In the midst of an intense playoff race, sometimes it’s hard to remember what happened during some of the ups and downs of the baseball season. We tend to focus on the present, but every now and then it’s important to turn our attention to some of the abnormal events that occurred in 2008.

So without further adieu:

 

The best comeback in MLB history?

Some might recall Boston’s comeback in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees as the best comeback in MLB history, but this year Josh Hamilton may have outperformed that feat with a remarkable comeback of his own.

A baseball prodigy, Hamilton was signed by the Devil Rays in 1999 and was regarded as the best prospect in the history of the game by most scouts. But a mere two years later, he lost it all, falling victim to injuries and severe drug abuse.

It wasn’t until this season when he was given another opportunity — this time, he wasn’t the same problem child of 1999.

Frankly, Hamilton made it look like he was playing against little leaguers for a large chunk of the season. Capping off his amazing first-half play with the home run derby at Yankee Stadium was one of the most impressive displays that MLB has ever seen. Justin Morneau, who won the Derby, clearly felt undeserving after seeing Hamilton belt 28 first-round home runs.

Hamilton isn’t only a lock for comeback player of the year, but if there were an award for comeback of the century, it would be tough to disregard this as one of the best stories in baseball.

 

All it took was a name change

Whatever devil was haunting the Rays seems to be gone for good.

Somehow, all the Rays players seemed to mature into knowledgeable and magnificent ballplayers in the span of a single offseason. Tampa Bay went from the worst record in baseball in 2007 to among the best in 2008.

How did they do it? All it took was great pitching, great hitting and great coaching — something the Rays had never had. As team president Matt Silverman put it after the Rays clinched a spot in the playoffs, “This is something nobody thought would ever happen.”

Well, it did happen — and it looks like the Rays are going to be a staple in the playoffs for years to come. They now have one of the strongest cores of young players in baseball and are poised for a deep playoff run.

 

A’s throw their season away… again

It may be difficult to remember, but at one point this season the Oakland A’s were hanging with the Angels. But, like in years past, general manager Billy Beane decided to think about the future instead of the present.

First to go was the promising Dan Haren. Then it was Nick Swisher. Next traded was Mark Kotsay. The small bright spot that kept the A’s in contention was staff ace Rich Harden.

Then Beane traded him away too.

When Harden was traded away to Chicago it effectively did two things — it assured the Cubs a division title, and it assured that the A’s would not play in October.

Now, the A’s are where everyone expected them to be after the trade — not close to the Angels.

It’s obviously not certain that the A’s would be a lock for the playoffs if they hadn’t traded Harden, but they would have at least been a challenge to the Angels, who seemed to run away with the division the moment Harden left the Oakland mound.

The A’s don’t start one position player from their last team that made the playoffs in 2006.

Maybe the A’s will have another chance next year. If they do though, they’ll probably end up throwing it away.

 

Farewell, Yankee Stadium

What better way to say goodbye to Yankee Stadium than with a victory for the home team, and for the final pitch to be thrown by future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera.

The House that Ruth Built will be torn down this summer, but the memories created there will live on for the rest of MLB history.

Don Larsen’s perfect game in the World Series, Roger Maris’ record-breaking home run and Reggie Jackson’s three blasts on three pitches are a mere pinch of the tales that will be told and relived in the coming years.

The new Yankee Stadium will feature the same field dimensions as the old one, but don’t expect it to compare to the old one for quite some time. The classic feel will be gone, but don’t fret — as long as the Yankees are playing there, every game will bring a pinch of those memories back to life.

 

Jonah is a sophomore hoping to major in journalism. Want to share your favorite memories of 2008? Email him at [email protected]