Back in the day when eight-team leagues times two were The Big Leagues, we had to hope for a pennant race in the National circuit that would keep fans excited until the winner faced off against the New York Yankees in the World Series. With some exceptions, it seems that the Yankees usually had the American League pennant wrapped up by the All Star Break. It may not have happened to the nth degree that way, but it happened often enough to have implanted that global memory in eye and ear witness brains like mine. All those “Damn Yankees” did back then was win!
Short of time and good ideas this morning, I thought it would be interesting to take a look through the glass darkly at the biggest losers in the 2010 season, via their records, to determine who might be involved in an inverse pennant race. In this little slice of fantasy, the two worst teams in each league get to play in the World Series of Losers – with the loser of that one taking the title as Baseball’s Biggest Loser.
It’s a very simple competition, but this year, our Houston Astros are very much involved in the thick of all competition. Here are the biggest competitors, as of the morning this is written, Sunday, June 27, 2010:
BASEBALL’S BIGGEST LOSER RACE, 2010
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1. Baltimore Orioles (22-52, .297)
2. Cleveland Indians (26-47, .356) 4.5 games behind
3. Kansas City Royals (31-44, .413) 8.5 games behind
4. Seattle Mariners (31-43) .419) 9 games behind
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1. Pittsburgh Pirates (25-49, .338)
2t Arizona Diamondbacks (29-46, .387) 3.5 games behind
2t Houston Astros (29-46, .387) 3.5 games behind
4. Chicago Cubs (32-42, .432) 7 games behind
Have a fun Sunday, everybody. If you are a fan of any of the above listed clubs, just don’t look through the dark glass for too long. Dwelling on the negative has the same effect upon the general population as the mention of “1908” does upon Chicago Cubs fans. It generates an existential panic that eventually institutionalizes itself in the heart of the beholder.
Tags: 2010 losers, Baseball
The Pecan Park Eagle 
June 27, 2010 at 11:34 pm |
Notes on this morning’s list of Loser competitors:
(1) The leader and two others among NL leaders are all from the NLC division.
(2) The NL-leading Pirates and the AL-leading Orioles have dropped a long way down the ladder since they met in the 1979 World Series.
June 28, 2010 at 12:55 pm |
Sad but strangely amusing…
June 28, 2010 at 1:40 pm |
Everyday the Orioles play they remind old baseball fans of their ancestors the St. Louis Browns. The Browns were arguably the worst team in baseball history when there were just eight teams. The fact that that they have established a relationship with the St. Louis Browns Historical Society might indicate that they do not see any glory days in their immediate future. Or they just may be looking for coping skills. Bill Borst, Founder and 1st president of the Browns Historical Society
June 29, 2010 at 8:52 pm |
As a Mets fan I can empathize with these teams and offer hope that things can turn around from one season to the next.
I have a post up now about Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS between the MEts and Astros — a game I think the Astros should have won.