Thoughts on Game 4 Rain

I wrote the following before game 4. There are no great predictions in the piece, but I couldn't post it because I was afraid if I did, my scenario wouldn't play out. I'm not stable. Three rounds of playoff baseball is officially too much. I want morphine. Anyway, I wrote the following:

I’m talking myself into wishing for a rainout in game 4. In a perfect world, we play tonight, and it rains Thursday, forcing Game 5 to Friday. Here’s why:

If we were to lose game 4, we could pitch Weaver on regular rest in Game 5. Then if we won that game, Reyes could go in Game 6, with an extra days rest in a cavernous ballpark, with Carpenter on regular rest in game 7. If Weaver loses game 5, we can counter with Carepenter and Suppan, our best, albeit on short rest, in their last starts of the year.

But the real reason I’m hoping for rain is because of what would/could play out if we won game 4. Forget the obvious, that being up 3-1 in a series is a good thing. We’d be up 3-1, with Weaver pitching on regular rest at home, where he’s won four of his last five starts, with the one loss being his best pitching performance of the lot.

If Weaver lost that game, Reyes could go game 6 with Carpenter on regular rest for game 7.

But the really fun question to ponder belongs not to Tony, but to Jim. Leyland.

Mr. Leyland, you’re facing elimination in the World Series, you have two options to start game 5, a rookie who has thrown more innings this year than at any point in his career and who got rocked in game 1; or a 41 year-old veteran with a 23 inning scoreless streak and who is left-handed and would be throwing against a lineup that can’t hit any lefty including Darren Oliver. Who do you start?

What’s that, you’re going with Verlander? Does it have anything to do with Rogers palm?

Of course it doesn’t have anything to do with the Palm. It would have EVERYTHING to do with the Palm.

Oh the prospect of watching the Cards in a game where they could wrap up the WS, against Rogers. It’s too much to hope for.