Is the NL east the best division ever?

[JTWood]

I think this is a good factor and shows that this NL East is just the most balanced, not BEST

I don't know... The NL West seems pretty balanced to me. To borrow from Mr. Berkman, "They all suck equally."

That's balance, right?

[DK]

Well I definately think the AL is overall a lot better than the NL.
A note about the Nl east being the best division ever, as of right now they NL east division is 48 games above .500. I looked at a total of 3 years of the past and already found that in 1998 the AL East was 62 games above .500 together. So if you put all their records together the Al East killed them...... I think this is a good factor and shows that this NL East is just the most balanced, not BEST

In 1998 the Yankess ALONE were 66 games above .500. That's not a good metric to use because it lends waaaaay too much weight to having only one star team, rather than balance through and through. It's like a starting rotation. If you have Koufax on day one and Brian Anderson, Kyle Snyder, and Tanyon Sturtze starting the next three days, overall you might look even to other teams (because Koufax picks up the slack for the other three), but you still only have one great pitcher.

[pokerplaya]

Interesting thread. I don't know if I'd go as far as to say that this is the best division ever, but it is definitely up there.

[tribefan13]

I know that they weren't BALANCED then but overall their division had a better record so tehrefore a better division overall.

[DK]

I know that they weren't BALANCED then but overall their division had a better record so tehrefore a better division overall.

I disagree. A better record doesn't mean a better division overall, again, think of it as a starting rotation. If you have the greatest pitcher ever and then four below-average pitchers, you're not going to be as good as a team with five good pitchers (assuming all other things equal), since your great pitcher only goes once every five games. Overall W-L record doesn't specify the strength of a division, because it can vary so much in terms of outliers.

[HOOTIE]

Not even close to the best in history. It is a very well balanced division, but if you want the most balanced division ever you would have to start with the 1991 AL West. All 7 teams who finished .500 or better. Plus there wasn't a "balanced" schedule back then where the teams just basically beat up on each other.

I agree. The 2001 AL West was a beast. 116 and 102 wins. In 93, didn't SF miss the playoffs with 101 wins? The NL East is balanced, but a long way from best ever.