Game 162

As the 2012 MLB season dwindles down to the final home-stretch, we as Baseball fans are looking forward to the final day of the season.

Last season, the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and the St. Louis Cardinals saw their seasons come down to the 162nd game of the season.

The Red Sox needed a win in Baltimore or a Tampa Bay loss, as the Rays hosted the New York Yankees. In a weird turn of events, the Red Sox lost after Carl Crawford couldn't field a sinking line-drive off the bat of Robert Andino. The Orioles walked off the field, celebrating knocking off the powerhouse Red Sox. Over in Tampa Bay, the Rays fought back after the Yanks took a 7-0 lead. In the 9th inning, pinch hitter Dan Johnson steps to the plate. Crack! Johnson ties the game at 7.

Moments after the Red Sox lost in Baltimore, Evan Longoria steps to the plate to face Scott Proctor. Longoria, sent a fastball just over the fence in left field to vault the Rays in to the final wild-card spot.

What was special about this moment, was the whole sports world was watching. Prior to 2011, the regular MLB season would end on a Sunday. If we were lucky, we would get a one-game playoff the following night. The only dilemma, Baseball was losing viewers to Football. So what's the best way to gain back viewers? Move the season's ending date to a Wednesday night.

Baseball, if even for one night, had the sports-world on the edge of their seats. The MLB is looking to recreate that same feeling. What better way than adding one extra wild-card team? More contenders involved mean for more meaningful games in early October.

The Dodgers have seen their hopes for a division crown flush slowly down the toilet. Had it not been for the final wild-card spot, their season would essentially be done after losing two of three in Washington.

More contenders = more viewers, more viewers = more excitement, more excitement = more revenue. The MLB has figured out a formula that they will test to see how it fares.

What better story is there in Baseball, than the team who had no business being in the playoffs wins the World Series? That's exactly what the 2011 Cardinals did.

The Cardinals found their way into the playoffs after beating the Houston Astros and Atlanta lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the final game of the season. The Cardinals carried that momentum in to the World Series against the Rangers.

The Cardinals proved what happens when you give a reluctant team another chance. Who can forget that memorable Game-6 between the Texas Rangers and the Cardinals? Hometown-hero David Freese circling the bases after hitting a walk-off homerun in extra innings after Josh Hamiliton gave Texas a lead. That is a moment Hollywood can't even script.

Stay tuned over the course of the final games of the season. You can be sure to expect fireworks, maybe a little bit of history, or maybe a little bit of David vs. Goliath. The great thing about the game of Baseball - it is not over until the fat-lady sings. A play clock doesn't determine your fate in Baseball. You can't hide from the final three outs in baseball. You can drop to a knee to run down the clock in Football. In Basketball, you can dribble around the court to make sure your opponent doesn't get the ball back. When it comes to Baseball, you can't do anything to take the 27th out of the picture.

This is Baseball at it's finest. Don't take it for granted, you never know what kind of action you will miss. Even in a 7-0 blow-out heading into the seventh inning as the Rays did, you never know what you can miss. Tune in and enjoy what looks like it will be a great post-season.

- Jose