<prompt> Bhala okuqhubekayo kwalesi sigaba - Ngaphambi kwesizini ka-1996, u-Angelos waqasha uPat Gillick njengomphathi jikelele. Njengoba enikezwe ukukhanya okuluhlaza ukuze asebenzise imali eningi kumathalente asunguliwe, uGillick wasayina abadlali abambalwa be-premium abanjengoBJ Surhoff, uRandy Myers, uDavid Wells noRoberto Alomar. Ngaphansi komqeqeshi omusha uDavey Johnson nangamandla okuqopha i-major league irekhodi lama-home run angama-257 ngesizini eyodwa, ama-Orioles abuyela kuma-playoffs ngemuva kokungabikho kweminyaka eyi-12 ngokufaka ikhadi le-AL. U-Alomar wabangela isiphepho ngoSepthemba lapho ekhafulela umphathi wendawo uJohn Hirschbeck ebusweni ngesikhathi kunempikiswano eToronto. Kamuva wamiswa emidlalweni emihlanu yokuqala yesizini ka-1997, yize iningi lalifuna ukuthi angangeni emdlalweni wokugcina. Ngemuva kokukhipha isicoco se-American League i-Cleveland Indians ngo-3 kuya ku-1 ku-Division Series, i-Orioles yawa kumaYankees ngo-4 kuya ku-1 ku-ALCS  <response>: Okuphawuleka ngokwehluleka kuka umphathi wesigcawu sokudla uRich Garcia ukubiza ukuphazamiseka kwabalandeli emdlalweni wokuqala wochungechunge, lapho umlandeli weYankee oneminyaka engu-12 ubudala uJeffrey Maier efinyelela odongeni lwangaphandle ukuze abambe ibhola elidlalwayo, elatholwa njengebhola eliya ekhaya likaDerek Jeter, elihlanganisa umdlalo ngo-4 kuya ku-4 emdlalweni wesishiyagalombili. Ngaphandle kokungenelela kukaMaier, kwakubonakala sengathi ibhola kungenzeka ukuthi lalingekho odongeni noma libanjwe ngumdlali wasenkundleni ongakwesokudla uTony Tarasco. AmaYankees aqhubeka nokuwina lo mdlalo emidlalweni eyengeziwe ngokuhamba ekhaya okuvela kuBernie Williams. 