Four former Stanford baseball players — Jeremy Guthrie, Sam Fuld, Jed Lowrie and Drew Storen — could see action in the 2014 MLB Postseason, which begins Tuesday night. If all four make playoff rosters, it would establish a Stanford record after three competed in the 2003 and 2005 postseason.
Stanford has had at least one player in the playoffs for 13 of the past 14 seasons. A former Cardinal has gone on to the World Series 17 times and ex-Stanford players own 11 World Series rings. Eric Bruntlett was the last to win a World Series crown with Philadelphia in 2008.
Jeremy Guthrie (Kansas City Royals, American League Wild Card vs. Oakland – Sept. 30)
Guthrie threw seven innings of shutout ball in Kansas City’s clinching win against the Chicago White Sox Sept. 26. The right-hander finished the regular season with a 13-11 record and 4.13 ERA in 202.2 innings, his fifth career 200+ inning season. Guthrie, who has not appeared out of the bullpen since 2012 with Colorado, could be left off of Kansas City’s one-game playoff roster since James Shields is in line to start for the Royals.
Jed Lowrie (Oakland A’s, American League Wild Card vs. Kansas City – Sept. 30)
Lowrie has been Oakland’s starting shortstop, hitting .249 with 50 RBI during the team’s up-and-down season. This will mark the former first-round pick’s fourth career playoff appearance. He played in the 2008 ALDS, 2008 ALCS and 2009 ALDS with Boston, before getting three hits in Oakland’s five-game ALDS loss to Detroit last season.
Sam Fuld (Oakland A’s, American League Wild Card vs. Kansas City – Sept. 30)
Fuld caught the final out in Oakland’s playoff-clinching win Sunday afternoon in game No. 162. The outfielder is on his second stint with the A’s in 2014 after Minnesota picked up off waivers in April and traded him back to the A’s on the day of the trading deadline (July 31). Fuld is hitting .239 overall in 2014 and has stolen 21 bases in 25 attempts.
Drew Storen (Washington Nationals, NLDS vs. Wild Card winner – Begins Oct. 3)
Storen has been a valuable asset for Washington’s bullpen, compiling a 1.12 ERA in 65 games this season. He has saved 11 games and struck out 46 batters in 56.1 innings to help the Nationals clinch home-field advantage throughout the National League playoffs with a 96-66 record.
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics
By Stanford Athletics