Kuzul

Take a look at the MLB standings today, and you’ll see a few surprises.

Baltimore, not expected to make much noise in the AL East, has a two-game lead in that division. The Cleveland Indians are three games up in the AL Central, and not surprising is the Texas Rangers’ five-game lead in the AL West.

Over in the National League, the Braves and Nationals are Nos. 1 and 2 in the East. The Cardinals, even after losing Albert Pujols, sit atop the Central, and the Dodgers have the biggest division lead (six games over the Giants).

The other surprise is last year’s division champs.

As previously mentioned, the Rangers continue their solid play, but take a look at the other five defending division champs.

The Yankees are 21-18, but are currently in fourth place in the AL East; Detroit has a losing record at 19-20, although the Tigers are in second in the AL Central; Arizona is 18-22 and third in the NL West; Philadelphia has a winning record at 21-19, but it is last in its division; and the Milwaukee Brewers, winners of the NL Central last season, are off to a horrible start. Milwaukee is 16-23 and in fifth place in the division.

Since 1994, when Major League Baseball went to three divisions in each league, 46 teams have repeated as division champs the following year—just under 50 percent of the time. Of the teams that won their division since ’94, 21 of them were under .500 the following season, and 35 dropped from first place to third place or lower the following season.

Here’s a look at the teams that, since 1994, won the division title, and then saw their winning percentage drop the most the following season.

Five franchises have not won a division title since 1994, and they are:

• Colorado Rockies (won the wild card three times)

• Kansas City Royals (came in second in 1995)
• Florida/Miami Marlins (won the NL Wild Card twice; won the World Series both of those years)
• Toronto Blue Jays (finished second in 2006)
• Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (finished second in 2002)

Since 1994, the New York Yankees have won 13 AL East titles; they have never dropped lower than second place the year after winning a division championship.

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The Milwaukee Brewers have 21 stolen bases this season, which is right at the National League average. Carlos Gomez leads the team with five steals.

Over the course of the Brewers’ 43-plus year history, the team has not really been known as base-stealers.

There were, however, pockets of time in their history when stolen bases were a major part of their offensive arsenal. They led the league in steals in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots and then did not lead the league in stolen bases until 1987. It was that period from 1987-92 where the Brewers led the league five out of six seasons in stolen bases.

Since their move to the National League in 1998, stolen bases have not been a significant focus for the team. They did lead the N.L. in steals in 2004 led by outfielder Scott Podsednik’s 70 swipes. That year and a third-place spot in steals in 2003 are the only times the Brewers have finished in the top three in the N.L. in steals since 1998.

Here’s a look at what an all-time Brewers stolen bases team might look like…by position.

First Base

Cecil Cooper (77 stolen bases). Cooper had only 12 stolen bases in his first six seasons with the Red Sox. As a Brewer, “Coop” stole 48 bases in his first four seasons with the team. His career-high was 17 steals in 1980. Reserve: George Scott (40 stolen bases).

Second Base

Jim Gantner (137 stolen bases). He will likely be supplanted by Rickie Weeks in the next couple of years in this category. Gantner averaged nearly 15 steals per season from 1985-90. His year-high was 20 in both 1988 and ’89. Reserve: Rickie Weeks (102 stolen bases).

Shortstop

Pat Listach (112 stolen bases). The 1992 A.L. Rookie of the Year stole 54 bases in his award-winning season. Reserve: Jose Valentin (78 stolen bases).

Third Base

Paul Molitor (412 stolen bases). The Brewers’ career leader in stolen bases. He finished his career with 504 steals. He has four of the top 10 best single-seasons for steals in team history. Reserve: Don Money (66 stolen bases).

Outfield

Robin Yount (271 stolen bases). Had 10 or more steals in 16 of his 20 seasons with the Brewers. The only Brewers player in history to have over 200 career home runs and over 200 career steals.

Tommy Harper (136 stolen bases). More than half of his steals as a Brewer came in 1969 when he led the league with 73 bases with the Seattle Pilots. His 73 steals is the Brewers single-season record.

Scott Podsednik (113 stolen bases). Spent only two seasons with the Brewers. Had 70 steals in 2004 that led the National League. He and Harper are the only two Brewers to have 70-plus steals in a season.

Outfield Reserves

Darryl Hamilton (109 stolen bases); Mike Felder (108 stolen bases); Ryan Braun (100 stolen bases).

Catcher

B.J. Surhoff (102 stolen bases). Had a career-high 21 steals in 1988 with the Brewers. Reserve: Charlie Moore (51 stolen bases)

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp.

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San Francisco pitcher Matt Cain pitched a one-hitter last night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving up a sixth-inning single to James McDonald.

Had Cain tossed a no-hitter against the Pirates, it would have ended the second-longest active timeframe since a team has been no-hit. The last time the Pirates were held hitless in a game was on Aug. 14, 1971, when they were no-hit by St. Louis’ Bob Gibson.

Following is the last time each MLB team was no-hit.

National League, last time team was no-hit (pitcher)

Chicago Cubs… 9-9-1965 (Sandy Koufax, LA Dodgers)

Pittsburgh… 8-14-1971 (Bob Gibson, St. Louis)

Philadelphia… 4-16-1978 (Bob Forsch, St. Louis)

St. Louis… 6-29-1990 (Fernando Valenzuela, LA Dodgers)

NY Mets… 9-8-1993 (Darryl Kile, Houston)

LA Dodgers… 4-8-1994 (Kent Mercker, Atlanta)

Colorado… 9-17-1996 (Hideo Nomo, LA Dodgers)

Washington (as Montreal Expos)… 7-18-1999 (David Cone, NY Yankees)

San Francisco… 4-27-2003 (Kevin Millwood, Philadelphia)

Arizona… 9-6-2006 (Anibal Sanchez, Florida)

Milwaukee… 6-12-2007 (Justin Verlander, Detroit)

Houston… 9-14-2008 (Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs)

San Diego… 7-10-2009 (Jonathan Sanchez, San Francisco)

Atlanta… 4-17-2010 (Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado)

Miami (as Florida Marlins)… 5-29-2010 (Roy Halladay, Philadelphia)

Cincinnati… 10-6-2010 (Roy Halladay, Philadelphia)

American League, last time team was no-hit (pitcher)

Oakland… 7-13-1991 (four different Baltimore pitchers)

Boston… 4-22-1993 (Chris Bosio, Seattle)

Seattle… 5-14-1996 (Dwight Gooden, NY Yankees)

Minnesota… 5-7-1998 (David Wells, NY Yankees)

LA Angels… 9-11-1999 (Eric Milton, Minnesota)

NY Yankees… 6-11-2003 (six different Houston pitchers)

Texas… 4-18-2007 (Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox)

Baltimore… 9-1-2007 (Clay Buchholz, Boston)

Kansas City… 5-19-2008 (Jon Lester, Boston)

Tampa Bay… 6-25-2010 (Edwin Jackson, Arizona)

Detroit… 7-26-2010 (Matt Garza, Tampa Bay)

Chicago White Sox… 5-3-2011 (Francisco Liriano, Minnesota)

Toronto… 5-7-2011 (Justin Verlander, Detroit)

Cleveland… 7-27-2011 (Ervin Santana, LA Angels)

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