In a methodical stairstep over two weeks the Cubs locked up the National League Central , home field throughout the NL playoffs and now, the best record in all of Major League Baseball .

The bottom line: The team with the best record in baseball usually doesn't win the World Series . Since the beginning of the wild card era only four of the 26 teams with the top record went on to win the World Series: The 1998 and 2009 Yankees , and the 2007 and 2013 Red Sox . That's 7 percent.

But don't despair, Cubs fans, the best teams each season have winning records overall in both the division series and the championship series. In the division series, 15 top-record teams won and advanced to the championship series, and then nine went on to play in the World Series.

How will Cubs do? Here's the data on teams with the best record in the playoffs By total number of wins, since 1995 (wild card era)

Key: = Championship teams

1995 Cleveland Indians 100-44 Won ALDS vs. BOS, 3-0 Won ALCS vs. SEA, 4-2 Lost World Series vs. ATL, 4-2 Champions: ATL 90-54 (MLB rank: 2)

1996 Cleveland Indians 99-62 Lost ALDS vs. BAL, 3-1 Champions: NYY 92-70 (MLB rank: 3)

1997 Atlanta Braves 101-61 Won NLDS vs. HOU, 3-0 Lost NLCS vs. FLA, 4-2 Champions: FLA 92-70 (MLB rank: 4)

1998 New York Yankees 114-48 Won ALDS vs. TEX, 3-0 Won ALCS vs. CLE, 4-2 Won World Series vs. SDP, 4-0

1999 Atlanta Braves 103-59 Won NLDS vs. HOU, 3-1 Won NLCS vs. NYM, 4-2 Lost World Series vs. NYY, 4-0 Champions: NYY 98-64 (MLB rank: 3)

2000 San Francisco Giants 97-65 Lost NLDS vs. NYM, 3-1 Champions: NYY 87-74 (MLB rank: 9)

2001 Seattle Mariners 116-46 Won ALDS vs. CLE, 3-2 Lost ALCS vs. NYY, 4-1 Champions: ARI 92-70 (MLB rank: 6)

2002 New York Yankees 103-58 Lost ALDS vs. LAA, 3-1 2002 Oakland Athletics 103-59 Lost ALDS vs. MIN, 3-2 Champions: LAA 99-63 (MLB rank: 4)

2003 New York Yankees 101-61 Won ALDS vs. MIN, 3-1 Won ALCS vs. BOS, 4-3 Lost World Series vs. FLA, 4-2 2003 Atlanta Braves 101-61 Lost NLDS vs. CHC, 3-2 Champions: FLA 91-71 (MLB rank: 7)

2004 St. Louis Cardinals 105-57 Won NLDS vs. LAD, 3-1 Won NLCS vs. HOU, 4-3 Lost World Series vs. BOS, 4-0 Champions: BOS 98-64 (MLB rank: 3)

2005 St. Louis Cardinals 100-62 Won NLDS vs. SDP, 3-0 Lost NLCS vs. HOU, 4-2 Champions: CHW 99-63 (MLB rank: 2)

2006 New York Mets 97-65 Won NLDS vs. LAD, 3-0 Lost NLCS vs. STL, 4-3 2006 New York Yankees 97-65 Lost ALDS vs. DET, 3-1 Champions: STL 83-78 (MLB rank: 13)

2007 Boston Red Sox 96-66 Won ALDS vs. LAA, 3-0 Won ALCS vs. CLE, 4-3 Won World Series vs. COL, 4-0 2007 Cleveland Indians 96-66 Won ALDS vs. NYY, 3-1 Lost ALCS vs. BOS, 4-3

2008 Los Angeles Angels 100-62 Lost ALDS vs. BOS, 3-1 Champions: PHI 92-70 (MLB rank: 5)

2009 New York Yankees 103-59 Won ALDS vs. MIN, 3-0 Won ALCS vs. LAA, 4-2 Won World Series vs. PHI, 4-2

2010 Philadelphia Phillies 97-65 Won NLDS vs. CIN, 3-0 Lost NLCS vs. SFG, 4-2 Champions: SFG 92-70 (MLB rank: 5)

2011 Philadelphia Phillies 102-60 Lost NLDS vs. STL, 3-2 Champions: STL 90-72 (MLB rank: 8)

2012 Washington Nationals 98-64 Lost NLDS vs. STL, 3-2 Champions: SFG 94-68 (MLB rank: T4)

2013 Boston Red Sox 97-65 Won ALDS vs. TBR, 3-1 Won ALCS vs. DET, 4-2 Won World Series vs. STL, 4-2 2013 St. Louis Cardinals 97-65 Won NLDS vs. PIT, 3-2 Won NLCS vs. LAD, 4-2 Lost World Series vs. BOS, 4-2

2014 Los Angeles Angels 98-64 Lost ALDS vs. KCR, 3-0 Champions: SFG 88-74 (MLB rank: 8)

2015 St. Louis Cardinals 100-62 Lost NLDS vs. CHC, 3-1 Champions: KCR 95-67 (MLB rank: 4)