Major League Baseball's all-star break is just around the corner, and teams in the hunt are debating whether they should give up the farm to land an ace that can give them the push they need for a playoff birth. Most division leaders are holding on to paltry one to three game leads. If anything, this has been a season filled with surprises.
No sports authority expected to see the San Diego
Padres in first place this season, yet they've been there most of the
year. No person in their right mind expected Carlos Silva to be dominant, but lo
and behold, he's well on his way to having his best season yet. And would you believe the Kansas City Royals are still within striking distance?
Scouts, analysts, and fantasy league stat crunchers must be pulling their hair out right about now. Each year, I simulate the season in any baseball game that hits the market. Outside of telling me that the Yankees have a shot at winning the World Series, most simulations are way off the mark. But in a season that doesn't make sense, how close do the games come? Let's take a look to see how accurate Major League Baseball 2K10 and MLB 10: The Show are in their simulations.
Current Major League Baseball standings:
American League |
East |
Central |
West |
|
W-L |
GB |
Yankees |
53-31 |
- |
Rays |
51-33 |
1.5 |
Red Sox |
49-36 |
4 |
Blue Jays |
42-43 |
11 |
Orioles |
25-59 |
27.5 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Tigers |
46-37 |
- |
White Sox |
45-38 |
1 |
Twins |
45-39 |
1.5 |
Royals |
39-46 |
8 |
Indians |
33-51 |
13.5 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Rangers |
50-34 |
- |
Angels |
46-41 |
5.5 |
Athletics |
41-45 |
11 |
Mariners |
34-50 |
|
|
|
|
National League |
East |
Central |
West |
|
W-L |
GB |
Braves |
50-35 |
- |
Mets |
47-38 |
3 |
Phillies |
43-40 |
6 |
Marlins |
40-44 |
9.5 |
Nationals |
38-47 |
12 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Reds |
49-37 |
- |
Cardinals |
45-39 |
3 |
Cubs |
38-47 |
10.5 |
Brewers |
37-48 |
11.5 |
Astros |
34-51 |
14.5 |
Pirates |
30-54 |
18 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Padres |
49-35 |
- |
Rockies |
46-38 |
3 |
Dodgers |
46-38 |
3 |
Giants |
44-40 |
5 |
Diamondbacks |
32-53 |
17.5 |
|
|
|
Major League Baseball Standings According to Major League Baseball 2K10:
2K10's American League |
East |
Central |
West |
|
W-L |
GB |
Yankees |
49-35 |
- |
Red Sox |
47-38 |
2.5 |
Rays |
43-41 |
6 |
Orioles |
42-42 |
7 |
Blue Jays |
42-43 |
7.5 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Tigers |
41-43 |
- |
White Sox |
40-45 |
1.5 |
Twins |
39-45 |
2 |
Royals |
39-46 |
2.5 |
Indians |
35-50 |
6.5 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Angels |
52-35 |
- |
Athletics |
44-42 |
7.5 |
Rangers |
42-42 |
8.5 |
Mariners |
40-44 |
10.5 |
|
|
|
2K10's National League |
East |
Central |
West |
|
W-L |
GB |
Mets |
51-34 |
- |
Marlins |
46-39 |
5 |
Braves |
45-40 |
6 |
Phillies |
45-40 |
6 |
Nationals |
28-57 |
23 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Brewers |
49-36 |
- |
Reds |
43-43 |
6.5 |
Cardinals |
42-42 |
6.5 |
Astros |
42-43 |
7 |
Cubs |
41-44 |
8 |
Pirates |
37-47 |
11.5 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Dodgers |
46-39 |
- |
Rockies |
44-41 |
1.5 |
Padres |
40-44 |
5 |
Giants |
40-44 |
5 |
Diamondbacks |
38-47 |
7.5 |
|
|
|
Every team in the AL Central has a losing record, but Major League Baseball 2K10 nailed this division's order. Across the entire league, most teams are too close to .500. On top of this, the National League is way off the mark. So, long story short, if you're a scout in the AL Central, pick up a copy of Major League Baseball 2K10 and simulate the remainder of the season to see how your team fares.
Major League Baseball standings according to MLB 10: The Show:
The Show's American League |
East |
Central |
West |
|
W-L |
GB |
Yankees |
59-25 |
- |
Rays |
45-39 |
14 |
Red Sox |
45-40 |
14.5 |
Orioles |
38-46 |
21 |
Blue Jays |
37-48 |
22.5 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
White Sox |
45-39 |
- |
Indians |
44-41 |
1.5 |
Royals |
43-42 |
2.5 |
Tigers |
42-43 |
3.5 |
Twins |
36-48 |
9 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Rangers |
51-33 |
- |
Mariners |
44-40 |
7 |
Athletics |
42-44 |
10 |
Angels |
38-49 |
14.5 |
|
|
|
The Show's National League |
East |
Central |
West |
|
W-L |
GB |
Phillies |
47-38 |
- |
Braves |
45-40 |
2 |
Nationals |
43-42 |
4 |
Marlins |
42-43 |
5 |
Mets |
37-48 |
10 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Brewers |
46-39 |
- |
Cardinals |
42-42 |
3.5 |
Cubs |
42-43 |
4 |
Pirates |
40-44 |
5.5 |
Astros |
40-45 |
6 |
Reds |
37-49 |
9.5 |
|
|
W-L |
GB |
Dodgers |
47-37 |
- |
Giants |
44-40 |
3 |
Diamondbacks |
40-45 |
7.5 |
Rockies |
38-47 |
9.5 |
Padres |
34-50 |
11 |
|
|
|
The Yankees are the best team in baseball...I get it. Outside of this, MLB 10: The Show doesn't get much right. Going into the season, I would say these standings look better than 2K10's (with the Padres in the basement and Cubs being in the hunt), but this year has been anything but normal.
The margin of error found in both games:
National League East |
Actual |
2K10 |
The Show |
|
W-L |
GB |
Braves |
50-35 |
- |
Mets |
47-38 |
3 |
Phillies |
43-40 |
6 |
Marlins |
40-44 |
9.5 |
Nationals |
38-47 |
12 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
45-40 |
6 |
-5 |
51-34 |
- |
+4 |
45-40 |
6 |
+1.5 |
46-39 |
5 |
+5.5 |
28-57 |
23 |
-10 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
45-40 |
2 |
-5 |
37-48 |
10 |
-10 |
47-38 |
- |
+3.5 |
42-43 |
5 |
+1.5 |
43-42 |
4 |
+5 |
|
|
|
National League Central |
Actual |
2K10 |
The Show |
|
W-L |
GB |
Reds |
49-37 |
- |
Cardinals |
45-39 |
3 |
Cubs |
38-47 |
10.5 |
Brewers |
37-48 |
11.5 |
Astros |
34-51 |
14.5 |
Pirates |
30-54 |
18 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
43-43 |
6.5 |
-6 |
42-42 |
6.5 |
-3 |
41-44 |
8 |
+3 |
49-36 |
- |
+8 |
42-43 |
7 |
+8 |
37-47 |
11.5 |
+7 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
37-49 |
9.5 |
-12 |
42-42 |
3.5 |
-3 |
42-43 |
4 |
+4 |
46-39 |
- |
+9 |
40-45 |
6 |
+6 |
40-44 |
5.5 |
+10 |
|
|
|
National League West |
Actual |
2K10 |
The Show |
|
W-L |
GB |
Padres |
49-35 |
- |
Rockies |
46-38 |
3 |
Dodgers |
46-38 |
3 |
Giants |
44-40 |
5 |
Diamondbacks |
32-53 |
17.5 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
40-44 |
5 |
-9 |
44-41 |
1.5 |
-2.5 |
46-39 |
- |
-.5 |
40-44 |
5 |
-4 |
38-47 |
7.5 |
+6 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
34-50 |
11 |
-15 |
38-47 |
9.5 |
-8.5 |
47-37 |
- |
+1 |
44-40 |
3 |
0 |
40-45 |
7.5 |
+8 |
|
|
|
American League East |
Actual |
2K10 |
The Show |
|
W-L |
GB |
Yankees |
53-31 |
- |
Rays |
51-33 |
1.5 |
Red Sox |
49-36 |
4 |
Blue Jays |
42-43 |
11 |
Orioles |
25-59 |
27.5 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
49-35 |
- |
-4 |
43-41 |
6 |
-8 |
47-38 |
2.5 |
-2 |
42-43 |
7.5 |
0 |
42-42 |
7 |
+17 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
59-25 |
- |
+6 |
45-39 |
14 |
-6 |
45-40 |
14.5 |
-4 |
37-48 |
22.5 |
-5 |
38-46 |
21 |
+13 |
|
|
|
American League Central |
Actual |
2K10 |
The Show |
|
W-L |
GB |
Tigers |
46-37 |
- |
White Sox |
45-38 |
1 |
Twins |
45-39 |
1.5 |
Royals |
39-46 |
8 |
Indians |
33-51 |
13.5 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
41-43 |
- |
-5.5 |
40-45 |
1.5 |
-6.5 |
39-45 |
2 |
-6 |
39-46 |
2.5 |
0 |
35-50 |
6.5 |
+1.5 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
42-43 |
3.5 |
-5 |
45-39 |
- |
-.5 |
36-48 |
9 |
-9 |
43-42 |
2.5 |
+4 |
44-41 |
1.5 |
+10.5 |
|
|
|
American League West |
Actual |
2K10 |
The Show |
|
W-L |
GB |
Rangers |
50-34 |
- |
Angels |
46-41 |
5.5 |
Athletics |
41-45 |
11 |
Mariners |
34-50 |
16 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
42-42 |
8.5 |
-8 |
52-35 |
- |
+6 |
44-42 |
7.5 |
+3 |
40-44 |
10.5 |
+6 |
|
W-L |
GB |
Diff |
51-33 |
- |
+1 |
38-49 |
14.5 |
-8 |
42-44 |
10 |
+1 |
44-40 |
7 |
+10 |
|
|
|
Total Margin of Error:
2K10: 156.5
The Show:
184.5
Note: The simulations were conducted using both games' default settings. No trades or free agent signings were allowed.