Labor Day is not only the end of summer, but it’s also Baseball’s last benchmark. That means we are in the stretch run in what has been a really exciting season and not just because the Cubs have in first place most of the season. Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and the Minnesota Twins have surprisingly hung in there (so far still) all season without wilting. We have been waiting all year not only for these teams to collapse, but we are waiting for teams like the Yankees and the Red Sox to make their big move. Will any miracles happen? It’s really hard to forget that merely one year ago, we witnessed miracle stretch runs by Colorado, Philadelphia and even a near divisional steal by the Yankees. What will we expect this year?

Because the Brewers have a comfortable lead in the National League wild card race, the other divisional races expect to come down to the wire. We see the Mets and the Phillies battling it out again; I certainly hope the Phillies can pull it off again. Having just seen the Phillies this past weekend, they are certainly a team that scares people with their offense. As far as the West? As pathetic as that division is, Arizona has scary pitching and I would not want to face Manny. I wouldn’t mind facing the Dodgers in the end….

In the American League, anyone convinced yet the Rays are here to stay? I’m still waiting for their collapse, especially with their inexperience and injuries. And yet…Boston still cannot catch them. The Yankees are finally finished…although they are known for miracles of their own. An even more interesting battle awaits the Central as the ChiSox and Twins. On the one hand, you want the Twins to win as no one expected them to still be around. From a Chicago standpoint, how can you not want the potential not only for both teams qualifying, but playing each other in the end?? The SoCal Angels have been coasting for so long, it makes one wonder if they will actually be ready to play in a meaningful game. I’ll weigh in on that next month.

So, as irony may have it, I will Labor with a fun list today. The most memorable September comebacks. These are ones that stand out to me; please let me know if you can think of better…

1. 1951: NY Giants. “The Giants Win The Pennant” cry completed one of the greatest comebacks in history, as the Giants overcome a 14 game deficit to win the pennant.

2. 1978: NY Yankees. The Yanks overcome a 14 game deficit to force and win a playoff. My first miracle September run as a baseball fan.

3. 2007 Colorado. Using an 11 game winning streak, the Rockies streaked to a playoff game with San Diego for the wild card, before streaking on to the NL pennant.

4. 2007 Philadelphia. The Phillies made up a 7 game deficit with 17 games remaining to take the NL East from the Mets. Did the Phillies win or the Mets lose it? Yes…

5. 1969 NY Mets. Ah yes…I had to mention it. Most of the dirty work was done in August, but the Mets took over first in September from the Cubs and streaked their way to the World Championship

Also: 1995 Seattle. The Mariners were 11 1/2 games down in August and took advantage of the SOCal Angels losing 18 of 21 to win the AL West

Hopefully we Cub fans won’t have to add to this list. Time will tell…