Sports - Statistics

I am an avid sports fan! I play sports nearly as much as I study sports! I am in multiple fantasy pools, all statistics oriented. The more and more in depth I get into these fantasy leagues, the more incentive I have to win these leagues. Not only for the enjoyment of the sport but also for the money $$$$. For example, when I am watching the Detroit Tigers play baseball I am not only routing for my favourite team to win, I am routing for the players on my fantasy team to put great statistics, while routing against certain players to put up poor statistics. When I see Victor Martinez hit a three run homerun, I am not only seeing the Tigers take a 3-0 lead. I am seeing a bunch on statistical numbers. For the week I am plus 1 in homeruns, plus 1 in runs scored, plus 3 in runs batted in, and plus a certain percentage % in both on base percentage and batting average.

The exact same scenario goes for my pitchers. When Justin Verlander tosses a complete game victory, I see more than just a 1 in the win column for the Tigers. 9 innings pitched, 1 win, 1 complete game, 15 strikeouts, 1.50 earned run average, and a 0.75 walk/hits per inning pitched.

Though the game is strictly counted in the win and loss column, there are many more numbers at play. I began to consider the money the individual players make, then the money each team collectively pays their players. I was able to find a graph that compares the average salary of the American League teams and National league teams to the New York Yankees. Over the course of the past few years the difference is astounding. The Yankees pay their players considerably more. So do these numbers pay off?



Upon further review, the salary of the New York Yankees does tend to pay off. Since the year 2000, the Yankees have won 2 World Series titles, 4 American League Pennants, 9 East Division titles and earned 2 wild card berths into the post season. The Statistics tend to point in the direction, that the more money, $$$ or numbers that you are willing to spend. The more playoff game and championships you are likely to win. Therefore, to me it seems as though mathematical numbers are equal to wins, losses, championships, dollar signs, good players, bad players, exceeding and impeding expectations.