Astros lose 100 games for third straight season
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus non stats that go beyond the numbers.
The Cincinnati Reds last night shut out the Houston Astros 10-0 handing the hapless Astros their 100th loss of the season. It was the third straight season that the Astros have lost 100 or more games.
In the process, Houston became the 12th franchise since 1901 to lose 100 or more games in three consecutive seasons. They are still, however, two seasons away from tying the major league record. The Philadelphia Phillies lost 100-plus games in five straight seasons from 1938-42.
Here’s a look at the teams that lost 100 or more games in three or more consecutive seasons (current franchise is listed in parenthesis).
Five consecutive seasons with 100-plus losses
1938-42 Philadelphia Phillies
Four consecutive seasons with 100-plus losses
1909-12 Boston Doves (Atlanta Braves franchise)
1961-64 Washington Senators (Texas Rangers franchise)
1962-65 New York Mets
Three consecutive seasons with 100-plus losses
1910-12 St. Louis Browns (Baltimore Orioles franchise)
1919-21 Philadelphia A’s (Oakland A’s franchise)
1922-24 Boston Braves (Atlanta Braves franchise)
1925-27 Boston Red Sox
1952-54 Pittsburgh Pirates
1977-79 Toronto Blue Jays
2004-06 Kansas City Royals
2011-13 Houston Astros
(Here’s a quick Trivia Quiz: Can you name the two current MLB franchises that have never lost 100 games in a season? Answer at the end of the column.)
Of the current 30 MLB franchises, the Oakland A’s have had the most seasons losing 100 or more games with 16. Next are the Atlanta Braves (13), Philadelphia Phillies (13), Baltimore Orioles (10), Boston Red Sox (7) and Pittsburgh Pirates (7).
Of the 28 franchises that have had at least one season in their history with 100-plus losses, the Dodgers and Cardinals have the current longest gap since their last 100-loss season. The Dodgers franchise lost 101 games in 1908; they were then known as the Brooklyn Superbas. That same year the St. Louis Cardinals lost 105 games. For both the Cards and Dodgers, 1908 was the last year those franchises topped the 100-loss mark. In the American League, the Yankees franchise has not had a 100-loss season since 1912. The New York A.L. franchise was then known as the New York Highlanders; they lost 102 games in 1912.
In addition to the two franchises that have never lost 100 games in a season (don’t worry, the answer is coming up!), there are five franchises that have only one 100-loss season in their history. The five, with the year they lost 100-plus games in parenthesis: Arizona (2004), Cincinnati (1982), Miami (1998), Milwaukee (2002) and San Francisco (1985).
The two franchises that have never lost triple-digits in a season? Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels.
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Packers receivers make news first two weeks of the season
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
James Jones (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers tied the franchise record with 480 passing yards against the Redskins on Sunday. Add in the 333 yards he amassed against the 49ers in Week One, and Rodgers has over 800 yards passing (813 to be exact) after the first two weeks of the season (he has a one-yard advantage over Eli Manning in this category).
Having a QB with over 800 yards the first two weeks also means his receivers have compiled some impressive numbers. In Sunday’s game against Washington, receiver James Jones had 11 catches for 178 yards and Randall Cobb added nine receptions for 128 yards. Add in the seven catches for 130 yards that fellow receiver Jordy Nelson had in Week One against the 49ers, and the Pack already had three different receivers go over 125 yards receiving in a game. There have been 15 players who had 125 or more yards receiving in a game so far this season and the Packers already have three different names on that list. No other team has more than one receiver on that list.
Cobb became the 10th Packers player to have 125 or more yards receiving in a game since 2000. (We interrupt this column for a Trivia Quiz: Okay Packers fans, can you name the 10 players who have gained 125 yards or more receiving in a game for the Packers since 2000? Answer at the end of the column.) Those 10 players, however, do not top the list. Here’s a look at the teams that have had the most players with 125 or more yards receiving in a game since 2000.
11 players: Dallas, Minnesota, New England, Oakland, Seattle, Tampa Bay
10 players: Denver, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Philadelphia
9 players: Baltimore, Cleveland, San Diego
8 players: Chicago, Detroit, New York Giants, San Francisco, St. Louis
7 players: Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York Jets
6 players: Arizona, Kansas City, Miami, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Washington
5 players: Buffalo, Houston
4 players: Carolina
The Packers’ James Jones also achieved an interesting milestone in the game on Sunday: Jones became the 38th different player since 1970 to have 175 or more receiving yards in a game without a touchdown. The NFL record is held by Keenan McCardell who in a game on October 20, 1996 had 232 receiving yards for Jacksonville but did not have a TD. Eight other players had 200 or more receiving yards in a game without a TD: Calvin Johnson (225 yards), Jabar Gaffney (213) Randy Moss (204), Jerry Rice (204), Sidney Rice (201), Frank Grant (200), Charlie Joiner (200) and Art Monk (200).
Trivia Answer: The 10 Packers who have gained 125-plus yards receiving in a game for the Pack since 2000 (number of games with 125-plus yards receiving in parenthesis)… Randall Cobb (1), Donald Driver (11), Jermichael Finley (1), Antonio Freeman (1), Terry Glenn (1), Greg Jennings (7), James Jones (3), Jordy Nelson (2), Bill Schroeder (1) and Javon Walker (4).
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