October means playoff baseball. In most years, if your team is not in the playoffs, it simply means you root for other teams and enjoy the extra month of the ultimate summer game before the long darkness kicks off.

This year, unfortunately for us all, there is yet another looming lockout for America’s Pastime. That means that the usual winter darkness of three months with no baseball (November, December, and January) is no doubt going to be much longer. February Spring Training is certainly doubtful. March and April are probably too.

For those of us who live in the North Country, where winter sunlight is scarce, every bit of Spring Training news becomes a ray of summer light. It is one of the things that helps us get through the cold and dark days.

This year, there will be no such news to bring us hope. No Boys of Summer playing in the Florida or Arizona sunshine.

Business ruins everything.