Robin Ventura of the New York Mets hitting a ball out of the park (officially called a game-winning single) in the 15th inning to notch Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, on Oct. 17, 1999. (G. Paul Burnett/The New York Times) By TYLER KEPNER In the summer of 2001, a month or two before everything changed, Robin Ventura played golf with a man named Chris Quackenbush. Soon after, Quackenbush went to a game to see his friend Bobby Valentine, the…
