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Gap Analysis
2006-10-21 18:32
by Mike Carminati

The World Series starts tonight with the Detroit Tigers returning from a weeklong hiatus. Given that the Tigers and superior to the Cardinals at the plate and on the mound, some may say that the extended downtime might make them rusty and susceptible to a few quick losses in the World Series.

Personally, my prediction for the Series, to quote the estimable Mr. T, is "Pain." I think the Tigers will outclass the Cards so badly that they will cal the series after three games out of mercy. Then again, I picked the A's to win it all.

The only thing more distasteful in this series than having to survive McCarver's remembrances of the 1968 World Series is that I have to root for a wild card to beat the worst team in the Series since the 1973 Mets. I'm too young to remember that Mets team, but I remember the Kirby Puckett Twins team in 1987 (85-77), and I don't want to go through that again.

Anyway, as far as rustiness is concerned, I looked at all playoff teams that had at least a six-day break between series, and I don't think there's much of a concern. Here they are with the gap between each series and their playoff results:

YrTmGap1Gap2Gap3Max GapSeries WSeries LGm WGm LPCT
1910Philadelphia Athletics1100111041.800
1911Philadelphia Athletics80081042.667
2006Detroit Tigers23772071.875
1996New York Yankees247730114.733
1995Atlanta Braves237730113.786
1976New York Yankees720730114.733
1973Baltimore Orioles70070123.400
1946Boston Red Sox70070134.429
2005Chicago White Sox246630111.917
2002Anaheim Angels236630115.688
2001Arizona Diamondbacks226630116.647
1991Minnesota Twins26062084.667
1990Oakland Athletics36061144.500
1989Oakland Athletics26062081.889
1988Oakland Athletics36061154.556
1976Cincinnati Reds640620701.000
1976Kansas City Royals60060123.400
1976Philadelphia Phillies60060103.000
1975Boston Red Sox64061164.600
1975Cincinnati Reds64062073.700
1975Oakland Athletics60060103.000
1975Pittsburgh Pirates60060103.000
1973Cincinnati Reds60060123.400
1973Oakland Athletics62062075.583
1926New York Yankees60060134.429
1926St. Louis Cardinals60061043.571
1924New York Giants60060134.429
Overall361215285.641
WS Titles1556%

Note that these teams have a .641 winning percentage in the postseason, they won three quarters of the playoff series they played, and 56% won the World Series.

Comments
2006-10-21 20:25:22
1.   Bluebleeder87
Tigers loose today
2006-10-21 20:48:11
2.   Bob Timmermann
I am not too young to remember the 1973 Mets and I can say that at the time there wasn't a lot of talk about them being undeserving. It was more regarded as being "wacky" and "unusual".

I think that since it was a New York team, the media was a lot more forgiving.

2006-10-21 21:51:13
3.   Xeifrank
Yum Yum ... crow.
vr, Xei

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