What Does 0-1 Really Mean?

The media is a funny thing. Die-hard fans that let the results of their favorite team’s games set the tone for their day are hilarious. And I can say that now because I used to be one these emotional rollercoaster fanatics. However, after getting married and having a child, I realized there are more important things in life, like not drinking milk straight out of the carton or the fatal importance of buying a toy that simply must be purchased. However, I understand how writers and overzealous followers can jump on the panic bus after one loss, especially when the one loss happens to the Yankees and happens to the supposed “savior” the team gave $161 million over seven years, CC Sabathia. It’s okay, faithful Yankees fans, no need to do anything crazy like sign a Scott Boras represented amateur player ready to enter the draft. I did some research from a neutral perspective and looked just at the numbers of…

… what does 0-1 really mean?

The following data set only includes 0-1 starts for the Yankees since 1913 when they were officially named the New York Yankees and not the New York Highlanders (1903-12) or resided further south as the Baltimore Orioles (1901-02; oh the things you learn on Baseball Reference). And the data set ends at 2008, obviously, so we’re dealing with 96 seasons here.

Number of times the Yankees started 0-1: 40
Number of times the Yankees went on to win the next game: 22
Number of times the Yankees went on to the postseason: 16
Number of World Series the Yankees won: 9
Number of times the Yankees eventually won 100 or more games: 9
Number of times the Yankees eventually won 90 or more games: 22
Number of times the Yankees eventually won 80 or more games: 31
Number of times the Yankees finished under .500: 6
Average season record: 90.1/68.2 (NOTE: Until 1961, no more than 156 games per season)

So, really, there is nothing to worry about. And, honestly, what do the above numbers mean? I’ll use a movie scene here from one of my favorite movies of all time, “Spaceballs” to express what the above means:

Dark Helmet: Before you die there is something you should know about us, Lone Starr.
Lone Starr: What?
Dark Helmet: I am your father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate.
Lone Starr: What’s that make us?
Dark Helmet: Absolutely nothing!

So, it’s not the end of the world, Sabathia won’t look as good as my grandmother in just a thong (by this I mean, unbearable to look at) each time he takes the hill, Teixeira’s wood won’t be this flaccid every time he steps into the box, and most of all, life will go on and you’ll need to think of ways to sneak in that milk carton gulp when your wife isn’t looking because that’s just how you roll.