Open Thread: On magic numbers
ByAs of this writing, the Yankees’ magic number stands at 14. By itself, that magic number doesn’t really tell us too much though about the Yanks’ chances of making the playoffs. After all, they could have a magic number of 14 with 30 games left; they could have a magic number of 14 with, as they do now, 19 games left. In this day and age of exact baseball numbers, the magic number is a relic of another era.
Earlier this week, Walk Like a Sabermetrician proposed an adjustment to the magic number formula. Instead of a pure magic number, WLAS proposes a Magic Percentage. It is “the percentage of game outcomes that must go a team’s way in order for them to clinch. In this case, game outcomes include both the team in question’s games and the games of their opponents.”
He explains further:
Suppose that the race between the Alphas and the Bravos is shaping up like this, with ten games left for each team:
Alphas….91-61….599
Bravos….89-63….586The Alphas’ M# is 9. Again, that means that a combination of nine Alpha wins and Bravo losses will clinch the division. Since each team has ten games left, there are twenty total game outcomes outstanding, and 45% of them (9/20) must go the Alphas’ way. Therefore, their M% is 45%. Since I always feel compelled to write out a formula, here it is:
M% = (M#)/(2*g – W – L – oW – oL)
In other teams, the formula is Magic Number divided by the number of total games left for the first and second place teams. The Yankees have a Magic Percentage of 33. They need only 33 percent of the remaining games to go their way — that is, a Red Sox loss or a Yankee win.
There are some similar problems with Magic Percentage as Magic Number. It still pays to know how many games the team in question has left. But other than running Baseball Prospectus-style Monte Carlo simulations — the latest post-season odds report give the Yanks the East 99.4 percent of the time — this Magic Percentage is a step toward a better magic number.
Here’s your Saturday night open thread. There’s some college football on, some rain-delayed baseball games. You know the drill. Play nice.
“They need only 33 percent of the games to go their way — that is, a Red Sox loss or a Yankee win.”
Fixed.
/Grammar Geek’d
Yuck. I haven’t made that mistake in years.
Sorry. My sister is taking English I and I’m proofreading her papers for her. I also proofread for several of my friends. It comes naturally.
I do like the idea. Always felt magic numbers were flawed because they provide an incomplete picture of a team’s position.
Few things in life are more depressing than looking at http://www.journalismjobs.com
Yes, it will take me a while to get over this.
Looking for a programming job is equally depressing.
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/.....ll-travel/
Wow, Henn got fucked on that one.
I love that story. I’m sure he doesn’t view it as getting fucked though. He’s pitching — and getting paid to do so — in the majors. For that, he can leave dinner.
Not having a hotel room? Thats getting f’d in my book.
SI 3-0 Bot 2.
make that 5-0.
Is the game on TV?
not that i am aware of.
Tampa up 2-0 bot 3.
Yeiper Castillo is one of Boston’s ’sleeper’ prospects. AKA, a young NY/Penn league arm who puts up a sub-3 ERA. AKA, a guy every team has at least 3 or 4 of.
The problem with magic percentage is that it is too vague for the average fan. Simple numbers, whether or not the fan understands how it works, or percentages, such as playoff percentage, give the average fan something simple to talk about. This is not to discredit magic percentage but something to consider when thinking about its universal acceptance and use.
Eduardo Nunez playing for Scranton tonight.
Axisa must be PISSED.
He’s down there with Al Sharpton right now, with a bullhorn and a big sign that reads “NO PENA-NO PEACE!”
Not that anyone’s reading tonight, but should I go for it?
http://newyork.craigslist.org/.....93369.html
Are you capable of being an ass? Because Jim Rome definitely is.
I have female hormones. That counts.
Just googled it-
“Results 1 – 10 of about 20,700 for jim rome asshole”
Only 20K+? Seems a little light.
“Results 1 – 10 of about 22,400 for jim rome douchbag”
“Results 1 – 10 of about 41,400 for Jim Rome homosexual”
Diversify your searches, Steve.
just don’t become an espn/red sox homer and you’ll be fine.
I love NoMaas
http://www.nomaas.org/images/williams_cash.gif
“What is an issue, more than the hits record he isn’t going to break or the controversies over his inevitable move off of shortstop and his contract that aren’t going to materialize, is Jeter’s legacy. For such a revered winner, Jeter has presided over a lot of failure as captain, from the worst collapse in playoff history to a nearly decade-long run during which absurd payrolls that routinely neared or exceeded $200 million bought not one world championship.
All of this is less his fault than anyone’s, but there are probably college freshmen with no clear memories of the last time Jeter won a ring. It would be nice to think he doesn’t have anything left to prove. But is it really true?”
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....index.html
Tim Marchman is usually pretty good, but he loses his mind when it comes to discussing the Yankee payroll.
MOST FAILED TEAM EVAH!!!!
It’s one of many retarded Boston rallying cries.
I don’t get the equation. Shouldn’t it be M%=M#/(G1+G2), where G1 and G2 are the games remaining for the 1st and 2nd place teams?
What’s all that W and L business?
That’s what it is, he just did it a more roundabout way. The g in 2*g is games in the season. Your formula assumes you already know the number of games remaining. Ben’s assumes you know how many games are in the season, and what the team records are.
Yeah. Thanks.
I figured that out after a while.
whats wrong with the current magic number system?
i mean…any combo of yankee wins and red sox losses adding up to 14 between now and october 4th…means the yankees are AL champions. Thats pretty much all you need to know. It doesn’t need anymore explaining then that.
this is the last number in baseball that needs fixing folks…
AL east champions i mean
yea, but 14 doesn’t tell you too much unless you know how many games are left and such. Like Mike said, 14 with 30 games to go is different than 14 with 19 left to go. Percentage gives you a better idea as the first instance would have a lower percentage meaning less needs to happen.
sorry, Ben wrote the post. I don’t always notice who writes it, generally, you guys do a great job writing with fairly similar styles with each having a specialty in some area.
good night on the farm. SI and Tampa both win and SWB up 7-2 in the top 6.
Man, Tampa has completely crumbled down the stretch here. Maddon’s dyed hair is turning white again.
Edwin Jackson has a 5.32 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP in his last 7 starts. Game 2 in the ALDS should be a blast.
yea, it would be interesting for both sides to see which of their guys shows up.
Washburn should be an interesting case as well.
no dotf or games aren’t finished yet?
swb still is playing.