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Regular Updates: Astros’ Run To The Wild Card

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  • Updated: September 22, 2016

Houston ended the season, October 2 in Anaheim, dropping the 162nd game, 8-1, as the Astros dropped 2 more games this season than last. Final record: 84-78.

The Astros finished in 3rd place, two games behind Seattle for second place, and 11 games behind first-place Texas.

After Further Review

The Texas Rangers got swept in the 2016 ALDS, 3-0, to the Toronto Blue Jays, losing the clincher October 9. The Blue Jays go on to the ALCS.

Recapping the season, the Astros, without even making the playoffs, apparently had just as successful season as the Division-winning Rangers, who made the playoffs, and played 3 postseason games: Houston won just as many playoff games in 2016 as the Rangers: 0…..Zero.

Related: Astros Respond to Passing of Marlins’ Pitcher José Fernández

Video: Watch Tony Kemp’s first career homer in Sunday’s 4-1 win.

Wednesday afternoon’s (Sept. 28) game was the last day Tal’s Hill will be in play at Minute Maid Park, as it will be dug out, the flag removed, and the fences brought in sometime in November.

Related: Requiem Mound: Astros Ditch Tal’s Hill

News’n’Notes

Preston Tucker was in the clubhouse, Monday, a week after his successful shoulder surgery. For the next two months, he’ll have two screws in that shoulder, with his arm in a sling.

Related: “Killer B” Alert: Alex Bregman Era Begins in Houston

Related: Colin Moran and Tony Kemp Lead March of Prospects to Houston?

Recent: Tony Kemp: Astros’ Young Gun With Big Pop

Related: With Texas in the Rear View, Astros Must Best Rest of West

If two AL teams tie for the second Wild Card spot:
A tiebreaker game will be played Monday, Oct. 3 (the day after Houston finishes a 3-game series in Anaheim), and hosted by the team with the better head-to-head record during the regular season. If they split the season series, home-field will be determined by the team with the better intra-division record.

The Astros hold the tiebreaker over the Orioles (6-1 season-series edge) and Mariners (10-6 with three left to play). Lost the season series to the Tigers (2-4), Yankees (2-4) and Blue Jays (3-4).

If three teams tie for one Wild Card:
In a three-team tie, the three teams would choose their A, B and C designations, with Club C traveling to face the winner of the game between Clubs A and B to determine who advances to the Wild Card Game.

As an example, here’s how it would play out in the American League if there’s a three-team tie among the Orioles, Tigers and Astros for the second Wild Card spot.

The Astros have combined for an 8-5 record against the other two teams, while the Tigers and Orioles are 6-7. Therefore, the Astros would have “first pick.”

The Orioles currently have a better record against the AL East than the Tigers do against the AL Central, so they would have “second pick” based on intra-division record.

In this scenario, the Astros face a choice: Would they rather have to win two home games on consecutive days (Oct. 3-4) to clinch a Wild Card spot (Club A designation), or win one road game on Oct. 4 (Club C designation)?

An incredible, but unprecedented choice: There has yet to be a three-way tie since the second Wild Card team was added in 2012, so there is no way to guess which designation a team would prefer.

-Tiebreaker info courtesy Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

Brad Kyle

Seen here, meeting Nolan Ryan at Dell Diamond in Round Rock (TX), around the turn of the century.

Brad was born and raised in the shadow of what eventually became Colt Stadium, and then, in '65, the Astrodome.

Brad's a semi-retired entertainer, having been lead singer (and flautist) of high school rock cover band Brimstone (Houston, early '70s).

He currently sings karaoke nightly, and also performs at nursing homes and private parties.

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