NEW YORK -- Somehow, it seemed appropriate. We had four rainouts at Wrigley Field this year and at least 11 other games affected by rain in some way, whether delayed or played through extremely sloppy conditions. The Yankees had it even worse, having seven rainouts; most of the northeast and midwest are headed for the wettest calendar years on record.
So rain causing a suspended game for Game 1 of the playoffs at Yankee Stadium? Should have been expected, I suppose. Here's an article I wrote for Baseball Nation on my experience Friday night.
The Rays and Rangers had no such bad luck in Texas; it was brilliantly sunny, though shadows crossed the plate there Friday for a late-afternoon 4 p.m. CT start. It didn't affect Rays hitters, who pounded Rangers pitching. Meanwhile, rookie Matt Moore, who had made exactly one major league start before Friday, baffled Rangers hitters for seven innings in the 9-0 Tampa Bay win. Moore, incidentally, will be eligible for the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2012. Based on that start, he should enter the year as the favorite to win it.
The two NL division series get under way today. At least we know one of them -- in Milwaukee's domed Miller Park -- won't be affected by weather.
1 pm CDT for Diamondbacks/Brewers. Victor Rojas (play-by-play), Joe Simpson (analyst) will call the action with Sam Ryan as a reporter.
4 pm CDT for Cardinals/Phillies. Dick Stockton (play-by-play) will call the game alongside Bob Brenly (analyst) with Craig Sager as a reporter. Well, at least this game will have one good commentator.
7 pm CDT for Rangers/Rays. Don Orsillo (play-by-play) and Buck Martinez (analyst) will call the action with Jaime Maggio as a reporter. This game is on TNT.
7:30 pm CDT for Yankees/Tigers resumption of Game 1. Brian Anderson (play-by-play) will call the game alongside Ron Darling (analyst) and John Smoltz (analyst) with Tom Verducci as a reporter.
MLB.com Gameday for Diamondbacks/Brewers
MLB.com Gameday for Cardinals/Phillies
MLB.com Gameday for Yankees/Tigers (Rescheduled Game 1)
MLB.com Gameday for Rangers/Rays
Baseball-reference.com game preview for Diamondbacks/Brewers
Baseball-reference.com game preview for Cardinals/Phillies
Baseball-reference.com game preview for Rangers/Rays
Baseball-reference.com game preview for Tigers/Yankees
SB Nation game preview for Diamondbacks/Brewers
SB Nation game preview for Cardinals/Phillies
SB Nation game preview for Yankees/Tigers resumption of Game 1
SB Nation game preview for Rangers/Rays
This is the only thread I'm posting for today's games. If you need overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.