Goold: Strong starts like Cards' 20-6 often yield big finishes - STLtoday.com
LOUIS • Since 1960, there have been 13 teams who have won at least 20 of their first 26 games — like the Cardinals have with their surge to a franchise-record 20-6 start — and all but one of those teams have gone on to play in the postseason. The Cardinals' 19-6 start to the season was the best 25-game start for the club since 1900. A win Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs put the Cardinals at 20-6, which is better than the 1899 St. Louis National League franchise did. The rise and fall of successful teams means every day there's a new measure for the strength and history of how these Cardinals have started their season, but this is true: It's rare. The last team to win more games than the Cardinals' 20 in their first 26 was the 1986 New York Mets. The team before that to win at least 20 games in the first 26 of the season was the 1984 Detroit Tigers. Teams that have won at least 20 of their first 26 games in a full season — that is, one that wasn't shortened by a work stoppage — have averaged 102 wins per season. Baseball hasn't had a 100-win team since Philadelphia was good. Here are the 14 teams to start 20-6 or better since 1960 and how they ended the season:. Of the 14 above teams, seven went on to win that 27th game and improve to 21-6 to start the season. Seven, of course, lost and slipped to 20-7. One of the teams — the exception to the above October success — was just. Source: www.stltoday.com
