Doing this tonight so I have time to do something else in the morning. Nothing has changed in the FanGraphs Playoff Odds. Here's what else is going on in and around the Astros...
*Justin Verlander will start Game 1 on Saturday at 3:45pm, Framber Valdez will start Game 2 on Sunday at 7:03pm. We don't know who starts Game 3, but it will be Tuesday in Minneapolis at 3:07pm.
Verlander, career, ALDS Game 1: 23.1IP, 21H/12ER, 25K:11BB
This is clouded, somewhat, by his 2022 ALDS G1, in which he gave up 10H/6ER, 3K:1BB in 4IP against Seattle - the game that Yordan walked off when the Mariners hilariously threw Robbie Ray.
*Dusty, on Minnesota:
Nobody gave them a chance to beat Toronto, I don't think. They've got good pitching, they've got good defense, they've got a number of left-handed hitters, which poses a problem. They've got a good manager. I mean, they're a good team.
*The Chronicle's Matt Kawahara has a good piece on the Astros' ALDS roster decisions, which have to be finalized Saturday morning,
*Chandler Rome's Notes Column in The Athletic runs down the following:
-Michael Brantley is available for the ALDS
-Get ready to watch a lot of Yainer Diaz on the bench in the ALDS
-Jose Urquidy will shift to the bullpen, which pretty much ensures Cristian Javier will start Game 3.
-There will be some promotions in the front office this offseason
*Dusty Baker would very much like everyone at MMP to be quite loud.
*Here is MLB.com's position-by-position breakdown between the Astros and Twins.
*Hector Neris has been fined for his actions "against" Julio Rodriguez, but he won't be suspended.
*FanGraphs: The 30/30 Season That Wasn't, Then Was, Then Wasn't (And Still May Be)
*A former Astros video room employee answered questions on Reddit about the Ben Reiter doc on PBS.
*Minnesota's Byron Buxton and Nick Gordon are enjoying the Twins' ride, despite just sitting there wanting to play. Click the link for other notes from Minneapolis.
*Former Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons STFU Challenge.
*ESPN: Which impending free agents have made - or lost - the most money in the playoffs so far?
*The Mets and the very-recently-resigned Billy Eppler are under investigation for abusing IL rules.
*Jose Altuve, by postseason series, career:
2015 AL Wild Card vs New York: .250/.250/.250, 1RBI, 1K:0BB
2015 ALDS vs Kansas City: .136/.174/.136, 1RBI, 2K:1BB
2017 ALDS vs Boston: .533/.632/1.133, 3HR/4RBI, 2K:4BB
2017 ALCS vs New York: .320/.414/.560, 2HR/4RBI, 5K:4BB
2017 World Series vs Los Angeles: .194/.219/.452, 2HR/6RBI, 7K:1BB
2018 ALDS vs Cleveland: .286/.286/.571, 1HR/2RBI, 2K:0BB
2018 ALCS vs Boston: .250/.348/.300, 2RBI, 4K:3BB
2019 ALDS vs Tampa: .350/.381/.900, 3HR/5RBI, 3K:1BB
2019 ALCS vs New York: .348/.444/.652, 2HR/3RBI, 1K:4BB
2019 World Series vs Washington: .303/.294/.394, 1RBI, 3K:0BB
2020 Wild Card vs Minnesota: .000/.222/.000, 1RBI, 0K:2BB
2020 ALDS vs Oakland: .400/.526/.800, 2HR/5RBI, 3K:3BB
2020 ALCS vs Tampa: .462/.563/.885, 3HR/5RBI, 5K:6BB
2021 ALDS vs Chicago: .313/.476/.625, 1HR/3RBI, 5K:4BB
2021 ALCS vs Boston: .125/.214/.375, 2HR/4RBI, 3K:3BB
2021 World Series vs Atlanta: .222/.250/.482, 2HR/2RBI, 9K:1BB
2022 ALDS vs Seattle: .000/.059/.000, 6K:1BB
2022 ALCS vs New York: .188/.278/.250, 5K:2BB
2022 World Series vs Philadelphia: .308/.333/.385, 3K:1BB
*Astros Postseason Record When Altuve Gets...
0 Hits: 13-16
1 Hit: 21-11
2 Hits: 16-6
3 Hits: 6-3
*Astros Postseason Record When Altuve Homers: 16-5
*Most Career Postseason Home Runs, MLB History:
1. Manny Ramirez: 29
2. Jose Altuve: 23
3. Bernie Williams: 22
4. Derek Jeter: 20
5. Albert Pujols / George Springer: 19
7. Carlos Correa / Nelson Cruz / Reggie Jackson / Mickey Mantle: 18
*Esquire: The Scout Who Found Patrick Mahomes
*The Ringer: Inside the Ugly Standoff Between James Harden and Daryl Morey.
*Rolling Stone: The 50 Best Latin American Rock Albums
*In the wake of Kevin McCarthy's historic ousting as Speaker of the House of Representatives, I took a look at the last time the House tried to body-check the Speaker (all the way back in 1910).
*A Musical Selection: