Ask Not For Whom The Bell Tolls

*church bell ringing somewhere in the distance*

Last night will be the last night this baseball season that I stay up watching baseball games on the west coast. I didn't get to bed until a little after midnight.

I was watching the Rangers play a game against the division-leading Oakland A's.

Much like the previous night, it's a game they should've won...this time they blew a 4-run lead with their ace on the mound. They made two errors in the 8th that cost them 3 runs. After scoring two in the 9th they ended the game on a caught-stealing right after a strike out. It was the 4th double play of the night.

It's not official.

I mean, mathmatically they're still in the race. 6.5 games out of first with 7 weeks of the season left. That's only a game per week, right?

But here's the deal:

If (and it's a very big "IF") the division leaders play .500 ball (which would be a significant drop-off in their performance as they've won 5 straight and 9 of the last 11) until the end of the season...

...the Rangers, who've not had more than a four-game win streak all season, mind you...

...would have to go 31--17 the rest of the way.

They won't. They're two games under .500 for the season and are 5-5 in their last 10.

August is when you see what you're team is made of.

I've seen enough.

And officially, The Diner pronounces that there will be no playoffs in Arlington this summer. That sound you heard was the last nail in the 2006 coffin.

(Sadly, this is the 7th season in a row The Diner management has had to make such a proclamation, but it's the earliest in 4 years)