The 1967 Yankees: An Underrated Team?

Yankees (1967) 90-64 72-90 +28

Tigers (1952) 82-72 50-104 +32

Pirates (1952) 77-77 42-112 +35

Phils (1961) 70-84 47-107 +23

A's (1954) 67-87 51-103 +16

Browns (1951) 66-88 52-102 +14

Mets (1962) 65-89 40-120 +25

Examine the simulation standings as if you were examining the standings at the end of any season. One can make relative determinations for the eight teams with respect to each other and based on the standings, it is reasonable to conclude that the Red Sox were a good team. Reality indicates otherwise.

The 1965 Red Sox lost 100 games, which is a benchmark for bad teams. In the simulation, the 1965 Red Sox won 99 games for a net change of +37 victories. Every team won more games in the simulation than it won in "real life." Based purely on each team's statistics, when eight extremely weak teams played each other there were seemingly realistic results. Is this what parity means?

None of the teams in the simulation league had to play teams whose statistics were significantly different from its own. Every team played another weak team which explains why each team's statistics were better than they were in "real life," which is why comparing team's that played in different leagues is extremely subjective.

Examining the 1967 Yankees more closely, the team batted .225. When the Yankees batting statistics were used against the simulation league's weak teams, the Yankees batted .261. Which were the real Yankees? The answer is both teams were the real Yankees but the opposition was different.

Comparing teams from different seasons is subjective because the statistics are based upon a comparison between and among teams in a specific league in a specific year. One can compare the 1967 Yankees to any 1967 American League team and reach objective conclusions but one cannot objectively compare the 1967 Yankees to the 1965 Red Sox because they played in different leagues against different opponents.

The following table shows the Yankees starting players actual batting averages compared to their batting averages in the simulated league:

Clarke .318 .272 +.046

Gibbs .277 .233 +.044

Pepitone .284 .251 +.033

MANTLE .301 .245 +.056

WHITAKER .266 .243 +.023

Tresh .246 .219 +.027

Smith .259 .224 +.035

Amaro .265 .223 +.042

In 1967, Mickey Mantle was a shell of his former self. The Yankees collapsed after the 1964 season and by 1967 were an impotent offensive team. Mantle batted only .245 in 1967 but in the simulation league, he hit .301. Steve Whitaker, an outfielder who had difficulty making contact

Go To Page: 1 2 3