RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesSporting News 140: Ranking the 25 greatest baseball teams since 1886 originally appeared on The Sporting News .
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To rank the 25 best baseball teams in Sporting News’ 140 years of existence, we assembled a panel of experts with more than twice that many years covering, calling and generally caring about the sport.
Getting the generous volunteers? Easy. Ranking 140 years’ worth of teams? Not so much.
“This,” Bob Costas said, “is impossible.”
And yet the Hall of Fame broadcaster and our 13 other panelists persisted. We asked each to rank 20 teams, with a first-place vote worth 20 points, down to a 20th-place vote worth one. We expanded our overall list to a Top 25, and we put them in order based on a single season.
Because MLB in 2024 added Negro Leagues stats (from seven different leagues from 1920-48) to baseball’s historical record, we suggested that our panelists consider those teams as well, with some help from the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame as well as SABR experts.
SN 140: Baseball's Greatest Players - 140 players and 14 Rooms
Not surprising, the franchise that has won 27 World Series features prominently on this list, especially near the top. All told, 74 teams received at least one vote, all but one coming from the post-1901 Modern Era. The 1886 St. Louis Browns (93-46) were the exception, a team from the year and city in which The Sporting News was born.
Two Negro Leagues teams made the list while 45 came from after 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke MLB’s color barrier. Only one team in the Top 25, the 1906 Cubs, didn’t win its World Series.
So what’s the point? To continue the yearlong celebration of the Bible of Baseball’s 140th birthday , maybe educate a bit, sure, but also to jumpstart the arguments as we make our way to October. Enjoy!
SN's Blue Ribbon Panel:
• Mark Armour, past president, SABR , baseball historian and author
• Mark Bechtel, deputy editor, Sports Illustrated
• Mark Bowman, Supervising Club Reporter, Braves beat writer, MLB.com
• Scott Bush, CEO, SABR
• Ron Blum, national baseball writer, Associated Press
• Bob Costas, Hall of Fame broadcaster and bestselling baseball author
• Steve Gietschier, former SN Archivist, baseball historian and bestselling author
• Paul Hembekides, content producer, ESPN, writer of SN series “ Baseball’s Greatest Players: 14 Rooms ”
• Tyler Kepner, national baseball writer, The Athletic
• Michael Knisley, former SN MLB senior writer
• Will Leitch, MLB.com contributor, bestselling author, former SN columnist
• Bob Nightengale, national baseball writer, USA Today , former SN contributor
• John Rawlings, former SN Editor-in-Chief (1990-2008)
• Jayson Stark, Hall of Fame national baseball writer, The Athletic , former SN correspondent
Consulting:
• Bob Kendrick, president, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
• Clem Hamilton, SABR
MORE: Bob Costas breaks down his ballot
The Sporting News 25 greatest baseball teams since 1886
1. 1927 Yankees
Regular season: 110-44-1 (+376 run differential)
Postseason: def. Pirates 4-0 in World Series
Ruth and Gehrig, sure. But Earle Combs hit .356 with 23 triples! Bob Muesel .337 with 103 RBIs. Tony Lazzeri made the Hall of Fame, so did pitchers Waite Hoyt and Herb Pennock and manager Miller Huggins. Back to Ruth and Gehrig. In addition to the 60 and 47 homers, they each hit over .350 and had an OPS well over 1.200. 'Murderer’s Row' indeed. —Bob Costas
2. 1998 Yankees
Regular season: 114-48 (+309 run differential)
Postseason: def. Rangers 3-0 in ALDS; def. Indians 4-2 in ALCS; def. Padres 4-0 in World Series
They were a TEAM, not top-heavy with stars. In fact, no one on the ’98 Yankees hit as many as 30 HRs. Nobody on this team was among league leaders in HRs, RBI, or slugging percentage – the World Series MVP was Scott Brosius, for cryin’ out loud -- but they nonetheless led the AL with a team batting average of .288 and outscored opponents by 309 runs with a run differential of 1.91 per game. — Michael Knisley
SN ARCHIVE: How will history rank the 1998 Yankees? (Nov. 2, 1998)
3. 1939 Yankees
Regular season: 105-45-1 (+411 run differential)
Postseason: def. Reds 4-0 in World Series
They went 106-45-1 with an astounding run differential, won the pennant by 17 games and then swept the Reds in World Series. DiMaggio hit .381, which led MLB. The Yanks won four straight World Series from 1936-39, and the '39 team is generally thought to be the best. Side note: Lou Gehrig played only eight games before to his ALS diagnosis. —BC
SN 140: Lou Gehrig's July 4th 'luckiest man on Earth' speech
4. 1970 Orioles
Regular season: 108-54 (+218 run differential)
Postseason: def. Twins 3-0 in ALCS, def. Reds 4-1 in World Series
A year after falling to the "Miracle Mets,"Baltimore came back with a vengeance. AL MVP Boog Powell had a career year, Jim Palmer, Dave McNally and Mike Cuellar were 20-game winners. One Robinson, Frank, was still a force, the other, Brooks, was the World Series MVP, hitting .429 and putting on a defensive show vs. the Reds. —Bob Hille
SN
5. 1976 Reds
Regular season: 102-60 (+224 run differential)
Postseason: def. Phillies 3-0 in NLCS; def. Yankees 4-0 in World Series
Where to start with the "Big Red Machine"? With an offense that led the NL in batting, on-base percentage, slugging, runs, home runs, and stolen bases? With a defense that committed the fewest errors in the NL and featured four Gold Glove winners (C Johnny Bench, 2B Joe Morgan, SS Dave Concepcion and CF Cesar Geronimo)? The pitching wasn't memorably spectacular, but it was solid enough as Cincy won 102 games and swept the Yankees in the World Series. —MK
SN ARCHIVE: Why the Big Red Machine is better than ever (Oct. 23, 1976)
6. 1961 Yankees
Regular season: 109-53-1 (+215 run differential)
Postseason: def. Reds 4-1 in World...
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