Sports fans are fascinated with patterns of hot and cold behavior among athletes and teams. One of the greatest hitting accomplishments in baseball is Joe DiMaggio's "Great Streak" of getting a hit in 56 consecutive games in the 1941 season. The Oakland Athletics winning streak of 20 consecutive games during the 2002 baseball season was partly the inspiration for the book and movie Moneyball. Indeed, streaky patterns of performance have been featured in a number of CHANCE articles. In baseball, some of the best-known hitters are the ones who hit a large number of home runs during a season. Albert Pujols won the MVP (most valuable player) award in the 2009 season partly due to hitting 47 home runs. Likewise, Mo Vaughn's 40 home runs contributed to his fourth place in the voting for the MVP crown in the 1998 season. But the 2009 Pujols and the 1998 Vaughn had different patterns of home run hitting during these two seasons.
展开▼
