The newsletter is slowly browsing the best 50. The best team in baseball. Today’s story focuses on No. 17 of Cincinnati Heroes in 1976.
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: Cincinnati Reds in 1976
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Team Score: 88.657
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Ranking History: 17 of 2,544
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Historical percentile: 99.37%
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Seasonal record: 102-60 (.630)
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Season position: No. 1 in the Western Conference League
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Final identity: World Champion
Pete Ross He asked a question on August 9, 1976. “I want to know,” he asked, “did people realize that we have any great teams?”
How could they be? Rose’s Red – nickname Big red machine – At the time, he dominated the National League West with a record of 73-39, giving them 13.5 games ahead of the second-place Dodgers. Cincinnati’s powerful offense averaged 5.29 runs per game throughout the ’76 season. No other major league clubs exceed 4.75.
The most valuable player in NL in 1975, Joe Morgansomehow better in 1976, surpassing the league in base rate (.444) and average hit rate (.576). Morgan (.320) is one of five Cincinnati regulars with a batting average of more than .300. Cincinnati’s collective BA is .280, 6 points better than any league’s closest score.
The Reds won the world championship in 1975, but Sparky Anderson Arguing that his 76 team is even better. The manager insisted: “This year’s lineup contains more talent,” who wants to argue? Cincinnati won the division championship with 10 games.
Get a complete low in 50 greatest (and 10 weakest) clubs of all time
The playoffs expanded in 1969, with two league championship series installed as prelude to existing world competitions. The Reds in 1976 became the first club to flick through this multi-round playoff maze without losing once. No team has ever repeated this feat.
Cincinnati beat Philadelphia 19-11 in three NBA Championship series before blowing the New York Yankees 22-8 in the World Series. The Reds are the first NL club to repeat the world championship in 54 years.
“I don’t think there was a time when we thought we would lose,” the catcher said. Johnny Bench. He made eight hits and six RBIs in the World Series Reds pace.
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In 1976, only six National League players were above .300 and had more than 80 runs in 1976. Cincinnati Ken Griffey Sr. (Ba.336, R 111), third baseman Pete Rose (.323, 130), second baseman Joe Morgan (.320, 113), left general George Foster (.306, 86).
Sparky Anderson is particularly pleased with the output of Foster, Griffey and Center Fielder Cesar Geronimo (.307). “Have you seen or heard of a team that put three players in the outfield several times, all .300 batsmen?” he asked. Foster leads the national league with 121 RBIs and ranks fourth with 29 home runs.
The Reds are particularly strong in the middle, the winner of the Golden Gloves Johnny Bench behind the plate, Morgan second, second Dave Concepcion In short, Geronimo is in the center. Former Brooklyn Shortstop Peea future Hall of Fame member, dazzled him by his Cincinnati skills in the field. “No one can do everything like Concepcion,” Rees said. “It’s possible that no one has it.”
The Reds are the first pitcher in NL history to have seven or more victories. Gary Nolan Leading 15 wins. At a young age, his speed was impressive, but the injury forced him to rely on skills in his ninth season. Pat Zachryhe won the NL Rookie of the Year 14-7, bragging that he and his staff are not afraid of anyone who steps on the plate. “It could be the guy wearing a steel helmet with a five-foot sword,” he said. “We’ll kick their ass.”
