Now let's look at 1916:
National League- The National League flag returns to Brooklyn, as the Robins capture the franchise's third pennant and the first under the Robins name. Their winning record is 92-62, a two-game loss, and their margin of victory over the second-place Braves and Giants is three games. The Braves and Giants finish deadlocked at 88-64 due to a one-game slip by the Braves (from 89-63) and a two-game improvement by the Giants (from 86-66). The defending World champion Phillies finish just half a game in back of them at 88-65, making this one of the closest and deepest pennant races in the NL in quite some time.
The only other team in the league to drop as many as three games is the last-place Cardinals, who fall from 60-93 to 57-96 and end up thirty-four and a half games behind the Robins. This marks the tenth last-place finish for the Redbirds in franchise history; at this point, that's a major-league record. As for improvement, the biggest this year belongs to the Cubs, who jump seven games (67-86 to 74-79) but still finish fifth.
The Buccos still finish sixth, dropping one game from 65-89 to 64-90. They finish twenty-eight games behind the Robins, but manage to hold off the Reds for sixth by half a game. The Queen City ballclub improves three games from 60-93 to 63-90.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Robins: 92-62 (-2)
2. (tie) Braves: 88-64- 3 GB (-1)
(tie) Giants: 88-64- 3 GB (+2)
4. Phillies: 88-65- 3.5 GB (-3)
5. Cubs: 74-79- 17.5 GB (+7)
6. Pirates: 64-90- 28 GB (-1)
7. Reds: 63-90- 28.5 GB (+3)
8. Cardinals: 57-96- 34.5 GB (-3)
American League- The Chicago White Sox become the first team in history to win back-to-back pennants in the Pythagorean universe without having won at least one of them in real life. Their one-game improvement (89-65 to 90-64) coupled with a four-game drop by the Red Sox (91-63 to 87-67) results in a three-game margin of victory and the franchise's fourth American League crown. The Tigers hold on to third despite dropping a pair (87-67 to 85-69), and the Browns improve by three (79-75 to 82-72) to take fourth.
The top story in the second division is the fall of the Yankees from fourth to sixth despite dropping only one game (80-74 to 79-75). The other team besides the Browns to leapfrog them is the Indians, who also improve by three (77-77 to 80-74). The seventh-place Sens freeze just short of a .500 season at 76-77.
Not only do the A's finish last again, they become the worst team in AL history to date despite a five-game "improvement" (36-117 to 41-112). They finish forty-eight and a half games behind the White Sox, and at this point in time, only the 1899 Spiders have been more pathetic.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. White Sox: 90-64 (+1)
2. Red Sox: 87-67- 3 GB (-4)
3. Tigers: 85-69- 5 GB (-2)
4. Browns: 82-72- 8 GB (+3)
5. Indians: 80-74- 10 GB (3)
6. Yankees: 79-75- 11 GB (-1)
7. Senators: 76-77- 13.5 GB (0)
8. Athletics: 41-112- 48.5 GB (+5)
The White Sox will meet the National League champion Brooklyn Robins in the World Series, and will have home field advantage as the American League champions. Once again, the format will be 2-2-1-1-1.
Next: We look at Game 1 of the 1916 Series. Rube Marquard will get the start for Brooklyn, while Reb Russell goes for the Sox.
Thoughts?
National League- The National League flag returns to Brooklyn, as the Robins capture the franchise's third pennant and the first under the Robins name. Their winning record is 92-62, a two-game loss, and their margin of victory over the second-place Braves and Giants is three games. The Braves and Giants finish deadlocked at 88-64 due to a one-game slip by the Braves (from 89-63) and a two-game improvement by the Giants (from 86-66). The defending World champion Phillies finish just half a game in back of them at 88-65, making this one of the closest and deepest pennant races in the NL in quite some time.
The only other team in the league to drop as many as three games is the last-place Cardinals, who fall from 60-93 to 57-96 and end up thirty-four and a half games behind the Robins. This marks the tenth last-place finish for the Redbirds in franchise history; at this point, that's a major-league record. As for improvement, the biggest this year belongs to the Cubs, who jump seven games (67-86 to 74-79) but still finish fifth.
The Buccos still finish sixth, dropping one game from 65-89 to 64-90. They finish twenty-eight games behind the Robins, but manage to hold off the Reds for sixth by half a game. The Queen City ballclub improves three games from 60-93 to 63-90.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Robins: 92-62 (-2)
2. (tie) Braves: 88-64- 3 GB (-1)
(tie) Giants: 88-64- 3 GB (+2)
4. Phillies: 88-65- 3.5 GB (-3)
5. Cubs: 74-79- 17.5 GB (+7)
6. Pirates: 64-90- 28 GB (-1)
7. Reds: 63-90- 28.5 GB (+3)
8. Cardinals: 57-96- 34.5 GB (-3)
American League- The Chicago White Sox become the first team in history to win back-to-back pennants in the Pythagorean universe without having won at least one of them in real life. Their one-game improvement (89-65 to 90-64) coupled with a four-game drop by the Red Sox (91-63 to 87-67) results in a three-game margin of victory and the franchise's fourth American League crown. The Tigers hold on to third despite dropping a pair (87-67 to 85-69), and the Browns improve by three (79-75 to 82-72) to take fourth.
The top story in the second division is the fall of the Yankees from fourth to sixth despite dropping only one game (80-74 to 79-75). The other team besides the Browns to leapfrog them is the Indians, who also improve by three (77-77 to 80-74). The seventh-place Sens freeze just short of a .500 season at 76-77.
Not only do the A's finish last again, they become the worst team in AL history to date despite a five-game "improvement" (36-117 to 41-112). They finish forty-eight and a half games behind the White Sox, and at this point in time, only the 1899 Spiders have been more pathetic.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. White Sox: 90-64 (+1)
2. Red Sox: 87-67- 3 GB (-4)
3. Tigers: 85-69- 5 GB (-2)
4. Browns: 82-72- 8 GB (+3)
5. Indians: 80-74- 10 GB (3)
6. Yankees: 79-75- 11 GB (-1)
7. Senators: 76-77- 13.5 GB (0)
8. Athletics: 41-112- 48.5 GB (+5)
The White Sox will meet the National League champion Brooklyn Robins in the World Series, and will have home field advantage as the American League champions. Once again, the format will be 2-2-1-1-1.
Next: We look at Game 1 of the 1916 Series. Rube Marquard will get the start for Brooklyn, while Reb Russell goes for the Sox.
Thoughts?