Why don't they play ball in the rain?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Yeah, I know why they don't play, but I feel like playing devil's advocate. I totally understand stopping play for lightning and what not, but really, why can't you play baseball in the rain? I played in high school and hated it when rain stopped games. I understand that it changes the way the game is played, but you can say the same for every sport that keeps playing under heavy precipitation. It affects the pitchers' technique, yes, but do you think a QB has fun throwing passes 30 yards down the field in a downpour? It's also a safety risk with the running, but again, you can say the same thing in the NFL.

 

Maybe I'm "OldSchool," but I always found most rain delays/postponements to be sissy in their nature.

 

Oh, and since the Cards game is in the bottom of the 5th, that game would be scrapped if they can't continue tonight, correct?

[nate82]

Well the sand or dirt whatever you want to call it isn't on a football field it is all grass and is very easy to play on grass. Not to mention no football players are carrying around a bat and are swing it at the football. The bat would become a very lethal weapon if it comes slipping out of the batters hand not only to the fans but to the other players. Plus once the dirt playing field starts to get wet it is nearly impossible to run.

 

In football you have grass that protects you from some of the mud that would clog up your cleats. You can also get your cleats cleaned in between offensive and defensive switches. Imagine a pitcher/catcher having to get their cleats cleaned after almost every batter. Instead of a 3 hour long game you now have a 4 to 6 hour long game. Not to mention if there are also base runners on. I just don't see how it could be feasible playing baseball in the rain.

 

To many things that you have to account for especially with the pitcher and the batter. A slippery baseball is more dangerous than a slippery football. Do you really want to be sitting in the batters box with a pitcher who is going to be throwing 90 + mph pitches with very limited control? Do you really want to be sitting behind homeplate as a catcher or an umpire with something like that? It is just not feasible to do it.

[RU Rah Rah]

Do you really want to be sitting in the batters box with a pitcher who is going to be throwing 90 + mph pitches with very limited control?

That's it, in a nutshell.

 

[lcbj68c]

OldSchoolSnapper wrote:

Oh, and since the Cards game is in the bottom of the 5th, that game would be scrapped if they can't continue tonight, correct?

No, the game is called. Marlins win 4-3. The home team is ahead after 4 1/2 innings.

[jeffy]

I think the biggest problem is for the pitcher, they would be at much bigger risk of injury when the mound turns into mud.

 

I do think the official game rules are goofy though. 5 innings stopped by rain is a game, but back when there were no lights (Wrigley) games that were stopped due to darkness had to be completed no matter how many innings had already been played.

 

If they play only 4 before it rains, then those innings are just wiped out and they start over with a new game. If there is a tie game stopped due to rain after 5 innings, I think they have to finish it another time. It would seem fairer to wipe out the tie, since it was tied anyway no one would lose out. If one team is up 10-0 after 4 innings it seems pretty unfair to erase that because it rains.

[RightFieldCoder]

If a football slips while the quarterback is throwing it and it misses it's mark by two feet, there is no increase in the chance of injury.

 

I believe they did away with erasing a game before 5 innings. IIRC, they changed the rule last year so that if a game is PPD before the 5th inning, the game is picked up where it left off.

[jeffy]

Now that you mentioned it, I do seem to recall hearing about some change to that rule. But, 4.10(e) still says: If a game is called before it has become a regulation game, the umpire shall declare it "No Game."

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/start_end_4.jsp

 

Aha, I found the answer, apparently it used to be a tie game was just wiped out no matter how many innings...now if they have gone at least 5 it is a suspended game. So it appears that less than 5 is still not a game if it rains.

 

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/fla/y2007/m04/d10/c1890813.jsp

[sgtcluels]

Baseball players are all witches. Haven't you seen the Wizard of Oz?

[joepepsi]

It has to be because of the injury risk to the pitcher, but also there is a lot more catching and throwing in baseball. The ball would be slippery for every player who touches it. Every player would run the risk of a hammy pull with each throw.

 

If it's a downpour or snowstorm in football you can get along fine running the ball and limiting the passing. Plus football is a stupid sport where most of the players are interchangeable, so who cares what happens! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[jeffy]

you can say the same for every sport that keeps playing under heavy precipitation.

 

BTW, what sports besdes football keep going regardless of weather, anyway? I mean, I know hockey and basketball do, but then so does baseball when there is a roof http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif.

 

 

[istanbultaye]

I think the biggest problem (and this is from experience playing only amateur slowpitch softball), is that it is darn near impossible for fielders to see the ball when it's raining. Obviously, pro ball has lights, but that might not make a whole lot of difference. After all, us wisconsinites know not to switch to high beams in a downpour or blizzard, because all you'll do is wreck your vision with all the reflected light.

[kuffdaddy]

"BTW, what sports besdes football keep going regardless of weather, anyway?"

 

Soccer plays in all conditions, even with standing water, provided lightning is not within a few miles.