Johnson for awhile. Mariners got their first run when Langston was the cutoff man and caught an offline throw. Langston had trouble getting the ball out of his glove and then fired a 95 mph bullet at the catcher from 40 feet away which the catcher couldn't handle cleanly. The wheels came off in the 7th.
John Price
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Swervin81
Leaf fan | YYZ -> SEA
2011 Red Sox AND Braves
The Braves held the title for biggest pennant chokejob for maybe half an hour.
Man, that was the most awesome night of baseball ever.
The Braves held the title for biggest pennant chokejob for maybe half an hour.
Man, that was the most awesome night of baseball ever.
Extra Texture
A new career
Oh my bad. I misread what you meant.
As for what you really wanted. 2011's Red Sox comes to mind. The Sox had something like a 9-game lead in the AL East and had the best record in the AL, but went 7-20 in the final stretch. Nothing is more memorable than the final day when the Sox lost to Orioles and Rays lost to Yankees, which not only solidified the playoff chances for the Yankees, but completely decimated the Sox. There was also the 2009 Tigers who had a 3 game lead with 4 games left over the AL Central. Twins chased them to a tie and forced a playoff. Ultimately the Tigers lost and Twins made it. Of the two, the Sox collapse stands out because of how huge the collapse was, and how much the final game mattered.
Do you mean the playoff chances of the Rays? The Yankees were already shoo-ins that year and had clinched the division. The incredible turnaround of those games (the Sox losing AND the Rays overcoming a bunch of early Yankee runs) was all the more amazing because it put TB in the playoffs.
I was sad at the time because I had alot of friends who were Sox fans, but considering that was the demise of the "chicken and beer boyz", many of whom were annoying it wasnt all bad. Plus, flushing that team down the drain (or more accurately the Bobby V team after it) made them go and reload with guys who won them the WS 2 years later so there's a silver lining even for Sox fans.
Extra Texture
A new career
The most shocking thing to me about that (and the following year's collapse) is that Jerry Manuel stayed on as manager until 2010. You would think after one let down like that they would fire him, nevermind two.
Rick Nash 61
The Best
Marc the Habs Fan
Moderator
1993 Giants should not be on this list. How can you be called a choking bunch when you win 103 games? They got out-awesome'd. I mean, yeah they did have an ill-timed 8 game losing streak, but 103 games!
I am going to go with the 2011 Red Sox. Everyone was convinced they were going to win the WS (or at least get there vs the Phillies) and then the bottom just completely fell out.
I am going to go with the 2011 Red Sox. Everyone was convinced they were going to win the WS (or at least get there vs the Phillies) and then the bottom just completely fell out.
PanthersPens62
Coach Nerd
They also finished 14-3 when they were 3.5 games back on September 15th and lost the division by a game...the last game...through a Dusty Baker special.
NYRFAN218
King
Well Randolph was the manager until the middle of 08 when he was fired. The entire coaching staff should have been sacked after 2007 anyway.
darko
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Reality Check
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That 2009 Tigers squad wasn't that good at all. Neither were the Twins, who wound up doing what they usually did and lost to New York in the ALDS.
They certainly did choke in the final month however. Their two deadline acquisitions were huge busts and Granderson losing the ball in CF led to him being traded in the offseason. It was also the last of Fernando Rodney, who predictably, blew up in Minnesota once again in the tiebreaker game. I believe this was also the year that Don Kelly lost the ball "in the lights" or, more likely, due to the shady vents at the Metrodome.
From checking Wikipedia, what I didn't know was that Sports Illustrated ranked this the best regular season game of the decade. It's a shame the replay challenges weren't around a few years earlier as that game could have been different. Brandon Inge was hit, barely, by a pitch in the 12th inning with the bases loaded. The umpire disagreed and the Twins wound up winning it in the bottom of the 12th.
But knowing that Tigers team, they would have blown it just the same.
They certainly did choke in the final month however. Their two deadline acquisitions were huge busts and Granderson losing the ball in CF led to him being traded in the offseason. It was also the last of Fernando Rodney, who predictably, blew up in Minnesota once again in the tiebreaker game. I believe this was also the year that Don Kelly lost the ball "in the lights" or, more likely, due to the shady vents at the Metrodome.
From checking Wikipedia, what I didn't know was that Sports Illustrated ranked this the best regular season game of the decade. It's a shame the replay challenges weren't around a few years earlier as that game could have been different. Brandon Inge was hit, barely, by a pitch in the 12th inning with the bases loaded. The umpire disagreed and the Twins wound up winning it in the bottom of the 12th.
But knowing that Tigers team, they would have blown it just the same.
Blackhawkswincup
RIP Fugu
2012 White Sox should be included
From May 29th thru Sept 25th they were in 1st place all but 7 days
They then folded under the horrendous leadership of Robin Ventura and lost Division to Tigers
Organization has been mess since that collapse
From May 29th thru Sept 25th they were in 1st place all but 7 days
They then folded under the horrendous leadership of Robin Ventura and lost Division to Tigers
Organization has been mess since that collapse
EpochLink
Canucks and Jets fan
I can't really put the 1993 Giants up there, they lost the race by 1 game..seriously, Atlanta's 104 wins to their 103.
Then the Braves served up their October Choke job to the Phillies
Then the Braves served up their October Choke job to the Phillies
