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Tuesday, October 10, 2000

Associated Press
Benny Agbayani was king of the world after his
game-winning home run against the Giants.

Agbayani hopes
Mets can deal
with the Cards

The former HPU star says
pitching will be the key
factor in the NLCS

---

By Dave Reardon
Star-Bulletin

Two days after hitting one of the biggest home runs in New York Mets franchise history, Benny Agbayani had his feet planted firmly on the ground last night -- in St. Louis.

After Agbayani's 13th-inning game-winning solo shot on Saturday gave them a 3-2 victory, the Mets wrapped up their divisional series with the San Francisco Giants on Sunday with a 4-0 win.

Agbayani, who went 2-for-4 in the final game, and his teammates move on to the National League Championship Series, which begins tomorrow at Busch Memorial Stadium.

"I really like it here," Agbayani said. "The fans are good, they're really behind their team. It's a great baseball atmosphere."

The former St. Louis School and Hawaii Pacific standout from Aiea said he thinks pitching will dominate this series, too.

"We've got to do the same thing, hold them down, especially (Will) Clark and (Jim) Edmonds," Agbayani said.

The Mets scored only 13 runs in winning the four-game series with the Giants.

"I think it's the adrenaline pumping, guys trying to do too much at the plate," Agbayani said. "After this first series I think we'll be better off, more relaxed.

"We were lucky that the hitting we did have in the first series was clutch hitting."

Agbayani, who went 5-for-15 in the series, could be the guy to lead New York out of its team slump. He went 8-for-21 (.381) with a double, homer and 12 walks against St. Louis this past season, and is 12-for-37 (.324) against the Cardinals over his three-year major-league career.

Agbayani didn't know he'd done so well against St. Louis.

"I didn't really look at my team-by-team stats," he said. "I don't really remember anything special, except I was batting leadoff against them this year, so maybe that's why I got so many walks."

---

NL Championship Series

(FOX)

Tomorrow
New York (Hampton 15-11) at St. Louis (Kile 21-9), 2:18 p.m.
Thursday
New York at St. Louis, 2:18 p.m.
Saturday
St. Louis at New York, 10:18 a.m.
Sunday
St. Louis at New York, 2 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 16
St. Louis at New York, 2:18 p.m., if necessary
Wednesday, Oct. 18
New York at St. Louis, 10:18 a.m., if necessary
Thursday, Oct. 19
New York at St. Louis, 8218 p.m., if necessary

---

Postseason history

New York Mets

World Series (Won 2, Lost 1)
1969 -- Beat Baltimore Orioles, 4-1
1973 -- Lost to Oakland A's, 4-3
1986 -- Beat Boston Red Sox, 4-3
Record -- Won 11, Lost 8

League Championship Series (Won 3, Lost 2)
1969 -- Beat Atlanta Braves, 3-0
1973 -- Beat Cincinnati Reds, 3-2
1986 -- Beat Houston Astros, 4-2
1988 -- Lost to Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3
1999 -- Lost to Atlanta Braves, 4-2
Record -- Won 15, Lost 12

Divisional Playoff Series (Won 2, Lost 0)
1999 -- Beat Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-1
2000 -- Beat San Francisco Giants, 3-1
Record -- Won 6, Lost 2

St. Louis Cardinals

World Series (Won 9, Lost 6)
1926 -- Beat New York Yankees, 4-3
1928 -- Lost to New York Yankees, 4-0
1930 -- Lost to Philadelphia A's, 4-2
1931 -- Beat Philadelphia A's, 4-3
1934 -- Beat Detroit Tigers, 4-3
1942 -- Beat New York Yankees, 4-1
1943 -- Lost to New York Yankees, 4-1
1944 -- Beat St. Louis Browns, 4-2
1946 -- Beat Boston Red Sox, 4-3
1964 -- Beat New York Yankees, 4-3
1967 -- Beat Boston Red Sox, 4-3
1968 -- Lost to Detroit Tigers, 4-3
1982 -- Beat Milwaukee Brewers, 4-3
1985 -- Lost to Kansas City Royals, 4-3
1987 -- Lost to Minnesota Twins 4-3
Record -- Won 48, Lost 48

League Championship Series (Won 3, Lost 1)
1982 -- Beat Atlanta Braves, 3-0
1985 -- Beat Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-2
1987 -- Beat San Francisco Giants, 4-3
1996 -- Lost to Atlanta Braves, 4-3
Record -- 14-9

Divisional Championship Series (Won 2, Lost 0)
1996 -- Beat San Diego Padres, 3-0
2000 -- Beat Atlanta Braves, 3-0
Record -- 6-0

---

MVPs

1977--Dusty Baker, Los Angeles Dodgers
1978--Steve Garvey, Los Angeles Dodgers
1979--Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates
1980--Manny Trillo, Philadelphia Phillies
1981--Burt Hooton, Los Angeles Dodgers
1982--Darrell Porter, St. Louis Cardinals
1983--Gary Matthews, Philadelphia
1984--Steve Garvey, San Diego
1985--Ozzie Smith, St. Louis Cardinals
1986--Mike Scott, Houston Astros
1987--Jeffrey Leonard, San Francisco Giants
1988--Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles Dodgers
1989--Will Clark, San Francisco Giants
1990--Rob Dibble and Randy Myers, Cincinnati Reds
1991--Steve Avery, Atlanta Braves
1992--John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves
1993--Curt Schilling, Philadelphia Phillies
1994--Strike
1995--Mike Devereaux, Atlanta Braves
1996--Javy Lopez, Atlanta Braves
1997--Livan Hernandez, Florida Marlins
1998--Sterling Hitchcock, San Diego Padres
1999--Eddie Perez, Atlanta Braves

---

AL Championship Series

(Times HST)

(NBC)

Today
Seattle (Garcia 9-5) at New York (Neagle 7-7), 2:12 p.m.
Tomorrow
Seattle at New York, 10:09 a.m.
Friday
New York at Seattle, 2:12 p.m.
Saturday
New York at Seattle,11:42 a.m.
Sunday
New York at Seattle, 10:09 a.m., if necessary
Tuesday, Oct. 17
Seattle at New York, 2:12 p.m., if necessary
Wednesday, Oct. 18
Seattle at New York, 2:12 p.m., if necessary

---

Postseason history

New York Yankees

World Series (Won 25, Lost 11)
1921 -- Lost to New York Giants, 5 games to 3-x
1922 -- Lost to New York Giants, 4-0-y
1923 -- Beat New York Giants, 4-2
1926 -- Lost to St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3
1927 -- Beat Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-0
1928 -- Beat St. Louis Cardinals, 4-0
1932 -- Beat Chicago Cubs, 4-0
1936 -- Beat New York Giants, 4-2
1937 -- Beat New York Giants, 4-1
1938 -- Beat Chicago Cubs, 4-0
1939 -- Beat Cincinnati Reds, 4-0
1941 -- Beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-1
1942 -- Lost to St. Louis Cardinals, 4-1
1943 -- Beat St. Louis Cardinals, 4-1
1947 -- Beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-3
1949 -- Beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-1
1950 -- Beat Philadelphia Phillies, 4-0
1951 -- Beat New York Giants, 4-2
1952 -- Beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-3
1953 -- Beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-2
1955 -- Lost to Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-3
1956 -- Beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-3
1957 -- Lost to Milwaukee Braves, 4-3
1958 -- Beat Milwaukee Braves, 4-3
1960 -- Lost to Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3
1961 -- Beat Cincinnati Reds, 4-1
1962 -- Beat San Francisco Giants, 4-3
1963 -- Lost to Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-0
1964 -- Lost to St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3
1976 -- Lost to Cincinnati Reds, 4-0
1977 -- Beat Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-2
1978 -- Beat Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-2
1981 -- Lost to Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-2
1996 -- Beat Atlanta Braves, 4-2
1998 -- Beat San Diego Padres, 4-0
1999 -- Beat Atlanta Braves, 4-0
x-series was best-of-9
y-one game was tied
Record -- Won 121, Lost 79

League Championship Series (Won 7, Lost 1)
1976 -- Beat Kansas City Royals, 3-2
1977 -- Beat Kansas City Royals, 3-2
1978 -- Beat Kansas City Royals, 3-1
1980 -- Lost to Kansas City Royals, 3-0
1981 -- Beat Oakland A's, 3-0
1996 -- Beat Baltimore Orioles, 4-1
1998 -- Beat Cleveland Indians, 4-2
1999 -- Beat Boston Red Sox, 4-1
Record -- Won 24, Lost 12

Divisional Playoff Series (Won 5, Lost 2)
1981 -- Beat Milwaukee Brewers, 3-2
1995 -- Lost to Seattle Mariners, 3-2
1996 -- Beat Texas Rangers, 3-1
1997 -- Lost to Cleveland Indians, 3-2
1998 -- Beat Texas Rangers, 3-0
1999 -- Beat Texas Rangers, 3-0
2000 -- Beat Oakland A's, 3-2
Record -- Won 19, Lost 11

Seattle Mariners

World Series
None.

League Championship Series (Won 0, Lost 1)
1995 -- Lost to Cleveland Indians, 4-2
Record -- 2-4

Divisional Playoff Series (Won 2, Lost 1)
1995 -- Beat New York Yankees, 3-2
1997 -- Lost to Baltimore Orioles, 3-1
2000 -- Beat Chicago White Sox, 3-0
Record -- 7-5

MVPs
1980--Frank White, Kansas City Royals
1981--Graig Nettles, New York Yankees
1982--Fred Lynn, California Angels
1983--Mike Boddicker, Baltimore Orioles
1984--Kirk Gibson, Detroit Tigers
1985--George Brett, Kansas City Royals
1986--Marty Barrett, Boston Red Sox
1987--Gary Gaetti, Minnesota Twins
1988--Dennis Eckersley, Oakland Athletics
1989--Rickey Henderson, Oakland Athletics
1990--Dave Stewart, Oakland Athletics
1991--Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins
1992--Roberto Alomar, Toronto Blue Jays
1993--Dave Stewart, Toronto Blue Jays
1994--Strike
1995--Orel Hershiser, Cleveland Indians
1996--Bernie Williams, New York Yankees
1997--Marquis Grissom, Cleveland Indians
1998--David Wells, New York Yankees
1999--Orlando Hernandez, New York Yankees

---

World Series

(FOX)

Saturday, Oct. 21
National League at American League, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 22
NL at AL, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 24
AL at NL, 2:18 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 25
AL at NL, 2:18 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 26
AL at NL, 2:18 p.m., if necessary
Saturday, Oct. 28
NL at AL, 2 p.m., if necessary
Sunday, Oct. 29
NL at AL, 2 p.m., if necessary