The 1980s
The 1982 Kansas City Royals challenged the California Angels for supremacy in the AL West on the strength of dominance of their home field, which at that time was still known as Royals Stadium. The Royals went 56-25 at home, four games better than California’s home record. The Angels prevailed by three games because they managed to play .500 ball on the road, 41-40. Away from Kansas City, the Royals collapsed, winning just 34 of their 81 starts.
In the 1980s, perhaps no team dominated its home field as thoroughly as the Minnesota Twins dominated opponents at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. That most famously included winning the 1987 World Series by sweeping post-season play at home.
The Twins were every bit as home-oriented during the regular season, with a 56-25 record that was 27 games better than the team’s 29-52 road record. That’s a record. It was the second time in three seasons that the Twins had dominated at the Metrodome. On their way to a 77-85 record in 1985, the Twins went 49-35 at home but just 28-50 on the road.
The 1987 Boston Red Sox failed to defend their American League pennant, and it was entirely due to the team’s inability to win on the road. At Fenway Park, the Red Sox dominated opponents to the tune of a 50-30 record. Away from Fenway, they managed only a 28-54 record.