Smart Gambling

[Boris]

So I'm driving to the fly fishing shop to pick up a couple leaders cuz I got a trip planned this weekend and I'm listening to sports talk radio.

They start talking about what would happen if there's a 3 way tie for the wild card between San Francisco, Chicago and Houston. SF has the better head up record against both the Cubbies and the Stros. So the way it works is this: SF has the option to A) play one game each against the Cubs and the Astros at San Francisco; or B) they can play the winner of a game between the Cubs and Astros but they have to play at the winner's home field. In either case its single elimination. You lose one game and your out.

Now here's the amazing part. These two idiot sports writers are both in absolute agreement that the Giants should take the first option!! I was dumbfounded but didn't have time to call in and tell these guys what idiots they were.

[mikeyvegas]

[ QUOTE ]
A) play one game each against the Cubs and the Astros at San Francisco;

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't get it. What would happen if they beat the cubs in their first game and then lose the second one to the astros? Is it single elimination just for SF or all teams involved? I will investigate.

[mikeyvegas]

Pretty wierd tiebreaker scenario...



Tiebreaker (http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20040915&content_id=859158&vkey=n ews_mlb&fext=.jsp)

[GuyOnTilt]

Hey Boris,

Here's how 3-way tiebreaks work (or at least have in the recent past in MLB):

Team1 plays Team2 at Team1's home field. The winner goes on to be the home team in a game against Team3. The winner of that game goes to the postseason.

If all 3 teams have identical head-to-head records, there's a lottery for the designations of Team1, Team2, and Team3. If one team has a better head-to-head records than the other two who have identical records, the first team gets the choice Team1, Team2, or Team3 and the other two have a lottery for the remaining designations. If two teams have identical better head-to-head records than the third team, they have a lottery for who gets to choose first. Then the loser of the lottery chooses, and the third team is given the remaining designation. If there is no tie for head-to-head record, the best team chooses first, the second team second, and the third team is given the remaining designation.

So if SF has a better head-to-head record as you say, they should choose to be Team3. The writers that you mention are stupid. It's really a moot point though since the Astros are winning the NL Wild Card.

GoT

[Ray Zee]

forget the sports crap. fishing-- get some of that new stuff that is fluffy that dries flies. then spray with silicone spray. works great for me. i like to leave one tapered leader on for years and cut it back to a strong point and just add tippets to it. should be good fishing down your way soon. the sierras, and up at the sac around redding should be great. good luck.