As you've no doubt seen, ALCS Game 4 got punted to tomorrow night same time, 8 ET. That's going to mean a 5 PM ET Game 5 on Sunday so that theoretical Game 6 can still happen Monday night, with no off day.
One thing at a time; we'll be back here tomorrow night for updates. Good luck!
I am weirdly relieved for Ohtani that he got to do A Thing for the Dodgers tonight. I am also relieved, sort of, that the Dodgers are out and we don't have to keep watching...whatever they were in the '26 post. Regular L.A. commentators/fans will have more informed takes here that you may feel free to post in the comments, but my sense generally is that this team was built with dynastic intent, but some age-30s seasons didn't go as hoped. ("Relatable." - Mets fans)
And also that this Brewers team is the shit, so take a big whiff. I hope Ueck is enjoying this from his front-row seat beyond the veil.
This is the baseball fan speaking. The pool-chief take is that this is not good for us...but not as catastrophically not-good as it would have been in years previous, if only because the Dodger picks were not performing the way they were in years previous.
"Your ambassadorship is approved; get to the point(s)." Fair enough; let's do that.
No shortage of them tonight, either.
Betts 0
Freeman 0
Hernandez, K 0
Hernandez, T 1
Muncy 1
Ohtani 4
Pages 3
Smith 2
Tucker 3
Italics = they're out, I'm sorry to say.
NLCS MVP Jack Bauer 2
Chourio 0
Contreras 2
Mitchell 4
Turang 0
Yelich 0
Our MVP here is not Bauers, but Contreras, strictly speaking -- Bauers and several others notched 8 TB; Contreras had 9. The LVP, to my shock, is Kiké, although he had competition (Freddie; Bax Buncy) and Captain Yeli did not exactly distinguish himself.
But that's a lot of points to wrap up the series...and to hold a bunch of slates for a week. The ones that didn't get busted, that is, and there were a bunch.
The money/standings as of tonight:
57 MArbour 2
53 O'Reilly
51 Bauer 2
50 Yuhan 2
A reminder: italicized slates also are out. If you're in the money, you'll be in the updates going forward; if you're not, your slate will fall out.
49 Wonsetler Head
47 Bauer 2 and Green
Everyone else after the jump...
I followed what little I could of the game via overheated MLB-app updates. You'd think, based on the sweaty all-capsing of those, that we'd have more points in play...but it's a quiet update on the AL side:
Mr. DeLauter 0
Kwan 0
Caminero 0
Diaz 2
The money remains unchanged...
51 O'Reilly and MArbour 2
50 Yuhan 2
47 Bauer 2 and Wonsetler Head
...but a few slates near the podium inched upwards.
43 Reid Dumb and Bauer 1
42 Stempelson and LoPorto 2
41 Green
39 JArbour
36 Izzo 1, Fell 1, and SDB David
I'll leave it there for now, since the night game is bound to change things -- possibly drastically! Good luck, all.
At the local earlier, a guy down the bar is all "so wait Ohtani is in the game?" Me: "Yeah, they're batting him sixth tonight, shrug emoji." Guy: "Wh...at difference does that make?"
Exactly, but at the same time, what would make a difference here? My previous wool-gathering notwithstanding, if it's not going to worsen any injuries to play him, I don't think it matters either way. Shohei looks bad; that's not the central issue. The issue is that the Brewers are better than the Dodgers.
A fair number of points on offer on both sides tonight, however -- and Ohtani did something.
Betts 1
Ohtani 1
Smith 2
Tucker 1
all other Dodgers 0
Bauers 4
Chourio 4
Contreras 1
Mitchell! 4
Turang 1
Yelich 0
Still crowded at the top, but in a different way! Here's the money:
51 O'Reilly and MArbour 2
50 Yuhan 2
47 Bauer 2 and Wonsetler Head
43 Reid Dumb
42 Stempelson
41 Green and Bauer 1
40 LoPorto 2
Everyone else after the jump...
The Guardians have to be pretty pleased going into the AL off day; they split on the road. The Rays also have to be pretty pleased with refurbished Met Freddy Peralta giving them six innings and keeping it frosty despite some traffic, something he couldn't seem to do in Flushing.
I feel a little bad for the ALCSers -- MLB coverage seemed way more interested in Ohtani than in this series, and I'm not exempting myself -- but hopefully that storyline does what it's going to do and lets everyone enjoy the Guards/Rays series for its own sake.
I think some BPP entrants are enjoying it pretty well...
Mr. DeLauter 2
Kwan 2
Caminero 2
Diaz 0
Diaz looks to be pressing a little. Maybe he sees how crowded the money's getting?
50 Yuhan 2 and O'Reilly
46 Bauer 2 and Wonsetler Head
42 Reid Dumb
41 Stempelson and MArbour 2
"Dang, you weren't kidding." ikr? Of course, it'll all have resettled itself in a different pattern 24 hours from now. Everyone else after the jump!
An unexpected barrage from the Guardian line-up led to this unexpected (to me anyway) Game 1 outcome. The Rays didn't seem to expect it either, although the booth making a big whoop of the fact that Tampa Bay hadn't been behind in the box score "the entire postseason" was maaaaybe not the insight they thought. Tampa's "postseason" prior to last night was three games, so this -- like the "one triple short of the cycle" foolishness -- is meaningless as commentary.
"...Yeah, speaking of which." I hear you. Points!
Mr. DeLauter! 7!
Kwan 1
Caminero 1
Diaz 3
Caminero was involved in an almost collision that looked pretty scary for both dudes; here's hoping that isn't a developing story later today. For now, the money:
50 Yuhan 2, O'Reilly
46 Bauer 2
44 Wonsetler Head
42 Reid Dumb
41 Stempelson and MArbour 2
Top of the pool standings is not so much a developing story, since the majority of the remaining picks come out of the NL. Decent amount of activity in the middle of the pack, though; have a look after the jump.
Not everyone feels this way -- many people feel resolutely the opposite -- but in the "my team's out of it, who cares" sense, I enjoy the Dodgers. (On the field. The visit to the White House...don't get me started.) It's always a good story and it's always a different story...usually.
This year, it feels off. Ohtani, whom I usually love watching because he's...him, looks not just hurt but ill. Some of their "not so fast" vibe is the same, but they mostly feel like they're trying to get the band back together and they don't know that you can't.
Not to get philosophical about a pretty straightforward situation -- aging juggernaut faces faster, hungrier team -- and you never know. But: you maybe know, this year.
Okay: points.
Betts 1
Tucker 2
all other Dodgers 0
Bauers 1
Chourio 0
Contreras 6
Mitchell 0
Turang 3
Yelich 2
Ugly night for a lot of slates...but gorgeous shuffling action for a lot of others, and here's the money after the first game:
50 Yuhan 2 and O'Reilly
46 Bauer 2
43 Wonsetler Head
42 Reid Dumb
41 Stempelson and MArbour 2
Fair number of points in the ALCS opener already in progress, so I'll save full standings for that update. Hold onto your butts!
