[rockford]

Standings after six seasons of play (pennants and championships in parentheses):


GB
--- 1909 Pirates .566 (4-3)
17 1992 Braves .548 (2-1)
29 1941 Yankees .535 (1-1)
30 2017 Nationals .534 (3-1)
32 1910 A’s .531 (1-0)
46 1969 Orioles .516
70 1962 Giants .512
56 1939 Yankees .505
62 1940 Tigers .499
66 2019 Dodgers .495 (1-0)
70 1931 Yankees .490
81 2003 Yankees .478
92 1939 Cardinals .466
98 1927 Yankees .460
116 1966 Orioles .440
121 1922 Browns .435

The 1909 Pirates won two more pennants and a championship to push their winning percentage to .566 and open up a respectable lead atop the pool after six seasons.


Honus Wagner led the way, grabbing three more seasonal MVP awards -- .349, 20 HR; .320, 25 HR and .333, 19 HR. Howie Camnitz (25-8, 2.61 ERA) took home his second Pitcher of the Year award.


The surprising 1992 Braves won a second pennant and their first championship, and took sole possession of second place, 17 games back. Tom Glavine (23-10, 2.85 ERA) won his second POTY, while Steve Avery and John Smoltz had runner-up finishes. Deion Sanders finished second in voting for a seasonal MVP.


Joe DiMaggio (.328, 36 HR) won an MVP and Spud Chandler (21-10, 2.40 ERA) got a POTY while helping the 1941 Yankees move into third place after capturing their first pennant and championship.


The 2017 Nationals slid to fourth place, one game behind the Yanks, but with a .534 win percentage are in excellent position to qualify for the Semifinals.


Superior pitching has been the key for the 1910 A’s, who won their first pennant and moved up from seventh to fifth place. Jack Coombs (22-13, 3.07 ERA) won his second POTY, Eddie Plank (21-10) got his first, and Chief Bender had two runner-up finishes.


Things get a little dicier further down the leaderboard. Only the top half of Quarterfinal teams will advance to the Semifinals, so putting up at least a .500 winning percentage is vital. Six teams are currently clustered around .500.


The 1969 Orioles (Jim Palmer with a POTY at 20-8, 2.92 ERA) and 1962 Giants are best positioned to advance. The 1939 Yankees are the only other team above .500. The 1940 Tigers have pumped their percentage from .478 to .499 over the last three seasons. The 2019 Dodgers and 1931 Yankees have their work cut out for them if they’re to climb above .500 over the last four seasons.


Babe Ruth of the 1927 Yankees had his string of consecutive MVPs snapped at five (.287, 50 HR and .327, 54 HR), but the Yanks are 14th in the standings and unlikely to advance.