UPDATE – March 2020: CANCELLED. New 2020 Contest HERE.

“The crowd and its team had finally understood that in games, as in many things, the ending, the final score, is only part of what matters. The process, the pleasure, the grain of the game count too.”

Thomas Boswell: Why Time Begins on Opening Day

2020 MillersTime Baseball Contests

CONTEST #1:

Pick your favorite MLB team (or the team you know the best) and answer the following questions to prove whether you’re just a homer (“Someone who shows blind loyalty to a team or organization, typically ignoring any shortcomings or faults they have”) or whether you really know something about your team and can honestly evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. Please answer all three parts of the question.

a. What will your team’s regular season 162 game record be in 2020?

b. Will they make the playoffs, and if so, how far will they go?

c. What will be the most important SINGLE factor (hitting, starting pitching, bullpen, an individual’s performance, the manager, injuries, etc.) in determining their season?

Prize: Two tickets to a regular season game with your favorite team (details to be negotiated with moi.)

Contest #2:

Please answer all of these questions.

1. Name the two teams who will play in the World Series in 2020?
2. Which team will win it all?
3. Tie-Breaker:

a. What will be the total number of games played in the 2020 World Series – 4, 5, 6, or 7?

b. What will be the most important SINGLE factor in determining the WS winner?

Prize: One ticket to either the 2021 World Series or the All Star Game.

Contest #3: Questions submitted by MillersTime readers

1. Which of these three ‘replacement managers will have the best won-loss record for 2020: Dusty Baker for AJ Hinch, Ron Roenicke for Alex Cora, or Luis Rojas for Carlos Beltan? (Submitted by Tim Malieckal)

• Which division in each league will be the closest race by the end of the season? (Submitted by Justin Stoyer. Ron Davis had a somewhat similar question)

• Which team will improve the most? Which team will deteriorate the most? (Submitted by Ed Scholl)

Prize: Your choice of one of these books: The 25 Best Baseball Books of All Time.

Contest #4: True or False:

1. Pete Rose will finally be allowed to compete for the Hall of Fame.(Submitted by Mary Lincer)
2. Either the Dodgers or the Yankees will NOT be in the 2020 World Series.
3. At least one pitcher in each League will win 20 games. (Didn’t happen in 2019)
4. At least four teams will win MORE than 100 games in 2020. (Two did in 2018 & four did in 2019)
5. At least four teams will lose 100 games or more in 2020. (Four did in 2019)
6. Mookie Betts will sign for over $400 million for 2021 and beyond. (Suggestion, sort of, by Nick Nyhart)
7. No player will hit MORE than 53 home runs in 2020. (Alonso hit the most in 2019 – 53)
8. There will be at LEAST six Triple Plays in the MLB this year? (Since 1876 the average has been approximately five per season.)
9. The Washington Nationals will NOT win their Division in 2020.
10. At least one of Grand Papa’s (c’est moi) grandchildren or someone who attends a MLB game with me in 2020 will witness a grand slam, a triple play, a no hitter, Teddy winning a President’s race at the Nats’ stadium, will go home with a foul ball, or will be seen on the TV screen at an MLB stadium.

Prize: Bring a friend and join me for a Nats’ game next year, or if you’re not able to make it to DC, perhaps I can make it to where you live, and we’ll see a game together.

Additional Details:

1. All winners and those whose questions were chosen for this contest get the ‘one-of-a kind,’ specially designed and updated MillersTime Baseball Winner T-Shirt.
2. Enter as many or as few of the contests as you want.
3. If you get a friend (or foe) to participate in these contests, and he or she wins and mentions your name in the submission, you’ll get a prize too.
4. Any two-generation submission that wins will get a special prize.
5. GET YOUR PREDICTIONS IN EARLY. In case of a tie, the individual who submitted his/her prediction first will be the winner.
6. Submissions should be sent to me by email: Samesty84@gmail.com

  Deadline for Submissions: Opening Day, noon (EST) March 26