MLB Playoffs: 25 Most Overrated Moments in Postseason History

There have been a number of impressive performances in the MLB playoffs throughout the history of the game. Some of these moments have even reached a type of mythical status.

However, the truth is that many of these moments have been overrated by fans. While every moment on this list was great and in many cases historic, some of the plays have taken on more meaning or blame than they actually deserve.

25) Willie McCovey Lines out to End the 1962 World Series

Having a future Hall of Famer step to the plate with the World Series on the line is a dream scenario for any team that is in the situation. The San Francisco Giants had Willie McCovey bat with two outs in the ninth of Game 7 of the 1962 World Series with two runners on in a game that they were losing 1-0.

McCovey hit one of the hardest line drives of his career only to see it land in the glove of Bobby Richardson. The game was over and the New York Yankees won the World Series. However, people make a big deal out of the lineout because it was McCovey, a future Hall of Famer, that hit it. 

24) Kirk Gibson's Home Run in Game 5 of the 1984 World Series

This is certainly not the home run that Kirk Gibson is most famous for but it is one that is given way more importance than it deserves. The Detroit Tigers were up three games to one entering Game 5 of the 1984 World Series.

Entering the bottom of the eight, the Tigers held a 5-4 lead over the San Diego Padres. Kirk Gibson stepped to the plate with two men on and hit a home run off of Goose Gossage. This home run is said to have clinched the title for the Tigers. However, the fact is that the Tigers still would have won that game even if Gibson did not take one deep.

23) Grady Little Leaves in Pedro Martinez

When you have the player who is arguably the best player in baseball on the mound in your most important game of the season it is a difficult decision to pull him when he is pitching well, even if he has thrown over 100 pitches.

That was the situation that was presented to Grady Little in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. Little chose to stuck with Pedro Martinez and the decision did not pay off. Martinez gave up four straight hits and three runs.

The Boston Red Sox would have multiple other chances to defeat the New York Yankees in that game. It was only the eight inning and the game would not end until the 11th when Aaron Boone hit his famous home run.

22) Slaughter's Mad Dash

The St. Louis Cardinals won the 1946 World Series as the result of two mistakes. Enos Slaughter was on first base when Harry Walker came to the plate. Walker ripped a ball into the gap and Slaughter was rounding the bases.

Slaughter ran through a stop sign at third base as the relay throw came into Boston Red Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky. Instead of throwing the ball home to nail Slaughter at the plate, Pesky delayed for some reason and his throw came in too late.

21) Curt Schilling's Bloody Sock

This slide should be prefaced by saying that what Curt Schilling was able to do during the 2004 playoffs was very impressive. However, his actions have been elevated to a level of heroism that has never been seen before.

Curt Schilling undoubtedly put in one of the gutsiest performances in MLB history when he pitched with after tearing a tendon sheath. He helped the Red Sox win Game 6 of the ALCS, but the Red Sox still needed to win Game 7 to make it into the World Series.

Photo Credit: Boston Herald

20) Fred Snodgrass Drops the Ball

Errors happen all of the time in baseball. Unfortunately for some players, they come at very inopportune times. That is exactly what happened to Fred Snodgrass.

One of the best defensive outfielders in the game, Snodgrass dropped a routine fly ball during the 10th inning of the deciding game of the 1912 World Series. The next play, Snodgrass made a game saving catch. The Boston Red Sox would go on to score two runs in the inning to defeat the New York Giants and win the World Series title.

19) Babe Ruth Thrown Out Stealing Second to End the 1926 World Series

Babe Ruth was the greatest player in baseball history, but that did not mean that he did not make any mistakes over the course of his playing career. He was thrown out while trying to steal second base with the Yankees down to their final out of Game 7 of the 1926 World Series.

Ruth had actually extended the game by drawing a walk in his previous at-bat. He was an aggressive base runner and wanted to put himself in a position to score if Bob Meusel hit a single. Ruth thought his actions would surprise the St. Louis Cardinals, but they were ready for it and he was thrown out. 

18) Scott Podsednik's Game 2 Walk-off

The World Series has produced a number of unlikely heroes. One of these heroes is Scott Podsednik, who won Game 2 of the 2005 World Series for the Chicago White Sox with a walk-off home run. Podsednik had 507 at-bats during the regular season without a home run. He did hit one in the ALDS that year.

The Houston Astros had tied up Game 2 in the top of the ninth inning. With one out, Podsednik stepped to the plate to face Brad Lidge. He then ripped the game-winning home run. The White Sox would go on to win the series in four games.

17) Albert Pujols' Home Run in Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS

The St. Louis Cardinals were facing elimination in Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS against the Houston Astros. They entered the ninth inning down 4-2 and had to face Brad Lidge as he tried to close the series out.

Two runners got on base with two outs and then Albert Pujols came to the plate. Pujols hit a monster shot that gave the Cardinals a 5-4 lead. They would hold on and win the game. However, the Cardinals would lose in Game 6 and the Astros headed to the World Series.

16) Kirby Puckett Ends Game 6 of the 1991 World Series

With all of the excitement following Kirby Puckett's home run in the 1991 World Series, one might have thought that the Minnesota Twins had just become world champions.

However, the team still had another game to play. Yes, Puckett's home run kept the series going, but it would not mean anything and likely would rarely even been talked about if the Twins did not win Game 7.

15) Magglio Ordonez'S ALCS Game 4 Walk-off

Hitting a walk-off home run is undoubtedly an exciting way to win both a game and a series. Magglio Ordonez did exactly this when he hit a walk-off home run to end the 2006 ALCS.

The Detroit Tigers had held a 3-0 series lead over the Oakland Athletics entering Game 4. Even if Ordonez did not hit his walk-off and end the series that night, it is almost certain that the Tigers would have eventually advanced to the World Series.

14) Jeremy Giambi Forgets to Slide

One play can often change the momentum of a whole series and this play is said to have done that in the 2001 ALDS between the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees.

With two outs, Jeremy Giambi was on first base. Terrance Long hit a hard drive to right field and Giambi ran around the bases. If Yankees' right-fielder Shane Spencer made a good throw, Giambi would have been out by a wide margin.

Instead, Spencer airmailed his throw over both cutoff men. Derek Jeter came seemingly out of nowhere and made the play that is now know as "The Flip". Jorge Posada caught the ball and tagged Giambi, who decided not to slide, out. Had Giambi slid, the play would have been closer, but there is no way of knowing if he would have been called safe for the game's tying run.

13) The Slide

Nine years before Jeremy Giambi forgot how to slide, it was a slide that helped win the 1992 NLCS for the Atlanta Braves. Entering the ninth inning of Game 7, the Braves were down 2-0.

They picked up a run on a Ron Gant sacrifice fly. With the bases loaded and two out, Francisco Cabrera came to the plate as a pinch hitter. He singled to left and one run scored easily while Sid Bream raced home and scored just in front of Barry Bonds' throw to win the series for the Atlanta Braves.

12) Aaron Boone Keeps the Curse of the Bambino Alive

Had Aaron Boone hit his game-winning home run against any team other than the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, then it would not be talked about anywhere close to as much as it is now. The home run played into the Curse of the Bambino.

After a hard-fought series, Game 7 went into extra innings after the New York Yankees staged a comeback in the bottom of the eight inning. Just a few innings later, Boone's long ball would end the game and the Red Sox's World Series hopes.

11) Bucky Dent Keeps the Boston Red Sox out of the Playoffs

During his career, Bucky Dent hit 40 home runs over 12 seasons. One of these home runs shines much brighter than any other moment in Dent's career.

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox ended the regular season in a tie and had to go to a one game playoff do decide who would continue their season.

The Yankees put Ron Guidry, who had 24 wins, on the mound for the game. New York was down by a score of 2-0 entering the top of the eight inning. Dent hit his famous home run and gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead. They would go on to win the game by a score of 5-4. The home run took on much more meaning because it was thought to be a manifestation of the Curse of the Bambino.

10) Dave Roberts Steals Second

It is a known fact that Mariano Rivera is absolutely dominant during the postseason and it is almost impossible for him to blow a save. However, the Boston Red Sox got to him in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS.

After Kevin Millar walked with no outs, Dave Roberts was inserted in as a pinch runner. Roberts then managed to steal second. He scored on a single by Bill Mueller. Had Roberts not stolen second, he likely would have been at third base after the hit. However, Roberts would have scored anyway later in the inning when Johnny Damon reached on an error.

9) Jackie Robinson Steals Home

Stealing home is one of the most exciting plays in baseball. It is an incredibly gutsy play by a base runner and it needs to be executed perfectly. Jackie Robinson managed to steal home in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series.

He did this while the Brooklyn Dodgers were down by two runs in the bottom of the eight inning. The New York Yankees would maintain their lead and go on to win the game, but the Dodgers would win the World Series.

8) Robin Ventura's Grand Slam Single

The New York Mets were on the brink of elimination from the 1999 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves when they began the bottom of the 15th inning down 3-2. The Mets had loaded the bases and Todd Pratt was walked to bring in the game's tying run.

Robin Ventura then stepped up to the plate for the Mets. He drove a 2-1 pitch over the wall in right-center to win the game for the Mets. However, the celebration started a bit early and Ventura never reached second base. Instead of the hit counting as a grand slam, it only counted as a single and the Mets won 4-3.

The Mets had forced a Game 6 and that game was a hard fought battle. They blew two leads in the game but still had a chance when it went to extra innings. However, in the bottom of the 11th, Kenny Rodgers walked home the game winning run for the Atlanta Braves.

7) Shot Heard 'Round the World

The Brooklyn Dodgers had one of the worst collapses in baseball history in 1951 as their 13.5 game lead in August deteriorated. The New York Giants caught the Dodgers in the standings and forced a three game playoff.

Each team took one of the first two games. The Dodgers took a four run lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. However, the Giants managed to score one run to make it a 4-2 game and they had two men on base when Bobby Thompson stepped to the plate. He hit a line drive over the fence and won the game for the Giants by a score of 5-4.

Throughout the years, there have been accusations that Thompson knew exactly what pitch would be coming to him since the Giants had been stealing other team's signs that season.

6) Babe Ruth's Called Shot

For years people have been debating about if Babe Ruth called his home run during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. The home run is much less special if Ruth did not point it out.

Regardless of if he pointed or not, Ruth hit a long home run to center field. All the evidence about this mystery is either grainy photographs or videos, so it will remain just that, a mystery.

5) Carlton Fisk's Shot Stays Fair

In 1975, it seemed like the Curse of the Bambino may finally end. The Boston Red Sox fought back to tie Game 6 of the World Series and forced extra innings. The 12th inning of the game featured one of the most famous moments in Boston Red Sox's history.

Carlton Fisk came up to the plate and hit a high fly ball towards the Green Monster. There was no question that it would clear the Monster, but there was still the question of if the ball would be fair or foul. Fisk waived the ball fair and it seemed to oblige with his commands. The Red Sox had forced a Game 7, but they would go on to lose it.

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

4) Mr. November

In 2001, the World Series was played in November for the first time in the history of the MLB. Game 4 started on October 31st and went into extra innings as well as the month of November.

When Derek Jeter hit a walk-off home run off of Byung-Hyun Kim in the bottom of the tenth, he earned the nickname "Mr. November". However, Jeter could not live up to the name as he went just 2-11 with four strikeouts during the rest of the month as the Yankees lost the World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

3) Kirk Gibson's Home Run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series

Kirk Gibson had two injured legs when he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth of Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. It would be the only plate appearance that he had in the series and he made it a memorable one.

The Dodgers were down by one run and Gibson came to bat with one man on. He hit a two run home run that gave the Dodgers the win. This often referred to as the greatest moment in Los Angeles sports history by many people. However, if Gibson had been healthy, it would just be another home run.

2) It Gets Through Buckner

Bill Buckner's error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series is arguably the most famous error in baseball history. However, the blame should not all be placed on Buckner. Manager John McNamara, Calvin Schiraldi and Bob Stanley also deserve some of the blame.

While the error may have allowed the New York Mets to win Game 6, the Boston Red Sox still had a chance to win the World Series in Game 7. The Red Sox jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, but would eventually went on to lose by a score of 8-5 after their bullpen struggled. Calvin Schiraldi picked up his second loss in as many games.

1) The Steve Bartman Incident

The Curse of the Billy Goat still lives in Chicago and many people believe that one of the reasons that the curse has not yet been broken is because of Steve Bartman. Who knew that a simple pop-up would cause so much trouble.

Everyone knows the story of how Bartman reached for a foul ball which may or may not have prevented Moises Alou from catching it. However, he gets the blame for the Chicago Cubs losing the series. The blame should not be placed on him.

Alex Gonzalez muffed an easy ground ball just a few batters later that could have ended the inning if he was able to turn a double play. Even after the Cubs blew Game 6, there was still Game 7. The Cubs held a 5-3 lead early on in the game. However, they could not hold the lead and they ultimately ended up losing the series.

Photo Credit: Newsone