McCann’s first Yankees rain out… in November?

Yankee fans are waiting (in the rain) for McCann.

If you’re a Yankees fan, you’re excited and thankful to have a new catcher. But, if you’re looking to see Brian McCann in pinstripes at an introductory news conference before Thanksgiving, it’s 

likely you’ve grabbed the short end of the wishbone.

Our boy Wallace Matthews reports on ESPN New York that McCann’s trip to the Bronx for a physical and press conference is likely to be postponed by severe weather. Matthews writes:

“According to a Yankee source, the club would like to fly McCann in from his Atlanta-area home either today or tomorrow, but forecasts of a severe rain-and-wind storm later this afternoon may well push everything back to next week. The concern is that once McCann arrives here, he will not be able to return home in time to spend the holiday with his family.”

Matthews also quotes the Yankees source as saying, "The odds are we won't see him (in New York) until next week.

-- rain --

Braving the Rain

Before the Braves and Marlins could start the sixth inning last night, rain fell at Turner Field and delayed night's baseball game in Atlanta for an hour and 53 minutes. 

The photo above, on loan to me from the Braves Facebook page, shows Jason Heyward standing on deck as ominous clouds gathered. (Did I really need to write that sentence? You can plainly see what is happening.) 

Anyway, the Braves went on to thump the Miami Marlins 7-1 for their 10th victory in their last 13 games. The Braves hot streak inches them a bit closer – two and half games behind – to the N.L. East-leading Washington Nationals, who somehow was thumped by what's left of the last place Philadelphia Phillies last night. 

Braving the Storm

Ok, I’m already tired of writing about fuzzy balls and bald tires. Let’s get back to baseball for a bit. Did I mention I have shut down this blog? Anyway, the scene above is from Sunday’s Braves win over Houston in Atlanta. Mark Teixiera’s bases-loaded single off the left-center field wall in the 17th inning gave the Braves a 7-6 win. The start of the game was delayed for an hour and 50 minutes and, with the extra innings, turned into the longest game ever played at Turner Field.

Rain Washes Out Bristol Qualifying

I'm getting so lazy. Actually, I've been super busy lately. So, here's another copy and paste from an AP story. This one about NASCAR qualifying at Bristol Friday:

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Rain washed out qualifying Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway, giving Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon front-row spots when the field was set by last season's points.

As you know, Rainout Blog headquarters is not far from Bristol Motor Speedway, and I had planned to go to qualifying, but as Marcia Brady once said, "Something suddenly came up."

In other sports weather news...

Rain hit the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando Friday.

Fans suffered through a spring training rain delay Friday during a game between the Braves and Phillies in Clearwater, Fla. I love those Phillies ponchos.

Here's a cool pick from Rueters photographer Eddie Keoogh showing a race fan using a newspaper to shelter himself from rain on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meet in Gloucestershire, western England, on Tuesday.

Why a blog about baseball rain delays? Why not?

This may be the most meaningless blog in the blogosphere, but I’ve decided to combine two of my many interests – baseball and weather, specifically rain – into one blog. Why? I’m not sure, but it sounds like fun, to me, the only person who reads this nonsense. Baseball rain outs and rain delays have always fascinated me. When I worked as a sports information director, one of my favorite stories to write was the baseball rain out story. Maybe, too, rain on baseball diamonds subconsciously reminds of growing up in the 80s and watching re-runs of the Andy Griffith Show with my Papaw during rain delays of Atlanta Braves games on WTBS. Those were great times.