Hershiser 2.0

In 1988 the Los Angeles Dodgers were a baseball team with significant flaws. But they had Orel Hershiser, who had the greatest end-of-season run that a pitcher had ever had [bold added]:

Hershiser in 1988 led the league in wins (23), innings (267), shutouts (8) and complete games (15). He was third in ERA at 2.26. He finished the season with a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings pitched, breaking the mark of 58 held by former Dodger Don Drysdale. The streak began on August 30, when he pitched four scoreless innings to conclude a game and the record was broken when he pitched 10 shutout innings, on 116 pitches, in the final game of the season. He was selected to his second all-star game and was a unanimous selection for the National League Cy Young Award. He also won the Gold Glove Award for the best fielding pitcher in the National League.

In the 1988 National League Championship Series between Hershiser's Dodgers and the New York Mets, Hershiser not only started Games 1 and 3, but recorded the final out in Game 4 in relief for a save. He then pitched a shutout in Game 7 and was selected as the NLCS MVP. He then pitched a shutout in Game 2 of the World Series and allowed only two runs in a complete game in the clinching victory in Game 5, winning the World Series MVP Award.

Madison Bumgarner in 2012

In 2014 the San Francisco Giants also had so many weaknesses that they were underdogs in all three of their post-season series plus the wild-card game. But like the 1988 Dodgers the Giants had a pitcher, Madison Bumgarner, who was nearly unhittable. Though baseball is a team sport everyone, experts and casual fans alike, acknowledged that the Giants are World Series champions tonight because of Madison Bumgarner. He led the Giants to 7-1 and 5-0 victories in games 1 and 5, respectively, and pitched five (5) shutout innings to close out game 7. His performance ranks with the greatest in history:

Bumgarner’s final World Series line sparkles: 2-0 with a save and a 0.43 earned run average, with nine hits, one run, one walk and 17 strikeouts in 21 innings. Add in 15 scoreless innings in earlier victories, against Texas in 2010 and Detroit in 2012, and you get a 0.25 E.R.A. that ranks as the best in World Series history, minimum 25 innings.

When fans saw the 6'5" 21-year-old rookie southpaw pitch to victory in the 2010 World Series, they grew excited not only about that game but also about "Mad Bum's" potential. But very, very few people imagined this. © 2014 Stephen Yuen