Baseball Week #13 Special: July 4 Checkpoint

Happy Fourth Of July to all...perhaps I should sing Happy Birthday to the USA. For baseball, the Fourth of July is also noteworthy because it's another traditional checkpoint as to where the teams are. We are actually (for most teams) at the actual halfway point in terms of games played. (Unfortunately, I don't have the 4th of July statstical data; i'll try for this later on this weekend).


Now I want to check on my predictions vs. actual records.



NL East



NY Mets. Predicted 96-66; actual 39-40; projected 80-82



Florida. Predicted 85-77; actual 41-40; projected 82-80



Philadelphia. Predicted 83-79; actual 40-37; projected 84-78



Atlanta. Predicted 79-83; actual 39-40; projected 80-82



Washington. Predicted 69-93; actual 22-55; projected 46-116



**Close on three teams, although predicted standings are off. Biggest bust: Mets



NL Central



St. Louis. Predicted 89-73; actual 44-38; projected 87-75



Chicago. Predicted 82-80; actual 39-38; projected 82-80



Houston. Predicted 81-81; actual 38-40; projected 79-83



Cincinnati. Predicted 75-87; actual 39-39; projected 81-81



Milwaukee. Predicted 70-92; actual 42-38; projected 85-77



Pittsburgh. Predicted 66-96; actual 37-43; projected 75-87



**Biggest surprises: Milwaukee and Cincinnati. Also note that in the beginning, I felt that St. Louis would win and Chicago would be mediocre at best.



NL West



LA Dodgers. Predicted 93-69; actual 51-29; projected 103-59



San Francisco. Predicted 86-76; actual 43-36; projected 88-74



Arizona. Predicted 84-78; actual 31-49; projected 63-99



Colorado. Predicted 76-86; actual 42-37; projected 86-76



San Diego. Predicted 68-94; actual 34-45; projected 70-92



**All teams but Arizona are projecting better than my predictions.



*** All teams but the Mets are projecting towards the playoffs, although technically, the Mets are still in it. Only one team projects exactly to predicted record (Cubs).



AL East



Boston. Predicted 97-65; actual 48-31; projected 98-64



NY Yankees. Predicted 95-67; actual 46-33; projected 94-68



Tampa Bay. Predicted 87-75; actual 44-37; projected 88-74



Toronto. Predicted 78-84; actual 42-39; projected 84-78



Baltimore. Predicted 74-88; actual 36-44; projected 73-89



** Most predicted records are close (except Toronto). Note that the predicted finishes are perfect so far in this division.



AL Central



Cleveland. Predicted 90-72; actual 32-49; projected 64-98



Minnesota. Predicted 85-77; actual 41-40; projected 82-80



Chicago. Predicted 83-79; actual 42-38; projected 85-77



Detroit. Predicted 79-83; actual 44-35; projected 90-72



Kansas City. Predicted 77-85; actual 33-46; projected 68-94



** Cleveland is clearly a bust and this year's Detroit. Detroit is doing what I predicted last year.



AL West



Anaheim. Predicted 88-74; actual 43-35; projected 88-74



Oakland. Predicted 83-79; actual 33-45; projected 68-94



Texas. Predicted 81-81; actual 43-35; projected 88-74



Seattle. Predicted 75-87; actual 41-38; projected 84-78



** A division full of surprises. Anaheim just the second team that is matching its predicted record.



***Like the NL, just one predicted playoff team not meeting expectations (Cleveland). Unlike the Mets, Cleveland's already looking to 2010.



Happy Fourth!!