The National Hockey League recently announced it would be realigning into two western conferences of 8 teams each and two eastern conferences of 7 teams each. Since then, Twitter has been abuzz with #NHLConferenceNames. Here are my contributions:
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Unusual scores in the NFL
This afternoon's games featured some uncommon NFL scores, or at least ones we hadn't seen for a while.
By comparison, the most common score in NFL history is 20-17, which has occurred 236 times.
Research performed with the PFR Boxscore Finder
UPDATE: Sunday Night's 62-7 game was the first since 15 Jan 00 (playoffs) and the 3rd overall
- 34- 7: Last seen 11 Sept 2011, 57th 34-7 game overall
- 41- 7: 11 Sept 11, 21st
- 33-20: 14 Nov 10, 9th
- 27-21: 8 Nov 10, 80th
- 18-15: 22 Nov 09, 6th
- 32-20: 8 Nov 09, 3rd
- 6- 3: 11 Oct 09, 34th
- 28- 0: 13 Sept 09, 40th
- 33-27: 16 Nov 08, 17th
- 23-16: 26 Oct 08, 28th
- 24-18: 9 Dec 07, 3rd
By comparison, the most common score in NFL history is 20-17, which has occurred 236 times.
Research performed with the PFR Boxscore Finder
UPDATE: Sunday Night's 62-7 game was the first since 15 Jan 00 (playoffs) and the 3rd overall
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
FBS Realignment
Instead of picking players from various teams to see how well they do each week, my fantasy football is a little different. I have played a simulated expanded college football season and am about to start again with a second season.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Top 5 sports pet peeves
ESPN Radio on Saturday 16th July (Dari and Mel) had the announcers' list of their top 5 pet peeves. Here are mine :
- Baseball announcers who don't know the definition of a foul tip. The MLB rulebook clearly states "A FOUL TIP is a batted ball that goes sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher’s hands and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught and any foul tip that is caught is a strike, and the ball is in play. It is not a catch if it is a rebound, unless the ball has first touched the catcher’s glove or hand." It is not a foul tip unless caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught. If it is not caught, it is just a foul ball. Runners may steal on a foul tip, since the ball is in play, but not a foul ball.
- Pitchers who can't go nine innings, and managers who won't let them, to paraphrase Dan Quisenberry. At one time, 10 CG was the requirement for the ERA title. No one has qualified for the ERA title since 1999 when Randy Johnson completed 12 of his starts. Oh, and they play more than 154 games now.
- In-game interviews. The players are primarily there to play, and the managers to manage. If you can't wait 3 hours to talk to a player or manager, maybe you need to find a new sport to follow. For the fans, the sport is not life, as much as they may hate to admit it. NCAA football does not allow players or coaches to give interviews during the game except a coach at halftime. Similarly, I want the chance to watch the game on the field, not talk about what happened already, or the new book that the player wrote.
- The two-point conversion. It may have its place in college and high school football, but not the NFL. Consider Super Bowl XXXVIII (Thirty-eight) : New England scored 4 TDs and 1 FG. Carolina scored 4 TDs and 1 FG. Tie game, right? Wrong! Carolina scored 2 extra points (2-2 0-2=2), New England scored 5 (3-3 1-1=5), and that's the difference in the game.
- NASCAR considering itself a sport. The way some people drive their car, it seems they spent more time watching NASCAR than paying attention in Driver's Ed. Seriously, can't we make it illegal for people too young to drive to watch this? And then there's the origins of the sport in the alcohol bootleggers, trying to outrun the G-Men, the T-Men, and the Revenuers... I'm not saying that there's no competition, or physical activity, but so much more of the outcome depends on other factors than physical performance of the driver.
Monday, June 13, 2011
My MLB realignment plan
Various sources are mentioning the possibility of realignment in the Major Leagues, including shipping Houston to the AL and having an odd number of teams in each league.
My plan: Keep the AL and NL as they were in the 1960s with 10 teams each, and put all of the 1969-97 expansion teams in the third league. During the 1981 strike, there was talk of a third major league; there was also talk before the first round of expansion in the 1960s. Playoff spots would go either to the top 3 spots in each league, with #9 playing #8 in a single game before the first round series began, or to the league champions with only one wild card.
This has the advantage of not needing or requiring interleague play in September when the pennant races are most intense. If there is no interleague play, teams would play their 9 opponents at home 9 times each and away 9 times each over 162 games. With interleague play, the schedule becomes more difficult with a 162-game schedule. The 162-game schedule was originally devised for a 10-team league; the leagues made it work for a 2x6 and 2x7 league, until the NL didn't like their 2x7 schedule.
Ignoring effects on scheduling, the 2010 regular season results and playoffs:
Playoff: CIN at ATL., may be played on the same day as the opening game of the postseason.
Postseason:
First-place finishers were seeded 1-2-3, second-place finishers 4-5-6, and third place finishers 7-8-9. The second-round series would feature at least one matchup with teams from the same league, making a World Series between two teams from the same league less likely.
The four-team playoff would require the wild card team to play against their league champion in the first series instead of the World Series, so 2010 would give MIN vs NYY and TB vs PHI.
The other problem posed is the differing rules relative to pitchers batting or DH. Most professional leagues in the worldthat does not allow some form of a DH; exceptions include the National League and Japan's Central League. The DH was used in the World Baseball Classic. NL purists could be satisfied with this compromise: Allow teams to use a DH, but require the pitchers to bat as well. This will put 10 players in the batting order. No double switches could be made with the DH, but a triple switch could be made if the DH takes a position in the field with another position player switching at the same time. Example:
In the next half inning, Irwin, Jones, and Abel are due up. Jones is replaced as pitcher by Miller. Since we don't want the relief pitcher to lead off, we want a double switch. Hooker is replaced at catcher by Edward, but the DH-C switch leaves a hole. The manager announces the new DH position will occupy the 10th place in the batting order, and as it turns out, Lopez bats in that place. Miller will bat in the 8th spot in the order.
typo edited 21-IX-2011:0346Z
My plan: Keep the AL and NL as they were in the 1960s with 10 teams each, and put all of the 1969-97 expansion teams in the third league. During the 1981 strike, there was talk of a third major league; there was also talk before the first round of expansion in the 1960s. Playoff spots would go either to the top 3 spots in each league, with #9 playing #8 in a single game before the first round series began, or to the league champions with only one wild card.
This has the advantage of not needing or requiring interleague play in September when the pennant races are most intense. If there is no interleague play, teams would play their 9 opponents at home 9 times each and away 9 times each over 162 games. With interleague play, the schedule becomes more difficult with a 162-game schedule. The 162-game schedule was originally devised for a 10-team league; the leagues made it work for a 2x6 and 2x7 league, until the NL didn't like their 2x7 schedule.
Ignoring effects on scheduling, the 2010 regular season results and playoffs:
| American | National | Expansion | |||
| NY | 95-67 | PHI | 97-65 | TB | 96-66 |
| MIN | 94-68 | SF | 92-70 | SD | 90-72 |
| TEX | 90-72 | CIN | 91-71 | TOR | 85-77 |
| BOS | 89-73 | ATL | 91-71 | COL | 83-79 |
| CHI | 88-74 | STL | 86-76 | FLA | 80-82 |
| DET | 81-81 | LA | 80-82 | MIL | 77-85 |
| OAK | 81-81 | NY | 79-83 | WAS | 69-93 |
| LAA | 80-82 | HOU | 76-86 | KC | 67-95 |
| CLE | 69-93 | CHI | 75-87 | AZ | 65-97 |
| BAL | 66-96 | PIT | 57-105 | SEA | 61-101 |
Playoff: CIN at ATL., may be played on the same day as the opening game of the postseason.
Postseason:
- #9 TOR (X) at #8 TEX (A), winner to play #1 PHI (N);
- #7 CIN/ATL (N) at #2 TB (X)
- #6 SD (X) at #3 NYY (A)
- #5 SF (N) at #4 MIN (A)
First-place finishers were seeded 1-2-3, second-place finishers 4-5-6, and third place finishers 7-8-9. The second-round series would feature at least one matchup with teams from the same league, making a World Series between two teams from the same league less likely.
The four-team playoff would require the wild card team to play against their league champion in the first series instead of the World Series, so 2010 would give MIN vs NYY and TB vs PHI.
The other problem posed is the differing rules relative to pitchers batting or DH. Most professional leagues in the world
- Abel,2b
- Baker,lf
- Charles,3b
- Daniel,1b
- Edward,dh
- Frank,rf
- George,ss
- Hooker,c
- Irwin,cf
- Jones,p
In the next half inning, Irwin, Jones, and Abel are due up. Jones is replaced as pitcher by Miller. Since we don't want the relief pitcher to lead off, we want a double switch. Hooker is replaced at catcher by Edward, but the DH-C switch leaves a hole. The manager announces the new DH position will occupy the 10th place in the batting order, and as it turns out, Lopez bats in that place. Miller will bat in the 8th spot in the order.
- Abel,2b
- Baker,lf
- Charles,3b
- Daniel,1b
- Edward,
dhc - Frank,rf
- George,ss
Hooker,cMiller,p- Irwin,cf
Jones,pLopez,dh
typo edited 21-IX-2011:0346Z
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Chicago's Northside Baseball Team
The Chicago Cubs play in the National League, and play at Wrigley Field. Wrigley Field opened in 1914 with the Federal League Chicago Whales, and the NL moved in when the FL folded after the 1915 season.
Officially, the Chicago National League Ball Club (Cubs has only been part of their official name for less than 10 years) was founded in 1876. But let's look at what happened between 1915 and 1916.
When the Federal League folded, former Whales owner Weeghman bought the NL Cubs.
The team played in Weeghman field, as had the Whales. The park was later named for the successive owner Wrigley.
The Manager was Joe Tinker, who had managed the Whales for two seasons. The Cubs acquired Tinker along with 11 players on February 10th.
Looking at the 8 regulars for 1916 described by Retrosheet, 4 were with Chicago NL in 1915, 2 were with Chicago (FL), one was acquired in a trade mid-season, and one made his major league debut in 1916. That edge would go to the 1916 team being the continuation of the Cubs.
On the entire pitching staff (11 pitchers), 4 pitched for the Whales in '15, 3 were with the Cubs (including George Pierce, who appeared in only 4 games in 1916), and 4 were elsewhere in the majors. This would tend to suggest that the 1916 team was the continuation of the Whales.
Looking at all position players with 100 plate appearances, we find 7 on the 1915 Cubs, 5 on the 1915 Whales (including Art Wilson, who began 1916 in Pittsburgh), and 4 who were either out of the majors or with another club in 1915. So this puts it at 9 Cubs and 8 Whales counting regulars and pitchers except for Pierce and Wilson, with 8 spending their 1915 elsewhere. I'd say this might be too close to call.
If you look at the 18 players who had less than 100 PA and who were not pitchers, however, we find only one player who was on the 1915 Cubs -- catcher Bob O'Farrell, who played 2 games in 1915 and 1 in 1916. There are 5 Whales, including Tinker, and 12 who were elsewhere in the majors or minors in 1915. Counting all players, this makes 11 Cubs and 14 Whales including the manager.
So, is the current team the continuation of the Whales or of the Cubs?
Looking at 1998, we find the Milwaukee Brewers changed leagues but kept their same ownership and players. They also kept the history of the 1970-1997 Brewers. In 1972, the Washington Senators of the AL East moved to Texas and the AL West as the Rangers. They retained legal rights to the name Washington Senators and the records of all the Senators; eventually they transferred the 1901-1960 history to the Minnesota Twins, who had previously been the Senators.
If the current Cubs are in fact heirs to the Whales, then they have never won the World Series. Granted, the pennant they won in 1915 did not lead to a berth in the World Series, but they still did not win the Series. They were only 20 games over .500 (86-66), and had 2 fewer decisions than the St Louis Terriers (87-67). The Boston Red Sox finished 51 games over .500 and the Philadelphia Phillies were 28 games over .500 that year.
Officially, the Chicago National League Ball Club (Cubs has only been part of their official name for less than 10 years) was founded in 1876. But let's look at what happened between 1915 and 1916.
When the Federal League folded, former Whales owner Weeghman bought the NL Cubs.
The team played in Weeghman field, as had the Whales. The park was later named for the successive owner Wrigley.
The Manager was Joe Tinker, who had managed the Whales for two seasons. The Cubs acquired Tinker along with 11 players on February 10th.
Looking at the 8 regulars for 1916 described by Retrosheet, 4 were with Chicago NL in 1915, 2 were with Chicago (FL), one was acquired in a trade mid-season, and one made his major league debut in 1916. That edge would go to the 1916 team being the continuation of the Cubs.
On the entire pitching staff (11 pitchers), 4 pitched for the Whales in '15, 3 were with the Cubs (including George Pierce, who appeared in only 4 games in 1916), and 4 were elsewhere in the majors. This would tend to suggest that the 1916 team was the continuation of the Whales.
Looking at all position players with 100 plate appearances, we find 7 on the 1915 Cubs, 5 on the 1915 Whales (including Art Wilson, who began 1916 in Pittsburgh), and 4 who were either out of the majors or with another club in 1915. So this puts it at 9 Cubs and 8 Whales counting regulars and pitchers except for Pierce and Wilson, with 8 spending their 1915 elsewhere. I'd say this might be too close to call.
If you look at the 18 players who had less than 100 PA and who were not pitchers, however, we find only one player who was on the 1915 Cubs -- catcher Bob O'Farrell, who played 2 games in 1915 and 1 in 1916. There are 5 Whales, including Tinker, and 12 who were elsewhere in the majors or minors in 1915. Counting all players, this makes 11 Cubs and 14 Whales including the manager.
So, is the current team the continuation of the Whales or of the Cubs?
Looking at 1998, we find the Milwaukee Brewers changed leagues but kept their same ownership and players. They also kept the history of the 1970-1997 Brewers. In 1972, the Washington Senators of the AL East moved to Texas and the AL West as the Rangers. They retained legal rights to the name Washington Senators and the records of all the Senators; eventually they transferred the 1901-1960 history to the Minnesota Twins, who had previously been the Senators.
If the current Cubs are in fact heirs to the Whales, then they have never won the World Series. Granted, the pennant they won in 1915 did not lead to a berth in the World Series, but they still did not win the Series. They were only 20 games over .500 (86-66), and had 2 fewer decisions than the St Louis Terriers (87-67). The Boston Red Sox finished 51 games over .500 and the Philadelphia Phillies were 28 games over .500 that year.
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