Everyone has their own opinion to offer on this topic. A lot of folks favor the upstart Tampa Bay Rays. Look what can happen when you take the "Devil" out of the team? Others favor the Los Angeles Angels who are the only 100-win team this year. The best story would be the Chicago Cubs breaking the oldest winless draught in the history of professional sports on the 100-year anniversary of their last World Series win.
I'll let you make your own call. To help you with that, here are this season's best teams, players and managers in various statistical categories among the eight playoff teams:
| Hitting | | | Baserunning | |
| Team | Runs | | Team | Net Bases Gained |
| Cubs | 855 | | Phillies | +114 |
| Red Sox | 845 | | Cubs | +63 |
| White Sox | 811 | | Brewers | +42 |
| Phillies | 799 | | Dodgers | +36 |
| Rays | 774 | | Rays | +36 |
| Angels | 765 | | Angels | +22 |
| Brewers | 750 | | Red Sox | +8 |
| Dodgers | 700 | | White Sox | -20 |
| Source: The Bill James Handbook 2009 | Source: The Bill James Handbook 2009 |
| Manager Tendencies | Pitching |
| Manager, Team | Sacrifice Attempts | | Team | ERA |
| Piniella, Cubs | 93 | | Dodgers | 3.68 |
| Manuel, Phillies | 88 | | Rays | 3.82 |
| Torre, Dodgers | 75 | | Brewers | 3.85 |
| Sveum/Yost, Brewers | 74 | | Cubs | 3.87 |
| Guillen, White Sox | 44 | | Phillies | 3.88 |
| Francona, Red Sox | 40 | | Angels | 3.99 |
| Scioscia, Angels | 39 | | Red Sox | 4.01 |
| Maddon, Rays | 31 | | White Sox | 4.06 |
| Source: The Bill James Handbook 2009 | Source: The Bill James Handbook 2009 |
| Manager Tendencies | Manufacturing Runs |
| Manager, Team | Intentional Walks | | Team | Manufactured Runs |
| Manuel, Phillies | 64 | | Dodgers | 186 |
| Torre, Dodgers | 58 | | Angels | 181 |
| Piniella, Cubs | 45 | | Rays | 168 |
| Guillen, White Sox | 42 | | Cubs | 154 |
| Scioscia, Angels | 32 | | Phillies | 153 |
| Sveum/Yost, Brewers | 32 | | Red Sox | 145 |
| Maddon, Rays | 29 | | Brewers | 143 |
| Francona, Red Sox | 17 | | White Sox | 129 |
| Source: The Bill James Handbook 2009 | Source: The Bill James Handbook 2009 |
| Manager Tendencies | Fielding |
| Manager, Team | Runners Moving | | Team | Plays above Average |
| Scioscia, Angels | 151 | | Phillies | +74 |
| Torre, Dodgers | 133 | | Brewers | +44 |
| Maddon, Rays | 113 | | Rays | +34 |
| Sveum/Yost, Brewers | 111 | | Red Sox | +29 |
| Guillen, White Sox | 98 | | Angels | -10 |
| Piniella, Cubs | 98 | | Dodgers | -16 |
| Manuel, Phillies | 92 | | Cubs | -27 |
| Francona, Red Sox | 87 | | White Sox | -41 |
| Source: The Bill James Handbook 2009 | Source: The Fielding Bible—Volume II |
| Win Share Team Leaders | |
| Player, Team | Win Shares | | | |
| Utley, Phillies | 30 | | | |
| Youkilis, Red Sox | 27 | |
| A.Ramirez, Cubs | 25 | | | |
| Braun/Fielder,Brewers | 23 | | | |
| Ethier, Dodgers | 23 | | | |
| Quentin, White Sox | 23 | | | |
| B.J. Upton, Rays | 23 | | | |
| Guerrero, Angels | 22 | | | |
| Source: The Bill James Handbook 2009 | |
About These Stats
Some of these stats may be unfamiliar to some readers. Here are easy explanations for three of them:
Fielding Plays Above Average: The number of above-average defensive plays a team made over the course of the season. Zero is average; plus numbers are above average and negative numbers are below average.
Manufactured Runs: Runs put together out of small parts—infield hits, bunts, moving up on ground outs, stealing bases, hitting and running, scoring on fly balls, etc.
Net Bases Gained: The team’s overall performance on the base paths over the course of the season. Zero is average; plus numbers are above average and negative numbers are below average.
For more information, go to The Bill James Handbook 2009, available from booksellers or at www.actasports.com.
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The position in the Baseball Info Solutions (BIS) Coplay, PA office will involve sports analysis, computer programming and writing. The position will involve working with John Dewan, supporting his analytical projects, and will involve extensive independent work. It requires a variety of skills including an analytical mind, computer expertise, and writing ability, as well as a passion for baseball.
Skills - Analytic / Mathematical ability similar to those used in the actuarial field.
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