Happy Halloween! It’s my first Halloween in my new home, and I don’t know what to expect. At my old house there was a steady stream of trick-or-treaters throughout the evening, but I’ve no clue how many kids I can expect to show up and ring the doorbell tonight.
As a result, we overloaded on candy to give away because we don’t want to run out, but as the person put on door duty tonight, I realized I don’t have a costume. Instead of running to the store to find one, I came up with a better idea. I’m going to put on a suit and tell kids that I’m dressed as The Taxman. When they come to the door, instead of giving them candy, I will take candy from them as part of the candy tax. All of which will ensure that, no matter what happens, we will have candy leftover at the end of the night.
Because while I told the wife that we should overbuy to make sure we don’t run out, the truth is I wanted to make sure there was some left for me. I’m a genius.
Now let’s hope there are more treats than tricks in tonight’s picks.
All times Eastern, and all odds via Caesars Sportsbook
🔥 The Hot Ticket
Astros at Phillies, 8:03 p.m. | TV: Fox
- Key Trend: Noah Syndergaard‘s strikeout rate of 16.8% is well below average
- The Pick: Astros Over 4.5 Runs (+110)
I don’t know why they’ve got the games starting at 8:03 instead of 8:05 or even 8:00, but I know that’s when I will stop answering the door for trick-or-treaters. I’m sorry, kids, but it’s the World Series, so I’m going to leave the bowl of candy out front and trust you’ll behave. I like the full game over at 8, but not as much as I like the over 4 in the first five innings. However, what I like more than anything is the idea that the Houston offense is in line to have a big night, so my favorite play is the over on their team total.
Noah Syndergaard starts for Philadelphia tonight, and he does not have the most appealing matchup against this Astros lineup. Syndergaard is no longer the fireballer he was with the Mets. A fastball that once resided in the upper 90s now sits at 94, and Syndergaard’s strikeout rate has dropped to a career-low 16.8%. His previous low was 24.1%. He’s now a pitcher who relies on location, guts and guile.
Well, I’m not trying to locate against Houston. Especially now that Jose Altuve seems to have shaken out of his slump. Syndergaard is a pitcher who pitches to contact against a Houston offense with the second-highest…
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