The Paths We Choose

For those who have read my post on being an Oakland Athletics fan over the last 25 years, I discussed how I became a fan in the summer of 1988.  To keep it short, I was so embarrassed of the 0-21 start by my local favorite Baltimore Orioles, that I adopted my little league team, the Athletics, as my new favorite team.  25 years later I'm still a devoted fan of a team that is 3,000 miles away from me.  I have been to countless Oakland games in Baltimore, but I have also seen them play at Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago (both Cubs and White Sox) and just once in Oakland.

Although Oakland has not won a World Series since 1989, it has been mostly a thrill ride following the green and gold clad Athletics.  Even when they're weren't good, they still had Mark McGwire chasing Roger Maris in the mid-90's before being jettisoned to St. Louis.  I looked back at their last 25 seasons and compared them to the last quarter century of every other franchise in Major League Baseball to see just how fortunate I was to be on the Athletics in the summer of 1988 and not (sorry Kansas City) on the Royals that year.

If I were to rank each of the 30 franchises that have played in the last 25 years on how they have pleased their fans, this is what it would look like:

(All records from start of 1988 season through July 10th, 2013)

1. New York Yankees
Resumé: 2311-1757 record; 17 playoff appearances; 5-2 World Series record
The Good: All the wins, all the money, the careers of Bernie, Jeter, Pettitte and Rivera
The Bad: The Danny Tartabull years, the bad side of George Steinbrenner

2. Atlanta Braves
Resumé: 2260-1809 record; 16 playoff appearances; 1-4 World Series record
The Good: 14* straight Division titles; Maddux, Smolts and Glavine, Games on TBS
The Bad: Playoff choke jobs, never winning that second title, 106 loss 1988 season

3. Boston Red Sox
Resumé: 2210-1867 record; 11 playoff appearances; 2-0 World Series record
The Good: Ending 'The Curse', comeback vs. Yankees, Pedro Martinez
The Bad: Grady Little's decision, when Manny lost it and was exiled

4. St. Louis Cardinals
Resumé: 2152-1918 record: 10 playoff appearances; 2-1 World Series record
The Good: Albert Pujols/Mark McGwire HR's, Game 6 of 2011 WS
The Bad: 1988-95 missing playoffs, 1996 playoff choke

5. San Francisco Giants
Resumé: 2132-1941 record; 7 playoff appearances; 2-2 World Series record
The Good: Winning 2 of last 3 WS, Barry Bonds breaking records, 103 wins not making playoffs
The Bad: Two 6+ year playoff droughts, the unfriendly side of Bonds and Jeff Kent

6. Oakland Athletics
Resumé: 2169-1905 record; 10 playoff appeances; 1-2 World Series record
The Good: Bash brothers, Moneyball, Rickey Henderson and the 20 game win streak
The Bad: Playoff losses in early 2000's, the stadium, 1993-99, Jeremy Giambi

7. Los Angeles Dodgers
Resumé: 2123-1947 record; 7 playoff appearances; 1-0 World Series record
The Good: Vin Scully, Kirk Gibson/Orel Hershiser's 1988 season, Clayton Kershaw's curveball
The Bad: 1997-03 drought, 1 playoff game win in 19 years between 1989-2007

8. Los Angeles Angels
Resumé: 2103-1972 record; 6 playoff apperances; 1-0 World Series record
The Good: Vlad Guerrero/Mike Trout, 2002 WS Game Six Rally w/ Rally Monkey
The Bad: 1988-2001 playoff drought, all the name changes, 1995 choke

9. Toronto Blue Jays
Resumé: 2065-2009 record; 4 playoff appearances; 2-0 World Series record
The Good: Back to back WS Championships, The Sky Dome, Joe Carter touching them all
The Bad: No playoff appearances since they won the World Series (20 years...)

10. Minnesota Twins
Resumé: 2012-2058 record; 7 playoff appearances; 1-0 World Series record
The Good: The atmosphere in the Metrodome, Kirby Puckett, Johan Santana
The Bad: Playing the Yankees in the playoffs, 1992-2001 drought, playing outside in Minnesota

11. Chicago White Sox
Resumé: 2100-1968 record; 4 playoff appearances; 1-0 World Series record
The Good: Frank Thomas, Ozzie Guillen's fire, Mark Buehrle effieciency and perfect game
The Bad: Having to listen to Hawk Harrelson, Ozzie Guillen's idiocy

12. Philadelphia Phillies
Resumé: 2039-2036 record; 6 playoff appearances; 1-2 World Series record
The Good: The fun that was the 1993 team, Halladay/Hamels/Lee
The Bad: 1988-2006 save for the 1993 season, the Vet, Mitch Williams' last pitch in '93

13. Miami Marlins
Resumé: 1537-1725 record; 2 playoff appearances; 2-0 World Series record
The Good: The two championships, developing great young talent for other teams
The Bad: Jeffrey Loria, 19 useless seasons, Ozzie Guillen, that statue in left center

14. Arizona Diamondbacks
Resumé: 1257-1264 record; 5 playoff appearances; 1-0 World Series record
The Good: Luis Gonzalez' walk off, Schilling/Johnson duo, a ballpark with a pool
The Bad:  Losing 111 games with Randy Johnson in 2004, the handling of Justin Upton

15. Cincinnati Reds
Resumé: 2040-2035 record; 4 playoff appearances; 1-0 World Series record
The Good: The Nasty Boys, Joey Votto, Barry Larkin, Chris Sabo's goggle glasses
The Bad: 1996-2009 playoff drought, Marge Schott, Pete Rose scandal

16. Cleveland Indians
Resumé: 2054-2018 record; 7 playoff appearances; 0-2 World Series record
The Good: Jacobs Field at its peak, the dominance of the 1995 lineup
The Bad: Everything before the strike of 1994, Game 7 of 1997, letting Lee/Sabathia go

17. Texas Rangers
Resumé: 2068-2006 record; 6 playoff appearances; 0-2 World Series record
The Good: Igor, Pudge, Raffy, ARod, Josh Hamilton, Beltre...basically all the hitting
The Bad: Most of the pitching, the heat, Nelson Cruz's defense in the World Series

18. Houston Astros
Resumé: 2032-2043 record; 6 playoff appearances; 0-1 World Series record
The Good: The Killer B's - Biggio, Bagwell, Bell, Berkman - The train in the outfield
The Bad: Astroturf, 1988-1996, 2006-present, that hanging slider to Pujols, the hill in CF

19. New York Mets
Resumé: 2039-2028 record; 4 playoff appearances; 0-1 World Series record
The Good: Mike Piazza, the 2000 season and David Wright
The Bad: 1989-98, 2007-present droughts,103 loss 1993 season

20. Chicago Cubs
Resumé: 1963-2106 record; 5 playoff appearances; No World Series appearnces
The Good: The loyalty of the fans, Harry Caray, Prior/Wood, Day Games, Sammy Sosa
The Bad: Poor Steve Bartman, Dusty Baker's use of Prior/Wood, most on field action

21. San Diego Padres
Resumé: 1977-2102 record; 4 playoff appearances; 0-1 World Series record
The Good: Tony Gwynn, making a World Series and getting to play in San Diego
The Bad: Trading away Roberto Alomar/Joe Carter/Fred McGriff, drafting Matt Bush over Verlander

22. Colorado Rockies
Resumé: 1545-1725 record; 3 playoff appearances; 0-1 World Series record
The Good: The offensive explosion of the '90's - Bichette/Walker/Galarraga/Burks...then Helton
The Bad: The humidor, ruining Denny Neagle/Mike Hampton, stealing CarGo from the Athletics

23. Detroit Tigers
Resumé: 1892-2182 record; 3 playoff appearances; 0-2 World Series record
The Good: The Justin Verlander years, Miguel Cabrera, Lou Whitaker/Alan Trammel/Sparky Anderson
The Bad: 1988-2005 with a bottoming out of 119 losses in 2003 with 106 losses the year before

24. Tampa Bay Rays
Resumé: 1155-1364 record; 3 playoff appearances; 0-1 World Series record
The Good: Exorcising the Devil, Evan Longoria, all the young home grown pitching, Joe Maddon
The Bad: The Trop, the fan base, 9 last place finishes in first 10 years of existence

25. Seattle Mariners
Resumé: 1985-2086 record; 4 playoff appearances; No World Series appearances
The Good: Griffey Jr., Buhner, Edgar, Ichiro, 1995&2001, The Big Unit/King Felix
The Bad: Most everything since 2002, The Kingdome, losing so many stars over the years

26. Baltimore Orioles
Resumé: 1911-2159 record; 3 playoff appearances; No World Series appearances
The Good: Cal Ripken Jr. and the streak, Camden Yards, Mike Mussina, Adam Jones
The Bad: Peter Angelos, Jeffery Maier, 1998-2011 futility, 0-21 that started it all

27. Milwaukee Brewers
Resumé: 1944-2128 record; 2 playoff appearances; No World Series appearances
The Good: Leaving County Stadium, Prince Fielder/Ryan Braun, Bernie Brewer
The Bad: 1988-2007 with 106 losses in 2002, being switched to the National League

28. Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos
Resumé: 1943-2129 record; 1 playoff appearance; No World Series appearances
The Good: The 1994 team, Ryan Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper
The Bad: Folding the franchise, losing Pedro/L Walker/R Johnson/M Alou etc., the strike

29. Pittsburgh Pirates
Resumé: 1876-2192 record; 3 playoff appearances; No World Series appearances
The Good: 1990-92 run with Bonds/Bonilla/Van Slyke/Drabek, Andrew McCutchen, PNC Park
The Bad: 1993-present drought of no .500 or better teams, Sid Bream

30. Kansas City Royals 
Resumé: 1826-2241 record; No playoff appearances; No World Series appearances
The Good: Producing great young talent (for other franchises), Bret Saberhagen's 1989 season
The Bad: Only franchise not to make the playoffs in the last 25 seasons, 3 straight 100+ loss seasons

*from Atlanta: Strike season of 1994 doesn't count where Montreal held a 6 game lead on Atlanta with 48 games to go

There you have it.  25 years for 30 different franchises.  Outside of winning a World Series or two more, I wouldn't trade my allegiance for anything.  But dammit, Jeremy Giambi, why didn't you slide???