2012 National League East Standings 2012 Mlb's Best
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2012 NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST STANDINGS vs. NL vs. NL vs. NL IL THE SEASON THAT WAS TEAM W L PCT. GB HOME ROAD EAST CENT WEST PLAY The Nationals peaked at 35 games above .500 on Sept. 12...Washington registered WASHINGTON ......... 98 64 .605 — 50-31 48-33 42-30 29-13 17-13 10-8 winning record in games decided by one run (27-21), by 2 runs or less (42-38), Atlanta ...................... 94 68 .580 4.0 48-33 46-35 46-26 19-19 21-13 8-10 home games (50-31), road games (48-33), on natural grass (95-64), on artificial turf Philadelphia ............. 81 81 .500 17.0 40-41 41-40 33-39 24-16 19-16 8-7 (3-0), against opposing left-handed starters (29-19), against opposing right-handed New York (NL) .......... 74 88 .457 24.0 36-45 38-43 32-40 17-22 17-19 5-10 starters (69-45), in day games (30-23), in night games (68-41) and in extra innings Miami ......................... 69 93 .426 29.0 38-43 31-50 27-45 18-20 19-15 5-13 (13-7), against NL East (42-30), against NL Central (29-13), against NL West (17- 13) and in interleague play (10-8)...Washington’s NL-best 13 extra-inning wins 2012 MLB’S BEST RECORD ranked 2nd in MLB behind only the Orioles (16). TEAM W L PCT. GB WASHINGTON ......... 98 64 .605 — DC’S DYNAMIC DUO Cincinnati ................. 97 65 .599 1.0 Thanks to DL stints, Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse started only 99 games New York (AL) ........... 95 67 .586 3.0 together this season...but those 99 games were impactful, as Washington went 65- Atlanta ...................... 94 68 .580 4.0 San Francisco .......... 94 68 .580 4.0 34 (.657) and averaged 5.1 runs per contest with both bats in the lineup. Oakland .................... 94 68 .580 4.0 * When Zimmerman and/or Morse were not in Davey Johnson’s starting lineup this season, the Nationals went 33-30 (.524) and averaged 3.6 runs. OCTOBER BASEBALL RETURNS TO THE NATION’S CAPITAL KANSAS CITY KIDS Eight years after landing in DC, the Nationals claimed their first post-season berth by winning the NL East with a 98-64 record...the post-season berth is the first claimed by a baseball team 4 Nationals earned All-Star status in 2012: RHP Stephen Strasburg (scoreless 5th representing the Nation’s Capital since the AL Nationals won the AL pennant in 1933 with a 99- inning), LHP Gio Gonzalez (scoreless 4th inning), OF Bryce Harper (0-for-1, walk) 53 (.651) record...Washington also earned AL flags in 1924 (92-62, .597) and 1925 (96-55, and SS Ian Desmond (did not play, left oblique injury)...not only was the Nationals’ .636)...the division title is the first in the franchise’s 44 NL seasons, although the 1981 (30-23, haul of 4 All-Stars the most they’d had since arriving in The District in 2005, it was .566 in Second Half) and ‘94 Montreal Expos (74-40, .649) did finish atop the NL East standings the most registered by a DC-based club since the 1959 Mid-Summer Classic during seasons affected by labor stoppages...the ‘12 Nationals posted the first winning season included 5 Senators (OF Bob Allison, 3B Harmon Killebrew, RHP Camilo Pascual for a Washington-based MLB team since the ‘69 Senators went 86-76. RHP Pedro Ramos, 1B Roy Sievers). * The NL defeated the AL, 8-0, on July 11 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO to earn home field advantage for the Senior Circuit in the World Series. VIEW FROM THE TOP The Nationals posted MLB’s best winning percentage at .605...Washington entered the All-Star SIGNIFICANT DATES IN SEASON break with a 49-34 (.590) record before finishing the 2nd “half” with a 49-30 (.620) mark...the Nationals are the first team since the 2007 Indians to post MLB’s best record one season after On Oct. 2, Adam LaRoche homers in a 4-2 win vs. PHI to become just the 3rd finishing .500...Washington either led the NL East or shared its top spot for all but 10 days this National (2005-pres.) to reach the 100-RBI plateau...Washington clinched the season...only the Rangers enjoyed more days atop of their division in ‘12. franchise’s first NL East title on Oct. 1 when the Braves lost, 2-1, at PNC Park...on Sept. 27, Nationals third-base coach Bo Porter was named the new field manager of the Astros (effective at the end of the season)...the Nationals clinched a post- 59 TO 69 TO 80 TO 98 season berth with a 4-1 win on Sept. 20 vs. LAD (the post-season berth is the first The Nationals are only the 5th team in modern MLB history (1901-present) to post 3 secured by a big league club from the Nation’s Capital since 1933)...Gio Gonzalez consecutive seasons winning 10 or more games than the year prior...note, however, that won his 20th game and recorded his 200th strikeout in the same Sept. 22 start vs. they are the first team in over 100 years to do so without the benefit of an artificially deflated MIL...Stephen Strasburg made his final start of the season on Sept. 7 vs. win total associated with a work stoppage...a closer look: MIA...Washington eclipsed last year’s win total (80-81 in ‘11)—and clinched the first CLUB 2009 2010 2011 2012 winning baseball campaign in DC since 1969 when the Senators finished 86-76— Washington Nationals 59-103 69-93 80-81 98-64 with a 2-1 victory vs. CHI, Sept. 3...with a 6-5 win on Aug. 11 at ARI, the Nationals won their season-high 8th straight game...in nightcap of July 21 twinbill vs. ATL, CLUB 1994 1995 1996 1997 John Lannan (2 ER in 7.0 innings) pitched the Nationals past the Braves, 5-2, to Florida Marlins 49-105* 59-90 75-79 88-63 restore a 2.5-game advantage in the NL East...Washington tops the Red Sox, 4-3, CLUB 1981 1982 1983 1984 on June 10 to finish off a series sweep at Fenway Park...3 days later, on June 13, Minnesota Twins 41-68* 60-102 70-92 81-81 the Nationals complete a perfect 6-0 roadtrip with a 6-2 win at TOR...Bryce Harper CLUB 1906 1907 1908 1909 hits his first big league homer on May 14 vs. SDP off Tim Stauffer...Wilson Ramos Boston Red Sox 49-105 59-90 75-79 88-63 suffers a season-ending knee injury, May 12 at CIN...in first inning, May 6 in DC, Bryce Harper is hit by a Cole Hamels offering and answers 2 batters later with a CLUB 1901 1902 1903 1904 straight swipe of home...Harper (1-for-3, double, RBI) made his MLB debut on April Chicago Cubs 53-86 68-69 82-56 93-60 28 at LAD...April 5, Ian Desmond’s 2-outs-in-the-9th RBI single plated pinch-runner *Season/record affected by work stoppage Brett Carroll with the decisive run in a 2-1 Opening Day win at Wrigley Field. * Teddy won his first Presidents Race in the season finale, Oct. 3 vs. PHI. SUMMER OF ‘12 A closer look at where the 98-64 Nationals rank among the best teams in the annals of DC DAVEY JOHNSON baseball (1901-71, 2005-pres.) and the franchise (1969-84 in Montreal, 2005-pres. in DC): Nationals manager Davey Johnson returns to MLB’s Postseason for the first time DC BASEBALL FRANCHISE since 1997...including upcoming ‘12 playoffs, joins Billy Martin (MIN, DET, NYY, YEAR/TEAM W L PCT YEAR/TEAM W L PCT OAK) as the only managers to take 4 different teams to the postseason...Johnson 1933 AL Nationals ........ 99 53 .651 1994 Expos .................. 74 40 .649 was named the Nationals’ fifth manager upon signing a 3-year managing/consulting 1925 AL Nationals ........ 96 55 .636 2012 Nationals ............. 98 64 .605 contract on June 26, 2011...in his 2nd season at the helm, Washington is 138-107 1930 AL Nationals ........ 94 60 .610 1979 Expos .................. 95 65 .594 (.563) since he stepped into the dugout on June 27, 2011 at LAA...Davey has 2012 Nationals.............. 98 64 .605 1993 Expos .................. 94 68 .580 authored 6 division titles (‘12 Nationals, ‘97 Orioles, ‘95 Reds, ‘94 Reds, ‘88 Mets, 1932 AL Nationals ........ 93 61 .604 1987 Expos .................. 91 71 .562 ‘86 Mets), one pennant (‘86 Mets) and one World Championship (‘86 Mets) during his stellar managerial career...his postseason resume includes 4 post-season KEEPING SCORE ON THE SEASON series wins (‘86 World Series, ‘86 NLCS, 1996 and ‘97 ALDS), 4 series losses (‘88 The Nationals posted MLB’s top run differential at +137...MLB’s top 5: Washington (+137), NLCS, ‘95 NLDS, 1996-97 ALCS) and a 20-22 (.476) overall October record...was NYY (+136), TBR (+120), STL (+117), TEX (+101)...Washington allowed the 3rd-fewest runs named AL Manager of the Year with the Orioles in 1997...among those to manage (594) in MLB and dented the plate 731 times this season (5th in NL/10th in MLB)...the last 1000 or more games, career winning percentage (1286-995, .564) ranks 2nd club to register MLB’s best run differential and win the World Series was the 2007 Red Sox.