Olney: Strength of Schedule

[Physics Guy]

For those who are concerned whether the Twins did enough in the offseason:

 

Buster Olney - Insider Access required

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/post?id=5076

 

Here's what he said about the Twins:

 

1. Minnesota Twins

 

Games against teams with records of .500 or better in 2013: 31 of their first 40.

Home/road: 18 of their first 40 are at home.

Notable: My son plays a video game called "Injustice," and I think that lineup of villains is easier than what the Twins will face early in the year. They start out the season with six road games, and then beginning April 18, the Twins will play 25 straight games -- count 'em, 25 -- against teams that either made the playoffs or contended, including the Red Sox, Tigers, Rays and Dodgers. The Twins' new pitching will be tested early.

 

 

I just hope they can hang in there and not get buried before the middle of May. Are they headed for a 15-25 record out of the chute? I hope not, but the schedulers were certainly not kind.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Even in an era of 33% participation in the playoffs, that would seem to be a heavy haul early this year, to face those playoff-caliber teams consecutively. Of course the obvious, politically correct response is that "we need to play them eventually / everyone plays the same schedule.

 

On a related note. One thing that has really got my attention in the past several years has been the "win this series" argument. "We have a chance to win a series." You even hear that after the Twins take the first two games of a series -- why not just go for the sweep? Mathematically yeah, winning a three game series all season long is a sure winner. It's a fine radio talking point for rubes like us... As a coaching philosophy, or in a player's post game comment or something the GM tells the media on Sunday mornings, it's groan-inducing. Yet we hear it all the time now whenever the Twins get hot. Anyway, rant over. :-) Just win, baby.

[twinscowboysbulls]

I'm predicting a 39-1 start to the season.

[Dman]

It is hard to say whether the tough schedule early is a good or bad thing. Sometimes the good teams take a while to get going and we might be able to steal a couple of games while they figure things out. Or we could get crushed out of the gate and have the fans lose interest right away. It is hard to know which way things will go. At some point though we will play teams that are closer to our own level and things will even out. Maybe losing a lot early will create a greater sense of urgency for the games we should win. Baseball is fickle so we will have to wait and see.

[Craig Arko]

It builds character. Hopefully one with 18(00) strength.

[Willihammer]

Yikes, Royals and Blue Jays back to back.

[Tibs]

This difficult schedule to begin a season seems to have happened a lot the past couple of years.

[beckmt]

Looks like a win-win to me. If we do well it will be great, if we are buried then there is no reason for the front office not to bring up the next wave and let them learn at the major league level

[Mike Sixel]

It builds character. Hopefully one with 18(00) strength.

 

winner! though I usually went Dex or Int....

[twinsfan34]

Welp, it'll make the old adage more attainable.

 

"It's not how you start, it's how you finish."

[Thrylos]

Hard to determine the strength of a schedule based on past season's records. Schedule Schmeadule. They play pretty much the same teams as Detroit, KC, Cleveland and the Sux. If they win early and often, they will be alright.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Hard to determine the strength of a schedule based on past season's records. Schedule Schmeadule. They play pretty much the same teams as Detroit, KC, Cleveland and the Sux. If they win early and often, they will be alright.

 

My thoughts exactly. SoS doesn't mean much opening the season. A lot of the fringe contenders or WC teams from last year will be pretty bad this year.

[snepp]

I'm predicting a 39-1 start to the season.

 

Pessimist.