ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay outfielder Jonny Gomes sat on the bench Sunday night in the American League Championship Series finale providing punch lines and jarring perspective.
“When it was 1-1, I told (teammate) Eric (Hinske) that whoever wins this game, we are going to be watching it for the next 20 years,” Gomes recalled. “And it could be anybody who comes through.”
That is the baseball postseason at its essence. When the 104th World Series begins tonight with the Philadelphia Phillies opposing the Tampa Bay Rays, the most unlikely pairing since McCain and Palin, every player is within handshake distance of destiny.
Just as easily as Phillies star Ryan Howard could blast a memorable home run, Matt Stairs might steal the spotlight again. And for every aspirin thrown by Tampa Bay’s Matt Garza, his relevance could hinge on the left-handed arm of precocious rookie David Price.
In what other sport can a portly 40-year-old slugger, Stairs, who hadn’t hit a home run in a month and a 23-year-old left-hander, Price, who had never posted a save, help win two of their team’s biggest games?
“Why not?” said Price, wrapped like Saran by reporters Tuesday before the team’s workout at the Tropicana dome. “(Manager) Joe Maddon is known for putting anybody out there at anytime. There was no reason to be nervous. I was ready for anything.”
This is what makes postseason baseball unique from the other major-league sports. When rosters expand from 25 to 40 on Sept. 1, players many fans have never heard of begin edging quietly toward their “You Tube” moment. The Phillies acquired Stairs from the Toronto Blue Jays in August, the popular Canadian embracing the opportunity to go to the playoffs.
A better spot, however, meant a smaller role. He was limited to rare pinch-hit at-bats, the highlight of his day often the home run contests staged with reserve outfielder Geoff Jenkins.
“He puts on a show in batting practice,” shortstop Jimmy Rollins said.
With one swing against the Dodgers, Stairs put his name on the map, clubbing a two-run home run off closer Jonathan Broxton in the NLCS, the first homer Broxton had allowed at Dodger Stadium all season.
“You mean people identify with me because I am old?” Stairs said. “You know if I was 23, I would be thinking this league is easy. But I am going to wake up (today) and be like, ‘(Darn), I am in the World Series.’ ”
Once inside the velvet ropes anything can happen. Unlikely names become overnight big names. Yankees fans still get all warm and fuzzy about Aaron Boone and Jim Leyritz. And who could forget Braves catcher Francisco Cabrera scoring lead-footed Sid Bream to win Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS?
Francisco Rodriguez represents the most recent rocket ride to overnight celebrity. The Angels right-hander hadn’t pitched an inning in the big leagues when, at 20, the relief pitcher unleashed a slider with more bite than a shark. He set records for postseason wins and strikeouts in helping the Angels defeat the Giants in the 2002 World Series.
Price is being hailed as this year’s K-Rod.
“I don’t know anything about what he did,” Price said Tuesday.
His manager does. Maddon was on Mike Scioscia’s Angels’ staff when Rodriguez made the postseason his own diary of havoc. Maddon has compared the two, but that isn’t why the kid found himself with the ball Sunday night for the most important four outs in Rays’ history.
“In a sense it was calculated, but the fact is who he is really made a difference to me,” Maddon said. “I did not think he was going to be impacted by this moment in a negative way emotionally. So what he did, did not surprise me in the least.”
The unexpected is almost always a necessary ingredient to a championship run. Adam Wainwright went from interesting rookie setup man to shutdown closer for the Cardinals in 2006 because of an injury to Jason Isringhausen in late September. And the Rockies don’t even sniff the World Series last year if Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales don’t reinforce the rotation come September.
“In baseball, when you get this far, you realize you have to have contributions from a lot of places. If it was just about one bat, then the Dodgers would be here because of Manny (Ramirez),” Phillies catcher Chris Coste said. “You have to be good, and you have to have surprises, guys who weren’t even on the radar. You can’t make it without the guys nobody has ever heard of.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
At what better stage to shine?
Tampa Bay reliever David Price has burst onto the scene in the postseason. A look at two young relievers who made their name in recent World Series.
FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ, 2002 Angels
“K-Rod” was called up to the big leagues in mid- September at age 20. He won five postseason games, most for a reliever, in helping the Angels win the World Series. His 28 strikeouts were also the most by a relief pitcher in postseason history.
ADAM WAINWRIGHT, 2006 Cardinals
The rookie reliever was outstanding during the regular season, then became the team’s closer after Jason Isringhausen was injured late in the season. He pitched 9 2/3 scoreless innings in the postseason to help St. Louis win the World Series, striking out 15.
