With only 3 and a half innings to go, many things will change.
The completion of the game tentatively is scheduled for 8:37 p.m. Wednesday, weather permitting.
But it definitely looks like the game will resume tomorrow night by the weather forecast. http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/USPA1276?begHour=14&begDay=303
The weather has changed now to rain on Wed as I typed this, so we will have to wait and see what and when this game resumes.
What will probably happen tomorrow.
Manuel didn't speak to reporters after Game 5 -- or in this case, in the middle of it -- but it was clear that he was unhappy about burning ace Cole Hamels with a chance to end the World Series.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said on Monday night that Grant Balfour, who pitched the fifth for Tampa Bay after starter Scott Kazmir was pulled, is his pitcher to start the sixth.
"Balfour is still in the game," Maddon said. "The game still has Grant on the lineup card. So as of right now, Grant will be pitching."
But there's an excellent chance that will change quickly.
Most of Philadelphia's dangerous pinch-hitters bat from the left side, most notably Matt Stairs. So Phillies manager Charlie Manuel will likely summon a lefty as his first hitter once the game resumes, and Maddon would likely counter with a southpaw on the mound. In fact, Maddon would be wise to warm up a lefty at the same time Balfour warms up.
Both teams have stocked bullpens, and both 'pens will have plenty of rest. No pinch-hitters have been used, and the switch from Kazmir to Balfour is the only pitching change. So both managers have a full complement of tactical options once the game gets back under way.
So in the practical sense, there's no real advantage going forward. Yet Tampa Bay has to feel on some level that it has pulled something of an escape. The Rays outlasted Hamels, and they're not behind. They may have the starting pitching advantage in Games 6 and 7, should those occur, and they'd also have home field.
"I think everybody would say that, but they're up, 3-1," said Rays reliever Trever Miller. "And those guys that we were supposed to beat, beat us. So I don't consider us favorites. Our backs are still against the wall. Just because we got a game suspended and tied it up, we haven't won that game either. We've got this thing condensed down now to hopefully coming back and playing tomorrow, three innings, the rest of the game, and winning that."
Both of these bullpens are excellent, though Philadelphia has at least one advantage in that it needs three fewer outs. The Phils also have all of their end-of-game options intact, while the Rays do not.
"We do feel good," said Phillies closer Brad Lidge. "But that being said, they have a lot of good pitchers out of their bullpen also. You never know what's going to happen in an unusual situation like this. I feel like we've got the horses to get it done, but I'm sure they do, too. It's going to be tough, but somebody's going to have to scratch out a run."
One intriguing wrinkle going forward is this. With the game not resuming before Wednesday, that means potential Games 6 and 7 would each be pushed back by at least a day. Those games were originally slated for Wednesday and Thursday.
That means that if, for whatever reason, either team preferred to use its Game 4 starter in Game 7, rather than its Game 3 starter, it would have the option. Game 4 took place on Sunday, so a Game 7 on Friday would provide four full days of rest for Joe Blanton and Andy Sonnanstine. At the very least, Blanton and Sonnanstine would be available to pitch in relief as much as needed in that game. Moreover, Hamels becomes an option for at least some work on three days' rest in such a scenario.
But first, the Rays and Phillies have to get to, and through, Game 5. That could be Wednesday -- or later. It could start with Chris Coste against Balfour, and it could start with Stairs facing David Price.
At this point, anything is possible, not surprising considering this already unique World Series game. Strong winds are in the forecast for tomorrow. 15 mph. If these winds are swirling then your crazy to bet any money on either team. Last night showed how the players were having trouble. But the only value would be to play TB at plus 150 or better.
First off the Phillies don't need his game as much as TB, because the are up 3-1, but that doesn't mean they don't want to win at home.
-160 to -170 is a lot of juice to lose in 3 innings. TB is the better value here.
I do believe that half the people here are young kids who never investigate the facts before throwing money down on a game. But are the first ones to run and bitch when things don't go their way.
The completion of the game tentatively is scheduled for 8:37 p.m. Wednesday, weather permitting.
But it definitely looks like the game will resume tomorrow night by the weather forecast. http://www.weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/USPA1276?begHour=14&begDay=303
The weather has changed now to rain on Wed as I typed this, so we will have to wait and see what and when this game resumes.
What will probably happen tomorrow.
Manuel didn't speak to reporters after Game 5 -- or in this case, in the middle of it -- but it was clear that he was unhappy about burning ace Cole Hamels with a chance to end the World Series.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said on Monday night that Grant Balfour, who pitched the fifth for Tampa Bay after starter Scott Kazmir was pulled, is his pitcher to start the sixth.
"Balfour is still in the game," Maddon said. "The game still has Grant on the lineup card. So as of right now, Grant will be pitching."
But there's an excellent chance that will change quickly.
Most of Philadelphia's dangerous pinch-hitters bat from the left side, most notably Matt Stairs. So Phillies manager Charlie Manuel will likely summon a lefty as his first hitter once the game resumes, and Maddon would likely counter with a southpaw on the mound. In fact, Maddon would be wise to warm up a lefty at the same time Balfour warms up.
Both teams have stocked bullpens, and both 'pens will have plenty of rest. No pinch-hitters have been used, and the switch from Kazmir to Balfour is the only pitching change. So both managers have a full complement of tactical options once the game gets back under way.
So in the practical sense, there's no real advantage going forward. Yet Tampa Bay has to feel on some level that it has pulled something of an escape. The Rays outlasted Hamels, and they're not behind. They may have the starting pitching advantage in Games 6 and 7, should those occur, and they'd also have home field.
"I think everybody would say that, but they're up, 3-1," said Rays reliever Trever Miller. "And those guys that we were supposed to beat, beat us. So I don't consider us favorites. Our backs are still against the wall. Just because we got a game suspended and tied it up, we haven't won that game either. We've got this thing condensed down now to hopefully coming back and playing tomorrow, three innings, the rest of the game, and winning that."
Both of these bullpens are excellent, though Philadelphia has at least one advantage in that it needs three fewer outs. The Phils also have all of their end-of-game options intact, while the Rays do not.
"We do feel good," said Phillies closer Brad Lidge. "But that being said, they have a lot of good pitchers out of their bullpen also. You never know what's going to happen in an unusual situation like this. I feel like we've got the horses to get it done, but I'm sure they do, too. It's going to be tough, but somebody's going to have to scratch out a run."
One intriguing wrinkle going forward is this. With the game not resuming before Wednesday, that means potential Games 6 and 7 would each be pushed back by at least a day. Those games were originally slated for Wednesday and Thursday.
That means that if, for whatever reason, either team preferred to use its Game 4 starter in Game 7, rather than its Game 3 starter, it would have the option. Game 4 took place on Sunday, so a Game 7 on Friday would provide four full days of rest for Joe Blanton and Andy Sonnanstine. At the very least, Blanton and Sonnanstine would be available to pitch in relief as much as needed in that game. Moreover, Hamels becomes an option for at least some work on three days' rest in such a scenario.
But first, the Rays and Phillies have to get to, and through, Game 5. That could be Wednesday -- or later. It could start with Chris Coste against Balfour, and it could start with Stairs facing David Price.
At this point, anything is possible, not surprising considering this already unique World Series game. Strong winds are in the forecast for tomorrow. 15 mph. If these winds are swirling then your crazy to bet any money on either team. Last night showed how the players were having trouble. But the only value would be to play TB at plus 150 or better.
First off the Phillies don't need his game as much as TB, because the are up 3-1, but that doesn't mean they don't want to win at home.
-160 to -170 is a lot of juice to lose in 3 innings. TB is the better value here.
I do believe that half the people here are young kids who never investigate the facts before throwing money down on a game. But are the first ones to run and bitch when things don't go their way.
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