Thank you Mel (and Scott, Jeffrey, Craig and the mysterious force captaining the Mustangs).

For baseball fans of any degree, last night was probably the most exciting, suspenseful, vivid-and depending on which team you were rooting for-exhilarating or disappointing- evening you will have for quite some time.

Both wild card slots came down to the wire, last game of the season. Astounding comebacks, historic collapses, herculean efforts, even extra innings.

The dust is still settling,  but chances are good to excellent that Boston fans are searching their urban dictionary for an expletive to rhymes with Sox-killer Robert Andino’s name, to perhaps unseating New York Yankees’s Bucky Dent.

Myabe it was because my real-life favorites-Melky Cabrera, now of KC, and the Yankees themselves both  did ok, but behind it all for me was a feeling of bittersweet, NO MORE FANTASY LEAGUE!!

Baseball is a long season, and anything can happen. But that is why baseball can really get under your skin. It’s a constant, reassuring presence, it’s the wallpaper and soundtrack of my spring, summer and fall.

“Mel” is Mel Ahrens, principle of Columbia Gorge FSBO Marketing Services  in Hood River County, Oregon, and was the force behind the ActiveRain Baseball Junkies first-and hopefully, annual-Fantasy league.

For the last 7 months, daily checking in on how I fared against Mel, Jeffrey DiMuria, Scott Cowan, Craig Rutman,  and the still un-identified Mustangs manager-has been a part of most of my mornings, and I will really miss it.

Meantime, I still have a promising post-season to look forward to. And an exciting 2012:  I love that former NYY skipper Buck Showalter and Joe Madden has widened the AL East rivalry  with their  great stewardship of the Orioles and the Rays.

But with the fantasy season over, thank you Mel for getting this going, and be sure toput me on the short list for February!

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