1998 Yankees Diary, September 21: The Final Loss

Cleveland’s Enrique WilsonIn one particular way, the 2007-08 New England Patriots are the undisputed best team of the last two decades, no matter the sport, as they finished the regular season with a perfect 16-0 record and waltzed to the Super Bowl before losing to the New York Giants in a historic matchup. The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, represent the pinnacle of professional basketball teams, as they coasted to a 73-9 record — the equivalent of a 144-win season in baseball. They, too, fell in the end as LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers came back from 3-1 to win the NBA Finals.

Compared to other sports, baseball teams lose a lot. In any given season, the best teams will…