The theme of today’s newsletter is the 1969 Baltimore Orioles, ranked 50th at the greatest dance party in my history and 22nd in the Best 50. Ranking from my new book The best team in baseball.
Here is a quick boilerplate note attached to each story I have in this series:
I compiled the best 50 by analyzing 2,544 major league teams from 1903 to 2024. (The historical percentile for a given club is the percentage of its other 2,543 teams.)
Please refer to my book to explain my TS calculations. The book also offers a separate breakdown of the best and worst clubs every decade, along with a comprehensive overview of the best 50 (including a position-by-position lineup and more information than you will find in this newsletter), and a similar summary of the 10 worst teams of all time.
Now enter today’s profile.
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Team: 1969 Baltimore Orioles
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Team Score: 87.705
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Ranking History: 22 of 2,544
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Historical percentile: 99.17%
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Seasonal record: 109-53 (.673)
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Season position: No. 1 in the US Eastern League
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Final identity: League champion
Baseball doubled the fun of its championship car in 1969, splitting each league into six teams. The new playoff field covers all four division titles, which is added directly to the No. 1 club in the World Series with the old system.
These changes do not seem to have assigned Baltimore to Baltimore in the eastern United States along with the defending world champion. “Tigers cannot match on mounds,” Sports Newswhich predicts that Detroit will easily win the department. It chose the Orioles to be second.
But Baltimore’s pitch proved to be far more than Detroit’s pitch, and everyone else is in the league. The Orioles staff averaged 2.83 runs, 40 points lower than any team’s next era. Mike CuellarWinning in an offseason deal with Houston, the Cy Young Award was won by 23 wins for Baltimore.
The Orioles won 55 of their first 76 games and by the end of June, Shimmering played a 11-game division lead. Their final profit was 19 games.
Get a complete low in 50 greatest (and 10 weakest) clubs of all time
The new two-layer playoff system did not spread the Orioles, and it didn’t spread it from the beginning. They competed in five of the best American League Championship series, storming the twins with a combined score of 16-5.
This laid the foundation for the World Series with New York’s “Miracle” and his National League title shocked the baseball world. Baltimore obviously has better teams – Rankings of history: ’69 Orioles 22nd, ’69 Mets 228-228- and Mike Cuellar followed the script, surpassing New York in New York Tom Seaver In the first game, 4-1.
Then it is unimaginable. The Mets will run the Orioles in a total of five runs in the next four games. “I can tell you,” the Baltimore manager Earl Weaver Unfortunately, “No other pitcher has included us well this season.”
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The pitcher powered the Orioles’ 1969 pennant drive. Mike Cuellar and Dave McNally Wins of 23 and 20 respectively. Jim Palmer Average run of 2.34 in the American League – the second best run – Currell finished behind him with a 2.38. All five members of the Baltimore starter rotation are better than the league-wide 3.62.
Cuellar’s appearance as a Cy Young Award winner was totally unexpected. In 1968, he only scored 8-11 for the Astros, but what he was confused about in 1969 was the Al batsman. McNally, an eight-year Baltimore veteran, worked quickly and kept the batsman in balance. “He didn’t overpower Anything“Oral First Baseman said Boog Powell“But he’s a magician, what he has.” Palmer bounced from Arm soreness, limiting him to 49 innings in Baltimore in the first two seasons.
Powell Frank RobinsonIn 1966, the triple-winning champion was still a powerful force at the age of 33, driving home 100 times and leading the team with a batting average of 0.308. Left fielder Don Buford The keen eyes were revealed on the plate, and only 62 strikeouts piled up 96 walking trails. His .397 base percentage ranks second in the club, surpassing Frank Robinson’s .415, and eighth in the league.
Defense is one of Baltimore’s greatest strengths. The team made only 101 mistakes, 21 fewer than any other AL club. Four Orioles won the outstanding gold gloves. Brooks RobinsonHis award at third base was his tenth straight win.
