Forever Blue

[onejayhawk]

Sports Illustrated, in their patented (copyrighted?) fashion, have labeled the 2017 LA Dodgers the best team ever. I'm not going there, but I do have a question.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/08/22/los-angeles-dodgers-justin-turner

Is the best team of the century so far?

[Redbirds Fan]

Sports Illustrated, in their patented (copyrighted?) fashion, have labeled the 2017 LA Dodgers the best team ever. I'm not going there, but I do have a question.

https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/08/22/los-angeles-dodgers-justin-turner

Is the best team of the century so far?

I would say comparisons like that aren't valid at least until the season is over. Sportswriters get pretty excited sometimes.

On a semi-related note, of the six teams in MLB history which have finished their seasons with a higher W/L percentage than LA has right now, only one has gone on to win a World Series.

[revo]

They have to sell magazines in this tough environment for print!

Plus, the Dodgers need to win it all. Remember the 2001 Mariners?

[Judge Jude]

I think this is the best regular season team in our lifetimes - when SPs are healthy. have been the best for months now.

I THINK my Kershaw and Wood will join my Maeda in the postseason rotation, but we'll see.

[onejayhawk]

As noted, the 2001 Mariners finished with a higher winning percentage than the Dodgers have now. The 1998 Yankees were also over 70% and they won the WS.

It would have to be one of the three, but I am not sure the Dodgers take the prize. Resting players and playing callups can have a significant effect. The 1998 Yankees were only 16-11 in September.

J

[harmon]

Not to diminish what they're doing, but wow.... they've pulled a lot of rabbits out of the hat late in games.

[Judge Jude]

the Dodgers were 22-18 to start the season

since then, 68-18 (counting the Rich Hill no-hitter loss last night and today's win)

that is not a typo

[onejayhawk]

Not to diminish what they're doing, but wow.... they've pulled a lot of rabbits out of the hat late in games.

That too. A better comparison is the Pythagorean win%. By that standard the Dodgers have a claim to best of the last generation with 68.3% vs 2001 Mariners 67.2 and the 1998 Yankees 67.0%. Last year's Cubs are worth mention at 66.5%. Before it's the Big Red Machine of the 1970s.

In the live ball era, three Yankee teams-1939, 1927, and 1942, two Cardinal teams-1944 and 1942, two Cleveland teams 1948 and 1952, 1929 A's, and the 1975 Reds had teams topping 65%. Pre-Landis is dominated by the Cubs, though Pittsburgh and the Giants have a couple or three. The Cubs have a dozen teams with better PW% than any Detroit team. The NY Giants have 18 seasons better than any SF Giant season.

J

[Redbirds Fan]

And now they have lost 10 out of their last 11, and their winning percentage is awesome, but not bigly better than the Indians, who have won 14 straight.

It is a long season.

[FBP]

Lost 3 out of 4 to the Padres.