what do they mean by a magic number in baseball?
2006-09-04 03:04:23 · 13 answers · asked by otherland0088 2 in Sports ➔ Baseball
When an announcer tells you that a first place team's "magic number" is "X", it means that any combination of Wins by the first place team and Loses by the second place team which totals "X" will clinch the division for the first place team.
The magic # is calculated as follows:
1) Take the number of games remaining for the first place team
2) Add one
3) Subtract, from that total, the number of games that the first place team is ahead of the 2nd place team in the LOSS column.
That's how you get the magic number.
When a team's magic number is one, that means they've clinched a TIE for the division. When the magic number becomes zero, it means that the team has clinched the division title, and all other teams are mathematically eliminated.
For example, right now, the Mets have a record of 84-51, while the 2nd place Phillies are 69-68... to figure the Mets magic number, here's what you would do:
1) The Mets have played 135 games, therefore they have 27 games remaining.
2) 27 plus 1 is 28
3) The Mets are 17 games ahead of the 2nd place Phillies in the loss column (51 loses vs. 68 loses).
4) 28 minus 17 is 11. Therefore, 11 is the Mets' magic number.
So any combination of Met wns and Phily loses totaling 11 will clinch the best record in the NL East for the Mets
The magic number also works for figuring the best record in baseball, or in a particular league, the calculations don't have to
involve teams in the same division.
For example, the Mets are 84-51, the Tigers (2nd best record in baseball) are 84 - 53).
Magic # for Mets to clinch best record in baseball is 26.
1) Mets have 27 games left
2) 27 + 1 = 28
3) Mets are 2 game ahead of Detroit in loss column. 28 - 2 = 26
So any combination of Met wns and Tiger loses totaling 26 will clinch the best record in baseball for the Mets... (provided the Yanks don't go on a tear).
When you hear announcers stressing the "Loss Column", this is why they do it...the Magic Number involves the loss column.
The magic number is also used to determine when 2nd division teams are eliminated from pennant contention. When the "Magic Nummber" between the Mets and the Washington Nationals becomes zero, this means that the Nationals will be mathematically eliminated from winning the division title.
Since the Nationals record is 59-77, their magic number to be eliminated is 2. If the Mets win their next game, and the Nationals lose their next game, Washington will be officially eliminated.
The magic number also works for figuring wild card status as well.
2006-09-04 03:30:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Magic number is the number of games that it would take to clinch a playoff spot. Any number of combined wins by the first place team and losses by the second place team subtracts from the magic number. Hope that helps.
2006-09-04 11:14:29 · answer #2 · answered by Mattman22 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the number of a 1st place teams' wins and/or second place teams' losses it would take for the 1st place team to clinch a Division Title. For instance, if there were 5 games left for each team and the 1st place team had a 4 game lead, the magic number would be 2.
2006-09-04 11:03:12 · answer #3 · answered by parman371 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the number of combined wins by the ream in 1st place and losses by a trailing team over the rest of the season that will result in a team clinching first place. For example if a team was 5 games ahead with 6 games to play the magic number would be one game. One win by them or one loss by the second place team would clinch 1st place.
2006-09-04 11:37:51 · answer #4 · answered by ligoneskiing 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the number of a 1st place teams' wins and/or second place teams' losses it would take for the 1st place team to clinch a playoff spot. For instance, if there were 5 games left for each team and the 1st place team had a 4 game lead, the magic number would be 2.
2006-09-04 10:20:43 · answer #5 · answered by wearend1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
13
2006-09-04 11:56:20 · answer #6 · answered by qwerty14289 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
7
2006-09-04 10:11:31 · answer #7 · answered by gsg_33 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The magic number means how many game they lack winning to get into the playoffs.
2006-09-04 10:17:39 · answer #8 · answered by Bammer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the number of games that a team has to win to secure a spot in the playoffs by winning their respective division (AL East/AL Central/AL West/NL East/NL Central/NL West), or the wild card spot in their respective league (American League or National League).
2006-09-04 13:48:03 · answer #9 · answered by GottaGo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"It represents the total of additional wins by the front-running team or additional losses by the rival team after which it is mathematically impossible for the rival team to capture the title in the remaining games."
2006-09-04 10:41:07 · answer #10 · answered by gil 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋