10 best and 10 worst MLB team starts in history

It was quite a start for the 1907 Cubs, who went on to win the World Series. They were 23-4 through May 18 and went 107-45 for the season, with a great season from player-manager Frank Chance and five starting pitchers with sub-2.00 ERAs.

The Cubs weren't the only team that got off to an incredible start in 1907. The New York Giants were 24-3 as of May 18, with a 17-game winning streak. Unfortunately, the team slowed down considerably the rest of the way, finishing 82-71, fourth place in the NL. The pitching staff was led by Christy Mathewson, who went 24-12 with a 2.00 ERA in 315 innings.

Coming out of World War II, the Red Sox had Ted Williams back on the field and were loaded in 1946. Williams won the MVP after hitting .342-38-123, leading the league in on-base percentage (.497) and slugging (.667). Boston was 23-4 as of May 14, including a 15-game winning streak, and finished the year 104-50. The Sox lost the World Series to the Cardinals in seven games.

The Dodgers were loaded in their waning days in Brooklyn and started the 1955 season 22-2 through May 10 with a lineup led by Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Carl Furillo and Jackie Robinson. The team finished the season at 95-58 but lost to the Yankees in a seven-game World Series.

1966 was a memorable year for the O's, winning their first World Series in Baltimore. The team got off to a hot start at 12-1 through May 1 after a 10-game winning streak. Frank Robinson finished the year hitting .316-49-122 en route to the MVP.

After finishing the 1981 season below .500, the Braves had a quick turnaround the following season. The team started the season on a 13-game winning streak and eventually claimed the NL West after going 89-73 under manager Joe Torre. The team was later swept by the Cardinals in the NLCS.

Perhaps the best Tigers team ever, the 1984 squad started the season 35-5 through May 24. They finished the regular season 104-58 and cruised to a World Series with a deep team that included stars Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammell, Chet Lemon and ace Jack Morris.

The 1986 Mets owned New York with the whirlwind of 21-year-old ace Dwight Gooden and star outfielder Darryl Strawberry. The team was 20-4 through May 10 after an 11-game winning streak in April. The Mets finished the year 108-54 and defeated the Red Sox in one of the greatest World Series in history that included an epic grounder under the glove of Boston first baseman Bill Buckner in Game 6.

Led by Japanese signing Ichiro Suzuki, the 2001 Mariners tied the MLB record for wins with 116. Unfortunately their season ended in disappointment, losing to the Yankees in the ALCS, but the team will always be remembered for its regular-season success and the incredible arrival of Ichiro, who won MVP and Rookie of the Year after hitting .350 with 56 stolen bases.

New manager Alex Cora made the job look easy when his team got off to a 17-2 start by April 20. The squad went on to win 108 games during the regular season and win the World Series, with an MVP year from right fielder Mookie Betts and an outstanding year from ace lefty Chris Sale.

The Tigers have had their share of bad teams, and the 1920 squad ranks among the worst. They started the season on a 13-game losing streak despite the presence of Ty Cobb and finished the year 61-93, with Hooks Dauss losing 21 games as the team's "ace."

Years of futility in Boston culminated with the 1932 squad. The team started the year in the cellar and couldn't break its way out of it with a 7-35 record through June 2. The Red Sox finished the season 43-111, though first baseman Dale Alexander did hit .372 for the club.

Since they became known as the Pirates in 1891, they haven't lost more games than they did in 1952. The Pirates were 42-112 after a 5-28 start to the season as of May 22. Pittsburgh would lose more than 100 games in the two following years but would soon see better days, winning the World Series in 1960.

The A's struggled in their final seasons before moving to Oakland. After losing 105 games in 1964, K.C. got off to another terrible start the following season at 5-21 through May 15. The poor start cost manager Mel McGaha his job, and the team finished the year 59-103, scoring only 585 runs.

It wasn't a fun start to the year for Cleveland in 1969, as the Indians were 2-15 in April and 4-21 through May 11. Despite a great season from ace Sam McDowell, who won 18 games and made his fourth All-Star appearance in five years, Cleveland finished the year 62-99.

Baltimore has the worst start in MLB history with a 21-game losing streak to begin the 1988 season. The team had good offensive seasons from Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray and Fred Lynn but didn't have much support behind them, going 55-106 for the season.

In just their third season in existence, the Marlins got off to a brutal start in a season that started in late April due to the MLB strike. The team was 5-20 through May 22 but improved the rest of the way, finishing 67-76. It wouldn't be long before the Marlins turned into a contender, winning the World Series just two years later.

The Lovable Losers were on full display in 1997, with the second-worst losing streak to start a season in MLB history. The team finished 68-94 in Ryne Sandberg's final year but did have the building blocks of a successful team with Sammy Sosa and Mark Grace, making the playoffs as a 90-win team the following year.

Arguably the worst team of the 21st century so far, the 2003 Tigers started the season 3-25 through May 3. The team would go on to lose 119 games, the most losses since the 1962 Mets. The Tigers finished the year with a negative-337 run differential, as five pitchers in their starting rotation finished the year with an ERA above 5.00, including 21-game loser Mike Maroth. The awful year did help the team's turnaround, as the Tigers selected future ace Justin Verlander with the second pick in the 2004 draft.

The Royals have done plenty of losing in their history, including four 100-plus loss seasons in five years from 2002-06. The 2006 squad went 62-100 after a 5-20 start, giving way for the hiring of GM Dayton Moore. One of the few bright spots of the 2006 season was the breakout campaign of third baseman Mark Teahen, who hit .290-18-69 in 109 games.