Oakland Lastletics Update - Win #13

The 2023 Oakland Athletics won their 13th game last night and are now 13-50. Since they won their 12th game, they have gone 1-5 and have been outscored 23-34. Ugh.

Let’s see where they are historically.

By Wins

All-Time: This team is now now tied for 27th all time for the least amount of wins, tied with the 1871 NA Troy Haymakers (13-15). Next on the list is the 1876 NL Philadelphia Athletics (14-45)  (not the same franchise). The Kansas City Royals (18-43), BTW, are now tied for 40th.

Since 1876: Oakland is alone at 8th worst total all time. Next on this list is those same 1876 Philadelphia Athletics (14-45). The Royals are tied for 15th.

American League: Oakland currently has the worse win total, and the Royals are #2. Next on the list is the 2020 Texas Rangers at 22-38.

Since 1900: Oakland #1, Royals #2, 2020 Pittsburgh Pirates #3 (19-41)

All-Time > 100 Games: Oakland #1, Royals #2. The next team on this list is the team everybody hates to see that they have not passed, the 1899 NL Cleveland Spiders (20-134). All other 2023 ML teams have more wins than the Spiders now.

Another note: The Tampa Bay Rays (44-19) have blown past the 1962 Mets (40-120), and the Texas Rangers (40-20) now have as many wins as the Mets. Doubt they will go 0-100.

By Winning Percentage

All-time: The A’s are 21st worst all-time winning percentage (.206). They are ahead of the 1873 NA Washington Blue Legs (8-31 .205), and behind the 1872 NA Middletown Mansfields (5-19 .208). The Royals are 70th worst (.295).

Since 1876: The Green and Gold are 9th worse since 1876. They are ahead of the 1884 NL Kansas City Cowboys (16-63 .203), and being the 1882 NL Worcester Blue Rays (18-66 .214). The Royals are 53rd worst.

American League: The 2023 A’s are the worst. Next worse are the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics (36-117 .235). Imagine having a goal of having a goal of putting out a team worse than the worst deliberately tanking team in history. The Royals are 12th worst.

Since 1900: 2023 A’s #1, 1916 A’s #2. Royals #20.

Since 1871 > 100 games: #1. 1899 Spiders (20-134 .123), #2. 1890 NL Pittsburgh Alleghenys (23-113 .169), #3. 1889 AA Louisville Colonels, #4. 2023 AL Oakland Athletics (13-50 .206), #5 1897 NL St. Louis Browns (now Cardinals) (29-102 .221). Look at all of those 19th century teams. Kansas City is 35th on this list.

By Losses

The A’s are 50 losses away from 100. When they reach 100 losses (late July? Early August?), I will track them on the losses leader board.

Remember the Spiders!

The Oakland Athletics have won their 11th game...

After an 11 game losing streak, the A's won one yesterday, making their record 11-45.

In other news, every other team except the Kansas City Royals (17-38) now have more wins than the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. No teams have caught the 1962 Mets yet, but the Tampa Bay Rays are now close (39-17).

Back to the A's, let's see what that does to their futility quest standings. Note that this does not include the Negro Leagues, although it probably should. I will see about adding them in the next week or so as I write these progress reports.

Least Wins

Least wins all time: They are now in 25th place all time, one more win that the 1871 Cleveland Forest Cities (10-19) of the National Association, and one ahead of the 1884 Union Association clubs, the Washington Nationals (12-51), and the Richmond Viginians (12-30).

Least wins since 1876: They stay at 6th all time, ahead of the 1876 National League Cincinnati Reds (9-56) (not the same team as is playing now), and behind the aforementioned 1884 Nationals and Virginians.

Least wins in the American League: They are first. Kansas City Royals are 2nd. The Chicago White Sox (22-34) are third, tied with the 2020 Texas Rangers.

Least wins since 1900: Oakland 1st, Kansas City 2nd. This list is polluted with pandemic teams, at least for wins less than 40.

Least wins all-time for teams > 100 decisions (gets rid of all of the NA/UA teams and the pandemic records): Oakland 1st, Kansas City 2nd, and the notorious 1899 Cleveland Spiders (20-134) is 3rd. The next historical team after them is the 1889 AA Louisville Colonels (27-111). The next current team is the 1897 St. Louis Browns (1897) (now known as the Cardinals). And the next current team since 1900 is the Connie Mack fire sale 1916 Philadelphia Athletics (36-117). They set the standard for tanking!

Lowest Winning Percentage

All-time: The A's (0.1964) are 19th-worst all time, ahead of the 1889 AA Louisville Colonels (0.1957). Somebody should write a book about the hapless Colonels of the last 15 years of the 19th century. They were bad. The A's are ahead of the 1884 NL Kansas City Cowboys (.203).

Since 1876:  A's are 8th worst since 1876, still sandwiched between the Colonels and the Cowboys.

American League: 1st worst all-time, ahead of those 1916 A's (0.235).

Since 1900: Same as AL

All-Time > 100 games: They are 4th, ahead of the Spiders, the 1890 Pittsburgh Alleghenys (Pirates), and those same Louisville Colonels. The are ahead of the 1897 St. Louis Browns (Cardinals) (0.221).

Most Losses

Will start tracking this when the A's reach 100 losses. Probably early August at this point. There are 165 teams to date that have lost 100 games; it pretty much happens every year.

Baseball Trip Replay - Day 62 - July 24, 1994

July 24 - Shea Stadium is at the intersection of two freeways, so I drove. Of course, one is being rebuilt, but that seems to be the norm everywhere. The game was good. The Mets took the lead with a pinch hit home run by Todd Hundley. SF won it when Barry Bonds hit a bases loaded single off of John Franco. SF 8, NY 6. Ate at a neat neighborhood Italian place here on Staten Island. Was cool.

Game log: https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1994/B07240NYN1994.htm

The dancing gloves are creepy, especially if you watch the video at 2x.