The tipping point looking back

Eric D. Schabell
Contributing Writer

(This is the final review of predictions originally posted in the Tipping Point. You can catch up on the follow ups after the first series with the Yankees series, the second with the Rays, and here we look after the Orioles series plus a make up game.)

It could have been so sweet.

If all had gone according to plan, the Red Sox could be 8.5 games ahead in the division and be laughing at the Rays on Twitter.

Instead we have to swallow bad calls, missed chances, bad base running, bad weather, and look at the standings with the Red Sox in second place.


Coming into the Orioles series the Red Sox were leading the division and the standing were as follows.

Standings

• -         Red Sox
• 0.5     Rays
• 4.0     Orioles
• 6.5     Yankees
• 14.0   Blue Jays

They only gave ground on the Rays, dropping a half game behind them and putting the rest of the division a few steps farther back.

It could have been much worse. Looking at the predictions of the worst that could have happened, we would have been looking at the following standings.

Standings

• -         Rays
• 1.5     Orioles
• 2.0     Red Sox
• 5.0     Yankees
• 14.0   Blue Jays

Final analysis, the Yankees have done a good job to not lose much ground, the Orioles really missed an opportunity, and the Rays have capitalized on the chance they were given.

All that being said, the Red Sox have not dropped the ball.

They won some and they lost some. They got a call or two and they were robbed on a call or two. That is baseball and there are a lot of games to go yet.

Post a comment or via twitter @ericschabell with your thoughts.

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