Pitchers Thrive After Delays

As I write this entry, the New York Mets are playing the Cubs in Shea Stadium. The first pitch was scheduled to be tossed at a little past 1 p.m., Eastern. No big deal, right. Under ordinary circumstances it wouldn’t be a big deal. However, what was supposed to be a day game following a night game, turned into a matinee following a morning game, one that ended just more than 12 hours prior. Rain delayed the start of last night’s contest by a little more than three hours. It ended at 12:53 a.m. with the Cubbies claiming an 8-1 win. The wait didn’t bother Chicago starting hurler Jorge Sosa, who pitched seven innings of one-hit baseball. He also struck out five Mets. Here are some interesting tidbits from the Associated Press:

The game didn't start until 10:17 p.m., a 3 hour, 7 minute delay because of a steady rain that began in the late afternoon. The skies darkened above the stadium at about 4:00 p.m., and the crew scurried to put the tarp over the infield before the rain started. The rain stopped for good at 9:35, and the tarp was removed to thunderous applause from the thousands of soggy Shea Stadium faithful who stayed to watch the game.

A smattering of fans stayed to the end, and they saw Mets All-Star Jose Reyes leave the game after an eighth-inning single with slight tightness in his left hamstring. Reyes said he was fine afterward and would play on Thursday.
The Mets are offering all ticket holders for Wednesday night's game free tickets to one of the three games against the Minnesota Twins, who will be in town June 18-20.

In the photo above, Mets reliever Aaron Sele waits for the rain to stop.

Wednesday night’s game between the Tigers and Red Sox in Fenway Park was postponed because of rain. The second game of the series between two of the American League’s top teams will be made up today as part of a doubleheader. Elsewhere, the Brewers and home-standing Phillies were forced to wait 92 minutes before commencing their Wednesday night game. No big deal for Phillies’ pitcher Cole Hamels, who carried a perfect game into the seventh inning. Hamels lost the perfecto bid on a walk to Milwaukee’s Rickie Weeks. A batter later, J.J. Hardy spoiled the no-hit performance and shutout with a two-run homer. The suddenly hot Phillies won 6-2. In Chicago, the Yanks and White Sox had the second game of their day-night double dip delayed an hour and 15 minutes because of rain. The game followed a make-up game that was postponed by rain on Tuesday. The Yanks, after losing the opener, bounced back to win 8-1 in the nightcap.

Weather Term of the Day
DRIZZLE -- Slowly falling precipitation in the form of tiny water droplets with diameters less than 0.02 inches or 0.5 millimeters. It falls from stratus clouds and is often associated with low visibility and fog. It is reported as "DZ" in an observation and on the METAR.

Rain, Lightning Suspends Bucs-Cubs

Tuesday night's Pirates-Cubs game in Pittsburgh was suspended in the bottom of the seventh inning when heavy rain and lightning struck down on PNC Park. The game is slated to be resumed today at 12:35 p.m. with the Cubbies leading 6-5, and the Pirates coming to bat, we hope sans those hideous red alternate jerseys. The rain began falling in the top of the seventh, just when Chicago was staging a rally in which the Windy City squad battled back from a 5-2 deficit.

An afternoon game that was originally scheduled for today will begin approximately 20-30 after the completion of the suspended game.

Last night's rain delay lasted 2 hours and 18 minutes before the announcement of the suspension. Only a handful of fans remained in the stands at the time of the announcement. According to the Pirates official Web site, the last time the Pirates played in a suspended was against the Cubs in Chicago on April 20, 1986. That game was suspended at the end of the 13th inning with the score tied at 8-8. The Pirates later won the game in the 15th inning, 10-8.

Last night's game suspension was the result of a new rule set forth by major League Baseball at the beginning of this season, and explained best by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Jim Rodenbush:

Once a game becomes official and is stopped, it will be suspended if a.) the score is tied or b.) the visiting team takes the lead in the top half of an inning, and the bottom half of that inning does not get completed.

In the photo above, Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson flips ball to Freddy Sanchez at second for the force out in the seventh inning. Photo by Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

SPRINKLES: The final 11 matches of the Estoril Open were postponed by rain Tuesday. The clay-court event is taking place just outside of Lisbon in Oeiras, Portugal. There were several Associated Press photos to pick from in highlighting the tennis rain delay, but of course we chose the one with the pretty lady. …Did you hear the Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are playing today in an exhibition on a customized half-clay, half-grass court? Just wondering: Who has the advantage if it rains? Never mind. I just read the match is being played indoors. Well, that takes all the fun out of it. …Harvard played its spring football game last Saturday in a light rain. ….We are into May now and still talking about the problems that annually plague the Major League Baseball schedule makers. Katy Feeney, MLB's senior vice president who oversees scheduling, recently made some good points about the matter to the San Jose Mercury-News.

Weather Term of the Day:
THUNDERSTORM -- Produced by a cumulonimbus cloud, it is a microscale event of relatively short duration characterized by thunder, lightning, gusty surface winds, turbulence, hail, icing, precipitation, moderate to extreme up and downdrafts, and under the most severe conditions, tornadoes.

Brewers - Cubs Begin Play After Delay

It's cold, wet and foggy in Chicago, but the Brewers and Cubs finally are underway after an hour-long rain delay. The game is the finale of the three-game set, and the Brew Crew is aiming for a sweep. As the game began a few moments ago, Brewers play-by-play man Bob Uecker said he could not tell which direction the wind was blowing because the fog had just dipped below the outfield flag. Uecker isn't expecting conditions to get any better as the game progresses, saying, "The second half of today's game is going to be the Iditarod."

Last night's game between the two National League Central rivals ended with a steady rain falling on Wrigley. This AP photo shows the Cubbies' Cliff Floyd whiffing at strike three during a downpour to end the game and give the Brewers a 4-1 victory. Milwaukee leads the Central by three games over the Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs are in last place, six games back.