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Top 20 Greatest World Series Champs of the last 40 Years

Discussion in 'Sports Forum' started by Andy T., Feb 2, 2007.

  1. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Are you ready for some baseball?! Baseball history, that is. Since the NFL Network is doing their countdown of the 20 greatest Super Bowl champs of all-time, I thought I would do a similar list for the 20 greatest World Series champs during the Super Bowl era, which began in the 1966 season. I only included one representative team from any of the dynasties, like the Yankees, Reds, A’s, etc. Doing it that way gave more teams a chance to be on the list. The ’98 Yankees was the best of their dynasty, as were the ’78 Yankees, ’75 Reds, ’73 A’s and ’93 Jays. I’ve heard some say the ’76 Reds were a little better than ‘75, but that is debatable.

    I hedged some on #20, so I included two teams in a tie. The ’69 Mets are there for sentimental reasons alone – such a great story, but really not that great compared to many of the other teams on this list and even those off it. They were a team that received much favorable providence (or “luck” as we say in non-theological sports terms). The ’82 Cardinals team was not nearly as good as their ’85 and ’87 teams that both lost the Series (the ’85 team would have cracked the top 10 had it won the Series). I knocked down the ’89 A’s a bit (I originally had them in the top 10), since they employed at least two known juicers. I kept moving up the ’83 Orioles (I originally had them back at #19); a very fine team. The ’95 Braves team wasn’t even their best during their long run of divisional titles; otherwise they would have ranked a little higher. I think the ’86 Mets tend to be overrated – probably most pundits would put them higher on this list.

    Fans of the Big Red Machine will be happy that I put them #1. However, I think the top 3 teams on this list all have legit claims at being #1. Most people probably wouldn’t consider the ’70 Orioles in that class, but I certainly do. Go back and look at that team and see how they dominated in pitching, hitting and defense, and how they were very close to winning 3 straight years (and they even won in ’66). I would put these top 3 teams against any other of the great teams in history. They are in the top 5 or 6 of all-time (included with them would be the ’27 Yankees, ’36 Yankees and ’29 A’s.)

    For those of you who remember my tirade on this Board against the “lucky” Twins, you will notice that I left both of their teams (’87 and ’91) off the list. O.k., I admit that I made some overstatements on the Twins’ luck, but I do maintain that the Metrodome is an awful stadium and gives them a greater home field advantage than most other teams.

    Let the debating begin!

    20) ’82 Cardinals and ’69 Mets (Tie)
    19) ’80 Phillies
    18) ’05 White Sox
    17) ‘02 Angels
    16) ’71 Pirates
    15) ’79 Pirates
    14) ’95 Braves
    13) ’83 Orioles
    12) ’89 A’s
    11) ’04 Red Sox
    10) ’93 Blue Jays
    9) ’67 Cardinals
    8) ’86 Mets
    7) ’73 A’s
    6) ’78 Yankees
    5) ’68 Tigers
    4) ’84 Tigers
    3) ’70 Orioles
    2) ’98 Yankees
    1) ’75 Reds
     
    #1 Andy T., Feb 2, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 2, 2007
  2. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    How can not one Yankees team from the 1947- 1964 years not be in the list, the years of Dimaggio and Mantle, et.al., when the Yankees won the pennant 15 out of 18 years, and had ten, count 'em, ten World Series crowns in that time not make the list, with one of those teams?

    Oh wait a minute! I guess that is ancient history, since you started almost immediately after that unbelievable run! Ya' think without the starting point beig skewed, the results might have been different?

    Nah! Probably not! The Yanks only have won six in the last forty years, and that is twice as many as anyone else except Oakland with four, and yet rate only two mentions in the list.

    And I can't stand the Yankees, BTW, but facts is facts. Let's not skew 'em. The Yankees have won almost 1 out of 4 of every World Series played and never won one for the first twenty years of the Classic, at all. They have done it in only 80 years. Let's open this up. Most of us weren't around then, but the record books are still there.

    FTR, The "Big Red Machine" has to be at or near the top, in the last forty, as you surmised, correctly.

    Ed
     
  3. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    The Braves don't belong on this list.
    How could you leave off the '76 Reds? Still the Big Red Machine.

    While I'm at it, the '90 Reds belong on this list. Wire to wire NL champs and a sweep of the vaunted A's.

    The Twins' home field advantage bromide was killed and buried. Let's not kick a dead horse.

    That's all I have time for now. I have so much more to quibble with here, but I appreciate the effort.
     
  4. faithgirl46

    faithgirl46 Active Member
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    the 88 L. A Dodgers
    Faithgirl
     
  5. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Tom, I mentioned in the OP that I only took one team from each of the "dynasties" like the Reds, A's and Yankees teams.

    Why do you think the '95 Braves don't even deserve to be on the list? Sure, they had their post-season foilbles during their 13 straight division titles and many World Series appearances against one of the greatest teams of all-time (90's Yankees) and luckiest teams of all-time (Twins :laugh: ), but hey, who's to quibble?

    And yet, you think the '90 Reds should be on the list - a team that did nothing before or after that season? A team who played in an unremarkable division and could only muster 91 wins? A team with one borderline Hall candidate (Larkin)? That team was not that great. Yes, they had a good season and a hot post-season, and no one can take that away from them. But at the same token, when lists like this are made, we are not obliged to recognize them as one of the "great" teams in history. Nice season. Great story. But not worthy of being called great.

    Besides, I put the BRM at #1 - that should be enough to satisfy you rabid Reds fanaticals! ;)
     
  6. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Another nice story like the '90 Reds, but the same reasons I gave to Tom about them apply here to the '88 Bums. IMO, I would rank the '88 Dodgers ahead of the '90 Reds. The Dodgers maybe around #23 or #24 if this list kept going.

    I loved that team, BTW. Orel was awesome. And Gibson's homer - wow.
     
  7. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Ed,

    If I were to do a list for all of baseball history, yes, many Yankees teams would be on it. Some representative teams from all of their many dynasties: '27, '36, '39, '53 and '61. The '36 and '39 teams might seem to be within the same dynasty, but the team changed quite a bit in those few years. In '36 DiMaggio was a rookie and Gehrig was in his last full season. Some other players turned over, too, so it was a different team.

    Of those teams I mentioned, I think the '27 and '36 teams are the best while the other three are a notch below them. The '61 team is often vaunted above their due. 1961 was the first expansion year, which inflated their win total (109) and stats to an inordinate degree. Don't get me wrong, they were great, but I would not put them in the top 5 of all-time - probably somewhere between #6-10.
     
  8. PastorSBC1303

    PastorSBC1303 Active Member

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    There is one major problem with this list. The Chicago Cubs are not found anywhere....

    Oh wait, nevermind.
     
  9. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    How can you leave off the '97 world series where Joe Table (Jose Mesa) blows a two out bottom of the ninth game seven to the Florida Marlins? Even as a Clevelander dealing with that loss, it has to be right up there in the top 5...
    The Diamondbacks series was great, too.
     
  10. PastorSBC1303

    PastorSBC1303 Active Member

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    Web, it seems you are talking about greatest series, while Andy is talking about the greatest teams to win the championship.

    With that being said, I would definitely have the Diamondbacks on the list somewhere.
     
  11. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Correct - best teams, not actual Series.

    The '01 D-Backs just missed the cut - I did consider them and almost put them in. Their regular season wasn't that impressive - only 92 wins. Although, they were anchored by two Hall of Fame pitchers, so that has to count for something. I wouldn't object to having them somewhere in the #16-20 slots. Their '02 team was better statistically and in wins (98), but they got swept in the Divisional Series against the Cardinals.
     
    #11 Andy T., Feb 3, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 3, 2007
  12. ccrobinson

    ccrobinson Active Member

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    Ah, who cares whether more teams make the list? :laugh:

    I think my favorite baseball teams of all time, the '75 and '76 Big Red Machine, should be 1-2. :thumbs:

    I don't think the '69 Mets belong in the list. I can't stand the Mets and if there's one team that I'm sick of hearing about, it's the '69 Mets. We get it. They won the series over the big, bad Orioles who were obviously a better team. Enough already. :BangHead:
     
  13. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    I wouldn't be averse to replacing the '69 Mets with the '01 D-Backs. About the only ones I would 'fight to the death' for to keep on this list are slots #1-15. After that, I think it's up for debate.
     
  14. faithgirl46

    faithgirl46 Active Member
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    [I loved that team, BTW. Orel was awesome. And Gibson's homer - wow.[/quote]
    So did I. Orel got me intersted in Baseball and Gibby cemented the process.
    Faithgirl
     
  15. Nicholas25

    Nicholas25 New Member

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    1995 Atlanta Braves
     
  16. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Interesting thought. Although I disagree with them being #1, I do think the team they beat, the Cleveland Indians of that year, is probably the best team to lose a World Series in the last 40 years. This does not count a team like the '88 A's who lost but then won in '89.

    That Indians team was great for a few years and never won.
     
  17. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    I suspected you were an Indians fan. Only an Indians fan would make that assertion. The Tribe had a good team in '97, but they're hardly the best team to lose a series by any stretch. I'm out of time. I'll come back later.
     
  18. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Actually, no, I am not an Indians fan. In fact, I hated the '90's with all the bandwagon Indians fans coming out of the woodwork here in Ohio.

    I wasn't referring to their '97 team, which had a pretty mediocre record. I was referring to their '95 team, which went 100-44 in the strike shortened season (at the beginning of the year). Translate that into 162 games and they would have won 112-113 games! They led the league in both hitting and pitching, which is rare. Usually, only the "great" teams will lead in both categories. And they also made the playoffs in other years ('95-'99; '01) showing that they were not just a one-year wonder. Here is a sampling of guys in their '95 lineup:

    Manny Ramirez (Hall of Famer)
    Jim Thome (Hall of Famer)
    Eddie Murray (Hall of Famer)
    Albert Belle (almost a Hall of Famer but had a short career - he was ripped off in the MVP voting that year, too)
    Kenny Lofton (best lead off man in baseball at the time; almost a Hall of Famer)
    Carlos Baerga (in his prime, he was great)
    Omar Vizquel (might be a Hall of Famer due to his glove and solid stick)

    Their pitching included Orel Hershiser who had a very good season, Charles Nagy who, in his prime, was very good, and Jose Mesa who had one of the best season by a closer, ever, despite what we remember of his '97 World Series choke.

    That '95 team was great. I would put them up against any World Series loser (and most winners) over the last 40 years.
     
    #18 Andy T., Feb 6, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 6, 2007
  19. Andy T.

    Andy T. Active Member

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    Quick follow-up:

    Vizquel will probably make the Hall of Fame (11 Gold Gloves and 2,500 hits). So that '95 team had 4 Hall of Famers and 3 others that are close to being Hall of Famers (Hershiser, Belle and Lofton). That is impressive.
     
  20. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    Sorry..I only see 2, maybe 3 HOF players, and two were past their prime. The strike did rip off the Tribe and the Expos that year.

    And having HOF talent is a 2 edged sword. That means you should be winning those games. That's one of my criticisms of the Braves bandwagon (one of the many reasons I don't like them). They have a bandwagon effect in the mid-south that was incredible. But baseball's rent-a-team was either overrated or underachievers.

    Again, sorry I'm pressed for time. Maybe more later.
     
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