Fall is here, the World Series is upon us and though I can’t say I’m happy, it is an exciting time. As a smart, well-educated person, I understand that the Yankees are the most successful franchise in the history of the game. And, as a diehard Yankee fan since the early ’90s – a dark time – I also understand that they were not always great. Only the most formidable get it done in October, and below I present, in my opinion, the top five World Series teams of all time.
5. 1907 Chicago CubsAfter losing the 1906 World Series, the 1907 team came back, sweeping the Detroit Tigers in five games. Clearly the best team of their era, the pitching staff led this team to victory after victory with a 1.73 ERA – a record in baseball at the time. This team’s bullpen was so strong, in fact, that the Cubs carried only eight pitchers throughout the entire season, five of which finished within the top six of the National League. The Cubs remarkably held Ty Cobb to a .200 batting average, and, even more impressively, were able to hold the Tigers to a minimal six runs in the World Series.
4. 1986 New York Mets The 1986 Mets set a franchise record of 108 wins, and demonstrated incredible strength in all aspects of the game with strong hitting, solid pitching and incredible defense. While catcher Gary Carter is the only member of the 1986 Mets to make it to the Hall of Fame thus far, the team enjoyed strong performances by key players centerfielder Lenny Dykstra, right fielder Darryl Strawberry and pitchers Doc Gooden and Sid Fernandez. Not only did the Mets win the World Series, but they killed the Boston Red Sox in the process, and that just makes them that much better.
3. 1998 New York YankeesMy father once told me that I would probably never see a team as good as the 1998 Yankees ever again in my lifetime, and I certainly hope that if I do, it is another Yankee team. Arguably the most productive team of all time, the 1998 Yankees clobbered the competition, winning a monstrous 114 games in the regular season and 125 through three postseason elimination series. In a four-game slaughtering of the San Diego Padres, the Yankees trailed in only two innings of the World Series. Every single batter in this lineup was dangerous. Somewhat overshadowed by the chase for the great home run title, this truly incredible team went on to win titles in the next two years.
2. 1995 Cleveland IndiansThe 1995 Cleveland Indians won the American League Cental division by a whopping 30 games to send the team to the World Series for the first time since 1954. The Tribe led the league in home runs, batting and stolen bases, making them a favoriteto win the World Series. Ultimately defeated by the Atlanta Braves, the Indians boasted five players with over 20 home runs – most notably Manny Ramirez and Eddie Murray.
1. 1927 New York YankeesThis is the best team in the history of baseball. Yankee greats Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Earle Combs brought their magic to the Bronx, winning an American League record 110 games. Finishing the season 19 games ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates, this incredible lineup was the best the game had ever seen. Bob Meusel and Ton Lazzeri both drove in more than 100 runs and Waite Hoyt tied for the league lead with 22 victories. The Yankees proved to be unmatched in batting power – Ruth hit 60 home runs and Gehrig hit 47. They call them “Murder’s Row,” and no team has ever been better.Sokol can be reached atjsokol@campustimes.org.
