Dan Connolly

Crazy fact: Of six current division leaders, only Giants have won the World Series more recently than O’s

Orioles’ fans are starved for a World Series title.

We all know that.

And it is human nature to think your situation is worse than others. I mean, the Orioles haven’t been in – or won — a World Series since 1983. That’s 33 years.

CONTINUE READING BELOW

Heck, I was a freshman in high school the last time the Orioles captured the October Classic. And now I am the father of a senior in high school.

That’s 33 long years.

But here is where things get a little crazy.

Of the six current division leaders, only the San Francisco Giants have won the World Series more recently than the Orioles.

CONTINUE READING BELOW

Seriously.

The Giants have won it three times in the previous six seasons: 2010, 2012 and 2014. Being an even year, the Giants are on a collision course with destiny this season, right?

But if they don’t win at all, and one of the current division leaders does, well, there will be a city celebrating a championship for the first time in a long time – or ever.

The AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians last won the World Series in 1948. The AL West-leading Texas Rangers have never won one, despite being in two since 2010. The Rangers have been in existence since 1972 and their AL predecessor, the Washington Senators, existed from 1961 to 1971 with only one winning season.

The current team in the Nation’s Capital, the Washington Nationals, are leading the NL East. They haven’t been to the World Series since the new franchise was created in 2005. Their predecessor, the Montreal Expos, never made one in their history from 1969 to 2004.

CONTINUE READING BELOW

And we’re all aware the NL-central leading Chicago Cubs haven’t won it all since 1908.

If the Los Angeles Dodgers can overtake the Giants in the West, they’d have a chance of winning the World Series for the first time since 1988. The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t won it all since 1993, the Detroit Tigers since 1984. The Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners never have.

There are some other potential postseason contenders that have won the Series in the past 15 years – the Boston Red Sox (2004, 2007, 2013), the St. Louis Cardinals (2006, 2011), and, believe it or not, the Florida/Miami Marlins (2003).

But of the current division leaders?

It’s the Giants who have most recently won World Series rings.

And, after, that, incredibly, it’s the Orioles.

Pretty crazy, eh?

Scroll Down to LEAVE A COMMENT

Dan Connolly

Dan Connolly has spent more than two decades as a print journalist in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Baltimore native and Calvert Hall graduate first covered the Orioles as a beat writer for the York (Pennsylvania) Daily Record in 2001 before becoming The Baltimore Sun’s national baseball writer/Orioles reporter in 2005. He has won multiple state and national writing awards, including several from the Associated Press Sports Editors. In 2013 he was named Maryland Co-Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. And in 2015, he authored his first book, "100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die." He lives in York, with his wife, Karen, and three children, Alex, Annie, and Grace.

View Comments

  • Very crazy Mr. Connolly. As a guy that grew up during the glory days of the O's, I thought they'd be there every year. How wrong I was. Still, 33 years seems like yesterday.

    So how about they win one in honor of #33 Eddie Murray? Call it numeric justice.

Share
Published by
Dan Connolly

Recent Posts

  • Calling the Pen

Calling the Pen: The Orioles’ Milkman is delivering again

Colton Cowser is one of the Orioles' young core players they were counting on to…

May 26, 2026
  • Mailbag

Should Orioles use an opener ahead of Trevor Rogers? | MAILBAG

Question: Do you think Trevor Rogers would benefit from having an opener like Chris Bassitt…

May 26, 2026
  • Rich Dubroff

Cowser’s heroics for 2nd straight day lift Orioles to another stunning win, 9-7 over Rays in 13

BALTIMORE--What happened? In the early weeks of a disappointing 2026 season, Colton Cowser had been…

May 25, 2026
  • Rich Dubroff

Albernaz thinks Mayo can avoid injured list; Orioles-Rays lineups

BALTIMORE—Coby Mayo isn’t in the Orioles' lineup for the third straight game. Mayo was scratched…

May 25, 2026
  • Rich Dubroff

Rogers loses again as Tigers limit Orioles’ anemic offense to 3 hits in 4-1 loss

BALTIMORE--What happened? Trevor Rogers suffered his sixth straight defeat, and while his Sunday night start…

May 25, 2026
  • Peter Schmuck

Peter Schmuck: Orioles need to finally make their presence felt in the AL East

Obviously, the Orioles needed a series win over the beleaguered Detroit Tigers over the weekend,…

May 25, 2026