Schedule and 2003 Results
Regular Season Records: New York 101-61, Florida 91-71
Game 1 on Saturday, 18 Oct: Florida wins at New York, 3-runs-2
Game 2 on Sunday, 19 Oct: Florida loses at New York, 6-runs-1
Game 3 on Tuesday, 21 Oct: New York wins at Florida, 6-runs-1
Game 4 on Wednesday, 22 Oct: New York loses at Florida, 4-runs-3 (12)
Game 5 on Thursday, 23 Oct: New York loses at Florida, 6-runs-4
Game 6 on Saturday, 25 Oct: Florida wins at New York, 2-runs-nil

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees 2-runs-nil in Game 6 of the 2003 World Series, thus winning MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 905, 4-games-2. The win order for series 905 was WLLWWW. Series 905 is the 24th best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series overall to follow the WLLWWW win order; the last was series 895, in which the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in their 2003 NBA Preliminary-round battle. Series 905 is the second best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL Finals-round series to follow the WLLWWW win order; the only other Finals series to do so was series 540, in which the Calgary Flames bested the Montreal Canadiens to take the 1989 NHL Stanley Cup. Series 905 is the third best-of-7 MLB series (all rounds) to follow the WLLWWW win order; the previous two were series 649 (the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves in the 1993 National League Championship Series) and series 770 (the New York Yankees topped the Cleveland Indians in the 1998 American League Championship Series). Series 905 is the first best-of-7 MLB Finals series to follow the WLLWWW win order. With the series loss, the New York Yankees had their best-of-7 MLB playoff series record fall to 32-12 (26-12 in best-of-7 MLB Finals); with the series victory, the Florida Marlins had their best-of-7 MLB playoff series record improve to 4-0. The New York Yankees now have a best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 6 record of 15-8 (13-7 in best-of-7 MLB Finals), while that for the Florida Marlins is now 3-1. Beginning with series 411, in which the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers to win the 1982 World Series, MLB/NBA/NHL teams opening a Finals-round series at home and taking a 2-games-1 lead after three games had a thirty-one series winning streak ... brought to a halt in series 905 by the Florida Marlins. Ironically, the last team to play a Finals-round Game 1 at home, take a 2-games-1 series lead, and LOSE the series was the 1981 New York Yankees, which lost the World Series of that year to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Teams that open best-of-7 Finals-round playoff series at home and take a 2-games-1 lead now have an 85-16 series record: Four of those 16 series losses are owned by the New York Yankees, which in such mode have lost the 2003, 1981, 1957, and 1955 World Series. With their series 905 victory, the Florida Marlins now have an MLB/NBA/NHL-best 4-0 series record. Other MLB/NBA/NHL entities undefeated in best-of-7 playoff series are the MLB Anaheim Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks (two series wins each), the original NBA Baltimore Bullets, and the old NBA Rochester Royals (one series win each) -- none of these other undefeated entities has the four series wins that the Florida Marlins now own.

After Game 5: Playing their last game in South Florida for the 2003 season, the Florida Marlins defeated the visiting New York Yankees 6-runs-4, thereby taking a 3-games-2 lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 905 (the 2003 World Series). The Game 5 victory by Florida improves their best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 5 record to a still-perfect 4-0, while the Game 5 loss by New York drops their best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 5 record to 22-11 (and 17-10 in the MLB Finals). When leading an MLB best-of-7 playoff series 3-games-2, the Florida Marlins have a 2-0 series record. When trailing an MLB best-of-7 playoff series 3-games-2, the New York Yankees have a 2-5 series record (with all seven such series in the MLB Finals; with the last series loss in the 1981 World Series vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers; with the last series victory in the 1958 World Series vs. the Milwaukee Braves). Upon considering win order (WLLWW) and site order (VVHHH) through the first five games of series 905, the Florida Marlins are perfectly tracking the San Francisco Giants in the 2002 World Series. Those Giants would lose Games 6-7 of the 2002 World Series on the road. Clearly, the 2003 New York Yankees should see the 2002 MLB champion Anaheim Angels as setting a favorable precedent.

After Game 4: Losing a 3-runs-1 lead in the top of the ninth, the Florida Marlins nevertheless defeated the New York Yankees 4-runs-3 in the bottom of the 12th inning, thereby tying MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 905 at 2-games-all. The win improves Florida's best-of-7 Game 4 record to 1-3; the loss drops New York's best-of-7 Game 4 record to 28-16 (23-15 in the MLB Finals). When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series, the Florida Marlins have a 2-0 series record, while the New York Yankees have an 11-7 series record (9-7 in the MLB Finals). The 2003 New York Yankees were trying to emulate their counterparts from 1939 this evening: Down two runs entering the top of the ninth inning, those 1939 New York Yankees rallied to defeat the Reds in Cincinnati in Game 4 of the World Series that year; while the 2003 Yankees were able to force extra innings in Game 4 of the 2003 Series, they were unable to secure a victory. In best-of-7 MLB playoff history, fourteen games were tied at the middle of the 12th inning; of those fourteen, the home team would win thirteen -- eleven of them in the bottom of the 12th.

After Game 3: Echoing the scene in the Bronx Sunday evening, the New York Yankees again topped the Florida Marlins 6-runs-1, though this time in South Florida. New York thus takes a 2-games-1 lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 905 (the 2003 World Series). The best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 3 record for the Florida Marlins thus falls to 2-2, while that for the New York Yankees improves to 28-16 (and 25-13 in the MLB Finals -- the World Series). When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the New York Yankees have a 15-5 series record and are on a six-series winning streak. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the Florida Marlins have a 1-0 series record. After winning Game 1 of series 905, the Florida Marlins lost Games 2-3 by a combined ten runs ... in series 904 (the 2003 National League Championship Series), the Florida Marlins also won Game 1 before losing Games 2-3 by a combined ten runs -- before defeating the Chicago Cubs in seven games to win series 904. The 2003 New York Yankees are now the latest MLB/NBA/NHL team to play a best-of-7 Finals-round Game 1 at home and lead 2-games-1. In best-of-7 Finals-round MLB/NBA/NHL playoff action, teams leading 2-games-1 after playing Game 1 at home have a 31-0 series record in their past thirty-one playoff series (the last to lose under these circumstances: the 1981 New York Yankees). From 1905 through the 2003 MLB Semifinals, teams that led 2-games-1 in the MLB Finals after playing Games 1-2 at home and Game 3 on the road had a 27-11 series record (the last to lose -- the 1981 New York Yankees, with the 1955 and 1957 Yankees also losing under the same circumstances). From 1905 through the 2003 MLB Semifinals, teams that led 2-games-1 in any MLB best-of-7 playoff round after playing Games 1-2 at home and Game 3 on the road had a 39-15 series record (the last to lose -- the 2003 Chicago Cubs, to the Florida Marlins in series 904). In best-of-7 MLB Finals, teams that lose Game 1 but win Games 2-3 have a 15-2 series record, with the only two losses sustained by the 1960 and 1964 New York Yankees. Finally, teams in MLB best-of-7 playoff series that lose Game 1 at home, win Game 2 at home, and win Game 3 on the road (as the Yankees have in series 905) have a series record of 10-1; sustaining the only loss were the 2003 Chicago Cubs, in series 904 vs. the Florida Marlins.

After Game 2: Having lost Game 1 by one run, the New York Yankees hosted and defeated the Florida Marlins 6-runs-1 to tie MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 905 at 1-game-all. Game 3 of series 905 (the 2003 World Series) will be played in South Florida on Tuesday. With the Game 2 loss, the Florida Marlins see their best-of-7 MLB playoff series Game 2 record remain perfect (in a negative way) at 0-4, while the New York Yankees with their Game 2 victory improve their best-of-7 Game 2 record to 25-19. When tied 1-game-all in an MLB best-of-7 playoff series, the Florida Marlins have a 3-0 series record, while the New York Yankees have a 14-5 series record (and a current five-series winning streak). As early as just after the fourth complete inning, a comeback victory by the Florida Marlins against the New York Yankees and their six-run lead would have been unprecedented in best-of-7 MLB playoff history. In MLB best-of-7 playoff history, when a team wins Game 2 by a five-run victory margin to tie a best-of-7 playoff series at 1-game-all, its series record is 1-7, including a six-series losing streak. The sole winner among the six losers in such a situation: The Detroit Tigers, in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 28 -- the 1935 World Series.

After Game 1: The Florida Marlins visited and defeated the New York Yankees 3-runs-2 to take a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 905 -- the 2003 World Series. The win improves Florida's best-of-7 Game 1 record to a sterling 4-0; with the loss, the New York Yankees' best-of-7 Game 1 record falls to 27-17 (and 23-15 in the World Series or MLB Finals). When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil, the Florida Marlins have a 3-0 series record (but an 0-3 Game 2 record). When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil, the New York Yankees have a 10-6 series record. In the 130 best-of-7 MLB playoff series from 1905 through the 2003 MLB Semifinals, teams winning Game 1 by a one-run margin had a 30-19 series record (14-10 when Game 1 was on the road), and teams winning Game 1 by a 3-runs-2 score had a 7-3 series record (4-2 when Game 1 was on the road). In best-of-7 MLB playoff history, the worst Game 2 defeat ever suffered by a Game 1 winner (irrespective of site) was that by the Philadelphia Phillies in series 649 (the 1993 National League Championship Series or MLB Semifinals): Having topped the Atlanta Braves 4-runs-3 in Game 1, Philadelphia lost Game 2 to Atlanta 14-runs-3 ... but recovered to win the series 4-games-2. In best-of-7 MLB playoff history, the largest Game 2 victory margin ever recorded by a Game 1 winner (irrespective of site) was that by the Milwaukee Braves in series 123 (the 1958 World Series or MLB Finals): Having topped the New York Yankees 4-runs-3 in Game 1, Milwaukee won Game 2 over New York 13-runs-5 ... and would take a 3-games-1 lead over the Yankees before losing the 1958 World Series in seven games. In MLB best-of-7 history, teams winning Game 1 by one run (irrespective of site) had a 19-30 Game 2 record.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2003 regular season, the New York Yankees finished ten games ahead of the Florida Marlins. From 1905 through the 2003 MLB Semifinals, when an MLB team led its best-of-7 playoff series opponent by ten regular-season games, it has gone on to post a 3-3 (.500) best-of-7 series record in that series against that opponent. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 905 is the 44th best-of-7 playoff series for the New York Yankees and the fourth for the Florida Marlins. In best-of-7 playoff series, the New York Yankees have a 32-11 (.744) series record, a 26-11 (.703) Finals-round series record, and a 27-16 (.628) Game 1 record, while the Florida Marlins have a 3-0 series record, a 1-0 Finals-round series record, and a 3-0 Game 1 record. Series 905 is the first best-of-7 meeting between the New York Yankees and the Florida Marlins. In best-of-7 MLB Finals in which the team with home-field advantage also had a superior regular-season record, the team with home-field advantage has a 26-19 (.578) series record.