So, here's the next bunch. And now that we've gotten through the chaff.....
20. Toronto Blue Jays - 804 Points
Toronto Blue Jays (1977- ) (Toronto, Ontario)
The Jays are by far the more successful of the two 1977 expansion teams - the early '90's version was damn near dominant, with a lot of excellent, but not necessarily HOF, talent.
Seasons: 32
World Series Champ.: 2
AL Champ.: 2
Division Champ.: 5
Total Playoffs: 5
Winning Seasons: 18
HOFers: 0
Points Per Year (PPY): 25.13
PPY Rank: 15th
19. Houston Astros - 807 Points
Houston Colt .45's (1962-64) (Houston, TX)
Houston Astros (1965- ) (Houston, TX)
They're ahead of the Jays by a nose in these rankings - certainly based solely on the success of the past 10 years. No titles, but they did make it to the Series in 2005. Their rankings should take a bump in the near future with the consideration of Bagwell and Biggio for the Hall (with assumption that at least Biggio will be in). Lots of regular season success, but they've never closed deal, and it doesn't quite look like they'll be making a move like that for at least a couple seasons.
Seasons: 47
World Series Champ.: 0
NL Champ.: 1
Division Champ.: 7
Total Playoffs: 9
Winning Seasons: 28
HOFers: 0
Points Per Year (PPY): 17.17
PPY Rank: 23rd
18. Los Angeles Angels - 876 Points
Los Angeles Angels (1961-64, 2005- ) (Los Angeles, CA)
California Angels (1965-1996) (Los Angeles, CA)
Anaheim Angels (1997-2004) (Los Angeles, CA)
With a history not entirely unlike that of the Astros, the Angels spent many years with moderate regular season success, but (sometimes epic) post-season futility. However, unlike the Astros, the recent Angels have been able to get over the hump, and have become one of the dominant forces in the American League. Unfortunately, though, they don't have much room to improve, at least in the near future, as they still trail the original 16 franchises by a considerable margin.
Seasons: 48
World Series Champ.: 1
AL Champ.: 1
Division Champ.: 7
Total Playoffs: 8
Winning Seasons: 22
HOFers: 1
Points Per Year (PPY): 18.25
PPY Rank: 22nd
17. New York Mets - 1,142 Points
New York Mets (1962- ) (New York, NY)
The Mets are the best of the expansion teams. Why, you may ask? Well, they have 2 World Series, which matches any of the other expansion teams. They've also been the most consistent of the various teams. Finally, much like the D'backs, they've had the luxury of having the league's best pitcher in two different eras - Tom Seaver and Doc Gooden.
Seasons: 47
World Series Champ.: 2
NL Champ.: 4
Division Champ.: 5
Total Playoffs: 8
Winning Seasons: 23
HOFers: 1
Points Per Year (PPY): 24.30
PPY Rank: 16th
16. Minnesota Twins - 2,019 Points
Washington Senators (1901-1960) (Washington, DC)
Minnesota Twins (1961- ) (Minneapolis, MN)
Now, you might ask why the Twins are ranked so much higher than the Mets. Only one more World Series championship, two more trips the WS, and it only took 60 more seasons. Well, again, if this is indeed about the prestige of the franchise, then you can't ignore those 60 years. The Twins (as a franchise) have 7 MVP awards and 6 HOFers. You can't just look past the 20 seasons Walter Johnson played for this franchise, and not countenance it. So, I feel like this is the point where people will tend to have the greatest disagreement, but that's my reasoning.
This team has had some solid players, but the Senators were a doormat for 60 years, which is why they aren't higher. Only in the last 20 have the Twins become an especially relevant team. Since moving to Minnesota, they've averaged nearly 30 points per season, so it's likely they will be moving up in the future (and out of the original-16 basement).
Seasons: 108
World Series Champ.: 3
AL Champ.: 6
Division Champ.: 9
Total Playoffs: 12
Winning Seasons: 45
HOFers: 6
Points Per Year (PPY): 18.69
PPY Rank: 20th
15. Philadelphia Phillis - 2,144 Points
Philadelphia Phillies (1901-42, 1945- ) (Philadelphia, PA)
Philadelphia Blue Jays (1943-44) (Philadelphia, PA)
The Phillies are another team that is now dominant, but spent the better part of 100 years near the bottom. Only their recent success has allowed them to climb out of the 16th spot, and judging by who's ahead of them, they appear poised to move further up the rankings. With that said, no team in the league has had more seasons with a sub-.440 winning percentage (42!). That's the kind of thing that can really put you in a hole.
Seasons: 108
World Series Champ.: 2
NL Champ.: 6
Division Champ.: 8
Total Playoffs: 12
Winning Seasons: 42
HOFers: 11
Points Per Year (PPY): 20.03
PPY Rank: 18th
14. Baltimore Orioles - 2,304 Points
Milwaukee Brewers (1901) (Milwaukee, WI)
St. Louis Browns (1902-53) (St. Louis, MO)
Baltimore Orioles (1954- ) (Baltimore, MD)
The Orioles might be the most impressive team on this list. In the 53 years the team didn't play in Baltimore, they accumulated 0 points exactly. How does that happen? Well, 11 winning seasons in 53 years, plus 31 seasons spent below the .440 line will do it. No playoffs, and only 1 MVP to their credit. Like I said, it is skewed so that teams get credit just for showing up. However, the Browns just couldn't do anything with it.
Since '54, though, the Orioles have 3 titles, 3 more WS births, 5 MVP, 6 Cy Youngs and 5 HOFers. Their PPY average since '54 would be good for 7th overall.
Seasons: 108
World Series Champ.: 3
AL Champ.: 6
Division Champ.: 8
Total Playoffs: 5
Winning Seasons: 42
HOFers: 8
Points Per Year (PPY): 21.33
PPY Rank: 17th
13. Chicago White Sox - 2,747 Points
Chicago White Sox (1901- ) (Chicago, IL)
Another team that has struggled more often than it has been successful, the White Sox went 87 years without a title until they won it in 2005. Those kinds of numbers will bring you down. The real story here, though, is more a study of how polarized the teams were, as far as their talent pools, for the first 60-70 years of the league. The Sox were just another team that couldn't quite keep up.
Seasons: 108
World Series Champ.: 3
AL Champ.: 6
Division Champ.: 5
Total Playoffs: 10
Winning Seasons: 63
HOFers: 11
Points Per Year (PPY): 25.44
PPY Rank: 14th
12. Cleveland Indians - 2,880 Points
Cleveland Blues (1901) (Cleveland, OH)
Cleveland Bronchos (1902) (Cleveland, OH)
Cleveland Naps (1903-14) (Cleveland, OH)
Cleveland Indians (1915- ) (Cleveland, OH)
The Indians, too, have had far too much futility for their own good. Despite some excellent teams in the mid-'90s, they haven't won a WS since 1948. Not much separates the Indians from the White Sox, and these two teams were bottom-feeders for much the middle part of the century.
Seasons: 108
World Series Champ.: 2
AL Champ.: 5
Division Champ.: 7
Total Playoffs: 10
Winning Seasons: 60
HOFers: 12
Points Per Year (PPY): 26.67
PPY Rank: 13th
tie-10. Detroit Tigers - 3,230 Points
Detroit Tigers (1901- )
The AL Central is the first division to go off of the board. They also help provide for the first tie on the list. Now, I can say comfortably that the tie will be broken after this season, but for now, we're all locked up in the 10-spot.
The Tigers have boasted some greats through the years - Ty Cobb and Mickey Cochrane in the first third of the century, Al Kaline and the last 30-game winner Denny McLain in the '50s and '60s, Alan Trammell, Kirk Gibson, Lou Whitaker and Jack Morris on the great Sparky Anderson-led 1984 team, and an excellent young team now led by Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander. They sit somewhat comfortably here at 10, and look strong to at least maintain their position for the next decade.
Seasons: 108
World Series Champ.: 4
AL Champ.: 10
Division Champ.: 3
Total Playoffs: 12
Winning Seasons: 64
HOFers: 10
Points Per Year (PPY): 29.91
PPY Rank: tie-11th
tie-10. Cincinnati Reds - 3,230 Points
Cincinnati Reds (1901-53, 1960- ) (Cincinnati, OH)
Cincinnati Redlegs (1954-59) (Cincinnati, OH)
The Reds' legacy is far more focused than the Tigers, although it, too, involves Sparky Anderson. The Reds team of the '70s could be considered one of the best teams ever fielded - sporting such future HOFers as Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan, should-be HOFer Pete Rose, and other stars such as George Foster, Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion and Ken Griffey Sr. The Reds won 90+ games in 8 of the 10 seasons during that decade, racking up 2 WS titles, and 3 NL pennants.
They had a resurgence in the early-'90s with another WS champion team, which featured Paul O'Neill, Chris Sabo and Eric Davis. However, their success would be short-lived, as the 1990 team would only make the playoffs that one season.
Seasons: 108
World Series Champ.: 5
NL Champ.: 9
Division Champ.: 8
Total Playoffs: 12
Winning Seasons: 54
HOFers: 9
Points Per Year (PPY): 29.91
PPY Rank: tie-11th
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