1992’S BUNT FARCE DRAMA
It was nailbiting time in Toronto, a city poised to erupt in a giant victory party. Game 6 of the 1992 World Series, 11th inning: the Blue Jays were leading 4-3 at Atlanta’s Turner Field with two out. However, the tying run was on third and canny veteran Otis Nixon stepped up to bat for the Braves. Jays manager Cito Gaston called for right-hander Mike Timlin, 26, to come out of the bullpen. Timlin, from his home in Castle Pines, Col., picks up the story:
“I don’t believe I was really nervous. I was just kind of enjoying the moment. Cito said, ‘We’ve got two outs, we’ve got a man on third base. Otis Nixon is coming up, so just be careful. He might drop a bunt on you.’ After Cito told me a couple of times, he walks off, and I start throwing to (catcher Pat) Borders. (Third baseman Kelly) Gruber walks up and says, ‘Just be careful. Watch the bunt.’ I turn around and Borders is halfway to the mound: ‘Just be careful of the bunt. He might bunt right here.’
“I even think Joe (Carter) stepped up to the cut at first base and said, ‘Dude, watch the bunt, I might need some help.’
“On the first pitch that I threw to him, he fouled it off. He barely got the bat off his shoulder, and I’m thinking, man, I don’t think he’s going to bunt. He’s going to try to make contact here. (But on the next pitch), he squared around and bunted.
“It was something we’d done a thousand times in spring training. You do it so much that it becomes an unconscious movement. It’s reaction; it’s not a thought process. If the ball goes to your left, you’re moving (towards) first base. I threw him out at first base but only by half a step. I didn’t even realize how close it was to him being safe.
“I remember thinking at that time, wow, the season’s over. I can’t believe the season’s over. I was elated because we won. But I was also kind of sad because now we don’t get to play baseball anymore.
“We’re jumping around and celebrating. I didn’t have many saves that year; I think I had three (actually one) throughout the year. We got in front of the dugout and I asked Joe for the ball. I’m like, ‘Dude, let me get that ball because it’s a save for me.’ He looked at me and he goes, ‘All right, Timmy, go ahead.’ That’s when he put it in my glove. I still have the ball. It’s in a glass case.” As told to Paul Hunter