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MLB: The franchise all-time bracket, NL edition

By Bill Felber

PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 3: Arizona Diamondbacks Turner Ward (10), Hanley Frias (2) and Andy Fox (6) celebrate with their teammates following their win over the San Diego Padres 03 October, 1999, in Phoenix, AZ. The Diamondbacks won 10-3 to finish the season with 100 wins. (Photo credit should read MIKE FIALA/AFP via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 3: Arizona Diamondbacks Turner Ward (10), Hanley Frias (2) and Andy Fox (6) celebrate with their teammates following their win over the San Diego Padres 03 October, 1999, in Phoenix, AZ. The Diamondbacks won 10-3 to finish the season with 100 wins. (Photo credit should read MIKE FIALA/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Rockies manager Clint hurdle celebrates the 2007 NLCS. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
Rockies manager Clint hurdle celebrates the 2007 NLCS. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

MLB: The Franchise All-Time Bracket (NL Edition)

1907 Chicago Cubs vs. 2007  Colorado Rockies

The 1906 Cubs may have compiled 116 regular-season wins, but the 1907 club nearly matched it and added a World Series win to ratify its reputation.

With virtually the same personnel cast, that 1907 club won 107 games, lost just 45 (.704), finished 17 games ahead of the runner-up Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League race, then dismissed the American League champion Detroit Tigers in four straight, one game ending in a tie.

It was mostly about pitching. This time the staff’s 1.73 ERA again comfortably led the league, as did its total of 1,054 hits allowed – 140 fewer than the league average.   Orval Overall went 23-7 and Mordecai Brown was 20-6. Among the Cubs’ five most frequently used pitchers – Overall, Brown, Pfeister, Reulbach, and Carl Lundgren – the highest ERA was Reulbach’s 1.69.

On offense, player-manager Frank Chance batted .293 and third baseman Harry Steinfeldt led the team in RBIs with 70.

The 1907 Cubs won the franchise championship by eliminating the 1935 Cubs in seven games, taking out the 2016 World Series winners, again in seven, and defeating the 1906 Cubs in five.

The 2007 Colorado Rockies advanced farthest of any Rockies team in post-season, but they also had one of the best regular-season records in franchise history and they possessed a rarity in Denver, competent pitching.

Jeff Francis was 17-9 in 34 starts, and Aaron Cook delivered  25 credible starts.

At bat, the Rockies featured three stars. First baseman Todd Helton batted .320 with 91 RBIs, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki hit .291 with 99 RBIs, and outfielder Matt Holliday led the team at .340 with 36 home runs and 137 RBIs. Holliday led the league in both average and RBIs, yet managed to lose the MVP that season to Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins.

The 2007 Rockies won the franchise championship by beating the 1996 team in five games, eliminating the 2017 team in five, and defeating the 2009 Rockies in six.

light. Related Story. MLB Dream Bracket: Who wins: Yankees or Red Sox?

Game 1: The 1907 Cubs had a .704 regular-season percentage, a full 150 points better than the 2007 Rockies’ .552.

Game 2: Chicago’s perfect post-season, not counting a tie in the first World Series game with Detroit – gives it a victory in this game. Colorado had a .636 post-season record, sweeping through the National League division and championship series before being swept by Boston in the World Series.

Game 3: The 1907 Cubs were not an offensive powerhouse, touching just 92 in OPS+. The Rockies were not great either, but their score of 98 in 2007 is good enough to win this game. Chicago still leads the series 2-1.

Game 4: The 1907  Cubs had dominant pitching, as illustrated by their 143 staff ERA+. Colorado could only get to 112.

Game 5: The Cubs pile up a 47.9 WAR, six and one-half points better than Colorado’s 41.4 in 2007.

Result: 1907 Cubs in five games.

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