I am the Program Director at 1410 WING ESPN Radio in Dayton, Ohio...also host of Dayton Sports Scene weekdays at 5p! Find me on Twitter @ESPNMark!
My Top 8 MLB Franchises in history
by Mark Neal,posted Sep 13 2012 11:29AM
With the Cincinnati Reds on the brink of the playoffs in 2012, I got to thinking, what are the greatest MLB franchises in history. Where do the Reds rank? He is what I think...
1. New York Yankees...Kind of hard to argue this one. The Bombers have won more World Series than any franchise has even been to, ever! They dominated the '20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60', should I go on? The premiere franchise in baseball, end of discussion! 27 WS in 40 appearances
2. St. Louis Cardinals...They might not have the most wins in NL history, but they do have the most World Series wins. Whether its the Gashouse Gang, or Stan the Man, the cardinals always seem relevant. They win, and the city cares about winning. The Redbirds are tied with the Dodgers and Giants for most NL Pennants, bringing home 11 Championships. Did I mention they are the defending champs too? 11 WS in 18 appearances
3. Brooklyn/LA Dodgers...Again, always seem to be good and a contender. Solid in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, etc. The move to LA made them standout more, and out from under the Yankee shadow. The right ownership with the Bums usually equates to success on the field. Only Frank McClown could screw that one up. 6 WS in 18 appearances
4. Boston Red Sox...I know, it took years for them to break the Curse of the Bambino, but they were baseball royalty before that trade with New York. Always the brides maid, never the bride, until 2004 and the Idiots. They have had many of baseball's greatest names, Cy Young, Teddy Ballgame, Yaz, Rocket Roger, and the ballpark to boot. Recent success has helped them.
5. Phil/KC/Oakland A's...Talk about royalty back in the day! Al Simmons and Jimmie Foxx are just two of the greats Connie Mack had his disposal before they traded them away. They won early, won in the middle with Vida Blue, Catfish Hunter, and Reggie Jackson, then won later with Canseco and McGwire! 3 straight in the 70's solidified them as the AL's best in the decade. 9 WS in 14 appearances
6. New York/SF Giants...Like the Dodgers, the move set them apart, and got them out from the Bronx shadow as well. They hit the shot heard round the world, made the best catch in the game's history, and captured the HR record as a franchise...pretty cool stuff! A recent WS win helps, but the NL's winningest team sits as my 3rd greatest NL franchise. 6 WS in 18 appearances
7. Cincinnati Reds...Baseball's 1st professional team has had ups, and many downs over the years. They start every season at home, something they have earned. They won the infamous 1919 World Series over the Chicago Black Sox, as well as fielding, along with the 1927 Yankees, the greatest baseball team ever assembled. The Big Red Machine is the Gold Standard for NL teams. As the HOFer Hal McCoy once told me, "no one could afford that team now...not even the Yankees!" He's right...the best NL team ever! 5 WS in 9 appearances
8. Pittsburgh Pirates...Boy, what they used to be was something. Honus Wagner was the 1st great Pirate, and he wasn't the last either. The We are Family Pirates of the 70's were right there with the Reds, and won their fair share too. Tough times over the past 20 years, and declining baseball interest in Pittsburgh, has relegated this once proud franchise to an annual cellar dweller. Too bad, they were so good at one time! 5 WS in 7 appearances
