Top Pitching Teams vs. Top Hitting Teams, 1969-2000

Since transactions are pretty much non-existent at this time of the year, I thought I’d print a little chart I made in response to a question in another forum.  Since 1969, there have been 780 regular season meetings between the best offensive and defensive teams in the league (as defined by PRO+ and ERA+).  In those 780 games, the team with the top pitching in the league won 385 meetings while the team with the best hitting in the league won 395.  The complete chart is below.

 Year/League     Best P Team    Best H Team      Pitching Team W-L (tot)

 2000 AL         Boston         Chicago          7-5   (7-5)

 2000 NL         Atlanta        San Francisco    6-3   (13-8)

 1999 AL         Boston         Cleveland        8-4   (21-12)

 1999 NL         Atlanta        Arizona          5-4   (26-16)

 1998 AL         New York       New York         NA

 1998 NL         Atlanta        Houston          4-5   (30-21)

 1997 AL         New York       Seattle          4-7   (34-28)

 1997 NL         Atlanta        LA/SD            14-8  (48-36)

 1996 AL         Texas          Seattle          3-10  (51-46)

 1996 NL         Atlanta        Houston          7-4   (58-50)

 1995 AL         Cleveland      Cleveland        NA

 1995 NL         Atlanta        Houston          6-6   (64-56)

 1994 AL         Chi/KC         New York         8-4   (72-60)

 1994 NL         Mon/Atl        Houston          6-5   (78-65)

 1993 AL         Boston         NY/Det           12-14 (90-79)

 1993 NL         Atlanta        Philadelphia     6-6   (96-85)

 1992 AL         Boston         Oakland          5-7   (101-92)

 1992 NL         Atlanta        Pitt/StL         13-11 (114-103)

 1991 AL         Toronto        Texas            6-6   (120-109)

 1991 NL         Los Angeles    Pittsburgh       7-5   (127-114)

 1990 AL         Oakland        Oakland          NA

 1990 NL         Cincinnati     Pittsburgh       6-6   (133-120)

 1989 AL         Oakland        Boston           5-7   (138-127)

 1989 NL         Los Angeles    San Francisco    10-8  (148-135)

 1988 AL         Milwaukee      Boston           3-10  (151-145)

 1988 NL         New York       New York         NA

 1987 AL         Toronto        Detroit          6-7   (157-152)

 1987 NL         Mont/LA        New York         14-16 (171-168)

 1986 AL         Kansas City    Detroit          7-5   (178-173)

 1986 NL         NY/Hou         New York         5-7   (183-180)

 1985 AL         Toronto        New York         7-6   (190-186)

 1985 NL         Los Angeles    StL/New York     14-10 (204-196)

 1984 AL         Detroit        Detroit          NA

 1984 NL         Pittsburgh     Philadelphia     11-7  (215-203)

 1983 AL         Texas          Milwaukee        4-8   (219-211)

 1983 NL         Los Angeles    StL/SD           15-15 (234-226)

 1982 AL         Detroit        Milwaukee        3-10  (237-236)

 1982 NL         Montreal       Los Angeles      4-8   (241-244)

 1981 AL         New York       Chicago          7-5   (248-249)

 1981 NL         Houston        Phi/Cin          8-14  (256-263)

 1980 AL         Minnesota      Milwaukee        5-7   (261-270)

 1980 NL         Philadelphia   Houston          9-3   (270-273)

 1979 AL         Baltimore      California       9-3   (279-276)

 1979 NL         Montreal       Los Angeles      6-6   (285-282)

 1978 AL         Boston         Milwaukee        10-5  (295-287)

 1978 NL         Los Angeles    Los Angeles      NA

 1977 AL         Kansas City    New York         5-5   (300-292)

 1977 NL         Los Angeles    Philadelphia     6-6   (306-298)

 1976 AL         New York       New York         NA

 1976 NL         New York       Cincinnati       6-6   (312-304) 

 1975 AL         Baltimore      Boston           9-9   (321-313)

 1975 NL         Pittsburgh     Cincinnati       6-6   (327-319)

 1974 AL         Oakland        Texas            8-10  (335-329)

 1974 NL         Los Angeles    Los Angeles      NA

 1973 AL         Baltimore      Boston           7-11  (342-340)

 1973 NL         Los Angeles    Cincinnati       7-11  (349-351)

 1972 AL         Baltimore      Boston           7-11  (356-362)

 1972 NL         Los Angeles    Cincinnati       5-9   (361-371)

 1971 AL         Baltimore      Baltimore        NA

 1971 NL         New York       Pittsburgh       10-8  (371-379)

 1970 AL         Baltimore      Baltimore        NA

 1970 NL         New York       Cincinnati       4-8   (375-387)

 1969 AL         Baltimore      Baltimore        NA

 1969 NL         New York       Pittsburgh       10-8  (385-395)