October 27, 2008
Rain Delay
The Tarp is on the field. Good, the field conditions had deteriorated.
If the field remains unplayable, they will suspend the game. The weather tomorrow is supposed to be even worse, however, so they may not be able to resume until Wednesday.
Update: Note that if the Rays had not tied the game, it would be official and an unplayable field would give the Phillies the championship. My guess is, if the Rays had not tied the game, the teams would still be playing.
Update: By the way, this is why they waited to play so long on Saturday night. They knew the weather was likely going to be bad on Monday and Tuesday.
Pena's hit saved MLB a HUGE embarasement of having the World Series end in the wee hours of the morning while both teams were in the clubhouse.
If the game doesn't resume until tomorrow, do you think the teams will use starting pitchers (Myers/Shields) to start the suspended game. I would assume so - especially the Rays.
Everyone knew this was coming days ago.
They should have moved the game up to 6PM.
That last half inning was disgraceful.
I think even if the Phils were ahead when game was suspended, they would have accepted some sort of deal to continue the game. It's a shame.
No Scott, I think the Rays will go with Price and save Shields to start game six.
I don't know, Joe. I think if you have the rings on your finger you leave them there - doesn't matter how you got them.
I agree, these were horrible conditions in which to play a World Series.
Check the rulebook. Tampa scoring in the top of the 6th is meaningless since Philly has not had their at bats in the bottom. If the game is "suspended" without the home team getting to bat, the score reverts to the previous complete inning, meaning the Phils win 2-1. You could look it up.
Someone referenced a 2007 rule change that does not take the run away. I think it was Buck on Fox.
Oh well. Tie game. Fresh start at some point.
MLB should show some guts. Make the call to resume on Wednesday with reasonable conditions and full seats. If I'm Bud, that's my call.
Selig in his post-game (well, not really) press conference said he wasn't going to let the game end ... in other words, he would extend the rain delay into Tuesday or Wednesday to finish. So, either way, that run didn't change his thinking (according to him).
The reversion to the previous inning hasn't been in effect since 1980. The change in 2007 was so that games that would previously had been counted as ties and started from the beginning, would be picked-up later at the time of suspension.
see this
Can everyone stop misquoting the rule? And it is all moot because Selig just would have had a 24-hour rain delay if the Rays were behind.
I wonder if this makes up for calling the All-Star Game at a tie in 2002.
It would have really been awful for the World Series to end on a rain-shortened game. Good call on not letting it happen.