Posted: Sunday, April 5, 2009, 11:54 AM | 9 comments |
 

PECOTA doesn't love Phils, comment competition
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Happy opening night. It will be nice to see more competitive tension in the games, though spring training, with its races for roster spots and the fifth spot in the starting rotation, did not lack intensity. When people say that the games will finally start to matter tonight, I think: haven’t they mattered to Chan Ho Park, J.A. Happ, Miguel Cairo, Marcus Giles and many others already? Now, though, they will matter in the standings.

Which leads to Baseball Prospectus’s PECOTA projections, which have the Phillies narrowly missing the playoffs. For those unfamiliar with the system, see this profile I wrote about its mathmaster Nate Silver last year (you may remember him for projecting Obama’s win over McCain with frightening precision).
 
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Also, we begin the season-long competition for best blog response of the week. As Inquirer readers know, I’ll be running one piece of intelligent analysis with my Sunday Phillies column each week. So get yourselves in regular-season shape. Commentors who sign their first and last names to opinions will be given preference, but the system is not absolute. If FOOFOOFAAFAA87 offers something brilliant, well, he/she may find their comment in the paper. But wouldn’t you rather see your name in print?
Posted by Andy Martino @ 11:54 AM  Permalink | 9 comments
9
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:10 PM, 04/05/2009
    I expect the Phils to give us another good run; winning again, even making it to the postseason, would be terrific, but I realize a certain amount of luck is involved with that. And I'm glad there's enough competition in baseball that different teams win. Still and all, wouldn't that be something for them to repeat? Good luck, Phils, we'll be rootin' for ya!
    — gbrettfan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:36 PM, 04/05/2009
    PECOTA is FUBAR
    — mick314
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:33 PM, 04/05/2009
    Come on Andy, my dog and lonewolf would’ve beaten McCain.
    — EL Zorro
  • Comment removed.
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:45 PM, 04/05/2009
    El Zorro...that's hilarious...love it. By the way, is there any other sport that brings math dorks crawling out of the woodwork more than baseball? Don't think so.
    — JimG
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:59 PM, 04/05/2009
    Yes there is JimG, its called ring toss trig, second only to darts calculus. The uniforms must include pocket protectors.
    — mick314
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:13 PM, 04/06/2009
    I'm convinced that PECOTA is just Bill Pecota who is still bitter about being the last out of the 1993 NLCS.
    — Joe D from WD
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:56 PM, 06/12/2009
    I expect the Phils to give us another good run; winning again, even making it to the postseason, would be terrific, but I realize a certain amount of luck is involved with that. And I'm glad there's enough competition in baseball that different teams win. Still and all, wouldn't that be something for them to repeat? Good luck, Phils, we'll be rootin' for ya! --------- MarkJones --------- adelaide mortgage broker--adelaide mortgage broker
    — MarkJones


9 comments
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Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.

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