Games Over .500 Qualm

[Braminano]

I don't know if this maybe just me, but I have a hard time with how "Games Over 500" is measured. For example, right now, the Brewers are 49-37, so it is stated that they are 12 games over .500.

 

However, the way it should be calculated is that since the Brewers have played 86 games, .500 would be defined as 43-43. Therefore, the Brewers are 6 games above the .500 mark.

 

I understand why it is referred to as being "12 games above 500", but it seems that this is incorrect based on how standings are measured. Yes, we've won 12 more games than we've lost, but shouldn't it be based on the number of games we've played?

[sbrylski]

Well, we'd have to lose 12 to become .500, therefore, 12 over .500.

[nullbyte]

Just a matter of perspective -- depends which .500 you mean http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

If you're talking about .500 through 86 games, it's 43-43 and we're 6 games better than that.

If you're talking about .500 through 86 + however many it'd take to get back to .500, we're 12 games over.

 

Not sure how the latter came to be the standard frame of reference -- probably just ease of calculation.

[pebadger]

Because when you're 48-37, nobody wants to say you're 5.5 games above .500?

[BrewCityUnit]

Braminano, do you know Mark Antoniak?

[pitchleague]

didn't we have this discussion a few months back? I seem to remember posting about this.

 

I looked, however, and didn't see it on any pages. It must have expired the 20 page ezboard limit.

 

Anyway, it is totally a matter of opinion. Two schools of thought. (1) the 12 games over argument because we need to lose 12 games to fall back to .500

 

or

 

(2) the 6 games over argument, which is basically the "if we had lost 6 games instead of winning them, we'd be at .500"

 

I subscribe to point #1 most of the time, but #2 is completely valid at times.

 

Also, the end of the season record is up for debate, too in this same vein. If the Brewers finish 86-76, some people will say "10 games over" while others will say "5 games over." At the end of the season, I pick the "5 games over" argument.

 

But that's me. I don't think there is a truly "correct" argument. It's pretty much each person's choice of which way they want to look at it.