2002 Major League Baseball postseason
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Dates | October 1–27, 2002[1] |
Teams | 8 |
Final positions | |
Champions | Anaheim Angels (1st title) |
Runner-up | San Francisco Giants (17th World Series appearance) |
Tournament statistics | |
MVP | Troy Glaus (ANA) |
The 2002 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of
In the American League, the
In the National League, the San Francisco Giants returned for the second time in three years, the Arizona Diamondbacks returned for the third time in four years, the St. Louis Cardinals returned for the third straight time, and the Atlanta Braves made their eleventh consecutive appearance.
The postseason began on October 1, 2002, and ended on October 27, 2002, with the Angels defeating the Giants in seven games in the 2002 World Series to win their first World Series title in franchise history. This was the first World Series to feature both Wild Card teams from the American and National Leagues. It was also the last World Series to feature two teams from the same state.
Playoff seeds
The following teams qualified for the postseason:
American League
- New York Yankees - 103–58, Clinched AL East[2]
- Oakland Athletics - 103–59, Clinched AL West[3]
- Minnesota Twins - 94–67, Clinched AL Central[4]
- Anaheim Angels - 99–63, Clinched Wild Card[5]
National League
- Atlanta Braves - 101–59, Clinched NL East[6]
- Arizona Diamondbacks - 98–64, Clinched NL West[7]
- St. Louis Cardinals - 97–65, Clinched NL Central[8]
- San Francisco Giants - 95–66, Clinched Wild Card[9]
Playoff bracket
Division Series (ALDS, NLDS) | League Championship Series (ALCS, NLCS) | World Series | ||||||||||||
1 | NY Yankees | 1 | ||||||||||||
4 | Anaheim | 3 | ||||||||||||
4 | Anaheim | 4 | ||||||||||||
American League | ||||||||||||||
3 | Minnesota | 1 | ||||||||||||
2 | Oakland | 2 | ||||||||||||
3 | Minnesota | 3 | ||||||||||||
AL4 | Anaheim | 4 | ||||||||||||
NL4 | San Francisco | 3 | ||||||||||||
1 | Atlanta | 2 | ||||||||||||
4 | San Francisco | 3 | ||||||||||||
4 | San Francisco | 4 | ||||||||||||
National League | ||||||||||||||
3 | St. Louis | 1 | ||||||||||||
2 | Arizona | 0 | ||||||||||||
3 | St. Louis | 3 |
American League Division Series
(1) New York Yankees vs. (4) Anaheim Angels
Anaheim won the series, 3–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 1 | Anaheim Angels – 5, New York Yankees – 8 | Yankee Stadium (I) | 3:27 | 56,710[10] |
2 | October 2 | Anaheim Angels – 8, New York Yankees – 6 | Yankee Stadium (I) | 4:11 | 56,695[11] |
3 | October 4 | New York Yankees – 6, Anaheim Angels – 9 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
3:52 | 45,072[12] |
4 | October 5 | New York Yankees – 5, Anaheim Angels – 9 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
3:37 | 45,067[13] |
This was the first postseason meeting between the Angels and Yankees. The Angels knocked off the four-time defending American League champion Yankees in four games to reach the ALCS for the first time since
This was the first playoff series win in franchise history for the Angels. The Yankees unsurprisingly took Game 1, as they prevailed in an offensive slugfest by an 8-5 score thanks to home runs from Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Rondell White, and Bernie Williams respectively. Game 2 was yet another offensive showdown between both teams, however the Angels would narrowly emerge victorious by an 8-6 score, thanks to home runs from Tim Salmon, Scott Spiezio, Garret Anderson, and Troy Glaus respectively. When the series shifted to Anaheim, the Yankees jumped out to a 6-1 lead after the top of the third, however the Angels scored eight unanswered runs to come from behind and win by a 9-6 score. In Game 4, the Yankees led 2-1 after the top of the fifth, but the Angels again rallied with eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a lead they would not relinquish, as they won 9-5, ending the Yankees' bid for a fifth straight AL pennant.
The Angels and Yankees would also meet in the
(2) Oakland Athletics vs. (3) Minnesota Twins
Minnesota won the series, 3–2.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 1 | Minnesota Twins – 7, Oakland Athletics – 5 | Network Associates Coliseum |
3:44 | 34,853[14] |
2 | October 2 | Minnesota Twins – 1, Oakland Athletics – 9 | Network Associates Coliseum |
3:04 | 31,953[15] |
3 | October 4 | Oakland Athletics – 6, Minnesota Twins – 3 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 3:26 | 55,932[16] |
4 | October 5 | Oakland Athletics – 2, Minnesota Twins – 11 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 3:20 | 55,960[17] |
5 | October 6 | Minnesota Twins – 5, Oakland Athletics – 4 | Network Associates Coliseum |
3:23 | 32,146[18] |
This was the first postseason meeting between the Twins and Athletics. The Twins defeated the Athletics in five games to return to the ALCS for the first time since
In Oakland, the first two games were split by both teams - in Game 1, the Twins prevailed in an offensive slugfest, 7-5. While in Game 2, the A's offense got the best of Twins' starter
Both teams would meet again in the ALDS in
National League Division Series
(1) Atlanta Braves vs. (4) San Francisco Giants
San Francisco won the series, 3–2.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 2 | San Francisco Giants – 8, Atlanta Braves – 5 | Turner Field | 3:24 | 41,903[19] |
2 | October 3 | San Francisco Giants – 3, Atlanta Braves – 7 | Turner Field | 2:58 | 47,167[20] |
3 | October 5 | Atlanta Braves – 10, San Francisco Giants – 2 | Pacific Bell Park |
3:23 | 43,043[21] |
4 | October 6 | Atlanta Braves – 3, San Francisco Giants – 8 | Pacific Bell Park |
3:03 | 43,070[22] |
5 | October 7 | San Francisco Giants – 3, Atlanta Braves – 1 | Turner Field | 3:47 | 45,203[23] |
This was the first postseason meeting between the Giants and Braves. The Giants knocked off the top-seeded Braves in five games to advance to the NLCS for the first time since
In Atlanta, both teams split the first two games. Game 1 was an offensive slugfest that was won by the Giants, 8-5. The Braves evened the series with a 7-3 victory in Game 2. When the series shifted to San Francisco for Game 3, Greg Maddux pitched six solid innings as the Braves blew out the Giants by eight runs to take a 2-1 series lead. The Giants would strike back with a blowout victory of their own in Game 4, as Rich Aurilia helped lead the Giants to an 8-3 victory with solid hitting. Russ Ortiz out-dueled Atlanta's Kevin Millwood as the Giants won the series with a 3-1 victory.
They would meet again in the NLDS in
(2) Arizona Diamondbacks vs. (3) St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis won the series, 3–0.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 1 | St. Louis Cardinals – 12, Arizona Diamondbacks – 2 | Bank One Ballpark |
2:55 | 49,154[24] |
2 | October 3 | St. Louis Cardinals – 2, Arizona Diamondbacks – 1 | Bank One Ballpark |
2:55 | 48,856[25] |
3 | October 5 | Arizona Diamondbacks – 3, St. Louis Cardinals – 6 | Busch Stadium (II) | 3:57 | 52,189[26] |
This was the second straight postseason meeting between the Cardinals and Diamondbacks. They met in the
In Phoenix for Game 1, things got ugly for the Diamondbacks fast, as St. Louis' Matt Morris outdueled Cy Young winner Randy Johnson in a 12-2 blowout win for the Cardinals. In Game 2, the Cardinals held off a potential rally by the Diamondbacks to win 2-1, thanks to stellar pitching from relief pitcher Jason Isringhausen. When the series shifted to St. Louis, the Cardinals completed the sweep with a 6-3 victory in Game 3.
The Diamondbacks would not return to the postseason again until
American League Championship Series
(3) Minnesota Twins vs. (4) Anaheim Angels
Anaheim won the series, 4–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 8 | Anaheim Angels – 1, Minnesota Twins – 2 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 2:58 | 55,562[27] |
2 | October 9 | Anaheim Angels – 6, Minnesota Twins – 3 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 3:13 | 55,990[28] |
3 | October 11 | Minnesota Twins – 1, Anaheim Angels – 2 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
3:13 | 44,234[29] |
4 | October 12 | Minnesota Twins – 1, Anaheim Angels – 7 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
2:49 | 44,830[30] |
5 | October 13 | Minnesota Twins – 5, Anaheim Angels – 13 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
3:30 | 44,835[31] |
After three previous failed attempts, the Angels finally broke through, as they defeated the Twins in five games to advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
Minnesota's Joe Mays out-dueled Anaheim's Kevin Appier in a tight Twins' victory in Game 1. In Game 2, the Angels jumped out to a big lead early thanks to home runs from Darin Erstad and Brad Fullmer and held on to win 6-3 to even the series headed to Anaheim. Troy Glaus led the Angels to victory in Game 3 with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth. Game 4 started off as a pitchers' duel between John Lackey and Brad Radke, but things then got ugly for the Twins as the Angels' offense came alive in the bottom of the seventh, and they blew out the Twins by a 7-1 score to take a 3-1 series lead. In Game 5, the Angels blew out the Twins 13-5 to clinch the pennant, a game which was notable for Adam Kennedy's three home runs and the Angels scoring ten runs in the bottom of the seventh.
After the series loss, the Twins would go on to win the
While the Angels and Twins experienced regular-season success in the following years, 2002 marked a high point for both franchises. To date, this is the only pennant win by the Angels, while this is the last ALCS appearance by the Twins. In 2020, the Twins set a mark of postseason futility when they lost their 18th straight playoff game, setting a record for major professional sports in North America.[32]
National League Championship Series
(3) St. Louis Cardinals vs. (4) San Francisco Giants
San Francisco won the series, 4–1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 9 | San Francisco Giants – 9, St. Louis Cardinals – 6 | Busch Stadium (II) | 3:31 | 52,175[33] |
2 | October 10 | San Francisco Giants – 4, St. Louis Cardinals – 1 | Busch Stadium (II) | 3:17 | 52,195[34] |
3 | October 12 | St. Louis Cardinals – 5, San Francisco Giants – 4 | Pacific Bell Park |
3:32 | 42,177[35] |
4 | October 13 | St. Louis Cardinals – 3, San Francisco Giants – 4 | Pacific Bell Park |
3:26 | 42,676[36] |
5 | October 14 | St. Louis Cardinals – 1, San Francisco Giants – 2 | Pacific Bell Park |
3:01 | 42,673[37] |
This was a rematch of the
The Giants convincingly stole Games 1 and 2 on the road. In Game 3, the Cardinals staved off a sweep thanks to a solo home run from
The Cardinals and Giants would meet in the NLCS again, in
2002 World Series
(AL4) Anaheim Angels vs. (NL4) San Francisco Giants
Anaheim won the series, 4–3.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 19 | San Francisco Giants – 4, Anaheim Angels – 3 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
3:44 | 44,603[38] |
2 | October 20 | San Francisco Giants – 10, Anaheim Angels – 11 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
3:57 | 44,584[39] |
3 | October 22 | Anaheim Angels – 10, San Francisco Giants – 4 | Pacific Bell Park | 3:37 | 42,707[40] |
4 | October 23 | Anaheim Angels – 3, San Francisco Giants – 4 | Pacific Bell Park | 3:02 | 42,703[41] |
5 | October 24 | Anaheim Angels – 4, San Francisco Giants – 16 | Pacific Bell Park | 3:53 | 42,713[42] |
6 | October 26 | San Francisco Giants – 5, Anaheim Angels – 6 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
3:48 | 44,506[43] |
7 | October 27 | San Francisco Giants – 1, Anaheim Angels – 4 | Edison International Field of Anaheim |
3:16 | 44,598[44] |
This was the first of six consecutive World Series to feature at least one Wild Card team.
This was the first all-California World Series since 1989 and the last to feature two teams from the same state. It was also the third World Series between teams from the San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Los Angeles area (1974, 1988). The Angels defeated the Giants in seven games to win their first (and only) title in franchise history.
The Giants stole Game 1 on the road thanks to home runs from
Due to the Angels claiming the championship in Game 7, the Game 6 collapse entered baseball lore as part of the Curse of Coogan's Bluff superstition used to explain the Giants' championship drought after the 1954 World Series. This is the last time the Giants lost in the World Series.
Along with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the 2002 NBA Finals, the Greater Los Angeles area had NBA and World Series champions in the same season or calendar year for the first time since the Dodgers and Lakers did so in 1988. This was the first World Series to feature two Wild Card teams, a phenomenon that would repeat agaom in 2014 - another World Series that featured the Giants, as well as in 2023.
The Giants would break through in 2010, where they defeated the Texas Rangers in five games to win their first title since 1954.
Broadcasting
This was the only postseason in which Division Series games aired across
Both League Championship Series and the World Series aired on Fox.
References
- ^ "2002 Major Leagues Schedule". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 New York Yankees Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 Oakland Athletics Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 Minnesota Twins Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 Anaheim Angels Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 Atlanta Braves Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 Arizona Diamondbacks Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 St. Louis Cardinals Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 San Francisco Giants statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – Anaheim Angels vs. New York Yankees – Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – Anaheim Angels vs. New York Yankees – Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – New York Yankees vs. Anaheim Angels – Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – New York Yankees vs. Anaheim Angels – Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics – Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics – Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins – Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – Oakland Athletics vs. Minnesota Twins – Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALDS – Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics – Game 5". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLDS – San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves – Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLDS – San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves – Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLDS – Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants – Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLDS – Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants – Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLDS – San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves – Game 5". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLDS – St. Louis Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLDS – St. Louis Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks – Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLDS – Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals – Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALCS Game 1 - Anaheim Angels vs. Minnesota Twins". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALCS Game 2 - Anaheim Angels vs. Minnesota Twins". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALCS Game 3 - Minnesota Twins vs. Anaheim Angels". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALCS Game 4 - Minnesota Twins vs. Anaheim Angels". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 ALCS Game 5 - Minnesota Twins vs. Anaheim Angels". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ Boeck, Scott. "Minnesota Twins postseason misery continues: Record losing streak reaches 15 games". USA TODAY.
- ^ "2002 NLCS Game 1 - San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLCS Game 2 - San Francisco Giants vs. St. Louis Cardinals". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLCS Game 3 - St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLCS Game 4 - St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 NLCS Game 5 - St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 World Series Game 1 - San Francisco Giants vs. Anaheim Angels". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 World Series Game 2 - San Francisco Giants vs. Anaheim Angels". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 World Series Game 3 - Anaheim Angels vs. San Francisco Giants". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 World Series Game 4 - Anaheim Angels vs. San Francisco Giants". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 World Series Game 5 - Anaheim Angels vs. San Francisco Giants". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 World Series Game 6 - San Francisco Giants vs. Anaheim Angels". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "2002 World Series Game 7 - San Francisco Giants vs. Anaheim Angels". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.