MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 15 through 11

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the second countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1980s. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1980s (1980-1989), a total of 280 team-seasons were eligible, so the top 20 teams are a rather exclusive group – the top 7% for the decade. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of the team’s 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: 1980s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#15: 1985 Los Angeles Dodgers, 48.7 WAR162

The 1985 Dodgers topped the NL West by 5.5 games over the Reds before falling to the Cardinals in a six-game NLCS.

The Dodgers finished 5th in runs, playing half their games in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. The offense had modest power and speed by league standards, but they did manage to rank 2nd in BA and OBP, and 3rd in OPS. The pitching staff was excellent, even given the friendly home ballpark, ranking first in ERA, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Pedro Guerrero had one of his best seasons, leading the NL with a .422 OBP and .999 OPS while batting .320 with 33 homers. Catcher Mike Scioscia had a fine season, batting .296 with a .407 OBP and stellar defense. Mike Marshall added 238 home runs and 95 RBI while batting .293. Orel Hershiser (19-3, 2.03ERA) and Fernando Valenzuela (17-10, 2.45 ERA) topped the pitching staff, with solid support from 14-game winners Bob Welch and Jerry Reuss.

#14: 1985 New York Mets, 49.4 WAR162

The 1985 Mets won 98 games but fell three games short of the Cardinals for the NL East title. Nonetheless, this team was one of several strong Mets teams in the mid- to late-1980s.

The Mets had a solid offense, finishing 3rd in runs and home runs, and 4th in both BA and OPS. Pitching was a strong suit, as the Mets staff placed 3rd in ERA and 2nd in WHIP and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Gary Carter led the Mets offensively while playing strong defense behind the plate. Carter batted .281 with 32 home runs and 100 RBI. Keith Hernandez won a Gold Glove at first base while batting .309 with 91 RBI, and Darryl Strawberry homered 29 times with 79 RBI in just 111 games. On the mound, Dwight Gooden assembled one of the best seasons ever by a pitcher, winning the Cy Young with a 24-4 record and 1.53 ERA. Gooden received strong support from Ron Darling (16-6, 2.90 ERA) and Sid Fernandez, who topped the NL in strikeout rate while yielding the fewest hits per 9 innings.

#13: 1980 Baltimore Orioles, 49.5 WAR162

The 1989 Athletics easily won the AL West by 7 games over the Royals. They then topped the Blue Jays in five games and the Giants in four to claim the World Series crown.

The A’s offense was limited in 1989, placing 4th in runs and OBP, and just 6th in BA and OPS. The team ranked 2nd with 157 stolen bases, helping the Athletics’ manufacturer runs. The pitching staff performed well, leading the AL in ERA and WHIP, and tying for first with 20 shutouts.

Rickey Henderson was the offensive sparkplug, batting .294 with 52 steals in just 85 games. Carney Lansford batted .336 with 37 stolen bases, and Dave Henderson added 15 homers and 80 RBI, along with strong defense. Mark McGwire launched 33 homers to help diversify the A’s offense. Mike Moore (19-11, 2.62 ERA) and Dave Stewart (21-9) combined for 40 wins at the top of the rotation, with Bob Welch adding 17 more wins.

#12: 1980 New York Yankees, 49.6 WAR162

The 1982 Brewers beat out the Orioles by a single game for the AL East title, then defeated the Angels in a 5-game ALCS. Their good fortune ran out in the World Series, where they lost to the Cardinals in seven games.

The Brewers rode a powerful offense to the top of the AL, scoring 891 runs on the season. They also launched 216 home runs, 30 more than their closest rival. The club finished second in BA and first in OPS to rank as the league’s most dominant offense. Pitching was merely average (at best), as the Brewers ranked 6th in ERA and 10th in WHIP out of 14 AL teams.

Robin Yount led the offense with an MVP season, totaling 46 doubles, a .957 OPS, and a .331 BA with 210 hits. He also claimed the Gold Glove Award at shortstop. Paul Molitor topped the league with 136 runs scored while posting a .302 BA, and Cecil Cooper slugged 32 homers with 121 RBI and a .313 BA. Gorman Thomas added additional pop with an AL-best 39 home runs. Pete Vuckovich won the AL Cy Young Award based on his 18-6 record, and Rollie Fingers saved 29 games.

#11: 1987 Detroit Tigers, 50.0 WAR

The 1986 Angels topped the AL West, beating the Rangers by five games before losing a dramatic five-game ALCS to the Red Sox.

The Angels had a rather ordinary offense in 1986, finishing 6th in runs, 7th in homers, and 9th in BA. They were adept at drawing walks, leading the AL with 671 walks, which boosted their OBP to third in the league. Pitching was a strength, as the Angels staff led the league in WHIP and ranked second in ERA behind the Royals.

Garry Pettis stole 50 bases, scored 93 runs, and earned a Gold Glove for his defensive work in center field. Brian Downing posted a .389 OBP with 20 homers and 95 RBI, and Dick Schofield stole 23 bases and provided strong defense at shortstop. Mike Witt was the Angels’ ace on the mound, posting an 18-10 record with a 2.84 ERA, aided by Kirk McCaskill, who logged a 17-10 mark on the season.

Summary

That’s it for the second entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1980s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #10 to #6, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

Athletics Radial Axis Network

Posted on by kc2519

Our next entry in the MLB Radial Axis Series features the Athletics in all their iterations, from Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland, and now Sacramento. In total, we’re talking about 125 seasons from 1901 through 2025. We’re going to walk through some highlights from the network, and then provide the link so you can explore it in detail. For some background on how the network graphs work, select this link – Anatomy of MLB radial axis graphs.

The Athletics Network

The Athletics’ radial axis network reflects the connections among all players who spent time with the franchise from 1901 to 2025. The 1901 season is found at the bottom center of the graph. Subsequent seasons are arranged clockwise, eventually returning to the bottom center with the 2025 season. Player nodes are sized by the number of seasons spent with the team, and the gray lines between nodes reflect connections to other players. The interactive version of the network is here – Athletics Network.

Top 10 by Seasons Played (Size)

Harry Davis played 16 seasons at the turn of the 20th century for the Philadelphia-based Athletics to claim the longevity title. Given Connie Mack’s propensity for breaking up his A’s teams when stars became too expensive (Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Eddie Collins, etc.), we don’t see many stars with an entire career spent with the A’s. The Oakland edition of the Athletics features a few names, including Rickey Henderson (1979-84, 1989-93, 1994-95, 1998), Bert Campaneris (1964-76), and Eric Chavez (1998-2010).

Top 10 by Degree (the number of connections)

Eric Chavez tops the list for the most teammates, followed closely by Rickey Henderson. Unlike most original franchises (dating to 1901), the Athletics typically failed to keep players for their entire career; thus, there are no players with 300 or more connections.

Top 10 by Harmonic Closeness Centrality

With Harmonic Closeness Centrality, we measure how closely an individual player is related to all other players in the network. Rickey Henderson tops this list, due to both his 14 years with the team and his multiple stints. Several other players are prominent due to the period when they played for the A’s. Mark McGwire, Tony Phillips, Joe Rudi, and Reggie Jackson all played during the 1970s or 1980s, placing them in close proximity to both older and more recent team members.

Top 10 by Betweenness Centrality

Betweenness Centrality measures which players rank highest for the ability to connect to all other players. Reggie Jackson (1967-75, 1987), Al Simmons (1924-32, 1940-41), and Art Ditmar (1954-56, 1961-62) top the rankings for this measure. Interestingly, all three had Athletics stints at the start and end of their careers. This places them in the unique position of having at least two distinct sets of teammates as direct connections.

Summary

That’s it for our overview of the Athletics network. Be sure to visit the interactive graph to discover additional insights about the Athletics players over the last 125 seasons. We’ll be back shortly with our next franchise entry. Thanks for reading!

Astros Radial Axis Network

Posted on by kc2519

Our next entry in the MLB Radial Axis Series features the Astros, who started out as the Colt .45s in 1962. We’re going to walk through some highlights from the network, and then provide the link so you can explore it in detail. For some background on how the network graphs work, select this link – Anatomy of MLB radial axis graphs.

The Astros Network

The Astros’ radial axis network reflects the connections between all players who spent time with the franchise between the 1962 and 2025 seasons. The 1962 season is found at the bottom center of the graph. Subsequent seasons are arranged clockwise, eventually returning to the bottom center with the 2025 season. Player nodes are sized based on the number of seasons spent with the team, and the gray lines between nodes reflect connections to other players. The interactive version of the network is here – Astros Network.

Top 10 by Seasons Played (Size)

Craig Biggio sits alone at the top of the Astros seasons played list with 20, trailed by Jose Altuve (now in season 16) and Jeff Bagwell. Other long-tenured Angels legends include Terry Puhl, Bob Watson, Jose Cruz, Larry Dierker, and Denny Walling.

Top 10 by Degree (the number of connections)

Craig Biggio again tops the degrees ranking, having been on an Astros roster with 338 different teammates. Jose Altuve is likely to claim the top spot eventually, while Jeff Bagwell is a distant third. Jason Castro had two stints (2010-16, 2021-22) with Houston, leading to a large number of different teammates.

Top 10 by Harmonic Closeness Centrality

With Harmonic Closeness Centrality, we’re measuring how strongly an individual player is related to all players in the network. The Astros famed Killer B’s dominate this measure. Biggio, Bagwell, and Berkman all rank at the top of the most well-connected players in Astros history, with Biggio the clear leader. Jose Altuve and Wandy Rodriguez are also very favorably positioned within the network, along with other Astros legends like Ken Caminiti, Roy Oswalt, and Terry Puhl.

Top 10 by Betweenness Centrality

Betweenness Centrality measures which players are most central to the network. Often, this results in players who played in the middle period of a franchise’s history, or players with multiple stints with one franchise. Craig Biggio is unsurprisingly at the top of this measure, given his 20 seasons with the team between 1988 and 2007. If we wanted to connect to every Astro in the network, our most direct path is clearly through Biggio, followed by Greg Gross and Joe Morgan. Gross played just five seasons with the Astros, four to start his career and then one for his final MLB season. This split tenure gives him a unique position within the Astros network, connecting to teammates from 1973-76 and again in 1989.

Summary

That’s it for our overview of the Astros network. Be sure to visit the interactive graph to discover additional insights about the Astros players over the last 64 seasons. We’ll be back shortly with our next franchise entry. Thanks for reading!

1980s 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 1980s. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1980s (1980-1989), a total of 280 team-seasons were eligible, so the top 20 teams are a rather exclusive group – the top 7% for the decade. 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: 1980s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#20: 1982 Los Angeles Dodgers, 47.5 WAR162

The 1982 Dodgers finished a single game behind the Braves in the NL West race, despite a Pythagorean projection five games better than Atlanta.

The Dodgers were a solid offensive club, ranking 3rd (out of 14) in runs, OPS, OBP, and BA. Their 138 homers trailed only the Braves. On the mound, the Dodgers topped the NL in ERA, WHIP, and shutouts.

Pedro Guerrero was the offensive stalwart in 1982, batting. 304 with 32 home runs, 100 RBI, and 22 steals. Veteran shortstop Bill Russell had one of his best campaigns, batting .274 with solid defense. Ron Cey added 24 homers and 79 RBI. Steve Sax (.282 BA, 49 steals, Rookie of the Year) and Ken Landreaux (.284 BA, 31 steals) rounded out the top offensive producers for the Dodgers. 21-year-old lefty Fernando Valenzuela was the pitching story, posting a 19-13 record with a 2.87 ERA. Jerry Reuss added 18 wins for a formidable 1-2 punch.

#19: 1988 Boston Red Sox, 47.7 WAR162

The Red Sox topped the AL East, winning the division by a single game over the Tigers in a hotly contested 4-team race. Boston’s season ended in a 4-game ALCS sweep by the Athletics in a one-sided ALCS.

The Red Sox got things done on the offensive side of the ball, leading the league in runs, doubles, BA, OBP, and OPS. The pitching staff was less impressive, ranking 7th in both ERA and WHIP, although they ranked first in strikeouts and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Wade Boggs had a stellar season for the Sox, leading the league in BA (.366), OBP (.476), walks, OPS, doubles, and runs (128). Mike Greenwell had a career season for Boston, batting .325 with 22 homers and 119 RBI. Ellis Burks was a strong third option, batting .294 with 25 stolen bases. On the mound, Roger Clemens led the AL in strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts while winning 18 games. Lefty Bruce Hurst was a capable second starter, posting 18 wins. After the top two, the Sox pitching fell sharply, making the team lean heavily on outscoring opponents.

#18: 1989 Oakland Athletics, 47.8 WAR162

The 1989 Athletics easily won the AL West by 7 games over the Royals. They then topped the Blue Jays in five games and the Giants in four to claim the World Series crown.

The A’s offense was limited in 1989, placing 4th in runs and OBP, and just 6th in BA and OPS. The team ranked 2nd with 157 stolen bases, helping the Athletics’ manufacturer runs. The pitching staff performed well, leading the AL in ERA and WHIP, and tying for first with 20 shutouts.

Rickey Henderson was the offensive sparkplug, batting .294 with 52 steals in just 85 games. Carney Lansford batted .336 with 37 stolen bases, and Dave Henderson added 15 homers and 80 RBI, along with strong defense. Mark McGwire launched 33 homers to help diversify the A’s offense. Mike Moore (19-11, 2.62 ERA) and Dave Stewart (21-9) combined for 40 wins at the top of the rotation, with Bob Welch adding 17 more wins.

#17: 1982 Milwaukee Brewers, 47.9 WAR162

The 1982 Brewers beat out the Orioles by a single game for the AL East title, then defeated the Angels in a 5-game ALCS. Their good fortune ran out in the World Series, where they lost to the Cardinals in seven games.

The Brewers rode a powerful offense to the top of the AL, scoring 891 runs on the season. They also launched 216 home runs, 30 more than their closest rival. The club finished second in BA and first in OPS to rank as the league’s most dominant offense. Pitching was merely average (at best), as the Brewers ranked 6th in ERA and 10th in WHIP out of 14 AL teams.

Robin Yount led the offense with an MVP season, totaling 46 doubles, a .957 OPS, and a .331 BA with 210 hits. He also claimed the Gold Glove Award at shortstop. Paul Molitor topped the league with 136 runs scored while posting a .302 BA, and Cecil Cooper slugged 32 homers with 121 RBI and a .313 BA. Gorman Thomas added additional pop with an AL-best 39 home runs. Pete Vuckovich won the AL Cy Young Award based on his 18-6 record, and Rollie Fingers saved 29 games.

#16: 1986 California Angels, 48.1 WAR

The 1986 Angels topped the AL West, beating the Rangers by five games before losing a dramatic five-game ALCS to the Red Sox.

The Angels had a rather ordinary offense in 1986, finishing 6th in runs, 7th in homers, and 9th in BA. They were adept at drawing walks, leading the AL with 671 walks, which boosted their OBP to third in the league. Pitching was a strength, as the Angels staff led the league in WHIP and ranked second in ERA behind the Royals.

Garry Pettis stole 50 bases, scored 93 runs, and earned a Gold Glove for his defensive work in center field. Brian Downing posted a .389 OBP with 20 homers and 95 RBI, and Dick Schofield stole 23 bases and provided strong defense at shortstop. Mike Witt was the Angels’ ace on the mound, posting an 18-10 record with a 2.84 ERA, aided by Kirk McCaskill, who logged a 17-10 mark on the season.

Summary

That’s it for the first entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1980s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #15 to #11, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1970s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 5 through 1

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the third countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1970s. Expansion continued in the 1970s, with four new teams added for the 1977 season, adding to the four that started play in the 1969 season. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1970s (1970-1979), a total of 252 team-seasons were eligible, so the top 20 teams are a rather exclusive group – the top 8% for the decade. 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: 1970s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#5: 1975 Cincinnati Reds, 57.4 WAR162

The Reds and Orioles own the top five spots in our 1970s rankings. The list starts with the 1975 Reds, who posted a gaudy 108 wins before sweeping the Pirates in the NLCS. They then defeated the Red Sox in a classic seven-game World Series.

The Reds had an impressive offense in 1975, scoring 840 runs, 105 more than their closest rival. Their 124 homers ranked third, and their 168 stolen bases topped the NL. The team ranked second in BA and first in OBP and OPS. The Reds’ pitching staff was less notable, but still quite effective, ranking third in ERA, fourth in WHIP, and second in walks issued.

Joe Morgan had a sensational season en route to NL MVP honors. Morgan batted .327, and led the NL with 132 walks, a .466 OBP, and a .974 OPS. He also stole 67 bases, scored 107 runs, and earned a Gold Glove at second base. Johnny Bench assembled a big season as well, swatting 28 homers with 110 RBI and a Gold Glove. George Foster added 23 homers and a .300 BA, while Pete Rose batted .317 with NL-bests in doubles (47) and runs (112). Dave Concepcion (.274 BA, 33 steals, Gold Glove) and Cesar Geronimo (Gold Glove) were also major contributors for the Big Red Machine. Gary Nolan and Don Gullett (2.42 ERA) each won 15 games for a balanced Reds pitching staff.

#4: 1976 Cincinnati Reds, 58.5 WAR162

The Reds were back in 1976, once again claiming the NL West title and the NL pennant, before sweeping the Yankees in the World Series.

The Reds’ offense was again fearsome, scoring an NL-best 857 runs, 87 more than the Phillies. Their 271 doubles, 63 triples, and 141 homers all topped the NL; they also swept the BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS rankings. Once again, their pitching lacked big-name stars, but was up to the task. The Reds’ staff ranked fifth (out of 12) in both ERA and WHIP.

Joe Morgan repeated as the NL MVP, batting .320 and leading the league in OBP, SLG, and OPS. He also stole 60 bases, scored 113 runs, and had 11 RBI, plus another Gold Glove Award. Pete Rose had a fine age-35 season, batting .323 and leading the NL in runs, hits, and doubles. George Foster belted 29 homers, had a .306 BA, and topped the NL with 121 RBI. Johnny Bench’s offensive output dipped from prior seasons, but he still managed 74 RBI, a .348 OBP, and another Gold Glove Award. Dave Concepcion (.281 BA, Gold Glove) and Ken Griffey (.336 BA, 34 steals) added offensive and defensive efficiency to the team. Pat Zachry posted a 14-7 record with a 2.74 ERA to capture NL Rookie of the Year honors, while the rest of the pitching staff was solid rather than spectacular.

#3: 1971 Baltimore Orioles, 59.3 WAR162

The 1971 Orioles cruised to the AL East title, leaving the Tigers 12 games behind. They then swept the Athletics in the ALCS before falling to the Pirates in a seven-game World Series.

The Orioles topped the AL in BA, OBP, and OPS while scoring a league-leading 742 runs (despite playing four fewer games). They ranked fourth in homers, but only the Tigers hit more per game. Pitching was an Orioles strength in the 1969-73 era, and 1971 was no exception. The Birds led the AL in ERA and placed second in WHIP.

Brooks Robinson (18 homers, 94 RBI, Gold Glove Award) and Merv Rettenmund (.322 BA, 18 home runs in just 385 plate appearances) led the way for the Orioles. Don Buford had another fine season with a .406 OBP and 99 runs scored, and Mark Belanger played his usual exceptional defense at shortstop. Davey Johnson batted .281 and earned a Gold Glove Award at second base, and Boog Powell slugged 35 homers with 114 RBI to claim AL MVP honors. On the mound, the Orioles had four 20-game winners, led by Jim Palmer (20-9, 2.68 ERA), Pat Dobson (20-8, 2.90 ERA), and Dave McNally (21-5, 2.89 ERA). Veteran lefty Mike Cuellar posted a 20-9 mark to complete the dominant starting rotation.

#2: 1970 Baltimore Orioles, 59.4 WAR162

The 1970 Orioles easily won the AL East, finishing 15 games ahead of the Yankees. They then dominated the postseason, sweeping the Twins and the ALCS and beating the Reds in a five-game World Series.

The Orioles featured a potent offense that ranked first in the AL in runs, third in BA, first in OBP, and second in OPS. Their pitching staff led the AL in ERA, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate. This team could win either with offense or by shutting down the opposition.

Paul Blair and Boog Powell led the Orioles in positional WAR162 in 1971, albeit via very different means. Blair batted .262 while playing exceptional Gold Glove defense, and Powell belted 22 homers with 92 RBI and drew 82 walks. Merv Rettenmund batted .318 with 15 steals as a fourth outfielder, while veteran star Frank Robinson had 28 homers and 99 RBI in his age-35 season. Don Buford (.413 OBP, AL-best 99 runs), Brooks Robinson (20 homers, 92 RBI, Gold Glove), and Davey Johnson (.282 BA, Gold Glove) all provided significant offensive and defensive support for the Orioles.

#1: 1973 Baltimore Orioles, 60.2 WAR

The 1973 Orioles claimed their 4th AL East title in 5 years, but were upended by the Athletics in a 5-game ALCS. The Orioles Pythagorean win projection was 102, a full five games better than their actual result.

The Orioles again had a diverse offense, albeit one with more speed and less power than in recent years. The O’s 146 steals easily led the AL, while the team ranked third in BA and OPS, and first in OBP. Their 754 runs were just 4 behind the A’s league-leading 758. Pitching remained a strong suit for Baltimore, as its staff topped the AL in ERA and WHIP.

Second baseman Bobby Grich had a career WAR year in 1973, scoring 82 runs, drawing 107 walks, and playing Gold Glove defense. Paul Blair claimed another Gold Glove while batting .280 with 18 steals, and Merv Rettenmund had a .378 OBP and 59 runs scored in 390 plate appearances. Al Bumbry was the AL Rookie of the Year, batting .337 with 23 steals and an AL-best 11 triples. Jim Palmer had another great season on the mound, posting a 22-9 record with a 2.40 ERA in winning the Cy Young Award. Dave McNally won 17 games in support of Palmer.

That’s it for the final entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1970s decade! Here’s a summary of the most dominant franchises of the 1970s:

Angels Radial Axis Network

Posted on by kc2519

Our first entry in the MLB Radial Axis Series features the Angels in all their editions – California, Anaheim, Los Angeles, etc. We’re going to walk through some highlights from the network, and then provide the link so you can explore it in detail. For some background on how the network graphs work, select this link – Anatomy of MLB radial axis graphs.

The Angels Network

The Angels’ radial axis network reflects the connections between all players who spent time with the franchise between the 1961 and 2025 seasons. The first season (1961) is found at the bottom center. Subsequent seasons are arranged clockwise, eventually returning to the bottom center with the 2025 season. Player nodes are sized based on the number of seasons spent with the team, and the gray lines between nodes reflect connections to other players. The interactive version of the network is here – Angels Network.

Top 10 by Seasons Played (Size)

Garret Anderson and Mike Trout top the Angels with 15 seasons on the roster (through 2025). Trout is now in his 16th season, so he’ll be alone atop any future list. Other long-tenured Angels legends include Tim Salmon, Chuck Finley, and Brian Downing.

Top 10 by Degree (the number of connections)

Tim Salmon tops the Degree list, having been on a roster with 284 other players across his Angels career. Garret Anderson and Chuck Finley are close behind, with Mike Trout poised to eventually pass everyone.

Top 10 by Harmonic Closeness Centrality

The Harmonic Closeness metric measures the relative importance of a player (based on their average distance from all other players) within a franchise’s history. This can be affected by both the number of degrees and the proximity to other well-connected players. On a scale from 0 to 1, Tim Salmon and Garret Anderson earned nearly identical scores atop the rankings. Dick Schofield, Chuck Finley, and Darin Erstad round out the Angels’ top five.

Top 10 by Betweenness Centrality

Betweenness Centrality measures which players are most central to the network. Often, this results in players who played in the middle period of a franchise’s history, or players with multiple stints with one franchise. The latter is the case for both Dick Schofield (1983-92, 1995-96) and Andy Hassler (1971-76, 1980-83). These two players provide the shortest paths to connect to other Angels players. Garret Anderson, Tim Salmon, and Jered Weaver are next, but far behind Schofield and Hassler.

Summary

That’s it for our overview of the Angels network. Be sure to visit the interactive graph to discover additional insights about the Angels players over the last 65 seasons. We’ll be back shortly with our next franchise entry. Thanks for reading!

Anatomy of MLB Radial Axis Graphs

Posted on by kc2519

This post will introduce you to an upcoming series of MLB radial axis graphs, where we examine the connections between all players at a franchise level. The plan is to feature two teams per week, with an overview of each graph’s structure and highlights within the graph. Each graph will have the same general appearance and functionality; only the underlying data and team color will change. Every post will provide a link to the interactive graph, allowing you to explore freely. One caveat – the graphs are best explored on tablets, laptops, or large monitors; phone screens will not work well.

Let’s begin with the general concept behind the radial axis approach. I selected this layout (using Gephi) to provide an intuitive graph that is both easy to understand and navigate. Using a radial axis graph, we can arrange the data points (nodes) based on the first season a player was with a franchise (e.g., 1964). Players starting in the same season will be arranged in a radian originating near the center of the display. In addition, the players’ nodes are then arranged based on the number of seasons spent with a franchise. Let’s have a quick look, using the Anaheim Angels graph:

There’s a lot going on here, but we’ll explain it in the next few sections. First, you can see the structure of the graph, with each season radiating out from the center. The first season for each franchise is located near the bottom center; this will be the longest radian, as every player is new to the team that season. For the Angels, that season is 1961. The seasons are arranged clockwise from there, eventually wrapping back around to the 2025 season:

Title, Legend, and Search

The title, legend, and search function are all contained within a static window to the left of the graph. This window provides simple information about the graph; selecting the More about this visualization option opens a new window that provides greater detail about the graph:

Specific players and their connections can be found using the Search function:

Player Nodes

Each node in the graph represents a specific player. We can hover over any node to see who the player is, and we can click on any node to find out more information about that player, in this case Jered Weaver:

We now have detailed information about Jered Weaver in the Information Pane to the right of the graph. Later in this post, we’ll walk through the graph statistics, but for now, we can see the first and last seasons played, the size (# of seasons), and at the bottom, all of the players Weaver played with for one or more seasons. Each of these Connections can be clicked on to update the display. The size attribute is reflected in the graph; players with more seasons will have larger nodes than those with just a season or two.

Player Connections

The thin gray lines between graph nodes represent the connections between players. The Connections section contains this information, as we just discussed. As you might expect, these connections (edges) aid us in viewing the overall structure of the graph.

Graph Statistics

Network graph analysis uses several calculations to help summarize a graph. These measures can seem rather technical and difficult to interpret. We will simplify things in our upcoming posts for each franchise. In this section, I’ll provide a simple overview of each metric displayed in the Information Pane.

The Degree statistic measures the number of connections a selected player has. Typically, players with lengthy careers have the most connections, but players with multiple shorter stints may also have high degree numbers.

The Eccentricity statistic measures the number of steps required to connect to the most distant node in the graph. This number will be higher (on average) for original franchises dating to 1901.

The Closeness Centrality statistic measures the relative importance (from 0 to 1) of any player within the network. Higher scores indicate an individual who is close to many other players in the network. In practical terms, players who were with a franchise near the middle of all seasons will tend to have higher scores; they may connect to players from both earlier and later eras.

The Betweenness Centrality statistic measures how important an individual node is (from 0 to 1) for traversing the network. Players with many connections are most likely to score high on this statistic.

The Harmonic Closeness Centrality statistic also measures the relative importance of a player (from 0 to 1) in the network. It is a variation on the original Closeness Centrality statistic. We will use this version in our series of franchise summaries.

Summary

That’s it for our overview of MLB radial axis graphs. We’ll start with individual franchises (alphabetized by name) in a couple of days, and will include summaries and a link to the interactive graph. As always, thanks for reading!

1970s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 10 through 6

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the third countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1970s. Expansion continued in the 1970s, with four new teams added for the 1977 season, adding to the four that started play in the 1969 season. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1970s (1970-1979), a total of 252 team-seasons were eligible, so the top 20 teams are a rather exclusive group – the top 8% for the decade. 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: 1970s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#10: 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates, 53.7 WAR162

The 1972 Pirates ran away with the NL East title, finishing a comfortable 11 games ahead of the Cubs. They then fell to the Reds in a 5-game NLCS series.

The Pirates had a solid offense, finishing third in runs while leading the NL in doubles and triples. Their .274 team BA easily led the league, and they ranked first in OPS by a narrow margin. The Pirates’ pitching staff had a strong season, finishing second in ERA, WHIP, and saves.

Richie Hebner had a fine season, batting .300 with 19 homers and 72 RBI from his third base position. Roberto Clemente batted .312 in 102 games, and Willie Stargell launched 33 homers with 112 RBI and a .293 BA. Manny Sanguillen (.298 BA, 71 RBI) and Dave Cash (.282 BA) provided additional support for a balanced offense. The pitching was led by Steve Blass (19-8, 2.42 ERA) and Bob Moose (13 wins, 2.91 ERA)

#9: 1977 New York Yankees, 55.7 WAR162

The 1977 Yankees prevailed in a tight three-team AL race, finishing 2.5 games ahead of both the Orioles and Red Sox. They then went on to defeat the Royals in the ALCS and the Dodgers in a six-game World Series.

The Yankees had a very respectable offense, finishing fourth in runs, third in BA and OBP, and second in OPS. The pitching staff was similarly strong, ranking third in ERA, first in shutouts, and third in WHIP.

Graig Nettles led a deep Yankees offense, mashing 37 home runs with 107 RBI while earning a Gold Glove at third base. Speedy Mickey Rivers stole 22 bases and batted .326, while Reggie Jackson whacked 32 home runs with 110 RBI and 93 runs scored. Thurman Munson posted a .308 BA with 18 homers and 100 RBI, and Willie Randolph batted .274 and played strong defense in his age-22 season. Ron Guidry was the Yankees’ ace, posting a 16-7 record with a 2.82 ERA. Ed Figueroa (16-11) and Sparky Lyle (13-5, 2.17 ERA, 26 saves, and the Cy Young Award) provided ample support from the mound.

#8: 1979 Baltimore Orioles, 55.8 WAR162

The Orioles cruised to an 8-game margin over the Brewers to claim the AL East. They went on to defeat the Angels in the ALCS before bowing to the Pirates in a seven-game World Series.

The Baltimoreans were not an impressive offensive team in 1979, ranking just 8th (out of 14 teams) in runs scored. They did flash some power, ranking third in home runs, and placed 5th in OPS. Pitching carried the O’s, as their staff easily topped the AL in ERA and WHIP.

Ken Singleton led a balanced offensive attack with a .295 BA, 35 home runs, and 111 RBI. Eddie Murray, a switch-hitter like Singleton, also batted .295 and added 25 homers and 99 RBI in his age-22 season. Gary Roenicke added another 25 home runs in just 133 games. Lefty Mike Flanagan (23-9, 5 shutouts, Cy Young winner) and righty Dennis Martinez (15 wins, AL-best 18 CG) led the pitching staff, supported by 13-game winner Scott McGregor, who led the league in WHIP.

#7: 1976 New York Yankees, 56.9 WAR162

The 1976 Yankees cruised to the AL East title by 10.5 games over the Orioles before defeating the Royals in a five-game ALCS. Their season came to an abrupt end in the World Series, as the Reds swept them in four games.

The Yankees had an offense that ranked in the top three in many categories – 2nd in runs, 3rd in homers, 3rd in stolen bases, 3rd in BA, 2nd in OBP, and 3rd in OPS. Their pitching was also quite effective, ranking 1st in both ERA and WHIP for the season.

Third baseman Graig Nettles had a career year, belting 32 homers with 93 RBI and exceptional defense. Mickey Rivers stole 43 bases to go with a .312 BA, and Roy White led the AL with 104 runs scored while stealing 31 bases. Catcher Thurman Munson claimed the AL MVP with a .302 BA, 17 homers, and 105 RBI. 21-year-old Willie Randolph gave the Yankees another threat on the basepaths, piling up 31 steals. The pitching staff was balanced, without any standouts. Ed Figueroa posted a 19-10 mark with a 3.02 ERA, and Catfish Hunter added 17 wins.

#6: 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers, 57.4 WAR

The 1974 Dodgers defeated the Reds by 4 games in a competitive NL West race before defeating the Pirates to claim the NL pennant. The World Series was a different story, with the Athletics defeating the Dodgers in five games.

The Dodgers had a potent offense that led the NL in runs, home runs, and OPS, while ranking second in BA and OBP. Pitching was also a relative strength, with 2nd-place rankings in WHIP, strikeout-to-walk rate, and strikeouts. The team also featured a strong pitching staff that led the NL in ERA, WHIP, walks, strikeouts, and strikeout-to-walk rate.

Veteran Jim Wynn had a terrific season, batting .271 with a .387 OBP (108 walks), 32 homers, 108 RBI, and 104 runs scored. Ron Cey (18 homers, 97 RBI), Steve Garvey (.312 BA, 21 homers, 11 RBI, NL MVP), and Davey Lopes (59 steals, 95 runs) led a deep supporting cast. Andy Messersmith posted a 20-6 mark with a 2.59 ERA to lead the Dodgers pitchers. Mike Marshall won the Cy Young Award with 15 wins, 21 saves, and a 2.42 ERA in an incredible 106 games. Don Sutton went 19-9 with five shutouts as an effective second starter in the rotation.

That’s it for the third entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1970s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #5 to #1, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1970s MLB Team Rankings Countdown: 15 through 11

Posted on by kc2519

Welcome to the second countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1970s. Expansion continued in the 1970s, with four new teams added for the 1977 season, adding to the four that started play in the 1969 season. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1970s (1970-1979), a total of 252 team-seasons were eligible, so the top 20 teams are a rather exclusive group – the top 8% for the decade. 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: 1970s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#15: 1975 Baltimore Orioles, 52.5 WAR162

The 1975 Orioles finished second in the AL East, 5 games behind the Red Sox. The Orioles may have been better than their record, as their Pythagorean win projection was 95, 5 games above their actual result.

The Orioles had a mediocre offense, even given Memorial Stadium’s pitching-friendly confines in 1975. The Birds ranked below league average in most key offensive categories, relying on pitching and defense to carry the team. Their pitching staff led the AL in ERA, shutouts, and WHIP, while their defense featured four Gold Glove winners.

Bobby Grich had perhaps the best season of his long career, with a .389 OBP (with 107 walks), 81 runs scored, and Gold Glove defense. Ken Singleton batted .300 with a .415 OBP (with 115 walks) and 88 runs scored, and Mark Belanger coupled Gold Glove defense with 16 steals. On the mound, Cy Young winner Jim Palmer posted a 23-11 record, 2.09 ERA, and 10 shutouts, all AL-best numbers. His primary support came from Mike Torrez (20-9 record).

#14: 1977 Kansas City Royals, 52.5 WAR162

The Royals experienced quick success by expansion standards, with the 1977 team rating as their best team of the 1970s. Kansas City’s 102 wins were enough to win the AL West by 8 games. Unfortunately, their season ended with a 5-game loss to the Yankees in the ALCS.

The Royals’ 822 runs ranked 5th in the 14-team AL, and they led the league in both doubles and triples. Their offense also ranked 5th in BA and 4th in OPS. The pitching staff produced some excellent results, ranking first in ERA, second in WHIP, and third in strikeout-to-walk rate.

George Brett was the offensive leader at age 24, with a .312 BA, 22 homers, 88 RBI, and 13 triples. Al Cowens also batted .312, and launched 23 home runs with 112 RBI. Hal McRae batted .298 with an AL-best 54 doubles. Dennis Leonard had an outstanding season on the mound, with a 20-12 record and 5 shutouts. He was backed up by Paul Splittorff (16-6) and Jim Colborn (18-14).

#13: 1972 Oakland Athletics, 52.6 WAR162

The 1972 Athletics became the first of three consecutive AL pennant winners and World Series champs from Oakland. The A’s outlasted the White Sox by 5.5 games in a strike-shortened season, then beat the Tigers in a 5-game ALCS win, and the Reds in a 7-game World Series triumph.

The Oakland club didn’t overwhelm teams offensively, ranking second in runs, first in home runs, sixth in BA and OPS, and fourth in OPS, playing home games in the pitcher-friendly Oakland Coliseum. The Athletics’ pitching staff was quite effective, ranking second in ERA, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk rate, while topping the league with 23 shutouts.

Joe Rudi led the way for the A’s with a .305 BA, 19 home runs, 75 RBI, and 94 runs scored. He was followed closely by a cluster of teammates – Reggie Jackson (25 homers, 75 RBI), Sal Bando (78 walks, 77 RBI), Mike Epstein (26 homers, 70 RBI), and Bert Campaneris (AL-best 52 steals). Catfish Hunter led the pitching staff with a 21-7 record and 2.04 ERA, followed by left-hander Ken Holtzman (19-11, 2.51 ERA).

#12: 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers, 53.0 WAR162

The 1977 Dodgers returned to the top of the NL West after two years of domination by the Reds, topping Cincinnati by 10 games. They went on to beat the Phillies in a 4-game NLCS before falling in a 6-game World Series to the Yankees.

The Dodgers had a capable offense in 1977, finishing 3rd in runs, 1st in homers, 5th in BA, and 3rd in both OBP and OPS. Pitching is what separated the team from the competition, as the Dodgers led the NL in ERA, WHIP, fewest walks, and best strikeout-to-walk rate.

Reggie Smith had a fine season for Los Angeles, with a .307 BA, NL-best .427 OBP, 32 homers, 87 RBI, and 104 runs scored. Davey Lopes stole 47 bases and batted .283, Ron Cey mashed 30 home runs with 110 RBI, and Steve Garvey batted .297 with 33 homers, 115 RBI, and a Gold Glove Award at first base. Dusty Baker rounded out the Dodgers diversified offense with a .291 BA and 30 homers.

#11: 1976 Philadelphia Phillies, 53.3 WAR

The 1976 Phillies rose to the top of the NL East after decades of frequent mediocrity. 1976 was the Phillies’ first time atop the standings since the 1950 Whiz Kids pennant winners. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get past a powerful Reds team, getting swept in a 3-game NLCS.

The Phillies had a potent offense that trailed only the Reds in most major categories – runs, home runs, BA, OBP, OPS, and doubles. Pitching was also a relative strength, with 2nd-place rankings in WHIP, strikeout-to-walk rate, and strikeouts. The Phillies’ staff issued the fewest walks in the NL, and also ranked 3rd in ERA.

Third Baseman Mike Schmidt powered the Phillies at the plate and in the field, belting 38 home runs with 107 RBI, 112 runs scored, 100 walks, and a Gold Glove Award. Center fielder Garry Maddox was another Gold Glove recipient, and batted .330 with 37 doubles and 29 stolen bases. Jay Johnstone batted .318 with 38 doubles to round out the Phillies’ top WAR producers. Veteran lefty Steve Carlton had a typically fine season, posting a 20-7 record. Carlton was supported by another pair of veterans in Jim Lonborg (age 34, 18-10 record) and Jim Kaat (age 37, 12 wins, Gold Glove award).

That’s it for the second entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1970s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #10 to #6, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!

1970s 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 1970s. Expansion continued in the 1970s, with four new teams added for the 1977 season, adding to the four that started play in the 1969 season. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1970s (1970-1979), a total of 252 team-seasons were eligible, so the top 20 teams are a rather exclusive group – the top 8% for the decade. 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: 1970s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard

#20: 1978 New York Yankees, 51.2 WAR162

The 1978 Yankees famously captured the AL East after a furious stretch run, ultimately defeating the Red Sox in a single-game playoff. They then defeated the Royals 3 games to 1 to win the AL pennant, and then beat the Dodgers in six games to win the World Series.

The Yankees had a good, but far from dominant, offense. Their 735 runs ranked 4th in the AL, and they ranked 6th in both BA and OPS. Pitching separated them from their rivals, as they led the league in ERA, WHIP, and hits per 9 innings, and ranked second in strikeout-to-walk rate and strikeouts.

Graig Nettles (.276 BA, 27 HR, 93 RBI, Gold Glove) and Willie Randolph (.381 OBP, 87 runs, 36 steals) led the offense in 1978, with considerable support. Reggie Jackson added 27 homers and 97 RBI, Lou Piniella batted .314, Mickey Rivers stole 25 bases, and Thurman Munson batted .297 from his catcher’s spot. Ron Guidry had a sensational year, winning the AL Cy Young Award with a 25-3 record, 1.74 ERA, 9 shutouts, and a 0.946 WHIP, all best in the league. Ed Figueroa went 20-9 with a 2.99 ERA, and closer Goose Gossage compiled 27 saves with a 2.01 ERA.

#19: 1977 Philadelphia Phillies, 51.8 WAR162

The Phillies broke through in the 1970s with several excellent teams, after decades of finishes near the bottom of the NL. The 1977 team claimed the NL East crown by 5 games over the Pirates, before losing to the Dodgers in the NLCS round.

The Phillies had a powerful offense that led the NL in runs scored with 847, 45 more than their closest rival. They ranked 2nd in homers, 4th in stolen bases, and first across BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS. Pitching was not as strong as the team’s hitting, with 4th-place ERA and 5th-place WHIP rankings (out of 14 teams).

Mike Schmidt was the clear offensive leader, bashing 38 home runs with 101 RBI, 114 runs, and a Gold Glove on defense. Greg Luzinski added 39 homers with 130 RBI and a .309 BA, while Bake McBride batted .339 with 27 steals in just 314 plate appearances. Garry Maddox won a Gold Glove in center field while also batting .292 and stealing 22 bases, and Larry Bowa stole 32 bases and batted .280. Steve Carlton was the mound star, posting a 23-10 record and 2.64 ERA to claim the Cy Young Award.

#18: 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers, 51.8 WAR162

The Dodgers repeated as NL West division winners by 2.5 games over the Reds in a competitive race, and once again defeated the Phillies in 4 games to claim the NL pennant. Their good fortune ended with a 6-game World Series defeat to the Yankees.

The Dodgers rode a balanced offense that featured both speed and power. Their 149 homers topped the NL, while their 137 steals tied for 5th in the 14-team NL. The team ranked first in each of the percentage metrics – BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS. Pitching was also a strength, as the Dodgers’ staff ranked first in ERA, 2nd in WHIP, and 3rd in strikeout-to-walk rate.

Ron Cey topped the Dodgers positional WAR, but was followed closely by three teammates. Cey had a .380 OBP with 23 home runs and 84 RBI, while his infield teammate Davey Lopes stole 45 bases, scored 93 runs, and hit 17 homers. Steve Garvey batted .316 with 21 homers and 113 RBI, and Reggie Smith added 29 home runs, 93 RBI, and a .295 BA. Burt Hooton led the effective pitching staff with a 19-10 record and 2.71 ERA, followed by 21-year-old Bob Welch, who went 7-4 with a 2.02 ERA in just 13 starts.

#17: 1975 Los Angeles Dodgers, 52.0 WAR162

The 1975 Dodgers were not smiled on by good luck – their Pythagorean win projection had them at 95 wins, versus the 88 they actually won. It would hardly have mattered, as the Reds went 108-54 to run away with the NL West title.

The Dodgers’ offense in 1975 was essentially a league-average offense, with a few bright spots. They ranked second in stolen bases, but were just 4th in homers, 8th in runs scored, and 9th in BA in the 12-team NL. Playing in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium certainly didn’t help their offensive production. The Dodgers’ pitching staff was very effective, ranking first in both ERA (2.92) and WHIP (1.132). They also walked the fewest batters while striking out the 2nd-most for the season.

Third baseman Ron Cey led the Dodgers’ offense in 1975, with a .283 BA, 25 home runs, and 101 RBI. Davey Lopes led the NL with 77 steals and scored 108 runs, and Steve Garvey batted .319 with 95 RBI. Veteran outfielder Jim Wynn walked 110 times on the way to a .403 OBP. The pitching was led by Andy Messersmith, who led the NL with 19 complete games and 7 shutouts on his way to a 19-14 record and 2.29 ERA. Veteran Don Sutton led the NL in WHIP and won 16 games, and Doug Rau posted a 15-9 slate. Burt Hooton went 18-7 with a 2.82 ERA to round out a formidable rotation.

#16: 1978 Milwaukee Brewers, 52.2 WAR

The 1978 Brewers trailed both the Yankees and Red Sox in a competitive AL East pennant race, finishing 6 games back before their one-game playoff. The Brewers were projected for 97 wins, so luck was not on their side in 1978.

The Brewers had a powerful offense that led the AL in runs with 804, just ahead of the Red Sox. They also ranked first in home runs, BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS, capitalizing on a multitude of contributors. The Brewers pitching was not as strong as their offense, placing 8th in ERA and 4th in WHIP. Their pitching staff didn’t beat themselves; they walked the fewest batters in the league.

Sal Bando and Larry Hisle led the Brewers’ balanced offensive attack. Bando batted .285 with 17 homers, 78 RBI, and 85 RBI. Hisle had a career year with 34 homers, 115 RBI, and a .290 BA, followed by 22-year-old shortstop Robin Yount, who batted .293 with 16 stolen bases. Versatile infielder Don Money batted .293 with 88 runs scored, and Ben Ogilvie batted .303 with 18 home runs. Sixto Lezcano (.292 BA, 15 homers) and Gorman Thomas (32 homers, 86 RBI) were also major contributors. The Brewers had two top-flight pitchers, but little depth behind them. Lefty Mike Caldwell posted a 22-9 record with a 2.36 ERA and AL-best 23 complete games with 6 shutouts. Larry Sorensen went 18-12 in his age-22 season; both Caldwell and Sorensen walked fewer than two batters per 9 innings.

Summary

That’s it for the first entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1970s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #15 to #11, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!