Angels Can Win 96 Games...Astros Most Balanced Ballclub

MLB Final Record Predictions
1 - LAA : 96 - 66
2 - BOS : 92 - 70
3 - CHC : 91 - 71
4 - CHW : 90 - 72
5 - TAM : 90 - 72
6 - NYY : 88 - 74
7 - MIN : 87 - 75
8 - MIL : 87 - 75
9 - NYM : 85 - 77
10 - PHI : 85 - 77
11 - STL : 84 - 78
12 - TOR : 83 - 79
13 - DET : 83 - 79
14 - OAK : 83 - 79
15 - FLA : 82 - 80
16 - ARI : 82 - 80
17 - LAD : 81 - 81
18 - TEX : 81 - 81
19 - BAL : 79 - 83
20 - ATL : 79 - 83
21 - CLE : 78 - 84
22 - HOU : 77 - 85
23 - CIN : 76 - 86
24 - COL : 76 - 86
25 - KAN : 76 - 86
26 - PIT : 76 - 86
27 - SFO : 70 - 92
28 - SEA : 68 - 94
29 - SDG : 66 - 96
30 - WAS : 60 - 102

---

Balance Rankings

(Measure of perfect balance between home/away records & in-division/out-of-division records -- and not at all reflective of how well a team is doing in the standings.)

1 - HOU
2 - LAD
3 - MIL - too dependent on own division
4 - TEX - not good enough at home
5 - FLA
6 - WAS
7 - OAK
8 - SDG - too dependent on own division
9 - TOR - too dependent on own division
10 - NYY
11 - SEA - not good enough at home
12 - LAA - not good enough at home
13 - PHI - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
14 - KAN - not good enough at home
15 - ATL - too dependent on homestands
16 - ARI - too dependent on own division
17 - NYM
18 - CIN
19 - BAL - not good enough in own division
20 - PIT - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
21 - CLE - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
22 - DET - not good enough in own division
23 - SFO - not good enough at home
24 - BOS - too dependent on homestands
25 - STL - not good enough at home - not good enough in own division
26 - CHC - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
27 - MIN - too dependent on own division
28 - TAM - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
29 - COL - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
30 - CHW - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division

Athletics Chasing Angels -- And Have 19-Rank Balance Advantage

Balance Rankings

(Measure of perfect balance between home/away records & in-division/out-of-division records -- and not at all reflective of how well a team is doing in the standings.)

1 - HOU
2 - KAN
3 - LAD
4 - TOR
5 - NYM
6 - OAK - not good enough in own division
7 - CLE
8 - WAS - not good enough at home
9 - MIN
10 - SEA - not good enough at home
11 - NYY - not good enough in own division
12 - CIN - not good enough in own division
13 - STL - not good enough at home
14 - TEX - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
15 - FLA - too dependent on own division
16 - PHI - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
17 - COL - too dependent on homestands
18 - PIT - too dependent on homestands
19 - MIL - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
20 - SDG - too dependent on own division
21 - BOS - too dependent on homestands
22 - TAM - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
23 - BAL - not good enough in own division
24 - DET - not good enough in own division
25 - LAA - not good enough at home
26 - ATL - too dependent on homestands
27 - ARI - too dependent on own division
28 - CHW - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
29 - SFO - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
30 - CHC - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division

Cubs Holding Second-Most Unbalanced Record

Balance Rankings

(Measure of perfect balance between home/away records & in-division/out-of-division records -- and not at all reflective of how well a team is doing in the standings.)

The Cubs sit at #29 (too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division). Here's the breakdown:

Chicago Cubs overall record: 45 - 27 (.625)
Home: 29 - 8 (.784)
Away: 16 - 19 (.457)
Within NL Central: 18 - 15 (.545)
Outside NL Central: 27 - 12 (.692)

A perfectly balanced ballclub would have all four sub-records (home, away, within division, outside division) equal to its overall record. The Cubs have a road record far different from their overall record plus an in-division record somewhat removed from the overall record. The average of these differences is greater than the averages of 28 other baseball teams, meaning that the strength of the Cubs has been subject to location much more than other teams.

1 - HOU
2 - LAD
3 - TOR
4 - SEA
5 - CLE
6 - PHI - not good enough at home
7 - FLA - too dependent on own division
8 - NYM
9 - OAK - not good enough in own division
10 - KAN - not good enough at home
11 - WAS - not good enough at home
12 - NYY - not good enough in own division
13 - STL - not good enough at home
14 - PIT - too dependent on homestands
15 - TEX - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
16 - CIN - not good enough in own division
17 - COL - not good enough in own division
18 - SDG - too dependent on homestands
19 - MIN - too dependent on own division
20 - BAL - not good enough in own division
21 - BOS - too dependent on homestands
22 - TAM - too dependent on homestands
23 - ATL - too dependent on homestands
24 - LAA - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
25 - MIL - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
26 - DET - not good enough in own division
27 - ARI - too dependent on own division
28 - CHW - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
29 - CHC - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
30 - SFO - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division

Cleveland Has Most Balanced Record

Why not make this a 7-post day?

Balance Rankings

(Measure of perfect balance between home/away records & in-division/out-of-division records -- and not at all reflective of how well a team is doing in the standings.)

1 - CLE
2 - HOU
3 - NYM
4 - PIT - too dependent on homestands
5 - FLA
6 - BAL - not good enough in own division
7 - PHI
8 - LAD
9 - STL - not good enough at home
10 - SDG - too dependent on homestands
11 - COL - not good enough in own division
12 - SEA - too dependent on own division
13 - OAK - not good enough in own division
14 - NYY - not good enough at home
15 - TAM - too dependent on homestands
16 - TOR - not good enough in own division
17 - WAS - not good enough at home
18 - KAN - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
19 - CIN - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
20 - MIL - too dependent on own division
21 - TEX - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
22 - MIN - too dependent on own division
23 - LAA - not good enough at home
24 - BOS - too dependent on homestands
25 - DET - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
26 - ARI - too dependent on own division
27 - ATL - too dependent on homestands
28 - CHW - too dependent on own division
29 - CHC - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
30 - SFO - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division

Balance Rankings - Cards, Twins Worst

Balance Rankings

(Measure of perfect balance between home/away records & in-division/out-of-division records -- and not at all reflective of how well a team is doing in the standings.)

1 - HOU
2 - TAM
3 - KAN
4 - OAK
5 - PIT
6 - SEA
7 - TOR
8 - CLE - too dependent on own division
9 - LAD - too dependent on own division
10 - PHI
11 - BAL - not good enough in own division
12 - SDG
13 - ARI - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
14 - LAA - not good enough at home
15 - NYY
16 - TEX - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
17 - COL - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
18 - NYM - not good enough in own division
19 - CIN - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
20 - CHW - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
21 - MIL - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
22 - ATL - too dependent on homestands
23 - WAS - not good enough at home
24 - FLA - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
25 - SFO - not good enough at home
26 - CHC - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
27 - BOS - too dependent on homestands
28 - DET - not good enough in own division
29 - STL - not good enough at home - not good enough in own division
30 - MIN - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division

Symptom: Uneven Play; Disease: Unbalanced Club

Our illuminating new Balance Ranking measures how much teams rely on certain parts of the season. If homestands or away series are the primary cause of a team's record, they fall in this ranking. In the same manner, if divisional play or out-of-division play figures too highly in what makes a squad tick, then we penalize them. The highest-rated teams are those who have perfect balance between home and away records, and in-division and out-of-division records.

The Balance Rankings are no measure of success, as the Kansas City Royals (#1 in the list) can tell you. Yet playing the #2 White Sox or #3 Athletics will become much more scary, knowing that they can win anytime, anywhere. On the other hand, a non AL-Central team playing Minnesota in the Twin Cities can take heart.

Below we detail the symptoms of each team's "unbalance disease." And kudos to the Royals, who apparently figured out a way to lose to everyone everywhere, making them the most balanced team today.

Balance Rankings
1 - KAN
2 - CHW
3 - OAK
4 - SEA
5 - HOU
6 - SDG
7 - CLE - too dependent on homestands
8 - TOR
9 - LAD - too dependent on own division
10 - ARI - too dependent on own division
11 - COL
12 - PIT - not good enough at home
13 - BAL - not good enough in own division
14 - PHI - too dependent on homestands
15 - NYY - not good enough in own division
16 - MIL - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
17 - NYM - not good enough in own division
18 - TEX - too dependent on own division
19 - TAM - too dependent on homestands - too dependent on own division
20 - CIN - too dependent on homestands
21 - LAA - not good enough at home
22 - ATL - too dependent on homestands
23 - DET - not good enough in own division
24 - FLA - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
25 - SFO - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division
26 - CHC - too dependent on homestands - not good enough in own division
27 - BOS - too dependent on homestands
28 - WAS - not good enough at home - not good enough in own division
29 - STL - not good enough at home - not good enough in own division
30 - MIN - not good enough at home - too dependent on own division