A detailed analysis of who is truly the best baseball team ever
| 16
|
by user Shrubbery
Since the debate rages on as to who was the best baseball team ever, yours truly tried to break the argument down scientifically. I grabbed the best teams ever and ranked them 1-16 based on winning pct., team BA, team ERA, HOF’ers, and overall reputation/aura. I tried to avoid picking teams from the same decade or dynasty composition. Each series will be best-of-seven. Here’s how they’re seeded…
- 1927 New York Yankees…oh ye of Murderers Row, a team that had two guys with more HR’S than any AL team, and a pitching staff with only one regular with an ERA over 3.38.
- 1936 Pittsburgh Crawfords…Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, Satchel Paige, Judy Jones, Cool Papa Bell, enough said.
- 1975 Cincinnati Reds…The Big Red Machine featured Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Johnny Bench, and a nasty pitching rotation.
- 1969 Baltimore Orioles…Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell combined with Jim Palmer, Matt Cuellar, and an untouchable bullpen.
- 1907 Chicago Cubs…the most famous double-play combo ever, “Tinker to Evers to Chance”, and arguably the best pitching rotation ever…they featured SIX guys with 12 or more wins…none had an ERA over 2.21.
- 1939 New York Yankees…DiMaggio was the lynch pin of this devastating lineup with five who hit better than .300.
- 1929 Philadelphia Athletics…Jimmie Foxx headed an unreal lineup…six guys hit over .310…plus Lefty Grove was pretty good too.
- 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates…Honus Wagner gets all the pub but their pitching was phenomenal…five pitchers with 12 or more wins and all had an ERA of 2.36 or better.
- 1941 Homestead Grays…Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Jud Wilson, and Cool Papa Bell highlighted maybe the greatest Negro League team ever.
- 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers…Duke Snider, Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and Sandy Koufax…five future HOFers.
- 1998 New York Yankees…this version of the Bronx Bombers won 114 games and had Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Bernie Williams.
- 1961 New York Yankees…Maris & Mantle plus a great pitching staff and unreal defense.
- 1942 St. Louis Cardinals…Stan the Man plus a pitching staff with four starters under 3.0 ERA.
- 1954 New York Giants…maybe the best outfield ever, Willie Mays, Don Mueller, and Dusty Rhodes all hit over .340…a great starting rotation with five 12+ game winners and a staff ERA of 3.10.
- 1954 Cleveland Indians…Bobby Avila hit a league-leading .341 but the key to their success was perhaps the meanest, nastiest pitching rotation ever assembled. One of the first integrated teams the pitching staff was forced to routinely hit opposing hitters…that and five guys won 13 or more games with a suffocating staff ERA.
- 1924 St. Louis Cardinals…Rogers Hornsby hit .424, team average of .290 with a solid, if not spectacular pitching rotation.
First Round
*1 ’27 Yankees vs. 16 ’24 Cardinals…Yankees win 4-2 *8 ’09 Pirates vs. 9 ’41 Grays…Grays win 4-3 *4 ’69 Orioles vs. 13 ’42 Cardinals…Orioles win 4-3 *5 ’07 Cubs vs. 12 ’61 Yankees…Yankees win 4-2 *3 ’75 Reds vs. 14 ’54 Giants…Reds win 4-1 *6 ’39 Yankees vs, 11 ’98 Yankees…’98 wins 4-3 *7 ’29 A’s vs. 10 ’55 Dodgers…A’s win 4-1 *2 ’36 Crawfords vs. 15 ’54 Indians…Fords win 4-1
Quarter Finals
*1 ’27 Yankees vs. 9 ’41 Grays…Yankees win in the bottom of the 17th inning on a double by Gehrig that drove in Combs and Ruth. Josh Gibson pummeled the bejesus out of Gehrig in frustration. *4 ’69 Orioles vs. 12 ’61 Yankees…Orioles in a 4-3 series thriller. Every game was decided by one run and three went to extra innings *3 ’75 Reds vs. 11 ’98 Yankees…Reds win 4-2 because let’s face facts, their lineup AND pitching were better. *7 ’29 A’s vs. 2 ’36 Crawfords…Crawfords win 4-1 because as unreal as the A’s pitching was they only scored three runs the entire series.
Semi-Finals
*1 ’27 Yankees vs. 4 ’69 Orioles…the Yankees won a surprisingly easy 4-2 series. *3 ’75 Reds vs. 2 ’36 Crawfords…Crawfords eked out a 4-3 series win as Paige pitched all four wins and Gibson clubbed a monster eighth-inning homerun in Game 7 that sunk the Big Red Machine.
All-Time Fantasy World Series
’27 Yankees vs. ’36 Crawfords…Pittsburgh won Game 1 with stunning ease. Paige pitched a seven-hit shutout and Gibson banged a three-run homer off Waite Hoyt in the third and Charleston smacked a two-run shot in the fifth. ‘Fords win 5-0. Game two saw Gehrig and Ruth put on a show of their own. The dynamic duo each drove in four as the Yankees cruised 8-3. Gibson hit a solo shot in the second inning. Game three was a legendary tussle. Paige pitched again but clearly looked tired. Combs reached base four times, setting the table for Ruth & Gehrig. They both knocked in three RBI’S. The Crawfords answered with a barrage of doubles as Bell, Charleston, Gibson, and Judy Johnson made life hell for the Yankees’ Urban Shocker. The offensive fireworks culminated with a ninth-inning walk-off homer by Josh Gibson. Game four saw the Crawfords’ William bell pitch a complete game shutout. Crawfords won 2-0 off a two RBI triple from Charleston. Fords up 3-1. Game five saw Ruth awaken from the slumber of game four. Ruth hit two towering shots to propel the Yankees to a 7-4 victory. Pittsburgh’s Cool Pappa Bell stole home TWICE but to no avail. The series returned to Yankee Stadium for games 6 & 7. Waite Hoyt dazzled and blanked the Crawfords vaunted lineup. As a side note, the Yankees scored 14 in the Game 6 route.
And then game seven…the Crawfords were clearly buying time until Satchel could pitch again. Paige donned the mound and started talking smack to The Babe. In the bottom of the first with one on and two outs Paige ordered the entire Crawfords’ defense to the dugout. Judy Johnson just shrugged and smiled as he went to the bench. “Now Babe,” said Paige, “I’m gonna throw you three fastballs…see if you can catch up fat boy!” Ruth whiffed on three straight. Josh Gibson snatched strike three, handed the ball to Ruth, and said, “Here’s what the ball looks like.” The score remained 0-0 until the seventh when the Crawfords finally figured out Herb Pennock. Cool Pappa belted a screaming liner to Ruth in right field. Ruth scooped up the ball and casually floated it to second. Bell flashed his legendary speed and beat the throw. Bell easily stole third on the next pitch. Pennock froze as Bell took a huge lead at third, danced, and bolted for home. Bell beat the throw from Pennock, who was clearly shaken by Bell’s speed and bravado. The flood gates opened as the ‘Fords scored six more with surprising effortlessness. But the legendary Yankees weren’t done. After Bob Shawkey settled things down in the eighth Combs reached first on a walk as did Mark Koenig, up strode Ruth. Paige nibbled at the corners and fell behind 0-3. Babe pounced on a fastball and deposited it into deep center field. Gehrig pounded a solo shot to cut the lead to two. Paige settled down and struck out the next three betters. The ninth saw Judy Johnson lead off. He calmly smacked a single to center. Oscar Charleston then hit a two run shot to put the Crawfords up 8-4. Gibson then struck out and the Crawfords went down easily after that. Paige was tired and the snap had left his breaking stuff. The Yankees first two, Meusel and Lazzeri reached on singles and Dugan looked at four straight balls. With the bases loaded Paige struck out Pat Collins and Ray Morehart. Up came Ruth. The stadium went deathly silent as Paige and Ruth stared each other down. Paige ran the count full. Babe pointed his bat to the right-field bleachers…The Babe was calling his shot! Paige reared back with a blistering fastball. Ruth saw it all the way…CRACK…ROAR…all tied up at 8-8. As Babe crossed home he tapped Gibson on the shoulder, pointed to right field, and said, “That’s what a fastball looks like in my house!” Gehrig struck out. Extra innings. The next four innings went by quietly. Paige was replaced by William Bell who retired twelve straight. In the top of the 14th Gibson hit a double off Wilcy Moore. Oscar Clarleston, now batting fifth in the old double switch, blasted a 450-foot shot to deep center. The ‘Fords now lead 10-8. William Bell struck out Meusel, Lazzeri, and Dugan. Babe stood helpless in the on-deck circle as strike three was called. The Yankee faithful wept. Crawfords win the series!
See, it’s easy when you break things down scientifically.
Date
Sun 07/30/06, 6:37 pm EST
