HOU 4, PHI 1; Astros are World Champs

...Sure, whatever. Okay: I'm happy for Dusty Baker and Trey Mancini. I'm happy I don't have to hear that execrable booth anymore. But I'm sad the Phillies couldn't close the deal; I'm sad baseball is done for the season. A weird one, granted, but it's weird every year in a different way, so we'll see how MLB tries to mess with my head in 2023.

Last points of 2022:

Altuve 1
Alvarez 4
Tucker 0

None of them managed to catch Machado for most overall BPP points (more on that in a moment)...and nobody managed to catch Zombie Reid 2 for the win. We did, however, see another late shuffle at the top thanks to that Alvarez bomb, as one of the last multi-pick slates lurched into the money...which is as follows!

52 Reid 2 ($245)
50 Yuhan ($70)
48 Cameron ($35)

Well done, everyone! I'll send winnings out tomorrow. Rest of the standings and "awards" after the jump!

Maddeningly close for a couple of the remaining slates:

47 Rogge
46 Drake

41 Bingham 
40 Tormey and Fell

37 Cayenne
35 Dunn
32 Reid 1

25 SDB

Like I said, a strange year, and a Game 7 might have changed a couple of fates, but: we'll never know.

We'll also never know how it might have looked if anyone had picked Schwarber, which I regretted not doing several times, but he's not the pool MVP for the Series, of course; that's Kyle Tucker, by a nose. (Pool LVP for the Series, weirdly, is Alvarez, but there's only a two-point swing there.)

The BPP Shane Victorino Memorial Hottest Unpicked Player Award for the Series looks like Jeremy Peña, but for the entire postseason, I think you have to give it to Bryce Harper, especially since he's a Phillie.

And the Most Valuable Pick remains Manny Machado, with Canha, Goldie, and Toro sharing LVP honors this year.

Thanks so much for playing in 2022; it's always a joy to watch/rant along with you all each October. One last time: check my math; congrats to our top finishers; and pitchers and catchers report in 99 days. 

Until next year! - SDB

PHI 3, HOU 2

I feel like I should post some variation on the how-it-started/how-it's-going meme here; based on the first inning, it seemed like a big gaudy score was on the horizon, with a final score of 11-7 or something like that. That's not how it turned out, and all the points the pool picked up were in the bank with the first pitch of the game. 

Now, if I had any real idea how these things were going to go, I wouldn't be in dead last (aaaaagain), but I don't know how much more baseball there is. I think the Phils had to come out last night and break Houston's backs, and that didn't happen.

Here's what did happen: a new look for the money for the first time since the LCSes.

52 Reid 2
46 Yuhan
45 Drake

43 Rogge and Cameron

40 Bingham
39 Tormey and Fell

34 Dunn
33 Cayenne

28 Reid 1
24 SDB

No game tonight with the teams traveling to Houston. What happens from here? If last night was in fact the Phils' best/most important chance, I think the Astros handle their business tomorrow night and, with the exception of some scuffling around third place, the standings here probably stay about the same.

But I don't know! I hope I'm wrong. I don't care for the Astros and I always want more baseball. We'll find out either way starting at 8:03 (.........sigh with these start times) PM ET on FOX (super-sigh). Good luck!

HOU 5, PHI 0 (no-hitter!)

...Neat! Completely unexpected, especially after last night; marred somewhat by the customary dingus commentary from the FOX booth (do you...want to mention who no-hit the Phils in April? because it was the Mets, jackass); still: neat. 

AND it didn't handcuff our picks!

Altuve 1
Alvarez 1
Tucker 2

They didn't do enough damage to change the money, but we've got at least two games left...

52 Reid 2
46 Yuhan
43 Rogge

42 Drake
40 Cameron

37 Bingham
36 Tormey and Fell

33 Cayenne
31 Dunn

28 Reid 1
21 SDB

Last game of the Philly set tomorrow, same time, same channel; Verlander v. Thor. See you on the far side of that one, and good luck...

PHI 7, HOU 0

I would apologize for the late update, but there...is no update, functionally. I don't know if McCullers was tipping pitches, but since Philly pitchers weren't, none of the picks got points. 

And therefore the money, and nearby slates, haven't moved since the weekend:

52 Reid 2
45 Yuhan 
42 Rogge

41 Drake

38 Cameron

Full standings can be seen in the previous update, and my comments re: the Astros looking worn out in the update before that. Feels like it's getting late early.

Maybe I'M just worn out by the stupidity coming off the FOX booth in little stink waves, but in any case, Game 4 is at 8 PM ET tonight -- good luck to all!