Monday, October 25, 2010

Ex-Rockies Factor Has Already Decided the World Series

Once again, the dreaded XR (ex-Rockies) factor has reared its ugly head and thrown its mystical net of compulsion over the Major League Baseball playoffs, confounding the odds makers and fans alike by causing teams to win, even when they are the weakest teams on paper and don't play particularly well.
Such was not the case for the Texas Rangers, whose decisive XR edge made them an overwhelming favorite over the XR-less Yankees. It was not as clear for the triumphant Giants of San Francisco, a tremendous underdog who barely squeaked by the confused Phillies, who seemed to be hit periodically by dumbness rays, causing players and coaches to make dozens of inexplicable decisions while stumbling to a lost series, 4 games to 2 in the NLCS. Strangely enough, the Phillies also trailed the Giants in XRs, 4 to 2 (see below).
Using the pattern established above, and in many previous series since the Rockies were spawned in 1993, the Giants will obviously beat the Rangers, 4 games to 1, unless you count coaches, then the tally goes to 4 games to 2, adding the presence of former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle to Texas.

Ex-Rockies in the Playoffs:
Darren Oliver, Relief Pitcher, Texas Rangers, 2003
Juan Uribe, Starting Shortstop, San Francisco Giants, 2001-3
Jeremy Affeldt, Relief Pitcher, San Francisco Giants, 2007
Javier Lopez, Relief Pitcher, San Francisco Giants, 2003-4
Ramon Ramirez, Relief Pitcher, San Francisco Giants, 2006-7
Jose Contreras, Relief Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies, 2009
Ross Gload, Outfielder, Philadelphia Phillies, 2002

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