Monday, September 28, 2009
Most Recent 100-win season for all franchises
Posted by Chris JaffeWell, the Yanks did it again - posted another 100 win season. That ended their hellish drought where their fans were deprived of triple-digit regular season success since 2004.
That leads me to wonder - what is the most recent 100-win season for all 30 franchises?
Other questions to ponder:
What's the oldest team to never win 100?
What team has gone the longest without doing it in the NL? In the AL? Overall?
Once you've taken your guesses, look below, where the results are given from most to furthest recent, broken up into fives for clarity's sake:
2009 NYY
2008 LAA
2005 STL
2003 ATL
2003 SFG
2002 OAK
2001 SEA
1999 ARI
1998 HOU
1995 CLE
1988 NYM
1984 DET
1980 BAL
1977 PHI
1977 KCR
1976 CIN
1974 LAD
1965 MIN
1946 BOX
1935 CHC
1917 CWS
1909 PIT
Never: (from newest to oldest franchise): TBR, FLA, COL, TOR, SDp, MIL, DCN, and the oldest - TEX. Making up for Texas's near half-century without doing it, the other teams in the AL West are all among the seven most recent to do it.
In the franchise's 109 year history, all of STB/BAL's 100 win campaigns came under one manager: Earl Weaver.
I never would've guessed that most teams have done it since the Dodgers last such season. I certainly wouldn't have guessed the Red Sox had such a long drought. Actually, they came close one year, winning 99. They would've claimed #100 in the season's finale, if it wasn't for Bucky Dent.
History instructor by day, statnerd by night, Chris Jaffe leads one of the most exciting double lives imaginable; with the exception of every other double life possible to imagine. Despite his lack of comic-book-hero-worthiness, Chris enjoys farting around with this stuff. His new book, Evaluating Baseball's Managers is available for order. Chris welcomes responses to his articles via e-mail.
Ironic footnote: when Baltimore last won 100 in 1980, they didn’t even make the playoffs. The Yankees won 103 in that pre-wild card year.