Game 5 Suspended
Game 5 of the World Series has been suspended.
Game 5 Suspended
Todd Zolecki
You'll have to wait, but for how long?
A day? Two days?
Longer?
Gulp.
Major League Baseball suspended Game 5 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park in the middle of the sixth inning ... just after the Tampa Bay Rays tied the game, 2-2. I can honestly say I've never seen players in the clubhouse so angry, almost to the point where I wonder if it will affect them whenever play resumes. Players are upset because game conditions were terrible in the fourth inning, ridiculous in the fifth inning and downright comical in the sixth inning. But only after the Rays tied the game did MLB suspend play.
Coincidence?
B.J. Upton scored the game-tying run in the sixth after he hit a two-out grounder up the middle. Jimmy Rollins moved to his left, caught the ball in the hole and turned to throw to first. But the ball slipped out of his hand and Upton reached first base safely. Could Rollins have made the play under normal conditions? Maybe. He is one of the best shortstops in baseball. Upton then stole second with Carlos Ruiz barely getting a throw to the bag. Could Ruiz have made a better throw under normal conditions? Definitely, although there's no knowing if he would have thrown him out Upton or not.
Upton scored from second on Carlos Pena's single to left. Pat Burrell's throw was on target but bounced in the pool (or a pond) in front of home plate. Would a bounce on a dry surface have allowed Ruiz to get the ball a split-second sooner? Maybe.
Regardless, it was a joke. And because of this joke, Game 5 is going to be stained forever.
The Phillies just hope it doesn't stain their season.
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The game has tenatively been rescheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesday, but that's not official. Both teams will go with their bullpens. Rays manager Joe Maddon said he expects Grant Balfour, who already was in the game, to continue to pitch. No word on who the Phillies might pitch.
*
Should Game 5 had continued and the Phillies had won, the championship parade would have been Wednesday. That won't happen now.
Agree great national anthem. AS to knee jerk reactions and no one getting exploited or taken avantage of, ask any of the fans who were there, ask Hammels what he thinks, or the other players. Of course we were exploited for MLB's cash cow named FOX. I agree the situation isn't that bad for the Phillies, a 3 inning game with our pen against theirs is in our favor, but this shoudn't have happened and MLB should be forced to pay a price for allowing it to occur. This wasn't a surprize freak storm, this was forcasted for days. Everyone knew it was coming. Common sense, integraty of teh game, and concern for fans safty and health demanded that teh game never be started— jeff gross- if there is a flu epedemic in the next few days/weeks we'll all know why— jeff gross
- Relaaaaaaaaaaaaaax.... OK Frankie.....— James TL
Jeff, this storm actually materialized very quickly according to the weather talking heads around here.— RAS- I believe baseball rules will not allow a game to be suspended until it is official (which would have been after 4 and a half innings). If the game was stopped before that time it would have had to start over. I cannot believe that MLB would stop a playoff game before it was completed UNLESS the game is tied (and therefore would have to finished). If the Rays had not tied the game at some point I believe the game would have been played until the Phils (or the Rays) were ahead after 9 innings (or more). What a mess that would have been! It was bad enough already. Frankly, I don't think it would be fair to award a team a victory in the WS after playing about 175 games. That's not the way a team should win. I'm a long time Phillies fan and I'm more angry at our own players for being apparently unable to score runs when it counts. I have worried all along about this apparent lack of ability to score runs without a HR. I thought it might cost them someday (or night).. Hopefully, last night wasn't that night.— James TL
- Ras, we were all discussing the weather yesterday morning. there was plenty of time to call off the game, or move teh time up. A surprize storm is one that you don't expect even that day. For example when a small front, expected to release sporatic showers turns into a storm like last night's. This wasn't teh case. If MLB needs to know a week in advance about rain, they and we are in deep trouble— jeff gross
- Jeff, you wrote in your post "This wasn't a surprize freak storm, this was forcasted for days." This is statement is categorically false. Sorry pal.— RAS
The rain was not expected to be that bad until very late in the day. They did have the chance to postpone the game before it started, but it would have been last-minute. There really was not an opportunity to move the game earlier in this case. That only happens when you can see a system approaching days in advance. This storm did not do what was expected. I posted a weather report late yesterday afternoon that still had a 50% chance of rain. Oh, and I believe what JamesTL meant to say was: "Lighten up... Francis."— bobby- MLB.com is reporting it has been called off for tonight. Yay!— RAS
