Home is where the heartburn is …

Yesterday we took a look at the teams with a passing grade at home while failing on the road.  Today we’ll flip the analysis.

Here’s a look at the teams currently going against conventional results by doing much better on the road than in their friendly confines.

(records through 5/15):

Detroit (8-6 home, 16-7 road): How good have the Motown boys been on the road lately? The Tigers recently swept a series in Cleveland for the first time in 17 years.  Last year, the they went 32-49 on the road (7th worst in majors), and they haven’t finished above .500 on the road since 1993 (41-40 that year). If you are looking for some karma, the Tigers best all-time single season road record? The 1984 Champs (51-29 .638). Unfortunately, the Tigers haven’t finished above .500 at HOME since 2000 (their first season in Comerica Park).

Texas (9-12 home, 11-5 road): The AL West-leading Rangers have finished at or above .500 at home every season since 1998, and have done so in 16 of the last 20 seasons in total.  The road has NEVER been kind to them.  Since their move to Texas in 1972, they’ve finished over .500 on the road all of five times, and only twice since 1981. 

San Diego (10-12 home, 12-5 road): Ah … San Diego.  Who WOULDN’T play better in that "perfect weather all the time" environment.  Since 1976, they’ve played .521 ball at home and .436 on the road (they had losing records at home in each of their first 7 seasons). Since 1995, they’ve played .526 at home.  One would expect them to regain their edge in Petco soon.  The club record for road wins in a season? 46 by the 1996 squad.