When it comes to the playoffs, I’m not sure what to make of how the season ends.
The inclination is to put weight on it, because it offers the latest sample. Driving force. Confidence. Etcetera. But who knows?
I always use the example of Graeme Lloyd. The Yankees acquired the lefty in late August 1996. Shortly after the acquisition — in the midst of his terrible pitching — the Yankees learned he had received a cortisone shot for his elbow. They tried to interrupt or restructure the trade.
He pitched to a 17.47 ERA in 13 Yankees appearances, raising questions about whether or not he would be placed on the playoff roster. It seemed doubtful when they did. And how did it turn out? The Yankees probably don’t win a championship that year without Lloyd’s excellence, especially in the World Series against Atlanta.