MLB: Most Disappointing 100-Win Teams of All Time
By Manny Gómez
7.) Los Angeles Dodgers (102-63), 1962
Rdiff: 145 / Postseason: N/A
After finishing the regular season in a tie (101-61), the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants played a tie-breaker series for the National League pennant. It was the fourth time in 17 years that a tie-breaker was to determine the pennant. All four times involved the Dodgers, and only once had they emerged victorious.
In game one, the Giants manhandled the Dodgers, winning the game 8-0. Dodgers ace Sandy Koufax, having missed two months of the season, had made three starts prior to the tie-breaker and lost all three. Koufax surrendered a double to Felipe Alou and then a HR by Willie Mays before getting out of the inning losing 2-0. Koufax then entered the 2nd inning and quickly surrendered another HR to Jim Davenport before being yanked for RP Ed Roebuck. The game was over before it started.
At four hours and 18 minutes, game two would be the longest 9-inning game in history at the time. The Dodgers tied the series in a nail biter game that ended in walk off fashion.
With the Dodgers leading the game 4-2 in the ninth inning of the deciding game, the Giants put together a nice combination of small ball and pinch running to take a commanding 6-4 lead over the Dodgers. The rest is history.
In their fourth tie-breaker series in 17 years, the Dodgers officially lost three of them. 1962 was no exception.
6.) Atlanta Braves (101-59), 2002
Rdiff: 143 / Postseason: Lost NLDS
In 2002, the Atlanta Braves made their 11th consecutive postseason appearance. It was a fierce team that featured Hall of Famers like Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine.
Entering the postseason with the best record in MLB, the Braves were heavily favored against the Wild Card San Francisco Giants. After losing game one, the Braves came back to take games two and three. With just one victory left to compete for the pennant, the Braves lost game four. In game five, a Barry Bonds HR made the game 2-0 in favor of the Giants. The Giants never looked back.
For the seventh consecutive year, the Braves made it to the postseason and failed to secure a world championship. In fact, since 2002, the Braves have made the postseason eight times, and all eight times they were unable to advance to the next round.
5.) Oakland Athletics (101-60), 1971
Rdiff: 127 / Postseason: Lost ALCS
The Oakland Athletics were by far the best team in the AL West Division in 1971. The young team easily won the division by a margin of 16 games over the 2nd place Kansas City Royals. This was a team that featured the likes of Vida Blue, Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter, and Rollie Fingers, all of whom were 25 and under at the time.
The future was bright for this team, but 1971 would serve as the disappointment all great teams need in order to conquer greatness. The A’s would be easily swept by Jim Palmer and the Baltimore Orioles by a combined score of 15-7.
The good news? After losing to the Orioles, the A’s would make three consecutive World Series appearances, winning all three.