Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame: Lonnie Smith for the Braves losing the 1991 World Series

So one of my favorite shows was Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame on ESPN Classic. I had written some at one point and so I will be posting them as some of the new sports lists I was talking about using the same format the show used. 1-2 best of the rest reasons and 5 reasons you can't blame.
Top 5 reasons you can't blame Lonnie Smith for the Braves losing the 1991 World Series
Overview: In a great game 7 Lonnie Smith got on first base with nobody out. Terry Pendleton hit a ball in the gap and people assumed Lonnie Smith would score. So it was shocking when he only ended up on third base. The Braves would not score and some would claim a phantom double play acted out mostly be Chuck Knoblauch. The Twins would end up winning the game 1-0 in 10 innings and the World Series. In this blog post I will try to explain why you can't blame Lonnie Smith.
Best of the rest (reasons that couldn't make the list but need to be considered)

1. Chuck Knoblauch: While we don't know for sure how much it effected Lonnie Smith given the story is in folklore it has to be considered. 
2. Bobby Cox: While his decision is completely understood he did take his best pitcher John Smoltz out of the game (CY Young winner Tom Glavine had pitched the night before and probably was not available.) While he was younger than Morris given Morris' performance (more on that later) it would be interesting to see what would have happened. It should also be considered that Cox made a questionable decision the night before bringing in Charlie Leibrandt in to face Kirby Puckett. 

Okay now here are the top 5 reasons

5. Great World Series: This was a great world series. There were a number of games that could have gone either way. Also while the Braves were not able to score a run the pitching and defense were great. They went a full game without giving up a run. 

4. Jack Morris: To add on to the last reason Jack Morris did not give up a run either and pitched on of the greatest games in World Series if not baseball history. While he gave the Braves chances to score they were not able to. Lonnie Smith also got on base 3 times and got 2 of the teams 7 hits. 

3. The Metrodome: There are a few things that go with this. First of all it means that the Twins were the home team which was an obvious advantage. Second the Metrodome is considered one of the loudest arenas in sports history which gave the Twins an advantage. Also when players have been asked most have said they were exhausted so having fan support is an advantage. Lastly, Twins fans are known for Homer Hankies which were white. Meaning that if the ball was hit it was not easy to see. 

2. It should never have happened: The pitch before Pendleton hit the ball in the gap he swung and missed. It was called a foul ball when later replays show that Pendleton missed the ball completely. While this does not guarantee a Braves win, Lonnie Smith would not be blamed. 

1. He actually did the right thing: While it can be argued that Lonnie Smith should have kept his eye on the ball better given the context he did the right thing. He ran station to station. While people would have wanted him to score at least he was not thrown out. Also consider the Braves had men on 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs and the 3rd, 4th, and 5th hitters coming up. They were not able to score. 

So if you looked at the 1991 World Series as Lonnie Smith's fault I hope this gave you a different view. Keep checking out my blog for my sports lists and more Top 5 reasons.