MLB: The franchise all-time bracket, the final four

MLB: The Franchise All-Time Bracket (The Final Four)

1927 New York Yankees vs. 2001 Seattle Mariners

So much has been written about the 1927 Yankees that it seems superfluous toad much at this stage. For decades they have been conceded a lofty spot, perhaps the pre-eminent one, among the greatest teams of all time.

Begin with Babe Ruth, in his prime at age 32. The Babe hit his record 60 home runs that season, drove in 165 runs, batted .356…and still somehow managed to lose the Most Valuable Player vote.

That’s because his teammate, first baseman Lou Gehrig, hit 47 home runs, drove in 173, and batted .373. Gehrig failed to win the batting title – Detroit’s Harry Heilmann hit  .398 and Philadelphia’s A;l Simmons .392 – but he was a unanimous MVP choice.

The amazing aspect of that vote isn’t that Gehrig beat Ruth. It’s that Ruth did not get a single vote: tough voters back in 1927. The Babe would have to content himself with playing the starring role on a 110-win team that finished 19 games ahead of the league runners-up.

The Yanks also had center fielder and leadoff man Earle Combs (.356), second baseman Tony Lazzeri (.309), and left fielder Bob Meusel 9.337). Lazzeri and Meusel both joined Ruth and Gehrig in surpassing 100 RBIs for the season.

The pitching staff was laced with veterans of the stripe of Urban Shocker (18-6), Dutch Ruether (13-6), Herb Pennock (19-8), and Waite Hoyt 922-7). Although none is today thought of as dominant in their era, they knew how to protect the offensive edge that lineup gave them.

To reach the championship series, they must get past the 2001 Seattle  Mariners.  That team had won 91 games and reached post-play one season earlier. But the big addition came from Japan in the form of rookie outfielder Ichiro Suzuki. A multi-time batting champion in Japan, Suzuki hit .350 taking the batting title, Rookie of the Year award and MVP, an unlikely triple indeed. He also led the league with 242 hits.

He joined a team that was already very good. DH Edgar Martinez batted .306 with 23 home runs and 116 RBIs, center fielder Mike Cameron drove in 110, and second baseman Bret Boone batted .331 with 37 home runs and 141 RBIs.

Like the 1927 Yankees, the 2001 Mariners did not rely on a dominant pitching staff, but they were well-stocked with capable veteran arms. Jamie Moyer, 38, was 20-6 while Aaron Sele went 15-5. Freddy Garcia, a budding star at 24, won 18 times against just six defeats.

Game 1: The 2001 Mariners tied the MLB record with 116 wins, although their 46 defeats held their percentage down to a mere .716. The 1927 Yankees’ 110 wins amounted to a .714 percentage, just two points short of the 2001 Mariners.

Game 2: The 1927 Yankees swept the National League champion Pittsburgh Pirates in that October’s World Series. The 2001 Mariners only played 400 post-season ball, beating Cleveland in a five-game division round before losing in five games to the Yankees in the ALCS.

Game 3: Ruth and Gehrig led the Bronx Bombers to a .127 OPS+. Suzuki, Boone, and Martinez only boosted Seattle to a score of 117. New York takes a 2-1 series lead.

Game 4: The 1927 Yankees pitching staff managed to produce a 122 ERA+. That’s five points better than the 2001 Mariners’ 117 and gives the Yankees a 3-1 series lead.

Game 5: The 2001 Mariners rolled up an impressive 67.1 WAR. But as good as that is, the 1927 Yankees went the Mariners one better, reaching 68.3 WAR.

Result: 1927 Yankees in five games