We're off to a roaring start with Round 1's scores posted here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1czCR9F5RnaoYgYEy2Tej0AEr3_j-ggQ_9LCaX0BXMnc/edit#gid=0). Dan is ahead of Matt by 2 (8 - 6), with the rest of us falling somewhere between 5 and 2, except for Bob who gets the grand prize of guessing ZERO correctly. :) And remember, we have all those pre-season prediction points to tally at the end of the season. So for those of you who didn't jump in for Round 1, you're just 8 points behind - plenty of time to make that up.
Here are the questions for Round 2:
1) Hats off to Jason's phenomenal start. But the good news for the rest of us is there's no way his starting 5 (Bieber, Paxton, Minor, Morton, Soroka) are keeping up this pace. ALL FIVE in his current rotation are hugely overachieving, to a degree I don't believe I've ever seen in MSB. I mean, I've seen 2 or 3 starters on one team overachieve, but usually pitchers tend to underachieve across the board on their significant percentages (ave/obp/slg/era) by .030 or so. What Jason's 5 are doing through 26 games is mind blowing. Indeed, Tropicana Field can be considered a pitcher's park, especially against LHB, but it's not overly drastic compared so some other parks. But the ACLs do sport two lefties in the rotation. Anyway... I'm torn with what question to ask - I could go in so many directions... but since I don't want to do too much math, let's go with this...
QUESTION: Will ANY of the 5 starters be sporting an ERA over 3.00 after 39 games played? (Hint: Jason says don't choose Morton, as he's getting a couple weeks' rest.) 1 point for a simple yes. An extra 2 point if you name a starter who went over 3.00. Two points if you wish to simply answer "no".
2) Speaking of overachieving, after 26 games we've got 3 stud hitters still batting over .400. Ketel Marte of the Brewers (.421), Michael Conforto of the ACLs (.409), and Jeff McNeil of the Sweets (.406). Now, I don't mean to beat up on Jason (yes, I do - he deserves it right now!), but Conforto's real life BA was .257 (compared to above .329 and .318 for the other two, respectively)! Craziness.
QUESTION: Will ANY hitter still be over .400 after 39 games? 1 point for no, 2 points for yes, and a bonus point if you guess the player.
3) We've got some decent 3-game match-ups coming up right off the bat (April 30-May 2). Predict the winning team of each series(1 point), and if you want to guess a sweep in any of them, mark it by saying "sweep" next to the winnings team's name (3 points). If you're wrong about the sweep, you get ZERO even if you guessed the winner (of that match-up). EDIT: it has been brought to my attention the schedule is a bit wonky - not quite what I thought. If you've already answered, take a look at the home/away match-ups one more time (they've been reversed), and you may change your answer if you wish.
Miners @ Sweets, April 30 - May 2
Rum Runners @ Rougarou, May 3-5
Dogs @ Bums, May 4-6
Koi @ Blues, May 4-6
4) The Rainiers' Jarrod Dyson has yet to be caught stealing a base in 10 attempts. Dude has a sorry .239 OBP, but he's getting around! His real life numbers: 30 steals, 4 caught.
QUESTION: Will he be caught stealing this round? 1 point, yes or no. Bonus point if you guess the number of steals he has on the nose.
5) In all of MSB, there are only 5 starters with 5+ starts who have put up a quality start each time out:
Flaherty (Kraken)
Alcantara (Brewers)
Castillo (Rum Runners)
Chirinos (Kraken)
Minor (ACLs)
QUESTION: Will any of these 5 still be sporting that perfect QS record? If no, 2 points. If yes, 1 point, and name a starter for an extra two points. If you think 3 or more will still be perfect, just answer "3+" and you'll get 5 points. But if you're wrong, it's -2.
Good luck!
Edit: I thought I should list the names of the 5 ACLs starters.
Well, this is going to be an interesting one for me. I will say that my team has had a bit of good fortune 26 games into the season with a pitching staff that's been pretty amazing and some quality hitting going on too. I'll admit that I'm a bit surprised at how strong the pitching has been, but I'm not surprised that all of my starters are doing well and near the top of the leaderboards (even with 3 games at Coors already).
1. Yes for a starter above a 3.00, and I'll guess that it will be James Paxton (don't guess Charlie Morton, as he is getting sent down to the minors for some rest and relaxation, while Ryu will take his place in the rotation).
2. Yes, and I'll go with Marte
3. Rum Runners, Miners, Dogs, Blues
4. No, 14 steals
5. Yes, Flaherty
LOL, a Cy Young candidate as your 6th man!
1) I'll go with "yes" and say it'll be Minor.
2) Yes, Marte
3) Runners, Miners, Bums, Blues
4) Yes, 13
5) Yes, Castillo
1. Yes, Paxton
2. Yes, McNeil
3. Rougarou, Miners, Dogs, Koi
4. No - 11
5. Yes, Castillo
1) Yes, Paxton
2) Yes, McNeil
3) Rougarou, Sweets, Dogs (sweep), Koi
4) Yes, 12
5) Yes, Castillo
Actually, I would say that Ryu, Bieber and Morton are my 1A, 1B and 1C starters (I don't have an order to be honest between the three of them). Keeping Ryu down for the first 3 starts is really just trying to deal with playing time. I don't think that Ryu, Sortoka or Morton have enough innings to make it through the season without getting a few games off. Just glad that the 5 starts that Paxton made for Ryu seemed to work out well. :) I guess I can't complain too much about the pitching so far.
Robots predict:
1. Yes, James Paxton
2. NO
3. Rumrunners, Miners, Dogs, Blues
4. Yes, 13.
5. NO
1. Yes, Paxton.
2. Yes, Marte.
3. Rum Runners, Miners, Dogs, Blues
4. No, 14
5. 3+
1) Yes, Minor and Paxton
2) Yes, Marte
3) Sweets, Rum Runners, Dogs, and Blues (sweep)
4) Yes, 12.
5) Castillo, Flaherty
You're not allowed to complain about ANYTHING so far!
1. Yes. Paxton.
2) Yes. Marte.
3) Rum Runners @ Rougarou - Runners
Miners @ Sweets - Miners
Dogs @ Bums - Bums
Koi @ Blues - Blues
4) No. 13.
5) Yes. Flaherty.
Here's another bit of weirdness with the scheduling . . . Over the next two series', each team is playing a home and home against the same opponent. (Sucks to be Roxbury...)
Also. after looking, the Bums @ Dogs series and the Blues @ Koi series are both four game sets right after the break. Should there be a 'split' option to the voting?
Weird schedule. It's actually a 7-game set! 4 at one park, the next 3 at the other. For every. Single. Team. Except the Miners and Sweets play 3, then 4. So.... check the title post again, guys. Sorry for the confusion, and you may change your answers for #3 if you wish, since the parks have changed. Still a 3-game set (not 7).
So let's do this: Let's reverse the home fields and do the 3 game set from May
Need clarification. Rougarou and Rum Runners have two 3- game series. @ Rum Runners, @ Rougarou.
I see that corrected in the above statement. Nothing to see here!
1) Yes, Paxton
2) No
3)
Miners @ Sweets (4/30-5/2) - Sweets
Rum Runners @ Rougarou (5/3-5/5) - Rum Runners
Dogs @ Bums (5/4-5/6) - Bums
Koi @ Blues (5/4-5/6) - Blues (SWEEP)
4) No, 14
5) Yes, Alcantara and Minor
1. Yes, Minor
2. No
3. Miners, Rum Runners, Dogs, Blues
4. Yes, 13
5. Yes, Castillo
1. Yes, Paxton
2. Yes, Marte
3. Miners, Runners, Bums, Blues
4. Yes, 12
5. Yes, Minor
hey all, sorry but I'm not going to participate in GIG this year. Until things start to get back to normal I just do not have much free time. Unfortunately, ... well, ... probably fortunately, my job can be 100% done at home albeit much slower and I have to homeschool on top of that. I missed the preseason questions anyway.
My team wont suffer though ( at least any more than it was already destine too). Hopefully things get back to normal soon.
Doing this quick before David runs games. Can’t do worse than last week anyway and gives me a plausible excuse if it goes badly
1) no
2) no
3) Miners, Rum Runners, Dogs (sweep), Blues
4) no, 11
5) 3+
1) No
2) Yes, Marte
3) Miners, Rum Runners, Bums (sweep), Blues
How many points is the sweep prediction worth? Not sure if it got lost in the edits to fix the wonky scheduling, but I didn't see it. I'm assuming it worth at least an extra 2 points to make up for the risk of losing the point if its not a sweep.
4) No, 13
5) Yes, 3+
Shoot! 3 points to call a sweep. Sorry!
1 point for just calling the correct series winner?
Yessir
Answers for Round 2:
1) Bieber and Paxton are the only ACL starters (among the original 5) who now sport an ERA above 3.00.
2) Yes, Marte
3) Yes, 12
4) Miners, Rum Runners (sweep), Dogs, Koi
5) Flaherty or Minor