2008 World Series: Phillies/Rays

[DirtyKash]

Bud Selig's ass just got saved. At the bell.

Rays' tying run in sixth saves MLB

Monday, October 27, 2008 | Print Entry

10:52 p.m. ET
The run the Rays scored in the sixth inning (after they had two outs and nobody on) might have saved Major League Baseball from one of its all-time October embarrassments.

Because that run tied the game, the rules now permit the game to be stopped, suspended and resumed when the skies clear -- whatever day, week or month that is.

But had the Phillies held onto the lead and the game then was stopped, the rules wouldn't have allowed a suspension. So baseball might have been faced with having the World Series end with the first rain-shortened game in Series history.

So talk about your clutch hits. When Carlos Pena lined that RBI single, the Rays might have been down to their final strike of the season -- in the sixth inning.

If this game can't be resumed -- and at this point, that's actually the most likely scenario -- it's expected that it would be scheduled to resume Tuesday night. But MLB's COO Bob DuPuy told Fox that because the forecast for Tuesday was equally horrendous, it's possible it might not be possible to finish this game until Wednesday.

Asked what the chances were of finishing the game Monday night, DuPuy replied: "Right now, we're not optimistic."

If this situation had arisen in any World Series game before 2007, baseball wouldn't have had the option to suspend the game. Under the old rules, it would have been declared a tie and started over from the first inning. But a 2007 rule change required that, once games become official, all tie games would be suspended and resumed at a later time from the point at which they're stopped.

And now for yet another complication: The Rays checked out of their hotel in center-city Philadelphia, in anticipation of flying home after the game -- and they can't get back in, because the hotel is sold out.

They're scrambling to find rooms -- somewhere -- as we speak.

--Jayson Stark

[Foster]

Wow. Just insane.
Bud got lucky on this one. His ass would be grass in Tampa/St Pete, and here on the internet.

Though I just saw an interview in which he said that he wouldn't award the championship in that way.

[catman]

That would have been an interesting ruling, and, until just recently, scoring the tying run in the top of the inning would have caused the game to resort to the score when that inning began -- and the Phillies would have won the game 2-1.
On a more serious note, the umpiring in this series has been atrocious. None of these guys has made what I would call great calls. The strike zone today was inconsistant, at best. The tag play on Baldelli was not as clear as the tag on Rollins last night (made by the same ump, by the way), and I'm not sure either was correct. If instant replay would have been available, the Phillies would not have gotten off to the start they did last night and the game could have been quite different.
Umpires should not make calls that change the outcome of games. They should make the correct calls. These guys have not done that and have admitted that, prior to tonight's game, they had made 2 mistakes, both in Philadelphia's favor.

[love_that_reefer]

Catman, the calls are going both ways. Philly has gotten breaks and the Rays got breaks in their only win thus far. It has been awful and during the game Ken Rosenthal had an interesting comment. He said as part of the umpires bargaining agreement, no umpire cannot work back-to-back World Series. That is ****ed up!! I want experienced men out on the field!! The strike zone tonight was all over the place and never consistent. Umpires never decide a game, players do. MLB needs to address the problems they have had this World Series.

[love_that_reefer]

I would also like to point out how ****ing pumped I am for tomorrow night's game. The game is 0-0 but the game is only 3.5 innings long. Pena and Longoria broke out finally and that umpire shouldn't be behind the plate tomorrow night.

[GiantsFanatic]

I think Selig was in a no win situation, because if the game was 2-1 the 6th and it was called and he did not award Philly the championship, it would have been hypocritical on his part for altering the rules since its a championship. If he did award Philly he would have been criticized either way.

[Shadow29]

Really the games shoulda been called before that inning started because Hamels couldnt throw nothing but fastballs for strikes. Its pretty easy to tie it up when you know a fastballs the only thing that going to be thrown for a strike.

Though really it was way too dangerous to playing on that field, but we already know that...

[NYgiantsfan5689]

There is no way the game would have been called. He would have put it in indefinite rain delay

[browntown653]

The umpiring was atrocious at times last night...Kazmir got absolutely squeezed on some of his pitches. Was his control there? No...should he have walked 6? No.

[love_that_reefer]

Game five will resume tomorrow! It is snowing in Philly now!! Do people still want to the first round of the playoffs to go to 7 games now??

[ljshorty89]

It had to resume tomorrow to ease the Phillies fans' pain. I mean, if they had played tonight and lost the travel day, Hamels would not have been able to come back. Had tonight been the finished game 5, Hamels would miss tonight, Game 6 would be on his 2nd day of rest, and Game 7, he would have to go on two days rest(which would never happen). So, by granting a day's delay, the MLB is at least taking some of the sting away from the Phillies anger...

[love_that_reefer]

Phillies anger?? They are three innings from winning the whole thing! Hamels could have still come back for Game 7 in some fashion. Its freaking snowing man!!

[ljshorty89]

Agreed. But they knew beforehand that today's weather was supposed to be even worse than last night. Hamels would NEVER have come back in any fashion on two days rest.....so, I mean if the Phils had played today and not won, there would have been riots over the "indignity".

[love_that_reefer]

Randy Johnson came back to pitch late innings in 2001 on two days rest. Hamels would no doubt suck it up and do something like that if the WS were on the line. It happens all the time.

[Foster]

Matt Stairs already has his hockey skates sharpened up. He'll play now.