I didn't check by how about the Cardinals, didn't they win a WS a few years back with only 83 wins? What was there run differential?
I'm gonna' keep on digging, cuz I do believe there were a few other teams, who won their Div Pennants with minus run differentials.....
I too was thinking the Cardinals, and possibly Astro's; and will keep looking at Run Differential stats, as well as the Astro's, ah hell for all teams.....
014 Cards, as of Sept 2. 2014, the Cards had a minus -6 Game Run Differential, yet in the last 3 weeks, and by close of the season, held a 90-72 Record, with a finale of +16 Run Diff......
The 2006 Cardinals, with only 83 Wins, had a -6 Run Diff as of Sept. 2nd, 2014.......In the last 3 weeks of 014, those Cards, made up a -6 Run Diff on Sept. 2nd, 2014; to +19 at Season's end....AND WON the World Series vs Detroit.
I can't seem to find anything to refute this statement noted below: {yet I believe the answer(s) or- "Teams who went to a Series, with a minus run diff, may just be in the decade of the 80s.......}
The 2007 Diamondbacks were the last team to win a division title with a negative run differential, getting outscored by 20 runs over the course of the season. That Arizona team was 32-20 in one-run games, accounting for a big chunk of a 90-72 final record, and explaining how the Diamondbacks could finish ahead of a Rockies team that outscored its opponents, 860-758, for the campaign (including a one-game playoff for the wild card against the Padres). Colorado was 19-19 in one-run games that year.
More or less the pattern I am seeing in Teams over History, who had minus Run Differentials and still made it into the Playoffs, basically won most of the 1 run decision games, but when they got beat, they were beaten soundly often in double digit beatings.......
I'm gonna' still keep on looking at this Run Differentials of Teams in Playoffs, or Pennant Winners, more importantly at W.S. Winners, which I don't think the 87 Twins can be topped......