The 2012 MLB Season has hit the dog days of August. As the Summer heat consumes ballparks across the country, players try and stay focused on October. The baseball season is really a grind, and the month of August may be the toughest of all.

With that said, we’re about to hit the final stretch of the season. At this point, we can assess fails and wins as it would be awfully tough to redeem anything with the time remaining in the season.

Hit the jump to see ‘Five of This Season’s Biggest Fails As We Head Into the Final Stretch’…

5.) Mariano Rivera’s ACL

Mariano himself will never be a fail, but his ACL is a big let down this season. Mo tore his ACL shagging fly balls. Up until that point, HE was on point. In a season that may have been his last, his ACL tore and we’ll see him again in 2013.

4.) The New Wild Card Playoffs

I’m sorry folks, I’m just not feeling the whole ‘one game playoff’ in Major League Baseball. The only sport that needs ‘one game’ in the playoffs is Football because of the nature of the game. Baseball is a 162 game season – and you’re playing one game, wasting your top starter. I know we always want more money, but the baseball playoffs were fine thanks.

3.) Bobby Valentine

I’m not picking on the Red Sox here. But… Bobby Valentine may have been the worst managerial hire I’ve seen in a long time. I know the Sox had a TON of injuries, but this guy is making a bigger mess of a mess. He ran Youk out of town, Pedroia hates him, he’s ruining whatever is left of the Sox. He’s going to lose everyone, and as WEEI puts it – The Valentine era isn’t going to end well.

2.) Josh Beckett

I really don’t know what to make of Josh Beckett right now. We’re talking Josh Beckett…… a guy that was dominant, a guy that brought the Red Sox their first World Series in a billion years. Now, he stinks, he’s hated, and the Sox are looking for a turkey sandwich for him. It’s hard to fathom.

1.) Ozzie Guillen and the Florida Marlins

New stadium. New Manager. Contracts for Heath Bell, Jose Reyes, and Mark Buerhle. The Marlins were destined to make 2012 magical. In the end, a complete, utter, total disaster. So bad that they had to sell Hanley Ramirez (which I don’t really blame them for) and now sit 14 games behind the Washington Nationals. What’s worse is I don’t see this team competing anytime soon.