Recently, I was reading the USA Today sports section, as I often do before heading off to talk to my CEO friends about fiscal conservatism. In it, I found an interesting graphic, showing the Top 5 MLB teams of all time in losing percentage. That is, the 5 teams who have the worst historic winning percentage out of every MLB team ever. Coming in at number 2, my favorite team: the San Diego Padres. Coming in at number 3, my second favorite team: the Seattle Mariners.
That's right, two of the three worst teams ever happen to be the ones I root for (first place went to the relatively young Tampa Devil Satanists/Rays franchise). Somehow, I managed to not only live in an area with a terrible team (curse you, Paul Swanson!), but choose another team from an entirely different league that is equally terrible.
Could I have chosen someone else? The Twins, perhaps? Maybe even the Phillies? Sure, I could of, but I didn't. I happened to grow up in the greatest of times for both franchise, that certainly influenced my decision. But I like to think I was drawn to these teams by something else. Both are in beautiful cities, characterized by friendly fans and likeable players (Whats that? No, the Mariners never employed Carl Everett. You are wrong). Guys like Tony Gwynn and Ken Griffey Jr. were just too damn likeable to resist. Even now, both teams are populated with mostly interesting and fun guys, Milton Bradley and Josh Lueke withstanding.
It's just too damn hard NOT to root for a team that has so many problems to overcome as the Padres do, with their small market, ownership problems, and ballpark the size of India. How CAN'T you love a team that relies on every member essentially being a mini-David Eckstein? On a different note, do you realize how small that makes their players? Like four foot three, tops.
And the Mariners? Well, that's just what I grew up with. My family taught me their ways, and it's certainly helped that so many Mariners players are exactly what I want in athletes: people who adopt the city of their team and stay there. Whether it be Jay Buhner, Dan Wilson, or Edgar Martinez, countless Mariners played ONLY for the Mariners and are still active members of the community. Until I find another team that I can think that way about, it's time for me to stick to the losers. Maybe I'll add the Sounders too, once they figure out how to lose like pros.
Sadly I am not surprised that the M's are near the bottom. Excluding a 5-8 year run where they had 5 potential HOF players (Ichiro, Edgar, Jr, A-Rod and The Big Unit) they have pretty much stunk. They didn't have their first winning season until 1991. Just like you I am drawn in by the hometown team and they have me in more firmly in their grasp. It is futility just like that caused Forbes to call us the most miserable sports twon. I think that it is all the losing in Seattle that caused me to pick the Cardinals as my NL team. It is nice to root for a team with a storied history and large fan base that aren't d-bags (Red Sox, Yankees etc). Plus it helps that they currently have the best player in all of baseball.
ReplyDeleteI really don't think Skip Schumaker is THAT good.
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