It ended rather appropriately, with Bob "Home Run" Howry serving up the winning home run for Milwaukee, and "DP" Lee grounding into yet another double play to end the game.

The Cubs may have ended the season on a sour note, but to their neighbors to the north, it was sweet music. CC Sabathia was masterful once again pitching on three days rest, as he threw another complete game, allowing only one run on four hits.

The Cubs helped the Brewers cause by starting Angel Guzman and other relief pitchers against Milwaukee's ace. They actually pitched very well, thank you, except for Howry (as usual). But it was simply too much CC.

With the win, and the Mets loss to the Marlins, the Brew Crew are in the playoffs.  And they will be tough, with Sabathia able to go twice in the first round.

The victory by Milwaukee also screwed the Cubs out of being able to play the wild card winner in the first round.  That is a right they earned by having the best record in the NL, yet because that wild card is from the same division, they will have to face the Dodgers instead.  Of course, some may say, six of one, half dozen of the other.

In other words, pick your poison: Dodgers or Brewers? I'm certainly not smart enough to know who will be the tougher opponent in the playoffs. 

So the Cubs now wait until Wednesday night, when they will open the NLDS against LA at Wrigley Field. We will finally start to find out if this is indeed "the year" as all Cubs fans hope and pray it is.

We've been ready for awhile now, come to think of it.