Staff Blog
The More You Know: Rainouts
Here is – as best I can tell – how the rainout just went down.
After hours of speculation, around 5:30 we began to hear that
the Phillies were planning on calling off the game. There were reports of scattered showers and the
Phils didn’t want to risk burning Hamels on a rain delay and losing a start
from their ace.
Once this was announced the Brewers’ players had the option
to either play a Monday game (both teams are off) or go to a Day/Night double-header on Sunday. The Brewers players voted for the day/night, saying
they value their days off. Milwaukee had the option because
they would have played 24 consecutive days (rainouts count as days played),
which is over the league’s predetermined limit (I think that limit is 20).
Once the Brewers played decided, the Phillies players (led by
rep Jimmy Rollins) could either accept the Sunday decision or use the hammer of
an ‘if-necessary’ game the Day after the season – the players opted for the
Day/Night and the game was rescheduled for 7:35.
If tomorrow is a rainout the Saturday game will be moved to
Monday and neither team can stop it. The
Sunday games are scheduled for 1:35 and 7:35.
The 7:35 is the official make-up – so if you had tickets tonight you’re
headed to the park then.
Worth Noting
- The doubleheader goes against the wishes of Charlie
Manuel and Rich Dubee, who preferred to play it a day at a game, but not the Phillies players who would have
chosen the D/N as well.
- Milwaukee
will pitch Dave Bush then Jeff Suppan Sunday.
The Phillies will throw Joe Blanton and Brett Myers but have not
announced the order. - If the game had
been played Chase Utley was scheduled to hit 2nd, followed by Jayson
Werth.
- Weather permitting, the Phillies will need a fifth starter only twice more this season – the 17th and the 22nd. Obviously, that starter hasn’t been announced yet.
i like this. the anatomy of the rainout. now that’s some inside access. but next time, i want to know what card games the players are playing during during the delay. i bet Les Walrond and So Taguchi were playing Go fish.