Sealing the deal

We talked a few weeks ago about the teams that enjoyed the best first halves during the Modern Era, the clubs that got off to the quickest starts.

But it’s more important to finish strong, as we all know. That’s the task being tackled right now by all 30 big-league franchises, as the 2022 season winds into its latter half.

Purists tend to define the second half as the period after the All-Star Game, though that’s a bit inaccurate. The balancing point of the typical season falls closer to July 1, which is the starting point that I’ve chosen to use for today’s rankings.

Only 10 major-league teams, as we shall see, have won more than 70 percent of their games in any second half since the Modern Era began in 1961.

None of these high-flying clubs was more successful than the Oakland Athletics, who entered 2001 with a lofty goal. They had won the American League West the previous season — their first divisional crown in eight years — and they expected nothing less than a world title this time around.

And why not? Oakland’s attack had ranked second in the AL in home runs and third in runs scored in 2000. It was anchored by the reigning Most Valuable Player, first baseman Jason Giambi (43 home runs in 2000), and fellow infielders Miguel Tejada (30 homers) and Eric Chavez (26 homers). The starting rotation featured a trio of budding stars: Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito.

Yet the Athletics, despite all of this firepower, struggled mightily during the first half of the 2001 season. The American League West standings on the morning of July 1 seemed to foreclose any playoff hopes. Seattle held first place with a sizzling 58-21 record, while Oakland sat 20 games back at 38-41.

But the Athletics refused to surrender. They belatedly shifted into overdrive, igniting an amazing 64-19 run during the latter three months. It propelled them to an overall mark of 102-60 and a wild-card berth. Their second-half winning percentage of .771 was the Modern Era’s best (though it did not lead to the desired championship).

The runner-up on the list below probably deserves an asterisk. The 1994 Montreal Expos played .730 ball from July 1 onward, though they were limited to 37 games. A players’ strike brought the second half to a premature close on August 12.

Scroll down to see the era’s 10 winningest second-half clubs. You’ll find the win-loss record and winning percentage for the period from July 1 to the end of the season for each club, as well as the team’s overall record and its postseason results.

It’s surprising to note, I think, that only two of these clubs went on to win the World Series — and only two others even managed to win league championships. Momentum is sometimes overrated.

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1. Oakland Athletics (2001)

• Second-half record: 64-19

• Second-half winning percentage: .771

• Final record: 102-60

• Final winning percentage: .630

• Postseason: Qualified for playoffs

2. Montreal Expos (1994)

• Second-half record: 27-10

• Second-half winning percentage: .730

• Final record: 74-40

• Final winning percentage: .649

• Postseason: No playoffs held (labor dispute)

3. Kansas City Royals (1977)

• Second-half record: 64-25

• Second-half winning percentage: .719

• Final record: 102-60

• Final winning percentage: .630

• Postseason: Qualified for playoffs

4. (tie) Atlanta Braves (1993)

• Second-half record: 60-24

• Second-half winning percentage: .714

• Final record: 104-58

• Final winning percentage: .642

• Postseason: Qualified for playoffs

4. (tie) Cleveland Indians (2017)

• Second-half record: 60-24

• Second-half winning percentage: .714

• Final record: 102-60

• Final winning percentage: .630

• Postseason: Qualified for playoffs

6. New York Yankees (1961)

• Second-half record: 64-26

• Second-half winning percentage: .711

• Final record: 109-53

• Final winning percentage: .673

• Postseason: Won World Series

7. Oakland Athletics (2002)

• Second-half record: 57-24

• Second-half winning percentage: .704

• Final record: 103-59

• Final winning percentage: .636

• Postseason: Qualified for playoffs

8. St. Louis Cardinals (2004)

• Second-half record: 59-25

• Second-half winning percentage: .702

• Final record: 105-57

• Final winning percentage: .648

• Postseason: Won National League title

9. (tie) Baltimore Orioles (1970)

• Second-half record: 61-26

• Second-half winning percentage: .701

• Final record: 108-54

• Final winning percentage: .667

• Postseason: Won World Series

9. (tie) Houston Astros (2019)

• Second-half record: 54-23

• Second-half winning percentage: .701

• Final record: 107-55

• Final winning percentage: .660

• Postseason: Won American League title

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