Houshphandzadeh wrote:

lowcountry wrote:

Houshphandzadeh wrote:Do you guys really think they shouldn't have played last night? I think people would be plenty pissed if they just packed it in at 7 o clock or so.

I suspect they'd have gotten over it.

I think you guys are underestimating how strange it would seem if they called it last night when it was cold but barely drizzling.

Right you are, Housh. I was talking to a cop after it was called and he was saying that it was near rioting in the parking lots down there. He said when police starting showing up fans were throwing beer bottles at their patrol cars. Imagine if they called it and it wasn't even raining yet.

slamjim wrote:The nice thing is the Phils get the extra at bat in this mini game. I think they have to play for one run right away. If they can small ball at least one run in the 6th I'm feeling really good about this.

Madson to pitch the 7th. Have him start the 8th then use a loogy if needed. Lidge in if needed for last batter in 8th and pitch the 9th. Lidge has had a ton of rest.

I agree. That's what I suggested last night. Madson in the 7th and to start the 8th, with Romero ready for the lefties at the top of the TB order, as necessary. I understand wanting to save Madson for the 8th, but I don't want to see Durbin in such a crucial situation. Eyre maybe. But the way the Rays order is set up (with the lefties due in the 8th, rather than the 7th), it makes more sense to me to use Madson in the 7th and save Romero for 8th.

You've got 3 1/2 innings to win the WS. Go with your best and don't futz around with Durbin, Eyre, etc. unless absolutely necessary. Don't give the Rays any more reason to hope. If Charlie goes with Durbin in the top of the 7th and he stinks, I don't want to have to look back and think the Phils blew it when Madson, Romero and Lidge were available to pitch 3 innings. And, again, it's better to go with Madson first and then Romero because of the way the Rays order is set up now. AS great as Madson has been, Romero hasn't even given up a hit in 6 innings of post-season work.

I send Hamels to the plate. See if they stick with Balfour, which I don't think is their plan, or go with a reliever. If they relieve, we get the advantage with Coste/Stairs, and if they don't, we can either pull Hamels back, or let him hit.

Is the off day back on?

Bob DuPuy, MLB's Prez and CEO, said if they can't play tonight and have to finish game 5 on Wednesday, since, if needed, they then would have to reschedule games 6 and 7, they may still include a travel day. I'm sure it depends on what night's programming Fox would mind less pre-empting, Friday or Sunday. Let's hope it is all a moot point, just win game 5.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

If they wait to play until Wednesday (which, at this point, seems to me to be inevitable), have the off day Thursday, then play Friday and Saturday, Cole could still start Saturday, alhough it would be on three days' rest. Doable, and it would be more fair.

Better still would be waiting until Thursday, which looks beautiful.

mozartpc27 wrote:Is the off day back on?

Bob DuPuy, MLB's Prez and CEO, said if they can't play tonight and have to finish game 5 on Wednesday, since, if needed, they then would have to reschedule games 6 and 7, they may still include a travel day. I'm sure it depends on what night's programming Fox would mind less pre-empting, Friday or Sunday. Let's hope it is all a moot point, just win game 5.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

If they wait to play until Wednesday (which, at this point, seems to me to be inevitable), have the off day Thursday, then play Friday and Saturday, Cole could still start Saturday, alhough it would be on three days' rest. Doable, and it would be more fair.

Better still would be waiting until Thursday, which looks beautiful.

Cole would be on regular rest on Saturday.

You'd really let Hamels hit if he's not going to pitch? If you send Hamels up, Maddon won't show his hand. He'll stick with Balfour and you're going to have to make a decision anyway. I'd rather force Maddon's hand by sending up Stairs, make Maddon bring in Price, then send up the General, with Rollins and and Werth behind him. I want to see Price come in because the General homered off him already and Price/Werth is a much better matchup than Balfour/Werth.

Wait, so let's say Hamels goes to the plate against Balfour, both announced. TB changes pitchers to a lefty. Phils then send up Coste. Can TB make yet another pitching change or does new pitcher have to pitch to at least one batter?

jerseyhoya wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Is the off day back on?

Bob DuPuy, MLB's Prez and CEO, said if they can't play tonight and have to finish game 5 on Wednesday, since, if needed, they then would have to reschedule games 6 and 7, they may still include a travel day. I'm sure it depends on what night's programming Fox would mind less pre-empting, Friday or Sunday. Let's hope it is all a moot point, just win game 5.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

If they wait to play until Wednesday (which, at this point, seems to me to be inevitable), have the off day Thursday, then play Friday and Saturday, Cole could still start Saturday, alhough it would be on three days' rest. Doable, and it would be more fair.

Better still would be waiting until Thursday, which looks beautiful.

Cole would be on regular rest on Saturday.

Oh yeah, yesterday was Monday. My brain is fried.

mozartpc27 wrote:Is the off day back on?

Bob DuPuy, MLB's Prez and CEO, said if they can't play tonight and have to finish game 5 on Wednesday, since, if needed, they then would have to reschedule games 6 and 7, they may still include a travel day. I'm sure it depends on what night's programming Fox would mind less pre-empting, Friday or Sunday. Let's hope it is all a moot point, just win game 5.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

If they wait to play until Wednesday (which, at this point, seems to me to be inevitable), have the off day Thursday, then play Friday and Saturday, Cole could still start Saturday, alhough it would be on three days' rest. Doable, and it would be more fair.

Better still would be waiting until Thursday, which looks beautiful.

I'll be in Pittsburgh.

JFLNYC wrote:You'd really let Hamels hit if he's not going to pitch? If you send Hamels up, Maddon won't show his hand. He'll stick with Balfour and you're going to have to make a decision anyway. I'd rather force Maddon's hand by sending up Stairs, make Maddon bring in Price, then send up the General, with Rollins and and Werth behind him. I want to see Price come in because the General homered off him already and Price/Werth is a much better matchup than Balfour/Werth.

Do you want to waste Stairs or Jenkins though?

Sending up Hamels won't force anything, Maddon will just pitch to him with Balfour.

Send up Jenkins, if Maddon leaves in Balfour then that matchup is fine. I wouldn't want to waste Stairs or Dobbs here just to get a Bruntlett/Coste vs. Price/Howell/Miller matchup.

JFLNYC wrote:You'd really let Hamels hit if he's not going to pitch? If you send Hamels up, Maddon won't show his hand. He'll stick with Balfour and you're going to have to make a decision anyway. I'd rather force Maddon's hand by sending up Stairs, make Maddon bring in Price, then send up the General, with Rollins and and Werth behind him. I want to see Price come in because the General homered off him already and Price/Werth is a much better matchup than Balfour/Werth.

Great point on the game thread. Tampa's pitcher due to hit 4th in the 7th. If he immediately goes to Price, he's likely only got him for 1 inning. Unless he wants to double-switch out one of his top 5 guys.

slamjim wrote:Wait, so let's say Hamels goes to the plate against Balfour, both announced. TB changes pitchers to a lefty. Phils then send up Coste. Can TB make yet another pitching change or does new pitcher have to pitch to at least one batter?

He's got to face one batter. But Maddon won't make the change if Hamels bats. You're going to have to force his hand. And I doubt Charlie would send up Coste (2nd catcher, etc.).

Houshphandzadeh wrote:

mozartpc27 wrote:Is the off day back on?

Bob DuPuy, MLB's Prez and CEO, said if they can't play tonight and have to finish game 5 on Wednesday, since, if needed, they then would have to reschedule games 6 and 7, they may still include a travel day. I'm sure it depends on what night's programming Fox would mind less pre-empting, Friday or Sunday. Let's hope it is all a moot point, just win game 5.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

If they wait to play until Wednesday (which, at this point, seems to me to be inevitable), have the off day Thursday, then play Friday and Saturday, Cole could still start Saturday, alhough it would be on three days' rest. Doable, and it would be more fair.

Better still would be waiting until Thursday, which looks beautiful.

I'll be in Pittsburgh.

On Wednesday or Thursday? To be honest, my preference for Thursday was motivated at least as much by having Hamels available on full rest for Game 7, which I thought would mean he wouldn't be available until Sunday. But I miscounted

That said, after this debacle, you'd think they would learn their lesson and not schedule anything on a day where even the possibility of wash out, wind, and bitter cold exists, when the day following is supposed to be perfectly nice.

Actually, I'm not going until Friday afternoon until Sunday, so I guess it won't matter. Philsinfiveftw

I'm officially hoping for terrible weather today and tomorrow and the game resumes on Thursday.

That's where I am. LOL.

This is absurd.

slamjim wrote:

JFLNYC wrote:You'd really let Hamels hit if he's not going to pitch? If you send Hamels up, Maddon won't show his hand. He'll stick with Balfour and you're going to have to make a decision anyway. I'd rather force Maddon's hand by sending up Stairs, make Maddon bring in Price, then send up the General, with Rollins and and Werth behind him. I want to see Price come in because the General homered off him already and Price/Werth is a much better matchup than Balfour/Werth.

Do you want to waste Stairs or Jenkins though?

I'd rather burn Jenks. But I'm afraid if you send up Jenks, Maddon will stick with Balfour because it's a good matchup for the Rays (Balfour's high heat vs. Jenkins' low-ball strength). To force Maddon's hand, you're going to have to burn either Stairs or Dobbs. Originally I though Dobbs, but others pointed out that it's probably better to save Dobbs and I agree.

lowcountry wrote:

JFLNYC wrote:You'd really let Hamels hit if he's not going to pitch? If you send Hamels up, Maddon won't show his hand. He'll stick with Balfour and you're going to have to make a decision anyway. I'd rather force Maddon's hand by sending up Stairs, make Maddon bring in Price, then send up the General, with Rollins and and Werth behind him. I want to see Price come in because the General homered off him already and Price/Werth is a much better matchup than Balfour/Werth.

Great point on the game thread. Tampa's pitcher due to hit 4th in the 7th. If he immediately goes to Price, he's likely only got him for 1 inning. Unless he wants to double-switch out one of his top 5 guys.

That is a good point, JFLNYC. Bruntlett is definitely kind of terrible, but the one thing I do like about him is that for a marginal player, he knows not to get himself out. His strike zone command is pretty good. I feel like he's a better bet to get on base than Jenkins, by hook or by crook. Stairs against Balfour is fine, but I can't imagine Maddon letting that happen. It would be ashame to burn Stairs, but, the Phillies only need one run.

guys. its not the bottom of the 9th. there are 3 innings left. Its not the last AB.

Isn't Jimmy hitless as a righty in the series? Would that make you think about sending Brunt up, letting them keep Balfour in and seeing if they'll leave him in to face a lefty-hitting JR? Thinking they wouldn't send a lefty out to face Jimmy because Wertz is on deck.