NEW YORK, March 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — MLBAM today launched the 14th edition of its popular, easy-to-play fantasy baseball game, MLB.com Beat The Streak Sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts, as its continues to hope someone, somewhere ends the game’s own unenviable string of grand prize futility, now worth $5.6 million. The fantasy sports achievement that math puts at approximately six trillion times easier than a perfect bracket continues to defy the odds. In 2014, MLBAM will give fans even more ways to play and opportunities to win as they build streaks toward the now mythical goal of a 57-game hitting streak.
2014 BEAT THE STREAK
Beat the Streak Sponsored by Dunkin’ Donuts, available to play on MLB.com and via its free app on iPhone, iPod touch and Android smartphones, gives contestants the chance to pick up to two players each day that they believe will get a hit in an effort to get to 57 games — and break baseball’s most enduring record, the legendary 56-game hitting streak. Players again will get an extra helping hand in the form of a “mulligan” once they reach a 10-game streak. This do-over for a missed pick can only be used one time and within the 10 to 15-game period, helping contestants preserve their streaks.
Even if fans fail to reach the exalted grand prize, MLBAM will be awarding as many as one million prizes as fans build streaks. Every time fans reach a consecutive hitting streak divisible by five (e.g. 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.), they will earn a scratch-off card, revealing a special prize. Among the more than one million prizes are Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards, free MLB.TV subscriptions, and tickets to the 2014 All-Star Game and the 2014 World Series.
FIVE LESSONS LEARNED FROM 2013
After culling through millions of statistical data points in its hopes to finally award the grand prize, MLBAM released its own five (5) rules learned from the 2013 edition of Beat The Streak.
Rule #1 – Being Popular Doesn’t Guarantee Success
Stat: Only seven players ranked in the Top 20 of both Most Frequently Picked & Highest Success Rate
Michael Cuddyer, Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout, Adam Jones, Adrian Beltre, Dustin Pedroia, Joe Mauer
Rule #2 – Beware of Players on New Teams
Stat: Only one player on a new team had a BTS Success Rate higher than 75%
In: Alex Rios (75.5%). Just Missed: Torii Hunter (74.3), Jose Reyes (74.2), Denard Span (74.2)
2014 Helpful Hint: Notable players with new teams in 2014 and respective 2013 BTS Success Rates
Jacoby Ellsbury (78.4%); Jhonny Peralta (76.6); Robinson Cano (72.3); Prince Fielder (71.4); Marlon Byrd (71.2); Carlos Beltran (70.1); David Freese (65.9); Mark Trumbo (64.6); Curtis Granderson (59.0); Brian McCann (54.9)
Rule #3 – Only Need One. Batting Average Can Be The Primrose Path.
Stat: Two-thirds of the 24 qualifying hitters over .300 did not make the Top 20 Highest Success Rate
In: Cuddyer (80.8%), Cabrera (80.3), Trout (76.4), Beltre (74.5), Pedroia (74.4), Hunter/Mauer (74.3), Allen Craig (73.9)
Rule #4 – Probably Best to Bench Rookies
Stat: Only one rookie-eligible player made the Top 20 Highest Success Rate
In: Robbie Grossman (76.2%). Out: Wil Myers (71.6), Yasiel Puig (68.9), Jose Iglesias (68.0)
Rule #5 – Age 27: A Fantasy Fallacy?
Stat: 17 of the Top 20 Highest Success Rate batters were either younger than 25 or older than 30
Only Adam Jones (75.6%) played all or part of 2013 at the fantasy baseball mythical age of 27
2013 Beat The Streak Recap
Beat The Streak saw its most prolific season in 2013 with 34 million picks being made (+36% YOY). Will Bryan, a police officer from Atlanta, earned the year’s top honors and a $10,000 grand prize. Mr. Bryan’s streak ended at 47 games when Justin Upton failed to get a hit on August 10. Upton later welcomed Mr. Bryan and his family as his special guests for a game at Turner Field. Watch a recap of his visit from Cut4.com. Overall last season, there were a record-setting 13 individual streaks over the 40-game plateau.
Note: All data is from the 2013 MLB season. Success Rate represents % of games in which a player had at least one hit and one official at bat.
SOURCE MLBAM
