Beat the Streak Report: Weekend, Aug. 13-15
“gllc2112” extended his streak to 37 games after Andre Ethier’s fruitful night at the yard.
“gllc2112″‘s name is Geoffrey Croke.
I know this because he told me.
That’s right, our current knight and shining armor/conch holder/daddy
mac/king of the castle/bee’s knees/Barefoot Contessa has decided to
reveal himself to me. And he seems like a pretty cool guy.
Instead of summarizing his response to my e-mail, I figured I’d let his artistic side fly and copy paste all his wisdom.
For what it’s worth, I sic’d the daylights out of this:
I have been reading your blog, so I knew this e-mail was coming. Do me a favor and keep that voodoo doll hidden.
I cant believe you didn’t like my Jayson Heyward pick.
My name is Geoffrey Croke. I am currently unemployed. I lost my job
last June, so $3,000,000 would be nice. I live in Southampton, NY. A
small summer resort area on the east end of Long Island. (born and
raised here) I am a Met fan, so it hasn’t been too much fun for the
past couple of years. This is actually my first year playing Beat the
Streak, and now many of my friends play also. My strategy is simple,
find a batter who is hot against the starter that day. I just hope
that responding to this e-mail isn’t the kiss of death and I get to talk
to you again in 3 weeks.
Thanks, Geoff
No, thank you, Geoff.
May your hits be bountiful and may you rule Streakland until kingdom come.
(Sorry, Dick George)
Oh, hello there …
Friday
? Ryan Braun: .857 AVG (6-for-7) lifetime vs. Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa
? Adam Jones: .455 AVG (10-for-22) lifetime vs. Rays starter James Shields
? Josh Hamilton: .444 AVG (4-for-9) lifetime vs. Red Sox starter Josh Beckett
Saturday
? Jose Reyes: .545 AVG (6-for-11) lifetime vs. Phillies starter Roy Halladay
? Marlon Byrd: .500 AVG (6-for-12) since ’05 vs. Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter
? Michael Young: .450 AVG (9-for-20) lifetime vs. Red Sox starter Jon Lester
Sunday
? Miguel Cabrera: .389 AVG (7-for-18) lifetime vs. White Sox starter Freddy Garcia
? Matt Holliday: .400 AVG (6-for-15) lifetime vs. Cubs starter Ryan Dempster
? Adrian Beltre: .375 AVG (6-for-16) lifetime vs. Rangers starter C.J. Wilson
Feeling kinda spicy?
Friday
? Bengie Molina: .364 AVG (4-for-11) lifetime vs. Red Sox starter Josh Beckett
Saturday
? Felipe Lopez: .350 AVG (14-for-40) lifetime vs. Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano
Sunday
? Alfonso Soriano: .385 AVG (15-for-39) lifetime vs. Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse
You’ll thank me later …
Friday
? Brandon Phillips: .125 AVG (1-for-8) lifetime vs. Marlins starter Josh Johnson
? Hanley Ramirez: .143 AVG (1-for-7) lifetime vs. Reds starter Edinson Volquez
Saturday
? Aubrey Huff: .000 AVG (0-for-9) lifetime vs. Padres pitcher Mat Latos
? Joe Mauer: .111 AVG (1-for-9) lifetime vs. Athletics starter Trevo Cahill
Sunday
? Adrian Gonzalez: .212 AVG (7-for-33) lifetime vs. Giants starter Tim Lincecum
? Victor Martinez: .231 AVG (3-for-13) lifetime vs. Rangers starter C.J. Wilson
Leaderboard time!
Croke won’t have to worry about the “halmuni” voodoo doll anymore, as
Mark Teixeira zapped all the life out of “halmuni’s” streak.
This means that “cloudslippers” is our latest understudy with a 28-gamer.
Oh, how I hate walking clouds without my cloudslippers on.
Top MLB streakers
? Placido Polanco: 11 games
? Victor Martinez: 10 games
? Michael Bourn: 9 games
? Lastings Milledge: 9 games
? Scott Podsednik: 9 games
? Ty Wigginton: 9 games
Beat the Streak Report 
Minimum current streak required, entering Friday, to have a chance at the prizes (assuming season ends Oct 3rd)
Abbreviations: DL=Deadline, CS=Current Streak needed, TS=Target Streak
(*) Playing for a tie? add 1 to DL and minus 1 from CS & TS
BTS Countdown
Grand Prize ($3M): TS: 57, CS: 5, DL: Aug 8th
*Consolation ($10K): TS: 44, CS: 0, DL: Aug 21st (pending)
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy/bts/y2010/index.jsp?content=prizes
Survivor Countdown {tickets are for 2011 All-Star Game & Homerun Derby}
Grand Prize (2 tickets+travel+hotel+$10K): TS: 37, CS: 0, DL: Aug 28th
*Consolation (2 tickets only): TS: 30, CS: 0, DL: Sept 4th (pending)
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy/survivor/y2010/index.jsp?content=prizes
Friday the 13th. Any effect on BTS? We’ll find out later.
@ponyforkeana I’m 0 fer in the last 2 days so there is nothing to lose on Friday the 13th for me. I have Josh Hamilton in BTS, Jose Batista in HR BTS and the Braves in survivor.
“This is actually my first year playing Beat the Streak, and now many of my friends play also. My strategy is simple, find a batter who is hot against the starter that day.”
This quote makes me want the current leader to lose.
I definitely do not want a first year playing simple strategy person to win!
Well Geoff – Good Luck – from a Cub fan to a Met fan. Fans of both Mets and Cubs are suffering big time.
Starlin Castro of Cubs – sharp single up the midde in the top of the first inning. Go Cubs! Put this guy on your radar screen.
LaV’s List
Friday’s Top Picks of the current Top2500, 171 Batters picked overall.
Batter, Times Picked, Percentage
Josh Hamilton 252 10.18(GOOD)(1RST)
Robinson Cano 243 9.82(5TH)
Albert Pujols 216 8.73(GOOD)
Troy Tulowitzki 140 5.66
Ichiro Suzuki 94 3.8(GOOD)
Derek Jeter 77 3.11(GOOD)
Joe Mauer 74 2.99
Carl Crawford 64 2.59(GOOD)
Ryan Braun 61 2.46(5TH)
Matt Holliday 59 2.38
Adrian Beltre 50 2.02(4TH)
Hunter Pence 45 1.82(GOOD)
No Selection 31 1.25
Michael Cuddyer 15 0.61(2ND)
Juan Pierre 7 0.28(3RD)
Yesterday’s Top2500 Reset was 31.6% with M. Teixeira killing the most hopes and dreams.
And 8.4% paused.
Highest “No Selection”:Pg# 22 with a streak of 11 back to zero.
Bloggers Group Top2500
UserName, Streak, Page#, Rank, Pick
Dave55, 12, pg 14, 311, D. Jeter(GOOD)
forcook, 12, pg 13, 311, J. Hamilton(GOOD)
bullfrogs, 10, pg 26, 620, R. Cano
darwi 10, pg 32, 620, A. Pujols(GOOD)
bravesfanforlife88, 9, pg 48, 940, S. Castro(GOOD)
baseballgirlie13, 8, pg 60, 1468, R. Braun
GL to all
M
Staying up a bit late to see if my Survivor pick wins & TEX pulls off a niffty comeback to move me along. But what about that PHI-NYM game? NYM thows a 1 hitter and the PHI pitcher gets that only hit. In BTS terms, that’s the same as a no-hitter for anyone that picked PHI batters. An odd way to end one’s streak.
It does not surprise me that another damn newbie playing BTS is the current leader. Every single year the leader for the year who won the 10k hasn’t been back the next year and it’s sickening. Ten years and counting for me and I will never stop playing or blogging. Leader’s luck will run out eventually. That strategy doesn’t work either. I tried that one as well that he is using. At least Sanchez got me two hits on Friday and have him again on Saturday.
Saturday Aug 14
BTS – Alexi “The Cuban Missle” Ramirez
HR – Sir Albert v. Carlos Zambrano in sweltering St. Louis
Survivor – NYY
Side note: On the streak leader being a first year player.
If I won a big lottery jack pot, I would tell the newspaper reports etc. that this was the first time I every played —- just to piss off the regular lottery players! 🙂
Cub “Ace” Carlos Zambrano on the mound in sweltering St. Louis today.
This guy is a “head case”.
What will happen?
a. He outduels Cards ace Chris Carpenter?
b. He leaves the game with his famous heat “cramps.”
c. Big Z tosses a perfect game?
d. None of the above
“Yesterday’s Top2500 Reset was 31.6% with M. Teixeira killing the most hopes and dreams.
And 8.4% paused.”
I wonder if the recent high reset rates every day is due to the better players giving up now or if we really are going through a rough patch right now?
“Side note: On the streak leader being a first year player.
If I won a big lottery jack pot, I would tell the newspaper reports etc. that this was the first time I every played —- just to piss off the regular lottery players! :)”
But that is different.
Most people play the game as luck.
I believe though that if you put in enough time researching past results, you could probably formulate a set of lottery numbers that have a high probability of coming out and win.
“My dad wrote the book on this stuff. I mean literally, he wrote – and published – a book – it’s called A Mathmatician at the Ballpark. It’s all probability and stats and all that. And his longest streak is 7. So, I’m not a believer in brains to win this game.”
How much time does he invest per day in BTS?
My dad wrote the book on this stuff. I mean literally, he wrote – and published – a book – it’s called A Mathmatician at the Ballpark. It’s all probability and stats and all that. And his longest streak is 7. So, I’m not a believer in brains to win this game.
Mike Stanton: line-drive single to center in the 2nd Inning!
Up to 3!!!
LaV’s List
Saturday’s Top Picks of the current Top2500, 173 Batters picked overall.
Batter, Times Picked, Percentage
Ichiro Suzuki 231 9.24(GOOD)
Albert Pujols 174 6.96(GOOD)
Michael Young 127 5.08
Troy Tulowitzki 125 5(4TH)
Paul Konerko 121 4.84(GOOD)(1RST & 4TH)
Robinson Cano 121 4.84
Evan Longoria 107 4.28(GOOD)
Carlos Gonzalez 102 4.08(2ND)
Derek Jeter 98 3.92(GOOD)
Adrian Beltre 91 3.64(GOOD)
Jose Reyes 89 3.56(GOOD)
No Selection 86 3.44
Joey Votto 58 2.32(GOOD)
Josh Hamilton 50 2
Victor Martinez 12 0.48(3RD)
Yesterday’s Top2500 Reset was 22.2% with J. Mauer killing the most hopes and dreams.
And 4.75% paused.
Highest “No Selection”:Pg# 2 with a streak of 17 back to zero.
Bloggers Group Top2500
UserName, Streak, Page#, Rank, Pick
Dave55, 13, pg 12, 226, A. Ramirez
forcook, 13, pg 13, 226, A. Beltre(GOOD)
bullfrogs, 11, pg 21, 492, D. Jeter(GOOD)
darwi 11, pg 23, 492, I. Suzuki(GOOD)
bravesfanforlife88, 10, pg 40, 732, C. Johnson
baseballgirlie13, 9, pg 50, 1157, T. Tulowitzki
GL to all
M
Alexi “The Cuban Missle” Ramirez pulls one out in the bottom of the 9th after Putz blows the save in the top half.
WOW. Dave and Drag move on, congrats.
Just started playing this last week and I am doing fine. After not getting a hit first 2 days, I am hitting 7 in a row now. Just go with the flow. My 420 says Ichiro today so I did. 5 out of 7 days, multiple hits too.
My bong says there will be a huge sale at Bullington Hit Factory tomorrow afternoon.
So, I’m not a believer in brains to win this game.”
If anyone ever wins it will be a dose randomness and observation, a good portion of luck and a bit of skill.
My hit by Alexi Ramirez today falls into the luck portion of the formula.
Each time I watch a Cub/Sox game the announcers have a wealth of stats that could help us. How do we tap into that source of info? Example: Saturday, Game of the Week Cubs v. Cards – Tim Mccarver – “Carlos Zambrano is undefeated, 4-0 in his starts at Busch Stadium.” I would have loved to have know this before game time. Come on web guys – Where is the site that gives these tidbits? Sunday August
remember:
1. Troy ‘The Son God” Tulowizki – Has a hit in every day game he played in this season
2. Alex “The Sun Cat” Rios has an amazing daytime batting average.
Can they do it again.
ooliber – Thanks for the thumbs up. Caught a huge break today.
Champion_88 – You comments on posts by fellow bloggers are unnecessary. My challenge to you: Please post something about who you like on Sunday and why (before the game closes.)
“My bong says there will be a huge sale at Bullington Hit Factory tomorrow afternoon.”
Either your bong is wrong or ESPN is. ESPN showed Bannister not Burlington pitching Sunday. Either way, still leaning towards NYY in BTS & Survivor.
Going with “the Sun God” today. Extra tidbit, he’s hitting .460 vs lefties during day. GL all.
OOliber – Para of Brewers is a hittable lefty, day game, Rockies at home and Troy Tulo is “The Sun God.” I’m following your lead here.
HR – Pujols as Cubs Dempster gives up many HR’s
Survivor – Rockies —RE: home v. Brewers and Para with Jiminez starting.
Here’s hoping that Para has his usual day on the mound and does not reach into his locker and put on his superman outfit today.
Will leader get to 40 today? Good chance with Tulo as his pick. Gotta wonder if he’d pick Tulo if he didn’t read these blogs? Only way to know for sure is if he piped in and educated us on his daily pick logic.
Once he falls, the next in line is over 2 weeks behind. I think there are only 2 or 3 more streaks out there, waiting in the wings, that may make a legitimate run for 57. However, I’d guess even more streaks out there likely of making a run at Dick George & $10K.
@Dave Feldman. Need to update the BTS All-Time leaderboard? Richard.Jucksch ended with streak of 38 and excluded from the list. Obviously current leader should be included also when streak ends.
LaV’s List
Sunday’s Top Picks of the current Top2500, 160 Batters picked overall.
Batter, Times Picked, Percentage
Ichiro Suzuki 263 10.63
Michael Young 224 9.05
Miguel Cabrera 210 8.48(2nd)
Robinson Cano 158 6.38
Troy Tulowitzki 146 5.9(1rst, 2nd & 4th)
Matt Holliday 129 5.21
No Selection 104 4.2
Adrian Beltre 87 3.52
Derek Jeter 75 3.03
Albert Pujols 69 2.79
Josh Hamilton 68 2.75(4th)
Joe Mauer 67 2.71
Paul Konerko 63 2.55
Carlos Gonzalez 61 2.46
Angel Pagan 11 0.44(4th)
Yesterday’s Top2500 Reset was 21.4% with M. Young killing the most hopes and dreams.
And 5.7% paused.
Highest “No Selection”:Pg# 2 with a streak of 18 back to zero.
Bloggers Group Top2500
UserName, Streak, Page#, Rank, Pick
forcook, 14, pg 9, 170, M. Cabrera
Dave55, 14, pg 10, 170 A. Rodriguez
darwi 12, pg 17, 407, I. Suzuki
jpaul74(bullfrogs), 12, pg 18, 407, R. Cano
baseballgirlie13, 10, pg 40, 943, T. Tulowitzki
bravesfanforlife88, 10, RESET BY C. Johnson
GL to all
M
I don’t know about Tulo today. The stats look good but he mustered hits on the very last at bat last 2 days. More the reason I think he needs a day off. And he has hit like 5 or 6 days in a row now. We will see.
I went with Tulo’s buddy in front of him. I guess if I reset today, there is just enough time to go after Dick’s money.
It just hit me. Even if the leader does not go to 57, he can surely pass Dick and mathmatically put many of us out of even the consolation prize. I will worry about that when I get past 20. Way too far ahead to even think about it. LOL!
Man. I really wanted to take Adam LaR against Strausburg. That is the first “secret” pick that screamed at me. But the hoopla of Strausburg just scared the hell out of me. He is definitely hittable by lefty bats. And LaR is swinging a bat made out of hot coals now.
“Champion_88 – You comments on posts by fellow bloggers are unnecessary. My challenge to you: Please post something about who you like on Sunday and why (before the game closes.)”
Why are they unneccessary?
I went with Adam Lind today, since I thought Tulo was a little over-powered.
“Will leader get to 40 today? Good chance with Tulo as his pick. Gotta wonder if he’d pick Tulo if he didn’t read these blogs? Only way to know for sure is if he piped in and educated us on his daily pick logic.”
Maybe he already knew that, since he got to 40 in the first place?
“Will leader get to 40 today? Good chance with Tulo as his pick. Gotta wonder if he’d pick Tulo if he didn’t read these blogs? Only way to know for sure is if he piped in and educated us on his daily pick logic.”
Maybe he already knew that, since he got to 40 in the first place?
My Yankees got 2 hit by KC. What’s new with them not hitting unfamiliar pitchers no matter how bad they are.
Troy Tulowitzki is 1 for 1 so the leader is now at 40.
Joey “The Black Cat” Votto does it again:
Tossed in top of 1st inning for arguing ball/strike call. But this time he got tossed on a 1-2 count and the guy who pinch hit for him got a double. So, Votto has no official at bat and BTS streaks do not end. All who played Votto today caught a huge break. 2nd time this year that this happened to Votto.
OOliber – As the resident bolgger computer expert:
I may have had multiple windows of Beat the Streak open at the same time. Thought I had selected Troy T. but to my surprise I’m back to zero because my place holder pick did not get a hit as my Tulo pick did not register on BTS. Is this possible?
My bong said Mauer toady. Another multiple hit day for my bong. Up to 8 now with multiple hits on 6 of those days. What time is it? 4:20 time!
Does BTS run until the very last game in October?
@DRAG, I’m not sure about that. I would refer to either Dave or send an email straight to mlb advanced media, MLBAMbeattheStreak@mlb.com
@bretzky26, BTS runs untill the last game of the regular season, and would include any tie-breakers or make-up games.
“I may have had multiple windows of Beat the Streak open at the same time. Thought I had selected Troy T. but to my surprise I’m back to zero because my place holder pick did not get a hit as my Tulo pick did not register on BTS. Is this possible?”
Whomever you entered in last, is the player that should be inserted into the database.
It may be that the servers have not updated yet, like when that guy was at 35 or so and it said “Today’s Pick: No Selection” on the leaderboards, because a glitch caused it to revert to the picks already made at 4 AM.
How freaking pathetic that Gardenhire pulled Slowey today!!!
First of all, Gardenhire refers to Slowey way too highly. This guy has a 4.34 career ERA. He can very EASILY be replaced if that one start caused signficiant damage.
Secondly, his elbow injury was sooo “major” that he threw just 1 bullpen session and he was cleared to throw 106 pitches. If this injury was ACTUALLY significant, he would have been limited to 60-70 pitches and/or sent down to the minors to make a rehab start.
What really happened is that Gardenhire is too much of a pansy to let his starter throw 140 pitches in a start, which is the ridiculous mentality of MLB managers these days.
I would be pretty happy if I woke up tomorrow morning to a headline that read, “Gardenhire killed off hardcore Twins’ fan for removing Slowey with no-hit bid pending.” We all know that clown would deserve it.
Only one who deserves it more is Jim Joyce.