PEBA Playoff History

[Lions]

With West Virginia currently undefeated heading into the 2030 PEC, Mike mentioned on Slack that he didn't thing we've ever had a team go undefeated through the postseason. Thankfully, the PEBA history pages provide the playoff details for each season, and I can confirm that Mike is correct. The 2020 Yuma team is the only other team to sweep their way into the PEC, but they lost to Florida in 7 games.

There has yet to be a team to even lose just 1 game in the postseason, however we have had a team lose only twice. That was the 2007 New Jersey Hitmen. They swept San Antonio 3-0 in the division series, defeated Charleston 4-1 in the Alliance League Tournament (now called the League Championship Series), and then overcame Palm Springs 4-1 in the PEC.

The following year, 2008, New Orleans won it all... and they did kind of the opposite. They lost 7 games but still managed to win it all. They beat Arlington 3-2 in the division series, New Jersey 4-3 in the Alliance Tournament, and Crystal Lake 4-2 in the PEC. Losing 7 games isn't actually that uncommon. It's one fewer than the max was at that time, and I guess it shows that most playoff teams are fairly evenly matched. Other teams that lost 7 games en route to winning it all include 2017 Bakersfield, 2020 Florida, and 2025 Florida.

The one team that had more losses and still won was Duluth, in 2026. They lost 8 games. This was after the expanded playoffs with the wild card round came into being in 2021. Duluth, a division champ, could have lost a grand total of 9 games, but only took 6 games to knock off Aurora in the LCS.

Most championship teams lose 5 games en route to their title. A full 10 teams have done that, with Aurora counting for 5 of those.

In 23 seasons (through 2029), only 3 PEBA champions were not division winners. That group includes 2010 Charleston and 2012 Tempe, both of who did it prior to expansion. They were not weak teams. Charleston won 99 games and Tempe won 109, but both were behind the division winners those years. The only team post expansion to win it all, playing through all 4 rounds of the playoffs, is Shin Seiki in 2027. There were a 105 win team.

[Borealis]

In 23 seasons (through 2029), only 3 PEBA champions were not division winners. That group includes 2010 Charleston and 2012 Tempe, both of who did it prior to expansion. They were not weak teams. Charleston won 99 games and Tempe won 109, but both were behind the division winners those years. The only team post expansion to win it all, playing through all 4 rounds of the playoffs, is Shin Seiki in 2027. There were a 105 win team.

I had done this math and was somewhat amazed - what I also discovered, I think, was I don't think a league's lowest seed has ever won the title - technically that could be Aurora this year...

[Lions]

... what I also discovered, I think, was I don't think a league's lowest seed has ever won the title - technically that could be Aurora this year...

You're correct about lowest seed, but there have been teams with lower win totals to claim the title. You have 94 this year, which would be 5th fewest. London in 2018 had the fewest wins, with 88, but they won their division and no team had 100 wins that season.

[Sandgnats]

Fun Fact. 1B Brandon Johnson (AUR) will appear in the PEC after last appearing with Crystal Lake in 2024. What a climb back into the spotlight 6 years later!

[Lions]

Fun Fact. 1B Brandon Johnson (AUR) will appear in the PEC after last appearing with Crystal Lake in 2024. What a climb back into the spotlight 6 years later!

I saw him and was like... who the heck is he? Never heard of him!

[Borealis]

Fun Fact. 1B Brandon Johnson (AUR) will appear in the PEC after last appearing with Crystal Lake in 2024. What a climb back into the spotlight 6 years later!

I saw him and was like... who the heck is he? Never heard of him!

I'm still saying 'who the heck is he?'...

[Sandgnats]

My scout shows a steady improvement of his contact and power through his 30s... interesting...