À la recherche des Yankees perdue.

 

So, earlier someone was wondering if that was the best playoff outing by a Yankees starter NOT on PEDs since Whitey Ford in the 1961 World Series.

Could be—though here are some other standouts:

Ralph Terry—Redeeming himself from allowing the 1960 walk-off, Bill Mazeroski home run in Pittsburgh, Terry had a career year in 1962, going 23-12, 3.19, with 14 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 2 saves, as he threw almost 300 innings.  

He capped that performance with a 2-1, 1.80 World Series, that won him the Series MVP award.  In a brilliant Game 7, he bested the Giants, 1-0, giving up only 4 hits and 0 walks. This was against a lineup, mind you, that included Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, and Felipe Alou. Future batting champ—and future Yankee—Matty Alou, pinch-hit and reached on a bunt in what was almost a disastrous 9th inning.  

Instead, McCovey' line drive was right at Bobby Richardson, above. Immediately afterward, Richardson tossed his hat away. Anyone know why?

Jim Beattie—Game 5, 1978 World Series. Beattie, after falling behind, 2-0, delivers a 12-2, complete game win that sucks the soul out of the Dodgers. Beattie—another New Englander—allows 9 hits and 4 walks, but strikes out 8, for his first major-league complete game. 

The Dartmouth grad had almost achieved that milestone with a shutout of the Sox during The Boston Massacre, but catcher Mike Heath dropped a pop foul, leading to Beattie being pulled and the Sox scoring twice.  

Afterward, Yanks never really gave him a chance, and traded him to Seattle. There, for a bad Mariners' team, he compiled ERAs of 3.41, 3.84, and 3.41, in 1982-1984—years when the Yanks were desperate for pitching. But hey: we got Ruppert Jones in return.

Dave Righetti—The hard-throwing rookie was tapped to finish off Billy Martin's annoying A's team in the 1981 ALCS, after going 8-4, 2.05 during the interrupted regular season, and 2-0, 1.00, in a start and a relief appearance against the fierce-hitting Milwaukee Brewers in the ALDS that year. 

Righetti threw six shutout innings against Oakland, striking out 4, walking 2 and allow 2 hits, before flamethrowers Ron Davis and Goose Gossage picked him up to finish the shutout. Rickey Henderson actually injured himself, swinging at—and failing to connect-with Righetti's heater. 

I was sure that, with those three plus Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Rudy May, and Rick Reuschel, there was no way the Yanks could NOT beat L.A. in the World Series. Hmm...

Andy Pettitte—After being clobbered by the Braves in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series, Pettitte somehow threw 8 shutout innings in Game 5, turning the tide for the Yankees.

Sure, Paul O'Neill's limping, stumbling run into centerfield from right helped secure that final out. But a 1-0 win over John Smoltz, who had looked—and was dominant against the Yanks?  Not bad.

Back to back, belly to belly—Starting off the 1999 World Series, both El Duque (the other El Duque!) and Dave Cone came within one batter of laying down seven, no-hit innings against a formidable Braves team. 

Game 1, Hernandez allowed only a home run to Chipper Jones that barely snuck in around the foul pole, while striking out 10 and walking only 2. Yanks finally got to Greg Maddux (and John Rocker!) in the 8th, for a 4-1 win.

Game 2, Conie gave up five walks, but only a bingle to back-up receiver Greg Meyers, as Yanks got out fast against Kevin Millwood, en route to a 7-2 win.

Two wins like that—in Atlanta!—and the Series was pretty much over.

Those were the days, my friends.