What’s that?
Oh yeah. You’re right. I have officially closed The Rainout Blog, but occasionally I get the itch. Such is the case on this late Friday night as I chill in the Mancave watching the Giants and Mets. The Panda just made a nice play at third, by the way.
Anyway, it’s not raining in San Francisco, but clouds did explode over Yankee Stadium tonight, postponing the Bombers’ game with the Rays. The significance of the rainout, of course, is it gives Derek Jeter one less game to smack his 3,000 career hit before the home crowd in the Bronx.
The short stop is two hits shy of the milestone, and can certainly record two base hits in one game. However, it’s not unthinkable to say Jeter, a guy who’s hitting well below his career average at .257, could be held hitless throughout the remainder of the series. After Sunday, the Yanks, along with the rest of the Major Leagues, go to the All-Star break and then visit Toronto and Tampa during an eight-game road trip.
I can’t think of a worse place than Toronto for Jeter’s 3,000th base hit.
Friday’s rained out game could have been made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday – the regularly-scheduled game begins at 1:05 p.m. – but the Rays declined, according to Yankees Manager Joe Girardi, who added that his team voted to play two on Saturday. Now, the rained out contest will be made up Sept. 22.
Will the Rays refusal to play a day-nighter on Saturday create more friction between the two American League East contenders? Girardi and Yankees’ General Manager Brian Cashman say no, but Girardi’s comments suggest otherwise.
"Whether I'm frustrated or not, doesn't really matter,” the skipper said. “We wanted to see this happen for our fans. We thought that was important. But it's not (happening), so let's get the hits the next couple days, that's all."
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
It’s raining in the Bronx, delaying Joba Chamberlain’s first pitch in the Yankees’ rubber (boots) match with the Washington Nationals. Jack Curry has the rain delay covered, including Johnny Damon’s forecast, on the New York Times’ Bats blog. 
Rain spoiled Opening Day in only two Major League Baseball cities Monday: New York and St. Louis. The last home opener at Yankee Stadium was called off and has been rescheduled for tonight. The same goes for the Cardinals and Rockies opening game at Busch Stadium. Meanwhile, wet stuff hit a few other locations Monday, but teams in those cities played through to the end. I love this photo of the Phillies grounds crew.
The 2008 Major League Baseball season is just underway and already we have our first rain delay. It’s at Yankee Stadium, where the Bombers were scheduled for a 1:05 first pitch against Toronto. No new start time has been announced. The game, whether it’s played today or tomorrow, will be the last opening day game at the old Bronx ballpark.