Quote:
Originally Posted by webrian
Nobody wanted to play that Blue Jays team in 2015. They got hot sometime in July and they could rake. Then they picked up David Price and Troy Tulowitski. I remember they played a barnburner of a game at Kauffman Stadium on the last day before the All-Star Break -- KC ran out to a big lead, then the Jays came all the way back in a 7-run inning, but KC ultimately won. I thought, God, I don't wanna face them in the playoffs. But they stayed hot and even threatened KC for home-field advantage.
Then they had that emotional, stirring playoff series win over the Rangers (the bat flip, the crazy clinching game) and they looked even more like a team of destiny. I only hoped KC's postseason experience from the previous year + HFA would make the difference, and it did. Price didn't learn how to pitch in the postseason until ... oh, four months ago. And Toronto's other young starters weren't yet quite seasoned enough.
But let me tell you something: I think the 1985 Blue Jays could have taken down the 2015 Royals. I think the 1985 & 1987 Jays teams were at least as strong as the 1992 team that won it all. They just had some bad luck.
Nothing touches that post-trade deadline 1993 team, though. The 93 Jays lineup is one of the five best lineups a World Series team has had since 1970. Rickey Henderson, Devon White, Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, Jon Olerud, Paul Molitor, Tony Fernandez, Pat Borders & Ed Sprague ... it's no wonder the Phillies pitching staff fell apart in that World Series.
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By Pythagorean W-L% (which has its faults, but I think can be more of an indicator of team strength than the actual win-loss record), here are the top ten Blue Jays teams of all-time:
1) 2015 Blue Jays, .628
2) 1985 Blue Jays, .615
3) 1987 Blue Jays, .614
4) 2008 Blue Jays, .572
5) 1990 Blue Jays, .568
6) 1992 Blue Jays, .561
7) 2016 Blue Jays, .560
8) 1993 Blue Jays, .560
9) 1989 Blue Jays, .553
10) 1988 Blue Jays, .552
That 2008 team is the biggest shocker, but JP Ricciardi put together an incredibly strong defensive team that year (the only team in MLB with fewer than 4 RA/G in fact), and the pitching benefited hugely. In fact it's the second best team in franchise history in fewest RA/G behind that amazing 1985 team that you're talking about. The 2008 team finished 4th in the AL East. Screw the AL East. Sooo tough.
The placing of the World Series teams is interesting. They were absolute powerhouses in terms of star power, but the regular season results were not what you might expect. The postseason results completely made up for it though.
Seven of these teams are Pat Gillick built teams, AA built two of them (though Atkins was in charge for the second one), and as discussed above, Ricciardi had the other one.
Now the top ten Royals teams in this category:
1) 1977 Royals, .605
2) 1978 Royals, .572
3) 1980 Royals, .570
4) 1976 Royals, .570
5) 2015 Royals, .555
6) 1982 Royals, .541
7) 1975 Royals, .541
8) 1989 Royals, .538
9) 1988 Royals, .538
10) 1994 Royals, .535
That George Brett led team of the late seventies/early eighties was some kind of awesome, wasn't it? Damn Yankees! A down year in 1979 I suppose?
The 1985 Royals were 12th at .533, while the 2014 Royals were 15th at .519. 8 of the top 9 teams came during George Brett's time as a Royal. Sounds about right.
It's surprising that the Saberhagen Royals were only able to sneak two teams into the top ten, and they just made it. Look about right to you, or do you think some other teams should be there?