The doggest day of them all

The final day of the baseball season can as much fun as opening day for fans.

The Dugout is sitting in the press box of Roger Dean Stadium watching the final regular season game of the Florida State League season between Palm Beach and Jupiter. Baseball games are generally pretty laid back. Today, however, there is almost a backyard feel to the game.

Neither team is going to make the playoffs, so there isn’t really any pressure. Players not in the starting lineup were wandering through the stands before the game shaking hands and signing autographs. Undoubtedly there will be plenty of autographs signed following the game.

Members of the stadium staff have been walking through the stands handing leftover prizes to those few hundred or so that chose to brave the Florida mid-day heat.

And for the semi-hardball falls who complain baseball just takes too long, this is the ideal game. If it seems like the guys are playing like they have a plane to catch, it’s because many of them do. The over-under on expected 3-2 counts today is two – and both of them will come on accident. As the Cardinals clubhouse manager said before the game, they should treat it like a softball game and start every count at 2-1.

Most leagues end their regular season today but a few, the New York-Penn and the Northwest in particular, have a few more games before starting the postseason. Look for a regular season wrap-up/playoff preview on the main site in the next day or two.