Two years ago nine teams reached the 90-win plateau: the Tigers, Brewers, Rangers, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Rays, Yankees, Red Sox and Cardinals. Just three of those teams repeated as 90-game winners in 2012 and just four of them made the postseason. To put it mildly, winning 90 games multiple seasons in a row is really difficult.
Once again there were nine 90-win teams in 2012: the Yankees, Orioles, Rays, Athletics, Rangers, Nationals, Braves, Reds and Giants. Chances are some of these teams will regress in 2013. Sustained success requires shrewd moves and good health, an elusive combination for many organizations. Which of these 2012 contenders is most likely to struggle in 2013?
