Welcome to the final 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 dashboards, and explain how they attained their rankings. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #5 through #1.
Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1980s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard
#5: 1987 Toronto Blue Jays, 53.1 WAR162
The 1987 Blue Jays were caught by the Tigers in the final week of the 1987 season. The Jays ultimately fell two games short of the AL East title after dropping their final 7 games.
The Jays had a potent offense, finishing second in the league with 215 homers and third with 845 runs. Their team OPS of .782 was also good for second, trailing only the Tigers. Toronto’s pitching staff led the AL in ERA and WHIP in the high-scoring 1987 season, and ranked second in strikeouts.
George Bell claimed AL MVP honors with an AL-best 134 RBI and added 47 home runs and a .308 BA. Shortstop Tony Fernandez (.322 BA, 32 steals, Gold Glove Award), and right fielder Jesse Barfield (28 home runs, 84 RBI, Gold Glove Award) were Bell’s primary support. Lloyd Moseby also had a fine season, batting .282 with 26 homers, 96 RBI, and 39 steals. Lefty Jimmy Key led the mound staff, topping the AL in ERA and WHIP while winning 17 games. Jim Clancy added 15 wins, and closer Tom Henke had an AL-best 34 saves with a 2.49 ERA.
#4: 1985 St. Louis Cardinals, 54.0 WAR162
The 1985 Cardinals topped the NL East by three games over the Mets. They then defeated the Dodgers in a six-game NLCS. The Cards’ run ended with a seven-game World Series defeat at the hands of the cross-state Royals.
The Cardinals’ offense was built on speed, as they compiled an astonishing 314 stolen bases, 132 more than their nearest rival. This speed propelled them to an NL-best 747 runs despite hitting just 87 homers, the second fewest in the league. The Cards led the NL in BA, OBP, and OPS (lots of doubles & triples) on their way to 101 wins. The pitching staff ranked second in ERA and third in WHIP, providing strong support for their potent offense.
NL MVP Willie McGee was the Cardinals’ offensive spark via his NL-best .353 BA coupled with 56 steals and 114 runs scored. Shortstop Ozzie Smith batted .276 with 31 steals while providing exceptional Gold Glove defense, and Tom Herr batted .302 with 31 steals, 38 doubles, and 110 RBI. Andy Van Slyke (13) and Jack Clark (22) combined for 35 of the team’s 87 dingers, and rookie Vince Coleman swiped 110 bases on the season. John Tudor was the ace on the mound, tossing 10 shutouts with a 1.93 ERA and a 21-8 record. Tudor also led the NL in WHIP in a career-best season. Danny Cox (18-9, 2.88 ERA) and Joaquin Andujar (21-12) gave the Cardinals a strong rotation behind Tudor.
#3: 1984 Detroit Tigers, 54.5 WAR162
The 1984 Tigers raced out to a 35-5 record and then coasted to the AL East title with a 15-game margin over the Blue Jays. The Tigers then swept the Royals in the ALCS before defeating the Padres in five games in the World Series.
The Tigers had a dynamic offense that led the AL in runs and OBP, and ranked second in OPS behind the Red Sox, getting strong contributions from the top of the batting order. The starting pitching was solid, and was supported by a strong bullpen. The Tigers staff led the AL in ERA, WHIP, and saves, while posting the second-best strikeout-to-walk rate.
Alan Trammell keyed the Tigers’ lineup in 1984, batting .314 with 85 runs scored and a Gold Glove Award at shortstop. Chet Lemon played an outstanding center field and launched 20 homers with 76 RBI and a .287 BA. Kirk Gibson swiped 29 bases and homered 27 times with 91 RBI, and Lou Whitaker batted .289, scored 90 runs, and earned a Gold Glove at second base. Lance Parrish belted 33 homers with 98 RBI while claiming a Gold Glove behind the plate. Willie Hernandez had a Cy Young season out of the bullpen, earning 32 saves with a 1.92 ERA, appearing in an AL-best 80 games. Dan Petry (18-8) and Jack Morris (19-11) were the top starters for the Tigers.
#2: 1986 New York Mets, 55.2 WAR162
The 1986 Mets ran away with the NL East, topping the Phillies by a whopping 21.5 games. They then took down the Astros in six games for the NL pennant before defeating the Red Sox in a dramatic seven-game World Series. While the Mets’ win projection was for a slightly lower 103 wins, they would have still easily won the NL East.
The Mets scored an NL-high 783 runs, batting .263 with a .339 OBP and .740 OPS to top the league. They also ranked third in home runs and fourth in doubles. The Mets’ pitching topped the NL in ERA and ranked second in WHIP, and also ranked high in saves, strikeout-to-walk rate, complete games, and shutouts.
First baseman Keith Hernandez had an excellent season, batting .310, drawing an NL-best 94 walks, scoring 94 runs, and winning a Gold Glove. Lenny Dykstra batted .295 with 31 steals, Gary Carter swatted 24 homers with 105 RBI, and Darryl Strawberry launched 27 homers with 93 RBI. Dwight Gooden (17-6, 2.84 ERA) and Bob Ojeda (18-5, 2.57 ERA) topped the Mets staff. Close behind were Ron Darling (15-6, 2.81 ERA) and Sid Fernandez (16-6), giving the Mets a formidable starting rotation.
#1: 1988 New York Mets, 55.3 WAR
The 1988 Mets won the NL East, topping the Pirates by 15 games, before being upset by the Dodgers in a seven-game NLCS defeat.
The Mets easily led the NL in runs, home runs, OBP, and OPS, while ranking second in BA. It was a very strong offensive performance for the season. The team also had dominant pitching in 1988, ranking first in ERA, WHIP, strikeout, and strikeout-to-walk rate while placing second in saves.
Darryl Strawberry led the Mets offense with an NL-best 39 homers, 101 RBI, and a league-best .911 OPS. Kevin McReynolds added 27 home runs and 99 RBI, and Howard Johnson launched 24 homers and stole 23 bases. Lenny Dykstar stole 30 bases in 126 games, and Wally Backman batted .303 on the year. On the mound, David Cone had a splendid 20-3 record with a 2.22 ERA, followed by Dwight Gooden with 18 wins and 10 complete games. Sid Fernandez yielded the fewest hits per 9 innings in the NL and won 12 games. Bob Ojeda (10) and Ron Darling (17) contributed 27 more wins for the Mets.
Summary
That’s it for the final entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1980s decade! Here’s a summary of the most dominant franchises of the 1980s:
