Were the 1996{2000 Yankees the Best Baseball Team Ever?

In the aftermath of the New York Yankees World Series victory over the New York Mets games to many fans sportswriters and baseball insiders focused attention on whether the Yankees achievement of four World Series championships in ve years was the most impressive team accomplishment in the history of the sport In particular how did it compare to the ve championships in six years including four consecutive championships of the Yankees or the six championships in seven years including ve consecutive championships of the Yankees A commonly expressed opinion was that of MSNBC sports columnist Bob Herzog who wrote The greatest team in Yankees history is playing right now The reason commonly given for this opinion is that with two postseason playo rounds before the World Series there is the added di culty of just getting to the World Series let alone and then winning it The simple act of repeating is more di cult than ever opined Fox Sports commentator Keith Olbermann and Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox agreed saying It s so hard to go all the way every year now It s amazing to me what the Yankees have done While it is certainly true that it is harder to win three series one best out of games two best out of games than to win one best out of games that is only half the story What Herzog Olbermann and Cox are ignoring is that it is apparently easier now to get into the postseason when eight teams are eligible than it was years ago when only two teams