Game 5 To Be Continued…
October 27, 2008 by Steve Quinto
Filed under Major League Baseball, Phillies
In what was supposed to be a possible clinching game in a World Series victory turned into an odd, rain delayed game.
With a game similar to the others (Phils starting pitching cruising, Phils batters again struggling with runners in scoring position), Tampa was able to tie it in the top of the 6th. The Phils constant refusal to have Shane Victorino bunt with 1st and 2nd and nobody out continues to baffle me. This is at least the 4th time I can remember in the last month that Victorino did not bunt and weakly popped it up.
Some will argue that the game should have been called before that or reverted to the last completed inning. In the top of the 6th, Cole Hamels threw to first base 4 times trying to keep B.J. Upton close on first. But then he lets Upton get a huge jump, essentially running through a swamp, and he still steals second. A Carlos Pena single then brought him home.
What happened after this will be discussed for a very long time. Commissioner Bud Selig (who gave an entertaining press conference) decided to postpone the game to whenever they can resume it, but not earlier than 8pm on Tuesday. I can agree with this, as you never want a game of this magnitude declared early because of the rain. Nobody wants a championship with an asterisk.
Some Phils fans will cry foul that the top of the 6th inning should not be counted. But when play resumes, the Phils will have 4 at bats (counting the bottom of the 9th) compared to 3 for the Rays. Figure a combination of Madson/Romero/Lidge can piece together quality innings as they have during the playoffs, and the Phils are in an excellent position to win. Howard and Utley looked terrible at the plate tonight, and Burrell still does not have a hit in the World Series.
A pinch hitter for Hamels will lead off whenever play resumes.
Getting 6 innings out of Hamels was key tonight. If the game was called after 4, piecing together 5 innings with the pen would have been more difficult, considering the struggles of Chad Durbin, who likely would be going in if it was suspended in the 4th. Tampa has a rested David Price likely ready to go.
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October 28th, 2008 at 4:47 am
I do not recall hearing this in the umpires/commish press conference but why wasn’t the start time moved up even though they were told this was only something that could happen and seeing how weather usually changes all the time for good or bad, this still could have been moved up to say a 6:30 start time.
After all commish did say they would be here till this game was completed if that was tuesday, 3 days from now or thanksgiving, so moving the game up shouldn’t have been to hard to do. I work downtown and leave work at 4 and traffic heading down to the stadium was at a crawl then so there would not have been a problem getting people there early.
October 28th, 2008 at 6:56 am
I think its funny how many people (mostly Philly media) is using this to take shots at Selg and MLB. I think they should be using this energy to talk about how bad the Phils offense was in the clutch and it shouldnt even be a close game at this point. If the Phils are up 7-1, I doubt anyone argues.
The important part is they got 6 out of Hamels and are still tied. The weather played no role in Tampa getting the 2nd run. If they called it after 4, it puts the Phils in a bad spot. But the way they stand now, Madson and Lidge can pitch the last 3 and the Phils offense is starting with a pinch hitter. So the Phils are still in a good spot.
I dont think they had enough time to move the game up. But I think they should consider moving the time up in the future. 830 is a ridiculous time to begin with.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:25 am
I know what your saying Steve and I could have but I went the other route.
It looked like at times when the rain started they were trying to rush through each inning in a effort to get the game completed, maybe that’s me.
Also according to the Phillies website they may use Brett Myers when this game resumes, push up Moyer to a potential game 6 and go back to Hamels to start a potential game 7 if need be since he only tossed 75 pitches last night.
October 28th, 2008 at 7:47 am
I dont know if I like Myers going. I would rather try to win it with Madson/Romero/Lidge, then go to Myers if it goes past the 9th. Myers has a tendancy of getting overly fired up the first inning he pitches. They cannot afford him to give up a run due to this and he doesnt have a whole game to even it out.
The pen is used to pitching key innings. I would stick with that…
October 28th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Also, Kazmir was getting squeezed big time last night. Any speeding up of the game seemed to benefit the Phils…
October 28th, 2008 at 8:05 am
i think it could very well be determined by what they do when the bat in the bottom of the 6th.
if they score a run or more then it will go into normal mode durbin/romero/madson/lidge
October 28th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
You want your best rested pitchers to pitch in the most money spots. Give the ball to the pen and let them do their thing.
October 28th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
It’s what anybody I have had a conversation about that says. And pretty much what is being said here on philly sports talk radio stations.
October 28th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I like the Phils bullpen and how it is set up. I do not like the possibility of David Price going in. Werth or Burrell will need a big hit…
October 28th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
The Phillies did have success on Price in game 2, he is not the end all if he comes in.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Few things:
1) Agree 100% with Steve on this, and its a shame people have used this to bash Bud and baseball. Bud does not control the weather, and believe it or not but I actually think he handled this situation well. Could the game have been called at the Top of the 6th? Probably, but isn’t that more the umpires call instead of Bud’s?
2) I see what your saying James about moving the start time up, but that would never happen because it inconviences a lot of fans. Imagine if someone with tickets didn’t know the start time was bumped up, and they missed the start. That would be a huge problem. Also unfortunately, MLB sold its soul to Fox. Fox wants the 8:30 start time. Nothing can be done about that.
3) As for the game itself, it should be fun watching them play 3 innings for the whole ball of wax. If I was Philly, I’d probably go with my best relievers, but on the flip side say they use their relievers and then lose the game? Will they be ready to go again the next night in Tampa. Thats why I can see why they’d go with Myers. However I rather Myers start Game 6 if necessary than Moyer, who may have pitched the game of his life last week. Tough believing he could do that again.
4) Also regarding the 3 inning game, I am so sick of the media (namely ESPN) talking about the low ratings, hopefully a short game like this grabs the attention of a few more fans so we don’t have to hear about the ratings for just one night.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:35 am
I think the Philadelphia media is upset because the Phils gave up a run (that had nothing to do with the weather) and because they were terrible with runners in scoring position and they should have a huge lead.
I listened to a Selig interview on an XM Radio show with a Yankees guy. Selig said he met with the umpires, both managers, and upper management from both teams about an hour before the game. All parties said they wanted to play. He was told there would be a tenth of an inch before midnight. At this point, cancelling the game would have been a stupid idea.
And for the Phils fans who complain about the pop up Rollins had trouble with, what about the THREE pop ups the Phils had in the bottom of the 5th? The Rays had no trouble there.
Bottom line, if the Phils were up 5-1 or something, I dont think anyone would have cared. They just want to blame Selig for poor offense and an inability to keep Upton from stealing.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Its all a matter of a opinion as to what they could have done and did do………bottom line is the phillies are up with the game tied and could very well have the advantage here.
It should be a go for tonight weather wise there is no rain in the forecast. It will be in the 30’s but that and some wind should be it for the game.
Steve are just as shocked as me how many they have left on base in this series to this point even up 3 games to 1.
October 29th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Yeah it is odd they are up 3-1 with such poor clutch hitting and having productive at bats with runners on base to move them over.
I think Pena/Longoria starting 0-28 in the series had a lot to do with that. If they were hitting, this series would definitely be 2-2 or even 3-1 to Tampa.
October 29th, 2008 at 9:51 am
I got a ton of nervous energy today, yet i feel confident.