Rays Second Chance at Redemption

If starting the game was a mistake, the next question is卍id Selig stop it at the right time in the middle of the sixth? Depends who you ask. Philly hates it, while the Rays were probably partying down the hall!

Never has a team, down 3 games to 1, and facing elimination in the other guy抯 house, felt so good. Bud Selig personally went out there and hooked Cole Hamels for the Rays. Short of it snowing for the next week, that抯 probably the last the R$ays are going to see of him.

When Philly touched Scott Kazmir up for two runs in the first, you抮e looking at a boat race and Phillies officials are getting the riot police, dogs and horses ready卋ecause that series is over. No way, the Rays are coming back on Cole Hamels at home. Instead, the rain kicks in, acting as the great equalizer, affecting Hamels andthe guys behind him. And suddenly he抯 not 揝andy Koufax?

Next thing you know, normally sure-handed Jimmy Rollins 搆icks?a groundballin the sixth hit by B. J. Upton, who comes around to score on a 搆nock?that Pat Burrell couldn抰 charge, and Bud Selig is 揵ailed out? 揃ailed out?because he let them play long enough for the Rays to tie the score and didn抰 have to change the rules of the sport on the fly! Making this game official after 5卆nd handing the Phillies the World Series would have made the 2002 All-Star Game ending in a tie a career highlight for the Commissioner?by comparison.

Still, this is bad and it could get worse before it gets better. Either way, I抎 have the SWAT teams, dogs and horses standing by, because if Philly does come back and finish, they抮e going to need them! But if the Rays rally, send it back to Tampa and the Phillies finish the 揷hoke攨they抣l have to call in the National Guard and declare 揗arshal Law?

~ by Tony on October 29, 2008.