2016 MLB Regular-Season Thread

Just guessing w/o looking it up, but Angels and Rockies?

 

... and we have a winner.
You really didn't look that up?
Are you a witch?

 

And to put the 100-win question to bed, the answer is the Pirates. Their last 100-win season was in 1909. The White Sox are second on the list (1917), the Cubs third (1935) and the Red Sox fourth (1946).

Some other interesting tidbits on both the 100-win and 100-loss lists:
• The AL Central is the only division in which every team has a 100-win season to its credit. The last for each team: Royals (1977), Indians (1995), Twins (1965), Tigers (1984) and White Sox (1917).
• If the Rangers win 100 this season, the AL West will also be full of 100-game winners. Other than the Rangers, every team in the AL West has done it since 1998.
• The Rockies are the only team in the majors without either a 100-win or 100-loss season on its resumé.
• The Dodgers and Cardinals both had their last 100-loss season in 1908, but the Yankees aren't far behind. Their last one was in 1912, their last season as the Highlanders. Oddly, the Yankees also lost 100 games in 1908.
• The Reds have only had one 100-loss season (1982) in their 134-year history.
• Considering how much they've sucked over the years, it's a stunner that the Phillies have the fourth-longest run without a 100-loss season. Their last one was in 1961. Which, I suppose, technically makes them tied with the Angels, who came into the league that year.
• Ten different teams have had a 100-loss season since 2002.

 

The Rangers certainly are on pace to get to 100 this year. I'm worried about the plus side of the bullpen getting overworked, but they'll be in the Chapman sweepstakes and can dangle all kinds of trade goodies in return.

 

Haha I really didn't look it up. After your Dodgers/Cardinals clue, there were a handful of other teams for whom I could not recall a 100-L season (Yankees, White Sox, Giants). I just figured these heritage franchises must have lost 100 games at some point long ago. Was 95% sure on the Rockies, since I can pretty much remember every 100-loss season since they came into existence, and felt the Angels were a sneaky candidate.

Where's my prize?!

 

So 1908 was quite the turning point of a year, then?

The Cubs ring up back to back championships in their third straight World Series appearance, and haven't won it again.

Meanwhile the three teams above that lost 100 that year have claimed 44 championships in the ensuing 108 years.

 

That year also featured an all-time pennant race in both leagues.

In the NL, Giants won 99 to edge the Pirates and Cubs (98 each). The race was immortalized by the Merkle Boner.

In the AL, Tigers (90-63) beat the Indians (90-64) by a half-game. As was the practice at the time, they didn't make the Tigers play out their last game, even though the Indians won the season series 13-9.

 

Absolutely stunned that Jered Weaver pitched a three-hit shutout yesterday. I think he is done.
*It was against the A's.

 

Fewest pitches for any shutout this season, I think 94 or 95.

 

He must have unbelievable movement because last time I looked he was throwing 84-85 max. Watched Peavy throw 84 and 85 four-seamers (or 2 seamers) yesterday and he actually got some swing thrus so maybe can survive at that number (I personally think that's close to unsustainable.)