On today’s episode of Math and Musings you’ll hear me discuss baseball’s LCS. It was recorded a couple days ago, that heady time in which the AL series was still nothing-nothing. Studio executives were dreaming of the Yankees being in the World Series again, no doubt bringing more eyeballs to the screen and dollars to their pockets.

Standing in their way, though, are the Houston Astros and their pitching duo of Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez. Verlander and Valdez… that just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? Step aside, Spahn and Sain, Koufax and Drysdale, Johnson and Schilling… this is your new postseason pitching tandem.

Series returns to the Bronx for Game 3, where the Yankees will start their own ace, Gerrit Cole. Cole’s a former Astro, famously leading the ‘stros in their 2019 loss to my hometown Nats. Cole was the winner in Game 5, the last game Houston would win in that series.

And the last game he pitched for them before signing a $324 million deal with the Yanks.

Lookin’ for that to pay off tonight.