A little bit of bad luck can go a long way toward knocking teams right out of October — if they let it. And while it shouldn’t happen, history has the ability to make sure it does from time to time.

http://mlb.mlb.com/chc/fan_forum/y2008/october_gonzo_vote.jsp?poll_q=2

Just ask the Dodgers, who haven’t brought a title back to Chavez Ravine since 1988 but hope new outfielder Manny Ramirez can reverse results like this:

http://freevideocoding.com/flvplayer.swf?file=http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2008/07/31/mlbtv_968614_800K.flv&autoStart=false

Just ask the Brewers, who couldn’t quite make it all the way when they won the pennant in 1982.

http://freevideocoding.com/flvplayer.swf?file=http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2008/07/31/mlbtv_968866_800K.flv&autoStart=false

Just ask the Mets, who haven’t won a World Series since 1986, in part because of bad-luck moments like this:

http://freevideocoding.com/flvplayer.swf?file=http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2008/07/31/mlbtv_969622_800K.flv&autoStart=false

And this:

http://freevideocoding.com/flvplayer.swf?file=http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2008/07/31/mlbtv_968867_800K.flv&autoStart=false

And this:

http://freevideocoding.com/flvplayer.swf?file=http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2008/07/31/mlbtv_968591_800K.flv&autoStart=false

Ask the Phillies, who haven’t won it all since the Tug McGraw days:

http://freevideocoding.com/flvplayer.swf?file=http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2008/07/31/mlbtv_968617_800K.flv&autoStart=false

And don’t forget to ask the Cubs, still talking about billy goats 100 years later.

http://freevideocoding.com/flvplayer.swf?file=http://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2008/07/31/mlbtv_968590_800K.flv&autoStart=false

Bottom line is this: October is all about putting aside the excuses, ignoring the black cats and superstitions, and coming together at the right time. One of these teams might have the magic to finally pull it off this year.

And the beauty of it is that we’ll all be watching.

O.G.