The 1973 World Series pitted two similar teams in a riveting showdown that went seven games. The New York Mets won only 82 games, but they were the only team in the National League's Eastern Division to play better than .500 baseball. The Mets beat the highly favored Reds, led by Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Tony Perez in the playoff series to win the pennant. In the junior circuit, Oakland won 94 games and beat the Orioles in five games. The World Series opened in Oakland, with the A's favored to win.
The Mets Had Great Pitching but were Offensively Challenged
The Mets strength was pitching. With a starting rotation of Tom Seaver, Jon Matlack, Jerry Koosman, and George Stone, the Mets had four solid pitchers. In one of their better trades, the Mets had sent Gary Gentry and Danny Frisella to the Braves for George Stone and Felix Millan. Stone became the Mets' fourth starter, going 12-3 with a 2.80 ERA, while Millan teamed up with shortstop Bud Harrelson to give the Mets a sold double play combination. The Mets' bullpen was basically Tug McGraw, who had a sub par first half of the season, but then returned to form for the remainder of the season. The Mets' hitting was virtually non-existent. They finished with a .246 batting average, which was second worst in the league, averaged only 3.78 runs a game, which was also second worst in the league, and hit only 85 home runs.
The A's Had Great Pitching and Good Hitting
Like the Mets, the A's strength was pitching. With a starting rotation of Catfish Hunter, Ken Holzman, Vida Blue and Blue Moon Odom (how many teams had one player whose last name was another player's first name?), Oakland finished second in team ERA with a 3.29 ERA in the first year of the designated hitter. Their bullpen consisted of Rollie Fingers, Darold Knowles, Paul Lindblad, and Horacio Pina. The A's hit only .260, but led the league in runs scored and hit 147 home runs. Both the Mets and A's were solid defensively. The difference was the A's hit better.
Campaneris and Reggie Hit Home Runs
Oakland beat the Mets in seven games, but they had win the final two games at home to do it. Catfish Hunter out-dueled Tom Seaver in Game 6 as the A's won, 3-1. In Game 7, the A's superior offense was the difference as Bert Campaneris and Reggie Jackson each hit a two run home run to give the A's a 4-0 lead in a game they won, 5-2.
Pitching Wins Titles
Pitching wins championships. The A's held the Mets to 24 runs, 4 home runs, and a .253 batting average while the Mets' pitchers held the A's to 21 runs, 2 home runs, and a .212 batting average. But an analysis of the numbers reveals that in Game 2, the Mets scored 10 of their 24 runs, got 15 of their 66 hits, and hit 2 of their 4 home runs. The A's' team ERA was 2.32. The Mets' was 2.22.
The A's and Mets Were Well-Suited for a Short Series
Both teams were well-suited for a short series because both teams had great pitching. Without divisional play, neither team would have won its leagues' pennant. While Oakland was solid over a full season, the Mets were not, due to their lack of offense, but in a short series, the 82 game-winning Mets led the A's, 3 games to 2, and almost pulled off an upset that would not have been as much of an upset as might have been believed.
