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1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Edgy MD
May 31 2023 11:26 AM

I didn't know which is more accurate — to compare the teams on the same date of the year, or to compare the teams through the same number of games. The former is distorted because the 1962 Mets started the season later in the year, and caught up in games played along the way. The latter is kind of deceptive because the 1962 Mets played two fewer games, and so the A's season will continue after the Mets' is completed.



Here it is both ways, and it's not looking good for the A's either way. Alan Trammel's 2003 Tigers — the last team to make a run at the Mets' record — are included to make the comparison more interesting and to give the fluctuations of the season a little context.





Through May 30



[th]TEAM[/th][th]W[/th][th]L[/th][th]PCT[/th][th]GB[/th]
1962 Mets1229.293—
=#FA4616]2003 Tigers1339.2504.5
=#003831]2023 Athletics1245.2118.0





Through 57 Games



[th]TEAM[/th][th]W[/th][th]L[/th][th]PCT[/th][th]GB[/th]
1962 Mets1641.281—
=#FA4616]2003 Tigers1641.281—
=#003831]2023 Athletics1245.2114.0




It's good to see the 1962 Mets dominating in something.

G-Fafif
May 31 2023 11:34 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics.

Dates are deceptive unless every game corresponds. When one season begins April 11 and the other begins March 30, there's little semblance of parallel.

batmagadanleadoff
May 31 2023 11:34 AM
Re: !962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics.

I've been working these comparisons myself recently. I'm rooting for the A's to win. btw. That worst record business is a Mets record I enjoy and would prefer that the Mets hold on to. If that's how youse feel, the good news is that even if the A's are on pace to finish worse than the '62 Mets, it wont take much for the A's to ultimately win more than a quarter of their games because the w-l are so dreadful to begin with. When your winning percentage is so low, it's easy to improve on it.

MFS62
May 31 2023 11:45 AM
Re: !962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Yeah.

But are the A's lovable?

Amazing?

Will there be dozens of books about them?

I really don't care who wins this race to the bottom.

Nobody can replace the 1962 Mets in our hearts.

(but the A's do suck, don't they?)



Later

batmagadanleadoff
May 31 2023 11:52 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics.

=G-Fafif post_id=127063 time=1685554450 user_id=55]
Dates are deceptive unless every game corresponds. When one season begins April 11 and the other begins March 30, there's little semblance of parallel.



Even if the games correspond, the date by date comparison isn't so hot even if there's some fun in it. I think that the best way to do this is to simply follow the A's winning percentage. Or to figure out how many games the A's need to win the rest of the way to get to wherever you'd like them to get to.

G-Fafif
May 31 2023 12:03 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

The 1916 Philadelphia A's were statistically worse than the 1962 Mets: 36-117 for a winning percentage of. 235, behind our Originators' .250. If the 2023 A's go 38-124, they'll be a fitting sequel to their A'scestors.

batmagadanleadoff
May 31 2023 12:05 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

=G-Fafif post_id=127069 time=1685556181 user_id=55]
The 1916 Philadelphia A's were statistically worse than the 1962 Mets: 36-117 for a winning percentage of. 235, behind our Originators' .250. If the 2023 A's go 38-124, they'll be a fitting sequel to their A'scestors.



So how come nobody brings up the 1916 A's when discussing this record? I guess they're just counting the loss totals.

Benjamin Grimm
Jun 04 2023 02:41 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

The A's are now 12-49,. 197.

batmagadanleadoff
Jun 04 2023 02:59 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

So what do the A's have to do to outworse the '62 Mets? If they finish 41-121, they'll have lost more games than that Mets squad but will have finished with a better W-L percentage. 40-122 is indisputably worse.

Edgy MD
Jun 04 2023 08:39 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

If they go 41–121, they'll have the modern loss record, but not the modern worst-winning-percentage record, which the Mets will (proudly?) retain.



They'll be tied for first in the GB column in the standings above, but I think we can decide how to settle that if it comes to it.

Frayed Knot
Jun 06 2023 07:41 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Last night the A's were up 3-0 thru 4 innings in Pittsburgh before losing that lead.

They tied it up at 4-4 in the 8th then had bases loaded w/one out ... but couldn't push across more.

Pirates scored once in bottom 8 for a 5-4 lead

Oakland then got two singles and a double in the 9th ... but still managed to NOT score.

[1B, CS, 2B, IF-1B, Short FO, K]





12 - 50, .194, on pace for 31 wins

Benjamin Grimm
Jun 06 2023 07:43 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

And 131 losses!

Frayed Knot
Jun 12 2023 04:50 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

A's suddenly on a five game winning streak after taking the final two from (sigh) the Pirates and then sweeping the Brewers

If their streaking and ours continue at recent paces we may have to change this thread title to 2023 Athletics vs 2023 Mets



On the flip side, they start a four game series against the Rays tonight so maybe we're still safe for a little while longer.

Frayed Knot
Jun 20 2023 04:43 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Don't look now but there appears to be a contest as to which team can under-do(?) the '62 Mets as things start to approach mid-season



Oakland: 19 - 55 (.257) on pace for 41.6 wins

Kansas City: 19 - 53 (.264) on pace for 42.75

G-Fafif
Jun 26 2023 08:37 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

A's 20-60, halfway to 40-120.

Edgy MD
Jul 01 2023 12:26 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

A 10–16 June has the A's breathing down the Mets' necks. It also included a seven-game winning streak, which must have felt like being on drugs for a little while there.



Through June 30



[th]TEAM[/th][th]W[/th][th]L[/th][th]PCT[/th][th]GB[/th]
1962 Mets2053.274—
=#003831]2023 Athletics2262.2623.5
=#FA4616]2003 Tigers1961.2384.5





Through 84 Games



[th]TEAM[/th][th]W[/th][th]L[/th][th]PCT[/th][th]GB[/th]
1962 Mets2361.274—
=#003831]2023 Athletics2262.2621.0
=#FA4616]2003 Tigers2064.2383.0




Fun Fact: I've always understood the 1962 Mets record to be 40–120, but somewhere in there, someone re-classified one of those two cancellations as a tie, because baseball-reference now lists their record as 40–120–1.

G-Fafif
Jul 02 2023 01:08 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

The two rainouts were always a lazy if popular misconception. The tie has been on the books for 61 years.

Frayed Knot
Jul 21 2023 05:57 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Oakland: 27-72; .273; on pace for 44 wins

KCR: 28-70; .286; on pace for 46 wins

Frayed Knot
Sep 02 2023 07:29 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

A's won their 41st game of the season earlier today... so our 'record' lives on.

Edgy MD
Sep 02 2023 07:33 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

https://media.tenor.com/L8YCSd0DGyMAAAAM/yes-welcome.gif>

DocTee
Sep 04 2023 07:45 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

The A's are actually better than the Royals. Sheesh

G-Fafif
Sep 04 2023 12:29 PM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Oakland: 42 wins

Alonso: 41 homers

stevejrogers
Sep 05 2023 07:09 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Sep 05 2023 07:44 AM

Edgy MD wrote:

https://media.tenor.com/L8YCSd0DGyMAAAAM/yes-welcome.gif>


IDK, it's not like their lore gets erased if they are no

longer the single season holder of the least amount of wins, or lowest single season winning percentage off all-time.



Seems odd to celebrate the shitty records with the same enthusiasm as if a more positive one was no longer in danger of being equaled or toppled.

Benjamin Grimm
Sep 05 2023 07:29 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

I'm firmly on the other side. Each time a team approaches 121 losses, I want them to get there.

Edgy MD
Sep 05 2023 07:59 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics


Edgy MD wrote:

https://media.tenor.com/L8YCSd0DGyMAAAAM/yes-welcome.gif>


IDK, it's not like their lore gets erased if they are no

longer the single season holder of the least amount of wins, or lowest single season winning percentage off all-time.



Seems odd to celebrate the shitty records with the same enthusiasm as if a more positive one was no longer in danger of being equaled or toppled.


It happened. You don't want it to happen. But having happened, I prefer we find the most possible meaning in it.



It IS the defining part of the franchise's origin story.

stevejrogers
Sep 05 2023 08:24 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Edgy MD wrote:


Edgy MD wrote:

https://media.tenor.com/L8YCSd0DGyMAAAAM/yes-welcome.gif>


IDK, it's not like their lore gets erased if they are no

longer the single season holder of the least amount of wins, or lowest single season winning percentage off all-time.



Seems odd to celebrate the shitty records with the same enthusiasm as if a more positive one was no longer in danger of being equaled or toppled.


It happened. You don't want it to happen. But having happened, I prefer we find the most possible meaning in it.



It IS the defining part of the franchise's origin story.


It STILL WOULD BE considered one of the historically worst seasons in MLB history, even if both the number of loses and winning percentage were topped more than a dozen times.

Edgy MD
Sep 05 2023 08:37 AM
Re: 1962 Mets vs. 2023 Athletics

Thanks for those ALL-CAPS there.



I mean, touché! That second sentence of mine, with the all-caps "IS," reads as obnoxious written that way. My apologies. That wasn't my intention.