John Riordan: Why hope is a fragile thing for the Mets, the Mayo of baseball 

With their cross-town rivals back doing their best Kerry impression and divisional contenders Braves mirroring Limerick, a familiar fatalism sets in in Queens

IT NEVER RAINS: Jeff McNeil and the New York Mets have thrown away a seemingly unassailable lead in the National League standings and now face a tricky postseason playoff path. Pic: Elsa/Getty Images

Today is the day October can truly start in America.

Baseball's largest ever postseason begins this evening and it will be the first time that as many as 12 teams embark on the playoff phase that ultimately sends two of the remaining ball clubs to the World Series by the end of the month.