Now that the season is over, it is time to look at how my predictions have fared. I made predictions before the start of the season, and then updated them at the All-Star Break. Let’s take a look at those predictions:
| Preseason | All-Star Update | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National League | National League | |||||
| East | Central | West | East | Central | West | |
| Nationals | Reds | Giants | Nationals | Reds | Dodgers | |
| Braves | Brewers | Dodgers | Braves | Cardinals | D-backs | |
| Phillies | Cardinals | D-backs | Phillies | Pirates | Giants | |
| Mets | Pirates | Padres | Mets | Cubs | Rockies | |
| Marlins | Cubs | Rockies | Marlins | Brewers | Padres | |
| American League | American League | |||||
| East | Central | West | East | Central | West | |
| Blue Jays | Tigers | Angels | Red Sox | Tigers | Athletics | |
| Orioles | Royals | Athletics | Orioles | Royals | Rangers | |
| Rays | Indians | Rangers | Yankees | Indians | Angels | |
| Red Sox | Twins | Mariners | Rays | Twins | Mariners | |
| Yankees | White Sox | Astros | Blue Jays | White Sox | Astros | |
Now let’s look at how the season actually turned out:
| National League | American League | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | Central | West | East | Central | West | |
| Braves | Cardinals | Dodgers | Red Sox | Tigers | Athletics | |
| Nationals | Pirates | D-backs | Rays | Indians | Rangers | |
| Mets | Reds | Padres | Orioles | Royals | Angels | |
| Phillies | Brewers | Giants | Yankees | Twins | Mariners | |
| Marlins | Cubs | Rockies | Blue Jays | White Sox | Astros | |
I think I did pretty well in my preseason predictions. In the NL East, I had 1 and 2 flip-flopped and 3 and 4 flip-flopped. In the NL Central, I was right about 3 teams going to the playoffs, just not the right 3 teams. In the NL West, I just had the Giants in the wrong place, and the same goes with the Angels in the AL West. In the AL Central, I had the Royals and Indians swapped. The AL East was probably my worst preseason prediction.
So Carlos Gomez offended the Braves. Go ahead and watch the highlight video before continuing.
OK, first things first. I hate it when somebody stands and watches their home run. It is disrespectful and not very professional. However, shouting at him as he goes around the bases is not a good way to retaliate. The jawing back and forth looked ridiculous.
What I saw next was unbelievable. Braves catcher Brian McCann blocked Gomez from reaching home. Gomez and McCann proceeded to get into a heated argument that ended up clearing the benches. Gomez never did reach home, but they did count the run. Gomez, Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, and Atlanta backup catcher Gerald Laird were all ejected.
What I don’t understand is how McCann did not get ejected. Tempers were flying, but the benches did not clear until McCann obstructed Gomez. I’m all for a catcher blocking the plate, but not until he has the ball. This time, the ball wasn’t even in the park any more.
This is going to make the start of the 2014 season fun for these two teams, as they open with a 3 game series against each other in Milwaukee. McCann and pitcher Paul Maholm are free agents after the season and may not even be with the Braves for that meeting, but I’ll be expecting fireworks on March 31.
Keeping score of a baseball game is a great way to stay involved in the game. It makes you pay attention to details that sometimes go unnoticed. If you are scoring for a youth team that you are coaching, you can spot tendencies and see who has done what earlier in the game.
Basics
The score sheet may look intimidating at first.
They usually consist of 9 or more rows with the following items: a box where a player’s name, number, and position are recorded; 9 diamonds (1 for each inning); and a box for a batters totals. The box for a player’s information usually has enough room for 2 or 3 players, which allows for substitutions throughout the game.
The diamond is a square that is turned on to one corner.
The corners represent the bases and are used to record how far a batter goes. For every base that the batter reaches, a line is drawn on the diamond. For instance, if a batter hits a double, the line between home plate and first base as well as the line between first base and second base will be darkened.
In order to keep track of the defense, numbers are used to identify the different positions. This makes it easier to describe what happens on the field in such a small box. The positions are numbered as follows:
1 – Pitcher
2 – Catcher
3 – First Base
4 – Second Base
5 – Third Base
6 – Shortstop
7 – Left Field
8 – Center Field
9 – Right Field
10 – Short Field (softball)
Most score books will have have a visual reference to these numbers. If not, it may help you at first to write it down and have it handy. After scoring just a couple of games it will become second nature.
Lineup
Each row on the score card represents a position in the batting order. Most baseball games have 9 batters in the lineup. There are softball leagues and youth leagues that have more than 9 batters, so there are score books that accommodate that. The players should be entered in to the score book according to the batting order.
Hits
When a batter gets a hit, it needs to be recorded on the score card. The hit is usually recorded in the middle of the diamond with the following abbreviations: 1B for a single, 2B for a double, 3B for a triple, and HR for a home run.
To keep track of where the runners are, the lines of the diamond are darkened. So if a hitter gets a double, a 2B is written above and to the right of the diamond and the line between home and first and the line between first and second are darkened.
If the next hitter gets a single and the runner on second advances to third, the line between second and third is darkened, as well as the line between home and first for the hitter.
Runs
When a runner scores, all of the lines of the diamond are darkened. Additionally, to provide more clarity, the box is usually filled in to make it more obvious that the runner scored. This will make it easier to count them at the end of the inning.
Errors
Sometimes a batter will reach base or a runner will advance because of a fielder’s error. If the error is the reason that the batter reached base, it will be recorded where a base hit would normally be recorded. There will be a notice on the scoreboard or an announcement about the official scoring of a play. For instance, if the batter hits the ball to the second baseman, and the second baseman bobbles the ball allowing the hitter to reach safely, there will be an official indication that there was an error by the second baseman. On the scorecard, it would be recorded as E-4, which is error by position 4, the second baseman.
If a runner advances because of an error, then the error is marked between the bases that the runner would have been without the error and the base that the runner advanced to. So if a batter hits the ball to right field for a single, and then the right fielder mishandles the ball allowing the runner to advance to second, the single would be recorded with a 1B and there would be an E-9 by the base path between first and second.
Outs
Most outs will use the number of the fielder(s) making the out. For instance, if a batter hits a ground ball to the third baseman who then throws to first base for the out, it will be recorded as 5-3.
A fly ball that is caught by the center fielder can either be marked as 8 or F8.
Other common outs include pop-ups (P) and line outs (L). Fly balls, pop-ups, and line outs can use their letters and the position number or just the position number. The difference is the amount of detail that is recorded.
Strikeouts are marked with a K. Some scorers will differentiate whether or not the batter swings at strike 3 by using a backwards K if the batter did not swing.
If a runner is thrown out, the line between the bases is drawn half way, and a small perpendicular line ends it. Then the fielders responsible are marked next to that line. For instance, if there is a runner on first and the batter hits the ball to right field and the right fielder throws the runner out at third, the line from first to second on the runner’s diamond would be filled in. Then the line between second and third would be darkened half way with a perpendicular line ending it. Finally, 9-5 would be written next to that line, signifying that the right fielder (9) threw the runner out at third and that the third baseman (5) was the one who made the tag.
Had the shortstop made the tag for some reason, it would read 9-6.
The other important item to put on the score card regarding outs is which out it was. This can be done by writing it down below and to the right of the diamond and circling it. For instance, if the first batter of the inning grounds out to the second baseman, 4-3 would be written in the diamond and then a 1 with a circle around it would be written to the right and below the diamond.
RBI
When a batter causes a run to score, they are credited with a run batted in (RBI). This can happen by getting a hit that allows a run to score, hitting a home run, or getting a walk with the bases loaded. This is usually marked along the first base line.
Subs
When a player comes in to the game as a substitute, they are put in the score book according to the batting order slot that they will occupy. Their name should go on one of the lines below the player that they are replacing. Also, there should be a mark that signifies when the sub came in to the game. Some people put a line on the right side of the box representing the last inning before the sub came in. Others put the inning number that the sub came in next to their name. The important thing is that it is clear when the sub comes in.
Totals
There are two places where totals are added up, at the bottom and on the right. On the bottom, batting statistics for each inning are added up. Common statistics found here are runs, hits, errors, and how many runners are left on base.
On the right side, batting statistics for each hitter are added up at the end of the game. These stats usually include at bats, hits, runs, and runs batted in. There should be 2 or 3 lines for each spot in the batting order to allow for adding up the stats for the subs.
Summary
These are the basics of keeping score in a baseball game. There are more things to keep track of, like stolen bases, wild pitches, the number of pitches, balls and strikes, and more. But the basics should give you a good start. The most important thing is to be able to tell what happened by looking at the score book.
MLB has suspended Ryan Braun for the rest of the season, which amounts to 65 games. Hopefully, this will end of the circus surrounding Braun. From the time it was leaked until now it has been a complete farce. He may very well have taken PEDs (I know there are many who know that he has). And if so, he is being punished accordingly.
I have my reasons for saying “if.” First of all, he has only failed one test. That just happens to be the one time that the proper procedures were not followed and the chain of custody was not completed properly. That raised enough doubt for him to win his appeal. I know that he got off on a technicality, but there is a reason that the technicality exists.
Accepting the suspension now makes sense whether or not he actually did use PEDs. Obviously, if he did use, then he needs to be suspended. I still think that his suspension should be 50 games for a first offense. But 65 games is better than the 100 that MLB was looking for.
If he did not use PEDs, accepting the 65 games still makes sense. Let’s pretend that the way the courier handled the sample caused a false positive. I have no idea how these tests work and if it is even possible for that to happen. But, for the sake of argument, let’s say that it could happen and it did. Now we have a situation where a clean player looks dirty because of a false positive. And on top of that, these results were not supposed to be made public until after the appeal. At this point, it doesn’t matter if he did it or not. He has been tried and convicted in the media and public opinion. If Braun does not accept the suspension, he would have to go through the appeals process again, going through yet another off-season of speculation. If he did get cleared again, what would stop MLB from trying something else?
Either way, this is the best solution. If he did it, MLB is punishing him for it. If he did not do it, he is stopping the circus before it goes any further. As a Brewer fan, I am hoping that we will not have this hanging over spring training again.. He will spend the rest of his career facing fans who believe that he is a cheater, but as long as he does not fail another test, he should be allowed to play.
The 2013 season has already seen some surprises. Many teams have been hit with the injury bug, with some of them doing well in spite of it. There are some teams that are not producing the way they were expected to. There are teams that are overachieving.
With that being said, here are my updated predictions for the playoffs:
In the American League, I now have the Red Sox winning the East and having the best record in the AL, the Athletics winning the West with the second best record, and I still have the Detroit Tigers winning the Central. The Wild Card teams will be the Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles.
In the National League, the Washington Nationals will still win the East, but not with the best record in the National League, the Cincinnati Reds will come back and win the Central with the best record in the league, and the Los Angeles Dodgers will win the West. Both of the Wild Card teams will come out of the Central: the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals.
In the Wild Card Round, I have the Baltimore Orioles beating the Texas Rangers in the American League and the Pittsburgh Pirates getting the best of the St. Louis Cardinals in the opening playoff round.
Next up is the Divisional Series. In the American League, the Boston Red Sox will take the series against the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 2, and the Oakland Athletics will top the Detroit Tigers 3 games to 2. In the National League, the Pittsburgh Pirates will beat the Cincinnati Reds 3 games to 2 and the Washington Nationals will sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 games to 0.
Both of the League Championship Series will come down to game 7, with the road team coming out on top. The Washington Nationals will fall to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Oakland Athletics will out last the Boston Red Sox.
The World Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland Athletics will go down as one of the most exciting. Neither team will be up by more than one game the entire series, and game 7 will be a back and forth extra inning game.
It is almost time for the All-Star Game, which is a good time to review the predictions that I made at the beginning of the season. It is also a good time to make some mid-season adjustments. Let’s take a look at how I had the NL Central finishing:
1 Reds
2 Brewers
3 Cardinals
4 Pirates
5 Cubs
OK, it looks like I’m 0 for 5 on that one. There are some things that I did get right. I predicted that the NL Central would be one of the more competitive divisions this year. There is only one division where the top 3 teams are closer. Also, there is only one other National League team that has a better record than the third place team. I also predicted that both of the Wild Card teams would come out of the Central.
Now let’s take a look at my predictions for each team and see what happened.
1 Reds – The Reds are coming off of a 97 win season looking for a repeat. A key trade with the Indians sent Drew Stubbs away, with his high strikeouts, and brought to them Shin-Soo Choo. There is no reason to believe that they will slip much, if at all. They are all set for a deep run in the playoffs. The Reds are on pace for 91 wins this season. They are doing about what I was expecting them to do. I still think that they will be a major force in the playoffs.
2 Brewers – The Brewers are coming off of a disappointing season. They led the league in home runs, stolen bases, and blown saves. They overhauled the bullpen, and John Axford returned to form late in the season (converted 18 of his last 19 save opportunities). With their offense largely in tact, they could be looking at a serious run at the division title. Where do I start? The starting pitching has not gotten the job done, injuries have taken their toll, and there is the whole Ryan Braun situation. The bullpen has improved and they are getting great results from All-Stars Jean Segura and Carlos Gomez, but that will not be enough to salvage the team this year.
3 Cardinals – The Cardinals squeaked into the playoffs last season after an 88 win season. They were quiet in the offseason. They have a lot of depth to go along with the talent that is coming back this season. It is quite possible that both wild card teams will come out of the Central this season. The Cardinals just keep going. Just when I thought that they were getting weaker they come back stronger than ever. Although I don’t think that they will stay on a pace to win 100 games this season, I do think that they will be a major threat in the playoffs.
4 Pirates – The Pirates had another disappointing finish. After starting 63-47, they faded down the stretch and ended up with just 79 wins. They still have Andrew McCutchen to lead them. They also signed catcher Russell Martin, who is a vast improvement over Rod Barajas. The Pirates may be a contender, but there are three teams for them to overtake in this division. The Pirates are having another strong start. This may be the year that they finally break through with a winning season. If that happens, watch for them to make a big splash in the playoffs.
5 Cubs – The only thing keeping the Cubs from being the worst team in the National League last year was the Astros, and they moved to the American League this year. The Cubs will probably not be as bad this year, but they will probably not improve enough to finish anywhere but last. The Cubs are playing better than I thought they would. With the Brewers playing as bad as they have been playing, it may be possible for the Cubs to avoid a last place finish.
The top three teams all have a realistic shot at winning the division, and the Pirates are not that far behind (as long as they don’t have another late season swoon). The top three teams do have a realistic shot at winning the division. I was just wrong about who the top three teams would be. This has become 2 races, one for first place and one for last place.
Here is my updated prediction for the NL Central:
1 Reds
2 Cardinals
3 Pirates
4 Cubs
5 Brewers
I think that the Reds will maintain their pace and that the Cardinals will slip a little bit. I also think the Pirates will not finish as strong as they started, but they will not repeat the collapses of recent seasons. Both of the Wild Card teams will come out of the Central.
It is almost time for the All-Star Game, which is a good time to review the predictions that I made at the beginning of the season. It is also a good time to make some mid-season adjustments. Let’s take a look at how I had the NL West finishing:
1 Giants
2 Dodgers
3 Diamondbacks
4 Padres
5 Rockies
At first glance, it looks like I was way off on the NL West. But other than the Giants, the teams are playing about how I expected them to.
1 Giants – The Giants are looking to back up their World Series win with another deep playoff run. Buster Posey will be leading the Giants offensively. The pitching staff that he will be handling includes Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum, and Barry Zito. If they stay healthy, they will be the team to beat in the West. The Giants surprised me. A lot. Their road record is horrible. I do think they will recover, but I no longer think that they will win the division.
2 Dodgers – The Dodgers picked up Zack Greinke, who should help their rotation. With Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, and Adrian Gonzalez leading the charge, they should score some runs. An injury to Hanley Ramirez will keep him out for the first six weeks and leaves a big hole at third base. Any early slide will make it difficult to catch the Giants this season. The Dodgers have dealt with some injuries and kept themselves within striking distance. Yasiel Puig is adding some excitement to the team that should carry over to the second half.
3 Diamondbacks – The Diamondbacks will have a young rotation, all under 30 years old. Losing Justin Upton does not help matters. They finished 81-81 in 2012 and look like they will finish with about the same record in 2013. Even though the D-Backs are in first place, they are about where I thought they would be. I just thought the Giants and Dodgers would be better.
4 Padres – Other than Chase Headley (who will start the season on the DL), the Padres do not have any stars on their team. Rookie phenom catcher Yasmani Grandal will be missing 50 games due to a PED suspensioin. Their pitching rotation is underwhelming. The Padres are another team that is doing about what I expected them to.
5 Rockies – The worst pitching staff from 2012 does not look like it improved much for 2013. Troy Tulowitzki is the undisputed star of the Rockies, but there is not much more on this team. If the pitching comes around, they may battle the Padres for 4th place, but even that looks like a long shot. The Rockies are doing a little better than I expected and they are only 4.5 games out of first place. They are also only 4 games ahead of the last place team.
The NL West may not have a 90 game winner in 2013, but their division champ could make a deep playoff run. The Giants and the Dodgers are the front runners. I still don’t think that there will be a 90 game winner in the NL West. These teams are all bunched up right now and there is no clear front runner. The Dodgers are the most likely team to make a run for the division crown.
So here are my updated predictions:
1 Dodgers
2 Diamondbacks
3 Giants
4 Rockies
5 Padres
I think the Dodgers will win the division with 85-88 wins. The Diamondbacks and the Giants will both finish around .500 and the Rockies and Padres will battle for last place. I would not be surprised if there are less than 10 games separating first place from last place.
It is almost time for the All-Star Game, which is a good time to review the predictions that I made at the beginning of the season. It is also a good time to make some mid-season adjustments. Let’s take a look at how I had the AL Central finishing:
1 Tigers
2 Royals
3 Indians
4 Twins
5 White Sox
I’m pretty happy with these predictions.
1 Tigers – The Tigers have added Torii Hunter to a team that already includes Miguel Cabrera (AL MVP and triple crown winner), Prince Fielder, and Justin Verlander. They are the team to beat in the AL Central. They are still the team to beat in this division.
2 Royals – The Royals have a good young core with Billy Butler and Alex Gordon. James Shields and Wade Davis should be welcome additions to the rotation. The Royals have a chance to break through and make a serious run at the playoffs in 2013. The Royals are limping into the All-Star break, but I still think that they will make a late run to finish second.
3 Indians – The Indians made a big splash by signing Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. Their offense should be above average, but their pitching staff has too many question marks. This team just seems to be average this season. The Indians are just above .500, which is probably how they are going to finish.
4 Twins – The Twins have some potential, but like most teams, the pitching staff will be the key to how they finish. If Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau can stay healthy all season, the offense will be productive. This is a team that could over achieve and surprise some people; but even then, it looks like a fourth place finish is about the best they can hope for. The Twins are struggling in the first half but they are still in fourth place.
5 White Sox – The pitching staff for the White Sox does not appear to be very intimidating. There is power in the middle of the lineup but they are starting to show signs of age. They are going to miss A.J. Pierzynski, who leaves a hole in the lineup, behind the plate, and in the locker room. The White Sox are not not having a good season.
Besides the Tigers, the AL Central is made up of mediocre teams. None of them are horrible, but it looks like the wild card team will come out of the East and West this season. Well, the White Sox and Twins aren’t quite mediocre yet, but other than that, I stand by my earlier statements.
I’m going to stick with my prediction for the AL Central. The Tigers will run away with the division with the Royals and Indians battling for second place and the Twins and White Sox bringing up the rear.
It is almost time for the All-Star Game, which is a good time to review the predictions that I made at the beginning of the season. It is also a good time to make some mid-season adjustments. Let’s take a look at how I had the NL East finishing:
1 Nationals
2 Braves
3 Phillies
4 Mets
5 Marlins
I’m pretty happy with these predictions. Even though the Braves are ahead of the Nationals at the moment, I think the Nats will win the division in the end.
1 Nationals – The expectations are high in the nation’s capital. After winning 98 games last season, the Nats will have Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper for the full season. Their starting pitchers are among the best in baseball and they have a solid young lineup. They are built to be contenders for years to come. The Nationals struggled early, but it looks like they are back to form. I still think they will win the division.
2 Braves – The Braves lost Chipper Jones, but they picked up the Upton brothers. They are coming off of a playoff season and are looking to repeat. If there is a team outside of the NL Central that gets a wild card spot, it will be the Braves. The Braves are doing well even though only half of the Upton brothers is performing the way they were counting on. I don’t think they will keep up the pace they are on, but I do think they will give the Pirates a run for their money in the Wild Card race.
3 Phillies – The Phillies are starting to show their age. Roy Halladay has lost some velocity, which may lead to opponents hitting a few more home runs off of him. Offensively, they don’t look so bad, but that is not going to make up for their pitching and defense. The Phillies are hovering right around .500 right now and that is probably going to be how they finish.
4 Mets – The only reason that the Mets will not finish last is that the Marlins are in their division. David Wright is their bright spot this season. Johan Santana will start the season on the DL and Shaun Marcum may join him before opening day. This is going to be a long season for Mets fans. The Mets are actually doing better than I had expected. They may even challenge the Phillies for 3rd. Matt Harvey has been a nice surprise for them.
5 Marlins – Trading Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, and Emilio Bonifacio forced the Marlins into a rebuilding year. It is a shame to see so many empty seats, but what do you expect from a team that continually gets rid of their best players? No surprises here.
The NL East is not what it once was, but the top three teams will be competitive. The Nationals are arguably the best team in baseball, and the Braves and Phillies are going to win their share of games. The Nats are not the best team in baseball at this point, but the top 3 teams are competitive.
I’m going to stick with my original prediction for the NL East. The Nationals are going to finish strong and the Braves will fade a little bit. I still thing the Braves are going to miss the playoffs, but it will come down to the last couple of games.
It is almost time for the All-Star Game, which is a good time to review the predictions that I made at the beginning of the season. It is also a good time to make some mid-season adjustments. Let’s take a look at how I had the AL West finishing:
1 Angels
2 Athletics
2 Rangers
4 Mariners
5 Astros
The Angels are the only team in this division not living up to my expectations. Other than that, these predictions are looking good.
1 Angels – The Angels are the tops in the league. With Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo and Josh Hamilton providing the offense and C.J. Wilson and Jered Weaver at the top of their rotation, the sky is the limit for this club. The Angels have not been producing. There is no reason that the talent on this team should not have them on top.
2 Athletics – The A’s proved that a small budget team can make it through a full season and come out on top. They will probably not repeat as division champs, but their youth will serve them well. They should be competing for a wild card spot when September rolls around. The A’s have the second best record in the AL. They have been playing well and should make the playoffs.
2 Rangers – They lost Josh Hamilton (to the Angels), but the picked up A.J. Pierzynski. Pierzynski will not fully replace Hamilton’s bat, but he will provide offense, defense, and he tends to ruffle the feathers of opponents. The Rangers and the Athletics will battle all season, and they may pick up both of the wild card spots. The Rangers will be battling the A’s for the division title. The Rangers will settle for the Wild Card spot.
4 Mariners – The Mariners have Felix Hernandez, but the rest of their rotation is questionable. Their defense is also suspect. They will score some runs, but it won’t be enough to overcome the Rangers, Athletics, and Angels. The Mariners are looking like they will be locked into fourth place this season, well ahead of the Astros but well behind the big 3 in this division.
5 Astros – Two straight 100 loss seasons and a switch to a different league are not promising indicators for how this season is shaping up to be. Add to that the lowest payroll in baseball, and things look downright awful for the Astros. They may break 100 losses for a third straight year. But their uniforms sure do look nice this season. They are on a pace for 105 losses. But they sure do look good.
This looks like a very strong division. The Angels should win it pretty easily, with the Athletics and Rangers tying for second. The Mariners are not yet ready to crash the party and the Astros will struggle in their first year in the AL. Except for the Angels, these predictions look solid. The A’s and Rangers are separated by only a couple of games at this point. The Mariners are mired in 4th and the Astros are just providing fodder for the other teams.
My updated AL West predictions:
1 Athletics
1 Rangers
3 Angels
4 Mariners
5 Astros
The A’s and Rangers may very well tie for the division lead. The Angels will finish a solid third with the Mariners and Astros bringing up the rear.
DJ's Baseball Blog 