Fifteen Greatest Seasons in MLB History

The 2016 Major League Baseball season was one of the best in recent memory, especially if you’re a Chicago Cubs fan. The 2016 Cubs could hit. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo proved that by both hitting over 30 Home Runs, 100 RBIs, and batting around .295, each. Addison Russell, Ben Zobrist, Jorge Soler, Dexter Fowler, and the rest of the lineup came together to form a dangerous offense that was clutch all year-long. When it came to pitching, they weren’t that far away from being the best in baseball, again. Between Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta, the Cubs 1-2 punch won more than 36 games and had a combined ERA around 2.75. But don’t forget about Kyle Hendricks, in only his 3rd MLB season, putting up the lowest ERA, under 2.00.

The 2016 Chicago Cubs had a great season, but would it make a list of the best MLB seasons of all-time? What are the best seasons by any one team in MLB history not including the New York Yankees? Why are we not including the Yankees you are wondering? Because, screw those guys! It is simple, really. If we include the New York Yankees on a list of the single greatest teams in MLB history, they would dominate the list and no other fan base would want to read it. So we’d rather piss off Yankees fans than the rest of the league.

We did the research, and examined the Yankees seasons too. From our calculations, the Yankees would have had six teams on this list. And just so there is no debating it later on, the six Yankees teams we would have included were the ones from 1939, 1998, 1927, 1932, 1938, and 1937. As you can see, the Yankees had three seasons in a row that was the greatest three-year run in the sport. So, without further ado, here are the 15 best team seasons in MLB history, defiantly excluding the New York Yankees!

15. 1906 Chicago Cubs

  • Record: 116-36
  • Runs For: 704
  • Runs Against: 381
  • Scoring Margin: +323
  • Postseason Results: Lost World Series (2-4 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Frank Chance
    • .319 Avg, .419 OBP, 3 HR, 71 RBI, 103 R, 24 2B, 10 3B, 57 SB
  • Top Pitcher: Mordecai Brown
    • 26-6, 1.04 ERA, 27 CG, 9 SHO, 144 K, 3 SV, 0.934 WHIP

14. 1976 Philadelphia Phillies

  • Record: 101-61
  • Runs For: 770
  • Runs Against: 557
  • Scoring Margin: +213
  • Postseason Results: Lost NL Championship Series (0-3 Postseason Record)
  • Top Hitter: Mike Schmidt
    • .262 Avg, .376 OBP, 38 HR, 107 RBI, 112 R, 31 2B, 14 SB
  • Top Pitcher: Steve Carlton
    • 20-7, 3.13 ERA, 13 CG, 2 SHO, 252.2 IP, 195 K, 72 BB, 1.172 WHIP

13. 1986 New York Mets

  • Record: 108-54
  • Runs For: 783
  • Runs Against: 578
  • Scoring Margin: +205
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champion (8-5 Postseason)
  • Top Hitter: Keith Hernandez
    • .310 Avg, .413 OBP, 13 HR, 83 RBI, 94 R, 34 2B
  • Top Pitcher: Dwight Gooden
    • 17-6, 2.84 ERA, 12 CG, 2 SHO, 250 IP, 200 K, 1.108 WHIP

12. 1970 Baltimore Orioles

  • Record: 108-54
  • Runs For: 792
  • Runs Against: 574
  • Scoring Margin: +218
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champion (7-1 Postseason)
  • Best Hitter: Boog Powell
    • .297 Avg, .412 OBP, 35 HR, 114 RBI, 82 R, 28 2B, 104 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Mike Cuellar
    • 24-8, 3.48 ERA, 21 CG, 4 SHO, 297.2 IP, 190 K, 1.149 WHIP

11. 1935 Detroit Tigers

  • Record: 93-58
  • Runs For: 919
  • Runs Against: 665
  • Scoring Margin: +254
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champion (4-2 Postseason)
  • Best Hitter: Charlie Gehringer
    • .330 Avg, .409 OBP, 19 HR, 108 RBI, 123 R, 32 2B, 8 3B, 11 SB
  • Top Pitcher: Tommy Bridges
    • 21-10, 3.51 ERA, 23 CG, 4 SHO, 274.1 IP, 163 K

10. 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers

  • Record: 105-49
  • Runs For: 955
  • Runs Against: 689
  • Scoring Margin: + 266
  • Postseason Results: Lost World Series (2-4 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Duke Snider
    • .336 Avg, .419 OBP, 42 HR, 126 RBI, 132 R, 38 2B, 16 SB, 82 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Carl Erskine
    • 20-6, 3.54 ERA, 16 CG, 4 SHO, 246.2 IP, 187 K, 3 SV, 1.249 WHIP

9. 1998 Atlanta Braves

  • Record: 106-56
  • Runs For: 826
  • Runs Against: 581
  • Scoring Margin: + 245
  • Postseason Results: Lost in NL Championship Series (5-4 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Andruw Jones
    • .271 Avg, .321 OBP, 31 HR, 90 RBI, 89 R, 33 2B, 27 SB
  • Top Pitcher: Greg Maddux
    • 18-9, 2.22 ERA, 9 CG, 5 SHO, 251 IP, 204 K, .980 WHIP

8. 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates

  • Record: 110-42
  • Runs For: 699
  • Runs Against: 447
  • Scoring Margin: + 252
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champions (4-3 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Honus Wagner
    • .339 Avg, .420 OBP, 5 HR, 100 RBI, 92 R, 39 2B, 10 3B, 35 SB, 66 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Howie Camnitz
    • 25-6, 1.62 ERA, 20 CG, 6 SHO, 283 IP, 133 K, 68 BB, .972 WHIP

7. 1948 Cleveland Indians

  • Record: 97-58
  • Runs For: 840
  • Runs Against: 568
  • Scoring Margin: + 272
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champions (4-2 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Lou Boudreau
    • .355 Avg, .453 OBP, 18 HR, 106 RBI, 116 R, 34 2B, 6 3B, 98 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Bob Lemon
    • 20-14, 2.82 ERA, 20 CG, 10 SHO, 293.2 IP, 147 K, 2 SV

6. 1929 Philadelphia A’s

  • Record: 104-46
  • Runs For: 901
  • Runs Against: 615
  • Scoring Margin: + 286
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champions (4-1 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Al Simmons
    • .365 Avg, .398 OBP, 34 HR, 157 RBI, 114 R, 41 2B, 9 3B
  • Top Pitcher: Lefty Grove
    • 20-6, 2.81 ERA, 19 CG, 275.1 IP, 170 K, 1.304 WHIP

5. 1975 Cincinnati Reds

  • Record: 108-54
  • Runs For: 840
  • Runs Against: 586
  • Scoring Margin: + 254
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champions (4-3 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Joe Morgan, 2B
    • .327 Avg, 107 R, 163 H, 27 2B, 6 3B, 17 HR, 94 RBI, 67 SB, 132 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Fred Norman
    • 34 G, 12-4, 3.73 ERA, 188 IP, 2 CG, 119 K, 84 BB

4. 1944 St.Louis Cardinals

  • Record: 105-49
  • Runs For: 772
  • Runs Against: 490
  • Scoring Margin: + 282
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champions (4-2 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Stan Musial, OF
    • .347 Avg, 112 R, 197 H, 51 2B, 14 3B, 12 HR, 94 RBI, 90 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Mort Cooper
    • 34 G, 22-7, 2.46 ERA, 252.1 IP, 22 CG, 7 SHO, 97 K, 60 BB

3. 2001 Seattle Mariners

  • Record: 116-46
  • Runs For: 927
  • Runs Against: 627
  • Scoring Margin: + 300
  • Postseason Results: (Lost AL Championship, 7-3 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Bret Boone
    • .331 Avg, 118 R, 206 H, 37 2B, 3 3B, 37 HR, 141 RBI, 40 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Freddy Garcia
    • 34 G, 18-6, 3.05 ERA, 238.2 IP, 4 CG, 3 SHO, 163 K, 69 BB

2. 1905 New York Giants

  • Record: 105-48
  • Runs For: 780
  • Runs Against: 505
  • Scoring Margin: + 275
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champion (4-1 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Mike Donlin, OF
    • .356 Avg, 124 R, 216 H, 31 2B, 16 3B, 7 HR, 80 RBI, 33 SB, 56 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Christy Mathewson
    • 43 G, 31-9, 1.28 ERA, 338.2 IP, 32 CG, 8 SHO, 206 K, 64 BB

1. 1912 Boston Red Sox

  • Record: 105-47
  • Runs For: 799
  • Runs Against: 544
  • Scoring Margin: +255
  • Postseason Results: World Series Champion (4-3 Postseason Record)
  • Best Hitter: Tris Speaker, OF
    • .383 Avg, 136 R, 222 H, 53 2B, 12 3B, 10 HR, 90 RBI, 52 SB, 82 BB
  • Top Pitcher: Smokey Joe Wood, RHP
    • 43 G, 34-5, 1.91 ERA, 344 IP, 35 CG, 10 SHO, 258 K, 82 BB