Pirates finally get a post-season win
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
The Pittsburgh Pirates finally scratched a 21-year itch when they defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 6-2, in the National League Wild Card game on Tuesday night. It was the Pirates first post-season win since 1992.
Of the eight remaining teams in the MLB playoffs, the Atlanta Braves have the longest drought of not winning a post-season contest. The Braves last won a playoff game in 2005. In the American League, the Boston Red Sox have not won a post-season game since 2008, the longest wait of the four teams remaining in the A.L.
The Kansas City Royals still hold the current longest wait for a post-season win. The Royals, who won 86 games this season, the most since they won 92 in 1989, have not won a post-season game since 1985. They won the World Series that season. In the N.L., the Cubs and Marlins are tied for the longest post-season win wait; both have not had a playoff win since 2003.
One note of interest: Of the five teams that have not won a post-season game in the last 10 years (Royals, Blue Jays, Mariners, Cubs and Marlins) three of those teams, Kansas City, Toronto and Miami, last won a post-season game in the year they won the World Series.
Following is the last season each MLB team won a post-season game (includes Pittsburgh and Tama Bay’s wins in the Wild Card contests)
American League
Kansas City… 1985
Toronto… 1993
Seattle… 2001
Minnesota… 2004
Houston… 2005
Cleveland… 2007
Boston… 2008
Chicago White Sox… 2008
L.A. Angels… 2009
Texas… 2011
Baltimore… 2012
Detroit… 2012
N.Y. Yankees… 2012
Oakland… 2012
Tampa Bay… 2013
National League
Chicago Cubs… 2003
Miami… 2003
Atlanta… 2005
N.Y. Mets… 2006
San Diego… 2006
Colorado… 2009
L.A. Dodgers… 2009
Arizona… 2011
Milwaukee… 2011
Philadelphia… 2011
Cincinnati… 2012
St. Louis… 2012
San Francisco… 2012
Washington… 2012
Pittsburgh… 2013
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Runaway divisional title no guarantee for World Series
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
This season of Major League Baseball marks the 20th anniversary of the sport going to three divisions in each league.
Since 1994, just under 25% of the divisional winners won their division by margin of 10 games or more.
Through games of September 10, two teams (Atlanta and Los Angeles Dodgers) lead their divisions by 10 or more games and one division leader (Boston) has an 8.5 game lead.
Does winning a division by 10 or more games guarantee success in the post-season? Or an assurance of a World Series appearance?
Of the 28 teams that won their division by 10 or more games since 1994, only six made it to the World Series… and only two won the World Series. Here’s a quick look at those six teams:
Won division by 10-plus games and appeared in World Series that year
2011: Texas (won division by 10 games) Lost in World Series
2004: St. Louis (won division by 13 games) Lost in World Series
2001: New York Yankees (won division by 13.5 games) Lost in World Series
1998: New York Yankees (won division by 22 games) Won World Series
1995: Cleveland (won division by 30 games) Lost in World Series
1995: Atlanta (won division by 21 games) Won World Series
Did you know?
* No team won their division by 10 or more games in 2012.
* In 2002, four of the six division champs won their division by 10 or more games. The two teams that did not win their division by 10 games or more, Anaheim and San Francisco, appeared in the World Series that year.
* Five teams have won their division by 20 or more games since 1994. The last to do so were the Angels in 2008. They won the A.L. West by 21 games.
* The Atlanta Braves franchise has won the most division titles by 10 games or more. They have done it five times since ’94. The Yankees and Cardinals have each done it four times.
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Blue Jays have second double-digit win streak in MLB in 2013
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Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
Tampa Bay defeated the Toronto Blue Jays last night 4-1, ending the Blue Jays 11-game winning streak. The 11-game streak tied the franchise record.
It was also the second double-digit winning streak of the 2013 season. Earlier this year the Atlanta Braves ran off 10 straight wins.
For some MLB teams, a win streak of 10 or more games has been a rarity. For the Miami Marlins franchise, they have never had a win streak of 10 or more games in their history. Two teams, Kansas City and Baltimore, both have not had a winning streak of 10 or more games this century. The Royals last had a double-digit win streak in 1994 when they won 14 straight. The Orioles last won 10-plus in 1999 when they had a 13-game wining streak.
Following are the last years that each MLB team had a winning streak of 10 or more games (the number in parenthesis is the number of games won in a row that season)
Year, team (win streak)
Never: Miami
1994: Kansas City (14)
1999: Baltimore (13)
2001: Chicago Cubs (12); St. Louis (11)
2002: Anaheim (10); Seattle (10)
2003: Arizona (12); Milwaukee (10)
2004: Houston (12); Pittsburgh (10); San Francisco (10); Tampa Bay (12)
2005: Washington (10)
2006: L.A. Dodgers (11); Oakland (10)
2008: Cleveland (10); Minnesota (10); N.Y. Mets (10)
2009: Boston (11); San Diego (10)
2010: Chicago White Sox (11); Colorado (10); Philadelphia (11)
2011: Detroit (12); Texas (12)
2012: Cincinnati (10); N.Y. Yankees (10)
2013: Atlanta (10); Toronto (11)
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SIX STATS you might not know about… the Chicago Cubs
Former Cubs skipper Dusty Baker... Image via Wikipedia
“SIX STATS…” is a bonus feature of Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’
1. The Cubs made the playoffs in the first full season of a new manager three times since 1984. They went to the playoffs in 1984 in Jim Frey‘s first year; in 2003 in Dusty Baker‘s first season; and in 2007 in Lou Piniella‘s first year as Cubs’ skipper. Can they do the same in Dale Sveum’s first year at the helm?
2. In the last 28 seasons, the Cubs have won 85 or more games eight times. They made the playoffs in six of those seasons. The two years when they did not make the playoffs after winning 85 or more games? In 2001 they won 88 games; in 2004 they won 89 games.
3. The Cubs are one of only two franchises to have played in 20,000 or more major league games. Can you name the other franchise? Answer at the end of the blog.
4. Five players played 2,000 or more games with the Cubs: Ernie Banks (2528), Cap Anson (2277), Billy Williams (2213), Ryne Sandberg (2151) and Ron Santo (2126).
5. Here’s a few “last times”… Last time Cubs player won the N.L. MVP was 1998 (Sammy Sosa)… Last time a Cubs pitcher won the N.L. Cy Young Award was in 1992 (Greg Maddux)… Last time a Cubs rookie won the N.L. Rookie of the Year Award was 2008 (Geovany Soto)… Last time a Cubs reliever won the N.L Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year Award was in 1993 (Randy Myers)… Last time a Cubs manager won the N.L. Manager of the Year Award was in 2008 (Lou Piniella)..
6. The Cubs won 71 games last season. Since 1996, the Cubs have won fewer than 70 games in the season. Here’s how well they did after those five sub-70 win seasons.
1997: 68 wins (they won 90 games the next season)
1999: 67 wins (they won 65 games the next season)
2000: 65 wins (they won 88 games the next season)
2002: 67 wins (they won 88 games the next season)
2006: 66 wins (they won 85 games the next season)
Answer to item #3: The Atlanta Braves franchise has played 20,215 games in the majors. The Cubs have played 20,250. The Cubs and Braves are the two remaining charter members of the National League.
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