Baseball; the Last Great American Pastime by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Baseball; the Last Great American Pastime

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#17- The Best Teams

 

If you’re the least bit objective you say the New York

Yankees are the best team of all time. That’s such an easy

question, pardon me for almost asking it. I know that all the

Yankee haters are now calling me all sorts of rude names and

many will be returning this book to Amazon. Ah well, it’s the

truth. And nyah, nyah, nyah; the Yankees are the best team ever.

Deal with it.

Why that is so is less easy to answer. “Why?” is a much

better topic to debate. Since 1920 the Yankees have purchased

the best talent available; and their critics say this is the

reason in a derisive, sort of anti-commercial sniff. Well, it’s

true that the Yankees purchase the best talent available; but

they also manage to get even more home grown. Babe Ruth, Reggie

Jackson, and overage Alex Rodriguez came by way of greenbacks;

but Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Bob Meusel, Joe DiMaggio, Charlie

Keller, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Roger Maris, and Derek Jeter

found their ways to the Bronx without initial wads of cash.

Nyah, nyah, nyah once more.

Back stepping a bit, they have been in 40 World Series,

winning 27 of them. To put that in some sort of perspective a

total of 111 Series have been played through 1915, in a league

which has ranged from 16 to 30 teams. If things were equal every

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team would have appeared in about 10, winning 5. Let me put this

in further perspective. If the runner up won the pennant,

playoffs, and World Series every year and the Yankees never won

anything again, the runner up would pass the Yankee record in

2037. Do yourself a favor, and don’t argue with me until then.

The St. Louis Cardinals, who represented the NL for the

19th time in 2013, have won 11 championships, which is the

second most among all 30 Major League teams as well as most

among NL teams. Only the Giants have been NL champions more

times, appearing in 20 World Series, with eight Series

victories, second most in the National League, including their

most recent in 2014.

The long view well in place, let’s give some of the lesser

competitors a chance and look at things by decades. It has been

often said that the Chicago Cubs make their fans cry, and it is

easy to see why. They started out as the best team in baseball;

and then despite showing reason for hope here and there,

completely fizzled by the end of World War II. They had won 11

pennants before the Yankees achieved their first; and gave some

signs of their knack for folding down the stretch by winning

only two World Series; 1907 and 1908. We’ll skip the first six

pennants won and six World Series not played prior to 1900 and

deal with modern day baseball’s best teams of each decade.

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1900-1909 Chicago Cubs

The 1900's stabilized the “Great American Pastime’s”

operation, bringing, among other things the first World

Series, and the creation of the American League. The best of

the decade is undoubtedly the National League’s Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs went 914-619, good enough to get them a phenomenal

regular season winning percentage of .677 and to win them two

World Series titles in 1907 and 1908, the first to win the

championship back to back. In 1906, when they lost the World

Series in six, they established what is still the best single

season record of 116-36, a .763 winning percentage.

Fielding and pitching were their strongpoints. From 1902

through the rest of the decade they had Joe Tinker on short,

Johnny Evers on second, and Frank Chance on first; each so

great at fielding they inspired a poem. This no doubt

complemented their superb pitching, including Mordecai (Three

Finger) Brown and Jack Pfiester. In 1907 the Cubs had an

unbelievable team ERA of 1.52.

This decade would prove to be their last reign of glory,

many somewhat facetiously say because of the Curse of the

Billy Goat. In fact that “curse,” were it the cause of the

Cubs’ demise would had to have been a retroactive one as it

was not put in place until 1945. “Billy Goat Tavern” owner,

Billy Sianis, was asked to leave game four of the 1945 World

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Series against the Detroit Tigers at the Cubs' home ballpark

of Wrigley Field because the odor of his pet goat, Murphy, was

bothering other fans. He was outraged and allegedly declared

"Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more." The Cubs have not won

a World Series since 1908 or played in one since 1945.

Nap Lajoie, Christy Mathewson, Rube Waddell, Honus Wagner,

and Cy Young are considered the best players of the time; Wagner

above the rest.

 

1910-1919 Boston Red Sox

Boston is a close call over the Philadelphia Athletics

who also won four pennants in the ten years covered, despite

their decade ending abdication. It’s unfortunate that they

would soon decide to be a Yankee farm team. A lineup which

included outfielders Tris Speaker, Duffy Lewis, and Harry

Hooper; with Smokey Joe Wood and Eddie Cicotte on the mound

cannot be denied; even in the face of an Athletics’ squad

which boasted John Franklin “Home Run” Baker, Eddie Collins,

and Stuffy McInnis patrolling the infield; with the

unbelievable array of hillers; Chief Bender, Jack Coombs, Stan

Coveleski, Herb Pennock, and Eddie Plank. Relievers need not

apply; outfielders desperately wanted.

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Baseball again got more popular in the 1910's, and Babe

Ruth debuted with the Red Sox in 1914. He successfully pitched

the Sox to the pennant in 1915, 1916, and 1918 after a pre-

Babe 1912 victory. The Babe also set a post season, World

Series consecutive scoreless innings record which still stands

today at 29 and two thirds. He convincingly displayed his all-

around genius when he set the single season home run record of

29 in 1919; in part time play surpassing the supposedly

tainted, fence friendly efforts of Ned Williamson, who hit 27

in a 112 game season 35 years prior. In Williamson’s day the

establishment of the ground rules of each park rested entirely

with the home team. In 1884, team captain, on-field manager, and

future Hall of Famer Cap Anson decided that balls hit over the

fence were to be home runs, no matter how they got there

including on a hop or two. Anson’s unofficial status and implied

credentials prevailed. Williamson became the first major league

baseball player to hit three home runs in one game.

In retrospect, seemingly to be stupidly contrary, and after

the Babe made the name Williamson a thing of the past while

putting up Hall of Fame pitching numbers at the same time; the

Red Sox then sold yet-to-see-his-prime Babe Ruth to the

Yankees. Come on; this elicits one more “DUH!!!!” written in

this book. Damn.

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Off speculation and second guessing, the majority say

that this resulted in “The Curse of the Bambino.” Though Babe

Ruth, himself, was never quoted on the matter, the Red Sox,

though not as cursed as badly as the Cubs, would go on to

attain a well-earned reputation for losing the big games.

Despite having many great players, they would not win another

World Series for 85 years; after having won four in the 1910’s

to complement an 857-624 regular season. That showed ‘em how

just one stupid decision has a habit of hanging around.

The era’s greats were Grover Cleveland Alexander, Ty Cobb,

Eddie Collins, Joe Jackson, Walter Johnson, and Tris Speaker;

Cobb the central force.

 

1920-1929: New York Yankees

The Yankees took the league by storm and emblazoned their

name into baseball forever with an exclamation point. It was

1920 when the roar began; bellowing to appreciative fans who

knew they were watching baseball’s most interesting and

successful team; both parties further enthused by their hip

flasks. The future would prove to show that the wonder of the

towering shots was no 1914 Boston Braves, National League,

flash in the pan; it would become a longstanding tradition.

This was the American League, Great American, just like the

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pastime’s nickname. The feisty franchise threw off their

original tag of the Highlanders in 1913. With the acquisition

of Babe Ruth and the home growing of Lou Gehrig, they were off

to the races. Yankee Stadium, often called “The House that

Ruth Built,” opened in 1923, after the team endured the

indignity of sharing the Polo Grounds with the New York

Giants the previous 10 years. The Yanks won three World Series’

titles in six attempts during this decade. The 1927 Yankees is

often considered the best team of all time. It was a year when

Babe Ruth broke his own single season home run record with 60

and Lou Gehrig hit 47 home runs and broke the single season

RBI record with 175. The simple fact of the matter was that

the Yankee franchise was firmly established at the top.

The best players were Grover Cleveland Alexander, Harry

Heilmann, Rogers Hornsby, Babe Ruth, and Dazzy Vance; Ruth

undeniably the best.

 

1930-1939: New York Yankees

The Yankees established themselves in the American League

as the team to beat in the 1920's, and continued their

colorful success in the 1930's. Babe Ruth was baseball’s

greatest player, and Lou Gehrig would have had that honor if

Ruth was not there. And here they were, batting third and

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fourth in the lineup; a pitcher’s nightmare. As an aside their

numbers, Ruth three and Gehrig four, were taken from their

position in the batting order; baseball players not having any

numbers until 1929; after a few abandoned false starts. They

won five World Series, including four consecutively, becoming

the first and only team to have yet done that. It would take

another Yankees team of twenty years later to exceed that. In

those days the entirety of post season play was that the AL

pennant winner met the NL pennant winner in a seven game World

Series. Consequently, with varying playoff systems in place

since 1969 it is unlikely anyone will top this; but that’s

been said before about some records which have passed. They

were unquestionably MLB’s best team, and by the start of the

1940's, the Yanks had eight World Series titles, three ahead

of their closest competitor, the Philadelphia Athletics.

Most notable were Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Charlie

Gehringer, Lefty Grove, Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott, and Arky Vaughan;

Gehrig the king.

 

1940-1949: NY Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals

There are some who select only the Cardinals, and some

who call it a toss-up. However, any objective examination

leads to choosing the Yankees again. However, I’ll also

confess to trying not to be redundant, or seen as biased.

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Let me paraphrase one Cardinal supporter. The Cardinals

won three World Series and had one of the greatest baseball

players of all-time; Stan Musial. He was a twenty time All-

Star and a three time MVP. In addition to their having won

three World Series titles to go with four pennants, they

became the elite team in the National League.

Pretty damn good. Wouldn’t you say? Now let’s talk

better. During the forties the Yankees won five pennants and

four World Series. They had a fairly memorable center fielder

named Joe DiMaggio, who some were compelled to write songs

about. He also won three MVP’s, but was an All-Star only

thirteen times. It would have been difficult to do any better,

as he played only thirteen seasons. He spent three of the WWII

years in the military. The Yankees retained their place as

premier American League team.

Head to head matchups were only two, both in the war

years. The Cards won their first World Series meeting four

games to one in 1942. The Yankees returned the precise favor

in 1943. It’s really hard to make a good case for the Cards.

While the Card’s Stan Musial main name was supplemented

by those of Joe Medwick, Johnny Mize, Pepper Martin, and Enos

Slaughter; Joe DiMaggio was not alone in a crowd which

included Bill Dickey, Lefty Gomez, Charlie Keller, Tommy

Henrich, Yogi Berra, and Phil Rizzuto.

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Come on Cards fans. We know you love your contenders.

But, get a little bit serious.

The best players of the time were Joe DiMaggio, Bob

Feller, Hal Newhouser, Stan Musial, and Ted Williams; Williams a

tie with DiMaggio.

 

1950-1959: New York Yankees

 

There is no competition for the Yankees in this decade.

The Dodgers who started the 1950’s in Brooklyn and ended it in

Los Angeles might have had a shot any other time; but not this

one. The Bronx Bombers won eight pennants and six World

Series; including the last four of their five in a row record.

The Yankees started with Joe DiMaggio in center and ended with

Mickey Mantle there. Add Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, Bill (Moose)

Skowron and every decent player the Kansas City Athletics,

rumored to be a Yankee farm team, could sell.

The Dodgers, who some said was really the National League

All-Star team won five pennants and two Series. Most fans

thought they should have done much better and their old

nickname of “The Bums” was reinforced. Hear these names. On

the field were Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, Pee

Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Carl Furillo, and Frank Howard. The

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mound had Don Newcombe, Johnny Podres, Sandy Koufax, Don

Drysdale, and Ralph Branca. Jeez, how could they ever lose?

Ralph Branca is best remembered for one unfortunate relief

appearance in a 1951 NL playoff game. The Dodgers and the Giants

both ended the season at 96-58, necessitating a best of three

series. At the Polo Grounds Branca entered the third game in the

bottom of the ninth inning with two on base and one out. He

surrendered a walk-off home run known as the “Shot Heard 'Round

the World” to Bobby Thomson, giving the Giants the pennant.

Branca was normally a starter. He was only put in the game at

this clutch time because he was an excellent one, having led the

league in a few categories. After that appearance he played five

more very lackluster years. I think he was depressed.

The guys to watch were Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra, Roy

Campanella, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, Willie Mays, Stan

Musial, Robin Roberts, Warren Spahn, and Ted Williams; Mantle

the one and only.

 

1960-1969: New York Yankees

There will be some disagreement here. Baseball was

expanding both in terms of number of teams and the diffusion

of any single power. In fact, as discussed elsewhere, the

temporary, post “deadball” era decline in power and hitting

began here after a strong opening. Thanks to a severe tail end

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slump, the Yankees fell off from their 1950’s eight pennants

and six World Series victories to five and two. Despite the

decline in their performance, no one else matched it. Second

place went to the pitching led, big ballpark, Los Angeles

Dodgers at three and two. Their best claim for fame was made

in 1963 when they swept the Yankees in the series; their only

head to head meeting.

The 1961 Yankees are a candidate for the best team of

all time. They won the pennant handily over a Detroit Tiger

team, led by Norm Cash, Rocky Colavito, Al Kaline, and Frank

Lary, who posted a record good enough to win any pennant or

division nine times out of ten. However the Yanks outmatched

them with Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Elston

Howard, Johnny Blanchard, and Bill Skowron’s combined 207 home

runs, part of the team’s then record setting 240. The year’s

biggest news was Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle’s pursuit of

the Babe’s single season home run record of 60. The Mick

tailed off at the end and finished with 54, but the press-

hounded “Rajah” hit his 61st on the last day of the regular

season. He was a nervous wreck, as in those days people were

not as accustomed to media scrutiny as they are now. Stupid

questions like; “Do you think you’re better than Babe Ruth?”

took their toll. It seemed that more people resented his

performance than appreciated it. The asterisk was invented.

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Grudgingly Maris was put on top of the list, with the note

that the season was 162 games long as opposed to the Bambino’s

154. Despite a sub-par Bob Turley year, the mound was

propelled by Whitey Ford, Ralph Terry, and Luis Arroyo. They

won the series in five.

I suspect that, perhaps out of sheer boredom, some think

that the best team of the decade was the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Their offense was provided through the speed of Maury Wills,

and the abilities of the two non-related Davises, Tommy and

Willie, to hit the ball more than 300 feet. But, that pitching

staff of Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, and Claude Osteen took

ten points off everyone’s batting average every four game

series.

Up and coming were the Frank and Brooks Robinson led

Baltimore Orioles with Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, and Dave

McNally throwing the ball.

The stars were Hank Aaron, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Willie

Mays, and Frank Robinson; Mays one step in front of Aaron.

 

1970-1979: Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds

 

See. I’m not a total Yankee zealot. It only took me fifty

years to get them off the list. In 1964, probably around their

near term peak market value, the Yanks were sold to CBS, and

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their competition became Nielsen adjusted risk-reward ratios

rather than anything done between the painted lines. After

being run into the ground, in 1973 the franchise was sold to a

group headed by George Steinbrenner, which seemed to actually

like baseball. By 1976 the Yankees were again contenders. They

get only an honorable mention here, as despite being one of

the most winning, argumentative, and interesting teams to ever

play the game, that was only at the end of the decade. Their

biggest on-the-field stars; Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter;

were obtained through free agency after having been integral

in establishing the winning ways of the almost-as-interesting

Oakland Athletics. In NY, Reggie became known as “Mr.

October,” as a result of coming up big in the World Series. He

was also one who had extreme difficulties with managers and

team mates. It started with Thurman Munson, the Yankees

catcher, captain, and star before Jackson’s acquisition and

continued with his run-ins with feisty manager, Billy Martin.

The supporting cast included Mickey Rivers, Graig Nettles,

Chris Chambliss, Lou Piniella, and Roy White. Hunter was aided

by Ron Guidry and Sparky Lyle. It was a great show, and the

subject of a book and TV movie.

In an effort to compensate for the weak hitting, the

designated hitter was established in the American League,

while the National maintained some semblance of tradition in

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continuing to make the pitcher remain a virtually automatic

out. Aging, but healthy, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's lifetime

home run record, having eight times hit forty or more. His

efforts were cheered by many after the Maris debacle. But

Hammerin’ Hank caught much of what Roger did and then some;

the icing supplied by the racist brigade, inclusive of death

threats.

Oakland won three consecutive pennants and World Series’

from 1972-74. The offense was supplied by Joe Rudi, Reggie

Jackson, Sal Bando, Bert Campaneris, Rico Carty, and Gene

Tenace. The first three starters were memorable; Catfish

Hunter, Ken Holtzman, and Vida Blue. And if they didn’t getcha

Rollie Fingers would.

If anyone thinks that they were not the greatest baseball

team of this decade, they’d have to admit that they were

certainly very interesting. They were sometimes called the

Swingin' A's; as unlike other conservative teams they had

adopted the styles of the “hippie” generation and were often

quite outspoken. They were the team with the mustaches and

long hair, starting with Rollie Fingers. Whether by sale,

trade or free agency most of them were elsewhere by 1977.

The Cincinnati Redlegs were “The Big Red Machine,” and

quite a machine they were. The only criticism might come from

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a sarcastic person saying; “A machine which often broke down

for the biggest games.”

Whereas the Athletics won three pennants and three World

Series, the Reds won four and two. One might wonder how a

lineup like theirs could ever lose anything, but they did.

Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Dave

Concepcion, Dan Driesen, George Foster, and Ken Griffey, Sr.

dominated the NL All Star team. Pitching was a bit suspect and

really only had a star in arm-troubled Don Gullett. One might

think that a supporting cadre of mediocres might be enough for

this offense, but maybe not.

Again, the Baltimore Orioles were almost there, but not

quite winning three pennants and one Series. A revolving cast

which included one year of Reggie Jackson surrounded the

mainstays of Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, and Brooks Robinson.

The 1960’ and 1970’s were a tumultuous time in America,

and as always, baseball was no different.

The best players were Johnny Bench, Rod Carew, Joe Morgan,

Jim Palmer, Pete Rose, Tom Seaver, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt,

and Willie Stargell; Jackson and Morgan the calls.

 

1980-1989: Kansas City Royals

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Things got fragmented. The diversity expected after the

establishment of the playoff system in 1969 came to full

fruition in the 1980’s. MLB champions fluctuated as much as

those of the National Football League. It could also have

something to do with a balancing of individual talent.

Dominating teams need dominating players. No?

The Los Angeles Dodgers were the only team to win two

pennants and two World Series. I wouldn’t argue with anyone

who disagreed with me here, but my pick for best team of the

decade is the Kansas City Royals. They won two pennants and

one series, and were competitive the majority of the time.

They also had possibly the best hitter of the time at third

base. However, George Brett didn’t get to the Hall of Fame

with devastating power statistics. The most home runs he hit

in a season was 25. The Royal offense was aided by Hal McRae

and Steve Balboni. Bret Saberhagen won two Cy Young Awards and

Dan Quisenberry was effective in the bullpen.

The most notable players were Wade Boggs, George Brett,

Rickey Henderson, Dale Murphy, Cal Ripken Jr., Mike Schmidt,

Robin Yount, and Tim Raines; Brett at the center and Schmidt

just a little off.

 

1990-1999: Atlanta Braves

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A level of leadership stability returned in the nineties.

The Atlanta Braves won five pennants and only one World Series

in 9 seasons due to the strike’s elimination of one. Despite

the chronic last minute letdowns they were the best of their

time with the best regular season record of all. The mound had

a devastating trio of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John

Smoltz. They got sufficient offense from Chipper Jones, David

Justice, and Ryan Klesko.

The Yankees again were a legitimate contender winning

three World Series in three attempts. Derek Jeter, Bernie

Williams, and Paul O’Neil bolstered by an array of aging stars

acquired provided the bats. Andy Pettitte, John Wetteland, and

Mariano Rivera, the last two relievers, kept the opposition

runs reasonably down.

Primarily because they never get a mention, the Toronto

Blue Jays get an honorable one here. They won two World Series

in two tries. John Olerud, Roberto Alomar, Paul Molitor, and

Joe Carter did the hitting; and Pat Hentgen was good on the

mound.

People worried about the game’s image and it got a lot of

verbal barbs from angry fans. Some vowed to abandon baseball

just as they felt abandoned by it during the 232 day long strike

which cancelled the 1994 World Series. I suppose it would be

tough to substitute “Grand Theft Auto” and the “X Games,” but

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that’s what they said they were going to do. It seems to be fair

to say that the events were triggered by the owners’ cry of

poverty and their refusal to make required payments into the

players’ pension fund. After that more complexities surfaced,

but the odd thing to me is how the fans blamed the players.

Toward the end of the decade people started to notice that

there were only about three good starting pitchers left and some

people began to put up outrageous home run numbers for the first

time since the mid-1960’s.

Outperformers were Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey

Jr., Greg Maddux, Alex Rodriguez, Mark McGwire, Mike Piazza, and

Frank Thomas; McGwire getting the nod.

 

2000-2009: New York Yankees

It has often been said that the Boston Red Sox were the

team of this decade. It was another period of many different

pennant and series’ winners, likely due to an active free

agency market and a longer playoff system. At the most bottom

of lines the Red Sox won two pennants and prevailed in both

World Series visits. It seems likely that some people got a

bit over-excited about them as they may have finally broken

the Curse of the Bambino which was born in 1919. There is no

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question that the offense was formidable. Manny Ramirez and

David Ortiz were pitcher’s nightmares, and Mike Lowell helped

out here and there at the end of his career. Few rivalled

Pedro Martinez’ abilities on the mound. Curt Schilling and

Josh Beckett chipped in too.

However, the Yankees virtually doubled the Sox

production, winning four pennants and two World Series. It’s

kind of amazing how they did it, with what was an essentially

patched together and changing lineup. The mainstays of the

batsmen were led by Derek Jeter and an aging Alex Rodriguez,

while starter Andy Pettitte and closer Mariano Rivera steadied

the hill. All four are shoo-ins for the Hall of Fame; and

Rivera is a serious candidate for best relief pitcher of all

time. Still, there were no M&M boys. Like some said in the Ted

Williams era, the Red Sox looked better on paper, but didn’t

quite measure up on the field. There are certain traditions

which repeat in baseball, and maybe Yankee pride is one of

them.

The era’s best were Barry Bonds, Randy Johnson, Pedro

Martinez, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, and Johan Santana;

Bonds in a class by himself.

 

2010-Present: San Francisco Giants

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The San Francisco Giants have won their three World

Series’ appearances. This is excellent as there have only been

six years. Their closest competitor is the Texas Rangers who

appeared in and lost two.

The Giants are truly a team effort. Pitcher Madison

Bumgarner is a clear cut star. Buster Posey propels the

offense with .300 averages and home runs in the low 20’s. In

2010 they won their first Series since moving to San Francisco

in 1958, after having lost three sporadic attempts.

The Yankees have fallen on hard times. Their biggest

stars, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera have retired, and they

have not even appeared in a World Series game in the 2010’s.

At this point it is the third longest such streak since their

acquisition of Babe Ruth in 1920.

 

I’ll have to believe that many of you think I have a

Yankee bias. I admit to being a fan. But, below, take a short

look at the numbers. There can be no rational argument about

the best performer, despite their having a slow start. You

might debate numbers two, three and four, but number one is so

far ahead that it would take a better team than there has ever

been until 2046 to equal them. The total number of appearances

of numbers two and three combined are one shy of the Yanks.

This ain’t a close call.

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# Of Team Wins Loss Most Recent

Appear es Win Appear

40 Yankees 27 13 2009 2009 20 Giants 8 12 2014 2014

19 Cardinals 11 8 2011 2013

18 Dodgers 6 12 1988 1988

14 Athletics 9 5 1989 1990

12 Red Sox 8 4 2013 2013

11 Tigers 4 7 1984 2012

10 Cubs 2 8 1908 1945

9 Redlegs 5 4 1990 1990

9 Braves 3 6 1995 1999

7 Pirates 5 2 1979 1979

7 Orioles-Browns 3 4 1983 1983

7 Phillies 2 5 2008 2009 6 Twins-Senators 3 3 1991 1991

5 White Sox 3 2 2005 2005

5 Indians 2 3 1948 1997

5 Mets 2 3 1986 2015

4 Royals 2 2 2015 2015 2 Marlins 2 0 2003 2003

2 Blue Jays 2 0 1993 1993

2 Rangers 0 2 — 2011

2 Padres 0 2 — 1998 1 Angels 1 0 2002 2002

1 Diamondbacks 1 0 2001 2001

1 Rays 0 1 — 2008

1 Rockies 0 1 — 2007

1 Astros 0 1 — 2005

1 Brewers 0 1 — 1982

0 Nationals- 0 0 — —

Expos

0 Mariners 0 0 — —