EXPANSION

Just for the hell of it recently, I created an alltime database of team performance, beginning with the formation of the American League in 1901. I assigned 20 points for a championship, 8 points for a pennant, 4 points for winning a division or a division series, and 2 points for losing a division series. I don't exactly remember what I did for 1994 and the years before the World Series, but partial credit was assigned for those seasons.

By this method, the Yankees are shown to have completely dominated baseball for most of their existence. Sal won't have a problem with that, but I'll admit to being annoyed that the Yankees are somehow 2.41 times as successful as the second best team in history, the St. Louis Cardinals. Interestingly, the 8 worst franchises are all expansion teams. Possibly because of the difficulties involved in starting from scratch, possibly because baseball has never expanded into a large-market city unless it already had an existing team. So, if you believe that baseball has overexpanded, like I do, this seems to prove it.

Here's the list of the 30 baseball franchises, ranked by postseason results. The first number is PPPS (postseason points per season), the second is titles won since the expansion era began in 1961.

1. New York Yankees /Baltimore Orioles 6.11, won in 2009, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1996, 1978, 1977, 1962, 1961, etc
2. St. Louis Cardinals 2.53, won in 2006, 1982, 1967, 1964
3. Florida Marlins 2.35, won in 2003, 1997
4. Oakland /Kansas City /Philadelphia A's, 2.35, won in 1989, 1974, 1973, 1972
5. Arizona Diamondbacks 2.33, only title 2001
6. Los Angeles /Brooklyn Dodgers 2.22, won in 1988, 1981, 1965, 1963
7. San Francisco /New York Giants 2.00, last won in 1954
8. Boston Red Sox 1.91, won in 2007, 2004
9. Toronto Blue Jays 1.58, won in 1993, 1992
10. Pittsburgh Pirates 1.47, won in 1979, 1971
11. New York Mets 1.42, won in 1986, 1969
12. Cincinnati Reds 1.34, won in 1990, 1976, 1975
13. Atlanta /Milwaukee /Boston Braves 1.32, won in 1995
14. Detroit Tigers 1.25, won in 1984, 1968
15. Kansas City Royals 1.12, only title 1985
16. Chicago Cubs 1.12, last won in 1908
17. Baltimore Orioles /St. Louis Browns 0.99, won in 1983, 1970, 1966
18. Minnesota Twins /Washington Senators 0.95, won in 1991, 1987
19. Los Angeles Angels 0.94, only title 2002
20. Chicago White Sox 0.90, won in 2005
21. Philadelphia Phillies 0.88, won in 2008, 1980
22. Cleveland Indians 0.73, last won in 1948
23. Colorado Rockies 0.71
24. Tampa Bay Rays 0.67
25. Houston Astros 0.63
26. San Diego Padres 0.54
27. Seattle Mariners 0.42
28. Milwaukee Brewers /Seattle Pilots 0.29
29. Texas Rangers /Washington Senators 0.16
30. Washington Nationals /Montreal Expos 0.15

The expansion success stories are the Marlins and Diamondbacks, though these are in limited sample sizes. Next are the Toronto Blue Jays, who have been stagnant for most of the last 15 years, and the New York Mets... if they're the 4th-most successful expansion franchise ever, having spent most of their existence sucking ass in the largest market in the NL... that only proves the point that expansion franchises tend to get mired in permanent cycles of losing. The Expos / Nationals made the playoffs twice in their entire existence. Maybe baseball moved them out of Montreal out of consideration for their hysterically suicidal fans.

Also, the worst franchise of the original 16 is the Indians, winners in 1920, 1948, and never before or again.