[rockford]

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


--- 2001 Mariners .548 (2-0)
4 1913 Giants .539 (2-1)
6 1993 Phillies .535 (1-1)
8 2011 Rangers .530
12 1955 Dodgers .522
12 1998 Braves .522
17 1988 Mets .511 (1-1)
18 1998 Yankees .509
24 1958 Yankees .496
26 1952 Yankees .491
26 1999 Astros .491
30 1944 Cardinals .483
31 1988 Twins .481
33 1967 Cardinals .476
50 1960 Yankees .439
54 1977 Yankees .431

Bret Boone finished second and third in MVP voting as the 2001 Mariners won two pennants and eked out a 4-game lead atop Pool 6 in the GTOAT Quarterfinals.


In second place are the 1913 Giants, seeking to join the 1911 and 1912 versions of the club in the Semifinals. The ’13 Giants were seeded 42nd at the start of the tourney, but dropped to the 84th seed in the Quarters. Rube Marquard has two third-place finishes for Pitcher of the Year.


Darren Daulton (.277, 31 HR) won an MVP for the 1993 Phillies, lurking in third place just six games back. They’re closely followed by the longshot 2011 Rangers, who rode two MVP performances from Mike Napoli (.294, 37 HR and .318, 42 HR) and a runner-up finish by Ian Kinsler to a .530 win percentage. The Rangers were seeded 317th at the start of the tourney. If they make it to the Semis, they would be the second-lowest seed to advance. (The 2018 Dodgers were seeded 361st.)


The 1998 Yankees have a shot at becoming the only post-‘50s Yanks team to make the Semis. The Yanks are in eighth place, just 18 games back, with a .509 win percentage.


Anything greater than a .498 win percentage will likely qualify for the Semis. Eight teams in Pool 6 are currently playing above that level. If that prevails, only two of the five teams who previously completed pool play at .497 would advance.


The 1988 Twins, the only wildcard team to make the Quarters, entered pool play hoping to make a case to lower the barrier for entry in the GTOAT tourney. That bid is not going well. The Twins are at .481.