Computers Don't Have Feelings

Links (6)

Computer Blue
Published 3/14/2007 by Mike at Temporary Bleachers: a chicago cubs blog
... in the Trib questioning Baseball Prospect’s projection that the White sox will only win 72 games this season. Fire Joe Morgan has an excellent breakdown of the arguments Van Dyke spouts off, but it basically comes down to a drunken fan’s blubbering “But… but… but… they won 90 the last two years!” Yea, with that and a quarter you can make a phone call. What a team did last year means little, as the 2004 Cubs will tell you.

Second Half Preview: AL
Published 7/10/2007 by Jacob Wheatley-Schaller at Vegas Watch
... Personally, this year’s White Sox team has taught me two very interesting things about PECOTA- first, that it doesn’t have feelings, and the second thing being that it’s ...

Evaluating April MLB Predictions
Published 9/25/2007 by Vegas Watch at Vegas Watch
... The over/under for the White Sox was 89.5, and the ESPN analysts average prediction was 84.6. Chicago won 90 games in '06 after winning 99 in 2005. Much was made of PECOTA's pessimism, but this turned out to be, pretty easily, the best prediction of the year. ...

Crazy Computer Hates Mariners
Published 2/16/2008 by Vegas Watch at Vegas Watch
... 73 wins seems a little extreme, but I think a projection of around 76 is entirely reasonable. Either way, articles like this are sure to be written, but we'll have to wait and see if there's a post like ...

Break Up The Rays
Published 4/29/2008 by Vegas Watch at Vegas Watch
... but not close to 25:1 either. As you probably noticed when I mentioned the odds for the Royals and Marlins to win their division, it's rare that you can find a decent longshot in the "To Win Division" odds at sites like BetUS and Bodog. The 2008 Rays are a pretty rare team, though. Even so, I doubt they will be 25:1 for now- people are starting to pay attention now that they're winning baseball games on the field, rather than just looking good according to some crazy computer. Photo: STATS Blog.

Your 2008 MLB Draft Update
Published 6/6/2008 by Rob Iracane at Walkoff Walk
Here are some of the highlights from the first and later rounds of yesterday's draft: The White Sox selected their own GM's son in the sixth round. Wichita State outfielder Kenny Williams Jr. is the son of Ken Williams. No telling what PECOTA thinks of the kid or what Williams thinks of the dumb computer. Twenty-one college players were selected in the first round, a record. I blame Billy Beane and his book about money and balls. Only one high school pitcher was taken in the first round, Gerrit Cole, by the Yankees. That's ...