Checking out stats broadcast by XM on Papelbon

Chuck Wilson just read a list of stats about Papelbon 2006 that he said were from the Elias Sports Bureau. These will go all around the world and be given heavy meaning and were delivered in Chuck's sincere tone of voice. I checked one out and it turns out it wasn't too meaningful, except to show it was too much at the time for Papelbon. The stat:

• "Papelbon pitched more than any other closer in the month of August." They don't say if that means IP or #appearances, but Baseball Reference says it was 15 IP, 12 games. I looked up some others--month of August only:
• Bobby Jenks, 14.2 IP, 12 games.
• Mariano Rivera, 14.2 IP, 12 games
• Francisco Rodriguez, 13.1 IP, 14 games

In the case of IP, he has a total of 1 out more than 2 other guys, and played 2 games fewer than 1 other guy. If people don't check out the stats the media puts out, they might be mislead. Technically in a limited way, the stat was correct, but put in proper context wasn't meaningful.

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