Last season, the Houston Astros had one of the worst runs in MLB history, losing 43 out of 50 games during July and August. I wrote about the worst 50-game stretches ever then, but now, almost exactly a year later, I have reason to write about the best 50-game stretches, because the Los Angeles Dodgers have been on an incredible run. At the end of play on June 21, the Dodgers were 30-42, in last place in the NL West, and baseball's biggest disappointment. Since then though, LA has gone 42-10, taken over 1st place and built a commanding lead, and become the betting favorites to win the World Series. How often does a team go on a run this good?
Here are the best 50-game stretches in baseball since 1901, when the American League was formally organized and what is commonly thought of as the 'modern era' began:
1) 45-5 (1906 Cubs)
2) 43-7 (1912 Giants)
3) 42-8 (1941 Yankees, 1942 Cardinals, 2013 Dodgers)
6) 41-9 (1909 Pirates, 1913 Giants, 1914 Athletics, 1931 Athletics, 1938 Yankees, 1939 Yankees, 1944 Cardinals, 1946 Red Sox, 1953 Dodgers, 1975 Reds, 1998 Yankees)
17) 40-10 (1902 Pirates, 1907 Cubs, 1910 Cubs, 1928 Yankees, 1929 Athletics, 1947 Yankees, 1951 Indians, 1953 Yankees, 1954 Giants, 1954 Indians, 1977 Royals, 1977 Yankees, 2001 Athletics, 2001 Mariners, 2005 Athletics)
Yep, the best 5-game stretch in baseball history was turned in by the Cubs. Of course, it was 107 years ago, so there's that. The Dodgers' stretch this season hasn't been bettered in 101 years and hasn't even been matched for 71 years. Since 1953, the only teams to come within even a game of it were the 1975 "Big Red Machine" Cincinnati Reds and the 1998 Yankees, widely considered to be the two best teams of the last 40-50 years.
31 times a team has won 40+ out of 50 games in a season, with 12 different franchises accounting for all 31 of them. Franchises with the most "40+ wins in 50 games" stretches:
Yankees (8)
Athletics (5)
Cubs and Giants (3)
Cardinals, Dodgers, Indians, and Pirates (2)
Mariners, Red Sox, Reds, and Royals (1)
The Mariners and Royals are the only teams among that dozen that weren't among the original 16 franchises that existed in 1901. That's not particularly surprising, given that of the 31 different 40+ win stretches, 23 of them came before 1961, when expansion began. As was true with the worst 50-game stretches, most of the best ones happened a long time ago. For what I'm sure in a combination of reasons, it seems to have become much harder for a team to be good enough to win as many games in so short a time (or bad enough to lose so many). It's become far more rare, happening just five times in the last 36 seasons.
It also seems worth pointing out that of the 30 previous teams with such a successful run during the season, 27 of them made the playoffs, with the only exceptions being the 1902 Pirates (who didn't go to the postseason because the postseason didn't exist that season), the 1951 Indians (who didn't go to the playoffs despite their 93-61 record), and the 2005 Athletics (who won 88 games). 25 out of the 30 played in the World Series, with 15 of them winning it. The 2013 Dodgers are a near lock to make the playoffs, and have as good a shot at winning the World Series as anyone.
It also seems worth pointing out that of the 30 previous teams with such a successful run during the season, 27 of them made the playoffs, with the only exceptions being the 1902 Pirates (who didn't go to the postseason because the postseason didn't exist that season), the 1951 Indians (who didn't go to the playoffs despite their 93-61 record), and the 2005 Athletics (who won 88 games). 25 out of the 30 played in the World Series, with 15 of them winning it. The 2013 Dodgers are a near lock to make the playoffs, and have as good a shot at winning the World Series as anyone.
The best 50-game stretches in each season since the turn of the century:
2000: 36-14 (Giants and White Sox)
2001: 40-10 (Athletics and Mariners)
2002: 39-11 (Braves and Athletics)
2003: 38-12 (Braves)
2004: 39-11 (Cardinals)
2005: 40-10 (Athletics)
2006:38-12 (Twins)
2007: 36-14 (Red Sox)
2008: 34-16 (Angels, Astros, Brewers, Cubs, and Rays)
2009: 37-13 (Angels and Yankees)
2010: 37-13 (Phillies, Twins, White Sox)
2011: 37-13 (Phillies)
2012: 36-14 (Reds and Yankees)
2013: 42-8 (Dodgers)
Finally, here is the best 50-game stretch for each franchise since 1901:
Angels: 37-13 (2009)
Astros: 37-13 (1998, 2004)
Athletics: 41-9 (1914, 1931)
Blue Jays: 35-15 (1984, 1985, 1999)
Braves: 39-11 (1993, 2002)
Brewers: 36-14 (2011)
Cardinals: 42-8 (1942)
Cubs: 45-5 (1906)
Diamondbacks: 38-12 (1999)
Dodgers: 42-8 (2013)
Giants: 43-7 (1912)
Indians: 40-10 (1951, 1954)
Mariners: 40-10 (2001)
Marlins: 34-16 (2003)
Mets: 38-12 (1969)
Nationals: 35-15 (1994, 2012)
Orioles: 38-12 (1966, 1969, 1970)
Padres: 35-15 (1998)
Phillies: 37-13 (1976, 1977, 2010, 2011)
Pirates: 41-9 (1909)
Rangers: 35-15 (1977)
Rays: 34-16 (2008, 2010)
Red Sox: 41-9 (1946)
Reds: 41-9 (1975)
Rockies: 35-15 (2009)
Royals: 40-10 (1977)
Tigers: 39-11 (1984)
Twins: 38-12 (2006)
White Sox: 39-11 (1983)
Yankees: 42-8 (1941)