INSIDE THE NUMBERS
A look at the stats from the ALDS
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
BRET SABERHAGEN, RHP (17-10, 4.17 ERA, 35 starts in 1999)
Saberhagen made just one appearance in the ALDS, but it was the Oakland's most impressive pitching performance of the series. Saberhagen gave up just two runs on six hits and one walk, striking out five, in a complete game victory in Game 3.
MARK BUEHRLE, LHP (13-3, 3.81 ERA, 22 starts in 1999)
Buehrle had just three losses in the regular season but suffered two in the playoffs. The lefty gave up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings in Game 1 and then was hit for five runs in three innings in Game 4. Overall, he posted a 12.46 ERA in 8 2/3 postseason innings, giving up 12 earned runs on 11 hits and three walks, striking out eight.
SCOTT ERICKSON, RHP (9-4, 4.16 ERA, 19 starts in 1999)
Erickson was hit with the loss in Game 2 of the series, giving up five runs on eight hits and two walks, striking out three in 6 2/3 innings.
BEN GRIEVE, OF (.334, 28 HR, 115 RBI in 1999)
Grieve was a huge disappointment for Oakland as he was held hitless in 16 playoff at bats, walking twice and striking out seven times.
JOEY CORA, 2B (.293, 6 HR, 80 R, 396 AB in 1999)
Cora was the most productive A's player in the playoffs, hitting .533 (8-for-15) with two doubles, two runs scored, two RBI, two walks and two strikeouts.
TONY BATISTA, 3B (.271, 42 HR, 131 RBI in 1999)
Batista was nothing like the monster run producer he was during the season as Tampa Bay pitching held him hitless in 14 at bats. Batista had just one RBI, walked three times and struck out three times as part of the offensive collapse.
EINAR DIAZ, C (.265, 12 HR, 66 RBI in 1999)
Diaz played well in the playoffs, handling would-be basestealers well while also hitting .308 (4-for-13) with three doubles, a walk, a run scored and four strikeouts.
GABE KAPLER, OF (.293, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 328 AB in 1999)
Kapler performed as better than many of his teammates, hitting .250 (3-for-12) with three doubles, two walks, two runs, two RBI and two strikeouts.
DOUG MIENTKIEWICZ, 1B (.261, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 142 AB in 1999)
Mientkiewicz struggled at the plate in the playoffs while playing a solid firstbase defensively. He hit .167 (2-for-12) with a double, a walk, a RBI and two strike outs.
MARK McGWIRE, DH (.288, 61 HR, 169 RBI in 1999)
Publicly identified as "the guy we can't let beat us," Big Mac was held hitless in the postseason but still managed a .389 onbase percentage. McGwire was 0-for-11 with six strikeouts but was walked seven times, including a handful of intentional walks. He scored two runs in the series.
DAVE MAGADAN, 3B (.269, 5 HR, 48 RBI, 369 AB in 1999)
Magadan went 3-for-9 with a walk, RBI and strikeout. Only two Oakland batters had more hits than Magadan even though seven had more at bats.
JASON McDONALD, OF (.241, 3 HR, 30 RBI, 187 AB in 1999)
McDonald went 2-for-9 with a walk, a run and a strikeout.
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS
CHAD OGEA, RHP (8-15, 5.28 ERA, 31 starts in 1999)
Nobody would think the Devil Rays would win the ALDS if Chad Ogea had the most innings or lowest ERA of any of the starters in the series, but that is just what happened. Ogea started and won the deciding Game 4, holding Oakland to one run on two hits and six walks with five strikeouts in eight innings.
PEDRO MARTINEZ, RHP (19-3, 3.04 ERA, 34 starts in 1999)
Martinez struck out nine in Game 1, picking up an impressive win in his lone start of the postseason thus far. He gave up one run on eight hits and a walk in seven innings.
AARON SELE, RHP (14-10, 4.54 ERA, 33 starts in 1999)
Sele stumbled in Game 2 but the Devil Rays still managed to win. The right-hander gave up three runs on six hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven.
BRUCE CHEN, LHP (7-5, 3.92 ERA, 17 games/16 starts in 1999)
Chen is the only pitcher to be charged with a loss in Devil Rays playoff history (all four games of it
). He was hit for five runs on seven hits and five walks with four Ks in four innings.
PAUL KONERKO, 1B (.314, 38 HR, 135 RBI in 1999)
Konerko went deep in Game 2, but the homer was one of only three hits he picked up in the ALDS. Konerko hit .176 (3-for-17) with a home run, a walk, four runs scored, four RBI, and one strikeout.
CARLOS BELTRAN, OF (.303, 17 HR, 75 RBI, 446 AB in 1999)
Beltran also struggled, hitting .188 (3-for-16) with a double, one RBI, two runs, three walks and three strikeouts.
ERUBIEL DURAZO (.287, 30 HR, 100 RBI in 1999)
Durazo went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in Game 4, making up for a lousy series in the first three games. Overall, the left-handed slugger hit .250 (4-for-16) with two doubles, a home run, three runs, three RBI and four strikeouts.
CHARLES JOHNSON, C (.265, 20 HR, 67 RBI, 388 AB in 1999)
Johnson kicked off the ALDS strong, picking up five RBI in Game 1 alone. For the series, the catcher hit .333 (5-for-15) with two doubles, a home run, three runs, six RBI and three strikeouts.
RAUL MONDESI, OF (.264, 24 HR, 75 RBI, 492 AB in 1999)
Mondesi may have been the most productive hitter throughout the series, hitting .429 (6-for-14) with a double, two home runs, five runs, five RBI, two walks and four K's.
JOSE HERNANDEZ, 3B/SS (.240, 14 HR, 58 RBI in 1999)
Hernandez struggled in the ALDS, hitting .154 (2-for-13) with a double, a RBI, a run, a walk and four strikeouts.
RICKEY HENDERSON, OF (.295, 5 HR, 59 R, 295 AB in 1999)
Brought in partly for his experience and knowledge, Henderson was as key to the ALDS win as any other position player. The 40-year-old showed his old team he still has something in the tank by hitting a Devil Rays team high .583 (7-for-12) with two doubles, a triple, two walks, three runs, one strikeout.
JEFF FRYE, 2B (.241, 1 HR, 52 R, 440 AB in 1999)
Frye slipped from last year and it continued into the playoffs as the scrappy infielder went 2-for-11 with two walks and three RBI. He had two RBI in Game 1.
WILTON GUERRERO, SS (.306, 2 HR, 44 RBI, 337 AB in 1999)
Guerrero played in Games 1 and 3 but was offensively ineffective, going 0-for-8 with a strikeout.