For some,it came almost immediately. We knew long before the month of May ended that the Chicago White Sox, the Colorado Rockies, and the West Covina Angels weren’t going to the World Series this year. Now that it’s September, even the most stubborn and loyal fans of big league baseball teams are having to face reality.

When we get together with a group that has a goal in mind and begin the long hard task to attain what is desired, it’s a commitment. We commit to working hard and getting along with each other so that we might succeed as a group. To baseball teams, that sounds like fun in March and April, but it can get a little rough come August and September. Losers will always outnumber winners but dreams of October baseball can defy logic. I’m watching players like Mike Yastrzemski and Matt Chapman, who have busted their asses since spring training to make sure that their team does well, have to start to accept the fact that it ain’t going to happen. Weeks from now they, and many others like Francisco Lindor and Julio Rodriguez and justin Verlander may be able to accept that they had done what they could but it was not enough. Right now,however, it is painful.

There are still a lot of good games to be played. Kansas City played well long enough while Cleveland stumbled long enough that those two teams got tied for first place in the American League Central before the Royals lost Vinnie Pasquantino. Bobby Witt Jr. has been a great story but it would be a surprise if either team got beyond winning their division.

Right after most of us had written them off, the Arizona Diamondbacks are looking very, very strong down the stretch. like a lot of teams, they have been trying to overcome serious injuries, including a recent one to Gilbert Moreno, one of the best young catchers in the game. The Serpientes might be hitting their stride at just the right time, similar to last season. Their World series opponent last year, the Texas Rangers, look like they will be spectators this time around.

Watching the Braves and Phillies on ESPN Sunday Night Talk Show was good. I had to turn off the sound while they discussed college football with Bryce Harper while he was playing first base but it was a great game between two very good teams.

Come on, Baltimore, you can do it. Milwaukee is a real force. They are the No Names right now but that won’t last much longer. The Dodgers look like a sloppy organization lately but they had the good sense to sign Nick Ahmed after the Giants blithely unloaded him and Alex Cobb and Jorge Soler under the guise of a youth movement that shows talent still mostly untested under management that seemingly expects little development of stamina before the call to perform in the majors. It’s past the dog days—it’s the damn! days.

The Athletics of Oakland by way of Kansas City and Philadelphia have been one of the most improved teams this season. They will be missed in a big way. Potential owners of teams ought to be required to have ties and commitment to their locale other than rhetorical. I know, we could say that about a whole lot of businesses.

The best part of managing a professional team is the worst part. When you get fired, you don’t have to manage for a while.

The next great baseball movie will have little newsreel or C.G. action parts but instead it will feature dramatic music scenes as wily executives trade roster parts.

Got a bet on when we will see “—-bets, the official major league betting partner”?

Is Pat Murphy the new model for trendy team leadership?

Favorite team announcers: Dan Shulman, Mike Krukow, Jon Miller, Duane Kuiper, Dave Fleming, Dave O’Brien,John Kruk, Bob Walk, Jon Sciambi, and Jim Deshaies.