luck on a whole new level

[TwanLX2000]

I'll say that I'm usually on the losing end of the pythagorean expectations, but I've never seen a team with a negative run differential win a division, rather off mine.

(P.S. I'm going to get DESTROYED next week for playing this far over my head)

[Fenixdown]

That tells nothing. What do his pitchers look like? That's where his winning likely came from, low overall team ERA. Were there any whales in your league's conference? He probably just got whalloped a few times, but played well against the rest of the opposition.

[TwanLX2000]

It's my team with those numbers. Runs allowed were 9th and runs scored were 12th in the league; my starters were slightly better than average. I attribute it mostly to a poor back end of the bullpen, where early defeats became blowouts. My defense was near the top of the league, and that's where I assume the close games played more heavily in my favor.

All said, explainable but not incredibly likely in a division with five winning records. I won my last five against two of the teams ahead of me to jump from fourth to first in the last week.

[Fenixdown]

But again....you're focusing on the wrong stats. Look at the team one game below you. Losing records on the road, in extras, and in 1-run games. Their bullpen was not very good. Sure, they could hit pretty decent, but that don't mean lick if you can't finish what you start. You had a winning record, even if barely, in every divided category. Your team was better than you think.

Run differential means about as much to your record as wins mean to a pitcher. Nothing. Run differential can be due to like...ten bad games, but you still played well in the other 152. That's not luck. Your team isn't bad at all. Take pride in that. And maybe gloat a little. =P

In contrast, my theme team division had a possible tanker in it, and for the most part I mopped the floor with him. But early on, he actually managed to beat me (my team was dang near at least a third of his win total, which was only sixteen). That made all the difference, and I lost the division by one game. My team honestly wasn't very good, pitching was below average but offense was above.

[Hwilensky]

That was a heartbreaking season, as my team finished dead last.

[chazzycat]

Originally Posted by Fenixdown

But again....you're focusing on the wrong stats. Look at the team one game below you. Losing records on the road, in extras, and in 1-run games. Their bullpen was not very good. Sure, they could hit pretty decent, but that don't mean lick if you can't finish what you start. You had a winning record, even if barely, in every divided category. Your team was better than you think.

Run differential means about as much to your record as wins mean to a pitcher. Nothing. Run differential can be due to like...ten bad games, but you still played well in the other 152. That's not luck. Your team isn't bad at all. Take pride in that. And maybe gloat a little. =P

In contrast, my theme team division had a possible tanker in it, and for the most part I mopped the floor with him. But early on, he actually managed to beat me (my team was dang near at least a third of his win total, which was only sixteen). That made all the difference, and I lost the division by one game. My team honestly wasn't very good, pitching was below average but offense was above.

this is so wrong on so many levels I don't even know where to start