Hardball Stitches Reporter: Heat Check!

ESPN recently wrote an article checking on the current "franchise temperature" of every MLB team as of January 2025, and that got me thinking: how hot (or not) are my HBD teams? And which MLB teams do their current temperatures compare most similarly to? Here's a quick overview of the formula for those of you who didn't read the full ESPN article:

Everyone starts at "room temperature" (72*F)
Each season they are able to add degrees of "heat" in the following ways

Losing record = +0*
82-94 win season = +5*
95+ win season = +8*
Pennant = +15*
World Series Ring = +25*
Each postseason win (if the team didn't win the pennant or WS) = +1* for each win

The starting temperature for the next season is 90.85% of the final score from the season before (Per ESPN: "That enigmatic-looking standard was calibrated so that the overall average team temperature since 1901 falls at exactly 72 degrees.")

Using this methodology, I'm going to take a look at each of the five teams that I own currently (including my Los Angeles Labradors here in Hardball Stitches. Sadly for me, my guess is that their room temperature score will be towards the top of my personal list 😥😂) For the sake of ease, I am going to start with my shortest tenured teams and work upwards so that I get scores quicker:

Los Angeles Labradores (Hardball Stitches) --> Since S1

Started @ Room Temperature in S1 = 72*F (22.2*C for you international types)

Colorado Springs Cavaliers (Stickball) --> 11 complete seasons

Started @ Room Temperature in S56 = 72*F, losing season earned no points and ended at 72*F
S57: Started @ 65.4*F, losing season earned no points and ended at 65.4*F
S58: Started @ 59.4*F, losing season earned no points and ended at 59.4*F
S59: Started @ 54*F, losing season earned no points and ended at 54*F
S60: Started @ 49*F, losing season earned no points and ended at 49*F
S61: Started @ 44.6*F, +5 for 82 wins but no playoffs ends the season at 49.6*F
S62: Started @ 45.1*F, losing season earned no points and ended at 45.1*F
S63: Started @ 40.9*F, losing season earned no points and ended at 40.9*F
S64: Started @ 37.2*F, +5 for 83 wins but no playoffs ends the season at 42.2*F
S65: Started @ 38.3*F, +5 for 84 wins but no playoffs ends the season at 43.3*F
S66: Started @ 39.3*F, losing season earned no points and ended at 39.3*F
S67 (Current): Started @ 35.7*F (2.1*C)

Tacoma Trailblazers (Plumpy Rules!!) --> 20 complete seasons

Started @ Room Temperature in S47, losing season earned no points, ended at 72*F
S48: Started @ 65.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 65.4*F
S49: Started @ 59.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 59.4*F
S50: Started @ 54*F, +5 for 88 wins but no playoffs ends the season at 59*F
S51: Started @ 53.6*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 53.6*F
S52: Started @ 48.7*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 48.7*F
S53: Started @ 44.2*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 44.2*F
S54: Started @ 40.2*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 40.2*F
S55: Started @ 36.5*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 36.5*F
S56: Started @ 33.2*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 33.2*F
S57: Started @ 30.1*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 30.1*F
S58: Started @ 27.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 27.4*F
S59: Started @ 24.9*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 24.9*F
S60: Started @ 22.6*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 22.6*F
S61: Started @ 20.5*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 20.5*F
S62: Started @ 18.7*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 18.7*F
S63: Started @ 16.9*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 16.9*F
S64: Started @ 15.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 15.4*F
S65: Started @ 14.0*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 14.0*F
S66: Started @ 12.7*F, +5 for 92 wins, 0 playoff wins ends the season at 17.7*F
S67 (Current): Started @ 16.1*F, +5 for 87 wins but no playoffs ends the season at 21.1*F

Seattle Sockeyes (Around The Horn) --> 22 complete seasons

Started @ Room Temperature in S1, losing season earned no points, ended at 72*F
S2: Started @ 65.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 65.4*F
S3: Started @ 59.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 59.4*F
S4: Started @ 54.0*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 54.0*F
S5: Started @ 49.0*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 49.0*F
S6: Started @ 44.6*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 44.6*F
S7: Started @ 40.5*F, +5 for 85 wins but no playoffs ends the season at 45.5*F
S8: Started @ 41.3*F, +5 for 86 wins but no playoffs ends the season at 46.3*F
S9: Started @ 42.1*F, exactly .500 record earns no points, ended at 42.1*F
S10: Started @ 38.2*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 38.2*F
S11: Started @ 34.7*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 34.7*F
S12: Started @ 31.5*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 31.5*F
S13: Started @ 28.7*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 28.7*F
S14: Started @ 26.0*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 26.0*F
S15: Started @ 23.7*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 23.7*F
S16: Started @ 21.5*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 21.5*F
S17: Started @ 19.5*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 19.5*F
S18: Started @ 17.7*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 17.7*F
S19: Started @ 16.1*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 16.1*F
S20: Started @ 14.6*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 14.6*F
S21: Started @ 13.3*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 13.3*F
S22: Started @ 12.1*F, losing record earned no points, ended at 12.1*F
S23 (Current): Started @ 11.0*F (-11.7*C)

San Antonio Seals (FYC) --> 27 complete seasons, 17 in San Antonio

TEXAS

Started @ Room Temperature in S41, +5 for for 93 wins +4 for 4 playoff wins, ended at 81*F
S42: Started @ 73.6*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 73.6*F
S43: Started @ 66.9*F, +5 for 82 win season but no playoffs ended at 71.9*F
S44: Started @ 65.3*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 65.3*F
S45: Started @ 59.3*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 59.3*F
S46: Started @ 53.9*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 53.9*F
S47: Started @ 49.0*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 49.0*F
S48: Started @ 44.5*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 44.5*F
S49: Started @ 40.5*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 40.5*F
S50: Started @ 36.7*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 36.7*F
S51: Started @ 33.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 33.4*F (0.8*C)

FRANCHISE MOVED TO SAN ANTONIO

S52: Started @ Room Temperature, losing season earned no points, ended at 72*F
S53: Started @ 65.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 65.4*F
S54: Started @ 59.4*F, +5 for 83 win season but no playoffs, ended at 64.4*F
S55: Started @ 58.5*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 58.5*F
S56: Started @ 53.2*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 53.2*F
S57: Started @ 48.3*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 48.3*F
S58: Started @ 43.9*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 43.9*F
S59: Started @ 39.9*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 39.9*F
S60: Started @ 36.2*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 36.2*F
S61: Started @ 32.9*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 32.9*F
S62: Started @ 29.9*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 29.9*F
S63: Started @ 27.2*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 27.2*F
S64: Started @ 24.7*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 24.7*F
S65: Started @ 22.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 22.4*F
S66: Started @ 20.4*F, losing season earned no points, ended at 20.4*F
S67: Started @ 18.5*F, +8 for 102 wins, +25 for WS Ring, ended at 51.5*F
S68 (Current): Started @ 46.8*F (8.2*C)

As I suspected, my best team is currently my newest team...but while I was in the waiting room at the doctor's office today (just a routine checkup, all good here!) it occurred to me that a similar method could be applied to Hoops Dynasty. My only HD team has made back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances so my guess is that they would fare the best out of all my WIS teams. Here's what I was thinking about how to adapt the method to basketball:

Everyone starts at "room temperature" (72*F) to stay consistent with the baseball calculation
Each season they are able to add degrees of "heat" in the following ways

Losing record = +0*
.501 to .580 Win% = +5*
.581 Win% or better = +8*
NT First Round = +0.9*
PIT Championship = +1.4*
NT Second Round = +1.9*
Sweet Sixteen = +3.8*
Elite Eight = +7.5*
Final Four = +15*
Championship = +25*

The starting temperature for the next season is 90.85% of the final score from the season before to stay consistent with the baseball calculation

Here's how my HD team grades out using that system:

St. Lawrence (Rupp Div 3) --> 9 complete seasons

S145: Started @ 72*F, 0.500 Win% earned no points, ended at 72*F
S146: Started @ 65.4*F, 0.370 Win% earned no points, ended at 65.4*F
S147: Started @ 59.4*F, 0.882 Win% earned 8 points + 1.4* for PIT Championship ended at 68.8*F
S148: Started @ 62.5*F, 0.933 Win% earned 8 points +0.9* for NT 1st Rd ended at 71.4*F
S149: Started @ 64.9*F, 0.742 Win% earned 8 points, +1.9* for NT 2nd Rd ended at 74.8*F
S150: Started @ 67.9*F, 0.833 Win% earned 8 points, +0.9* for NT 1st Rd ended at 76.8*F
S151: Started @ 69.8*F, 0.906 Win% earned 8 points, +3.8* for Sweet Sixteen ended at 81.6*F
S152: Started @ 74.1*F, 0.844 Win% earned 8 points, +3.8* for Sweet Sixteen ended at 85.9*F
S153: Started @ 78.1*F, 0.853 Win% earned 8 points +15* for Final Four ended at 101.1*F
S154 (Current): Started @ 91.8*F (33.2*C)