The tune of “Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head” must have been going through Cole Hamels mind in the top of the sixth inning of game five of the World Series on Monday night.
With the rain beating down and puddles filling up all over the in field, Hamels and the other Phillies had to be wondering why they were still on the field. Why wouldn’t the officials call it? Were they trying to give the Rays a chance to tie it up, so they wouldn’t have a World Series game shortened by rain?
The rain had been coming down since the start of the game and it just kept increasing in volume as the innings passed. If it were a regular-season game, would it have been called after the fifth inning ended? Would it have been called even sooner?
If the game had been called after five innings, it would have been an official game and the Phillies would be the first team in baseball history to win a rain-shortened game in the World Series. The umpires must have known that fact. Did they want that to be hanging over their heads the rest of their lives?
We can only speculate as to what went through the minds of the umpires of the World Series. Their horrible calls in the first four games of the Series has already been much publicized. If the championship was won on a rainout, they would certainly have looked even worse.
This World Series would have gone down as one decided by the umpires. As it stands, however, the Rays are still alive and have a chance to save their season on Tuesday.
I am not a fan of the Rays or the Phillies. At the start of the Series, I was pulling for the Rays to win, but a big part of me wants the Phillies to close it out on Tuesday. I feel like they earned the win and it would be a shame to see it slip away because of some rain.
Keywords: Game Five, MLB, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, World Series
