It’s official. With today’s loss, the Yankees will be heading home in October. However, 2014 hasn’t been a complete loss, at least not from a historical perspective. With one victory in the team’s final four games, the Bronx Bombers will secure a winning season for 22nd consecutive year.
Longest Consecutive Winning Season Streaks, By Franchise (1901-2014)
Note: Data is as of September 24, 2014 (Brewers and Blue Jays could still have their season status change before end of the year); Blue bars represent NL; red bars represent AL.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
The Yankees’ current stretch of 22 consecutive winning seasons would be the second longest streak of its kind in baseball history. However, it would be a distant second. From 1926 to 1964, the Bronx Bombers reeled off 39 straight winning campaigns, including 18 championships, 25 pennants, and a victory in over 62% of all regular season games.
Aside from the Yankees’ two winning season streaks of 39 and 22, the Baltimore Orioles boast the next longest stretch, which lasted for 18 seasons from 1968 to 1985. The best run put forth by a National League team is shared by the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. The Braves enjoyed 15 straight winning seasons from 1991 to 2005, while the Cardinals run lasted from 1939 to 1953.
Franchise Winning Percentage Distribution, Since 1901
Note: Data is as of September 24, 2014 (Brewers and Blue Jays could still have their season status change before end of the year).
Source: Baseball-reference.com
By notching another winning campaign, the Yankees would push their all-time rate to just below 80% of all seasons, a byproduct of never having more than four consecutive losing seasons (1912-1915 and 1989-1992). The Bronx Bombers’ impressive rate of above .500 seasons is also easily the highest total among all 30 franchises and head and shoulders above every team but the Giants. In fact, only 10 franchises have had more winning seasons than not.
The Yankees’ current streak of 22 winning seasons would also stand out in comparison to the prevailing trends for each major league team. With a streak of seven straight above-.500 seasons, the Cardinals are next in line, but otherwise, no other franchise can boast a stretch longer than four years. On the flip side, the Mets and Astros bring up the rear at six games, which is relatively meager total for laggards. As recently as 2011, the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates were both working on stretches of futility that had lasted well above 10 seasons.
Current Season Streaks, By Franchise
Note: Data is as of September 24, 2014 (Brewers and Blue Jays could still have their season status change before end of the year); Blue bars represent NL; red bars represent AL.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Will today’s Bronx Bombers be able to reach the stretch of 39 winning seasons established by the Yankees of the past? To be honest, Yankee fans are probably more concerned with the team’s current streak of two consecutive years without postseason play, so as long as that relative drought continues, having winning seasons will provide little consolation.
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