Ranking every World Series winners in history

By Staff | Nov 3, 2015

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 05: Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley and his manager, Walter Alston, exchange hugs and grins after bringing Brooklyn its first World Series championship in history. Flock did it the hard way, winning the final game in Yankee Stadium. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) /

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PHOENIX, UNITED STATES: Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Luis Gonzalez (R) celebrates his game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 9th inning off of New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera (42) during Game 7 of the World Series in Phoenix, AZ, 04 November, 2001. The Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees 3-2, winning the series four games to three and become the 2001 world champions. AFP PHOTO/Timothy A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) /

89. 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks

92-70, AL West Champions, Won World Series 4-3 Over New York

No franchise has ever won a World Series faster than the Arizona Diamondbacks, who captured their first and only World Championship just four years after fielding a team for the first time.

Though the franchise itself was young, the roster was not. Every member of the regular starting lineup for the D-Backs was 31 years old or older with veterans Mark Grace, Jay Bell, Matt Williams, and Steve Finley all 35 or older. A pair of 33-year olds – Luis Gonzalez (.325/.429/.688, 57 HR, 142 RBI) and Reggie Sanders (33 HR, 90 RBI) – provided most of the power for the squad that ranked No. 3 in the National League in hits (1,494) and runs (818) and fourth in homers (208).

Led by a dominant one-two starting pitching punch of Hall of Fame left-hander and Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson (21-6, 2.49 ERA, 372 strikeouts in 249.2 innings in the third of four consecutive Cy Young seasons with the D-Backs), and Curt Schilling (22-6, 2.98 ERA, 293 strikeouts in 256.2 innings), Arizona finished the regular season 92-70 and won the NL West by two games over the San Francisco Giants.

The Diamondbacks beat St. Louis 3-2 in the NLDS, then blasted the Atlanta Braves 4-1 in the NLCS to set up a World Series date with the heavily favored, three-time defending champion New York Yankees, and won a dramatic seven-game Fall Classic with a 3-2, come-from-behind walk-off win in Game 7.

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