The Texas Rangers have died and gone... well, let's just say they went the other way. Clearly, watching their Magic Number is pointless, because there's no Magic left in the 2000 season. Instead, I'm watching the Black Magic number: can the Rangers reach the rock bottom of the American League? Now there's a race where they're in the running!
The table below gives the "Magic Numbers" (and rounded Games Ahead/Behind) among the losers of the American League for 2000. The Magic Number between a pair of teams is the number of Your Team's Wins plus Your Opponent's Losses which will put Your Team ahead of Your Opponent at the end of the season.
| Your Team | Record | Your Opponent | Games Remaining | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | % | Vs. Texas | Vs. Baltimore | Vs. Minnesota | Vs. Tampa Bay | ||
| Texas | 70 | 87 | .446 | 6 (-t-) | 4 (+2) | 2 (+4 1/2) | 5 | |
| Baltimore | 70 | 87 | .446 | 6 (-t-) | 4 (+2) | 2 (+4 1/2) | 5 | |
| Minnesota | 68 | 89 | .433 | 8 (-2) | 8 (-2) | 4 (+2 1/2) | 5 | |
| Tampa Bay | 65 | 91 | .417 | 11 (-4 1/2) | 11 (-4 1/2) | 9 (-2 1/2) | 6 | |
For example, to find the Texas Rangers' magic number against the Anaheim Angels, follow the Rangers row across to the Angels column. But don't forget that that number only tells you the magic number for the Rangers vs. Angels... if the Mariners made a run for the lead, you would want to calculate the Rangers vs. Mariners magic number separately. This table lets you see it all at a glance!
Additional useful info on the Rangers comes from the Texas Rangers Discussion List. It doesn't have a web page, but you can subscribe by sending a note to listserv@listserv.tamu.edu and include a line in the body that says SUBSCRIBE RANGERS. Be ready for a dozen or more messages a day through the season, every one a jewel of insightful writing and reasoned opinion. (Yeah, right.)
It's a lot easier to join the once-a-day Out Of Bounds mailing list, described by its head honcho as "an almost-daily sports newsletter originating from Dallas, TX. Consequently, OOB focuses on Dallas area teams. The real emphasis is on baseball, but other sports are discussed from time to time. Sometimes serious, usually funny, and always controversial, OOB is sure to please the most discriminating of sports fans." Check out http://outofbounds.homestead.com/oob.html and find out why you aren't receiving your daily dose of OOB!
No Rangers fan is as devoted as Jaime Newberg, author of the Newberg Minor League Report. It's a great source for updates on the Rangers farm system -- in fact, those who followed the Newberg Report knew what Gabe Kapler could do months before his season-opening heroics. It's the preferred source of minor league info for Dallas' #1 sports radio station, 1310 AM "The Ticket"! Don't miss out... but if you do, just visit the famous new web site at NewbergReport.com for a full archive.
The Magic Number info comes from a pretty simple Excel spreadsheet. If you want a copy of the spreadsheet for yourself, send me a note and tell me what spreadsheet format you'd prefer (Excel 3.0, Office 97, etc).
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This page covers the American League West (American League Western Division, AL West, A.L. West).
If there is enough interest, I could expand this page to include:
If your team is in one of these divisions, and you want to see your magic number here, send me a note!
Page created: 04/03/2000
Reborn as the Black Magic Number page 09/01/2000
Last update (besides latest standings): 09/01/2000 by robertb@geocities.com
Since The Ballpark In Arlington opened in 1994,
00002 fans have sat on a railing and fallen off.
(In other words, no, I don't have a hit counter)
Thanks for your support! - Robert Brooks