"So You're Telling Me There's A Chance!" - Worst Playoff teams losing streaks

[Angelsjunky]

You might be wondering at this point: How many teams lost 13(+) games in a row, but still managed to reach the playoffs? 

You're not going to like the answer: none. Or rather, none in the 21st century: 2000-21 (ignoring 2020, because there were only 60 games and 14 playoff teams).

In fact, the only other playoff team to lose 10 or more games in a row were the 2017 Dodgers, who lost 11 in a row as part of a 1-15 (or 5-19) slump near the end of the year. But the Dodgers were 91-37 at the beginning of their losing streak, and 20 games ahead.

Every other season saw the worst losing streaks by playoff teams ranging from 6-9 games, with 8 being the most common.

In other words, ignoring 2020, we have:

21 seasons, 186 playoff teams, not a single 12+ game losing streak, and only one above 9 games, and that from a team that was 20 games ahead of second place.

But there's a chance, right?

Anyhow, when I have a bit more time later tonight, I'll try to keep going back until I find a longer losing streak - I mean, in 120ish years of two-league baseball, there's got to be one. Right?

[eligrba]

[WicketMaiden]

27 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

You might be wondering at this point: How many teams lost 13(+) games in a row, but still managed to reach the playoffs? 

 

No, my thoughts have been more along the lines of slow-motion train wrecks .

[Angelsjunky]

5 minutes ago, WicketMaiden said:

No, my thoughts have been more along the lines of slow-motion train wrecks .

Well, I wrote that because up until last night, I still had the feeling that they'd break out of it and climb their way back to the playoffs. I mean, there is a chance - and new precedents are set. Plus, it would be rather cool if they gelled and at least made it interesting.

I mean, this is a team that--according to Fangraphs--went from an 81.4% of making the playoffs on May 15 to 26.8% today. Yes, that's an epic collapse, but it is still a fighting chance (to whatever degree one buys into such projections). 

The other side of the equation is that they are 27-30 on June 8. As I was scouring through the playoff teams, I was reminded that there are quite a few that were still under .500 as late as August, and tons who had really bad slumps, even if not as dramatic as a 13-game losing streak.

For example, the 2003 Twins had a 6-22 spell and didn't go above .500 for good until August 4. The 2006 Cardinals had three losing streaks of 7-8 games, and won the World Series; the Dodgers that year had a 1-13 spell. Etc.

Bottom line: Historical precedents mean something, but they aren't impossible to break. And again, this is only the last two decades...who knows what lurks within the depths of baseball history.

[HaloBronco]

Thanks Angelsjunky, yet another great take.
Appreciate the hopeful attitude. 

[Angel Oracle]

Personally, I just want to see progress for a change.

Snap the 6 under .500 seasons streak.

Harder to do when players can’t stay healthy

Realistically, they had ONE starting pitcher (Ohtani) at the beginning of the season who had pitched over 100 innings the year before.

 

Edited June 8, 2022 by Angel Oracle

[Angelsjunky]

5 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Personally, I just want to see progress for a change.

Snap the 6 under .500 seasons streak.

Harder to do when players can’t stay healthy

Realistically, they had ONE starting pitcher (Ohtani) at the beginning of the season who had pitched over 100 innings the year before.

 

I hear you, but whether we're talking 6 under (78-84) or 6 over (84-78), it is still within the range of mediocrity to average.

This team has much more talent than a merely average team. Or that's how I assess things. 

That said, even up to about a week ago I still held to my pre-season 91-71 prediction. I'm having a hard time seeing that as possible, and that reaching the 85-win mark might be a more realistic prediction. That's good compared to the last six or seven years, but still rather disappointing considering their strong start.

To reach 91 wins they'd have to go 64-41 the rest of the way. That's certainly possible -- its a 99-win pace. 85-77 would be 58-47, or an 89-win pace. That seems more do-able.

But who knows, maybe they can reach 87-88 wins and sneak into the expanded playoffs. 

[tdawg87]

It's not like they just have to win one game then suddenly everything turns around. They'll just lose the next 3 or 4 and so on. 13 games is just an anomaly, but they would have likely lost 10 of these games regardless.

This is a fucking awful baseball team. What's their record over their last 30 games? 

[Lou]

tdawg is back! 

[UndertheHalo]

I mean the playoff structure is different now.  But yes if the team can’t shake out of this and claw some of these back then they won’t make the playoffs. 

[Angelsjunky]

19 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

It's not like they just have to win one game then suddenly everything turns around. They'll just lose the next 3 or 4 and so on. 13 games is just an anomaly, but they would have likely lost 10 of these games regardless.

This is a fucking awful baseball team. What's their record over their last 30 games? 

I just don't think it is a "fucking awful baseball team." Despite it all, I still think it is a good one, although clearly not a great one. 

They're high point, as far as win percentage, was 21-11, I believe (slightly better than 24-13. Since that 24-13 point, they've been 3-17, or 6-19 since 21-11.

But you're point about the 13 games being an anomaly actually can be used as hope-fodder: If we look more at the last 20 games (3-17), there have been plenty of playoff teams with similar bad streaks. The 13 just stands out.

[Lou]

4 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

I just don't think it is a "fucking awful baseball team." Despite it all, I still think it is a good one, although clearly not a great one. 

They're high point, as far as win percentage, was 21-11, I believe (slightly better than 24-13. Since that 24-13 point, they've been 3-17, or 6-19 since 21-11.

But you're point about the 13 games being an anomaly actually can be used as hope-fodder: If we look more at the last 20 games (3-17), there have been plenty of playoff teams with similar bad streaks. The 13 just stands out.

Yeah, but tdawg is back.

[T.G.]

I've said this a million times... baseball is a funny game and is often unpredictable.

Yes, there's a chance.

[T.G.]

36 minutes ago, Lou said:

tdawg is back! 

 

12 minutes ago, Lou said:

Yeah, but tdawg is back.

[Angelsjunky]

Three more points of optimism, or at least hope:

They're still just 27-30, and

There are 105 games to play, and 

There are more playoff teams this year (12).

The Yankees and Astros are a virtual lock, and someone from the Central, obviously. Three wildcard berths is a lot, with 6-8 teams in the mix, depending upon how seriously you take the Rangers and Mariners.

The Blue Jays and Rays are the strongest candidates, so the Angels' main competition are the Red Sox, White Sox, Indians, and maybe the Rangers and Mariners. None of those teams look like powerhouses.

[Puget Sound Angel]

23 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Three more points of optimism, or at least hope:

They're still just 27-30, and

There are 105 games to play, and 

There are more playoff teams this year (12).

The Yankees and Astros are a virtual lock, and someone from the Central, obviously. Three wildcard berths is a lot, with 6-8 teams in the mix, depending upon how seriously you take the Rangers and Mariners.

The Blue Jays and Rays are the strongest candidates, so the Angels' main competition are the Red Sox, White Sox, Indians, and maybe the Rangers and Mariners. None of those teams look like powerhouses.

Total agreement but it means nothing if we don't get our sh!t together and I'm having serious doubts.

[Angel Oracle]

13 minutes ago, Puget Sound Angel said:

Total agreement but it means nothing if we don't get our sh!t together and I'm having serious doubts.

And stop having these injuries to key players.

The year they finally have at least 6 players garner at least 502 PAs and at least 4 starting pitchers garner at least 130 innings, a call to Ripley’s needs to be made.

Last time they had something resembling that was 2015.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Angel Oracle

[Torridd]

1 hour ago, tdawg87 said:

It's not like they just have to win one game then suddenly everything turns around. They'll just lose the next 3 or 4 and so on. 13 games is just an anomaly, but they would have likely lost 10 of these games regardless.

This is a fucking awful baseball team. What's their record over their last 30 games? 

You really think they're an "awful" team? I don't agree although I don't quite understand what's happened. I don't lay all the blame on Maddon, but I think he's the most to blame. 

[Halo in Chicago]

[HanfordGuy]

 

[failos]

4 hours ago, WicketMaiden said:

No, my thoughts have been more along the lines of slow-motion train wrecks .

This has been a high speed/Maglev train crash. The Angels were at the top of the world less than 3 weeks ago.

[HaloBronco]

Yep guys, I love it. 
  There is still hope. 

At the end of the day playoffs or not I’ll be happy if the organization is improving to a point where they can be a sustainable winner for the foreseeable future.
 

[ScottT]

More playoff teams and a great start means they are not very far back with a long way to go.  Not sure why many are writing it off.  Well, besides clicks.

[cysomeawfulpitcher]

8 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Personally, I just want to see progress for a change.

Snap the 6 under .500 seasons streak.

Harder to do when players can’t stay healthy

Realistically, they had ONE starting pitcher (Ohtani) at the beginning of the season who had pitched over 100 innings the year before.

 

Exactly, just climb back to above 500 like the 2nd half of the 2006 season.

[Jason]

Lol! This team is nowhere close to being a playoff team. Just time to play out the rest of the season