What Is Luck?
Wednesday, June 27, 2007by Geoff Young
I've been wrestling with the term "luck" -- specifically, as it applies to the Padres' record in one-run games so far this season. Bill James has said that "winning or losing close games is luck" but also that "winning or losing close games is probably not all luck."
When such seemingly contradictory statements emanate from the same knowledgeable source, I think that we must be dealing with a fairly complex issue. Actually, first my head explodes. Then I get over that and try to wrap my head around the situation.
One factor that appears to help teams achieve a good record in close games is the presence of a strong bullpen. The Padres, from a purely statistical ...
