Never had a winning season. And then, pooflike a sudden cloud of smoke, they predictably went back to being lousy once they couldnt afford all the great players they raised and nurtured. Frustration continued to spring eternal as the Rockies struggle to victoriously acclimate to 5,280 feet went on and on and on without a long-term solution. Based on run differential, Chicago should have won 76 games, the biggest disparity in baseball that year. What happened? What happened? And the pitching was no better: last in the NL in ERA, saves and HR allowed. What happened? (The Rangers Rougned Odor would serve up a rebuttal a year later with a right hook to Bautistas jawbut thats another story.) The pitching wasn't bad, but San Francisco was last in the league in runs scored thanks to the presence of weak hitters like Manny Trillo and Jose Uribe in the lineup. The new Lords played it smart; avoiding temptation of picking any apple off the tree because they could afford to, they instead built mostly from within, supplementing established stars (such as ace Clayton Kershaw) with a bountiful farm system that churned out Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler and Corey Seager. Here are the teams with the most units lost in a season over the past 20 years (based on 1 unit bets). With just eight days to go before Opening Day, there's only one thing left to do: Rank all 30 teams, from the best of the best to the. After Detroit lost 106 games the year before, it was hard to imagine a 13-game drop, but that's what Motown got. And the pitching was no better: last in the NL in ERA, saves and HR allowed. Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Wednesday, Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Monday, Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Tuesday. Best Year: 2018 (108-54) Worst Year: 2012 (69-93). : The Rangers were always bad in this era. 1 overall draft picks, which they used on Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. : Several more years of losing before lightning struck again in 2003. : The 1995 Angels improved enough to play the Mariners in a one-game playoff for the AL West title. What came next? The hitting was worse. Record: 63-99 (.389) NOTE: The 1995 team had the same winning percentage in fewer games. The Brewers were one of the most consistently entertaining teams to watch, with lively (and sometimes not-so-cleanahem, Ryan Braun) hitting, aggressive baserunning and, well, poor defense that sometimes made the highlight reel for the wrong reasons. He hit .318 with a .366 on-base percentage, too, so it looks like a . Best Year: 2014 (98-64) Worst Year: 2019 (72-90). What happened? The 10 worst MLB teams to bet on over the past 20 years (1:19), The 10 worst MLB teams to bet on over the past 20 years. The Orioles are one of the worst offensive teams in MLB, so a player would have to be horrific to get cut. The Miami Marlins were one of the worst hitting teams in the land in 2022, managing just 586 runs all season, which is fewer than every team but the Tigers and the A's. That's not the kind of company you want to be keeping at the plate. The team finally finished above .500 again in 1989 and was respectable for most of the 1990s (including its first three division titles). Which 16 teams should you buy or fade ahead of March Madness? Best Year: 2012 (98-64) Worst Year: 2010 (69-93). At decades end, the Indians take over as the team with the longest World Series drought, in part because they couldnt beat the team (the Cubs) that previously had the longest. The team ended up trading two of their other productive hitters, Gary Sheffield and Fred McGriff. Coming off a 75-win season, there weren't high expectations for the '18 Orioles. Major League Baseball Team Specific Records for Games Lost | Baseball Almanac. NBA futures watch: Does Kevin Durant make Suns the team to beat? The only player with an OPS+ above the break-even point of 100 was Nicholas Castellanos, who was dealt away at the July trade deadline. What happened? 2023 All-Star Game . What came next? Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Wednesday, Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Monday, Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Tuesday. Having a massive power hitter on your ball club is always good. Despite breaking their 108-year World Series drought in 2016 and going 1,624-1,614-1 over the past 20 years, the "Lovable Losers" haven't been so lovable for bettors. The wheels fell off during a 10-36 midseason stretch. : Two more losing years. The Mariners scored 100 fewer runs than any other AL team and had an OPS of .637, the only AL team below .700. Best way to sum up the Mets decade? The team ended up unloading high-priced veterans Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett to the Dodgers. No doubt about it, the Tigers are tankingthough that may be of little comfort for Detroit fans who finished the decade watching (or not watching) their team lose 114 games. Many teams (Astros, Cubs, etc.) The Mariners scored 100 fewer runs than any other AL team and had an OPS of .637, the only AL team below .700. But in between, they were 61-101 in a season when nothing went right. It seems ironic that the Yankees would grab the top spot despite going pennantless in a decade for the first time since the 1910s. The wheels fell off during a 10-36 midseason stretch. The Nats were always in the playoff hunt and captured five postseason spotsbut they couldnt make that great leap forward as they blew one playoff series after another, typically when advancement was within their grasps. They had a bad lineup and really bad pitching (more than 900 runs allowed). The top starter was 27-year-old rookie Lucas Harrell. They had such a rough season that they were 61 games behind first place in late August. While we wait to see what transpires, we decided to take a look at some of the worst teams to bet on in recent history. Best Year:2019 (107-55) Worst Year: 2013 (51-111). No. In 2007, the Mariners won 88 games; in 2009, they won 85. The offense was the real culprit. : The 1991 Dodgers had the league's best ERA and an above-average offense. Overall, 17 teams experienced the thrill of finishing first and last at some point during the decade. : A slight improvement in 2014. Well, Arizona's four other pitchers with at least 10 starts (Casey Fossum, Steve Sparks, Casey Daigle and Edgar Gonzalez) went 9-34 with a 6.86 ERA over 65 starts. As their top players (Ryan Howard, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Jimmy Rollins, etc.) Matthew Stockman/Getty By Evan Bleier @itishowitis This was the first of three 100-loss seasons that set the stage for Houston's massive rebuild that eventually paid off over the second half of the decade. The Astros had a punchless lineup without a 20-homer hitter and that was fourth in the NL in team batting average but 13th in OPS. The most enjoyable time at T-Mobile Park (nee Safeco Field) was to be had in Kings Court down the left-field line whenever ace Felix Hernandez pitchedmost enjoyable when he threw a perfect game in 2012. What came next? But its hardly the way the Red Sox planned things out. While proposals are sent back and forth, we went ahead and decided to break down which teams have given bettors the most trouble over the past 20 years combined. Don't blame the pitching staff for the 24-game drop in the Mariners' record in 2010. Martinez (11) joining him in double figures. The Los Angeles Dodgers have won 1179 games since 2010, which is the most in the MLB. You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions, click above. The pitching staff was only slightly better. What happened? What came next? Sandwiched between 88-win seasons, the 2002 Cubs were just 67-95 and should have been better. They built their farm system up to start the decade, became good enough to sneak their way to an AL pennant in 2014 before winning it all a year later. What happened? Best Year: 2010 (90-72)Worst Year: 2018 (66-96). Based on run differential, Chicago should have won 76 games, the biggest disparity in baseball that year. realm. Which brings us to Franco, who slashed only .210/.253/.355 in 104 games before Baltimore . : More losing. By 1992, the team was respectable and would remain that way through 1997, when they finished with the best record in the league. The 10 worst MLB teams to bet on over the past 20 years (1:19), The 10 worst MLB teams to bet on over the past 20 years. Nothing went right for the Marlins. Team Wins Table; Year G AG ARI IAB ATL AC BBS BEG BAL BLA BBB BOS BRG CAG CHC COG CHW CIN CT CBN CBE CCU CEL CG CLE CHT CRS CLS CTS CTG COL CBB COB COT CSE CSW DM DS DTS DET DW HBG HIL HG HOU ABC ID IA IC JRC KCM KCR LRG LAA LAD . The reigning NL Cy Young, Sandy Alcantara, is the favorite at +475 to repeat in 2023 at SI Sportsbook. The Jays were fun to watch if not always successful, with Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson constantly providing more than their share of fireworks. If often worked, but it demanded a lot of patience from fans. : More losing. The year before, San Diego led the league in ERA and won 89 games, but in 2008 the Padres dropped to 10th in ERA and posted just 63 wins. The young team was dead last in runs scored and No. But once they got past Game #162, they repeatedly failed baseballs Octoberquestmost memorably when the Giants Buster Posey hit that helium-sucking grand slam to cap a 2012 NLDS rally after the Reds led the series, two games to none. The young team was among the league's worst in scoring and preventing runs, but they actually didn't finish last because the Astros were even worse. : The 1994 team was almost as bad as the '93 version. (1:19). The 1990 team was really just a bump in the road for one of baseball's most consistent franchises. There were lots for Tribe fans to be happy abouttaking the 2016 AL flag, winning an AL-record 22 straight games in 2017, and all that firepower from ace Corey Kluber to the dynamic Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez. = 100. . Well, Arizona's four other pitchers with at least 10 starts (Casey Fossum, Steve Sparks, Casey Daigle and Edgar Gonzalez) went 9-34 with a 6.86 ERA over 65 starts. The team didn't lack talent, with future Hall of Famers Roberto Alomar and Paul Molitor, as well as the likes of Leiter, David Cone, John Olerud and Shawn Green. It was a train wreck of a season in every way. Just more of the same. Should the Bucks be favorites to win the East and NBA Championship? In a decade in which the fortunes of MLB teams swung wildly like an out-of-control pendulum, heres our list of how everything shook out at the end. The team was bad all around, finishing next to last in the league in runs scored and first in runs allowed by a comfortable margin. The Houston Astros defeat the favored Dodgers in an exhilarating and exhausting seven-game World Seriesbut the trophy will soon be tarnished. Fortunately for Seattle, Felix Hernandez would embark on his seven-year run of dominance the next season, giving fans something to root for. In the end, the Red Sox had their worst season in nearly five decades. At 43-119, the 2003 Tigers had the worst record in baseball since 1962 and the sixth worst since 1900. Visions of a dynasty beyond 2016 were muted despite repeated returns to the postseason, as October proved disappointing and led some to believe Epstein was ready to tear it all down again. Its not exactly World Series or bust in St. Louis like the aforementioned three titans, but expectations are nonetheless high; per example, the Cardinals fired manager Mike Matheny, who gave the team five straight playoff appearances (and a world title in 2011), for having the audacity to drop to an even .500. Their attempt to amp up the marquee in 2015 with All-Stars fell flat, and so the team decided that if theyre going to be mediocre, best to do it on a shoestring. Best Year: 2016 (103-58) Worst Year: 2012 (61-101). Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Sunday, Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Saturday: Sixers and Celtics fight for the division, Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Friday: Love to make Heat debut, XFL Week 2 preview: Texas two-step between Renegades and Roughnecks leads slate, Fantasy basketball tips and betting picks for Thursday: LeBron James and Co. look to start strong. The Orioles were a good team at mid-decade, with a succession of top-line closers (Jim Johnson and Zach Britton) and the powerful bats of Chris Davis, Adam Jones and Manny Machado. Woe, to be a hardcore fan in Miami. That said, we have this puzzling question: Why did fans stop showing up at Progressive Fieldwhere attendance surpassed two million just once (and barely, in 2017)? Should the Bucks be favorites to win the East and NBA Championship? The results aren't pretty. Result: Seven straight NL West titles to end the decade, the woeful part of which was that it didnt bring them any world titles. What happened? One-run games were a particular problem, as the Cubs were 18-36 in those affairs for a .333 winning percentage, but they had a .454 winning percentage (49-59) otherwise. Best Year: 2018, 2019 (97-65) Worst Year: 2015 (68-94). What came next? #28 Pittsburgh Pirates - Actual = 19-41, "Tru" = 23-37. Managers: John McNamara and Mike Hargrove. Best Year: 2019 (103-59) Worst Year: 2016 (84-78). First baseman Triston Casas impressed last summer and is a prime AL Rookie of the Year candidate, and outfielder/shortstop Cedanne Rafaela is an outstanding defender with 20-20 potential. At 43-119, the 2003 Tigers had the worst record in baseball since 1962 and the sixth worst since 1900. NBA futures watch: Does Kevin Durant make Suns the team to beat? What came next? A 96-loss season in 2014 didn't help, as Colorado had a staggering team ERA of 4.84 and finished down 28.71 betting units. Plus, the offense was last in the National League in runs and OPS and second to last in home runs, and the D-backs made a league-high 139 errors. Seven teams got to taste championship glory, while only four teams never made it to the postseason. Best Year: 2011 (96-66) Worst Year: 2015 (68-94). The 10 worst MLB teams to bet on over the past 20 years (1:19) Doug Kezirian and Preston Johnson take a look at some of the worst MLB teams to bet on in recent history. But the writing was clearly on the wall that the team needed to reload; it didnt. The advent of the opener threatens to accelerate the devolution of the starting pitcher as Baseball ponders rule changes in response. Managers: Whitey Herzog, Red Schoendienst and Joe Torre. Doug Kezirian and Preston Johnson take a look at some of the worst MLB teams to bet on in recent history. The top starter was 27-year-old rookie Lucas Harrell. Fortunately for Seattle, Felix Hernandez would embark on his seven-year run of dominance the next season, giving fans something to root for. : Two more lousy (though not historically bad) seasons before the Tigers made the World Series in 2006. 3. What came next? Best Year: 2015 (98-64) Worst Year: 2010 (57-105). This may not mean much to the average MLB fan, but it's a big deal in Japan, where the national . The Indians of the 1980s and early 1990s were routinely terrible, losing more than 100 games three times from 1985 to 1991. When the MLB season will begin and in what form are still uncertainties. 1 in runs allowed. It certainly had nothing to do with postseason success; while the Giants won it all three times, the As went 0-for-2 in the ALDS and 0-for-3 in wild card games. The presence of future Hall of Famers Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray in the middle of the lineup couldn't keep Baltimore from finishing last in the league in runs scored by a comfortable margin. Contact us at This Great Game. All of this created a sense of instability that really got the Diamondbacks nowhere, although the meh vibe was redeemed by the MVP-level consistency of Paul Goldschmidt. What came next? : Slight improvements in 2013 and 2014 set the stage for this year's team, which is on track to make the playoffs. = 108.4 (24th), D Rtg. : The ChiSox contended in 2012 and expected to do so again in 2013. Countries of the World. Among key players, only Ben Sheets remained from that 2002 squad. Stay on current site or go to US version. But the 2008 squad lacked power and patience and had below average pitching as they lost more than 100 games for the first time since 1983. Fourth outfielder Justin Maxwell led the team in home runs with 18, with only Jed Lowrie (16) and a yet-to-emerge J.D. The 1989 O's entered the season's final weekend with a chance to win the American League East. The wheels fell off during a 10-36 midseason stretch. : More sucking, with two straight 97-loss seasons. This was the first of three 100-loss seasons that set the stage for Houston's massive rebuild that eventually paid off over the second half of the decade. The 2008 Padres had a little pop -- with three solid hitters in Adrian Gonzalez, Brian Giles and Jody Gerut as well as a legit ace in defending Cy Young winner Jake Peavy -- but not a whole lot else. But its hard to unpack the fact that the team finished either first or last in the AL East over seven straight seasons. An innocent victim of MLB's work stoppage, Ringler had been laid off from her position as the Mets' director of marketing a few months earlier. MLB Free Agency is wrapping up, find out where all the big names landed, MLB teams are starting to see who will make their everyday rosters, contenders setting rotations, and probable lineups, while weaker teams are focusing on which prospects will be getting called up this year. : With an enormous payroll and plenty of big names, the Mets of the early 1990s were supposed to be contenders. : From 2002 to 2006, Kansas City lost at least 97 games four times. Sports Basketball. 4. It leads to a very interesting question that all fans should be asked: Would you be willing to watch your team become champs if it means having them suck for all those years before and after? , MLB MVP's, MLB Cy Young Award, MLB Rookie of the Year, Rawlings Gold Gloves, 2023 HOF results, 2024 Hall of Fame ballot, . After starting the decade struggling to stay relevant, the Indians brought in ex-Boston manager Terry Franconaand with a snap of the fingers, fortunes turned. 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