Comments on: Why do we do predictions again?

By: DJ MC

DJ MC — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 02:34:56 +0000

There’s a part of me that wants to get angry over the “despite being the Orioles” comment. Then I just realize that it is exactly the same thing I think every day when I see the standings. So, I guess I’ll just go back to my episode of Don’t Trust The B In Apartment 23.

By: yankeesfanlen

yankeesfanlen — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 23:56:59 +0000

Something in between “You can’t predict baseball” and “Positively Swish-O-Lious”, powered by Jeep.
Keep your family safe and secure

By: Kevin Gillman

Kevin Gillman — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:12:29 +0000

I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for these damn kids, and their dog too.

By: number42is1

number42is1 — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:07:37 +0000

if woody had gone to the police this would never have happened

By: nolanwiffle

nolanwiffle — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:43:18 +0000

I haven’t seen or heard any such proclaimation.

By: Kevin Gillman

Kevin Gillman — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:38:04 +0000

Yup, I still say the Royals need pitching, but that bullpen has improved. Plus they are just 1/2 game back of 3rd place, and hopefully my Indians do their part tonight and beat them, and your Royals do their part, and win.

By: renorocker

renorocker — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:21:08 +0000

And if frogs had wings, they wouldn’t bump their behinds every time they jumped.

By: Jason @ IIATMS

Jason @ IIATMS — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:07:16 +0000

as do I. Just ask my wife.

By: buffalomafia

buffalomafia — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:48:01 +0000

He is right! Just because a team looks good on paper doesn’t mean they will make playoffs! You still have to produce.

Also the first month of baseball reporters think just because a team wins a few games they say that team is going to world series! Not true!

Baseball is played for 6 months before playoffs begin. Look what happened last season?

By: sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo

sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoo — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:43:31 +0000

I wonder what John Sterling would say about all this…

By: mattyflex

mattyflex — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:39:44 +0000

I see your point. Everyone would be on top of their division if they were winning games.

By: Kevin Gillman

Kevin Gillman — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:37:18 +0000

If the White Sox hadn’t won 9 in a row, the Indians would still be in first place.

By: schmedley69

schmedley69 — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:37:00 +0000

By the same token, it’s also stupid for people to make bold proclamations based on the first 2 months of the season. The media in DC think the Nats have already clinched the division.

By: vanmorrissey

vanmorrissey — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:26:20 +0000

As the saying goes, that’s why they play the games. Makes it more fun for all.

By: florida76

florida76 — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:19:39 +0000

Predictions, data, statistics, projections, are all by-products of technology which isn’t surprising at all. The
weakness with all this information is the fact sports is played by human beings, and the unpredictability is what makes sports special. At times, data and predictions are like a dog chasing its tail, with graphs and whatnot. Sports will never be a mathematical or predictive enterprise, that’s why they play the games.

Last season was yet another classic example. The analysis and statistics would have given the Cards a 0.1% chance of winning it all when they trailed badly in the regular season.

By: Jeremy Fox

Jeremy Fox — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 17:11:06 +0000

Ok fair enough. But everyone thought San Diego and Houston would be bad–and they are so far. And as you say, everyone thought the Rangers and Angels would be the class of the AL West–and they are, so far.

Let’s revisit this post at the end of the season and see if the baseball world still looks as topsy-turvy as it does right now. It’s one thing for the Angels to suck for a month or two, it’s another thing for them to suck for an entire season (not that that couldn’t happen).

Yep, every year lots of things that everyone thinks will happen, don’t. And lots of things that everyone thinks will happen, do. Which is good. If it was totally predictable, it would be boring. But if it was totally unpredictable, it’d be boring too. Would you watch people guess coin flips? Or play the card game War? Let’s not forget that, without some predictability, there wouldn’t be any great players or great teams (or bad players or bad teams). There’d still be winners and losers, just like there’s a winner and loser in War. But it’s hard to see why anyone would care who the winners and losers are.

By: Jeff J. Snider

Jeff J. Snider — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:54:55 +0000

I assume you meant “only legit offensive All-Star,” because I think it’s generally agreed that Clayton Kershaw is pretty good. (And you might should have thrown an “undisputed” in there, because a pretty decent case can be made for Andre Ethier being a legit All-Star. Not as clear-cut as Kemp and Kershaw, but still.)

By: vansloot

vansloot — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:51:29 +0000

Because nature abhors a vacuum.

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:47:58 +0000

We simplify things in our minds as we wait out the always-too-long offseasons. Then every year, as baseball begins and its season progresses, we realize just how fluid and ever-changing the game and rosters are, and hindsight is always 20/20.

By: mattyflex

mattyflex — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:43:50 +0000

If the Royals had went .500 over that 12-game skid, they’d be leading the division. Dang it.