BOS 4, HOU 1; Red Sox advance

I keep thinking about my comment yesterday, that it never felt like Boston was in control of the series. I still feel that way to an extent, and a 4-1 loss for Houston is still a surprise, but I underestimated the Sox...in a way, in my defense, that I underestimated the '86 Mets. There's something about a team with that gaudy a regular-season record that almost dares you to take it seriously in a short series, I don't know what it is.

In any case, congrats to them for getting to the Classic...and for up-ending the pool in fine ice-bath style. Entire leading slates, wiped out! Last hopes, dashed! Me, sending "it's aliiiiiiive" GIFs to my father! 

Love it. ...Okay, let's get this champagne-y mess cleaned up. Points:

Martinez 5

Altuve 1
Gurriel 3
Springer 1

Leaving us: 

Altuve
Bregman
Gurriel
Springer

The money only shuffled a little, for now, thanks to JD Martinez:

58 MArbour 2 and Fell 1
51 Shotwell 1
48 Reid Hate

and just off the pace, it's 

47 Johnson 2
45 MArbour 1
43 Richardson

But...you know. Those top slates lost everybody. My lead slate lost everybody; my second slate has only dupes. The Bauer slates are functionally done. But everyone's going to stay where they are update-wise until we cast the World Series. Rest of the standings after the jump.



40 JArbour 1

37 Yuhan 1, Cameron 2
36 Yuhan 2
35 Cameron 1

34 Shotwell 2, Brady, Reid Love
33 Bingham 2
31 Tormey, Johnson 1, Crase
30 SDB 2

26 Stempel
25 Bingham 1, SDB 1
24 DGB

21 Quinn
20 Bauer 2

18 Bauer 1
17 Winklepleck, who n4n has two picks left, one of them unique
13 JArbour 2

Springer, by far the most productive pick in this ALCS, may have stockpiled enough points for some of his pickers to stay in it, at least for a while; he's our MVP. Our LVP -- and this is another one that didn't seem like it was true while it was happening, but Boston figured out how to neutralize him -- is Bregman. He wasn't a complete bust, but he only got on the board in Game 3, and it was nothing like his LDS production. 

Our Shane Victorino Memorial Flyin' Hawaiian Unpicked All-Star crown for this round goes to JBJ. Marwin Gonzalez had as many total bases for the round, but Marwin did not hang four runs on Osuna.

That's that for the AL until next week. Tonight, the Crew tries to stave off Los Dodgers at 8:39 ET, and my customary "if you want more kids to watch this shit, maybe put it on when most grade-schoolers aren't already in PJs?" rant would go here, but as Brady astutely noted last night, it's on too late for us old farts who already like the game, too? It's Friday; you can't put first pitch at 6:30 local time?

ANYWAY, it appears the starters are Ryu for L.A. and Wade "The Poe Toaster" Miley. My prediction: the Brewers either roll; or roll over quietly in the early innings. Please let it be the first thing; let's get Ueck to the World Series. 

Good luck, everyone!