CHC 3, WSH 0

I didn't watch much of this one -- too busy gnawing my cuticles over AL extra innings -- but Strasburg chucked up a nice crooked number for his pickers, including, for once, yours truly. Makes me feel a little better about also picking that shitbird Murphy because he always hits, ALWAYS, RIGHT? ...Grr.

Points!

Bryant 1
Rizzo 3

Davis 1

Harper 1

Strasburg 9

That line lets Stempel and Bunting 1 elbow their ways into the conversation temporarily. Still have one slate not on the board, but that's why God invented Kershaw.

Let me warm up this coffee and I'll get back at you with ARI/LAD and full standings.

CLE 9, NYY 8 (13)

Ouuuch. At the same time, #fyeahbaseball.

Once again, no points for Yankee hitters, though Chapman got on the board:

Chapman 1

Bruce 4
Kipnis 2
Lindor 4

Kluber 3

Leaders look roughly the same before I add the NL numbers, although those won't be moving the ball as far as many of us hoped. Stand by.

HOU 8, BOS 2

A bit distracted by Encarnacion Theismanning his ankle out there in the twilight game, and I doubt BOS pickers are in a much better mood, with Betts in obvious pain at the plate and their pitching in...whatever that is out there.

Your points for the opener:

Betts 2

Price 1

Altuve 2
Bregman 2
Correa 6
Springer 6

Keuchel 4

So your leaders are currently

Currie 1 28
Shotwell 2 26
Williams 24

Yuhan 2 and Bauer Noobs not far behind. May not get to another update until tomorrow AM; good luck, everyone.

When you need to know who to scowl at

aka "the full picks post." Thanks for the heads-up that I hadn't posted that, Leigh! A pic of the picks is below; let the ball-busting begin.

CLE 4, NYY 0

The Bombers got goose-egged by Drone Boy, is a thing I'm typing right now. But seriously, folks...

Yankees looked a little flat last night; no points for their pickers. Elsewhere:

Bruuuuuuuce 6
Ramirez 1

Bauer 7
Miller 1

The money is the same for now

20 Winklepleck
18 Currie 1, Shotwell 2
17 Williams

followed by a scrum at 14, another scrum in the single digits, and NL-heavy slates waiting to get on the board. 

And what a smorgas-board it's going to be today. Sox/'Stros at 2 ET on FS1; Yanks/Cleveland at 5 on MLB; the world champs swat the Nats at 7:30 on TBS; and we wind up with ARI/LAD at 10:30.

[hums "it's the most wonderful time of the yeeeeear"]

Excel's been a sassy bitch this AM so if you see arithmetic errors, email me or post a comment. See you in the PM!

HOU 8, BOS 2

Well, that might have been painful for Boston fans...but it actually netted out okay for Sale pickers. Oh, and there's the little (literally) matter of 3 HR for a certain pocket rocket at the top of the 'Stros line-up.

Points*:

Benintendi 1
Betts 3

Sale 5

Altuve 12
Bregman 5
Verlander 1

That puts Winklepleck, Currie 1, Shotwell 2, and Williams out to an early lead. Stand by for the NYY/CLE update!

*(And don't forget, if your Ramirez pick was actually Hanley and not José, as I assumed across the board, let me know ASAP! You've got some points coming to you, in the event.)

And away we go!

BPP 2017 is on, friends. A few notes after compiling the slates, which is one of the funnest parts of the process for me, as I get a bird's-eye view of everyone's thought processes:

- bloom is off the Cubs this postseason, especially on the pitching side; some Cubbeenie picks, but not nearly as dominant as last year

- confidential to the side bettors who guessed the over on Judge picks: only four total, far lower than I would have predicted

- Altuve is our most popular hitter pick; Kluber leads the pitchers (and picks overall)

- once again, no duplicates

The real fun begins at 4 ET when Boston and Houston face off (MLB Network); then it's Yankees at Cleveland at 7:30 on FS1. Tomorrow, of course, is a full slate when the NLDSes get underway, or as it's now known here at Fort Rad II, "Pool Prom."

Good luck, everyone! I would say "see you back here this evening," but I have wine club and I am not trying to Math While Intoxicated over here, so look for a full update tomorrow morning.