This has to rank as one of the strangest World Series I have ever seen. Between the strange plays, comedy of errors and unorthodox defensive alignments in Game 3, to the rout in Game 4, to the cold and wet weather that SUSPENDED Game 5 in the sixth inning, I don't think I've seen so much bizarreness (is that a word? it is now!) in a span of three games of the World Series, let alone ANY series!
In Game 3, the umpires blew a call at first base in which the runner would eventually score; both catchers also made throwing errors (one, after a wild pitch/passed ball that ricocheted off the backstop back to the catcher) that led to runs. But the weirdness that ended Game 3 had to be the most surreal turn of events. Phillies reserve infielder Eric Bruntlett led off the bottom of the ninth inning of a 4-4 game by getting hit by a pitch. He then took second on the aforementioned wild pitch/passed ball and took third on the errant throw by Rays catch Dioner Navarro into center field. With the winning run now at third and no outs, Rays manager Joe Maddon intentionally walked the next two hitters to the load the bases. He then summoned right fielder Ben Zobrist to the infield and with the infield playing in, went with a five-man infield (Zobrist was strategically stationed right in front of second base between the second baseman and shortstop). Carlos Ruiz then hit a little roller up the third base line for an infield hit after a valiant effort by Rays third baseman Evan Longoria to get Bruntlett out at the plate went for naught. Final score, Phillies 5, Rays 4. Phils lead series 2-1.
Game 4 was a complete blowout as the Phils won 10-2 on the strength of two Ryan Howard home runs and a Jayson Werth bomb.
As Game 5 approached, there was a threat of rain in the Philadelphia area for later in the night. The temperatures were already dropping, as they dipped into the upper 30s by game time. The Phils scored two quick runs in the first, and the Rays would get one back. The Phils had their ace, Cole Hamels on the mound, so the idea was to get as many innings in as possible out of him. But as the game progressed, the rains came, and they came, and they kept on coming. By the time the fourth or fifth inning rolled around, it was a torrential downpour. But this wasn't just any ordinary game. This was a decisive World Series game. A Phillies win would clinch the franchise's first title since 1980, and would be just its second in the 126-year history of the franchise. So there was plenty of reason to try to get as much of the game in as possible.
Baseball rules state that a five-inning game is an "official" game. If this had been a regular season game, the game would have likely been ruled a final after five innings, in which the Phils would have won 2-1. But this wasn't a regular season game. Could you imagine the scrutiny Major League Baseball would have taken had it ended a decisive World Series game after five innings? So they kept playing, and eventually, the Rays would get the tying run in the sixth inning. After an infield hit with two out in the top of the sixth, B.J. Upton got a great jump on stealing second base in the muddy basepath. He would score on the very next play, an opposite field floater to left-center field by Carlos Pena. The Phillies would then get the last out, sending the game to the bottom of the sixth inning. Now with the game tied, there was plenty of reason, not to mention the perfect timing, for MLB to stop the game at that point. And that's exactly what they did. Twenty-four hours later, that's exactly where the game still stands.
It looks like they will attempt to get the final 3½ innings in (assuming someone scores a run) tomorrow night. Or, they will keep waiting until Mother Nature allows the game to be resumed. Heck, the could possibly play extra innings! Could you imagine that? After waiting two days for the game to be completed, they wind up playing three, four, five extra innings before it's even decided. Even beyond that, if the Rays somehow win the Game 5, whenever it is completed, they would still have to go back to Tampa for a Game 6, which was originally scheduled for tomorrow... in Tampa!
In any case, it seems very few people are watching the Series. Last night's 6½ innings had the worst TV ratings ever for a World Series game, which is truly a shame. I'm assuming the same people who have been bitching and complaining for the last 10 years or so, or even longer, that they're sick and tired of seeing the Yankees or Red Sox every year, finally get two teams other than those two in the Series, and they're not even watching the damn games. Well, I'm watching them either way because... I'M A BASEBALL FAN... AND I LOVE THE GAME! And it's about time the aforementioned complainers do the same instead of not bothering to watch the games because they don't care to see teams like Philadelphia and Tampa.
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CORRECTION: on one of the polls to the left: I inadvertently named Josh Howard (who happens to also play here in Dallas, but for the NBA's Mavericks) as one of the options for A.L. MVP. The player's name should be Josh Hamilton. My apologies for the unintentional error.
In Game 3, the umpires blew a call at first base in which the runner would eventually score; both catchers also made throwing errors (one, after a wild pitch/passed ball that ricocheted off the backstop back to the catcher) that led to runs. But the weirdness that ended Game 3 had to be the most surreal turn of events. Phillies reserve infielder Eric Bruntlett led off the bottom of the ninth inning of a 4-4 game by getting hit by a pitch. He then took second on the aforementioned wild pitch/passed ball and took third on the errant throw by Rays catch Dioner Navarro into center field. With the winning run now at third and no outs, Rays manager Joe Maddon intentionally walked the next two hitters to the load the bases. He then summoned right fielder Ben Zobrist to the infield and with the infield playing in, went with a five-man infield (Zobrist was strategically stationed right in front of second base between the second baseman and shortstop). Carlos Ruiz then hit a little roller up the third base line for an infield hit after a valiant effort by Rays third baseman Evan Longoria to get Bruntlett out at the plate went for naught. Final score, Phillies 5, Rays 4. Phils lead series 2-1.
Game 4 was a complete blowout as the Phils won 10-2 on the strength of two Ryan Howard home runs and a Jayson Werth bomb.
As Game 5 approached, there was a threat of rain in the Philadelphia area for later in the night. The temperatures were already dropping, as they dipped into the upper 30s by game time. The Phils scored two quick runs in the first, and the Rays would get one back. The Phils had their ace, Cole Hamels on the mound, so the idea was to get as many innings in as possible out of him. But as the game progressed, the rains came, and they came, and they kept on coming. By the time the fourth or fifth inning rolled around, it was a torrential downpour. But this wasn't just any ordinary game. This was a decisive World Series game. A Phillies win would clinch the franchise's first title since 1980, and would be just its second in the 126-year history of the franchise. So there was plenty of reason to try to get as much of the game in as possible.
Baseball rules state that a five-inning game is an "official" game. If this had been a regular season game, the game would have likely been ruled a final after five innings, in which the Phils would have won 2-1. But this wasn't a regular season game. Could you imagine the scrutiny Major League Baseball would have taken had it ended a decisive World Series game after five innings? So they kept playing, and eventually, the Rays would get the tying run in the sixth inning. After an infield hit with two out in the top of the sixth, B.J. Upton got a great jump on stealing second base in the muddy basepath. He would score on the very next play, an opposite field floater to left-center field by Carlos Pena. The Phillies would then get the last out, sending the game to the bottom of the sixth inning. Now with the game tied, there was plenty of reason, not to mention the perfect timing, for MLB to stop the game at that point. And that's exactly what they did. Twenty-four hours later, that's exactly where the game still stands.
It looks like they will attempt to get the final 3½ innings in (assuming someone scores a run) tomorrow night. Or, they will keep waiting until Mother Nature allows the game to be resumed. Heck, the could possibly play extra innings! Could you imagine that? After waiting two days for the game to be completed, they wind up playing three, four, five extra innings before it's even decided. Even beyond that, if the Rays somehow win the Game 5, whenever it is completed, they would still have to go back to Tampa for a Game 6, which was originally scheduled for tomorrow... in Tampa!
In any case, it seems very few people are watching the Series. Last night's 6½ innings had the worst TV ratings ever for a World Series game, which is truly a shame. I'm assuming the same people who have been bitching and complaining for the last 10 years or so, or even longer, that they're sick and tired of seeing the Yankees or Red Sox every year, finally get two teams other than those two in the Series, and they're not even watching the damn games. Well, I'm watching them either way because... I'M A BASEBALL FAN... AND I LOVE THE GAME! And it's about time the aforementioned complainers do the same instead of not bothering to watch the games because they don't care to see teams like Philadelphia and Tampa.
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CORRECTION: on one of the polls to the left: I inadvertently named Josh Howard (who happens to also play here in Dallas, but for the NBA's Mavericks) as one of the options for A.L. MVP. The player's name should be Josh Hamilton. My apologies for the unintentional error.
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