I've computed to closeness of a World Series or Playoff by looking at the lead at the end of each inning, and adding these up for each game.
For example, if the runs scored during the game were
000 010 200 000 000 011The the leads were 0,0,0, 0,1,1, 3,2,1. These add to 8.
I was going to call this the NailBiting Count (NBC), but realized that the current network broadcasting the World Series might not like that, so I randomly settled on Figure Of eXcitement (FOX) over other random choices such as Close Baseball Score and Anxious Baseball Count.
Through the 2002 World Series:
The average score was 19.32.
In 4 game series, the average was 19.38
In 5 game series, the average was 16.03
In 6 game series, the average was 19.27
In 7 game series, the average was 20.80
In 8 game series, the average was 19.00
In the 4 game series the averages scores for games 1,2,3,4 were
20.5, 22.7, 18.7, 15.7
In the 5 game series:
12.0, 16.5, 19.7, 14.3, 17.7
In 6 game series:
20.1, 19.9, 13.2, 18.9, 23.0, 20.5
In 7 game series:
21.1, 20.4, 20.9, 21.5, 19.3, 22.5, 20.0.
4 GAMES 5 GAMES
Year G1 G2 G3 G4 Total Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 Total
2005 11 10 12 2 35 1915 8 5 2 9 12 36
1914 27 1 1 11 40 1941 10 9 2 11 14 46
1950 6 3 5 28 42 1943 11 17 14 5 8 55
1939 2 27 24 3 56 1922 5 10 17 15 9 56
1966 25 23 5 6 59 2000 4 31 7 10 6 58
1938 13 11 13 26 63 1942 15 17 8 20 7 67
2012 41 5 16 4 66 1949 1 8 2 17 39 67
1976 18 13 25 14 70 1974 9 14 17 15 12 67
1927 12 20 34 5 71 1929 4 28 9 17 11 69
1963 35 25 9 5 74 1983 7 14 11 8 32 72
1954 4 12 34 25 75 1907 6 12 27 16 17 78
1998 18 59 6 8 91 1905 11 11 45 6 7 80
1932 33 21 15 24 93 1969 24 4 31 7 14 80
1999 10 50 15 21 96 2015 5 22 31 12 11 81
1928 20 42 20 16 98 1908 20 11 23 15 14 83
2004 22 30 24 23 99 1933 25 23 29 3 8 88
1990 47 8 36 9 100 1913 10 0 43 23 18 94
1989 37 26 38 34 135 1988 14 41 3 12 25 95
2007 84 8 32 12 136 2006 33 22 20 9 11 95
1984 9 17 29 23 20 98
2010 28 22 24 19 6 99
2008 13 29 10 36 12 100
1970 9 19 35 11 32 106
1910 24 28 43 7 14 116
1961 10 13 6 28 60 117
1937 27 31 30 36 11 135
6 GAMES 7 GAMES
Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 Total Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 Total
1995 6 7 15 9 15 4 56 1952 9 26 7 8 5 4 7 66
1918 6 23 7 10 11 8 65 1972 7 14 3 5 11 25 10 75
1992 10 12 3 8 26 7 66 1962 11 12 7 20 7 21 5 83
1948 2 15 13 13 27 7 77 1991 20 7 10 3 38 10 0 88
1980 16 9 3 31 7 21 87 1925 14 5 7 28 12 8 20 94
1917 8 30 12 18 19 9 96 1975 18 7 14 12 21 11 11 94
1944 11 7 26 34 6 14 98 1924 9 19 20 23 15 9 6 101
1911 5 9 6 17 16 50 103 1964 18 12 4 20 8 19 22 103
1981 31 9 11 14 8 30 103 2011 6 3 37 21 9 7 20 103
1935 19 46 15 5 16 5 106 1926 4 12 23 27 4 39 9 118
2003 8 46 9 17 28 9 117 1979 29 5 28 20 17 10 9 118
1906 5 34 12 3 18 46 118 1947 17 34 24 10 7 17 15 124
2009 16 9 21 11 33 30 120 1973 8 14 12 39 12 16 28 129
1916 13 2 12 24 51 19 121 1957 10 12 50 18 4 9 30 133
1930 11 36 19 14 2 45 127 1971 14 54 19 5 28 8 6 134
1936 14 57 5 23 8 20 127 1986 3 25 37 22 22 8 21 138
2013 50 9 12 11 9 36 127 1956 23 27 7 24 10 0 50 141
1953 30 10 4 33 34 21 132 1958 4 65 16 9 31 4 13 142
1993 14 20 41 21 17 21 134 1955 10 13 33 20 19 39 10 144
1977 6 35 17 14 46 26 144 1946 5 17 29 47 20 20 9 147
1978 45 9 16 5 48 24 147 1967 3 19 24 50 8 20 29 153
1923 9 13 3 54 57 13 149 1931 24 11 27 17 17 28 30 154
1959 79 14 6 18 6 33 156 1997 25 23 13 45 15 23 10 154
1951 22 16 30 22 62 14 166 2016 30 27 3 27 10 45 12 154
1996 80 25 15 26 6 14 166 1920 19 21 12 30 58 4 14 158
1985 8 12 24 20 27 2 67 160
2002 8 16 36 9 60 11 21 161
1934 31 8 26 15 13 7 63 163
1919 39 16 22 10 9 22 48 166
1987 51 36 7 31 11 26 9 171
1965 45 12 21 27 44 21 12 182
1945 63 16 15 20 14 14 43 185
1982 41 7 18 28 16 67 9 186
1940 52 18 15 22 49 24 7 187
2001 52 17 6 3 8 99 3 188
1909 17 33 41 34 19 14 42 200
2014 42 22 9 30 20 71 6 200
1968 21 28 18 46 18 90 9 230
1960 26 60 78 8 17 61 22 272
8 GAMES
Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 Total
1921 18 10 24 7 14 23 5 9 110
1912 12 14 12 12 11 29 58 4 152
1903 45 14 16 15 34 25 29 16 194
Only three series have had two or more games scoring 50 or above:
1960 had 3, and 1923 and 2001 had 2 such games.2001 G6 99 1968 G6 90 2007 G1 84 1996 G1 80 1959 G1 79 1960 G3 78 2015 G6 71 Royals 10 Giants 0 1982 G6 67 1985 G7 67 1958 G2 65 1934 G7 63 1945 G1 63 1951 G5 62 1960 G6 61 1960 G2 60 1961 G5 60 2002 G5 60 Giants 16 Angels 4 1998 G2 59 1920 G5 58 1936 G2 57 1923 G5 57 1923 G4 54 1971 G2 54 1940 G1 52 2001 G1 52 1916 G5 51 1987 G1 51 1911 G6 50 1967 G4 50 1999 G2 50 2013 G1 50
Best of Five
3 games 4 games
Year G1 G2 G3 Total Year G1 G2 G3 G4 Total
1970 NLCS 0 10 6 16 1974 ALCS 22 16 6 7 51
1976 NLCS 14 19 6 39 1971 NLCS 11 25 6 17 59
1969 ALCS 5 0 35 40 1977 NLCS 17 31 5 20 73
1980 ALCS 21 11 8 40 1978 NLCS 28 19 24 3 74
1971 ALCS 16 16 12 44 1983 ALCS 10 22 43 0 75
1979 NLCS 2 6 41 49 1978 ALCS 27 39 7 5 78
1984 ALCS 34 14 8 56 1983 NLCS 9 13 30 37 89
1975 ALCS 31 15 15 61 1979 ALCS 4 51 8 35 98
1982 NLCS 29 9 32 70 1974 NLCS 9 15 59 51 134
1969 NLCS 12 39 20 71
1975 NLCS 34 31 7 72
1981 ALCS 22 48 7 77
1970 ALCS 26 18 36 80
5 games
Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 Total
1980 NLCS 10 4 0 8 8 30
1972 ALCS 1 29 14 4 7 55
1981 NLCS 21 20 14 9 5 69
1976 ALCS 18 16 19 22 11 86
1973 ALCS 41 7 6 18 19 91
1972 NLCS 28 23 8 32 10 101
1973 NLCS 7 10 54 4 29 104
1977 ALCS 36 17 25 13 17 108
1982 ALCS 33 19 18 38 7 115
1984 NLCS 77 19 29 7 24 156
Best of Seven
4 games 5 games
Year G1 G2 G3 G4 Total Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 Total
2014 ALCS 7 6 6 11 30 2016 ALCS 8 8 10 16 22 64
1988 ALCS 5 3 20 16 44 2014 NLCS 23 6 17 12 8 66
1995 NLCS 5 5 15 22 47 2002 NLCS 33 18 8 13 2 74
1990 ALCS 12 6 16 23 57 1987 ALCS 13 23 15 9 19 79
2012 ALCS 8 7 10 41 66 1996 ALCS 7 9 16 16 34 82
2007 NLCS 25 5 15 25 70 2005 ALCS 9 5 31 35 7 87
2006 ALCS 30 18 23 13 84 2002 ALCS 6 29 7 15 31 88
2015 NLCS 14 30 11 46 101 1989 ALCS 17 18 19 17 18 89
1991 ALCS 23 18 9 29 16 95
2001 NLCS 14 21 23 30 7 95
1989 NLCS 39 49 6 14 7 115
2001 ALCS 15 12 44 2 47 120
1999 ALCS 7 6 72 13 24 122
2008 NLCS 11 27 48 13 25 124
2009 NLCS 10 6 68 11 36 131
2000 NLCS 24 8 38 35 48 153
6 games 7 games
Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 Total Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 Total
1997 ALCS 23 8 2 12 14 0 59 2004 NLCS 21 11 14 12 3 9 15 85
1990 NLCS 11 9 18 8 13 7 66 2003 ALCS 19 22 12 8 18 15 18 112
2010 NLCS 5 21 17 10 11 6 70 1985 ALCS 42 7 9 5 17 9 29 113
1999 NLCS 13 11 9 4 6 29 72 1991 NLCS 28 4 42 5 5 1 32 117
1998 NLCS 3 6 11 20 16 20 76 2006 NLCS 8 11 42 30 9 19 3 122
2005 NLCS 29 13 10 3 10 22 87 1987 NLCS 12 26 22 12 18 8 40 138
2013 ALCS 4 13 3 44 19 11 94 2008 ALCS 7 7 40 56 28 11 11 160
1986 NLCS 8 24 21 19 0 24 96 1988 NLCS 11 33 16 14 17 25 49 165
2013 NLCS 0 5 14 12 17 53 101 1986 ALCS 37 26 11 5 12 41 49 181
1995 ALCS 9 15 7 53 7 11 102 2003 NLCS 11 72 7 47 15 20 19 191
2000 ALCS 9 17 19 19 24 18 106 2004 ALCS 39 15 52 8 10 19 52 195
2009 ALCS 21 5 8 30 27 15 106 2012 NLCS 16 29 10 32 26 39 57 209
1993 ALCS 17 12 34 13 26 9 111 2007 ALCS 45 6 20 23 19 71 31 215
2011 ALCS 12 8 17 7 17 62 123 1992 NLCS 26 53 5 12 48 77 12 233
1997 NLCS 21 45 12 26 4 22 130 1996 NLCS 9 20 11 9 88 13 96 246
1993 NLCS 5 61 23 8 13 21 131
1992 ALCS 16 12 8 25 31 49 141
2016 NLCS 25 8 27 39 17 37 153
1998 ALCS 50 3 29 22 19 34 157
2011 NLCS 20 47 13 12 33 40 165
2015 ALCS 24 14 45 50 27 12 172
2010 ALCS 30 39 24 19 36 27 175
1985 NLCS 15 38 25 80 7 14 179
NLDW and ALDW are the series involving wild-card teams.
NLDS and ALDS are the series involving division winners.
3 games 4 games
Year G1 G2 G3 Total Year G1 G2 G3 G4 Total
1997 NLDW 1 8 14 23 2014 NLDW 10 6 9 11 36
2000 ALDW 7 14 3 24 2008 ALDW 9 19 3 7 38
2009 ALDS 24 2 6 32 1998 NLDS 5 16 4 14 39
1996 NLDW 1 7 28 36 2010 NLDW 6 25 8 7 46
2014 ALDW 0 4 40 44 2003 NLDW 8 17 10 13 48
1996 NLDS 23 9 13 45 2014 NLDS 22 12 9 5 48
1998 NLDW 30 3 13 46 2009 NLDW 21 15 6 10 52
2014 ALDS 27 12 7 46 1996 ALDS 25 10 8 11 54
1981 ALDW 20 6 22 48 2016 NLDW 2 25 12 17 56
2001 NLDS 13 8 27 48 1995 NLDW 6 14 9 32 61
2007 NLDW 16 30 4 50 1999 NLDS 11 14 11 25 61
2009 ALDW 21 9 20 50 2004 ALDS 11 6 33 15 65
1998 ALDS 16 15 20 51 2006 NLDS 23 12 16 16 67
2006 ALDS 13 9 30 52 2000 NLDW 30 7 6 28 71
2009 NLDS 18 5 30 53 1996 ALDW 31 14 19 8 72
2006 NLDW 12 18 25 55 2002 ALDW 11 14 19 28 72
1995 ALDS 8 14 35 57 2003 ALDS 14 13 16 33 76
2010 ALDW 17 10 34 61 2008 ALDS 17 16 17 26 76
2007 ALDS 30 8 25 63 2013 ALDW 43 23 6 5 77
2016 ALDS 13 42 9 64 2015 NLDW 15 30 15 17 77
2007 NLDS 8 34 23 65 1997 ALDW 33 21 12 15 81
2004 ALDW 41 9 16 66 1999 NLDW 12 30 36 3 81
2010 NLDS 33 19 14 66 2011 ALDW 56 16 7 11 90
1999 ALDS 36 6 27 69 1998 ALDW 47 31 7 6 91
1997 NLDS 12 42 22 76 2005 NLDW 18 37 19 21 95
2002 NLDW 27 38 12 77 2013 NLDS 34 9 46 7 96
2016 ALDW 49 21 9 79 2008 NLDW 20 30 22 34 106
1995 NLDS 42 5 39 86 2006 ALDW 27 8 35 38 108
2008 NLDS 22 48 21 91 2007 ALDW 49 5 27 30 111
2005 ALDW 72 17 7 96 2004 NLDS 43 24 24 22 113
2005 NLDS 42 27 36 105
2000 NLDS 31 46 31 108
5 games
Year G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 Total
2012 ALDW 8 10 4 2 10 34
1981 NLDW 3 0 26 7 15 51
1981 ALDE 11 7 7 8 19 52
1995 ALDW 18 3 18 18 5 62
2003 ALDW 10 33 4 8 8 63
2012 ALDS 12 2 14 10 26 64
2013 ALDS 21 1 16 11 16 65
2001 NLDW 5 24 11 22 5 67
2016 NLDS 10 18 17 14 8 67
2001 ALDW 13 7 5 36 13 74
2003 NLDS 13 9 18 13 22 75
2015 ALDW 19 12 12 11 21 75
2011 NLDW 35 16 5 15 9 80
1981 NLDE 14 20 20 14 14 82
2005 ALDS 31 11 25 4 19 90
2012 NLDS 17 36 2 24 15 94
2015 ALDS 12 4 22 45 14 97
2015 NLDS 10 16 49 15 7 97
2000 ALDS 13 13 11 41 25 103
2011 ALDS 29 23 10 30 15 107
2010 ALDS 31 33 8 22 14 108
1997 ALDS 28 28 32 9 13 110
2004 NLDW 33 11 21 13 35 113
2012 NLDW 8 42 44 2 29 125
2011 NLDS 14 28 43 37 5 127
2013 NLDW 53 32 14 6 23 128
2002 NLDS 42 6 22 47 13 130
2002 ALDS 20 58 18 48 8 152
2001 ALDS 24 38 77 12 12 163
1999 ALDW 7 65 21 99 15 207
2014 had the lowest average closeness scores of any set of division series.
2016 264/15G -> 17.6
2015 346/19G -> 18.2 2014 174/14G -> 12.4
2013 366/18G -> 20.3 2012 317/20g -> 15.8
2011 404/19G -> 21.3 2010 281/15G -> 18.7
2009 187/13G -> 14.4 2008 311/15G -> 20.7
2007 289/13G -> 22.2 2006 282/14G -> 20.1
2005 386/15G -> 25.7 2004 357/16G -> 22.3
2003 262/18G -> 14.6 2002 431/17G -> 25.4
2001 352/18G -> 19.6 2000 306/15G -> 20.4
1999 418/16G -> 26.1 1998 227/14G -> 16.2
1997 290/15G -> 29.3 1996 207/14G -> 14.8
1995 266/15G -> 17.7
2012 AL Orioles at Rangers 9 2012 NL Cardinals at Braves 17 2013 AL Rays at Indians 20 2013 NL Reds at Pirates 30 2014 AL A's at Royals 14 2014 NL Giants at Pirates 36 2015 AL Astros at Yankees 17 2015 NL Cubs at Pirates 28 2016 AL Blue Jays vs. Orioles 3 2016 NL Giants at Mets 3
1946 Cardinals and Dodgers 16 28 1948 Indians at Red Sox 24 1951 Giants and Dodgers 10 45 10 1959 Dodgers and Braves 6 15 1962 Giants and Dodgers 40 9 11 1978 Yankees at Red Sox 10 1980 Astros at Dodgers 44 1995 Angels at Mariners 24 1998 Giants at Cubs 17 1999 Mets at Reds 34 2007 Padres at Rockies 9 2008 Twins at WhiteSox 3 2009 Tigers at Twins 8If you note any errors or have constructive comments, please e-mail me