The Washington Nationals finished Spring Training with the best Spring Training record in the Majors with a 19-4-4 Won-Loss-Tie record. While we can be optimistic about much of what we saw, let’s check how Spring Training records relate to World Series champions.
We analyzed the last 20 years of Spring Training records, and 13 of 20 World Series champs had winning records, 1 tie, 6 were losers. That makes 65% of the World Series teams had winning records in Spring Training.
- 2015 – Royals 20 -10 W
- 2014 – Giants 17 – 12 W
- 2013 – Red Sox 17 – 17 T
- 2012 – Giants 18 – 15 W
- 2011 – Cardinals 14 – 16 L .467
- 2010 – Giants 23 – 12 W
- 2009 – Yankees 24 – 10 W
- 2008 – Phillies 12 – 18 L .400
- 2007 – Red Sox 15 -12 W
- 2006 – Cardinals 15 -14 W
- 2005 – White Sox 14 – 18 L .438
- 2004 – Red Sox 17 -12 W
- 2003 – Marlins 14 – 16 L .467
- 2002 – Angels 17 -15 W
- 2001 – D-Backs 19 – 14 W
- 2000 – Yankees 13 – 20 L .394
- 1999 – Yankees 14 – 19 L .424
- 1998 – Yankees 15 – 12 W
- 1997 – Marlins 21 – 5 W
- 1996 – Yankees 16 – 15 W
Let’s look at Dusty Baker‘s Spring Training record to see how he did in various seasons.
- In Dusty’s first season with the San Francisco Giants when they won 103 games in 1993: 14-17
- In Dusty’s World Series season with the San Francisco Giants in 2002: 16-16
- In Dusty’s first season with the Chicago Cubs, they went to the playoffs in 2003: 17-11
- In Dusty’s 97 win season in 2012 with the Cincinnati Reds, they went to the playoffs: 15-17
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