****Official Royals Vs Rays Gamethread 5/2****

[SPchief]

Guthrie on the mound. Lets get the brooms out




Bad Mojo here, but I think I'm 0-4 in gamethreads for a sweep over the last 2 years. But I need to get the first loss of the year out of the way

[AussieChiefsFan]

Great win last night. Make it 3!

[Chiefspants]

Guthrie on the mound. Lets get the brooms out

Y is there no Santanz?

[ChiliConCarnage]

bats finally coming alive. At the right time too as it's been needed
:Royals: :grouphug:

[chiefqueen]

I believe if the game is postponed MLB will force the Royals to "give up" the home game and make it up in TB when KC goes there next month. I don't think it can be made up Monday as TB is going back from Colo. to FL because of the 20 consecutive day rule.

[Archie F. Swin]

http://radblast-aws.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/radar/WUNIDS_map?station=EAX&brand=wui&num=6&delay=15&type=N0R&frame=0&scale=1.000&noclutter=0&t=1367491454&lat=39.10390091&lon=-94.59960175&label=Kansas+City%2C+MO&showstorms=0&map.x=400&map.y=240&centerx=400&centery=240&transx=0&transy=0&showlabels=1&severe=0&rainsnow=0&lightning=0&smooth=0

[Archie F. Swin]

:Royals: :grouphug:

Royals = Ghey friendly?

[Archie F. Swin]

This is surreal shiz! Because of my work schedule, I went to bed around the 5th inning Monday and Tuesday night, assuming the Royals would lose those games. This team has character (and Lo Cain)

[DaKCMan AP]

Ugh, Roberto Hernandez? bleh.

Hoping for a postponement.

[New World Order]

Now is the time for the Royals to sell their good players for prospects.

[Saul Good]

Can we please get through the first inning without giving up multiple runs?

[DaKCMan AP]

Can we please get through the sixth inning without giving up multiple runs?

[Archie F. Swin]

Can we please go one week without the weather fucking up?

[Dartgod]

I don't think either team will beat the weather today. This one will get rained out.

[Canofbier]

Y is there no Santanz?

There is, I think. He's the probable pitcher on mlb.com.

[mr. tegu]

I don't think either team will beat the weather today. This one will get rained out.

They will just wait it out. Play a few innings here and there. Since its a day game they can do that but it sucks for the fans.

[Archie F. Swin]

This one will get rained out.

Rain or no rain, the wind chill will be in the upper 20s.

[DaKCMan AP]

Rain or no rain, the wind chill will be in the upper 20s.

http://www.guitarzonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Keep-Your-Guitar-At-Room-Temerature.jpg

[Archie F. Swin]

what was the announced attendance last night, 3-4k?

[Old Dog]

what was the announced attendance last night, 3-4k?

11,514

[RealSNR]

Can we please go one week without the weather fucking up?

I have no clue why MLB insists on playing 160-some goddamn games in a season. Outdoor ballparks like Minnesota and Milwaukee are still getting SNOW in April and sometimes early May, and the temperature often drops below freezing in that time. Baseball isn't football. It makes no sense why they have to play at the beginning of April.

[Old Dog]

I have no clue why MLB insists on playing 160-some goddamn games in a season. Outdoor ballparks like Minnesota and Milwaukee are still getting SNOW in April and sometimes early May, and the temperature often drops below freezing in that time. Baseball isn't football. It makes no sense why they have to play at the beginning of April.

$$$$

[Cephalic Trauma]

Ugh, Roberto Hernandez? bleh.

Hoping for a postponement.

Get out ya broom!

[Fairplay]

I have no clue why MLB insists on playing 160-some goddamn games in a season. Outdoor ballparks like Minnesota and Milwaukee are still getting SNOW in April and sometimes early May, and the temperature often drops below freezing in that time. Baseball isn't football. It makes no sense why they have to play at the beginning of April.



I think baseball has to many games in it also, they could shave a month of games off the schedule. But as old dog showed the salary's of the players are so high they need all those games to help pay for them now.

In baseball if you go two months being bad you can still make the playoffs. In the NFL your season is done.

[tomahawk kid]

I'd bet $20 they're going to try and squeeze this one it come hell or highwater (literally).

Royals won't want to give up the home game to make it up in Tampa.

[AussieChiefsFan]

Looking at this radar, it might miss KC. But as someone else pointed out. It's still going to be bloody cold.

http://www.kmbc.com/weather/radar

[Fairplay]

I'd bet $20 they're going to try and squeeze this one it come hell or highwater (literally).

Royals won't want to give up the home game to make it up in Tampa.



Tampa sounds good this time of year.

[Old Dog]

Tampa sounds good this time of year.

Lemme think, shitty weather of being in close proximity to DaKC, BigRedChief, and Setsuna.........no contest, bring on hail throwing tornadoes with 100% humidity while it's 105 degrees.....hell throw in a tidal wave or two as well.

[AussieChiefsFan]

Looks like it's started raining in KC.

http://www.kmbc.com/weather/radar/-/11665682/-/format/rsss_2.0/-/dul4gn/-/index.html

[AussieChiefsFan]

The weather radar at KMBC predicts that over then next 10 hours there will be on and off rain. And then in about 12 hours will be a mix of rain and snow.

[MrGiggity]

The weather radar at KMBC predicts that over then next 10 hours there will be on and off rain. And then in about 12 hours will be a mix of rain and snow.

Where's Rittz in your sig? That white boy is straight flames.

[AussieChiefsFan]

Where's Rittz in your sig? That white boy is straight flames.

Was gonna add him tonight but couldn't find a decent picture. While you're at my Sig, could you quickly head to the random thought thread and give me your opinion?

[Archie F. Swin]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>For those asking, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Royals">#Royals</a> game at 1:10pm is currently on as scheduled. Every effort will be made to get the game in today. <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23RoyalsWeather">#RoyalsWeather</a></p>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/329973170130006017">May 2, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[alnorth]

This won't be postponed unless it literally rains all day without pause.

[SPchief]

To me, looks like they'll get this one in

[ChiliConCarnage]

Game on!
PBJ

[stonedstooge]

Let's sweep these bitches

[Archie F. Swin]

If you're managing this team would you be tempted to move Lo Cain up to, say, 3 in the lineup and move Billy and the rest down one?

[gblowfish]

Ugh, Roberto Hernandez? bleh.

Hoping for a postponement.

The only guy I dislike more than Roberto Hernandez is Fausto Carmona....

[gblowfish]

Man, I bet they have all of about 1000 people in the stands for this one.

If they do get it in, it's going to be a miserable, lousy day for baseball. The wind chill is nasty, it's damp. Ick. Who's going today, Santana? I'd watch his pitch count and not let him hurt himself in this weather. Let Hoch pitch five or six innings. Who cares if he blows up?

[Demonpenz]

If you're managing this team would you be tempted to move Lo Cain up to, say, 3 in the lineup and move Billy and the rest down one?

Naa Billy's the dude. He bats third until YEARS of sucking.

[Saul Good]

Butler was raking last night. He had three hits and should have had a fourth except he drilled the pitcher.

[Archie F. Swin]

Naa Billy's the dude. He bats third until YEARS of sucking.


I'd rather Belly bat with 3 men on than 2.

[WhawhaWhat]

I have no clue why MLB insists on playing 160-some goddamn games in a season. Outdoor ballparks like Minnesota and Milwaukee are still getting SNOW in April and sometimes early May, and the temperature often drops below freezing in that time. Baseball isn't football. It makes no sense why they have to play at the beginning of April.

It makes even less sense that they allowed teams to build ballparks without a roof, especially Minnesota and Detroit.

Even Kauffman should have been remodeled with the white trash rolling tarp.

[gblowfish]

If we're going to play in this weather, I'd sit Salvy, Cain and Escobar. I'd play Kotteras, Dyson and Johnson or Tejada at short. We can't risk injury to any of these up the middle guys on a cold slick day like today. We lost Cain on a cold rainy night in Oakland last year. Why risk it?

[KevB]

Man, I bet they have all of about 1000 people in the stands for this one.

If they do get it in, it's going to be a miserable, lousy day for baseball. The wind chill is nasty, it's damp. Ick. Who's going today, Santana? I'd watch his pitch count and not let him hurt himself in this weather. Let Hoch pitch five or six innings. Who cares if he blows up?

There's a group from my work still going out to tailgate and watch the game. They're nuts.

[BWillie]

Royals are in 1st place.

Royals are 29th out of 30 teams in attendance.

I'm sure cold and rainy weather has been part of it, but St Louis is 3rd and the Cubs are 10th. They've had shitty weather too.

But, how much money do you think Mr. Glass has lost just due to crappy weather during every home stand?

[KCUnited]

Weather, everyone blowing their wad for the All Star game last year, and 28 years of mostly shit baseball all contribute to lack of attendance.

[WhawhaWhat]

Royals are in 1st place.

Royals are 29th out of 30 teams in attendance.

I'm sure cold and rainy weather has been part of it, but St Louis is 3rd and the Cubs are 10th. They've had shitty weather too.

But, how much money do you think Mr. Glass has lost just due to crappy weather during every home stand?

It's going to take a lot before many fans believe in the team and the ownership again, bad weather or not. If the team is still contending by the end of May, I think ticket sales will start to pick up.

[Three7s]

It's going to take a lot before many fans believe in the team and the ownership again, bad weather or not. If the team is still contending by the end of May, I think ticket sales will start to pick up.
I was gonna go on this Friday and the last one, but the weather changed my plans.

[BWillie]

Baseball town?

[Demonpenz]

This is what sucks about Dynamic pricing. They are drawing like shit so you figure they would drop the price to 2 dollar tickets or something. Dynamic pricing just seems like it's expensive some games, and really expensive other games.

[KCUnited]

Also, a lot of tickets available on the secondary market aren't being offered for much less than box office prices. I think Royals fans have been accustomed to being able to pick up discounted tix in years past, especially during the week, that aren't willing to pull the trigger quite yet.

They've been doing quite well in tv viewership compared to years past, so the interest is there.

[TLO]

Was gonna add him tonight but couldn't find a decent picture. While you're at my Sig, could you quickly head to the random thought thread and give me your opinion?

STRAAAANNGE MUSIC. BITCH!

[TLO]

Baseball town?

Fuck yeah! We deserve winning baseball team.

[gblowfish]

Royals are in 1st place.

Royals are 29th out of 30 teams in attendance.

I'm sure cold and rainy weather has been part of it, but St Louis is 3rd and the Cubs are 10th. They've had shitty weather too.

But, how much money do you think Mr. Glass has lost just due to crappy weather during every home stand?

If tickets were truly "dynamic pricing" Daddy Warbucks Glass should give every fan a fiver and a free beer on entering the stadium today. Lousy day for baseball.

[teedubya]

Can we please get through the sixth inning without giving up multiple runs?

Can you PLEASE stop being UN-Awesome? You damn turncoat traitor. You're from Kansas City, ya douche!

[okcchief]

I'd rather have Cain in front of Billy.

If I lived there I'd be going to a lot of games. Unfortunately we have a trip to CA planned for 2 weeks so I don't think I'll make it this summer. Might be able to catch them in Arlington.

[Archie F. Swin]

Torrential rain may stay west of Truman Complex for early innings, but all bets are off after 3pm. Crappy day for baseball. We'll have to use our running game.

[DaKCMan AP]

Can you PLEASE stop being UN-Awesome? You damn turncoat traitor. You're from Kansas City, ya douche!

Never been to Kauffman & I've lived in Tampa 3x as long as I ever lived in KC. :p

[chiefqueen]

I'd bet $20 they're going to try and squeeze this one it come hell or high and deep snow drifts (literally).

Royals won't want to give up the home game to make it up in Tampa.

fyp

[GoHuge]

If we're going to play in this weather, I'd sit Salvy, Cain and Escobar. I'd play Kotteras, Dyson and Johnson or Tejada at short. We can't risk injury to any of these up the middle guys on a cold slick day like today. We lost Cain on a cold rainy night in Oakland last year. Why risk it?Maybe we should just bring the Storm Chasers down from Omaha to play this game? Every game this year is going to be extremely important. We can't play the pussy card just because it's cold out. Both teams are playing in this shit (hypothetically because there's no way in hell this game gets in today) so go out and get the sweep with your best guys available.

[chiefqueen]

Just in case (& I'm too lazy to look this up) do the teams have common off days that would not violate the CBA if a make-up were scheduled for that day?

[TLO]

Let's do this!!! The stands look super empty. I'll enjoy this one from my couch.

[-King-]

Fucking terrible outside.
Posted via Mobile Device

[alnorth]

Just in case (& I'm too lazy to look this up) do the teams have common off days that would not violate the CBA if a make-up were scheduled for that day?

No, we'd have to get a waiver from the player's union. If we don't play today, there will be consequences.

[Halfcan]

Moose is stringing together some good at bats so is Hosmer. Hard to believe we have the record we do with these two and Butler not hitting. Hope they hit the ball hard early and often.

[Bowser]

Fucking terrible outside.
Posted via Mobile Device

Are you at the game?

[Saul Good]

If we're going to play in this weather, I'd sit Salvy, Cain and Escobar. I'd play Kotteras, Dyson and Johnson or Tejada at short. We can't risk injury to any of these up the middle guys on a cold slick day like today. We lost Cain on a cold rainy night in Oakland last year. Why risk it?

Fuck that noise. I care about winning games.

The Rays don't want to be here. They want to get the hell out of this shitty weather and go back home to Florida. Step on their throats and finish the sweep.

[BlackHelicopters]

Sweep time.

[alnorth]

Cain and Getz are sitting this one out.

[TLO]

Cain and Getz are sitting this one out.

3rd game in a row on the bench for Getz. Think they like Johnson better?

[Bowser]

Hopefully the strike zone today is a bit larger than a dickhole, and both teams come out swinging. Get this game in before the fucking snow gets here.

[Halfcan]

Easy out Getz can sit all year-lol

[Halfcan]

3rd game in a row on the bench for Getz. Think they like Johnson better?

Royals breaking out their Big Johnson!

[alnorth]

3rd game in a row on the bench for Getz. Think they like Johnson better?

Yost said he's riding the hot streak. As soon as Johnson has a bad day, Getz is probably back in.

[Mr. Laz]

100 people at the game?

[Demonpenz]

I had tickets to this game and they went down the drain...Litterally. I put them outside and the snow melted them into a drainage ditch.

[TLO]

Santana is a boss. Just a fucking boss.

[Bowser]

Yost is saving Getz in case he needs a pinch bunter in the 8th or 9th.

[alnorth]

If the start time would have been 1:30, we'd be in trouble. At 1:10, the rain was just insignificant enough to allow the game to start. Now, we'll be able to keep playing unless it really comes down hard.

[TLO]

Joyce can go fuck himself with a baseball bat

[Mr. Laz]

someone needs to kick Joyce in his testicles right before the game starts ... dam.

[alnorth]

According to Denny, the strike zone today is huge.

[Mr. Laz]

hopefully huge strike zone means fast game

weather is total shit and going to get worse

[SPchief]

3 k's

[siberian khatru]

Not giving up runs to the Rays in the 1st = we lose

[Dartgod]

The Rays did not hit any home runs or score at all in the 1st inning.

We're fucked.

[Dartgod]

Not giving up runs to the Rays in the 1st = we lose

:cuss:

[KevB]

Santana is a boss. Just a ****ing boss.

+1

[siberian khatru]

:cuss:

Slowpoke :p

[BigCatDaddy]

Since the long ball isn't going to be an issue with todays weather Santana should be balls once again.

[gblowfish]

Denny said KC wind chill is worse than Anchorage AK today...

[chiefqueen]

**** that noise. I care about winning games.

The Rays don't want to be here. They want to get the hell out of this shitty weather and go back home to Florida. Step on their throats and finish the sweep.

The Rays are not going to FLA after the game, they head to Denver where it is colder for a series with the Rockies.

[KevB]

robneyer ‏@robneyer 3m
Rex Hudler's the best. He just described current weather in Kansas City as "the rain-like conditions."

[-King-]

Are you at the game?

No, just made some runs this morning. I was planning to go to this game after I missed the Shields game, but the weather kept me in.

[stonedstooge]

Billy looks like he caloried up before the game

[RockChalk]

Billy looks like he caloried up before the game

had to make sure he would stay warm

[chiefqueen]

I think something is wrong with my MLB AT Bat app for the IPAD. It shows the teams playing in a nice, sunny, warm background.

[Archie F. Swin]

how the fuck do Santana's fingers not go numb?

[Canofbier]

Santana with 5 K's through two innings...that's pretty nasty.

[Old Dog]

5 Ks through 2....Santana dealing like a boss

[stonedstooge]

how the **** do Santana's fingers not go numb?

I wish Hud's mouth would go numb

[Demonpenz]

Put a tarp out.

[stonedstooge]

WHAT A MISS

[stonedstooge]

Put us up Moose

[Old Dog]

Frency WALKED?

Were none of the pitches in the same zip code?

[TLO]

Keep running Hosmer!! JFC

[siberian khatru]

Hosmer = Dave Magadan

[KevB]

Hosmer = Dave Magadan

Stop it

[Mr. Laz]

runs at a premium


make it count

[siberian khatru]

Stop it

;)

[Demonpenz]

I would take Dave Magadan. I think he is more JT SNOW.

[KevB]

;)

Can he go have more eye surgery?

[siberian khatru]

I would take Dave Magadan. I think he is more JT SNOW.

Snow had power. Hosmer's lost his, and is hitting everything to left. Hence...

LOU PINIELLA'S COUSIN.

[siberian khatru]

Can he go have more eye surgery?

Eye transplants ... from TED WILLIAMS' FROZEN HEAD.

[KevB]

Hosmer = Dave Magadan

For giggles, I went back to look at Magadan's stats. Season high HR? 6 Season high doubles? 28 Career season averages? 4/22

I remember when I was young, thinking he was a good hitter (BA driven). How times have changed.

[gblowfish]

Hud is moist.

[siberian khatru]

For giggles, I went back to look at Magadan's stats. Season high HR? 6 Season high doubles? 28 Career season averages? 4/22

I remember when I was young, thinking he was a good hitter (BA driven). How times have changed.

Oh, yeah, I love going through stats at baseballreference.com of players who as a kid in the 70s and 80s I thought were good, because they hit for avg. or stole a lot of bases, and look at the advanced metrics and see they were mediocre at best. I'm like :facepalm:

[stonedstooge]

Nice move Santana

[stonedstooge]

Score here, get 6 outs, call the game: win

[Great Expectations]

How long will they play? Puddles on the dirt with the rain looking to continue for a while.

[Coach]

Safe!

[Great Expectations]

RBI single and let's get the remaining is for the W

[stonedstooge]

Bring him on home Alex

[gblowfish]

3-0 to Alex. Swing away, baby....

[Blankey]

Elliot Johnson has been killing it lately

[siberian khatru]

EJ folk hero

[Coach]

GO!

[gblowfish]

Who's pitching, Hernandez or Carbona? Which voice in his head gets the loss today?

[SPchief]

How long will they play? Puddles on the dirt with the rain looking to continue for a while.

If they get thru 5 and someone has a lead, this is getting called.

[KCUnited]

There it is.

[stonedstooge]

THERE IT BE. 1-0 Royals

[-King-]

Okay...lets get this to the 5th inning quick.

[Pilsner]

Tune in and we score the first run. I'm good luck.

[Coach]

Yes. 1-0 Good guys!

[SPchief]

Hell yeah

[Canofbier]

Gordo!

[Mr. Laz]

NICE!!!!


Johnson manufactures a run

[-King-]

LMAO There are less than 2000 people there.

[Crush]

To the 5th inning!!!

[Great Expectations]

KC ground crew needs to earn their keep.

[Pilsner]

KC ground crew needs to earn their keep.

Prepare the giant squeegee.

[siberian khatru]

Six up, six down now Ervin.

[KCUnited]

Lol, Billy well studied in classic rock. /joel

[Pilsner]

Anyone else hear all 15 people chanting "Billy, Billy"? LOL

[-King-]

That's not playing a guitar. It's masturbating.

[Coach]

Holy shit, the 3rd base close nearly got killed.

[Mr. Laz]

flipping bacon


LMAO

[Crush]

Air Bacon

[gblowfish]

Some people know me as George Blowfish, but my real name is Ian Cognito.

[SPchief]

AL might correct me on this. But I think they only have to get through 4.5 innings with the Royals leading.

[KevB]

You have to wonder if there's a gentleman's agreement between managers and the umpires that if someone has a lead after 5, everyone goes home.

[Coach]

Billy "Air Bacon" Butler....

[Mr. Laz]

alright ... move this shit along guys


need to get a couple more innings in quickly


they have maybe an hour more?

[stonedstooge]

Pork Bellies Butler

[BlackHelicopters]

Looks miserable.

[siberian khatru]

You have to wonder if there's a gentleman's agreement between managers and the umpires that if someone has a lead after 5, everyone goes home.

I was JUST thinking along those lines, although it was more of "I wonder if the umps have decided ahead of time that this will be a 5-inning game." I was thinking they might not tell the managers, though. :D

[ZootedGranny]

I couldn't be more enthused after learning Billy was cooking bacon.
LET THAT BOY COOK
BASED FOR LIFE

[Archie F. Swin]

this weather is some BULLshit

[KevB]

alright ... move this shit along guys


need to get a couple more innings in quickly


they have maybe an hour more?

Need a lot of hustle on and off the field, no warmups, etc. Basically all the tactics we instituted in high school baseball early in the season because we were all freezing our nuts off.

[Coach]

Sit your ass down.

[-King-]

Keep hacking.

[stonedstooge]

Nice swing bitch

[Archie F. Swin]

Santana's like "What weather?"

[Coach]

Nice save Hos.

[-King-]

Infielders can't get shit on those wet balls.

[Pilsner]

I can't believe they're even playing in this shit.

[-King-]

Fuck that guy for taking a walk.

[KevB]

**** that guy for taking a walk.

Seriously, you need to be hacking

[Mr. Laz]

Frenchy is such a goof

[Blankey]

Now just bunt and let them throw you out so we can get to the 5th inning

[BlackHelicopters]

Let's hurry up and end this. One more inning.

[siberian khatru]

Three more outs and the umps do us a solid?

[stonedstooge]

Three more outs and the umps do us a solid?

You think Madden will bitch?

[Old Dog]

AL might correct me on this. But I think they only have to get through 4.5 innings with the Royals leading.

If they correct you, they don't know what they're talking about

[stonedstooge]

GAWD DAMMIT

[-King-]

Well fuck. They put the tarp out.

[Crush]

FUCK

[BlackHelicopters]

No!!!!!!!!!

[Mr. Laz]

dam

[KCUnited]

Damn

[SPchief]

Son of a bitch

[siberian khatru]

You have GOT to be kidding me.

[Archie F. Swin]

have I lost my shit, or did billy butler used to rock the knee-high socks look?

[BlackHelicopters]

Bad decision

[kcjayhawks5]

Why stop now?!

[TLO]

Fucking rain.

[siberian khatru]

Why stop now?!

No shit. Don't even start the game then.

[BlackHelicopters]

have I lost my shit, or did billy butler used to rock the knee-high socks look?

He did.

[Demonpenz]

have I lost my shit, or did billy butler used to rock the knee-high socks look?

Sometimes.

[siberian khatru]

Either play thru top of 5 (or bottom if it's tied) or don't play the game at all. Jeebus.

[Coach]

That one sucked though, since Santana is now probably unable to pitch. Honestly, I would have been all right if they threw Hoch or someone else in this game than Santana, but that's just me.

[BlackHelicopters]

Unreal. Screwed by the umps.

[sedated]

This blows. Ruins a 1-0 lead and Santana's start.

[Demonpenz]

knee high.

[Dartgod]

Chances of this one resuming?

[TLO]

"If" the game gets going again I wouldn't be surprised to see Hoch. They should have just played through and gave us the W

[Archie F. Swin]

http://radblast-aws.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/radar/WUNIDS_map?station=EAX&brand=wui&num=6&delay=15&type=N0R&frame=0&scale=1.000&noclutter=0&t=1367491454&lat=39.10390091&lon=-94.59960175&label=Kansas+City%2C+MO&showstorms=0&map.x=400&map.y=240&centerx=400&centery=240&transx=0&transy=0&showlabels=1&severe=0&rainsnow=0&lightning=0&smooth=0

[SPchief]

Chances of this one resuming?

1%

[TLO]

Chances of this one resuming?

37.765654686% chance

[KCUnited]

Fuck Boys in the Hall and fuck Tom Browkaw

[Great Expectations]

If it is postponed will we restart with the current situation or start completely over?

[SPchief]

If it is postponed will we restart with the current situation or start completely over?

If and when they don't finish this game. It'll be a makeup starting over, most likely as a double header in Tampa

[TLO]

If it is postponed will we restart with the current situation or start completely over?

Start completely over I believe.

[Great Expectations]

It probably should've been called after the 3rd. Once the 4th was played they should've allowed for the extra 1/2 inning.

[BlackHelicopters]

Umpires need more accountability. 1/2 more inning.

[Pilsner]

Why isn't an early start to beat the weather an option? Are they worried about upsetting one of the 12 people who had tickets?

[KChiefs1]

Man, I bet they have all of about 1000 people in the stands for this one.

If they do get it in, it's going to be a miserable, lousy day for baseball. The wind chill is nasty, it's damp. Ick. Who's going today, Santana? I'd watch his pitch count and not let him hurt himself in this weather. Let Hoch pitch five or six innings. Who cares if he blows up?

So you just want to phone this one in?

[sedated]

It probably should've been called after the 3rd. Once the 4th was played they should've allowed for the extra 1/2 inning.

I could be wrong, but I think they would need to finish another inning and a half - they have to be DONE with the 5th, but we were only IN the 4th.

[sedated]

If and when they don't finish this game. It'll be a makeup starting over, most likely as a double header in Tampa

Are you sure? How can they take away a home game? Seems that would be a real disadvantage to teams in rainy cities.

[BigCatDaddy]

I could be wrong, but I think they would need to finish another inning and a half - they have to be DONE with the 5th, but we were only IN the 4th.

3 bunts back to the pitcher and call it good.

[Dartgod]

I could be wrong, but I think they would need to finish another inning and a half - they have to be DONE with the 5th, but we were only IN the 4th.

We would bat the bottom of the 4th and if we had the lead after Tampa batted in the top of the 5th, the game would be official. No need for us to bat the bottom of the 5th.

[KChiefs1]

It's going to take a lot before many fans believe in the team and the ownership again, bad weather or not. If the team is still contending by the end of May, I think ticket sales will start to pick up.

I'll be at the Yankee games next weekend.

[SPchief]

I could be wrong, but I think they would need to finish another inning and a half - they have to be DONE with the 5th, but we were only IN the 4th.

The Royals had the lead, they only needed to get thru 3 more outs in the top of the 5th

[SPchief]

Are you sure? How can they take away a home game? Seems that would be a real disadvantage to teams in rainy cities.

Tampa doesn't come back to KC this year. Based on open dates and CBA rules on how many days teams can play in a row, odds are we're gonna be making it up in Tampa. Similar situation in Boston earlier this year. It's why they tried like hell to get the game in today. If they were coming back to KC this year, or this wasn't get away day, this game never would have started.

[Mr. Laz]

I think the only way we play it is if we end up tied at the end of the season for a playoff spot.

[eazyb81]

Sucks to waste an Ervin Santana start on this one.

[WhawhaWhat]

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report
A little hard to believe, but the Kauffman grounds crew is pulling up the stakes on the tarp.

[silver5liter]

They are pulling up the steaks on the tarp!

[WhawhaWhat]

I just got back to work from lunch. There is sleet mixed in with the rain. Play ball.

[chief4life]

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report
A little hard to believe, but the Kauffman grounds crew is pulling up the stakes on the tarp.

Does that mean they are resuming soon?

[siberian khatru]

It hasn't been that long, I wonder if Ervin can pitch the top of the 5th.

[siberian khatru]

They are pulling up the steaks on the tarp!

And baking the potatoes!

[Mr. Laz]

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report
A little hard to believe, but the Kauffman grounds crew is pulling up the stakes on the tarp.

wow

[chief4life]

And baking the potatoes!

Steak and potatoes sounds good right just sayin! :thumb:

[WhawhaWhat]

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report
Tarp pulled back just far enough (for now) to permit grounds crew to apply quick-dry compound to dirt surface on right side of infield.

Joel Goldberg ‏@goldbergkc
Grounds crew pulling tarp but looks like they are just putting Diamond Dry on infield dirt and covering it again

[silver5liter]

And baking the potatoes!

Stakes steaks, hearing either makes me hungry

[siberian khatru]

Stakes steaks, hearing either makes me hungry

:thumb:

[SPchief]

Trying to dry the infield waiting on a small hole to play the last inning

[WhawhaWhat]

Trying to dry the infield waiting on a small hole to play the last inning

Hopefully drying it up enough to get the Rays 1 last AB and then calling it.

[stonedstooge]

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report
A little hard to believe, but the Kauffman grounds crew is pulling up the stakes on the tarp.

Dutton with the error

[BlackHelicopters]

Dutton with the error

Shocked

[SPchief]

Tarp being pulled up on the left side to dry it.

[SPchief]

Infield now "dry" Should be playing here soon

[kstater]

And the tarp goes back down.

[BlackHelicopters]

Infield now "dry" Should be playing here soon

ROFL

[siberian khatru]

Rany just tweeted a link to this:

Editor's Note: Originally published on May 1, 2006, Rany's observations on how to handle rainouts seem particularly trenchant today.


On Saturday night, the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland A's played a baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. The two teams elected to swap roles for the evening: the A's played the role of doormat, as starter Esteban Loaiza was assaulted for five runs in the first inning and was knocked out in the second. The Royals did their best impression of an offensive juggernaut, drawing seven walks against just one strikeout, and scoring six times, four of them on a grand slam from Reggie Sanders. Kerry Robinson, called up from Triple-A that morning, became the first Royal in two years to garner two hits in a single inning. Jeremy Affeldt had his third straight impressive start, allowing a single run and fanning five hitters in three innings of work.

But you can be forgiven for being skeptical that such an event ever took place. You will find no box score listing the above events at ESPN.com. A click on the box score at MLB.com renders a blank page. What actually transpired on Saturday night is destined to become a rumor, a myth, one eventually completely forgotten. Thousands of witnesses notwithstanding, history will tell us that no baseball game was ever played on this date, at this place.

Because, you see, it started to rain.

As predicted well before gametime, the Kansas City skies opened up and pelted the stadium with something fierce. The rains started almost as soon as the game got underway, steadily coming down heavier and heavier until, with two out in the bottom of the third, the umpires pulled everyone off the field. After a two-hour delay, when it became clear that the downpour would continue through most of the night, the game was officially postponed. And everything that had occurred up to that point ceased to exist, became null and void, was given a mulligan.

And I, for one, find this stupid beyond words. The rule that places major league teams in a position of playing a "do-over" like they were six-year-olds on a sandlot might be the single dumbest, most offensive rule in all of professional sports.

(Quick tangent here: the specific details of this game have nothing to do with my outrage. My Royals fandom notwithstanding, I didn't particularly want the Royals to win, and I certainly didn't want the A's to lose. As far as my baseball loyalties lie, I am perfectly happy to see this game struck from the books.)

As the rules of baseball are written-rules which have not changed since the 19th century-no major league game is considered "official" until five innings have played, or four-and-a-half if the home team is winning. It is a rule so fundamental to the game that no one ever gives any thought to how absurd it is.

Because as the rule stands, any game that you attend as a fan has the potential to be meaningless. Until the magical bottom of the fifth inning rolls around, anything that occurs (Felix Hernandez strikes out the first 12 batters in a game, Albert Pujols hits three grand slams in his first three at-bats) does not officially exist. Once-in-a-lifetime events-an unassisted triple play, a pitcher who gets five strikeouts in an inning-are not officially sanctioned as "events" until the game itself is sanctioned as "official."

This isn't a theoretical concern. The story of Roger Maris is fairly well known, that he hit a home run in 1961 (July 17th, at Baltimore) that was rained out of existence with the Yankees up 4-1 in the middle of the fifth. His final tally of 61 would have been 62; more importantly, the grounds for an asterisk (or "distinctive mark") would have been so spurious that even Ford Frick might not have tried to add one to the record books. On June 1st, 1958, Al Kaline homered to lead off the bottom of the second inning, but the game was rained out in the fourth. (Thank you, Retrosheet!) Kaline finished his career with 399 homers; you do the math.

George Brett holds the Royals' franchise record with 317 home runs. I watched on TV as he hit another one in the top of the first off of Ben McDonald in Baltimore on August 5th, 1990. The game was halted in the middle of the first, which is why his record isn't 318 home runs.

Baseball is fairly unique among American team sports in that inclement weather can force games to be delayed or postponed quite commonly. But let's compare baseball to tennis and golf, two sports whose rulebooks are at least as hidebound in tradition as baseball's is. Golfers are not forced to replay an entire round because they were pulled off the course after six holes. When matches are delayed at Wimbledon, they resume from the point at which play was postponed. Yes, sometimes golf tournaments are shortened from four rounds to three on account of heavy rains throughout the tournament, but those decisions are made before anyone has teed off for the fourth time-the results of holes that have been played are sacrosanct.

In baseball, nothing is sacrosanct for the first four innings. On September 6th, 1995, Cal Ripken played in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking Lou Gehrig's record. Desperate for good publicity in the wake of the strike that had just ended five months prior, Major League Baseball pulled out all the stops in celebrating the event, delaying the game for 22 minutes while Ripken took a celebratory lap around the field and shook hands with fans in the stands. When did this celebration occur? In the middle of the fifth inning, when the game became "official."

At least Mother Nature cooperated, and no harm was done to fans who had bought their tickets for that game months in advance. But what about the fans who ponied up the dollars for tickets to the Cubs game on August 8th, 1988-the first night game in the history of Wrigley Field? That game was rained out after 3� innings; the "official" first Wrigley Field night game came the following night. The fans who attended the August 8th game got a rain check and a Screw You sandwich.

Then there is the the utter absurdity of baseball's rules as they apply to a game that is stopped by rain after five innings. According to Rule 4.11 of the Official Rules of Major League Baseball:

If the game is called while an inning is in progress and before it is completed, the game becomes a SUSPENDED game in each of the following situations: (1) The visiting team has scored one or more runs to tie the score and the home team has not scored; (2) The visiting team has scored one or more runs to take the lead and the home team has not tied the score or retaken the lead.

Assuming I have parsed the language of the rule book accurately-it appears to have been written in early-20th-century lawyerese-then there are four possible scenarios that can occur to a game that is stopped with two outs in the top of the seventh:

If the home team is winning, the game is considered complete, and all stats count.
If the visiting team has tied the game or taken the lead in the top of the seventh, then the game is suspended and will be resumed from that point.
If the visiting team was already ahead after six innings, then the game is considered complete, but anything that occurred in the top of the seventh inning is struck from the record.
If the game was tied at the end of six innings, then the game has to be replayed from the beginning, but the game is considered a tie and therefore all the statistics from the game are counted.

This is insane.

This is a rule that was concocted at a time when the rulebook also stipulated that a walk required nine balls, a pitcher had to stay inside a box fifty feet from home plate when he threw the ball, and games on Sunday were both illegal and a crime against God. The other rules have changed; this one has survived.

We haven't even considered the nightmare scenario here, which is a game postponed by rain in the postseason. (There may be a rule which allows for the suspension of games in the playoffs, but if there is, I can't find it.) While (to the best of my knowledge) no team has ever had an easy victory taken away from them in the playoffs by Mother Nature, there have been a number of close calls. As Rob Neyer discusses in his excellent new book, the deciding game of the 1925 World Series was played in weather that can only be described as unplayable, in large part because Commissioner Landis had already taken heat after Game Two of the 1922 World Series had ended in a tie because of "darkness" 45 minutes before sunset. After Game Six of the 1986 World Series-you might recall there was a bit of drama in that series-rain postponed Game Seven by a day. And while it may be in poor taste to point out, what if the Bay Area earthquake had hit an hour or two later, with the Giants well on their way to winning their first game of the Series in the fourth inning?

I can't be the only one to envision a scenario that has the Cubs beating the Cardinals 10-0 in Game Seven of the NLCS, when Wrigley Field is suddenly deluged with a rainstorm in the fourth inning, and the game is called off. If you think Cubs fans treated Steve Bartman cruelly�they'll probably drag weatherman Tom Skilling out of his house and toss him into a vat of boiling oil.

The solution here is so obvious that it's almost not worth describing. All games that are postponed will be considered "suspended games," and will be resumed from the exact point that the game was stopped. If the score is 14-0 in the top of the ninth, or if the game is scoreless in the bottom of the first, the game needs to be completed.

It would eliminate shenanigans like a team winning in the top of the fifth purposely making outs to get to the bottom of the inning before the rains came, or a team that's losing in the bottom of the fifth taking their sweet time between pitches while the rains come down.

The solution is so obvious that it already exists-at the minor league level. From Rule 4.11:

National Association Leagues may also adopt the following rules for suspended games in addition to 4.11 (d) (1) & (2) above�: (3) The game has not become a regulation game (4 1/2 innings with the home team ahead, or 5 innings with the visiting club ahead or tied). (4) Any regulation game tied at the point play is stopped because of weather, curfew or other reason.

In other words, for National Assocation (i.e. minor league) teams, games which are tied, or games which are not "regulation" because they haven't finished five innings, are allowed to be "suspended" and continued from the point of stoppage at the earliest convenient moment.

So why haven't major league teams caught on? Simple: money. By allowing games to be considered complete as early as the fifth inning, major league teams don't have to accommodate fans who bought tickets to a game they were unable to see to its completion.

Aside from being an exercise in selfishness, the unintended consequences of this decision are such that it may create as many problems as it solves. Because of the pressure to complete a game in one setting, umpires frequently will have the fans (and players) sit through hours upon hours of rain delays in the hopes of getting in enough innings for the game to count. Games that have to be replayed in their entirety require complete, 18-inning doubleheaders at a future date, which will either cost a team a coveted home gate, or lead to the dreaded day/night doubleheader.

Bud Selig likes to think of himself as "The People's Commissioner," bringing innovations to the game that the fans are clamoring for, or at least innovations that he thinks they're clamoring for: the wild card, three divisions, three rounds of playoffs, interleague play. How about fixing something that's actually broken, Bud? How about fixing a rule that is actively hostile to the fans? How about fixing a rule that one October day may well become the center of the biggest controversy in sports?

As it is, on the Royals' pre-game show Saturday, the announcers discussed the weather situation for several minutes, pointing out that the huge blip on the radar that was headed for the stadium, and they made the point that the teams would be lucky to get five innings in. In other words, the game started without any expectation from anyone that it would actually count. That is psychotic.

So the next time you go to a game, try not to dwell on the fact that everything you're watching on the field is just an illusion. At least until the fifth inning.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5026

[alnorth]

I could be wrong, but I think they would need to finish another inning and a half - they have to be DONE with the 5th, but we were only IN the 4th.

If the home team is leading, you only need 4.5 innings. It makes sense intuitively too, if the away team got their 5 chances, then who cares if they got beat by 1 run or a bunch of runs, either way they lost.

If the away team is leading, you need to go the full 5.

[gblowfish]

I had Baked Potato Soup for lunch while I watched it sleet.

[alnorth]

Obscure rule time: If a game only goes 5 innings, then the starting pitcher only needs to pitch 4 innings to qualify for a win. So if they get the game in, Ervin Santana is still eligible for the win unless they play more than 5 innings.

[Demonpenz]

I remember the Reggie Sanders homerun it got planted in the grass.

[SPchief]

That should do it, stakes being put in the ground to keep the tarp down

[-King-]

They could have got 6 outs in on that field.
Posted via Mobile Device

[KCUnited]

Freezing rain here in KCMO.

[alnorth]

The rain delay started 2:19 pm. This has the potential to break some rain delay records since its an afternoon game, there's no good reschedule date, they only need 1 more inning, and there's some reason to believe it could get better later this afternoon or evening. There's at least one instance where umpires allowed a delay to run past 5 hours.

1990 - TEX @ CWS 7 hours, 23 minutes (delay controlled by Chicago)

1999 - CIN @ MIL 5 hours, 47 minutes (delay controlled by the umpires)

2009 - WSH @ NYY 5 hours, 26 minutes (delay controlled by NY Yankees)

[siberian khatru]

They could have got 6 outs in on that field.
Posted via Mobile Device

Effin' ay.

Maddon must've slipped the umps free passes to the Mons Venus.

[alnorth]

They could have got 6 outs in on that field.
Posted via Mobile Device

can't restart the game when its still raining. They barely got away with starting the game, because it was sprinkling at 1:10pm.

[alnorth]

If I'm looking at the same window that the Royals are looking at, its gonna take a few hours to get there, assuming it doesn't close.

edit: looks like I am.

Bob Dutton ‏@Royals_Report 3m Hearing there might be a small window…might…around 7 p.m. No idea on whether the umps are willing to wait that long.

[GoHuge]

can't restart the game when its still raining. They barely got away with starting the game, because it was sprinkling at 1:10pm.
Ok well it is now snowing where I am in E KCK which is less than 10 miles from the stadium. Don't see that being an issue with field conditions for at least a couple hours....start this bitch back up!