(Update: Steve at WasWatching.com followed up with an accurate list of teams with the most wins by 5+ runs in a season. The 2007 Yankees trail only the 1936 Yankees, who posted 47 blowout wins. Yankees dominate the list, as you can imagine.)
A few months ago, I wrote about an odd trend concerning the 2007 Yankees. While they were atrocious in one-run games and sported a mediocre overall record, they were winning an inordinate number of games by 5+ runs.
I am pleased to report that, thanks to Tuesday's 12-0 victory over the Orioles, the 2007 Yankees have now won more games by 5+ runs in a single season than any team in baseball history.
Perhaps.
This is based on unscientific research of mine, just combing through baseball-reference.com pages of all-time great teams that come to mind. Here is the chart I posted in June, updated to reflect the Yankees' current standing.
TEAM BLOWOUT WINS OVERALL RECORD
2007 Yankees 44 93-69 (proj.)
1927 Yankees * 43 110-44
1998 Yankees 42 114-48
1939 Yankees * 41 106-45
1975 Reds 35 108-64
2001 Mariners 34 116-46
1942 Cardinals * 34 106-48
1906 Cubs * 33 116-36
1931 A's * 31 107-45
1984 Tigers 30 104-58
1986 Mets 27 108-64
1961 Yankees 26 109-53
1970 Orioles 25 108-54
(Teams marked with an * played a 154-game schedule, so assume they would have won a blowout or two more over 162 games.)
Surely there are other 90-something teams that deserve mention on this list, and I just didn't bother to look them up. In fact, the 2007 Red Sux — slowly becoming one of my favorite teams of all-time — have posted 34 wins by 5+ runs this season.
Perhaps a Bombers fan out there has access to a more formal database to ensure our historical ass-kickingness.
