Can You Name the Only MLB Team That Has Had a Cumulative Winning Record Since the Very First Game in Franchise History?

@DragonFruit True!

However, I think baseball stats should be divided into pre-salary cap and post salary cap eras. When spending was unlimited, the team in the biggest market, the Yankees, could spend the most and win the most. Now that half the teams are pushing the salary cap, the Yankees aren't so spectacular.

@DragonFruit
None of the teams you mentioned has a cumulative winning record since the first game in their franchise history.

The three teams you mentioned by name have all dipped below .500 at some point in their history.

For the Yankees, they dropped below .500 after playing their very first game in 1903. (the Yankees do not consider themselves as a continuation of the Baltimore Orioles from 1901-02, but rather a "replacement" team after the Orioles owners gave up their franchise to the League).

The Astros managed to remain above water thru their first 9 games in 1962. On April 22, a loss to the Phillies put them at 5-5. A loss to the Braves sent them below .500 for the first time on April 27 (6-7 record).

The Giants may have seemed to be a good bet. They even got off to a good start, going 3-0 in their first three games in their first season in 1883. But then they lost three in a row to Providence and two to Detroit. So much for that.

@ElwoodBlues
Major League Baseball does not have a salary cap.

@beckyromero Well, they have a sort of soft cap in the form of that luxury tax that gets bigger every year you exceed the threshold.

BTW, I don't think you defined "cumulative winning record" adequately.


That sounds to me like, cumulatively, over their history the Yankees have many more wins than losses.

@ElwoodBlues

And the fact that some teams regularly exceed that, then dip below it for a reset, shows it hasn't addressed the disparity below big markets and small markets (especially the small markets who take the competive balance money and line their pockets with it).

@beckyromero I prefer to say that the soft cap addresses the disparity but doesn't entirely remove it.

@ElwoodBlues
Sorry, not buying that argument.

Since the expanded playoffs began in 1995, the Yankees watched it on TV a total of five times.

The Royals? The've only made the post season twice during that time frame. Baltimore? Six times.

@ElwoodBlues
But not a cumulative winning record every day since day one.

@ElwoodBlues
"Cumulative Winning Record Since the Very First Game in Franchise History?"

@beckyromero Ah, you only said cumulative winning record since the very first game....it would have been better to word it as the only team that has always had a cumulative winning record at every time in their existence. Teams that have been in existence may have outstanding cumulative winning records since the teams inception, yet have had a losing record at some point during their existence.

@DragonFruit

I put this edit:
Meaning there is only one team in MLB that has never had a single day in their franchise history in which their franchise's cumulative record wasn't above .500.

You can change your guess if you want. 😉

@beckyromero Yes, many teams (13) have overall cumulative winning records, but apparently the Yankees, Giants and Astros are not the one team who has never had a day where the cumulative record was above .500. That narrows it to 10....I’ll hazard a guess in a little while.

@DragonFruit The Chicago Cubs were a powerhouse for most of their early seasons and, despite having had several poor seasons during my lifetime, still have one of the better overall cumulative winning percentages.
Perhaps it’s the Cubs?

@DragonFruit

That's the best answer and the correct answer.


(I'd mark it as the best answer, too, but I guess one can only do that to a direct response instead of in the sub-threads of a response.)