"I'm not a big Selig fan, but MLB handled this series in Philadelphia correctly."

I agree 100%.

The real anger/confusion/heat is not the suspension itself, it's the timing.

The weather and field conditions were bad enough to stop the game in the top of the 6th, even the 5th, so why wait? Why not give both teams the same conditions for the 6th? Why then? It just leaves Bud open to questions of waiting for a tie or lead change to make his decision easier.

Under normal conditions, if the game had been called after five innings, the Phillies would have been given the win. So if Pena's RBI had not happened, would Selig have used his authority to stop the game and continue it the next day even with the 2-1 score?

That would probably have been the best move, so that the Series is decided on the field and not by executive order, but I'm just wondering if he had the power to do it. I imagine this qualifies under special circumstances. If that's the case, though, he should have stopped the game earlier, not when it was conveniently tied.

Would Philly fans really be happy with a commissioner-imposed win? I suppose some would, but I imagine it would be a hollow and short-lived victory. Years from now, anti-Philly fans would remember the series as the one that Philly didn't _really_ win. Philly fans would be tired of hearing about the series they didn't _really_ win.

You know - this is one of my pet peeves - the conditions were unplayable well before they called it - which happens all the time now - IIRC after the game begins aren't the umpires the 'sole arbiters' of calling the game? Why are they looking at the score, the future or anything else? As soon as the conditions are unplayable shouldn't they be looking out for the players and the 'integrity of the game'?

Last night's game likely could have been completed if the game started at a reasonable time. Or if the playoffs didn't "require" so many off days, it's possible the series would have been over before the bad weather had a chance to wreak havoc. When examining the causes and effects of this weekend's debacle, I hope those two factors are not overlooked.

The annual conniption fits over Series start times are getting more repetitive, stylized and predictable than a kibuki dance. Of course, MLB would like to start the games earlier. Now please explain that to Fox and its local affiliates.

The 7:00 PM access our is out because the affiliates make too much money from it. Fox wants a half-hour before the games to sell ads. So what time does that leave?

If MLB got Super-Bowl-sized ratings for the Series, they could dictate any start time they liked. The ratings aren't in the same galaxy, unfortunately. In fact, the games on TBS did start earlier because baseball didn't have these problems with Fox and its stations.

And David Pinto isn't a big fan of Bud Selig? Who knew? (wink)

Major League Baseball should be embarrassed. The World Series is for the Champioship of the Game. Saturday's game should never have been delayed for as long as it was, regardless of weather forecasts for Monday and Tuesday.

Then to start a potentially deciding game, with virtually no chance to complete a regulation 9 inning game, and the increased possibility of injury to players, is ludicrous. There is no other major league sport that would begin a game under these circumstances.

In fact, every other major league sport would have begun the game under these circumstances. Football plays come hell or high water. Basketball and hockey play no matter what's happening outside.

Okay, there are a few extreme exceptions for other sports. If a category five hurricane had been blowing through Philly last night, the other sports wouldn't have played.

But last night was just cold with some rain in the forecast. Every other sport would have played the game as scheduled.

Incorrect again, the reversion to the previous inning rule was changed in 1980.

I don't get why Phillie fans are complaining. They have a huge advantage in this game as they have 3 more outs than the Rays, isn't that better than being 0-0 in the 1st regardless of whether or not they "wasted" Hamels?

Someone at work suggested (jokingly) that they treat this the same way they would if it happened during the regular season - play the remaining games as scheduled and complete the game if necessary afterwords. So don't try to play tonight, play Games 6 & 7 (if necessary) in Tampa Wednesday and Thursday. If the Rays win both games, complete Game 5 Saturday night back in Philly. (This would also allow the Phillies to have Hamels continue pitching.)

It's a silly idea, but there's something about it that actually appeals to me.

In fact, every other major league sport would have begun the game under these circumstances. Football plays come hell or high water. Basketball and hockey play no matter what's happening outside.

Not to overstate the obvious - but pro hockey and hoop are played indoors - and football is not baseball.

"i"m not a big Selig fan" either...but, that field was unplayable in the fourth inning, when the score was 2-1. It should have been called then. The Phils got shafted by FOX and MLB.

I can definitely see the argument for suspending the game earlier (using Selig's "extended rain delay" dodge of the rules), but how can you seriously say the Phils got "shafted" by that? If they'd called it an official game after four and a half innings, that would have been the most hollow WS victory ever. You could say the players in general got shafted by having to play in the rain, but the notion that the best thing to do would have been to have the umpires come out in the fifth inning and just call the game complete --- handing the Championship to the Phillies --- is absurd.

"Not to overstate the obvious - but pro hockey and hoop are played indoors - and football is not baseball."

Um, yes. I was responding to the comment: "There is no other major league sport that would begin a game under these circumstances." Of course, all three of the other major sports would have begun the game under the circumstances in Philly last night.

Not here to defend Selig at all, but did he really have a choice??

Field conditions were unplayable? Unplayable to whom?

I think they should have completed the game. That would have been the MOST epic world series game ever. Injuries schmijuries, it would probably have been the last game of the season, if not, then one of the last three games of the season, so deal with it. Its not like the field would have been irrecoverably damaged either. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Upton attempting to run around third in a speedy manner. The infielders attempts to catch high pops were great. It was not like it was only raining in the top half of the inning. Each team had the same conditions AND had enough pitchers left to trot out one an inning or more from the fourth on. AND they had those cool ear flap ball caps. Classic!

Especially with the rest day coming up. Come on guys. You could have been part of history, instead you are part of an awkward rain delay. Its the world series. The pinnacle event of your sport. You get millions a year to achieve that.

Under the circumstances of I think Selig had no choice to do what he did, pray for a tie and call the game then. but the creative approach would have been to call a meeting with the umps and coaches and play on.