1940s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 20 through 16

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the first countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1940s. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1940s (1940-1949), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #20 through #16.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1940s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#20: 1940 Detroit Tigers, 49.3 WAR162

The 1940 Tigers prevailed in a tight AL pennant chase, finishing one game ahead of the Indians and three up on the Yankees. The Tigers were then defeated by the Reds in a 7-game World Series, denying them a second crown in six years.

The Tigers had a high-octane offense, scoring 888 runs to edge the Red Sox (872). They also placed first in BA, OBP, OPS, and doubles, and third in home runs. The pitching was not on par with the offense, ranking just fourth in ERA and WHIP, although they topped the league in strikeouts.

Hank Greenberg provided much of the offensive spark, leading the AL with 41 homers, 150 RBI, a 1.103 OPS, and 50 doubles, while batting .340. Rudy York added 33 homers and 134 RBI, and Barney McCosky batted .340 with 19 triples. Veteran second baseman Charlie Gehringer batted .313 at age 37 to round out the offense. The pitching corps was led by Bobo Newsom (21-5, 2.83 ERA) and Schoolboy Rowe (16-3, 3.46 ERA). Tommy Bridges added 12 wins from the second spot in the rotation.

#19: 1946 St. Louis Cardinals, 49.4 WAR162

The Cardinals continued their strong decade with the 1946 NL pennant and World Series winners, who defeated the Red Sox in seven games in the fall classic. The Cards’ 98 regular-season wins edged the Dodgers by two games in a tight NL pennant battle.

The Cardinals’ 712 runs topped the NL during a period when scoring continued to decline from the inflated offensive numbers of the 1930s. They also topped the NL in BA and OPS, and finished second in home runs with a modest total of 81. Pitching was a strong point for the 1946 team, as they led the NL in ERA, shutouts, and strikeout-to-walk rate, while placing third in WHIP.

Stan Musial was the driving force of the offense, leading the NL in many offensive categories, including BA (.365), OPS (1.021), doubles (50), and triples (20). Whitey Kurowski batted .301 with 89 RBI, and Enos Slaughter led the NL with 130 RBI while compiling a .300 BA. Shortstop Marty Marion batted only .233, but was a strong defender at shortstop for the Cards. The pitching was led by the strong one-two combo of Howie Pollet and Harry Brecheen, both left-handers. Pollet led the league with 21 wins, a 2.10 ERA, and 266 innings pitched; Brecheen tossed a league-best 5 shutouts while posting 15 wins, a number matched by Murry Dickson, a combination starter and reliever.

#18: 1947 New York Yankees, 49.7 WAR162

The 1947 Yankees cruised to the AL title, finishing 12 games ahead of the Tigers. The Yanks were armed with the best offense and pitching in the AL, and capped the season by defeating the crosstown Dodgers in a seven-game World Series.

The Yankees’ 794 runs easily topped the AL; they also led the league in BA, OPS, triples, and home runs. Their pitching was also strong, as they led the league in ERA and strikeouts, and finished second in WHIP behind the Indians.

The Yankees’ offense was well distributed across multiple players, with 34-year-old Tommy Henrich leading the way. Henrich totaled 13 triples (AL-best), 109 runs scored, and 98 RBI; Joe DiMaggio had a quiet year (by his standards), batting .315 with 20 homers and 97 RBI, and 37-year-old George McQuinn batted .304 with a .397 OBP. Phil Rizzuto played his usual strong defense at shortstop while batting .273, with his infield partner Stuffy Stirnweiss picking up 89 walks, leading to a .358 OBP. Spud Chandler posted a fine 2.46 ERA as the fourth starter, and Spec Shea allowed the fewest hits per 9 innings from the second spot in the rotation. Reliever Joe Page saved an AL-best 17 games, and veteran righty Allie Reynolds posted a 19-8 mark.

#17: 1942 Boston Red Sox, 50.1 WAR162

The Red Sox fielded a very solid team in 1942, but were no match for the Yankees, who won the pennant by a comfortable 9 games over the Red Sox. The Boston squad would have to wait four more years to break through for an AL pennant.

The Sox were a strong offensive team, but trailed the Yankees in several categories. Their 761 runs ranked second, as did their 103 homers, but they did lead the AL in BA, OBP, and OPS. If their offense was at a similar level to the Yankees’, their pitching was not. The staff ranked a distant third in ERA, second in WHIP, fourth in strikeouts, and fifth in strikeout-to-walk rate.

Ted Williams was indisputably the star for the Red Sox, leading the league in multiple categories. Williams batted .356, had a .499 OBP, .648 SLG, and 1.147 OPS, while swatting 36 homers, drawing 145 walks, scoring 141 runs, and amassing 137 RBI. His excellent supporting crew included shortstop Johnny Pesky (.331 BA, 205 hits), Bobby Doerr (.290 BA, 102 RBI), and Dom DiMaggio (.286 BA, 110 runs scored). On the mound, Tex Hughson was by far the most effective hurler, leading the league in wins (22), complete games (22), innings pitched (281), and strikeouts (113). Joe Dobson was the next most effective starter, but had just an 11-9 record for the season.

#16: 1946 Boston Red Sox, 50.7 WAR

The Red Sox finally broke through for their first AL pennant in 28 years, winning 104 games (7 more than projected) to top the Tigers by 12 games. Unfortunately for the Sox, they fell short in the World Series, losing to the Cardinals in seven games.

The Sox topped the AL standings primarily via their high-scoring offense. Their 792 runs were 88 more than the Tigers could muster, and they easily led the league in BA, OBP, and OPS. The pitching was generally middle of the pack, ranking fourth in ERA, third in WHIP, fourth in strikeouts, and second in strikeout-to-walk rate.

Ted Williams again powered the offense with help from the supporting crew of Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, and Dom DiMaggio. Williams led the AL in runs (142), walks (156), OBP (.497), SLG (.667), and OPS (1.164) while batting .342. Pesky batted .335 with an AL-best 208 hits, Doerr totaled 116 RBI, and DiMaggio batted .316. Tex Hughson (20-11, 2.75 ERA, 3.37 strikeout-to-walk rate) and Dave Ferriss (25-6) supplied a strong top of the rotation for the Boston squad.

Summary

That’s it for the first entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1940s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #15 to #11, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1930s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 5 through 1

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the final countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1930s. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1930s (1930-1939), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #5 through #1.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1930s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#5: 1935 Detroit Tigers, 57.0 WAR162

The 1935 Tigers defended their AL pennant and went on to defeat the Cubs in the World Series. Their 93-58 mark landed them 3 games ahead of the Yankees; the Tigers win projection was a few games higher at 97-54. They would then go on to defeat the Cubs in 6 games for the World Series title.

The Tigers had a very strong offense, scoring 918 runs, 95 ahead of the Nationals. They were second in the AL in doubles and homers, and topped the league in BA, OBP, and OPS. Their pitching was also very good, leading the AL in shutouts and finishing second in strikeouts and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Charlie Gehringer and Hank Greenberg formed a potent 1-2 offensive punch, with Gehringer accounting for 123 runs, 108 RBI, and a .330 BA. Greenberg led the league with 36 homers and 168 RBI while batting .328. Billy Rogell excelled at shortstop, scoring 90 runs and taking 80 walks, and catcher Mickey Cochrane batted .319 with a .452 OBP. The pitching staff was led by Schoolboy Rowe, who tossed an AL-best 6 shutouts with a 2.06 strikeout-to-walk rate. Tommy Bridges won 21 games and led the AL with 169 strikeouts, and Elden Auker added 18 wins.

#4: 1931 Philadelphia Athletics, 59.9 WAR162

The 1931 A’s won an impressive 107 games, finishing 13.5 games ahead of the Yankees, to claim their third consecutive AL pennant. Win projections tell a different story, as the A’s were a full 10 games ahead of their 97-win Pythagorean estimate. In simple terms, they were an excellent team, but not as dominant as their record indicates. The A’s would go on to lose a 7-game World Series to the Cardinals.

The A’s ranked just third in runs scored, trailing both the Yankees and Indians, and placed second in both doubles and home runs. They ranked third in BA and OBP, and a distant second to the Yankees in OPS. Pitching set the Athletics apart from their rivals in 1931, as they led the AL in numerous categories – ERA, shutouts, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Al Simmons was the A’s offensive leader for the 1931 season, leading the AL with a .390 BA, adding 22 homers, 128 RBI, and a 1.085 OPS. Max Bishop had a fine .426 OBP and 115 runs scored, and catcher Mickey Cochrane batted .349. Jimmie Foxx stroked 30 homers with 120 RBI to round out the Athletics’ top offensive producers. The mound was anchored by veteran Lefty Grove, who compiled a career season with a 31-4 record, 2.06 ERA, 27 complete games, 175 strikeouts, and 4 shutouts. All these numbers were tops in the league for 1931. George Earnshaw (21-7, 3.67 ERA) and Rube Walberg (20-12, 3.74 ERA) rounded out a formidable pitching staff.

#3: 1936 New York Yankees, 60.6 WAR162

The 1936 Yankees were a powerhouse club that ran away with the AL pennant, finishing 19.5 games ahead of the defending champ Tigers. Their 102 wins were not a fluke, as the New Yorkers dominated the AL in scoring and preventing runs. The Yankees finished business by defeating the crosstown Giants in a 6-game World Series.

The Yankees scored 1,065 runs, 144 more than both the Indians and Tigers. They also clobbered an absurd (for the time) 182 homers, 59 ahead of the Indians. The team ranked second in BA, first in OBP, and a resounding first in OPS. This was an offensive powerhouse. The pitching was also very good, leading the AL in ERA and strikeouts, and placing second in WHIP.

Veteran Lou Gehrig led the offense for the Yanks, scoring 167 runs, belting 49 homers, drawing 130 walks, and compiling a .478 OBP, .696 SLG, and 1.174 OPS, all topping the league. Catcher Bill Dickey had one of his best seasons, batting .362 with 22 homers, and Red Rolfe added an AL-best 15 triples to go with 116 runs scored and a .319 BA. The 21-year-old Joe DiMaggio made an auspicious debut, batting .323, hitting 29 homers, driving in 125 runs, and matching Rolfe’s 15 triples. George Selkirk (18 HR, 107 RBI) and Frankie Crosetti (18 steals, 137 runs scored) were also major contributors. The pitching was led by veteran Red Ruffing, who authored a 20-12 mark, and Monte Pearson, who posted a 19-7 record. Pat Malone led the league with 9 saves.

#2: 1931 New York Yankees, 60.7 WAR162

The 1931 edition of the Yankees finished 13.5 games back of the Athletics, but this was quite a deceiving result. Based on Pythagorean projections, the Yankees were a 100-win team (versus the A’s 97), but would have to wait until 1932 to return to the top of the AL.

The Yankees’ 1067 runs topped the league by a staggering 182 runs over the Indians, and belted 155 homers while stealing 139 bases, all tops in the AL. The New Yorkers also swept the BA (.297), OBP (.383), and OPS (.840) categories. Their pitching staff was not as strong as some other editions – they placed third in ERA and WHIP, while leading the AL in strikeouts.

Babe Ruth put together a great season at age 36, swatting 46 homers with 162 RBI, 149 runs scored, and AL-bests in walks (128), OBP (.495), and OPS (1.195). Lou Gehrig belted 46 homers with 185 RBI to go with a .341 BA and 1.108 OPS, while Ben Chapman stole 61 bases (AL-best) and batted .315. Lyn Lary drove in 107 RBI with a .376 OBP, and veteran Earle Combs batted .318 with 13 triples. Lefty Gomez (age 22) posted a 21-9 record with a 2.67 ERA to lead the pitching staff. Red Ruffing won 16 games, and 37-year-old Herb Pennock posted an 11-6 mark.

#1: 1939 New York Yankees, 71.1 WAR

The 1939 Yankees were the last of four consecutive pennant winners, coasting to the AL pennant by an astounding 17 games over the Red Sox. They then swept the Reds in the World Series. Not only was this the highest-rated WAR team since the 1927 Yankees, but their 106 wins actually fell five games short of their Pythagorean projection.

The Yankees led the league in both run scoring and run prevention. The team’s 967 runs easily topped the Red Sox, as did their 166 homers. The New Yorkers ranked second in BA, first in OBP, and first in OPS. The pitching was perhaps even more impressive, with a team ERA (3.31) more than 0.75 runs better than their closest rival. They also led the AL in complete games, shutouts, WHIP, and hits per 9 innings.

The Yankees had a staggering six position players above 5.0 WAR162, led by Joe DiMaggio, who led the AL with a .381 BA, while swatting 30 homers, driving in 126 runs, and posting a 1.119 OPS. Red Rolfe had a career year, scoring 139 runs with 213 hits and 46 doubles (all AL-best) and batting .329. Joe Gordon had a great age-24 campaign, with 28 homers, 111 RBI, and a .370 OBP, while George Selkirk batted .306 with 21 homers and 101 RBI. Veteran catcher Bill Dickey batted .302 with 24 homers and 105 RBI, and 22-year-old Charlie Keller batted .334 with 83 RBI and a .447 OBP. Veteran hurler Red Ruffing posted a 21-7 mark with a 2.93 ERA and AL-best 5 shutouts, and Lefty Gomez went 12-8. The depth of the staff was a strength, with 8 men earning at least 2.1 WAR162 on the season.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1930s decade! Here’s a quick summary of which franchises dominated the decade:

1930s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 10 through 6

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1930s. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1930s (1930-1939), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #10 through #6.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1930s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#10: 1932 Philadelphia Athletics, 55.8 WAR162

The 1932 Athletics were the final highly competitive A’s team in an impressive stretch starting with the 1925 season. Their 94-60 mark fell far short of the Yankees’ 107 wins, although the gap between the teams was not that large – win projections had them separated by just 4 games, not the 13-game difference in the standings.

The A’s had a powerful offense, evidenced by their 981 runs, just 21 shy of the Yankees’ league-leading total. They actually out-homered the Yanks 172-160, and ranked first in BA, second in OBP, and second in OPS. The A’s didn’t run a lot; their 37 steals ranked last in the AL. The A’s pitching was their weak link in 1932 – they ranked third in WHIP, fifth in ERA, and a distant second in strikeouts behind the Yankees.

Jimmie Foxx put together a massive 1932 campaign, crushing 58 homers, scoring 151 runs, compiling 169 RBI, and posting a 1.218 OPS, all tops in the AL. He also had a .364 batting average. Foxx was assisted by catcher Mickey Cochrane, who owned a .412 OBP with 23 homers and 112 RBI, and Al Simmons, who led the AL with 216 hits. Simmons belted 35 homers to go with his 151 RBI and 144 runs scored. Lefty Grove was his typical all-world self in 1932, winning 25 games with a league-best 2.84 ERA, 27 complete games, and 4 shutouts. Unfortunately for the A’s, Grove received minimal help from the rest of the staff – Tony Freitas won 12 as a fifth starter, and Rube Walberg (17) and George Earnshaw (19) combined for 36 wins, but with rather high ERAs, even for the 1930s.

#9: 1935 Chicago Cubs, 55.9 WAR162

The 1935 Cubs claimed the NL pennant by 4 games over the defending champion Cardinals, only to fall to the Detroit Tigers in a 6-game World Series. The Cubs led the NL both in runs scored and runs allowed in 1935.

The Cubs’ 847 runs scored topped the Cardinals by 18, while their 88 homers ranked third in the league. Doubles were their forte, as they stroked 303, easily topping the NL. They also made a clean sweep of BA, OBP, and OPS; this was a strong offensive team despite their middling power credentials. The pitching staff easily compiled the best ERA in the league and placed second in both WHIP and strikeouts per 9 innings.

Billy Herman led a balanced offensive crew with four position players above 5 WAR162 for the season. Herman stroked 227 hits with 57 doubles (both NL-bests) while batting .341. Auge Galan led the NL with 22 steals and sported a .314 BA, while veteran catcher Gabby Hartnett batted .344 with 91 RBI. Third baseman Stan Hack was the final big offensive contributor, batting .311 with a .406 OBP. The Cubs’ pitching featured three strong starters, led by Lon Warneke (20-13, 3.06ERA). Larry French posted a 17-10 mark with a 2.96 ERA, and Bill Lee went 20-6 with the same 2.96 ERA.

#8: 1930 Washington Nationals, 56.1 WAR162

The 1930 Nationals were an excellent team that had the misfortune to finish 8 games back of a quite lucky Athletics squad. According to Pythagorean projections, the A’s should have won 93 rather than 101 games. In any case, the AL pennant race should have been much tighter.

The Nationals’ 892 runs placed them well back of both the Yankees and A’s. Their .302 BA placed second in a very high-scoring season; they also placed second in triples and OBP, but just fourth in OPS. This rather ordinary offense was offset by a first-rate pitching staff that led the AL in ERA, WHIP, complete games, and hits per 9 innings.

Shortstop Joe Cronin had a marvelous age-23 season, batting .346 with 127 runs scored and 126 RBI. The 40-year-old Sam Rice batted .349 with 121 runs scored, and 13 triples (and just 14 strikeouts!), and Joe Judge batted .326 in his age-36 campaign. Bump Hadley led a rather no-name pitching staff with a 15-11 mark and 3.73 ERA. General Crowder (15-9), Lloyd Brown (16-12), Firpo Marberry (15-5), and Sad Sam Jones (15-7) contributed to one of the most balanced groups in history – no stars, but five men with 15+ wins.

#7: 1932 New York Yankees, 56.7 WAR162

The 1932 edition of the Yankees rolled to the AL title after three years looking up at the Athletics. Their 107 wins were well above their Pythagorean projection of 99; in any case, they bested the A’ by 13 games and went on to sweep the Cubs in the World Series.

The Yankees’ 1002 runs topped the league, although their 160 homers trailed the A’s by 12. The New Yorkers led the AL in OBP and OPS, and ranked second in BA. It was a very potent offense, even considering the high-scoring context of the 1932 season. Pitching was again a strength, with an AL-best 3.98 ERA. The Yankees staff also led the AL in WHIP, complete games, strikeouts, and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Babe Ruth put together one more terrific season at age 37, swatting 41 homers with 137 RBI, 120 runs scored, and AL-bests in walks (130) and OBP (.489). Lou Gehrig belted 34 homers and 42 doubles to go with a .349 BA and 1.072 OPS, while Earle Combs batted .321 with 143 runs scored. Tony Lazzeri (113 RBI, .399 OBP) and Ben Chapman (AL-best 38 steals) were also major contributors. The pitching was led by Red Ruffing (18-7, 3.09 ERA, AL-best 190 strikeouts) and Johnny Allen (17-4, 3.70 ERA). Lefty Gomez won 24 games despite an elevated 4.21 ERA.

#6: 1937 New York Yankees, 56.8 WAR

The 1937 Yankees were the second of four consecutive pennant winners, coasting to the AL pennant by 13 games over the Tigers. They then claimed New York bragging rights by defeating the Giants in a 5-game World Series.

The Yankees led the league in both run scoring and run prevention. The team’s 979 runs easily topped the Tigers, as did their 174 homers. The New Yorkers ranked third in BA, second in OBP, and first in OPS. The pitching was even more impressive, with a team ERA (3.65) more than half a run better than their closest rival. They also led the AL in complete games, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Joe DiMaggio was in the process of assuming the lead role that Lou Gehrig had held for several years, batting .346 with an AL-best 46 homers and 151 runs scored. DiMaggio also totaled 167 RBI and played great defense in center field. Gehrig led the league in walks (127), OBP (.473), and OPS (1.116) while driving in 158 runners and batting .351. Bill Dickey was the third starter with impressive numbers, including a .332 BA, 29 homers, and 133 RBI from his catcher position. George Selkirk added 18 home runs in limited duty. Lefty Gomez was the ace in 1937, winning 21 games with a league-best 2.33 ERA and 194 strikeouts. Red Ruffing had another fine season, posting a 20-7 mark with a 2.98 ERA.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1930s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #5 to #1, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1930s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 15 through 11

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1930s. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1930s (1930-1939), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #15 through #11.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1930s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#15: 1935 New York Yankees, 50.8 WAR162

The 1935 Yankees were a good, not great, team relative to other Yankees teams of the 1930s. They were a bit unlucky, with a win projection of 92 wins, three more than their actual total. Regardless, they were relegated to a second-place finish, three games behind the Tigers.

The Yankees’ 818 runs scored trailed the Tigers by a full 100 runs; this was not the juggernaut team that rolled over their rivals. They ranked a mere 4th in BA, tied for second in OBP, and were a rather distant 2nd in OPS. Pitching is what kept this club in contention, as they led the AL in ERA, WHIP, hits per 9 innings, and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Lou Gehrig was the dominant offensive leader for this edition, leading the AL in runs (125), walks (132), and OBP (.466). Teams could pitch around Gehrig when needed, as evidenced by his 21 intentional passes. George Selkirk (.312 BA, 12 triples, 94 RBI) and Red Rolfe (.300 BA, 108 runs scored) provided secondary support for Gehrig. The pitching was led by Red Ruffing, who posted a 16-11 mark with a 3.12 ERA. Lefty Gomez had similar metrics to Ruffing (3.18 ERA, 1.256 WHIP) but struggled to a 12-15 record.

#14: 1930 Philadelphia Athletics, 52.8 WAR162

The 1930 Athletics were the middle team in a 3-year run at the top of the AL, topping the runner-up Nationals by 8 games. The Athletics were unusually fortunate to win 102; their Pythagorean projection was for just 93 wins, or roughly even with the Nationals. They did stake their claim to being the best MLB team by defeating the Cardinals in a 6-game World Series.

Although the A’s had a strong offense, they scored 111 fewer runs than the Yankees (951 vs. 1,062). They ranked second in homers, second in doubles, fourth in BA, and second in both OBP and OPS. Their pitching numbers were also strong, but not dominant. The A’s trailed the Nationals in both ERA and WHIP, although they ranked first in strikeouts and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Al Simmons was one of four position players with high WAR162 numbers. Simmons led the AL with a .381 BA and 152 runs scored while swatting 36 homers and compiling 165 RBI. Foxx was close behind, with 37 homers, 156 RBI, and a 1.066 OPS. Catcher Mickey Cochrane batted .357 with 42 doubles, and Max Bishop had a .426 OBP, thanks to 128 walks. Lefty Grove assembled one of his best seasons on the mound, winning 28 games with a 2.54 ERA, 209 strikeouts, and 9 saves, all AL-best numbers. George Earnshaw added 22 wins (despite a 4.44 ERA) with a league-best 3 shutouts.

#13: 1938 New York Yankees, 53.7 WAR162

The 1938 Yankees were an excellent team that will forever live in the shadow of the far superior 1939 club. The 1938 squad rolled to the AL pennant, finishing 9.5 games ahead of the Red Sox, and went on to sweep the Cubs in the World Series, riding both the best offense and pitching in the league.

The Yankees scored 966 runs while launching 174 home runs, both figures far ahead of their AL rivals. Their BA was a surprisingly weak 6th in the league, but they rose to 2nd in OBP and OPS (a virtual tie for 1st) on the strength of their home runs and an AL-best 749 walks. The Yankees pitchers easily topped the AL in ERA and WHIP, and also tossed an AL-best 11 shutouts.

This Yankees team lacked a single star with huge WAR162 numbers, but had many players performing at a high level. Joe DiMaggio batted .324 with 32 home runs and 140 RBI to lead the way, and catcher Bill Dickey had one of his better seasons with a .313 BA, 27 homers, and 115 RBI. 35-year-old Lou Gehrig swatted 29 homers with 114 RBI, and Red Rolfe batted .311 from his third base position. Frankie Crosetti (AL-best 27 steals), Tommy Heinrich (22 homers, 91 RBI), and Joe Gordon (25 homers, 97 RBI) rounded out a deep offense. The pitching was dominated by Red Ruffing (21-7, 3.31 ERA) and Lefty Gomez (AL-best 4 shutouts, 18-12, 3.35 ERA).

#12: 1934 New York Yankees, 54.7 WAR162

Yet another Yankees team checks in at #12 in our Top 20 for the 1930s, albeit a 2nd-place finisher behind the resurgent Tigers. The Yankees were in an interesting transition window, with Babe Ruth on the way out and Joe DiMaggio about to appear. Lou Gehrig was the constant for the 1934 team, keeping them near the top of the American League.

The Yankees’ offense was no match for the Tigers in 1934, finishing 117 runs behind the pennant winners. They also ranked second in homers (behind the A’s) and were 4th in BA, 2nd in OBP, and 2nd in OPS. Their pitching staff led the AL in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts, helping the team stay in the pennant chase.

Lou Gehrig put together one of his best seasons, leading the league in homers (49), RBI (166), BA (.363), OBP (.465), and OPS (1.172). The 39-year-old Babe Ruth added 22 home runs and a .448 OBP, while Ben Chapman batted .308 with 13 triples and 26 steals. Bill Dickey batted .322 and Tony Lazzeri chipped in with 11 steals and a .369 OBP. Lefty Gomez led the AL in multiple categories with 26 wins, a 2.33 ERA, 25 complete games, 6 shutouts, and 158 strikeouts. Johnny Murphy was effective as a starter and in relief, with 14 wins, and Red Ruffing won 19 games with 5 shutouts.

#11: 1934 Detroit Tigers, 55.3 WAR

The Tigers put together back-to-back pennant-winning campaigns in 1934 and 1935, unseating the Yankees and Nationals atop the AL. The 1934 team topped the league by 7 games over the Yankees before falling to the Cardinals in a 7-game World Series.

The Tigers had a potent offense in 1934, easily leading the AL in runs (959), BA (.300), OBP (.376), OPS (.800), doubles, and stolen bases. While they didn’t hit a lot of home runs, their combination of speed and gap power propelled them to the pennant. The pitching staff was solid, placing second in ERA and WHIP, and topping the AL in strikeout-to-walk rate.

Second baseman Charlie Gehringer authored one of his finest seasons, batting .356 with135 runs scored (AL-best) and 127 RBI. Hank Greenberg led the league with 63 doubles at age 23, batting .339 with 139 RBI. Shortstop Billy Rogell batted .296 with 13 steals, and catcher Mickey Cochrane batted .320 with a .428 OBP. Schoolboy Rowe was the staff ace, winning 24 games with a league-best strikeout-to-walk rate. Tommy Bridges added 22 wins, and Elden Auker chipped in with 15 as a starter and reliever.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1930s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #10 to #6, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1930s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 20 through 16

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the first countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1930s. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1930s (1930-1939), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #20 through #16.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1930s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#20: 1937 New York Giants, 47.8 WAR162

The Giants returned to the rankings after an extended absence. Their presence here does not resemble the dominant eras of prior Giants editions from the 1910s and 1920s; it is more of a single-season breakthrough. While the Giants did capture the NL pennant by two games over the Cubs, their Pythagorean projection had them as an 89-63 team with good fortune leading to the 95 wins they achieved. The Giants would go on to lose the World Series in 5 games to the crosstown Yankees.

The Giants’ 732 runs scored placed them a distant third behind the Cubs and Cardinals. While they led the NL with 111 homers, their offense was otherwise just above average – fourth in BA, third in OBP, and second in OPS. The pitching staff posted good, but not exceptional numbers, finishing second in ERA and WHIP. They did lead the NL in strikeouts and strikeout-to-walk rate, edging the Pirates in both categories.

Mel Ott and Dick Bartell were the clear offensive leaders for the New Yorkers, with Ott leading the league in home runs (31) and walks (102), on his way to a .931 OPS. Bartell batted .306 with 38 doubles and a .306 BA, strong numbers for a shortstop. Burgess Whitehead (.286 BA) and Jo-Jo Moore (.310 BA, 37 doubles) provided additional support. The pitching staff was led by a pair of 20-game winners. Cliff Melton posted a 20-9 mark with a 2.61 ERA and NL-best 7 saves, while veteran lefty Carl Hubbell went 22-8 with a league-leading 159 strikeouts.

#19: 1939 Cincinnati Reds, 49.4 WAR162

The Reds continued their ascent to the top of the National League in 1939, culminating in a pennant just two years removed from a last-place finish. The Cincinnati club bested the Cardinals by 4.5 games, which allowed the Cardinals to be swept in the World Series by the 1939 Yankees, considered one of the best teams ever. Nonetheless, the 1939 team lifted the Reds into the NL’s first division for the next several seasons.

The Reds rose to the top through a combination of good hitting and excellent pitching. Their 767 runs scored were just 12 behind the Cardinals’ NL-best total, and their 98 homers tied for second behind the Giants. The Reds also placed second in BA, OBP, and OPS, trailing the Cardinals in each category. The pitching staff led the NL in ERA by a considerable margin and placed second in WHIP. The Reds also led the league in strikeouts and hits per 9 innings.

The Reds’ offense doesn’t feature many household names, but it did have four players top the 5.0 WAR162 mark. Lonny Frey batted .291 with a .388 OBP and 95 runs scored, while Billy Myers batted .281 from his shortstop position. Ival Goodman batted at a .323 clip, and Frank McCormick hit .332 with an NL-best 128 RBI. Billy Werber led the league with 115 runs scored and swiped a team-high 15 bases. On the mound, the Reds had a very effective one-two tandem in Bucky Walters and Paul Derringer. Walters won 27 with a 2.29 ERA and 1.125 WHIP across 319 innings, all NL-best numbers. Derringer tossed 301 innings, posting a 25-9 record with 5 shutouts. Gene Thompson won 13 games as the Reds’ primary reliever.

#18: 1936 Chicago Cubs, 49.8 WAR162

The 1936 edition of the Cubs finished tied for second in the NL behind the Giants, but were the best team on paper. Their Pythagorean projection had them winning 93 games (versus 87), while the Giants’ 92 wins exceeded their projection by three games. Instead of winding up five games back, they should have finished ahead of the New York club.

The Cubs had a balanced profile in 1936, featuring solid offensive and pitching metrics. The club finished in a virtual dead heat with the Pirates in BA and OBP, and placed third in OPS. Their 755 runs also placed third, trailing the Pirates and Cardinals. The team’s 3.54 ERA was behind only the Giants, and their 18 shutouts and 77 complete games both led the NL. The Cubs also placed second in WHIP and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Billy Herman had an exceptional season from his second base spot, batting .334 with 101 runs scored, 57 doubles, and 93 RBI. Frank Demaree swatted 16 homers to go with his .350 BA and 96 RBI, and Stan Hack batted .298 with a .396 OBP. Veteran catcher Gabby Hartnett batted .307 in his age-35 season to round out the Cubs’ offense. Larry French and Bill Lee each won 18 games, while Lon Warneke (16) and Tex Carleton (14) added another 30 wins. Interestingly, each of the four tied for the NL lead with four shutouts apiece.

#17: 1939 St. Louis Cardinals, 50.2 WAR162

The Cardinals lost to the Reds in the 1939 NL pennant race, but placed slightly higher on a WAR162 basis. The 1939 campaign would turn out to be a springboard for the next decade, when the Cards would claim multiple pennants.

The Cardinals were a strong offensive club, leading the NL in multiple offensive categories, including runs, doubles, BA, OBP, and OPS. Their pitching numbers were quite solid, finishing second in ERA, first in shutouts, second in strikeouts, and third in WHIP.

Johnny Mize powered the offense, leading the NL in homers (28), BA (.349), SLG (.626), and OPS (1.070). He also rapped 44 doubles and 14 triples. Joe Medwick (.332, 48 doubls, 117 RBI) and Enos Slaughter (.320 BA, NL-best 52 doubles) were Mize’s primary accomplices. The pitching staff was led by 35-year-old Curt Davis (22-16) and Mort Cooper (12-6, 3.25 ERA). Bob Bowman was effective from the bullpen, finishing 19 games and earning 8 saves with a 2.60 ERA.

#16: 1933 Washington Nationals, 50.7 WAR

The Nationals returned to the top of the AL for the first time since 1925, finishing 7 games ahead of the Yankees. They wound up losing a 5-game World Series to the Giants, putting a damper on a fine season.

The Nationals were third in runs scored behind the high-powered Yankees and Athletics, although they did lead the AL in both triples and BA (.287). The team’s greater strength was in their pitching metrics, where they placed 2nd in ERA and first in WHIP, due to their AL-best walk rate.

Shortstop Joe Cronin was the offensive star, batting .309 with a .398 OBP, 118 RBI, and an AL-best 45 doubles. Buddy Myer batted .302, and Henie Manush hit .336 while leading the league with 17 triples, and scoring 115 runs. Fred Schulte (.295, 98 runs, 87 RBI) and Joe Kuhel (.322 BA, 11 homers, 107 RBI) provided ample offensive support. The pitching was led by a pair of 20-game winners in Earl Whitehill (22-8, 3.33 ERA) and General Crowder (24-15).

Summary

That’s it for the first entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1930s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #15 to #11, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1920s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 5 through 1

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of 1920s MLB Team Rankings. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1920s (1920-1929), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #5 through #1.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1920s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#5: 1920 Cleveland Indians, 55.8 WAR162

The 1920 Indians prevailed in a hotly contested AL pennant race, topping the White Sox by two games and the Yankees by four games. The team wound up a single game ahead of their projected 97-57 record, and would go on to defeat the Brooklyn Robins 5 games to 2 in a best-of-9 World Series.

The Indians had a prolific offense that produced an AL-best 856 runs. They also led the league in doubles (301), OBP (.376), and OPS (.793), while placing second in BA and triples. The pitching performance was also strong, starting with a 3.41 ERA, trailing only the Yankees. They finished a close second in WHIP, and led the AL in strikeout-to-walk rate.

Center fielder Tris Speaker provided the offensive spark to go with his defensive prowess. Speaker batted .388, scored 137 runs, had 107 RBI, a 1.045 OPS, and led the AL with 50 doubles. Catcher Steve O’Neill batted .321 with 39 doubles, and Elmer Smith led the team with 12 homers while batting .316. Ray Chapman (.303 BA) and Larry Gardner (.310 BA, 118 RBI) round out the offensive production for the Indians. Stan Coveleski (24-14, 2.49 ERA) and Jim Bagby (31-12, 2.89 ERA) formed a formidable duo at the top of the Indians rotation. Bagby led the AL in wins and innings pitched, while Coveleski led the league in hits per 9 innings, WHIP, and strikeouts.

#4: 1928 Philadelphia Athletics, 56.2 WAR162

The 1928 version of the Athletics finished 2.5 games behind the pennant-winning Yankees, largely due to some exceptional luck on the Yankees’ end. Pythagorean projections had the A’s 2.5 games better than the Yankees, but they would have to wait a year for the standings to reflect that outcome.

The A’s finished behind the Yankees across numerous offensive categories – runs, BA, OBP, and OPS, although the margins were often slim. They were a very good offensive squad, overshadowed by a slightly better Yankees unit. The Athletics possessed the top pitching staff across multiple measures – ERA (3.36), WHIP (1.296), hits per 9 innings, strikeouts per 9 innings, and strikeout-to-walk rate. The A’s staff was clearly the most effective group in the AL in 1928.

The A’s offense was a balanced group without any major stars in 1928, although some would emerge as stars in the following seasons. Max Bishop led the way, batting .316 with a .438 OBP, courtesy of 100 walks. The 20-year-old Jimmie Foxx batted .328 with a .964 OPS, and Al Simmons batted .351 with 107 RBI. Mickey Cochrane posted a .395 OBP from his catcher spot, and Bing Miller hit .329 with 85 RBI. The pitching staff was led by Lefty Grove and his 24-8 mark with a 2.58 ERA. Grove also topped the AL with 183 strikeouts. Jack Quinn posted a nifty 18-4 record with a 2.90 ERA, and Rube Walberg notched 17 wins from the second spot in the rotation. Eddie Rommel went 13-5, largely in relief, finishing 18 games.

#3: 1929 Philadelphia Athletics, 58.0 WAR162

The 1929 Athletics picked up where the 1928 club left off, winning the pennant this time by a remarkable 18 games over the Yankees. While they benefited from some good luck on their side, the A’s were still projected as a 100-win team. The A’s followed the pennant with a decisive 5-game triumph over the Cubs in the World Series.

On a per-game basis, the A’s were dead even in runs scored with the Tigers. They also finished second in home runs, first in OBP and OPS, and third in BA. The team had a ridiculous 57-16 home record, and also excelled in one-run games (24-14). While the offense was very good, the pitching was even better. Their 3.44 ERA was far ahead of all rivals, as was their WHIP, strikeouts, and strikeout-to-walk rate.

The offense was spearheaded by Jimmie Foxx and Al Simmons, who each put together huge seasons. Foxx (age 21) swatted 33 homers, batted .354, had an AL-best .463 OBP, and a 1.088 OPS. Simmons hit .365 with 34 homers and a league-best 157 RBI, plus a 1.040 OPS. Catcher Mickey Cochrane batted .331 with 113 runs scored, and Jimmie Dykes batted .327 while playing multiple infield positions. Bing Miller batted .331 with 93 RBI to round out a potent top five. On the mound, Lefty Grove went 20-6 with an AL-best 2.81 ERA and 170 strikeouts. Rube Walberg won 18 games, and George Earnshaw led the league with 24 wins.

#2: 1922 St. Louis Browns, 61.3 WAR

The 1922 Browns are a surprise in the #2 spot in the rankings for a couple of reasons. First, they are the Browns, a franchise that had very little success until they became the Baltimore Orioles. They also finished in second place in 1922, a single game behind the Yankees. In true Browns fashion, their win projection was 7 games better than the Yankees’, but a combination of bad luck and some good luck for the Yankees relegated them to second place.

The Browns had a terrific offense in 1922, leading the AL in runs scored, 40 ahead of the Tigers. They ranked second in doubles, first in triples, second in homers, and easily led the league in stolen bases. They also paced the AL in BA and OPS; in short, they were a very potent offense, even given the high-scoring environment of 1922. The Browns’ pitching was also effective – their 3.38 ERA nosed out the Yankees to top the AL. The Browns ranked second in WHIP, and topped the league in both strikeouts and strikeout-to-walk rate.

The 1922 Browns had three players with WAR162 values above 8, including two positional players. Star first baseman George Sisler led the AL with a .420 BA, 134 runs scored, 18 triples, 246 hits, and 51 stolen bases. His OPS of 1.061 was among the best in the AL. Teammate Ken Williams mashed 39 homers and added 155 RBI, both tops in the league, while batting .332 with a 1.040 OPS. Further support came from second baseman Marty McManus, who batted .312 with 109 RBI, and Baby Doll Jacobson, who paired 102 RBI with a .317 BA.

Urban Shocker was the third high-WAR player, authoring a 24-17 record with a 2.97 ERA and league-best 149 strikeouts in 348 innings. Elam Vangilder was a strong second starter with 19 wins and a solid 3.42 ERA. Ray Kolp, Rasty Wright, and Hub Pruett combined for 30 wins; Pruett finished 23 games and earned 7 saves.

#1: 1927 New York Yankees, 73.7 WAR

The 1927 Yankees are a legendary team in MLB history – peak Babe Ruth, emerging star Lou Gehrig, career years from the likes of Earle Combs, Tony Lazzeri, and more. They steamrolled the American League, topping a good Athletics team by 19 games, and then swept the Pirates in the World Series.

The Yankees were a dominant offensive team, piling up 976 runs, 131 more than the Tigers. They also led the league in home runs, swatting 102 more than any other team. Their .307 BA, .384 OBP, and .872 OPS all topped the league. As if the Yankees’ offense wasn’t enough, they also boasted the league’s best pitching staff, with a 3.20 ERA versus the next best 3.91 posted by the White Sox. The Yankees’ WHIP and hits per 9 innings were also far ahead of any rivals.

Ruth and Gehrig combined for a remarkable 26.0 WAR162 value, combining to lead the league in many offensive categories. Ruth led in home runs (60), walks (137), OBP (.486), OPS (1.258), and runs (158). Gehrig led in doubles (52) and RBI (173), while batting .373, posting a 1.240 OPS, and scoring 149 runs. Together, they formed the most intimidating two-man punch in MLB history. Earle Combs also had a fine year, leading the AL in hits (231) and triples (23), while batting .356, and Tony Lazzeri batted .309 with 102 RBI. Bob Meusel chipped in with a .337 BA and 103 RBI. Waite Hoyt led the pitching staff with a 22-7 record and 2.63 ERA, aided by Wilcy Moore (19-7, 2.28 ERA, 13 saves), and Urban Shocker (18-6, 2.84 ERA). Veteran Herb Pennock posted a 19-8 mark at age 33.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1920s decade! Here’s a quick summary of which franchises dominated the decade:

We’ll start visiting the 1930s next week. As always, thanks for reading!

1920s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 10 through 6

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of 1920s MLB Team Rankings. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1920s (1920-1929), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #10 through #6.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1920s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#10: 1922 New York Giants, 51.4 WAR162

The 1922 Giants continued to dominate the National League, winning their second of four consecutive pennants. The Giants beat the Reds by a decisive seven-game margin, and then proceeded to sweep the crosstown rival Yankees in the World Series.

The Giants boasted a strong offense, finishing a close third in runs behind the Pirates and Cardinals. The team also ranked third in doubles, triples, home runs, and stolen bases, while placing second in both BA and OPS, and first in OBP. They were a strong, but not dominant, offensive squad. Pitching was a strength, as the Giants led the NL in ERA and ranked second in WHIP. Their staff also surrendered the fewest hits per 9 innings.

Dave Bancroft led an offense that featured multiple strong contributors. Bancroft batted .321 with 117 runs scored and 41 doubles; his infield partner Frankie Frisch batted .327 with 31 steals and 13 triples. George Kelly (.328 BA, 107 RBI), Ross Youngs (.331 BA, 105 runs), and Irish Meusel (.331 BA, 17 triples, 16 homers, 132 RBI) were also major contributors. Art Nehf led a balanced mound crew with a 19-13 mark, while Phil Douglas led the NL in fewest hits per 9 innings (8.8), ERA (2.63), and WHIP (1.199) in a challenging environment for pitchers. Rosy Ryan and Jesse Barnes combined for another 30 wins for the New Yorkers.

#9: 1928 New York Yankees, 51.5 WAR162

The 1928 Yankees were no match for the legendary 1927 team. However, they still won the American League pennant by 2.5 games over the resurgent Athletics, who actually had a higher projected win total. The Yankees exceeded their projection by six games to appear a bit better than their performance would indicate. They went on to sweep an overmatched Cardinals team in the World Series.

The Bronx Bombers featured a strong offense, leading the AL in runs, home runs, BA, OBP, and OPS, although their BA and OBP numbers were nearly matched by the Athletics. The Athletics did feature a stronger pitching staff, relegating the Yankees to second in ERA and strikeout-to-walk rate, and third in hits per 9 innings and WHIP.

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig formed a dynamic duo in the middle of the lineup, with Ruth mashing 54 homers to go with an 1.172 OPS, 163 runs scored (all AL-best) and a .323 BA. Gehrig batted .374 with an AL-best .467 OBP, 47 doubles, and 147 RBI (also both AL-best). His 1.115 OPS was not far behind Ruth’s. Tony Lazzeri (.332 BA, 15 steals) and Earle Combs (.310 BA, 21 triples) provided additional offensive firepower. The moundsmen were led by Herb Pennock (17-6, 2.56 ERA), George Pipgras (AL-best 24 wins), and Waite Hoyt (23-7, AL-best 8 saves).

#8: 1921 Cleveland Indians, 52.8 WAR162

The 1921 Indians fell a bit short of the AL pennant, losing out to the Yankees by 4.5 games. Win projections had the Indians just 1.5 games behind the Yankees; in either case, the two teams were the best in the AL by a considerable distance.

The Indians finished the season ranked second in runs scored, BA, and OBP, and third in OPS. They led the AL in doubles but were generally a good rather than a great offensive club for the season. One stark contrast versus the Yankees was in the home run category, where the New Yorkers topped the Indians 134 to 42. The Indians could not rely on the long ball the way the Babe Ruth-led Yankees could. On the mound, the Indians ranked second in ERA, first in shutouts, second in WHIP, and first in strikeout-to-walk rate.

The veteran center fielder Tris Speaker (age 33) was the Indians’ top positional contributor, batting .362 (.977 OPS) with an AL-best 52 doubles. Joe Sewell chipped in with a .318 BA and .412 OBP, and Larry Gardner batted .319 with 14 triples. Stan Coveleski was the pitching standout, posting a 23-13 record with 28 complete games; Allen Sothoron went 12-4 with a 3.24 ERA as a fifth starter, and George Uhle won 16 games from the second spot in the rotation.

#7: 1923 New York Yankees, 53.8 WAR

Yet another Yankees team appears in these rankings, a clear indicator of their decade-long dominance. The 1923 club featured the classic recipe for teams of this era – unparalleled power at the plate coupled with well above-average pitching. This version of the team waltzed to the AL pennant by 16 games over the Tigers, and then avenged their 1922 World Series loss by beating the Giants in six games.

The Yankees’ offense ranked just third in runs scored, trailing both the Indians and Tigers, and also placed third in BA and OBP. The team’s considerable home run margin led to a second-place OPS ranking behind the Indians. On the mound, the New Yorkers coasted to the league’s top ERA, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate. For the 1923 season, pitching played a strong part in the Yankees’ success.

Babe Ruth was nearly a one-man show in 1923, authoring one of the best WAR seasons in history. Ruth posted an astonishing set of numbers – 41 homers, 130 RBI, a .545 OBP, 170 walks, a 1.309 OPS, and 151 runs scored. Each of these led the league, while his .393 BA trailed the Tigers’ Harry Heilmann’s .403 mark. Aaron Ward had a solid season at second base, batting .284 with 10 homers and 81 RBI, and Whitey Witt batted .314 with 113 runs scored. The pitching staff relied on five hurlers, with each winning between 16 and 21 games. Bullet Joe Bush (19-15, 3.43 ERA), Herb Pennock (19-6, 3.13 ERA), and Waite Hoyt (17-9, 3.02 ERA) topped the WAR rankings. Bob Shawkey (16-11, 3.51 ERA) and Sad Sam Jones (21-8, 3.63 ERA) were also major contributors; each of the core five logged between 238 and 275 innings pitched.

#6: 1921 New York Yankees, 55.4 WAR

The 1921 version of the Yankees ranks immediately ahead of the 1923 team, beating the Indians by 4.5 games in a two-team race for the pennant (the 3rd-place Browns were 17.5 games back). While the Yankees took home the AL hardware, the crosstown Giants beat them 5-3 in the best-of-9 World Series.

The Yankees led the AL with 948 runs scored, 134 home runs, and an .838 OPS. They trailed both the Tigers and Indians in BA and OBP, but offset those gaps by slamming more homers than those teams combined. The pitching staff was also proficient, leading the league in ERA (3.82), WHIP (1.416), and hits per 9 innings (9.6). In short, the Yankees could beat teams both offensively and on the mound, leading to this #6 ranking for the decade.

While Babe Ruth’s WAR numbers slightly trailed his massive 1923 season, they were nonetheless quite incredible. Ruth blasted a record 59 homers, scored 177 runs, had 168 RBI, drew 145 walks, posted a .512 OBP, and a 1.359 OPS, all tops in the AL. He also batted .378 for the campaign. Bob Meusel chipped in with a .318 BA and 138 RBI, while catcher Wally Schang batted .316 with a .428 OBP. Aaron Ward also contributed with a .306 BA and 76 RBI. The pitchers were led by Carl Mays, who put together a career year with a 27-9 record (and 7 saves) across 336 innings. Waite Hoyt won 19 games in his age-21 season, and Bob Shawkey added 18 wins despite a somewhat inflated 4.08 ERA.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1920s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #5 to #1, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1920s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 15 through 11

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of 1920s MLB Team Rankings. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1920s (1920-1929), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #15 through #11.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1920s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#15: 1929 Chicago Cubs, 49.6 WAR162

The 1929 Cubs ran away from their rivals in Pittsburgh and New York, finishing 10.5 games ahead of the second-place Pirates. While they claimed the NL pennant, they were soundly defeated by a powerful Athletics team in a 5-game World Series.

The Cubs rolled to 6.3 runs per game in a high-octane offensive season in the NL. The Cubs were considered a bit fortunate by the Pythagorean projection, which had them at 94 wins, still the best in the league. Their 982 runs were 78 more than the Pirates could muster, and their .303 BA, .377 OBP, 139 home runs, and .825 OPS all ranked second, behind the Phillies, who benefited from a better offensive home field environment. The Cubs pitchers ranked second in ERA, first in shutouts, second in strikeouts, and second in strikeout-to-walk rate.

The legendary Rogers Hornsby spent four seasons with the Cubs, with 1929 ranking as the best of his tenure. Hornsby scored 156 runs (NL-best), batted .380, slugged 39 home runs, and had a league-leading 1.139 OPS. Hack Wilson, Kiki Cuyler, and Riggs Stephenson all provided ample support behind Hornsby. Wilson belted 39 homers with an NL-best 159 RBI, while batting .345. Cuyler led the NL with 43 steals, batted .360, and scored 111 runs, while Stephenson batted .362 with 17 homers. The Cubs were a powerful run-scoring team, even given the high offensive levels in 1929. Their pitching was led by Pat Malone (22-10, 3.57 ERA) and Charlie Root (19-6, 3.47 ERA). Malone led the league with 166 strikeouts.

#14: 1922 New York Yankees, 50.1 WAR162

The 1922 Yankees snuck past the upstart Browns to claim the AL pennant by a single game. Pythagorean win projections have the Browns as the better team (by 7 games), but the Yankees exceeded their projection while the Browns fell well short of their expected 98 wins.

The Yankees were a rather ordinary offensive team, and certainly not a great one. They ranked fourth in runs, third in homers, fourth in BA, and third in OPS, and were below the league average in other categories. Pitching is what propelled them to the top; they ranked second in ERA, first in WHIP, and second in strikeout-to-walk rate.

Babe Ruth led the team in WAR, despite playing just 110 out of 154 games. His 1.106 OPS topped the AL, and he added a .315 BA, 35 homers, and 96 RBI. Wally Pipp batted .329 with 94 RBI, Wally Schang hit .319. Bob Meusel added his own .319 BA to go with 88 RBI. The pitching staff stepped up in the absence of a huge season from Ruth, led by Bob Shawkey. Shawkey won 20 games while posting a 2.91 ERA, while Bullet Joe Bush posted a glitzy 26-7 mark. Waite Hoyt had a strong season at age 22, going 19-12, and Carl Mays and Sad Sam Jones each added 13 wins.

#13: 1924 Washington Nationals, 50.1 WAR162

The 1924 Nationals outlasted the Yankees, riding the arms of their pitching staff to the first of back-to-back AL pennants. Their 92-62 record was exactly equal to the expected win projection, and landed them 2 games ahead of the New Yorkers. They then went on to defeat the Giants in a 7-game World Series.

The Nationals took home the pennant despite a lackluster offense that saw them finish sixth in runs scored and last in home runs. Their offense was more like a deadball-era team: they ranked first in triples and second in stolen bases, but were quite ordinary in other metrics. Pitching made the difference for the Nationals, as their ERA was by far the best in the AL; they also led in WHIP and hits per 9 innings, and were near the top in other measures.

Goose Goslin was the Nationals’ top offensive threat, batting .344 with an AL-best 129 RBI and 12 of the team’s 22 homers. Sam Rice batted .334 and scored 106 runs, while Roger Peckinpaugh earned a .360 OBP from his shortstop position. Joe Judge batted .324 with 79 RBI to round out the Nationals’ top producers. The ageless Walter Johnson was finally rewarded with a pennant, leading the AL in wins (23), ERA (2.72), shutouts (6), and strikeouts (158) in his age-36 season. Tom Zachary won 15 with a 2.75 ERA, and George Mogridge added 16 more wins to provide solid support behind Johnson.

#12: 1925 Washington Nationals, 50.2 WAR

The 1925 Nationals repeated as AL champs, this time topping the Athletics by a comfortable 8.5 game margin. However, their return trip to the World Series was spoiled by the Pirates in another 7-game series. The team would not return to a similar level of success until the early 1930s.

The Nationals offense once again paled compared to several AL rivals. Their 828 runs placed fourth, same as their .786 OPS. They ranked first in stolen bases and second in both BA and OBP, so their offense was slightly improved compared to the 1924 edition. Once again, the Nationals staff posted the top ERA, WHIP, and hits per 9 innings marks.

Goose Goslin again led the offense, batting .334 with an NL-best 20 triples. He also cracked 18 homers, had 113 RBI, and 116 runs scored. Sam Rice again was the next biggest threat, batting .350 with 111 runs scored. Joe Harris batted .323 with 12 homers in just 100 games, and Joe Judge (.314 BA) and Muddy Ruel (.310 BA) provided additional support. Walter Johnson (age 37) and Stan Coveleski (age 35) each won 20 games, with Coveleski posting an AL-best 2.84 ERA. Dutch Ruether chipped in with 18 wins to give the Nationals a strong mound trio.

#11: 1924 New York Giants, 50.3 WAR

The 1924 Giants edged the Brooklyn Robins (1.5 games back) and Pittsburgh Pirates (4.5 back) in a three-team race for the NL pennant. The Giants would go on to lose to the Senators in a classic 7-game World Series.

The Giants had a big offense in 1924 that carried them to the pennant. Their 857 runs scored topped the Cardinals by 117 runs, and they made a clean sweep of the BA, OBP, and OPS metrics. They also ranked at or near the top in doubles, homers, and walks. The Giants’ pitching was adequate, but clearly not the equal of their offense. They ranked third in ERA, fourth in WHIP, and first in saves (with 19).

Frankie Frisch led a deep positional lineup, batting .328 with an NL-best 121 runs scored to go with his excellent range at second base. Ross Youngs batted a robust .356 with 112 runs scored, while George Kelly led the NL with 136 RBI to go with 21 homers. The left side of the infield was productive – shortstop Travis Jackson batted .302 in his age-20 season, and 3rd baseman Heinie Groh batted .281 in his age-34 season. On the mound, Virgil Barnes posted a 16-10 mark, while Hugh McQuillan added 14 wins with a 2.69 ERA. Art Nehf (14) and Jack Bentley (16) combined for another 30 wins.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1920s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #10 to #6, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 1920s 20 through 16

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the first countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1920s. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1920s (1920-1929), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #20 through #16.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1920s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#20: 1921 New York Giants, 48.1 WAR162

The 1921 Giants returned to the top of the National League, winning the pennant by four games over the Pirates. The team had a high-scoring offense to pair with above-average pitching. This formula would make them the NL’s dominant team for the first half of the decade.

The Giants’ 840 runs were well ahead of the Cardinals (809 runs) and far ahead of all other rivals. The Cardinals boasted a .308 BA, 10 points ahead of the Giants in the high-scoring, lively ball era that was taking shape. The Giants did edge out the Cards in OBP, courtesy of an NL-best 469 walks. They also placed second in OPS, and first in stolen bases, albeit with far fewer than in the deadball era. The team’s 3.55 ERA placed third, while their WHIP was second; other categories ranked in the middle of the NL.

Dave Bancroft and Frankie Frisch were the clear leaders of the team, each scoring 121 runs to top the Giants. Bancroft batted .318 at shortstop, while Frisch stole 49 bases and picked up 100 RBI while manning third base. Ross Youngs (.327 BA, 16 triples) and George Kelly (.308 BA, NL-best 23 HR) provided the second-level offensive support. The mound corps was led by Jesse Barnes (15-9, 3.10 ERA, 6 saves) and Art Nehf (20-10), with support from Fred Toney (18-11).

#19: 1920 New York Yankees, 48.6 WAR162

The 1920 Yankees finished third in a tight AL pennant chase, four games behind the 1st-place Indians. The 1920 team was a forerunner of greater seasons to come in a dominant Yankees decade.

The Yankees displayed a potent offense that ranked first in home runs, second in runs scored, and third in OPS, while lagging behind in stolen bases and triples. This was a team built for power in the new live ball era. The pitching staff was quite effective, leading the AL in ERA, shutouts, WHIP, and hits per 9 innings.

Babe Ruth almost single-handedly carried the offense, putting up unprecedented numbers – 54 homers, 135 RBI, 158 runs scored, and 150 walks, leading to a .532 OBP and 1.379 OPS. Baseball had not seen anything like the 1920 version of Ruth. Del Pratt was next in line, batting .314 with 108 RBI, followed by Roger Peckinpaugh (.270 BA, 109 runs) and Bob Meusel (.328 BA, 40 doubles).

#18: 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates, 49.0 WAR162

The 1925 edition of the Pirates won both the NL pennant and World Series, defeating the Nationals in seven games. The Pittsburgh club cruised to an 8.5 game margin over the Giants, riding a potent offense that plated 912 runs for the season, far ahead of the Cardinals’ 828.

The Pirates batted .307 (the NL average was an elevated .292), stole 159 bases, rapped 316 doubles, and had a team OPS of .818, all tops in the NL. The pitching was solid, if not at the level of the offense. Their 3.87 ERA ranked second; they also ranked second in WHIP, and third in hits per 9 innings.

Kiki Cuyler was the clear offensive leader for Pittsburgh, with a .357 BA, 26 triples and 144 runs (both NL-best), and a healthy 1.021 OPS. Max Carey (46 steals, .343 BA), Glenn Wright (18 homers, .308 BA), and Pie Traynor (.320 BA, 39 doubles) also contributed significantly.

#17: 1928 St. Louis Cardinals, 49.1 WAR162

The 1928 Cardinals triumphed over the Giants (2 games behind) and Cubs (4 games back) in a competitive NL pennant race, before being swept by the Yankees in a one-sided World Series.

The Cards were solid both offensively and defensively, finishing tied for second in runs scored, first in doubles, second in homers, and a very close third in stolen bases. They also ranked third in BA and OPS, and second in OBP. The pitching numbers were similar – second in ERA, first in WHIP, and second in strikeout-to-walk rate.

The offense was balanced without having a single big-name star. Jim Bottomley did lead the NL with 20 triples, 31 homers, and 136 RBI, and also posted a 1.030 OPS. Chick Hafey batted .337 with 46 doubles and 111 RBI, Frankie Frisch stole 29 bases while batting .300, and Taylor Douthit batted .295. The pitching was led by Bill Sherdel, who posted a 21-10 record with a 2.86 ERA, and the 41-year-old Grover Alexander put together a 16-9 campaign. Jesse Haines went 20-8 as the third starter; all three pitched between 240 and 250 innings.

#16: 1924 Pittsburgh Pirates, 49.1 WAR

The 1924 Pirates finished a very close third in the 1924 NL pennant race, trailing the Giants (by 4.5 games) and the Robins (by 3 games). A year later, the Pirates would take the top spot with a better record (95-58) but a lower team WAR162.

The Pirates in 1924 possessed a good (not great) offense and a strong pitching staff that kept them in the pennant chase throughout the season. They ranked third in runs (far behind the Giants), first in triples, first in stolen bases, and third in OPS. The pitching staff ranked second in ERA, first in shutouts, second in WHIP, and second in walks per 9 innings.

Glenn Wright led the position players for the Pirates, batting .287 from his shortstop position with 111 RBI. Kiki Cuyler batted a robust .354 with 32 steals, and Max Carey led the NL with 49 steals to go with his 113 runs scored. The pitching was led by veteran Wilbur Cooper, who posted a 20-14 mark with 4 shutouts, and Ray Kremer, who had an 18-10 mark with 4 shutouts of his own. Emil Yde also tossed 4 shutouts on his way to a 16-3 mark and an excellent 2.83 ERA. The four shutouts for each pitcher tied for the NL lead in 1924.

Summary

That’s it for the first entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1920s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #15 to #11, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1910s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 5 through 1

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the next countdown post in our series of 1910s MLB Team Rankings. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1910s (1910-1919), a total of 160 teams were eligible (16 teams x 10 seasons), so the top 20 teams are a fairly exclusive group. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #5 through #1.

Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1910s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#5: 1915 Chicago White Sox, 54.8 WAR162

The 1915 White Sox rank ahead of two teams that finished above them during the season – the Tigers and Red Sox. Not only were the Tigers and Red Sox lucky relative to their projected wins, but the White Sox were very unlucky at seven wins below their projected 100-54 record.

The White Sox had the top run differential in the AL in 1915, the result of a very good offense paired with excellent pitching. Offensively, they ranked 2nd in multiple categories, including OBP, OPS, stolen bases, and doubles, and ranked first in triples. On the pitching side, their staff ranked first in both WHIP and strikeout-to-walk rate, and third in ERA.

Standout second baseman Eddie Collins posted one of his best seasons after coming over from the Athletics, batting .332 with 119 walks, 118 runs scored, a .460 OBP, and .896 OPS. Jack Fournier batted .322 and led the AL with a .491 slugging percentage, fueled by his 18 triples. Ray Schalk (.366 OBP) and Buck Weaver (11 triples, 83 runs scored) provided additional support. Jim Scott and Red Faber were the cornerstones of a strong pitching staff. Scott led the AL with 7 shutouts and compiled a 24-7 record and 2.03 ERA; Faber also won 24, and the trio of Reb Russell, Joe Benz, and Eddie Cicotte combined for 39 more wins. All five of these pitchers logged between 223 and 300 innings, pitching as both starters and in relief.

#4: 1911 Philadelphia Athletics, 55.0 WAR162

The 1911 version of the Athletics dominated the American League, rolling to the pennant, 13.5 games ahead of the runner-up Tigers. Their run differential was massive – they averaged 1.7 runs per game, scoring at the highest rate while holding opponents to the fewest runs.

The A’s led the AL in BA, OBP, and OPS ahead of the Ty Cobb-led Tigers. They were also near the top in doubles, triples, home runs, and stolen bases. The pitching numbers were also very good, although not tops in the league. The A’s ranked in the top three in most categories, including hits per 9 innings, ERA, and shutouts.

The A’s leveraged their usual 1-2 punch offensively, with Eddie Collins (.365 BA, 38 steals, .932 OPS) and Home Run Baker (115 RBI, NL-best 11 homers, .334 BA) leading the team in WAR162. Danny Murphy was solid, with a .329 BA, and Bris Lord batted .310. On the mound, it was Eddie Plank and Charles Bender combining for 40 wins, with 2.10 and 2.16 ERAs, respectively. Jack Coombs was the workhorse, pitching 336 innings on his way to a 28-12 mark, despite a rather high 3.53 ERA.

#3: 1912 Boston Red Sox, 56.6 WAR162

The 1912 Red Sox broke the stranglehold the Tigers and Athletics had on the top spot in the AL. They breezed to 105 wins and a 14-game margin over the Nationals, but would relinquish the top spot to the Athletics in 1913.

The Sox led the league in runs, doubles, OBP, and OPS, and ranked near the top in every category except stolen bases. The pitching staff led the league in complete games, shutouts, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate. They ranked second in ERA behind the Nationals. It was easy to see why they toyed with their rivals over the course of the 1912 season.

The 1912 Red Sox had two players achieve WAR162 values greater than 10, one as a position player (Tris Speaker) and the other on the mound (Smoky Joe Wood). Speaker had a fabulous season, batting .383 with a 1.031 OPS, leading the AL with 53 doubles, 10 homers, and a .464 OBP while excelling defensively in center field. Larry Gardner was the primary support behind Speaker, batting .315 with 86 RBI and 18 triples. Smoky Joe Wood had a career season, pitching his way to a 34-5 record with a 1.91 ERA, 10 shutouts, 258 strikeouts, and 35 complete games. While Wood was the main act, he received strong support from Ray Collins (13-8, 2.53 ERA), Buck O’Brien (20-13), and Hugh Bedient (20-9 as a starter and reliever).

#2: 1911 New York Giants, 57.4 WAR

The 1911 Giants were one of several pennant-winning squads in the decade, 1911-1913 and 1917, as the New Yorkers made a claim as the dominant NL club for the period. Based on the WAR162 metrics, the 1911 edition was their finest team of the decade, leading the NL in both scoring (runs per game) and run prevention.

The Giants’ power numbers don’t impress too much – second in doubles, third in triples, fourth in homers. However, they could hit for average (NL-best .279) and run – their 347 steals were 57 ahead of the Reds, and more than double the thefts of a few teams. The pitching staff was a strength, with an NL-best 2.69 ERA and 95 complete games. They also ranked second in shutouts and WHIP, and led the NL in strikeout and strikeout-to-walk rates.

As usual for this era of Giants teams, there were no marquee positional stars at the level of a Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins, or Tris Speaker. What they lacked in star power, they made up for with a roster of above-average contributors at nearly every position. Larry Doyle was the best of this group in 1911, rapping an NL-best 25 triples to go with 13 homers, 38 steals, a .310 BA, and .924 OPS. Fred Merkle slugged 12 homers with a .283 BA and 49 steals, Fred Snodgrass batted .294 with 51 stolen bases, and Art Fletcher batted .319 in a part-time role at shortstop. Pitching was a strength, with the dynamic tandem of Christy Mathewson (26-13, NL-best 1.99 ERA) and Rube Marquard (24-7, league-leading 237 strikeouts) dominating opponents. Red Ames and Doc Crandall combined for 26 wins, with Crandall finishing a league-high 26 games in a closer role.

#1: 1910 Philadelphia Athletics, 62.3 WAR

The 1910 Athletics were a dominant squad that ran away with the AL, finishing 14.5 games ahead of the second-place Highlanders. This team would be the first in a 5-year span where the Athletics would claim four pennants before Connie Mack would break up the team. They would not return to a similar level of success until the late 1920s.

The Athletics were challenged by the 3rd-place Tigers in many offensive categories, with the Tigers ranking first in runs scored. However, the A’s were very consistent – 2nd in runs, 1st in doubles and triples, first in BA, 2nd in OBP, and first in OPS. The difference maker for the A’s was their exceptional pitching, which led the AL in ERA (1.79), shutouts (24), and complete games (123). They ranked near the top in several other categories, competing against a very good White Sox staff.

Eddie Collins had a sensational 1910 season, batting .324 with 81 steals (AL-best), 81 runs, and 81 RBI while playing very strong defense at second base. Home Run Baker batted .283 with 15 triples, Rube Oldring hit .308 with 79 runs scored, and Danny Murphy batted an even .300. Jack Barry contributed from his shortstop position with a .259 BA and 60 RBI. On the mound, Jack Coombs had a career year with a 31-9 record and a 1.30 ERA. Charles Bender was his typically consistent self, pitching his way to a 23-5 record with a 1.58 ERA, and Cy Morgan went 18-12 with a 1.55 ERA. The veteran Eddie Plank chipped in with 16 wins as a third option on the hill.

Summary

That’s it for this entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1910s decade! Here’s a quick summary of which franchises dominated the decade:

We’ll start visiting the 1920s next week. As always, thanks for reading!