Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The White Sox are now officially so publicly underrated that they are overrated. Watching the Jeannie Zelasko, who was great in "Team America" by the way, interview Ozzie Guillen over the weekend made me pine for heaping mounds of Pat O'Brien and Dr. Phil.
I am still surprised that the Sox have sustained their high level of play. I was highly suspicious. They have now won 31 of 44 ballgames, slightly over one quarter of a season. So what does a quarter of a season mean in the long run?
Here are all the teams that started the season 31-13 or better since 1901 (in reverse chronological order). Also, listed is how well they fared over the entire season and their playoff result if any:
| Tm | StartDate | EndDate | W | L | WP | RS | RA | WP | Tot W | TotL | WP | Rnk | Postseason |
| ATL | 3/31/2003 | 5/18/2003 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 246 | 202 | .589 | 101 | 61 | .623 | 1 | Division Champ |
| BOS | 4/1/2002 | 5/23/2002 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 247 | 154 | .704 | 93 | 69 | .574 | 2 | |
| SEA | 4/2/2001 | 5/22/2001 | 32 | 12 | .727 | 254 | 188 | .634 | 116 | 46 | .716 | 1 | Division Champ |
| CLE | 4/6/1999 | 5/25/1999 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 311 | 223 | .648 | 97 | 65 | .599 | 1 | Division Champ |
| NYY | 4/1/1998 | 5/25/1998 | 34 | 10 | .773 | 288 | 187 | .688 | 114 | 48 | .704 | 1 | WS Champ |
| ATL | 3/31/1998 | 5/17/1998 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 245 | 160 | .686 | 106 | 56 | .654 | 1 | Division Champ |
| ATL | 4/1/1997 | 5/20/1997 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 221 | 137 | .706 | 101 | 61 | .623 | 1 | Division Champ |
| CLE | 4/27/1995 | 6/14/1995 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 267 | 184 | .664 | 100 | 44 | .694 | 1 | AL Pennant |
| NYY | 4/4/1994 | 5/27/1994 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 263 | 195 | .634 | 70 | 43 | .619 | 1 | |
| PHI | 4/5/1993 | 5/25/1993 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 225 | 177 | .608 | 97 | 65 | .599 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| CIN | 4/9/1990 | 6/2/1990 | 32 | 12 | .727 | 213 | 137 | .692 | 91 | 71 | .562 | 1 | WS Champ |
| NYM | 4/4/1988 | 5/26/1988 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 213 | 151 | .652 | 100 | 60 | .625 | 1 | Division Champ |
| NYM | 4/8/1986 | 6/1/1986 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 212 | 160 | .626 | 108 | 54 | .667 | 1 | WS Champ |
| DET | 4/3/1984 | 5/28/1984 | 36 | 8 | .818 | 251 | 144 | .734 | 104 | 58 | .642 | 1 | WS Champ |
| LAD | 4/9/1981 | 5/27/1981 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 182 | 113 | .705 | 63 | 47 | .573 | 2 | WS Champ |
| LAD | 4/7/1977 | 5/27/1977 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 250 | 169 | .672 | 98 | 64 | .605 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| PHI | 4/10/1976 | 6/3/1976 | 32 | 12 | .727 | 252 | 160 | .697 | 101 | 61 | .623 | 1 | Division Champ |
| LAD | 4/5/1974 | 5/24/1974 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 250 | 148 | .723 | 102 | 60 | .630 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| OAK | 4/15/1972 | 6/7/1972 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 180 | 136 | .625 | 93 | 62 | .600 | 1 | WS Champ |
| NYM | 4/15/1972 | 6/4/1972 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 174 | 150 | .567 | 83 | 73 | .532 | 3 | |
| SFG | 4/6/1971 | 5/25/1971 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 202 | 140 | .662 | 90 | 72 | .556 | 1 | Division Champ |
| BAL | 4/7/1970 | 5/26/1970 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 220 | 151 | .666 | 108 | 54 | .667 | 1 | WS Champ |
| MIN | 4/7/1970 | 5/31/1970 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 243 | 170 | .658 | 98 | 64 | .605 | 1 | Division Champ |
| CIN | 4/6/1970 | 5/25/1970 | 32 | 12 | .727 | 226 | 158 | .658 | 102 | 60 | .630 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| BAL | 4/8/1969 | 5/24/1969 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 216 | 129 | .720 | 109 | 53 | .673 | 1 | AL Pennant |
| NYY | 4/15/1958 | 6/7/1958 | 32 | 12 | .727 | 216 | 133 | .708 | 92 | 62 | .597 | 1 | WS Champ |
| BRO | 4/13/1955 | 6/1/1955 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 261 | 178 | .668 | 98 | 55 | .641 | 1 | WS Champ |
| NYY | 4/13/1955 | 6/1/1955 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 247 | 154 | .704 | 96 | 58 | .623 | 1 | AL Pennant |
| NYY | 4/14/1953 | 6/7/1953 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 265 | 170 | .693 | 99 | 52 | .656 | 1 | WS Champ |
| BRO | 4/15/1952 | 6/7/1952 | 32 | 11 | .744 | 230 | 163 | .653 | 96 | 57 | .627 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| CHW | 4/17/1951 | 6/7/1951 | 32 | 11 | .744 | 257 | 170 | .681 | 81 | 73 | .526 | 4 | |
| NYY | 4/18/1950 | 6/7/1950 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 271 | 203 | .629 | 98 | 56 | .636 | 1 | WS Champ |
| CLE | 4/20/1948 | 6/12/1948 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 260 | 165 | .697 | 97 | 58 | .626 | 1 | WS Champ |
| BOS | 4/16/1946 | 6/4/1946 | 35 | 9 | .795 | 249 | 154 | .707 | 104 | 50 | .675 | 1 | AL Pennant |
| NYY | 4/14/1942 | 6/4/1942 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 226 | 138 | .712 | 103 | 51 | .669 | 1 | AL Pennant |
| BRO | 4/14/1942 | 5/31/1942 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 237 | 147 | .706 | 104 | 50 | .675 | 2 | |
| STL | 4/15/1941 | 6/2/1941 | 32 | 12 | .727 | 233 | 175 | .628 | 97 | 56 | .634 | 2 | |
| BRO | 4/15/1941 | 6/2/1941 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 236 | 166 | .656 | 100 | 54 | .649 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| BRO | 4/16/1940 | 6/14/1940 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 204 | 184 | .547 | 88 | 65 | .575 | 2 | |
| NYY | 4/20/1939 | 6/8/1939 | 35 | 9 | .795 | 292 | 153 | .765 | 106 | 45 | .702 | 1 | WS Champ |
| NYY | 4/13/1933 | 6/6/1933 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 265 | 192 | .643 | 91 | 59 | .607 | 2 | |
| PHA | 4/14/1931 | 6/7/1931 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 253 | 165 | .686 | 107 | 45 | .704 | 1 | AL Pennant |
| PHA | 4/17/1929 | 6/7/1929 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 303 | 175 | .732 | 104 | 46 | .693 | 1 | WS Champ |
| NYY | 4/11/1928 | 6/3/1928 | 36 | 8 | .818 | 283 | 174 | .709 | 101 | 53 | .656 | 1 | WS Champ |
| NYY | 4/13/1926 | 6/2/1926 | 32 | 12 | .727 | 291 | 206 | .653 | 91 | 63 | .591 | 1 | AL Pennant |
| PHA | 4/14/1925 | 6/5/1925 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 273 | 189 | .662 | 88 | 64 | .579 | 2 | |
| NYG | 4/17/1923 | 6/5/1923 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 286 | 197 | .664 | 95 | 58 | .621 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| PIT | 4/13/1921 | 6/6/1921 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 224 | 158 | .654 | 90 | 63 | .588 | 2 | |
| CHC | 4/16/1918 | 6/12/1918 | 31 | 13 | .705 | 190 | 120 | .699 | 84 | 45 | .651 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| PHA | 4/10/1913 | 6/6/1913 | 34 | 10 | .773 | 246 | 171 | .660 | 96 | 57 | .627 | 1 | WS Champ |
| NYG | 4/11/1912 | 6/11/1912 | 35 | 8 | .814 | 298 | 151 | .776 | 103 | 48 | .682 | 1 | NL Pennant |
| DET | 4/13/1911 | 6/1/1911 | 33 | 11 | .750 | 266 | 206 | .615 | 89 | 65 | .578 | 2 | |
| PIT | 4/14/1909 | 6/11/1909 | 32 | 12 | .727 | 196 | 142 | .643 | 110 | 42 | .724 | 1 | WS Champ |
| CHC | 4/11/1907 | 6/9/1907 | 35 | 9 | .795 | 173 | 110 | .696 | 107 | 45 | .704 | 1 | WS Champ |
| NYG | 4/14/1905 | 6/5/1905 | 34 | 10 | .773 | 249 | 106 | .827 | 105 | 48 | .686 | 1 | WS Champ |
| PIT | 4/17/1902 | 6/12/1902 | 34 | 9 | .791 | 264 | 126 | .795 | 103 | 36 | .741 | 1 | NL Pennant |
On average, those teams (56 in total) registered a .635 winning percentage for the season. That's slightly under 103 wins. Also, 45 of 55 who were playoff-eligible (i.e., all but the '94 Yanks) made the playoffs. That's 82%. As a matter of fact, there are only two teams in the last 43 years who did not make the playoffs after starting the season as well as the White Sox (2002 Red Sox and 1972 Mets).
Let's say that the Sox's odds of making the postseason are 82%. Am I crazy in thinking that the Twins can still win the division? Or maybe the wild card will come out of the AL Central for the first time ever.
Ergo, yes the Twins are playing for the Wild Card, a feat of which is not too far fetched. The Yanks won't win 95/97, so it's basically the Twins v. BoSox. The way I see it, the edge right now goes with the Sox by about 2 games. The Twins young hitters are just not capable of producing enough runs (yet). That is unless Sweet Cheeks can ever get anywhere near .285/.290 again with some power.
Seems like a fair assessment. I think the Sox may have trouble because of age and the Twins may improve as their youngsters mature. Then again, I don;t really like the Red Sox, so I might be biased.
By the way, is Sweet a brother of Mo?
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