White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen may want to reconsider his goal to have the White Sox finish with the best regular-season record in baseball.
Since divisional play began in 1969, only eight teams have won the World Series after compiling the season’s best record. Only one, the 1998 New York Yankees, has done it since the addition of a third playoff round in 1995. The 1983 White Sox finished with baseball’s best regular-season record (99-63) but could manage only one win in the ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles.
A list of how the team with the best regular-season record has fared in the playoffs in non-strike interrupted seasons since 1969:
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YR TEAM REC OUTCOME
1969 Baltimore 109-53 Lost World Series
1970 Baltimore 108-54 Won World Series
1971 Baltimore 101-57 Lost World Series
1972 Pittsburgh 96-59 Lost NLCS
1973 Cincinnati 99-63 Lost NLCS
1974 L.A. Dodgers 102-60 Lost World Series
1975 Cincinnati 108-54 Won World Series
1976 Cincinnati 102-60 Won World Series
1977 Kansas City 102-60 Lost ALCS
1978 N.Y. Yankees 100-63 Won World Series
1979 Baltimore 102-57 Lost World Series
1980 N.Y. Yankees 103-59 Lost ALCS
1982 Milwaukee 95-67 Lost World Series
1983 WHITE SOX 99-63 Lost ALCS
1984 Detroit 104-58 Won World Series
1985 St. Louis 101-61 Lost World Series
1986 N.Y. Mets 108-54 Won World Series
1987 Detroit 98-64 Lost ALCS
1988 Oakland 104-58 Lost World Series
1989 Oakland 99-63 Won World Series
1990 Oakland 103-59 Lost World Series
1991 Pittsburgh 98-64 Lost NLCS
1992 Atlanta 98-64 Lost World Series
1993 Atlanta 104-58 Lost NLCS
1995 Cleveland 100-44 Lost World Series
1996 Cleveland 99-62 Lost divisional series
1997 Atlanta 101-61 Lost NLCS
1998 N.Y. Yankees 114-48 Won World Series
1999 Atlanta 103-59 Lost World Series
2000 San Francisco 97-65 Lost divisional series
2001 Seattle 116-46 Lost ALCS
2002 N.Y. Yankees 103-58 Lost divisional series
2003 N.Y. Yankees 101-61 Lost World Series
2003 Atlanta 101-61 Lost divisional series
2004 St. Louis 105-57 Lost World Series
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