Off and Running Away

The Seattle Mariners, runaway leaders in the AL West, are one of five teams since 1950 to win at least 30 of their first 40 games, according to David Smith of retrosheet.org:

*

After a sizzling start, Roy Campanella and the Boys of Summer didn’t take a classic fall either as Brooklyn beat the New York Yankees for the first time in six tries in the World Series in the ‘40s and ‘50s.

1955

BROOKLYN DODGERS

First 40 Games: 30-10

First 10: 10-0

Second 10: 8-2

Third 10: 7-3

Fourth 10: 5-5

Final Record: 98-55

Finished in first place in the NL, 13 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee.

Postseason

Defeated New York Yankees in World Series, 4-3.

STATISTICS THROUGH 40 GAMES

*--*

Starters Avg. HR RBI C--Roy Campanella .340 10 40 1B--Gil Hodges .286 6 23 2B--Jim Gilliam .215 3 12 3B--Jackie Robinson .259 3 12 SS--Pee Wee Reese .264 1 11 LF--Sandy Amoros .313 5 22 CF--Duke Snider .306 12 41 RF--Carl Furillo .280 9 21

*--*

Team: .272 54 231*

*

*--*

Pitchers Rec. ERA SP--Carl Erskine 6-2 1.73 SP--Don Newcombe 7-0 2.83 SP--Billy Loes 5-2 4.20 SP--Johnny Podres 5-3 3.55 CL--Jim Hughes 5 sv 3.07

*--*

Team: 3.25

*

After finishing a total of 30 games behind Cincinnati the previous two years, it was rage against the Big Red Machine for Ron Cey and the Dodgers, who won the NL West by double digits thanks to a fast start.

1977

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

First 40 Games: 30-10

First 10: 8-2

Second 10: 9-1

Third 10: 7-3

Fourth 10: 6-4

Final Record: 98-64

Finished in first in the NL West, 10 games ahead of Cincinnati.

Postseason

Defeated Philadelphia in NLCS, 3-1; lost to New York Yankees in World Series, 4-2.

STATISTICS THROUGH 40 GAMES

*--*

Starters Avg. HR RBI C--Steve Yeager .302 3 19 1B--Steve Garvey .296 7 29 2B--Davey Lopes .316 3 13 3B--Ron Cey .307 13 42 SS--Bill Russell .271 0 14 LF--Dusty Baker .317 7 21 CF--Rick Monday .271 6 22 RF--Reggie Smith .328 11 30

*--*

Team: .291 53 226*

*

*--*

Pitchers Rec. ERA SP--Burt Hooton 4-1 2.51 SP--Don Sutton 6-1 2.62 SP--Tommy John 4-2 3.91 SP--Doug Rau 5-0 3.75 SP--Rick Rhoden 6-1 4.26 CL--Charlie Hough 11 sv 2.15

*--*

Team: 3.39

*

Sparky Anderson and his gang jumped out to a huge lead and--much like jockey Ron Turcotte aboard Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont--looked back in disbelief as they pulled away from the pack.

1984

DETROIT TIGERS

First 40 Games: 35-5

First 10: 9-1

Second 10: 9-1

Third 10: 8-2

Fourth 10: 9-1

Final Record: 104-58

Finished in first place in AL East, 15 games ahead of Toronto.

Postseason

Defeated Kansas City in ALCS, 3-0; defeated San Diego in World Series, 4-1.

STATISTICS THROUGH 40 GAMES

*--*

Starters Avg. HR RBI C--Lance Parrish .286 7 25 1B--Dave Bergman .269 0 12 2B--Lou Whitaker .317 4 15 3B--Darrell Evans .297 4 25 SS--Alan Trammell .340 5 23 LF--Kirk Gibson .281 5 20 CF--Chet Lemon .331 7 32 RF--Larry Herndon .254 0 10 DH--Barbaro Garbey .355 1 20

*--*

Team: .299 40 236*

*

*--*

Pitchers Rec. ERA SP--Jack Morris 9-1 1.97 SP--Dan Petry 7-1 2.81 SP--Milt Wilcox 6-0 3.08 SP--Juan Berenguer 3-2 2.92 SP--Dave Rozema 1-0 3.86 CL--Wi. Hernandez 7 sv 3.03

*--*

Team: 2.58

*

Derek Jeter (left) and Tino Martinez helped take the pride of the Yankees to a new level as they set a major league record for wins in a season. A 24th world championship would be the icing on a pinstripe cake-walk.

1998

NEW YORK YANKEES

First 40 Games: 31-9

First 10: 6-4

Second 10: 9-1

Third 10: 8-2

Fourth 10: 8-2

Final Record: 114-48

Finished in first place in the AL East, 22 games ahead of Boston.

Postseason

Defeated Texas in division series, 3-0; defeated Cleveland in ALCS, 4-2; defeated San Diego in World Series, 4-0.

STATISTICS THROUGH 40 GAMES

*--*

Starters Avg. HR RBI C--Jorge Posada .279 5 15 1B--Tino Martinez .326 6 37 2B--C. Knoblauch .256 2 10 3B--Scott Brosius .317 2 21 SS--Derek Jeter .335 7 28 LF--Chad Curtis .292 5 24 CF--Bernie Williams .307 4 23 RF--Paul O’Neill .314 3 29 DH--Dar. Strawberry .272 7 19

*--*

Team: .297 44 246*

*

*--*

Pitchers Rec. ERA SP--David Cone 5-1 6.60 SP--Andy Pettitte 6-4 4.03 SP--David Wells 5-1 4.45 SP--Hideki Irabu 3-0 1.40 SP--Ramiro Mendoza 3-1 3.49 CS--Mariano Rivera 9 sv 0.60

*--*

Team: 4.17

*

The Big Unit, Junior and A-Rod are gone, and there’s a new hero to Ichiro for, but ancient Mariner Edgar Martinez (above) continues to be a big hit in Seattle’s finest start. Has the AL West met its grunge match?

2001

SEATTLE MARINERS

First 40 Games: 31-9

First 10: 7-3

Second 10: 9-1

Third 10: 7-3

Fourth 10: 8-2

Current Standing

Leads AL West by 12 games over Angels; has best record in major leagues by 2 1/2 games over Minnesota.

STATISTICS THROUGH 40 GAMES

*--*

Starters Avg. HR RBI C--Dan Wilson .217 1 6 1B--John Olerud .333 5 28 2B--Bret Boone .331 8 39 3B--David Bell .185 2 16 SS--Carlos Guillen .229 1 16 LF--Al Martin .169 1 8 CF--Mike Cameron .273 7 22 RF--Ichiro Suzuki .371 2 19 DH--Edgar Martinez .293 5 32

*--*

Team: .276 39 226*

*

*--*

Pitchers Rec. ERA SP--Aaron Sele 5-0 2.92 SP--John Halama 3-3 3.18 SP--Freddy Garcia 4-0 4.13 SP--Jamie Moyer 6-1 5.28 CL--Kazuhiro Sasaki 17 sv 2.79

*--*

Team: 3.57

* runs.