The 2015 World Series – Choose Your Own Adventure
By Tony Frye
After an incredible season, highlighted by Oakland players constructing the entirety of the American League All Star team, the A’s were finally in the World Series and Billy Beane was set to finally get his ring.
Game four followed three consecutive shutouts, including a perfect game by Jess Chavez, and was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth. Coco Crisp was at bat with Eric Sogard taking a lead at third. Two outs on the board. Bob Melvin, in what will later be called an act of defiant genius but, at the time, was sheer craziness, pulls Coco out of the game and puts in Sean Doolittle to pinch hit for the All Star leadoff man.
Doolittle takes the first pitch, high and outside. Ball 1.
Doolittle takes the second pitch, high and outside. Ball 2.
Doolittle claims to have seen pitch three in slow motion, as if it were the final scene in an epic baseball movie. As the ball left the pitchers hand, Doo immediately knew it was a fast ball, 92 miles per hour. Doolittle squared up, started his swing and missed. Turns out, it was a changeup in the dirt that got away from the catcher and allowed Sogard to steal home plate and win the World Series for the Oakland Athletics.
Jennifer knew that this was special and she felt, deep in her heart, that her trip to spring training was the butterfly effect that this team needed to go all the way and take it all. It was a magical season.
There was a parade and much rejoicing and all those great baseball players lived happily ever after in their new mansions in whatever city they were traded to the following week.