MLB

MLB Computer Simulation Predictions 2017-08-14

Photo of author
Original Publish Date:

We are monitoring computer simulation picks from fivethirtyeight.com.  In their own words on how they pick the games…

This forecast is based on 100,000 simulations of the season and accounts for starting pitchers, travel distance and rest. It updates after each game.

What they do is they provide probability of winning for each team each day according to their computer simulations.  In our opinion, there’s two ways to interpret these picks:

  1. Compare their probability to the actual odds of the game and find the perceived value.
  2. Take the pick “as is” and select the team with the higher probability as the selection.

MLB Computer Simulation Predictions Record

Value Pick Record (since 5/27/17)

Units W L Total Units %
5 123 175 -88.63 41%
4 45 59 -23.77 43%
3 70 71 11.36 50%
2 81 94 -6.46 46%
1 148 159 -13.83 48%
Total 467 558 -121.33 46%

“As Is” Pick Record (since 5/22/17)

Odds W L Total Units %
 -250 or Greater 24 8 1.70 75%
 -200 to -250 59 26 3.10 69%
 -150 to -200 162 105 -13.35 61%
 +100 to -150 306 284 -44.81 52%
Underdogs 46 76 -21.46 38%
Total 597 499 -74.82 54%

MLB Computer Simulation Predictions

You need a login access to see these picks.  If you don’t already have a login, simply sign up for our EYO Insider Membership to get access to the picks below.

[restrict userlevel=”nbaseason”]

Derived Value Picks

Here we take the computer simulation probability and compared to the actual odds, the further away from the actual odds, the more value to the pick (i.e. if computer simulation suggests 60% chance of winning and the actual odds suggests 55% change of winning, then there’s a perceived 5% value in taking the favorite in this scenario).  We give higher units to higher value plays, and the units are capped at 5 units.

538 Value Pick Odds Risk Units To Win Units Value
Houston 135 3.7 5 8%
NY Mets 165 1.82 3 3%
Seattle 104 2.88 3 3%
Colorado -133 3.99 3 3%
Kansas City 107 2.8 3 3%
Detroit 101 0.99 1 1%
Philadelphia 109 0.92 1 1%
Chi. Cubs -200 2 1 1%
Miami -139 1.39 1 1%
Cleveland -105 1.05 1 1%
Toronto -102 1.02 1 1%

“As Is” Picks

These picks are more straight forward, basically which ever team has the higher probability of winning according to the computer simulation would be the selection.  We make all picks as 1 unit plays.

538 As Is Pick Odds
Chi. Cubs -200
NY Yankees -180
Miami -139
Colorado -133
San Diego -119
Boston -105
Toronto -102
Detroit 101
Seattle 104
Kansas City 107
Houston 135

[/restrict]

Leave a Comment