Weather like it's 1993

Watching the mist and the rain fall this afternoon, the day has a 1993 feel to it -- specifically, October 20, 1993. Because it represents a fate I would wish on no one, specifically me, I bring it up here in a reverse-black-cat kind of strategy.

You remember that night: Blue Jays 15, Phillies 14, Game 4 of the '93 Series. To this day, it represents the most runs scored in a World Series game. To that point, it also was the longest nine-inning game in Series history at 4 hours, 14 minutes. (The new longest game was 4 hours, 19 minutes -- Game 3 last year, Red Sox vs. Rockies.)

But, in 1993, it was just this kind of a day -- gray, misty, all of that. It seemed as if that game was almost played in a fog. The particulars -- the Phils blew a six-run lead in the eighth inning -- will forever be a part of municipal lore. It is the smaller details that stand out.

That was the game where Blue Jays' starter Todd Stottlemyre tore up his chin with a ridiculous head-first slide into third base, this big red mark winking at everyone for the rest of his abbreviated appearance. And it was the game where the telephone in the Blue Jays' bullpen broke, forcing them to rely on hand signals to get the right reliever warmed up. One time, manager Cito Gaston signaled for a pitching change and was shocked at the identity of the relief pitcher who arrived to take the ball from him. Gaston complained to the umpires, who allowed him to call the correct guy from the bullpen and gave him all the time he needed to warm up. Then the Blue Jays were given walkie-talkies to communicate. Then the first walkie-talkie failed.

It was surreal, inspiring this sign carried by a Phillies fan: "Will Pitch Middle Relief for Food."

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Early in the afternoon, two weather forecasters -- The Weather Channel and weather.com -- are saying that the rain will stop by game time (about 8:30 pm, give or take a few hundred commercials).  However,  weatherunderground.com  is stubbornly  insisting  that  it will still be raining a lot by then.

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For the glass half-full segment of the population, generally not that big a segment in this area code, here are some Jamie Moyer stats concerning how much rest he has before pitching. (Again, all hail baseball-reference.com.)

Three days of rest, 4.76 ERA

Four days, 4.18 ERA.

Five days, 3.20 ERA.

Six or more days, 3.09 ERA.

When he takes the mound for Game 3, Moyer will have 12 days' rest. Just saying.

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