Let’s get the obvious out of the way: no one wants to miss the postseason. It’s rare to find any topic in which fans, players, team personnel, and ownership are all on the same page, but this one manages to do it with ease. But not everyone wishes to keep playing for the same reason.

Fans hate missing the postseason for a variety of reasons, chief among them the feeling of loss that comes with following such a long and grueling season and getting no validation at the end. While there are definitely those for whom simply making the postseason is no reward, I’d say baseball fans generally have a healthy appreciation for what it means to be part of that tournament at season’s end. (Even if it is far less exclusive these days.)

Another thing that everyone agrees on: Postseason baseball is a different animal compared to the regular season, a frantic sprint where every day is the last and one can truly worry about tomorrow when it comes. The regular season is a long and often frustrating marathon. You have to remain even-keeled and understand that you’re playing 162 games, not one. The postseason is the opposite of that. It provides fans with a chance to see not only heightened tension and stakes for every pitch, but also with an opportunity to second-guess every move and judge everything based on outcome and not process; being a prisoner of the moment, basically, which is half the fun of watching sports.

And while I have no firsthand experience, I imagine that the added weight of every inning is also a factor that certainly plays a role in a player’s desire to play past September. These are all highly driven—and often very neurotic—human beings who have reached the pinnacle of a competitive profession. Sports provide human beings with an opportunity to express themselves in a setting that is both highly consequential on a personal level and ultimately (mostly) harmless for the world. It’s all the drama the old tales of knights, rogues and heroic leaders talked about, but without any of the death and destruction. Postseason play creates heroes, and players know it.

(Players and team personnel also get extra checks for postseason play, especially after deep playoff runs. For team personnel, these are a big deal. Even for players, some of which are making league minimum salary, it’s a very nice boost that certainly doesn’t hurt.)

Finally, ownership… well, they make more money if their team plays more games. Especially when tickets for those games are in high demand. I would say they take pride in the organization they represent being successful on a civic level (sports teams are ideally a part of a community and a bringer of joy, not just another piece of an investment portfolio) but I myself take pride in being an honest writer. As such, we’ll move on.

Anyway, all this talk about the postseason got me thinking about a different outcome: what if you don’t make it? What of your season then—is it even possible to consider the six months of games a success without the validation of an increasingly diluted tournament format? What was the point of all those 1:00 PM starts? Won’t somebody think of all the money ownership is missing out on? Was it worth it to put yourself through half a year of tedious routine for what seems like nothing in return? What’s the point?