I’m not sure if anyone else feels this way, but as I have gotten older, my love of sports has diminished.
Not enough to make me not obsessed or anything, but it’s easy for some interest to wane due to those things called “responsibilities." I am also now older than many of the players and it’s kind of strange to worship those so much younger than you.
Baseball is a different story, though.
This was the most excited for baseball I have ever been, but my love for the game grows every year. It has been an absolute pleasure to have baseball back this week.
I even took in an entire Marlins-Nationals game.
As for the top seven, this week’s list looks at the most impressive baseball streaks of the last 20 years, dating back to 1989 (more on why that is important later).
The list originally started with all sports, but there were so many impressive baseball streaks that a non-baseball list will be dealt with next week. Onto the list.
7. Atlanta Braves
It’s amazing to think about the transformation of the Braves during their run of 14 straight division titles.
In 1991, they were the worst-to-first, former laughingstock of the league who had about 90 percent of the country behind them as they made the World Series.
For the next couple of years, they were known as the team who always made a late charge and made the playoffs.
But despite making the playoffs every year, the Braves won the World Series only once during their incredible streak, becoming the Buffalo Bills of baseball.
Eventually, their lack of playoff production led to their games rarely selling out. When they were, the stadium was usually filled with opposing fans.
This run is still unbelievable, but it takes a hit for two reasons. First, the Yankees just had their own 13-year playoff-making run come to an end around the same time, and the Yankees won more Series.
Second, the Braves may not have even made it during the strike year of 1994.
6. Bobby Jenks
In probably the most underrated streak on the list, Jenks retired 41 straight batters during the 2007 season, tying the major league record.
Had he been a starting pitcher, it probably would have gained much more notoriety. However, doing it as a reliever is even more impressive since he had to keep it up over a 27-day span.
Did you know that there is a Web site where you can bet on games during the games?
For fans who watch most of their teams' games, you can make a few bucks betting on players you know will strike out. Almost every team has a guy who you can predict, with 97 percent accuracy, will strike out.
A better term for this may be “The Ron Gant of…[insert team here].”
5. Albert Pujols
The great Pujols has had eight years in a row with at least a .300 average, 30 homers, and 100 RBI. He's also scored at least 99 runs in each year.
It’s hard to not call him a little underrated, too. His defense doesn’t get the mainstream credit it deserves, and he was robbed of at least one MVP.
This season, he already looks locked in like it’s June or July.
(Editor’s note: Jason Major has been penalized one point for early season over-reaction. Major, two minutes for over-reaction.)
4. Anthony Young
Young is baseball’s version of that guy you always hear about who was struck by lightning twice. He lost 27 straight decisions during two seasons where his ERAs were 4.17 and 3.77.
By comparison, Jason Marquis has won 10 or more games five years in a row, and his ERA has been below 3.77 only once (it was also above 6.00 once).
3. Eric Gagne
Over a three-year span, Gagne converted 84 straight saves.
For fans of teams like the Cardinals, that streak is unthinkable, especially when your bullpen can’t seemingly go four games without blowing a lead.
This streak’s true longevity and sense of accomplishment is yet to be determined because saves are a relatively new stat. In addition, what constitutes a save has been the cause of some controversy.
As Henry Rowengartner proved, it is possible to have a beyond-atrocious outing and still rack one up.
Matt Lindstrom provided a great example on Wednesday when he loaded the bases, gave up a run, forced his defense to make a diving play made on a laser by Austin Kearns to end the game, but has a save to show for it.
Gagne has another ridiculous streak: He once saved six consecutive team games for the Dodgers, tying The Shooter Rod Beck.
2. Oakland A’s
It always seems like when books or movies follow teams or players, something amazing happens.
In Season on the Brink, Indiana wins the national title. In Wrestling With Shadows, Vince McMahon screws Bret Hart out of the WWF title.
During Moneyball, Billy Beane's A’s went on a 20-game win streak, with two wins coming by just one run. The craziest part is that after losing, they rattled off three more in a row, making them 23-1 in a 24-game span.
The 2002 A's and the 2007 Rockies proved you can never completely count teams out, even when ESPN has their playoff probability at 1.4 percent in late July.
Another team has an equally amazing, but far more embarrassing streak: The Baltimore Orioles went on a 21-game losing streak to begin 1988, but it missed this list’s cut by one year.
1. Cal Ripken Jr.
As is often the case with career records, this one took some criticism—that he was kept in the lineup long after his career started to fade, that he shifted from shortstop too late—but the fact remains, Ripken started 2,632 consecutive games.
It’s hard to say that records will “never” be broken, but it is hard to imagine anyone topping this one.
By the way, Orel Hershiser’s 59 straight scoreless innings streak would have beaten this one, had it not happened in 1988.
The Top Seven is written by Jason Major. He’s entering his seventh straight baseball season with at least four bedroom posters of Pujols on his wall. Email him at jason@joesportsfan.com.
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