Lead Story - 6/20/2026

Season 21 preview

There comes a season when baseball ceases to belong to one generation.

The old uniforms return. New stars borrow ancient caps. Cobb again digs into the batter's box. Pedro once more peers over his glove. Greg Maddux stalks the outside corner. Aaron Judge towers over center field. Barry Bonds waits with the bat resting lightly upon his shoulder while Stan Musial smiles quietly from another dugout.

It is not one age playing another.

It is every age playing every other.

And never has the balance of power appeared so delicately arranged.

Some clubs possess pitching that borders upon the impossible. Others carry lineups so deep that the ninth hitter might have batted cleanup elsewhere. Some have both.

The margin between triumph and disappointment may be no wider than a hanging curve in late September.

The Great Powers

No club enters the season with greater balance than the 1980 Yankees.

The batting order begins modestly enough before suddenly becoming a parade of giants. Aaron Judge (95 offensive rank) anchors the lineup after Oscar Gamble (97), while Bobby Murcer (90) and Reggie Jackson (71) supply still more thunder. Four hitters posted an OPS above .970.

Yet offense is only half the story.
Luis Tiant (97), Ron Guidry (89), Gaylord Perry (86), Tommy John (73), and Jim Kaat (64) form perhaps the deepest rotation in the league. Every starter owns an ERA of 2.06 or lower.

And if the Yankees carry a lead into the ninth?
Rich Gossage waits with a staggering 99 relief rank, a 0.77 ERA, a microscopic .196 opponent OBP, and only 4.3 hits allowed per nine innings.

There are stronger individual stars elsewhere.
There may not be a stronger team.

The 1940 Cardinals arrive with an offense that never seems to end.

Stan Musial enters with a 98 offensive rank and a magnificent 1.152 OPS. Johnny Mize follows at 96, Joe Medwick at 95, Don Padgett at 97, Harry Walker at 91.
Five hitters capable of carrying a club.

The rotation lacks a single overwhelming ace but offers remarkable consistency. Mort Cooper (84) leads five starters, every one posting an ERA below 2.70.

No club is built to win more complete baseball games.

Perhaps no lineup inspires greater fear than the 1933 Giants.

Barry Bonds carries an astonishing 99 offensive rating and an almost unbelievable 1.424 OPS.
Then come Lefty O'Doul (100 offensive production), Bill Terry (98), Mel Ott (88), Hank Leiber, Gus Mancuso and Phil Weintraub.
There are almost no empty at-bats.

Carl Hubbell (67) headlines a deep rotation, while Hi Bell (39) gives the bullpen an experienced finisher.
Should the Giants pitch merely well, their bats may do the rest.

The 2018 Astros are baseball engineering at its finest.
Jeff Bagwell enters with 99 offensive rank and a 1.211 OPS.
Jose Altuve (94), Alex Bregman (91), George Springer (82), Kyle Tucker (85), Brian McCann (87), Carlos Correa and Yuli Gurriel create perhaps the deepest everyday lineup in the league.

No hitter dazzles more than Bagwell.

No lineup grinds opponents down more relentlessly.

Masters of the Mound
The 1914 Athletics were assembled by men who believed championships begin sixty feet six inches away.
Chief Bender (88), Jack Coombs (82), Eddie Plank (77), Bob Shawkey (74), and Rube Bressler (57) all produced ERAs near or below two.
The bullpen adds Joe Bush (43), Byron Houck (41), and Boardwalk Brown (38).
Meanwhile Eddie Collins (98 offensive rank), Frank Baker (87), Jack Lapp (91), Marcus Semien and Stuffy McInnis ensure the pitchers receive enough support.
Philadelphia may allow fewer runs than anyone.

The 1976 Red Sox possess perhaps the single greatest weapon in the league.
Pedro Martinez.
His perfect 100 pitching rank, 1.74 ERA, astonishing .195 opponent OBP, and almost unimaginable 0.74 WHIP border upon fiction.
Luis Tiant (96) gives Boston another ace.
Very few clubs can match the first two games of any postseason series against that combination.
Should Boston score enough runs, no opponent will enjoy the assignment.

Dangerous Challengers
The 1925 Tigers may simply hit their way through the league.
Ty Cobb owns both a 97 batting rank and 100 offensive production while hitting an absurd .420.
Harry Heilmann matches him with a 96 batting rank, 100 offensive production, and a 1.113 OPS.
Charlie Gehringer achieves a perfect 100 player rank.
Heinie Manush adds still another 94 offensive production.
Very few pitchers will survive this lineup untouched.

The 2006 Angels quietly field perhaps the league's most underrated offense.
Darin Erstad carries a remarkable 99 defensive rating while hitting .355.
Mike Napoli (94 offensive rank), Vladimir Guerrero (94 offensive production), Tim Salmon (92), Howie Kendrick (84), Edgardo Alfonzo (87), and Shohei Ohtani all post OPS marks approaching or exceeding .970.
Francisco Rodríguez (90), Brendan Donnelly (85), and Héctor Carrasco (78) complete an exceptional bullpen.
This club may win more games than anyone expects.

The 2021 Braves possess an unusual blend of modern athleticism and timeless craftsmanship.
Ronald Acuña Jr. (91 offensive rank) supplies electricity.
Freddie Freeman remains wonderfully dependable.
But every game eventually turns toward Greg Maddux.
His 93 pitching rank, 1.63 ERA, .211 opponent OBP, and astonishing 0.81 WHIP promise another masterpiece.
Behind him waits perhaps the league's deepest bullpen, with Nate Jones (93), A.J. Minter (89), Jesse Chavez (87), Richard Rodríguez (81), Tyler Matzek and Luke Jackson all capable of closing games elsewhere.
Atlanta may shorten contests better than almost anyone.

The 1997 White Sox bring overwhelming force.
Frank Thomas carries a 99 offensive production, 1.223 OPS, and remains perhaps the game's most complete hitter.
Albert Belle follows with a 1.093 OPS.
Magglio Ordóñez, Robin Ventura, Harold Baines and Ray Durham ensure there are precious few quiet innings.
Chicago's offense alone guarantees contention.

5/24/2026

Season 20 draft order

Decade draft/Franchise Draft
1/12 dalbpho8 2021 Braves + Greg Maddux
2/11 joshbonds25 2018 Astros + Jeff Bagwell
3/10 CoachPappy17 2006 Angels + Shohei Ohtani
4/9 jimgriddy 1997 White Sox + Ed Walsh
5/8 lordhawke 1969 Pirates + Paul Skenes
6/7 Davrogbro62 1940 Cardinals + Stan Musial
7/6 Kingdude 1976 Red Sox + Pedro Martinez
8/5 bodell82 1933 Giants + Barry Bonds
9/4 Midget 1980 Yankees + Aaron Judge
10/3 Expatbama 1954 Dodgers + Clayton Kershaw
11/2 ndekar 1914 A’s + Marcus Semien
12/1 revejb 1925 Tigers + Justin Verlander

2/23/2026

World Series Preview

On one side stands the old empire of the Bronx — the club that helped define October itself.

On the other waits the polished titan of modern baseball — a machine forged from analytics, power arms, and relentless depth.

The past and the present have arrived together at the same diamond.

And now the 1940 Yankees and the 2022 Dodgers will decide which age owns the crown.


The Empire of the Bronx

The Yankees come marching into the World Series the way they have so many times before — with power, poise, and a confidence carved into the very pinstripes they wear.

They arrive fresh from a hard six-game battle with the 1926 Pirates, a series that turned when Lou Gehrig reminded the league that greatness has a way of appearing precisely when it is most required. Seven hits in twenty-five at-bats, three home runs, and two thunderclaps in the deciding game — the Iron Horse announcing that October still recognizes its kings.

Behind him stands a lineup that rolls forward like artillery.

Charlie Keller with the long ball.
Bill Dickey steady behind the plate.
Joe DiMaggio, quiet perhaps in the regular season but never silent when championships drift into view.

And above them all, the calm left arm of Lefty Gomez, ready to meet the challenge of a new generation.

The Power of the Pacific

But the Yankees do not face a frightened challenger.

Waiting in Los Angeles is a team built for the modern era — a club that blends patience, power, and pitching into a relentless engine of victories.

The Dodgers brushed aside the 1998 Red Sox with the clinical precision of a surgeon’s blade. And at the center of that triumph stood Clayton Kershaw, whose sixteen postseason innings yielded only two runs and two victories — the kind of dominance that silences stadiums.

Behind him stands a lineup capable of shaking the night sky:

Freddie Freeman with the swing of a lumberjack.
Cody Bellinger sending balls screaming into the California darkness.
Shohei Ohtani — a man who seems to belong to no era at all.

And when the game grows late and the pressure thickens, the Dodgers summon an army of relievers — Treinen, Phillips, Kimbrel — to close the door with ruthless efficiency.

Two Philosophies of Baseball

The Yankees represent the age when starters carried the burden of entire afternoons and lineups relied on contact and endurance.

The Dodgers represent the age of strikeouts, bullpen firepower, and explosive innings.

One side leans on history.

The other on modern precision.

Both lean on greatness.

The Question That Remains

Will the thunder of Gehrig and Keller overpower the Dodger arms?

Will Kershaw and his modern brethren silence the legends of the Bronx?

Will DiMaggio awaken?

Will Ohtani rise?

For seven games — perhaps fewer, perhaps all — baseball will suspend time itself and allow two eras to settle their argument under the October lights.

And somewhere between the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd, a champion will emerge.

7/8/2023

Team Year combos used

* = Division Winner

1900s
1900 Boston Beaneaters/Braves* (season 2)
1901 Pittsburgh Pirates
1902 Pittsburgh Pirates
1902 St. Louis Browns
1903 Boston Americans (Red Sox)
1904 New York Giants
1904 Philadelphia Phillies
1906 Chicago Cubs
1907 Chicago Cubs* (season 3)
1908 Chicago Cubs
1908 Philadelphia Athletics
1909 Philadelphia Athletics
1909 Chicago Cubs
1909 Pittsburgh Pirates
1909 Cleveland Naps
1909 Boston Red Sox


1910s
1910 Chicago Cubs* (season 5)
1910 Boston Red Sox
1910 Pittsburgh Pirates
1911 Chicago Cubs* (season 4)
1911 New York Giants
1911 Philadelphia Athletics
1912 Philadelphia Athletics
1912 Chicago Cubs
1913 Chicago Cubs
1913 New York Giants
1914 Boston Red Sox
1915 Boston Red Sox
1915 Chicago White Sox
1916 Boston Red Sox
1916 Chicago White Sox
1917 Chicago White Sox
1918 New York Giants
1919 New York Giants* (season 6)
1919 Cleveland Indians
1919 Detroit Tigers

1920s
1920 Cleveland Indians
1920 New York Giants* (season 1)
1923 New York Giants
1923 Pittsburgh Pirates
1924 New York Yankees
1925 New York Yankees* (season 8)
1926 New York Yankees
1926 Pittsburgh Pirates * (season 19)
1927 New York Yankees
1927 Philadelphia Athletics
1927 New York Giants
1927 Washington Senators
1928 New York Yankees
1928 Philadelphia Athletics
1928 St. Louis Cardinals
1928 New York Giants
1929 Philadelphia A’s
1929 New York Yankees

1930s
1930 Philadelphia A's
1930 Chicago Cubs
1930 New York Yankees
1931 Chicago Cubs
1931 New York Giants
1931 Philadelphia A's
1932 New York Giants
1932 New York Yankees
1933 St. Louis Cardinals* (season 3)
1934 St. Louis Cardinals
1934 New York Yankees
1936 Detroit Tigers* (season 8)
1936 New York Yankees
1937 New York Yankees
1938 New York Yankees
1939 New York Yankees* (season 1)
1939 St. Louis Cardinals
1939 Boston Red Sox

1940s
1940 New York Yankees* (season 19)
1941 St Louis Cardinals* (season 6)
1941 Boston Red Sox
1941 Brooklyn Dodgers
1942 St Louis Cardinals* (season 4)
1942 New York Yankees
1943 St Louis Cardinals
1944 St. Louis Cardinals
1946 Detroit Tigers
1947 New York Yankees* (season 2)
1947 St. Louis Cardinals
1947 Brooklyn Dodgers
1947 Cleveland Indians
1948 Brooklyn Dodgers
1948 Boston Red Sox
1948 Cleveland Indians
1949 Brooklyn Dodgers
1949 New York Yankees* (season 5)
1949 Cleveland Indians

1950s
1950 Cleveland Indians
1950 St Louis Cardinals
1951 New York Yankees
1953 Chicago Cubs
1955 Cleveland Indians
1955 Brooklyn Dodgers
1956 Cleveland Indians
1956 Brooklyn Dodgers
1957 Brooklyn Dodgers
1957 Milwaukee Braves
1958 Cleveland Indians
1958 Milwaukee Braves
1958 Los Angeles Dodgers
1959 San Francisco Giants
1959 Milwaukee Braves
1959 Los Angeles Dodgers
1959 Pittsburgh Pirates
1959 Chicago White Sox
1959 Cincinnati Reds

1960s
1961 Los Angeles Dodgers* (season 6)
1962 Cincinnati Reds
1962 St. Louis Cardinals
1963 Detroit Tigers
1963 St. Louis Cardinals
1964 San Francisco Giants
1965 San Francisco Giants* (season 5)
1966 Baltimore Orioles
1967 Baltimore Orioles
1967 Chicago White Sox
1967 Detroit Tigers
1968 Detroit Tigers
1968 Baltimore Orioles
1968 St. Louis Cardinals
1969 Baltimore Orioles
1969 San Francisco Giants
1969 Chicago Cubs
1969 Los Angeles Dodgers

1970s
1970 Baltimore Orioles* (season 1) **Champions
1970 Minnesota Twins
1971 Baltimore Orioles
1971 San Francisco Giants
1972 San Francisco Giants
1972 Oakland Athletics
1972 Baltimore Orioles
1972 Cincinnati Reds
1972 Atlanta Braves
1973 Detroit Tigers
1974 Boston Red Sox* (season 4)
1974 Cincinnati Reds
1974 Cleveland Indians
1975 Cleveland Indians
1976 Boston Red Sox
1976 Philadelphia Phillies
1977 Cincinnati Reds
1977 Boston Red Sox
1978 Philadelphia Phillies
1979 New York Yankees* (season 3)

1980s
1980 Philadelphia Phillies
1982 California Angels* (season 2)
1983 California Angels
1984 Montreal Expos
1985 New York Mets
1985 California Angels
1985 St. Louis Cardinals
1986 Houston Astros
1986 New York Mets
1987 New York Mets
1987 Oakland Athletics
1988 Cincinnati Reds
1988 New York Mets
1988 Minnesota Twins
1988 Montreal Expos
1989 Oakland Athletics
1989 Seattle Mariners
1989 Montreal Expos* (season 8)
1989 Texas Rangers

1990s
1990 Oakland Athletics
1991 Houston Astros
1992 New York Mets
1992 Toronto Blue Jays
1993 Texas Rangers
1995 Cleveland Indians
1995 Atlanta Braves
1996 Atlanta Braves
1996 Seattle Mariners
1997 Atlanta Braves* (season 5) **Champions
1997 Seattle Mariners
1998 Atlanta Braves
1998 Boston Red Sox * (season 19)
1998 Houston Astros* (season 8) ** Champions
1998 Los Angeles Dodgers
1998 Seattle Mariners
1999 Atlanta Braves
1999 Arizona Diamondbacks

2000s
2000 Atlanta Braves
2001 Atlanta Braves
2001 St. Louis Cardinals
2001 Boston Red Sox
2002 Atlanta Braves
2003 Florida Marlins
2004 Boston Red Sox* (season 2) **Champions
2004 Houston Astros* (season 3) **Champions
2004 Anaheim Angels
2004 St. Louis Cardinals
2006 Boston Red Sox
2006 Los Angeles Dodgers*(season 4) **Champions
2006 Minnesota Twins
2007 Boston Red Sox
2007 New York Mets
2008 New York Mets
2008 Los Angeles Dodgers* (season 1)
2008 Tampa Bay Rays
2009 Philadelphia Phillies

2010s
2010 Boston Red Sox
2011 Texas Rangers
2012 Boston Red Sox
2014 Los Angeles Angels
2014 Detroit Tigers
2015 Detroit Tigers
2016 Washington Nationals* (season 6) ** Champions
2016 Toronto Blue Jays
2016 Chicago Cubs
2017 Washington Nationals
2017 Cleveland Indians
2017 Los Angeles Dodgers
2018 Los Angeles Dodgers
2018 Milwaukee Brewers
2018 Washington Nationals
2019 Houston Astros
2019 Los Angeles Dodgers
2019 Atlanta Braves
2019 Cleveland Indians

2020s
2021 Houston Astros
2021 Angels
2022 Los Angeles Dodgers * (season 19) **Champions
2023 San Diego Padres