Image Source: Josh Appel
The New York Mets became the first team to register 20 regular season wins this season after they saw off the Phillies 6-1 on Saturday. As it stands, they are one of the favorites to win the World Series, although they face fierce competition from the Blue Jays and Dodgers, according to the latest MLB odds.
Many people argue about Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays being the best players of all time. But which World Series championship team could be considered as the best of the best?
Over the years, many teams have made their mark in the oldest sport league in history. Therefore, publishing a list of best baseball teams can be hard and quite controversial. Here’s a recap of some of the best teams to win the World Series.
2004 Boston Red Sox
We have this Red Sox team on the list because of their record-breaking championship run. They are a team that Boston fans will forever cherish. The 2004 Red Sox roster included Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, Tim Wakefield, Derek Lowe, and potential Hall of Famer Curt Schilling.
This team finished second in the AL East with a 98-64 record and entered the postseason as wild cards. They would go on to defeat the Yankees, despite a 3-0 deficit. With the win, they set a new MLB record; no other team in league history had won a playoff series after being down 3-0.
The Red Sox finished the job by sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals to win their first World Series since 1918.
1967 St. Louis Cardinals
A team that had Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, Lou Brock, and Orlando Cepeda has to be a special one. And indeed, the 1967 Cardinals are. All four players would later go on to achieve Hall of Fame status after retirement.
They finished the regular season as league leaders with a 101-60 record. Cepeda registered 25 home runs and became the league’s first unanimous MVP. His teammate, Tim McCarver, finished 2nd in the MVP just to show you how star-studded this team was. Gibson was also a Gold Glove recipient that same season.
St. Louis defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-3 to win the World Series and Gibson was named the Series MVP.
1986 New York Mets
There’s a reason many consider this team as the best to play baseball in the last 50 years. Since 1909, only two National League teams have won twice as many games as they lost during the regular season, the 1975 Cincinnati Reds and the 1986 New York Mets.
The Mets finished the regular season 108-54, and led the NL East standings by 21½ . They were the league leaders in both hits and runs. Gary Carter led the team in RBIs (105), Keith Hernandez recorded 171 hits, and Darryl Strawberry led the way with 27 home runs.
Their postseason run was special, seeing off the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox to win the World Series. Their Game 6 win against the Red Sox is widely regarded as one of the most dramatic wins in World Series history.
1927 New York Yankees
If a Babe Ruth’s team isn’t on any greatest team list, then it’s quite an oversight. The 1927 New York Yankees boasted one of the most feared rosters the league has ever seen: Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Herb Pennock, Earle Combs, and Waite Hoyt. This lineup earned them the nickname ‘Murderers Row’ and it’s no surprise that all six of them became Hall of Famers.
With a 110-44 record, this team broke the record for most regular season wins previously held by the Red Sox. Ruth registered a jaw-dropping 60 home runs, a then record, and 164 RBIs, Gehrig recorded 47 homers and 175 RBIs of his own. They would later sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the World Series.
1976 Cincinnati Reds
Winning back-to-back titles is astonishing, and that was exactly what the 1976 Reds did. They were a dominant team throughout the regular season, finishing with a 102-60 record, enough to sit atop the National League West.
Their postseason run was beyond special. They swept the Philadelphia Phillies during the NLC and would also sweep the Yankees to defend their World Series title.
A perfect 8-0 postseason record isn’t something you see often; the Cincinnati Reds became the third team to do this. No other team has had an all-win postseason since the Reds’ 1976 run.
