Scott McGregor, 1984 Fleer #646

Now that the world has been spared a 41st World Series appearance by the Yankees, I'll turn my attention to the National League Championship Series, where the Giants have a chance tonight to clinch their first World Series appearance since 2002. They're trying to deny the Phillies their third straight N.L. pennant, and are also trying to win their first world championship since moving west from New York in 1956, as hard as that seems to believe. San Francisco is in this position because they have an excellent collection of starting pitchers, including Matt Cain. Cain combined with two relievers to shut out the Phillies on three hits in Game Three on Tuesday night, no easy feat when you consider that Philly's lineup boasts stars such as Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jayson Werth.

It had been a while since the Phils had been blanked in the postseason...27 years to be exact. The last pitcher to whitewash them was none other than Scott McGregor on October 16, 1983. He performed the feat in the Orioles' Game Five World Series clincher, holding the Phillies to five hits and striking out six. It was the final postseason game for McGregor, who had an excellent track record in October: three wins, three very tough losses, and a 1.63 ERA. He also totaled 45 base runners in 49.2 innings, a superb 0.91 WHIP. All three of his losses were quality starts: in Game Seven of the 1979 World Series he allowed only two runs in eight innings, but the O's went on to lose 4-1. In 1983's ALCS opener, he permitted just two runs (one earned) in six and two-thirds innings, but Cy Young winner LaMarr Hoyt blanked the Birds until the ninth and prevailed 2-1. In that year's Fall Classic opener, he allowed a pair of runs in eight innings but again dropped a 2-1 final, this time to John Denny. On the flip side, all three of Scott's postseason wins were complete games: a six-hit shutout of the Angels in Game Four of the 1979 ALCS, an 8-4 win over the Pirates in Game Three of the 1979 World Series, and his aforementioned victory over Mike Schmidt, Joe Morgan, Pete Rose and the rest of the '83 Phillies. Eat your heart out, Jack Morris.