Best Baseball Teams Ever
75
1998 NEW YORK YANKEES
There is no end to the statistical comparisons that could be made to select the best baseball teams in history. I set out to review the data and this led to me to discover that since 1907, twelve baseball teams (only two in the NL) not only won the World Series in a four game sweep, but also won the most games of any team in either league during the regular season. Six teams have accomplished this feat after World War Two, when baseball began to integrate.
1998 NEW YORK YANKEES—This team won 125 games against only 50 losses (including the postseason), which set the all time best record among baseball teams. The 1998 Yankees would score 965 runs to lead MLB; post an AL best 4.04 pitching ERA; and play the best defense. Randy Wells led the AL in winning percentage among pitchers (.818) with a record of 18-4, while issuing the fewest walks per nine innings, and tossing 5 shutouts including a perfect game. David Cone won 20 games and Mariano Rivera was a stalwart Closer. Bernie Williams would lead the league in hitting (.339) for the 1998 New York Yankees, while Derek Jeter would score the most Runs (127). Paul O'Neill, Chuck Knoblauch and Tino Martinez played key roles in the offense. Joe Torre won the Manager of the Year Award.
1976 CINCINNATI REDS
1976 CINCINNATI REDS—This team was led by the NL Most Valuable Player, Joe Morgan. George Foster drove in 121 Runs, while Rawly Eastwick Saved 26 Games—both leading the Major Leagues. The 1976 Reds scored the most Runs in MLB (857) and were the best defensive team. Morgan would lead the majors in both OBP (.444) and Slugging (.576). Pete Rose would lead the majors in Runs Scored (130), Hits (215) and Doubles (42). Ken Griffey and Johnny Bench also played key roles in the offense. The pitching staff was led by Gary Nolan (fewest walks among all starters MLB per nine innings), Fred Norman, and Rookie of the Year Pat Zachry. The 1976 Cincinnati Reds, managed by Sparky Anderson, had a regular season record of 102-60; and became the first team with a perfect postseason of more than four games (7-0).
1989 OAKLAND ATHLETICS
1989 OAKLAND ATHLETICS— This was the year of "Earthquake Series." The 1989 Athletics were managed by Tony LaRussa to records of 99-63 in the regular season; and 8-1 in the postseason. The 1989 Oakland Athletics featured the best pitching in the AL with an ERA of 3.56 as a team. Their great starting rotation included Dave Stewart, Mike Moore, Bob Welch and Storm Davis—who went a combined 76-35. Closer Dennis Eckersley led an incredible bullpen with help especially from Rick Honeycutt. The key offensive players were Dave Parker, Mark McGuire, Carney Lansford (hardest batter in the AL to strike out) and Rickey Henderson—who topped the majors with 113 Runs Scored and 77 stolen bases, while he drew the most walks in the AL (126).
1950 NEW YORK YANKEES
1950 NEW YORK YANKEES—The 1950 Yankees went 98-56, and were managed by Casey Stengel. Joe DiMaggio topped the NL for slugging percentage (.585), while Yogi Berra and Phil Rizzuto also had outstanding offensive statistics. The starting rotation of the 1950 New York Yankees featured four 15 game winners, including Vic Raschi (21-8), who led the league in winning percentage (.724); Ed Lopat, Allie Reynolds and Tommy Byrne. Rookie pitcher Whitey Ford won 9 out of 10 decisions.
1966 BALTIMORE ORIOLES
1966 BALTIMORE ORIOLES—Frank Robinson, MVP, had one of the finest offensive seasons for a hitter as he won the elusive Triple Crown—leading the AL in batting (.316), RBI (122), and the major leagues with 49 Home Runs. He also led majors in slugging, OPS, Total Bases and Runs. The 1966 Orioles would lead the league with 755 Runs Scored, and have the best defensive team. Frank had help as Brooks Robinson (no relation), Boog Powell, Curt Blefary and Luis Aparicio also had big offensive years. The pitching staff was led by Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, and an excellent bullpen. Hank Bauer managed the 1966 Baltimore Orioles to a regular season record of 97-93.
2007 BOSTON RED SOX
2007 BOSTON RED SOX—Terry Francona managed the 2007 Red Sox to a 96-66 record; followed by an 11-3 run in the postseason. The 2007 Boston Red Sox would post the best ERA in the American League (3.87). Josh Beckett led the pitchers 20 wins; Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield had outstanding seasons as well. Jonathan Papelbon had an excellent year as the Closer, and the entire relief corps was tremendous. The offense firepower was provided by David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and Dustin Pedroia.
1927 NEW YORK YANKEES
Before Baseball Teams were integrated, five of the only six teams to post the best record in regular season and then sweep the World Series were the Yankees of New York.
1927 Yankees—Record: 110-44; Manager: Miller Huggins. Best Pitching (3.20) and hitting (976 Runs) in MLB; best defense in AL. Top Hitters: Lou Gehrig (447 TB, 175 RBI, 52 Doubles—all major league highs); Babe Ruth (.486 OBP, .772 SLG, 158 Runs, 137 Walks, 60 HR—all tops in MLB); Earle Combs (231 Hits topped AL, 23 triples best in MLB); Bob Meusel; and Tony Lazzeri. Top Pitchers: Wilcy Moore 19-7 and 13 saves (led MLB) with 2.28 ERA (MLB best)—also lowest Hits allowed per nine in AL; Waite Hoyt 22-7 (best WPCT MLB .759); Urban Shocker 18-6; and Herb Pinnock 19-8.
1907 CHICAGO CUBS
1907 Chicago Cubs—Frank Chance, Manager. Record: 107-45. 5 pitchers with at least 14 wins led by Ed Reulbach 17-4 (.810 WPCT NL best); Orval Overall 23-7; Mordecai Brown 20-6 (lowest base runners per nine MLB); Carl Lundgren 18-7; and Jack Pfiester— 1.15 ERA (best in MLB). The team ERA of 1.73 was lowest in MLB. Best fielding team MLB.
1939 NEW YORK YANKEES
1939 Yankees—(106-45) managed by Joe McCarthy. Led majors with 966 Runs and had best defense; lowest team ERA in AL (3.31). Offensive leaders: Joe DiMaggio hit .381 (MLB best), Red Rolfe 139 Runs and 213 Hits (both MLB highs), George Selkirk, Joe Gordon, Frankie Crosetti, and Bill Dickey. Top pitchers: 7 10-game winners led by Red Ruffing 21 wins (AL best) versus 7 losses; Atley Donald 13-3 (best WPCT MLB .813); Johnny Murphy 19 saves (tops in MLB).
1932 NEW YORK YANKEES
1932 Yankees—(107-47) managed by Joe McCarthy. Best MLB offense scored 1002 Runs featuring: Lou Gehrig; Babe Ruth (MLB best .489 OBP & 130 walks); Ben Chapman (38 SB were MLB high); Earle Combs; and Tony Lazzeri. Best ERA in AL of 3.98 and starters went 75-26: Johnny Allen 17-4 (MLB best WPCT of .810 & fewest hits allowed per nine); Lefty Gomez 24-7; Red Ruffing 18-7 (AL best 190 Strikeouts); George Pipgras 16-9.
1928 NEW YORK YANKEES
1928 Yankees—(101-53) Miller Huggins, Manager. Best Hitters: Babe Ruth topped all MLB with .709 SLG, 163 Runs, 380 TB, 137 walks, 54 HR, 142 RBI; Lou Gehrig (.467 OBP AL best), 142 RBI (MLB leader); Earle Combs; and Bob Meusel. Team led MLB with 894 Runs. Top pitchers were Waite Hoyt 23-7 (and MLB best 8 Saves); George Pipgras (led AL with 24 wins and 301 innings pitched); Herb Pinnock 17-6.
1938 NEW YORK YANKEES
1938 Yankees (99-53) Joe McCarthy, Manager. Team scored most runs in MLB—966; and posted lowest ERA in AL of 3.91; best fielding AL. Offense led by: Joe DiMaggio; Lou Gehrig; Red Rolfe; Bill Dickey; Frankie Crosetti; and Tommy Henrich. Pitching led by: Red Ruffing 21 (AL best)-7; Steve Sundra 11-1; Lefty Gomez; Monty Pearson; Spud Chandler; Johnny Murphy (11 Saves AL best).
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Comments
Great Job James! And I am not even into baseball, I am a football nut! If you write it, it turns to Gold :)
i don't live in New York but i LOVE the Yankees. any year! very nice hub.
That was a great baseball hub, filled with informative information, even though I'm not a baseball fan, the hub was great. but I'm an football fan. keep up the good work James.
creativeone59
Great Hub James...Babe Ruth was my hero as a child, thank you for the walk down the memory lane.
Blessings
divinemercylover1— Thank you! We share many experiences as I also played a lot of baseball and was a huge collector of baseball cards in my youth—I wish I had them today!
I needed a break from writing so I took eight days off to read work by other Hubbers. I usually go in cycles that way—I rarely write and read while in one zone or the other. I have several Hubs planned for the next few days that I have been ruminating on for a while.
I thank you for being my first reader! And I loved your comments.
Kebennett1— Thank you so much! I am a big baseball fan. I appreciate you for taking the time to visit even though it's not a subject you are particularly interested in.
cosette— As you can see, the Yankees dominate this Hub. :) I'm a longsuffering Cubs fan myself. From this, I have learned patience. Thanks for coming by and leaving your comments.
creativeone59— Thank you very much for visiting and leaving word even if it's not your cup of tea. That means even more—slightly reminiscent of the Widow's Mite. :-)
"Quill"— Babe Ruth was the greatest! (Although Willie Mays has a claim.) You are welcome and thank you!
King James:
Thank you for the ongoing education ... while I'm not a big baseball fan (I prefer to do sports rather than watch them), it's always a pleasure to read your well-researched and insightful commentaries and reporting.
It did bring back memories of two things, however ...
One, my Willie Mays outfielder glove that I wore so proudly throughout my many years of Little League Baseball, and
Two, my good friend Dale Pizzitola who lived on Lakewood Street in Chicago just a few blocks away from Wrigley Field ... his rooftop had that great view of the ballpark.
Of course, all I can remember is going home and indulging in my need for those top-notch Chicago hot dogs at stands with such iconic names as 'Franks for the Memories', 'The Weiner's Circle' and 'Weiner and Still Champion" ... well, you get the idea.
In any case, thanks for your never-ending attention to detail and intelligently engaging commentary!
Thanks, James. Great article. As a lifelong Yankee fan it is good to have these stats handily arranged.
James, I don't share the enthusiasm of baseball fans, But great Hub as usual.
James I was always a Yankee hater. That was until 1961 when I met Micky Mantle. I was coming back home from New York on a bus with our MYF group. We stopped at a Ho Jos on the New Jersey turnpike.
As we were going in to eat supper, I noticed a man I thought I recognized. I lagged behind the group, and then I went up and asked,"Sir aren't you Micky Mantle?".
"Indeed I am." he answered.
I talked about seeing him play in game one of the 1960 World Series in Pittsburgh at Forbes Field. I explained that I was a Pirate fan but that didn't matter to Micky. I missed my supper that night, but I talked baseball with Micky Mantle for a little over an hour. This 13 year old kid became a Mickey Mantle fan that evening, and remained one from that time forward.
Great writing, as usual. Too bad we're Padres fans - they'll probably never make your list!
ArchDynamics— I used to do them; then I turned into a spectator. The only sport I watch these days is Baseball. I have been to Wrigley Field many times. I grew up 90 miles away and every day when I came home from school the Cubs were on TV. I am well familiar with Chicago Dogs.
Thanks, brother, for coming by and chiming in. Always a pleasure to hear from you.
Ken R. Abell— You are welcome and thank you. Yes, I would imagine a Yankees fan would have a lot to appreciate on this page. :)
jiberish— Well, you came anyway and for that I extend my gratitude. Thank you for your kindly comments.
Tom Whitworth— That is a truly amazing story. You could write a Hub about that encounter. It would be interesting to read what Mickey had to say. How gracious of him to spend that much time with you. And they didn't serve booze at Ho Jos either! :0
I liked Mickey, too. Thanks for your fine addition to this thread.
Lily Rose— Thank you! What I remember most about the Padres was how the came from behind to prevent my Cubbies from going to the 1984 World Series; and the day Eric Show hit Andre Dawson in the mouth with a pitch. The most gruesome hit by a pitch I have ever seen. Other than that, I love the Padres! :)
I appreciate your visit today.
Glad to see one of my old time favorites included. I remember watching the Reds way back when. What about Johnny Bench? He was with the Reds in 76 was he not? He was a fav.
Good hub as always.
R Burow— Whoops! I missed Johnny Bench somehow. He was the World Series MVP!!! I will correct that right now. He surely deserves a mention. I don't know how that happened but I appreciate you calling my attention to it. That's a boo boo. Thank you.
Great hub, James!
Go baseball!...my favorite game.
Go New York Yankees!!...of course.
Thanks for sharing this great history.
Very interesting hub pages. Highly informative and well written
Tina Irene— Thank you, Tina. I knew you were a Yankees fan and I would say they are well represented on this page. :)
I appreciate the visit. As always, a pleasure to receive your encouragement.
success79—Thank you. I appreciate you for taking the time to read it and for leaving your kind comments. :)
James! GREAT hub as usual. ; I used to love to go to baseball games when I was younger. My son was on the Yankees this year in our hometown, but he got tired of the game.;
I guess it will just be Tennis and Soccer for now! G
Great Hub !! As an Oakland A's fan I am delighted you included the 1989 team in your list...Personally, I think the 1973-74 teams were better...Thanks, Larry
I don't really consider myself to have either a like or even a dislike of baseball. I am sort of complacent I suppose. So, when I saw you posted a new hub and I went to read it, I was thinking, "Oh, it's about 'baseball'." I had no expectation of thinking it would be a memorable hub . But, surprise, surprise-- I like it a lot because I actually learned a few things and I am more informed now. Thanks!
James -
You're welcome. It's a beautiful hub!
GPAGE— Thank you! I still love to go see a MLB game a few times a year. Nothing like the old ballpark.
Well, tennis and soccer are good games and excellent exercise.
I appreciate you coming by and leaving. Always nice to hear from you.
maven101— 73-74? Joe Rudi, Catfish Hunter? Those were great teams.
Thank you, Larry, and you're welcome. :)
Don't forget Mr October, Reggie Jackson, Campy at short, Sal at 3rd, and Rollie Fingers, the mustachioed one...Larry
vanderhaven— I am very pleased to read your comments. If I made it interesting, I suppose I accomplished my purpose in writing. Thank you for the affirmation. :-)
Tina Irene— Thank you for saying so. You are so nice.
maven101—I'm glad you wrote back. I was trying to remember who was on that team. How could anybody forget the great Reggie Jackson and the outstanding Rollie Fingers. Sal Bando. Campaneris. Sure! That was a better team. LaRussa must be a miracle worker. I think he is.
Thanks for the information. I enjoyed remembering those teams. That was a fine time for baseball, I think.
What can I say? You did it again!
I'm not a big baseball fan either but I had to come see. You are an awesome writer. I'm a football fan. You can write about the Carolina Panthers, wait until we're winning though. Win, Lose or Draw, I love'em.
advisor4qb— You said it! Thank you. :D
ftgfmom— How happy I am to be drawing so many non-baseball-fans. Interesting. :) It means a lot to me you took the come to come and visit anyway. Thank you!
Hello James and blessings!!! I am not into Baseball but I am into YOU!!! I love the way you can take a subject and turn it into a interesting topic!! You have a wonderful talent for writting! Thank you for being my friend! Luv Luv... YOU GO!
drpastorcarlotta— HA! Well, I'd rather you be a fan of James than baseball anyway! I'm proud to be your friend, doctor. Thanks for visiting.
Although I am not a baseball fan, I like your hub. It' s great with details.
Great Hub on Baseball, I enjoy the information.
infonaturale— I appreciate it even more if you are not a fan. Thank you for leaving your comment.
royal diadem— It is a pleasure to see you here! Thank you for the nice compliment.
Nice article. I'm a little disappointed, though. You left out the 1984 Detroit Tigers and the 1981 Dodgers (Ron Cey & Fernando Valenzuela, anyone?)
niguilgreer— I know, I know. How about the 1968 Tigers? I didn't want to make the article too long so some very deserving teams aren't represented. Sorry to disappoint. But I appreciate the visit.
What about the 2004 Red Sox?
Got the good hub.
Thanks
Great team! I enjoyed tracking them that year. I saw the Red Sox the first game they played at Wrigley Field. Exciting game. Cubs won 8-7, I believe. Thanks for tuning in.
sumon6— Thank you and you are welcome.
Although no one would ever consider them a "best" team in baseball, I think the '69 Amazin' Mets provided the "best fun" for those of us who lived in NYC at the time.
Billsnotes— The Amazin' Mets were indeed amazing. Of course, I was a 14 year old Cub fan so they broke my little heart. :)
Great team though. I remember the players very well. I'll bet that was a blast for y'all.
Welcome to the Hub Pages Community!
Great Baseball Photographs and Article. God Bless
stars439— God Bless You! Thank you for visiting my Hubs. You always leave a word of affirmation. I love it!
My first thought was how could you leave out the 2004 red sox. My next thought was that there are too many Yankee teams on this list, however I must admit that im a Die Hard Red Sox fan and I am Truley biased in this arena. That being said this was still a fine Hub, well done again.
And in reviewing history I should keep bias out of it.
thanks.
I have to agree with you that the 2004 Red Sox were a great team. There is no sure-fire way to decide these things. I wanted to spark discussion at least. The Red Sox had a big monkey on their backs to overcome and their success under this pressure surely qualifies them as one of the greatest teams. Thank you for coming by to visit and leaving your excellent comments.
divinemercylover1 says:
2 months ago
Really a very good article James!!!! I played baseball most of my youth. Had a blast, playing, trading cards, going to some of the games....really alot of fun. Hey, can you remember this...peanuts, popcorn, Cola....You did a wonderful work of art here James. I've been waiting for your next one to hit the pages. Thanks for sharing. Hope your having a great day and a restful night. John