Can the Rays stay alive?
I’m thinking there should be some baseball laws, too. The home team should win on Opening Day and the World Series should go seven. And, it would be nice if the National League won an occasional All-Star Game or two.
Anyway, I can tell by the nature of a lot posts that you guys are itching for the Hot Stove Season. It will be here enough. But, we’ve got a World Series to finish.
This post was written by John Delcos on October 27, 2008
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Winning the all-star game too, i think you might be asking for too much now. Let’s see how much fight the Rays have.
The NL might win an All Star game if they stop putting has been closers like Hoffman and Wagner on the team.
The Rays defied the odds all season and during the playoffs and here’s hoping they’ll do it again. Do you really want a five-game World Series?-JD
Interesting thought. The Phillies are talking about what a championship would mean to the City of Philadelphia. I believe a Mets’ title would mean as much to the fans of the team as a Phillies’ title means to that team. However, I’m not so sure the Mets winning it all would mean as much to New York City overall as a title would mean to Philly. I say this because NYC has experienced titles before, and recently.-JD
Pena and Longoria were dropped in the batting order. Had to figure it would happen.-JD
Trying to look at the bright side here, if the Rays don’t come back and win this thing, maybe watching the Phils and their fans celebrate will be the needle that sparks extra effort from the Mets in ‘09.
Even if they don’t win the whole thing, though, I’m hoping the Rays can at least win tonight and send the Series back to TB. That would spare us from having the spectacle of the Philly fans celebrating as the final out is made in their home park.
Of course I don’t want a five game series – I specifically asked for seven:)
Anyway, the Jays get to go back down South after this game, no matter what – even if that snowstorm arrives as the guys on the Weather Channel are predicting.
Bill (6): I am hoping the Mets will be motivated by what the Phillies have done. The question for you Bill, and everybody else out there is: What aspect of the Phillies would you most like to see with the Mets? Now, I don’t mean adding Utley or Howard, but what aspect of their game.-JD
The National Anthem wasn’t 40 minutes tonight.
Not to knock our National Anthem but Patti LaBelle was ridiculous last night with her rendition.
Annie (7): It’s the Rays.-JD
benny (9): It took them less time to fight the war.-JD
It’s a no-lose situation for the Rays juggling their batting order. It’s not a panic move, but something has to be done. … Perhaps working in the Rays’ favor is that Pena and Longoria are due for a hit.-JD
Sorry – what was I thinking? Thank you.
Good question, John. I hadn’t thought of it quite that way, but if I had to pick one aspect it would be situational hitting. I don’t know the exact numbers, but it seems like the Phillies move runners along when they have to, and make contact with runners on 3rd and less than 2 out much better than the Mets have done.
Crawford has been hitting very well lately.
Am I alone in the world by thinking the Rays win this one?
I mean we might as well have had the parade last night with how fans/media are acting about the Phillies right now. And if I’ve learned something about sports is that, odds are, you’re going to be wrong.
Bill (14): There’s no question about that. And, something else, too, they get more production from the bottom of the order.-JD
Benny – I think I’ll send your Patti La Belle remark to my brother – he goes ballistic if even one note is not sung as written.
benny (15): I can see it, too. Pena and Longoria are due to bust out. … Hamels is due to give it up. … And, these are the Phillies, live isn’t always smooth for them, either.-JD
JD (8) The Phillies are relentless. They go out there knowing they’re going to win. The opponents have to work to beat them. That’s a huge part of the Phillies game. They are already in the opponents head.
That’s what I would like to see with the ‘09 Mets… go out and play the game all 9 innings… not innings one and two and not have to play to win or come from behind in the 9th.
Sam G (19): The Mets won the season series from the Phillies, yet that didn’t deter them. That quality Benny is tired of hearing about – grit – could be applied to their relentless nature.-JD
Crawford didn’t go balls out. He thought Rollins dropped the ball. When they teach you to run the bases in spring training you’re supposed to look at first base and not pay attention to where the ball is in the infield. Bad baserunning.-JD
The part of the Phillies I’d most like to see on the Mets is Gillick.
Harry (22): Nice touch.-JD
I agree with Benny… grit can be overused and thrown about lightly, but not in this case.
In point.. Rollins could have easily backed off that dribbler but he moved quick and gunned out Crawford. You could argue that Crawford would have beat it if he came out of the box full speed, but then you don’t know how much harder Rollins would have gunned it.
JD/Biil:
The Mets need mental toughness, and that is something you can’t just teach, or is readily available.
As for the Phils winning it all waking Omar and the Mets org…. for me they would show me something by ASAP getting what they can for Castillo, and once they see they can’t trade, get rid of him. Omar has to deliver the message that what has happened in 07 and 08 was unacceptable, and that players are going to start being held accountable.
Bill, that perception is based strictly on that game where Murphy was on 3rd and Wright was up.
In actuality. they were both just about even. The Mets had a higher batting average and on base percentage. All the Phillies had on the Mets were homeruns 18-34.
The above is based on the “close and late” stat.
Scoring position in general, the Phillies were better across the board in everything except scoring runs.
Same applies when there are runners in scoring position with 2 outs, the Phillies better in everything but runs scored.
Sam G (24): Crawford stopped four steps out of the box because he assumed the out.-JD
John I just think the Phillies won the division because the Mets bullpen was atrocious not because of grit. Sorry. Despite all the injuries the Mets had they still could have beaten that healthy Phillies team for the division had they converted a couple of save opportunities.
John (21) Not running like crazy to first base is the most commmon offense by batters, and yet they continue to do it, and get called out. I’m not mentioning any names tonight, but you know who never fails to run the bases well.
benny (26): Where the Phillies were clearly superior was in their bullpen.-JD
Where’s Donavan McNab’s mom?
To respond to your initial question to Bill, JD…how about the bullpen? Talk about situational hitting all you want, and it DOES need to improve, along with taking the game to the opposition by forcing the issue, but it’s the damn bullpen.
Say what you want about the Mets not adding runs on late, etc…and it does matter because it would often leave the pen very little room for error.
But 29 blown saves and losing, I believe, 8 games when LEADING after in the 8th inning or later is not only unacceptable, it is mind-boggling.
The pen, the pen, the pen.
Annie (29) to be fair, it was a rocket. And instict of when someone catches a ball is “oh… stop running”. I don’t fault him.
benny (28): The Phillies were 89-0 after the eighth. The Mets blew 29 save opportunities.-JD
David R (25) Why are the player to be held accountable when the GM who failed to make a trade deadline move two years in a row is given a long term deal. I think the message was sent.
Benny (28) I don’t understand your stats. How can you be better in anything if you aren’t better in runs scored? If you don’t move the guy home, what’s the difference what you do? You failed.
Isn’t it Ironic that its up to a former Met to stop the Phillies from winning the world series.
Mike (32): We got a vote for situational hitting, a vote for the front office (Gillick over Minaya), a vote of the Phillies’ relentless nature, and a vote for the bullpen.-JD
Is it me or do the umps have it in for the Rays pitchers? Kazmir got seriously squeezed on that walk to Werth…
benny (33): I do because he shouldn’t have been looking at the ball to see that it was dropped.-JD
Harry (35) Ok, so if the goal is to score runs, then it means the Mets were better.
Whether you’re talking about season total, with runners on, with runners in scoring position, with runners in scoring position and 2 out, the Mets scored more runs than the Phillies.
Where’s the pitching coach to have a chat with Kazmir. He clearly needs a breath and a refocus.
To Benny (28), grit plays a part, and the Phillies more than likely have what the Mets lack in that department.
But a lack of grit doesn’t necessarily make you blow leads of 7 and 4 games over the final 2 weeks of two straight seasons.
I do think there is something amiss with this team, but that being said, with the talent-level on this club, it should not have prevented them from, at minimum, REACHING the postseason.
Do you think if the Mets cannot get Brian Fuentes then they will try to trade for Kevin Gregg?
(26) What about all those times the Mets failed to tack on? From the middle of the game on they just didn’t get the job done. Too many times they looked like they were swinging out of their shoes. Perhaps pressing too much as the bullpen grew nearer.
Kyle (36): Kazmir is not off to a good start.-JD
Ohhh that was nasty.
That’s the MVP right there haha.
Do you see the Mets trying to trade for Matt Holliday?
I wish he hit him in the face. Not the head but the face.
For what they would have to give up for Holliday… they’d come out behind not ahead. Can’t see that trade happening.
TJ (44): That’s another thing that separates the two teams. It’s part of the Phillies’ relentless nature. … And, you’re right. When you know the pen will give it up, that puts a lot of pressure on an offense.-JD
What’s missing is a bullpen. I just don’t know why people can’t accept its a simple answer.
They’d have to trade Niese, Parnell, and even more.
Bottom first/The answer to an above question is “yes,” in that I think the Rays’ pitchers are getting squeezed. Overall, it has been a poorly umped Series.-JD
This is the Mets, Benny, it is NEVER as simple as that. IMO, there is something fundamentally wrong with this team.
No doubt, the bullpen needs a major overhaul, but even with that, there are major holes at 2B, LF, C, and I’d even say the bench.
Omar better be busy this winter.
THe Mets scored the 8th most runs in major league baseball in 2008 and tied for second in the National League.
I know we can agree there were situations where extra runs could have been nice but in that context that’s like getting angry at the Notorious Texas Rangers offense for not scoring more runs because the pitching staff isn’t very good.
(50) The Mets need to worry about their pitching first. Chances are the offense will be good enough more often than not to put them in position to win, despite it’s inconsistencies.
They should not waste any big money on offense until they work on the pitching.
I like Dioner Navarro and think he is doing a great job with his pitchers – It’s not his fault if they don’t throw strikes and seem to have hit a lot of batters in the past couple of games.
For some reason, the RAYS pitchers can’t get comfortable on the mound here.
Steiny (48): Holliday just isn’t happening. They don’t have those kinds of pieces.-JD
It’s hard to pitch when the only called strike is the one right down the middle.
Benny (26). That game was certainly the perfect illustration of what I’m talking about, but my feeling on this aspect goes a lot further back than that. And I’m not just referring to Close/late. The Mets rarely hit/run, or bunt. How many times do we see (maybe it shows up better at the stadium than on TV) the opposing 1Bman playing back with Jose up, and no drag bunt?
Why has the David who used to go to RF so nicely with 2 strikes now swing wildly in an attempt for the HR?
It may be more perception than statistical reality, but it frustrates me when I see this, and based on comments I’ve read since the season ended it has frustrated Jerry, too.
Look for a heavy emphasis on fundamentals and “team ball” during ST, and lot of heat on Hojo if the pattern doesn’t change early in ‘09.
I think McCarver missed a big point. Kazmir grooved that pitch because he has no clue what the ump’s strikezone is. When you get squeezed, you tend to groove.-JD
Lets call it a night kids, the Series is over.
By the way, the umpiring in this World Series has been incredibly dissapointing, they usually have great crews. What’s going on this year? The strikezone changes every half inning.
benny (63): Don’t leave. You’ll miss the baby commercials. … And, I agree with the umpiring.-JD
2 in isn’t bad considering what it could have been. I’ll take it and hope that the ump settles down in the 2nd. Let’s see what he gives or doesn’t give Hamels.
John (54) “A Poorly Umped Series” – clever. Don’t believe I’ve ever seen that phrase before.
SO has Kazmir earned the right to shoot a look like that to the umpire, or is that going to backfire on him.
Basically, the problem with the umpiring is the umps still have their own interpretation of the strikezone. Screw that. Just call what it is in the rule book. I swear, they might do better if they had an electronic strikezone.-JD
On another note, I’m concerned about Daniel Murphy. Though he’s been hitting well in AZ, his only plate appearance since early last week was in the All-Star Game Friday night. And that was a walk as DH in the 1st inning, after which he was removed from the game.
Is he injured, or resting for his shift to Puerto Rico that is scheduled?
Sam G (67): Umps can be vindictive. It will bite him in the ass.-JD
I think it’ll only hurt him Sam. For some reason if you haven’t been in the league for 10 years you’re not allowed to comment, no matter if the ump is in the wrong or not.
It’s part of the unwritten baseball rules.
Benny – (63) I know Benny, we’re missing ‘Dancing with the Stars’ aren’t we?
If the Phillies win it is going to make me sick to my stomach watching them celebrate.
Bill (69): I haven’t heard anything about an injury to Murphy.-JD
They gave him the day off saturday because he would have had technically played in more games than his other teammates.
And they don’t play Sundays.
Don’t know why he didn’t play Monday though.
Nah man I”m missing WWE RAW! yeah baby! Stone Cold!
Bill (69): I hope they’re resting him. I questioned the wisdom of having him play fall ball and winter ball… then hit spring training and the regular season. There’s not much of a break there for him to recuperate from anything nagging.
Just being young doesn’t mean your body can, or should, endure that.
(52) The bullpen is a glaring problem, and by all rights needs to be the first thing corrected. But the Mets problems certainly go deeper than that. It was a problem I did not feel was present throughout 2006, at least until the end that I did not see coming. In ‘06 both the bullpen and the offense just had this special quality to them where you just KNEW no game was ever out of reach. The past two seasons however, the bats seemed to go silent far too easily. Now, of course it’s very tough with a bullpen that can’t hold the opposition from putting a game out of reach, however they’ve lost the dynamic they had back in ‘06. The same kind of dynamic they seemed to have in ‘99 even. How does one get that back? I’m not really sure.
Obviously they MUST start at the pitching staff. Suring up the rotation and fixing the bullpen are key. Beyond that I’d love to see the Mets perhaps either:
A) Pick up a Raul Ibanez type, dump Castillo by any means necessary, slot Murphy in to 2nd base. Find a better RH catcher to compliment Schneider (who did well against righties, better than I expected). Castro is just too injury prone, it’s time to move on.
B) If they can’t dump Castillo, perhaps pick up a Casey Blake who can share time with Murphy in LF as well as give a guy like Wright a day off now and again. Pray Castillo’s production and attitude improve vastly with an offseason to heal up. Same Catcher idea.
And in all cases I’d like to see a better bench built up. Endy is fantastic as a 5th OFer to me. However a better hitting 4th OFer is necessary, though perhaps Tatis fills that role already anyhow. I’d like the Mets to pick up a power bench guy.
Mike (57): I agree. The Mets missed October because of their pitching. Starting and relieving. Both were bad. Fix that and their offense is good enough.-JD
Benny.
What????
Benny—I think he hasn’t played since last Tuesday, except for the walk Friday Night.
hmmm the grin was missing from above.
Annie (66): I call it as a I see it. Sometimes I can be full of it. This time I think I’m right. The umpiring has been off.-JD
Why didn’t the Mets play Argenis Reyes more? He is worth so much less than Luis Castillo, but he had basically had the same numbers. I think it the reason was because they were trying to not make Omar Minaya look bad that he signed Castillo to a 4-year deal.
Steiny (73): If the Phillies win, the Mets should show the celebration at the start of spring training.-JD
TJ, I think what the Mets and Omar need to do is find some gritty dust and sprinkle it all over the team and all over Citi Field.
I’m just kidding, I’m being a jerk.
But the Mets certainly had the feeling in 2006 where you just knew they’d win every game even though they appearently lose 60 times (which I don’t remember). They had 2 different 2 or 3 week spurts in the season where they gave me that feeling in 2008.
Cool story about 2006, I was home watching the game and it was about the 3rd inning and my friend calls me with tickets he says “wanna go to the game? I have free seats.” I tell him “nah man its the 3rd inning and they’re down 3″ and he replies with the best ever, “c’mon man we’ll get there just in time for the come back” and umm, yeah I came in the 6th inning just in time to catch the comeback.
I hate those Fox mics, they never catch interesting conversations. They’re never natural, I mean… no foul language? c’mon now.
Joe Maddon has got the flaps down on his cap – wonder if that’s weather related or, that he just is sick of hearing the umps’ calls.
TJ (78): If they improve their rotation and increase the average number of innings per game from their starters, it helps the bullpen because we see them less. The pen averaged a over three innings a game. Way to much. They need to cut it down by an inning a game.-JD
40+ pitches in the 2nd inning, how Al Leiter-esque. The Curse of Leiter’s Radio!
There has been so much talk recently about the Padres trading Jake Peavy. What is Padres GM Kevin Towers thinking? This guy won the Cy Young in 2007 and still has lot of juice left in him. Do you think the Padres know something that the rest of the league does not?
THank God Willie’s not here because he would have showed them a 1999 World Series Yankee celebration to inspire them, as if it would have mattered.
Benny (86): They had a knack for coming back in 2006. They did it so often. This year you knew the opposition would come back.-JD
(89) Absolutely. The bare minumum the Mets must do is repair their pitching. Situational hitting can be repaired without picking up new players. Though I’d like to bring in some fresh blood, pitching is the big issue.
Steiny (91): The Padres don’t want to be saddled with his salary. That also means they won’t have the money to sign a guy like Oliver Perez.-JD
I also believe the team needs to hire a hypnotist
Hynpotist: You are all very good players…
Team: We are all very good players…
Hypnotist: You will beat Shelbyville…
Team: We will beat Shelbyville…
Hypnotist: You will give one hundred and ten percent…
Team: That’s impossible. No one can give more than one hundred percent. By definition that is the most anyone can give…
;
That movie the Yes Man starring Jim Carrey umm, yeah, I think I saw that movie about 12 years ago, its called Liar Liar.
benny (97): Aren’t all his movies the same?-JD
Kazmir’s at bat was funny.
TJ (96): I don’t know who this Shelbyville is, but I bet they didn’t blow 29 saves.-JD
How upset do you think the Pittsburgh Pirates are for giving up on Oliver Perez and trading him to the Mets?
Steiny (101): Not at all. If not the Mets, they would have traded him to somebody. And besides, they wouldn’t have signed him to a long term deal.-JD
The ones that are angry are the Baltimore Orioles for that john maine trade.
benny (103): Yes. You can only look at Anna Benson for so long.-JD
Uh oh Shane Victorino tossed his helmet and his bat. Grit like Paul O’Neil? or cry baby-ness and immaturity like David Wright and Jose Reyes?
benny (105): I never equated throwing a helmet or bat as grit.-JD
Others do…
Throwing a helmet is the example people use for Paul O’Neil all the time.
Jimmy Rollins has been impressing me with his defense in the playoffs. He’s typically not THIS good.
JD (100): Good point about the saves. But is there any doubt that if Wagner stayed healthy most of those blown ones wouldn’t have happened? If only FOUR were converted, the Mets were Division winners, even with all the “problems that need correcting” that everyone talks about. And without Maine and Tatis down the stretch.
benny (107): When I think of O’Neill I think of him playing with bad hamstrings, on a stress fracture, and … his forever at-bat against Benitez in the 2000 World Series.-JD
(100) They may not have blown 29 saves but they lost the championship on a bases loaded HBP when Mr. Burns pinch hit for Darryl Strawberry with Homer Simpson.
Benny (107): Yeah, for O’Neill it was “grit”, but for Jeffries it was “immaturity”.
One of those “eye of the beholder” things, I guess.
TJ (111): That wasn’t Shelbyville–it was Springfield!
bill (107): Yeah, I hear you.-JD
I think of O’Neill in the outfield standing there with the bleacher creatures and others chanting his name…Paul shed real tears over that, and he chokes up now if it’s mentioned to him.
He was a great player in so many ways.
(113) I said lost, which Shelbyville did. Burns is a visionary
There is an article on ESPN.com about the Pirates that is entitled: Who’s next, Pittsburgh? Rays give hope to losers. That is pretty harsh no?
Bill (113): Springfield still has a better pen the Mets.-JD
(115) I like the video from his Reds days where he punted the baseball to the cutoff man.
Annie (115): One of my favorite players to watch was O’Neill. One of the indispensable Yankees from their run.-JD
Timmy has either got a good memory or a script – imagine remembering the David Cone/Atlee Hammacher incident from 1987.
Oh no, is that a rain delay I see?????
Steiny (117): The Rays did some good things others haven’t. They scouted well and signed their good core players to long term contracts. We haven’t seen that from Pittsburgh or Kansas City.-JD
I’ve learned everyone plays hurt. It’s just a matter of being productive. If you’re good you become a legend. You get knocked around you’re Braden Looper or Aaron Heilman. Guys who never say a word about their injury and play hurt but will never get that respect.
And another thing about perception, Terrell Owens quote in the 2005 Super Bowl:
“In this situation, other people like Brett Favre, they would have called him a warrior,” Owens said. “For me, they said I was selfish. If I’m selfish, I’m selfish because I want my team to win. The media made it a situation to where they thought I was grandstanding.”
- In regards to playing hurt.
I forgot who said it but someone said “We’re all day-to-day” haha, its true, no matter what your profession.
That Simpsons episode is one my favorites, so many quotable lines.
Will this be the death blow?
Bottom fourth/Bases loaded with Utley up. It’s not a stretch to say this could be the game for the Rays.-JD
Utley at-bat: That same pitch has been called a strike tonight.-JD
We still have a game. We’ll see how Hamels’ fingers are.-JD
Baldelli has to be on second, don’t you think?-JD
Rollins’ head warmer makes it look like his baseball cap has been joined together with one of the winter hats you would see in the movie Fargo.
TJ (130) Yes, or on the fondly remembered “Northern Exposure”
Don’t you just love it when the TV announcers complain about playing in the lousy weather? Afterall, we don’t get day games or earlier starts because of TV?-JD
I think that’s the beauty of playoff baseball. Crappy weather.
Next year the Series will be even later. Why you say? Because of the World Baseball Classic.-JD
To be fair if today was day game, no one would have watched it. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to.
benny (133): I appreciate your sarcasm. Truth is, they play the World Series in worse weather than the Super Bowl. Makes no sense.-JD
You don’t like the World Baseball Classic, John?
Jeeze, do you like anything?
For Christmas I might buy you a time machine.
JD (132): What I love are announcers who are sitting warm and dry complaining about lousy weather
Kazmir is just getting ripped tonight.
What’s a boy supposed to do?
benny (135): Somebody would have watched. And somebody would have watched had they started it an hour earlier. … The ratings might have stunk, but the showcase event of your sport wouldn’t be so compromised by the weather.-JD
Oh god, they cheat for that weather in the Super Bowl. “Neutral Field” f-that. That’s so those corporate people don’t have to bring a sweater.
Maybe they should play every World Series in the island of Fiji. Beautiful weather.
benny (137): I like you.-JD
I liked the World Classic mainly because of Bernie Williams.
I don’t like Bob DuPuy.
“Somebody” would ahve watched? the unemployed and peeople who have night shifts, maybe.
A Day game on a MOnday would have been the same people who watch the Price is Right.
benny (142): If MLB had its way, they’d play the World Series, all seven games, in Southern California.-JD
benny (145): Had they started this game at 7:30, we’d be a lot further along and better able to handle a rain delay.-JD
So umm, I’m not a big fan of umpires deciding the games. I like the players to do it.
Congratulations to Buck for questioning the strikezone.-JD
People in the West get to see the game at 5:30, and get to bed at a decent hour, allowing kids and working people to watch.
And they don’t even have a team playing.
Back in the 50s, ALL WS games were played in daytime, and kids used to sneak radios into school so they could listen to the first few innings before going home to watch the end.
If I were Kazmir I’d probably have gone George Brett on the ump. How dare he cost me the game.
Let’s see about these Philly games.
First we had a game played during weather so bad that it didn’t start until after 10PM. A few brave souls stayed up until 2AM. (I had to leave when my power went off as a tree fell)
Secondly, the Phillies played this one by themselves – the Rays never showed up.
Now, we are in the midst of an unexpected fall storm which must feel like ice coming down.
This World Series should have stayed in Tampa.
Bill, that doesn’t sound like fun. Sounds dangerous as well. Get in trouble for something like that.
Like I said a couple of nights ago, In high school which wasn’t even long ago, the ALDS and NLDS games would I was HEATED to be missing those game due to their 1 pm starts.
In college, I was tracking it on gameday on my laptop during class and there’s nothing nostalgic about that. I missed the games!!!
Bill (150): I have never understood why MLB is willing to trade the late audience on the East for the early audience on the West. The start time is not 8 pm as advertised, but 830. They don’t give us anything worth watching in the pregame anyway. Why not start the pregame at 730 and the game at 8? Who cares if they miss the pregame in LA?-JD
MLB is soo dumb, they should have predicted this weather! UGH ALL FOR RATINGS. They don’t care about the fans. Their dopler 4000 isn’t good enough.
benny (153): You in class on Saturday and Sunday?-JD
With the DVR… there’s no excuse for someone on the west coast to miss the beginning of the game. If one wanted to they could FF through the commercials and watch live within a short amount of time.
I did that with Mets games this season. Recoreded them and watched in about 90 minutes once all the life stuff settled down.
Balfour might have just turned the game for the Rays… they needed an inning like that.
Sam G (158): How about you on the West Coast? Can you live with a 430 pregame and 5 pm start time?-JD
Is there a special rain rule for WS games? If the rain gets worse, and they have to stop the game, and the rain continues through the night (as predicted), can it be suspended and resumed tomorrow? Or can the Series end on a shortened Official game?
JD I can… absolutely. Like I said above I can be up and in time with y’all within about 1/2 an hour if I start the game an hour later.
For me it’s all good.
Oh no complaints from me on the Saturday and Sunday fronts. Especially Sunday. That HAS to change. Most people have lazy Sundays with work on Monday. No one wants to be up at 1am watching baseball when it could EASILY begin at 4pm. I don’t agree with weekend games on at night.
Benny–If they had predicted the weather, what would you have had them do? People have tixx for 8:30, and would riot if the game were switched to afternoon or postponed because of rain that hadn’t started yet.
benny (162): That should be the minimum. A game or two at day on the weekend. The ratings at night aren’t great anyway during the weekend. That’s why MLB juggled the format to have only one weekend set of games.-JD
bill (163) I was kidding… lol
How did Jeff Kellogg get this assignment? He’s horrible. The only thing worse than the weather is the umpiring.-JD
I’m amazed they’re continuing to play. It’s gotta be awful to see the ball out there… and for Hamels awful to grip it.
I’m waiting for a camera shot of Selig watching the game in his shortsleeves, as if to pretend its not bad.-JD
What’s even worse are playoff games with Eastern teams playing in California. Then it’s “OK” to make us stay up till 1 AM+ so the Angelinos can have prime time.
the thing that has been pissing me off with the umpires is that its not just one play. Or on game. Its been every pitch, of every inning of every game! It’s ridiculous.
Buck and McCarver are railing about the weather because it is so obvious.-JD
Billl (169): Not much you can do there. They’ve got to get the fans in the stadium. If it’s an LA team in, people have to start for the stadium at noon or 1pm to make a 5pm start as it is.
If it’s a 7pm start they’re on the road by 2.
McCarver just answered my question—if it’s stopped and doesn’t re-start, it’s “official” and the Series is over.
LUNACY!!!!
benny (170): MLB should be ashamed of the umpiring in this Series.-JD
I believe according to the Weather Channel that this weather is supposed to turn to snow during the night or early tomorrow AM. However, it looks to me like it is unsafe for the players on the field right now. I’d stop the game before one of these guys gets hurt.
Maybe MLB ought to build a domed stadium in a neutral area and hold all the post season games and the All Star Game there. Split the gate with all teams equally.
Benny (170): The umpiring has been in an increasingly steady decline since the umpires strike, add in the consolidation of the umps under MLB instead of the leagues. Then expansion brings up less than stellar ump because they need the bodies. It’s a recipe for mediocrity.
The umps have been told not to bring out the tarp. That’s the only explanation. The umps can’t be this stupid.-JD
The World Series is supposed to be the showcase for baseball.
What a joke.
Cole Hamels cap and jersey are so wet they’re starting to take that maroon color scheme of the 80’s.
Annie (176): A neutral site World Series, whether a dome or warm weather locale, is a HORRIBLE idea. Just horrible. Screw the fans even more.-JD
Wow, I almost figured he’d get gunned down with the wet track.
and now we have a series game.
Now they can pull out the tarp with a clear conscience.-JD
Sam (177) well typically the umpiring in the World Series has been top notch!
Its just been this world series.
If they bring out the tarp, they probably won’t re-start, and the Series will end on a shortened note.
At least I’m having fun watching the fans get drenched.
Heh heh.
I don’t believe the tarp would be on if the game were not tied.-JD
Everytime I see Dupuy speak it’s like listening to a used car salesman. During the Congressional hearings for the Extra Innings deal with DirecTv he just sounded so sleazy.
In my mind, that’s indicative of how far MLB has sunk in recent years.
Oh boy … FOX is sending us to local news or a sitcom. Why not have Selig on? Or more interviews? Or anything but sit-com reruns. Just weak.-JD
You get news! Quit complaining!
When I hear Bob Duboy speak I hear an inaudible old man.
Anyways, it’ll be very interesting and FUN as to what happens now. Allegedly the weather is worse tomorrow. So what happens? Do you play Game 6 in Tampa with no Game 5 winner. If Tampa wins Game 6, you play Game 7 in Tampa and if Tampa win you go back to Philly for Game 5? And begin in the bottom of the 6th inning?
Oh man… haha.
Sam G (188): Yeah, it’s amazing how the field deteriorated so much after the tying run scored.-JD
We’ll be here for awhile. What else do you want to talk about? Colts and Titans are tied, 14-14.-JD
Sam G (190): Me complain? I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t complain. … No news for me. I’ve got the Colts game.-JD
benny (191): They’ll finish this game first, then go to Game 6.-JD
Umpires are not allowed to work in back to back post season series because it is too stressful. Also the are not allowed to work in back to back world series.
This sounds more like the union wanting all of its members to get a post season payday than having it best talent being showcased.
Scott (196): They aren’t air traffic controllers or pilots. If this is to keep the umpires sharp, then why don’t they do other things with that objective?-JD
When I was a kid game 6 of the 1962 World Series got delayed for three days because of rain in San Fransisco. Enabled the Yankees to come back with Ralph Terry in Game 7. If it hadn’t, they would have used some rookie with a 7-7 record named Jim Bouton.
Dan (198): Game 7 in 1986 was delayed. … There was a three-day delay in the 1975 Boston-Cincinnati World Series.-JD
But John its supposed to be raining all day tomorrow in Philly, worse than it is now.
Will they just move the dates a bit?
If they do this sets up Cole Hamels for Game 7… maybe?
benny (200): They’ll finish this game in Philly before going to Tampa. If this delay is for a day or two, you might be right, it could set up Hamels on short rest for Game 7.-JD
The arguments by the umpires union as to why they opposed “best umpires in post season” is the old system was too often “pick the buddies of mlb management”. There was also the time in the mid 70s when the player’s association polled its members and published their ratings of umpires. People objected, Joe Garagiola spent one afternoon on NBC game of the week ripping the players.
You mean like getting umpires trainers or nutritionists.
I guess being overweight has no bearing on how well they are able to do the job.
Scott (203): Being out of shape can’t help. You would hate for them to not get into position to make a call because they can’t move.-JD
John – (181) Sorry, I wasn’t thinking – you’re right, it would affect the fans. I apologize.
Annie (205): No need to apologize. Just throwing out the high heat. You can take it.-JD
John: you are right about 1975 and 1986 but I don’t think the rain aggected the pitchung rotation like in 1962. Who knows, maybe Bouton would have pitched great like he did in 1963 and 1964.
There was some kind of delay before the 9th inning of the 1975 world series game 2. NBC was desperate for something to do so they interviewed Johnny Bench who was due to lead off the 9th with the Reds down 2-1. Bench said he would try to go to right off lefthander Bill Lee and he did. Someone from Boston should have been watching but didn’t
Dan
Why is it not possible for the players, coach’s and managers to grade umpires anonomosly.
If umpires had to earn the right to work in the postseason you would see better results.
Dan (207): I wasn’t aware of that thing with Bench.-JD
Scott (208): Personally, I think officials in MLB, the NFL and NBA should be graded and subject to public criticism from players and coaches.-JD
i believe they just suspended the game
Game suspended till tomorrow.
If the weather reports are true this game will not be finished till Wednesday.
I wonder how long they will wait tomorrow
if the weather is bad.
Suspended. They’ll try supposedly tomorrow. We’ll see.-JD
OK See you all tomorrow, good night.
Annie
Oh come on Annie. Yeah, you forgot about the fans…. hello!
But how would the funding be arranged? How would the city be selected?
What would happen to the stadium during the other 11 months?
How would they sell out 7 games year after year when the natives might get sick of it, disinterested with the NON hometown teams, etc
No offense, but come on…
and of course just to annoy JD they’re starting the final innings at 8pm eastern
Here’s an idea: MLB should heretofore require that all new stadiums be built with retractable roofs. No public financing. If the billionaire owners/groups can’t afford it, then the team should be put up for sale. Any existing open-air stadiums should be given ten years to add a retractable roof if structurally viable.
I know it will never happen, but this is total BS. It’s bad enough that teams play the vast majority of their games in warm weather only to have playoff games in unfamiliar conditions, but it’s even worse when teams are thrown off their schedules due to weather conditions that can last for days. Situtations like this can clearly favor one team for various reasons.
Sorry for the rant. I need either a time out or a beer. Maybe I’ll do both by having a beer in the corner of the room.
Good night, all. Thanks again for the great thread. I always look forward to reading your comments.
Sam G (216): It’s not that they start the final innings at 8. They’ll start them at 8:30. They start their coverage at 8. I don’t mind it at 8 if it really is at 8. Don’t lie about it. At least the Super Bowl says coverage begins at certain and kickoff is at another time.-JD