Could the Dodgers win 117?

[moxie]

Easily the worst WS winner of my lifetime. Followed by all the Giants teams.

Man. I was thisclose to telling you to fuck off (I actually did say it out loud) then I was like...wellllll, yeah. They were pretty terrible

 

[navamind]

Easily the worst WS winner of my lifetime. Followed by all the Giants teams.

I honestly don't remember the Royals winning 95 games in 2015, I thought it was closer to 90.

2006 Cards had 31 WAR from their pitchers and hitters combined, and 19.4 of that came from Pujols/Rolen/Carpenter. Very epitome of stars and scrubs. The 2011 Cards are also probably one of the weaker WS winners, though they did have a good offense (112 OPS+ (118 by non-pitchers), led NL in runs).

I'd throw the 2003 Marlins in there as well. 91-71 and finished with a mere +59 run differential. They were 8th in the NL in runs scored and 6th in runs allowed. Their closer was Braden Looper. To their credit, they did have a reliever with the last name "Spooneybarger"

 

[obxyankeefan]

I honestly don't remember the Royals winning 95 games in 2015, I thought it was closer to 90.

2006 Cards had 31 WAR from their pitchers and hitters combined, and 19.4 of that came from Pujols/Rolen/Carpenter. Very epitome of stars and scrubs. The 2011 Cards are also probably one of the weaker WS winners, though they did have a good offense (112 OPS+ (118 by non-pitchers), led NL in runs).

I'd throw the 2003 Marlins in there as well. 91-71 and finished with a mere +59 run differential. They were 8th in the NL in runs scored and 6th in runs allowed. Their closer was Braden Looper. To their credit, they did have a reliever with the last name "Spooneybarger"

How bad were the 87 Twins as far as sabrmetrics? I am too lazy too look them up, but I remember them being between 80-85 wins that year.

 

[The Q]

I honestly don't remember the Royals winning 95 games in 2015, I thought it was closer to 90.

2006 Cards had 31 WAR from their pitchers and hitters combined, and 19.4 of that came from Pujols/Rolen/Carpenter. Very epitome of stars and scrubs. The 2011 Cards are also probably one of the weaker WS winners, though they did have a good offense (112 OPS+ (118 by non-pitchers), led NL in runs).

I'd throw the 2003 Marlins in there as well. 91-71 and finished with a mere +59 run differential. They were 8th in the NL in runs scored and 6th in runs allowed. Their closer was Braden Looper. To their credit, they did have a reliever with the last name "Spooneybarger"

they had Urbina.

and ex-Sox Rp Chad Fox got hot for them.

So they had a heck of a back end down the stretch.

Plus they added this kid later in year named Cabrera, perhaps you've heard of him?

 

[navamind]

How bad were the 87 Twins as far as sabrmetrics? I am too lazy too look them up, but I remember them being between 80-85 wins that year.

85-77, but they were outscored by 20 runs. Their pythag W-L was 79-83. They were 8th in the AL in runs scored and 9th in runs allowed. Their players combined for 31.1 WAR, but they were a little more balanced (5 players with 3.9+ WAR, including 8.1 from Viola). Viola was a monster that year.

 

[navamind]

they had Urbina.

and ex-Sox Rp Chad Fox got hot for them.

So they had a heck of a back end down the stretch.

Plus they added this kid later in year named Cabrera, perhaps you've heard of him?

Miggy had a decent, but unspectacular rookie season (106 OPS+). He did play a pivotal role in the 2003 NLCS though (10-30 with 3 home runs)

 

[The Q]

Miggy had a decent, but unspectacular rookie season (106 OPS+). He did play a pivotal role in the 2003 NLCS though (10-30 with 3 home runs)

He also had an almost 800 OPS in the entire postseason. And it was over 800 for all but 5 games (inclding going O-fer his first 2 post season games.

 

[navamind]

those 5 games account for like 1/3 of his postseason playing time in 2003. lol

 

[richig07]

85-77, but they were outscored by 20 runs. Their pythag W-L was 79-83. They were 8th in the AL in runs scored and 9th in runs allowed. Their players combined for 31.1 WAR, but they were a little more balanced (5 players with 3.9+ WAR, including 8.1 from Viola). Viola was a monster that year.

I played baseball at the same junior college as Kirby Puckett (Triton)

Don't be talkin bout my boy's team like that.

 

[soxfan1468927]

Fair enough. It's still impossible that the Dodgers lose to either of those teams. You're a fool if you think so, and should be shunned.

I'm sure Jeff Hoffman is going to take down Kershaw and those Dodgers bats. LMAO... Oh, watch out guys! German Marquez is on the hill tomorrow!

You're a fool if you think that it's impossible or would even be shocked if it happened. It's a 5-game series. Anything can happen.

 

[soxfan1468927]

I believe most of those games were played before the Dodgers took 1st place in the division and still looked worldly.

Sure. But you're an idiot if you think it's "impossible" that they lose to either of those teams in a 5-game series. The Dodgers are on almost the exact same pace as the 2001 Mariners. Dodgers on pace for 115 wins and a +298 run differential. Mariners had 116 wins and a +300 run differential. And if you remember, they were down 2-1 in their ALDS against the Indians and could easily have lost that series.

 

[molsaniceman]

85-77, but they were outscored by 20 runs. Their pythag W-L was 79-83. They were 8th in the AL in runs scored and 9th in runs allowed. Their players combined for 31.1 WAR, but they were a little more balanced (5 players with 3.9+ WAR, including 8.1 from Viola). Viola was a monster that year.

no love for 2000 yankees

Lost in the fanfare of the late ’90s and early 2000s Yankees run: The debate that the 2000 Yankees team wasn’t very good. The team could score runs with the best of them, putting up 5.4 runs per game during the regular season. The problem was the pitching, which combined for a 4.76 ERA. Roger Clemens had a decent year, putting up a 3.70 ERA in 32 games, but Orlando Hernandez and Andy Pettitte were mediocre and David Cone and Denny Neagle were downright awful. The Yanks had a 4.87 ERA from their starting rotation and were just 87-74 that year, sneaking into the playoffs in a weak division.

 

[soxfan1468927]

In my lifetime, the top and bottom 5 WS winners in terms of run differential:

Top 5:
1998 Yankees: +309
2016 Cubs: +252
2007 Red Sox: +210
2002 Angels: +207
2013 Red Sox: +197

Bottom 5:
2006 Cardinals: +19
2014 Giants: +51
2000 Yankees: +57
2003 Marlins: +59
2012 Giants: +69 (nice)

 

[navamind]

no love for 2000 yankees

Lost in the fanfare of the late ’90s and early 2000s Yankees run: The debate that the 2000 Yankees team wasn’t very good. The team could score runs with the best of them, putting up 5.4 runs per game during the regular season. The problem was the pitching, which combined for a 4.76 ERA. Roger Clemens had a decent year, putting up a 3.70 ERA in 32 games, but Orlando Hernandez and Andy Pettitte were mediocre and David Cone and Denny Neagle were downright awful. The Yanks had a 4.87 ERA from their starting rotation and were just 87-74 that year, sneaking into the playoffs in a weak division.

yeah, they're up there too. To be fair, their 4.76 ERA was 6th in the AL. They were pretty much middle of the road in the AL in runs scored and runs allowed. Pettitte had a 111 ERA+ and Orlando's was 107. They both threw over 195 innings. I wouldn't call them mediocre. There were just so many runs being scored across the league. Roger's 3.70 ERA was the 2nd best in the AL. Five of the top 10 ERAs in the AL were above 4.

2000 American League Pitching Leaders | Baseball-Reference.com

The league ERA was 4.77 that year. 4.92 in the AL. It does bring a lot more perspective to Pedro's greatness.

 

[The Q]

yeah, they're up there too. To be fair, their 4.76 ERA was 6th in the AL. They were pretty much middle of the road in the AL in runs scored and runs allowed. Pettitte had a 111 ERA+ and Orlando's was 107. They both threw over 195 innings. I wouldn't call them mediocre. There were just so many runs being scored across the league. Roger's 3.70 ERA was the 2nd best in the AL. Five of the top 10 ERAs in the AL were above 4.

2000 American League Pitching Leaders | Baseball-Reference.com

The league ERA was 4.77 that year. 4.92 in the AL. It does bring a lot more perspective to Pedro's greatness.

That is just amazing all the way around. So crazy how bad the pitching was, or maybe just how juiced the balls were.

It's fascinating to me that there's never been any statistical evidence about steroid use improving hitting when you look at the era, but then I read a great piece by Joel Sheehan that talked about how it was also a huge byproduct of expansion.

 

[navamind]

what's interesting is how the 2001 Mariners are bookended by 91 and 93 win seasons. I'd say that was more of a very good than great team, and they just had everything go right that year. 8 players with 3+ WAR (including four 5+ WAR players), they had only one position player with negative WAR (Ramon Vazquez) and he only had 17 plate appearances. Pretty much everyone with meaningful playing time was productive.

Another fun fact: Two years later, the 2003 Mariners got 162 starts out of their Opening Day rotation. Not sure you'll ever see another team get 162 out of 5 starting pitchers.

 

[soxfan1468927]

what's interesting is how the 2001 Mariners are bookended by 91 and 93 win seasons. I'd say that was more of a very good than great team, and they just had everything go right that year. 8 players with 3+ WAR (including four 5+ WAR players), they had only one position player with negative WAR (Ramon Vazquez) and he only had 17 plate appearances. Pretty much everyone with meaningful playing time was productive.

Another fun fact: Two years later, the 2003 Mariners got 162 starts out of their Opening Day rotation. Not sure you'll ever see another team get 162 out of 5 starting pitchers.

Good piece of trivia, I like it. 2005 Cardinals got 160/162 starts from their starting pitching. I'll try to see if I can find another.

 

[soxfan1468927]

Last year's Cubs got 159/162 from their original 5 starters.

 

[Kenny]

Excited about tonight's game. We get a preview of a possible playoff match up.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Excited about tonight's game. We get a preview of a possible playoff match up.

I'm thinking that Zona will be more fired up tonight than the Dodgers. Zona has quite a bit to prove this series.