Hanshin - Magic 49
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Re: Hanshin - Magic 49
[ Author: torakichi | Posted: Jul 10, 2003 9:21 AM
| HT Fan
]
- I agree with Watanabe-owner that a healthy and competitive Hanshin is important to the health of Pro Yakyu.
Good call, but I'm sure he meant, "...as long as the other teams are healthy and competitive as well." One common lament around Osaka these days is, "This is boring. Why don't the other teams make a contest out of it?" I suppose it's a sign of confidence, perhaps even hubris (and who, in the past few years, would have dared dream that Hanshin fans would be able to say something like that?!), but there is an element of truth to it.
Good call, but I'm sure he meant, "...as long as the other teams are healthy and competitive as well." One common lament around Osaka these days is, "This is boring. Why don't the other teams make a contest out of it?" I suppose it's a sign of confidence, perhaps even hubris (and who, in the past few years, would have dared dream that Hanshin fans would be able to say something like that?!), but there is an element of truth to it.
Re: Hanshin - Magic 49
[ Author: Sara B | Posted: Jul 10, 2003 9:05 PM
| HT Fan
]
I say (respectfully), seasons like this don't come along very often. Let us Torakichis enjoy, thump our collective chest a little, and try not to think about how it could all fall apart come 2004.
Re: Hanshin - Magic 49
[ Author: Guest: Jim Albright | Posted: Jul 10, 2003 11:38 PM
]
Well, if you're a Tiger fan and bored this season -- just remember, Yomiuri is quite unlikely to sit quietly and let the Tigers run away become a habit. There will be lots for the Tigers to do to stay on top, assuming they finish out the season in first. Of course, if they do, there is the matter of the Japan Series to take care of as well.
Jim Albright
Jim Albright
Re: Hanshin - Magic 49
[ Author: torakichi | Posted: Jul 13, 2003 8:47 AM
| HT Fan
]
Well, I wouldn't say anyone's actually bored as such (attendances would testify to that), but there's no denying people are getting a bit cocky.
In a way, I think it's just begging for a hard landing if the Hanshin Tigers crash and burn over the rest of the season and end and up lower down the table. So you try to tell youself, "Don't get over-excited yet. There's still half a season to go."
But scoring 14 against the Yomiuri Giants two nights in a row... man, that feels good!
In a way, I think it's just begging for a hard landing if the Hanshin Tigers crash and burn over the rest of the season and end and up lower down the table. So you try to tell youself, "Don't get over-excited yet. There's still half a season to go."
But scoring 14 against the Yomiuri Giants two nights in a row... man, that feels good!
Re: Hanshin - Magic 49
[ Author: Guest | Posted: Jul 11, 2003 6:59 AM
]
Actually with last night's win over Hiroshima, thanks to Kataoka & Arias who combined for 3 doubles, the magic number is now 48.
I see the Tigers' season as quite exciting because you never know what is going to happen next. After all, the Colonel could still "spoil" the festivities. What I really mean is that the final stretch is when teams "deflate." It's not only a matter of staying healthy (paramount to the Tigers' champoinship aspirations), but the psychological factor is very important as well: How are the players and coaches going to handle the pressure during the final weeks towards the last 48 wins? It's like the Red Sox in MLB, they can play good baseball during the season, but they always miss that "extra" needed to become a champion.
I think that it's going to be more difficult to stay focused for the Tigers than it has been for the Giants in years past. Definitely worth watching until the end, and never boring. How can the fans get bored of winning? Ask the Yokohama fans (no offense, just an example) what's more boring, winning or losing?
I see the Tigers' season as quite exciting because you never know what is going to happen next. After all, the Colonel could still "spoil" the festivities. What I really mean is that the final stretch is when teams "deflate." It's not only a matter of staying healthy (paramount to the Tigers' champoinship aspirations), but the psychological factor is very important as well: How are the players and coaches going to handle the pressure during the final weeks towards the last 48 wins? It's like the Red Sox in MLB, they can play good baseball during the season, but they always miss that "extra" needed to become a champion.
I think that it's going to be more difficult to stay focused for the Tigers than it has been for the Giants in years past. Definitely worth watching until the end, and never boring. How can the fans get bored of winning? Ask the Yokohama fans (no offense, just an example) what's more boring, winning or losing?
Hanshin - Magic Count Down
[ Author: mijow | Posted: Jul 14, 2003 9:46 AM
| HT Fan
]
Now it's down to 46 after the two thrashings they gave the Giants.
I was glancing at one of the sports shimbun yesterday, and it mentioned how the Tigers have never beaten the Giants by 10 runs or greater more than once in a season. That is, until this year. And they've done it three times so far:
I was glancing at one of the sports shimbun yesterday, and it mentioned how the Tigers have never beaten the Giants by 10 runs or greater more than once in a season. That is, until this year. And they've done it three times so far:
Year Date Score
1946 ( 7/25) 15-2
1953 ( 6/13) 14-2
1954 (10/25) 11-0
1960 ( 5/29) 12-1
1973 ( 7/12) 12-2
1974 ( 5/21) 17-7
1976 ( 4/15) 15-4
1982 ( 4/29) 13-0
1997 ( 8/ 2) 13-3
2001 ( 5/26) 10-0
2003 ( 6/21) 16-5
2003 ( 7/11) 14-1
2003 ( 7/12) 14-3
10 Point Spread Great for Consumers
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Jul 14, 2003 1:17 PM
| YBS Fan
]
On top of that, there was recently an article in Nikkan Sports that said that a Kobe hotel was giving a 10 percent discount for every run the Tigers win by on the night stayed. 10 percent * 10 runs = 100% discount! And they did this two nights in a row.
I wasn't exactly sure if that meant that the 42 people staying got to stay free or not. But the article did say that it totalled over 50-man (500,000) yen in discounts per day.
I wonder how that bank is doing that's paying interest based on a formula with Hanshin's winning percentage.
I wasn't exactly sure if that meant that the 42 people staying got to stay free or not. But the article did say that it totalled over 50-man (500,000) yen in discounts per day.
I wonder how that bank is doing that's paying interest based on a formula with Hanshin's winning percentage.
Maeda is overused?
[ Author: Guest: nil | Posted: Jul 14, 2003 2:49 PM
]
I'm so surprised that Hara-kantoku used him as a reliever in the last game with Hanshin in a meaningless inning. What was he was thinking?
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While the number itself is calculated the same as in the Majors, i.e. it's the minimal wins necessary to guarantee a championship, the magic number "lights up" and "goes out" in Japan via a simple mathematical formula. That formula is, given that any other team wins all of their remaining games, and the magic number team were to win all of its games save those against an individual team, the magic number "lights up" when the team to which the magic number applies can still win with all losses against said team.
Argh, that's confusing. Let's look at a live example.
Hanshin defeated Hiroshima on Tuesday night (July 8). Hanshin and Hiroshima face each other 16 more times this season. So, if Hiroshima were to win every one of their remaining 70 games this season, that would give them a final record of 102 and 38 for a .729 winning percentage. Now, if Hanshin won all of their remaining games except the 16 against Hiroshima (48 and 16), they would end up with a 102 and 37 (1 tie) for a .734 winning percentage. No other team can do any better than Hanshin without the help of others just the same.
However, while 48 is the magic number against Hiroshima, 49 is the magic number against third place Yakult. Fifth place Hiroshima held the magic number up due to so many more games between the two clubs. Hanshin only needs to go 49 and 15 in their remaining games for a .741 winning percentage compared to Yakult's best case 64 and 0 for a .736 winning percentage. With 12 games between these two teams, Yakult wasn't a factor in keeping the magic number hidden, but is against whom it is measured.
The second place Giants' best finish at this point is going 62 and 0 for a .734 winning percengate, also lower than Hanshin's 49 and 15 effort. So the M-49 applies to them as well. (Hanshin would be tied with them if they go 48 and 16.)
Tigers' fans who have been pesimistic so far are starting to shed their doubts. Having lit up their magic number before the All Star break is a big blow to the other teams who will now probably start concentrating on building next year's lineups.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific League, Daiei, Kintetsu, and Seibu are all within two games of each other. Cabrara hit his 28th home run on Tuesday night, two days earlier for #28 than last year, and Rhodes is right with him hitting his 27th home run. There are some good races going on.
I agree with Watanabe-owner that a healthy and competitive Hanshin is important to the health of Pro Yakyu. But I think that they've gone too far. The Osaka area has caught Tiger Fevor, and are now missing out on the pennant and home run race that their Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes are very much a part of.