Selig deserves black eye this time
By now, the piling on of Major League Baseball and commissioner Bud Selig is in full force for last night's drenched Game 5 World Series debacle that was suspended after 5 1/2 innings tied 2-2. And with good reason. Weather forecasts dictated that the game should never have been played. And once started and with conditions deteriorating rapidly, it should have been stopped long before the farce that the top of the sixth inning became.
In 1977, a deciding game of a playoff series between Philadelphia and Los Angeles was decided in a pouring rain as Tommy John went the distance and beat Steve Carlton, 4-1, with NL president Chub Feeney sitting under an umbrella. I was at that one and the only thing that mitigated the outrage in Philly was that the town was still in shock from a previous night's loss when the Dodgers came up with a stunning rally to take the heart out of Philadelphia.
It was only after last night's game that the world found out that Selig had the power to stop the action at any time and resume it from that point thus superseding the normal rules for game stoppages. That makes the decision to continue the game into the sixth, or even the fifth inning more bewildering.
The conditions were horrible for both sides and if Selig had pulled the plug earlier, the Phillies would still be faced with soldiering on without ace starter Cole Hamels but at least the consequences would have been the result of a rational decision.
Comments
The 'fixeroo' was in on GAME 5 of the WORLD SERIES. The 'umpires' + the COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE were determined to allow a tie, 2-2, so the 'TURKEYS'-of-TAMPA COULD PLAY ANOTHER 3 INNINGS!!! And sure enuff - the PHILLIES gave up a run in the slop and downpour - to allow this fraud to continue. The 'game' should have been called due to the torrential weather before this travesty was allowed to go on!!!
Posted by: Zyskandar A. Jaimot | October 28, 2008 9:24 PM
Not defending Selig at all - but did he really have a choice Monday??
-----------------------------------
They had a choice to play the game at all and they had a choice to stop it before the sixth. Part of the aggravation in Philadelphia is that the team at bat was at an advantage in the top of the sixth and the Phillies didn't get to hit with the same advantage in their half of the inning. You can argue that, I suppose, but once they got to the middle of the inning, Selig had no choice. They had to stop.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Stop Smoking | October 29, 2008 1:18 AM
I with you on this one, Bill. If Selig had the "power" to supercede the rules and stop the game earlier, there was no need to play in a deluge and risk a serious (or perhaps career-ending) injury to a star player. I don't know that I agree that the offense has an advantage in that situation, but that could be a whole separate argument.
-----------------------------------------------------
Scooter,
The whole business about the offense perhaps having an advantage was coming out of Philly because they didn't get to bat in the bottom of the sixth. You're right, you could debate which side, if any, has an edge in those conditions.
-- Bill O.
Posted by: Scooter | October 29, 2008 6:18 AM
I don't get all the hub-bub about the weather. Why are people all up in arms about "the weather"? Why can't baseball players play in the rain? Football (soccer) players do it. Throwball (American football) players do it. MLB should suck it up and "Play ball!"
Posted by: Kevin | October 29, 2008 10:06 AM
He was in a no-win situation. No matter what decision he makes or doesn't make. He has the entire world playing monday morning quarterback and second guessing him. This was not the first game played in pouring down rain, as you mentioned. Bud Selig is not well liked for many reasons and I believe any decision he does make, gets blown up and examed for any flaw.
Posted by: Captain Jack | October 29, 2008 11:18 AM