Let me try to answer this again in a different way. Using a metric called a Z score, where you take an occurance (runs scored) subtract if from the mean, (average for the year in which the occurance happened) and divide the result by the standard deviation (also from the year in which the occurance happened), this year's CUBS team is arguably the worst offense in the National League since 1961. This type of measurement will adjust for different numbers of game played (i.e. the strike years) and for changes in runs scored league wide over the years (different eras in terms of hitting) since each occurance is measured against the rest of the league in the year in which it occured, rather than over the span of 46 years. A Z score of zero is exactly average. Scores above zero are above average, and scores below zero are below average. -2.4 is just pathetic !! Year Team Runs Lg Avg Std Dev Z score
2006 CUBS 164 217.88 22.436 -2.4013
1969 San Diego 468 657.50 81.254 -2.3322
1961 Philadelphia 584 700.00 50.522 -2.2960
1970 Philadelphia 594 730.92 59.689 -2.2938
1983 New York 575 666.08 41.106 -2.2158
1993 Florida 581 727.86 66.876 -2.1960
1989 Los Angeles 554 639.42 40.903 -2.0883
1982 Cincinnati 545 662.25 56.276 -2.0835
2003 Los Angeles 574 746.56 83.377 -2.0697
1964 Houston 495 651.70 78.512 -1.9959
1990 Houston 573 681.08 54.358 -1.9884
1985 San Fancisco 556 658.25 52.650 -1.9421
1965 New York 495 655.80 84.345 -1.9064
1967 New York 498 621.80 65.103 -1.9016
1973 San Diego 548 671.83 65.247 -1.8979
1977 New York 587 713.00 66.462 -1.8958
1971 San Diego 486 633.42 79.318 -1.8585
1999 Florida 691 810.38 65.048 -1.8352
1974 San Diego 541 672.50 71.976 -1.8270
1992 Los Angeles 548 628.25 44.572 -1.8004
1988 Atlanta 555 626.83 39.960 -1.7976
1995 St. Louis 563 666.36 57.576 -1.7952
2002 Milwaukee 627 719.75 51.777 -1.7914
1963 Houston 464 618.10 87.087 -1.7695
2004 Arizona 615 751.13 78.567 -1.7326
1985 Pittsburgh 568 658.25 52.650 -1.7142
1981 New York 348 419.58 41.820 -1.7117
2001 New York 642 761.63 69.897 -1.7114
1979 Houston 583 682.17 59.069 -1.6788
1987 Los Angeles 635 730.92 57.603 -1.6651
1982 Houston 569 662.25 56.276 -1.6570
1996 Philadelphia 650 758.79 66.868 -1.6269
1991 Washington 579 662.92 52.677 -1.5930
1975 San Diego 552 667.83 73.105 -1.5845
1967 Los Angeles 519 621.80 65.103 -1.5790
1980 San Fancisco 573 654.33 51.647 -1.5748
Fred, busting out the Z scores. I like it. Excellent use of statistics.