"Nobody remembers who finishes second" is a well-known cliche that has no merit or relevance today. While I do advocate excellence and define success for a sports team as that team to hold up a trophy at the end of their season, sometimes the teams that leave the most impression don't get a chance to do so.
In honor of all the greatest teams that either came into their season with a lot of pre-season hype, hoopla, dominated and even coasted throughout the year only to fall short in the end, we will examine them in a top 10, ten day series. And now, the #10 team(s):
10. BASEBALL TEAMS of the 1990s
1995/1997 CLEVLAND INDIANS
-boasting teams that fielded future hall of famers Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Eddie Murray, Omar Vizquel, Dave Winfield and everyday legends such as Kenny Lofton, Albert Belle, Matt Williams, Orel Hershiser, Sandy Alomar, and Marquis Grisson, the Indians never won a World Series in appearances in 95, 97 to the Braves and expansion Florida Marlins respectively.
1997/2001 SEATTLE MARINERS
-in 1997 the Mariners had a solid year that would eventually have them bowing out to the Orioles in the playoff's. But anytime you have a young A-Rod, Ken Griffey Jr in his prime, Jay Buhner, arguably one of the greatest DH's in Edgar Martinez, a "young" Jamie Moyer, and the intimidating Randy Johnson, you've got more than enough to win rings or a ring. Never happened.
-the 2001 Mariners were a lot less sexier then the Mariners we came to know and love, with the 3 biggest names to make an exodus (Griffey, Johnson, and A-Rod), but while the names changed, the numbers really didn't. In a career year Brett Boone hit over .330, knocked 37 dingers, Jamie Moyer assumed the ace role, and they were led by some rookie sensation who went on to win the Rookie of the Year: Ichiro Suzuki. They won an AL record 116 games that year only to fizzle fast in the playoffs.
2001 New York Yankees
-you really can't knock a team vie'ing for a 4th consecutive World Series Title, but when you're playing for a city and country on your backs post 9/11, it was a little disappointing when they didn't come through. Thanks Roger Clemens.
1993 Atlanta Braves
-with the Braves, it's basically take your pick or choose the year (sans '95 of course)of the '90s to be identified as the best team to not win a ring. We'll go with the 1993 team that inevitably lost to the Phillies in the playoffs.
Chasing the Barry Bonds led Giants the whole season, the Braves finally won their division on the last day with a year that earned them 104 victories. This would come to be the last year of the Braves that were introduced to the world in '92 (former MVP Terry Pendleton, Otis Nixon, Ron Gant, and of course the Big 3 Pitchers that included a forgotten Steve Avery).
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