Rain follows World Series to Philadelphia
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It just wouldn’t be postseason baseball if we weren’t checking the skies first thing every morning for rain. And the skies over Philadelphia this morning were not promising.
Rain began falling early and is expected to continue most of the day. The forecast for the first pitch of Game 3 of the World Series tonight is calling for a 70% chance of showers and temperatures in the 50s. The American League Championship Series was repeatedly hampered by rain, with Game 6 in New York postponed a day by weather.
If tonight’s game is postponed, it could actually help both teams. Yankees Manager Joe Girardi is apparently leaning toward using pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett on short rest in Games 4 and 5. A rainout tonight would allow both pitchers to make those starts on their regular four days of rest.
Philadelphia Manager Charlie Manuel, meanwhile, announced he would start Joe Blanton in Game 4 precisely because he didn’t want Phillies ace Cliff Lee pitching on short rest. But a rainout tonight would allow Lee to start Game 4 on Monday and possibly make him available for spot duty in Game 7, should the Series go that far.
-- Kevin Baxter