The world of sports is often times unfair. Divisions, conferences and the very structure of the schedule can serve to allow mediocre teams to make it to the championship finals if they can manage to get hot for a few weeks. In no sport is this more true than in Major League Baseball, where after 162 games during the regular season, the teams who manage to make it to the World Series are generally the two with the most gas left in their collective tank.

Much to the chagrin of national networks, MLB betting and World Series betting sharps, we’ve had our fair share of terrible World Series participants - so in case you wanted to relive a few of those horrendous postseasons, here’s the top five worst World Series participants.

5. 2002 San Francisco Giants

Without Barry Bonds in the lineup smashing 73 home runs, this team would have been blown out in every game it played. Kirk Reuter was the No. 2 starter on this pitiful squad, yet somehow they made it to the dance. After losing in the World Series, they added to their pitching woes and foolishly got rid of Joe Nathan as well. Good job.

4. 1998 Padres

Jim Leyritz was the cleanup hitter for the San Diego Padres during their 1998 playoff run. Jim. Leyritz. Not surprisingly, Leyritz failed to drive in a single run during their four game massacre at the hands of the New York Yankees.

3. 2006 St. Louis Cardinals

One of the worst teams to ever make the postseason wound up defying World Series odds and taking home the hardware. Mediocre pitchers such as Jeff Suppan went berserk for a few weeks in October, and managed to defeat a Detroit Tigers team that seemed destined for a championship.

2. 1944 St. Louis Browns

If World War II weren’t taking place, the Browns wouldn’t have even won 60 games. However, since the majority of the good baseball players - specifically pitchers - were fighting overseas, scrubs such as Vern Stephens were able to belt out 109 RBI. Even with a free pass to the Fall Classic, the Browns weren’t even the best team in St. Louis, losing to the Cardinals in six games while committing a record ten errors during the series.

1. 1973 New York Mets

Those amazin’ Mets were only three games above .500, and yet managed to sneak into the playoffs, and the World Series, thanks in large part to a pitiful National League East. Somehow, Yogi Berra was able to instill confidence in this bunch, which a hodge-podge of dispersal draft hacks - and Tom Seaver. With the World Series odds stacked against them, the Mets predictably fell to the Cincinnati Reds in the final.