Rain Delay Theater

Tonight's game isn't going to start on time. The optimistic look is a start time between 7:00pm and 7:30pm CDT. I'm not that optimistic about the start time, but i am positive there will be a game tonight.

At least they are going to run Baseball Bugs on the video board here.

If you are interested, someone at U.S.S. Mariner did a deconstruction of Baseball Bugs that has to be read to be believed. (Hat tip: Deadspin.com)

A taste:

In a tense confrontation at home, we see the Gorillas replace the umpire by force with one of their own so that they can call Bunny out at home in the next play. Bunny, to his credit, then manages to argue the fake umpire into reversing his own call. It is a rare application of mental acuity and misdirection in debate that persuaded the umpire to change the call – against the interests of his own team – and allow Bunny to score again.

For those that say that arguing with umpires is guaranteed not to help and is frequently harmful, this will stand as a powerful counter-example. If a player impersonating an ump can be turned to reverse a call in those circumstances, what chance does a neutral
arbitrator have against a similarly golden-tongued player?

We can only hope that a real umpire, faced with the same kind of oratory jujitsu, would have the presence of mind to focus on the events and continue to make the right call.

Man, I love that cartoon.

Remember when the Cubs games on WGN-TV were in a rain delay and they ran old World Series or All-Star Game Highlight Films?

This one still makes me cringe. The 1970 All-Star Game that ended when Pete Rose ran over Ray Fosse. The highlight is at the link. The AP picture -- from mlb.com -- is below.



In a game with players like Henry Aaron, Frank Howard, Boog Powell, Frank Robinson, Tony Perez, and Carl Yastrezmski, who hit the only homer of that game?

Dick Dietz