The Value Production Standings: 1986-1989
Previously, we’ve examined the comparative output of farm systems in 1946-1950, 1951-1955, 1956-1960, 1961-1965, 1966-1970, 1971-1975, 1976-1980, and 1981-1985. This time we’ll complete the decade of The Bangles, The Beastie Boys and Anita Baker.
For a review of our methodology, please see the References and Resources section below.
Here’s the key to the figures we’re examining:
WSP = Win Shares Produced: the total of major league Win Shares produced that season by all players credited to the organization
Lg. WSP = League Win Shares Produced: the percentage of the league total of WSP credited to the organization
MLB WSP = Major league baseball Win Shares Produced: the percentage of the MLB-wide total of WSP credited to the organization
W = Wins: the actual win total of the team that season
Lg. W = League Wins: the percentage of the league win total won by the team
W% – WSP% = League Wins minus League Win Shares Produced: a measure of how much better or worse a team actually performed than the league-wide value produced by its organization
Avg WSP = Average Win Shares Produced: the average WSP of the teams in a given division or league
%MLB Avg = Percentage of the major league baseball average: how the average WSP for a given division or league compares with the overall major league average
The 1986 Value Production Standings
AL Organization WSP Lg. WSP MLB WSP W Lg. W W% - WSP% Avg. WSP % MLB Avg. Red Sox 347 12.0% 5.7% 95 8.4% -3.6% Yankees 242 8.4% 4.0% 90 7.9% -0.4% Orioles 182 6.3% 3.0% 77 6.8% 0.5% Brewers 177 6.1% 2.9% 73 6.4% 0.3% Tigers 167 5.8% 2.8% 87 7.7% 1.9% Indians 150 5.2% 2.5% 84 7.4% 2.2% Blue Jays 133 4.6% 2.2% 86 7.6% 3.0% East Division 1398 48.4% 23.0% 592 52.3% 3.9% 200 85.6% Angels 257 8.9% 4.2% 92 8.1% -0.8% Athletics 250 8.6% 4.1% 76 6.7% -1.9% Rangers 235 8.1% 3.9% 87 7.7% -0.4% Royals 233 8.1% 3.8% 76 6.7% -1.4% Twins 206 7.1% 3.4% 71 6.3% -0.9% Mariners 159 5.5% 2.6% 67 5.9% 0.4% White Sox 153 5.3% 2.5% 72 6.4% 1.1% West Division 1493 51.6% 24.6% 541 47.7% -3.9% 213 91.4% AL Total 2891 100.0% 47.7% 1133 100.0% 0.0% 207 88.5% NL Organization WSP Lg. WSP MLB WSP W Lg. W W% - WSP% Avg. WSP % MLB Avg. Phillies 360 11.3% 5.9% 86 8.9% -2.5% Mets 333 10.5% 5.5% 108 11.1% 0.7% Cardinals 304 9.6% 5.0% 79 8.2% -1.4% Pirates 258 8.1% 4.3% 64 6.6% -1.5% Expos 250 7.9% 4.1% 78 8.0% 0.2% Cubs 175 5.5% 2.9% 70 7.2% 1.7% East Division 1680 52.9% 27.7% 485 50.1% -2.8% 280 120.0% Dodgers 433 13.6% 7.1% 73 7.5% -6.1% Reds 285 9.0% 4.7% 86 8.9% -0.1% Giants 236 7.4% 3.9% 83 8.6% 1.1% Braves 213 6.7% 3.5% 72 7.4% 0.7% Padres 176 5.5% 2.9% 74 7.6% 2.1% Astros 153 4.8% 2.5% 96 9.9% 5.1% West Division 1496 47.1% 24.7% 484 49.9% 2.8% 249 106.9% NL Total 3176 100.0% 52.3% 969 100.0% 0.0% 265 113.4% MLB Total 6067 n/a 100% 2102 n/a n/a 233 100.0%
Following the mid-1960s collapse of the great Yankee dynasty, the Red Sox took over as the most talent-productive organization in the American League, and consistently held that position. 1986 marked the ninth consecutive year the Red Sox led the AL East in WSP, and the 13th time in 18 seasons of divisional play. Through that period, the Red Sox had been a consistent contender, and in ’86 they captured not only the divisional flag but also, by virtue of a scintillating ALCS victory over the Angels, their first pennant since 1975.
The 1986 Bosox led the AL in WSP by a wide margin, and the core of their championship squad was home-grown: batting champ third baseman Wade Boggs, outfielders Jim Rice and Dwight Evans, second baseman Marty Barrett, catcher Rich Gedman, and pitchers including sensational young MVP and Cy Young winner Roger Clemens, Bruce Hurst and Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd.
But the Red Sox were defeated in one of history’s most memorable World Series, vanquished by a New York Mets team that was similarly nourished by a highly productive farm. System-produced Mets included outfielders Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra and Mookie Wilson, second baseman Wally Backman, rookie outfielder-infielder Kevin Mitchell, ace starter Dwight Gooden and ace reliever Roger McDowell.
The Mets also got more mileage from trade-acquired talent than did Boston, having dealt for first baseman Keith Hernandez, catcher Gary Carter and pitchers Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez, Jesse Orosco and Bobby Ojeda. Interestingly, the Mets had picked up Ojeda from the Red Sox following the 1985 season, in exchange for a package of young talent that included the young right-hander who emerged as Boston’s relief ace down the stretch in ’86: Calvin Schiraldi.
That year’s entire post-season tournament was thrill-packed, as the Mets had survived an extraordinarily hard-fought NLCS. Their opponents, the Astros, were a very differently constructed ball club. Houston’s farm system was deadlocked with that of the White Sox as the least productive in the major leagues in 1986. The only home-grown talents significantly contributing to the ’86 Astros were first baseman Glenn Davis, second baseman Billy Doran and relief pitchers Charlie Kerfeld and Dave Smith.
Houston’s ace pitcher, NL Cy Young Award winner Mike Scott, had been acquired in trade, from none other than the Mets. Other successful trade acquisitions included outfielders Kevin Bass and Jose Cruz, third baseman Denny Walling, and pitchers Bob Knepper and Danny Darwin. Ageless star pitcher Nolan Ryan, also originally a Met, had been a Houston free agent pickup.
The 1987 Value Production Standings
AL Organization WSP Lg. WSP MLB WSP W Lg. W W% - WSP% Avg. WSP % MLB Avg. Red Sox 306 10.1% 5.0% 78 6.9% -3.2% Brewers 300 9.9% 4.9% 91 8.0% -1.9% Yankees 213 7.0% 3.5% 89 7.8% 0.8% Tigers 180 5.9% 2.9% 98 8.6% 2.7% Orioles 177 5.8% 2.9% 67 5.9% 0.1% Indians 171 5.6% 2.8% 61 5.4% -0.3% Blue Jays 163 5.4% 2.7% 96 8.5% 3.1% East Division 1510 49.8% 24.6% 580 51.1% 1.3% 216 91.3% Royals 259 8.5% 4.2% 83 7.3% -1.2% Athletics 257 8.5% 4.2% 81 7.1% -1.3% Rangers 239 7.9% 3.9% 75 6.6% -1.3% Angels 232 7.7% 3.8% 75 6.6% -1.0% Mariners 209 6.9% 3.4% 78 6.9% 0.0% Twins 188 6.2% 3.1% 85 7.5% 1.3% White Sox 136 4.5% 2.2% 77 6.8% 2.3% West Division 1520 50.2% 24.7% 554 48.9% -1.3% 217 91.9% AL Total 3030 100.0% 49.3% 1134 100.0% 0.0% 216 91.6% NL Organization WSP Lg. WSP MLB WSP W Lg. W W% - WSP% Avg. WSP % MLB Avg. Phillies 349 11.2% 5.7% 80 8.2% -3.0% Cardinals 333 10.7% 5.4% 95 9.8% -0.9% Mets 304 9.8% 4.9% 92 9.5% -0.3% Expos 247 7.9% 4.0% 91 9.4% 1.4% Pirates 244 7.8% 4.0% 80 8.2% 0.4% Cubs 156 5.0% 2.5% 76 7.8% 2.8% East Division 1633 52.5% 26.6% 514 52.9% 0.5% 272 115.2% Dodgers 397 12.8% 6.5% 73 7.5% -5.2% Reds 282 9.1% 4.6% 84 8.7% -0.4% Giants 259 8.3% 4.2% 90 9.3% 0.9% Braves 221 7.1% 3.6% 69 7.1% 0.0% Padres 203 6.5% 3.3% 65 6.7% 0.2% Astros 118 3.8% 1.9% 76 7.8% 4.0% West Division 1480 47.5% 24.1% 457 47.1% -0.5% 247 104.4% NL Total 3113 100.0% 50.7% 971 100.0% 0.0% 259 109.8% MLB Total 6143 n/a 100% 2105 n/a n/a 236 100.0%
The Cardinals were the franchise that had invented the farm system, under visionary GM Branch Rickey in the 1920s. The productivity of the organization Rickey built had been the envy of all of baseball through the 1930s and ‘40s. Though it had since been eclipsed, the St. Louis system had remained consistently strong into the 1980s.
The 1987 Cardinals won their third NL pennant in six years. Yet though they’d developed a solid base of talent, the Cards had leveraged much of it as trade bait. The only home-grown standouts they featured in ’87 were third baseman Terry Pendleton, left fielder Vince Coleman, second baseman Tommy Herr and relief ace Todd Worrell.
The top four St. Louis starting pitchers (Greg Mathews, Danny Cox, Bob Forsch and Joe Magrane) were farm products. They were all right, but nothing special.
The keys to the Cards’ success were three trade acquisitions: defensive wizard shortstop Ozzie Smith, cleanup-hitting first baseman Jack Clark and fleet center fielder Willie McGee.
St. Louis products starring in other uniforms in 1987 were center fielder Andy Van Slyke (Pirates) and first baseman Keith Hernandez (Mets), while other prominent former Cardinals included infielders Ken Oberkfell (Braves), Garry Templeton (Padres) and Jose Uribe (Giants), first baseman Leon Durham (Cubs), outfielders Jerry Mumphrey (Cubs), Jose Cruz (Astros) and Larry Herndon (Tigers), catcher Terry Kennedy (Orioles) and pitcher Mike Dunne (Pirates).
The 1988 Value Production Standings
AL Organization WSP Lg. WSP MLB WSP W Lg. W W% - WSP% Avg. WSP % MLB Avg. Red Sox 326 10.8% 5.3% 89 7.9% -3.0% Brewers 269 8.9% 4.4% 87 7.7% -1.3% Yankees 237 7.9% 3.9% 85 7.5% -0.4% Indians 196 6.5% 3.2% 78 6.9% 0.4% Tigers 181 6.0% 3.0% 88 7.8% 1.8% Orioles 169 5.6% 2.8% 54 4.8% -0.8% Blue Jays 133 4.4% 2.2% 87 7.7% 3.3% East Division 1511 50.2% 24.7% 568 50.2% 0.0% 216 91.7% Royals 294 9.8% 4.8% 84 7.4% -2.3% Athletics 266 8.8% 4.3% 104 9.2% 0.4% Angels 226 7.5% 3.7% 75 6.6% -0.9% Twins 215 7.1% 3.5% 91 8.0% 0.9% Mariners 193 6.4% 3.2% 68 6.0% -0.4% Rangers 189 6.3% 3.1% 70 6.2% -0.1% White Sox 114 3.8% 1.9% 71 6.3% 2.5% West Division 1497 49.8% 24.5% 563 49.8% 0.0% 214 90.9% AL Total 3008 100.0% 49.2% 1131 100.0% 0.0% 215 91.3% NL Organization WSP Lg. WSP MLB WSP W Lg. W W% - WSP% Avg. WSP % MLB Avg. Mets 376 12.1% 6.1% 100 10.3% -1.7% Pirates 333 10.7% 5.4% 85 8.8% -1.9% Phillies 323 10.4% 5.3% 65 6.7% -3.7% Cubs 246 7.9% 4.0% 77 8.0% 0.1% Cardinals 225 7.2% 3.7% 76 7.9% 0.6% Expos 178 5.7% 2.9% 81 8.4% 2.7% East Division 1681 54.0% 27.5% 484 50.1% -4.0% 280 119.0% Dodgers 333 10.7% 5.4% 94 9.7% -1.0% Reds 319 10.3% 5.2% 87 9.0% -1.3% Giants 225 7.2% 3.7% 83 8.6% 1.4% Braves 225 7.2% 3.7% 54 5.6% -1.6% Padres 212 6.8% 3.5% 83 8.6% 1.8% Astros 116 3.7% 1.9% 82 8.5% 4.8% West Division 1430 46.0% 23.4% 483 49.9% 4.0% 238 101.3% NL Total 3111 100.0% 50.8% 967 100.0% 0.0% 259 110.2% MLB Total 6119 n/a 100% 2098 n/a n/a 235 100.0%
The most productive farm system in baseball through the 1980s had been that of the Dodgers, but since 1981 they’d achieved no pennants. It was ironic that the 1988 team, which finally delivered not just a pennant but a decisive World Series championship, was less impressive than previous Dodger ball clubs, and by 1988 the organization’s farm production, while still outstanding, was no longer the juggernaut it had been a few years earlier.
The ’88 Dodgers were a low-scoring outfit that rallied around the sensational pitching of home-grown Cy Young Award-winning ace Orel Hershiser. The only other major system-produced talents on hand were second baseman Steve Sax, catcher Mike Scioscia, outfielder Mike Marshall and pitcher Alejandro Pena.
The key imported talent was free agent left fielder Kirk Gibson, whose inspirational leadership explained his capturing the MVP award with good-but-not-great stats. Trade-acquired starting pitchers Tim Leary and Tim Belcher also made important contributions.
As had been the case through much of the decade, in 1988 the most impressive list of Dodger-developed talent was the litany of standout pitchers performing elsewhere: Dave Stewart and Bob Welch (Athletics), John Franco (Reds), Charlie Hough (Rangers), Rick Sutcliffe (Cubs), Sid Fernandez (Mets) and Doyle Alexander (Tigers).
The heavily-favored Oakland team the Dodgers stunned in the World Series contained a nucleus of home-grown talent, most notably the “Bash Brothers” Jose Canseco (the AL MVP) and Mark McGwire, as well as shortstop Walt Weiss and catcher Terry Steinbach. But much of the A’s roster was imported talent, including, of course, starting pitchers Stewart and Welch, workhorse reliever Gene Nelson and third baseman Carney Lansford.
The most remarkable aspect of the Athletics under GM Sandy Alderson and field manager Tony LaRussa was their knack at taking on discard-bin “projects” from other organizations and nurturing them into new success. Such would describe Stewart, as well as relief ace Dennis Eckersley, starting pitcher Storm Davis and center fielder Dave Henderson.
The 1989 Value Production Standings
AL Organization WSP Lg. WSP MLB WSP W Lg. W W% - WSP% Avg. WSP % MLB Avg. Red Sox 257 8.3% 4.2% 83 7.3% -1.0% Brewers 256 8.3% 4.1% 81 7.1% -1.1% Yankees 230 7.5% 3.7% 74 6.5% -0.9% Orioles 193 6.3% 3.1% 87 7.7% 1.4% Indians 189 6.1% 3.1% 73 6.4% 0.3% Tigers 177 5.7% 2.9% 59 5.2% -0.5% Blue Jays 174 5.6% 2.8% 89 7.9% 2.2% East Division 1476 47.8% 23.9% 546 48.2% 0.4% 211 88.6% Mariners 283 9.2% 4.6% 73 6.4% -2.7% Royals 278 9.0% 4.5% 92 8.1% -0.9% Angels 254 8.2% 4.1% 91 8.0% -0.2% Athletics 250 8.1% 4.0% 99 8.7% 0.6% Twins 217 7.0% 3.5% 80 7.1% 0.0% Rangers 194 6.3% 3.1% 83 7.3% 1.0% White Sox 135 4.4% 2.2% 69 6.1% 1.7% West Division 1611 52.2% 26.0% 587 51.8% -0.4% 230 96.7% AL Total 3087 100.0% 49.9% 1133 100.0% 0.0% 221 92.7% NL Organization WSP Lg. WSP MLB WSP W Lg. W W% - WSP% Avg. WSP % MLB Avg. Mets 382 12.3% 6.2% 87 9.0% -3.4% Pirates 328 10.6% 5.3% 74 7.6% -3.0% Phillies 281 9.1% 4.5% 67 6.9% -2.2% Cubs 271 8.7% 4.4% 93 9.6% 0.8% Expos 184 5.9% 3.0% 81 8.4% 2.4% Cardinals 178 5.7% 2.9% 86 8.9% 3.1% East Division 1624 52.4% 26.3% 488 50.3% -2.1% 271 113.8% Reds 331 10.7% 5.4% 75 7.7% -3.0% Dodgers 318 10.3% 5.1% 77 7.9% -2.3% Giants 231 7.5% 3.7% 92 9.5% 2.0% Padres 218 7.0% 3.5% 89 9.2% 2.1% Braves 212 6.8% 3.4% 63 6.5% -0.3% Astros 164 5.3% 2.7% 86 8.9% 3.6% West Division 1474 47.6% 23.8% 482 49.7% 2.1% 246 103.3% NL Total 3098 100.0% 50.1% 970 100.0% 0.0% 258 108.5% MLB Total 6185 n/a 100% 2103 n/a n/a 238 100.0%
The Blue Jays and the Mariners had been launched jointly as American League expansion teams in 1977. By 1989, their fates were a vivid contrast: Toronto was winning its second division title, and had been a strong contender for several years, while Seattle was still mired in sixth place and had yet to come within five games of a .500 season. And this was the case despite the fact that the Blue Jays were last in the AL East in WSP, while the Mariners were first in the AL West.
Toronto’s ’89 team featured solid, but hardly imposing, performances by system products in shortstop Tony Fernandez and pitchers Dave Stieb, Jimmy Key, John Cerutti, and David Wells. But they took the division because of the outstanding contributions from extraordinarily shrewd acquistions by longtime GM Pat Gillick: first baseman Fred McGriff, acquired in trade as a 19-year-old; left fielder George Bell and third baseman Kelly Gruber, both Rule 5 draft picks; and relief ace Tom Henke, chosen as a free agent compensation pick.
Meanwhile, the Mariners were enjoying excellent work from home-grown standouts in first baseman Alvin Davis, second baseman Harold Reynolds and teenage rookie center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr. But they weren’t getting much from the players they’d acquired, and this young franchise had allowed way too much of its system-produced talent to get away: outfielders Phil Bradley (Orioles), Dave Henderson (Athletics) and Ivan Calderon (White Sox), pitchers Mark Langston (Expos), Mike Moore (Athletics), Bud Black (Indians) and Lee Guetterman (Yankees) and shortstop Spike Owen (Expos). Perhaps accordingly, in Woody Woodward in 1989 the Mariners were already on their fifth general manager.
The WSP gap between the leagues
National League organizations produced more talent than the American in 1951, and with the 1989 season they held that distinction for an astounding 39th consecutive season. However, through the latter portion of the 1980s, the once-enormous gap in WSP between the leagues was narrowing. In 1989, AL franchises produced at a mean average of 92.7% of the MLB mean. That was still a significant difference, to be sure, but that figure represented the closest production between the leagues since 1959. Perhaps the decades-long production gap was finally nearing its end. We’ll find out next time.
The Value Production Standings Summary, 1946-1989
American League
Year NYY DET BOS CLE OAK MIN BAL CHW CAL WAS AL WSP 1946 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 x x 56.5% 1947 1 2 4 3 5 6 8 7 x x 55.3% 1948 1 3 4 2 5 7 6 8 x x 55.6% 1949 1 3T 3T 2 5 7 6 8 x x 51.9% 1950 1 3 4 2 7 6 5 8 x x 50.5% 1951 2 4 3 1 5 6 8 7 x x 49.0% 1952 1 4 3 2 5 6 8 7 x x 47.9% 1953 2 4 3 1 7 6 8 5 x x 46.2% 1954 1T 4 3 1T 7 6 8 5 x x 47.5% 1955 1 4 2 3 5 6 8 7 x x 46.7% 1956 1 4 2 3 7 5 8 6 x x 47.1% 1957 1 4 2 3 6 8 7 5 x x 46.3% 1958 1 4 3 2 8 7 6 5 x x 46.4% 1959 1 4 3 2 8 7 5 6 x x 46.5% 1960 1 5 3 2 8 7 4 6 x x 46.0% 1961 1 4 3 2 8 7 5 6 9 10 48.3% 1962 1 3 4 2 8 6 5 7 10 9 43.1% 1963 1 5 4 2 8 7 3 6 10 9 43.6% 1964 1 3 4 5 8 7 2 6 9 10 45.0% 1965 1 2 7 4 8 6 3 5 9 10 44.5% 1966 1 3 6 5 7 8 2 4 9 10 44.4% 1967 7 4 1 6 8 3 2 5 9 10 45.5% 1968 7 1 4 5 2 8 3 6 9 10 45.8%
American League East Division
Year BAL DET BOS NYY CLE WAS Avg WSP % ML Avg ALE WSP AL WSP
1969 1 2 3 4 5 6 259 108.3% 27.1% 45.3%
1970 2 4 1 3 5 6 260 108.3% 27.1% 44.7%
1971 2 3 4 1 5 6 244 101.5% 25.4% 46.0%
BAL DET BOS NYY CLE MIL
1972 1 5 2 4 3 6 219 95.4% 23.9% 43.0%
1973 1 5 2 4 3 6 219 91.5% 22.9% 42.0%
1974 2 3 1 4 5 6 215 90.5% 22.6% 43.8%
1975 2 4 1 3 5 6 193 81.6% 20.4% 44.4%
1976 2 4 1 5 3 6 204 85.9% 21.5% 44.3%
BAL DET BOS NYY CLE MIL TOR
1977 1 3 2 5 4 6 7 193 82.2% 22.1% 46.1%
1978 2 3 1 5 4 6 7 210 88.9% 23.9% 46.7%
1979 2 3 1 6 5 4 7 213 90.7% 24.4% 47.7%
1980 3 2 1 6 4 5 7 199 84.9% 22.8% 49.4%
1981 3 2 1 6 4 5 7 138 89.2% 24.0% 49.0%
1982 2 3 1 6 5 4 7 215 91.0% 24.5% 47.7%
1983 2 5 1 4 6 3 7 222 94.7% 25.5% 48.0%
1984 2 4 1 3 5 6 7 206 87.0% 23.4% 47.1%
1985 3 4 1 2 7 5 6 206 87.6% 23.6% 47.7%
1986 3 5 1 2 6 4 7 200 85.6% 23.0% 47.7%
1987 5 4 1 3 6 2 7 216 91.3% 24.6% 49.3%
1988 6 5 1 3 4 2 7 216 91.7% 24.7% 49.2%
1989 4 6 1 3 5 2 7 211 88.6% 23.9% 49.9%
American League West Division
Year OAK MIN CHW CAL KCR MIL Avg. WSP% ML Avg. ALW WSP AL WSP
1969 1 2 3 4 5T 5T 175 73.0% 18.2% 45.3%
1970 1 2 3 4 5 6 169 70.4% 17.6% 44.7%
1971 1 3 4 2 6 5 198 82.3% 20.6% 46.0%
OAK MIN CHW CAL KCR TEX
1972 1 2 3 4 6 5 177 76.8% 19.2% 43.0%
1973 1 2 3 4 6 5 183 76.5% 19.1% 42.0%
1974 1 2 5 4 6 3 201 84.7% 21.2% 43.8%
1975 1 2 5 3 6 4 228 96.2% 24.0% 44.4%
1976 1 4 5 2 6 3 217 91.5% 22.9% 44.3%
OAK MIN CHW CAL KCR TEX SEA
1977 1 2 6 4 5 3 7 209 88.9% 23.9% 46.1%
1978 1 3 6 4 5 2 7 200 84.5% 22.7% 46.7%
1979 1 4T 6 2 4T 3 7 203 86.5% 23.3% 47.7%
1980 1 4 6 5 3 2 7 231 98.7% 26.6% 49.4%
1981 1 5 6 3 4 2 7 143 92.6% 24.9% 49.0%
1982 1 5 6 4 3 2 7 204 86.2% 23.2% 47.7%
1983 2 5 6 1 4 3 7 196 83.5% 22.5% 48.0%
1984 3 4 6 1 2 5 7 207 87.8% 23.6% 47.1%
1985 3 5 7 2 1 4 6 210 89.6% 24.1% 47.7%
1986 2 5 7 1 4 3 6 213 91.4% 24.6% 47.7%
1987 2 6 7 4 1 3 5 217 91.9% 24.7% 49.3%
1988 2 4 7 3 1 6 5 214 90.9% 24.5% 49.2%
1989 4 5 7 3 2 5 1 230 96.7% 26.0% 49.9%
National League
Year STL LAD CHC CIN PHI PIT ATL SFG HOU NYM NL WSP 1946 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 x x 43.5% 1947 1 2 4 3 7 6 8 5 x x 44.7% 1948 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 5 x x 44.4% 1949 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 6 x x 48.1% 1950 1 2 5 6 4 7 8 3 x x 49.5% 1951 1 2 5 4 6 7 8 3 x x 51.0% 1952 1 2 5 4 6 8 7 3 x x 52.1% 1953 2 1 7 4 5 8 3 6 x x 53.8% 1954 2 1 7 5 6 8 3 4 x x 52.5% 1955 3 1 6 5 7 8 2 4 x x 53.3% 1956 2 1 8 4 6 7 3 5 x x 52.9% 1957 2 1 7 5 4 8 3 6 x x 53.7% 1958 4 1 8 6 7 5 2 3 x x 53.6% 1959 3 1 7 5 8 6 2 4 x x 53.5% 1960 3 1 8 6 7 5 4 2 x x 54.0% 1961 2 1 7 5 8 6 3 4 x x 51.7% 1962 4 1 7 5 8 6 2 3 9 10 56.9% 1963 5 1 7 4 8 6 3 2 9 10 56.4% 1964 6 3 7 4 8 5 2 1 9 10 55.0% 1965 6 2 8 3 7 5 4 1 9 10 55.5% 1966 6 4 7 2 8 5 3 1 9 10 55.6% 1967 5 3 6 2 7 8 4 1 9 10 54.5% 1968 5 4 6 2 8 7 3 1 9 10 54.2%
National League East Division
Year PIT STL CHC NYM PHI MON Avg. WSP% ML Avg. NLE WSP NL WSP 1969 1 2 3 4 5 6 218 91.1% 22.8% 54.7% 1970 1 2 4 5 3 6 221 91.9% 23.0% 55.3% 1971 1 3 5 2 4 6 230 95.7% 23.9% 54.0% 1972 1 2 4 3 5 6 244 106.1% 26.5% 57.0% 1973 1 3 5 2 4 6 239 99.7% 24.9% 58.0% 1974 1 4 5 3 2 6 249 104.9% 26.2% 56.2% 1975 1 2 5 3 4 6 247 104.2% 26.1% 55.6% 1976 1 2 5 3 4 6 254 106.8% 26.7% 55.7% 1977 1 2 5 4 3 6 290 123.4% 28.5% 53.9% 1978 1 3 5 4 2 6 285 120.7% 27.9% 53.3% 1979 1 3 6 4 2 5 289 123.5% 28.5% 52.3% 1980 1 2 6 4 3 5 280 119.7% 27.6% 50.6% 1981 1 2 6 3 4 5 185 119.5% 27.6% 51.0% 1982 1 3 6 5 2 4 289 122.3% 28.2% 52.3% 1983 3 1 6 5 2 4 272 115.8% 26.7% 52.0% 1984 2 3 6 4 1 5 280 118.5% 27.4% 52.9% 1985 4 2 6 3 1 5 276 117.7% 27.2% 52.3% 1986 4 3 6 2 1 5 280 120.0% 27.7% 52.3% 1987 5 2 6 3 1 4 272 115.2% 26.6% 50.7% 1988 2 5 4 1 3 6 280 119.0% 27.5% 50.8% 1989 2 6 4 1 3 5 271 113.8% 26.3% 50.1%
National League West Division
Year SFG CIN ATL LAD HOU SDP Avg. WSP% ML Avg. NLW WSP NL WSP 1969 1 2 3 4 5 6 306 127.7% 31.9% 54.7% 1970 1 2 3 4 5 6 311 129.4% 32.3% 55.3% 1971 1 2 3 4 5 6 289 120.4% 30.1% 54.0% 1972 2 1 4 5 3 6 280 121.7% 30.4% 57.0% 1973 1 2 5 3 4 6 317 132.2% 33.1% 58.0% 1974 2 1 5 3 4 6 285 120.0% 30.0% 56.2% 1975 1 2 5 4 3 6 279 118.0% 29.5% 55.6% 1976 1 3 5 2 4 6 275 115.9% 29.0% 55.7% 1977 1 3 5 2 4 6 259 110.3% 25.5% 53.9% 1978 1 3 4 2 5 6 261 110.3% 25.5% 53.3% 1979 1 3 5 2 4 6 242 103.1% 23.8% 52.3% 1980 4 1 5 2 3 6 233 99.5% 23.0% 50.6% 1981 4 2 3 1 5 6 157 101.6% 23.5% 51.0% 1982 5 2 3 1 4 6 247 104.4% 24.1% 52.3% 1983 5 2 3 1 4 6 258 109.7% 25.3% 52.0% 1984 4 2 3 1 5 6 262 110.9% 25.6% 52.9% 1985 5 2 3 1 4 6 256 108.9% 25.1% 52.3% 1986 3 2 4 1 6 5 249 106.9% 24.7% 52.3% 1987 3 2 4 1 6 5 247 104.4% 24.1% 50.7% 1988 3T 2 3T 1 6 5 238 101.3% 23.4% 50.8% 1989 3 1 5 2 6 4 246 103.3% 23.8% 50.1%
References & Resources
Methodology
First, we identify every player in the major leagues each season with at least five career Win Shares. Then we identify which major league organization was responsible for originally signing and developing that player (or perhaps not originally signing him, but clearly being the organization most responsible for developing him). Finally, we credit every season’s production of major league Win Shares by that player to that organization, regardless of whether he actually played that season for that organization.
Sometimes it’s impossible to assign a player to one organization. Lots of players were signed by one team, but then acquired by another organization while still young minor leaguers. For such players, we assign half-credit to each of the two organizations (and in a few cases, we assign one-third-credit to each of three organizations).
In the 1980s, a handful of players weren’t the products of any major league team’s farm system, having been purchased from independent teams in the Mexican League. The Win Shares of such players aren’t counted in this analysis.