MLB Team of the Decade

An interesting question was brought to my attention today: Who is the team of the decade in the 2000's?

After the Yankees and Braves undoubtedly shared the title for the 1990's, most pundits would suggest the Yankees were the team of the 90's, but I would say a team that never lost its division in the decade must be there too.

This decade proves a little bit more complicated than a two-team race. Below, a chart breaks down post-season appearances followed by how the team earned its appearances, and then how far the team made it in each year. The final column tallies World Series titles.



Now, going by this chart, the New York Yankees clearly are the team of the decade again. They lead all teams with nine playoff appearances, eight division titles, and four World Series appearances. The Bronx Bombers also tied for most League Championship Series appearances (5), and World Series titles (2).

While the Cardinals represented the National League at the top of this list with six NL Central titles and five League Championship Series appearances. The Cardinals won one title in the decade in two World Series appearances.

The Braves have to be the surprise team on this chart, but the dominance came all in the first half of the decade. The Braves won the NL East every year until 2005, and since then have finished no higher than third in the division.

The Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim enter with six playoff appearances, five through winning the AL West. The Angels won their only World Series title in 2002, when they were the AL Wild Card team.

The Red Sox enter the top five with six playoff berths, five coming via the AL Wild Card. Boston played in four League Championship Series, winning two.

The intriguing thing about the Red Sox is that in their two losses in the LCS, they lost in seven games, and by a total of three runs in the two series-clinching games. Also, in the three years they did not qualify for the playoffs, they were second in the NL East.

The Red Sox went 2-for-2 in World Series appearances.

From the five teams, the Braves are the easiest to eliminate from this title race. Followed by a the Angels, who have dominated the NL West recently.

The next cut is not so easy, but it has to be the Cardinals. Despite having six division title banners in St. Louis, the one World Series hurts when you consider the Red Sox and Yankees compete with each other annually for the division and in the post-season.

Boston vs. New York. It would not be any other way.

The match-up breaks down pretty easily. The chart does not lie. The gap in division titles is the most telling number, the Yankees take it 8-1.

The team of the 90's, and the 20th century, caps the first decade of this century with a similar crown.

Maybe after the 2019 season the story will be different.