World Series baby!!!

[mimic]

Well, Selig says (according to ESPN) that he would have had the game continue no matter what - called it a rain delay instead of suspended if the Phillies were winning - apparently rain delays are allowed up to 48 hours. But why the heck not stop it earlier if that's true? They're lucky no one was injured, and as it is I don't think the Phils give up that second run if not for the horrible conditions. Easy out ground balls became hits.

Hamels threw over 80, so I doubt he's coming out again. Kazmir was already long gone.

Selig also said that he consulted three weather services before deciding to play the game. He obviously needs new weather consultants.

 

[Neroon]

I don't think the Phils give up that second run if not for the horrible conditions. Easy out ground balls became hits.

I have to disagree on that one. Upton stole second on Hamels and his pitch. Then Pena hit a solid shot into the gap, on which Burrell (sp?) made a nice play. However, his throw was off-the mark a bit and Upton was able to score. If anything, the field conditions made it even harder for Upton to score, because his game is built on speed. You saw how he almost had to tiptoe around third.

Hamels threw over 80, so I doubt he's coming out again. Kazmir was already long gone.

I'm just relaying what they were saying this morning on the radio. And according to the SI.com box score, Hamels had only thrown 75 pitches. I'm not saying it didn't affect him at all, jsut that it isn't as significant as you think. He can definitely come back, though in a later game and probably not when game 5 is resumed.

Selig also said that he consulted three weather services before deciding to play the game. He obviously needs new weather consultants.

That wouldn't hurt, but I'm still betting they made the decision to play - and stretched it out so long before suspending the game - due to television and revenue reasons.

 

[mimic]

Neroon, how did Upton get on first? He got an infield single to shortstop that Rollins had trouble with because of the conditions. Normally that would have been an out and ended the inning.

I cannot think of a reason why they kept going in the sixth other than they hoped the Rays would tie it to avoid controversy. And to anyone who say that the Phils had to handle the same conditions - they had to field for a half inning more than the Rays and I think fielding/pitching in weather like that is harder than hitting/running (not that either is easy).

And sure, Hamels can pitch again in Game 7 (that was never my point), but he's not going to go as far in Game 5 as he would have and was forced to pitch in driving wind and rain. It sucks all around. This could have been completely avoided had Selig moved up the start time or pushed the game to another day. Instead Game 5 was completely wrecked.

 

[Neroon]

That wasn't due to "unplayable conditions", though. It's a common enough occurrence that infielders will have to handle the ball in wet conditions. You cannot assume that would have been an out, an hour earlier or whatever timeframe. The ball takes odd hops frequently enough under the best of conditions, but that's usually in dirt infields or possibly a seam in the turf. It's my contention that it was the basepaths that were the problem, the "unplayable conditons" as it were. Rollins' play was not on that basepath. Moreover, the groundskeeper had assured Selig in the 4th inning that the field was still "playable". That wasn't determined until the 6th inning.

I have no axe to grind against the Phillies. In fact, I am rooting for them to win since it's been so long between championships for such a faithful following. It does look suspicious as to the timing of the suspension. But... the conditions were the same for both teams. If I were a dedicated Phillies fan, I'd probabyl be upset, but I am not sure what else could be done.

 

[wamdue]

looks like the game has been delayed until tomorrow (Wednesday), this is really going to mess things up.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Yeah, I bet Fox isn't happy right now.

For what it's worth, it isn't raining at the moment where I am (although I am an hour south). It is windy, cold, and flat out miserable, though.

 

[Starbreaker]

What horrible officiating this series has suffered. When they were showing the clips of all the obviously botched calls, I couldn't believe it.

I fell asleep during the rain delay last night. I'm glad I didn't miss anything.

 

[wamdue]

Yeah, I bet Fox isn't happy right now.

For what it's worth, it isn't raining at the moment where I am (although I am an hour south). It is windy, cold, and flat out miserable, though.

I would hope if it isnt raining they would play, whatever else has been decided.

Ok im going to say it "this World Series is turning into a joke"

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Aren't jokes supposed to be funny?

Nobody in Philadelphia or Tampa Bay would mind if the result ends up favoring their team, but I do think everyone else will be upset, which is a shame. Certainly, they're going to look into things this off season. Allowing umpires to officiate two world series in a row would be a start (although obviously not this crew).

 

[Neroon]

No kidding on this crew. Last night, they replayed the controversial calls and I'm still stunned at how they were missed. I've seen worse calls, in the World Series even, but these are still terrible.

Are there plans to expand the scope of which kinds of calls can be reviewed? Right now it's just homeruns, right?

 

[wamdue]

the umps are making a really good case for extended use of instant replay right now, even if that would be limited to the World Series (and maybe the whole of the post season)

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

looks like the game has been delayed until tomorrow (Wednesday), this is really going to mess things up.

Shit.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Today, while I was walking back from the library, a gust of wind blew my hat off and then I got smacked in the face with an acorn. So, yeah, it's windy today. I can understand waiting until tomorrow.

 

[mimic]

The consensus from both ball clubs (well, the players who actually talked to the media) was that the conditions were unplayable before the sixth.

From here:

Asked when HE would have stopped this game, Rays reliever Trever Miller replied: "I would have said no later than the fourth inning. As soon as Jimmy Rollins had trouble with that fly ball [Rocco Baldelli's uncaught popup leading off the top of the fifth], right then and there that would have told everyone that conditions were not conducive to playing good baseball.

"That's what you want in the World Series," Miller said. "You want good baseball being played by the best players of the season. When Mother Nature is robbing you of that, it's time to put the tarp on and come back another day." "Let me tell you," said his teammate, Carlos Pena. "That was bad. That was probably the worst conditions I've ever played under in my life. It was really, really cold. Windy. And it was raining nonstop. I mean, when do you ever see a puddle at home plate?"

Hamels said it was so hard to grip the ball that he never tried to throw a single curveball. And he could never get the right grip on his best pitch, his David Copperfield disappearing changeup.

 

[Neroon]

It's good to point out that players from both teasm felt that way. Somethign I am unclear on though... if a game is suspended before 5 innings are played, do they pick up where they left off, or do they replay the entire game with the first innign?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It's good to point out that players from both teasm felt that way. Somethign I am unclear on though... if a game is suspended before 5 innings are played, do they pick up where they left off, or do they replay the entire game with the first innign?

I think 4.5 innings is the cutoff. Anytime before that, they start over.

 

[Neroon]

Thanks for the clarification. ANd I meant to say 4 1/2 innings, but it came out all rounded up. Kinda like C.C. Sabathia.

 

[wamdue]

I think its offical after 5 & 1/2 if the home team are head, if not then offical end of the 5th

 

[Alidar Jarok]

This is a nice article today pointing out the obvious

link

It is understandable that fans and reporters will chew on all the implications and what-ifs created by Game 5a. But Game 5b must be the Phillies' only concern, and they enter it with every advantage.

Imagine if someone came to the Phillies in March and offered this proposition: You can play 31/2 innings, with four times at bat to the opponent's three times, to win the World Series. And if you somehow manage to lose that shortened game, you get two more full games. Win just one of those and you're the champs.

Think the Phillies would have taken that? Every team in baseball would take that. It should be remembered, too, that the Phillies earned that advantage by winning three of the four games that weren't debacles.

"I think the way it sets up right now is, we've got a good bullpen," Manuel said. "We've got 12 outs, and they have nine coming. And I feel like we feel like we're strong, and we can win, and we're going to be ready to play the game."

If the Phillies fail to win the 2008 World Series, it won't be because the fates are aligned against them. It won't be because it snowed before Halloween or because Bud Selig's glasses fogged up during the fifth inning of Game 5a or because William Penn is still honked about One Liberty Place.

No, it will be because Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Pat Burrell couldn't score one more run than the Tampa Bay Rays with three extra outs to work with.

Still, this thing is slightly scary because of Tampa Bay's crazy lights in their dome stadium does give them a big homefield advantage. But I trust the Phillies enough to either win tonight or keep their cool enough to win one of the remaining games.

 

[wamdue]

is it wrong of me to hope that the Phillies win tonight?