Most Dominant MLB Team Seasons Ever

by Nick Selbe

The Most Dominant MLB Team Seasons Ever

PointAfter ranked the best Major League Baseball team seasons ever using a custom metric -- Season Score. Spoiler alert: the New York Yankees are well-represented.

In the NBA, so-called "super teams" are forming across the league, as front offices try to stack the deck against the competition. That approach is not as common in baseball, but that didn't stop Theo Epstein -- President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs -- from taking a similar approach heading into the 2016 season by spending $285 million on free agents Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist, John Lackey and Dexter Fowler.

With the North Siders attempting to build their own dynasty and end their 108-year World Series drought, that got us thinking: What are the greatest MLB teams of all time? PointAfter, a sports data visualization site, set out to not only answer that question, but also to create a cohesive ranking of the best MLB team seasons of all time.

 

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To do that, we created a new metric called "Season Score," which assigns an overall point total to every season for every franchise. When making our calculations, we focused only on teams from the 1903 season -- which marked the first year of the modern World Series -- to the 2015 season. We excluded teams that had a winning percentage under .600, and also didn't take into consideration teams that missed the postseason. From there, we focused on the following factors:

Regular season winning percentage: How consistent a team was throughout the year in terms of racking up wins and avoiding losses.

Run differential: How dominant a team was during the regular season en route to posting a strong record.

Postseason performance Did the team end up winning the title?

To form each team's Season Score, we multiplied their winning percentage by 100 to get a whole number, divided their run differential by 10 to get a number lower than 100, then added both values together. Finally, teams were given a five-point bonus for making the World Series and a 10-point bump for winning the whole thing.

For a game that spans over a century of legendary players and franchises, which MLB teams are truly among the all-time greats? There are 38 teams with a Season Score over 100, and we'll count them down until we name the most dominant team in baseball history.

Note: In the event of ties, the team that won the World Series was ranked higher on the list. If ties still exist, regular season winning percentage was the determining factor, followed by run differential, then by runs scored.

38. 1920 Cleveland Indians

Season Score: 100.1

Regular season record: 98-56 (.636)
Run differential: +215

Postseason result: Won World Series

Led by future Hall of Fame outfielder Tris Speaker, the Indians won the American League pennant by two games, narrowly beating out the Chicago White Sox. Starting pitcher Jim Bagby led the league with 31 wins, and Speaker posted a .320/.393/.480 slash line during the Tribe's 5-2 World Series win over the Brooklyn Robins (the series was one of four best-of-nine series in league history).

One tragic note about the Indians' season is the death of shortstop Ray Chapman, who died on Aug. 17, 1920 after being hit in the head by a pitch. He remains the only player in MLB history to have died during a game.

37. 1976 Cincinnati Reds

Season Score: 100.4

Regular season record: 102-60 (.630)
Run differential: +224

Postseason result: Won World Series

With legendary manager Sparky Anderson at the helm, the Big Red Machine featured three future Hall of Famers in Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez, as well as baseball's hit king Pete Rose. The Reds had five starters with a batting average above .300 -- Morgan, Rose, George Foster, Cesar Geronimo and Ken Griffey.

Cincinnati was perfect in the postseason, sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 in the National League Championship Series and then beating the New York Yankees 4-0 in the World Series. Bench hit .533 with two home runs en route to being named the MVP of the series.

36. 1941 New York Yankees

Season Score: 100.5

Regular season record: 101-53 (.656)
Run differential: +199

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Yankees won the AL by a whopping 17 games in 1941, with four Hall of Famers in the starting lineup -- Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Joe Gordon and Bill Dickey -- and Hall of Fame starting pitchers Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing. DiMaggio won his second regular-season MVP award that year, hitting .357/.440/.643 with 30 home runs and 125 RBI. The Yankees capped the season by defeating the Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-1, in the World Series.

35. 1947 New York Yankees

Season Score: 100.6

Regular season record: 97-57 (.630)
Run differential: +226

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Yankees won the title this season in a thrilling seven-game World Series against the Dodgers. DiMaggio again led the charge, winning his third and final AL MVP award by posting a .315/.396/.522 slash line with 20 home runs and 97 RBI. The 1947 season is most noteworthy for being the year Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier, marking the first time a racially integrated team played in the World Series.

34. 1956 New York Yankees

Season Score: 100.6

Regular season record: 97-57
Run differential: +226

Postseason result: Won World Series

The defining moment of the 1956 World Series came in Game 5, when Yankees starting pitcher Don Larsen threw the only perfect game in World Series history, as the Yankees won the game to take a 3-2 series lead. The Dodgers won the following day to force a decisive Game 7, which the Yankees won handily, 9-0.

Center fielder Mickey Mantle won his first AL MVP award in 1956, and the Yankees featured five Hall of Famers in Mantle, manager Casey Stengel, catcher Yogi Berra, right fielder Enos Slaughter and pitcher Whitey Ford.

33. 1931 St. Louis Cardinals

Season Score: 100.7

Regular season record: 101-53 (.656)
Run differential: +201

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1931 World Series was a rematch from the year before, when the Cardinals lost to the Philadelphia Athletics in six games. This time, St. Louis fell behind 3-2 but won the next two games to clinch the championship. The Cardinals had three Hall of Famers in the starting lineup: first baseman Jim Bottomley, second baseman Frankie Frisch and outfielder Chick Hafey, along with Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes.

32. 1950 New York Yankees

Season Score: 100.9

Regular season record: 98-56 (.636)
Run differential: +223

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Yankees' championship in 1950 marked their first of six titles during the 50s, making it their most successful decade. This season was the last great year of DiMaggio's career, as he hit .301/.394/.585 with 32 home runs at age 35. Rizzuto won the AL MVP award, and the Yankees swept the Phillies in the World Series.

31. 1930 Philadelphia Athletics

Season Score: 101.2

Regular season record: 102-52 (.662)
Run differential: +200

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1930 World Series was the last championship won by the Athletics while the franchise was in Philadelphia. The team had three Hall of Famers in the starting lineup -- catcher Mickey Cochrane, first baseman Jimmie Foxx and outfielder Al Simmons -- as well as Hall of Famers in pitcher Lefty Grove and manager Connie Mack. Grove led the league in wins (28), ERA (2.54) and strikeouts (209). The World Series win was Mack's fifth and final championship of his illustrious career.

Fun fact -- the 1930 A's are the only team in MLB history to execute a triple steal twice in the same game, accomplishing the feat on July 25 against the Indians.

30. 1919 Cincinnati Reds

Season Score: 101.2

Regular season record: 96-44 (.686)
Run differential: +176

Postseason result: Won World Series

Cincinnati enjoyed a dominant regular season en route to a 5-3 World Series win over the Chicago White Sox. But the Reds are more of a footnote to the 1919 World Series, which is mostly associated with the infamous Black Sox Scandal.

Several members of the White Sox conspired with gamblers to intentionally lose the series, which resulted in baseball's first-ever commissioner -- Kenesaw Mountain Landis -- banning six White Sox players for life from organized baseball.

29. 1942 New York Yankees

Season Score: 101.3

Regular season record: 103-51 (.669)
Run differential: +294

Postseason result: Lost World Series

The 1942 Yankees are one of four teams on the list that did not win a World Series championship. Still, the team's place among the all-time greats should be undisputed.

The team's +294 run differential is the eighth-highest among all teams considered for this list. The Yankees won the AL by nine games over the Boston Red Sox but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-1, in the World Series. Outfielder Charlie Keller led the team with 26 home runs and posted a .292/.417/.513 slash line.

28. 1954 Cleveland Indians

Season Score: 101.3

Regular season record: 111-43 (.721)
Run differential: +242

Postseason result: Lost World Series

The 1954 Indians' .721 winning percentage is baseball's third-highest since 1903. The team had five Hall of Famers -- manager Al Lopez, pitchers Bob Lemon, Early Wynn and Hal Newhouser, and outfielder Larry Doby, who was MLB's second African-American player.

Despite winning 111 regular-season games, the team was swept in the World Series by the New York Giants. That series is best known for "The Catch" made by Giants center fielder Willie Mays in the eighth inning of Game 1.

27. 1903 Boston Americans

Season Score: 101.3

Regular season record: 91-47 (.659)
Run differential: +204

Postseason result: Won World Series

From 1901-07, the Boston Red Sox were known as the Boston Americans, and 1903 marked the franchise's first championship and only title under that name. The 1903 World Series was the first in modern history, the first since the formation of the American League.

The Americans beat the Pittsburg Pirates, 5-3, and the series featured four Hall of Famers: Cy Young and Jimmy Collins for Boston, Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke for Pittsburg.

26. 1928 New York Yankees

Season Score: 101.5

Regular season record: 101-53 (.656)
Run differential: +209

Postseason result: Won World Series

The first Babe Ruth-era Yankees team to appear on the list, the 1928 Yankees held off the Athletics to win the AL by 2.5 games. Ruth and Lou Gehrig combined for 81 home runs (54 for Ruth, 27 for Gehrig) and 293 RBI (147 for Gehrig, 146 for Ruth) to form a lethal one-two punch. The Yankees swept the Cardinals in four games to win the championship, outscoring St. Louis in the series 27-10.

25. 2001 Seattle Mariners

Season Score: 101.6

Regular season record: 116-46 (.716)
Run differential: +300

Postseason result: Lost ALCS

Perhaps the greatest what-if team in MLB history, the 2001 Mariners are the only team on the list that didn't win the pennant. Seattle's 116 wins are tied for the most ever in a single season, and the team led the Majors that year in runs scored (927) and runs allowed (627).

Headlining the M's was rookie right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who came over from Japan and won both the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year awards by hitting .350/.381/.457 with 242 hits and 56 stolen bases. Other offensive standouts included second baseman Bret Boone, designated hitter Edgar Martinez and center fielder Mike Cameron. The Mariners beat the Indians 3-2 in the Divisional Series but lost to the Yankees, 4-1, in the ALCS. The 2001 Mariners are the only team from the 21st century to make the list.

24. 1935 Detroit Tigers

Season Score: 102.0

Regular season record: 93-56 (.616)
Run differential: +254

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1935 Tigers offense was paced by Hall of Fame first baseman Hank Greenberg, who won his first of two career AL MVP awards and led the league with 168 RBI. Player-manager and Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane served as the team's starting catcher and hit .319/.452/.450. The season marked the franchise's fifth AL championship and first-ever World Series title, as the team defeated the Chicago Cubs in six games.

23. 1986 New York Mets

Season Score: 102.2

Regular season record: 108-54 (.667)
Run differential: +205

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Mets won a franchise-record 108 games in 1986, led by the dynamic duo of pitcher Dwight Gooden and right fielder Darryl Strawberry. Fresh off his 1985 NL Cy Young Award-winning season, Gooden went 17-6 with 200 strikeouts and a 2.84 ERA in 1986. Strawberry hit .259/.358/.507 with 27 home runs and 28 stolen bases.

The 1986 World Series is best known for the infamous collapse by the Red Sox in Game 6. After the game went into extra innings, Boston took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the 10th. After the first two Mets batters were retired, Red Sox pitcher Calvin Schiraldi gave up three straight singles and threw a wild pitch to allow the Mets to tie the game. Mookie Wilson then hit a ground ball to first baseman Bill Buckner, who infamously let the ball go through his legs as the winning run scored. The Mets went on to win Game 7, 8-5, and shortstop Ray Knight was named the series MVP.

22. 1970 Baltimore Orioles

Season Score: 103.5

Regular season record: 108-54 (.667)
Run differential: +218

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1970 Orioles won the AL pennant for the second consecutive season after losing the 1969 World Series to the Mets. Managed by Hall of Famer Earl Weaver, the O's rolled through the postseason, sweeping the Minnesota Twins in the ALCS and beating the Reds in five games to win the title.

The team featured three Hall of Fame players -- Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer -- but it was first baseman Boog Powell who won the AL MVP award by hitting .297/.412/.549 with 35 home runs and 114 RBI. Brooks Robinson hit .429 in the World Series with two home runs and was named the MVP of the series.

21. 1961 New York Yankees

Season Score: 103.8

Regular season record: 109-53 (.673)
Run differential: +215

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1961 season was defined by the home run chase by Yankees outfielders Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, who each challenged Babe Ruth's 34-year-old record of 60 home runs in a single season. Maris finished the year with 61 to set the new mark -- which stood for 37 years -- and Mantle ended up with 54. Maris won his second AL MVP award after taking home the honors in 1960.

The Yankees beat the Reds, 4-1, in the World Series, with pitcher Whitey Ford winning the series MVP award. Ford went 25-4 during the regular season with a 3.21 ERA and 209 strikeouts, earning the AL Cy Young award.

20. 1907 Chicago Cubs

Season Score: 103.8

Regular season record: 107-45 (.704)
Run differential: +184

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Cubs won their first of two consecutive championships in 1907, posting the seventh-highest winning percentage since 1903. Chicago featured four Hall of Famers -- pitcher Mordecai Brown, first baseman Frank Chance, second baseman Johnny Evers and shortstop Joe Tinker -- and beat the Tigers 4-0-1 in the World Series (yes, there was one tie -- Game 1 was called after 12 innings on account of darkness).

19. 1948 Cleveland Indians

Season Score: 104.8

Regular season record: 97-58 (.626)
Run differential: +272

Postseason result: Won World Series

After the completion of the 154-game regular season, the Indians and Red Sox were tied atop the AL standings, forcing a one-game playoff to decide the pennant. The Indians won 8-3 at Fenway Park thanks to two home runs by shortstop Lou Boudreau and a home run by third baseman Ken Keltner.

The 1948 season marked the first year in the Major Leagues for Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige, who dominated for more than two decades in the Negro leagues. At age 42, he was the oldest rookie in MLB history. He pitched 72.2 regular-season innings -- mostly in relief -- with a 2.48 ERA and 43 strikeouts.

18. 1938 New York Yankees

Season Score: 105.7

Regular season record: 99-53 (.651)
Run differential: +256

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1938 Yankees made history by becoming the first team to ever win three consecutive World Series. It was during the second half of this season that Lou Gehrig began to feel the effects of his then-undiagnosed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He finished the season with stellar numbers but appeared in just seven games the following year.

17. 1953 New York Yankees

Season Score: 106.0

Regular season record: 99-52 (.656)
Run differential: +254

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Yankees won their fifth consecutive championship in 1953, a record that still stands today. For the third time in five years, New York defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers in the series, winning in six games. Catcher Yogi Berra finished second in AL MVP voting, hitting .296/.363/.523 with 27 home runs and 108 RBI.

16. 1910 Philadelphia Athletics

Season Score: 106.2

Regular season record: 102-48 (.680)
Run differential: +232

Postseason result: Won World Series

The A's won their first championship in 1910, defeating the Cubs 4-1 in the World Series. Hall of Fame second baseman Eddie Collins was the team's best hitter in the series, posting a .429/.478/.619 slash line with four stolen bases. A's manager Connie Mack won his first of five championships as a manager.

15. 1975 Cincinnati Reds

Season Score: 107.1

Regular season record: 108-54 (.667)
Run differential: +254

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Reds won their first of back-to-back titles in 1975, thanks in large part to Joe Morgan's MVP-winning campaign in which he hit .327/.466/.508 with 17 home runs and 67 stolen bases.

The 1975 World Series is most famous for Game 6, in which Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk hit a walk-off home run in the 12th inning to force a Game 7. During Game 7, the Reds trailed 3-0 in the sixth inning but scored twice in the sixth and once in the seventh to tie the game. Morgan drove in Ken Griffey with the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, and pitcher Will McEnaney retired the Sox in order in the bottom half of the inning to end the game.

14. 1911 Philadelphia Athletics

Season Score: 107.8

Regular season record: 101-50 (.669)
Run differential: +259

Postseason result: Won World Series

The A's won their second consecutive title in 1911, thanks in large part to the performance of the team's so-called "$100,000 infield," referring to the supposed combined market value of the four players. The infield included first baseman John "Stuffy" McInnis, second baseman Eddie Collins, third baseman Frank "Home Run" Baker and shortstop Jack Barry. In the World Series, the A's beat the New York Giants, 4-2.

13. 1912 Boston Red Sox

Season Score: 109.6

Regular season record: 105-47 (.691)
Run differential: +259

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Red Sox won their second championship in 1912, led by outfielder Tris Speaker, who hit .383 with 222 hits and 52 stolen bases. In the World Series, the Sox faced off against the New York Giants and won, 4-3-1, with Game 2 ending in a 6-6 tie.

12. 1905 New York Giants

Season Score: 111.1

Regular season record: 105-48 (.686)
Run differential: +275

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Giants won the NL pennant by nine games over the Pirates, led by starting pitcher Christy Mathewson. Mathewson went 31-9 with a 1.28 ERA and 206 strikeouts that season, and the Giants beat the A's, 4-1, in the World Series. Mathewson won all three of his starts in the series, throwing three complete-game shutouts with 18 strikeouts, one walk and 13 hits allowed.

11. 1942 St. Louis Cardinals

Season Score: 111.3

Regular season record: 106-48 (.688)
Run differential: +275

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1942 Cardinals were led by starting pitcher Mort Cooper, who went 22-7 with a 1.78 ERA to win NL MVP honors. Rookie outfielder Stan "The Man" Musial, then just 21-years-old, enjoyed a breakout campaign by hitting .315/.397/.490 in 140 games. St. Louis defeated the Yankees in the World Series, denying New York's bid for back-to-back titles.

10. 1944 St. Louis Cardinals

Season Score: 111.4

Regular season record: 105-49 (.682)
Run differential: +282

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Cardinals faced their crosstown rivals -- the St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles) -- in the 1944 World Series. The Cardinals won in six games, with Musial shining on the biggest stage, hitting .304/.360/.522 in the series. On the cusp of superstardom, Musial sat out the 1945 season to serve in the U.S. Navy. He returned in 1946 and led the team to another World Series championship, winning the NL MVP award in the process.

9. 1937 New York Yankees

Season Score: 112.0

Regular season record: 102-52 (.662)
Run differential: +308

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1937 Yankees had three players with 130+ RBI: DiMaggio (167), Gehrig (158) and catcher Bill Dickey (133). The Yankees beat the Giants in the World Series for the second straight year, this time winning in five games. Hall of Fame second baseman Tony Lazzeri led the team offensively, hitting .400/.526/.733 in the series with a home run and a triple.

8. 1932 New York Yankees

Season Score: 112.3

Regular season record: 107-47 (.695)
Run differential: +278

Postseason result: Won World Series

A record nine Hall of Famers played for the Yankees in 1932 -- Ruth, Gehrig, Lazzeri, Dickey, Earle Combs, Lefty Gomez, Herb Pennock, Red Ruffing and Joe Sewell -- in addition to Hall of Fame manager Joe McCarthy. The 1932 World Series is noteworthy for Ruth's famed "Called Shot" during Game 3, in which the Babe allegedly pointed his bat to center field one pitch before homering. The title marked the last championship of Ruth's legendary career.

7. 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates

Season Score: 112.6

Regular season record: 110-42 (.724)
Run differential: +252

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Pirates' .724 winning percentage in 1909 is the fourth-highest ever and the second-highest since 1903. The team was led by Hall of Fame shortstop Honus Wagner, who finally captured his only World Series title at age 35. Wagner hit .333/.467/.500 during the series, as Pittsburgh edged the Tigers, 4-3, in seven games.

6. 1929 Philadelphia Athletics

Season Score: 112.9

Regular season record: 104-46 (.693)
Run differential: +286

Postseason result: Won World Series

The A's finished second to the Yankees in the AL in 1927 and 1928 before finally breaking through in 1929. The 1929 World Series is most notable for Game 4, in which Philadelphia -- then ahead two games to one against the Cubs -- scored 10 runs in the bottom of the seventh to erase an 8-0 deficit. The magic continued in Game 5 when the A's entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 2-0, then scored three runs to win the game and the series.

5. 1906 Chicago Cubs

Season Score: 113.6

Regular season record: 116-36 (.763)
Run differential: +323

Postseason result: Lost World Series

As the highest-ranked team to not win the World Series, the 1906 Cubs' 116 wins is still tied for the most ever, and their .763 winning percentage is easily the highest of all time. In the World Series, the Cubs faced off against the Chicago White Sox, dubbed the "Hitless Wonders" after finishing last in the AL with a .230 team batting average.

The White Sox pitching prevailed in the series, though, holding the Cubs to just 18 runs in six games. The Cubs went on to win back-to-back titles in 1907 and 1908, and haven't won a World Series since.

4. 1936 New York Yankees

Season Score: 115.1

Regular season record: 102-51 (.667)
Run differential: +334

Postseason result: Won World Series

Rookie outfielder Joe DiMaggio enjoyed a breakout 1936 season, hitting .323/.352/.576 with 29 home runs and 125 RBI at age 21. On May 24, 1936, Tony Lazzeri became the first player in league history to hit two grand slams in one game. The Yankees defeated the Giants, 4-2, in the World Series, outscoring their rivals 43-23 thanks to blowout victories in Games 2 and 6.

3. 1998 New York Yankees

Season Score: 116.3

Regular season record: 114-48 (.704)
Run differential: +309

Postseason result: Won World Series

The 1998 Yankees marked the beginning of the franchise's modern dynasty. The Yankees won the championship in 1996 -- their first since 1978 -- but the 1998 title was their first of three consecutive championships. Unlike the 1996 season, in which the team went 92-70 in the regular season before catching fire in the playoffs, the 1998 team was dominant throughout, winning 114 games and posting an 11-2 postseason record, including a sweep of the San Diego Padres in the World Series.

2. 1927 New York Yankees

Season Score: 124.0

Regular season record: 110-44 (.714)
Run differential: +376

Postseason result: Won World Series

Known for their famed "Murderers' Row" lineup, the 1927 Yankees are considered by many to be the best team in baseball history, though they come up a little short by our metrics. Ruth hit a then-record 60 home runs that season, and though it was Gehrig who took home AL MVP honors by hitting 47 home runs with 173 RBI. The Yankees swept the Pirates in four games in the World Series, outscoring them 23-10.

1. 1939 New York Yankees

Season Score: 126.3

Regular season record: 106-45 (.702)
Run differential: +411

Postseason result: Won World Series

The Yankees won their fourth consecutive World Series, sweeping the Reds in four games. The season was marked by sadness, as Lou Gehrig appeared in only seven games before being forced to retire due to ALS.

Gehrig was officially diagnosed on June 19, 1939, and he retired two days later. On July 4, 1939, Gehirg delivered his famous "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech to a sold-out Yankee Stadium crowd. He passed away less than two years later on June 2, 1941.

Despite being without Gehrig for virtually the entire season, the Yankees' +411 run differential is the highest of all time, and their dominance was unmatched by any other team in the game's history.

 

 

 

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