This column should be read while listening to “Lassie/Roamin’ in the Gloaming’” by the Real McKenzies (running time: one minute, 47 seconds).

• Just to play counterpoint, there is no guarantee that pitching Stephen Strasburg would have pushed the Washington Nationals to the NLCS. As Exhibit A, 21-game winner Gio Gonzalez didn’t win either of his starts for the Nationals against the Cardinals.