Better of BP: I Needed to See This Infographic and Now You Do Too

This text was initially revealed September 26, 2023.

It was 3:14 pm on the east coast and I used to be minding my enterprise (scrolling social media, wanting into different individuals’s enterprise) once I was devastatingly and brutally assaulted by one of the disorienting graphics I’ve seen in a while, courtesy of Fox Sports activities.

At first look you won’t suppose there’s something fallacious with this. On second look you might need a pair questions. On third look the door closes behind you. You strive the deal with however it’s locked. You lookup and the sunshine glints out. They’ve acquired you now. 

Let’s break this down by part, in an try to get a greater deal with on what’s happening or probably recreate The Yellow Wallpaper. 

The Header

Alright. Simple sufficient. Now we all know what we’re in for: a backward-looking view on the contenders within the AL West and the way their performances this weekend impacted their divisional and Wild Card positions.

The Groups

Okay, it’s our first group and an introduction to the format. We’re laying some floor guidelines right here. Report in a little bit banner on the highest left, edging out over the group in query’s emblem. Certain, possibly a little bit busy however that’s fantastic. Some fantastic print beneath detailing the place they sit within the division.

Then we get a textual content + graphic combo on the right-hand aspect, recapping the Rangers’ (the group in query) efficiency: “Rangers Sweep” plus three separate Mariners logos inside a kind of infield diamonds they use when a runner is on base. On the underside proper of every diamond there’s a inexperienced verify mark residing in a triangle.

This show clearly signifies that the left-side emblem is the group we’re speaking about, the logos within the bases are their opponent, and the verify marks point out a profitable defeat of that opponent for the group in query. I imagine these are the takeaways that any affordable particular person would have from deciphering the Rangers part of this graphic. Let’s transfer on to Houston.

Alright, let’s begin on the left once more. Report within the team-color banner edging out over the brand? Yup, acquired it. Little detailed textual content beneath the brand indicating place inside the divisional race? You guess. Okay, now let’s permit our eyes to wander over to the right-hand portion of the graphic and

God dammit! What the hell is that this!? The textual content reads “HOU Swept by KC” which is all effectively and good (effectively, not for the Astros), however then the logos within the bases are Astros logos, and the verify marks are nonetheless there like within the Rangers one versus Seattle. However by the foundations set forth within the prior part that will imply… the Astros… defeated… the Astros?

Okay, I’m certain Houston followers might truly come round to that viewpoint however then it additionally clearly says that KC swept Houston proper above it! In what could come to be a mistake, I’m deeply doubting that the graphics division at Fox Sports activities is making some form of argument about how the Astros shot themselves within the… foot this weekend, somewhat than, effectively, trying to easily report some outcomes.

Okay, so to reset, we all know that the group whose emblem is contained in the bases graphic with the checkmark subsequent to them misplaced this previous weekend. We not can confidently declare that the group who this part of the graphic is about is the one which defeated them, nor that the 2 groups in query had been even opponents.

Okay, time for group quantity three.

Okay, once more some consistency on the left aspect right here: Banner with the present document overlapping with the Mariners emblem, and… what’s this? The detailed textual content beneath isn’t in regards to the previous weekend like the opposite two sections. It reads: 3-game collection vs HOU. And… there’s an eyes emoji sitting above “HOU.” This, in contrast to the opposite sections, does not element the Mariners place inside the divisional standings. 

No, why would it not, regardless of that being one of many solely clearly outlined throughlines connecting the prior two sections? As a substitute, they’ve moved the Mariners’ divisional standing to the textual content portion above the bases. The bases now are crammed with Astros logos despite the fact that the Mariners performed the Rangers final weekend (as outlined within the prime part) and guess we all of a sudden have DATES IN TRIANGLES ON THE TOP RIGHT OF EACH BASE. THAT’S RIGHT, WE’VE JUST TAKEN THIS RECAP INTO THE FUTURE.

Oh yeah, and the underside proper of every base, the place the inexperienced verify marks had lived are actually three query marks. I don’t know. I suppose they don’t both. 

It appears fairly clear they might have simply swapped the “Mariners 3.0 GB” and “3-game collection vs. HOU” textual content to at the least maintain one through-line in there, and that textual content above the Astros logos with the dates can be a little bit extra thematically constant, at the least inside this one field however what do I do know.

Nothing. The reply is nothing. I’ve stared into the graphic for much too lengthy. It’s acquired its claws in me and it received’t let go. I’ve misplaced all prior data and since it’s so baffling I’ve no present data. The one factor I’m pretty sure of is that the eyes emoji is the graphic staring again at me.

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