The fix is in

by **FTN** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 22:56:33

Boycott baseball

by **karn** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 22:58:38

This will do more damage to baseball than the A-Rod contract, steroids and 100 strikes combined.

by **swishnicholson** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 22:59:04

Connect the dots.

by **Philly the Kid** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 23:00:15

If it looks like a scam and smells like a scam, and Bud Selig is in charge.. where are the Phillie reps speaking up??? Oh, that's right, they are old boys fraternity...

by **jerseyhoya** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 23:00:26

Honestly, I'm not a conspiracy person, but you can't convince me that we wouldn't have hit in the 6th there if the Rays hadn't tied that up. To me that is fucked up in the extreme.

by **WilliamC** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 23:02:47

I am happy Chris Myers asked him that question. The answer is so obvious. NO WAY IN HELL THIS GAME DIDN'T GO ON WITHOUT THAT RAYS RUN.

Pathetic and theft!!!!!!!!

by zp » Tue Oct 28, 2008 01:21:03

Here's my question:

Bud Selig said he didn't want a World Series to end on a shortened game. Does he have a problem with a World Series game ending in less than nine innings? If the Rays were leading, would he have called it?

Bud, if you don't want to follow the rules, don't start the game in the first place.

by **jerseyhoya** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 01:24:37

zp wrote:Here's my question:

Bud Selig said he didn't want a World Series to end on a shortened game. Does he have a problem with a World Series game ending in less than nine innings? If the Rays were leading, would he have called it?

Bud, if you don't want to follow the rules, don't start the game in the first place.

Honestly, with the slavish devotion to the 8:30 start times for TV and the constant harping on driving up TV ratings, I wouldn't be surprised if Vic didn't catch that ball in the 6th, if they would have let us hit in the 6th, then called it as a loss if we didn't score.

That way they aren't ending the World Series on a shortened game, just ending random old insignificant Game Five after six innings, and bringing the series back to Tampa for more exciting World Series action.

by **JFLNYC** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 01:25:40

That's only scary because it's probably true.

by **jerseyhoya** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 01:28:47

Now I'm getting all worked up again.

What else explains neither bench being aware that the game was supposedly going to go into an indefinite rain delay no matter what the score was?

There's no way we would have been allowed to win that game in 6 innings, but I think there's a decent chance Selig would have let Tampa win it in 6.

by **jerseyhoya** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 01:30:07

I mean Christ, why aren't there rules for this crap? Selig just gets to make it up as he goes along? This really is a joke if this ends up costing us.

by **philliesphhan** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 01:38:18

"Both Andrew and myself, we wanted to make sure that if this game was to be played, we wanted it to play to the conclusion," Gillick said. "I wanted it played fairly, both sides, Tampa Bay and ourselves. We were aware that the commissioner could, even with the score not tied, could continue this game later and call a rain delay until the proper conditions did exist."

Tampa Bay agreed with the decision.

So, both clubs were aware that the game could be delayed/postponed even if the score wasn't tied. This certainly begs the question, given the condition of the field in the 5th, why the hell was the game not just postponed then?

Hell, Selig himself said he was concerned about the weather in the 4th
The bottom of the sixth is way too random a time to delay a game

by **drsmooth** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 07:18:42

philliesphhan wrote:
Tampa Bay agreed with the decision.

by **Barry Jive** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 07:55:03

philliesphhan wrote:
"Both Andrew and myself, we wanted to make sure that if this game was to be played, we wanted it to play to the conclusion," Gillick said. "I wanted it played fairly, both sides, Tampa Bay and ourselves. We were aware that the commissioner could, even with the score not tied, could continue this game later and call a rain delay until the proper conditions did exist."

Tampa Bay agreed with the decision.

So, both clubs were aware that the game could be delayed/postponed even if the score wasn't tied. This certainly begs the question, given the condition of the field in the 5th, why the hell was the game not just postponed then?

Hell, Selig himself said he was concerned about the weather in the 4th
The bottom of the sixth is way too random a time to delay a game

This was my thought as well. I'm not going crazy conspiracy theory here, but hell, why, if it's not okay for Grant Balfour to pitch in the downpour, was it okay for Cole Hamels to try and deliver a rain-soaked baseball and see if the Phillies could field it cleanly?

If there was concern about the weather, especially with the knowledge it would get worse, they should have suspended play after the 5th inning. They screwed up, and because of it, a decisive 2-1 lead becomes a 2-2 tie.

The thing that drives me nuts about this more than anything, though, is that MLB KNEW how bad the rain was going to be tonight. And yet, thanks to their slavish adherence to TV/advertising pressure, they would never fathom moving the game up to a 6:30 start time, one that would give the players a chance to play a full World Series game in one night without interruption. And they're doing the same thing tonight, despite "concern" about wind speed and temperature.

by 1 » Tue Oct 28, 2008 08:07:16

haven't had a chance to read the game thread, but is there any chance we finish the game at miller park?

by **Wizlah** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 08:17:43

It is an epic fuck up, and what is making me even angrier is the number of stories now saying that pena 'saved' the game by scoring bj upton. despite the fact the execs knew before the game started it would go to 9 regardless. Oh, and selig saying 'it's a tough decision, but that's what I'm here for'. It's like I ranted - he didn't take the tough decision. Ownership, in the form of the two gms, acknowledged the game would go to nine regardless.

Should have been called in the fifth. the rays know it, we know it, the phils know it. I'm so glad charlie declined to comment. I hope he's keeping the team stoked and focussed all through today and we lay a major hurt on the rays in the sixth and the seventh. Never again let me read about their much vaunted rotation.

by **Woody** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 08:33:33

Radano's blog:

PHILADELPHIA - Proof that major league baseball is run by a bunch of buffoons came at midnight when the suspended game notes were handed out.

At the bottom of the sheet, the powers that be maybe thought it was cute or even pithy to include Koppett’s Law.

“Whatever creates the greatest inconvenience for the largest number of people is guaranteed to happen.”

Yeah, that’s what the suspension of Game 5 was, inconvenient.

Inconvenience was why the Phillies clubhouse all but boiled over after the game. Inconvenience was why what began as a day not of hope, but of destiny quickly dissipated into disgust and bursts of anger directed at the television where Commissioner Bud Selig held a press conference on why Game 5, tied at 2-2, was suspended in the middle of the sixth inning.

“That (expletive deleted) guy,” one pitcher said as he saw commissioner Bud Selig before walking out the back door of the clubhouse. “I wouldn’t let him supervise one of my (bowel movements). He has no clue. Not one (expletive deleted) clue.”

“(Expletive deleted),” one position player said in the direction of one television pausing only for a moment before leaving. “He’s a moron. How stupid can one person be?”

Well, pretty stupid if this night was any indication.

Compounding matters, several national media members couldn’t figure out why the players were so upset? The game was still tied and really how could it continued to be played.

by 1 » Tue Oct 28, 2008 08:34:45

i'm guessing the bolded fellow was eyre

by **Woody** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 08:35:57

ek wrote:I'll take a guess: Myers

Way to go

by **philliesphhan** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 13:21:21

That might be the best player quote of all time. Who do you think was the position player?

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The fix is in

The fix is in