The Chicago Cubs flashed their competitive zeal during the strike-truncated 1994 season. They traveled to Montreal — whose Expos boasted the National League’s best record — and won two of three games. They showed similar spunk against the NL’s other division leaders, taking a series in Los Angeles and splitting a four-game set in Cincinnati.
But it was a different story when the Cubs returned to Wrigley Field. The Expos, Dodgers, and Reds won eight of 12 games in Chicago. The collective score: Other Guys 52, Cubs 34.
The whole season was like that. The Cubs went absolutely cold in Wrigley Field in 1994, a trend they established by losing all nine home games in April. Manager Tom Trebelhorn waded into a crowd of 200 angry fans outside the stadium after the ninth defeat, inviting questions for half an hour. The mob heckled him at first, but was cheering by the end. “They root hard, but they root fair,” said a smiling Trebelhorn. “You gotta love it.”
But things didn’t get much better. The Cubs lost 39 of the 59 games in Chicago before the August 12 walkout. Their home winning percentage of .339 was .198 below their road figure of .537. No other team in the Modern Era has done so badly in its own ballpark while playing winning ball everywhere else.
Tuesday’s edition of this newsletter focused on the clubs that have enjoyed the greatest home-field advantages since 1961. Today’s entry is about the flip side, the teams like the 1994 Cubs that actually performed much better in ballparks other than their own.
The era’s 11 greatest road acts can be seen below, along with breakdowns of their records at home and away.
Three other teams finished at least .150 better on the road. Right behind the ’94 Cubs in this category’s standings are the 1998 Kansas City Royals, who finished five games above .500 away, but 22 games under at home. Then come the 1980 Boston Red Sox and the 1981 version of the Royals.
These rankings, by the way, cover every year but one since 1961. The exception is 2020, since that season was greatly shortened by Covid, and few stadiums admitted fans.
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1. Chicago Cubs (1994)
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Road advantage: .198
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Home record: 20-39 (.339)
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Road record: 29-25 (.537)
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Overall record: 49-64 (.434)
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Postseason: None
2. Kansas City Royals (1998)
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Road advantage: .168
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Home record: 29-51 (.363)
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Road record: 43-38 (.531)
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Overall record: 72-89 (.447)
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Postseason: None
3. Boston Red Sox (1980)
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Road advantage: .151
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Home record: 36-45 (.444)
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Road record: 47-32 (.595)
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Overall record: 83-77 (.519)
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Postseason: None
4. Kansas City Royals (1981)
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Road advantage: .150
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Home record: 19-28 (.404)
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Road record: 31-25 (.554)
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Overall record: 50-53 (.485)
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Postseason: Qualified for American League playoffs
5. Cincinnati Reds (2001)
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Road advantage: .148
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Home record: 27-54 (.333)
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Road record: 39-42 (.481)
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Overall record: 66-96 (.407)
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Postseason: None
6. Houston Astros (2018)
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Road advantage: .136
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Home record: 46-35 (.568)
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Road record: 57-24 (.704)
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Overall record: 103-59 (.636)
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Postseason: Qualified for American League playoffs
7. Cincinnati Reds (1972)
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Road advantage: .126
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Home record: 42-34 (.553)
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Road record: 53-25 (.679)
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Overall record: 95-59 (.617)
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Postseason: Won National League pennant
8. St. Louis Cardinals (2016)
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Road advantage: .124
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Home record: 38-43 (.469)
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Road record: 48-33 (.593)
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Overall record: 86-76 (.531)
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Postseason: None
9. Oakland Athletics (1971)
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Road advantage: .120
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Home record: 46-35 (.568)
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Road record: 55-25 (.688)
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Overall record: 101-60 (.627)
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Postseason: Qualified for American League playoffs
10. (tie) Los Angeles Dodgers (1970)
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Road advantage: .119
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Home record: 39-42 (.481)
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Road record: 48-32 (.600)
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Overall record: 87-74 (.540)
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Postseason: None
10. (tie) Milwaukee Brewers (1999)
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Road advantage: .119
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Home record: 32-48 (.400)
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Road record: 42-39 (.519)
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Overall record: 74-87 (.460)
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Postseason: None
