Yankees/Devil Rays doubleheader held up by Frances

[ThePresence]

The start of Monday's doubleheader between the New York Yankees and Devil Rays was delayed because Tampa Bay was delayed leaving Florida due to Hurricane Frances.

The Devil Rays, whose Saturday and Sunday home games against Detroit were postponed by the hurricane, reported to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg at 8 a.m. They departed by bus for Tampa International Airport at 1:05 p.m. and were on the plane, scheduled to take off about 2:40 p.m., said Devil Rays spokesman Rick Vaughn, who was traveling with the team.

The Devil Rays were due to land at LaGuardia Airport between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m., according to Katy Feeney, a vice president in the commissioner's office. A police escort to Yankee Stadium was being arranged, Feeney said.

Sandy Alderson, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office, said commissioner Bud Selig was reviewing the situation with other baseball officials and no decision had been made on how to proceed.

"It's an unfortunate set of circumstances," he said.

Monday's doubleheader originally was scheduled to start at 1 p.m., then was pushed back two hours on Sunday.

"We had planned on being here all day anyway," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said. "I don't see how we could play two games today now."

The Yankees had urged the Devil Rays to leave Florida on Friday night or Saturday, before the storm caused airports to close.

The Yankee Stadium gates opened at 11 a.m., and about 1,000 fans were in the stands on the sunny afternoon when an announcement was made at 12:45 p.m. that the doubleheader would not start on time. Fans were told more information would be available about 2 p.m.

Ray Zincone, a 29-year-old from West Warwick, R.I., drove down to New York on Monday morning with his wife, Sheila, and 7-year-old son, Raymond.

"I would like to stay if there's a chance to play," he said.

The Yankees reported to Yankee Stadium at noon for the doubleheader.

"Let's get a grill," Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina said. "Hot dogs and burgers on the field."

 

[raystorm]

What I really want to know is if Kazmir will pitch against the Yanks. I smell a ratings bonanza due to all my fellow Mets fan who will watch and weep. (ESPECIALLY if he does well..ugh)

 

[brunswickite]

one of the games is canceled, they will onyl play one game at 7pm

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: brunswickite
one of the games is canceled, they will onyl play one game at 7pm

When do they make up the other game?

 

[raystorm]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: brunswickite
one of the games is canceled, they will onyl play one game at 7pm

When do they make up the other game?

Well.. with the double header they play 5 games in 4 days. So now they can just pick any of the other days to make up today's early game postponement.

.... in the meantime.. this gives my fellow mets fans time to somehow sneak into the Devil Rays clubhouse and get back Kamzir and dump Zambroken there. mmmm.....

 

[badmouse]

There's no mention on yankees.com of when they're making the other game up. Maybe this is one of those "won't play unless it affects the standings" games?

Now, for tonight's challenge of drinking a double-header's worth of beer in one game.

edit: The police escort is to get them through holiday traffic to the stadium on time.

 

[raystorm]

Considering that the Yanks are only 2.5 games in front of the BoSox I think every game matters. I'm sure they'll just pick a day like Thursday or something and make it up then. That extra game will probably be a "backup player" fest just to get it over with.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: raystorm
Considering that the Yanks are only 2.5 games in front of the BoSox I think every game matters. I'm sure they'll just pick a day like Thursday or something and make it up then. That extra game will probably be a "backup player" fest just to get it over with.

I agree. Since this game is against the Rays, I definitely want the Yankees to play it NOW.

 

[badmouse]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: raystorm
Considering that the Yanks are only 2.5 games in front of the BoSox I think every game matters. I'm sure they'll just pick a day like Thursday or something and make it up then. That extra game will probably be a "backup player" fest just to get it over with.

I agree. Since this game is against the Rays, I definitely want the Yankees to play it NOW.

I was kidding about not making it up - I apologize for my lame attempt at humor. From MLB.com, as of now,

A decision on the status of the second game had not been made.

 

[jaydee]

Game will probably be made up at the end of the season if necessary.

 

[RabidMongoose]

The Yankees are asking for a forfeit to be declared.

 

[jaydee]

It was pretty short-sighted not to leave early when the weekend games were already postponed, but... I don't find short-sightedness as reason for forfeiture...

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: jaydee
It was pretty short-sighted not to leave early when the weekend games were already postponed, but... I don't find short-sightedness as reason for forfeiture...

They say they wanted to be with their families during the storm... I can certainly understand that.

 

[wkabel23]

Yankkes lack class.

:thumbsdown:

 

[jaydee]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: jaydee
It was pretty short-sighted not to leave early when the weekend games were already postponed, but... I don't find short-sightedness as reason for forfeiture...

They say they wanted to be with their families during the storm... I can certainly understand that.

They were on a roadtrip in Texas and Boston during Charlie seemingly without a problem wanting to be with their families during that storm. I dunno, personal well-being is virtually never an issue for people prepared for a hurricane with the means to protect themselves (which with millionaire husbands/fathers, that shouldn't be the case), so I really don't know what the issue is there. Plus the families can always go with the players in the first place...


So I still think it's a short-sighted decision not to leave early; however, like I said, I don't find it to be grounds for forfeiture either, so I don't why we're arguing in the first place

 

[Soccer55]

From what I understand from the interview I saw with Randy Levine (Yankees President) the forfeit issue boils down to this: If the Devil Rays were told by MLB to leave early to get to NY before Frances hit so that they could make the doubleheader, then the Yankees are entitled to a forfeit. If MLB simply advised the Devil Rays to leave early, then the game would be rescheduled. The Yankees are simply asking for an investigation as to the communication between MLB, the Devil Rays, and the Yankees and for an appropriate resolution to the situation. My guess as to what is going to happen is this: The game will be rescheduled as a doubleheader on Wednesday or Thursday OR for the day after the regular season ends. Since October 4th is the day before the divisional series begins, it will be interesting to see what happens if this is the day that is chosen for the game. It would be nice if the Devil Rays and MLB would agree to let the game be a forfeit if it would not affect the division or wild card standings so that the Yankees would have a day off (like every other team) before the divisional series starts (assuming they hang on to their lead).

-Tom

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
The Yankees are asking for a forfeit to be declared.

a forfeit? With the way the Yanks have been playing I can see why they would be begging for one

 

[MrDingleDangle]

that is really annoying by the yankees...

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle
that is really annoying by the yankees...

It's annoying by the Rays. They were asked to leave before the storm, they didn't. The Yankees promoted this doubleheader for a long time. They would much rather play the rays now than at the end of the season when it may not matter. They don't want this game to be against a different (tougher) team. They Yankees are justified in their claim. Try to see both sides of the issue.

 

[MrDingleDangle]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle
that is really annoying by the yankees...

It's annoying by the Rays. They were asked to leave before the storm, they didn't. The Yankees promoted this doubleheader for a long time. They would much rather play the rays now than at the end of the season when it may not matter. They don't want this game to be against a different (tougher) team. They Yankees are justified in their claim. Try to see both sides of the issue.

because they wanted to be with their families during the hurricane...

life is a little more important than a baseball game

 

[ThePresence]

Bump for the clueless Sox fans. :|

 

[RabidMongoose]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle
that is really annoying by the yankees...

It's annoying by the Rays. They were asked to leave before the storm, they didn't. The Yankees promoted this doubleheader for a long time. They would much rather play the rays now than at the end of the season when it may not matter. They don't want this game to be against a different (tougher) team. They Yankees are justified in their claim. Try to see both sides of the issue.

Well I can't blame the Yankees too much for trying to get a forfeit because of the position they are in. I think it's pretty 'rude' or classless, but they should do whatever they can to ensure they get into the playoffs. Play all of your options.

 

[mpitts]

The Yankees can ask for whatever they want. That doesn't mean they are going to get it.

The fact is that MLB isn't going to hand them a win because Tampa Bay as an organization decided it was more important that players/coaches be with their families than play an early game in New York.

It happens. If the game needs to be made up, it will be. The Yankees are just feeling the heat of a surging Red Sox team and are not exactly playing well themselves. They will take any free wins they can get at this point.

 

[ThePresence]

NEW YORK -- After waiting much of the day on Monday for word on the pending arrival of the Devil Rays, the Yankees wanted the Commissioner's office to look into the possibility of awarding them with a forfeit win after the first game of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed.
However, it appears as though Commissioner Bud Selig has no intention of awarding a forfeit to the Yankees.

In a statement released by the league, Selig said, "I appreciate the cooperation of the New York Yankees and their fans throughout these delays. This has been an extraordinarily difficult time for Florida, as Hurricane Frances stalled off the coast and played havoc with everyone's lives in that state for the entire weekend. Given the stage of the season we are in, and the exciting pennant races, it is critical that we do everything to decide the championship on the field, being fair to all teams involved."

Detroit left town after its series against Tampa Bay was postponed, but the Devil Rays remained in Tampa, concerned with the well-being of their families and homes. However, the Rays said that they would arrive in New York for Monday's doubleheader, though the Yankees were asked on Sunday to push the start time back from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET.

Tampa Bay tried to leave for New York on Monday morning, but the storm had caused the closure of local airports, as well as several roads which could have let them fly out of Sarasota or Orlando. The team eventually left for New York shortly before 3 p.m. ET, and it was determined that the two clubs would play a single game, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

Yankees team president Randy Levine said on Monday afternoon that while he and his club are sensitive to the events taking place in Florida, the organization feels as though it should be awarded a forfeit victory for the game that was erased due to Tampa Bay's decision not to leave until Monday.

"Everybody in the Yankees organization is extraordinarily sensitive to everything going on in Florida with Hurricane Frances," Levine said. "We're very sensitive to everybody who is affected there, and we wish everybody Godspeed there, and we hope people get through it with as little pain and loss as possible.

"The issue as to the delay is a separate one," Levine added. "There were plenty of opportunities to get out of Tampa on Saturday. We had been advised that they told the Commissioner's office that they were trying to get up here, but that was not the case.

"We were here, ready to play. The Devil Rays weren't. If, in fact, they didn't want to come here, they should have said it last week, but they didn't tell the Commissioner's office that. They told the Commissioner's office that they were trying to get here when they weren't. The rules say that if your team is here and ready to play, and the other team isn't here and ready to play, there should be a forfeit."

Major League Baseball Rule 4.15 states that a forfeit can be awarded if a team "fails to appear upon the field, or being upon the field, refuses to start play within five minutes after the umpire has called "Play" at the appointed hour for beginning the game, unless such delayed appearance is, in the umpire's judgment, unavoidable."

What New York claims is that the Devil Rays' absence was avoidable because they could have departed Florida on Friday or Saturday.

"I'm sure they made every effort starting at 9 this morning to get out, but getting out today wasn't the question," said general manager Brian Cashman. "It was whether they should have gotten out earlier than today. We're not telling you they should have; the Commissioner's office is telling us they should have. The Commissioner's office is telling us they directed them to do that."

MLB president Bob DuPuy, who was on hand at Yankee Stadium for Monday night's game, said that while the Commissioner's office suggested that the Devil Rays leave Florida on Friday or Saturday, the team informed them that it was unable to secure a charter.

But Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar said that as far as his club was concerned, leaving before Sunday was never an option.

"It was never a thought to us to look into flying out on Saturday morning," LaMar said. "That was never a choice of ours. We had already made the decision and told our players before Friday night's game specifically that we were going to stay with our families through the storm. ... We really, truly believed we would get here Sunday night or early Monday."

DuPuy indicated that a forfeit was not in the plans, and that Selig has stated his desire to see the game made up at a later date.

"It is the Commissioner's intention to reschedule the game that was lost today," DuPuy said. "He believes it is critical to play all the games on the field and does not believe in forfeiting games."

Both Cashman and Levine pointed to last Sept. 18, when the Yankees were forced to play a game in Baltimore while Hurricane Isabel threatened the Mid-Atlantic region. That game, which was called a 1-1 tie after five innings due to the weather, was eventually made up the following week.

"The rule is the rule and it should be applied," Levine said. "You could imagine what would have happened if we had pulled out of Baltimore last year. There has to be consistency, and there's no excuse for this happening. We're all very sensitive to the hurricane. All Tampa had to say to the Commissioner's office is, 'It's not doable,' and we could have made other arrangements starting last Friday."

"The Yankees have done everything in their power to be accommodating in every way possible," Levine said. "We believe the game should be forfeited and there are no plans to reschedule any games until this issue is worked out."

Cashman said that the Yankees have put in a formal request with the Commissioner's office to have the lost game played at the end of the season, likely on Oct. 4.

"Ultimately, all we've asked for is for the second game to be moved to the end of the season," Cashman said. "If they determine that the directives from Major League Baseball were not followed, then that game should be considered a forfeit. If their directives were followed and they couldn't get out, then we play the game, if necessary, at the end of the year."

"They clearly know our position, and they have not made any final determinations," Levine said. "The Commissioner has said that he wants the games determined on the field, so my guess is that he will not grant a forfeit. We say he should do an investigation before he makes that decision, because it's only fair and right."

 

[mpitts]

Asking a team as bad as the Devil Rays to forfeit a game sounds pretty desperate.

The game will be made up if it is necessary. Talking about anything else is just a huge waste of time