Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in America. MLB operates two leagues, The National League and the American League. The National League is the oldest existing U.S. major league professional baseball organization. Its supremacy was challenged by several rival organizations over the years, of which only the American League has survived. Since 1903 the champions of the two leagues have engaged in an annual World Series competition.
National League Teams
The Atlanta Braves – http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com
The Braves were known during the first half of the 1990’s as “the Team of the 90’s”, in reference to the team’s great success in these years and are the only MLB franchise to have won the World Series in three different home cities.
Florida Marlins – http://florida.marlins.mlb.com
The Florida Marlins have been in existence since 1993 and in those ten seasons they’ve already won more championships than anyone not named the NY Yankees.
New York Mets – http://newyork.mets.mlb.com
The Mets have won two World Series Championships in their 46 year history, the first in 1969 and the second in 1986.
Philadelphia Phillies – http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com
They won their first league title in their 33rd season, their first World Series in their 98th season, becoming the last of the 16 pre-expansion Major League franchises to win the World Series.
Washington Nationals – http://washington.nationals.mlb.com
Since their not so triumphant debut in the 1969 season, with a 52-110 record, the Washington Nationals haven’t enjoyed much success. The team has yet to win a National League East crown in 35 seasons.
Chicago Cubs – http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com
The Cubs are affectionately referred to by the media and fans as “The Cubbies” and “The Lovable Losers”, the latter due to their almost century-long championship drought.
Cincinnati Reds – http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com
The team has reached the postseason 17 times, won nine NL pennants and five World Series wins.
Houston Astros – http://houston.astros.mlb.com
Of all the teams that have won the NL pennant, the Astros are the only one that has never faced the Yankees in the World Series and is one of three franchises to never lose 100 games in a season.
Milwaukee Brewers – http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com
The Brewers are the only MLB team to have played a season in four different divisions – AL West (1969-1971), AL East (1972-1993), AL Central (1994-1997), and NL Central (1998-present).
Pittsburgh Pirates – http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com
The first franchise to win a World Series on a home run (1960 World Series) in the decisive 7th game.
St. Louis Cardinals – http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com
The franchise has won 15 pennants and has nine World Series victories.
Arizona Diamondbacks – http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com
The D-Backs are the youngest team to ever win the World Series (2001 against the New York Yankees), having been a ball club for only four years.
Colorado Rockies – http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com
In 1995, the Rockies made the playoffs for their first and only time, and lost in the NLDS to the eventual world champion Atlanta Braves.
Los Angeles Dodgers – http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com
Since moving to LA in 1958, the Dodgers have won nine NL pennants and five World Series trophies.
San Diego Padres – http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com
The Padres were one of the teams that made a big splash with trades and free agent acquisitions and has only been to the postseason three times in 35 years.
San Francisco Giants – http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com
The SF Giants have won 17 pennants, 5 World Series and arguably the greatest baseball player ever Barry Bonds.
American League
Baltimore Orioles – http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com
Of the eight original AL teams, this franchise had once had the sparsest post-season record, and was the last of the eight to win the World Series in 1966 with its four-game sweep against the LA Dodgers.
Boston Red Sox – http://boston.redsox.mlb.com
The Boston Red Sox is one of the oldest and most storied franchises in MLB, notable for its 86-year championship drought popularly attributed to “The Curse of the Bambino.” The team broke The Curse in 2004 when it won the World Series, its sixth MLB title.
New York Yankees – http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com
The most successful franchise in all American sports since joining MLB in 1901, the Yanks have won 39 American League pennants, 25 World Series championships and they have A-Rod.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays – http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com
Finishing the regular season below .500 every year of its short existence, the franchise’s home attendance at Tropicana Field has ranked among the worst in the league.
Toronto Blue Jays – http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com
Based in Toronto, the team is noted for being the only MLB team outside the US to win the World Series.
Chicago White Sox – http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com
After winning only one league championship in the years spanning 1920 to 2004, the team ended decades of frustration in 2005 when it won its first World Series Championship since 1917.
Cleveland Indians – http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com
Currently in first place of the Central Division of the AL and the only team that gave the Yankees its worst defeat ever 22-0.
Detroit Tigers – http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com
The Tigers are the reigning AL champions, having defeated Oakland 4 games to 0 in the 2006 ALCS.
Kansas City Royals – http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com
A relatively young MLB franchise, they have won 6 AL titles in the last two decades.
Minnesota Twins – http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com
The club boasts two World Series championships (1987 and 1991) and has recently become a regular contender for the playoffs.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim / Anaheim Angels – http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com
The Angels won their first World Series in 2002 and is one of the three MLB teams that shows you don’t have to spend a huge amount of money to win the series.
Oakland Athletics – http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com
The Athletics are the current American League West Champions. Their success lies in scouting wisely and on spending money on the right players.
Seattle Mariners – http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com
Since coming into MLB in 1977, the team has yet to capture the World Series but has won three AL West championships and have made it into the postseason on four different occasions.
Texas Rangers – http://texas.rangers.mlb.com
The Rangers (when combined with their predecessor the Senators) are the oldest franchise that has yet to appear in a World Series. In fact, they have yet to win any playoff series. In their history the team has only one playoff victory, on the road at Yankee Stadium in the franchise’s first playoff game.