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The Bitter Half?
2006-09-26 19:05
by Mike Carminati

At the start of July the world champion White Sox were battling the Tigers for the best record in baseball. On July 2, as the Sox played their 81st game, an 8-1 loss to Baltimore, they were 2-1/2 games behind Detroit with a 53-28 record and a .654 winning percentage. They were on track to win 106 games which would have been the most wins for a second-place team ever (if the Tigers won their projected 112 games).

The Twins were ten full games behind Detroit for first and 7-1/2 behind Chicago for second. They were fourth behind Chicago,1-1/2 games behind the Yankees (six games back of the Sox) and a half-game behind the Blue Jays (7 GB) at the bare fringes of the wild card hunt. Meanwhile in the NL wild card hunt the current co-leaders were in fourth (the Dodgers, 2.5 GB) and eighth place (the Phils, 6.5 GB).

Things are, of course, much different today. The Twins and Yankees now have playoffs spots locked up. The Red Sox, who were leading the AL East by four games, have fallen to third. The Phils and Dodgers have supplanted the then-wild card leader, the Reds. And, of course, the White Sox have been eliminated from the post season after a 14-1 loss coupled with an 8-1 Twins win yesterday.

The Sox's record so far in the second half is 34-42, .447. Their winning percentage decreased by 207 points in the second half. It's among the worst declines in baseball history. The Red Sox are not far behind, losing 183 points from their first half winning percentage (from 50-31, .617 in the first half to 33-43, .434 in the second), good enough for 39th on the all-time list.

YrTmLgWLEnd of 1H1H-W1H-L1H-PCT2H-W2H-L2H-PCTPCT Diff
1890Philadelphia AthleticsAA5478189007134125.6211253.185-.437
1873Philadelphia WhitesNA361718730703233.8851314.481-.403
1879Chicago White StockingsNL463318790722319.7751524.385-.390
1875St. Louis Brown StockingsNA392918750721268.7651321.382-.382
1889Cleveland SpidersNL6172188907134026.6062146.313-.293
1872Troy HaymakersNA15101872051893.75067.462-.288
1871Fort Wayne KekiongasNA7121871070155.50027.222-.278
1885Providence GraysNL5357188507183421.6181936.345-.273
1977Chicago CubsNL8181197707095130.6303051.370-.259
1883Cleveland BluesNL5542188307123315.6882227.449-.239
1888Detroit WolverinesNL6863188807194224.6362639.400-.236
2005Washington NationalsNL8181200507035031.6173150.383-.235
1949Washington SenatorsAL50104194907153443.4421661.208-.234
1909Cleveland NapsAL7182190907154432.5792750.351-.228
1875Chicago White StockingsNA3037187507231915.5591122.333-.225
1983California AngelsAL7092198307104437.5432655.321-.222
1911Detroit TigersAL8965191107125324.6883641.468-.221
1941Cleveland IndiansAL7579194107064631.5972948.377-.221
1901New York GiantsNL5285190107243335.4851850.265-.221
1913Philadelphia AthleticsAL9657191307115620.7374037.519-.217
2004Milwaukee BrewersNL6794200407054238.5252556.309-.216
1897Cincinnati RedsNL7656189707184521.6823135.470-.212
Chicago White SoxAL8770200607025328.6543442.447-.207
1877St. Louis Brown StockingsNL2832187707181713.5671119.367-.200

As for the best improvement in the second half this year, the Angels lead the pack with a 183-point improvement followed by, surprisingly, the Pirates (173) and not so surprisingly, the Phils (143). They aren't enough to make the 25 best second-half improvements, however:

YrTmLgWLEnd of 1st Half1H-W1H-L1H-PCT2H-W2H-L2H-PCTPCT Diff
1884St. Paul ApostlesUA261884100304.00022.500.500
1872Washington OlympicsNA271872050704.00023.400.400
1873New York MutualsNA292418730715917.346207.741.395
1914Boston BravesNL9459191407153343.4346116.792.358
1884Altoona Mountain CityUA61918840510111.08358.385.301
1994Oakland AthleticsAL5163199406071740.2983423.596.298
1898Louisville ColonelsNL7081189807152452.3164629.613.298
2001Oakland AthleticsAL10260200107023942.4816318.778.296
1874New York MutualsNA4223187407141616.500267.788.288
1918Cincinnati RedsNL6860191807042539.3914321.672.281
1891Milwaukee BrewersAA211518910912810.444135.722.278
1935St. Louis BrownsAL6587193507152254.2894333.566.276
1997Philadelphia PhilliesNL6894199707022358.2844536.556.272
1871Boston Red StockingsNA20101871071087.533123.800.267
1881Providence GraysNL4737188107161824.4292913.690.262
1887Philadelphia QuakersNL7548188707153032.4844516.738.254
1936Brooklyn DodgersNL6787193607102453.3124334.558.247
1927Cincinnati RedsNL7578192707082848.3684730.610.242
1915Boston BravesNL8369191507133343.4345026.658.224
1907St. Louis CardinalsNL52101190707091759.2243443.442.218
1996Boston Red SoxAL8577199607023447.4205130.630.210
1995New York MetsNL6975199507152745.3754230.583.208
1941St. Louis BrownsAL7084194107132750.3514334.558.208
1901Philadelphia AthleticsAL7462190107203038.4414424.647.206
1986Oakland AthleticsAL7686198607043051.3704635.568.198
2000Houston AstrosNL7290200007022853.3464437.543.198
2004Atlanta BravesNL9666200407044041.4945625.691.198

By the way, if the Astros fall short in their pursuit of the NL Central or the wild card crown, both of which seem like long shots, with the White Sox already eliminated this would be the first season since 1991 that both World Series teams from the previous year woulc not be part of the postseason (ignoring 1993-94 when the Blue Jays and Phils did not have an opportunity to defend their league championships). It would the 40th time that both have missed the next season's playoffs, though it's gotten much rarer as the number of playoff teams have expanded during divisional play.

The Sox and 'Stros will at least avoid being one of six World Series pairs to have losing records the next season. Here is the worst winning percentages for the two teams who met in the previous year's Series (Houston/Chicago have a collective .527 winning percentage as of this morning):

SeriesWS WinnerWLWS LoserWLBoth under .500?Tot WTot LPCT
1914Boston Braves8369Philadelphia Athletics43109N126178.414
1890Brooklyn Grooms6176Louisville Colonels5584Y116160.420
1884Providence Grays5357New York Metropolitans4464Y97121.445
1966Baltimore Orioles7685Los Angeles Dodgers7389Y149174.461
1993Toronto Blue Jays5560Philadelphia Phillies5461Y109121.474
1985Kansas City Royals7686St. Louis Cardinals7982Y155168.480
1964St. Louis Cardinals8081New York Yankees7785Y157166.486
1990Cincinnati Reds7488Oakland Athletics8478N158166.488
1918Boston Red Sox6671Chicago Cubs7565N141136.509
1982St. Louis Cardinals7983Milwaukee Brewers8775N166158.512
1983Baltimore Orioles8577Philadelphia Phillies8181N166158.512
1981Los Angeles Dodgers8874New York Yankees7983N167157.515
1987Minnesota Twins9171St. Louis Cardinals7686N167157.515

By the way, the best records for Series teams that both missed the playoffs the next season are:

YrWinnerWLLoserWLBoth under .500?Tot WTot LPCT
1953New York Yankees10351Brooklyn Dodgers9262N195113.633
1905New York Giants9656Philadelphia Athletics7867N174123.586
1932New York Yankees9159Chicago Cubs8668N177127.582
1919Cincinnati Reds8271Chicago White Sox9658N178129.580
1947New York Yankees9460Brooklyn Dodgers8470N178130.578
1944St. Louis Cardinals9559St. Louis Browns8170N176129.577
1945Detroit Tigers9262Chicago Cubs8271N174133.567
1979Pittsburgh Pirates8379Baltimore Orioles10062N183141.565
1954New York Giants8074Cleveland Indians9361N173135.562
1909Pittsburgh Pirates8667Detroit Tigers8668N172135.560
1920Cleveland Indians9460Brooklyn Robins7775N171135.559
1946St. Louis Cardinals8965Boston Red Sox8371N172136.558
1935Detroit Tigers8371Chicago Cubs8767N170138.552

And yes, the 1954 Yankees and Dodgers both lost the league titles, to the Indians and Giants, respectively.

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