ESPN: Do They Accurately Predict the World Series Winner?

How good is ESPN at predicting which major league baseball team will win the World Series each year? The "world-wide leader in sports" has their fair share of experts when it comes to prognosticating, but how often are they correct?

Would you fare any better at predicting the Fall Classic's winner? Let's take a trip down memory lane to see how their most recent forecasts have turned out. You may or may not be surprised. 

2008 World Series: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Back in 2008, 70 percent of ESPN's experts predicted that the Tampa Bay Rays would topple the Philadelphia Phillies, but we all know how that turned out.  Yes, the Phillies clobbered the Rays and won the series in just five games. 

ESPN Experts Grade: Thumbs Down!

2009 World Series: New York Yankees vs Philadelphia Phillies

Twenty-one of 23 ESPN experts predicted the New York Yankees would stomp the Philadelphia Phillies into the ground.  

Well, they were mostly correct.  The Yanks took the series 4-2 en route to another World Series championship.  

ESPN Experts Grade: Thumbs Up!

2010 World Series: San Francisco Giants vs. Texas Rangers

Twenty-two of 28 ESPN experts predicted the Texas Rangers would trounce the San Francisco Giants, but it wasn't even close.  The Giants kicked the Rangers around and won the series 4-1.

ESPN Experts Grade: Thumbs Down!

2011 World Series: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Texas Rangers

Twenty-two of 26 ESPN experts predicted the Rangers would beat the Cardinals, but the exact opposite happened.  

The Cardinals rallied to win games 6 and 7 of the World Series, providing future Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa a nice bookend to his career. 

ESPN Experts Grade: Thumbs Down!

2012 World Series: San Francisco Giants vs. Detroit Tigers

Twenty-three of 28 experts picked the heavy-hitting Detroit Tigers to knock off the San Francisco Giants.  Well, the Giants swept the Tigers, end of story.

ESPN Experts Grade: Thumbs Down!

Conclusion

So ESPN isn't so adept at predicting World Series winners after all, mainly because they keep picking American League teams to win.  

If you factor in their 2006 and 2007 World Series predictions, they have picked an American League team to win the Fall Classic for seven straight years!  

The problem with that is that the National League has won five of the past seven, so maybe it's time ESPN revised their assessment of National League baseball.