* Single-division League Champions, whether there was a postseason or not, from the National League every season starting in 1876, from the American League in 1901, the National Association Pennants won by the team now known as the Atlanta Braves from 1871 to 1875, and, if a current major league team was in the 1882-1891 American Association, those as well.
* Teams that had to play a one-game or three-game playoff just to get into what was then considered the postseason. As far I'm concerned, a Game 163 (or, prior to 1961/62, a Game 155) counts as postseason.
* The split-season Divisional Champions of 1981.
* The teams that had the best overall record in each Division in 1981, even if they didn't make the Playoffs under the format in place that year.
* The teams that were in first place when the Strike of 1994 hit.
* The Montreal Expos' 1981 achievement as that of the Washington Nationals. Ordinarily, I wouldn't include separate-city achievements, but, this time, I do.
* The teams that won Pennants as Wild Cards. They may not have finished first in the regular season, but they were the last team standing in their League when it was all over.
* However, this time, I am breaking the teams up by different cities. Teams that have been in more than one metropolitan area will be separated, and their former incarnations will not be ranked, but will be placed in the places they'd be on the list if they were ranked. These teams will be in italics.
* All ties will be broken by most recent appearance.
Unlike the previous list, this one will serious favor the older teams. Suck it up, South and West: You weren't big enough to be big league until the Fifties, and in some cases until the Nineties.
1. New York Yankees, 52: 1921, '22, '23, '26, '27, '28, '32, '36, '37, '38, '39, '41, '42, '43, '47, '49, '50, '51, '52, '53, '55, '56, '57, '58, '60, '61, '62, '63, '64, 76, '77, '78, '80, '81 (1st-half and overall AL East winners), '94 (led AL East when strike hit), '95, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '09, '10, '11, '12.
New York National League combined, 38: 1888, '89 (counting only 1, since Dodgers were in AA at the time), '90, '99, 1900, '04, '05, '08, '11, '12, '13, '16, '17, '20, '21, '22, '23, '24, '33, '36, '37, '41, '46, '47, '49, '51 counted twice (since Dodgers & Giants played each other), '52, '53, '54, '55, '56, '69, '73, '86, '88, '99, 2000, '06.
Boston combined, 37: 1872, '73, '74, '75, '77, '78, '83, '91, '92, '93, '97, '98, 1903, '04, '12, '14, '15, '16, '18, '46, '48 (both teams), '67, '75, '78, '86, '88, '90, '95, '98, '99, 2003, '04, '05, '07, '08, '09.
Braves combined, 34: 1872, '73, '74, '75, '77, '78, '83, '91, '92, '93, '97, '98, 1914, '48, '57, '58, '59, '69, '82, '91, '92, '93, '94, '95, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05.
Dodgers combined, 34: 1889, '90, '99, 1900, '16, '20, '41, '46, '47, '49, '51, '52, '53, '55, '56, '59, '62, '63, '65, '66, '74, '77, '78, '80, '81, '83, '85, '88, '94, '95, '96, 2004, '08, '09.
Chicago combined, 32: 1876, '80, '81, '82, '85, '86, 1906 (both teams), '07, '08, '10, '17, '18, '19, '29, '32, '35, '38, '45, '59, '83, '84, '89, '93, '94, '98, 2000, '03, '05, '07, '08 (both teams).
2. St. Louis Cardinals, 30: 1885, '86, '87, '88 (in American Association, thereafter in NL), 1926, '28, '30, '31, '34, '42, '43, '44, '46, '64, '67, '68, '81 (aggregate NL East winners but didn't lead in either half), '82, '85, '87, '96, 2000, '01, '02, '04, '05, '06, '09, '11, '12. (Add the Browns' '44 Pennant, when they had the poor timing to face the Cards, and St. Louis combined, 31.)
Los Angeles area combined, 29: 1959, '62, '63, '65, '66, '74, '77, '78, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '85, '86, '88, '94, '95 (both teams), '96, 2002, '04 (both teams), '05, '07, '08 (both teams), '09 (both teams).
Giants combined, 28: 1888, '89, 1904, '05, '08, '11, '12, '13, '17, '21, '22, '23, '24, '33, '36, '37, '51, '54, '62, '71, '87, '89, '97, '98, 2000, '02, '03, '10, '12.
San Francisco Bay Area combined, 27: 1962, '71 (both teams), '72, '73, '74, '75, '81, '87, '88, '89 (both teams), '90, '92, '97, '98, 2000 (both teams), '01, '02 (both teams), '03 (both teams), '06, '10, '12 (both teams).
A's combined, 25: 1902, '05, '10, '11, '13, '14, '29, '30, '31, '71, '72, '73, '74, '75, '81, '88, '89, '90, '92, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '06, '12.
3. Boston Red Sox, 23: 1903, '04, '12, '15, '16, '18, '46, '48, '67, '75, '78, '86, '88, '90, '95, '98, '99, 2003, '04, '05, '07, '08, '09.
4. Chicago Cubs, 22: 1876, '80, '81, '82, '85, '86, 1906, '07, '08, '10, '18, '29, '32, '35, '38, '45, '84, '89, '98, 2003, '07, '08. (Granted, most of that is in the Great Depression or before, but it's still better than all but 3 teams.)
Philadelphia combined, 20: 1902, '05, '10, '11, '13, '14, '15, '29, '30, '31, '50, '76, '77, '78, '80, '81, '83, '93, 2007, '08, '09, '10, '11.
1901, '02, '03, '09, '25, '27, '60, 70, '71, '72, '74, '75, '79, '90, '91, '92.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers, 19: 1959, '62, '63, '65, '66, '74, '77, '78, '80, '81 (1st-half and overall NL West winners), '83, '85, '88, '94 (led NL West when strike hit), '95, '96, 2004, '08, '09.
6. Cincinnati Reds, 18: 1882 (American Assocation, thereafter in NL), 1919, '39, '40, '61, 1970, '72, '73, '75, '76, '79, '81 (aggregate NL West winners but didn't lead in either half), '90, '94 (led NL Central when strike hit), '95, '99, 2010, '12.
New York Giants, 18: 1888, '89, 1904, '05, '08, '11, '12, '13, '17, '21, '22, '23, '24, '33, '36, '37, '51, '54.
7. Atlanta Braves, 17: 1969, '82, '91, '92, '93, '94 (led NL Wild Card race when strike hit), '95, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05. (That's as many as the Braves' Boston and Milwaukee versions combined.)
8. Oakland Athletics, 16: 1971, '72, '73, '74, '75, '81 (1st-half and overall AL West winners), '88, '89, '90, '92, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '06, '12.
9. Pittsburgh Pirates, 16: 1901, '02, '03, '09, '25, '27, '60, 70, '71, '72, '74, '75, '79, '90, '91, '92.
10. Detroit Tigers, 15: 1907, '08, '09, '34, '35, '40, '45, '68, '72, '84, '87, 2006, '09, '11, '12.
"Old Senators"/Twins combined, 15: 1924, '25, '33, '65, '69, '70, '87, '91, 2002, '03, '04, '06, '08, '09, '10.
BaltWash Corridor combined, 15: 1924, '25, '33, '66, '69, '70, '71, '73, '74, '79, '83, '96, '97, 2012 (both teams).
Brooklyn Dodgers, 15: 1889 (American Association, thereafter in NL), '90, '99, 1900, '16, '20, '41, '46, '47, '49, '51, '52, '53, '55, '56.
11. Philadelphia Phillies, 14: 1915, '50, '76, '77, '78, '80, '81 (1st-half NL East winners), '83, '93, 2007, '08, '09, '10, '11.
Boston Braves, 14: 1872, '73, '74, '75 (National Association, thereafter in NL), '77, '78, '83, '91, '92, '93, '97, '98, 1914, '48.
12. Minnesota Twins, 12: 1965, '69, '70, '87, '91, 2002, '03, '04, '06, '08, '09, '10.
Browns/Orioles combined, 12: 1944, '66, '69, '70, '71, '73, '74, '79, '83, '96, '97, 2012.
13. San Francisco Giants, 11: 1962, '71, '87, '89, '97, '98, 2000, '02, '03, '10, '12.
14. Baltimore Orioles, 11: 1966, '69, '70, '71, '73, '74, '79, '83, '96, '97, 2012.
15. Chicago White Sox, 11 1901, '06, '17, '19, '59, 83, '93, '94 (led AL Central when strike hit), 2000, '05, '08.
16. Cleveland Indians, 11: 1920, '48, '54, '94 (led AL Wild Card race when strike hit), '95, '96, '97, '98, '99, 2001, '07.
17. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 10: 1979, '82, '86, '95, 2002, '04, '05, '07, '08, '09.
Philadelphia Athletics, 9: 1902, '05, '10, '11, '13, '14, '29, '30, '31.
18. Houston Astros, 8: 1980, '81 (2nd-half NL West winners), '86, '97, '98, '99, 2001, '05. Will move to AL next season.
Milwaukee Braves & Brewers combined, 7: 1957, '58, '59, '81, '82, 2008, '11.
19. New York Mets, 7: 1969, '73, '86, '88, '99, 2000, '06.
20. Kansas City Royals, 7: 1976, '77, '78, '80, '81 (2nd-half AL West winners), '84, '85.
Kansas City Athletics & Royals combined, 7. A's never even had a winning record in their 13 seasons in K.C.
21. Texas Rangers, 6: 1994 (led AL West when strike hit), '96, '98, '99, 2010, '11.
"New Senators"/Rangers combined, 6. They never reached the postseason in Washington.
22. San Diego Padres, 6: 1984, '96, '98, 2005, '06, '07.
23. Arizona Diamondbacks, 5: 1999, 2001, '02, '07, '11.
24. Toronto Blue Jays, 5: 1985, '89, '91, '92, '93
Washington Senators & Nationals combined, 4: 1924, '25, '33, 2012.
25. Milwaukee Brewers, 4: 1981 (2nd-half AL East winners), '82 (moved to NL '98), 2008, '11.
26. Seattle Mariners, 4: 1995, '97, 2000, '01.
27. Tampa Bay Rays, 3: 2008, '10, '11.
28. Colorado Rockies, 3: 1995, 2007, '09.
Expos/Nationals combined, 3: 1981, '94, 2012.
Milwaukee Braves, 3: 1957, '58, '59.
Washington Senators, 3: 1924, '25, '33.
29. Miami Marlins, 2: 1997, 2003.
Montreal Expos, 2: 1981 (2nd-half and overall NL East winners), '94 (led NL East when strike hit).
30. Washington Nationals, 1: 2012.
St. Louis Browns, 1: 1944.
Leading their respective Divisions are: In the American League, the Yankees, Detroit and Oakland; in the National League, Atlanta, St. Louis and the Dodgers.
In any case, the Yankees are Number 1 on this list, as they are on so many others.
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