The Magic Number

bsj

Renegade Crazed Genius
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Dec 6, 2003
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4 more wins for Cora?
Prob going to be tough since we will likely be playing fewer starters and setting up the post season...but still would be nice for him
 

luckysox

Indiana Jones
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Apr 21, 2009
8,078
S.E. Pennsylvania
I think we'll still see a lot of regulars playing because they have so much time between the end of the regular season and their first ALDS game. Maybe we'll see guys get subbed for, etc., but they have to keep playing to keep their swings right and their arms in shape to go out in high pressure innings. I think we'll see at least 3 more wins, and quite possibly 4.
 

Mike F

Mayor of Fort Myers
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Apr 13, 2000
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Will there be a new thread or a continuation of this one.
New Magic # 11
 

simplyeric

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Feb 14, 2006
14,037
Richmond, VA
Thinking more about this...isn't it actually:



Twenty two? Magic number is wins by Sox or losses by opponent.
So 11 Sox wins would also mean opponent losses...the magic number is 22.
 

oumbi

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 15, 2006
4,167
Thinking more about this...isn't it actually:



Twenty two? Magic number is wins by Sox or losses by opponent.
So 11 Sox wins would also mean opponent losses...the magic number is 22.
Technically correct. But I think the thread has moved towards "magic number of victories needed to emerge as the best and winnest damned team in all of baseball for 2018!"

So with that mind... 십장생...
download.jpg
 

BlackJack

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Oct 11, 2007
3,456
Thinking more about this...isn't it actually:



Twenty two? Magic number is wins by Sox or losses by opponent.
So 11 Sox wins would also mean opponent losses...the magic number is 22.
Not in the playoffs.

1. It is impossible to get 11 loses in a single post season - 9 is the max for any team.
2. The only losses that matter for any given team are the ones that happen in the series that they are involved in. And since that corresponds 1 to 1 with wins, it is not meaningful to double count. In other words, for the Sox in the ALDS, the only losses that help the Sox are Yankee losses. Houston sweeping Cleveland does nothing to advance Boston towards the World Series.
 

Earthbound64

Member
SoSH Member
--->

2. The only losses that matter for any given team are the ones that happen in the series that they are involved in. And since that corresponds 1 to 1 with wins, it is not meaningful to double count. In other words, for the Sox in the ALDS, the only losses that help the Sox are Yankee losses. Houston sweeping Cleveland does nothing to advance Boston towards the World Series.
Basically, it doesn't matter how many games Los Angeles or Milwaukee win or lose, the "magic number" stays the same - the only thing that matters is Red Sox wins. Right now there would be a corresponding Houston loss, and (hypothetically, hopefully) in the World Series a corresponding Los Angeles or Milwaukee loss (and during the World Series, one could theoretically count 8->6->4->2->0), but for right now "10" is flat-out wrong, as discussed just a few posts up from yours.
 

keninten

New Member
Nov 24, 2005
588
Tennessee
--->



Basically, it doesn't matter how many games Los Angeles or Milwaukee win or lose, the "magic number" stays the same - the only thing that matters is Red Sox wins. Right now there would be a corresponding Houston loss, and (hypothetically, hopefully) in the World Series a corresponding Los Angeles or Milwaukee loss (and during the World Series, one could theoretically count 8->6->4->2->0), but for right now "10" is flat-out wrong, as discussed just a few posts up from yours.
and that makes it so?
 

Papelbon's Poutine

Homeland Security
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Dec 4, 2005
19,615
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and that makes it so?
Well, uh, yes? I’m not sure how this is difficult to be honest.

A magic number needs someone on the other end of you want to combine wins and losses. As the opponents change by round, you can’t really do that in the playoffs. The only number that matters is 11 wins. You can call it the Unicorn number if you want, but it’s not the same thing.