World Series I-S-T

[Zvon]

finally, the tarp comes out.

[stevejrogers]

Rain delay time.

[Frayed Knot]

Meanwhile "up north" here not only is it not raining but it's 15 degrees warmer.

[stevejrogers]

] 1. Domes are more expensive to build, especially when you're trying to get public financing.

Only a portion of Citi is publicly funded, the Mets are putting up most of the bill.

]4. Most of the time games can be rescheduled. The odds of a fifth game of the World Series in a torrential downpour are slim enough for most teams that it would be hard to justify the dome on those grounds.

Well, I'm talking about games that AREN'T rescheduled. Where the Mets, Yankees, Indians, Red Sox, Orioles, Phillies, etc, make fans sit for hour upon hour for the game to start, restart, or whatever on real nasty, raw, cold nights. And there are plenty of those nights as opposed to games called before they open the stands. The latter at Shea you can probably count on one hand, how many times that has happened over the last decade.

And just because that original design was bad, doesn't mean scrap the concept entirely. I mean look at all the retractable domes out there now, they have real turf fields.

[Frayed Knot]

]Only a portion of Citi is publicly funded, the Mets are putting up most of the bill.

Which is why there's not going to be a dome. It's easy to put one into your plans when you think someone else (read: us) is footing the bill.
But the era a the publicly financed stadium is over.

[Zvon]

Watching the local news weather report regarding the game.

Tomorrow calls for lottsa freezing rain and 55mph winds.
Wind chill in the 20s...
Possible snow?
lol.

I love how what TV contracts have done to the game is coming back to bite em.

[stevejrogers]

Even more reasons cities like NYC, Boston, Cleveland, Philly, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cincy and Baltimore should have domed baseball stadiums.

That, or severe tightening of the postseason schedule. But I say, why not both!

[Frayed Knot]

SteveJRogers wrote: Even more reasons cities like NYC, Boston, Cleveland, Philly, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cincy and Baltimore should have domed baseball stadiums. That, or severe tightening of the postseason schedule. But I say, why not both!

So your suggestion to the decision makers of MLB is to take in less money but spend more.
Good luck with that plan.

[Frayed Knot]

Game suspended!
Will resume tomorrow from the point it was called ... weather permitting of course.

[Zvon]

SteveJRogers wrote: Even more reasons cities like NYC, Boston, Cleveland, Philly, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cincy and Baltimore should have domed baseball stadiums. That, or severe tightening of the postseason schedule. But I say, why not both!

Not severe tightening, post season wise.
Having off days in the middle 3 games of the NLCS, that should have been just 3 games in a row, would help a little.
This series could have been over a few days ago.
These games have to start sooner in the month.
Last time the Phils were in a World Series the games were already over like a week ago.

The way the post season is structured these days, its the season they have to tighten.
If they weren't such money grubbers they'd go back to having more double headers, and make them one admission price like they used to be.
How many double headers did they have back in the 70s,80's?
Im thinking like 15 or so.


OE: 20 is kinda much,lol. I just checked an old schedule from the 60s and there were 19 double headers scheduled.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Even if the World Series was to end a week earlier, the weather isn't going to be dramatically different over those seven days. And with global warming, fall isn't what it used to be anyway. Ten years from now it might be 65 degrees at night in Boston.

So what's the deal with tonight's resumption of Game 5? Do fans who were there last night show their ticket stubs for reentry? I hope they all hung on to them!

It's funny that they have to go back there, fight the traffic, juggle their plans, just to see what might be a three-inning game. They'll do it, in order to see a World Series victory, but hopefully that won't happen either.

[dgwphotography]

I had to scrape frost off my car last week - what was that about global warming?

[metirish]

If they had started the game at 7 or even 7:15 maybe they get last nights game in , the 8:30 starts have long been beaten over the head on this board and plenty of other places.

[Willets Point]

I feel bad for any fan who had tickets to last night's game and have a time conflict with the continuation of the game.

[Guest AG/DC]

Heck of a job by Tampa fighting back into it under those conditions. Jimmy Rollins helped a bit too.

JC Luchbucket and I had a Rollins vs. Reyes talk last night. He went for Reyes's instincts. I liked Rollns' hands. Didn't like 'em last night though. Don't seem to be much good to him when they're cold.

I thought Utley didn't land the tag on the tag-and-throw DP, but the runner didn't argue.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I live 24 miles (as the crow flies) north of Citizens Bank Park, and it's currently snowing. And it's even sticking to the ground!

[HahnSolo]

If I am Tampa I'm feeling alright now. Just the fact that they didn't lose last night makes it feel like a win. Plus now they'll have 9 outs to get a few more runs across, and none of those will be gotten by Hamels. On a normal day, Hamels (with his relatively low pitch count) would probably go 8 innings.

The Rays could still steal this.

[Benjamin Grimm]

No game resumption tonight. Game 5 is now scheduled to resume tomorrow night.

[Frayed Knot]

Which means:

- the Rays have to make plans for another day in the northeast. As it is they had already checked out of their Philly hotel and are currently holed up in Wilmington, Delawere as nothing could be found on short notice in Philly. Not sure if the current spot is available for tonight also.

- The dates for games 6 & 7 (if necc) are pushed back at least one day each, moving game 7 to the Friday night they had originally re-arranged the schedule to avoid.

- 'House' doesn't get pre-empted tonight.
I was briefly chuckling over the fact that FOX had been using the playoffs to promote the hell out of the next 'House' episode only to have it taken over by the rainout.

[Benjamin Grimm]

And Game 5B will conflict with the big Obama 30-minute paid funfest.

[Frayed Knot]

Well they had already agreed to delay the game until post-Obama as Wednesday was supposed to be Game 6.
Actually all it's going to do is cut into the pre-game show since no game has started prior to 8:30 anyway.


If this does go 7 it might allow Philly to bring back Hamels. It'll be short rest for him but coming off a short day.

[dgwphotography]

Thank god for TiVo

[Frayed Knot]

Just to re-set the stage for Game 5.5:

- Tie game, 3-1/2 innings and the Rays have to win to survive.

It's the Bottom 6th and Cole Hamels' lineup spot is due up for the Phils.
They'll PH for him obviously and who they use could trigger what Maddon will do. Grant Balfour ® had pitched the 5th and is still the pitcher of record for TB so he can either stay in or be replaced.

Phils mgr Manuel has announced - starter like - that Ryan Madson will be the first pitcher up in the 7th although there's certainly no reason why he has to stick with that.

[Zvon]

So who pinch hits for Hamels?


Place your bets!

I think this is bench listing is accurate:

G. Dobbs 3B
C. Coste C
S. Taguchi LF
G. Jenkins RF
M. Stairs RF
E. Bruntlett SS


Will Balfour stay on for the Rays?
If so I'd go with Dobbs.

[seawolf17]

No, they save Dobbs for a big spot. They announce Jenkins, forcing the Rays to counter with a lefty, and then bring up Taguchi.

[Zvon]

seawolf17 wrote: No, they save Dobbs for a big spot. They announce Jenkins, forcing the Rays to counter with a lefty, and then bring up Taguchi.

OOO, I like the detail.


I'm thinking with being like a 3 inning game getting something started right off the bat makes the lead off situation a big spot.
Can get a bloop or a blast from him, even a walk.

[Willets Point]

Zvon wrote: I'm thinking with being like a 3 inning game getting something started right off the bat makes the lead off situation a big spot. .

3 inning game? Wouldn't it be hillarious if it stayed tied until the 15th inning so that they end up playing 9 innings tonight? Yeah, I didn't thinks so either.

[Guest Kong76]

I think it would be funny.

[Zvon]

It would be a pisser.

[Zvon]

This was in the Atlantic City Press.
I found it amusing.

]A wet and wild night:Reliving Game 5, part one Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 First inning: A light mist is in the air and fans around the park wonder why the tarp isn't on the field. Perhaps it won't rain even though they get text messages from friends saying the weather will be bad. Obviously, they don't know as much as Major League Baseball because the game starts and Cole Hamels gets the first three batters out. Philadelphia loads the bases with two outs and even gets a hit with runners in scoring position. The Phillies take a 2-0 lead on Shane Victorino's single to left. Fans start calling their bosses asking for today off to attend the World Series parade. Second inning: Hamels' perfect game is ruined with a walk to Dioner Navarro. But it doesn't matter because fans believe he could throw a complete-game shutout in what is sure to be the second of many, many World Series appearances for him. Third inning: Hamels blows the no-hitter to Akinori Iwamura, who Hamels has gotten out only twice in the World Series. No worries because Aki was the only problem in the inning. In the Phillies' half, Ryan Howard strikes out. All is right in Philadelphia. Fourth inning: It's beginning to rain harder and the fans who paid the most for their tickets are heading for cover. Those sitting in the outfield and upper deck haven't moved an inch from either nerves or frostbite. Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria break their 0-for in the World Series with back-to-back hits and the Rays score. Hamels' shutout is ruined. Longoria's hit stopped the fans chanting 'Eva' (in reference to actress Eva Longoria), which he heard throughout Games 3 and 4. When Hamels comes to bat, he gets hit on his left hand while attempting to bunt. The crowd nearly passes out. But it's not as bad as Hamels running from second to third three times before Chase Utley hits into a ground-ball out with the bases loaded to end the inning. Fifth inning: Philadelphia's grounds crew is working the field and everyone wonders when the tarp is coming out. Bud Selig checks the field and decides it's too early to make the call. The criticism won't be as harsh yet even as Jimmy Rollins drops Rocco Baldelli's pop-up in the swirling wind. Ryan Howard and Pat "I don't have a hit in the World Series" Burrell draw back-to-back walks and Joe Maddon calls on Grant Balfour to pitch. Shane Victorino has to wait nearly 10 minutes as the grounds crew carries sacks of a drying agent onto the field in an attempt to clear up the muddy mess. The wait wasn't nearly as bad as watching Victorino, Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz all pop out. 6th inning: Most fans celebrated the World Series becoming an official game. Fans in the Hall of Fame Club, a lounge inside the stadium, high-five each other at the thought. But no one told the fans, the players, the media or anyone outside of Selig's mind that the "official-game rule" isn't going to apply in the World Series. The game will go nine innings no matter what. Yet, Selig allows the Rays to bat in the first half of the inning despite harsh weather conditions. B.J. Upton reaches on an infield single as Rollins has trouble controlling the slick baseball. As Upton steals second, he slips on the mud and puddles spray across the infield. Selig still isn't ready to call the game. Pena gets his second hit of World Series, scoring Upton, which ties the game at 2-all. Longoria flies out to end the inning. The tarp is on the field. Fans call their bosses asking for Tuesday off to finish watching the game. -Susan Lulgjuraj