Major League baseball took away my sleep

But I was not alone.

Along with dozens of Major League Baseball executives, hundreds of network and cable tv programmers, and of course, millions of Cubs (and Red Sox) fans around the world, I barely slept last night.

I know, one night does not a post season make. But that’s the optimistic view. Maybe my brethren in Beantown, who saw their team make the most amazing comeback in playoff history, slept a little easier.

But when you’re a lifelong, diehard Cubs fan, last night felt like certain death. It makes winning on the road necessary, which the Cubs didn’t do all that well this season. It makes today’s outing from the twitchy, bothered, horribly unpredictable Carlos Zambrano the most important game of his career.

It makes for a very long Thursday.

And of course, there’s Bud Selig, being congratulated by hordes of Yankee-haters and Brewer-lovers about the newfound parity in the Big Leagues. Eight playoff teams, four from big markets, four from smaller markets (Hey New York: How many teams do you have in the playoffs? Love, Chicago and LA).

And while he trumpets the wonderful equalizing of the Major Leagues, Bud Selig is spending extra time in Synagogue praying that the Brewers, Phillies, and Rays get summarily dismissed faster than you can see plummeting ratings. Trust me, he has visions of the Cubs and some version of the Sox dancing in his head come October 22.

I foresee many more sleepless nights.