[joefromchicago]

1905-08 Pittsburgh Pirates: Over a four-year span, the Pirates averaged 94.5 wins per season (a .614 win percentage), culminating in a 98-win season in 1908. And what did they end up with? Bupkus. Four straight second-place finishes, despite having Honus Wagner, arguably the best all-around player in the major leagues. Their problem: not a whole lot of support from all the guys on the team not named Honus Wagner, especially the pitching staff, which consisted of Vic Willis and a bunch of people nobody has ever heard of. The Bucs finally broke through in 1909, but had to win 110 games to do it.

1963-65 Chicago White Sox: Averaged 95.7 wins per season (.590 win percentage), which earned them three consecutive second-place finishes. A team built around solid pitching and defense, their problem was that they lacked that one star hitter that they could build their offense around. Really, how are you going to catch the Yankees when your best batter is Floyd Robinson?

1950-53 Cleveland Indians: Averaged 92.5 wins per season (.601 win percentage). A Hall-of-Fame starting rotation (Early Wynn, Bob Lemon, Bob Feller, joined by Mike Garcia) and an explosive offense got them nothing better than runner-up finishes in three of those four seasons. Their problem: the New York Yankees. They eventually put it all together in 1954 when they racked up 111 wins.

1932-33 Pittsburgh Pirates: Averaged 86.5 wins per season (.561 win pct.) and finished just out of the money both years. Three teams consistently battled for the NL title in the 1930s: the Giants, the Cubs, and the Pirates. The Pirates are the only one that didn't win a pennant in that decade, despite having the Waner brothers, Pie Traynor, and Arky Vaughn on their clubs. Their problem: pitching. It was good, it just was never great. They lacked the one superstar starter that could have pushed them over the hump. See also: Pittsburgh Pirates, 1935-38.

1895-96 Cleveland Spiders. Averaged 82 wins per season (.612 win pct.) and was a bridesmaid both times. In an era of dirty baseball, no team - not even the famed Baltimore Orioles - was dirtier than the Spiders. Jesse Burkett hit over .400 both years, and the mound corps was headed by Cy Young. Their problem: the Baltimore Orioles. No team was scrappier than the Spiders, but no team was smarter than the Orioles. Up and down the lineup, the O's were just better.