Oh, It Is On!
Game 5 of the World Series will be played tonight at Citizens Bank Park.
Oh, It Is On!
Todd Zolecki
Just got an e-mail from MLB with the subject line that read, "Game Five of the 2008 World Series to be Resumed Tonight."
Information from the Phillies:
Game 5 of the 2008 World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies will resume tonight at Citizens Bank Park, Major League Baseball announced today. First pitch is scheduled for 8:37 p.m. (ET). The Phillies will be coming to bat to start the bottom of the sixth inning with the game tied, 2-2. Game 6, if necessary, is scheduled for tomorrow night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Ticket Information: Fans holding tickets for World Series Game 5 should use their ticket(s) for re-entry. The game is sold out. Fans without tickets for tonight’s Sixers game or tickets from Monday night’s Game 5 should not come to the sports complex.
Public Transportation: Fans are strongly encouraged to use public transportation. SEPTA will provide additional service plus park and ride options. For information about SEPTA’s Broad Street Line service, call (215) 580-7800 or visit www.septa.org.
Parking Information: Fans who choose to drive to the complex should plan on arriving earlier than usual. Parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans with parking passes or receipts from Monday (October 27) will be permitted to gain re-entry into any of the sports complex lots. They will not be required to park in the same lot. Those without passes or receipts from Monday, October 27, will be required to pay for parking. Fans who do not have tickets for tonight’s events should not park at the sports complex.
Gate Openings: All Citizens Bank Park gates will open at 5:30 p.m.
Comments (35)
This is pretty amazing... the most compelling 3 1/2 innings MLB has ever seen. This is Must-See-Baseball. And for the record, if Joe Maddon sends Grant Balfour back out to the mound, I am sending Greg Dobbs to the plate and forcing his hand from the jump. Does he go to a lefty? If so, will he leave that lefty in to face Werth? If not, will he use two lefties in one inning should Utley make it to the plate? The T.B. pitcher is due up 4th in the 7th inning. Will he bring in Price and risk having to hit for him? He is at a severe disadvantage with only 9 outs to the Phillies 12, so he cannot waste any outs letting a relief pitcher hit. He cannot double switch, since Longoria made the last out, and he won't take her out, or anyone that hits before Eva. If he doesn't start with Balfour on the mound, he cannot make a switch. Any pitcher other than Balfour would have to pitch to one hitter at least. If he leaves Balfour in, taking his chances with him against the pinch hitter, Rollins, and Werth, and then planning on going to the lefty, then I really like my chances with Dobbs vs. Balfour. We have the upper hand tactically in any way, so force Maddon's hand from the jump. He has no choice but to either allow a favorable match-up for the Phillies, or else burn his lefties too quickly worrying more about one AB for Dobbs than likely 2 each for Utley and Howard.— RollinsWasRight- there could be a potential for a mess tonight. beer sales will be for 7 played innings tonight (if it goes extras). but if it doesnt that means lots of fan may have beers in the 9th inning. with either outcome, that could lead to a mess.— timm2
- All you have to do (or I will be doing), is if the Phils have the lead in the 9th, take note of everyone in your section who has a beer, and keep your distance. It will be way too cold to take a beer shower.— RollinsWasRight
- Let's have a ceremonial first pitch - by Mike Schmidt.— Venture
I think there will/should be a National Anthem, but as for intro's and all the rest of the hoopla, it should be kept to a minimum. This is a game in progress, not a newly started game, and it should be handled as such. 7th inning stretch and God Bless America, sure, as always. Better savor this, gang, it will likely feel like it's over in a flash.— bobby- RWR: in your senereo I switch pitchers making Charlie take out Dobbs to put in right hander. We loose the best PH we have. Better to put up either Junkins or Stairs. As for the new pitcher after the switch, he can throw one pitch and then be taken out. Worse case new pitcher begins with a 1-0 count on hitter. This is what makes baseball so great, there is actually stategy to it. I would bat so-what first to make the Rays bring in a new pitcher, then yank him for Dobbs. As you said, teh Rays pitcher is due up fourth. I doubt they will bring in price before his spot in the order has already gone by. They will want him for multiple innings if possible. To those who are going to the 1/2 game, enjoy the beer after the stretch, but please drive home safely— jeff gross
- Jeff, A new pitcher has to pitch to one batter, not just throw one pitch. LET'S GO PHIS!!!— schaff24
- jeff: The reason I would use Dobbs is that he is the hitter on the Phillies bench Maddon most wants to match-up against. That makes him the one most likely to force Maddon into a bad decision. You can force him to burn a lefty too quickly. If he doesn't, you get a favorable match-up for Dobbs... After a pitching change, the new pitcher has to pitch to one hitter, a full AB, not just one pitch (unless he fakes an injury). So, anyone other than Grant Balfour who takes the mound must pitch to the pinch hitter regardless. If J.P. Howell is warming up, I still use Dobbs (I don't worry too much about Dobbs against the soft-tossing lefty who is no more difficult on LH hitters than he is on RH hitters), and try to force him to use two lefties in the inning (I really don't think he wants a LH pitching to Werth, and if he does try it, I think it would be a huge mistake). If Trevor Miller is warming up, I would rethink the Dobbs strategy. I don't like Dobbs vs. Miller, and he is not worth losing Dobbs. But if David Price is warming up, I send Greg Dobbs to plate in a heartbeat and call Maddon's bluff. Even if you lose Dobbs, it is worth it to try to get Price out of the game before the 8th and 9th, and possibly before he even gets to face Utley/Howard.— RollinsWasRight
- Bottom line: It is likely Utley and Howard will get 2 ABs each from the 6th to the 9th, and if Maddon uses a lefty just to force Dobbs out of the game, he is risking burning his lefties too quickly and forcing a bad match-up for them later in a more critical situation against Utley or Howard. Force Maddon to decide which is more critical: one AB for Dobbs in the 6th, or one AB each for Utley and Howard in the 8th or 9th.— RollinsWasRight
- I like Hamels in the batters circle when play resumes just to be sure of who is pitching. If the righty is out there your pinch hitter then is Jenkins without a doubt and if they counter it’s Taguchi. There is NO reason to waste Coste, Stairs, Bruntlett, or Dobbs that soon. Charlie has to be careful not to be too reactive with any changes too soon and just give the offense time to post runs. The biggest mistake we could make in this game is being in a position where we have to use Lidge before his time and that is what Maddon will try to get. If the game tied and goes extra innings with Lidge gone we are dead ducks. Our guys are very focused and can smell the title and I would be shocked if we didn’t win tonight— Wally 24
- I don't think he brings in Price until after the Rays hit. Otherwise he looses him to a pinch hitter. With the score tied you can't bat a AL pitcher who can't even bunt. Since the Pitcher is sheduled to hit 4th in teh 7th, I figue Price pitches teh 8th and 9th.— jeff gross
- HALLELUJAH! Don't anyone faint, but Sports Illustrated finally decided to do some World Series coverage. And it seemed PRO Phillies! Several good pics of key plays. The cover shows Ruiz tagging out Baldelli at home plate. And the two page pic, that accompanies the article, is the play where Jamie flipped to Howard. The caption even gave credit for "an undeserved safe call".— Norma
- The best scenario is for the Phils to score in the bottom of the sixth, hold the lead, have Lidge get the save (which would give Hamels his 5th win this postseason and make Lidge perfect in saves for the entire year)) and then celebrate! The most important thing is to get the win, no matter how they do it. But after that, it would be a nice reward for Cole to get the win after how well he has pitched during the postseason.— MrPhillie
- RWR: I don't think you'll see Lidge until the Phils have a lead. Too risky to bring him in and count on a run in the bottom of the 9th. But then again, what the h@ll do I know??? Let's get this thing over with! GO PHILS!!!!!— bobby
- MrPhillie I'm with you. Let the guys do what they have been doing and hopefully we get a historic win for Cole who has to be a consideration for Series MVP. Tonight is our night!!!— Wally 24
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