With all their injury issues, the Sox could rest easy knowing that the Baltimore Orioles were coming to town. They are the worst team in baseball, aren’t they?
That question still lingers after Boston eked out a 3-2 win over the Orioles on Friday night to improve to 5-5 against them this season. Are the Orioles as bad as everyone says they are, or are they just in a really difficult division? Is there a team in the MLB that’s worse?
Let’s take a look at the numbers. Baltimore currently has the worst record in baseball (24-55) and maintains an abysmal 8-26 record in division play. Their home record (16-25) is better than their road mark (8-30), but that’s not saying much. It’s also sad when you turn on a Baltimore game at Camden Yards, and you see more fans from the other team in attendance than those rooting for the black and orange.
Then, you’ve got the Pittsburgh Pirates. When was the last time they had a winning season? At 29-51 (16 1/2 games back in the NL Central), they are headed for their 18th consecutive losing campaign. Last year, they broke the record for the longest losing streak (season wise) in the history of North America’s four professional sports leagues. They live in a winning city with devoted fans, so why can’t they churn out a winning season?
The same question could be posed to the Nationals, who have struggled for many seasons. But is this the year they break out? Riding on the shoulders of their new superstar, Stephen Strasburg, Nats fans are hopeful that they can turn our nation’s capital into a success story. However, will all that pressure cause the young Strasburg to crack? Only time will tell, but the Nationals still have to dig themselves out of last place in the NL East (35-46, 12 1/2 games back).
Cleveland (31-48) and Arizona (32-48) are the other bottom dwellers in the MLB this year, and with nothing much to report on either team, it’s easy to forget them. However, the Diamondbacks just made a big change in their management team. Could they turn it around for the second half of the season?
The question remains: Who is the worst team in baseball? Though the Orioles have the worst record in the majors, they aren’t going down without a fight. Are they shadowed by the sheer power of the AL East? Or are they really that bad?
Share your thoughts below. The best comments will be read on NESN’s Red Sox GameDay Live or Red Sox Final.
July 2: What grade would you give the Red Sox this year?
