The Yankees’ collapse from the precipice of ultimate power in 2004 still haunts diehards and casuals alike, to this day. Up 3-0 on the rival Boston Red Sox, following a 19-8 Game 3 victory, with a chance to once again rebuke them forever, the Yanks somehow frittered away four straight, culminating in a home throttling on the Yankee Stadium turf.
But, in reality, the ’04 Yankees’ success was much more of a house of cards than it once seemed. The team outperformed their pythagorean record by 12 wins, nabbing 101 victories when they’d only earned 89 expected wins.