Game 5 postponed -- again

Resumption of Game 5 of the World Series has been postponed again due to continued bad weather in Philadelphia. The latest plan is for the game to be resumed at 8:37 on Wednesday, weather permitting.

That means if the Rays win, Game 6 at Tropicana Field has been pushed back to Thursday, and Game 7 would be moved to Friday.

Rain continued to fall in Philadelphia on Tuesday, with temperatures in the 40s and wind gusts up to 40 mph. Some forecasts call for rain and snow flurries this afternoon before the skies begin to clear Wednesday.

"While obviously we want to finish Game 5 as soon as possible, the forecast for today does not allow for us to continue the game this evening," commissioner Bud Selig said in a conference call. "We are closely monitoring tomorrow's forecast and will continue to monitor the weather on an hourly basis. We will advise fans as soon as we are able to make any final decisions with respect to tomorrow's schedule."

The Rays found hotel rooms in Wilmington, Del., about a half hour from Philadelphia, and manager Joe Maddon said they were handling it fine, crediting travel director Jeff Ziegler for his quick work. "It was really organized despite all the chaos in front of us,'' Maddon said.

Tuesday, most of the Rays were hanging around the hotel, creating what could be another situation that brings the team together. Maddon compared it to "a snow day" where people can't go out so they get together, explaining that when he went down to the lobby this morning there were Rays personnel, and their family members, all hanging out. "It's one of those moments when a whole organization gets to come together,'' he said.

Maddon said he spoke to the team after the suspension on Monday to make sure they understand the situation, and he felt good about their chances when play does resume. Plus there is the added benefit of having Phillies ace Cole Hamels out of the game.

"Getting him out is important,'' Maddon said. "Us coming back like we did and sitting on it for a day or two possibly could work in our favor a little bit. I'm not sure yet. Both bullpens are rested so there's no telling what will happen at this point."

Game 5 is tied 2-2 with the Phillies -- who lead three games to one and can clinch the championship with a win -- about to start batting in the bottom of the sixth inning. Reliever RHP Grant Balfour is pitching for the Rays; the Phillies are expected to start with a pinch-hitter for pitcher Hamels, who likely would have remained in the game had it not been suspended.

Maddon didn't want to discuss his strategy, such as whether he would also have a lefty warming up in case the Phillies use a left handed pinch-hitter. And while he said the remaining 3 1/2 innings would be played as a normal game, he did acknowledge the odd circumstances: "It's kind of like overtime in a sense.''

Maddon also said they had no issues with the way MLB handled the process, with an original plan to play through the rain and then deciding to suspend play. "For me, I had no problem with it, and I mean that sincerely,'' Maddon said. "It just got to the point where it became unplayable. When they called it I thought they did it at the right time.''

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

*

Comments

[Fernando Santamaria]

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(813)886-3145

[SJ]

Helene,
Brace your self for the screaming if (yes, please) the Rays do manage to pull off a win tonight. I can already hear the braying about how unfair it all was and how they should have won by default and blah blah blah.

It's a shame that our Rays should have to put up with that should they (yes, please) win this thing after all.

The whole sports world will be screeching and screaming and Selig (excuse me, I just threw up in my mouth) decides to "asterix" the record books.

[Joisey]

Start Benny in right field! Go Rays!

[Helene]

"If they do choose to do a travel day, it might just confirm that MLB is in the tank for the Phillies, no?"

Depends what you mean by "in the tank." If you mean that they've been biased against the Rays and have favored Philly from the get go, I disagree. If you mean that MLB is currently feeling bad that Philly players and fans feel shafted about how things played out on Monday and are now considering a travel day to try to "make it up to them" in the event of a Rays win, I think that's entirely plausible.

Frankly, I have no idea why everyone in Philly seems to be so anxious about tonight's(?) 3 1/2 innings (it's not like they have a crappy bullpen), but I love it. If they are truly as bent out of shape about Monday as they appear to be, that can only embolden the Rays.

[BJ and the Bears]

BJ Upton = Nor'Easter in Philly

Hamels is out. His fingers are crushed. He is on DL.

Rainy Day Thoughts:

FOX knows the real reason why the game was postponed...Just ask FOX and Bud...

How much does a pre-game 6 infomercial cost if there is not game 6?

How much does a pre-game 6 informercial bring if there is a game 6 due to force majeure?

Just spreading the wealth.

I'll be sure to tune in Todd and Joe and Dwayne. Atleast they are inspiring.

BJ Upton for President! Bring it home BJ.

GO RAYS!

[Simon]

Great. Every day our guys spend in the fattest city in the U.S. is a strike (pun) against us. Anyone else notice that this is the only team we've played with almost no close ups of the crowd? Go figure.

[Don]

On MLB.com: Whether a travel day is inserted into the schedule if the Rays win Game 5 on Wednesday is a matter of consideration.

"We'll look at it on a day-to-day basis," said Bob DuPuy, MLB's president and chief operating officer. "No decision has been made as to the off-day yet, assuming Tampa Bay won, whether we would kill the travel day or whether we would have a travel day and then pick up the series in Tampa Bay."

A travel day puts WorldSeriesBaseball into TropicanaField in NOVEMBER! It truly is a magical season. Don't make any other plans for Saturday.

[Philly Power]

sigh

[Ray F]

Listen to all of you...

Both sides...

Do you all think you're watching a UFC fight???

You classless people should take 2 steps back and look at yourselves.

Rays fans: Nobody even thought the team would get this far at the beginning of the season. Even in September, I was able to walk up to the ticket window on game day and buy a ticket. Now, I can't get a ticket for the life of me. Be happy we got this far and think of the fact that this may be the worst Rays team for the next 5 years.

And Phillies fans: Your city hasn't had a championship title in ANY sports for twice as long as the Rays have been in existence. We've won the Superbowl, The Stanley Cup and a handful of Arena Football titles since 2000. You should be just as happy as the Rays fans should to be in this position.

You all need to take a chill.

And from someone who was sitting in a Philly sports bar when the Bucs beat the Eagles in the NFC Championship game: your fans didn't show me very much courtesy when I was advised by my server to leave the restaurant even though I hadn't paid my tab all because I was wearing a Keyshawn Johnson jersey and the Bucs were winning.

[9equals8.com]

Back to baseball - they are now talking about the possibility of a travel day if the Rays win Game 5. That would not be a big deal except that it would allow Cole Hamels to pitch again if there is a Game 7 (in fact, he could pitch Game 6 on short rest)! If MLB is going to insert a travel day, they must disallow the Game 5 starters from pitching Game 6 or 7. If they do choose to do a travel day, it might just confirm that MLB is in the tank for the Phillies, no? Between the lousy umpiring and the insertion of a random travel day that would allow their Ace to pitch yet again, I think the puzzle starts to come together.

Although I do believe we can beat Hamels, no team should have the benefit of pitching their Ace again because of a rain delay. Thoughts?

[Sue]

@Mike S. - apparently so, he spilled some on his spacebar.

[Danno]

Rays. 7. Count on it.

[W.C. Fields]

I spent a week one day in Philadelphia.

[Harold]

Aye Lou. Its a fine thing to be keepin ya matches dry.( In me best Irish Brogue dont ya know)

[Harold]

sorry make that "incendiary"

[PHILLY LOU]

Hey Harold:I keep me matches dry.

[Harold]

Just to clarify....
I am not promoting the burning of Philly. But the Past history of the City Raises the possibility thats its inhabitants may, perhaps inadvertantly, perhaps not, may I say, cause or promote certain incendary events that could lead to destruction of public and private property in the throes of "Glee" and "Celabratory events".

[Harold]

Hey Lou
keep you matches dry.....

[MD]

My my, aren't these Philly folks posting on here doing the team they support, and the city they hail from, proud? I'm really beginning to believe that Philadelphia got a shipment of computers with defective keyboards.

[Harold]

MMMMM DEvil Dogs....with Mustard

[James]

Due to so much anger and frustration over this rain issue.... philly fans upset about the Rays, the suspension, and LIFE in general. I propose that we get Rodney King to do a special game 5 re-start announcement in which he says, “can’t we all just get along!”

Then, as a show of solidarity between the two cities: Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, and Bruce Springsteen (the boss -- Philly Fans love him!) can do a special pregame version of “We are the World” before the National Anthem!

Go Rays!

[PHILLY LOU]

Yes I'm drinking and getting ready for the victory parade.GO PHILS!!

[Tim W]

I'll take my Devil Dog with chili and nacho cheese slathered on it.

[SJ]

Mmmmmm, Devil Dogs!

[Sue]

@Mike S. - apparently so, he spilled some on his spacebar.

[Mike S.]

Ummm... Filly Lou... you been beerin' it up already?

[PHILLY LOU]

Harold that wasn't nice.GO PHILS beat the TAMPA GAY DEVIL DOGS.

[harold]

Thanks to you Philly and Rays fans for all the funny posts. It is slight solace for the delay. Please please dont stop.
One good thing for Philly, With all this Rain it will be harder to burn the city down if they do win.

[kazmiroholic]

IS IT ONLY ME OR IS THIS THE WORST UMPIRE CREW IN HISTORY BETWEEN THE ANOUNCERS AND THE CREW THEY HAVE TAKEN A LOT OF THE ENJOYMENT OUT THIS - I KEEP THINKING CAN THEY BE THAT BAD OR DO THEY HAVE A BET ON THE GAME. BUCK AND MCCARVER REALLY STINK , GET SOMEONE NEW IN THERE , HOW ABOUT ECK AND RIPKIN OR REALLY ANYBODY MIX IT UP - MCCARVER CANT SEE AND DOESNT HAVE A CLUE ANYMORE ITS BEEN 40 YEARS SINCE HE PLAYED THE GAME - WELL ENOUGH OF MY WINING - GO RAYS GET IT BACK HERE WE NEED TO FINISH THIS GREAT SEASON BETTER THEN LOSING IN 5

[Craigster]

East Coast teams should be mandated to have retractable domes. Who can play baseball in 40 degree weather that's insane!

[Mike]

Not sure how much difference there really is now than there was yesterday at 8:30. The Phillies still only need one win. The game is still tied. They had the better starting pitcher, now that we are both into the bullpen they have the better bullpen. Still have home field advantage, if anything with more angst.

Doesn't seem to me like there is any difference... 0-0 just became 2-2 with them having 3 more at bats that the Rays.

[9equals8.com]

Cole could come back on 3 days rest if it goes to Game 7 (Friday). The funny thing is that I don't really fear him all that much. The Rays nearly beat him in Game 1 and tied him in Game 5. Why are we so worried if this guy pitches? It's like the Lester thing all over again. Yes, Cole is good, but he is clearly beatable if we play out game. I would welcome him back on 3-days rest. Not sure the Phils will do that, though, since their other pitchers were very effective against the Rays.

[Ray Z]

when the Rays win game 5 tomorrow, we should commandeer the Liberty Bell and bring it back to the Trop to use as the world's largest cowbell.

GO RAYS!

[SJ]

Sage,
That's awesome! When this is over and the Rays have the WS Championship tied up, they should add that clip to the film montages they show on the jumbotron.

[Sage1]

So remember in "Bull Durham" when Kevin Costner turned on the sprinklers and flooded the field the night before the game and said 'sometimes you need a rainout, boys it looks like we have us a natural disaster!' Then the Bulls went on a win streak. Well here are are and the natural disaster has arrived and since most of our guys are former Durham Bulls could this be life imitating art?

Just think if MLB still used the old format of 2-2-1-1-1 game 5 would have been here at the Trop and no weather issues.

[PHILLY LOU]

James; we will blame it on the scary cowbells.Never will happen.

[Sage1]

So remember in "Bull Durham" when Kevin Costner turned on the sprinklers and flooded the field the night before the game and said 'sometimes you need a rainout, boys it looks like we have us a natural disaster!' Then the Bulls went on a win streak. Well here are are and the natural disaster has arrived and since most of our guys are former Durham Bulls could this be life imitating art?

Just think if MLB still used the old format of 2-2-1-1-1 game 5 would have been here at the Trop and no weather issues.

[PHILLY LOU]

3 games to 1 need I say more.LOSERS

[Josh]

If the Rays win the series it's still the Phillies fault for blowing their chances. That doesn't change the fact that the way last night was handled was a joke and unfair to the Phillies.

[SteveBartman]

I predict a Phillies meltdown the likes of which will be so monumental, even the Cubs will go "wow, those dudes blew it!"

[James]

Gee, what if the Rays win Game 5? Philly FANS WILL FREAK! What if the Rays take it all? Who will get blamed for the Phillies collapse? Selig? The rain? Mother Nature? The Liberty Bell? Will Oliver Stone have to investigate and do a movie? Was Don King involved in the plot with the umpires? I really hope that the Rays pull this thing off. It would be as sweet as Apple pie! GO RAYS!

[To Stop Smoking]

yea he did, you postpone the game at the conclusion of a full inning. Not mid-inning.

[Mike S.]

Makes ya wonder doesn't it Curious?

Yeah josh, we be deep in the hole... all the more sweeter to whoop ya's

[Stop Smoking]

Not here to defend Selig, but did he really have a choice??

[Kevin]

Clever joke.... unless of course you actually bother to notice its spelled differently.

[kris]

I was so enjoyable watching the game and seeing the hygienically challenged Phillies fans receiving their annual shower.

[Curious]

Assuming the players on the Philadelphia team are male, why are they named after young female horses?

[Josh]

Is anyone else amused by the irony of Tampa people bashing Phillies fans in one breathe and then using insults and mass characterizations in the next breathe?

The entire baseball community knows you people could care less about your team up until about a month ago.

You got a huge break last night, enjoy it , doesn't change the fact that you deep in the hole.

[Rays in Delaware]

Here's an article about the Rays in Delaware.
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20081028/SPORTS01/81028037&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

Where was your tarp last night, noname 3:25?

Oh sorry, to many big words there--I'll dumb it down for you:

hay wor wuz. yer tarp,last nite?