MLB's 'Final Four': Who Would Advance in All-Time Baseball Tournament?

The upcoming weekend in sports is without question one of the more unique times of year. The NCAA Final Four gets underway on Saturday, and just two days before that marks Opening Day for the 2011 MLB season. One marks a beginning, the other an end.

As fans breathlessly anticipate the blessed events, we at Bleacher Report thought that we would combine aspects of both events. In effect, we will look at the best of best in the history of Major League Baseball and match them up in order to see who would advance to a fantasy “Final Four” in baseball.

While fans of Kentucky, UConn, VCU and Butler await the fate of their college basketball teams, we will throw some fantasy fuel to the fire by determining just exactly which historical teams would advance in MLB’s Final Four.

We will start with eight teams: four from the American League and four from the National League. Sort of like an Elite Eight, if you will.

We will then match them up in regional finals, to see which teams will qualify for the MLB Final Four.

While there is no doubt that many will be passionate in their arguments as to who is the best of the best, we invite your participation and passionate discourse, but keep in mind, it’s only a fantasy.

So, without further adieu, here are the top four historical teams from the AL and NL, and our predictions as to who advances to the MLB Final Four.

For continuing coverage of Major League Baseball, follow Doug on Twitter @Sports_A_Holic.

1. American League No. 1 Seed - 1927 New York Yankees

One of the greatest teams in the history of Major League Baseball, the 1927 New York Yankees featured a lineup called “Murderers Row,” with Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth batting third and fourth respectively and combining for 107 home runs and 339 runs batted in. Hall of Famer Earl Combs batted leadoff, and fellow Hall of Famer Tony Lazzeri batted sixth. Even their left fielder, Bob Meusel, had an outstanding season, batting .337 with 103 RBI.

The Yankees pitching staff was not to be outdone either, as the entire staff gave up 109 less runs than the second-best staff in the league. Backed by Waite Hoyt, Herb Pennock and Urban Shocker, the Yankees were 110-44 with a 3.20 ERA, and even relief pitcher Wilcy Moore contributed 19 wins.

The Yankees went on to easily sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series in four games.

2. American League No. 2 Seed - 1961 New York Yankees

On a team that inspired the movie ’61, fans witnessed one of the greatest displays of home run hitting in the modern era, with Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle duking it out for much of the season.

Maris finally broke the all-time home run record held by Babe Ruth on the final day of the season with his 61st home run, and won his second consecutive American League MVP award. Mantle was no slouch either, ending the season with 54 home runs.

With Yogi Berra manning left field, and Whitey Ford and Ralph Terry anchoring an outstanding pitching staff, the ’61 Yankees posted a record of 109-53 and easily defeated the Cincinnati Reds (93-61) in five games.

3. American League No. 3 Seed - 1998 New York Yankees

The 1998 version of the New York Yankees had a collection of starters that on their own may not have been superstars at the time but collectively they were a unit that were virtually unstoppable.

The Yankees led the American League in runs scored, fewest runs allowed and were the best defensive team in the American League.

Their top three starters, Andy Pettitte, David Cone and David Wells, were a collective 54-21, with Cone winning 20 games for the first time in 10 seasons, and Wells posting an 18-4 record with a 3.49 ERA. At the back end, Mariano Rivera was becoming the dominant closer in the American League, with a 1.91 ERA and 36 saves.

Offensively, the team was led by first baseman Tino Martinez, with 28 home runs and 123 runs batted in, and Paul O’Neill, with 24 HR and 116 RBI.

The Yankees easily swept the San Diego Padres in the World Series for their first of three consecutive world championships.

4. American League No. 4 Seed - 1984 Detroit Tigers

The 1984 Detroit Tigers were completely in a class by themselves, winning their first nine games of the season and 35 of their first 40, still the best start to a season by any team in major league history.

The Tigers were led offensively by catcher and cleanup hitter Lance Parrish (33 HR, 98 RBI), center fielder Kirk Gibson (27 HR, 91 RBI) and the incredible middle infield tandem of Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammel, who combined for 27 HR and 125 RBI.

The Tigers’ pitching staff was led by the trio of Jack Morris, Dan Petry and Milt Wilcox, who were a collective 54-27, with Morris no-hitting the Chicago White Sox on April 7 and closer Willie Hernandez, who saved 32 games and finished the season with a 9-3 record and 1.92 ERA in 140.1 inning pitched, an astonishing number for a closer. Hernandez would capture both the American League MVP and Cy Young awards.

The Tigers ended up winning the American League East by a whopping 15 games over the Toronto Blue Jays, and after dispatching the Kansas City Royals in a three-game sweep of the ALCS, they won the World Series over the San Diego Padres in five games.

5. National League No. 1 Seed - 1976 Cincinnati Reds

To say that the 1976 Cincinnati Reds were loaded with stars is a vast understatement.

Fielding an All-Star at every position except center field (Cesar Geronimo), the Big Red Machine rolled through its competition in the National League, compiling a record of 102-60 and then sweeping through the playoffs, dispatching the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees in seven straight games to earn a world championship.

With a lineup that everyone in Cincinnati remembers even to this day, the Reds scored a whopping 246 runs more than their opponents and led every major offensive statistical category in the National League.

The pitching staff was certainly no slouch either, with six starters (Don Gullett, Pat Zachy, Jack Billingham, Gary Nolan, Fred Norman, Santo Alcala) all registering over 10 wins apiece, and closer Rawly Eastwick contributing 11 wins along with 26 saves.

6. National League No. 2 Seed - 1934 St. Louis Cardinals

The 1934 St. Louis Cardinals, the famed Gashouse Gang, were a rough and tumble bunch, led by player-manager Frankie Frisch, shortstop Leo Durocher and the brother tandem of Dizzy and Paul (Daffy) Dean, who together won 49 games. Dizzy himself won 30 games—the last pitcher ever to do so in the National League. Dizzy also saved seven games along the way.

Five regular position players hit at least .300, with first baseman Ripper Collins leading the way with a .333 average, 35 HR and 128 RBI.

The Dean brothers anchored an outstanding pitching staff, and the Cardinals defeated the Detroit Tigers in seven games in one of the more thrilling World Series matchups to date.

7. National League No. 3 Seed - 1906 Chicago Cubs

While the 1906 Chicago Cubs were upset by the cross-town rival Chicago White Sox in the 1906 World Series, statistically this was the best team in the history of Major League Baseball, and they would go on to capture the World Series in both 1907 and 1908.

The Cubs set an all-time record with 116 wins against just 36 losses and finished first in the National League in runs, hits, batting average, slugging percentage and OPS. While the team combined for only 20 home runs during the Dead Ball era, they scored runs in bunches.

Their pitching staff featured two 20-game winners in Mordecai Brown and Jack Pfiester, and the staff had an overall earned run average of 1.75. Imagine a team with that kind of ERA in the modern era! Combined, the pitching staff threw an incredible 28 shutouts.

8. National League No. 4 Seed - 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers

The 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, led by second-year manager Walter Allston, finally broke through with their first ever World Series championship, after winning the National League pennant by a convincing 13.5-game margin over the Milwaukee Braves and finally defeating the cross-town rival New York Yankees in the World Series in a thrilling seven-game matchup.

The Dodgers were led by catcher Roy Campanella, who captured his third National League MVP in five seasons, and Duke Snider, who belted 42 home runs and knocked in 126 runners to finish a very close second in the MVP race to Campanella.

Shortstop Pee Wee Reese and second baseman Jackie Robinson, although both 36 at the time, still contributed mightily to the cause, and the Dodgers finished first in the National League in most offensive categories.

Don Newcombe led the Dodgers with 20 wins, and 22-year-old Johnny Podres, although only 9-10 during the season, contributed two huge wins over the Yankees in the World Series, including a complete game eight-hit shutout in the deciding seventh game, earning him the World Series MVP.

Gil Hodges, who would later manage the 1969 New York Mets in their improbable world championship season, contributed 27 home runs, and future manager Don Zimmer was a utility infielder for the Dodgers, registering 15 HR and 50 RBI.

9. Regional Final Playoffs - AL No. 1 Seed vs. AL No. 4 Seed

The first playoff pairing in the American League features the No. 1 seed 1927 New York Yankees against the No. 4 seed 1984 Detroit Tigers.

While the Tigers had an outstanding pitching staff led by ace Jack Morris, they never encountered a lineup similar to what was offered by the 1927 New York Yankees.

With Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth leading the way, the Yankees easily defeat the ’84 Detroit Tigers in five games, moving on to the MLB Final Four, where they await the winner of the American League matchup between the 1961 New York Yankees and the 1998 New York Yankees.

10. Regional Final Playoffs - AL No. 2 Seed vs. AL No. 3 Seed

The second regional final pairing in the American League pits the 1961 New York Yankees against the 1998 New York Yankees.

While the 1998 version won 114 games, they would have to face a lineup with Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Bill Skowron and Elston Howard, who led the Yankees with a .348 average.

Starting pitcher Whitey Ford, coming off one of his best statistical seasons ever (25-4, 3.21 ERA), wins two games for the ’61 Yankees, and Ralph Terry wins one, with closer Luis Arroyo contributing a win with two saves, as the 1998 Yankees prove to be no match for the powerful ’61 version, losing in six games.

11. Regional Final Playoffs - NL No. 1 Seed vs. NL No. 4 Seed

In the first regional final for the National League, the 1976 Cincinnati Reds take on the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers.

This is an epic matchup, with both teams leading their respective leagues in most every major offensive statistical category. The difference in this one would be pitching, and the Reds, backed by their stellar bullpen of Rawly Eastwick and Pedro Borbon, are able to hold off the ’55 Dodgers in seven games, putting the ’76 Reds in the MLB Final Four.

12. Regional Final Playoffs - NL No. 2 Seed vs. NL No. 3 Seed

The second National League regional final pits the 1934 St. Louis Cardinals against the 1906 Chicago Cubs.

The ’06 Cubs unfortunately suffer the same fate as they did against their cross-town rival Chicago White Sox in the ’06 World Series, losing this matchup to the ’34 Cardinals in six games.

The Cards, led by the brothers Dean, show off their incredible pitching prowess, and the formidable infield combination of Ripper Collins, Frankie Frisch and Leo Durocher lead the Gashouse Gang into the MLB Final Four.

So, there you have it, your MLB Final Four, consisting of the 1927 New York Yankees, 1961 New York Yankees, 1976 Cincinnati Reds and 1934 St. Louis Cardinals.

Who do you believe wins this dream Final Four? Stay tuned, as we will reveal who we believe will be the fantasy MLB champion next week!