Why all this talk about "super teams" is bogus

      There has been a lot of talk this season about the American League having "super teams" in the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and the Houston Astros. All that talk is bogus. I believe many writers are trying to relate the MLB to other sports, specifically the NBA. There has been talk about "super teams" in the NBA over the last few years essentially beginning when Lebron decided to team up with Bosh and Wade in Miami. Everyone wants to say that it's drifting into Major League Baseball, but that's nonsense. Super teams are suppose to be teams that are locks for making it to the championship and likely winning it, but that doesn't exist in baseball. There is never a lock for a team making it to the World Series, much less winning it.

     Now don't get me wrong, there are teams that are very good and have been a lock for the playoffs since June, but to compare them to the "super teams" of the NBA is bad judgements and I don't believe is taking into account the full landscape of the league. This is also why so many writers and analyst are favoring the American League champion in the World Series. Let's take a deeper look into how the leagues and these super teams truly match up.

   Boston Red Sox: 101-46

         Currently the best record in baseball and likely the #1 seed in the American League.

       - Record vs .500 or better teams : 40-29   (NL teams .500 + 10-3)

       - Record vs .500 or worse teams: 61-17    (NL teams.500 - 4-0 play Mets this weekend)

     The Red Sox have played 82 games (more than half of their schedule) against teams with a .500 record or worse. They also have 6 more games against such teams in the final two weeks. I'm not saying that the Red Sox are not good, or that they aren't the best team in baseball right now because I believe they are. The issue I have is calling them a super team when the majority of their opponents are below .500 and they have not proven to be anything more than a very good team. They beat the teams they are supposed to beat, removing the interleague games they are competitive at 30-26 in games against .500 or better teams. There is still much to be proven from the 2018 Red Sox and by no means do I believe that they are a lock for a World Series this year.

   New York Yankees: 90-56

       

        Currently 3rd best record in baseball, likely in wild card game. 

  

       -Record vs. .500 or better teams: 36-28   (NL teams .500 + 6-4)

       -Record vs. .500 or worse teams: 54-28   (NL teams .500 - 5-5)

     The Yankees have also played 82 of their games against sub .500 teams with 6 more remaining against such teams. The Yankees have struggled with injuries and have definitely missed the bat of Aaron Judge over the last month plus and are desperately hoping he's ready to go for the playoffs. The Yankees even with Judge are not a team that is a lock for a World Series in fact, despite the fangraphs %100 chance that the Yankees will make the playoffs there is the slim chance the Rays could provide a miracle, though highly unlikely. The Yankees are however in a real risk of not hosting the wild card game with Oakland just 1.5 games behind them in the standings. The Yankees are a good team, but by no means a "super team". 

      Houston Astros: 92-54

        

          Currently have the 2nd best record in baseball, likely winning the West as #2 seed in AL.

       -Record vs. .500 or better teams: 39-35  (NL teams .500+ 5-5)

       -Record vs. .500 or worse teams: 54-19  (NL teams .500- 6-1)

     The Astros have played 73 games against sub .500 teams with 10 games remaining against such teams. The Astros being the World Series champions of 2017 and probably one of the most poised to repeat in the last 2 decades are a very good team. They have dealt with their fair share of injuries and some under performing from players, but have still managed to be a top team in the AL through it all. They are a lock for the playoffs, but again I do not believe a lock for repeating as champs. The toll that the playoffs take on a team is nothing to dismiss, pitchers arms and player's legs being extended an entire month beyond normal and all at max effort high intensity. They are a very good team, but a "super team"? I don't think I would pass out that label yet, repeat as champs and I'll be much more willing to let them stake that claim. The Astros have had the tougher of the American League schedules with their being 2 other teams in the West that have been competitive this year, and the NL West which are their interleague opponents also have 3 contenders in the race.  

    Teams in the American League with sub .500 records; Toronto, Baltimore, Minnesota, Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Texas. Seven of those 8 teams are guaranteed to finish under .500 with only the Angels still flirting the mark at 74-76. 

    In the American League there are 7 teams that are at least 10 games under and 5 of those 7 are at least 20 games under. There hasn't been 5 teams at least 20 games under since 2003, the year that Detroit lost 119 games. In that year only one other team was under .500, the Anaheim Angels were 77-85, the other 8 teams were all over .500. (Houston was not in the AL at the time, only 14 AL teams). 

    The point that is to be made is that while these teams are great, especially the Red Sox, they are not "super teams" They aren't doing things that are necessarily unprecedented. They are great teams that are taking advantage of a bad American League. There are basically two teams that aren't in the race that have a winning record, Seattle and Tampa. Seattle was in the race up until September, and Tampa is just playing out of their minds as of late. I believe that the Red Sox are the best team in baseball and don't doubt that Houston is probably number two, but unbeatable or "super teams", definitely not. 

   For the record the National League  has 10 teams .500 or better and 3 teams 20 games or more below .500.