Just when something appears certain, baseball proves why it is such a beautiful and yet extremely frustrating game.

Remember six weeks ago when the A’s were seemingly on cruise control and there were talks of how this could finally be Billy Beane’s season?

Remember when the Brewers got off to such a fast start and looked poised to take the NL Central?

There was a time when most people could have penciled the A’s and Brewers – although it was still a mystery if they’d win their division or simply clinch a Wild Card spot – into the playoffs and barely would have had to think twice about it.

However, fast forward a bit and baseball has reminded us all that there was a reason we penciled those teams in the playoffs and didn’t use pen.

Nothing is certain in baseball – except maybe Clayton Kershaw winning the NL Cy Young award this season – and that has been proven once again.

The Oakland Athletics – who once had a MLB-best 72-44 record – are 8-19 in their last 27 games and just 2-8 in their last 10.

On August 15th, the A’s were in first place in the AL West. On the 18th, they fell a half game back and it has been downhill for them ever since.

This morning, the A’s woke up seven games behind the Angels in the AL West and barely clinging on to the top spot in the AL Wild Card.

While the meltdown in Oakland has been highly publicized, the collapse in Milwaukee has been shocking as well.

The Brewers demise had been more gradual than the A’s. Milwaukee started the season 20-7 and has played sub-.500 baseball ever since. However, the Brewers have really gone into a tailspin lately as they’ve lost 12 of their last 13 games.

On August 31st the Brewers were tied for the NL Central lead – a position they had held sole possession of for most of the season – and on September 9th the Brewers find themselves six games back.

Changes in the standings happen all the time, especially over the course of a 162 game season and there are plenty of reasons for the way these two teams have played recently.

Some say the Brewers age and health is catching up to them.

Some say the A’s haven’t been the same since Yoenis Cespedes was traded and although numbers certainly say they haven’t been the same team, it’s foolish to think that’s the sole reason they’re struggling.

Maybe it’s just the law of averages over-correcting teams that had spent the bulk of the season playing over their heads.

Whatever the reason may be, the collapses in Milwaukee and Oakland have been just as fascinating as some of the story lines surrounding teams and players making late season charges.

Will the A’s and Brewers put it together with enough time left to salvage the season and get back on track? That remains to be seen.

However, the one thing I know for certain is that baseball is impossible to predict and although speculating is fun, the best bet is simply letting the season play itself out.