Cincinnati Reds: Joe Morgan’s 3 greatest postseason moments

CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 31: General view of the exterior of the ball park and Joe Morgan statue prior to a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the St Louis Cardinals. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 31: General view of the exterior of the ball park and Joe Morgan statue prior to a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the St Louis Cardinals. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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CINCINNATI, OH – CIRCA 1990: Former Cincinnati Reds second baseman Joe Morgan (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – CIRCA 1990: Former Cincinnati Reds second baseman Joe Morgan (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Reds great Joe Morgan was at his best during the month of October.

For a player who was a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a 10-time All-Star with a couple of MVPs on his resumé, playoff success did not come easy for Cincinnati Reds legend Joe Morgan. As a matter of fact, Morgan struggled in the postseason for the majority of his career.

Playing in 50 postseason games for the Reds, Astros and Phillies during his career, Morgan slashed only .182/.323/.348. That’s not the Little Joe that Reds Country remembers. Believe it or not, he played in two NLCS series with the Reds where he failed to get a hit in 18 combined at-bats. However, in true Joe Morgan fashion, he managed a .333 on-base percentage in those series.

Nevertheless, even if Morgan wasn’t hitting to his normal standards, he still found ways to alter the game. In 37 playoff games for the Cincinnati Reds, Morgan swiped 14 bases in 16 attempts and drew 27 bases on balls. As a result, he provided plenty of opportunities for Johnny Bench, Tony Perez and George Foster to drive in runs.

When you play on one of the greatest teams ever assembled, even a player as sensational as Joe Morgan can be overlooked at times. Just ask the New York Yankees. During the 1976 Fall Classic sweep of the Bronx Bombers, Morgan put on a clinic, but the series MVP trophy went to Bench who was equally spectacular.

Despite the occasional struggles in October, Morgan delivered huge playoff highlights and it can be argued maybe the biggest hit in Cincinnati Reds history. Here are three instances in which Joe Morgan’s greatness extended into the postseason.

MARCH 8, 1978: Joe Morgan, the smallest of the Reds’ regulars, compares his small glove to center fielder Cesar Geronimo’s “basket.”The Enquirer/Fred Straubscanned September 14, 2012FROM A MONDAY APRIL 24, 1978 REFER: Morgan Misses, But Reds Win In 10th Inning. Page C-1.Morgan 3
MARCH 8, 1978: Joe Morgan, the smallest of the Reds’ regulars, compares his small glove to center fielder Cesar Geronimo’s “basket.”The Enquirer/Fred Straubscanned September 14, 2012FROM A MONDAY APRIL 24, 1978 REFER: Morgan Misses, But Reds Win In 10th Inning. Page C-1.Morgan 3 /

Joe Morgan’s impact in his first postseason action with the Reds.

Entering Game 2 of the 1972 NLCS, the Reds were in a must-win situation. The National League East Champion Pittsburgh Pirates hammered the Reds taking the opener 5-1 at Three Rivers Stadium. Before the series shifted to Cincinnati, it was imperative the Reds capture one game in the Steel City in the best of five series.

The Redlegs wasted no time in Game 2, jumping all over Pirates starter Bob Moose. Pete Rose led off the game with a single to right and Joe Morgan followed suit as well sending Rose to third base while of course taking second base on the throw to third base. It was a classic Joe Morgan play.

A trio of doubles followed in quick succession from Bobby Tolan, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez before Moose was lifted without recording an out and the Reds leading 4-0. The Big Red Machine was rolling, but there was still work to be done.

After the Pirates cut the Cincinnati lead in half, the Reds came to the plate in the eighth inning leading just 4-2. However, Morgan was not about to let this victory escape the Cincinnati Reds. Following a Rose groundout, Morgan took Pittsburgh reliever Ramon Hernandez deep giving the Reds a 5-2 lead and helped seal a Cincinnati win.

In his postseason series debut, Joe Morgan would collect five hits in 19 at-bats while adding two home runs and three RBIs. Little Joe’s performance helped the Reds win their second NL pennant in three seasons as the Redlegs would plate two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in the deciding Game 5 to rally for a 4-3 victory before moving on to face the Oakland A’s in the 1972 World Series.

CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 1976: Cesar Geronimo #20 of the Cincinnati Reds scores as Thurman Munson #15 of the New York Yankees can’t handle the ball during Game 2 of the 1976 World Series. (Photo by Herb Scharfman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 1976: Cesar Geronimo #20 of the Cincinnati Reds scores as Thurman Munson #15 of the New York Yankees can’t handle the ball during Game 2 of the 1976 World Series. (Photo by Herb Scharfman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images) /

Joe Morgan set the tone for the Reds in 1976.

I know it’s difficult to show any sort of sympathy for the New York Yankees, but during the 1976 Fall Classic it’s warranted. Joe Morgan was on the verge of winning his second consecutive MVP Award after hitting .322 and leading the NL in OBP (.444), slugging (.576) and OPS (1.020). Additionally, he collected 27 homers, 111 RBIs with 60 stolen bases.

The guy was a video game come to life and Morgan was looking to do some damage after going hitless in the NLCS sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies. Keep in mind the Phillies didn’t exactly hold Morgan down.

Related Story. Reds Top 10 all-time leaders in stolen bases

He walked six times in 13 plate appearances, scored two runs and swiped a base. Not bad for a hitless series. However, it was only a matter of time before the hitless streak would end, and for the Yankees, it was a harbinger for the series.

In the bottom of the first inning at Riverfront Stadium in Game 1, Yankees right-hander Doyle Alexander retired Pete Rose and Ken Griffey to start the frame when Morgan stepped into the batter’s box. After working Alexander into a 3-1 count, Little Joe blasted a home run to right field and the Reds were on the board. The onslaught had begun.

Cincinnati would capture their second consecutive World Series title in a four game sweep of the Yankees completing a perfect postseason which began with three victories in as many attempts against the Phillies. The Reds would outscore the Bronx Bombers 22-8 and would only be challenged in one game.

For Joe Morgan, it was his final Fall Classic appearance with the Cincinnati Reds and he did not disappoint. Slashing .333/.412/.712 with a homer and two stolen bases, Morgan was putting on one of his typical exhibitions. It was an incredible way to cap an exhilarating two years, however, if it wasn’t for Morgan the dream may not have been realized.

SEPTEMBER 1979: Joe Morgan eyes the ball on bunt attempt.The Enquirer/Michael E. Keatingscanned September 14, 2012
SEPTEMBER 1979: Joe Morgan eyes the ball on bunt attempt.The Enquirer/Michael E. Keatingscanned September 14, 2012 /

Little Joe comes up big for the Reds.

First of all, we have to give some credit to Tony Perez. Trailing 3-0 entering the top of the sixth, the Big Doggie’s towering two-run shot over the Green Monster brought the Reds within striking distance before Pete Rose would tie the contest an inning later with a single to centerfield setting the stage for Joe Morgan’s greatest moment.

With the score tied at three entering the ninth inning, the Cincinnati Reds were sending up the bottom third of the order to face Red Sox reliever Jim Burton. Ken Griffey led off the inning by drawing a base on balls on a full count pitch before a sacrifice bunt by Cesar Geronimo moved him into scoring position.

Dan Driessen would be retired on a grounder to second base for the second out of inning and moving Griffey to third. Now the Reds had the top of the order coming to the plate with the potential World Series winning run just 90 feet away.  Rose worked Burton to another full count before drawing a walk and putting runners at the corner for the soon-to-be MVP Joe Morgan.

Burton would jump ahead of Morgan with a 1-2 count and was one strike away from extinguishing the Reds threat. However, as Morgan has recited the story many times over the years, there was no doubt in his mind he would deliver a hit and he did exactly that.

While his single to center that dropped in front of a charging Fred Lynn would never be described as a rocket, it was enough to plate Griffey and give the Reds a 4-3 lead. Left-handed reliever Will McEnany set the Red Sox down in order in the bottom of the ninth as Cesar Geronimo camped under Carl Yaztremski’s fly ball to left-center for the final out giving the Reds their first championship in 35 years.

Next. Top 5 MVP-winning seasons in Reds history

Baseball has been and continues to be a strange game. In what other major American sport could a 5-7, 160-pound player deliver the biggest moment in a franchise’s history? The answer is zero because there’s only one Joe Morgan.

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