Baseball commissioner Selig: No shortened Series games allowed (INDICT BUD SELIG)

The Canadian Press ^

[ml/nj]

PHILADELPHIA — Bud Selig was determined there wouldn't be a rain-shortened World Series game on his watch.

Selig met in the umpires' room with officials of both teams an hour before the start of Game 5 on Monday night and told them no matter how long it took, the game would not be cut short.

"I was not going to allow that to happen," he said, clutching a rule book in his left hand

[ml/nj]

First, I'll say that baseball has mostly left me behind, especially when the Mets aren't involved. But there's still a bit of the little boy in me that cares about the game and its rules. (I've never bet on BB, BTW.)

I think Bud Selig should be indicted for tampering with the outcome of a sports event. It's convenient for him to annouce that he had a secret meeting with some folks before the game about changing the rules, but no one broadcasting the game knew about it I'm told. As far as I'm concerned the secret meeting is an after the fact cover-my-a$$ attempt.

Baseball should not be played in October at night in 40 degree weather in the rain in the Northeast, at least. There are not supposed to be puddles on the field.

But the criminal Selig cannot decide that the Series cannot end with the Phillies leading a rain shortened game. This means, that for him, it would have been okay if the Tampa team had been leading. But since they were behind, the game had to continue under non-baseball conditions until Tampa was no longer behind or nine innings had been completed. Can we say, "huge advantage Tampa"?

Giving one team a huge advantage after the game has started is tampering with the outcome of a sports event, a federal crime. Selig should be prosecuted.

Red Smith is probabaly spinning in his grave.

ML/NJ

[raybbr]

I suppose if the situation were reversed you would feel the same way.

[Born In America]

Field conditions were horrible and not conducive for playing a World Series game. Interesting that the game continued while Philly was ahead but, when TB tied the score, suspend the game. The conditions were no different when they suspended the game compared with play in the top of the sixth prior to the tie. I don't have a dog in the hunt but, could not help but feel there could not be a winner regardless of the weather conditions.

[prolifefirst]

I don’t see how either team has an advantage. No matter what the score was, Selig wasn’t going to allow the game to end until 9 innings had been played.

Maybe he changed the rules, although no World Series game has ended short of 9 innings, but he didn’t give either team an advantage.

[ml/nj]

I suppose if the situation were reversed you would feel the same way.

I'm not sure what you mean by "reversed." Do you mean the Phiilies needing a win to stay alive? I do not care about either the Phillies or Tampa. As I have said this is primarily a reflex reaction. I care about baseball for some reason.

ML/NJ

[ml/nj]

could not help but feel there could not be a winner regardless of the weather conditions

It's nice that you have "feelings." Feelings are what liberals have. Baseball has rules. Rules are like our Constiution which Obama seems to feel is unfair.

ML/NJ

[MIT-Elephant]

I guess I’m going to be contrarian, but I think calling a postseason baseball game over before the 9 innings are played would be a huge drag.

It’s the damn World Series, play all the innings. The alternative - giving someone a weather-shortened win - would taint the result more than resuming the game would. We’d never hear the end of “but we didn’t get to bat!”

Now let’s get the Series moved back into warmer weeks and earlier in the evening.

[Always Right]

The only reason to allow shortened games is that it is a hassle to make them up during the season. This is the world series. You play all nine innings.

[microgood]

But the criminal Selig cannot decide that the Series cannot end with the Phillies leading a rain shortened game. This means, that for him, it would have been okay if the Tampa team had been leading. But since they were behind, the game had to continue under non-baseball conditions until Tampa was no longer behind or nine innings had been completed. Can we say, "huge advantage Tampa"?

All Selig did was say the game had to finish. It was the umpires that suspended the game when they did. He did not have a say in that. But the rules clearly state the game must start where it left off, and it actually gives the Phillies one more inning since it ended in the top of the 6th.

You may say it should have ended earlier, but Selig did not make that call.

[editor-surveyor]

Would you be offended if I suggested that you are a nut case?

[ml/nj]

Selig wasn’t going to allow the game to end until 9 innings had been played.

No. That's not how I heard it first reported, and in fact that's not what happened. He wasn't going to let the Series end with a rain shortened game. This is complete BS.

ML/NJ

[cripplecreek]

Now let’s get the Series moved back into warmer weeks and earlier in the evening.

Gotta agree there. I think the screwy playoff and world series part of the season cost the Tigers a world series win in 06. They finished off the Yankees so quickly that year that they had a 12 day break before facing the Cardinals in the world series and it hurt them bad.

[cripplecreek]

Sure beats an all star game tie. LOL

[ml/nj]

Yeah. I'm a nut case all right. I don't think the rules of baselball should be changed to favor one team over another; and I don't think someone who cannot produce his birth cirtificate should be allowed to assume the Presidency of the United States. Color me old fashioned, but I don't think I am a nut case.

ML/NJ

[ml/nj]

Yeah. I'm a nut case all right. I don't think the rules of baselball should be changed to favor one team over another; and I don't think someone who cannot produce his birth cirtificate should be allowed to assume the Presidency of the United States. Color me old fashioned, but I don't think I am a nut case.

ML/NJ

[Born In America]

could not help but feelThere fixed it.

It is clear you did not get my inference....

Let me help you understand by framing it in a question. If the conditions were such that the game could not continue, why did they not suspend play in the top of the sixth with two outs? How did ten minutes of continued play in any way make those conditions any worse that they had been?

[Born In America]

could not help but feel think there could not be a winner regardless of the weather conditions

Sorry, some of the reply did not make it

[nufsed]

He gave Tampa an advantage. It was clear. They tied and he stopped the game.

The conditions had been horrible and unsuitable for the last inning and a half. Using the actual major leagues with the umpires in charge using their judgement, that game would have been stopped in the 4th inning.

[Keith in Iowa]

>>>Baseball should not be played in October at night in 40 degree weather in the rain in the Northeast, at least.

The World Series should start on Labor Day weekend. Opening day should be Memorial Day weekend.

And if it were up to me, hockey could only be played in locations where, and when it can be played outdoors. :)

[pepsi_junkie]

I don’t see how either team has an advantage.

I have to say I agree with the poster. I think that if the Rays had been ahead they could have and probably would have ended the game. It gives the Rays a win but the series goes on. On the other hand, as long as the Phillies were winning, stopping the game would result in a Phillies win and an end to the series. That they simply would not let happen. So they were going to play until one of three things happened:

1. The Rays pulled ahead. Then they end the game, the Rays get the win and the series continues to game 6.
2. The Rays tied it up. Then they could suspend the game and pick it up where it left off.
3. Nine innings were played out in the soupy swamp.

There was no scenario where the game would be stopped as long as the Phillies had a lead because by rule that makes them the winners. If Selig came out after the fact and said they were'nt becaus he changed the rules, all hell would break loose.

Based on that, Scenario 1 and 2 are biased to an outcome favorable to the Rays. Scenario 3 is neutral but crummy because that field was unplayable.