Team: 1990
Seed: 3
Record: 91-71, finished 1st in 6-team National League West. Beat Pirates in 6-game NLCS. Swept 4-game World Series over the A’s.
Did this team matter?: At the risk of overemphasizing two personal details, I think the answer to this has to be Yes. Risk #1: this remains the only championship by the Reds in my sentient lifetime. Risk #2, I had not yet entered high school when this season concluded, meaning baseball was still occupying as large a place in my brain as it ever would.