2003 Postseason Replay: The Straw That Broke Grady's Back

"Baseball is a game based on adversity. It's a game that's going to test you repeatedly. It's going to find your weaknesses and vulnerabilities and force you to adjust. That adversity, in the big picture, is a really good thing because it shows you where your weaknesses are. It gives you the opportunity to improve."

The quote above was uttered by a brash young man who became the youngest general manager in MLB history. At the tender age of twenty-eight, Theo Epstein was hired on November 25th, 2002 as Boston ownership was looking for an answer to the infamous "Curse of the Bambino". Principal owner John Henry, who purchased the team in December of 2001, was attempting to shed new light on how data can be more effectively interpreted in an attempt to finally change the fortunes of the franchise. Along with Epstein, Henry also brought in sabermetrics guru Bill James whose work was featured in the book Moneyball which was published in 2003.

As far as adversity goes, Boston had experienced a belly full. We all know the stories of past heartaches, and it seemed one more epic collapse would be necessary to push Boston over the top in that meteoric 2003 season. That climactic 2003 ALCS had everything for the perfect storm as another monumental duel with their longtime nemesis - the New York Yankees would be played out with implausible splendor.

The tipping point for the Red Sox would come after that 2003 rookie campaign for the squad's newly minted GM. Epstein spun his magic in that unforgettable 2004 season which was highlighted by a comeback for the ages. Fourteen years and three more World Series titles later, the franchise has made past disappointments a distant memory. As I bask in the warm glow of these recent championships, my mind occasionally drifts back to that evening in the Bronx when Aaron Boone's best Bucky Dent impersonation led to astonishing emptiness. As you watch a demoralized Tim Wakefield leave the field, it is easy to forget how brilliantly he pitched in this series notching victories in Games 1 and 4.

I've decided to turn back the clock and replay that memorable 2003 postseason on MLB The Show 18. My motivation for this replay is three-pronged as I focus on playing redemptor for Pedro Martinez, Grady Little, and Nomar Garciaparra.

If you recall, Pedro had a helluva time against the Yankees in that 2003 postseason losing Game 3 at Fenway Park to former Boston ace Roger Clemens in a contest that was marked with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. Martinez fired the first volley throwing behind the head of Yankee outfielder Karim Garcia in the fourth inning. Martinez seemed to be becoming slightly unhinged after surrendering an early 2-0 lead. It was deemed the ball actually hit Garcia's helmet so he was awarded first base. Garcia then went hard into second, taking out Red Sox second sacker Todd Walker. Pushing and shoving ensued and the dugouts emptied, so it was then Clemens turn to stoke the embers in the bottom of the inning. The victim of Clemens ire would be Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez as he went up and in on the Boston slugger. Both dugouts would again be vacated, and Pedro tangled with Don Zimmer in a regrettable altercation slamming Zimmer to the ground. Things boiled over into the stands in the ninth as Yankee reliever Jeff Nelson got into a dust-up with a fan. Garcia once again found himself in the fray and left the field with a bloody hand after throwing a punch when a fan got into the Yankee bullpen.

Pedro's next misstep in the series would come in Game 7, but he would have an accomplice. The fall guy here would be Grady Little as he allegedly made one of the worst managerial decisions in Red Sox history. Pedro was cruising along with a 5-2 lead entering the bottom of the eighth. Derek Jeter doubled off Martinez on an 0-2 count with one out and was chased home after Bernie Williams singled on a 2-2 offering from Martinez. Little had Alan Embree and Mike Timlin up and ready to go, so when Grady went out to the mound after William's single, everyone and their dog assumed Pedro's outing was over. It was at this moment that Little sent shock waves throughout New England as he went with his gut and left his ace in to get them out of the jam. I don't really recall how I felt about this move at the time, but it was a decision that was plausible to a certain degree even if it seemed Pedro was gassed. Martinez's pitch count stood at 110 after Jeter's two-bagger. As fate would have it, Hideki Matsui hit another 0-2 double, yanking a ground rule variety into the stands to put runners on second and third. Jorge Posada followed with one of his own, a dying quail on a 2-2 count, to tie things up and knock Martinez out of the game.

I always thought Grady got somewhat of a raw deal here. He went with his best guy, and Pedro had all four hitters down to their last strike. It just didn't work out, and I thought the weight placed on Grady's decision was a bit excessive. The Boston bullpen had the third highest ERA that year which most likely played a part in Little's trepidation on pulling Pedro. Despite being the Boston skipper for 194 wins including the postseason, he was dismissed 11 days after Boone's extra-inning dagger.

The 2003 postseason also marked the opportunity that got away from former Boston icon Nomar Garciaparra. "Nomah" was a five-time all-star, two time AL batting champ and was the face of the franchise, but Theo wasn't a fan of his defense or lack thereof. It was also apparent that Nomar was festering due to the fact that Boston had tried to woo 2003 offseason free agent Alex Rodriguez who, of course, signed with the hated Yankees. When Epstein pulled the trigger on dealing Garciaparra to the Cubs during the 2004 season, it was one of those touchstone moments that appeared to galvanize the team for that improbable playoff run as Boston added former Gold Glovers Dave Mientkiewicz and Orlando Cabrera. Garciaparra was going to hit the free agent market after the 2004 season and was damaged goods as his Achilles was barking which caused him to miss the first 57 games of the season. Both of these factors almost certainly also played a role in the decision to move him. Even though Epstein's controversial trade of the superstar now looks like a stroke of genius, it was unfortunate that Nomar never got the chance to reach a World Series with Boston.

So keep an eye out on Twitter for updates of my 2003 postseason replay. I'll be providing stats and results along with revealing some historical comparisons and recollections from the actual 2003 postseason season. A-Rod may have missed out on being a Red Sox, but I wonder if he is aware that is fiance was once a Red Sox fan? Yep, that's J-Lo making time with Ben Affleck before the fireworks in that incendiary ALCS Game 3 battle. Soon time to light this candle.