Those Dusty Roads...

All the factoids came out.   This was the first time all season that the Reds lost 3 straight home games.
Posey's grand slam was only the second postseason granny allowed by a Reds pitcher since Wayne Granger allowed one to Baltimore left-handed pitcher, Dave McNally in the 1970 World Series.
Since the 2002 World Series, Dusty Baker is 1-9 in games where his team could have captured a postseason series win.

Now I'm looking up statistics. Why?  It's baseball.  Is there any sport with more stats than baseball?  I don't think so.

Career Leaders in ERA for the World Series.  Bet you don't know who is number one with at least 20 innings pitched.   Jack Billingham.  .36 ERA in 25 1/3 innings pitched.  Some history on Jack.  Signed by the Dodgers in 1961.  Drafed by the Montreal Expos from the Dodgers in 1968.  Was traded by Expos to Houston Astros because Donn Clendenon refused to accept the trade.  Then on November 29, 1971 he was involved in a trade that changed the Cincinnati Redleg fortunes forever.  Traded by Houston:  Ed Armbrister, Cesar Geronimo, Denis Menke, Joe Morgan and Jack Billingham.  For Tommy Helms, Lee May, and Jimmy Stewart.  Damn, was Lee May that good?

Jack Billingham was also a cousin of Christy Mathewson.  Mathewson was #7 on the Career Leaders in World Series List.  Their stats were far removed from each other.  While Billingham only pitched 25.1 innings giving up 1 earned run, 3 total.  Mathewson pitched 101 2/3 innings while giving up 11 earned runs and 22 total.  Mathewson allowed only 1 home run.  In the 1905 World Series, Mathewson pitched 3 games. All complete game shutouts.

While numbers are something that may at times catch your eye and inspire curiosity to look up other notable numbers you really have to look beyond the initial numbers. 

It's good the Giants beat the Reds.  Now we will have to wait and see who they will face.  Washington or St. Louis?  I prefer St. Louis.  Only because the Giants play good at Busch but not so good at the National's home park.

(thanks to baseball-reference.com for the numbers)

Kevin J. Marquez