10 Teams Actually Worse Than the 2008 Atlanta Braves
~JB-Atlanta, GA
If you’re like me, every time the Braves lose you think to yourself, “Can it get any worse?”. We were handed yet another loss last night to the only team behind us in the East standings. This month has seen a second series loss to the Giants, and a sweep each from the Mets and Cubs. Braves fans are watching a team take the field that looks like a church softball team or a strong breeze could beat them. It is just plain ugly out there.
Well as bad as it’s been it could be worse and it has been worse. I thought maybe since all of us in Braves Nation may be on the brink of depression, I’d ask you all to step off the ledge and take a look back in time with me at teams that were notoriously bad and somehow worse than the 2008 Braves.
1) 1899 Cleveland Spiders 20 W, 134 L, .130%
None of us can say we remember the 1899 Cleveland Spiders but they still hold the the worst single-season record of all time finishing the year at 20-134 .130 %. Don’t worry, our Braves of ‘08 have got more than 20 wins… don’t they?
2) 1962 New York Mets 40-120 .250
Ok, so they were an expansion team in 1962 and they still don’t have as many losses at the Spiders. But in the modern 162 game era, they have the most losses of any team. With Casey Stengel at the helm and notable names like Choo Choo Coleman who hit .250 that year, Mets legend Gil Hodges, and slugger Frank (Not “Big Hurt”) Thomas who led the team with 34 homers, their 120 loss performance was thought to never be duplicated until…
3) 2003 Detroit Tigers 43-119 .265
Though they bounced back in 2006 to win the AL pennant, in 2003 they even made the KC Royals look good. They were on pace to break the 1962 Mets’ record for most losses in the 162 game season yet narrowly avoided that claim to fame with a win on the final day of the season. Low lights include first year manager Alan Trammel under fire all year long, Mike Maroth joining the 20 loss club for starting pitchers and the best hitter on the team Dmitri Young not even breaking .300.
4) 1935 Boston Braves 38 W, 115 L, .248
1935 was a year of dissension and losing for the Boston Braves. They had brought on a slugger past his prime who couldn’t play in the field, upset his teammates, and couldn’t hardly run out a ground ball. No, no, no…not Barry Bonds. I’m talking about the Babe! Neither Rabbit Maranville (also in his final year) nor Ruth (who caused three of his teammates to threaten strike) could give this terrible Braves team more than 38 wins. Ruth in his final year of baseball hit an embarrassing .181 6 HR’s, 12 RBI in 72 AB’s before hanging it up. 1914 and the Miracle seemed like a distant dream for Boston in 1935.
5) 1909 Washington Senators 42 W’s, 110 L’s .276
Though they eventually won their only title in 1924, the ‘09 Senators embodied losing and sparked the phrase “First in war, first in peace and last in the American League.“ That year saw even Hall of Famer Walter Johnson record a losing season (13-25) despite a 2.22 ERA and 27 complete games. In an era when the home run was not a part of the game, the Senators were outscored 656 to 306. Some my favorite names on this team are Gabby Street (.211, 29 RBI’s, .262 OBP), Dixie Walker (36 IP, 3-1, 2.50 ERA) and Speed Kelly (.143 in 17 games).
6) 1938 Philadelphia Phillies 45 105 .300
We all know the Phillies racked loss number 10,000 and teams like this one, along with losing seasons from 1918-1948, helped them reach that level of ignominy. These Phillies started the season where they had every year since 1887, in Baker Bowl. However, mid-season they began sharing Shibe Park with the crosstown Athletics. Maybe not having a home stadium of their own gave the lackluster Phils a lack of identity and little motivation to win ball games while playing second fiddle to the popular A’s and being outscored 550-840.
7) 1969 San Diego Padres 52 110 .321
Again, another expansion team makes the list. It’s hard to judge teams in their first year of existence but 110 losses is pretty bad. Notable representatives on the team were top expansion pick Ollie Brown from the Giants and Cito Gaston from our Atlanta Braves. That same year saw our boys win the division they shared with these Padres. Thanks guys.
8) 1988 Atlanta Braves 54 W’s, 106 L’s .338
When you think of bad Braves teams a few come to mind. Especially between 1984-1990. But if the awful 2008 Braves lose every game they play from here on, they still won’t finish as bad as this team did 20 years ago. No other Braves team in Atlanta has topped 100 losses so the 1988 club gets the nod here. The Chuck Tanner/Russ Nixon led team sported memorable players Ozzie Virgil and Bruuuuuuuuuuuuce Benedict and touted young Tom Glavine (7-17) and John Smoltz (2-7). Dale Murphy only hit .226 despite a decent 24 HR’s that year. No one stood out on a team that had the team leader Murphy get 77 RBI’s and a team high BA of .300. But 1988 saw one other confidence builder in the American League actually do worse…
9) 1988 Baltimore Orioles 54 W’s 107 L’s .335
It all started badly for the O’s when in they opened the season with a 12-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers and then went on to lose 14 games in a row. Rookie Curt Schilling made his debut that year and the Frank Robinson led Baltimore club that featured Cal Ripken Jr., a young Brady Anderson, Mickey Tettleton, and Eddie Murray ended the year 34.5 games out of first in the AL East. Makes you feel a little bit better, right?
10) 1925 Boston Red Sox 47 W’s, 105 L’s, .309
Five years earlier, pitcher Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees and the once heralded and successful franchise saw their days of dominance come to an end. After winning 4 of the last 7 World Series in the previous decade, the Curse was not mentioned the way it has been in recent years but this team seemed to embody it. Every starter on this team had a losing record giving up a whopping 922 runs that season. The top performance of 1925 came from a 23 year old Phil Todt who hit .278 11 HR, 75 RBI. The Lee Fohl led Sox saw the reigning World Series Champion Washington Senators win the pennant and it wouldn’t be until 1946 that the Red Sox would make the playoffs again.
At 59-76 the 2008 Atlanta Braves would have to lose 24 more games to break 100 for the first time since 1988. With 27 games remaining at the time of this post we’d have to go lose all but 3 games to close out ‘08. As bad as we’ve been this year, I still don’t think that’s likely to happen but…
I do hope looking over some of the more memorably bad years in baseball have given you some sort of a sense of appreciation that at least we haven’t sunk to the depths of misery mentioned here today.
Let’s just hope it’s not another 21 years before we’re in the playoff’s again.
Keep Choppin’
About the Author: JB is an Atlanta native, avid scorekeeper, and baseball enthusiast. He doesn't mind if you don't love the Braves. As long as you love the game and you've got something to say, you're welcome at The Launching Pad.
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