MLB '09

[Ghoulish Delight]

It almost happened in that 3/4 of the circumstances were there.

[Alex]

Let's see. Rangers and Rays have a tie game halfway through the ninth (though ninth isn't necessary). Bob The Pitcher pitches the top half for the Rangers. Game suspended due to rain, it was a Sunday game in May and the teams won't again play until August.

In the interrim, Bob the Pitcher gets traded to the Rays and in August the game resumes. The Rays put in Bob the Pitcher and he immediately gives up a 2 run homer.

Bob the Pitcher gets the loss for the Rays (and a blown save) and the win for the Rangers.

Do I win a cookie?

Resumed games allow all sorts of oddities (I have no idea if this is route to GD's almost, I haven't read any sports news from yesterday) such as the fact that some sources list Barry Bonds Major League debut several months before the first day he actually plays since his first appearances was in the late summer resumption of a game started early in the season.

So I assume the first three of the following (if my scenario was the right one) happened yesterday but the pitcher didn't lose the game?

Suspended game
Pitcher traded from Team A to Team B
Pitcher resumes game (or plays in resumed game) for new team.
Pitcher loses game for new team.

[Strangler Lewis]

That's the scenario, but the rules also provide that umpires can decide on any situation not specifically covered by the rules, which, I submit, this is not. If I was d'ump, I wouldn't allow it.

If it could happen, it would also suggest that if half of two teams got thrown out during a bench clearing brawl in a game that was suspended, and then they all got traded for each other, they could all reappear in the resumed game.

[Alex]

On opposite teams? Players kicked out before suspension, I'm thinking, would still be barred from the game since once kicked out you are not allowed in the dugouts or onto the field in the same game.

Once resumed it is still technically the same game so I'm guessing you still wouldn't be allowed on the field regardless of who you were playing for (though an interesting alternative would be you get kicked out, the game is suspended, you retire, the game resumes and you want to watch from the stands. Should you be allowed since a kicked out player can't watch from the stands?).

But who knows, the rulebook covers the entirety of resumed game substitutions in a middling length paragraph. Though I say that since the rule book doesn't cover it the umpires would probably allow it.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Ooh, ooh! I have something to post here!

Baseball numbers geeks rejoice! Either that or their heads will explode.

[Strangler Lewis]

I like my baseball defense in flashy broad strokes:

Can he make circus catches?
Can he run down well hit balls?
Can he throw a runner out at third from right field?
Can he make a strong throw to first from deep in the hole?

Two million bits of defensive increments don't interest me, and I predict they won't interest anyone for long.

[Alex]

Unfortunately that first one is frequently a sign of a less then stellar defensive player.

The big problem I see for this system (which I agree will be of no interest to most fans) is that unlike other statistical databases this one can't help but be extremely proprietary so until I know how they're planning to make money off the system and share the data I can't get excited about its meaning to stat oriented fans.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Baseball numbers geeks rejoice! Either that or their heads will explode.

I can't wait until they adapt this to politicians so that we can end all those debates too.

[Strangler Lewis]

Here's a video of the top 25 catches of all time.

I predict even the most hardcore baseball fan here will watch this and say "Who gives a f***?"

[Alex]

Hey, the Ashes just started. If it were easily available on my TV I'd be watching some of it.