<P> Even in the rare circumstance that a game must be moved to the opposing venue, MLB policy now maintains the legal fiction that the designated home team does not change, regardless of venue, which ensures the designated home team does not lose rules advantages . This was not the case in 1899, when 35 of the Spiders' home games were changed to road games . </P> <P> Three other factors contribute to the unique nature of the Spiders' record: </P> <Ul> <Li> In 1899, owners were allowed to own more than one team, and in the case of the Spiders, the owners also owned the St. Louis Perfectos . Believing it more profitable to have a good team in St. Louis, the Spiders' best players from 1898 were given to the Perfectos in exchange for their least desirable players . MLB rules now prohibit a single owner owning more than one team, so this arrangement could not happen . </Li> <Li> Baseball teams in 1899 were much more dependent on gate receipts for revenue . Realizing that fans in Cleveland were not going to pay to watch a decimated roster, the Spiders / Perfectos ownership transferred all of the Spiders' home games against the Perfectos to St. Louis . As the season wore on and the crowds in Cleveland shrunk in comparison to the mounting losses, prospective visitors began demanding the Spiders transfer home games to their parks as well since their cut of the gate receipts wouldn't enable them to recoup the expenses of the journey . The situation eventually became so bad that the Spiders' cut of the gate receipts for road games was actually more lucrative than their gate receipts for home games, so the Spiders' owners were not inclined to object to such requests . The Spiders only played eight home games after July 1, giving them the opportunity for 101 road losses (against 11 wins). Today, MLB revenue streams are far more numerous, and (especially in the case of media rights) are often both contractually dependent on teams playing their entire schedule and unaffected by attendance . Also, travel expenses make up a much smaller portion of a team's budget and MLB rules state any team that refuses to travel to their opponent's stadium for a scheduled game would immediately forfeit the game . </Li> <Li> Also, the 1899 Spiders played their entire 154 - game schedule--an unusual occurrence in an era when cancellations were much more frequent, and cancelled games were often not made up . </Li> </Ul> <Li> In 1899, owners were allowed to own more than one team, and in the case of the Spiders, the owners also owned the St. Louis Perfectos . Believing it more profitable to have a good team in St. Louis, the Spiders' best players from 1898 were given to the Perfectos in exchange for their least desirable players . MLB rules now prohibit a single owner owning more than one team, so this arrangement could not happen . </Li>

Most wins by a relief pitcher in one season