Hardball Retrospective – Addendum 2014 to 2016

The following article supplements my research for Hardball Retrospective , providing retroactive standings based on WAR and Win Shares for each “original” team over the past three seasons (2014-2016). Team totals from 2010 – 2013 are included for reference purposes. Teams that fail to meet the minimum requirements (4000 PA and 4000 BFP) in any given season are marked with an “F” and are not eligible to lead the league in team OWAR or OWS (see definitions below). Team-by-team statistics (sorted by franchise and Win Shares) are available here:

• 2014 MLB
• 2015 MLB
• 2016 MLB

About “Hardball Retrospective”

In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition.  Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills. Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the teams with the biggest single-season difference in the WAR and Win Shares for the “Original” vs. “Actual”rosters for every Major League organization. “Hardball Retrospective”is available in digital format on Amazon , Barnes and Noble , GooglePlay , iTunes and KoboBooks . The paperback edition is available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com . Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of “Hardball Retrospective” are accessible  here .

Terminology

OWAR– Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams OWS– Win Shares for players on “original” teams AWAR– Wins Above Replacement for players on “actual” teams AWS– Win Shares for players on “actual” teams PA– plate appearances BFP– batters facing pitcher

Assessment

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 BOS	42.85	234.38	BOS	2010	2	8
AL	2011 BOS	47.13	253.09	BOS	2011	2	4
AL	2012 BOS	32.43	213.86	BOS	2012	6	9
AL	2013 BOS	42.85	246.85	BOS	2013	1	3
AL	2014 BOS	36.94	243.46	BOS	2014	6	5
AL	2015 BOS	35.55	242.96	BOS	2015	6	3
AL	2016 BOS	42.81	270.82	BOS	2016	2	1
						4	5

Boston topped the American League OWS leaderboards in 2016. Three-time All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo supplied a .285 BA with 36 doubles, 32 round-trippers and 29.9 Win Shares since 2014. Jacoby Ellsbury nabbed 39 bags in 44 attempts in ’14 while fellow outfielder Jackie Bradley (.267/26/87) registered 94 runs and ripped 30 two-base hits to secure his first All-Star nod during the 2016 season. Mookie Betts (.318/31/113) led the league in total bases (359), amassed 214 base hits and scored 122 runs to rank second in the 2016 AL MVP balloting. Xander Bogaerts (.294/21/89) received his first All-Star invitation after scorching opposition hurlers with a .320 BA in his sophomore campaign. Dustin Pedroia (.318/15/74) eclipsed the 200-hit plateau for the second time in his career in ’16. Jon Lester contributed a 2.74 ERA, 1.081 WHIP and 208 strikeouts per year since the start of the 2014 season. Carlos E. Martinez joined Lester at the top of the rotation in 2015, adding 15 victories with a 3.02 ERA.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 NYY	39.82	265.18	NYY	2010	3	2
AL	2011 NYY	40.41	268.45	NYY	2011	3	2
AL	2012 NYY	28.16	237.75	NYY	2012	10	5
AL	2013 NYY	32.58	249.01	NYY	2013	4	2
AL	2014 NYY	35.96	236.57	NYY	2014	7	7
AL	2015 NYY	36.48	233.39	NYY	2015	4	4
AL	2016 NYY	38.29	262.26	NYY	2016	6	2
						5	3

The New York Yankees placed second in the Junior Circuit with 262 OWS during the 2016 campaign. Robinson Cano (.298/39/103) established career-highs in home runs and runs scored (107) in 2016 while eclipsing the 30 Win Shares plateau twice in the past three seasons (2014, 2016). Mark Melancon saved 44 contests per year since 2014 while mound mate Dellin Betances fashioned a 1.93 ERA and struck out more than 14 batters per nine innings in the same timeframe.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 TBD	44.64	274.73	TBD	2010	1	1
AL	2011 TBD	30.12	224.16	TBD	2011	12	11
AL	2012 TBD	46.47	254.72	TBD	2012	1	2
AL	2013 TBD	29.55	226.23	TBD	2013	5	6
AL	2014 TBD	48.05	256.47	TBD	2014	1	1
AL	2015 TBD	40.95	231.91	TBD	2015	1	5
AL	2016 TBD	32.44	209.60	TBD	2016	11	13
						5	6

The “Original” Rays seized the American League pennant in 2014 and registered the highest OWAR in the following season. Tampa Bay tanked in 2016, placing last with 209 OWS. Evan Longoria slashed 41 two-base hits and dialed long distance 36 times in 2016. David Price topped the American League with a 2.45 ERA in 2015 and averaged 241 strikeouts over the last three seasons (2014-16). Wade Davis fashioned a 1.18 ERA and a WHIP of 0.892 as a relief ace during the same span.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 TOR	31.41	223.21	TOR	2010	11	10
AL	2011 TOR	35.04	230.65	TOR	2011	9	9
AL	2012 TOR	17.57	213.06	TOR	2012	12	10
AL	2013 TOR			TOR	2013	16	16
AL	2014 TOR	37.17	212.79	TOR	2014	5	9
AL	2015 TOR	25.03	187.02	TOR	2015	10	10
AL	2016 TOR			TOR	2016	16	16
						11	11

Toronto finished last in OWAR and OWS in 2015. The Jays proceeded to fall below the minimum requirements (4000 PA) during the subsequent season. Aaron Sanchez (15-2, 3.00) paced the circuit in ERA and merited his first All-Star appearance in 2016. Noah Syndergaard aka “Thor” compiled a 14-9 record with a 2.60 ERA along with 218 K’s in his sophomore campaign. Roberto Osuna notched 28 saves with a 2.63 ERA through his age-21 season.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 BAL	39.13	252.84	BAL	2010	4	4
AL	2011 BAL	29.65	217.10	BAL	2011	13	14
AL	2012 BAL			BAL	2012	16	16
AL	2013 BAL	28.71	243.41	BAL	2013	7	4
AL	2014 BAL			BAL	2014	16	16
AL	2015 BAL			BAL	2015	16	16
AL	2016 BAL	40.70	254.14	BAL	2016	3	4
						11	11

Baltimore failed to meet the minimum PA and/or BFP requirements in 2014-15. The Orioles rebounded to finish 4 ^th in OWS during the 2016 season. Jayson Werth rapped 37 two-baggers in ‘14 while fellow outfielder Nick Markakis laced 34 per year from 2014 to 2016. Manny Machado delivered a .290 BA with 35 doubles, 36 round-trippers, 104 tallies and 30.5 Win Shares over the previous two campaigns. Jonathan Schoop blasted 38 doubles and clouted 25 four-base knocks in ’16. Jake Arrieta accrued 50 victories against 19 losses over a three-year stretch with a 2.42 ERA and 0.973 WHIP. His spectacular 2015 statistics included 22 victories, 1.77 ERA, 0.865 WHIP and 236 strikeouts. Elevated to the closer’s role in 2014, Zach Britton notched 40 saves with a 1.38 ERA and 0.909 WHIP per year.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 KCR			KCR	2010	16	16
AL	2011 KCR	38.42	237.95	KCR	2011	4	6
AL	2012 KCR	39.11	246.34	KCR	2012	3	3
AL	2013 KCR			KCR	2013	16	16
AL	2014 KCR	40.56	242.79	KCR	2014	3	6
AL	2015 KCR	38.25	257.80	KCR	2015	2	1
AL	2016 KCR	25.51	226.03	KCR	2016	12	11
						8	8

Kansas City secured the American League leadership in OWS in 2015. Zack Greinke (19-3, 1.66) topped the charts in ERA and WHIP (0.844) and finished runner-up for Cy Young honors. Mike “Moose” Moustakas contributed 34 two-baggers and 22 circuit clouts. Eric Hosmer collected three consecutive Gold Gloves through the 2015 campaign and established personal-bests with 25 jacks and 104 ribbies in the subsequent season. Wil Myers tallied 99 runs and swatted 28 big-flies en route to his first All-Star appearance in 2016.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 DET	36.61	238.64	DET	2010	6	6
AL	2011 DET	47.77	285.46	DET	2011	1	1
AL	2012 DET	30.56	234.26	DET	2012	8	7
AL	2013 DET	24.90	216.83	DET	2013	9	8
AL	2014 DET	23.26	204.33	DET	2014	11	10
AL	2015 DET	26.70	231.87	DET	2015	9	6
AL	2016 DET	44.96	260.08	DET	2016	1	3
						6	6

The lone “Original” Tigers batter to accrue at least 20 Win Shares in a season since 2014, Curtis Granderson recorded 98 tallies and slashed 33 two-baggers with 26 round-trippers in ’15. One year later, a trio of topnotch hurlers guided Detroit to the peak of the OWAR leaderboards. Rick Porcello (22-4, 3.15) and Justin Verlander (16-9, 3.04) finished one-two in the 2016 AL Cy Young balloting. Verlander paced the League with a 1.001 WHIP and 254 strikeouts. Andrew Miller (10-1, 1.45) was utilized in a variety of late-inning relief roles, compiling a phenomenal SO/BB ratio (13.67) along with an extraordinary WHIP of 0.686!

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 CHW	32.26	238.40	CHW	2010	10	7
AL	2011 CHW	32.43	237.95	CHW	2011	11	7
AL	2012 CHW	34.67	210.75	CHW	2012	5	11
AL	2013 CHW	18.89	176.12	CHW	2013	11	11
AL	2014 CHW	34.42	223.98	CHW	2014	8	8
AL	2015 CHW	33.17	221.00	CHW	2015	7	8
AL	2016 CHW	36.67	233.06	CHW	2016	9	10
						9	9

Chicago White Sox compiled the third-worst OWS in the American League during the 2015 campaign. Jose Abreu (.317/36/107) topped the circuit with a .581 SLG en route to winning the 2014 AL Rookie of the Year award. “Oso” produced 25.3 Win Shares with a .299 BA, 30 dingers and 103 ribbies since his inaugural season. Alexei Ramirez laced 35 doubles and swiped 21 bags in 25 attempts to merit his lone All-Star appearance in ’14. Chris Sale whiffed a League-high 274 batsmen in 2015 and furnished an ERA of 3.03 with a 1.034 WHIP over the past three years.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 MIN	38.26	252.95	MIN	2010	5	3
AL	2011 MIN	26.64	223.35	MIN	2011	14	12
AL	2012 MIN	30.63	240.39	MIN	2012	7	4
AL	2013 MIN			MIN	2013	16	16
AL	2014 MIN	31.57	247.53	MIN	2014	9	3
AL	2015 MIN			MIN	2015	16	16
AL	2016 MIN	24.12	218.79	MIN	2016	13	12
						11	9

Minnesota occupied the American League cellar in terms of OWAR in ’16. One of the lone bright spots on the “Original” Twins during the past three seasons, Brian Dozier averaged 24.25 Win Shares with 31 jacks and 106 runs scored since 2014. Denard Span established personal-bests with 39 two-baggers and 184 base knocks while batting .302 in 2014. Wilson Ramos (.307/22/80) set career-highs in nearly every major offensive category and achieved his first All-Star nod in 2016.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 CLE	31.14	222.77	CLE	2010	12	11
AL	2011 CLE	36.36	224.83	CLE	2011	6	10
AL	2012 CLE			CLE	2012	16	16
AL	2013 CLE			CLE	2013	16	16
AL	2014 CLE			CLE	2014	16	16
AL	2015 CLE			CLE	2015	16	16
AL	2016 CLE	38.57	246.67	CLE	2016	4	7
						12	13

Cleveland failed to meet the minimum requirements in four successive years (2012-15). However the Tribe recovered to place fourth in OWAR during the 2016 season. Chris Archer supplied a 1.188 WHIP and averaged 242 strikeouts over the past two years.  Cody Allen notched 30 saves per season with a 2.52 ERA, a WHIP of 1.077 and 12 strikeouts per 9 innings since 2014. Victor Martinez (.335/32/103) accrued 30 Win Shares, led the league in OBP (.409) and finished runner-up in the 2014 AL MVP race. Jhonny Peralta slashed 38 two-base hits and launched 21 moon-shots in ’14 while teammate Jason Kipnis laced 40+ doubles in back-to-back seasons (2015-16). Francisco Lindor (.313/12/51) followed a second-place finish in the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year balloting with a Gold Glove award and All-Star invitation while batting .301 with 99 runs scored in the subsequent season. Earning a starting role for the first time in 2016, Jose E. Ramirez rapped 46 two-baggers and produced a .312 BA.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 SEA	33.06	244.86	SEA	2010	9	5
AL	2011 SEA	35.52	236.17	SEA	2011	7	8
AL	2012 SEA	37.05	273.94	SEA	2012	4	1
AL	2013 SEA	37.42	254.12	SEA	2013	3	1
AL	2014 SEA	45.93	256.08	SEA	2014	2	2
AL	2015 SEA	36.72	221.33	SEA	2015	3	7
AL	2016 SEA	38.53	243.93	SEA	2016	5	8
						5	5

The “Original” Mariners placed second in OWAR and OWS during the 2014 season. ”King” Felix Hernandez (15-6, 2.14) led the Junior Circuit in ERA, finished runner-up in the 2014 AL Cy Young race and paced Seattle with 6.5 WAR and 21 Win Shares. Kyle Seager supplied 33 two-baggers and 27 jacks per year (2014-16). Adam Jones swatted 28 big-flies per season in the same stretch. David Ortiz bashed 37 doubles and clouted 37 round-trippers per year while surpassing the century mark in RBI (2014-16). “Big Papi” topped the American League with 48 two-base knocks, 127 ribbies and a .620 SLG during his final season (2016).

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 ANA	26.31	215.35	ANA	2010	13	13
AL	2011 ANA	35.33	256.02	ANA	2011	8	3
AL	2012 ANA	41.25	237.64	ANA	2012	2	6
AL	2013 ANA	41.35	237.74	ANA	2013	2	5
AL	2014 ANA	40.19	243.64	ANA	2014	4	4
AL	2015 ANA	36.17	243.63	ANA	2015	5	2
AL	2016 ANA	37.26	249.41	ANA	2016	8	6
						6	6

The Los Angeles Angels produced the American League’s fourth-best OWAR and OWS in 2014 along with a runner-up OWS total in the subsequent season. Mike Trout collected the AL MVP hardware in 2014 and 2016, placing second in 2015 behind Josh Donaldson. “The Millville Meteor” averaged .300 with 35 four-baggers, 100 ribbies, 114 runs, an 8.1 WAR and 39.9 WS over the last three years. Kole Calhoun aka “The Red Baron” drilled 30 doubles and swatted 20 big-flies (2014-16). Jean Segura (.319/20/64) paced the circuit with 203 safeties in 2016 while racking up 41 doubles, 102 runs and 33 stolen bases. Major offensive contributors include Howie Kendrick (.293 with 33 two-base knocks in ’14), 2014 All-Star Erick Aybar (.278 with 30 doubles), Kendrys Morales (.290/22/106 with 41 two-baggers in 2015) and Mark Trumbo (League-leading 47 jacks in ’16). Garrett Richards (13-4, 2.61) fashioned a 1.038 WHIP during his breakout campaign in 2014. Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez saved 42 contests per year with a 2.85 ERA from 2014-16. Jered Weaver (18-9, 3.59 in ‘14) and John Lackey (13-10, 2.77 in ’15) provided key contributions towards the “Original” Angels impressive run since 2011.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 TEX	36.14	216.59	TEX	2010	7	12
AL	2011 TEX	37.59	219.95	TEX	2011	5	13
AL	2012 TEX	29.16	201.01	TEX	2012	9	12
AL	2013 TEX	28.86	199.10	TEX	2013	6	9
AL	2014 TEX	25.55	173.43	TEX	2014	10	12
AL	2015 TEX	30.93	205.07	TEX	2015	8	9
AL	2016 TEX	37.49	239.22	TEX	2016	7	9
						7	11

Texas struggled to a last place finish in OWS (2014) and didn’t fare much better the following season. Ian “Bootsie” Kinsler registered 104 tallies and 35 two-baggers per year since 2014. Edwin Encarnacion obliterated opposition offerings, crushing 38 moon-shots and driving in 112 baserunners per season over the past three years. Chris Davis aka “Crush” paced the Junior Circuit with 47 wallops in ’15. Rougned Odor laced 33 doubles and belted 33 round-trippers in his third season. Kyle Hendricks (16-8, 2.13) led the League in ERA and placed third in the Cy Young balloting in ’16.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 HOU	38.49	252.49	HOU	2010	5	5
NL	2011 HOU	33.89	229.78	HOU	2011	9	10
NL	2012 HOU	19.02	194.89	HOU	2012	14	14
AL	2013 HOU	26.66	218.30	HOU	2013	8	7
AL	2014 HOU			HOU	2014	16	16
AL	2015 HOU			HOU	2015	16	16
AL	2016 HOU	32.68	249.99	HOU	2016	10	5
						11	10

Houston failed to meet the minimum (4000) BFP requirements in consecutive campaigns (2014-15). The Astros recovered to place fifth in OWS during the 2016 season. Jose Altuve supplied a .331 BA while averaging 43 doubles and 41 stolen bases per year since 2014. “Gigante” led the American League with over 200 hits in all three seasons and secured two batting titles (2014, 2016). J.D. Martinez blasted 38 round-trippers and plated 102 baserunners while Carlos Correa (.279/22/68) merited AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2015. George Springer established career-bests with 116 runs scored and 29 four-baggers in ’16. 2015 AL Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel (20-8, 2.48) led the circuit in victories, innings pitched (232) and WHIP (1.017).

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
AL	2010 OAK	33.21	230.50	OAK	2010	8	9
AL	2011 OAK	34.72	238.62	OAK	2011	10	5
AL	2012 OAK	26.11	223.38	OAK	2012	11	8
AL	2013 OAK	23.03	197.62	OAK	2013	10	10
AL	2014 OAK	22.33	192.48	OAK	2014	12	11
AL	2015 OAK			OAK	2015	16	16
AL	2016 OAK			OAK	2016	16	16
						12	11

Oakland finished last in OWAR during the 2014 campaign. The lone A’s player to notch a 20-Win Shares season  in the past three years, Yoenis Cespedes (.291/35/105) rapped 42 doubles, scored 101 runs and collected a Gold Glove award in 2015. Addison Russell jacked 21 four-baggers and plated 95 baserunners to merit an All-Star selection in his sophomore season (2016). Huston Street amassed 40+ saves in consecutive seasons (2014-15) and furnished a composite ERA of 2.29.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 FLA	36.26	237.12	FLA	2010	7	9
NL	2011 FLA	39.81	254.05	FLA	2011	3	6
NL	2012 FLA	28.33	236.19	FLA	2012	8	9
NL	2013 FLA	33.00	255.79	FLA	2013	9	7
NL	2014 FLA	49.58	296.70	FLA	2014	3	2
NL	2015 FLA	43.35	271.86	FLA	2015	4	3
NL	2016 FLA	46.04	269.68	FLA	2016	1	2
						5	5

Miami accrued the highest OWAR in the Major Leagues during the 2016 campaign. Miguel Cabrera topped the leaderboards with 52 two-baggers in 2014 and followed up with his fourth batting title (.338) in subsequent season. Giancarlo Stanton (.288/37/105) finished runner-up in the 2014 NL MVP race. “Bigfoot” paced the Marlins with 6.5 WAR and 32 Win Shares while leading the NL in home runs, SLG (.555) and total bases (299). Adrian Gonzalez (.276/27/116) led the Senior Circuit in RBI and collected his fourth Gold Glove award in ’14. Christian Yelich (.298/21/98) contributed 33 doubles per year since 2014. Jose D. Fernandez delivered 16 victories with a 2.86 ERA and 253 strikeouts before his untimely passing in September 2016.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 NYM	30.63	228.98	NYM	2010	11	11
NL	2011 NYM	36.75	237.45	NYM	2011	5	8
NL	2012 NYM	27.70	262.32	NYM	2012	11	6
NL	2013 NYM	36.89	251.61	NYM	2013	8	11
NL	2014 NYM	44.29	270.26	NYM	2014	4	5
NL	2015 NYM	46.31	253.58	NYM	2015	1	6
NL	2016 NYM	39.24	218.31	NYM	2016	4	11
						6	8

The New York Mets edged the Dodgers for the Major League lead in OWAR during the 2015 campaign. Nelson R. Cruz aka “Boomstick” clubbed 42 moon-shots and knocked in 102 baserunners per year (2014-16). Lucas Duda swatted 30 big-flies for the ’14 squad while Carlos Gomez pilfered 34 bags and tallied 95 runs. Daniel Murphy (.347/25/104) topped the circuit with 47 doubles and .595 SLG to earn runner-up honors in the 2016 NL MVP balloting.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 WSN	31.92	221.03	WSN	2010	10	12
NL	2011 WSN	31.09	231.62	WSN	2011	11	9
NL	2012 WSN	47.86	262.02	WSN	2012	1	7
NL	2013 WSN	31.85	254.72	WSN	2013	12	8
NL	2014 WSN	36.76	240.54	WSN	2014	9	11
NL	2015 WSN	37.02	261.58	WSN	2015	9	4
NL	2016 WSN	27.07	210.11	WSN	2016	13	13
						9	9

The “Original” Nationals descended to the NL East basement in 2016 as the club compiled the lowest OWAR and OWS totals in the Senior Circuit. Anthony Rendon (.287/21/83) led the League with 111 runs scored in ’14. Bryce Harper (.330/42/99) earned 2015 NL MVP honors. “Bam-Bam” topped the leaderboards in home runs, runs scored (118), OBP (.460) and SLG (.649) while accruing 8 WAR and 40 Win Shares. Ian Desmond (.285/22/86) established a personal-best with 107 runs scored in ’16.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 ATL	38.04	248.97	ATL	2010	6	7
NL	2011 ATL	36.59	259.49	ATL	2011	6	4
NL	2012 ATL	40.20	258.18	ATL	2012	5	8
NL	2013 ATL	44.07	254.32	ATL	2013	1	9
NL	2014 ATL	39.25	253.04	ATL	2014	8	8
NL	2015 ATL	25.36	230.77	ATL	2015	14	12
NL	2016 ATL	31.60	239.30	ATL	2016	9	6
						7	8

Atlanta finished last in the National League in OWAR (2015). Freddie Freeman supplied a .290 BA with 38 two-base hits and 23 jacks per year over the past three seasons. Elvis Andrus drilled 33 doubles and pilfered 25 bags in the same timeframe. Jason Heyward captured three consecutive Gold Glove awards (2014-16). Adam Wainwright (20-9, 2.38) posted a WHIP of 1.031 and finished third in the 2014 NL Cy Young voting. Julio Teheran compiled an ERA of 3.37 with a 1.147 WHIP and earned All-Star nods in 2014 and 2016. Craig Kimbrel struck out 13.7 batters per 9 innings and saved 39 contests per year.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 PHI	43.75	270.10	PHI	2010	3	3
NL	2011 PHI	40.50	238.98	PHI	2011	2	7
NL	2012 PHI	27.83	218.11	PHI	2012	9	11
NL	2013 PHI	32.02	256.71	PHI	2013	11	6
NL	2014 PHI	29.61	222.91	PHI	2014	13	13
NL	2015 PHI	26.10	208.81	PHI	2015	13	13
NL	2016 PHI	28.76	245.49	PHI	2016	11	5
						9	8

Philadelphia placed second-to-last in OWAR and OWS during the 2015 season, then bounced back to finish fifth in OWS in the subsequent campaign. Chase Utley rapped 36 doubles and claimed All-Star status for the sixth time in his career in 2014. Jonathan Villar (.285/19/63) laced 38 two-base knocks and swiped a League-leading 62 bags for the “Original” Phillies in ’16. Cesar A. Hernandez batted at a .294 clip and topped the circuit with 11 triples in the same year.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 CIN	46.23	271.01	CIN	2010	1	2
NL	2011 CIN	30.93	215.27	CIN	2011	12	11
NL	2012 CIN	43.59	295.26	CIN	2012	4	2
NL	2013 CIN	42.90	279.39	CIN	2013	3	3
NL	2014 CIN	42.67	262.50	CIN	2014	5	7
NL	2015 CIN	42.61	256.32	CIN	2015	5	5
NL	2016 CIN	45.75	290.41	CIN	2016	2	1
						5	4

Cincinnati led the Majors with 290 OWS during the 2016 season. Johnny Cueto (20-9, 2.25) paced the circuit with 242 whiffs and finished runner-up in the 2014 NL Cy Young balloting. Todd Frazier swatted 35 big-flies per season since 2014. Joey Votto coaxed a League-leading 143 bases on balls in 2015 and topped the OBP charts at .434 in the subsequent season. Justin Turner drilled 34 doubles and launched 27 long balls for the ’16 squad.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 STL	45.87	284.72	STL	2010	2	1
NL	2011 STL	38.06	262.26	STL	2011	4	2
NL	2012 STL	34.04	268.10	STL	2012	7	4
NL	2013 STL	37.28	284.32	STL	2013	7	2
NL	2014 STL	35.43	264.16	STL	2014	10	6
NL	2015 STL	44.13	279.17	STL	2015	3	1
NL	2016 STL	27.37	238.25	STL	2016	12	7
						6	3

St. Louis paced the National League with 279 OWS in 2015. Matt Carpenter drilled 38 two-base hits and recorded 98 tallies per year over three seasons (2014-16). Albert Pujols walloped 33 blasts and knocked in 106 baserunners in the same timeframe. David “Freight Train” Peralta (.312/17/78) topped the Senior Circuit with 10 triples in ’15. Yadier Molina batted at a .307 clip and rapped 38 two-baggers for the 2016 Redbirds.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 MIL			MIL	2010	16	16
NL	2011 MIL			MIL	2011	16	16
NL	2012 MIL			MIL	2012	16	16
NL	2013 MIL	38.42	254.09	MIL	2013	5	10
NL	2014 MIL	41.90	291.70	MIL	2014	6	3
NL	2015 MIL	40.27	250.18	MIL	2015	6	7
NL	2016 MIL	30.17	224.33	MIL	2016	10	9
						11	11

Milwaukee finished third in the National League in OWS during the 2014 season. Michael Brantley slashed 45 doubles per season and swiped 38 of 40 bases successfully while batting .319 in a two-year period (2014-15). Jonathan Lucroy (.301/13/69) paced the circuit with 53 two-base knocks and earned a fourth-place finish in the 2014 NL MVP balloting. Lorenzo Cain (.307/16/72) registered 101 tallies, merited his first All-Star invitation and placed third in the MVP vote during the 2015 campaign. Prince Fielder (.305/23/98) accrued a career-high 187 base hits in the same season.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 PIT	30.13	248.98	PIT	2010	12	6
NL	2011 PIT	35.14	260.61	PIT	2011	7	3
NL	2012 PIT	46.18	303.69	PIT	2012	3	1
NL	2013 PIT	43.89	285.88	PIT	2013	2	1
NL	2014 PIT	54.43	307.74	PIT	2014	1	1
NL	2015 PIT			PIT	2015	16	16
NL	2016 PIT			PIT	2016	16	16
						8	6

The “Original” Pirates seized the 2014 National League pennant with 54 OWAR and 307 OWS. The Bucs’ pitching staff dipped below the minimum (4000 BFP) requirement in 2015-16. Andrew McCutchen topped 30 Win Shares and 5 WAR in consecutive seasons for Pittsburgh in 2014-15. “Cutch” registered a .303 BA with 37 doubles and 24 round-trippers per year while placing in the top-five for NL MVP in both campaigns after claiming the award in 2013. Jose A. Bautista aka “Joey Bats” clubbed 38 long balls per year and eclipsed the century mark in runs, RBI and bases on balls in successive seasons (2014-15). Starling Marte delivered a .296 BA with 31 two-baggers and 36 stolen bases per season since 2014.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 CHC	28.10	213.89	CHC	2010	13	14
NL	2011 CHC	25.97	208.11	CHC	2011	13	13
NL	2012 CHC	25.23	208.64	CHC	2012	12	13
NL	2013 CHC	27.11	193.23	CHC	2013	14	15
NL	2014 CHC	39.51	252.84	CHC	2014	7	9
NL	2015 CHC	34.85	242.12	CHC	2015	10	10
NL	2016 CHC			CHC	2016	16	16
						12	13

The Cubs failed to meet BFP requirements in 2016. Josh Donaldson (.297/41/123) took home the 2015 AL MVP trophy. The “Bringer of Rain” contributed 112 runs, 36 circuit clouts, 107 rib-eye steaks and 29.4 Win Shares over a three-year period (2014-16). Starlin Castro laced 33 two-baggers and Josh Harrison posted a .315 BA with 38 doubles in 2014. Kris Bryant claimed 2015 NL Rookie of the Year honors and secured the MVP hardware in his sophomore season. “Sparkles” topped the league with 121 runs scored and swatted 39 big-flies. D.J. LeMahieu (.348/11/66) seized the NL batting championship while southpaw Rich Hill fashioned a 2.12 ERA and a WHIP of 0.997 in 20 starts for an otherwise sub-par staff in 2016.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 LAD	42.55	267.26	LAD	2010	4	4
NL	2011 LAD	46.17	285.89	LAD	2011	1	1
NL	2012 LAD	47.17	289.73	LAD	2012	2	3
NL	2013 LAD	38.45	263.09	LAD	2013	4	5
NL	2014 LAD	51.11	275.73	LAD	2014	2	4
NL	2015 LAD	46.30	278.27	LAD	2015	2	2
NL	2016 LAD	44.22	267.44	LAD	2016	3	3
						3	3

The Los Angeles Dodgers reigned over the National League since 2014, placing among the top three teams in OWAR (2 ^nd – 2014, 3 ^rd – 2016) and OWS (2 ^nd – 2015, 3 ^rd – 2016). Clayton Kershaw (21-3, 1.77) led the Senior Circuit in victories, ERA and WHIP (0.857) to merit 2014 NL MVP and Cy Young honors! “The Claw” struck out a career-high 301 batsmen in the following campaign. Yasiel Puig rapped 37 doubles and scored 92 runs during his sophomore season (2014). Matt Kemp produced 36 two-base hits, 28 blasts and 99 ribbies per year in a three-year period (2014-16). In the same timeframe, Adrian Beltre contributed a .304 BA with 32 doubles and 23 long balls. Dee Gordon collected the 2015 NL batting crown with a .333 BA while leading the League in base hits (205) and stolen bases (58). 2016 NL Rookie of the Year Corey Seager (.308/26/72) laced 40 two-baggers and recorded 105 tallies during his inaugural season.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 COL	32.06	232.50	COL	2010	9	10
NL	2011 COL	22.71	193.28	COL	2011	14	14
NL	2012 COL	27.81	217.69	COL	2012	10	12
NL	2013 COL	32.94	242.06	COL	2013	10	12
NL	2014 COL	34.89	248.33	COL	2014	11	10
NL	2015 COL	31.77	244.16	COL	2015	11	9
NL	2016 COL	34.51	227.78	COL	2016	6	8
						10	11

Colorado compiled the fourth-worst OWAR in the Senior Circuit during the 2015 season. Matt Holliday and Seth Smith laced 30+ doubles apiece for the “Original” Rockies in 2014. Dexter Fowler tallied a personal-best 102 runs for the ’15 crew. Charlie Blackmon nabbed 43 bags in 2015 and delivered a .324 BA with 29 dingers and 111 runs scored as an encore. Mastering the hot corner with four consecutive Gold Glove awards to begin his career, Nolan Arenado likewise garnered accolades with the lumber in 2015-16 with back-to-back seasons atop the NL leaderboards in home runs, RBI and total bases.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 SFG			SFG	2010	16	16
NL	2011 SFG			SFG	2011	16	16
NL	2012 SFG	25.21	227.12	SFG	2012	13	10
NL	2013 SFG	31.21	232.50	SFG	2013	13	13
NL	2014 SFG	21.33	211.54	SFG	2014	15	15
NL	2015 SFG	40.01	240.19	SFG	2015	7	11
NL	2016 SFG	37.96	248.72	SFG	2016	5	4
						12	12

The “Original” Giants languished at the bottom of the OWAR and OWS standings in 2014 while the “Actual” Giants won the World Series. Buster Posey averaged 5 WAR and 26 Win Shares over the past three campaigns as he contributed a .306 BA with 30 doubles per year. Two-time Gold Glove award winner Brandon Crawford belted 33 two-baggers and 21 moon-shots in ’15. Brandon Belt laced 41 two-base hits to merit his first All-Star appearance in 2016. Madison Bumgarner compiled 17 victories per year with a 2.88 ERA since 2014.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 ARI	33.73	241.99	ARI	2010	8	8
NL	2011 ARI	32.43	258.58	ARI	2011	10	5
NL	2012 ARI	34.26	267.91	ARI	2012	6	5
NL	2013 ARI	37.31	274.21	ARI	2013	6	4
NL	2014 ARI	33.46	231.34	ARI	2014	12	12
NL	2015 ARI	39.84	248.54	ARI	2015	8	8
NL	2016 ARI	31.91	217.20	ARI	2016	8	12
						8	8

Arizona owned the National League’s second-worst OWS in 2016. Paul Goldschmidt produced a .307 BA with 37 doubles, 25 jacks and 21 steals while averaging 5.7 WAR and 26 WS over three seasons (2014-16). “Goldy” hit .321 with 33 round-trippers and 110 ribbies to merit a runner-up nod in the 2015 NL MVP balloting. Adam C. Eaton aka “Spanky” maintained a 21.9 WS in the same span, batting at a .290 clip and twice leading the circuit in three-base hits. Justin Upton contributed a 19.3 WS and walloped 29 long balls per season since 2014. A.J Pollock (.315/20/76) registered 111 tallies, 39 two-base hits, 39 stolen bases and attained All-Star status in 2015. Gerardo Parra slashed 36 doubles to compliment his .291 BA in ’15. Carlos Gonzalez dialed long distance 40 times in 2015 and reached the century mark in RBI during the ensuing season. Ender Inciarte compiled a .292 BA through his third big-league campaign and Jake Lamb hammered 29 circuit clouts in 2016. Max Scherzer easily outdistanced his Diamondbacks teammates with an average of 6.4 WAR and 18.8 WS over the past three seasons. The 2016 NL Cy Young award winner whiffed 271 batters per year while fashioning an ERA of 2.96 and a WHIP of 1.019 in that period.

LEAGUE	YR-TEAM	OWAR	OWS	TEAM	YEAR	OWAR-RANK	OWS-RANK
NL	2010 SDP	26.00	215.41	SDP	2010	14	13
NL	2011 SDP	34.10	210.66	SDP	2011	8	12
NL	2012 SDP			SDP	2012	16	16
NL	2013 SDP	19.99	220.56	SDP	2013	15	14
NL	2014 SDP	28.92	219.80	SDP	2014	14	14
NL	2015 SDP	27.85	207.81	SDP	2015	12	14
NL	2016 SDP	31.97	219.23	SDP	2016	7	10
						12	13

San Diego slumped to second-to-last in OWS (2014) and placed last in the following season. Corey Kluber (18-9, 2.44) secured Cy Young honors in ’14 and surpassed 200 strikeouts in each of the past three campaigns. Logan Forsythe raked 33 two-base hits for the 2015 squad. Trea Turner manufactured a .342 BA and swiped 33 bags in 39 attempts to earn a second-place finish in the 2016 NL Rookie of the Year balloting.

Hardball Retrospective Standings (2014-2016)

2014	OWAR	OWS		AWAR	AWS
2014 HOU	41.92	265.60	F	29.83	210.00
2014 BAL	42.05	256.52	F	51.44	288.00
2014 TBD	48.05	256.47		38.78	231.00
2014 SEA	45.93	256.08		44.70	261.00
2014 MIN	31.57	247.53		27.01	210.00
2014 ANA	40.19	243.64		50.26	294.00
2014 BOS	36.94	243.46		29.84	213.00
2014 KCR	40.56	242.79		42.89	267.00
2014 NYY	35.96	236.57		37.65	252.00
2014 CHW	34.42	223.98		27.46	219.00
2014 CLE	32.42	218.61	F	41.66	255.00
2014 TOR	37.17	212.79		41.28	249.00
2014 DET	23.26	204.33		43.20	270.00
2014 OAK	22.33	192.48		49.61	264.00
2014 TEX	25.55	173.43		20.34	201.00
2014	OWAR	OWS		AWAR	AWS
2014 PIT	54.43	307.74		46.50	264.00
2014 FLA	49.58	296.70		32.17	231.00
2014 MIL	41.90	291.70		35.60	246.00
2014 LAD	51.11	275.73		52.34	282.00
2014 NYM	44.29	270.26		36.50	237.00
2014 STL	35.43	264.16		39.33	270.00
2014 CIN	42.67	262.50		33.63	228.00
2014 ATL	39.25	253.04		35.20	237.00
2014 CHC	39.51	252.84		29.53	219.00
2014 COL	34.89	248.33		26.87	198.00
2014 WSN	36.76	240.54		52.22	288.00
2014 ARI	33.46	231.34		19.39	192.00
2014 PHI	29.61	222.91		28.79	219.00
2014 SDP	28.92	219.80		32.27	231.00
2014 SFG	21.33	211.54		40.88	264.00
2015	OWAR	OWS		AWAR	AWS
2015 BAL	51.36	282.47	F	36.45	243.00
2015 MIN	31.66	280.36	F	31.49	249.00
2015 HOU	44.26	271.46	F	51.51	258.00
2015 KCR	38.25	257.80		44.00	285.00
2015 ANA	36.17	243.63		32.97	255.00
2015 BOS	35.55	242.96		32.60	234.00
2015 NYY	36.48	233.39		44.11	261.00
2015 TBD	40.95	231.91		41.80	240.00
2015 DET	26.70	231.87		28.44	222.00
2015 SEA	36.72	221.33		33.22	228.00
2015 CHW	33.17	221.00		28.30	228.00
2015 OAK	36.32	219.23	F	31.40	204.00
2015 TEX	30.93	205.07		36.34	264.00
2015 CLE	31.61	204.57	F	40.85	243.00
2015 TOR	25.03	187.02		53.53	279.00
2015	OWAR	OWS		AWAR	AWS
2015 PIT	58.71	345.29	F	49.24	294.00
2015 STL	44.13	279.17		54.08	300.00
2015 LAD	46.30	278.27		50.71	276.00
2015 FLA	43.35	271.86		29.66	213.00
2015 WSN	37.02	261.58		40.57	249.00
2015 CIN	42.61	256.32		28.74	192.00
2015 NYM	46.31	253.58		44.16	270.00
2015 MIL	40.27	250.18		24.87	204.00
2015 ARI	39.84	248.54		38.23	237.00
2015 COL	31.77	244.16		21.98	204.00
2015 CHC	34.85	242.12		47.73	291.00
2015 SFG	40.01	240.19		44.36	252.00
2015 ATL	25.36	230.77		17.87	201.00
2015 PHI	26.10	208.81		16.48	189.00
2015 SDP	27.85	207.81		26.47	222.00
2016	OWAR	OWS		AWAR	AWS
2016 BOS	42.81	270.82		51.26	279.00
2016 NYY	38.29	262.26		34.90	252.00
2016 DET	44.96	260.08		40.28	258.00
2016 BAL	40.70	254.14		41.12	267.00
2016 HOU	32.68	249.99		40.77	252.00
2016 ANA	37.26	249.41		31.51	222.00
2016 CLE	38.57	246.67		45.97	282.00
2016 SEA	38.53	243.93		42.33	258.00
2016 TEX	37.49	239.22		36.51	285.00
2016 CHW	36.67	233.06		36.89	234.00
2016 OAK	35.92	229.05	F	24.41	207.00
2016 KCR	25.51	226.03		32.55	243.00
2016 MIN	24.12	218.79		20.41	176.28
2016 TOR	42.48	215.96	F	47.65	264.00
2016 TBD	32.44	209.60		36.00	204.00
2016	OWAR	OWS		AWAR	AWS
2016 CHC	49.52	292.52	F	61.55	309.00
2016 CIN	45.75	290.41		21.63	204.00
2016 PIT	39.92	276.78	F	31.78	234.00
2016 FLA	46.04	269.68		34.41	237.00
2016 LAD	44.22	267.44		43.87	273.00
2016 SFG	37.96	248.72		45.13	261.00
2016 PHI	28.76	245.49		16.87	213.00
2016 ATL	31.60	239.30		22.90	204.00
2016 STL	27.37	238.25		43.13	258.00
2016 COL	34.51	227.78		28.56	225.00
2016 MIL	30.17	224.33		33.55	219.00
2016 SDP	31.97	219.23		22.97	204.00
2016 NYM	39.24	218.31		47.07	261.00
2016 ARI	31.91	217.20		21.59	207.00
2016 WSN	27.07	210.11		51.44	285.00

    For reference purposes, I have included the OWAR and OWS results from 2010 through 2013 for all qualifiers.

References and Resources

Baseball-Reference James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print. Seamheads – Baseball Gauge Sean Lahman Baseball Archive

About the Author

I am a New Jersey native with a passion for baseball, statistics, computers and video games who enjoys spending quality time with his family.

“Hardball Retrospective”is available in paperback and digital ( Kindle ) format at Amazon.com. Supplemental Statistics, Charts and Graphs along with a discussion forum are offered at TuataraSoftware.com .

Don Daglow (Intellivision World Series Major League Baseball, Earl Weaver Baseball, Tony LaRussa Baseball) contributed the foreword for Hardball Retrospective. The foreword and preview of my book are accessible  here .

“Hardball Retrospective – Addendum 2014 to 2016”supplements my research for Hardball Retrospective, providing retroactive standings based on Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and Win Shares (WS) for each “original” team over the past three seasons (2014-2016). Team totals from 2010 – 2013 are included for reference purposes. “Addendum” is available in paperback and digital ( Kindle ) format at Amazon.com.

“ Hardball Retroactive”,published in June 2018, is available in paperback and digital ( Kindle ) format at Amazon.com. A cross-section of essays that I penned for Seamheads.com along with my Baseball Analytics blog spanning nearly a decade touching on subjects including “Taking the Extra Base”, “General Manager Scorecard”, “Worst Trades”, “BABIP By Location” and “Baseball Birthplaces and the Retro World Baseball Classic”. Rediscover your favorite hardball arcade and simulations in “Play Retro Baseball Video Games In Your Browser” or take a deep dive into every franchise’s minor league successes and failures in relation to their major league operations in “Minors vs. Majors”.

“Hardball Architects”examines the trades, free agent acquisitions, draft picks and other transactions for the 30 Major League Baseball franchises, divided into a 2-volume set (American League and National League). All key moves are scrutinized for every team and Sabermetric principles are applied to the roster construction throughout the lifetime of the organization to encapsulate the hits and misses by front office executives. “Volume 1 – American League Teams” is available in paperback and digital ( Kindle ) format at Amazon.com. “Volume 2 – National League Teams” is tentatively scheduled for publication in the spring of 2022.