Pick the Divisions 2002


1. RULES: submit to redsoxmonthly@aol.com (don't post to the ng) the outcomes of the six division races, 1-6 (or 1-5, 1-4 as the case may be). At the end of the year, I'll tally the results and declare the winner based on overall accuracy.

2.METHOD: Like golf or STD tag, the lowest score wins. For each place your prediction misses, you're given one point, ie, you pick the Twins for third and they win the AL Central, you get two points.

3. JUDGING: I'd like a volunteer to assist me. As I receive the entries via email, I'll forward them to the other person who can attest to my accuracy (to avoid a Florida-like result). As I plan on entering, I'd like to avoid the appearance of unfairness should I win (and I'm willing to endure the shame of coming in last, for that matter).

4. PRIZE: The pride in showing off your superior intellect (an apparent bonus in this ng) and the privilage of having the contest named after you next year ("The Second Annual Don From Barre Pick the Divisions Contest?").




Results


Next spring, we'll be running the "Cheryl Wright Pick The Divisions Contest" (I'm sure you remember, the prize for winning is bragging rights, and having the contest named after you for a year...).

Cheryl Wright 22
Richard Smith 24
Kenny Poulin 27
Teddy Zartler 30
Ken Kie 30
JDSal45 30
BobNob 32
Steve Robbins 32
David Claborn 34
Freddy 34
Gnorkmeister 35
SOMLAW 37
Redsoxmonthly 40
Gary Marbry 41

A few comments...Cheryl was in the middle of the pack at the All Star Break, came back strong in the second half...here are the standings from July:

Richard Smith 26
JD Sal45 30
Gnork 31
Ken Kie 32
Cheryl Wright 32
AVERAGE SCORE 32
Steve Robbins 36
Kenny Poulin 37
Freddie 37
SOMLAW 38
Teddy Zartler 38
David Claborn 39
Gary Marbry 40
Bob-Nob 41
Bill F. 46

I'd also like to thank Gary Marbry from keeping me out of the cellar...

Beyond that, five people named a division exactly right: Cheryl, Teddy, and Ken all had the AL East right; Richard Smith, the NL West, and Gnork, the AL Central (probably the least likely division to have nailed).

As a general thing, none of us saw the Mets being that bad, or the Expos being that good. There was somewhat more optimism for the Twins...

The raw data is on Steve Robbins' website, for anyone who wants to peruse (or check my math...).

In a few days, I'll see if I can put together a quick review of the 'stick your neck out' contest, too...

bill f.




Summary - Average Voted Position

AL EastNew YorkBostonTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
Avg Pos1.361.643.074.364.57.
AL CentralChicagoMinnesotaClevelandDetroitKansas City.
Avg Pos1.712.002.434.294.57.
AL WestSeattleOaklandTexasAnaheim..
Avg Pos1.791.862.433.93..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkFloridaPhiladelphiaMontreal.
Avg Pos1.211.933.643.644.57.
NL CentralSt LouisHoustonChicagoCincinnatiMilwaukeePittsburgh
Avg Pos1.642.432.504.215.005.21
NL WestArizonaSan FranciscoSan DiegoLos AngelesColorado.
Avg Pos1.572.143.143.794.36.

Highest voted position: Atlanta with 11 firsts and 3 seconds.
Lowest voted position: Anaheim with 13 fourths and 1 third in a four team division.




Bill (Red Sox Monthly)

AL EastBostonNew YorkTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralMinnesotaClevelandDetroitChicagoKansas City.
AL WestOaklandTexasSeattleAnaheim..
NL EastNew YorkAtlantaFloridaMontrealPhiladelphia.
NL CentralCincinnatiHoustonChicagoMilwaukeeSt LouisPittsburgh
NL WestSan FranciscoArizonaLos AngelesSan DiegoColorado.


Bob-Nob

AL EastNew YorkBostonTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralChicagoMinnesotaClevelandDetroitKansas City.
AL WestOaklandTexasSeattleAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkPhiladelphiaFloridaMontreal.
NL CentralHoustonSt LouisChicagoCincinnatiMilwaukeePittsburgh
NL WestArizonaColoradoSan DiegoSan FranciscoLos Angeles.


David Claborn

AL EastBostonNew YorkTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralChicagoMinnesotaClevelandDetroitKansas City.
AL WestSeattleOaklandTexasAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkPhiladelphiaFloridaMontreal.
NL CentralChicagoSt LouisHoustonMilwaukeeCincinnatiPittsburgh
NL WestArizonaSan FranciscoLos AngelesSan DiegoColorado.


Freddy

AL EastBostonNew YorkTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralChicagoClevelandMinnesotaKansas CityDetroit.
AL WestSeattleTexasOaklandAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkMontrealPhiladelphiaFlorida.
NL CentralHoustonSt LouisChicagoPittsburghMilwaukeeCincinnati
NL WestArizonaSan FranciscoSan DiegoLos AngelesColorado.


Gnorkmeister

AL EastBostonNew YorkTorontoTampa BayBaltimore.
AL CentralMinnesotaChicagoClevelandKansas CityDetroit.
AL WestSeattleTexasOaklandAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkMontrealFloridaPhiladelphia.
NL CentralSt LouisHoustonChicagoMilwaukeeCincinnatiPittsburgh
NL WestArizonaSan DiegoLos AngelesSan FranciscoColorado.


JDSal45

AL EastNew YorkBostonTorontoTampa BayBaltimore.
AL CentralMinnesotaChicagoClevelandDetroitKansas City.
AL WestSeattleOaklandTexasAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkFloridaMontrealPhiladelphia.
NL CentralHoustonSt LouisPittsburghCincinnatiChicagoMilwaukee
NL WestSan DiegoSan FranciscoArizonaColoradoLos Angeles.


Ken Kie

AL EastNew YorkBostonTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralClevelandMinnesotaChicagoKansas CityDetroit.
AL WestTexasOaklandSeattleAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkPhiladelphiaFloridaMontreal.
NL CentralSt LouisChicagoPittsburghMilwaukeeHoustonCincinnati
NL WestArizonaLos AngelesSan FranciscoColoradoSan Diego.


Gary Marbry

AL EastBostonNew YorkTorontoTampa BayBaltimore.
AL CentralClevelandChicagoKansas CityMinnesotaDetroit.
AL WestTexasSeattleOaklandAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaFloridaNew YorkPhiladelphiaMontreal.
NL CentralChicagoSt LouisHoustonCincinnatiPittsburghMilwaukee
NL WestSan FranciscoArizonaSan DiegoLos AngelesColorado.


Kenny Poulin

AL EastNew YorkBostonTorontoTampa BayBaltimore.
AL CentralChicagoMinnesotaClevelandDetroitKansas City.
AL WestOaklandSeattleTexasAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkFloridaPhiladelphiaMontreal.
NL CentralSt LouisHoustonChicagoCincinnatiMilwaukeePittsburgh
NL WestArizonaSan FranciscoSan DiegoColoradoLos Angeles.


Steve Robbins

AL EastBostonNew YorkTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralClevelandChicagoMinnesotaDetroitKansas City.
AL WestOaklandSeattleTexasAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaNew YorkPhiladelphiaFloridaMontreal.
NL CentralSt LouisChicagoHoustonCincinnatiMilwaukeePittsburgh
NL WestArizonaSan DiegoSan FranciscoLos AngelesColorado.


Richard Smith

AL EastBostonNew YorkTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralMinnesotaChicagoClevelandDetroitKansas City.
AL WestSeattleOaklandAnaheimTexas..
NL EastNew YorkAtlantaFloridaPhiladelphiaMontreal.
NL CentralSt LouisChicagoHoustonCincinnatiPittsburghMilwaukee
NL WestArizonaSan FranciscoLos AngelesColoradoSan Diego.


SOMLAW [Formerly MrStugatz]

AL EastBostonNew YorkTampa BayTorontoBaltimore.
AL CentralChicagoMinnesotaClevelandDetroitKansas City.
AL WestSeattleTexasOaklandAnaheim..
NL EastNew YorkAtlantaPhiladelphiaFloridaMontreal.
NL CentralSt LouisChicagoHoustonCincinnatiPittsburghMilwaukee
NL WestSan FranciscoArizonaSan DiegoLos AngelesColorado.


Cheryl Wright

AL EastNew YorkBostonTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralChicagoMinnesotaClevelandKansas CityDetroit.
AL WestOaklandSeattleTexasAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaPhiladelphiaNew YorkFloridaMontreal.
NL CentralSt LouisHoustonChicagoCincinnatiMilwaukeePittsburgh
NL WestSan FranciscoArizonaColoradoLos AngelesSan Diego.


Teddy Zartler

AL EastNew YorkBostonTorontoBaltimoreTampa Bay.
AL CentralChicagoMinnesotaClevelandDetroitKansas City.
AL WestOaklandSeattleTexasAnaheim..
NL EastAtlantaPhiladelphiaNew YorkFloridaMontreal.
NL CentralSt LouisChicagoHoustonCincinnatiMilwaukeePittsburgh
NL WestSan DiegoSan FranciscoArizonaLos AngelesColorado.



For reference, I will put links to the predictions from major or Boston newspapers and sports sites. Send me any links you find and I will add them.

Baseball Prospectus AL Predictions (Bower, Davenport, Hildebrand, Huckabay, Jazayerli, Kahrl, Olkin, Pappas, Pease, Sheehan, Spira, Wolverton, Woolner, Zumsteg)
Baseball Prospectus NL Predictions (Bower, Davenport, Hildebrand, Huckabay, Jazayerli, Kahrl, Olkin, Pappas, Pease, Sheehan, Spira, Wolverton, Woolner, Zumsteg)
CBS Sportsline (Miller, McCarthy, Reich, Mack, Cockcroft)
CNNSI.com (Just division winners & wild card - Verducci, Cannella, Pearlman)
Diamond Mind
ESPN (Stark, Neyer, Caple, Schoenfield, Szefc, Karabell, Funston, Kurkjian, Rogers, Klapisch, Sickels, Latack, Schwarz, Jazayerli, Sheehan, Lipman)
ESPN (Gammons)
Providence Journal (McLaughlin)
USA Today (Antonen, Beaton, Bodley, Gardner, Johnson)