Rain drops keeping falling on my head...Yanks-Sox finale:

[MaineDolFan]

Anyone dying to see this weekend's season ending finale between the Sox and Yanks in Fenway better make other plans.  It ain't gonna happen.

And being the smart guy that I am, I signed up to cover this freakin' series.  Perfect.

Which begs the question - the baseball season is supposed to be 162 games.  81 road and 81 home.  If the series is rained out it will be cancelled as there are no playoff implications.  Some teams, like Florida and Washington, have had games cancelled as well.

No other sport would allow games to go un-played.  Does MLB start the playoffs too soon after the end of the regular season?  Should all 162 games be played, no matter what circumstances? 

What say you?

[raptorsfan29]

162 games should be played regardless. i think the jays have only had one game in their history that has been rained out and was never played.

[Brian Fein]

I aksed the same question myself.  When I saw the Marlins got rained out last night, I saw it said "Cancelled" rather than "Postponed."  I figured it was because there were no playoff implications.

Now, that said, no other sports cancels games for weather.  Football plays in the rain, or reschedules the game.  Basketball and Hockey are played indoors.

I think its shitty to allow games to go unplayed just cause teams are out of the playoffs.  What about fans who have tickets to those games?  What about end-of-the-year records?  Do you think that if Papelbon was one save away form the Major League single season record, that they'd cancel a 3-game set just cause Boston is locked in?  Seems like BS to me.  Just cause the Marlins are out of the playoffs doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to enjoy the 4th-to-last game of the season.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I feel bad for the fans, but I don't think the Red Sox should suffer and be forced to play 3 meaningless games just to fulfill a commitment. If Boston had to play 3 games against NY, even using backups, it would put them at a disadvantage in the playoffs.

What will be interesting is that Detroit owes a game against the White Sox, and if the AL Central is still within .5 game, it will have to be played. The Tigers seemed to have already packed the season in, but it should still be fun to watch.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

The question is, does it have playoff implications or not?  Can the Sox still catch the Rays?  If not, I would cancel the series and allow the fans to either get their money back or put it towards playoff game tickets. 

[MaineDolFan]

^Doesn't matter, both teams are in the playoffs.  Tampa loses it's next three and Boston's next three are rained out, season is over.  Tampa wins the division.

[Brian Fein]

Then, once a team locks up a division, why notr just take the rest of the season off?

[EDGECRUSHER]

Then, once a team locks up a division, why notr just take the rest of the season off?

It's not that we're saying to cancel these 3 games, we are saying to not make the Red Sox season go 3 days later than everyone else's, just to play meaningless games. On top of that, it would delay the start of the playoffs and everything.

If they mattered, tough break for Boston, but they don't and they should not be made up if they are rained out.

Oh shit, Mussina has a chance for 20 wins. Nevermind, THE GAMES MUST BE PLAYED! IT'S A TRAVESTY IF THEY AREN'T~ 

[SportsChick]

The Rays need to win 1 to clinch with 3 to go... they lose out and Sox win out, Sox win the division if I'm not mistaken....

[simeon]

I aksed the same question myself.  When I saw the Marlins got rained out last night, I saw it said "Cancelled" rather than "Postponed."  I figured it was because there were no playoff implications.

Now, that said, no other sports cancels games for weather.  Football plays in the rain, or reschedules the game.  Basketball and Hockey are played indoors.

I think its shitty to allow games to go unplayed just cause teams are out of the playoffs.  What about fans who have tickets to those games?  What about end-of-the-year records?  Do you think that if Papelbon was one save away form the Major League single season record, that they'd cancel a 3-game set just cause Boston is locked in?  Seems like BS to me.  Just cause the Marlins are out of the playoffs doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to enjoy the 4th-to-last game of the season.

At first I didn't think it was a big deal to cancel games that had no meaning, but Brian is on the mark on this one.
Fans bought tickets to the games, I know they may issue refunds but what if you have hotel reservations or plane tickets to fly in for the game.
Why should the fans be punished because the game has no implications. What about tv revenues, merchandise and vendor sales, don't the people at the park lose paychecks ? I say let them play out the games even if the playoffs are going on at the same time. If I was a season's ticket holder I would be pretty upset.

[Tenshot13]

The Rays need to win 1 to clinch with 3 to go... they lose out and Sox win out, Sox win the division if I'm not mistaken....

Yep...Sox lost last night though...Rays win the division.

[pintofguinness14]

Hypothetical: If the Yanks were scheduled to close at their season at home this year and the same weather problem existed, would MLB have canceled the last series at Yankee stadium because the games had no playoff implications?

[MaineDolFan]

The regular season, no matter what, has to be over by Monday without exception.  So to answer your question above, unless the series against the Sox carried playoff implications a rainout finale series at Yankee Stadium would have been cancelled and not made up.