As of 5:30 p.m. today, the Dodgers are 9-18 in their last 27 games (a easy-to-calculate .333 winning percentage), yet if the season ended this second, they would be playing in a postseason game. How this will play out remains to be seen, but it does give me an opportunity to talk about one of the most roller coaster regular seasons of my life.

In 1982, before the wild card era when you had to win the division, the Dodgers fell 10 games behind the Atlanta Braves at around this time of year: late July/early August. At that time, getting caught up in playoff fever, Braves owner Ted Turner removed the tepee of Chief Noc-a-homa, the Braves' mascot, from its home in the outfield stands to make room for more seats for paying customers. In the next 12 days, the Braves lost their entire 10-game lead. They went 1-11, and the Dodgers went 11-1.

Perhaps poetically, my Dad and I were visting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY as this was going on. It was just astonishing. The only problem was that it was happening in August and not late September. As the Dodgers continued to edge their new-found lead out to a few games, my 14 1/2-year-old self was slightly sad that it was going to end up being a runaway, instead of a dramatic finish.

And then Ted Turner put the tepee back.

The Braves started winning again, the Dodgers started losing. And on the last day of the season, Joe Morgan of the Giants homered off Terry Forster of the Dodgers in the bottom of the 8th inning, while the Braves were beating San Diego. Atlanta won the division on that final day.

You never have it lost, and you never have it won. And so, while I can look at the Dodgers, as I have earlier on this site, and alternately forecast doom or optimism, you simply never, ever, ever know. And I guess that's part of why I keep coming back. I am a cynical man who constantly hopes.