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In 2001, the blizzard of wins was really due to the fact that the M's 3-4-5 starters were so much better than the average team's.
It didn't help them in the postseason, but a really good 3-4-5 can be the basis for long winning streaks in the dog days of summer.
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Of course, the 2001 M's had the best offense in the league, too -- #1 in runs scored and #1 in runs prevented, IIRC.  But the 2001 M's played well very consistently.  It didn't have Pedro one day and a meatball the next day:  it had lockdown pitching every day.
A terrific BOR can cherrypick you a lot of wins over other teams' meatball starters.
Yesterday was a tantalizing one-day echo of 2001:  the Tigers fielded a questionable SP, Phil Coke ... the #5 starter Fister threw like an Opening Day starter ... a few batted balls landed between fielders ... and the M's victory was ridiculously easy.
M's might not be as far away as people think.  It shouldn't be that hard to get a 90 OPS+ going.
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