The 25 best MLB teams from the 2000s

After lacking the playoffs in 2008, the Yankees revamped their roster by handing enormous contracts to CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. The outcome was a historic roster, with that trio including to stars Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera. The Yankees gained 103 video games through the common season earlier than charging via the playoffs and defeating Philadelphia within the World Collection.

The recollections of Boston’s 2007 squad won’t be as distinct as 2004, however the group was higher total. The Purple Sox tied for the league lead with 96 common season wins, displaying off an elite pitching employees with the arrival of Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett, and Curt Schilling. The lineup was additionally sturdy all through, together with 35 house runs from David Ortiz and AL Rookie of the Yr Dustin Pedroia. Like in 2004, Boston swept the World Collection, this time over Colorado.

The 2004 Purple Sox group was probably the most memorable of the last decade for not solely breaking the group’s World Collection curse, but additionally how they achieved the feat. Trailing the Yankees 3-0 within the ALCS, Boston gained 4 straight video games with superb performances from Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, and others. Then Boston swept the Cardinals within the World Collection. The Purple Sox may definitely hit, simply main the league with 949 runs scored as Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz each hit over 40 house runs whereas Johnny Damon, Jason Varitek, and Kevin Millar additionally had large seasons. The group’s 98-win common season stands out by itself, although Boston was solely capable of win the AL Wild Card behind the Yankees within the AL East.

Arguably the perfect group ever to not win a World Collection, the Mariners tied the 1906 Cubs with 116 wins through the common season earlier than getting ousted by the Yankees within the ALCS. Seattle led MLB in each runs scored (927) and runs allowed (627), as Ichiro Suzuki gained each AL MVP and Rookie of the Yr after hitting .350-8-69 with 56 stolen bases and 127 runs scored. Second baseman Bret Boone additionally had a profession yr, hitting .331-37-141, and the group featured a deep beginning rotation led by Freddy Garcia.

The Angels had a magical 2002 season after successful solely 75 video games in 2001. The group gained 99 video games within the common season to say the AL Wild Card, and took the baseball world by storm with the Rally Monkey. The group noticed large seasons from sluggers Troy Glaus, Garret Anderson, and Tim Salmon, whereas Jarrod Washburn was a Cy Younger candidate after successful 18 video games with a 3.15 ERA in 32 begins. Anaheim emerged victorious in an exhilarating seven-game World Collection vs. San Francisco.

The Diamondbacks gained the NL West with 92 wins, with aces Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling ending 1-2 within the NL Cy Younger voting. The offense was pushed by Luis Gonzalez’s unbelievable yr, hitting .325-57-142, and Reggie Sanders additionally launched 33 house runs. The season was disrupted by the 9/11 terrorist assaults, and the Diamondbacks pulled on one of many largest surprises in World Collection historical past with a dramatic seven-game win over the Yankees.

Supervisor Ozzie Guillen acquired probably the most out of his expertise in 2005, because the White Sox led the AL with 99 wins and misplaced just one sport within the playoffs. The offense was anchored by first baseman Paul Konerko, who hit .283-40-100, and 4 beginning pitchers posted sub-4.00 ERAs, led by Mark Buehrle.

A standard theme of the early 2000’s Oakland A’s was an incredible common season, adopted by playoff disappointment. The 2001 squad may definitely bash, with 30-plus house run hitters Jason Giambi, Eric Chavez, and Miguel Tejada, however the group’s elite beginning rotation was much more necessary for its 102-win season, led by the Massive Three of Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, and Barry Zito. Oakland was defeated by the Yankees in a five-game ALDS, which preceded the Moneyball season in 2002.

The Cardinals gained the World Collection in 2006, however few would argue that group was higher than the 2004 model. St. Louis gained 105 video games through the common season earlier than getting swept by the magical Purple Sox within the World Collection. The Playing cards led the NL with 855 runs scored, with Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds ending within the prime 5 of the MVP race. The group’s pitching was removed from dominant, however had a dependable beginning 5 and an incredible bullpen with Jason Isringhausen recording 47 saves.

The Marlins fired supervisor Jeffrey Torborg after a 16-22 begin to the season and turned to skilled supervisor Jack McKeon. The remaining is historical past, because the group went 75-49 the remainder of the best way and marched via the playoffs for his or her second World Collection in six years. Florida shocked the Yankees within the World Collection, however their playoff run will at all times be remembered for the Steve Bartman incident at Wrigley Discipline within the NLCS. The Marlins 91-win squad featured hitting stars like Derrek Lee, Mike Lowell, and Ivan Rodriguez, but it surely was the younger pitching that made the group so particular with breakout years from Josh Beckett and Dontrelle Willis.

New York’s World Collection drought continued in 2007, shedding to Cleveland within the ALDS after claiming the AL Wild Card with 94 wins. The group stays notable due to its historic lineup, led by AL MVP Alex Rodriguez hitting .314-54-156 to assist New York lead MLB with 968 runs scored. The group’s lineup additionally included large years from Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui, and Bobby Abreu, with Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon additionally contributing.

The 2000 Yankees marked the tip of an unbelievable World Collection run with 4 wins in 5 years. This group was removed from the perfect of the run with solely 87 wins through the common season, however that was sufficient to win the AL East earlier than the group caught hearth within the playoffs. The playoffs can be remembered for the Subway Collection vs. the Mets, which the Yanks claimed in 5 video games behind collection MVP Derek Jeter and fiery starter Roger Clemens. The group’s prime offensive contributors through the common season have been Bernie Williams (.307-30-121) and Jorge Posada (.287-28-86).

Philadelphia’s World Collection group in 2008 wasn’t probably the most gifted of their five-year playoff run, but it surely was the one one to say a hoop. First baseman Ryan Howard completed second within the NL MVP voting after hitting .251-48-146, whereas he was well-supported within the lineup by Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, and Jayson Werth. World Collection MVP Cole Hamels capped off an incredible yr after going 14-10 with a 3.09 ERA within the common season to assist the group win 92 video games and the NL East.

The additions of Jason Giambi and Robin Ventura, together with a breakout season from Alfonso Soriano, helped the Yankees lead MLB with 897 runs scored and win 103 video games. The group additionally had large names within the beginning rotation, led by Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina, David Wells, and Andy Pettitte, however that group wasn’t sufficient to beat the surging Angels within the ALDS.

The Purple Sox gained two World Collection through the 2000’s, however we additionally should not neglect about their nice groups that fell quick. The defending champion 2008 squad gained 95 video games through the common season, with an elite offense led by MVP Dustin Pedroia (.326-17-83), Kevin Youkilis, Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, and David Ortiz. They fell to a worst-to-first Rays group within the ALCS after additionally trailing Tampa Bay by two video games within the AL East.

The 2002 A’s have been immortalized by the well-known Michael Lewis ebook Moneyball, successful 103 common season video games earlier than shedding within the ALDS to Minnesota. The ebook targeted on the under-the-radar additions like Scott Hatteberg and Billy Koch, however the beginning pitching was once more the group’s largest energy. The group claimed each the AL MVP (Miguel Tejada) and Cy Younger (Barry Zito), plus a 20-game common season successful streak, however that did not result in playoff success.

The Braves gained their twelfth consecutive division title over a full season, and but their disappointing playoff story continued in 2003. Atlanta gained 101 video games earlier than falling to the Cubs within the NLDS. In contrast to the Nineteen Nineties variations of the Braves, it was the offense that sparked the 2003 group with probably the most runs within the NL constructed on memorable offensive campaigns from Gary Sheffield, Javy Lopez, Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, and Marcus Giles.

Minnesota made the playoffs 5 occasions through the 2000s, however their groups aren’t memorable resulting from their lack of playoff success. That features a nice 2006 that claimed the AL Central with 96 wins earlier than shedding to Oakland within the ALDS. The 2006 group was particular, with Cy Younger winner Johan Santana, MVP Justin Morneau, and a late-season breakout from Francisco Liriano within the rotation. The group’s nice pitching additionally acquired a lift from nearer Joe Nathan, who posted a 1.58 ERA with 36 saves.

The Yankees have been upset by the Marlins within the World Collection, although that should not take away from an excellent group that gained 101 video games within the common season. New York had large offensive performances from Jorge Posada, Jason Giambi, and Alfonso Soriano through the common season, and Andy Pettitte acquired Cy Younger consideration after successful 21 video games.

The Angels made the playoffs six occasions within the decade, with their ultimate run coming in 2009. L.A. misplaced to a historic Yankees group within the ALCS after successful 97 video games through the common season. Scoring runs was this group’s largest energy, ending second to the Yanks with 883 runs scored as Kendrys Morales, Torii Hunter, and Bobby Abreu had enormous seasons.

Coming off a disappointing end in 2004, the Cardinals made one other run with a 100-win common season. The group’s pitching raised the bar with Cy Younger winner Chris Carpenter (21-5, 2.83 ERA), whereas Albert Pujols gained his first MVP Award after hitting .330-41-117 with a 1.039 OPS. Nonetheless, the group fell quick once more within the playoffs, shedding to a stacked Astros group in a six-game NLCS.

The 2004 Yankees significantly overachieved their plus-91 run differential, successful 101 video games within the common season earlier than shedding to Boston in arguably probably the most memorable ALCS in historical past. The group had issues getting constant beginning pitching regardless of a employees that included Kevin Brown, Mike Mussina, and Javier Vazquez, however they by no means had an issue hitting. The trio of Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, and Gary Sheffield every hit over 30 house runs. Maybe it is becoming they have been the primary group ever to squander a 3-0 lead within the ALCS.

A yr after reaching the World Collection, San Francisco gained 100 video games earlier than a disappointing loss to the Marlins within the NLDS. The group was constructed on elite pitching, with ace Jason Schmidt posting a 2.34 ERA in 29 begins, plus the acquainted dominance of MVP Barry Bonds posting a cartoonish 1.278 OPS within the common season.

The 2006 Tigers are a narrative of what may have been. The younger squad had a 24-win enchancment through the common season and made all of it the best way to the World Collection earlier than a disastrous end in opposition to the Cardinals. The Tigers nonetheless deserve popularity of 95 wins, with a well-rounded group that was led by Kenny Rogers and Justin Verlander within the rotation, and 6 hitters with at the very least 19 house runs.

The worst World Collection winner ever? A banged-up Cardinals group limped to the end in 2006, successful the NL Central regardless of a 83-78 file. Heroic playoff performances from Jeff Suppan, David Eckstein, and Jeff Weaver helped the group shock the Padres, Mets, and Tigers of their World Collection run. In fact, the Cardinals did have their share of stars, with Albert Pujols ending second within the NL MVP voting and Chris Carpenter ending third within the Cy Younger race.