MLB's 20 Greatest Games explained

Genre:Major League Baseball
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:1
Num Episodes:20
Producer:Jed Tuminaro
Location:Secaucus, New Jersey
Camera:Multi-camera
Runtime:90 minutes
Network:MLB Network

MLB's 20 Greatest Games is an American television series that aired in 2011 on MLB Network. Hosted by Bob Costas[1] and Tom Verducci[2], the series counted down and dissected the 20 greatest games in Major League Baseball history since 1961[3] . The selections were determined by an expert panel of sports journalists and media personalities and votes[4] from MLB Network viewers via MLB Network's official website and MLB.com.

Format

Each episode has hosts Costas and Verducci sitting down with the players or managers involved in either the game that was the focus of the episode, or the memorable moment from the game, while watching the original television broadcast of the game, providing their own input into the games and the moments, as well as how their careers and lives were changed by the game.

Episodes

GameRankingAirdateGuests
May 17, 1979 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Chicago Cubs
  1. 20
January 3, 2011[5] None
2003 National League Division Series Game 4[6] - San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins
  1. 19
January 10, 2011None
1980 National League Championship Series Game 5 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Houston Astros
  1. 18
January 17, 2011Larry Bowa
2004 American League Championship Series Game 4[7] - New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
  1. 17
January 24, 2011 Kevin Millar
2009 American League Central Tiebreaker - Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins
  1. 16
January 31, 2011Michael Cuddyer
1995 American League Division Series Game 5[8] - New York Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners
  1. 15
February 7, 2011 Lou Piniella and David Cone
1993 World Series Game 6[9] - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Toronto Blue Jays
  1. 14
February 14, 2011Joe Carter and Mitch Williams[10]
  1. 13[12]
February 21, 2011 Al Leiter
2001 World Series Game 4[13] - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Yankees
  1. 12[14]
February 28, 2011Joe Torre and Tim McCarver
1978 American League East Tiebreaker - New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
  1. 11
March 7, 2011 Bucky Dent and Lou Piniella
1988 World Series Game 1 - Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles
  1. 10[15]
March 14, 2011 Kirk Gibson and Dave Stewart
2001 World Series Game 7 - New York Yankees vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
  1. 9
March 21, 2011Joe Torre and Tim McCarver
1986 American League Championship Series Game 5 - Boston Red Sox vs. California Angels
  1. 8
March 28, 2011Bobby Grich, Dave Henderson, and Bruce Hurst
2003 National League Championship Series Game 6 - Florida Marlins vs. Chicago Cubs
  1. 7
April 3, 2011Jack McKeon, Mike Lowell, and Alex S. Gonzalez
2003 American League Championship Series Game 7 - Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
  1. 6
April 10, 2011 Aaron Boone, Pedro Martinez, and Bernie Williams
1986 National League Championship Series Game 6[16] - New York Mets vs. Houston Astros
  1. 5
April 17, 2011Darryl Strawberry, Jesse Orosco, and Bob Knepper[17]
1992 National League Championship Series Game 7 - Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Atlanta Braves
  1. 4[18]
April 24, 2011 Andy Van Slyke, Sid Bream, and Mark Lemke
1986 World Series Game 6[19] - Boston Red Sox vs. New York Mets
  1. 3[20]
May 1, 2011 Bill Buckner, Mookie Wilson, and Bob Ojeda
1991 World Series Game 7[21] - Atlanta Braves vs. Minnesota Twins
  1. 2[22]
May 8, 2011John Smoltz and Jack Morris
1975 World Series Game 6[23] - Cincinnati Reds vs. Boston Red Sox[24]
  1. 1[25]
May 22, 2011 Johnny Bench and Fred Lynn. Also: Pete Rose, Bernie Carbo, Dwight Evans, Pat Darcy, and Denny Doyle

Notes and References

  1. News: December 13, 2010. Costas & Verducci Count Down MLB’s 20 Greatest Games of the Last 50 Seasons. Sports Media News. November 24, 2024.
  2. News: Duerson. Adam. December 19, 2024. THE YEAR IN Sports Media. Sports Illustrated. November 25, 2024.
  3. News: Van Riper. Tom. May 2, 2011. Baseball's Heroes and Goats are Mostly Myth. Forbes. November 25, 2024.
  4. Web site: The 20 Greatest Games. Lundegaard. Erik. March 21, 2011. Erik Lundegaard. November 25, 2024.
  5. Web site: MLB's 20 Greatest Games Season 1 Episodes. TV Guide. November 24, 2024.
  6. News: January 10, 2011 . Marlins Featured in MLB's 20 Greatest Games Tonight. Fish Stripes. November 25, 2024.
  7. News: Randhawa. Mandy. March 29, 2020. What's ahead this week on MLB Network. MLB.com. November 25, 2024.
  8. News: Keating, Olivieri, Hajducky. Peter, Anthony, Dan. October 8, 2020. How Ken Griffey Jr.'s mad dash home in 1995 saved baseball in Seattle -- and ignited a Yankees dynasty. ESPN.com. November 25, 2024.
  9. News: Narducci. Marc. February 5, 2011. Phillies' Mitch Williams recalls fateful pitch . The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 25, 2024.
  10. News: Phillies' Mitch Williams recalls fateful pitch . Marc . Narducci . February 5, 2011 . The Philadelphia Inquirer . https://web.archive.org/web/20111221160330/http://articles.philly.com/2011-02-05/sports/27103042_1_slide-step-major-league-baseball-network-phillies-mitch-williams. dead. December 21, 2011.
  11. News: Frisaro. Joe. March 30, 2020. Marlins' epic G7 win in 1997 WS to air today. MLB.com. November 25, 2024.
  12. News: June 7, 2012. Jim Leyland Discusses Highs and Lows of his Baseball Career on "Studio 42 with Bob Costas" Sat, June. 9. MLB.com. November 25, 2024.
  13. News: Goodman. Max. May 28, 2020. Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Derek Jeter's Debut With 64 Consecutive Hours of Jeter Programming on MLB Network. Sports Illustrated. November 25, 2024.
  14. News: Rosenstein. Mike. May 29, 2020. Yankees fans can binge-watch MLB Network’s Derek Jeter marathon to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his debut. nj.com. November 25, 2024.
  15. News: Stephen. Eric. March 11, 2011. Kirk Gibson's Wife Left Game 1 Of The 1988 World Series Early. SB Nation. November 25, 2024.
  16. Web site: MLB's 20 Greatest Games. November 26, 2011. MLB.
  17. News: Deitsch. Richard. April 12, 2011. ESPN downscales its draft coverage. Sports Illustrated. November 25, 2024.
  18. Web site: MLB's 20 Greatest Games | MLB Network: Network.
  19. News: April 29, 2011. Buckner, Wilson & Ojeda Discuss 1986 World Series Game 6 on “MLB’s 20 Greatest Games”. Sports Media Watch. November 25, 2024.
  20. News: Finn. Chad. April 29, 2011. Game 6, worth revisiting. Boston.com. November 25, 2024.
  21. News: Kepner. Tyler. May 7, 2011. Strong Arms, Long Memories for Smoltz and Morris . The New York Times. November 24, 2024.
  22. Web site: John Smoltz - Fox Sports Press Pass. Fox Sports.
  23. News: May 20, 2011. Johnny Bench & Fred Lynn Discuss 1975 World Series Game 6 on “MLB’s 20 Greatest Games”. Sports Media News. November 24, 2024.
  24. News: Ramsey. Jamie. May 19, 2011. ’75 GAME SIX NAMED MLB’S GREATEST GAME OF LAST 50 YEARS. Better Off Red. November 25, 2024.
  25. News: Finn. Chad. May 22, 2011. Pudge, Bernie, and Game 6, 1975. Boston.com. November 24, 2024.

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