As of today..........

[HoustonGM]

82 wins over 126 games (82-44) thus a .651 record or 105+ win season

And considering the sheer strength of the Rays, Yankees, and Red Sox, and I don't think that's a outlandish possibility. If any of those teams were in either the AL West or AL Central, they'd surpass 105 wins, I think with ease. Being in the same division as each other prevents them each from having a crazy season in terms of wins, but does not prevent them from beating up on the rest of the league and posting the 3 best records.

I think that the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays will easily have the top 3 records in the American League, and it won't be a contest. Expand it to the MLB, and my guess would be that they'll still be the top 3, and yes, it does become more unlikely, but the only real challenger the NL has is the Cubs.

[HoustonGM]

Only 3 times 3 teams have won 100+ games - 1998, 2002, and 2003. & never EVER has it happened with 2 teams in the same divison let alone 3!

I don't think the 3 teams will be win 100+ games, nor have I said anything like that.

[FRENCHREDSOX]

I don't think the 3 teams will be win 100+ games, nor have I said anything like that.

Nope but to OBTAIN the best records they need to play 100+ Win games for 80% of games which is what you suggested but pffff your call & we will see LOL

btw I did a sim 'as of today' & got this (using 2009 rosters & predicted stats):

30 SEASONS SIMULATED


                EAST    Won   Lost   WC   LC   1R  1st Wild  2nd  3rd  4th   5+
           Baltimore  77.23  84.77    0    0    1    1    2    3    2   14   10
              Boston  90.00  72.00    3    2    2    9    9   11    7    1    2
            New York  86.73  75.33    1    1    3    3    6    7   13    7    0
           Tampa Bay  92.53  69.50    5    6    4   16    7    7    6    1    0
             Toronto  76.63  85.40    0    0    2    1    2    2    2    7   18

             CENTRAL    Won   Lost   WC   LC   1R  1st Wild  2nd  3rd  4th   5+
             Chicago  76.70  85.30    0    0    0    2    1    6    5    7   10
           Cleveland  83.60  78.57    1    1    3   11    0    7    6    4    2
             Detroit  82.50  79.67    1    0    4    8    1   10    6    1    5
         Kansas City  75.60  86.53    0    1    1    4    0    2    4   10   10
           Minnesota  81.03  80.97    0    1    0    5    0    5    9    8    3

                WEST    Won   Lost   WC   LC   1R  1st Wild  2nd  3rd  4th   5+
         Los Angeles  83.03  79.00    1    2    3   12    0   10    6    2    0
             Oakland  83.03  79.00    1    2    4   11    2    9    7    3    0
             Seattle  74.47  87.57    0    0    2    3    0    6   10   11    0
               Texas  75.90  86.13    0    1    1    4    0    5    7   14    0

                EAST    Won   Lost   WC   LC   1R  1st Wild  2nd  3rd  4th   5+
             Atlanta  88.07  74.00    0    2    3    7    4    9   12    1    1
             Florida  70.17  91.83    0    0    0    0    0    0    0   16   14
            New York  91.33  70.73    2    1    7   13    4    8    9    0    0
        Philadelphia  91.27  70.83    4    2    6   10    8   12    8    0    0
          Washington  70.37  91.63    0    0    0    0    0    1    1   13   15

             CENTRAL    Won   Lost   WC   LC   1R  1st Wild  2nd  3rd  4th   5+
             Chicago  87.03  75.00    0    3    2   11    4    8    6    2    3
          Cincinnati  78.37  83.63    0    0    0    0    0    1    8   12    9
             Houston  76.40  85.60    0    1    1    2    0    1    6    7   14
           Milwaukee  87.00  75.03    3    2    2   10    2    9    4    6    1
          Pittsburgh  65.10  96.90    0    0    0    0    0    1    0    1   28
           St. Louis  85.97  76.13    0    1    2    7    2   10    6    2    5

                WEST    Won   Lost   WC   LC   1R  1st Wild  2nd  3rd  4th   5+
             Arizona  85.67  76.53    2    2    3    7    3    6   10    7    0
            Colorado  76.83  85.17    0    0    0    0    1    5    6   17    2
         Los Angeles  88.43  73.80    4    1    3   16    1    8    3    2    1
           San Diego  65.90  96.10    0    0    0    0    0    2    1    2   25
       San Francisco  84.00  78.23    0    0    1    7    1    9   10    2    2

[HoustonGM]

Nope but to OBTAIN the best records they need to play 100+ Win games for 80% of games which is what you suggested but pffff your call & we will see LOL

Yes, and I think it's entirely possible that the Rays, Red Sox, and Yankees each perform at a 100 win pace against the OTHER teams in the league.

The reason there's been no multiple 100 win teams, overall, in the same division is because they play each other more often, as you say, which is why I don't think any of these 3 teams will win 100 games. But each of them performing at a 100 win pace against the other 11 teams in the league, plus interleague, is not out of the question, and I think it'll happen.

[etothep]

Random question...is there a reason MLB doesn't rotate which divisions play each other in interleague each year (similar to how the NFL does with non-conference divisions playing each other)?

[HoustonGM]

Random question...is there a reason MLB doesn't rotate which divisions play each other in interleague each year (similar to how the NFL does with non-conference divisions playing each other)?

I thought they did?

[etothep]

I thought they did?

seems like the NL East & AL East play each other every year...don't recall the last time I saw the Brewers playing the Red Sox

[HoustonGM]

seems like the NL East & AL East play each other every year...don't recall the last time I saw the Brewers playing the Red Sox

There's a handful of pairings that they do every year - Yankees vs. Mets, Reds vs. Indians, etc.

But, to answer your question, the last time the Brewers played the Red Sox was May 18, 2008.

[filihok]

Random question...is there a reason MLB doesn't rotate which divisions play each other in interleague each year (similar to how the NFL does with non-conference divisions playing each other)?

It does

For the first five seasons of Interleague Play, each division played against the same division from the other league (NL East vs. AL East, NL Central vs. AL Central and NL West vs. AL West). As of the 2002 season, a new format to Interleague Play was instituted where teams play Interleague games against various divisions.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/interleague/index.jsp

[etothep]

There's a handful of pairings that they do every year - Yankees vs. Mets, Reds vs. Indians, etc.

But, to answer your question, the last time the Brewers played the Red Sox was May 18, 2008.

just kidding....place I was searching the schedules had them (unknowingly to me) split into pre & post all star schedules & thus I kept missing the opening half of the seasons

[YEAH DAAAAWG]

PLEASE read the first Post !! Not the 3 best or worst teams BUT the 3 best/worst records ---- for example Cubs have to "beat" up on Pirates/Astros & Mets the Marlins/Nationals..............whereas you rightly point out that the AL East is a "beast" thus "reducing" EACH team's chances of "cheap wins"......

I did read the first post to begin with, and it doesn't change my opinion at all.

[KowboyKoop]

Three best -- Rays, Yankees, and Cubs will win the most games. I think the Red Sox might actually underperform this year...could see their pitching suffering some (relative to how good the team was last year). The BoSox "only" winning 87-89 games wouldn't surprise me.

Three worst -- Orioles, Nationals, Padres. Padres team is crapawful. Nationals GM is crapawful. The Orioles play two great teams, one almost great team, and one good team 72 times. Rough.

[Swampdog]

Do the Maths NOT A "smell test"
& btw 9 -9 means 18 wins in 36 games (as they play 2 contenders NOT 1)thus
82 wins over 126 games (82-44) thus a .651 record or 105+ win season in a EQ world WHICH has never HAPPENED ever in 3 division world

Only 3 times 3 teams have won 100+ games - 1998, 2002, and 2003. & never EVER has it happened with 2 teams in the same division let alone 3! (SO even my prediction I am going out on a limb with 2)

Ummm...not true. As recently as 2001, AL West, Seattle won 116 games and Oakland won 102. Also, in 1993, NL West, Atlanta won 104 games and SF won 103. Back in 1980, AL East, NY won 103 games and Baltimore won 100.

I admit to not being able to understand half of what you're saying in this thread, but there's no way that the odds are a trillion trillion to one (or whatever you calculate) of the three best records being in the same division.

The key is not that the 3 teams (say Boston, New York and Tampa) have to win 100+ games each, because they don't. The key would be for there to be parity outside the division. In other words, the other division winners would have to win 85-92 games, roughly, each. That would allow our three elite teams to have the best records with something like 97-65, 95-67, and 94-68, which is entirely possible. This would require the three teams in question to play just a little more than .600 ball against everyone else (assuming the hypothetical 18-18 vs each other). If these three teams are great teams, and stay healthy, that is entirely possible.

There have been many, many, years during the 40 years of divisional play when multiple divisions were won with around 88-92 wins. Three divisions were won last year with 92 or less wins. So, if LAA and the Cubs decline, which is likely, in my opinion.....

It is true that the three best records in baseball have never been in the same division. It's been close, though.

In 1978 the Yankees and Red Sox were 1-2 in MLB with 100 and 99 wins, and Milwaukee finished third in the AL East with 93 wins. The third highest win total in MLB that year was the Dodgers with 95 wins, so the Brewers fell just 2 wins short of this "impossible" task (and Milwaukee's pythagorean expectation was 97-65 that year).

In 1982 the AL East had the two winningest teams in MLB, and the Red Sox, in third place, were 4 wins below the third highest total in baseball.

In 1977, the AL East had NY at 100 wins, Boston and Baltimore with 97 each.

These are just a few examples. There are several more for anyone who wants to look for them. I'm not saying that I expect the 3 best records to reside in the AL East this year. I am saying that it is well within the realm of possibility.

[Arctic Blast]

I'll take the Red Sox, Rays and Cubs for best records...Pirates, Nationals and Orioles for worst.

[justanewguy]

Hmm...

Most wins: Yankees, Angels, Phillies

I'm straying from the AL East a bit here, and making a couple of dark horse picks in addition to the Yankees. I also left the Cubs off, because I don't think they'll repeat last season's success. Is it because I like to root against the Cubs? Yeah, partly. But I also am thinking I might make the Cardinals my pick to win that division. Even if the Cubs repeat as NL Central champs, I think the Reds and Astros both have shots at being good teams, which will negate the effect of playing against that horrendously bad Pirates team.

I think this season will see mostly a great deal of parity, which is why I've chosen the Angels and Phillies (the 2 most sure picks I can see as division winners) to go along with the Yankees.

Least wins: Padres, Pirates, Diamondbacks

Nothing needs to be said about the first 2 (especially San Diego). The third pick is a little harder, and I'm tempted to pick teams like the Mariners or Orioles, but I feel that Arizona is one major pitching injury away from being a really, really bad team.

Also, the odds of 3 teams in the AL East (especially considering that a: the Blue Jays are a pretty strong team, and b: they play in the AL) being the winningest teams in baseball are staggering, to say the least. The Rays were a phenomenal team last season and "only" won 97 games, and didn't put up this 100+wins-equivalent performance outside of the division that keeps being mentioned. THREE teams doing it (with the Red Sox seeming to be a bit of a question mark in terms of greatness)... it's a veritable impossibility.