In our previous article, we discussed the individual aspects of pitching and batting as it relates to the law of averages. In this article, we will discuss the dynamics of the streak, both loosing and winning.
Since baseball season is so long and tedious (162 games), there will inherently be streaks, both good and bad. When a team starts to hit the ball and score runs, such a team will win games. Since hitting is contagious, everyone on the roster will start to hit and generate runs, which will eventually translate into wins. The more a team is successful in hitting and scoring runs, the more inclined they will hit and score in the future. As such, they will win, win, and win. On the flip side, if a team starts to slump they will lose, lose, and lose. Loosing, like winning, is contagious. Once a player starts to get cold and stops hitting, this will transfer over to the other players. It is, then, up to the managerial staff to stem this outbreak and control the infection before it spreads throughout the whole team. Team morale will be down and so will team chemistry.
In betting terms, the sports baseball bettor must take this into account when betting on games. A streak is defined as one that repeats the same result more than 3 times; so, if a team starts to win (or lose) 3 games in a row, a streak will have started. It will behoove the sports bettor to jump on the train before the oddsmakers catch wind of such a streak. When a team starts to streak greatly, their moneyline prices will be over inflated, thus loosing value on such a team. Therefore, it is important to jump on such teams early in the streak, and jump off them at the tail end.
Overall, if a team is good (has a winning percentage) and starts to slump, such a team will surely bounce back sooner or later (and vice-versa). This can be explained by the fact that good teams are inherently good. If such teams start to loose, they will soon be on their winning ways again in the near future. On the flip side, if a loosing team starts to win, they will not continue on such a pattern. One should be careful to back such teams to win.
In closing, the law of averages also applies to the whole team, as outlined in this article.