Strange but true: We've had a tougher time against the M's this year than any other team in our division, at least until the damn slegnA sweep. It ain't gonna get any easier, either. The Mariners are what-passes-for-resurgent, playing their best baseball of the season this past month. If the Astros thought they had a roommate for that cellar apartment they're going to be moving into next April, they might be shit outta luck!

SCORE YOUR LAST GOG

THE QUESTIONS (61 points)

1. Series Outcome (3 points)

2. The Human Drama Of Athletic Competition: Do any of these games go into Extra Innings? Are any of these games tied through Seven Innings? Through Five? Scoreless through Three? (1 point each, 4 total)

3. Jemile and Dustin, The Final Chapter: It's been a lost season for Jemile Weeks, and a disappointing one for the Mariners' Dustin Ackley. I expect a rebound season from both of them in 2013, particularly from our own Mr. Weeks. For now, predict PA/H/XBH for Ackley. (2 points each) Is he charged with an Error (at any defensive position)? (1 point) Don't wanna leave Jemile out, so... predict his PA/H/XBH for Friday's game only, when I assume he'll be starting at 2B for the River Cats. (2 points each, 13 total)

4. Part-Timer Pandemonium: Brandon Moss. Collin Cowgill. Brandon Hicks. Predict PA/H/XBH for each player (2 points each) Name one of these players who is in the starting line-up on either Saturday or Sunday. "Nobody" is, of course, a valid guess. (1 point, 19 total)

5. King Yardstick: Oh, Joy; Felix Hernandez pitches for the M's on Friday. Do any of our Starting Pitchers in this Series a) Pitch More Innings? b) Allow Fewer Hits? c) Walk Fewer Batters? d) Strike Out More Batters? (2 points each, 8 total) If Felix is scratched, this question is off the board.

6. Sliding-Scale Longball: Who hits the first HR for each team in this Series? You can guess up to 3 players from each team. A correct answer based on 3 guesses is worth 1 point. A correct answer based on 2 guesses is worth 3 points. A correct answer based on 1 guess is worth 5 points. You can guess "Nobody" for either team. A correct "Nobody" is worth 3 points. (10 points possible, in theory)

7. Some Of That Stuff In The Bowels Of The Box Score: Over/Under/Tie for a) 1 Passed Ball, both teams combined b) 2 Wild Pitches, both teams combined c) 65,000 total attendance for the Series (1 point each, 3 total)

8. Go, Cats, Go!! Reno v. Sacto. Best-of-Five for the PCL Pacific Conference Title. Two of these games will be in the books by gametime Friday. Do the River Cats win the PCL Pacific? (1 point)

Answers due by 7:10 PDT Friday. In the meantime, let's all hold a good thought for Brandon and Amanda McCarthy.

Good Luck, and LET'S GO A's!