Happens almost every year, though. The team that finishes super-strong falters in the playoffs. It’s like the excitement of grabbing the pennant or the wild card makes for complacency going forward. Would be great if the Tribe makes it to the Big Show, though!
You are correct. I believe it was 1998 when the Seattle Mariners won 114 games, which was unbelievable number of ball games in a 162-game schedule.
They went into the playoffs a slam dunk to win the World Series and were promptly eliminated in the first round.